More Drama, all disclaimers apply. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!

Chapter Fifteen: Winter Has Come

Daniel could feel the kids losing hope for their father, every time he touched them the sorrow was so deep it almost brought Daniel to his knees. He kept them on some kind of normal schedule, but they were restless so much of the time. Daniel found himself unwilling to leave them anymore, he left the door open when he had to use the facilities, had stopped showering a couple days before and each child had cried till they were hoarse. Now when they cried, is was a sad hollow sound but the tears on their faces were still there as he'd done what he could to keep them eating and hydrated. Sam and Teal'c had stopped leaving him alone, someone was always in the living room, just hoping he would call for help.

But he didn't.

Zarkina came and laid with them once a day, soothing them into a deep sleep, as it was the only time any of them were resting anymore, needing help to do so. It was during one of these naps when someone entered the room while Sam had gone to put her son down to sleep and Zarkina was not with Daniel.

She walked into the room, gripping a dagger tightly in one hand. She walked closer to the bed, looking down at the twins who were twitching in sleep and Daniel had a gently hand on each of them. She didn't really know who was going to be at the mercy of her wrath, how could that curse have failed her so completely? All she knew was that she was going to have some revenge if she was never going to get into the castle that was rightfully hers.

Reaching out she wrapped a hand around Daniel's throat and pressed the blade into the side of his neck as he opened his eyes and glared up at her, "What are you doing?"

"You and your desperate need to protect your lover, it forced me to change my plans. When I found those guys beating Jack, I took him in and decided to use him instead. Instead of becoming infatuated with me, he left the freaking island! What is it with you and your wretched team that are so set against being utilized by anyone other than the false queen!"

He didn't answer, figuring she wasn't done ranting yet. He glanced at the door, realizing she'd left it open in her urgency to get to him on the bed. The twins were still resting but Zale was starting to shift and stretch in his sleep, warning everyone he was about to wake.

He used everything he had to reach out to Jack, his husband was probably too far away to do anything but maybe it would bring Jack home to take care of their children. He now understood why Jack had left, it was to protect them from whatever this woman did to him.

"Get away from my children!" he hissed at her but groaned when she pressed the blade into his skin enough to break it and a trickle of blood slid from the cut.

"This is going to be easier than I ever imagined," Winter sneered and grabbed the nearest child who was Zale. Daniel's son jerked awake and screeched, after sleeping and resting had brought the power of his little lungs back to full force. Daniel jerked into a sitting position, keeping a gently hand on Zada but his eyes on the woman holding his child. The dagger was not near Zale at the moment but she was struggling to hold him still and that was frightening enough.

The crying brought Sam from the other room as well as Teal'c but they stayed on the outside of the bedroom when Winter gripped Zale tight enough that it choked off his unpleasant wails. Then the dagger came close to his beautiful son's neck and Daniel saw red. He stood up, reluctantly releasing his hold on Zada who was squirming in annoyance as she woke up and realized her daddy's emotions were all over the map and negative, she didn't like it. Her little whimpers tripped into crying as well and the racket was making Winter nervous.

"Don't do this, Winter," Daniel said calmly. He moved a little closer to the woman who was shifting so she could try to keep her gaze on everyone but as she was doing so, she was putting herself more deeply in the bedroom in which there was no escaping from. On the second floor of the castle, they had windows but there were bars across the opening so no one could sneak in or out.

"You have no idea what kind of life I have lived, what Akina and her family has put me through, you know Akina's story and her version of events. How could you possibly understand that she is not supposed to be in charge."

Daniel frowned, "She was the daughter of the queen, how could that possibly mean she's not supposed to be queen?" he demanded.

"Because the throne should have transferred to her son, moving through the male line and I was betrothed to him. That means that this life she had here was stolen from me!"

"You know that's not true, Winny," William whispered as he pushed past Teal'c and Sam. It was surprising to not see Zarkina coming to the rescue, William never spent enough time with them to be the one riding in to save them from various Vannas drama such as this.

"William, you were given something you never wanted. She was given something she never wanted, I wanted this destiny."

