Note: Congratulations to the three people who figured out (and told me they knew) how we had two "Jacks" at the end of the last chapter. I also really want to thank Marianne who took my last chapter and fixed my grammar and noticed a few places that were confusing. Any mistakes that remain are mine, but if it is clear to read - it is because of Marianne. THANK YOU!

"Jack?"
A Stargate/MacGyver Crossover Story
by Teri

Chapter 20 - Truth, Beginnings, & Endings

"Well, that was certainly an interesting story."

Everyone present turned upon hearing a very familiar voice.

"It's got action, intrigue, romance, and even a little sci-fi - very impressive. A little sparse on the details, but I think that was just a hole in the plot. You ever consider writing? Cause that is a really gripping story. I hear that new show Wormhole X-Treme is looking for writers. You ought to think 'bout it."

The voice continued, as the face behind the voice became visible, amid the numerous gasps of all assembled. Everyone present knew that face, the eyes, the small scar above the eye.

" . . . because that's what it is - a STORY. Come on people, don't tell me you are buying this load of malarkey?"

Daniel glanced back at 'MacGyver' before focusing on the new arrival. A new arrival that appeared to be someone he thought he knew well. He was also the only one able to ask what everyone was thinking. "Jack?"

"No, it's the Tin Man. For crying out loud, Daniel, of course it's me. You forgot me after just a few months? Well, six months - - -" He kind of shrugged in the 'well you know I never pay attention to details' way that is so reminiscent of the Colonel O'Neill everyone knew. "Ain't that just touching."

He walked further into view and put his bag down. "Anyone care to tell me why there is a party at my house and I wasn't invited?"

"Colonel?"

"Oh, not you too." The new arrival looked at Sam with a pair of big puppy- dog eyes. "Major, you are the one person I thought might be sensible enough to not buy into this hokum. Doc? How about you T-man? T? You know me. Don't you?"

Teal'c looked at the new arrival, 'Jack,' and then back at 'MacGyver,' the host of the party. He seemed to be considering something. After a moment, Teal'c nodded his head as the corner of his lips curled slightly in what seemed almost like a nod of approval before he turned back towards 'Jack'. "Tell me of our last sparring match."

"Easy big guy, I finally beat you . . . and don't worry, that scar blends in with my other ones." 'Jack' smiled with a small grin. "I look forward to beating you again in, oh, another 50 years or so."

Teal'c nodded his head once.

"Hey! That isn't how it was," the host of the BBQ called out.

Teal'c turned to him, "it is how I remember it. He is as he claims to be."

"Oh, for crying out loud of course I'm ME - O'Neill. Your friendly neighborhood Colonel – well, former Colonel. Kids?" He turned to Daniel and then Sam. 'MacGyver' tried to make them see the truth. "T., Buddy, you remember . . . How can you think he's me?" 'MacGyver' huffed a little. "Isn't obvious? He's a fraud. I mean he only looks, ahum . . . .exactly like me."

Carter, Sam, Daniel, Hammond, Janet, and even Murdoc were looking back and forth between the two men like a tennis match. Both SAM and Sara were staring intently at 'MacGyver'.

Pete was concentrating on something he was hearing, but was not quite clear what it was.

"Teal'c are you sure?" The question was echoed three times over by the General, Carter, and Daniel.

"I am," he said solemnly.

SAM looked over at 'MacGyver,' catching his attention and Sara's, but no one else's. He mouthed the word, 'Dad?'

'MacGyver' nodded looking kind of lost, kind of surprised, and a whole lot perplexed by the whole thing.

"Look, I don't care who anyone is anymore. Let's skip, just skip story time and the proper introductions, and all the other niceties and get to the killer plot, you know the part where you will all just die. I will sort out who's who later." Murdoc was going to end this here and now.

He picked up the detonator and checked his camera. Pete, SAM, and 'MacGyver' all knew that Murdoc always took a picture of his victims just before their deaths. So he would want a picture of at least George, since he was contracted to kill him.

"Good Bye, Peter." Murdoc practically sang the farewell. "MacGyver, which ever of you is actually MacGyver, you have been a worthy adversary all of these years; well almost. Now, you and the General smile nice for the birdie so we make sure to take a good death picture." He pressed the button.

Janet and Sara both closed their eyes in anticipation.

In fact, Janet had a strong sense of déjà vu as if dying wasn't something new to her. All the while she was hoping that since everyone she named as Cassie's guardian was here, which she supposed now was really bad planning considering this was SG-1, that maybe Nelson and Alex would keep an eye on her.

