Chapter Thirty-six

Daniel couldn't breath. He couldn't breath.

Something in the back of his mind was screaming at him, telling him that this wasn't happening now because it had already happened. However, he could barely hear that voice because the terror of asphyxiation was consuming his senses.

He had lost track of how many times he'd been through this, a dozen, a thousand...once had been too many. All he truely knew was that it never got any easier. Eventually Ba'al had run out of water, but not ideas. He had taken to puncturing Daniel's arteries and collecting the normally life giving crimson fluid to force down his throat.

If anything the blood was worse than the water. Its metallic tang and warm viscosity made him sick. Even now he gagged breathlessly against it. The only release from the painful reflex was when death finally seized him.

Having gone five minutes without a breath Daniel's vision darkened and then everything was still. Even though he was paralyzed by death tears slipped down his face just as the bone snapping spasm that followed racked his frame. The agony escaladed quickly and then ebbed slowly as the ring gave him life once more. When Daniel could breath again he used his first gasp for a single word.

"Stop!"

"Are you begging me?" Ba'al chuckled.

"Yes." Daniel whimpered. "Yes, I'm begging you."

"You don't have to do that." Ba'al said sympathetically. "All you have to do is leave your host."

"I'm not a Goa'uld!" Daniel cried with all his heart.

"Fine." Ba'al shrugged. "If you're not Gabriel, if you are indeed Daniel Jackson...what are you doing here?"

"I...I don't remember." Daniel panted.

"Really?" Ba'al asked skeptically.

"I swear, right now I...I'm having trouble recalling anything beyond my name..."

Daniel screamed as Ba'al forced the sharp knife into his shoulder and twisted it. He didn't have the strength to hide his pain from Ba'al anymore. Even though the ring healed the wound when Ba'al pulled the blade out Daniel still wept.

"You're not looking for your daughter are you?" Ba'al a asked suddenly.

"Daughter?" Daniel repeated in confusion. "I...I don't have a daughter."

"Are you sure?"

Ba'al approached closer so that his hot breath washed against Daniel's face. Daniel said nothing more, having Ba'al this close was enough to bring him back to the brink of panic. His skin crawled as Ba'al placed the knife point behind his ear and slowly traced the cold steel blade down to the throbbing artery in his neck.

Daniel closed his eyes, unable to watch the enjoyment in Ba'al's eyes. He couldn't keep from moaning against the thought of going through the drowning again. Ba'al began to press the tip into Daniel's throat to collect his blood.

"She died..." Daniel admitted tearfully. "My daughter died before she was born. Sha're had a miscarriage during a sand storm...it...it was my fault for not being there for her..."

Ba'al stared intensely at Daniel before smiling cryptically and then nodding. He took the pressure off the knife and seemed to contemplate his next move. Daniel started to hyperventilate as Ba'al walked over to his table and retrieved a second knife and brought them both over.

"I'm getting tired." Ba'al smiled. "As I'm sure you are as well. So I'm going to give you two options on how you're going to spend your evening. You can suffer under the influence of the ring, or you can rest peacefully in a cell. I might even allow you to be with Samantha, perhaps she can offer you some solace before we begin again."

Daniel didn't say anything, he just stared at the floor.

"For a night of rest all you have to give me is a single useful truth." Ba'al grined. "Just one...any one."

"I'm not a Goa'uld."

"I'm starting to believe that...but that's not very useful."

"It's the only truth I have to give you."

An uncharacteristic look of pity touched Ba'al face. He looked down at the pair of daggers in his hands and then casually walked behind his victim. With inhuman strength Ba'al drove the daggers through Daniel's shoulder blades.

Daniel screamed silently as the searing blades sliced into his lungs. His back arched violently in a desperate attempt to escape the literally breath taking pain. Ba'al started to walk out of the room and Daniel realized that he was going to be left like this. As the blades flooded his chest with blood his vision once again darkened.

The pain vanished, but his fear did not. With renewed strength Daniel thrashed violently, tugging at the restraints till the bit into his skin. Suddenly he found that his wrists were free although the rest of him body seemed to be tangled. A cool touch against his forehead escalated his panicked desire to escape.

"Danielle..."

The female voice did not help Daniel's state of mind. He tore himself free of whatever was holding him back and lashed out blindly. Catching a hold of flesh he attacked like a rabid dog. Sha're didn't fight against him as he rolled over and pinned her to bed. Tears slipped from the corners of her dark eyes as he wrapped his hands around her throat.

"Danielle." Sha're whimpered.

Daniel froze and finally saw what he was doing. He released her and scrambled off the bed, looking around the ornate tent. He shook his head trying to clear it. Sha're got up and fearlessly walked up to him. She stepped up and affectionately nuzzled against his chest.

"Sha're?" Daniel asked in bemusement. "I...I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"It is alright, you have simply not learned to control yourself."

"Wha...what happened?" Daniel stuttered. "What's happening?"

"You fell into a memory, I could not get you out."

Daniel looked around again and then pinched the bridge of his nose. It had been so real. Then again this seemed real now too. Sha're embraced him as though trying to keep him with her. He shook his head again, but couldn't clear the memory.

"Husband?" Sha're asked quietly.

"There is something about what Ba'al said that keeps bothering me." Daniel answered vacantly. "Something about a daughter. I don't understand..."

"It does not matter now, Husband."

Daniel snapped out of his reverie and looked down at the beautiful creature in his arms. She smiled shyly, her eyes bright with worry. Daniel smiled warmly and pulled her into a passionate kiss. He released her and held her out at arms length so that he could look at her.

"You're right...you are all that matters now."