I watch in horror as the man I love is led to his death. He kneels on the edge of a cliff, the dirt-smeared olive of his uniform contrasting with the emerald of the soft grass and the stark blue of the sky behind him. I am transfixed as the High Priest of the Cosmic All raises a knife. It glints, sunlight against metal.
The knife strikes down…
"No!" someone cries. My throat feels hoarse and I realise it was me. I hadn't recognised my own voice.
The knife stills, mere inches from my beloved.
The man looks my way and the crowd parts so that his cold blue gaze seems to blaze straight through my body.
"You have reason why this man should not be sacrificed to the Cosmic All?" The gentleness of his voice masks something I'm scared to identify.
I keep myself from flinching. "The man is a hero," I say desperately. "Any sins he has committed have been repaid. He's saved millions, billions of lives! Our whole planet! You can't understand how instrumental he has been. He's not perfect, but he's made up for it. Please, don't." I'm begging, but I don't care. Anything to spare his life.
The priest pauses serenely. The rays of the alien sun shine against his white robes and silver hair so that he seems bathed in a golden glow. He looks saintly, divine. I shiver, although the breeze ruffling through my hair is warm and scented with saltwater.
"You say this man should not be sacrificed. Would you offer yourself as an alternative?"
Jack's eyes are on me now. I can feel him pleading with me. For a moment I let myself think about how I'd want it if I were in his place. Would I want Jack to sacrifice his life for mine? Never. I allow myself, for the first time, to believe that I couldn't live without him.
So I can't let him die now. I can't. I love him too much and I never told him. I never admitted to him how I cared. It was selfish, it was cowardly, and if he died I could never forgive myself.
All these "never"s. But love is not a generalisation. If Jack died, there is truly nothing that could keep me from hating myself.
But then if Jack lived, would I tell him? Or would I just re-bury the feelings until the next time this happened?
No. It's too late now. I have to tell him how I feel. I have to.
"I would," I answer the priest. My voice sounds raspy to my own ears. Absently I put a hand up to my face. It's hot and wet. I look up at the cloudless sky and wonder absurdly what happened to the rain.
Jack looks like he would have screamed if he could. As it is, he merely stares into my eyes. His brown irises appear liquid and changing from under his tears.
The priest raises his arms. "This woman offers herself as an alternate sacrifice!" he calls. "Do we accept?"
The crowd cheers, The priest pushes Jack away. He stumbles, then manages to stand up. No one else is looking at him.
They're all looking at me.
I stride to the priest. My hands shake, so I clench them into fists. I'll do all I can to keep from seeming afraid. I reach him. We're about the same height, so our eyes are on the same level. His are like blue fire, boring into my soul.
He makes a gesture and I kneel before him. He raises the knife.
"Why do you do this?" the priest asks, pitching his voice so that no one besides me can hear.
"I love him," I say softly, the words barely reaching my own ears.
A glint draws my eyes upward and I find myself locking gazes with the priest once more. It's somehow different now. A lightning flash comes over me and I realise that beneath this ice-hot fanatic lies a man who has loved.
There is a long pause. "Go," he says.
I stand up, race over to Jack, tripping a few times. Our hands unconsciously move to clasp each other's, and we begin to make the run to the Stargate.
I don't ever want to hear that priest again, but I can't help hearing what he says to the crowd as Jack and I leave.
"Love," he cries, "absolves all sins."
=====
Kat
Story Notes: E-MAIL: kathalcyon@yahoo.ca, kathalcyon@hotmail.com
RATING: PG
ARCHIVE: Heliopolis, SJA
SEASON: None
SPOILERS: None
SEQUEL: This is a sequel to Becca's "Pandora's Box"
SUMMARY: Sam saves Jack
DISCLAIMER: They're not mine, don't sue. But if anyone wants to give me them as a Valentine's present, that'd be pretty cool.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Becca sent me her fic for beta'ing and I was moved to write this sequel, as Bryn and I resolved at New Year's for her to stop writing Character Death. And if she won't stop herself, I figured I'd stop her myself. Becca, babe, thanks for the inspiration and the beta. Bryn, thanks for being around. :) Please send me feedback. I warn you: flames encourage my pyromania. :>
RATING: PG
ARCHIVE: Heliopolis, SJA
SEASON: None
SPOILERS: None
SEQUEL: This is a sequel to Becca's "Pandora's Box"
SUMMARY: Sam saves Jack
DISCLAIMER: They're not mine, don't sue. But if anyone wants to give me them as a Valentine's present, that'd be pretty cool.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Becca sent me her fic for beta'ing and I was moved to write this sequel, as Bryn and I resolved at New Year's for her to stop writing Character Death. And if she won't stop herself, I figured I'd stop her myself. Becca, babe, thanks for the inspiration and the beta. Bryn, thanks for being around. :) Please send me feedback. I warn you: flames encourage my pyromania. :>
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]