'He's asking to stay, isn't he?' Jack read the expression on Hammond's face before the General even spoke. Jack threw his pencil down on the folder in front of him and leaned back in the briefing room chair, his hands going behind his head. There was an uncomfortable silence around the briefing table as the members of SG1 absorbed Jack's words.

'It's been four days, Colonel.' Hammond pointed out. His head seemed pinker than usual as though he'd caught the sun on his bald pate. 'And from what I understand, he isn't showing any signs of the entropic cascade failure.' He turned to the petite doctor sat to his right. 'Doctor?'

'Doctor Jackson is showing no signs of the condition Doctor Carter experienced when she was here.' Janet confirmed. Her hands were clasped atop the gleaming table top, the fingers almost white with tension. 'He's also mostly recovered from his injuries.' She continued. 'Apart from a few bruises that are still healing, he's ready to be discharged from the infirmary.'

Hammond looked over at the colonel who was staring resolutely at the ceiling. 'I've been authorised to offer Doctor Jackson a position within this command.' His words dropped like a rock into the silence.

Jonas leaned across the table and held his hand up slightly. Hammond nodded at him to speak.

'If Doctor Jackson is rejoining SG1 then I'd like to request my own office and if possible the opportunity to join another SG team…'

'No.' Jack shot the word across the table.

Jonas's face fell unable to hide his hurt.

'You're not leaving SG1.' Jack clarified. His hard gaze zeroed in on Hammond's daring him to challenge the edict and he missed Jonas's pleased smile at the Colonel's decision.

'I agree.' Hammond replied and gestured at Jonas. 'The decision about Doctor Jackson will not affect your own position here, son.'

'I don't mind if he wants his office back.' Jonas offered generously, his relief at being able to stay on SG1 evident.

'It's not his office.' Jack countered.

'If he remains with us, he'll be assigned another office space.' Hammond confirmed.

'If?' Jack jumped on the word.

Hammond ignored him and looked over at Sam and Teal'c who had both remained silent. 'What are your thoughts? Major Carter, you've spent the most time with him.'

Sam shuffled uncomfortably. She couldn't help remembering Teal'c's warning to be cautious. 'He's certainly as knowledgeable as our Daniel, sir.' She said carefully as she avoided the Colonel's gaze.

Jack looked down at the table. He still felt pole-axed by the news that Daniel had married her in the other universe, and he had resolutely decided never to discuss the subject with Sam directly. As far as he was concerned, their Daniel didn't feel that way about Sam, just as Sam didn't feel that way about their Daniel, he assured himself. They loved each other, of course, but as friends; brother and sister even. He was certain of it.

But he couldn't deny that there was a nagging doubt; couldn't help wondering whether he had missed something between the woman he loved and his best friend. His chocolate eyes landed back on Sam. She'd certainly spent a lot of time in the infirmary; he had pretty much ignored the other man since their initial conversation.

'I think we should also consider that this is a second chance for him. He lost everyone he knew in his universe.' Sam's eyes briefly flickered away from Hammond to Jack and back.

Jack dropped his own gaze again and ignored the twinge of compassion her statement provoked. He shook himself and realised Hammond had moved on, thanking Sam for her contribution and inviting their Jaffa team mate to speak.

Teal'c folded his hands over his stomach. 'I do not believe it would be wise to offer Doctor Jackson a position here.'

'Why not?' Sam asked bluntly. She realised she'd spoken without asking for permission and flushed brightly. 'Sorry, sir.'

Hammond motioned at Teal'c. 'It's a valid question, Teal'c.'

'I believe he is withholding information from us.' Teal'c stated calmly.

'Such as?' Hammond prompted.

Teal'c's eyebrow rose. 'I do not know. He is withholding it.'

Jack's eyes lifted to Sam's and they briefly shared a moment's amusement at the Jaffa's literal answer. The tense atmosphere around the table eased a little.

'Do you have anything other than a feeling on this, Teal'c?' Hammond pressed, his pale blue eyes pinned to the Jaffa's serious face.

Teal'c breathed in deeply. 'I do not.'

'There is the matter of the Unas.' Jonas jumped in swiftly. 'Despite Doctor Jackson's statement that he was attacked by them, we weren't able to corroborate any evidence that there are Unas on P1X465.'

