The O'Neill Chronicles Book II The O'Neills part 2

by chazevelt

Please see The O'Neill Chronicles, Book II The O'Neills, Installment One for the beginning of this story.

Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, Sci-fi and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author.

The author of this story owns the character of Maddy and expressly denies permission for anyone else to use her- especially to kill her off!

Comments are welcomed and encouraged. I try to respond to all reviews.

WARNING: Adult language, adult situations, violence, and nudity. Mature subject matter, mature readers please.

Book I of The O'Neill Chronicles, Jack Retires, is downloaded on this site in two installments due to it's size. This story pickes up where Jack Retires leaves off, so please consider reading both installments of Jack Retires first. Thank you!

Due to size constraints, it has been necessary to download The O'Neills in two installments. Both parts are finished and available on this site. I apologize for any inconvenience.

Chapter Twenty Nine

It was a week before Jack could trust himself to come face-to-face with Maddy again. It was Friday and he was determined to see her, somehow, over the weekend. He got to work early, parked behind a large van, and popped the hood of his truck. He fished a pair of pliers out of his pocket and opened the clip holding his fuel line on the carburetor. He tugged the line off, then used his pen knife to fray the rim. Gas started pouring onto the ground. He threw the clip over his shoulder, closed the hood, and tucked the pliers under the seat.

He stepped onto the elevator behind Maddy and enjoyed the way her body told him she knew he was there before she turned around.

"Hi," he said as her eyes found his.

"Hi."

"Have a good day at work?" he asked.

She nodded and dropped her gaze. They rode to the surface in silence. He managed to brush her hand with his as they walked to their respective trucks. She darted a fast glance up at him.

"See ya."

"Bye, Maddy."

He sauntered to his truck and tried the engine. Maddy was backing out of her spot. He picked up his phone as she was pulling out of the tunnel. He watched her in the rear view mirror as her phone rang.

"Hello, Jack," she sighed.

"Hang on a minute, wouldja?" he asked. "My truck won't start." He smiled when her brake lights came on.

"What's it doing?"

"Battery isn't dead. I smell gas. Lemme look."

Her truck began backing up. Jack's smile widened as he popped the hood. Her truck backed up alongside his and she got out. He reached in and lifted the fuel line.

"Here's the problem," he muttered to himself.

"The clip is missing. They break. It might stay on without it long enough to get you to a parts store. There's one in the plaza."

Jack stuck the end on, but it was obvious it wouldn't seal or stay.

"Got a knife on you?"

"Good idea." He produced a pen knife and cut too much off the line. Now it wouldn't reach. "Oops."

Maddy laughed at him. "Mechanics must love to see you coming."

"How hard is it gonna be to replace that line?"

"Not hard, if we had a line."

"Run me to the parts store?" he asked.

"Sure."

They got into her truck and as they pulled away he said, "Would you mind stopping by the apartment so I can change clothes first?"

"Why don't you just have it towed?"

He shrugged. "I could do that, I suppose. My regular mechanic divorced me."

Maddy laughed at him. "And she isn't about to climb under your truck in her work clothes."

"You could wear something of mine."

"You could call a tow truck."

"Have dinner with me."

She sighed. "I wondered if you did that on purpose."

"What?" he asked innocently.

"The next time you bugger the end, smear grease on it so it doesn't look so fresh. And there was a mark in the dust on the wheel well where you brushed your arm when you pulled it off. Matches the mark on your shirt."

Jack twisted his sleeve around and scowled at the tell-tale mark.

"I could smell gas in the elevator, too, " she told him.

"I had a burrito for lunch?"

"Gasoline, Jack."

"No you didn't. You know how many times I washed my hands today?"

"You used that generic soap in the dispensers. In fact, the last time was in the restroom next to the commissary- probably while you were lurking there, waiting until I left so we could ride the elevator together." She stopped at a red light and glanced over at him.

"You spotted me."

She shook her head. "They're putting that orange smelling stuff in there. I smelled orange and gas on you. Which way." The light had turned green.

"Left at the next light." Jack smelled his hands. She was right. The gas was faint, nearly- but not quite- masked by the orange.

"Your mom was right- you've got a nose like a hound." And an extraordinary eye for detail. The combination was part of what made her such a savvy tracker.

"Gas is oil based. You need to use something like Joy or Dawn to cut it. Shampoo works, too." She shot him a sidelong glance. "And it would have taken you at least another few minutes to find that line."

"I know a little more about it than that," he groused.

"But not enough about reading sign to cover your tracks. Why the cloak and dagger stuff, Jack?"

"I needed an excuse to owe you dinner. I kept hoping you'd pull something like this so you could ask me to take you to dinner as payment for helping. I got tired of waiting."

"I asked for more flying lessons. You haven't called."

He stiffened. "I was waiting for you to let me know when."

She sighed. "You could have just asked me to dinner."

"I thought I just did."

"You're truck is broke."

"Yours isn't."

"Jack..."

"I have two frozen dinners at the apartment. We'll watch MacGyver..." he tempted her.

"Frozen dinners? Yuck."

"So stop at the store and we'll buy something. You can cook for me."

"I cooked all day."

"Then let me change clothes and we'll go out somewhere. I'll buy you a steak."

"The steak sounds good. The conversation over dinner will be murder."

"I promise not to hassle you. We'll keep it to work and the kids."

She shot him a sideways look. "You understand that if you break that promise you'll be walking home?"

"Yes, Dear."

She motioned with her fingers. "Where am I going?"

He directed her to an apartment complex and into his spot. "Come on up while I change."

"I'll wait here."

"Maddy, I'm not going to accost you. Come with me."

She made a face but got out of the truck, and didn't protest when he walked with a hand at the small of her back. They went up six floors and he unlocked a door.

His tiny apartment was bare of all but the essentials. One chair, the TV, a card table which he apparently ate off of while in the recliner. No pictures on the walls, nothing but a CD player and his opera CDs.

"Where did you think I was going to sit?" she asked.

"We could eat on the floor, Japanese style."

"You need a decorator."

"I need to go back home." He was standing close behind her, and he ran his hand over her hair before he headed into the bedroom.

Maddy sat down in the ratty recliner and studied his kitchen. Barely large enough to turn around in, it was as bare as the rest of the place. The only thing on the counter was a microwave and a carton from a Chinese take-out place.

"Do you even have a set of dishes? You didn't take any from the lodge."

"Paper plates," he said from the bedroom. "I did buy some silverware, and a pan to heat stuff. If it doesn't microwave or fit into the pan, I don't buy it."

She got up and leaned in the doorway as he stripped out of his shirt. Jack saw her eyeing single bed, crammed up against the wall in the tiny space.

"Good thing you're not claustrophobic," she muttered.

"I prefer to think of it as 'cozy'."

He balled up the dirty shirt and tossed in onto the rumpled covers.

"You must have to get a motel to entertain lady friends."

Jack selected a slate blue shirt with button-down tabs on the shoulders that she had bought for him. He watched her face as he buttoned it.

"The only lady friend I care to entertain has an enormous bed filled with animals- real and stuffed. We can go to her place."

He unfastened his pants and she turned back into the livingroom as he stepped out of them. He pulled on a new pair of jeans and followed her. She was looking out the window.

"Kick those shoes over to me, wouldja?"

Maddy toed the pair of loafers across the floor and ran her gaze over him as he tucked in his shirt tail.

"You're dressed way better than I am," she grumbled.

"We can run back to the lodge for you to change."

She shook her head. "Never mind. Ready?" He was more than ready and Maddy averted her eyes. "Been hitting the oysters?" she quipped, red creeping into her cheeks.

Jack looked down and quickly un-tucked his tails. He took her hand and pressed it to his lips, then placed it on his chest as he stepped forward and loosened the clip from her hair. Her breath caught in her throat and she watched his face as he worked her hair loose. He slipped the clip into his pocket, a simple gesture that was incredibly intimate.

"Will you still have dinner with me if I kiss you?"

"Not if I end up on that bed before it's finished," she warned.

He grinned and lowered his head, watching her eyes, drawing out the anticipation. By the time their lips met she was anxious to respond. He wrapped his arms around her and did his best to bridle his passion.

"Maddy, no woman in the world can kiss the way you do," he breathed. His lips moved to the pulse in her throat and he felt it pounding, felt the heat in her face. It hit him then, intuitively, that the flush in her cheeks wasn't caused by embarrassment, but desire. The realization did nothing to dispel the hardening across his groin.

"Let's go before my better judgement kicks into play," she said a bit shakily.

They had a lovely dinner, managed to keep the conversation away from their personal plight, and laughed a lot. She refused a movie, though, and took him straight to the apartment. He turned towards her.

"Come up for awhile."

She shook her head. "Thanks for dinner. It was nice."

"Help me work on my truck tomorrow? Save me the bill?"

"You can afford it."

"Please? I'll take you out to dinner again. Talk you into a movie."

"I have plans with Sam and Vala."

"Oh. Well, then."

"Good night, Jack."

He leaned over and gave her a benign kiss, let his fingers trail over her cheek before he got out. He stood there until she was out of sight.

Jack was sleeping soundly when Maddy appeared in his bed, almost on top of him. He started then stared at her. She was curled up on her side facing the wall, sound asleep. The red satin and lace teddy she was wearing jump-started his libido. He turned on his side, propped his head on his hands, and let his eyes roam her body.

He realized what must have happened, and it tickled him immensely: She had been dreaming about him and the beaming device had activated subconsciously. She had seen his bed so she had a target to aim for.

He gingerly eased her onto her back and kissed her. She murmured in her sleep and wound her arms around his neck. She came to him like the Maddy from another time; hot, erotic, uninhibited. Jack waged a lengthy war between his desire and his conscience. His desire was on the verge of a decisive win when she began to waken. He propped his elbows on either side of her head and watched her face in the lines of light that peeked through his tattered blinds. She blinked, still half asleep, apparently still floating on the fringes of her dream.

"What a pleasant surprise," he taunted softly.

She swallowed and shifted uncertainly. "Jack...?"

"Hi."

Her eyes flew wide and rolled around to see where she was. They landed on him with such an expression of shocked horror that he had to laugh. A niggling suspicion started to form. He decided to play along.

"Oh... oh! ...Oh, God!"

"Wow. I haven't even begun to get you to that point yet."

She sucked in a breath and closed her eyes. "This is way too embarrassing!"

"I like the red lace thing. Did you leave company at the lodge?"

"NO! ...No. I..."

"Wore it for me, didja?"

"Jack, I'm so sorry. I'm mortified!"

"I'm not." He kissed her slowly, teasing her lips and daring her tongue to play.

She squirmed and used her hands to pull his head back. Her legs were still twined around his. In the cramped confines, up against the wall, she had nowhere to go.

"I'm really sorry this happened," she panted. "I thought I had it under control."

He drew her hands away from his head and laced her fingers with his on the pillow. "Let's pretend you're still dreaming," he coaxed. "I want you, Maddy. I've got the shakes again."

She shook her head but he stilled her with another kiss. He knew she was on the verge of not being able to say no. If he could tempt her just a bit more, she wouldn't be able to think of beaming herself back to the lodge- whether that had been her plan or not. He drew one of her hands to the back of his neck then cupped her breast. She arched into his touch and drew him back for another lengthy kiss. Her hips began to gently rock his, her legs clamping him impossibly close. He kissed his way to her neck and worked on a love bite while she nibbled at his ear. Their fingers clenched in time with their movement. The sensations racing through his body were driving him wild.

"Jack..." Her whisper was breathless, needy.

"I need you," he groaned. "I've been going outta my mind." He caught her mouth again and tugged the strap off her shoulder so he could bare her breast. Her nipple was hard against his tongue, her nails lightly digging into his scalp. She moaned raggedly and dragged his mouth back to hers. He slipped the other strap off and followed the material with his mouth as he slid it down her body, slowly working it all the way to her toes. Her eyes were on his face as he kissed his way, just as slowly, just as erotically, back to her mouth. Her skin felt incredible against his and he lectured himself on control, on not hurting her, not turning himself completely loose, not this time.

She disappeared, was gone in a flash.

Jack grunted as he unexpectedly dropped onto the mattress, punched the pillow and shouted in angry frustration. He flopped onto his back and ground his teeth together. He was shaking so badly the cheap bed was rattling against the wall.

"Aaaahh, damn it!"

Then she was back.

He reared up and stared at her. Her eyes were filled with tears, but she held her arms out to him.

"Love me, Jack. I can't stand it!"

Chapter Thirty

Jack sat in on the briefing Monday morning, but he couldn't keep his mind on the business at hand. As Daniel droned on about what he found on whatever planet, Jack's mind went back to the past weekend.

He and Maddy had made love well into the daylight hours then fell into an exhausted sleep, still tangled in each other's arms. She was gone when he woke up, but she had left the red lace teddy. Whether by accident or design he still wasn't sure. Several calls to the lodge had met with no answer so he drove there. Diamond and Bonnie were locked in a stall with water and feed. Moon and Scarlet had both had their puppies and he couldn't help but spend some time looking over the colorful litters. There was a female in Moon's litter that he knew he wanted to keep, and he hoped she would have blue eyes. The black tri male had impressed him, but wouldn't let him get too close. It would take time to make friends with him. The white diesel was in the garage and no one had been in the lodge. The doors hadn't been locked, but they never locked any of the doors.

Sunday when he called, Daniel answered and told him Maddy had gone with Vala and Sam for two weeks' vacation. He and Cam were staying at the lodge to care for the animals.

He had been beside himself. He wasn't sure if Friday night meant any more than just overwhelming need, but he had wanted to corner her, make her talk to him about it before she had a chance to compose herself.

He had spent the entire weekend slumped in the old recliner, staring at the blank screen of the TV, going over things in his mind. He thought he had a few things worked out, and his mood was lighter than it had been in well over a year. If he had it right, he knew why Maddy had pushed the divorce.

Not because she wanted to finalize their separation, but because she wanted them to have a fresh start. She didn't want to fix the marriage he had broken, she wanted to start a new one.

That was Maddy. Crazy horses and manual transmissions. She didn't acknowledge a box, let alone think inside it.

It made sense to Jack. If they had gotten back together with his threat of divorce hanging over their heads, it would have been an ever-widening chasm between them. Now when they remarried, it would be with a clean slate, with many questions answered for both of them and a lot of issues ironed out. Like what they could live with and what wasn't worth losing everything over. It would be because they loved each other so much they couldn't stand to be apart. It would negate so many of the petty, outside grievances that had begun to wear on them. It would have taught them the consequences of flying off the handle and not trusting each other with absolutely everything. It would have given them both a taste of what life would be like should they be foolish enough to let anything come between them again.

It would have taught them both that their love could transcend any and all situations.

He and Maddy were both hard-headed. They were both all-or-nothing personalities and while it usually meant for a lot of excitement- not to mention a fantastic sex life- it also meant the unavoidable episodes of drama would be magnified as well.

He loved her for her wisdom and strength. He loved her for loving him, loving their life together, enough to force them down the hard road in order to temper and forge them into a single, unbreakable, inseparable unit.

He loved her for taking care of him when he didn't have sense enough to take care of them.

He loved her for putting them before herself, and for loving him when he didn't.

He loved her for trusting in him enough to do it this way.

Damn, he loved her!

Yet, with trust on the line, he was going to take an awful secret into their relationship. The way he had coldly executed those Lucian bast...

"Jack!" Landry's voice snapped him out of his reverie.

"What?" He looked up, then glanced around. They were all staring at him. He flipped an apologetic wave to everyone in general and centered on Landry.

"Earth to Jack- can you hear me now?"

Jack shot him a dirty look.

"How much of the past hour do I need to repeat?"

"All of it?" Jack winced.

Landry turned to the males of SG-1. "Dismissed."

As they filed out Jack asked, "You know where the girls went on vacation?"

Landry dropped into his chair with an incredulous look on his face. "I could have sworn you were here for the briefing."

Jack made a face.

"They gated to Chulak where Vala had arranged to borrow a cargo ship from an associate of Teal'c's."

Jack straightened. "They're vacationing off world?"

"They're ship hunting."

"Ship hunting?" Jack raised his eyebrows.

"Vala and Maddy have been mining Nirrti's planet and selling the rocks. Vala has lined up a couple of ships that are for sale. She and Carter took two weeks vacation to go with Maddy to check them out."

"I couldn't marry a woman who liked to shop for shoes."

If General Landry thought it was odd that Jack still considered himself married, he didn't let it show. "The boys are green with envy. Daniel and Mitchell were panting to go with them, but I couldn't let all of SG-1 go off on vacation- off world, no less- at once." He laughed. "Their tongues are hanging out a mile." He studied Jack's stunned scowl. "You didn't know?"

"I knew Maddy and Vala were cooking up some scheme or other, but I've been out of the loop for the past year. I had no clue it had gone this far."

"Well, that's what I've been trying to discuss with you for the past half-hour." He sat forward. "Jack, Maddy will be the first non-military human- that we know of- to own her own space ship. There is no protocol for this. She'll be setting a precedence that we need to be very careful about. I'm asking you to take charge of developing SOP. I've issued strict orders that word of this is not to leave the SGC, and so far we've been able to contain the knowledge to SG-1 and control room techs. I've kept Hammond apprised and he agrees with me. We've got to keep this under wraps or the spooks at Area 51 will do their damnedest to take it off her. If congress gets wind of it, they'll get busy and write legislation banning Maddy- or anyone else outside the military- from having a private space ship. Then the military will step in and confiscate it. But if we establish workable parameters and manage to keep them in effect until the news inevitably leaks out, perhaps we can grandfather her craft and let her keep it."

"Let her keep it," Jack echoed, dropping his head into his hands.

"One of the things you need to take into consideration is entering Earth's space. We need to figure out how to keep Norad from going to Defcon One and launching a nuclear strike against her. We need to make sure no local sky watchers start reporting UFO sightings. She has to keep it out of sight of satellites and planes."

"Out of sight? Like she's gonna park it in the pasture?"

Landry gave him a pitying look. "She spent last summer revamping the upper storey of the barn." At Jack's stunned expression, Landry added, "Colonel Carter has advised her that with the proper external inertia quantifying regulators, a ship could hover inside the barn with minimal power drain."

Jack's head slipped forward another notch. "External what?"

"External inertia quantifying regulators."

Jack eyed him suspiciously. "Don't even try to sell me that you've got the slightest idea what that means."

"Hell no," Landry snorted. "Took me three days to memorize it. Had to write it down. But if we're gonna have a private space craft in the family, I guess I need to start paying attention to this stuff. What it means, basically, is a space ship would be too heavy for the barn to support. With the right equipment, it could hover just above the floor in a sort of sleep mode, and not draw a lot of power doing it. It's one of the built-in specifications they're taking into consideration."

"The barn...?"

"She widened the doors and tore out the hay mow dividers..."

Lights and sirens signaled an active stargate. Harriman poked his head through the door, remembering to give a belated rap on the frame.

"Unscheduled off-world activation," he announced.

Landry stood. "That should be our girls. I okayed their little jaunt- well, because there was no way I could actually stop them- on the condition that they do their best to check in once a day."

Jack followed Landry to the control room, his head still spinning. Carter was peering into a video camera.

"Is this thing working?" she asked over her shoulder. She turned back. "General? Can you see me?"

"See and hear, Colonel. What's going on with the three of you?"

"We're on Hebridan, General. Warrick helped me set up this video link from his Tech Con Group office. Sir, before I get into our quest, Maddy has made another of her innocent observations that has turned into a brilliant discovery of epic proportions."

Jack groaned.

Landry shot him a grin. "Please enlighten us, Colonel."

"Vala and I were swapping out crystals in the cargo ship she borrowed, Sir. Maddy said they looked exactly like the rocks she's been collecting from Nirrti's planet. Damned if she wasn't right, Sir! Vala didn't even pick up on it. That planet must be where they got most of the crystals they use on the ships. She's got enough stockpiled at the lodge right now to power an entire fleet of motherships. All we have to do is figure out how to cut the precise facet for correct refraction... Anyway, Sir, we shot one with a zat and it retained the energy. When I get back I'll be requesting permission to..."

"Granted, Colonel. Any chance we can turn this discovery into a weapon capable of having an effect on the Ori?"

"Anxious to get to work on that, Sir. Of the three ships Maddy is looking at, two of them utilize crystal technology."

Landry turned to Jack. "She couldn't just go looking for a used pickup?"

Jack shrugged helplessly.

"Two of the ships were adapted for the Loop of Kon Garat- they're pretty hot flyers, Sir."

"Oh, here we go," Jack muttered.

Landry snickered. "Keep in mind what she's going to need to get in and out of Earth's space undetected, Colonel."

"And make sure it'll fit in the barn," Jack needled. "Is she actually flying them?"

Carter grinned. "Yes, Sir. She's becoming quite a pilot." There was a commotion and the camera jiggled. "She's outside the window now, Sirs. Watch."

The camera was moved up against a window and they could see a small ship hovering close to the ground. It bounced, teetered, tipped, then settled back down. The camera jiggled again and Warrick's alien face filled the screen. He was too close and his features were magnified comically.

"That was not Maddy," he defended. "I cautioned them against that ship of Mofor's. He's never been able to maintain calibration of the attitude stabilizers."

"I've officially got a headache," O'Neill muttered.

Landry shot him a sideways smirk.

The camera was moved back to the window again and they watched the ship dip and bob in an upward climb, then shoot forward out of sight.

Landry glanced at Jack. Jack massaged his temples and shook his head. The two techs were trying not to snicker.

"Very well, Colonel. Don't let Maddy kill herself."

"No, Sir. Vala has two other ships we want to check out, so we'll be leaving Hebridan tomorrow. I'll check in before we go."

"Just how many of those rocks did you guys sell?" Jack asked.

"Well, Sir, here on Hebridan- as well as a few other planets- they're actually quite valuable. Tech Con Group has an entire lab experimenting on them, and if what they suspect pans out, they will replace an intricate- and fragile- control panel crystal. The market could skyrocket. Carter out." The screen went blank and the gate shut down.

Jack stabbed a finger at the blank screen. "Those three women are having way too much fun!"

Landry laughed and thumped Jack on the back. "I can't think of any three men better equipped to handle themselves, or protect themselves, than those three women."

"The universe is not ready for those three women," Jack muttered. "What do you wanna bet Carter ends up with her own ship, too? I can just see her and Maddy racing each other around Jupiter. Or laying out a barrel racing pattern with the moon, Saturn, and Mercury."

"Just wish I'd gone along for the ride," Landry mused.

"We're better off not knowing, Hank," Jack growled as he stalked out of the room.

Chapter Thirty One

General George Hammond flew in from DC to be on hand for the women's homecoming. He stood on the deck at the lodge with Jack, Landry, and the male side of SG-1. Daniel refilled the generals' drinks and passed them out.

"I'm not sure I believe this, George," Landry chuckled. "Did you think you'd live to see the day...?"

"Knowing Colonel Carter and Maddy, it doesn't surprise me a bit," George laughed. "Throw Vala Mal Doran into the mix and I wouldn't put anything past those three."

Jack listened with a sour expression. This was one more thing to draw Maddy's attention away from him. Now that she- along with Carter and Vala- had the run of the galaxy, he'd never see her! He thought of something and turned to Daniel.

"Hey, Danny," he said in an aside, "Has Maddy been having a lot of trouble controlling that device?"

Daniel pursed his lips and shook his head. "Actually, she's been progressing quite a lot in controlling it. She still can't turn, or adjust, something once she beams it, but Loki assured her she'll be able to eventually. It works better moving something from here to there- she still has trouble sometimes bringing something to her. Especially if she can't see it. Why?"

Jack sat back, a smug look on his face. "Oh, just wondering."

But Daniel just confirmed his suspicion: Maddy had come to him on purpose that night. It hadn't been a fluke, a glitch in the device. That explained the red lace number- Maddy usually slept in a T shirt or in the nude. Now if this damned space ship didn't distract her from him.

He was doing it again. He knew it and he chided himself. He couldn't let her excitement with this vast new toy make him stupid.

"Hell, I don't even have her back yet and already I'm headed right back into what started all this trouble in the first damned place!"

They didn't hear the ship, they saw no lights, but there was an abrupt wind. The surface of the lake surged outward from the center.

"Gentlemen," Daniel intoned, "I believe there are ladies present."

"I don't see a thing!" Hammond exclaimed.

"Wonder how far up they are?" Mitchell no sooner got the words out when the ship materialized.

Right in front of their noses.

As one the men started. They all rose and moved to the rail. It was a dark, hovering mass, completely silent, completely dark.

"Well, she got one with a cloaking device," Mitchell said in awe.

"No problem with being spotted," Landry approved. "I wonder if it showed up on interstellar radar?"

"I bet doppler went haywire," Daniel groused as he grabbed for an umbrella that started to blow away.

Interior lights came on and they could see the three women through a window. Maddy and Vala were seated, Carter standing between them. Maddy held out both arms and wiggled her shoulders. The men laughed. Landry and Hammond disappeared in a bright flash then reappeared behind the women.

"Figures brass would get the first ride!" Cam grumbled.

The ship disappeared and they could feel it lifting away.

"Damn," Mitchell breathed. "I am so jealous!"

"Like you don't suck up to her enough already to play around with that car," Daniel griped. "I can see you sinking to new lows in ass-kissing so she'll let you fly it."

"Right after I get my ride, I'm gonna start cleaning stalls," Mitchell nodded. "And she mentioned something about building a fence along the road..."

"Stick to shoveling shit," Daniel advised. "You've got that down to an art form."

Jack tried not to laugh, but he couldn't suppress a snort.

They were all getting edgy by the time the ship returned and the two generals were beamed back onto the deck. Mitchell and Daniel were taken aboard next. Jack shifted uncomfortably. The two generals were talking excitedly about the ship, it's features, the way Maddy handled it. Jack knew they were making a concerted effort not to draw attention to the fact that he had been left behind.

He had almost decided to leave to save face when they returned. Mitchell and Daniel appeared on the deck, followed by Carter and Vala.

Carter turned to Jack. "Sir..." But Jack was beamed away before she could finish.

Jack found himself standing behind Maddy. She turned to him with sparkling eyes and a wide smile.

"Have a seat."

He sat down and looked over the control panel. The lodge fell away and a moment later they were shooting into space. She handled the controls like she's been born flying space craft.

"I suppose this means you don't want anymore flying lessons," he grumped.

"Sure I do. This is totally different." She smiled at him. "It's so easy! Put your hands on your set of controls, like I have mine." Jack did as she indicated. "Now, I'm gonna switch control over to you." The ship dipped just a bit and he evened it out smoothly.

It was incredibly easy to handle, the controls impossibly simple. It was less complicated than driving a boat. He listened as she chattered about the features, watched as she showed him all the bells and whistles, tried to care what it's range was. All he could think about was being with Maddy again.

"Important stuff first. Does it have a bathroom?"

Maddy jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "Back there. Have a look around."

"I'd rather we gave a whole new meaning to 'The Mile High Club'," he taunted.

"Hate to break it to you, O'Neill, but I imagine aliens have been fornicating in space ships for eons."

He hesitated, wondering if she was baiting him with the 'O'Neill'. He decided he didn't care. He lifted his hands from the controls, dragged her across his lap, and kissed her hard. Maddy squealed in her throat, wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back just as hard.

"Is this thing gonna crash if we leave the controls?" he rasped against her mouth.

Maddy pawed blindly for the console. Jack set her up.

"Look and hit the right control," he told her firmly. "I don't wanna crash- or go spinning out into space."

She turned around and touched a glowing panel, then another dimmed the interior to what compared to running lights. She had just removed her hand when Jack dragged her down onto the floor.

Chapter Thirty Two

"So where you planning to park this thing?" he asked as they hovered over the lake.

Her audience had left and there was only one light on inside the lodge.

"Sam and I discussed that. Check this out." The ship touched the water, then slowly descended to the bottom of the lake.

Jack watched the walls and ceiling nervously.

"Looking for leaks?" she giggled.

"Yeahsureyoubetcha."

"If it was sealed in space, it's sealed underwater."

"I knew that. Doesn't make me anymore comfortable with it. Last time I was underwater in a space ship the damned thing leaked like a sieve."

They watched in awe as the lake rose up over the windshield. Maddy turned on an exterior light and they could see fish flitting around frantically.

"Cool," Jack said as he leaned forward to watch. "Did we ever figure out how deep the lake is?"

"You know, I still haven't run the depth finder over it. Been meaning to... It appears to be deep enough." She turned off the lights and killed the power. "I need to get outta here. Now."

He could tell her claustrophobia was kicking in hard. She felt for his hand in the darkness and a moment later they were standing on the deck. She turned and gazed out over the moonlit water. Not even a ripple.

"As soon as I can I'll do a fly-over and see if it can be spotted from the sky."

"I can park it in the barn if I have to, but I'd rather get better at handling it before I make the attempt. It's gonna be a snug fit. Have to make sure it fits before winter, though- before the lake freezes over. For now this is just easier."

He slipped an arm around her and put his face into her hair. "Maddy..."

She turned to him in the moonlight. "I was elated, Jack. I wanted to share my excitement with you."

"You're not going to apologize for making love to me?"

She searched his eyes. "I'm not going to make a habit of it."

"Making love to me, or apologizing afterwards?"

"Won't need one without the other," she laughed. She stroked his face. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Christening my ship with me."

He laughed softly. "What will you name it? All ships have to have a name."

She tilted her head. "I haven't thought about it. It should be two words. Sounds better with two words."

"You could call it The O'Neill." He twined his fingers in her hair.

"Name it after you?"

"After us."

She frowned prettily. "Jack..."

He kissed her. Gently, lightly, thoroughly, without any trace of demand. When he raised his head it was to pull her against his chest and fold his arms around her. She sighed and leaned into him.

"I am so proud of you," he said quietly.

"Proud? Why?"

"Do you realize you're the first civilian on Earth to own a private space craft? Capable of intergalactic travel?"

"Huh. I hadn't thought of that, either."

"And the way you three went ship-hunting. Once again, My Dear, you've set the SGC on its ear."

She giggled. "We had a blast!"

"I bet you did. The three of you will own this galaxy. Nice going with the crystals, too. You might have hit on a major discovery. Knowing Carter, she'll figure out a way to use it against the Ori."

"I hope so."

"Do you have any idea how jealous Mitchell was? He had to reel his tongue up off the floor every time you guys reported in." He chuckled. "He was beside himself."

"You weren't jealous? At all?"

"Only that I didn't get to go with. It would have been great to see you and Carter in action."

"We did alright. I ate this stuff on one of the planets... I forget what they called it, but it was blue and it grows in these tree things- like hops- and they mill it into all sorts of stuff. I've never tasted anything like it, Jack. I can't even describe it, but boy! Was that stuff good!"

"Maybe it was alien hops and you were drunk." He rubbed his hands over her back. "I suppose you and Vala will spend all your free time mining those rocks."

"No, actually, Vala is finally satisfied with her take. We don't want to flood the market. Keep the price up. Know what's really hard? Finding a way to convert the capital we get out there to usable cash back here."

He grunted. "I hadn't thought about that."

"Out there, the three of us are incredibly wealthy. Back here it doesn't mean a damn thing. Sam said the only thing she can think of- so far- is finding a planet that has gold. We could convert it that way."

"So what are you gonna to do with your intergalactic billions?"

"Well, Vala did some digging. Seems the solar system that Nirrti's planet is in is more or less owned by a single race on another planet. They claim proprietorship over all fifteen planets and sixty-three moons. Nirrti's planet is of no interest to them, and she had actually, well, bought it. Bought rights to exclusive use of it."

"If Nirrti had contact with these aliens, why didn't she enslave them? Just take the planet?"

"They aren't humanoid, and Jack. Since Nirrti's dead we're negotiating for those rights."

"If they have no interest in the crystals, how are you paying for them? ...They aren't humanoid?"

"Their planet is farther back in the solar system, but they have several bright moons. Which is how we can pay them for Nirrti's planet. A broker on Terresteria has a market for red crystals and jade green rocks. He's trading us a mineral that the race on Bac'lar Rooch will trade for that grain I told you about. That grain is in high demand with the proprietors of Nirrti's planet. It's a delicacy and they can't grow it because there's not enough sunlight."

He curled a knuckle under her chin and raised her face. "You've been busy!"

She smiled. "Vala's been busier than I have, but it's pretty exciting."

"How will you defend your rights to that planet? Or will this non-humanoid race handle it?"

"No, Sam thinks she has that covered. If these crystals are what we think they are, the Asgard might be interested in taking on defense of the planet to keep them out of the wrong hands."

"If they're that dangerous, the Asgard won't appreciate you spreading them across the galaxy."

She shook her head. "We don't sell anything bigger than a golf ball. Too small to generate substantial power. Ground up they might, say, heat a home or power a small machine. Sam thinks the faceting has a lot to do with transmitting energy. But in exchange for the planet's protection, we won't sell anything big enough to use in a substantial weapon. Right now they're mostly in demand for jewelry and barter, like gems. And to power stuff like alien computers and ships. As soon as Thor can tear himself away from the war with the Advanced Replicators, we'll sit down and discuss just what he feels we can safely sell."

Jack let out a low whistle. "It boggles the mind. You guys really have this thing cookin'."

"We're having a ball. And if it all fizzles out," she shrugged. "What have we lost?"

"So I'm in love with an intergalactic billionaire?"

"Megaba-zillionaire."

He laughed at her. "Don't let it go to your head, Darlin'." He tapped a finger on her nose. "This could really get outta hand," he warned. "Aliens trying to follow you to find your stash, holding you for ransom, space pirates- it could snowball into a hellava lot of trouble."

She nodded. "Sam and Vala keep discussing that. Another reason we have to keep Vala from getting too greedy. One or two trips a year, at different times so it can't be anticipated. Always going in cloaked."

"I can't think of any three people more qualified- or sharp enough- to pull this off than you guys. Your combined brain power is staggering."

"Well, lets stagger inside. I'm thirsty." She let him keep her hand as they went into the kitchen and found two sodas in the fridge. "Would you rather have a beer?" she offered.

