After dropping off their guest with Dr Warner, Jack caught Janet before she started Daniel's medical.
"How is he?" she asked.
Jack sighed, "Barely said a word, introduced us by rank not by our names and acting like he can't wait to get out of here. He won't engage."
She nodded and took a deep breath before heading to join Daniel now he'd changed into scrubs.
While waiting for the medical checks to be over, Jack had an idea and slipped into Janet's office to call up to Hammond for permission and got an update on what had happened when Jacob had found their wayward archaeologist. He organised a VIP room for Rayner, and for Owens to talk to him about what they'd found in Chicago before he waited for Daniel to be finished.
"Physically he is healthy," Janet said as she saw Jack waiting for her, "In some ways more so than when he was here. Emotionally…"
"I am working on that," Jack replied, squeezing her shoulder, "I'll talk to you later."
Taking a deep breath, Jack walked over to where Daniel was now dressed again and looking exhausted.
"Hey."
Daniel looked up at the greeting and replied quietly, "Hey."
"Got a place for you to get some rest," Jack told him, "VIP room. You comin'?"
With a slight sigh, Daniel slid off the bed and started walking with Jack through the corridors.
"So, Jacob mentioned you weren't too happy about getting rescued," Jack started.
Daniel glanced at him but made no snarky reply which in the past would normally have greeted that comment.
Instead, all he said was, "He zatted me."
Jack winced, "Yeah, Jacob is a bit of a no nonsense, straight to the point kind of guy."
"And a Gould."
"No, Tok'ra," Jack corrected, stunned that for once he was the one doing so, "I know they can sometimes seem just as arrogant, but Jacob shares his body with Selmak. It took me time to get used to it but they're fighting the Gould just like we are."
Daniel gave a slight shrug, as they reached the room he went inside and sat on the bed. Jack moved to sit on the chair across from him, hating the way Daniel's head was dipped avoiding all eye contact. Keeping that barrier between them.
"Before you leave," Jack said, breaking the silence, "I thought you might want to go to Abydos for a few days."
"What?" Daniel looked up at him surprise and confusion in his eyes.
Jack shrugged, "Every time we see or talk to Kasuf, he asks after you."
"I don't…"
"I can't tell him you were here, and you didn't go see him," Jack noted.
Daniel sighed, "Emotional blackmail, Jack. Really?"
Shrugging Jack replied, "I learned from the best."
Daniel was silent for a moment before saying, "If General Hammond allows it, I would like to go back for a few days."
Jack stood and offered him a keycard, "Get something to eat, then get some rest. We head out at oh nine hundred."
"We?"
"Just you and me, "Jack assured him, "No need for anyone else to come."
"I should check on Steven," Daniel said, taking the card.
Jack waved his hand, "I passed him to Owens to go over the stuff they were working on in Chicago, he's been assigned a room for the night and Carter will debrief him in the morning. You don't have to worry about anything just now."
As Jack opened the door to leave, Daniel called, "Don't forget to let whoever you had watching me in Egypt know I'm safe."
Jack glanced back at Daniel and saw the smart-ass genius he used to see every day looking back before Daniel lay on the bed, turning his back to Jack.
x
"He's here," Jack said, dropping into a seat in Sam's lab, "And he hasn't ran away. That's a start."
Sam sighed, "I guess."
"Has he said anything about if he plans to stay or leave once more?" Teal'c asked.
Leaning back in his chair, Jack shook his head, "Nope. He's barely talking."
"But he agreed to go to Abydos," Sam noted, "That's encouraging."
Janet let out a slight snort of amusement as she walked in the room, "I'm betting that has more to do with the Colonel's prodding than anything else."
"I simply mentioned Kasuf wants to see him," Jack gave his most innocent look.
As Janet took a seat, she took the offered mug of coffee from Sam, "Well, I hope it is what he needs. And doesn't backfire on you."
"Have both Daniel Jackson and Steven Rayner been cleared?" Teal'c asked.
Janet nodded, "Yes. Both are healthy and no goa'uld has been detected in either of them. Though if either was infected, General Carter would have told us."
"Did you hear my dad zatted Daniel?" Sam asked.
