THE END OF BEGINNINGS

THREE

Daniel Jackson's office never seemed to change, no matter how long he was away.  The shelves were all still crowded with the various volumes of reference books, trinkets, and other materials he had acquired throughout his years of exploring the galaxy.  There were even a handful of photographs-some framed, some just pinned to the shelves themselves.  All of them were collecting dust as equally as the musty tomes on Egyptology, myths of the world, religions, and anthropology.
A metal desk lamp on top of one of his work tables buzzed softly in the stillness of the mini museum Daniel had called home more often than his actual home.  Its small bulb bathed the books and photographs in warm light, drawing Daniel's eyes toward the dusty images.  He'd barely glanced at the telephone on his desk.  At least, until it rang.
"Hello," Jackson said shyly into the receiver.
"It took you long enough to find your office again," said the voice on the other end of the call, a smile clearly on her face.
"Sam, hey," Jackson said enthusiastically.  "I just got the message about you calling.  I was...steps away from the phone."
"I thought maybe you were asleep earlier.  Did you get any rest?"
Daniel slumped into the short chair at his desk.  The spring under the seat creaked quietly.  The old arms groaned slightly when he put his weight on them.  He leaned back a little as he answered Samatha Carter's question.  "Umm...some, I guess.  How are things there?  How's Jack?"
Daniel listened to his old teammate take a tired breath.  "Things are okay.  He's awake and stable.  And not very happy about the food."
"Is it wrong to want good jello," Daniel heard Jack O'Neill ask.  "Or cake?"
"No cake," said a nurse somewhere in the hospital room Daniel couldn't see.  Daniel smiled.
"I guess pancakes are out of the question," asked Jack.
"Mmhmm," Daniel barely heard the nurse respond.
"And here I thought I was supposed to be comfortable.  Is that Daniel on the phone?"
Jackson could hear the smile on Carter's face as she answered.  "Yes, it is."  She directed her voice back into the phone.  "I think he wants to talk to you."
Daniel winced at the sharp, shuffling sounds that came through the receiver.  He glanced down at three framed pictures on the small desk.  The oldest was a photograph of his late wife, Shauri.  He counted back in his head how many years ago it had been that he had first met her.  She had been a native on the planet Abidos, the first planet he and the others had ever gated to from Earth.  Inevitably, Daniel couldn't stop himself from thinking about how many years had passed since he had seen her last.  Her death remained a painful scar on his heavy heart.
Next to the photo of the woman named Shauri was a picture Daniel considered one of his favorites.  He was in it, standing next to Samatha Carter.  Beside them was the Jaffa, Teal'c, holding his staff weapon and looking toward the camera with a calm, but generally plain expression.  Teal'c never smiled much.  It wasn't part of his personality.  Next to Teal'c was Jack O'Neill himself.  He was younger in the photo Daniel guessed was over fifteen years old now.  Jack was still a colonel then, but that would change in the days to come after the picture had been snapped.
"Daniel?  Earth to Daniel Jackson," O'Neill said into the receiver.
"Jack!  Hey, sorry..."
"Good morning.  You sound rested."
"You, too."
"Yes.  The drugs they give here are very helpful for that."
Daniel nodded his head.  "I'd imagine so."
"How much sleep did you actually get?"
"Enough."
"Let me guess...about thirty minutes with your head down in the conference room?"
"An hour for sure.  In the cafeteria, actually."
"The cafeteria?  Very nice.  What's the jello situation there?"
Daniel could practically hear Sam roll her eyes in the background of the call.  "So what's up, Jack?  Have you changed your mind?  Are you ready for me to come back to Washington?"
"No one should have to be in this God-forsaken town any longer than they have to be.  Especially you.  There's nothing for you to do here but sit around and risk becoming annoying."
Daniel furrowed his brow.  "Right."
"I need you to be the person that finds our missing ship and its crew."
Daniel sighed.  "I know, Jack."
"Daniel, those are our people on that thing.  We put them there and we're not going to leave them to go drifting, God knows where, through the universe."
"No.  I know," said Jackson.
"I just wanted to let you know I'm alright and to wish you good luck.  And...I know how much you missed hearing this sweet, sweet voice.  It's a voice every mother loves, you know.  I can sing you a goodbye song-"
"Alright, that's enough," said Sam, taking the phone back from the general.  "Good luck, Daniel.  Find the Destiny."
"I will."