He shook his head and stood fiddling with the can. "Maddy, let me stay tonight." Bright moonlight filtering through the windows highlighted her profile. "I promise I won't take it as... anything more than tonight. I'll leave right after breakfast tomorrow and I won't expect you to sleep with me at the drop of a hat. I won't read anything more into it."

She was quiet for so long he resigned himself to being told no.

"Only if you cook breakfast. I'm still on vacation."

Chapter Thirty Three

Jack sat with his feet up on his desk, dozing. He was delightfully exhausted, more content than he had been in a long time. The only thing that threatened to shatter the pleasant haze he was in was the knowledge that he couldn't go home to what he had last night. He tried not to think about that part and focused on the nice part.

Maddy had been her wonderful, charming, generous self all night. It had been the relaxed marathon of slow burning, lazy and gentle passion that Jack had missed so desperately. The kind of night that used to turn into a lost weekend because they just couldn't help it. But that was only part of Jack's euphoria. He had been home. With Bonnie and Diamond and Maddy's neat little trinkets all over the place. He had listened to the crickets, and the horses out in the pasture, and the sound of the lake. He had laid awake and listened to Maddy, Bonnie, and Diamond all snoring softly. He had slept with Maddy curled against his side, her hair ticking his skin, her legs twined with his, her nearness so incredibly comforting. He had missed her scent, the smell of the mountains and the lake and the horses. The fabric softener she put in the laundry and the wind chimes tinkling in the breeze. All the colors that Maddy used to make their home so inviting and interesting. The way she'd stir, stroke his feet with hers, give him a peck on the cheek as she changed position. The times he'd wake briefly to find her watching him with such an adoring look.

They hadn't talked other than to murmur sweet nothings and affirm their love, their appreciation, their delight in each other. It was like it used to be, what he had day in and day out, what he had so blindly kicked in the teeth. He couldn't understand now what could possibly have been so irritating that he would even pretend he could give it up.

He wanted to think that Maddy let him stay because she craved him as much as he craved her. But he realized letting him stay last night was her way of reminding him of what he had lost.

The tap on his door irked him. He sighed, dropped his boots to the floor, and picked up a pencil.

"Come!"

When Maddy walked through the door carrying a plastic grocery bag he could only stare. She was still on vacation and the last person he expected to see today.

"Hi," she said shyly. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Just a nap. Hi." She was wearing a little makeup and if he breathed deeply enough he could catch a whiff of her perfume. "Whatcha got?"

She set the bag on his desk and took out a plate of his favorite cookies. He reached for one. It was still warm.

"Wow. Thanks." He gazed up at her in wonder. She was wearing a white lab coat, which was odd, but he could only be happy that she was there.

"Got any meetings scheduled?" she asked.

"Nope. Love these cookies."

"Expecting anyone?"

He shook his head and reached for another cookie. She wandered across his office and stood with her back to him. When she took off the lab coat and hung it over the security camera, Jack nearly choked.

She was wearing absolutely nothing underneath. She kicked off her shoes and turned towards him. The cookie in his left hand crumbled onto the desk. The pencil in his right hand snapped in half. She slipped into his lap and thumbed a cookie crumb from his lip.

"Can you make a little time for me?" she purred.

Chapter Thirty Four

Jack was still in a daze when he got into his truck at the end of his shift. He sat there a moment, trying to wrap his brain around the most intensely delicious hour he had ever spent in his office. When he finally started home, he was half way up the lane to the lodge before he realized it was the wrong place. He stopped and sat there thinking.

"What the hell."

He continued on, wishing he had thought to buy her roses.

Maddy wasn't home. Her truck wasn't in the garage. He checked the barn and fondled the puppies for awhile. She still wasn't back after he had killed an hour so he reluctantly drove to his apartment. He tried her cell all evening and got no answer. Finally he called Daniel.

"Hey. You have any idea where Maddy is?"

"She drove down to Santa Fe to look at a barrel horse."

Jack felt like the wind was knocked out of him. "How long will she be gone?"

"Couple days, I guess. Took Bonnie with her. She's not due back at work until Monday."

"Monday? I thought she had two weeks vacation?"

"Vala and Sam took two weeks. Maddy had a month saved up."

Their vacation to Nirrti's planet. She was using up her time. Not a good sign. Well, he had used his. To pout and arrange a divorce.

"Thanks." Jack hung up and sat back.

What the hell was she doing? Come on to him like gang busters one minute and disappear the next. She was going to drive him nuts.

She took Bonnie with her. Why didn't she take him?

Three days later she called.

He was in the middle of lecturing three recruits on the importance of following orders to the letter. And he was pissed. These three were showing signs of forming a vigilante complex and he needed to drum it out of them, or drum them out. He was leaning towards kicking their asses to the curb. He flicked the phone open and answered without bothering to look at the caller ID.

Eyes drilling into those of a belligerent lieutenant, he snapped, "What?"

"Umm, hi. I'm sorry- you're busy. I'll call back later."

Maddy. Damn. "Hold on a minute." He dropped the phone to his side. "The three of you are off field training until you can wrap your heads around chain of command. Turn in your weapons and report to Major Crawford. Get outta my sight."

He watched them do a brisk about-face and move off, cocky and arrogant right down to the way they walked. When they were out of earshot he brought the phone back to his ear.

"Sorry about that."

"You sound really pissed. Everything okay?"

"Just busting heads. Where have you been?" He was still steamed but not at her, and he winced at the tone of his voice. It was a moment before she answered.

"Santa Fe."

He waited for more but she wasn't offering. He made a face, took a breath, and tried to calm down.

"I was worried. Daniel said you went to look at a barrel horse. Didja buy it?"

"Not the one I went to look at, but I didn't come home empty handed."

"Didn't like it?"

"Loved him. He was awesome. Too much potential not to be on the circuit, and I don't have time to do him justice. But I'm happy with what I got."

"I'll stop in," he glanced at his watch. "Gonna be around in about two hours?"

"Yeah... Um, I'd like to cook you dinner tonight, if you don't have plans."

He started for his truck, the recruits and his anger already forgotten. "I'd break an appointment with the President to have dinner with you. What are we having?"

"Coconut shrimp and fruit salad, with coconut cream pie for dessert. Strawberry daiquiris."

"When did you take up drinking?"

"Virgin," she laughed. "But I can put vodka in yours. I bought a bottle to make you oyster shooters."

He had to lean against the side of his truck because his legs had just turned to water.

"I rented a couple of movies," she continued. "We can break in the plasma TV I just mounted above the fireplace."

"What'd you do, hit the lottery?"

"Can't take it with me," she said airily. "Spent less than I expected on a horse, so I turned the difference into a plasma TV."

"Female logic at its finest." he teased. "No shoes?"

"Next time. I, uh, told the kids I had a date. They got the message."

"Lemme go grab a shower."

"Shower here."

"Will you join me?"

"Only if you promise to wash my hair... before you go to work in the morning."

Chapter Thirty Five

Jack sat in the Great Hall on Chulak, surrounded by cold stone and lit torches, as Jaf'fa after Jaf'fa droned on and on and on. The chair he was sitting on was as cold as the surrounding stone and twice as hard. He shot a glance at Teal'c. His stoic friend was sitting there with a polite expression and a bit of a smile glued to his face. Jack decided he must be sleeping with his eyes open.

He shifted restlessly and wondered if anyone else around the huge table had to pee as badly as he did.

These talks had begun three days ago, and so far nothing of importance had been said. Teal'c had requested his presence as a recognizable and respected representative of the Tau'ri, and Landry had agreed that Jack needed to be there. The Asgard had sent a delegate, as had the Lucian Alliance and several other neighboring alien species.

Why, he still didn't know.

The newly forming factions of the Jaf'fa would argue and battle and negotiate until Hell froze over and still not come to any concrete agreements. The were dividing up planets to colonize, trying to organize a primary governing body to be based on Chulak, and haggling over the extent of power of individual governing bodies. They had extended invitations to the alien races with whom they hoped to establish alliances and trade negotiations, basically expecting to somehow impress the hell out of them.

The last fifteen speakers had certainly been impressed with themselves.

Jack swept the cavernous room with another glance, stretched out his legs, and fought the urge to pull his hat over his eyes and go to sleep. He made certain the Lucian delegates were where he could keep an eye on them, did a quick head count, and let his mind drift to Maddy.

She had her new colt cross-tied in the aisle and was lovingly running a soft brush over his sleek coat. He had paused a moment to watch her coax him into lifting his feet for her. She had been so patient, so gentle and liberal with her affection, that the colt was putty in her hands.

It was a beautiful colt. A bay paint, she had explained. His white body was covered with large patches of a dark, mahogany chestnut color- Maddy called it blood bay. He had coal black legs, mane, and tail. His head was predominately white but with a large patch of red that covered his ears and spread part way to his eyes. With that fine shock of black forelock, his ears rimmed with black and black eyelashes, he was quite stunning.

Medicine Hat, Maddy told him, relating an Indian legend that revolved around that particular marking.

Even to Jack's untrained eye the colt had a quality look about him. Built like a brick shit house, to borrow Maddy's description. She had named him Turn The Page, and called him Page for short. She had related her plans to eventually buy a couple of mares and use him for breeding.

Jack wondered if those plans included him in any way. Apparently she was moving forward with her life whether or not he was a part of it. For some strange reason it had hurt. Maybe because he couldn't manage to think about his next meal without somehow working her into it.

But once they had gone back to the lodge she had given him every ounce of her attention.

They had showered together, had a heated romp on the bed, then shared a lingering, romantic- and quite delicious- dinner in the livingroom. Maddy had built a fire in the fireplace and cracked the deck door open enough to admit the cooling contrast of the fall breeze. She had coverd the floor and couch with pillows and bright Indian blankets. She had worn only a sheer robe all evening and let him take if off as often as he pleased. She had hand fed him, came damn close to getting him drunk, massaged an exotic smelling oil into every muscle in his body, aroused and satisfied him over and over. They had paid little attention to the movies playing on the awesome plasma TV. She had kept him so occupied, so delirious, so high on her attention that daylight had rolled around before he realized it. They had fallen asleep among the pillows on the floor and he had been very late getting to the base.

And he hadn't seen her since.

Jack stood up, shot Teal'c an apologetic glance, and wandered outside in search of a tree to pee behind. He was just deciding he couldn't justify being gone any longer when he spied a pair of Lucians skulking amid the delegate quarters. He lounged off the tree and did a little skulking of his own.

When Jack settled into his seat beside Teal'c, the Jaf'fa gave him a curious glance. Jack shifted and leaned close to speak softly.

"We need to buttonhole the big boys," he murmured.

Teal'c frowned his confusion.

"Overheard a pair of Lucians talking to two Jaf'fa. They're planning to blow the chamber and everybody inside to smithereens."

Teal'c's eyebrow rose and he shot O'Neill a sideways look. "A coup of epic proportions," he intoned quietly, borrowing one of O'Neill's phrases.

Jack gave him an approving smirk. "Well put," he complimented his friend's wording.

"Then we should evacuate the structure, forcryingoutloud," Teal'c responded.

Jack winced and decided to let that one pass without comment.

"It's set for tomorrow, T. Best we let the Grand Council catch them in the act rather than just take our word for it. They're planning to set charges during the big shindig tonight, then blow it tomorrow after those other delegates arrive. Get us all at once."

"Then we shall insist upon a private audience with the Jaf'fa leadership as soon as this hearing is completed."

Jack straightened in his seat, his mind whirling. What he had told Teal'c wasn't all he had overheard. Apparently the Grand Council and guest allies weren't the only targets.

Jack had heard his own name specifically mentioned.

Chapter Thirty Six

"So they caught the Lucians red-handed?" Landry asked.

Jack nodded. "As they were planting charges around the Grand Chamber."

"Good thing you had to pee when you did," he snorted.

"Good thing I held it longer than I should have," Jack groused. "I kept thinking somebody would run outta wind and they'd give us a break."

Teal'c slowly moved only his eyes to look at his friend.

"The plan was to take out everybody but one faction of Jaf'fa- leaving all the new colonies under the rule of Jaf'fa aligned with the Lucian Alliance," Landry mused. He rocked back in his chair and pursed his lips in thought.

Jack sat forward and fiddled with a pen. "Not just the Lucian Alliance. The Lucian Confederacy."

"The Confederacy!" Landry came forward with a jolt. "I thought you eliminated that rebel faction with the Foothold Aliens!"

"I did too. But,' he took a breath, "From what I managed to overhear- and piece together- there's a general pretty high up in the Lucian hierarchy who is a Confederacy mole. Solan. Seems the two I overheard plotting with the two Jaf'fa were the only two who were in on it. The other three Lucians were loyal to the Alliance and were slated to blow up with the rest of the conference. That would give this Solan a flag to burn in front of the Lucian people."

"Well, it got nipped in the bud," Landry said with a nod of satisfaction. "Good work, Jack."

Jack was still fiddling with the pen. "That's not all, General." He paused, flipped the pen onto the table, and laced his fingers. "I was a specific target."

"You were?" Landry glanced at Teal'c. The Jaf'fa's expression hadn't changed. Apparently he already knew what Jack was reporting.

"Solan's brother had been heading up the Confederacy movement." His face tightened, and his next words were hard. "He was the one who raped and tortured Maddy. One of the ones we blew up with Boch's ship."

Landry's only expression was the narrowing of his eyes.

"Solan is out to nail all of SG-1," Jack continued. "For his brother's death. For crippling the Confederacy movement. And he's after me in particular. He thinks I led SG-1 after them solely to avenge my wife, and he wants revenge for his brother in return."

A heavy silence settled over the conference room.

"Did Maddy's name come up?" Landry finally asked. "Is this Solan planning to use her to get to you?"

Jack winced. "I didn't hear anything specifically threatening her. I think it was a matter of me being in the right place at a convenient time for Solan." He flipped a hand and sat back. "A gift from whatever deity they thank for handing them the opportunity for revenge on a silver platter."

"Well, there's not much we can do as far as preventative measures, other than keep alert. I'll brief SG-1. Will you tell Maddy?"

Jack nodded. "I have to. I think she'll be safe as long as she stays on Earth. But now that she has that toy of hers..."

"I think I should be the one to ground her, Jack," Landry said carefully.

The two men locked stares. Finally, Jack nodded.

"I'll talk to her about it too, but I'll need all the backup I can get."

"I can probably pull rank on Colonel Carter and Vala to keep them away from Nirrti's planet- until this comes to a head, anyway. Their 'business' is of a civilian nature, so..."

He was interrupted by a knock on the door. A staff sergeant strode in and came to attention. Landry acknowledged him.

"Sir, Dr. Lam asked me to report there's been an accident in the commissary." His eyes flicked to O'Neill and Jack jumped to his feet.

"Madison?" Landry asked.

The sergeant nodded.

Jack bolted from the room.

Maddy was seated on an exam table, her shirt off, when Jack burst through the door without knocking. She looked up and her eyes widened when she saw who it was.

"Somebody called you," she grimaced.

There was a great, bleeding gash on her arm, a nick on her forehead, and a small but deep puncture in the center of her chest. He raised her elbow and peered at the wound, then cupped her face.

"You alright? Hurt anywhere else?"

"I'm fine. Dr. Lam is gonna stitch this one." She fingered the long, wide flap of skin and Jack winced.

"Don't touch it," he chided.

She dropped her hand.

"What happened?"

"I was washing pots. We keep a lugger of really sharp butcher knives under the counter. Somehow it got put on the top shelf above the sink... without the lid attached. I must have bumped the shelf. I got rained on by very sharp knives of all sizes and shapes."

"How'd it get up there?"

She met his gaze and shook her head.

"Son-of-a-bitch," Jack snarled. "It's still happening."

"There was nobody else in the kitchen, Jack. Shift change. Everything was filled, and all that needed done was those pots. The afternoon crew was all set to do prep for tomorrow..."

"We've got to find out who's after you. Have you written anybody up lately? Butted heads..."

She shook her head. "It's been smooth as silk. Nobody quarreling, no fights over what shift does more work, nothing that's come to my attention. Everybody seems content."

Dr. Lam came in with a cart of suture materials. She gave Jack a brisk nod and turned to Maddy.

"That novocaine kick in?"

Maddy shook her head. "Never works on me, Doc. Not even in my mouth. Just sew it up."

Jack winced. "Can't you use ice or something?"

"Perhaps you should step outside, General," the doctor murmured.

Maddy grinned at him over the doctor's head. "He might be able to distract me," she coaxed.

"Oh, I'll distract you, alright," Jack muttered. "But not the way you're hoping."

She made Maddy lay down and had a nurse come into the room before she began stitching.

Jack related the events on Chulak as the doctor closed her wound. Maddy winced a couple of times, and blinked hard against a few tears, but she lay quietly and listened intently. Jack, on the other hand, was certain he felt every sweep of the needle. Maddy's face abruptly lost all color and he wondered if was his information or the needle.

"Doc!"

Dr. Lam glanced up as Maddy passed out cold.

"Should I revive her?" the nurse asked.

"Let's finish this up first."

When Maddy came to, Jack was still standing beside the table, still clutching her hand. He was thoughtfully tracing his thumb over her bare ring finger.

"Hi. You stayed," she said groggily.

"Of course I stayed."

"Help me sit up."

"You just lay there a moment," Dr. Lam advised.

Maddy shifted her head on the pillow and gave Jack a considering look. "Take me out to dinner tonight?"

"How about I bring dinner to you?"

She pouted. "Pizza again?"

"Whatever you want."

"I wanna wear a dress and heels and makeup and jewelry for you. That special perfume you like so you'll nuzzle my neck."

Jack shot a glance at the doctor. She was smirking. A discreet jerk of her head sent the nurse from the room, and she followed a moment later with the cart.

"That robe you wore on our last date would work just fine," he told her.

"Yeah, but I don't wanna end up in jail."

"I think you should take it easy for..."

She clicked her tongue at him and sat up. "If you don't wanna take me out, just say so."

Jack planted his hands on either side of her and touched noses. "I want to make love to you. Before and after we eat."

"That's all you ever want," she teased. "I wanna go dancing."

"We can dance at the lodge."

Her face stiffened and she squirmed. He straightened.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she sighed.

"Maddy, that last night we spent together... didn't it mean something?"

Her expression confused him as much as her sigh. "Never mind, Jack. I've got a lot to get done at home anyway." She picked up her shirt, stuck a finger through the tear in the sleeve, then put in back on.

"Talk to me."

She shrugged. "I've got fence to work on." She slipped to her feet and looked up at him. "Thank you for coming when you heard."

"How could I stay away? I'll come help you with the fence."

She rested a hand on his chest. "Be safe, Jack. That business with the Lucians has me scared for you." She tried to walk past him but he caught her good arm and drew her back.

"I'll come work on fence with you. We can talk."

She shook her head. "I'd rather not. Just..." she exhaled tiredly. "Just forget I mentioned anything."

"Damn it, Maddy, what's eating you?"

She dropped her eyes. "Sometimes I forget we're divorced." She plucked at a button on his shirt, bit at her lip, then raised her eyes. "And sometimes you forget we're divorced."

"I'm ready to change that when you are."

He felt her eyes raking his soul. She looked about to cry as she shook her head.

"My year isn't up yet? Is that it?" he asked bitterly.

"I just asked you out on a date and you turned me down. Leave it at that, Jack." She tried to pull away but he wouldn't let her go.

"A date, Maddy? That's all you want from me when I'm going outta my mind wanting to be with you? Wanting to come back home? What the hell was last Wednesday, because it sure as hell was more than a friggin' date!"

"It wasn't an invitation to move in, either," she said gently. "I'm incredibly attracted to this awesome man. I'm taking liberties with my moral beliefs- hoping God will ignore a stack of papers that say we're legally divorced when in my heart I've never quite accepted it- while I charm and seduce this incredible man. Show him how much I adore him, try to get it through his thick head that I'm head-over-heels in love with him."

"He gets it already!"

"He wants to rehash an old relationship, step back into a life he remembers... He wants me to replace a wife he divorced, but I'm an awful lot like her and I want to be sure he won't divorce me, too, for the same reasons. So for now I just want to date him. See if the man he is now can handle the woman I am, now. See if our lives can mesh. See if we can come anywhere close to what he thought he had with her. I need to make sure I won't disappoint him the way I did my last husband."

"God, Maddy!" He tried to pull her close but she held her ground. "You never disappointed me!"

"Break out that Thesaurus, Jack, because I think you'll find that I did." She gave him a lingering kiss on the cheek, tugged his fingers off her arm, and left.

An hour later when Jack pulled into the lane to the lodge he found the horse trailer blocking his way.

He sat staring at it, her message loud and clear. He could walk around it, but he decided it wouldn't do him any good. If she didn't want to see him tonight, she'd just beam herself away. He backed out of the lane and headed for his apartment.

Chapter Thirty Seven

He didn't hear from her the rest of the week, and she avoided him all weekend. She hadn't replaced her cell, and she wasn't answering the lodge phone. She was beaming down to the commissary before he could catch her in the tunnel or elevator, and when he went to the commissary she avoided him there just as neatly. She didn't respond to instant messages on her computer. Finally, out of frustration, he had yelled at her over the kitchen intercom.

"What do I have to do- stage a flat along the road?"

The kitchen had come to a complete standstill as everyone turned to stare at him.

"I wasn't talking to you!"

He was scheduled to fly to Washington for a week later in the day. He wanted to see her before he left. At the rate things were going, that wasn't going to happen.

It didn't.

Jack paced his hotel room in D.C., agitated and unhappy. Hammond was picking him up in half an hour and he still hadn't reached Maddy. He glanced at his watch and headed for the elevator.

Meeting on top of tedious meeting, boring dinners on top of exhaustive senate hearings, and Jack was about to explode. He tried her cell as often as he could but got no answer. Every night he awoke at the slightest noise, hoping to see her appear beside him, knowing it wouldn't happen since she hadn't seen the room. Every time his phone rang, he checked the ID hoping it was her. The week dragged by, and he could have sworn the clock was running backwards on him. He managed to slip out of a senate hearing to go shopping and found her a beautiful hand-blown, pink glass basket for her collection. He decided he'd fill it with white roses when he gave it to her.

When he landed in Colorado, he bought the roses and drove directly to the lodge.

Maddy wasn't home. Again.

Frustrated and angry he went back to his apartment. He left the basket and roses in the truck, threw his suitcase across the tiny kitchen, undressed as he headed towards the shower, and left his clothes where they fell as he went. He had just stepped under the spray when he heard someone knocking on his door. He grabbed a towel to wrap around his waist and padded, dripping and cursing, to the door. He threw it open with a jerk that made it smack against the wall.

"What!"

Maddy stepped back a pace, her eyes going wide at his tone. She had a picnic basket on her arm, a wonderful aroma wafting up from it.

"I... I'm sorry!" she sputtered. "I'll... um, just go..." She shoved the basket at him, turned and all but ran down the hall.

"Maddy!"

She didn't stop.

"Maddy! Get the hell back here!"

She didn't wait for the elevator and hit the stairs at a gallop. Jack set the basket inside the door and raced after her.

"Maddy!" His shout echoed hollowly in the stairwell. He saw her stop two flights down and look up at him.

"Get the hell back up here before somebody catches me like this!"

She took two more steps down.

"Damn it, I'll chase you into the street if I have to!"

She hesitated then turned and started trudging back up.

"There's nobody around- beam up," he demanded.

A moment later she was standing beside him.

"Why'd you run like that?"

"Why'd you answer the door like that?" she asked.

"Because I just spent... Aw, hell!" He grabbed her head and kissed her. "I have been trying to reach you since..."

"I lost my cell."

"So buy another."

She clicked her tongue at him. "I'm sick of the damn thing ringing all the time. I'm enjoying the peace. When did you get in?"

"Ten minutes before you knocked on the door."

"I'm sorry. I brought you dinner. I thought you'd be tired..."

"And out of sorts and frustrated at not being able to reach you! Why the hell have you been avoiding me?"

"We needed some breathing room."

"A friggin' year wasn't enough?"

She winced at his tone and slipped her hands up to massage his shoulders. "Go finish your shower and eat, then go to bed."

"Like hell we needed space, Maddy! What the hell's going on?"

She back pedaled to the first step. "Somebody needs a nap. I'll talk to you tomorrow- I promise."

"You're not leaving."

"I didn't plan on staying. I just wanted to drop off..."

"Do I have to throw you over my shoulder?"

"Jack..."

"Don't 'Jack' me- I'm not in the mood!"

"Doesn't sound like you're in the mood for company, either."

"You're not company, damn it."

"Get some sleep and call me later."

"On what?"

"The lodge phone?"

"You never answer that, either! Come on." He scooped her against him and started for the door.

"I really don't want..."

"I really don't give a damn," he growled. "I'm tired, I'm hungry, I need to wash off Washington, and I need you with me."

"But I..."

"I'm all out of patience and I have a headache. Stop arguing!"

Maddy let him march her back to the apartment, but she cringed when he slammed the door. He wasn't gentle when he pulled her against him and kissed her.

"Shower with me."

"No, but I'll give you a massage after supper."

He couldn't keep his hands or his eyes off her. "That sounds so good, but I still want you to shower with me."

"I'll get supper set out."

"What did you make?"

"Meatloaf. I made enough for you to have sandwiches tomorrow when you get home from work."

His mouth started to water. He loved her meatloaf.

"Shower with me."

"No," she laughed. "Get going."

But he couldn't let go of her. He drew her with him as he backed towards the bathroom.

"Jack, the quicker you get in there the quicker you can come and eat."

"How 'bout I come, then shower, then eat?" She caught her breath and he grinned.

"Do what you gotta do," she shot back. "But I'm not involved until it's time to eat."

"Says you." He spun her around and kissed her as he backed her into the bedroom.

"I thought the bathroom was the other way."

"The bed isn't in the bathroom."

"I'm not getting into your bed!"

"The bed or the shower, take your pick." He pulled her T shirt over her head. "You never used to wear a bra."

"And you always bitched about it."

That stilled him. He frowned. "I wasn't bitching. I loved that you didn't wear a bra. Why did you think I was bitching?"

"Just the way you always brought it up," she shrugged.

"I brought it up because these gorgeous puppies are always on my mind. God, Maddy, I could sit and watch you jiggle around for hours!"

"Then I should sell my stock in Playtex?" she pouted.

He braced his arms on the doorway and studied her. "You really thought I didn't want you running around braless?"

She rolled a shoulder. "You were always reminding me to wear one. You got so edgy when Daniel or somebody would show up..."

"I was just teasing you, Maddy. It was my way of letting you know I noticed you. And I'd get jealous when other men couldn't keep their eyes off you- but I was more irritated because they showed up while I was enjoying you braless, not that you were braless."

"Oh." She dropped her lashes.

"What else did you think I was bitching about?"

"We don't need to get into this now. You're tired and in no mood..."

"I'm in the mood. Tell me."

"My driving."

"That I bitched about. You're probably the best damned driver I've ever seen, but I'm scared to death you'll kill yourself."

"Sorry."

"Keep going."

She made a face. "Diving off the roof."

"You're gonna smack into the deck, get knocked unconscious, then drown!"

"You always get pissed when I want to cut wood."

"I get pissed that you're out in the woods alone with a chainsaw, dropping trees! I don't care that you do it, just wait until someone is there with you! That's just common sense!"

"I'm not used to having anybody to be around! I'm used to doing all this stuff by myself!"

"Maddy... Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

She glanced away. "Take your shower, Jack." She snatched her T shirt off the floor and pushed past him.

Jack watched over his shoulder as she pulled the shirt on, retrieved the basket, then fussed around in the kitchen. He heaved a sigh and headed for the bathroom. He started to pull off the towel but turned and went back into the kitchen instead. He cornered her against the sink.

"You never bitch, Maddy. What's been bothering you that you haven't told me about?"

"Nothing," she said wide-eyed. "Why?"

"Because I know I drive people nuts. I know there must be a hundred things that irritate you. But you never open your mouth, you never give me any indication. Tell me. Now."

"I didn't come here to fight with you."

"We're not gonna fight. I just want to know."

She sighed and shifted her feet uncomfortably. "The longer we were together, the more over-protective you got."

"I smothered you."

"No, you really didn't. Not smothering me the way I can't stand. But you were so damned worried about me getting involved with SG-1 and doing something dangerous. Stuff that was exciting and adventurous and interesting. Things that made a difference in the world, the galaxy."

"I can't stand the thought..." She clamped her hand over his mouth.

"Don't you dare say you couldn't stand the thought of losing me!" Her eyes were spitting fire at him.

He drew her hand away. "It's the truth, Maddy. I can't stand to see you in pain, or hurt, or in danger."

"White man talk with forked tongue," she said dryly. "You couldn't stand it, but you..."

He clamped his hand over her mouth and enjoyed the look of surprise on her face.

"I know what I did. You don't have to remind me. Can we discuss bitching without bringing up my enormous stupidity and heartless cruelty? Leave that out of it- just for this conversation- then you can beat me over the head with it all you need to."

"All I need to?"

"All it takes to get past it."

She closed her eyes and shook her head at him.

"I can't promise I won't run interference all I can to keep you from sticking your neck out."

"I don't want anymore of your empty promises, Jack," she said coldly. "You promised you were different. You promised never to leave me. Oh, and by the way," she slapped him. Hard. She tried to duck past him but he snaked an arm around her waist and brought her back.

"Double that hand into a fist and hit me again," he said evenly. "I more than deserve it."

The fire in her eyes died. "Go take your shower, Jack. I'm going home."

"Don't leave."

"You're tired, out of sorts, hungry, have a headache, and need to wash off Washington," she replied. "You don't need this now. I'll talk to you in a couple of days."

He planted his hands on the sink on either side of her, trapping her. For all the good it would do if she really wanted leave.

"Will you stop babying me? I'm a big boy, Maddy. You're hurting and upset and you're worried about me? God, Woman, how do you do that? Why do I deserve that from you after the way I hurt you?"

"Maybe you don't," she said icily. "But it's the way I love, Jack. I can't do it any other way. You are more important to me than what I want or what I feel. Just like the kids- not hurting their feelings is more important than our selfish irritations at being constantly interrupted. They deserve that from us."

"I don't deserve that from you."

"What's your point?"

"That's part of what kept me away for so long. I knew you'd forgive me and never mention it again. You'd shoulder all the responsibility for my stupidity, take the blame, and work twice as hard to please me. I don't deserve to be loved the way you loved me. But I want it. I need it. That's damned hard to live with. But I want it anyway."

"Well, it's not a problem for you anymore, is it?"

"It's a problem I can't live without."

"Is that it, Jack, or are you trying to protect me again? From the Lucians?."

"What do you mean?" he asked carefully.

"Last time you pushed for us to be together, a lot of it was guilt. You felt you were responsible for me. Here we are again."

It was a moment before he spoke. "I'll always feel responsible for you. I'm the reason for every bad thing that's happened to you. And yes, I need to protect you. But you have to believe that's not what's driving me to get you back."

"Then you've got yourself quite a conundrum."

He closed his eyes and dropped his forehead onto her shoulder. "You overwhelm me, Maddy. Most of the time I love the hell out of it. But sometimes I feel so inadequate when I see you able to give and give and give... I'll do something stupid or thoughtless and you just absorb it and love me all the more." He raised up and looked at her. "Can't you understand that protecting you, preserving your capacity to love, is all I can offer for everything you give me?"

"Did it ever occur to you that you never needed to offer me anything?"

"This sounds suspiciously like another conversation we once had, only the roles were reversed."

"We're building pedestals again."

"You deserve one. I don't. It took three years for me to understand that. Three years to fully grasp exactly what it is that I stumbled onto in you."

"This mutual admiration society is getting tedious. Go shower."

"Answer one more question. I was all over you, all the time. I would have made love to you around the clock if I could have. You couldn't get within ten feet of me that I wasn't trying to arouse you, excite your body so I could have you. Yet- with the exception of getting past the rape- you never once told me no. Even then you tried when I asked. You never brushed me off, never pushed me away, never said you weren't in the mood. Why?"

She scowled at him. "You wanted to have to work for it once in a while?"

"You did that for me too," he told her. "You satisfied every need I ever had in every way." He stopped and shook his head. "There you go again. Making it all about me, what I want. What do you want, Maddy? Why didn't you ever say no?"

"Why? Did you want me to say no?"

He heaved a sigh. "No, Maddy, I wanted to think that we were just that well suited. That our needs, our hunger, were at the same level. I liked to think you wanted me as much, as often, as I wanted you. But I got to thinking about it, and, well, that's pretty far-fetched."

She started to withdraw, build a wall. "What are you suggesting?" she asked carefully.

He met her head-on. "That you were afraid to tell me no. That you were afraid if you put me off, even once, I'd get mad. Or reject you somehow, punish you. Or leave."

"Didn't take that, did it?" she muttered.

"Don't sidestep me. Is that part of why you let me go so easily? Part of why you didn't come looking for me?"

She stiffened, squared her shoulders. "I didn't come looking for you because I refuse to push myself where I'm not wanted! You rejected me once, Jack, and that's all it took I could never have handled you doing it again!"

He closed his eyes, wishing she had slapped him instead. "Were you sick of me constantly hounding you for sex?"

"You never told me no, either."

"Because all it took was a touch, a look from you- hell, just breathing- and I was there! You never had to suggest it Maddy. I never gave you the chance to think of it first!"

"I was stocking up for old age? What do you want from me, Jack?"

"A straight answer. You never called me on the carpet over anything. I wanna know if too much sex was one of the reasons you let me go so easily."

He had hit a nerve, but he wasn't sure which one. She was tearing up, but trying to work up a head of steam to hide it.

"Just talk to me, Maddy. Don't get mad, don't be embarrassed, don't hedge. I want to know the truth."

She swallowed and her chin quivered. It was a moment before she could speak. "There were times, Jack, when I wanted to and didn't act on it because I didn't want you to think..."

"Think what?"

She shrugged and couldn't hold his gaze.

