Stargazers/Stargaters Part 33

Disclaimer: I am using some of the dialogue from the "Stargate" episode "The Curse", which does not belong to me. This story is being written just for fun with no copyright infringement or dishonor intended to anyone.

http://www.gateworld.net/sg1/s4/413.shtml is a URL to a good summary about this episode if you are interested.

Author's Note: After a little Sam-Jack time together, this chapter is going to ease into a Daniel-oriented side-story. The timing for this segue fits in very well with the rest of this story and I have been dieing to write this for quite some time now; he, he, he! What I am doing is pulling the storyline from the episode entitled "the Curse" forward a couple of years and giving it a more satisfactory ending; I think you'll like it; at least I hope so! So sit back and enjoy...

Stargazers/Stargaters Part 33 "The Curse, Cured" Part 1

After their surprising and enlightening conversation with Max and Liz, Sam and Jack hiked out of the city, hand in hand and up a little ways into the hills. And when they found a large boulder, the two of them climbed up onto it and sat down, closely together.

"This is nice...Jack." Sam said shyly, catching herself before she could call him 'sir'.

Jack's right hand was lying on his thigh and Sam tentatively reached out to take it, panicked and was pulling it back when Jack's hand turned over and grasped her fingers in his.

"Yes, 'this' is...nice." Jack agreed gruffly. "And I'm not talking about the wildflowers."

"No..." Sam agreed, blushing as she found herself staring deeply into Jack's soft brown eyes.

And then those brown eyes were moving closer and her eyelids closed and Sam's focus switched from Jack's eyes to his lips as they gently brushed over hers and then withdrew. A sound of distress slipped past her lips as she felt the loss of his kiss. Sam instinctively moved forward in search of that warm caress and this time her lips found Jack's, lower lip and drew it in between hers. This time Jack was the one who made a sound in his throat, but his was a moan of satisfaction, bordering on passion as his mouth played with Sam's; as they discovered each other's taste, scent and touch in the press of their lips.

"Mmm, I've wanted to do that ever since Daniel told us about the alternate-universe Jack and Samantha who were actually engaged to each other." Sam murmured softly as they leaned back a little from each other.

"Me too; that story of Daniel's certainly planted a seed in my imagination." Jack agreed.

"But all you said at the time was that it would be against regulations for the two of us to do anything like that." Sam almost pouted.

"Yeah, well that was as much a reminder to myself as to you." Jack agreed, and then reminded her. "And anyway all you could say was how alternate universes or realities were against all of the laws of physics."

"Well, I may have been incorrect about the physics, but you weren't wrong about all of this being against the regs." Sam reminded them both sadly, letting go of the hand she had been holding.

It broke her heart, but Sam was determined to get everything out into the open before she could invest any more of her emotions in this dream of being with Jack. He nodded in agreement; Jack also knew that they needed to discuss all of this before they went any further.

"While General Hammond and I were discussing your promotion to Major, I also wondered if it would be best if you were given the command of your own SG-team." Jack said.

"I don't know if I could have accepted the command if you had offered it to me, Jack." Sam admitted. "To be kept from seeing you, working with you each day would have made me miserable."

"Yeah, those were my main reasons for not offering you the command, besides the fact that you're the best damn 2IC I've ever had!" Jack chuckled and Sam blushed at his gruff compliment. "And whenever I started to fantasize about...um...dating you, I realized that just giving you your own command within the SGC would still not allow me to fraternize with you. As the SGC's second-in-command, under General Hammond, I'd still be your superior officer and you would still be under my command...and out of my reach."

"Yeah the only way for this to work would be for me to totally leave the SGC; transfer to a completely different command, which I just cannot bring myself to do." Sam agreed sadly.

"Or I could try retiring...again." Jack added.

"No you couldn't, not now when we have a real chance of stopping the Goa'uld." Sam reminded him.

"Yeah, you're right." Jack agreed.

"There is one other way I could try, but I really don't want to..." Sam said. "I could resign my commission in the Air Force and just become a civilian consultant." Sam almost shuddered at the prospect.

"You couldn't do that any more than I could retire, Sam." Jack agreed. "You'd never be allowed to pilot any Air Force aircraft again if you did and someone might insist that you not be allowed off-world anymore. Being able to date me wouldn't be worth all that." Jack finished in a rare show of modesty.

"I don't know...it might be...but I would rather try and find another way first, if we can." Sam said slyly but then whacked Jack on his arm when he started to puff his pride back up after her compliment. "Oh you!" Sam laughed, but Jack just gave her his innocent-little-me look.

"You know though, to every rule there is a loop-hole and this regulation does have one, or so I've heard." Jack said thoughtfully a moment later.

"There is? I've never heard of one." Sam said.

"It's not well known, I guess." Jack said. "The idea is that one of the interested parties in the relationship gets themselves temporarily transferred to another command for several months. And while under someone else's command, the couple could um...uh...get married. The regulations do not pertain to previously existing marriages, so when the one person returns to their previous command, it's too late...although neither could be the true CO of the other; as in giving their subordinate his or her yearly evaluation or handle any other administrative/personnel duties like that."

