Chapter Text
Standing in front of the Stargate, the blue rippling event horizon glowing like a pool of water, not knowing what exactly waited on the other side, was an experience that Jonas Quinn missed. It was a visceral and emotional thing. The kind of feeling that can't be explained, but rather was a shared experience. One he had shared with three (four) others back on Earth.
Every morning when he woke up, at home on Kelownan soil, he missed it. He missed his fish. He missed the General's supportive words and kind demeanor. He missed Sam and her little smiles over the bad jokes Colonel would tell. He missed Teal'c's stoicism and unique way of saying things. He even missed the Colonel looking at him like he wasn't sure if Jonas should be there or not. Somehow, he almost missed Dr. Jackson. He missed Earth. And every morning, he took a deep breath and moved past it.
He couldn’t change that they didn't want him anymore. So he wasn't going to try to. They had Daniel back, so they didn't need Jonas anymore. He didn't need them either.
"Good morning," Jonas said politely to the representatives from all three of his planet's countries, Kelowna, Tirania, and the Andari Federation. He sat and prepared himself for the coming headache of a discussion (if you could even call it that.) He gave it three seconds before the ambassadors found something to argue about.
By the end of the talk, the only thing decided was that they all thought that their own country was the superior one. Jonas sighed and closed his apartment door, glad to be away from the "peace talks" and in the privacy of his own home.
"Home sweet home." He sighed sarcastically and hung his head sorrowfully.
Jonas woke up with a start. He wasn't in his apartment anymore. He didn't even seem to be in Kelowna at all anymore. He sat up with some difficulty, his head aching badly, and a quick look around revealed that he seemed to be back in the infirmary in the SGC.
But that didn't make any sense. Jonas hadn't been on Earth for months. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed he was laying on, cringing slightly at the feel of the cold concrete floor on his bare feet. He stood and swayed as he tried to reorient himself. He was back on Earth. In the SGC infirmary. But for the life of him, he couldn't remember why.
He stood there, and panic started to settle in. Why was he back on Earth? Did he do something wrong? Was he no longer useful to his people?
Why was he in the infirmary? How was he hurt? What was going on? Where was everyone? Jonas stood, next to the bed, and tried to just stay upright while he thought and attempted to figure out what was happening.
"Jonas!" The sound of Colonel O'Neill's voice startled the Kelownan out of his thoughts. "What are you doing standing up?" Jonas froze at the look of almost-concern and annoyance on the Colonel's face. Jonas half-wondered if something had happened to Sam or Teal’c just from looking at Col. O’Neill’s face.
"Sir?" Was about all that Jonas could get out. He was so confused. O’Neill closed the distance between the two of them quickly and then helped Jonas back onto the bed with surprising gentleness.
Jack watched Jonas’ face closely. He didn’t like the look that the Kelownan was giving him. “Jonas? You feeling okay?” Jack watched as the younger man’s face processed what he was being asked.
“Why am I here?” Jonas’ voice was softer than Jack had ever heard it. In fact, he would’ve missed the question completely if he weren’t paying attention.
“Here?” Jack gestured to the infirmary around him, and when Jonas gave a small, hesitant nod, said “Well, you did just have major surgery. I know Doc Frasier is the best there is, but even she can’t make recovery time faster after you have your skull cut open.” Jonas’ face scrunched up even further in confusion.
“But I was just in Kelowna.” It sounded like a statement but felt like a question. Jack didn’t like it. He debated going to get Janet, but his own confusion and curiosity won out, so instead, he just said,
“You really think that we’d let those people take you back after what they did?”
“After Daniel came back, you practically threw me a going away party,” Jonas said sardonically. Daniel, back?
“Jonas. Daniel’s dead. And if he for whatever reason wasn’t, we wouldn’t send you back there. Not for any reason. You’re a part of the team.” Jack scowled. He didn’t like bringing up Daniel, it left a sour taste in his mouth to remember what happened to him, what the Kelownan people did to him. (And if he was being honest, it made him upset to think about what Jonas did to Daniel.)
“I don’t understand. You don’t really like me. And…” Jonas trailed off and got a far-away look on his face. “And it already happened months ago.”
“Oh yeah?” Jack raised an eyebrow. “Why did you go back then?” Jack watched as Jonas sat quietly, with his face knit up in thought. Concentration etched into his features. He purposfully didn’t address the fact that Jonas didn’t think he liked him. Jack’s feelings were…complicated.
“I…I don’t remember.”
“I’m getting Fraiser. This is too weird.”
"No. No, I'm fine." Jonas looked at Jack with wide eyes. "It was…I don't know. It must have been a dream?"
"A dream?" Jack repeated, the thought of Jonas’ recent glimpses into the future crossing his mind. "What kind of dream?"
"Not like a vision." Jonas shook his head. "Or, not like any of my other visions." Jack was getting antsy now. Jonas was talking crazy, he wasn’t looking at Jack anymore either, but more like through him. The look on Jonas’ face reminded Jack too much of when those visions were plaguing the youngest member of his team.
“Jonas? You still with me?”
“Yeah. Sorry, I was just trying to think.” Jonas said, startled.
“Okay. You think then. I’m gonna go get Fraiser.” Jack said, holding his hands out in a ‘don’t move’ gesture.
Fraiser smacked him for not getting her sooner. Then told him not to worry too much, because Jonas would be fine. Vivid dreams were to be expected after something like this. Jack just nodded along, and left as soon as she finished talking. He just needed to not be thinking about everything Jonas said. But he also needed to express his frustration over what the Kelownan had said, and insinuated.
In the end, Jack settled for telling Carter about what happened in the infirmary. If nothing else, she’d help him make heads and tails of what was said.