Chapter Text
Authors Note
For fans of Stargate SG1 television series, this story takes place after the final season of Stargate Universe.
The reader should be aware that these events take place approximately ten years after the final season of Stargate SG-1
are not part of the Stargate canon.
This is a fictional story designed to bring to a conclusion the SG-1 story and its original characters from seasons 1-8 of Stargate SG-1.
Limited Copyright
The book may be printed in hard format for personal use only.
The Author does not claim copyright or ownership of Stargate, Stargate Sg-1, its characters or that of the properties used within the original Stargate Cannon.
This book and its storyline may not be reused in its entirety or substantial part thereof for any other Authors work.
Editing by Susan L. McEwen (with help from the Companion Community).
CHAPTER 1 - PROLOGUE
The night was peaceful, in a way that only a deepened forest could be.
Shadows wove their fingers among the silent trees, the night unfurling slowly like a velvet cloak, thick and heavy with forbidden whispers.
The moon, upon this world a lonely sentinel, spilt silver light over the familiar shimmering surface of the water; each flicker a fleeting memory cast out into it’s depths.
Here, the air is hushed, holding a long breath in reverence to the stillness.
The very earth here held secrets too tender to be spoken.
A soft breeze wove through the branches, carrying with it the scent of pine and damp earth, but beneath the fragrant layers lies a thread of melancholy; a reminder of what once was, or perhaps what could have been.
In this sacred solitude, time stretches and yawns; each moment a lingering sigh of longing, echoing softly in the hollow spaces of the heart.
The watered depths mirror the lonely light, poised on the edge of a silent dream, where memories flickered like distant stars.
Jack’s cabin stood nestled among these trees; its weathered timber barely visible against the thickened undergrowth. It was a place that Jack O’Neill had always retreated to; a place of solace, where the weight of the world could be left behind.
But tonight, it felt like a place he may never see again.
The water lapped gently against the broken shore; the cold stars reflected in the dark mirror of the lake’s surface. Jack stood on the opposite bank, his silhouette blending into the shadows of the pines. He hadn’t left yet, not really.
After saying goodbye to Carter inside the cabin, part of him couldn’t bring himself to disappear right away. Not when she was still here, standing alone in the place they’d once shared. So, he lingered. He stayed on the other side of the lake, watching.
The lights inside the cabin had flickered out one by one, like the final embers of a fading fire. Sam had taken her time turning them off’ moving slowly from room to room; each step weighed down by the emotions he knew they hadn’t said aloud. Her silhouette passed the opened window one last time before she stepped outside into the cool night air.
Jack silently watched as she walked down to the timber wharf, her hands shoved deeply inside the pockets of her woollen jacket. The familiar sight tugged at his chest. She just stood there, staring out towards the water; her back to the cabin, her eyes staring blankly in his direction.
The moonlight caught and bathed her in a soft, silvery glow; like a figure from a haunted dream. For a fleeting moment, Jack thought about stepping forward, crossing the darkened water, appearing beside her yet again. But he knew that he couldn’t. Not now.
He had made his choice, and it was one that couldn’t be undone. The Ancient DNA had forced his hand, and his deteriorating health had been the final push. He had stepped away from his life in the Pentagon, knowing the decline was coming; knowing there wasn’t much time left. He’d made sure everything was in place; had given the right orders, secured the right people in the right roles. Carter would be eventually given the command of Homeworld Security, now that he had gone, leading it into a new era; while John Sheppard was commanding the city of Atlantis with his usual swagger. The crew of the Destiny had been rescued; another impossible mission checked off the list.
Now Jack felt he was out of moves.
Yet, as he stood there, watching her; he couldn’t help but wish for more time.
More time with her.
With everyone.
Sam didn’t cry as she stood alone in the cold nights air, at least not that he could see. He knew that wasn’t Sam’s way. She had always been the strong one; holding it together when everything around them was falling apart. She had been strong for him, even when he didn’t deserve it. Even when the words he wanted to say were left unsaid.
The water between them rippled, disturbed by the lightest breeze, but Jack stood motionless. His feet felt like stone. The distance felt symbolic now, a yawning chasm between two worlds. Sam was still there, on the shore of reality, tethered by life to everything they had built. He was now on the other side, no longer part of that life. The stars above seemed to watch with him, a silent witness to this quiet farewell.
Jack wished he could stay longer… just a little longer.
But he knew better.
Ascension wasn’t just a new beginning. It was an end. A farewell to his humanity, to everything that made him Jack O’Neill. It was necessary. The Ancients… Skaara… they needed him, and he couldn’t resist their pull anymore. His failing health had seen to that. But watching her like this, alone on that dock, made the choice feel unbearably heavy.
