"They sent through a UAV", Janet told him.

Daniel shrugged and took another bite of macaroni.

"How can you eat that stuff", the petite doctor wanted to know. "It comes out of a box and is nothing but artificial flavors and colors. I don't think there's any nutrition in it at all.

He shrugged. "Reminds me of college."

"Yeah, me too, but we're not in college anymore and we don't have to eat that crap now." When Daniel didn't reply she sighed. "So what do you think?"

"About what?" Daniel lifted his head finally and squinted at her.

"Daniel! Weren't you listening to anything I said? And if you shrug your shoulders at me one more time I'm going to – going to – hell, I don't know what I'll do, but it'll be bad."

He raised a single eyebrow and put down his fork. This time he was the one who sighed. "Sorry. What was it you were saying?"

Janet was worried about the man opposite her. Ever since they'd lost Jack and Sam he hadn't been the same. Oh, they all grieved, were grieving, but for Daniel it was more than that. He felt responsible and the guilt was eating him alive.

After they'd returned to the planet, with SG's 3 and 4 in tow, and found that both the Colonel and Major were nowhere to be found Daniel had immersed himself in guilt and 'what ifs'. She knew the General had assured him they had done the right thing in returning to earth. She had told him the same thing, as had others, but none of it helped. He believed if he'd stayed Jack and Sam would not have disappeared.

Janet was also pretty sure that Teal'c felt the same way. Unlike Daniel, it was often hard to read how he was feeling, but he had become even quieter and more withdrawn than usual. She didn't think she'd seen a smile on either man's face since that awful mission.

Things had gone on at the SGC. They were still in the fight against the Goa'uld and were still exploring the galaxy. But for her and for many others, the excitement had gone out of what they were doing. There had been a pall hanging over the place since that day they had lost two good friends. It was as if SG1 had been the 'lucky mascot' of the base. People no longer believed that the SGC – or earth for that matter – was invincible; not if Jack O'Neill and Samantha Carter could be captured.

She glanced up to see Daniel looking at her curiously. She hadn't answered his question and he probably thought she had been dipping into her own medicine cabinet. "I said the General sent a UAV through. You know", she explained, when he looked at her blankly, "the gate opened a few hours ago and stayed open for almost fifteen minutes. There was no IDC and it was from a planet we've never explored. Walter found the address near the bottom of the list of planets Colonel O'Neill input after he received the Ancient download."

As soon as she mentioned the Colonel she could see Daniel's eye's shutter. She wanted to curse, but knew there had to come a time when they couldn't fear to say his or Sam's name out loud.

"I see." Daniel began to pick at his macaroni and cheese. "What did it find out?"

"That it looks like Arizona." She had to smile slightly at his look. "Well, that's what Walter said anyway. I guess it had an arid climate, with a few sparse trees and rocks. There was nothing else to be seen for miles around the gate."

"Is he sending a team?"

"No, I don't think so. The UAV didn't locate a DHD so I think he's worried that a team would have trouble getting back."

"And no sign of 'hostiles'?"

"No, nothing. I just – when I heard I wondered if -" her voice petered out when she realized there was no point in saying anything. They both knew it was unlikely.

"You wondered if maybe it was Jack and Sam." he said softly. When she didn't reply he went on. "I used to think that every time I heard the gate dialing. I used to hope that it was them, that they'd escaped, like always, and were coming home. I don't know how long it was before I made myself stop believing that would ever happen."

"I'm sorry", she said softly, although she wasn't quite sure what she was apologizing for. A few seconds later and she admitted, "I used to do the same thing."

He nodded. "Do you ever wonder what happened to them?" he finally asked.

"Yes, all the time. Or at least I used to and then I made myself stop that too. There was no purpose in it, other than keeping me awake at night and that wasn't good for me or my patients."

"I keep hoping they're dead", he said quietly.

"Daniel!" she cried, shocked. "Why in the world would you hope for that?"

"Because it's better than the other things I can imagine", he told her. "Look, the likelihood is that they were taken prisoner and you know as well as I what happens to prisoners of the Goa'uld. They were either turned into hosts, slaves or they were killed. Tell me Janet, which of those do you think Jack and Sam would prefer?"

