Author's Notes: - Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing and encouragement.

Thanks to everyone who's said they've enjoyed this story.

Nick frowned when he answered the door to find both Janette and LaCroix standing there.

"I thought you would only help if I asked," Nick said blandly.

"I changed my mind Nicholas," LaCroix told him sweeping past and taking a seat.

Nick rolled his eyes before greeting Janette with a kiss and leading her inside closing the door.

"Did you bring the tablets?" Nick demanded crossing his arms.

"Yes," Janette said, "Do you think your friend can translate them?"

Nick nodded, "He got the first one fine, he'll get these."

"What's going on?" Daniel asked joining them carrying Ari in his arms.

"Ah, the child in question," LaCroix stood moving towards them suddenly flying into the wall.

"Don't come near her," Daniel snarled, sensing what LaCroix was.

LaCroix turned his eyes flashing, his teeth elongating.

"Stop," Nick jumped in between them, "Daniel, he's here to help."

"Why?" Daniel demanded, "What is in it for you to help me discover why my daughter exists?"

"Because that child," LaCroix told him, "Is the culmination of a plan set out over ten thousand years ago. She must be protected otherwise we will all perish."

x

"Dad," Sam called following on behind him as he marched them through the Tok'ra base, "What are you talking about? Ari is just a child. A very special one I'll grant you. Ammonet did hold off her growth for a few months but she's still just a child."

"I'll explain it in a minute," Jacob told her as they arrived at their destination, "Take a seat guys. I'm going to go get Martouf."

Sam dropped annoyed into a seat. Teal'c stood waiting as Jack leaned against the wall and Captain Martins sat across from Sam.

"Okay," Jacob reappeared with Martouf in tow, "We discovered a few interesting things in one of Ammonet's strongholds."

"Like?" Sam interrogated.

"The information talks about a child," Martouf told her.

"Isn't that the Harcesis?" Jack asked hopefully.

"I'm afraid not," Martouf said, "He is mentioned but there is reference to another child, one not fathered by Apophis. A child who was in the womb almost twice the normal term, a child who could be the key for either the destruction of the Goa'uld or a way for Apophis and Ammonet to take out all the System Lords."

"They can't mean Ari?" Sam frowned, "Wouldn't there be some sort of, I don't know sign?"

"The rest of the inscription talks about the father," Martouf continued.

"Daniel Jackson," Teal'c added.

"It says something about his powers," Jacob said.

Sam started to laugh, "Come on, everything Daniel did on Kheb was…" she trailed off, "He lied to us."

"He was protecting his child," Jack told her before turning back to Jacob, "Does it say anything about where this information comes from?"

"It mentions some Gate co-ordinates that the Goa'uld won't go near," Jacob said, "It'll probably mean the Tok'ra aren't welcome either."

"What are the co-ordinates?" Sam asked, "We should find out what is there."

"We'll need Daniel," Jack said.

"Well that might be a bit of a problem," Sam reminded him.

Jack grimaced, "I can get a message to him. Let's get the co-ordinates and head back to Earth."

"You what?" Sam demanded as Teal'c moved to back her up.

"When we get back to base Major," Jack told her.

"Yes sir," she replied.

Jack groaned silently, he was not going to hear the end of this for a long time.

x

Daniel scanned the two tablets that Janette laid out on the table for him.

"They're talking about two lines, families that were destined to join," he said, "It's not too clear, I think I need a little time to work on them."

"There is no need," LaCroix said, "I can tell you what they mean. The secrets have been passed down through the ages although many believed that this child would never be born."

He looked over at Ari who was sleeping in Nick's arms.

"Are you going to tell us what you know?" Daniel demanded testily, "Or just keep making cryptic comments?"

LaCroix smiled amused but nodded, "You yourself have unusual abilities, am I correct?"

Daniel nodded, "But Oma gave me them to protect Ari."

"No," the oldest of the vampires told him, "It was always there, you manifested them to protect your child. Did it never strike you as odd that no matter what you could always reach out and find your glasses? That things you wanted to study were always close at hand no matter where you had placed them?"

"I guess," Daniel said, "I just never…"

"No, you weren't meant to," LaCroix looked at Ari sleeping, "Her mother was also different?"

Daniel swallowed, "Sha're?"

"She could read you so well," LaCroix told him, "Almost read your mind at times."

Daniel nodded, "How do you know this?"

"Because these were the gifts that were passed along through your families."

"LaCroix," Nick said, "What are you talking about?"

"The old ones," LaCroix explained, "They wanted rid of beings that set themselves up as Gods."

"The Goulds," Daniel breathed.

LaCroix looked at him confused, "That was not what they were…"

"Sorry, Goa'uld," Daniel said, "Gould is sort of an easier way to say their name."

