Reality Check

by TGCblue

A teenage girl is found at the SGC. She claims to be Daniel's daughter from another reality. Jack and Daniel decide to take care of her. Through Claire Earth becomes allied with the Kre'shan against the Goa'uld. But Claire and the Kre'shan are not wha

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Reality Check

The event horizon rippled as Teal'c came through, closely followed by Colonel Samantha Carter dragging an obviously sleepy Doctor Daniel Jackson after her. SG1 were home, back within the bowels of Cheyenne Mountain and Stargate Command.

General Jack O'Neill knew that he was not supposed to have favourites, but SG1 had been his team and would always be special to him. With a smile, he walked forward to meet them. "Hi, kids," he greeted them as the Colonel led her team down the ramp. "How'd it go, Teal'c? Any friends for Danny to play with? Any doo-hickeys for Carter to drool over?" Jack questioned with his characteristic grin, his words met by a groan from Carter and a muffled protest from Daniel, who was still trying to do up his jacket. Then with a shake of his head, Jack pushed away Daniel's fumbling hands and zipped up his jacket for him.

"Thanks," Daniel mumbled as he looked at his hands for a moment, frowned, and then finally focused on Jack.

"Morning, Daniel," Jack greeted, watching the wary smile form upon the archaeologist's lips.

"Morning, Jack," Daniel answered suspiciously.

With a laugh, Jack looked to Carter.

"He hasn't had his coffee yet, Sir." Carter answered his unspoken question, then once more the Air Force Colonel, she asked, "So? Why the recall?"

Beginning the strangest briefing of his time as the commanding officer of Stargate Command, Jack O'Neill drew a deep breath and said, "At 0100 a teenage girl was discovered in Daniel's office. She's badly hurt and very distressed, but as she has a handgun and is threatening to kill anyone who goes near her, I've ordered everyone to back off."

"And we're here because?" Carter questioned as he led the team from the Gate Room.

Glancing back, Jack tried not to smile when she reached out and snagged the sleeve of Daniel's jacket, tugging him out of his stupor, forcing him to walk. The younger man was clearly exhausted. Nothing new there, Jack silently observed. Doctor Daniel Jackson had always bordered upon obsessive where his work was concerned, and all too often worked through the night if he was not stopped. Jack would have to speak with Carter; clearly, she was letting him get away with it.

"She hasn't said a thing other than to ask for Daniel."

"Me?" Daniel asked with a frown, halting momentarily until Carter once again grabbed his sleeve and pulled him forward.

"Yes, you," Jack confirmed, laughing openly at Daniel's confusion.

Gathered in the corridor outside Daniel's office, Jack purposefully took the side arm that Daniel carried and passed it to Carter. "You're on, Daniel," he said softly.

"What do I say to her Jack?" Daniel questioned, clearly worried.

"Just do your thing, get the gun from her and do not rush her," Jack advised as he swept Daniel's hat from his head and ruffled his hair, knowing the younger man's doubts. "Go, Danny, you can do this," he encouraged. "I'll watch your six."

Unsure just what to say or do, Daniel reluctantly moved forward, entering the room slowly. "I'm Daniel Jackson, you asked for me," he called in what he hoped was a soothing voice as he approached her. She looked up then, and for a long moment he froze, watching as she tried to stand, only to fall, the gun clattering to the floor.

"Dad, please help me," she pleaded, reaching out to him.

As though a spell had been broken, Daniel rushed to her, Jack on his heels. "It's okay," he promised as he knelt before her and immediately found his arms full of her as she clung to him whilst Jack went for the gun.

"Daniel, get her to the infirmary," Jack ordered softly, slipping the safety on the gun.

"Uncle Jack?"

Reaching out to stroke her bloodstained hair, Jack swallowed the lump in his throat and answered in a voice that did not sound quite as steady as he had hoped it would, "Yeah, kid, it's me."

"Love you both, so much," she whispered in response, and as she went limp within his arms, Daniel did not need to look to know that she was unconscious.

"Doctor?" Jack demanded impatiently as the white cloaked man left the curtained cubicle that hid the girl from view. SG1 had waited throughout the long night for the examinations to be complete and Jack was pretty much at the end of his patience.

Recognising this, Doctor Carmichael raised his hand for silence, looking pointedly at Jack as he did so. "She'll live," he assured them, knowing their immediate concerns, then continued, "most of the blood on her was either yours or Doctor Jackson's. There were also traces of Teal'c's and Colonel Carter's."

"Our blood?" Carter asked in horror.

"Yes, Colonel, your blood. Although, she has lost quite a substantial amount of her own from a knife wound, but I'm giving her a transfusion to correct that. She also has a broken wrist and multiple bruises. If I had to take a guess, I'd say she hasn't eaten properly in at least two weeks," he answered patiently.

"She called Daniel, Dad," Jack prompted. "Could he be her father?"

With a smile as he remembered how Doctor Jackson had visibly blanched at the news, Carmichael nodded confirmation, adding, "Doctor Jackson is her father. In a court of law, the evidence of the paternity test would be conclusive."

"But he's not, if he had a daughter, I'd know," Jack protested. There was nothing about his archaeologist that he did not know. His? Where had that come from? Okay, SG1's archaeologist and SG1 were his team, so therefore, Daniel was his, just like Carter and Teal'c, Jack reasoned. Yes, that was better, Jack decided as he looked up to find the Doctor looking quizzically at him. "He'd have told me," he finished lamely.

"What if she's from a different reality?" Sam questioned thoughtfully, putting her hand on his arm to gain his attention. "That would explain how she managed to bypass security."

Suppressing a shiver, Jack adamantly shook his head, "We destroyed the mirror. She can't be. Tell me we destroyed it, Carter."

"Yes, Sir, we destroyed the mirror," Carter hurriedly assured him. "But…

"Ah, ah," O'Neill stopped her, raising his index finger for emphasis, "we destroyed the mirror, she can't be."

"Yes, Sir," Sam responded patiently.

"Is it permitted for us to visit the child?" Teal'c asked, breaking his watchful silence.

"She's unconscious so there isn't much point, but if you want to," Doctor Carmichael responded, stepping aside, knowing he probably would not be able to stop them anyway. "I'll be in my office if you want me," he added and watched, nodding, as the General led them into the infirmary.

"She looks like you, Daniel," Sam observed as they gathered about the bed, and mentally kicked herself when Daniel looked up and she saw the pain within his eyes.

"Sam, how can she be my daughter, what's going on?"

"Until I question her, I don't know, Daniel," Sam answered compassionately as he brushed away a tear.

Recognising the signs of Daniel's despair and exhaustion, Jack moved to stand behind his chair. "Why don't you go get some sleep," he encouraged, drawing Daniel back against him.

Resting his head against Jack's chest, struggling to keep his eyes open, Daniel shook his head even though he knew and understood the wisdom of his words. "I don't want to leave her alone," he said, then added honestly, "I'm glad you're all here though."

"Hey, where else would we be?" Jack quipped as he ruffled Daniel's hair. "Has she said anything?"

"No, she's been unconscious throughout, which is probably a good thing," Daniel offered, making no effort to move from the comfort of Jack's touch.

"And she isn't going to wake up for a long while so up you get Daniel," Jack instructed, tugging at Daniel's arm to get him moving. "Carter, Teal'c, make sure he gets to bed and then turn in yourselves. I'll stay with her," he promised as Daniel moved almost zombie like towards them.

"She's coming round," Doctor Carmichael warned as he leant over the bed to check her responses and her eyes began to flutter open. "You're at the SGC, you are safe," he assured her, seeing the fear in her eyes once she focused upon him. Blue eyes just like her father's, he noted. "SG1 are here, you are not alone."

"Where are my dads?"

"He's here," Dr Carmichael promised, and as O'Neill moved into her line of vision, he watched her smile, conscious of the fact that as yet, Doctor Jackson had not drawn her attention to himself. "How do you feel?"

"Can't feel a thing," the girl responded sleepily. "Just tired. Uncle Jack, where's my dad?"

"He's here," Jack told her, reaching out and catching hold of Daniel, pulling him forward. "See?"

"Dad," she whispered weakly whilst Daniel slowly reached out and touched her face. "You look like shit."

"You don't look so good yourself," Daniel responded, forcing a smile for her benefit, then as she reached for him, took her hand in his, marvelling at how tiny it was within his own. He had dreamed of having a child but suspected that desire was an indirect way to right the wrongs of his own childhood by being the perfect father. Now there was a child calling him dad but she was someone else's child. Strangely, it hurt. "Who did this?" he asked.

"Anubis," she said in answer, her voice growing weaker.

"I need to ask you your name and age," Doctor Carmichael explained, drawing her attention back to him.

"Claire Jackson-O'Neill and I'm sixteen, nearly seventeen," she responded, struggling now to keep her eyes open.

"Well, Claire, I want you to rest some more, and later, I want you to eat something for me. What food do you like?" Doctor Carmichael questioned.

No answer was forthcoming and knowing that once more she slept, Daniel looked up, meeting Jack's eyes. "Jackson-O'Neill?" he asked, struggling to believe he had heard correctly.

Longing to ease the pain he saw in his friend, Jack stuffed his hands deep within his pockets and drew a deep breath before answering. "That's what she said, Daniel. So, we have a name and age. Not much to go on but it wouldn't hurt to see if somewhere in this world there's a Claire Jackson-O'Neill," Jack said, looking to Carter who was studying Daniel in open-mouthed curiosity.

"I'm on it, Sir," she acknowledged with a visible effort to drag her eyes away.

"Good, go, investigate," Jack ordered, and watched as with a last look, she hurried to obey.

"I will assist Colonel Carter," Teal'c intoned with a slight nod of his head.

"Yeah, you do that," Jack agreed, then added as an after thought, "Thanks Teal'c."

"Call me when she wakes," Doctor Carmichael instructed, gathering up the notes of his latest patient, wondering if it would be a good idea to give Doctor Jackson something. The poor man looked like he was in shock.

"Jackson-O'Neill," Daniel repeated as the doctor walked away, his mind racing to assimilate and accept the consequences of her words.

"We'll know soon enough," Jack promised, reaching out to place his hand upon Daniel's arm. "You okay?"

"Not really. I haven't got a clue what's going on," Daniel admitted whilst Jack pulled up another chair.

"Well?" Jack asked expectantly as he surveyed the members of SG1 that had converged within the briefing room. Daniel looked wretched, he noticed, his gaze settling upon the man, but he was not surprised. Daniel had barely left Claire's bedside in the past twenty-four hours, determined to be there when she woke. "So? What do we know apart from the fact that she's called Claire Jackson-O'Neill and is sixteen?"

"Well, Sir, the gun was empty and wasn't one of ours. I checked the armoury, every weapon is accounted for," Carter responded.

"Empty?" Jack repeated, surprised, impressed by her actions. "She was bluffing?"

"Apparently so, O'Neill," Teal'c answered with a slight smile. "She is indeed brave."

"Just remind me never to play poker with her," Jack quipped with a grin. "Any ideas on her name, Daniel?"

"My mother's name was Claire and it's the sort of thing I'd do if she really was my daughter," Daniel spoke up, his gaze locked upon his fingers that toyed with a pen so none would see just how close his tears were. "I'd ask you to adopt her so that there would be no question about who would look after her if I died. If my parents had done the same, rather than just assume that Nick would take me on, I wouldn't have grown up in foster care," he said, explaining his reasoning.

"Me?" Jack demanded, stunned that Daniel should want him to raise his child. Daniel knew about Charlie, so why would he trust him with Claire? It made no sense. "You'd trust me with your kid?"

"Yes. If I had one," Daniel mumbled in response, "if you would, I mean."

Daniel trusted him with his life, Jack knew that, had always known that, but his own child? That was something else entirely! "Hell yeah," Jack answered with a grin. "Carter, any luck tracking down our Claire Jackson-O'Neill?"

"No, Sir. I've checked everything I can think of and no where in this world have I found mention of a Claire Jackson-O'Neill," Sam explained, glancing towards Daniel, worried about him. "I really don't believe that she's come from our reality."

"So, what are we going to do with her?" Jack queried, unwilling to wonder how she had got there.

"She has a SG1 badge," Carter pointed out, "and if she is Daniel's kid, she's probably a genius and way ahead of other kids her age, Sir."

"She probably is," Jack conceded reluctantly. "However, she may have been a member of SG1 in her world but here, we do not employ children. Daniel, do you have any ideas?"

"I-I suppose she'll have to live with me," Daniel answered softly.

"And when SG1 goes off world? What happens to her then?" Jack questioned, certain that Daniel did not have a clue how difficult it would be to raise the girl alone; Daniel could not even look after himself at times.

"Sir, she must call you Uncle Jack for a reason," Carter said, answering for Daniel. "Perhaps she could stay with you or on base when we're off world."

"I suppose it could work," he mused, surprised to realise that he liked the idea. It would be good to have a kid about the house again. "Okay, keep me informed, I want to know everything," he ordered and watched them get to their feet, instinctively making their way to Daniel's side. As the civilian, they had always 'looked after' Daniel. Over the years, he had learnt how to defend himself, but they had become close and the closeness between them had strengthened and grown into friendship and love. SG1 was a family, his family, and Jack did not doubt that there would be room in that family for Claire, especially if she was anything like her father.

Whistling, Jack made his way through the infirmary to Claire's bed, struck again by her resemblance to Daniel. She could only be his kid, Jack decided as he leant over and kissed her.

"When are they going to let me out of here, Uncle Jack?" she asked impatiently, putting down the tome she was reading. One of Daniel's numerous books, he noted.

"Not until the Doctor says so, kid, but if you're bored, I could rustle up a wheelchair and we can blow this joint," Jack offered with a grin that was rewarded by a huge smile that lit up her face. "I take it that's a yes."

"Yes please," Claire pleaded. "I am so sick of this place."

"Has your dad been in today?" Jack queried, raising his arm to get the attention of a nurse.

"He was here when I woke and we had breakfast together, but he didn't say much. I don't think he knows quite what to say to me. I know he's not my real dad, I know my real dad's dead, but he feels like it. Do you know what I mean?" Claire asked seriously with a slight frown. "I thought he'd feel the same as, well, as my real dad, I mean. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, Claire, in some weird way it does. I think I've been around Daniel too long," Jack answered, grinning. When the nurse approached, he quickly requested a wheelchair.

"Jacksonspeak you call it," Claire answered with a laugh, "and you and dad have been in love forever, so you really should be used to it by now."

"Err… yeah, right," Jack answered hesitantly, stunned by her revelation, glad that the nurse chose to return with the requested wheelchair so he did not have to pursue it.

They had made the decision not to question her outright, allowing her to divulge in her own time through conversation and gentle probing, the answers they sought. It had so far worked, and they now knew that she had indeed come from another reality, from a world that had been overrun by Anubis's drone soldiers. A world in which he and Daniel had died in her arms and Sam and Teal'c had been killed defending the SGC. Claire had been sobbing in Carter's arms when she had imparted that bit of news, and Carter had been close to tears herself when she had shared the information with the rest of the team.

Jack hated to think what Claire had gone through during the invasion and subsequent subjugation of her world. She had hidden from the Goa'uld for almost two weeks until she'd found the alien device that had enabled her to escape her reality in search of another where she would be safe. She was certainly gutsy, just like her father.

With a blanket wrapped around her skinny bare legs, Jack, with a flourish of his arms that bought forth a laugh, bowed before her. "So my lady, where shall we go first?"

"To see Sam," Claire answered without hesitation.

"Your wish is my command," Jack responded with a grin as he moved behind the wheelchair, "but first we'll visit your dad, see if he wants to come with us."

"Daniel's bound to be busy," Claire pointed out. Despite the fact that he was always there when she woke screaming from her dreams, he was not her father and with each day, it was becoming glaringly obvious that he was uncomfortable with her.

"All the more reason to drag him away, he works too hard."

"Uncle Jack, I'd rather not," Claire admitted, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. "I don't think he likes me being here."

"Daniel just needs a bit of time and if you keep avoiding him, how's he ever going to get used to having you around?" Jack reasoned, determined to have a word, actually more than a word, with Daniel the first chance he got.

Daniel was working, as Jack had known he would be. He was using a black board and had written upon it the ancient text and was in the process of writing the English translation below. He barely looked up as they entered and Jack, well used to his ways, took no offence personally, but could not help feel angry that he could so easily ignore Claire.

"Daniel," he prompted, trying to draw Daniel's attention.

"Jack," Daniel responded absently as he scrubbed out something with his hand, then wiped the chalk from his hand onto his jacket.

"Daniel," Jack repeated, a little sharper than he had intended and watched, as finally, Daniel turned from the board and focused upon them.

"Oh, er, hi, Claire," Daniel murmured absently, his attention upon his work.

"Damn it, Daniel," Jack cursed angrily. What was up with the man? No wonder Claire believed he did not like her.

"What?" Daniel demanded, totally at a loss to understand what he had done wrong.

"Claire has come to see you, not watch you work," Jack snapped.

"It doesn't matter, Jack," Claire said. "I'm sorry Daniel; I didn't mean to bother you."

"Claire, when you get out of here, you are coming home with me," Jack promised, and with a furious glare at Daniel, he backed out of the room.

It was a beautiful night Daniel noted as he wandered absently about the mountaintop, touching the occasional bush in passing. His thoughts, however, were far from beautiful as they continued to dwell upon what had happened. He did not really think the few exchanged words with Jack constituted an argument as such, but he had not hung around for the rematch that would undoubtedly come. He would rather face a System Lord than an angry Jack and boy, had Jack been angry! Trouble was, Daniel still was not sure just what he had done wrong. Not that it mattered now. Jack was going to take her to live with him. Claire would be happy with Jack, happier than she would ever be with him. Jack would look after her, just as he had always looked after Daniel. So why was he afraid? Just what was he afraid of anyway?

"Daniel."

"Jack?" Daniel asked, caught off guard by the disturbance, looking up to find where Jack stood watching him. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough, we have to talk," Jack ordered softly.

"Don't want to argue," Daniel refused, shaking his head.

"Talk, Danny, we need to talk," Jack repeated, walking to where Daniel stood, reminding him of a rabbit caught in the headlights of a car.

"Don't want to talk about her, Jack, we'll just end up arguing," Daniel said, again refusing. He hated arguing with Jack, it always left him feeling like shit and fearful that he had finally ruined the friendship between them.

"Okay, we won't talk about her. We'll talk about what's bothering you shall we?" Jack encouraged.

"I think you should look after her, Jack," Daniel admitted miserably. "I want to look after her but I don't know how."

"I didn't mean it, Daniel; you'd make a good dad. I was just angry, but you know it is a good idea. That's what I wanted to talk with you about. You and Claire should move in with me. I never use my office; it'd make a good bedroom for her. You can have the guest room, you're the only one that ever uses it, and it's full of your stuff anyway. It's the perfect solution," Jack explained with a shrug. "Say yes, Daniel. Come home with me."

"Home?" Daniel asked, stunned. "You, me and Claire?"

"Yes, you, me and Claire, home," Jack teased affectionately. "You spend most nights at my place anyway and it's too damn quiet when you sleep at your place. Just think, you'll never be late for work again. Come on, Daniel, say yes."

"Yes," Daniel whispered nervously, hoping that he was doing the right thing.

"Ya know what," Jack responded, chuckling as he moved to lead the way back, "Claire is absolutely gorgeous and we're going to have our hands full in a few years time."

"Yeah, I had noticed, she must take after her mother," Daniel reluctantly admitted. "What are we going to do, Jack?"

"Like always, our best," Jack answered with a smile, "only this time, it's personal."

They were late, Claire noted as she glanced at the watch Sam had given her. It was probably Daniel's fault. It was just her luck that like her father, Daniel was five minutes behind the rest of the world. Wondering if the same was true of every Daniel Jackson in every reality, Claire looked up as Sam moved into the seat at her side, and gratefully accepted the coke she offered.

After two months, it was her first day out of the SGC and she was loving it. She had spent the morning with Sam, roaming around the shops, trying on an assortment of clothes. Daniel had said to get what she wanted regardless of the cost, but she had bought only what she needed: three pairs of jeans, several T. shirts, some underwear and a pair of trainers, which along with the donated clothes, meant that she had more than enough.

"Here they come," Sam said with a directional nod.

Turning, Claire watched as they approached.

They looked so much like her fathers that it was difficult at times to remember that they were not, and that to them, she was a stranger who had been thrust upon them. Yet, watching them walking side by side, laughing at a shared joke, they could have been. The closeness between the two men that had raised her had been the one constant in her so far, unpredictable life.

"Have you finished shopping?" Jack questioned, dropping a kiss on her head, before reaching over to swipe her cola.

Knowing that he should have been the one to kiss her, but unable to bring himself to be so familiar with her, Daniel moved into the seat opposite Sam. "If there's anything else you need, you better say so now," he prompted. Life at the SGC rarely enabled them to plan ahead and there was no way of knowing just when they would be able to get out shopping again.

"I got lots of clothes and things, but there were a couple of books I'd like to get if you don't mind," Claire admitted cautiously, not wanting to push her luck. She had already spent a lot of his money and had no clear idea how she would ever pay him back. She would have to speak to Jack, see if he could get her a job, perhaps even her old job as Daniel's assistant. No, that would not work she realised, abandoning the idea almost immediately; Daniel did not want her to work with him. She had already offered to help him but he had turned down her offer of assistance. Trouble was, her father had always taught her and although she knew a great deal, she had no real qualifications with which to get a job, even if she had been old enough.

"Sure, go get them," Daniel answered, pulling his wallet out. "How much do you need?"

"About fifty?" Claire asked hopefully, fully expecting him to refuse.

"I haven't got that much cash on me, I'll have to come with you and put it on a card," Daniel told her after checking the bills in his wallet.

"It's okay, it doesn't matter," Claire refused.

"Claire, just come on," Daniel snapped impatiently as he got to his feet and offered her his hand, then watched her stand up, deliberately pushing her hands into the pockets of her jeans. "You're being childish," he pointed out.

"And you're being an ass," she retorted defiantly, coming to stand before him. "I don't need you to hold my hand."

"Did you call your father an ass?" he asked curiously as he looked down upon her, fully understanding how she'd captured everyone's heart with her huge blue eyes.

"He wasn't an ass," she said defensively.

Seeing Jack in her actions, Daniel glanced from her to Sam, who was desperately trying not to laugh, and Jack, who was watching with open curiosity.

"If you are rude to me again, I will have to punish you," Daniel warned.

"Yeah right," she challenged, chin lifting like Jack's did when he was assuming a superior pose.

"Okay, for that you can wash up after every meal for a month," he vowed, knowing that he couldn't let her get away with her rudeness, afraid that if he did, he'd lose any semblance of control he had over her.

"That's not fair," she protested, turning to Jack for support. "Tell him, Jack."

"Your dad's in charge," Jack responded with a shrug.

Thanking his lucky stars that Jack had supported him, Daniel watched her frown and curse under her breath.

"What was that?" Daniel questioned, leaning down to her. "I didn't quite catch it."

"Nothing," she responded miserably, hanging her head so he could not see her face behind the wave of hair that fell forward.

"Good, now let's go get those books shall we?" Daniel prompted, feeling as though he had won a major victory when all he had actually done was punish a sixteen-year-old girl.

This, he could do, Daniel decided as he juggled the books that they had selected. They'd spent the last hour sharing their opinions on books that they'd read, discussing the merits of different authors and, for the very first time since meeting her, Daniel felt as though they had something in common. A foundation, he hoped, for their future as he followed her to the display of pens and notebooks.

"Can I?" she asked hesitantly, waving her hand towards the display.

"Of course, Claire," he encouraged, and watched as she reached for an ink pen then lifted a leather bound notebook, the sort he used for his journals.

"Dad always said that the best way to remember things was to write them down," she explained with a sad smile.

"I agree. If you want, you can read my journals," he offered, "they're at Jack's."

"Jack's?" Claire questioned, lifting an eyebrow just as he had seen Jack do on numerous occasions.

"I meant home," he hastily corrected, relieved to see Jack and Sam making their way through the crowded store to them.

"I totally screwed up your life, didn't I?" Claire asked, focusing on the objects in her hand so she would not have to see the truth in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Daniel."

"Hey, things change, that's life," Daniel encouraged. "Come on, here come Jack and Sam."

"I'll leave as soon as I can," Claire promised, determined that even if she had to work in Mickey D's, she would get a job and a place of her own as soon as possible.

"Having fun you two?" Jack quipped, rescuing Daniel by taking several of the books he carried.

"You've been gone ages, we thought we ought to come dig you out. We're meant to be going for lunch," Sam added as she drew Claire into her arms for a hug. "O'Malley's?"

"Would be great, but are we allowed in there anymore?" Daniel questioned, relieved to end the uncomfortable conversation with Claire. He had tried, he really had, but despite his efforts, Daniel knew he was failing miserably at being a father.

"Good point, Italian it is then," Sam responded with a laugh, and gladly, Daniel led the way to the check out.

The same, yet different. It was the story of her life, Claire decided as she gazed upon the house that had been her home. It had been a mistake to come. It was no longer her home and never would be again. Blinking back the tears that threatened to come, Claire turned from it, determined not to cry for she had learnt early the futility of tears. Tears did not bring back loved ones and they would not bring back the life that she had lost.

Overhead, the clouds that had gathered throughout the long day began to unburden themselves of their heavy load, and with a soft curse, Claire felt the first of the raindrops upon her face. Could things get any worse, she wondered miserably as she began to retrace her footsteps through the almost familiar streets. Yes, she conceded an hour later, when hopelessly lost and drenched through, she sheltered from the sheeting rain beneath a roadside tree.

To make matters worse, Jack and Daniel were going to kill her. She had only been with them three days and already she had ruined everything. She had woken in a foul mood, Jack had wound her up by his insistence that she eat something, then she had argued with Daniel who had sided with Jack, and had stormed out of the house. She deeply regretted shouting at him though; he had not deserved it. "I'll be washing up for a year," she spoke aloud as she pondered the consequences of her actions. They probably would not want her back, she reasoned miserably, shivering when a stray raindrop trickled down her back.

A car sped by, showering her with water, and uttering a curse, Claire pushed herself away from the tree and began to walk again. Jack had always said that when lost, you should stay where you were so you could be found, but what if no one knew you were lost? What if they were taking her at her word to 'leave her the hell alone'? What if they really didn't want her back? She did not even want to think about what would happen then. When she got back, she would make it all right, Claire vowed determinedly; she would do whatever it took. Even if it meant letting them treat her like a child.

Lost in her thoughts, she did not notice the car that passed by and stopped just ahead of her. It was not until her name was called that she looked up and watched an obviously furious Jack approach. "Get in the car," he ordered in a voice that she knew better than to disobey.

