Part Three

Erase/Rewind

Hey, what did you hear me say
you know the difference it makes
what did you hear me say
Yes, I said it's fine before
I don't think so no more
I said it's fine before
I've changed my mind
I take it back
Erase and rewind
'cause I've been changing my mind

I've changed my mind

So where did you see me go

It's not the right way,

You know

Where did you see me go

No, it's not that I don't know

I just don't want it to grow

It's not that I don't know

I've changed my mind

I take it all back

"It's the prisoner sirs," The airman spoke hurriedly to the group that was gathered in the briefing room, nervous of the reaction that his news would no doubt receive. "Colonel Simmons got past the guards, and he shot Doctor Ja, I mean the prisoner. The prisoner was taken to the infirmary as soon as he was found, but, I'm afraid he was more or less dead already." Having said his piece the airman turned and fled unwilling to face the wrath of his senior officers. General Hammond grimly nodded to his CMO knowing what she was about to ask. She would want to be in the infirmary doing what ever she could in the circumstances. The young woman swiftly moved past the others out of the room shutting the door as she did so.

Jack O'Neill growled his anger and concern clear to every other person in the room. "How the hell did the NID find out, and where the hell is that bastard Simmons now?" The questions drifted in the air unanswered for a few moments before Hammond made his way to the door and had a quick conversation with the SF out side.

"Those are questions that the answers to will be found, you have my promise on that Jack." The general answered looking at each of the surviving member of SG-1 in turn. The sound of Sam Carter's voice startled them all out of their personal thoughts and considerations.

"What if the Tok'ra where right, what if, Daniel's dead and the Tok'ra where right. I mean how could we," Her voice faded as she stopped mid sentence biting on her bottom lip and starring at the floor. She couldn't think straight, couldn't decide whether or not she had been right to express her feelings out loud. Teal'c looked around at those standing in the room, his feelings clear.

"I do not believe Colonel Simmons should be allowed to escape retribution for his actions, whether the Tok'ra where correct or not." Jack nodded grimly in agreement suddenly realising how much Daniel really meant to him, even if the Tok'ra were wrong and the guy had been telling the truth, he had still been a friend to them, it didn't really matter who he was. Not in the long run. Simmons wasn't going to get away with it. Not as long as there was still breath in his body.

Janet Fraiser gasped as she spotted Simmons' victim laid out on a gurney, clearly untouched by any of the base's medical staff since 'his' arrival. The reason was clear as she took in the gun shot wound. 'He' had been dead as soon as Simmons' had pulled the trigger. Blood was still running sluggishly from the remains of the man's chest, a stark contrast to the pale blue tinged white of his skin.

Janet squeezed her eyes shut against the tears that had started to fill her eyes at the sight, pain gripping her as full realisation hit her. Her friend was really truly dead this time. He had been her friend, it didn't matter if he was really Daniel Jackson or not, it was the man not the name that mattered.

A pained sob escaped her as she stood frozen to the spot, forcing her to move away into her office so as not to break down right there where everyone and anyone would be able to see. Words that she had heard but barely comprehended as she had stood there echoed in her mind the final straw that had been used to snap her carefully placed shields. Dr Warner's words, "Better take the body down to the morgue before any of them get here, make it look descent." Cold words to describe a dear friend and comrade now dead mocking her, 'it', 'the body', it didn't seem right it had barely been an hour yet already he had been forgotten by everyone but a few. It wasn't fair he had been a good and descent man, who had died because he had finally decided to come clean, tell the full truth, end the deceit. But he was dead.

Tears flowed from her eyes as she hugged herself moving back further into her corner, hidden from any one who would try to find her, tell her it would be all right. Lie to her.

Gentle arms seemed to come from nowhere and pull her in against a firm chest in a warm comforting embrace. One full of reassurance that everything would be fine. But it wouldn't. She knew it wouldn't. One arm moved to allow it's owner to place a hand on her chin and push her head up so as to force her to look into their eyes. Fawn brown eyes widened in shock as they met deep azure ones so unbelievably familiar.

