Survivors guilt is a difficult thing to address. It hits years later, long after the job is done, on quiet nights, in those lonely moments when you start to feel something for other people. Knowing you don't deserve to be alive, that someone better than yourself, who deserved to be breathing air and laughing with their friends, gave up their life to get a job done.

My father in law would deal with it alone, bending his head to tears over a solitary beer, on death anniversaries, or when some random song that was the favorite of one of his buddies.

It breaks your heart. Because, no, he can't talk about it. He can't explain it to someone who didn't live it, and to someone who survived it, he doesn't need to. That horrible, heartbreaking guilt that stabs him every time someone calls him a hero-he isn't a hero, just some lucky bastard who survived.

I don't know how to help with that, other than to thank survivors, and stand beside them on those important days of rememberance.

That episode is one of my favorites, because it pays tribute to the fact that every advancement we've made throughout history has been paid for with the blood of those who stepped up to the front lines.

I enjoyed revisiting it from your story. It was part of Daniel's strength in the first story that you wrote that he realized that every time he screwed up, someone else was going to pay, and in a very personal way-a fact Jack and other experienced officers already knew.

What's most amazing to me, and the strength of our mility, which is so well expressed in Jack's character, is that so many who experience this kind of death continue to retain their humanity and compassion.

Which is what makes Daniel reaching out to Wells such a nice touch in your story. As a Stargate character, we already know he never loses that sense of compassion (even for his enemy), but as a soldier who just experienced front line loss of someone dear to him, well, that was important and nicely done.

A brilliant story full of pathos and grief but never maudlin. The use of Dave Dixon, the man who was there, who can tell what Daniel is doing in the shower, the man Jack trusts to go and bring him to him is fantastic. Him and Jack are both career soldiers, both been there and done that and have already been through the journey that Daniel is now going through. That as Daniel speaks to Wells who is going through the same thing, he in turn passes that knowledge on and learns its' truth. A great use as well of Bregman's words in what is probably one of the most fan examined events yet this fic still brings something new to it. Going into my favourites.

A beautiful and stirring tribute to Janet and the effect her loss had on those who knew her. Good job.

Nice take on this episode. I'd like to think that Daniel could come up with the words to comfort Wells on his own, even if he didn't entirely believe them, but the Jack-Daniel scene is a good one. And I loved how you had Jack send Dixon to get Daniel and how kind Dixon is to Daniel in doing it.

Thanks for posting another story!

Very sad, I'm just sitting here with tears in my eyes after reading this very good story.

Heartbreaking! Beautifully written, and loved your work with Dixon, as well as the interaction between Daniel and Jack. Such nice work!

I really liked the scene you have between Jack and Daniel.

I knew Daniel was blaming himself when I watched Hero's.

I like that it was Jack that gave him comfort.

This is a great filler story. The ep was totally missing a good Jack and Daniel scene. Poor Daniel was so sad...

Beautiful. It makes me miss Janet so much!