After the cold, the warmth was welcome, and holding her hands out to the air vents, she watched him get out his cell phone. "Daniel, I got her, we'll be home in about thirty minutes. Can you call off the search?"

Search? Whom had they called out to find her, Claire wondered miserably as she sank back into the seat, reluctant to draw attention to herself. If his white knuckled grip on the steering wheel was anything to go by, Claire knew that it was far from over and dreaded the inevitable 'debrief' that would come.

"I didn't think it would be like this," Daniel admitted, lifting the glass to his lips, inhaling the fruity aroma of the wine before sipping the blood red liquid. Claire was sleeping, stretched out upon the couch, her head in his lap, making movement impossible. Not that he wanted to move, after the trauma of a day spent looking for her, worried out of his mind, it was just too good to stay where he was.

"I suppose we should have expected it to happen at some point, she is your daughter after all," Jack reasoned as he stretched within his chair. "Impulsive, stubborn, argumentative and frustrating."

"She's his daughter," Daniel corrected with a shrug.

"You handled it well," Jack conceded thoughtfully a moment later. Not that he totally agreed with Daniel's actions. Daniel had not even told her off; he had just hugged her briefly then sent her off to shower and change.

Daniel smiled. "I wanted to shout at her but she looked so miserable and afraid, I couldn't find the words."

"As long as she doesn't do it again," Jack answered, grimacing. "I never want to go through that again."

Hoping his confidence was not misplaced, Daniel nodded his agreement. "I don't think that she will."

"Well, it was certainly an eventful day," Jack announced, getting to his feet. "I'm going to bed; you okay to get her to bed?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Jack," he assured with a smile, "and thanks for everything."

"No problem."

Conditioned by his career in the Air Force, Jack woke before the alarm clock issued its shrill declaration that it was time to get up. For a long moment, he lay within the warmth of his bed and listened to the tell tale sounds that signalled the dawning of new day.

An hour later, showered and dressed, he was still alone. Daniel still slept, not that Jack was overly surprised. Daniel had always been a reluctant riser and Claire had definitely inherited her father's love of sleep. Not even the smell of breakfast and fresh coffee had tempted them from their dreams. He'd give them another five minutes, Jack decided as he poured himself a mug of fresh coffee.

At least Claire had a reason, he acknowledged. The nightmares that had disturbed her sleep in the early days had returned with a vengeance since they had brought her home. She was entitled to her rest, but Daniel… Daniel could not be excused quite so readily since it had been Jack that had gone to her in the middle of the night. It had been a heart wrenching experience to hear her pleading with him not to die whilst he had tried to settle her. Then he had been her 'Uncle Jack' again, as he had been in the beginning, before she had accepted that they were not 'them'.

Five minutes later, Jack poured a mug of coffee and carried it to Daniel's room. Only the top of his head was visible beneath the covers that were wrapped tightly about him. With a grin, Jack approached the bed. "Come on, Daniel," he encouraged as he gently waved his hand in an effort to get the aroma of fresh coffee to drift towards his friend.

"Wha…?" Daniel murmured sleepily.

Smiling, Jack again wafted the aroma of coffee his way.

"Rise and shine, Danny boy," Jack quipped, watching his friend untangle himself and reach blindly for the coffee, before deliberately moving it out of his reach until Daniel at last opened his eyes.

"Jack…" Daniel pleaded plaintively.

"Time to wake up, Daniel," Jack teased, brushing aside Daniel's hand as he reached for the mug, knowing that if left to his own devices, Daniel would be asleep again within moments, the coffee forgotten. "Come on, Daniel, sit up."

"You sure you're not a Goa'uld?" Daniel questioned, moving slowly into a sitting position, accepting the proffered mug.

"Hey, if I was, you'd be dead or worse," Jack pointed out truthfully.

Sipping the coffee, Daniel sighed aloud as the last vestiges of his dreams withdrew to memory. "This is good."

"Of course," Jack responded with a broad grin. Until Daniel, coffee had just been coffee, but now he bought only the best.

"What have you got planned for today?" Daniel asked curiously, taking another sip.

"I was going to catch a game on T.V., relax in the garden, maybe a barbeque later," Jack answered, shrugging.

"I want to go get Claire a cell phone, then there's a book that I want to finish," Daniel began, but was silenced as Jack raised his hand.

"Down time, Daniel, what about it don't you get?" Jack asked sarcastically.

"But I've been trying to finish this book for ages-" His attention was diverted when Claire, clothed in blue cotton pyjamas, entered the room. "Claire?" Her name formed his question as she came to him, evidently more asleep than awake.

"Bad dream," she murmured, moving to join him in the bed. Left with no other option, Daniel drew her into his arms as she snuggled up to him, surrendering the mug to Jack's capable hands.

Knowing when he was beaten, Jack gave in. "Go back to sleep," he instructed, seeing the smug grin cross Daniel's face as he closed his eyes. "I am so going to get you for that," Jack warned, but no response was forthcoming.

Claire woke slowly, and reluctantly opened her eyes as Daniel shook her gently but firmly. "Claire, we have to go to the mountain, get up," he coaxed, and with a groan, she moved to sit up, allowing him to assist her.

"What's happening?"

"I don't know for sure, Sam called and asked us to go in," Daniel explained, looking about his already untidy room for a bathrobe. Spotting one thrown over the back of a chair, he moved to retrieve it. "Jack wants to leave as soon as possible."

"Can't I just stay here?" Claire asked hopefully, accepting the robe.

Daniel grinned, then shook his head. "After yesterday? I doubt Jack is going to let you out of his sight for a very long time."

"Shit," Claire swore, throwing back the covers.

"Yeah," Daniel agreed with a laugh as he moved towards the door. "Coffee's made."

"Okay, I won't be long," Claire promised. Once he left, she sighed aloud. It was going to be a very boring day. She had already read and been debriefed on all of SG1's past mission reports. Perhaps she could start on SG2's she mused as she reluctantly began to prepare for the day ahead. She really had to get a job; she could not spend the rest of her life hanging around the SGC.

Jack watched, experiencing a surreal sensation as Daniel, trapped within the Game Keeper's chairs, convulsed. A hand took his then, and with a start, he looked into the clearly concerned eyes of his inherited 'adopted' daughter. She should not be here, the thought registered, temporarily overriding his concerns for his teammates. The simulation was of a drone attack at the SGC, based upon the reality of her world. "Claire," he began, wanting to send her away so that she would not have to see again upon the monitors, the horror of her reality.

"Jack, get them out," she pleaded, leaning against him, her voice barely above a whisper.

Certain that any attempt to send her away would end in failure, Jack looked to Sam. "Why did he shoot him?"

"Because Daniel was a Goa'uld in the last several simulations," Carter explained.

"I told you I should have gone," he responded, tightening his grip upon Claire's hand in an attempt to offer support and encouragement.

"The last thing we needed was the game learning from your tactical experience," Carter said, continuing to study the monitors before her.

With the sound of gunfire from the monitor, Daniel shuddered once more within the chair and Claire started at his side. "We'll get them out," he promised.

"I know," she whispered in response, her faith in their abilites clearly apparent.

Determined not to let her down, Jack nodded wordlessly.

Claire did not need to be told how dire things had become. The Doctor was in constant attendance and she did not need a medical degree to know that Teal'c could not survive the constant onslaught to his body. She knew also, that in time, her father's body would succumb. No, not her father, she reminded herself as once again Daniel died within the simulation and shuddered in the chair, obviously in pain. Her father was dead.

The same, yet different, the thought came unbidden. Claire had loved both of her fathers and they had loved her in return, but it was time to move on, time to accept that what she had had was over. Jack and Daniel were her fathers now.

"You shouldn't be here."

Jack's words almost made her smile. Had it not been for the severity of the situation, Claire was sure she would have. "I have nowhere else to go and nowhere that I would rather be," she admitted. As he drew her into his arms, Claire knew that no matter what happened her future was with them.

"It'll be okay," Jack promised, desperately hoping that Carter would not make him out a liar, acutely aware of the shift in their relationship. The downtime that he had envisioned as a time to build upon their relationship had not gone quite as he had originally imagined, but everything was somehow okay.

He woke slowly and disorientated, still attached to the chair, and looked about the lab. "Is it finished?" Daniel asked hopefully, watching as Claire stepped from Jack's arms and came to him. He wanted to ask why Jack had allowed her to be there but was strangely glad that she was. It had always been the way of SG1 that if one was in trouble, they all were there.

"Yeah, you did it," Sam assured.

Claire slipped her hand into his then, her fingers small within his, and reminded of the first time she had done that, he lay his head back and watched Teal'c slowly begin to wake.

"Shutting off power to both chairs," Sam announced as Jack walked up to Teal'c.

"O'Neill."

"Hey," Jack responded, patting Teal'c's arm, then clasping his shoulder.

Teal'c stated the obvious. "We have won."

"Well, it's what we do," Jack quipped, and in response, Teal'c nodded and smiled slightly.

"I want the pair of you in the infirmary," Dr Carmichael announced, beckoning forward his team of medical assistants.

"I'm meant to be on down time," Daniel protested as two of them came to assist him.

"Tonight, you are sleeping in the infirmary," Dr Carmichael informed him. "I want to monitor both of you."

"It is not necessary," Teal'c announced confidently. "I am well."

"General?"

"Doc's right, you two are staying the night in the infirmary. Don't worry, Daniel, Claire and I will be just fine without you," Jack grinned.

"Yeah, we'll order a pizza," Claire added with a broad smile, "then we'll sit up watching TV."

"That's exactly what I'm worried about," Daniel confessed, allowing himself to be helped onto a gurney.

"What I don't understand is how the hell you managed to persuade SG11 to take you," Daniel complained as he checked Claire's pack prior to her departure.

SG11 needed someone to translate some writing that they had found, and because he was due off world with SG1, Claire was going in his place. He was not happy, but he suspected that if he put his foot down and refused outright, she would never speak to him again.

Things had been strained between them for a while because he had refused to allow her to stay up late and watch a film that he believed unsuitable. She had argued back of course, and he had threatened to punish her. She had then retaliated that he could not because he was not her real father. Thankfully, Jack had stepped in, ordering her to her room in his best military voice. She had obeyed but not before shouting that Jack always took his side and that it was not fair.

Perhaps that was why Jack had sided with her against him, Daniel reasoned, beginning to regret shouting at him.

"I've been trained by the best: SG1," Claire pointed out as she moved from him, "I can do this. It'll be a walk in the park."

"Yeah but…" he began, quickly silenced by Jack's approach.

She turned to Jack then. "Don't you dare say it, I've already heard it," she warned, raising a finger to halt his unspoken words, again reminding Daniel of her Jack-like mannerisms.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Jack answered nonchalantly. "Go, have fun, do your stuff, see ya when you get back."

"I don't need you to worry about me, okay," Claire cautioned, turning back to Daniel, "and have fun on PX2 693."

The Stargate whooshed into life then, and watching her move to join SG11, Daniel felt that somehow, he was losing her but did not know why. She had never really been his, he reasoned as she stepped through the event horizon and disappeared from sight. "This isn't right, Jack," he commented, pushing his hands deep into his pockets.

"She was bored out of her brain and you know it, Daniel," Jack pointed out with a grin. "She'll be fine. She's been training with Teal'c, Carter, and the recruits since she's been here and everyone says she good."

Major Dave Benson watched the young girl moving about the building, studying the script that filled the walls. He had not wanted to bring her, but the General had taken him to one side and asked him to give her a chance. Of course, he had folded; if the General believed she could do it, who was he to doubt? Besides, only a fool got on the wrong side of General Jack O'Neill. Not that she had given him reason to regret his decision, he conceded. She had kept up during the two-hour trek to the ruins, helped set up camp without being asked, and had not moaned once. If she was as good as her father, he had yet to find out, however.

"Sir, it's Kre'shan. It's a history of this world," she announced excitedly, dropping her pack, and withdrawing her camera.

"Can you translate it, Jackson?" Dave queried, unsure just who or what the Kre'shan were, and not overly interested.

"No problem translating it but there's so much, it might take a while, Sir," she answered, fiddling with the camera.

"Jackson, you've got a week," he said, settling his gun more comfortably across his chest and moving towards the doorway.

"Jackson, you've got a week," Claire mimicked softly so that he would not hear. God, it was good to be back, she decided as she turned on the camera.

Whilst her father, like Daniel, often preferred to work with pen and paper, Claire preferred transferring every thing to the computer, working between programmes when translating. That had been the biggest difference between them: the way they worked and of course, her music. She had rarely been without music when she worked, even sneaking her iPod on missions at times, much to Jack's annoyance. She would have to drop some strong hints when she got back; her birthday wasn't too far away.

At least her first mission in this reality was going to be a breeze, she mused. It was also one that would prove her worth, for she alone could read, write and speak Kre'shan fluently.

Well, that had been a mission from hell, Daniel decided as he raced through the wormhole, Carter at his side.

"Shut the iris," she shouted as they dove through, landing awkwardly in a mess of limbs.

"I'm getting too old for this," he grumbled, getting to his feet, and rubbing at the stitch in his side, offering his free hand to her.

"Right," she quipped, gripping Daniel's hand to accept his offer. Once standing, she bent over to catch her breath after the race to get to the Stargate before the pursuing Jaffa. "You know you can't keep away from it."

"I'm an Archaeologist, I shouldn't have to run for my life" Daniel responded with a grin, earning himself a gentle thump on his thigh. "Hey, watch it, SG11 needs an archaeologist."

"They've got Claire, they don't need you," Sam responded, laughing. "You're stuck with us, isn't he, Teal'c?"

"Indeed he is, which is fortunate for us," Teal'c agreed, a slight smile on his lips.

They were definitely a family and all was well with SG1, Jack decided as he listened to their banter. Although Carter and Teal'c had understood the reasoning behind the house sharing, Jack had had a few reservations. Thankfully, they had proven unfounded and rather than destroying the friendship between the team, it had, if anything strengthened it. Both Teal'c and Carter adored Claire and had taken to dropping in unannounced, often spending the evening with them.

His 'official' hour-long meeting with Claire, without Daniel hovering, had been highly enlightening. He suspected that neither of them really knew just what they had on their hands. She had certainly worked the Jackson magic on him, and he had not hesitated to assign her to the SGC as Daniel's assistant, or to allow her to accompany SG11. Jack hoped she would work it on SG11; he needed another team like SG1!

"Don't you think you should rest now?" Captain Frazer questioned softly once his watch was over, and he had joined Claire at the fire, where she sat cross-legged with her laptop balanced upon her legs.

"I'm fine, Captain," she answered with a grin as she looked up.

"You can call me Jamie or Frazer," he offered, pouring a mug of coffee and topping up hers, "since you aren't military."

"No, but it's all I know," Claire admitted, accepting the mug of coffee with a grateful smile. "The Stargate has been my life since I was a kid."

"There are some that would still call you a kid," Frazer pointed out, a wry smile curving his mouth. "And frankly, you look wrecked; the General and Doctor Jackson are going to give us hell when we get back. Turn it off and get some sleep, okay?"

"I'll sleep when I get back tomorrow," Claire promised. "Really, I'm fine, and I'm so close to finishing this part."

"Jackson, I'll make it an order if I have to," Frazer threatened and laughed aloud as she pulled a face but obeyed anyway. She was a good kid, he decided, watching her stow her laptop in her bag and get to her feet, coffee in hand.

"It's a bit pointless, everybody will be waking up in a few hours," she tried once more.

"Go, sleep," he ordered gently, and watched her move to obey, wondering how she could sleep so little and still keep going. Just like her father, he concluded, remembering fondly the times that the Doctor had joined them. He had not slept much either but somehow, Jamie did not think that it would be a good defence when they returned and he saw the state of his daughter.

"Well done, Captain," Benson whispered from his position on the perimeter of the camp.

"Just trying to save our skins, Sir," Frazer replied, getting to his feet to join his team leader, "and if we look after her, perhaps we'll get to keep her. She's good."

"Yes she is, Frazer," Benson agreed. "How's Reece getting on with her?"

"Fine, Sir, he likes her, they like the same sort of music apparently," Frazer answered then sipped his coffee before continuing. "She's managed to persuade him to take her to a concert when we get back."

Sincerely doubting that Reece would be allowed to take her anywhere, let alone to a music concert, Benson smiled. "So, if O'Neill agrees, she's on the team?"

"She gets my vote, Sir," Frazer answered with a grin.

"Good."

Stifling a yawn, Claire watched as the wormhole whooshed out and drew back in on itself; they were going home. It would be good to be back, but she had enjoyed the freedom of being with SG11. Even knowing that they were watching over her, she had not found it as stifling as being a part of SG1 had been with both her father and Jack watching her.

"Ready to go home, Jackson?" Reece questioned, grinning as he came to her side to follow the Captain and Major through.

"As I ever will be," she admitted, grinning herself as they stepped forward, "and don't forget that concert."

"I'll get the tickets today," Reece said, continuing the conversation and stepping through.

Looking up, Claire inwardly groaned to see SG1 waiting for them.

"Guess I won the bet, Jackson," Benson said softly as he turned back to look at her, unable to stop the laughter that bubbled up.

Claire shook her head in mock despair. Over breakfast, when they had discussed just who from SG1 would be waiting for them, Benson had confidently bet that they would all be there.

"Welcome home, SG11," Jack greeted them, watching the team descend the ramp together, clearly happy and relaxed.

"Good to be home, Sir," Benson answered him, releasing his weapon and handing it to an awaiting airman. He watched Claire smile and wave at SG1, but make no attempt to join them.

"Debrief in an hour, SG11," Jack answered and turned to leave, not in the least bit surprised when SG11 were joined by SG1.

Her hair hung wet down her back from the shower, but it was just so good to be clean again that she really did not mind. Leaning forward, her elbows upon the large table, Claire listened as Major Benson reported the lack of anything significant on P3X 724.

"It's a dead planet, General, just ruins although Jackson thinks she's on to something," he concluded whilst he leant back in his seat and indicated with a wave of his hand for her to take over.

She had done it before, but with Jack and Daniel quietly listening, Claire was suddenly nervous. "Well, Uncle Jack," she began, barely resisting the urge to reach out and thump Reece as he almost choked at her familiarity when addressing the General. "Sorry, Sir," she hastily corrected. "What I found is Kre'shan. They were allies in my reality and frankly, they are as advanced, if not more so, than the Asgard, who were also our allies."

"Sweet," Jack interrupted.

"I suspect that P3X 724 was their original home world before the Goa'uld drove them from it," Claire continued, ignoring his comment. "I'm hoping that I can determine the address of their new world."

"So this could possibly lead to a first contact situation," Jack mused aloud.

"That's what I'm hoping, Jack… sorry, Sir," Claire immediately amended, this time thumping Reece's arm when he again stifled a laugh.

"If that's the case, it would be best to turn this over to SG1," Jack decided, looking at the Major, seeing his nod of agreement.

"You can't take it from us," Claire protested, "this is SG11's find; we should be allowed to pursue it."

"Jackson," Benson warned quietly, causing Claire to abruptly murmur an angry apology.

"Claire, just how much Kre'shan do you know?" Daniel questioned, stunned by her reaction but fully understanding it. Too often, his discoveries had been handed over to others due to pressure of work and lack of time.

"I can read, write, and speak it fluently," she admitted, turning tear filled eyes upon him. "Please, Daniel…" she begged for understanding.

"Jack, I think that as Claire is our resident expert on the Kre'shan, SG11 should pursue it; SG1 can go along as back up if it ever gets as far as a meet and greet," he offered, seeking to find a compromise that would not alienate her further.

"Claire isn't SG11, she isn't SG anything," Jack pointed out, annoyed that Daniel had taken her side. God only knew what Claire and SG11 would be walking into. Just when had their daughter come to think of herself as a member of SG11 anyway? More importantly, when had he come to think of her as 'their' daughter?

"As far as we're concerned, we'd be happy to have Jackson as our fourth, Sir," Major Benson offered, and as Claire smiled, knew he had said the right thing, but could not help wonder why she did not ask to join SG1.

Looking up, Jack caught Daniel's slight nod of agreement and knew he had no real choice. "Very well, Claire, you are now officially the fourth member of SG11," he relented.

"Jack?"

"Daniel."

"Jack," Daniel repeated, wondering if he would have to spell it out for him.

"Okay, SG11 can follow this through but SG1 will be there if it comes to a meet and greet," Jack caved in. "Prepare a presentation, Claire, I want us all to know everything we can about the Kre'shan," Jack ordered, getting to his feet. "SG11, well done and dismissed."

"Way to go, Jackson," Reece teased as they left the briefing room, "now all you've got to do is persuade them to let you go to that concert."

"Give me an hour," she responded happily. "Jack's the softy, if I can get him to agree, he'll persuade Daniel to let me go."

"Somehow I can't see the General as a softy," Benson admitted.

"Hey, Sir, it's a done deal. Reece should be scared though, can you imagine the grilling he's gonna get?" Claire pointed out, and laughed aloud as Reece paled visibly. Serve him right for laughing at her!

"Softy, Jack?" Daniel questioned, both of them having overheard SG11's conversation.

"Not me, tough Air Force General, me," Jack responded, puffing up his chest. "Special Ops trained."

"Yes, Jack," Daniel agreed with a grin. "You might want to consider hiding somewhere for an hour or two."

"Already on it."

"If you say yes…" Daniel warned, letting the threat go unspoken.

Stretching to ease his aching muscles, Daniel watched as Claire flicked back her hair and frowned at the screen. "Something's wrong here, I'm missing something. That just doesn't make sense," she complained in frustration.

"Claire, we've been at this for hours, let's go get Jack and stop for lunch," Daniel suggested. "Perhaps when we come back, you'll get it."

"No, you go on, Daniel, I really need to figure this out," she responded absently.

"Claire, no, now come on," Daniel insisted, getting to his feet. "Do as you're told."

"But, Daniel," she protested, getting to her feet anyway, for which he was grateful. He really did not want to argue with her, he was enjoying working with her. "Just let me save this, okay?"

"Okay, and then you can tell me how you learnt to read Kre'shan as easily as English on the way," he agreed, amazed that she could read and make sense of the language that resembled nothing he was familiar with. Working with Claire had been a revelation to him; he had known she was good from the few projects she assisted him with before her mission, but he had not realised just how good.

"That's easy, I was with them for three months on Brydn's ship. There wasn't much else to do, so he broke the rules for me and let me learn. Fleet Commander Darric wasn't happy when he found out, and Brydn got into trouble with the High Commanders but by then, it was too late," Claire answered absently as she switched off her computer. "Come on then, let's eat."

"You knew them well?"

"I did. I lived with Brydn in his quarters and Fleet Commander Darric was a regular visitor. We were friends."

"And where were we?"

"You were ascended and Jack just isn't a diplomat, so when they requested an exchange of ambassadors, Brydn chose to take me and Jarred came to the SGC."

Daniel had to know. "Why didn't Jonas go with them?"

"Jonas never came to Earth; Jack would have killed him if he did," she responded, shrugging.

"What are you talking about?" Jack demanded, getting to his feet as they entered his office, thankful for the interruption which gave him the perfect excuse to accidentally sweep a huge pile of papers straight into the bin and ignore his phone, allowing his aide to answer in his stead.

"Lunch," Daniel answered him, "and the Kre'shan."

"Oh. And how's it going?"

"Great, she reads it out loud and I type it up, but she reads quicker than I can type," Daniel answered, watching and smiling as Jack hugged her, almost envying him his ability to show his affection.

"Stop overworking your father," Jack admonished, releasing her.

"Hey, I'm letting him have lunch," she quipped as she returned to Daniel's side and slipped her hand into his. "Mind you, he did get that look upon his face, you know, the 'do as I say or I'll get Jack' one."

"He did, did he?" Jack questioned, looking to see Daniel's obvious embarrassment.

Thank goodness it was Saturday, Daniel thought, sighing and stretching lazily in his bed, listening to the sound of Jack, always the first to wake, in the kitchen. Soon, he knew, Jack would come in with a mug of coffee to wake him up since they had planned to make an early start on the weekly grocery shopping.

Closing his eyes, he waited for Jack to appear, allowing himself the luxury of wallowing in the warmth of his bed after the last hectic week.

"Fucking hell, oh my god, I don't believe it!" Claire's excited shout startled him fully awake. He sat up and watched as Jack entered.

"Fucking hell?" Jack echoed, placing a mug of coffee on the bedside table.

"I didn't teach her to swear," Daniel said, defending himself. At the sound of her running feet, he was not in the least bit surprised when she ran in and jumped onto his bed.

"We found the children," she cried excitedly, flinging herself at them, hugging them both. "We've got to go back!"

"Found who?" Daniel questioned, willingly returning her hug but completely at a loss to know whom she was talking about. Through working with her, he had learnt the history of the dead planet and its people, but he had not been of much help with the hidden message she believed she had found within the texts. As he had other things demanding his attention, he had left her to it.

"The Children of the Ancestors, they've become a bit of a Kre'shan legend, I don't think anyone knows the real story anymore," Claire explained excitedly, moving into a kneeling position, straddling his legs. "Brydn didn't believe it; he said it was a myth. To protect them from the Goa'uld that were beginning to over run their worlds, they sent their children to a safe place. Only eight people knew where they were, the High Commanders, and they were hidden away. When they'd driven the Goa'uld off, they returned to their hiding place, but they were all dead and they'd left no clue as to where the children were."

"And now you've found them," Jack prompted.

"Yes, it was the mis-spelt words. When I took them out of the texts, they told the story of what had happened to them. They contracted some sort of disease, and the last of them, knowing he was dying, returned to their original home world. With a nifty bit of graffiti, he told his story and gave the location of the children. Then he went back and died alongside the others," Claire explained triumphantly.

"So now what?"

"We have to go back to P3X 724. I have to get the gate address."

"SG1 has a mission in a couple of days, maybe when we get back," Daniel offered.

"Dad, 724 is ours, SG1 is back up when we meet and greet, remember?" Claire pointed out impatiently.

"Yes, sorry, Claire," Daniel apologised, tugging her forward so that he could kiss her forehead, moved close to tears for finally, she had called him dad. "Well done, I'm really proud of you. We both are."

"Yeah, you've done brilliantly, but it's clear that you've worked through the night," Jack reprimanded with a smile, seeing her blood shot, shadowed eyes. "Get to bed. You looked wrecked," he ordered softly, and watched as she crawled in next to Daniel, snuggling down beneath the bedding.

"Worth it though," she mumbled through the mound of bedding that surrounded her.

With a smile, Jack met Daniel's eyes, seeing the moisture in them.

