Broken Glass, Shattered Reflection
Broken Glass, Shattered Reflection
by Jonic Recheio
Summary: "I am you dammit!" Mac growled. "I'm you, you're me, we're one in the same Jack."
Category: Action/Adventure, Angst, Future Story, Mystery
Episode Related: 216 The Fifth Race, 721 Lost City, 801 New Order
Crossover: MacGyver
Season: Season 8
Pairing: Jack/Sam, Sam/Pete
Rating: 13+
Warnings: none
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: 2005-02-07
Stargate SG-1 Broken Glass, Shattered Reflection By Jetsuo RT
The lake water rippled as he skipped another stone across its surface. He was at his sanctuary, the place he went to get away from it all, where no one but the people he was closest to could find him. The wind blew ruffling his hair, sending chills down his bare arms. It was the middle of fall and the leaves were changing. As if reading his thoughts a leaf blew past his line of vision.
Yes, this was his place to go when the world became too much, when being in the company of others was taxing and hard on the mind and body. He picked up another stone and skipped it eight times before it sank. He watched the ripples slowly reach the shore. His life was the same. He did something and it's effects rippled out effecting so many and sometimes too few.
A heavy sigh escaped his lips. The moment that sent him here was not one he wanted to relieve. The sight of those poor villagers strung up like that had almost done him in. It had taken all of his copious amounts of self-control to not upchuck his lunch and breakfast right on the grass. At the time he noted that his face must have been greener than the grass. He knew that Daniel had lost it right then. It was by the grace of God that they had gotten out of that village before they were hung out and gutted alive then left for public viewing, their stench permeating the little town. Like a sewer left open in Manhattan.
Pushing the horrid thoughts from his mind he continued to watch the wind blow across the water. The birds chirping and the wind blowing in the trees soothed his frayed nerves. The peace that surrounded his little wilderness retreat was a cherished thing. He knew if he could get his team out here they'd feel better about the whole incident on P99-323. At least it would banish the nightmares, he hoped it would, it always had for him.
He skipped another stone, watching as bird swooped down to see what it was. He almost laughed at the silly creature, but it came up with a fish. He smiled. The bird would be happy tonight. Glancing down at the cooler by his feet, he knew he would be too, it was full of fish. The rumor that he never caught anything was just that, a rumor. He was a very able fisherman, in fact he could catch one with a home made hook, a stick and yo-yo string. He'd done it before.
The sound of a car pulling up stopped him from skipping the stone in his hand. He turned around to see the blue Sedan that belonged to his geeky friend, who really wasn't a geek, Daniel Jackson. He watched as the young man got out of the car and walked up the gravel path towards him.
"Jack." Daniel acknowledge with a small nod. He glanced around the place. "Nice little place you got here."
"Yeah, well now you know why I've been trying so hard to get you up here." O'Neill gave a small half smile. "So, is this a social call? Or do you want..."
"Uh, yeah." Daniel gestured weakly with his left hand. "I was hoping you wouldn't mind company."
"Company's good." O'Neill said. He smiled slightly and started towards the cabin. "Get your stuff out of the car, Daniel." He picked up the cooler. "We're having deep-fat fried bass and other assorted items for dinner."
"Thanks, Jack!" Daniel called over his shoulder.
"No problem, Danny!" O'Neill called back from the open doorway.
~*~
Oh, yeah, paper work was hell, not the little place where God sent Satan. The office walls were closing in on him, not surprising anyway, his old office did that too. Though, with the unaccustomed weight of the stars on his shoulders, it was worse. He knew how to deal with the old feeling, however this one wasn't as easy. He couldn't wander aimlessly in the halls anymore. When he was a Colonel no one really paid him much attention, now though it seemed that everyone wanted something. He couldn't get two steps out of the control room before he was pounced on by someone wanting him to so this, that or another thing.
The letter he had almost sent to George was looking mighty fine at the moment. But then, that was the coward's way out and Jack O'Neill was no coward. No he was the brave, righteous, always-knew-the-right-thing-knight-in-shining-armor guy. And that sucks, a lot. He couldn't sign the paper because it went against every grain in his body; it was the exact opposite of who he was. He did not back down from a challenge no matter how bad it seemed. That's why he never pulled the trigger when Charlie died. He wasn't a quitter; it went against every fiber in his being to end his existence.
Yep, being morally correct sucked sometimes, but the reward in the end kept him going when nothing else would. Being held up as everyone's role model was no better. It seemed everyone wanted to be like him, that was not cool. He wasn't a hero he just got lucky. With all the crap locked up in his mind he wondered how he slept at night. The cabin had been his saving grace these last few years. Having Daniel there a week ago was nice; he knew it helped the young historian. It would have helped Teal'c and Carter too. But Teal'c didn't like the last time and Carter bugged off saying she was spending her time with 'Pete' or 'Petty' as he liked to call the two-timing little weasel.
'Oh get those thoughts out of your head O'Neill!' he told himself. 'Don't dwell on what you'll never have it will only make it worse!' Oh like it could get any worse anyway. Yeah, paperwork affected your mood too, turned it all dark and gloomy like. Oh who was he kidding? It wasn't the paperwork that was doing this it was the time of year! His father and grandmother had passed away 45 years ago, two days previous. November 15 is when they died, the car swerved off a bridge and into a rushing river. They drowned in the car. His mother had passed a way a year and a half later and his grandfather had wanted noting to do with him after the age of ten. He was on his own from then on.
Life sucks sometimes, but he could always pull through the bad spots, this was no different. He had lost enough people and opportunities to where this really was petty in the grand scheme of things. Jack O'Neill didn't like his job, the universe responded: tough luck buddy. He was here for a reason even if he didn't like it and even if he didn't know said reason. Yes, he liked the bigger picture but sometimes God didn't grant it to him until the very end.
Rubbing a hand over his forehead when he heard the annoyingly familiar steps of Sgt. Walter Harriman, he braced himself for what was next.
"S'open!" he called before the man could knock on the door. The metal door opened and Walter walked in, holding a huge bundle of files, papers, and forms in his arms.
"Sir!" Walter stood at attention.
"I know, I know, meeting in five." O'Neill said before the Sergeant could. "I'll be right there! Just put that stack of mutilated trees on my desk, I'll look over it later."
"Yes sir." Walter answered, quite used to the General knowing why he was there. It seemed the man always knew, he just needed a push to get going. Unfortunately that was his job, none of the SGC staff envied him either and he didn't blame them. General O'Neill could be a bear, a really big and scary one at that. He had the job of making sure he went to the meetings he loathed more than the Goa'uld or the Tok'ra at times. "Five minutes."
"Yeah, yeah." O'Neill dismissed the now empty-armed man. When Walter made to speak he held up his hand. "Yes, I know it's important. And no the science geeks will have to wait for the new safety goggles. Yes, I signed the forms about the cleaning crew. Anything else?"
"No sir that was it." Walter answered. He sighed and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. 'The General was in rare form today, wonder what got into him?' The gate technician wondered as he went back to his post.
'Might as well get it over with.' He mused. Getting up from his comfy leather chair, O'Neill pulled on his blue BDU jacket and walked out of the office. He nodded his head in greeting at the people sitting around the table. He heated budget meetings. They were worse than being bombarded by technobabble or getting pinned to the wall by some alien thingamabob.
"Gentlemen," He greeted with a false smile, "and the lady. Lets get the show on the road shall we?"
~*~
Teal'c looked over his gloves at his boxing partner. O'Neill seemed to have practiced since his last match. He was blocking almost, if not all, of his punches. He of course returned the favor but it was getting more difficult as time went on. He could tell that something was troubling his warrior brother; he just could not make any assumptions as to what. It was most irritating.
Quickly blocking a hard left hook Teal'c thought it would be better for his health if he stopped thinking so much. He ducked the right hook that was thrown at him, only to get hit with a left in the center of his chest. It knocked the wind out of the jaffa. He took a step back.
"C'mon Teal'c that was too easy." O'Neill commented. "What's eatin' at you?"
"I was unaware that anything was 'eating' me O'Neill." Teal'c responded with a ghost of a smile on his face.
"Don't give me that." O'Neill retorted with a smirk. "Something's on your mind. You wouldn't have fell for that move if there wasn't."
"It is you that is on my mind, O'Neill." Teal'c answered, taking a swing at the General's head. "You seem distant as of late."
"Yeah, well..." O'Neill ducked a left. "It's the time of year, paperwork and a whole load of other crap."
"I understand." Teal'c said his face solemn as he lowered his hands. The General copied the action. "Perhaps it is the mission to P99-323 as well?"
"Uh, not so much." O'Neill sat heavily on the bench, pulling off his blue boxing gloves. "I just got out of the budget meeting from hell."
Teal'c's smile returned. "That I understand, O'Neill. I would not wish to be in your place in that matter."
"Thanks for your support." O'Neill said wryly. "Have you seen or talked to Carter recently? I haven't had the time..."
"Indeed." Teal'c's voice took on a troubled tone. His face mirrored it. "She did not appear to be doing well. Daniel Jackson is better off however. He told me of his visit to your 'cabin'. He said it was most enjoyable."
"Yeah, it was." Jack smiled. "You should come again. I promise it won't be like last time."
"I should like that very much O'Neill." Teal'c agreed. "Perhaps we should take Colonel Carter and Daniel Jackson as well?"
