And here we come to the climax...! But don't worry, this isn't the last chapter. :) I'll be back with more soon, a couple of days probably. So anyway, here you go. I hope you enjoy this chapter and please review and tell me your thoughts! Thnaks:)

Chapter 18

"Daniel, where are you…" Vala sobbed again. With her face pressed into the mattress, she didn't notice the flash of light beside her.

"I'm right here," a soft voice said.

Vala's head jerked up in surprise. Sniffing, she looked around in search of the origin of the voice, though she knew he couldn't be there. If he could have been there, he should have been there a long time ago, but…

"Daniel?" she gasped, gaping at the figure that now sat on the other side of the bed. Her heart jumped into her throat, and she couldn't decide whether to laugh, cry, or just grin stupidly. He was right across from her, very close but not close enough, and suddenly even though she knew she couldn't touch him she wished he was next to her.

He smiled softly. "Yeah, it's me. I'm sorry I took so long."

Slowly she sat up, wiping the tears from her face, eyes wide. "Daniel…thank goodness. Where have you been? We've missed you so much…"

Daniel face suddenly looked pained. "I know. I really am sorry…but they wouldn't let me talk to you. I really shouldn't even be here now. I don't have much time."

Vala gulped. "Can you help her?"

He nodded slowly. "I think so…I hope so."

Without thinking Vala reached out to him, but her hand only passed through his arm. She pulled her hand away quickly. "Sorry."

He gave her a smile. "Don't worry about it. Most likely it won't be that way much longer anyway. I'll probably get booted back to humanity again for this, but…" he shrugged. "Being this way isn't more important than she is," he said quietly, looking down at Janet. "Besides…I've missed you two…everyone. It would be good to be back if that happens."

"Daniel…"

He looked up again. "Wait. I'm sorry; I hope we can talk more later, but I have to do this before the others figure out I'm here and try to stop me…"

Vala sighed and nodded. "All right."

Daniel nodded in return, giving her the most encouraging smile he could muster. Silently he brought his hands to where one of Janet's lay on the bed beside him and covered it with his though he couldn't touch it. In his palms a soft light had begun to glow, and Vala watched in amazement as it grew.

Daniel's eyes closed. Okay guys, I need you now. Help me out here…And in his mind he heard his friends' voices. Vala couldn't see either of them, but Daniel knew they were there, holding onto him. He could feel the healing energy flowing into Janet; now if he could only have enough time for it to work…

But now the others knew. He felt their sudden anger just as easily as he had felt Vala's sorrow. He felt their pulls just as quickly. No! I have to do this! Let me save her! But they ignored him, and he felt him self swept back again. NO! Skaara! JACK!

"Daniel!" Vala cried, to some degree seeing what was happening, saw him swept back, but holding onto his place.

Daniel held on, and he felt Jack and Skaara holding on with him. But they wouldn't be able to forever. Just a little longer. We have to do this…The energy was spreading. Both he and Vala could already see the color returning to their daughter's cheeks, evidence of the contagion leaving her body…but it wasn't finished yet.

We've got you, Daniel, O'Neill's strained voice echoed in his mind. But by now the pull from either 'side' was painful, and Daniel couldn't stop himself from crying out.

"Daniel, what's wrong!" Vala asked desperately, now worried.

"They're trying to stop me!" he grated out.

"Hold on!" she gulped, wishing she could help him.

Daniel did, as hard as he could, but his hold was weakening. Just a few more seconds…Hold on, Janet; you'll be all right if I have anything to say about it. But it was beginning to seem as if he didn't. The others were pulling so hard, and Jack and Skaara were holding onto him just as tightly. Daniel screamed, but battled on.

By the time the light died down and he knew that he had succeeded, Vala's frightened voice in his ears was already fading, blending together with the other noises in the room, and his vision was darkening.

Wait…Ears? Vision? But then everything went black.

Vala gasped in surprise when the light died and Daniel collapsed. Instinctively she reached across the bed to his falling form…and caught him. Her mouth dropped open in surprise, but then she remembered what he had said. I'll probably get booted back to humanity for this…Gulping hard, she held onto him tightly. Daniel was back.

