He woke slowly, unsure of where he was until memory returned along with increased consciousness.

Standing at the 'gate with Daniel. And hiding. And Daddy. And…

That was when he recognized the smell. That awful mustiness that reminded him a little of the cabin but with all the good smells missing - like Mommy's soap or the smoke from the wood fire burning in the stove.

His eyes shot open, confirming his location. He was lying on a cot in one of the long tents, surrounded by identical beds on every side. Only his had Daniel sitting in a chair next to it, reading a book as he waited. He hadn't meant to make a sound, but Daniel must have heard something, because he looked up from the book toward Matthew. "Hey, Matt. Welcome back." Then, after a silent moment, he added, "You okay?"

Matthew wanted to speak; to tell Daniel everything. How much he didn't want to be here. How they shouldn't have made him come. And most importantly, how Daddy had lied to him. Even after he had promised…

But Matthew was here now anyway.

He had wanted to speak, but he knew he couldn't. Not to Daniel. No matter how badly he needed a friend, he knew Daniel was Daddy's friend, too.

Rolling over onto his side, his back to Daniel, he buried his face in his pillow. He tried to control himself, but when Daniel quietly tried to explain: "He loves you, Matthew. He just wanted you to be safe," he couldn't any more. The tears came, streaming silently down his face. He could feel Daniel's hand on his shoulder, but he didn't care. Daniel didn't understand.

He just wanted to go home. He didn't want to be here.

And for the first time since he'd been a very little boy, he admitted the truth he usually kept hidden from everyone. Even himself. And especially from his parents.

"I want my Mommy," he sobbed into his pillow.

And if Daniel heard, he didn't say a thing. But his hand remained on Matthew's shoulder until long after the boy had cried himself back to sleep.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Colonel?"

Sam Carter looked away from the streak of stars outside the George Hammond's front viewport towards the young woman manning the ship's communications array. "Yes, Lieutenant?"

"There's a message coming through for you from the SGC. General Landry, ma'am."

"Put it through to my console, Lieutenant."

"Ma'am… He asked that you take this one in private."

More than a bit concerned, but experienced enough not to let it show, Sam simply nodded. "Thank you, Lieutenant. Tell him I'll be with him in a few minutes." Then, turning to the man sitting at navigation next to her, she ordered, "Major, you have the bridge," before standing up and heading to the privacy of her office.

A very few minutes later, she was sitting down at her desk and punching in the commands to bring up General Landry and the SGC. Almost as soon as his face filled her monitor, he began talking. "Colonel Carter."

"General," she acknowledged his greeting with a brief nod. Then, at the strain on his face, she couldn't help asking, "What happened? Did they hit…"

He shook his head, quickly dismissing that idea. "No, that's not it. In fact, Sam, it looks like the attack on Earth may have been just an elaborate ruse. The Alliance pulled out about an hour ago. We're beginning to suspect the reason they were able to send so many ships is because none of them was manned by more than a skeleton crew."

"Then why…?"

"They hit the Alpha site, Sam. At about the same time they withdrew from Earth we got reports from the site of several ships entering close orbit," he paused for her to process this news before continuing, and Sam barely even noticed the compassion in his tone through her own shock and fear. "It's been half-an-hour since we last heard from them."

She nodded, immensely grateful the general had instructed her to take the message in private. Her poker face wasn't that good.

He continued, "Look, Sam. The Hammond's nearly there already. If there was anyone else even remotely close…"

She nodded again. Finally finding her voice, she took a deep breath before saying, "No, Sir. It's okay."

"And you…?"

She - somehow - managed to find a slight smile despite herself. "I'll make it."

"Good. And.. Good luck, Sam."

"Thank you, Sir."

"Landry Out."

And, with a flicker, the image vanished, leaving her alone. She turned to look out the window at the slash of hyperspace outside. Willing the ship to go faster wasn't going to help. Turning back to her console, she brought up her email. Not that writing Jack would help either, but maybe it would give her the strength she needed to keep herself together.

Because right now, Sam Carter's worry wasn't going to help Matthew at all. But Colonel Samantha Carter, in command of the George Hammond, sure as hell could.