Chapter 6
Anubis said willingly.
It had been one of the hardest things he'd done, stepping up to the pulsating …machine. Not knowing what it was going to do. At least with the first time he hadn't been prepared. Hadn't known what would happen when the ancient depository had grabbed his head and pulled him in.
Now…now he was a bit older and wiser and fear was creating a knot in his stomach. He glanced at his team that lay sprawled against the wall, the burns from the staff weapon black against skin and clothes.
For them…he'll do it for them.
He took a deeper breath, calmed everything inside him. Reminded himself that this was nothing more than another battle ground. One he couldn't see yet and information was sketchy at best. Anubis waited for him and he couldn't delay anymore.
He stepped into the pulsating light.
The air was hazy; misty tendrils drifted across the barren ground in front of him. It was cold enough so he could see his breath materialise in front of his face. He looked up; counting the stars that flickered tentatively against the deep blue heavens.
"Feel us…"
He shivered at the voice which seemed to form right in front of him, becoming something a little more substantial than the mist that was now flowing around and in between his arms and legs. He took a step back and then another, feeling more ill at ease every moment. The vapour followed him and then even while he blinked the stars were blotted out and all that he could see was the grey, woollen colour of the fog. In panic he turned, but there was no escaping them.
"See us…"
The hazy, swirling cloud in front of him coalesced, forming a body as it stepped toward him. Eyes are formed, dark and empty and then a nose and then lips that slowly turned upward in a macabre copy of a smile. He stumbled backwards, away from the apparition and then there was nothing beneath his feet and he was falling while the ghostly form followed, dancing on the wind in front of him.
"Understand us…"
He heard laughter on the wind that whistled past his body, dark and sinister. He closed his eyes but it didn't change the image twirling in his mind's eye. Hands reached for him, closing around his own fingers and then tightening painfully, bringing both of them to a stop to drift on the screaming wind that flowed past their bodies.
"Become us…"
And then he was pulled into a hug.
And he changed.
And nothing was the same anymore.
The sun had risen when he woke up. He watched the dance of dust motes as it spiralled in the air on the back of the sun beam that filtered through the window. He was comfortable for the first time in a very long time. The bed was good, the blanket toasty. It was …nice.
The boy was gone again. So were the voices and all he had left was a vague notion of a memory. The first time he had heard them. He knew they'll be back. They always came back. But for now, he was going to enjoy what he had, even if it was an illusion of safety at best.
It wasn't long before the door opened and Seth entered. He had a tray in his hand. He sat up slowly. Even though he had healed most of his major injuries, he still felt sore. He had never really bothered with bruises before; the result was a mottled patchwork of green and blue spread across his chest where he had healed the broken ribs. His face felt the same and he wondered if Bess' hoofprint was evident on his skin.
Seth put the tray on his legs and sat down in a chair beside the bed. There was a piece of bread, some soup and a glass of water. He sipped the water first, careful to taper himself. He had learned enough now to know he'll only bring it back up if he went too fast after a healing like the one he'd done. It wasn't a pleasant memory at all and he pushed it back down.
"How're you doing?" Seth asked as he dipped the bread in the soup.
"Better, thanks."
Seth nodded. Waited while he took a bite of the dripping bread. Waited while he ate. He ignored Seth as a result while he finished the food.
"There's a reward out for you. It's quite substantial." Seth said when he placed the tray with empty plates next to him on the bed.
He wearily eyed the other man. The soup suddenly sat heavy in his stomach as he wondered what the motivation was behind the words. He pushed the tray away, sliding his legs from under the covers of the bed and onto the floor. "I'll get out of your hair then." He heard himself say. A hand reached out to him and he jerked back instinctively. Seth froze and then showed his palms, indicating that he wasn't going to touch him. Giving him space. Seth had schooled his face but for a moment there had seemed to be a sadness that he couldn't hide. He didn't understand why this man would care.
"You're safe here."
He nodded but stayed where he was, on the verge of fleeing. Not sure yet why he wasn't out the door and finding a good hiding spot.
"Look, I'm not going to betray you to Anubis. You can stay as long as you want. You're safe here."