Sam finally moved, turning back toward the lonely cabin. He could see the weight of her footsteps in the way her shoulders slumped, the quiet resignation in every movement. She stopped at the top of the moon-struck jetty, glancing one last time over the water; as if she could sense him there, watching. Maybe she knew. Maybe she always knew when he was near, even when he wasn’t supposed to be.
The thought brought a faint smile to his lips. Carter had always been too damn smart for her own good.
As she walked away, her figure growing smaller in the distance; Jack let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. The pull to fully ascend was growing stronger now, the inevitable maelstrom of light drawing closer with each passing second.
His time here was over.
And yet, a part of him clung to this moment, to the last flickers of his humanity. He wasn’t ready to let go… just yet.
Sam had now disappeared, and the cabin lay still and forlorn in the dying moonlight.
The weight of farewell lingered in the air, heavy and unspoken.
She was gone now… back to the world, back to her duties, back to a life that he had once shared. Jack's heart tightened. The image of her tear-streaked face as she stood facing him in the cabin, the strength she had tried to muster, lingered in his mind like the echo of her soft footsteps. He had reappeared in her life for one final moment, an impossible reunion that had broken both of their hearts.
He hadn’t wanted to leave her like that, alone, without the comfort of saying goodbye… not after everything they had been through together. But Jack knew that his time had come, and it was a journey he had to make alone. His final journey up to the top of Grouse Mountain had been the hardest walk he had ever taken. Each step had torn shreds from his heart, but not from the exhaustion of the climb. He knew the Ancient DNA flowing through his veins had already begun its slow unravelling; too much for his human body to handle. It was a gift that had become a curse, one that had saved him and given him knowledge beyond human comprehension, but it was also the reason he had to leave, before his time.
Stepping back from his duties at the Pentagon had been the first step. He had organised the rescue of Destiny’s crew, worked tirelessly behind the scenes to safeguard Earth and its allies, and made sure Carter had everything she needed to lead Atlantis and the Destiny into the next chapter. It had felt like the right thing to do… passing the torch to others as the burden of his own future weighed heavier with each passing day.
The sky darkened. Stars appeared one by one, distant and eternal. They had always reminded him of what was out there; of the endless battles and victories, of lives lost and won in the vastness of space. But tonight, they reminded him of something else.
His ascension.
He had resisted it for so long. The thought of letting go of his humanity, of drifting into a state of pure energy, had never appealed to him. Maybe for Daniel… but never him. He liked being human. He liked sitting on his dock with a cold beer, throwing out a fishing line, even if the fish never bit. He liked the quiet moments, the jokes, the memories. And he liked Sam… loved her.
But things were different now.
The Ancients had watched in silence for too long, done nothing while darkness spread through the universe. Oma had come to him, speaking of balance, of the need to influence the others; to influence Ascended beings who could intervene if they only chose to. Then Skaara had pleaded, over and over; reminding Jack of his own fight for freedom, for his people. They all had a renewed purpose… and now, so did Jack.
He took a deep breath, the cool night air filling his lungs. The stillness around him felt like a cocoon, enveloping him in the last moments of his physical existence. He knew it was time to let go of this world, to accept what came next.
His thoughts returned to Sam; her strength, her resilience. She would be all right… he knew that in his heart. She had always been stronger than he was willing to admit. He had seen it in her eyes as she said goodbye, the way she had held his gaze; refusing to let go until he had disappeared into the air.
“I’ll miss you, Carter,” Jack whispered, his voice carried away by the wind.
The stars above him pulsed faintly, as if responding to his thoughts. He knew they were watching… the Ancients, Oma, Skaara. They were all waiting for him. His role wasn’t over; it was just beginning. Perhaps he could help them, guide them, convince them that the universe deserved their protection.
He heard a voice. Soft, distant, yet unmistakable.
“Jack.”
Of course, it had to be Oma. She had been waiting, watching from somewhere close by, waiting for him to take the final step. Skaara, too. He had lingered on the edges of earthly existence for too long, unwilling to leave. He now understood why Daniel had also lingered. He had felt his brush in the hallways of the SGC, the hint of a breeze that swept past his skin, like fingers across a frosted window.
Oma and Skaara… they had both come to him with a purpose, one that transcended the life he had known. The Ancients needed guidance; needed someone who could sway their indifference. Jack had never been one for politics, but this… this was bigger than him. Bigger than all of them.
With one final glance toward the cabin, Jack nodded. “Yeah… I’m coming.”
And then, with a deep breath, he let go.
The night around him shimmered. Then in a rush of light and warmth, Jack O’Neill fully ascended.
The stars above brightened momentarily, and then everything stilled.
But Jack wasn’t gone. He was everywhere now; part of the universe, part of the fight that would lead him to the light. Part of something greater than himself. Yet, somewhere by a quiet lake in a rustic cabin, a woman sat alone on the edge of her bed… their bed…; her heart weighted heavy but her spirit unbroken.
She knew he was watching, and that he always would be.