Okay, despite a decidedly lukewarm response to previous chapters I've decided to post a few more to see if things warm up.

And remember "Silent gratitude isn't very much use to anyone." Gertrude Stein.

Daniel opened his eyes and for a second he was back in the isolation room with Teal'c watching over him. The candles were glowing merrily around him and he saw Teal'c lips moving words tumbling from his mouth a chant or a pray he didn't have time to question it as his eyes slid shut once more.

"Daaniel, Danny boy wake up." Daniel groaned. "That's it Daniel wake-up."

"Go away," he grunted turning away from the voice.

"Oh, no you don't get up, it's time to go." Daniel turned to where the voice was coming from.

"Go where?"

"Oh come on Daniel you promised." Daniel squinted into the darkness.

"Jack?"

"Who'd you think it was your mother?"

"My mother's dead Jack."

"Now don't start Daniel; just get up." There was some muffed fumbling and a curtain was thrown open, light flooded into the room. Daniel found himself lay in bed as he squinted in the sudden light. Jack handed him his glasses and Daniel threw his feet over the edge of the bed. "Hurry up and get ready we're running late as it is." Daniel frowned at his friend.

"Where is it we're going exactly?"

"Come on Daniel, it's your birthday you promised you'd let me throw you a bash at the lake."

"I did? But my birthday's not until…" Jack thumbed at the wall and sure enough it was July "Oh," said Daniel a little confused "I could have sworn it was still January."

"Just get dressed and ready I'll meet you out in the car."

Daniel was deeply under; his breath came slowly as the quiet mumbling of his dream played out. Teal'c stood and went to the door; he unlocked it and allowed Sam to wheel in a cart of supplies.

"Here, Teal'c" She said a little breathlessly, glancing warily down at Daniel. "How is he?"

"The meditation slows his body and allows him to continue to the next test." Sam nodded.

"Teal'c you don't have to keep the door locked now, we're behind you on this; if you're sure it's the only way to help Daniel."

"I am sure Major Carter." He bowed his head. "Daniel Jackson was quite clear though when we discussed this ritual, he knows you care for him deeply and may inadvertently cause him harm, while trying to help him during his tests."

"We wouldn't do that Teal'c; we just want to be here."

"Would not both you and O'Neill have leapt to his aid during the last vision when he screamed your names?"

"No," said Sam, but they both knew she was lying. "Okay, maybe, but you would have stopped us and now we know what to expect we'll have a little self control."

"I will allow you to remain, but you must know that this is a most arduous test, the test of Faith."

"Wait a minute Teal'c isn't the whole point of this ritual to cast off the religion of the Goulds?"

"Yes, according to the documents Daniel Jackson discovered this ritual was a way to fully be free of false gods, but a person cannot live without faith Major Carter, Daniel Jackson must prove he has faith in something else equally as strong as a god to sustain him."

"I don't think Daniel really has a religion," she frowned, "What else could he have faith in?"

"I do not know Major Carter, but let us hope it is something strong." Sam nodded.

"Jack where are we going?"

"Daniel, I already told you we're going to the lake."

"But this isn't the way to the lake." They were in Jack's Jeep and Daniel saw the last turning for the lake, disappear behind them.

"Oh, we're not going to that lake." said Jack cryptically.

"Which lake are we going to then?"

"To the biggest lake on the planet."

"Oh, you mean the ocean?"

"Funny, it's a little place I know up north, don't worry Sam and Teal'c are coming too; we're going to meet them up there."

"How long is this going to take?"

"Couple of hours." Daniel stared at his friend.

"I still don't remember agreeing to this." Jack smiled slyly, "I didn't, did I? I bet it isn't even my birthday." Jack's smiled widened. "Jack you just took the turn off for the base what's going on?" Daniel was a little panicked now; Jack wasn't usually this devious when kidnapping his friend. "Jack, Jack, slow down, we're going to crash, Jack!"

Jack's face began to blur and twist as a high pitched whistle went off in Daniel's ears.

"Daniel!" The man jumped a mile, sitting bolt up right he hit his head on the bunk above.

"Ow," he grunted leaning forward to rub his head.

"Are you okay? You were screaming like a banshee." Daniel found himself once again squinting in the darkness of what he presumed was a base bunkroom.

"Jack?"

"Who'd you think it was you mom?"

"My mom's dead Jack." Daniel turned himself to sit on the edge of the bed and even in the gloom; he could feel O'Neill's eyes rolling into the back of his head.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, bad dream."

"No kidding, anything you want to talk about?"