"Yeah, I guess that would work." Sam nodded. "But being separated from you for four to six months isn't something I'm ready to sacrifice yet either...And we're no way near ready to get married...if...um...if that is your intent." Sam qualified and blushed when Jack reached over to pick up both of her hands in his.

"First of all, I want you to understand that marriage to you is my ultimate goal. But the second thing you need to know is that I'm not in...too much...of a rush to reach that point right away. I know that there's a lot we need to learn about each other before we can get there, but we will get there...reach the alter." Jack said decisively.

"Uh, that's good to know, because my intensions towards you are honorable as well." Sam grinned.

"But neither of our intensions precludes kissing each other right now, right here." Jack said already gathering her back into his arms...

"No they don't." Sam agreed as she allowed herself to be drawn back into the warmth of Jack's arms, his lips and his love...

...Sometime later, after a very satisfactory...um...make-out session up in the hills, Jack and Sam walked back down to Beneck's home, where Jack was going to drop off Sam before going to find Teal'c and discuss the training schedule with him...But instead, they found an envelope with Sam's name on it, pinned to the front door instead.

"Dear Sam,

Congratulations on your discovery of the mutual attraction which you and Jack hold for each other. I'd like to say 'what took you two so long?' but Seria and I are hardly in the position to say anything, because it's taken us even longer to realize our own love for each other!

In light of our great discovery -grin- Seria has invited me to move into her home and I have accepted...we packed up all of Jack's things and moved them over to my house, where the two of you are welcome to stay for the rest of your visit here on Antar. Please let us know if you have any problems operating the appliances, as I've shown you how to do...otherwise...have fun you two!

Your friend, Beneck.

P.S. We didn't unpack Jack's things because we weren't sure whether to put them in your room or the guestroom! -wink-"

"Those two...little stinkers and..." Sam started to exclaim, but Jack interrupted her.

"...And good friends." Jack said grinning. "But they do have a good point, which bedroom do you want me to unpack my socks in, Sam?"

"Hey, that's not just my decision, we should make it together." Sam hedged. "I...want...to be with you...but..."

"But?" Jack asked, not helping at all.

"But...are we ready to take that step?"

"What do you think?" Jack asked again, deadpan.

"Oooh, you're doing it again, Jack! What do You want? I-I want...oh how I want...to be with you, but I think it's...too soon." Sam rushed on to say, but then squeezed her eyes shut while waiting for Jack's opinion.

"I...think you're right, Sam; it is too early for us to take...that step. But you'd better lock your door at night because...I want you too...way more than I should..." Jack warned and Sam gave him a beautiful big grin.

"Lock my door? Hey buddy, it's your door that better be locked at night...and barricaded...unless...you want a little midnight make-out session tonight!" Sam bragged and Jack pretended to surrender; backing up with his hands up in the air.

"I'll lock mine, if you'll lock yours...Samantha." Jack said in a low, sexy voice Sam had never heard him use before...before he gave her a quick peck on the cheek and then brushed by her and stepped into Beneck's house to go and unpack his socks in the guest room.

~*~*~*~

Two days later, Daniel and Sha're finished packing their packs and strapped them shut before taking them and leaving their room in the Royal Manor and walking downstairs. As they passed Michael and Maria's room, they could hear the couple inside arguing; and knowing that their fights could lead either to blows or a bout of lovemaking, Daniel and Sha're scurried on by, grinning.

"Pixie-girl it's not time to get up yet." Michael complained.

"Ohh Michael don't do this to me, you know I don't want to leave our bed, but I have an early session with Coria this morning, remember? I told you about it yesterday."

Michael didn't answer but instead tried to drag Maria back into his arms.

"Michael -kiss- you know that -kiss- I'm doing this -kiss- for us -kiss- trying to make a life -kiss- for myself here -kiss- so that I can -kiss- honor your people -kiss- learn more about them -kiss- and fit in here -kiss- once we're -kiss- married." Maria reminded him in between kisses.

"Ohh -kiss- arrggh!" Michael groaned loudly in frustration.

He knew that what Maria was saying was true. Once they were married, it would not be safe or practical for them to live on Earth, but at first Maria had not known what she could do to keep herself occupied during the day while Michael was out covering his duties as Max's Second-in-Command.

She and her mother had been running their alien-themed gift-shop together for ten years and Amy DeLuca had always planned on Maria taking over when she retired. Now her daughter would be unable to do that; the government had decreed that the trading and/or selling of Earth jewelry and other touristy-type goods to Antarians and vice-versa to Humans would not be worth the security risk that someone might figure out where the "alien-trinkets" were really coming from.

So, mother and daughter had decided to sell their store and their house; once Maria was married in two and a half months; Amy was going to buy a small motor-home and travel and Maria had decided to follow one of her girl-hood dreams...She had become fascinated with Antarian music, especially their ballads; story-songs. And to that end she had begun to train under one of Antar's best ballad-singers, Coria, during the three days a week she visited Michael. She loved it and Coria believed that she was training one of Antar's future stars.

As Daniel and Sha're came downstairs they saw a group of people gathering in the living room and wandered over.