"Maddy?"

She shook her head and dropped her eyes. "It was fine, Jack. Great. Perfect. Never too much."

He lifted her chin but she still wouldn't look at him. "Why on earth would you ever think twice about initiating sex?"

"For the same reason I didn't come looking for you," she whispered.

"You thought I'd refuse you?" he asked incredulously. "Maddy... I didn't hold back with you."

She nodded and tried to laugh, but she still wasn't meeting his eyes. "Should have been enough for anybody."

"It wasn't enough for you?"

She choked on her tears. He sensed she was on the verge of beaming away.

"Don't leave, Maddy. Please. Stay and talk this out with me."

"When you say it like that... it makes me sound... Lord, Jack, can't you just take yes for an answer and let it go at that?"

"Not if you were uncomfortable, or getting sick of it."

She shook her head. "It was never that, Jack. Honest."

"Maddy..." He took a breath hung his head for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "This Ancient stuff... It's a lot to handle. For both of us. It gives me strength, stamina, the ability to recover quickly and keep going. It probably enhances my drive," he gave her a wry look, "But that would be hard to establish."

Her eyes darted to his and away again.

"It's hard to explain, but Sweetheart, it's not something I can't control. It's not like if I don't have sex every time the urge strikes it'll back up and drown my brain."

She gave a short laugh.

"The Ancient enhancement is not why I can't get enough of you. It helps me get way more than I could without it, but it's useless without you."

"Me, or whatever woman has caught your eye since you got it. I know I'm not the first one you've enjoyed those benefits with. Jeanette Macy was drooling all over you."

He curled a knuckle under her chin and forced her to look at him.

"Not the first- but definitely the last. Maddy, I've never cheated on you, not even after the divorce went through. That Ancient stuff didn't drive me to find someone so I could work it off. It's you I need, you I want. All the time. But only you."

She tried to smile. "That's nice, Jack."

He stiffend. "Nice? That's nice, Jack?"

She shrugged. "Well it is."

"Will you please give me something here? I want to know if you were so damned willing all the time- every time- because you felt you had to, I dunno, help me somehow? Were you afraid if you didn't, that Ancient stuff would do something weird, or harmful, to me?"

"Honestly, Jack, that really didn't occur to me. It probably should have..."

"So you went along with it because you felt it was your wifely duty?"

She wasn't looking at him again. "No."

"No." He sighed. "No? Is that all I'm gonna get?"

"It's fine. Go take your shower so you can eat and get some sleep." She squirmed away but he brought her back.

"Why are you so uncomfortable? We never had trouble discussing sex." He stroked her cheek with the back of his finger. "In fact, you can be delightfully explicit when you know it's what I want to hear. You do it all for me, Maddy. You've been like a sexual fantasy that never falls short. But it's been all about me. That isn't normal. It isn't right. I never bothered to wonder about it- I was too busy enjoying the hell out of it."

She frowned and tried to turn towards the sink. He held her fast.

"Damn it, Maddy, do I have to piss you off to get a straight answer? In words I can understand? Short sentences?"

That brought a quivering smile to her lips. She was starting to calm. "Jack," she sighed, "I've never wanted to be loved as much, as often, as I want you. If I had fallen in love with any other man, I wouldn't want him the way I want you."

She stopped, searched his eyes, and frowned.

"I've been in love before and didn't crave it the way I crave you." She let her fingers play over his shoulders. "You are so exciting, so wonderful. So fun and delightful to be with." Her voice was slowly dropping to a whisper. "You make me feel so good, so comfortable... It's such a natural, easy thing between us. No pressure, no inhibitions, no par to make or expectations to meet." She swallowed and blinked back a few tears. "You make me feel sexy, Jack, and desirable, and, and good at making you feel the same way. I've never been so at ease inside my own skin as I am around you. I don't feel the need to judge myself because you've never once given me a reason to think you've judged me and I've come up short." She chewed on her lip for a moment. "All the things I've always hated about my body, all the flaws I've cringed over having a man see, tried to hide so it wouldn't be a turn-off... none of that has ever been an issue with you." She took a deep breath. "I guess I figured those Ancient enhancements made you as blind as they did horney, but I was afraid to think about it too hard."

Jack's stunned expression made her smile. She rained her fingers down over his face.

"Something let loose inside me, Jack. Years of keeping sexual tension bottled up, tamping it down and pretending I could ignore it. Of being modest and reserved, prim and proper, because I've never had a man so in love with me that I could be myself. A lifetime of never dreaming a man could make me feel the way you make me feel, of never being wanted the way you want me."

She was stroking his face, her eyes following her hands. For once Jack was more interested in her words than her touch.

"All I wanted was to see the desire in your eyes, the satisfaction on your face, that look that told me I was doing everything right for you. I kept holding my breath, afraid that you'd get your fill of me and things would taper off- and I'd be left climbing the walls."

"Why was that so hard to say?" he asked gently. He caught her hand and kissed her fingertips.

Her eyes crept up to his. "I didn't want you to think I'm a closet nymphomaniac- and if I am it's all your fault! Could that Ancient stuff somehow have rubbed off on me? Maybe through the exchange of bodily fluids?"

"That's really how you feel?" he asked skeptically.

"Like a nympho? Yeah, Jack. You've done that to me. I was fairly normal before you touched me the first time. Loving you isn't an effort, it isn't work, it's never an inconvenience or too often or too much. I just love being with you. I can't get enough of you, not because of the sex itself, but because I just love being with you." She was crying again.

"So you didn't automatically give in every time, put up with it, so you wouldn't rock the boat? 'Cause you sure as hell never rocked the boat about anything else."

She smacked him on the shoulder. "Damn it, Jack! Think about it! I was always ready for you! Those times you took me hard and fast, by surprise? That night when Daniel came to the lodge the first time and you scared the hell outta me? I was still there. Did you ever once have trouble? Has it ever dawned on you that you never need to take time to get me warmed up, in the mood? Mad, sad, tired, completely involved in something else- whether you're hounding me or not I'm there long before you are!"

He knew he was giving her one of his blank stares but he couldn't help it.

"If I could have crawled inside your skin and curled up around your heart and never had to be any farther than that from you, I would have done it. As long as I live, Jack, I'll never want to be with another man. It could never even happen! You've spoiled me. Branded me for life. I only want you- as often and as much as I can have you."

He pulled her into his arms and held her as tightly as he could.

"God, Maddy! How could I have walked away from that?"

She sniffed and squirmed as far back as he would let her go.

"Now that you've dredged up my deepest, darkest secret, now that I've fully embarrassed myself by explaining in detail how wantonly attracted I am to you- did it answer your question? Short enough sentences?"

"Wow."

"I'll take that as a 'yes'. Go shower."

"Come with me."

"You need some rest."

"I need you. To wash my back. Wash my hair. Wash my..."

"Don't push it!" she warned quickly.

"You promised me a massage."

"What's that got to do with you taking a shower?" She snatched a stray napkin off the counter and wiped her nose.

"If I go in there alone, you'll disappear."

"I can disappear out of the shower as easily as anywhere," she reminded. She searched his eyes for a moment. "Jack, I'm just not good with head games, but I am pretty good at training intelligent animals. Here's the deal: I had no idea you were gonna be in such a mood when I came here. But I'm gonna take advantage of it. As much as it kills me to leave when you need me right now, I'm going to. You're gonna shower, eat, take aspirin, and go to bed. Through it all you're gonna think about how nice it would have been to have me wash you, heat your dinner, make you laugh, massage you from head to toe, make love to you oh, so slowly and tenderly, then hold you while you sleep. And you'll wake up to an empty bed, a stiff neck, sore back, and a nagging headache."

"Don't forget a raging hard-on."

"That, too," she added relentlessly. "Think about how many times I needed that from you in the past year, and all I had to fill the emptiness was the knowledge that you had kicked me out of your life like an unwanted puppy."

Jack hung his head and took several fast, shallow breaths. His face was tight when he finally looked back up at her.

"I had that lesson down pat less than a week after I left. I know I'm hard-headed, Maddy, but how long are you going to torture me? The year I deserve? Longer, because I deserve that too?"

"I'm not trying to punish you." She took his face in her hands. "I just need to find out if it's ever gonna happen again. Because as hard as going forward without you is gonna be, there's no way I want to repeat the last year. I'd rather go through that... business... with the Lucian again than go through losing you again."

He leaned back, aghast. "How could you even think that?" he rasped.

"Because it's the truth. You think you know what pain is, the definition of torture. Well, Jack, I know too, and what happened to us is by far the worst thing I've ever experienced."

That took the wind out of his sails and it was a moment before he could answer.

"You wanna see if you push hard enough I'll give up and walk away for good? God, Maddy, that isn't possible! You can do this to me for the rest of my life and I'll take it if it's all I can ever have of you!"

She slipped her arms around his neck and sighed. "You big, dense oaf! Another thing I wanted to do was chase you awhile. Make you understand how much I want you. How much I missed you and need you. How much I adore you. It's what you wanted, expected, when we first met. And- hopefully- this will be my last chance to give that to you. But I can't chase you when you stand there so willing to be caught!" She planted a kiss on his nose, closed her eyes, and disappeared.

Jack bolted for the door and ran down the hallway to the window overlooking the parking lot. He got there in time to see her pull away. He tracked her progress until he lost sight of the truck, his mind racing over what she had said. The tears he had fought came in a rush. After all he had done to her, hurting the way she was, uncertain and afraid, she wanted to give him the feeling of being chased and courted. Doted on and wanted.

"How will I ever live up to you, Maddy?"

He walked back to the apartment and slumped into the recliner, too dazed and overwhelmed to think.

Chapter Thirty Eight

She came to him in the wee hours of the morning. He woke to the wonderful sensation of her hands massaging his back, her lips and tongue arousing him as her fingers relaxed his aching muscles. She made love to him as promised, exquisitely, slowly, tenderly. Winding him up and winding him out, time and again, until he dissolved into a dreamless cloud of utterly exhausted and completely relaxed sleep.

It was late in the afternoon before he roused. Even as he reached for her, he knew she'd be gone. He lay there a moment, reliving the incredible night, aching to hold her, needing to simply sit and watch her. He showered, dressed, bought fresh roses, and drove to the lodge.

Daniel's car was there, and so was Cam's. Jack cursed softly. The door was standing open as usual, despite a chill in the fall air. He put the basket on the coffee table, unwrapped the roses and put them inside, then followed the sound of voices out onto the deck. There was an incredible smell coming from the grill, and a large bowl of salad on the table. Maddy was trying to teach Mitchell how to tie flies. Daniel sat under one of the huge umbrellas, his feet up, nursing something in a glass full of ice.

Jack strode onto the deck, swept Daniel's feet aside, and grabbed Maddy's elbow. He dragged her bodily into the lodge as Cam and Daniel looked at each other in surprise.

"Jack! What are you doing?" Maddy yelped.

He took her as far as the couch, sat down, and pulled her across his lap. He held her head and stared hard into her eyes for a long moment, then folded himself around her and sat clutching her as if she'd float away.

Cam started for the door but Daniel stopped him and jerked his chin at the glass doors. Mitchell back pedaled and peered through the shelves covered with colored glass. Daniel closed the doors and moved his chair away from the windows to give them some privacy. Mitchell took another look to make sure Maddy was alright then went back to winding thread around the dry fly they had been working on.

Maddy nestled into his arms and clung to him, and he knew she couldn't help but feel raw emotion that was raging through him. It was a very long time before he spoke. When he did, his voice was ragged, hoarse.

"I'm every kind of stupid fool," he told her. "I don't deserve to be loved the way you love me- but I want it. I'll never live up to you. I can never give you enough, be enough for you. But I want to spend all my days trying." He took a shuddering breath. "You don't have to chase me, Maddy, you show me a thousand times a day how much you love me. In so many ways. I'll always have trouble sharing you. I'll always fight being jealous of anyone that steals even one minute of your attention away from me. I can't help but try to protect you. Punish me all you need to, for as long as it takes. But Maddy," his voice broke and he swallowed dryly. "Don't make me spend another minute apart from you. Please. I won't survive another day, another night, another morning without you close enough to touch, to hear and watch and feel and taste..."

Maddy squirmed around and forced his face up where she could look into his eyes.

"Marry me, Jack."

Chapter Thirty Nine

SG-1 insisted on planning the wedding.

Maddy and Jack complained and resisted, saying they only wanted to renew their vows in a private little ceremony. But their reservations were met with loud and insistent determination.

"We missed out on it the last time," Carter argued. "I never did get to order the cake!"

"No way!" Cam exclaimed indignantly. "I wanna dance with the bride and make a bunch of inspired toasts and tie cans to your pickup!"

"I want to wear a tux and stand up there with you two," Daniel complained. "Is Maddy gonna do the cooking for the reception?"

"My granddaughters would love to visit the lodge," Hammond told them. "I can't imagine not being there to see you two married. Plan for the President to attend- he was pretty sore at not being included last time."

"Can I bring a date?" Vala asked. "Daniel hasn't asked me yet, but I'm sure he'll want to show me the proper way to throw cake at the bride and groom."

"You throw bird seed," Daniel corrected. "But there is a tradition of throwing cake at the first female alien that shows up."

"I'd be the only female alien."

Daniel raised her eyebrows at her. "Wear a bib."

"Okay! What's a bib? Is it pretty and lacy? Sexy? Can I get one in black leather?"

Sam rolled her eyes at Daniel. "It's like an apron you put on a baby so..."

"We're having a baby! Daniel and I?"

Jack knew Maddy was trying really hard to be patient and involved in the flurry of plans, and he felt her frustration. He held back and watched with some amusement as their small ceremony blossomed and grew into a gala event. It went from a small group of people at the lodge to a moderate gathering in the SGC chapel, to a tightly guarded, black-tie event at the Broadmoor.

When Maddy heard that she turned pleading eyes on Jack. "Oh, great and influential warrior of the Tau'ri, please spare me this vast... honor."

"I'll handle it however you want, Babe. Shall I 'just say no'? Put down my considerable foot?"

"It'll break their hearts," she sighed. "Isn't there some rule or regulation Landry can invoke to save us?"

Jack tried not to grin at her. "I can't think of any regulations restricting marriage ceremonies, especially for civilians. And if there were, I imagine the President would make a special exception in this case." At her evil look he added, "Hey, they're your kids, too!" He drew her into his arms and smoothed her hair. "Look at it this way; they're blowing a pile of cash to throw us the party of the century. You're the bride, Babe, the guest of honor. You don't have to lift a finger- just snap your fingers and make your wishes known."

She snapped her fingers. "I want to slip away and marry the man of my dreams and spend a month locked in a room with nothing but him, a shower, a hot tub, and a hole in the door for someone to pass food through once in awhile."

"Hey!" He held her back to scowl at her. "I thought you were marrying me! Who the hell is this 'man of your dreams'? I'll kill him!"

"You don't wanna mess with him," she warned with wide eyes. "He's big and strong and mean. The meanest human in the galaxy. The very mention of his name is enough to curl the tentacles of a Krona. He's a fearless warrior who sprinkles gunpowder on his Fruit Loops then belches all consuming flames afterwards."

Jack held his thumb and forefinger in front of her nose. "You came this close to saying 'farts bullets the rest of the day'!"

She giggled. "But wait!" she breathed in awe. "He is an Adonis. A master lover. He can have me naked and willing with just a crook of his finger. Women flock to him, helpless to resist his masculine charm and..."

He stemmed the flow with a long kiss.

"Do you really want to stop the madness? We could just disappear somewhere. Get married, take some time alone. Might have to use your little toy out there in the lake to make our escape."

She sighed. "As delightful and tempting as that is... Have you seen how excited Sam is? And Cam is nearly as bad."

"Daniel is neck deep, too. I overheard him ordering a flock of doves to be released."

Maddy sighed and looked at her watch. "Sam and Vala are picking me up in twenty minutes to go dress shopping. If you're not gonna come riding to my rescue on your white charger, I guess I'd better change clothes and get ready to be tortured."

"What kind of dress are you gonna get?"

"Well it won't be white, that's for damned sure," she grumbled. "I've been thinking ivory. Geeze, Jack, this is our second time around. Isn't all this hullabaloo pretty tacky?"

"Babe, stuff like 'tacky' flies south when it comes to anything involved with the SGC. Let's just call the first two years a trial run. We know it works, so this time we blow the roof off."

"You're looking forward to this!" she accused.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You're gonna be stunning. The food will be..." he made a face, "Well, you're not cooking so it won't be that great. There will be cake," he added brightly. "We'll smear icing all over each other then I'll whisk you away and take my time licking it off." He gave her a quick kiss. "You'll dance with the President, I'll... be jealous. All the men there will kiss you in the reception line and I'll... be jealous. Everybody will get all liquored up and the men- maybe half the woman- will be trying to cop a feel and that'll make us both jealous... Hell, Babe, fire up that space toy of yours and we'll get the hell outta Dodge."

She laughed. "We have each other, Jack. I guess the least we can do is give the kids this, huh?"

His expression sobered. "I think we should buy a new set of wedding bands."

"I like the first ones," she said carefully. "Too much history tied to them?"

He shrugged, looked off over her shoulder, and winced. "I just want a fresh start. You taught me that and it was a smart lesson."

She raised his hand and kissed the wedding band he had never removed. "Can I wear both of them?" she asked. "I have so many wonderful memories of the first time around."

"You do?"

"I'm erasing this past year from my mind. It goes from ecstatic to delirious, and this wedding is just reaffirming our vows. If you want to buy new bands, can I wear both of mine?"

"Aw, Maddy!" He dropped his hands on her shoulders and gave her a crooked smile. "I love you so much. How'd you get to be so wise?"

"Confucius."

"Confucius?"

She nodded as she backed towards the bedroom. "Confucius say, 'Woman in love with jackass must accept kick from time to..." She broke into a squeal as Jack started after her. She turned and raced into the bedroom and tried to slam the door. He burst through and carried her with him onto the bed. The door hit the wall with enough force to slam shut again.

He was still mauling her when Sam and Vala pulled into the drive. Maddy tried to fight him off.

"They're here and I'm not ready! Jack... Jack! Ohhh! Keep that up and I'll have to get married at the Broadmoor in jeans and a T shirt! Mmmm, wait... Listen... Listen to me!" She grabbed his ears and pried his mouth off her breast. "I'll bring home Chinese?"

"Nope. They can wait. Until tomorrow. If I'm done by then."

"Keep it up and you'll wait until after the wedding," she threatened.

"You just try that," he warned. His hand crept down over her stomach and he grinned at the way her body arched in anticipation. She grabbed his wrist and tried to pull his hand away.

"Let me go pick out a dress that will knock your socks off."

"Screw the dress, you'd knock my socks off in a feed sack."

"I'll stop at that specialty store you keep threatening me with and buy you something really exotic for our wedding night."

He stilled and raised his head. "To wear, or play with?"

"One of each."

"Will you wear one of them under your wedding dress?"

"The cloth one," she promised.

"Damn. I was hoping for a remote..."

She flicked his ear with her finger.

"Owww!" He did the same to her nipple.

"Hey! That is not a war you wanna start, Big Boy! But listen- I'll show it to you first. Only you and I will know it's there. Through the entire ceremony and the reception afterwards."

He crawled up to give her a kiss. "I have one request for the dress. Buy something you can wear braless."

"You just don't wanna take the time to unhook it afterwards!"

"I just want to see you blush when I have your nipples standing up hard and showing through the material. Did you know the President and First Lady are springing for a week in the honeymoon suite at the Broadmoor for us?"

"Are they gonna be there too?" she whined.

He laughed at her. "Can I wrangle Daniel and Mitchell into helping me move back here while you're out dress shopping?"

"I think you should keep the apartment."

His face fell. "Okay, if you want me to. But I haven't left since you demanded I marry you, I just thought..."

She raised an eyebrow at his choice of words then said, "Oh, I want you to move back. As soon as possible. But Jack, if you keep the apartment, we have a place to escape to. Away from the kids, away from all the plans and arrangements and unending questions and vital decisions I could care less about."

They could hear Sam and Vala talking in the livingroom.

"I hate it that you're so much smarter than me. Any chance of stuffing the kids into the apartment and having the lodge to ourselves?"

She picked at his shirt.

"Aw, no," he groaned. "I'm not gonna like this, am I?"

"I just want you to think about it."

"What?"

"The lower side of the lodge, on the other side of the garage, it's nice and level. The lake slants towards the falls, so it won't flood anymore than here..."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm really not gonna like this."

"Hey! You guys about done in there? We wanna go shopping!" Sam shouted from the livingroom.

Maddy giggled. "I thought for Christmas. For all of them. Build onto the lodge. Run it all the way around the edge of the lake and tie it in. I thought private bathrooms, and two rooms apiece- one fronting the lake, one behind. Really, big, big rooms. A really huge garage out off the lane with, like, a court yard in between."

He was shaking his head. "They're here all the time now! We'd never be alone!"

"Reverse psychology, Dearheart. If they live here, have their own space, they'll spend less time in ours. We could give them a massive livingroom and kitchen right in the middle. Pool table, dart board, computers, fireplace, hot tub... Give them so many toys and so much room that they leave ours alone. It can be decorated with Daniel's artifacts and Cam's plane stuff, and Sam's books. We'll make a special place in the garage for Sam and Cam's motorcycles. Maybe a half-assed lab for her to play in. Teal'c would love being here instead of quartered at the SGC. Poor Vala hates being confined to the base when there's nobody to babysit her out in the real world."

"Poor Vala drives everybody nuts and has tried to seduce half the men on the base. What about the boathouse?"

"Move it on down the shoreline. And somebody had to step in to fill the gap you left."

"I guarantee it's never entered my mind to seduce any man- on the base or otherwise!"

"I meant driving everybody nuts."

There was a knock at the door. "The stores close at nine!"

"How the hell do you know we're even in here?" Jack shouted.

Maddy laughed and smacked him on the shoulder. "They do now!"

"Where else would you be?" Vala shouted back.

"Time's a-wastin'!" Sam added.

Maddy looked at Jack's watch. "It's only nine-fifteen, for cryin' out loud!"

"I know! Hurry up!"

Maddy gave Jack a wide-eyed stare. "I hate shopping!" she hissed.

"And you wanna move them here?"

"Listen, I'm not done..."

He groaned and dropped his head on her chest.

"Between the garage and living area, if we closed in the two sides with nice, spacious rooms, there'd be a place for, say, George and his granddaughters to stay when they visit. Or whoever else. And you can finally fill that spare bedroom of ours so nobody can stay here."

He grunted, then started blowing raspberries between her breasts.

"They might not want to move in permanently, but they'd have a place to stay when they do come. Just think about it?"

He looked up. "Maddy, we'll go into debt a million dollars to do whatever you want to do."

"Oh, no, O'Neill! Don't you dare give in to me just because you're in the doghouse! I want your honest opinion and your input- before I go ahead and do this anyway," she finished, giggling.

"I'm still in the doghouse?"

"Oh, Buddy, if you're lucky, by the time you're eighty you might be able to stick your nose out without me swatting it with a rolled-up newspaper."

"You do realize that when you get back you're gonna have to pay for calling me O'Neill."

"Hey! You two fall asleep in there?" Carter called.

"And you want that living across the lake?" he asked.

"At least half of them will probably get married some day and we can have our revenge then."

He grinned at the thought. "Wonder if I'm gonna get a bachelor party?"

"So help me, Jack, if there's a stripper...!"

"I won't look. I promise."

There was a loud pounding on the door. The car horn began to beep.

"Can I come with?" he asked as she pushed him aside and got up.

"You can't see the wedding dress before the wedding." She peeled off her T shirt and skinned out of her tight jeans. Jack sat up and watched.

"What am I gonna do while you're gone?"

"Go get what you need from the apartment?"

"If we build for the kids, where will your ceramic studio go?"

"In between. Jack, there's twenty acres between the lake and the road."

"Do the two places have to be connected?"

"Just by deck. Be nice to have it wrap all the way around." She slipped off her underpants and opened a package of pantyhose.

"Come here," he growled.

"I have to go! Sam, tell Vala to lay off that damned horn! I'm coming!" She sat down beside him and began putting on the hose.

Jack's hands ran interference and made the task nearly impossible.

"Sam! Do you happen to have a zat on you?"

"No, but didn't I see a baseball bat around here somewhere?" Carter called back.

While his hands were busy he began nibbling on her ear. Maddy paused to kiss him.

"Can't she and Vala go get you a dress by themselves?"

"I'm wondering that myself." She stuck her other foot into the hose and had it worked half way up her calf before Jack dragged her back flat on the bed. He started kissing her stomach. Maddy twisted away and sat up.

"Save it for later, Big Boy." She got the hose worked up and stood to finish the job.

Jack grasped her hips and started working his mouth from her belly button downward. She got the hose up before he got too far down, then she grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled his head back.

"If I promise- by hook or by crook- to have the lodge to ourselves all evening, will you promise me a night to remember?"

"Can it involve jello in the garden tub? And spurs?"

"Only if you put the spurs in the freezer first, and help me clean the jello outta the tub. If you really wanna excite me, cook supper," she said on her way into the walk-in closet.

Jack got up and followed her inside. She was rapidly sliding clothes along the rack. He leaned against the door and ran his eyes the length of her body.

"If you don't put something over that real fast, I'm gonna start humping your leg like a dog."

She laughed at him. "And that's different from any other time, how?"

He had her on the floor before she could catch a breath. He pinned her arms over her head and filled her mouth with his tongue. When he drove his hips into hers Maddy sucked in a hard breath.

The horn started beeping with irritating cadence.

Jack let her go and rolled onto his back. "Aaaaaahhhhh!"

Maddy got up, grabbed a dress off the hanger, and shook it out. She glanced down at him. He was slowly tilting his head for a better view. She slipped the dress over her head and worked the buttons.

"While you're down there, grab my ecru shoes."

"What the hell is an 'ecru'? Some exotic bird?"

"Not emu, ecru! Cream. Off white. Beige?"

He rolled over and forced his way between her feet. Maddy hopped from foot to foot to keep her balance. "There are a hundred pairs of shoes under here!"

"So grab me a cream colored pair."

"These, Emelda?" He held up a pair of pumps.

"Those'll work." She batted at his hands as she slipped on the shoes. "If you snag these pantyhose, I'm gonna make you wear a pair for the wedding!"

He rolled back over and played with the hem of her skirt. She stepped away from him, sprayed perfume into the air, then moved into the mist and turned a circle.

"Maddy?"

She glanced at him in the mirror as she turned back and forth to check her dress.

"I can't wait to take that dress off you tonight."

She dropped to her knees, bent down, and gave him an upside-down kiss. "Me either." She rocked back out of his reach and stood. "Behave yourself while I'm gone."

When she left Jack dropped back flat, flung his arms out to the sides and let out a long, low groan. He heard excited chatter as she entered the livingroom, then a moment later the car started and left. Jack closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of her perfume, mentally retracing the way she looked in nothing but bra and pantyhose. He laced his fingers behind his head, crossed his legs, breathed in her scent, and planned their evening.

Chapter Forty

The phone rang at five-thirty. Jack set down the box of candles and answered it.

"Hey, Gorgeous. Coming home yet?"

She laughed and he had to sit down. He closed his eyes and listened to the sound of her voice.

"Did you start supper yet?"

"You were serious about that?"

She sighed at him. "Meet us at Salty's?"

"You're done shopping already?"

There was a knock at the door. Jack held the phone against his shoulder, tipped the delivery boy, and slid the box full of roses inside with his foot.

"I found the dress, Jack. It's being altered. I got shoes and...

"Shoes?"

"Just meet us for supper. I'll come home with you."

"Should I bring the horse trailer?"

She giggled. "The truck should suffice."

"You sound almost excited."

"Only cause I'm gonna see you soon."

"Will you sit on my lap while we eat?"

"No, but I will on the way home. Bye, Jack."

Jack shut off the truck and touched the backs of his knuckles to her face.

"Gimme ten minutes?"

She slid her hand around to the back of his neck and drew him to her for a gentle kiss. Jack groaned and caught her to him. Nobody could kiss like his Maddy. It gave him a feeling he couldn't begin to describe but he hung on and let her rock him to the core.

He came back to get her, and made her close her eyes at the door. Their favorite romantic music was playing softly as he led her into the bedroom and eased her down onto the bed. Maddy braced herself with her hands, gasped, and opened her eyes.

The bed was covered in a huge rabbit fur throw, so incredibly soft and luxurious she lay down and rubbed her cheek into it.

"Oh, Jack! This is incredible!" she breathed. He loved the way her eyes were dancing, the delighted look on her face.

"Enough for now." He tugged her off the bed and led her into the livingroom.

It was filled with lit candles, the flames flickering and dancing. Even the fireplace was filled with candles. Every conceivable surface held a container of roses- white, red, pink, and yellow- their scent wafting through the room. There was a DVD of a romantically crackling fireplace on the plasma TV above the mantle. The hot tub was running, bubbling and gurgling patiently. Near the tub was a plate of strawberries surrounding a huge pile of whipped cream, and her favorite wine was chilling in a bucket of ice.

"Jack! It's beautiful!" She kissed him then bent to put her face into the closest bouquet. "Thank you for the roses." She turned bright eyes on him and put her hands on his shoulders. "Steady me a minute."

He held onto her waist and watched curiously as she closed her eyes and bit her lip in concentration. She blinked them open a minute later and smiled at him.

"What did you do?"

"I hope I just beamed the backhoe sideways in the lane so nobody can disturb us for as long as..." she trailed a finger across his lips, "...you can stay conscious."

He shivered with anticipation and kissed her lightly. "We have a backhoe?"

She nipped at his lip. "I can't wait to lay naked on that fur! Feel it from head to toe..." She arched against him with a deep sigh and crossed her arms behind his head.

"You forgot to say 'with you'."

"With who?" she pretended to be distracted. "Oh... you. Yeah, I suppose you can be there too."

He started slipping the buttons on her dress, his fingers drifting to her nipples between each. She bit off small kisses along his lower lip, then drew his upper lip into her mouth and ran her tongue over it.

"I took a walk along the east side of the lodge today," he said when she let him talk. "It runs flat a lot further than I expected."

She pulled his head down and kissed him. "And?" She opened his shirt and started kissing his chest.

"And I think we'll have to drill two wells if we can find two separate water pockets. Or a spring." He sank his fingers into her hair and for a moment he couldn't remember what he was talking about.

"So you're thinking about my idea?"

She loosened his pants and slid both hands inside. Jack's eyelids shivered closed, his hands clenched against her head and he pulled her face up for a long kiss. He moved to her neck and her soft moan urged him on.

"I had planned on dancing with you," he nipped along her ear and started walking her backwards. "Undressing you to Shameless. Then taking you in the hot tub between bites of strawberries and cream." He slipped the dress off her shoulders and slowly skinned it down, taking the hose with it. His pants followed. "We'd spend hours in the hot tub and save the bed for later." He caught her lips again as he slid his palms around her back and unfastened her bra. They were beside the bed now, and his hands found her breasts. Maddy rolled her head to the side so he could attack her neck again. Her hands were making him weak in the knees.

"Best laid plans?" she murmured.

"Didja say you want laid?"

She slithered out of his arms and oozed onto the fur. "Make love to me, Jack. Press me deep into this incredible softness and make me forget all about it."

Jack stood looking at her for a moment, his beautiful Maddy surrounded by exquisitely silken fur, her softness even more alluring, wanting him, loving him, anxious to give him all she had, all she was. She'd been through hell because of him yet she loved him more intensely every day. Her eyes were locked on his, their warm depths drawing him into her soul, making promises he knew she would fulfill and then some.

"You take my breath away," he told her softly. "You're so beautiful." He didn't try to explain that he meant it in so many different ways.

"Jack, will you do me one favor first?"

"Name it."

"Can I have my wedding band back tonight?"

He couldn't stop the emotion that swept over his face. Without a word he crossed to her jewelry box and retrieved the ring. He sat down beside her, took her hand, and slipped the ring back where it had always belonged.

"Be my wife. My best friend. My lover. My life."

She kissed the ring, then his hand. "Yeahsureyoubetcha."

Chapter Forty One

It was several hours before they sank into the warm, churning water of the hot tub. Maddy groaned and sighed as she let her head fall back against the side. Jack sat down beside her and draped his leg over hers.

"Where are Bonnie and Diamond?"

"In the barn. Bonnie kept molesting the fur, and Diamond wanted to eat the whipped cream. I wanna keep that one puppy."

"You can keep all the puppies if it'll get me another night like I just had."

"Leave that backhoe where it is and I'll make every night like that."

"Don't tease me," she pouted. She lifted her leg out of the water and wiggled her toes.

"Your nails aren't painted," he said.

"You just now noticed that? Still have a short attention span- guess some things just never change."

"I've been busy noticing other things."

"Haven't felt much like painting them over the last year. But I'm getting the urge again."

"Come here, then."

"You can't paint my nails in the water!"

"No, but I can take care of the 'urge again'."

"Jack, it's been a year! Gimme a chance to get back into the swing of things!"

"Was that a 'no'? Cause if that was a 'no' I need to order more roses. Apparently I didn't get enough."

"Apparently you never get enough. It wasn't a 'no', it was a 'gimme ten more minutes to recover then I'll have you begging for a rest'."

"I guess you are a year older."

She sliced the water with her hand and splashed him. "Keep it up and I'll have you walking down the aisle bow-legged!"

"Keep making promises like that and I'll have no trouble keeping it up."

She dropped her head back against the side and groaned.

Jack laughed. It felt so good, so right, being here with her again. Maddy didn't know how to be spiteful. There hadn't been a single uncomfortable or awkward moment since she had given in and let him come home. And he knew it hadn't ever been a matter of if she would take him back, but when and how so that it was right for them both. If he had come to her ten days, ten weeks, or ten years after his tantrum, she would have reacted the same way. He hoped if the situation ever arose where she needed his complete forgiveness, total understanding, and unfaltering love, he would be man enough to do for her what she had done for him.

