samandjack.net

Story Notes: Each Man's Life Part 1: Spoilers: Stargate Movie, Children of the Gods, The Enemy Within

Details: The story of Charles Kawalsky's life, beginning before 101 Children of the Gods. Sam/Jack, Kawalsky/Other

Response to Heliopolis Challenge #654 It's simple, I want a Kawalsky story, or at least with him in it and that he doesn't die, if ya get him involved with someone EVEN better:). And please NO humour.

Response to Heliopolis challenge #1,360

Story with a Bible quote in the beginning. And let it make some sense after reading the story.

Copyright © 2003 Ruth


~ Each Man's Life Part 1: A Hopeless Journey ~

**********

'Show me, O Lord, my life's end

and the number of my days;

let me know how fleeting is my life.

You have made my days a mere handbreadth

The span of my years is nothing before you

Each man's life is but a breath.'

Psalm 39:4-6

**********

Dear Diary,

Why am I writing this? I can't believe I'm writing in a diary - I'm such a girl! Better not let Jack know - he'll haul my ass off to McKenzie to have me studied. Still, I haven't seen the guy in years. Not since we first went to Abydos with Doctor Jackson, and ended up leaving him there.

Lucky man ended up with one of the chicks there - Shau'ri, I think her name was. All I remember is turning back to see him standing there, smiling. He's probably happier there than he ever would be on Earth.

In some ways I envy him. He's got a wife now, hell, he could even have kids. He loves what he's done with his life - and who wouldn't? But what have I done with mine?

My name is Charles Kawalsky, I'm a Major in the United States Air Force. I'm 30 years old (not really, but if you think I'm writing the real figure in here you've got another thing coming!) single and prone to getting drunk. Very often.

I've never been very good with the fairer sex. The more I try, the more I seem to drive them away. It's not just the lack of female company that gets me down, though. I'm a failure in almost every other respect.

C.K.

**********

As Kawalsky sat down in his chair, he looked around the room. It was sparsely furnished, with only a few essentials and photographs.

The first was of he, Jack O'Neill and a couple of the men he'd served with before the Abydos mission. Before the Stargate had been shut down, never to be used again. In a way he was sad about it - the Stargate was a beautiful, wonderful but yet so deadly creation, and it was like a drug.

The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to go through it again. To see what wonders laid beyond its silvery-grey ring, the smooth reflection of liquid across its surface.

He snorted a little as he realised that it was one of the only things he'd ever had a great love for. He'd only been through it once, but the memory was still fresh in his mind.

The adrenaline rushing through his body before he stepped through, the wonderful feeling of both excitement and nausea when he exited, and the strange feeling in between.

He found it hard to describe. Closing his eyes, he imagined that he'd stepped through it again.

Dark. Muscles stretching. Air, rushing past me. Hard to breathe. Cold.

He opened his eyes, knocked from his thoughts when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Charles, it's me."

He shuddered at the use of his full name. There was only one person that still called him Charles - and that was his mother.

"Hey, mom."

"Listen, love, I can't call for long, but we'd like to see you for dinner tomorrow."

"We? I thought dad was…"

"Me and your brother, Charles. We would like you to come - it's been so long since we've all been together."

"But what about dad? Are you inviting him?"

"Charles, please don't make this about your father! Dinner is at 7:30, so be here at 7:00!"

The phone was slammed down on the other end of the line, so a vicious beeping noise assaulted his eardrums. With a sigh, he replaced the receiver and looked back at the photographs around the room.

**********

Dear Diary,

Mom called me last night. She wants me to go back home for dinner - with her and Nathan. She's not inviting my dad though, strange as she's always going on about us doing more as a family.

My mom and dad split up five years ago, when I was…well…five years younger and my brother Nathan was twenty-one. Nice present for him. They'd been married for so many years, Nate and I never even realised that there was trouble between them.

Well, I never realised because I was hardly ever there. Much to their distress, I joined the armed forces when I was 18, so I spent very little time at home. Ever since I did that, my relationship with my parents grew very strained.

Don't get me wrong, Nathan is my brother and I love him, but he's the golden boy with my parents. He was the good boy - never said a bad word, glowing school reports, went off to university and became a doctor with honours. They both loved him. Then there was me, Charles Kawalsky. Bad school reports, except for PE and Maths, the only things that were of any interest to me. Often told off for picking fights with the other boys, left school at 16 and got a job. Then, when I was 18 I joined the armed forces.

