Time Capsule
Time Capsule
by Annika
TITLE: Time Capsule
AUTHOR: Annika
EMAIL: annika_rj@yahoo.com
CATEGORY: Drama, Future story
PAIRING: Sam/Jack
SPOILERS: None
SEASON / SEQUEL: future
RATING: PG
CONTENT WARNINGS: none
SUMMARY: Future-Jack looks back on events that happened 15 years earlier.
STATUS: Complete
ARCHIVE: Heliopolis
DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. We 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 authors. Not to be archived without permission of the authors.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I wanna thank Aneesha for beta reading for me, and helping me out with this story in general. THANK YOU ANEESHA!!!
It had been all Daniel's idea. Not that it was a bad one. It was absolutely brilliant. Sam was all for it, Teal'c showed his enthusiasm by simply pointing out that he would contribute, and I ... I was just happy because Sam was happy. Even though I did feel slightly jealous at the thought that it was Daniel, and not me who came up with the idea.
It was a Time capsule. Daniel's great idea was that since it was Christmas time, we could put together a time capsule and bury it somewhere near Cheyenne Mountain and come back to it after 15 years. He said we should put something small and personal, something that was just ... US. I told him I will bring something to put in, and I asked he will bring. He told me it was a secret. Sam insisted on going with him to pick the box out, so I left the two to discuss the matter. I didn't feel like getting in the way.
After a few days, they came back with a small metal box, and we decided we should fill it in and bury it after we come back from the mission scheduled for P3X-729. I looked forward to seeing what everyone else was bringing. I had absolutely no idea what I could put in that box, and all my efforts in trying to find out what the others were offering were futile. All I wanted was a hint as to what I should bring, nothing more, but none of them were willing to help. Teal'c told me he didn't know himself, Daniel said that it was supposed to be a secret until we all put our stuff in, and Sam just smiled at me sheepishly. I had no idea what to make of it. So I kept bugging her cause at least she didn't refuse me, but then she told me that Daniel asked her not to say a thing, so I gave up, feeling rather disappointed.
I do care about Daniel a lot, but I couldn't help feeling terribly jealous. I wished it would have been me she spent all those hours with looking for the right box, I wish it were me she cared about, but as far as I saw, Daniel was the one on her mind.
We were in the Embarkation Room, preparing to gate out, and I found myself staring at Sam. I tried to look away, but it was almost impossible. She glanced at me and I looked away embarrassed. She wasn't supposed to see me looking. I saw her with the corner of my eye saying something to Daniel, and I turned back staring like an idiot. She stared back at me, smiling, asking me what was wrong. I told her everything was okay and continued to fiddle with my gun.
I pulled up the jeep on the side of the road and stepped out into the thick snow. There was no one around, at least no one I would see. I tugged up my jacket and pulled the cap down my head to protect me from the wind. It was cold, although the sun was shining, and the wind was blowing the snow in all directions making me wonder if I could ever find the right spot.
All went well on that mission. No problems whatsoever, and that made me uncomfortable. Sometimes things looking too good aren't quite THAT good. But this time all went well. Daniel found some Polynesian whatevers, Sam, some naquada, and Teal'c made lots of friends as usual. Okay ... that last one was a lie, but at least no one wanted to kill him for a change.
After the debriefing, we all gathered in the locker room. Daniel took out the box from his locker and put it on the floor where Sam was sitting, hands on her knees and backpack near. I crouched down with Teal'c and Daniel sat down too, looking at us all conspicuously. He opened the box with a small key he had taken out of his pocket, then handed the rest of them to us, explaining the tradition required all of us to have a key in case we didn't make it to the opening. Sam nodded and smiled to him, as I felt a knot building in my stomach.
Teal'c was the first one to put something in. He put in a can of Coke, the first he ever drank according to his account, and a small picture of Rya'c we took when he was in the SGC. Daniel said he would be the last one, so it was Sam's turn. She dumped in a picture of us all taken at Daniel's Thanksgiving party a few weeks ago, and a letter she told us was destined to her future self. I knew it was my turn, so I looked around slightly intimidated and took out my offerings: Charlie's baseball glove and a small envelope the contents of which I refused to disclose. It was my stuff anyway ... why were they nosey? I didn't ask to read Sam's letter. Daniel was the last to chip something in. He parted from a box of Kleenex tissues he was sure he would need, and an old Archeology book he had from his grandfather Nick.
We looked at the box and its contents, then at each other, and Daniel closed the lid carefully.
I could see the spot where the old entrance to the Complex was from the place where I was on the hill. No one seemed to be guarding it now, so I turned away, looking for the damn tree Daniel picked to bury the box under. The snow was blinding me so I put my sunglasses on. I looked once more in the direction of the Complex, and then set forth on my journey to find our tree.
We went out right on Christmas Eve to bury the thing. It was so damn cold I thought my brain would freeze over, but Daniel said everyone had to go, so we all went. Teal'c looked slightly puzzled, saying that what we were doing was childish. Sam tried to explain him that it was indeed, but also lots of fun. At that time Teal'c still had some difficulty understanding human humor, and I was too frozen to try to explain everything to him. Again ... So he just took big steps in front of us, caring the box as he had volunteered.
I was insistently looking at Sam and Daniel walking in front of me. They were talking about stuff I couldn't make out, and she was explaining him something in a really passionate way. He listened carefully then took her hand and pulled her into a warm hug as they walked. I stopped in my tracks for a moment, looking at them wide-eyed as Daniel caressed her hair. She pulled out of the hug to follow Teal'c, who was now a couple of yards in front of us. Daniel just stood there looking at me, and I looking at him.