Sara was looking forward to seeing her Charlie again.

SAM wondered if he would see his Mom again.

Pete just couldn't believe that after all this time Murdoc had finally won. For that matter, neither could 'MacGyver' who, along with Carter and Daniel, lunged forward.

Teal'c glanced at 'Jack' and prepared himself for what he knew would happen next.

Murdoc tried pressing the button, the camera flashed, but nothing happened. There was no detonation.

"You know. . . . "

Everyone turned towards the voice to see Colonel Rob Nelson standing there twirling a wire in his hand. It was clear that he had somehow disabled the detonation device.

"It really helps if you plug the thing in. Yeap, plugging it in is definitely necessary for the proper operation of the device. Didn't you read the directions?"

"It doesn't matter, the timer will go off if I don't press the override sequence within the required time frame," Murdoc countered with a triumphant smirk.

"You mean 03161980Ashton1031?" Everyone looked over to see Nick Knight standing over to the side grinning, looking quite pleased with himself.

"Yes, that one," Murdoc agreed before making a mad dash into the trees behind the house, but was slowly backed out at the point of a sword by a man dressed all in black.

As the pair backed up, several in the group recognized the swordsman as one Adam Pierson. Teal'c approached and took hold of Murdoc as Nick and Rob stepped forward with bindings, a pair of cuffs, and even an old spreader bar. At that point, several Airmen from base security appeared and approached upon Colonel Nelson's order and escorted Murdoc away from the gathering.

'MacGyver' wondered if this was the end of his problems with Murdoc. As he watched Murdoc being dragged away, he somehow doubted it; however, he had more important things to worry about right now. He wanted to know how Nelson knew to come and more importantly who the imposter was standing in his backyard pretending to be him.

"I want to know what the hel-heck is going on." 'MacGyver' asked; his voice a mix of confusion and frustration. "Nelson? Adam? Nick, what on earth are you doing here?" He turned to 'Jack' ". . . And who on Earth or off-of-Earth are you? I am so not having a good day people!"

"Isn't it obvious?" 'Jack' walked forward and gave a runway style spin ending the move with what seemed to be an uncharacteristic lop-sided smile. "Aw come-on. Can't you guess? Well, maybe not you, seeing as I am you." He snorted. "But, come on Doc?" He almost pouted. "You gotta know me. How about you, Dr. J? Ma'am?"

The three people named turned to glance at 'Jack' before Janet burst out laughing.

'Jack' gave her a big grin and a small wink.

Daniel stared at Janet for a moment and he watched her face as she looked at 'Jack'. He saw the wink and realized, as she had moments before, who was standing there even if he didn't know how. He began to laugh with Janet.

Carter looked at Daniel and then looked up at 'Jack' and noticed his amused smile. The smile reminded her of someone and it didn't quite look right on the Colonel's face. 'Jack' called her "Ma'am"? She then noticed him wink at Janet. Colonel O'Neill wouldn't wink at Janet, the only person who winked at Janet was . . . . it couldn't be, could it? And come to think of it, he wasn't here. Shouldn't he be here? Especially, if Nelson was? She looked into his eyes, her own eyes growing wider by the second, and he smiled at her.

"By Jove I think she's got it." 'Jack' smiled putting on a fake English accent that really sounded rather atrocious.

Sam looked at him then glanced at Daniel and Janet who nodded their heads. She then glanced over at Nelson and noticed his huge smile. It reminded her a few days ago when she walked in on Alex and Nelson as they had just finished 'breaking' in the new doctor – Cleaver, Hacksaw, Butcher or something like that. She just looked back at 'Jack' her jaw dropped. "You - - you're - - you ARE - - you're - - aren't you?"

"Always eloquent ma'am. It's one of the things I admire most about you."

"ENOUGH ALREADY!" 'MacGyver' couldn't control himself any longer. "Stop with the apparent inside jokes, for crying out loud, and tell me what is going on.

"Son?" The general attempted.

"Yes, sir. I'm me. It's . . . " he sputtered a little pointing at the other man, "him that isn't . . . ah - me, sir." He ended looking slightly confused.

The General gave a wry smile. Either that man was the Colonel O'Neill he had known or he was a space monkey's uncle.

"Before he bursts a blood vessel," Rob started to talk. "Maybe you should, ah," he gestured to 'Jack', "you know, drop your shields."

'Jack' frowned at him. "Aww – do I have to? You trying to ruin my fun?"