I don't know why they pretended to be upset - I knew full well that they wanted shot of me, and I of them.

That's why I don't understand why my mom wants to see me. She's spent enough of my life avoiding and ignoring me, so why start being nice now?

I'll have to go, of course, or that'll be another mark against my name. I'll probably have to have a drink afterwards, though, to settle my head.

C.K.

**********

Kawalsky knocked on the door of his mom's house and waited for a few seconds.

"Charles, hello!" she smiled, and embraced him in a warm hug.

"Hey, mom," he replied, uncomfortably crushed against her.

"Come on through, darling, Nathan is already here."

He went through the door that his mother held open for him and saw his brother for the first time in years.

Nathaniel James Kawalsky had grown a lot taller, his black hair gelled back and his green eyes sparkling.

"Charlie, mate! So good to see you!" he smiled, standing up and embracing him in a huge bear hug that he really wasn't used to.

"Good to see you too, Nate. How's life been treating you?"

"Brilliant, now you come to mention it! Honestly, I've had such a wonderful time…"

Nathan then launched into a huge speech about how brilliant his life had been, all of the honours he'd received, how wonderful it was to be well-educated and the rest, whilst Charlie tried to stop his eyes from glazing over.

His mother sat there the whole time, smiling and laughing, gazing at her younger son lovingly. Charlie felt a pang of sadness - he couldn't remember the last time she'd looked at him like that.

Nathan finished his speech and laughed the same irritating laugh that he'd had for all of his life. It was then that Charlie heard another set of footsteps coming down the stairs.

Nathan's eyes lit up. "Charlie, mate, I want you to meet my fiancée - Elena."

Charlie looked up as a very attractive woman walked through the door. She had long brown hair that fell in luxurious curls to her shoulders, and deep brown eyes. She was as thin as a rake, yet her fingers were short and stubby, he couldn't help noticing. He smiled and went over to her.

"It's nice to meet you," he smiled, offering her his hand.

"Yes," she smiled back, ignoring his offer of a handshake, walking straight past him and into the arms of her husband.

He bit his lip, trying to channel his anger and hurt somewhere else, but failed miserably. He now remembered why he hated coming here.

He turned around to see Nathan and Elena in a fierce embrace, kissing each other very deeply. He quickly turned back round again, fighting his very strong urge to wolf-whistle and make a rude comment about swallowing her.

Luckily, his mom announced that dinner was ready, so he took his seat at the table as Nathan and Elena did the same.

"So, Charlie, mate - how's the air force treating you?"

"It's good," he replied, knowing that soon, one of them was going to make a comment about murdering people for a living. It always came up, every time, and he felt certain that it would come from Elena.

"I find it hard to believe that you could enjoy killing people for a living," she replied, twisting her stubby but highly manicured fingers around a wineglass and putting it to her lips.

"I don't kill people for a living."

"Of course not, Charlie, mate!" Nathan smiled, giving Elena a peck on the cheek and changing the subject. "Found any decent looking birds? There must be a bit of a shortage of 'em in the armed forces!"

He turned to Elena and laughed irritatingly, and she did the same.

Charlie smiled, with a large degree of difficulty, and just thought about the liquor he was going to treat himself to once this ordeal was over.

"Actually, there's a growing number of women joining the armed forces - they're a valuable asset."

"I bet they are, Charlie mate!" Nathan laughed, waggling his eyebrows.

Charlie sighed and took a drink out of his wineglass, accidentally slurping the liquid.

Elena looked at him, not bothering to mask her disgust.

"Sorry," he offered.

"Seriously, Charlie, mate - no women? Jeez, how long's it been? We're talking years, aren't we?"

Charlie forced a smile, but was now having even more trouble fighting the distaste and urge to smack his brother in the mouth.

"I've got my career to think about, Nate."

"Yes, of course - who do you plan on killing tomorrow?" Elena asked, her posh voice drifting over the table like music.

Nathan laughed again, and this time his mother joined in. Charlie was past breaking point - he'd had enough.

"I'm sorry," he said, "But I'm going to have to leave you fine folks to your dessert. Thanks, mom."

