Another day, another mission, thought Jack O'Neill as he stepped through the Stargate for the third time that week, maybe I'm getting a little old for this. Then the rush of travelling through the wormhole caught at him and that was his last conscious thought. He stepped out, leading his team as usual, into the glare of a late afternoon sun, or rather suns, as this planet they had 'Gated to boasted two, one of which was low in the sky and was clearly about to set, bringing the temperature down to a tolerable level. Tolerable, but still damned warm, so the team were thankful for sunscreen and sunglasses... The planet itself was fairly nondescript, with no obvious signs of inhabitation as far as could be seen from the 'Gate itself - the MALP had not picked up any evidence of industrial development, no radio waves or unusual radiation levels, so it was quite possible this was yet another deserted piece of rock. But then, why was there a 'Gate here, if there was nothing here which would make travel to this planet necessary? Turning to the rest of SG-1, Jack was happy to see they had automatically fanned out and had checked out the immediate vicinity of the 'Gate - gone were the days when Daniel Jackson at least had tended just to loiter round the 'Gate if there were nothing that immediately caught his curiosity at first sight. Now, he set to whatever task he was given, if not with the same enthusiasm as for ancient artifacts, with a steady determination to do whatever he was being asked to do. At present he and Teal'c were unpacking supplies in order to set up a base camp near the 'Gate, while keeping an eye on the weather, which looked as though it were turning for the worse. As if he felt Jack's eyes on him, Daniel turned with a small smile to Jack, saying "You didn't tell me I needed to bring waterproofs - I thought this was a desert planet!" "I never realised that I looked so much like your mother, Danny-boy", was the Colonel's only response. Looking at the scientist, who had returned to his job of sorting out the tents for the night, it was hard for Jack to reconcile this man, his friend, with the nerdy individual he had met four years ago - he remembered when they had first arrived on Abydos, and Jackson, as he thought of him at that time, having declared he could not get them back to Earth, had irritated his team by his comments on the camp they had set up. What was it he had said? That was it, we each get a tent, that's nice, thought Jack, grinning to himself at the memory. Lost in his memories, he did not notice that Captain Carter had approached him and was hovering beside him, wondering how to get his attention.... "Sir?" "Captain?" Jack responded automatically, his mind still partly on Abydos. "I've found evidence that the planet has been visited recently, even if not inhabited. There are tracks in that gully, and they are definitely humanoid - they lead from the direction of the 'Gate away towards that range of hills to the west." "Recent?" asked Jack, snapping back to reality. "Hard to say sir, we're not sure how unsettled the weather is here, and in a protected spot like that, they could have been there for days or weeks." *************** The following morning, having broken camp, SG-1 headed in the direction that the tracks led - or at least the direction the tracks would have led, if the previous night's storm had not wiped away all trace of them. Everyone except Teal'c seemed tired, as the storm had ensured that they all got very little sleep, and it was a rather bleary-eyed group that headed west. As the suns rose, so did the temperature, and after a couple of hours, the team were forced to rest in the shade of an over-hanging rock, waiting for one of the suns to begin to set. As Teal'c alone seemed unaffected by the heat, he took watch, although it seemed unlikely that anyone would be moving about in such heat. A few hours passed, then it was time to move on - although it was still warm, the heat was nothing compared to the scorching temperatures of mid-day on the planet. Passing through barren rocks, marked only by the occasional scrubby bush, the trek itself seemed to go on for ever, until suddenly the landscape began to change. Trees, real trees, began to appear, and with them the unmistakable signs of habitation. With a gesture, Jack indicated that the team split into two, Daniel Jackson going on with him to investigate some structures in the distance while Teal'c and Captain Carter circled round to investigate the rest of the settlement that was coming into view. As the colonel and Daniel cautiously advanced, it soon became clear that the settlement, if you could call a couple of broken down shacks by such a name, was deserted and showed little sign of having been recently inhabited. An archaeologist's dream, thought Jack, just what we need to keep Daniel out of trouble. Sure enough, at the first sight of markings on the wall of the nearest building, Daniel had been drawn to investigate, struggling to take his videocamera out of the rucksack without taking his eyes from the markings in question. As a result, it was quite a struggle before he was able to concentrate enough on opening the bag, and even then it was clear from the expression on his face that Daniel was still focussed on what the marks might mean. Again smothering a grin, even though Daniel would never have noticed, Jack moved into one of the other buildings nearby, through an archway of carved stone. As he entered the building, it was as though he had stepped out of an air-conditioned room into the open air - for a moment, it was as though he had stepped through a wall of hot air, which made his skin tingle. The feeling ebbed almost as soon as he was aware of it, and Jack dismissed it from his mind. He scanned the interior of the building, finding nothing inside but dust and debris, nothing that would indicate that anyone had recently been living there. Climbing over the shattered remains of one of the buildings' walls, towards where Teal'c and Carter should be checking the other buildings, Jack suddenly began to realise how quiet it was - this was something the team had immediately remarked on soon after arriving at the planet. "Have you noticed," Daniel had asked of no-one in particular, "how quiet it is here? There don't seem to be any birds." A sudden feeling of isolation gripped Jack, and he reached for his radio, calling for Carter, then Teal'c, without any response but the crackle of static. Scanning the immediate area, Jack could see no sign of them and, returning the way he had come, found that there was also no sign of Daniel where he had left him only moments ago, videotaping the markings on the wall. There were no footprints to indicate that anyone other than Jack had ever been there. *************** Engrossed as he was in filming the markings he had discovered on the wall of the half-ruined building, it had taken a while for Daniel to realise that he was alone. Thinking back, he could remember Jack entering one of the buildings nearby. Daniel was forced to concentrate before he could decide that it was the one with an archway for an entrance. Shoving the videocamera he had been using back into his rucksack, Daniel headed for the building in question. "Jack?" Daniel called out, as he neared the archway. No answer. For no reason that he could have explained, Daniel felt the hairs on the back of his neck begin to stand up. Stepping through the archway of carved stone, his mind registered the workmanship at the same time that he realised the building itself was empty. His friend had gone. "Jack? This isn't funny !" Still nothing. Fear gripped his stomach like a cold hand, and Daniel's heart began to pound. Get a grip, Jackson, he thought, the planet is deserted. No one here to worry about. So, where the hell is he? *************** Jack tried his radio again, but without any success, only the static hiss of a planet free of people. He searched the area, looking intently for any sign that he was not alone there. Taking a final look around, and still seeing nobody else, Jack shouldered his rucksack and headed east, back to the 'Gate. As he made the long and lonely trek back to the 'Gate, Jack regularly tried his radio, as well as scanning the horizon for any sign of his team, but there was nothing. As he was approaching the 'Gate, a Goa'uld death glider passed overhead - although Jack dove to the ground, taking shelter behind a convenient rocky outcrop, he was spotted by the pilot, who turned his craft to attack. Wishing fervently for a bazooka, Jack ran for the 'Gate, hoping against hope that the rest of SG1 were not already prisoners. As he ran, Jack saw other death gliders converging on his position. Must be a mother-ship in orbit, he thought, as he charged for the DHD and started to dial home. Dialling frantically, Jack was forced to dive for cover once, as the death glider's shots came too close - finally the comforting sound of a wormhole engaging signalled to Jack that he was going home. As he was sending the signal for the iris and taking a last look at the planet where his team had vanished, Jack's mind registered buildings on the horizon, a whole city in fact. What the hell? That wasn't there before... what's going on? Realising he didn't have time to puzzle this out, Jack leapt into the vortex that had formed, that would take him back to the SGC. *************** "Daniel?" Carter's voice broke the silence and Daniel realised he was still standing in the building he had seen Jack enter earlier. "Was that you shouting?" Carter's voice again, nearer this time. Taking a last glance round the building he was in, as if Jack had left a clue to his whereabouts, but finding nothing, Daniel clambered over one of the shattered walls in the direction of Carter's voice. "Sam... it's Jack. He's gone!" said Daniel, his voice shaking slightly with the worry that he was trying to contain. "What do you mean 'gone'?" asked Carter, looking at him, concern clearly etched on her face. "Just that. I was filming the markings on that wall over there," Daniel said, gesturing with one hand towards where he had been standing. "Jack went into that building, the one with the archway, and he didn't come