She blinked back the tears, knowing that what Daniel said was the truth. But there was another scenario, that neither of them wanted to acknowledge but was likely - and that was that the officers could still be alive, and yet were being tortured by their captors. They both knew that Jack and Sam were hated by the Goa'uld and if that's whose hands they'd fallen into their lives would be made a living hell.

The archaeologist gave her a small smile, which didn't reach his eyes, and stood up. "I have to go Janet."

She nodded, not asking whether he meant now – or for good. She watched him leave and finally let the tears fall. For the first time since her friends had disappeared, she too hoped they were no longer alive.

James returned to town, still frightened, but determined to get Samantha Carter to marry him. He didn't care what he had to do – he'd make sure that by the next day she, and her land, were his.

He stopped off at the bar when he arrived in town, needing a drink to wash away the sour taste of fear which still lingered in his mouth. He ordered a whiskey and stood leaning up against the bar, wondering when things had gone so wrong.

He took a deep breath and downed the strong drink in one gulp. Setting it down sharply on the counter he turned and leaned back, trying to relax after his encounter with the aliens.

He'd met them over a year ago when he'd been out scouting around – something he did occasionally. He'd discovered, many years ago, that it was wise to keep his ear to the ground and check out what was happening around him. He liked to keep an eye on the citizens of Mariscola and the surrounding areas and sometimes the best way to do that was to simply go riding.

He'd come upon the big circle by accident. His horse had lost a shoe and he'd had to lead it for miles. It had been when he'd stopped for a drink and a rest that he'd discovered some strange markings in the side of a sharp cliff. He'd followed them until he found a narrow passageway through the hills.

On the other side he discovered the most unusual thing he'd ever seen. It was a large round circle with strange symbols on it. He had no idea what it could possibly be and spent a lot of time studying it, with no success.

He went back to see it a number of times but it wasn't until his forth trip that something finally happened. He'd almost decided it was nothing more than some old monument, probably created by the earliest nomads who'd wandered these lands, when it had suddenly started to light up and to spin. He'd been frightened at first, and almost ran away, but had forced himself to stay, although he had hidden himself. What he saw now fascinated him and he immediately wondered if there was some way he could use this thing to his own benefit. When the blue 'sea' rushed out at him he almost cried out. Fortunately he'd concealed himself behind a big bolder, or he would have been disintegrated. He didn't know it at the time however. He only found out the danger of the 'sea' much later, when he watched someone get disintegrated. This time he just stared at the miraculous site of standing water.

It wasn't long before he began to see people step out from this water. Their clothes were strange as were the things they carried. Again, it was much later before he found out that the things they carried were weapons; weapons like he'd never seen but which were terrifying in their power and ability to maim and kill. There were ten of the strangers who came out of the circle and they stood silently, waiting on the one man who appeared to be their leader.

They began to move forward, silently, towards his position behind the bolder. James wanted to get up and run away as fast as his feet would carry him – there was something about these 'people' that sent shivers up his spine. He knew he wouldn't make it and finally, shaking and terrified, he stood up and faced them.

He knew he was within a hair's breadth of losing his life. One of the men – he later found out his name was Trada – had pointed the object in his hand at him. It was the leader's voice which stopped him from firing.

"Wait", the man spoke and James could feel goose bumps appear on his arms. "Who are you?"

"Uh –my name's James Knightly. And yours?"

The man stared at him, his eyes blinking slowly, almost like those of a lizard. "I am Pasha", he replied. "What do you do here?"

"Here? You mean right here? Well, I was going out for a walk when that thing" he pointed at the circle, "began to turn. The next thing I knew you came out."

The 'alien' Pasha blinked again. "Kill him", he told his man.

"NO! No, please don't kill me! I can help you. I can tell you things – show you things. Please?" He dropped to his knees, begging for his life.

Pasha held up his hand, stopping Trada again. "What things?" he asked. "I already know what I want. What else can you tell me that would keep me from killing you?"