"And ridicule them," LaCroix smiled, "Anyway, the old ones used the magic they had and took two families, one with a son and one with a daughter. In the boy they placed the abilities you have Daniel, in the girl your wife's abilities."

"They were going to get them to have a child that could destroy the Gould?" Daniel asked.

"Once they were old enough yes," LaCroix nodded, "But something went wrong. The girl and her family were taken as slaves through the ring, I don't know if you have another name for it."

"We call it the Stargate," Daniel said softly amazed at the story, "They were taken to Abydos."

LaCroix nodded, "The old ones had prepared for such an eventuality. Through the years the power held by the boy was passed to only one of his children and always male while her abilities was passed through the females of her family."

"Until Sha're and I met," Daniel whispered as a realisation struck, "Ranon."

"Who is Ranon?" Nick asked.

"He was Sha're's uncle on her mother's side," Daniel said, "He was the one who persuaded Kasuf to give Sha're to me as a gift."

Seeing Janette's anger surfacing he raised a hand, "It's a long story and not what you think. I'll explain later."

"Ranon was the old one who guarded the girl," LaCroix confirmed, "Your protection was passed through many of our kind although you were lost to us for a while."

Daniel stared at him, "How?"

"When your parents died," Nick realised, "Once you were put in the Orphanage you must have slipped through their radar."

"Did the Gould know about this plan?" Daniel asked.

"We do not believe so," LaCroix replied.

"Then something doesn't add up about your story," Daniel mused.

"If you knew where he was why did you never tell us?" Sam demanded.

"For the fiftieth time," Jack snapped, "Daniel wanted to keep Ari away from the SGC, away from anything that could hurt her. I only found out accidentally and the only way he'd stay put and let us know how he was, was if I didn't let anyone else know."

"You still should have told us something," Sam frowned.

"Carter, I am not having this argument again," Jack cried, "Look, we have to let Daniel see what Jacob has shown us."

"Why?" Jacob asked.

"For crying out loud Ari is his kid," Jack snapped again, "If there is something about her that Ammonet did he needs to know."

Hammond's phone started to ring giving them all a relief from the tension in the room.

Everyone started to float away as Hammond answered the phone but his next words brought everyone back.

"Dr Jackson?"

"Sir," Jack said, "Let me…"

Hammond shrugged, "He was hoping to talk to you anyway."

x

"Daniel," Jack took the phone, "We were just talking about you."

"Look," Daniel replied, "I'm sorry about this but I really need to come back to the base to talk to you."

"Sure, we've got something for you too."

"It's about Ari," they said in unison.

"What?" Daniel demanded.

"Get here as fast as you can," Jack told him.

"I'm bringing Nick, Ari and someone else," Daniel said, "I need them to be let in the mountain and I'll explain everything once we're there."

Jack quickly relayed this to Hammond who nodded.

"You'll all get in," Jack told him, "Just get here."

Jack smiled seeing Daniel exit the car Ari held in his arms. Nick followed then another man Jack didn't know.

"You made it," Jack grinned shaking hands with Nick.

"Jack O'Neill," Nick said turning to the other man, "This is Lucien LaCroix."

"Hi," Jack nodded recognising the name, "Daniel, Hammond's waiting for you guys."

They all followed him into the mountain and the elevator down to the briefing room. Jack turned to Ari, "Are you going to say hello to Uncle Jack?"

"She's kinda upset," Daniel told him, "She won't let anyone but me near her at the moment."

"Not even slightly," LaCroix murmured.

"You're just annoyed because she was sick all over you," Nick laughed receiving a murderous glare from his father.

They finally arrived at the briefing room and Daniel held back a little.

"How mad are Sam and Teal'c?" he asked Jack.

"They're madder at me," Jack told him moving him inside.

x

"Dr Jackson," Hammond greeted him nodding to a seat, "And guests."

"This is Nick Knight and Lucien LaCroix," Daniel introduced them, "Nick has been helping me keep hidden and LaCroix is well…he knows what the hell is going on."

"Really?" Jack asked.

"Yes," LaCroix murmured.

"Care to share?" Jack said sarcastically.

"Jack," Daniel said very softly, "First I was hoping you'd tell me what you found."

Jack stared at him for a few seconds looking at him before nodding, "Martouf and Jacob came across some stuff that said Ammonet created a weapon."

"Ari," Sam continued.

Daniel cuddled his daughter closer to him, "A weapon?"

"A child held in the womb almost twice the normal term," Sam told him, "That could either be the key to destroy all the Goa'uld or Apophis way to take over."

Ari's blue eyes stared at her father and she started to whimper, Daniel hushed her soothing the child.

"Maybe we shouldn't talk about this in front of her," Jack suggested.