Rob smirked at him while all those in the know resisted laughing at the antics at the two of them. "Do I need to make it an order, Airman?"

"No, sir," he said with a sulky whine and an expression on his face that just didn't suit Jack O'Neill. Well, actually maybe it suited his face more than you would think. He reached under his shirt and pulled at something. With in a moment 'Jack' was gone and standing in his place was Lt. Alexander holding an alien mimic device.

"I told you he wasn't me!"

That did it; everyone else was lost in laughter.

After a few minutes everyone had settled down, Murdoc was safely on his way to an Air Force holding facility over at Peterson, and our Jack had about a million and one questions.

"Okay, people I don't like not knowing what's going on and I want some answers," Jack stated rather testily. Murdoc always made him cross.

Daniel just snorted. "Karma, Jack-yver. Now you know how we feel."

Jack looked at him as if he didn't understand a thing he said.

Sam rolled her eyes.\, "Colonel, he means that we don't like being in the dark either." She looked at him pointedly, "MacGyver."

"Ah . . . " He got it. They meant because he had kept them in the dark about MacGyver and about him being, well, smarter than they thought. Perhaps it was karma?

"'Colonel,' Mac?" Pete finally spoke reminding his old friend he was there.

"Right, getting to that Pete, but first," he turned towards Alex, "I want to know how you got a hold of that particular mimic device."

"Oh, me sir? No, sir. I can't take the credit for that one, sir. I may be good at procuring things, but rocket launchers are much more my style." The young Lieutenant grinned earning him a few odd looks.

Jack turned to Rob, "Nelson?"

"Not me either, Jack. As much as I hate to admit it. It was him," Rob gestured over to Pierson.

"Him?" Jack was interested, but clearly skeptical. "Most linguists don't spend time breaking into highly classified military installations.

Daniel cleared his throat.

"Well, there are always exceptions," Jack corrected.

"Ah, Dad?" SAM interjected smiling slightly. "With all the languages you speak . . . I mean I know you have worked as a linguist before."

"Oh for . . . fine there are lots of exceptions, it is a common everyday occurrence, happens all the time. Okay? So Pierson, what made you break into a highly secure base and look in an obscure place for a supposedly non- existent object that was supposedly turned over to the N.I.D. years ago? Bored? Got lost on the tour? Wanted to see all out-of-the way non-tourist locations?"

"No, I didn't get lost," Adam answered amused by the former Colonel's antics. "Actually, it is an interesting story. I was sitting at Joe's."

"Joe's?"

"A bar, owned by a friend of mine. I was sitting there enjoying a pint and harassing Joe's brat of a bookkeeper when . . . " Adam explained as his memory flashed back to the incident.

"The Duck quacks at midnight." Adam heard behind him.

He didn't turn around. "I am sorry your Duck was having problems sleeping, but that doesn't concern me unless it means you will be paying for my drink." He tried to sound non-chalant, but he knew that voice, that silly come-on line.

"You know better than that, Phoenix."

Adam sighed. He hated that silly nickname, but the man always called him that ever since the 'incident' - several intelligence agencies, terrorist groups, his secret, and Harry. The less thought about that the better. "What do you want now, Harry?"

"I had some information I thought you would be interested in, but if you aren't." He almost sounded offended.

Adam just sat there and began drinking again, ignoring Harry.

"Well, if you are going to be that way. Look I owe someone a debt and I am trying to pay up. No one deserves the sicko that is after him, well maybe there are some people, but not Jack." His smile was predatory, if anyone had bothered to look.

"What does this have to do with me?"

"You would be surprised, Phoenix, you'd be surprised."

And surprised he was after hearing what Harry had to say, not that he showed it. Harry was bringing in information about an international assassin with a contract against the enigmatic General he had just met at Stargate Command. What was more interesting, was that the assassin had a personal grudge against Nick's friend MacGyver. The same MacGyver that he had already deduced was the seemly legendary Colonel Jack O'Neill. So he sat there and listened to everything Harry had to tell him.

Pulling his mind from the memory, Adam continued to narrate his story. "So I listened to everything he had to say and then some. He actually had a lot of interesting things to say."

"The assassin, of course, was Murdoc?" Jack asked even though he knew the answer.

Adam nodded as he continued, "after a little investigation, we found out where he planned to strike and we came up with a plan of our own. Of course getting what we needed to pull it off was a little harder."

His mind flashed again to his memory of breaking into Cheyenne Mountain as he recounted the story.