"Morning Isabel, Tess." Daniel said as he snagged a pastry from a table near the doorway which was set up with all sorts of breakfast treats for the attendees of the meeting. "Oh yeah, today was the day a bunch of your best dream-walkers and mind-warpers were going to get together and discuss your plans for defeating the Goa'uld. Wow, I wish I could stay to listen in, but Sha're and I really have to go."

"I understand; have a wonderful trip seeing your father again, Sha're." Isabel hugged her friends briefly. "And don't worry; Sam will be coming over soon to sit in on the meeting in your place."

"Oh, um good." Daniel said.

Just then, Alex and Kyle came down the stairs and over to their respective lady-loves for a "good-bye, I'll-see-you-later" kiss. Alex was off as always, after snagging a muffin for himself, to work with some of the Antarian scientists, while Kyle was about to leave to work one more day with the mechanics and engineers who designed and maintained the hover-craft, before he would need to return to Earth for the rest of the week.

He and Tess had discussed at great length what he was going to do with his life once they were married. Kyle owned and managed six gas stations and garages in and around Roswell. They had several options before them and a final decision had not yet been made. Tess could go to live on Earth with him; perhaps get a college education and then a job in an area of interest...and only commute back to Antar as a Royal Counselor once or twice a month. Kyle, on the other hand loved to "tinker" with car engines and had little time to do that anymore with his managerial duties and business decisions to make at each of his garages. Most people would see Kyle as a very successful young man, but he realized that even with all of his financial success...he was not very happy.

But ever since he had first ridden in a hover-craft, Kyle had become fascinated with the craft and wanted to learn all he could about them. So, his and Tess' most likely decision would be for him to cut back on his businesses; three of his chief mechanics would like to buy their respective garages from Kyle and then he could probably find buyers for the other three soon after they were married.

With his business responsibilities on Earth taken care of, Kyle could move permanently to Antar, but visit his father back home in Roswell as often as they liked. His best wish was to learn how to design, build and maintain hover-craft; there were only a few left after the civil war, but Kyle figured that more would be built with the help from Earth and he wanted to get in on the business from the beginning. Kyle dreamed about owning several hover-craft garages in and around the Capital and of spending his days "tinkering" with their innards to his heart's content.

"See you guys in a few days." Daniel softly called out to the two couples who were still kissing and then turned away to walk across the hallway to the dining room where he knew he'd most likely find Max and Liz.

When he opened the door to the dining room he found the sweet scene of Max just placing a plate, heaping with food in front of Liz while she was reaching up an arm to encircle his neck and bring his lips down to hers for a kiss.

"Excuse me, I don't mean to interrupt, but..." Daniel cleared his throat and then said to gently break their concentration on each other.

"Oh Hi Daniel, Sha're." Liz greeted them with a smile as she and her lover broke apart reluctantly.

"Just wanted to tell you that we're off." Daniel said grinning.

"Have a great trip and a wonderful time seeing your father again, Sha're." Liz said reaching up to hug her friend who had walked around the table to return the hug.

"We will, I can hardly wait to see my father!" Sha're exclaimed.

"Good luck going over those points we spoke of together, with your council, Max." Daniel told the young king and friend.

Max and Daniel were almost through mapping out the first draft of the Earth-Antarian treaty. They had been working on it whenever Max's schedule allowed and Daniel worked with the interpreter, Mergle on translating the writing in the Stargate chamber whenever Max was unavailable.

"Thanks, I'm sure it will go well." Max said confidently.

"Great! Well, we should be back in a few days." Daniel said again before he and Sha're left their two friends and hiked over to the practice area where the instructors, Sam, Jack and Teal'c among them, were having greater success training their Antarian students in Earth combat styles.

Daniel grinned as he watched Sam and Jack working with two different recruits, on opposite sides of the group from each other; they looked professional and focused, but Daniel was able to detect their brief glances back and forth over the distance anyway. The two of them had gone about their duties as always, but with none of the tension between them and Seria and Beneck, which had been building for weeks. And as Max had ordered, they were spending much of their off-duty time together talking a great deal and getting to know each other on a private level. Daniel's grin broadened as he remembered the two times already when he had caught them kissing sweetly. But he and everyone else were happy to see them walking here and there hand in hand; obviously in love.

The instructors finished what they were working on, called a short break and then Sam, Jack and Teal'c came over to where they stood.

"So...today's the big day, huh?" Jack asked Daniel

"Yup, it's been a year and a day since we were last on Abydos. Today's the one day when they will uncover their Stargate; our one chance for me to take Sha're home to her father, Kasuf." Daniel agreed.

"I wish we could come with you, but we're finally starting to make some progress with these recruits, I don't want to break the momentum now." Jack said regretfully.

"We understand that, Jack." Daniel said.

"Tell Kasuf that we haven't given up on getting Ska'ra back; in fact we have more reason to be hopeful now." Jack said.

"I'll tell him." Daniel assured his friend, shaking his hand, kissing Sam on the cheek and bowing slightly to Teal'c. "See you in a couple of days."