'He was definitely beaten up by somebody.' Janet pointed out. 'I can say with absolute certainty that he didn't do it to himself.'

'Sure,' Jonas agreed, 'but that doesn't mean there are Unas on our P1X465.'

'He hasn't lied about it though.' Sam pointed out. 'He's simply provided incomplete information.'

'I agree.' Hammond said.

Jack felt his heart sink. He didn't want the archaeologist to remain with them; he wanted him gone and he had to admit a lot of that feeling was personally motivated.

'And so does the Pentagon.' Hammond said formally.

'Sir?' Jack frowned in confusion at the apparent change in topic.

'The Pentagon has read the reports and concluded that as there no definitive evidence from our own surveys that the Unas inhabit the planet.' Hammond expanded.

'They want the naquadah.' Jack concluded, shaking his head again.

'P1X465 shows one of the highest levels of naquadah we've come across.' Hammond confirmed. 'The Pentagon isn't prepared to rule the planet out of bounds on information from a Doctor Jackson who isn't even from our universe.' He took a breath. 'They note his own recollection of events would suggest the Unas only existed on the P1X465 in his universe. The Pentagon has authorised a scouting mission.' The General nodded at Jack. 'Colonel, you and SG1 will return there tomorrow. Your mission is to confirm or rule out the presence of indigenous Unas.'

'Sir, even if the Unas aren't indigenous to our universe,' Sam interjected, 'if the rift between our universes remains open, it may be possible for the Unas to cross over.'

'Now, there's a thought.' Jack pointed at her with the pencil he had picked up. 'I request we take SG3 as back up.'

'Granted, and given the concern Major Carter has raised, I also want you to secure the rift from further travellers from the alternate universe.' Hammond added.

'Yes, sir.' Jack acknowledged his orders crisply.

'Which brings us back to the issue of Doctor Jackson.' Hammond looked around the table. 'Given we are returning to P1X465, I'm going to offer him the opportunity to return to his own universe.'

Jack's head whipped around to Hammond in astonishment. That was so not the result he had expected.

'Sir?' Janet asked. Her shock was evident in the single word.

'While I have no doubt that Doctor Jackson would make a valuable addition to the SGC just as his own counterpart did during his time here,' Hammond explained, 'I'm not convinced that this is the right place for him.'

Jack looked down briefly remembering Hammond's discomfort at including an alternate Carter and Kawalsky during the brief time they had come through the quantum mirror.

Hammond gestured at the Colonel. 'Can you get Doctor Jackson safely back to his own universe?'

'Yes, sir.' Jack responded immediately, feeling a weight he hadn't been aware he was carrying, lift from his shoulders.

'There are still Unas in his universe.' Jonas pointed out. 'If we simply take him back, he may be attacked again on his side of the rift.'

'So, we take him back; help him fight off the Unas until he can gate safely back to Earth and then come home ourselves.' Jack replied simply. 'We should survive a few hours of the alternate universe without any ill effects.'

'Agreed. You'll leave at oh-eight-hundred tomorrow, Colonel.' Hammond said. He stood up. 'I'll leave you to inform Doctor Jackson.' He was gone before Jack could protest.

'I could inform him if you prefer, sir.' Sam offered as they all stood up and made to leave the briefing room.

'That's OK, Major.' Jack said evenly. 'I'll handle it. I need you to go over the survey data with Jonas. See if he and Teal'c missed anything.'

'Yes, sir.' Sam nodded at the order.

Jack made his way to the infirmary alone. He headed straight for the small recovery ward where their guest had been moved. His eyes immediately went to the other man.

Daniel was propped up on a mountain of pillows. He was dressed in plain blue cotton pyjamas, his knees bent to balance the book he was reading. For a brief moment, Jack wished that it was their Daniel who was in the infirmary; their Daniel reading and pushing up his glasses as though he had never left; their Daniel alive and well and with them again. But it wasn't. He wasn't aware the sigh had left his lips until Daniel's head jerked up.

'Jack.' Daniel closed the book and set it aside.

Jack walked over and hovered by the bed. He shoved his hands into his pants' pockets. 'Doctor Jackson.'