An unknown and unidentifiable person sneaked into the base locker room at Cheyenne Mountain. The intruder slowly read the names off the lockers: Jackson, Alexander, Nelson, Makepeace, Roberts. . . . No O'Neill. Of course, no O'Neill, - he was "retired"- but there was an unmarked locker between Teal'c and Jackson. Too sentimental, when the Colonel retired they hadn't want to reassign his locker in case he came back.

The dark clad figure opened the locker that had been Colonel O'Neill's and glanced at the contents. It was obvious that someone had recently used the locker. A black gloved hand reached for a small cigar box in the bottom of the locker. The box was filled with photographs that were quickly pushed out of the way.

The person reached and removed a false bottom from the box. In it was found more pictures. At first surprised, the intruder chuckled before opening another side compartment that would ordinarily not have been found and would have been overlooked because of the false bottom. The black gloved hand reached in and grabbed a small circular disc-like object out of the box. The long fingers of the intruder closed around the object before closing the box and then the locker door.

"So I had the mimic device, our ace in the hole, all of the distraction I would need in order to disabled the detonation device and get into place to capture Murdoc. I knew I would need help. Of course, Harry didn't want to face Murdoc directly. They have a history that I bet would make a good story."

"Just who was this 'Harry', Adam?" Daniel had to ask.

Jack had already figured it out and spoke-up cutting off Adam. "Well, the man asked about you HARRY. Why don't you come out of the bushes and say hello?"

"All right, JACK. I will." Former Colonel Harry Mayborne appeared in full view. "Greetings everyone. Thank you for inviting me to the BBQ, Jack. I always say that no one grills better than my old pal, Starsky."

Jack rolled his eyes. "You were saying Pierson? Your great informant was Harry Mayborne, then what?"

Adam shrugged, "useful Intel can come from the most unusual places. Anyway, I was planning on going it alone, but as I was leaving the base I saw the three Stooges over there," he indicated Nick, Alex, and Rob, "coming and realized they were the perfect people to help me. So I let myself into Nick's car, was able to explain things, and VOILA."

"I'd like to know how Lt. Alexander ended up playing the part of the Colonel?" Carter asked.

Here Alex looked offended. "Playing? Playing? I did not play the Colonel. I WAS the Colonel."

Nelson hit Alex on the back of the head. "Who else would we get to play a sarcastic, smart-mouthed colonel, but a sarcastic, smart-mouthed Lieutenant?"

"True."

"Hey."

"Enough people," General Hammond finally joined in the conversation. "As interesting as all this is, I would rather we got to the point of this gathering." He paused a moment before looking at Adam. "I will however, be looking forward to reading the report, son."

"I agree with the General," Carter chirped in the conversation. "I think it is a good idea if we settle down and get on with the Colonel's story before something else goes wrong."

"SAM NO!" Daniel and Janet said at the same time.

Jack just sighed. "Major, do you remember the last time you tempted fate?"

"Sir?"

"We got blown out of the sky after the whole Neferteri thing. Remember?" Jack reminded her.

"It was just a coincidence," Sam defended.

"Are you sure Major Carter?" Teal'c asked. He knew the luck of his team.

Daniel began scanning the sky looking for evidence that the sky was falling while Jack followed suit and began watching the ground as if it would open and swallow him up any minute. Even Janet looked worried.

"Guys, stop with the Shenanigans," Carter chastised as SAM, Sara, and Pete all sat amused listening to the antics of the pair.

The General smiled. Jack and Daniel causing trouble with their special brand of humor; he had missed it. It finally seemed like things were back to normal.

"Sir! The sky will not fall, the ground will not open up, the world is not coming to an end. So you have run out of excuses." Carter gave him a vaguely superior smile, "it is time for you to tell your story, then we will all watch as the Orioles sweep the Yankees in this series. The same as we did before you left the last time."

Jack smiled at her, "I still don't understand what makes you think the Orioles will win. They lack good pitching."

"I was right the last time and I am right now. As I have told you before, Sir, the Orioles are a far superior team."

"Yeah, but before we get to the game, we need to hear the story of the great and powerful wizard of MacGyverland," Daniel reminded them.

"Where do I start?" Jack asked.

"The beginning, Mac, the beginning," Pete suggested.

"A very good place to start." Janet smiled as he sang the phrase to the Julie Andrews song in the 'Sound of Music.'

Jack smiled, "In the beginning God created. . . "

"Light," Daniel and Sam finished for him.

