"End of an Era" By TheOneKEA

itle: "End of an Era" by TheOneKEA <theonekea_AT_yahoo_DOT_com>

Summary: What SG-1 did at the very end of Full Circle.

Rating: PG

Spoilers: Jonas is in this fanfic. Expanded ending for 622 Full Circle. References to 615 Paradise Lost and 616 Metamorphosis.

Status: Complete

Pairings: Sam/Jack

Archive: samandjack.net, jackfic.com. Anybody else - ask

Notes: 622 Full Circle ended too soon. Here's what I think happened.

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The four members of SG-1 walked back towards the Abydos Stargate, still not quite sure what the hell was going on, despite what they had seen. It had been a rough day, and it had ended on a bitterswet note, knowing that Daniel may have finally gone too far. What had happened to Skaara was even more difficult to comprehend. The fact that Oma Desala had ascended ALL of the Abydonians was something that none of them were still able to quite fully comprehend. Jack O'Neill sighed as they trudged across the sandy clearing towards the Stargate. Sam Carter, walking closely beside him, asked, "What is it, sir?" Jack replied, "I'm just trying to figure out what the hell happened here." Teal'c spoke up. "Oma Desala has done something to Daniel Jackson, and has ascended the entire population f Abydos to save them from Anubis." Jack rolled his eyes. "Duh, Teal'c. I'm just trying to figure out _why_." Jonas, the newest member of SG-1 and Daniel's replacement after his ascension, commented, "Maybe she wanted to keep Daniel's promise, even if he was doing something wrong." "Or maybe she intended to do it all along in case Anubis didn't do what Daniel wanted," Sam replied. Anubis. Jack shook his head. That damned Goa'uld was really starting to irritate him. And Danny's revelation that Anubis was partially ascended.......nah. That was WAY too much for him to handle. As they climbed the hill toward the spot where the Stargate had materialized, Jonas suddenly said, "Look!" Teal'c looked and raised an eyebrow. Sam gasped, and Jack said, "Woah." The pyramid was gone. In fact, the entire area for miles was devoid of anything but sand. Jack looked behind him and saw nothing in that direction except the shallow depression where the Abydonian village used to be. Jack said, "I guess that thing they did to hide themselves hid everything else too." Sam frowned. "Well, if what Skarra said about Anubis destroying everything was true, then for all intents and purposes, he did. I guess Oma just protected a few things from destruction, like the pyramid and the village." Jack shrugged. "Ah, well." They reached the Stargate, now standing alone atop a ridge outlining the village site. Jack looked at the Stargate and the DHD. "Sam, Jonas, check the Gate and the DHD out. Make sure we can leave." As Sam and Jonas moved to comply, Jack motioned to Teal'c. "If what Skaara said about the Stargate was true, I don't want to leave anything behind. See if there's anything of ours nearby. Jonas, when you finish, go with him." As Jonas, obviously finished, moved to comply, Sam walked up to him and said, "The Gate and the DHD appear to be perfectly normal, sir." Jack frowned. "What about what Skaara said?" Sam frowned also. "Well, from the way he spoke, sir, I would say that once we've left the planet and the Stargate shuts down, it too will be hidden or removed like everything else. It's possible that the Gate will even be blocked like before." "Meaning we'll never be able to gate to this planet ever again." "Unless Oma or someone else allows us to," Sam finished. Sam looked around for a moment. Seeing Jonas and Teal'c a fair distance off, she moved closer and said, "Jack, um...." He faltered, then said, "I'm sorry for embarassing you like that back in the pyramid, with Skaara. What I did was pretty mean." Jack blinked, then shrugged. "It's all right, Sam. It's just, that, well......" Sam nodded. "I understand, Jack." Jack looked at her with a sudden intensity. "Do you, Sam? Do you really? Teal'c told me about what you did when I was lost with Maybourne. And I remember the look on your face after Evanov died on Nurrti's planet." Sam tried to ignore him, but Jack barreled on. "Honestly, when Skaara invited us to come *together*, I really didn't know what to think. Just that...... I would have gone. With you." Sam looked at him. Jack said, "Remember what I said two years ago?" Sam nodded, suddenly feeling very emotional. Jack continued. "Well, when I was horsing around with the Eye and the C-4, and I told Her'ak that I was willing to blow everything up, I didn't care. Because you were here with me." Sam felt a tear slide down her cheek. Why was he doing this? WHY? "Jack," she began, blinking back another tear. She said calmly, "Why are you telling me this?" Jack looked straight at her. He said, "Because one day Sam, the Goa'uld won't be a threat anymore. And I'll be able to pursue something I've wanted to pursue for a long time." Sam felt like she was going to have a nervous breakdown. She gulped and said, "Are you saying --" Jack shushed her with a touch to her lips. "Don't say it. Don't say anything. When the time is right, then we can say it. Until then, just remember that I mean it. And I know you mean it as well." Sam nodded. Jack pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her, savoring their close contact. He knew that the time was not right and that many things still needed to be done. He knew that Sam knew it, and she knew that he knew. She looked up at him and said, "Jack, I do mean it. I know what you're trying to say. I know how we both feel about this." She touched the side of his face and said, "I'll remember this moment. I'll remember it even if you don't get your chance." Jack smiled and began to lean down. Sam, understanding what he was about to do, and not caring if Jonas or Teal'c saw them like this, leaned upward. Their lips met in a soft confirmation of their words. They kissed for what seemed like hours, until they pulled away and looked straight at each other. Jack said, "I really hope I get my chance." Sam nodded. "So do I." Suddenly they heard Jonas' muffled voice, deep in conversation with Teal'c. They parted, Sam moving to the DHD, Jack looking in the direction of the voices. He saw Jonas and Teal'c walk over the rise, discussing something." "-- I wonder what sort of reprimand Dr. Jackson will suffer for his actions." "I am not certain, Jonas Quinn," Teal'c said. "I believe the punishment may be severe, based on his words to us earlier." Jack called out, "Find anything?" "We found nothing belonging to us," Teal'c said. "No weaponry we brought through the Stargate on our earlier trip appears to be here anymore." Jonas continued. "Just on appearances, this planet looks like nothing more than a pile of sand." Jack shrugged. "Well, I guess that's that. Take a look around, Jonas. Last time we'll see the first world Danny and I ever gated to." Jonas shrugged. "I looked. Nothing to see. Not even any trees." Jack laughed. "Right, Jonas." He turned to Sam, in full "normal" mode. "Dial us home, Carter." Sam compiled, the familiar sounds of the Stargate powering up washing over them. She hit the dial pad and activated the wormhole, typing in the IDC when it stabilized. She checked the indicator on the GDO, waiting for a confirm signal. When it blinked green, she said, "The iris is open, Colonel." Jack said, "All right, kids, move out." Jonas walked through the Gate, Teal'c following behind. Sam looked at Jack for a moment, then walked through as well. Jack took a second to look around one more time at the very first world he'd ever seen. This planet had played a major role in bringing him back from the depths. Without this planet, he'd've never met Sam, joined the SGC, done all the wild and wacky things he'd done. He sighed, remembering what had happened to Skaara and the Abydonians, wishing it hadn't. "Too bad about what happened to y'all," he muttered. Jack turned and walked toward the event horizon. Just before passing through it, however, he thought he saw Skaara standing next to the DHD, smiling. As the Stargate shut down, Skaara stared at the device for a moment, then said, "Good luck, O'Neill. May you get your opportunity to profess your love for Samantha." He motioned with his hand, and there was nothing but sand. Abydos was empty.

THE END