STARGATE: SG-1

'You Had Forgotten'

Written by Kiya II

Spoilers for Gamekeeper, Meridian, Abyss, Full Circle, Fallen, Homecoming and minor mentions of Fragile Balance, Orpheus, and Revisions

Comments? Email me at

CHAPTER TWO - MEETING THE FOLKS

"Jack, that was rude," Daniel finally said as they pulled up to an old country style home and Jack pilled into the driveway. He had rented a car for the two weeks saying to Daniel that they'd need it seeing as how his father's car was in the shop at the moment.

Since they had left the airport, Daniel had barely said two words to Jack, except to answer questions or ask them. He was confused as hell at the moment but anger was also coursing through him. What Jack had done to Lydia at the airport had been so rude and what Daniel wanted to know was why Jack had done it? It just didn't make any sense to him.

Jack stayed silent at Daniel accusation so Daniel turned to glare at him. "Well?" He asked hotly. "Why don't you explain to me why you were so rude to her, Jack? That was uncalled for."

Jack sighed as he turned the engine off. Then he merely sat there for a moment, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel.

"Jack?" Daniel said warningly.

"Daniel," Jack finally turned to look at him and Daniel saw that same look he had earlier in the airport and was still baffled by it. He suddenly didn't feel as angry anymore but he wasn't quite sure what he was feeling.

He sighed deeply. "Jack, what's going on?" Daniel was surprised that he didn't feel angry anymore but he didn't feel that it would be right to argue with Jack at the moment. Besides, they were on this trip in the first place to try and reconnect…weren't they?

Jack's eyes closed for a moment and his head bowed forward. Daniel gave him the time he needed to organize his thoughts.

"I'm sorry, Daniel," Jack finally answered, looking up at Daniel. "I know I shouldn't have done that but come on Danny, she was so out to get you. Not to mention that she just happened to bring the Museum up."

Daniel had to give Jack credit on that last point. He really did not want to be thinking about the Museum, especially now. He only just remembered that painful event the other week and he was still trying to come to terms with it.

"What made you think she was 'out to get me' as you put it?" Daniel asked.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Daniel, for someone who has three PhD's, you sure can be pretty clueless. She was drooling all over you. You think she accidentally tripped into you getting of the plane. She did it on purpose, I watched her do it. She was also staring at you like someone who was out from fresh meat almost the whole flight."

"Jack, you can't-"

"Oh yes I can know that, Daniel," Jack finished, his angry having rising to his face. Daniel didn't understand it, but he felt that there was more behind Jack's words. He just wasn't saying it.

Daniel sighed, gazing out the window into the front yard. It was well kept. There were many types of flowers planted out in front of the house and there were flower baskets hanging from the front pouch. Just the type of house Daniel had expected, though he didn't know why.

"Sorry," Daniel answered quietly as Jack was unbuckling his seatbelt. "I didn't realize," he finished.

Jack sighed from beside him and leaned forward towards Daniel, making sure the younger man was looking at him. "Daniel," he began just as softly as Daniel had answered a moment ago. "It wasn't your fault. You didn't realize and I'm sorry for making such a big fuss over it."

Again, Daniel felt that there was more that Jack had wanted to say but hadn't for whatever reason. He was puzzled as to why Jack wouldn't just tell him what was wrong instead of hiding it like he was doing. It didn't make any sense to him and he wondered if Jack would ever tell him what was on his mind.

"S'okay," Daniel answered, looking out the window again at the house. Jack looked past him.

"I think we better get inside before my mother realizes we're out here and comes out here to fetch us herself," Jack said, pulling back towards his seat and opened the door. Daniel chuckled slightly at the thought.

"Your mother would do that," Daniel asked as he hopped out of the truck to follow Jack. Circling around to the back of the truck, Daniel found Jack just staring at him with a sloppy smile on his face as he pulled Daniel's bag out and handed it to him.

"Geez, Daniel, you really don't remember her, huh?" Jack asked as he pulled his own bag out and shut the trunk.

Daniel's face saddened as he looked back up at the house. He then shook his head and looked down at the ground. "No, I don't," he answered softly.

Jack sighed and laid a hand on Daniel's shoulder making the younger man look at him. "It'll all come back, Danny. Just try and remember that, okay? You need to give it time."

"How much time?" Daniel answered looking into Jack's eyes sadly. "God, Jack, how long will it take me to remember everything? Will I even remember everything? Janet said it was possible that some of my memories may just not come back. What would I do then?"

Jack gave Daniel's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "You'd just have to live with it Daniel. But just remember that you have Sam, Teal'c, me and a lot of other people back on base and even here at this house who care about you and who will help you through it." He then chuckled slightly. "Hey if things come worst to worst, You'll just have to tell Sam, Teal'c and I what you remember and then we'll just try and fill in the blanks for you, okay?"

Daniel nodded but he couldn't help but notice that there was something about Jack's features as he said that that seemed slightly saddened. He didn't know why and he figured he wouldn't find out until Jack told him but what ever was wrong with Jack was starting to bug Daniel and setting off some of his own alarms that he didn't realize he had until now.

"Okay then," Jack answered, swinging the strap of his bag over his shoulder and began walk towards the house, Daniel following him. "Time to re-meet the folks."

As they waked to the front door, Daniel felt as though he had done this many times before. It all seemed familiar but he just couldn't remember any of it. For some odd reason, he also felt that there should be snow on the ground even though it was late September.

After walking up the dozen steps that lead to the pouch, Jack promptly walked towards the door and knock. Daniel gazed around the pouch as he came up beside Jack. The whole thing was made out of hardwood with a wooden railing all the way around. There was a swing at the far side with a small wooden table and chair beside it.

At that moment, Daniel felt rather dizzy. The scene looked extremely familiar to him and appeared to be jumping out at him but something was wrong. It wasn't quite right. In his mind's eye, he saw the same setting but it was now night and a light breeze was stirring the area. The pouch light was on and it was a little chilly like a late spring night…

"Thought I'd find you out here," said a voice from over by the door and I smile slightly. I look up to see Jack watching me.

He stars at me for a few more moments before walking over to join me on the swing. I'm currently curled up in one corner, a blanket wrapped tightly over me and a book held tightly between my fingers. There are a few books open on the small wooden table at my side along with one of my notebooks and a pen.

"What'cha reading?" He asks, leaning slightly towards me to glimpse the page.

