Note from Phoenix: I'm very ill, I'm being treated for pneumonia. As a result I didn't actually read this (what's new). There is just one more chapter left!

Chapter Forty-five

"Please, please stop....please?"

Jack's quiet plea went unnoticed. Sighing heavily he held Sam tighter as she cried inconsolably. Jack looked around the infirmary, unsure of what to do. Struggling for breath against her tears Sam clutched Jack's shirt as though at any moment someone was going to tear her away from him. Jack rubbed between her shoulder blades, but it did little comfort her.

"Carter, I really don't know how to deal with you when you're like this."

"Sir?" Janet asked as she stepped into the infirmary. "What happened?"

"Nothing, she just won't stop."

"Jack informed us that he was leaving and she seems to have taken it personally." Daniel noted.

"I said I'd be back!" Jack protested.

"I just finished speaking with the General about your mission back to Bangkok." Janet said. "I have to admit that I discouraged him from letting you go..."

"Doc..."

"But of course that didn't change my mind." Hammond interrupted as he joined the group.

"Teal'c and I have a go?" Jack asked hopefully.

"Yes, just...be careful."

"Always."

"I need to go with you." Daniel said.

"Daniel?"

"I need to go with you."

"Not happening." Jack said firmly as Sam continued to cry on his chest.

"If you are to get anywhere on that planet you will need a translator and I'm the only one you've got for Japanese."

"What about Dave from SG-7?"

"Dave is Chinese." Daniel pointed out. "He's also from Chicago and only speaks English."

"Right. Still, you're not coming."

"Then you will fail."

"I wasn't really planing on asking any questions, this mission is going to be more of a grab and dash."

"Jack, we destroyed the Dragon Tears. To get more we will have to confront Ryūjin."

"Who?"

"The Goa'uld who developed them."

"Ah, right. You make a good point, Daniel, but what if you go all psycho on us again. It doesn't take much to set you off these days."

"True, but if you keep my hands tied behind my back I doubt I'd be able to cause much damage."

"Daniel," Janet said "your wrists are still healing."

"So modify the restraints I'm wearing now and hold me by the elbows. There is no sense in Jack and Teal'c risking their lives on Bangkok if I'm not there to tell them what is going on."

Jack looked to Hammond for help, but the General actually looked like he was falling into Daniel's logic trap. Janet stepped up and gave Sam a light sedative so that she'd release Jack from the death hold she had on him. Once the sedative took affect Sam lost interest in what was going on. Daniel also seemed disinterested one way or another.

"General?" Jack asked.

"Dr. Jackson has a valid point, but he will be just as much of a liability as an aid. In the end, it's your team, Colonel."

"Alright, Daniel, you can come, but if you end up forcing me to shoot you I want you to know that I will never forgive you."

"Understandable."

Jack shook his head, still not liking the circumstances. Half an hour later he was with Teal'c and Daniel on the Gate ramp waiting for it to dial. Daniel stood at Teal'c's side looking more like a prisoner of war than a team member. He wore a set of makeshift cuffs that encircled his upper arm and his elbows, the leather straps crossing over his back. Jack kept his field knife handy in case Daniel needed to be released in a hurry.

"Daniel, if you were attacked, would you defend yourself?" Jack asked.

"No."

"Great." Jack huffed. "This is a bad idea."

Teal'c nodded in agreement, but was still fully prepared to step through the Gate when it opened. Just as Jack had feared by the time the Gate did open Daniel had lost interest in what was going on and started to sit down on the ramp. Jack hauled him to his feet and together they returned to Bangkok.

"It would appear that this garden is no longer tended." Teal'c noted.

The once immaculate garden had been allowed to over grow and turn wild. As they made their way towards where the palace used to be Jack and Teal'c kept on high alert. When they reached the ashes of the burned palace they stopped and looked around.

"I guess they decided not to rebuild." Jack shrugged.

"Perhaps there are some Dragon Tears left in the ashes." Teal'c suggested.

"Good idea, T."

