Fanfiction: A Tale of Two Jacks - Part I

[rachel500]

Fandom: Stargate SG1
Series: Aftershocks
TAG to Episode: S7 Fragile Balance
Rating: PG-13
Author's Note: Jack/Team friendship. Clone!Jack/Team friendship.  Sam/Jack UST.  Warning for violence.  Please note that someone has suggested a warning which I view as a story spoiler and not entirely accurate given the ending - so please do read on to Part II.
Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. Written for entertainment purposes only.

A Tale of Two Jacks

 

Clones freaked Jack O'Neill the hell out. Or to be more specific about it: his clones freaked him the hell out.

He shuddered despite the heat blasting from the vents in his truck.

His brown eyes darted to the side mirror, just in time to see his latest clone disappear into the high school talking with a young girl. And there was so much wrong with that whole thought that Jack didn't even know where to begin, although ick seemed to be a good place.

He flashed back to the glance Clone Boy had given the young girls when Jack had dropped him off and his own bemused joke to go forth which had in part been to cover his initial reaction which had also been mainly...ick.

OK, so Clone Boy was physically fifteen years old but he was Jack. An adult male with fifty-one years of memory including both professional and personal stuff Jack preferred not to think about. Like his time in Special Forces or his failed marriage and the death of his son. And then there was the so-not-thinking-about-it love he had for his team-mate Samantha Carter which seemed to only deepen with time no matter how much Jack tried to deny it.

Jack sighed and brought the truck to a halt at a red light.

He swiped a hand through his grey hair ruffling the strands into disarray. He could not imagine walking into a high school and chatting up the nearest fifteen year old even if he had been de-aged. He couldn't imagine thinking about a fifteen year old girl in any kind of romantic or sexual way at all. Which was good. Normal. He was suddenly very glad Clone Boy had chosen the school on the opposite side of town from Cassie even if she was a couple of years older.

Jack pulled away from the light and took the turning to put him back on the right road to the SGC.

Nope; even if Clone Boy had decided to embrace being fifteen again, Jack couldn't imagine being interested in high school girls although, if he was honest, high school girls only registered slightly more of an ick than high school itself.

He remembered high school.

Clone Boy was right; they - he - hadn't exactly embraced it. Mostly, he'd been more concerned with hockey and getting past first base with Annabeth Kaplinsky in the back of his car than grades. Luckily, the coach had demanded his players all keep a decent average but Jack had been smart enough to slide by without much work. He hadn't been at the top of his class but who wanted to be a geek?

His conscience twinged and he mentally told the voice in his head - which sounded remarkably like Daniel Jackson - to shut up.

Nope; high school was definitely not on his list of experiences to repeat. Life wasn't on his list of experiences to repeat.

'Haven't you ever just wanted to go back and do it all over again?'

Jack frowned as he recalled the question Clone Boy had asked him. And why ask him? Shouldn't Clone Boy have already known the answer? He sighed.

'Well, from here on in, you and me are different.'

Jack couldn't agree more. Different. A clean break.

Clone Boy could embrace high school, study hard and make himself the high school stud for all Jack cared; Jack would continue being...Jack.

Only he couldn't shake the idea that he was being played. Because if he had been the clone, he'd talk some bullshit about heading down a different path, throw in a convincing setting, and all to lull the original into a false sense of security while he planned an escape to do his own thing. Of course, it could just be that Clone Boy had decided to torment Jack with the idea that he was playing him. Or maybe he was counting on that so Jack would dismiss the whole being played thing and two weeks down the line - or maybe a week because he couldn't see how he would stand high school for longer than that - Jack would suddenly find his stash of emergency stuff gone.

After all, hadn't Robot Clone not buried the Stargate on that godforsaken rock Harlan called home just because he knew Jack wouldn't send the bomb thinking that Robot Clone would bury the gate thinking Jack would send a bomb.

Jack frowned, unsure whether he'd got the logic straight and shook his head. He smacked a hand off the steering wheel. 'And this is the reason I hate clones!' He stated out loud.

Damn it.

He was so being played.

Why had he agreed to saving Clone Boy anyway? His mind shied away from the whisper that he had thought for a moment when he'd first laid eyes on his clone that it was his son standing in front of him, somehow alive and grown to the age he would have been had he lived before the differences in hair colour and facial features had registered.

He hadn't woken up properly, Jack thought sourly. That had to be it. He had been asleep for seven days and he hadn't been thinking straight. He hadn't even taken a leak, for crying out loud! That had to be the reason why, after all the trouble he'd had with Robot Clone, he'd agreed to Clone Boy being kept around to bug the hell out of him. He would definitely not have agreed to fixing Robot Clone but then Robot Clone had been a robot. Clone Boy was human even if he'd been made on an Asgard ship. Maybe that had been the reason.

Jack grimaced. He had never gotten along with Robot Clone and it looked like his non-relationship with Clone Boy was going the same way. He refused to contemplate why he and his clones constantly rubbed each other up the wrong way. He didn't need to ponder over some psychological clap-trap about a clone being a mirror showing all his flaws and self-hatred. Personally, he thought it was much simpler than that: he just didn't like having clones.

All of which brought him back to his original thought: ick.

He switched the music on as though to physically dismiss the subject from his head. His thoughts turned instead to the follow-up F302 briefing he was scheduled to perform that morning. Carter had briefed him on what had happened at the previous briefing which he'd missed thanks to being held captive by Loki.

Jack frowned, the lines around his mouth deepening. It was good that the F302 pilots had listened to Clone Boy not to mention just handling Clone Boy. They needed to be exposed to the type of weird crap that happened around the Stargate programme. He had been less than impressed though that his clone had barged in and taken over from Carter as though he - Jack - didn't trust her ability to handle it which was so not true.

