Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and its characters belong to a bunch of folks who aren't me, darn it. I will return them undamaged when I am finished playing with them.

"Friday's child is loving and giving."

Previously in Friday's Child:

"Holy God," he breathed, "how did this happen? What have you done to Daniel?

Pt. 2

Mind Out Of Time

"Daniel … aniel … niel …"

Jack's voice echoed in his head as he found himself transported. His body was still there in the Gate room. If he really concentrated he could feel his physical self in some distant connection. But he, his awareness, whatever made him Jack O'Neill, had been taken elsewhere.

This shadowy, soft-focus Ascended Never-NeverLand was familiar. This was where Jack spent those last moments with Daniel. Here his friend had asked Jack to stop Jacob's efforts at healing, to let Daniel shuffle off the mortal coil and move on to glowier realms.

Crap.

Jack really didn't want to be back here.

"Jack O'Neill. I have not much time."

Oma was once again in schoolmarm mode. The impatience in her voice sent Jack right back to 5th grade and Sister Mary Immaculata, the scariest nun in the world.

Of course that brought out the smartass in him. "Geez, Oma, I thought being ascended meant you were above petty concerns like time. Seems like Danny-boy was right. The higher plane isn't all it's cracked up to be."

Oma sighed deeply. "I never could understand Daniel's attachment to you, Jack O'Neill. You seem the oddest of companions for so gentle a soul. Yet it was to you Daniel wished to come when Judgment was pronounced."

"What judgment? Whose judgment? C'mon, Oma, spill it. What happened to Daniel?"

"The Others happened, Jack O'Neill. They had been stalking Daniel since he intervened to save you from Ba'al. They were waiting for him to take the final step, to fall." Oma wrung her hands for a moment, then seemed to collect herself. "When he attempted to strike at Anubis, I stopped him. But it was too late. The Others had proof that Daniel would not, could not, remain aloof from humanity."

"How could 'THE OTHERS' ever think that he would? I thought you had to be enlightened to ascend, not blind stupid." Jack's exasperation seemed to press on the haziness of his surroundings, as though strong emotions disrupted the ascended plane.

"It was my fault. I should have seen that Daniel could not give up his connection to those he loved. But I had to try, Jack O'Neill. Surely you would not have preferred that Daniel had truly died." Oma looked and sounded more human in that moment than Jack had ever thought she could.

"Then you should have used your glowy powers to heal him, not take him away. That popsicle gal in Antarctica could have healed Daniel in a snap. And she hadn't even ascended yet."

"I have not the time to debate the ways of the Ancients with you, Jack O'Neill. You must accept that the Others have judged Daniel to be unworthy to continue on the ascended plane of being. And they would not allow him to be remade in his adult form. This was the only way to save Daniel from annihilation." Oma's gaze shifted pointedly at the small form in Jack's arms.

Jack looked down at the baby too. "Is there any of our Daniel left in there?" Jack heard the hint of yearning in his voice.

"Even I do not know if Daniel will ever regain any knowledge of his first lifetime. It as though this form was born in the moment that existence ended. But everything that was Daniel Jackson; his love of learning, his curiosity, his gentle nature, that is all there inside the child. It needs only time and nurturing to grow."

"Why aren't you keeping him like you did Shifu?"

"I have tasks, Jack O'Neill, obligations I have avoided for too long. Knowing Daniel has taught me that I can no longer shirk the responsibility for my errors."

"Take care of Daniel, Jack O'Neill. You shall not see me again."

With that Oma Desala's form shifted from human seeming to a bright orb of white energy. Jack found himself back in the Gate room, back in his body, holding a whimpering baby tight against his chest.

The Stargate still shimmered with the puddle of a wormhole to who knew where. Oma floated through it and the iris snapped shut behind her.

No, no go there. There bad. Don't like it. Come back. Come back NOW!!

Danny Jackson failed his arms and legs against the one who held him, trying to gain his attention, to call him back from the cold place. Panicked little sounds rose up his throat as the reassuring essence of The Man disappeared for an infinite moment. Danny felt alone again. He was afraid.

But before Danny could open his mouth to cry out, The Man was back and all felt safe and warm again. The Man cradled him close, his large hands flexing ever so lightly, calming Danny's frightened spirit.

The glowy lady was gone and she had sent The Man back to Danny.