Jack lead the way towards the center of the burned out palace. They had to be careful since the floorboards were burnt out in some places. When they came to the center room where this all started Jack started to sift through the ashes. He got down on his knees and brushed the debris around. Teal'c joined him and they rummaged around. All they found was charcoal and broken glass.

"There is nothing here." Jack shook his head. "Well Daniel I guess you were ri..."

Jack stopped and looked around. Teal'c also became concerned and stood up looking around. Daniel was no where to be seen, he had wandered off. Jack got to his feet and looked around again.

"Oh for cry'in out..." Jack growled. "Daniel! Daniel!"

"Daniel Jackson!" Teal'c roared.

"He's not going to answer, is he?"

"I do not believe so. I am sorry, I should have been watching him."

"No more than I should have been." Jack admitted. "We just aren't used to him wandering off...wait, scratch that. He does this all the time."

"Daniel Jackson is in no condition to be on his own. He can not defend himself."

"Don't be so sure about that. But, come on, we need to find him."

Jack brought his P90 back into position he headed off in a random direction in search of Daniel. Teal'c stopped Jack and pointed out a set of prints in the ashes. Jack looked at the distance between each track.

"Was he running?"

"It would appear so." Teal'c nodded.

"We were so worried about him going into a rage that we didn't even think about him becoming fearful."

"Indeed."

"Alright, let's go get him and go home."

Jack and Teal'c broke into a trot and followed Daniel's tracks. They lead away from the burned palace and into the bamboo forest. Once in the woods Daniel was harder to trace him. However, Teal'c was an expert and picked up his trail once again. Jack and Teal'c came to a stand still when the forest opened up and revealed a small house.

"Daniel Jackson's trail enters that home."

"Of course it does." Jack sighed. "Let's go."

They crept up on the entrance slowly with their weapons raised. Jack peeked inside and his breath hissed across his teeth. Daniel was kneeling on the floor with Ryūjin standing in front of him. She had released him from his restraints. She ran her hands through Daniel's hair and he leaned his head back and groaned.

Jack flicked off his safety and singled to Teal'c to cover his back. Storming into the simple, one room home Jack held his weapon high. The Goa'uld looked up at him and when she saw the gun and the staff weapon aimed at her she made a surprising move. Ryūjin stepped in front of Daniel to shield him from the weapons.

"Get away from him!" Jack barked. "Daniel, tell her to get on her knees now."

"No."

"Dani..."

Ryūjin responded in a low voice in a language Jack didn't understand.

"'Please, I wish only to help him'." Daniel translated directly. "'He is badly injured, I can help him'."

"Daniel, get on your feet and get away from her. I can't risk having you in the cross fire."

"No. Jack, she can help me, she has already removed my fear."

"She started all of this!"

"Trust her."

"Never!"

"Then trust me."

Jack balked at this and turned to look at Teal'c. There was no question in Jack's mind that Teal'c was all for just killing the dragon Goa'uld. However, she had made no moves to attack anyone, she wasn't even wearing a hand device. Daniel's attention suddenly drifted away. Jack shook his head sadly and lowered his weapon. Ryūjin bowed deeply and muttered something.

"She says 'thank you'."

Jack exchanged a nervous glance with Teal'c as Ryūjin knelt down in front of Daniel. She asked him something and he lifted his hands up for her. The Goa'uld carefully unwrapped the bandages that encircled Daniel's wrist. Jack winced at the sight of the gory flesh underneath. The skin graft that Janet had placed over the chemical burns was not surviving. When Ryūjin touched the exposed flesh Daniel whimpered in pain.

Jack was sure he had heard wrong, but the tone in the Goa'uld's voice after hurting Daniel sounded apologetic. She reached into a hidden pocket on the large modest kimono that she was wearing and pulled out a small device. The device fit onto her finger like a ring.

"That is a healing device." Teal'c informed. "It would seem that she is planing to make good on her promise."

"Right, she wants him healthy enough to breed."

"I do not believe so, she is all alone here."

"Just stay ready to kill her if we need to."

"Of course."