"'Bye, Daniel, Sha're." Sam called out as the couple turned and walked away from them, towards the hover-craft which would take them up the hill to the Stargate chamber.

As Daniel and Sha're stepped out on the other side, into the SGC's Gateroom, they saw General Hammond waiting to greet them at the foot of the ramp.

"Welcome back, Dr. Jackson, Mrs. Jackson." He said smiling at the young couple.

"Thank you, General; how're things going here?" Daniel asked.

"Rather well; SG-6 should be returning in a couple of hours with some artifacts which you and your department will no doubt be very interested in taking a look at." The General answered.

"Hey great!" Daniel said. "I'll take a look at them as soon as Sha're and I return from our trip to Abydos, but I'm sure the others can begin a preliminary analysis for you."

"Of course, Doctor, today's the big day. When did you propose to leave for Abydos?" Hammond asked.

"Well, uh...Abydos is several hours behind us, so it's still night there for a couple of hours. I thought I'd check my messages and anything urgently requiring my attention and then we'd leave in three hours if that's alright?" Daniel asked.

"That'll be fine, Doctor." The General said before the couple left him to go to Daniel's office.

"Home sweet home." Daniel said as they entered his office and dropped their packs on the floor.

"My home is wherever you are, my Dan'yel, but if I must choose between this office and the apartment, I would choose our apartment." Sha're said.

"I know you'd like to go to the apartment, my heart, but we only have three hours before we have to leave again and between the time it would take to drive there and then drive back, I'm afraid we'd have very little time to actually be there..." Daniel explained.

"I know, Dan'yel...it is alright." Sha're smiled softly up at her handsome husband.

Daniel was trapped in her loving gaze for a moment but then made himself break free.

"Um, uh, good...uh...I keep my Abydonian robes here in the office and the seamstress who made your new set dropped them off while I was here last time, so they're here too and I figured we could change in here rather than going to the locker-room." Daniel finally managed to get the point out.

"Very well, do you want to change right now?" Sha're asked and as she did so, she began to pull up her dress in order to pull it off over her head.

"Um, uh, actually..." Daniel stopped Sha're from lifting her dress up any further than she already had and made her drop the material back down to hide her lovely legs. "I thought we'd just slip the robes on over the clothing we're already wearing. But if you want to completely change, you'll need to go to the locker-room after all because remember there is a security camera up there." Daniel pointed up to one of the corners of the ceiling and silently cursed it and the security personnel on the other end of the electrical cord.

"Oh." Sha're said disappointed that she could not carry out the seduction she had planned to play on her husband, to pass away the time until they were to leave for Abydos. Instead, looking straight up into the camera for a moment, she pulled Daniel to her until their bodies were pressed together, linked her arms tightly around his neck and then transferred her attention back to his face, especially to his lips before stretching up to passionately kiss him.

Daniel realized that he was being well and truly claimed by his wife...for anyone in the Security Office to see...and gossip about...and he was in equal parts turned on, incredibly pleased and...mortified at the new material they were supplying the rumor-mill with. But the turn-on and pleasure outweighed the mortification and he gathered his incredible wife into his arms, drawing her even more closely to his body and concentrated on returning her drugging kisses with ones of his own.

Ten floors up, the Security Office echoed with wolf-whistles and laughter as two male and one female security officers watched their favorite archeologist thoroughly kiss his lovely wife. Several minutes later, back down in Daniel's office, the couple broke apart a little and gasped for air. Daniel licked his lips, savoring Sha're's sweet taste as his heart rate began to slow down a little.

"My heart...that kiss was...incredible!" He told her softly, deep blue eyes still linked with chocolate-brown ones.

"Mmmm yes." Sha're agreed happily, almost smugly.

"I love you." Daniel also whispered, kissing her quickly one more time before slowly disengaging himself from Sha're's arms. "And I don't want to have to do this but...Sha're, I really need to work at my desk for a while; check my messages and my e-mail." Daniel said.

"My Dan'yel?" Sha're asked sorrowfully, hoping to make her husband forget about stupid things like e-mail.

"Pl-ea-se, Sha're don't do that to me...I really need to do this, it's important." Daniel all but begged.

"Ohh...all right." Sha're conceded and let Daniel go. "Are you hungry? I could go to the cafeteria and get us some food." She offered.

"And some coffee?" Daniel wheedled with a sweet smile.

"Of course, coffee." Sha're chuckled.

"That would be great! Thank you." Daniel said, quickly kissing Sha're on her smooth brow.

"I will be right back." Sha're said before leaving.

Daniel sat down and booted up his computer and while it was warming up, he checked over the half-dozen phone messages which had been placed on his desk. By the time his computer was up and his e-mail account opened, Daniel had determined that all of the phone messages could wait and began to weed through the dozens...and dozens of e-mail messages. He was on several archeology list-serves, anonymously and nearly half of his unopened mail consisted of chatter from them.

"Let's see...junk, junk, later, later, more junk, delete all of those...what's this?" Daniel clicked on a listing entitled "Famous archeologist in critical condition!"

