So since school is starting soon, updates will definitely slow down. I'll try to post a new chapter each week, but it is likely that it might be every other week. I promise I'll try to avoid cliffhangers from now on- it would be rough on you guys and on me too.

We last saw the team return to the SGC, and Daniel continuing to display signs of Split Personality Disorder and probably PTSD. No one is sure what his motives are for returning, but some people don't know Daniel as well as SG-1 does- and are going to be inclined to jump to conclusions.

With that in mind, read on...

Chapter 5

Jack knew it was going to be bad as soon as Robert Kinsey showed up the next evening, about eighteen hours after SG-1 returned to Earth. The man had been a thorn in the side of the SGC more than once, and Jack had no doubts that the interfering Senator would continue to do what he did best.

Looking around the unchanged briefing room, Jack saw similar sentiments, carefully concealed, on Sam's face. Teal'c looked slightly annoyed at the Senator's presence for a moment, but then his face went neutral. Hammond looked tired, and Daniel's pale, thin face was emotionless.

"Thank you for accepting my visit on such short notice," Kinsey said smoothly, taking a seat.

Hammond's face was tight. Jack knew that he was having difficulty not showing his dislike of the man. "Of course. If I may ask, why did you ask the Pentagon for permission to enter the base so suddenly?"

"I'd heard about Doctor Jackson's return," the Senator answered, unbothered by the general's unspoken accusation. "And wanted to see it for myself."

Jack couldn't think of anything to protest to about that. But then Kinsey continued, "However, I am concerned about the security threat that Doctor Jackson presents."

"How so?" Hammond asked.

To Jack's concern, he saw Daniel's blue eyes shift slightly, something inside them darkening as the cold orbs fixed on the Senator. He felt a chill go down his spine and prayed the real Daniel could stay in control.

Kinsey scanned their faces. Jack had a feeling he was evaluating how well they would take what he was about to propose. "I've spoken to the president and he is in agreement. Doctor Jackson disappeared, years ago, and now he turns up again, not willing to tell you where he's been all these years, and we have word of a fleet gathering on the other side of the galaxy." Jack scowled at him, not liking where this was heading.

The Senator seemed to choose his next words with extreme care. "The president is unsure if we can trust Doctor Jackson. There has been some doubt about his loyalty in the past, and his track record isn't exactly perfect."

"What are you saying, Senator?" Hammond snapped, at the end of his patience.

Kinsey met the general's gaze firmly and without hesitation. "I'm saying some people think that Doctor Jackson's disappearance was part of a plan, and that he's been helping the Goa'uld return to power- or helping the unknown fleet gain power. They don't think it's a coincidence that he's returned at the same time those ships appeared."

Jack found himself on his feet, his fists clenched. Hammond's eyes narrowed dangerously, and the expression on Sam's face went from shocked to outraged. Teal'c looked mildly surprised at the notion. Daniel's piercing blue eyes darkened even further.

"Senator, you overstep your bounds," Hammond said harshly. "We trust Doctor Jackson, and you would do well to remember that we know him much better than you."

Kinsey raised his hands in supplication, looking at Daniel. "All I'm saying, General, is that some of us in the government would advise caution."

Hammond's tone was final and unwavering. "Good day, Senator."

Once Kinsey had left the room, the tension eased and silence fell. Jack was furious at Kinsey for suggesting that Daniel would betray them, and judging from the looks on Sam, Teal'c, and Hammond's faces, they were wrestling with similar feelings. Daniel alone seemed unfazed. The cold glass-like blue orbs that had followed the Senator out of the door now scanned each of the faces at the table in turn.

Something in Daniel's eyes made Jack shiver. There was something dangerous, something inhuman- or maybe something lacking humanity- that looked out from the sapphire eyes that Jack had once known. Daniel stood suddenly, and without a word, swept from the room.

-*/*-

Daniel slammed the door shut and stalked across the room. That… he couldn't think of an insult bad enough as he silently used every curse he knew, stringing them together in creative ways he never guessed he'd think of. After everything I've done for this planet, after everything I've been through, this is how they reward me? I would never help those fiends, and that fool has the nerve to call me a traitor?

He took a deep breath and attempted to rein in his other side, sinking onto the bed. It took some effort, but he managed to wrestle his emotions back under control. That had gotten harder over the past five years.

A soft presence brushed his mind, and he regained his mental balance. She was nearby. Her presence never ceased to help him control his dreams and his darker side. Ever since they had first met, she was constantly there for him; his partner, his companion- the one who kept him balanced.

The nightmares hadn't gotten any better, but her love and kindness helped him not wake up in cold sweat. Usually, the dreams were his own, but sometimes, if she was close enough, he would see her dreams and nightmares in his mind. Somehow, it helped to know that she was not unscarred from their experiences either.

As his eyelashes fluttered shut and sleep overcame him, he had no way of knowing that this was one of those times…

-*/*-

The explosion shakes the building. A young woman, roughly thirty-five years of age, ducks flying debris and shoves the man who stands at her side to the ground, barely getting him out of the way of a chunk of metal that embeds itself deeply in the stone wall behind him. She hears cries of pain as others of the group are struck by shrapnel and killed.