"He doesn't like the Tok'ra much for what they are," Jack told them, "But I think Jacob and Selmak really cemented the dislike by shooting him."
"From what Dad said," Sam continued uncomfortably, "Daniel was refusing to leave Chulak without trying to save the woman Osiris took as a host."
"It does not surprise me," Teal'c noted, "He would not want anyone to be a host but especially someone he knows and cares for."
"And dated," Sam added.
All heads turned to her, and she shrugged, "The tech in Chicago mentioned it. Apparently, they were a couple until he left to publish his theories. She said that broke them up."
"Well, he was going to punish himself no matter what," Jack said after a moment, "I'm just glad Jacob knew to shoot him rather than try to persuade him."
"Something we have all thought of on occasion," Teal'c added.
They stared at him before chuckling softly, it was a relief knowing Daniel was back. Even if it could only be for a few days.
Daniel felt the heat of his home sink into his bones the moment he stepped out the event horizon.
"My Good Son," Kasuf greeted him with a smile, opening his arms to Daniel.
Genuinely smiling at his father-in-law, Daniel embraced the older man, "It is so good to see you, Good Father."
When Kasuf released him, he touched Daniel's cheek, "I have been worried about you. Since you left O'Neill's tribe."
Daniel winced, "I needed some space."
"Come," Kasuf clapped his shoulder, "A meal has been prepared for your return."
"Kasuf, I…" Daniel grimaced.
"Just us," Kasuf said, "I promise."
Walking out of the pyramid and into the sun, Daniel looked towards Nagada, where he had once called home. As they reached the gates, Daniel could see so many people he knew but was relieved that they didn't come to greet him. He wondered if Kasuf had warned them not to or if he just radiated 'stay away'.
Reaching Kasuf's tent, he stepped inside and stalled seeing who was waiting for them.
"Skaara?" he breathed seeing his brother there, "You're…"
"Last year he crashed onto the Tollan's new homeworld and we were able to bring him home," Jack said softly, clearly missing out a lot of the story but Daniel didn't care as Skaara grabbed Daniel in a hug.
Guilt stabbed at Daniel as he held onto his brother-in-law, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
"For what?" Skaara asked confused.
"I abandoned you," grief and guilt filled him, "I just left…I just…"
"You knew O'Neill would find me," Skaara replied.
Daniel stared at him but before he could say anything Skaara continued, "Come on, Father ensured your favourites were made."
Shrugging off his gear, Daniel took a seat between Skaara and Kasuf accepting the bowl he was passed. He ate mostly in silence, listening as they caught him up with everything that had happened within their family since Daniel had last been there.
x
"This is our new home," Sha're said as she led him inside the tent that hadn't been there earlier in the day.
Daniel looked around the interior, which was bigger than his first apartment, he turned back to find his bride standing watching him with an amused smile. Catching her hand, Daniel moved closer and looked into her brown eyes filled with warmth.
"Perfect," he breathed, leaning closer to her Daniel touched his lips to hers in a soft kiss.
Sha're sighed happily, wrapping her arms around his neck and deepened their kiss.
x
Daniel smiled slightly as he thought back to the first moments that he'd spent in the home he'd shared with his wife.
He took a seat in his favourite spot against the wall the tent had been erected next to. It was the first place to warm in the morning and stayed warm late at night but during the day it was shaded so was one of the coolest spots when the heat became oppressive.
Closing his eyes, Daniel remembered how they would sit in this spot together and either talk about everything or lose themselves in one another.
"I miss her too," Skaara said.
Daniel opened his eyes to see his brother-in-law drop to sit across from him.
"I knew what happened because Heru-Ur boasted he had killed Ammonet," Skaara continued sadly, "But I always had this hope that somehow she'd survived and that you were together."
Sighing Daniel breathed, "We were just too late. All I could do was hold her."
Skaara was silent for several moments before he said, "When we were first taken, we were together for a while. Neither of us knew what was going to happen so we gave each other a message for father," he paused before adding, "And for you."
Daniel felt tears fill his eyes, "When you were taken my world stopped and two years ago, it ended."
