Title: Life Force

By Maria Guyan

Email: petlady5@yahoo.com

Summary: When tragedy strikes Daniel, his friends must risk everything to help.

Season Set: Season 2 just after Serpent's Song.

Warnings: Death story, but with a happy ending

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. Never will unfortunately. Don't bother suing, it won't do you any good.

Category: Angst

Website: http://www.homestead.com/sg1fan

Rating: PG

Archive: Yes, to Miki and Heliopolis. Everyone else, just ask first.

Special Notes: Thanks as always to my betas who bug me till I actually get some writing done. Thanks Miki and Adrianna.



Life Force
by Maria Guyan

Jack poked his head into the lab. "Are you planning on coming out anytime soon, Daniel?"

Glancing up with an amused expression on his face, Daniel replied, "Sure, Jack. I just need to finish up this one translation, then I can go."

"Great! Don't forget. Everyone's invited over my place tonight for a barbecue, then we're gonna watch the fireworks."

"Don't worry about me. I'll be there." He waved his hand in the direction of the surface. "Go, cook, have fun, I'll get there as soon as I can." Daniel shooed him out of the lab and listened to Jack's laughter echo down the corridor.

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*

The party was in full swing by the time a hint of nightfall came around. Sam slumped further down on the couch, trying to hide from the noise and crowd of airmen around her. To say she was outnumbered would be an understatement. She was enjoying it though, who wouldn't? She smiled at her new family, it really gave her a sense of belonging after her father left to join the Tok'ra.

She jumped slightly as the phone beside her suddenly sprang to life with a loud ring. She looked around for its owner and, not seeing a trace of him, gingerly picked up the receiver. "Hello, O'Neill residence."

"Hello, may I please speak with Colonel Jack O'Neill?" A woman, young from the sound of it, asked.

"Of course, hold on a sec." Sam replied, standing up. She shuffled through the crowd to the backyard where Jack was flipping burgers like a pro at the grill. "Jack, phone." She held out the receiver for him before heading over to the refreshment table.

Jack handed the spatula to Lieutenant Simms and wandered into the house so he could actually hear the phone call. Sam planted herself on a nearby picnic table, nursing her beer and just enjoying the atmosphere.

A few minutes later, Jack came back looking like he had just witnessed a train wreck. He snatched his keys off the arm of his lawn chair and headed for his car. Suddenly everyone became silent as they saw the upset man and parted to form his path to the driveway. Sam hurried to grab hold of his arm before he could get there.

"Jack, what's wrong? Who was that?" He paused mid-step, looking from her hand to her face, seemingly before recognizing her.

"It was the hospital. Daniel's been in some kind of accident." He answered dazedly. "I have to go down there. They wouldn't tell me what happened."

She reached forward and took the keys out of his shaking hand. "Sir, you're in no condition to drive. You're upset, you've been drinking."

He turned angry eyes towards her and shouted. "They wouldn't fuckin' tell me what happened! I have to go now! Give me the damn keys, Carter!"

Sam put out one hand in an effort to calm him down before looking back at the other guests. She could feel her face turning red. "I know, Colonel.... Jack. I'm coming with you. Let Teal'c drive. It won't do Daniel any good for us to get killed on the way there."

Nodding almost imperceptibly, he let her hand the keys over to the Jaffa and climbed into the passenger seat.

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*

Jack burst through the doors to the emergency room with Sam and Teal'c hot on his heels. He stormed over to the admitting desk causing the people in the waiting room to look up. He took no notice of the disturbance he was creating. "I need to find a Daniel Jackson. He was brought in about an hour ago."

"I'll just go get the doctor for you, sir. Wait here."

Pacing like a group of caged animals, the team awaited the news of Daniel's condition. After what seemed like an eternity, a middle aged man dressed in a white lab coat entered the waiting room and headed in their direction.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Nathan Liter. You're here for Daniel Jackson?" His tone was quiet and soothing as he looked at the group.

Sam stepped forward before Jack could jump down the man's throat. "Yes, I'm Samantha Carter. This is Jack O'Neill and Teal'c. How is he?"