"No, its okay I just don't think I'm letting you drive me to the lake anytime soon." Daniel smiled ruefully in the gloom. Jack reached out a hand to his friend and he took it.

"Come on, they need us in the briefing room." Daniel stood and yawned.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Couple of hours."

"Did I miss anything?" Jack smiled as they exited the room.

"Only the end of the world." said Jack stepping into the smoking crater that was once Colorado. Daniel stared at the destruction and that ringing started up in his ear again. For a second he thought he felt a hand on his shoulder, but when he turned to see there was no one.

Teal'c held fast to the struggling figure of Jack O'Neill.

"O'Neill, you must cease these attempts to interfere or I will remove you from the room." Jack went still and Teal'c released him keeping himself between Jack and Daniel.

"I wasn't trying to interfere," complained Jack, "I just wanted to comfort him, Teal'c he was screaming my name what was I supposed to do?"

"You are supposed to do nothing, O'Neill, as I told you and Major Carter when I allowed you into the room, you cannot help Daniel Jackson only be here for him, when he returns to us whole." Jack sighed,

"That was it though, right? He passed the second test?"

"I do not believe so O'Neill, he still dreams." They all turned to Daniel and saw that he was still muttering unconcerned about what had almost happened.

Daniel gasped as the cold water hit him full in the face.

"Wake up!" came the cry he was so used to hearing, he felt for a wall and was able to push himself into a sitting position. "Well," Said the doctor, "Have you thought about what we discussed yesterday?" Daniel squinted myopically at the man shivering in his damp clothes.

"I thought you were supposed to be a doctor. Whatever happened to do no harm?" The doctor laughed or rather barked in amusement and demonstrated his contempt for the Hippocratic Oath. Daniel grunted as the boot impacted his ribs.

"You invaded my planet; I have no cause to be kind to you." He said with another kick. "Now, what does you're god have planned for us?"

"I don't have a god."

"Lies!"

"No, please I really don't, I fell through the Stargate. It was an accident."

"More lies, you were sent from the gods, how else could you have survived?"

"Incredible luck?" his faint smile faded in the wake of another boot to the gut. "Look, if you'd just check out the Stargate, my friends should have come for me by now."

"As I told you we have watchers at the great ring and none have come through besides you. It has been more than eight days why do you still think they will come for you?"

"Because they're my friends." The doctor barked again.

"You're friends have abandoned you, you're alone."

"No they wouldn't do that, my friends will come and I'm going to enjoy watching what they'll do to you."

"You say you're friends have never left you behind?'

"Never," said Daniel leaning back against the wall.

"Not even on Klorel's ship?"

"That was different, I was dying. Hey, how do you know about that?"

"Dreams are most interesting ways of gathering information about a subject." The Doctor barked again. "They left you then, to your death."

"Jack had no choice; they wouldn't have made it dragging me with them and besides it worked out in the end. They wouldn't have left me if there was any other way."

Daniel couldn't stop himself he had to justify this he wouldn't let this maniac shake him, Jack would come and they would take this guy out together.

"Doesn't falling off a cliff count as dying?"

"Only if you die."

"How are they to know that? Perhaps they realize no one could have survived such a fall and just left you for dead."

"They wouldn't do that my friends love me and they'd want to make sure that I was dead before giving up on me."

"What about Machello?"

"What about him?"

"His god killing device, made you insane. You're friends left you then." Daniel stared at him, how could he know that? What had they given him to tell them about that? Daniel shook his head; he couldn't let this doctor get to him he had to hold out until the cavalry came.

"They tried to help me, but they didn't know what was happening."

"They could have kept trying, but they just cast you off as unstable and walked out on you didn't they?"

"No," said Daniel sullenly, "Jack came when I asked for him."

"But he still thought you were crazy even after you were cured."

"Jack came for me and that's what matters," said Daniel trying not to lose his temper.

"But he will not come now, no one will."

"Yes, they will." Daniel was obstinate.

"How long will you hold out hope, for a rescue that will never come?"

"For as long as it takes to come." Spat Daniel. The doctor backhanded the man across the face; Daniel's head jerked back banging against the wall. He leaned forwards and spat blood on to the floor.

"You will never talk of rescue again." The Doctor commanded kicking Daniel in the chest as he crouched on the floor.

