New Fic - Sunsphere
Title - Sunsphere
Summary - Several times during his life Daniel has encountered three golden spheres with strange symbols on them. A fourth is found and brings back people he loved and thought lost forever. But should he trust that they won't be ripped away from him again?
Rating - PG-13
Author’s Notes: - Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.
This has taken me a long time to write but finally I finished it.
Enjoy.
*********************************************
The little boy stood looking at the golden ball sitting in front of him on the small pedestal. At four years old he was a small child making people think he wasn’t as old as he was - this would be something that would follow him for a good part of his life. Bright blue eyes studied the artefact with curiosity; a finger was stuck in one side of his mouth which he slowly chewed on as he studied the subject of his curiosity. His blond hair fell in his eyes and the boy pushed it back annoyed. Looking around, he checked to see if anyone was watching but everyone else was focussed on the man in charge of the museum and he smiled. Reaching out he gently touched the raised symbols on top of the golden globe, sliding his fingers across the different shapes. The child stared as it glowed softly, and he tilted his head hearing several voices talking but he couldn’t hear them properly.
“What are you doing, Danny?” his mother laughed, scooping him up into her arms.
Daniel bit his lip guiltily as his father joined them, “It’s pretty.”
“It is,” Mel Jackson agreed, his arms wrapped around his wife and son, “but you’re not supposed to touch it. You know the rules.”
“Sorry, Daddy,” Daniel dropped his head.
Mel and Claire shared an amused smile at the cute look of guilt on their son’s face before they both kissed his head making him look up at them and grin.
“Let’s go and have lunch,” Mel suggested as Claire put Daniel back on the ground so he could take both their hands.
As the family walked away none of them noticed the soft golden mist that left all three and returned to the globe which glowed for a moment before fading.
*********************************************
Daniel stood at the entrance to his home and watched Sha’re as she sat mending one of his robes. They’d been married for exactly one month today. He glanced down at the small golden globe he’d found in the cavern earlier that day, he’d decided to give Sha’re it as a sort of anniversary present. It had only been a month since he’d found her and he’d never been able to give her a present for anything before today.
“Will you be joining me today?” Sha’re’s amused voice cut through his musing.
“I’m just enjoying the view from here,” he replied; walking over to where she sat, he crouched to kiss her quickly before he shed his outer robes and folded them neatly. He’d learned very quickly that his wife did not like mess. He looked back at her as she put away her sewing kit wondering what he’d done to deserve this beautiful brilliant woman.
“I hope you are hungry,” Sha’re said as she started serving the meal she’d made for them.
Daniel moved to help, receiving a smile from his wife. She’d long since stopped telling him he didn’t need to help, happy that her husband was so different from everyone else’s. They sat down for a quiet dinner together, most nights they spent eating with the rest of the people of Nagada so an intimate dinner for two was a rare thing.
“Do you know we’ve been married for a full month today?” Daniel asked, taking her hand in his at the end of the meal.
“You’re counting?” Sha’re’s nose wrinkled in a way Daniel found totally adorable.
Daniel shrugged, “Not really, I just stumbled across the fact this morning. And I found something I think you might like.”
Sha’re beamed, “You have a present for me?”
Daniel reached across the room to where he’d hidden the small globe and handed it to her, Sha’re stared at the gift with wide eyes.
“It is beautiful,” she breathed, her fingers sliding across the raised symbols on the golden ball, “Thank you, my Dan’iel.”
Daniel moved so he was sitting in front of her, he reached out and took her face in his hands to kiss her. As they kissed, Sha’re gently placed her gift to one side so it wasn’t damaged when Daniel pulled her into his arms and moved them to their bed.
Neither noticed the soft golden mist leave them and enter the globe which glowed brightly for a moment.
*********************************************
“Uncle Daniel?”
Daniel looked up from the plaque he was reading in front of the bust of some Roman guy to see Cassie standing, “What?”
“We can leave if you want?” the teenager said softly.
“I’m fine,” Daniel assured her with a tight smile, he looked over to where Janet stood silently watching; “I’m fine.”
“Come on, Cassie,” Janet said to her daughter, “We’re nearly at the exhibit you’re here to see.”
Cassandra nodded and started through the door as Janet moved to Daniel’s side to guide him forward. She could tell he’d lost weight over the past few weeks; his blue eyes were dull and heavy with lack of sleep. Sha’re’s death had hit him hard and this was the first time they’d managed to entice him away from his work. Actually it had been Cassie who’d managed it. Daniel could never refuse her anything so Jack had mentioned to the teenager that Daniel would be able to help her with her history project, one that required a trip to see the new exhibit at the museum Cassie had appeared in his office and asked him with a sweet hopeful smile that Daniel couldn’t say no to.
Janet sighed as she watched her friend; it hurt to see Daniel in so much pain especially because there was nothing any of them could do, the one thing he needed to ease the anguish he felt was buried beneath the sands of Abydos.
“Uncle Daniel,” Cassie came over to him and taking his hand, “You should see this.”
Daniel moved without resistance towards the podium covered in a red cloth that had a golden globe sitting on top of it.
“They’ve called it the Sunsphere,” Cassie told him, “Because it was found in a tomb dedicated to your old friend Ra. Apparently there’s another one in New York.”
Daniel smiled softly at her; he continued to stare at the ball in front of him as Cassie’s attention was taken by one of the guides telling the story of how the artefacts had been found. Janet listened to the tale, laughing at the jokes along with the others in the room before she realised Daniel wasn’t laughing in fact he wasn’t even listening.
“Hey,” she gently touched his arm, “We’ll go get lunch once this is finished.”
“I gave Sha’re something like this,” Daniel breathed; Janet looked at him in surprise that he was actually talking, even more surprised that he was talking about his wife, “For our one month anniversary.”
Daniel reached out and gently touched the globe, taking his hand back when he realised where he was. Janet placed her hand on his arm properly, frowning at the warmth of his skin hoping that he wasn’t coming down with something.
“Let’s go for lunch,” Daniel told her, moving away from the pedestal with Janet at his side.
Neither noticed the golden mist that left them nor the glow of the sphere.
*********************************************
Jack stood looking around Daniel’s apartment wondering what possessed him to think he could do this. Daniel was gone - away being glowy with Oma Desala and Shifu, meaning his apartment had to be closed by someone with security clearance.
Hammond had told him that someone else could do this, someone who wasn’t so connected with Daniel but Jack couldn’t let that happen.
With a deep breath Jack started taking books off the shelves and packing them into boxes. Several hours passed as Jack chose what to keep for himself and the others to remember their friend as well as what to donate to museums. The last room was Daniel’s bedroom; Jack had been dreading this as here was where Daniel kept his most precious memories.
Jack gently picked up Sha’re’s picture from the bedside cabinet where it had sat and sadly stared at the beautiful woman who smiled back at him.
“Why couldn’t we have saved you for him?” Jack sighed; he gently wrapped the photograph and placed it in the box for keeping before moving onto the shelf across from the bed.
