The planet had two suns and three moons, two of which hung nearly full in the sky, bright with the reflected light of the twin suns, illuminating the night in a way unknown on Earth. Utterly alien and utterly beautiful.

Moon beams slanted through the jumper's front window, casting the interior in shifting black and white shadows. Yet, as he slept in Jack's arms, even the stark moonlight couldn't hide the softness of Matthew's features: the curve of his nose, the angle of his chin, impossibly long eyelashes resting against rounded cheek bones. A face infinitely precious. And he had come so close to losing it all. He wasn't sure he could have survived that. Not again….

His arms tightened around the boy reflexively as he slept. Holding him close.

And the child's eyes opened, glittering brightly in the white light, gazing straight up into his. "Hi, Daddy," he said, his voice heavy from slumber. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I couldn't sleep, short stuff."

"Why not?"

"Too much on my mind."

"Oh. Like what?"

"Just stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

"Grown-up stuff."

"Oh…" Matthew's voice trailed off, but his eyes remained open, looking up at Jack thoughtfully.

"Now, try to get back to sleep."

"Okay."

Jack glanced out the window, trying to gauge how long they had before sunrise…. How long they could afford to sleep before waking… He hated the plan, hated putting Matthew back in anymore danger, but he just didn't see any other choice.

He glanced down at Matthew, expecting to find him asleep in his lap, but the child's eyes were still wide-open, looking up at him. "I thought you were going to go back to sleep."

"Uh-uh."

"Why not?"

"Too much on my mind."

Jack couldn't help smiling at Matthew's perfect echo of his own earlier words. "Like what?"

"Just… stuff."

"Oh. Care to share?"

"No. Not really."

Something in the way Matthew spoke, some slight hesitation, made Jack ask, "You sure?"

"… Yeah."

"'Cause, you know, you can tell me anything…"

Matthew opened his mouth, and for one moment Jack was certain he was going to speak. Then the child seemed to reconsider; he closed his mouth and shook his head. "No. It's nothing."

Only his voice broke a little as he spoke, and a tear escaped the corner of his eye. And Jack suddenly remembered. And understood. And knew there was only one thing he could do that might possibly help Matthew feel better. No matter how much it hurt. He needed to tell him the truth.

"Oh… Matt."

Matthew sniffed, but his voice was stronger - more controlled - as he asked, "What?"

"I … I think I owe you an apology, short stuff."

"For what?" The small voice wavered again with the question.

"I made a mistake, Matthew."

"You did?" The boy's disbelief was obvious.

"Before.. All this. Back at the SGC…." Jack took a deep breath before continuing. "I shouldn't have made you leave like I did, Matt. I should have taken the time to explain. Not… Done what I did. And I'm sorry. I shouldn't have betrayed you. For what it's worth… I promise it will never happen again."

Matthew gazed up at him for one long, silent moment. And then, with a shudder, the dam broke completely. In one fluid movement he sprang up and twisted round, throwing his arms around Jack and clinging tightly, pouring out his pain and fear in great wracking sobs against his chest.

Jack could only hold him close while he wept, helpless to do more, unsure what real comfort his presence could offer. But when it was done, like a passing storm, Matthew lay still against his chest. Curled quietly in his father's arms. And Jack found that - amazingly - he somehow felt better himself.

Only then did Matthew ask, "Why, Daddy? Why did you make me go?"

"We - your mother and I - we wanted you to be safe."

"Safe?"

"We thought Earth was in danger. And if we sent you away… then you'd be safe."

Matthew looked up at him, and Jack could see the boy's utter confusion at his words. "Aren't I safe with you, Daddy?"

"Yes… But--" And then Jack stopped. Because, suddenly, it didn't make any sense. And he understood Matthew's confusion completely.

Because Matthew was absolutely correct; he had been all along. He was safe with Jack - far safer than he could possibly be anywhere else in the Universe. How could they ever have thought differently?

He pulled the boy back into a hug, clasping him tightly to his chest. "You're right, Matthew. You are safe with me. And I swear, short stuff, I'll never send you away again."