"What's with the bruises?" Evan asked again. Rachel dropped her gaze from his. She never lied to her friends and wasn't about to start.

"If I tell you guys you have to promise to just accept it and move on." She was silent until both reluctantly agreed.

" I was kidnapped by some enemies of my dads and his colleagues for a day or so, got beat up a bit, but otherwise I'm fine" she answered. The boys looked at each other for a moment before looking back at her. "I can't tell you more, and you cant tell anyone okay?" she asked.

"But you're okay right?" Derrick asked.

"I'm fine"

"You're sure?" Evan put in. She glared at him and didn't answer.

"You guys want to order a pizza or something?" she changed the subject. After a moment of silence both of her friends nodded.

"Can we get anchovies?" Derrick asked hopefully.

"No!" Rachel and Evan replied in unison.

"Oh come on guys,"

"No."

"But they're good…"

---

"Hey Jack," Daniel said as his friend walked into his office.

"Shouldn't you be home with the kid?" Jack raised his eyebrows. Daniel put down his pen and notebook sensing Jack's visit wasn't going to be short.

"She has some friends over, so I decided to get some work done."

"Friends?"

"Yes Jack, she has friends."

"Are they nice?"

"They seemed okay." Daniel shrugged.

"Are they having a sleepover or something?" Daniel sprayed his gulp of coffee all over his desk.

"I certainly hope not!" Daniel rasped out.

"…Why?"

"Her friends, Evan and Derrick, are not sleeping over!"

"Ah," Jack said. "Are both of 'em just her friends?" Jack was beginning to feel as protective for the girl as hewas with Cassie.

"I think so," Daniel asked. He wasn't sure he wanted to delve into the fact his daughter could have a boyfriend.

"Have you had the talk with her yet?" Jack asked knowing Daniel hadn't but was having too much fun messing with him.

"I don't even want to think about that," Daniel said sighing.

"You should sometime though," Jack said seriously.

"Why? She probably knows everything."

"It's still a good idea… any parenting book would say so." Jack shrugged.

"… oookay"

"Maybe do it before she's fully mobile again and cant just get up and walk away." Jack teased with a smirk.

"Don't you have work to do?" Daniel said tiredly as he mopped up some of his coffee.

"Nope"

"You could go bother Sam." Daniel suggested.

"Me? Be a bother? Never." Jack said not mentioning that he'd just come from Sam's lab. He picked up a stone slate with hieroglyphs on it pulling out of Daniel's reach as he grabbed for it.

"Jaaack."

"Daniel?"

"Jack."

"Dan-iel?" Jack answered in a singsong voice.

"I have work to do."

"Then work."

"You're a distraction"

"No I'm not"

"Jack."

"Daniel"

"Jack"

"Daniel"

"Jack leave, please"

"Alright, alright" Jack gave in holding up his hands.

"Thank you" Daniel sighed as his friend left the room. He only had a few hours left of work to do and wanted to get it done before he went home.

---

"Dude, I think she's asleep," Derrick said pointing to where Rachel was sleeping with her head on Evans legs.

"No kidding" Evan rolled his eyes. Derrick wasn't always the brightest crayon in the box.

"Should we leave?" the blue haired boy asked.

"Nah, we'll wait till her dad gets back" Evan replied quietly. Rachel shifted slightly, her hair falling in her face.

"Weird how they actually get along huh?" Derrick said looking at his sleeping pal. Evan nodded.

"Guys I can hear you" Rachel mumbled poking Evans leg with her finger.

All three turned their heads as the front door opened and Daniel came in.

"Well Rach, we're gonna go," Evan said maneuvering his way out from beneath her.

"'Kay" she muttered, closing her eyes.

"Later" Derrick said patting her head as he passed her. She swatted at his hand aimlessly.

"Bye" Evan nodded to Daniel who let them pass and followed them to the door, locking it once they'd left.

Daniel returned to the living room and sat on the coffee table in front of Rachel who was drifting off again.

"Tired?" he asked. Her eyes opened slightly to look at him.

"Not really" she mumbled running a hand over her face. "Ev made me take the medicine," she grumbled. Daniel raised his eyebrows.

"Really? How'd he do that?"

"He told me to" she answered simply looking at Daniel with her glazed eyes. The pharmacist had said the drugs would make her a little loopy.

"And you listened?"

"I always listen to Ev" she closed her eyes for a few moments before looking at Daniel again. "He told me to go visit mom too," she said trying to focus on Daniel.

"Smart guy" Daniel said watching her. She seemed to be unusually chatty. "Are you going to?"

"I …don't want to… I think" she frowned slightly.

"Why?"

"Cause"

"Cause why?"

"Cause she's dying"

"Shouldn't that be reason to go see her?"

"She'll be worse then last week…" Rachel said struggling to sit up.

"Maybe not-"

"She will. The doctor told her she could die anytime, why do you think she shipped me off so fast?" she said bitterly, sobering up quite a bit.

"So why don't you want to see her then?" Daniel asked softly knowing he was treading on thin ice.

"I don't want to lose her again," Rachel said quietly. There were tears in her eyes but none fell. Daniel could see she was fighting to keep them at bay. He moved to sit beside her and cautiously put and arm around her shoulders gently pulling her to him. She rested her head wearily on his shoulder and breathed deeply.

"I remember you" she muttered her head drooping tiredly.

"What?" Daniel was slightly put off by the statement.

"You smell the same," she said just as cryptically.

"Same as what?"

"As before"

"Before?"

"Yeah" she said as she drifted off to sleep, not answering his question. Sighing he stood and picked her up, hoping he wasn't jarring her injuries. He carried her to her room and tucked her in. Though drug induced, it was nice to have heard her speak more than one sentence to him.

Thank you to all who have reviewed so far, you guys rock!!

More SG1, aliens, drama and such to come in the next chapter!!

Please Review. It makes this tired university student very happy! :-D