Moments to Remember, by Pho (PG)
Rec Category: General Hammond
Pairing: none
Category: General Hammond, Daniel Jackson, angst, episode related, character study
Warning: reference to canon character death
Author on LJ: unknown
Author's Website: Pho's World
Link: Moments to Remember
Why This Must Be Read: In this thoughtful little piece, Hammond and Daniel have a quiet chat in the general's office on the theme of love and loss.
Hammond's relationship with his granddaughters is one of the highlights of his personality as drawn onscreen. In Moments to Remember, Pho touches upon that relationship as Hammond carries a gift from his grandchildren through the halls of the SGC - a gift for what would have been his wedding anniversary. When Daniel shows up in Hammond's office to discuss a report, the gift sparks off a conversation on the subject of missing wives and appreciation for what they once had.
Many fanfic authors have had Jack and Daniel commiserate over loss, but the parallels between Daniel and Hammond are rarely, if ever, noticed. George is in the perfect position to help Daniel in the days after Forever in a Day, and in this lovely fic, we get to see him do just that.
He paused and sighed. "I can't believe it's been thirty-five years. God, that makes it four years ago that she...she died." His voice had lowered to almost a whisper.
"I'm sorry, General." Daniel pushed his own sorrow down in the face of the general's. "It's hard knowing they won't ever come back. And forgetting is so, so hard."
Hammond looked up at this comment, suddenly realizing the impact his words were having on the young man who had so recently lost his own wife. "But if it's easy, then did you ever really know love?"
"Wh..what?"
"Son, there's no shame in loving, and being loved, in laughing, and in crying. And there's certainly no shame to be found in grieving. I loved my wife, and she loved me, for over thirty years. Her death didn't stop me loving her. And there's no way I'm ever going to forget her or what we had."
"I understand, General. You have the kids, the grandchildren, and all those years..." Daniel spoke softly, as if afraid he'd be heard.
"Thirty-five years, or thirty-five days, son, doesn't make a difference. They were all moments to remember, and I'm damn glad to remember as many as I do. Good, and bad. The kids, grandkids ... obviously they're the good piece, a few of many. The cancer, well, that was bad, very bad, but even those days had some happy moments." Hammond studied the young man in front of him, and saw for the first time, the sunken eyes encased in deep black circles. And he looked thin. Too thin. "Is that what you've been doing, trying to forget your wife?"
"No, I, uh ..." Daniel's fists suddenly clenched. "...Yes! I want to forget, I need to forget."
Hammond shook his head. "Only if there's nothing worth remembering."