"It was really nice meeting your family." Daniel paused at the door, smiling at Airman Wells. It had been nice visiting with a normal, standard, run of the mill family despite the shock of the airman's unborn child being a girl. Fortunately for the new parents, Daniel had other commitments and needed to get over to the O'Neill-Carter residence for an informal gathering. The Wells family were probably overwhelmed by their new addition; Daniel could not wait to tell the others that Junior Wells had been named after Janet.

With a large smile on his face, Wells responded, "Thank you, and thank you for visiting. I never managed to see Colonel O'Neill or Major Carter after… the accident. Please pass on my condolences."

"Of course." Daniel nodded. Janet's memorial had already been and passed, Wells was the last life she had ever saved and after a few days of recuperation, he had been allowed home just in time for his daughter to be born. Sam and Cassandra would both be overwhelmed with the news. "I'm heading over to see them now. They've, uh, they've taken Cassie in."

Wells nodded. "If you could tell her… my condolences again. Please." The young airman was clearly at a loss for words.

"I will."

"The SGC won't be the same again, will it?" the airman whispered. Daniel could only shake his head as he left the only family he knew that had happy times ahead of them.

It did not take him long to get to the O'Neill-Carter residence and he paused, leaning against his car door. Part of him strongly wanted to get back into the car and drive far away. Inside were his friends, the people he called family and each and every one of them was hurting more than was humanly possible. Daniel knew that he needed to be strong for Cassie as he stood up straight and made a step towards the home.

"Hey." Turning, Daniel saw Nicola approaching from her own car and he nodded a pathetic hello to her as she joined him at watching the house. "I really don't want to go in."

Reaching for her hand, his right hand enclosed around her left as it had at the memorial and very gently Daniel squeezed it. "We have to; Cassie needs us."

Violently yanking her hand out of his, Nicola stepped away from him. "I shouldn't have to do anything!" Suddenly there were tears streaming down her face and anger in her eyes. Daniel had no idea what was going on.

"Nicola?"

Disregarding the fact that they were standing in the middle of a public street with other people visiting the O'Neill-Carter home, Nicola continued to cry and shout at Daniel. "I died, Daniel, I died and you never even noticed."

"I…" He had no idea what words he would have said, but she would not let him speak anyway.

"I died and the only person I had… she… just died. You're the one who made me start caring, start making friends and now I'm supposed to be there for other people?"

"Cassie needs us." Better than anyone, Daniel knew that everyone was hurting from losing Janet, but Cassie had lost her only parent again.

"And who do I need? Who do I have?"

"I…" She remained silent, but Daniel could still not find the words. Shaking her head and with a grim smile on her face, Nicola walked straight past the other people gathering and into the house. Daniel did not have the time to try and talk to her, Cassie was more important. Making his way into the home, there were people everywhere and Daniel had no idea where to even start looking for Cassie. Pausing for a moment to watch the mass of people, Daniel tried to remember if there had ever been anything similar after his own parents' death. It was possibly the only real benefit to having been so young when his parents had died, there was a lot he could not remember. The crowds were quite imposing and Daniel soon found himself heading towards the private study where it seemed quieter.

The door was open as Daniel slowed and heard voices coming from within the usually out of bounds room.

"I'm not prepared for this," Sam was declaring and Daniel instantly knew that he should move away from the door. Something prevented him from moving. "I don't know how to… What to…" Sam paused and seemed to cry slightly in annoyance. "This was never part of the plan!"

There was movement from within the room and then Jack's voice, "I know, Sam, this is a shock for us all. This wasn't supposed to… We'll all be okay. Okay?"

There was a longer silence and Daniel seriously considered making a move away, but then Sam spoke. "I need to go have a lie down."

Panicking slightly that it would be obvious he had been eavesdropping, Daniel stepped closer to the door and knocked on it before peering his head into the room. "Hope I'm not interrupting?"

Daniel said, hugging her gently as she took a few steps towards him. Taking comfort from her embrace, Daniel hugged her back before she stepped away.

"Thank you for coming." Sam then left without another word.

"Is she okay?" Daniel asked once he was sure that Sam would be far enough away to not hear.

"She will be."

"Look, Jack…" Daniel started, but Jack held up a hand to stop him. Ever since Daniella's birthday and Jack's disapproval of Daniel bringing Sarah to it, things had been slightly tense between Daniel and his closest friend. There had been some stubbornness on both parts, but Daniel knew that they both just had to put it behind them.

"You don't need to say anything." There was a brief silence until Jack broke it. "There's a lot of people here."

"Janet was well loved."

"Irreplaceable."

"As Teal'c would say, indeed." That made Jack smile and then, so did Daniel. "Where's Cassie? How is she?"

"Last I saw, running to hide upstairs."

"Too many people?"

"Why do you think I'm hiding in here?"

"I might go have a word with her. See you later."

"Yeah."