First Stargate story! Hope you all welcome me kindly to this area- I'm relatively new at writing for Stargate!

Please read and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own any Stargate- but I do own the 10 DVD box sets of the series! :) Also don't own the song that runs through this chapter- 'Time to Learn' by Mary Duff. Recommend listening as you read- sets the right mood!

Chapter 1- Alone

The house was quiet. The afternoon sunshine filtered in through the windows dappled by gently waving trees outside. On the kitchen counter perched three empty beer bottles and a plate with an uneaten sandwich. It was so quiet you could hear the fridge humming quietly in the corner.

In the kitchen a radio crackled softly, "Well folks, this is the last one from me- hope you enjoyed the show," the gentle spoken radio host said, Southern accent lilting. "Tune in again same time tomorrow, here's Time to Learn…"

The soft crooning of the song seemed to fill the entire house, steeling through the downstairs rooms, winding its way down the hallway and into the living room. The sole occupant of the house was in the living room, a lone figure sat slumped on the couch, dressed in a dark navy blue jersey and jeans. The TV across the room was off, a couple of unopened letters on the coffee table. The only sound was the song on the radio.

It takes time to learn

When someone's gone for good

They're not coming back

Like you wished they would…

Slowly, the man raked a hand through his short silver hair, before his head thumped back dispiritedly onto the cushions behind him. Colonel Jack O'Neill couldn't remember how long he had been sat on his couch for. Several more empty beer bottles were scattered on the wooden floor beside the sofa. He'd been here a while he guessed.

"Crap," he muttered, glancing at his watch. Past sixteen hundred hours. He scrubbed a hand over his face, gingerly feeling the stubble that was beginning to grow along his strong jaw line. Slowly he rose off the sofa, grimacing as his side twinged uncomfortably. Lifting up his jersey and white shirt Jack peered down at the bruised skin just above his left hip. It was healing nicely, ol' doc Fraiser would be happy he thought grimly. Just had to take it easy and not aggravate the healing tissue.

Not that he mattered. This he could handle. This was easy.

Rearranging his clothing, Jack walked stiffly towards his kitchen, ignoring the empty bottles that had begun to pile up at the base of his sofa. He gathered the few letters from the table, quickly scanning them as he left the living room, sock covered feet barely making a sound on the floor. The song grew louder as he moved closer to the radio in the kitchen.

In the empty hours

When you miss them so

Then it's time to learn

To let them go…

"Ah geez," Jack rolled his eyes, dropping the letters on the counter with a soft splat, hand moving to turn off the radio. Between reaching the off button and pressing it, he paused, actually listening to the lyrics. Inwardly he flinched; the words had hit a sore spot. He frowned. Everything seemed dead set on reminding him. Of the pain. Not the physical pain. That he could handle- he'd had far worse.

This was emotional. Something Jack O'Neill didn't often have to deal with.

Subconsciously, Jack began to flick back over the last few days. Most had been spent on his couch, he seemed to recall. Quite a lot on the couch. Do nothing at all. Some had been at the SGC, finishing off SG1's last mission.

Here Jack broke off, turning away from the radio, leaning against the counter, staring out at his garden. SG1's last mission. Most of it was a blur- routine meet and greet that all seemed to squash together with all the other world's he and his team had visited. But not the end. That was not routine…

Rapid shots from staff weapons sent dirt, bracken and bits of tree everywhere; orange flashes exploding everywhere. He looked back briefly, Daniel had just thrown himself through the wormhole right behind him.

"Teal'c go!"

The large Jaffa nodded and the two men ducked as more shots flew over their heads, before Teal'c followed Daniel.

"Carter!"

Where was she? He scanned the clearing where the Stargate was situated. Then he spotted her, crouched down…aw hell… beside a child from the village, calming the frightened young girl.

"Carter!" he yelled again, raising his voice above the explosions. The staff blasts were becoming more accurate as the Jaffa approached and his position as well as hers was vulnerable.

"Sir!" she shouted back. "We can't just leave her!"

"Dammit Carter- those Jaffa are getting close!" he pointed out the obvious. He could see the conflicting emotions racing across her face. He watched as she turned back to look at the child and began talking earnestly, gesturing to the forest. The child nodded.

He winced as a burst of orange hit the ground mere feet from his position and readied his P90. He glanced back at the Stargate, the wormhole was still active. They didn't have all day…

He looked up to see the child leaving, slipping back into the forest, Carter watching her disappear.

"C'mon Carter! Today!" he yelled at her.

She rose swiftly, ducking as she ran, minding the staff blasts. That was when it went wrong…

He was powerless to do anything, could only watch as a single orange staff blast sped towards Carter, striking her squarely in the back. He could feel his mouth opening in shock, a shout rising in his throat as he prepared to race towards her as she collapsed to the bracken covered floor, eyes widening in shock.

Then pain radiated through his body, originating from his left side his subconscious managed to analyse in the haze of everything else. He felt himself stumble backwards, desperately trying to right himself as he fell backwards through the event horizon and everything went black…

Jack's eyes opened with a snap. He was in his kitchen. In his kitchen. Not on P3X…wherever. He took a deep steadying breath. And that song was still playing on the radio he realised dumbly.

We never had the chance to say goodbye to you

Words unsaid

And things undone

We'd just begun and now we'll never see them through

God this was just cruel. The song seemed to know exactly what was going on. Childishly, Jack glared at the radio, as though it was the source of all his problems. Reaching over he thumbed the off switch firmly, relishing in the silence that descended on his house.

The silence didn't last very long. The telephone began to ring. Slowly, Jack reached over to grab it off it's cradle.

"O'Neill,"

"Er, Jack?"

Jack sighed. It was Daniel. He didn't reply.

"Jack? Jack you still there?" the persistent archaeologist queried.

"Ya Daniel. Still here."

"Well, I wanted to tell you we think we've got something. McKay and his friends seem to think they've sussed it," Daniel said.

Jack dropped the phone on the counter, already heading out of the kitchen.

"Jack? Jack? Hello? Am I on hold?" the indignant sounding Daniel trailed off, realising disgruntled that Jack probably had.

How was it? Okay? Alright? Not alright? I've got three other chapters planned so updating should be relatively swift- couple of days maybe? If it should be continued?

Please tell me what you think! :) Break any bad news gently ok? :P

Thanks for reading!

AldabaranFox