Author's Notes: Thanks to Denise for her encouragement and support.
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable 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 purposes 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. Not to be archived without permission of the author(s).
Like a clock whose hands are sweeping
Past the minutes on it's face
And the world is like an apple
Whirling silently in space...
...Half remembered names and faces
But to whom do they belong?...
...Like the circles that you find
In the windmills of your mind
From Windmills of Your Mind
by Alan Bergman and Michel Jean Legrand
Daniel slowly became aware that he was alone in the chapel. He had a vague recollection of assuring the General that he would return to the infirmary, but had no idea how long ago that was. He turned to leave and the sudden movement awakened the painful throbbing in his side. 'Maybe...maybe I'll just sit down here for a while. Just for a minute.' He contemplated the wall again. So many...
'They'll be back. I know they will. Besides, Jack won't rest until he's seen the scar.' He smiled. 'That guy just loves to torment me.' It had been all he could do not to laugh when Jack had come to visit.
"Daniel!"
Startled, a momentary look of guilt crossed his face. "Hi, Janet. I was just on my way to see you."
"Of course you were." She didn't sound entirely convinced. "General Hammond told me you'd be back an hour ago. You know you should be resting."
"Sorry... I was thinking." He began to rise, then abruptly sat down again, his face pale. "Um...any chance of a ride, Doc?" he asked hopefully.
"Is that a proposition, Doctor Jackson?" she teased, then suddenly she was all business once more. "Where and how bad?"
"It's OK, I'm OK. It's just...um...walking doesn't really appeal to me right now." Unconsciously, his arms wrapped themselves across his stomach.
She frowned and gave him a look that promised dire consequences if he'd ruined her handiwork. "OK, Daniel, if that's what it takes to get you back to bed, I'll see if I can rustle up a wheelchair jockey. Don't move, I'll be right back."
So, here he was again. The infirmary. Super. Janet had poked and prodded him for ages before finally satisfying herself that he hadn't come to further harm. He let out a deep relaxing sigh and closed his eyes...
Nope. Wasn't going to work. Try as he might, sleep just wasn't going to happen. His mind was still spinning, still trying to sort through the events of the day. His friends were missing, presumed... on another planet. He hoped they were on another planet. Because if they were on this one it meant that they were dead. This time there were no clues to follow, no hint as to where they might be, nothing to keep him working through the night. But that wasn't what was keeping him awake. In a strange kind of way, it was something he was used to. Of course he was worried about them, but he had faith in them too.
SG-1 had saved the world again. Well, most of SG-1 had. Thor's ship, or rather what was left of it, had crashed into the ocean. There were no reports as yet from the containment teams. He wondered if there would be anything for them to find. Perhaps, with luck, a few pieces of Asgard technology. Maybe they'd even be able to recover the stargate. Gates seemed to be virtually indestructible. Indestructible... A terrifying thought assailed him. If the Asgard couldn't defeat the technobugs with all the superior weapons at their disposal, would falling through Earth's atmosphere actually cause the bugs any harm? He made a mental note to mention the idea to the General and Major Davis.
He closed his eyes again, but there was something nagging at him still. Something about the chapel...
He pictured the rows of circles on the wall. Apart from the five soldiers killed in the gate room, he knew, or had known, all the people represented there. Sometimes half-remembered names and faces... but he had known them all.
So many...but, given the nature of their work, it was surprising there weren't more.
That's it! There should be more. Six more. No, wait. Nick didn't count. Five more then. Damn. He needed to speak to General Hammond. Not much chance of that at this time of night though. But there was something else he could do in the meantime. Two somethings.
He threw back the blankets and gingerly stepped out of bed, expecting the worst. Nothing. He breathed a sigh of relief. Painkillers were a wonderful invention. Now all he needed was his clothes.
Daniel contemplated what was laughingly called 'breakfast' in the infirmary, trying to figure out if he was actually hungry enough to try and eat it. Whatever 'it' was. Hospital food. Ugh.
"Doctor Jackson! Would you care to explain this?"
"Sir?" he stalled, as he tried to figure out just how angry the General was. Pretty pissed by the sound of it. He pushed the tray away.
Hammond held up one of the little black circles. Only it wasn't entirely black anymore. The symbol for Abydos, three moons over a pyramid, had been drawn on it in gold paint. "The plaques are anonymous for a reason! What on Earth did you think you were doing?"
"That's just it, Sir. Sha're wasn't from Earth. I just wanted... needed... to be sure which one was hers. No disrespect was intended." He sighed. "I just wanted something here to remember her by."
The General's expression softened, became sympathetic. "Very well. I'll have it returned to the chapel." He turned to leave. "Next time, Doctor, speak to me first."
"Yes Sir. While we're on the subject though, there was something else I wanted to discuss with you."
Hammond turned back. "What is it, son?"
"I've been thinking about all the people who have been lost since the stargate was re-opened, and I realised that there were no plaques in the chapel for the four men who died on the first mission to Abydos. I know that technically the SGC didn't exist at that time, but they were the first, and they deserve to be remembered."
It didn't take long for the General to mull that one over. "That's a good point, Doctor Jackson. You're right, of course. Thank you for bringing it to my attention." The General noticed the hesitant look on Daniel's face. "Something else I can do for you, Doctor?"
"Yes Sir. I wanted to ask your permission to put this in the chapel too." He pulled something out from beneath his pillow and showed it to the General. It was a white circle, covered with gold markings. There was the symbol for Earth, and within the 'arms' of the pyramid, as if embraced and protected by it, the symbols for Abydos and Apophis.
"The boy?"
"Yes Sir."
"Very well. Permission granted."
"Thank you." Daniel looked uncomfortable. "One more thing, if I may?"
"Spit it out, son. I have a base to run, and a gate to unpack."
"Do you think we could stop referring to him as 'the boy', and 'the Harcesis'? He is the son of my wife... and I'd like to give him a name."
"And that would be...?"
Daniel grinned, a definite twinkle in his eyes. "I thought 'Nicholas Jonathan', Sir."
The General thought it over and then laughed, as if suddenly getting the joke. "As you wish Doctor Jackson. I'll try and remember that in future. Now I really must go." He was still chuckling as he left. 'Jack Junior. Priceless!'
And Daniel knew that Jack was going to tease him about that too... just as soon as he got back.