Gifts From The Altar ~ Sequel to The Altar

September 25, 2002

by Nessessitee

.o0o.

Two Days later……

Daniel decided that his office needed a thorough cleaning. He had tidied up

the little bits of paper from his desk, tossed away all the neglected lunches

that he'd packed and never remembered to eat, and gone through his note

books and stacked them neatly on the bench behind his desk. He was packing

up recently used reference books when he heard a soft knock on his door. He

twisted his head to look over his shoulder and, through the pencil lodged

firmly between his teeth, he summoned Jack into the room while he

continued what he was doing. Effortlessly he lifted the large stack of books,

walking across to the desk and dropping them onto the chair behind it. He

spat the pencil onto the desk and hooked his leg over the corner, looking at

his quiet friend skulking around the room.

"You hiding from someone, Jack?"

The officer shrugged one shoulder, his fingers toying with an ancient artifact

on the bookshelf. Daniel wet his lips and lowered his head. "If this is about

what happened on-"

"No," Jack cut him off, then shrugged, "well, sort of."

The anthropologist nodded and stood up, going over to shut the door for

privacy. He turned towards Jack, his arms folded across his chest.

Biting his bottom lip as he furrowed his brow, he said simply, "I thought

we'd agreed not to discuss it?"

Jack shrugged again, not looking at him. "I thought we'd agreed not to

discuss it in front of Sam."

Daniel scratched his thumbnail behind his ear as he thought about that. It

had been two days already. Two days of avoiding each other. Daniel wanted

to give Jack time to settle back in at work, to get back to his normal routine.

He figured that his friend needed that reality check, and was more than

happy to let him have as much time as *he* felt he needed to get comfortable

with their friendship again. He had noticed the way Jack had been looking at

him across the briefing table, however, but then he always seemed to have to

be somewhere else or rush off to a meeting, never able to hang around long

enough for a chat.

Then again, Daniel had become a rather artful dodger himself, reflecting back

to the time when he didn't have enough money to pay his rent and had to

avoid his landlady at all costs. And if he'd been truthful with himself he'd

admit that he needed the time also. He'd never considered Jack as anything

other than a friend. He was the most hetero male he'd even known in his

entire life, but since they had returned from that mission, his feelings as far as

Jack were concerned were a little hazy. In his quieter moments he would

reflect on what it was like to be made love to by this intriguing man. How

careful he was, how considerate he was… how sensitive he was to Daniel's

needs and feelings. His mind churned over and over, and his stomach was

matching it flip-flop for flip-flop.

"You want to talk about it then?" Daniel asked, clearing his throat with a soft

cough. Jack looked up quickly.

"Don't you?"

Surprised by the question, Daniel shrugged. "If you want to."

"I think we should!"

"Should we?"

"Shouldn't we?"

They stopped the rapid banter then both looked away.

"You saved my life," Jack said, not even touching on the subject he *really*

wanted to talk about.

"I needed to get you home. You'd have done the same thing for me-" Daniel

stopped himself when Jack looked up at him. Blinking quickly, the younger

man diverted his eyes. "I mean, you would do what it took to get me home

again. I know that."

Sighing heavily, Jack nodded. "Yeah, but that's my duty as a CO, Daniel."

The archaeologist snorted. "Well, it's part of my duty as a friend, Jack!"

Feeling suitably admonished, the other man nodded. "You know what I

mean."

Daniel sighed, tapping his splayed hand on the desk top a little restlessly.

"Listen, I know it's probably a bit of a shock to find *that* out about me,

especially under the circumstances. But we're friends, Jack, and I don't expect

that to change. At least not on my part." He lifted his eyes to look at his friend

cautiously.

Looking a little taken aback by the implication, Jack put his hand to his chest.

"It doesn't bother me either!"

"Oh, yeah? So, why have you been avoiding me the last two days then?"

"I've had a lot to do. Reports to write up," the colonel said, knowing by the

look in his friend's eye that he didn't believe him. "Okay, so it's started to

change the way I feel about you, but only a little!" Jack said. Daniel was

grateful for the honest response, at least.

"So do you want to meet up later and discuss this properly?" he asked,

slipping off his table and going around to the back of it.

"Yeah, I think that might be a good idea," Jack said quietly. Daniel nodded

and reached down for the pile of books. Suddenly the room spun and he

gripped his head.

Letting out a low moan, he reeled back. Jack moved fast and caught him

before he could hit the floor. He lowered his friend all the way to the ground,

stepped over him and called for the medical team.

.o0o.

"I can't tell you anything more, General," Dr. Frasier said as she sat in the

debriefing room with Hammond and the rest of SG-1, minus Daniel. The

general had called an early morning meeting to discuss the archaeologist.

Janet looked across the table to the concerned teammates. "From all his test

results, Daniel is fine. All his results were normal, apart from a slightly raised

protein level which I can probably explain by the new tablets I've got him on

for his allergies at the moment. He's spent the night in the infirmary but I

think he'll be released later today."

Sam shook her head and pointed her hand towards the door. "He fainted,

Doctor. That's *not* normal for him."

"I know. But there seems to be no medical reason for that. Colonel O'Neill

said he'd lifted a heavy stack of books before fainting. Maybe it was too much

for him and he got a little light headed?"

"You don't think he's brought anything back from the mission then, Doctor?"

Hammond asked. That was always his biggest concern. It was a vast universe

and there was always a possibility that they couldn't detect a deadly virus or

something when a team returned.

The Doctor shook her head, finishing in a shrug. "I can't be sure, because

we're talking about alien worlds here, but I don't think so. Unless there's

something I don't know about?"

"Colonel? Everything that occurred on PN3451 *is* in these reports?"

Hammond laid his hands over the pile of reports in front of him. Jack gave a

noncommittal shrug then nodded. Hammond sighed. "He didn't come into

contact with any local voodoo? Liquor? Food?"

Sam piped up. "We were all held in separate cells. I know the Second came to

see him and they seemed to talk for a while before he told us he was going to

help the Colonel." She shot a quick look at her C.O. His head was still down.

A soldier scurried into the room. "Doctor Frasier, you're needed in the

infirmary," he said, looking straight at the diminutive medical officer as she

raced to the door.

"Who is it?"

"Doctor Jackson. He's gotten worse!"

Upon hearing that, Jack leapt to his feet. Running to the door, he slowed as

he neared the general's chair but the older man knew Jack needed to go after

them.

"Dismissed!" he said and Jack scurried from the room.

Sam rose slowly, cautiously aware of how quiet Teal'c had been during the

debrief.

"Teal'c?" She rounded the table and stood beside him. He looked at her with

concern in his eyes.

"What's the matter? Did something happen on that mission that I don't know

about?"

The Jaffa looked down into Sam's worried blue eyes.

.o0o.

"Oh, great!" Janet groused as she saw the mess on the floor of the infirmary

under Daniel's bed. "Can we get someone in to clean that for us!" She

snapped as she went to the other side of the bed and tried to settle the

retching anthropologist. Jack screwed his nose up but gallantly stepped over

the mess to try to settle his friend as well.

"Shh, it's okay, Daniel. You're going to be okay." He smoothed the damp

brow with the palm of his hand. Daniel's eyes lolled open then shut, and

distinctly told Jack that he seriously questioned that. They heard Janet

frantically call for some Compazine to help settle the scientist's stomach. Jack

watched her inject it into his IV line, hoping that it helped calm Daniel soon.

The colonel remained steadfastly by his side, moving and weaving so that the

cleaner could remove the mess and stench of bile and then he settled himself

onto a stool beside the bed. After a while Daniel settled and fell asleep so Jack

went back to his office, telling Janet to call him the minute there was any

news.

.o0o.

Teal'c went by Jack's office later and insisted the colonel head to the mess hall

with him for some dinner. Grudgingly, for he was discovering he had a

bigger backlog of work than he'd first anticipated, Jack accompanied his

friend to the mess hall. He made a somber dinner companion, however; his

mind was intently on his ill team mate. Teal'c understood and left him to his

thoughts.

