What's 5000 Years Between Friends.

by Riantiata

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/asr/riantiata/friends.php
Summary: Where do we go from here - Um, where's here?

"That O'Neill said we don't exist."

His shoal-brother flipped a fin.

"He didn't!"

"Yup. I heard him tell Carter. They were arguing because she saw me take a fly."

"Thought you said we had to keep a low profile?"

"Momentary lapse. I was tempted. You must admit the flies in this Minnesota place are an improvement on dung beetles."

"Oh, yes. And the water temperature's pleasant."

"Mmm. There's even cool shade. We were lucky."

"Yes. But he needn't sit there dangling bait, I'm not giving up my life for his supper. He can't eat non-existent fish."

+++++

Jack turned to his 2IC "So, Carter. Ready to concede yet?"

"Sir. I know what I saw." She geared herself up for the argument.

"No. No. Repeat after me. There are no fish in the lake, there have never been fish in the lake, there will never be fish in the lake. You saw sunlight on the water. Movement of the wind. Reflection of the trees. Happens all the time."

"Sir, that's ridiculous. I'm a scientist. I don't go in for..." she waved a hand vaguely "...fantasies. I leave that to Daniel."

"Snippy, snippy."

"I didn't intend it to be. Just that he is more prone to see imaginative things."

And see more and further than you ever will, he thought but didn't say.

"Anyway," she went on "it wasn't just that sighting. I've had a nibble or two."

Now there's a thought, thought Jack. Why don't I go and nibble Daniel's neck?

He rose from his fishing chair and stretched. Daniel was lying on the grass under the trees. Reading! What else would he be doing?

Carter turned, from watching the water, to Teal'c who had settled his deckchair beside hers.

Jack wandered over and sat beside his oblivious friend; then leaned over and nibbled Daniel's neck.

"Jack" Daniel's head came up, nearly smacking Jack's nose. "You can't do that." He whispered urgently, glancing worriedly at Sam and Teal'c.

"I can. I just did. Want to do more."

"You can't want to, you're in the wrong trade."

"Tough! I know what I want and, after losing you for 5000 years, I'm having it."

"You didn't remember 5000 years."

"Maybe not. But I knew it intellectually. Why do you think I kissed you when we got to the ship, back in Egypt? All those timelines and I never got to show or tell you."

Daniel sighed and took off his glasses "So now you're going to tell. Great career move."

"Don't care."

"Look, Jack. We don't know which universe we are in. Sam's right. There are fish in your pond. That means..."

"It means squat."

"You're wrong. It means we changed it somehow. We could be in one of those universes where you were with Sam. You looked right together."

"And they died. You know why? Because they didn't have a Daniel Jackson. Now - I've got him, so there's no contest."

"I think you ought to consider that you should be with Sam."

"Done that. Nothing there. Never gonna happen."

"Jack. You haven't tried, you haven't dated or..."

"Why are you pushing this?" Jack stared at his friend trying to read the thoughts behind the words.

"I would be..." devastated, Daniel thought, but couldn't say, "...um, if this turned out wrong."

"It won't. Oh for cryin' out loud..."

Jack stomped back to Carter who was talking quietly to Teal'c.

"Carter. You're a scientist. You up for a little experiment?"

She looked up startled "What kind of..."

Jack pulled her from her chair into his arms, and kissed her long and deep, unaware that Teal'c had sprung up menacingly.

Carter looked dazed when Jack released her.

"Wow, sir. You're good at that."

Jack smirked "So I've been told."

"But..."

"No need Carter. I just had to show our disbelieving colleague there, that we're just good friends."

They glanced over to see Daniel standing with his mouth open.

"Thank you, Carter. Carry on fishing."

As Carter turned to look in Teal'c's angry face, Jack moved back to Daniel.

"There you are, Daniel. Tried it, don't want it - want this." He pulled the startled man into a kiss.

+++++

"Dad, Dad. There's a worm over there."

His favorite fingerling came leaping through the water towards him, heading for Carter's tempting bait.

"No, son." He caught his eager son by the tail and finned back out of danger. "That's not a real worm."

"Yes, it is. I can see it wriggling."

"That's because it's trying to get free."

"Free?"

"Yes. It isn't a free worm. It's got a big hook inside to catch you when you try to eat it."

"Oh."

"Have a fly instead."

+++++

Teal'c looked over at the two men, faintly puzzled, then said, "Samantha. Is it true that a Captain can marry people?"

"Yes, I believe so."

"And O'Neill is our Colonel which is higher than a Captain. I shall ask him to marry us."

"Wow. I thought you'd never ask." She didn't think he'd got it right but wasn't going to argue.

"You did not know I would?"

"No. I thought you'd most likely throw me over your shoulder and carry me off to the cabin."

"That would be my inclination."

She glanced at her entwined team-mates. "Let's do it. I don't think they're gonna notice."

"Indeed."

The sound of giggling filled the quiet air. Jack knew it couldn't be Carter. She was a scientist, she didn't do giggles. Then his other scientist giggled as he looked over Jack's shoulder.

"What?" Jack turned to take in the sight of a Carter being carried away by a determined Jaffa. "Well, whaddya know. Go for it, T. There you are, Danny. Told ya."

"Told me what?"

"That she wasn't for me. Will you now accept that all those timelines and alternative universes come down to this?"

"Out of all those timelines which Jack O'Neill are you?"

"Yours. And I know this is our universe, despite Carter suddenly getting a life, because we are right where we should be. I'm me, you're you and we're together."

"But the fish..." Daniel began, then found his mouth otherwise engaged.

+++++

"Dad. That worm is still wriggling."

"Yes. I think they've given up, looks like they've got better things to do. Should be safe now, just bite the end off, son. Don't swallow the lot."

The fingerling bit the end off and hurried back to his father who stroked him with his fins."

"I like this place, Dad. Better than that old waterhole. I hated those camels, they widdled in the water."

"They do that. It shows their contempt."

"Well, it tasted funny, I like this water better. How did we get here?"

"Well. Once upon a time there was a big, round object called a Stargate..."