"Yeah." O'Neill nodded. He pushed off from the bench. "I'm going to take a shower. I'll see you and the rest of SG-1 later at dinner."
"I look forward to it." Teal'c bowed his head. O'Neill patted his shoulder and walked out of the gym. Teal'c could tell the Tau'ri man was troubled still. And it was not from the 'budget meeting from hell' not at all.
~*~
"Hey, Carter." The Colonel looked up from her scrutiny of the alien device currently laying in pieces on her lab table.
"Sir." She straightened in her seat but didn't stand. "If you're looking for that report..."
"I'm not." O'Neill said quickly. "In fact I don't even want a report for P99-323."
Carter gave him a small grateful smile. He returned it, and their eyes locked for a brief moment before she looked away. He hated this, the awkwardness he felt around her. It was driving him crazy!
The silence seemed to stretch on forever as they tried to look anywhere but each other.
"Look sir..." Carter said after a few minutes. "I have some things to do..."
"I know." O'Neill answered, his voice was up an octave. "Look...I just...Carter, how are you doing...?"
"What do you mean sir?" She asked, knowing full well what he was talking about. "I'm fine."
"Yeah." He said on the exhale. He pushed off the doorframe. "Look I'm gonna..." He thumbed towards the hallway.
"Yeah." Carter agreed. She watched him go, her thoughts mirroring his. Why was it so awkward? Why did every time he came into the room did it feel like this? Like the air had left and there wasn't any left to breathe? I mean she had Pete sure...but was he really enough? He was charming and funny and...well maybe not smart, not book smarts anyway. He did some pretty dumb things when she first met him, but he was okay. 'Then why did it take you two weeks to say yes?' her mutinous mind demanded. No, I'm not going to think about this! She told herself, going back to the device that was in piece on her lab tabletop. I will not dwell on the past, or anything concerning the General and the mission to P99-323.
Pete was no help in that regard. She thought suddenly. He was mad and angry, demanding to know why she was in the state she was in, and when she wouldn't talk he got angry and stormed out. He wasn't supporting and understanding like she thought he would be. She should have gone with Daniel to the General's cabin; he seemed better after the visit. Sighing she once more pushed the thoughts from her mind. The device required her full attention.
~*~
"Hey, Jack." Daniel greeted as the General sat down at the table, his tray loaded with French Fries, a burger, and potato soup. Daniel's own had a salad and lasagna.
"Daniel." O'Neill gave the linguist a tight smile. "Teal'c." he glanced over at the empty seat. "Where's Carter?"
"Don't know." Daniel shrugged, putting a fork full of salad into his mouth. He swallowed it. "I haven't seen her since the briefing this morning."
"I too have not seen her since then, O'Neill." Teal'c replied.
"I was in her lab an hour ago." The General said offhandedly.
"Was she okay?" Daniel asked, concern written all over his face.
"Yeah." O'Neill answered, gulping down a spoonful of soup.
Daniel sighed in frustration. He looked over O'Neill's shoulder to see the object of their discussion walk into the commissary. "Oh, there she is."
Teal'c looked up from his giant sub sandwich. He watched her get into the dinner line then turned back to his meal. He would wait to inquire after her.
"Sam!" Daniel called. The Colonel smiled tightly, much like O'Neill had and made her way to the table. She sat down, putting her tray in front of her. She only had a bagel and coffee. "How's the examination going?"
"Good." Carter answered.
"That's all you're gonna eat?" O'Neill looked at her plate, then his. "That's breakfast food."
"I know that sir." Carter answered tightly. O'Neill's frown deepened.
He dropped the subject and went back to eating. It seemed they all felt awkward, or maybe it was just him? Who knows, he certainly didn't.
~*~
O'Neill rubbed his tired eyes and checked the paper again. No, his eyes were not playing tricks on him. She really was coming here to the SGC. Oh, hellfire and brimstone. There was no way the facility would survive her, no way no how. Though she and Carter should get along famously, along with the rest of the woman population of the SGC. The Marines would hate her, with a passion. He suddenly felt sorry for them, and then it faded. No he didn't. She was the one who roped him into that little adventure that had him strapped to a table and almost carved in half...well not really him per se. 'Lets not get into that one O'Neill.' He told himself. 'No need to add insult to injury.'
Still he couldn't believe it. Oh, poor Teal'c he would get a headache after five minutes with the redhead, stubborn-as-a-mule, fireball. He would too; though he doubted it would be that quick. No he'd get a headache from her demanding this that and the other thing. She had that quality about her, always wanting her way and if she didn't get it, she did it anyway. 'Oh hell.' O'Neill thought. 'I am not going to like this. I'd better tell her to go through Walter if she wants anything. I'm not gonna sit there an listen to her run at the mouth. Poor Girl doesn't know what the military is like. Not much anyways.'
Oh, boy his cover was gonna go out the window on this one. Fly so far he'd never see it again. Crap. Well there was no stopping her assignment. They'd lost someone from the archeology team and were in need of a replacement. The artifacts were already backlogged, now they were worse because instead of five people they only had four.
But god, why her? Couldn't it have been someone else? Why someone he knew from his past 'life'. He didn't need the biggest secret of his whole life to be pulled into the light, hell no. It was better where it was. After all he didn't need a one-way ticket to a padded cell, that was farthest from his 'to do' list. 'Oh, well, the other shoe had now fallen.' He snorted. 'I thought it would have fell earlier anyway. I suppose it was by grace alone that it hadn't. But nothing stays hidden forever, eventually clues start to appear.' And in his experience there should have been more by now. He got lucky, real lucky.
~*~
Daniel looked at the personnel file reading through it. Seems the new staff member had quite a history. Protesting about woman's rights and finding one of the bigger archeological finds in the last two centuries. The Holy Rose was a pretty big one, though she had help. One Dr. A MacGyver. Daniel's eyebrows rose at that one.
"I thought he was just a legend." Daniel turned the page.
"Who was just a legend?" The archeologist looked up to see Colonel Carter standing the doorway. "Mind if I come in?"
"Sure, why not?" Daniel smiled.
"Who's the legend?" Carter asked.
"Oh, the new recruit assigned to the Archeology Department is was well acquainted with one Dr. A MacGyver." Daniel answered with a mocking grin. "I didn't think he was real."
"Really?" Carter raised an eyebrow. "How did he know him?"
"She." Daniel corrected. "They found the Holy Rose, and stopped a band of thugs looking to use it for their own gain."
"What's her name?" Carter asked, now interested.
"Zo Ryan." Daniel answered.
~*~
Pete turned away from the TV and tried to focus on what was being said through the phone. He smiled, long since having lost the thread of what she was talking about. Zo Ryan was one of MacGyver's friends. 'Thinking of Mac...' Pete's smile faded. 'I haven't seen him in twenty years.'
"Zo, slow down." Pete said into the phone. "What is it that you're trying to tell me?"
"I've got the most awesome job!" she crowed. "But I can't give you the details. Anyway it's the archeological find of the century, maybe someday you can be told as to what."
"Thank you." Pete chuckled. "Have you heard from Mac recently?"
"No." Zo answered. "Not since our little adventure. You?"
"I haven't either." Pete answered. "Well, it was nice talking to you Zo."
"You too Pete." She answered. "Keep in touch."
"I will." Pete answered. "Bye Zo." He hung up the phone and went back to his TV program. He couldn't see it, not really, but he could hear just fine.
~*~
Daniel shot another glance at his friend. Jack seemed distracted, really distracted. He was playing with a paperclip between his fingers with a strange look on his face. Daniel didn't know what to make of it. The man seemed worried almost. But what in the world could worry him, certainly not meeting this Dr. Ryan? Admittedly she has the reputation of a flake but still...
"O'Neill." Teal'c called. The General dropped the paperclip with a clatter. "Are you well?"
"Yeah, fine." He answered distractedly.
"Sir?" Carter asked, now seeing what her teammates were.
"Yeah, Carter?" he looked towards her. He was about to speak when he heard a commotion coming from the stairs. He had to stifle a snort. She was already causing a stir! Good grief! After a few more choice words Zo stumbled into the briefing room.
She looked over at O'Neill. Mac! Her mind screamed. 'Though he doesn't look like him. Well he does but he looks different, very different. And a General? Maybe this isn't him.'
O'Neill saw the debate going on in her mind and prayed she would wait until the briefing was over. "Dr. Ryan, would you like to take a seat or stand until your legs give out from shock?"
Zo glared but sat down anyway. She looked at every person at the table. The large black man with the funny tattoo was kind of scary. The man with the glasses she recognized as Daniel Jackson. She knew his theories were right now. Then the woman, she looked military.
"So, shall we get started kids?" O'Neill suggested. "Introduce yourselves why don't you."
"Yes sir." Carter said. "I'm Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter."
"I am Teal'c." Teal'c dipped his head.
"Daniel Jackson." Daniel smiled. "Pleased to meet you Dr. Ryan."
"You too!" Zo enthused. She began to speak rapidly, not giving Daniel time to get a word in edgewise "I read most of your work. I admit I thought it was bogus but looking back I'm glad I did. The pyramids as landing pads! Brilliant! How did you know? I mean what gave you clues to come to such a conclusion..."
"Zo!" O'Neill interrupted. His voice rose an octave and took on a pleading tone. "Leave the poor man be!"