"Destiny is not about who wants it," William took another step towards Winter but Daniel whimpered as Winter tightened her hold on Zale and the blade got an inch closer to his side. William stopped and held his hands up in surrender and Winter calmed. Daniel kept his eyes on Zale who in turn was watching Daniel. There was such intelligence in thos eyes for a child who was just over five weeks old. He was scared, Daniel could see that as well but he seemed to understand stillness would ensure his survival better than squirming around would.

"Just give Zale back to his father, come and speak with Akina and myself, we can work through this without anyone getting hurt," William said calmly. Daniel just kept watching his son, wishing he could hold him and soothe the fear in his eyes, the uncertainty that he'd been feeling ever since Jack left.

"Zale, I'm right here ok buddy. You're going to be ok," he whispered, trying not to bother the woman holding Zale but at the same time soothe his little boy, at the same time feel like he was doing something. Jack would have already gotten Zale away from Winter, had he been here. He wouldn't have been taking medicated rests either.

"Stop it Daniel, if you had just started tutoring me, this would have all been over with and your son wouldn't be in danger right now."

"Winter, you know that Daniel and Jack and their family have been close with Akina ever since they got here, there was no way we were going to let you curse him. You need to let go of Zale otherwise your punishment is going to be much more severe."

Winter seemed unsure of what she should do, her grip on the dagger was loosening but it was still too close to Zale to move against her, or so Daniel thought. He watched as some sort of blue bubble wrapped tightly around Zale and William lunged even as Winter struck with the blade. Daniel screamed, hearing the sound echoed in his mind and from Sam still standing outside the door. He moved across the room, afraid to see the blood covering his son only to find Zale in pristine, if not confused tucked in William's arms. He reached out shaking hands and William handed Zale over delicately even as he was jerking Winter to her feet. Daniel was turning away from the siblings when he felt a sharp pain in his side. Gasping in shock, he stumbled forward and laid Zale on the bed gently and reached down to find Winter's dagger sticking out of him. He looked back at William, glaring at the man before he stumbled to his knees, watching as the king handed Winter over to some guards who were waiting and Sam, crying moved to stand with the children as Teal'c jerked Daniel from the ground and headed out at William's insistence. He didn't know where he was going, hoping it was to be healed so he could get back to his traumatized son.

On the mainland, in the midst of a fight with the hunters Jack felt the stab in his gut and the fear in his head, falling to his knees as he gripped his side. "Danny," he whispered. Taj thankfully leapt forward and shoved the hunter back before the bumped against Jack, forcing the man to grip at the thick fur and allow the cat to push him onto his back. Jack's pain whited his vision for a second before it dissipated, as it wasn't his and realized Taj was carrying him as the tiger ran through the forest.

"Home," Jack whispered close to the big cat's ear.

Camp?

"Yes, they will get me back to Danny," Jack husked and just held on. He didn't really know what he was going to do about the curse but Daniel needed him, it wasn't about hurt feelings anymore. That had been a deep physical pain and Daniel was hurt.

Taj moved quickly, finding his way easily by Jack's trail as well as whoever was following him for the last couple of days. They had not caught up with him yet and possibly Taj's presence had kept them at bay.

He was grateful for the cat, Taj had been with him for several days now. It had convinced Jack that the predator had no desire to eat Jack, just the monsters, they hunted them together at night and Taj didn't kill hunters at Jack's request. It was an odd companionship but one Jack had learned to enjoy and not take for granted.

They were moving so fast; Jack didn't realize how quickly they would be on the outskirts of the camp of Damnation. Jack called out even as Taj growled loudly, the sound reverberating off the trees and space around them.

Then Damnation was there staring in confusion and just a little bit of awe at Taj with Jack on his back, "I need to get back on the island."

"So I should stop sending your followers on wild chases?"

Jack frowned, "Yes thank you."

He jumped down from Taj's downy soft back and patted his friend along his shoulder. "You ready then?" Damnation asked, flipping his hair back and reaching out for Jack. Taj stepped forward and pushed Jack away from Damnation. Jack laughed, "No Taj, this is a friend. He is sending me back to my Danny."

