"Time And Purpose" by Debbie Gingera

TITLE: Time And Purpose

AUTHOR: Debbie Gingera

CATEGORY: Missing Scene: Window Of Opportunity

SPOILERS: Window Of Opportunity, Stargate: The Movie, The Serpent's Lair, Secrets, Forever In A Day, Divide And Conquer, Bloodlines, The Tok'ra

SEASON/SEQUEL: Season 4

RATING: G

CONTENT WARNINGS: None

SUMMARY: Jack's thoughts during the "pottery scene".

STATUS: Complete

DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. Not to be archived without permission of the author. Use of the song Turn, Turn, Turn by The Byrds used without permission, no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended.

ARCHIVE: Heliopolis, SJA

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Special thanks to Tanya - a great beta and president of the Stargate "Dine and Drool" club<g>. Also to the word of the month group - thanks for the inspiration! Constructive feedback/comments are always appreciated.

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"Teal'c, I'm taking this loop off.."

Well I've actually taken more than one loop off. It's just got to the point that I can't stand going through the same events over and over. It's enough to cause someone to lose it. Go crazy. Nuts. Insane. Bonzo. No longer in possession of ones faculties. Three fries short of a happy meal. Wacko!

So if I want to do something, I can do it. Like Daniel said, there are *no consequences*. If things don't work out, well it's no big deal. In a matter of hours, no one will remember anyway, except for Teal'c; and me of course.

So I'm going to do something that I've always wanted to do, but have never had the courage to try before.pottery.

Now several loops later, after trying to create a pot that looks like an actual pot and not a mangled ashtray - I think I've finally got the hang of it. It was just a matter of relaxing. I found a radio and tuned in the oldies station and now I'm *grooving*. The same songs play exactly the same way on each loop, and the one I want to hear is going to start now.

Okay now.

There it is. I was so close.

Every time that I hear it, I think that this song pretty much sums up each member of SG1 and a lot the missions that we've been on.

\\To every thing, turn, turn, turn, There is a season, turn, turn, turn, And a time to every purpose under heaven//

\\A time to be born, a time to die A time to plant, a time to reap//

These are definitely Daniel's times. He helped Sha're while she gave birth to a baby that wasn't his. He vowed to find and care for the child while Ammounet was trying to kill him. And as for dying, I'd have to say that he pretty much has that market cornered. Thankfully, our space monkey never stays dead. I think there is simply no way that a person with that much courage and heart could ever die.

\\A time to kill, a time to heal A time to laugh, a time to weep//

These lines seem to be Sam's times. After she had to kill Martouf, I wasn't sure if she was ever going to be okay. The pain and guilt over having to shoot someone that I think she cared about, well, that Jolinar cared about, almost devastated her. After it happened, I realized that it's Sam's laughter and smiles that I missed the most. She has a way of making me feel that there might be hope for even my darkened soul, and I know she's the only one that can heal me.

\\A time to build up, a time to break down A time to dance, a time to mourn A time to cast away stones A time to gather stones together//

These are Teal'c's times. Here is a man who gave up everything. He realized that in order to gain freedom for himself and his family, he would have to lose those things that were most precious to him - that same family. He's made sacrifices so that someday his people would be able to rebuild their world, free from Goa'uld control. He has so much strength in body, mind, and in his resolve to make this happen. I know that he *will* make it happen. *We* will make it happen together.

\\A time of love, a time of hate A time of war, a time of peace A time you may embrace A time to refrain from embracing//

I guess these would be my times. I've known the love of a wife and child - and the heart wrenching pain of having that love destroyed. War and hate; well I know way more about this than I ever wanted to. As SG1, we're 'peaceful travellers', but on some of the worlds we've been to, I understood and could justify the 'war' more than the 'peace'. 'A time to embrace, a time to refrain from embracing' this is Sam's and my relationship in a nutshell. What we want and what we can have - well at this moment, these seem to be concepts that are so far apart that even the distances that we travel through the Stargate seem small in comparison. Of course, a few years ago we never thought that we could go the places that we do through the 'gate. So, I guess there is always hope.

\\A time to gain, a time to lose A time to rend, a time to sew A time to love, a time to hate A time for peace, I swear it's not too late//

These words represent my team - SG1. I've heard the saying 'there's no *I* in Team', but I don't think that there's a 'brilliant' scientist, a 'crazy' archaeologist, an 'alien' and a 'psychologically unstable' commanding officer in it either. We've gained so much in our time together as a *team* - and our losses have been almost more then we could bear. We've been through the good, the bad, and the snaky. We've torn ourselves apart with cruelty and hurt, and then we've clung to each other in compassion and caring. We've hated each other, but we also seem to have a boundless capacity to love and forgive each other.

I know it will never be too late for us to find peace, both within ourselves and out there in the galaxy. It's just a matter of time.

And I'm pretty sure that time is on our side, because I've been told that *our* journey has just begun.

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Just remember...if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off. I just go lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.