"Oh, sorry." She said, not in the least bit sorry. She glared at O'Neill. He had sounded like Mac then, just like the time when she set his houseboat a-drift. She smiled at the memory. That was an amusing day, more so than the football coach's reaction to his field. "I'm uh still wondering why you chose me, I mean..."
"The President did." The General interrupted before she could start another tirade. "We needed another rock expert, we were short one."
"Oh, I see." Zo said with a smile. She brushed some of her short red hair out of her eyes. "So, what am I supposed to do?"
~*~
Dr. Zo Ryan was confused and it wasn't because of her job, rather the familiar face in the briefing. She hadn't said anything because he obviously hadn't, but she wanted to know what was going on. She walked briskly up to the door of his office and raised her hand to knock.
"S'open!" Came from inside. Smiling Zo opened the door and walked in, shutting it behind her.
O'Neill took a deep breath to try and banish the butterflies in his stomach, no luck. Why in the world did it have to be Zo? His mind screamed. Why oh why oh why? Why was it that everything had to happen to him? Was it some cosmic conspiracy? Or was some deity so angry with him that he was raining the preverbal lightning bolts on him?
"So?" She asked, walking to stand in front of his desk. "General O'Neill, or MacGyver?"
"Uh, do I have to answered that?" O'Neill asked.
"Yes, actually." Zo glared. "So Mac or O'Neill? Which is it? More importantly where have you been for the last twenty years?! Not even your son knew where you were!"
"Zo!" he interrupted. "No ranting, no raving. Normal, civil conversation."
"Fine!" She exclaimed. "So tell me why you left everyone behind?!"
"I didn't!" O'Neill defended. He glared at her. He wasn't the one who left them, Mac had. More like he took his body back from the alternate. "I didn't leave anyone or anything. And Sam knows where I am. I told him not to tell you, or Pete, or Dalton or anyone else."
"What?" Zo was still confused. "So who are you?"
"Jack O'Neill." The General answered. "I'm not MacGyver, not anymore."
"I don't understand...?" Zo sank down into the chair in front of the General's desk. "What do you mean? Not MacGyver anymore? I don't get it!"
"Look...Zo..." O'Neill looked away and down at the trashcan. He looked back at Dr. Ryan. "I can't explain it and I don't want to. I'm not Mac, I never was. Though I don't think you really needed to set the houseboat a-drift..."
"Ha! So you are him!" She exclaimed.
"No, I'm not." He said petulantly. "He's gone, locked up. I'm me, Jack O'Neill."
~*~
O'Neill ran a hand through his very messy hair. God, it had been two days since Dr. Ryan had joined the SGC, and he hadn't heard a word from her since their little talk in his office, if you could call it that. Everything was so messed up! He didn't understand it! He used to know who he was and what he did and now it was all muddled up in his mind. Nothing made sense anymore!
He could feel the little back box in the back of his mind cracking, knew that it was only a matter of time until the past he had been running from caught him again. He sighed, a deep heartfelt sigh. Nothing had been the same since he heard she was assigned here. His perfect little bubble was cracked and it wasn't his fault. That served to spur him on more. Some outsider had ruined what he had tried so hard to do! Now it was so close to lying around his feet in shambles!
God he felt like crying for the absurdity of it all! Why did this have to happen? Why!? Why couldn't he catch a break for cryin' out loud!? He hated his job, never got to see his friends, the woman he loved was marring another man and now his carefully constructed freedom was tumbling like a house of cards blown over by the wind!
His head thumped down to lay on his folded arms. He sat there, just staring at the white paper, watching as the words and letters blurred together and made his vision and mind swim. He was thinking nothing, seeing nothing, feeling nothing, and barely hearing anything but his own shallow breathing. His mind was blank as he watched the little white spots dance before his vision. He was in another place, where nothing mattered and he had everything he wanted.
"...Jack!" His mind registered someone shaking his shoulder, trying to rouse him from his trans-like state. Blinking in confusion he lifted his head and looked at the blurry form of Daniel Jackson and Teal'c standing not to far behind him. "Jack!?"
"Wha...?" he slowly sat up, his back slightly stiff. "Daniel? Teal'c?"
"Are you okay?" Daniel asked. "You missed dinner."
"What?" His head listed to one side and he blinked his eyes, clearing his vision. "I did? What time is it?"
"It is 2145 O'Neill." Teal'c stated. "Are you not well?"
"I'm fine I just zoned out." O'Neill answered. He closed his eyes for a second and drew in a deep breath. "Sorry about missing dinner. Was Carter there?"
"Uh...well...no..." Daniel mumbled. "But I'm sure she's fine..."
"Daniel." Jack glared at the younger man. "Don't feed me that line of crap. What's wrong with Carter?"
"We are uncertain." Teal'c stated. "She has been acting strangely, refusing to meet us at our usual times."
"What do you mean?" O'Neill was now fully alert.
"She's been avoiding us." Daniel stated. "I don't know why."
O'Neill looked carefully at the other man, then to Teal'c. "You think its Pete?"
"Indeed." Teal'c rumbled. "Though we are uncertain. I do not truly believe it to be him however. Something of a more sinister nature is at work here."
Memories sprung to his mind but the General forced them back down. 'I don't need this now!' He warned his mind. "Okay...who or what?"
"The only thing that comes to mind is the Trust." Daniel said, sinking into the nearest chair. Teal'c sat in the one next to him. "They must be doing something to her. Blackmailing her or whatever and she doesn't want us to know. Every time I come in and she's on the computer she quickly turns it off and when I ask her what she was doing she snaps at me and kicks me out."
"Huh." O'Neill said. He opened his laptop and powered it up. The little machine booted up and he signed into the SGC logs. "Lets find out just what she was doing shall we?"
Daniel and Teal'c shared a look but got up and walked around the desk to stand behind O'Neill. He was currently scrolling through the personnel computer logs. He came across Carter's and clicked on it. The log came up showing all the recent activity on the Colonel's computer. He scanned the screen but nothing jumped out at him. He sighed. She'd done whatever it was off-line.
"I don't see anything." Daniel pointed out. He looked down to see O'Neill's fingers flying over the keyboard. Soon a new screen popped up asking for a password. "You're in Sam's computer!?"
"Yep." The General answered. "You know her password?"
"Colonel Carter mostly likely changed it O'Neill." Teal'c stated.
"Damn!" the General hissed. "I'm gonna have to bypass it." He set to work and five minutes later he was in Carter's computer. He scrolled through the logs and found what he was looking for. It was under 'Pete Stuff'. He knew full well she didn't keep anything about her fianc on her computer. He opened the file and was rewarded with Ancient passages. "Oh boy." He scrolled down more and found some Goa'uld and Asgard as well. "Would ya lookie here. Someone's been busy."
"This is not good O'Neill." Teal'c stated, his face troubled. "Daniel Jackson, can you translate it?"
"Yeah..." Daniel peered closer at the screen. "It's riddles mostly. Though, there is some reference to technology. Jack are you sure she doesn't know you've hacked her computer. And for that matter where in the hell did you learn how to do that?"
"School." He answered distractedly. "And no she doesn't know, she's not on it."
"The how did you get in?" Daniel asked, confusion marring his features.
"I hacked the internet link Daniel." O'Neill said. "Every computer on the base is linked through a Local Area Network, or LAN. I hacked the connection on her computer."
"Oh." Daniel said, clearly chastised. "I didn't know you could do that."
"Indeed." Teal'c stated. "Is it not a security risk to have all of the computers connected is such a way?"
"No." O'Neill answered. He was typing quickly again, and the jaffa knew he digging for what Carter had decoded. "It's protected by a gazillion firewalls and a whole bunch of other stuff. I got in because I knew the passwords to all of it, that and I'm good at hacking." He smiled when the computer beeped. "Pay dirt! I have the translations!"
"Oh boy." Daniel breathed. The Trust had found some interesting items, such as the transporter...and other various technologies, all off-world fortunately. However they had sent Carter a coded program they couldn't break, threatening to kill her family, SG-1 and the General if she didn't decode it, as she was the one who wrote the program.
The software protected the Prometheus' systems and schematics. They wanted to take the ship to get all of the technology in the writings.
"Oh no way." O'Neill moaned. "This is so not happening! I can't believe this!" He stopped mid rant as a red light began to blink on his screen.
"Uh, Jack..." Daniel said slowly. "What's that?"
"Uh oh." O'Neill said. "She's signed in! Shit!" he typed quickly again saving all of the data onto a CD. He yanked out the plug when the process was finished and took the CD from the open tray. He pushed the tray back into the powered down laptop and leaned back in his chair. "She is gonna be pissed."
"Indeed, O'Neill." Teal'c looked worried. "The Trust must know as well."
O'Neill shook his head. "No they weren't linked to her computer. The base LAN would have detected it they knew that. They have another way of keeping tabs on her. An old fashioned one."
"A rodent?" Teal'c inquired.
"You got it big guy." O'Neill answered. "We have to find out who."
"We should ask Dr. Ryan first." Daniel suggested. "She's the newest person we have."
"She wouldn't do this." O'Neill answered. "Zo's not that kind of person. She would have told them were to shove it if they asked her. She has no living family and her friends are few and far between. Besides which she's too new, those documents were a week old."
"Just after our return from P99-323." Daniel said worriedly. Then something clicked. "How do you know all of that about Dr. Ryan?"
"I did a background check." He quickly covered. "Standard procedure Danny-boy."