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but Dr. Jackson didn't make it." Instantaneously Jack's back went rigid, Carter let out a squeak of surprise and sadness as Teal'c just sat staring impassively. He let them get over the initial shock of his words before continuing. "There was a car accident. He was driving through an intersection. As near as we can tell at this point, the other driver was quite intoxicated and didn't realize that his light was red. He continued through without noticing Dr. Jackson's car until the last moment. The two cars collided. Dr. Jackson suffered multiple traumas. Tension pneumothorax, perforated aorta, multiple rib fractures, and severe internal injuries. He died on the scene."

Jack forced himself to gain control of the anger threatening to explode. "Where is the other driver?"

"He didn't make it either. He wasn't wearing a seat belt and went directly through the windshield."

Sam finally raised her head to look at the doctor. "Are you sure that it's him?"

"He had identification on him, but we'd like to make sure. Colonel O'Neill, we have you listed as his next of kin. Could you please just verify his identity for us?"

He nodded and stood silent as the doctor went to get a nurse. Sam's hand found his own, her whole body seeming to tremble. "Jack, are you alright? Do you want us to come with you?"

Looking into her eyes, his own filled with tears that he stubbornly refused to let fall, he shook his head. "I'll… I'll do it, Captain. I owe him that much."

"This isn't your fault, Jack. It's the other driver's fault and he's already been punished for it." He looked up in surprise. She had read his mind. He should have waited for Daniel. He should have been driving. Why did it have to be their Danny?

Jack was kept from replying as Doctor Liter returned with a woman in tow. "This is Ms. Bailey. She'll show you down."

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*

The young lab technician escorted him into the hospital morgue. Jack could feel a chill go through him just being in the place. It didn't seem any more friendly as the woman began switching on the lights in the small room. His distorted reflection chased him in the steel panels along the wall, urging him on as his footsteps echoed through the empty hallways.

"Right over here, sir." She gestured for him to move over to one of the doors towards the end of the row. He braced himself as she undid the latch and slid the tray out. It came to the end of its length with a bang and he jumped noticeably. The form on it was hidden beneath a light cover. He closed his eyes and braced himself f I have to go now! Give me the damn keys, Carter!"

Sam put out one hand in an effort to calm him down before looking back at the other guests. She could feel her face turning red. "I know, Colonel.... Jack. I'm coming with you. Let Teal'c drive. It won't do Daniel any good for us to get killed on the way there."

Nodding almost imperceptibly, he let her hand the keys over to the Jaffa and climbed into the passenger seat.

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*

Jack burst through the doors to the emergency room with Sam and Teal'c hot on his heels. He stormed over to the admitting desk causing the people in the waiting room to look up. He took no notice of the disturbance he was creating. "I need to find a Daniel Jackson. He was brought in about an hour ago."

"I'll just go get the doctor for you, sir. Wait here."

Pacing like a group of caged animals, the team awaited the news of Daniel's condition. After what seemed like an eternity, a middle aged man dressed in a white lab coat entered the waiting room and headed in their direction.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Nathan Liter. You're here for Daniel Jackson?" His tone was quiet and soothing as he looked at the group.

Sam stepped forward before Jack could jump down the man's throat. "Yes, I'm Samantha Carter. This is Jack O'Neill and Teal'c. How is he?"

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but Dr. Jackson didn't make it." Instantaneously Jack's back went rigid, Carter let out a squeak of surprise and sadness as Teal'c just sat staring impassively. He let them get over the initial shock of his words before continuing. "There was a car accident. He was driving through an intersection. As near as we can tell at this point, the other driver was quite intoxicated and didn't realize that his light was red. He continued through without noticing Dr. Jackson's car until the last moment. The two cars collided. Dr. Jackson suffered multiple traumas. Tension pneumothorax, perforated aorta, multiple rib fractures, and severe internal injuries. He died on the scene."

Jack forced himself to gain control of the anger threatening to explode. "Where is the other driver?"

