Author's Notes:- Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.
Hope you all enjoy.
Warning:- Allusions to rape in this chapter.
Giles stayed hidden watching trying to gather as much information before the gang arrived. The Vampires were working for someone who Giles could tell was something unusual. This wasn't the average trying to destroy the world that they had been expecting and Giles felt annoyed at how blasé they'd all been about this.
The ghost of the old friend had come to warn them, why hadn't they taken it more seriously?
x
Daniel was placed on the ground.
Frost picked up a globe placing it on the unconscious man's forehead watching as the globe filled with a dark red smoke.
"Well?" Lucas demanded.
"I believe I may have found a memory we can use," Frost told him, "It unfortunately will take time."
"Time we may not have," Lucas reminded him.
"Without her they have no way of stopping us," Frost told Lucas confidently.
Lucas pursed his lips together in thought, "As soon as we turn him the power he can then access shall open the Hellmouth. Do it."
"He needs to be conscious before I can work the spell," Frost explained before jerking back slightly as Lucas face darkened, "He should be awake soon."
"Well the moment he wakes," Lucas ordered, "Start."
"Will," Xander said softly from his position at Sha're's side, "Do you have any ideas?"
Willow rested her hand on his shoulder, she knew that Sha're was very close to Xander. They'd become like siblings and Xander treasured that relationship, "I have an idea but it could be very dangerous for both me and Sha're."
"I trust in you Will," Xander told her.
Willow took her friends hand, "I'm glad you closed her eyes."
"She's just sleeping," Xander told his best friend, "Until you wake her."
"I will," Willow promised, "I just need some things."
Glancing back to the couch where Xander sat Willow knew she would do this, because she wouldn't lose anymore people and she wouldn't let Xander lose someone else he loved.
x
"Well?" Buffy asked when Willow returned to the kitchen.
"Do you remember when Glory took Dawn?" Willow asked.
Buffy and Dawn nodded while Jack, Cassie and Oz looked confused.
"I went catatonic," Buffy explained, "And Will entered my mind."
"Can you do that for her?" Jack asked.
"I think it's worth a try," Willow said, "The mark on her is part of a spell to induce a dreamlike state which the subject relives nightmares. I've got a feeling her sleepless nights have been a pre-emptive strike."
"Nightmares?" Jack asked closing his eyes in horror as Willow looked at him confused.
"What?" Buffy demanded.
"Let's just say I have a pretty good guess what she's reliving," Jack told them, "And it's bad."
"They're keeping her out of the way," Dawn spoke up, "If anyone can stop Daniel's 'dark side' won't it be the woman he's in love with?"
"They are bonded," Willow reminded them.
"Bonded?" Cassie asked.
"Meant to be together," Jack clarified, "Like soul-mates only more," he grinned at the surprised looks, "My mother's a Watcher remember."
"Okay," Buffy decided, "We go after Daniel and Willow you bring Sha're back then get her to us."
"No," Jack said, "Willow, if I remember correctly you need to know the person."
"I do know Sha're," Willow argued.
"Not well enough for this," Jack replied, "Look, I have a pretty good idea what she'll be reliving."
"Do you think you have a shared memory that can bring her back?" Willow asked.
Jack nodded grimly.
"Then he needs to stay," Willow told Buffy.
x
Xander hadn't been too happy about abandoning Sha're but his trust in Willow meant he did as he was ordered. Jack watched the team leave while Willow was readying herself to enter Sha're's mind, Cassie was driving and had orders that if she even dared try to join in the fight he'd tell Janet.
Re-entering the lounge he stopped dead finding a boy sitting by the Abydonian woman's side.
"She is in her own personal hell," the boy turned and Jack jumped in shock.
"Shifu?"
"I have very little time," Sha're's son told him, "However Oma is allowing me time to help in the only way I can. Once you have helped mother you face an even greater problem."
"Daniel's dark side," Jack stated.
"They are using the dream I gave to teach him," Shifu explained, "Within this his memories shall only consist of those he had at that point."
