TITLE: The Lost Ones

AUTHOR: Cyn(di)

EMAIL: custardpringle@yahoo.com

RATING: PG-13 for weird evil happenings and general suffering/pain on the parts of all concerned.

CATEGORY: supernatural, drama

SUMMARY: Daniel is having terrible nightmares. And the worst thing is, they're not only in his head . . .

SPOILERS: I'm too lazy to keep track, so let's say anything up through "Evolution Part 2."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The first scene of this was originally at the end of Chapter 3, but I moved it, made it longer, and replaced that chapter with a shorter version. Hope I didn't confuse anyone. And, for the reviewer (sorry I've forgotten your name) who wanted more Jack/Daniel conversation, here you go, a whole chapter's worth. Nice peaceful chapter here . . . no torturing, no violence, no death, just a little bit of insomnia. I was in a good mood at the time-be grateful.

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"I doubt that." Daniel closed his eyes again, wondering whether he would ever be able to get any proper sleep at all. "What exactly have I been doing to you?"

"Let me see." Jack began ticking items off on his fingers. "First, you were rude enough to fall asleep during my hockey game, which is totally inexcusable. Then you started thrashing around, and next thing I know you're screaming your lungs out like you're being tortured or something-" Daniel grimaced at the memory- "and I can't get you to wake up no matter how hard I try. So I've been awake half the night failing miserably to wake you up out of whatever nightmare you were having, and a couple of minutes ago you started screaming at me to get out. Which, obviously, I didn't do."

"I'm sorry to hear that, but it wasn't really a nightmare."

Jack squinted doubtfully. "Then just what the hell was it?" he demanded.

"It was-more." Daniel frowned and decided to not even try to explain; he doubted O'Neill would believe him, and the whole thing was probably best kept quiet anyway. "It was kind of complicated, and I don't think I can explain it. Look, we both need sleep right now, so why don't you just go to bed and I'll try to tell you about it in the morning."

"Sounds good. Look, Daniel, are you sure you're okay? Cause you didn't sound too good there."

Daniel considered this for a moment. "Frankly, no, I'm not sure. But I can deal with it. Don't worry about it, all right?"

Jack shook his head doubtfully. "If you insist. Night, Daniel."

"Good night, Jack." Daniel rolled over on the sofa and immediately fell into a deep sleep.

Jack stood there for a moment staring bemusedly down at his friend, wondering what on earth had been going on for the past couple of hours and, more importantly, why Daniel didn't want to tell him about it. He knew he'd find out eventually, of course, but mysteries worried him.

Just as Jack reached the bottom of the stairs, hoping to get to bed at last, the phone rang. A glance at his watch told him it was one in the morning. "What the hell is going on here?" he muttered, but knew better than to not answer.

"Jack," said General Hammond's voice over the line, "we need you on base now, as well as Doctor Jackson, if he's still at your home."

"He's here, sir," confirmed Jack reluctantly. "But I thought we had some time off, for cryin' out loud."

"You did. But Jacob has just arrived, saying the Tok'ra may have a major emergency and that they need our help."

"Sir," he said tiredly, "with all due respect, can we at least get some sleep? Daniel only just fell asleep, and I was on my way up to bed when you called. Can't the Tok'ra wait until morning?"

"One moment, Colonel." Hammond could be heard faintly conversing with someone on the other end. It wasn't long before he returned to the phone. "All right, Jack. You have five hours."

Jack had plenty of things he wanted to say to that, but they were all likely to get him court-martialed, so he simply said, "Yes, sir," and hung up a bare instant before they burst out anyway.

-----

Four and a half hours later, the alarm went off. Jack raised his head a half-inch from the pillow and treated it to his patented death glare. When this failed to shut it off, he reached out and hurled it across the room. The alarm turned off. It also shattered into a few dozen pieces, but he figured that was an acceptable price to pay for some quiet. Besides, knowing her, Carter could probably fix it anyway. Then he remembered that he had to be on base in half an hour, along with Daniel-who didn't even know that yet-so he got up and unenthusiastically went downstairs.

It took a great deal of shaking to wake Daniel up, but eventually the archaeologist opened a single bleary eye and said, "Just what the hell are you doing?"

"Such courtesy," Jack observed. "Look, this isn't my fault, okay? Hammond wants us on base in-"he checked the time again-"twenty-five minutes. So we'd better get going."

The other eye opened. "You're kidding, right?"

"I wish. Apparently the Tok'ra have got some kinda problem and Jacob wants our help again."

Daniel sat up instantly, suddenly fully alert, and apparently alarmed by the news. "Did he say what was wrong?"

"Nope," Jack answered. "Probably got a mouse infestation or something. Why?"

Daniel fumbled around, found his glasses, and put them on. They made him look much more awake than he had a moment ago. "Well, let's just say I think I know why the Tok'ra think they have a problem."

"Meaning they don't really have one? It's just a product of their over- productive, deluded imaginations?"

"Something like that, yes." Daniel got up, wandered into the kitchen, and began opening and closing cabinet doors more or less at random. "Although they aren't deluded, precisely; they're simply misinformed. Where's the coffee?"

The question had been anticipated well in advance. "Far left cabinet, top shelf."

The elusive product found and dealt with, Daniel sat down and waited for the coffee machine to do its work. "Do you have to reorganize your kitchen so often?" he grumbled. "It doesn't do anyone any good."

Jack smiled innocently. "What else am I supposed to do in my downtime when it isn't hockey season? You'd better take that with you, by the way. Hammond's already pissed at us for needing sleep."

"When'd he call?" Daniel asked curiously.

"Oh, not too ridiculous an hour . . . one in the morning. Nice decent hour to be making phone calls, don't you think? I told him we both needed sleep, and five more hours was the most Jacob would give us."

"Usually the Tok'ra wouldn't be that inconsiderate. They must be seriously worried."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Ya think?"