"Just a book about the religious rituals of the fifth dynasty. Those sculptures that we found on P3X 582 have some sort of religious purpose for the Gould. I'm just trying to remember what," I answers him before turning back to my book.

He's silent for a moment and I chance a glance at him to see that he's looking at his hands, apparently deep in thought. I know what he's thinking about and I've tried to sooth his worries, but it's just not working.

"I'm fine, Jack," I say to him for the hundredth time and he looks up at me. "Really I am. Nothings going to happen to me."

He sighs and rubs a hand over his face. "I know, Danny," he pauses and swallows hard. "But, you almost-"

"I know," I answer him and quickly grab his hand so that he doesn't feel alone. "It was close but I'm okay. Janet says I'm doing fine and you know this little break from the SGC is really doing me some good. I feel better and I'm more rested now. Hopefully I'll be able to return to duty when we get back."

Jack just nods and I know that I haven't convinced him quite yet. "I know that, Daniel, but earlier when you just collapsed, I just didn't know what to do. Mom was hysterical and you almost gave dad a heart-attack."

"It was my fault," I answers, not really wanting to think about how much I had scared Kat and Mike. "I shouldn't have been exerting myself as much as I was. Janet warned me and I didn't listen."

Jack looks up at me and I can see tears forming in his eyes. "Don't do it again," was all he said.

"Daniel?" Jack gently shook Daniel's shoulder as the younger man continued to stare at the pouch swing.

Daniel blinked a few times before looked over at Jack slightly confused. What the hell had that be? Was it another memory? He wasn't quite sure. He didn't even know what they had been taking about in this vision. Had he been sick?

"Daniel, are you alright?" Jack asked again when Daniel continued to do nothing but stare at him.

Daniel looked back over at the pouch swing, a frown creased into his brow. "I'm not sure," he answered.

Jack followed Daniel's gaze and then looked back at Daniel. "What happened?" He asked. "You zoned out there for a moment."

Daniel shook his head and rubbed a hand over his eyes. He was still very tried. It showed all over his face.

"I think I just remembered something," he answered softly.

Jack's face lit up. "You did? What did you remember?" He asked and Daniel could hear a slight note of hopefulness in his tone.

Daniel sighed, looking back up at Jack. "I was sitting on that swing," he pointed, "reading a book. You came out and said 'Thought I'd find you here'. You then sat down beside me and we talked for a bit. I don't remember much of what was said but I do know that I had been sick or something and that I had collapsed earlier in the day and scared you and your parents."

"Oh," Jack said, sounding a little dishearten but not quite. "Yeah, you caught this nasty bug while we had been off world. The people of that world got it all the time and it was nothing more to them then like out common cold but the virus acted funny with your biology or something and you almost died from it."

Daniel could see that this was hard for Jack to say and realized that Jack and the others must have went through a hard time then, not knowing if he was going to live.

"When you had gotten over the worst of it," he continued, " and was feeling a bit better, I convinced Fraiser to let me take you up here until you were fit for duty again. You a said you were feeling fine but Janet warned you not to exert yourself too much. Of course being you, you didn't really listen to her and you and I ended up getting into a fight that ended with you fall unconscious."

Daniel sighed, "I'm sorry."

Jack waved him off. "Don't worry about it. It was a long time ago." He turned back to the door and knocked again.

Daniel frowned. "How long ago?"

Jack just said, "Umm, three years ago I think."

Just then the front door opened and Daniel turned from Jack to find himself facing a tiny woman with silver gilt hair and laughing brown eyes in a beautiful face that just screamed that she was Jack's mother.

Jack was smiling at the woman. "Daniel," he said, "This is my mother-"

"Kat," Daniel finished surprising both O'Neills and himself. The name had just popped into his head.

Kat O'Neill quickly turned her surprise to a smile and quickly engulfed Daniel in a hug, which he returned though hesitantly. "It's good to see you again, Daniel. Jack told me what happened," she said, pulling away. She was still smiling though, "But at least you remembered my name."

"Yeah, which is more then he did for me," Jack scowled and his mother turned to him.

Kat gazed Jack up and down her hands now on her hips. "You, sir, have a lot of explaining to do."

Jack flinched away from her gaze and Daniel couldn't help himself but laugh. Oh yeah, now he had seen everything. Jack was afraid of his own mother.

Kat's eyes softened as she turned back to Daniel. "Come on, sweetheart, let's get you inside and settled." She grabbed his hand and led him into the house, Jack trailing reluctantly behind.

Daniel felt a sense of deja vu, as he was lead into the front hallway. He was sure he had done this before and he probably had. He gazed around the hall and saw exactly what he had expected to see. There was a doorway on their right leading off into what Daniel presumed to be the living room. There was a doorway on the left that lead into a study and beside that doorway was a flight of stairs leading up. The hallway they were now in spread to the back of the house and into what he presumed to be the kitchen.

"Now," Kat started drawing Daniel's attention. She was facing Jack and had a mean look on her face. "Please explain to me why you didn't call as soon as Daniel was found? And don't try and tell me that you were too busy cause it doesn't take that long to pick up the phone and dial."

Jack started to scrum on the spot and Daniel felt a pang of pity for him. "It's complicated." He answered and Daniel had a feeling that he was going to get it now.

"Complicated! I'll give you complicated if you don't fess up right now!"

"Mom, I told you, we really were busy. Daniel didn't remember anything and the thought of calling you guys slipped my mind," ha said and quickly continued when Kat was about to open his mouth. "It's the honest truth."

Kat and Jack exchanged a look then that Daniel didn't understand. He seemed to be seeing that more and more lately. Sam and Jack had been doing it too and he'd lost count of the many times Jack had done it to him since he had come back.

Kat was still mad, but she simple said, "Make yourself useful, Jack," Daniel could tell by the look on her face that Jack would really be getting it if he didn't do as he was told. "Carry the bags up into the spare bedroom. Daniel is a guest. "She then turned to Daniel. "I'm sorry, Daniel, you're going to have to share with Jack. The attic room is a mess right now and we don't have any other spare beds."

"That's okay," Daniel answered, not noticing the look Jack was giving his mother. "I've had to share with him before."

Kat smiled. "I'm sure you have."

Jack scowled as he grabbed the bags and started trudging up the stairs. He looked pissed and Daniel could only guess as to why. Kat O'Neill sure did now how to push Jack's buttons.

Kat gave Daniel a smile and squeezed his hand gently. "It's good to have you back, Daniel. I hope you remember everything soon."