"My god, what, this isn't, you can't be," A finger on her lips silenced her as sorrowful blue eyes locked her gaze. Disbelief filled her as she stared at the impossible.

Jack stood unable to hold back his need to see the body of his friend any longer, barely aware that Sam and Teal'c were doing the very same thing. He glanced at the general and gained a nod of permission and understanding as he moved towards the door, unaware that he was slowly speeding up, his body working without any command from his shock slowed brain.

Daniel couldn't be dead, it just didn't happen. Daniel Jackson didn't die. Couldn't die.

The call from Dr Warner, telling them that the Daniel had been dead on arrival wasn't true, it wasn't. When he walked into the infirmary Daniel would be sat up in his bed smiling, he wouldn't just be some lifeless corpse. It didn't happen like that. Not ever.

Simmons smiled to himself as he stood in the lift as it carried him the final few metres to the surface and freedom. It was over, the civilians' at the SGC wouldn't be a problem anymore, no not after they heard what had happened to Dr Jackson. No, he would just have to find a way to get rid of the other problems, or maybe not, after all with Dr Jackson dead O'Neill would retire, Major Carter would fall back into grace, the alien would leave and eventually the General would retire. He had killed all the birds with just one bullet.

His smile faded as the doors opened and he found himself face to face with a group pf SF's, the triumph no longer seeming so great. After all, it couldn't be a perfect crime if you got caught.

Janet stared into those deep blue eyes, barely believing that the man who's gentle arm was encircling her waist was real. That it was possible for a dead man to be warm and to be breathing.

"I'm real Janet. This isn't a dream. I promise you I am not dead." His voice was as gentle as ever, his eyes backing up the tone of his voice. Suddenly she started to cry again, but for joy instead of grief. Daniel was alive and well, he wasn't a corpse, Simmons hadn't killed him. He was alive. Daniel pulled her in for another hug whispering an apology into her hair making her giggle despite herself.

"I, I can't believe it's really you, that you're, alive. I saw you on he gurney and you looked, dead." he smiled nodding as he used a tissue to wipe her cheeks.

"I know, but it's ok. I'm okay. Don't worry Janet, I'm fine." She frowned as she ran a hand over his chest shaking her head confusing causing her to frown heavily.

"I don't get it, I saw, your chest, all that blood, how can you be alive?" She looked into his eyes, starting when he looked away at the floor.

"It's, well, it's complicated, and I mean really complicated. And really hard to explain with out being, well down right cruel." The clear honesty in his voice deepened her frown and she opened her mouth to question him.

"We came as soon as, what the? Warner said, how can?" Jack O'Neill's voice startled the pair destroying the moment as Daniel automatically pulled himself up right to face his best friend.

"Jack, I," Jack held up a hand staring at his friend his astonishment clear.

"Warner said that you died Danny, he TOLD us that you were dead." Daniel blushed slightly meeting his friend's gaze as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah well, I WAS dead for a little while but, I'm not now." Daniel watched his friends' reactions as Teal'c and Sam had also overheard the comment that by all rights made no sense what so ever.

"What?" Sam's voice was weak as though the comment had merely brushed her, not really sinking in, her brain denying the words. 'I was dead', Janet blinked eyes travelling down to the tops of his trousers where the bloodstains were clear, bloodstains that hardly seemed to end anywhere, the true colour of the trousers barely noticeable at all.

"I did die, but, well, it never lasts long, God that sounds bad but there you go. I died, my body healed I woke up. Cold as it sounds that's what happened." They all stared at him shocked at what he had just said and the bland tone of voice in which he had spoken.

"That is not possible Daniel Jackson." Teal'c's voice showed his confusion and his relief as well as his eyes. Blue eyes looked at him for a while as Daniel seemed to consider his answer.

