Sorry this chapter is so short, kinda like chapter 6, but like that one, it's kinda a transition thing, You'll see what I mean, and even more so once the chapter 25 is up. So please just enjoy this chapter for now, and please review so that I can get 25 done faster! Thanks:)

Chapter 24

Jack O'Neill walked into the infirmary to check on Carter, and found the major sitting despondently on the edge of one of the beds, her sleeves pushed up and her injured arm well bandaged. As usual, Janet Fraiser was taking good care of his team. He couldn't blame her for what had happened to Daniel; she'd tried. It wasn't her fault they had been too late. Sighing, the colonel made his way over to his second in command.

"Hey," he said, standing in front of her. "How's the arm?"

"It'll be okay," Carter said, not looking up. "Still hurts some, but it's not that bad."

"Ah," O'Neill nodded, rocking back on his heels. "Where's Jacob?"

"Something came up. All the Tok'ra had to leave immediately, but dad said he'd come back as soon as he could--hopefully in time for, Daniel's…uh…" She trailed of, unable to complete the sentence.

Daniel's memorial service, Jack finished in his mind, outwardly flinching at the words. "Yeah…So…you gonna be okay?"

Sam's shoulders only slumped farther. "Not for a while," she answered quietly.

Jack sighed and slowly sat down beside her. "Carter…this isn't your fault."

She looked at him quickly. "What…?"

He raised a finger. "Don't give me that 'what'. I know when you're feeling guilty, Carter. I've seen it enough." Sam gulped and looked back down at her hands as he continued. "If there was anything you could've possibly done to prevent what happened, you would have done it."

Carter nodded wearily. "Yes sir. I know, it's just…Y-you didn't happen to catch a glimpse of the local Goa'uld, did you?"

"Well, they were serpent guard, Apophis's guys. Anybody could have commandeered his forces by now….and…well, no. We were kinda too busy rescuing you…" The colonel grimaced. "Some rescue huh?"

Carter pulled in a shaky breath. "It was Amaunet, sir," she informed him quietly.

O'Neill's face suddenly paled. "What? No…" he said in disbelief. When Carter nodded, his eyes closed. "Oh no. Oh boy, oh crap. Wow…poor Daniel…" When he heard Sam choke back a sob his eyes opened. "She did it, didn't she?"

Sam nodded, then pulled her feet up onto the edge of the bed and buried her face in her uninjured arm on her knees. "I-I'd never seen him so…so upset, sir, I…" her voice trailed off from inside where her face was hidden, and this time a real sob escaped. "Daniel's really gone this time, isn't he?"

O'Neill sighed heavily. "It sure looks that way," he admitted.

Carter's voice faded into muffled crying, and the colonel's face suddenly showed only concern.

"Aww, Carter…come here…" Jack said quietly, pulling Sam into his arms.

And all he could do was sit there and hold her while she sobbed, offering what comfort he could that way because he didn't know what to say. What could he say? Daniel was dead. How was he supposed to know what to say to make Carter feel any better when he couldn't make himself feel any better? He felt like crying too.

Doctor Fraiser looked up from where she sat at her desk when she heard a soft knock on the doorframe. What she saw was General Hammond stepping quietly into her office. Janet stood.

"General," she said in greeting. "Can I help you?"

George Hammond sighed. "How is Major Carter?"

"Her arm will be fine, sir, and I didn't find anything else that could put her health in danger. But beyond that, general…" She shrugged. "She was there when it happened, sir. I'm sure that emotionally she's even worse off than…than the rest of us…"

Hammond nodded. "I know. It's never easy losing people-friends, and even harder to see it happen. But we're all in this together, doctor. Samantha Carter will be all right."

Janet nodded. "Yes sir…"

"Doctor?" Hammond inquired, his voice urging her to continue.

Fraiser stared at her feet. "General…Daniel was still alive when we got there, and I can't help feeling that…"

"-That you could have done more?"

She nodded. "Yes, sir. I'm the doctor, sir. That's one reason why I went, in case either of them needed immediate medical attention before we brought them back. Dr. Jackson did, but-but I couldn't-"

Janet stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked back up at the general, tears in her eyes.

