'TILL DEATH DO US PART
It was supposed to be one of those 'walk in the park' missions. Lotsa ruins, possible Naquada potential…a little something for everyone. Nothing too strenuous for Daniel's first time back through the gate after that plant thingy on PX2005. A meet and greet type of thing…You show me yours and I'll show you mine, SG1 style. But things didn't turn out that way. The walk to the village was inconsequential. But the situation went to hell in 60 seconds flat after Daniel did his peaceful explorer shtick with the village elders.
For wayward, backward villagers they had these homemade bombs that would do an advanced civilization proud. Barely arriving back at the Stargate in one piece, they threw themselves through the event horizon a mere 4 hours after departure. Counting fingers and toes, as well as teammates upon arrival at SGC, spending hours in the infirmary getting patched up, arguing to be released and then debriefing… It made for an exhausting day.
The colonel looked at his team in various states of repose around his living room. It had been a close call, much closer than he ever wanted it to be…ever again. He hated it when the only part of SG1 the natives wanted to see was their blood spilled on the floor.
Daniel's face and neck sported the bruises he received trying to protect a downed Carter from the explosion. The archeologist's elbow rested on the arm of the couch, his glasses askew, as he rested his head in his cupped hand. His long legs stretched out onto the coffee table amidst the empty wine and beer bottles. Jack couldn't help but think that if she knew about the little 'Hey, we're still alive' party they'd thrown, complete with mass quantities of alcoholic beverage, Fraiser would have his hide.
He shook away the idea of the doc wagging her finger, and her big needles, at him and redirected his attention to the sofa. His 2lC had her head in Daniel's lap, the bruise around her eye turning a wonderful Walt Disney Technicolor, Daniel's arm resting on her bound shoulder in a gently subconscious protective grasp. The Colonel had tucked the afghan around her and was rewarded with a slight smile and a sleepy "Thank you, sir."
Teal'c did not return from this mission unscathed either. His face was crisscrossed with scratch marks by flying debris from the explosion. Exhaling, Jack thanked junior for Teal'c's fast healing process. His brother-in-arms was performing his nightly ritual of Kel-no-reem; therefore, he had joined his teammates in slumber.
*His* team. *His* family. With a sigh, the hardened colonel had to admit that in this room was the group of people he loved most in the world. The people he would and had risked his life for and who would do the same for him under any circumstance.
Jack knew in a flash of a moment, he would never retire, he would never leave his family for anyone else to take care of…to watch over. He knew the probability of the team making it to retirement age intact were slim to none. The war against the Goa'uld was peaking and the only way that that SG1would be separated would be when death parted them. Jack only hoped he would precede his teammates in death, because he knew in his heart he would never be able to recover from the demise of any of them. He, never in his lifetime, wanted to bury another family member.
He locked the doors and checked the windows, making sure that, on earth at least, the people closest to his heart were as safe as they possibly could be.
The End
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