"Don't let your coffee get cold," he prompted quietly.

The conference room was full, and knowing she had never been so scared in her life, Claire forced herself to look at the audience. When Jack had asked her to prepare a presentation, she had not realised just how formal it was going to be or just who was going to be there amidst the sea of Air Force blue.

She could not do this, she had to leave, her brain screamed at her whilst her heart beat so hard within her chest that she thought she would pass out. Panic gripped her and even though she opened her mouth to speak, nothing came out.

Then there was movement and as though in slow motion, she watched her father stand up and make his way through the row of seats. As he approached him, Major Benson stood up also. They came to her, one in dress blues, the other in a deep grey suit, and mounted the podium, their footsteps loud in the silence. "Jackson, you're up," Major Benson said softly, his voice carrying to the audience as he moved with her father to stand behind her. A hand was placed against her back, hidden from view by her body. She did not need to see whose hand it was; she knew it was Daniel, her father.

Then it was easy. Her fear fled and lifting up her copy of the presentation that he had helped her create, Claire began. She spoke of SG11's recent discovery, of the history she had gleamed from the temple walls. Of the hidden message - what she believed she would find and why it was so important. She spoke of the Kre'shan in her world, and what she had experienced with them, as well as what she hoped they would achieve in this world. She spoke of the ships they had in her world, and the planetary defence system. Jack's whispered, 'Cool,' carried about the room and gave rise to a short-lived chuckle that brought a smile to her lips as she looked at him.

"It was cool, Uncle Jack," she agreed, meeting his eyes, and seeing in them the love she thought she had lost forever.

Claire spoke of the invasion and fall of her world then, brought about by a compromised SGC unit. She spoke of the people, of Commander Brydn, Fleet Commander Darric, Jarred, and the High Commanders. That her voice caught when she mentioned how Commander Brydn had died to save her did not matter to her seated audience as they listened, enthralled by her words, lost in the wonder of them and sound of her voice. The only other noise was the occasional scratch of a pen on paper.

Finally, Claire could say no more and with a deep breath, she fell silent, unconsciously leaning back against Daniel, so solid and real behind her. His hands moved to rest upon her shoulders as his lips touched her hair in a soft kiss. "If you have any questions…" she remembered to ask when the silence stretched on.

Her comment spurred the silence to break and the questions began. She answered as best she could, never faltering from the truth, and admitting when she really did not know the answer. Then finally, thankfully, it was over and her fathers, SG1 and 11 were hugging her, and she was shaking hands with the Joint Chiefs and the Vice President.

She was numb, Claire realised, holding tightly to Daniel's hand as he led her from the conference room. They walked in silence but it did not matter; her throat was sore and she really did not think she could string two words together anyway. Daniel took her to his office and once there, closed the door before drawing her wordlessly into his arms and holding her close. She cried then, exhausted and drained. She leant against him and cried for all she had lost, dampening his shirt with her tears until they turned to sobs, and exhausted, sleep claimed her.

It had been the most harrowing experience of his life, Daniel decided as he carefully lifted her into his arms, holding her close, uncertain just what to do with her. The door opened then and turning, he was relieved to see Jack enter and come to them, reaching out to first stroke her hair and place his hand upon Daniel's shoulder.

"You were both brilliant, Danny," Jack said softly. Smiling, his hand moved to touch Daniel's face and instinctively, he turned into Jack's touch.

"She was brilliant," he protested softly, "I didn't do anything."

"You were there for her. Do you want me to carry her?"

"I can manage, unless you want to," Daniel offered.

"She's your daughter," Jack pointed out, grinning as he moved back to the door.

"Our daughter," Daniel corrected, knowing it was the truth. They really were a family. An unconventional but happy family.

"SG11, you have a go," Jack announced.

Grinning, Claire moved with her teammates up the ramp to the Stargate, Daniel following behind them.

His presence was not strictly necessary, Claire was well able to do this alone, but he had been curious, and when she had asked him if he would like to go with her, he had leapt at the opportunity.

P3X 724 was a temperate planet, but totally devoid of life. There was a quiet stillness about it that Daniel found almost restful as he walked at Claire's side, listening to the banter amongst the team. Everyone was relaxed and at ease although Benson, Frazer and Reece kept their weapons at the ready, constantly scanning the surrounding area for any sign of a threat. For a relatively new team, they had bonded well. "She's one of my team, where else would I be?" Major Benson had shrugged off Daniel's thanks for his actions at the presentation and now, Daniel was seeing it for himself. Claire belonged with SG11 in a way she would never belong on SG1.

The single story building was immense and following her into its cool interior, Daniel caught his breath at the beauty of it. "This is amazing," he admitted in awe. He had seen the pictures, had known what to expect, but they had not really prepared him for the reality of the place. There was nothing to link it to any earth culture and as he slowly turned and looked about, Daniel did not doubt that an alien race had been responsible for it. However, how alien could they be if they resembled humans, he wondered, looking at the mural that covered one wall, seemingly untouched by age. They were a beautiful people, almost angelic in appearance with blond hair and near perfect features, he surmised, marvelling at the artistry of the work that made the people depicted seem almost alive.

"I figure that this was like the Great Hall they have now. Come see this, Dad," she encouraged, taking his hand to draw him to the back wall. "This was the city."

"It's huge," Daniel noted as he gazed down a gentle incline, upon the ruins of the city that was laid out before him, far as the eye could see. "Why destroy the city and leave this place standing?"

"I think that this place is shielded, but Reece can't find an energy signature or any technology to prove my theory," Claire answered with a sigh. "We'd better get started, Dad. If Reece and I are late back, Sandy's going to be pissed."

"Sandy?" Daniel questioned curiously.

"Reece's girlfriend, it's the concert tonight, Sandy and Reece are taking me, remember?" Claire questioned, laughing. "Sandy's a nurse in the infirmary, we got on really well when I was there."

"I didn't realise, I thought it was going to be just Reece and you," Daniel admitted, embarrassed. "Did Jack know?"

"Why do you think he said yes? Did you think we had a date, Dad?"

"I…well…" Daniel began, but fell silent at the gleam in her eyes, knowing they had set him up.

"We got you good, didn't we?" Claire teased.

"I am going to kill him," he vowed with a grin.

"The gate address is on here," Claire announced confidently as moments later, they moved towards a tall pillar covered in Stargate symbols. "Look for anything odd, Dad, think graffiti, it could be something drawn on, scratched away, that sort of thing."

"Okay, but Claire, there are symbols here that aren't on our gate," Daniel pointed out.

"I know, Dad, but they are on the gate here," Claire answered absently, running her hand over the column, pausing as she felt a slight indentation. "I've got something. Feel it, Dad, what do you think?"

"You've got something," he agreed moments later. "There's definitely a slight groove round the outside of this symbol. You were right, it's been scratched around."

"Probably with this," Claire responded after a quick survey of the floor at their feet. She stooped to carefully, almost lovingly, pick up a small pointed object, using a tissue to protect it. "This is what I love about this job, I'm the first person to touch or see this since he dropped it when he finished centuries ago. Look, it has Kre'shan script on it. It's a name I think… Sha'noc. His name was Sha'noc."

"It's beautiful," Daniel commented, watching her carefully wrap it and place it in her pocket. "Have you got this column on film?"

"Yes, every symbol," Claire promised as they got back to work.

It took less than an hour to identify the symbols they needed, and feeling almost regretful that they were leaving, Claire ran her hand one last time down the pillar, wondering if she'd ever come back to PX3 724.

She hoped so.

Claire was alone, truly alone, for the first time since coming to this reality, she realised. Her fathers, as she had come to think of them, were supposedly food shopping, and she did not expect them back until the evening. They had invited her to join them, but tired after her late night at the Evanescence concert, she had declined. Claire had never enjoyed food shopping and besides, she had told them, she really wanted to finish her book in peace. The book, however, lay unopened upon her lap, the temptation of just sitting doing nothing in the warmth of the late summer sun too great to ignore.

Somewhere a cat howled and a dog barked, but far from ruining the peace, they sounded right. Closing her eyes, Claire listened to the sounds of the quiet neighbourhood.

She was almost asleep when a shadow fell across her and a soft voice spoke. It was a dream she decided, not wanting to open her eyes and be disappointed. Fleet Commander Darric could not possibly be in her garden, Claire told herself, but opened her eyes nonetheless and for a stunned moment, gazed upon his face. "Darric," she whispered as she got hurriedly to her feet, and only just stopped herself hugging him when she saw his guarded expression, reminding her that he was not her Darric. "Fleet Commander, it is good to see you," she amended her intended words, slipping easily into what had become her second tongue.

"How is it that you know me?" Darric questioned, astonished by her use of his language and her knowledge of his name.

"I have known you and Commander Brydn for ages. In my reality, you and I did not like each other at first, but we became good friends," Claire explained, barely able to contain her excitement.

"More than mere friends, I suspect," Darric pointed out, reaching to touch the locator disc that bore his brother's insignia, hung upon a chain about her neck. The disc that had alerted them to her presence and drawn them to her.

"Brydn gave it to me," Claire answered with a sad smile as she remembered the moment. He had held her, stroked her hair, and kissed her. It had been her first 'real' kiss but within an hour, he had died as her fathers had already done.

"Where is he?" Darric questioned curiously.

"He is dead," Claire responded, fighting down the tears that suddenly threatened to fall, the pain of losing him still too great. "Fleet Commander, I have discovered the location of the Children of the Ancestors," she hastily blurted to change the subject of the conversation as she reached out, caught his hand, and dragged him forward.

"Do you agree with my findings?" Claire asked hours later when Darric finally looked up from his study of her work. They were in her bedroom, he sat upon the bed and she sprawled upon it. Her note books, copies of the translation and her laptop lay between them.

"Yes," Darric answered her, shocked by what he had just read. How the clues that were so obvious, now that she had pointed them out, could have been missed so many centuries ago, he did not know. Whatever the reason, a girl had achieved what the greatest minds of that time had failed to do, and he was astounded.

"I wish we could go and find them now," Claire admitted eagerly, moving to sit up.

"You need do no more. My people will continue the search," Darric told her, knowing that to allow her to continue would only lead to trouble - trouble he did not want. Already his ways were being questioned by the High Commanders who saw him as an unwanted, revolutionary influence. Only his father's superior position stopped them openly opposing him, that and fear for their future when they would be answerable to him.

"No, Darric," Claire protested, her anger flaring, "you cannot take this away from me."

"Claire, I cannot guarantee your safety," Darric tried to reason, fully understanding why his brother's counterpart would form an attachment to her. His Brydn would certainly find her intriguing. "I would not risk your life," he pointed out, wondering why he was even discussing it with her. He was a Fleet Commander with twelve ships under his command; he was used to giving orders and being obeyed, not questioned.

"I can look after myself. Please, Darric, I really want to do this," Claire pleaded desperately as she moved closer to him.

"I will speak with your elders. If they agree, then I will allow you to accompany my people," he relented, and immediately wondered what he was letting himself in for, when she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"Promise," she demanded obstinately, releasing him.

"I promise," Darric replied, struggling to suppress the smile that tugged at his lips.

Brydn knew the moment she saw him for her smile died upon her lips. She came to him then, stopping just short of him. "Brydn," she whispered, reaching out to touch his face and at her touch, Brydn felt her pain.

Tears filled her eyes, and watching as one tracked down her cheek, Brydn barely resisted the urge to wipe it away. "I am not him," he told her, knowing the cause of her pain, wondering if he had made a huge mistake in coming to the SGC with Darric.

"He's dead because of me," Claire admitted, wishing she could convince herself that the man stood before her was a stranger, so that it would not hurt so much to be with him.

"He would not have wanted to be the cause of such pain," Brydn said gently, reaching up to take her hand in his.

"He was my best friend," Claire confessed with a sigh. "I never told him."

"I suspect that he knew," Brydn soothed, and at her father's approach, released her hand. "He would like us to be friends, Claire."

"I do not know if I can. What if you die again? I could not bear it," she admitted.

Wanting to ease her pain, Brydn drew her into his arms. For a moment only, she resisted, then clung to him.

"I will never leave you," Brydn promised her, knowing her fears. "I will always be here for you."

"Just do not die for me again," she warned as she drew out of his arms, blinking back her tears and making an effort to control her emotions.

"You okay, Claire?" Daniel asked, concerned, wishing he knew just what they had said to each other. Not that he would ever ask; whatever they said had clearly been personal and painful.

"Yes, Dad," Claire answered with a nod, then moved to join her team at the briefing table, pointedly keeping her eyes averted.

"Okay, thanks for coming everybody; this is Fleet Commander Darric and Commander Brydn. This is SG11: Major Benson, Captain Frazer, and Lieutenant Reece." Jack introduced them all and settled back within his chair, listening as the alien device set upon the table repeated his words in Kre'shan. "As we all know, Fleet Commander Darric made contact with Claire on Saturday. What she didn't tell us was that the Fleet Commander had been reluctant to allow her to continue looking for the children," Jack began, looking towards the young man, giving him a nod to continue.

"She was most insistent. I relented and promised that if you agreed, she could come with us," Darric explained, watching as she leant forward to rest her elbows upon the table and hid her face in her hands.

"I've agreed in principal, but, Major, the call is yours," Jack deferred, certain that he knew what the answer would be. "We have no way of knowing how long you will be gone or where you will end up. All we know for sure is that you will be going further than any SG unit has to date."

"Doctor Jackson, Sir?" Benson questioned curiously, looking to the man who had yet to take his eyes off her.

"I don't think that I should stop her," Daniel admitted, knowing that she would never forgive him if he did.

"Jackson?" Benson questioned, watching her lift her head and look at him.

"Yes, Sir," Claire answered, almost dreading what was coming.

"Jackson, it's obvious that there's a history between you and your Commander," Benson began hesitantly. "Are you going to be able to work with this Commander and conduct yourself professionally?"

"Brydn was my best friend and he died to save me," Claire said carefully. "Seeing Commander Brydn just brought it all back, but I'm okay now."

Benson repeated his question. "So can you work with Commander Brydn?"

"Yes, Sir," Claire promised, determined that no matter what, she would do it.

"Very well," Benson decided, looking to Frazer who nodded, and Reece who gave him a thumbs up. "SG11 will go."

"So when do we leave?" Claire questioned eagerly.

"Commander, you make sure that nothing happens to her," Jack advised softly, the threat behind his words evident as the Stargate came to life. Jack had come to like both of the young men in the week that they had been guests at the SGC, but trusting them with Claire was another matter.

"I will protect her with my life, Sir," Brydn promised earnestly via the translation device he wore upon his pale blue and silver uniform.

"You make sure it doesn't come to that," Jack responded. When Claire hurried to him, he drew her easily into his arms, holding her close. When she tilted her head back for a kiss, he touched his lips to her forehead.

"Look after yourself and Dad," she warned, moving from his arms when Daniel came to them, going easily into his embrace, and wrapping her arms about his waist.

They had said their goodbyes in the privacy of their home, made each other promise to be careful, but suddenly it was not enough, and Jack wanted nothing more than to refuse to let her go. Not that he would, or could. Too much rested upon finding the Children of the Ancestors.

Anubis was gathering strength and no one doubted who his next target would be. Earth needed the Kre'shan; the Asgard were stretched to breaking point in their war with the replicators and could not be counted upon for assistance.

"SG11, you have a go and good luck," Jack told them. He watched Claire and the Commander move to join SG11 at the foot of the ramp, where two fully loaded F.R.E.D's awaited them. Pushing his hands into his pockets, Jack prayed to a god he was not sure existed, that she would return safe and unharmed. After living alone for years, he did not think he could go back to a life without Claire and Daniel in it. He had allowed them into his home, but they had gotten under his skin and he liked it.

The Kre'shan were not an overly emotional people. In fact, emotions were frowned upon, but gazing at the setting sun over the ruined city that stretched out before him, Darric knew he had never felt such sorrow in his life. Kress, the first world, had long since passed into the realms of myth, and it was almost unbelievable that he was actually standing there, seeing it for himself.

"Wow," Brydn whispered, making Darric smile at his use of the human word.

Brydn had become firm friends with Lieutenant Reece. They had spent many hours exploring the ruined city with Claire in her search for artefacts and clues to the people that had once lived there. That Reece was there purely for her protection and would kill Brydn if he harmed her in any way, had not hindered the budding friendship between them.

"Wow indeed," he agreed, turning from the view as he sensed rather than heard, the approach of Major Benson.

"Sir," Benson began almost hesitantly, unsure if his opinion would be received favourably. He had never doubted in his mind that SG11 were there strictly to protect their archaeologist and that the Kre'shan Fleet Commander was in charge, but SG11 were his team and it was his place to do what was best for them.

"Yes, Major?" Darric encouraged, regretting the continuing need for the translator that made any conversation slightly awkward. Claire had taken it upon herself to teach her colleagues Kre'shan, but other than Reece, it was not proving easy although Brydn had exhibited an unexpected talent for their language.

"Sir, with respect, isn't it time we moved on? We've been here four days, and whilst I agree that the place needs more investigation, our mission is to find the children," Benson pointed out, hoping that the Fleet Commander would not be offended by his words.

"Yes, Major, you are correct. We will continue in the morning," Darric agreed, for he had been thinking the same. Much as he wanted to explore further, the Children of the Ancestors were more important.

"You could always come back, Sir," Benson offered.

Smiling, Darric nodded his agreement. "Do you think your people would allow us to bring Claire?" he questioned curiously, certain that his people alone would not have made the progress that she had already done in building a picture of their past.

"Let's get her safely back home first, Sir," Benson advised as her laughter drifted through the still evening air.

"Indeed, though I suspect that she will become extremely important to my people," Darric predicted, moving to the man's side to accompany him back to the camp they had set up.

"She's become very important to a lot of us," Benson agreed.

"Jackson, how did our people meet in your reality?" Reece questioned, laying back upon his sleeping bag, resting his head upon his folded arms. As usual, they were sharing a tent, but since it was to warm to sleep inside it, they had taken to sleeping beneath the stars.

"A team off world found a downed jet. The pilot survived and they brought him back with them. We managed to make contact with Darric, and Brydn came to pick him up," she explained, rolling over onto her stomach so she could see him. "Then it just went on from there I suppose. I don't really know, I wasn't a part of the negotiations."

"So why was it you that went to their home world?" Reece asked, remembering the briefing she had given.

"I think that Brydn thought I would probably be the least trouble," she admitted with a smile. "We had our first argument within hours of me being on his ship, it's a wonder he didn't send me back."

"What did you argue over?"

"I don't remember. We argued constantly to begin with, which wasn't easy when we didn't even speak the same language and had to use a translator. I remember that I used to do things just to annoy him," Claire smiled, twisting round and onto her back so she could rest her head upon his stomach and look at the stars. "I was really horrible to him."

"That, I find hard to believe," Reece chuckled as he absently stroked her hair.

"Hey you two, people are trying to sleep," Benson pointed out softly from his position by the fire where he was keeping watch. Not that it was necessary, the Kre'shan had shield technology, but old habits died hard and he was not taking any chances where she was concerned. The General would have his hide if anything happened to her and he really did not fancy a tour of duty in the Antarctic.

"Sorry, Sir," Claire responded, obviously trying not to laugh.

Shaking his head, Benson looked up to meet the clearly amused eyes of the Fleet Commander.

"Go to sleep, Jackson, that's an order; we've got a busy day tomorrow," he ordered.

"Yes, Sir, I'm trying, but Reece keeps talking to me," she answered, her words followed by an 'ouch' and a giggle.

"Kids," Benson muttered softly, suddenly feeling old but knowing he would have it no other way.

"Well?" Claire demanded impatiently as she leant over Reece who was sat upon the ground, studying the pictures that the MALP was sending back.

"Jackson, get off me," Reece complained good-naturedly.

Ignoring him, Claire reached out to touch the screen. "Why's it so dark?"

"Because it's dark there, Jackson," he answered sarcastically, patting her hand away. With a sigh, Claire moved to kneel beside him, squeezing between him and Brydn, flashing him a smile of gratitude when Brydn moved to let her in. "Switching to infra red."

"It's a way station," Brydn confirmed when finally they could make out what the MALP was showing them.

Reece continued studying the readouts. "No activity, Sir, breathable atmosphere,"

"So we can go?" Claire asked, her excitement evident.

"Not until Brydn and Reece get the lights on," Darric answered, ignoring her obvious disappointment. He was not going to risk her safety, and walking around in the dark, in an unfamiliar place, constituted an unnecessary risk as far as he was concerned.

"But…" she began, only to fall silent when the Major spoke her name.

At least she obeyed her Commander, Darric mused, remembering the over heard conversation of the previous night, wondering just how his counterpart had fared with her. She had told him that they had not liked each other in the beginning, and frankly, if she had deliberately argued with his Brydn, he suspected that he would not have liked her either. There was no one in his life more important than his younger brother, who was also his closest friend. He did not like to imagine life without Brydn and for a moment, Darric felt sympathy for his counterpart in her reality. Did he know that Brydn was dead? Did he even know how Brydn had died? That he had died to save her had not surprised Darric at all, it was the sort of thing that Brydn would do without hesitation.

It was late in the afternoon when finally, dirty and clearly tired, Brydn and Reece returned. It had been a long boring day for those left behind to wait, but for them, it had obviously been hard. "We had to rebuild the transport control panel," Brydn told them, sinking tiredly to the ground and accepting the drink that the Captain offered.

Reece took up the story as he wiped a dirty hand over his face, leaving a black smudge. "We've got it working now though."

"The technology is ancient, Darric," Brydn continued, "it is unlike anything I have seen before."

"Hey, it's far in advance of anything we've got, what does that make us?" Reece quipped as he elbowed Brydn in the ribs. "And if you say primitive…"

"Less technically advanced," Brydn answered him, laughing.

"So can we go now?" Claire demanded, interrupting their good-humoured banter.

"Not till the morning," Darric refused, looking to the Major, catching his nod of agreement.

For Claire, it was a restless, sleepless night, but as she stepped through the Stargate the following morning, the hours of waiting became insignificant. "Look at these addresses," she cried in awe, gazing upon the address filled walls. Wondering how to find one address amongst so many, Claire desperately hoped that Sha'noc had left her clues. "We could be here a while," she murmured.

Uncertain just where to begin, she unclipped her pack and looked once more about her. At the beginning, she decided, remembering the lessons of her childhood when she had accompanied her father to digs throughout the world. She would start with the gate. Beginning to move towards it, she paused as a thought struck her.

From here, although gate addresses were used, gate travel was not. The Kre'shan travelled much the same way as the Asgard; Sha'noc would have no need to mark the gate, she reasoned. No, the walls, she told herself, slowly turning in a circle to see if there was anything obvious, but not expecting any great find. Okay, that left her with only one option: examine every address inscribed upon the walls.

"This really is going to take a while," she informed them. "You don't have to hang around. You can go back to the planet and when I find something, I'll come back."

"We will stay with you for however long it takes," Brydn refused, determined not to let her out of his sight. "Is there anything that we can do to help?"

"I don't know quite what I'm looking for," she admitted with a slight shrug. "So no, not really."

Watching as they moved to sit down upon the steps that led up to the Stargate, Claire smiled, knowing they would not rush her no matter how bored they got. However long it took, they would be there, and the thought comforted her. The Way Station was far from pleasant and she had no real desire to be there alone. Although spacious and able to handle large numbers of travellers, it was purely functional and its lack of décor made everything echo. Its walls were a dull grey in colour, and lacked any decoration to relieve the monotony, other than the addresses displayed in black upon it.

Crossing to a wall, Claire studied it and experimentally reached up, pleased that she could reach the top most address. She began then, studying, touching and gently scratching them, lost in her own world, her audience forgotten. The addresses all felt the same and nothing on any of them caught her attention, but refusing to be deterred, she continued working her way slowly yet surely along the wall until the Major spoke her name.

"Yes, Sir?" Claire asked, blinking to focus upon him after the close work her eyes had become accustomed to.

"Jackson, come and eat," he ordered, "and it's time you rested; you have been working for hours and it's late."

"I have?" Claire asked, surprised. She had become so engrossed in her quest that she really had not marked the passage of time.

"Yes, sit down, eat and drink," he instructed.

Looking at her watch, seeing the truth of his words, Claire moved to join them after using a bit of chalk she had found in her pocket to mark where she had reached.

"I'm only just half way round," she moaned as she flopped down beside Frazer upon a step, stretching before accepting the drink and food that he offered. Kre'shan food, but very familiar to her, she was pleased to note. "I love this drink, I wish we had it on earth," she admitted, smelling its familiar fruity odour.

"It could be arranged," Darric said.

"I'd like that."

Eager to continue, she ate hurriedly, then with a cup in hand, walked back to where she had been. Thankfully, less than an hour later, she got unsteadily to her feet. "I've found it," she called, but dizziness assailed her, forcing her to lean against the wall for support. She watched through a haze as they came to her. "Dizzy," she explained when Frazer reached for her.

"Sit down, Jackson," he told her, helping her to do so before drawing her back into his arms, holding her against his chest.

"Rest," Benson advised, placing his hand upon her forehead to feel for a temperature. "Do you feel ill?"

"Stop fussing, you're worse than my dads," she pleaded, opening her eyes to find it impossible to focus upon anything. "I found the address, Sha'noc painted something on it, but it scratched off. I think it was blood. We have to go there."

"No, you are not doing anything until you have rested," Brydn responded firmly, glancing over the heads of her team mates to meet Darric's eyes, knowing they shared the same concerns.

"But there's nothing wrong with me," Claire protested. "I just got dizzy when I stood up."

"Jackson, stop arguing, that's an order," Frazer chided, and feeling her relax against him, knew that they had won.

There was a moment of nothingness then darkness engulfed them, a darkness that gradually brightened to reveal a dimly lit chamber that had clearly served as the temporary quarters of original High Commanders.

"This is where they died," she whispered into the ominous silence, ridiculously pleased that their bodies had been removed.

"Eight bunks, eight High Commanders," Brydn pointed out, looking about the windowless and door-less room, remembering what Claire had told them.

"What now, Jackson? Any ideas?" Benson prompted, eager to leave the place that reminded him of a prison cell.

"If you were dying, where would you leave the address if you didn't want just anyone to find it?" Claire questioned, looking about her for inspiration. Seeing a name scratched upon a wall, she smiled. "That was where Sha'noc slept, that's his bed," she exclaimed excitedly. She caught hold of Brydn's sleeve, and pulled him to it, but hesitated to touch it. "Do you suppose he died on this bed?" Claire asked, suddenly nervous.

"It is possible," he admitted, and feeling her shiver, carefully lay down upon the bunk, knowing that she could not bear to do it. "It's here," he announced when he saw a gate address scratched upon the base of the upper bunk.

