Stargate SG-1 The Sequel - Aftermath

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Well, unless there are any other responses, I will post the next chapter Thursday morning. After that, it will be extremely difficult to change the progress of the story. Chapter 13 is something of a turning point as it sets up the rest of the story and introduces a few things which can't easily be changed later.

 

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Chapter 13
TURNING POINTS​

Daniel Jackson had changed his mind about Col. Cameron Mitchell virtually overnight. Mitchell had been wonderful the day before and had stayed with Daniel all day, listening to him talk about Jonas and simply being his friend. He had even managed to convince Mitchell that he wasn't really gay - that he felt no sexual attraction to other men.

"So, I guess asking you out on a date Saturday night would be out of the question?" Mitchell had asked.

"Oh, I don't know," Daniel had replied. "Dinner. A movie. . . . I'm a sucker for popcorn."

"Buy your own corsage."

Daniel laughed. "So, we're good?"

"Yeah, we're good."

"Just checking."

Now, as Daniel drove along the streets on his way to work, those thoughts came back to him and he remembered Mitchell's prophesy that Jonas would come back to him. He should have turned left at the stop lights but he flipped the turn indicator up and went to the right instead. He drove to a floral shop he knew, parked, and climbed out of his Jeep.

He paused in front of the store for a moment, suddenly realizing that he was about to go in and buy flowers to be sent to another man. What would they think of him? Then he recalled Jonas telling him once upon a time about going into a drug store and asking a perfect stranger all about condoms and personal lubricants for himself and his boyfriend. Shop keepers were there to sell things, he had said. It didn't matter to them who bought what for whom. If Jonas could buy lube for him, he could certainly buy flowers for Jonas and be honest about it.

He opened the door and entered.

There were plants galore in the middle of the shop, but Daniel's attention was focused on the storage refrigerators at the sides. He went to the right first. As he glanced through the selection there, a middle-aged lady approached.

"Can I help you?" she asked politely.

"I. . . um. . . I need to send flowers to someone."

"Are they for a particular occasion?"

"No," Daniel replied. "No occasion. Just because."

"Okay," the lady smiled. "Does she have a favourite flower?"

Daniel glanced at her quickly, then looked back at the flowers in front of him. "Actually, ‘she' is a ‘he'. And he doesn't have a favourite flower. He likes blue." He paused a moment, then, almost absent-mindedly, he said, "I just want to tell him I still love him."

"We're on the wrong side," the lady said. "The flowers you want are over here."

Daniel followed her until he was standing in front of a storage unit full of blue, long-stemmed flowers. "I like those," he said, pointing to a vase which contained only four blossoms. "They match his eyes. Do you have more of them? I'd like to get a dozen."

"They're orchids," the lady explained. "They're very expensive."

"That's not an issue," Daniel said as he glanced at her.

She smiled and nodded. "We have more coming in with a shipment later this morning. Would that be too late?"

"Actually, no," Daniel said. "Do you have evening deliveries?"

"Of course."

"Then it's perfect."

"Are you sure you wouldn't prefer to send roses?" the woman asked. "They're much less expensive and are just as nice to receive."

"Are they blue?"

"Well, we could order them for you but it could take a few days to get them here."

"No," Daniel said with finality. "I'll take those." He felt a hand gently touching his forearm. He looked at the lady.

"I hope he comes back to you," she said.

"How did you know?"

The lady explained with a caring smile. "I've been in this business a long time. It doesn't matter who separates from whom. The eyes tell the same story." Her smile broadened. "Besides, you wouldn't be sending him flowers to tell him you still love him if he were there for you to tell him yourself. Now, come with me and I'll fix you up."

She led Daniel to the counter where she began to fill out an order and delivery form. Daniel browsed through a spinning rack of all-purpose greeting cards.

"Can I put one of these in with the flowers?"

"Of course," the lady said. "You also have a selection of cards to put on the outside of the box." She slid several small cards forward on the counter, along with a pen. "I can use blue ribbon to tie the box if you like."

"Jonas would like that," Daniel smiled. "Thank you."

He selected a large card with envelope and one of the small cards that he liked best. He filled them out as the lady completed the order. When all was finished and Daniel was tucking his credit card back into his wallet, he said, "Thank you."

"Good luck," the lady smiled.

Daniel nodded, smiled, and left the store.

* * * * *

Jonas Quinn lay on his back on the sofa, staring up at the cracks in the ceiling paint. The clock radio near his bed played in the background. His mind was on other things, though. Since Samantha Carter had visited him a few days earlier, his mind had been preoccupied with her assessment of the situation. His biggest fear was that Daniel would never come back to him and he would be left alone and miserable. But, for the past while, he had been alone and miserable anyway. . . . and away from Daniel.

A knock at the door sounded and Jonas jumped up, grabbed a pair of sweat pants off a chair and slipped them on. He opened the door and was met by a young man holding a long, white box tied with blue ribbon.

"Jonas Quinn?" the young man asked.

"That's me," Jonas replied.

The youth held out the box and Jonas took it. "Thank you," he said. The young man nodded and turned to leave as Jonas closed the door. He read the small card and smiled. It read: "To Jonas with love. Daniel." He looked at the coffee table for a moment, contemplating what he had found there, then looked at the radio. He moved toward his bed, sat down, and turned up the volume a bit.

He pulled the ribbon off the corners and opened the box. He removed the larger card and set it beside him on the bed before quietly pulling the tissue paper aside to reveal the blue orchids hidden beneath. His eyes flooded with tears. "Oh, Daniel," he whispered softly. He knew how difficult it must have been for Daniel to buy those flowers. Thoughts flew through his mind like bees in a hive. They came. They left. And more thoughts came and left again. What was he going to do?

He wiped the tears from his eyes and picked up a single blossom, held it to his nostrils, and sniffed gently. He set the box aside and placed the blossom in his lap as he picked up the envelope and opened it. He read:

Jonas

I miss you so much
and I love you even more.

With all my love forever,
Daniel

Jonas stared at the card for a long time through bleary eyes. Occasionally, a single tear escaped and rolled down his cheek. He picked up the flower again and sniffed, then moved the box to the floor and dropped the empty envelope into it. Holding the blossom and the card in his hands close to his bare chest, he laid down on his bed. He would not go to sleep that night until he had made a decision.

* * * * *

Daniel sat near the telephone. The television was on, but he wasn't watching it. He was waiting for the phone to ring. He was waiting to hear Jonas' voice thanking him for the bouquet. At midnight, he turned off the television, locked the door, turned off the lights, and went to bed.

* * * * *

Jonas rose from the bed and walked to his kitchenette. He found an empty peanut butter jar, filled it with water, and carried it back to his little coffee table. He dropped the blossom he carried into the jar. He went to the white box and retrieved the rest of the beautiful, blue flowers and added them to the jar as well. The bouquet was top-heavy and threatened to tip over, but a few well-placed books solved that problem. Still carrying the card with him, he turned off the lights and radio, stripped off his clothes, and went to bed. It was just after midnight.

* * * * *

It was a beautiful, sunny morning, but Daniel barely had time to notice it before he entered the deep dungeons of SCG beneath Cheyenne Mountain. He worked diligently at his research, but stopped often to check his answering machine at home, hoping to hear Jonas' voice there. He didn't.

"Hi, Jackson," came a voice from the door and Daniel looked up to see Cameron Mitchell standing in the doorway, dressed in his military blues, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"Hi."

Mitchell approached the desk, extracted his hands from his pockets, and leaned against the desk, his left arm resting on the desk itself, his chin cradled in his right hand. "Wacha doin'?" he mumbled.

"Um. . ." Daniel said as he looked down at the notes in front of him, his brows scrunched in concentration, "just some translating. I think this is an Ancient recipe for homemade apple pie. At least I think it's apple. It could be cumquats."

"You wish," Mitchell quipped.

"Huh?"

"Nothing," Mitchell said as he stood up straight. Too cerebral for the brainiac, he thought. "Come on, Jackson, let's go for a coffee. My treat."

"You'll just try to talk me into joining SG-1 again."

"No I won't," Mitchell said as he drew a cross on his chest. "Cross my heart. I just want to hear how you're doing."

"Why?" Daniel asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Because I like you, Jackson. I want us to be friends."

"I thought we were friends."

"Then I want us to be better friends." No response. "Would you rather sit here and listen to me sing Disco Duck?"

Daniel's brows furrowed. "What's that?" he asked. Then, as he rose reluctantly to his feet, he added, "Never mind. I don't want to know. I think I'd rather listen to you yapping on and on about yourself than to listen to you singing anything."

As expected, Mitchell carried the conversation as the two friends walked toward the commissary. Daniel pretended to be interested. He stopped dead in his tracks as he entered the canteen and recognized the large man sitting at a table in front of him. "Teal'c!"

Teal'c rose to his feet as Daniel rushed forward. "It is good to see you, Daniel Jackson," he said as he nodded his greeting. A large smile crossed his face.

"When did you get here," Daniel asked anxiously. "How long can you stay?"

"I arrived only a few minutes ago. I shall be returning to Chulak tomorrow."

"Sit down. Tell me all about the council."

Daniel and Teal'c sat at the table as Mitchell arrived with two mugs of coffee. When Daniel looked at him, Mitchell smiled and gave him a wink.

"You knew Teal'c was here!" Daniel exclaimed.

"Of course I knew."

As he had promised, Mitchell didn't mention SG-1. Instead, he sat there for the most part just listening to his friends catching up on old times.

* * * * *

Jonas Quinn checked his watch. He was right on schedule. It had been a busy morning for him and the afternoon was going to be just as busy. He had made all the phone calls he needed to make before noon and now all his attention was on the computer screen in front of him.

A small voice sounded beside him. "Mister?" it asked.

He turned to see the face of a little boy peeking over the top of the desk, his tiny fingers clutching the edge. He looked to be only about two years old. Behind him stood a young woman who, Jonas surmised, was the boy's mother.

"Hello," he said with a pleasant smile. "How can I help you?"

"The lady. . ." (the boy pointed somewhere to his right) ". . . said you could help me find some books on trains."

"I think I can do that."

"I like the old, black ones that go ‘chug chug chug'," the boy added, his little arm mimicking the piston motion of an old steam locomotive.

Jonas' smile grew even larger. The little boy was refreshingly enchanting. "I know just what you want. Do you like stories or pictures?"

The boy shook his head. "I don't read too good. I like pictures."

"So do I," Jonas said with a wink as he rose from his chair. "What's your name?"

The little boy answered, "Andrew."

"Well, Andrew, my name is Jonas. You come with me and I'll help you find the books you want." As he led the boy toward the children's library section, the mother fell into step behind them. It was obviously a training session for her son. With all the technology in the world today, Jonas still believed that books were a child's best friend and he had a passion for getting children interested in them. He quickly found the correct aisle and section. "Here we are," he said as he as he sat on the carpeted floor and crossed his legs. The boy immediately joined him.

He began pulling out books and laying them in front of Andrew who grabbed up each one and skimmed through the pages, his face aglow with excitement.

"How many can I take?"

"As many as you want," Jonas replied.

"I think four is enough for now," the mother said, speaking for the first time.

Andrew leaned forward and whispered, "How much is four, Jonas?"

Jonas grinned and held up four fingers and whispered back, "When you pick a book you want to take home, push one finger down. When all the fingers are gone, that's four books." He sat there patiently, still grinning, as the boy selected the books he wanted, pushing down one finger with each selection.

Finally, several minutes later, Andrew had made his selections. Jonas quickly returned the extra books back to the shelf. Then, leaning his elbows on his knees, he asked, "Do you have a DVD player at home, Andrew?"

"Yes," he replied. "Gramma an' Grampa gave Mommy one for Christmas." Andrew held up two fingers. "I only have this many movies, though."

"I have something else for you, then," Jonas said, rising to his feet. "Do you want some help with those?" he asked.

"I can carry them," Andrew replied with a huge smile of satisfaction and pride on his small, innocent face. He dutifully followed Jonas who led him to a shelf full of DVDs.

Jonas soon found the DVD he was searching for and placed it on the pile of books Andrew was carrying in his outstretched arms. "This has a whole lot of trains in it. I think you'll like it a lot."

The boy beamed. "Thank you, Jonas."

Jonas smiled as he looked down at the boy. "You're very welcome, Andrew."

Andrew's mother touched his arm and Jonas turned to her. "Thank you very much for your trouble."

"It was no trouble at all, Ma'am," he replied. Turning back to Andrew, he added, "It was an absolute pleasure."