"Yeah I know." Daniel sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Whom do you believe is the correspondent O'Neill?" Teal'c looked at the Tau'ri man carefully, he did not seem himself.
"I don't know." O'Neill appeared thoughtful. "I'm gonna check the security and cleaning crews see what I can dig up. Teal'c I want you to go over the SG team members and Daniel I need you to check all of the other personnel. Time to do some gardening."
"Gardening?" Teal'c questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"A metaphor Teal'c." O'Neill said absently. "Means weeding out the spy."
"I see."
~*~
Sam Carter looked at her computer screen shocked. Someone had hacked her files! Her personal files! 'How in the hell did they do it?' She wondered silently. She began checking the logs to see just what they assessed. She stifled a gasp when she saw. The Trust files! Oh. My. God. Oh no. Oh, no, no, no, no, no! This could not be happening! Now everyone she was trying to protect is in danger! Shit!
Quickly she picked up the phone and hit the speed dial for the General's office. She had some quick thinking to do.
~*~
The phone on O'Neill's desk began to ring. He looked over at Daniel and Teal'c then picked up the device. "O'Neill."
"Sir?" the voice on the other end said. "It's Colonel Carter. Sir, uh someone had just hacked my computer sir. I'm not sure how much they got but it looked like a lot."
"Yeah...about that." O'Neill nodded at Daniel and Teal'c. They locked eyes for a moment.
"Sam?" Daniel asked quietly. The General nodded. "Oh boy..."
"Uh, Carter." O'Neill nervously cleared his throat. "Why don't you, me, Danny and Teal'c have a little chat in your office."
"Sir?" She asked.
"Trust me on this." He said quickly. "We'll be there in five."
"Yes sir." There was a click on the other line signaling that she hung up.
"She knows O'Neill." Teal'c stated.
"Yeah..." O'Neill sighed and pushed up from his chair. "We're gonna tell her exactly what we know and we're gonna help her."
"I should hope so!" Daniel exclaimed. "C'mon we have to hurry!"
~*~
Carter looked up from her in depth study of the tabletop when she heard familiar footsteps approaching. Her eyes went to the doorway as her team and CO walked into her lab.
"Sir." Carter acknowledged trying to banish the butterflies in her stomach.
"Carter." O'Neill sat down on the nearest stool. He pulled a disk out of his pocket.
"General?" She questioned. Her gaze was fixed on the disk.
"This is from a file on your computer called 'Pete Stuff'." He answered. Her eyes went wide and all the air in her lungs seemed to have disappeared. "I was the one who hacked your computer, and technically I didn't hack it."
"Why didn't you tell us Sam?" Daniel asked. "We would have helped."
"I..." She stopped short. She looked past her teammates at the wall. "I was scared. I was afraid that they would kill, Mark, the kids, his wife and Cassie, maybe even you three."
"I'm sorry." O'Neill said walking over to her. "Don't worry about anything Carter. They're safe, I promise."
"How?" She whispered.
"And old friend of mine." O'Neill said his face taking on a distant look.
~*~
Pete swallowed again. MacGyver was on the other line! He couldn't believe it! After all this time and he wants a favor? No way! This could not be happening! Why now? Why after all of this time? How come he only called when he needed a favor? What was going on? This is not Mac, then it is. He was confused. Why did he leave all of the sudden?
"Pete I need your help." He pleaded. "A very close friend of mine's family is in real danger! You have to do something!"
"Alright, alright!" He conceded. "Who is it?"
"Mark Carter." He answered. "Son of General Jacob Carter."
"Jake?" Pete asked. "I know him! And his son! Don't tell me you work with his daughter?"
"You know Jake?" Jack chuckled. "So do I. He's a good friend of mine. So you know who you're looking after then?"
"Of course!" Pete smiled. His smile faded. "Who am I protecting them from?"
"An illegal government organization called the Trust." O'Neill sighed. "They fight dirty. Think Murdoc."
"Oh no!" Pete moaned. "Alright I'll have my best men put on the job. What about you?"
"I'm gonna get to the bottom of all this." O'Neill answered. "Oh, and one more thing. Did you know a George Hammond?"
"I sure did!" Pete smiled into the phone. "How is he?"
"Good." O'Neill said. "I have to go. I'll call back later. Oh, and Zo got here just fine."
"She works with you!" Pete exclaimed. "In Colorado!"
"Yeah I can't give you any details." Jack sighed. "Look I really have to go now. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye Pete."
"Bye Mac." Pete hung up the phone. What were the odds? They had finally found him!
~*~
O'Neill cupped his hands under the water. He watched them fill then splashed it on his face. He looked into the mirror intently. The scar on his eyebrow, the little crisscrossing ones at the top of his hairline. He looked at his eyes and starred until his vision blurred almost. He wondered what was going to happen. Would the Phoenix Foundation be able to protect Mark? Would the SGC be able to keep Cassie safe? God it was all muddled.
His mind was muddled too. He felt the box spring a leak during his conversation with Pete. All of this digging into his past was making it harder to keep it locked back. Memories flashed through his mind unrestrained. He couldn't stop the flow. The box had broken. He shook himself out of it and looked in the mirror. His reflection winked. Oh shit.
He looked at the long hair younger man standing over his shoulder. Oh god no!
"Well hello." The man smiled, it was genuine. "Geez what took ya? I was wondering when you were gonna let me out. It was getting rather stuffy in there."
"Oh shut up." O'Neill muttered. At least he was alone in his on base quarters at the moment. That at least was a saving grace.
"Hey!" the man looked indignant. "I've saved your butt more than once the least you could do would be to say thanks!"
"Didn't know you cared." O'Neill said wryly. "Look, Mac. I'm tired. Go away."
"I'll crash on your couch then." Mac agreed. He cast O'Neill a look and walked over to the old beaten up sofa. "Why do you get the bed and I get the lumpy couch?"
"I thought you liked sleeping there." O'Neill said with annoyance. "Look shut up okay? I'm tired and have a big day tomorrow just leave me be."
"Fine, fine." The alternate muttered. He sat on the couch and closed his eyes. O'Neill sighed in relief and was soon asleep as well.
~*~
O'Neill blinked and looked around him. What was he doing in the middle of the hallway? 'Oh man!' he groaned. 'I swear Mac you are so dead!' he checked his watch. At least it was time to meet his team for breakfast. Pushing thoughts of his alternate out of his mind he walked the rest of the way to the commissary.
He walked into the room and spotted his team in the far corner. He turned back to get into line and he saw Mac leaning against the wall, smirking. Resisting the urge to walk over and strangle him he loaded his plate full of food. He avoided all the things he knew Mac liked and sat down with Fruit Loops and a donut.
"That stuff'll kill ya!" Mac admonished. O'Neill clenched his jaw. He would not respond, and certainly not in a commissary full of people.
"Mornin' Jack." Daniel greeted. "Any closer?"
"Not really." He answered. He put a spoon full of Fruit Loops into his mouth, ignoring Mac's antics and protests. "I found the data base but I can't get in."
"Ohh...." Mac smiled. "Try bypassing the security protocols and faking the computer into thinking you have the authorization to be in there. Admittedly the Trust will know you're there but you could get out some pretty could stuff."
O'Neill glared at the man, and to everyone else it was thin air. 'Shut up!' he said mentally. He scooped up another bite of Fruit Loops.
"O'Neill?" Teal'c cast his friend a worried look. "Are you well?"
"Can I get back to you on that?" O'Neill said sarcastically. "Just...leave it." Mac caught the emphasis and stuck his tongue out, then was gone. O'Neill suppressed a sigh of relief and went back to his breakfast. "Did you find and more moles?"
"Possibly." Daniel answered; he peered over his coffee cup at O'Neill. "Sgt Andrews, he looks suspicious."
"New security guy right?" the General asked. "Yeah I didn't like it either. It was too perfect. Almost like it was forged."
"Could be a mislead." Daniel looked around to see Carter sitting down at the table. "They may want us to think it's him."
"Probably." The General agreed. "But then I'm not so sure. Something's telling me he's the key. I don't know why."
~*~
Mac glared at the man sitting the comfy leather chair. "Why do you get the nice chair?"
"Because it's my office!" O'Neill said for the one-thousandth time. "Look this is hard enough without you bugging the daylights out of me!"
"Oh, touch." Mac mocked. O'Neill ground his teeth together and his fists clenched.
"If you were real I would strangle you." He ground out through clenched teeth. "But you're not."
"I am to you." Mac pointed out.
"No you're not you're a figment of my mind." The General answered.
"Yeah, well." Mac drawled. "You have to be insane to have an alter ego. So why not exploit it?"
"I'm not nuts." O'Neill defended. "Leave me alone please!"
"Whatever." Mac disappeared leaving a quiet almost empty office behind.
O'Neill groaned and put his head in his hands. God he wished he would go away! He was bad enough when he was a kid. Though he was helpful back then. He had needed Mac to cope with it all back then. He just didn't leave. He was alone as could be when his family left him alone on the Earth. He was so desperate he made himself and imaginary friend, said friend turned into a little more.
Instead of being someone who was invisible he would be there talking, thinking, he was like another side of himself. That he knew was true, after he signed on to the Air Force he used it as a tool to help with his undercover assignments. He would literally become the person in the reports. If he was an arms dealer then he became one, making a personality for it. Or if he was a mercenary he made one for that. Or a librarian, or a teacher, or a Russian fighter pilot. It didn't matter who or what, he became them.