"Yeah, you'd think it was wouldn't you? But it is, believe me, after all if it wasn't I would have died, oh, 5661 years ago, when I was 36. But I didn't. And here we are." Looked at them clearly spotting the doubt in their minds as he signed heavily, "I'm an immortal, I'm exactly, five thousand, six hundred and ninety-seven years old, give or take a few months, weeks and days. I haven't aged, well I haven't 'technically' aged a day since I died for the first time when I was thirty-six. It's complicated, but that's the basics." Daniel watched seeing the same reactions he had seen before he smiled idly remembering his own shock when Hannah had informed that she was an immortal. It had been scary to think that his wife and best friend was immortal while he wasn't, not that that had been true, he just hadn't known at the time.

"Look I know how hard it is to believe but it's the truth, hell you can shot me if you really don't believe me, through I wouldn't thank you for it. Immortal or no, dying hurts." Jack was staring at him, searching his eyes for any suggestion that it was all a lie. Seeing none Jack sagged tiredly into the nearest chair running a hand through his hair feeling his age.

"God Danny, why didn't you tell us before? Why wait, why make us go through all of this?" He heard his friend sigh and waited for the answer that he knew would be coming,

"I didn't mean for you to go through all of this Jack, I don't know why I waited so long to tell you either, it's just, normally that leads to being killed or locked away or tortured, never anything nice. I wish I had told you sooner, it just never seemed like the right time." The soft hesitant tone told him that his friend had indeed hated lying but hadn't, as he had said before, had much choice. Jack sighing nodding his understanding and glancing at the other 'mortals' in the room.

"I think we all need time o take this in, maybe you should," Jack hesitated realising he had about to tell his friend to go back to the cell and hating that he had doubted his friend that much, after all the time they had known each other, "go to one of the VIP rooms and wait for us to come get you?" Looking up he gained a slight smile from the other man who nodded and turned to leave, hesitating for a moment and turning back to them,

"I am sorry guys, really, and I promise there will be no more secrets, ask anything you want and I'll give you an answer. And I'll go with an SF, save you a bit of effort." Teal'c inclined his head in understanding while the others nodding watching as their friend left, unsure of how to take the revelation that he was an immortal. Someone who shouldn't by all rights exist.

General Hammond found himself staring at his second in command not believing that the man had said what he just had. Doctor Jackson was an immortal? Which was what when one was at home? Weren't they supposed to be myths? Listening to the Tok'ra's surprise that Doctor Jackson was an immortal George had a feeling that the Tok'ra had known that immortals were real, but just hadn't quite gotten round to telling the Tauri about them yet, like so many other things. The fact was, he found himself beginning to believe the same as his second in command, that the Tok'ra couldn't be trusted to tell them anything, unless they had to. Glancing at his old friend Jacob he raised an eyebrow gaining an apologetic smile.

"The Tok'ra knew of the existence of the immortals, we just didn't think they were still around, or at least if they were that one would appear here. I mean since the death of Hannah-Danielle, none of them have ever shown they're faces and admitted to being immortal, she was killed for that, for being 'unnatural'. Her husband was the one who forced the others to hide, personally I think the guy had sense, if one immortal can be murdered for being 'unnatural' what was to stop the same happening to the rest of them. But it's possible." Jack raised an eyebrow his annoyance clear,

"So you didn't think to tell us when Danny came out with the whole 'I've lived over five thousand years' thing? Or was it just denial that he'd been under your noses the whole time?"

Jacob winced at the younger man's tone of voice,

"It didn't seem possible that Danny was an immortal Jack, I mean immortals aren't, well, but it this way, if you're an immortal and you can't defend yourself, you're a mortal immortal, if you get my meaning." Teal'c raised an eyebrow and met the other man's gaze steadily,

"You your self have witnessed that Daniel Jackson is capable of defending himself Jacob Carter, so there for your argument does not work. I believe it is possible that what Daniel Jackson says is the truth, if the Tok'ra also know of the immortals."

Sam nodded her agreement, "Teal'c's right, I mean Daniel has always been able to defend himself, he just doesn't always see the need to." Jacob sighed as through he had been hoping that the conversation would have moved past the stage it was at.