OK, so he had technically flown the 302 more times officially than Carter: once because she had been injured and they could only afford one pilot in terms of weight anyway; twice more because she had graciously deferred to being second chair on the basis that it would be easier for her to focus on keeping an eye on their technical status if she wasn't flying. But deep down he knew she'd given up first chair because she knew he loved flying.

On the other hand, he knew Carter had flown the prototype several times. He got reports from Area 51 every time she went up. Hell, there wouldn't even be a 302 without Carter. Yes; he had important knowledge to impart to the pilots about the way the F302 handled in a real combat situation but Carter could have covered the basics of what it was like to fly the damn thing and taken them through the computer simulations given she had been in the same combat even if she'd been second chair.

Plus the briefing Clone Boy had interrupted hadn't been the only briefing scheduled about Operation Blue Phoenix. The pilots had spent the last few days in a flight simulator hopefully putting into practice what they had learned in the first briefing. There was the follow-up Jack was scheduled to do that morning and another session in a week's time after the pilots got a chance to spend time in the real deal. There would have been another opportunity to share his knowledge. Hell, Hammond could have added another briefing to the schedule come to that.

Jack scowled. He could understand his clone's frustration. He'd done a ton of prep work in the run-up to the briefings; had even gotten Carter to do the snazzy computer simulations so he could better explain some parts. And he believed wholeheartedly that the pilots needed to know what he knew. It would have irritated him no end to have been told to let Carter take it just because he looked different through no fault of his own. But Jack was absolutely certain he wouldn't have barged in on Carter nor taken over. It wasn't the act of a team leader who trusted his team to handle stuff when he was out of the action.

She was pissed about it. He could tell. And she had every right to be pissed about it. But worse, he could see that the damn clone had placed a seed of doubt in her head about Jack's confidence in her abilities and that was so not acceptable.

What was worse was that he had no real idea how to fix it.

He'd been about to say something along the lines of 'I would have trusted you to handle it' when Daniel had cut in to tell Jack about all the other alien abductees that they'd tracked down.

Jack sighed as he stopped by the security gate and showed his pass. He was waved through and a few minutes later he parked in his usual spot. He glanced over to confirm Carter had arrived and his eyes widened at the sight of the bike. He'd missed seeing Carter in leather because he'd had to take Clone Boy to school?

This! This was why he hated clones.

He marched through the security checks and headed for the locker room. He nodded briskly at Colonel Dave Dixon, changing a few lockers down.

'Jack.' Dave grinned. 'Nice to see you back to your old self.'

Jack reached for a black t-shirt. 'You've had what? Seven days? And that's the best you can do?'

'Hey, I got exactly four hours sleep last night.' Dave grumbled. 'Damn kids.'

Jack couldn't quite help the glance he shot at the picture of Charlie he had taped to his locker door.

'You hear about Sumner?' Dave asked, shutting his locker door and raising a foot up onto the bench so he could tie the bootlaces.

Jack looked at him inquiringly.

'They finally pulled the plug on his wife last night.' Dixon shook his head. 'Damn shame.'

Jack grimaced pulling up the BDU pants. Marshall Sumner had been the Alpha Site commander until his wife had been involved in a car crash the year before. She had ended up on life support and in a coma; Sumner had been reassigned to Petersen to allow him to spend time with her.

'You think he'll transfer back?' Dave asked, changing feet.

'Beats me.' Jack commented.

'Hope he does. It'd be good to have him back.'

'That's because he's the only guy you can beat at poker.' Jack said.

'And your point is?' Dave set his foot down with a thump. 'Well, P9Y312 is calling my name. Catch you later.'

Jack gave an absent-minded wave and finished dressing. He was barely out of the locker room when Sergeant Harriman caught up with him.

'Ah!' Jack held up a finger as the Sergeant went to talk. 'I haven't even had coffee.'

'Sorry, sir,' Harriman said politely, 'but the General ordered me to give you the report on the F302 simulator exercise the moment you arrived.' He thrust a folder at Jack.

'Thank you, Sergeant.' Jack took the folder with a sigh. They separated, walking in opposite directions. Jack headed for the elevator, stepped in and flipped the folder open.

Results were all over the place, Jack noted. Some were good; some were bad; some were indifferent. He frowned. Two new pilots were joining them; one a replacement for a Captain Lemming who had apparently dropped out and one, a late joiner who had been stuck in transfer. He sighed and flipped the folder shut again as the elevator halted. He exited and made his way down the corridor to Carter's lab.

'McKay...'

He heard the frustrated snap as her voice carried beyond the open door into the corridor and slowed his step. He hovered uncertainly. Maybe it wasn't the best time for his 'I trust you completely and would never barge in on a briefing' pep talk.

'It can't be done!' McKay's strident tones were a tad distorted but Jack would recognise them anywhere.

'It can.' Sam said firmly.

Jack took a peek around the doorway. Carter sat at her computer console staring down at a picture of McKay gesturing at her. His eyebrows rose. McKay must be dialled in from Tagrea where he was leading the science team involved with the repair of the Prometheus and the gate room must have routed the call, he realised. He couldn't imagine Hammond authorising it otherwise.

'I can't finish the interface with the hyperdrive without supplies!' McKay argued back.

She sighed. 'McKay, I can think of three ways to do it with what you have off the top of my head. I'll write up...'

'Oh.' McKay's eyes widened as the light bulb clearly went off in his head. He shook a finger in the air. 'I have to...!'

The screen went blank.

Sam scowled at the monitor and reached for her mouse, bringing up another screen filled with numbers. ''Thank you, Sam.' No, you're welcome.' She parroted, under her breath.

Jack rapped sharply on the wall beside her door and took a hesitant step inside. 'Carter?'

She looked over her shoulder. 'Sir.' She swivelled on her stool to face him and got to her feet. 'Did everything go OK with, uh...' she stumbled as she struggled to come up with another name for his clone.

