What Should Have Been - To Correct the Mistake
What Should Have Been - To Correct the Mistake
by Katmellie
Summary: Things creep up from Jack's past and future.
Category: Action/Adventure, Future Story, Humor, POV, Series
Season: future Season
Pairing: Jack/Sam
Rating: PG
Warnings: minor language, sexual situations, violence
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).
Archived on: 10/06/03
To Correct the Mistake
A week till the biggest day of my life and I'm not even scared, I can't wait to get it over with, so Sam will return back to normal, and she'll stop dragging me into every bridal shop, she sees whenever were out shopping. Somehow everyone's been caught up in her wedding preparations. Me, I've hung back and let her get on with it. Though giving her the credit card, to my vast amount of cash, my grandfather left to me, was a bad idea. I fear the 1.3 million, will be wiped out by the time she's finished. Even now she changing things, reordering things and remeasuring everyone for their suits or dresses. She's made it quite clear, she doesn't want a military wedding, though I thought it be easier if we did it that way. But no, she wants the white wedding then, she'll get her white wedding. And the pansy flowers and ribbon things to go with it. As long as I don't have to go, into one more bridal shop, she can do whatever she wants. All I want to do is get her down the aisle as fast as possible, do the vows and get on the plane to Virginia. Harry's lent us, one of his outskirt cabins at his ranch. No phone lines, no signal for Sam's cellular, No TV and No suddenly appearing friends. I love 'em, but their timing sucks.
Today though, my last day at the academy, starting my three-week vacation next week, Monday morning at 0900hrs, when I should be a married man, enjoying the bliss and tranquillity of Harry's ranch. Meetings are all I've got till my first lesson and last lesson of the day, with the second years. There last year before we actually let them, go gallivanting around the universe, making more trouble for someone else to correct. Carrying on the work I began, Sam's life gonna be hell when these guys, start at the SGC next year. She hasn't absorbed any of my warnings about them, says she'll be able to handle them, if she can put up with my bad temper and sarcasm, she believes she can handle anything. I have faith that she can, but these guys have been taught by me, they've picked up the bad habits I'd acquired while I was away, from the S.G.C. Some of the cheekiness she's let out in me. It's not just me who's had an adverb affect on her. She's had one on me. Letting out some of the things, I'd buried away after Charlie's death.
Shifting restlessly in my seat, the other heads of each subject, were talking about their stupid budgets and which cadets, should receive accommodation's for something. I hate meetings. I hate having to sit for two hours, listening to some idiot, who has no idea what's going on up there, believing our worse threat comes from aboard. And I hate it, when they say I shouldn't have the budget I have and be able to take cadets, to a top-secret facility once a week. They can shove their budget up their asses, for all I care. I've been told to do a job and I'm doing that job to the best of my ability. If they want, I'll call my friend on high, and he can tell them where to shove their complaints. What's it gotta do with them anyway? You don't find me complaining about their budgets and how they conduct their lessons. I wouldn't even know where to start, though the science department can shove that babbling of theirs, up their asses. But then I'd have fights at home with Sam over it, so I'll keep my mouth shut.
Doodling on the notepad in front of me, sketching my name and anyone else's name that came to mind, and then wedding bells, stuff like that. Thinking about the wedding preparations, the man's face when we were getting our suits fitted. He couldn't stop staring at Teal'c's arms and legs muscles. Whoever's idea it was, for Teal'c to flex his muscles a few times, was certainly not mine. I did what Sam told me, behaving while she picked out my shirt, ignoring Daniel, Jonas and Teal'c's behaviour. Though when Janet arrived to see the end result, Daniel got a severe telling off in the changing room, and then Janet and Sam had a little argument outside. Sam complaining that Janet hadn't told her about her and Daniel, and then Janet told her it's not her fault, I can keep a secret. The fire exit had come in handy, it would've of been, if I'd got to it in time. All hell broke lose that day.
Thankfully though, I don't have to pretend, I don't know about the two of them anymore. Sam's still a bit sour about the subject, but she's happy. She's got my credit card. I can't even remember, what it looks like anymore, she's had it that long. The bill came through for it the other day, I'm not even going to open it, its going to stay in the top draw of my desk, till I'm ready to face the damages, she's done to my account. Can't be too bad, no one can spend 1.3 million on a wedding. Can they? I'm sure they can't, Sam wouldn't go that nuts, she's very responsible and careful with money. She won't even let me buy a new truck, until after the wedding and she's had chance to look it over. But I guess that's what being a married couple is. Deciding on things together, watching the money flow, saving up for rainy days and that clich stuff. And now Cassie and David's living with us, with little Sean, we've gotta watch the penny's even more.
Cassie's taken to the mother thing easily, there hasn't been once so far, when Sam or Janet have jumped in and took over. I've had to help David sometimes, when Cassie's gone out with Sam, to sort something out for the wedding. I feel sorry for David sometimes, for both of them, but at least their sticking together for Sean's sake. Whenever it comes to Sean, David's a little wary of him, scared he's going to drop him or break him. At least I can sympathise with him, telling him the secret traits of being a good dad. David's parents don't want to know. They're both strictly religious; believing David and Cassie should have got married before Sean was born. I didn't help when they came to hospital, and I told them if they weren't going to help, they could shove god up where the sun don't shine, because he ain't done a lot for me in the past. Not many people were proud of me that day. It's not my problem if they've got a problem with it.
Flattening my hair down I sat up in my seat, listening to Major Hogston wrap his little talk up, preventing me from getting my lunch. It's good I get along with Hogston. Otherwise I'd be making hell so we could leave early. Why do we have to have meetings on Monday mornings? Couldn't we have them on Tuesdays, so I wouldn't have to be here, as I'm officially on holiday tomorrow? It's only because Sam wants to go away for a couple of days, take some time out before the whole wedding this Sunday. I still say its too clich to have our wedding, on a Sunday. Everyone has their wedding on a... There was a loud knock on the door, pivoting round in my chair slightly, the door opened with Major Taulton popping his head, round the edge of the door.
"Sorry for intruding, but... Colonel O'Neill, General Hammond's on phone for you, sir" Taulton said, coming further into the room, holding the door open for everyone, to see out into the corridor.
Pushing my chair out from underneath, I collected my notepad and the dossier, shrugging my shoulders at all of them, saying. "Send me a memo, on the conclusion of the meeting"
A few of them grunted to one another, mouthing a 'thank you' to Taulton I nearly skipped out of the room, tugging my tie from around my neck, breathing the fresh air in when I was in the corridor. Sighing at the relief of getting out of there, unbuttoning my collar's button, Taulton shut the door to the conference room, blocking out the whispers of my not-so-subtle escape. Kneading the lines of age on my forehead, I began to walk down the corridor, Taulton's boots clunked against the shiny floor, sustaining the quick pace I'd set. Cracking my neck side to side, I patted my new best friend on his shoulder, veering round the corner into the main reception area. Squeezing passed some cadets; Taulton tapped me on the shoulder, checking over his shoulder for listening ears.
"Sir" Taulton said, his voice hushing below the constant noise of the corridors, following me to my office. "General Hammond says you've got to go to the SGC, sir."
Abruptly stopping in the corridor, I frowned at Taulton, saying. "He did actually call, you weren't just saving from another hour of boring chin-wagging?"
"No, sir" He said, handing me my keys and my hat, I'd left on my desk till the end of the meeting. "He wants you there pronto, says it involves you and Colonel Carter, sir"
Shoving the dossier and my notepad over to him, I snatched my keys and hat from him, running down the corridor as fast as my knees would carry me, skidding round the corner or two. Slamming the mess hall doors open, I ran into chairs and table, fighting my way through them to the kitchen, dashing round the complaints and kitchen staff. To my knowledge, Sam wasn't going to go into the base today. Trust her to go in, do a spot of sorting and playing with gizmos, put her self into mortal danger and break my heart, if she's hurt badly. My keys rattle against one another, pressing the remote to my truck, jogging to the dark green ford, selecting its key from the other keys I had on the chain. The exact same keys Sam had on her key chain. I can't bear it, if she's gone and done something stupid. And she was the one, who told me not to go taunting my cadets, so they wouldn't beat me up before the wedding day. Doesn't want her future hubby, to be covered in bruise for our wedding photos.
Roaring up the bendy road to the main gates of the base, I stripped my clothes off into the seat beside me, unbuttoning a few buttons on my shirt, flapping in the wind coming through my window. Sunglasses on in place, gave me my cool but serious look, hiding any emotions incase something bad had happened and I could play a charade to everyone, using my black barrier over my eyes as a defence. Slowing down when the gate came into view, I sped on through them with them opening up in time to my arrival, saluting me as I went by their blurred faces. Coasting through the darkness of the tunnel, the lights flicked over the bonnet of my truck, I picked at the hard calluses on the underside of my hand, slanted against my door, with one hand on the wheel. A truck whizzed passed me, going the opposite direction to me, the roaring of it's engine drowned out, the sound of my own and my own thoughts.