Andrew looked up at the tall man. "Can I come see you again, Jonas?"

Jonas squatted in front of his new friend. "Any time, Andrew," he said. "I'll be watching for you. I have to go back to work now, okay?"

"Okay. Bye, Jonas."

"Bye, Andrew."

Jonas returned to his desk, still smiling. But he still had a lot more to do before his day ended.

* * * * *

Daniel drove along the streets on his way home. He had spent most of the rest of the day with Teal'c and Mitchell and had enjoyed himself enormously. He was concerned, of course, over the problems Teal'c was facing with the new council on Chulak, but, for the most part, Teal'c appeared to be more interested in talking about other things than the council. They had eaten supper at the commissary together and now, in the early hours of the evening, Daniel was driving along the street to his house.

He slammed on the brakes and stared ahead of him. Jonas' car was in the driveway. His heart raced. He didn't know how long he was stopped there as a million thoughts flew through his mind. A car horn sounded behind him and he glanced into the rearview mirror. He quickly pushed the gear shift into low, popped out the clutch, and drove on.

Moments later, he was parked in his driveway and jumping out of his Jeep. He ran up the sidewalk. The doors were unlocked. He entered and stood there, his head facing forward, his body twisted as his hands held the still-open door. In front of him, on the coffee table, was a large vase filled with deep, blue orchids. Standing beside the table was Jonas Quinn.

Daniel's eyebrows rose high on his forehead. His mouth remained slightly opened. He quickly looked to his left and back again, then to the right and back again, making certain that it was really Jonas standing there and that he didn't disappear as suddenly as a desert mirage.

Jonas was smiling broadly, the dimples huge and distinct and welcoming. He approached slowly until he stood directly in front of Daniel. With his left hand, he removed Daniel's hands from the doorknobs and pushed the door closed. He took Daniel's hands into his own and held them tightly as he looked deeply into the soft, blue eyes he loved so much. They were quickly filling with tears.

"I'm home, Daniel."

And then they kissed.

To Be Continued​

 

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Chapter 14
TOGETHER AGAIN​

It began as a lovers' kiss, but rapidly blossomed. Before long, Daniel released Jonas' hands and grabbed the young man in his powerful arms, pulling him close and holding onto him as if he were afraid Jonas was only a stray memory which threatened to vanish at any moment. Jonas wrapped his own arms around Daniel and held him close. They pressed themselves into each other, their lips and bodies grinding together. Their breaths came in short, desperate, impassioned pants and guttural noises of love escaped their throats.

They kissed for several long minutes before Daniel moved his right arm to a position behind Jonas' legs and picked him up. Their lips never separated. Daniel walked carefully to the sofa and tenderly laid Jonas upon it. He followed Jonas' body as it lowered until he was lying directly on top of him. The kiss continued as the two became one body once again.

It took a long time for the kiss to end. They lay there, breathless and weak. Their bodies throbbed against each other, felt even through the layers of clothing which separated them. After several more short, loving kisses, Jonas whispered as he gazed into Daniel's smiling face.

"I love you so much, Daniel."

"I love you more, Jonas. Don't ever leave me again."

"I won't," Jonas promised.

Several more minutes of frantic kisses followed. Then Jonas whispered, "Daniel?"

"Hmm?"

"You're heavy."

Daniel quickly began to climb off his lover, but Jonas grabbed him in his arms. "No, don't get off," he said. "Just roll the other way."

As Daniel rolled to his side against the back of the sofa, Jonas slid out from under him and edged over to leave Daniel room to lie on his back. He settled his head on Daniel's shoulder, his arm across Daniel's heaving chest. Daniel held him tight.

With slow, deliberate movements, Jonas reached up and took Daniel's eyeglasses in his fingers, removing them carefully and reaching behind himself in order to set them on the coffee table. His hand moved to Daniel's face, his palm resting against his cheek as his eyes bored into Daniel's eyes. He giggled suddenly.

"Your beard tickles," he said.

"Shhh," Daniel responded. "I just want to look at you. . . to make sure you're really here."

"I'm here, Daniel. I'm home."

Another long, passionate kiss followed until, finally, they settled back into each others' embrace and held each other for a long time.

"Why did you come back, Jonas? You told me. . . ."

Jonas kissed him again to silence him. "It was Sam." Daniel's eyebrows raised in question. Jonas smiled. "I've missed that."

"What?"

"Never mind. Just keep doing it."

Daniel's brows furrowed in confusion. Jonas just smiled.

"What about Sam?" Daniel asked.

"She came to visit me just before she left to say ‘goodbye'. She made me realize that I was punishing both of us for my stupid insecurities. I was so afraid the Stargate would take you away from me. I was so afraid of being alone and miserable without you if it happened. Sam made me realize that I was already alone and miserable and you were still right here. She made me see how stupid I was acting. The SGC doesn't matter to me anymore. It's your job and it's a big part of your life, and I'll never ask you to leave it again."

"You weren't acting stupid."

"Yes, I was, Daniel. I was stupid to even think that I had the right to ask you to leave the SGC and I was even stupider to leave you because you wouldn't. I hurt both of us terribly, and I'm very sorry."

"You weren't acting stupid, Jonas," Daniel repeated, "and don't apologize. Just let me love you again."

They fell into yet another kiss and Jonas' hand began to roam over Daniel's chest, longing to feel Daniel's strength once more. He massaged the pectorals beneath the black T-shirt, his fingers tweaking the hardening nipples there. The fingers traced lines across Daniel's stomach, circling his navel, then down and over the belt. His hand came to rest on Daniel's stiff, vibrating cock and his fingers wrapped themselves lovingly over the long bulge it made beneath the slacks. He squeezed gently and the cock grew as a fresh flow of blood was pumped into it.

Daniel grasped Jonas' hand and lifted it away as he ended the kiss. He held the hand. "That's not why I want you here," he said. "It's not important to me. You are, Jonas. I don't want to do anything tonight other than to hold onto you. It's you I need, Jonas. Nothing else."

They lay together in silence after that. Evening became twilight and the room began to darken. Daniel climbed over Jonas, picked him up, and carried him to the door. Obligingly, Jonas flipped the lock and wrapped his arms around his lover's neck as Daniel carried him into the bedroom and on into the bathroom. They slowly stripped each other of all their clothing as the tub filled with hot, soothing water. They pushed their discarded clothes into a pile with their feet before settling into the relaxing water, just as they had done countless times before, but this was a moment of reunion. They sat in silence. Words were unnecessary. . . unwanted. Their bodies fit into each other like two pieces of a carefully-crafted jigsaw puzzle and they drew life from each other.

When they were finished, they climbed out of the tub, dried each other, then walked hand-in- hand to their bed. For the first time in many weeks, Daniel and Jonas slept happily in each other's arms. They were precisely where each of them wanted to be.

* * * * *

Colonel Cameron Mitchell noticed the change immediately. As he walked down the dingy halls of the SGC with his friend, Teal'c, Daniel Jackson approached them. The enormous smile could be seen the instant Daniel came into view. He looked as if he were walking on air. His body floated across the floor. His hands came together in happy little claps. Mitchell knew what had happened, but he could see that Daniel was busting a gut to tell them. He wouldn't deny his friend that pleasure.

Daniel stopped in front of them, his bright smile sparkling even in the dull lights of the hallway. He glanced from one smiling face to the other. "Jonas came home last night," he happily announced.

"That's what I'm talkin' about!" Mitchell shouted.

Teal'c bowed his head in a nod of acknowledgment. "That is, indeed, good news, Daniel Jackson," he said in his deep, resonating voice. "I am extremely pleased to hear it."

"Didn't I tell ya?" Mitchell said with a broad smile. "Didn't I?"

"Yes, Cameron, you did," Daniel admitted.

"So, Jackson," Mitchell said. "When do I get to meet the little bugger?"

"How about Saturday night for dinner?"

"I thought we had a date for Saturday night," Mitchell said with false disappointment. "Dinner? Movie? Popcorn? Remember?"

Daniel grinned. "I'll rent Bambi and buy you a box of Cracker Jack."

"Make it Top Gun and you've got a deal." He pulled Daniel into a quick embrace and whispered, "It's good to see you happy, Jackson."

"Thanks, Cameron," Daniel whispered back.

"What is this Cracker Jack?" Teal'c asked.

To his large, Jaffa friend, Daniel explained, "Popcorn and peanuts covered with caramel." Teal'c's eyebrow raised in sudden interest and curiosity. "You can come too, can't you, Teal'c?"

"I would be honoured, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c nodded. To Mitchell, he said, "Jonas Quinn is a magnificent chef. His meals are, as they say, ‘to die for'."

"Beats the crap out of anything you can get in the commissary," Daniel added.

"I don't even know how to make a good tuna sandwich. I'm in."

"Great!" Daniel said. "Now, if you will excuse me, I want to phone Sam and Jack and tell them the good news."

* * * * *

Jonas was returning to his desk, his attention on the ordering catalogue he held in his hand, when he heard a small, familiar voice call out, "Hi, Jonas!" He looked up in time to see a little boy running toward him. He closed the catalogue and squatted down to greet his little friend.

"Hi, Andrew."

"I brought the books back," the boys said proudly. "I loved the train movie. Mommy said I could keep it a few more days. Will you help me find some more?"

"I sure will," Jonas smiled, "but I have a surprise for you, first."

Andrew's face lit up with excitement. "What is it?"

"Come and see." He stood up and walked toward his desk with Andrew walking proudly at his side. Andrew's mother walked beside her son. Jonas circled the desk and sat in his chair. He pulled a book out from a shelf to his left and set it before him. "Around here," he said to Andrew, circling his finger to show the boy he should come around the desk. When Andrew was close enough, Jonas lifted him into his lap and opened the book.

"What's this?" the little boy asked.

"It's all about astronauts and spaceships and planets and stars," Jonas replied as he flipped through the pages. "See? This is what the moon really looks like," he said, pointing. "And this is the spaceship that went there. And these are the men who walked up there."

"Wow!"

Jonas continued to turn pages. "This is what Earth really looks like, and this is what the sun looks like."

"It's all fire!" Andrew said, his tiny, excited fingers running over the photos.

"Yes, it is," Jonas said. Looking at Andrew's mother, he added, "There's some words in the book, but I'm sure your Mom will read them to you." She nodded and smiled. "Would you like to take it home to read?"

Andrew twisted around to look at Jonas. "Do you like this stuff?"

"Yes, I do, Andrew," Jonas said. "I like it very much."

"Then I like it, too," Andrew said, closing the book and picking it up.

Jonas set him back on the floor. "Now, let's go find some more trains."

As they walked toward the children's library, Andrew ran on ahead. His mother said, "He's going to become a nuisance now, you know."

Jonas looked at her and smiled. "I don't see a ‘nuisance', Mrs. . ."

"Call me Judy."

"Okay, Judy," he continued. "I see a little boy becoming excited about books and reading. Every child needs that. It is never a nuisance."

This time, as Jonas sat on the floor, Andrew settled himself into the seat made by Jonas' crossed legs. Jonas looked anxiously at Judy, but she merely smiled at him and nodded her consent. Andrew began making his new selections.

A little over an hour later, Jonas was sitting on his regular bench, munching a chicken salad sandwich and sipping a can of ginger ale. Corey joined him.

"Hi, Jonas."

"Hi."

"What are you doing Saturday night?"

"Actually, Corey," Jonas said carefully, "I'll be spending it with Daniel. I've moved back home."

The smile on Corey's face disappeared and was replaced with disappointment. "Oh," he said softly. "Maybe I'd better go."

"We can still be friends."

"Really? Daniel won't be mad?"

"I don't choose Daniel's friends and he doesn't choose mine," Jonas said. "Come on. Eat your lunch."

They ate their lunches and chatted.

"How do you support yourself, Corey?"

"What do you mean?"

"You show up here at different times each day, so I don't think you have a job. Where do you get money to live?"

Corey gave him a surreptitious glance and a wink. "Rich parents," he said. "They give me an allowance so I can take online courses to get my degree in Computer Sciences."

"How long is that going to take?"

Another wink and an impish smile followed. "As long as I can keep Dad paying for it. I've tried work. I didn't like it. It gives me indigestion. This is much better."

They finished their lunch and, as they were leaving, Jonas stopped walking and said, "Do you recognize those two men in that green car across the street?"

Corey looked and shook his head as the driver quickly started the car and drove away. "No, I don't think so. Who are they?"

"I don't know," Jonas replied, "but they're not very good at surveillance. They're watching me. I've seen them a few times over the past few weeks."

"What do you think they want?"