"She won't let me put her down," Daniel said, "She knows this is about her."

The others shrugged slightly.

"Okay, according to LaCroix before the Gould were kicked off the planet a group created a plan to destroy the Gould," Daniel explained.

Everyone stared at him as he continued his explanation when he finished he gently rested his cheek against his daughter's curls.

"Dr Jackson," Hammond said softly, "Not that I don't believe you but you must admit…"

Daniel reached out and brought the glass of water sitting at the end of the table to him.

"I need to go to Abydos," Daniel said, "Ranon may have some answers for us."

"Sir," Jack said, "SG1 will back him up."

"And I need both Nick and LaCroix," Daniel continued, "And Ari has to come too."

"Dr Jackson I can't agree to your daughter going through," Hammond argued.

"General, she'll come anyway," Daniel frowned, "I know this is bizarre to understand but Ari won't let me leave her behind."

"He's serious," Nick told them, "I've seen what Ari can do if she wants. She's no ordinary child."

"I'll think about it," Hammond told them.

Daniel stood looking around his old office with Ari in his arms.

"You know you could have told us," Sam said coming in.

"I didn't want to have to put you in an awkward position," Daniel shrugged, "I wanted Ari to be safe."

"Can I hold her?" Sam asked.

"Go to Aunt Sam," Daniel encouraged his daughter who was watching the newcomer with apprehension.

After a few seconds she moved to be held by Sam who smiled down on her, "She really does look like Sha're. But I can see your influence too especially her eyes."

"I'm sorry I lied to you and I left Sam," he told her, "But Ari is my top priority."

"I can understand that," Sam smiled, "It must be an interesting notion to know that you and Sha're have been destined for each other for thousands of years?"

A small smile touched Daniel's lips, "I guess."

Ari started to squirm reaching out to her father, Daniel took her back and gently kissed the top of her head.

"I'm sorry I stayed away so long," Daniel told her, "I really missed you guys."

"We missed you too."

x

Janet smiled as Daniel walked into the infirmary with Ari to get her checked out.

"Well, look at you," Janet hugged him, "You are so big, yes you are."

"I think I'm the same size," Daniel shrugged before grinning as Janet swatted his arm.

"Now you sweetie," Janet reached out for the little girl, "Onto the bed."

Ari unhappy about being taken away from her father started to cry. Daniel pulled out a small red ball from the bag he was carrying and started to float it above his daughter who giggled trying to catch it. Janet stared at him in amazement.

"I guess no one told you about this?" Daniel asked.

"No, I was told," she shook herself, "It's just a jolt actually seeing it."

"The first time I did it," Daniel told her, "Scared the hell out of me but now I'm able to control it better."

"What about Ari?" Janet asked as she did a few tests on the child, "Can she do anything?"

Daniel nodded, "We're not too sure what though she floated her bottle once and brought over the picture of Sha're when she was scared. I think when she gets older she'll be able to do great things and that's what scares me."

"With you guiding her Daniel she'll grow up wonderful," Janet squeezed his hand producing some candy for Ari.

"Janet," Daniel protested.

"Oh let me spoil her," Janet said, "It's not like we've seen her for a while."

Daniel gave in letting Ari eat the chocolate, "I'll see you later Janet."

Janet smiled giving Ari a gentle kiss before passing her to her father, "See you later."

Daniel held Ari closer to him as he stepped through the Stargate to Abydos. Beside him stood Jack and on the other side Nick. Sam, Teal'c and LaCroix followed on behind.

"Ah Daniel," Nick said, "LaCroix and I can't exactly step out there into the sunlight."

"Actually," Daniel murmured, "Ranon was always in the sun. If he's one of you…"

"He's an old one though," Nick reminded him, "It's different rules."

"Don't worry," Daniel smiled, "Kasuf should be coming to meet us with him."

On cue Daniel's father-in-law stepped into the pyramid.

"Good son," he greeted Daniel, "And my dear Arianna."

Ari happily jumped into her grandfather's arms while Daniel smiled seeing them together.

"Dan'iel," Ranon joined them, "It is so good to see you again."

"You too," Daniel said, "I actually really need to talk to you."

"About?"

"About this," he turned and floated a discarded plate that sat near the steps of the Gate.

"Ah," Ranon nodded, "Then I was right."

"I need you tell me," Daniel said, "I need to know everything."

"Come," Ranon motioned them forward.

"We may have a problem there," Nick stepped forward.

Ranon looked at him, "This sun will not harm you. That I can promise."

"Very well," Nick said.

Ranon smiled, "Now, if we can all go I will explain everything to you."

SG1, Nick, LaCroix and Kasuf with Ari still held in his arms all followed on behind Ranon as he led them to the city.