Braking down the speed of my truck to a coasting speed, the guard on duty set the gate to open, letting me go on through like the other one, informed of my eminent arrival. Compelling the truck to keep to the white arrows, over the roofs of the cars and some trucks, I spotted her car sat in its place with a sight for sore eyes, standing five feet away from it. From what she was wearing, I was relieved to see, she hadn't snuck into work, wearing exactly the same things I saw her in, when I left her this morning, in the garden. Tooting my horn to her, I pulled up beside her, where she stood talking to Daniel, both jumping to the sound of my horn.
"What's going on? How come Hammond's called me?" I asked them, hanging half way out my window, checking Sam up and down to see if she was okay, and hadn't escape from the infirmary with injuries.
"I don't know. He called me as well. Daniel's been telling me, we've had to wait here for you." She said, moving closure to my truck, touching my hand, resting on the edge of the door. "I had to leave Malachi with Cassie, so this better be quick"
"Okay, let me find a place to park and I'll meet you over by the elevator" I said, sitting back down into my seat, crawling slowly away from them till I was sure it was safe, to speed off down the row.
Gliding round the corner of the row of cars, I unfastened my seat belt from the clip, rolling in to park between two cars, widening up my window at the same time. Collecting my keys and my jacket, from the back seat, I climbed out of my truck, careful not to hit the car beside me, with the edge of the door. Shutting the door I slid the key into the lock, locking it I put my arm, into one of the sleeves of my jacket, shrugging on the other as I cleared the end of the car and my truck. Sam and Daniel stood waiting patiently at the elevator, holding the doors open for me as I jogged over the car park, pocketing my keys into my pocket.
Kissing Sam as I got into the elevator beside her, Daniel set the elevator to go down, I sighed into the side of Sam's neck, thinking how stupid I was, to consider she'd gotten herself hurt. Wouldn't be the first time though and it won't be the last. She threaded her fingers in between mine, the wall of the elevator, supporting both our weights, gazing at each other in silence. Daniel shifted uncomfortably, on the other side of the elevator, playing with the flap, hiding the buttons to his uniform, wearing the very fashionable green today. Its days like today, when I'm glad I'm not at the S.G.C anymore, but wishing I were, so then I would and wouldn't have anything to do, with commanding Sam around and letting my feelings be themselves, around her. The adjustment from hiding my feelings to expressing them, was easier than dismantling a P90, and I can do that in my sleep. But whenever we're in a military situation, I have to fight myself, to stop the hand sneaking round her waist, from leaning into her, to place a sweet kiss on her cheek. Though we haven't been to any military functions together, we have got one in January, when certain members of NORAD and the S.G.C, and a few heads from the academy, will be going to some charity function, with the President's making a entrance, at some point during the evening.
Removing my sunglasses now I didn't need their safety, the elevator jolted to a sudden halt, on level sixteen, opening its doors to let us out and sign our lives away. Putting my sunglasses, in the inside pocket of my jacket, I walked out of the elevator, glancing down one of the corridors, people going about their daily business. Squeezing the back of my neck, I lined up behind Sam, nosing over her shoulder at her signing her name, printing it and then dating it. Grinning at me over her shoulder, she handed me the blue biro, stepping out of the way slightly, bumping into me when I leant down to sign my name. Rolling my shoulders I glimpsed up at Lieutenant Thacker, he swallowed nervously at my face, stern yet showing my amusement. She was always doing things like that, making me move her out of the way or blocking my way to the door, tolling the way with a kiss or a hug. It's really sad how we get some days. You'd think we're a young couple, instead of a forty something and fifty something.
Giving Thacker the pen, the other elevator arrived in good timing, crossing over to the elevator, I gave Sam's sides a quick squeeze, causing her jump and clasp her hands down, on her sides. While the doors were closing, I heard Thacker chuckled to himself, settling down to reading the paper again, his post very boring and unfulfilling. The doors sealed together, riding down in another elevator, Sam giggled into my shoulder, encircling my lower back with her arm. Kissing her forehead I looked over, the top of her head at Daniel, shaking his head at us, cleaning his glasses on the corner of his shirt. The doors opened to the General and Teal'c, both stood boldly in the middle of the doorway, their hands out of sight. Widening my eyes at the surprised, of seeing them both, I took hold of Sam's hand, stepping through the threshold into the corridor, people much busier down here than a few levels above.
"Jack, Colonel Carter. Glad you got here swiftly. You're both going to want see this." The General said, conducting us down the corridor, to one of the holding cells. (I'm very familiar with, any trouble and that was the first place they'd shove me, if it were my fault).
"What is it, sir?" Sam asked while we were turning a corner, coming to stop in front of a door, an airman blocked the small window, looking into the cell.
Raising his eyebrows at us, the General swept his hand through the air, gesturing for the airman to let us into the room. Releasing Sam's hand, I shoved my hands into my pockets, walking through the door first, flabbergasted at the young man sat on the bed. I thought I was more intelligent than this, and I kept my promises. He was supposed to live his life, going down the paths I never went down in my life, some more of that fork in the road stuff, Sam loves to talk about in her sleep. Glancing to Sam beside me, she looked up at me, then back to the young man, smiling knowingly at him. Running my fingers through my hair, in one fluent movement, I pointed at him sat on the bed, striding slightly off into the room, sitting down on the edge of the table.
"I thought, we agreed you wouldn't come back, into my life." I said, waving my hands to indicate between us. "You know, you live my life the way I didn't. Go down those paths I didn't"
"What?" The young man said, screwing up his eyebrows at me, showing a faint scar coming down, out of his hairline, one I don't remember acquiring.
"Jonathon, this is not the time to be..."
"Jack" Janet said, excusing herself passed everyone, to get into the room, cutting me short on telling my younger self off. "That isn't your clone"
"Oh" I said getting up from the sitting on the table, putting my hands onto my hips. "So who is he then?"
The young man flopped back onto the bed, whispering 'For Cryin' Out Loud' to himself, Sam and I, both looked at him, watching him cross his feet over one another, clasping his hands over his stomach, crooking his head to look back at us. Questioning Sam with a look, we got nowhere asking each other, the same question with the same look. Grinning at her slightly, I turned my attention onto Janet and the folder she was trying, to show to Sam and me. All there were, were numbers and letters to me, my name and Sam's popped up a few times, and so did Malachi's name, which was a surprise.
Sam took the folder from Janet, getting a closer look at whatever it said, while Janet said. "He came through the gate, a couple of hours ago, claiming to be Malachi"
"Hello!" I said, the creases across my forehead became more prominent. "Malachi's only a baby"
"I'm from the future. God, I can't believe he's this stupid. Uncle Daniel did say he was stupid." The man said, covering his eyes up with his arm, earning Daniel a glared from me.
Shaking her head Sam shut the folder up, handing it back to Janet, saying. "If he's from the future, why would our son come back?"
The bed creaked under his weight, standing up to towered over Sam, becoming eye level with me. "Mom, you sent me back to change the timeline"
"No, I wouldn't" She said, the 'I'm your mother, don't mess with me' look came on easily, her arms folded across her chest. (Guess those mother talks, with my mother, did her some good).
"Yes, you did. You sent me back, to stop dad from dieing" The man said, flinging his hand towards me, causing everyone in the room, to look to me. "At ten fifteen this Sunday, the pair of you will be getting married. Dad gets assassinated when he's saying he does. Shot in the back from the balcony, at the back of the church"
Sam's face was certainly a story; her arms now limp by her sides, her face white as a sheet. I didn't know how I should feel about it, having the details of my death told to me. It's not every day someone tells me, I'm going to die. Not since I left the S.G.C that is. Nearly everyday, I was told I was going to die by some Goa'uld here. Then by some towns folk who didn't want to hear the truth. Oh and when I accidentally broke, one of Sam's doohickeys. Actually that was quite a few times, if I recall right. Scratching my chest through the gap, formed where my shirt opened out, I advanced towards the younger man, giving him my best 'I'm not impressed' look, otherwise known as my 'pissed off Colonel' look.
"So? What we supposed to do about it now? It's not going to happen till Sunday." I said, placing a hand on Sam shoulder, cocking my head to side slightly. "You even know, who's going to kill me?"
"No, but mum said you..." Malachi started before I waved a hand at him.
"I don't care what your mother said, or what she's going to say" I paused for a minute, feeling a headache coming on, with all this future stuff. "You expect us, to listen to you and you don't even have the vital information that we need, that will prevent my death. Nice one, son. Remind me to give you a bonus in your next allowance"
"She said you say something like that. Be the cynical one. Why don't you just shut up, and try and listen to me?" He barked back at me, someone growled at him and it alarmed me, that it was me.
