Author's Note: Ok, so I decided to post this one early. But don't think I'll be this soft again. this is a once in a lifetime thing. and only because I had the time right now.

But, on a lighter note, thanks for all the reviews you guys gave me. Not that I'm trying to, oh I don't know, take away your time or test your typing skills or anything, I was just wondering (just a sidenote, unimportant really) if, in the reviews, more. detail would be appreciated. Otherwise, I'm loving the amount of reveiws. Really, thanks.

Summary: As Jacob grows worse and worse, what will help him survive? How can Jesse help with that?

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Chapter Twelve:

Answers in Riddles

Without much thought of what the Airman was saying, Jesse walked, dejectedly, through the door and into his base room. The Airman, obviously seeing this, ended what he was saying and closed the door. When Jesse's ears picked up on this, he plopped his body on the uncomfortable bed.

Pulling his knees up to his chest, he tried hard to stop the shaking of his body. To stop the well of tears he knew wanted to fall. And, for what seemed like eons, he accomplished that. But, it was only until one stray tear managed to pass through his control, did the rest follow.

**SGC, Infirmary**

"What's your name?" After years of practice, Jack could easily void his face and voice of all emotions- something he found came in handy when dealing with interrogations.

One they had found the mysterious Airman, the MP's were able to easily apprehend him. After which, he was sent to the Colonel and SG-1 still waiting in the Infirmary. He was quiet and not saying much but he seemed like a reasonable man that they might be able to get something more than a riddle out of.

"Lieutenant William Ward, United States Air Force. Serial number 656-527B," was all he said in response.

"You're not a prisoner, Lieutenant. We just wanted to ask you what you meant earlier," Jack assured him.

But he didn't respond as Jack had anticipated. His eyes flashed with a sad yet angry look before his eyes were again lifeless and stone. "I only meant that you are dealing with a very dangerous virus. One that can save your world or destroy it."

"'Your world'?" Don't you mean 'our world'?" Daniel said, catching the slight misused of the word.

"No, this is not my world just as it is not Jesse's."

"You mean. you're from an alternate reality?" Sam questioned.

He looked her over a minute; his cold eyes taking in more than her appearance. "Yes, Major. I'm the only other that survived. I am the one who found this place. The owl sent to watch, perched in silence in the dark." Again, his responses were confusing but held a more symbolic and full answer.

"You mean, they sent you ahead in order to scout out a place where he could live? And then you were told to stay and watch him?" It was a good thing they had Daniel, he was the only one that ever seemed to understand these types of problems quick enough for the amount of time they had to spend solving them.

The passive eyes strayed from their hold on Sam to look at Daniel. With a similar motion, they surveyed him. But, rather than acknowledge Daniel, he just starred him in the eye. A shiver ran down Daniel's back causing goosebumps to form all down his back and on his arms.

As if dismissing the man entirely, he moved his attention back to Jack. "The answer you seek is now hidden in Jesse's body just as the events his life has taken are hidden in his mind. He knows the answer, he just doesn't know he knows."

With that said, the Lieutenant retook his former position; his back to the team and his mouth firmly shut. He wouldn't say any more- that was for sure. Not that what he had said meant much to the team beyond where he came from and why he was there.

"Did he say anything?" Janet asked as she walked back into the Infirmary from the Med Lab.

"Nothing that wasn't in riddles," Daniel quipped.

At his comment, she looked over at Sam with a confused look. "His name is Lieutenant William Ward. It appears that he was sent to find a suitable home for Jesse and then stay here to keep an eye on him. Something about the virus being extremely dangerous and then something about how the answers are hidden in Jesse's body and mind. Or something."

"He said it all in nice riddles, though," Jack comment.

Janet, still bewildered, walked over to their 'prisoner'. Sitting down in the chair still placed in front of him, she asked, "Do you know what the antibody is?"

Again, his eyes took her in; found the similarities and differences before logging them far into his mind. "Sometimes an innocent child had not been quite as innocent as he is believed to be. Just as some children are smarter than ever thought they might."

While Janet's mind quickly tried to understand his words, his mind shifted back into its watching mode and his mouth was shut down. Nothing would come out of him if that was his wish- something commendable if not so frustrating.

With a sigh, the Doctor turned to her friends and asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

But Daniel, the only mind that ever got these types of puzzles, wasn't listening. Instead, he was working the words in his head. Applying to different meanings as he tried to solve the riddle they had been given.

"Daniel?"