After dinner Jack decided to pay Daniel another visit. He entered the

infirmary and spoke with the doctor on duty, finding out that Daniel had

been fine all afternoon, rather irritable about having to remain in the

infirmary while he felt so well, and had eaten two helpings of dinner. Jack

figured that his friend was on the mend and went to leave.

"Aren't you going to see him?" The doctor asked.

"Um," Jack screwed his face up then shrugged. "Why not."

He went into the room, and Daniel smiled when he saw him. He shuffled up

on the bed a little more, bending his knees and hugging them to his chest.

"How you feeling?" Jack asked as he eased himself onto a stool.

"Um, hungry actually." Daniel laughed gently.

"Really? Doc says you ate two lots of dinner already."

Nodding, Daniel said, "yeah, go figure. I've got a hankering for hospital

food."

Both men laughed lightly and Jack swung on the swivel chair a little.

"Other than that?"

"I've got a backache, but that's about it. My stomach muscles ache like hell

from all that throwing up, but I'm fine really."

"Maybe *that's* from all that hospital food-" Jack joked. Daniel laughed and

scratched his thumb behind his ear.

"Maybe."

"Any idea on when you might be getting out of here?"

"No." Daniel crossed his arms over his chest and straightened his legs out

again. Jack nodded. Then Daniel continued, a slight whine in his voice, "I

should be working, Jack, not wasting time lying here. What about the

mission? Aren't we due to go to PX4091 tomorrow?"

"That mission's a bust. We'll go next week." Jack shrugged, not wanting

Daniel to worry about it.

"Oh." The archaeologist pouted.

Jack swiveled on his stool some more and Daniel raised his knees again,

resting his hands on his knees as he picked at his thumb nail. Both men

seemed relieved when Sam entered the room.

"Hey Daniel." She strolled over to the bed, stopping behind Jack's chair.

"Hey Sam." Daniel sat up straighter, smiling at his friend.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

Both men said at the same time, "hungry!" They looked at each other and

laughed, then Jack bowed his head, letting Sam and Daniel carry on the

conversation.

.o0o.

The first port of call for Jack in the morning, after his usual ablutions, was the

Infirmary. After his positive visit with Daniel last night, where he observed

his friend laughing and smiling- thanks to Sam mostly- he approached the

corridor with quiet optimism. He hadn't received any word during the night

that his team member was getting worse, so he hoped that mean he was

better. Upon reaching the door he realized he was wrong. The strong smell of

bile wafted through to him at the same time that the sounds of Daniel's dry

retching filled his ears. The man was nowhere to be seen but Jack heard the

soft sounds of Janet cooing him gently, her words obviously designed to

comfort him.

Eventually the two of them stumbled from the adjoining bathroom and Janet

seemed to struggle under the weight and height of her charge. Jack hastened

over to assist her, threading his arm around Daniel's waist at the same time

he hooked his gray looking friend's arm across his shoulders.

"Thanks." Janet sighed with relief as Jack lifted the weight from her and

helped the sick man back into his bed. Lying back, Daniel's half closed eyes

fixed onto his friend.

"Thanks," he said through an inflamed throat. Jack gave a quick,

encouraging smile and patted his shoulder.

"Everyone seems to be thanking me, all I want is .. answers?" he said, turning

deliberately to look back at Janet behind him who was checking on Daniel's

chart. She grimaced and shrugged.

"Ah." He nodded, looking back down at Daniel. He'd seen his friend look

better. In fact he'd seen him look a *lot* better: head back, enjoying the sex

they'd shared on PN3451. He shook himself to dissipate that image then

looked down, a rush of prickles cascading along his spine when he saw the

dull, blue eyes fix on him.

"You 'kay?" the weary man asked.

Jack smiled warmly at his friend and squeezed his shoulder. "I'm fine. It's

you I'm worried about."

"Probably just a bug," he said weakly. Jack nodded. It had to be that, but it

still worried him.

"I've got to get to work. I'll come by again later."

Daniel didn't nod, just blinked his tired eyes in response. Jack's hand

absently brushed over the damp forearm as he left the room.

.o0o.

Jack had had a productive morning. With Daniel off sick, SG-1 was now in

Stand-Down mode until either he got better or a replacement was temporarily

assigned to the team. So the colonel filled the hours reading through the tall

pile of reports sitting on his desk, writing his own reports and generally

tidying up his life. Things tended to get a little haywire when the team had a

run of missions to do. He was sitting at his desk, quietly sipping a mug of

coffee as he filled in a report when he heard a soft knock on the door.

"Come," he called, looking up from the folder in his hands. Teal'c entered the

room, closing the door behind him. Jack sat back in his chair, lacing his

fingers across his stomach. "What can I do for you?"

Getting straight down to business Teal'c began to talk as he eased himself

into the chair.

"Do you recall our conversation the other day, O'Neill?"

Jack could hardly forget. They'd been discussing what had transpired

between the colonel and the anthropologist and, much to Jack's surprise, he

even let down his guard enough to admit to Teal'c that he'd started having

'feelings' for his young friend. Teal'c was a great help, listening and providing

the right amount of support on the matter. It was not unusual for Jaffa to have

male lovers, as Jack discovered, and he had admitted to noticing that Jack and

Daniel had a very close bond.

Closer, he told him, than some male lovers have with each other. Jack argued

that he hadn't even considered Daniel in that light, but admitted that his

feelings were deeper than he'd had for other men. Teal'c told him that it

might have been because Jack was always surrounded by other military

types, who were also unused to showing a more vulnerable side of

themselves. However, with Daniel, the young scientist had completely

opened himself up to Jack, letting the soldier see what he was like inside:

getting to see his vulnerabilities, his flaws and his strengths. That, Teal'c said,

is what one being bases love on. Anatomy should not play a part. Jack

candidly confessed on that point that he never knew how 'men did it' and

found that it was, for him, a far more enjoyable experience than he'd ever had

with a woman. Teal'c had given him a gentle smile, patted his shoulder and

said to him that he and Daniel needed to talk. Jack had groaned at the

suggestion. However, he had gone to see Daniel immediately afterwards -

and that was when this whole ordeal began!

Teal'c also laced his fingers across his stomach as he continued talking to

Jack.

"It was a loosely held belief that the strange 'gods' on Halteron," he paused

when he saw Jack's brows raise high. He tilted his head, and explained,

"PN3451."

Jack nodded. "Oh." That was where he'd heard that name before. He'd read

so many reports and had so many mission numbers swimming through his

head that he was lucky if he could recognize his own phone number against

his name at the moment.

Teal'c blinked slowly then straightened back in his chair. "It was believed

that their Gods had made it so that Hassans and Hassinas did not need to

procreate for the survival of their species."

Jack shook his head as he tried to slowly work out what Teal'c had said. Once

he did he tilted his head and looked up. A deep frown embedded itself onto

the colonel's forehead.

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that in their world, O'Neill, males could bear the offspring."

Jack's tongue flitted out, rubbing against a dry spot on his bottom lip as he

considered that statement.

"You *know* that that's a physical impossibility, don't you?" The skeptical

man sat forward, resting his elbows onto the table and squinting at the Jaffa.

Teal'c arched one brow.

"Then how would a homogeneous race procreate?"

Jack began to chew on his bottom lip now as his eyes narrowed even further

on Teal'c.

"And this has bearing on..?" He shrugged, tossing his hands around in small

circles.

"DanielJackson's condition."

Jack blinked and scratched at the side of his nose, not sure if he'd put two

and two together properly on this one.

"You're telling me that you think Daniel's pregnant?" It was hard to hide the

skepticism from his voice as his whole face screwed up in a disbelieving

cringe on the last word.

Another raise of the eyebrow, followed by a tilt of the head, was the only

response Teal'c gave his friend. Jack shifted back in his chair, rubbing his

hand over his mouth and staring at the alien in disbelief.

"You told me yourself that DanielJackson was the receiver and that you did

not use protection."

"Well, that's because Daniel told me I couldn't *get* him pregnant-" Jack said

flippantly then the seriousness of it sank through him. He looked across to

Teal'c who returned a blank stare. Heat flamed Jack's cheeks, turning him

crimson. Coughing as he jumped up from his chair, he crossed over to his

bed, sinking down onto the gray blanket, resting his elbows on his knees and

his head in his hands.