"Meaning he thinks she's dead," Jack stated, "And has all the Gould things going through his head."
"That is not all," Shifu stepped forward, "I can show you how the dream progressed, you need to know this so you can intervene at the correct moment."
Jack licked his lips, "I won't end up unconscious for several hours?"
"No," Shifu promised.
"Then do it."
The boy stepped closer and rested his hand against Jack's temple seeing the look of shock that filled the man's eyes.
"Thanks," Jack said softly.
"I must go," the boy sighed sadly, "Tell mother I love her. And when you save Daniel," Shifu hesitated before continuing, "Tell him the same."
"I promise," Jack clapped the boy on the shoulder, "But I expect you to come and see them."
Shifu smiled, he leaned over and gently kissed his mother's forehead before disappearing.
"Who was that?" Willow asked.
"Sha're's son," Jack stated in a tone that meant he didn't want to say anymore.
"Okay," Willow said pulling the two seats over beside the couch, "Let's do this."
Jack took the seat beside Willow and gripped her hand as she took Sha're's.
x
"Where are we?" Willow whispered in amazement at the ornately decorated bedchamber.
Jack shook his head.
They turned as they could hear muffled cries of terror coming from the bed that had drapes surrounding it.
"Oh God," Jack breathed in horror.
Before Willow could ask the curtains were flung back and a man stepped towards them clad in a sheer robe.
"Apophis," Jack growled.
Apophis turned and smiled at the bed's occupant, "Our child shall be perfect, my Queen."
Jack wanted to find some way to bring Apophis back to life and kill him again several times. He turned to see Willow's eyes wet as she realised what had just happened. They stepped towards the bed together to find Sha're curled against the headboard a flimsy sheet clutched around her, tears streamed down her cheeks as she rocked herself slightly.
Jack reached out to touch her cheek in the hope of comfort when she suddenly jerked around staring behind him. Jack turned to see Daniel and Teal'c standing with Kasuf. Turning back he saw Sha're heavily pregnant trying desperately to hide the fact from her husband.
"Apophis is the Father?" disgust filled Daniel's voice.
"Where are we?" Willow asked softly from beside Jack as they moved to one side to watch.
"Sha're's home," Jack replied.
They listened to the exchange and watched as Sha're collapsed against her father, "Dan'iel no longer loves me," she cried before the scene moved again.
Buffy caught Oz pulling him to one side, "I may ask you to do something later, do you think you'll be able to?"
Oz frowned knowing what she was asking him to do.
"Can you control it?" Buffy asked again.
"I've never tried within a fight," Oz replied, "But if my friends are there to keep me grounded I'll be fine."
Buffy clapped his shoulder, "I have the tranq gun just in case."
"Your faith in me is touching," he told her before rejoining the others.
"Cassie," Buffy joined them, "Stay here and wait for Jack and Willow to bring Sha're," she handed Cassie a walkie talkie, "Listen in and tell them anything they need to know."
Cassie nodded, "Be careful."
"Buffy," Giles walked towards them, "They're in the main library, Daniel is in the centre of the room with a magical shield protecting him. The leader has a mixture of vampires and demons working for him as well as a warlock. He is extremely charismatic and as far as I can tell they are following him willingly."
"Let's take him out," Buffy said tossing Giles a sword.
"Don't worry," Xander squeezed Cassie's shoulder as she looked worried, "We've done this for years."
Buffy finished fixing her weapons and turned to them, "Let's go."
x
"This makes no sense," Jack frowned, as they watched Ammonet trying to fry Daniel's brain.
"What doesn't?" Willow asked looking upset at the scenes they had witnessed.
"The time on Abydos I know what happened after Daniel walked out," Jack told her, "Why doesn't Sha're?"
"Because the spell makes her remember only the worst bits," Willow reminded him.
"Can you break in?" Jack asked.
"I believe so," Willow replied taking a deep breath, "The next jump in memory will allow me the moment I need to access her."
Jack nodded before turning away as he saw Teal'c enter staff weapon raised. He frowned seeing Apophis once more before he spun to see Sha're being dragged forward, Teal'c stood in the background.
