EPILOGUE

Sam stood before the Stargate as it dialed up, trying not to let anyone see how excited she was.

"You sure you packed your toothbrush?" Jack asked.

The major smiled.  "Yes, sir."

"Blow dryer, hairbrush . . . plenty of underwear?"

Sam's smile grew into a grin.  "I think I've got it covered, Colonel."

"Just making sure.  There's nothing worse than going on a trip only to realize that you forgot to pack something important.  There aren't any handy convenience stores out there, you know."

"I think Sam will be too busy with other things to worry about running out of clean underwear, Jack," Daniel remarked.

At that moment, the Stargate burst into life, then settled down to its usual tranquility.

"Are you sure you won't change your mind?" Jack asked, his tone slightly petulant.  "It's not too late, you know."

"I'm sure, sir."

"Take care, Sam.  Don't take too many side trips," Daniel said, winking at her.

Sam returned the wink with a grin.  "No promises."  She gave him a brief hug.  When she pulled back, there was an uncertain frown on his face.  "Something wrong?"

"Um, just . . . be careful, okay?" he replied worriedly.

"Daniel, did you see something?" Jack asked, instantly concerned.

"No.  It's just a feeling.  It's probably nothing."

Frowning, Jack looked at his second in command.  "Carter, maybe you really should postpone this trip."

"I can't, sir.  The Prometheus will be ready to launch this afternoon.  If I don't go now, they'll have to go without me, and I should be there."

Jack was on the verge of telling Sam to stay anyway but decided against it.  He couldn't start jumping at shadows every time Daniel had a bad feeling.  It was probably just the archeologist's overactive imagination.

"All right, but you heard Daniel.  Be careful."

"I will, sir."

The two men watched as Sam walked up the ramp and disappeared through the event horizon.

"So, you going to join me and Teal'c for guy's night out tonight?" Jack asked Daniel.

"Um, yeah, I guess so," the younger man replied distractedly.  "I can't be out too late, though.  I've still got a lot of work to do."

"Daniel, didn't anyone ever tell you that all work and no play makes for a very dull archeologist?"

Daniel turned to him.  "Jack, you consider anything to do with archeology to be dull.  How would anything be different?"

"You have a point.  But at least you'd be dull less often if you were an archeologist less often."

"I hate to tell you this, Jack, but even when I'm at your house eating pizza and beer and watching a hockey game, I'm still an archeologist."

"No.  Really?  Wow, what a shock."  Jack shook his head in amusement.  "I'll see you later, Mummy Man."

Daniel opened his mouth to say something as Jack walked away, but changed his mind.  Why bother?  Jack would always be Jack.

Daniel's eyes were drawn back to the now inactive Stargate.  Another nebulous feeling of foreboding brushed his awareness like a ghostly finger.  Frowning again, he turned and left the gate room, hoping that what he was feeling really was nothing more than his imagination.

To be continued.

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