NOTE:

Hello! I made this note for four reasons.

One: to put a disclaimer in (I don't own anything).

Two: to warn about a few minor cuss words in this chapter (nothing big, I promise).

Three: to apologize for my bad writing (I've been kind of off lately)

Four: to warn you about this fluffy filler chapter (sorry, I had to do it at some point)

Hope you enjoy!

I woke up. This was actually a bigger accomplishment then it sounds like, considering my head felt like it had a nail in it. Maybe it did, wouldn't be the first time. I reached up to check, but, to my disappointment, found that I couldn't. Glancing down, I spotted the intricate weaving of wire around my hands and feet. What… I gasped as a barrage of memories hit me. Finding Teal'c, Jack, Eytan, and Martouf. The two SF's. The battle, and being shot from behind, along with Jack. Jack. My mind strayed to our… issues. What was his problem? I mean, he was just being an ass. Plain and simple. Jack the ass. And while it was sort of poetic and funny, it was true.

Where the hell is he anyways? The thought was for no one in particular, I had just gotten used to the idea of Nathifa being there.

Look up, Danielle. He's on the other side of the room.

I started in surprise. I had assumed, since I was captured, that I was dreaming. Obviously not, because Nathifa was there. But that begged another query.

Why are we not in a dream?

Most likely because we know how to get out of the dream state. So does Colonel O'Neill.

Oh, right. Jack. In the sudden excitement of hearing Nathifa, I had forgotten about him. But, even though all I wanted to do was forget about him for a while, I had to ask.

Do you know where he is?

Danielle, he is right across the room from you. He was actually watching you the last time you looked up.

My head snapped up instantly at that particular revelation. Focusing on the figure in front of me (how I had not seen him in the first place was a mystery), I saw him swiftly look away. My emotions, always right on the surface, started bubbling up again, and I felt the need to hit him. Hard. In the face. With my fist, preferably. I sucked in a shuddering breath, counting down from 10 in every language I could think of. Calming, peaceful thoughts, Danielle.

Danielle, you do not have time for this. We have to escape, and quickly. Can you break your bonds?

I'm not sure.

I set my jaw, and tended my muscles, straining against the bindings with as much strength as I could muster. As the metal sliced the skin open around my wrists, a coolness spread over the wound. It took me a moment to realize that it wasn't blood. Pausing, I tilted my head to the side. What was that? It wasn't wet, so not blood. There wasn't anything else it could be. Except...

"Ouch! Damn it!" The pain in my wrist increased tenfold, the cool feeling escalating into burning. My harsh breathing sounded around the room and the world began to gray around the edges. The pain began to expand, spreading its tendrils around my arm. The fire started, the pain sharply rising and becoming more intense.

"Dani?"

Jack. I latched onto the sound of his voice, creating an anchor for myself as the pain reached past my arms and onto the rest of my body. And then, as suddenly as it had started, the pain stopped. It was gone, evaporated. Gasping, I attempted to gain control of my breathing. I pulled my head up to look at Jack, offering a wry smile. Maybe I had to make the first move toward him. Be the bigger person.

"I take it we're not supposed to try and escape."

He seemed to find no humor in the statement, but countered with a sarcastic remark, "Your superior Tok'ra strength failing you now?"

That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Or more like the sarcastic comment that broke the archaeologist's restraint.

"Okay, what is your problem? I have done NOTHING to you at all, and you're acting like… like I'm the enemy! I did nothing to deserve this you bastard!"

So much for being the bigger person.

He snorted and shook his head, " Nothing to deserve- Are you delusional? You're siding with them!"

"Excuse me?" I glared at him, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." Jack shook his head and broke eye contact with me, staring daggers at the floor.

I believe the enemy he is referring to is me. I may not be the actual enemy, but I did invade your body without permission. Like I said earlier, it may be upsetting for him to see you as a host, and perhaps he believes that you are siding with me instead of him. This could explain both his distance from you and his anger.

Well that's stupid. He's just being touchy. I'm not siding against him!

Danielle, you are projecting your approval of me being your symbiote. This, to him, is a declaration against the SGC, and by extension him.

I guess he could take it like that. But that gives him no right to treat me like this. This isn't just a walk in the park for me, and he knows that! Why should he make me suffer through his cold shoulder?

