She just couldn't shake how difficult this was for her.

Janet sighed, gazing down at Daniel's unmoving form. His condition had barely changed, not even after all this time, and she was concerned for his mental state. At this time, they really had no idea how the trauma and the substance could affect Daniel, and his earlier moment of disorientation worried her.

Quietly, and cautiously, Janet moved over to him, easing her weight onto the side of the bed. When he made no sound to acknowledge her presence, she allowed herself to relax further before she began to reposition his pillows for added comfort.

She stopped for a moment to think, sitting there gazing at his face, as she had over a dozen times before. Daniel, like the other members of SG-1, and the other SG teams for that matter, was no stranger to the infirmary. He had been sent here to be treated for the strangest problems, and had been left in her personal care for nearly half of those times.

Every one of those times had been a close call, and had caused Janet to panic, though she would never show it. Worse were the times when he was believed to be dead. Even back in the days when she barely new him, he had felt the sting of his terrible luck. But it was that unease, that worry, that panic, which had caused her to realize there were other feelings just beneath the surface that she was trying to avoid.

She picked up his hand and squeezed it gently. She really didn't want to admit he'd won her from day one.

But it was easier back then, she thought, reaching over to brush aside his bangs. Daniel was a happily married man, and the love and devotion he showed for his wife had made Janet both proud and sorrowful to have him as a friend. Daniel was nothing like her ex-husband. Sha're was one lucky woman.

But it wasn't easy any longer, not with Sha're's passing. Not with the way Daniel lingered by her side. Not with the way Daniel gazed at her. Not with the way he remained in her care just a little too long.

Pushing back a surge of emotion, Janet released his hand and leaned over him, tucking in the edge of one his bed sheets that had loosened. She smiled, smoothing out the wrinkles, ignoring the shudder she felt as her stomach brushed against his abdomen.

She would concentrate on her work. She was his doctor.

Janet froze, feeling his left hand press onto her waist.

Startled, she pivoted her head, barely a few inches from his face, only to find a pair of sleepy blue eyes staring at her. Janet felt like a deer caught in a headlight, only the heat of his breath able to snap her from her shock.

Quickly, she withdrew, jumping to her feet. Daniel, if either angry or confused, didn't show it, his only movement the slow turn of his head, his gaze remaining centered on her.

"Daniel?" she asked.

He didn't respond. She moved closer, more hesitantly this time, easing up to his side.

Daniel still remained silent, but licked his lips once, slowly, almost teasingly, as if he were beckoning her with an invitation.

Janet blinked. She needed more sleep.

Without a second thought, she grabbed the cup of water she kept by his side, and pressed the straw to his lips. When he accepted it eagerly, she sighed with relief, thankful it was only her imagination that was getting out of hand.

Maybe she should schedule an appointment with Doctor MacKenzie for herself.

"There," she said, shaking herself out of her thoughts as she withdrew the cup. "How're you feeling?"

Again, he didn't reply, causing that uncomfortable feeling to start to creep into her consciousness again. Taking his hand, she checked his pulse. She would like to see his oxygen—

Janet never finished her thought, abruptly jerking upright when she saw Daniel grab at his chest. His face was wrinkled in discomfort, the pain laced in his features. Gasping, he moaned softly, and Janet knew she heard a distinct wheeze escape his lips.

She was on her feet in an instant, knowing exactly what was troubling him. Both she and her colleagues had hoped that his breathing problems would lessen as time passed, but it appeared that wasn't going to be the case. Quickly, she rolled the cart with the nebulizer over to his beside and prepared the medication. In less than a minute, she had the mouthpiece ready, and handed it over to him.

"Can you put this in your mouth?" she asked, holding it to his lips. "Just breathe in and out."

Daniel didn't answer, or even nod a yes or a no. Thankfully, he did grab for the instrument, fumbling over it as he tried to keep it balanced in his mouth. When the struggle continued for longer that it should, Janet intervened, leaning over him once again and clasped her hand over his, keeping his grasp steady.

That's how they remained for the next twenty minutes. She found her mind drifting off to the hum of the machine, coughing every so often as Daniel exhaled through the tubular device onto her face. But she didn't mind. It meant that he was awake, and breathing in the medicine as he should. She only had to tap him to remain conscious twice.

By the end, as the machine spat and sputtered, signifying the end of the mist, Janet found herself grateful, her arm tiring from remaining elevated and stationary for so long. Smiling down at him, Janet removed the mouthpiece from Daniel and reached over to shut down the device.

She jerked when she felt him grab her arm.

Worried, Janet ignored the whining of the machine and stared at him intently. "What is it, Daniel?" she asked him, alarmed at the confusion on his face. "Are you alright?"

He blinked at her, the glassiness in his eyes refusing to wane. "Why are you wearing your lab coat here?" he asked her hoarsely.

She…didn't know how to respond to that. "What do you mean?"

