A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews and encouragement! I never really trust myself much with original characters (one of the reasons I write FF is so I can borrow nicely prepackaged characters) but I am so glad people seem to like Michael and the story!

It turned out that when Jack said "As far as we can go" he meant it literally.

Getting down the rock face had been none too easy an affair. Had it been any other situation Michael would have insisted they rest but no sooner were their feet on solid ground then they were double timing it through an unfamiliar forest and across mountainous terrain.

They had been going for hours. Their pace had slowed notably but they had not rested and Michael had to focus on breathing to fight the increasing light-headedness.

Not for the first time he watched his brother bullheadedly trek on ahead of him and wondered if Jack were some sort of super human with infinite energy reserves. It was just as he was contemplating swallowing his pride and asking for a break when the seemingly impervious Jack suddenly stumbled over his own feet and fell gracelessly to the ground.

Michael was barely fast enough but he managed to tug his shoulder enough to redirect Jack's fall and barely avoid what would have been a nasty collision with a rock.

With a groan Jack relaxed into his prone position. Michael dropped to his knees and helped him roll over. Jack's face was pale and dirt and leaves stuck to the sweat on his skin.

"Sorry." Was all he mumbled.

Michael shook his head, "Don't be stupid. Are you okay?" Concern had quickly replaced Michael's awareness of his own exhaustion and his eyes swept over Jack looking for anything obviously out of place.

Jack closed his eyes for a long moment before letting out a sharp huff of air and pushing himself up. "I'm fine." But Michael had his hand on his shoulder as he started to stand.

"Perhaps we should rest."

Jack brushed him off, "We're almost there. Then we can rest." He stood slowly and once again began moving forward, albeit gingerly. Michael took a deep breath and caught up with him within only a few steps.

"Where are we going exactly?" Michael asked after a few minutes.

Jack winced and Michael contemplated that perhaps the other man was so tired he struggled to speak and move at the same time. Still, Jack answered.

"Can't be more than half a klick. Lake. Saw it from the roof. We're close. Can't stop now."

Michael nodded and they continued their hike in silence.

When they finally made it to the clearing at the lake Michael nearly wept for joy. The last 100 feet had been difficult, Jack had stumbled and tripped with every step but Michael didn't have enough faith in his own strength to offer assistance.

They both dropped to their knees at the water's edge, cupping their hands and bringing the water to their parched mouths.

Jack sat back and surveyed the land. The clearing was only about 20 square feet and hardly even a clearing as it was dotted by trees. There was about a 3 foot high ridge of dirt embankment that ran most the perimeter and the ground they sat on was dry and soft. The lake was not large, a few acres at the most but it was clear and blue with a river flowing away on the far side.

"We stay here." Jack smirked at Michael's sigh of relief, "Rest up and then figure out which way to go. They didn't send search parties into the woods but it's only a matter of time. We should still set up watch."

Michael dried his hands on his pants and nodded.

Jack gestured to a mossy patch next to the embankment, "Sack out for a while. I'll wake you in a few hours."

"No." Michael's inner voice screamed at him for passing up an opportunity to sleep but he smothered that instinct, set on the right thing to do.

Jack's eyebrows rose, "What?"

It was the first time since their little posturing fight on the ship that Michael had disagreed with him.

Michael shook his head, "You are far more exhausted than I am. You sleep now, I'll take first watch."

Jack narrowed his eyes but Michael would not budge, "Jack, pure stubbornness and perseverance of will only gets you so far against physical reality. Could you even stand up right now without help?"

Jack looked away over the lake and then down to the ground before finally nodding, "Okay. You take first watch. Wake me after 2 hours."

"5." countered Michael.

"3."

"And a half."

Jack relented with a nod and a grumble. With Michael's help he stood and made his way over to the mossy area. With a final glance back he lowered himself to the ground, keeping his back to the wall. In less than a minute his breathing evened out and he was asleep.

Michael sighed with relief and promptly returned to the lake, dunking his head and hoping the cold water would be enough to stay awake and alert. As he whipped his head up his eye caught something in the sky over the lake that he hadn't noticed before during their wooded trek; the day shadows of two huge moons hanging low in the blue sky.

Michael slowly sat back on his heels, dredging his way through all of his knowledge and trying to rationalize what he might be seeing. He glanced back at Jack's sleeping form. Could the other O'Neill have been telling the truth?

It wasn't that he hadn't believed Jack...or that he hadn't acknowledged that their situation was indeed very strange...but Jack had told him about traveling to other planets after having lost a lot of blood and being prodded with that weapon stick. Plus he seemed like the type of guy who had a very dry sense of humor. Michael had just assumed Jack had spun the yarn to distract them both and to amuse himself.

But now, two moons...

But they were in a forest. It looked just like Earth!

He picked up some of the brown pine needles that covered the floor of the clearing. They weren't dry and brittle as he expected; they were soft, almost feathery. He looked around. He could see no oak, or maple, or birch trees. Instead he saw leaves and bark patterns that looked normal enough but not recognizable as any kind of tree species he could tell. Not that he was a botanist but he assumed a deciduous forest in North America should have at least some of the most common and recognizable trees.

He leaned back against a wide smooth trunk and reflected on what he thought he knew and began to sort out the questions he had for his mysterious older brother.