"Have you named your ship yet? I'm still plugging for 'The O'Neill'."

"Sam said the Asgard already named a ship after you- and she had to blow it up. I'm afraid of setting a precedence..."

"Then how about 'Enterprise'?"

"She warned me about that, too," Maddy giggled.

"Just what the hell else did Carter warn you about?"

She bobbed her head and hummed tauntingly. "Just never you mind. But I did think of a name. When I was in my teens, my best friend had a VW bug- I think I told you about that. Anyway, we nicknamed it The Puddle Jumper. I think that would fit our ship. We park it in the lake and all..."

"Our ship?"

"Do I not share everything with you, O'Neill?"

"Everything but what Carter has warned you about me," he sulked.

"Stop pouting and tell me if you like the name."

"I like it, but..."

"But?"

"The ships on Atlantis. They're built to fly through the stargate. The event horizon looks like a puddle... Sheppard started calling them Puddle Jumpers and it stuck. You can use it if you want, but it might be confusing."

She grunted her disappointment. "And here I thought I was being so original."

"It was ingenious, Sweetheart. Really."

"Ingenious? Who are you, and what have you done with my Jack?"

"Your Jack has wised up. He has a suggestion."

"My ten minutes isn't up yet, but I'm willing to give it a try."

He shot her a meaningful grin. "What do you think of 'Nautilus'?"

Her eyes widened. "Nautilus," she repeated thoughtfully. "I love that! It's so entirely perfect! My life has been a wild fantasy since that rainy night in Minnesota."

"Okay, now your ten minutes is up."

"Well you have to talk me into it all over again," she sniffed. "After all, it has been ten minutes... Jack, the wedding. I want to change-up the ceremony."

"How?"

"Two things. First, I want us to wear our rings into the ceremony, not exchange them during."

He thought about it. "I like that," he approved. "But we should exchange something."

"Tongue?"

He laughed. "That too."

"New saddles?"

"That would be worth it just to see Daniel and Carter lug them down the aisle."

She sat up and stared at him. "Leather friendship bracelets. They're something we both could wear all the time. Braided, each strand symbolizing something. Trust. Friendship. And..."

"Sex?"

She grinned at him then said, "Patience."

"Patience. That works. God knows I'll need the reminder."

"Will you wear it? I mean, if it'll annoy you..."

"I like it, Maddy. Come here."

She moved over and he settled her into his lap facing him.

"What's number two?"

She canted him a saucy look. "Doo-doo?" When he started to tickle her she gasped and said hurriedly, "Oh, you meant my second idea! I don't wanna walk down the aisle alone."

Jack's fingers stilled. "Landry or Hammond either one would walk you down. Or Daniel and Mitchell- one on each arm."

She lowered her lashes for a moment, then turned the full force of those incredible eyes on him. "I don't want to be 'given away'. That's for blushing brides with fathers, a first-time thing. I've already given myself to you. It's all symbolic, so, can we walk down together? Instead of you waiting there for me? This is a fresh start, a renewal. I want to start our partnership together from the very beginning."

She was warm and soft and slippery. As his hands slid over her curves he had to concentrate to remember the conversation. "I love that idea." He nosed his face into her hair. "I really do." He moved her back and studied her face. "Do you want me to wear my dress blues again?" He worded it very carefully. She picked up on that instantly.

"You don't want to?"

"I will if you want me to."

"What do you want?"

He took a breath. "The first time... Babe, it was so right the first time. The look in your eyes when..." He paused and knit his brows briefly. "I'd like to save that memory, just the way it is." He lifted a shoulder.

"And you despise a uniform," she said with a crooked smile.

"Well, that too."

"Not a black tux, though," she grimaced. "You know how I feel about suits."

"What color is the dress?"

"Ivory."

He canted an eyebrow at her.

"You want to wear an ivory tux?"

"You don't like that idea?"

"I've never seen you in such a light color, except for your bathrobe..." She ran her eyes over his face and a slow smile lit her features with an angelic light. "Awesome."

For a long moment he couldn't speak. He forgot to breathe.

She reached over his shoulder and scooped her finger into the whipped cream. She transferred it to her tongue, cradled his face with her hands, and fed it to him on her kiss. It was a long time before he bothered to reopen their conversation.

"Can I surprise you with a honeymoon?"

"Not now, " she said dryly.

"I mean the destination."

"You're gonna play hell prying me off that fur long enough to walk down the aisle."

"You're so damned sexy on that fur you'll play hell prying me off you."

"Have you heard the latest? Daniel heard about releasing butterflies. Each guest has this little container..." She shook her head.

"So we're having butterflies instead of birds."

"Oh, no, we're still having the white doves. They go first- during the kiss, I think Sam said. Then, as we go outside they release the poor butterflies."

"Well, did you know that Landry and Hammond are gonna stand up and hand you roses before you- we- reach the alter, then Daniel, Mitchell, and Teal'c are gonna hand you more when you get there? I guess Sam is gonna make sure each rose is a different color."

"Cool," she smiled. "I'll press them and keep them. I wondered why she didn't kick when I said I didn't want to carry a bouquet. But I did agree to elbow-length satin gloves. Once she had me talked into it, we played hell finding a pair big enough to fit my hands. Stuff like that just never fits me. It was pretty embarrassing..."

"I love your hands." He drew them around and kissed them. "They can do such amazing things. For me. To me..."

"This wedding is getting way outta hand."

"They're gonna have to hire a choreographer." He let his hands roam over her hips, expertly coaxing her into a closer, more intimate position.

"Impressive."

"I didn't think you were particularly impressed with any of it."

"I meant you saying 'choreographer'. And then 'particularly'. Wow."

"I was so friggin' bored without you for a year I read the dictionary," he said with a pinch to her bottom.

She jumped. "Ouch! It's even harder to believe you bought a dictionary."

"I didn't. Found it while I was dumpster-diving for dinner one night."

She rolled her eyes, let her arms drop, and leaned backwards. He caught her before she hit the water, latched onto her breast with his mouth, and used it to draw her back up. She squealed and grabbed onto his shoulders.

"Paybacks are a bitch," she warned. "I'm gonna start hauling you around by the..."

"You already do."

"...nose," she finished on a giggle. "Didja know The Broadmoor has offered the services of a professional wedding planner? The fact that the First Family is attending has them all a-twitter. There's talk of mist and bubbles on the dance floor."

"Whatever happened to plastic cups of beer and crepe paper on the tables?"

"You should have seen Sam's face when I suggested Diamond be the ring bearer."

Jack chuckled. "You're nasty."

"Gotta get my licks in somewhere." She caught a breath when he shifted her hips.

"I could show you a few places you might have missed," he leered.

She raised up a bit to kiss his eyelids. "I did have another thought."

"Me too. Oh, wait, it's my only thought." He lifted her higher. "Tell me quick, before I get distracted."

"That short attention span," she grumped. "I thought we could ask the guests to donate to charity instead of bringing gifts."

"Mmm-hmm..." He shifted and tightened his grip on her hips, drawing her down.

Maddy gasped and shuddered, her fingers digging into his hair as she groaned softly into his kiss.

Chapter Forty Two

SG-1 was hashing over wedding plans as they waited for Teal'c to come through the stargate. Jack sat with his chin on his hand, letting the rapid-fire discussion float over his head. He listened when Carter, Mitchell, and Daniel debated what the music should be for their first dance.

"Shameless," he finally told them after numerous titles were thrown out.

Silence. All eyes turned to him.

"Trust me," he told them. "Then do Turn the Page."

"Turn the Page is hard to dance to..." Sam frowned.

"But it is rather appropriate," Mitchell pointed out. "Think about it."

"It's also Maddy's favorite," Jack told them.

"I'm holding my breath that she doesn't ask for Rodeo by Garth Brooks," Carter grimaced.

Mitchell grinned. "'Bulls and blood and dust and mud'... Yep, that's Maddy!"

"Not on her wedding day it isn't!" Carter muttered.

They were all laughing when lights and sirens announced Teal'c's arrival.

Ten minutes later all thoughts of the wedding were forgotten as Teal'c and Bra'tac entered the briefing room. Greetings were exchanged.

"Master Bra'tac has heard rumor of a Tok'ra named Qua'sel. He is still alive, and is trying to reach the Tau'ri," Teal'c told them.

Carter's sharp intake brought all eyes to her.

"Somebody you recognize?" O'Neill asked.

"Qua'sel! He was thought to have died over a hundred years ago! He was a master at infiltrating the system lords' harems and gaining invaluable intel. Last anyone heard of him, his host was Sokar's favorite, um, concubine. She died on Ne'tu."

"If that's how Sokar treated his favorite..." Daniel muttered.

"He?" Jack asked with raised eyebrows. "He spent his life being a... consort... to system lords?" His disgusted shudder was mirrored by Mitchell.

"Qua'sel is said to be on a planet inhabited by a primitive race reported to be an extremely feudal culture," Bra'tac told them. "His age is quite advanced and he feels his days are numbered. He has only recently learned of the defeat of the Gou'ald and the Tau'ri's considerable role in their downfall."

Jack raised a shoulder. "So? What, he wants to thank us?"

Carter gave Jack a thoughtful look. "Sir, Qua'sel was older than Selmak. The knowledge he's amassed has to be incalculable."

"Knowledge of the Gou'ald, Carter," Jack said dryly. "They're history. Nada. Unimportant. Done. Gone..."

Landry gave him an arched look and he grimaced.

"...Over-with," Jack finished.

"What does he want with the Tau'ri?" Landry asked.

"His message to the Tau'ri is that he will exchange his considerable knowledge for the ability to live out his final days in a peaceful, undemanding culture."

"He wants to retire?" Daniel suggested.

"From being some feudal lord's main squeeze," Mitchell grunted. "I can see his point."

"We don't need what he's offering," Jack insisted. His distaste for the parasites was obvious.

"But, Sir," Carter said with building excitement, "He could give us valuable access to an incredibly vast amount of technology. Imagine if Selmak were to sit down at a computer and input all the data he knew about weapons and ships and power sources and planets. Solar systems. Races..."

"It's staggering," Daniel said.

"Then multiply it by ten," Carter told them.

"The Ori?" Landry asked.

Carter shrugged. "Who knows, Sir? But if this intel pans out, we'd certainly have a wealth of information to draw on."

"Perhaps he would have knowledge of a weapon which could be used in the battle to keep the Ori from overtaking this galaxy," Teal'c offered.

"Maybe he knows something about Merlin's weapon," Mitchell added.

"You're all forgetting that he needs a host to impart all this... wisdom," Jack argued heatedly.

Mitchell shuddered verbally.

"I'll do it," Daniel offered immediately.

"I type faster than you," Carter said. "I'll do it."

Jack grimaced distastefully.

"I think this is worth checking out," Landry decided. "Do you have a gate address, Master Bra'tac?"

"Flava Two has no stargate," Bra'tac informed them. "I can give you coordinates to locate the planet by ship."

"I thought you said it was a primitive culture?" Daniel questioned. "How did Qua'sel get word out if they don't have a stargate?"

"How'd he get there in the first place?" Carter asked.

"He is in possession of a Gou'ald communication device," Bra'tac informed them. "His message was intercepted by a passing Ha'tak."

"How'd he know the vessel was passing?" Carter asked skeptically.

"The message repeats itself at scheduled intervals," Teal'c answered. "He must have recorded his plea and placed the device in a secure location."

"Maybe he stole a ship. Landed it on the planet, recorded the message, then transferred himself into a native host," Carter projected.

"Then this message could be pretty old," Mitchell mused. "He might be dead by now."

"Wasn't it taking a huge chance, just putting it out there like that?" Daniel asked. "Anybody could go in there after him."

"Who's left?" Carter reasoned. "Odds are in his favor of us getting the message before anyone who might consider the Tok'ra an enemy."

"Maybe he's just so sick of where he is that the risk was worth it," Mitchell added. "Figured at his age it was all or nothing."

Landry tapped a pen on the table as he considered. "It bears investigation, but I can't spare the Odyssey right now. Or SG-1."

"Speaking of ships," Jack interjected. "Weren't we supposed to get a whole friggin' fleet of super-advanced ships from those folks we rescued from the Lucians?"

Landry nodded. "They're still repairing damage sustained by the battle. I get a different excuse every time we contact them."

"Figures," Jack said sarcastically.

"SG- 8 would be the best bet for a mission like this," Landry said distractedly, "But they're not due back for three days. They've been out a week now and I hate to turn them right around and send them off again."

"If we had a ship to send them in," Carter scowled.

"I may be able to obtain transportation," Teal'c offered. "It may take me several days, however."

"Sir, if we wait much longer..."

"If he's still alive," Mitchell said.

Jack sighed heavily. "I could go," he offered dejectedly. "I have access to a ship."

All eyes turned to him.

"Maddy's runabout," Carter mused. "It would be perfect for this mission. The beaming technology isn't up to Asgard standards, but the cloak would be perfect. Take slightly longer than a bigger ship in hyper-space mode, but once you drop back to impulse engines it would outrun the Odyssey."

"No kidding?" Mitchell leaned forward anxiously.

Carter raised her eyebrows at him. "Run circles around a Ha'tak, too. The micro-..."

Landry cleared his throat. Carter and Mitchell exchanged sheepish looks.

"Is it equipped with sufficient weaponry to defend itself if the need arose?" Teal'c asked.

Sam bobbed her head. "Sufficient. Light weight laser bursts on a decent guidance system. A few plasma torpedos that are pretty accurate at close range."

"Remind me to have her face it away from the lodge when she parks it in the lake," Jack muttered.

Carter smirked at him. "The cloak will make up the difference and the sensors are very reliable. Long range communications aren't a strong suit, either, but it can be landed on the head of a pin. Figuratively speaking," she added when Jack gave her a startled look.

"Teal'c has informed me of how Maddy obtained a ship," Bra'tac told them. He gave O'Neill a harsh glare. "Teal'c has kept me informed of many things. Humph!"

Jack winced and looked away from the old warrior's censure.

"Maddy should go with you," Carter said. "You'll need somebody to stay on board to transport you back up."

"No way," Jack said firmly.

"I could accompany you," Bra'tac offered.

Jack didn't quite succeed in hiding his dismay at the thought of being held captive in the small ship while Bra'tac berated him over Maddy.

Landry looked at the two colonels. "Can you spare Teal'c?"

They glanced at each other. Both shrugged.

"I think this is pretty important," Carter spoke for them both. "We've been searching for a Tok'ra. And if he stays on Earth, he can power the Gou'ald devices we've collected. Come in really handy when we need the healing device."

"Uh, before you go appropriating her ship," Daniel said quietly, "Shouldn't you ask Maddy?"

Chapter Forty Three

Maddy was thrilled to see Bra'tac again. She hugged the grizzled old Jaf'fa with an exuberance that had Jack scowling. They walked arm in arm around the grounds, talking quietly as Maddy showed him her home and her animals. Teal'c tagged along with them, a pleased expression on his face. Jack sat on the deck where he could keep an eye on them, but he didn't intrude. This was Bra'tac's first exposure to Earth outside the SGC, and he seemed to be fascinated by everything. It was also his first contact with Maddy since helping her through suicidal depression after her attack. They had a lot of catching up to do.

"Great," he muttered to Diamond. "Another addition to her posse."

He shifted uneasily as the trio abruptly disappeared. The lake began to move and he knew she was surfacing the ship. A hump appeared in the middle of the lake, then water cascaded off an invisible support. Jack shook his head as he watched drops rain down in a circle. A moment later he found himself, deck chair and all, sitting in the ship. Bra'tac was seated at the controls beside Maddy. She rose and came back to him, closed her eyes, and the couch out of the livingroom appeared beside them.

"So you can be comfortable, and sleep," she explained. "There are only the two seats... I miss you already."

He pulled her face into his chest and held her. Always taking care of him. He met Bra'tac's accusing stare over her head and had to look away.

"I could help..." she said with a pleading look.

He eyed her narrowly and shook his head. She sighed.

"Be careful," she said dejectedly.

"Just recon, Babe. He's probably dead by now anyway."

"The Lucians..."

"Won't even know we're out there."

"Got all the supplies and extra socks you need?"

"We'll beam them up from the base." He kissed her. "I don't know how long we'll be gone."

"Just make it back for the wedding."

"I intend to be back long before that," he grumbled. He held her back to look her in the eye. "Thank you."

She shrugged. "Just come home to me."

He looked over her shoulder at Teal'c. "You two can fly this thing?"

"We can," Teal'c answered.

Maddy turned to Bra'tac. "The lake will probably be in the process of freezing over by the time you get back. There's a clearning under the trees beside the waterfall," she pointed, "Back that way. Jack will show you. Leave the ship there, if you don't mind. You'll have to sweep in under the trees..."

"We'll handle it," Jack turned her back to him. "Don't fuss," he added gently.

Maddy touched his face. "I refuse to say 'goodbye'. I love you."

She looked back at Bra'tac. "Take care of him for me."

The old warrior inclined his head.

She disappeared. Jack saw her standing on the deck, wringing her hands.

Teal'c settled in beside Bra'tac and the lodge quickly fell away. Jack stretched out on the couch, pulled his cap down over his eyes, and went to sleep.

The quavering voice repeating the message sounded like someone's frail old grandmother.

"Warriors of the Tau'ri, hear me," it said. "I am a Tok'ra of great age and knowledge, known as Qua'sel. My host is advanced in years and will not live much longer. I have the strength to blend but once more and I wish to leave my legacy of knowledge with the great race that has conquered the evil Gou'ald. You will find me in a mountain village a day's journey towards the sea from where I have hidden this device. My host is known as Lenore. I implore anyone who hears this message to have mercy and relay it to the Jaf'fa of Chulak."

Jack scowled. "Well, Teal'c, you up for a hike through the mountains?"

"I am, O'Neill."

"Hope you feel like carrying me," he muttered, shouldering his pack.

"I do not."

Jack shot him a sour look. "Bra'tac, can you lock in on that signal?"

"I have."

The ship dropped into the atmosphere and skimmed through the jagged peaks. Jack tried to keep his features impassive as the old warrior dipped and tilted the ship through, around, and over wicked peaks that would put the Alps to shame. It came to an abrupt halt.

"This is the location of the device," he announced.

"Then fly us a day's walk towards the sea and see if you can locate that village."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow at him.

"You feel like trudging through those mountains? Through all that snow?" Jack asked grumpily.

"I do not."

Jack gave him a smug look.

It only took Bra'tac a short while to locate the village.

"I dare not hover any lower," he told them.

Jack and Teal'c looked down at the rag-tag collection of shabby, tepee shaped huts nearly covered in blowing snow.

"I see very few columns of smoke indicating fires for heat, O'Neill."

"And no movement." He scowled. "I don't like this."

"I will accompany Teal'c if a little cold is too much for an old man such as yourself," Bra'tac said testily.

Jack was already shrugging into a parka. "I think we can leave the packs here," he said, ignoring the Jaf'fa's jibe. "We'll scout it out and see if there's anybody around." He moved forward. "Can you beam us down right about where..."

He finished the sentence knee deep in snow just outside a hut on the very fringe of the village. Teal'c raised an eyebrow at him. Jack sighed. Nobody listened to him anymore.

"Zats, T. We don't wanna kill anybody if we can help it."

Teal'c moved off without a word.

"Split up," he called pointedly. "We'll cover more area."

The rank stench of death assailed their nostrils despite the frigid temperature. Jack used the muzzle of his P90 to edge back the furry hide that covered the opening of the first hut. Eight bodies lay inside, huddled together under a pile of ragged hides. What he could see of their mottled faces told him a chilling story. He backed away quickly.

"T! Hold!"

The big Jaf'fa turned half way to the second hut.

"Some sort of nasty disease," Jack told him. "We're leaving."

"Should we not at least check the huts with fire inside?"

Jack shook his head. "We can't risk taking something back to Earth. As it is we'll have to..." He stopped when Teal'c raised a hand and tilted his head.

Jack heard it then, too. A feeble cry. His heart twisted.

"I believe it comes from back there," Teal'c pointed to a lone hut, set back from the cluster. He turned to O'Neill with a raised eyebrow.

Jack grimaced. It was cold enough that perhaps the disease hadn't infested them yet. Instinct told him to get the hell out of there, but the idea of leaving someone to freeze to death didn't set well, either.

"I don't know what we can do for them," he told Teal'c.

"Perhaps it is the Tok'ra," Teal'c responded. "The symbiot would keep the host alive longer than the others."

"We can't take him back, T. Not exposed to whatever killed the rest of these people."

"The symbiote would have cured the disease."

"He could still be a carrier. I'm not taking the chance."

"We can then tell him the Tau'ri has answered his plea," Teal'c replied quietly. "He will understand why we cannot take him with us, and he will die in peace."

Jack made a face and shook his head, but he waved his friend ahead. They plowed their way through unbroken snow to the hut. The thin stream of smoke rising in the bitter air was blown to nothing by a gust of icy wind. Teal'c eased the hide sideways.

The few remaining embers of a dying fire gave the interior a dim glow. There was a tiny, gray-haired old woman curled around the embers, a filthy hide nearly smothering her. Jack thought her face looked like a shriveled up apple. She had strength enough raise her head once and look at them.

Her eyes flashed and glowed.

Teal'c turned to raise an eyebrow at Jack.

"Qua'sel I presume?" His literary reference was lost on both of the aliens.

"It is I."

"Jack O'Neill, of the..."

"I know who you are." She stopped to wheeze painfully. "Have you brought a host?"

Jack winced. "What's killing these people?" he asked, avoiding her question.

"It is but a harmless virus," she managed.

"Doesn't look so harmless to me," Jack retorted.

"It is fatal only because the elderly who are brought here have no strength to gather fuel or food."

Jack scowled. "Brought here...?"

She stirred again and reached a claw-like hand to brush what was left of a small stick into the embers. Teal'c stepped inside and scraped together enough fuel to bring a small flame to life. Her ancient eyes thanked him.

"The elderly and weak are considered a waste of food. At a certain age, they are brought to the Village of the Dead to survive until they die. The main village is in the shelter of a valley, below us." She fought for breath. "We were able to gather fuel, scavenge berries and roots, before the snows came..."

Jack stepped inside and hunkered down beside her. Teal'c raised her head and Jack helped her to drink. He keyed his radio.

"Bra'tac, can you beam down one of our packs?"

A moment later his pack materialized beside the fire. Jack dug out sterno and heated an MRE while Teal'c left to find something to fuel the fire. The old woman watched him gratefully.

"O'Neill, of the Tau'ri," she sighed.

"Yep."

"You will not take me with you."

He scowled. "Not that I don't believe you, Ma'am, but I can't risk infecting Earth with an alien virus we might not be able to cure."

"I have not the strength to cure another body of the virus. It does not matter. This old body will not survive another day. Already her mind is gone. I should have gone with her, but the instinct to survive overwhelms good sense."

"This'll be hot in a minute," Jack told her. "Ever had chicken soup?"

"I have not. But the aroma is welcome enough compared to the stench I have been forced to breathe." She wheezed awhile. "The company is as welcome. I had resigned myself to dying alone. It is a terrible thing for someone who must survive as co-conscience with another."

"I've always figured I'd die alone," Jack said softly. It was one of the reasons he'd been so sure of death in that cavern.

"You have no mate?"

Jack couldn't help a smile at the thought of Maddy. "My mate is an extraordinary woman."

"You love her very much."

"That I do."

"I have loved, but having spent my entire life within female hosts, I have never known love in return. Not for myself."

"Must have been rough, dealing with men being in love with your hosts."

She wrinkled her cratered face in disdain. "It was a vile and dishonorable existence. But necessary in our fight to rid the universe of the Gou'ald."

Jack's respect for the Tok'ra went up a notch.

"Tell me of the Tok'ra," she asked faintly. "Are they living a joyous life of freedom now that the Gou'ald have been conquered?"

Jack frowned. "We've been searching for the Tok'ra since the downfall of Anubis. No luck."

"They are in hiding still?"

"A lot were lost in battle. We're hoping to find a scattered few, but..."

"Such a shame. We fought so hard for so long. It was my hope to be reunited with others of my kind before my final breath."

Jack took the soup off the heat and gently raised her head. She slowly sipped the broth, closing her eyes in sheer delight. Teal'c came in with an armload of wood and coaxed the fire into a warm flame. They moved the old woman to a safe distance and made her as comfortable as possible.

"You are Jaf'fa," she said to Teal'c. "You served Apophis. I have heard great and wonderful tales of your bravery. You will be revered and honored as the warrior who freed the proud Jaf'fa."

Teal'c inclined his head in appreciation.

"Have you a recording device, that I may impart as much knowledge as I can while there is still time? You must tell me what is most important to the Tau'ri, so that I may give that first."

Jack and Teal'c shared a look. Jack shook his head. "As much as we'd appreciate it, Ma'am, just rest. We'll stay with you." He couldn't bring himself to leave this poor, brave old woman alone to die of cold and starvation. He kept telling himself it was a Tok'ra- nearly as despised in his own opinion as the Gou'ald- but the longer he talked with him, the more he grew to respect him.

"Pity you were not able to bring a host with you," the near-cadaver panted. "I have yet the strength for a blending. The body would be clean, would survive the journey to the home world of the Tau'ri. I might have lived long enough to be of service to you. The blending would be temporary at most, for my existence is coming to a close. I have lived nearly a century already. It is time. I have no more battles left in me. Tell, me, did you know Selmak?"

"We did," Teal'c told him.

Jack related the story of Colonel Carter's father, dying of cancer, accepting the revered Tok'ra as a host. The old woman's face lit up briefly.

"Ah, Selmak. Early in his life we had an opportunity to spend an age together. It is good to know he survived long, fought well, and died honorably. Many Tok'ra lost sight of the values with which we began our struggle, and I mourned their singleness of mind. What good is a long life and worthwhile objective is one does not embrace and appreciate the very freedom from oppression we fought to secure?"

Jack stared into the fire, thoughtful. He made a pot of coffee and listened to the old Tok'ra ramble. He told them of battles, and the brave, beautiful women he had been privileged to share a body with. He chuckled dryly as he related a few racy tales of strange preferences- and weaknesses- he had encountered with the system lords. Jack helped him sip the hot coffee, a brew he had never tasted, and complied when he asked for more soup.

"Tell me of your mate," Qua'sel pleaded. "My voice grows weak, but my ears long for the sound of a friendly conversation. I have been too long alone inside a dear but pitifully demented host to whom nobody bothered to speak."

Jack glanced at Teal'c. "Why don't you let Bra'tac know what's going on?"

Teal'c reached for his radio but Jack shook his head slightly and jerked his chin towards the opening. Teal'c inclined his head that he understood and rose.

"I will return when you summon me." He turned to bow politely to the dying Tok'ra.

Jack watched him leave.

"You do not wish the Jaf'fa to overhear your words," Qua'sel guessed.

Jack shrugged. "He adores Maddy, but he doesn't need to hear the details."

"But I do," Qua'sel wheezed. "Thank you, O'Neill. I have been many hundreds of years living as a woman, but the male fires inside me have never lessened. Tell me first, what does she look like?"

Jack began uncomfortably, but quickly warmed to the subject of his amazing wife. He even fished from his pocket the strands of her hair that he was never without and showed them to him. He found he liked this easy-going Tok'ra, discovered a kindred soul in a male who appreciated the wild spirit and incredible nature of the woman he loved so deeply. They talked for hours, sipping coffee and feeding the fire. Night fell, and the old woman seemed to gain strength instead of lose it.

Jack eventually grew quiet. The old woman's eyes measured him shrewdly.

"You miss her, even now," Qua'sel said.

Jack didn't respond.

"There is a young girl in the village, an orphan," Qua'sel said at length. "She was born without sense, without intelligence. They care for her only because the elder chief enjoys her exuberance in his bed. If you could bring this girl to me, I could blend with her to make the trip to Earth."

Jack narrowed his eyes at the old Tok'ra. "I thought you guys didn't take unwilling hosts."

"We do not. It is abhorrent to us. I would require her body but for the short trip to Earth and move to a willing host as soon as one is found. Surely a race as generous and compassionate as the Tau'ri would care for her?"

"Could you survive a second blending?"

"Probably not, but it would get me away from here if only for a short time. Far better to die among friends, with a full belly and enjoying warmth again. She would not be missed, and perhaps her life would be better as well." He sighed and the old woman coughed.

Jack heard and understood the rattle in her lungs. He winced.

"Ancient as I am," Qua'sel said sadly, "It is hard to accept death when there is life yet thriving inside me. I had such hopes of imparting my knowledge to the Tau'ri, and now that I've come to know you, O'Neill, I regret that we do not have time to become friends. You and I, we could share war stories- compare experiences of matching wits with mutual enemies." The old woman tried to inhale and gurgled instead. "The poor dear, she was tough and gentle at the same time. It is heartless of me to keep her body functioning when her spirit and mind have long gone. It is selfish of me, cruel no doubt, an indignity she does not deserve. If you could choose the moment of your own death, O'Neill, would you find it easy?"

Jack sighed. "I've accepted the inevitability of my death during battle, but I wouldn't trade places with you right now for anything," he said evenly.

"You will not bring the young wench to me."

Jack shook his head. "I won't kidnap her away from all she knows to be used like a pack mule. And she could carry this disease, even if you have the strength to keep her from getting it."

The old woman's head bobbed faintly. "There is not time, even if you were agreeable."

"I'm sorry," Jack told him gently.

"We could help each other," Qua'sel said slowly. "I have only my word to offer as assurance that I would willingly leave you the moment you asked- host or no host- but if you could find it in your heart to carry me back to Earth, give me just..."

Jack stiffened as he realized what the old Tok'ra was suggesting. He couldn't suppress the shudder of revulsion at the thought of a blending. Qua'sel saw it and understood.

"Forgive me, O'Neill. I should not have asked. If you had been willing, the suggestion would have come from your own lips." He sucked in a rasping breath. "But let me impart some of my wisdom before the Jaf'fa returns. Of all the knowledge and experience I have acquired in my lifetime, of all the advanced technologies I should be relating to you... With my last breaths permit me to tell you what centuries of knowing the minds of women have taught me about them. Allow me to gift you with understanding that will please and delight your mate..."

Jack listened intently. He listened past the raspy voice and ominous death rattle to the voice of a male who cherished and appreciated the fairer sex. The insight that had come with exclusive and complete access to the thoughts and emotions of, literally, hundreds of women was astounding. He tried to hear the words, but the Tok'ra's generosity and compassion and respect was what impressed him the most.

He thought of Maddy, and was glad he hadn't allowed her to accompany him. She would have taken the Tok'ra in a heartbeat. It didn't matter that she didn't understand them as he did- and she would have reacted out of compassion even if she knew. Would have given of herself to help another with no thought for the consequences.

She would have blended with Qua'sel. To save his life. To deliver his potential wealth of knowledge to Earth. When Jack had taken the lives of four helpless Lucians to preserve hers.

He could never live up to her. She thought he was a hero and he allowed her to believe the lie.

When the old woman's body began to tremor and stiffen the Tok'ra's voice trailed off.

"I can... no longer... sustain..."

Jack acted impulsively. He rocked forward on his knees and leaned close to the old woman's face.

"So help me, Qua'sel, if you double-cross me I'll kill us both!"

The old woman's eyes tried to open but there was no strength left. The symbiot entered her mouth and Jack squeezed his eyes shut. He took a deep breath and forced himself to part his jaws. There was a brief scrape across his tongue, a flash of horrific pain at the back of his throat, the overwhelming panic of knowing what he had done, then... nothing. No pain. No sense of another consciousness wrestling with his. He dropped over onto his side and lay there dazed.

"Okay..." he said uncertainly. "Now what?"

"I am here, O'Neill," he heard Qua'sel's voice as if it came from outside his body. A strong, vibrant, male voice. "I will not seek control." But Jack felt the Tok'ra's emotion, his gratitude and appreciation. "I am yet weak from the blending, but I grow stronger quickly. I beg of you, cover Lenore. She is dead, but I wish to show respect."

Jack sat up and drew the hide up over the old woman. His hands shook as he repacked his supplies and tried to gather his thoughts.

"What have I done?" he muttered. "Maddy..." He gasped and choked, gagged in belated response to what he had allowed to happen.

"I am sorry you regret your decision," Qua'sel told him sadly. "As soon as I have the strength, I will leave your body. Build up the fire, O'Neill, that I may make a quick exit and have a fast death. It should not take me long to gather..."

"Aw, shut up!" Jack snapped. "Let's just get back to Earth and see what we can come up with."

Qua'sel's gratitude flooded through him. But there was more- he felt the Tok'ra's embarrassment, his self-loathing at having given in to the desire to live when he sensed Jack's reluctance to accept him.

"Just promise me you won't make my eyes flash in front of Maddy," he growled.

"I will not make my presence obvious to her. I am sorry, O'Neill, but I must rest now."

"Good. Go to sleep. I'll wake you when we get home."

"Home," the symbiote sighed contentedly. "I have never truly known a home."

Jack winced as he stood and lifted the pack. He well understood how Qua'sel felt about having a home to look forward to. He wondered how Maddy was going to take this. He keyed his radio.

"T, beam down here a minute, will you?"

A moment later Teal'c materialized beside him. He looked down at the old woman's body.

"It is finished," he said sadly.

"Not by a long shot," Jack growled.

Teal'c looked at his friend then took a step back and raised his zat gun. Jack nodded.

"Just keep that attitude. I don't know why I did it, but I did. He's sleeping at the moment. But Teal'c, don't hesitate to shoot me if he tries to take control."

Chapter Forty Four

Jack paced the briefing room, his mind racing, berating himself for having acted on such a rash decision. Four SF guards watched him warily, and when one took his eyes off him briefly Jack scowled at him.

"Pay attention, Soldier!"

The man snapped to attention. Jack continued to pace.

"It grieves me that you are in such turmoil, O'Neill." Qua'sel sighed inside his head. "I will remain hidden if you choose not to disclose my presence to Madison."

"I'm telling her!" Jack muttered. "I won't keep anything from her, and this is big."