"I have no-o-o-o idea." Jonas hoped he was as good a liar as Corey.

* * * * *

Daniel had arrived home early. He wanted to be there to greet Jonas when he came home from the library, but Jonas was late. Perhaps he had stopped off at his apartment to gather a few more items. He walked to the kitchen and was about to pour himself another cup of coffee when a ‘beep beep' sounded. He set the mug on the counter and ran outside. Jonas was just opening the trunk of his car. As Daniel approached, Jonas was pulling plastic bags full of groceries out of the trunk. Daniel gave him a quick kiss of greeting, no-longer bothered that his neighbours might see his small displays of affection. He loved Jonas and he didn't care who knew about it.

Together, they carried the groceries inside and set them on the floor in the kitchen and, together, they unpacked them and put them away.

"I can do this," Jonas said.

"And I can help," Daniel said. "By the way, I've invited Cameron and Teal'c for supper Saturday night. Cameron wants to meet you. Is that okay?"

"Sure. I'd like to meet him, too," Jonas answered. "What should I make?"

"Cameron will eat anything, I'm sure. Just cook whatever Teal'c likes best."

Minutes later, they were finished and Jonas pulled Daniel into his arms and kissed him. A minute or so later, with his hands clasped behind Daniel's neck and Daniel's arm on his waist, Jonas asked, "Is it too early to ask you to make love to me?"

Daniel chuckled. "Now? Or after dinner and our bath?"

"Yes," Jonas answered with a grin.

"Only if you make love to me somewhere in the middle."

"I think we have a deal."

Jonas took Daniel by the hand and led him to the bedroom. He grasped the hem of Daniel's white, knitted sweater in his fingers and lifted it up and away, over his head and arms, dropping it to the floor. His fingers moved to the top button of his shirt as his lips moved into the indentation of Daniel's neck just below his bobbing Adam's Apple. As his fingers undid the buttons, his lips moved down, kissing and nipping at the skin as it became exposed. He stopped at the waistband of Daniel's slacks and pulled out the shirttails in order to undo the remaining button and to slide the shirt from his body.

He knelt before Daniel, his face level with the extended crotch before him. The slacks pushed out in a tent and throbbed with each beat of Daniel's heart. Jonas' hands came up, encircling the mound of growing flesh and pulling the cotton material tight around it. He opened his mouth and placed his lips lovingly over the rounded point, breathing his hot breath into it. Above him, Daniel grasped his shoulders for balance and soft moans of pleasure escaped into the room.

Fingers moved to the belt, unhooking it with practiced movements as Jonas moved his head back. The button was quickly undone and the zipper was soon sliding down its track and over the bulge hidden beneath. His thumbs slipped beneath the waistband of Daniel's underwear and the hands carefully pushed downward. Shoes and socks were quickly removed and, at Jonas' urging, Daniel stepped out of the clothes bunched at his feet. His cock stood solid and straight out from his body and Jonas leaned forward to suction it into his throat as a hint of what was to come. He pulled away again, rose to his feet, then pushed against Daniel's shoulders, urging him to sit on the bed as Jonas did a slow striptease for his lover.

When he was naked, Jonas slid open the drawer of the night stand. Condoms and tubes of lubricating gel remained right where he had left them. He picked up one of each, handing the condom to Daniel. Moments later, Jonas lay on his back on the bed, his legs bent at the knees. Daniel knelt between them. Jonas raised his legs and pulled his knees to his chest and Daniel settled himself into position. The tip of his cock found its mark and Daniel pushed his way easily inside. A blissful gasp escaped both men, and they made passion-filled love together.

Later, they sat together in the tub, Jonas curled up between Daniel's legs and cuddling into his chest and shoulder, his left hand lying over Daniel's heart. His mind lingered on the memories of feeling Daniel buried deeply inside of him, thrusting and filling him with his love, and he remembered the wonderful feelings Daniel had given him in the same way. The love between them was still there - none of the energy or passion had diminished in their time away from each other. If anything, their separation had brought them closer together. There had been no pain - only pleasure.

Impulsively, Jonas twisted his head up to kiss Daniel. "I love you," he said in a hushed whisper.

"Love you," Daniel whispered back.

They sat together for a long time after that. Neither spoke another word, each content with the love they felt through their contact, and their happiness was almost complete.

Soon, they were lying on their sides on the bed, facing each other, and each holding the other's rock-hard cock securely and lovingly deep within their throats. There was no hurry in the mutual blowjobs. They were slow and erotic and performed with the sole intention of giving each other the greatest amount of pleasure possible.

Their orgasms built slowly, beginning as a warm glow deep within themselves, spreading out until the heat warmed every portion of their bodies, and suddenly collapsing into a single point deep within their loins. Electricity shot through them, sparking nerves and muscles into action. Both Daniel and Jonas worked in tandem to release the pressure building inside the other, and when it was released, it erupted in a wave of ecstasy which washed over them with the force of a tidal wave.

For the first time in more weeks than either cared to remember, they tasted each other and welcomed that taste into themselves. Their bodies convulsed in unison and their exclamations of pleasure echoed each other. They became one together.

As Jonas turned around to lie against Daniel, settling himself into his arms and nestling himself into Daniel's shoulder and chest, Daniel pulled the sheet and blanket over them. They kissed each other once more, confessed their love to the other once more, before Daniel reached to turn out the light.

Daniel fell asleep almost immediately, but Jonas lay awake for a long time. His hand rested on Daniel's chest and he could feel Daniel's life beneath his palm. He loved to feel it and he had missed it all the time he had been away from him. He loved to look at Daniel, to listen to him, to touch him, to smell him, to taste him. He loved it all, and there was nothing in the world he loved more. There was nothing more he wanted. Still, though, he was troubled, and sleep would not come.

* * * * *

Something was going on that Jonas didn't quite understand yet - something dangerous. Somebody wanted him and he wasn't certain why. He was being watched. That was clear, and it was equally clear that Corey was involved. His mouth said one thing, but his eyes said another. His apartment had been bugged, and so had his telephone. He had discovered the bugs shortly after Corey had left the very first night he had visited Jonas, and he had made a sloppy job of hiding them. The bugs were easier to find than Easter eggs. There were only three. One was tucked under the coffee table, another under the kitchen cabinets, and one attached to the telephone. That was the one Jonas noticed first. It was difficult not to notice, having been plugged into the outlet in the wall with the phone cord plugged into it. They were simple devices, and, undoubtedly, short-range transmitters. Somewhere nearby, a bored and lonely man had spent many long hours listening to a set of headphones and, most probably, recording all the conversations in order to share them with his partners in crime at a later date.

Jonas realized suddenly that, by coming back home, he had now put Daniel in serious danger as well. He knew that nothing would - or could - stop Daniel from protecting him. All these past weeks, he had feared that the Stargate would take Daniel away from him forever, and now he, himself, had made that possibility very real. Daniel would die rather than let anything happen to him. Of that, Jonas was certain. It was time for Jonas to begin protecting Daniel for a change, and he made an oath to himself that he would do whatever was necessary to keep Daniel alive and safe, even at the expense of his own life if necessary. He would rather be dead himself than to go on living without Daniel.

* * * * *

"Okay, Smart Ass," the man said. "What in hell do we do now?"

"Shut the fuck up and let me think!" the other man said.

"We should have grabbed him when we had the chance. We'll never get to him now!"

"And what would we do with him then, huh? You think you can just go grabbing people off the street without making plans first?"

"Well, your first plan worked out real good, didn't it? He's onto us already!"

"He got lucky, that's all. If you idiots had done your job right, he never would have seen you."

"What luck!? We're dealing with a genius here!"

"And you think we're dummies? There's a lot of money to be made here, and I'm not going to do anything until I'm sure we can get it. The fag's gone back to his boyfriend, and Mr. Antique Collector will pay big bucks to get him back."

"But what about Franklin? He won't like it."

"Fuck Franklin! I'll deal with that asshole. Now shut up and go get me something to eat. I need to think."

"I'm not your fuckin' servant!"

"You're whatever the hell I say you are! Now get out of here and do as you're told!"

* * * * *

Jonas noticed a big change in Daniel's behaviour. He took more of an interest in the home and had begun picking up after himself and helping out whenever he could with the household chores. Saturday, he had helped Jonas make the pies and the cake for that evening's dessert and, as Jonas was preparing the dinner, Daniel had insisted on peeling the potatoes and preparing the vegetables after Jonas had shown him how to prepare them.

Cameron Mitchell arrived as scheduled with Teal'c in tow and met Jonas Quinn for the first time. He and Jonas hit it off immediately. After drinks and a chat, they sat down to a delicious dinner of roast beef and honey-glazed ham along with mashed potatoes and beef and mushroom gravy and mixed, seasoned vegetables and glazed baby carrots. Mitchell and Teal'c sat at the ends of the table. Daniel and Jonas sat side-by-side, holding hands whenever possible.

Mitchell cut a piece of the roast beef, dipped it into the gravy, and placed it in his mouth. His eyes closed as he began to chew. Rarely had he tasted anything so exquisite. He chewed, swallowed, then turned to Jonas. "Will you marry me?" he asked.

Jonas responded, "I don't know." He turned to Daniel and asked, "Can I marry Cameron?"

"No," Daniel replied without looking up from his plate.

Turning to Mitchell, Jonas shrugged and replied, "Sorry."

Mitchell shrugged as well. "Hey. You don't ask, you don't get."

Both Mitchell and Teal'c eagerly accepted Jonas' offer of ‘seconds' and Teal'c availed himself of both a large slice of apple pie topped with vanilla ice cream and an equally large slice of cake with another scoop of ice cream on the side.

Mitchell insisted on helping Jonas to clear the table and wash the dishes while Daniel and Teal'c adjourned to the livingroom.

"Thank you," Jonas said with a big smile and kissed Cameron Mitchell on the cheek.

"No, thank you. I can't remember the last time I had such an incredible dinner. Daniel is one lucky man to have you."

Jonas glanced toward the livingroom. "He's not as lucky as I am."

As Jonas prepared another round of drinks, including another glass of Ginger Ale for Teal'c, Mitchell joined his friends in the livingroom, taking a seat on the loveseat beside Teal'c. On the coffee table in front of him was a DVD of Top Gun and a bowl almost full of Cracker Jack. Teal'c had already devoured a goodly portion of the newly-discovered treat.

"How many stomachs do Jaffa have?" Mitchell asked as he patted his own stuffed belly.

"Like you, Col. Mitchell, we have only one stomach," Teal'c replied. With a smirk, he added, "Mine just happens to be uncommonly large."

Jonas arrived with the drinks and set the tray on the table, grabbing a glass of wine for both himself and Daniel before settling into Daniel's arm.

Mitchell and Teal'c left soon after watching the movie and every crumb of Cracker Jack had been scooped from the bowl. Daniel and Jonas were left alone to their bath and a long night of love-making. At Jonas' request, they spent much of the following day in bed as well. By late afternoon, they were totally satiated and simply spent the rest of the day and night just being together and holding onto each other.

In the morning, they kissed each other ‘goodbye'. Daniel drove to Cheyenne Mountain as Jonas drove to the library. Neither of them felt they could ever be happier, but Jonas knew he would somehow have to end it soon.

* * * * *

The phone rang in Daniel's office. Still concentrating on the papers laid out before him on the desk, he picked up the receiver, placed it to his ear, and said, "Daniel Jackson." He listened for a moment and added, "Okay, I'll be right there."

Packing the papers into a file folder, he gathered it up and headed for the Briefing Room a few floors below where Cameron Mitchell and General Landry and their special guest were waiting for him. He wasn't anxious to meet the guest. Where the guest was concerned, trouble was a constant companion. He didn't know how the guest got through the Stargate and he didn't particularly care. All he knew was that a dark cloud formed over his head when he had heard the name. But Mitchell had convinced him that he should meet the visitor and Daniel had reluctantly agreed.

Still browsing the papers inside the folder as he climbed the stairs, Daniel entered the room.

"Hello, Daniel," a voice said to him.

Daniel looked up. "Hello, Vala," he said.

To Be Continued​

 

[gsdx]

Chapter 15
DECEPTIONS​

Vala was dressed in a black, leather suit, much the same as the costume she had worn when she had kidnapped Daniel aboard the Prometheus several months earlier. Daniel shuddered at the memory.

She approached him and slipped her hands into his jacket, pushing the material aside and laying her palms on his cotton-covered pecs. "It's nice to see you again, Daniel," she said with a frighteningly disarming smile. She stretched up to press her lips against Daniel's as her hands slid from his chest, beneath his jacket, and around his back. She pulled a very reluctant Daniel Jackson into her body.