out..." "Teal'c..." Carter started to speak, turning to the Jaffa, but she was too late. Teal'c was already heading for the building in question, staff weapon at the ready, eyes scanning the ground for any sign of the missing colonel. *************** Jack came rolling out of the vortex, down the ramp, surrounded by a cloud of dust and chips of stone - that last shot was way too close, he thought. Instead of the expected welcoming party of heavily-armed guards, Jack found himself in the 'Gate room, but a very different room, in many ways, from the room he and his team had left less than 48 hours earlier. The 'Gate itself was the same, but the room, and surely the base itself, was still rumbling with the after-shock of the wormhole's formation. Steeping away from the 'Gate, down the ramp, Jack also noticed that this particular 'Gate did not have an iris, let alone the multitude of cables that helped to keep the noise and vibrations of the 'Gate's activity down to a tolerable level. Not only was the room itself, and the control room above, in semi-darkness, there was a noticeable layer of dust over everything. The whole room had the atmosphere of a place suddenly abandoned, to which the owners intended to return but never did. Jack's mind went back to the tales that Daniel had recounted of his trip to another universe, a universe essentially the same as their own, but with significant differences. His mind began to add together the experiences on the planet he had just left - the planet itself had gone from being completely deserted to boasting a large city and a number of Goa'uld death gliders. Add that to the state of the 'Gate room and the lack of an iris on the 'Gate itself, and Jack began to realise there was really only one explanation that made any sense.... How do you tell if you're in another universe anyway? Wonder if I'm married to Carter here, he thought, as he approached the door out of the 'Gate room. The door was standing slightly ajar, and Jack flattened himself against the wall to get a good look at the corridor outside. Having satisfied himself that the corridor was not full of serpent guards waiting to pounce, Jack began his investigation of SGC. An hour later, and he was convinced - the facility was empty, and had been empty for some time. In one of the briefing rooms, Jack had found a blackboard covered in hieroglyphics which looked familiar and on closer inspection had thought that they looked like the inscription that Daniel had deciphered all those years ago. Thinking of Daniel made Jack realise that, in his tour of the facility he had not seen anything that related to SG-1, and returned to the locker room and offices to confirm this. In the locker room, there were no names that Jack recognised, and those offices that weren't completely empty had only piles of scribbled notes on hieroglyphics on the desks. Even Daniel's office stood empty, the computer equipment removed, no shelves full of artifacts and books, to show who normally spent their time there. The control room alone was essentially unchanged, though it was clear that at some recent time, the lengthy process of removing the computer that controlled the 'Gate had begun - Jack hoped that they had not got too far with this before the military had lost interest in salvage. Once again, Jack felt the feeling of isolation that he had first experienced on the planet wash over him, and decided that it was time to head for the surface. *************** "Well?" "I am sorry, Captain Carter, I can find no tracks," said Teal'c, when he returned from his inspection of the ruined building. "Colonel O'Neill's footprints lead into that building, but there is no sign that he ever left it." "Let's keep looking anyway," said Carter, with a frustrated expression on her face. Checking her watch, Carter calculated that they still had a couple of hours of daylight left to search with - soon, she would need to contact SGC and let them know what had happened. As soon as I know... *************** In his tour of the complex earlier, Jack had noticed that the facility was running on minimal power - the corridors were in semi-darkness and even the ever-present security cameras were still. The only sign that anyone still came here was the lack of dust in the main corridors, which showed that someone was still patrolling, even if this wasn't a regular occurrence. Thinking back to the way that this 'Gate had rumbled, like their 'Gate used to do before the boffins had worked on a way to minimize this and save the residents of the base from constant headaches, Jack realised that it would only be a matter of time before someone came to investigate. Heading to the elevators, hoping that they would still work with the low level of power in the complex, Jack had begun to think about what he might find on this planet. Having listened to Daniel's experiences, Jack wondered what else, apart from the current state of SGC, might be different here, and even began to worry that he might find the surface devastated by a Goa'uld attack. After all, the alternate universe that Daniel had found himself in had been facing that, so he had no guarantee that this had not already happened here, and the lack of people in the complex itself meant that he had no way of finding out, until he reached the surface. His luck was holding, the elevators still worked, probably for the benefit of whoever patrols here, Jack thought, knowing that he would not have relished the long climb up the emergency staircase, if the power had not been on. The doors of the elevator whooshed open, revealing no-one in sight on the surface. The outer doors of the complex were locked, but this was to prevent anyone getting in, not a determined ex-Special Forces colonel getting out. With some relief, mixed with the realization that he was faced with another long walk, Jack discovered the car park too was empty, though again there were signs that there had been recent visitors. A patch of oil on the floor near the main door showed that a security patrol had been to the complex some time in the last few hours - it had been only by sheer chance that Jack's arrival had not coincided with what must be a regular check on the complex's security! At least if a Goa'uld invasion was imminent here, it hadn't happened yet... Setting out down the mountain, away from the relative security of SGC, Jack began to turn over in his mind his options of what to do next - finding himself on a world where he didn't know what was different to what he was used to, unsure of who he could trust or how to get back to his universe. How could he get back to his own reality when he could not return to the world he had just left? Whatever he did, he would have to do soon, Jack realised, knowing that his friends would probably think him lost. As they changed the iris code on a regular basis, unless he figured out a way to get home soon, then Jack knew that he might find himself marooned here. Heading for the nearby small town, Jack decided the best thing for him to do would be to stash his gun and other military equipment for now, as walking into town toting an automatic would get him the kind of attention he didn't want. Near the main entrance to the complex was a large pile of rocks, and Jack used this to hide whatever he would not need, at the same time taking the distinctive SGC insignias from his clothes and adding them to the stuff in his rucksack. Finally, feeling a lot lighter and distinctly more vulnerable, Jack turned back towards town. Who can I rely on here? Jack pondered as he walked, when I don't know what's different here. For all I know I might never have even been born in this reality! Mentally flicking his way through a list of people he knew and trusted, and ,Jack had to admit to himself, not a particularly long list at that, Jack narrowed it down to three possibilities. His curiosity warring with his better judgment, Jack decided he had to find out how things were in this reality for the people he cared about. First things first, thought Jack, I'm too conspicuous dressed like this. Having found a couple of coins by the side of the road, though he had been a little embarrassed to be seen picking them up, Jack found a pay-phone and dialled a well-known number. Please be in, he thought as the phone continued to ring - just as he was about to give up, a voice answered. "Hello?" "Sarah, is that you?" Jack asked. "Who is this?" asked Sarah O'Neill, in a quiet voice. "Don't you recognize my voice? It's me, Jack," he said. He heard a sharp gasp down the receiver, then, in a shaky voice Sarah finally replied. "What kind of sick creep are you?" she asked, clearly either angry or upset, "Jack O'Neill is dead, he killed himself four years ago !" Jack was stunned, not knowing how to respond to this statement and not at all surprised to find Sarah react so violently. Before he could think what to say, all he heard was a buzzing sound from the phone - she had hung up on him. *************** "We need to head back to the 'Gate," Carter said, "Daniel?" Daniel was still standing, as he had been for most of the last couple of hours, scanning the horizon for any sign of his missing friend. "We can't just give up, Sam," Daniel snapped, not even turning to her when he spoke, "Jack is out here, somewhere - he wouldn't give up if it was one of us..." "We're not giving up - we need to let General Hammond know what's happened... get specialist help... search teams..." "Go back then! I'll stay here - the planet is deserted, after all. Someone needs to stay here, in case Jack returns." Dumping his rucksack in the corner of one of the ruined buildings, Daniel sat down, glaring defiantly at Carter. How does the colonel do it? Carter wondered, he always seems to manage to get Daniel to do what he wants him to, well, most of the time... and here I am with a mutiny on my hands... *************** A little shaken by the news of his counterpart's suicide in this reality, Jack realised he was going to have to take more drastic measures to meet his needs - reluctantly, he acknowledged that he needed money and that his first resort, Sarah, was not going to help him. He still cared about her too much to turn up on her doorstep, especially when he remembered