"He didn't make it either. He wasn't wearing a seat belt and went directly through the windshield."

Sam finally raised her head to look at the doctor. "Are you sure that it's him?"

"He had identification on him, but we'd like to make sure. Colonel O'Neill, we have you listed as his next of kin. Could you please just verify his identity for us?"

He nodded and stood silent as the doctor went to get a nurse. Sam's hand found his own, her whole body seeming to tremble. "Jack, are you alright? Do you want us to come with you?"

Looking into her eyes, his own filled with tears that he stubbornly refused to let fall, he shook his head. "I'll… I'll do it, Captain. I owe him that much."

"This isn't your fault, Jack. It's the other driver's fault and he's already been punished for it." He looked up in surprise. She had read his mind. He should have waited for Daniel. He should have been driving. Why did it have to be their Danny?

Jack was kept from replying as Doctor Liter returned with a woman in tow. "This is Ms. Bailey. She'll show you down."

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*

The young lab technician escorted him into the hospital morgue. Jack could feel a chill go through him just being in the place. It didn't seem any more friendly as the woman began switching on the lights in the small room. His distorted reflection chased him in the steel panels along the wall, urging him on as his footsteps echoed through the empty hallways.

"Right over here, sir." She gestured for him to move over to one of the doors towards the end of the row. He braced himself as she undid the latch and slid the tray out. It came to the end of its length with a bang and he jumped noticeably. The form on it was hidden beneath a light cover. He closed his eyes and braced himself for the sight.

"We just need a confirmation of his identity." She reminded him as she drew the cover back slightly to reveal the face. Jack took a sharp breath as Daniel's features were clearly visible. He reached out one shaky hand. "Oh, god, Daniel." He whispered as he touched his cheek and brushed the hair out of his face.

"I'm so sorry, sir. If it's any consolation, he died so quickly that he probably didn't even know what happened." The woman offered.

"He shouldn't have died at all." Jack replied, not looking at her. "Could you give me a minute?"

"Of course, sir. I'll be just down the hall when you're ready."

Jack barely noticed as she retreated from the room. "Damn it, Daniel! This wasn't supposed to happen! You can't die here, like this. It should have been out on P3X whatever. You can't die alone here on earth. We're a team." The day that Daniel had filled out his emergency forms was as clear to Jack now as if it was yesterday.

~@~@~@~@~@~@~

"Jack?"

"What, Daniel?"

"Could I… well… would you mind if I… I don't really have anyone close and was wondering…" Jack, growing impatient, dropped down his pen and looked up at his friend.

"Come on, Danny. Spit it out already!"

"Well, Jack. I don't really have any family and most of my friends thought I dropped off the face of the earth when I went to Abydos, which I guess I sort of did…"

"Today, Daniel!"

"What I'm trying to say is, well… You're the closest thing I have to family here. I have to put down a contact name in case of emergency here. Would you mind…"

"You want me to be your next of kin?"

"Yeah." Daniel looked down at him, nervously re-adjusting his glasses.

"Have them notify me if something happens to you?"

"Yeah…"

"Sure, Daniel. Just put on there under address 'Look in the next bed'." Jack grinned up at him before resuming with his report.

"Jack?"

"Hell, Daniel. If something happens to you, it's going to happen to the rest of us too. We're a team. We practically have our own section in the infirmary."

"Look, Jack, just forget I brought it up…" He waved his hand and began to fold away the paper.

"Daniel, it's fine, really. I'd be honored to be listed as your next of kin."

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@

He paused to wipe away a stray tear trickling down his cheek. "Why couldn't you have left the base with me?! You just had to finish that damn translation!"

"This wasn't supposed to happen." He whispered again.

"You're right. It wasn't." Jack spun around to face Sam who was just entering with Teal'c. "It's true then?"

Jack nodded mutely as she moved closer to see for herself and gasped as she did. He placed his hand on her shoulder. She turned towards him, revealing the tears flowing freely down her cheek.

"I didn't really believe it." She breathed. "I thought that maybe it was a mistake. I mean, you can't kill Daniel, no one can. But it's true. This time he's gone for good. Oh, god."