Jack recognised the wedding cup sent by Kasuf after Sha’re had died and knew he couldn’t give that away. There were other little things that Jack had no idea about but then he came across a golden ball with strange symbols on it. It looked like something Daniel had picked up on his travels before he’d joined the Stargate programme. With a shrug he added it to the box for donating to the museum before he continued cleaning out his best friend’s home.
*********************************************
Daniel smiled up at Teal’c as his friend came over to him, “Hey.”
“Colonel Mitchell is insisting we leave now,” Teal’c told his friend.
Daniel grinned, “I know. He has to learn to wait though - just like Jack did.”
Teal’c shook his head at his friend’s smile; it was good to see the younger man happy in his life again. In the two and a half years since Jack had left the SGC Teal’c worried about Daniel, losing his best friend from everyday life had been hard on the man who had spent so much time alone before SG1. But he was content these days. Never as happy as Teal’c knew he once was but Daniel was alive now - not just living but actually alive.
“Teal’c,” Daniel’s voice called to him, “Look at this.”
Teal’c saw his friend holding a golden sphere in his hands; “Is it significant?”
“I’ve seen this before,” Daniel told him, “I gave something similar to Sha’re as a present, then I saw one like it with Cassie and Janet in the museum. You know I think I remember finding one as a kid with my parents too.”
“And you have found one more,” Teal’c mused, “That is unusual.”
“You’re not kidding,” Daniel grinned; he opened his backpack and placed the globe inside before fastening it. He stood up, “Let’s go home.”
Daniel entered his office and placed the strange globe on his desk. The tech team had found nothing interesting about it so Daniel had a new ornament. The one he’d given Sha’re had been given away when they’d cleaned out his apartment after he’d ascended but this was similar enough that he could think of it as that precious present.
Pouring some coffee Daniel sat and looked at it, his fingers gently brushing against the symbols deep in thought. His mind going back to the three other times he’d seen globes like this and the people with him at those times he’d lost.
He was pulled out of his musing as his phone rang.
“Jackson.”
“Daniel,” Jack greeted his friend, “Need to ask you something.”
Daniel laughed, pacing as he talked to his friend not noticing the bright glow of the sphere behind him and having no way to know that miles away three other almost identical spheres were glowing as well.
*********************************************
“Are you sure you want to go there?” Pete asked the ten year old standing in front of him.
The young girl with long brown hair and a dark pink t-shirt nodded, “We’ve to do a report in school from this list,” she held up the piece of paper, “I chose this.”
Pete grimaced, he wasn’t exactly interested in history but he couldn’t say no to Melinda so he looked back at his girlfriend’s daughter and smiled, “Alright. Tomorrow I’ll take you to the museum and we can look at the exhibit. But next time I get to choose what we do.”
Melinda grinned and headed back to tell her mother that she had conned Pete into doing what she wanted.
Pete watched her relieved when his cell rang, “Shanahan,” he answered as he watched Melinda telling Jill about the trip the next day. He frowned as he listened to the man on the other end of the phone tell him something had happened at the museum, “And I was asked for?”
With a sigh Pete hung up and headed to see Jill, they’d been together just under a year and he was happier than he’d ever been.
“I should be back before dinner,” he kissed Jill before ruffling Melinda’s hair.
Pete Shanahan walked quickly through the corridors of the precinct wondering what was going on. Despite the fact he didn’t want to go to the museum tomorrow, he hoped whatever had happened there that morning wouldn’t prevent Melinda from seeing the exhibit she was so excited about.
“Shanahan,” Captain Railings yelled, waving him over to the office, “It’s about time you got here.”
“I wasn’t exactly next door, Captain,” Pete replied with a grin, “So, what’s the huge emergency?”
“This morning before the museum opened,” Railings sat in his chair as Pete leaned against the wall, “The alarms suddenly sounded. The security guards found four people in three different areas of the building all dressed differently and not in your average ‘let’s go stealing clothes’. All were completely confused by how they got there.”
“Any names?” Pete asked intrigued.
Railings grinned, “One doesn’t speak English though I think she understands, two gave names of people who’ve been dead for about thirty years and the fourth refused to give a name until we told her where she was. When I said Denver, she asked for you and stated until you were here then we were getting nothing out of her.”
“Me?” Pete frowned confused, “What’s she like?”
“Small, red-brown hair,” Railings shrugged, “Told me I should quit smoking and shouldn’t drink so much coffee.”
Pete chuckled, “Doesn’t sound like anyone I know. Alright, I’ll go have a look and try to get a name so we can work out what’s going on around here.”
Railings nodded and motioned him to leave. Pete walked towards the holding cell, carrying the folder he’d been tossed on the way past his desk. As he reached the room Pete glanced through the window and dropped the file on the floor. Standing in the room was a woman he knew for certain to be dead. Slowly he lifted the folder and quickly read the identities of the two who had given their names.
“Oh my god,” he breathed before he ran to his desk.
Pete was grateful to whatever notion meant he never threw anything out because although they’d broken up several years ago he still had a number for Sam Carter hidden at the bottom of his middle drawer - if he could find it amongst the rest of the crap in there.
The phone rang several times before Daniel reached over and snagged it, “Daniel Jackson,” he said, trying to find the file from PX5 666.
“Dr Jackson?” a familiar voice but one Daniel couldn’t place said, “I was trying to reach Sam.”
“She’s not here,” Daniel said, trying to work out who he was talking to, “Can I take a message?”
“You have no idea who this is;” amusement filled the caller’s voice, “Do you?”
“Ah,” Daniel hesitated before confessing, “Nope.”
“It’s Pete Shanahan.”
“Pete?” Daniel’s full attention turned to the caller now, “Is something wrong?”
There was a pause on the other side of the phone, “Not wrong exactly but there’s something you need to see.”
*********************************************
“Why am I being dragged through the corridors of a police precinct in Denver?” Jack demanded as he and Daniel walked side by side.
“Because the only reason Pete would get in touch with Sam is if this was important,” Daniel reminded his friend for about the hundredth time in less than an hour. It was three hours since Pete had called Daniel and, after a quick meeting with Landry, Daniel had been transported to Washington to talk to Jack before they were both transported to Denver. The rest of SG1 went on their mission with a replacement at Daniel’s insistence; it was a peaceful return to a friendly planet so not really anything Daniel was needed for.
“Fine,” Jack huffed, “Where is the Detective?”
“Dr Jackson,” Pete walked over, a mug of coffee in his hands, “General O’Neill.”
They both nodded hello waiting to find out why they were here.
Pete motioned them forward, “Follow me and I’ll show you the first of our guests.”
Jack and Daniel shared a look before following the Detective along the corridors; both were confused as to why they hadn’t been told who was waiting for them but Pete’s determination that they come in person had got them interested.
“This might be a shock,” Pete said, he opened the door and moved back allowing both men inside.
Jack and Daniel stepped into the room and stopped, staring at the woman standing there who was smiling at them in relief.
“Colonel, Daniel, am I glad to see you,” she said.