how she had reacted to the 'Charlie' that the alien crystal entity had created a while ago. This Sarah had lost not only her son, but also her husband, and he was not about to make things more difficult or painful for her than they already were. So, against his better nature, Jack admitted to himself that he was going to have to acquire what he needed by less legitimate means, and quickly. After a quick survey of the surrounding area, an unlocked car provided what Jack needed - he felt guilty about it, but pushed this to the back of his mind, reasoning that he really had no alternative, or at least nothing that wasn't violent. So, with money, a new jacket and transport, Jack left town, heading for another pay-phone he knew a few miles away, in the next town. Dumping the car, which had probably been reported missing now, Jack briefly stopped at a convenience store, mainly to get change for the phone, before settling himself down in the corridor of a dingy bar that he had occasionally visited in the other reality. There, like here, the clientele were clearly interested primarily in minding their own business, so Jack reasoned that he was safe from interruptions while he tried to track down his elusive computer expert. Ten or so phone calls, and about three quarters of an hour later, Jack was ready to admit defeat. Working on the theory that the military structure here was the same as the one he knew, Jack had been trying to track down Captain Samantha Carter, first through the Air Force itself and then via the Pentagon. Inspired guesswork, a few hunches and a good memory for names had probably got him further than a civilian would have managed, but Jack was still no nearer finding Carter. If they could have, he thought, they probably would have denied that the Pentagon itself doesn't exist, let alone a captain called Carter. Think I ruffled a few feathers too. That last guy I spoke to was way too interested in who I was and trying to find out what I wanted with Carter. It was only a matter of time before Military Intelligence turned up, Jack reasoned, looking for whoever was trying to get in touch with a military officer probably engaged in secret work for the government. Time to go to Plan C, he thought. Plan C involved the use of a university library, so Jack headed for the college he knew was on the outskirts of town, always conscious that he was running out of time, that he could soon find himself stuck in a reality where Jack O'Neill no longer existed. Once at the college, Jack settled down with a pile of journals dating back over the past five years and a clutch of university prospectuses, looking for a familiar name. The journals yielded nothing, which confirmed one of Jack's suspicions about how the time-line here might have diverged from the one he had experienced. No trace of Dr. Daniel Jackson in any reputable publication covering his areas of interest, and his name was not on the faculty of any of the major universities. Of course, Jack thought, I'm assuming Daniel is alive in this reality - didn't he say that he thought his counterpart in the reality he visited had died? Returning the journals to their respective shelves, Jack noticed a bank of computers against the far wall, and an idea began to form. What if, he thought, the Daniel here just can't get published by anyone? After all, when we first met he was spouting some pretty wild ideas, and where else should you look for crackpot ideas than on the Internet? Settling himself at the nearest vacant computer, Jack began his search, looking for sites relating to particular ideas that he had heard Daniel mention over the years. *************** "Daniel..." Carter began, speaking quietly, "...you know we can't just leave you here. We don't know that the planet is deserted, we don't know where the colonel has gone, and it's too dangerous for you to stay here. We need to stick together, now more than ever." Carter looked down at where Daniel was sitting while she spoke, noticing the way he was twisting his hat in his hands, as if he wanted to wrestle the truth of his friend's whereabouts from that piece of material. "We're not giving up on the colonel," Carter continued, in the same tone, when Daniel said nothing, "but we need help to find him." "We should leave, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c's voice said suddenly, from behind her. "There is nothing we can do here now to find Colonel O'Neill, we should go and seek help to search for him." Carter smiled at Teal'c, thanking him for his interruption. Daniel said nothing, as he sat, still wringing his hat in his hands. For a long moment, Carter wondered if he had even heard what they had said. "You're right..." said Daniel, suddenly, "...it's just..." "I know, Daniel... we'll find him." *************** After some searching, and much frustration and surprise at the range of bizarre ideas floating about on the 'Net, Jack was about ready to give up, when he chanced upon a site comparing Ancient Egyptian artifacts with those produced by the Aztecs. As soon as he saw the site, Jack hardly needed to read the name attached to the main article housed there to know that he had found who he was looking for. There, large as life, on the site's home page was a picture of the Giza plateau, clearly taken while a dig had been going on in the 1920's. What ever kept you from being involved with the 'Gate here, Daniel, thought Jack, it didn't stop you thinking about it. Moving through the site, Jack came across an e-mail address for Daniel and briefly considered using it to contact him, before shaking his head at the thought. I can just imagine what I'd put, he thought. Dear Daniel, you don't know me but, in another reality we are best friends. Please meet me so we can discuss how you can help me get back to my reality, and I can carry on fighting evil alien parasites, while helping you find your kidnapped wife. Yeah, that'd work! Jack snorted with suppressed laughter at what reaction a message like that would get. Finally, Jack found a reference to the college Daniel was teaching at - although he didn't consider himself an expert on the American college system, Jack had to admit that he had never heard of this one. In an educational directory, Jack found an address for the college, which turned out to be in a remote part of New Mexico, which was at least not too far away. Time to pay the geek a visit, he thought. *************** Back at the 'Gate, Daniel looked uncertainly back at the planet they were leaving - so innocuous looking, so deserted, and yet his friend had vanished there.... "This is wrong," Daniel said, "we shouldn't leave here, not without Jack..." "We will return soon, Daniel Jackson," said Teal'c, clearly attempting to reassure his friend, "and then we will find Colonel O'Neill." "I hope you're right, Teal'c," Daniel replied, as he followed the other two into the vortex. ************** Getting to where Daniel was proved to be easier than Jack had expected - at a truckstop nearby, he had managed to get a lift from a truck driver delivering some autoparts to a place in Albuquerque, which covered most of the distance he needed to travel. As they neared the city, Jack began to turn over in his mind ways to approach Daniel - whatever he said, it was not going to be easy to convince Daniel to believe him. Having already discovered some of the ways in which this reality differed from his own, Jack was unsure what he would find when he and this Daniel Jackson finally met. For some reason, it seemed clear that Daniel had not become involved in the Stargate project here - Maybe that's why the 'Gate itself is not up and running here, Jack thought. Remembering how Daniel had been when they had first met, still smarting from the reception his controversial theories had received, Jack hoped that this Daniel would be like his Daniel, and not somehow changed by his experiences here. This Daniel had not achieved academic recognition, despite his qualifications, and was now teaching in an out-of-the-way college. His Daniel hadn't achieved that success either, but the experiences they had shared on Abydos had changed him, as had his relationship with Sha're, and the things he had done and seen since then. If this Daniel was anything like the Daniel he knew, Jack was sure that he would give whatever help he could. *************** Back at the SGC, the three members of SG1 were greeted, as usual, by General Hammond. "Where is Colonel O'Neill?" he demanded, striding up the ramp towards them. "I wish I could tell you, sir," Carter answered, taking off her helmet. "You all look exhausted - get cleaned up, we'll meet in the briefing room in 45 minutes." As Carter and Teal'c strode towards the door, in response to the general's order, Hammond noticed Daniel lagging behind, looking back at the 'Gate. "Problem, Dr. Jackson?" "We need to get back there soon, general. Jack... Colonel O'Neill... he just disappeared." "We will, son. Now go and get cleaned up - you'll be no use to Colonel O'Neill if you wear yourself out." Hammond stood on the ramp, watching the final member of SG1 leave the embarkation room, still reluctant. Shaking his head, the general followed him out of the door, heading for his office, already planning the most effective way to locate his missing officer. *************** Arriving at the secluded campus, Jack asked around for Dr. Jackson, and was directed towards a wing of the main building. "Room 36C," said the woman in the reception area of the college, not bothering to ask Jack who he was or why he wanted to see Daniel. Working his way down the corridor, Jack soon found the room he had been told about and Daniel's name on the door. The room itself was deserted, but a quick look around told Jack that this was definitely Daniel's office. Looks like this Daniel is a bit of a hoarder too, thought Jack, leaving the office in search of the elusive archaeologist. As he turned a corner, the sounds of an argument reached him from further down the hall-way. A burly security guard was trying his best to separate two men, who were shouting abuse at each other and scuffling in a half-hearted manner, to the amusement of passing students. As Jack neared the scene of the argument, he