Daniel was sure his heart was gonna burst. He'd been running for only five minutes but it felt like he'd been running the Boston marathon.

"Hurry it up, Daniel. Look how far ahead Carter and Teal'c are."

Daniel flashed a glare at Jack – who was jogging along beside him – not even panting. In fact Jack looked like he was enjoying himself thoroughly. Sam was already four hundred yards ahead and counting and Teal'c was even further ahead than that. Yeah, he had to concede the point - Jack's point: Daniel was woefully unfit.

"Comes from reading books all day long," said Jack with a touch of smugness.

Daniel's glare intensified, but he didn't have the breath to spare for a retort. He would do whatever it took to get a place on Jack's team. Stubbornly he picked up his pace. He could do this. He had to do this. He had to prove he could keep up with the rest of the team. He didn't care if his heart felt like it was going to explode, he was gonna finish the entire run – and every morning from now on he was gonna run another five miles until he could damn well keep up with Sam and Jack and even Teal'c.

He wanted his family back. Sha're and Skaara. He wanted his life on Abydos back. It was like an ache in his soul; he wanted her back so desperately. He wanted Shar'e's kisses, her gentle touches. Her shy smiles.

"Okay now we're rocking," said Jack's voice – with just a hint of respect and a panting breath.

Daniel focussed and found to his surprise that he had set a blistering pace. The distance between him and Sam was shrinking fast. Daniel focussed again on Sha're, imagining her running ahead of him.

When he came back to himself, it was to find Teal'c's back just ahead of him and the finish line just ahead of them both. Daniel's breath was whistling in and out raggedly but, amazingly, he was gonna make it in respectable time.

Sam and Jack pulled in at the finish line together only seconds behind Daniel and Teal'c.

"Okay kids well done," said Jack. "Showers and then we head out for a game of basketball against some of the marines."

Daniel grabbed his bag and paused for a few seconds, fighting back dizzy black spots as he tried to get his ragged breathing back under control. Suddenly, Jack's hand was on his shoulder. "You okay, Daniel?"

Daniel nodded. "Just - not used to long distance running."

"Yup, noticed that," said Jack. "Also noticed that you're one hell of a determined man, Doctor Jackson."