The Explanation 6: The Retrieval
PhDelicious

A/N 1: It's safe to come back now…the Exposition Fairy has been sent back home. As you'll see I've returned to the writing style that characterizes my other work. And after looking this over, my potty mouth is back too.

Daniel

The pair rose from their seats as Suzannah led the group into the Forum. They came around the table to greet the new comers, kissing Suzannah's cheeks, hugging Gabriel, and shaking hands with Daniel and Teal'c.

"You have made good time in your travels. We have only just moved Jack and Samantha from the pods to the retrieval room."

Martha's voice was light and musical and rippled through the room carried by the fantastic acoustics.

"They seem to have recovered well and completely. The retrieval could however be difficult," Matthias added to their report.

Suzannah spoke before Daniel could interject with his questions.

"Please give us a short summary of what Jonathan and Samantha have experienced during their time in the Collective and explain to Daniel and Teal'c why you expect trouble with their retrieval."

The two watchers looked at each other and smiled. Matthias spoke first.

"When we don't have time to explain the Collective to someone before they are sent in we instruct the Other to start them out as children. It is easier to accept that the experiences of the Collective are real when faced with a large age difference. So we set Sam and Jack up together and Martha went in to monitor their adjustment."

"We can't tell where the Other got this scenario from, but Jack and Samantha 'met' when her family moved into a house across the street from Jack's family. As expected they hit it off right away. What was unexpected was that Jack and Samantha have experienced almost thirty years in the past ten days, putting them very close to their actual age. You are going to have to find a way to convince them that the world they have been experiencing is not real."

"So the age factor is no longer in your favor. And unlike some people, Sam and Jack have not had it easy during their time, which will make these experiences seem more real. It seems that some things are just too integral to their personalities to be ignored. Sam has lost both her parents. Jack lost his son and nearly his mind as a POW. And the time for which they have forced themselves to be apart significantly overshadows the time they've been together. However, the last time Martha and I checked in on them they were getting married and planned to honeymoon at Jack's cabin. I expect that that's where you'll find them."

"Where we'll find them?"

"Yes Daniel. You and Teal'c will be entering the Collective to bring Jonathan and Samantha back to us. It needs to be someone they trust without question."

"Couldn't one of you just imitate one of us?"

"And then what when they came back to reality and don't recognize anyone around then? As I said it needs to be one of you."

Well shit! Jack is going to kill me for interrupting their honeymoon. I'm not sure I want to do this. If they're finally happy who am I to ruin that? I'm not under orders or subject to regulations…but they are, even if they don't currently remember. Shit!

"So…how do we do this?"

oOo

It hadn't taken Suzannah and her apprentices very long to explain the operation of the wireless connectors since they were so similar to the Tok'ra memory recall devices. Now, just about two hours after they'd arrived at the Forum Daniel and Teal'c were lying in beds next to Jack and Sam in a dimly lit infirmary. A row of recovery pods lined the wall across from them and Gabriel sat perched on one while Martha and Suzannah made some last minute adjustments.

"Are you ready to go?" asked Matthias from the console where he was feeding instructions to the Other.

"As ready as I'll ever be," muttered Daniel.

"Indeed," came Teal'c's response.

"All right. Your keyword is 'Oz'. When either of you thinks that word you will all be disconnected from the Collective. Now I want you to start counting backwards from 100."

100…99…98…I didn't think anesthesia was going to be involved …95…94…93...92…nothing's happening…90…89…nothing's…

"Daniel Jackson you should open your eyes. We seem to have arrived."

Daniel opened his eyes to the front door of Jack's Minnesota cabin. The soft coloring and slant of the sun told him that is was just after dawn and he was already shivering.

"Uh, Teal'c…what happened to your…"

Daniel gestured to Teal'c's forehead.

"I did not think O'Neil and Colonel Carter would be familiar with Apophis in this reality."

"Good point I suppose. How are we going to do this? I don't know if I can…"

"Daniel Jackson I believe this is a time for action, not reflection."

Teal'c pounded once on the door and quickly pushed on into the cabin.

"Jack? Sam?"

Daniel called out into the empty room.

"Teal'c you go check the kitchen and I'll take the bedroom."

Daniel headed down the short hallway. He could see the door at the end was slightly ajar.

I don't wanna look. I can't…

Daniel poked his head around the door jamb.

I think I hear…

He moved a little bit farther into the room then stopped in shock. The sheet may have covered most of the two bodies in the bed, but he'd have recognized the back of that blonde head anywhere. He'd followed it across the galaxy and back after all. And while the look of sheer ecstasy on Jack's face was unfamiliar, there was no question of his identity. And then Jack's eyes met his.

SHIT!

For once even Daniel's inner voice was quiet. He slammed his eyes shut and averted his face.

"Shit! Danny! What the hell!"

That was all Daniel heard before his mind started to shut down. He fumbled over a response once it registered that Jack had stopped ranting.

"…I'll go…wait in the kitchen. Yeah…um…I'm…going now."

Daniel scrambled back into the great room, collapsed onto the sleeper couch and buried his face in a pillow.

Oh God! I don't think this can get any worse.

oOo

Daniel was still hiding when Teal'c greeted Jack and Sam.

"O'Neill, Colonel Carter, it is good to see you."

When Sam began to protest the use of her rank Daniel knew this was going to be even more difficult than he'd dreaded, and he started to speak up.

"That's kinda why we're here…"

Crap, can't even finish a sentence. And I'm thinking like Jack.

"What are you talking about Daniel?"

"Well…uh…you see…the thing is…"

And I just keep getting better. A little help here Teal'c?

"What Daniel Jackson is attempting to say is that this is not real."

"Of course it is T. Look if I pinch you it hurts. If you pinch me it hurts more. Definitely not a dream."

How do I explain this to them? Small words for Jack? Big words for Sam? Sam's gonna have my ass for this…

"Actually Jack, it's more like The Matrix."

And here comes Sam's retort.

oOo

Daniel and Sam argued briefly about the scientific possibility of a Matrix. Jack stared at then rolling his eyes and sighing. Finally Teal'c spoke overtop of them.

"Daniel Jackson I believe a demonstration is in order."

"Teal'c I'm not so sure that…"

This time Daniel could feel the world shift between words.

"…is such a good idea."

I guess he thought 'Oz'.

Daniel sat up quickly and looked over to Jack and Sam as they groaned and stretched like people being woken from a long sleep. Sam was the first to comment on their condition.

"Why am I so stiff? I feel as if I've been lying here for days."

"It has in fact been two weeks since you and O'Neill did not return from our last mission, Colonel Carter."

Jack glared at Teal'c and groaned.

"It's going to take forever to straighten this out isn't it?"

"Indeed."

A/N 2: I suppose this was rather short. I hope it wasn't too much of a rehash. Authors referenced in the last chapter…Sharon Shin, Brian Jacques, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Tad Williams. Happy Fourth of July! Hope you all liked this a little better. Please let me know.