"I tried to get away," Sha're said as she appeared from behind Teal'c looking at herself struggling against the guards, "But no matter what I did, they would not let me go."
"Sha're," Willow said, "You have to leave here."
"But this is where I belong," the other woman replied floating towards where the memory stood being examined by Apophis, "There is nothing for me anywhere else."
"What about Daniel?" Jack demanded.
"He no longer loves me," Sha're sighed, "He is better off without me."
"He isn't whole without you," Jack snapped.
Sha're turned to him shock covering her face, "But he left," she whispered.
"You didn't remember the rest," Jack told her emphatically, "Willow, can my memory of an event shape this place."
"If it is strong enough," Willow told him.
Jack held out his hand to Sha're, "Do you remember when we defeated Ra?"
"No," Sha're whispered forlornly.
"Take my hand and I'll help you," Jack promised her.
Sha're turned to where the memory version of her was laying Ammonet sliding along her back, she winced as she heard her own scream ring through the hall before she turned and nervously took Jack's hand.
Jack saw a tunnel appear before them and led the nervous Abydonian woman towards a small beacon of light.
"Remember what happened once we sent the bomb to Ra's ship," Jack kept her moving, "You both watched as Skaara saluted me…"
"And I kissed him," Sha're whispered smiling softly as she saw the memory appear before her, her hand reached out to the memory of Daniel, "He loved me then."
"And still does," Jack reminded her.
"How can he?"
"What happened when the child started to come?" Jack asked.
"Nothing," she sighed.
"Yes it did," Jack pushed, "What did Daniel do?"
Sha're turned and looked to where she sat held by her husband as he soothed her they both listened to Teal'c.
"I said I am not leaving her Teal'c," Daniel snapped continuing to soothe Sha're.
"Then I shall do what I can to keep the Horus guard away from you," Teal'c intoned before he left.
"You do love me," Sha're whispered with the memory of her.
"Yes I do," Daniel replied kissing his wife's cheek.
Jack turned to where Willow smiled slightly before they turned back to Sha're.
"No matter what happened," Sha're said watching as the memory faded, "It did not matter that the child was not his, Dan'iel loved the baby and Dan'iel loved me. Dan'iel never stopped loving me."
"I know," Jack told her, "Now you have to love him enough to save him."
Sha're's dark eyes filled with determination, "I will not lose him again."
x
Jack blinked as he opened his eyes to find Willow sitting at his side and Sha're lying on the couch. Willow let go of his hand and helped Sha're to sit up.
Sha're took in a deep breath, "Thank you Jack," she moved into his arms hugging him tightly, "We need to help Dan'iel."
"You'd better get dressed," Jack told her.
Sha're blushed realising she was still wearing only the t-shirt she'd had on while lying wrapped around her husband and left the room quickly.
"Are you ever going to tell me?" Willow asked pointedly.
Jack frowned, "Classified."
"I just took a trip through your minds," Willow reminded him, "I don't think you have to worry about me telling anyone."
"If we get out of this in one piece I'll explain," Jack promised.
x
Buffy staked another vampire and frowned, "They'd better get here soon."
Giles nodded before swinging decapitating a demon coming at Dawn, he glanced over to where Daniel stood a dark shadow surrounding him which was getting darker with each passing second.
"We also need Willow," Giles replied, "Until we can break through the barrier we can't get near him to help."
"Oz," Buffy called, "Are you ready?"
"Now?" he asked nervously.
"We need to get rid of these demons for when Sha're gets here," Buffy reminded him.
Oz nodded and closed his eyes allowed the wolf within him to come forward. Xander turned at that moment and stared in shock seeing Oz morph in front of him.
"Xand," Buffy tossed the tranquilizer gun to her friend, "Just in case."
Werewolf Oz growled as more bad guys started coming at them.
"How many followers does this guy have?" Dawn yelled as she defended herself against a vampire.