started to hear what the two men being separated were shouting at each other. It was clear from the age difference between them and the students milling around, that these were faculty members squabbling with each other. "Call yourself an academic," Jack heard one of them saying, "all you are is a has-been with a bunch of crackpot theories! No wonder nobody else wants to employ you, I'm surprised you stay sober long enough to teach your classes!" Jack was close enough to the argument now to see that one of the two men was Daniel Jackson. Just as he reached the group of students surrounding the fracas, the other man, who had been shouting abuse at Daniel, lunged past the stunned security guard. Daniel took an involuntary step back, as the security guard tried to grab the other man, lost his balance and crumpled heavily against the wall. He fell, Jack noted from where he was standing on the outskirts of the group, in a boneless kind of way that was all too familiar. Jack shouldered his way through the students to reach Daniel, and was somewhat taken aback with what he found - this Daniel looked old, and, as he half-lay against the wall he had hit, there was something lost about him that tore at Jack. At least he wasn't injured, despite the way he had hit the wall, he had just had his breath knocked out of him. "Daniel," said Jack, as he crouched beside him. Daniel's eyes slowly opened, turning out to be as tired looking as the rest of him, and it was clear from the expression in them that he did not recognize Jack. Jack's sense of smell, along with Daniel's bloodshot eyes, confirmed his suspicions - this Daniel, so very much like the one he had last seen on a desert planet half way across the galaxy, was drunk. "Who the hell are you?" he asked angrily, as he struggled to get up from the floor where he had been sprawled. "And how do you know my name?" Jack hesitated, not knowing what to say, how to start to explain the situation he was in and his relationship with Daniel. Daniel clearly did not expect an answer to his questions, as he rose somewhat shakily to his feet. Shaking Jack's hand from his arm, he scowled in the general direction of the man he had been squabbling with, who was now talking to a group of the students, and stalked off down the corridor. Jack followed him, hastily thinking up and discarding different approaches for starting the conversation he needed to have with this man. Damnit Daniel, he thought, you're the one who's good with words not me. When you were in that other reality, you managed to get that Jack to listen to you! They reached the door of Daniel's office, and it was only then that Daniel seemed to become aware that Jack had followed him. Daniel turned to face Jack at the doorway to his office, clearly annoyed that he was not alone - he seemed about to speak again, but changed his mind for some reason, choosing instead to enter the office, slamming the door in Jack's face. After taking a deep breath to calm the rising anger within him, Jack opened the door and went in after him. *************** Three quarters of an hour after their return to SGC, all three remaining members of SG1 had already arrived in the briefing room. Daniel was seated clutching a large mug of coffee, staring down at it as if he could discover his friend's location within it. "So, what happened?" asked Hammond. All three team members looked round at each other, as if uncertain who should speak first - usually the colonel opened any briefing where SG1 were involved. Finally, somewhat hesitantly, Carter began to speak. "A standard reconnaissance mission, sir. We were investigating the remains of a village, and split into two groups - myself and Teal'c circled round to the outlying buildings, whilst Daniel and Colonel O'Neill went into the centre of the settlement." "And then what happened, Dr. Jackson?" "Well... I was videoing some markings on the wall of one of the buildings. I saw Jack go into one of the other buildings. After some time, I don't know how long, 20 minutes maybe, I realised that I hadn't seen him for a while. I went to investigate..." Daniel's voice trailed off uncertainly. "And you found...?" General Hammond prompted, as Daniel was again staring down at the surface of his coffee. "Nothing. Jack had vanished. Maybe if I'd noticed earlier... I could have done something, stopped whatever happened from happening," Daniel said, still looking down at the contents of his mug. "It's not your fault, son," said Hammond, perceptively, "...we need to get a search team back there, on the double." "So you'll keep looking?" Daniel asked, looking up for the first time. "I don't give up that easily on one of my officers, Dr. Jackson," the general replied, "and you of all people should know not to give up on Colonel O'Neill." *************** As Jack opened the door, Daniel was standing at the office window, staring out, and started visibly when Jack spoke to him. In Daniel's hand was a glass, half full of whiskey - a nearly empty bottle of Jack Daniels stood on the desk, the cap lying beside it. Whatever he had been thinking about, Daniel had clearly been too far away to hear Jack enter the room. For a moment, as he turned, there was a look of palpable sadness on Daniel's face, before it was replaced by a scowl. "Daniel," Jack said, "we need to talk, but I don't know where to start..." "You can start," Daniel interrupted, " by telling me what you want or just leaving me alone." With that Daniel moved to sit behind his desk, pushing the pile of files that had previously occupied the chair onto the floor in a flood of paper, not even sparing a glance for the chaos he was causing. Having sat down, Daniel took a large swig of the contents of his glass, without even wincing at its strength. So like the Daniel I know, but so different - my Daniel can barely tolerate a couple of beers, and here's this one knocking back whiskey without even blinking, Jack thought sadly. "Who are you anyway, what do you want with me?" Daniel snapped. Jack moved closer to the desk, until he was close enough to take a good look at Daniel. In the artificial light of the corridor, Daniel had looked old, now the expression on his face, combined with the bags under his eyes, made him look positively ancient. Not a wise kind of ancient, but a world-weary one - his eyes were full of sadness and again Jack felt something twist inside him. "Look at you," said Jack, "you're so alone here. I know you Daniel, it's hard to explain, but in another reality we are friends, and I hate to see you like this. While I was here I wanted to see you, to make sure you were okay, but you're not, are you? What are you doing to yourself? I've been there, I know what it's like..." A silence fell in the office when Jack stopped speaking. He wasn't sure where the words had come from, Jack wasn't one to lightly talk about his feelings, but he couldn't keep quiet in the face of so much silent misery. A plan began to take shape in Jack's mind, one in which Daniel played a part, but how to convince him? Daniel still said nothing, staring at Jack as though he had been speaking an unknown language which he was trying to translate. Finally he began to speak, quietly, almost as if he was trying to convince himself, all the while gently swirling the liquid still remaining in his glass. "I don't know what you're talking about. What are you, crazy or something? You come in here saying you know me, that you know all about me. Of course I'm okay, why shouldn't I be? I've got a secure job, teaching a subject I love, who are you to tell me I'm not okay?" As he spoke, Daniel's voice began to crack, by the end he was almost choking out the words, as though the very act of speaking was painful to him. He looked down at the desk, as though seeking comfort from the papers and artifacts piled there, before looking at Jack again. As he looked at Jack, Daniel's hand began to reach for the bottle standing on the desk - almost from the moment he had first seen this Daniel, outside in the corridor, Jack had felt that he had to do something. Whatever happens next, Daniel, I can't leave you here like this, I have to try and make things better for you. Jack acted without thinking.... "I'm sorry, Daniel," Jack said, a fraction of a second before he knocked him unconscious, striking him with a handily placed wooden figure. I knew those artifacts would come in handy one day, he thought, with a smile. Outside, the light was beginning to fade, so Jack locked the door to Daniel's office and waited for the students to leave. Through the window, Jack watched the majority of the cars drive away, as the evening went on. Daniel was still unconscious, on the small couch in the corner of the office. Looking at him, Jack felt a pang of guilt, but reasoned that he had to try and convince Daniel that he wasn't crazy, and there was only one way to do that! *************** "The search teams are ready to go, sir," said Lieutenant Barnes, saluting the general. "Thank you, lieutenant - departure in ten minutes. Dismissed." As General Hammond spoke, he was aware of someone lurking by the open door of his office. As the lieutenant left, he turned his attention to that person, the person he had been expecting ever since the briefing had ended. "Come in, Dr. Jackson. Have a seat," said Hammond, gesturing towards a nearby chair. "Thank you," said Daniel, settling into the chair placed in front of the general's desk. "Can I do something for you?" "You can let me go back to the planet, with the search teams you're sending, " said Daniel, "I... someone should be there from SG1." "I appreciate your feelings, son, but there's nothing you can do there. The teams I'm sending are extremely experienced in search and rescue - if Colonel O'Neill is on that planet, then no one else has a better chance of..." "I'm sorry, general," Daniel said, interrupting Hammond and earning a glare as his reward. As he spoke, Daniel got up from where he had been sitting and began to pace, despite the smallness of the general's office. "I need to be doing something.. I can't just sit here while Jack is missing..." "Surely there's work you could be getting on with?" Hammond spoke without thinking. The look that Daniel gave