Author's Notes – Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.

Enjoy.

Silence filled the room after Ari's announcement. Daniel sat down and leaned back to study the information on the screen in front of him.

"That's an interesting claim," he said finally, "Prove it."

Ari stared at him, "Dad…"

"Present it properly," he cut her off, "I want you to explain this fully from start to finish."

"Dad," she started to argue again stopping when he held up his finger.

Carson and Bridger shared a confused look but stayed silent watching and waiting.

Daniel stood and motioned the screens, "Arianna, we are going through this because I am not telling Jack, Sara or that man in there what you suspect until I am completely convinced."

Ari took a deep breath and nodded, "Okay."

"Then present your evidence," Daniel told her.

Another silence filled the room while Ari ordered her thoughts and took a deep breath as the three men all sat waiting for her to talk.

"Let's start with the DNA sample," Ari stated confidently, "Carson has confirmed that Tim's father is Jack O'Neill."

"But which one?" Daniel countered, "You and I both know that there is more than one Jack O'Neill."

"What?" Bridger asked but was quickly hushed by Carson who was watching intently.

Ari nodded, "True but his age means it is not possible he is 'Jon's' son."

"Age can be faked," Daniel reminded her, "People can look older or younger than they actually are. Your mother, your brother and I are all proof of that."

"I would be the one member of the family who ages normally," Ari muttered under her breath.

Daniel grimaced at her motioning her to hurry up.

"He has a scar which has been confirmed also by Carson to be consistent with a bullet wound," Ari continued smoothly, "In the exact place Charlie was shot. And," she cut off her father before he could say anything else, "He is Sara's double."

Daniel frowned slightly in thought.

"Look at him, Dad," Ari said passionately, "I thought he was familiar from the moment we met, he has so many of Jack's traits but look at him properly. He is Sara's son."

Daniel nodded before turning to the other two men, "She's right. I see it."

"One of us needs to tell Tim," Ari noted, "And I think it should be you, Captain."

Bridger let out a long sigh, "I knew you were going to say that."

"He's going to be pretty mad at me," Ari noted, shaking her head before Bridger could retort, "Yeah, I know you still have to yell at me for my stunt but let's focus on this first. You're his commanding officer so this news coming from you will be better than if it is coming from someone he doesn't know very well."

Bridger nodded, "I agree, however you have to face him afterwards."

Before Ari could reply he walked out of the room.

x

"Carson," Daniel said after Captain Bridger had left, "Can you give us a minute?"

The doctor nodded and clapped Ari's shoulder as he passed her, "Good luck."

Daniel waited until Carson had left before he moved to the computer and picked up the data crystal, "Ari, what the hell did you think you were doing?"

"Dad…"

He held up his hand cutting her off, "Bridger gave you his trust and you stole information from his ship. Classified files that you knew you could have requested if you discussed it with someone else. So I want to know, right now, why the hell you jeopardised everything for this."

"He's Jack and Sara's son," Ari cried annoyed.

Daniel shook his head, "It doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters," she snapped back, "It matters that Tim thinks his parents didn't love him, it matters that Jack has blamed himself for years for a death that never happened and that Sara writes stories about a little boy that never gets to grow up."

"Arianna, there are ways to do these things," Daniel told her, "You should have come to me or your mom first. That's what we're here for and you have been a part of the SGC long enough to know the protocol."

Ari dropped her head and let out a soft sigh, "This was why I was sent to the Seaquest."

"What?" Daniel asked confused.

"Shifu told me that I needed to be on the Seaquest to learn a secret," she confessed, "When I realised I was about to…Dad, I was so relieved. Working this out…it is huge and I couldn't think of anything but to find out if I was right."

Daniel stared at her for a moment recognising the look in her eyes, after a few moments he wrapped his arms around her kissing the top of her head.

"You are far too much my daughter," Daniel murmured to her, "You've also spent far too much time under Jack's influence. I know I've told you stories about us breaking every rule but I honestly hoped you'd see them as cautionary tales not what you should do."

"I'm sorry, Dad," Ari whispered back.

Daniel pulled back and looked down at her, "How did you get around Dr Smith?"

"I put her to sleep," Ari shrugged, nodding at his stunned expression, "I know. I didn't think I could still do it either but I did."

Daniel looked at her thoughtfully, "How?"

"I sort of reflected the command off her own telepathic abilities," Ari explained.

