Daniel made his way slowly back to office, his mind working over all he had just heard and what he had just seen when the others had left the infirmary. Jack's feelings had been obvious to him even if they hadn't been to the man himself. He had never seen the hardened military Colonel show so much tenderness and sensibility in one small gesture. But the look in his eyes as he looked down at the woman in the bed had made the depth of his feelings all too clear.

Slumping into the chair behind his desk he shook his head sadly. This was one of the many things about the military that he still couldn't get his head around. This woman had saved Jack's life and risked her own to get him home. She deserved a medal, and yet the NID would dissect her like a lab rat to try and find out what made her tick. On a more basic level, Jack had worked harder than the rest of them over the years, risking his life more than once, and even dying a couple of times in their fight against the Goau'ld. Through sheer luck and his own brand of hard headedness had saved the planet more times than Daniel cared to remember. He deserved happiness more than anyone Daniel had ever known.

He glanced at the mess of paper work scattered across his desk. On the top of the pile were the photos he had taken of the ruins in the village just before Jack had gone missing. He reached for them, flicking through the pages without really looking at them. There was an answer to this problem, he was sure of it; it was just that he was missing something. He was over looking something important.

__________________________________________________________

Janet appeared some hours later to remove the tube from Lalia's throat, explaining that she seemed to breathing fine on her own now. Jack looked up at her from his chair, his eyes heavy and his body staring to protest from being sat too long.

"Go and get some rest Colonel. You're in no condition for an all nighter. She'll be fine"

He shook his head slowly, feeling groggy from the pain killers Janet had forced down him an hour or so ago.

"I promised her I'd be here when she woke up"

Janet smiled kindly and nodded.

"You know Colonel these ICU beds are pretty wide"

She raised her eyebrows significantly at him. It took him a few moments to catch onto her hint and he turned to glance at the bed beside him.

"As a doctor I will obviously advise against you disturbing my patient. As a friend I'll tell you that you need to get some rest, just be careful of the IV" she smiled and reached up to close the curtains around the bed.

Jack groaned as he stiffly climbed to his feet and slid carefully onto the bed next to Lalia, wrapping his arms around her as best as he could. She mumbled something in her sleep and turned her face towards him. He brushed his lips against hers and she smiled slightly, relaxing in his embrace. He quickly realized just how tired he actually was and soon felt his eyes growing heavy and sliding closed.

________________________________________________________________

"Jack"

He groaned as sleep began to drift away.

"I'm here" he muttered groggily.

"Wake up Jack"

He felt her lips suddenly drifting lightly over his and groaned deeply in his throat. He returned the kiss, gently at first, sliding his tongue slowly into her mouth, and then more passionately as she responded in kind, her tongue wrapping around his own.

"Feeling better?" he asked breathlessly.

She answered by kissing him again, deeper still, and he had to pull away as he felt an all too familiar tightening in his pants. He ran his fingers through her hair and looked deeply into her eyes.

"Neither of us is in any condition to continue with this. And" he made a vague gesture to the room around them "This isn't the most romantic setting"

He felt her playfulness bridle slightly and her mind darkened with unfocused ideas and images. Jack smiled at her, she really only had a vague idea of what was to come. His smile broadened, he was going to enjoy enlightening her. His head was instantly alive with thoughts and images of his hands running over her supple body, of her screaming beneath him…… She blushed deeply, but he could feel her underlying curiosity and excitement. He recaptured her lips briefly and banished all thoughts from him mind. When the time came he wanted her discover everything she had been missing the last eight years. He frowned; he only hoped he got a chance to.

"Your friends will think of something" she whispered quietly. Her words more confident than the thoughts running through her mind.

"Rest some more" He said, kissing her gently.

________________________________________________________

Daniel made his way slowly to the commissary. He had been looking through those photos for hours, doing his best to translate the worn runes. He was sure the answer was there, and that he was still missing some vital piece of information. He was pouring himself a large cup of coffee when Sam joined him, also grabbing a unhealthy dose of the black drink. As they sat, silently nursing their coffee's Teal'c joined them.

"So anyone had any luck?" Sam asked.

Daniel shook his head and took another gulp from his mug.

"There's a solution to this, I'm sure of it. But I still can't figure out what it is."

"Me either"

"Daniel Jackson, I fail to understand why General Hammond is obliged to inform your government about Lalia's presence here"

Sam shook her head sadly "That's just the way it is Teal'c"

"Should she not be rewarded, not punished, for her bravery and commitment to Jack O'Neill?"

"Yeah she should Teal'c but the military doesn't work that way. They're desperate for something that'll help us defeat the Goau'ld" Daniel answered.

Sam sipped her coffee, thoughtful for a moment.

"What do you guys think is going on with the Colonel and that girl? I've never seen him behave that way"

"Undoubtedly O'Neill has found a partner worthy of his attention. She is a courageous and very beautiful young woman. In willingly leaving all that she knows to return here with him, she has shown a loyalty for O'Neill which is commendable"

"What do you think Daniel" she asked turning her gaze to him.

He shrugged and sipped at his coffee to hide his smile.

"Daniel……. you know something. Don't you?"

"Maybe"

Sam studied him for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"You don't think……"

Daniel shrugged again.

"Oh my god. He is, isn't he? He's in love with her"

He rubbed his hand over his tired eyes.

"Yeah, I think he is. I gotta get back to work, I'm almost there I'm sure of it"

"Get some rest Daniel"

He nodded absently as he made his way out of the commissary still clutching his mug of coffee.