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CHAPTER FIVE

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Sam stepped through the Stargate to see O'Neill staring blankly at the MALP. She'd been by Hammond's side when he'd told the colonel that SG-1's youngest team member was being listed missing-in-action. O'Neill had reacted blandly, but his eyes had flashed with a spark of anger and with something else; loss.

"Colonel?" prompted the major.

"Carter."

"Are you okay, sir?"

O'Neill looked up from the MALP's camera to meet Sam's eyes as she approached him from the dais. "Just peachy, Carter---right as rain, hunky dory. You?"

Sam gritted her teeth against the scathing tone of voice; he was upset, she reminded herself, and not with her. She adjusted her MP5 around her shoulders then fell into step beside her commanding officer.

"No luck with the Tollan device I take it?" queried O'Neill, his voice still harsh.

"No, sir."

"Damn it. Why couldn't he have just come with me? Why the hell does he always have to be so damned curious?"

Sam knew the colonel wasn't expecting an answer. She knew he already knew it; Daniel was simply being Daniel. She bit the side of her cheek and cast her gaze ahead of her. He was also no doubt blaming himself for the archeologist's capture.

They walked back to the camp in uncomfortable silence. As they neared the site, Sam looked ahead to see Teal'c standing on the altar, his staff weapon clutched tightly at his side. She wondered how long he'd been there then looked to the camp. Hawkins stood from his perch on a log and approached, his look one of trepidation.

"Major, move your people back to the caves," barked O'Neill.

"Sir?"

"Change in orders---you're to start testing for naquada again."

"But what about Dr. Jackson, Colonel?"

O'Neill snorted derisively. "He's MIA, Major, or hadn't you noticed?"

To Hawkins' credit, he didn't react to the colonel's tirade. His face fell for a moment then he straightened his shoulders and nodded his affirmation.

"SG-1 will stay here and---wait," continued O'Neill with a roll of one hand.

"I can leave some of my team here, sir."

The colonel shook his head. "You have your orders, Major."

"Yes, sir. We'll be close by, well---just in case we're needed, sir."

Sam watched the major turn on his heel and stride back to the camp. She heard him barking orders, his team jumping into action. They'd have their gear packed and moved within minutes then SG-1 would be left alone, left to wait for its missing fourth.

"I'm going to go check on Teal'c," announced the colonel brusquely. He walked away, his posture straight, his hands resting on his P90.

"Colonel?"

O'Neill turned and looked expectantly at Sam. "What?"

Sam swallowed uncomfortably and hitched her head to the side. "I'm sorry about the---."

The colonel waved her off, his features finally softening. "You tried, Carter," he said then his lips thinned into a tight smile and he turned and strode away.

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"You've made some progress, boy!"

Daniel stepped back from the wall and looked at the inscriptions feeling Areszeus' presence behind him.

"What's it say?"

The archeologist bit his lip, schooling his features to convey pure honesty. "Not what you think it does," he replied evenly.

"What do you mean?" asked the demon.

"The Chege lied to you, Areszeus. This isn't a door into my realm, but one back into theirs."

"Really?"

Daniel swallowed then lifted his hand to ghost his work-torn fingertips over the inscriptions. "Beneath this stone," he read aloud. "Lies a locked door, a door that leads back to the beginning." He shrugged. "That's all I've got for now."

Areszeus grunted. "Now that's interesting, isn't it? The Chege lied."

The young man turned his head, startled suddenly at the nearness of the demon at his back. "I'm---I'm sorry it isn't what you thought it was," he stammered.

"You don't lie very well," whispered Areszeus, his voice a slithering hiss.

"Lie? I'm not lying," replied Daniel a little too quickly.

The demon smiled, his yellow teeth glinting in the gloom of the cavern. He lifted a powerful hand and placed it on Daniel's injured shoulder.

"I'm sorry," repeated the archeologist. "But you're not the only one trapped here. I wanted my freedom, too."

"You're trembling."

Daniel swallowed convulsively. "I'm not---not feeling very well."

"You're too good for your own good," cooed Areszeus. He pressed his mouth to the top of the archeologist's head, an affectionate gesture that sickened the young man. "Do you know that?"

"I'm not---not sure what you mean."

"You can't lie to me, boy."

Daniel felt the warmth of the demon's breath against his short-cropped hair, the hand on his shoulder tightening. He steadied his breathing and gritted his teeth against the pain.

"You're my way out of here---this door is my way out of here," continued Areszeus softly.

"I just told you it wasn't."