Thus had begun their agreement. James thought back on that day and knew he would change things if he could. As much as Pasha had promised him wealth – and some of his weapons – James knew it hadn't been worth it. James was not a good man – he'd known that for a long time and he hadn't cared – but there was something about the alien that was truly evil and he felt as if he'd sold his soul to the devil. Still, it was better than dying a horrible death, which is something Pasha was surely able to arrange.

No – he had to go to the ranch and force Samantha to marry him – or maybe just to sign over the ranch? He was pretty sure she'd refuse and he didn't think he could get away with killing her – at least not yet. There would be too much suspicion if she died and he showed up with the deed to her ranch. He'd think of something. He had to.

He pulled himself out of his thoughts and stood up straight. He needed to figure out what he was going to do, and standing here in the bar wasn't getting him anywhere. As he turned to leave he noticed another man standing alone, drinking. He squinted at him for a minute, trying to place him. It was when the other man turned his face that James recognized him.

"Bart!" he approached the man who worked for Janet Henderson. "Your mistress in town?" he asked.

"Yeah", Bart replied shortly. "But she ain't my mistress – at least not anymore."

"Oh?" James grew curious. "And why is that? I thought you were the faithful right hand man?"

"Yeah – until he showed up."

"He?" James moved closer and ordered Bart another whiskey. "Jan – er Miss Henderson has a man friend?"

"Nah. At least she'd like him to be but he's already sleeping with someone else. He's a real bastard and yet she thinks he's the best. Believes everything he says!"

"But who is he? I haven't heard of anyone new around here lately. Has he been to Mariscola?"

"Yeah – you missed him. He was here today. He's been staying at Miss Henderson's place for the last few months after someone tried to kill him."

James' eyes grew round and he grasped the counter as his thoughts started to spin. "What's his name?" he asked quietly.

"Jack. Jack O'Neill. I don't know where he came from, but he's been more trouble than he's worth."

Oh God! That's why she went there. That's why she broke it off with him. She'd found O'Neill and he wasn't dead. He was going to kill his men. They'd assured him they'd finished the job and left him dead in a ditch. Instead he was alive and clearly back with Samantha. "Is he – still at the Stone Circle?"

"No. He and that bitch of his went back to her ranch, but they're leaving tomorrow."

"Leaving?" he frowned. "Where are they going?"

"I don't know. They wouldn't say. It's all mysterious. O'Neill said he found their way home yesterday. They went to get some of her things at her ranch and then they're leaving tomorrow morning. Good riddance I say – although I still think there's something fishy going on. Why couldn't they say where they're going? And what did he mean by having to have some special way to get to home? It doesn't make sense. Hell, no one even seems to know where they came from in the first place!"

James paid for one more drink for Bart and then slowly headed to his rooms above his office. His thoughts kept turning and turning until finally he began to make sense of things.

The circle – they must have come through it like Pasha and his men. No one had ever questioned where Samantha and O'Neill had come from but had simply accepted Henry's word that she was his granddaughter and had been living out east. But if they needed a 'special' means of transportation to get back, what else could it be but the circle?

James suddenly frowned. But if they had come through it, surely they would have known all along where it was. Why then did it sound like O'Neill had just discovered it? Unless they had been brought here and left? It was possible, but why would someone have done that? He shook his head, he didn't know all the details, but was sure he was on the right track.

His thoughts were interrupted when there was a knock on the door. It was only when it opened it that he remembered he'd sent Robert out to check on Janet and her 'guests'. "Come in", he told his hired man. "What did you find out?"

"The man who was there – it was Jack O'Neill. He's not dead after all!"

"I know" James told him. The other man looked surprised. "Did you find out anything else?"

"Just that he and the woman – Samantha Carter – took a long ride yesterday, although no one seems to know where they went. They came into town today and went and saw the lawyer – Murrow - with Charlie and Miss Henderson. They were there for a few hours and then O'Neill and Carter headed to her ranch."

"What about Charlie?" he asked.

"He went with them, although he was going to come back tomorrow morning to escort Miss Henderson home. She's staying over at the hotel."

James nodded, thinking hard. He finally took a deep breath and looked up. "You did good. I want you to stay and keep an eye on Charlie and the Henderson woman. Don't let them get suspicious and make sure he just takes her to her ranch and then returns home."

