Title: Shadow Play
Author: Cindy Ryan
Notes and summary: See part one

"How's he doin'?"

Elizabeth looked up at John's voice and shook her head sadly. "Not good. New wounds keep appearing."

John took in the gash along Dean's throat, the scratches on the younger man's face and the nasty red mark that could only be a burn on his right arm.

"When did this start?"

Elizabeth stood. "About an hour ago."

John did a double take at Elizabeth. "So whatever he's going through there is showing up here?"

Weir nodded grimly.

Sheppard let out a low whistle as he looked back at Dean's still form. "Freaky."

As they watched, another long cut appeared across Dean's chest just below the collar bone. It blazed an angry red and then faded to a brown scar.

"Freaky." John repeated in an awed tone. "How much more can he take?"

"Not much," Elizabeth replied sadly. "Sam and Daniel are working on it but I don't know if they have enough time."

As they waited for the video feed to come through, Sam shuffled from one foot to the other. For this plan to work, he had to get Daniel to listen.

"Dr. Jackson…."

"Daniel."

Sam smiled briefly. "Daniel, there's one more thing with the plan and I need you to listen before you react."

The cold knot returned as Daniel spoke. "I was right before wasn't I? You're not planning on living through this."

Sam nodded.

Daniel shook his head fiercely. "We'll find another way, Sam."

"You promised you'd listen."

Daniel sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"In order for this to work I have to completely fool the demon."

Daniel's eyes narrowed. "You're going to do an end run. Kill yourself before it can."

Sam nodded. "I'm going to need everyone's help. If I'm right… there are ways here to preserve people…"

"Stasis chambers, but Sam, they just freeze you. When we take you out, we'll still just have modern medicine to revive you… there's no guarantee."

Sam shook his head ruefully. "I shouldn't be here, Daniel. I'm already dead... saving my brother is the only thing that matters. Without him, I have no life."

The intercom beeped and Sam, who was closest, hit the button.

"Dr. Jackson, feed is coming through now."

"Thank you," Daniel replied and Sam turned the intercom off.

The small screen flickered twice before the SGC logo appeared and then phased to Sam's smiling face.

"Daniel, good to see you."

Daniel returned her smile. "You too, Sam."

Sam's gaze flickered to the youngest Winchester. "Should he be here?"

Daniel nodded. "I trust him, so does Weir and Sheppard."

"Good enough for me," Carter replied.

"Sorry," Daniel apologized, realizing they hadn't been formally introduced. "Sam Winchester, meet Colonel Samantha Carter, astrophysist and member of SG-1. Saved my life many times over."

Despite everything, Sam grinned. The friendship between Daniel and Samantha Carter was contagious.

"Nice to meet you, Colonel."

Sam nodded. "You too."

Daniel leaned forward. "So what'd you find?"

"Cam stumbled across the device's diagnostic log."

Daniel winced. "Do I want to know how he did?"

Carter grinned. "No."

"Figured as much."

"Anyway, once I ran the log, we discovered that it wasn't a portable gate but closer to a distress beacon on a ship. Touch it and you're back home. Well home to the Ancients anyway."

"Amazing," Daniel replied quietly.

"Daniel, I'm going to see if Landry will allow Cam and I to go back to Maine. I'm dying to know what the power source is."

"Keep me posted if you find anything," Daniel urged.

Sam nodded, her gaze moving between the youngest Winchester and Daniel and back again.

"Will do… let us know if you need anything."

"I will. See you in a couple weeks."

"Bye," Sam replied just as the screen flickered and phased back to the SGC logo.

"So this plan of yours," Daniel began after a moment of silence. "If I read that spell right it looks like it takes two to perform it. If you're otherwise engaged who else is…."

Sam smiled ruefully. "I was hoping Colonel Sheppard."

Daniel laughed. "Oh, I can't wait to hear that conversation."

Sam's hope faltered. "You don't think he'll help?"

Daniel shook his head. "He will... it'll just take some convincing that this is the right thing. He's too much of the 'protect and serve' type."