"She never blamed you," Skaara stated firmly, "She knew you would blame yourself, but it wasn't your fault that Apophis came, that he took us."
"Sha…" Daniel started, cutting himself off quickly and dropping his eyes.
Skaara caught Daniel's arm so he looked up again, "Sha're loved you." At Daniel's shocked look, Skaara noted, "I don't agree with my people's idea saying the name of someone we lost will disturb their rest."
"I just miss her," Daniel said.
"So do I."
They sat in silence for several minutes, grieving together.
"What was her message?" Daniel finally asked.
Skaara smiled slightly, "Just to remind you that she loved you and that you must never forget that or not to blame yourself. You made my sister happy."
"Sha're made me happy," Daniel breathed, "And I don't think I've felt anything resembling it since I lost her." He sighed, dropping his head back, "Sha're would be so disappointed in me."
"For what?"
Shaking his head slightly, Daniel explained, "For running away from the SGC. From hiding myself so that I can't get close to anyone ever again. I'm only here because someone else I know, someone I cared about, has been taken by another Gould."
Skaara grimaced, "Sorry."
"Part of me wants to just go back to Egypt, back into hiding away from everything," Daniel told him, "The other part thinks I should return to the SGC but..."
"But," Skaara encouraged.
Daniel took several slow deep breaths before finally whispering, "I'm still so angry that's gone. It's a rage I never knew could exist within me. I don't know how to go back there to be able to work with Jack and the others."
Skaara sighed, "It's something only you can decide."
The sun was getting low when Daniel reached Sha're's grave marker. With him he carried a rose that Jack had brought, as well as a bowl, lamp oil, and a small carving of a haali flower. It was Sha're's favourite and, whenever she could, would wear one on her dress or in her hair.
At his worries that he would be allergic to the bloom, Sha're instantly started to remove the flower from the room before he stopped her when he realised it didn't affect him.
Daniel had become so used to the scent over the year he'd lived on Abydos. He'd tried to make a perfume for Sha're which had not worked out, but he had managed to make a scented oil, best used in very small quantities, that Sha're used during the months the flowers were not available.
Standing at the spot where he had buried his wife, Daniel knelt by the marker and gently traced the symbols of her name on the marker before tracing her name in English that he'd added because she insisted on learning to read and write his language.
"Hello, my love," Daniel said finally, "I'm sorry it's been so long since I've been here." He sighed, "I've…I've been hiding away, because losing you hurt so badly. I held onto the hope I could save you for so long that when I failed, it was like all the light has been taken from my world."
He placed the rose at his side and set out the bowl, "This is supposed to be a ritual to let you go. I'm doing this for your father because he needs me to, but I'm pretending. You know how good I am at that; you called me on it instantly. I can't let you go, not yet."
Placing the small carving in the bowl, Daniel poured the oil over it, adding a drop of the haali oil then using his lighter to set it alight.
Sha're had explained the ritual to him a few months into their marriage, when she performed it for her mother.
Watching the small carving burn in the oil, the flames had a slight blue tinge to them and Daniel closed his eyes as the scent of Sha're's favourite flower filled the air around him. He could almost feel her head against his shoulder, her hand touching his and tears slipped down his cheeks as the dam inside him broke.
It felt good to cry properly, he had spent so long keeping his emotions in check, keeping them stamped down, staying coldly distant at all times.
He had been lost and alone for the last few years without her, without his hope of being with her once more. Daniel had been alone a lot since his parents' death, it was his own decision for the most part, and then he came to Abydos.
Daniel never wanted to get married, never intended to be a part of a couple. The few times he tried to have a relationship, the other person wanted to change who he was, except for Sha're.
She loved Daniel for who he was and understood him. They fit together in a way Daniel didn't know was possible.
Sha're was never supposed to happen, they lived on different planets. She came from nowhere, making her home in his heart. She loved to learn as much as he did, there had been times Daniel had to pull her away from studying to eat but she also taught him so much.
She was the love of his life, and now she was gone, he was alone again.
He sat watching the small carving until it burned to nothing. Scattering the ashes around her grave, Daniel then placed the rose beneath the marker before he stood and headed back to the town.