Areszeus wrapped his arm around Daniel's chest and pulled him close, his lips still pressed against the young man's hair. "Do you not have anyone---special in your life, boy?"

"Wha---what?" blurted the archeologist, startled by the non-sequitur.

"A woman---love?"

Daniel bristled. "That's none of your business," he spat.

Areszeus chuckled. "You don't, do you? Perhaps once, but now you're all alone. Poor little lost boy---so very much alone."

"Shut up."

The arm around Daniel's chest tightened like a vice, the strength overwhelming. "You know the feeling of loneliness. We're so much alike, you and me."

"I'm nothing like you."

"So 'very' much alike---I will enjoy our time together."

Daniel scowled. "So you do believe me? About the door?"

Areszeus snorted. "Of course not," he replied then his arm slid up under the young man's chin in a choking grip. "You will continue to work here."

"Why? It isn't a doorway out," insisted the archeologist adamantly. The arm squeezed against Daniel's throat and the young man gasped.

"Your big friend watches and waits, but he won't kill me when I leave."

The archeologist pulled helplessly at the arm clamped around his neck, his vision darkening suddenly around the periphery. "Let me go."

"No one will kill me when we leave."

Daniel's lungs burned for air. His knees buckled, but he didn't fall, his body held suspended against the demon's chest, the feel of the thin cold lips still pressed against his hair. Then he was falling, his head striking the wall as he collapsed. His lungs expanded and contracted frantically as a strong hand gripped him under one arm and hauled him across the cavern.

He had nothing left with which to fight as the cold metal of the shackles were once again snapped closed over his wrists.

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"O'Neill."

Jack stopped his pacing and glanced across the fire to where Teal'c stood.

"I will take first watch," continued the big Jaffa.

The colonel rubbed tiredly at his forehead. "Yeah, yeah---okay. I'm going to check the perimeter, big guy, I'll be back soon."

"Want some company, sir?" asked Carter from where she sat near the flames, her knees drawn up and wrapped protectively with her arms.

"No," replied Jack with a dismissive wave. He picked up his P-90 and slung it over his shoulder. "Get some rest---I'll see you later."

Dark rain clouds had settled overhead and Jack peered up at them as he walked, the brilliant moon casting its light over them and making them iridescent. Jack wondered briefly if Daniel was seeing the same nightscape, if he was also looking up at the sky, if his friend was calling for his help.

He shook his head of the thoughts. Daniel was a grown man and more than capable of watching out for himself. He'd managed without SG-1, without Jack for the majority of his life and he'd manage again. His friend was going to come back, Daniel always did.

Jack moved his focus to the tree line that surrounded the clearing in which SG-1 had their camp. Hawkins and his team had moved back to the caves, but still had remained within a stone's throw if they were needed, if Daniel needed them.

The colonel climbed to the top of the grassy knoll he'd shared with his friend only two nights prior, their conversation replaying in his mind. There was a lot he still didn't know about Daniel Jackson; his childhood in Egypt, his time in the foster system. Jack didn't even think the young man had shared his past with Sha're, so closely did he guard himself. But there were hints his friend would drop, hints that went straight to Jack's cold heart.

He smiled and amended his thoughts. No longer did he have a cold heart. Thanks to Daniel, Carter and Teal'c, the hard-assed tough-as-nails colonel no longer existed. Thanks to the young man who'd thawed a broken man's icy soul on Abydos, Jack O'Neill was able to 'feel' again. He'd never let his team know that, never let Daniel know that, but inside, Jack knew it was all too true. He was a soft pile of mush---and he could hurt.

"Damn it, Daniel."

Jack moved off the knoll and back to the tree line, his eyes peering into the dark forest. Before he knew it, he found himself standing at the altar. The place looked frightening even to Jack, the moonlight casting an almost otherworldly light over the stone wall. Then he snorted derisively; of course it was otherworldly, he was standing on another world, for crying out loud.

He moved up the steps and then stood, his P-90 cradled against his chest, and stared at the inscriptions, the warning that told travelers to beware. Daniel was in there somewhere, pulled into the demon's prison by force to do what, Jack didn't know.

The colonel approached the wall and drew his fingers over the surprisingly cold stone surface. His mind was telling him to back off, that he was tempting fate, but his heart urged him on. If he could get to where Daniel was, find his friend then together they could find an escape, they always could when they were side by side.

Jack pulled his hand away sharply, his skin prickling with goose bumps; the wall appeared to shift under the moon's strange illumination. Without hesitation, the colonel reached forward again, his fingers seeking entrance into the prison that held the demon, the prison that held his friend.