"No problem," she replied, smiling at Elena across the table and not even bothering to look at him.

"Bye, Nate - Elena."

He nodded his head towards the woman opposite him who merely glared at him, as if his presence was making her feel ill.

Fine, he thought, fuck you. Fuck all of you - I'm going to get drunk.

He closed the door behind him, and set off for the nearest bar.

**********

Dear Diary,

Just got in from the bar. It's now 2am. Remind me of this experience next time I consider going to my mom's again, slap me if I think about repeating the experience. Hell, shoot me!

No, don't shoot me, that was a bit of a drunken idea. As usual, my attempts to pull in the bar were thwarted and instead I ended up with a slap around the face and a bacardi thrown down my shirt.

I was trying to be nice to her, and look where it got me! That shirt was one of my favourites. I doubt I'll ever get the stain out.

My brother's fiancée, Elena - my goodness! I have never wanted to hurt somebody more in my life! She was so stuck-up, looking down her pointy nose at me, wouldn't even shake my hand! Still, she and Nate made a right pair, going on about how wonderful their lives are and telling me, as usual, how bad mine is.

Fucking bastards. One of these days I'll turn up there with a beautiful woman on my arm, maybe a kid hanging onto my leg, with a good, well-paid job and they'll want me back. They'll want to have the distinguished son that they once thought was a lost cause back in their nest.

I tell you, if I ever do get all of those things - home will be the last place I go. I'll get the fuck out of here, go somewhere quiet and peaceful. Somewhere I can relax, and look back over my life.

All I see at the moment are regrets and failures.

Going to bed with an aspirin now, and a fat headache. Boy, am I gonna regret tonight when I wake up tomorrow…

C.K.

**********

As he had predicted, Charles Kawalsky woke up with a bitch of a hangover. His cheek still stung from the slap he'd received the night before, and he could already feel the bile rising in his throat.

Pulling the sheets off of himself, he dashed to the bathroom and emptied the contents of his stomach into the toilet bowl. Once he'd finished retching, he leant back against the wall and closed his eyes.

Why did he keep on doing this? He knew full well that when he woke up he'd feel like hell, but he couldn't stop himself - there was nothing left for him to do except drink away his earnings.

Well, that was a bit of an exaggeration - he was no alcoholic, but he certainly drank too much too often.

He closed his eyes, and without meaning to he fell into a deep sleep on the bathroom rug.

When he opened his eyes again, he could feel a soft hand gently stroking his cheek. He looked up and saw a beautiful woman staring down at him. She smiled as he gazed at her, and gently lowered her head to kiss him. Her lips felt soft against his, and he pulled her closer to him, savouring the feel of her touch. She laughed, a light lifting laugh, the complete opposite to Elena's mocking one.

Who was she? Where had she come from? At this moment, Charlie didn't really care. He pulled her closer to him, running his fingers through her hair and smelling her delicate perfume. She laughed again, and stood up in front of him. She was wearing a long, white dress with thin straps at her shoulders, which stretched all the way from her shoulders to her ankles. He smiled and tried to sit up, but she pushed him down with her foot.

It hurt a lot more than such a tiny force should have done, and when he looked properly he was shocked to see that the woman before him had changed. She was now shorter, with stubby hands and feet - it was Elena. She laughed mockingly at him, and stuck the point of her stiletto further into his chest. He squirmed and tried to get away from her but she would not let him, laughing louder and louder as he struggled to get free…

Charlie woke up with a start, and promptly vomited again. This time, he was retching for what seemed like hours until his stomach finally stopped lurching and he was able to sit down, looking at the wall in despair. He still remembered the woman in the white dress from his dream, he longed to feel her touch once again…

**********

Dear diary,

Had the weirdest dream this morning. I'd just thrown up in the bathroom on waking up (sorry for the graphic detail) when I fell asleep again on the floor.

I dreamt that there was this woman there with me - she was quite tall, and she had blue eyes. She was wearing this long, white silk dress that hung from her shoulders all the way down to her ankles - she was beautiful, and her smile…god, what a wonderful smile.

She was kissing me, laughing and smiling. For a moment I actually believed that she was real, but then I felt pain in my chest. I looked up, and I found Elena staring down at me, sticking her pointy shoe into my chest.