"As you wish. You are doing the right thing."

Jack grunted.

Dr. Lam walked in with Landry on her heels.

"You, Teal'c, and Master Bra'tac all check out fine, General O'Neill. How are you feeling?" She hauled his head down where she could lift his eyelid and shine a penlight on his pupil.

"This one could become annoying."

Jack snorted. "Like I'm nuts for talking to myself!"

"The symbiote talks inside your head?" she asked. "You said he hadn't taken control."

"Not so far. But I can hear him. And I feel what he's feeling."

"How can you tell the difference?" she demanded.

"Annoying."

"Yeah."

"Yes, what, General?"

Jack sighed. "He hasn't forced me to do a damned thing- yet. I just...hear him. And feel him."

"Well, he's fully integrated into your spinal cord. He can take you over any time he wants to."

Qua'sel chuckled sarcastically.

"I can't let you leave the base, Jack," Landry told him unnecessarily.

Jack nodded. "Maddy is on her way. When is SG-1 due back?"

"Tomorrow. Is he making any demands?"

"We want to eat."

"I'll have something brought down."

"Have a computer set up in my quarters. One not linked into the SGC's main banks."

Landry nodded. "Jack, are you alright?"

"I'll let you know when this is over."

"We need to discuss how we're going to locate a suitable- and willing- host."

"Can't be a moment too soon."

Two guards turned towards the door and a moment later Maddy walked in.

"Stunning!" Qua'sel breathed. "O'Neill, your description did not do her justice!"

"Shut up," Jack muttered as he backed away from his wife.

Maddy stopped and frowned at him. "I'm sorry?"

Jack shook his head. "Not you, Babe. Don't come any closer."

"Oh, no! Please! Don't do that to her! She needs your reassurance, your affection!"

Jack hesitated.

"Teal'c and Bra'tac told me what happened. I'm so proud of you, Jack. I know how hard this had to be..." She swallowed her tears and smiled bravely for him. "Tell me what you need from me. What can I do?"

"Amazing. So brave in her love for you!"

"Just... sit and talk with me, Maddy. I'm afraid to let you too close."

"You don't trust him," she nodded. "Will... will your eyes glow?"

"Not unless he takes control."

She pulled out a seat and sat down, her eyes worried. "Tell me, Jack. I want the whole story."

Jack's eyes flicked to Landry and Dr. Lam. He sighed. Could he ever be alone with her again?

"Let's give them some privacy," Landry said quietly. He motioned with his head for Dr. Lam to leave. "I can't relieve the guards," he said without apology. But he indicated that they should step back and let the two speak privately. Then he left.

Jack sat down across the table and took her hands when she reached for him.

"Such strength in her grip, in her eyes. Such adoration and trust."

"Hi," Jack said softly.

"Hi. I wasn't sure what I'd find when Teal'c told me."

"Me either."

"Tell me the whole story, Jack. Don't leave anything out."

He told her most of it.

"How she hangs on your every word, devours your very essence. I feel your love for her, O'Neill. Experience it as you do. Cherish her! Worship her! Fall down on your knees and rest your head in her lap, let her touch you..."

"Shut the hell up!" Jack roared.

Maddy reared back in fright. The guards took one step forward, their weapons inching up a fraction.

Jack squeezed his eyes shut. He held up one finger.

"You frightened her! Don't frighten her like that!"

"Qua'sel, if you don't shut up and let me talk to my wife, so help me...!" He took a deep breath. "I can't think when you're yammering into my head like that! Just... shut the hell up."

"I apologize, O'Neill. Forgive the intrusion."

Jack frowned at Maddy. "I'm sorry, Babe. I wasn't yelling at you. He was talking and I couldn't think straight."

"You're eyes didn't glow."

He shook his head. "He can talk to me without taking control."

"What's it feel like?" She wasn't reaching for him again.

"Right now it's like having somebody constantly chattering to me through an earpiece."

"Can you feel him?"

"Oh, yeah," he said dryly.

"Like... what?"

"I feel what he's feeling- emotions, thoughts."

She grimaced sympathetically. "That has to be unsettling. Confusing."

"It is." He sighed. "Maddy, I want to hold you. I need you more than anything right now. But I'm not sure about all this."

She rose and started around the table. Jack pushed his chair back away from her.

"No! No, Babe, keep away from me. If he takes control..."

"Jack," she said in that soothing voice that calmed frightened animals, "If he's gonna take control, it'll be when he can use it to his advantage. Harming me isn't gonna get him anywhere." She walked up and slipped into his lap. "Get pissed all you want, O'Neill, but you're not doing this without me." She put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "I'm so proud of you."

Inside his head, Qua'sel started to shake.

Jack started to laugh. He hugged her tight and buried his face in her hair and he laughed. Maddy drew back and held his face so she could peer into his eyes.

"Are you alright?"

Jack's eyes were dancing. "You know how you give me the shakes?" She nodded. "Well, you just gave them to Qua'sel!"

Jack knew Maddy was beside herself. They had gone to his quarters on the base and Qua'sel had spent hours inputting data on the computer. Maddy had stayed with him, massaging his shoulders and trying not to be distracting, but she was having a hard time battling her claustrophobia. He finally convinced Qua'sel to take a break.

"Babe, go to the surface and get some air. Better yet, go home."

Her eyes went wide. "I'm not leaving..."

"You're not staying," he said firmly. "I want you with me as much as you want to be here. But we both know you're starting to panic being enclosed like this, and Qua'sel needs my body to do this," he indicated the computer. "I wish there was a way for him to do one thing and me to do another, but we can't. I'm bored outta my mind by all this stuff, but I can't talk to you while he's concentrating. Go home, Gorgeous. I'll let him play all night, then he can sleep while I pester you tomorrow."

"I want to sleep in your arms," she begged softly. "You seem so far away."

He folded her close and dropped a kiss onto her head. "Not yet. We're both too vulnerable when we're asleep." He raised her face and kissed her thoroughly.

"Will we ever be able to make love again?"

"If either of us can wrap our heads around a threesome," he muttered darkly.

Her eyes widened in horror. "It's like that? You can't, sort of, shut him off somehow?"

"I wish I could. But," he grinned suddenly, "Wait until I show you some of the things he's taught me."

"Like what?" she asked.

He slipped his hands down to caress the backs of her elbows. "Did you know this was an erogenous zone?"

She gasped. "He taught you a big word!"

Jack laughed at her. "It's hard now, Maddy, but I promise to make it so worth your while."

"I don't wanna leave."

"I don't want you to go, but we both know you have to."

"Kiss me again, O'Neill, and make it last me until morning."

"Let me show you how to love her like she's never been loved before," Qua'sel whispered. "Take her now. Sink to your knees and undress her with your teeth. Wrap your hands around the backs of her thighs and pull her up against you, let her feel your need."

Jack swallowed and tightened his grip. Maddy laid her head on his chest and slipped her hands into his back pockets.

"Nose her hair behind her ear, don't use your hands, take your time. Let her feel you breathing her scent, let her feel the way it ignites your passion. Let your lips trace the outline of her ear, lightly, like a feather. Patience, my friend. Slowly. Feel how she's quivering? Keep your touch light- feel how she's leaning into you? Feel her breasts reaching for you?"

Maddy drew in a shuddering sigh and gripped his haunches.

"Drop your hands lower... lower... now draw her into you, shift her up, grip her tightly- show her your strength. The power in your hands excites her the way her softness excites you. Nuzzle your face under her hair. Take your time, there's no hurry. Let her feel your breath on her skin, work your way to the very back of her neck before you let your lips touch her."

Maddy shivered and clenched a mouthful of his shirt between her teeth.

"Ahh, such passion she has! What a joy to seduce! Kiss her there again, let her feel your teeth."

She made a sound in her throat that was part whine and part moan.

"Slide your hands up her back, curl your fingers against her flesh and draw her clothing up as you go. Slowly, firmly- she wants to be loved, not petted. Move your knee between hers. Put your palms against her back and press her down onto your leg, feel the way she gives in to you. Such warmth, such softness! uch heat!"

Jack growled softlyas he took little bites from her hairline to the base of her neck.

"Ah, yes, that's the way! Feel her, O'Neill. Taste her warmth, breathe in her scent, stroke her passion. Caress her back- put your hands past her skin and enjoy the muscle, appreciate the strength that will work to give us such pleasure when we take her."

Jack moved away from her so fast Maddy nearly fell. He turned his back to her and planted both hands on the wall to steady himself.

"Go home, Maddy. Go now."He risked a glance under his arm and saw her frozen with shock, saw the fear and uncertainty on her face. "I'll call you- just go!"

She whirled and bolted through the door.

"What is wrong, O'Neill? You know I wouldn't do anything to hurt her."

"She's my wife, Qua'sel!" Jack snarled. "WE aren't going to make love to her!"

"We were doing quite well," he taunted.

"I do just fine without your help!"

"How can you resist her? Such exquisite desire..."

"Stop it!" Jack barked. "I'm sharing my body and my mind with you, I'll be damned if I'll share my wife, too!"

"You're jealous," Qua'sel mused. "I can feel it now, a seething, raging element... I am sorry, O'Neill. I sensed sensitivity there, but I did not realize it's extent."

"Bullshit. You have access to my every thought, memory, and feeling. You knew damn well how I felt about it!"

"My misjudgement. I have been weak, and my mind has been focused on relating technology into your primitive recording device. I regret neglecting your emotions in my zeal to repay your kindness to me."

"Just leave Maddy out of it."

"Ahh, I am sensing the enhancement you received from the Ancients. You must well satisfy your wife's fiery passion. Permit me to instruct you, O'Neill, and I give you my oath that I will not do so when she is in your arms."

"We're just fine, thank you," Jack said sullenly.

"Perhaps a rest is in order. This body is strong, but I have been taxing it's stamina. Sleep, O'Neill, and I will use the time to learn more about you so that I do not miscalculate your needs again."

"We're gonna lay down some ground rules first," Jack said firmly. "Number one on the list is you keep your... mind... off Maddy."

"I understand."

"Number two, you don't talk to me when I'm trying to talk to somebody else."

"I have sensed your confusion. Again, I apologize."

"Three, I can't take the running litany on every-damned-thing. Can't you use your brain without involving mine?"

Qua'sel didn't respond for a moment. When he did, Jack sensed great disappointment.

"I can. I will."

Jack pulled an impatient face. "Look, I can feel your excitement about being here and I'll be your friend. But my head is about to explode and you're non-stop narrative is giving me a headache!"

"It is not, O'Neill. I have suppressed that pain for you. I will work on your knees as soon as I have more strength."

Jack sighed. "It's an expression. My brain is tired."

"The initial days of a blending are always difficult. So many adjustments to be made, so much information to be assimilated. Your mind is strong- stubborn and not always open- and I am impressed by the way you are able to resist my presence. You have many strong points, O'Neill, but patience is not one of them."

Jack undressed, turned off the light, and got into bed. He was just relaxing enough to doze off when the voice in his head spoke again. His eyes popped open.

"You really must learn to speak to me with your mind and keep your mouth closed. People look at you oddly."

"Yeah, well it's not easy."

"I can hear your every thought. You don't have to address me personally."

'Then shut the hell up and let me get to sleep!' Jack thought angrily.

"See how easy that was?"

Jack turned over and slammed a fist into his pillow. "Aaaahhh!"

The phone rang.

"Aaahhh!" He snatched it up. "What?"

"Jack, are you okay?"

Maddy. He closed his eyes and took a calming breath.

"I'm sorry, Babe."

"Are you alright?" she demanded.

"Yes, no... I'm getting there. I wish you were here."

"I can come back."

"No you can't. I'm just tired."

"Getting a headache?"

"Feels like I should have one, but he's suppressing it."

"I have so many questions... but they can wait. Just tell me you'll be able to sleep."

"Thanks, Sweetheart. I'll sleep. Come see me before your shift in the morning?"

"Yeahsureyoubetcha," she told him. "If you wake up later, call me."

"You have to get up in the morning."

"So? If I'm too tired I'll call off. Promise me?"

"Okay," Jack laughed. "But I'll probably still be sleeping when you get here. Night, Babe."

"Sweet dreams."

She hung up and Jack laid back, a smile playing over his lips.

"A voice like honey. So soothing, so relaxing. It floods through you like..."

'Aw shut up!'

Chapter Forty Five

Jack spent two weeks confined to quarters. He was under constant surveillance, underwent interview after interrogation after examination until he was climbing the walls. Landry called SG-1 for a conference.

"Colonel Carter, what are your observations?"

"Well, Sir, I do recognize Qua'sel's name. As I said, he was a much revered Tok'ra- in fact, saying he was idolized isn't an exaggeration. What he's giving us is pure gold. Remarkable detail, complete schematics, absolute formulas. It's going to push us into the next realm of scientific advancement."

Landry nodded. "What about General O'Neill?"

"He's taking this remarkably well under the circumstances. We all know his vehement opposition to blending. I don't know what Qua'sel could have said to convince him to do this, but I don't think he was forced."

"Could Qua'sel have control of O'Neill without us knowing it?"

"It's possible, Sir, but I've reviewed all the video surveillance tapes, I've spent time with both of them. I don't see any signs. We have to remember Qua'sel is Tok'ra- not Gou'ald. I don't think he's any threat to the SGC or to General O'Neill. I think he's incredibly old, tired of struggling through life in primitive cultures, and anxious to please, to cooperate with whatever Jack asks of him just to enjoy his last years in peace and comfort. He's trying very hard to make friends. The Tok'ra are inherently arrogant, but I suspect the decades of being forced into a servile attitude has tempered him in ways the other Tok'ra we've dealt with hadn't experienced. His contribution to the fight has been unique, isolated from other Tok'ra except to transfer intelligence."

"Years?" Landry repeated. "His last years? I was under the impression we were talking days, weeks at the most."

"No, Sir. He seems to be gaining strength. He's incredibly old, but his mind is still sharp and General O'Neill being in such good physical condition doesn't tax his vital energy."

Landry turned to his daughter. "Doctor?"

Dr. Lam opened a folder. "The symbiote is fully integrated into the general's brain stem. General O'Neill's overall health has always been excellent, but even the few minor considerations we were monitoring have cleared up. His knees are perfect. His back is perfect. There was a kidney stone that's vanished. His prostate is normal for a twenty-year old. His vision has gone from fifteen- twenty to ten-fifteen. The man doesn't have so much as a cavity."

"And his mental condition?"

"As volatileand impatient as he is, he's handling this remarkably well. In fact, the longer the blending lasts, the more relaxed he seems to be with it. None of the exams, tests, or scans have indicated any abnormal distress in his brain waves or vital signs. The only stress involved is directly related to his confinement and seclusion. He misses Maddy."

Landry turned to Daniel. "Dr. Jackson, what are your thoughts?"

Daniel adjusted his glasses. "I can't believe Jack went through with this. That being said, he seems to be remarkably at peace with it. I've had some quite lengthy and extensive discussions with Qua'sel, and I got the impression Jack slept through them."

"I get that feeling, too," Carter agreed. "Qua'sel appears more at ease discussing certain topics when it seems like Jack isn't... listening."

"Exactly," Daniel nodded.

"What topics?" Landry asked sharply.

"Maddy," they said in unison.

"Is there significance we should read into that?"

"I sense he's just projecting Jack's feelings," Carter replied. "Nothing so far that's set off any warning signals."

"He just seems to want to know how she's doing, if she needs anything. He knows all Jack knows about her, which is more than any of us know about her. He's simply interested in her well-being."

"No questions of a personal nature?"

They both shook their heads in the negative.

"Colonel Mitchell, do you have anything to add?"

Cam shook his head. "Other than the whole scenario being freaky as all hell, the General seems like himself to me. Those times when he seems to be carrying on an argument with himself, I don't get the feeling there's anger or panic or a struggle involved. More like... General O'Neill being himself with somebody I can't see."

Sam and Daniel nodded.

"What about finding another host for Qua'sel?"

"That's proving to be harder than we anticipated," Carter told him. "It's a huge decision, with enormous considerations. Unfortunately, since the general did blend with Qua'sel the symbiote now knows everything General O'Neill does. The security issue alone is a mammoth detail. The general isn't bringing it up as often as he used to and I'm wondering if he's... coming to terms with it."

"Jack? Coming to terms with having a symbiote implanted in his brain?" Landry exclaimed.

"That was my initial reaction, General," Daniel agreed. "But the longer they're together, the more at ease he seems to be. It's like they're... becoming friends."

Carter nodded. "I get that too, definitely. They have little inside jokes they share, and I catch them laughing at each other over things. They wrangle back and forth. In fact, the only time I sense real tension is when Maddy's name comes up."

"We all know how jealous he is of her," Mitchell spoke up. "With them just getting back together..."

"Jack is jealous of a sentient entity inside his own body being interested in Maddy," Daniel shook his head. "Leave it to Jack to redefine the word 'dilemma'."

"It is a touchy subject. With both of them."

"It could be worse," Dr. Lam interjected. "Qua'sel could fall in love with somebody completely different and harass General O'Neill into letting him have control of the body from time to time to pursue her."

"Or worse yet, Qua'sel could fall in love with Maddy, too," Daniel said quietly.

They all paused to consider the ramifications of that. Mitchell let out low whistle.

"Recommendations?" Landry asked.

"Send him home," Carter shrugged. "The Tok'ra are our allies. Even if Qua'sel was a Gou'ald passing himself off as a Tok'ra, what's he going to do? General O'Neill has vast experience and training in mind control techniques. Sir, there's nobody on Earth more qualified to handle Qua'sel. I see no threat to Maddy, no viable threat to the SGC or Earth. And we're all there enough to monitor the situation."

"If Qua'sel did have an ulterior motive, what's the worst-case scenario?" Daniel tossed out to them. "Take over the Earth? What would that get him that he doesn't already have? A companionable host, a beautiful wife, good food, a comfortable home, friends. What would a planet full of slaves gain him if there's no other Gou'alds to be at war with? He shouldn't feel threatened."

"He's already given us the means to fight any weapons he might construct," Sam interjected. "If he's holding back on technology, it's far more advanced than even Thor suspects."

"And where would he get such advanced technology?" Mitchell asked. "From all accounts, he's spent most of his life among the lower echelon of female servants in order to gather inside intel on the system lords themselves- plans, rendezvous, weaknesses- not their technology. What he's got is mostly what he inherited genetically."

"It's not like there isn't already a Gou'ald running loose on Earth anyway," Daniel pointed out dryly. "Can Qua'sel be any worse than Ba'al and all his clones?"

"Doctor, give me one reason to keep General O'Neill confined to the base."

"I can't, Sir. I have two suggestions, however. Require him and Maddy both to submit to weekly examinations. My staff will keep extensive records and I'll bring any discrepancies to your immediate attention."

"Excellent. What was the second suggestion?"

"I know SG-1 spends a lot of time with the O'Neills. I think it would be advisable for them to make a concerted effort to keep tabs on them. You could assign guards, General, but Qua'sel would work around them. SG-1 won't garner suspicion from either General O'Neill or Qua'sel."

Landry looked around the table, getting nods of agreement from each.

"Anything else?"

"If push comes to shove, I'll take Qua'sel," Daniel offered. "I've got the required security clearance, and I could put his knowledge to better use than Jack can... or will."

Mitchell winced at him.

Landry considered him thoughtfully. "I'll take that under advisement, Dr. Jackson."

"Sir," Carter said carefully, "I think it would be in everyone's best interest if we somehow convinced them to postpone the wedding."

Daniel raised his eyebrows.

"Security being the uppermost consideration, especially with the First Family involved, what are your reasons?"

"It just doesn't seem right, somehow," Carter hedged uncharacteristically.

"Like having an uninvited guest as best man," Daniel muttered.

"I'm thinking of Maddy, too," Carter told them. "We all know she'll do whatever Jack wants. But this is going to be a major adjustment for her and after the past year, she will not ask him to postpone, even if she's not comfortable."

"You're close to her. Can't you get her to talk to you about it? Get an idea of how she feels?"

Sam grimaced. "Maddy is even more closed-mouthed and stubborn than General O'Neill is when it comes to him. Like she's guarding state secrets."

"Which may come into play if Qua'sel tries to take control of General O'Neill. Madison will be our best hope of forewarning- if she isn't willing to discuss his behavior, we'll lose that edge," Dr. Lam said.

Landry drummed his fingers on the table and pursed his lips in thought. "Maddy is fiercely loyal to Jack, and she protects him like a lioness with a kit. But I think if we all sit her down- individually- and explain the potential danger, we can use her determination to our advantage." He shook his head. "That didn't sound right, even to me. She's sharp. She'll pick up on any signs right away. We just have to convince her to tell us." He blew out a breath. "Okay, as of today I'm releasing Jack to go home. I am restricting his duties with the SGC- clear any and all intel through me before it goes to him. Any reason I should pull him off training the new cadets?"

They all shrugged.

"I don't think off world missions would be advisable," Mitchell added. "And maybe we should pull the power source from Maddy's ship."

"I can take care of that," Carter offered.

"Agreed. My door is open if any of you have any concerns. Now, Colonel Carter, anything new from Vala or Teal'c..."

Chapter Forty Six

When Jack met Maddy at the elevator after work, she greeted him with elated surprise.

"Does this mean...?"

He grinned. "If I follow you home, will you keep me?"

"Do I need to cover your escape, or are we legal?"

"I'm a free man."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Not for long. What do you want for supper?"

He reached out to touch trembling fingers to her cheek. "You." He thought he sensed her recoil a fraction, but the elevator doors slid open and she stepped on and the moment passed.

"I don't have anything thawed," she said as she stepped into his arms. "Let's stop and pick up steaks. We can soak in the hot tub while they marinate."

"Mmm-hmm." He was too busy holding her, breathing her in, touching her, to care. As they walked towards her truck Maddy tossed him the keys. He gave her a strange look but she refused to meet his eyes. Jack decided she was either testing him- thinking perhaps if Qua'sel had taken control he would have trouble driving the stick, not a half bad idea, actually- or she wasn't quite ready for that threesome he was worried about himself. If he was driving, he couldn't molest her. He decided he would back off a bit, give her a chance to adjust.

But he was all over her in the grocery store, subtly, to be sure, but he couldn't resist touching her, pressing against her, playing with his newly discovered sensitive spot- the backs of her elbows.

"I told you she'd respond to that."

'She's always liked me to touch her elbows. I just didn't know to what extent, exactly where or how. Look, Quasi, I went along with everything you wanted for two friggin' weeks. Let me alone with my wife! Be satisfied you're coming along for the ride!'

"Will you eat two steaks?" Maddy was asking him.

"Two brains in my head, Babe. Only one stomach in my body." He felt horrible when she looked like he'd slapped her.

"That's not what I meant. Sometimes you do."

He sighed. "I know. That was outta line. I'm not that hungry... for food, anyway. One's enough tonight."

"Thank you," she said stiffly.

"You are going to have to talk to her before you take her. You avoided an intimate discussion when the security cameras were on you in your quarters."

'Screw you, Quasi. And by the way, when things get heated up, you need to lay down and shut up.'

Maddy tried to carry on a conversation during the ride home, but Jack knew it was forced. He tried to give her time, give her a chance to reconcile the new and uncomfortable situation he had thrown them into. But he couldn't keep his hands off her. She responded, she tried, but her heart wasn't yet in it.

"You want my Black Gold marinade, Italian dressing, French dressing, or what?" she asked him as she punched through the steaks with the multi-bladed tenderizer.

"Cajun rub?"

She nodded and got the spices from the cupboard.

"There is a spot, low in her back where the sciatic nerve roots into the spinal cord, that will physically stimulate her body's desire. Put your hand there, O'Neill, and allow me to guide your fingers..."

Jack moved up behind her and slid his hands under her shirt. He let Qua'sel coach him until his thumbs elicited a tremor in her body. She laid her head back against his shoulder and sighed. But when his hands slid around her hips she moved forward abruptly and picked up the spices again.

Once the steaks were seasoned and massaged, she rubbed them again, then used the tenderizing tool again. Jack saw that she was making busy work. He slipped the steaks into a plastic bag then guided her to the sink and turned on the tap. Reaching both arms around her, pressing himself into her, he guided their hands under the stream of water and made the chore a sensuous dance as he kissed the back of her neck.

"I was beginning to think I'd never get home again, never have a chance to get my hands on you again."

Maddy rubbed her head against his cheek, but he could feel her stiffness. Without drying his hands he shut off the tap and urged her arms back and up around his neck. He let his hands trail down along her arms, gently pushed her elbows up higher, then grabbed the hem of her shirt and tore it open. Buttons popped and flew in all directions. He shoved her bra up and palmed her breasts. Maddy caught her breath and shivered. She turned her head, seeking his lips.

"I missed you so much," he said against her mouth. He took her hand and led her into the bedroom.

Maddy did and said all the right things, but Jack sensed a withdrawal. Not so much nervousness as dread. She cuddled against him, spent and quiet, and when she pretended to fall asleep he saw right through it. He let her get away with it for awhile, enjoying the feel of her next to him, stroking her hair, letting his mind wander.

"I told you to talk to her first," Qua'sel muttered,

'I know my wife- you don't.'

"I know what you know."

'Not by a long shot. Leave us alone.'

"She is incredible, O'Neill. Do you know how many hundreds of years it's been since I've been blended with a male and enjoyed a woman?"

'You weren't with her - I was!'

"I am where you are. I feel what you feel. There can be no division between us. This woman is a rare wonder. Of all the women I've had as hosts, none can compare to Madison. How do you retain your sanity, O'Neill, when this woman is able to pleasure you so intensely?"

'You ain't seen nothin' yet.'

"She is skilled, but it is her devotion to you, her love for you that makes her attention so overwhelming. The pleasure she gives you is as much in your head as in your body."

'Whatever it is, it's mine. Keep your mind off her.'

"You have to discuss me. You know that."

"We discussed you at the base."

"Not intimately. How much will you tell her?"

Jack sighed. "I don't know yet. She'll let me know how much she needs."

"Is it wise to allow her to dictate the terms?"

"Oh, it's wise, Quasi. I've learned that the hard way. Now go back to sleep. I need some time with my wife."

Jack rolled her over and played along kissing her awake. "Hot tub?"

She stretched and nodded. They headed for the livingroom, turned on the jets, and settled into the tepid water. She tried to sit beside him but he pulled her into his lap. She sat facing him, unable to meet his gaze.

"Maddy."

She understood his tone. She sighed. "I have so many questions."

"Ask away."

"How much... can it..."

"He."

"Can he," her eyes widened. "He?"

"Que'sel is a male. He was inside a female host- spent most of his life inside female hosts- but he's definitely male."

"Can he hear everything I say?"

"Yeah, Babe, and everything I think."

"You think?" she yelped. "Everything?"

He nodded, watching her face.

"There's no way at all we can... be alone?"

"Sorry."

"What's he like?"

"He's alright. Nosey. Bossy. Superior."

"You must hate that."

Jack shrugged. "He's not that bad- when I can get him to shut the hell up."

"He talks to you?"

"Constantly."

"What does he say?"

"About you?"

She frowned. "What is his reaction to me... to us?"

"He likes you. Keeps telling me how beautiful you are, how spirited..."

"Jack..." She shifted uncomfortably and evaded his eyes. "When we're... making love..."

Jack drew in a long breath and forced her to look at him. "He sees everything I see. Feels everything I feel. Right now he's sweating and smoking a cigarette."

She didn't laugh. Jack watched her carefully.

"That's just too spooky," she said uneasily.

"I know, Babe. But this is only temporary. I promise."

"Can he take control... while we're..." She frowned and tried not to cry.

Jack rubbed his hands over her soothingly. "He has the ability, but he knows I'll fight him. I love it when you're wet like this."

"Sam said she talked to him. How? Through you?"

"Not exactly. He does take control then. But he gives it back."

"You can just... pass it back and forth?"

Jack nodded slowly.

"Can I talk to him?"

It was Jack's turn to stiffen uncomfortably. He did not want her to see his eyes glow. It would freak her out. It freaked him out.

"I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Can you control what he says?"

"No."

"Can he control what you say? What you think?"

"He can't make me say anything unless he has control. I think what I want- he can't force my thoughts."

"Sam said they have these strange, altered voices..."

Jack nodded. "But he can talk in my voice if he pushes me far enough out of the way."

Maddy shuddered involuntarily.

"I wish there had been a chance to discuss this with you first," he apologized. "I hate that I came home like this with no warning."

"You did the right thing, Jack. You couldn't leave him there like that." She kissed his forehead. "This is uncomfortable for us right now, but you're brave and noble and I'm so proud of you. I know what it took for you to do this- you're awesome, O'Neill."

Jack searched her eyes. "Make love to me again. Let's just forget about it for now."

She laid her head on his shoulder. "I want you, Jack, but you're gonna have to help me here. I'm never good in front of an audience."

"Babe, you're awesome all the time."

"Oh, Jack, what a smooth talker you are," Qua'sel muttered sarcastically.

Jack ignored him and concentrated on arousing his wife. He got her laughing, ignited her passion, then did his best to take her breath away. When they heard a car pull into the drive Maddy panicked. Jack held her in place and swore softly.

"Jack! Lemme go put something on!"

"You've got something on- me."

"Jack! I need to go now- before they get outta the car!"

"No. Damn it, they gotta learn to give us some privacy!"

"But Jack!," she gasped.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight against his chest. "They can't see a thing. Just stay put."

"What if it's not one of the kids?"

"Then they'll knock and we won't answer. They'll go away."

Two car doors slammed. Voices drifted to them. Maddy buried her face against Jack's neck and dug her nails into his back.

"I'm just gonna die of embarrassment!"

"Concentrate on applying that mind-blowing muscle control of yours while I handle the kids."

"Jack, I'm mortified!"

"All they can see is part of your back."

"But they'll know we're... Oooh!"

The door burst open without advance warning and Maddy made a distressed sound in her throat as she pressed her face against him. That anyone would cause her this discomfort, let alone in her own home, infuriated Jack. An icy blast of wind kissed their wet skin, raising goose bumps.

"Hellooo!" Daniel called cheerily as he started for the kitchen.

Jack slipped his hand to the back of Maddy's neck and shot the two men an evil look from beneath lowered brows.

"Uh-ohh." Cam spotted them first. He grabbed Daniel's sleeve and began backing through the door. His face went beet red.

"Hold it!" Jack barked angrily.

Daniel whipped around. His eyes rounded and he quickly turned his back.

"Sorry, General, um, Maddy!" Cam said hurriedly. "We'll just...uh..."

"I said 'hold it'!" Jack roared. "What the hell did the two of you think we'd be doing- playing Yahtzee? This ends now! Learn to knock, damn it, and if you don't get an answer, leave!"

"Daddy's home..." Daniel sing-songed under his breath.

"And are you gonna get it..." Cam answered as they beat a hasty retreat.

Daniel kept his eyes averted as he carefully closed the door. Maddy's shoulders started to quake and Jack felt her draw in a couple of quick breaths. He muttered an oath and brought her head around, ready to kiss away her tears.

She was laughing. Her face was dark red, but she was laughing.

Giggling so hard she couldn't catch her breath. It was infectious and he couldn't help but join her as the car roared to life and sped down the lane.

Chapter Forty Seven

Jack sent his line sailing out into the lake and reeled it back two slow turns. It was frigid, but the lake hadn't yet iced over so they were getting in a little fishing before Mother Nature shut them off until spring. He rested his pole on the rail, took a swig of beer, and sat back to fondle Diamond's ears. She nipped at him.

Qua'sel recoiled in distaste.

Jack frowned and slid his fingers through her thick winter coat.

Qua'sel let him feel his dislike. "I have never understood the attraction humans have for such unpleasant, unsanitary, awful smelling, lower life forms."

"Did they tell you our wedding has been postponed?" Maddy asked. She reeled in a fish and released it.

Jack scowled at her. "Why?"

"Security."

"Qua'sel," Jack grunted. "Aw, shit."

She shrugged. "I'm okay with it."

"Well I'm not!" He glared at the lake.

"But you do understand."

"I do not. What is wedding and why is security a problem?" Qua'sel asked.

'It's a ceremony where two people pledge their love and lives to each other. And you are the security risk.'

"Ahh, there are many such rites- each culture has its own. I am grieved, O'Neill, that I have interfered. I can sense your panic and anger. Do you not trust your woman's loyalty without this ceremony?"

'Of course I do!'

"And well you should. I have never witnessed such devotion in the eyes of a mate. It transcends that of ignorant species worshiping false gods."

'So now I'm a false god?'

"Do not deliberately misunderstand me, O'Neill. Look at Madison's face. She is concerned with our conversation."

Jack looked over at Maddy. She glanced away. He winced.

'We've gotta find you a new home.'

"I will be very sad to leave you, O'Neill. I am enjoying your company. Have I been such a burden?"

'You enjoy my wife!'

"How can you feel such jealousy? We are united in our appreciation for the delightful Madison. Have you any idea how rare this is, for both host and symbiote to be of one heart when it comes to attraction?"

'Don't care. I'm not sharing her- not even with you!'

"Pay attention to your woman, O'Neill. Perhaps you should introduce us."

'No!'

Maddy reeled in her line and started inside. Jack grabbed her arm and looked up at her pleadingly.

"Don't go. Sit here with me."

"I didn't want to interrupt your... conversation," she said uncomfortably.

He tugged her down to sit between his knees. "You come first. Talk to me."

She shrugged. "Nothing much on my mind. Certainly not compared to what's on yours."

"You wanted to talk about our wedding."

"Did I? I was just asking if you knew."

"And you're alright with it?"

"They know more about this stuff than I do. If they think he's a potential risk..."

"He's not, but they're right in not taking the chance. Maddy, he's no threat to you. He won't hurt you."

She laid her head in his lap. Her silence worried him.

"What do you want to know?" he asked gently.

"What do you two talk about?"

"You, mostly. He thinks you're pretty special."

"I'm not used to making love to two... males... at once."

"I bothers me, too, Babe."

"Does it bother him?"