'He's fine.' Jack dismissed the topic with a wave of the folder he held. 'I'd like you to take a look at the simulation results from the F302 pilots and give me a second opinion before I take the briefing this morning.'

Sam's eyes widened a little. 'Second opinion, sir?'

'You got to hear what Clone Boy said.' Jack held out the folder. 'I need to know if these results match the information he gave them.'

'You do know there's a video recording, sir.' Sam said.

Jack looked at her.

Sam took hold of the outstretched report and flipped through it. Her lips twisted as her eyes scanned the page. 'Cameron Mitchell is joining the programme?' Her gaze jerked up to his as though she hadn't meant to say the thought out loud.

'You know him?' Jack ignored the leap of jealousy.

'Academy, sir.' Sam explained. She raised the folder to bring the subject back on topic. 'These results are very variable.'

'That's what I thought.' He leaned against the central console. 'Some of them are blaming the simulator.'

Her brow lowered. 'I don't see why, sir. The simulator was set up to match the combat we encountered exactly.'

'You tested it yourself?' Jack asked.

She nodded.

'You have your test results?' Jack was interested to see how she had fared.

'Sure, they're around here somewhere.' She put the folder down and rooted through a stack on her desk. She pulled out a slim blue folder and handed it to him.

Jack opened it. His eyebrows rose as he registered her results. She had beaten all but one of the F302 pilots in her simulator scores. 'Impressive.'

'I did have a practice advantage, sir.' Sam said modestly.

'So, any clue as to why the results are all over the place?' Jack tapped the discarded report beside him with the blue folder.

Sam chewed on her lip for a moment. She reached for the report again and examined some of the data. 'Sir...the pilots who underperformed...their logged reactions suggest they're trying to treat the 302 in the same way as their usual aircraft. They're not taking into account that the 302 handles differently.'

Jack thought back over his presentation. The 302 was based on death glider technology. If Clone Boy had kept to the plan, they would have covered the death glider design in detail but evidently some of the pilots hadn't made the connection. Maybe he needed to be more explicit.

'Sir?' Sam prompted after a few minutes of silence.

Jack looked over at her. 'Rearrange the meetings you have on the gate overhaul.'

'Sir?' Sam looked at him confused.

'I need you to brief these pilots on the design.' Jack said. 'It may help them improve their scores.' He gestured at her as he pushed away from the central console. 'I'll clear it with Hammond.'

Sam nodded. 'Yes, sir.'

'One hour, Carter; don't be late.' Jack called over his shoulder. He headed straight for the General's office eschewing the elevator and taking the stairs - something which did not agree with his knees. Hammond agreed with Carter's reassignment to the briefing given the simulator results and agreed to Jack's suggestion that they put most back through the simulation before they were cleared to fly the real version.

Ten minutes later, Jack sat in the mess with a steaming cup of coffee and a slice of cake, perusing the report in more detail.

Daniel slid into a seat beside him; Teal'c the one opposite. Both of them had mid-morning snacks of their own although Teal'c's looked remarkably like a three-course meal.

'Did, um, your you know,' Daniel gestured with his coffee mug, 'get to where he needed to be OK?'

'Yes.' Jack said succinctly. He closed the report and forked up some cake as he took in the group of F302 pilots entering the mess.

'Do you...'

'No.' Jack cut off Daniel's offer to talk about it in its infancy.

'It's got to be tough for him.' Daniel mused, blowing on his coffee.

'Is this the 'he doesn't get to have my life' thing?' Jack asked. 'Because I think we covered that with the robots.' He held Daniel's gaze. 'It's my life.'

'No, no.' Daniel shook his head. 'I mean, obviously, he couldn't just assume your life but...'

'There is no but.' Jack countered.

'I believe Daniel Jackson was about to refer to the lonely reality your clone now faces.' Teal'c asserted. 'He is without friends, is he not, O'Neill?'

'Oh, I'm sure he'll make some.' Jack said, pushing his empty plate away. He paused for dramatic effect. 'In high school.'

Daniel blinked and waggled his eyebrows. 'High school?'

'High school.' Jack reiterated.

'Seriously?' Daniel checked. 'I mean, you...he...' he shifted in his seat, 'seriously?'

'Apparently it's the first step in us being different.' Jack closed the report and glanced across at the entrance just as Carter appeared. He averted his eyes.

'Well, yes, there's that.' Daniel agreed. 'But seriously?'

'I have heard of your high schools.' Teal'c noted. 'Are they not places of great learning, O'Neill?'

'Exactly.' Jack nodded as though Teal'c agreed with him that high school was a bad thing. He glanced over to see what was keeping Carter and his eyes narrowed as he took in the F302 pilot talking with her. Short dark hair; slim but muscular build; he looked a little like Daniel except for the military bearing. Sam was smiling; not her full blown smile but one that spoke of familiarity and friendship. Mitchell, Jack presumed. He dropped his gaze back down to the contents of his coffee cup.

'Have you ever had the feeling you've forgotten something really important?' Daniel asked suddenly, wrenching Jack's attention back to the archaeologist.

Jack looked over at him. 'Daniel, you had amnesia. You forgot everything.'

'Yes, but this feels like something specific.' Daniel shook his head and shrugged.

Jack's eyes darted back over to Carter. She was still talking to the pilot. Not jealous, not jealous, not jealous. He sighed. Maybe if he kept telling himself the same thing, he'd eventually believe it. Jack set his mug down and got to his feet. 'Got to go.'

Teal'c inclined his head, a knowing look in his dark eyes that Jack ignored.

Daniel gestured at him absently with a spoon.

The conference room was empty when Jack arrived. He made use of the time; reviewing the presentation; rereading the report. The F302 pilots filed in and straightened automatically when they saw him waiting. It didn't escape Jack's notice that Carter walked in with Mitchell.