"Everything alright, Doc?"

Janet shook, dazed, as she turned to face Colonel O'Neill. He had a less than pleased look on his face, but she noticed he also appeared distracted, his gaze roaming around the room. Finally it settled on her and he frowned, his eyes widening slightly at the sight of Daniel.

"He's awake," Colonel O'Neill said.

"Colonel, he—" Janet winced, feeling Daniel's grip tighten. She glared at him, but he didn't seem to notice. Instead, his focus was solely on Colonel O'Neill. "Daniel?"

"What's he doing in our bedroom?" he whispered.

Janet felt her breath catch in her throat. Shocked, she turned to O'Neill, hoping her face hadn't turned a thousand shades of red. If she was blushing, he didn't comment on it, his own expression one of bewilderment.

"Five-five more minutes," Daniel said sleepily, curling up towards her. "Just five…"

And he was gone again.

Carefully, Janet removed herself from his side, shutting off the nebulizer in one quick flick. This allowed her a moment to compose herself, and push aside all the weirdness that had happened between herself and Daniel.

When she turned and smiled to face Colonel O'Neill, that moment of composure nearly shattered.

He did not look amused.

"What just happened?" he asked suspiciously.

"He's-he's delusional," she managed to say. "Either from the fever or an adverse effect from the substance on the planet. I really can't say which at this point until he's conscious for more than a few minutes."

"And not delusional," he added.

She nodded. "That would be helpful." She frowned, looking around the infirmary. "Where's?"

"My shadow?" Colonel O'Neill muttered. "He's with Hammond. I didn't want to bring him all bouncing around while you were…" He motioned with a wave of his hand towards Daniel. "Busy."

She cleared her throat. "Why thank you for your consideration, Colonel."

"Just trying to do my share," he said dryly, glancing around the room. "Look, why don't you take a break or join Sam and Dan in one of the labs. I brought him down there to see if their combined brain power could shed some light on the situation." Colonel O'Neill sighed, staring at Daniel. "I'll stay and watch him for a bit."

She smiled, truly appreciating the offer. "Thank you, but I think I'll stay with him a little longer, in case he awakens."

"Offer's open," he said with a forced smile, accentuating the statement by opening his arms.

"Maybe I'll take you up on that offer later."

He nodded, the smile vanishing from his face. "Alright, then, I guess I should go and release ol'Hammond before he kicks Danny through the Gate." He started towards the door, only pausing to arch his eyebrows as he threw her a devious look. "Behave yourself."

If she hadn't turned red before, she certainly was now. "Yes, Colonel."

After she watched him leave, Janet headed back to Daniel, pulling the chair to sit beside him, losing herself in a myriad of thoughts over what had just transpired.


"Okay, and…"

"Nothing," Sam finished for Dan, sighing.

This was the fourth attempt they had made to get some kind of reaction from the planetary substance. Test, after test, after test, and still nothing.

Sam hated to admit it was starting to tick her off.

Initially, when they had first reviewed the substance, they thought it was dead. But now, after more careful testing, they weren't exactly sure what it was.

"It's just there," she muttered irritably. "We've tried a spectrum of different DNA samples, and the chemical refuses to react with any of them."

"And you've tried recreating the conditions on the planet?" Dan asked her.

She nodded. "That is one of the first things we tried." She placed her hands on her hips, staring at the stubborn sample that lay in front of her on the lab table. "We duplicated the lighting, the temperature, even the natural environment where the substance was found." She sighed. "And it still won't react."

"We even tried living matter versus the separate DNA samples we've used," Timothy added. "Still no reaction."

Dan nodded, bringing his hand behind his head as he stared thoughtfully at the substance. "Well, there must be something we're missing."

"I don't know what it could be," she admitted. Sam sighed in frustration. Daniel was lying unconscious in the infirmary. They needed to figure something out. What if he never was the same again? With another sigh, she faced Dan. "I've even tried changing the intensity of the light, heating up the substance from underneath to simulate geomorphic properties. Dr. Harlow has gone as far as shifting the container in conjunction with the angle of the light we're using to try and duplicate the planet's rotation."

"Wow," Dan mumbled.

"I know," Sam said, her voice deflated. "The problem is we still have to account for all the other factors here on Earth. As much as we can try and create the same conditions, we're always falling short." She ran her fingers through her hair. "The substance is inactive."

"Dormant?" Dan offered.

"Most likely," said Timothy. He leaned back in his chair, raising his eyebrows as his stared intently at Dan.

"What?" Dan asked, hovering a little closer to Sam.

"Is there anything at all you can tell us about this compound?" Timothy asked. "Anything you can remember at all before you…"

"I what? Developed? Came into being?" Dan crossed his arms. "I don't remember. I wish I could. And if I could, I would gladly share, but I just don't remember."

