"You think you can defeat the Ori?" Adria said, eyes dancing with challenge.

"I know we can defeat the Ori," Cam said, holding his gun at his side, inching it slowly up. "We have proof that a weapon exists and will wipe out all of the Ori. And to top it off, we are close to getting it in everyone's hands."

Adria's eyes darted over the five of them. "You bluff."

"No, Adria, we really can destroy the Ori," Vala said, stepping beside me. I saw her eyes soften for a moment; destroying the Ori would mean destroying Adria also. "I don't want you to become lost to me, Adria. Please, stop this war and give up the powers and we can protect you."

Adria stepped closer; Daniel stepped closer as well. She seemed to think the offer over, weighing it against what she knew. Finally, almost touching Vala, Adria smiled.

"You want me to give this up? You want me to become a worthless, helpless, powerless… slob like you? I offer enlightenment, Mother. I alone am offering you a chance to see the galaxy and know what it is like to have true power. I know you had a taste when you were inhabited by the Goa'uld; I can give you that and more," Adria said, backing away once more, deeper into the cave. "That and more."

Vala shook her head and said softly, "No one here seeks to corrupt the galaxy except you."

Adria paused and smiled, a wide, wicked smile. "Then I have no competition and your destruction will come swiftly." With that, she turned and walked away, deeper into the cave.

Cam pulled Vala back as she started after her. "No, it's not worth it. We have reasoned with her all we can today. Next time. Next time we may have the weapon and show her she is wrong." Vala nodded weakly and let Cam lead her back to the cave mouth.

Daniel took a look down at the tunnel down which Adria had disappeared, finally turning to face me as we trailed after Teal'c. "I wish there was a way to rescue her; all of them obviously, but her especially."

I nodded and placed a hand on his arm, smoothing the wrinkles from his jacket. "I know, Daniel, I know."

He looked down at me, and I knew if we were not on a mission, trailing Teal'c, and off world, he would have kissed me. In that moment, I didn't care, but he was at least thinking and wrapped his arm around me and hugged me close. "Thank you."

We exited the cave and saw Vala nodding and wiping her eyes on the back of her sleeve, Cam patting her on her back. Teal'c cautiously surveyed the surrounding brush, sure that none of the village people had followed, but not as sure as to the Ori warriors. I felt Daniel pull his arm back and I glanced at him as he sheepishly smiled. One day I hoped to be able to walk around, everyone knowing that we had finally talked, and although the worlds "I love you" hadn't made it onto either one of our lips, it was there in everything we didn't say.

"Um, I think I forgot something," Daniel started, still looking at me. His eyes softened and he placed a hand on my arm. He looked past me for a moment, taking in each member and then returning to me. "I left my notebook back there. I – we can't have Adria find it. You all go ahead, I can catch up with you guys; it will not take long. I think I know exactly where I left it."

"It's almost sun down, Jackson," Cam said, looking over toward us. He sighed and nodded. "Hurry. The last thing I want is the enemy knowing about this stuff."

Daniel gave me one last squeeze on the shoulder and turned around and left. He went deeper into the cave. He did turn once to smile at me…

… His crystal blue eyes telling me everything I needed to know; telling me I could not follow him.

And now I couldn't even follow him down into the abyss we were about to face to find him. I woke up the next morning soaking wet with sweat and still trembling. I should have run into the cave and given him a hug; a kiss; voice the one thing we both needed to hear in the darkness.

"Oh Daniel," I sobbed into my blanket. "Oh how I love you. I love you so much. I guess you always knew that. But to say it … I just want to say it once, just once to you. Even if I never get to hold you again, I want you to know how much I love you."