"We've found the Children of the Ancestors," she whispered, in awe as she sank to her knees at his side, careful not to touch the bed in any way. She looked up. "Sha'noc, we've done it," she whispered to the long dead man, tears stinging her eyes.

"So what now?" Frazer questioned as Brydn copied the address.

"We go back to the Way Station, key in this address and go there," he answered. With the address safely reproduced, he got up from the cold hard bed.

"Brydn, when we leave, I want this place shut down, and sealed, the address removed and forgotten," Darric ordered his brother, wishing he could rid himself of the feeling that he was desecrating something sacrosanct.

"Do you think that's wise?" Brydn asked, moving from the bunk. "The High Commanders…"

Darric ended his sentence for him. "Will never come here."

"Very well, Darric," Brydn relented, even though he did not quite understand his brother's reasons for his requests.

"Can we go now?" Claire asked quietly. "I don't like this place."

Scrubbing her hand through her hair, Claire stifled a yawn and sank gratefully down upon the grass at Reece's side. The decision to return to the planet before proceeding to the next destination had been a unanimous one. The oppressive atmosphere of the chamber, which had become a tomb, had left them all restless and anxious. Even Darric, always in total control, had been strangely quiet and uncommunicative, withdrawing from them to sit alone, gazing at the night sky.

Not that Claire was sure when day had become night. Emerging from the Stargate, she had fully expected to see the sun high in the sky. It was disconcerting to realise that she had lost all track of time in the artificial world of the Way Station and the chamber. "You know what I want to do right now?" Claire asked, nudging Reece's arm with her elbow to get his attention.

"What?"

"I want to go swimming in the lake, you up for it?"

"Jackson, it's the middle of the night. Are you mad?"

"No, just hot and dirty. Come on, Reece, we know it's safe," Claire cajoled as she got to her feet to shrug off her jacket.

"Jackson, I swear you are the craziest kid I ever met," Reece grumbled, but got to his feet nonetheless. Where she went, he had to go; he was her protector and Reece was not about to be found wanting. Besides, Reece reasoned as he stripped off his jacket and boots, it would be nice to be clean and cool again.

The lake was not especially deep with water clear enough to make it possible to see to the bottom. Mere metres from the Stargate, it had been too far from the ruined city to be able to swim in during their time there, but Claire had often wanted to. Now she had her chance and stripped to her underwear and T. shirt, Claire waded out into its depths, feeling the sand shift beneath her toes. "Come on, it's lovely," she called back to Reece, who still stood upon the bank, then dove into the cool crispness of the water.

Surfacing moments later, she drew in a deep breath, biting back a startled cry to find Reece waiting for her. She tried to evade his hands when he reached for her, but he was both faster and stronger. Spluttering and cursing, Claire surfaced after her dunking to find him grinning. "What was that for?"

"For the fun of it," he smirked, turning and diving into the water.

"I'm going to get you for that," she called after him.

From the bank, Frazer watched the antics of the two youngest members of the team. His hand rested lightly upon the weapon slung across his chest. So far, nothing on the planet had caused concern, but his military training had ground into him the need to be vigilant. A sound behind him caused him to turn, swinging the weapon up, ready for use, but seeing the Commander, he smiled an apology and relaxed.

"I did not mean to startle you," Brydn told him.

"You didn't, old habits die hard," Frazer admitted with a shrug as he turned back to see Claire try to dunk Reece, but getting dunked beneath the water instead.

"What do they do?"

"Swimming, messing about," Fraser answered, grinning. "Just a bit of fun really."

"Your ways are very different to ours. Claire would not be permitted to be so…so free to do the things she does," Brydn explained, beginning to understand how difficult it must have been for her with his counterpart. Had her Brydn allowed her to be herself or had he tried to impose Kre'shan ways upon her? Not that Brydn would, he liked the very fact that she was different and independent.

"Perhaps that is why she argued with him so much in the beginning," Frazer offered absently, his eyes scanning the water for any sign of a threat.

"Yes," Brydn agreed, moving to sit down, content to just watch and listen to the much-needed laughter of the swimmers.

Claire was laughing when she left the water, assisted by Reece, who kept hold of her arm to keep her upright. The T. shirt clung to her and rivulets of water streamed down her lithe limbs. "You should have come in, it was great," she exclaimed as she sank down beside him, splattering him in droplets of water.

Brydn could see the goose bumps beginning to form upon her arms and legs, and suddenly uncomfortable, got to his feet, knowing that it was not right that he should see her clad in so little. It did not matter that she was not Kre'shan, he was, and as Frazer had said, old habits died hard. "You are cold," he stated, removing his cloak to offer it to her in an attempt to get her to cover herself.

"I'll get it wet," she refused with a shake of her head.

"It will dry."

"So will I," she responded, getting to her feet, brushing at the bits of grass that clung to her still wet legs.

"I'm hungry," Reece announced with a grin. "Come on, let's get back, dinner must be ready by now."

"Mmmm, M.R.E's cooked by the Major," Claire quipped as she snatched up her clothes and moved to his side.

"You coming?" Frazer questioned, moving to follow them.

"I will return shortly," Brydn declined, fastening his cloak about his neck again.

"It must be hard for you," Frazer responded, wearing a slight smile and moving to stand beside the young man. Another one had fallen to the Jackson magic he mused as he listened to the still laughing pair whilst they made their way back to the camp. "You want to talk about it?"

"What is there to say?" Brydn prevaricated, unwilling to discuss what he did not understand himself.

"Well, she treats you like you were him, but she's a stranger to you," Frazer prompted. "How do you feel about it?"

"I would like what he had with her," Brydn admitted, a wry grin accompanying his words

"It seems to me you already have her friendship," Frazer reasoned.

"I trust that you are right," Brydn agreed, a hopeful note in his tone.

"I am," Frazer responded confidently. "Now come on, we have an early start in the morning. We've got to find these kids of yours and get them home."

"Yes, thank you, Captain," Brydn responded, smiling.

"Glad to be of assistance, Commander."

"I can still smell horses," Jack complained, wrinkling his nose. "Ishta's lot haven't left one of them behind, have they?"

"They've all gone, Jack," Daniel promised as he juggled the files he was carrying to enable him to push back his glasses. "So what do you think?"

"Do you know how much it costs to turn the Gate on?"

"No, do you?" Daniel countered. Reaching an intersection, Jack automatically turned right, whilst he turned left.

"That's not the point," Jack retaliated, then noticing that he was alone, hurried back to a clearly amused Daniel and cuffed the back of his head. "I'm sure it costs lots. Carter will know; she knows everything."

"By the time we got back, the smell would be gone," Daniel reasoned as they resumed their walk through the corridors of the SGC.

"Give it up, it isn't going to happen, Daniel."

"Did I tell you that there was a large lake by the Stargate?"

"Any fish in this lake?" Jack asked casually.

"Loads, the water is so clear that you can see them. Huge fish, this big," Daniel continued eagerly, spreading his arms apart, almost dropping the files, forcing him to make a desperate scrabble to save them.

"Careful, Daniel," Jack cautioned, smirking as he led the way into Sam's lab where she was already at work on the latest piece of alien technology, a small hand held device, found and brought back by SG5.

"Hey, Daniel. Sir," Sam greeted them, looking up at their entrance. "Are we going?"

"Going?" Jack questioned suspiciously, beginning to realize that they'd already discussed it amongst themselves. His realization was confirmed within seconds by the arrival of Teal'c carrying a fishing rod. His fishing rod, Jack noted.

"I was unable to procure 'bait', O'Neill," Teal'c announced sombrely as he presented it to Jack.

"I haven't agreed to anything," Jack protested, looking from Daniel to Carter, seeing their poorly disguised, mock innocence.

"It would do us all good to have a day off world relaxing," Daniel pointed out hopefully.

"Fishing," Sam added, trying not to grin.

"We are not going," Jack refused adamantly, putting the fishing rod down on Sam's workbench, scattering the items upon it, and causing her to grab for the device.

"Ja-ack…"

"Daniel," Jack responded, trying to inflect an edge of warning into his voice, which was not easy when they were all looking at him expectantly; even Teal'c had done his eyebrow thing. "Oh, for crying out loud! Get packed," Jack relented, and watched as Carter moved with a triumphant laugh to where their packs awaited them, hidden beneath a bench.

"We took the liberty of packing yours, Sir," Sam said, pulling them out from their hiding place. "At least Daniel did."

"Daniel?"

"Er, um, Jack?"

"Daniel," Jack growled.

"Well, um, we kinda figured you'd say yes, I thought it would save time," Daniel admitted guiltily, hurriedly stepping towards Carter.

"You know, sometimes I think you kids forget just who's in charge around here," Jack griped, taking his pack from Carter. "I'm going to get 'General' tattooed on my forehead so you don't forget again."

"Yes, Jack, sorry," Daniel answered, the tone of his voice belying the contriteness of his words.

"And when we get there, you, Daniel, are digging for worms," Jack warned as he snatched up the fishing rod, scattering the items again, this time onto the floor much to Sam's chagrin. "Come on, let's gear up."

"Dad?" Claire asked in disbelief when she opened her eyes, sleepily stretching within the confines of her sleeping bag.

"Happy Birthday, Claire."

"Birthday?" Claire questioned, moving to sit up and opening her arms for him to hug her. Something he did not hesitate to do.

"Yeah, birthday," Jack answered, reaching down to ruffle her hair. "We got cake. We did get cake, didn't we, Carter?"

"Yes, Sir," Carter confirmed.

"And candles," Daniel promised.

"I'd forgotten all about it," Claire cried excitedly as Daniel helped her to her feet. "This is great, I've missed you all so much," she admitted, moving to Jack for a hug and kiss, then Carter, and finally Teal'c, whose hug lifted her off the ground, making her laugh.

"Happy birthday, Jackson," Major Benson greeted her with a huge smile as he came to her, accompanied by Frazer.

"Thank you, Sir, but how did you know?" Claire questioned, seeing him withdraw a small, brightly wrapped package from his pocket.

"Your dads told us, said we weren't to forget," Benson answered, looking to them with a nod of acknowledgement.

"I don't know what to say," Claire said, suddenly choked up.

"Don't say anything, just open it and enjoy your day," Benson advised.

"Yeah, Jackson, hurry up, we don't get to eat until you've opened your presents," Reece ordered as he wandered up, a present for her in his hand.

"Then your dad's digging for worms while I fish," Jack announced smugly, watching Daniel roll his eyes and audibly groan.

"Hey, Jack," Daniel announced his presence.

Not bothering to take his eyes off the line that disappeared into the mirror flat surface of the crystal clear water, Jack waited for him to continue. "Having fun?"

"Yep," Jack answered as Daniel moved to sit at his side. "A good idea to come here, one of my best," he continued, wondering if Daniel would take the bait.

"Yes, Jack," Daniel agreed meekly. Now was not the time to get into a verbal sparring match with Jack and point out just whose idea it had been. It had been too great a day to ruin and he needed Jack in a good mood. He'd be more receptive to his request.

"You know, you really are transparent, Daniel," Jack continued conversationally.

"I am?" Daniel asked worriedly, fidgeting with his watch.

"Yeah," Jack agreed.

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh, and the answer's definitely no, you are coming back with us," Jack warned.

"But…"

"Daniel, no." Jack ended the conversation, barely resisting the urge to smile when Daniel got to his feet with a regretful sigh. Yep, definitely transparent, Jack thought triumphantly, settling back to enjoy the delights of fishing after Daniel departed.

It had certainly been a very strange day, Brydn decided as he moved to join his brother before the fire, holding his hands out towards the warmth. Strange, but very enjoyable. Now, however, it was over. SG1 had gone, leaving a silence in their wake that no one appeared willing to break. Not that it mattered, it was a comfortable, companionable silence. Everyone was relaxed, the tensions of the previous day were but a memory, and it was good. It could not, however, last, and eager as he was to find the Children, he dreaded what was to come.

Darric's ship had finally arrived and now orbited the planet, leaving his to protect the inhabitants of Earth from attack, but with it had come a summons from their father and the High Commanders. They'd been ordered to return home, to account for deliberately disobeying orders and dereliction of duty. "What have you decided to do?" Brydn questioned quietly, removing the translator so that they could not be overheard or understood.

Copying Brydn's actions, Darric, unwilling to give his dilemma the serious consideration it deserved, responded truthfully, "I have not yet decided."

"If we go back, there is every likelihood that we will not be permitted to return here," Brydn reasoned.

"Whatever we do, it will be with the full knowledge of Major Benson; I do not want to keep any more secrets from him. He is a good and honourable man," Darric answered, watching as the man in question shifted his position to check on Claire, who was already asleep.

"Very well, but whatever we do, we must decide quickly," Brydn cautioned.

"For now, I wish to sleep. It has been a long time since I last slept," Darric admitted, the previous night's sleeplessness finally catching up with him.

Jack sniffed surreptitiously as he stepped from the elevator. Smelling nothing, he sniffed deeper, then smiled. The smell was definitely gone, and with a grin, he pushed his hands into his pockets and continued on his way. He had enjoyed his day on 'whatever the planet was called', being with Claire again, watching the delight on her face as she opened her presents. Not that he really knew just what an 'ipod' was, something to do with music was all he knew. Daniel had mentioned it as a possible present and as Jack had no clue what a seventeen year old girl would want, he had happily left it to Daniel to buy their present for her.

The fishing had been great, too. The look upon Daniel's face while he'd grubbed in the earth for worms had been priceless and well worth an evening of complaints about dirt beneath his finger nails. Next summer they were definitely going fishing at the cabin, he decided. He'd have to think about extending it though, it would be too cramped with the three of them. Claire would want her own room and…

The announcement of an, "Unscheduled off world activation," accompanied by the sound of claxons, drew him from his thoughts and momentarily, panic gripped him. Unusually, only SG11 were off world. Breaking into a run, Jack entered the control room just ahead of Daniel, closely followed by Teal'c and Carter.

"It's SG11's IDC," the technician, Walter, announced.

"Open the Iris," Jack snapped, dashing for the stairs, SG1 on his heels.

"Jack…" Daniel began hesitantly at his side as they came to a halt just within the gate room, watching the armed SF's take up position.

"Lets… just wait," Jack responded stiffly, wanting to offer words of reassurance and comfort but unable to find them.

Major Benson appeared first, thankfully not at a run, which settled Jack's rapidly beating heart a bit, followed by the Fleet Commander, looking strangely tired and far from happy. The Stargate deactivated then. Jack looked to Daniel, seeing his own confusion mirrored within his eyes.

"Benson?" Jack questioned, finally finding his voice.

"There have been developments that we felt we should discuss with you, Sir," Benson explained as he handed his weapon to a waiting SF.

"Your team?"

"Are fine, Doctor," Benson assured with a grin, moving towards them.

Shit.

Jack's inability to find another suitable word to express what he was feeling momentarily gave him pause for thought. He was a General now, were General's supposed to say shit? He would have to ask Daniel for another word, after all, the guy was a genius and a linguist. Trouble was, 'shit' summed up the situation nicely.

A slight cough drew him from his thoughts and focusing upon the people that looked to him for an answer, Jack softly swore. Being a General was not all it was cracked up to be. "Okay, SG1, I want you ready to move out in an hour. Fleet Commander, these are your people, what do you want to do about it?"

"If we return to my people, I cannot guarantee that we will be allowed back," Darric admitted. "Our orders were to determine the origin of the signal we picked up when Claire arrived and assess any threat. We were not meant to stay as we have done."

"Okay, what if you just don't return? They won't like it, but it would give us some time," Jack suggested with a shrug. "Seems to me you've gone too far to back out now."

"If we find the children, you could use them as a good will gesture," Daniel added.

"Then in all likelihood, the Fleet Commander's superiors would forgive his unauthorised actions," Teal'c took up.

"It's worth a try, Sir," Carter finished.

God, he loved his team! Between them, they'd given him the solution to his problem. "Well, Fleet Commander, what do you think?" Jack asked.

"I believe that it might work," Darric acknowledged. It was not ideal, but what could he do? He was out of options. He had no real choice but to allow himself to rely upon the humans. How strange, Darric mused as he glanced about the people in the briefing room; the humans were counting upon his people but, albeit unknowingly, his people were now dependent upon them.

Leaning over to Daniel so his words would not be heard and translated by the device, Jack snagged his sleeve to get his attention. "You know, Daniel, you don't have to look so damn pleased about this," he pointed out snarkily, rewarded by a guilty grin.

The Way Station was amazing and warranted further study, Daniel decided. Admittedly, it was a little disappointing to know that they would not be going to the chamber, but he would be there when they found the Children and he could not wait.

"We should leave," Benson called, and eagerly, Daniel moved to join the rest of the group. "Everyone got everything they need?"

There was a chorus of affirmatives and then blackness and a sense of weightlessness. Almost, he panicked, but seemingly less than a heartbeat later, there was solid ground beneath his feet and air within his lungs.

"Wow," he heard Sam say appreciatively, "what a rush."

"We're on a ship," Reece stated.

"A shuttle that appears to be in the midst of a fleet of Goa'uld mother ships," Darric added as he and Brydn moved swiftly to the ship's controls.

"Please, be seated," Brydn instructed, sliding into the pilot's seat, Darric at his side.

Jerked out of his reverie, Daniel walked towards the seats that lined the walls and hurriedly sat down.

"I know how to use the weapons," Claire offered, moving quickly to a console behind the brothers.

"The shuttle is shielded, they are not aware of our presence. We are going to attempt to fly through them and go somewhere safe," Brydn explained as the engines powered up. "If they notice us, destroy as many as you can, Claire."

"What of the children?" Claire queried, activating the console, watching as a glass-like, tinted screen appeared before her, showing just how many mother ships there were, and their positions. Darric had spoken the truth when he'd said they were surrounded. It was not going to be easy to find a way through them. "Have we found them?"

"We have indeed. I will explain everything in due course, but for now, we must concentrate if we are not to be detected," Darric answered as the shuttle edged slowly forward.

Releasing the breath she was not aware of holding, Claire watched the last of the Goa'uld ships fall behind. It had been a tense time as they had negotiated a way through not only the mother ships, but an assortment of other craft as well. "We are safe now," Brydn announced, leaving Darric to pilot, and moving to her side.

"So where are the children?" Claire questioned, deactivating the weapons console.

"They are stored as energy within the ships transport memory," he explained, offering her his hand to help her to her feet. "Does that make sense?"

"As long as we've got them, it really doesn't matter," Claire admitted with a tired smile.

"Who taught you to operate the weapons?" Brydn questioned whilst they moved back to the passenger seats.

"You did," she answered. "Shame we couldn't destroy them, wasn't it?"

"They will be in time," Brydn promised

"Uncle Jack would love to see that. So would I actually," Claire conceded, stifling a yawn, and moving into a vacant seat alongside her father.

"So how long will it be before we get back?" Benson asked.

"Several days, this shuttle is ancient and lacks the speed that we have become accustomed to," Brydn explained with a smile. "Neither is it the most comfortable means of travel and for that I apologise."

"We've slept in worse places," Frazer assured him, laughing.

"Sleep, that sounds like a good idea," Claire agreed, wishing she could sleep all the way back as she settled herself more comfortably in the seat. Closing her eyes, she allowed their voices to lull her to sleep.

"What the fuck have you done to her?" Jack exploded, dragging Brydn round to face him, only Daniel's intervention preventing him punching the younger man. "You promised you would look after her," he accused angrily.

"Jack, not now," Daniel cautioned, forcing him back to face the bed upon which Claire lay so pale and frail looking, an I.V. attached to her hand. "She was fine although irritable and argumentative. I didn't think anything of it, I mean, you know how she gets," Daniel explained, watching as Jack nodded his agreement. They'd learnt the hard way just when to leave her alone. "Then a couple of days ago, she began to get sick, couldn't keep anything down. She had a temperature, but was convinced it was just a bug. Then she fell asleep, and we couldn't wake her up. We wanted to bring her back, but we couldn't, we were out of transport range. There was nothing we could do."

"So what is wrong with her?" Jack asked, rounding on the doctor.

"I'm waiting the results of the blood tests, General. I should have an answer for you shortly," Doctor Carmichael patiently explained.

"How long is 'shortly?' Jack demanded, reaching out to brush a lock of hair from her face.

"General, as soon as I know anything, so will you."

Daniel looked exhausted. If Claire didn't get better soon, he'd end up in the infirmary with her, Jack realised, watching as Carter led him to a seat. Only Claire wasn't getting any better; if anything, she was getting worse and nothing was helping.

"Thank you all for coming," he began, focusing upon Commander Brydn, Fleet Commander Darric, and the man who had been introduced to him as Jarred. SG1 and SG11 were also in attendance, all looking drawn and pale since they had barely left her bedside, determined that she would never be alone, and supporting each other as they'd spoken continuously to her in an attempt to draw her from the coma she'd lapsed into. "Doctor Carmichael, what do we know?"

"She had some blood beneath her nail, it wasn't hers, it was Kre'shan. It contained a substance that has entered her bloodstream. I've never seen anything like it, every drug I've tried has been ineffective. Sir, she is dying and there is nothing I can do for her," Doctor Carmichael admitted, not in the least bit surprised when Doctor Jackson staggered to his feet.

"I don't want to hear that, you're a doctor!" he shouted, his voice heavy with despair. "Make her better."

"Danny, sit down," Jack instructed, getting to his feet to force him gently but firmly back into his seat.

"She didn't go through all that shit just to come here and die," Daniel pleaded, collapsing back in his chair. "There has to be something you can do."

"We suspect that the blood was that of a High Commander. We think she has what killed them, but here we can do nothing to help her," Darric tried to explain, knowing that her father was beyond reason as he turned his tear filled, red rimmed eyes upon him.

"She's staying here," Daniel ground out, determined that if Claire was going to die, it would be there, surrounded by friends, in his arms as she had done for her other father. She deserved that at the very least.

"Daniel, you are being irrational," Jack soothed, nodding to Carter, silently giving his permission to draw the distraught and exhausted man into her arms.

"Don't let them take her, Jack," Daniel pleaded, burying his face in his hands to hide his tears as Carter dragged him into her embrace.

"It's okay, kid, she's not going anywhere," Jack promised, wishing he could find it in himself to overrule Daniel, understanding but not fully agreeing with the stance he'd taken.

"What of the Tok'ra, the Asgard?" Benson asked. "They owe us."

"None of them have yet responded, Major," Sam answered sadly.

"Even if we were to contact them, it is uncertain that they could be of assistance," Teal'c announced. "Despite DanielJackson's protest, I believe it is to the Kre'shan that we should turn for help."

"I said no, Teal'c," Daniel protested, getting to his feet. "I'm going back to the infirmary."

"Daniel…" Jack began, but hurried to Daniel's side when he stumbled and fell to his knees.

"If he will not allow us to take her…" Jarred began, falling silent as Brydn got to his feet.

"Then I will heal her here," Brydn continued for him.

"Brydn, you could die," Darric pointed out, even though he knew his brother's mind was made up and that nothing he did or said would make the slightest difference. "Even if you survived, you could not go back."

"What is one life compared to the fifteen hundred she has returned to us?" Brydn asked with a shrug, an earth habit he had picked up.

"You can heal her?" Jack demanded as he and Major Benson lifted Daniel to his feet, and assisted him back into his chair.

"I believe I can," Brydn answered, "if her father will allow me to try."

"She stays here," Daniel insisted, daring to hope.

"She stays here," Brydn agreed. "We should go to her."

"What's happening?" Jack asked quietly, watching as Brydn swayed on his feet, and was immediately supported by his brother. It had been a tense few moments, for Claire's heart had stopped beating, but had restarted seemingly of its own accord before the Doctor had been able to assist her. He did not know how, but he was certain that Brydn had something to do with it.

"I don't know but whatever he's doing, it's working," Doctor Carmichael said, indicating the monitor that showed her heart rate beginning to stabilise.

"He has gone in too deep, given too much," Jarred murmured quietly, concerned. "Darric, he is going to kill himself, we have to stop him."

"This is his choice, Jarred, we cannot stop him, but we can help him," Darric responded with a smile of acceptance. "However, the choice must be yours. You know the consequences of our actions."

"He could take us with him," Jarred acknowledged, nodding. "I cannot allow him to die without trying. Neither do I care if we are cast out. I believe that our future is with these people."

"Then so be it," Darric answered, a tired smile surfacing. "Doctor Jackson, Brydn will have need of your support, he grows weak."

"Er… yes, okay," Daniel mumbled, moving to take Darric's place at Brydn's side, drawing Brydn into his arms. He had not realised how thin the young man was; he could feel Brydn's bones and it was disconcerting.

"If this fails, Fleet Commander, I want you to know that it has been an honour serving you," Jarred grinned as he took hold of Brydn's free hand, and reached for Darric, who had moved to the other side of the bed and was now holding Claire's hand, linking them together.

"You have been a good friend to my brother and for that, I thank you, Jarred," Darric answered with a smile. At Jarred's nod, he closed his eyes and gave himself up to his brother's needs, feeling how weak he had become in his attempt to heal Claire. He felt Jarred, and in that instant, Darric knew him as he had only ever known his brother before. As he would come to know Claire, Darric realised as Brydn joined them. They gave freely then, allowing their strength to flow from them to Brydn, not that either would ever be able explain how. Brydn took their offer, drawing into himself the life that was them, directing it immediately into Claire to help her fight the disease that was slowly but surely killing her.

Brydn was trembling within his arms and despite his own exhaustion, Daniel tightened his arms about the young man, resting his chin upon Brydn's shoulder. His whole body tingled as though a charge ran through him, but Daniel did not care. Then it hit him, a blast of emotion that would have sent him reeling had not Jack chosen that precise moment to move behind him and support him. Miraculously, he could feel those that fought to save his daughter's life, the love and respect they had for each other. Was this what he had experienced as an ascended being, Daniel wondered momentarily. Then memories that were not his flooded his mind, childhood memories of playing and learning, happy memories of being with loved ones, horrific memories of battles he had not fought.

Daniel knew that somehow, he had become a part of the battle to rid his daughter of the disease that was threatening to draw her down into death. He knew also that his deepest desires and secrets were now known to them as theirs were to him, and it did not matter. He understood what they were and what they were sacrificing for his daughter and he ached for them, knowing he could never repay them for their selfless act.

'Call her, Doctor Jackson, she has given up and will not listen to me.' Brydn's voice filled his mind, soft and gentle as a summer breeze, and Daniel knew that this was the real Brydn that spoke. A gentle young man who'd been forced through birth to take upon himself the role of a leader and become a battle hardened warrior.