"It's *not* physiologically possible, Teal'c." Jack found he was now arguing

the suggestion, not dismissing it. The large, brown head nodded sharply.

"Perhaps it is possible in their physiology."

Groaning loudly, Jack's fingers screwed up his gray hair into his tight fists.

"It's… not… possible! Not in *our* physiology!"

Teal'c watched his distraught friend before stating calmly, "Which makes the

situation that much more dangerous for our friend."

Jack swallowed hard. This was so far out of left field that it didn't even

register on the scale of 'completely insane' - and absolutely the last thing on

Jack's mind.

Slowly Teal'c eased himself from the chair and glided across the room to sit

with Jack on the cot.

"It's not possible!" The colonel repeated adamantly.

"It is probable, however, O'Neill. If the aliens on that world have the ability

to create a male fertility statue, would it also not follow that they had the

technology and ability to make their men fertile? What is more, make it

possible for them to carry that baby to term?"

Jack tilted his head to look at the man beside him. "Daniel's pregnant, and ..

I-" He couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. "It's not possible," he argued,

more weakly now.

"It is probable!" Teal'c repeated. Jack inhaled a very deep breath, captured it

for a few heartbeats then released it very slowly through pursed lips.

"It can't be! It.. just.." He shook his head, "Can't be! Where's the egg? Where's

the placenta? Where's.. well *anything* that women have to carry babies?" He

waved his hands around his head.

"I do not know. Did DanielJackson not tell you that they were a

homogeneous race?"

"Well, yeah, he did," Jack said warily.

Teal'c turned his stoic face to the front as he asked, "And did you not wonder

how such a race would evolve?"

The colonel blinked. No!! No, he had not! It was the last thing on his mind as

he followed Daniel up the side of the hill to the dais that night.

Jack groaned and covered his face again. He thought the only thing he had to

worry about now was the huge crush he'd seemed to have developed on his

team member and friend, but now he had to wonder if he didn't impregnate

him!? It *was* impossible. It had to be!!

"I don't need this complicating things," Jack moaned as he shook his head.

Teal'c lowered his face.

"I know that you are confused about your feelings for DanielJackson since

the incident," Teal'c said, allowing Jack to cut him off with a sharp exhale of

air.

"Confused? Yeah, you could say that!" Jack said, dripping with sarcasm.

"And now, you're telling me.. *this*!"

The Jaffa blinked slowly. "I wish I did not have to. When Apophis and I

returned from Halteron and heard of the rumors, I was at first concerned.

Drey'ak was very upset as she was heavily pregnant with Rya'k at the time."

Jack's lips formed the word, "oh," silently.

"When I did not fall pregnant the Jaffa dismissed the rumors as myth."

"You think Junior had something to do with it?" Jack asked.

The large man closed his eyes slowly in consensus. "I do."

Jack nodded and sighed. "Pity it wasn't you up there with me-" He shrugged

as the large brown eyes looked up at him.

"I would gladly have offered my services to have freed you," Teal'c said

without hesitation, then added, "my friend."

Jack wet his lips slowly, eyeing the Jaffa cautiously. "Thanks. And maybe I

wouldn't be so screwed up now."

The dark head lowered once more and they fell into a companionable silence.

The disconsolate colonel sighed as he rubbed his hand across his mouth. "So

what do we do now?"

"Should we not be discussing this with DanielJackson and DoctorFraiser?"

Jack shuddered violently then gave a heavy hearted sigh. "I couldn't. Teal'c,

it's ludicrous and what's more, it tells Doc *exactly* what Daniel and I did out

there." He flung his hand towards his door. Teal'c nodded.

"However, if it is the cause of DanielJackson's illness, steps must be taken to

relieve him of this."

Jack blinked, shaking his head once more in utter disbelief. He knew his

friend was right. If this was in any way possible Daniel had to know.

"Do you not recall that you grew to be 104 within a few days, O'Neill? Was

that not beyond anything you hold to be 'physically possible'?"

Jack didn't say a word but cringed as he gave a half-hearted nod.

"Was it also physically impossible for the three of us to exchange bodies, but

due to some technology by Machello-"

"Okay, Okay!" Jack leapt up and threw his arms around his head, needing to

get away from all the examples that made even *this* seem possible! He stood

on the other side of the room, hands on his hips, head thrown back to stare up

at the ceiling. His whole body heaved with his heavy sigh.

"Would you like me to accompany you?" Teal'c rose from the bed and

stepped across to the forlorn officer.

"You might need to keep the Doc out of the room, just until I can tell Daniel,"

he said, scrubbing his hand down his face. Teal'c touched his shoulder and

nodded silently. There was a quick knock on the door and Sam poked her

head into the room.

"Oh, Colonel. I was wondering if you had a few moments? I think I've

discovered something interesting about that soil sample we brought back

from PRX99812 last week."

He pushed past her, mumbling, "Not now, Captain," then was off down the

corridor before Teal'c had reached the stunned female officer.

"Holy Hannah, what's wrong with him?" she huffed.

"He is very distraught about DanielJackson."

"Yeah, aren't we all, Teal'c!" she snapped and headed off in the opposite

direction back towards her lab. The Jaffa watched both friends, disappearing

in opposite directions down the long corridor. He closed Jack's office door

and made his way to the Infirmary.

.o0o.

Jack was pacing outside Daniel's room when Teal'c rounded the corner.

"Where the hell have you been?" The agitated man snapped.

Teal'c arched his brow. "You left before me, O'Neill. I followed right behind

you. I had to await the return of the elevator and-"

"Yeah, whatever!" Jack waved his hand then sucked in a deep breath.

"Ready?" He put his hand on the door knob.

"The question should not be whether I am ready, but rather, whether you are

ready, my friend."

Jack seemed to ease a little at the gentle courtesy. His brow relaxed slightly,

his tongue traced over the rough skin on his bottom lip again and he nodded.

"I.. I think so."

Teal'c reached out and squeezed his shoulder. "It will be alright, O'Neill."

.o0o.

"You're joking, right! Jack? Jack!!"

Daniel's loud cry was heard right through the heavy gray door. Janet and

Teal'c, who were waiting in the corridor to allow them some privacy, looked

up at each other.

"What is going on in there?" The Doctor demanded to know.

"I am not at liberty to tell you," Teal'c said quietly. She shook her head and

glared at the shut door.

"Well, they get another few minutes, unless Daniel starts yelling again!" she

said, pacing the small corridor. "He's only just started feeling better again, I'm

not having him getting upset."

"It is imperative that you allow them privacy."

Janet stopped pacing, her mouth opened slightly and her head tilted. "You

know what's wrong with Daniel, don't you?"

Teal'c blinked and lowered his head. She sighed out loudly then flicked her

pen as she started pacing again.

.o0o.

The look of absolute horror and disbelief on Daniel's face echoed Jack's early

reactions.

"You *are* kidding, right?" The anthropologist demanded that to be true.

Jack pursed his lips and shook his head, looking truly remorseful. "I wish I

was, Daniel."

Through an incredulous gag, Daniel shook his head and said, "it's not

physically-"

"Possible! I know! I tried that argument myself." The older man pushed his

hand through his short hair and then laced his fingers to cup the back of his

throbbing head. "But Teal'c had some pretty convincing arguments for me. I

can't believe it myself, but I can't.. can't just dismiss it either."

Daniel looked up at him surprised that Jack was even entertaining the idea of

this ludicrous suggestion.

"Maybe this was why the Second placed his hand on your stomach as we

left," Jack muttered, not really wanting to let his jealousy of that moment

show. "He was probably blessing the union or something."

"You saw that?" The younger man blushed slightly, recalling the caress that

he and the Second shared in the privacy of his cell. It was more likely the

Second was echoing that caress on the steps of the Stargate but he wasn't

about to let Jack know about that. He was also hoping that his passing

attraction to the Second hadn't been noticed.

Jack tilted his head slightly, his voice tightened as he saw his friend blushing.