Daniel found his voice first, “Janet?”
Janet Fraiser was going crazy as she sat in the police interrogation room, somehow she’d been transported from another planet where she had been trying to save a man to a room in a museum with several security guards aiming guns at her. Confused and a little angry, Janet refused to give out any information in case this was some sort of Goa’uld trick. Trying to get some information from the supposed police she was shocked when they told her she was in Denver, so Janet put them to the test and demanded to see the one policeman she knew who would confirm if she was really on Earth. It threw her when he actually walked into the room, now she had to work out how she’d arrived here. It was several hours later the door opened again and this time she saw two men she wanted to throw her arms around.
“Colonel, Daniel,” she said, smiling in relief, “Am I glad to see you.”
The stunned silence that greeted her was something she hadn’t expected before Daniel hesitantly spoke.
“Janet?” he breathed, staring at her as though he hadn’t seen her in years.
Janet looked at the two men who were still gaping at her and she threw her hands in the air, “What? What’s going on? Daniel?” she looked at the younger man before turning to the man at his side, “Colonel?”
“You’re dead,” Jack stated pointing at her before pointing at himself, “And it’s General now.”
Janet shook her head as she stepped back from them, “No. This is a trick, you’re not...you’re...”
“What’s the last thing you remember?” Daniel asked softly, moving her to a seat as she panicked.
“I was trying to help Lieutenant Wells,” Janet whispered, “Then I felt something burn and I closed my eyes. When I opened them I was in a room in the museum and then I was here.” She stopped talking and looked at Daniel, the memories of his deaths coming back and something clicked, “I died that day?”
Daniel nodded.
“How long?” Janet demanded.
Daniel licked his lips nervously, “Four years.”
“Huh,” she managed before laughing slightly, “I beat your record then.”
Daniel gently rubbed her shoulder, “Yeah. Look, there are a few others who appeared at the same time you did. We’re going to talk to them and then...” he hesitated, glancing up at Jack.
“We’ll take you to the SGC,” Jack assured the doctor.
Janet nodded in relief before something struck her, “General O’Neill?” she asked. When Jack nodded, Janet turned to Daniel, “Does this mean he’s in charge of the SGC?”
“Worse,” Daniel replied with a grin, “They’ve got him in charge of every offworld operation, Homeworld Security.”
“Help us all,” Janet murmured, smiling as Jack let out a mock cry of annoyance.
Daniel chuckled and squeezed her hand, “We’ll be back soon. Pete will get you some coffee and we’ll head to the SGC, okay?”
Janet nodded, a little astonished as Daniel hugged her tightly for a second before he left quickly, Jack patted her shoulder and followed.
“So,” Janet said to Pete, “I’ll take two sugars and if you’ve any whiskey - add that too.”
Daniel closed his eyes and took in several deep breaths, “So that’s what it’s like?”
Jack clapped his friend’s shoulder, “Now do you see why I tell you to stop dying?”
Daniel nodded and quickly moved on, “Okay, who’s next? The ones from thirty years ago or the one who can’t speak English?”
“How about you take the one with the language barrier and I take the ones from the past?” Jack suggested, “Get us out of here faster and we can take Janet home.”
Daniel nodded again, “Sure,” he turned to the officer standing waiting, “Take me to mystery guest number two.”
As he walked through the corridors Daniel mused on how they could help Janet get over the barrier of having lost four years of her life. It would be great to have her back at the SGC, even if he did get told off less these days.
“Here you go,” the young man escorting Daniel motioned to the door in front of them.
Daniel nodded his thanks, “I shouldn’t be long,” he opened the door and caught sight of a slim woman standing in the corner as he turned to close the door, turning back he stared as the woman stared back at him.
“Dan’iel?” his wife gasped before she ran over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight embrace.
Completely overwhelmed and stunned Daniel embraced her back though he couldn’t help but wonder who Jack was going to find in the third room.
Sha’re had been sure she was dead; she’d felt the blast from Teal’c’s staff weapon hit her before she fell to the ground. She managed to tell her husband she loved him knowing he’d be cared for by his friends then she closed her eyes surrendering to the dark. She’d been confused when she felt a cold breeze and opened her eyes to find herself in a room completely different to where she’d been moments before. Standing Sha’re had looked around, finding no trace of the wound she knew she’d received only moments before. As the room she was in was filled with men aiming weapons of the Tauri at her, Sha’re did the only thing she could think of - she pretended she couldn’t speak their language.
Sha’re caught glimpses of other people as she was bundled into a strange vehicle before being placed in the small room. Alone Sha’re contemplated her very limited options and although they gave her water and some strange biscuits she decided not to touch either until her hunger was no longer able to be ignored.
Sha’re shivered, Ammonet’s dress was not made for this place and she wished for a shawl to wrap around her shoulders, the headdress had been discarded on the table although Sha’re wanted to hurl it at the wall in defiance against the Goa’uld who inexplicably no longer controlled her but she refused to let that thing get such feeling from her.
Time passed and Sha’re paced the room, when the door opened behind her she took a second to focus herself before turning to the most wonderful sight.
“Dan’iel,” she cried as her beloved husband stood before her, without thought she ran across the room and threw her arms around him.
Sha’re felt Daniel’s arms slowly move around her, sighing as she felt the warmth of one hand resting on her back while the other slipped into her hair. They stood together for several moments before Daniel pulled back, Sha’re had felt he wasn’t completely relaxed as he used to be while holding her and wasn’t surprised when he moved away.
“Sha’re,” he whispered, taking her face in his hands, “I need to talk to Jack for a few minutes. I’ll be back soon.”
Sha’re knew her worry and fear showed on her face because Daniel gently kissed her forehead.
“I promise,” he murmured to her, his hand lingered on her cheek before he left the room.
At one time Sha’re would have never let him leave her without a better demonstration of his affection, like the kiss they’d shared on that fateful day but the feeling Sha’re was getting from him confused her and she just let him leave before taking a seat, finally drinking the lukewarm water sitting there.
Jack read the file and shook his head, “You know this is just getting stranger and stranger. Okay,” he turned to the officer standing waiting, “Time to see what happens.”
Jack handed the file back as he entered the room and was instantly faced with a man glaring at him.
“Finally,” the man snapped, “I want to know where we are, what is going on and what the hell you people have done with our son?”
Jack simply stared at the man until he backed away slightly to the woman who was sitting clutching a glass half-filled with water.
“I’m General Jack O’Neill,” he introduced himself, “I’ve been given your names but I don’t actually believe them so just for the record, who are you?”
“What kind of joke is this?” the man spluttered, anger filling his eyes.
Jack didn’t change his expression, “Names?”
The man gritted his teeth, “Dr Melbourne Jackson and my wife, Dr Claire Ballard-Jackson.”
Jack was amazed he was staying so calm, relieved that he’d sent Daniel to the other room, “What’s the last thing you remember?”
“What?” Mel demanded.
“We were in the New York Museum of Art erecting part of an exhibit,” Claire stated as she moved to her husband’s side, “Please,” she whispered, “Our son is only eight, do you know where he is?”