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This time Daniel screamed. As Areszeus released his second wrist from the manacles, the archeologist collapsed in a pile, the bones of his cellmates pressing into his side.

"If you would behave, I would allow you to rest on the cot."

Daniel squeezed his eyes shut against his pain. "Go to hell," he spat.

Areszeus laughed. "I'm already there, boy," he replied jauntily. "Have been for a very long time. Now get to work. With the progress you made yesterday, I expect to be freed by the end of the day. If I'm not, well---then you will spend yet another long night on your feet chained to the wall." He prodded the archeologist with his foot. "You're certainly not a very sturdy species, are you?"

Daniel pushed himself to his hands and knees then collapsed back down. He glared up at the demon which earned him a gleeful smile in return.

"I'll bring water down later. You'd better be working when I do."

The young man nodded then watched his captor stalk away. He shifted his body off the skeleton he was crushing and rolled onto his back, the stone floor cool beneath his overly warm body. He felt odd, disconnected from reality.

"I don't think I like that guy very much."

Daniel sat up abruptly and turned his head. "Jack?"

"Yep, the one and only."

The archeologist stared at the man propped against the wall next to him, legs splayed out in front of his slumped body. "God, Jack."

"Got a little too close to the wall," mumbled the colonel. "Guess I found you though."

"You think?"

"So this friend of yours---Hair of Zeus---?"

"Areszeus," corrected Daniel automatically. He slid his aching body closer to his friend.

Jack waved a dismissive hand. "Whatever---he's not exactly bucking for the title of Most Friendly, is he?"

Daniel's eyes widened. "He's hurt you," he blurted. "Oh, God, Jack---you're bleeding." He pressed his palm against the older man's abdomen.

"Nothing but a scratch, but someone should tell that guy to get a manicure."

"Jack, he practically gored you."

The colonel hissed through clenched teeth. "Hey, take it easy there, will you?"

"Sorry," replied Daniel. He rolled from his haunches up to his knees for better leverage.

"The son of a bitch tried to yank my heart out---literally. Lucky I don't have one."

"Jack."

"What? I'm just saying---."

"This is my fault."

"How so?"

"You're here because of me, because I'm not moving fast enough for him---because I lied to him."

"So---because you're not rushing to help this loony tune escape?"

Daniel nodded. "I'm sorry, Jack."

"Not your fault," replied the older man easily. "You look like crap by the way."

"Oh, thank you for pointing that out."

"Just being honest---you smell, too."

"You're just full of praise, aren't you?" snapped Daniel as he removed his hand to tear off a strip from his dirty tee shirt. He wadded it up and pressed it against Jack's wound trying desperately to staunch the flow of blood.

"Praise? Is that what you want, Daniel?"

"What?"

"You got yourself captured by a demon with what I suspect is a nasty case of halitosis, tossed into a dungeon---."

"Shut up!"

"Damn it, Daniel."

"You're always so quick to decide I'm responsible when anything goes wrong, that I did something stupid because---well, Dr. Daniel Jackson always does something stupid. Well, surprise Jack---getting pulled into this hellhole wasn't my fault!"

Jack grimaced. "Okay, okay---keep your voice down---geez."

Daniel suddenly realized he was breathing hard and he closed his eyes.

"Ah, look at yourself, Danny," said Jack, his voice gentle. "What's he done to you?"

The young man shook his head. "Don't," he said. "Just don't."

"Don't what? Care?"

Daniel opened his eyes and flipped the soaked piece of cloth over then pressed down again. "You're a lot smarter than you act, Jack. Surely smart enough to notice caring about me is a death sentence."

"Wow. Where the hell did that come from?"

"Never mind---its nothing. I'm just---God, I don't know." Daniel bit his lower lip to stop the unexpected sob from escaping. "I'm just so tired, Jack."

"I know---but you got to keep going, Daniel."

"Why? So that Areszeus can get out and kill again?"

Jack shook his head. "No, of course not---Carter and Teal'c will stop him before that happens. You can do this---I know you can."

"Me?" Daniel said incredulously. "Alone."

"Well I'm sure as hell in no shape to help."

The archeologist sniffed and scrubbed at his nose with his free hand. "I better do something or you'll no doubt pay the price. Here---hold this tight over that wound, okay?" He picked up Jack's lax hand and placed it over the scrap of material. "Press down, Jack---you've got to stop the bleeding."

"I've got it, I've got it."

Daniel sat back on his heels and looked at his friend only to see Jack's smile and nod of reassurance. He pushed himself to his feet and wavered, the room tilting crazily then braced his body against the wall with a raised hand. His shoulder burned, the heat of it coursing through his blood, making him sweat.