him in response to that seemingly innocuous statement was one that Hammond had rarely seen from the mild-mannered archaeologist. Sighing, the general realised that this was one argument he needed to lose, if he was not to have an extremely pissed-off Daniel stomping around the complex until his missing friend did re-appear. "Very well, Dr. Jackson - the search teams are leaving in less than ten minutes. If you want to go with them, be in the embarkation room before they leave." Almost before the general had finished speaking, Daniel was halfway out of the room, and a distant "Thank you" came drifting down the hall as Daniel rushed to the locker room. *************** Daniel woke a few hours later, finding himself in the front seat of a car, travelling... somewhere... where? My head..., he thought, ...what the hell...? Suddenly he remembered - something had happened this afternoon, in his office. A man he had never seen before, who must be an escaped lunatic or something, had said all kinds of crazy things before.... "Owww...," said Daniel, realizing at the same moment that his head hurt and his hands were tied to the inside of the car door. "At last...," said a quiet voice beside him, startling Daniel, "...I was starting to worry I'd hit you too hard! You're probably feeling what is technically called 'a hangover' - you have to get sober sometime to get them, so I'd take it as a good sign." "What the hell do you think you're doing? Where are you taking me? I demand that you stop this car RIGHT NOW! Owww..." Daniel's voice got louder and louder as he spoke, until he was shouting at this stranger, his earlier confusion replaced by a growing anger. Whatever emotions Daniel was feeling could not mask the pounding in his head, and the strange way that his stomach was churning. "No can do, Danny," said the voice, with a chuckle, "we're not there yet..." "Not where?" Daniel asked, all the while thinking, I'm not sure I really want the answer to that... "The place I can make you believe all the things I've told you." Daniel fell silent for a moment, as if pondering what Jack had said. "How did you manage to kidnap me anyway?" he asked, finally, "my office is right in the middle of a crowded campus." "It wasn't that hard, Daniel - you've got a reputation, remember? I'm sure anyone who saw us just thought I was taking you home to sleep it off." Daniel didn't react to this statement, turning his head to try and achieve a more comfortable position, and finally seeming to sleep, his head pressed against the glass of the passenger window. *************** In his headlong flight to the locker room, Daniel turned a corner, running straight into Carter. "What's the rush, Daniel?" she asked, as she picked up the folders she had been carrying, with Daniel helping. "The general agreed, Sam. I'm going back to the planet with the search teams, but I've got to hurry or they'll leave without me. Sorry, gotta go..." With that, Daniel turned and ran down the corridor. Carter stood and watched until he turned a corner out of sight. I hope everything's going to be alright, she thought, it'll be hard enough for me if we don't find the colonel, but for Daniel... *************** Have I done the right thing? Jack wondered. Daniel started to get real angry back then, though he's gone quiet again... Not far now, anyway, we just crossed the Colorado state border. Jack tried to concentrate on driving, though all the time he was wondering if he was already too late to get back to where he was meant to be.... This has taken so long, they might have changed the codes already... What if they won't help me? I know their technology is more advanced than ours, but what if they can't help me? Taking a deep breath, Jack tried to relax, knowing that panicking wouldn't help. Finally, the scenery began to look familiar, and Jack stopped the car near the entrance to the base. It all seemed quiet, but Jack realised that he needed to check - this was going to make Daniel unhappy again... "Sorry Daniel," Jack said, as he shoved a handkerchief in his mouth, "...just gotta check there aren't any guards about. I'll be back before you know it...." The glare Daniel gave him made Jack glad he wasn't a mind-reader. Sighing at the necessity of treating Daniel like that, Jack eased out of the car, circling round in the low undergrowth to the pile of rocks where he had left his equipment. Giving it a cursory check, to make sure it was all there, he then sneaked up to the base itself. After squatting in the shadows for about 15 minutes, Jack was convinced that the base was still unoccupied, and he returned to the car. Jack came round to the passenger side door - he opened it slowly, so Daniel didn't fall out, still tied to the handle. "Told you I'd be back..." Jack said, pulling the handkerchief from Daniel's mouth. "You bastard..." Daniel croaked at him, "what do you think you're playing at?" "I said I was sorry, okay," Jack interrupted, concerned at the expression of fury that was taking over Daniel's face, "I had to make you believe me, believe what I said earlier, and now we're here..." As he spoke, Daniel's face began to change - though Jack realised suddenly what was about to happen, he reacted too slowly. Daniel was suddenly, and rather violently, sick down the front of Jack's shirt. Smart move, Daniel thought, some psycho kidnaps you and you throw up over him. As if he suddenly realised for the first time potential danger that he was facing, Daniel's face paled once he realised what he had done. To his surprise, Jack reacted relatively calmly, stripping off his shirt and throwing it into the undergrowth nearby, and using the cloth with which he had been gagged to wipe Daniel's face, almost tenderly. Daniel let out a breath he was not aware he had been holding. Still focussed on what he was thinking, and the way that his stomach, although nearly empty now, was still heaving, Daniel almost missed Jack's next words. "...I would untie you, Daniel," Jack said, "but I know you, you never give up..." Releasing his bonds from the door handle, but still leaving Daniel's hands tied together in front of him, Jack pulled Daniel from the car, as gently as he could. In the feeble light coming from inside the car, Jack could see that he had added a large bruise to the side of Daniel's face, and felt suddenly guilt-stricken. In that moment, Jack began to reconsider whether his former feelings, that he could not leave Daniel when he was so clearly unhappy in his life, were ones he should have acted on. Here goes nothing, Jack thought. Jack produced a knife, which, he noted with an even greater sense of guilt, made Daniel recoil slightly. Pulling Daniel's hands towards him, Jack concentrated on cutting Daniel free and so missed the look of bewilderment that passed fleetingly across Daniel's face. "You have a choice, Daniel," Jack said, putting the knife away. "Come with me into the base, and you'll make the anthropological discovery of the millennium, or you can leave right now - take the car, go back to your miserable life." Jack tossed the car keys in Daniel's general direction, then turned and headed towards the base, all the time hoping that he had done the right thing. He heard a faint tinkling sound as the car keys hit the ground, then silence. After a few moments, he heard footsteps, following. Thank god for Daniel's overwhelming curiosity, thought Jack, not daring to look back. *************** Somehow, Daniel managed to make it to the embarkation room, just as the wormhole was forming. Red-faced and panting, he headed straight for the only person he recognised there. "Ferretti, thank god you're still here... I thought I was too late," he gasped. "Daniel, you coming with us?" asked Major Ferretti, buckling on his helmet. "Yes," Daniel said, trying not to hyperventilate, "the general okayed it." "It's only right that a member of SG1 should come with us to look for the colonel," replied Ferretti, "I'm only sorry you won't have time to catch your breath. Let's go." With that, Ferretti gestured to the two teams standing at the base of the ramp, and the assembled personnel began to pass into the event horizon. "After you, Daniel..." *************** "What is this place?" Daniel asked, as they reached the main doors of the base. "Somewhere beyond your wildest dreams, Danny-boy," Jack replied, noting sadly this Daniel's startled response to the nickname. Guess this Daniel's never had a nickname either... "Follow me," Jack said, leading the way through the all-too familiar corridors. As they worked their way through the maze of corridors that made up the SGC, Jack was hoping that his plan was going to work, that Daniel would want to come with him where he was going. I couldn't leave him there, not like that, he thought, ...but did I really have to kidnap him? Well, it'll have to be his choice now... Finally they reached the control room. The blast doors were down, so the room just looked like a computer-nerds playroom, strangely eerie without the buzz of technicians and scientists that normally inhabited it. "Here we are," said Jack, gesturing around him. "Uh... you did say your name was... Jack? Jack, why the hell did you drag me here? IF I WANTED TO SEE COMPUTERS I ONLY HAD TO GO DOWN THE HALL!" Jack grinned, knowing how much that annoyed his Daniel, and certain it would have the same effect on the already irate Daniel in this reality. As he grinned, his fist hit the switch for the blast doors. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a groan, the blast doors began to move, slowly at first. Daniel had turned automatically in the direction of the sound, and as the blast doors shifted to give a view of the 'Gate room, all he did was gasp.... "Oh my god! Is that what I think it is....?" *************** Jack just grinned. "Betcha don't think I'm crazy now..." he said. Daniel couldn't speak, he just gaped at the 'Gate. Finally, he began to speak, his words falling over themselves as his brain sped to try and formulate all the questions he wanted to ask. "What... I mean, how... where... can... What is... that doing here?" "If you want a closer look, Daniel, the door is over there - just take the stairs, it brings you out right by that door... But we haven't got long, so hurry it up!" Daniel turned to Jack with a quizzical expression on his face, a question forming, but his desire to get to touch the 'Gate itself won out. With a look that clearly said he wanted answers when he got back, Daniel sped out of the control room. *************** In his haste to join the search teams returning to the planet, Daniel had not noticed Carter and Teal'c standing in the control room, watching the teams departure. As the wormhole closed, once the teams had gone through, Carter was still standing, staring at the 'Gate, gripping the folders that she was holding. "Captain Carter?" Teal'c's voice was close by, pitched low, so that only she would hear it. "Are you well?" What a question, Teal'c, Carter thought, of course I'm fine. My commanding officer is missing and I don't even bother to go back to the planet and help look for him, so why shouldn't I be fine? "You are worried about Colonel O'Neill." Not a question, a statement. "Yes," said Carter, "I am... and about Daniel too." "Daniel Jackson is confident that Colonel O'Neill will be found. He has been right before," Teal'c said. Memories of the Antarctic flashed in Carter's mind, memories of coming close, too close, to not making it. Daniel had been right then, had always believed that she and the colonel were still alive, had kept looking when everyone else had given up. So why do I think this time he's wrong? Carter wondered. Why can't I get so involved in searching for the colonel? "Let's just hope he's right again," was Carter's only response, before she headed from the room. *************** What the hell is that thing doing here? Daniel wondered, as he ran down the stairs towards the embarkation room. He... Jack... knows more than he's telling, but everything he said before sounded so crazy... Daniel's thoughts ground to a halt as he entered the embarkation room - hesitantly, Daniel walked up the ramp, halting a short way from the 'Gate. Daniel was lost for words, finally face to face with the elusive Stargate. He had been dreaming of this moment since he had first heard rumours of the 'Gate's existence, a story passed down by the children and grandchildren of the labourers on the Giza dig. Daniel cautiously reached out to touch the metal of the 'Gate and was surprised to find that it was slightly warm, not cold and metallic as he had expected. "Naquada," said a voice behind him. "What...?" said Daniel, startled. "I'm sorry, did I make you jump? The 'Gate, it's made of a material called Naquada, can't get it here on Earth... that's 'cause the 'Gate isn't from round here..." said Jack, leaning casually against the railing of the ramp. Daniel turned to Jack with a serious expression on his face. "I think it's time you told me everything, Jack." *************** "Let me get this straight..." Daniel said, a while later, "... you claim to come from another reality, where you got separated from your team on another planet. And I, I mean the Daniel Jackson of that reality, work with you..." Jack nodded. "You brought me here so I could see the 'Gate," Daniel said, waving a hand absent-mindedly towards the artifact in question, "and then decide if I wanted to go with you to another planet to see if the people there can help you get back where you should be..." "That just about covers it," said Jack. "You are crazy...." Knowing that words alone wouldn't convince Daniel, Jack got up from where he had been sitting on the ramp. As he left the 'Gate room, Jack spoke over his shoulder to Daniel. "Stay this side of that yellow line, Daniel, okay?" "What?" "Just do it..." *************** "Ferretti?" said Daniel, some time later, as the search teams were nearing the ruined village. "What?" "What if we don't find him?" Daniel was concentrating on where he was walking when he spoke, but Ferretti could almost hear the cogs going round in Daniel's brain. Knowing how much Daniel relied on and trusted Colonel O'Neill, he decided the best way to deal with this question was as lightly as possible. "You saying my team can't handle this, Jackson?" Ferretti snarled, looking for Daniel to react. True to form, Daniel glanced up as soon as the words were spoken, a stunned expression on his face. Suddenly feeling guilty for mocking Daniel's need to know if his friend was okay, Ferretti hastily spoke again, in a quieter tone. "We'll find him, Daniel, if anyone can." *************** Back in the control room, Jack began to boot up the computer system, glad for once of the hours he had been forced to spend there in the past. Now let's hope the scroungers haven't taken anything vital, Jack thought, as he punched in the coordinates for where he wanted to go.... Looking through the plexiglass screen, down into the 'Gate room, Jack was pleased to see that Daniel had done as he had asked, and was standing at the bottom of the ramp. He still looks like he wants to hug the 'Gate and not let go, thought Jack, with a smile. The computers began to work, and the generators began to kick in - a low rumble was the first warning of the 'Gate being activated. Jack saw Daniel glance around, as if looking for the source of the vibration. The outer ring of the 'Gate began to move as, one by one, the chevrons locked - all the time the rumbling became louder and louder, until the furniture that was still left in the 'Gate room began to jump slightly. Daniel was staring transfixed at the 'Gate, even as the wormhole formed. As he was standing slightly to one side of the ramp, Jack was convinced that he saw Daniel's jaw drop as the event horizon formed. He hesitated, clearly torn between his usual curiosity and a, till now, rather under-developed sense of self-protection. "You can touch it if you want," said Jack's voice over the loud-speaker system. Not waiting to see what Daniel did, Jack gathered together what little equipment he had with him and headed out of the control room, to the 'Gate. By the time Jack entered the embarkation room, Daniel was standing right by the event horizon of the wormhole, his hand outstretched, but not quite touching. Jack was struck by a sense of deja vu, remembering how he had seen the Daniel from his reality do just that on their very first mission together. Hurrying up the ramp to join Daniel, Jack spoke, "...it's decision time, Daniel. You've seen it, you know now that I was telling the truth... Come with me. There's nothing for you here, so what have you got to lose?" Daniel just looked at Jack, for once lost for words. "It's up to you, Daniel. I'm gonna go through now, follow me if you want, if not then go back to what you've got here. Whatever you decide, be happy, okay?" As he spoke the final words, Jack smiled at Daniel, then stepped into the wormhole. *************** As he had expected, Teal'c found Captain Carter in the messhall, nursing what had probably once been a cup of coffee a couple of hours ago. Nodding at some of the other people there, Teal'c took a seat at the same table, and looked at Carter, waiting for her to speak. "Hey, Teal'c," she said absently, when she noticed he was there, at the same time rubbing one hand over her face as if trying to rub away her feelings, "you found me." "Indeed." "Any news from the search teams yet?" "They have reached the village, but thay have yet to find any trace of Colonel O'Neill," said Teal'c. "Well, at least Daniel's there...," Carter continued, as if she hadn't heard what the Jaffa had said, "...who knows what he would be like if he was here. He'd be driving us up the wall, I bet." "You are experiencing guilt," said Teal'c abruptly, "You feel that you should be there, on the planet." "Of course I should," said Carter suddenly, "what am I doing here? I can't do any work, all I can think about is where the colonel is, if he's injured, or being held prisoner, or even..." Carter's voice stumbled on the word, as if she was unwilling to speak it in case uttering the word itself would cause the thing she named to happen. "Colonel O'Neill is very resourceful," said Teal'c calmly. "I know," said Carter, with a sigh, "...it's just... when we were in the Antarctic, I know that Daniel didn't give up, that he kept on looking for us when everyone else thought we would never be found... " Carter's voice began to shake slightly, and she paused, pulling herself together. "At least then I felt that I was doing all I could, to try and get us back here... but now, I feel so useless." *************** Jack stepped out into a familiar-looking world. Good thing I remembered these co-ordinates, he thought, out of all the planets we've 'Gated to over the years. He turned to look back at the wormhole, waiting to see if he had been followed. As the seconds ticked by, a cold feeling began to grip Jack's heart. Well, looks like Daniel's made his decision, Jack thought, turning away from the 'Gate to walk down the stone steps. "J..J..Jack," said a voice behind him. It was Daniel, teeth chattering, glasses covered in a thin layer of ice, standing just this side of the event horizon as it disengaged. Daniel's always expressive face showed a degree of surprise at what he had just experienced. "Sorry, Daniel," Jack said, pulling a spare pullover from his rucksack and handing it to the obviously-frozen archaeologist, "...maybe I should have prepared you for that!" "Wh... whatever you told me," said Daniel, "it wouldn't have been enough!" Suddenly, as though his brain kicked into a higher gear, Daniel took a proper look for the first time at their surroundings. "Where are we, anyway? This isn't Colorado..." "Nope. Not Kansas either," Jack said, grinning at Daniel's confusion. Before Jack could begin to answer Daniel's question, he heard a shout, swiftly followed by an explosion that was too near for comfort. Grabbing Daniel's arm, Jack pulled Daniel with him down into the small amount of cover that there was near the 'Gate. What the hell? thought Jack, as he tried to see who was attacking them, only to recognize with a sinking feeling the advance of three Jaffa towards the 'Gate. "We've got to get out of here, Daniel. Haven't got time to explain, " Jack gasped, ducking as the next shot was too close for comfort, "but those guys are bad news..." Daniel turned terrified eyes in Jack's direction. I