With a start, the linguist came out of his trance. "I don't know. But I'll work on it."

"Alright, I should get back to work."

"Any luck yet?" Sam asked before her friend could get too far.

"Not yet, but I could use a hand," she said, implying that she wanted Sam to come help out. Taking the hint, she looked to Jack and he nodded. After given the ok, she followed Janet into the back lab.

**SGC, Base Room**

"Hey, Jesse," Jack said as he walked through the door to Jesse's room. He knew the kid was trying hard to be patient but it wasn't easy with everything going on. "How you doing?"

Jesse moved his head slowly from where it had begun to rest. With his back toward the door and his body laying on its side, he didn't bother to move more than necessary to see his father: merely the movement of his head; turning it slightly to see behind him for only a second.

Jack noticed this, along with the stains of long dried out tears on his cheeks. Moving closer to the bed, he said, "Janet says Jacob's still doin' pretty good. He's got a good chance." But his voice betrayed him. It wasn't overly confident in itself much less words he knew to be more a lie than the truth.

He stayed quiet for some time, letting Jesse decide if he wanted to talk. But he didn't, he just lay there, waiting for Jack to speak or go or something. And Jack did:

"The Airman, the one who knew where you were in the Infirmary, we found him. He told us some stuff, interesting things really. that is if I could understand them. He said that you knew the secret to finding the cure for Jacob and the other Jaffa. At least I think that's what he said."

Jesse's body shook a little as a small laugh was released from his lips. His father always loved the confused routine, no matter how smart he truly was. This Jack was just like that, only he played dumb all the time and was much better than his real father had ever been at it.

"Do you know what he's talking about?" Jack's voice had stayed softened but grew more serious when he asked his question. But Jesse just shrugged. He was learning things about the SGC every day he didn't know that he knew; maybe this would be one of them, maybe not. "Are you sure?"

The red light on the walls blinded him as he was pushed through the hall by the young doctor. She slammed her fist on the wall and seemed to wait impatiently as the door opened. It was as if she knew something bad was coming. Something that she needed to get him and herself away from.

The moment the door had opened to half her height, she and the tiny, young boy were inside the door. Without thinking or waiting, the doctor hit the override button and forced the door to close, blocking out all outsiders and the terrible thing the boy knew must be coming.

The table standing in the middle of the table had not even bothered with and the chemicals and experiments were left untouched. The read-headed doctor pushed the boy toward the table, her pure white lab coat hanging over his eyes and causing him to be almost hidden by the fabric.

With an annoyed movement, he pushed the material away and out of his eyes as he peered over the table with a curiosity gleaming in his eyes- the danger momentarily forgotten. On it sat a piece of paper with the most intricate design, yet, at the same time, the most interesting one he had ever seen.

It was like a slide that twisted only this one went on and on. His mind was entangled with it as it took in every detail and twist it had to offer. Every letter printed neatly and clearly on the sides. Not even the minutest detailing of the paper escaped his eyes. He could have stood there forever, admiring the picture. Forever until he heard shots being fired outside of the huge door and felt the doctor grab him and pull him under the table.

Jesse merely blinked and looked up at his dad as he pushed the dreamy haze out of his mind. By then, these types of things were becoming more normal for him. Only, this time, it was one of the most important moments he had remembered. He remembered the cure. Or, perhaps, the disease's chemical makeup. Which ever, he could save them. Save all of those he had hurt.

**SGC, Med Lab**

After stealing a piece of paper from the MP's desk, Jesse drew a quick sketch of what he remembered and brought it with him as he and Jack moved swiftly through the dark, empty corridors of the SGC. Working their way through the mountain, the pair made it to the Med Lab in half the time it normally took.

"Sir?" Sam asked as she saw the two walk in, unannounced.

"Jesse thinks he may have something for you," Jack told them. Without a word, he shyly handed over the paper and hoped that it was enough. That it was the right thing that they needed.

"What is it?" Sam inquired.

"It's an antibody," Janet stated. "Where. where did you see this?"

"On that table nine years ago. I've. I've been remembering when I was here as a boy. I remember seeing you working in this room. That picture was on the table. It was. only a few minutes before I became host to that Gou'ald. I thought it might be important," Jesse explained. That was the first time he had told anyone about his dreams.

In a manner close to brushing his help off, Janet looked down at the paper and took in everything about it. Looking it over, she thought it stood a good chance of being exactly what they needed.