Daniel merely smiled at her, not exactly knowing what to say. Kat turned and left him then, walking down the hall and into the kitchen.

Daniel stood alone in the hall for a moment before climbing the stair after Jack. About halfway up, he slowed down and started gazing at the pictures that were on the wall. There were a lot of pictures of Jack when he was younger and also a lot of pictures of Charlie, Jack's son. Everyone looked so happy in the pictures and Daniel felt a sharp pain in his chest. He had never had this. He had never had a family.

He sighed and continued up the stairs. Reaching the top he quickly turned right towards the open door in the middle of the hall. Entering the room he found Jack unpacking his suitcase and hanging his clothing up in the closet by the door.

Daniel leaned against the doorway and chuckled slight gaining Jack's attention. "Your mother is umm…interesting."

Jack scowled. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't laugh to hard or you're going to get it."

Daniel chuckled some more as he entered the room. He gazed around a saw a queen size bed on by the far left wall of the room with a bedside table beside it. On the far side was a wooden desk underneath a window. The window was open and the wind was gently blowing the curtains around making it seem like they were dancing.

Daniel sighed and tossed himself onto the bed, turning to face Jack. "So, when did your parents move? You said you grew up in Chicago."

Jack turned slightly but continued to put his clothes away in the closet. "Yeah, I did grow up in Chicago. They moved a little after Charlie was born. Dad didn't have enough money to keep the house they had so they moved here."

Daniel frowned. "Why did they move further away instead of moving closer to the springs?"

Jack paused for a moment and turned slightly, not facing Daniel fully. "I'm not sure. They never told me the whole story. I think part of it was because at that time my grandfather on my mother's side was very ill and they moved over here to keep an eye on him. He died four months after they moved but they never moved closer."

"Oh," Daniel said sadly, looking down at the quilt that covered the bed. It had an interesting pattern that Daniel now found himself fascinated with and he traced the outline lightly with his fingers. "I'm sorry," he muttered slightly.

He heard Jack sighed and looked up to see that the older man was now facing him. "It's okay," Jack said softly, walking over to join Daniel on the bed, their shoulders brushing up against each other as Jack sat down. "I didn't know him all that well anyways. He was the kind of grandparent that would give you tons of money but besides that you never really cared about them or really ever knew them."

Daniel's face saddened. "Yeah, I never had that," he said softly.

Suddenly Jack's hand was on his shoulder, rubbing it gently. Daniel looked up and he saw that look once again but the one emotion this time that he could pick out wasn't annoyance, it was sadness.

"Daniel," he said softly. "Trust me when I say that it was a good thing you didn't have that. My grandfather was…busy all the time and didn't have time for me. He would just give me money and go on his way. Much like Nick did to you except without the money giving thing."

Daniel smiled slightly. "Nick," he laughed softly. "Yeah, Nick never gave a damn about me. He did get me through University though, but that was it. He never cared, always too wrapped up in his work to care about what was happening with me."

Jack had kept up his soft caress or Daniel's shoulder and Daniel found that he liked it. It comforted him and made him feel safe though he didn't have the slightest clue why. Everything that was happening around him lately was so confusing to him. Jack was so confusing to him. Everything the Air Force Colonel had been doing lately had been confusing Daniel to no ends. First with him pushing Daniel away and know with all of this. Daniel didn't know what to do or even say anymore.

What had him really surprised though was how he was opening up to Jack right now. He never talked about Nick or his childhood for that matter. It was far too painfully to think about much less talk about but for some reason unbeknownst to him, telling Jack was comforting and it didn't hurt as much. It almost seemed to Daniel that Jack already knew all this stuff. It was just the look in his eyes that let Daniel know that.

"It shouldn't have been that way," Jack said, breaking Daniel out of his musings. "Nick was just a cold old man who didn't realize what he could have had had he taken the time to look."

"And what exactly could he have had, Jack? I was nothing more then a scared little kid who did nothing but read and study." Daniel looked down at the quilt.

"It's not true, Daniel, and I know that you know that. You are and were a very sweet, kind and passionate man who cares about everything and who tries to make a difference even though the odds are almost always against you. I can't understand why Nick couldn't see how sweet and adorable you were." Jack finished.

Daniel gave him a sceptical look. "I was not adorable."

"Daniel," Jack said trying not to laugh. "Did you look in the mirror at all when you were younger? I've seen the pictures. You were cute and adorable. Carter agrees with me and so does everyone else who has seen them."

Daniel's eyes opened wise. "How many people have seen then?"

Jack laughed. "Enough."

Daniel groaned and buried his head in the pillow by his side. "I think I'm going to die," came the muffled reply.

Jack shook Daniel slightly. "You've done enough dying, Dr. Jackson. Now go clean up and unpack your things. The bathrooms down the hall to the right and when your all finished come on downstairs. Mom well probably have diner ready by then if not already," and with that said Jack stood and left the room.

Daniel lifted his head from the pillow slightly and listened as he heard Jack walk across the hall and down the stairs. Once he was sure Jack was gone, he buried his head in the pillow again, groaning.

He was so confused. He didn't understand anything that was going on around here anymore. It had been that way since he had come back. He felt…lost or missing. He wasn't quite sure what it was exactly but something didn't feel right and the feeling had started as soon as Jack had walked into his tent on Vis Uban. He didn't know what it was and it was frustrating the hell out of him.

Daniel sighed out in frustration and rolled onto his back staring at the ceiling. Why couldn't he just remember everything and be done with it? Since he had regained some of his memories, he had become even more frustrated with himself then he had been before. Instead of having none of the puzzle he now hand a hand full of pieces that didn't fit together properly and he was still missing many pieces. All the blank spots in his mind were starting to drive him insane.

Daniel breathed out slowly trying to calm himself and turned so that he was staring at the open closet. He could see all of Jack's clothing hanging on one side while the other side was bare were his clothes were suppose to be.

With a grunt, Daniel heaved himself off the bed and stumbled over to his suitcase. He opened it and started pulling his clothes out to hang in the closet. As he did so he began to run some things over in his head. Jack's behaviour as of late had been fairly odd. Daniel didn't understand it but had a feeling the answer to it lay in his hidden memories. Not to mention, of course, that there were two people downstairs whom he had met on many occasions and who, apparently, knew him fairly well.

Great, Daniel thought to himself, why can't my life just stop being so complicated?

