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.
"Your friend is dead."
The burden of those terrible words threatened to press the very life and soul out of Daniel. After everything he and Jack had been through, after all the trials they had endured together..
It couldn't be so. It wasn't so. There had to be something he could do to make it not so
He dropped down to one knee, tenderly laying the unmoving body of his friend on the floor. After cradling Jack's head in the crook of the arm that was resting on his supporting thigh, he used his now free hand to check Jack's throat for a pulse. Breathing a prayer in several languages simultaneously he pressed his fingers to the spot just below the jaw, desperately needing to feel that small flutter that would tell him that his friend was still with him.
Nothing.
Nothing..
He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry, he wanted to kick open the very gates of heaven and make somebody give him some answers, but he pushed it all away. There wasn't time for any of that now. Calm, calm, icy control. Don't give in. Keep it together. Think, Daniel, there had to be a way. If Jack ever needed you to use what the powers have seen fit to give you, this is the time.
Daniel put his hand on Jack's forehead, his mind clear and racing with urgency as he quickly mentally ran his options.
No pulse. How long had it been since Jack's heart had stopped? He was still warm, but that was no help. Five minutes. He had no more than five minutes before there was irreparable brain damage. Think, Daniel! Work it out.
Won't be time to get him back through the gate now probably too late for conventional medical intervention only hope here Goa'uld have sarcophagus, they have also had contact with Anpu using them as model for Anubis/Jaffa helmet Anpu older race, probably have comparable or superior resurrection technology, may have given it to the Goa'uld might mean they are allies therefore potentially hostile no indication that they are friendly or sympathetic motives impossible to ascertain based on experiences to date still there have been rules of a sort have to use them, play the game, hope that I can convince them to bring Jack back no matter the cost
His course of action decided in a matter of scant but precious seconds, Daniel cradled Jack's body protectively to his chest, and then looked up into the dark eyes of the alien being before him, preparing to fight to the death if need be, to save his friend.
He was still swirling in the mocking maelstrom, feeling himself being pulled farther and farther away from Daniel. Jack had no idea where he was being swept away to, only that it was not where he wanted to be. Despair nipped at him, whispering in his ear that there was no point in struggling. He should just accept that it was all over, and everything and everyone that he loved was lost to him forever.
Balls! There's a time to fight and a time to hand over your weapons and he had not made it this far without knowing the difference.
The clip's not empty yet. You still have rounds in the chamber. As long as there is still an ounce of will left in you, Jack, you're packin'! Let's party!
He simply - decided. Not to go. That was all it took
Abruptly the winds released him and he floated downward to what looked like a verdant grove of trees ringing a small, glassine pool of water. Jack touched down lightly, looking around his new surroundings, more than a little confused.
Okay, this was better than before, but it still wasn't quite what he had had in mind. Still, half a loaf was better than none. The place was done up in a nice shade of green, though.
"The Ka'elish-na impedes the Resolution of this evaluation."
Cripes - there was that VOICE again! Right behind him.
Jack whirled and found himself face to face - that is as face to face as someone considerably shorter could be with someone who was ten feet tall - with the alien he had seen with Daniel.
No, this was a different one. Or he had changed his suit. The emblem on this guy's chest looked like a white feather. So what, Jack, the rest of him looks pretty much the same. Just as big and just as scary. Well, you know what they say, the bigger they are yadda yadda.
"Excuse me?" Jack responded.
"You have passed over. You refuse to continue. This is illogical, defies the order. Please explain."
Jack could gauge little from the sonorous monotone that carried the words, and the exotic face was impossible to read. Geez, can't a guy ever catch a break?
"I'm not going anywhere until I know that my friend is safe."
"You have passed over. You have no more concerns in the corporeal realm."
"That's what you think, Bucko. I'm betting that you can't make me 'continue' , or you would have already done so. Now, I don't really give a rat's ass if I am messing up your plans, I am not going anywhere until you let Daniel go home safe and well. Besides, what are ya gonna do - kill me?"