He frowned while he contemplated the man before him. Took his measure of the man. The boy…the boy had been adamant that Seth was safe. So far the boy hadn't been wrong.
"Why do you care?" he asked.
A wistful smile. The man sighed. "There are those on this planet that aren't happy with the status quo."
"Not my problem."
Seth didn't believe him. He could see it clear as day. He looked around, trying to spot his shoes and clothes. They were nowhere in sight though and he couldn't exactly leave this house in his underwear. Even he knew he'd draw unnecessary attention to himself the moment he stepped outside Seth's little compound. He raised two eyebrows. "My clothes?"
"I've washed them. They're drying outside."
"I'm supposed to believe you?" he queried. "Look, I'm not about to join some suicide squad. I'll get out of your hair and then you can continue whatever it is you're planning."
"The moment you step outside, you'll be recognised. Anubis has your face plastered everywhere. Do you know why he's looking for you?"
He shrugged his shoulders. Looked away as the other man shifted in his chair.
"Look, I know that you haven't had a lot of chances to trust others…"
He gave a short bark of derision. That had to be the understatement of the century.
"…hear me out. There are others…"
He shook his head. Held up his hands. "I don't want to know."
Seth sighed. Stood up and took the tray from the bed. "I'm not going to keep you here. If you want to leave, that's up to you. I'll bring your clothes when they're dry."
He watched Seth leave, closing the door softly behind him. The moment he heard the click, he was up and stepped up to the door. His hand was on the handle and he very softly turned it and opened the door in the barest of slivers. His forehead leaned against the wood as he listened with bated breath.
He was right. There was someone else here. A deep voice that resonated something inside him. Familiar and not in a good way.
"I have been against this from the beginning. If you had told me we could've prevented this from ever happening. Send a warning…"
"And in the process gave up on finding a potential weapon to be used against Anubis?" the other voice asked exasperated.
"The risk wasn't worth it. Look what it's done to him."
"So, he has some memory issues. What's that in the big scheme of things, Selmak. We're fighting for our very survival here. One Tau'ri's sanity isn't worth our annihilation."
"You forget what he's done for us already, Jasek. And it isn't just about his sanity. You know there's more to it than that."
"But if he retains the knowledge once the process is complete…"
"He'll be lost to us then." It was spoken so softly; he almost didn't catch the words. Seth seemed sad; he could understand that much. Anger rose and the harshness of the whispered words increased. "I'm not willing to give up on him yet and I'm not going to sacrifice him for a maybe."
"Fine. Do it your way. Let's hope it's not going to bite you on the ass."
Footsteps fading away and he very softly closed the door again. Made his way back to his bed while he contemplated his options. It seemed Seth and this Selmak person were one and the same. One of them sounded suspiciously like the goa'uld. And then there was Jasek. He wondered what their interest was in him and who the hell the Tau'ri were. He grabbed the blanket from the bed and wrapped it around himself. Stepped towards the window and realised that he wasn't going to get out that way. It was too narrow, deep set so that the light that made it inside was diffused. Bringing light but not warmth. He stood there, trying to decide what he wanted to do.
Fingers wrapped around his hand where his arm was hanging by his side.
He sighed.
The boy was back.
"If you leave, Anubis will find you."
"I know."
"Then don't leave."
He closed his eyes. Curled his own hand around ghostly fingers. Pretended it was real. The whispers were starting up…sibilant in the stillness of the room. They promised much but none of it was real.
"Please."
The boy leaned into his body. He opened his arm, let the air around him form into thin shoulders and a tousled head of hair. Brown eyes looked up at him. "You can open your eyes, if you want."
He shook his head yet still hugged the boy to himself. The whispers didn't like what was happening. This was more than the dreamscape he found himself in sometimes – where the boy was real. Could be seen. This was …make belief come true. He didn't want it to.
Let the boy go.
…He's not helping…
…what is he doing?
...hear us…open yourself…
…let go of the boy…
The whispers were incessant. Voices overlapping. He pulled the boy tight against his leg. Felt thin arms hug him back.