Pulling her close, Jack wrapped his arms around her as she buried her face in his shoulder and began to sob louder now. Her whole body shook with grief and she was leaning on him for support. Jack lifted his head slightly from where it rested in her hair. He saw Teal'c approach and locked eyes with him briefly before he came to stand before Daniel's body.

"Daniel Jackson was a good man and a friend. His memory will be honored."

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*

Jack knocked on the door to General Hammond's office. After a moment, he heard Hammond distractedly tell him to come in. Jack entered the office and waited patiently for Hammond to notice him as the general was still completely absorbed in the file on his desk.

"What can I do for you, Colonel?" Hammond asked as he closed the folder and moved it aside. "I thought I gave you the day off."

"You did, sir. I came to ask a favor." He stood awkwardly in front of his desk, not quite knowing how to continue.

"Let's hear it, son. I'll see what I can do."

"It's about Daniel, sir." Jack began and took in the general's expression at the mention of the young man's name. Daniel had managed to get to them all in the past two years. "I'd like to request that you have Daniel's body brought here for the funeral."

Jack took a deep breath before continuing. "There's nothing out there for him. They've got him in some damn morgue in the basement! They don't know him. Everyone that cares about him is here. He deserves to be where his friends are so we can give him a proper send off. Hell, this place wouldn't even exist if it wasn't for Daniel!"

He broke off, starting to feel his emotions getting out of hand. His gaze dropped to the floor, regaining control of his breathing. He fought back the tears that once again threatened to pour, only looked up when he felt a hand come to rest on his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, son. I was planning on doing that anyway. He deserves to be surrounded by family. We're his family now and have been for a long time. In fact, I was just filling out the paperwork when you came in."

Jack forced out a small smile and moved to leave. "Thank you, sir."

"Don't mention it, Colonel. Dr. Jackson… Daniel was like a son to me. I'd never think of deserting him now."

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*

Jack, after glancing around to see he wasn't being watched, crept into the base morgue. Relying on touch and memory to guide him through with the lights off he quietly stole into the room. It was late and the base had fallen into silence hours earlier, leaving an eerie stillness to occupy the halls. Everyone was hit hard by the news of Daniel's death and the whole base seemed to have become reclusive over the past week. The funeral was scheduled for tomorrow. It would take place in the gate room, giving it almost a sense of deja vu.

Something inside of him, though, stubbornly refused to let that happen. Daniel had made this place his own. It was as much a part of him as he was of it. Everywhere Jack turned, something would remind him of Daniel. He half expected him to round the corner at any moment and start rattling off facts about some long gone culture. He knew that it wasn't going to happen though. This time was for real. There were no aliens trying to trick them into believing he was dead. The hard facts lay inside of the room in front of him. Just a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and one stupid man who didn't know when to say when, and it was all over.

That knowledge only made this seem more right to Jack. It was something he had to do. Without Daniel, there was no team. He had affected them more than anyone ever thought possible. He held them together and kept the team from splitting at the seams.

With a deep breath, Jack placed his hand flat against the door and pushed slightly to enter the main room of the morgue. Two tiny lights startled him and made him reach instinctively for the gun at his side. A moment later, however, he found himself looking at the barrels of two others.

"Colonel!" came the startled whisper after one of the lights was shone in his face.

"Carter?" He asked hesitantly, bringing his hand up to his eyes. The brightness of the flashlights had made him temporarily blind. He reached out to pat her arm in front of him.

"Yes, it's me, sir. What are you doing here?" She asked as she re-holstered her gun and led him further into the room. The light from Teal'c's flashlight at her back gave Jack enough illumination to make out her features.

Lowering his own gun to his waistband, he said, "I could ask you the same thing, Captain."

He took in their clothing in the dim light. They wore the same as he did, pure black uniforms with matching caps. It looked like they all had the same idea.

"We couldn't just leave him here. Not when there's a chance...." She looked between the form on the table and her Colonel, shaking her head.

