Author's Notes:  So... a little bit of a request: I only have maybe 5-7 chapters left; is it possible to get my reviews up to 100?  I know it seems a little trivial, but it would be extraordinarily gratifying... so if you don't mind, please review!  If the reviews actually did climb that high, I think I could die happy... well, not really, but I would be tickled at the very least.  ;)

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Daniel stared at the ground as his colleague packed.  "Kurt, I'm sorry."

Pendry stopped what he was doing to face the younger man, his tone forgiving and earnest.  "Don't be sorry, Daniel.  Tell me what's going on."

Daniel didn't reply. 

"I understand that you're caught here – I just wish I knew why." Kurt continued, making another attempt at eye contact. 

"We're just concerned that –" Daniel began.

"That there's some hidden danger." Kurt finished.  "Yes, you've told me that, and I will tell the others, and we'll all go quietly because you've asked us to."  He walked forward, placing his hands on Daniel's arms.  "We don't care about the site, Daniel." He confided, then rephrased, "I mean, of course we care about whatever has been discovered here – we want to share in this process... but we care more about you.  We don't understand what's going on, and we don't want to see you in danger any more than you want to see us in such a predicament.  Can you understand that?"

"Yes, of course." Daniel met Kurt's eyes.  "And I wish I could tell you more."

"I know that you do." Kurt went back to his packing.  "It has to be your work – whatever it is you do now, that's what this involves?"

"Yes." Daniel answered honestly. 

Kurt stopped a second time.  "My god, Daniel..." he turned again, "you've found proof, haven't you?  You had it before, but now-"

"Dr. Pendry." Teal'c's deep voice interrupted.

The other two men stared at each other.

"Yes, Murray." Kurt spoke up first, still meeting Daniel's eyes.  "Ready, are we?" he grabbed his bag and stepped out of the tent.

"The rest of your party is ready to depart."  Teal'c intoned, nodding his head slightly.

"Yes, thank you." Kurt replied kindly, setting off toward the two jeeps that sat idling. 

Daniel emerged from the tent and jogged to catch up to the older man, putting a hand on his shoulder to catch his attention.

"As soon as it's cleared, I'll send word.  You will share in this discovery." Daniel told him.  "I promise."

Kurt smiled tightly and pulled Daniel into a hug.  "Take care of yourself, my boy."

Kurt continued on to his jeep.

Daniel's hands went to his pockets as he watched his old colleagues pull away.  Just before he returned to his team, he saw Otto rise, grabbing hold of the jeep's roll bars. 

"Give her hell for us, Daniel!" he shouted, shaking a fist in the general direction of the temple.

Daniel continued watching as the vehicles disappeared into a large cloud of dust.