'Claire, come back,' he pleaded, uncertain if she could even hear him. She had, he realised, as an image of himself dying within her arms, came to him. Then he saw Jack, his body broken, struggling to breathe, and felt her helplessness at not being able to save those that she had loved.

'Claire, they are here for you,' he heard Brydn call her. 'You have to come back.'

His words brought forth a montage of memories of his counterpart: a kiss, a hug, a smile that culminated with his horrific death and the certain knowledge that she did not want to return. 'He died that you might live, he loved you,' Daniel argued with her, 'as Jack and I now do. Come back, Claire, we love you, we need you.'

They were such simple words, but Daniel knew that the battle to convince her to live had finally been won, and the healing could now truly begin. He could feel his strength ebbing from him as Brydn drew it from him to give to her, helping her body to fight the disease.

Then it was over, and within his arms, Brydn sagged, his weight causing Daniel to lean heavily onto Jack, who, with Teal'c's assistance, helped them to the floor. "J'ck?" Daniel asked, barely able to talk.

"It's okay, Danny," Jack promised, and it was all that Daniel needed to hear. If Jack said it was okay, then it was, and giving into his exhaustion, Daniel allowed his eyes to close.

She woke slowly and smiled to see him sat at her bedside. "Hi, Claire," Daniel greeted her, relieved to finally see her awake as he leant forward to kiss her forehead. "How do you feel?"

"Fine, what happened, Dad?" Claire asked, leaning up on one elbow. Seeing Brydn on the bed next to hers, she frowned. "Is he ill?"

"Not as such, he is just exhausted," Daniel answered her, unsure how to explain what had happened, how Brydn had saved her life and made her better, but at a terrible cost to himself.

"He saved my life again, didn't he?"

"Yes, Claire, he did," Daniel admitted, knowing that the debt he owed the young man was one that he could never repay.

"Do you think that in every reality it is the fate of every Brydn to save the life of someone like me?" Claire asked curiously as she lay back upon the pillows.

"Not every reality has you. It must be very boring for those Brydn's," Darric answered with a smile, hearing her question when he approached the bed, relieved to see that although pale, she was clearly better.

"What did he do, Darric?" Claire asked, glancing once more at Brydn.

"It is not easy to explain," Darric hedged, unsure just how much to tell her even though he did not doubt that her father knew. Doctor Jackson had joined with them, become a part of the 'thing' that they had been, giving freely of his life source as they had.

The Doctor now knew them as they knew him, and it was strangely comforting to know that regardless, they had been accepted by him but then, Darric reasoned, Doctor Jackson had been an ascended being. That bit of information had been a surprise to say the least. "Did your Brydn have the ability to heal?" he finally questioned.

"If he did, he never told me," Claire said thoughtfully. "If he could, wouldn't he have healed himself? Wouldn't he still be alive?"

"Yes," Darric agreed, meeting her father's eyes and seeing the unspoken warning within them. Her father did not want her to know, and as far as Darric was concerned, that was fine. The less Claire knew, the better it would be in the future when she was forced to face what she had the potential to become. Hok'ta, the Goa'uld called such as they, advanced humans. The Cursed, the Kre'shan called them, and they had learnt early to keep their secrets. Now there was Claire. Claire whose abilities had yet to manifest themselves, but whose potential threatened to eclipse their abilities combined. Claire was indeed special, and the Kre'shan and humans alike needed her.

"So when he wakes, it's alright for me to be pissed at him?" Claire questioned, bringing him from his thoughts. "I told him not to die for me again."

"You could be pissed at him, but I think you should just thank him," Daniel suggested. At the sound of footsteps, he looked up to see Jack approach and silently sent a prayer of thanks to whoever was listening.

Feeling almost as though he were still sleeping, Brydn forced apart his eyelids and looked at Claire, drawn by the sound of her voice. She was pale and looked tired, but was undoubtedly better. She looked at him then and smiled. "Hey," she greeted him almost shyly.

"Hey yourself," he responded, her language coming easily to him now. As Darric came to him, Brydn allowed himself to be helped into a sitting position, then propped up by pillows. "Jarred?"

"Still sleeping," Darric answered him.

"We should wake him," Brydn began, but did not continue as Doctor Jackson came to his bedside.

"Thank you," the older man said, his voice heavy with emotion and with a smile. Brydn reached out to touch him.

Clasping Brydn's hand within his own, Daniel held it to his heart, hoping that the simple action would convey just how he felt, for he could not find the words and desperately he hoped that the young man would understand. "You can take her wherever you want," Daniel promised, knowing that Claire would always be safe with him.

"I think I would rather stay here," Brydn said, and seeing her father smile, returned the gesture.

"So, what the hell happened?" Jack demanded as his gaze travelled amongst those gathered about the briefing table. Daniel appeared completely recovered apart from slight shadows beneath his eyes, the Fleet Commander and Jarred also. Brydn, however, still looked slightly grey and was definitely weak compared to his colleagues. He had needed to lean heavily upon his brother for support to help him walk. "Is there anything you want to tell me?" Jack prompted. Daniel had been strangely close lipped about the whole affair and he wanted some answers. Admittedly, if the Pentagon had not been breathing down his neck demanding answers themselves, he might have given them a few more days to recover. Doctor Carmichael had objected most strongly.

Darric had known it was coming but still, he felt unready to answer her father's questions. Doctor Jackson knew and accepted, but General Jack O'Neill was another matter. General Jack O'Neill was not a man to be messed with, and momentarily, he was grateful that Claire had him to protect her. Brydn did not share his reservations however, and taking a deep breath, Darric looked towards his brother, catching his slight nod. It was the time for honesty, a time to tie his future to that of the humans, as Teal'c had once done. A time to put aside the life he had known and place his future fully into the hands of the humans as their counterparts had done in another reality.

He had been honest with the men that had served under him. He had told them the truth and they now knew just what Brydn and he were. Those that did not like it and did not want to continue had been given the opportunity to return aboard his ship to their home world, leaving behind those who supported him, but none had chosen to leave. That had been almost overwhelming, to know that he had their support. Even his 2nd in Command, usually a man who obeyed the rules to the letter, had given his support. "General O'Neill," Darric began, wondering at his nerves. Looking up, catching Doctor Jackson's eyes, seeing his smile, Darric found the courage to continue and began to share with them what would have brought instant death amongst his own.

"Shit," Jack murmured as he turned the key and opened the door to his house after an unusually silent ride home.

"Yes," Daniel agreed, and following Jack, he stepped through and closed the door to the haven that was their home. Momentarily he wished that Claire was with them, but the Doctor had refused to release her from his care and even Jack hadn't been able to override him. It was probably better that she wasn't there, Daniel conceded as he removed his jacket.

"What the fuck do we do, Daniel?"

"Like you once said, we do our best," Daniel responded as he hung up his jacket, "like we always do."

"Yeah, but hell, they can read our minds and everything," Jack pointed out. "Don't you remember Nirrti and those people?"

"I wasn't there, Jack, but I read the reports. The Kre'shan have evolved without her influence or interference, just like Claire is going to do," Daniel reasoned, leaning back against the closed door. "I felt them, Jack, when they healed her. They are good men and they are ready to join us. Anubis is coming and we need all the help we can get."

"Yes, but Hok'ta, Daniel?" Jack demanded, running his hand through his hair. "Even their own people have outlawed them."

"Jack, would you love Claire any less if she became a Hok'ta? Would you have loved Cassandra any less?" Daniel persisted as Jack handed him his jacket and he hung it beside his own.

"No, but…"

"There are no buts, Jack. Claire is going to become one of them and nothing is going to change that. She's going to need them when she changes, remember Cassandra? Would you allow our daughter to suffer when they are there to help her?" Daniel questioned softly.

"No, of course not, you know that," Jack relented. "I just don't like the idea that the man sat opposite me knows what I'm thinking."

"You heard him. Darric only does it if he feels the need to. Just because he can, doesn't mean that he does. Anyway, if our dealings with them are honourable, we have nothing to worry about. Think of the benefits, two ships permanently in orbit around our planet. A planetary defence system," Daniel pointed out, trying to appeal to the military in Jack.

"Didn't help her world," Jack responded with a shrug. "Anubis still came and wiped them out."

"That was an SGC unit," Daniel retorted, "that wasn't their fault."

"Did you ever ask her what unit it was?" Jack questioned, leading the way into the kitchen.

"Well, no, it didn't seem important," Daniel confessed as he moved into a seat at the table, watching Jack move towards the fridge for a beer.

"It was SG11, Daniel," Jack admitted tiredly, joining Daniel at the table, "and each time they go off world, I wonder if maybe this time they are going to come back and betray us."

"I didn't know…" Daniel began, wondering why he and Claire had never fully discussed her reality. Not that he had to give it much thought, the answer was simple - he had not wanted to know. Claire was his daughter now and it hurt to think that she'd had a life in which he had played no part.

"Nobody does but me and Claire, who thinks that because she's there, she can stop it somehow. Shit, Daniel, you don't know what it's like," Jack admitted, scrubbing his hand through his hair. "I want to pull them all out, but how can I? Her reality isn't ours. Christ, in her reality, you and I were lovers and had been forever. Her mother is someone you claim not to know. Carter was married to Pete. Teal'c's wife and son were murdered for his betrayal of Apophis, and West still commanded the SGC. You tell me what to do, Daniel, because I sure as hell don't know anymore."

"I'm sorry, Jack, I didn't know. Claire and I have rarely spoken of her world," Daniel said, feeling like a heel as finally the responsibility that rested so heavily upon his friends shoulders became truly apparent for the first time. "All I know for sure is that the Kre'shan deserve our trust. Neither of the Princes will let us down."

"See, there's yet another reason to distrust them. Why didn't they tell me that they were Princes?" Jack demanded, wrenching the cap off his beer. "What the hell am I supposed to believe?"

"You can believe me when I say that they are not the enemy, Jack."

"For the sake of Earth, I hope the hell you're right," Jack answered bitterly, lifting the bottle to his lips.

"Do you trust me, Jack?" Daniel questioned, accepting the open bottle of beer from Jack.

"With my life, you know that," Jack responded, the quirk of his lips saying as much as his words.

"Then trust me when I say you can trust them," Daniel smiled, lifting the bottle to his lips.

It was going to be one of those days, Sam decided, pausing outside Jack's office, listening to the verbal sparring within. Daniel and Jack were at it again. How did Claire cope with it, she wondered as Claire moved to her side. Claire knew nothing else, Sam reasoned as she dropped a kiss upon the youngster's head, placing her arm about the slender shoulders.

It was Claire's first day back at work since her illness and although she was restricted to light duties for another week, she was eager to get started again. Not that she hadn't enjoyed the week off; getting up when she wanted and being able to play her music loudly without Jack moaning had been like a holiday. Like her father, she was not one to sit around doing nothing for long and boredom had begun to set in.

"They started last night," Claire said with a soft chuckle. "T.V rights. Jack wants to watch Holiday Inn and Dad wants to watch a documentary about ancient Greece."

"Why don't they just buy another T.V.?" Sam questioned, barely restraining the laughter that threatened to erupt.

"What fun would that be?" Claire asked, knowing that Sam would never understand.

"Carter, Claire, get in here," Jack called, noticing them hovering by the door of his office. "Carter, tell Daniel that Holiday Inn is a classic and that we have to watch it tonight."

"Yes, Sir," Sam responded dutifully. "Daniel, Holiday Inn is a classic and you have to watch it tonight."

"Claire, tell Jack that we want to watch that documentary," Daniel retaliated, glaring at Sam for good measure. "Remind him that he promised we could."

"Actually, I'm going out tonight," Claire admitted, glad that she had gone to Sam for support, "that's what I've come to tell you."

"You're going out?" Jack asked stiffly.

"Where? Who with?" Daniel demanded, wearing a worried frown.

"Just someone I met," Claire answered evasively.

Jack repeated Daniel's unanswered questions. "Where? Who?"

"I met him at the library, he phoned this morning and asked me out tonight, I said yes," Claire answered, determined not to allow them to intimidate her.

"I don't want you to go, Claire," Daniel said, getting to his feet, pushing his hands deep into his pockets, looking to Jack for confirmation that he agreed. "Phone him and cancel it."

"No, Dad…" Claire protested, but fell silent as Jack got to his feet.

"I agree with Daniel, you're not going," he announced autocratically.

"You can't stop me…"

"I can and I will, kid. You are not going. Has it occurred to you that he's working for the Trust? They'd love to get hold of you and I'll be damned if I'll let that happen," Jack snapped angrily, confident that he had Daniel's support. They'd always known and accepted that Claire would make an ideal target for the Trust and after recent events, neither were going to risk losing her.

"I am going. Has it occurred to you that maybe he just likes me, is that too much to believe?" Claire flung back, hurt and angry by his assumption any one who wanted to take her out, had to have a motive other than friendship.

"Sir, what if she makes it a foursome?" Sam interjected, prepared to suffer the brunt of the General's anger. Claire had come to her for help and she wasn't going to turn her head and look the other way whilst Claire was bullied into giving up her first real date.

"Colonel, this has nothing to do with you," Jack pointed out coldly. "Claire, you are not going and that's the end of it."

"His name is Greg Pearson. He's working at the library part time to fund his studies, check him out at least," Claire pleaded, looking to Daniel for support. "Dad, please, he's really nice. You'd like him."

"I-I suppose we could," Daniel caved in, despite his fear that she would end up as he had done, under the control of the Trust. He didn't think he'd ever forget the fear he'd seen in Krista's eyes when he'd first seen her in the warehouse that the Trust had taken them to. "Jack?"

"For crying out loud, Daniel," Jack exploded angrily. He was going to have to have a serious talk with Daniel, he was just too soft where Claire was concerned and that made them both liabilities.

"It wouldn't hurt to check him out, Sir," Carter suggested, trying not to flinch when Jack turned his angry gaze on her.

"Alright! Check him out and then I'll decide," Jack relented against his better judgement. "Claire, I want a word with you," he added, dismissing Carter and Daniel with a wave of his hand.

Well that was embarrasing, Claire decided an hour later as she left the confines of Jack's office. Somehow she'd always known that it wouldn't be her father that gave her the 'birds and bees' lecture but never in her wildest imaginations, had she believed that it would be Jack. Sam yes, Teal'c maybe, but never Jack. He must have been rehearsing it for ages, Claire decided, wondering at his lack of embarrasement as he'd discussed STD's, contraception, relationships and one night stands.

Weird, she mused, entering the office she shared with her father, knowing the urgency of the translation she was working on to help her father catch up with his work.

"Well?"

"I've just learnt how babies are made," she responded to her father's question as she moved into the seat before her desk, trying not to laugh at the blush that crept across his face. God, he was so innocent, Claire decided as she booted up her computer and reached for her earphones.

"It's only because we care…"

"I know, Dad, let's forget it," Claire answered him, then music blaring in her ears, turned her attention to the work in hand.

It was a little after two and with the translation finally complete, Claire leant back in her chair. Her father had disapeared hours ago, no doubt to check out just who Greg Pearson was, she mused as she reached for the book that she'd started the day before. 'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley. She'd seen the book amongst a hundred others left in the infirmary waiting room and picked it up out of boredom whilst she'd waited to be cleared for duty.

Flicking back her hair, she opened the paperback to where she'd marked her place by turning down the corner of the page. A habit she'd picked up from Jack much to her father's horror.

Page 11, Claire noted with a sigh. She'd already read the general introduction, the publishers introduction, and the author's introduction, and was looking forward to the story itself. Oh god, a preface by Percy Bysse Shelley, she noted irritably. Flipping the page, she finally read the title page.

'Frankentstien, or The Modern Prometheus'

Prometheus, a demi god in Greek mythology, stole fire from the Gods and gave it to the humans. It was a good name for the space ship that Sam had worked so hard to bring about. It would have fire power beyond anything else on Earth and it was definitely better than Jack's suggestion that it be called the Enterprise.

'Did I request thee Maker from my clay to mould Me man? Did I solicit thee from darkness to promote me?' Milton, Paradise Lost, her mind supplied the information.

"I'm lying here on the floor where you left me. I think I took too much. I'm crying here, what have you done? I thought it would be fun." Pink continued singing the song, Claire's movements stilling. "I can't stay on your life support, there's a shortage in the switch."

"Oh shit," Claire gasped as she got to her feet, dragging the ear pieces from her ears. The song words and the quote combining to fill her with an unspeakable dread. Her stomach sank as she made her way to the door, a cold feeling of fear filling her. "No, no, no, no," she pleaded as she raced for the elevator.

"It's SG5," Walter announced when Jack entered the control room.

"Open the iris," Jack responded without thought, moving to meet the incoming team, but stopped short as Claire ran in.

"Close the iris, don't let them back," she pleaded as she came to him, her attention clearly upon the Gate room, her fingers twisted in his jacket.

"What?" Jack questioned, the Stargate below springing to life.

"Shut the fucking iris," Claire shouted, the sound of gunfire filling the air, and turning to look, froze as she recognised the men who stood at the top of the ramp.

"Do it," Jack ordered belatedly as two of Anubis' soldiers came through and immediately began to fire upon those that awaited them. "Claire, get out of here!" Jack added, accepting the weapon offered, pandemonium beginning to reign.

"Jack…"

"Do as you're told, get out of here!" Jack reiterated as he hurried to the stairs and, if her reality was anything to go by, certain death.

"What?" Daniel demanded, meeting him half way.

"It's happening, Danny," Jack responded grimly as he slipped the safety off, "this is it!"

"Oh shit!" Daniel moved quickly out of Jack's way, momentarily looking up to meet Claire's fear filled eyes. There was no time to reach for her, to comfort her and assure her that everything would be alright, and with a silent curse, Daniel lowered his eyes and moved to follow Jack.

How many times could he die and come back, Daniel wondered as he fired repeatedly at Anubis' soldiers to no avail. He retreated behind a bulkhead at Sam's command, thinking maybe this was how his alternative self had died.

"Daniel!" Jack's shout caught his attention despite the almost continuous sound of gunfire. "Pull back, make sure Claire's okay."

"But…"

"Damn it, Daniel, do it," Jack ordered grimly and watched Daniel move to obey. When had Daniel ever followed his orders without argument, Jack thought as he continued firing at the aproaching soldiers. Never to his knowledge, but then Claire had never been at risk as she was now.

It couldn't happen again, Jack vowed, hoping for a miracle. A miracle that came in the guise of Brydn, Jack conceded moments later as he appeared with a number of his men and opened fire on the encroaching black clad soldiers. Then it was over. As quickly as it had begun, it had ended and the threat to Earth had been eliminated. The soldiers were dead, killed by the wieght of numbers and weaponry of the Kre'shan against whom they'd had no protection.

Shakily, Jack got to his feet, watching as though in a dream as Brydn came to him. "Claire needs you," Brydn offered quietly.

"Carter, I'll be back in a minute," Jack snapped whilst she got to her feet, her face pale and drawn.

Déjà vu, the words came to Daniel as he entered their office to find Claire sat upon the floor, a gun in her hands. "Claire…" he began, and moved towards her, but stopped dead as she focused upon him. "Oh God, Claire, it's okay," Daniel tried to reassure when he saw the wildness of her gaze.

"Dead, you're dead," she whispered, confusing reality with her memories.

"No, Claire, you saved us. We are alive," Daniel tried to convince her as he edged forward, mindful of the weapon aimed at him.

"Dead, all dead," Claire repeated, and seeing a sob wrack her body, Daniel could have cried with her.

Breathless from running, Jack moved to Daniel's side, training and instinct forewarning him of the seriousness of the situation. Claire was definitely close to the edge. Neither did he doubt that this time, her gun was fully loaded and he was not about to take a chance on her shooting anyone.

With a sense of relief, he watched Brydn enter and cautiously approach. Jack nodded to the young man to take control. If any one could break through her stupor, Brydn could, he reasoned, placing a restraining hand upon Daniel's arm.

"You're dead," Claire sobbed as Brydn's movement caught her attention.

"No, Claire, I promised you that I wouldn't leave you and I haven't," Brydn responded, moving to his knees before her. "Touch me," he encouraged, reaching out for her.

Then she was in his arms, her hands, now free of the gun, roaming freely over his body as she sought physical confirmation of his words. "You are alive," she whispered, crying freely, finally convinced that he was really there.

"I am never going to leave you, Claire," Brydn promised and breathed a sigh of relief when finally she clung to him.

His hand was shaking, Jack noticed as he reached for her discarded weapon and slipped the safety on.

"Jack?" Daniel whispered.

Turning to face the younger man, Jack smiled to reassure him. "It's over," he promised.

"It's been a long week," Daniel said conversationally in an attempt to relieve the silence of Jack's office. With the memorial service over and the visiting dignitaries gone, there was a restless quietness throughout the mountain that Daniel was finding unnerving.

"Yeah," Jack answered. Loosening his tie, he got to his feet. "Did you hear, Carter reckoned there were eight others who didn't get through because we shut the iris."

"Yes, she told me," Daniel admitted, knowing that without Claire, Earth would have fallen to the Goa'uld. Taking two of Anubis' soldiers out had been hard enough, even with Kre'shan help. Ten would have been impossible.

"Let's get out of here."

"Yeah," Daniel agreed, reaching over the desk to pick up Jack's car keys. They had journeyed together that morning, Jack driving whilst Daniel had cuddled Claire, but there was no way Daniel was going to let Jack drive them home. He was clearly exhausted and in no fit state to drive.

"You driving?" Jack questioned, only just becoming aware of Daniel's actions.

"Yeahsureyoubetcha," Daniel quipped, his use of Jack's phrase bringing a small smile to the lips of the other man. "You go get changed, I'll grab Claire. Meet you topside, okay?"

"Yeahsureyoubetcha," Jack responded with a grin. "Five minutes."

"Five," Daniel agreed as he moved to the door, knowing just where to find Claire.

She was sitting at her desk, a book unopened in her hand, but he did not need to look to know what it was. He'd seen it before. Frankenstein. As her official guardian and 'biological' father, he had insisted upon being there when she had been questioned by the Whitehouse officials who'd conducted the investigation. In her reality, she had been reading Paradise Lost and listening to Pink's Just Like a Pill when her world had fallen foul of Anubis' soldiers.

Fate or circumstance, he wondered as he startled her with his touch. "Let's go," he told her, reaching out and drawing her into his arms when she turned tear filled eyes upon him. He marvelled at how easy it had become to hold her. Understanding fully, as he had not done before, Jack's withdrawal from the world after Charlie's death.

"I love you, Dad," Claire whispered, her arms wrapped about his waist, the book falling to the floor forgotten.

"We love you too, Claire," Daniel promised, touching his lips to her hair. "Let's go, Jack's probably waiting."

"It will be good to go home," Claire admitted, moving reluctantly from Daniel's arms, then stooping, snatched up the book and tossed it into the bin. "That's one book I am never going to read. There are enough monsters without reading about fictitious ones."

Claire, showered, dressed and ready for bed, lay upon the floor, her chin resting on her hands, watching TV. Daniel, his bare feet curled beneath him, sat at the other end of the sofa, a wine glass in one hand, a book in the other.

All was right with his world and despite the trauma of the last week, Jack felt relaxed and at peace. It would not last; Daniel and Claire, accompanied by SG11 were to attend the negotiations with the Kre'shan. Jack had objected, saying that there was no need for them both to be there, but had been overruled. The Kre'shan had requested their presence and after Brydn's assistance during the incursion, there was little that Washington would not agree to. Jack supposed that he should be grateful that he would at least have Christmas with them.

Christmas. Since Charlie's death, it had become meaningless to him, but he knew that this year would be different. This year it was going to be a real family affair. Jack had already spent a small fortune on presents for them both. Not that he begrudged a penny of it. He had thoroughly enjoyed the day spent in the Mall with Teal'c, choosing their presents. Admittedly some of them were joke presents, like the mug that said 'Archaeologists do it in the dirt' for Daniel, and the car cleaning kit because he never cleaned his car, inside or out. There was a Barbie doll for Claire, who had admitted to never playing with dolls in her childhood, and a set of hairbrushes, as she never seemed to be able to find one in the morning and often went to the mountain with her hair un-brushed. There were also plenty of serious presents from them to her, and presents from him to Daniel, which Jack just knew he would love.

Yes, it was going to be a good Christmas.

"What about getting a tree and putting up the Christmas decorations tomorrow?"

"What?" Daniel asked absently, looking up at the sound of Jack's voice.

"I said, let's get a tree tomorrow and put up the Christmas decorations," Jack repeated patiently, well used to Daniel's habit of losing himself in the pages of a book, the rest of the world forgotten.

"Oh, okay," Daniel agreed with a shrug as he returned his attention to his book.

Sighing, Jack shook his head. Perhaps it had not been such a good idea to buy Daniel so many books; he would be hard pushed to stop him reading Christmas day. Then of course, they had bought Claire lots of books as well, not the same sort as he had bought for Daniel though. Strangely, she favoured the English classics; the Bronte's, Charles Dickens, Shakespeare, Hemingway, stuff that he would never read in a hundred years.

Geeks, he was surrounded by geeks, Jack decided as he reached for his beer.

"Come on, Danny, get up," Jack ordered, and shook the still sleeping man, watching with a smile as Daniel tried to hide beneath the covers.

"G'way, Jack," Daniel mumbled.

Wondering if it would ever get easier to wake the man, Jack, wearing an evil grin, dragged back the covers despite Daniel's attempts to hold onto them.

"Sit up, Danny," Jack instructed, laughing.

"Ja-ack," Daniel protested, but sat up anyway, knowing that Jack would not leave him alone until he got his way.

"Come on, get up, it's Christmas," Jack hurried, "we've got loads to do."

"Oh, right," Daniel answered, yawning as he rubbed a hand across the stubble on his chin. "Remind me what that is, will you?"

"Breakfast and presents, now hurry," Jack ordered as he moved to leave, pausing at the door to look back and watch Daniel sink back upon the pillows. "Happy Christmas, sleepy head."

"Happy Christmas, Jack," Daniel said with a grin.

"It will be," Jack confidently predicted.

With his departure, Daniel reached for his glasses, put them on and focused upon the clock. Six o'clock! Oh god, Jack really would make a great Goa'uld. He had torture down to a fine art. Why couldn't Jack understand the concept of a lay in, Daniel wondered as he dragged himself from the mess of his bed. Next year he would insist that Jack did not wake him until a more suitable hour. Next year. When was the last time he had thought that far ahead? At least there would be a next year, thanks to Claire.

Coffee was waiting for him when showered and dressed; he entered the kitchen to find Jack cooking breakfast, Claire sat at the kitchen table, her head resting upon her folded arms. "I think I deserve a medal just for living with you two," Jack was saying, a smile upon his lips.