"Yeah, why?" He felt the tendrils of jealousy creep up his spine once more.

Shaking his head, Daniel mumbled, "Nothing."

Jack continued to skirt the edge of the room, touching and prodding at

equipment, avoiding eye contact with the man in the bed. His emotions were

really churning and he wanted to know what Daniel's reaction to that

comment about the Second *really* meant. But he was too scared to ask.

Daniel watched his friend closely, worried about how Jack was feeling with

all this. It was enough that Jack had to overcome the act of making love to

another man, now he had to worry that he impregnated him? Part of him was

scared that their friendship would not survive this, no matter what the

outcome might be. One look at Jack clearly told Daniel about the hell he was

going through internally.

Once Jack realized how quiet the room had gone he looked across the room,

staring straight into the inquiring blue eyes. He couldn't find the right words

to say, his mouth moved, he wanted to say something, but he didn't know

*what* to say.

"So I guess the answers lie on PN3451?" Daniel broke the uneasy silence.

Jack blinked and nodded as he looked down at the floor. "Guess so."

"How do we go there without having to go through all that again?" Daniel

asked, crossing his arms over his stomach then looking down, realizing for

the first time that there just *might* be a baby within him. He slid his arms

undone and pressed the flat of his hand to his lower stomach. Looking up, he

met Jack's wide eyed stare.

Flinging his hand away at the same time that Jack shook his head

vehemently, both men said, "not possible!"

The door opened and Janet poked her head into the room. "How are we

doing? It went awfully quiet in here," she said, stepping into the room.

Jack turned back to Daniel who looked at him then shrugged. Without a

word Jack grabbed a chair and patted the back of it, clearly indicating to the

Doctor to have a seat. She frowned then felt the presence of Teal'c entering the

room behind her, so went across and sat down while the Jaffa shut the door,

standing back against it and barring all intrusions.

.o0o.

Janet paced the small infirmary room, her hands embedded against her tight

scalp. She'd been mulling over the news for a good hour now, trying to work

out what gate travel might do to an unborn baby, if, in fact there was an

unborn baby within Daniel. They were ascertaining whether to send him back

to the world to ask what and how it might have happened. There was no

question that the linguist had to return, after all he was the only one able to

speak their language. When Daniel asked Teal'c about his experiences, apart

from the fact that Janet's jaw dropped to the floor, the Jaffa told him that they

had their own linguist amongst Apophis' Guard who had translated for them.

They seemed still no closer to the solution.

"Well, you came back through, right?" she finally said, dropping her hand to

the back of her neck and squeezing her tired muscles as tight as she could,

trying to relieve her tension.

"Right," Daniel said from his hospital bed. Teal'c, sitting on the bottom

corner of the bed but with his back to the corner of the room the Doc was in,

also nodded.

Jack was standing in the corner of the room with her, and he watched the

tiny woman pacing before him like a caged animal. Reaching out, he grabbed

her shoulders and began to give her a light massage, realizing that the last

thing they needed was for her to get too ill to help them out. They'd have to

explain the whole mess to another doctor, and Jack didn't trust anyone other

than Janet with this news. The woman melted at the strong, warm touch; a

small moan of pleasure escaped her lips before she tensed again. Jack laughed

then said, in a deep, low voice, "Shh, relax. I'm not going to hurt you."

Suddenly Daniel looked up and met Jack's eyes as they both felt a bolt surge

through them. Blinking quickly, he felt the heat rise in his cheeks as Jack's

voice purred gently. They remained staring across the room while Jack

absently massaged the Doctor's neck and shoulders. Teal'c, sensing the

moment, looked between the two men.

"So," Janet said, her voice a lot more fluid now than before, "we should send

the two of you back through."

Daniel blinked and broke the intense stare between him and Jack. He

narrowed his eyes as he tried to concentrate on Janet again. "That would

mean destroying the new statue."

She rolled her eyes - partly out of the enjoyment of the strong massage.

Daniel saw her pleasure and looked up once more to lock eyes with Jack. The

officer didn't say a word but suddenly he lifted his hands from Janet's

shoulders and stepped back, still looking at Daniel. The scientist licked his

lips and looked down at his lap. He wasn't sure why he was glad Jack had

stopped, he just was. Janet gathered her thoughts again, then snapped back

into Doctor mode. She came across to the bed and put her hand on Daniel's

forehead.

"How do you feel?"

"Fine!" He shrugged. "I've felt fine since this morning, but I also felt fine

yesterday afternoon, if you remember."

She nodded then took his pulse. "And you were as sick as a dog both

mornings."

It did smack of a classic case of morning sickness. Daniel's eyes trailed back

to the man in the corner of the room, watching as Jack toyed with a stack of

specimen jars. He accidentally knocked one, making the whole pile tumble

down. Frantically, he stopped them from hitting the floor while Janet snapped

a glare at him. A smile crept across Daniel's face as he watched his friend. The

colonel shot him a quick, somewhat apologetic look, then saw Daniel's smile

and returned it instead. Unaware of the quiet exchange between the men,

Janet patted Daniel's arm as she adjusted his IV.

"Well, considering what we know, and until I get the results back, I think

you'd better stay here until the morning at least. See if it happens again."

Daniel swallowed and nodded. "Isn't there anything you can give me? I can't

go through that again!"

"Not until I know for certain what it is you have, Daniel. I'm sorry." She

pursed her lips and gave him a small smile. He nodded then sighed, crossing

his arms over his chest and bending his knees up.

"Can I get up at least? My butt's numb."

She considered that and nodded. If he was pregnant that could be the only

place that the baby could be housed, and she thought the pressure might not

be helping. Holding her hand out she assisted him out of the bed. Daniel sat

with his feet dangling over the edge of the bed.

"Can I go for a walk?" he asked her. She took a second, then nodded. Daniel

slipped down onto his feet, his head spinning slightly by the activity and he

reached out and grabbed Teal'c's arm beside him.

"Um, Danny," Jack said, from behind him. All three heads turned to look at

the man standing on the other side of the bed. Jack pointed to Daniel's back.

"You might wanna grab another .. err.. gown."

Janet smiled. "I already considered that, Colonel."

"Ah," He nodded. Daniel looked back at her and she gave a soft laugh, then

she looked over his shoulder to Jack again.

"Will you grab me one from the corner cupboard?"

Jack did as he was instructed to do then came over. He glided the coat up

Daniel's arm then stepped behind him and eased his friend's other arm

through the hole carefully. Teal'c touched Janet's arm and indicated with a

slight nod of his head to leave the men alone. She agreed and followed him

from the room.

Jack stepped around Daniel and tied the top bow on the gown, to be sure it

didn't open up and reveal Daniel in any way.

"Thanks, Jack," the younger man sighed, looking into the close brown eyes.

He was suddenly grateful that Janet had made him get up to shower, shave

and brush his teeth earlier. At the time it was more effort than he thought he

could muster, but now, standing this close to Jack, he was glad he'd freshened

up.

"That's okay. You want company on this walk?" Jack asked, pushing his

hands into his pockets nonchalantly. Daniel looked at him and smiled.

"Yeah, I'd really like that."

.o0o.

As promised, they didn't go far and were heading back towards the infirmary

when Daniel swooned and pushed his hand out against a wall to stop himself

from falling. Gripping his back he gave a soft, muffled cry. Jack, whose

attention had been elsewhere, suddenly realized his friend was in pain.

"Daniel?" He reached out and held his friend up.

"I'm fine," came the soft, breathy response, which alone told Jack he was

anything but fine. "I just got a sharp jab in the back."

He lifted his eyes and Jack saw they were dulled by pain. He gave a quick

nod, then frowned as Daniel winced once more. Gasping a stifled groan,

Daniel gripped Jack with an iron clasp, his nails digging into the older man's

flesh. He started panting softly through his nose as he bit down on his bottom

lip to quieten any further outcries. Jack wrapped his arm across Daniel's waist

but the younger man yelped at the pressure it pushed onto his back.

"Sorry." Jack lifted his hand in the air, waiting to see where he could help

support his friend.