Pointing my finger at him, I mulled over slapping his face or giving him what for. Sam pulled my arm down to my side, saying. "Jack, calm down. Both of you can calm down. You're not helping anyone, if you two go at it. Malachi, sit down. Jack, outside"
Backing up away from him, he sat down onto the bed, our eyes constant on one another till I was out of the door, pushed down the corridor by Sam. The others closed and locked the door, watching Sam shoved me backwards once more, shaking her head at me. Exhaling my breath very, very slowly, trying to calm down the once sleeping dragon, which had reared its ugly head. The stern look she was giving me, didn't sit too well with me, so I gave her one back, crossing my arms across my chest, peering down at my feet, rocking back on the heels of my feet. She gave me a frustrated sigh, easing up on the sternness in her look but I knew better, she was still pissed on the inside.
"Jack, what the hell was that in there?" She questioned me, looking back at the others over her shoulder, ruffling up her hair with her fingers. "That... man, is our son and you're trying to start world war three with him"
"My son's at home with Cassie. I don't know that man in there." I said, motioning towards the cell with my head, shifting my weight from one foot to the other.
"And he doesn't know you, so you're both in the same boat. Jack, it won't hurt to listen to him." She said, trailing a fingers down the side of my face, decreasing the distance between us. "From Janet's tests, he is Malachi. She's match him with the blood work they have on file. If I've sent him back, then I've sent him back for a good reason. You know, how I feel about messing with time lines and things like that"
"I suppose. Doesn't mean I have to like it." I said, pouting my lips at her, sulking down in height, inclining my head slightly.
She shook her head at me, tugging on my ear she said. "No, but you will listen to him. Otherwise I'll kill you"
Rolling my eyes at her we went back over to the others, both of us coming to a stop together, looking to one another before looking to each of them. Ploughing a hand through my hair, I moved to stand in the centre of the group, pivoting round my heels. Daniel and Janet were almost standing, on the same spot together, with Daniel's head hovering, over the top of Janet's shoulder. Holding a hand out to all of them, I opened my mouth a few times, chewing over the words I was going to use, working out some order to put them into. Thinking about this whole future stuff, I'm glad I don't work here nine to five, (and the rest), anymore. Those migraines, I used to get, are coming back, with me using brain cells, I haven't used in eleven years. Has it really be that long?
"Okay, so he's Malachi from the future, right?" They all nodded their heads at me. "None of what he says, is gonna happen till the wedding, right? So we've got five days to work out, who's going to kill me, and why they're going to kill me. How hard can it be?"
Doodling in Sam's book on a page at the back, I waited for them all to sit down and for Malachi to arrive, and for George to get off his phone. It was turning out to be hard, to find out why someone was going to kill me, and who doesn't want to kill me. Daniel had someone bring his white board down, listing all the people I could think of, and any names they could thing of, who'd want to kill me. We filled both sides of the board, steaming from Anthony Banks from my kindergarten class to Anubis. Sam was still spitting out names, when everyone else had given up on hundred sixty-four. For some reason though, it doesn't bother me that I'm supposed to die on Sunday. I thought it would but it doesn't. That's what bothering me the most. I'm not particularly troubled by the thought I could die. It's being killed in front of my family and friends, dieing in Sam's arms, at the alter. I don't want to die, when my new life is just beginning, my second chance at life with a beautiful woman and our children.
Scribbling out the sketch I'd done of a stupid car, I chucked the pen down onto the table, cupping my face with my hands, thudding my elbows down onto the table. The chatting in the corner of the briefing room stopped, flicking out some invisible sleep from the corner of my eye, I walked my seat backwards away from the table, standing up out of it when someone touched me on the arm. Biting my lower lip I looked round to Sam, dismissing her I went over to the window, digging my hands deep into my pockets, brewing over the thought why someone would want, to take me away from Sam and our kids. One of which, who doesn't know the real me. Creating an image of me from telltales, Sam and everyone have probably told him while he was growing up. It's not the same as actually having me there. I know I've seen it before. Kate and Rob never really knew our father, like James and me did. We'd spent more time with our dad, than the two of them, put together. But thinking about it, I think I knew him the best out of the four of us, spending most of my schools days, hiding out at his garage.
Sam gently smoothed her hand over my back, clutching onto my elbow ever so lightly, her head weighing down onto my shoulder. I swore to myself years ago, I'd never hurt her but if I die, I know it will screw her up inside like it did, when Charlie died with me. The years we've known each other, have told me we're soul mates. I've felt all the pain she's been through, and she's felt all of mine, and now we're feeling this together. At least she'll have Linole and Malachi, to keep her from diving head first, into that pit where I'd ended up. Shutting out, the outside world till the pain went away. It doesn't go away. Everyday I feel the pain, stabbing that extra bit at my heart, reminding me of my stupidity and my crime against my first son, ripping his life away from him because I my carelessness. No matter what anyone else says, it was my fault. That cold piece of metal, that tore its way through his chest, came from my gun. My bullet, my gun, my fault.
The door opened to George's office, everyone turned to face him and able to watch Malachi entered the room. The airman uncuffed him before leaving the room and closing the door behind him. Rubbing at his wrists, Malachi scanned all of us, knowing probably everyone in room except for me, and that hurts even more than Charlie's death.
"Can everyone take a seat, please?" George said, gesturing towards the table with a nod of his head, already pulling out his seat, from the head of the table.
Massaging the pain from my forehead, I sat back down in my old seat, Sam taking her rightful place beside me, back into the old sitting arrangement. Give us an hour, and I'm sure we'll be able to do a human pyramid, like we once tried on one downtime night, with large quantities of beer. Wheeling my chair close to the table and to Sam, I watched Malachi take a seat beside Teal'c, matching my look across the table. Breaking are connection, I switched to look at George, picking at something on my forehead. His eyes burned into me, whatever he was trying to do, it was certainly working. Budging in my seat to get comfortable, I spare a moment to look at him, awestruck by how he looks like me when I was his age. So everyone's been right then, he is going to turn out to look like me, they'd said the same thing about Charlie when he was little.
"Jack?" Daniel asked across the table, angling himself towards me, his voice showing his concern. Waving my hand at him to let it go, I unzipped my jacket, while Daniel turned to Malachi. "Malachi, what can you tell us, about Jack's... death?"
"Mom said, a few days before the wedding, dad was acting more stranger than usual. He was seeking about the house, ignoring her calls on his cellular..."
"I do that anyway, she always calls when I'm driving or in a lesson" I said without thinking, plucking up my discarded pen, going back to doodling when I noticed the silence round the table. "Sorry, Malachi. Carry on"
"He was ignoring her calls on his cellular and wouldn't tell her what he was doing. He disappeared for two days before the wedding, telling my mom he had to go to Grandma and Grandpa's graves for some reason. Then the night, when he was supposed to have his stag do, he called it off at the last minute, locking himself away in the observation deck" He said, pouring him self a glass of water, continually staring at me. "He told my mother, the morning of the wedding over the phone, that he loved her deeply and she wasn't to hang onto the pain. She didn't know, what he was going on about at the time, but when she was sat on the alter steps, trying to keep him alive till Aunt Janet, could get the paramedics, it all became clear to her"
With his little story I squinted my eyes at him, the man he'd talked about in his story, didn't sound a thing like me. There had to be some reason I was doing all that, seeking around and keeping things hush-hush from Sam. I wouldn't dream of hiding anything from her, so it had to something big or is going to be something big. And now we've just got all this future stuff again, giving me a headache. Pulling out the medicine bottle of pills, Janet had gotten me from the infirmary, when I'd quietly pull her aside and told her, my old migraines were back to haunt me. Nudging Sam with my elbow, I motioned towards the water jug and then show her the bottle of pills, cunningly watching everyone round the table. Listening to hypostasize about my reasoning for doing, what I had done or will do.
Daniel laid his glasses down onto the table, pinching at the bridge of his nose, saying. "Did your mom, find out what it was or why he was acting that way?"
"She found out, a few days before the wedding, tomorrow if you wanna be exact, my dad received a phone call from someone. That's when he started acting weird." Malachi said, when Sam handed me the glass, affectionately stroking my hair back.
"Let me tell you something, Malachi. That you probably don't know about me." I said popping the two of the pills into my mouth, posing them at the back of my tongue, making me sound different. "I always act weird"
Washing down the pills, with a mouth full of water, Sam giggled down at the table, patting her hand against my thigh. Malachi lost some of the seriousness in his face, I was hoping for a smile but I guess, I'll need to put some more work in there, to get to see one of his smiles. If it's the last thing I do, I wanna see my little boys smile. I got to see Linole's in minutes of knowing her, so I will see his before the end of the day.