Not jealous, not jealous, not jealous.

She took up a position beside Jack and he acknowledged her with a small nod.

He cleared his throat and the room came to order, falling silent. He let his stern gaze travel around the gathered pilots and placed a hand either side of the lectern.

'So, one of you already dropped out stating, and I quote: 'I'm not dealing with aliens and shit.'' He smiled humourlessly. 'Now some of you may have heard the rumour that it wasn't me at your last briefing but my clone.' He stated caustically. 'That rumour is true. So,' he waved a hand at the door, 'if anymore of you feel like you can't handle clones, aliens and shit; there's the door.'

No-one moved.

Jack lowered his hand. 'Lieutenant...Banks?'

A young pilot shot to his feet. 'Sir.'

'Sit down, Banks.' Jack advised. 'You're taking the Captain's place?'

Banks sat down again. 'Ah, yes, sir.'

'Excellent.' Jack's hands tensed around the lectern. 'Mitchell?'

The Major shot to his feet. 'Sir.'

Jack waved him back into his seat. 'I understand you had problems making the last briefing? Trouble getting out of bed? The Asgard hijack your ass to make a Mini-Mitchell?'

Not jealous, not jealous, not jealous.

'Trouble getting out of Iraq, sir.' Mitchell replied easily.

'Ah.' Jack rocked back on his heels, his eyebrows rising a little. 'Well, I've had that trouble myself in the past.'

Mitchell gave a respectful nod. 'Yes, sir.'

Jack wet his lips. 'Well, let's move on to the fun portion of our time together.' He leaned on the lectern and stared hard at them all. 'As of this minute, all but four of you just flunked the simulator exercise.'

They were disciplined enough not to murmur at one another but he felt the ripple of shock run around the room.

'Anyone want to tell me why Major Mitchell here, who only just joined our merry band, managed to out-fly all of you?' Jack asked brusquely. 'Anyone?' Nobody moved. Not even Mitchell who didn't look surprised.

'Mitchell?' Jack straightened, pushed his hands into his pockets and threw the question at the young pilot.

'Sir.' Mitchell responded politely.

'You want to take a guess at why you did so much better?' Jack asked. The order to take a guess was implicit.

Mitchell's eyes glanced around his fellow pilots and turned the pen he held over between his fingers. 'After I watched the video of the briefing with your, uh, clone, sir, it kind of brought home to me that the design of the F302 is based on the death glider not our own technology. I went back to the specifications to review them for possible in-built design advantages.'

'And there, ladies and gentlemen, is the reason why Major Mitchell wins an all-expenses paid trip to Vegas.' Jack exclaimed brusquely.

'Really?' Mitchell said.

'No.' Jack admitted. He glanced to his side just in time to see Sam duck her head to hide her smile.

Jack felt a warm glow of satisfaction. He still had it.

'Anyone else review the design specifications?' Jack asked briskly.

Three other pilots raised their hands. He noted their name tags and nodded. They'd been in the top four.

Jack turned to Carter and gestured at her. 'Carter.'

'Sir.' Sam replied, a hint of the smile hovering around her lips and shining out of her blue eyes.

'When you designed the 302 what did you base the design on?'

'A death glider, sir,' Sam confirmed, 'with some modifications suggested by Teal'c to improve our advantage in aerial combat against them and some to allow for the differences in Earth-built technology.'

Jack nodded. He looked out at the assembled pilots. 'OK, listen up. Major Carter is going to take you through the 302 design.' He motioned for her to swap places with him.

One young Major at the front raised his pen. 'Sir, with all due respect to Major Carter who I'm sure is a gifted engineer, wouldn't it better if you took us through it?'

Carter froze beside him.

Jack stared down the Major who'd asked the question and the guy had the decency to flush and glance towards Carter apologetically.

'Uh, no offence intended, Major Carter.'

Sam smiled tightly.

'Carter's the expert.' Jack stated quietly. 'And not only is she a gifted engineer but she's also another pilot who kicked your ass on the simulator exercise you'll be doing over.' He realised his voice had increased in volume with every word and took a breath. 'Any other questions?'

He stepped away from the lectern and settled at the back of the room as Carter picked up the presentation remote.

'OK, let's go back to the beginning.' Sam said, covering her nerves with a bright smile.

Jack leaned on the wall and watched as Carter began explaining the design; as the pilots all sat up and paid attention as she walked them through it. He nodded approvingly as she grew animated when one Captain asked a question about the inertial dampeners of all things, her hands flowing through the air and her face lighting up as it always did when she got enthused about technology. He breathed a silent sigh of relief. Maybe it had been serendipitous but it seemed like the briefing had helped him fix the clone's screw-up with Carter.

His mind drifted to Clone Boy.

'Well, from here on in you and me are different.'

Maybe that was true or would be true in time, Jack mused as his gaze returned to Carter. But he wouldn't trade places for anything.

o-O-o

The knock on the door of his motel room had the newly cloned Jack O'Neill hastily hiding the beer he was drinking illegally given his new age. He wiped off the excess moisture on his t-shirt as he jogged over to the door, absently noting the lack of pain in his fifteen year old knees. He opened it a crack before widening it at the sight of Daniel Jackson and Teal'c.

'Hi,' Daniel greeted him cheerfully, 'we were, uh, in the neighbourhood.'

'We brought pizza.' Teal'c raised the boxes as though to confirm.

Daniel cast a faintly anxious look over his shoulder before raising the brown bag he held. 'And beer.' He whispered.

Jack looked at them both suspiciously.

They waited him out.

He sighed heavily and moved away from the door allowing them to enter.

Daniel's eyes widened and his eyebrows rose as Jack recovered the beer. 'Well, it's good to know some things don't change.'

Teal'c placed the pizzas on the small dining table by the window and sat down in the chair.

