xxxxx

Part Nine

xxxxx

"It doesn't make any sense!" Daniel let out a grunt of frustration and walked around the other side of his desk to pick up the notes he had scattered in his bout of frustration.

"Having fun, I see."

He looked up to see Jack standing in the doorway with baby Shay in his arms. Daniel sighed and finished rounding up his papers, shaking his head in answer to his friend's question.

"Nothing I take it."

Daniel looked up to meet Jack's gaze, wishing that he could say something that would remove the sadness that had taken residence since Sam's disappearance. There was nothing he wanted more in the world than to have Sam back with them, but he didn't know how to make that possible.

"There's something here, Jack, I know it. I just..." He sighed. "I just don't know what it is yet."

"You'll find it."

"Jack, I've been trying to find it for three weeks and I just can't. I've translated everything I can, but nothing makes any sense!"

"Want a fresh pair of eyes?"

Daniel nodded. It couldn't hurt. He knew that Jack had been trying his hardest to help, but there was only so much he could do during the translation process, not to mention the time had had to take in caring for Shay.

"She's looking better," Daniel said, swapping Shay for his notes. "You feeling better, little one?" he asked the girl, laughing when he got a spit bubble in reply.

"She's better, no flu left from what the Doc could see."

Daniel nodded. "How's Cass?"

"The same. Her eyes still are opening briefly, but Janice can't get anything out of her and she's not really moving other than that."

"The machines are still going haywire when she opens her eyes?"

Jack nodded absentmindedly. He frowned and glanced again at the previous page. "Do you have the page that goes before this one?" he asked.

"Sure," Daniel asked, looking through his hectic filing system, not that it was really much of a filing system any more, given the recent meeting with the floor. He located the page and handed it to Jack.

"Are there any other references to this?" Jack asked pointing to a small paragraph Daniel had previously highlighted.

"Er...no," Daniel replied after re-reading. "No, that's why I highlighted it. There was only that. I meant to ask Lieral about it, but I forgot when I got into the next segment."

"Why can't she just tell us about it if she's so damn knowledgeable."

Daniel sighed. "I don't know, she seems scared."

"Of what?"

"I don't know."

"Well, find out," Jack said abruptly. "What does this even mean?" he asked, his voice getting more and more frustrated. "The 'kla' of form? Becoming of one? Interchanging of 'renai'? It's a damn riddle!"

Silence followed Jack's outburst. Daniel didn't say anything to try and make him feel better, there was no point; there was nothing to say.

"I'll ask Lieral," he said finally.

"Yeah, you do that." Jack stood up and sighed, reaching out to take Shay again, and Daniel returned to his desk. Jack walked to the door, but stopped before he exited the room. "I'm not angry at you."

"I know."

"I'm angry at the world."

"I know."

"She was taken from me, Daniel, and I want her back."

Daniel sighed. "I know."

Jack paused for a moment. "Hammond says you can let Lieral out around the base if you remain with her at all times."

"Thank you."

Jack nodded, still not turning to face his friend. He moved to leave.

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"We'll find her."

Jack sighed. "I know."

As he left the room Daniel glanced down at his desk before closing his eyes briefly. He glanced at the ceiling, but in his mind he was looking straight to the heavens. "I stopped believing a long time ago, but if there's anyone up there...let me find her. Let me make this right...I'll do anything."

xxxxx

End of Part Nine

xxxxx

Okay, it's been a while and it's short, I know, and I'm so, so sorry! I know this fic (as with its predecessor) has a tendency to meander along not really doing much, but I do want to start getting the plot moving a bit more, but I needed a little chapter like this before I do that. Hope you enjoyed. Feel free to feed the feedback monster ;)