Replacing the lid on the bottle of pills, I put them back into my pocket, saying. "So in the mean time, what we going to do with him? He can't really stay at the base"
"He's coming home with us." Sam demanded, pounding her fist down on the table, getting all fired up over nothing, but I'm not gonna stand between a mother and her child.
"Colonel, do you really think..." George began but with a quick shake of my head, he cut it short, changing the topic before Sam had chance to glare at him. "Colonel, use whatever resources you'll need. I'm not going to lose, one of the best Colonel's, this Air Force has to offer"
Blushing slightly from his compliment, I rose from my seat at the same time as everyone else, casting my eyes over to Sam. "As SG-1 is on downtime till after the Colonel's wedding, I won't be expecting to see any of you, on base unless it's absolutely needed. Now, I've got my granddaughters birthday to attend. My best wishes to all of you and good night"
"Night, sir" Everyone chanted, George left the room going into his office, closing the door behind him.
Handing Sam her notebook and pen, everyone round the table began to leave, collecting together their papers, rubbing down the white board of the names we'd mustered together, copy down on the piece of paper, Daniel had in his notebook. Malachi seemed to be a little forgotten with all of us, rushing round, clearing up papers I'd screwed up and threw at Daniel, when I was getting frustrated. Fiddling inside my jacket, retrieving my sunglasses from my pocket, I strolled towards the door, checking with the time on my watch. Sam touched my shoulder, signalling to me she was going to call the elevator down. Making sort of sign I understood, I drummed my fingers, on the back of Teal'c's empty chair, clicking my tongue against the roof of my mouth.
"Come on, Mal. Let's take ya home" I said, tapping my hand on the back of the chair, throwing my arm in the direction of the door, where everyone had gone out of. "Unless you wanna stay here, in the grey, small, concrete cold, quarters. Where they have itchy, small blankets and wooden pillows, so you spe..."
"Okay, for cryin' out loud. I'm coming" He said, quickly getting out of his seat, bolting out of the briefing faster than anything I've seen, apart from that time with the armbands.
Sliding my sunglasses into place, I grinned at his jogging form, joining Sam and the others at the elevator, complaining about my ways of persuasion. He hasn't seen my tuna torture yet. Closing the door behind me, I hid my hands away, into the pockets of my pants, sauntering my way down the corridor to them. Probably looking a right idiot, wearing my sunglasses inside the SGC, but I don't care. I can't wait to get him home, Linole's gonna freak out, seeing this younger looking me.
Driving home in silence with the radio, playing away to itself, Malachi opted to ride with Sam, so I'd ditched them on one of the bends, coming down the mountain, roaring off on my own, overtaking them and Sam's slow pace. I love and everything, but she's too slow for my liking when she's driving her car. Me, I want to have the air in my face and have the engine roar, when I'm driving somewhere. But another reason I sped off, instead of following them, I wanted to have some time to myself to think. The only way I think, is tinkering on the Pontiac for a few hours, I couldn't do that with Sam hovering around, because she'd start tinkering as well and I can't have that. She'll probably take forever to get home, she was asking him questions on the way up in the elevator, firing down my comment of 'You're not allowed to ask him'. The look and hands on the hips, she told me 'It's not going to matter, because you're not going to die this time round'. Fair is fair, I guess.
Severing round the neighbours parked car, the front of my truck bounced, jerking the truck around, I drove straight up and into my half of the garage, hearing a distant call of my name. Turning the engine off, my door was yanked open by Linole, her smile beaming up at me. Messing her hair up, I wiped my sunglasses off as I got down out of the truck, smiling at Charlotte who was hanging round the entrance of the door.
"Dad!" Linole shouted at me, straightening her hair, giving me the daggers she gave me, when I messed her hair up. "Cassie's been trying to ring mom for the past hour. Her and David had to go out, they haven't been gone long. Jacob's with Mal and Sean now, he came in a few hours ago, complaining mom hadn't pick him up from the airport"
"Okay. You going to be staying round for dinner, Charlotte?" I asked, lifting Linole up so we could at least, get out of the garage by the end of the month, always blocking my way that child is. "Gonna have pizza if ya stay?"
"Sure, Jack. Can you call my mom and tell her?" Charlotte asked, watching me pull down the door, on my part of the garage.
"Course I can" I said, scooping them both up under my arm, lifting them up by their waists. "Now terrors, have we behave ourselves at school today?"
Giggling they both said yes, fighting against my arms round their waists, I held on tightly when I climbed the few steps, up onto the garden. Putting them down Sam's car turned up onto the driveway, a lot more tamed than my dash up the driveway, parking up in the garage beside her bike. Sending Linole and Charlotte off to the house, the sun was starting to set behind the trees, letting the night come forth. Sam came out of the garage, laughing at something Malachi had said to her, telling him to close the garage door, at the same time. Shaking her head at something, she clambered her way up the steps to me, waiting beside me for Malachi to join us.
He loiter by the garage for a bit, edging his way up the garden steps, scanning the garden and the house, his eyes wide with the scene before him. Glancing round for myself, the garden seemed its usual mess, Linole's bike laying abandoned on the grass, the flower beds needed some TLC, but that was all on the 'to do' list for tomorrow. Sorting everything out before the wedding and we could disappear, on our honeymoon. The kids, are both staying here with Cassie and David, saving Janet and Daniel of the job. They need the practice.
Coming up a few steps, Malachi stopped, saying. "We don't live here. We lived on the other side of town"
"Well, come and have a look round then" I said, putting a guiding hand on his shoulder, coaxing him in the direction of the house, while I spoke to Sam. "Dad's home. Linole said he's been complaining, about someone not picking him up"
"I totally forgot. Dad's going to kill me" she said, hitting her forehead with the palm of her hand. "Did Linole say how pissed he was?"
"No, because I've told her not to use that word, remember? Or did that swearing talk go right up and over your head? Like that girlie chat, you made me listen and cringed to, when you were talking to Linole about it" I said, stepping up the steps while Malachi hung round the patio door, waiting for one of us to go in first.
Hitting me in the arm with her fist, I rubbed at the stinging area through my jacket, kicking my shoes off, to sit on the always-present pile. Sam brought Malachi into the house, telling him it was all right. Linole and Charlotte was laughing away somewhere, coming from the direction of the games room, the sound of guns blasting away gave evidence of that. Unzipping my jacket I looked over the pile of mail, lying over the kitchen counter, all calling for me to open them. Draping my coat over the back of a chair, at the breakfast table, I choose to forget about the mail, all consisting of bills that could wait till tomorrow. Malachi sat down at the breakfast table, unsure what else he was to do with himself, now he was in our home.
Roughening up my hair I slid across the floor to the fridge, pulling the door open, crouching down to find my beer, wherever Sam had hidden it this time. The fridge was packed to the eyeballs with food, saving us from the trip to the market this week. By Wednesday, I know we're going to need to do some more shopping. We always do. Knelling down onto the floor, I plunged my arm into the back of the bottom shelve, touching the cold glass of one of the beer bottles. Grinning to myself I fished out a few bottles, crawling backwards away from the door, with the bottles clutched to my chest, I shut the door getting to my feet. Offering one to Malachi, he slowly took the bottle from me, his hands shaking as he took it from me, opening the bottle with a quick hiss of the gas escaping.
Putting the two spare bottles down, onto the side, Sam came into kitchen from the dining room, with Malachi in her arms, Jacob following behind her with Sean in his arms. "I ask you to do one small thing, like picking me up from the airport, and you can't even do that. Didn't you promise me, you'd pick me up from the airport? Hey, Jack. Jonathon"
Malachi's face twisted up at being called 'Jonathon', for the second time that day, grumbling he swigged at some of his beer, gazing out the patio door at the garden. "Dad, something came up. I totally forgot. You've promised me things in the past. What happened to that mustang, you were going to buy me, for my eighteenth birthday? I don't remember any mustang, sat in the driveway on the morning of my birthday"
"Oh you and that mustang. Just shut up about it, would ya? Anyway, what's Jonathon doing here?" Jacob asked, elevating Sean's bottle up, using gravity against the solution in the bottle.
Sam closed the door to the games room, blocking off anything we were going to say, from travelling to the ears of babes. "That isn't Jack's clone. He's Malachi"
"Sam, you've got Malachi in your arms. Do I look like I was born yesterday?" Jacob said, padding his way round the kitchen island, coming to stand next to me as I hopped up onto the counter, snapping my lid off the top of my beer.
"Its Malachi, dad. He's here to stop Jack, from being kill this weekend" Sam said, shushing Malachi in her arms when he started calling for me, 'dada' with his arms held out to me.
"Oh, okay" Jacob said, rocking Sean in his arms, motioning with his shoulders, he was okay with it. "So who's gonna kill Jack?"