We have already gone over this earlier today. I am not sure why he would react this way, nor am I condoning his actions. I am just explaining what his train of thought may be like.

Alright… so do I tell him that? Do I tell him that you're not the enemy, and neither am I?

You should try, but you should also not ignore the fact that he treated you badly.

I could feel my anger rising again, even more if possible.

Yes, he did treat me badly. And I will not let him forget it. He is an ass, and I am going to tell him that.

Do as you must, but make it quick. We have to find a way out of here. If you two clear the air, then maybe you can actually be civilized to each other, and find a way to escape before we become incubators.

II'll make it quick.

Good luck, you will need it from what I know about Colonel O'Neill.

Thanks, I will need it. The thing is, he'll need it too.

—

I glared at the floor, attempting to reign in my anger. This sucked. Plain and simple. I was tied up in the waiting line to become an incubator with Danielle and Nathifa. Just great. Perfect. I exhaled in a huff, discreetly glancing up at Dani at the same time. She had her chin resting on her chest and wasn't moving at all. If I hadn't know better, I would have sworn she was sleeping. Dropping my gaze, I focused on an interesting spot on the floor. Was it a dead bug, or a piece of lint? Wow, I was pathetic.

"Jack." Her voice was steady, determined. Well, this did not bode well for me. But she was the one who was siding with the Tok'ra, so what was I afraid of? Coming up with no answer to my self-query, I responded icily.

"What?"

"You know, I'm not your enemy. I'm not siding against the SGC. Or you."

My eyes snapped up in barely concealed shock. How the hell had she known what was bothering me. Dani was perceptive, but not that perceptive. Unless… Nathifa. Stupid Tok'ra.

"Say thanks from me to your snake, will ya?"

I knew what came next. I always did after my sarcastic comments. The patented Danielle, Jack, don't be an ass.

"Jack, don't be an ass."

Bingo.

"I could say the same to you." I muttered bitterly, "You're siding with the enemy. The Tok'ra aren't as important as your own people!"

"You don't think I know that? That's why I'm staying on SG-1!" She stared at me defensively.

"Why not just risk it and get rid of the snake?" Might as well throw that thought out there. Got nothing to loose.

"Jack, that could kill both of us."

"More likely her than you!"

"How ignorant are you? Do you even have a conscience? I couldn't do that! Nathifa is a good person, and you know that."

I snorted, "She's not even a person. Or a she, for that matter. Nathifa's an it! A Tok'ra, Goa'uld, whatever! You're on the wrong side! Her side!"

"I'm on your side! I will ALWAYS be on your side you idiot! I love-" She cut off suddenly, her breath catching in her throat. The tension weighed down on us, seeming to be slowly crushing us. Taking a deep breath, she finished the sentence, but obviously in a different way than she had first intended, "I- I love SG-1. You guys are closer than family for me. I will never be anywhere but with you guys. I promise."

What the hell was I supposed to say to that? I opened my mouth to respond, maybe even apologize (there was only an extremely small chance of that happening), but she smiled and cut me off, all the anger seeming to evaporate from both of us.

"I know, Jack. Just remember that I'm not the enemy. Neither is Nathifa." She paused, "Are we okay?"

I sucked in a deep breath, "Yeah. And Dani, hell will freeze over before I leave the team. And seeing that we blew up hell a few years back, it can never freeze over."

And the fog was lifted. A smile spread over Dani's face, and she started to laugh. Her laugh becoming infectious, I soon joined in. Soon enough, the chains on the wall were the only things holding us up from the laughs that wracked our bodies. After an eternity of laughing, I had finally pulled myself together, when a powerful alarm swept through the room. My eyebrows furrowed. What the hell was that?

"Why are the klaxons going off? I thought the Dream keepers shut down the system."

No wonder I hadn't recognized the sound. The klaxons seemed plain without Walter's voice accompanying them. But all of our teams are on world, so that meant...

"More aliens. Great." I rolled my eyes, heaving a sigh, "How much worse can this get?"

I really should've known better then to say that.

NOTE 2:

Thanks for reading! I will probably only write 4 more chapters at most and an epilogue. So, if you guys have any requests for the end of the story or for a next story, please tell me! And, as always, reviews, criticisms, and suggestions are always welcome. Thanks :)