Send us.

Jack frowned, "No Taj, you should stay here with the rest of your kind. Plus what am I gonna do with a horse sized pet?"

You family, me go with.

Jack sighed; figuring arguing with such a creature would possibly be painful. He had to admit, having such a protector would definitely get them into their own place faster. There is no way Taj was going to let them send him from Jack and he was going to be too big for the castle, let alone SG1's apartment.

"Ok Taj," he turned to Damnation, "Send us home, as close to the castle as possible please?"

Jack placed a comforting hand on Taj and Damnation touched Jack and before he could breath in they were moved through space. Jack looked around to find them in the throne room, "I didn't mean quite that close, I am traveling with a very large cat here." He said with a groan as people in the room started to panic though it was a pretty understated response, undoubtedly Vannas were not as worried about animals as humans always are.

"It's ok, he's my friend," Jack hollered and everyone settled again. He took no extra time while Damnation turned to speak to someone who grabbed his attention before he was running out of the room with Taj right behind him. The pain in his side was now a dull ache to remind him of his reason for rushing back even as the curse was gathering steam inside his head.

Taj was still following and as they squeezed into the apartment, Jack calmed everyone about the tiger's presence and turned to the cat, "Stay here, I need to see my family."

Me stay.

Jack patted Taj on the head gently then ran into his bedroom, finding Sam holding a distraught Zale and Teal'c holding Zada and Jacob in his huge but gentle arms. "What happened?"

They turned to him when he spoke, "Sir!" Sam responded. It was strange to hear that salutation after the months that they had been going by Jack and Sam.

"O'Neill, Daniel was attacked by Winter and he was stabbed. I took him to the healers."

"I need to see him, where is he?" Jack demanded.

Teal'c held out Zada who was reaching for Jack. Zale had calmed at the sound of his voice and was struggling against Sam's hold. Jack took Zada and kissed her gently on the forehead and she snuggled into his shoulder and he reached out with his free hand to Zale and Sam settled his son against Jack's chest. He held them and soothed them with his words and touch for a few minutes before he looked again to Teal'c beseechingly. "Please?"

Teal'c handed Jacob to Sam and moved towards the door, stopping at the sight of the large tiger sitting in the middle of the room between them and the door. Jack heard the cat purr a little out loud.

I stay Jack-friend.

"I know Taj, you're a good boy. I will return soon, stay here."

I stay.

Teal'c walked around the large cat slowly and led Jack out of the apartment and towards the room where they ended up when injured. Teal'c opened the door for Jack whose hands were still full of suddenly quiet and content children. Daniel was on the bed, blood smears all over the white sheets and down the side of his pants and shirt.

"Danny?" Jack called out. The healer was leaning over Daniel and touching his skin gently. The younger man looked over at Jack and smiled, his skin a pasty color, showing how much blood he'd lost.

Jack desperately wanted to go to him, to wrap his hands around Daniel's and touch his face. It had been days, over a week since he left and Daniel needed him.

"Jack." Daniel's voice sighed his name.

"Hey love, I would hold you but clearly I have run out of arms."

Daniel smiled tiredly, "We missed you."

"Master Jack," the healer said, pulling Jack's attention from Daniel, "He is going to be fine, some bed rest to build up his blood once more then he will be his old self. Please, he needs to be silent and still for me."

Jack smiled at the young woman who was politely telling him to get lost, "I hear you." He turned back to Daniel, "I love you Danny and I promised I will explain everything."

Daniel shook his head, "You don't need to."

At that point Teal'c pulled him away and towards their room once more. Jack settled into the couch and clicked his tongue at Taj who was still standing guard next to the door. Sam was standing, staring at Taj from his bedroom, having not left at first sight of the big predator hanging in their apartment. Teal'c went and took Sam's hand, "He is apparently O'Neill's friend."

"Story there Sir?" Sam asked.

Jack grinned, "You wanna sit and find out?"

He started talking about his adventure on the mainland. The whole time, hoping to see Daniel hobble back into the room to join them.