Daniel's hand came up quickly and somehow managed to wedge its way between their lips, breaking the kiss and separating them. "Do me a favour, Vala. Go play with Mitchell."

"Oh, I will, darling," she grinned. "I just thought you'd be happy to see me again." She leaned back a bit and looked down Daniel's body to an area just south of the waistband of his blue, military pants. "Apparently not as happy as I might have hoped," she said, obviously disappointed.

Daniel pushed her away and glanced at General Landry and Col. Mitchell, who were simply standing watching him. Mitchell had a tiny smile on his face, obviously enjoying Daniel's discomfort..

"You should really shave that beard off, Daniel," Vala said. "It's very irritating."

Daniel's brows rose high. "Not unlike some people I know."

Vala suddenly turned back toward Mitchell, her curved index finger resting against her chin in thought. "Didn't we meet on. . . ?"

Mitchell chopped her question short. "No!"

"I'm sure we've met somewhere before." With a glance down, she added, "I never forget a face."

"Believe me," Mitchell said with a quick wink, "I'm sure I'd remember someone who looked like you."

Vala paused, thinking for a moment, then turned back to Daniel, her mouth open and ready to speak. He wasn't there. She spun around and found him moving into place between Mitchell and General Landry.

"Oh, there you are, Daniel," she said, and another large smile swept across her face as she stepped forward.

Daniel instinctively stepped back.

"Oh, come, come, Daniel," she said. "Is that any way for the father of my baby to behave?"

Daniel's mouth dropped open and his eyebrows became one with his hairline. "Father. . . ? Baby. . . ?" His brow furrowed. ". . .What!?"

Both Mitchell and Landry looked at Daniel in undisguised surprise.

"Of course, we'll have to do some tests to be certain," she added as she patted her tummy, "but, if I'm pregnant, you're definitely the Daddy." More to herself than to the gentlemen standing before her, she said quietly, "Well, either you or eight or nine other guys."

Daniel gulped in horror as he realized that he might well be connected to this woman for the rest of his life through a child. He could only blink in disbelief.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Vala asked.

Without looking away from her, Daniel said, "General? Permission to ask Dr. Lam to do these tests immediately."

"Permission granted," General Landry said.

Vala's eyes opened wide. Doctor? Tests? Damn! "Forget the tests," she said sourly. "The doctor won't find anything. I'm not really pregnant."

Daniel jumped forward and grasped Vala's shoulders. "Why would you say something like that if it wasn't true!?"

"I need your help, Daniel, and I thought you'd be more willing if you knew I was carrying your baby." With a hint of disappointment at her disrupted plans, she looked toward the General and said, "Who knew you'd have a doctor right here?"

The General smiled pleasantly. "Do your homework next time."

"If I help you," Daniel said, "will you go away?"

"I promise." Vala pulled herself away from Daniel and stepped over to her leather jacket which she had tossed over the back of a chair. She picked it up and retrieved a thin tablet from a large pocket. She handed it to Daniel who looked at it intently. Landry and Mitchell stepped forward to peer over his shoulders.

"What is it, Dr. Jackson," General Landry asked.

"I'm not sure," Daniel answered as he ran his fingers over the text engraved on the tablet. "It's definitely Ancient." With all his concentration now on the tablet, Daniel walked away, heading for the stairs and his office. "Very ancient Ancient." Vala followed.

General Landry said to Col. Mitchell, "Go with them, and keep an eye on Mae West."

"Who, Sir?"

"Just go," Landry ordered as he returned to his office.

* * * * *

Daniel sat at his desk, the tablet and a number of opened books and notepads in front of him as he busily wrote down the translations. He seemed oblivious to the two people standing nearby.

"While you're at it," Vala said suddenly, "you might want to have a look at this."

Daniel looked up to see Vala holding a strip of gold metal toward him. He took it and looked it over quickly. There were no markings or inscriptions on it whatsoever. "What is it?" he asked.

"Put it on your arm and see," Vala prompted.

Daniel laid the band on his arm. Nothing happened.

"Roll up your sleeve, darling."

He did, and laid the band on his forearm again. The metal sprang to life as small, metallic fingers sprouted and wrapped themselves around Daniel's arm. Daniel sat back in his chair, his eyes rivetted to the bracelet he now wore. "Vala? What did you do?"

"Just a security precaution, darling," she replied as she attached a similar bracelet to her own arm.

Daniel turned his arm over, examining the bracelet. It wasn't tight, although it indented his skin. There seemed to be no weight to it at all. He glanced up at Vala.

"What are they?" Mitchell asked with genuine concern.

Vala ran her fingers over the bracelet. "I'm not sure, actually. The man I stole th. . . er. . . ‘borrowed' them from didn't have time to tell me. All I know is that they link us together somehow. Daniel is stuck with me until I take them off, and they're not coming off until he translates that tablet and helps me find the treasure."

"Treasure?"

"Of course, Daniel. You don't think I'd waste all my time and money on anything less important, do you?"

"It would be nice to think you might do something of importance for other people for a change,"

"Fat chance," Vala replied. "You translate that stuff, help me find the treasure, and I'll take these bracelets off. Until then, where you go, I go."

"I have a better idea," Daniel offered with a wicked grin. "I'll translate this tablet and Col. Mitchell will escort you to the infirmary and ask Dr. Lam to find a way to take them off."

"They won't come off without the key," Vala said.

"Or amputation," Daniel added with an even more wicked grin.

"You wouldn't!"

"Try me."

Cameron took Vala by the arm. "Come along, darling. The Doctor has spoken and the other Doctor awaits."

* * * * *

Col. Cameron Mitchell entered Daniel's office. Daniel stood near a bookshelf, leafing through the pages of a rather large tome which he cradled in one arm. "So, any progress on the translations?" he asked as he approached the archaeologist.

"Some," Daniel replied. "How's the Doctor doing with the bracelets?"

"Nothing yet. She's still working on it."

Daniel carried the book back to his desk, set it down and flipped some more pages until he found the one he was searching for. He returned to the bookshelf, located a small, leather-bound journal and took that to the desk as well. He picked up the tablet and turned so Mitchell could look on. "This was, apparently, written by an Ancient named Myrddin. You would know him as Merlin."

"King Arthur's Merlin?"

"He's the one. This part. . ." (Daniel pointed to a line of symbols) ". . . explains a bit about his history and the mythology which developed around him. This line talks about a treasure bur. . . ied. . . in. . . ."

Daniel dropped the tablet and leaned heavily against the desk. His mouth hung open and he began gasping for breath.

"Jackson? You okay?"

Daniel tried to straighten himself. "I. . . um. . . dizzy. . ." His eyes closed and he collapsed.

Mitchell tried to catch him and failed. Daniel fell heavily to the floor, unconscious. Mitchell dropped to his knees and rolled Daniel to his back. He pulled off the glasses and tossed them on the desk before slapping Daniel's cheeks. "Jackson! Come on, man, wake up! Jackson!"

He pressed his ear to Daniel's chest and listened. Daniel's heartbeat was very weak and getting weaker even as he listened. Jerking himself upright, he said "Shit!" and jumped to his feet. Grabbing Daniel's jacket lapels in his fists, he heaved Daniel to his feet, grabbed his right arm, then slipped his own arm and shoulder between Daniel's legs, lifting him in a ‘fireman's carry' hold. He shifted Daniel slightly on his shoulders and took off running as fast as he could for the elevator.

"Move! Move!" he shouted at anyone in his way. People stepped back against the wall and allowed him to pass. He turned a corner, heading for the elevator, and was met with a group of six soldiers dressed in camouflage and carrying rifles. "Move!" he shouted again as the men turned to look at him. "Damn it! Make a hole!" The men separated as Mitchell sprinted past with Daniel Jackson bouncing on his shoulders with each step. He was only steps away from the elevator.

Miraculously, the door was opening and a lab technician was about to step out when Mitchell yelled, "Hold that door!" As he entered the elevator, he shouted, "Infirmary!"

The technician hesitated. He was new to the facility. "Which floor?"

"Twenty-one!!" Mitchell yelled. The technician complied.

"That's Dr. Jackson, isn't it? What happened?"

"I don't know," Mitchell replied as the red numbers counted the elevator's descent from sub level 18. "Come on! Come on!" he said anxiously. It seemed to take forever as Mitchell watched the numbers change. He was panting, catching his second breath for the next short sprint.

The moment the doors opened, he was off and running again. Fortunately, the halls were empty and he entered the infirmary unimpeded. "Doc!" he yelled.

Dr. Lam, who was leaning over an unconscious Vala, turned and saw Mitchell carrying Daniel on his shoulders. "Here!" she shouted and moved to the next bed. Mitchell placed Daniel on the bed and laid him down as Dr. Lam plugged her stethoscope into her ears and pressed the circular pad to Daniel's chest. She moved it once and listened, then moved it again. She opened his eyes with her thumb, flashing a penlight into them. "Damn," she whispered. Then she shouted, "Bag him! Get a cart in here! Colonel, get his shirt open!" Mitchell pulled Daniel's T-shirt from his pants, grabbed the hem in his fists, and ripped it open to the neck. He pulled the material aside to bare Daniel's chest as Dr. Lam returned with ball of alcohol-soaked cotton and a syringe. She was pushing up the sleeve of Daniel's jacket and a nurse was just about to place the mask over Daniel's face when he suddenly sucked in a huge breath of air in a loud gasp. His chest started heaving.

The nurse suddenly hesitated, unsure what to do. Dr. Lam hesitated as well, set the syringe back on the tray, and listened with her stethoscope once more.

"Doc?" Mitchell asked, his face full of questions..

"I don't know," Dr. Lam replied. Daniel's heart was beating strongly and regularly. Two male nurses wheeled in the crash cart and rolled it to the side of the bed as Mitchell stepped back.

"What's going on?" a voice asked, and both Dr. Lam and Col. Mitchell looked at Daniel's face. His eyes were open and he was lifting himself to his elbows.

"Dr. Jackson? How do you feel?" Dr. Lam asked, surprised and confused at the sudden, impromptu recovery.

"I feel fine."

"So do I," Vala said. Mitchell turned around. Vala was conscious and sitting up in bed.

"What happened, Dr. Jackson," the Doctor asked.

"I was in my lab talking to Cameron. I felt a bit dizzy. . . and then I woke up here."

"I was there," Mitchell added. "He was fine one second and dropped like a stone the next. Scared the hell out of me."

"Well, I'm not taking any chances," Dr. Lam said. "I want full tests on both of them, and monitor their vitals." The nurses set about gathering the necessary equipment and began fulfilling their orders.

"They work!" Vala said. She sounded quite surprised.

Daniel sat up and swung around, dangling his legs off the side of the bed and clutching his T- shirt closed with his fist. "What do you mean, ‘they work'?"

"The bracelets, darling," Vala explained. "They're Goa'uld handcuffs. At least that's what Arlos told me before they fell into my pocket."

"You mean I fainted because of these damned things?"

"She collapsed, too, Dr. Jackson," Dr. Lam said. "Just before Col. Mitchell brought you in. And you did more than just faint. You were as close to being dead as you can get."

"And now we're both fine again," Daniel frowned and looked toward Dr. Lam. "Is that possible?"

"Who knows with Goa'uld technology."

Vala smirked. "Looks like you're stuck with me now, Daniel."

Daniel looked up at Mitchell and pressed his lips tight. "You should have shot her when she came through the Gate," he said.

* * * * *

"They are called kor mak and they are, indeed, Goa'uld," Teal'c said when he had returned from Chulak upon request. "I have only heard of the technology. I have never seen it. I believe they were once used by Cronus during transportation of prisoners."

Col. Mitchell looked at Daniel. "Handcuffs," he said, nodding.

"What do they do, Teal'c?" Daniel asked.

"One bracelet was placed on the arm of the prisoner and another on the arm of his Jaffa escort. If the prisoner escaped, or they became separated, they would soon die."

"Both of them?" Vala asked, suddenly frightened. This hadn't been part of the bargain.

"Indeed."

"That's hardly fair for the escort," she added.

"It was his punishment for failing to fulfill his duties to his God."

"Tough wardens," Vala mumbled.

"So," Daniel said, "how do we get them off?"

"I do not know, Daniel Jackson."

"Vala said something about a key," Mitchell reminded them.

"Where's the key, Vala?"

"I told you, darling. You help me get that treasure and I'll take off the bracelets. Until then, Daniel, dear. . . ." She left the sentence unfinished. There was no need.