The e-mail opened..."Dr. David Jordon of the University of Chicago was critically injured when his office somehow exploded this morning. Dr. Jordon was rushed to the University Hospital and is listed in critical condition...indeed it is feared that he will not survive. The Police believe that a gas leak may have caused the explosion but the investigation is still only one day old..."

"Oh no! Oh man! No, no! Dr. Jordon..." Daniel exclaimed in horror and paced around his office for a few minutes before returning to his computer. "'Only one day old?' When was this posted? Oh man, only half an hour ago; boy, someone moved fast! Maybe to give friends and former students a chance to go see him...if they don't think he's going to make it...Former students, friends...I Need to go see him...if this is my last chance to see the Professor..." Daniel muttered to himself.

Daniel was still mumbling to himself and running his hands through his hair when Sha're came back into the office, carrying a tray of food. But when she saw her husband, she quickly set the tray down and ran over and knelt down in front of him.

"Dan'yel are you alright? What's wrong, my husband?" Sha're cried out when she saw the anguished look on his face.

"Sha're...I just found out that Dr. Jordon...my teacher, my mentor...has been in a terrible accident and may be dying. I-I need to go and try to see him, if I can, before it's too late!" Daniel ran his hands through his hair again and Sha're saw a tear trickle down his face. "I need to tell him that I'm sorry..."

"Sorry for what, my Dan'yel?" Sha're asked gently.

"Sorry for...disappointed him, embarrassing him. I was his top student, almost his...protégé...that means I was in line to take his place at the University, sometime in the future, when he retired. He...he was like a father to me...and when I started to publish my theories about the pyramids being so much older than everyone thinks they are and that they were landing places for alien spacecraft..."

"And you were correct, my Dan'yel...the demons do use the pyramids to land..." Sha're tried to sooth.

"Yes, I Know that now, but no one else does, even now...and three years ago the entire archeological community thought I was nuts, crazy. Even Dr. Jordon didn't believe me, but he stood by me anyway; risked his reputation and even his career to do so...That's why I haven't gone back to see him since I returned from Abydos...my presence there would only be an embarrassment to him." Daniel said sadly.

"But now we must go and see this most important man, my husband, before it is too late. We will go and tell General Hammond and he will get one of his mighty birds to carry us to your Dr. Jordon." Sha're said decisively grabbing Daniel's hand and pulling him out of his office.

"But, but...I just remembered...I can't go right now; we're leaving for Abydos in just a couple of hours..." Daniel said as they entered the elevator, his shoulders slumping.

"My father..." Sha're said; yearning in her voice, but then turned to her husband with love in her eyes. "We can go through the Chapa'ai to Abydos in a few days." She said.

"No...remember, Sha're, this is the only day that your people will remove the cover-seal from over the Chapa'ai. We must go today or they will bury the Stargate forever." Daniel said running his hands through his hair in agitation. "Maybe I'll be able to make Dr. Jordon's funeral...since he isn't...supposed to live..." Daniel turned away from Sha're and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"No, Dan'yel it is too important for you to see your mentor before he goes to join the god. You must lighten the burdens he carries in his heart as well as in your own." Sha're said briskly. "We will ask the General; he is most wise and will surely know what to do."

"I-I guess..." Daniel agreed softly as they exited the elevator and walked down the hall to General Hammond's office.

When Sha're and Daniel reached the office and were told to enter, Sha're started right in with her story of their troubles; she was too afraid that her Dan'yel would back out without admitting his dilemma to his superior.

"Well, Mrs. Jackson, I can see that you and your husband do have a problem indeed. Why don't we compromise; Dr. Jackson, you and your wife will leave for Abydos as soon as possible. I'm sure they've removed the cover-seal already, but we'll send a probe through first, just to be sure. You will then escort Mrs. Jackson to her father, Kasuf and...uh...son, Shifu, and then return to the SGC where I will have a car waiting to take you to the airbase, where your flight to Chicago will be prepped and ready to take off." The General said firmly.

"What? Um, General, are you sure? That's very generous of you, but..." Daniel started to ramble, totally shocked.

"How many times have you saved this planet from the Goa'uld, Doctor?" The General asked rhetorically. "I think that earns you a seat on the fasted military flight I can get you."

"Thank, thank you very much, sir." Daniel said and Sha're grinned happily before tugging her husband out of the office so that they could go and get changed and grab their gear.

When they returned to the Control Room, Abydos had already been dialed and the MALP was slowly rolling up the ramp. It disappeared through the event-horizon and everyone waited to see if it made it safely to Abydos.

"Receiving MALP telemetry now, sir." An airman called out. The General, Daniel and Sha're moved over to look at the computer screen and saw the inside of the Abydonian pyramid but no people were in sight.

"I bet the militia is hiding behind those pillars." Daniel said and moved to speak into a microphone. "This is Daniel Jackson, son-in-law to Kasuf. I wish to step through the Chapa'ai with my wife and Kasuf's daughter, Sha're, who has been freed from her demon-tormentor." Daniel spoke in ancient Egyptian and his message was relayed to the MALP.

All of a sudden, dozens of young men and women, some of them carrying automatic weapons, came rushing out from behind the columns, laughing, dancing and clapping for joy.