"How in the universe did they find us?" demands the man she has saved, an old friend with dark hair and darker eyes. "There's no way they knew our plan!" The girl of seventeen who appears beside him looks at the unspoken leader of the women of the group with the same question in her large wolf-grey eyes.

"We don't have time for that," the young woman snaps back, shoving her tangled red-gold hair out of her face. She looks at the leader of the escapees as he rejoins them. "Is the way clear?"

The newcomer, a brown-haired man of forty or so, nods, breathing heavily; his blue eyes blaze with viciousness, rage, and cruelty- the look she recognizes as the one he wears after slaughtering enemies without mercy, an expression she prays she will never have to see again. "It's clear if we go now," he answers, his voice barely discernible over the sounds of more explosions as detonations are triggered. "I killed enough of them, and it'll give us the time we need to get out, barely."

The young woman looks at the others. "You heard him, let's go!" she cries out. Together, the group- consisting of less than thirty, mostly men but a few women as well- runs through the shadows toward the front gate, with the dark-haired man and the grey-eyed girl helping the young woman and the leader guide them to safety.

The leader looks back to find that one of the group has stopped. "What are you doing?" he demands. "If we want to escape, we need to go now."

The sandy-haired man with hazel eyes, a few years older than the leader, shakes his head. "No. The guards know the plan. They'll be here in minutes, and you will still be here when they come."

The group near the gate has slowed, noticing that two of their number are missing.

"What did you do?!" hisses the leader harshly, glaring at the other man.

The traitor smirks. "I told the guards the plan. You're not leaving this compound alive." He looks over at the waiting group. "Go!" he calls to them. "Get out of here!" The group hesitates, but before they can do anything, whether to retreat or return, the traitor attacks the blue-eyed leader and pins him to the ground.

"No!" the young woman screams, as the traitor draws a knife and raises it above the other's chest. She lunges forward, knowing she is too far away but desperate to do something, anything, to aid her friend and lover.

The knife blade flashes down, and the younger of the two manages to throw his weight aside enough that the weapon misses his heart and impales itself in his ribs. The traitor withdraws the blade, seizes the younger man's throat, and stabs him again.

The cry of agony that is torn from his lips nearly knocks the young woman off her feet. If she is going to do anything, it must be now. The rest of the group is moving with her as she leaps forward. The traitor has risen to his feet and turns away from their leader, leaving him to die on the cold, uncaring stone road.

The young woman leaves the traitor to the others and kneels at her lover's side, the grey-eyed girl at her heels. "By the stars-" the grey-eyed girl gasps. The young woman can only gape in horror. Blood is flowing from the stab wounds in his torso, and she knows, with a terrifying certainty, that he will not survive unless they flee- soon.

The traitor calls out, "Now!" and arrows rain from the shadows. At least a half dozen of her people fall to the first volley. The second volley takes another dozen as she calls a warning. The remaining escapees hide behind whatever cover is available.

The dark-haired man whose features she knows so well appears next to her. "We need to get out of here," he yells in her ear.

"I know. Help me!" she orders, and raises her voice to get her people's attention. "Let's go!"

Together, the group makes their way toward the front gate and freedom, carrying with them the man who has ensured their escape. The young woman looks back and sees the traitor joining a group of guards in pursuit, but as she and the others make it to the treeline and fade into the shadows, their pursuers lose track of them and fall behind.

Sometime later, when they have made it to a clearing a few miles away, the young woman counts her remaining people. Only ten have survived the escape, including herself, the dark-haired man, the grey-eyed girl, and their injured leader. Out of the other six, two are severely injured and may well not survive the night.

By the next dawn, those two are dead. Only eight remain now. Their leader is barely conscious, and their former captors are closing in.

The young woman kneels beside him. "Can you run?" she asks quietly. "We need to go."

He nods, with a flinch of pain that he tries to suppress. "I'll do whatever needs to be done. No matter what it takes."

She knows he speaks the truth. As long as she has known him, he has never let pain stop him. She briefly wonders if this is a virtue or a fault, but casts the thought away.

They flee and make for the Stargate. The leader dials an address, and they depart the world where they have been captives for so long. Just before she leaves, the young woman glances back once, realizing only now that their actions this night may have doomed them all to a lifetime on the run.

-*/*-

Daniel's eyes flew open. The presence was still there, a comforting beacon of gentleness and love that pushed back his own overwhelming fear and terror. He sat up quickly, swearing in a rough voice.

That night had ended with so many dead, so many people who had counted on him and supported him… and he hadn't been able to protect them. Guilt and hatred surged inside him again, and her mind drew closer, soothing his pain and easing the murderous rage-filled thing that was destroying him from within.

Breathing deeply, he pushed aside the memory the dream represented, preventing himself from remembering.

-*/*-

Jack waited for the elevator door to open. Once it had retreated before his annoyed scowl, he strode through the corridors and made for the infirmary, wanting to talk to Janet about any possible results from Daniel's MRIs and CAT scans. Sam had insisted on them, confiding in Jack, Teal'c, Hammond, and Janet her suspicions about Daniel's condition. Jack hoped she was wrong, but the archeologist's obvious mental instability made him doubt it.