The knot was again in my stomach, stronger than ever, and I could feel it going up and choking me. He turned and I started walking too. It should have been me pulling her into a hug, caressing her hair. But it was Daniel, Daniel whom I refused to see as anything more than Danny Boy, Space Monkey ... and Geek. And as much as I tried to be miserable I couldn't be at the thought that she was happy. It hurt that it was he and not I, but the fact that she was smiling kept me smiling too. I caught up with Daniel and I put my arm over his shoulder. He looked up to me in surprise, then we continued our walk to the tree he had spotted.
After half an hour of walking around I found the damn tree. It was bigger somehow. It should be, 15 years have passed since I last saw it. I kneeled down and started digging in the snow, then took out the small shovel I had in my backpack and started digging in deeper and deeper until I felt I hit something hard. With my hands, I cleaned the box of the earth on it and took it carefully out. I had my key in my inner pocket, so I took that out too and tried to open the box. The key turned slowly as I lifted the lid. Closing my eyes I took off my sunglasses, letting them fall in the snow.
The first thing I saw was the picture we took together that Sam had put in. I took it out, careful not to bend it worse than it already was. The colors were the same, maybe a bit yellowish, but we were not. Only Sam ... she would always remain the same ...
We were scheduled to leave for P3X-547 in a couple of minutes. The Gate was already dialing in as we put our gear on. Sam was just next to me, smiling happily as ever, Daniel and Teal'c came in and were checking each other's backpacks. I looked at Daniel and then back at Sam. If there was anything going on between the two, I couldn't see it.
The wormhole opened and we went through. I keep trying to remember what had happened, but I can't. All I know is that soon after, we came back, and I was carrying Sam's lifeless body in my arms. I didn't know then and I don't know now what happened, but the reports say it was a Goa'uld attack. Whatever ...
Janet had tried, and I was there, looking at her and the other doctors trying. But there was nothing anyone could do. Absolutely nothing. I got 2 weeks off. Two weeks to contemplate how everything I cared about died, or just went away. Two weeks of going to work and getting sent back home, where no one was waiting for me, and no one ever will. Janet said I needed the rest, I was in shock, I needed some time off. But who was she to know what was best for me? I went to the funeral. Teal'c and Daniel were there, together with Hammond, and her family and father too. They must have called him from where ever he might have been with the Tok'ra. I knew it wasn't my fault, but I kept on blaming myself for something I couldn't change. I was her CO ... I should have known ...
I put back the picture and closing the lid, I started to stroll toward my van. I put the box next to the driver's seat and sat down, hands on the driving wheel. I opened it again, feeling that I had to see for myself ... that I had to look inside. But I couldn't help feeling I shouldn't have been here all by myself, and I was invading their privacy ... my best friends' privacy ...
Teal'c had left a couple of years ago, and I got a message from Daniel who was still in the Program, that I should go and get the box myself. I didn't want to ... I told him we can wait until he gets back from Egypt, but he insisted I go by myself and send him his things. So I did ... It still hurt we didn't keep in touch since I had retired, but not more than it did when this all had started. So I came, and took the box. I will have it sent to them ... but I wonder what I should do with Sam's stuff ...
I started taking out the things. I don't know why I did that ... I just felt that I needed to see what was there ... how everything looked after all those years. I took out Teal'c's picture and Coke can, then Daniel's tissues and book. He will be happy to see the tissues again. I found Charlie's baseball glove ... I will most probably send it to Sara. She's been asking about it for I don't exactly know what reason. I also took out the envelope I had put in, and opened it. I didn't want anyone to know, but it was a Christmas present for Sam. I saw the silver bracelet one day in a shop and thought she would like it, so I bought it, but I wasn't sure it was appropriate. Maybe too personal, I thought at that time, so I decided to keep it, and give it to her later. Now ... but it is too late ... too damn late ...
Lastly, I took out Sam's letter to herself. It wasn't sealed, like she wasn't afraid any of us would read it. I wasn't sure as to what to do with it ... I looked up at the now almost setting sun, still wondering. Then, suddenly, I opened it and started to read without even realizing I wasn't supposed to do it ... that I was invading her mind ... her thoughts.
It was to herself indeed. She was talking about her friends, her family, her brother with whom she had been in contact lately, her niece and nephew, Cassie, and the SG1. She was trying to put down in words what she felt for each and every individual she knew, she cared about, trying to make sure she will keep those feelings alive even after 15 years. I felt sorry, I felt bad, but most of all I felt empty realizing there were so many people who cared about her. And still, she wasn't around anymore. All the love of all the friends and family she had couldn't keep her alive. All the love I had couldn't ... I read on. I knew I shouldn't have ... The rest was about ... about me ... about the feelings she had for me all along, not for Daniel as I had thought. Daniel was her friend ... her confidant ... but I was the one she cared about. I put the letter back, cursing myself for being as blind as I had been, and cursing her for not letting me know.
I started the engine as the sun glanced at me for the last time from behind the hills, then drove away. The radio was playing again Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, and I smiled sadly thinking of my empty house.
Arlington was as silent as ever. Jacob had wanted her to be buried there. I walked past the graves of all those people I have never met and I'd never had the chance to, and stopped at the only one I knew. Sometimes I came here to talk to her. Not that she would be here. I knew she wasn't ... but she was somewhere around ... it was silence ... and I was sure she was listening from somewhere, that she knew. I placed the bracelet onto the gravestone, next to her name, and then turned to leave.
It was cold so I tugged my jacket up and the cap down my head as I stepped away.
THE END
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