Daniel looked at Mitchell. "The next time she comes through the Stargate, call me and I'll shoot her."

* * * * *

Jonas Quinn had just finished putting a load of laundry in the drier when the telephone rang. He hurried to answer it. "Hello," he said.

"Hi, Jonas. It's Mitchell."

"Hi, Cameron. When are you coming to dinner again?"

"Sometime soon, I hope," Mitchell replied. "Listen, Daniel wanted me to phone and let you know that he's going to be tied up for the next day or two."

"Daniel isn't supposed to contact me."

"No, he isn't. But Landry didn't say anything about me calling you."

"Thanks, Cameron. Is anything wrong?"

"No," Mitchell said evasively. "He's just got himself in a bit of a bind. He'll be home as soon as we can clear it all up."

"Okay."

"Look, I've got to go. I'll be in touch."

Jonas smiled. "Okay. Thanks again, Cameron. Bye."

* * * * *

Jonas Quinn didn't really mind being alone. He had spent much of his life on Kelowna being alone. He always found ways to fill his empty hours. Reading, of course, was his preferred method, but now he had the computer and internet and the video game system Daniel had given to him for his first Christmas on Earth, and he had recently bought himself sketch pads and charcoal pencils and had taught himself how to draw. Daniel was his favourite subject, of course. He had destroyed his earlier attempts, but now his sketches surprisingly resembled the love of his life.

As he waited for the laundry to dry, he gathered his supplies, sat down on the sofa, flipped to his most recent work, and set about finishing the shading in Daniel's handsome face. He didn't need a photo from which to draw his inspiration. Daniel's image was clear in his mind, and what he saw there, he transferred to paper. He still had a bit of trouble with the eyes, but he was getting much better.

"Tomorrow," he thought to himself, "I'll start working with colour."

* * * * *

The next few days passed rather uneventfully. Corey still joined him for lunch or coffee breaks, and he had noticed that the two men still kept watch over him. They may have used different cars, but even the sunglasses and baseball caps they wore couldn't hide them from his observant eyes.

Corey seemed to be nothing more than an ‘info man', but Jonas was certain that, whatever was about to happen, Corey would be the key to the plan. He feared more for Daniel than ever before. He had made a terrible mistake coming back home. His own selfish desires had, unwittingly, put Daniel in grave danger and he had to find a way to remove Daniel from the equation entirely. Many hours had been spent in deep thought as Jonas tried to conclude why someone would take such an interest in him. In the end, he had decided that his Kelownan genetics must be the reason. They were inherently superior to the Tauri. Many people in high places had access to the records at the SGC, and anyone who knew him would also know that the Goa'uld, Nirrti, had once tinkered with his genes, making him even more genetically superior. This knowledge would make him very valuable to a lot of people, and they would pay good money to get their hands on him.

He had spent the past few evenings packing up many of his personal belongings - at least those which Daniel wouldn't notice missing if he suddenly came home - and storing them in the basement. Daniel never went down there except to retrieve something from the freezer at the bottom of the stairs. He had also spent a good amount of time cooking up food and making meal-sized packets which he stored in the refrigerator freezer and the larger freezer in the basement. Daniel would have plenty to eat.

He had thought at one time to move the boxes back to his apartment which, fortunately, was still in his name, but that would have been too suspicious. He had originally planned to give his notice at the end of the month, but now he would be moving back as soon as possible. As much as he hated what he now knew that he had to do, when he left Daniel this time, it would have to be permanent. If anything happened to Daniel because of him, he would never be able to forgive himself. And, if he were somehow able to survive what was to happen, he could only hope that Daniel would be able to find it in his heart to forgive him and take him back.

* * * * *

"Good afternoon. Jonas Quinn speaking. How may I help you?"

"Hi, Jonas. It's me, Mitchell."

"Hi, Cameron," Jonas said, surprised that Cameron would call him at the library. "What's up?"

"Can you talk?"

"Yes."

"Jackson asked me to see if you could meet him after work at Cheyenne."

"I'm not allowed to go there," Jonas reminded him. "They won't let me through the gate."

"They can't keep you out of the parking lot," Mitchell said. "Daniel will meet you there."

"Why can't he just come home and talk to me?"

"He just. . . can't." Mitchell paused. "Look, Jonas, it's important. Can you come?"

"Tell him I'll be there at six."

"Great! Thanks, pal. I'll talk to you later."

"Cameron?"

"Yeah?"

"What's wrong?"

Mitchell paused again. "Daniel will explain it all tonight. Just be there, okay?"

"I'll be there. Thanks."

"Bye."

"Goodbye, Cameron."

* * * * *

Daniel was waiting for Jonas when he drove into the parking lot outside the gates of Cheyenne Mountain. A dark-haired woman dressed in black was standing beside him. Jonas drove over to them as Daniel and the woman stepped out of the parking space which, apparently, they had been reserving for him.

As he stepped out of his car, Daniel was there to greet him. He was pulled into Daniel's strong embrace and he hugged Daniel back.

"I've missed you so much," Daniel said, pulling Jonas as close to him as possible.

"I've missed you, too," Jonas replied and hugged Daniel just as hard.

When they finally ended the hug, Daniel gave Jonas a quick kiss on the lips. The woman standing beside them muttered, "Nice touch."

Daniel stepped back and released Jonas from his grasp. "Jonas? This is Vala," he said. "Vala? Jonas Quinn."

Vala stepped forward and placed her hands on Jonas' arms. "Pleased to meet you, darling," she said and gave Jonas a quick peck on the cheeks. Then, leaning to the side in order to see Jonas' backside, she nodded, smiled broadly, and added, "Very pleased to meet you both."

"Vala," Daniel ordered, "put him down."

Vala released Jonas with undisguised reluctance and stepped back.

Jonas looked at her. "You're the one who kidnapped Daniel on the Prometheus," he said.

"I prefer to think of it as ‘borrowing', darling," the woman answered. "I needed a strong man and Daniel fell right into my lap." She paused, thinking. "Or was it the other way around?"

"Vala, just go over there and wait," Daniel ordered. "I want to talk to Jonas alone."

"Okay, but don't be too long, darling. You know how lonely I get." Vala walked a row of cars away and stood there, watching impatiently.

"Daniel? What's going on here?"

Daniel pulled up the sleeve of his military blue jacket, revealing the gold armband beneath. Jonas looked at it and ran his fingers over the metal. He had noticed a similar band on Vala's arm.

"What is it?"

"It's a Goa'uld handcuff," Daniel explained. "It links Vala and me together through our minds. If we become separated, we'll die."

Jonas looked deep into Daniel's eyes. He could see that Daniel was telling the truth. "Why would she do this?"

"Treasure," Daniel replied. "Vala showed up a few days ago with a tablet written in Ancient text. Merlin was real, Jonas. We found his hidden stash of treasure and a whole pile of Ancient artifacts buried in ancient catacombs in England. We just got back from there this morning. The treasure is being gathered and catalogued as we speak."

"So, why is she still here?"

"She's waiting for her share or the treasure and she won't remove these cuffs until she gets it."

"How long will that be?"

"Who knows. Until then, I'm stuck here with her."

They hadn't noticed Vala's return. "How much longer are you going to be?"

Daniel's exasperation was clear as he turned to face her. "Vala, I asked you to wait over there."

"You didn't ask, darling, You ordered, and I don't like people ordering me about. Besides, I was feeling dizzy."

Daniel heaved a heavy sigh. "We weren't far enough away and it hasn't been long enough."

Vala wrapped her arms around Daniel's arm and clung to it. "You're a man, Daniel. You're stronger than I am."

Daniel yanked his arm free from her grasp. "Anyone who can get their hands on a Kull warrior's armour and actually wear it isn't a weakling."

"How close do you have to be?" Jonas asked, concerned.

Vala smiled and wrapper her arm around Daniel's back, cuddling up to him. "Very close, darling."

Jonas looked into Daniel's eyes. "How close is ‘close'?" he asked.

Vala answered for him. "Oh, we eat together. We walk together. We sleep together. . . ."

"In separate beds!" Daniel interjected emphatically.

"We shower together. . . ."

"We sit outside the door!"

"We do everything together. Where Daniel goes, that's where you'll find me. Isn't that right, darling?"

Jonas tried to keep the tears from flowing into his eyes, but he failed. Daniel's eyes became moist as well as he realized the pain his lover must have felt at that moment.

"Oh, this is all very touching," Vala said in sudden, complete boredom.

Daniel turned on her and shouted, "Vala! Will you just shut up!?"

"Why, Daniel. You sound like you don't like me."

"I don't!"

"Then why did you want to make a baby with me?"

Daniel whipped around to face Jonas. Time stopped for him, and so did his heart. A knife drove into him as he watched the pain and humiliation flow into his lover, his own pain mirrored in Jonas' eyes.

An eternity passed in silence before Jonas asked quietly, "Daniel? Is this true?"

Daniel wilted visibly. He could barely speak. His eyes welled with tears. "Jonas, please."

"Is. . . it. . . true?" Jonas repeated, much more slowly this time.

Daniel swallowed and tears began rolling down his cheeks. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

Jonas waited, his face becoming more intense. Then he yelled, "Damn it, Daniel! Is it true!?"

A defeated Daniel swallowed again, sucked in a huge, ragged breath, and managed to whisper, "Yes."

Jonas stood frozen to the spot. Everything and everyone around him disappeared except for the man standing before him. He stared into Daniel's eyes for a long time and he saw the anguish and the pain and the betrayal in them.

He spoke, his voice barely a whisper. "How could you do this to me, Daniel?"

Daniel responded desperately, "Jonas, please. I love you!"

Jonas shook his head slowly. "I'm not sure I believe that anymore."

"Jonas. . . ." Daniel's voice was a pathetic whimper.

"No, Daniel," Jonas said sadly. "Not this time. Not anymore. It's finished."

"Jonas, please!"

With agonizing slowness, Jonas reached up to his neck. He clasped his beloved necklace in his fingers and lifted it gently and respectfully over his head. He held it in one hand for a moment, caressing it with the fingers of his other hand, before reaching out and taking Daniel's hand in his own. He held the hand palm-up and lay the fingers flat before placing the necklace in it. He closed the fingers over it. He cupped the hand for a long time as he continued staring into Daniel's soft, blue eyes. Then he leaned forward and kissed him one last time.

"Goodbye, Daniel."

He released Daniel's hand, turned, and walked to his car. He climbed in, started the car, and drove away.

Daniel could do nothing except watch him leave.

To Be Continued​

 

[gsdx]

Chapter 16
SHATTERED PIECES​

Jonas Quinn could barely see the way ahead as he drove out of the parking lot and onto the road leading away from Cheyenne Mountain. Tears filled his eyes and overflowed onto his cheeks. He didn't dare look back. He was terrified that he might see what he had done to Daniel Jackson.

The road veered to the right as it emerged from the parking lot, winding through the hills surrounding the mountain. As soon as he was certain he was out of view of the complex behind him, he carefully pulled onto the side of the road and turned off his car. His hands gripped the top of the steering wheel and he rested his forehead against them and he cried.

There was only one thing more important to him than his precious necklace, and that was the man who had given it to him - and now he had sacrificed both to keep the only person he loved safe from harm. Daniel's little affair with this Vala person didn't bother Jonas. Although he, himself, didn't have any of those urges, he was certain Daniel still did. Vala's appearance had, in fact, been a Godsend. It had given Jonas the ‘out' he needed, but he hadn't expected it to happen so soon, nor could he have imagined it to be as difficult to walk away from Daniel as it had been.

He knew he had made the right decision, of course. His future was no-longer in his control. He would be taken away by perfect strangers and, very likely, experimented upon until the secret behind his unique genetic make-up was discovered and exploited. He was certain of that now. There was no other reason that he could fathom. He would most likely die, but at least Daniel would live. That was the most important thing to him now - to keep Daniel alive.

Vehicles drove past in both directions, but Jonas didn't notice them. He sat there for many long minutes, his mind cluttered with thoughts. Yes, he would most likely die, but Daniel Jackson would live.

He sat up straight in the seat and started his car, whispered, "Goodbye, Daniel. I love you," and then he drove home.

* * * * *

Vala stood in the parking lot, applauding slowly and offering a less-than-enthusiastic "Bravo. Bravo."

Daniel didn't move.

"Yes, yes, Daniel," she said in a bored, unimpressed voice, "that was all very sweet and a wonderful performance. You must have paid a fortune to get that guy to kiss you twice like that."