For Jesse's part, he didn't even notice Janet's sudden lack of interest in him. He, instead, was taking in the entire room. Looking up at the observation room where he had stood, watching Janet work. The table that he had hid under. The beakers with solutions in them- the one that had cut him and allowed the virus to enter his system. The door the Gou'ald had entered.

"We should get going on this," Jesse vaguely heard Janet say to Sam before his father's large hands where on his shoulders escorting him out of the room and out of their way.

**SGC, Infirmary**

Jesse watched in silence as the needle containing the newest cure was delicately injected into his grandfather's veins. But, rather than watching Janet, he looked over his grandfather. His face was pale and soaked with sweat. The disturbed look on his sleeping face showed how unsettling his dreams were becoming. The IV lines running through his arms pumped drugs into him, keeping him unconscious rather than delusional.

He hated to see him like that. To see him sick and in a hospital bed. Close to death. just like last time. Last time when the Tok'ra couldn't save him either. He was on his own to fight but he never made it through the ordeal. And, Jesse knew, if he didn't survive this time it would be all his fault.

Slowly, the needle was pulled out. Jacob's relief was obvious. He no longer appeared to be as troubled in his sleep but neither the paleness nor sweat was reduced. With a quick check, Janet turned around, her look solemn.

"His fever is starting to drop. I think it worked. I'll have to check again later, but. I should get this to the Alpha Cite. to help the Jaffa."

"Right," Jack responded, his voice just as out of it as Janet seemed to. He could see in her eyes that she wasn't looking forward to going back there and seeing whatever it was that was there. "Do you want us to come with you or."

"Yeah," Janet answered after a short pause then preceded to get more of the drug created.

Sam, forgetting the others ill with the virus, rushed to her father's side. She recalled with brutal clarity when she nursed Jesse back to health when he was sick with the same thing. With a few words whispered into his ear and a kiss on the check, she moved away from him and joined her waiting teammates at the door.

But Jesse was left there. Whether they thought that he could wait until they returned or they had forgotten about him, Jesse didn't know. But he did know that he was being left there with his ill grandfather who, hopefully, was recovering at that very moment.

Resisting the urge to huge and kiss him while begging to be forgiven, Jesse sat stoic in his seat merely watching his chest rise and fall in a rhythmic pattern. Hearing the monitors beep steadily with his heart. Listening to the constant movement all around him. Taking nothing while, at the same time, taking in everything. Missing nothing yet everything. Allowing the room to disappear around him while never forgetting where he was.

**SGC, Briefing Room (Five Hours Later)**

"So how did it go?" General Hammond addressed the Colonel, Major, Dr. Jackson, and Dr. Fraser. They all looked a little worse for wear and defeated but fine, for the most part.

"Judging by the bodies we found. there. were three hundred and thirty-seven Jaffa," Janet began, fighting hard to hold back her tears as the mental images of what she had seen came back to her.

"And?"

Taking a deep breath, Janet looked back at the General and said, "By the time we got back, there were eighty-five left. Only fifty-seven responded to the cure. The others died. SG teams burned the bodies to keep the virus from spreading back to them after Bra'tac identified as many as he could."

The rest of SG-1 remained quiet as they, too, recalled the horrible condition the Alpha Cite was in. The smell had only worsened since they had left and the body count risen. What he once been a thriving community was almost nothing.

"We left the medical team there to tend to the Jaffa until they get better and promised to bring supplies to help fix the place up," Jack added.

"Very well. Dismissed," the General said, concluding the debriefing. "Go get cleaned up," the General said, his voice no longer firm and commanding but more of a fatherly, kind tone they knew him to possess. Afterward, he stood and walked back to his office.

But he never made it that far. The moment the Airman had the door opened, alarms blared and Sergeant Davis's voice came over the PA saying, "Incoming Traveler!" Rushing down the stairs, the entire briefing quickly took in the situation.

"Receiving Tok'ra IDC, sir," the technician told them.

"Open the iris," Hammond ordered, wondering what they wanted now.

Within seconds, two figures emerged from the shimmering blue light. Both were clad in the normal dark brown Tok'ra uniforms. The first one, the female, held nothing in her hands while the other, the male, carried a small yet protected box. Though it was no larger ten by fifteen centimeters, it was easy to see something extremely important or extremely dangerous was in there.

Only once the group made their way into the 'gate room did Hammond order the MPs to lower their weapons. This seemed to please the two Tok'ra who were looking around the room with a distinct air of disapproval.