I woke up bathed in sweat and promptly threw up again, but I can still see the woman in white so clearly, like she was real, rather than a drink-induced fever.

Must go and shower now.

C.K.

**********

Kawalsky stepped into the shower and let the harshly warm droplets cascade over his body, running down his back and chest. He kept his eyes closed, letting the heat wake him up. The water ran freely down his figure and pooled in the bottom of the shower, running out through a small plughole.

The sound of the water running away was therapeutic, and almost sent him back to sleep. Fortunately, he managed to wake himself up and finish washing.

He stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around himself. He felt better, but still not well enough to eat anything. He was just wondering whether to go out for a run when the phone rang.

With his feet still wet, he padded out to the living room to answer the phone.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Major Kawalsky?"

"Yes. Who am I speaking to?"

"This is General Hammond of the SGC."

"SGC?"

Kawalsky looked up to see the damp footprints on the carpet and bit back a curse.

"How soon can you be at the mountain?"

"How soon do you need me there, sir?"

"0900 hours, Major."

"I'll be there, sir - can I ask what this is about?"

"Not over the phone, Major," the voice replied, and the line went dead.

He shrugged and put the phone down, grunting in annoyance at the wet footmarks on the carpet. He padded back to the bathroom and dried himself off, pulling on his robe and going back into his bedroom.

Once there, he quickly dressed and looked at his watch. It read 0800 hours, which gave him plenty of time to get to work.

**********

On his arrival at the SGC, Kawalsky ran into Major Feretti, one of the men who'd gone with him and Jack to Abydos.

"Hey, Feretti!"

"Kawalsky! Never thought I'd be seeing you again!"

"Same here. You get some phonecall from a General Hammond?"

"Yeah. You too, huh?"

"Yeah. Don't suppose it's got anything to do with the Abydos mission, do ya?"

"I dunno, mate, but we'll have to keep our side of the bargain."

"No kidding. You actually heard from Jack recently?"

"Nah. Everything went quiet after he met Sara, if ya know what I mean!"

The two men laughed and proceeded inside the mountain, where they were met by an airman who guided them towards an office, that which used to belong to General West.

Now, the nameplate read: General Hammond. The two men looked at each other, and Feretti knocked.

"Come."

They entered the room to face a short man, who was completely bald.

"Sir."

The two men stood at attention.

"At ease, gentlemen. Please, have a seat."

They sat down, looking up at General Hammond and trying to gauge his mood. He wasn't going red in the face the way that General west used to, and his fists weren't clenched, but there was something about the man that was setting Kawalsky on edge.

"I've called you here to ask you about the Abydos mission."

"Sir, permission to speak freely?" Feretti asked.

"Granted, Major."

"We wrote a report, sir. Did you not read it?"

"I did, Major, but I happen to believe that it was wrong."

"Wrong, sir?"

"Yes. Major, is Daniel Jackson still alive?"

"No, sir. We told you - we…"

Feretti paused as there was another knock on the door.

"Come."

A man walked in that both of them recognised.

"Jack!"

"Hey, Feretti! Charlie!"

The men all shook hands and Jack sat down with them.

"Why are we here, sir?" he asked.

"Come with me," said Hammond, leading the three men down into the gateroom where something horribly familiar was being prepared - a nuclear bomb.

"Uh…General?" Jack O'Neill asked.

"Colonel O'Neill, I am sending this bomb through to Abydos."

"Why?"

"Early this morning, the Stargate was activated and one of our airmen was taken hostage. The three men that were with her were found dead. One of these weapons was left behind."

General Hammond handed O'Neill a staff weapon, belonging to a jaffa.

"We can't figure out how this works.."

Jack took the weapon and easily managed to activate it.

"Seen one before, have we Colonel?"

"Yes sir."

"I'm sending this bomb through to eliminate the threat."

"But - you can't sir."

"You're damned right I can! Unless there's something you want to tell me, gentlemen?"

There was a long pause. Jack, Feretti and Kawalsky looked at each other. Jack was the one to speak up.

"Daniel Jackson is alive, and living with the people of Abydos, sir."

Hammond's mouth set in a grim line.

**********

Dear diary,

Hammond's royally pissed. He's not sent the bomb through after all, but instead he's planning on sending us back through the gate to retrieve Daniel.