"She's coming." The boy said in awe. "She's coming here."
He opened his eyes in shock. Looked down but there was nothing but air. The doorknob turned and the voices went quiet. Seth stood in the entryway and their eyes met.
"You okay?"
He nodded. "I think I need to leave."
Seth didn't reply. Closed the door behind him and left him alone again. He made his way back to the bed and sat down. Leaned forward, elbows on his knees and placed his head in his hands. Tried to get his equilibrium back. The boy was gone again.
He suppressed a sob of frustration. Lifted his head and stared at his hands. Turned them as he inspected them. They were the same as always. Nothing he could see of himself had changed yet everything inside was in turmoil. Was different. He felt different. Shattered in more ways than one. He waited and it wasn't too long before Seth was back with his clothes and shoes. He dressed silently and left.
He was half a block away in an alley when the boy came back.
"You need to go back."
"I don't want to. Seth isn't who he pretends to be."
"It's dangerous out here."
He stepped past the broken refuse. Bypassed a black slimy mould that was dripping off the wall. "I'll be fine."
"Will you?"
He grunted. Came to the end of another alley and eyed the intersection that beckoned in front of him. A few people were moving about, going from one activity to another. He crossed quickly and there was no great outcry that he'd been discovered. He moved deeper into this part of the town that were broken down ruins with shadows and alleys that twisted and turned. He found a hidey hole that he'd used previously. He settled down, pulling his legs up as he leaned against the broken masonry.
It wasn't dark out yet; he could see glimpses of a sky streaked with golden rays of the setting sun. The temperature was dropping and he missed the bed and the blanket. But he couldn't go back. Seth was someone else. Something else, he corrected himself. A rat scurried past and over his boots. A tail twitch and the rat disappeared down a smaller hole.
He closed his eyes for a moment.
His head dipped lower onto his chest. His body relaxed…
"Jack?"
Of course, it would be Daniel asking, confused brown eyes on him as he and the rest of SG-1 is made to stand off to one side on the cliff while one of the Jaffa is dialling out.
"It's gonna be okay, Danny," he says, not believing it for one second.
"What's going on?"
Aware of the Jaffa surrounding him, he contemplated not answering. But then Daniel will probe and nag until he gets an answer. And he didn't want to risk them coming back here.
"You're going home."
"Jaack?" Daniel stretched out the "a" in Jack's name making it a question while sounding a little lost, as he was propelled to the waiting wormhole. Carter's eyes glistened which made them look suspiciously like she had tears in them; Teal'c was occupying himself by fighting the two Jaffa holding him.
"Let go of me, dammit," Daniel swore as he struggled against two Jackal guards that had their hands firmly clamped around his biceps.
Jack grimaced. He wasn't used to Daniel swearing. He didn't like the desperation as the archaeologist managed to jerk one arm free, half turning to him in a beseeching manner.
"Jack, what did you promise?"
"Nothing, Daniel. Just go home, okay." And don't come back. He thinks but doesn't say.
"Anubis had made you use the device, didn't he?" There was so much accusation in Daniel's voice. And fear. And definitely guilt. "Jack, how much time?"
He shrugged, not really sure himself. It could be days; it could be weeks. But he needed to see his team step through the wormhole while he at least still had his own mind. A whisper drifted on the wind that moaned in a low keening voice around them, tucking ghostly fingers through his hair and he shivered at the touch as he tried to keep the feeling of desperation and fear from showing on his face.
"Jack," Daniel started again and he had had enough. "Oh fer crying out loud, Daniel. Just drop it, okay. It's done."
He turned away, staring out over the plain trying his best to ignore the gasp of surprise from his friend while the knot in his stomach cramped into a tighter ball.
Hear us...
He tried his best to ignore the dark whisper as what felt like fingers raked across his chest, raising the hairs on the back of his neck.
"O'Neill."
He half turns, aware of the deep bass of Teal'c spoken quietly.
"I will return for you." Teal'c states solemnly, his gaze strong and pure, keeping hold of his own and promising much more. Retribution. Salvation. Rescue no matter the personal cost.