"Oh, gods.. Jack!" Daniel said in panted breathes. "It .. hurts..!"

Jack had seen the scientist withstand a lot of pain, and the mere fact that

perspiration now dampened his top lip was a clear indicator that he was

suffering badly! He wrapped his arm across his friends back, under his arms

and helped carry him to the infirmary.

.o0o.

He eased Daniel onto the bed, but the younger man cried out in pain.

"Doctor!" Jack yelled over his shoulder as he helped Daniel get into a more

comfortable position on his side. Janet hurried into the room and ran to the

other side of the bed to see Daniel's face. Dimples had appeared on his cheeks

as he clenched his jaw against the pain.

"Kill the pain!" Daniel stammered through heavy breathes.

"I don't know what's wrong with you! To do that might damage .." she

shook her head.

Wild blue eyes widened. "Kill… the .. pain!" he screamed. Jack winced and

moved in behind Janet, trying to give Daniel support by being visible. Janet

quickly ordered the strongest pain killer she could, administering it to her

patient then gently rubbing his hip until his breathing slowed and he drifted

off to sleep.

The two weary friends moved out of the room, leaving Daniel to sleep off the

pain.

"What do you think it is?"

Janet shook her head. "He's going to have to go back to that world and see if

they can shed any light onto this for us. I ran a standard urine pregnancy test

on him, nothing. I've got to wait until the morning for the blood results to

come in. I've no idea what I'm working with here, Colonel, and I'm working

with one hand tied behind my back!"

Jack sighed and rubbed his hand down his tired face. He reached out and

squeezed Janet's shoulder. "Okay," he said, "So he's comfortable for the

moment?"

Janet nodded. "He'll sleep a little while. Want me to call you when he

wakes?"

Jack gave a slight shrug. "Only if there's a change. I've got a lot of… work.."

He bit his bottom lip. Janet looked at him.

"Jack," she said in a soft voice. He blinked and looked away. "You do realize

what this could mean? Don't you?"

"Janet, it can't be true. You're a Doc, for crying out loud, you should know

better."

"I'm a doctor of human anatomy, Jack," she said gently, "We're dealing with

things way beyond my knowledge, or anyone else's here. You two-" She

smiled warmly at him and touched his arm lightly, "you may just have

created a miracle."

Shaking his head, Jack headed off down the corridor.

.o0o.

The colonel tried keeping his mind on his work. He managed to work his way

through one file successfully then realized it had taken him nearly two hours

to do that. He sighed, pushed the folder away and sat back in his chair. With

his hand to his mouth, he nibbled at his bottom lip as he finally allowed his

mind to run wild - as it had been trying to do all afternoon.

He reached down and pulled open a drawer in his desk. Carefully, he lifted a

photo of Charlie from the bottom of the drawer and ran his hand across the

glass, wiping away the dust. A small smile came to his face as he looked at the

smiling boy in the picture, proudly clasping a trophy he'd won at baseball. He

traced his fingers down the elfin face, the sound of the boys laughter ringing

so clearly in his mind, then a gut wrenching sound of a gun shot rang loudly

in his ears. Even after all this time, Jack still flinched when he recalled that

sound.

Fisting his hand over the picture, he shook with the intensity of the emotions

that spiked through him now. He fumbled as he put the picture down, then

swiped everything on his desk forward as he dropped his face down into his

folded arms. With a heavy-hearted sigh he clamped his eyes shut against the

images that invaded his mind. Golden hair, matted with red blood……

Frustration drove him to his feet and he began to pace his small office. He

scrubbed both hands down his face, feeling the sensation of his nails

scratching his cheeks lightly as his mind spun uncontrollably. His mind

traveled back even further, to the day a very tiny, very scrawny baby boy was

gingerly placed into his arms and he held his son for the very first time.

Was there a possibility that he would once again know how it felt to cradle

his own child in his arms? Was there a possibility that he might have been

able to give this incredible and precious gift to Daniel? Could it be the cement

in their relationship?

He swore at himself for even having these thoughts. Daniel was ill, gravely

ill, and he was starting to harbor some fantasy that he might be a father once

more? He chastised himself and pushed all thoughts of his long held fantasy

to the back of his mind. He needed to concentrate on Daniel. Help him

through this, even if it did mean the possibility of losing the… He stopped

himself from thinking that thought as he stormed out of his office and down

to the infirmary. Now was not the time to be playing 'house', featuring him

and Daniel as parents.. Not while the man lay serious ill in the infirmary.

.o0o.

He pressed on the door and went in. Hammond was standing beside Daniel's

bed and immediately alarm bells rang in Jack's head.

"General," he hoped he sounded casual.

"Hello, Colonel. Just checking on Doctor Jackson here," Hammond told him ,

indicating to the bed. Jack nodded.

"And..?" Jack tilted his head and looked over at Janet.

The small doctor shot him a wary look and said, "No change yet, sir."

Jack nodded and then folded his arms over his chest.

"I'm glad I ran into you, Colonel," Hammond said as he turned from the

unconscious man in the bed and headed out of the room. Reluctantly Jack

followed him out.

"Why is that, sir?"

"I've a little assignment for you, and I need it done now."

Jack grimaced. "Now, Sir?"

"Yes. With SG-1 on stand down I figured your time is pretty much free at the

moment."

"Well actually," Jack scratched at the side of his nose, "I've got a back log of

work like you wouldn't believe on my desk in my office."

The Texan nodded and smiled. "I'd believe it, Colonel. I'm waiting on a few

of those reports myself."

Bowing his head, Jack shrugged and shoved his hands deep into his pockets.

"Yes, Sir."

"What I want to ask you won't take long. You'll be back tomorrow

afternoon."

Jack's head snapped up to look at his C.O. "Tomorrow?"

He had to be away that long?

Hammond smiled and patted his friend's arm. "Thought you'd agree. I've a

chopper heading this way in 20 minutes. Think you can be ready to go by

then?"

"Err, yeah, sure." Jack sighed. There was no way he was getting out of this

one.

"No hot date you need to cancel then, Colonel?" Hammond teased. Jack

screwed his nose up.

"Not tonight sir. You got me on a quiet night. Tomorrow night I'd have had

to give up the Mach Twins… so I probably wouldn't have gone.. but

tonight.." he shrugged, clearly joking, and Hammond laughed.

"Well, I'm pleased I slotted into your schedule so easily." He patted Jack's

arm and strode on ahead. "Just pack an overnight bag, Colonel."

Jack raised his hand in a sort of wave then tossed it in the direction of the

General as he disappeared down the corridor. "Yeah, sure, yabetcha!" He

mumbled.

.o0o.

As soon as he returned to base the next afternoon, Jack was more than eager

to see how Daniel was. He tossed his overnight bag into his office then

headed straight down to the infirmary.

Knocking lightly, he poked his head around the door and saw Daniel fast

asleep in his bed. A smile crinkled the colonel's tired face as he stepped into

the room and saw Teal'c standing beside the bed.

"How is he?"

"He had an uncomfortable evening. I believe we will need to take him to

PN3451 very soon. The aliens may have a way of relieving the pain."

Jack nodded and stepped closer to the bed. He looked up at the security

camera that monitored the room and the Jaffa noticed this. He positioned

himself so that he blocked off the bed, allowing Jack the privacy to reach

down and touch Daniel's cheek. Jack brushed some wayward hair from the

pale face. Even asleep, it was good to see Daniel again.

He recalled how people often commented to Sara that she 'glowed', and

while Daniel didn't exactly glow, he did look good. His pale skin was clean

and smooth, his lips a faint pink color. The colonel caressed the cheek gently,

letting his thumb brush over the soft bottom lip. As he stood looking down at

Daniel, he knew that his feelings were no longer assumptions. He was in love

with Daniel. The man had filled his every thought while he was away, sitting

in for the General at a mundane meeting. He couldn't wait to get home and

tell him.

His thumb brushed the bottom lip once more and this time Daniel stirred.

"Wha..? Oh.. Jack," he said, licking his lips and swallowing, his mouth

chronically dry.

"Hey there, how you feeling?"