keep forgetting, this Daniel hasn't been through anything like this before, Jack thought. "Follow me, Daniel, and keep close!" Jack began to move from their relatively secure position in cover near the 'Gate, heading for the trees nearby. "RUN!" Jack shouted, taking off for the tree-line, the ragged sound of Daniel's breathing reassuring him that Daniel was hot on his heels. As Jack jinked towards the trees, he felt rather than saw the Jaffa coming even closer. Each shot from their blast-weapons was getting closer, and the two men were covered with dirt and debris as the shots hit the ground beside and behind them. Finally Jack reached the trees, and threw himself behind a fallen tree-trunk before he turned to look for Daniel, who was labouring towards him, Jaffa gaining with every step. Without thinking of the consequences, Jack emerged from his hiding place, in an attempt to distract Daniel's pursuers, a trick that seemed to work. Concentrating their fire on where Jack was standing, waving his arms and shouting to get their attention, a blast hit the trunk on which the colonel was perched, sending him flying into the undergrowth. "JACK!" Daniel screamed. "I'M OKAY!" Jack shouted back, "GET INTO SOME COVER!" As he tried to recover his breath from where he had hit the ground, Jack was aware of the cautious approach of the Jaffa hunting party. Here goes nothing, Jack thought, standing again. "ANTAEUS! HELP US!" Jack shouted. Jack saw the cruel smiles on the Jaffa as they came within shooting distance - out of the corner of his eye, he saw Daniel staring at him in shock. Then everything went black. *************** "Time to go back, Daniel," said Ferretti, in a quiet voice. Sighing, Daniel nodded - turning to take a last look at the village, as the search teams gathered together to return to the 'Gate, Daniel felt his eyes begin to sting slightly. Never thought it would end like this, Jack, he thought sadly. Realising all eyes were upon him, waiting, with unexpected sympathy for his loss, for him to be ready to leave this place, Daniel turned resolutely from the broken down settlement where he had lost his friend. "Let's go home," he said. *************** When the light came back, Jack and Daniel were standing in a clearing, and they were not alone. Facing them was a small man in a long pink overshirt, his hair white and wispy, and seemingly with a life of its' own. "Antaeus," said Jack, with a smile, "I am so glad to see you." The small man looked at Jack quizzically, an expression which was mirrored by the look on Daniel's face. For a moment, Jack was uncertain as to who he should make explanations first. "I'm going to keep talking, Daniel," said Jack, "to give Antaeus here a chance to learn our language. Last time we met he didn't take too long, so we'll be able to see if he can help me very soon..." "You've been here before?" asked Daniel. "A while back," Jack said, "one of the early missions... This planet belongs to the Nox, they... well, they're full of surprises! Don't be misled by the way they look..." Turning back to Antaeus, Jack continued, "...I hope you're well, Antaeus. How are Opher, Lya and Nefrayu?" Looking intently at the small man standing before him, Jack was sure that he saw a reaction at the familiar names. "I've been here before, Antaeus, except that it wasn't this reality. I know that sounds strange, to say the least, but when I met the Nox in my reality, they had the kind of technology that might be able to help me. I know you have the technology to control the 'Gate, and help me get back, if you want to use it." No reaction. "Are you sure this is the right place, Jack?" asked Daniel. "It is..." said Antaeus. "Can you... will you help me?" "What is it you want from us?" asked Antaeus. "The 'Gate on my planet is protected by a device we call an Iris, it stops the wormhole connecting properly unless a code is sent. I've got a transmitter, but by now the codes will be different, as they are changed regularly, so I can't use it," Jack said, hoping he was explaining his situation clearly enough. "I've seen," Jack continued, "Lya controlled the 'Gate, stopping the Iris from closing. If you can help me get back to my reality, then the Iris has to be open for me to return there." Antaeus thought for a moment, before making a gesture towards Jack and Daniel. *************** When the 'Gate opened, returning the search teams to the SGC, and Daniel stepped through, the expression on his face told the results of their search all too clearly. Even from where she was standing in the control room, Carter could see the sadness on Daniel's face, telling her all she needed to know. Without thinking, she hurried to the embarkation room, slipping between the search teams leaving the room at the same time, looking for her team-mate. Carter tried to think what she would say to Daniel. Any words she could use could never be enough, never express her understanding of this loss, not just to Daniel but to all of them. In the end, there were no words. One of the last people leaving the ramp, Ferretti's hand still resting on his shoulder in wordless sympathy, Daniel's face began to twist slightly when he saw Carter standing there, waiting for him. That alone made words unnecessary. Carter pulled Daniel into a hug, surprising Ferretti, that was easy to tell from the expression on his face. As Daniel tried not to cry, Carter could feel him trembling, and her own feelings of guilt and sadness were almost overwhelmed by a need to comfort her friend, to help him deal with his own sadness and, as a result, her own. *************** Suddenly they were in the Nox village. "What the...?" gasped Daniel, "How....?" Jack just grinned, to hide the fact that he too was impressed. This was, after all, not the first time that he had been there, but the village and its' inhabitants still amazed him. "Sit. Eat." Antaeus gestured towards a row of small seats, around a table loaded with bowls of fruit. "Come on Daniel," said Jack, almost having to pull Daniel with him, as he was too engrossed with trying to look at everything all at once. Even as Jack was pulling him towards the seats, Daniel's head was almost spinning in an attempt to take it all in. "It's not going anywhere, Daniel, let's have some food." Daniel sat, obediently, still gaping at everything around him - Jack thought that Daniel's eyes would pop out when Lya and Nefrayu appeared from a nearby hut. "Have some fruit, Daniel," said Jack, pressing a blue hairy object into Daniel's unresponsive hand, with a grin at his friend's expression. Some time later, Daniel had overcome his amazement, and was obviously deep in conversation with Lya. Jack sat and watched Daniel with pleasure, noting how he was beginning to look relaxed and happy for the first time since they had met. "Antaeus," said Jack, turning to the Nox, "I have something else to ask you..." The smaller man looked up at Jack inquiringly, before offering him another piece of fruit. "No, no more fruit, thank you... It's about Daniel," Jack said, glancing over to see if Daniel was paying any attention, which he was not. "He... I would like to ask if he can stay here, with you. There is nothing for him back in his world, and I'm sure he would like to learn from you, learn your ways..." Jack ground to a halt, as Antaeus continued to look at him. "Please?" "If he wishes it..." said Antaeus, simply. "Oh, I think he will..." *************** Jack was resting in the shade of one of the huts when he became aware of someone standing over where he was lying. Shading his eyes, in an attempt to block out the sunlight and make sense of the shadows before him, Jack realised it was Daniel. "Hey." "Jack." "Have the Nox reached a decision yet?" Jack asked. "Yes." Jack scrambled up from where he had been lying, brushing the soil and twigs from his clothing. For some reason, it felt important that he be as presentable as possible to meet this 'committee'. Daniel's tone had given no indication of which way the Nox's decision had gone, if he even knew.... Crossing the encampment to where the Nox were gathered, Jack tried to read their faces, to get an inkling of whether they had decided to help him or not, to send him home or condemn him.... to what? Nope, still as inscrutable as ever, he thought, shrugging. "We will help you," Antaeus said, as the two men reached him. Just like that? No lengthy reasons? Jack thought, ...should have expected that from the Nox! "You should go now." Antaeus said, gesturing for Jack to accompany him. "Where are we going now, Jack?" Daniel asked, quietly, as they found themselves, with Antaeus and Lya, back at the 'Gate. "Not we... Daniel... I don't know how to say this but..." "....I can't go with you," Daniel concluded. "There's nothing in my world for you, Daniel - believe me, one Daniel Jackson per world is quite enough!" Jack said, trying to grin despite the lost expression that was appearing on Daniel's face. "What about me? I left everything I had, followed you here, and now...?" "Stay here, Daniel. Stay with the Nox. They have hidden depths, there's lots you can learn about from them. The Daniel I know is always moaning that he never gets the chance to really study anything and I doubt you're any different..." Jack could see that he was beginning to get through to Daniel, despite his initial reluctance to stay behind. "Maybe you're right," said Daniel, grudgingly. "In time, when you find out more about the Nox, you'll thank me." "Maybe..." "You must go now," said Antaeus, indicating the 'Gate as a wormhole began to form. "What will you tell... Daniel...?" Daniel asked, as Jack began to climb the steps to the 'Gate itself. "Can't tell him too much," said Jack with a grin, "...he'll be so jealous..." Stepping into the event horizon, Jack's final thoughts were mixed. I hope this works... I hope I did the right thing... Jack had been warned by Antaeus that this trip through the wormhole would be a little different - instead of a matter of moments, the disorientation and extreme cold seemed to last for minutes, even hours, before Jack felt the slight resistance of the event horizon. Stepping through, Jack was almost relieved to hear the familiar sound of a deafening klaxon, and a