"My thoughts exactly, Carter. Chulak?"

Teal'c nodded. "Chulak."

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*

Punching in his code to disarm the alarm that would alert the base to their presence, Jack waved Sam over to the controls. "Dial us to Chulak, Captain."

"Yes, sir." She said with a smile and moved to the console. She re-checked to make sure they had not been discovered before starting the dial up the coordinates.

Jack joined Teal'c by the door to the gate room where he stood holding Daniel's shrouded body in his arms. He took one of Daniel's cold hands in his own. "This one's for you, Danny boy." Together they stepped through the doorway and into the gate room just as the second chevron locked into place.

"We're ready to go, sir." Sam announced as she joined them at the bottom of the ramp. The next chevron locked as she did a final check on her weapon and transmitter.

"I take it, you weren't planning to inform me, SG-1?" General Hammond's voice sounded over the clang of the chevrons. All three jumped and turned to find the source of his voice. He stepped out of the shadows in the corner of the dim gate room.

"Sir!" Sam exclaimed, all color draining from her face.

"You know that I can't authorize this mission, Colonel. It's suicide." He crossed his arms in front of his chest, peering at them to gauge their reactions.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Jack's lips. "So was Abydos, sir."

"That it was, son." The general agreed and came closer, his gaze dropping to the still figure in Teal'c arms. He looked up into each of their eyes before continuing. "Bring him home safe."

"Excuse me?" Jack asked, slightly confused by the statement.

"You heard me Colonel." He waved his hand over his back, dismissing them.

The gate opened with the familiar whoosh behind Jack as he looked, unbelieving, at his friends. Teal'c's eyes shone with admiration for the man as Carter frowned. She stared at the man's back retreating out of the gate room before stopping him.

"Sir?" She asked, unsure of how he was going to pull this off.

"I can't very well stop you if I'm locked in my office can I?" He smiled mischievously. "I'm off to break my door handle, SG-1. I suggest you be on your way before I figure a way out."

Jack, now very amused, smiled and shook his head. "The old rascal..."

"We must depart now, O'Neill."

"Alright, let's go."

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*

Sam was the last one through the wormhole and had literally stepped into a war zone. She dove into the loose sand that surrounded the stargate and held her breath as a staff weapon blast passed mere inches over her head. Taking stock of the situation, she saw Jack and Teal'c both crouched nearby with Daniel carefully lain on the ground between them. She sneaked a glance at their attackers. There were five serpent guards firing at them with at least another dozen on their way down the steep hill in the distance. She looked over at the pinned Colonel and shook her head, negative. They didn't stand much of a chance in this situation and even less so with Daniel's body to carry.

Sam snapped out of her thoughts as she heard a zat gun power up behind her and the deep voice of a Jaffa growl, "Lower your weapon, Tau'ri."

A quick glance to her left showed Jack and Teal'c in a similar predicament. She slowly lowered her gun to the ground where it was snatched up by the Jaffa before he roughly hauled her to her feet.

The distinctive whine of a death glider approaching could be heard and Sam started to wonder if they had been wrong about Apophis. Maybe he did make it back to Chulak to take over his territory.

Elevator rings descended from the glider as it hovered overhead, then rose again to reveal Ammaunet along with several new Jaffa.

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*

Pacing back and forth in the small cell that they occupied, Jack let out an exasperated sigh. "What the hell is taking them so long?! It shouldn't take this long for them to use the sarcophagus on him."

He took his hands out of his pockets to check the time once more, the second time in as many minutes. Carter eyed him from the corner bench she was resting on. He looked like a caged animal, she couldn't remember ever seeing him so jumpy. Teal'c seemed to notice it too as he gave her a questioning glance, she shrugged her shoulders before answering him.

"Theoretically, Colonel, Daniel could still be reviving. Every other time we've seen the sarcophagus used, the person has either been wounded or only been dead for a matter of hours at the most. Daniel has been dead for a couple days now. It was a gamble even believing that the sarcophagus could still work on him." Sam theorized out loud. Jack glared at her, now was not the time for the science babble. She sighed, exasperated. The wait was getting to her too.