"Like crap," he said, trying to sit up but winced with pain. Jack helped ease

him onto his side and he dragged a chair across to sit at a better level for him.

"Teal'c's here too." Jack knew he had a goofy grin on his face, but seeing

those dopey blue eyes just set his heart aflutter. Upon hearing his name, the

Jaffa moved in behind Jack's chair.

"Teal'c's been here all night," Daniel smiled weakly and then blinked his eyes

quickly when he saw a flash of 'something' go across Jack's face.

"Oh?"

"I thought it was best to be here, considering you were not available," the

Jaffa explained.

Jack looked at his friend, unaware that his jealously, although concealed in

humor in his voice, was obvious on his face.

"Spending the night with Daniel. Don't you know the man's in a delicate

state?"

Even Daniel laughed at this comment. "I don't think two of you can knock

me up at the same time," he mumbled. Jack looked at him, surprised by the

flippant response.

Daniel smiled, a little lop-sided smile and Jack's heart-beat raced. He lowered

his voice and swiped his hand across Daniel's cheek on the pretense of

brushing back hair.

"It's good to see you smiling," he said, sitting forward.

"I wasn't smiling earlier, believe me!" Daniel groaned. Jack nodded

sympathetically and touched his hand to Daniel's face again. The younger

man seemed to enjoy the touch.

"I will take my leave of you," Teal'c said, aware of the intimate moment.

Daniel lifted his eyes to look at his friend.

"Thanks Teal'c."

"I will call on you before dinner," he said. Daniel merely blinked in response

and Teal'c left the room. Daniel's eyes leveled with Jack's once more.

"So how do you feel really?" Jack asked.

"Really? Like I'm constipated. Only 100 times worse!" He moaned as he

shifted to get more comfortable.

"I think we should go back to PN3451, see what they can do for you."

Daniel stared at him a long moment, then, with eyes slightly squinted, he

said to Jack, "You think I'm pregnant, don't you?"

In the cold harsh light of the SGC it was hard to say yes to that question. As

much as he may have wanted it to be true, it was still such an impossibility so

Jack merely shrugged.

"I really don't know anymore, Daniel," he said honestly. The scientist

nodded.

"I doubt I'm pregnant, but something has definitely gone ..... wrong." Daniel

sighed as he shifted uncomfortably again.

"Maybe I hurt you," Jack whispered. Daniel's eyes widened as he shook his

head.

"God, no! No, Jack, you were so careful. So incredibly gentle and careful- "

He swallowed as the colonel fixed his dark eyes upon him.

"I've been worried that maybe it was something I did." Jack confessed in a

quiet whisper.

Daniel's eyes flittered in a sort of eye-roll, then he sighed and pulled the

bedding up to his chest as he stared up at the ceiling. After a quick glance at

his forlorn friend, he told him, "Jack, without going into too much detail for

you, I've had a lot rougher,." The colonel frowned at that news.

"Oh," he nodded.

Daniel diverted his eyes from Jack and said, blandly, "You were fine."

The colonel liked it better when he told him he was incredible instead.

.o0o.

Janet finished her checks and agreed that the men could go for another walk.

They had been down the corridor and were heading back again when Daniel

stumbled and crashed against the wall, the room spinning on him. He

gripped his back and fell to his knees, crying out in pain. Jack touched his

hand to his friend's head, reassuring him he was going to get help and then

he ran to the infirmary, calling through to Janet's office.

"Doc! Daniel's down!" He cried from the doorway, not wanting to lose visual

contact with the man crumpled on the floor in the hall way. He saw blood

starting to pool under Daniel and hopped on the spot, calling out loudly, "Ah,

you'd better hurry!"

He ran back to his friend. Daniel was obviously in a lot of pain by the way he

was shaking and he clutched Jack's hand in a vice-like grip as the older man

sank to the ground beside him.

"It's okay, Danny, she's coming!" Jack's free hand trembled as it smoothed

the dark hair back off his friend's face.

Agony kept any words at bay from the scientist, but he nodded his

understanding. Janet came flying out of the room, followed by two male

medical officers and by the time they reached the two men, Daniel's jaw was

clenched so tightly that dimples appeared on his face. He was also panting

and shivering uncontrollably.

"Oh, Christ!" she said when she saw the blood and the shaking man,

crumpled against the wall. Jack stepped back, ripping his hand from Daniel's

hold as the male officers lifted Daniel effortlessly and carried him into the

room again.

"Janet, I'm sorry-" Jack cried out to her as he shook his head.

She ran backwards, shouting, "This wasn't your fault!" Then she turned and

disappeared into the room.

Jack looked down at the sizable puddle of blood on the floor, smeared in

some points where Daniel's legs had thrashed out with pain. He rubbed his

hands over his face as he gave a loud sob. He wasn't anywhere near tears, but

his heart was breaking just the same!

A few minutes ago they were laughing and talking like old times, neither

bringing up the subject of the possible pregnancy, just basking in the warmth

of their old friendship. Jack also felt his new feelings grow more and more for

his friend, particularly when Daniel dipped his face in a coy smile at one

point. It had made Jack's heart skip and his groin twitch. They were definitely

going to have to talk about it - once this mess was worked out! Jack had only

hoped Daniel felt something in return.

Yet now, all he could hear the loud screams of agony coming from his friend

in the room in front of him. He paced outside the closed door, not sure what

he should do next. With every cry from Daniel, Jack felt his stomach clamp.

He scrubbed his hands over his face, almost missing the nurse who came out

of another door and headed over to the pool of bright red blood. He watched

as she scooped up most of the stuff and poured it into a large glass beaker.

Once she had most of it in the container, she went back into the other room,

and Jack followed her.

"What's that for?" he asked. She frowned.

"You're not allowed in here, Colonel."

Ignoring her, Jack pointed to the beaker. "What's that for?" he repeated.

The nurse shook her head. "I'm sorry, sir. I'm not at liberty to tell you that,"

she said, reaching for the telephone and calling a cleaner to the corridor

outside.

Jack's fist clenched by his thigh and he swung around, catching a glimpse of

the operating room next door through a window. There had to be about seven

people around Daniel's bed. Arms, tubes, utensils seem to fly around at

lightening speed, the silver equipment catching the light and shining it in

sprays around the room.

Jack silently stepped closer to the window, his hands pressed against the

glass. He stood for ages, just watching. Slowly, one by one, the people pulled

away from the bed, some carrying little trays, one carried a silver kidney-

shaped bowl and put it on the bench near the window where Jack was

standing. Janet turned away from the patient on the bed and tugged her mask

from her face then ripped her gloves off her hands. She caught Jack's

concerned gaze and looked away sharply. Jack's breath hitched.

.o0o.

The weary Doctor entered the small lab. She was still dressed in the gown

and her mask was cupping under her chin. She saw her assistant sitting,

working at the bench behind Jack.

"You can take a break, Susan," she said, looking up at Jack once more.

"I'm not due-"

"Take a break, Lt.," Janet snapped tiredly then rubbed her forehead, shooting

her assistant an apologetic look. The young officer slipped off her stool and

headed to the door.

"I put that beaker in the fridge, like you asked."

"Thanks," Janet croaked haggardly then waited until she heard the door

shut.

"Is he okay?" Jack was almost too scared to ask.

"Daniel's fine. Physically," she shrugged then dropped wearily onto the

vacant stool. "We've moved him to the ICU. Why don't you go and sit with

him a while? I've got some work to do."

The colonel nodded and went through to the ICU while Janet set about

running her tests and checking her information.

.o0o.

After sitting with the unconscious man for over an hour, where he watched

Daniel's obs being checked every fifteen minutes, Jack got up and came back

into the lab where Janet was still sitting, only now she had her head in her

hands.

"Doc?"

She looked up, tears brimmed her dark eyes.

"What is it?" Jack swallowed and came to her side. She inhaled a long, deep

breath then pointed to the remainder of what looked like a thumb- sized

blood clot in the silver dish.

"Jack, Daniel *was* pregnant."

The colonel hitched his breath, then he stared at the mess in the metal tray.

"Oh God!" He shook his head. The reality of it came crashing around him as

a wave of nausea rose through him.

