Disclaimer: MGM own all things Stargate and I'm not making a single cent from this.

A/N: Yeah, I probably shouldn't be publishing anything else unfinished but my muse wouldn't let this one go. It's been great to start writing again- even if Stargate isn't normally one of my 'fanfic' fandoms. This is a Daniel/Vala story but it might take some time for our favourite cranky couple to even share some 'screen' time together.

Prologue

"You do know that you can just come back here literally any time you want now, right?"

Daniel didn't bother raising his head to identify the owner the voice in the doorway. "Yes, Jack. I'm aware."

"And that...thing will still be here, waiting for you to look at, oh say, maybe next time you're here?"

Again, he didn't bother looking up, instead focusing his attention on the Ancient terminal in front of him. He had spent most of his visit tied to the terminal, which had been hidden away in a previously undiscovered part of the city. Hours and hours of translating had been done, with the occasional visit from Jack, who had scheduled his review to coincide with Daniel's arrival.

Daniel stole a look at the time. He had promised Vala he would come back with Jack for at least a weekend. He has been surprised when she hadn't been upset over his visit although he could imagine she was probably bored back at the base.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes under his glasses. Jack stood smugly and gave Daniel a reassuring pat on the back. "You might be okay with fending off Vala, but if she thinks I had anything to do with postponing your little rendezvous back at the mountain, she's going to give me a headache the size of Kansas. And that, my bespectacled friend, will undoubtedly, make its way known to the George Hammond. So if you could kindly move off your ass, grab your bag and we get get the hell out of dodge?"

He had to admit- he did miss Vala. She hadn't taken it well during his last visit to Atlantis when it was in Pegasus and boy, had he paid for that on his return. Things had been going surprisingly well for them since the galaxy stopped needing saving. Sure, his credit card statements were looking dire and more often than not, he didn't find much peace and quiet in his own office, but for the most past he was happy.

Vala made him happy.

He wanted to stay and finish transcribing but at the end of the day, Jack was right. Atlantis wasn't going anywhere and he had a date with Vala he found himself really not wanting to break.

"Okay," he finally agreed, stretching as he stood from his chair.

It was then that the world seemed to stop for a moment. Daniel looked at Jack with curiosity as his face moved slowly as he tried to speak. He couldn't quite make out the words, but slowly his eyebrows drew together and his mouth began to form a word.

Something wasn't right.

"How very astute of you, Daniel Jackson, but I'm afraid that we don't have time for such observations."

While the world moved slowly around him, Daniel struggled to recognise the voice. It was familiar somehow, but very out of place for his surroundings on Atlantis.

On his left, after a quick moment, a light appeared only to transform seconds later into the shape of a person.

"I'm sorry?"

The figure sighed. "After the last time, I wasn't sure you would be willing...or whether they would. But the matter is, Daniel Jackson, we need your help."

Realisation dawned on him and the figure became clearer. He didn't recognise her face; perhaps it was different on the higher planes of existence. "You nearly let us all die," Daniel said as calmly as possible under the circumstances. "You had no intention of intervening. Whatever it is you want from me, I am going to firmly, and quite rudely if it means a damn to you, decline."

Jack still moved slowly in the distance and Daniel glared at the Ancient. "I'm serious, you can tell the rest that I'm done. The Ori are dead and they can just leave me to my calm and happy retirement from their complete and utter bullshit."

The figure did not waste a moment. "Something has changed, Daniel Jackson. The mess with the Ori and the loss of two of our own has made us think. Made some of us weak, but others strong. There is talk of intervening."

As much as Daniel wanted to give this Ancient a piece of his mind, an essential part of him deep inside remained piqued. He laughed sarcastically. "Intervene? I'm sorry, but is there another catastrophe waiting to happen? Do you plan on trying to take on the Wraith—again? Or is that galaxy a little too far away for you to bother with?"

"They want to intervene in their own affairs, Daniel Jackson. They're going to step in- Oma Desala and Ganos Lal. They are planning on an intervention."

Daniel, and the world, stopped. "As in stopping their fight?"

The figure nodded. "In a manner of speaking. They intend to help. And as soon as they do, the Ancients will be in Civil War. After everything that has happened, for that I am truly sorry, but you know and understand the highest laws we have, even if you did not follow them yourself- either time. I would not come if it were not dire. Your galaxy is safe and now, we need your help Daniel Jackson. One last time. "

Jack O'Neill had seen many things in his lifetime. He had felt grief and pain and sorrow and while there were terrible tortures he had only endured once, like dealing with the deal of his only son, the pain of watching Daniel die, was something he didn't care to repeat.

It happened nearly instantaneously. A solid punch in the guts. Air being sucked out of the room as Daniel took one look at him and disappeared into tendrils of soft white.

"DANIEL!" he roared, snaking his hand around air. It couldn't be happening, not again.

"General O'Neill?" the speaker still attached to him crackled. "General, we're reading a major spike of-"

"Shit," he swore. "I'm on my way."

Jack took a last look in the lab and, if what he suspected was true, the SGC's well earned peace and quiet was about to change drastically.