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*

A few hours later, the creak of the door to the main area of the prison was heard. The guards quickly filed out as they were dismissed. A lone figure strode towards the cell that held SG-1 captive.

Jack watched in astonishment as Ammaunet slid the key into the lock of the door and held it open, gesturing them out. He exited cautiously, waiting to see what kind of trick she was pulling this time. She looked up at him with clear brown eyes. She smiled up at him.

"There is no time to explain. I control the beast within me, but only for a short time. We must hurry."

She led them down a series of winding passageways until they finally came to an elaborate room whose central features was the golden sarcophagus. Immediately, Sha're twisted the serpent symbol near the head. The structure slowly opened to reveal Daniel laying inside, seemingly asleep.

"The damage was too severe. He must rest so that he may live once more. Please, you must take him. Take my husband. My Dan-yer. You must take him from this place." Sha're pleaded with them.

Sam looked into the sarcophagus, then back at Sha're, knowing what Daniel's only wish would be. "We can take you with us." she reminded.

"No, the effort is too great. You must leave before the demon within me returns. She will kill you all." She cried, the pain evident on her tear-streaked face.

Jack watched her for a few moments. The conflict in his thoughts was evident from his expression. He knew that someone must have missed them by now and time was limited. They hadn't come all this way just to die. They had to succeed for Daniel's sake. Still, Daniel would beg them to take Sha're with them if he could. It was why he had stayed with the Stargate program.

He looked at her with sorrow. "Please." She whispered. "My time grows short."

Jack closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded slightly as he opened them. Sha're let out a sigh of relief before Ammaunet took over, her eyes flashing with anger. Her hand raised to release the power within the ribbon device on the team, but Teal'c was faster, hitting her with a single blast of the zat gun.

Ammaunet collapsed on the floor and Sha're reemerged. Her breath quickened as Teal'c drew closer to her, the zat gun still trained on her form. She visibly prepared herself for the second, lethal blast.

Instead, Teal'c went down on one knee and placed his hand on her shoulder. "I will not rest until I may reunite you with your husband, wife of Daniel Jackson. This, I vow to you and to him."

Sha're took in a shaky breath. "Thank you." She whispered almost inaudibly.

Silence filled the chamber until the heavy thumps of armored Jaffa marching rapidly down the corridor drifted in. The sound spurred the team into action. "Teal'c, grab Daniel and let's get out of here." The large Jaffa lifted Daniel's limp form out of the sarcophagus with great care, cradling him in his arms.

"Okay, let's move out." Jack announced as the sounds of the approaching Jaffa grew louder.

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%**%*%*%*%*%

The team raced to the gate. Sam started to dial in the coordinates to take them home as Teal'c followed behind with Daniel, still unconscious. Jack brought up the rear, providing the much needed cover fire against the oncoming Jaffa.

The final chevron locking into place was a welcome sound. Jack tossed a grenade behind him as the staff weapon blasts drew closer and closer. The sound of the explosion was the last thing we heard before stepping through the gate.

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%

Jack strode into the infirmary, a huge grin on his face. He spotted Daniel immediately in his usual spot. "Hey, Danny boy! Heard Doc Fraiser's lettin' you loose."

Daniel chuckled as Janet finished taking his blood pressure for what seemed like the hundredth time in as many minutes. "Yeah, if she runs out of tests to put me through maybe."

Janet just rolls his eyes good naturedly. "You're free to go, Dr. Jackson. I want you to see to it that I don't see you in here again till your next *regularly* scheduled physical."

Saluting, Jack steered Daniel towards the doorway. "Leave it to me, Doc. I'll keep him out of trouble." He smiled at Daniel. "Come on, Danny, we've got a party to go to!"

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*

That night at Jack's house, they sat around the living room drinking beer and watching a tape of the Fourth's fireworks. Jack stood up, raising his glass high in the air. "I'd like to make a toast. To life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and that little bit of Space Monkey in us all."



THE END