He was so good at it that he didn't remember who he was when he got back. It took lost of therapy to 'restore' him to normal. Of course it was never mentioned because the Air force liked people like him. Someone who was a little on the loony side who could pull off those operations with out trouble, who could get in and out and every one would be none the wiser.
God he was a mess! So messed up that he didn't know where to start untangling the threads that held him together. He couldn't pinpoint any specific point in time when he went over the edge. It wasn't so bad being a General, he didn't have to go out into the field and risk blacking out and Mac taking over. That happened enough here. 'Like this morning.' He mused. 'I never got up but he did. I was dressed and on my way to the commissary.' O'Neill sighed. 'It was a good thing though, I would have been late if he hadn't.'
"See I'm useful." Mac said, sitting on top of the many papers on O'Neill desk, his legs swing over the side. "Can't say I'm not here to help."
"You weren't twenty years ago." O'Neill pointed out.
"You were cationic!" Mac argued. "What was I supposed to do? Anyway we saved a lot of lives so what's it matter?"
"You stole eight years of my life!" O'Neill exclaimed.
"I helped you!" Mac replied. "Who knows what would have happened! You would have been dead no doubt. After that accident you were out of it. I tried to get you to play ball but you wouldn't. I gave you plenty of chances you were just to afraid to take them! That mission had been too much for you, Iraq had been too much."
"God..." O'Neill mumbled. "When did this get so messed up? Why did you leave Charlie and Sara?"
"They weren't mine Jack." Mac pointed out. "They would have noticed. I came back though."
"Yeah after I took my life back." The General muttered. "Then three years later..."
"I'm sorry." Mac said. "The past is the past."
"Yeah." O'Neill lifted blinked. The office was empty. Rubbing his eyes he heard footsteps. Walter's footsteps. "S'open!"
"Sir." Walter walked in. "You have a meeting with the SG team commanders in three minutes."
"Yeah." O'Neill gave him a grim smile. "I'm on my way."
"Yes sir." Walter walked out of the office and down to the control room. O'Neill pushed up out pf the chair slowly. He left the jacket on the coat hanger and walked into the briefing room. Just as the meeting was about to start the klaxons went off.
"OFF WORLD ACTIVATION!!"
"Oh for cryin' out loud." O'Neill muttered. He got up and raced to the control room, Colonel's Reynolds and Ferretti not too far behind.
"Who is it?" he asked coming to a stop next to Daniel.
"Uh...sir..." Walter looked confused. "It's the Tok'ra."
"What?" O'Neill's face screwed up in confusion, then turned to recognition. "Its Jacob let him through!"
"Yes sir!" the iris opened and SG-1, plus O'Neill ran down to the gate room. The General came to a stop just as Jacob exited the wormhole.
"Jacob!" O'Neill greeted.
"Jack." The Tok'ra smiled back. "Sammie!" He gave his daughter a quick hug then turned to the General. He then noticed the stars on his uniform. "General?"
"Yeah..." O'Neill looked a little self-conscious. "George is working Home World Security in Washington."
"They put you in charge?" Jacob looked amused. "Wonder what came over 'em?"
"So do I." O'Neill grinned. "C'mon lets take this to the briefing room."
~*~
"So, run that by me again?" Jacob asked. "The Trust blackmailed by daughter and now my son and his family are in danger?"
"Uh, yeah that about sums it up." O'Neill quipped. "Look I'm not happy about it either but right now we don't know what to do."
"Did you give them what you decoded Sam?" Jacob asked quietly.
"Yes, I did." She answered. "I'm sorry Dad...I didn't mean..."
"I know." Jacob forestalled any other argument. "Right now you need to work on how to stop them from getting to Prometheus, and at the very least stop them from getting that technology."
"I know that." O'Neill snapped. "I got into their database, finally. Anyway they plan to commandeer the ship in three days."
"Three days?" Mac asked, looking out at the Stargate. "Sounds like a mission for General O'Neill and his three sidekicks."
'Bug off.' O'Neill thought, then aloud he said. "Yeah...and I have no idea how to stop them."
"Let the ground crew know." Mac said from the window. "They need to be alerted."
'I can't! The Trust have an operative there!' Jack scowled at the hallucination. "They have and operative there so we can't exactly warn them."
"Okay..." Daniel sighed. "We need to go on a surprise visit. Do you know what time they plan to try and commandeer it?"
"Uh...1530hrs." O'Neill answered. "I hope this works."
"What exactly are you going to do?" Jacob inquired. 'I too am wondering.' 'I know Selmac.'
"Get there five minutes after they do." The General took a deep breath. "They're only using a strike force of eight men. It shouldn't be hard to take them out and get the ship back."
"We're going to stow away!?" Carter exclaimed. "Sir."
"Got it in one Carter, got it in one." O'Neill looked at each of the solemn faces around the table. They knew what they had to do. The Trust could kill them all, or they could take the ship back. There were many outcomes, and O'Neill couldn't see them all.
"So, you're going with me rattling around your head?" Mac said incredulously.
"Yeah." O'Neill muttered under his breath. He could already see the little red warning flags in the distance. His mind was screaming 'Danger! Will Robinson! Danger!' and he was being intentionally ignorant. They needed him and his expertise to pull this off there was no way he was letting them go without him anyway. He wouldn't be who he was if he did.
"Oh fun!" Mac said sarcastically. "I always wanted to fly in a spaceship!"
~*~
When is he gonna shut up! Was the foremost thought on O'Neill's mind as he crept silently up to the exhaust port of the ship. Mac had been hounding him since they had left the SGC and no matter what he did the alternate would not leave him alone. He'd tried everything. From shouting the same word over and over to turning up the music so loud he couldn't hear himself think. Even went and massacred the punching bag. That usually helps, so now he was at the end of his rope.
Collecting himself once more he opened the port and climbed in, SG-1 and Jacob not far behind. The port was small and they barely could move inside it. Climbing up three decks they came upon the Jeffries Tube entrance. O'Neill entered the code and the tube silently opened. He crawled in and they followed until they came to a ladder.
"Carter!" O'Neill hissed. "Up or down?"
"Up sir." She whispered back. O'Neill nodded and grabbed the closest rung. He grabbed on with both hands and let his feet swing off the edge. He put them down several rungs below him and began to climb upwards. The rest of the team copied his action and they were soon on their way to engineering.
After several minutes the General came upon a door labeled L. 6 Engineering. He looked at the keypad and entered the code. It opened with a soft hissing sound and he carefully stuck out his left leg. He rested it six inches from the edge then reached out with his left hand and grabbed the rung right above the door and swung himself into the tube.
He crawled around until he was facing the ladder and waited until he saw Carter's blond head. She turned and he reached out his hand. "Grab hold." He whispered. She did and he helped her up. "We need better ladders."
Carter smiled. "Yes sir." She turned and helped him pull up Daniel, her dad and Teal'c. When the five were in the tube O'Neill lead them to the exit. Taking a deep breath he carefully and quietly opened the hatch. He stuck his miniature periscope just outside the crack and scanned the hallway. Coast clear.
"Okay, kids, coast is clear." He said in a harsh whisper. Opening the hatch all the way he climbed out, Daniel not too far behind, then Jacob, Teal'c and the Colonel. Looking up and down the hallway one more time he turned to Sam. "Left or right?"
"Left dimwit." O'Neill repressed and eye roll. Mac was back.
"Left sir." Carter answered. O'Neill nodded signaling with his hands for her to take point and that he would bring up the rear. That done he glared at the alternate walking next to him. 'You could be like her, nice and respectful.'
"Heck no." Mac said smugly. "It's no fun."
This time O'Neill did roll his eyes. He turned away from the man and concentrated on the mission. He knew better than to be talking to himself during times like these, and thank god so did Mac. He heard footsteps whirling around quickly, he spotted a shadow.
"Uh oh." Mac said, then disappeared.
Jacob heard the scuffling and turned around, he too saw the shadow, getting ever closer. "We've got company."
"Nah really?" O'Neill muttered. He saw a storage room and opened the door. He ushered everyone in then closed it. He prayed he got them in soon enough. He heard the footsteps pass then fade but waited five minutes anyway. Opening the door he walked out breathing the much-needed air. He took several deep breaths and turned to his 'team'. "That was fun."
"Yeah sure you betcha." Carter muttered. "We have two more doors then we're there, sir."
"Right." O'Neil said quietly. Squaring his shoulders he walked down the hallway. The passed the two doors then entered the third. There was one person at the controls. O'Neill raised his zat and shot her before she even knew they were there. "Lights out sister." He moved over to the console she was manning and tied her up and rested her against the far wall. He looked down at the screen and noticed they were already in hyperspace. "Carter!"
"Sir?" She asked moving to stand behind him. She looked at the screen. "They probably changed the codes sir. I don't think I can disable it."
"Great." O'Neill's fingers began to fly over the keyboard. A blue screen popped up and he entered the pass code. The five felt the ship start to slow then stop.
"What did you do?" Carter asked.
"Faked an energy overload." He answered. "C'mon they'll be sending people down to check it out. Get ready."
"You're gonna shoot'em?" Mac asked alarmed. "Jack!"
'I don't need your aversion to guns right now.' He thought. 'Get lost.' Out loud he said. "Jacob, Daniel on the left. Carter, Teal'c take right. I got center."