Daniel didn't hear her. He stood there, his life in shatters, pieces crumbling around him, as he watched Jonas' car drive away and disappear around the corner. He was empty inside - too stunned and shocked even to cry. His right hand clutched Jonas' necklace and the metal bit into his fingers. He knew it was over. He knew Jonas was gone forever. And he knew it was all his fault. He had managed to destroy his own life.

"No!" he shouted aloud to himself. He didn't see Vala jump at the sudden outburst. He would not accept Jonas leaving him like this. He would not allow the only person in the world who he truly loved, the only person in the world who made him truly happy, to simply drop out of his life forever. He would do whatever was necessary to get Vala out of his life once and for all, and then he would do whatever he must do to get Jonas back again. He would not accept what had just happened.

He turned to challenge Vala, his face red with anger, his eyes bulging with fury, his teeth and jaws clenching as his temples pulsed. Vala stood there, unimpressed. One hand rested on her hip. "The game's over, Daniel. Can we go inside now? I'm hungry."

"Game!?" Daniel shouted as his entire body gyrated, his arms flailing. "You think this was all a game!?"

"Of course it was, darling," Vala replied calmly. "You can't possibly think that your little charade would convince me that you and What's-his-name could be involved with each other."

Daniel grabbed Vala's hand off her hip and slammed the necklace into her palm. "Jonas, Vala! His name is Jonas!"

Vala looked at the necklace in her hand. "Very nice," she said. "Maybe worth a week's rations on the open market."

Daniel yanked the necklace out of her hand, turned it over, and slapped it back. "Read it!" he shouted.

She lifted the gold, heart-shaped medallion closer to her eyes and read the engraved inscription. "Well, that limits its marketability. Maybe three days' rations."

Daniel grabbed the necklace back and slipped it into his jacket pocket. "You bitch!" he shouted.

Even Vala was taken aback by that exclamation and she instinctively leaned back and opened her eyes wide.

"Do you think I made all this up just to get rid of you?

"Of course," she replied honestly. "I can't understand why for the life of me, but I get the distinct feeling that you don't like me very much. This is just one more of your little games to try to get me away from you."

Daniel spun around in exasperation, flailing his arms in frustration, before turning back to face her. "Think, Vala," he shouted. "Think! Since you came here, when have I had time to set up something like this?"

Vala watched him closely now as he continued his rant.

"Jonas and I are lovers! We've been living together for two years now!" Pointing at the entrance to Cheyenne Mountain, he continued. "You go in there and ask anyone in the SGC and they'll tell you the same thing! You can phone Sam or you can phone Washington and talk to Jack or General Hammond! It's not a secret, Vala! It's not a conspiracy against you! It's - not - a - game!"

Vala remained silent, her eyes scanning Daniel's face. Her expression changed dramatically when she saw the truth in his eyes. She saw the pain of loss there as well. She knew that look very well. She glanced in the direction of the roadway where she had watched the small, blue car driving away, then turned back again to look into Daniel's tear-filled eyes.

For the first time since Daniel had met her, Vala actually became human. "Oh, Daniel," she said in all seriousness. Daniel physically relaxed. "You're telling me the truth. I'm so sorry. I didn't know." She retrieved the necklace from his pocket. "Why didn't you tell me on the ship?"

Daniel was suddenly calm. "Would you have believed me if I had?"

Vala thought for a moment before shaking her head. "No," she said softly. "I suppose I wouldn't have." She stared at the necklace, reading once more the inscription engraved on the back of the heart medallion. "What do you want me to do?"

Daniel rose to his full, intimidating height, took back the necklace and tucked it into his pocket again. "I'll tell you what I want you to do," he said. "You're going back in there with me and, together, we're going to find a way to get you as far away from me as possible. And when you're gone, I don't ever want to see you again. And then I'm going to do whatever I have to do to get Jonas back, even if I have to crawl to him on my hands and knees and beg his forgiveness."

Vala's hands came up slowly to grasp Daniel's arms in a gentle, surprisingly caring touch. "Please don't hate me, Daniel," she said in a hushed whisper. "I'm truly sorry. I would never intentionally do anything to hurt you like this."

"I don't hate you, Vala," Daniel replied. "I just don't like you as much as you wish I did."

* * * * *

Jonas closed the front door behind him and stood there leaning against it for several minutes as he sadly looked around the livingroom. It saddened him even more knowing that he would soon be leaving the house, probably never to return.

He walked slowly around the room, picking up Daniel's most cherished items and artifacts and remembering what they meant to him. He knew the stories behind everything. He knew where they had been discovered and how they got there. They meant so much to him simply because they meant so much to Daniel. He lovingly returned each item to its proper place before moving on to the next.

Finally, he approached the three candles which had played such a big part in their Ceremony of Joining almost two years ago. He ran his fingers tenderly over the large candle, remembering each moment and every word Daniel had spoken to him:

"Jonas. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. As much as you think you love me, it doesn't even come close to how much I love you. You make me. . . so happy. You have such a big heart inside you, and you hold so much love in it. There is nothing but kindness and goodness and caring inside you, and you just keep giving more of it to me every day. You make it impossible for me not to love you. . . . These past few months have been the happiest months of my life. I promise you that I will always protect you and take care of you. I will love you and hold you and keep you safe. I don't want to live without you. I died for you once. . . . but I would gladly do it again. Without hesitation. Dying would be easier for me because living without you would be worse than death. . . . You mean everything to me, Jonas. You are my life."

The words were clear in Jonas' mind. He remembered ever pause, every inflection, every blink, every rise of his eyebrows, every smile. He could hear Daniel as clearly as if he were speaking them now. He would never forget them. Daniel had died for him once, and he had died for him a second time - without hesitation. Jonas vowed that there wouldn't be a third time. Daniel Jackson would not die because of him.

He picked up his own smaller candle and held it. He would take it with him. He set it gently on the coffee table, took one more look around, then went into the basement to begin carrying up his packed belongings.

He made a small meal for himself when all the boxes and bags were piled near the front door. He would pack them in his car in the morning before he went to work. After his meal, he cleaned up and continued with his packing. At midnight, he locked the door, turned out the lights and went to bed.

* * * * *

Andrew had shown up at the library the next morning, a small ray of sunshine in an otherwise dismal day. He had become very interested in astronomy and Jonas eagerly helped him to find other books on stars and astronauts and space travel and such. He saw so much of himself in Andrew when he was that age and he hoped the boy's interest in books would not wane as he grew older.

At noon, Jonas sat on his usual bench. He had no book with him. He had no lunch. He didn't feel particularly inclined either to read or to eat. Instead, he sat there thinking.

"Penny for your thoughts," said a voice beside him. He looked up in time to see Corey taking a seat on the bench beside him. "I brought you a coffee," Corey said.

Jonas smiled weakly. "Thanks, but. . . um. . ." He paused. "Look, Corey, I'd really rather be alone today. . . if that's okay."

"Why, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just. . ." Jonas left the sentence unfinished. He was acutely aware of Corey's eyes lingering on him.

"Your necklace. It's gone," Corey announced. "What happened? Did you lose it?"

"No." Jonas' voice was sad. His hand impulsively rose to his chest, touching the spot where his second heart should be and he closed his eyes to block out the pain when he didn't find it there.

"You gave it back."

After a long pause, Jonas said quietly, "Yes." Another pause followed before Jonas added, "Please, Corey. I really want to be alone."

"Okay," Corey whispered. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Jonas smiled and nodded once. Corey left him alone with his thoughts.

* * * * *

Early that evening, Jonas stopped at his apartment to unload his car and carry his belongings inside before going back to the house. Mrs. McCreary was sitting on the sofa, waiting for him. When he closed the door, she patted the empty cushion beside her and Jonas slowly walked over and sat down. He wasn't looking forward to this confrontation. They sat there in silence, Mrs. McCreary's hand resting gently on Jonas' thigh.

"What's going on, Jonas," she said softly. "Why are you doing this?"

Jonas swallowed deeply, forcing himself to remain calm. "He betrayed me and I have to go away," he said. After a short pause, he added, "I don't love him anymore."

Mrs. McCreary squeezed his leg. "You know that's not true, and you know that I don't believe you. You've been planning this for almost a week. I've seen all the food you've been cooking and all the notes and instructions you've been sticking on the packages. I've seen your boxes all packed up in the basement. This isn't something you just decided to do today. Now, tell me what's going on. Where's Daniel?"

"I'm sorry. I can't."

Mrs. McCreary sucked in a deep breath and held it for a short while before releasing it again. "I've known Daniel for many years now, and I've known you since the day you moved in with him. Both of you are like sons to me. I've never believed for a minute that Daniel has been running around the world digging holes in the ground. I've seen a lot of injuries over the years, and he didn't get them by doing what he has told me he's been doing. He works for the Government, doesn't he? He works for the Air Force. And you did, too, before you started working at the library. That's why you're leaving, isn't it?"

"Yes," Jonas replied. "I can't tell you any more than that."

She sighed and lifted her hand from Jonas' leg before resting it in her lap.

"Believe me that I can't be here anymore, Mrs. McCreary, and please, don't ask me why."

Mrs. McCreary could see that Jonas would tell her if he could, but, knowing the Government, they had their secrets which must be protected. "Okay," she said as she pulled Jonas into an embrace. "What can I do to help you here, then?"

"Nothing, really," Jonas answered as he looked around the room. "There isn't much packing left and I'll have everything moved out on Saturday."

"Will you be back?"

"Yes. I don't know when, but I'll be back when all this sorts itself out." Jonas hated having to lie to Mrs. McCreary, but he didn't want her to have to suffer any undue worry. "You were right. I still love Daniel as much as I always did, but this is something I have to do all by myself. Just promise me that you won't say anything to him, and promise me you'll take care of him when he gets back."

Mrs. McCreary managed a sad smile. "I promise," she said. Jonas knew that she would keep that promise.

* * * * *

Saturday afternoon, Jonas moved the last of his belongings to his apartment. He returned to the house in order to finish the cooking and preparing frozen dinners for Daniel. He spent his last night sleeping in the bed he had once shared with his best friend and lover. In the morning, he awoke, showered, had a light breakfast, and cleaned up. Finally, he packed up the remaining food that he knew Daniel wouldn't be using.

He loaded his car one final time and went back into the house to make certain all was as it should be. He walked through each room, one at a time, remembering and smiling. He avoided the sad memories. He didn't want to feel any sadder than he already did. In the en suite, he sat on the side of the bathtub for a long time, remembering with a smile on his face the panic and anxiety he had seen in Daniel the very first time they were naked together. He remembered the joy and excitement he had felt as he removed Daniel's clothes, and tears filled his eyes as he recalled the first time Daniel had invited him into his arms and held him. He had never been happier than at that moment, and now, he was never more sad than he was at this moment, knowing that he might never know that happiness again.

His final stop was the bedroom. He lay down on the bed and rolled to his right and closed his eyes. In his mind, Daniel was there with him, holding him, allowing him to use Daniel's shoulder and chest as a pillow. He could feel Daniel, hear him, smell him. He lay there for a long time, desperate to hold onto Daniel as long as possible before he left him forever.

When he awoke again over an hour later, he smiled. Daniel had been with him in his dreams, taking care of him as always. His hand reached out and touched the bed where Daniel had been only moments ago and he caressed the spot lovingly with his palm. Finally, he stood up, smoothed the blankets with a sweep of his hands and walked out the bedroom door without looking back.

At the front door, he paused to set the alarm, then turned to look at his home one more time. "Goodbye, Daniel," he said softly. "I love you."

And then he left.

* * * * *

Buried among the treasure at Glastonbury Tor in England, Daniel had discovered a book written by the Ancients. He had already determined that Merlin, of King Arthur fame, was actually an Ancient named Myrrdin, which had lead them to the catacombs in the first place - the thought of finding Merlin's treasure. The book he found described the history of the Alterans, the Ancients, who inhabited a world they called Avalon. They had, indeed, been the creators of the "astrea porta" - the Stargates - and had travelled to the Milky Way from another galaxy.

An Ancient device had also been discovered in the ancient catacombs and Daniel had identified it as some sort of long-range communication device which would work in conjunction with the Ancient telepathic stones discovered by SG-1 several months earlier.

The problems in Daniel's life were temporarily forgotten as he realized the importance of trying to contact the Ancients through the stones and the device they had found. He volunteered to test the device and Vala, who was still bound to Daniel through the Goa'uld armbands, reluctantly agreed to tag along. General Landry gave his consent and preparations were made to put their plans into action.