"What are you going to do boss?" he asked.

"Me?" James smiled. "I'm going to get me a ranch – and a woman, and I'm going to get rid of someone who is just too stubborn to die!"

They had to be going to the circle – there was no other place they could be going. He was now positive that Samantha and her man-idiot had come through it and for some reason hadn't known how to get back. Well, with Pasha and his men there, they certainly weren't going to make it now!

He needed some way to make her marry him. He grinned and began to gather his things. Pasha! If there was anyone who could induce someone to do what he wanted it was the alien. Oh yeah – he was finally going to get the woman and her ranch.

He didn't bother trying to go to bed, knowing he'd be too restless to sleep. Instead he stayed up contemplating what he was going to do with the power that he'd have once the aliens had taken what they'd wanted and left him with riches and weapons. Oh, it was going to be sweet.

Finally it was time to leave. It was still dark outside, but he knew if he was going to make it before them he'd have to leave now. It would give him a chance to explain things to Pasha and set everything up. He didn't want anything to go wrong.

They rode out early in the morning, just as the sun was coming up. Jack couldn't help but stare at the beautiful red and pink and purple hues in the sky as the sun rose. It was his last morning on Mariscola and he didn't know whether to feel sad or frightened or hopeful. In the end, he realized he felt a little of all of them.

"You okay?" she asked, a gentle smile on her face.

"Yeah. Just – not quite sure what it's going to be like. I keep trying to picture the place in my mind but all I get is a gray blank." He tried not to sound worried, but based on her expression figured she knew him a little too well to be fooled. God, he wished he could remember! He wondered if he'd just have to accept that he'd gone as far as he could in his recovery.

Sam watched him carefully, knowing this whole thing had to be terrifying for the man at her side. She was grateful that he was so much better– but she also acknowledged that he was still a long way from the man he'd been. In some ways she liked this new Jack. He somehow seemed softer, gentler than the old Jack. He was more ready to laugh and didn't seem as impatient with things. She didn't know if that would one day return, but she kind of hoped not.

If it did – well, she'd cope just fine. She'd fallen in love with the Colonel – the witty, sarcastic, honorable, brave man he'd been. She fallen even more in love with Jack – the kind, gentle, still honorable man he was now. Whoever came with her through the gate – or whoever he was going forward, she knew she'd continue to love him.

Jack spent the hours to the gate trying to remember his time on his 'team'. He'd been a soldier, a leader who'd saved the people of Earth many times – at least that's what Sam had told him. The thing that was really bothering him wasn't that he couldn't remember – but that it was a life that didn't appeal to him. He wondered if his brain injury had not only made him forget but had changed him into someone different, someone who didn't want to fight, to kill, to be responsible for protecting anyone other than the woman he loved, and maybe his friends.

What if he'd lost his courage, his abilities? What if he was no longer that leader, that soldier, but was now no more than a simple man who wanted to settle down and enjoy his woman and child? He was pretty certain that's who he was now – and he didn't want to turn back to that other Jack.

"We should be there soon", Sam told him. "It really will be okay. You have lots of people who care about you and they're going to be happy to see you back."

"Maybe they won't."

"Of course they'll be happy", she frowned.

"No – I mean, maybe they won't see me back. I – I don't think I'm the same person any more Sam. What if they don't – like the new Jack?"

"Oh Jack!" she pulled on the reins and stopped. "Of course they'll like you – they love you. And you're essentially the same person – you just can't remember everything."

He shook his head, knowing that it was more than the memories, although he was afraid to acknowledge that to her. What if she couldn't really love him the way he was now? What if she was really in love with who he'd been before? "We'd better get going", he told her, starting to move.

She watched him for a while and then began to move herself. She wished she could say something to him which would make him feel better, but knew there really wasn't anything. The fact was it was going to take time for people to get to know this new Jack. She trusted Teal'c and Daniel, Janet and General Hammond. She didn't know how others would react.

They left their horses outside the small passageway, knowing they'd both return to the ranch on their own. With a last look around the two humans from Earth took each other's hands and walked into the short passageway to their way home.

