DISCLAIMER: The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-1, the goa'uld and all other characters that have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of the people who made them up. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Through The Gate Backwards

Part three

Several hours later a very tired and fed up Colonel O'Neill met up with Hammond and Dr Fraiser.

'Well, I'm guessing they've gone back a few years,' Jack reported, looking to Teal'c for confirmation.

'Indeed.'

'They're acting like ten year olds,' Jack continued, 'which I guess is a bit of a relief because at least Carter isn't looking at me all calf-eyed. On the other hand - do you have any idea how much effort it is to keep two very intelligent ten year olds amused?'

'Teal'c, you said they would have seven days, if Daniel and Sam continue to get younger at their current rate, I'd say we have no more than three or four days,' Dr Fraiser frowned.

'Maybe the snake slows the process down,' Jack suggested, the look of concern returning to his face.

'Perhaps,' Teal'c agreed.

Before anything further could be said, the 'gate activation alarm sounded and all four headed for the control room, a feeling of relief sweeping over them when it was confirmed that the Tok'ra were on their way.

XOXOXOX

Jacob had arrived accompanied by another Tok'ra, Darforth. They had been brought up to date on the situation, the grave expressions on their faces reaffirming the seriousness of Sam and Daniel's condition. Jacob had looked in on the sleeping Sam, smiling to himself as he saw her curled up in bed, hugging her pillow, before returning to the briefing room.

'Teal'c is right, no-one has ever had this condition reversed,' Selmak spoke up. Jacob's emotions were in danger of overwhelming him and Selmak had taken control for the time being. 'We have three options. The first is to blend them with Tok'ra symbiotes which should slow down the process and give us more time.'

'Whoa there,' Jack exclaimed, unable to stop himself. 'I'm pretty certain Carter wouldn't put herself through that again and I don't think Daniel would go for it either.'

'I'm aware of that Jack,' Jacob was back in control, his voice quiet and calm but his eyes revealing his concern and pain. 'We're just giving you the options. The second is to put them in stasis until such time as we're able to find a solution.'

'Put them in the deep freeze?' Jack shuddered as he recalled the time Sam and himself were trapped in Antarctica and nearly died. 'Ok, so what's the third option.'

Jacob and Darforth looked at each other before Darforth spoke for the first time. 'A method which has yet to be tried. I have developed a theory that if the affected subject is sent through the reverse side of the 'gate once more then the effects will also be reversed.'

'It's only a theory,' Jacob threw a less than gracious look at Darforth.

'I have carried out extensive simulations and each one had a positive result,' Darforth argued hotly, his tone indicating that this wasn't the first time his theory had been up for debate.

'We have no way of knowing if it will work, it could kill them,' Jacob continued.

'They will die if we do nothing,' Darforth told him.

'Don't you think I've already thought of that,' Jacob's face turned white. 'This is my daughter we're talking about.'

'And that fact is causing you to behave irrationally and emotionally.'

'Damn right I'm emotional, I am not going to sit back and allow you to risk my daughter's life on some harebrained untested scheme that will just get her killed.'

'It is not wholly untested,' Darforth muttered under his breath, but the entire room, listening intently to the argument taking place between the two Tok'ra heard his words.

'You have tried it then?' Hammond jumped in, giving Jacob the chance to regain his composure.

'Well…' Darforth hesitated, before hastily continuing when Jack thumped his fist angrily on the table. 'I used small animals as test subjects and was successful every time. Garshaw refused to authorise any experiments but we had lost too many operatives through this barbaric practice to just leave my work untested.'

'How many tests did you carry out?' Dr Fraiser asked.

'Five.'

'That's not much to base a cure on,' Dr Fraiser looked sceptical. 'Were there any side effects?' There was something about Darforth she didn't trust and her instincts were telling her he was holding something back.

'Three of the test subjects died soon after returning, but they had returned to their normal age. The other two survived.'

'Did you carry out autopsies on them?' It felt like wringing blood from stone, but Janet persisted in her line of questioning.

'Yes.'

'And?'

Darforth sighed as he realised he was going to have to come clean. 'The shock was too much, their hearts couldn't take the strain.'

'Sam and Daniel are both strong and healthy,' Janet spoke half to herself as she considered this option.

'You cannot be seriously considering this Doc,' Jack protested.

'I think we should all sleep on this,' Hammond said. 'We know the options, we'll reconvene at 0800. Dismissed.'

XOXOXOX

'Daddy!' An excited Sam with the mind of a 7-year old threw herself at her father as he appeared in the doorway. Jacob was saved from landing flat on his back only by Teal'c's bulk behind him.

'Sammie,' Jack smiled at her, hiding the emotion he felt at seeing his beautiful, intelligent, grown up daughter acting like a child. 'How are you doing?'

'I'm hungry - can we go get something to eat?' Sam asked eagerly, grabbing Jacob's hand and looking pleadingly into his face.

Jacob laughed - who could resist such a pleading look - and agreed.

'Can Danny come with us?' Sam asked. 'He's my bestest friend in the whole wide world?' Daniel perked up at this. He had been pretending to read a book, extremely disappointed that neither his mum or dad had showed up and he was trying hard to fight back the tears.

'Sure, coming Danny?' Daniel scrambled up and stood next to Sam, grabbing her hand as the three of them made their way to the mess hall.

'What do you want to eat?' Jacob asked as he settled the two of them at a table with Jack who was half way through breakfast, Teal'c placing his own tray of food down beside them.

'Pancakes and chocolate syrup,' Sam begged, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

'Sammie you know…' Jacob tried to argue, before caving in.

'Danny?' Daniel looked thoughtful for a moment, studying what Teal'c and Jack were eating before making his mind up.

'Fruit loops please,' he asked politely then proceeded to watch Jack as he ate his own bowl of fruit loops. And watched. And watched. And watched some more. Jack carried on eating, fully aware of Daniel's scrutiny until he gave in and put his spoon back into the bowl and turned to Daniel.

'Daniel?'

Daniel, turning shy at getting Jack's attention, scrunched his face up and ducked his head, grinning at him but not saying anything.

'Do I have something on my nose?'

Daniel giggled and shook his head.

'Is there something growing out of my head?'

Daniel's hands covered his mouth as he tried to stop another giggle, his eyes crinkling up with amusement.

'Why are you looking at me?'

Daniel's face turned serious and his head ducked down again as he whispered 'Sammie's got her daddy here, but my mummy and daddy haven't come. Will you be my pretend daddy?'

'I don't know Daniel, I don't know that I'd make that good a dad,' Jack was gob-smacked at this completely unexpected request.

'But you would, wouldn't he Sammie?' Daniel argued, his seven-year-old self still able to hold his own. 'You're really good fun to play with but you wouldn't let us hurt ourselves and told us when we had to go to bed. You even made us eat our vegetables.' Daniel pulled a face at this, but his child-like reasoning and Sam's vigorous nods of agreement swayed Jack.

'If you really want me to, I guess I could be your daddy for a while,' Jack accepted his lot, looking up at Jacob's grinning face as he placed the tray full of breakfast goodies on the table. 'Now sit up properly both of you and eat your breakfast.' Jack had a twinkle in his eye as he gave the order and watched the two of them eating their food with the kind of appetite only children wake up with.