Jack had been gone for hours, and Daniel was increasingly frustrated. After their little tiff last night, they had barely spoken. Jack spent most of the night searching for a way out while Daniel tried to get some sleep.

According to his watch, the Jaffa had come for Jack around eight AM. That meant it had been nearly ten hours since Daniel had last seen him. That was ten hours too long. Worried, Daniel unconsciously imitated Jack, pacing the floor of the cell in ground-eating strides.

When the cell door finally slid open, almost twelve hours since Jack had been taken, Daniel was unprepared. Jack, minus his shirt, hung between two meaty-looking guards, appearing unconscious. The guards dropped him inside the cell and departed quickly.

"Jack! Oh, God, Jack, answer me!" Daniel gently turned him over and reached for a pulse. Before his fingers touched Jack's throat, Daniel jerked back in surprise. There was a thin, strait line at the base of his neck.

"No!" Daniel whispered in horror. Surely, they wouldn't have… Jack couldn't be a Gou'uld! Daniel pushed back into the farthest corner, shivering violently. "Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God." Daniel prayed to himself, body rocking instinctively.

Jack began to stir. Daniel stood, pressed into the corner, as far away as he could get. Jack shook his head, as if to clear it, and stood slowly. Daniel gulped and took one step forwards.

"I won't tell you anything, so you might as well kill me!" Daniel stated, his false bravado shattered by the warble in his voice.

Jack looked at him quizzically and shook his head, a frown etched into his now perfectly clean face. He opened his mouth to speak, and then snapped it shut abruptly.

"What's the matter? Gou'uld got your tongue? You guys usually boast about now, if you're new at this." Daniel said angrily, fear pushed to the side.

Jack shook his head again and came closer. Daniel started to back away, but then changed his mind. After all, where could he go? Daniel straitened up, almost at attention, and awaited whatever this strangely silent Gou'uld had in mind.

Jack stopped a few feet away. Reaching out, he touched the base of Daniel's throat, causing Daniel to gulp in fear. Jack shook his head emphatically. Then he raised his fingers to cover Daniel's lips and shook his head again. Jack let his hand drop and stood silently.

Daniel let a ray of hope peek out. "Jack?" he asked hopefully.

Jack nodded, a wry smile appearing on his face momentarily.

"Jack!" Daniel grinned, relived. Then his face fell. "Oh, God, Jack! What did they do to you!"

Jack scrunched up his nose in disgust. He made a slicing motion across his throat.

"They cut you? What, surgery!"

Jack nodded. He pointed to his lips and mouthed Daniel's name.

"They took away your voice!" Daniel looked horrified and sympathetic. "What for?"

Jack grinned and cocked his head.

"Oh, Jack, you didn't! What did you say to her! I told you to be careful!"

Jack shrugged, anger entering his eyes. He shook his head.

"Yah, hard to say no without upsetting her, huh?" Daniel asked, a statement more than a question.

Jack sighed silently and nodded. They sat, sharing the thin sleeping mat on the floor. Daniel frowned, thinking seriously.

"Jack, maybe you should consider… "

Jack interrupted him, shaking his head vehemently.

"But, Jack, who knows what she'll do next time!"

Jack shook his head again. Daniel sighed and gave up, knowing how stubborn Jack could be.