* * * * *

Jonas Quinn had settled nicely into his small apartment again. He had spent the remainder of Sunday and all of Monday evening unpacking. Now, on Tuesday evening, he had just a few more boxes to go. As usual, he was naked.

A knock sounded at the door. "Who is it?" he called out.

"Corey," came a voice from the other side.

"Just a minute," Jonas called and grabbed up a pair of white track pants and pulled them on before opening the door.

"Hi," Corey said with a smile. He carried a small, brown paper bag in his hand. "I thought you might like some company."

"I'm kind of busy unpacking at the moment," Jonas said.

"I brought some coffee and those muffins you like." Corey's eyes were drawn to Jonas' bare chest and then down to the subtle tent visible at his crotch.

Jonas looked at the bag for a moment, trying to ignore the stares, then stepped back. "Okay. Come on in." He wished now that he had thought to put on underwear as well.

Corey entered and made his way to the sofa as Jonas closed and locked the door. "I'll go put on a shirt," he said.

Corey looked up quickly. "Please don't," he said anxiously. "I mean, you're even more beautiful without it. I like seeing you like this. Please. Don't put it on."

Jonas relented with a great deal of reluctance. He joined Corey on the sofa as Corey opened the paper bag and extracted the treats. "Why did you leave Daniel?"

Jonas shrugged his shoulders. He felt very uncomfortable sitting there almost naked, but if this is what it would take to keep Corey interested and unaware, then he would do it. "It just wasn't working out. Daniel had his priorities all wrong and I was there to be his toy when he needed one to play with."

"I thought he loved you."

"So did I," Jonas replied quietly. The words burned into his heart. "It's time for me to move on without him."

Corey remained silent for several moments before asking, "Do you still love him?"

Jonas looked at him, catching his gaze and holding it, watching for reactions as he said, "I'm beginning to wonder if I ever really loved him in the first place." Corey's eyes told him everything he wanted to know.

They drank their coffees and ate their muffins and talked. Finally, as night approached and darkness settled into the apartment, Jonas rose from the sofa and said, "I should really get to bed early tonight. I've got a big day ahead of me tomorrow."

Corey rose as well and stood silently before Jonas, his gaze moving from his eyes to his chest. His hand reached up slowly and came to rest on Jonas' left pectoral. Jonas steeled himself, his mind preparing itself for what he expected would soon follow. Corey tilted his head upward and leaned forward, his eyes closing and his other hand moving to Jonas crotch where it tenderly cradled the genitals hidden beneath the velvety material of the track pants. Jonas remained calm, allowing the kiss to happen. He closed his eyes and, once again, Daniel came to the rescue. Daniel's image flew into his mind and it allowed him to repress the revulsion he was feeling growing inside of him.

The kiss became more inflamed and the groping became more intense. Jonas reacted accordingly. Corey's hand moved up to his stomach and then slipped beneath the waistband until the fingers wrapped themselves around Jonas' bare cock for the first time. Grunts and moans of excitement escaped Corey's lips as his hand began to stroke the flesh it held. When Corey's other hand moved from his pec and down his body to the waistband, Jonas grabbed it and pulled it away as he broke the kiss.

"Corey," he said urgently, "please don't."

Corey looked at him, smiling. "But you need this, Jonas. I want this."

Jonas pushed him away. "I said ‘stop'!"

"You don't even love Daniel anymore. You said you want to move on with your life. You can start now."

"No!"

Corey cringed and shrank away from him. Jonas calmed himself and grasped Corey's shoulders. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I shouldn't have yelled at you. It's too soon, Corey. It's not easy to forget three years of my life just like that. I need some time to get over it."

Corey relaxed. "Okay."

"I need you to leave now," Jonas said.

Corey nodded. "Can I join you for lunch tomorrow?"

Jonas smiled and nodded. "Sure."

Corey gave Jonas one more small kiss and left. Jonas closed and locked the door and headed immediately for the bathroom. He was in the shower for almost half an hour before he was certain he had cleansed away all the filth that he felt poisoning him. His last thought before he went to sleep was that he would find the courage within himself to play this game a little longer. Whatever they were going to do to him, he hoped that they would do it soon.

To Be Continued​

 

[gsdx]

Chapter 17
CHAIN OF EVENTS​

Daniel lay on a bed in the infirmary at SGC. Vala lay dead on another bed nearby.

The device, an odd, cone-shaped machine, and two small, smooth, black stones, had been discovered within Merlin's treasure beneath Glastonbury Tor in England. Daniel had recognized the stones immediately, but the device was unknown to him. Before his retirement, General Jack O'Neill had been held hostage by a man named Joe Spencer, a barber from Indiana, who demanded to be told ‘the truth'. For years, Jack had been getting glimpses of Joe's life, although he discounted them as simple imaginings. After all, the man was a barber who liked bowling. He was a mere daydream. Joe, however, had seen everything - the Stargate, the Goa'uld, SG-1, General George Hammond, Daniel Jackson's death on Kelowna, the battle with Anubis over the Antarctic - everything!

In the beginning, Joe had praised his luck in finding the stone at a yard sale and hoped to become a famous writer by using the stories he saw in his mind as inspiration. He had failed, and the tales he saw became little more than curiosities told to his staff and the occasional customer who came into his barbershop for a trim and a shave. But, the stone remained an obsession and, over the years, he lost everything, including his own family.

Daniel had been convinced that the device somehow augmented the power of those stones, possibly even allowing communication with other people across galaxies. In particular, he hoped that it would allow him to talk to the Ancients themselves. It was worth the risk to find out. One instant, he and Vala had been fine and healthy as they placed the stones into the device. The next instant, they were unconscious.

Doctor Lam had assured everyone that Daniel and Vala were merely in a deep state of sleep. Little did anyone realize the depths of the mind links and the dangers they presented.

Vala's death moments before had been horrific as she thrashed about and screamed in agony. Dr. Lam had done everything she could to keep her alive and then to revive her, but nothing she did changed the situation. Vala Mal Doran was dead.

"Then Daniel Jackson will die as well," the Jaffa, Teal'c said. "Such is the fate of those who wear the bracelets."

Colonel Cameron Mitchell would not accept that. "What if we pull out the stones?" he suggested.

"I don't think that's wise, Colonel," Dr. Lam replied. "Wherever Vala was, something happened to her there and it killed her here. The link goes far beyond simple communication. Besides, simply disconnecting him from the machine won't disconnect him from Vala and the bracelets."

"He's going to die anyway!" Mitchell shouted. "We just can't stand here and do nothing! What if we send the device through the Stargate to somewhere else?"

"It would still be active. They would still be connected through it."

"Then we find a way to shut the damned thing off!"

Doctor Lee was summoned to the infirmary as Daniel slipped closer and closer to death. Lee was a stout, balding man with glasses who everyone felt was hopelessly inept and unable even to figure out the workings of a lava lamp, but Lee worshipped Daniel Jackson and considered Daniel one of his best friends. Daniel had saved his life on more than one occasion and his devotion to and admiration of Daniel made him the best man for the job. Although he often stumbled upon solutions to problems accidentally rather than through experimentation and deduction, next to Samantha Carter and Daniel Jackson, Dr. Lee was their best hope.

Before Lee's arrival, however, the monitors still connected to Vala began beeping again as Mitchell wiped beads of sweat from his brow. Vala was alive. A quick examination by Dr. Lam indicated that she was swiftly recovering, but still in a deep sleep.

They could only imagine what was going on in that place Daniel and Vala were at the moment.

* * * * *

"Hello."

"Hi, Jonas. It's Mitchell."

Jonas squeezed his eyes shut. "Not here," he thought to himself. "Please, not here."Aloud, he said into the telephone, "What do you want?" he asked abruptly. "If you're going to talk about Daniel, I don't want to hear it."

"He's in real trouble." Mitchell continued undeterred. "Do you remember Joe Spencer?"

Jonas did, of course. "Yes," he answered.

Mitchell's voice continued, "We found more stones along with a device in England. . . ."

Jonas cut him off in mid sentence. "Spare me the details, Cameron. I'm not interested. Daniel decided to tinker with it, right? And now he's got himself into trouble. Just tell me how he is and let me get back to my dinner."

"Jonas? Is this really you?"

"Yes, it's me!" he replied, his voice raising in mock anger. He had to end this conversation swiftly. "Now, are you going to tell me how he is or aren't you!?"

There was a short pause. "Daniel might be dying," Mitchell said finally.

Jonas squeezed his eyes tightly as he fought back his tears . "Oh, God, Daniel," he thought. "What have you done now?" His mind raced.

"Jonas? Are you there?"

Jonas quickly composed himself. "Yeah, I'm here. I'm just waiting for you to tell me something important."

"Christ, Jonas! Didn't you hear me!? Daniel's dying!"

"Yeah, I heard you. I'll send him some flowers."

"What in hell has got into you, man!?"

"Nothing's got into me, Cameron," Jonas replied calmly. "I'm finished with Daniel. I can't forgive him for what he did to me. If he's in trouble, he has to find his own way out. I'm not going to do it for him anymore."

"How can you talk like this, Jonas? Daniel loves you. This little thing with Vala. . ."

"The bitch can have him!" Jonas shouted. "I hope they have a happy life together!"

Mitchell's voice dropped to a stunned whisper. "I can't believe I'm hearing this," he said. "I don't even know who you are anymore," he said.

"Then I guess you never really knew me at all," Jonas replied. "If he dies, let me know and I'll come to his funeral. Otherwise, I don't want anything else to do with him." And then he hung up.

"Asshole," he said loudly for the benefit of the hidden microphones, then went to sit on his bed. He grabbed the pillow into his hands, buried his face into it to muffle the sounds, and he cried for a long, long time.

* * * * *

Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell stared at the telephone receiver in stunned disbelief before hanging it up. Could the conversation in which he had just been engaged actually have taken place? Could Jonas truly have been so apathetic and uncaring as he had seemed to be only moments earlier? Could he truly hate Daniel so much that attending his funeral would be an interruption in his daily routine?

Cameron didn't think so. He had met Jonas, and this man he had just spoken to wasn't the same man. Something was happening. Something was wrong. He didn't like it and he was determined to find out what it was.

Finding Jonas' home address was simple. It was still on file at the SGC. A few clicks on the computer keyboard and Jonas' information file appeared on the monitor. Mitchell wrote down the address and headed for the lockerroom to shower and change.

* * * * *

Jonas had hoped that his telephone conversation with Cameron Mitchell would have been enough to keep him away, but Cameron was now standing outside his door, knocking loudly and demanding to be let inside.

"Cameron, please," Jonas begged through the locked door, "just go away and leave me alone."

"Not until you let me in and tell me what's going on!"

"Nothing is going on. Please, just go away."

The knocking continued. Finally, Jonas pulled on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt. He would have to handle this very delicately and make certain Cameron didn't say anything he shouldn't be saying. And he had to get him out again as quickly as possible.

He unlocked the door and opened it, but stood in the doorway, blocking Cameron's entrance.

"That's better," Mitchell announced, his face full of exasperation. "Now, can I come in?"

"No."

"Fine. I'll stand out here and talk and all your neighbours can listen in on your business."

Jonas relented and stepped back. Mitchell entered and sat on the sofa. He had changed out of his military blues into a pair of jeans and a short-sleeved shirt. Jonas circled the coffee table and sat on the sofa beside Mitchell.

"What in hell is up with you, man?" Mitchell asked. "Daniel could be lying on his deathbed and all you've got to say is that you'll send him flowers?"

Jonas shrugged one shoulder and looked down at the floor.

"He loves you, Jonas."

"No, he doesn't. He loves what I do for him," Jonas replied, then he looked back into Mitchell's face. "He loves how I make him feel, but that's all. He doesn't love me and I don't love him anymore."

Mitchell watched him intently. "I want you to look me in the eye and tell me that."

Jonas' expression didn't change. He met Mitchell's gaze and held it. "I don't love Daniel anymore."

Mitchell stared him down and Jonas met the challenge. "You're lying."

"I don't lie, Cameron. Just ask Daniel. He'll tell you."

Mitchell leaned back into the sofa. "Well, there you go!" he said. "How convenient! Daniel just happens to be in a coma at the moment!"

Jonas shrugged again, but held the stare. "Phone Sam, then. She's known me as long as Daniel has. She'll tell you."

Mitchell threw up his hands and dropped them again to rest them on his thighs. "You're throwing away the last three years? Just like that?"

"Just like that," Jonas answered calmly.

"I don't believe this," Mitchell said in frustration. "Daniel loves you, man! He's killing himself to get you back and you're treating him like yesterday's garbage! How can you do this to him!?"