"Not the function of this tribunal to compel. One seeks to remain. One resists continuing. One does not wish to accept Resolution. Powerless to change this. "
"Say what?"
The jackal-headed being made a sweeping gesture with its left arm, seeming to intend to convey the idea that he should look into the pool behind him.
"Observe."
Well, why the hell not, it wasn't as if he had anything else pressing to do.
Jack sat down on the grassy lip of the pool and leaned forward, peering into the clear, calm water. Almost instantly an image began to form, upon its surface, one of Daniel and the other Anpu back in the gate room of this weird place. They seemed to be in the process of having a similar cryptic discussion.
"Your friend is dead. Even now, his spirit departs. Logical to accept Resolution."
"Wait a minute," Daniel replied quickly. "Resolution? What do you mean? Is the Trial over?"
"One impedes Resolution. One may not remain. One must continue."
Think, Daniel - what is he telling you? Play the game.
"My actions have been in harmony with the goal of achieving Resolution?" Daniel began carefully, trying to think how to word his replies as precisely as possible in a compatible idiom.
"Acceptable progress has been recorded. One requires Resolution." The Anpu intoned.
Has progress been acceptable enough to warrant the granting of a request?"
"One has earned consideration. Acceptance of Resolution is contingent?
"It is," Daniel said evenly, looking straight into the eyes of the immense being before him. He held his breath and tightened his grip on Jack.
"Specifics." The dark being continued.
"Define Resolution," Daniel said quickly.
A faint light flared in the cavernous, shaded eyesockets of the being before him.
Ah, that got his attention. On to something here. Hold on Jack, I won't let you down.
"One must continue. One may not remain."
"Define continue."
"Path must be accepted in order to expedite evaluation."
"Which path?"
"One may not remain. One must continue. Paths must be accepted."
Paths! It said paths - plural, not path singular. Was that a slip of the tongue? No, there's a clue there.
Daniel decided to take the direct approach.
"I'm not leaving my friend."
"One may not remain. One must continue."
Daniel began to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
"My friend - must continue. I may not remain."
Again the light flared in the alien eyes.
"Understanding. Impressive."
"Very well, then, this is what I wish. I wish to - continue, in my friend's place. He will take mine. He will not remain. One will not remain, One will continue."
"You wish your friend to be as you are. You will be as he is."
"I will agree to nothing else. This will constitute acceptance of Resolution?" Daniel replied.
"Such conditions will be condusive to achievement."
"This is within your means?
"What you have requested can be accomplished. I will seek a ruling."
Daniel found himself alone in the room still tightly clutching all that remained to him of Jack
"It will be all right, Jack," he whispered, feeling himself starting to tremble from the effort of holding back the violent emotions that he did not yet dare give vent to. "I think I've done it. You're going home. I promise."
Jack turned away from the image of Daniel, jabbing an angry finger back in the direction of the pool as he rounded on his hulking companion.
"Excuse me, but do I have anything to say about any of this?"
"One has earned consideration." Came the infuriating reply.
Jack stomped around in disgust. He had to do something and there was nothing within reach to punch.
"Isn't that what your friend said to him?
"One must accept -"
"Resolution," Jack cut him off. Yeah, yeah, I got that bit already." Well, if I heard right - Daniel has just offered to trade places with me, and your friend told him he could."
"The request is being considered."
"Well, I don't CARE if you are considering it or not - it's not an option! I do not agree to this exchange - Period! End of story!
"Then we are where we were before. The Ka'elish-na impedes Resolution."
Jack could feel his toes starting to curl with frustration. 'WHAT does that MEAN?" He howled.
"Your friend will remain unless you allow him to continue for you. You will not. You will not continue if he remains. Nothing is achieved. One will not accept Resolution."
"My 'continuing' will not be enough, will it?" Jack said softly. He was starting to get it.