After hanging all his clothing up in the closet, he pulled out a fresh pair of sweat pants and a T-shirt, before trudging his way down the hall and into the small bathroom. A nice hot shower was what he really needed right now just to let his thoughts shimmer for a bit and for his body to relax, especially after the long flight.

As soon as Jack entered the kitchen, he scowled deeply gaining Kat's attention. "You just had to do that, didn't you?" He asked hotly, standing in the doorway.

Kat smiled innocently. "Do what?"

"You know exactly what you did," Jack hollered, getting even angrier with his mother.

"I tried to tell her not to put you two in the same room, but she never listens to me," said Michael O'Neill as he entered from the back door. Judging by the dirt he was covered in, Jack figured he must have been out back working in the garden.

"Thanks for the support," Jack grumbled as he stumbled towards the table to sit down. After he had seated himself, he turned to his mother again who was currently standing by the stove with her back to Jack.

"You just didn't bother to think did you," he started hotly, not caring if his mother would yell at him for it later. "Did you realize how hard this was going to be? It's bad enough that I'm around him all day and he can't remember, I didn't need you throwing us in the same bed with each other."

Kat slammed a lid down onto one of the pots. She then took a deep breath before turning to face her angrier then hell son. "Jack, I realize how this may seem to you, but you asked us to help get Daniel's memories back and I figured what a better way then putting him in situations where it would trigger some kind of memory. Besides you two, from what I've heard, shared tents and beds even before you became a couple-"

"And it's been hell sharing a tent with him for the passed few weeks and not being able to hold him," Jack huffed. "Gawd, Daniel doesn't remember us! I can hardly stand being in the same room with him now because it hurts so much."

Kat was about to reply but Mike cut her off. "And we realize that. We're sorry this has happened, Jack, but don't blame your mother. She did what she thought was right even though it wasn't the smartest choice. You'll just have to make do for now, alright?"

Jack grumbled as he grabbed a banana from the fruit basket in the middle of the table. He really didn't like this. He should have known that his mother was going to get her hands into this. They should have gone to the cabin.

They were all silent for a moment, Kat pilling potatoes and Jack chewing on his banana. Mike ignored them and moved to the table to pick up his paper before he sat down at the head to the left of Jack and began reading.

"So," Kat began slowly, not exactly wanting Jack to blow up in her face again. "What were you boys talking about anyways?"

Jack glared up at her. He hadn't forgiven her yet. "Where?"

"Out on the porch before I opened the door. I could hear you two talking all the way down the hall but I didn't catch the words." Kat threw the potatoes into her stew.

Jack sighed and took another bite out of his banana. "Daniel remembered something," he answered softly. Mike looked up from his paper then and Kat turned to face him.

"He remembered what?" Mike asked, just as curious about this as Kat.

Jack rested his forearms against the table and looked down at it for a moment. "You guys remember when he got sick three years ago. So sick that he almost died and I brought him here to recover after he was over the worst of it because you guys forced me too."

Kat huffed. "We didn't force you. You never had to come."

Mike chuckled, sharing a look with his son. Oh yes, she had forced him. She had said that if he didn't bring Daniel up she come down there and move into his house, never leaving. The scary thing was that she would have actually done it, which is why both Daniel and Jack had decided it best to come.

"Right," Jack answered sarcastically. "Anyways we were standing out on the porch just now and he had a flashback of the night after he collapsed. Unfortunately, he didn't remember much. Just that he had been sick, he collapsed and that he scared the living daylights out of us." Jack continued sadly.

Kat sighed deeply. "Give him time, Jack. He hasn't even been here for a full day yet. We have two weeks to try and get him to remember. I'm sure it'll come back to him."

Jack just nodded, but inwardly he didn't think it would happen. The universe always liked playing nasty tricks on them, Daniel especially. Daniel may not remember their relationship, but Jack was sure that there was a part of Daniel that knew and was torn up just as much as he was that they couldn't be together right now.

Jack could feel it coming off Daniel in waves but only while he slept. Daniel only just recently got himself a house, which had killed Jack to help with, but while he had stayed at the SGC Jack had always checked on Daniel while he slept. Some nights Daniel would be tossing and turning moaning out Jack's name and Jack would hold him, trying to calm him down without waking him up and Daniel always did calm down. Jack didn't know why but he knew that while Daniel slept that part of him that knew about them came to the surface.

"So," Mike began, hoping to change the topic. "What do you and Daniel plan on doing? I know that you two aren't going to spend all your time here at the house and with us."

Jack sighed and rubbed a hand threw his hair. "I'm not sure yet. I do know that at some point we're going to end up going back to the Museum but other then that I'm not sure."

"The Museum?" Kat asked surprised. "The Fine Arts one?"

"Mom, how many Museums are there in New York, or course the Fine Arts one," Jack threw at her.

"But isn't that where-"

"My parents died, yes," Daniel interrupted as he leaned against the doorway.

Kat and Mike turned to Daniel in surprise while Jack continued to stare down at the table. Daniel frowned slightly, noticing that they had all tensed up suddenly and where watching him closely. Even Jack, who still wasn't facing him, had tensed up.

"Oh, Daniel dear, don't do that. We didn't even hear you," Kat answered, turning back to her stew, though Daniel could tell how nervous she now was. It didn't make any sense to him. Had he missed something? Or did he do something wrong?

Mike smiled at Daniel. "It's nice to see you again, Daniel. I'm Mike in case you don't remember."

Daniel shook his head. "No, I remember your name but that's about it. Sorry."

Mike waved him off. "Don't be. It's not your fault."

"Come on now, sit down and have some coffee. You look tired," Kat said, bringing Daniel a cup of coffee and steering him from the doorway to sit beside Jack. Daniel took the seat he was offered and slowly sip on his drink. He closed his eyes and sighed as the taste swelled around his mouth and then ran down his throat as he swallowed. At least someone knows how to make good coffee, Daniel thought to himself.

Jack chuckled. "If you hadn't fallen asleep, you could have had some of that on the plane."

"Nah," Daniel answered taking another sip. "I don't like airplane coffee. It tastes awful."

Jack chuckled some more. "I know and that's why I had brought a whole thermos full. Of course you wouldn't remember that since I told you when you were dead to the whole this morning."

Daniel paused and looked up at Jack sheepishly. "Oops."

That set Jack off again and now even Mike and Kat were chuckling. Daniel watched them all closely. Jack was still tense but it was wearing off slowly. Mike and Kat however seemed to be chuckling at something different then Daniel's reply. He couldn't figure it out but the looks they worn were so familiar it was frightening.

