Okay, new chapter finally! Sorry, was busy all weekend. And yes, this one is short but they will get longer again, sorry...Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and please review and tell me what you think! Thanks!

Chapter 13

"Jack!" Daniel exclaimed. Almost before he knew what he was doing he found himself hugging his friend tightly. The happiness that all of his friends and family were safe was overwhelming, but he blinked back the tears that sprung to his eyes. One thing he was not going to do was cry here. "Gosh, Jack we thought you were dead…"

O'Neill grinned and returned the embrace. "Yeah, well, you know me…almost as hard to get rid of as you. The others are okay, right?"

Daniel stepped back again and stared at him, still dumbstruck. "They're fine, but…I don't understand. How…?"

"Skaara here helped me out. I guess you guys just couldn't see the whole glow thing 'cause I kinda got disintegrated and all."

Jackson nodded in winder. "Right. I guess that makes sense…"

O'Neill clapped his friend on the back. "Come on, Daniel, you offered to help me ascend once. You thought I could do it. Why are you so surprised?"

Daniel smiled and shook his head. "I'm sorry. I guess even then it seemed a little strange to think of you like…" he gestured vaguely. "-this."

"Good point," Jack conceded. "But anyway, we should get going."

"Going?"

"Yes, Daniel--going. This has been a lot of fun, but we still have lives in the real world."

Daniel's smile faded. So Jack didn't understand yet. Of course he wouldn't. He was new. He wasn't attuned yet, didn't know what had happened on that Ori ship, or what Daniel had told the others.

"Daniel? Something wrong?"

Jackson shook his head and sighed. "I can't go back."

"What are talking about?" O'Neill questioned. "We can't stay here, Daniel; we have families."

"I know that, Jack…and they know." Carefully he explained to O'Neill what he had told their friends. "So…I'll help you get back, but I can't come with you…I'm sorry," he finished quietly.

Jack just stared at him for a moment, a bit stunned. "Daniel…" Before he could get any farther the door to the 'diner' banged open angrily.

"Daniel Jackson!" a loud voice called across the room. Every eye in the room turned to the entrance, where an entourage of ascended beings stood; the man at the front had spoken.

"Friends of yours?" O'Neill asked, raising an eyebrow.

Daniel shook his head minutely, though somehow he knew that he did know this man, or had in the past, and that he was not very well liked by him. He remembered that the ascended being that stood before him now was one of much respect and status among the ascended, and he had been one of those quick to condemn him for his actions in helping his friends--even the small ones that had not 'specifically' broken the rules. But he had broken every rule in the book this time, and now this man was here to bring the verdict; he could feel it. He knew it, and it almost made him shiver.

When he knew he had Daniel's attention the man and those with him crossed the diner to where Jackson, O'Neill, and Skaara stood.

"Problem?" Jack asked.

"Stay out of this," the man ordered. "He knows why I'm here, and it doesn't concern you."

Yeah, I know all right…

"Daniel?"

"Listen to him, Jack," Daniel advised calmly. O'Neill grumbled in response and backed away a step or two at Skaara's urging. Then the man's attention was focused solely on Daniel.

"You really went too far this time, Jackson," he accused. "That was too darn sneaky, slinking off and breaking the rules as soon as you were one of us again, thinking it would get by us. I don't think so. You're in big trouble this time."

"What are you going to do? Kick me out again? Didn't really help much last time."

"No," the man grated. "But we're not going to lenient anymore. That's over. No interference, whatsoever. No appearing to anyone you know for any reason--none, and no giving anyone any ideas. We don't care where you go as long as no one mortal knows you're there and you stay out of our way. Understood?"

Daniel only glared at him.

"Is that understood, Jackson?" he demanded more forcefully.

Daniel huffed angrily, "Fine."

Then, satisfied, their visitor and his entourage disappeared in a flash of light, a show unnecessary when already on this plane.

When they were gone Daniel sighed and sank wearily onto an empty stool at the bar beside him, glad that the encounter was over. Jack sighed in response and sat down beside him. His friend suddenly looked dejected, hunched over the counter with his head in his hands. Silently he fetched another cup of coffee for Daniel and then sat down beside him again, handing it to him. The newly re-ascended being took it gratefully and immediately started to sip it; when one was on a higher plane of existence you didn't have to worry about the temperature of a drink that wasn't really there in that sense in the first place.

"So…what was that all about?" Jack asked.

