Events on the Horizon: A Stargate Sequel

Chapter 27

Eleanor

The rest of our trip had gone by in a haze. I watched as people walked along the streets of towns that I never thought I'd see in person. We sat at cafes while Daniel and I sipped on coffees, looking out frosted windows toward the souls that would be consumed by the same void I ran from. In the Staatliche Museum, the last leg of our trip in Munich, I stared at a carved mural dating back to the Mesopotamian era and thought about how it would all be gone. Centuries of history, lineage, and humanity prevailing through this all was going to collapse in on itself and according to Rodney McKay, who was always right with these things, I was the catalyst. I saved Daniel, he saved the world, I followed him and doomed us all. I gazed at this mural that withstood the years as Daniel tried to keep my mind busy with explaining what was written across it, the stories that it held, and I silently wept. For the children that would never be born, for the families in the markets getting gifts to celebrate the upcoming holidays, for the wars that were fought and the bloodshed that had brought nothing but spoils in the pockets of rich men, for the stories and songs and laughter in timelines that ended. I silently stood there weeping and Daniel wrapped me in his arms as I looked on.

Every shower I took I laid in the bath and felt the pelting of stones against me and my sins. Even the morning before our first day back in the office Daniel held me as I sobbed, feeling as if I was a shell of the woman he had a week before.

"What have I done? I have damned you." I shakily whispered back.

"You are not to blame, and we will find a way around this, both of us." He cooed in my ear until I had been rung of all emotion. I took in a breath, collected myself, and reapplied a clean mask of makeup that would falsely present some semblance of confidence. I watched as Daniel slipped his blue coverall work jacket on and realized then the armor it truly was. He was my Daniel, but when he had that uniform on he was Dr. Jackson. If he could do it, so could I. Instead of coveralls though I belted my plaid wool circle skirt and buttoned up the hand knit charcoal cardigan I had bought on our trip in Prague.

We walked hand in hand down the halls of Stargate Command, nothing unusual or different even than any other day. He gave me a tight squeeze and a soft understanding look with a silent affirmation of love between us. My door was unlocked and as I turned the light on I noticed a small white box on my desk. A hand written card was tucked underneath and I opened the box revealing a plain white cake inside. A shaky smile escaped me as I went back to the card and saw a short note.

Every wedding needs cake,
Jack

"I can't believe he went out of his way to get a wedding cake made." I smiled and looked over at Daniel who kissed the top of my head as a laugh echoed through him.

"It's from the commissary."

As the day progressed and I finished my request forms, emails, and catch ups I felt myself rooting back into daily life once more, not forgetting about the problems I faced but knowing we would work around them. Janet stopped by my office to congratulate me, and I handed over a book I had read on the flight I knew she'd love. By the end of the day I felt a semblance of normalcy, or at least could fake it.

Daniel

"She got the cake?" Jack gave me a pointed look and I nodded back. "She likes cake. She's a cake person." He looked over at Sam who tried to hide a laugh. "I'm a cake person."

"Who doesn't like cake sir." Sam took a drink from her coffee and I leaned against the workshop table in her lab.

"Was your trip successful Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c's surprisingly gentle look cushioned some of my pent up resentment back.