Jack stood silently in front of the gate, just staring at it. He shook himself and turned to Sam with a small smile. "Dial her up", he said.

"So – Earth?"

"Yes. We can try it a few times and see if they send through one of those things you told me about."

"MALP?"

"Yeah, that. If they don't we can go to that other place you mentioned."

She nodded and headed up to the DHD. They'd talked about it the previous night and had decided to see if Hammond - hoping he was still in charge – would send a MALP to investigate. If he did, they'd be able to gate to Earth. If that didn't work she had figured Cimmeria was the best bet for making it home. She thought about the Alpha site, but there'd been some talk of putting an iris on that gate as well and for all she knew they could have done it by now.

She watched Jack for a few moments – he looked so lost that she wanted to run up and throw her arms around him. When he glanced at her, wondering what was taking her so long, she gave a small wave and then turned to the DHD.

She'd gotten to the sixth glyph when she felt something cold on her neck.

"Stop right now Samantha, unless you'd like your man to die." James was grinning as he held the gun to her.

Sam dropped her hands from the DHD, not quite completing the address. It was only when the gun was removed that she was able to look at the man who had spoken. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to marry you Samantha" he told her. "You didn't think I'd let you go that easily, did you?"

"I wouldn't marry you if you were the only man left in the world", she hissed. She tried to see what had happened to Jack, but James was standing in her way, and he still held the pistol, although it was no longer pointed directly at her.

"Samantha, Samantha, that's not a very nice thing to say." He suddenly stepped back, "especially when your man will suffer for your insolence. Pasha!"

She heard Jack scream and pushed past James – ignoring his weapon. "Oh God!" The alien who had hurt Jack so many months ago was standing over him, pointing some kind of weapon at him. Jack was writhing on the ground although a second later the weapon was turned off.

"It is you", the alien named Pasha spoke. "I am surprised that your man seems to have healed from the Morta. It is unusual for someone to come back when their brain has been wiped."

"What do you want?" she asked. "Why are you doing this?" She was facing Pasha – refusing to even acknowledge the man beside her.

"He wants access to your land", James answered. "And I promised him he could have it, in exchange for a few things for me. It is too difficult for him and his men to go there without attracting attention, so I said I'd get it for him."

"What do you want with the land?" she asked, again refusing to look at James. She could see that Jack was starting to stir and she prayed he was okay.

"I do not care for the land on this puny, insignificant planet", the alien answered and then began to explain. "But what I want is buried there. My brother and I grew up as princes on a world far from here. He was the elder and as such was heir to the throne even though he was weak and useless. He wanted nothing but to till the soil and raise his animals", he said with total contempt. "We had been at war for many years, with a neighboring planet, and he decided that we needed to sue for peace. He was willing to give away our honor for the sake of a quiet life. When my father died, Bora was presented with the scepter and took the throne. He immediately began to negotiate with the enemy."

Sam watched the man speaking and was again struck by the depth of hate and cruelty on his face. She somehow thought the story didn't have a happy ending.

"I knew that if I was to save my home and people I would have to destroy him." He grinned, as if the memory of planning to kill his own brother was a pleasant one. Then his expression changed and Sam felt a bolt of fear at the look on his face. "Some traitor warned him what I was planning, so he fled. He was so much a coward that he wouldn't stay to defend himself or his beliefs. I wouldn't have cared, except that he took with him the scepter."

"And it's important?" she asked.

His head whipped up to look at her and again she felt afraid. She saw Jack begin to sit up, although he still looked dazed.

"It is everything", he hissed. "No one can take power on Terranulla with it. A council was put into place, to hold order until one of us returned to rule, scepter in hand."

"And that's what's buried on my land?"

"You are as intelligent as you are beautiful", Pasha told her. "Yes. My brother escaped to this place and built a new life for himself here. He hid the scepter and turned his back on his planet. It took me many, many years to locate him. When I did, I forced him to tell me where the scepter was and then I killed him. No one here knew that though – they thought he died naturally."

"Why didn't you get the scepter immediately and just leave?" she wanted to know.

