Colonel O’Neill surreptitiously watched his Jaffa friend as he drove his truck down the mountain and toward Colorado Springs, the winding road not allowing him to do more than glance at the quiet man occasionally while Daniel quietly rested in the back seat. Teal’c was staring in fascination at the city lights below them, and Jack remembered the spontaneous and unexpected compliment that had left his lips the other day when he had seen them for the first time.
“It is truly a beautiful sight, your city at night,” Teal’c had said, and the Colonel had gazed at the view and tried to see what his usually quiet teammate was seeing. And he had realized that he was right. It really was a lovely vista, and today it was no different.
Thinking of beautiful, glimmering things, he remembered Sam’s bare skin glowing in the light of the candles, the soft curves of her body tempting and alluring, enticing him to sin, but he promptly caught himself and mentally slapped himself silly. Instead, he chose to remember Daniel’s response to Teal’c about the beauty of their shining small city.
“There’s so much you still have to see, Teal’c. But we’ll show it all to you eventually. There’s a lot you can look forward to.”
And, indeed, Jack intended to take his new friend to his cabin and share with him the beauty of his planet. He wanted to offer Teal’c something in return for all he had lost, even if he knew it would never be enough. There were things you just couldn’t have, no matter how much you wanted them. And Teal’c’s actions now prevented him from returning home and having again what he had abandoned. As honorable as his reasons were, this probably offered little comfort during lonely nights in his quarters.
Jack then found that his mind had relentlessly returned to his Captain, again reminded of something he craved but couldn’t have. Earlier today, during his brief conversation with her, he had unexpectedly realized that she had managed to do more than inflame his dormant desire. Her grateful smile and the sincere appreciation in her blue eyes when he had assured her that she had nothing to feel guilty about, and her hesitant but pleased affirmative response when he had invited her to join them that evening, had managed to give him a long forgotten feeling of elation.
Jack now knew that his young Captain had managed to awaken in him feelings that he thought would be forever dead. Knowing that she was forbidden to him both depressed him and reassured him. He craved her presence and her admiration, but he would never be good enough for her.
Well, he could at least enjoy her company during bonding times with their team, when he could slightly lower his guard and not treat her like a soldier, when she could hopefully lower hers and see him as a friend and not just her commander. It was better this way. It was safer.
~*~
Teal’c silently pondered on how much his life had changed recently. Despite everything he had lost, he realized that he had gained a great deal in return. For the loss of his home, he had gained a new, wondrous planet to explore. For the loss of his people, he had gained new, formidable friends. For the loss of privilege, he had gained peace of mind. And for the loss of status, he had reclaimed his honor.
He had just started to know these people, his new team, the Tau’ri, but he already admired every single one of them.
In a short time, Jack O’Neill had earned his loyalty, and Teal’c respected the military man as much as he had learned to respect his old mentor, Bra’tac. He had been duly amazed by Captain Carter’s quick mind and impressed by her physical endurance. She was a strong member of the team despite being very much female.
But most of all, he had been humbled by Daniel Jackson’s noble heart. The young man had not only forgiven Teal’c for his role in Sha’re’s fate, but had generously extended his hand in friendship. Teal’c knew, without a doubt, that he could count on Dr. Jackson’s assistance in adapting to his new surroundings, his new people.
The Jaffa then decided his archeologist friend was absolutely right. Despite the very real dangers the three of them would surely face, he and his team had much to look forward to.
The End
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