He knew that they wouldn't be able to return. But he gives a nod in any case to stem the dark violence that was hidden so well in the big Jaffa. Anubis had promised alive if they cooperated.
The half-ascended being had said nothing about what would happen if they resisted too much.
"Sir?"
"It's gonna be okay, Carter. I'll see you soon. Keep the beer cold," he said quietly, knowing that he was lying through his teeth.
"Yes, sir."
She turned away, the glow from the wormhole blue against her features and he drank in as much of it he could. She set her shoulders, shrugged the grips of the Jaffa from her arms and with quiet dignity stepped through the wormhole.
Daniel was thrown and he stumbled into the event horizon, eyes still pleadingly on Jack's, as if that would change anything about their current situation. Or the fact that he was staying behind.
Teal'c gave one of his long slow bows and Jack knew that the Jaffa would do anything and everything to get him back. With a woosh the wormhole closed and with-it relief to know that at least for now his team was alive and safe. And then the ghostly fingers and whispers were back, invading his body and mind as he allowed the guards to take him back to the ha'tak and Anubis.
It wasn't long after that when he woke up in the basin and his memories started to fade. Before the boy…
Something woke him. He wasn't sure yet what it was. He could barely see; it was dark out especially where he was hiding. He heard whispers.
Not Jaffa then.
He readied himself silently. Rose up, arms and body loose.
"I saw him. He's close by." It was Joruus.
"You saw nothing but a ghost." Marcus whispered. A scuffle of feet against the ground. A brief flare of light that brought a darkened twilight into his hidden space. They were outside in the alley, looking for the entrance that he'd hidden behind a discarded box and crate. On silent feet he shifted to the wall that separated them. They will have to bend down and crawl if they want to enter once they find the gap in the wall. He can take them out then and he mapped out the moves that would be efficient in the small space.
"I'm telling you, he's here." Joruus whined.
"Shhh."
Silence came and he held his breath. Got himself ready.
"Shit." It was Joruus. "What was that?"
"A rat you idiot."
"Dammit. They're everywhere."
The light that filtered through the gap got brighter. A pause and then a low chuckle.
"I know you're there." Marcus sang. He didn't move. Waited. "Come on. Make it easy on yourself, Dean. You go back where you belong with Anubis and I earn some cash. Win-win don't you think." Silence as the man waited for him. He didn't bother to reply. "…or you come with me. You have some skill. Fight for me and you get to live. Make me rich and I'll protect you from Anubis."
He shook his head silently. The crate scraped, a screech loud and vibrating down the alley and into his little space.
"Told you it's dangerous out here." The boy admonished. He ignored him, focused entirely on the space in front of him. Waiting. Another smaller scrape as the box was removed and suddenly shadows played across the darkness when the light fully penetrated the gap in the wall.
"Switch that off." Marcus intoned angrily. Joruus complied and the darkness returned but it was too late.
"Aray kree."
The whine of a staff weapon and then booted feet running.
"Hal mek!"
He sagged in relief when they ran past, chasing after Joruus and Marcus. He slowly slid down the wall, breathing again. His heart thumping in his chest, a staccato beat that drowned out all noise. The adrenaline was dissipating leaving him almost breathless and shaking. He tightened his hands into fists, trying to ride out the wave as he swallowed against a sudden dry mouth.
"That was too close. You need to go back to Seth."
He glared at the space the boy seemed to occupy.
"Don't be like that. You didn't ask him about Selmak."
"He's goa'uld."
"Maybe…maybe not."
He frowned at that. What exactly did that mean?
"You can't stay here."
No shit, Sherlock.
"It's safe. You can move."
He rolled his eyes but did step up to the cavity. Breathed out, careful as he shimmied through the gap and flattened himself against the wall behind the crate. All was quiet. In the distance he heard a staff weapon. Muted shouts. He moved away from the noise, silent as he glided down the alley. He followed the boy. They moved efficiently. Quickly. He evaded two more jackal cohorts.
He found himself back close to Seth's place when the sky turned dark blue with the first hint of sunrise. He was hidden across the way, watching the yard. Somewhere a rooster crowed.