Daniel took another sip of his coffee and added the looks from Mike and Kat to the ever expanding list of mysteries that were unfolding before him. Something was going on but he didn't know what. He wanted to talk to Jack about it but he wasn't sure if the older man would give him a straight answer. He might just brush it off.

What really bothered him at the moment was that he had heard them talking about something while he was coming down the stairs but he wasn't sure what it was. He knew that whatever it was had made Jack sad because before he had let the other occupants in the room know he was there he had studied Jack's figure. He had been sitting slumped in his chair and he had seemed very down.

"Daniel?" Daniel turned to Jack to see that the older man was gazing at him intensively. "You okay?"

Daniel smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I was just thinking about something."

Jack finished off his banana and placed the peel down on the table next to him before taking a sip out of the cup of coffee Kat had put before him. "Thinking about what? You looked troubled."

Daniel looked down at the cup that he now cradled in his hands. "Just something that had been bothering me at work. Another puzzle for me to figure out."

"Ah," Jack said, looking down at the table himself. Daniel hadn't lied to him. He was trying to figure out a puzzle but it had nothing to do with work. It did in a way but not in the way Jack was thinking, that Daniel knew.

"So, Daniel," Kat said, gaining Daniel's attention. She had turned away from the stove and was now facing him. "How have you been since…well, you know? I asked Jack but he's been a pain in the ass about it-"

"Hey," Jack protested loudly, which made Daniel snort but Kat ignored him.

"So I thought I'd ask you," she finished.

Daniel sighed and looked down at the table for a moment. Everyone was silently around him, which made his slightly nervous. "Umm, I've been okay. Just tried mostly and very confused."

"I'll bet," Mike said. "Not knowing who you are or anyone else for that matter."

Daniel didn't noticed how Jack's face got very sober at that remark. "Yeah," Daniel answered quietly, looking up at Mike for a moment. "It's been hard, but most of my memories have come back fairly quickly so I'm not wandering around in the dark so much anymore."

They all caught Daniel's hidden words. He may not be wandering around in total darkness but he still couldn't see very well.

"Well, diners ready," said Kat, pulling some bowls out of one of the cupboards to her left.

"Is stew all we're having?" Jack asked slightly annoyed for some reason but Kat just turned to him a scoffed.

"If you don't behave, this will be all you're getting." She then smiled slightly and winked to Daniel. "Besides you need to lose a light weight."

"I'm a not getting fat," Jack shouted immediately.

Kat's smiled widened. "I never said you were."

Daniel burst out laughing and Jack scowled at him making Daniel laugh even harder.

Dinner between the four of them had gone on very well. They shared some stories and some laughs though Daniel felt that there was always more to what they were telling him; almost as if they were leaving things out on purpose but he didn't have any idea why they would do that.

Kat's stew was fabulous, in Daniel's opinion, as was her fudge cake. Daniel had raised an eyebrow at seeing the monstrous chocolate cake and everyone had laughed at him. He realized that these people did know him better then he had thought. Not only could Kat make great coffee but also her chocolate was to die for though when Daniel said that Jack gave him another look that said you've done enough dying lately, Dr. Jackson.

After diner, while Kat cleaned up, Daniel, Jack and Mike just sat around the table, drinking some more coffee and talking about a verity of different things. Daniel had wanted to help Kat but she swatted him away saying that he was a guest. So instead he ended up talk to Mike about a verity of different topic, one of which ended up being about the Myth of Atlantis.

Mike had heard that they believe that Atlantis may be situated somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle and the reason is that many weird things have happened there and they think it's because whatever had powered Atlantis could be the reason why people experience weird things in that area. Also there was another place called the Devils Triangle where similar things happen and it's directly opposite to the Bermuda Triangle on Earth.

Daniel believe that that could be possible but he said that it could also be up in Antarctica seeing as how that region was almost total unexplored and no one knew what the surface underneath looked like or what could be hidden there. He also shared a look with Jack and Jack seemed to understand. That was also where the second Stargate was found.

Afterwards, Mike went back out to finish up his gardening for the night, Kat disappeared somewhere, Daniel wasn't quite sure where, and he and Jack went back up to their room to finish unpacking.

"So," Jack asked after a few moments of silence. He was sitting on the chair by the desk under the window and Daniel was once again lying on the bed, this time staring at the ceiling. He glanced over at Jack when the older man started to speak.

"What do you think of the folks?" Jack asked, smiling slightly.

Daniel sighed deeply. "Not exactly what I expected. I like your mom though."

Jack chuckled. "Yeah, I thought you might. You and mom use to share these little jokes about me and I never had any idea what your were talking about."

Daniel then frowned. "I never realized that they knew me so well."

"We used to come here a lot. Mom pretty much adopted you. So did Dad. They're crazy about you and they give me hell, especially mom, whenever they find out that you're hurt."

Daniel rolled onto his side. "They do?"

Jack rolled his eyes at Daniel and stood, crossing the room to pull some more things out of his suitcase. "Why do you sound so surprised?"

Daniel looked down at the quilt and started tracing the designs again. "Because I haven't had many people who care that much about me."

Daniel saw Jack flinch out of the corner of his eye but when he looked up, Jack was merely staring at him sadly. "There are tons of people who care about you, Danny, and I'm one of them so don't forget."

It was now Daniel's turn to roll his eyes. "Yeah, I've been doing a lot of that lately, haven't I?"

Daniel felt the side of the bed deepen and look up to see Jack leaning over him. "It's not your fault, Daniel, okay? It is not your fault that those ascended basterds decided to take your memories away from you, lock them up and throw away the key. You did nothing wrong."

"I didn't play by their rules, Jack."

Jack gave him a sly smile. "Daniel, you never play by anybody's rules so what does it matter."

Daniel lowered his head to look down at the quilt again. "I got people killed," he said softly.

"Ah, Danny," Jack's hand was suddenly back on his shoulder, making soothing motions. "You didn't know. You thought that by giving Anibus the eye he would leave Abydos alone-"

"And look at how wrong I was," Daniel interrupted, looking back up at Jack. "I played right into his trap. I may not remember anything from my time as an ascended but I do know that Anibus doesn't care about anything and he doesn't play by the rules. Gawd, he's worst then most of the Gould we have faced."

"I'll agree with you there," Jack added. He then quickly raised his hand to stop Daniel's next flow of words.