"Yes sir." Carter answered for the group as she got into position. She watched O'Neill out of the corner of her eye as he hid behind the center control panel. Just as he readied his weapon the door opened. The first two guys went down in a flash of blue light, another got a staff blast to the leg that knocked him into the wall and unconscious. O'Neill leaned around the side of the console and shot the last man. Rising to his feet he zatted the man in the hallway as well.
"Well, that went well." Daniel commented wryly.
"Pretty good actually." O'Neill answered. "String'em up we have to get to the bridge."
"That's four out of eight." Jacob commented. "Four more to go."
"Plus the crew." O'Neill threw over his shoulder. He was sitting down at the console again, typing furiously. The console beeped at him and he stood up.
"What did you do?" Carter asked concerned. She knew how much computers hated her commanding officer.
"Nothin'." O'Neill said with a shrug. "They can't get into the computer without my pass code and finger print."
"Good thinking." Jacob said with a small smile.
"To the bridge kiddies!" the General ordered. "We have a ship to stop."
~*~
Sergeant Andrews check the controls again. They were still non responsive and asking for the name of 'Alter Ego', and a thumb print, only there was no thumb pad and he didn't have a clue who 'Alter Ego' was.
"Andrews?" his commander asked. "Why can't we get the systems back online?"
"They've been blocked sir." He stammered. The black man got out of his seat and walked over to Andrews' console.
"Alter Ego?" the man asked. "Thumb print? We have stowaways. That Carter must have told her friends! Damn!"
"I'm sorry, Rodgers." Andrew said. "I can't get into the system. Any system at all the whole networks been blocked."
"What's the security team's status?" Rodgers asked. The tech at the back station looked up. "Well?"
"I can't get a hold of them, sir." The tech answered. "They've been incapacitated."
"Oh hell!" Rodgers snapped. "Send team two!"
"Yes sir." The tech began to speak into his earpiece. "Team two is on their way sir."
"Good." Rodgers sneered, and sat back down in the captain's chair. "Very good."
~*~
O'Neill used his periscope to look carefully around the corner. It was strangely clear. They hadn't run into anyone yet, and they were close to the bridge. Something was wrong, very wrong. Putting the scope back in his top vest pocket he turned to Teal'c. The jaffa seemed to be thinking along the same lines he was, that reinforced the feeling growing in the pit of his stomach.
"Kids..." he said in a harsh whisper. "Something's not right."
"I agree." Jacob whispered back. He paused in thought a moment. "And so does Selmac."
"Oh, spidey-sense is tingling?" Mac asked from his position against the far wall. O'Neill glared. "Gee, just a joke. Mine is too if you must know. Somethin' ain't right."
"Okay..." O'Neill said slowly. "I'm gonna backtrack a bit."
"General are you sure that's wise?" Carter asked. She noticed something off with her commander since the mission had started. She had heard him whisper at thin air and glare at the wall several times, like now.
"No." he answered. O'Neill took one last look around the corner before taking off down the route they had come. Once he was around the corner he came upon four Trust men. They spotted him, and O'Neill, having the advantage of surprise, zatted two of them before they started to fire back. He ducked behind the wall as the bullets bounced off it. "Crap!"
"Na really?" Mac commented. He peeked out from behind the wall. "Huh."
"Shut up!" O'Neill hissed. He turned around when he heard footsteps. Carter and Teal'c were coming to his rescue. They fired off several shots downing the last two hostiles. "Great timing."
"Thanks." Mac said with a smug smile. The General glared at him again.
"Sir?" Carter asked, looking to the spot that O'Neill was. She didn't see anything.
"Yeah?" he asked turning to her. "We got the strike force."
"Indeed." Teal'c agreed, he too noticed something strange about O'Neill. "Come, General Carter and Daniel Jackson are waiting."
"Oh boy." Mac sighed dramatically for effect. "I so hate these missions."
"Then bug off." O'Neill said under his breath. Carter didn't hear him, but Teal'c did.
~*~
Zo Ryan cursed for the hundredth time that hour. "No, Pete it wasn't MacGyver! It was some guy named O'Neill!"
"It sounded exactly like him Zo!" Pete argued back.
"It wasn't." Zo sighed, then a thought struck her. "Maybe it was."
"What?" Pete asked confused.
"O'Neill had said Mac was gone, locked up." Zo said. "Big question is: Locked up where?"
"Zo what are you getting at?" Pete asked after a moment of silence.
"What if..." Zo sighed. "Did Mac ever stare off into space for no reason?"
"Sometimes yes." Pete answered. "But I don't see-"
"O'Neill and MacGyver are one in the same." Zo answered, confidence filling her voice.
"I still don't get it Zo." Pete said, getting frustrated.
"Think alternate personality." Zo answered. "Mac must have been O'Neill's primary alternate. He must have had something wrong with him. He could have been cationic, that would make Mac take over."
"You're telling me my best friend was just a delusion created by someone who was..." Pete trailed off.
"Yeah..." Zo sounded sorry. "But he and O'Neill are the same...the man you knew is still there. He is essentially O'Neill, so technically he's the man you knew."
"But Mac hates guns!" Pete protested. "From what I gather O'Neill is a seasoned military man!"
"Yes." Zo sighed. "Mac was his way away from it. The way to escape all of it."
"Oh hell." Pete groaned. "This is too confusing! Let me think on it."
"Okay, talk to you later Pete." Zo answered. "Bye."
"Goodbye."
Zo put the phone back in its cradle and stared off into space. MacGyver wasn't MacGyver, and O'Neill wasn't O'Neill and yet they were. It was all so jumbled! Sighing she picked up her empty mug. Rolling her eyes she left her office to go get more coffee. She was going to need it if she was to ever figure this out.
~*~
Daniel glanced back at his friend then to the door of the bridge. They were going in and he was a nervous wreck! "Jack are you sure about this?"
"Positive." The General answered. "Lets go." He punched the sequence and the door swooshed open.
Rodgers turned around quickly in his chair, surprise written all over his face. "How in the hell...?" were his last words before he was enveloped in a blue light.
O'Neill smirked at his handy work and went over to the main console. He punched a few buttons and unlocked the computer system. "Carter check the logs find out where they were headed."
"Yes sir." The Colonel answered. She took the seat he had so recently vacated and set to work. When she found what she was looking for she let out a small gasp. "Oh my god!"
"Where are we?" O'Neill asked.
"We're..." Carter looked at the map. "I don't know where we are sir."
"You don't?" Daniel asked, his eyes going wide.
"Okay...." O'Neill drawled. "Jacob, check the star maps, see if you or Selmac can pin point our location."
"Okay." Jacob answered. He walked over to where his daughter was and looked over her shoulder.
O'Neill finished tying up the bridge crew. "Teal'c, Danny help me get them into the brig. I don't want 'em wandering the ship."
"As you wish O'Neill." Teal'c replied. He hefted an unconscious tech over his shoulder and walked out of the room.
"Show off." Mac muttered, following after him, his own man being dragged behind him.
~*~
"Oh now you've gone and done it!" O'Neill raged at his alternate. "What were you thinking!?"
"Fresh air, sunshine..." Mac trailed off. "A chance to stretch my legs."
"Of for cryin' out loud!" O'Neill exclaimed. "I swear Teal'c is onto us! You just made it worse!"
"Well, sorry." Mac spat. "After all the times I helped you...I get glared at, snapped at, yelled at, punched..."
"Hey I only did that once." O'Neill defended. "You had asked for it anyway."
"Yeah, sure." Mac snorted. "Look, you locked me up for no reason..."
"I had a damn good reason!" O'Neill raged. "I don't need to be talking to thin air! In fact I don't even need to be talking to you now, you're not real!"
"I am!" Mac shouted back. "I'm real!"
"No you're not!" Jack snapped. "You're not real, you're a figment of my imagination!"
"I am you dammit!" Mac growled. "I'm you, you're me, we're one in the same Jack."
O'Neill was silent staring at the alternate. "Okay. But this, this isn't real. You are, but not what I'm seeing."
"Really?" Mac smirked. He walked over to Jack and put his hand on his shoulder. "That feel real to you?"
"What?" Jack could feel the heat of Mac's palm on his shoulder. "I don't understand. You said we're one in the same, you're just in my mind."
"I am." Mac answered. "But you're mind makes me real to you."
O'Neill scowled and looked at the hand on his shoulder. He felt the heat drain away. "You are not real."
~*~
Teal'c stared at the slightly open door. O'Neill was seemingly having a conversation with thin air. Worried he walked over and knocked on the door. "O'Neill?"
"Yeah?" came the muffled reply from inside. The man in question walked over to the door and opened it. "Whadya want Teal'c?"
"Are you well O'Neill?" Teal'c asked, his face stoic.
"Yeah, why?" The General asked, his stance becoming defensive.
"It is nothing." Teal'c replied. He was frustrated but dare not say anything. "I will leave you now."
O'Neill heaved a sigh of relief when the jaffa was out of earshot. 'He must have been right outside the door.' Groaning in frustration Jack slammed the door and collapsed onto the bed. His world was about to be in shambles around his ankles, not that most of it wasn't anyway.
~*~
Daniel looked at Teal'c carefully. "Are you sure? I mean this is Jack we're talkin' about here."
"Indeed, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c answered, his expression troubled. "He was conversing with thin air."