Why did he find himself coming back here? He didn't have an answer to the question. There was just something about Seth…
He faded further into the back alley when he noticed four figures from further down the road move furtively closer to Seth's place. They had come from one of the arial roads that led outside the city. It was hard to see in the light, they were nothing more than dark shadows against the grey of the concrete. But they seemed familiar somehow. A whisper sounded from one of them, questioning. Light glinted off something shiny on one of the shadow's faces.
He frowned.
They slipped into the yard and knocked. The door opened, light flaring briefly as they entered before Seth glanced around and closed the door.
He tried to make sense of what he saw in that brief flare of illumination. He closed his eyes, focused on his memory. The boy was jittery. Urging him to follow the shadows to Seth. To be back to safety and the bed and blanket.
But he couldn't.
"You know what you saw." The boy was insistent now.
"Just…shut up."
The boy fell silent. Seemed to fade a little. He breathed out. Focused again on the memory.
He saw her. She had half turned when they entered the house, looking back at the man with glasses. Said something.
He smiled at the memory.
"Told you." The boy seemed excited. The whispers were dark. Seemed to gather courage. A wind came out of nowhere, gushed down the alley he was hiding in. Hands caressed his face. Tugged at his shirt. They promised oblivion.
He turned his head, trying hard to ride the emotions and memories that seemed to envelope him. The boy disappeared. He couldn't focus…couldn't breathe.
It was too much.
He didn't hear the scuff of shoes.
"Got ya."
He half-turned, unprepared as Marcus lunged at him. The man crushed his body into the wall. He shifted his feet, trying to get past the mental onslaught of the whispers at the same time as trying to buck the other man from him. He scrabbled against the wall but he had no leverage. He jabbed an elbow back. Heard Marcus grunt and then a fist slammed into his lower kidney. His knees buckled and a grunt of pain erupted from his lips but he refused to give in. Managed to half turn and jabbed stiffened fingers into the other man's throat. Marcus reeled back, clutching at his injury. Red eyes met his, dark with intent and then there were two other men and Joruus. He went down in a flurry of kicks and hits. Curled up against the wall with a sense of déjà vu. Blackness danced at the edge of his vision and then he was left alone on the ground, bloodied and bruised. Harsh breathing surrounded him as they stood over his body.
The whispers didn't let up. It was darker and closer and more intense than ever before. A crescendo built up and he knew if he allowed it to reach the edge of the inner wall he had built in his psyche, it would overpower him and it would be the end.
It was all too much.
He recognised Marcus' boots as the man stepped up.
"You had to make it hard on yourself, didn't you?"
He sneered a bloody smile up at the man. He waited for the boot that would send him into oblivion but Marcus didn't oblige. Instead, his attention moved away from him towards the mouth of the alley that looked out towards Seth's yard.
"What the…"
The whine of a staff weapon, loud in the sudden silence. "Get away from him." A baritone, spoken low and with an undertone of authority that he hadn't heard before. Marcus half turned. "You don't want to get involved." Marcus warned his unseen rescuers. "There's a price on his head."
"Get away from him." The voice reiterated again. He tried to shift so he could see but Marcus moved so that his view was blocked.
"You don't want this trouble. He's wanted. Just forget you saw anything and leave him to us."
"We can't do that. I'm not going to ask again."
"There's two of you and the girl. What can she do? Nothing. And you don't much look like someone who can fight. I have more men waiting. One whistle from me and you'll be outnumbered. He's not worth the trouble."
This time he tried to move. Tried to get a better view of what was going on but Joruus was right there by his head and squatted down. Fingers carded into his hair, forcing him to face away, grounding his head into the ground. Small sharp shards of stone embedded itself into his cheek and he suppressed a whimper.
"Stop that!"
The voice again, a bit higher pitched now. But still determined.
"Just go. Don't get involved." Marcus was calm. Compelling. Hell, he was convinced that it would be better for them to go and just leave him to whatever fate his captor had in mind for him. "You can't help him."
The tone had a warning in it and he shuddered. Couldn't help the fear because he's heard that tone before when he was in jail. Usually right before crap started to happen. Usually to him.