"I am General Hammond. This is Colonel-"

"Colonel Jack O'Neill, leader of SG-1. Major Samantha Carter, daughter of the Tok'ra Jacob Carter. Dr. Daniel Jackson, the Tau'ri who unlocked the secrets of the Stargate for Earth. And Dr. Janet Fraser, a supreme doctor for the Tau'ri. Yes, we know you," the female said, her voice computerized, showing that her symbiote was in control.

"I am Terrel, my symbiote is Guin. This is my associate, Krote, and her host, Ayrn," the male said, his voice deep and normal. Sam looked into his deep, brown eyes and saw something she rarely saw in a Tok'ra: almost nothing.

"Is there something we can do for you, Terrel, Krote?" Hammond asked.

"In this box, we believe we have the virus Horus was attempting to make," Krote said.

"Already?"

"Horus was close to completing it. We merely started were he left off," she explained, looking at Sam, who had asked the question.

"And. you want us to do. what with it?" Jack asked, his voice as skeptical and sarcastic as it ever was when dealing with the Tok'ra.

"Test it on Horus's facility. At the moment, they pose the most threat to us in relation to the virus. They could easily find a cure if they know about its existence not to mention they'd be the only ones who could find a way to use it against us," Krote informed them. Jack merely raised his eyebrows as a silent objection.

"We've already seen what this virus can do, first hand. Are you sure you want to risk spreading this thing?" Janet asked.

"What instance are you talking about?" Terrel asked.

"The Rebel Jaffa at the Alpha Cite were recently exposed to this virus, or something close to it. Over two hundred of them died," Sam explained. Their reactions were quick and well covered over. Just like most Tok'ra, they were very good at covering up, as well as expressing, what they were feeling.

"We still must fight the Gou'ald at whatever cost. Whenever someone signs on to fight this fight, they must be ready to die in it. Just as those Jaffa did," Krote stated.

"But they didn't die in this fight, they died of having no immune system when their Gou'ald died. That is not what they signed on for," Janet protested.

"If you are unwilling to do this, then we will be forced to send one of our operatives. Considering the potential risk of bring it back and contaminating the Tok'ra population, he will be force to die with the rest of them," Krote said, a little more dramatic than need be.

"Alright, alright. We'll go," Jack said, getting annoyed by the newest Tok'ra they now met.

Sam's head snapped to look at Jack, confused by this newest behavior. "Are you sure, sir?"

"Yea, whatever. General, requesting permission for the four of us to go, Dr. Fraser included," Jack said, sarcastic yet serious.

"Very well, get suited up," Hammond said in a way of dismissing them.

**SGC, Infirmary**

Jesse had never moved from his spot on the bed since the others had left him. He didn't know what to do anyhow. He wanted more than his heart could bear to run up there and comfort his grandfather, but knew he could not. Just as he equally wished to run screaming from the building and never return.

But, rather than doing either, he sat and starred at his motionless grandfather. Sat there and thought. Cried. And, though not overly religious, he prayed once or twice. Prayed for his grandfather's health to improve. Prayed no more had died at his hands. Prayed that everything would be over and he would discover it was all a dream.

The world seemed thousands of miles away from him. Only the object of his starring seemed real- seemed touchable- in his dazed mind. But, for some reason, the sound of heavy military boots reached his ears and he knew someone was standing behind him.

"Ever since I can remember. my parents told me that they were in. some kind of elite black-ops team. That's why they had to go away so much. I had no idea. no idea that they would do anything like this. And. and for some reason, this scares me so much more," Jesse confessed to the still-house he knew loomed over him.

"They were merely trying to protect you, JesseO'Neill," Teal'c reassured him.

But Jesse shock his head and told him, his voice clouded with doubt and guilt, "No. They blocked me away from an important part of myself. If I would have known. if." But Jesse didn't finish before tears streamed down his cheeks. Teal'c felt some need to comfort the child that O'Neill and the Major had taken under their wings but knew that was not what he needed at that moment.

He needed an audience. "If I had known, maybe I could have prevented all of the death. Maybe, no one would have died. Maybe. maybe Jacob wouldn't be sick. None of this would have happened if I had only know."

"Some times things happen we have no control over. And, most of the time, there is never a way to change that," Teal'c stated, his voice showing compassion to the naive and innocent child.

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So? How do you like it? I hope it's still interesting and that you're still hooked. I'd hate to find out otherwise. But, please R/R and tell me how it's going and if there's anything I can change to make it better. (Remember, see A/N at the top, reveiws new idea about reviewing)