Sam rubbed his arm, trying to soothe the agitated man. She kept trying to remind herself that he wasn't really Daniel, but his mannerisms and his personality were nearly identical. Sure, there were a few differences, but those differences didn't outweigh the commonalities. Besides, the traits that Dan seemed to be missing she saw in the other…

"Sam?"

Shaking herself from her thoughts, Sam withdrew slightly, stepping away from Dan to stare at the dormant substance. That couldn't be it, could it?

Feeling her stomach flop, Sam fought for control, her wide eyes now focused solely on Dan. "Out of everything about Daniel, what do you identify most with?"

He frowned, his forehead depressed into furrows of wrinkles as he thought on her question. "I guess I would have to say I relate most to his academic pursuits. Why?"

"Right. You more intellectually inclined, aren't you?"

Slowly, Dan nodded. "Yes, but that doesn't mean I am incapable of anything else."

"No, I didn't mean it that way," she said, her excitement rising into her voice. "What I mean…What if you represent a part of Daniel?"

"A part," he repeated, sounding doubtful.

"Yes, a part."

"Like putting Daniel in a centrifuge and having his personality traits, or different parts of him separated," Timothy Harlow muttered, nodding his head slowly with understand. "Yes, that might actually explain all this."

"Daniel, you and the others may be fragments of one whole," she told him, even her own voice sounding astounded.

Dan shook his head, and for a moment she thought she saw anger in his eyes. "I refuse to believe that."

"It might not be a matter of believing or not," Timothy added. "If this theory pans out…"

"If this theory pans out, then what?" Dan said coolly. "That would define us as nothing, not human and not even alien. And then what about our father? What does that mean for him? If he's not whole, how do you expect to ever get him back?"

Sam stopped, feeling the excitement zapped from her. She hadn't even begun to consider all the consequences, yet. But Dan had a point. If her theory was correct, then how could they ever get Daniel back? If his personality had fragmented into separate entities, then Daniel wasn't even Daniel anymore.

She was jerked back to reality when she felt Dan's hand on her shoulder. "It's still a theory worth testing," he said softly.

She smiled, thankful for his support, but it was an emotion undercut by sadness. She didn't really know where to begin, or even how to test her theory. Part of her didn't even want to try.

This was one time she hoped she was wrong.


"Do you have any ideas at all?" Sam asked.

Regretfully, Timothy shook his head. "I really don't have an objective format to test your theory. We won't know until Doctor Jack—" Timothy paused, his brow furrowing slightly. "What is he doing?"

Startled by his tone, Sam spun around, shocked to find Dan hovering over the specimen, his right hand carefully, quietly, unscrewing the top of the container.

"Dan?"

He didn't answer her.

"Dan," Sam said more firmly, taking a step forward, only to be held back in place by Timothy. She shrugged him off and took another step forward. "Dan, what are you doing? We don't know the kind of reaction that substance can cause."

"Well, then, let's find out," he answered.

Sam couldn't allow him to break protocol. Sure, they both had done it numerous times before, but this was different. Not with a potentially dangerous substance on their hands.

"Dan," she emphasized. "Don't make me—"

Even before she could finish, she flinched with horror as Dan shoved his hand down into the container, reaching for the goo. At once, Sam was both curious and terrified, knowing she should keep her distance from the man who was a quarantine waiting to happen, but also waiting to see if anything momentous happened.

For a second, Sam felt relief and disappointment, watching as the inactive substance remained, well, inactive at Dan's fingertips. She could see the displeasure masked in his features, the concentration in his eyes as he danced his fingers invitingly at the compound.

"Dan, if you don't take your hand out of there, I'll have to get one of the airmen to come and restrain you," Sam warned.

Dan sighed. "It doesn't matter." Pulling back his hand, he rested it on the top of the cylindrical container. "Whatever this is, it's just not reacting to anything."

"I think you should listen to Major Carter," Timothy said nervously. "Why don't you step away Daniel."

He shrugged. "Why not, I—"

Dan hissed, suddenly snapping his hand back as if he had been burned. The action caused Sam to jump, and then take a cautious step forward. "Dan?" she asked. "Dan, did you touch it?"

"No, I-I—" He winced and doubled over, cradling his hand to his stomach. "Uh…" he breathed.

"Dan?" Sam shot a look at the container, still noting no reaction. But Dan, on the other hand, appeared worse by the minute.

"Dan? Dan—"

He shook his head, breathing hard. "No," he said. "No, no, no…"

Dan winced, shaking more violently this time. Hesitantly, Sam reached out her hand to him, supported by Timothy at her side, but Dan just shook his head again. Panting hard, he stumbled back, before suddenly bolting for the door.

Sam's eyes widened. "Dan!" she yelled, running after him. She couldn't have him wandering the base after coming into contact with the substance. Turning around, she motioned to the container. "Timothy, please stay here. I'll—"

"Just go," he replied softly.

She nodded, and followed the half-crazed alien out the door.