"Daniel," he started slowly, "when are you going to learn that not everything's your fault and you can't control everything. You're not the only one with freewill here. I didn't have to give the eye to Anibus. I did it because I believe that maybe Anibus would just take it and leave."

"But I told you to do it," Daniel contradicted. "Gawd Jack, I've read the mission reports and I've heard the stories from Sam, Teal'c, you and gawd, even Jonas. I know what happened on Abydos."

"Then do you know that Skaara died fighting to save his people because he believed that it was the right thing to do? Did you know that every man, woman and child on that planet believed that they could survive Anibus like they had Ra? Daniel, you are not the only one to blame. Everyone takes some of the blame, Anibus most of all, But Danny, the Abydonians aren't really gone. They ascended and from what I've can tell, they're happy." Jack finished, continuing his soothing motions across Daniel's shoulder and back.

Daniel finally started to digest what Jack was saying. He really didn't know everything that had happened. He just knew certain peoples point of view. Hell, he didn't even know his own point of view of the events that had taken place on Abydos, but he did know that he didn't know everything and he didn't have all the facts. Jack knew more then he did so why shouldn't he trust him on this one?

"Do you believe me?" Jack asked, forcing Daniel to look up at him.

Daniel nodded slowly. "Yeah, I believe you."

Jack smiled and patted Daniel on the arm. "Good." He then stood and began moving back towards his suitcase.

"Jack?" Jack turned back to face Daniel.

Daniel sighed for a moment and then stared at Jack right in the eyes trying to convey what he was feeling. "Thanks." He said softly and Jack's smiled widened.

"No problem, Danny-boy." Jack turned back towards the closet for a moment and then sighed. Daniel stared at him questionable.

"Jack?"

"Hmm," Jack turned back round to face Daniel and Daniel could tell that Jack had just pushed something down and away, out of sight.

"What's wrong?" Daniel asked quietly. "You've been, well besides avoiding me for the past few weeks, you've seemed down all the time."

Jack lowered his head to stare at the contents in his hands: a comb, deodorant, and his shaving kit. He seemed to be thinking something over but Daniel didn't know what. Whatever it was though made Jack very sad and he was frowning deeply.

"Jack?" Daniel said again and Jack looked up at him.

"Nothings wrong, Daniel. It's just been hard adjusting to having you back, that's all." Daniel again felt that there was more behind Jack's words but he didn't push it. Jack seemed upset by something and Daniel didn't want to push if it was just going to make things worst.

Without another thought and as though he was driven by instinct, Daniel leapt up from the bed and quickly made his way across to where Jack was standing and engulfed the man in a hug. Jack tensed up for a moment but then relaxed, wrapping his arms around Daniel and burying his head in his shoulder. He didn't cry but he did tremble and Daniel dearly wanted to know what was causing Jack this pain. He wanted to know so very badly that it was hurting him that Jack was hurting.

Something also stirred inside of him at holding Jack like this but he didn't know what it was. It felt familiar and warm but also terrifying too because Daniel didn't understand it. Hee wasn't even sure of what it was. He didn't have a clue but he did know one thing about it; it felt right.

They stood there like that for a few more moments; Jack trembling in Daniel's arms and Daniel soothing running a hand up and down his back murmuring words of reassurance to his friend. He didn't know what was wrong but he was going to help Jack face whatever it was that was causing this pain that he saw in his friend's eyes.

After a few more moments, Jack slowly pulled away. He hadn't cried but Daniel could see that he had made some sort of release. Jack looked tired and his shoulders now sagged. He looked like he had just let go of a very heavy load but there was still something there that needed to be resolved. Daniel could see it in the older man's eyes.

"You okay now?" Daniel asked, watching Jack very closely.

Jack met Daniel's eyes and smiled slightly. "No," he answered, but then he said, "but I will be." It was an echo of the words Daniel had told Jack after Shifu had been born and Ammo'net had taken over Sha'uri again.

Daniel smiled slightly at the words and rubbed a hand up and down Jack's arm. "You'll be okay."

Jack nodded. They were both silent for another moment, Jack staring down at the ground and Daniel just watching him. Daniel knew something was defiantly up, something big but he didn't know what. All he did know was that he wasn't going to push Jack and he'd be patience like Jack had always been with him.

"Listen," Daniel said after a moment. "Why don't I go and wander around this place for a bit so you can sort this stuff out," and he didn't just mean his belongings. "Besides, it could help my memory to see some familiar things. See if anything in this house jumps out at me."

Jack nodded and turned back towards his suitcase, Daniel's hand falling from his arm. "Just be careful. It's a big house and knowing you, you'll do something silly and either get lost or get yourself hurt-"

"And then Kat will be on you like there's no tomorrow," Daniel interjected, smiling as he did so.

Jack smiled back and laughed a little. "Yeah, so be good."

Daniel stared walking towards the door. "I will."

Jack watched Daniel go and sighed deeply. That had been too close. Daniel had almost figured it out. He had to watch himself better then that. He couldn't afford to brake down like that in front of Daniel again because he knew what would happen. He'd end up telling Daniel the truth and he knew that it'd be better if he let Daniel remember on his own.

It had felt good though, to be held by him again. Jack had almost forgotten that Daniel didn't remember…almost. In the beginning, the hold Daniel had had on him had been one of a friend trying to help but the longer Daniel had held him the more it turn into something more then just a friend. It had felt like a lovers hold, the kind he used to give Daniel when he was upset and the same kind he had received on many occasions himself.

Glancing at the clock, Jack realized how late it was starting to get.

Jack sighed before getting out a set of pyjama pants and a grey T-shirt and then headed down the hall to the bathroom. Maybe he could fall asleep before Daniel got back and then he wouldn't have to deal with the whole sharing the bed thing until he woke up in the morning.

Deciding that's what he was going to do, Jack shut the bathroom door.

Daniel had been roaming around the house for a while now. After leaving Jack alone for a while he had looked around the upstairs rooms and had found a small staircase leading up into the attic. He had gone up there and hadn't found anything interesting. There had been tons of heavy boxes covered in layers of dust and some small recently used ones. He had also found a bed in the corner and now he understood what Kate had meant when she had said that the attic room was a mess.

He didn't have much time to do any real looking around though because the dust started to play with his allergies. He had wanted to look through some of the open boxes that were up there but just couldn't stand the sneezing so had gone back down. He had then roamed the upstairs rooms a bit before deciding to do some exploring of the lower level.

He entered the hall and was about to head into the living room when he heard his name being called from the direction of the study.

