For Kelli, because she asked for an update. Hope you like.

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Part Eight

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"I'm sorry, Doctor Jackson, but this woman-"

"Lieral."

"This woman compromised the security of this base. She travelled to our planet, through our Stargate, through this entire facility and no one had a clue. Now, I'm sorry, but I cannot release her until I know that she is not a threat."

"Sir, if she meant us any harm, she would have done something to us on the planet. Why follow us back here?"

"She may wish to infiltrate this facility, DanielJackson."

"Teal'c is right," Hammond said with a sigh. "Did she give you any indication of where she was hiding on that planet, Doctor Jackson?"

"They, eh, they have the ability to change their form, Sir. In this case, they chose large inanimate objects...apparently it helps them think and concentrate on the internal aspects of life."

Jack frowned. "You mean they turned into those great big honkin' rocks?"

"Yes."

"Angry rock people," Jack murmured to himself.

"I wouldn't call them angry, Jack, they're simply old. They prefer to root themselves into the ground."

"As opposed to, say, living life?"

"Jack, they've been living life for thousands of years. Maybe they ran out of things to do, I don't know."

"What, they couldn't just get a Play Station like normal people? Play hockey? Learn to knit?"

"Whilst I'm glad you sound a little more like yourself, Jack, can we please get back to the matter at hand? Lieral is-"

"A potential risk to this facility," the General interrupted. "I am sorry, Doctor Jackson, but until I am convinced that she will cause us no harm, I will not change my mind."

Daniel sighed as General Hammond walked away. He turned to Jack with a frown, but before he could ask, Jack raised his hands and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Daniel, but I'm with the General on this one. She could be a security risk."

"She could be our way to finding Sam."

Jack looked pained as he answered. "And if she is you can bet I will be the first one with the questions, but for all we know she just heard us talking about Sam and is using us for her own purposes."

"I concur, DanielJackson." Teal'c said, sparing a glance at the door to his right, where Lieral was currently under guard.

Daniel glared at them both. "I don't think so."

"Well, until that 'think' is a 'know', we can't let her out of our sights."

"You're losing faith."

"What?" Jack asked, almost angrily.

"You're losing faith that we'll find her."

"That's where you're wrong, Daniel," Jack said as he turned to leave and Daniel hated the sudden look of defeat on his face. "Faith is all I have left."

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"Your people do not trust me."

Daniel sighed and removed his glasses. He rubbed at the bridge of his nose before looking at her. "I'm sorry."

She smiled pleasantly. "It is not awful. I am understanding. They do not know my sincerity; they do not know me."

"Then why do I feel like I do?" Daniel replaced his glasses and looked away from her, wishing he could take back what he had said.

Lieral moved to kneel in front of him and Daniel waved off the guard, who had stepped forward at her first movement. "Danyel, do you believe in the Infinite Thread?"

He frowned. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"It is the thread of Inner Life," she said, tapping her head.

"You mean a link between thoughts?"

"Sometimes, but not all. It is the like of the..." she trailed off, as if in search of something. "I am sorry, I know not the word. It is the being, only more."

"The soul?"

"Yes. Yes, it is a Link of Souls." She smiled and stood up, pulling at his hand until he was standing next to her. "Every time a soul passes another, it connects with a single thread. The more souls pass, the more they meet, the more they love; then the more they link. For souls like ours that are entwined in past times, they will sense and seek each other again. You feel like you know me, because our souls are linked."

"You mean like we knew each other in a past life?"

She inclined her head, still smiling. "In sense of ways, yes."

He smiled and nodded. "In that case, it's nice to see you again."

Lieral laughed and the room was filled with song. She shook her head. "You are a good man. Your friend will find your love; the love of all who seek her soul."

"Sam?" Daniel asked, hopefully and she nodded.

"It is rare for Touched to return. They find themselves Awakened into the Infinite Thread and, for those of this form, is difficult to return. The mind of yours is not meant for living life Awake and will not work the same."

"But you just said you thought she'd return to us."

Lieral nodded. "In search of love so strong, when the souls are linked as powerfully as you and your three friends, it is possible."

"Possible?"

"If you fight for her."

"Tell me how."

Lieral smiled and waved her hand in the air. A scroll appeared before his eyes and she plucked it from nowhere, handing it to him. "I offer you the key, Danyel, it is yours to find the opening."

Frowning, he opened the scroll she was offering him. It was the key for the Red Book. Without knowing what possessed him to do so, Daniel leaned forward and kissed her quickly. "Thank you, Lieral. Thank you." With one last grin, he rushed out of the room towards his lab, hoping to finally find some answers.

Lieral sighed into the empty room and the guard eyed her warily. "I only hope is not too late, Danyel."

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End of Part Eight

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Well, I hope that was up to your satisfaction! I rather liked this chapter myself, I actually felt as though the characters were more right than they have been for a while in this fic. I only hope you agree! I would also like to point out, to those who are feeling particularly cynical about her; Lieral is not a Mary Sue. She is no longer even based on anyone I know; she's writing herself.

I want to thank everyone who has stuck with this fic for so long. I had no idea when I started the Touched all that time ago that I would still be immersed in the sequel this far down the line. Thank you very much for not bailing on me! And thank you to all the people who are just joining us on the journey!

As always, feedback is a wonderful thing.