He said that we were to meet him in the briefing room to be assigned formally. As long as I'm working with Jack and Feretti, nothing can possibly go wrong.

He did look really annoyed though. He's a lot harder to predict than General West, who would just go red and start shouting. Hammond is completely different - he gets mad slowly, and doesn't show it.

I can't believe it - in a few hours I'll be going back through the Stargate.

C.K.

**********

Jack, Feretti and Kawalsky sat down together in the briefing room. They were talking amongst themselves until they heard General Hammond's footsteps approaching. They all stood up and saluted him.

"At ease, gentlemen. I'd like to discuss the formation of teams with you. The Pentagon has decided that we are to re-open the Stargate for recon missions, beginning with this one. I have assigned Sam Carter to work with you on this one, Colonel."

"With respect, sir, I'd prefer to chose my own team."

"Captain Carter is the world's foremost expert on the Stargate, Colonel."

"Fine. Where's he transferring from?" Jack asked.

"She is transferring from the Pentagon," came a voice from the doorway.

Feretti, Kawalsky and Jack all looked up to see a fairly tall, blonde-haired woman walking into the room, dressed in blue air-force uniform.

"Captain Samantha Carter reporting for duty, sir."

She stood stiffly at attention until General Hammond allowed her to sit.

Kawalsky could not resist having a bit of a jab at her.

"But of course you go by Sam."

Her eyes flickered over to him.

"Don't worry, Major, I played with dolls when I was a kid."

Her voice was hard, but there was a touch of playfulness in it. Feretti picked up where Kawalsky left off.

"G.I. Joe?" he asked, trying to keep himself from laughing.

"Major Matt Mason," she replied, shooting them both a hard look.

"Who?" Kawalsky asked.

"Hey, did you have that cool little backpack that made him fly?" Feretti asked.

Kawalsky couldn't help it - he had to smirk. He and Feretti looked at each other, and were attempted to do a high-five. Colonel O'Neill looked at the two of them with amusement, torn between laughing and telling them off.

The mission briefing continued, with Feretti and Charlie poking a little fun here and there. It all went downhill when Feretti told her what it felt like to actually go through the Stargate, and she answered by giving him a highly detailed description of why he felt like he'd just been through a blizzard naked.

"General, please!" said Jack in exasperation, "A scientist?"

"Theoretical astrophysicist," she replied sharply.

"Whatever," he said, "I…"

"Colonel, you and your men are just going to have to accept that I'm going through with you this time."

Jack stood up, and Kawalsky could almost feel one of his highly sarcastic comments coming.

"Oh, this has nothing to do with you being a woman. I like women - I just have a little problem with scientists."

**********

Dear diary,

You would not believe what has happened in the past few hours. We've been told that we're going through the gate again, and we've also met Captain Samantha Carter.

I tell you, she's something else.

She came across as very feminist, and I'm not sure I liked her to begin with, but then I saw a small sparkle in her eye as she challenged Jack to an arm-wrestle. (It's a long story.)

I think she'll be good for him. Even though she's a scientist, I saw a small glint in Jack's eye. I think he likes her really, he's just not about to show it. The man's too stubborn for his own good.

We leave for Abydos tomorrow at 0800 hours. I personally can't wait to see what Carter's like in the field. I know that Jack can't either.

C.K.

**********

The next morning, Jack, Charlie and Feretti were in the locker room, preparing for their mission to Abydos and discussing their new team- member.

"What'd ya think of Miss Carter, then?" Feretti asked, waggling his eyebrows.

"Scientist," Jack grunted, "Why a scientist?"

Feretti put on a high voice. "Theoretical astrophysicist, Jack!"

"Oh, pardon me for forgetting," he said, pulling on one of his boots and tightly doing up the laces.

"Charlie, you've been quiet on the subject - what do you think of her?"

Charlie shrugged. "She seems okay - about a million times smarter than the three of us put together, but… What?"

"Somebody fancies her!" Feretti grinned, and Jack snorted.

"I do not! Jeez, Jack - I've only known her for what - ten minutes?"

Jack smirked. "Early starter, are we Charles?"

"Fuck off!" Charlie replied, throwing a jacket at him.