Teal'c looked with as much concern as he could upon the face of his friend. Daniel sat still in the circle of candles, blood began to trickle from the corner of his mouth and livid bruises were appearing on his chest and stomach. Sam was pale and just sat near Teal'c very still. Jack had left after Teal'c released him but he came back every ten minutes or so to check up. When he walked in this time he'd brought Sam a cup of coffee, which was a good thing, for two reasons, Sam was about to collapse and when he saw Daniel bleeding the only thing that stopped him rushing to his friend was the steaming hot cup in his hand.

"Teal'c" Hissed Jack. He had to do an entire circuit of the room to get to Sam and give her the coffee. "Teal'c." Teal'c raised his head and looked intently at Jack. "What's with that?"

"It's probably a manifestation of something that Daniel is seeing." Carter said taking the coffee gratefully. "He's got bruises too." Jack looked at Daniel and saw what looked like a boot print developing on his left shoulder. "How can you just sit here and let this happen?" Jack glared at Sam. But Sam just shrugged.

"I have to if I interfere he'll definitely die, being here helps me know he's still fighting even if I can't lend a hand in that battle." Jack took a chair next to her and slumped in it. He raked a hand through his grey hair and lent over, towards where Daniel was sitting.

"We're all here for you Daniel." He said clearly and as loud as he dared. "Don't give up, because we need you here with us."

Daniel rolled back against the wall, winded from the latest round of kick the archeologist.

"It's been two weeks Dr. Jackson, do you still believe you're friends are coming?"

"Yes," wheezed Daniel through clenched teeth, ready for the next blow to land. He'd endured this everyday since he woke up from his fever. In his delirium he'd believed they'd come for him and he was home. The doctor quickly corrected this mistaken analysis. Daniel didn't know where he was or how long he'd been out, for all he knew he'd been taken off world. Even in spite of the odds if that were true, Daniel knew that Jack would spend the rest of his life looking for him. That thought kept him going through the doctor's beatings; he knew that Jack was searching for him, that Sam and Teal'c were with him too and eventually they'd find him.

Though part of Daniel knew if he had been taken off world it was a long-shot rescue hope, and he should start planning his own escape. Without a GDO, all Daniel could do was gate to another world, that's assuming he made it to the gate at all. So Daniel was pinning all his hopes on Jack, somehow he knew he was close by, during the last session with the doctor Daniel could have sworn he'd heard Jack's voice, telling him, they were here. But he figured it was just a left over hallucination.

The doctor left with his usual warning and Daniel was left alone to contemplate his situation. The doctor was a strange interrogator thought Daniel not for the first time; he never asked any questions, except to undermine his thoughts of rescue. He seemed to know everything about Daniel and what he'd been through with SG-1, Daniel knew he hadn't been lucid during his illness but he found it hard to believe he had gone into so much detail while asleep. The doctor was trying to break him trying to get him to give up hope, but that would never happen, Daniel knew too much about despair and its effects on the human psyche, he would cling to every shred of hope he could find and never let go of his belief in his friends.

"You are a stubborn, arrogant man!" Barked the doctor punctuating each word with a kick to Daniel's already bruised body. Daniel grunted in pain and when the doctor was done he sat up with his back leaning on the wall squinting in the light.

"So glad you noticed." He said perfectly calm, his voice not betraying a hint of the pain he was in. The doctor kicked him in the head, Daniel saw spots and his nose began to ooze blood, but he didn't move to wipe it, he let it run and stared stoically at his captor. The doctor was turning puce with rage, but instead of taking it out on Daniel he took a deep breath and got himself under control.

"You have won our little battle, my friend." He said a slow smile on his face. "But I will get the last laugh today." He turned and called two guards. "Take him!" he barked at them. Daniel was forced to his feet and then force marched half dragged out of his cell for the first time in two weeks.

"What's going on Doc, tired of me already?" Daniel quipped as he was thrown to the hard ground outside the building.

"Stand up." Growled the doctor; Daniel did as he was told standing carefully so as not to hurt his ribs. The doctor stood back to examine his prisoner more closely. Daniel's hands hung loose at his side as he tried hard not to show them how much pain he was in. His nose had finally stopped bleeding, but his mouth and chin was still covered in blood. It had dripped down his shirt and pants, which were both torn revealing much to Daniel's chagrin the purpling bruises beneath. Over all he didn't look good and despite the determined look on his face, the Doctor believed Daniel was about to fall any second. "I am to give you one last chance Doctor Jackson."

"One last chance to do what?"

"Renounce your friends and I will let you live."

"And if I don't?" The doctor chose show over tell and signaled one of his guards to come forward. He was holding a staff weapon in his hands.

"How will you're friends rescue you if you're dead?" The guard charged the weapon and pointed it dead center at Daniel's chest.