'You could call me Daniel.' Daniel retorted.

'I could.' Jack agreed easily.

'But you won't.' Daniel gave a short humourless laugh. 'You're very like him, my Jack, I mean.'

Jack shrugged and cleared his throat. 'I came to tell you we're taking you home tomorrow.'

'Home?' Daniel stuttered, his eyes widening in surprise behind his glasses. 'What about the Unas?'

'We're taking SG3 with us.' Jack informed him briskly. 'We'll clear a way to the gate for you and you can gate back to your SGC.'

Daniel shifted on the bed, wrapping his arms around his torso in a gesture so familiar to Jack, his heart seized for a second. 'I requested to stay here.'

'Hammond's decision.' Jack shot back, ignoring the forlorn note in the other man's voice.

Daniel's lips twisted in disbelief. 'Really.'

'Really.' Jack said.

'Why risk everyone to send me back? I don't have anyone there, Jack,' Daniel said earnestly, 'and you don't have a Daniel here.'

'He's here.' Jack retorted. 'He's just not here.'

'Well, that made sense.' Daniel said dryly.

'You know what I meant.' Jack responded defensively.

'I did.' Daniel pointed out. 'Shouldn't that tell you something?'

That stumped Jack for a moment.

'You do realise the Unas might have crossed the rift with me?' Daniel pointed out passionately.

Jack's eyes narrowed. 'Did they?'

Daniel dropped his gaze. 'I told you I was unconscious.'

'Yes. You did tell me.' Jack said softly. 'It doesn't matter,' he said, addressing the original question, 'the Pentagon's keen not to rule the planet out…'

'The naquadah.' Daniel interrupted in sudden realisation.

'The naquadah,' Jack confirmed, 'and as Hammond believes everyone should really stick with their own universe…'

'I'm being sent back.' Daniel concluded bitterly. 'Lucky me.'

'Look, this has got to be as weird for you as it is for us.' Jack said briskly.

'Sam seems to be handling it OK.'

Jack tensed. 'Sam misses Daniel.'

'This is what this is all about, isn't it?' Daniel said suddenly. 'You're worried she might fall for me so you're shipping me away?'

'I told you; it was Hammond's decision.' Jack kept his voice even but his eyes hardened.

'You're unbelievable.' Daniel snapped. 'You can't have her so nobody else can either.'

'I'm not discussing this with you. We ship out at oh-eight-hundred.' Jack turned away, intending to leave.

'I could make her happy, Jack.'

He halted mid-step. 'She doesn't see Daniel that way.' Jack said, unable to stop himself.

'Are you so sure of that?' Daniel retorted. 'Has she told you how we got together in my universe?'

'I don't want to know.' Jack said, beginning to walk again.

'You rejected her.' Daniel said forcefully.

Jack stopped again but refused to turn around.

'We'd found you on Edora obviously involved with another woman despite supposedly being in love with Sam,' Daniel said harshly.

A muscle clenched in Jack's jaw and he felt his hands curling into fists.

'And then you pushed us both away doing your scam to get the rogues, and she came straight to me.' Daniel continued ruthlessly. 'You never were there for her when she needed you. I was.'

Jack turned around slowly. 'What happened with you and your Sam would never happen here.'

'You so sure of that?' Daniel taunted. 'You're very like my Jack; are you sure you just didn't push that bit too hard when you were pushing them away?' he shook his head. 'You know Sam and I chalked that night up to just the need to be with someone and we would have probably moved on, stayed just as friends, but she ended up pregnant. Maybe your Sam didn't.' He saw the shock flash across Jack's face.

'You have a kid?' Jack asked, shocked.

'She lost it. But even after, despite everything, we were happy.' Daniel said fiercely. 'I made her happy in a way you never could.' He paused significantly. 'Or can.'

It wasn't an idle threat, Jack realised. The Daniel Jackson sitting in front of him fully intended to pursue Sam, had pursued Sam, beyond friendship despite evidently knowing how Jack felt about her. 'You really hate me, don't you?' Jack realised out loud.

'You killed her.' Daniel said simply.

Jack had no reply to that. He turned and walked away. The next day's mission couldn't come soon enough for him.