"I need a medal for having to put up with two dads," Claire answered with a groan.

"Morning, Claire," Daniel greeted her as he moved towards the coffee pot, sharing a smile with Jack as he filled a mug.

"It's the middle of the night," Claire pointed out, making Jack laugh aloud.

"You know, Danny, I really don't know who is worse, you or Claire. I think you should both come with a health warning," Jack announced with a grin, then elaborated, "May bite head off when woken."

"Only if woken in the middle of the night," Claire corrected, reaching for Daniel's coffee when he joined her at the table.

The good natured bantering lasted throughout breakfast and as they moved towards the lounge where the Christmas tree, its lights already lit took pride of place, neither man missed her gasp at the sight of the presents now beneath it. Jack had insisted that they could not put the presents out until Claire slept. At the time, Daniel had complained, pointing out that since Claire would not go to bed before eleven, it would mean a late night for them both. Jack had not been deterred by his argument and now, Daniel understood why and was glad.

Claire could not remember a time when she had been so full. The second helping of pudding had been a mistake, she decided as she stretched out on the sofa, her head upon a cushion on Jack's lap, her feet in Daniel's.

"You quite comfy?" Jack inquired of her.

"You bet," she answered, trying not to squirm as Daniel toyed absently with her socked toes. He had bought her the socks, multi coloured striped ones with individual toes. She would never be able to wear them on missions but, as he had pointed out, it would stop her borrowing his or Jack's for a while. How Daniel knew that she was wearing his socks when he did not even know the day of the week sometimes, was beyond her.

One of life's mysteries she mused, looking up at Jack, seeing him smile. She smiled back and reached up to cup his face, feeling the smoothness of his skin. "Thanks, Jack, for everything."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Jack promised, suddenly choked up as he turned from her and met Daniel's eyes, seeing his own feelings mirrored within them. He was getting soft in his old age, Jack decided, returning Daniel's smile.

"Bet you never thought you would have us living with you," Claire teased.

"No, but at least your dad's on time for work now," Jack answered, ducking to avoid the cushion Daniel threw.

"I was only late a couple of times," Daniel protested.

"Yeah, a couple of time a week," Jack agreed with a smirk.

For a moment, the room brightened, then dimmed to leave Brydn standing looking somewhat uncertain with them. "Brydn!" Claire cried, happy to see him as she hurried to her feet "Wow, you look great!"

"I do?" Brydn asked as she came to him, tilting her face up for a kiss. Touching his lips to her forehead, he smiled when she took his hand, drawing him towards the brightly lit tree. Reece had explained about Christmas and had encouraged him to accept the General's invitation to spend the afternoon with them and SG1. He had even advised on what to wear and although Brydn had initially found the earth clothing uncomfortable, they were definitely becoming more agreeable.

"Brydn, glad you could join us," Jack greeted him as he got to his feet, pulling Daniel up as he did so. "Where's Jarred?"

"Unfortunately, Jarred and I cannot both leave the ship at the same time," Brydn explained his 2IC's absence, taking Daniel's proffered hand before moving to salute the general.

"Not today, Brydn," Jack stopped him, offering his hand instead and as Brydn took it, Jack dragged him into an embrace. "Happy Christmas, son."

"Happy Christmas, Sir, Doctor Jackson," Brydn responded, stunned by the familiarity of the embrace.

"It's Jack and Daniel today," Daniel corrected, then seeing Claire rummaging beneath the tree, reached to stop her. "Not yet, Claire, not till the others get here."

"No, Dad, there is a special one that I have to give Brydn before they come," Claire insisted. Seeing the one she wanted, she drew it out from beneath the tree.

"Okay," Daniel relented, indicating with a wave of his hand for her to continue.

The package was small, small and oblong, but seeing it within her hand, Daniel knew what it was and felt concern. She had treasured Sha'noc's inscriber, complained heartily when Jack had insisted that it be cleaned and confirmed free of disease before she could keep it. That she was giving it to Brydn was no small thing, and wondering if Brydn really appreciated the enormity of his gift, Daniel watched as he wordlessly took it from her and carefully unwrapped it.

"I will treasure it always," Brydn assured, drawing her into his arms, overwhelmed with her gift. "Thank you, Claire."

Claire shrugged off his thanks, suddenly embarrassed.

"So, what's the word?" Daniel asked as he and Sam walked together through the corridors of the SGC.

"Well, the test flights were successful. The new Asgard hyper-drive is ready to go," Sam answered, knowing without asking, what he was referring to: the Prometheus.

"When are they leaving?"

"They're stocking the ship and picking the crew right now." She smiled indulgently at him when Daniel cleared his throat. "You really want to go, don't you?"

"It's Atlantis. It's… everything we've been working for for seven and a half years," Daniel tried to explain. How could anyone not want to go to Atlantis? Okay, Jack didn't, and Claire didn't, but as she was most likely going to be spending the next few months working with the Kre'shan, it was probably a good thing.

"I know what you mean," Sam admitted, watching Daniel swipe a card down the access panel to the elevator, then added, "unfortunately, I think General O'Neill has other ideas."

"Let me guess, he says he needs you here," Daniel answered her with grin.

"His exact words were, 'Over my dead body'. But, I was actually talking about the three of us, you, me and Teal'c. He might be persuaded to let one of us go," Sam offered helpfully.

"And you'd be okay if that was me?" Daniel questioned as he stepped into the elevator that had arrived.

"Of course, Daniel. You are the expert on the Ancients," Sam said, seeing Daniel nod as the elevator doors closed. Then, with the announcement of an "Unscheduled off world activation," accompanied by the sound of the alarms, Sam turned and made her way to the Control Room.

"You got everything?" Jack asked gruffly, resisting the temptation to reach and touch as he walked with Daniel and Claire to join SG11 and Major Paul Davis, who waited in the newly painted Gateroom.

"Jack, you checked our bags this morning," Daniel pointed out, fumbling with the straps of his pack.

"Anyway, if we've forgotten anything, we can always come back and get it," Claire reasoned, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Yeah," Jack agreed as the Stargate came to life.

Claire had told him not to embarrass her in front of her team, but hell, no one knew just when they were coming back and Jack wanted a last hug. "Come here," he ordered, holding open his arms. She grimaced but came to him, and dragging her into his arms, Jack held her close.

"Can't breathe, get off me," Claire complained, squirming in his arms.

"We've got to go, Jack," Daniel lent his support, suppressing a grin as Jack finally let her go. "We'll call in as soon as we have something to report. And let me know how Sam gets on with her replicator self."

"I will, Daniel. Make sure you don't forget what I said, Benson," Jack answered with a nod to the other man.

"Yes, Sir," Benson promised, his ears still ringing from his early morning briefing with the General. A briefing that was in fact more like a lecture on, 'How to care for the Jackson's', with a thinly disguised threat tagged on, leaving him in no doubt that if anything happened to either of them, he'd better not come back.

"SG11, you have a go and good luck, all of you," Jack dismissed them, and watched as they moved up the ramp.

"Do you get the feeling that he doesn't trust us?" he heard Claire say as she moved closer to her father.

"Yeah, he doesn't think we can look after ourselves," Daniel responded laughingly.

"I don't think, I know," Jack called out. When they turned and waved goodbye, Jack nodded, watching them step through the event horizon and disappear.

At least with Daniel and Claire gone, the house would stay tidy, Jack mused as he surveyed the mound of washing up in the sink, left from their hurried breakfast that morning.

All he had to do was to get it tidy.

No mean feat, he decided moments later as he moved into the dining room. Books, pens and a laptop, Daniel's, littered the table. The lounge was no better; Claire had spent the previous evening going through the CD collection and CD's, in and out of cases, jostled for position on the coffee table. An untidy stack of books, used and discarded by Daniel, was on the floor and upon them sat a spare pair of glasses.

Why had he thought it would be good to have a kid in the house again, Jack wondered as he pushed open the door to Claire's room and saw the mess within. She was like her dad in so many ways, but why did she have to inherit his untidiness?

Gathering up a pile of discarded clothing, he moved through to Daniel's room, seeing much the same. He was going to have to speak with them when they got back, he decided with a soft curse, beginning to gather Daniel's clothes. God help the Kre'shan.

Serve them right for wanting both of them, Jack thought spitefully. There really was no reason for them both to be there. He only hoped that Claire would give them hell.

"Doctor Jackson, in your daughter's reality, there was a Commander Brydn and a Fleet Commander Darric, is that correct?" High Commander Dail asked as he patted his lips with a crisp white napkin.

A napkin that Daniel wished he could use to gag the man. Nodding in answer, Daniel looked up, briefly met Major Benson's eyes and knew he was not alone in getting angry with the High Commanders. Despite the fact that Claire was there, sat between Frazer and Benson, not once had they addressed a question to her. What was wrong with them?

Strangely, she didn't seem that bothered, Daniel noted, watching her and allowing Major Davis to answer the next question. She had not eaten much but then, they'd had a huge lunch with Darric so Daniel wasn't overly concerned. She clearly wasn't taking an interest in anything that was being said and seemed to be in a world of her own. Was she sickening for something? He hoped not, Jack would be furious if he took her home ill again.

She flicked her hair back then and Daniel froze, hardly daring to believe what he had seen. Not even Claire would be so stupid he tried to convince himself, suddenly grateful that Jack wasn't there. Jack had been very firm on the subject of ipods and music. Never off world. It was that simple. Wishing he could kick her beneath the table to get her attention, Daniel silently cursed.

Thankfully, he didn't have to wait long and when finally she looked at him, a smile upon her lips, Daniel discreetly scratched his ear. Fully expecting her to remove the earphones, Daniel was stunned when she shook her head. She was refusing to remove them and short of making a scene, there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. How could she do it to him? She wouldn't do it to Jack, a tiny voice nagged.

"Are you insane?" Daniel demanded when once more back in their quarters, he was able to confront her. "Give it to me now."

"Give you what?"

"The ipod, Claire. You know you aren't allowed to take it off world. Jack was very clear on that," he answered her, close to losing his temper. "Just give it to me."

"No way. I'm not going to give it to you and if you think you can make me, forget it. It isn't gonna happen," Claire argued back.

"Do as I say Claire," Daniel ordered, holding out his hand for it.

"No, it's mine and I'm keeping it. You'll probably lose it. Anyway, if you think I'm just going to sit there and listen to them talk about me but not to me, you're mistaken," she retaliated, determined not to give in.

Daniel tried to calm the situation that was rapidly getting out of hand. "Claire, just give me the ipod."

"No," she refused, folding her arms across her chest. "You can't tell me what to do, I'm not a kid."

Arguing with her was like arguing with Jack, Daniel decided as he took a step forward. There was just no winning. "Give me the ipod or I will have you sent back and you can explain to Jack why," he threatened.

"Good, because I don't want to stay here, I want to go back," she flung at him. When he reached for her, she easily evaded him and ran to her room, slamming the door behind her.

"Kids," Major Benson muttered to end the uncomfortable silence following her departure. "If I had a dollar for every time I've come home and found my eldest and my wife arguing, I could retire."

"So what do you do about it?" Daniel asked curiously, watching the Major remove his hat and sink down into a chair.

"Usually I just separate them, listen to their sides of the argument, and then open a bottle of beer. Most times, they forget in the morning that they've argued and everything's back to normal till the next time," Benson answered with a grin. "She's a good kid, Doctor Jackson."

"Yeah, but I'd like to know how her real father handled moments like these," Daniel admitted as he moved into a chair.

"Probably got O'Neill to deal with her," Reece answered him, shrugging.

Daniel sported a rueful grin. "It's what I wanted to do."

"You know, I'm still of a strong belief that it's a bad idea to have that stuff on the base," Jack announced, watching as Carter, seated at her bench, picked up a Replicator piece and placed it under a microscope.

"She deactivated these cells when she separated them from her arm," Sam patiently explained

Teal'c voiced his concerns. "Can we be certain they will not become active again?"

"She deliberately shut down the cohesive energy between them so it would be more difficult for me to figure out how she made herself immune to the disrupter," Sam answered him.

"Now, how do you know that?" Jack demanded, rocking back on his feet, his hands in his pockets.

Sam looked up, meeting Jack's eyes momentarily before glancing at Teal'c, and sighed. "Because that's what I would have done."

"Carter…"

"Sir, if you don't mind, I've got a lot of work to do. We've never had the opportunity to study human-form Replicator cells before. If we can learn something from them, this won't be a total loss."

"This isn't your fault," Jack told her, knowing his words were falling on deaf ears. Nothing he said would stop her blaming herself for the fiasco with her Replicator self.

"I'm not so sure about that. Fifth came here because of me. She rejected him because she was made like me. Now we've got Replicators in our galaxy and they're immune to the only technology we have that could have stopped them," Sam reasoned, denying his words.

"None of us correctly anticipated the actions of the Replicator," Teal'c pointed out.

"I thought she was afraid of him. But really she just wanted to get rid of him so she could lead the Replicators herself. She killed him because she thought he was weak," Sam answered, feeling the sting of tears she dare not shed.

"Carter, she isn't you."

"O'Neill is correct. Though she shared your memories, her personality was altered," Teal'c added to reinforce Jack's words.

"But the fact is, she learned betrayal from Fifth, and he learned it from me."

And I told you to do it, Jack added silently to himself. Daniel would have argued with him about that. Hell, Daniel would probably have liked Fifth. But he hadn't been there, Jonas had. At least Jonas, with his fixation with the weather, was gone, Jack consoled himself as he left Carter to it and made his way back to his office. He had a shopping list to compile. Daniel and Claire were coming home.

Not quite the happy homecoming he'd hoped for Jack admitted as he pocketed the confiscated ipod. Trouble was, they were just too alike and neither would back down. Stubborn, the pair of them, he decided.

"Other than the obvious, how did it go?" Jack questioned, turning his attention to SG11 and Major Davis, beginning the debrief that promised to be a long one.

"The Kre'shan are offering us a planetary defense system, Commander Brydn's ship perminently available to us for defence purposes, medical technology and a regular supply of weapons grade naquadah," Major Davis answered.

"Why am I waiting for a but?"

"The children talk of siblings that are missing. They want Claire to find them," Daniel explained, running his fingers through his hair. He was tired, it was difficult to think straight, and the problem with Claire wasn't helping. Perhaps he should just apologise but what had he to apologise for, she was definitely the one at fault. Surely she could see it.

"Over my dead body," Jack refused. He wasn't letting either of them out of his sight for a very long time. Certainly not until things were back to normal between them.

"I want to go," Claire announced quietly, causing him to wonder if he'd heard right.

Jack's denial was adamant as he got to his feet. "Last time I checked, you were a member of SG11, and you're not going anywhere without them. We'll finish this tomorrow when everyone has had a good night's sleep. Now, all of you, get out of here and go home."

"Come on, Jack!" Daniel pleaded in frustration, as he and Jack left the elevator on Level 27, walking sidewards in order to keep focused upon Jack.

As he had already done what felt like a hundred times before, Jack shook his head. Then to make his point, added, "Still no, Daniel."

"But, it doesn't have to be on a permanent basis," Daniel tried again, unable to accept Jack's refusal to let him go.

Daniel was like a terrier with a bone, he was not going to let it go easily. Jack had already resigned himself to the fact that until the Prometheus left, he would have to suffer Daniel's stubborness, but he could at least have some fun with the man. "I didn't let you go in the first place. What makes you think I'm gonna change my mind?" Jack asked, struggling not to smile.

Unsure just how to answer, Daniel frowned, shrugged and raising his hands in supplication, responded, "Because…"

"Can you try to do better than that?" Jack questioned, taking an offered clipboard from a waiting airman. A requisition form, he noted absently as he glanced over it and then signed it.

"Because they're going to need somebody who can translate Ancient. I'm the most qualified person left on the planet for the mission," Daniel came up with, after a moments thought.

"Which is exactly why you're gonna stay right here," Jack pointed out, sensibly refraining from pointing out that Claire was also able to read Ancient. Things were still strained between the two of them with Claire doing her best to earn back her ipod and Daniel still waiting for an apology that Jack did not think would come.

"Because I'll quit!" Daniel threatened, his voice edged with desperation.

"Why don't you just hold your breath? You haven't done that in a while," Jack suggested sarcastically. Arriving at his office door, he paused. "General!"

"Jack. I let myself in. Hope you don't mind," Hammond responded with a smile, swinging round in the chair that had formerly been his.

"Absolutely not. Welcome," Jack assured the man, happy to see him, entering the room, Daniel at his side.

"Thank you."

"Miss the chair?" Jack asked hopefully.

"Actually I do," Hammond responded.

"Want it back?" Jack questioned eagerly.

"As a matter of fact, I do. My new one just isn't the same," Hammond answered him.

"That's not exactly what I meant," Jack pointed out, deflated. Taking command of the SGC had been a major career move for him but it wasn't as much fun as gating to new addresses in command of SG1.

"Doctor Jackson. Nice to see you again," Hammond greeted Daniel, ignoring Jack to focus upon the younger man.

"Likewise; we miss you around here, sir." Daniel resisted the temptation to react when Jack looked at him quizzically. "So, to what do we owe this pleasure?"

"I came to ask if you'd be interested in joining the mission to Atlantis."

"You did?" Daniel and Jack asked in unison.

Looking at Jack, Hammond answered. "He's the most qualified person on this planet, and the mission Commander needs someone who can translate Ancient."

"Really?" Daniel questioned hopefully.

"With all due respect, Sir, I think you should tell the mission commander that I need Daniel right here," Jack refused.

"You just did."

"I did. I did?" Jack asked surprised. "You, Sir?"

"Yes. Request denied. Doctor Jackson, you're with me," Hammond announced as he got to his feet, "I'll have the chair shipped to Washington. You can requisition a new one."

"I'll do that, Sir," Jack managed to say, stunned by the turn of events.

"We leave tomorrow," Hammond told Daniel, then added to Jack, "Oh, and I'll be taking Walter, too."

Almost, Daniel smiled, but as Jack looked sternly at him, cleared his throat instead, then made his way to the door, leaving Jack more than a bit annoyed.

Well shit. Daniel was going to Atlantis and Jack had been powerless to stop him.

"Is it because of me?"

The quietly spoken question caught Daniel's attention and looking up, he nodded his permission to enter. As Claire came to him, her eyes moist with unshed tears, Daniel got to his feet and drew her into his arms, feeling her arms wrap about his waist as she hugged him back. "No, baby," he promised, absently stroking her hair whilst he sought something further to say. Something to explain why he had to take this chance in a lifetime. Atlantis was his Holy Grail, would she understand any better than Jack had?

But then, had he spared her a thought or cared how it would affect her? She'd lost so much in her young life already. Feeling guilty, Daniel touched his lips to her hair. Was it too late to phone Hammond and refuse?

"You want some help packing?"

Jack's question brought him from his thoughts and looking up, Daniel returned his smile. "What's up, Jack, afraid I'll forget my toothbrush?"

"It wouldn't be the first time, kid," Jack answered, moving into the bedroom to sit upon the bed. "Geez, Danny, you are a mess. This room was spotless when you got back, it's a tip again already."

"I kept my room tidy," Claire announced smugly, moving from his arms to join Jack upon the bed, bouncing down upon her knees, beside him.

"Hey," Jack objected, reaching for a pillow as she bounced into him.

"Bully," Claire laughed, raising her arms to fend off the pillow, "Dad, help me."

Why not? Daniel couldn't think of one good reason and moving to the bed, he snatched up another pillow. Jack was quicker though, and even as he raised it to strike, a pillow hit him in the stomach. "Cheat, why don't you," he moaned as he struck back, the pillow glancing off Claire to hit Jack about the head.

"The room is certainly a mess now," Jack observed drily, collasping back upon the bed, his sides aching from laughter.

"Sure is," Daniel agreed, twisting slightly to look at Jack lying at right angles to him, Claire between them. "Guess I'll have to clean it when I get back. No time now."

"It'll be waiting for you," Jack promised, turning onto his side to drag Claire into his arms.

"We used to do fun things like this," Claire admitted, reaching out for Daniel's hand. Obligingly, Daniel moved to lay alongside her, reaching out to touch her face, as she continued. "Dad, Jack and I."

"I guess sometimes we just get wrapped up in unimportant things," Jack offered in explanation.

"We forget what's truly important," Daniel agreed, his decision made. "If you don't want me to go, I'll stay."

"No, Dad, it's Atlantis, you have to go. Besides, it's not forever," Claire grinned. "And you've left enough work to keep the whole archeology department busy for months."

"I shall expect to find it all done when I get back," Daniel warned, a smile upon his lips.

"Dream on," Claire advised.

Listening to them, Jack breathed a sigh of relief. The animosity between them was a thing of the past and all it had taken was a pillow fight.

His hands were bound to the armrests of the command chair with plastic tie-wraps, Daniel noted as he slowly came to. Jack was so going to kill him. No, not Jack, Daniel corrected looking at the back of one of Anubis' soldiers, working on the ships controls.

Well, he'd been in situations before and had managed to talk himself out of it, he reasoned. Not that he had a choice, bound as he was, he conceded, licking his dry lips. "Hey, how's it goin'? Guess it's just you and me, huh? It's a little strange isn't it? You see, that weapon I shot you with should have killed you. What's even stranger is you guys usually don't take prisoners, either. I mean, it's kinda kill first and…no, that's generally just about it. Just the killing. I'm just gonna talk to myself here for a while, 'cause you're not gonna talk to me. Not that you guys are very talkative, but uh…"

He fell silent as the Soldier turned around to face him. "You may prove useful," it said.

"Okay, now we're gettin' somewhere. Where's everybody else?" Daniel questioned, concerned for the welfare of the absent crew.

"I transported them onto the Al'kesh," it answered obligingly.

"Well, you kept the wrong guy, 'cause I don't know anything about the ship," Daniel pointed out, eager to keep it talking to delay the killing.

"But you are very attractive."

Daniel hadn't been expecting that answer. Shocked, he coughed, hoping that he had misheard. He could almost hear Jack's laughter when he shared that. If he got back, he corrected himself. "What?"

Daniel froze as the soldier walked slowly, menacingly and loudly toward him, stepping up onto the platform to stand just in front of him. "Hey, you know, big guy. I'm flattered, really I am, it's just that, uh, you're not my type. And I'm more than a little disturbed that I might be yours," he admitted, stalling for time.

Horrified, Daniel turned his head, screwing closed his eyes as the soldier began to remove its helmet. He'd seen them before and knew he didn't want to see them again, they were gross. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, you don't have to do that! Don't, don't, don't! No," he protested in a effort to stop it.

Then, reluctantly, he opened his eyes and found himself faced with a pretty woman with long, dark hair, which she flipped back as the helmet was removed.

She smiled then and leaning seductively forward said, "Don't worry. I'm not gonna hurt you."

"Thank God," Daniel murmured, relieved.

Relief that was short lived as she added. "Much. I hope."

"You what?"

Daniel sighed aloud. He should have known better. What had possessed him to tell Jack about Vala? Or at least the whole truth. He given an abridged version at the debriefing because there had been no need to speak of the sexual overtures.

"She came on to you?"

"Well, yeah. Is that so surprising?" Daniel questioned, unsure if he should be offended by Jack's disbelief. "She said I was very attractive."

"What did you do?" Jack demanded, eager to hear more about Daniel's encounter with the woman known as Vala.

"I didn't do anything," Daniel defended himself, suddenly uncomfortable and wishing he'd not spoken of it.

"Daniel is attractive," Carter announced, with a broad grin. "It isn't exactly a secret, Sir."

"Well yeah, but I reckon from now on, Daniel doesn't go anywhere alone," Jack announced as the Stargate came to life. "We have to protect his virtue, never mind his life."

"Jack!"

"Daniel," Jack responded with a smirk.

"I could mention Kynthia," Daniel retaliated.

"Don't go there, Daniel," Jack warned, nodding Carter to proceed them up the ramp. "Not unless you want me to mention Hathor, Destroyer of Worlds and…"

"Shut up, Jack," Daniel interrupted. He needed no reminding of some of his most embarrasing moments with the opposite sex.

"Okay, but if you ever leave the Stargate programme, you should consider a career in the male escort service," Jack advised, then hastilly hurried up the ramp, leaving Daniel open mouthed in shocked silence.

Exhausted, dirty but happy, Claire watched as Brydn came to her and gratefully accepted the drink he offered. "You should rest," he advised, moving to sit beside her.

"In a little while, this is fascinating," she refused.

"It's not Kre'shan," he observed, looking over her shoulder at the screen of her computer. She had spent hours filming the walls of the temple they had found, and had now begun translating the the texts they had found.

"It's Ancient. The Ancient's lived here," Claire enthused, only nominally disappointed that so far, there was no clue as to the whereabouts of the missing children. They'd known from the start that it would be a long and frustrating endeavour. Like searching for a needle in a haystack, Jack had commented at their last briefing.

After several abortive attempts, they had finally visited their first destination: a long dead world of little or no value to anyone other than historians. Claire had loved the place immediately, but her passion for it had not been shared by any of the Kre'shan scientists that had accompanied SG11 on their foray into the unknown.

"So we should mark this as needing further research," Brydn answered, not really understanding her fascination with the past, but prepared to humour her. Without her they would never find the children. Even the High Commanders had accepted that she was needed, and as long as she searched for them, he would be with her. Command of his ship had been given to Jarred, an unexpected move but one that Brydn had not objected to. Jarred deserved a command of his own. He was a very capable man, popular and respected by the men that would serve under him.

"It warrants it," Claire answered, hoping that she would have the opportunity to come back but very much doubting it.

"Then one day, we will come back and you can explore to your heart's content. Now come, it is late and you must sleep," Brydn encouraged as he stood and offered her his hand.

Taking it, Claire allowed him to pull her up then stooped to gather her belongings. "Do we have an address for tomorrow?"

"Yes. The team had come up with three today that will support life, although as yet, they have found no sign of life." Brydn moved to assist her before leading her back towards the others that waited to return to the Way Station that had become their base of operations. Brydn would have preferred to camp on the surface but with increased Goa'uld activity, the Way Station was much safer and easily defendable.

The Way Station was no longer the empty, dark place it had been. Bright lights left no corner in shadow and its vastness was now filled with work stations and an array of consoles whose use Claire could only guess at. The bright lights and constant activity made sleeping difficult, but she was fast approaching the stage where it wouldn't matter.

Dumping her pack upon her sleeping bag, Claire sank down beside it, reaching to draw her computer from it. "Enough, Claire, rest," Brydn instructed, moving to kneel before her.

"I've got to finish this," she began to protest, her protest silenced as he placed his hand upon her forehead.

"Sleep," he instructed.

"But…"

"Sleep."

