Author's Note: Okay, a BIG thank you to all of you who reviewed, it warms my little heart to know people actually like what I write. Sorry if the updates slow down after this one, but fall term is starting, heh. I will try to update as regularly as I can, though. Keep reviewing and giving me brain food. : )

Krysalys: Ah yes….naked Daniel…we must arrange this. Must get that man naked on screen more often.

Reona: I am aware that the meeting with Jacob/Selmack is very choppy, almost so choppy I killed myself. I had the idea of the story in my head from the temple onward and I had to think of a way to get SG-1 to the planet. But then I stuck Jacob in there and promptly realized that I have no idea how to write his character. This is going to get a major edit when it's finally done, hopefully it will get smoothed out then.

Tempest in Blue: Don't worry, Sha're will be explained, though perhaps not as most would want. And she is dead. This probably takes place somewhere in season 5.

On with the show…

Chapter 3

All was not well at the SGC. All was not well...

Daniel sighed from within his cell, leaning his head back against the cool wall. He was so tired…so tired of this. Janet had run every test imaginable. He had been poked and prodded in places he hadn't even known he had. And now all those he had come to call 'friend' were sitting up in the meeting room speculating about him, his past, his future, his being. They would not find the answers on their own. They would not know what to do with them if they did. Sooner of later, one of his friends was going to come for a visit and demand of him all that he was, spoken aloud, given freely to all…

"I should have stayed on Abydos," Daniel whispered mournfully to himself. That would have solved everything. No one would ever have found out, not even his late wife. And she would be alive if he had never left.

But he did leave. He did. And the world was changed. A balance that had been made within his life was usurped by those he had come to love. But that was why he loved them. For a time he had been happy. Something he had not been in so very, very long.

And so selfishly, he had held onto those moments, trying to hide everything he was behind a lie.

But no more lies now…no more. Now the truth would be judged, and those he loved would be his own executioners.

The opening of a door drew Daniel's attention back to the present and he peered out through the bars of his cell to see General Hammond entering the room. The bald man did not look pleased.

"Dr. Jackson, I want some answers," the general stated, annoyance tingeing his voice.

"Yes," was Daniel's only reply, whispered so softly it might not have been said at all. He hung his head in defeat. And allowed himself to be led to his own trial…

000...because ffnetwouldn't let me put anything else for a section divider...grrrr...

"I've run all the tests I can think of on him and I can't find anything to suggest that he is being controlled by something," Janet Frasier admitted as she gave her report to General Hammond and SG-1. Daniel had been left to wait outside the room, guarded by two officers. The general cringed at the hopeless smile the archeologist had given him moments ago.

"What I have found," Janet continued, "is that Daniel does have a scar from an entry wound on the back of his neck. But it's so old that the scar has completely faded and the only evidence is the scar tissue beneath the surface of his skin. That is something I cannot explain. There are also trace amounts of naquada in his blood, something I have never picked up before. There is no sign of a protein marker from a dying Goa'uld either. He is also coming down from what seems like the effects of prolonged exposure to the sarcophagus."

"He was sleeping in the sarcophagus when we arrived," Sam supplied. "I would assume that he stayed within it the entire night, and for however many nights he was there, at least three, judging by the time of his disappearance."

Janet sighed, shaking her head slightly, she fingered the papers scattered before her, wanting to be able to give them all the answers they wanted. She had none of them.

"That's all I have," she admitted, "Just trace amounts of naquada and an old scar."

"Then let's hope Dr. Jackson can shed some light on this situation. Bring him in," General Hammond called to the guard at the door.

Daniel was led slowly into the room. He was shackled at hands and feet, effectively hobbled. He shuffled in with his head down, but the expression on his face was anything but submissive. There was a hardness to his features, as if he were just tolerating the treatment for the time being. His lips were drawn into a thin line. His hands were clasped together, perhaps so that he would not feel as if he were being forced to keep his hands so close, or perhaps to try and waylay the look of pride he seemed to want to possess.

He was led to the chair at the other end of the table and sat down. The guards left promptly and the room was closed off from everyone else in the base. What would transpire in that room would be known to only the five people present. Daniel had made it clear as he walked with General Hammond on the way to the meeting. He would not speak to anyone else but those he trusted. His quiet stubbornness would keep that statement very true.

"Dr. Jackson," General Hammond greeted.

Daniel looked up and gave them all a tiny smile, softening his almost pouting features. "General Hammond," he murmured.

"Would you care to explain to us why you were hosting a meeting of the Goa'uld System Lords?" the general suggested.

Daniel sighed, raising his shackled hands as far as he could and lowering his head to massage the bridge of his nose. He removed his glasses and laid them on the table.

"I needed to have one, and it was the first available time for it. I have lost control of the System Lords. They do not fear me as they used to," Daniel told them, his voice perfectly calm as he looked out at them with his crystal blue eyes.

"Why would the System Lords fear you?" Hammond demanded.

"I am Anubis," Daniel replied haughtily, scowling slightly at them all, as if that would explain everything. Then a pained look crossed his face and he leaned down the pinch the bridge of his nose again. "I…I was Anubis," he corrected himself, emotion breaking his voice. "That is what I meant to say. I was Anubis." He tugged at the shackles on his wrists and frowned. "Can I have my hands?"