"I have no way of explaining the why's and wherefore's, but that is a cocoon

housing a fetus."

Still shaking his head, Jack stepped backwards, slamming into the bench

behind him and knocking the beaker of blood onto the floor.

"Damn!" Janet sighed under her breath at the mess it created as blood

splashed up the wall and door of her fridge. Jack twisted to look down at the

mess then twirled on the spot, racing from the room.

.o0o.

Teal'c knew exactly where Jack was by the sounds of fist, feet and body

slamming against metal lockers in the Locker Room. There was also a small

gathering of men outside the room. SG-4 had returned from a mission and

needed to shower, but they weren't willing to head back in there after the

tongue-lashing and abuse they got the last time they did. The fearless Jaffa

entered cautiously. Jack was slumped against the corner lockers, his head

resting against one of the doors, his face wet with tears.

Teal'c stepped over to him warily, holding his hands out to his side to

indicate he was unarmed. Jack looked at him, his brown eyes rimmed with

red, his forehead marked with a dark bruise already.

"O'Neill, you need to calm down," Teal'c said in a low, soothing voice.

"Calm down? Calm DOWN?" Jack yelled. "I'm fine! I'm totally 'down',

believe me!" He waved his arms around.

"There are others that need to use this facility. SG-4 have returned from-"

"I don't give a damn where SG-4 have returned from, Teal'c!" Jack yelled

distraughtly. The Jaffa lowered his head.

"This behavior is not helping you, my friend." Teal'c tried once more to get

through to him.

"Yeah? Well, you tell me what will? What the hell will?" Jack yelled angrily,

the veins in his throat popping out, his face red and ruddy.

"DanielJackson is awake and asking for you."

Jack stumbled on that news, his hand coming up to scratch awkwardly at the

back of his head. "He is?"

Teal'c nodded then looked at him. "However, you are in no fit state to see

him. May I suggest you shower?"

Jack looked down at himself. Even in the state he was in, he knew he reeked.

It had been at least a day now since he'd slept and consuming nearly a bottle

of scotch didn't help either. He stumbled and Teal'c rushed forward and

caught him. He threw him over his shoulder and took Jack through to the

shower area. He ran a very luke-warm shower and tossed the drunken man

beneath the spray. Jack startled awake, and Teal'c proceeded to remove the

hot water until only cold sprayed down on Jack. Gasping and fighting the

freezing shower, Jack came back alive. He spat out mouthful after mouthful of

water and slowly climbed back to his feet. Teal'c reached in and removed the

officers sodden clothing, then tossed them into the nearby laundry hamper.

Jack kicked the drenched leather boots to one side as he stood beneath the

cold spray. Teal'c returned to his side, standing stoically by the edge of the

shower. Jack looked at him from the corner of his eye. "You don't need to

stand and watch me, I'll be fine."

Teal'c arched a brow but didn't move. Finally, after a good scrub down, Jack

switched the water off and allowed Teal'c to wrap a towel around him. He

took over the tucking in of the rough, white towel as he headed out to his

locker. He ruffled his hand through his short gray hair and then opened his

locker, pulling out some clothes from inside. Teal'c sat on the bench and

nodded for SG-4 to enter the room. They filed passed Jack, shooting him wary

glances as they made their way through to the shower area. Once they were

all gone, Teal'c looked at the partially dressed officer. Jack was tugging his t-

shirt on over his head then he tucked it into the waist of his pants and zipped

them up.

"How are you feeling?"

"How should I be feeling?" Jack mumbled, grabbing a comb from the shelf

and slicking the short hair back. "I mean, what the hell *can* I feel? Grief?" He

shrugged, and shook his head.

"You have lost a baby," Teal'c reminded him.

Jack flinched, throwing a glance over his shoulder at the shower area. He

looked back down at his concerned friend then crooked his finger and said,

"Come with me."

They headed up to his office on the 20th level. Jack pushed the door open and

gestured with his hand at the empty chair. Teal'c slipped into it while Jack put

the bottle of scotch away and tidied the stuff from his floor that he'd swept

there during his temper tantrum. He gripped his head as he bent forward, the

pounding was aggravated by the movements. Teal'c watched his friend.

Although he had been drinking, his behavior was probably more a result of

shock, anger and grief. He seemed sober enough now.

"How's Danny doing?" Jack asked from his crouched position on the floor.

He shuffled some papers into a semblance of order and then stood, dropping

them into an open file on his desk.

"He is still in very ill according to DoctorFraiser."

"Maybe I should go down there," Jack stepped to the door but Teal'c jumped

up, barring his way.

"Maybe you should work through your feelings first, O'Neill. You have also

lost something here."

Jack lowered his eyes. "It wasn't like it was a real… baby.."

"It most certainly was. How do you think generations of Halterons have been

born if it wasn't a real baby?"

Jack cringed, then shrugged, stepping away. "Well, it's not like it was mine

and Daniel's then.." he stopped, considering that whole concept. Teal'c tilted

his head.

"Why is that?"

"Gee, don't know much about human anatomy, do you?" Jack growled. .

"I know enough about reproduction to know that it takes two people to

produce a baby."

"A male and a female, Teal'c. Two men are not able to have a baby!"

"Not on this world," the Jaffa countered simply.

Jack blinked, then his jaw dropped. He sunk slowly to his cot and covered his

face in his hands. Teal'c went over and knelt before him.

"It is alright to grieve, O'Neill. You have lost a child today."

Jack shook his head, not sure if he was laughing or crying. "For crying out

loud, will you stop saying that! I didn't…. I couldn't have-"

"When will you stop denying the miracle that had occurred within

DanielJackson's body?"

Jack looked at his friend the clamped his eyes shut. "Poor Daniel. How is he

going to take all this? What the hell do I say to him?"

"He will require some time to come to terms with the news."

"Time? I'm not sure any of us will live long enough to ever come to terms

with this news, Teal'c." He reached his hand out and squeezed Teal'c's strong

shoulder.

"He will require the care of a close friend. How do you feel about that?"

Jack blinked slowly, then rubbed his face. "You know exactly how I feel,

Teal'c. I told you the other day."

"You told me your feelings for DanielJackson have changed since the

incident."

"Yeah, and I told you that I thought I was falling.." he bit his lips together

and looked away.

"I believe that is something our friend needs to hear at a time like this," the

Jaffa said gently. Jack looked at him.

"What? Oh, Danny Boy - sorry for knocking you up, but it's okay, because I

think I love you."

"I am sure you will find a more appropriate approach when you are with

him."

Jack shook his head. It had meant nothing to Daniel. It was *sex*. The

scientist told him as much before *and* after the incident. It was merely

something he did to 'get Jack home'. He 'told' him that - plain and simply.

There was no indication of unrequited love on the side of his friend. Daniel

knew Jack was 'straight'. He certainly never gave Jack any indication that he

felt more than friendship for him. So what good would a confession from Jack

do now? This wasn't the movies. Daniel wasn't going to drop into his arms,

crying and sobbing and admitting that he'd secretly loved him all these years.

Jack was too much of a realist to think that. As much as he would love to

think that he could tell Daniel and they'd see this thing through 'together', it

wasn't going to be like that in reality. All a confession would do right now is

hurt Daniel more. It would deepen his grief and possibly make him angry.

Jack didn't need to add to the torment in his friend's head. There was surely

enough going on in there already. He would see Daniel through this as a

'friend' and once he was sure he was well enough to cope with the confession,

he would tell him then - he promised himself.

"It is time, O'Neill." The Jaffa rose from his seat and opened the door. Jack

got up and headed off to the infirmary.

.o0o.

Alone in the room, the colonel went over to the bed and looked down at his

red eyed friend. Daniel looked crumpled - young and vulnerable - as he laid

on his side, his hands tucked up near his face, his thumb pressing against his

closed lips. He stared off into nothingness.

"How're you feeling?" Jack asked in a soft voice. Daniel blinked but that was

all. The concerned man eased himself on to the edge of the bed and sat with

him, gently rubbing his back through the blanket.

.o0o.

Sam was out in the corridor when Jack emerged about an hour later. She went

over to him.

