Thanks again for the reviews. I am glad that you are enjoying it.
Previously:
Apophis tried to defend himself. He could see that he guards did not have a clear shot of his attacker. He tried to pry the shol'va's hands away, but...something...was not...working...This new body was not responding the way he needed it to.
The pain was too great...the need for air...Apophis fell to the ground. He did not see his enemy fall as well.
Somewhere, that was nowhere, the daniel-mind paid for it's rebellion.
Interlude
Sounds trickled through.
"Thank god the Tok'ra…"
"…think he'll be okay?"
"Is he…I think he's waking up."
"Daniel, can you hear me?" Daniel could make out the voice of Janet Fraiser. He opened his eyes. All of SG1 was standing around his bed. Janet Fraiser and General Hammond were on the other side.
"Where am I?" Daniel asked.
Janet pulled out her penlight and started to examine his eyes. "Daniel, you're back at the SGC." He flinched away from her ministrations.
"Daniel," Sam said, taking his hand, "You're home. We got you out. Apophis is dead."
"No!" Daniel yelled, yanking his hand back. "You're not real. None of this is real." Daniel tried to struggle out of bed, but he became tangled up in IVs and monitoring wires. In his panic, he reached to rip out the I.V. needles. Teal'c's hand stopped him.
"DanielJackson, you will hurt yourself," he admonished, gently. "I assure you, Apophis is dead. I witnessed his death myself."
"Yeah, Daniel," Jack joined in. "Teal'c got the jump on Apophis – on you – whatever – knocked him out. Then he got a weapon from the guards, took them out and saved us. We got you and got gone. You don't remember any of that?"
Daniel looked warily at them. He just could not believe them. Not yet. "No. I sort of…remember…Teal'c…" Daniel closed his eyes against the onslaught of images he did remember, Apophis's crimes and atrocities. He gasped when he felt Jack take his face between his hands.
"Daniel, look at me. He's dead. You're free. I kept my promise."
Those were the words Daniel needed to hear. He held onto Jack's hands. "You kept your promise?"
"Yes, Daniel. I kept my promise."
"Oh god," Daniel took a deep shuddering breath and tried very hard not to cry. He started to believe them, he was home. "It's over?"
Jack started to smile. Without warning a blast fired from the infirmary's doorway. Jack stiffened and then fell over Daniel, dead. All eyes turned to see a figure standing there, aiming. The weapon fired again, again, again, and again. Daniel saw all of his friends fall to the ground. The murderer entered the room and Daniel recognized himself. Dressed in Apophis's clothes.
"I am not dressed in Apophis's clothes. I am Apophis! Daniel Jackson is no more and never will be again. You interfered. This is your punishment. Interfere again and the punishments will get worse."
Pinioned by the weight of his friend and mute with frustrated grief, Daniel could only simmer in helpless rage. "I am Daniel Jackson," he told himself. "I am Daniel Jackson. Nothing you will do will change that. I am still here and you will not get what you want from me!"
His mirror image sneered. He knew what Daniel was thinking. "You are nothing. You exist nowhere. And I will get what I want from you."
The walls around Daniel started to glow with a warm, white light. As the scene of carnage began to fade, Daniel realized, "A sarcophagus, they have a sarcophagus. He will never die."
Daniel Jackson existed nowhere.
TBC