Author's Notes: As always, I want to thank my beta readers for listening to me babble. Thank you ladies, your input and encouragement is forever invaluable. Also, thanks to those who read the stories and send comments. It's greatly appreciated!
DISCLAIMER: All characters and property of Stargate SG-1 belong to MGM/UA, World Gekko Corp. and Double Secret Productions. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author. Portions of the dialog were taken from "The Fifth Race" (written by Robert C. Cooper).
"Jack, you understand that if you do this, if you go, you might not be able to come back."
Daniel Jackson stood frozen on the ramp as Colonel Jack O'Neill slowly made his way to the Stargate and stepped into the silvery liquid. Alone.
Hearing footsteps, Daniel turned and saw Samantha Carter standing behind him. "Come on, Daniel." she said quietly. "Let's get back to the control room, we can at least track him."
He nodded and followed General Hammond and Sam into the control room that overlooked the Stargate. As Sam slid into her seat next to Lt. Simmons and immediately started checking the readouts, Daniel moved over to where he could see both the Stargate and the readouts but still be out of the way of the control room personnel. He silently prayed that he had been right. That Jack really did have the knowledge of the original Gate builders. That Jack had to go through the Stargate alone. That his friend would come back, alive and in one piece.
Sam and the lieutenant were still tracking Jack's progress through the wormhole when suddenly they stopped. "We've lost the traveler." Simmons announced to the control room.
No one saw Daniel go pale. He had done everything he could, the rest was now up to Jack, where ever he had gone. The noise and confusion of the control room became muted background noise as Daniel closed his eyes to shut out the view of the Stargate through the observation window. Could he have been wrong? What if he or Teal'c should have gone with the Colonel?
Jack O'Neill had become Daniel's closest friend. Remembering how they met still made Daniel smile. He had been so desperate to make the Stargate work and to go through it. Jack had been so damned military. There had been several times on the first trip to Abydos that he had been sure that Jack was going to hit him. In the end, Daniel missed O'Neill as the Colonel went back to Earth while Daniel remained on Abydos. Jack had lied and falsified reports to keep the people safe.
All of that seemed so long ago. Jack's return trip, Sha're being taken and Jack's solemn promise that they *would* find Sha're. And Daniel believed him. Still believed him. Daniel trusted Jack O'Neill with his life and his friendship. Now he stood in terror that he had betrayed Jack's trust in him by allowing him to travel through the Stargate, alone, to some unknown destination that he might not be able to get home from.
"Damn!" he thought to himself. Daniel hated feeling helpless and he had never felt so helpless as he did right then, watching Sam work to re-open the Stargate. He jumped slightly as the telephone rang and was handed to the General. His heart stopped as General Hammond relayed the message that the device that Jack had built and attached to the power supply had suddenly gone dead. His hands clenched nervously, now what?
He had been so sure of his translations. He didn't know why he thought Jack had the knowledge of the Gatebuilders locked inside of his head, Daniel just knew. What if he had just sent Jack to his death by telling the General that Jack had to go. "He's already gone, General. I don't think we have much of a choice." Stupid! Maybe there had been another choice, one that he had over looked.
Daniel's thoughts were interrupted by Sam's terse announcement that they had lost control of the system and the iris could not be closed "That's bad." Daniel murmured, but only Teal'c seemed to have heard him.
The unmistakable sound of the Stargate powering up. "Incoming Traveler" the displays announced. The Stargate burst out with the initial plasma output then stabilized into the liquid surface. Would it be Jack? Or some invader that had set up a cleverly designed trap? Daniel held his breath as the moments stretched into an unbearable pause.
Slowly a silhouette formed on the surface of the Gate. Then Jack carefully stepped onto the ramp. Daniel barely glanced at Teal'c as he ran out of the control room, down the stairs to the Gateroom. Maneuvering around the dozens of security guards, he met Jack at the base of the ramp.
"I'm back." Jack said simply, a hint of a smile on his face.
"What happened?" Daniel asked. The concern for his friend still showing on his face.
"O'Neill," Teal'c broke in. "Do you still possess the knowledge of the Ancients."
"Nope. Can't remember a thing." The smile still playing around his lips.
"But you know that meaning of life stuff?" Jack continued, looking right at Daniel.
Daniel nodded, not sure where Jack was going with the question.
"I think we're going to be okay." Jack answered, still with the hint of a smile.
Daniel stared at his friend, his mind bursting with questions on what Jack saw and who he talked to at the other Stargate. His questions would have to wait though, as Dr. Frasier, General Hammond and Sam approached to welcome Jack home. For a moment, the anthropologist didn't know whether to laugh with happiness that his friend had come home safely, or cry that the knowledge of the Gatebuilders was gone forever. But the thought only stayed for a moment. To have Jack home, alive and well, that was the important thing.