Okay, I'm going to give the romance and the angst a rest (don't worry – it will return later on). For now it's on to adventure and 'whumping' Hope you enjoy.

The Trelean Elders who were to accompany the team to the Place of the Guardians arrived shortly after Jack had gone into his tent. With Teddy and Betty (or was it Bertha?) leading the way, the General, SG1 and SG8 all headed out in the direction of the temple – or whatever it was called.

"So Te .. Tadeusz, what exactly are the Guardians", asked Jack. Although the Trelean people had been nothing but friendly and accommodating, it worried him that they were so reticent, so secretive about this place.

"They are the ones who guide us, who guard us, who show us the way", Teddy answered

"So, they're kind of like holy teacher soldiers or something like that?" said Jack

"I do not know what your words mean, Jack O'Neill?"

"Well, I'm just wondering what it is they do exactly? Do they ever come out of their … whatchya call it …. place? Do they fight your enemies or what? Were they the ones responsible for the Ori leaving and not coming back?"

Again, the elder only looked at him and answered, "They guide us. The rest you will know when we arrive." With that, he moved forward to his wife's side and continued to walk in silence.

He was starting to get even more worried. There was something a little off here but he couldn't put his finger on it. As they walked closer to the Place he began to feel slightly strange, almost as if something were pulling him forward. He felt like his brain was expanding, almost as it had felt when he had had his head 'sucked'. He shook himself, trying to rid himself of the strange feeling but it only continued to get worse.

He glanced over at the rest of his team but they didn't appear to be affected. They were speaking softly to each other and looked relaxed and 'normal'. He even heard Daniel and Sam laughing at some comment of Teal'c's.

The members of SG8 were walking both ahead and behind, watching for any dangers. While alert and focused, they too appeared calm and as if nothing were wrong.

What's happening, thought Jack. I feel like I'm walking – no – being pulled – into an ever thickening fog. He was just about to say something to his team when he stopped himself. He rationalized that he was simply feeling this way because he had gotten no sleep the night before. As much as he promised himself he would stop focusing so much on his age, he did acknowledge that all-nighters were much harder on him than they had been in the past.

So suck it up and just keep going. We'll come, we'll see and we'll conquer! Well, maybe not conquer – but at least maybe we'll get some answers.

With that thought he continued to walk towards the building which could now be seen ahead.

"Jack, is something wrong?" asked Daniel. "You look a little woozy or something."

"I'm just tired Danny. No sleep last night."

"Yeah – I guess you were up spending time being an idiot! Everything okay between you two now."

"Yes and no, Daniel, yes and no. But it will be!" With that he smirked and winked.

Walking a couple of steps further Jack suddenly stumbled and would have fallen if Daniel hadn't grabbed him.

"Jack, this is more than tiredness. Something is wrong." He called out to the others ahead to stop.

"What is it Daniel", questioned Sam. "Why are we stopping?"

"Something's wrong with Jack". With that, he helped Jack to the ground before he fell down.

"Sir, what is it? Where are you hurt?"

"I'm not Carter, I'm just a little dizzy. Too little sleep – too much talking last night." But he took the sting out of the words by smiling up at her.

She gave an absentminded smile in return but, in reality, was too worried about him to pay much attention to his humor (or was it flirting?).

"General, Sir, you have to tell me what's wrong."

"I told you Sam – nothing's really wrong. I just feel a little tired and dizzy. I kinda feel like I'm walking through thick pea soup." Ooo – what a lovely analogy that was.

At that moment Teddy and Betty (whatever!) came up to the group with very worried looks on their faces.

"What is it, what is wrong with O'Neill?"

"We don't know yet Tadeusz", answered Daniel. "We don't think it's anything too serious, but we think maybe we should head back."

"No, no you mustn't! O'Neill must come to the Place of the Guardians. He must come!"

"Whoa there Teddy – what's so important about me going to this place. I know you wanted to honor me but believe me, I already feel super honored. You can just give them my regrets – tell them next time I'm in town I'll stop by for a visit. I think Daniel's right – we should go back to the village."

"No, you can't, you must continue!"

"Why Tadeusz, why is it so important?" Daniel was seriously getting worried that something was going on the humans knew nothing about.

Tadeusz seemed to calm down, realizing that his panic was making his guests very suspicious. He turned to Daniel and Carter and spoke more softly.

"The Guardians are important to my people. It is a great honor that they bestow in wanting to meet O'Neill. It has not happened in my generation or in my father's or in my father's father's generation. Very few who are not from our world have ever visited the Guardians. They have spent much time in preparing for O'Neill's visit. We would do them great dishonor not to appear."

The three team members, along with General O'Neill, all looked at each other and at Tadeusz, trying to determine his honesty. They certainly didn't want to offend these people, not with what was at stake. On the other hand, they did not want to walk into a potentially bad or dangerous situation.

After a couple of minutes Jack began to push himself to his feet.

"Stop Sir, what are you doing?"

"I'm getting up Carter. Please don't worry – I'll be fine. Okay folks, let's continue." With that he stepped forward and began walking again, albeit a bit more slowly than before. As he stepped past Teal'c he whispered to him, "watch carefully Teal'c and make sure Major Arndt and SG8 are on the look out for anything unusual.

The 2 teams, along with their hosts, continued until finally reaching the Place of the Guardians, about 40 minutes later. Jack had continued to feel more and more strange and, by the time they arrived, he could barely walk on his own.

The building was amazing. Although it looked white from a distance, as the people grew nearer they realized it was, in fact translucent. It's colors changed depending on the light from above. One moment it looked white, the next it would be pale violet or pink. At one moment, when clouds had rolled overhead, it had appeared almost black, almost sinister.

At the entrance to the building stood a number of figures all totally quiet and still dressed in fine, gossamer-like robes. They too appeared as if they were translucent – their skin changing with the light of the building and of the sky. It was impossible to tell the color of their clothing, the various colors rippling over the cloth.

As the humans approached, one of the figures stepped forward and in a soft, whispered voice, murmured

"Welcome, O'Neill. You are welcome. We have waited an eternity for you."

Daniel and Sam waited for Jack to answer this strange and ominous welcome.

When the silence continued they looked at Jack. What they saw alarmed them. His skin appeared almost totally white and his eyes shone black as night. He was totally still, eyes staring straight into the eyes of the Guardian who had spoken. It was almost as if they communicated without words.

"Jack"

"Sir"

"O'Neill"

His friends all cried at once. Still, he didn't respond. One brief instant more and Jack began to move forward. He walked slowly, as if in a trance, towards the large golden door behind the Guardians. As he reached the door it began to glow and to emit a low hum.

He reached his hand towards it, ready to push the door open. Just as his fingers brushed the surface Sam leapt forward and grabbed his arm.

Light flashed so bright it blinded all who watched. The sound got louder and louder until all who listened covered their ears and fell to the ground in agony. For many minutes all the people – humans and Treleans – lay on the ground unable to move.

Finally, the sound and the light disappeared. When Daniel and Teal'c looked up Jack and Sam were both gone – as was the door and, in fact, the building. All that remained were the Treleans and the Guardians.

"Where did they go", Daniel shouted. "What did you do with them?" Total silence met his questions. The Guardians bowed their heads. The one who had spoken to O'Neill looked up at the companions of O'Neill and simply said.

"I am sorry. It was his destiny."