"Just what he said," Skaara supplied, from his set on the other side of Jackson.

Daniel nodded. "I was right; I'm going to be on a short leash for a while."

"Meaning…?"

"Meaning you should just go back. I'll be fine. I won't be able to interact with any of you until, well…but then again I didn't really expect to be able to do much of that anyway. I'll still be able to check on all of you, make sure you're all okay. It's not so bad, really." The last part was a lie. It was so bad. He'd thought he would be able to handle it if they wouldn't allow him to talk to his family and friends, interact with them on any level because of what he'd done…but having someone tell him what his punishment would be to his face made it only that much worse.

"But what about us? We wouldn't be able to see you. Maybe you would be okay with that, but what about us?"

Daniel shook his head. "I don't know, Jack. I just know I can't go back--not this time. I would never have another chance."

"He didn't say that."

"But I could feel it. He was telling me that, too. You wouldn't understand; you haven't been here long enough."

Helplessly Jack looked to Skaara for assistance, but the young man only nodded. "He is right, O'Neill," he answered, somewhat sadly. So Jack fell silent and thought for a moment. It didn't take long to come to a decision.

"Fine then. If you're staying, I'm staying."

Daniel looked up, eyebrows rising. "What? No, Jack. You haven't caused any trouble. If you go back you can come here again, probably without any trouble. You should go. I know Sam was really upset. I mean, who wouldn't be? She thinks you're dead."

Jack sighed. "I know, but I mean, I can least let her know I'm okay, can't I?"

"Well…I guess, as long as you're careful. But you should really just go back, Jack. I'll be fine…"

"Ah! None of that, Daniel. I'm not changing my mind. Either we both stay, or we both go. I'm not just leaving you here."

"I have friends here, Jack. Everyone from Abydos is here. I wouldn't be alone," Jackson pressed.

"I know that, but we're in this together remember?" O'Neill insisted.

"Jack…"

"Daniel."

The two stared at each other as Skaara watched on in mild amusement. Finally Daniel realized that his friend's loyalty was not going to be shaken, and sighed.

"Besides," Jack added. "With me here, you have a communication outlet. While the others are bust watching you like a hawk, I can sneak around and do some reconnaissance on how everybody back on the mortal plane is doing. What do you say?"

Daniel gave a small smile. "Maybe…"

General Landry and the families of SG-1 were waiting for them when the four remaining beamed down into the briefing room.

Immediately the two five-year-old Mitchells gave a squeal of "Daddy!" and ran to him. He smiled and bent to embrace each of them. Janet broke from Cassandra and went straight into her mother's arms, and Carolyn into her husband's once he had given both children a hug. Cassie went to embrace her second adopted mother, and General Landry stood by, not wanting to get in the way of any of it. Teal'c stood with him, silently observing.

"Where's Uncle Daniel?" Tiffany asked suddenly.

"And Uncle Jack!" Zach added.

The children's comments shattered loudly over the room, breaking the spell of happy reunions. The word of what had happened had been forwarded to Stargate Command, and Landry had had the unhappy duty of informing all of them. They knew that Jack and Daniel were gone, but when it was spoken aloud so innocently it left them all feeling even more despairing.

Sam started to cry again, and Cassie tried to comfort her. Cameron and Carolyn held onto each other more tightly. Janet choked back a tearless sob.

"I-I hoped that maybe it was a dream…" the girl trailed.

Vala swallowed hard and pushed her daughter's hair from her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I saw dad night before last…He-he said that something happened and he had to go. I hoped it was a dream, but it wasn't, was it?"

Vala shook her head weakly and pulled Janet back into her arms, blinking back tears. The little girl clung tightly to her mother, numb.

General Landry sighed heavily and turned to Teal'c. "I'm glad that our galaxy is safe again; you all did a good job, but…I'm just sorry it had to end this way," he said quietly.

The jaffa nodded sadly. "As am I. But Jack O'Neill and Daniel Jackson will be remembered with honor."

Hank nodded back in agreement, missing his friends. "I suppose you'll want some leave time to visit your own family."

"Indeed."

"How are Riak and his family doing, anyway? How many grandchildren do you have now?"

"They are all well. I have two grandchildren to date, but the third will arrive shortly."

"Right. That's right," Landry said, now remembering. With so many under his command, at times it was difficult to remember details about all of them, even those closest to him. The SGC had grown since his first years in command of the top-secret base.

But it had just shrunk by the size of two of its most important members.