"So you've heard this story then? Good, I don't need to retell it."

"You will not get out of telling your story, O'Neill," Teal'c answered for all present.

"Fine," Jack took a deep breath. "The truth is . . . "

"Jack?" Daniel asked hurriedly as the storyteller disappeared from sight. "Jack?"

SAM was worried, but was trying, with Janet's help, to explain to Sara and Pete what just happened.

"Thor?" Sam asked, glancing at the General.

"I would say so."

Everyone was silent for a moment before Daniel just started laughing. Slowly one by one everyone came to stare at the man.

"He did it, he actually did it," he managed to gasp out between laughs.

"Did what, Dr. Jackson?" The General was confused.

"He actually got away without telling us what we have wanted to know since the beginning. 'Thor-buddy' finally did 'beam-him-up' without him telling us - - anything."

Realization hit everyone at the same time.

"JACK!"

Well. that is all she wrote . . . I hope you all enjoyed the story and that a few of you decide not to zat me. It has been a pleasure.

Thank you!

Teri
06/09/04

Forgive me for being 'wordy,' but this story has meant so much to me and I am so appreciative of the attention it has received.

This is the final installment of "Jack?" but be on the lookout for future sequels.

I appreciate you all for putting up with my SLOW updates, inane cliffhangers, lame jokes, and obscure background characters. Most of all I am grateful for the wonderful response I have gotten over the years for this story. I cannot begin to tell you how much you all mean to me. I never once imagined that my story would have received 400 reviews, hundreds more letters (all of which I have saved), and been the main reason that I am on the list of more than 80 people as one of their favorite authors. You guys are terrific. Thank you so much!!

I especially want to thank EVERYONE who has helped me along the way. I originally wasn't going to try to name names for fear of forgetting someone. Instead, I will and hope that if I missed someone you will forgive me. In the beginning, there was Maryh who was the first person who listed me as their favorite author, crunchy-frog who was my first review, and BranBlack my personal cheerleader. THANK YOU. I also got lots of good advice from June, from Katy-Beth, and from Vanessa – Thank you. I met my friend Stefan because of this story and we actually have a co-written story together now. Thanks to Beth/Happymint and to my brother Chris. For the last year or so I have been able to strongly rely on Candy-Dawn and Paradigm Shifter. The last chapter or two has also had Madga as a benefactor – check out her "Cover Story" if you haven't already. I also HAVE TO THANK Marianne who is helping me revise and fix-up the story so it as a final product will be even better. (So keep an eye out for a revised/edited version). I also want to thank each and ever person who has reviewed or written me. I honestly would NEVER have finished the story if it weren't for you all. SO, thank you to all of you!!

Oh, before I forget - to show my resolve for doing another sequel (which will be posted as chapter 21 rather than starting a new story thread). If the first person to review Chapter 20 (who will also be review 400) will leave me their name I will make sure there is an ancillary character named for you in the sequel. My way of trying to say thank you to all you super reviewers.

Wait a minute, I can hear someone saying "another sequel, where was the first one?" Well in truth I simply never divided the stories. If you want to be technical the first story ended after the gang returned to Earth. Murdoc and the BBQ is the first sequel, at least to my mind.

I have more for the gang to do. I need to find out why Adam always knows where Daniel is. I need to find out more about SAM. I want to read the back-story of Colonel Rob Nelson. I want to know how Nick got hooked on Twinkies and if he and Janet will live happily ever after. I want to know what Jack-MacGyver will do after this and will his choice affect Carter. I hope you have things you want to see too.

If you haven't read Duct Tap yet, which is a small "Jack-verse" (lol) story I wrote a while back, do so now. Honestly, it is probably my favorite of all the stories I have written.

Also, I am officially a spin-off. Candy-Dawn has written a story about our Jack/MacGyver and his experience in during "Windows of Opportunity". It is a GREAT story, but I haven't convinced her to post it yet. Anyone who knows her from CrossGate, Smart Jack, or any of the lists, please encourage her to post – you will love the story as much as I do.

So, thanks again for putting up with me and my story.

Teri

Hi again,

Just wanted to let you all know I am still planning the sequel, but intend to finish up a few other stories first, as well as, correcting some of the formatting errors and such that have crept into this story over the years as this site as updated (the loss of dividers etc.) There is also an in-progess indirect sequel called "Balancing Act." Even after all of this time, your reviews and notes have still meant a great deal to me. Thank you for reading, enjoying, and reviewing.

Teri
07/05/08