"What was he saying, Teal'c?" Carter asked interested.
"He was debating with himself about what was real and what was not. Several times he shouted, 'You are not real." Teal'c answered.
"Then we shouldn't worry." Daniel said, at the glares he continued. "He knows something is wrong, and he's fixing it. I say just leave him be. It could make it worse if we interfere."
"I think you're right Daniel." Sam answered. "And from what it sounds like, this is MPD. That occurs during childhood. He must have 'locked' away the other personality before on his own."
"Let us hope so." Teal'c replied.
~*~
The General looked over at Daniel and caught him staring again. 'Oh great.' He thought. 'Teal'c, told'em lovely, just friggin' peachy!' Great! Now he was in for it! He hoped Jacob didn't know, but he doubted it.
"Daniel." O'Neill said with a false smile. "Quit starring at me."
"Oh, uh what?" Daniel mumbled. "I wasn't staring at you."
"Yes you were." O'Neill answered, not looking up from his doodle.
"No, I wasn't." Jackson answered back.
"Yes, you were." The General shot back. "I could feel your eyes on me. What's on your mind?"
"Uh, nothing." Daniel said a little perturbed that he had him figured out. Though, it shouldn't be that big of a surprise. He thought, after all he reads people like a book, and he was in that Special Ops training stuff. Oh well. "Nothing's on my mind."
"Yes, there is you're avoiding the issue." Jack answered. "Quit mumbling, you're a very bad lair."
"Oh...uh..." Daniel stuttered. "You really don't want to know."
"Yes, actually." O'Neill looked up from his doodle. "Teal'c told ya didn't he?"
Everyone's attention turned to O'Neill. Daniel was surprised. "How did...how did you know?"
"Because I figured if it was anything else you would have told me." O'Neill said, locking eyes with the archeologist. "So...what?"
"Oh boy." Daniel breathed; he looked over at Sam for a moment, away from O'Neill's penetrating gaze. "So am I talking to Jack?"
"Yeah." O'Neill answered.
"What?" Jacob asked, confused. "I've been left out of the loop here. What's wrong with Jack?"
"Nothing really." Mac answered. Daniel started. "Yeah, yeah don't get ya panties in a wad. Jack's just fine, he chickened out and left me to talk to you."
"He can do that?" Carter asked.
"Yeah." Mac answered. "He threw me out by my ankles as it were."
"I still don't get it." Jacob pointed out.
"MPD." Daniel said distractedly. "So, what's you're name?"
Mac grinned smugly. "MacGyver."
"No way." Sam answered. "As in the man who could make a bomb out of a battery, mouse trap, and a shoe string?"
"Yeah..." Mac said slowly. "I didn't know I was famous."
"Most of the scientific community knows about you." Carter answered.
"So, you knew Zo?" Daniel asked.
"Yeah." Mac smiled. "She set my house boat a-drift. That's how she got me to help her look for the Holy Rose. Did ya know that Ambrose made the first Optical Pump?"
"He did?!" Carter exclaimed.
"Yeah." Mac smirked. "Cool huh?"
"Wow, a ruby laser." Daniel mumbled. "That's pretty good for the middle ages."
Mac shrugged. Jacob was watching in stunned silence. That man was not O'Neill, yet it was. Of he didn't know the man so well he would have been fooled.
"Alter Ego." Rodgers hissed from his position leaning against the wall. "You're the password to work the computer system."
"Very, astute for a brain dead moron." Jack snapped. "What did you think you were doing?"
"That's none of your business O'Neill." Rodgers sneered.
"Oh, I think it is." O'Neill growled. He got up and stalked over to Rodgers prone position on the floor. "You threatened one of my officers, and one of my friends. You have no idea how dead that makes you."
"You wouldn't kill me." Rodgers said smugly.
"Really?" O'Neill drew his 9mm from it's holster. He flicked off the safety and aimed it at the black man's chest. "I dare you to say that again."
The man was wisely silent. O'Neill turned the safety back on and re-holstered the gun. "Thought so." He walked away two steps then turned quickly, zatting the man once. "That was for getting on my nerves."
Everyone else was silent as the General walked back to his spot against the wall and lowered himself to the floor. He was angry and it showed. Daniel could feel it coming off him in waves. He was scared, too. He was afraid that something would happen and his team wouldn't be his team anymore. That maybe they'd lock him up with the rest of the crew. God he hoped not, he really did.
~*~
"Yeah..." O'Neill collapsed face first onto the mattress in his quarters. For the moment they we're going anywhere. After finding out they had no idea where they were he had decided it was best to stay put and not get lost even more. "So, Mac, where are you?"
"Here." Mac walked over and sat on the bed. "You okay?"
"What do you think?" O'Neill asked. "I don't know honestly. I feel better now that my team knows, but then I'm...worried."
"You shouldn't be." Mac pointed out. "They know you put me away last time."
"Yeah..." O'Neill breathed. "I don't get it. Do you know where we are?"
"Possibly." Mac answered. "We're close to Thor's planet, the one they turned into a black hole."
"Are the Asgard close enough to communicate with?" The General asked.
"I think so." Mac answered. "They usually have a ship patrolling this area. If we don't call them they'll call us."
"Good." With that he drifted off to sleep.
~*~
"So..." Daniel started looking up from his plate of waffles. "When did you 'create' Mac?"
"Uh...a long time ago." Jack answered, shoving a mouthful of fruit loops into his mouth.
"Why?" Daniel asked.
"Because." Jack answered. "I was alone Daniel. Stuck alone in foster houses and things. I needed someone."
"How old were you?"
"Ten." He answered, eating another spoonful.
~*~
Carter stared intently at the computer screen, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Most of then pertained to the General. How? Was the foremost question on her mind, the second was why. Why did he not say anything? Why did he create Mac in the first place? How come for eight years no one could find him. She knew where he was for those years. Mac had taken over his body.
The big question was why? Why did he do that? Why not just stay with Sara and Charlie? Why leave? Well, they said MacGyver was always afraid of commitment. Maybe that was it. She shook her head and sighed. That couldn't be why, it just couldn't.
"Carter." Her head snapped up and she turned around quickly. The object of her thoughts was standing in the door, leaning casually against it.
"Sir." She answered nervously. He cocked his head to one side.
"What'cha doin'?" he asked walking into the room and sitting down on one of the many stools.
"Uh, going over the computer logs, looking for anything that will give us a clue as to where we are." She answered.
"Found anything?" he asked, picking up some device from the tabletop.
"No, sir." Carter sighed. "Was there something you needed General?"
"No, not really." He answered. "I'll go."
"Wait!" Carter called. "I'm sorry it's just..."
"You're afraid." He answered for her. "Afraid of me, that I'd do something." Sam just looked away. "Yeah, I'd better go."
"Don't." She said quietly. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean...I was thinking about what would happen if we never got home."
"You miss him do you?" He asked, his face a mask.
"Who Pete?" Carter looked startled. "I hadn't even thought about him...I was thinking about Mark, the kids, and Cassie."
"Yeah." He put his hands in his pockets and began rocking back and forth on his heels. "This sucks."
"What does sir?" Sam asked.
"This..." He motioned between the two of them. "It's always so..."
"Awkward?" She supplied.
"Yeah." He sighed, and stopped moving, his hands still deeply wedged in his pockets. "Look it's none of my business but I figured if you really like someone you'd miss them. Maybe he isn't who you should be with."
"What?" Carter asked stunned.
"Sorry...that was dumb." He mumbled. "Look, I just think you're setting yourself up for failure. It did take you two weeks to say yes didn't it?"
"Yes sir." Carter answered, her tone was defensive. "But isn't my life, my life? I'm old enough to make my own decisions."
"I know." He answered, his voice raising an octave. "But, it's just a thought, that's all. I'm not telling you how to live you're life, Carter. I'm just helping you see all the angles to the biggest decision that you could make in your entire life."
"Bigger than the one to save the world?" She quipped, trying to lighten the mood.
"Yeah." O'Neill answered. "Bigger than that because it effects you, more than anything you've ever done. It changes your life, turns it upside down."
"Thank you sir." Carter nodded her head. "But I think I'm making the right choice."
"I hope so." He answered. "For your sake I hope so." With that he walked out of the little lab, leaving a very confused Colonel Carter behind. She spotted a piece of paper on the desk under the little device he had picked up. Curious she unfolded the note. It read: Send out a subspace transmission. We're in Asgard space. Startled she jumped off her stool and raced to the bridge.
She stumbled through the door to the bridge startling Daniel. "Sam?"
"We're in Asgard space." She panted. "Send out a transmission."
"How do you know?" Daniel asked.
"The General dropped me a note." Carter answered sitting down at the helm console. She pushed a series of buttons then opened up a channel. "This is the Tau'ri Vessel Prometheus. If any one can hear this, we're in a bit of a jam. Please respond."
They sat in silence for a moment, then a voice came over the comm. "Tau'ri Vessel, this is Supreme Commander Thor of the Asgard fleet."
"Thor!?" O'Neill exclaimed rushing over to the console. "Thor buddy, it's good to hear form you. Ya see we're a bit lost. Some people from our planet hijacked the ship, we got it back but we have no idea where we are."
"Indeed O'Neill." Thor answered. "I will be to your position momentarily."
"Thanks. O'Neill out." He switched off the communiqu and grinned. "Looks like we're going home after all kiddies."