“I’ll be back,” Jack said before he turned and left the room, he needed to talk to Daniel.
As he walked along the corridors Jack saw a visibly shaken Daniel walking towards him. They met halfway and Jack stopped his friend from talking.
“Whatever you’re about to say,” Jack told him, “I’ll win.”
“Sha’re’s alive,” Daniel stated.
“Huh,” Jack managed before shrugging, “Okay, we’re even. I was talking to your parents.”
“Huh,” Daniel echoed.
“Okay,” Jack broke the silence finally, “You need to be Dr Jackson just now and get all the information you can without getting involved.”
Daniel frowned at his friend, “How do I not get involved with my wife? I can’t be unemotional around her.”
“What about our other guests?” Jack countered.
Daniel hesitated, “I don’t know.”
“Danny, we can’t tell them who you are just yet and I can’t talk to all of them,” Jack told him, “Can you do it?”
Daniel took a deep breath and nodded, “I’ll get what I can from them before we move them to the SGC.”
Jack rested his hand on his friend’s shoulder for a second before they split up again, this time moving to the room the other had just left.
*********************************************
Jack smiled slightly as Sha’re looked back at him though the disappointment in her eyes wasn’t hard to miss.
“Hello again, O’Neill,” she spoke softly but the strength in her voice was unmistakable as she stood to face him.
Jack stepped towards her wanting to hug her tightly but thought better of it as she seemed quite cagey and instead offered her his hand. She touched it quickly before pulling back.
“Daniel’s talking to some other visitors we’ve got,” he told her, “I need you to tell me what you remember before you arrived here.”
Sha’re swallowed hard, taking a sip of the lukewarm water.
“I know this is uncomfortable,” Jack said, “But it’s important.”
Sha’re took a deep breath and laced her fingers in her lap, “I was...Ammonet was trying to kill Dan’iel, she turned and Teal’c was there. He fired and I fell,” she paused, biting her lower lip for a moment, “I watched Dan’iel as he scrambled to me, I told him I loved him and closed my eyes.”
Jack almost reached out to comfort her but stopped himself; he had to remain as impassive as possible until they were sure this wasn’t a trick not to mention she looked as though she would run if he touched her.
“Then what?” Jack kept his voice soft and as comforting as possible.
“I realised suddenly that I was cold, that there was a breeze and noise,” Sha’re continued, “I opened my eyes and I was in a room that was clean but had items that would not have been out of place upon a Goa’uld vessel. Then men appeared with weapons like those we used against Ra and brought me here.”
“Why did you pretend not to speak or understand English?” Jack asked, not able to hide his amusement.
Sha’re looked a little embarrassed before she smiled, “Because it gave me an advantage.”
Daniel looked into the room that held his long dead parents, several minutes after being reunited with his slightly less long dead wife. And less than half an hour before he thought seeing Janet was the most amazing thing he’d seen that day.
Taking a deep breath he entered the room, “Dr Jackson, Dr Ballard-Jackson, I need to ask you a few questions.”
“Who the hell are you?” his father yelled, “I want to know where our son is.”
“Your son,” Daniel hesitated, amazed he didn’t tell them who he was, “Is fine but I need you to tell me what you remember before you came here.”
“What?” Mel snapped.
“Dr Jackson,” Daniel replied sharply, “This is important,” he stopped and motioned to them to sit, “Please, sit down and tell me what you remember.”
“Mel,” Claire stepped forward and gently touched her husband’s arm, she switched languages to the one used by most of the workers on the dig, “Let’s just do as he asks, I need to see my little sandbug.”
Daniel covered the sadness that filled him at the nickname his mother had given him by taking a drink of water before he sat across from them.
“We were erecting part of an exhibit we’d been working on for three years,” Claire explained, “The chain holding the coverstone, it snapped and the wall...”
“The wall came towards us,” Mel continued when his wife trailed off, “And the next thing I knew we were in another room.”
“Then security came,” Daniel noted, he nodded and stood, “I’ll be back.”
He left the room before they could say anything and leaned against the wall taking several deep breaths. This was turning into one hell of a day.
Jack slipped his jacket off and draped it over Sha’re’s shoulders when he saw her shiver while they walked through the corridors towards where Janet was waiting. Sha’re was obviously trying to remain as calm as possible but seemed to be losing the battle. Janet stood when the door opened and stared when Jack walked in with Sha’re.
“Colonel...I mean, General,” Janet said, staring at the young woman, “What’s going on?”
“Well, Doc it looks as though you’re not the only one resurrected,” Jack told her, “You recognise the lovely Mrs Jackson I see,” Jack turned to Sha’re, “Sha’re, this is Dr Janet Fraiser.”
“It is a pleasure,” Sha’re nodded softly to the other woman.
Janet smiled genuinely at the other woman, “Completely.”
“Now all we need is Daniel to get here with our final guests from the grave and we can head home,” Jack told them, receiving two confused looks.
“Who else?” Janet asked, giving him a look he’d not had in several years which instantly made him feel guilty, “Col...General, who else has come back from the dead?”
Jack looked at the two women who were staring at him, “Daniel’s parents.”
Claire Ballard-Jackson was relieved that she had her husband by her side during this bizarre day but she was terrified of what had happened to her little boy. She should have known better than to leave him alone while they worked, no matter how brilliant he was.
Now this strange man was questioning them and there was something about him that was screaming at Claire but she just couldn’t work out what it was.
There was a soft knock on the door and the man jumped over to answer the door, he listened to whoever stood there before nodding.
“We’re going to move to another facility,” the man told them, “So the police can have their room back.”
“We’re not going anywhere until you tell us where our son is,” Mel snapped, he was angrier than Claire had ever seen him.
“Dr Jackson,” the man said, “Your son is safe, I can promise you that but...” he hesitated and licked his lips, “You have no choice but to come with us.”
Mel stood, toe to toe with the other man his eyes blazing, “We’re not going anywhere.”
The other man sighed and stepped back, “I’m afraid you are.” He pulled out a strange cylindrical object and pushed a button on the top of it.
Claire gasped and grabbed her husband’s arm as the world around them dissolved in a white light.
Daniel winced that he had to use the transport earlier than anticipated; his father was quite hot-headed, which was something Daniel didn’t really remember. He wanted to comfort them but knew they had to get to the SGC before he could go into specifics.
“Where are we?” Mel demanded, his arm wrapped around his wife’s shoulders.
“That’s a good question, Daniel,” Janet said, walking over to Daniel with Sha’re who still had Jack’s jacket draped over her shoulders.
“This is the Daedalus,” Daniel explained; he glanced around, smiling slightly at Sha’re who smiled back before he turned to Janet, “Where’s Jack?”
“He said he’d meet us there,” Janet explained, “Before we ended up here.”
Daniel nodded, “Okay,” he reached over to the panel and pushed the communications button, “Can you send us down to the SGC now.”
He saw his father start to ask but didn’t get a chance as the transport beam surrounded them again.