"You all right?"

"I'm not sure exactly," replied the young man honestly. "I think I'm in trouble."

"You think?"

"Jack."

"You're our only way out."

"I know that, but thank you very much for reminding me."

"Just trying to help."

"Well don't."

"Geez, you risk your life to help a friend and this is the repayment you get," muttered the colonel.

Daniel ignored the older man as he made his way to the inscriptions. He'd managed to expose the entire first two lines the prior day so all that remained was to expose the symbols of the last line.

"What's it say?" asked Jack.

"Beneath this stone lies a locked door, the key to which lies within the heart and the soul---that's it."

The colonel snorted. "Deep."

"Jack."

"Areszeus doesn't seem to have a heart or a soul, Daniel. If that's the key---well, I think you know where I'm going with this."

Daniel lifted his torn fingers to tug at the stubborn masonry. "I know," he replied.

"If he can't leave, he's certainly not going to let you leave."

"Us."

"What?"

"You said 'let me leave'. It's 'us'."

"Oh, right, right---whatever."

Daniel turned to cast a worried look at his friend. "If I find a way out, we're both going. No one gets left behind, remember?"

Jack smiled. "I remember."

The archeologist turned his focus back to the stone. "I'll get us out of here, Jack---just trust me, okay?"

"Yeah sure---you betcha."

"Good---now shut up and let me work."

"Do you even 'know' what man-in-charge means, Daniel?"

Daniel swiped away the sweat that dripped into his eyes and snorted. He hated having Jack trapped with him, hated that his friend was bleeding, dying, but he hated most that he took comfort in the older man's presence. He'd get Jack out and back to the SGC. He wouldn't fail him.

The archeologist gathered his remaining strength, shoved his pain to the back of his mind, and slowly worked to break away the stone that covered the final clue to their escape.

"Why does Areszeus believe he can use this---this door thingy anyway?"

Daniel shrugged. "I don't know," he replied.

"He can't leave through the wall upstairs because it'll kill him and he can't even touch this wall here."

"Then what makes him think he can open this door," finished the young man almost to himself. He stilled his hands over the stone, his bloodied fingertips leaving prints on its cool surface. "Why does he think he can leave?"

"That's the question of the day, now isn't it?"

"He said he couldn't read the Chegen language and yet he knew it was a warning, he knew that I could read it."

"He's known what the inscriptions say all along?"

Daniel's brows puckered and he turned to look at his friend. "If that's true then he knows about the key."

"And---therefore?"

"Therefore I must be missing something, Jack."

"You miss nothing, Daniel---as in zilch, nada, zip."

"But I've missed something here," replied the archeologist. He turned back to the inscriptions and studied them. "Something important."

"What?"

"I have no idea."

"Well, you're almost done so we'll find out sooner than later, I guess."

Daniel nodded. "I guess," he echoed then he continued to break away the masonry.

When Areszeus' footfalls sounded on the steps a few hours later, Daniel was nearly done. He turned to see the demon crossing the cavern floor, a smile lighting his red eyes then the archeologist cast a quick glance to Jack who still sat slumped against the wall, his head dropped awkwardly to the side, his eyes watching Daniel closely.

"Good boy!" exclaimed the demon. He dropped the tray he was carrying and hurried to Daniel's side ignoring the mess he'd just made. "You've done it, boy! What does it say?"

"Why don't you tell me?"

"Daniel."

Jack's warning tone caused the archeologist to dart a glance in his friend's direction.

Areszeus' eyes narrowed. "We both know what it says, don't we?" he replied. "Now finish it."

"No."

The demon reached out and grabbed Daniel behind the neck in a blur and yanked him close. "I said finish it."

"I won't."

"Leave him alone!" shouted Jack.

Areszeus smiled. "You're my ticket out of here, boy," he cooed. He lifted his free hand to gently brush back Daniel's hair from his forehead then he bestowed a kiss there. "I 'will' have my freedom."

Daniel struggled feebly against the demon's grip but to no avail. Areszeus lowered his lips from the young man's forehead then his eyes delved into Daniel's, into his very soul and the archeologist knew what was happening.

"Jack!"

"Call all you want for your friend, boy---he can't help you now."

The red eyes flared and Daniel's breath caught in his chest then his body went impossibly numb. He hung limply in the demon's grasp, unable to fight the cold that was enveloping him, unable to turn away from the eyes that held his.

"No."

Then his body exploded with blinding pain as Areszeus took his soul.

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CONTINUED

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