A soft groan from beside her shifted her attention from her unconscious husband to her unconscious daughter…who wasn't quiet so unconscious anymore. Vala watched, and a moment later Janet's eyes flickered open. She smiled and took her daughter's hand. Daniel had done it--all the monitors read normal lifesigns.

"Hey, sleepyhead…welcome back." It was the most normal thing in the world to say…but after what had just happened normal felt good. She had her family back, all of it, and Vala couldn't ever remember feeling happier.

Janet blinked. "Mom…?"

"It's me, Janet. I'm right here."

Slowly the girl sat up, rubbing her eyes. "What happened? I was sick…"

Vala nodded, grinning now. "I know, but you'll be fine now. Daddy was able to stop it."

"Daddy?" Janet asked in confusion. Then her eyes fell on the still form that lay in her mother's arms, pinning her own legs to the bed. "Dad!" She looked worriedly back up at Vala. "What happened? Is he okay?"

Vala nodded. "He should be soon. He just needs to wake up."

A flash of light beside the bed brought a gasp from both mother and daughter and the two looked up to find they were no longer alone. Two more figure now stood in the room, one in Abydonian robes like Daniel, and one in jeans and a t-shirt.

Jack O'Neill waved nonchalantly, grinning. "Hey…uh, got room for a couple more glow club drop-outs?

Vala's mouth dropped open. "W-what…? But you…"

"Uncle Jack!" Janet exclaimed excitedly, pulling her legs out from under Daniel and jumping of the bed. She ran to him and hugged him, not questioning how he'd gotten there.

O'Neill caught her and spun her around, laughing. "Hey, J-girl! You're okay!" He kissed the girl on the cheek, and once she had returned the gesture he set her down. Then she turned to the other man present.

"Who are you?" she asked curiously.

"This is Skaara." Jack introduced. "He's your uncle too."

"You are?"

Skaara nodded. "I suppose that I am, in a way. I am the brother of your father's first wife. O'Neill tells me you have been told of her."

Janet nodded now, and smiled at her newfound family member. "Uh huh, dad told me about Sha're. He told me about you, too."

"And he told me about you, as did O'Neill. I am glad to finally meet you," Skaara smiled, holding out a hand.

The girl only shook her head and rolled her eyes. "No, silly, if you're my uncle you get a hug." And with that she threw her arms around him. The Abydonian looked surprised for a moment, but then exchanged a grin with O'Neill and returned the embrace. Vala watched on, still supporting Daniel and smiling. She had heard about Skaara and Sha're as well.

By the time Janet let go of Skaara, the door to the isolation room had opened and the rest of SG-1 had barreled through the door in response to the commotion that had been coming from the room a few short moments before. But all three of them froze when they saw the spectacle before them.

Sam was the first to muster words. "Jack!" she cried, running to her husband and flinging her arms around his neck. O'Neill caught her and held on just as tightly as she was, tears gathering in his own eyes as she started to cry on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Sam," he gulped, apologizing quietly. "Skaara helped me out; I didn't die, but I couldn't tell you. They wouldn't let me…"

Sam pulled back. "You were ascended too?"

Jack shrugged and smiled. "Yeah, if you believe that. I didn't at first…"

Sam smiled, pulled his head down and kissed him. "It doesn't matter. You're back now."

"There's that," the retired general grinned.

Mitchell and Teal'c had made their way over to the bed, where Daniel was still unconscious in Vala's arms. "Jackson?" Cameron said incredulously, poking the unmoving archaeologist. He looked around at the now-well Janet, and the very much alive Jack O'Neill. "What the heck is going on here?"

Jack sighed. "Long story…"

The first thing Daniel Jackson noticed when consciousness returned was that his head hurt—which, of course, made him realized that he actually had a head. Groaning, he brought a hand up to his face to shield his eyes from the light that was already starting to pierce through his eyelids. Beside him, he heard and felt someone move, and that was when he recognized the sensation of a hand in his, the one he hadn't moved.

"Daniel?"

The voice belonged to Vala, and presumably the hand was hers as well. Slowly Daniel cracked his eyes open, and there she was sitting beside him. The only downside was that he was stuck in the infirmary once again. That meant he was mortal again, simply human. He'd thought he would care more, but he didn't. With his wife right beside him, suddenly he didn't miss being ascended anymore, even if he couldn't quite yet remember why he wasn't…

"Vala…?"