"Who knows," Buffy replied, "But it isn't going to matter if they don't get Sha're here soon."
x
Cassie breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Jack pull up with Willow and Sha're.
"Are you okay?" the teenager asked Sha're.
"Once we save Dan'iel then I shall be," Sha're replied.
"They're in the main section of the library," Cassie reported, "There seems to be a lot of people attacking them."
"Okay, I want you to stay here," Jack told her, "Stay in the car and keep this cross and holy water with you at all times."
"Jack?" Cassie asked a little frightened.
"It's just in case," Jack told her.
"Be careful," Cassie whispered as she entered the car and locked the door waiting.
x
"Will," Buffy cried relieved as they ran in, "He's got a shield around Daniel we can't get to him."
Willow nodded, "Jack, I'm going to punch a hole through his shield, get to Daniel and take a hand each. You'll be able to enter his mind that way."
Jack nodded taking Sha're's hand, "Ready when you are."
Willow murmured a spell under her breath, "Go," she snapped as she released her counter-spell sending the warlock flying back as his shield was disrupted.
At her signal Jack dragged Sha're across the room to Daniel who was staring into space much the same as she had when she'd been attacked, except Daniel had a dark cloud surrounding him.
"Enter with me but stay hidden until the right moment," he told her, "You'll know when."
"Jack," Sha're said, "I will not lose him."
Jack squeezed her hand, "Neither will I."
In unison they each grabbed one of Daniel's hands.
x
Jack turned finding himself in a control room; Daniel was in a throne like seat at the centre of the room.
"You really are a stupid son of a bitch," Daniel told him coldly, "Did you really think I'd let you in here with a gun if it was going to work."
"Daniel, stop this," Jack told him, "This isn't you."
"Wrong," Daniel replied moving to push the button that would in his dream destroy Russia but Jack knew in reality it would surrender Daniel to the darkness.
"Dan'iel," Sha're called.
Jack sighed in relief as Daniel stopped dead.
"Sha're?" Daniel whispered turning to where she walked towards him.
"My Dan'iel," she whispered, "Do not do this."
"What kind of trick are you playing?" Daniel demanded to Jack his voice shaking.
"No game," Jack stated simply.
"You're dead," Daniel whispered as Sha're came closer to him.
"No," she touched his cheek, "I was returned through your love."
"This can't be," Daniel cried, "You're trying to confuse me."
"We're trying to save you Daniel," Jack snapped, "You do this and you become worse than the Gould, worse than Apophis."
Daniel jerked at the name, Jack noticed Sha're flinching also but she pulled back quickly.
"This is not where you belong Dan'iel," she told him, "You are a good man."
"I can save people with this," Daniel told her.
"By killing others?" Sha're challenged, "You know this is wrong."
Daniel shook looking into her eyes, "I…"
"Come with me Dan'iel," Sha're took his hand and led him unresisting away from the control centre and into the bright Abydos sun.
"Home," Daniel breathed.
Sha're nodded, "Home."
x
Lucas snarled in frustration as Jack and Sha're grabbed Daniel's hands, he turned and grabbed Frost by his collar, "Stop them."
Frost tried to remove the shield only to have it rebuilt by Willow. Lucas backhanded the warlock against the wall yelling at his other minions to kill Jack and Sha're but not one could get close thanks to the shield Willow had erected. Finally Lucas grabbed a book from beside him and hurled it at Sha're.
Buffy yelled at Willow to stop it but she was too late and they watched horrified as it slid through the shield catching Sha're across the back of the head knocking her unconscious to the ground.
"No," Giles yelled in horror, "She was the only one who could stop him."
Buffy turned her mentor, "Jack's still attached to Daniel's mind, isn't it possible he could stop it."
"I don't know," Giles sighed, "But we can't wait to find out. If Daniel accesses the powers through his dark side we're all dead."
"Are you saying we have to kill him?" Xander demanded.
Giles dropped his head sadly, "If we can get close. It's the only way to stop this."
Buffy's eyes closed momentarily before she turned to the others, "Willow, get me through the shield. I'll do it."