voice which was still declaring "Unauthorized off-world activation" over and over again. Relieved because the cold of the wormhole appeared to have frozen his eye-lids together, so sound was all he had to tell that he was back where he belonged. "SOMEBODY TURN THAT DAMN KLAXON OFF!" "General?" asked Jack, turning in the direction of that voice. "Colonel O'Neill. Where have you been?" "It's a long story, sir." *************** Daniel had finally gone home. Completely drained by the days without proper sleep, and the emotions he had been trying so hard to contain, he had not argued when the general had sent him back to his apartment to try and get some rest, barely staying awake long enough to drive home. In his apartment, Daniel had stumbled into his bedroom, throwing himself on the bed fully-clothed. He slept fitfully, till finally he was woken by the sound of his beeper, still in the pocket where he had hastily shoved it leaving the base. Rolling over onto his back, Daniel dug out the beeper and squinted at it, trying to focus tired eyes on the display - it showed the SGC number, along with an extension, Carter's. Crawling over to the phone on the bedside table, Daniel rang the number in question, asked for an extension and then waited for Carter to pick up. She picked up on the first ring. The very first sentence Carter spoke was enough to make Daniel roll off the bed, grab his car keys and run out of his apartment, leaving the phone still off the hook - from the receiver, Carter's voice could be heard faintly. "Daniel? Daniel!" *************** Smiling, for what felt like the first time in days, Carter put down the phone. She recalled her own feelings when she had arrived in the embarkation room, gun in hand, with the klaxon still blaring out its warning. Suddenly the klaxon had been shut off, and in the deafening silence that followed, she had seen the last person she ever expected to see, ever dared hope to see again, standing on the ramp with the general. Carter smiled, as she left her office, at her memories of the mix of emotions she had felt, relief and joy, delight and still a little guilt, all mixed up and churning together. Shaking her head at the thought that she could ever have given up on the resourceful colonel, she headed back towards the infirmary, smiling as she turned a corner and almost bumped into Teal'c who was clearly headed the same way. "Hey, Teal'c," she said, "looks like you were right, we didn't give the colonel enough credit." Teal'c looked at her with the slightly puzzled expression she had come to know well - once again she wondered if he really didn't understand the terms he asked his team-mates to explain, or whether it was some subtle way of bringing them back to earth. "Colonel O'Neill is lacking money?" Teal'c asked, one eyebrow punctuating his question. "No Teal'c," Carter said, her smile widening, "it means we underestimated his ability to get back here on his own, without our help." Nodding, Teal'c said nothing, and the two walked in companionable silence till they got to the infirmary. Suddenly, as he was opening the infirmary door, Teal'c turned to Carter. "You have phoned Daniel Jackson." Teal'c's voice was steady - this was a statement, not a question. "Yeah, Daniel's probably breaking every speed limit between his apartment and here as we speak." "He has been most distressed by this," said Teal'c carefully, "I was concerned." "We all were, Teal'c." Carter spoke quietly, trying to forget her own emotions and reassure her friend. "Now let's go see the colonel." *************** Jack sat in the infirmary, his eyesight gradually returning. I spend way too much time here... As he sat, waiting for the results of the absolute onslaught of tests that Dr. Fraiser had insisted he go along with, Jack's mind went back to the Nox planet, and to the other Daniel he had left there. Did I do the right thing? I couldn't have brought him here. Two Daniels? How would the world cope? Would it have been better for him if I'd left him where he was? No answers, only questions. Suddenly, Jack was aware of blurred shapes appearing before him. Even before they spoke, Jack had figured out who they were. That big blurry one must be Teal'c, he thought, so the other one has to be either Carter or Daniel. "Teal'c? Daniel?" he guessed. "Well, you're halfway there, colonel," said Carter's voice, "but it's good to see you anyway." Jack could tell, just from hearing her voice, that his captain was smiling. "Daniel?" he repeated. "Daniel Jackson will be here presently, Colonel O'Neill," said the other blurry shape. "It is good to see you." "Wish I could say the same, Teal'c," Jack quipped, "but everything's just a blur at the moment. It's good to be back though." A slightly awkward silence fell, interrupted suddenly by the return of Dr. Fraiser. "Captain, Teal'c," she said, smiling at both of them, "I'm going to have to ask you to wait outside. Don't worry, the colonel isn't going anywhere till I've finished with him." "Oh, that makes me feel so much better..." drawled Jack, making Carter laugh and Teal'c look at her quizzically. "Outside...?" repeated Fraiser. "We're going Janet," said Carter, "come on Teal'c, let's get some food. I can't remember the last time I ate anything... See you later, sir." With that, Carter and Teal'c left the infirmary. Jack waited for a moment, until he heard the infirmary door close behind them. Dr. Fraiser was perched on a stool near his bed, and by the sounds she was making, she was leafing through the results of his tests. "Doc?" "Colonel?" Janet replied, looking up at him. "This eye thing, it's gonna go away, right?" "As far as I can tell, your eyesight is returning, and you should be able to see perfectly within 12 hours or so. No TV for a day or two, and no unnecessary driving either, I think. That shouldn't be a problem, though..." "What're you talking about, Doc?" "Well," said Janet, grinning, "all I can say is, don't be surprised if your team don't let you out of their sight again for a while..." "That bad, eh?" asked Jack, with a slightly worried expression on his face. "Yeah..." said Janet, quietly, before continuing, in a more positive tone, "but you're back now." Then the infirmary door burst open, heralding the arrival of an out-of-breath Daniel. He paused in the doorway for a moment, as if reassuring himself that the scene before him was real, taking in the stunned expression Dr. Fraiser was wearing, as well as the person he had rushed there for. That person was sitting on a bed, head cocked to one side, eyes looking slightly duller than usual, but definitely, completely alive. "Now, that can only be Danny," said Jack, grinning. For a moment, Daniel didn't know what to say. He reddened slightly, more aware now of the grin with which Dr. Fraiser was favouring him, and the need within him to try and say something profound, to express all the emotions that he had experienced over the past days. "Hi, Jack," said Daniel, then ground to a halt, though his brain was still whirling. Wow, that's original! Jack's been missing for more than 2 days, you thought he was dead, and all you can manage to come up with is 'Hi Jack'? Daniel thought. "Hi, yourself," said Jack, grinning at Daniel's obvious confusion, which he could hear even if his friend was just a blur. "What's it feel like?" "What?" said Daniel, even more confused. "Finding out someone has more lives than a bag full of cats?" Jack said, trying to clarify what he had asked. Daniel just stared at Jack. "I think the colonel is referring to the fact that it's normally you, Daniel, that people mistakenly assume to be dead," said Janet, trying to explain to the bemused archaeologist. "Oh..." Daniel paused, before quietly saying, "I... I'm just glad you're okay, Jack." Although he could not see his friend blush, Jack picked up from Daniel's voice that his friend was getting embarassed and so he changed the subject. "You'll never guess where I've been..." he said, cheerfully. "Where?" asked Daniel, falling for the ploy completely, his former embarassment forgotten. "No way, Danny-boy," said Jack, settling back on the bed with a grin, "you'll have to wait for the briefing like everyone else..." Gotcha, he thought. *************** At the briefing that eventually followed, once Jack had received his medical all-clear, the colonel found that he had a captive audience, as he related his adventures on another Earth and with the Nox. Daniel, he had noticed, at first had been unable to take his eyes off Jack, as if somehow worried that his friend might disappear. Then Daniel had seemed to drift off into another world himself, particularly once his counterpart in that reality had become involved in the story, as if sharing the experience with him. "Do you have any idea of how they got you back to this reality, sir?" That was Carter, always the scientist, cutting straight to what was of most interest to her. Jack smiled as he shook his head. Afterwards, as the others left, having again expressed pleasure at his return, Jack found himself alone with Daniel in the briefing room. Suddenly, Daniel seemed to return to reality, glancing around with a slightly guilty expression on his face. "Have we finished?" "Yep. While you were dreaming, I finished telling everyone about what happened, then they left." Jack settled back in his chair, certain that he knew what was on Daniel's mind. "Jack?" "Uh-huh." "Now you know how I felt when I met you, well, the other you..." Daniel paused, licking his lips, before continuing, "... what was I... I mean, he like?" "You of all people, Daniel, should know what a hard question that is to answer! What do you want to know?" "You said he shared the same history with me up till the Stargate project - that it was there we parted company, me going to Abydos with you, him staying on Earth." "So?" "Was he happy?" Daniel blurted, looking a little embarrassed after he had spoken. "I think he will be..." was Jack's only reply. ~fin~

Disclaimer : Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is written for entertainment purposes only - no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story-line are the property of the author - not to be archived elsewhere without permission.