Part Two
Summary - Several times during his life Daniel has encountered three golden spheres with strange symbols on them. A fourth is found and brings back people he loved and thought lost forever. But should he trust that they won't be ripped away from him again?
Rating - PG-13
Author’s Notes: - Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.
This has taken me a long time to write but finally I finished it.
Enjoy.
*********************************************
The little boy stood looking at the golden ball sitting in front of him on the small pedestal. At four years old he was a small child making people think he wasn’t as old as he was - this would be something that would follow him for a good part of his life. Bright blue eyes studied the artefact with curiosity; a finger was stuck in one side of his mouth which he slowly chewed on as he studied the subject of his curiosity. His blond hair fell in his eyes and the boy pushed it back annoyed. Looking around, he checked to see if anyone was watching but everyone else was focussed on the man in charge of the museum and he smiled. Reaching out he gently touched the raised symbols on top of the golden globe, sliding his fingers across the different shapes. The child stared as it glowed softly, and he tilted his head hearing several voices talking but he couldn’t hear them properly.
“What are you doing, Danny?” his mother laughed, scooping him up into her arms.
Daniel bit his lip guiltily as his father joined them, “It’s pretty.”
“It is,” Mel Jackson agreed, his arms wrapped around his wife and son, “but you’re not supposed to touch it. You know the rules.”
“Sorry, Daddy,” Daniel dropped his head.
Mel and Claire shared an amused smile at the cute look of guilt on their son’s face before they both kissed his head making him look up at them and grin.
“Let’s go and have lunch,” Mel suggested as Claire put Daniel back on the ground so he could take both their hands.
As the family walked away none of them noticed the soft golden mist that left all three and returned to the globe which glowed for a moment before fading.
*********************************************
Daniel stood at the entrance to his home and watched Sha’re as she sat mending one of his robes. They’d been married for exactly one month today. He glanced down at the small golden globe he’d found in the cavern earlier that day, he’d decided to give Sha’re it as a sort of anniversary present. It had only been a month since he’d found her and he’d never been able to give her a present for anything before today.
“Will you be joining me today?” Sha’re’s amused voice cut through his musing.
“I’m just enjoying the view from here,” he replied; walking over to where she sat, he crouched to kiss her quickly before he shed his outer robes and folded them neatly. He’d learned very quickly that his wife did not like mess. He looked back at her as she put away her sewing kit wondering what he’d done to deserve this beautiful brilliant woman.
“I hope you are hungry,” Sha’re said as she started serving the meal she’d made for them.
Daniel moved to help, receiving a smile from his wife. She’d long since stopped telling him he didn’t need to help, happy that her husband was so different from everyone else’s. They sat down for a quiet dinner together, most nights they spent eating with the rest of the people of Nagada so an intimate dinner for two was a rare thing.
“Do you know we’ve been married for a full month today?” Daniel asked, taking her hand in his at the end of the meal.
“You’re counting?” Sha’re’s nose wrinkled in a way Daniel found totally adorable.
Daniel shrugged, “Not really, I just stumbled across the fact this morning. And I found something I think you might like.”
Sha’re beamed, “You have a present for me?”
Daniel reached across the room to where he’d hidden the small globe and handed it to her, Sha’re stared at the gift with wide eyes.
“It is beautiful,” she breathed, her fingers sliding across the raised symbols on the golden ball, “Thank you, my Dan’iel.”
Daniel moved so he was sitting in front of her, he reached out and took her face in his hands to kiss her. As they kissed, Sha’re gently placed her gift to one side so it wasn’t damaged when Daniel pulled her into his arms and moved them to their bed.
Neither noticed the soft golden mist leave them and enter the globe which glowed brightly for a moment.
*********************************************
“Uncle Daniel?”
Daniel looked up from the plaque he was reading in front of the bust of some Roman guy to see Cassie standing, “What?”
“We can leave if you want?” the teenager said softly.
“I’m fine,” Daniel assured her with a tight smile, he looked over to where Janet stood silently watching; “I’m fine.”
“Come on, Cassie,” Janet said to her daughter, “We’re nearly at the exhibit you’re here to see.”
Cassandra nodded and started through the door as Janet moved to Daniel’s side to guide him forward. She could tell he’d lost weight over the past few weeks; his blue eyes were dull and heavy with lack of sleep. Sha’re’s death had hit him hard and this was the first time they’d managed to entice him away from his work. Actually it had been Cassie who’d managed it. Daniel could never refuse her anything so Jack had mentioned to the teenager that Daniel would be able to help her with her history project, one that required a trip to see the new exhibit at the museum Cassie had appeared in his office and asked him with a sweet hopeful smile that Daniel couldn’t say no to.
Janet sighed as she watched her friend; it hurt to see Daniel in so much pain especially because there was nothing any of them could do, the one thing he needed to ease the anguish he felt was buried beneath the sands of Abydos.
“Uncle Daniel,” Cassie came over to him and taking his hand, “You should see this.”
Daniel moved without resistance towards the podium covered in a red cloth that had a golden globe sitting on top of it.
“They’ve called it the Sunsphere,” Cassie told him, “Because it was found in a tomb dedicated to your old friend Ra. Apparently there’s another one in New York.”
Daniel smiled softly at her; he continued to stare at the ball in front of him as Cassie’s attention was taken by one of the guides telling the story of how the artefacts had been found. Janet listened to the tale, laughing at the jokes along with the others in the room before she realised Daniel wasn’t laughing in fact he wasn’t even listening.
“Hey,” she gently touched his arm, “We’ll go get lunch once this is finished.”
“I gave Sha’re something like this,” Daniel breathed; Janet looked at him in surprise that he was actually talking, even more surprised that he was talking about his wife, “For our one month anniversary.”
Daniel reached out and gently touched the globe, taking his hand back when he realised where he was. Janet placed her hand on his arm properly, frowning at the warmth of his skin hoping that he wasn’t coming down with something.
“Let’s go for lunch,” Daniel told her, moving away from the pedestal with Janet at his side.
Neither noticed the golden mist that left them nor the glow of the sphere.
*********************************************
Jack stood looking around Daniel’s apartment wondering what possessed him to think he could do this. Daniel was gone - away being glowy with Oma Desala and Shifu, meaning his apartment had to be closed by someone with security clearance.
Hammond had told him that someone else could do this, someone who wasn’t so connected with Daniel but Jack couldn’t let that happen.
With a deep breath Jack started taking books off the shelves and packing them into boxes. Several hours passed as Jack chose what to keep for himself and the others to remember their friend as well as what to donate to museums. The last room was Daniel’s bedroom; Jack had been dreading this as here was where Daniel kept his most precious memories.
Jack gently picked up Sha’re’s picture from the bedside cabinet where it had sat and sadly stared at the beautiful woman who smiled back at him.
“Why couldn’t we have saved you for him?” Jack sighed; he gently wrapped the photograph and placed it in the box for keeping before moving onto the shelf across from the bed.