Jack didn't even look at the food despite the tantalising aroma of tomato and cheese. He raised his beer and speared Daniel with his best CO look. 'You were in the neighbourhood?' His tone gave away just how unlikely he believed that scenario.

'We thought we'd drop by.' Daniel allowed.

'You didn't even know where I was.' Jack shot back.

Daniel's eyebrows rose. 'You weren't that difficult to find.'

Teal'c looked up from his pizza; evidently Jack's questions hadn't prevented him from eating. 'Perhaps you should consider a different name to John Smith, O'Neill.'

'Not my idea.' Jack stated briskly.

Daniel gestured at him. 'Jack, I mean, the other Jack mentioned high school?'

Jack shot him a defensive look. 'So?'

'Nothing.' Daniel shrugged. 'I was just...interested to see how it went.'

'Really?' His voice dripped with scepticism.

'Indeed.' Teal'c said, closing the box on the pizza which had been his focus. 'Daniel Jackson was most keen to understand your reasoning on returning to such a place.'

Jack grimaced. 'It was...' he gave up on trying to find an appropriate description, 'high school.'

'I know.' Daniel said pointedly. 'I remember high school enough to know I wouldn't want to repeat it.'

'It's not like I have much of a choice, Daniel. Besides,' Jack said going on the attack, 'why are you even bothered?' He gestured with his bottle. 'Technically, you're his friends.' They had all fumbled through an awkward goodbye after Jack had ordered the rest of SG1 to head home when Thor beamed them back to his...the other Jack's house.

'No, technically, we're friends with both of you.' Daniel responded passionately. He winced. 'Even if it might not have seemed that way when we, uh, found out about you being a clone.'

Jack swallowed the last of the beer, enjoying the slide of cold liquid down his throat. 'I guess Carter couldn't make it then?' he asked as casually as he could.

'Actually she doesn't know we're here.' Daniel confessed. 'She was helping Jack with the 302 briefing most of the day and then he had her working late on some secret project.'

Jack looked away to hide his disappointment. 'So, what's the cover story?'

Daniel looked over at Teal'c before he replied. 'About you?'

'No, about the Easter Bunny, Daniel.' Jack said sarcastically. 'Of course, me.'

'You died on the Asgard ship, O'Neill.' Teal'c replied. 'There was nothing Thor could do to save you.'

'So,' Jack began, 'not that I'm not grateful for the pizza or the beer, but isn't your visit kind of blowing my cover here? And, oh, I don't know, just a small, tiny flaw in your plan to stay friends with me?'

Daniel didn't look at him. 'We considered that.'

'We took great care to ensure that we were not followed.' Teal'c confirmed.

And they wondered why Hammond had insisted they be kept out of the mission to bring down the rogue NID, Jack contemplated with wry amusement. He was touched; genuinely touched. And God knew after the day of hell he had endured at the high school, he was pleased to see them.

But...

But, he knew despite their willingness to be his friend that he had to let them go - for their sake as much as for his own.

'Not the point.' Jack said in reply to Teal'c. 'You can't guarantee that you won't lead someone to me.' He scratched at the bottle label absently. 'Just like I can't guarantee I wouldn't lead someone to you if our positions were reversed.'

'Jack...'

'I'm pretty sure he told you the same thing.' Jack said firmly. He looked up in time to catch the guilty look Daniel aimed in Teal'c's direction. 'He doesn't know, does he?'

'Not exactly.'

'Indeed, he does not.'

The replies were spoken at the same time leaving Jack exasperated.

'We know how he...you...feel about clones.' Daniel said quietly.

Yeah, they freaked him right out and he was one. Jack rubbed his forehead and sighed heavily. 'At least I'm not a robot this time.'

Daniel winced at the harsh tone.

'Look,' Jack stood up and gestured at them both, 'I appreciate what you're trying to do but...'

'You believe it is not in any of our best interests to maintain a friendship.' Teal'c said.

Jack gestured at them both. 'Do either of you? Honestly?'

Daniel and Teal'c looked at each other. They got to their feet in unison.

'You'll be OK?' Daniel asked gently.

Jack nodded crisply. He opened the door to let them out. 'Hey,' he said as they crossed the threshold, 'thanks.'

Teal'c inclined his head. 'Live well, O'Neill.'

Daniel offered a half-smile. 'If you need anything...'

'I'll be fine.' Jack assured him. 'Just...you know.' Stay safe and happy. The words froze in his throat. 'Oh,' he added as lightly as he could manage, 'and say goodbye to Carter for me.'

Daniel nodded.

Jack watched as they got back in their base vehicle and drove away. He shook his head and closed the door. He set his empty beer down and slumped across the bed. He gazed up at the ceiling and the line of damp that ran across it. He wondered what Original O'Neill had Carter working on. He was a little surprised that she'd been in the briefing for the F302 pilots again. His conscience twinged.

It wasn't that he hadn't trusted Carter with the previous briefing. She had even tracked him down before the briefing and quizzed him to go over what he felt was essential. It was just...he'd been so frustrated and angry about getting de-aged, about Hammond's decision; so hellbent on proving that he could still do his job even though he was younger. He'd headed for the briefing room with some vague notion of just checking in; maybe sitting in so Carter could refer to him if the pilots had questions. In hindsight though, his barging in on Carter hadn't exactly been a show of faith in her abilities. He winced.

Damn. He'd just been so caught up in his own issues that he hadn't considered what it must have seemed like to her - or to the pilots. She deserved an apology especially given that she had been around the most to support him through the whole de-aged thing.

Carter thought he was cute.

He let himself bask in that for a moment. OK, so he would prefer that she found him sexy but cute wasn't bad. He sighed. Not that she would look at him twice given he was fifteen and she had Original back. Jack wondered for a moment what the situation would be if Thor had made him his real age. He could have left Original O'Neill to save the universe and retired. Maybe opened up some options for himself and Carter. Even if she had moved on as Jack suspected; he was certain freed from the regulations he'd be able to convince her to give them another try even if he was a clone.