"Still, now you've got one in your sights, don't let her go mate!" Feretti grinned. "We all know how long it's been since you last got laid."

Jack shook his head sympathetically. "Poor, poor man."

"And when was the last time you got laid, Mr smartarse?" he asked Jack.

"That's none of your business, Major Kawalsky."

"Oh, come on Jack! You can tell us!"

"Get a life, Feretti - you really want to know?"

"Yeah."

Kawalsky snorted. "You taking notes or something?"

"Fuck you!" Feretti laughed, throwing a shoe at him.

"Ladies, please!" Jack held up his hands in mock protest, "Stop fighting over me!"

Feretti and Charlie looked at each other for a moment, before simultaneously throwing their clothes at Jack.

***********

They went through the gate to Abydos without a single problem. Charlie did have to admit that he felt sorry for Captain Carter when she came out the other side looking a lot greener than before.

Jack made a snide joke and walked off with Feretti, the two men laughing and joking as they went over to meet Doctor Jackson.

Captain Carter, however, was fascinated by the DHD in front of her. Kawalsky watched as her eyes lit up, and she began exploring the device, touching it with her hands and muttering excitedly under her breath. He was about to go over to her when he heard Jack calling his name.

"Charlie! Come over here and be polite, for crying out loud!"

He smiled as he met Daniel Jackson again, and handed him a packet of tissues.

"Kawalsky," he smiled, his brown eyes shining as he patted him on the back.

The men then all turned back to Captain Carter, who was still speaking to herself and observing the DHD.

"Jack?" Daniel asked questioningly.

"Captain Carter!" Jack called, "Why don't you come over here and introduce yourself?"

She ran over and greeted Daniel with an enthusiastic smile. The two of them were soon involved in a deep discussion about something neither Jack, Feretti nor Kawalsky understood.

"Scientists," Jack murmured, shaking his head.

**********

Dear diary,

So much has happened in the past few hours, not all of it good. Actually, most of it bad.

We came through the gate to Abydos and met up with Daniel, Shau'ri and the Abydonians again, and they laid on this huge feast for us, making us feel very welcome. Daniel told us that he'd found something called a cartouche, so we all followed him to this huge… thing.

He and Captain Carter were talking very loudly and scientifically for a very long time, so the conversation went right over our (Me and Jack's) heads. They both appeared to be very happy and excited by the end of it, but Jack had to ask them for a translation.

Basically, the cartouche was a map. The Stargate can go to many different places, not just one as we'd previously thought. This is a huge breakthrough.

We returned to the main hall only to be greeted with tragedy. Whilst we'd been away, the Goa'uld had come through the gate and massacred most of the people, taking Shau'ri and Skaara with them as prisoners. Feretti had also been badly wounded in the ensuing fight.

Whilst Carter took care of Feretti, Jack and I tried to get information from several people who were still alive, and we also had to try and calm Daniel down. It didn't work. The man was beside himself, and who could blame him?

His perfect life, his dreams of the future, vanished.

Tomorrow we have another meeting scheduled with General Hammond. For now, I'm going to get off of the base for a drink. Just a small one, though.

C.K.

**********

Kawalsky went into the bar and ordered himself a double scotch. He took his drink over to what he liked to call 'his table' and sat down, looking out of the window and replaying the day's events in his head.

Feretti was in the infirmary, and Jack was with him. Kawalsky had tried to stay as well, but he'd been ordered to leave by the doctor - miserable bastard.

As he sat down, he realised that the one person he hadn't said goodnight to was Captain Carter. Once she'd helped Feretti to the infirmary she had disappeared, and none of them knew where to.

He swallowed the fiery liquid and smiled at a group of women who were obviously eyeing him up. They giggled and turned away, leaving him with a small smirk on his face.

Maybe I will get lucky, Jack, he thought.

One of the women came over to him and sat down. She had straight, red hair that fell to her shoulders and bright green eyes.

"Hey," she smiled, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

"Hi. What's your name?" he asked.

"Kate. You?"

"Charlie," he smiled, taking another sip of his drink.

"That's a nice name. What do you do?"

"Excuse me?"

"For a living. What do you do for a living?"

"I..I'm with the Air Force."

Kate was obviously impressed. "Wow. I'd love to work for the Air Force."