"Because I made a mistake", he told her. "I allowed my hatred to make me kill him too soon. He told me the general location, but not exactly where it was buried. I will have to spend time looking for it." He smiled. "That's where James comes in. It will be much easier for the owner – a local man – to search on his own land."

Jack groaned at that moment which caught the alien's attention. He grinned and walked over to where Jack was sitting on the ground, his arms wrapped around his torso.

"So – you have your wits back do you? I must say I'm surprised. It is very rare for this to happen. You must have been very strong."

Jack shrugged, unable to speak. It wasn't just whatever he'd just been zapped with that was keeping him quiet. As soon as he'd seen this man he'd remembered – something – and he'd been frozen in terror. He couldn't remember what exactly had happened, but he knew this man – this 'Pasha' was responsible for something horrifying. He wanted to cower, to whimper – and felt shame for his fear.

"So Samantha", Pasha looked up at the woman standing a few feet away, "you will marry James here so that he will own your land."

"Why would I do that?" she asked, although she had a suspicion she knew what was coming. "I won't ever marry him."

Pasha reached into his pocket and pulled out a disk, a smirk on his face. "Remember this?"

"No", she whispered. "Don't – you can't."

The alien motioned to James, who lifted his gun and told her to 'walk'. She slowly approached the alien, her eyes never leaving the disk.

"Hold her!"

Without warning James arms reached around her and he held her tightly. Another of Pasha's men came over and stood close, watching her carefully. She struggled slightly but there was nothing she could do. Pasha walked over to her and reached out and put his hand on her stomach.

She felt sick – both from fear but more from the feeling of this man having his hands on her. "What are you doing?"

"I hear you bear a child" he said.

She turned sharply to look at James, hating him even more. He knew about the child – she had felt she couldn't marry him under false pretences so she'd told him when he'd asked her to marry him.

Pasha withdrew his hand and then placed the other one, the one with the disk, on her. "Would you like me to turn it on?" he asked with a laugh. "I'm not sure what it will do to your child. It might kill it, or it might destroy its brain. It will be born a vegetable. Which would you prefer?"

She sobbed and tried to step back. She heard Jack make a noise and watched as he pushed himself up and tried to tackle Pasha but his men quickly subdued him. She could see and hear him trying to struggle but there was nothing he could do, nothing either of them could do.

"I won't do it if you will agree to marry James", the alien told her. "It's your choice."

She looked over at Jack. "And him?" she asked.

"He can leave" Pasha said. "I don't care about him. If you agree I will have him sent through the gate. He won't be able to return, I'll ensure that, but he'll be safe."

"You give me your word?"

"NO!" Jack struggled some more. "Don't – Sam, you can't."

"Maybe he would prefer to have me use the Morta again", Pasha asked. "He won't remember anything that way."

"No", she said softly. "I'll go – I'll – marry him as long as you promise not to hurt Jack or my baby."

"I give you my word", Pasha said. "We will go now", he said.

"We?" James looked surprised.

"Yes, I have waited long enough. I will accompany you and watch you take Samantha as your wife. We will then proceed to her land and begin to look for the scepter." He signaled a number of his men who began to prepare to leave. Four of them stayed behind, watching the prisoner on the ground.

"Please, let me say goodbye", Sam begged, trying to make her way to Jack.

Pasha laughed and had her dragged away. The last thing Jack saw was Sam looking back at him, tears running down her face. Soon all of them were gone and he was alone with Pasha's remaining men. He looked up, wondering what was going to happen. He was pretty sure they weren't planning on sending him anywhere, at least not alive. He took one look at Trada's face – and his fears were confirmed.

"Come O'Neill", the alien reached down and pulled him to his feet.

Jack felt like his knees were about to buckle under him, he was so afraid, for Sam, for their child, and for himself. Right now he wished, more than anything in the world, that he could remember what it was to be Colonel O'Neill – instead he was just 'Jack' – and he didn't know what to do.

"The gate dialed again", Hammond told Teal'c and Daniel. "It's the same address as before."

"What do you intend to do General Hammond", Teal'c asked.

"This time I'm sending a MALP. Somehow I have this feeling that we need to see what's going on y the gate."