Quickly putting the bottle down on the side, Sam delivered Malachi into my arms, unable to quieten his constant babbling of 'dada', saying. "He doesn't know. But Jack's going to receive a call tomorrow, which will set the whole thing into motion"
Over looking everyone else in the room, Malachi knelt on my lap, feeling the sides of my face between his hands, smiling at me with his boyish grin. "What ya doing, Mal? Hey. You been a good boy?"
"Dada" Mal said, pinching my nose with his tiny fingers, examining my older face, playing with my hair that he could reach.
"My big boy" I said, lifting him up above my head, lowering him down to touch my nose against his nose, blowing a raspberry at his face.
They were all chatting away to one another, going into more detail about my death or how I was going to die, if we didn't work out what happened or who did it. I didn't listen. Hugging the back of Malachi's legs, I got down from the counter, taking Malachi and my beer outside onto the porch, smiling at the other Malachi on the way. Sipping down some of my beer, I balanced it on the banister on the railing, sitting Malachi down on the wooden deck, cradling him with my legs, sitting down behind him. His dark brown eyes stared back at me, changing some months ago to their true colour. It terrified me when I'd noticed it. I thought something was wrong, screaming down the house, thinking the worse till Sam told me, it was normal for a baby of his age, to start to establish his true eye colour. And when he was hanging onto things, practicing to walk with the aid of things, I wanted to staple gun foam to everything and to him, cushioning his falls. I was so proud when he just got back up, walking round with the help of the couch, not letting anything stop him from walking.
I've probably missed out on loads with Malachi, dieing before he's said his first proper word, took his first unaided step and seen him off to his first day of school. I'm sure Sam did her best her him, bringing up another child on her own again, breaking my promise to her that I'd be there, all the way this time. I vowed she wasn't going to be a single mom again. Linole was going to have the father she deserves, and Malachi was going to have both his parents, at his side while he dealt, with all of life's tests. From what Sam's told me, of growing up without her mom, I understand it was hard for her, especially in her teenage years, dealing with all those girlie things. But she came through it, and from the look of Malachi, he has as well with Sam's help.
Malachi rolled onto his knees, climbing up the front of my shirt, standing up to his two foot ten saying. "Dada"
My face soften to his words, caressing the side of his face, I kept a steadying hand round his back. Sam gets fed up of Malachi and me sometimes, sitting on the living room floor, or in the office, playing with his toys, just doing anything we can together. Paperwork though, is not something to let Malachi lose with, when he's got his cup. She thinks Malachi prefers me to her, but I don't think that's it. When she's not around, he calls out for her, pinning for his mother to come back and play with him. I wonder if when I died, Malachi even had any idea of what was happening, when they'd put me down into the ground. His father a picture at his mother's bedside, she spoke to and cried to every night, wanting me back with her, to live the rest of her days out with her. I wouldn't and won't give up without a fight. In those days before the wedding, I'm sure I was trying to do something, keep them from being hurt, keeping them safe for another day.
The porch creek with someone coming outside, glancing over my shoulder, Malachi came outside, sliding the patio door close behind him. Squinting my eyes up at the fine young man, my son has become, I gestured for to sit down, while sitting his younger self down onto my knee. Shifting round to lean against the railing, I reached above me to my beer, putting it down on the decking beside me. Malachi sat down on the porch beside me, giving him self the comfortable space of a few feet. Malachi crawled out of my arm and protective circle, curious to the man who'd sat down on the porch, backing away from him to come back to me.
"So..." I said trying to break the ice, sitting Malachi back down on my knee.
"So..." Malachi said back to me, peeling away the label on his beer. "You and mom really loved each then?"
"I guess so. But love doesn't come close to what, your mother and me have. It's kinda hard to explain. It's like she's the air I breathe, I can't live without her anymore" I said slowly, straightening Malachi's jumper while he clung to my shirt, settling against me, to listen to my heart.
Malachi chuckled to himself, drinking some of his drink, returning back to peeling the label off, saying. "She said the same thing, whenever she would talk about you. Everyday, she went on about you to Jessie and me. Guess she wanted us both to know you, the way her and Li did. Which wasn't possible"
"Jessie? Who's Jessie?" I asked, burrowing my eyebrows together, watching him curse himself.
"I wasn't supposed to tell you." He said, pleading for my forgiveness. "Mom told me, I wasn't to tell either of you about Jessie, my baby brother. Your next son"
Scratching at my scarred eyebrow, I let a small grin show on my face, looking up to the window to the kitchen, Sam and Jacob were chatting away while Sam fed Sean, sometime while I'd been out here, they'd exchanged him between them. I know we've talk about it, deciding we want to wait a few years, so she can have a few more years in the field. But if Malachi says is true, that he had a baby brother, then she must be carrying him now. Unknown to her, but she's carrying him within her thingy bobby. Another son to watch grow, another son who won't fill the void, Charlie left in my heart, but another son to bring me some happiness in this world. Fifty-six and still shooting live ones. That must say something about me, especially as most men my age, need a pill to even do the business. Janet says I'm extremely fit and healthy for my age, so maybe that's it. I took good care of my body, and this is how it repays me. Sweet.
"Dad" I looked to Malachi beside me, finding he'd scotched over towards me. "You can't tell mom. It's bad enough I've told you, but you've got to let her find out for herself"
"Yeah, sure" I said, raising my bottle to my lips. "So, what was your life like? Without me, I mean"
Rocking his head side to side, he said. "It was okay. We always had Uncle Daniel and Uncle Teal'c, and we had Jacob. Mom must have moved us to some house, on the other side of town, after you died or something, because we never lived here. She used to tell us stories of how you and her were together. The night you proposed to her, the day at the zoo, the first time the two of you met, and you and her clashed horns"
"I wouldn't say we clashed horns. She didn't like that there, was so much testosterone in the room, all seeming to be emanating from me" I said, chuckling to myself, remembering the day for myself.
"Uncle Daniel said, she wasn't the same since you died. I didn't see her smile often but here, she doesn't stop smiling or laughing, kinda putting me off balance"
"She does that me too." I said, glimpsing up the window where Sam and Jacob, still stood talking to one another. "But I think my off balance is different to yours"
Finishing off the rest of his beer, Malachi stuffed the label down the neck of the bottle, saying. "Uncle Daniel said you were a jackass. Always joking around, but when it came to the moment, you put on a straight head. Mom said I was just like you, when she saw me off through the gate, all geared up"
"You joined the Air Force?"
"Yeah, we all did" Malachi said, leaning forward to put his bottle on the empty chair. "I joined SG-1 with Alex and Gary, that was before the war and the made the gate public. We lost hundreds, fighting the Goa'uld off. They promoted me to Colonel because I was the only one, who survived on my team and had the most experience. They were desperate for people when mom sent me through. It's the whole reason she sent me back. They need you in the future. Mom can't handle commanding the S.G.C, after General Hammond had a stroke. They need you there more than her. She needs you more than you know"
Wincing at the tone of his voice, I got up to my feet with him copying me, juggling Malachi up into my arms, I said. "Well... let's go do something about this future. Because I don't think it's time for me to die yet"
Smiling at me, genuinely smiling at me, we nodded, our heads to one another, going back inside, with Malachi asleep in my arms. I went off to go put Malachi to bed, entering into the hallway, Sam stood in the dining room, with Sean in her arms. Smirking at her she asked me what with her eyes, seeing my cheerfulness about something in my eyes. I shook my head at her, jogging up the stairs two at a time. This was not a good day to die, and neither were ones after it. Not when my family is just beginning.
Relaxing in front of the TV with a mug of coffee, Sam and Mal were in the kitchen, talking about things while me and Jacob sat in the living room, watching Malachi play with his toys, on the floor. Every time I moved somewhere in the house, someone kept moving the phone to my side, saving me the angst of searching through the house for the phone, I never seem to able to find, when it starts ringing. Linole was a little off with having Mal stay the night, our cover story being, he was a relative of mine from Chicago, coming to stay with us till the wedding. This would only last till Kate comes tomorrow, blurting out the truth and wanting to know, who this man was, who looked just like me. He gave me a fright this morning, appearing in my bathroom when I was shaving, wanting to borrow my shaving kit. The cut, down my cheek, was from me, jumping when his groggy, form came into bathroom, strangely reminding me how I looked, the morning after the engagement/promotion party.
Recrossing my feet over one another, I glanced to Jacob beside me, filling in the morning's paper crossword, refusing to give me the cartoons. Sometimes Jacob can be a real spoil sport, but you won't catch me saying that to his face, not till I'm officially married to his daughter. Then the O'Neill front, can gang up on the Carter front. Jacob's a lot how my father used to be, he's strict yet he's very down to earth about things. You know, you can go to him and talk about it, and he'll deal with it for you. He'd been there for me, when we gotten back from my parents funeral, taking me out for a drink, letting me pour my self out to him like I'd done to Sam, when we'd sat up the night of the funeral. It doesn't surprise me, Sam being a lot like her dad, but if I'd known her mother, I guess I'd be saying the same thing about her. Comparing the two of them to each other.