"Yeah, the thing is, the Tok'ra don't really know much more than you do about immortals, I mean we know some basics but, not really enough to be able to suggest it." Jacob shrugged, "Sometimes it's better to think the worst and be right than think the best and be wrong, if you know what I mean, besides the Tok'ra can't take being wrong." Sam smiled tiredly at her father,

"So it is possible that what Daniel said is true?" Jacob smiled nodding,

"In fact I would say more than likely Danny was telling the truth, especially with the evidence, Dr Warner looked down right scared to hear that there's a dead man walking around the place." Jack raised an eyebrow,

"Dr Warner? Come on, I thought my best friend was dead only to find him alive and well talking to Doc Fraiser!" General Hammond smiled before deciding to break up the meeting and let SG-1 entertain the idea that their 'conscience' was immortal and older than any of them.

"Right, you're all free to go, though I will expect to see you all and Doctor Jackson back here by this time tomorrow."

General Hammond walked into the holding room and met the man's gaze with his own icy blue one.

"I expect you understand where this goes from here Colonel?" Simmons' eyes narrowed and he sneered at his superior officer,

"I do General, though I doubt I'll get the sentence you want, this isn't over yet." General Hammond raised an eyebrow at the younger man, he knew it was hoping for too much that the man would get at least a life sentence, he would most likely only get ten to twelve years, after Kinsey had had his way the jury and the judge.

"I'm aware of that Colonel, but there is one thing that I DO know. If you ever step foot in this base again, I can not be held responsible for what Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c might do to you, let alone Major Carter." Smiling with satisfaction George turned away happy that he had been able to have one last word with the man who had tried to kill a member of his flag ship team.

Moments before the door opened Colonel Simmons spoke, voice soft,

"We shall see General, we shall see."

Daniel groaned as he opened his eyes wearily shading his eyes from the brightness of the light with one arm. "What's going on? Is everything Ok?" Jack laughed as he moved closer in to the bed to sit on one of the VIP room's chairs as his friend blinked getting his eyes used to the light.

"Nope everything's great. The Tok'ra know immortals are real, there's a hell of a lot of evidence that you're telling the truth and I've still got a best friend." Daniel pushed himself up right looked at his friend,

"You OK Jack? I mean I wouldn't blame you if you were, annoyed, I mean I know you better than you know me, if you know what I mean, doesn't that bother you?"

Jack sighed his mood settling back into his tired acceptance of the truth, the real truth, "To be honest, yeah it bothers me, but we've got a few more years at least for me to get to know the REAL you, if you get what I mean. And at least you're not a traitor, I mean you're not are you?" Jack stared at his friend checking that they hadn't been making assumptions too soon due to personal need to believe that their friend was the good man they had thought they had known the whole time. Daniel smiled laughing,

"No I'm not a traitor, promise, cross my heart, and yeah there's many years to come before we need to be getting worried, but I mean, I understand if you want, space to think or whatever." Jack smiled and nodded before standing and turning to leave,

"Good I just had to, you know, check this was real." Daniel smiled in understanding before laying back down and settling for the night.

Jack O'Neill stood off to one side watching as Simmons was lead away from Cheyenne's entrance and towards the waiting car. The man wasn't going to be making anymore trouble for them, not where he was going. The court-martial would be the same as all the other court-martials involving NID members that the SGC had caught. The truth wouldn't ever really be heard outside of the SGC or the pentagon. Simmons would never know that he had failed in his last duty. That Doctor Daniel Jackson was going to be around for a long time, unless the worst were to happen, what ever the worst was.

Only one thing distracted Jack from his satisfaction that another member of the NID wouldn't be able to do anything to the SGC, the fact that soon enough someone else would be along. Someone else would be working from a position of power to fight the present leadership of the SGC, the present ideas of the SGC, and that one could very possibly be worse than Simmons and Maybourne. The war between the SGC and the NID wasn't finished. But the SGC had a new advantage, they had an immortal on their side.

---------------------------------------------------

And guess what, it's not the end! Well no, this is the end of Hidden truths, but there is more to come, or at least I hope there is. Thanks for visiting I hope you enjoyed your read,

The Schizophrenic Gatekeeper.