"Not a bit," he answered roughly.

"Well, ask him what he wants for supper," she sniped, pulling away and getting up. He hung onto her.

"I'm sorry."

She rolled a shoulder at him.

"Will you make meatloaf if I help?"

"Does that suit your friend?"

"Maddy, stop that."

She gestured hopelessly and went inside.

"If she were to get to know me, O'Neill, it would ease her mind."

'Aw, lay down shut up.'

Chapter Forty Eight

General Landry motioned for Colonel Carter to enter his office and have a seat as he finished with his phone call.

"I'll keep you apprised, George." He hung up and studied the pretty colonel. Something had her going- her cheeks were flushed and her blue eyes were sparkling. She had all but danced into his office.

"What's on your mind, Colonel?" he asked.

"The intel Qua'sel been giving us," she began.

"Still?"

She nodded. "General O'Neill lost patience with sitting in front of a computer for hours on end a long time ago. It's still coming, but more slowly than at first."

"Lost his focus when he went home. That's understandable."

Carter leaned forward. "I had been centered on the technological aspect of what he's been giving us, and it's incredible. But I took a copy of his logs along with me on that last mission- I knew I'd have some time to kill aboard the Odyssey... Sir, this may be way bigger than we anticipated."

"Do tell," Landry said. "What could possibly be bigger than advancing Earth's technological capabilities by several centuries?"

"This could very well have an immediate, positive impact on the SGC itself, Sir."

Landry raised his eyebrows.

"Qua'sel's position among the Tok'ra was unique. He was in deep cover, yet his location could be changed easily and frequently without undue attention. He had intimate access to various Gou'ald system lords, yet it was quite easy for the Tok'ra to contact him."

"That's something I don't understand," Landry interrupted. "Wouldn't the Gou'ald sense a symbiote's presence in their... concubine?"

Carter nodded. "It's all in Qua'sel's notes, Sir. The system lords were rather... rough... on their female slaves. When they singled out a favorite, they'd implant a prim'tah that was mature enough for blending, but not a viable threat to their dominance."

"For their healing powers?" Landry grimaced.

"Yes, Sir." She was maintaining a strict, military facade. "As well as regenerative abilities, added strength and endurance."

Landry pulled a face. "Continue."

"According to Qua'sel, it wouldn't be uncommon for there to be a hundred or more immature Gou'alds living inside a single harem."

"That had to have been fun," Landry muttered.

Carter grinned at that. "The Tok'ra have a means of removing a symbiote, so..."

Landry perked up. "Has he given us that yet?"

She shook her head. "No, Sir, and frankly, I don't expect to get it. Self preservation."

Landry nodded. "Go on."

"Well, Sir, Qua'sel would slip into the harem of his target system lord, wait to see which was the favorite, instruct his current host to remove the prim'tah..."

"And take it's place," Landry finished for her. "Quite an operation. But how will that help us? With the possible exception of Colonel Mitchell, the SGC isn't in the habit of building harems."

Carter shot him a smirk. "It goes to background, Sir. As you know, many Tok'ra masqueraded as Gou'alds- Qua'sel had easy access to them as well. His advanced age gave him literally hundreds of years' worth of ongoing information to assimilate and organize. From what I'm learning, he was more or less in charge of supplies and liaison."

"Supplies?"

"Hidded cashes of weapons, devices, tunneling crystals, chemicals, food. Where ships were stashed. Safe places to lay low. He also arranged rendevous points where messages or items could be left by one operative then retrieved by another. He was basically the thread that tied the entire Tok'ra movement together."

Landry sat back and digested what he was being told. "He giving us any of that?"

"All of it, Sir. Planets, coordinates, exact locations, detailed lists..."

Landry whistled softly.

"I think we should dedicate a team to run down these locations and retrieve anything that might have been left behind."

"Not only for our own use, but to keep it out of circulation."

"He's made one request," Carter told him. "He wants to leave a message in each location, informing the Tok'ra of his whereabouts and his need for a host."

"A Tok'ra host would be more acceptable to the Pentagon than a random Earth host," Landry agreed. "It's still going to be a massive security issue, but if this Tok'ra agrees to join the SGC, it could be an answer to our dilemma."

"Certainly be nice to have someone on hand who can use the healing device, Sir."

"Has Jack tried any of the devices?"

Carter shook her head. "I imagine if the need arises he'll try, but at the moment it's not high on his list of priorities."

"Does that list include anything other than Maddy?"

Carter shrugged defensively. "He is retired, General. His civilian oversight duties don't exactly include activating alien devices."

"His civilian oversight duties include whatever the SGC needs him to do," Landry corrected gently. "But we won't push him at the moment. Excellent work, Colonel. I'm going to dedicate SG-7 to this project."

"That would be my choice," she nodded. "If I may, Sir, perhaps this would be an opportune time for some of the new recruits to get their feet wet. Be excellent, non-combatant experience for them. In particular, General O'Neill has noted that Lieutenant Foster has exhibited a propensity for scientific detail."

Landry grunted. What Jack had said was Lieutenant Foster was a 'Carter wannabe'.

"How long will it take to compile a list of coordinates?"

"I can give you several locations off the top of my head, Sir."

'Of course she could,' Landry thought.

"I'm still going through the data, but I can have enough coordinates- along with detailed outlines of what they're looking for- inside two hours."

Landry glanced at the clock. "Have it ready for a briefing at oh-nine hundred hours. Do we need Qua'sel there?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so, Sir. Perhaps after we've scouted a few of these locations we'll want his input. We'll definitely need him if SG-7 manages to recover anything."

Landry nodded. "I've got one more question, Colonel." Landry leaned forward and shuffled through a stack of files. "I've been going through old mission files, trying to gain some insight on dealing with Qua'sel. From what I've read, it seems to indicate that symbiotes are spawned genderless and imprint with the sex of the host they're occupying..."

"Why is does Qua'sel consider himself male?" she asked.

Landry nodded. "After eons inside female hosts..."

"That detail had been bothering me, too, and I asked him about it," Carter said. "Apparently his initial host was male. The imprint was quite strong. From his description, I got the mental image of a Celt, or a Hun from the dark ages. He was a giant of man, powerful, aggressive, extremely masculine. It left an indelible impression of maleness."

"Had to have been quite a shock, going from that to a female slave."

Carter bobbed her head. "Actually, Sir, he said that initially, he accepted his treatment as a female slave as routine. The natural order of things. But as time- and female hosts- passed, he became more sympathetic to the plight of the women he had blended with. As his empathy grew, he drew heavily on the character of that first male host in order to deal with the emotions of the women who were being debased. It was a source of strength, fortitude, he called on to endure what had turned out to be an invaluable service to the Tok'ra resistance. He clung to that male persona as a means of offering encouragement, to help reinforce the confidence of his female hosts."

"Not to mention he would be able to give them incredible insight on how to please their masters," Landry added. "A means of helping them keep their status of 'favorite', which would give him more access to intel."

"Time and experience have given Qua'sel a keen wisdom, General. I'm finding him to be incredibly compassionate and sensitive. He's evolved into an extremely male persona who is in awe of the female gender. Taken on the strongest characteristics of both worlds, so to speak."

"Gives 'getting in touch with your feminine side' a whole new meaning," Landry grunted.

"Yes, Sir. Now, being inside a host as..." she hesitated and blushed just a bit, "Virile... as General O'Neill has reinforced the impressions of that initial host."

"Is he dangerous to Maddy?" Landry asked sharply.

Carter shook her head. "I don't think so, Sir. He adores her. If anything, I suspect his influence will have an enlightening effect on General O'Neill."

"An enlightened Hun," Landry muttered. "With controling influence over Jack O'Neill. Issue Maddy a zat, Colonel, and tell her to keep it on her at all times."

Chapter Forty Nine

"This is rather enjoyable," Qua'sel told Jack. "Once you get past the smell. I fail to understand how you can enjoy the odor of these creatures."

Summer had slammed into the mountains. They had gotten up early to ride before the heat became unbearable. Maddy was in the lead on the narrow trail.

'Breathe in the mountains, Quasi,' Jack suggested. 'The air is crisp, clean, fresh. I love it up here.'

"I like it when she is in front of us, O'Neill. A view far more delightful than mountains, rocks, and brush."

'Get used to the outdoors. I'm not gonna let you keep me shut inside all the time.'

"I have had my fill of living a harsh exsistence. Give me luxury, ease, shelter. Give me a soft seat and good food. Give me warmth I do not have to kindle, feed, then huddle next to as I choke on the emissions. Give me that woman, O'Neill."

Maddy reined in and waited for him to catch up. Her smile was easy.

"Elk," she said, pointing to a stand of pine in the distance.

Jack squinted and shielded his eyes with a hand. "I see them." He dropped his gaze back to her. "Take your shirt off."

"Why?" she raised her eyebrows at him.

"I like to see you without it. What will it take for you to ride back naked?"

"An act of God," she shot back dryly. She turned Taco and moved down the faint trail.

"I'll take mine off..." he called after her.

She flipped him the bird and kept riding.

"I want her," Qua'sel groaned into his mind. "Look how she straddles that animal. The strength of those legs, her confidence, her spirit... Watch how her hips sway. The weight of her breasts as they move- almost as if they have life of their own!"

'Two puppies wrestling under a blanket,' Jack agreed.

"Her every movement upon that creature is an erotic dance."

'Don't forget that hair. Makes a man want to dive in for a swim.'

"Take her now, O'Neill. Pull her off that creature and have her amid that patch of yellow flowers..."

'For once I agree with you, Quasi.'

"Give me control," he pleaded. "Just this once. Let me show you how she aches to be taken. I'll give you new and exciting ways to arouse and pleasure her."

'Not a chance! Look at the flowers. Admire the mountains. Smell the air. Let me enjoy Maddy without your help.'

They followed her down a steep slope.At the bottom, she put the huge gelding into a hard gallop. Jack reined in his horse and battled with her not to follow as he drank in the sight of his Maddy racing the wind. High peaks rose above them, enclosing them in the secluded little glen. Chimmy half-reared and pounded her front hooves in an excited cadence.

"Go after her! Run her down and drag her into the grass and take her! Our need is so great, so vast! Do not deny us this wild creature! Give us both release from the fire she fuels in us, O'Neill. She is yours, take her now."

Jack watched as Maddy arced the big horse around a clump of brush and headed back to him. Chimmy arched her neck and chomped nervously on the bit. Maddy's face was flushed, her eyes watering from the rush of wind.

"You're as wild and beautiful as these mountains, Maddy," he told her.

She flushed and her eyes were dancing. "It's such a gorgeous day!" Taco reared and she seemed to ignore him. "We should come camping up here some time."

"What are you waiting for?" Qua'sel demanded. "She wants us to take her! Look at the way her eyes sparkle and tease, the way her breasts push towards you. How can you resist those lips? Surprise her, startle her, so that she fights us. This woman loves to be dominated, to be taken without her consent. She wants to feel your need, your desperate passion. Show her how fiercely you desire her, O'Neill. Tell her you're jealous of the way she rides that creature, that we..."

'La la la la la. I'm not listening to you. La la la la...'

Maddy put Taco back up the slope and Jack let Chimmy follow.

"What are you doing? The opportunity has been lost! We..."

'Exactly!' Jack mentally shouted at him. 'We! You do not dictate when I make love to my wife!'

"You want her as well. Will you deny yourself to spite me?"

'I won't let you horn in on my woman!'

Qua'sel retreated into a sullen silence, but he let Jack feel his rage and frustration. Jack had to fight the emotions that were being forced upon him, struggle with the turmoil created by mixing the alien's feelings with his own. He kept well back from Maddy during the ride home, locked in an inner battle to keep his identity separate from the Tok'ra's. Qua'sel wasn't trying to take control but his emotions, his thoughts and ideas, were getting all tangled up with Jack's. The barn was in sight when he finally laid down the law to Qua'sel.

'Quasi, we get along for the most part. But Maddy still is, and always will be, off-limits to you. Keep that up, make me go through that again, and I'll take us away from her. I'll have us locked away to keep her safe- feel free to search my mind if you don't believe me!'

"If you leave her again she may not be so willing to accept you back. How many times can you expect her to forgive you?"

'It's doesn't matter. She's all that matters.'

He saw Maddy stand up in her stirrups, dig her cell phone out of her pocket, and hold it to her ear. He gigged Chimmy into a jog to catch up.

"Let me ask him," she said with a smile for him as he fell in beside her. "The kids are going dancing tonight. Take me?"

Qua'sel groaned at her choice of words.

"Sure," Jack smiled at her. 'Anything you want. Everything you want. Ask me for more, Maddy. I can't give you enough. You don't ask for enough.'

"I keep telling you what she wants," Qua'sel sniped.

She leaned sideways to give him a kiss on the cheek then spoke into the phone again.

"I twisted his arm. Listen, it's gonna be clear and hot tonight. Why don't I put some chicken breasts into marinade and we'll come back here for a late-night cookout afterwards? I bought these neat underwater light balls. They sink a couple feet below the surface and light up the water. We can have a midnight swim."

When Jack scowled at her she frowned back at him.

"See you there, about seven. Bye." She closed the phone and wrinkled her brow at Jack. "What's that look for?"

"Dragging the kids home with you again," he growled.

She studied him for a moment. "Maybe I'm lonesome," she said with deceptive quietness.

"What the hell does that mean?" he demanded.

The horses shifted restlessly, anxious to return to the barn.

"It means, Jack, that I need a distraction from constantly watching you carry on mental conversations that can't include me. Every time I want to talk to you, or make love to you, or ask what you want for supper, or play a hand of gin, I have to watch you discuss it with him first. And during. I'm trying, Jack, but I need a break from it. That's all. If you don't wanna join in, go to bed. Or go to the base. Do whatever he wants to do."

"If she knew what I wanted to do, she wouldn't dare to be so bitchy with us right now!"

'She's got a point,' Jack fumed. 'See what you've done?'

"Take her, O'Neill. She'll change her attitude. She's lonely. Show her it's all in her mind."

'It's all in my mind!'

"You're the male. She wants you to take control, wants you to force her to accept me. She wants you to make the decision for her. Pull her off that animal, take her hard and fast, show her who is in charge. It's what she needs from you, O'Neill. To feel your dominance. She will then make the effort to accept me- because you insist that she do it."

'I don't accept you, why should I insist she does?' He instantly felt the Tok'ra's hurt feelings, the overwhelming sense of not belonging, not being wanted. His abrupt loneliness. Qua'sel was trying, Jack understood that. He didn't mean to be a nuisanceand it worried the symbiote that he was such a burden to his host. Jack felt a sudden, overwhelming sensation of euphoria. Except for his mind being clear, it felt like he was riding an intense high. The sensation flooded into his body. He felt weightless, powerful, full of energy and stamina. He felt the afterglow he delighted in when Maddy made love to him, without being drained and exhausted.

'What are you doing?' he demanded of Qua'sel. He felt the symbiote pouting.

"I am trying to atone for your anger, O'Neill. Give you some small token of my gratitude. My abilities extend far beyond healing of the physical body. I am able to manipulate the places inside you that trigger joy, happiness, euphoria. I can even give you this."

The sensation that flooded through him was so intense, so incredibly exotic and erotic that Jack had to grab onto the saddle horn to keep from toppling. His every muscle had turned to jelly. He shuddered, unable to raise his head, and fought hard to bring his mind back under his own control. When he was able to look up,Maddy gave him a sadly pointed look and rode away. Jack let Chimmy follow.

'Don't do that again!' he raged at Qua'sel. He knew the Tok'ra's confusion, his dismay at Jack's reaction.

"Did you not enjoy my gift?"

'Read my mind, Quasi! I don't want anything from you.'

"You need to lighten up," the symbiote searched for words that would speak to Jack on his own level. "Why won't you accept the sensations I can offer? Did I take control of your mind? Did I harm you- or Madison? I simply wish to make my presence enjoyable for you, less of a burden. It is the technique the Gou'ald used to reward their hosts for obedience in spite of their conscience or disgust. It was the means I used to help my female hosts go willingly to their masters. There was no joy, no pleasure in what those Gou'ald did to them, and many of my hosts writhed in self-loathing. But I was able to turn disgust and abhorrence into a sensual delight that made their task bearable. I make no demands of you, O'Neill, and I have no ulterior motive. I offer it freely as a token of my appreciation."

'Don't want it, Quasi! Leave me alone.'

"Ahh, you fear becoming addicted to these sensations. Rest assured, O'Neill, what I am giving you will not affect your mental state. Except, perhaps, to allow you respite from your guilt, your worry. The chemical I am releasing is natural, already inside you. You will not begin to search out external means of recreating what I am doing for you. I can control that for you, too. I will take care of you, O'Neill. Many of the places I am stroking in your mind have nothing to do with the endorphins you fear becoming addicted to."

'I could become addicted anyway,' Jack argued. It had felt way too good. All those years of avoiding, despising, drug addiction and now this snake in his head was forcing him to be high!

"You injure me," Qua'sel moped. "Will you ever learn to trust my guardianship? Trust my motives? They are innocent and well-meaning."

Jack drew rein and turned the mare in a circle while he argued with Qua'sel. He wanted to be through it before he got near Maddy again. 'I don't want that from you. Any of it. Stop it.'

"You think if I can do that for you, it will deaden what you crave from Madison. I promise, O'Neill, I will not allow that to happen. If anything, I can enhance what you feel with her. Now there's an addiction we both could enjoy."

'Qua'sel...!' Jack raged silently.

"Open your mind to the possibility," he coaxed. "I can make your time together so intense, so incredibly powerful for you both. You need to make her accept me, O'Neill. Demand that she open her mind to this blending for her own pleasure, her own euphoria. I can show you, teach you, how to play her body and mind so that she feels what I just gave to you. But she has to accept that we are both..."

'I do not, I will not, dictate to Maddy what to think, what to accept. And I will not allow you to come between us, Quasi. Back off or you'll find yourself swimming in a tank at Area 51.'

"An empty threat at best," he shot back arrogantly. "The Tau'ri have no means of removing a symbiote."

'But you know how, don't you?" Jack fumed. "It's in my head somewhere, I just have to find it. I will, if you don't leave me alone about Maddy.'

Jack knew Qua'sel could sense his determination. He felt the alien's retreat, his remorse.

"I am sorry we are in conflict, O'Neill. I will remember my place. Except for Madison, we are well suited, are we not? Am I so difficult to live with? We laugh, we talk, we share similar emotions. I sense your reluctance yet for this blending and I am grateful for your patience, your persistence, when your instinct is to do whatever it takes to have me removed. I beg your indulgence until another host can be located."

'Just back off Maddy.'

"I understand that if it were not for Madison's influence over you, you would never have rescued me from certain death. Your abhorrence for our race, for blending at it's most basic level, is an emotion imbedded deeply in your psyche."

'She's made me soft.'

"She's given you a new outlook on life. Her gentleness and ability to love, to forgive and accept, is driving you to be a better man for her sake. Give me permission to speak to her on your behalf."

'No.'

"She is anxious to understand why you have made this choice that is such a strain on you both. I can explain it to her. I can put into words emotions and incentives you find hard to express."

Jack let the mare head for the barn but kept her to a fast walk.

"You are afraid I'll tell her about the Lucians you executed."

'You're on thin ice, Snakehead.'

"Ouch." The symbiote let Jack feel the impact his insult had on him. "I was only bringing to the surface your greatest fear in this blending so that I can reassure you. I make you this vow, here and now, upon the souls of my many ancestors- I will never reveal to Madison your darkest secret."

Jack ignored the earnest promise. "I'm done arguing with you. Leave me alone now, so I can be with Maddy."

Jack reined up beside Taco and stepped out of the saddle.

"You are a stubborn creature, O'Neill."

"Shut up, Quasi."

Maddy hadn't started unsaddling Taco. She was leaning on the puppy pen, lost in thought. Jack exchanged Chimmy's bridle for a halter and tied her before he walked up and rested his chin on Maddy's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Babe." He snaked his arms around her. "You're first in my life. I'm sorry this thing is in my head and I'll get it out as soon as I can. Just don't let me drive a wedge between us."

"I know, Jack. It's not your fault. I just can't wrap my mind around him being in there talking to you and asking questions and... and feeling stuff that is different from you. Sam and I had a long talk and she tried to explain it." She took a deep breath but didn't turn to look at him. "Let me speak to him. Help me to understand what it's like, what he's like. He's a part of us now. Give me a chance to accept his... presence, so I don't let it come between us."

She was shouldering the responsibility. For him. Again. Jack tried not to let her feel his reaction. She turned in his arms and searched his face.

"Are you afraid he'll tell me something you don't want me to hear?"

"All he could say is how much I love you. How grateful I am that you didn't let me screw us up permanently."

"That's past, Jack. Let it go."

"I'll never forget it, Maddy. You're too good for me. I don't deserve you, and you don't deserve this. I have no right to expect you to deal with it."

"Be a man! Don't grovel! Don't beg her understanding- tell her. She expects you to guide her feelings."

"Hardly the point, is it?" she asked evenly. "It's here, it's a part of our lives."

"IT? I've been with you how long now, and she still refers to me as an IT?"

She kissed his chin. "Have I told you how proud I am of you for doing this? How awesome it was of you to rescue Qua'sel the way you did? You're one hell of a man, O'Neill. But," she moved away and began unsaddling the horse, "Know how frustrated you get with the kids? Know how angry you were when Daniel and Cam walked in on us? I feel that every single moment, now."

"Don't talk, act. She'll accept me if you tell her she must. Let me speak to her. Let me introduce my self as something more than an unknown, unseen, inanimate IT."

Jack sighed. "There's no end to your patience, is there?"

Her smile was crooked. "We're fixing to find that out, me thinks. I'm sorry for snapping at you. You don't need me to be a bitch on top of all you've got going on inside your head. You need my support- not grief from me over it. Forgive me? I'll try to do better for you."

"Take her," Qua'sel whispered.

"You amaze me, Maddy," he said softly. "You're not mortal, are you? Come on, you can tell me. You're really an angel, aren't you?"

She laughed. "Not hardly, O'Neill. Especially when you look at me the way you are right now. Such a handsome devil you are, with that killer smile and all those erotic ideas twinkling in your eyes." She dropped the leathers and leaned across the saddle to stare into his eyes. "It's actually a good thing that Qua'sel is in there working his magic healing powers on your body. I'm still working off that year's worth of sexual frustration and I plan to take every bit of it out on you, every chance I get. I might have hurt you if he wasn't in there repairing you as fast as I take you apart."

Jack swallowed and raised his eyebrows at her. He was instantly on fire, and the tingle that shot through him had nothing to do with Qua'sel.

"Ahhhh...!" The symbiote was squirming, twitching, trying his best to contain his desire to force Jack into giving them both release.

Jack knew Maddy had no clue she was inciting two male libidos in one body, had no idea of the riot she was causing. He stalked around the horse, intent written all over his face. Maddy darted under Taco's neck and kept the horse between them.

"Put Taco's saddle away. I'll do Chimmy."

"I wanna do you. Now," he growled.

"That symbiote has dulled your seduction skills, O'Neill," she taunted. "Guess I'll have to give you a refresher course."

He narrowed his eyes at her. The irritation he felt was not his own and he needed to buy time before he touched her.

"I'm a blank slate, Maddy. Write whatever you want. In short sentences. No big words."

She laughed at him and turned to Chimmy. Jack pushed Qua'sel into a far corner of his mind and concentrated on Maddy. He needed to change the subject, needed to get both of his minds off the thrill of anticipation. He had to be sure, when he touched her, that he was in full control. And she was working on the complete opposite. He understood what she wanted from him- and he was more than willing to give it to her- but not until he could separate his drive from Qua'sel's. The symbiote understood as well and did his best to quiet his emotions for Jack's sake, but he could no more magically erase his lust than Jack could.

Jack recognized that his unquenchable need for Maddy- everything about her, everything she gave him- had been tripled by a year's worth of panic at having lost her. It was staggering to realize that she was filling those same needs for Qua'sel- after centuries of craving what she now provided.

"I'm trying, O'Neill," Qua'sel fumed. "But she isn't helping. Distract her, anger her so that she forgets the desire that is driving us both mad. We can spark it again anytime we choose, but if you want me to control myself you have to help."

Jack slipped the saddle off Taco's back and carried it to the rack, then went back for Chimmy's. He was searching his mind for a benign topic of conversation.

"So. Has Loki been back?"

Maddy shot him a confused look. Jack felt awful when she seemed wounded by his abrupt distance.

"Uh, no." She hesitated, tried to adapt to his sudden withdrawal. "The device has been working fine."

"He'll keep away if he knows what's good for him," Jack growled. "I'm still primed to wring his scrawny neck."

Maddy gently slipped off Chimmy's bridle and gave the horse an affectionate caress.

"Don't hold it against him, Jack. I don't. It all turned out for the best."

He whirled on her. "What? You can't mean that you're glad he stuck that experiment inside your brain? Used you as a guinea pig?"

He watched as Maddy turned both horses out into the pasture then took a moment to fiddle with the gate latch. When she looked up at him her eyes were so clear, her face so serene, that Jack got a warm tingle. He knew it was the sunlight that caused her to be bathed in a golden aura, but it rattled him nonetheless. He hadn't been teasing earlier; he really did believe she was an angel.

"When that Lucian attacked me," she began slowly, "The end result was you sending me to Bra'tac." She stooped down to pick up an errant strand of baling twine. "In the course of things- that couldn't have happened any other way- I was able to introduce those Jaf'fa to God. You know how I felt about that."

He did. She saw her trauma as a means to His end and she had accepted it with such grace and humility that Jack had been overwhelmed. Her faith was a part of why he could never live up to her. She had turned a horrible, life-threatening event into something spiritually uplifting.

His reaction had been to commit murder.

"I admire you for that, Maddy. I love you for it."

"If Loki hadn't implanted this device, would Atlantis have been saved from the Repli-Wraith?"

He gave her a blank stare. She looked down at the twine.

"I'm not sure how we would have moved those drones," he admitted. "Or moved them fast enough to find the fresh ZPM that powered the chair..."

She looked directly into his eyes. "Everything happens for a reason, Jack. He used me- used us, as a team- to prevent a horror beyond belief. Then He let me use this device to save you, after you'd saved Atlantis. How can I hold that against Loki?"

Jack had to sit down. Luckily there was a bale of hay handy.

Unyielding, unquestioning faith had been what had given her the courage to stand in that cavern and let him finish his job before beaming them both to safety. She had stared death in the face because she loved him, accepting that a will greater than theirs was at work; accepting that whatever the outcome, it would be the right one.

And he had divorced her for it.

"And she forgave you that, too," Qua'sel murmured.

"I know," Jack muttered, disgusted with himself for not seeing the forest for the trees. He hadn't meant to say it out loud. Maddy's reaction to his tone made him curse the Tok'ra.

"I was talking to..." He stopped when she turned away. "Maddy, I was listening to you. Quasi commented and I answered him, but I was listening to you."

"It's alright, Jack."

She had bared an intimate, personal part of her soul to him and she thought he was distracted. More interested in what Qua'sel was saying to him than what she was. Jack felt like screaming.

Maddy hung the twine on a nail and came to stand in front of him. She splayed her fingers on either side of his head and gave him one of her special, mind-blowing kisses.

"Never mind, Honey," she said softly. "It's all behind us. I just want to be in your arms, in your life. I want to feel safe and special and desired. I just want you." A slow, foxy smile eased across her lips. "I want you naked, on that fur, with the ceiling fan blowing cool air across our bodies. I want to feel you pressing me deep into that exquisite softness, feel your strength, your passion..." She coaxed him up and ran her hands over his chest. "I want to dance with you tonight, feel your hands on me, I want to tease you and arouse you..."

"Then drag the kids home with you."

"It's not like I asked them to stay overnight. It'll give me more time to excite you, torment you. By the time they leave, I'll have you tight enough to do that Wipe Out drum solo..."

"Look, Mom, no hands?" he grinned.

"And no drumsticks." She lifted his wrist and looked at his watch. "We have time to eat before we get ready to go. I'm fresh outta oysters- ham sandwich do the trick?"

He brushed the backs of his knuckles over her nipple. "Let me take you out to eat. That'll give me time to make love to you before we leave."

Her eyes sparkled devilishly and she stood on tip toes to kiss his nose. "Nope. Wait for it."

"Why?" he demanded petulantly.

"I'm not your wife yet," she taunted. "You'll get it when I feel like giving it to you."

"Or I take it," he growled.

"Yes! Take her now! She's begging for it!"

"You don't have the control it takes to let the anticipation build," she goaded. "Remember how it felt on Nirrti's planet?"

"I wanted you then, but I didn't know what I was missing. Now that I've had a taste," he shook his head. "I've got a whole damned year to make up for. It's gonna take at least three before I can go more than a couple hours without."

"That two weeks on the base must have been hell," she laughed.

"It was," he said heavily.

"Well, tonight you're gonna wait for it," she said airily.

"She dares you! Can she ask for it any more plainly? Can you be anymore dense, O'Neill? Take her now! Again in the shower, and once more before we leave! How can you resist her? I cannot, I need her this instant. Give me satisfaction if you don't want it for yourself! I'm going out of our mind with wanting her! Those lips, those breasts, those legs...! This magnificent creature gives us pleasure beyond words and you stand there bantering with her?"

"Is that right?" he asked with a slow grin twisting his mouth. "Tell you what, Gorgeous, betcha I can hold out longer than you can."

"What are you doing?"

"You're on! What'll I get when I win?"

His leer made her blanche.

"I'll tell you want I want..."

"In specific detail, I hope."

She made a face at him. "When I win, we start looking for a miniature stud to buy."

His eyebrows shot up. "You wanna breed Diamond?"

"Why not? She's nearly old enough. But I want a really tiny stud, with good bloodlines and perfect conformation. And a gorgeous head. You're gonna shell out big-time, Fella."

"No problem, cause when I win you're gonna tell the kids to keep away next weekend. You're gonna undress on Friday after work and not get dressed again until work on Monday. You're gonna spend the entire weekend being my sex slave. You'll shave me, wash me, feed me, and pleasure me around the clock."

By the time he was finished she was breathing hard.

"Can I trade you wagers?" she asked softly.

"Nope. How do we define a win?"

"When one of us breaks," she shrugged.

"You'll be naked by then because you play dirty, so whoever tackles the other first and ends up on top?"

She bit her lip and thought about it. "Naw, too easy. I'll have that won before we leave the barn. Let's line it out this way: If I can break you before dawn- say, five AM- I win. If you can stand what I'm gonna dish out for you until five-oh-one by the bedroom clock, you win."

"Oh, Baby, you're on! It's a win-win situation for me."

"Oh, no it isn't," she warned. "I'm gonna wind you so tight... Have you shaking so badly you can't hold a half-full glass of water without spilling it all over yourself." She stuck out her hand. "Do we have a bet, special forces, black ops trained flyboy?" When he took her hand, she shook it then raised it to her lips and gently raked her teeth over his knuckles.

Jack started to tremble. "Bring it on, Sweet Stuff."

"This is madness," Qua'sel quavered. "Take her now and be done with it! You'll never win such a foolish wager anyway. Buy her a whole flock of the small, obnoxious creatures and consider it small return for the release we so desperately need this instant!"

'Just lay down, be quiet, and watch.'

"I do not comprehend this ridiculous wish to torture yourself! Why play such silly games when you can simply have her at will?"

'Think about an entire weekend...'

"He's talking to you, isn't he?" Maddy asked, blushing. "I keep forgetting he's in there listening."

Jack waved it off as unimportant.

"What's he saying?"

"He's a cranky old man who's got several lifetimes of sexual frustration built up. He wants to get his fill before he croaks, so he's pestering me to throw the bet and seduce you right here on the barn floor."

She turned away from him. "What's he look like?"

"At the moment," Jack told her dryly, "He looks a hell of a lot like me."

"Well, he can't complain about that. What's he sound like? I mean, does he have a voice?"

"He has my voice, Maddy. Even inside my head."

"So... how can you tell if it's your thought or his?"

"That's not a problem," he assured her.

"If he takes control of you... will I know? I mean, can he hide it from me?"

"You'd know because I'd be fighting him tooth and nail. It would make me act funny. You'd pick up on the signs. I trust you to figure it out, Maddy. You know me too well for him to fool you for very long."

"What do I do if it happens?"

"Reassure her, O'Neill. Tell her it's all hypothetical. All in her head. There's no need to fuss. Tell her I have no motive to do such a thing, to jeopardize this glorious life I'm living for as much of it as I have left. Tell her while you're undressing her, tell her around a mouthful of those delicious breasts."

"You zat me, you shoot me, you hit me over the head with an iron skillet. You do whatever it takes to put me down and keep me there until somebody from SG-1 can come take me into custody. Don't hesitate, don't question yourself. Even if you misjudge something you thought you saw, don't take the chance. I'm trusting you to do this, Maddy. My life is in your hands. I'd rather heal from a nasty wound than let him take control of me. Got it?"

"You wound me, O'Neill. Is there no trust between us?"

'No.'

"I promise, Jack," she told him as she moved into his arms. She laid a row of soft kisses across his lower lip.

"I thought we had a bet," he breathed, trying desperately not to kiss her.

"We do," she whispered. "Game on!"

Chapter Fifty

Jack glanced at his watch and groaned. Only two-fifteen. He was gonna lose this bet the next time she brushed up against him.

She had pulled out all the stops, starting the moment they stepped out of the barn. She had begun undressing as they walked towards the lodge, absently handing him the clothing she was peeling off. When she draped her bra over his shoulder, Qua'sel nearly went through himself. She had undressed him in the livingroom, letting her hands wander freely until he thought he would burst into flames.

"Shower with me?" she had taunted him. "Wash my back, wash my hair?"

He had complied, mustering all his wits to maintain control. It was doubly hard when he had to battle Qua'sel every bit as much as Maddy.

'Let this be a lesson to you, Quasi. I can take you both on and win.'