I've seen photos of Sam's mom, Carol, from the photo albums I'd found, when we were clearing Sam's stuff out of her old house. She was pretty just like Sam, even the spitting image of her, like Mal is to me. But you can clearly see Jacob in Sam. She has his strength and his willpower, the Carter not-give-up gene, so I've dubbed it. The only thing I have to offer is sarcasm and my stupidity. Malachi though is far from like me in that way, he's also taken after Sam in the brains department, which is a god's sent. They've both taken after Sam, and so will the little one when he's born. Last night, I'd watched her sleep, beaming at the thought that right there and then, our next kid was inside her, growing with the passing seconds. I wonder what it feels like, to have a small child grow inside of you. It must be extraordinary.
Sipping at my coffee, the muffled sound of the phone ringing, filled the living room over the sound coming from the TV. Hastily placing my mug down on the carpet, Jacob and I dived into the corners of the couch, and down the sides of the cushions, trying to find the phone that hadn't left my side, since Sam woken up this morning. The news that I could die must have kicked in last night, while she was sleeping. She wouldn't stop touching me, when I was trying to get dress, and then when I was getting Linole, some lunch money and my keys, she wouldn't let me out the door, without giving her a hug. More of those sad Sam and Jack moment's, to tell the kids about, when they're old enough to understand.
Giving up on the couch, I fell over the back of it, searching underneath it, hearing a chuckle come from Jacob, watching my legs flip over the back. Hissing at the pain in my bad shoulder, I dragged the phone out from under the couch, stunned as to how it could've ended up under there.
Answering the phone as I got to my feet, I placed a protective hand over my shoulder. "O'Neill residence"
"Jack?" The old voice asked on the other end, seems things weren't only coming up from the future but from the past as well.
Sam and Mal stood in the archway, to the hallway, Jacob groaning as he got to his feet, complaining Sam should hover under the couch more. "Yes, sir"
"You remember me, don't you Jack?" The voice asked again, even from hearing his voice, it made me straighten up and cower inwardly.
"Yes, sir. I do, sir." I said, backing away into the office, sliding the doors shut, latching the door secured. "What can I do for you, sir?"
Scampering across the rug on the floor, I shut the other door and locked it as well, while my old commander said. "Jack, I need you to do me a favour"
Turning the key in the French doors, I looked up to see Sam stood on the other side, her breath showing on the windowpane. "What would you like me to do for you, sir?"
"Good man, I knew I could count on you. You were my best soldier, Jack." He said in his cool tone, always able to scare me at how he never showed any emotion, in his voice, causing our interrogation simulations to be a nightmare. "I can't tell you over the phone, I want you to meet me somewhere, so I can speak to you face to face"
"Okay, sir. Where would you like me to meet you, sir?" I asked, blocking Sam's face out with the curtains, darkening the corner of the room, where I stood, backtracking into my old habits, when I was in Special Forces.
Scratching came, from the other side of the kitchen door, a knife appeared through the gap in the door, forcing the latch up to unlock the door. Scribbling down a message to Sam, I wedged the phone against my shoulder, unzipping my kit bag still fresh from last weekends, outing with the cadets, with all my spare kit in.
Wriggling my boots, out from the rucksack, my old mentor spoke to me with the location, he wanted me to meet him. "Jack, remember that old entrance, to the bomb plant, where I took you boys to train some months?"
Ripping the piece of paper, from the notepad, I tied my laces up on my boots, saying. "Yes, sir. How could I forget?"
"Meet me and the boys there, tomorrow. Noon. Don't be late, Jack. You know how I hate slackers" He reminded me, provoking old memories to the surface, long forgotten memories of sitting, in dark damp room, naked with the excuse, it was all part and parcel of our training.
"Yes, sir" I said, drawing the curtains in front of the French doors, unlocking the door at the same time, they unlatched the other door. "I'll be there soon"
The line went dead so I ended the call, discarding the phone to my desk, exiting out of the French windows with them, coming in from the sliding doors. Wedging the door shut with my foot, I locked the door up again while they looked for me inside, calling out to me when they hadn't noticed me, slipping out of the doors. Running into the kitchen through the patio window, I slid the doors shut again, latching the catch over on the door, with them banging on the other side of the door, wanting to know who was on the phone. They couldn't know, she couldn't know he wanted me. The promised I'd made to him years ago, wanting me to do something for him, when the time came. Never in my wildest dreams, did I ever think he'd call, calling up his old boys again. Coming to him, to find out what our old Colonel wanted with us, what little job he had install for his bright, unquestioning boys. Doing some job some others didn't want to touch. Something I might not want to touch, given the chance.
"Dada" Malachi said, crawling round the corner of the kitchen, coming towards me across the wooden floor.
Scooping him up into my arms, jogging to the other sliding doors, I slid them shut and locked them out, kissing Malachi on his forehead. They pounded on the other side of the door, but I heard her. Sam was crying, even though the door and the banging, I could hear her crying. Feel the pain she was going through, feeling it deep in my heart. But I can't let her in on this, can't let her see what I used to be like, what callus and unsavoury things, this man can get me to perform with a click of his fingers. Pressing my hand against the door, I put Malachi down onto the floor, rubbing a hand over his chest. My eyes were captivated by the crying sobs, sliding down, on other side of the door, to the floor.
"Dada" Malachi called to me, reaching out to me with his tiny arms, unsure why I was racing round the kitchen, getting my keys and wallet from the counter top.
Dashing out of the kitchen, I ran straight into Jacob, coming out of the patio door, shoulder barging my future father in law out of the way, I fell down the steps to the garden, rolling head first down them, sprawling out on my back on the grass. Scrabbling to my feet I ran across the grass, leaping off the wall to the driveway, squeezing between my truck and the Pontiac. Clambering up into my truck, I slammed the door shut as I started the engine with an almighty roar, dropping it down into gear. Hurtling out of the garage, speeding by Mal and Sam standing on the wall, clueless to what I was up to, and so they would stay, until I got back from Nebraska.
Standing on the outskirts of the old base, still in use today with families living here, old military personnel retiring here for the rest of their life's, children playing in the mock up park. I haven't been here since 1979, transferred over to Special Ops, by my old commander, my mentor, seeing something in me, he thought was worth having on his team. Thinking about him now scares the crap out me, like it did those many years ago. Teal'c wouldn't last ten minutes with him, if they were to have a staring competition, and I've seen Teal'c stare down the biggest and most dangerous, this universe has to offer. Put him in a room with my old mentor, Teal'c would come out with nothing left of him self. I wouldn't be here myself, but my fear of him and what he can do, scares me enough to be here myself.
Months we spent in the old bomb factory, part of it hidden beneath the surface, ideal for our training purposes in interrogation and playing mind games on us, building up our restraint against enemies brain washing techniques. Those dark nights I'd spent down there, were not ones I wanted to remember soon, but being here now brings them all flooding back. The screaming of my other teammates, the crying of some men, the way some of us turned against the others, doing anything just to stop our own suffering. The fights and killing that had happened down there, no one spoke up to their actions and the brass weren't bother, as long as they got the best Special Forces team. Someone should have questioned his ways, brain washing us in his own little way, playing us off one another for his own entertainment. It was wrong then and it's still wrong now.
Ducking down I crawled through the gap in the fence, sneaking in the back way to the secret entrance, the sign clattered against the fencing, big bold letters saying 'Keep Out, Offutt Air Force Base, Government Facility'. Children's laughter filled the air, happy families playing at happy families, living feet above my own hell. Scanning the grass for the hatch, I spotted the freshly ruffled grass, dug away recently from over the hatch. Swallowing the vile taste in my mouth, I lifted the hatch away to show the ladder. Shuddering at the darkness, a glow of some light came from the base of the ladder, showing the bottom. Relentlessly I climbed down the ladder, closing the hatch after me, my boots clanked against the metal rungs of the ladder, alerting anyone down here, in this facility, to my arrival.
Reaching the bottom of the ladder, I felt behind my jacket for my gun, I'd brought out of its hiding place, on the undercarriage of the truck. Foreseeing this darkness in the passageways, I delved into the inside pocket of my jacket, my torch rattled in the silent passageway. Turning it on I shone it around the entrance, nothing except for dust and rust, the only thing I did like about this place when I was here. Taking a deep breathe I crept my way along the passageway, depending on my ears to tell me if something was ahead, he'd always like to put tests along the way. Something creek up ahead, pausing in the doorway, I knelt down in front of the doorway. Clamping the end of my touch in my mouth, I grabbed a handful of dust or sand, whatever it was, scattering it over the bottom of the doorway, a nice line of light appearing.