Daniel turned and made his way to the doorway of the study to see that Kat was sitting comfortable on a sofa with tons of papers and books spread out all around her.

"Come on in here, Daniel," she said, motioning for him to take a seat in the chair across from her. As he sat down his eyes gazed around the room. There was a window to his left next to the door he had entered through and Daniel noticed that it was getting dark out. The walls behind Kat were covered in built in bookshelves and they were packed full of books. Then the wall to his far right had a desk against it and this beautiful painting of the Pyramids of Giza.

"You were the one that picked that out," Kat said gaining Daniel's attention. She was staring at the picture fondly. "We were remodelling this room and you and Jack help out. You said we needed a picture above the desk because it look too bare so we let you pick the picture."

"Oh," Daniel said softly, leaning back into the big red chair he was sitting in. He didn't remember that. He couldn't remember anything about the time he had spent with Kat and Mike unless you counted that small flash of a memory that he had had out on the porch.

Daniel looked down and sighed. "I don't remember."

Kat looked at him sadly. "That's alright, sweetheart. It'll come back to you."

Daniel gave a hollow chuckle, "Yeah, people keep saying that."

"Well you should listen because they're right," Kat said quickly and Daniel glanced up at her. She was looking at him over the top of a pair of glasses that she was wearing and she was twirling the black pen she had in her hand.

Daniel gestured to the pad of paper in her lap. "What are you writing?"

Kat looked down at the pad and smile slightly. "Stories." She answered but then heading Daniel's question off before he could ask. "I've never had anything published. Too scared of rejection I think, but I like to write different story ideas and some scenes, trying to make the character figure their way out of things. I find it relaxing."

Daniel nodded and let his eyes scan the papers on the coffee table in front of him. There was an open book lying in front of him on the table and he picked it up, scanning the pages. The paper was old, turning yellow from years of age. The writing was printed but was crisp and clear.

"That was my mother's," Kat told him as he glanced up at her. "That's where I got my passion for writing. I don't think she ever really wrote anything, but she did write down a lot of character profiles and story ideas, most of which are really good. I've used a few of the myself."

Daniel's eyebrows rose up questionably. "And your mother didn't mine?"

Kat shook her head. "Heavens no. She wanted me to use them. Said she'd never use them herself so she figured she might as well let me use them." Kat stared at Daniel fondly then. "She was your age when she wrote most of them."

Daniel's mouth opened slightly and then he turned his eyes back to the pages before him. That would make these story ideas really old.

"You can read some of them if you'd like," Kat said and after glancing up at her for a moment, Daniel lowered his eyes to the page and began to read.

"Ryan Tanner. Ryan is the eldest son of David Tanner, a historian and his wife, Mary O'Leary. His only brother, Kip, is still in school as is his only sister, Terry.

"After finishing school, Ryan decided to follow in his father's footsteps and entered university with this aim in mind. Then in nineteen seventy-four, his father was murdered and Ryan's world shattered. It was then that he met Charles Moore who was heading the investigation into his father's death. Ryan was strangely attracted to this cold, collected man and for his part, Charles found himself revealing more of his private thoughts to this quiet youth than he had to anyone else. Charles offered Ryan the position of his assistant and personal secretary. Ryan, feeling the need to be active yet wishing to avoid the sympathy of his friends, accepted and thus embarked on a new and dangerous life.

"Ryan stands at five feet, ten inches tall with hair the colour of rip corn and eyes of a brown so dark as to be almost black." Daniel raised his eyebrows and Kat shrugged.

"She always liked to fluff up her words with pretty phrasing."

"Ah," Daniel uttered before continuing. "Ryan generally wears a light pullover or shirt with a dark pair of slacks.

"Ryan is a quiet youth, sensitive and thoughtful by nature. He takes great pains to hide his sensitivity behind a cloak of flippancy but those who know him best are not deceived. He's loyal, forthright to the point of being blunt and just a little bit on the stubborn side. He does not take offence easily for he has great control over his temper but when he does become angry, it is usually cold and this makes his revenge twice as deadly.

"Besides being an avid historian, Ryan doodles to relieve tension and he's a very good cartoonist. He enjoys horseback riding and flying, having his own pilot's license. He's an average driver and an excellent sailor.

"Personal Information. Born January eighth, nineteen fifty-three. Place, Manchester, England. Parents, David Tanner. Nineteen twenty-seven to nineteen seventy-four and Mary O'Leary. Nineteen thirty-two to nineteen sixty-four. Brother, Kip Tanner. Nineteen sixty-one to present. Sister, Terry Tanner. Nineteen sixty-three to present."

Daniel looked up at Kat once he had finished. "Well, your mother could sure write out her characters."

Kat smiled and laughed. "Yes, she could. Her story ideas were brilliant although some of them wouldn't sell today because of how old they are. Others like…well personal my favourite is 'The Angle With The Broken Wing'. I have the page marked I think…"

Daniel looked up at the spine and sure enough there was a page marking. Flipping to that page he scanned it until his eyes landed on the title Kat had given him.

"The Angle With The Broken Wing. Azariah - Age: twenty-six years old. Hair: blonde. Eyes: green. Height: six feet, three inches. Sara Daniels - Age: nineteen years old. Hair: Black. Eyes: Brown. Height: five feet, five inches.

"Plot: Sara had reached the point where she was actually thinking of committing suicide. Her boyfriend had jilted her; she was flunking out of college; she had no friends and her parents just didn't understand her. Then she met the young man called Azariah and this chance encounter would have a startling effect on Sara's thinking."

Daniel closed the book and set it down on the table. Then he looked up at Kat. "It sounds depressing."

Kat chuckled. "Yes, but I'm a hopeless romantic. I find the idea very sweet and I've been meaning to write it but it's been hard coming up with a story outline for it. Especially considering that there isn't much there to go by."

Daniel nodded and let his eyes scan some of the papers that were on the table. Most of them had writing of some kind on it. He carefully picked up a small stack and scanned it with his eyes.

Kate leaned over from where she was sitting to get a look at what Daniel was reading and then sighed. "That's my latest bit of work," she told him. "I haven't worked everything out in the story yet but I've based some of the characters off of people I know or heard about."

Daniel read over the page in his head. The night was dark and cold, like every night had been so far during the early spring. Thunder rolled across the skies and lightning lit up the area so that it almost seemed as if it was daylight outside. Everyone was asleep, dreaming peaceful things. All, of course, except for one.

