Jaina – glad you're liking it despite the torture hehe – at least you know it's written though and don't have to await the whim of Boris (my writing demon within) because he can be a lot more fickle. LcNessie – hope you like the upcoming topsy-turviness as well. Lady Taevyn – good to see you're still with me. :)

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"Yes?" He smiles pleasantly. Open and friendly. A sight that cuts me to the quick. "I'm Daniel. How can I help you?"

How can he help me? He could have fucking not died in my reality, thank you very much. He could have fallen madly in love with me and we could have been happy forever. If happily ever after even existed which I seriously doubted.

I'm blinking furiously, trying not to cry. He's so fucking beautiful. "I came here looking for Colonel O'Neill... It didn't even occur to me that you'd be here..." My voice sounds so pathetically weak. Very un-marine-like but I'm too tired to care. Daniel's here. Not my Daniel but still.

"Colonel?" His brow furrows in a painfully familiar way. "You mean Jack? Jack O'Neill?"

I nod.

"Yeah, he lives here. Sorry, it's just been a really long time since anyone has called him Colonel. He'll be back in about an hour if you want to... hey, are you alright?"

My knees have given away. The past 96 hours has caught up with me. The past six months, three weeks and two days has caught up with me. Gentle hands – his hands – are feeling my pulse and forehead. He's speaking softly.

"It's okay. I'm a doctor."

"Of archaelogy!" I blurt out, thinking he'll laugh. Like we all do when he recounts tales of how some people just won't accept that he can't cure the sick just because he's referred to as Dr Jackson.

His brow furrows again. "Archaeology? No... just a regular medical one. And a vet as well but that's it. My parents were archaeologists though. Jack's more into that stuff than I am."

"What?!"

Daniel is confused by my reaction but keeps talking as he helps me to my feet. "Let's get you inside. Yeah, Jack is big on the whole science thing. A brilliant scientist but don't you dare tell him I said so."

I let him take me inside and I let him put me on the couch. I have no strength left to resist. He's getting a cold compress for my head, listening to my chest with a stethescope, taking my blood pressure and still talking. I still have Houdini in my hands, on my lap. He licks at my fingers for a bit before wandering off to explore the rest of the couch on his own.

"My friend Janet is a doctor of archaeology actually." Daniel muses, as he scoops up the little guy and puts him on the floor where he runs off to his brothers and sisters who are playing in one corner of the room with their mother.

Every word out of his mouth, every touch of his hands just makes things worse. I'm so tired. Tired of this crazy shit and the world not making sense. My hands are shaking. I'm shaking. And I can't stop. Daniel has his worried face on.

"How long has it been since you slept, Miss..."

I consider answering him but it's too much effort so I just close my eyes and let the blackness take me.

- - - - -

Later – I have no clue how much later – I awake and find myself tucked up in a comfortable bed. It's darker than it was when I arrived here and I assume that I'm in O'Neill's spare room. I've helped O'Neill get colleagues in here when they have overindulged at one of his barbeques. I'm so tired. I can't bring myself to keep my eyes open long enough to confirm my location. The marine side of me protests this lack of tactical awareness. The frightened little girl side of me is just reassured by the sound of O'Neill and Daniel talking in the hallway outside the room.

"Daniel? Whatcha doin'?"

"You have a visitor. A woman."

"Is she hot?"

"Jack!"

"Well?"

"She collapsed. Exhaustion it seems. Probably hasn't slept or eaten in days I would guess."

"Man, and she was asking for me? Do I know her?"

"I don't know, Jack. She seemed to recognise me – she knew my name – but I've never seen her before."

"Hmm, I don't recognise her. Wonder what she wants from me? She got a name?"

"Not that she mentioned."

"She gonna be okay though? Do we need to call an ambulance?"

"Not at this stage. Hopefully all she needs is rest." Daniel pauses. "She thought I was an archaeologist. The thought of you as a scientist seemed to freak her out too. And she was asking for Colonel O'Neill."

"Weird."

There is silence for a while. I crack open an eye and see them standing close together in the hall.

"Missed you." O'Neill says softly, one hand brushing Daniel's face.

Daniel smiles and leans forward. Their lips touch and I feel hysteria rising. It bubbles out of me and forms a strange strangled type of laughter in my mouth.

Daniel is by my side in an instant. His gentle hands are examining again and I'm still laughing. I'm losing it. This reality could not get any more screwed up.