"It's been done before." He said turning to face the guard with a look of total confidence on his face. The doctor looked livid.

"Have it your way Doctor Jackson." He brought up his arm as a signal and turning to face Jackson a look of disbelief on his face he brought the arm down, the guard fired, Daniel knew that much, but just as the blast was about to hit him everything went dark.

Daniel's face was a half covered in blood now, from his nose and mouth; it dripped down his chin and on to his bare and battered chest. The man slumped where he sat and once again Teal'c watched for the slow and steady breath issuing from his mouth.

"Daniel Jackson has triumphed, in the second test." Teal'c allowed optimism if not joy into his voice at this pronouncement. Jack looked up at Teal'c from where he had been watching Daniel closely.

"Test of Faith, huh?" he asked, he voice dripping in distain. "How is it a test of faith to get the crap kicked out of you?"

"It takes a strong conviction to put up with such punishment."

"I know; I wonder what it was." Jack mused.

"Do you really want to know, sir?" Sam yawned downing the last of the day old coffee in her cup.

"What makes you think you know Carter?"

"Because I listened to him sir," Jack raised an eyebrow. "While you and Teal'c went to get something to eat, some of his mumbling became clearer and I could understand what he was saying."

"Well, what was it?"

"Are you sure you want to know sir? It's pretty heavy stuff."

"Just get on with it Carter."

"It's you sir."

"What?" Jack stared at her in shock.

"The thing Daniel has more faith in than anything is his friendship with you."

"You must have heard wrong."

"I don't think so sir. What I heard was 'Jack will come', that was just before that huge bruise appeared on his chest and then he said 'Jack will save me." After that his mouth started to bleed again." Jack went pale. "In his mind I think he's trapped somewhere and his overriding belief is that you will come to save him no matter what." Sam blinked tears from her eyes and gave her commanding officer a small smile. Jack continued to stare, his gaze drifted back to Daniel who sighed quietly in his hunched sleep.

Daniel didn't remember the staff blast storming towards his head, but when he woke up heart pounding in his chest, he figured it had probably been one hell of a nightmare.

"Dan-yell?" questioned the woman in bed beside him. Daniel stared at her in fear and surprise. "What's wrong my Dan-yell have you had a night demon?"

"Shar're?" he stared at her in disbelief. "How, what, where?" he stammered and the beautiful woman giggled.

"Oh, my Dan-yell you have been dreaming." She reached over and cupped his cheek. "We are here in our house and we are safe." She told him as if she'd said this a thousand times. "Now sleep, you must rest for the festival tomorrow father expects you to be at your best."

"What festival?" he asked completely confused.

"Shush," she whispered. "You'll wake the baby."

"Baby!" he cried. She shushed him again but sure enough there was a small cry coming from next to the bed. Shar're got up from the bed and went over to where a small woven basket sat in the corner. She leaned down and pulled out a struggling bundle.

"It's okay, my Shifu, it's okay we're just going to show daddy everything is alright now." She rocked the child in her arms and then handed him gently to Daniel. Daniel held the small bundle in his arms, he looked up at him with wide blue eyes, gurgling and laughing with the rhythm Daniel rocked him. He smiled at the boy.

"Shifu," he frowned, "the Harseus?" Shar're smiled at him again, cupping his face with her hand.

"No, my Dan-yell, Shifu is not Hareseus he is mine and he is yours."

"But how?" she sat on the bed and curled up behind him, her arms wrapping around his waist.

"You saved me from the demon, when she tried to kill you by my hand I managed to stay her fury, long enough for Teal'c to come from behind." She shrugged, "the demon was removed and we came home with our child." She turned his face to hers. "Do you not remember husband?"

"Some of it." He frowned, and softened looking at the child in his arms. "How can he be mine?"

"I was with child when the demon caught me; she stopped the child's growth and would have killed it had it not been for Apophis' plan."

"What plan?"

"To create a Hareseus as his new host."

"Oh, that one."

"But Apophis could not give my demon what was needed for a child." Daniel smiled faintly at this. "So my demon released our child, to grow and be born in the arms of his father." She smiled pecked him on the cheek standing up she took the baby from his arms and replaced it in the bassinet in the corner. "Tomorrow will be one moon since our return and father wants us well rested." She pushed him gently down onto the bed. "Sleep husband, tomorrow you will remember again, but tonight just know that we are safe and we are happy." She kissed him gently on the lips and crawled in bed besides him. Daniel gathered his wife into his arms and smiling fell asleep. What could be better than this?