It was all moot.

Carter was out of bounds. He was too young to pursue her in his new body and it was too dangerous staying in touch for all the reasons why he'd kicked Daniel and Teal'c out.

He smiled. He was genuinely...moved by their willingness to stay in contact; to be his friend. He swallowed hard as a rush of loneliness filled him, remembering their goodbye. It was for the best, he told himself briskly. At least they'd had a better goodbye than the one at the house. He just wished Carter had been with them so he could have said a proper goodbye to her too.

Maybe he could.

The thought popped into his head. Jack shifted on the bed as he considered it. He did owe her an apology and it would pre-empt any effort on her part to do what Daniel and Teal'c had done.

OK, so where and when, Jack mused. His brow crinkled as he reviewed his options. The base was out. Her home was...out. It was probably best to try to make their meeting appear random and by happenstance.

The coffee shop opposite the park just up from her house; that was a possibility. Carter stopped in some mornings to buy herself coffee before she made her way to the mountain. He might have to wait a few mornings before he "accidentally" bumped into her but that was OK. It was a bit of hike to school from there but he could catch a bus. Carter was worth it. He reached for the TV remote and flipped the channel to sports. He settled back and closed his eyes.

The next morning, he was at the coffee shop early. The barista shot him a sceptical look when he ordered a regular black and a Danish pastry but she didn't say anything. He took up residence at the back where he had a good view of the door but where he wasn't immediately visible.

He had finished his breakfast and was taking a sip of his coffee when Carter walked in. He took a moment to admire her; she had teamed a cream turtleneck sweater with a denim skirt and jacket; knee high brown leather boots completed the outfit and gave her a sexy edge. Jack almost choked as he realised the dark-haired guy holding the door open for Carter was with her. His eyes widened in shock as they headed to the counter.

Carter had a boyfriend? Seriously? How had he missed that? Why hadn't she mentioned something? He switched seats before she spotted him, hoping her attention wouldn't wander around the shop.

Well, Jack considered wryly, this was awkward. He felt a dull ache in his chest and rubbed at it.

'...and I'm really sorry I haven't stayed in touch, Cam.'

Jack froze as he realised Carter had slid into the seat behind his.

'Hey,' the guy drawled, 'I haven't exactly been sending regular postcards myself since the Academy.'

Jack sneaked a peek over his shoulder. Cam was tall; slim built; had the cocky attitude of a pilot. The guy must have made the F302 programme and they were obviously catching up, Jack mused; so an Academy buddy not a boyfriend. Relief coursed through him along with the automatic thought that he shouldn't be relieved. Nothing could happen between himself and Carter especially as he was fifteen. And she had every right to move on. He tuned back into their conversation.

'At least you have a good excuse for being incommunicado.' Cam continued. 'You know some of the information in the intro stuff they gave us about what you guys have achieved...blew my mind.'

Sam gave a reserved chuckle. 'So,' her tone gave away her intention to change the subject, 'what about you? I heard what happened.' She said quietly. 'I'm sorry about your friend.'

'It's crazy.' Cam said quietly. 'He and I were both up for the same spot and now because he risked his life to save mine, he's going to be invalided out and I get to...'he paused, 'begin the adventure of a lifetime.'

There was a note of sadness in the awe that resonated with Jack.

'So is Colonel O'Neill always so...' Cam's half-finished question hung in the air.

'He's tough,' Sam allowed, 'but he's the best CO I've worked with and beyond that; he's a good man; a really good man.'

Jack ducked his head at her words.

'You can tell that he respects the hell out of you too.' Cam commented. 'You guys have served together what?'

'Six years.' Sam commented.

'That's a...'

The sound of a cell phone ringing cut through the statement.

'Sorry,' Cam apologised, 'I have to take this.' There was a pause.

Presumably, Jack thought as he reached for his coffee, Cam was opening his phone.

'Hey, Erin.' Cam's voice was pitched lower. 'Sorry I didn't call.' There was another pause. 'Yeah, we're still on for next weekend. OK. Sure. Love you too.'

There was a snap as Cam closed his phone.

'Erin, huh?' Sam teased lightly.

'Yeah,' Cam said sheepishly, 'we've been going steady for a while now.'

'Sounds serious.' Sam commented.

'Could be.' Cam said. 'What about you? The last time we ran into each other, weren't you engaged?'

'I called off the engagement.' Sam said evenly.

'And now?' Cam pressed.

Jack heard Sam's chair grate along the floor as she shifted; the question had made her uncomfortable. Jack waited on the answer; holding his breath.

'Well, I have been a little busy recently to date.' Sam replied with a laugh.

Another cell rang. Jack recognised it as Sam's; the tone the one she had programmed for Original O'Neill.

'Sorry...' It was her turn to apologise as she answered. 'Carter. I understand, sir. I'll be there shortly.' There was another snap as her phone closed. She was already pushing back her chair. 'Sorry, Cam, I have to...'

'Not a problem.' Cam said easily. 'I should probably be heading to Petersen.'

Jack waited until he heard their footsteps recede and the door open before he glanced over his shoulder. They hadn't lingered over the goodbye; Cam, whoever he was, was already unlocking a rental parked outside. Carter was headed to her vehicle further up.

He tugged down on the baseball cap, picked up his holdall and got out of his seat as Cam's car disappeared. He sauntered out of the coffee shop and paused as he realised Carter was bent over the engine of her car, muttering under her breath.

He could still pull this off, Jack mused. He could pretend he had just arrived. He headed over to her.

'Carter.'

She spun around so fast he was a little worried that she was going to fall.

'Sir.' Sam stuttered; her eyes wide as she took in his appearance.