"I guess that's their way of telling you to come through." General Hammond said with a smile. "You have a go, Doctor."

"Thank you, General." Daniel grinned and this time he grabbed Sha're and led her down the circular stairs to the Gateroom.

The General watched from above as the young couple walked up the ramp, hand in hand and stepped through the Stargate. When Daniel and Sha're arrived on the other side of the wormhole, they were immediately mobbed by dozens of people who were laughing and crying for joy at the safe return of their good friends, Sha're and Dan'yel.

It was still dark out when the newly returned couple and several of their friends stepped out of the pyramid and started to hike across the desert to the home of Sha're's father, Kasuf. One year ago, Apophis had brought a very pregnant Sha're/Amonette back to her home planet so that he could keep the secret of this child from the other System Lords and his enemies. For this child, a boy, whom Sha're would name Shifu, was not a normal child, but a harcisis; the product of two Goa'uld parents. Such unions were forbidden among the Goa'uld because the child would carry within its DNA all the secrets of the parasitic species...and the possibility of their destruction. Never the less, Apophis' plan for this child was to use him as his new host, once the boy had grown up.

Daniel found out about Sha're's pregnancy when he had returned to Abydos one year after he'd left, to assure Kasuf that he would continue to search for Sha're. Instead he had found her already there in her father's home, ready to give birth and temporarily free of her Goa'uld mistress as the symbiote had needed to go to sleep in order for the child to be safely carried to term. Sha're went into labor and Daniel had delivered the baby, but before he, Sha're and Teal'c could escape back to Earth, another Goa'uld named Heru-ur had come looking for the child.

As soon as the baby was born, Amonette had awoken, but Teal'c and Daniel were able to fool her into believing that Heru-ur had taken her child while at the same time making Heru-ur believe that Amonette had the baby. When in fact, Daniel gave Shifu to his grandfather, Kasuf; who with a servant-woman went into hiding, out in the desert of Abydos, until it was safe to return to their home.

Now, Sha're was returning to Abydos to see her father and her son...but not Daniel's child. If it had been safe to keep him, Daniel knew that he would have loved the boy and raised him as his own for Sha're's sake. But it would not be safe, not even on Earth. Too many government agencies would want to get their hands on the baby. And then there were the Tok'ra and the other Goa'uld as well to worry about. Daniel and Sha're had discussed what to do at great length and after much heartache had decided to follow through with Amonett's plan to take the boy to the legendary planet of Kheb, where it was believed that he would be safe from all of his enemies. Amonette had known vaguely where the planet was, but did not know the complete coordinates, so for now Sha're would come to visit her son on Abydos and the SGC would continue to look for Kheb.

Finally, Sha're and Daniel made it to the home of Kasuf and were welcomed with much joy and celebration. With help from Sha're, Daniel explained the situation to her father and was able to leave the party just over two hours later...without dishonoring his father-in-law. With a promise to return as soon as possible and a passionate kiss to Sha're, Daniel left the village and returned to the Stargate.

Once back at the SGC, Daniel shed his desert robes for a tweed blazer and was hustled up to the car; General Hammond had waiting for him, as promised. The flight to Chicago was fast, but Daniel noticed little of it as they flew east. He let his mind drift back to his college days with Dr. David Jordon; some of the happiest times of his life...until he had met and married Sha're. He remembered also his old girlfriend, Sarah Gardner...and how their relationship had ended badly...and he remembered Stephen Raynar; another student of Dr. Jordon's, along with himself and Sarah. But Stephen and Daniel had never been friends; Stephen had always been too jealous of Daniel for that to happen, although Daniel had rarely noticed Stephen's attitude towards him, back then.

And now he would have to see both Sarah and Stephen if he was to be allowed to see Dr. Jordon at all...Since he had returned from Abydos, Daniel had kept tabs on all three of them through the scientific journals and knew that both of his old colleagues now had professorships of their own at the University, and were Dr. Jordon's research assistants as well.

Daniel came out of his deep thoughts and memories only when the pilot announced that they were about to land.

And once he had deplaned, carried his one, beat-up old suitcase to the rental car counter, picked up the car which General Hammond had arranged for him to have while he was in Chicago and took off towards the University Hospital. He figured that he could check into his hotel later, if he was not run out of town on a rail, first.

At the hospital, Sarah Gardner and Stephen Raynar had stepped out into the hallway, outside of Dr. Jordon's room to talk. Stephen had already been there, sitting with his mentor for half an hour and was about to leave, while Sarah was just arriving to take her turn. Sarah was pretty; tall and slim with shoulder-length curly blond hair and Stephen was quite handsome; tall, of medium build, with black hair and both of them were in their thirties, like Daniel.

The intensive care unit was designed with a nursing station in the middle with the glass-enclosed patient rooms circling around it, so that each patient could be easily monitored. Therefore, both colleagues saw Daniel as he came walking down the hallway and up to the nurse's station. And even Stephen had to admit to himself that there was quite a change in his former colleague. Daniel had always been polite to everyone he came into contact with and they could hear enough of his conversation with the nursing staff to tell that that had not changed, but his posture had; and Stephen recognized the old blazer that Daniel was wearing, but instead of being baggy on his frame, it was now stretched across his broad shoulders and muscular back. Daniel's hands were in his pants' pockets; a nervous mannerism Stephen well remembered, but there was also a coiled intensity in his straight back, which was new. And, Stephen noticed, Daniel's slight college-cafeteria-belly was gone; a ripple of abdominal muscles noticeable beneath his shirt.