"That is something we'll keep to ourselves," Daniel told her before sighing softly, "Let's give Bridger time to talk with Tim and we'll go from there once we know what he wants to do."

Ari frowned confused, "What do you mean?"

"Honey, what we're telling Tim is big," Daniel reminded her, "And as much as I want to tell Jack and Sara this incredible information now, we have to give Tim some time to digest the news."

Tim leaned back against the pillows once the doctors left him alone. The wound was bandaged and Dr Westphalen, knowing his dislike of drugs, so had only given him a local anaesthetic so his shoulder was numb but his head was clear.

"Hey," Miguel appeared suddenly, "Westphalen said I'm allowed to see you."

Tim smiled to see his best friend appear, "Have I missed anything?"

Miguel shrugged, "Not that I know of. Lucas seems to have made friends with the head scientist and Ford thinks we may have to pry him out of here."

Tim chuckled at the thought surprised when the Captain walked in, "Sir?"

"Mr Ortiz, I need to speak to Lt O'Neill," Bridger said softly, "Can you give me the room?"

Miguel looked a little confused before he nodded, resting his hand on Tim's uninjured arm, "I'll be back later."

Tim nodded before he turned to his superior officer, "Is something wrong, sir?"

Bridger drew the chair from the corner and sat beside Tim, "Not wrong but there is something I need to discuss with you."

Tim stared at him confused waiting to find out what was going on.

"As your captain I am aware of your personal history," Bridger started.

"I know that, sir," Tim replied getting confused.

Bridger nodded but said nothing for several minutes making Tim worry even more.

"Sir, has the doctor found something?" Tim asked worriedly, "Am I sick? Is it repercussions from what my parents did when I was a kid?"

Bridger rested his hand on the younger man's arm, "You're not sick. But it is to do with your parents."

"Sir, I don't know if it's the blood loss but I am really confused right now," Tim told him.

x

Nathan watched the man sitting on the infirmary bed looking bewildered. He knew this was best to come from him but he had no idea how to break this to the younger man. How do you tell someone everything they knew about themselves was a lie?

"Captain?"

"Dr Jackson…Arianna made a discovery," Nathan started. He was not letting her out of her part in this but it wasn't what he wanted to say, "Alright, let me try this again. You told Arianna about your past."

Tim shrugged still looking bemused, "It was so she would tell me her story."

"Well, when you were injured she made a discovery," Nathan explained before shaking his head and decided to just say it, "She took a copy of your medical file and had one of the doctor's look over it. It appears that the wound on your temple is from a bullet."

Tim's hand automatically moved to the scar, "That's impossible."

"We also checked your DNA against someone on the SGC's files," Nathan continued before he lost the nerve, "Your parents are still alive, Tim. They didn't abandon you, they thought you died."

Tim was shaking slightly as he took all this in finally asking, "Who am I?"

"Are you sure you don't want a little time to…"

"Please," Tim interrupted, "I need to know."

Nathan nodded, "Your real name is Charlie O'Neill."

"O'Neill?"

"You're the son of General Jack O'Neill," Nathan clarified watching the young man carefully.

Tim stared at the wall blankly as he took in all the information Nathan had given him.

"I'm going to give you some time," Nathan said knowing there was nothing he could do right now, "If you need anything let me know."

"Sir," Tim turned just as Nathan reached the door, "Can you ask Miguel to come back in?"

Nathan nodded, knowing that Tim needed someone to talk to right now and there was only one person he would trust with this.

x

Miguel jumped when Captain Bridger appeared from Tim's room looking grim, "Is something wrong, sir?"

"Lt O'Neill asked that you go back in," Bridger told him, worry filled Miguel when Bridger caught his shoulder, "He needs your support right now."

Worried Miguel watched the captain walk away before he headed in to check on his friend. Tim was sitting on the bed staring into space, his face was pale and his eyes glazed slightly while his finger continually rubbed at the small indentation on his temple.

"Hey," Miguel caught his hand stilling the nervous motion, "What's wrong?"

Tim turned to him and Miguel saw the uncertainty in Tim's eyes, Miguel squeezed his friend's hand resting his other one on Tim's shoulder, "Talk to me."

Tim took several deep breaths before he started to talk, his words tumbling out as he repeated everything the captain had just told him.

"Wow," was all Miguel could think of when Tim finished, "How do you feel?"

Tim shrugged, "I don't know."

"What do you want to do?"