Jack recognised the wedding cup sent by Kasuf after Sha’re had died and knew he couldn’t give that away. There were other little things that Jack had no idea about but then he came across a golden ball with strange symbols on it. It looked like something Daniel had picked up on his travels before he’d joined the Stargate programme. With a shrug he added it to the box for donating to the museum before he continued cleaning out his best friend’s home.
*********************************************
Daniel smiled up at Teal’c as his friend came over to him, “Hey.”
“Colonel Mitchell is insisting we leave now,” Teal’c told his friend.
Daniel grinned, “I know. He has to learn to wait though - just like Jack did.”
Teal’c shook his head at his friend’s smile; it was good to see the younger man happy in his life again. In the two and a half years since Jack had left the SGC Teal’c worried about Daniel, losing his best friend from everyday life had been hard on the man who had spent so much time alone before SG1. But he was content these days. Never as happy as Teal’c knew he once was but Daniel was alive now - not just living but actually alive.
“Teal’c,” Daniel’s voice called to him, “Look at this.”
Teal’c saw his friend holding a golden sphere in his hands; “Is it significant?”
“I’ve seen this before,” Daniel told him, “I gave something similar to Sha’re as a present, then I saw one like it with Cassie and Janet in the museum. You know I think I remember finding one as a kid with my parents too.”
“And you have found one more,” Teal’c mused, “That is unusual.”
“You’re not kidding,” Daniel grinned; he opened his backpack and placed the globe inside before fastening it. He stood up, “Let’s go home.”
Daniel entered his office and placed the strange globe on his desk. The tech team had found nothing interesting about it so Daniel had a new ornament. The one he’d given Sha’re had been given away when they’d cleaned out his apartment after he’d ascended but this was similar enough that he could think of it as that precious present.
Pouring some coffee Daniel sat and looked at it, his fingers gently brushing against the symbols deep in thought. His mind going back to the three other times he’d seen globes like this and the people with him at those times he’d lost.
He was pulled out of his musing as his phone rang.
“Jackson.”
“Daniel,” Jack greeted his friend, “Need to ask you something.”
Daniel laughed, pacing as he talked to his friend not noticing the bright glow of the sphere behind him and having no way to know that miles away three other almost identical spheres were glowing as well.
*********************************************
“Are you sure you want to go there?” Pete asked the ten year old standing in front of him.
The young girl with long brown hair and a dark pink t-shirt nodded, “We’ve to do a report in school from this list,” she held up the piece of paper, “I chose this.”
Pete grimaced, he wasn’t exactly interested in history but he couldn’t say no to Melinda so he looked back at his girlfriend’s daughter and smiled, “Alright. Tomorrow I’ll take you to the museum and we can look at the exhibit. But next time I get to choose what we do.”
Melinda grinned and headed back to tell her mother that she had conned Pete into doing what she wanted.
Pete watched her relieved when his cell rang, “Shanahan,” he answered as he watched Melinda telling Jill about the trip the next day. He frowned as he listened to the man on the other end of the phone tell him something had happened at the museum, “And I was asked for?”
With a sigh Pete hung up and headed to see Jill, they’d been together just under a year and he was happier than he’d ever been.
“I should be back before dinner,” he kissed Jill before ruffling Melinda’s hair.
Pete Shanahan walked quickly through the corridors of the precinct wondering what was going on. Despite the fact he didn’t want to go to the museum tomorrow, he hoped whatever had happened there that morning wouldn’t prevent Melinda from seeing the exhibit she was so excited about.
“Shanahan,” Captain Railings yelled, waving him over to the office, “It’s about time you got here.”
“I wasn’t exactly next door, Captain,” Pete replied with a grin, “So, what’s the huge emergency?”
“This morning before the museum opened,” Railings sat in his chair as Pete leaned against the wall, “The alarms suddenly sounded. The security guards found four people in three different areas of the building all dressed differently and not in your average ‘let’s go stealing clothes’. All were completely confused by how they got there.”
“Any names?” Pete asked intrigued.
Railings grinned, “One doesn’t speak English though I think she understands, two gave names of people who’ve been dead for about thirty years and the fourth refused to give a name until we told her where she was. When I said Denver, she asked for you and stated until you were here then we were getting nothing out of her.”
“Me?” Pete frowned confused, “What’s she like?”
“Small, red-brown hair,” Railings shrugged, “Told me I should quit smoking and shouldn’t drink so much coffee.”
Pete chuckled, “Doesn’t sound like anyone I know. Alright, I’ll go have a look and try to get a name so we can work out what’s going on around here.”
Railings nodded and motioned him to leave. Pete walked towards the holding cell, carrying the folder he’d been tossed on the way past his desk. As he reached the room Pete glanced through the window and dropped the file on the floor. Standing in the room was a woman he knew for certain to be dead. Slowly he lifted the folder and quickly read the identities of the two who had given their names.
“Oh my god,” he breathed before he ran to his desk.
Pete was grateful to whatever notion meant he never threw anything out because although they’d broken up several years ago he still had a number for Sam Carter hidden at the bottom of his middle drawer - if he could find it amongst the rest of the crap in there.
The phone rang several times before Daniel reached over and snagged it, “Daniel Jackson,” he said, trying to find the file from PX5 666.
“Dr Jackson?” a familiar voice but one Daniel couldn’t place said, “I was trying to reach Sam.”
“She’s not here,” Daniel said, trying to work out who he was talking to, “Can I take a message?”
“You have no idea who this is;” amusement filled the caller’s voice, “Do you?”
“Ah,” Daniel hesitated before confessing, “Nope.”
“It’s Pete Shanahan.”
“Pete?” Daniel’s full attention turned to the caller now, “Is something wrong?”
There was a pause on the other side of the phone, “Not wrong exactly but there’s something you need to see.”
*********************************************
“Why am I being dragged through the corridors of a police precinct in Denver?” Jack demanded as he and Daniel walked side by side.
“Because the only reason Pete would get in touch with Sam is if this was important,” Daniel reminded his friend for about the hundredth time in less than an hour. It was three hours since Pete had called Daniel and, after a quick meeting with Landry, Daniel had been transported to Washington to talk to Jack before they were both transported to Denver. The rest of SG1 went on their mission with a replacement at Daniel’s insistence; it was a peaceful return to a friendly planet so not really anything Daniel was needed for.
“Fine,” Jack huffed, “Where is the Detective?”
“Dr Jackson,” Pete walked over, a mug of coffee in his hands, “General O’Neill.”
They both nodded hello waiting to find out why they were here.
Pete motioned them forward, “Follow me and I’ll show you the first of our guests.”
Jack and Daniel shared a look before following the Detective along the corridors; both were confused as to why they hadn’t been told who was waiting for them but Pete’s determination that they come in person had got them interested.
“This might be a shock,” Pete said, he opened the door and moved back allowing both men inside.
Jack and Daniel stepped into the room and stopped, staring at the woman standing there who was smiling at them in relief.
“Colonel, Daniel, am I glad to see you,” she said.
Daniel found his voice first, “Janet?”