"My goodness, wherever Daniel's been all this time, it certainly has agreed with him." Sarah said after conducting her own inspection of her old boyfriend.

"What-the-hell-is-he-doing-here?" Stephen asked in a vicious, yet soft voice at the same time.

"Stephen!" Sarah reproved him in her sweet English accent. "You know he cared about the Professor; of course Daniel would come if he could." She said, but then fell silent as Daniel, the object of their comments turned to walk in their direction.

"The Prodigal Son returns." Stephen ground out and Daniel looked up, noticing them for the first time.

"Stephen?" He asked and then saw who stood beside him. "Sarah!"

"Daniel!" Sarah greeted him with a gentle smile and they moved in for a hug. "It's good to see you."

"Yeah, despite the circumstances." Daniel said as they broke apart and walked over to sit on a bench against the wall; Stephen standing, almost hulking over them. "So, uh, what exactly happened to him?" Daniel asked, nodding his head in the direction of Dr. Jordon's hospital room.

"According to the Police, there was a slow leak in the lab, something must have caused a spark and the whole thing went up. If the Professor had been in the room, they fear that he would have been killed instantly, but they think that he must have been just leaving the lab, or was in the hallway when it blew and he was rescued pretty quickly. But even so, he's in critical condition and...not expected to...live." Stephen said and Daniel nodded sadly.

"We would have called you, but no one knew where to find you." Sarah said apologetically.

"That's okay." Daniel told her gently.

"I'm so glad you're here." Sarah said, touching one of his hands as it rested on his knee.

"So, how long has it been?" Stephen butted into the conversation. "Two years?"

"Almost three." Daniel admitted.

"What have you been up to?" Stephen all but demanded.

"Uh...I've been busy." Daniel said casually, yet evasively.

"Really?" Sarah asked surprised. "I've looked for signs of you out on the fringes, but there've been no papers, no research projects. It's a like you fell of the face of the Earth."

"Yeah it's a little like that isn't it?" Daniel admitted without giving anything else away.

"As I recall, the last time I saw you, you were giving a lecture to an empty room." Stephen said smugly.

"Uh, well the room was full when I started." Daniel said sheepishly.

"Well maybe the world wasn't ready to hear that the pyramids were built by aliens...or was it men from Atlantis?" Stephen bent down to say; only inches from Daniel's face.

"Stephen please." Sarah reproved and he straightened up.

"Yes, Stephen; please." Daniel repeated almost goading him into continuing.

"Why did you come back? You've managed to stay away all this time. If you're looking for forgiveness, you're probably too late; the man is dying and most likely won't ever wake up again." Stephen bit out before turning on his heal and striding quickly down the hallway.

"Always a pleasure, Stephen." Daniel called after his retreating back.

"Sorry about that." Sarah apologized. "He's not usually that bad, but this has been hard on him."

"I know, it's okay; I'm sure it's been hard on you too...on all of us." Daniel said. "And with that in mind, is it okay if I go in and sit with the Professor?"

"Of course you may go see him, Daniel; come, I'll take you in." Sarah said as she took one of his hands and drew him up off of the bench and into Dr. Jordon's room.

Even though he had prepared himself, Daniel was still shocked by the appearance of the man in the bed. His face had little more color in it than the white sheets which covered him and he had aged much more than three years could account for. Daniel then checked over the readings on all of the monitors surrounding the bed. He had learned what they all were for and how to read them during his many stays in the SGC Infirmary.

"Wow, I can see why everyone's so worried about his chances for recovery." Daniel said sadly as he turned back to Sarah.

"You know what all those lines and blips mean? When did you become a doctor of medicine?" Sarah asked half shocked, half teasing.

"Of course I've not become a medical doctor in a mere three years, but I have had occasion to learn some advanced first-aid and some other medical basics." Daniel admitted remembering the wonder he had felt the times he had even delivered two babies, while off-world.

"And will you tell me where you were when you gained all of this knowledge?" Sarah asked.

"I'm...sorry, I...can't do that, Sarah. And right now if you don't mind, I'd really like to sit here with Dr. Jordon for a few minutes." Daniel said gently.

"Of course." Sarah almost pouted, but stepped outside of the room anyway. "I'll just wait out here for you, but take your time, Daniel."

"Um, thanks." Daniel murmured as he was turning back to the man in the bed.

Daniel sat down in a chair which had been drawn up close to the bed and took Dr. Jordon's hand in his.