He stopped trying to move. Joruus patted him on the head, apparently satisfied that he wasn't going to try anything. He curled tighter. Tried to make himself as small as possible. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen. He didn't want to get hit by a stray staff weapon blast if he could help it.
And then there was another voice. Deeper. With a lot more authority. "He is not yours."
"What is he to you?"
"Our friend."
Marcus laughed. "He has no friends. He is Anubis' property."
Then behind Marcus came another warning whine of a staff weapon being primed. He caught a glimpse of Seth with a zak'nik'tel and a Jaffa he didn't know. Not one of Anubis'. He knew that for certain. This Jaffa was older, his beard grey. Brown eyes were intent on Marcus and the men that stood before him. He looked …dangerous. A warrior. He had no doubt of that at all.
"You're making a mistake. I know who you are, Seth." Marcus said. He had turned sideways, thinning his profile in the line of crossfire.
"And I know what you are, Marcus. Should I let Anubis know?"
Marcus snarled. Red eyes glanced down at him, frustrated and angry.
"You don't want the trouble he's going to bring you. Let me take him with me. It won't come back on you."
"I think it's time you left, Marcus. Take your men and go."
Marcus kicked him and then bent down swiftly. The tactic was clear and so obvious he had to stop himself from rolling his eyes, ignoring the flair of agony the kick had brought. "They can't protect you forever." A sneer and then a malevolent grin. "See you soon." With that he rose and waved a hand and he watched as they sidled past Seth and the Jaffa before walking briskly away down the alley. Seth moved closer, keeping an eye on the disappearing men before he came down on one knee by his side.
"Can you walk?"
He grimaced. The voices seemed to have receded a bit now. He could feel the presence of the boy again. Excited for some reason. Breathless with anticipation.
"Here, let me help." Seth handed the weapon off and grabbed him around his bicep, pulling him up so that he was half sitting, half leaning against the wall. He squinted upwards towards the mouth of the alley but the sun was coming up and all he saw was three shadows against the morning rays. His headache increased and he dropped his gaze. Pushed against the wall until he half stood with shaky legs, grasping Seth's shoulder with a death grip, his fingers bleached white.
"We need to get back to the house."
He nodded. Took a breath and then allowed the older man to slip under his shoulder, propping him up as an arm went around his middle. They shuffled their way across the street, into the house and into the kitchen. He sat down at the table, riding out the waves of agony from bruised flesh that had been pummelled by fists and feet not so long ago. Riding on the leftover bruises from Bess' hooves that were now more than a week old and he knew that if he had a look tomorrow, he'll be coloured blue and green.
It wasn't anything new.
The jail had been much, much worse…
He looked up but it was only Seth with him in the kitchen. The co-conspirators were not in sight and he frowned. Suddenly wary again.
"Where are the others?"
"We don't want to overwhelm you. Besides, you said you're not interested, remember."
He grunted. Shifted on the seat of the chair while Seth busied himself at the firepit. Placed a pot of water to hang over the reignited flames.
"You hungry?"
He shook his head. His stomach was too sore for that now. He could feel the boy standing next to him. Fingers dancing across his back, healing the deeper bruises. It was tiring to keep track of that and the whispers that weren't happy and Seth.
"Ask him." The boy's voice was strong. He dropped his head onto his hands in defeat.
"Who's Selmak?"
Seth seemed to freeze for a moment. Straightened from where he'd been busy and then sat down opposite him by the table. He seemed to have come to a decision. He dipped his head and then he spoke.
"I'm Selmak."
He was away from the table before he even thought about it. Looking for a way out, even with Marcus and Joruus out there.
"I'm To'kra."
He was moving sideways, eyeing the doorway that was open past Seth. No, scratch that…the goa'uld that had pretended to be …what…his friend?
"Stay away from me." He intoned, taking another step towards the door.
"I know who you are." The eerie voice said. Brown eyes looked at him in concern. Didn't try and stop him as he took another careful step towards the door.
"No one knows who I am except Anubis." He said.
"That's not true. We were …friends before Anubis did this to you."