Hammond nodded his consent and Jack rose, taking a set of keys out of his pocket. Daniel held up his hands and waited patiently as Jack undid the cuffs. Jackson shifted nervously under his friend's hard gaze.

"Thank you," he nearly whispered, rubbing at his wrists. He bit his lip and looked back up at the stoic general.

" Alright, Dr. Jackson, can you explain to us why you believe yourself to be this Anubis?" The general's request was polite, but that only seemed to fray Daniel's frazzled nerves even more.

The archeologist shuddered, feeling the power rush through his veins. He hissed through his teeth, his eyes narrowing at the assembled humans.

"How could you pitiful Tau'ri ever understand?" he spat angrily, fists clenched tightly.

Then his eyes widened as if he were surprised by his own words.

"Oh, damn it," he cursed, cradling his heads in his hands. "Stupid machine…"

"Why are you so angry, Dr. Jackson?" Janet asked softly.

Daniel shook his head again, one hand clenched in his short hair.

"I'm not angry," he ground out, eyes clenched tightly shut. "It's the sarcophagus…you know it changes people."

"You didn't act like this last time," Jack commented.

"Shyla's sarcophagus was faulty," Daniel nearly snarled, shivering slightly. "It just made you high, didn't give you the power trip." He suddenly sat back in the chair, open eyes rolling up slightly. "A true sarcophagus feels like liquid fire running through your veins," he breathed. "It's intoxicating, more than any high."

"And your still flying, I take it," Jack drawled casually.

"Oh, god yes," Daniel gasped, leaning back in the chair.

And then Daniel was on his feet so suddenly it sent everyone in the room reaching for their weapons. Daniel glared at them, a sneer marring his youthful face. Blue eyes blazed with golden light.

"Dr. Jackson, I must ask that you return to your seat," General Hammond commanded, a hard edge entering his voice.

Daniel scoffed at the remark, a sardonic smile touching his lips.

"You dare to command a god?" the dual toned voice that filled the room sent everyone on edge.

"You are not a god!" Jack spat out.

"So say the children," Daniel sneered. He turned away, shuffling slowly towards the large window in the meeting room. Gazing down upon the inactive Stargate, his eyes blazed with light once again, reflected in the glass of the window.

"I don't get it, Daniel," Sam called out to him. "You weren't like this before. If you are not a Goa'uld, then what is making you act like this?"

Daniel leaned his forehead against the cool glass. He reached up with one hand, trailing his fingers down the pane as if to reach out to the Gate beyond.

"I just need the effects of the sarcophagus to wear off," he admitted slowly, forcing his voice to be human. "Anubis…what Anubis was is too close the surface. I just need to get back to me."

"How long will it take for the effects to wear off?" General Hammond inquired.

"The rest of today, maybe half of tomorrow," Daniel replied softly. "After that, even if the effects are not completely worn off, I should be able to ignore them effectively."

"Very well then, we will continue this tomorrow evening then. But until then you will remain back in your cell."

Daniel turned on them, anger flashing in his eyes. "That is not acceptable!" he nearly yelled. But then he pursed his lips and closed his eyes, calming himself. When he spoke again, there was no anger in his voice, only a deep regret. "That will be fine, sir. That will be fine."

"Very good, Dr. Jackson, dismissed."

000

And once again, Daniel found himself in the cell, pacing his cage irritably, eyes darkened with self loathing.

"You idiot!" he cursed himself. "So high and mighty, take everything you have away from yourself with your arrogant power mongering!"

He spun around sharply at the sound of the door to the brig opening and hiss warningly at whoever dared to approach him, cursing himself even as he did this. He knew how irritable he could be when coming down from the effects of the sarc. And he could curse people out in so many languages they would have a stroke on the spot.

It was Teal'c who entered the room, his always solemn face marked with a vague expression of surprise at Daniel defensive hiss. The young archeologist was in a half crouch, as if ready to fend off an attack, even through the cell bars.

"Good evening, DanielJackson," the Jaffa greeted.

"Hi, Teal'c," Daniel replied with a slight incline of his head. He continued his pacing without a second thought, leaving Teal'c to watch his repetitive, terse actions.

"I have come to keep you company, DanielJackson," Teal'c said slowly, perhaps sounding apprehensive for the first time in the years Daniel had known him. It sent a chill down the archeologist's spine.

"I'm not going to be very good company right now, Teal'c," he warned.

"I will not leave you to suffer alone."

Daniel paused in his pacing, vacant eyes staring off into the distance. When he spoke again his voice was hushed, but cold and perhaps almost cruel.

"You have no idea what suffering is."

"This may be so, but I will stay with you through this," the Jaffa said with earnest compassion.

Daniel would have been touched if he wasn't so screwed up at the time. The thought came unbidden to his mind…his one loyal Jaffa…but that was not what Teal'c was. He was a friend. Anubis had no Jaffa, he needed none. And Daniel Jackson did not want one either. He just wanted his friend.

"Thank you," Daniel whispered, and then slowly resumed his pacing.

"Think nothing of it," Teal'c replied.

A shadow of a smile flitted across Daniel's face. He spared Teal'c a glance as the Jaffa sat in a chair outside his cell. His pacing continued, slowly gaining ferocity as time went on. It was going to be a long night…

AN: Sorry, no explanation yet. You'll all get it in the next chapter or so when Daniel isn't being…whatever it is he is being.