'Need a hand?' He pointed at the car.

She looked back at the engine and shook her head absently. 'Loose wire. It's the reason I've been taking the bike to...I've been meaning to...' she trailed off and stared at him again. 'What are you doing here?'

'Breakfast.' Jack jerked his head at the coffee shop. 'I remembered they did those raspberry Danishes I like.'

His cover story brought a sceptical frown to her face.

'I was actually hoping I might run into you.' Jack admitted. 'T and Daniel paid me a visit last night and...'

'And you wanted to give me the same speech you gave them.'

Jack pressed his lips together. 'Daniel told you, huh?'

Sam gave him a sympathetic smile.

'So...' Jack said. 'I, uh, also wanted to say thanks. For everything.'

'I appreciate you stopping by, sir.' Sam said sincerely.

They stood looking at each other.

'Right.' Jack cleared his throat. 'I should...' he waved at the coffee shop. He offered her a half-smirk and took a step away from her

'If you need anything, sir...'

'I know.' Jack cut her off, taking another step away from her. 'Try to keep him out of trouble, Carter.' He tossed over his shoulder as he re-entered the coffee shop.

The barista looked at him with a raised eyebrow that made him flush, his teenage hormones somehow circumventing the hard-ass stare that he would have normally used to brazen it out, but he bought another Danish - to take away - and resolutely refused to look to see whether Carter had gone. When he turned around to leave he saw that she had.

Something snapped inside of him. Maybe the reality of losing her on top of the guys was just the last straw but suddenly he couldn't do it anymore; couldn't pretend to be OK with being fifteen and shut out of his life.

He walked to the bus stop and caught the next one headed back towards the motel. A couple of hours and bus rides later, he was packed and ready to leave Colorado Springs after one last visit to his old house.

Jack glanced at the front door. It was rarely locked it but he didn't need inside the house. He quietly climbed the ladder to the telescope lookout. He took off the seat cushion of the chair, revealing the lining of the bottom. He reached into the tight edge and unzipped it, expecting it to reveal the hidden stash of money, passports and documents that filled the hollow bottom of the chair; Jack was always prepared for the worse; for if the team had to go into hiding and couldn't get off-world. It wasn't Jack's only stash but it was the closest.

A single envelope addressed to 'Clone Boy' stared back at him.

'Son of a bitch.' Jack muttered. He lifted the envelope out, weighted it and realised that there were documents inside. He sat down beside the chair and opened the envelope. He pulled out the single piece of paper.

'Did you really think I'd fall for it? You are me, you know.'

Jack smiled.

'Carter pulled together some documents for you and transferred some of the emergency money into an account she set up online; details are apparently in the info she's put together. You should have everything you need. Have a good life, Jack.'

It was Carter's secret project that Daniel and Teal'c had mentioned, Jack realised. He checked the rest of the envelope. There was a hundred bucks in cash and the documents; a birth certificate which added two years to his actual fifteen; a passport; social security and a sheaf of documents detailing his cover story, a shiny new internet account with enough money to set himself up somewhere, and fake references. His new name was Jackson Samuel Murray.

He felt tears prick his eyes and blinked them away furiously. He stuffed everything into his bag, leaving the envelope empty. He scrawled some words on the front and left it where he had found it. He replaced the cushion and took one final look around the roof.

Jack could remember finding the house after arriving back from Abydos and the discovery that Sara wanted out of their marriage. The building had been a wreck but there had been potential in the solid structure. Jack had restored the property in the year he'd been retired. It had kept his mind from thinking too much about Sara; about Charlie. Only it hadn't been him. It didn't matter, Jack thought resolutely. Maybe they weren't his memories or his feelings but they were a part of him; they always would be just like Jolinar's memories were a part of Carter.

He made for the bus station and took the first bus headed West. He had no real idea about a destination. Maybe he'd fly to Hawaii from Los Angeles...he could buy a boat and do some fishing...

He dozed, letting the roar of the engine lull him into sleep. He jerked awake as the bus drew in at a diner for a scheduled pit stop.

Jack touched his belly and registered the faint gnawing sensation of hunger that seemed a constant part of his fifteen year old body. He could eat. He climbed out last and headed into the quaint diner with foreboding. There were red leather booths that lined the window and took up the central space; the kitchen and grill to the back visible to the customers.

Jack ignored all the other passengers and slid into an empty booth. He picked up the menu and perused it.

A presence beside him signalled the arrival of the waitress. 'What can I get you?'

Jack glanced up, his order on his lips and froze. The woman looking back at him was familiar; too damned familiar given the last time he had seen her Oma Desala had been helping Daniel to Ascend. He frowned and looked about him wildly. Nobody else seemed to have noticed anything strange. He glared at her. 'What do you want?'

'The question is what do you want?' Oma said calmly.

'How about what the hell is going on?' Jack retorted.

Oma sent him a chiding look. 'This is a stopping place.'

'So, what am I doing here?' Jack asked impatiently. He motioned at her with his menu. 'If you're offering Ascension, I've got to tell you I'm not buying.' He glared at her. 'I saw what happened to Daniel.'

'Ascension is not on the menu today.' Oma said firmly.

Jack frowned. 'Then, I ask you again: what am I doing here?' he enunciated every word slowly.

She slid into the booth opposite him and placed her order book on the table. 'You were only created to be a temporary clone of Jack O'Neill. You should not exist.'

'Yeah, well, neither should a low-life like Kinsey, I don't see you dragging his ass in here.' Jack bit out.

'There is balance in everything and...'

'Ack!' Jack held up his finger. 'I'm not Daniel.' He waved his menu at her. 'Let's just cut the metaphorical mumbo-jumbo crap.'

'You need to die.' Oma said bluntly.

'OK,' Jack tried to act unaffected but her words shook him, 'maybe not that straight.'