As he walked through the hallways, a snatch of conversation caught his attention. "... I know General Hammond trusts him, but still, there's no telling what his goals really are."

The speaker, a new recruit, accidentally looked up from her conversation with a member of Janet's doctor team and saw Jack. Her face paled, and she fled down the hallway, her companion following suit once he noticed Jack's glare.

Fuming, Jack continued on. How could they mistrust Daniel, after all he'd done for the SGC and Earth? He berated himself for not realizing this would happen. Some people who hadn't known Daniel before were bound to mistrust him, and Daniel's confusing new demeanor wasn't helping his case either.

Jack almost literally ran into Sam as she rounded a corner. "Whoa, Sam, watch where you're going."

Sam looked embarrassed. "Sorry, Jack. I was just thinking about some conversations Janet overheard earlier."

"About how some people don't trust Daniel?" Jack guessed. Sam nodded. "Yeah, I've been hearing that sort of thing too. Not all that surprising, really."

The blond woman sighed. "I know, it's just… I wish they would trust him. I wish he would trust us."

Jack placed a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be fine, Sam. Some people didn't really trust Daniel when he first came back to Earth from Abydos, remember? They didn't trust Teal'c either. It'll take time."

Sam smiled. "Thanks, Jack."

Suddenly, an alarm went off. Daniel appeared next to Jack, his dark cerulean eyes unreadable. "We've got trouble."

Jack set the question of 'where did you come from' aside for later, and the trio ran for the control room.

An announcement came through the speakers. "We have a Reetou Rebel strike team within the base. Lock down the SGC. All personnel, arm yourselves with TERs or stay with someone who is equipped with one."

Sam wrenched open a panel and tossed a TER to Jack. She removed one for herself and offered one to Daniel, who shook his head.

Jack looked askance at his friend. "Is your goal to get yourself killed?"

"I have the knowledge of the Ancients, Jack. I'll be fine."

Jack exchanged a look with Sam, who shrugged. "Alright. Let's go!"

-*/*-

Having been trained for this exact situation, the SGC was prepared and ready for the Reetou. The insect-like aliens who were completely out of the range of human vision had attempted many invasions of Earth over the past few years, but had been thwarted each time by the efforts of the SGC.

Jack, Sam, and Daniel ducked around the corner, Jack and Sam scanning each area with the TERs before entering. Daniel stayed slightly away from them, his eyes half-closed. Jack didn't know what he was doing, but he knew better than to interrupt Daniel when he got that look of concentration.

The TERs picked up two Reetou ahead of them, and Jack and Sam shot them down. Daniel's eyes flew open. "Two more closing in from behind."

Jack spun and leveled the TER at the corridor behind them, but he couldn't see anything. "Are you-" Before he could complete the question, a blast of energy narrowly missed him.

Daniel flicked his wrist, and a device that looked similar to a TER appeared in his hand. He fired twice, and a burst of blue sparks filled the hallway.

Looking at his friend, Jack demanded, "What was that?"

"Apparently those two found some way to hide themselves from the TERs," Daniel commented neutrally. "And I doubt they're the only ones…" he went silent, turning to look off into the distance.

"Daniel?" Sam asked.

Jack took the risk of touching Daniel's arm. The younger man shook him off. "They're going for the self-destruct. I can sense them moving in that direction."

Sam looked at Jack with fear in her eyes. "If they manage to set that off, we're done for."

"Sam, go to the control room and get ready to shut down the self-destruct if the countdown starts," Jack instructed. Sam nodded and spirited off. Jack looked at Daniel. "If there are more of the things we can't see, I'd like you with me. That way at least we're not caught by surprise."

Daniel nodded. He ran down a corridor, leaving Jack to sprint after him.

-*/*-

Sam bounded up the stairs to the control room. "General Hammond!" she called, scanning the room for Hammond.

The general was standing by the computers. "Colonel?"

"There are a few Reetou that we can't see, even with the TERs," Sam reported. "Daniel thinks they're making for the self-destruct. Jack wants us to be ready if he and Daniel can't stop them."

Hammond nodded. "Get ready."

A blast of energy flew past Sam and killed a SF. Sam dove down under the desk and scanned the room with the TER, unsurprised that nothing appeared. "Great," she muttered.

Another blast struck a technician. This time Sam shot back, aiming for where the blast came from. There was a puff of smoke, but it was too small. Sam swore. She'd only grazed it. She ducked back under the desk as more blasts ricocheted around the room.

Then Daniel appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. His blue eyes locked on a spot near the stairs, and he fired his own weapon seamlessly, almost lazily. A burst of sparks heralded a sudden quiet as the fighting stopped.

Daniel looked at Hammond. "You can sound the all-clear, General. It's over."

I always thought the Reetou were an awesome idea that was seriously underused in the series, so here we are. Daniel's past is (hopefully) a bit clearer now, and he got to show off his new tricks a bit.

This chapter isn't my best work- the incoming school year has me stressed out and this chapter feels a bit off, not sure how- and is a bit shorter than the others. I apologize- I couldn't really think of any way to make it better or extend it except through a scene you're going to see later anyways. Thanks for reading!