Janet Fraiser was going crazy as she sat in the police interrogation room, somehow she’d been transported from another planet where she had been trying to save a man to a room in a museum with several security guards aiming guns at her. Confused and a little angry, Janet refused to give out any information in case this was some sort of Goa’uld trick. Trying to get some information from the supposed police she was shocked when they told her she was in Denver, so Janet put them to the test and demanded to see the one policeman she knew who would confirm if she was really on Earth. It threw her when he actually walked into the room, now she had to work out how she’d arrived here. It was several hours later the door opened again and this time she saw two men she wanted to throw her arms around.
“Colonel, Daniel,” she said, smiling in relief, “Am I glad to see you.”
The stunned silence that greeted her was something she hadn’t expected before Daniel hesitantly spoke.
“Janet?” he breathed, staring at her as though he hadn’t seen her in years.
Janet looked at the two men who were still gaping at her and she threw her hands in the air, “What? What’s going on? Daniel?” she looked at the younger man before turning to the man at his side, “Colonel?”
“You’re dead,” Jack stated pointing at her before pointing at himself, “And it’s General now.”
Janet shook her head as she stepped back from them, “No. This is a trick, you’re not...you’re...”
“What’s the last thing you remember?” Daniel asked softly, moving her to a seat as she panicked.
“I was trying to help Lieutenant Wells,” Janet whispered, “Then I felt something burn and I closed my eyes. When I opened them I was in a room in the museum and then I was here.” She stopped talking and looked at Daniel, the memories of his deaths coming back and something clicked, “I died that day?”
Daniel nodded.
“How long?” Janet demanded.
Daniel licked his lips nervously, “Four years.”
“Huh,” she managed before laughing slightly, “I beat your record then.”
Daniel gently rubbed her shoulder, “Yeah. Look, there are a few others who appeared at the same time you did. We’re going to talk to them and then...” he hesitated, glancing up at Jack.
“We’ll take you to the SGC,” Jack assured the doctor.
Janet nodded in relief before something struck her, “General O’Neill?” she asked. When Jack nodded, Janet turned to Daniel, “Does this mean he’s in charge of the SGC?”
“Worse,” Daniel replied with a grin, “They’ve got him in charge of every offworld operation, Homeworld Security.”
“Help us all,” Janet murmured, smiling as Jack let out a mock cry of annoyance.
Daniel chuckled and squeezed her hand, “We’ll be back soon. Pete will get you some coffee and we’ll head to the SGC, okay?”
Janet nodded, a little astonished as Daniel hugged her tightly for a second before he left quickly, Jack patted her shoulder and followed.
“So,” Janet said to Pete, “I’ll take two sugars and if you’ve any whiskey - add that too.”
Daniel closed his eyes and took in several deep breaths, “So that’s what it’s like?”
Jack clapped his friend’s shoulder, “Now do you see why I tell you to stop dying?”
Daniel nodded and quickly moved on, “Okay, who’s next? The ones from thirty years ago or the one who can’t speak English?”
“How about you take the one with the language barrier and I take the ones from the past?” Jack suggested, “Get us out of here faster and we can take Janet home.”
Daniel nodded again, “Sure,” he turned to the officer standing waiting, “Take me to mystery guest number two.”
As he walked through the corridors Daniel mused on how they could help Janet get over the barrier of having lost four years of her life. It would be great to have her back at the SGC, even if he did get told off less these days.
“Here you go,” the young man escorting Daniel motioned to the door in front of them.
Daniel nodded his thanks, “I shouldn’t be long,” he opened the door and caught sight of a slim woman standing in the corner as he turned to close the door, turning back he stared as the woman stared back at him.
“Dan’iel?” his wife gasped before she ran over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight embrace.
Completely overwhelmed and stunned Daniel embraced her back though he couldn’t help but wonder who Jack was going to find in the third room.
Sha’re had been sure she was dead; she’d felt the blast from Teal’c’s staff weapon hit her before she fell to the ground. She managed to tell her husband she loved him knowing he’d be cared for by his friends then she closed her eyes surrendering to the dark. She’d been confused when she felt a cold breeze and opened her eyes to find herself in a room completely different to where she’d been moments before. Standing Sha’re had looked around, finding no trace of the wound she knew she’d received only moments before. As the room she was in was filled with men aiming weapons of the Tauri at her, Sha’re did the only thing she could think of - she pretended she couldn’t speak their language.
Sha’re caught glimpses of other people as she was bundled into a strange vehicle before being placed in the small room. Alone Sha’re contemplated her very limited options and although they gave her water and some strange biscuits she decided not to touch either until her hunger was no longer able to be ignored.
Sha’re shivered, Ammonet’s dress was not made for this place and she wished for a shawl to wrap around her shoulders, the headdress had been discarded on the table although Sha’re wanted to hurl it at the wall in defiance against the Goa’uld who inexplicably no longer controlled her but she refused to let that thing get such feeling from her.
Time passed and Sha’re paced the room, when the door opened behind her she took a second to focus herself before turning to the most wonderful sight.
“Dan’iel,” she cried as her beloved husband stood before her, without thought she ran across the room and threw her arms around him.
Sha’re felt Daniel’s arms slowly move around her, sighing as she felt the warmth of one hand resting on her back while the other slipped into her hair. They stood together for several moments before Daniel pulled back, Sha’re had felt he wasn’t completely relaxed as he used to be while holding her and wasn’t surprised when he moved away.
“Sha’re,” he whispered, taking her face in his hands, “I need to talk to Jack for a few minutes. I’ll be back soon.”
Sha’re knew her worry and fear showed on her face because Daniel gently kissed her forehead.
“I promise,” he murmured to her, his hand lingered on her cheek before he left the room.
At one time Sha’re would have never let him leave her without a better demonstration of his affection, like the kiss they’d shared on that fateful day but the feeling Sha’re was getting from him confused her and she just let him leave before taking a seat, finally drinking the lukewarm water sitting there.
Jack read the file and shook his head, “You know this is just getting stranger and stranger. Okay,” he turned to the officer standing waiting, “Time to see what happens.”
Jack handed the file back as he entered the room and was instantly faced with a man glaring at him.
“Finally,” the man snapped, “I want to know where we are, what is going on and what the hell you people have done with our son?”
Jack simply stared at the man until he backed away slightly to the woman who was sitting clutching a glass half-filled with water.
“I’m General Jack O’Neill,” he introduced himself, “I’ve been given your names but I don’t actually believe them so just for the record, who are you?”
“What kind of joke is this?” the man spluttered, anger filling his eyes.
Jack didn’t change his expression, “Names?”
The man gritted his teeth, “Dr Melbourne Jackson and my wife, Dr Claire Ballard-Jackson.”
Jack was amazed he was staying so calm, relieved that he’d sent Daniel to the other room, “What’s the last thing you remember?”
“What?” Mel demanded.
“We were in the New York Museum of Art erecting part of an exhibit,” Claire stated as she moved to her husband’s side, “Please,” she whispered, “Our son is only eight, do you know where he is?”