Charlie smiled, and wondered whether this woman was right in the head.

"Can I get you another drink?" he asked.

"Thanks," she said, flashing him a brilliant smile and grinning back at her friends.

**********

Dear diary,

Well, I got laid. That's something to tell Jack and Feretti I suppose, to shut them up, but I don't know why I bothered. The chick won't even take one look at me again, I don't suppose.

Must go to sleep now - supposed to be getting up early for work tomorrow morning. This was a very bad idea.

C.K.

**********

When Charlie woke up he could see that he had company again. The woman in the white silk dress was sitting by the open window, watching him. He tried to sit up to look at her but found himself unable to move. The gentle breeze ruffled her hair and the dress moved a little way up her leg.

She smiled at him, and crossed to his side, her lips touching his again in a wonderful kiss. He slid his arms around her back, pulling her closer to him.

One minute she was there, the next…she was gone.

He opened his eyes to find himself alone in bed, clutching hold of a throw. With a grunt of annoyance he tossed the material onto the floor and went back to sleep again.

**********

The next morning, Charlie was physically and mentally regretting his binge. He felt like complete crap when he woke up in the morning, and it was only his need to go back to work that drove him to get up. He was still thinking about the woman from his dream, and was torn between telling someone about it and just trying to forget her.

When he arrived at the SGC he met Captain Carter on her way down to the briefing room.

"Hey," he said, getting into the elevator.

"Hi," she said, looking at him. "You look like you had a rough night."

"Yeah," he grunted, "Won't do that again."

He waited for his head to clear a little more before asking her another question.

"So…where'd you go last night?"

"Er…my lab."

"Your lab? You didn't want to get off of the base?"

"No. I enjoy my work, and especially when it gets late. It's quiet, there's no people around." She smiled awkwardly. "You must think I'm weird now, right?"

"No," he said, "I've met stranger people than you."

"Thanks," she snorted, smiling at him jokingly, "I'll take that as a compliment."

The elevator doors opened to reveal Jack O'Neill standing there, a huge grin on his face.

"Colonel," Captain Carter greeted him as she walked out of the elevator and quickly turned a corner, out of sight.

Jack smirked. "Early starter indeed, Charlie."

"Shut up, Jack. I met her on the way down - in the elevator."

"Sure ya did, Charlie."

"How's Feretti?" Charlie asked, desperately changing the subject.

"He's not regained consciousness yet, but the doctor says he's stable. So…you got some last night?"

Charlie waited until a young lieutenant had passed them before he continued, "Yeah, I did, but not with who you're thinking."

"Well who then?" Jack asked.

Kawalsky raised his eyebrows. "Jack, it seems highly inappropriate for us to be talking about this whilst Feretti is lying unconscious in the infirmary."

"Give over, Charlie. You know he'd do the same - besides, the doctor said he's gonna be fine. So - who?"

"Some woman called Kate," he replied.

"Ah. One-nighter?"

"Yep."

"At least ya got some, mate," Jack slapped him on the back and the two of them walked towards the briefing room.

**********

Dear diary,

Just have time to write this before we go back through the gate. I've been given command of my own team! That'd shut Elena and Nate up - commanding officer! Wow! My team's called SG-2, Jack's in charge of SG-1. Carter's his second-in-command, the lucky man. She's a brilliant woman, though she has a habit of talking too much about too scientific things…most of the time Jack's eyes just glaze over.

Must remember to ring mom when I get back home, tell her of my promotion. Must also remember to refuse dinner invite.

C.K.

**********

(Many hours later, SG-1 and SG-2 are running back to the Stargate (with Teal'c) to escape. Kawalsky and his men are fighting some of the more stubborn jaffa. One of them falls to the ground near Kawalsky, and unbeknown to anyone, the symbiote slips out of the jaffa and flies at Kawalsky, inhabiting his body. Unfortunately, no one seems to notice…)

**********

Oh my God.

Oh my dear God, what was that?

Darkness. Pain. Warmth. Agony.

I felt a sharp pain in my neck, a tingling sensation down my spine.

What happened to me?

+ Silence, Tau'ri! We shall proceed back through the Stargate +

Oh, sweet Jesus.

There's one of them in me.

**********



End Notes: Continued in 'Each Man's Life Part 2: The End or the Beginning

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