In his mind's eye he could picture the Tok'ra writhing on his back, beating his fists on the ground. More than winning the bet with Maddy, he became stubbornly determined to prove to Qua'sel he was master of his own body.

He had stretched out on the bed and watched her dress. She had begun by slipping on a black lace garter belt. Then she worked on a pair of silk stockings, propping her foot on the bed beside him to hook them to the old fashioned clips. She had paused a moment to caress his feet, nestling them one at a time between her breasts as she stroked them from instep to ankle, telling him they needed to be pampered before she danced them off tonight. She had nipped at his ankle, kissed his instep, sucked on his toes.

He had wrapped his fists in the sheet and reminded himself why he was holding back.

When she had slipped the sexy black dress over her head without bothering to don bra or panties, Jack knew he was beat. It was only a matter of time.

She had danced with him like there was nobody else in the club. The thin material of the dress left little to his imagination, and she made sure his hands didn't forget the lack of clothing underneath. She had eyes only for him, and politely refused all offers to dance with anyone else. She had kissed him softly, nipped at his neck, blew into his ear, ran her fingers through his hair. Her hands had waged a subtle, discreet war that only the two of them understood. When they had rested between sets, she had turned sideways in the booth and draped both silk-clad legs across his lap. Her eyes bored into his, daring him to take her home, daring him to take her, period.

He had stuck to soda, not wanting so much as one drop of alcohol impairing his ability to maintain control.

Qua'sel had stopped badgering him. The symbiote's sullen, smouldering, emotion was nearly as hard to deal with as his vocal insistence had been.

SG-1 had observed the by-play with open grins.

"Are you sure you want us to come to the lodge?" Carter had asked Maddy.

"Absolutely," Maddy had responded airily, ignoring Jack's dark look.

And here they were, all five of them, laughing, eating, drinking, swimming, and running gleeful interference for Maddy. They didn't know about the bet, but if Maddy was up to something SG-1 would back her play without question.

He watched Maddy draw Carter aside and speak to her. A moment later both women headed inside the lodge. Jack started to follow but Maddy put her hand on his chest and gently but firmly stopped him. Closing the sliding glass door in his face was a signal he couldn't miss. He watched them disappear into the bedroomand wondered what was up.

"Sam..." Maddy hesitated as she spread the fur blanket over the mattress. "If Qua'sel were to be removed, could you keep him alive outside a host?"

Carter helped her to smooth out the fur, letting her hands drift over the intense softness. "We can keep them alive for a short time in a specialized tank. It's got to have a mild electrical current running through it. We've considered asking Thor if he could be put into stasis, but we still don't have a means of removing him without harming him... or the general."

Maddy toyed with the clock, then sat down. "I think I could beam him out."

Carter sat down and studied her friend. "It's entirely possible. And probably wouldn't harm the general. Why, Maddy? Is something bothering you? Does something seem... not quite right?"

Maddy shrugged. "Not so far, but I just have this feeling." She sighed. "Jack always bitches at me for over-thinking things, for trying to fix problems before they happen. ...What if I beamed him into the lake? Isn't that their natural habitat?"

"It is, for wild symbiote. I doubt one the age of Qua'sel would survive out there, though. And he'd be hard as hell to retrieve if he didn't want to be retrieved."

"I wouldn't want to hurt him. But, Sam, if Jack gets into trouble I won't hesitate to try."

Carter raised her eyebrows.

"Could we set up a holding tank here? One that would preserve him, keep him comfortable until another host can be found?"

"Maddy, it's not likely we'll find a host. The SGC has pretty much decided against an Earth host. General O'Neill knows way too much... about way too much. We're looking for a Tok'ra who might help us, but for now it looks like the general either keeps him until he dies of old age, or Qua'sel steps out of line and we're forced to take more drastic measures. Though what those measures could be are still open-ended. He's still providing us with priceless intel..."

"The tank, Sam. Is it possible?"

"Possible, but not probable. What do you want to do, Maddy, have his coffin sitting there waiting for him?"

Maddy grimaced. "That's what it would be, wouldn't it?"

"He might not have the strength to blend again, even if we did find a host."

"Jack says he's healing all his aches and pains, but it takes a lot out of him, takes him a long time to recover. Could... could regular tropical fish live in that special tank?"

Sam stared at her. "Set it up like a regular fish tank, have it on hand without either of them suspecting what it's for?"

Maddy nodded. "The special equipment, necessary chemicals, couldn't we keep them somewhere else until- if- it comes to that?"

"Sure. He'd survive an hour or so in fresh water. Do you want to do this?"

"I do. I'm certain. Could you put it together, then..." She snapped her fingers. "You and Daniel could set it up when we're not home. Put a bow on it and say it's a wedding present."

Sam nodded. "I'll take care of everything. Maddy, you can't breathe a word of this to the general. You can't even hint at it- Qua'sel will pick up on it instantly."

"I know. Tell me again what it's like. Having a Tok'ra implanted in your brain."

Carter grimaced. "I wasn't blended for long, but Dad had Selmak for quite a while..."

When they finally went back onto the deck, Jack sensed a decided change in Maddy. Her playful seduction was forced at first, but she warmed to her task and soon had him too aroused and focused on her to think about it.

Qua'sel had steamed out of his self-imposed seclusion as well. Jack sensed the Tok'ra's raging passion was well beyond the breaking point and he promised him release was at hand.

SG-1 finally began drifting to their cars around four AM. As the headlights swung past the windows and faded from sight she turned the full force of her charm on him. She rested her hands on his shoulders and kissed his chin.

"Help me outta this dress?"

"Not for another hour."

She slipped her fingers along his scalp and rubbed noses with him. "If you want that weekend so badly, you can have it. Just make love to me, Jack."

He shook his head. "That would be losing the bet, now wouldn't it?"

"Take her, damn it! Take her! Take her now!"

She guided his hand down to the hem of her skirt. "Take it off for me."

He smoothed his hand back up her side and she led it to her breast. He caught her nipple between his knuckles. She shivered and sighed into his ear.

"I love it when you do that. Don't stop. Don't stop there, Jack." She sucked on his earlobe. "I'd love to give you a sucker bite where you've never had one before. Tell me where that is, Jack. Where do you want my lips, my tongue?" She kissed along his jaw then nipped at his lips. "The bottom of your foot? Back of your knee? The back of your thigh?"

He was shaking so badly he thought his teeth would start to chatter. "All of them- next weekend."

"Make a list and I'll fill it for you right now. The inside of your thigh. Higher, maybe?"

She took his hand and led him to the railing. Resting her elbows on the top, she leaned over and peered down into the water.

"I love those lights," she said quietly. "The fish are attracted to them."

Jack eyed her bottom, the way the material draped and clung to her curves. He couldn't help letting hand wander over her.

"Right here, right now!" Qua'sel demanded urgently. "Before she moves again. There's nothing in our way, nothing to slow us down. I can't stand this a moment longer, O'Neill, and neither can you! She's baiting you, teasing you, daring you to take her right where she stands."

His fingers curled into her rump and she pushed back against him. He gathered up a fist full of her skirt. She straightened abruptly and turned to into him for a kiss.

"Vixen!" Qua'sel groaned inside his head. "Make her pay for that! Push her back onto the rail and don't hesitate this time!"

She wrapped her hands in his shirt and slowly backed inside the lodge, coaxing him along with her. "I put the fur on the bed. Are you gonna make me enjoy it all by myself?"

He shot a glance at the clock on the mantle. Four-twenty three. He risked a long kiss. Maddy unfastened his pants and inched them down so slowly he could have screamed his frustration. Her dress came off a lot faster. She glued herself against him and kissed him the way he loved so much. She slipped the buttons on his shirt, kissing, nipping, teasing his nipples with her tongue. The shirt fell to the floor and her nails dug into his shoulders.

"Will you take me hard and fast, or slow and easy?" she murmured into his ear. "I want to feel your hands in my hair, Jack, I want to feel you lose control."

She started them walking towards the bedroom, backing him up with her body, moulding herself along his length, working her knee between his and letting their thighs rub. "The couch is so much closer. I want you, Jack. Make me dig in my nails. Make me moan, make me scream. I can't stand another minute. I swear I'm gonna melt into a puddle of twitching nerves if you don't make love to me soon."

He glanced pointedly at his watch. Four forty-five. Maddy raked off the watch and tossed it onto the couch, then kissed his wrist. Jack gave in to the need to have his hands on her.

"Tell me what you want me to do," she whispered. "Anything you want. I'm all yours. Show me."

Jack stopped long enough to kiss her again and groaned deep in his chest when she sucked his tongue into her mouth and worried it with her own.

Qua'sel was pounding on his brain.

Jack buried his hands in her hair and gave in to the passion she'd been twisting and stretching into a volatile ball of raw intensity. The mantle clock read four-fifty six. He swept her into the bedroom and threw her onto the fur covered bed. He pinned her with his body and bit her neck.

"Four minutes, Maddy," he grated. "Not a second sooner!"

"Really?" she panted, urging him on. "Be the longest four minutes of your life."

He slowly let go of the grip he'd been keeping since that afternoon. She was doing all the right things, all the things she knew drove him wild. Qua'sel was quivering and dancing and groaning inside his head. Barely able to breathe he raised his head for one last look at the bedroom clock.

Four-thirty.

Four-thirty?

"Oh, no you don't!" he thundered at her.

Maddy laughed up at him. "The bet was 'five AM by the bedroom clock'.

He knotted both fists into the pillow on either side of her head. "What color stud do you want?" Maddy cried out and wrapped herself around him, arching into him, her body as anxious, as determined as his. She dug her fingers into his hair and dragged his head up so she could watch his face.

Jack's eyes flashed in the darkness and began glowing.

Maddy screamed.

Chapter Fifty One

Jack felt himself being pushed back, felt like he was being shoved down and stepped on.

'No! No no no!' Jack bellowed soundlessly. 'You bastard, back off! I'll kill you for this!'

Maddy was fighting now, desperate, terrified. She raked at his eyes and twisted beneath him. Jack saw her horror, could taste her revulsion and terror, could feel the pain she was inflicting on the body he no longer controlled. He fought along with her, tried to protect her from inside his own head. It felt like he'd been wrapped in a straight jacket, strapped tightly and tied down. He screamed for her, raged at Qua'sel, but nothing could stop the Tok'ra.

Through his haze of fury and fear, he understood the Tok'ra was not hurting her, wished her no harm or discomfort. But he knew his determination, the force of passion too long suppressed.

'You're dead,' he fumed helplessly. 'I'm gonna kill you. I'm gonna rip you apart, scale by scale. You've done it now, Qua'sel. Bastard Tok'ra, I never did trust a one of you! This is how you repay me. Back-stabbing snakehead, you're no better than the Gou'ald. You're dead, do you hear me, dead!'

Maddy was still struggling. Jack felt Qua'sel slowly regaining control over his driving lust. He sensed conscious thought returning to the Tok'ra being, and he watched the results with nearly as much horror and fury as the initial onslaught had inspired.

"Shh, shh, shh, Maddy," Qua'sel murmured to her in Jack's voice. "Easy, Beautiful. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm going to show you, I'm going to love you the way you deserve. Hush now and don't fight me."

Jack listened to him mix in words he would use and he knew Maddy was becoming confused. Her efforts to free herself began to diminish, and as Qua'sel began systematically engaging literally hundreds of years of experience as a courtesan, he watched her begin to respond.

Qua'sel combined the enhancements that were the Ancients' legacy to Jack with an insight that bordered on sadistic to take Maddy to pinnacles that defied logic. He watched helplessly while the Tok'ra waltzed his wife through the stars, had her writhing in ecstacy, shuddering helplessly with sheer erotic pleasure. He watched her black out time and again, watched Qua'sel play her body and mind, knowing when to let her rest, knowing when to allow her nerve ends to relax, knowing the right moment to stop and restart so that sensitivity did not deaden. He felt the Tok'ra's own intermittent satisfaction, felt his body's release, felt the symbiote restore and renew his strength. But more than that, he felt Qua'sel's intense satisfaction at the maelstrom of sensual pleasure he was providing for Maddy.

He felt the Tok'ra falling in love with his wife.

It was well into the afternoon before Maddy gave out and fell into a deep, exhausted, sleep.

Jack felt drained himself. He marveled that her mind and body had been able to withstand the marathon as long as she had, and knew it was the Tok'ra's expertise that had kept her going. He was filled with an intense, hate-filled jealousy towards Qua'sel. Not just that he had forced Jack back to enjoy his wife. Not just that he had fallen in love with her with an intensity that rivaled Jack's own emotion. But Jack wondered how he would ever measure up to the standard Qua'sel had just imprinted on his fiery wife. After being handled the way the Tok'ra handled her, Jack knew he would pale in comparison.

And he seethed with loathing.

Qua'sel took his body into the shower and stood beneath the spray.

"I can feel your hatred," he said to Jack. "Do not be so bitter."

Jack stubbornly refused to answer.

"I have taught you much today. See that you don't forget."

He finished showering and laid down beside Maddy, curling around her to sleep.

'Give me back control of my body,'Jack demanded.

"I will. When your anger has ebbed and we can have a reasonable conversation. We both need rest."

With that Qua'sel drifted off to sleep. Jack seethed helplessly as his body and the other consciousness controlling it both rested.

Hours later Qua'sel roused and ran a lovingly tender caress over Maddy's back. He rose, dressed, and ate.

'Damn you,' Jack railed.

"Do you not see the benefit of my regenerative powers? Did you not learn how to finally love your wife as she so richly deserves? How can you still be angry at me? What man could possibly tempt her away from you now? Did you not gain as much pleasure from the experience as I did?"

'I want my body back.'

"In due time." He walked back into the bedroom and slumped into a chair where he could watch Maddy sleep.

'Now, Qua'sel, before she wakes up and shoots us.'

The Tok'ra chuckled. "She will fall to her knees and worship us," he told him arrogantly. "It will be days before she dares to arouse us again, but once the shock wears off she will come seeking more of what we can give her. Observe and learn, O'Neill, for the time when I am no longer with you. The day will come when you understand the gift I am bestowing upon you in return for your compassion in my time of need."

'Bullshit. You're in love with her!'

"Ah, yes. Yes I am. It is a delightful feeling. Such exotic turmoil, such elation, such incredible happiness. I have waited hundreds of your years for this experience. Our Madison was well worth the wait, well worth the years of loneliness and frustration."

'You aren't gonna be so damned happy when she wakes up,' Jack warned.

"She will still be riding the high of the intense pleasure we gave her. There will be no room in her heart or mind for resentment. We need to provide a meal for her. Bathe her in rose scented water. Rub warmed oil into her skin. We will comb her hair with our fingers and tell her how beautiful she is, how delightful. We will carry her today, O'Neill, not allow her feet to once touch the floor."

'You don't know Maddy. You might have my memories, but you haven't learned enough.'

"Ah, the very young. I am a learned student of the inner workings of the mind, the heart. Trust me, O'Neill, her love for us will transcend her uncertainty."

'You think you can use her to convince me to let you stay in my body!' Jack accused.

"It was not my goal, but if it is the outcome then I shall be quite pleased."

'What's your plan, Snakehead? You love her one night and I get her the next? Go to hell!'

"I fail to understand your reluctance," the Tok'ra sniffed. "It is a rare occurrence, a unique circumstance, that both host and symbiote feel the same about a mate. It is not uncommon for a blended union to pass control of the body to accommodate their partner's lovers. Madison would never accept your body participating in my seduction of another woman- Colonel Carter for instance. No, O'Neill, you must consider my love for Madison an asset to our existence, to your marriage."

'Give me back control!'

To Jack utter surprise Qua'sel complied. Jack stretched his jaws and moved his fingers to prove to himself he was once again master of his body.

"You see? I have no desire to wrest control of this body on a permanent basis. Let this be the beginning of trust between us. Between the three of us. I could be quite useful to you, O'Neill, if you would only open your mind to the blending and all it can offer."

'Don't push me, Qua'sel.'

"Do not make idle threats," the Tok'ra warned gently. "After all, what can you do? Unless I leave willingly, the Tau'ri have no means of extracting me- alive or dead. Is it not better to live in accord rather than in a constant state of conflict?"

'You do that again and I'll kill us both.'

"You will not. Your will to live is strong. Madison gives it resilience, purpose. Accept this, O'Neill. Would you rather I blended with Daniel Jackson? Take control of his body to enjoy Madison? No, O'Neill, this is the only blending that will work for us both."

'I'll have us locked away.'

"You will not. Two weeks away from her, away from this home you cherish, was more than you could bear. You will rationalize our existence in order to be here, with her."

Maddy stirred. Jack watched her shiver then stretch. Her head whipped around abruptly and her eyes found him. She blushed furiously and darted for the bathroom. He noticed her uneven gait, her unsteadiness on legs that were still weak and trembling.

"Follow her, hold her. Let her know you don't hold her to blame for enjoying what I gave her."

Jack didn't budge. Qua'sel didn't understand why he was bracing himself for her fury, why he was rehearsing apologies and reassurance in his mind. The shower came on and remained on for a very long time. Jack knew she was trying to regain her composure, trying to wash away the feeling of having cheated on him, of feeling dirty, and he cursed the Tok'ra.

"I do not understand," Qua'sel told him. "More, you do not understand. How could she resent the pleasure I gave her? It was your body that took her to such heights. My only mistake was in allowing her to see your eyes glow. That was selfish of me. I wanted her to know, wanted to take credit for the way I knew I could make her feel. She will come to terms with us. She will learn to love me as she does you. You will have to accept it, O'Neill, when she begins to request my presence. You would do well to bow back gracefully instead of resenting that."

Maddy returned, wrapped in a towel. Without looking at him she wordlessly pointed at the door.

"Maddy, it's me. He gave me back control. We need to talk about this."

Her look told him she didn't believe him. He ran his eyes over her body. There didn't appear to be a single patch of skin that didn't bear some trace of Qua'sel's ardor. Her lips were swollen and red, her neck, shoulders, and back covered in love bites, teeth marks, pink splotches. Her legs, her arms were no different. He knew her breasts had to be sore and further speculation caused him to swallow dryly.

"I'm sorry, Maddy. I fought him... Are you alright?"

"Just go, Jack. Leave me alone for awhile."

He studied her for another moment then reluctantly left. She closed the door behind him, and he heard the lock click into place. Jack paced. He made a pot of coffee and drank half of it. Hours passed. He did his best to cook a meal for her, then tapped on the door.

"Come eat, Maddy. See if you can choke down my attempt at dinner."

He was surprised when the door opened. Her eyes touched on his briefly then slid away as she slipped past him. She was wearing one of her knee-length T shirts and he understood the discomfort that kept her from wearing anything underneath. He followed her into the kitchen and poured her a cup of coffee before taking a slightly watery stew from the oven. It was half gone when she first spoke.

"Not too bad, Jack. Thank you."

"You worked up quite an appetite."

The startled, wounded look she gave him met with stoic determination.

"We have to discuss this, Maddy. We can't let it fester out of control."

Tears sprang into her eyes. "I don't know if I can." She put down her fork and went into the livingroom. Jack followed and sat down on the couch beside her.

"That was quite a night you had," he began gently.

She closed her eyes and turned her head away from him.

"It's alright that you enjoyed it, Maddy. He worked hard to make it good for you. I'm jealous as all hell that he could do that for you, but you had no choice in the matter."

She swallowed hard. "It seemed like you, but..."

"I know, Babe. My voice, my body. Didn't I tell you you'd be able to tell if he ever took control?"

She grunted sarcastically. Jack took her hand and when she didn't snatch it away, he raised it to his lips.

"You'll throw stones at me after last night."

Her eyes flew to his. "No way! I love the way you love me, Jack. Everything he did..." her face turned dark red but she forced the words out, "Felt... But it wasn't you. I'd trade a lifetime of that for ten minutes in your arms."

Jack closed his eyes and pressed his face into her palm. "Did he hurt you. At all. At any point?"

"No."

"Don't lie to me," he warned, raising his head to stare into her eyes.

"I'm not."

"He's in love with you."

"I take most of the blame, Jack."

"WHY?"

"I drove him to it. I asked for it. I tormented you, teased you mercilessly. I wanted from you exactly what he gave me."

"Then I would have disappointed you."

"Never. Impossible. But I didn't take him into consideration when I was..."

"It's not your responsibility. You never have to worry about pleasing- or displeasing- him."

"The few instances when I could actually think... I wondered if you were... If you felt any of... I knew you had to be there, but did you... get anything out of it?"

"Are you asking me if I'm still as horny as I was?"

She nodded miserably.

"He pretty much took care of both of us," he responded cynically.

"Don't be mad at me, Jack."

"I'm pissed at him, not you, Babe."

"I did more than give in to him, Jack. I..."

Jack cupped her face and ran his thumb over her cheek. "Hush. I know, Babe. Don't beat yourself up over it." He gave her a roguish grin. "You were fantastic. If you could have held out another hour, I think you would have killed him."

She blushed profusely and dropped her eyes. "I promise to make it up to you next weekend. You did win the bet, after all."

He tapped his finger on her nose. "That was a dirty trick, resetting the bedroom clock."

She shrugged. "I play dirty. ...Jack, let me talk to him."

He recoiled. "No."

"Jack," she slipped her hand around his neck. "I need to do this. Let me talk to him."

"I have to give him control to do that. I hate it. What if he doesn't give it back?"

"I'm asking you to take the chance, just this once. You do it for Sam, and Daniel. Forgive me this, Jack, but I need to talk to him."

"He can hear everything you say right now."

She shook her head. "I want to... interact with him. He and I need to talk. I don't want you acting as go-between. Please."

Jack stood up restlessly and moved away from her. His face showed his turmoil. Finally, his head dropped forward and when he looked up his eyes flashed.

"Madison," the booming voice of the Tok'ra startled her. "I'm sorry." He paused then said in Jack's normal voice, "This is better, is it not?"

Maddy stood and stared at him. She took two long strides and brought her right fist around with all the power she could summon. The blow came up from her heels, was driven by the strength in her shoulders, and it sent him staggering back against the fireplace. She advanced on him as he righted himself and worked his jaw. It cracked and popped loudly.

"Don't you ever touch me again!" she railed. "My body and my heart belong to Jack. You are just an unwelcome guest in my house, and in my husband, and I merely tolerate your presence. Do not ever assume for even a moment that because it's Jack's body I won't defend myself against you."

Jack felt the impact of Qua'sel's astonishment and he chuckled tauntingly.

Qua'sel stared at Maddy as he carefully probed his jaw. "You were not as intolerant of me last night, My Dear."

"You are a remarkably talented lover," she told him evenly. "You may delight my body, but you sicken my heart. When Jack and I make love, you go away. I don't want anything you can give me, Qua'sel. I apologize in advance for all the times when you're gonna feel as frustrated and aroused as you did last night. But it's your problem to deal with- consider it the price you're paying for Jack saving your life. Add on interest for each and every day that I allow you to enjoy my home. Because I will have you locked in his quarters at the base before I allow you to make me feel as dirty, as used and coarse and wanton as you did last night. I will always consider last night the one and only time I cheated on him and I will always resent you for making me enjoy it so much."

He stepped forward, his face pinched with anxiety. "No, Madison, you don't understand! I'm in love with you, too! I want to please and delight you. I can help O'Neill make your life one intense joy after another. I can take you places in the universe that will awe you. The two of us will spend every waking moment striving to please you in ways you can't possibly imagine! We are of one mind, O'Neill and I, when it comes to you!"

He tried to touch her face. She batted his hand away.

"Madison, think about the potential I'm offering you for the remaining time I have left. Think about being loved by two men such as we are- his Ancient enhancements coupled with my vast experience and understanding of the female body, a woman's psyche. My ability to regenerate his vitality, his energy and stamina. Close your eyes for just a moment, Madison, and consider making love to each of us alternately in the same night, compounding your pleasure and satisfaction as we trade control of this body back and forth..."

"Not interested, Qua'sel. I'm sorry you feel so strongly about it, but there's no room in my heart for anyone but Jack. I give him all I have, all I am. I will give you only the patience Jack asks of me. It's that simple."

"Together we will work tirelessly to make your every dream come true. We will shower you with gifts, pamper you, fill your head with all the delight we feel for you. There is so much..."

"Stop it, Qua'sel," she said firmly. "I'm sorry. But I'm warning you: When they find you a new host, if you use him to so much as wink at me I'll shoot you. And not with a zat. With the biggest damned gun I can lay my hands on- and I won't aim for a kneecap. Are we clear?"

He hung his head in defeat. "Know then, that I will impart my knowledge to Jack as much as he will allow himself to accept from me. I will always be striving, in the back of his mind, to let you know how much I adore you. I will come forward if you ask for me, but I will not force my presence upon you again. Accept this small gift as a token of my love and loyalty."

He bowed his head and Jack lifted it again.

"Damn, Maddy, that was a hellava haymaker!"

She grimaced. "I tried to warn you. Need to see Dr. Lam?"

He rotated his jaw and winced. "I'll live. He'll fix it- when he gets over being knocked on his mental ass." He touched her face and his expression softened. "I love you."

"I need to teach you how to thicken gravy."

He laughed.

"Are you alright? Is he... punishing you somehow for what I said?"

Jack pulled a face. "Only by letting me enjoy his sock in the chops. He's hurt. Sulking at the moment. At least he's not pestering me."

"He'll get over it."

"He'll never get over you."

"I think his feelings are just a transference of how you feel. It's imprinted on him."

"You've got it wrong," he told her quietly. "I felt the moment he fell in love with you. It had been building, growing in him, but I knew the instant it happened. More clearly than I knew when I fell for you."

"I meant what I told him, Jack. If he won't leave me alone, you're headed for the base until we can figure something out."

"I'll go now if you're afraid, Sweetheart."

"Then who would be here to call me Sweetheart?"

"You didn't cheat on me, Maddy."

"Yes, Jack I did. I enjoyed every minute of it. That's something no amount of reassurance from you can reconcile for me."

"I'll always be trying to duplicate that for you now."

"Don't do that to us. Just trust me when I say you're all the lover I want, all I can handle."

He ran a hand down over her hair. "Let's take tomorrow off. We'll just curl up on that fur, put the ceiling fan on high, and spend the day sleeping."

"Can I put the backhoe across the lane again?"

"Do it now. I'll call the base." He turned away to find his phone.

"Jack?" He turned around.

"If I had one wish, I'd wish for a week of blending with Qua'sel so that he could teach me how to make you feel the way he made me feel last night."

"Babe, you don't need any help. It's one of the few things Quasi agrees with me about."

Chapter Fifty Two

Jack spent a wonderfully peaceful two months. Qua'sel kept to himself, stayed quiet inside his mind, stopped pestering him about Maddy. Jack tried not to gloat.

The Tok'ra still poured information into the base computer at a fantastic rate, then patiently tried to walk Carter through areas she didn't understand. As SG-7 began to amass piles of alien technology he had directed them to, he eagerly explained what they had retrieved and how it worked. He retreated into a blank corner when Jack made love to Maddy, and did not interrupt when they talked.

But Jack had an eerie sense that something was brewing. If he closed his eyes and focused on it, he got a decided feeling that Qua'sel was studying Maddy. Gathering in-depth intel on her every move, her every nuance. There were times he felt like a stalker.

Maddy handed him a huge bowl of popcorn and curled up beside him on the couch as he tuned on the TV and found Boston Legal. He knew instantly there was something on her mind. He put his arm around her and snuggled her close.

"Talk to me. I see something bothering you, right here," he drew a finger between her eyebrows.

"I asked Sam to postpone the wedding indefinitely."

"I thought we already did that."

"It was open-ended. A lot of the plans were still hanging fire."

"You called it off altogether?" he asked uneasily.

"Sort of... until we settle something with Qua'sel."

"What are you telling me, Babe?"

"Asking. Honey, can we fly to Vegas again? I want to marry you. Now."

"I'm all for that, but you're gonna break a lot of hearts if you shoot down all their grand plans."

"That's what I want to discuss with you. We already wear our rings... Can we do this without telling anyone? Let them go through with their plans, invite the President and all, walk each other down the aisle as if we're not already married?"

"This weekend soon enough?"

"This weekend is yours. The next."

Jack shivered at her words and held out his hand to show her how it was trembling. "How do I rate?"

"You've been so busy, off world a lot. I miss you. Thought I'd better remind you why you come home."

"Have I been neglecting you?" He dropped a kiss on her forehead.

"No. But the best training method is positive reinforcement."

"Then I can't wait until this weekend."

"I think maybe you should."

"Maddy..." he drew it out warningly.

"I didn't get what I wanted last time," she pouted.

He wrapped his hand in her hair and drew her head around to give her a pointed stare. She held his eyes steadily.

"I wanted you," she told him softly.

Jack melted. She could have whatever she wanted. Lucky for him most of the time what she wanted involved making him extremely happy. But he couldn't resist tormenting her.

"Four days? Can't be done."

"I promise not to start twisting you into knots until Friday morning."

He gave her a squeeze. "Isn't possible. Only way I can keep myself off you that long would be if I stayed at the base."

She rose up and quirked an eyebrow at him.

Cold panic set in. "No way!"

"Sam said there was a lot of stuff she needed to ask Qua'sel. She's gonna be around all week. Kill two birds with one stone."

He pulled her back and sat with a stony expression on his face.

"I'll spend tonight in a bubble bath with you. Give you enough sugar to tide you over." She walked her fingers down across his stomach.

"Damn it, Woman, if you asked me to jump off a cliff, I'd do it."

A week after their furtive trip to Las Vegas to exchange vows, Jack started to feel an odd restlessness in Qua'sel. The Tok'ra began encroaching further and further into Jack's consciousness. Like a silent shadow slowly creeping over more and more of his mind.

"Quasi, what the hell are you up to?"

"Nothing, O'Neill. It is only your growing acceptance of me. Go back to your meaningless game of solitaire."

But Jack wasn't convinced. The instincts that had kept him alive for so long were now kicking in with force.

It was another two days before Qua'sel rose up and took control of Jack's body.

Chapter Fifty Three

'What the hell...!'

"I grow impatient with you, O'Neill. You don't deserve her. I have played your little games, obeyed your demands, given of myself to the SGC. But I can no longer deny myself the woman you call 'wife'. She will not come to me willingly. Neither of you will listen to reason when I tell you we can share her. So now I will have her. As you. I have learned much, O'Neill. I have watched and planned and prepared for this day. Nobody will know I am in control. To all the world, you will be as you once were. But it will be me that Madison showers with affection."

Once more Jack felt himself being pushed down and restrained. He fought, he raged and threatened, but it was a hopeless battle.

'I won't give you a moment's peace! I'll poke you and prod you and drive you nuts!'

"Do as you wish, O'Neill. My mind is eons more powerful than yours. You are now but an annoying gnat on the periphery of my conscience. I will live out my days as General Jack O'Neill, and if you have any sense at all you will take note of my abilities and talents. You gave me strength, and Madison has given me a reason. My vitality grows with time instead of waning with age. If you are lucky, O'Neill, Madison will outlive me by a few years and you can enjoy her again in your dotage. I deserve this for everything I have given to the SGC, to Earth. I deserve this for the patience and generosity I have shown- for which I have gotten little gratitude. I deserve this for regenerating and healing this body you refuse to share."

Jack raged and struggled and cursed him. Qua'sel laughed at his helplessness.

"Count yourself lucky that I allowed you the ceremony that eases Madison's conscience, and those delightful weekends when she turned you inside out time and again. I could well have denied you those as you have repeatedly denied me access to her. Access to this delightful life you guard so jealously. Lay down and shut up, O'Neill."

Jack watched Maddy interact with, and react to, Qua'sel. He knew she sensed something immediately, but he also knew she would question herself repeatedly before acting.

What she could do, other than notify Carter and Landry, he didn't know.

'It's only a matter of time, you back-stabbing Tok'ra bastard. When she figures it out, we'll be thrown into a hole at Area 51 and neither of us will ever see the light of day again.'

Qua'sel was canny enough to turn in a resignation to the SGC. He knew that Maddy was going to be his biggest, and consistent, challenge to fool, but the fewer people he had to deal with, the better his chances of success. Landry bought his story about just wanting to be with his wife and Jack cursed both of them.

Qua'sel stopped to buy her roses and Jack used it against him. 'Not the orange ones,' he pleaded. 'You still haven't seen what the orange ones are for. Give me something of Maddy that I can keep of my own.'

When the Tok'ra presented her with a huge bouquet of orange and peach roses, Maddy enthused about them as much as ever, but Jack new she would question it in her mind.

She hated orange anything. And she knew that Jack knew.

And now Qua'sel knew.

"I underestimated the strength of your mind once again, O'Neill. How did you hide that from me?"

Jack kept stubbornly silent.

Daniel and Carter brought them an early wedding present. Jack watched curiously as they explained how they had bought it to surprise them, but couldn't see letting it sit in storage until the wedding could go on as planned. They chattered and laughed as Maddy chose a place to put the huge aquarium then helped them set it up.

'What a stupid gift,' he complained to Qua'sel. 'We already have three! It's so damned big- what do they expect us to put in there, sharks? She was hoping they'd get us tickets to the opera in Denver. Look how uncomfortable she is with it, how she's trying to pretend she's delighted. Damn kids! At least they should give her what I can't!'

"Madison never listens to opera," Qua'sel argued. "I have seen you taunt her with that particular music. You cannot fool me, O'Neill. Stop trying."

"Okay, Snakehead, but when she leaves the paper open to the entertainment section for me to find by accident, you read it. It'll be when 'Phantom of the Opera' is playing. It's always interested her."

"Nothing about opera interests her."

"The music doesn't , but the story does. You know women, Tok'ra. You're the expert. You tell me what it means when she leaves hints lying around the house."

"You toy with me, O'Neill."

"You- yeahsureyoubetterbetcha. Her- never. You're gonna get found out, you bastard Gou'ald wannabe, and when you do Maddy will lose both of us. It's killing me that I can't give her everything she's ever wanted between now and then."

"That I can believe of you, O'Neill. If you would work with me instead of against me, that time never need come."