Another shrug made Miguel smile slightly, "Okay, we will work this out."

"So you're sure there will be no danger to sending the Seaquest back to Earth through the wormhole created by the boxes?" Jonathan asked as he studied the report.

Dr McKay nodded, "We did extensive testing, Lucas and I agree that the Seaquest will be fine."

Nathan scanned over the report himself but as Lucas had already given his agreement then there was little that he needed to check.

"Considering Lt O'Neill is currently under the doctor's care," he said, "And the crew were due some leave anyway, if you have no objections I'd prefer to remain here another few days."

Sheppard glanced at McKay who shrugged before turning back to them, "No problem. We're happy to have you here. I know there are several scientists from both sides who want to get together and talk."

Nathan chuckled in agreement, "I have a list of requests already myself."

"We'll call the SGC," McKay took over again, "And advise we'll be sending you back on Friday."

"Thank you," Nathan told them.

The meeting broke up and Jonathan joined his captain as they left the conference room.

"Sir, is there something going on with Tim that I'm not aware of?" he asked once they were in an empty corridor.

Nathan stopped and leaned against the wall with a sigh, "Yes."

"And?"

"Until he agrees I can't discuss this with anyone else," Nathan told his second in command before assuring, "But it has nothing to do with his health."

Jonathan nodded.

"Get back to the ship and sort out further leave," Nathan told him, "I have some business with Dr Jackson before I check on Lt O'Neill."

Jonathan started away before stopping turning back, "Sir, should I be worried about Tim?"

Nathan hesitated, "There's nothing wrong with him, Jonathan. That's all I can tell you."

x

"What were you thinking, Arianna?" Sha're demanded when her daughter walked into the room.

Ari sighed, "Dad has already yelled at me and Bridger is going to yell at me in ten minutes so I don't need you joining in."

Sha're stared at her daughter disapprovingly.

"Mom," Ari winced under the look.

"I assume you have discovered the secret you were supposed to?" Sha're asked.

Ari shrugged before she dropped onto the couch in the rooms, "I'm hoping so because this is amazing even if Dad doesn't think we should tell them yet."

"I understand," Sha're sat beside her daughter and squeezing her hand, "Being reunited with your child after so many years apart is a joy I cannot describe. But as much as I want Jack and Sara to experience that delight your father is correct."

Ari let out an annoyed sigh.

"I am not simply taking his side," Sha're replied to the unspoken remark, "Even from here I can sense Lt O'Neill's turmoil this news has caused within him. If you let yourself then you would also."

"So I should feel guilty?" Ari demanded bouncing up to pace.

Sha're shook her head, "No but you should be a little more sensitive to the situation," standing Sha're stopped her daughter, "Arianna, I know how much you love Jack and Sara, I was jealous of Sara when I first returned because you were so close to her. But your desire to reunite them is blinding you."

Ari let out another long sigh, allowing her mother to hug her.

"Go and allow Captain Bridger reprimand you," Sha're told her, "Then speak with Lt O'Neill."

Arianna looked at her mother questioningly, "Is that what you would do?"

Sha're gave a mischievous smile, "I think you know what I would do."

Chuckling Ari kissed her mother's cheek before she headed out to face Bridger.

x

Nathan watched the young woman as she was escorted into the room, not moving from his seat but simply looking up and watching her. He'd ensured this meeting took place on the Seaquest so that he had the home advantage. The young man who had walked her in nodded and left them alone. He knew how to do this, had perfected it over the years and was a master of knowing how long to sit making the other person uncomfortable.

"Captain Bridger," Arianna spoke after a few seconds, as most did but unusually she didn't stop when he stood and frowned at her. The frown even stopped Lucas mid-sentence.

"I wanted to apologise," she continued without pausing, "You placed your trust in me and I broke that by appropriating Lt O'Neill's medical files without permission. I should have spoken to both you and my father first. I apologise."

Nathan was a little stunned at her frank apology, without trying to wheedle her way out of it.

"I am going to speak with Lt O'Neill once we've finished," Ari continued without letting him say anything, "I enjoyed working with you and the Seaquest crew so I hope you understand why I took the step. My relationship with Jack and Sara as well as my desire to prove my theory correct overcame my better judgement."

He was about to reply when she smiled at him.

"Thank you, Captain," she nodded before heading out.

Nathan watched her leave and sat down again satisfied for about a minute before he grimaced as he realised she hadn't let him get a word in.

Damn she was good.