Ryūjin did not pay any attention to the men talking behind her back. Taking one of Daniel's hands the Goa'uld began to heal the devastating wound. Having fixed one side she concentrated on the other. Soon both wrists were free of both injury and scaring, there was no evidence that anything had occurred. She turned and spoke to Jack.

"She says that if either one of you has any pain she will gladly remove it." Daniel said.

"Why is she helping us?"

Daniel turned to Ryūjin and they had a lengthy conversation.

"She is now the healer of this world. She has set all her subjects free and they return to her when they need help. Despite her previous life she is now happy with a quite life of contemplation."

"Yeah, I see that." Jack rolled his eyes. "What I want to know is why."

Daniel relayed the message to the Goa'uld and she spoke once again.

"She does not know why. After the fire she returned to see if anything could be saved. Afterward she simply began devoting her life to compassion."

"O'Neill," Teal'c broke in "I believe that Ryūjin is a victim of her own Dragon Tears. When she returned she must have come in contact with the Tears that have turned her into the creature we see now."

"That's...odd. Shouldn't a Goa'uld be able to heal herself of such a drug?"

Daniel assumed this question was directed at him to ask Ryūjin.

"Ryūjin says that she does not wish to heal herself, she enjoys this feeling. She has found a peace in this lifestyle that she had never known before."

"I see." Jack said, still distrusting it.

When Jack did not continue to speak with him Daniel lost interest and stared off into space. Although his wrists had been healed he still held no emotion. Jack shifted his weight for a moment as he made a decision.

"Daniel?"

"Yes?"

"Can you ask her to heal your mind?"

"I don't understand, I am in no more pain."

"I know, but you're still not well. Just ask her."

"Very well."

Daniel asked Ryūjin to help him further. At first she did not understand, but she reached out and brushed his temple with the healing device anyway. Jack held his breath, hoping this would work. After a full minute of waiting Daniel's eyes suddenly snapped into true focus. Looking up at Jack a genuine smile spread across Daniel's face.

"You back, Daniel?"

"I think so." He turned to Ryūjin. "Thank you."

"Of course, Daniel. I am deeply sorry for all the trouble that I have caused. I wish for your forgiveness."

"You have it."

"You would have made a powerful Dragon Tear." Ryūjin smiled sadly. "Although I am pleased that I did not attempt to take your capacity for forgiveness away from you."

"What do you mean?"

"To make Dragon Tears you must first find someone who exemplifies the emotion that you wish to harness. It took me a lifetime to create my collection because there are some emotions that simply do not drive men the same way that others do."

"Why were you collecting them in the first place?"

"Because to harness emotion is to hold the ultimate power. Once I had a full collection I was going to use it to rise above all the other System Lords."

"What are your plans now?"

"I wish only to live the rest of my life in peace here."

"Sounds like a plan." Daniel smiled. "I don't suppose you could create more of the Dragon Tears that have made you this way, maybe the other System Lords could learn to live in peace."

"No." Ryūjin shook her head. "To create Dragon Tears I would have to take the life of a man driven by compassion, one such as yourself."

"I would give my life to stop the Goa'uld without further blood shed."

"And your Tears would be powerful, however, I can no longer even imagine harming another living creature even for the greatest of causes."

"I understand."

"I knew you would."

"I have another favour to ask you." Daniel said.

"Name it."

"I have a friend who is very sick. She needs your help."

"Then bring her to me."

"Thank you."

Daniel gave Ryūjin a shallow bow and got to his feet. He walked over to Jack and threw his arms around him in a warm hug.

"Oh great, now you're over the edge the other way." Jack grumbled.

"No." Daniel shook his head. "I'm just glad to see you, and glad that I can appreciate it."

"What about Carter?"

"Ryūjin has already agreed to help her."

"I can't say I like it, but if it will get Carter back I guess we have no choice. Okay, Kids, let's go back and get her."

"Actually, Jack, I'd like to stay and talk with Ryūjin for a while. I think there is a lot we can learn from her."

"Alright fine...one more night in Bangkok."

"And not a second more." Daniel chuckled.

"Exactly."