A/N: Short chapter again, and another cliffhanger. Don't kill me! Reviews are appreciated, and thanks to gatesmasher for the offer of coffee.

Part Eight: Questions.

"Alright, what's this all about?" Jack snapped, leaning back in his chair. The five members of SG-1 were sat around the table in the briefing room, waiting with varying levels of patience for General Hammond. "Anybody been stupid enough to get arrested lately?"

Sam tried to hide her smirk. Daniel continued reading the notes in front of him and ignored him altogether. Matt made no such effort, and between giggles managed to say, "Not that I recall."

Teal'c was as impassive as ever. "I do not know the reason for our being here, O' Neill. None of us do. I would suggest that your line of questioning will only serve to irritate you further."

The colonel looked like he was intent on making some barbed reply, but at that point – mercifully – the general entered the room, cutting off any potential retort.

"What the hell's going on?" Jack asked, hastily adding a "Sir".

The general did not respond immediately. He sighed and sat down at the head of the table.

"Jack, you are not going to like this, but I am afraid there is nothing I can do about it."

Another pause.

"The Pentagon wants to see you. You leave today at 1500, and before you ask, I did try to convince them there were other means of getting information, but to no avail. You have to go, and you'll be gone for two weeks."

As Jack tried to protest, Hammond added:

"Teal'c, I want you to go with him, partly because they want to talk to you too, but also to stop Jack permanently damaging my relationship with my superiors. Do not try and complain to me, Jack, there is nothing I can do. SG-1 will not be on active duty while you and Teal'c are absent, but will go on a number of scientific missions to worlds previously explored."

"Anything else you want to tell me?" Jack asked sarcastically.

"Not at this moment. I would suggest you go and pack. You two are dismissed."

Once the colonel had left with Teal'c – the former muttering, the latter calm – Hammond stood up and called someone in.

"Major Carter, you will be in command of SG-1 during Colonel O' Neill's absence. However, to make up the numbers, Sergeant Frost will be joining you on this mission." The young woman he'd called in – in impeccable flight uniform – saluted Sam and smiled.

"Alex Frost. Nice to meet you guys. It's an honour to be on the flagship team." She was tall, slim, with dark-brown hair and brown eyes. "And Alex is short for Alexandra, by the way."

Sam nodded. "Bit of a mouthful. Samantha Carter. Sam."

Daniel stood up and offered a hand. "Doctor Jackson – Daniel, please."

Alex grinned. "Sure."

Matt raised a hand in greeting. "Hi. I'm Matt. Welcome to the team. What's your specialist area?"

"Thanks. Um, biology – study of extraterrestrial plants and animals…"

All through the briefing, Daniel's mind was elsewhere. He was alert enough to be able to give reasonable answers to questions thrown at him and keep relatively close track of the conversation, but he was turning the words of Madoka over and over in his mind…

You could end it all. But he must die…

There was something not right about it. Something he was missing. It didn't sound right. Granted, Madoka had been speaking in Ancient, not a language he heard often. But still. Something was definitely not right about what she had said.

Afterwards, he went back to his office, still turning the thought over in his mind.

What could I do?

What could I do that nobody else could that would end this?

I can't close the Stargate.

I can't go back in time and stop myself ever decoding it.

Why would I be the one to end it all?

What was Matt holding on to?

And why would he have to die?

Still not entirely aware of what he was doing, he pulled down one of the many reference books from the shelf – a worked translation of a tablet, showing most of the words that regularly came up. Pen, paper – writing out what 'you could end it all' was. Muttering it aloud to himself.

"Well, that sounds right. That's what she said."

Next sentence. 'But he must die.'

"No, that isn't right. I must have translated it wrong."

He sat there, thinking, tapping the pen against the page, for several minutes, mentally trying out synonyms for 'must'. Should, could, would – none of them sounded right. Finally, it clicked.

It wasn't 'must'. It was 'will'.

I could end it all. But Matt will die.

Does that mean he'll die anyway, whether I end this or not?

Does that mean that the only way to end this is by his death?

Does that mean I'll end up – no, I couldn't.

I couldn't hurt him, never mind kill him.

Never.

I don't care what depends on it, it's never right to sacrifice the one for the lives of the many.

What if he finds out?

What if he commits suicide?

Because of me, or in spite of me?

"Something on your mind?" someone asked from behind him.

Daniel hastily shut the book and pulled it over the paper with the prophecy. "A couple of translations I meant to do yesterday that I didn't get round to. Nothing important." He looked round at Matt and grinned.

"I've never known you so out of it at a briefing," Matt smiled. "Sure, you can fool the others, but I'm not so easily tricked. What's going on?"

Daniel shook his head. "Honestly, nothing. I'm just decaffeinated."

The younger man laughed. "Of course. How could I fail to think of that?" he asked. "Come on then. Let's hit the canteen before we get called back to discuss the science missions."

Matt was smiling as they walked out of Daniel's office. But at the back of his mind, he was worried.

Daniel was lying about something. And whatever it was, it was linked to that piece of paper he'd tried to hide.

He shook his head and tried to put it to one side. But the thoughts wouldn't let go.

What is it?

Whatever it is, it's scaring him.

He's afraid alright.

But afraid of what?

He was watching me… like he was scared I'd disappear.

So it might be something to do with me.

Something that I don't know about.

Well, shit, no wonder he's afraid.

I'm not exactly stable, am I?

I would have made a lousy guardian if he hadn't found me.

So how can someone tell him something about me that I couldn't tell him?

He's already seen the worst parts of my mind and taken it in his stride.

Not about me, then, but linked to me.

There was a translation book on the desk. Translations of Ancient?

We haven't had any Ancient to translate for weeks.

But Madoka would be an Ancient…

Oh, shit. What has he seen?

What happens to me?