It was a week before Maddy picked up the Sunday edition of a Denver paper for the crossword puzzle they ran on the entertainment page.When Qua'sel found it in the bathroom, with 'Phantom of the Opera' headlining Denver attractions, Jack kept studiously quiet.

The Tok'ra pestered him until he told him how to go about ordering tickets.

Chapter Fifty Four

Maddy tapped on the door to Carter's lab. Sam looked up, shoved back the protective hood she was wearing, and smiled.

"Hey, Maddy!"

"Can we have a moment alone?" Maddy asked.

Colonel Carter immediately removed the hood, dropped a lead shield over the crystal she had been working with, and jerked her head for Maddy to follow her into a nearby office. She closed the door and sat down.

"What's up?"

Maddy twisted her fingers. "If I beamed Qua'sel into that tank, and I was wrong, could I beam him back?"

Sam frowned. "Beaming him out would be far different from implantation. I'm not sure it could work that way. I don't think Jack would stand still for another blending anyway, do you?"

Maddy shook her head.

"What's happening, Maddy?"

She sighed. "Little things. He bought me orange roses- Jack knows I hate orange. He's making fun of that tank. Jack loves the aquariums. It's just not like him to ridicule a gift, and the way he says it... It's like he assumes I don't like it and he's defending me somehow." She took a breath. "The other day we went riding. He hesitated when he reached for Chimmy's bridle. He took the right one, but I got the feeling he wasn't quite sure. It was just an instant." She looked up to meet Sam's concerned gaze. "I catch him brushing Diamond away, and Bonnie doesn't cuddle up with him. I don't want to cuddle up with him but I can't tell you why. He eats meat with his fork upside down. I catch him turning it up the right way, like he forgot that's the way it should go. I asked him to play chess- he used my own strategy against me. Jack knows it inside out and counters it. He hasn't tried to finish the crossword before I get to it. He balls up wet towels and puts them in the hamper. Jack always draped them over the tub."

"Had he been fishing?" Sam asked.

Maddy gave a short, dry laugh. "Oh, yeah, he's got that down pat. He's actually catching fish."

"What else comes to mind?" Sam asked soberly.

"Well, he tries to tease me but he just doesn't have Jack's wit. Jack usually talks my ear off- now he avoids any lengthy conversations. He said, "yeahsureyoubetterbetcha' the other day."

Sam snorted. "That sounds like something the general would plant. Easy to for Qua'sel to confuse, but obvious as hell to the rest of us."

"Jack just never says certain words around me. Not even when he's furious. Now he's dropping the F bomb right and left in general conversation."

Sam nodded thoughtfully. "If it was in his mind, Qua'sel would pick it up as part of our language. Especially if the general is using it an awful lot... Which could mean either he's raging at him non-stop, or just keeping it in the front of his mind on purpose. It gets used around here- liberally- so he wouldn't think twice about it. You know how, when you're around it constantly, it sometimes slips out when you don't mean for it to?"

Maddy nodded. "Either way it could indicate that Jack's not in control."

"Didn't you find his resignation odd?"

Maddy shook her head. "He's been talking about it off and on for awhile now. It's not strange that he did it, it's strange that he did it first and told me about it afterwards. But here's the kicker- and this is spooky- Sam. He bought us opera tickets. He's planning this long weekend in Denver, sight seeing, fancy restaurants, shopping..."

Sam wrinkled her nose. "Qua'sel should know something as obvious as that if he is trying to pull off having taken control of the general. Maybe it's like golf- just trying to get you involved."

"He said he knows I don't care for opera, but that he knew I'd been curious about this particular story. Sam, it was 'Phantom of the Opera'."

"Phantom? Opera, when he knows you don't like it? Did you mention you'd like to see it?"

Maddy shook her head. "None of it interests me and I loathe big cities like Denver. I hate shopping unless it involves yard sales, auctions, or hardware stores. Or wedding dresses," she amended quickly.

Carter shot her an arched look then sobered. "Well, if the general is trying to send you a message, Phantom of the Opera is... spooky. Whoa, wait a minute. Back up. You said General O'Neill talks your ear off?"

Maddy nodded. "I usually can't get him to shut up."

Carter raised an eyebrow. "Are we discussing the same General Jack O'Neill? Man of few words- and fewer cohesive thoughts?"

Maddy ignored her friend's sarcasm. "There's more. This is kinda... personal, and I don't want to embarrass either of us..." She glanced up and met Carter's steady gaze. "Sam, the decision I need to make involves two lives, two souls. Jack," she said painfully. "So bear with me if I'm giving you way more information than you want to hear... But it's relevant and I need you to tell me if I'm chasing shadows or if Qua'sel could have taken control of him."

"Its just us here, Maddy. Say what you need to say."

Maddy scowled and bit her lip. "He's not the same... in bed. He's more selfish, more demanding, more insistent- not at all like Jack usually is. I mean, he knows... he does..." she flipped her hand- not unlike Jack when he's frustrated- and blushed. "He doesn't laugh and kid around and act goofy anymore. It's always so serious, so... determined. Like he's trying to prove something. To me, to himself. ...To Jack."

Sam's eyebrows crept up her forehead. "Act goofy? No," she amended hurriedly and leaned back. "No, don't explain that to me. That I can buy." She leaned forward again. "Maddy, nobody knows the general better than you. If you're sensing that Qua'sel has taken control then you need to act. We can pull him in and put him through the wringer, but that will only alert him to be more careful."

"What if I'm wrong?"

"How would the general answer that question?"

"He'd tell me not to think twice."

Sam motioned with her hands. "There you go."

"But if he doesn't survive the tank... If we can't do something to help him... What if I kill him?" she agonized.

The image of O'Neill shooting three bound Lucians point-blank flashed through Carter's mind.

"Who is more important to you- Qua'sel or the general?" Sam asked quietly.

"Jack is, but is a hunch worth murder?"

Carter winced. She had born witness to O'Neill's answer to that question. "A hunch might mean the difference between freedom for the general and a life of being kept captive inside his own body."

"Will it harm Jack?"

"I don't know."

Maddy threw up her hands in frustration.

"But I can tell you with all certainty that the general would rather risk being harmed- even fatally- than be slave to a symbiote. What I don't understand is why Qua'sel would risk everything he's gained to do this. Every time I talked with him, he raved about the lodge, about his freedom, about how much he likes you and the general. What changed? What threatened him so much that he'd try to pull this off? It's just doesn't track."

When Maddy blushed again and studied the floor Sam frowned at her.

"Maddy? Something happened, didn't it?"

"He... He took control of Jack the night you guys came to the lodge after we went dancing."

"The night you were tormenting Jack until he was beside himself?" she grinned. "We all got a kick out of watching him squirm. Qua'sel took control of the general that night? What happened? Has he had control since?"

Maddy shook her head. "No, I'm sure Jack was back after that. But, well, Sam, Qua'sel was every bit as wired as Jack that night. He got impatient, pushed Jack aside, and took control of... everything."

Sam whistled. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

Maddy gave her a sour look. "It wasn't his intention to hurt me, Sam, and he didn't. But I insisted Jack let me speak to him the next morning. Qua'sel told me he's in love with me." She smirked self-consciously. "I told Jack he was just imprinting his emotions, but Jack said it had been building. He said he knew the exact instant when he..." She flipped her hands ruefully.

"There is no way in hell the general would agree to share you. That is incentive enough to make Qua'sel take control. And keep you believing he hasn't. It fits with the general resigning from the SGC, too. He didn't want to get tripped up."

"Jack mentioned the Nox. Could they help Qua'sel?"

"We no longer have access to their stargate, or a means of contacting them."

"I know somebody with a sweet little interstellar runabout..."

"That's risky as hell."

"Do you have the coordinates?"

"Yes."

"If I do this, will you help me get Qua'sel to them? Unless you can come up with a better solution in the meantime."

"I'll have to clear it through General Landry."

"Will he try to stop us?"

"I don't know. He won't want Qua'sel on the loose with all the general's knowledge in his brain, not to mention all the Tok'ra's genetically inherited knowledge. I think he'd rather seem him dead."

"I can't kill him- not unless he was threatening Jack's life."

"Isn't he?"

Maddy dropped her face into her hands. "If he was evil, Sam, I could do it. He's not. He's actually kinda sweet. A nice old man."

Sam stood. "Let's go have a talk with General Landry."

Maddy shook her head. "He'll slap Jack into a cell at Area 51."

"Maybe not."

"I'm not taking that chance. Sam, can we call a strategy session with SG-1 first? See if anybody has a better idea?"

"Cam and Teal'c are off-world. I think I can round up Daniel and Vala. You have time now?"

"Yeahsureyoubetterbetcha."

Chapter Fifty Five

Maddy drained the spaghetti and turned to grab a plate.

"Jack! Supper's ready!"

He came into the kitchen and sat down. Maddy glanced over her shoulder and frowned.

"What, you think I'm gonna serve your lordship?"

He gave her a blank look. "You said supper's ready."

Maddy sighed and filled his plate. She purposely put on more sauce than she knew he liked and set it in front of him with a kiss on his forehead.

"This means you're doing the dishes, and don't give me any lip."

Jack looked up at her. "You don't want me to kiss you?"

Maddy tried not to stiffen. "At least not until you're done eating." She filled her plate and sat down. She tried to hide her smirk. This was her 'spaghetti test'. Jack was quite picky about his spaghetti. Light on the sauce, heavy on the salt, with a dab of butter. He spiraled it on the plate, not on a spoon the way she did. And he always fed Bonnie the longest strands because he thought it was funny the way she tried to suck it into her mouth. Maddy picked up her spoon and began swirling.

Jack's eyes flicked to her plate, then he picked up his spoon a mimicked her. He ate three mouthfuls before asking for more sauce. That in itself was odd- Jack would normally just get up and get it himself. He didn't add salt, didn't stir butter into the sauce, and he didn't feed Bonnie even though she was begging so politely with her eyes. Maddy gave Bonnie her share and tried to decide if she wanted to take the step she feared was necessary.

They ate in silence. Jack complimented her cooking, burped loudly, and left the kitchen.

"Hey!" she called after him. "The dishes?"

She heard him curse. He used the word Jack never uttered in her presence.

"Bring me a beer, Babe?"

Maddy bit her lip and took him the beer. He was sprawled on the couch, flipping through the TV. He smiled up at her when she handed him the beer.

"I'm gonna go feed," Maddy told him shortly.

He glanced at his watch. "Wake me at nine and be naked."

Maddy slipped her cell phone into her pocket, picked up a bowl of scraps for the dogs, and slammed the door behind her. She stomped to the barn and called Daniel.

"I'm doing it, Daniel. Can you come be here?"

"I'm on my way," he said immediately. The phone went dead.

Maddy went in to play with Moon. "If that's not Qua'sel, I'm gonna beam Jack into the tank with him," she told the dog.

She headed back to the lodge when she saw Daniel walking up the lane.

"I pulled off about halfway up," he explained. "So I wouldn't alert him."

Maddy nodded and related the results of her 'spaghetti test'.

"Then he dropped the F bomb when I reminded him about the dishes. Jack never expects me to serve him, and he always helps with the dishes. The only time he ever asks me to deliver a beer to him is when I'm already making the trip for myself." She was talking fast, nervously. "He always goes to the barn with me, never passes up a chance to play with the puppies, and he always takes the supper scraps up to Moon and Scarlet because he knows it makes me gag. Daniel, I can't spend another night with him."

"I think you have all the evidence you need, Maddy."

"Circumstantial at best," she fretted. "What if I'm wrong? What if Jack doesn't survive, or is badly injured...?"

"He would want you to do this if you had the slightest inkling," Daniel assured her. "Jack trusts you. We all trust you."

"What if I try but can't do it? What if I can't beam him out and I just end up doing damage?"

Daniel took her by the shoulders. "You need to be steady, Maddy. You won't do it if you're rattled."

"I want to confront him first."

Daniel scowled. "He'll deny it."

She nodded. "But I want him to know why I'm trying. He won't be able to stop me, but I want him to know."

"I'll be near the tank so I can slap the lid on and get the chemicals and charger in right away. I called Sam- she's got a medical team on stand-by. We need to be outta here before they arrive because sure as hell Landry will be with them."

"I feel like I'm stabbing Hank in the back."

"You're saving him the hard decision, Maddy. He'll have to put up a big front, but eventually he'll thank you for taking it out of his hands."

"Daniel..."

He gave her a quick hug. "Let's go before you talk yourself out of what you know you have to do."

She gave him an imploring look. "You said you'd be host to Qua'sel..."

Daniel shook his head. "I can't now. Not if he's infatuated with you. Jack would kill me the first time Qua'sel made a move on you."

"I've screwed this up royally," she muttered. "For everybody."

"Qua'sel screwed it up for himself. Maddy, Jack's depending on you. We're all depending on you. To try, if nothing else."

Maddy took a deep, shuddering breath and opened the door. Jack glanced over, did a double-take when he saw Daniel, and stood up.

"I didn't hear the car," he greeted cooly. "What brings you here?"

"Just checking on your dumb gift," he muttered, skirting the couch and walking over to the huge tank in the back corner.

"Qua'sel," Maddy said firmly, "We need to talk."

Jack looked startled. "You want me to let you talk to Quasi?"

"I know who you are. You've suppressed Jack. You need to let him come forward."

"Madison," he smiled, "You're not making sense, Sweetheart."

"I know. Neither are you. You haven't been for too long. I want you to understand I mean you no harm or ill will, but I can't let you take control of Jack like this."

"Yes! Yes, yes YES! That's my Maddy! She knows! I told you she couldn't be fooled, you fool!"

Jack's eyes flashed briefly, but the voice didn't change. From the corner of her eye Maddy saw Daniel start, but she didn't take her focus off Jack.

"Jack tried, Qua'sel, but you just couldn't be happy with what he offered you. Why did you do this? To him, to me?"

"I love you, Madison. O'Neill would not share you. I have not harmed him. I am sorry you are not comfortable with our arrangement, but in reality, what can you do about it? Perhaps, if it will please you, I can allow O'Neill to come forward from time to time."

"Daniel and I are going to take you to see some nice folks. We're hoping they have a solution to this problem."

He shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere," he said gently, as if chiding a small child. "We'll work something out. I do not have much longer to live..."

"I'm tired of hearing that old saw. Not much longer to you could be hundreds of years to us. You asked for our help, Jack risked his life and freedom to help you, and you stabbed him in the back. Any remorse for what's about to happen, well, that pretty much negates it. I just wanted you to know I don't hate you and I don't want to hurt you."

She closed her eyes. She pictured Qua'sel as she had seen him in the xrays in Dr. Lam's office. She pictured her hand gently disengaging him from around Jack's brain stem.

Jack let out a blood-curdling scream.

"Keep going, Maddy!" Daniel encouraged. "Don't stop!"

Maddy jumped and winced but didn't open her eyes, didn't lose focus. She envisioned gently tugging the symbiote free of Jack's body and just as gently depositing him in the bubbling tank. She didn't open her eyes until she heard Jack hit the floor.

"Got him!"

"Jack!" she raced to his side as Daniel phoned Colonel Carter. She fell to her knees and drew his head into her lap.

"Way to go, Maddy! He looks fine- pissed, but fine."

"Jack... can you hear me?"

Jack's eyes fluttered open. He tried to focus on her, reached up to touch her face. A ghost of a smile crossed his lips.

"Jack," she sobbed. "Tell me you're alright!"

Colonel Carter burst into the lodge, followed by a medical team. She squeezed Maddy's shoulder and glanced at Daniel, then at the Tok'ra symbiote rapidly circling the tank.

"Maddy; let the medics work on him."

"They can work around me," she told her. She stroked his head.

"You have to go. Now."

Maddy looked up at the insistence in her voice. Carter gave her a stern look. Maddy closed her eyes. Daniel and the tank disappeared. Carter's phone rang a moment later. She nodded at Maddy.

"The coordinates are uploaded. We'll take care of the general. Go."

Maddy dropped a kiss on Jack's lips then disappeared.

Chapter Fifty Six

Daniel and Maddy stepped out of the ship. Maddy turned a full circle, staring at the lush, alien planet. A huge, flying creature that looked like a cross between a mosquito and a bumblebee but the size of a pig zipped over their heads. Maddy yelped and ducked. Daniel steadied her.

"Fenri. They won't hurt you. I think."

"You know where these Nox live?"

He waved an arm to encompass the forest. "Everywhere. They'll find us. If they choose. Lya! Opher! Anteaus!"

"Should we walk in a ways or stay here?"

"Let's stick close to the ship for awhile. Lya?" he called again.

"I'm gonna check on Qua'sel." She turned to reenter the ship.

"Uh, Maddy..."

She turned back Two very alien-looking humanoids were standing beside Daniel, a man and a woman. Their hair looked like birds' nests and they were dressed in rags. But there was such a radiant glow around them that Maddy immediately felt at ease.

"Lya!" Daniel fairly breathed her name and Maddy looked at him curiously. His face was wreathed in a tender smile. "Anteaus," he greeted.

"Welcome, Friends," Lya said in a soft, caressing voice.

Daniel held out his hand for Maddy to step forward. "This is Maddy." He indicated the woman first, "Lya, Anteaus."

"What brings you back to our planet?" Anteaus asked. He was not unfriendly, but Maddy got the impression he was a bit impatient.

"We have a long and... involved story to tell you," Daniel told him. "We came to ask your help. Will you indulge us long enough to hear our problem?"

Anteaus looked about to refuse but Lya nodded.

Two hours later Daniel and Maddy were still waiting for the Nox's decision. Maddy tugged on a piece of grass and shifted nervously.

"I wish we could contact the base."

"Jack was conscious when we left. He'll be alright."

The two Nox appeared beside them. Maddy and Daniel got to their feet.

"We think we have reached a suitable solution for your friend."

The transfer did not take long. Daniel stood protectively close to Maddy as the huge Fenri hovered in front of her. It's eyes flashed and glowed.

"This is goodbye, is it not?" the Fenri spoke with a strange, high-pitched squeak that ended in a chirp of sorts. Qua'sel chuckled. "Not the voice I remember, but I will have little use for it after you leave."

"Forgive me, Qua'sel?" Maddy said softly. There were tears in her eyes.

"Not necessary, Babe. It could be much worse than this." He did a short buzz-by and turned a circle. "This planet is quite beautiful, quite peaceful. The Nox are an old race, a wise and peaceful people. I will have friends, conversation, comfort. Warmth. Ample food. The ability to fly..."

"I'm sorry," she grimaced. "I wish it could have been different."

"I gave you no choice," he said humbly. "It is my own fault. My only regret is that I cannot touch your face one last time."

Maddy's tears were coming fast and hard now. "We'll still look for a human host for you. I'll try not to leave you like this for too awful long."

"Don't fret, Beautiful Madison. If I must live out my years as a Fenri, then so be it. My life has been long and well served. I have fought the good fight, loved a good woman, and now I can have peace, rest. Go, Sweetheart, and remember me kindly if you can."

"I will. Thank you, Qua'sel."

"It eases my conscience, unburdens my heart, that you feel as you do. Safe journey, my friends, live well and long." The Fenri turned and flew off, dipping and rolling as it headed for the forest. Maddy and Daniel turned to the two Nox. Both of them stood with folded hands, expressions of approval on their faces.

"Take care of him?" Maddy pleaded. "He is not evil, and he meant well."

"Slavery is never acceptable," Anteau told her. "The Fenri was agreeable to the blending."

"If Jack O'Neill is not well when you return, bring him to us and we will attempt to restore him," Lya offered.

"Thank you," Maddy sobbed. She turned to Daniel. "Jack..."

He nodded and said his goodbyes to the Nox. When Maddy glanced back they were gone.

Maddy settled the cloaked ship into the lake and powered-down.

"Can you drive me to the base?" she asked Daniel. "My head is splitting. I'll beam us to the lodge, but I'm not sure I can do it twice so soon."

"Certainly." He patted her shoulder and held her when she turned into him.

She had wept throughout the entire trip back to Earth. She was shaking, weak and drained both physically and emotionally. Daniel knew she was terrified she had done something awful to Jack.

She closed her eyes and an instant later they were standing in the lodge livingroom.

"Well it's about damned time!" Jack bellowed. "Daniel, that's my wife."

Maddy's head snapped up and she whirled. Jack was standing there with his hands on his hips, a half-smile on his face. She threw herself at him. Jack crushed her to him.

"You alright?" Daniel asked.

Jack nodded at him over Maddy's head. "Thanks, Daniel," he said quietly.

"I guess she won't be needing that ride to the base," Daniel grinned.

Chapter Fifty Seven

"Maddy, you have to get past it," Jack said gently. He sat cradling her across his lap, concerned that she was still trembling and couldn't stop crying. He pulled her head to his shoulder and rocked her gently. "You did the right thing. Where he is now is far better than a tank of cloudy, cold water at Area 51."

"I was so afraid I'd hurt you... or worse," she sobbed into his shoulder. "I was so scared, Jack. I wasn't sure I was getting it right, wasn't sure if he had actually taken control of you."

"The opera tickets weren't a huge, honkin' neon sign?"

He felt her give a short laugh. "That was ingenious, O'Neill. But it was the 'spaghetti test' that convinced me."

"The 'spaghetti test'," he laughed. "Only you could outwit a Tok'ra with food."

"He had the big things down pat, but it was the little things that set off warning bells. He really wasn't a bad guy," she murmured.

"You weren't held captive inside your own body while he made love to your wife!"

She heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"That it all happened. That I didn't act sooner, that we didn't find him a suitable host."

"What did I tell you about shouldering the weight of the world, Madison?"

She reared back and stared at him, a horrified look on her face.

"What? What is it?" he asked sharply.

"You called me Madison. You never call me that- he did."

Jack shook his head. "I'm sorry, Babe. I heard him thinking it all the time, it just slipped out." He caught the sides of her face. "He's gone, all of him, I promise."

She sniffed and tried to smile. "All of him?"

"Yes."

"Darn..."

He frowned, then rolled his eyes. "I took notes," he grumbled dryly. She giggled and hiccuped. "You and Carter set that up with the tank, didn't you?"

She nodded. "I didn't want to tip him off, and Sam said he probably wouldn't survive in the lake."

He shook his head at her again. "The two smartest people on Earth, and they have to be females. How lucky can one retired general get?"

"Are you okay?" she demanded. "Headache? Pain anywhere? Emotional trauma?"

"None of the above. Relief. Peace and quiet. Though I may have developed a bit of claustrophobia."

"Why?"

"The feeling of being suppressed."

"What did it feel like?"

He winced. "Like I was in a straight jacket with a huge weight holding me down. I could see and hear and feel, but I couldn't move."

"Could you talk to him from inside? The way he talked to you?"

"Oh, yeah. I cussed him out in words I bet you don't know I know."

"That was another clue- he kept dropping the biggie on me. I didn't figure he was familiar with that word, but you never use it. I sorta guessed you planted that for him to say."

"I laughed my ass off at him for that one. And the orange roses."

"Yeah, that was the first time I started to wonder."

"You picked it up so fast, Maddy. I was scared it would take a long time to convince you."

"I bet every second was a second too long. I know it was for me. ...Jack, I'm in pretty hot water with Landry, aren't I?"

"He's not happy. He has a lot of explaining to do to the suits in Washington."

"What's George say?"

"Oh, I think they'll both still come to the wedding."

"I'll apologize for the position I put them in, but I won't apologize for doing it."

"While you were visiting the Nox you didn't happen to ask them about..." He fluttered his hands around her head.

She shook her head. "Didn't think of it. Had just a little bit more on my mind. Besides, Jack, without this device how would I get into my ship?"

"Aaahhh!" He grabbed her head and shook her gently. "And to think I was worried about being bored when I retired!"

"Will you ask for your job back?"

"Technically, I didn't quit. When Landry stopped at the infirmary to check on me, he told me in no uncertain terms he expected me back on Monday."

"You have the rest of the week off?"

"To recover."

She pouted. "Then you don't want to help me clean the barn and put in hay?"

"After all I've been through, you're not gonna put me to bed and baby me with comfort food and foot massages, stroke my head and tell me how brave and wonderful I am?"

"You left out making love," she said uncertainly.

"I hoped to give you time to forget how good he was before I made my feeble attempt," he muttered sourly.

She trailed her fingers down over his face and really smiled into his eyes for the first time in ages. "Nobody handles a woman like Jack O'Neill."

"I love you Maddy. I seem to be in the majority anymore."

"I still say your feelings just rubbed off on him."

"No way. He fell for you a lot like I did."

"Starting with the boobs?"

"Starting with your spunk and your eyes. They're a lethal combination."

She smiled and lowered her lashes. "Do you still have his memories?"

"Oh, yeah," he leered.

She made a face at him. "I meant the vast amount of knowledge and experience and..."

"The only things that stuck were how he made you writhe and moan and..."

"Jack! Be serious!" She shifted around so she was straddling his lap. "Sam says there's a lot of stuff she remembers, and sometimes she can't tell if it's her memory or Jolinar's." She was stroking his face, eating him up with her eyes, and Jack loved it.

"Was there a question in there somewhere, Madam Prosecutor?"

"Do you have vivid memories of lots and lots of different women?"

"Ahhh, I really didn't think you were concerned with whether or not I retained the value quotient of Gou'ald logarithms. Or how to recalibrate the inertial dampening sequence of an inverted positron shield generator."

She sat back, blinking her astonishment. "Guess that answers that question. But tell me about the women."

"There are bits and snatches of past hosts. Things he liked, things that irked him. But Maddy, the poor devil spent several dozen lifetimes sexually pleasing men. Not a lot I want to remember about that!" He shivered and pulled a face. "But," he said brightly, "Now I really do know what PMS and cramps are like. How do you women keep from murdering us insensitive cads in our sleep?"

She laughed at him and he was glad to see her relaxing. Then her eyes widened.

"Do you have any memories of childbirth?"

He thought about that. The memories came to him like a lightning bolt and he rocked back. "Damn!" He squinted and frowned. "Yeah, Babe, those are there if I dig for them. Which I do not wanna do!" He shuddered hard.

"Do you realize," she said softly, slowly, "That you have memories of going through something only a woman can go through- and I don't?"

He studied her for a long moment. "Our lives just keep getting weirder and weirder."

"And I was worried about you getting bored."

"Maddy," he slid his hands up along her sides, "I want to use what he taught me about making love to you. Will it bother you? Will you know it came from him and resent it?"

"You never did need any pointers, O'Neill."

"Not a straight answer."

She cupped his cheeks with both hands and stroked her thumbs over the corners of his mouth. "As long as you're loving me, Jack, as long as it's coming from you, I don't care where the inspiration originated. If I'm uneasy about it, it's because I don't want you feeling jealous because you didn't think of it first." She leaned down and kissed him lightly. "You've turned me into a sexual glutton. Gimme gimme gimme."

"You do know, don't you, that he cured everything that's been ailing me?"

"Your knees? Your back? Your arthritis?"

"And a few other things that were creeping up on me that I didn't know about." He dropped his hands to her hips suggestively. "You thought the enhancements I got from the Ancients' were mind-blowing. Babe, I've got the body of an eighteen year old to go with."

"But you still have the mind of a twelve year old?" she teased.

"Keep it up and I'll trade you in on two twenty year olds."

"You will keep me around to do the cooking, right?"

"And to make me laugh. And to clean the stalls, put in hay..."

She batted at him playfully. "Don't forget my right hook."

He raised his eyebrows. "Damn, Woman! If the fireplace hadn't caught me you would have knocked me on my ass!"

"Next time I won't down-shift on the up-swing," she warned.

"You pulled that punch?" He cringed. "I was only kidding about the two twenty year olds, honest."

"If I thought for a moment you weren't...! Speaking of jealousy, you must have been going out of your mind."

"Poor choice of words, thank you very much," he grimaced. "But yes, Ma'am, I was going absolutely wacko. I don't think I've ever felt that degree of rage. You know, it sort of put a whole lot of my petty grievances into perspective. I'm so sorry I let my head get so far up my ass that I could walk away from you."

"It's over and done with, Jack. Let it go."

"You have, haven't you? How do you do that?"

"I love you enough to forgive anything. Well, anything but orange roses."

He laughed at her. She plucked at the buttons on his shirt.

"Jack..."

"Out with it, Maddy."

"Will you still let me massage your back, even if it doesn't hurt anymore?"

"Maddy!" He shook her. "You make me crazy!"

"Not as crazy as you'll get when you start feeling the effects of PMS," she taunted. "Just stay the hell out of my high heels!"

Chapter Fifty Eight

Jack moved into the doorway and looked down the white rose pedal-strewn aisle. A hush fell over the crowd as they turned in their seats to stare at him. The First Family was in the front row, flanked by a contingent of secret service. Across the aisle General Hank Landry sat with Dr. Lam on one side and General George Hammond on the other. The rest of the pews were filled with personnel from the SGC. In front of the alter, Daniel, Mitchell, and Teal'c stood to one side, each looking quite dapper in their black tuxes. He still wished Carter hadn't nixed his idea of peridot tuxes. Maddy had thought it was funny. Carter and Vala were stunning in their simple, sleek purple dresses.

Lilac, as they kept correcting him.

White roses with lit candles in their centers lined the aisle on both sides. Bright sunshine hit the stained glass windows perfectly, giving the entire chapel a pretty, multi-colored glow. He could hear the doves cooing. People were fussing with their little containers of live butterflies.

Jack grinned to himself when it dawned on him that Daniel couldn't take his eyes off Carter.

The wedding march began and Jack turned slightly.

Maddy came out of a side room, looking absolutely breath-taking in her ivory gown. There was no veil, no bouquet, no frills. Just his Maddy dressed in ivory silk that clung to her curves. Her hair was down, untamed, as he had requested. She moved up beside him and slipped her hand under his arm.

"You take my breath away," he told her quietly.

Her eyes were sparkling. "I'm not wearing any underwear," she said soberly.

"You promised me a lace teddy."

"I traded it in on an ivory lace garter belt. And nothing else."

Jack grinned as he started to shake. "Ready?"

"For anything," she replied.

He led her down the aisle at a leisurely pace, giving everyone time to drink in the vision on his arm.

"How many more times do you suppose we'll do this?" she asked him softly through her smile.

"As many as it takes," he answered. "More, if you keep subtracting clothing."

"So what'd you get me for a wedding present?"

"Remember that weekend you were my sex slave?"

She darted at look at him. He kept his expression serious.

"Next weekend, I'm gonna make what Quasi did to you seem like a peck on the cheek."

He felt her take an unsteady step and clamped his elbow to steady her. When she glanced up at him, her eyes impossibly wide, he gave her a level stare. Her sharp intake tickled him to no end.

"Maybe that rocking chair I got you wasn't such a good idea," she murmured.

He snorted and couldn't quite control a quick grin.

They paused for Landry, Hammond, and the President of the United States each to hand her a rose and give her a kiss on the cheek, then shake Jack's hand. They moved up to the alter where Teal'c, Daniel, and Mitchell each gave her a rose and a kiss. She flicked a glance at Jack as they faced the base chaplain. He winked at her. Maddy handed the roses to Carter then tucked her hand back into Jack's elbow. The chaplain read an abbreviated version of the traditional ceremony and said a prayer. He had them face each other and repeat their vows. He nodded to Daniel, who produced the two braided leather bracelets.

"Madison and Jack have decided to exchange these tokens of their commitment to each other," the chaplain announced. "Leather to symbolize strength, durability, and flexibility. Three strands symbolizing friendship, trust, and patience, braided together in an unending circle, the foundation for lasting love."

Daniel handed each of them a bracelet.

Maddy looked into Jack's eyes. "Jack O'Neill, I promise to love you and stand by you through alien incursions, mind control episodes, off-world missions, bullet wounds, the flu, golf, opera, and reruns of The Simpsons."

Their guests laughed.

She hooked the bracelet around his wrist. "Accept this token of my devotion, my love, and my promise." She looked back up at him. "I love you, O'Neill."

Jack gave her a wicked grin that they both understood. He raised her hand and kissed the underside of her wrist. "Maddy O'Neill, I promise to love you, and to protect you whether you want me to or not. I promise to try not to be so jealous, try not to smother you, and try to learn to cook. Your love has made me a whole man, given me a life, restored me. It isn't possible to live up to the person you are, but I promise to give you all that I am and hope you can forgive me for the screw-ups I'm bound to make. You are my life, my vital energy, my sole reason for breathing. Thank you for loving me so intensely, and for teaching me the meaning of compassion and generosity." He fastened the bracelet around her wrist and kissed the back of her hand, then her knuckles, then the top of her wrist. When he started up her arm Daniel tapped him on the shoulder.

The crowd tittered again.

"I love you so much, Maddy."

The chaplain said, "I now pronounce you man and wife. Ladies and gentleman, I present to you Mr.and Mrs. Jack O'Neill." He paused for effect then said, "Dare I say it? General O'Neill, you may kiss your bride."

Jack's eyes glittered a warning in the instant before he dipped her low across his arm and seared a sizzling kiss across her mouth. As white doves were released to soar around the chapel to the delighted gasps of the witnesses, Maddy slipped him her tongue.

"Uh, guys..." Daniel prompted.

Jack broke the kiss and grinned down into her eyes. "Mark my place." He righted her, grasped her hand, and led her down the aisle amid loud cheers and applause.

They stood on the steps, blinking a little at the abruptly bright sunshine, and patiently accepted the well wishes of their guests. As the line of people grouped along the short sidewalk leading to the stretch limo, Maddy looked up into her husband's face.

"I wonder what this go-round will bring?" she asked him.

He leaned down to nuzzle her neck. "Lots and lots and lots of incredible love-making is all I can promise for sure. Shall we go smear icing all over each other?"

"I think it would be appropriate to stop by the reception first," she answered with that vixen smile that melted his knees.

He took her hand and led her down the sidewalk amid a cloud of butterflies.

Can't Be The End- They're Just Getting Started!

Please watch for The O'Neill Chronicles, Book III; Memories. The story is complete and in the process of being polished and edited.