Sighing at it I picked up another handful, flinging it forward into the small passageway, the whole floor was one big laser trap, and if am not mistaken, he'd probably throw a motion detector in, for the fun of it. Standing up, brushing some of the dust off my jeans, I scanned the room for anything that may help me, or aid me in getting across the laser grid. Nothing, Zippo, absolutely nought. Stripping myself of my jacket, I untucked my shirt to cover the gun, peeking round the corner, for the motioned detector. Mounted up in the corner, I hung onto a pipe over my head, straining to the wires, coming out of the back of it, covering my hand up with my jacket, (he always thought it was funny, to put pins or barbwire behind these stupid things). Yanking them hard from the wall or the detector, the thing wound down with the power being cut to it, swinging back to the safety of the doorway.
Pulling my jacket back on, I finally took my torch out of my mouth, flexing my jaw and licking my tongue over my lips, I traced the pipes lining the ceiling with the torchlight. Clicking my touch off, I pulled myself up on the pipes, simmering along the pipes to the other side. Proud with myself that I'd gotten this far. Wiping my hands on the front of my jacket, I prowled along the corridor to the main plant room, knowing he'd put his base of operations there. The other six were already here, stood or sat round, silent till our mentor popped up wherever he was going to come out of. There's not one of us in this room, who can say they're not afraid of him. If you're not afraid of him, you're a dead man when you walk into the room. Coming out of the shadows, I started to recognise some of the old faces, serving with some of them on one team or another, till we were all disbanded into the other Special Ops teams, saved from his torturous ways. Or so I thought.
With something hard and cold, hitting the back of my head, I fell face first down onto the floor, groaning at the hot sensation, running down my neck. Feeling the back of my head, his boots clunked into the room, kneeling back onto my knees, I looked up at him, grimacing at the pain in the back of my head. "Welcome home, boys"
"Thank you, sir." They all chorused, I slowly got to my feet beside him, nursing the back of my head with my hand.
"My boys finally back together at last. I've been keeping track of you all. There hasn't been a moment, when I haven't known what my boys were up to." He said, descending down the steps to where a desk sat, papers and files scattered around it. "You've all returned here like I've asked, for this boys, I am proud of you. Now I have you here, we can get on with what you were train for, in the first place"
Bracing my head for the trip down the stairs, I spoke up, unlike anyone else out of his boys. "Hold on a minute, I wanna know what's going on? I'm not doing something, unless I know what it entails first?"
"Jack" He said, his beret's old insignia showing in the light, coming from the spotlights, place strategically in places, so everywhere was lit up. "Have I ever given you any reason to doubt me, my son?"
"I'm not your son anymore" I growled at him, finding now he was in front of me, greyer than me, I wasn't scared of him anymore.
"Jack, don't be a bad boy. You know, I don't like my boys being bad" He said, unclipping his sidearm, ready to pull it out when necessary and even when it wasn't, blowing my friend away when he'd tried to escape this nightmare.
"I'm not one of your boys. We're not your boys anymore" I said, motioning round to everyone with my bloody hand. "We don't need you ruining our lives anymo..."
Someone else smacked me, in the back of the head, striking me to his feet. "Jack, you're right. You're not my boys anymore" He said, crouching down to me, stroking a hand through my hair, sticking his finger into the wound on the back of my head, making me hiss out in pain. "You're my men!"
"I don't want to be, one of your men" I stated to him while two of his men, of his boys, pulled me up to my feet. "I don't want anything to do with you"
"Why didn't you just say, Jack? I would've let you go" He said, I'd no trust in this man, so his words meant nothing to me, maybe he's the reason I got killed.
Sending me, sending all of his boys on a crazy mission, coming back to have someone take our lives in retribution, assassinating each of us in turn. I'm going to die if I don't get away from this man, if I don't get away from Colonel Crook. Maybe I was too scared last time, too scared of what my younger self had to strain against, to fight against each day just to breathe. Be the best out of the twenty boys he had, coming out on top with the remaining six that stand here, today with me. Having to do the worse of things to survive each day, killing the other occupant of our room, so we could live another day. Something I'm not proud about. It was either that, or I would've die of hunger. And I choose to live. My sons and daughter will not grow up, without a father. Sam will not grow old without me, and have to face the war with the Goa'uld by herself. I'm going to be there this time round.
Glaring at him I impelled the two, holding my arms, away, saying. "You'll let me leave, right now without another word? Let me walk back to the surface, and return to my life, to never see you again? Not even on the street?"
"Not even on the street, Jack. I care about my boys. If you don't want to do this, that's fine with me. I'll let you go in my own way, you'll be release from this life." He said, his hand stroking the end of his gun.
Looking him over one last time, I turned and left, not chancing a look back at him, the man who'd hurt me worst than I could hurt myself. Getting far enough away from them, I sprinted through the hallways, uncaring of the laser grid and the small charges, it let off. I wanted to get home to my family, to see if Mal was still here and whether I was going to die. Scrambling up the ladders rungs, their chatter filled the hallways, laughing at something. Pausing at the top of the ladder, his words echoed through my head. 'I'll let you go in my own way, you'll be release from this life'. Pushing forth through the hatch, I clambered my way out of the shaft, letting the hatch fall with an almighty bang.
Coasting to stop behind the maroon galaxy, sat in my driveway, the lights were all on, in the house, raised voices floating down, onto the street. Climbing out of the driving seat of my truck, I held a hand over the still bloody area, at the back of my head, feeling slightly dizzy now I hadn't got any adrenaline pumping, in my veins. My keys jangled together, pocketing them into my jacket, the gun still pressed into my lower back, my only back up that I'd allowed to come with me. Some of the kids, on the other side of the street, call to me and then to Linole, who must have been up the street somewhere. Groaning at the pain in the back of my head, I leant onto the wall of the front garden, walking along the sidewalk to the steps, up to my own front door. Collapsing against the wall, I slid down onto the pavement; feet stampeded their way across the street, a cried coming from one of them.
Ordering a friend to get her mother, Linole dumped her bike a few feet away, from my feet, my head was swimming while she spoke to me, sitting me up properly against the wall, from my slumped position. Looking up to her sweet face, I touched the side of her face, seeing two of her in front of me, gaining an extra hand for my trouble. Feet came pounding down, the wooden steps James and I'd built, creaking under the torture of ten people, running down them. Rolling to look up the concrete ones, that sat in front of the wooden steps, someone's warm hands touched my face, pushing me back against the wall. Her eyes forced themselves upon me, like they'd done in that first briefing, changeling me to take her on right there and then. Mouths moved but their words were slurred, I always thought after five was drinking hours, but then it could be passed that, with the plane journey and the small nap I'd had, at the side of the road.
"Jack?" She called to me very loudly, though I was right in front of her, can't she recognised her own fianc now.
Fingers were messing with the back of my head, with someone saying. "It looks like he's been hit on the back of the head. He's a bloody mess back here"
"Let's get him up into the house. Teal'c, can you carry Jack up into the house? Cassie, go run the bath in our bathroom" She was passing our orders to everyone, someone shoed the kids away while Teal'c picked me up, slinging me up and over his shoulders.
Those words though, were still swarming around in my head, their meaning coming to me with time. No matter what I've done or what I've said, in the past two days. He's coming to kill me, because I've told him I don't need him anymore. I'm not scared of him anymore. I'm not one of his boys anymore. He's going to come and release me from his hold, get rid of the unwanted boy, deal with the lose end that I've become. His best boy turned renegade on him. You were either his best or you were dead. This time I choose to be neither, I choose to be a father and make sure my family stays safe. When I'm able to stand on my own two feet, and not be carried round my Jaffa friend. Three days I have till he'll kill me, three days to get myself together and prepare myself to face my mentor, my torturer.
For the past three days I've kept myself to myself, Mal stills around so I guess I'm still going to die, but I'm not going down without a fight, this time. Sam will not be face with holding me in her arms tomorrow. The only holding of me in her arms, will be when we're kissing as man and wife, not watching my blood ooze out of my wound. I won't let it happen this time. The only person I can trust, at the moment, is me, the only person I can keep safe is myself, keeping what I have planned from them. If they know, they'll only get in the way. This is making a big rift between Sam and I, I haven't spoken to her and she hasn't spoken to me. I haven't spoken to anyone, not even to Malachi when he was calling to me, passing through the kitchen for a coffee, returning back to the dark depths of the basement. I'm going to do things differently this time. Though I'm not having my stag do tonight, I'm not going to just stand, at the alter, with Sam, and let him shoot me in the back. No, I've invited him here.
I still remember the old phone connections, the right people to call to get a message to him, tell him if he wants me, then to come and get me. Come into my own home and kill me. With Sam and everyone packed off to Janet's, I have the house, completely to my self so let him come. I've watched several cars headlamps, whizzed passed the living room window, hidden in the darkness of my own home. He'll be here soon. I've put my cards on the table, and just like my prey, he'll fall for the trap. Only one of us will leave this house tonight, and I know it's going to be me. He may have taught me most of the things I know, but I've learnt a lot over the years, from better people than him, more talented soldiers who'd cared about their men.