She looked back at him with a serenity that bugged the hell out of him. He shifted under her gaze.

'Doesn't this constitute as "interfering?"' He mimed quotation marks.

'You should not exist.' Oma repeated.

Jack sighed deeply. 'So what? It's a loophole.'

'If you want to think of it that way.' Oma said softly. She clasped her hands in front of her. 'The universe has such a fragile balance. There will be only a moment and you will need to make a choice.'

'To die?' Jack clarified brusquely.

Oma nodded.

'And if I choose not to?' Jack asked.

'Your friends will likely not survive the challenges ahead.' Oma murmured. 'Teal'c will die at the hands of a fellow Jaffa; Samantha will die alone; Daniel will die to make way for others.' She paused. 'And the original Jack O'Neill will die in battle.'

Jack slumped back. 'And if I die, these things won't happen?'

'There are no guarantees.' Oma corrected. 'Only probabilities.' Her eyes changed; focusing on something distant beyond his immediate presence. 'There will be a death but who remains uncertain.'

'But if I live, I could go back and warn them.' Jack said, leaning forward again.

'You could,' Oma agreed, 'but Jonas Quinn could see the future and yet could not prevent the injury to Samantha Carter; could not predict whether you would survive the ambush or be defeated by it.'

Jack pushed a hand through his hair. 'So, if I die...I die, right?' He motioned around them. 'No glowy club?'

'I cannot Ascend you,' Oma said, 'but there is a life waiting for you, should you choose wisely.'

'You mean if I die.' Jack snapped back.

Oma slid out of the booth, apparently done with her message delivered.

Jack waved at her. 'Why? Why interfere?'

Oma looked at him. 'You are not Daniel Jackson's only friend, Jack O'Neill.'

Jack jerked back into consciousness violently. He blinked and rubbed his head as he sat up in the bus. The hum of the engine soothed his racing heartbeat. It had been a dream. Just a dream.

Or not.

Had his conversation with Oma really happened?

'You need to die.'

Jack shuddered. He had a sudden urge to demand that the bus stop; that he get off. He shook the feeling away.

It was a dream. Just a dream. Had to be...right?

He sighed heavily, not wanting to admit to the deep uncertainty curdling in his gut; not wanting to admit to the insane urge to pick up the phone to Daniel.

The bus slowed and Jack looked out of the window to see they were pulling into Halleville bus station; it was one of the scheduled stops and only some hours from Colorado Springs.

Jack stretched and decided he'd get some air while they waited for the new passengers to alight. That's all he needed, he determined. Some air; stretch his legs; shake off the dream. He followed those leaving off the bus, quietly asking the driver if it was OK and being waved to proceed.

The station was small for the size of the town. There were only two stands; one for the West, one for the East. There was a building with a waiting room just behind Jack. The noise and chaos of people inside spilled out onto the sidewalk as people greeted each other or said goodbye.

It was almost twilight. The street lights were beginning to flicker as the sky above transformed from blue to lilac.

A young family gathered on the edge of the sidewalk. Jack glanced over at the picture perfect unit; a dark haired man, a fair haired woman and their two children. He leaned against the wall of the building and watched them. The man was leaving on a business trip; they were saying goodbye.

Another teenager wandered into Jack's visual field. The boy was a geek with a t-shirt that proclaimed an allegiance to Wormhole X-treme; he seemed nervous and had no bag with him. Either the kid was running away or he was meeting someone for the first time, Jack assessed.

An elderly man limped by them and nodded a hello with a grey head.

The roar of a bus engine made Jack's head turn.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion...

One of the children screamed with laughter...

The elderly man tripped and stumbled into the path of the bus...

There was a screech of brakes...

The geek made for the station door, his t-shirt lifting as he reached for the gun at the small of his back...

Jack didn't think; he reacted. Absently noting the swerving bus would avoid the old man, he went after the kid. He tackled him just in the doorway and they went sprawling to the ground. They wrestled with each other; Jack trying desperately to get the gun from the kid. He held the kid down and managed to get his hands on the weapon, oblivious to the panicking crowd around them.

Suddenly, the geek bucked violently, unbalancing Jack who lost the precarious grip he had on the gun; it skidded across the floor.

The crowd surged forward, knocking Jack off the boy and to the ground.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw the scared, young security guard approaching, gun drawn...

The other boy reached for the gun...

And in that moment Jack knew: it was his choice. Did he save the security guard or not?

The decision was made without much thought. Even without Oma's strange intervention, when all was said and done, the young security guard was a civilian; someone Jack had sworn an oath to protect.

Jack dived across the floor; the punch of the bullet ripped through him. Jack crumpled. He lay still; his shaking hand covered the exit wound briefly and came away bloody. He was peripherally aware of the geek running out of the door...the gun left behind on the floor...the security guard's white scared face as he floated into Jack's view.

Sound faded; words merging into an incoherent babble.

Jack could feel his vision dimming; growing dark.

He closed his eyes. Memories flooded him. Not really his, Jack thought groggily, but he didn't care. Pictures of his team filled his mind.

Daniel saving him on Abydos...saying goodbye to him...coming home...

Sam challenging him to arm wrestle...standing in front of a blue force-shield...saving his life time after time...

Teal'c stood among the fallen Jaffa after saving them...fighting to the death to lead a Jaffa army...calling him brother...

They still had Original O'Neill; they would be fine. They would survive whatever challenges were ahead because they had each other. Jack was certain of that. Far better for him to die than them...

Sam's face lingered in his mind for a long moment and he let it drift away with regret for what might have been. He should tell her, Jack mused; O'Neill should tell her he loved her before she moved on and he really did lose her to someone else...

He tasted iron; heavy and metallic in his mouth.

Another face filled his head and he clung to it. Love filled him from head to toe.

'Charlie...' Jack murmured softly.

He let go.

Continued in Part II