"Well..." Jacob sighed. "I have to go back to the Tok'ra. Do you think you could drop me off?"
"Sure." O'Neill shrugged. There was a flash of light then Thor appeared on the bridge. "Thor!"
"O'Neill." Thor dipped his head slightly. "I will transmit he coordinates to you. However, I require your services."
"Mine?" he asked. "Or all of ours?"
"Yours O'Neill." Thor answered
"Uh, okay...." There was a flash of light and O'Neill and Thor were gone.
"Well..." Daniel said. "That was..."
"Yeah." Jacob surmised.
"Indeed." Teal'c rumbled.
~*~
"So..." O'Neill started. "What could you possibly need me for?"
"I am concerned." Thor started. "You have been exhibiting strange behavior not consistent with the Tau'ri."
"Oh for cryin' out loud!" O'Neill exclaimed. "Now you think I'm nuts too?"
"I do not." Thor stated. "I was referring to your unusual ability to 'read' people so well O'Neill. You seem to know what they are thinking before they speak it."
"So?" the General shrugged.
"The Ancients could do this." That made him stop and stare at Thor.
"What?" He asked. "What are you talking about?"
"You were able to heal Master Bra'tac." Thor answered.
"Yeah, but that was because of the download, right?"
"Possibly." Thor replied. "However your body could not perform a technique you yourself could not do."
"So you're saying that I can heal people? And that the download just 'turned it on'?" O'Neill rose an eyebrow. "No way."
"It is what I am speaking of, yes." Thor answered. "The more contact you have with Ancient technology the more your abilities increase. It is this way with all those who carry the gene. However, you are more advanced than they."
"Oh boy." O'Neill breathed. "This is...weird. Did you know I still have some of the Ancients knowledge in my mind?"
"Yes, your 'photographic memory' as you Tau'ri call it." Thor answered. "It was how you were able to retain the knowledge to use the replicator weapon."
O'Neill took a deep breath and released it slowly. "So, you pulled me up here to tell me this?"
"Yes, and no." Thor answered. "I have found a piece of Ancient technology and I am unable to determine its use."
"You want me to look at it." O'Neill finished. "Peachy. Were is it?"
Thor pressed a button and they were enveloped in a white light. O'Neill blinked the spots out of his eyes and stared at the machine in front of him, if you could call it that. It was a little green thing, shaped like a diamond. Curious he walked over and picked it up. He felt a rush in his mind and turned it over. "It's a shield."
"A shield?" Thor inquired.
"Yeah." O'Neill said. He stuck the thing on his shirt and a green field came a round him. "It's impenetrable. Not even the Replicators could breach it."
"Interesting." Thor commented. "Now that I know its purpose I may be able to interface the technology. If we could shield our ships this way it would greatly reduce the amount of ships lost to the replicators."
"Yeah." O'Neill concentrated and the little shield fell off his chest and into his palm. "When you're done with it can I have it?"
"I am unsure." Thor replied. "I will look into it however."
"Thanks." O'Neill grinned. "Can you send me back to my ship?"
"They have left already O'Neill." Thor answered. "I shall escort you home."
"Er...thanks."
~*~
"Yes sir." Jack said into the red phone. "Yeah, we stopped 'em. Yeah, the ships' fine. Tell Hammond I didn't scratch it." Jack chuckled. "Will do sir, bye." He put the phone back in its cradle and turned to Daniel. "Well, we're home safe and the Trust has been dealt with, hopefully it's permanent."
"Yeah..." Daniel said. "How are you doin'?"
"Uh, okay I guess." Mac mumbled.
"Mac?" Daniel asked.
"Yeah." He said quietly. He looked Daniel in the eye. "I'm worried about Jack."
"Why?" Daniel asked.
"He's hurting." Mac whispered.
"Oh..." Daniel sighed. "You can't fix that Mac."
"I tried." Mac sighed. "But she's so stubborn! He is too."
"There's nothing they can do." Daniel said regretfully.
"Yes there is." Mac answered. "Jack was thinking about retiring if he did he could come back as the civilian head of the program. I'm sure Hayes would agree. In fact if they did that when the program went public they would have a sort of friendly face on it."
"Yeah." Daniel smiled.
"I'm gonna kill him!" O'Neill exclaimed.
"Jack!?" Daniel jumped startled.
"Sorry." O'Neill looked sheepish. "I could kill him for telling you that."
"Put it this way." Daniel countered. "Part of you wanted to tell me, or he wouldn't have. He is you. You have to put him I don't know...back in, not in the box. You're split down the middle Jack, you need to reunite your two halves."
"Thanks Daniel." O'Neill smiled. "I never thought of that."
"Glad I could help."
~*~
Mac looked over at O'Neill. "You sure about this?" Mac watched the man carefully. He looked apprehensive, but none the less determined. He wouldn't expect anything less after all.
"Yeah." Jack answered. He watched as Mac walked over, they stood toe to toe. He was finally going to be normal, no more worrying. His little house of cards hadn't fallen all the way down, only bits and pieces. He was glad; he thanked Daniel even though the man would never know it.
"Lets do this." Mac took a deep breath then walked into him, Jack felt a jolt, then passed out.
~*~
The steady beep of a heart monitor woke O'Neill from his slumber. He blinked his eyes slowly, getting the room into focus and clearing his vision. He felt around and couldn't find Mac anywhere, he panicked a moment then his memory came back in a rush. He had fixed himself, so to speak. He smiled, the gray ceiling above his head was welcome, he looked over to his right to see a sleeping Daniel Jackson.
"Danny!" he called. The man jumped awake with a start. "You fell asleep on the job. What time is it?"
Daniel just stared until it registered in his sleep-addled brain. "Oh, uh, it's one o'clock in the morning."
"Nice." O'Neill muttered.
"So, did it work?" Daniel asked carefully.
"Yep, I'm me. The normal Jack O'Neill." O'Neill smiled. "How about a barbeque to celebrate?"
"That sounds good." Daniel smiled back. "That sounds real good."
~*~
Jack O'Neill looked out of the sliding glass window and out at his deck and backyard, which were full of people. He spotted his friends off the corner and went outside to join them. He smiled as he walked over to stand next to Daniel.
"Well..." He took a swig of his beer. "We saved the world again."
Carter smiled. "Yes sir, we did."
Zo smiled. "I think you guys did good."
"You don't want to kill me anymore?" O'Neill asked.
"I figured it out." Zo smiled. "Pete wants to see you, but other than that everything is fine."
"Good." Jack smiled. He spotted Sean walked bewildered onto the deck. "Sam!"
"Dad!" Sean ran over. Jack pulled him into a quick hug. "You okay?"
"Yep." Jack smiled. "Guys this is Sam, or Sean, son, this is, Daniel, Teal'c and Sam."
"Hi." Sean shook each of their hands. "Please to meet you finally. I was beginning to think I never would."
Jack heard a commotion behind him and he saw none other than Pete Shanahan coming over. "What's he doin' here?" Daniel asked.
"I have no idea." Carter growled. "I told him to stay home."
"Uh oh." The ex-General smirked. Teal'c shared an amused look with Daniel as the three men watched Carter stalk over to her fianc. "He is so gonna get it."
"Indeed." Teal'c smiled slightly.
"She's gonna rip him up one side and down the other." Sean snickered. "This oughta be good."
"Pete, what the hell are you doing here!?" The Colonel shouted.
Pete looked startled, then angry. "Obviously my invitation got lost in the mail."
"No, it didn't." Carter snapped. "You didn't get one! For good reason! If all you can do is yell at me when I come back from a mission looking like death warmed up! You just don't get it do you? I will not quit my job because you want me too!"
"Look, Sammie I'm sorry..." he started.
"Don't call me that!" She interrupted. The words from her last conversation with the General sprang to mind. 'Look it's none of my business but I figured if you really like someone you'd miss them. Maybe he isn't who you should be with.' She calmed down slightly, and stood straighter, her face becoming serious. "Look, Pete maybe this wasn't such a good idea. We always seem to be fighting. It shouldn't be like this."
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Pete asked in disbelief.
Sam pulled the ring off her finger. "Yes, I am. Goodbye Pete."
Pete's face turned cold. He took the ring out of her hand and stalked off. The crowd was staring at her.
"Okay, nothing to see go back to your drinks and conversation!" O'Neill shouted. He glared at a group of nurses and they stopped staring like everyone else. "You okay, Carter?"
She took a deep breath and sighed. "Yeah, I think I am." She turned to face him.
"Good." He gave a half smile. "C'mon we still have a whole evening to annoy Daniel."
That got a smile out of Carter. "Yes sir, we do."
"Hey, no more sir." He said. "I'm not exactly a General, at least not up until..." he glanced at his watch. "Two minutes ago."
"What?" She exclaimed.
"Don't worry I'm not leaving." He assured her. "I'm the new civilian head of the Stargate Program."
"That's good." Sam smiled. "C'mon Daniel and Teal'c are staring."
He chuckled. "Well, depends on what they're staring at..."
Sam swatted his arm. "Jack!" He stopped walking. She turned to look into his eyes.
"You really want to try this?" He asked.
"I really do." She answered.
"Good." Jack smirked. "Diner tomorrow at 1900 don't be late!"
~*~
The End
First Draft completed 2/04/05 1344.
Second Draft Completed 2/06/05 1300
Final Review and Edit done 2/06/05 1352
If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to Jonic Recheio
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