Cocking my gun when a pair of headlamps, pulled up into the driveway, I fleeted away from the window, crouched down I crept through the house quickly, hiding by the side door in the kitchen. Peeping over the top of the door, through the window, frustrated with her car pulling up into the garage, I stood up swiping a hand under my nose. Turning to scan round the kitchen, his fist hit me square in the face, knocking me backwards into the wall, and into a dazed state.
"Thought you could dismiss me like that. To even think, I'd let you go like that, Jack. You were my best boy, my top boy and look at you now. Playing happy families with this Lieutenant Colonel Carter. Good fuck, is she?" He asked, watching her through the window, over looking out over the garden. "The only reason I can think of, of why you'd stick around here"
Knelling down to me, I tried to shake away my dizzy spell, but it wouldn't go, he spun me round on my backside, tying my hands together with a plastic tie. "Well Jacky boy, I'll find out soon enough. I'll put you so you can watch me, make love to your woman and then kill her. Then I'll kill you"
"Nnnnnoooooooo" I yelled at him, watching him run off into the dining room, when Sam slid the patio door open.
"Jack?" She called stepping into the house, flinging her keys onto the breakfast table. "Jack, where are you?"
"Sam, get out of here!" I shouted at her, flipping over onto my back, pushing myself into her view with my legs. "Get out of here, Sam! That's an order!"
Frowning at me she ran across the room to me, missing the Colonel duck into the shadows, enjoying her running to me in my hour of need. Sliding myself away from her, shuffling my way into the dining room, it did no good to get her away from him. Hitting her over the back of the head, she fell unconsciously to the floor, kicking at him while he dragged me back into the room, by my feet. I switched my gaze between the two of them, fighting with him as he tied my feet together, with another plastic tie. Rocking myself back towards Sam, he kicked me in the gut, kicking all the wind and my energy out of me.
"Jacky boy, play nice." He said, unfastening his utility belt from around his waist. "She won't live to remember it, so it'll be okay. Anyway, teams share things don't they? Remember?"
I know of the night he speaks so fondly about, he'd kidnapped some poor woman from the street, bringing her back to us. So us horny men could have something to play with. It despised me then and I detest it even more now, not only because it's Sam he wants to rape. My parents did a fine job of bringing me up, and I have never gone against their word, to treat women fairly. His belt clanked against the granite top, my blood was boiling and he hadn't even touched her. Clenching my fists together, I fought against the tie round my wrists, wriggling my way across the floor to her. She was coming round, when he knelt down beside her, kicking my legs against the cabernet, I slammed my shoulder down against the floor, trying to dislocate my bad shoulder.
Trailing his fingers down the side of her face, made me hit the floor even harder till I heard my shoulder go, the pain almost too much for me to bear. Janet was certainly not going to be pleased with me, after I've kicked his ass. Sam moaned at his touched, mistaking him for me. Squeezing my hand out of the tie, I nearly cried out loud from the pain, shooting up out of my shoulder, taking me back to those damp marshes, where I spent those two hellish days. Flicking the tie off my wrist, I glanced over to see him, leaning down to kiss her, sliding his hand, under the waistband of her pants, arching to his touch. From the kiss she realised it wasn't me, squirming away from him, she kicked and punched at him, her muffled screamed getting to me like nails on a black board.
Pulling his utility belt down from the counter, only having the use of one arm, I unclipped his knife from its scabbard, cutting the tie round my ankles. Rushing over there like brush fire, I plunged the knife into his back, kneeing him off of her, keeping on him while Sam got to her feet. Slinging my no good arm at him, it clouted him in the face, with the pain in my shoulder, I turned the cry into a growled, pounding my good arm into his face. With a pot lucky shot to my face, he hit me out of the way, straddling me to pound both his fists into anywhere he could hit. Sitting up I clung to his shirt, flipping us up and over my head, so I came out on top, plunging my knee down into his groin.
"Jacky boys all up for sharing! But not my Sam!" I shouted at him, spotting the hilt of the knife, I shoved it further into him, pulling it out to plunge straight down into his heart.
Clutching at my hand on the hilt, the life in his eyes drained away, pleasing me to no end that this man was dead. Pushing one last time on the knife, I crawled away from him, breaking down into a heap, in the entrance to the games room. Sam slowly scrambled her way over to me, cradling me into her arms, eyeing the body lying on kitchen floor suspiciously. Edging up slightly into her lap, she stroked a hand through my hair, sliding her hand over the dressing Janet hand put, on the back of my head. Leaning over me, her salty tears splashed down onto my face, her lips kissing mine. Sneaking my hand up behind her neck, I wanted this to last even longer, dreaming of this, well not this exactly, but dreaming of her kissing me again. Spending the past two nights sleeping on the couch, in the games room. Fondling with her hair, we both looked to where the body lay, becoming alerted again when his body was gone.
"Get me up." I commanded trying my best, to get up by my own, useless through with only one arm.
Supporting me till I was up on my own feet, I stepped over to my gun, sat on the floor near the side door, watching Sam's back while she watched mine. Handing her the gun, she lead the way through the kitchen, following the pitter-patter blood trail. She cursed when the trail led into the office, vowing to kill the bastard who'd put blood on her antique rug. Rolling my eyes we entered the office, well... she entered the office. I was tackled from the side, running me straight into the patio window. The glass smashed over the porch, pinning me down onto the glass, the blade of the knife, shone in the moonlight.
"You're going to die tonight Jack, and so will your pretty little woman in there" He said, gliding the blade over my chin, hunting down my jaw line for my neck. "Might even go find that little girl of yours. She's not yours yours though, is she Jack? What a pretty picture, Jack searching for the family he once had, till he killed his own son. Finds a woman with a kid, bangs her up again so she has to marry him. Wish I had..."
"WE (gunshot) ARE (gunshot) A (gunshot) FAMILY, PSYCHO!!!!!" She screamed at him, emptying the rest of the rounds into his body, feeling each of them when his body jolted.
Standing over the body on top of me, she chucked the smoking gun aside, saying. "And family sticks together no matter what"
Nodding my head in agreement with her, she hauled his body off of me. Edging my way away from his dead body I fell into heavy mass on the porch, watching Sam pull out her cellular. Sitting down behind me, I leant back against her chest, sitting up straight against her, nursing my now caput arm across my chest. She called the SGC, or more Hammond, calling in a clean up crew and a few favours. I was glad it was over with. My nightmare was finally over. He wouldn't be calling his favour, and I could stop fearing one man, who'd put me through hell. My old life, in Special Forces, was finally over. Letting me begin my new life tomorrow, if Janet would let me go to the wedding of course.
Fiddling with the sling, Janet had put my arm into for me. I'm a little miffed the honeymoon's been postpone a few weeks, putting me in for emergency surgery on Wednesday morning, to have my whole shoulder rebuilt. Daniel said Mal had vanished sometime during the night, a few minutes before Sam had called Janet, so I guess he was successful in changing the timeline. I'm still here. Tugging the edges of my jacket straight, I stood in front of the mirror, scrapes and scratches over my face and neck, from going sideways through the patio window. A dressing stuck to the back of my head, over the cut and nasty bump he'd given me, when he'd hit me with the butt of his gun. Sam's wedding photos were certainly going to be memorable. Adjusting the tie round my neck, the door opened behind me, telling me it was time, everyone was here and she was here. Waggling my eyebrows at Teal'c, he held the door wide open for me, ambling my way into the main part of the church, people were stood up out of their pews, smiling with the music playing above them.
Limping to stand at the front of the alter, where the priest was stood, Daniel and Jonas joined me wearing their suits. Smiling to them both I bowed my head respectfully at them and at the priest, hearing a Mexican wave of gasps, started at the back and work its way to the front. Gulping down anything that wasn't dry in my mouth, her white dress flowed like a river behind her and Jacob, clashed against one another, him in his blues and her in pure white. Linole was a few passes in front of them, scattering flower petals and all that stuff, the flower girl had to do on our special day. She looked so amazing, the veil thing hiding her bewitching smile, toning it down so I wouldn't have a heart attack, from how beautiful she was.
Time stood still when she was passing my family and her own family, are eyes never waving from one another, locked like they were on that fateful day, when she was caught behind that force field. My love was strong then and its even stronger today. This is what should have happen, all those years ago. As soon as I'd been released from that hospital, I should have bunged her into the back of my truck, raced to the nearest church or courtroom, and been married before the end of the day. But... nah! I wouldn't be the man I am today, if I didn't take the hard route. Some take the low road and I take the high road, but they both end up the same place. With Sam and I coming back to each other. No one can fight, their destiny, not even I can fight mine.
The End.
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