"Friend will not alter. Will remain unless he can continue for you."
Daniel wouldn't leave him. Bottom line. Wonderful, brave, loyal, stubborn, frustrating thickheaded Daniel. Jack didn't know what he wanted to do more. Hug him or kick his butt halfway across the universe.
All the way back home safe and alive where he deserved to be..
He strode over to the being that watched him with unreadable eyes. "Listen to me," he began slowly. "I'm not as smart as Daniel. I can't talk to you the way he did. But I need you to help me. I am willing to do ANYTHING - whatever it takes, to keep Daniel alive, and to get him to go home. He's probably the best person I have ever known. He's young. He has his whole life ahead of him. He has a wife who needs him to bring her back to her home and her family. He has so much to offer the world. He's worth three of me - on my best day. Nothing I have ever been or done in my entire life makes my life worth more than his. If you take him in my place - you will be making a pretty sorry bargain. He HAS to live. Do you understand?"
The gleaming ebon being was silent for many long minutes. Dark orbs that glittered like cold obsidian looked down at him, boring a hole through him.
"Can you help me?" Jack further entreated. "Please?"
"There is a way," the Anpu finally said.
"Anything!" Jack replied quickly.
"Friend would not remain if in mind no reason to."
With a sudden chill Jack knew exactly what the creature was suggesting to him.
Daniel would leave him if he no longer remembered that Jack O'Neill existed. It was the ONLY way Daniel would ever abandon him.
If for Daniel, everything they had ever known and shared together - had never even been.
"Would you have to take it all from him - all of his memories of everything that has ever happened between us?"
'Yes, or he would remember and remain. It must be all, or not at all."
"You can do this?"
"There would be no point in suggesting it if no possibility of realization existed."
Stupid question, Jack.
"He'll be all right - he won't be hurt in any way."
"Causing deliberate harm is not the function of this tribunal."
He turned back to look at the image of Daniel that still hung suspended upon the surface of the silent pool. Daniel looked so small and vulnerable, so alone, hunched over and tightly clasping his late, not so great self.
Ah Daniel, I'm not even breathing anymore and you still won't let me down. Seems all I've brought you has been sorrow. Maybe this is better - and kinder after all.
He turned once more to the Anpu. "Will he be happy?"
"That is not to be known. He will have the opportunity to acquire this condition. In his hands success or failure"
Jack nodded. "He'll be alive. That's all that matters."
Jack went back to the edge of the pool. He lay down on the grass one last time, and put out his hand until the fingertips hovered just inches above Daniel's image.
"Good-bye, Danny," he said softly. I'm sorry that we have to do this to you, but I guess you'll never know the difference when it's over. I don't know where I'm going, but I promise you - one of us won't forget. Sam, Teal'c - look out for him, will you? The next time he falls in a hole - and he will - falling in holes is one of the things he does best. God. Danny. I - I .. Anyway, I won't be there to pull him out. You'll have to take over for me now. Just - keep him safe."
It seemed that there were a few more tears left in the old reservoir. A couple of them slid down his face and into the water, distorting the image of Daniel with the ripples that resulted from the slight impacts.
Shit.
There was so much more he had wanted to say, so much more he wanted. All the things now never to be done, never to be known, all the might-have-beens that now never would be born. There wouldn't even be a soul left in the world that would know what was, and what should have been.
He would know. Whatever was going to happen to him, nothing would change what he knew.
He would know.
"I'll remember, Daniel."
He'd better get going. If he put it off any longer he knew he wouldn't be able to see it through. Tearing his eyes away from his last sight of Daniel he pushed himself to his feet and strode back to stand in front of the Anpu.
"Okay, do it!"
"You are sure?"
"Do it!"
The jackal-headed being nodded gravely, put a hand on top of Jack's head and said, very softly.
"The Trial of the Soul is concluded. Ka'elish-na suspected is revealed as true. The Anpu salute and respect. One may be as they were. Return to your friend."