"I suppose I could for a little while," Claire relented, watching as a slight smile formed upon his lips.

"For a little while," Brydn agreed, then as her eyes closed and sleep claimed her, caught her easily. Laying her down, Brydn drew a cover about her, taking care to ensure that the edges were tucked in so she would not get cold.

With a smile, Daniel knelt beside his sleeping daughter and reached out to brush her hair from her face. Admittedly, he was disapointed to find her asleep, but he would be there when she woke. Jack had promised him five days. Five days to explore the planet SG11 had discovered and he was looking forward to it.

"Don't wake her, Daniel," Jack cautioned, moving to join him, placing his hand upon Daniel's arm to stall his movements.

"I wasn't going to," Daniel pointed out. "Doesn't she look cute when she sleeps?"

"Yeah but don't tell her," Jack advised with a grin, as he reached for her pack. Then, withdrawing her laptop, handed it to Daniel, adding, "Make yourself busy Daniel. The Kre'shan don't read Ancient."

"You'd think with all their technology that they'd have a programme that automatically translated for them," Daniel responded with a grin, moving to sit cross legged at her side.

"One day, you'll have the time to do it yourself," Jack predicted, getting to his feet, "If you need me, I'll be with the Commander."

"Sure thing," Daniel agreed, booting up the computer, eager to read what she'd found, Jack already forgotten.

Jack woke with a start. Hearing Daniel's voice, he relaxed and opened his eyes to find the man leant over him. "Jack, come on, wake up," Daniel was saying.

Well, this was different, the thought came to him as memories of the hundreds of times he'd had to wake Daniel came to him. "This had better be good," he warned, glancing at his watch. He'd only been asleep an hour, he noted with a grimace.

"It is, Jack, there's an address. I think it's the address of a repository of knowledge. Like on Ernest's planet," Daniel explained excitedly. "Come on, Jack, sit up, wake up."

"Ernest's planet," Jack repeated, moving to sit up.

"You must remember, Heliopolis was an ancient Egyptian city. People would come from everywhere to gather there. Scholars. Community leaders…"

Jack raised his hand, silencing Daniel's enthusiastic explanation that was in danger of becoming a lecture. "I remember, spare me the history lesson. That's where the DHD fell into the sea. The place I had to drag your ass out of. The place you were quite happy to spend the rest of your life. Alone, I might add."

"Well, it was the chance of a lifetime," Daniel murmured, deflated.

"Look, Daniel, I'll speak with the Commander, perhaps he'll allow you to go play," Jack relented, wondering if he would ever learn to say no to Daniel.

"What if he says no?"

"Hey, he'll take one look at your puppy dog eyes and he'll say yes," Jack teased as he got to his feet. "Come on, let's go find where they serve coffee here."

"Oh, that's over there," Daniel responded, pointing.

"Trust you to know."

"Five days just isn't enough, I need more time, Jack," Daniel argued, barely turning to look at Jack. Five days of study, only stopping to sleep for a few hours at a time, and he'd barely scratched the surface.

"No, Daniel, you are coming now, even if I have to put you over my shoulder and carry you," Jack answered firmly, bored of sitting around, waiting upon Daniel to do his stuff.

"You wouldn't," Daniel protested, at last turning to face Jack. "Your knees…"

"If you don't come now, you'll find out," Jack threatened, stepping forward manacingly. It wouldn't be the first time, and knowing Daniel, he doubted it would be the last. Jack didn't think he'd ever forget the Goa'uld pleasure palace, or seeing Daniel on the balcony of his apartment when he'd been in withdrawel from the light.

"But Jack…" Daniel began, then fell silent as Jack stepped closer.

"Daniel, we are going back, now. Get your stuff together," Jack warned.

"Alright, but I want to come back," Daniel gave in, recognising Jack's determination.

There was hope for him yet, Jack thought smugly as he watched Daniel move to obey him. Upon his wrist, the Kre'shan communicator beeped and with a frown, Jack looked at it before raising his wrist to his lips. "O'Neill."

"General O'Neill, SG11 are overdue to check in," an unfamiliar voice advised him. One of the Kre'shan, Jack decided.

"We're coming," Jack answered, looking up to see Daniel's concern written clearly upon his face. "Ready?"

"Yes. Jack, what if they're in trouble?" Daniel questioned, hastily gathering together the rest of his belongings.

"There could be any number of reasons why they are late checking in, Daniel," Jack reasoned in an attempt to soothe his concerns as much as Daniel's. "Come on, let's go."

"At least we know they are alive," Jack announced, his voice pitched low to avoid detection by a Jaffa patrol that passed the bushes they hid in. Jack's hand lay upon Daniel's arm to restrain him from making his customary head long dash into trouble.

"Jack, we have to do something," Daniel pleaded, ducking his head to hide the tears that stung his eyes. He had seen Sha're taken by Apophis, seen her die by Teal'c's hand, seen Jack and his team mates die, but nothing hurt as much as watching Claire being beaten by the Goa'uld.

"We will," Jack promised, watching through his binoculars as Reece struggled against the men that held him in an attempt to get to Claire. A fist in his stomach doubled him up, another connected with his chin and watching the young man fall, Jack made a mental note to thank him before pointing out that he would be more use to Claire alive and conscious.

Major Benson was barely conscious, he noted as he studied the clearing below, familiarising himself with the terrain, automatically planning the rescue of SG11. The Major's face was a bloody mess and his torn uniform bore silent testimony to the beating he had received. His injuries however, were nothing compaired to those of the Commander. Seemingly more dead than alive, he was clearly unconscious beside Benson. Frazer was at least standing, although his arm was clearly broken and blood ran freely from a chest wound.

Claire's cry as she was once again punched, echoed through the still evening and at his side, Daniel flinched. Jack had seen enough. "Jarred?"

"Yes, Sir," Jarred responded, and beckoning the younger man to his side, Jack outlined his plan for the retrieval of SG11 and watched Jarred summon his men to him with a nod.

They might not be the Marines or Special Ops, but they were good, Jack conceeded as they melted silently into the brush that surrounded them.

"You will tell me what I want to know," the Goa'uld warned.

"Like hell I will," Claire retaliated, knowing it would earn her more pain but far too angry to care anymore.

"You have spirit, child but it will avail you none," the Goa'uld laughed, and catching her chin, he forced her to look up at him.

"My dads are so going to kick your ass," Claire taunted, prepared for a punch that did not come.

"You amuse me, child," he responded instead, his eyes glowing white. "I do believe that I will keep you around."

"Oh good, then every day I can try to kill you," Claire answered him and as he dragged her to her feet, kicked out at him.

He laughed, twisted his fingers in her hair and drew her close. "Taming you will be a challenge that I will relish. One day, child, you will call me your God and kneel at my feet."

"It isn't going to happen, don't hold your breath, actually, do," Claire answered him, spitting blood from her split lip at him.

Again he laughed, then beckoned two Jaffa forward. "Take her to my ship, ensure you do her no harm," he ordered.

"Thanks but I'd rather stay here," Claire tried to refuse, doing her best to break his hold upon her arm. She didn't know what she could do, but she had to do something to help her teammates who all seemed to be far worse off than her.

"Claire?"

"Brydn," she called back, renewing her efforts, finally breaking his hold upon her, only to be caught quickly by a Jaffa as she moved towards Brydn.

The sound of gunfire caught her attention, and momentarily stilling her movements, Claire watched as several Jaffa fell dead. "That's my dads, you'd better let us go or you'll be next," she shouted to the Goa'uld as she was lifted bodily, and placed over the shoulder of the Jaffa. There was more gunfire then but as the ring platform activated, Claire saw no more.

Cursing aloud as the rings dropped and she was placed once more on her feet, Claire studied her new surroundings. She was inside a Goa'uld vessel, a mother ship, she realised in dismay. "Come," the Goa'uld snapped, catching hold of her arm.

"That hurts," she protested, his nails digging into her arm.

"Not as much as I will hurt you," he warned, dragging her forward.

His name was Arnon. His host, formally a Kre'shan High Commander, was T'roc. Arnon could barely remember a time when T'roc had not been his host. The young man's body was not unpleasant to look at and had served him well. Although Arnon never communicated with T'roc, he was aware of the young man, a constant shadow in the background.

Had it been T'roc who had influenced his decision to bring the rebellious young girl to his ship? Arnon was not going to pursue that thought. T'roc had no hold over him but there had definitely been something. A flash of recognition, a sense of knowing from the young man. But knowing what? Arnon did not know and looking towards the girl who, recovered from her injuries, was finally sleeping, he moved closer.

In the short time she had been on his ship, she had argued with him, attempted to hit him and had managed to escape from her chambers twice. Life was going to be interesting with her around, Arnon conceded as he reached out and brushed a lock of her wild hair from her face. She was just what he needed to relieve the boredom of his existance. Being immortal had its drawbacks now that his territory was established and he'd beaten those would oppose him.

Leaving her, Arnon instructed the Jaffa stood guard to inform him when she woke and moved on to his own chambers. Slaves waited to assist him, but waving them away, Arnon moved to his bed and laid down. Tomorrow he would show the girl his ship, she would probably like that. He had already discovered that she had an enquiring mind and if, as she claimed, she was someone who studied the past, she could prove useful to him.

Delighted, Arnon laughed aloud. The girl definitely had spirit. It was refreshing to have someone who argued with him and challenged him so readily. Admittedly, it could not continue, he was a God and it would do no good to have his servants witnessing her rebellious behaviour go unpunished. But for now, he was enjoying himself.

"Come, child," he encouraged, waving his hand towards the table laden with food, "you have yet to eat."

"Oh wow, I get to eat with a God," Claire answered sarcastically, her hunger drawing her towards the table despite her animosity towards the Goa'uld.

"When you have eaten, we will talk," Arnon told her, watching as she helped herself to some fruit, ignoring the servants that waited to serve her.

"I'd rather you show me where the weapons are kept so that I can kill you," Claire answered honestly, pushing away the wine that a servant girl poured for her.

"That would be foolish. If you were to succeed in killing me, you too would die," Arnon pointed out realistically.

"At least you'd be dead," Claire reasoned, then bit into the strange fruit that looked like an apple but tasted like pineapple. "Why did you bring me here anyway?"

"To entertain me," Arnon answered her, watching as she moved to rest her elbows upon the table, her chin upon her clasped hands.

"I kinda figured you weren't going to torture me anymore, so how I am meant to entertain you?" Claire asked suspiciously.

"I find your company delightful," Arnon answered her, surprised by his truthfulness. "You will lack for nothing and in return, all I ask is that you do as I tell you, when I tell you."

"Hey, I don't behave for my dads, what makes you think I'm going to behave for you?" Claire protested, very much doubting that she'd get through an hour, let alone a day, without goading him into an argument.

Well, this was better, Claire decided as she wandered at will throughout the palace. It was a welcome relief to leave the ship where she had spent almost every waking moment with Arnon. For a Goa'uld, he could be good company when he chose to be, and she had learnt a great deal from him. As with any Goa'uld, he was boastful and loved to talk about his past conquests, including the subjugation of the Kre'shan. He'd even boasted about taking a Kre'shan High Commander for a host. With the knowledge gained from T'roc, Arnon had found and reanimated the children, setting himself up as their God.

Of course, they'd had some major arguments. Several had ended with her getting hurt when he had lost his temper with her. Not that he had ever let her suffer for long. He had always healed her when he had calmed down, although the broken arm and dislocated shoulder had been more pain than she had been able to deal with. It had been the only time she had cried in front of him.

Not that she did not cry. Most nights she cried herself to sleep, missing her fathers terribly. She had spoken of them to Arnon once, but he had not wanted to hear. She lacked for nothing, why did she want to return to the life she had had? Claire had responded that she had been happy and had earned herself a beating. She had not spoken of them again.

The only thing that brought her relief from her captivity, for gilded as her cage was, it was still a cage, were her dreams. Sleep had become her haven for she invariably dreamt of Brydn. In her dreams, he held her and often in waking, she fancied that she could still feel him arms about her.

It was probably the touching, the holding that she missed most, Claire conceded, pausing before an archway and gazing out upon the gardens beyond. She would never ever stop Jack or her father cuddling her ever again, she silently vowed, watching as Arnon came towards her.

"Do you like your new home?"

"It's okay, but it's not home and never will be," she responded, watching him frown.

"Your old life is lost to you. This is your home now," he told her irritably.

"Yeah, I suppose so," Claire relented, not wanting to argue with him.

"Come, walk with me," he encouraged, offering her his arm.

"Hey, don't need a crutch," she quipped, shoving her hands deep into the pockets of her now very tatty jacket. She supposed that one day she would have to give in and wear the clothes he always provided for her, if only for her own modesty. But not yet, not until she absolutely had to. Her uniform was her last tie with Earth and she was not going to let it go lightly.

The Commander looked exhausted but Jack was not surprised in the least. Since Claire's abduction, Brydn had hardly slept, snatching only a few hours sleep so as to be awake when Claire slept. He did not understand the link between them, but was grateful that it existed. Through Brydn they knew she was alive and well. Admittedly, there had been a few too many times when Brydn reported that she had been hurt and for that, Arnon, when they caught up with him, would die.

"She is no longer on the ship, he has taken her to his home," Brydn explained, sinking down into a chair, leaning forward upon the table. "I fear she has begun to despair of ever returning, it has been three weeks and we are no closer to finding her."

"Well, you tell her from me that we will get her home," Jack ordered brusquely, then immediately apologised. He appreciated everything that the Commander was doing and knew it was not easy for him, but the effect her absence was having on Daniel was worrying. Hell, the effect her absence was having on everyone was worrying. How one person could affect so many was truly amazing. Did she know just how much she was loved by everybody? Jack doubted it, and determined that she would know when she got back, reached for his note pad. "Tell her that I'm planning a big welcome home party for her, ask if she wants cake or ice-cream. Of course, if she wants both, she can have both."

"I will, General. With your permission, I will sleep now," Brydn excused himself, getting to his feet.

"Of course, son, and thank you," Jack answered, already writing ice-cream on his list. Claire loved ice-cream. Of course, there would also be cake, he liked cake and it would not be a party without cake, would it?

Claire woke with a start. Shit! She had slept with Brydn! Okay, it had been in a dream, a wonderful dream but wow, was it going to be embarassing when she saw him next. It was just a dream, he would never know, she consoled herself, laying back down. A great dream where making love to Brydn had been everything she had ever imagined it to be. Perfect.

If only she could go back to sleep, she mused as a servant entered. Why did they bother, Claire wondered as the servant began to prepare her bath. She never asked anything of them, preferring to do for herself and more often than not, chased them away. Today would be no different, she vowed as she got up. Then, seeing the blood upon the sheet, froze. Damn, she was going to have a period. Strange, she had none of the usual pains but what the heck. No pain was good, right? Of course right, she told herself as she moved to shoo out the servant.

As usual, Arnon was waiting for her, and feeling good, Claire smiled in greeting as she moved to join him at the food laden table. "Morning, Arnon," she greeted him, reaching for a piece of fruit. "What we doing today?"

"I have to go off world," he answered her.

"Oh good, I can come, can't I?"

"Why would you want to, child?" Arnon asked suspiciously. He had discovered that she was not the best tempered person in the morning and her very cheerfulness was disconcerting.

"Why not?"

"That does not answer my question," Arnon pointed out.

"No, I don't suppose it does, but really, can I go with you? I'd like to," Claire admitted, "I'm curious."

"Very well, you may come but you cannot come dressed as you are," Arnon relented, wondering if today he would finally get her out of the tatty clothes she insisted upon wearing. In the beginning, it had been amusing but now, it was becoming annoying. He wanted to show off his latest acquistion, but he was not going to take her anywhere looking like that.

"Alright," Claire agreed after a moments thought, "but they don't get thrown away, promise me."

"I promise," Arnon told her, wondering at her faith in him. If he promised, she really believed he would keep his word. She was just too trusting.

"Commander, come in," Daniel welcomed the young man into his office, "how are you? Is Claire well?"

"I am well, as is Claire," Brydn answered, eyeing a vacant chair, wondering if he should sit. Despite his words, he really wasn't feeling well although it had nothing to do with his health. He was afraid. That was why he had opted to speak with Doctor Jackson first. Facing the General to admit what he had done, was beyond him.

"That's great, did you tell her about the party Jack is planning?" Daniel questioned, eager to hear everything, no matter how insignificant, about his daughter.

"I did. Doctor Jackson, I must speak with you but I am unsure how to say what needs to be said," Brydn admitted, unable to meet the blue eyes focused upon him.

"You could just say it," Daniel encouraged, curious.

"Doctor Jackson, I have betrayed your trust. I have been intimate with Claire and I ask your forgiveness," Brydn answered hurriedly, before his nerve left him completely.

Daniel choked. Brydn, Claire, intimate? When? She was in another galaxy, had been for three weeks. Why was Brydn telling him now? "I don't know what to say," he admitted, watching as Brydn sank into a chair. Claire's chair.

"I am sorry. I did not mean for it to happen, I fell asleep and lost myself in her dreams," Brydn explained, running his fingers through his hair, wincing as he found a knot.

"I don't understand. You say you fell asleep, what difference does that make?" Daniel questioned, trying to make sense of what Brydn had said.

"If I am awake, I can control what she sees, where we go, what we do. Last night, I fell asleep and lost that control. I became lost within her dream, Doctor Jackson," Brydn attempted to explain.

"So it happened in a dream, in her dream?" Daniel clarified, relieved.

"Yes, Doctor Jackson," Brydn admitted.

"Right, okay, it was just a dream, nothing to worry about although I suspect she's going to be embarrased as hell next time she sees you," Daniel answered, smiling despite the severity of the situation. Jack now owed him a hundred dollars. Jack had been adamant that Claire and Brydn were a couple, now Daniel knew better.

"You are not angry with me?"

"Brydn, I know how you feel about her, so no, I am not angry," Daniel answered him with a smile.

"Should I inform the General?"

"No, leave that to me," Daniel answered, getting to his feet to go claim his hundred dollars.

"Thank you Doc…" Brydn began, falling silent as a pain lanced through his back.

"Brydn?" Daniel asked, concerned, going to him as he arched his back in pain, watching in horror as blood seeped through his clothing.

"Claire, it's Claire, he's whipping her," Brydn gasped, pain tearing through him again.

"No more," Claire begged, gasping for breath through the pain that engulfed her, threatening to rob her of her senses.

Wishing that she could pass out to end her torment, Claire looked up into the glowing eyes of Arnon. "I will never do it again, I promise," she pleaded, reaching out a bloodied hand towards him, prepared to promise anything if he would only stop the punishment. His backward step said more than any word could and in despair, Clarie hung her head.

Once again the whip came down upon her already lacerated back and unable to stop herself, Claire screamed.

"Enough," Arnon ordered the Jaffa, watching as the Jaffa obeyed immediately and lowered the whip, stepping back from her. Turning from her, Arnon looked out upon the gathered people. His people, each and every one of them. "You will serve your God or suffer the same fate," he told them, dismissing them with a wave of his hand. The child's brutal punishment doing more to ensure their continuing obediance than any spoken threat.

It had been worth it, she had learnt a valuable lesson, Arnon decided. Never again would she oppose him or seek to help another. She had promised. A smile tugged at his lips as he watched her attempt to crawl away from him, the dress she wore, now tatters upon her bloodied back. Moving to bar her way, he watched as she looked up at him. She was crying, he noted with satisfaction. "I have tolerated much from you, but no more. I will return tomorrow and if I consider you suitably repentant, then I will take you home and heal you," he decided.

"Go to hell," Claire flung at him, immediately regretting it as he struck her.

"How is he?"

"Unconscious," Daniel answered, looking up at Jack's approach.

"Probably a good thing," Jack reasoned, looking at the already blood stained dressings upon the Commander's back.

"He suffered what Claire did," Daniel murmured, knowing that Brydn's injuries, mirrored hers. "I want him dead, Jack."

"He will be, I'm going to kill him," Jack responded, reaching out to place a hand upon Daniel's shoulder. "Jarred has contacted Darric, he's on his way."

"Can he help find her?" Daniel asked hopefully.

"I don't know. You going to stay here?"

"Yeah, till he wakes."

"Okay, I'll wait with you," Jack decided, dragging a chair closer. "Been one hell of a week, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, but I liked Joe, didn't you?" Daniel questioned, knowing that Jack was attempting to keep his thoughts from Claire and grateful for it. He felt sick from worrying about her.

"Yeah, he was an okay guy. He liked the Simpsons."

"Yeah, right," Daniel laughed, trust Jack to bring the Simpsons into it. "Do you think he and his wife will be okay?"

"Reckon they will, Danny," Jack predicted, grinning. "Of course, you have really got to be more careful about locking the door. Twice in as many weeks isn't good enough."

"It wasn't me who left the door unlocked," Daniel protested, elbowing him and earning himself a cuff about the head.

Tears ran unchecked down her face, but driven by anger and determination, Claire paid them no heed. Her focus fixed firmly upon her destination, the Stargate. Despite the agony of each step, she was getting ever closer to her goal. Often she had stumbled and fallen, gritting her teeth to stop from screaming as she had forced herself to get once more to her feet. Always the thought of Brydn and her fathers keeping her going.

Her companion, a boy of about ten, had remained with her throughout the long night, silently guiding her with an outstretched hand, ever onward. She did not know his name but knew him. Arnon had been about to beat him when Claire had stepped in, protesting. His punishment had become hers then. She supposed that was why he was helping her. Claire didn't know and wasn't about to ask. She had not the breath for speech.

The sun was beginning to rise, she noticed, looking up as she finally leant against the DHD. Reaching for the first symbols for Earth, she hesitated. Much as she wanted to go home, that way led to certain death for she did not have a GDO with which to send the code and open the iris. Uncertain, she looked at the boy, seeing his beautiful blue eyes, his long dirty blond hair. He smiled then, nodding towards the Stargate. She smiled back, her mind made up, she was going to take him home.

The Stargate engaged and offering her hand towards the boy, she smiled in encouragement as he cautiously took it. In silence she led him towards the Stargate. Feeling his hesitation as they were about to step through, she looked down at him and smiled again. Returning her smile, he nodded and took a step forward with her.

"What's up?" Daniel asked, startled as Jack burst into his office.

"Claire's on Kress, she managed to escape, they're bringing her back now," Jack explained excitedly, reaching out to snag Daniel's jacket to haul him from his chair. "Come on, Daniel."

"How?" Daniel demanded as Jack dragged him from his office.

"I don't know, Benson just called in, they're bringing her back, we've got to be there," Jack ordered, breaking into a run.

The Stargate was already activated when breathless from running, they entered the Gate Room, "It's SG11, Sir," Carter announced with a grin, moving through the waiting medics towards them. "She's home."

"'Bout bloody time to," Jack responded, then watched as Major Benson appeared with his team, carrying a stretcher between them. A scruffily clad boy following, holding tightly to Darric's hand. Then as Daniel moved forward, caught hold of his arm to stop him. "Let the medics do their jobs."

"But…"

"No Daniel, you'll only get in their way," Jack ordered, sharing Daniel's desire to be close to her but knowing the truth of his words. Then as the stretcher was placed upon a gurney and wheeled out of the Gate Room, Jack moved to follow it, his hand still upon Daniel's arm.

Jack stood alone. The infirmary was silent, the silence broken only by the occasional movement from one of the sleepers. Claire slept, heavily sedated to spare her the pain. Daniel, sitting at her bedside, bent forward to rest his head upon his folded arms which in turn rested upon her mattress, slept also. His position mirrored almost exactly by Darric at his brother's bedside. Brydn, turned on his side to face him, his hand resting light upon Darric's head. Gawin, the lad Claire had brought back with her, cuddled up on another bed.

A smile tugged at his lips as he looked at them. For tonight, they were all safe and he could sleep peacefully in that knowledge. Sleep. When had he last slept soundly, he wondered, moving towards a vacant bed. Confident that tonight he would, he kicked off his shoes and stretched out upon it. Tonight there would be no bad dreams. There would be no waking in the middle of the night to go check if Claire was alright, only to find her bed empty. No laying in his bed, listening to Daniel toss and turn in his sleep, calling her name.

Pulling the blanket up about his ears, Jack sighed in contentment. It was over, his family were safe.

"They all look the same," Daniel commented as he walked with Sam towards the mothership's control room, reaching out to touch the corridor wall.

"Yeah, seen one, seen them all," Carter agreed, and reaching the control room, she led the way in.

Bra'tac was at the controls and at their entrance, he nodded a greeting to them as Teal'c announced, "They are late."

"Or they're not coming," Daniel suggested, hoping that he was wrong.

"Were that the case, Rak'nor would have sent word," Teal'c stated confidently.

"If he were able to do so," Bra'tac corrected.

"Maybe we should reconsider the mission," Sam offered, looking to Daniel for support.

"This is not an SGC mission. Reconsidering is not an option," Teal'c pointed out, slightly inclining his head as though to prove his point.

Daniel looked at Carter and sighed before continuing, "Look, I know the timing of these first few surprise attacks is crucial, but…"

"And we're just here as observers but, right now, I'm observing the fact that if you take on one of Amateratsu's motherships without proper backup, you could get yourself killed," Sam took up, stepping closer to Daniel in an effort to give the impression of solidarity.

"Us observers, too." Daniel added, nodding at Sam.

"Many such attacks have been co-ordinated simultaneously across the galaxy. Each one designed to create a strategic weakness in the forces of the System Lords," Bra'tac lectured, once again the teacher he had been in Teal'c's youth.

"And if even one fails, I know…"

Teal'c interrupted Daniel. "The rebel Jaffa have gone to great lengths to acquire the security codes currently being used by the System Lords. If all goes according to plan they will believe we are allies and lower the shields."

"If all goes according to plan," Daniel repeated, not to be outdone.

"Once the shields are lowered, the Jaffa contingent aboard this vessel should be sufficient to overwhelm any initial resistance we may encounter," Teal'c carried on his explanation.

Bra'tac confidently took up the explanation. "We have allies within the ranks of Amateratsu's Jaffa, who will also help facilitate our attacks. Once the others witness the death of their false God, they will realise the truth and join our ranks."

"Isn't the fact that we haven't heard from Rak'nor kind of a bad sign?" Carter questioned, attempting to reason with them.

Glancing at Teal'c, Bra'tac briefly met his eyes then, as a sensor chimed and a screen appeared showing a space map, turned back to study it.

"What is it?" Daniel questioned, curious to know what had demanded their attention.

"Ship's sensors have detected a vessel closing in on our position. Hat'ak class," Bra'tac explained.