Sha'ni rolled around violently in her sleep. Sweat dripped from her face making her long black, wavy hair stick to her forehead. Her breathing was coming in quick short gasps as her nightmare raged on.

"No!" She bolted up right in bed, clinging to the animal skins like a lifeline. The images from the dream where still fresh in her mind and they kept playing over and over. The horror, panic, death that she had seen assaulted her, never leaving her alone.

"Oh, Gods. Not again." She cried, burying her face within her hands. She had been having this same nightmare for months now. It kept getting more and more clearer as time went on, but it was beginning to really frighten her. It wasn't normal to dream about such things.

Sha'ni pulled back the covers of her makeshift bed and slowly stood. Her legs where shaking and for a moment, she wasn't sure if they would hold her weight. She was shaking all over. She rubbed her arms gently, trying to warm herself from the cold air that was seeping into the hut. 'What is the matter with me?' she thought. 'It was only a nightmare. Nothing to get so upset about.' But even as she thought that, she didn't believe it.

She slowly made her way out of the room into the next, which housed a small fire-pit and the cooking area. She went straight for the water basin and splash cold water over her face, hoping to ease the growing fear inside her. She had no idea what this dream meant. Even her best friend Myrrh, who was a expert when it came to deciphering and interpreting dreams, hadn't had a clue as to the meaning behind the images Sha'ni had been seeing.

She glanced down into the water to stare at her reflection and sighed. She looked like she was one of the many mummies that she had helped to mummify. He skin was chalk white and she had big black bags under her hazel eyes. "Great, what are people going to think when they see you like this, Sha'ni?" She rubbed a hand over her face pushing her hair out of her eyes.

This just wasn't her kind of night. Ever since these stupid nightmares started, she hadn't been able to get any sleep. It was getting to hard on her with all the work she had to down around here and in the village.

She stared back into the water. 'I just wish,' she thought. 'I just wish that these dreams would stop so I could get a decent night's rest and be able to pull my load. That is all.'

She slowly went back to her room and climbed into bed. Why, she didn't know. She never slept after one of her nightmares. As she turned her problem over and over again in her mind, she slowly drifted back to sleep for once, but just before she dosed off, she could have sworn that she had seen a pair of startling blue eyes, staring at her from just inside the doorway.

Daniel smiled slightly. "Sha'ni reminds me of Sha'uri," he said softly. "Looks and sounds like her too."

Kat smiled at him. "That would be because I based Sha'ni on Sha'uri." Daniel looked up at her startled. Kat just continued to smile. "I never met your wife, Daniel, but she sounded very sweet. I've always wished I could have met her so I based Sha'ni on the little I knew about your wife from what you and Jack have told me." There was a pause as Daniel let his eyes wander over the sheet again. "You don't mind do you?" Kat asked, frowning slightly.

Daniel looked up at her quickly and smiled slightly. "No, I don't mind. It's nice that you based a character after Sha'uri. She would have liked it."

Kat nodded. They were silent for a few moments before Kat spoke. "You should probably go to bed. You look tired and it's getting late."

Daniel nodded and put the sheets back on the table before standing up. Just as he was almost out the door, Kat called him back.

"Yeah?" Daniel asked, turning to face Kat again.

Kat sighed. "I know this must be hard on you but there are people around you who care. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask either myself, Mike or Jack."

Daniel nodded to her, smiling slightly, and then left.

Entering the dark bedroom, Daniel was surprised to find that Jack was already asleep in the Queen size bed, his back towards the wall. He was sleeping close to the nearest edge of the bed as though he had known that Daniel couldn't sleep unless he had the left side.

Daniel shook his head and sighed as he walked quietly towards the dresser on the far side to get some pyjamas. Jack probably did know. After the many times the two of they had supposedly shared a bed, it would be impossible for him not to know. Daniel didn't understand why he couldn't sleep on the right side of the bed. He just couldn't.

He sighed deeply as he shrugged out of his clothes and into the pyjamas. Maybe he shouldn't have agreed to this. Maybe he should have stayed in the springs. Everything was just so confusing here and it was getting more confusing by the minute. Did he really want to dig any deeper into this mess that he seemed to have found himself in? He wasn't sure anymore. He had thought that he wanted to get these memories back, but everything was just starting to overwhelm him and he didn't want to be thrown any deeper into this.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts and quietly crawled into the bed next to the wall, his back facing Jack. He couldn't change the fact that he was here now. All he could do was make the best of things and try to make sense of everything that he was feeling and beginning to remember as well as what Jack, Mike, and Kat all seemed to know but weren't telling him.

He closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing. He could just be overreacting though. Why would Jack be trying to hide something from him? It didn't make much sense to him and why would Kat and Mike help him? It was true that he didn't remember them and he didn't know them very well but why would they hide something from him? It didn't make the slightest bit of sense.

With another deep sigh, Daniel cleared his mind and tried to sleep. He would just have to try and deal with things better in the cold light of day. Maybe after a goodnight's sleep and a few cups of coffee he'd be able to figure this whole mess out. It was worth a shot.

When Kat walked by Jack and Daniel's room a few minutes later, all she heard was some soft snoring as both men had finally fallen into a peaceful sleep for the first time since Daniel's return.

Jack didn't know what had woken him up, but he felt extremely content. As he slowly begun to actually wake up he realized why. He was lying on his back; head towards the ceiling and Daniel was secured tightly in his arms. Daniel's head was on his chest right over his heart where the younger man liked to have it with an arm thrown across Jack's chest, holding him tightly. His short hair was tickling Jack's chin slightly as his head was nestled just under Jack's neck.

Jack looked down at Daniel, hoping that Daniel wouldn't wake up and realize where he was lying, when he noticed the peaceful look that was drawn across Daniel's face. He looked so happy and content just to stay right where he was and Jack didn't have the heart to move him. He hadn't seen Daniel this content since before the ascension. Daniel had always seemed troubled during his sleep whenever Jack had popped by to look in on him, getting a slight smile whenever Jack stroked his cheek or kissed his forehead, but never this.

Jack let his hand stroke Daniel's back softly and Daniel snuggled himself even deeper into Jack's embrace, if that was even possible. He didn't want to let go of Daniel; didn't want to move and end this moment but he knew that he had to. If Daniel woke up and found them like this, he'd blame it all on himself and try to pull away from Jack. Then Jack would have no choice but to tell Daniel about their relationship but he really wanted to avoid that as much as possible. It was better all around if Daniel remembered on his own, for him and for Jack.