She smiled and squeezed his hand. "There you are. Are you all right?"

Daniel shrugged, smiling back at her. "Yeah…fine." Then, for some reason he noticed tears in her eyes.

Everything came back: Janet, the bully, the others, the problem, their solution…

"Janet!" he gasped. Daniel shot up into a sitting position and gripped her hand harder. "Is she okay…?"

Vala stood from her plastic chair and sat down on the bed beside him. "Shhh, it's all right, Daniel; she's fine. You saved her."

Daniel slumped and sighed, a small smile lighting his face. "Not by myself…"

"We know," Vala grinned. "Jack told us the whole story, so you don't have any explaining to do."

"Jack did…?"

The green curtain around the bed moved aside, and Jack O'Neill and Skaara stepped into the space.

"Hey," O'Neill waved.

Daniel blinked. "Jack! Skaara…" He looked back and forth between the two. "You got kicked out too?"

Skaara shrugged. "We did."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Yeah, they booted us back here too. It's not a huge deal though. Skaara can stay with Sam and me for now, and besides, Daniel-" he grinned. "I was only waiting around for you to come to your senses."

Daniel threw him an annoyed look. "Jaaack…"

O'Neill tossed his hands up. "Okay, okay, shutting up and going away now. Family reunion's not over. We'll catch you later."

With that, Jack and Skaara waved goodbye and retreated again, having only wanted to let their friend know they were okay. Daniel shook his head and smiled as they left, then started to turn back to Vala. He had barely moved at all before he found her arms wrapped tightly around him.

"I missed you so much," she gulped as he returned the tender embrace. "We didn't hear from you at all. I was afraid I'd never see you again, I was afraid our child would never know their father, I was--" she stopped abruptly and held onto him tighter. "I'm just so glad you're back."

"I glad to be back too," Daniel said softly. "I love you."

Vala kissed him on the cheek. "I love you too." Then Daniel eased back enough for his lips to find hers, and kissed her for the first time in nearly two months.

Just outside the infirmary, the two men crossed paths with Cassandra and Janet, who were on their way there. Cassie had already seen them, knew they were there and wasn't surprised, but was still happy to see them.

"Hey, just in time—Daniel just woke up," Jack commented. At the same time he pulled his adopted daughter into a bear hug that she cheerfully submitted to, hugging back just as tightly.

"Hi Uncle Jack, hi Uncle Skaara," Janet greeted them as O'Neill let go of her escort.

"Hey," Jack smiled in return. "Your dad's awake, and your mom's in there. How about you go see them while we steal Cassie here for a little while?"

Cassandra giggled. "Daaad."

O'Neill frowned. "Funny, you don't even call me Jack but I still can't get away from the annoyed drawn-out a's…" he complained good-naturedly.

Janet laughed. "Okay. See you later, guys," she said in farewell, and then skipped away from them into the infirmary. Inside, she found her mother sitting on the edge of her father's bed, just pulling away as she came around the curtain. But her eyes went instead to Daniel.

"Dad!" she cried happily, jumping up onto the bed in joy and launching herself at him before either adult knew what was happening.

"J-Janet!" Daniel gasped in surprise. For a moment he froze, stunned while Vala grinned, but then hugged her tightly as tears started to gather in his eyes. "Janet! Thank goodness; I was so worried…" He kissed her cheek, and her hair, and her forehead, and her other cheek…just so happy that she was all right. And before he could stop them the tears started to fall. "I love you…both of you," he cried. "I'm sorry. I never should have left…"

Janet kissed his cheek. Still holding onto him. "It's okay, daddy; it wasn't your fault. Mom told me what happened…We missed you, but you're back now. I love you too."

Vala put her arms around both of them, forming a family group hug that Daniel suddenly wished would never end. After the weeks of having no tactile contact at all for comfort, it was the one thing he needed more than anything else.

"She's right, Daniel," Vala said quietly, gently stroking his hair back. "There's nothing to blame yourself for. You're back now, and that's all that matters. We love you…"

"Thank you…" Daniel gulping, embracing both of them. "I love you too--so much."