"Rak'nor?" Daniel asked hopefully, feeling relief. Much as he wanted the Jaffa to gain their long deserved freedom, and support Teal'c in his quest, he and Sam shared the same misgivings about SG1's latest mission.

"Unlikely. Rak'nor would have hailed long before his approach," Teal'c announced, quelling what hope he'd had.

"Then it has to be Amateratsu. Shouldn't we get out of here?" Carter suggested, glancing towards Daniel as Bra'tac turned to an uncomfortable looking Teal'c.

"Teal'c, the odds are not in our favour," Daniel reasoned, recognising the Jaffa's determination to win freedom for his people at any cost.

"They never are, DanielJackson," Teal'c answered him.

Teal'c was right, Daniel conceded with a shrug, when had anything ever been easily attained by SG1. The odds were always against them.

"I am hailing them and transmitting the security codes," Bra'tac announced. Then, as the ship shuddered about them, added, almost sounding surprised, "They fired on us. Shield strength is down 60."

"How is that possible?" Teal'c questioned.

"What the hell did they hit us with?" Carter demanded to know, using Daniel's bulk to steady herself against.

"Returning fire," Teal'c responded, ignoring her question, moving to the weapons console to fire upon their assailants. Moments later, when the opposition remained, added, "Our weapons are ineffective."

"We have lost shields," Bra'tac admitted despondently, steadying himself as once again the ship shuddered after another hit.

"Now can we get outta here?" Carter asked hopefully, not wanting to add an 'I told you so'.

"Navigational controls are not responding. We must evacuate," Bra'tac confirmed moments later.

"Glider bay?" Daniel questioned, moving towards the door, Carter at his heels.

"We can use the rings to transport to the planet below and escape through the Stargate," Teal'c answered him, moving to join them.

"Dad," Carter greeted her father, surprised and delighted to see him within the Gateroom upon their return to Earth.

"Hey, kiddo," Jacob greeted her in return, kissing her cheek.

"So, what the heck happened? Didn't you guys have a ship?" Jack questioned curiously as the gate deactivated, watching as Carter and Bra'tac turned to look at it before turning back to him. "And by the way…where's Daniel?" Jack asked, dreading the answer. If Daniel hadn't returned with them, it could only mean one thing: Daniel had gotten himself into trouble. Again.

"He was beamed away before our very eyes," Bra'tac informed him solemly.

"By Replicators," Teal'c added in explanation.

Jack sighed. He'd just got Claire back and now he'd lost Daniel. Why did the Jackson's have to be so damn difficult to keep hold off? And how the hell was he going to tell Claire that her father was missing? Not that he'd have to tell her anything for at least a week. He'd sent her off with Brydn and SG11. Perhaps Daniel would be back by then.

"Just Daniel?" Jacob's question interrupted his thoughts.

"There's only one reason I can think of. My duplicate. She knows the greatest threat the Replicators have ever known is the disruptor technology that you built using Ancient knowledge," Carter continued, answering her father's question.

"So? She's immune to that now," Jack questioned, not fully understanding the relevance of her statement.

"Yes, but Replicators always seek out the most advanced technology. She may be worried that there's other Ancient technology out there that could be a threat to her and the rest of the Replicators," Carter patiently explained for his benefit.

"DanielJackson had access to the knowledge of the Ancients when he was ascended," Teal'c added his opinion.

"I thought he didn't retain those memories?" Jacob wanted to know.

"We don't know that for sure. Daniel has remembered certain things from when he was ascended. She may think that everything she needs to know about the Ancients is buried in his subconscious. If it is, she'll find it," Carter predicted.

"Oy!" Jack silenced her, not wanting to think about just how the replicator would 'find it', or if Daniel could survive it. Why was it always Daniel, he wondered with a sigh.

Daniel gazed about the empty room he found himself in and recognising the replicator pieces that made up the walls, knew that he was once again in trouble. His assumption was affirmed as Replicator Carter appeared through a wall.

"Hello, Daniel," she greeted him.

"What the hell do you want?" Daniel asked warily. He hadn't met her, but he'd heard enough about her to know that she was not Sam. Sam was his friend, his big sister to whom he'd often gone to for advice. This Sam would kill him as soon as look at him.

"You have information that I need," Replicator Carter answered him as she walked purposefully towards him.

Knowing he was in no position to brazen it out, Daniel shrugged and answered, "Okay, what do you want to know?"

"I'm afraid it's not that simple."

"Oh no, it is that simple," Daniel reassured, recognising the threat in her words, backing away until the solidity of a wall stopped him. "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not do the hand in the head thing. Honestly, I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

"Honesty is not the problem," she responded as bands come out of the wall, holding him in place by his arms and legs, making movement impossible. "Unfortunately, to get what I need, we're going to have to dig a little deeper."

Where was Jack when he needed him, Daniel wondered as more blocks extended from the wall on both sides of his head.

"Shall we begin?"

Like he had a choice, Daniel thought as she raised her hand, trying not to flinch as she closed the distance between them, knowing her intent.

"General, I'm sorry, it was overlooked," Dr. Carmichael explained, watching as the General reached for his report. Although it would not make much sense to him, Dr Carmichael relingusished the file and watched the General stare at the page in question.

"You are positive?"

"There is no doubt, General, Claire Jackson-O'Neill is pregnant," Dr. Carmichael reiterated, wishing it had not fallen to him to share the news.

"So who is the father?" Jack asked fearfully.

"I cannot be certain who he is but I am able to determine that the father of the child is Kre'shan," Dr. Carmichael offered.

"Arnon?"

"No, sir, I questioned her. Arnon never touched her. Not like that,"

"Then, who?" Jack demanded, uncertain just how to feel. How was one meant to feel when finding out that their daughter was pregnant? He'd never discussed it with Daniel. If only Daniel was there, Jack mused as he pushed the file back towards the doctor.

"I do not know, Sir," Dr. Carmichael offered.

"Thank you for telling me," Jack dismissed the man, watching as he left his office.

If it was not Arnon, then there was only one Kre'shan to blame and that was Brydn. But how the hell could Brydn be the father? Hadn't Daniel reasurred him that they weren't a couple? Hadn't he paid up? Given Daniel a hundred dollars. Shit!

"Come back, Daniel, I can't handle this alone," he whispered into his empty office.

"You control the barrier between your consciousness and what you seek. You merely need to open your mind. The truth is, all knowledge, everything that is and was and will be, is everywhere. Out there and in all of us," Oma stated.

He knew what she was talking about, Daniel realised with a smile. "If you immediately know the candlelight is fire, then the meal was cooked a long time ago," he repeated the phrase he'd heard of Kheb. Then watching as the woman before him appeared confused, knew the truth.

"Yes," she answered, her hesitation confirmation of his suspicions.

"No. You're trying to understand it, aren't you?" Daniel questioned.

"It means what you want it to mean," Oma prevaricated.

"No, it doesn't, and you're not Oma," Daniel stated, confident that he spoke the truth then watched as the image of Oma transformed into Replicator Carter.

"No, I'm not, but it doesn't matter. Thanks to you I've found what I was looking for," she responded with a smile.

Claire woke with a start, fighting the confines of her sleeping bag to sit up. Someone had called her name, waking her from a dream about Sam. No, not Sam, she corrected herself as she tried to calm her breathing. Replication Carter.

"Hey, Munchkin."

"Jack? What are you doing here?" Claire questioned, puzzled, not sure just where 'here' was. She'd gone to sleep in the Way Station and woken up in what appeared to be empty space that was impossibly white.

"Your dad wanted to come see you," Jack answered, looking over his shoulder and following his gaze, Claire watched as her father approached.

"Hey, Dad," she greeted him, getting to her feet.

"Hello, baby," he responded, moving to take the hand that Jack offered and as realisation dawned, Claire swore softly.

Reaching out to pass her hand through Jack's chest, Claire shook her head in amazement. "You both ascended, didn't you?"

"Yes, Brydn and Darric too," Jack answered her with a grin. "It's okay, but they don't have the Simpsons, or beer and knowledge ain't all it's cracked up to be. Unless of course, you're a geek."

"Jack," Daniel admonished.

"Daniel, it's the truth," Jack answered him, shrugging. "Your dad thinks it's great, you know what he's like."

"Wow," she breathed, unsure just how to react. She wanted to hug them but that was of course impossible. Then, as a thought struck her, frowned. "Am I dead?"

"No, but if you don't act quickly, what happened in our reality will happen in yours," Jack explained. "When the SGC fell, there was no one left to oppose Anubis. He gained control of an Ancients weapon. With it he destroyed all life."

"So there is nothing left at all?" Claire questioned, horrified.

"Nothing except what he wants to live," Jack answered, shrugging.

"Claire, it is time for you to learn the truth of who you are. You are capable of great things and the child you carry, Brydn's baby, is special. When you return, speak with Brydn. He will tell you what you need to know. Then go to your father, he needs you," Daniel explained. "And tell him from us, thank you. Without him and Jack, we would have worried about you."

"This is so weird, I don't know what to think," Claire confessed, "and I can't be pregnant, we haven't done anything."

"Haven't you?" Jack quipped with a grin.

"Don't tease her, Jack. Claire, we have to go and so must you."

"Will I see you again?" Claire asked, wishing she could have longer with them. There was just so much she wanted to ask them.

"Hey, your dad is always checking up on you," Jack pointed out. "We'll always be about and when you two finally get married, you can bet we'll be there. And of course, when our grandchild's born."

"Jack, I'm not pregnant, I can't be," Claire protested with a laugh.

"Sure. Bye, Munchkin," Jack told her, turning into a tendrilled ball of energy before her eyes.

"Take care, Claire, and remember, we will always love you," her father added with a smile, "you must go back now."

She was about to ask him how when without warning, everything changed and she found herself back in the Way Station. Brydn knelt by her side, obviously concerned. "I saw my dads, my real dads," she explained excitedly as she sat up, "they both ascended when they died. So did Brydn and Darric."

"That is good news, I am happy for you," Brydn responded, sitting back on his heels. "What else did they say?"

"That I was to ask you, that you would tell me what I need to know. What does it mean, Brydn?" Claire questioned, watching as he averted his eyes, clearly uncomfortable with her question.

"Claire," he said at last, looking up with a sad smile, "I do not know where to begin, but I will show you. Trust me, I will not hurt you."

"What are you talking about?" Claire wanted to know, suddenly fearful but not knowing why.

"Close your eyes," Brydn prompted, reaching out to draw her into his arms, adding, "relax, trust me."

"Shit," Claire whispered, watching through tear filled eyes as Brydn smiled hesitantly at her. She didn't know or care how, but Brydn had shared his knowledge with her, opened himself to her inspection in a way she would never have believed possible. "Wow, what a rush," she said aloud as she attempted to sort out the jumble of her thoughts, no longer sure just what were hers and what were his.

It was almost frightening. If Brydn could heal, Darric could read minds and Jarred could make things move by thought, what was she capable of, she wondered curiously. "Brydn, when I was with Arnon, I had a dream about us," she admitted embarrased, "only it wasn't a dream was it? You really were there, weren't you?"

"I was," Brydn answered hesitantly. "Since that first time I healed you, I have been linked with you although I do not understand how or why. The link has strengthened since we were intimate."

"That's why when I was beaten, you got hurt too, isn't it?"

"Yes," Brydn admitted.

"So, am I pregnant like Jack thinks?" Claire questioned, watching as he knelt again before her. He reached out then and with a quietly spoken, excuse me, slipped his hand under her T.shirt to place it against her stomach.

"Yes, Claire," he said softly, a smile beginning to form upon his lips. "I can feel him, Claire. Our son."

"What are we going to do, Brydn?" Claire asked nervously. She didn't know the first thing about babies and what the hell were they going to tell Jack and her father?

"I would like us to get married," Brydn admitted with a smile, reluctantly removing his hand. It didn't seem possible, but he was going to be a father and he could not think of a single thing he wanted more.

"I think we have to save the world first," Claire quipped with a grin, not quite ready to comtemplate a future with Brydn as her husband. Not that she doubted for a moment that he loved her. She'd felt it and knew she loved him in return, but she was just a kid herself. Even sex at her age wasn't legal. And just where would they live? "I have to get to my father. He needs me."

"Sir, I wanted to talk to you about…" Sam began hesitantly, unsure how to broach the subject of Daniel's continued absence.

"Carter," Jack snapped back, certain that he knew what she was about to say.

"We haven't heard from him in a week," Carter pointed out, frustrated by her C.O.'s refusal to accept the truth that Daniel was dead.

"Doesn't mean anything," Jack pointed out determinedly.

"Sir, we know he was captured by Replicators. Chances are he was onboard a replicator ship when it disintegrated," Sam tried to reason with him, longing to be able to shake him. Why couldn't he accept that Daniel had perished along with the Replicator ship? It was time to accept the inevitable, to tell Claire. She deserved to know the truth.

"All we know for sure is that he's missing," Jack answered her adamantly.

"Sooner or later…"

"Forget it! I'm not falling for it this time!" Jack interrupted her.

"Falling for it?" Sam asked, stunned by his response.

"Yeah. How many times have you thought he was gone and then he shows up… in one form or another. I'm sorry, but we're not having a memorial service for someone who is not dead," Jack announced as he looked up at the corner of the room. Then shouting, added, "Do you hear that? I'm not buying it!"

Sam looked curiously about the room but seeing nothing out of ordinary, looked at the General, surprised. General Jack O'Neill was also looking around the room, obviously waiting for a response from Daniel, she decided. He looked at her then and realising that she was staring at him questioned, "What?"

Tempted to shake her head in amazement, Sam raised her eyebrows then looked down. Daniel was dead. She'd accepted it, why couldn't he?

"He's just waiting for us to say a bunch of nice things about him. Next thing you know, he'll come waltzing through that door. Like, right now," Jack announced, gesturing to the door. "Waltzing," he reiterated expectantly. "Now," he added as Carter turned to look at him. Shit, where the hell was Daniel? Jack wondered. How could Daniel let him down?

Okay, this wasn't what he'd expected to see, Daniel decided as he entered a diner, leaving the sun lit street behind. The diner was busy with customers filling its many booths and staff bustling to fulfil the orders of their patrons. 'Please seat yourself' a sign just inside the entrance informed him and with a frown, Daniel looked around, then walked further into the diner.

Curiously, he looked around at the strangely silent customers, then sat in a booth, watching as a waitress approached. "So, what can I get for you?" the waitress, Oma Desala, asked.

"Hey!" A customer, a plump, middle aged man called, gaining their attention. "What do I have to do to get some more coffee around here?"

"Find your enlightenment," Oma answered him, then turned back to look at Daniel.

Realising that she was waiting for him to order, Daniel cleared his throat, and asked, "Menus?"

"We don't need them here, just order what you'd like," she answered him, her pen poised over her notepad.

"Okay, I'll have the truth with a side order of clarity, please," he responded, shrugging.

"The replicator version of Sam was in your head trying to access the knowledge buried in your subconscious. But you gained control of her instead. She killed you to stop you. That's where I stepped in. How's that?" Oma asked with a grin.

"Pretty clear," Daniel admitted.

"Well, we aim to please. Customer comes first, you know," Oma quipped.

"So I'm ascended again."

"Not exactly. Sort of a stop along the way. You have to make that choice for yourself," she explained, her pen still poised over her pad to take his order.

"Waffles."

"Bacon on the side?"

"No, I remember this place," Daniel realised, looking about the dingy diner.

"You should, it came from your mind."

"My Grandfather brought me here after my parents' funeral. I had waffles," he remembered.

"Waffles it is!" Oma announced, turning to leave.

"Wait. How do I know it's really you this time? How do I know this isn't some trick Replicator Sam's playing to stop me from controlling her?" Daniel questioned suspiciously. Replicator Carter had pretended to be Oma, after all. He didn't want to fall for it a second time.

Oma stepped back to Daniel. "How deep is the river if you cannot see the bottom?"

"Deeper than the coffee in my cup, I'll tell you that," the annoying customer called.

Oma excused herself and walked away, "Frank, I need a Noah's boy in a blanket, two hen fruit wrecked on a shingle with a mystery in the alley," she called, her words leaving Daniel bemused. "A warm Eve with a moldy lid and two checkerboards, alright?" she added, moving behind the counter to place the order on a hook. "Oh yeah, hold the paper."

She was definitely Oma, Daniel decided with a wry grin. He didn't remember much from when he was ascended but he could clearly remember that she'd always spoken in riddles. So, he was dead, he mused. Again. Jack was going to be so pissed at him. When he was ascended, he'd have to go back and apologise. Jack would probably throw his shoe at him again. And he'd go and see Claire, reassure that he loved her. Poor kid, she was clearly doomed to be forever losing her father.

"Hi, Dad."

Stunned, Daniel looked up, watching as Claire, clad in jeans and a T.shirt, moved into the seat opposite, helping herself to a waffle. "What are you doing here? Are you dead?"

"No, at least, I don't think so but I supppose I could be," Claire answered with a shrug, looking about her. "This place is a dive."

"My grandfather bought me here after my parents' funeral," Daniel explained, squeezing his eyes shut, counting to five before opening them again. Claire was still there, it wasn't his imagination.

"Oh yeah, Nick. We didn't see him often, he didn't approve of Dad and Jack living together," Claire remembered with a grin. "By the way, I saw Dad and Jack, they ascended."

"I'm pleased for you and them," Daniel admitted, watching as she bit into the waffle. "So how did you get here?"

"Dad said you needed me, Brydn helped me. Darric and Jarred too. Not sure how long I can stay though," Claire answered him, "this is really weird, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Daniel agreed, his death was definitely surreal.

"So what are you doing here, Dad?" Claire questioned, licking her fingers

"Deciding whether to ascend or die," Daniel explained, pushing a newspaper across the table towards her. A newspaper given to him by the irritating customer, Jim. The only one who'd actually spoken to him. The others, the Ancients had studiously acted as though he were invisible although, Claire had drawn their attention. Their indifference to him did not extend to Claire, he was pleased to note.

"We can't let his happen, Dad. In my reality, Anubis got hold of the weapon, he killed everyone," Claire explained, looking up from her quick perusal of the headlines.

"Obviously, but if I choose to ascend and return to earth, I won't remember any of it, so what's the point," Daniel reasoned, watching as Oma approached with a coffee pot.

"More coffee?"

"Sure," Daniel answered her, watching her fill his mug.

"She shouldn't be here," Oma pointed out, moving to sit beside Claire.

"She has a name, Oma, and if you think I am going to let you take Dad again, you are mistaken," Claire snapped, reaching for Daniel's mug.

"The others do not like it," Oma continued, ignoring Claire.

"Tough. I'm going nowhere," Claire warned.

"Your father must choose his own way," Oma announced, getting to her feet.

The sound of whistling announced the return of Jim. Turning, Daniel watched as he made his way to the counter, then looked back at Oma.

"Look, if you knew I had a problem following the rules the last time, why offer me ascension again?" Daniel questioned curiously, trying to ignore the irritating whistling.

"Because I didn't want to see you die without at least giving you a second chance. Look, I have trouble following the rules. I'm not really supposed to help people ascend. You're supposed to do it on your own," she pointed out with a tired smile.

"But you do it," Daniel challenged.

"I walk the line. Believe me, I crossed it a few times and paid for it dearly," Oma explained, glancing toward Jim who still whistled. "My point is, you just need to be willing to put your prior human existence into the proper context."

"Oma, who is he?" Claire asked, interrupting.

"Just someone," Oma responded, picking up the coffee pot, turning to leave.

"An annoying someone," Claire responded thoughtfully, wondering what it was about the man that seemed at once familiar and yet repulsive.

It made no sense, she decided as she looked about her at the silent watchers. "So, we stay here until you make up your mind," she mused aloud.

"Well, you can't stay here forever, you know. Actually, I suppose you could, I just don't know why you'd really want to. Except for the great service," Oma answered her.

"Look, obviously I don't want to just die. Don't suppose there's any other options?" Daniel questioned hopefully.

"I can't get into it. What's stopping you from ascending? Other than your daughter?"

"I don't know," Daniel admitted with a shrug. Yes, Claire was a major reason for not ascending but Jack would look after her. Between them, Jack and Brydn would make sure that she was okay. It wasn't Claire. Anubis? Daniel supposed it must be. As an ascended, his fight against Anubis would end and he'd just end up like the 'others', watching, powerless to stop him. No, not powerless, he corrected. So why were they letting Anubis get away with it? Why were they not stopping him?

"Must be something holding you back, making you doubt yourself," Oma reasoned, stepping out of Claire's way as she got to her feet.

Jim looked up at her approach. "So you are Claire," he greeted her, indicating that she should sit next to him.

"Who are you?" Claire questioned, feeling her skin crawl. There was definitely something about him but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Jim, didn't your dad tell you?"

"He told me but who are you really?" Claire asked, stepping back as he reached out to touch the seat at his side. "You're not one of them, are you?"

"If I'm not one of them, what am I?"

"I don't know," Claire admitted, looking about her. The others were all watching intently, almost expectantly. What were they waiting for?

"What do you know about Anubis?"

"I know he's half ascended, whatever that means," Claire answered him, vaguely.

"There are many planes of existence, between human existence and ascension. Basically, the Others use their collective powers to keep him from affecting anything on a grand, cosmic level," Jim explained with a smile.

"But it's okay for him to destroy an entire galaxy," Claire offered, sickened by the thought that Anubis had destroyed everything in her reality.

"It's okay for him to do anything he could have done, back when he was a regular, old Goa'uld," Jim corrected with a smug grin, looking at his watch. "Oh, look at the time. Gotta go, business to attend to. It was nice talking to you," he added, reaching out to pat her hand.

At his touch, Claire yanked her hand away, feeling the evil within him. "You are Anubis," she accused, knowing she spoke the truth.

"Yep, but there's nothing you can do. You don't have the power, little girl," he taunted as he pulled on his jacket.

"You're wrong, I have the power, I have all the power I need," Claire flung at him, her hatred and loathing of him fuelling her anger whilst an unexplainable power began to fill her.

"Go home, little girl, your world will be mine," he responded with a laugh, turning to leave.

"No, stay," Claire ordered, reaching out to him, taking hold of his wrist to stop his departure.

His smile was gone, she noted in satisfaction, he was definitely looking concerned and she could feel his confusion as he attempted to leave but found he couldn't. "What…?"

"I want you dead," she told him, watching his face contort in pain as he crumpled to his knees. Knowing that she had the power to take his life was frightening, but he deserved to die. With his death, millions would live. "You killed my dads. I watched you kill my friends, you do not deserve to live, die now."

"No, no, no," Anubis cried plaintively, even as he shrunk in on his self.

Time seemed to have stopped, Daniel realised as he moved towards her, the crumpled, shrunken remains of Anubis, at her feet. The others, the Ascended, stood now, watching in shock as she released her hold upon the withered wrist. She turned to him then, as though aware of him and in her eyes, Daniel could see her pain. "Claire," he breathed, reaching for her, dragging her into his arms, feeling her trembling.

"He killed my dads," she whispered, clinging to him, crying openly.

"I know, it's over now," he promised her, stroking her hair, watching as the others gathered about the remains of Anubis.

"Not if you stay here, please don't leave me, Dad, please," Claire begged. "Make them send you back. Like they did before."

It was good to have SG1 back, Jack decided, leaning back in his seat to listen to their report. "The Kull warriors became disorganized and confused, as though they no longer knew what to do," Bra'tac explained.

"They no longer had a master to serve," Teal'c continued with a smile, the first real smile that Jack could remember seeing.

"After that, they were easily defeated," Bra'tac added.

"Many Jaffa lost their lives at Dakara. Those that survived are united as never before. And we are in agreement. The weapon must be destroyed," Teal'c announced triumpantly.

"Well, that's good," Jack agreed. No one person, living, dead or ascended should have the power to destroy an entire galaxy.

"A new memorial will be erected in its place, so that our triumph over the Goa'uld will never be forgotten," Bra'tac continued, choosing not to respond to Jack comment.

Sam leaned forward, resting her forearms upon the conference table, puzzled. "I still don't quite understand what happened. One minute Anubis is about to push the button that ends all life in the galaxy and the next minute he's just… gone.

"Indeed, it is a great mystery," Teal'c agreed.

Bra'tac stated his opinion. "One can only assume he was vanquished by some beings. If not, why would he forfeit the weapon and his army?"

Looking to Carter, Jack met her eyes and knew they thought the same.

"Daniel."

"You think?" Carter asked.

"I do," Jack agreed.

"It's the only thing that would explain the self destruct not going off," Sam reasoned.

"Of what do you speak?" Bra'tac questioned, looking from one to the other.

"O'Neill believes that Daniel Jackson was somehow responsible," Teal'c explained.

"Nope, it wasn't me," Daniel called, his voice muffled.

"Anybody else hear that?" Jack asked hopefully, almost cheering when Carter nodded. Daniel was back.

"In here!" Daniel called, causing them all to turn to face Jack's office.

"That's Daniel," he announced with a broad grin, getting to his feet to walk to his office, stopping at the doorway at the sight that met him.

"Don't! Don't come in!" Daniel called, panicked.

"Woah, hey there," Jack greeted the occupants of his office, then looking around, pulled down the SGC flag to pass in to Daniel, quickly removing his jacket for Claire.

"It's uh… a long story," Daniel admitted when, with the flag wrapped about him, he exited the office, closely followed by an embarrased looking Claire, hugging Jack's jacket about her.

"Oh boy, this is going to be good," Jack predicted with a grin as catching hold of Claire, he dragged her into his arms, lifting her off her feet.

"Our little girl has all grown up," Jack commented proudly.

"Yeah," Daniel answered, distractedly. "Oh look, Jack, Chaka is here."

"You have to admit, there has never been a wedding like this," Jack conceded. "Asgard, Kre'shan, Nox, Jaffa, Tok'ra," he continued pointing to the different beings gathered within the Gateroom to witness the first ever inter species wedding. "Even the President is here."

"Jack, here she comes, doesn't she look lovely," Daniel commented, watching as Claire, dressed in white, entered the Gateroom.

"Gorgeous, just like her dad," Jack teased.

"Her Jack is as handsome as you," Daniel responded, reaching out to touch. Then, as Claire hesitated, turned around, looked up and waved, he would have grinned if he'd been able to in his current state. "She knows we are here."

"Hey, where else would we be when our little girl's getting married?" Jack questioned. "We promised her, remember?"

"I remember. She was ten."

"Eleven," Jack corrected.

"Ten, Jack, now shut up, it's about to begin and I'll never forgive you if you talk all the way through the ceremony," Daniel threatened.

"Okay, this is me shutting up. I don't want to spend eternity with a pissy archeologist."

The End

Thank you to Ash and Jillie for all their help and advice. This would never have been finished without them.

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