"Doctor, I don't know exactly what happened yet, but I'm sure you did everything you could. If he was beyond saving, it isn't your fault. You've always taken good care of everyone on this base, and I have every confidence in you."

Fraiser swallowed. "Thank you, sir."

Hammond nodded, and then turned to leave. At the door he stopped and swiveled to face her again. "De-brief is in an hour, doctor."

She nodded. "I'll be there, sir."

Giving her small smile, the general turned again and exited, leaving Doctor Fraiser alone in her office. Sighing, she closed the door to the office and sat down heavily.

She was a professional. She wasn't supposed to become so attached to patients, even those that were as recurring as Daniel Jackson. She wasn't supposed to become this upset. So why wouldn't the lump in her throat go away?

Because she had become attached. Somehow the members of SG-1--all of them--had found their way into Janet's heart. They were her friends, and she didn't regret it at all, though she would miss the one that was gone terribly. There was no reason why she shouldn't allow herself to be sad, and as long as the door was shut…why not? It was all she wanted to do--just to cry. She had plenty of time before the de-briefing, and no other patients at the moment.

Daniel was dead, and she felt horrible. So Janet Fraiser put her face in her hands and cried.

The room on the Goa'uld mothership was guarded by two jaffa just outside the door. Otherwise it was usually silent and empty of people, with only the sarcophagus at its center. Apophis liked it that way. Amaunet did as well, and she smiled to herself as she stepped inside--as much because of that as because of the fact that today there was also something different about the room.

Off to the side a table stood, and on it lay Daniel Jackson's lifeless body.

Within her, her host rebelled at the sight, pounding against her barriers. She could sense her host's anger and sorrow, and it only satisfied her more. Soon she would give up her rebellion, with nothing left to live for. She was sure of it. Soon her life would be much easier, without having to deal with a restless host. Well…as soon as she had what she needed.

The Tau'ri and Tok'ra were gone, and had managed to escape with the woman, but that no longer bothered her because they, of course, had not been able to save Jackson, and had not taken his body with them. Now, if she revived him, his future self would exist again as well. She could keep them alive as long as she needed to get the information she wanted, before killing them again and leaving them that way. And this time she would never have to worry about his escape or rescue, for his friends believed him dead.

It had been over an hour since she had killed him, however, which meant that already the sarcophagus would not be able to heal him completely. She should not waste any more time…

"Jaffa!" she called, bringing the two from the corridor in.

"My Lady?" they asked simultaneously.

"Place him in the sarcophagus," she ordered, nodding toward Jackson's body. "And then leave us. Do not stay outside the door."

The two bowed. "Yes, Queen Amaunet."

The jaffa obeyed her orders, carrying the body to the device, opening it, and placing Jackson inside. Silently Amaunet watched as the lid slid shut, and Daniel's pale face disappeared. Funny, how a small smile had frozen onto his face. She would never understand humans and their ideals, their emotions…

And deep inside, Sha're wept.

"Samantha Carter, are you all right?" Teal'c asked as those called to the de-briefing settled around the large table.

Carter nodded wearily, though her face was still a bit pink and she looked exhausted from the stress of what had happened. "I'll be okay…" she gulped quietly.

Nodding, Teal'c slowly sat down opposite her, concern still etched on his face. Beside her, O'Neill briefly put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a small, reassuring smile before pulling it away as Hammond entered the conference room.

The general took his seat at the head of the table and looked over those seated before him--the remaining members of SG-1, Janet Fraiser, and SG-3. Both Samantha Carter and the doctor still looked considerably the worse for wear. He eyed them as he began to speak.

"Is everyone sure they can do this now? If we need to re-schedule for tomorrow morning…"

Somehow knowing that Hammond was talking to them, Janet and Sam glanced at each other, and then back at the general.

"It's all right, sir," Sam answered for them. Not that she really wanted to talk about what happened on that planet, any of it, but she could if she needed to-or at least she hoped so.

Hammond nodded, satisfied. "Then we should get started. Why don't start at the beginning. What happened after you stepped through the gate….?"