“I’ll be back,” Jack said before he turned and left the room, he needed to talk to Daniel.
As he walked along the corridors Jack saw a visibly shaken Daniel walking towards him. They met halfway and Jack stopped his friend from talking.
“Whatever you’re about to say,” Jack told him, “I’ll win.”
“Sha’re’s alive,” Daniel stated.
“Huh,” Jack managed before shrugging, “Okay, we’re even. I was talking to your parents.”
“Huh,” Daniel echoed.
“Okay,” Jack broke the silence finally, “You need to be Dr Jackson just now and get all the information you can without getting involved.”
Daniel frowned at his friend, “How do I not get involved with my wife? I can’t be unemotional around her.”
“What about our other guests?” Jack countered.
Daniel hesitated, “I don’t know.”
“Danny, we can’t tell them who you are just yet and I can’t talk to all of them,” Jack told him, “Can you do it?”
Daniel took a deep breath and nodded, “I’ll get what I can from them before we move them to the SGC.”
Jack rested his hand on his friend’s shoulder for a second before they split up again, this time moving to the room the other had just left.
*********************************************
Jack smiled slightly as Sha’re looked back at him though the disappointment in her eyes wasn’t hard to miss.
“Hello again, O’Neill,” she spoke softly but the strength in her voice was unmistakable as she stood to face him.
Jack stepped towards her wanting to hug her tightly but thought better of it as she seemed quite cagey and instead offered her his hand. She touched it quickly before pulling back.
“Daniel’s talking to some other visitors we’ve got,” he told her, “I need you to tell me what you remember before you arrived here.”
Sha’re swallowed hard, taking a sip of the lukewarm water.
“I know this is uncomfortable,” Jack said, “But it’s important.”
Sha’re took a deep breath and laced her fingers in her lap, “I was...Ammonet was trying to kill Dan’iel, she turned and Teal’c was there. He fired and I fell,” she paused, biting her lower lip for a moment, “I watched Dan’iel as he scrambled to me, I told him I loved him and closed my eyes.”
Jack almost reached out to comfort her but stopped himself; he had to remain as impassive as possible until they were sure this wasn’t a trick not to mention she looked as though she would run if he touched her.
“Then what?” Jack kept his voice soft and as comforting as possible.
“I realised suddenly that I was cold, that there was a breeze and noise,” Sha’re continued, “I opened my eyes and I was in a room that was clean but had items that would not have been out of place upon a Goa’uld vessel. Then men appeared with weapons like those we used against Ra and brought me here.”
“Why did you pretend not to speak or understand English?” Jack asked, not able to hide his amusement.
Sha’re looked a little embarrassed before she smiled, “Because it gave me an advantage.”
Daniel looked into the room that held his long dead parents, several minutes after being reunited with his slightly less long dead wife. And less than half an hour before he thought seeing Janet was the most amazing thing he’d seen that day.
Taking a deep breath he entered the room, “Dr Jackson, Dr Ballard-Jackson, I need to ask you a few questions.”
“Who the hell are you?” his father yelled, “I want to know where our son is.”
“Your son,” Daniel hesitated, amazed he didn’t tell them who he was, “Is fine but I need you to tell me what you remember before you came here.”
“What?” Mel snapped.
“Dr Jackson,” Daniel replied sharply, “This is important,” he stopped and motioned to them to sit, “Please, sit down and tell me what you remember.”
“Mel,” Claire stepped forward and gently touched her husband’s arm, she switched languages to the one used by most of the workers on the dig, “Let’s just do as he asks, I need to see my little sandbug.”
Daniel covered the sadness that filled him at the nickname his mother had given him by taking a drink of water before he sat across from them.
“We were erecting part of an exhibit we’d been working on for three years,” Claire explained, “The chain holding the coverstone, it snapped and the wall...”
“The wall came towards us,” Mel continued when his wife trailed off, “And the next thing I knew we were in another room.”
“Then security came,” Daniel noted, he nodded and stood, “I’ll be back.”
He left the room before they could say anything and leaned against the wall taking several deep breaths. This was turning into one hell of a day.
Jack slipped his jacket off and draped it over Sha’re’s shoulders when he saw her shiver while they walked through the corridors towards where Janet was waiting. Sha’re was obviously trying to remain as calm as possible but seemed to be losing the battle. Janet stood when the door opened and stared when Jack walked in with Sha’re.
“Colonel...I mean, General,” Janet said, staring at the young woman, “What’s going on?”
“Well, Doc it looks as though you’re not the only one resurrected,” Jack told her, “You recognise the lovely Mrs Jackson I see,” Jack turned to Sha’re, “Sha’re, this is Dr Janet Fraiser.”
“It is a pleasure,” Sha’re nodded softly to the other woman.
Janet smiled genuinely at the other woman, “Completely.”
“Now all we need is Daniel to get here with our final guests from the grave and we can head home,” Jack told them, receiving two confused looks.
“Who else?” Janet asked, giving him a look he’d not had in several years which instantly made him feel guilty, “Col...General, who else has come back from the dead?”
Jack looked at the two women who were staring at him, “Daniel’s parents.”
Claire Ballard-Jackson was relieved that she had her husband by her side during this bizarre day but she was terrified of what had happened to her little boy. She should have known better than to leave him alone while they worked, no matter how brilliant he was.
Now this strange man was questioning them and there was something about him that was screaming at Claire but she just couldn’t work out what it was.
There was a soft knock on the door and the man jumped over to answer the door, he listened to whoever stood there before nodding.
“We’re going to move to another facility,” the man told them, “So the police can have their room back.”
“We’re not going anywhere until you tell us where our son is,” Mel snapped, he was angrier than Claire had ever seen him.
“Dr Jackson,” the man said, “Your son is safe, I can promise you that but...” he hesitated and licked his lips, “You have no choice but to come with us.”
Mel stood, toe to toe with the other man his eyes blazing, “We’re not going anywhere.”
The other man sighed and stepped back, “I’m afraid you are.” He pulled out a strange cylindrical object and pushed a button on the top of it.
Claire gasped and grabbed her husband’s arm as the world around them dissolved in a white light.
Daniel winced that he had to use the transport earlier than anticipated; his father was quite hot-headed, which was something Daniel didn’t really remember. He wanted to comfort them but knew they had to get to the SGC before he could go into specifics.
“Where are we?” Mel demanded, his arm wrapped around his wife’s shoulders.
“That’s a good question, Daniel,” Janet said, walking over to Daniel with Sha’re who still had Jack’s jacket draped over her shoulders.
“This is the Daedalus,” Daniel explained; he glanced around, smiling slightly at Sha’re who smiled back before he turned to Janet, “Where’s Jack?”
“He said he’d meet us there,” Janet explained, “Before we ended up here.”
Daniel nodded, “Okay,” he reached over to the panel and pushed the communications button, “Can you send us down to the SGC now.”
He saw his father start to ask but didn’t get a chance as the transport beam surrounded them again.
Part Two