"Colonel, Janet took me into her confidence," she said, reaching out and

touching his shoulder. The stunned man merely nodded. "How's Daniel

doing?" she asked. Jack looked back over his shoulder then shrugged.

"Didn't say a word the whole time I was there. Didn't do anything, but

blink."

Sam hitched her breath as she nodded. Janet had told her Daniel was in

heavy shock. She remembered how she felt after the Jolinar incident. At least

she had Cassandra to help her through that. Daniel was all alone in this

world.

"Look, I'm about to go home. Why don't you let me cook you some dinner?"

Jack swallowed and shook his head. "Janet wants me to attend some type of

counselling session with her."

Sam nodded and squeezed his shoulder. "I'm at home if you need me,

okay?"

He blinked, his dry eyes feeling like sandpaper. "Thanks," he muttered

before heading off down the corridor. Sam watched him go then pushed her

hands through her hair and stepped up to the door.

Knocking quietly, she went in. Janet was checking Daniel's drip and she

smiled at her friend.

"Hi, how is he?" she asked, looking at Daniel.

"Asleep," Janet said, unaware of the open blue eyes on the man lying

between them. "He hasn't spoken a word since I told him. He's in heavy

shock."

"I just saw the Colonel outside," Sam said, her voice a soft whisper of

despair.

"Shattered?" Janet offered as a good description of their friend.

"Yeah, best description I could come up with." The blonde officer nodded,

rubbing her palms on her thighs as she nervously sat on the stool beside the

bed.

"These poor men!" Janet caressed her hand through Daniel's long hair then

along his shoulder and down his arm. The silent man closed his eyes seconds

before Janet looked down at his face again. She traced the back of her curled

fingers down his hollow cheek. "To have something so incredible happen to

them and they can't even talk about it. Not even here - in a top secret facility."

Sam tutted. "Colonel O'Neill would be discharged, there's no way he

wouldn't be. The rumors would be .. just awful. They'd never be able to work

together if people found out." The officer commented compassionately but

clearly, stating the military side of the argument.

"And, yet, all they were doing was surviving," Janet said bluntly, arguing on

the side of human nature. Sam looked up and shrugged.

"Still, it's not something the military abides, Doc," she said frankly.

"It *should* be nobody else's business!" the angry doctor snapped.

Sam placed her hand on her chest and nodded. "I agree! What we do in our

bedrooms should have no bearing on our workplace, but this is military

policy, Janet. The Colonel knew that going into this thing."

"From what they told me, he didn't have much of a choice."

Sam sighed, shaking her head. "Who knows. Who knows what the aliens

would have done to him. Maybe nothing," she said.

"They might have killed him, Sam! That was Daniel's greatest fear! Why do

you think he confessed such an intimate thing to the colonel in the first place

if he didn't believe that they would have carried through with their threat?"

"I don't know…"

"And I don't think Jack would have entered into this if he didn't take the

threats seriously either. I don't know about you, captain, but I've had first

hand experience of just how 'manly' that colonel is." Janet's cheeks were red

by the time she finished her passionate outburst. Sam's mouth dropped open.

"You and .. the colonel?"

"Not a word!" Janet wagged her finger at her.

"When?"

"It was just after I arrived here. A couple of dates. It .. it was nothing really."

"I had no idea…" Sam said softly.

"No, well, much like this situation, it was nobody else's business."

Sam looked down at the back of Daniel's head again.

"They've been such good friends for years. I wonder how it will affect their

relationship now. And the team?"

"Who knows. How do you feel about it?"

Sam shrugged. "It doesn't change my opinion of them in the slightest. I'm

worried, really worried, about the two of them, especially Daniel. Other than

that, as you say, it's none of our business."

The pretty brunette nodded and smiled. "Good."

"Teal'c's been great too. He's really been there for Jack."

"I know. I guess the real cruncher is how these two will be. How have they

been with each other since they returned from the mission?"

"They basically ignored each other. I couldn't understand why at the time, of

course, but now I do."

Janet nodded. "It's a typical reaction. I think we all need to keep treating

them the same way as we always did. Give them time and space to work

through this together."

Sam nodded. "I agree."

"And we need to be sure no one else finds out about it," Janet said, brushing

her hand over Daniel's head again.

"What's gone in the report?" the captain asked.

"That Daniel was mysteriously impregnated while on PN3451 by some

unknown source. Due to incompatible physiology, the foetus self-aborted and

I performed a caesarean to remove the embryo, thereby saving his life. I just

hope people on the base don't start treating him-" Janet felt the man beneath

her hand shake and looked down, seeing Daniel's face distorted with tears.

"Oh, God. Daniel," she said, realizing he had been listening to their

conversation. Her heart broke as he crinkled his face in distress, bitter tears

falling down his cheeks. Sam jumped to her feet and slipped onto the bed

behind him, cuddling him close to her.

"Shh, Daniel, it's okay, it's okay. We're here for you." His team-mate soothed

him gently, stroking her hand over his hair.

"Jack.." He sobbed. Sam lifted her compassion-filled blue eyes up at Janet

who nodded and went to put in the page for the colonel. Sam continued to

cuddle her distraught friend, cooing words of comfort in his ear as he sobbed

uncontrollably. He reached behind and felt for her hand, dragging it around

himself to engulf him in her arm. She squeezed him and kissed the back of his

head.

.o0o.

After a few moments the door of the room flung open and Jack came running

in. He frowned when he saw Daniel and Sam on the bed together but as he

moved around to the front of the bed, Daniel released Sam and held his hand

out to his friend. Jack captured his hand in his and as he slipped onto the bed

next to Daniel, Sam slipped backwards off her side, allowing them room. Jack

ended up half sitting, half lying against the bed head while Daniel gripped

him and cried against his hip.

Sam circled the end of the bed and stood behind Janet.

"It's okay, Daniel. You're amongst friends," the doctor reassured him as she

reached out and touched his blanket-covered foot. He sobbed loudly,

gripping Jack even closer. The colonel was clearly fighting his emotions to

stay on top of them, making his hands shake as he caressed Daniel's head

pressed against his side.

He looked up and saw Sam biting her lips together, tears rolling down her

cheeks. She tried to smile but failed miserably. He felt the tears burn the back

of his nose and he scooted down the bed getting level with Daniel. His arms

went around his distraught friend's head and he pulled him close for a

cuddle.

Sam brushed the back of her hand under her nose and sniffed harshly. To

hell with Military policy, she thought. These two men needed each other right

now and no one should judge them. Janet looked at her, reaching out her

hand and squeezing Sam's forearm. The blonde officer smiled through her

tears then the doctor led her out of the room.

"Daniel, I'm going to be here, do you hear me? I'm going to help you through

this," Jack whispered as he brushed his lips over his friend's tall forehead.

"I'm not going anywhere."

Daniel looked up at him, blinking quickly. Jack cupped his hand under his

chin.

"I'm so sorry, Jack. What have I done?"

"You did nothing! You hear me! You saved my life and for that .." he bit back

his anger at the aliens for doing this to them. He brushed his thumb along

Daniel's jaw line. "We're gonna get through this! This is not going to ruin us,

do you hear me?!"

"But it could have ruined your career."

"Oh, for crying out loud, that's the least of my concerns!"

Daniel's eyes screwed up as tears leaked from the corners.

Jack softened his voice again. "I'm just worried about you, Danny."

Daniel lifted his blue eyes and stared deeply into Jack's concerned brown

eyes.

"I'll be fine," he sniffed, rubbing the heel of his hand across his cheeks. He

snuggled closer to Jack and whispered, "I'll be fine."

Sam stood in the lab watching her two friends consoling each other on the

bed through the monitor. Janet stepped up beside her, offering her a cup of

tea. Sam took it and cradled the cup in her hands.

"Think they'll be alright?" The doctor asked as she leant back against the

bench behind them. Sam inhaled a long, deep breath as she watched, intently,

as Jack's lips brushed Daniel's forehead. With a small smile she nodded. "I

think they will be."

- THE END-

Go on to the third part of this series - After effects of the Altar



Return to the JD list.