He almost laughed. The boy had gone silent again. Mysteriously disappeared and the whispers were quiet. It was disconcerting. They were waiting for …something. He wasn't sure what that was but it felt somehow that whatever happened next would determine his life. Where he was going to end up. He didn't take another step. He realised that the man before him was deadly serious. Wasn't lying.
"Who am I?" He challenged then.
The man dipped his head again and then when he spoke, it was in Seth's voice. "Your name is Jack." He paused then. Waited for him to say anything to the revelation of his name. He didn't know what to say to that. It felt …familiar but the name meant nothing more than that. No sudden influx of memories happened. No great revelations sang from the rafters. No great light appeared. It was …disappointing.
"I don't know who that is." He said in the end. Softly and with a sadness he couldn't quite hide.
Seth nodded as if he'd expected as much. "The others…they've just arrived. Their journey was hard. A long one as they had to come by ship. Do you want to meet them?"
He didn't know now. Still posed to flee again but out there he knew Marcus was waiting. He felt overwhelmed. Seth seemed to read him. Understand the turmoil inside him. "You don't have to. Why don't you have something to eat first and we take it from there. How does that sound?"
He took a moment to think it over. Came to a decision and went back to the table and sat down again. Watched as Seth rose and busied himself by the pot. It looked like he was making soup and the spices that followed vegetables had his mouth watering. He relaxed as he watched the man work.
"You said To'kra?" He queried.
Seth half turned to him, talking over his shoulder as he stirred the pot. "It's a resistance group that fights against the goa'uld. They live in harmony with their host. It is a mutually beneficial relationship for both."
"It's still a snake." He found himself muttering. Didn't know where that had come from but it followed the sentiment of the boy who had nothing but contempt for Anubis.
Seth chuckled at his words. "You'd say that."
He frowned. "What does that mean?"
"You don't like the goa'uld much." Seth said plainly.
He grimaced. Looked away and watched as his hands were playing with a spoon. Restless fingers moving the utensil around and around. A hand came into view, stilling him.
"It's okay. You're safe here."
"Nowhere's safe." He said automatically. He glanced towards the door but the mysterious guests of Seth seemed to have somehow made themselves scarce. He wondered where they went off too. What they were doing.
"Eat." Seth said instead, spooning some soup into a bowl and placing it before him. The older man dished up another bowl for himself and then placed a flat bread on the table. Broke off a piece and he did the same. Dipped it in the bowl and when he took the first bite, did he realise how hungry he was. He ate his fill, the silence comfortable.
Seth was right. He did feel better afterwards. Watched as the other man cleared their plates away.
"You can stay in the room you were in previously."
"What about the others?" he asked.
"They are going to be staying somewhere else." Seth said. "Do you want to meet them before they leave?"
He tilted his head. Studied Seth but there was no duplicity that he could see. "Fine."
Seth beckoned him to follow and he went into a bigger living room. A man in glasses had some pottery shard in his hand. Seemed to be studying it. There was a big Jaffa that stood in the corner. Was attentive and he looked on guard. He was listening to another Jaffa – the older man he had seen with Seth in the alley.
What took his breath away was the woman who was seated on a chair. She had looked up from the book in her lap and blue eyes met his. Pulled him in as he stared in wonder at her.
"I told you she's coming." The boy's voice had a smirk to it that he couldn't hide. His heart thumped in his chest and his hands suddenly felt clammy. His breathing hitched for a moment as he continued to stare at her. It was so cliched but yet he could attest to its truth. Everyone else faded away to nothing in that room as he continued to study her. He found himself moving to her. Pulled her up to stand before him as his fingers traced over the contours of her face.
"It's really you." He whispered. "I thought you were a dream."
She seemed unsure of his actions. Glanced at the man with the glasses and then back at him. He dropped his hand. Stood before her and then he turned abruptly and left the room. Left all of them as he went to the bedroom and closed and locked the door. He slid down slowly, back against the door as his emotions overwhelmed him.
He couldn't take it in. It was …just…too…much.
For the first time since he woke up in the cell and didn't know who he was or what he was becoming he cried.