"Hi, it's me; Daniel. I hope you don't mind my being here; I just felt as though I had to come when I heard about your accident. Stephen's angry but I think it'll be okay, eventually." Daniel paused to think for a moment and then continued. "I - I just needed to say that I'm sorry...Sorry for disappointing you...Sorry for leaving and not coming back or even writing to you before this...And now I'm afraid that it's too late...I can tell you how I feel and ask for your forgiveness but you can't lighten your heart by telling me how you feel...or grant me your pardon...I don't even know if you'd want to...or whether you'd tell me to go to hell if you could...Man, I'd give almost anything if we could have just one more conversation together, catch up with what we've been doing..." Daniel sighed sadly, but then brightened.

"I got married almost three years ago! Her name is Sha're and I know that she'd love to have met you...she needed to go visit her father right now, or I would have brought her with me. She's beautiful and kind and oh so patient with me! I love her so much..." Daniel sighed again. "Well, I'd better go..." He stood up but continued to hold the limp hand in his own. "Hey...try to fight this okay? Try to come back to us if you can...But if you're too tired to fight I guess it'll be okay...I know all about being so tired that you can hardly fight the urge to give up, believe me...You will go onto somewhere better than this place, but we'll...we will all miss you...a lot. I'd better go." Daniel repeated, trying to keep the tears back. He gently squeezed the hand he had been holding and then placed it back on the sheet before turning and walking out of the room.

'Where is a Goa'uld sarcophagus or a healing-device when you need one?' Daniel asked himself sadly.

As Daniel's footsteps faded down the hallway, Dr. David Jordon let himself slip back into unconsciousness, where there was no pain; only peace and rest. He had managed to surface partway out of the gray void when he had heard a voice which he had not heard in years. Could it really be Daniel Jackson, the boy who he had thought of as a son? Yes it was! And even though Professor Jordon's consciousness had faded in and out as Daniel spoke to him, he had picked up on some key points; Daniel's worry for him and his being sorry for what had happened years before, Daniel's joy in his wife, what had he said her name was, Sha're? And Daniel's wish that he, David Jordon would fight to survive; to heal and live...And at that very moment, Dr. Jordon decided to himself that he would do just that. But to achieve that end, he would need rest...

Daniel found Sarah waiting for him, sitting on a bench several yards down the hallway from Professor Jordon's room.

"Are you alright, Daniel?" Sarah asked, concerned.

"I've been better, but I'll be okay." Daniel answered gently and managed to give her a sad smile.

"You know what I think we both need? A good cup of coffee." Sarah suggested. "Why don't I drive us over the Bean Grinder and we can talk more comfortably there?"

"Coffee? I'd love some." Daniel said perking up a little. "But I have a rental, why don't I meet you there?...Um, uh, but aren't you going to go in and see the Professor?"

"I saw him this morning already; I can come back later tonight." Sarah assured Daniel.

"Well, uh, okay then; I'll meet you there." Daniel agreed.

Both old friends arrived at the campus coffee-house, one right after the other and walked inside together. Once they had been led to a booth, made their request and received their coffee, Daniel and Sarah relaxed back in there seats with sighs of relief as some of the tension and worry they had been feeling eased just a little bit with the invigorating smell of the coffee.

"You know...Stephen was right, I should have come back before all of this...but...I was afraid that I wouldn't be welcome." Daniel said, sighing again and taking a healthy swallow of his coffee.

"Are you joking?" Sarah asked, shocked. "Even after everything that happened, Dr. Jordon never thought any less of you. You were his best student."

"Who made a fool of himself in front of the entire archeological community." Daniel countered self-depreciatingly.

"He kept hoping you'd find proof, something that would shut everyone up." Sarah said.

"No, he thought I was nuts." Daniel said honestly.

"That's not true, why do you think it's so hard for Stephen to see you here? He's always been in your shadow, even after you left." Sarah said.

"I hear his book is on the best seller's list." Daniel said, to prove to them both how little Stephen had to worry about any competition from him.

"I know...he's getting a Porsche!" Sarah admitted, grinning.

"Ow!" Daniel yelped playfully.

"Look, I have to admit, I thought you didn't come back because of me." Sarah changed the subject to something she had been dying to get out in the open.

"No that's not it." Daniel denied.

"We could have ended it better than we did." Sarah continued.

"Maybe..." Daniel said, not really wanting to get into that right then. "The truth is I got caught up in something incredible..."

"You found something didn't you?" Sarah asked excitedly. "Something to support your theory? Tell me!" She begged but Daniel stayed silent. "Oh come on!"

"I...can't." Daniel said.

"Daniel." Sarah said in a reproving tone and he shook his head in frustration of having opened his mouth in the first place.

"Okay, let's just say that what the world knows about ancient Egypt barely scratches the surface. The truth is more...incredible than anyone imagines!" Daniel said with wonder in his voice.

"Now that's the Daniel I remember!" Sarah said approvingly, but then looked at her watch and was shocked at the time. "Rats, I have a meeting to get to in twenty minutes...Daniel; will you come by the office tomorrow morning? There's something I really want to show you."

"Sure, I'd love to see what you've been working on." Daniel said enthusiastically. "Ten o'clock okay?"

"That'll be great, see you then; I have to run." Sarah said, throwing some money to pay for their drinks on the table, leaning down to kiss Daniel on the cheek and then hurrying out of the shop.

TBC