I'm going to have to admit, much to the delight of a not-so recent flamer, I did take a hiatus from writing this, which is sad really. Actually, what's sad is rudeness. Constructive is cool; rudeness, not so much. So, whoever you are, I hope your self esteem got a little boost from trying to ruin someone else's. My writing isn't perfect – far from it – but I enjoy the process, and I enjoy reading others' work and feedback. If you don't like it, you know where the off button is. Courtesy is a two-way street.

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SG-1, including Danny, were in their places around the briefing room table, the youngest member appearing a little pale from his previous exertions but determined nonetheless. Hammond sat at the head of the table, yet again swamped in something he could barely get to grips with. An SF stood cautiously against the wall behind Danny as Frasier and Sam flanked their young friend, while Jack casually slouched in a chair opposite, and Teal'c looked straight at Danny, the smallest amount of concern showing on his face.

Sam glanced at Danny and then looked towards her senior officers. Danny wasn't going to like what she had to say but there was no other way. She spoke, masking her anxiety, "Sirs, from Daniel's research, we've established that there is a seven day gap between abductions; give or take a number of hours. The hours aren't sufficiently consistent to derive a hypothesis, but tonight is seven days since…" She appeared momentarily helpless as she struggled to find the words. "… um, this."

Danny, despite his poorly state, shot her a glare as she tried to avoid his gaze. He said abruptly, looking around at the rest of the team, "I know you don't think I'm me, but I'm definitely me. I don't like where this is headed."

Jack looked as though he was about to say something but, for once, thought better of it as Teal'c spoke, drawing everyone's attention to him, "DanielJackson, this is the only means by which we can apprehend the orchestrator of this phenomenon."

Jack remarked with a brief smirk, "Orchestrator. I love it." He looked to Danny as Hammond shot the Colonel a look. "Teal'c's right. If they're doing it weekly, tonight's the night." Before Danny could object, Jack raised a hand and said, "Hey, I don't like it any more than you do."

Danny retorted angrily, "So me dying doesn't factor into any of this?!" Still angry, he continued quietly, throwing his hands down onto his thighs, "But you don't care as long as you get him back."

Sam said, letting herself show sadness, "We… we don't know what to do, Daniel. This is the only option on the table right now."

Teal'c added, "Perhaps the Asgard responsible can correct his mistake."

Jack said, looking serious, "Take a 9-mil and shoot the bastard." Hammond glared at Jack reprovingly, and the Colonel, frustrated, said, "What? He's supposed to send flowers? He doesn't know what he's walking into."

Danny sighed, seemingly resigned to whatever his friends felt was their only choice. He couldn't come up with a solution, and it must be serious if Sam couldn't either. She was usually his go-to when things got too squirrelly for him. Squirrelly. He was starting to sound more and more like Jack with each passing day. He was far from the young, idealistic man who went to Abydos all those years ago. Hell, if they were right, he wasn't that man in the slightest.

The younger man pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, the gesture very familiar to everyone present, including that same SF who had once crossed the archaeologist. He groaned before saying in a measured tone, "Profanity aside, you know he's right, General. I'm going to need something to defend myself with should I need it. We assume it's the Asgard, but it could be anyone."

Hammond looked at Danny and, not for the first time, tried to recall why he took this assignment. Just as he got used to things being weird, something even weirder would come along. After seven years of being in charge of the Mountain, this was a little much. Observing Danny's weakening form, Hammond said softly with a nod, "Son, you can take a zat."

Danny looked at the General and nodded before lowering his gaze to his hands. Of course, he hadn't forgotten that he was dying – it was hard to forget that small detail – but he felt as though he was getting closer to the end… again. This time, there was no Oma to ascend him to wherever he had been before they had found him a couple of months ago. Hopefully the Asgard or whoever could fix him, stop the damage to his DNA, but what life would he have if his real self was out there?

0o0o0o0o0o0

Later that night, Carter stood on the other side of her car as she kept watch over Daniel's house, as she held a radio handset. Jack and Teal'c stood further along the street next to Jack's car as they too kept watch. The three of them, with varying expressions of concern according to their battle hardiness and previous emotional trauma, waited, hoping that their plan would work. Jack glanced at where Carter was and corrected himself: Carter's plan. Another week, another drama, he thought. At least he wasn't imprisoned off world or being tortured for once. He idly wondered if Ba'al or Anubis would take requests.

After ear-wigging some of that supposedly razor sharp wit on the radio when Carter wanted to make sure that Danny was all clear with the plan, Jack rolled his eyes for the first time that he could remember. Yeesh. Fifteen or forty, the guy was an ass when he was pissed. He admitted to himself that it would be nice to banter with the forty year old again; it was creepy with this guy. Creepier, he thought, was what was going on with Daniel and Carter. He knew he had to have the talk eventually, but he didn't want to; he didn't want to break up his team. Teal'c pulling a Hershey out of his pocket distracted him from his sombre thoughts when a sudden flash of light from Daniel's house made him forget that all together.

The three of them sprinted into the house, Carter of course faster with her younger knees. Musings of articular condition gave way to a 'WTF' moment; the latest in a long line and likely not the last. There was Daniel; this time he wasn't in some weird robes. Whether he still had his memory was another thing. Carter shook him awake; it took a little while but attaboy.

Sam's heart leapt into her throat on seeing Daniel – her Daniel – lying in a prone position on his bed, his bedside lamp still on. She shook him awake, silently praying to some higher power or deity she had long neglected. She breathed a silent sigh of relief when he stirred and then turned over to squint at them. She smirked briefly, concern quickly overriding any dark mirth to emerge from this situation.

"Uh… guys?" A confused Daniel sat up and looked around the room and at his friends. "Is this real?"

Jack retorted, appearing disturbed, "I don't wanna know if me and Teal'c are in your dreams." He looked towards Carter, dragging her frozen ass back to the mission. "Carter?"

Sam met Daniel's gaze, saying with her eyes what she couldn't express in words; especially in front of her commanding officer. Reluctantly looking away from him, she looked back at the Colonel. She said, a weary sort of hopefulness on her face, "Any minute now Sir."

Daniel now sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed his eyes groggily. He then said, his voice heavy with tiredness, "Still don't know what's going on here." He ran a hand through his hair and then reached for his glasses, putting them on. "I had the weirdest dream; I was floating on some kind of a ship and…"

Jack raised a hand and said, "Daniel… Carter will explain everything." Carter shot him a dirty look, or as dirty as she could muster towards her superior officer. Jack was about to say something – what, he wasn't sure; it may have been witty or it may have been cheesy, but it was forgotten as he felt that familiar cold tingling of Asgard beaming technology. Just as well, he thought, as his body was converted from matter into energy, it wouldn't have been appreciated anyway. He was lost on these people.