"Daniel has hurt me too many times, Cameron. Not once, but over and over again. This. . . ‘thing'. . . with Vala was the last straw. I've taken care of Daniel for the last three years. I've kept him happy and satisfied, and he thanks me by jumping into bed with that bitch. I can't deal with it anymore. I can't deal with Daniel anymore. He can go play with all the ladies he wants. I'm finished with him."

"That's not the way it happened," Mitchell said desperately.

An opportunity opened before Jonas and he pounced on it. He spun his body on the sofa to face Mitchell head-on, his face pulled taught in anger. "I don't care how it happened, Cameron! He did it! He took all the love I thought I had for him and he threw it in my face! He loved my body and what I could do with it to make him feel good, but he sure as hell didn't love me!"

Mitchell impulsively leaned away from Jonas. "I can't believe you'd even think of something like that about Daniel."

Jonas continued the offensive. His voice dropped in volume as he advanced. "What will it take to make you believe me, then, Cameron? Huh? A blowjob? Would a blowjob convince you that I don't give a shit about him anymore?"

Mitchell's eyes widened in disbelief. Jonas slid forward as Mitchell crawled back.

"Or maybe you'd rather I drop my pants and bend over for you. Is that what you like? You want my ass instead? It doesn't matter to me, Cameron. Either way, I can curl your toenails."

Mitchell was backed into the corner of the sofa and could go no further. His eyes were wide with undisguised apprehension.

Jonas had him right where he wanted him. He rose to one knee on the sofa and glued his lips to Cameron's mouth as his left hand wrapped itself around Cameron's crotch.

Mitchell manage to wriggle his hands between their bodies and pushed Jonas back.

"Don't fight it, Cameron," Jonas said with a vicious smile. "You want this as much as I do. I've wanted you since the day I met you. I could see what you have in your jeans. It was shouting out to me and begging me to take care of it, and I want it now. Admit it, Cameron. You want it. You want it just as much as I do. You're getting hard already. I can feel it."

Mitchell scrambled over the arm of the sofa out of Jonas' grasp, backing away. Jonas jumped up and challenged him until Cameron was backed against the wall. Jonas pressed forward and kissed Cameron again as his hand once more grabbed Mitchell's crotch. His body pinned Mitchell against the wall and Jonas quickly moved his fingers to unbutton and unzip Mitchell's jeans and to shove his hand inside. His fingers slid over the soft material of Mitchell's boxers and he took advantage, grasping Mitchell's balls in his hand.

Once again, Mitchell got his hands between them and pushed Jonas back, but Jonas' hand remained locked on his crotch. Mitchell's voice was threatening and ferocious. "I don't want to hurt you, Jonas, but if you don't get your hands off me, I swear I'll pound the living shit out of you!"

Jonas' face suddenly turned fierce and full of rage. His eyes burned and his jaws clenched together. His hand squeezed in warning and he saw Mitchell wince with the pain. His voice took on a tone of pure hatred and threat. "Then I suggest you get your sorry ass out of my home and out of my life," he whispered loudly as his hand squeezed once more. His voice raised in volume as he continued. "So help me, Cameron, if you don't leave me alone, I'll rip your fuckin' balls off and shove them down your throat!"

With a grunt and a final squeeze of his hand, Jonas stepped back, ripped his hand out of Mitchell's pants, and stood there facing him, breathing heavily. His hands balled into fists at his side. In a loud, hushed voice, he dragged out the words. "Now, get the hell out of my home!"

Col. Mitchell, still feeling the pain and discomfort of having his testicles clutched in a vice grip, quickly zipped up his jeans as he continued to stare at the young man standing before him. After a long pause during which neither man broke the stare, Mitchell said quietly, "You are not the friend I had a few hours ago."

Jonas remained silent.

Cameron Mitchell walked to the door and opened it. He turned his head to look back at Jonas, who remained riveted to the spot. Finally, he shook his head and walked out the door, closing it quietly behind him.

Jonas wilted, his body finally relaxing. His eyes clenched shut and, deep within the silence of his mind, he begged forgiveness from both Daniel Jackson and Cameron Mitchell. Maybe one day they would understand why he had done what he had just done.

* * * * *

"I say we take the fifty grand and be done with it," the man with the moustache said.

"You'd settle for twelve and a half when you could have at least fifty grand on your own?" the older man said.

"Even if he doesn't die, what makes you think he'll pay two hundred grand to get him back? We don't even know where he is! He hasn't been home for days!"

"Oh, he'll pay alright. He still loves the little cocksucker, and when he says he'll pay, we go back to Franklin and up the ante. Who knows? We could end up splitting a million bucks."

"I still think I should get a bigger share," the young blond said. "You didn't have to kiss him."

"Aw, quit your whining, you little fag," said a man with reddish hair. "You loved every second of it."

"I asked you not to call me that," the blond said.

"Admit it, Corey," the red-haired man continued. "If he hadn't stopped you, you would have been on him like a fly on a dead pig!"

"That's enough!" the older man shouted. When everyone fell silent, he continued. "The decision has been made. I'm not going to settle for twelve grand when there's a lot more money to be had. We'll wait and see what happens with Jackson. If he croaks, we grab the kid and take what we can get. If he lives, we bleed him for every penny he has. Until then, we wait and do our jobs. If you don't like it, you can get the hell out right now."

He looked at each of the other three men in turn. Each man nodded in agreement.

* * * * *

Both Teal'c and Col. Mitchell were in the infirmary when Daniel Jackson came awake. Daniel opened his eyes, blinked, and said, "Wow," as he began to sit up.

Dr. Lam put a restraining hand on his chest. "Easy, Dr. Jackson."

Daniel waved her off. "I'm fine," he said and sat up, swinging his legs off the side of the bed. "Wow," he repeated. "That was an experience."

"Daniel?" It was Vala's voice. She, too, sat up on her own bed and looked over at Daniel.

"Are you okay?" Daniel asked with genuine concern.

"Yes," Vala replied. She reached out her hand "Thank you, Daniel. If it wasn't for you, I'd be dead now, wouldn't I? And so would you."

Daniel smiled as Dr. Lam continued her examination of her patients. "I would have done it for anyone."

Vala smiled back. "We were quite a team, weren't we?"

Daniel nodded. "You did good," he said. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop them from hurting you. I tried. I really tried."

"I know you did." Vala sat up straight and looked at Col. Mitchell. "Has anyone heard from Jonas? How is he?"

Daniel looked at Vala, his eyebrows raising high on his forehead. He hadn't expected her to be the least bit concerned. This certainly wasn't the same woman he had met again a few days earlier.

"He's fine," Mitchell said. He hoped he sounded sincere.

Things happened quickly after that. Through both Daniel and Vala, the SGC learned they were still linked to a married couple, Harrid and Sallis, in a village called Ver Eger on a planet in a totally different galaxy. Daniel and Vala were actually living their lives and controlling their thoughts and actions. The only reason they were communicating now was because they had found two other stones and another device in Ver Eger.

Daniel quickly explained about a race of beings called the Ori, who were actually a branch of the Ascended Beings now familiar to the Tauri. Unlike the benevolent Ascended Beings, however, the Ori believed themselves Gods and felt themselves worthy of worship by all humans everywhere. It was only through the efforts of the Ascended Beings that the Ori had not yet found their way to the Milky Way Galaxy, but that was about to change. They were coming.

The Ori had compiled their own set of truths into a book called ‘Origin'. Unlike the Goa'uld, who had merely pretended to be Gods, the Ori maintained the powers of the Ascended Beings and used that power to convince people to worship them. Vala, uncertain of her role, had mistakenly been branded ‘unclean' and had been burned alive in the Ara, a sacrificial alter of fire which cleansed sinners and unbelievers. Daniel had been powerless to stop the event and could only cradle Vala's charred and dead body in his arms. Whatever Vala had done before, she certainly didn't deserve a fate as horrible as that. One of the Ori disciples, a Prior, arrived at the Ara, waved his glowing walking staff, and washed the death from Vala. The power of the Ori had brought her back to life.

Daniel's final warning before he and Vala collapsed into unconsciousness once more was that the Ori must not be allowed to gain a foothold in this galaxy.

* * * * *

Jonas Quinn allowed Corey's friendship with him to blossom. It was difficult, and there was such a fine line between revulsion and determination. It was something he had to do in order to protect Daniel Jackson, no matter how much it sickened him. He knew that Corey still wanted to have sex with him - he had mentioned it often - but Jonas had managed to hold him at bay.

Still, Corey took advantage of every opportunity to touch Jonas and to kiss him. His new, favourite position was to lie on the sofa with his head in Jonas' lap, nestled into the ‘Y' valley at the base of Jonas' crotch as Jonas' hand rested on Corey's narrow chest.

Each night, after Corey was gone, Jonas would shower away the filth and shame he felt, and then he would lie in bed and convince himself that he could do it just one more time.

At the library, Andrew became one of Jonas' best friends. His love of books grew with each visit and Jonas looked forward to seeing him peeking over the edge of the desk. He had surprised Andrew one afternoon with a small, plastic bag full of homemade oatmeal cookies. With his mother's consent, Andrew ate a whole cookie while Jonas and Judy shared one.

"You made these all by yourself?" Andrew asked.

"I sure did."

"Mommy buys them in a box." Jonas smiled at him.

The following Sunday afternoon, Jonas answered his ringing telephone.

"Is this Jonas Quinn from the library?" The voice sounded familiar, but anxious.

"Yes," he replied. "Is this Judy?"

"Yes. I need your help, Jonas. My mother was just taken to the hospital with a heart attack and I can't get in touch with the babysitter and. . ."

"What's your address? I'll be right over."

"Do you have a pen handy?"

"I don't need it."

Judy relayed her address.

"I'm on my way. I'll be there as soon as I can." Jonas hung up, pulled on his clothes, and headed out the door. Ten minutes later, he was parked in the visitor's parking area of the apartment complex and on his way to Judy's apartment.

Judy was clearly distraught, but putting up a good front for her young son. Andrew stood beside her, holding her hand. The apartment was rather cramped and compact, but clean and tidy nonetheless. Directly ahead, the livingroom opened directly into the small kitchen which contained a small table and two mismatched wooden chairs. There wasn't much room there for anything much bigger. Two windows let in the only sunlight. To the left were two doors. An open door exposed the bathroom. The other door, now closed, probably led to the bedroom. Jonas didn't see any other doors. It was, undoubtedly, a single bedroom apartment.

"There's food in the refrigerator," Judy said, pointing toward the kitchen, "and drinks. I only have instant coffee. Oh, and the bathroom. . ."

"Don't worry about us," Jonas smiled, trying to set her mind at ease. "I'm sure Andrew can show me where everything is. Can't you, Sport?"

"Yup," Andrew replied with a smile.

"We'll be fine," Jonas said. "Just go. I'll take good care of him."

Judy kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Jonas. I'll call you."

Judy left and Jonas squatted down to smile at Andrew. "So, pal, what do you want to do?"

"Can we play cars?" Andrew asked.

"Sure," Jonas said as he stood up. "Lead the way."

Andrew took Jonas by the hand and led him to the closed door. He pushed it open and revealed the bedroom. Inside were two single beds against the right wall under the two small windows. The bed on the right was obviously for Judy. The other was dressed with an old Star Wars blanket and pillowcase.

Andrew opened one of the closets to the left and pulled out a small box full of cars. He dumped them onto the carpet and Jonas lay down on his belly to play. For the next hour, they played with every toy car Andrew had, but they enjoyed every second of it. When Andrew became hungry, Jonas checked the refrigerator. There was little food there. Jonas took his wallet out of his pants, opened it, and pulled out five $20 bills and set them on the top refrigerator shelf and set the carton of milk on one corner of the bills. Judy would be sure to find it.

"I have an idea," Jonas said. "Would you like pizza?"

Andrew's face lit up and his eyes grew wide. "Yes yes yes yes yes!" he said excitedly as he jumped up and down.

"What do you like on them?"

"Everything ‘cept onions and those fishy things."

Jonas phoned in the delivery order for two extra-large deluxe pizzas - without onions and anchovies, of course - to his favourite pizza shop. At least Judy and Andrew would have leftovers for a few days.

"While we're waiting, how would you like to make your Mom a ‘Get Happy' card? She's feeling kind of sad today."

"Okay," Andrew said.

"I need a piece of paper and some crayons." Andrew ran off to get them as Jonas found a large book which he set on the carpet in the livingroom. Andrew soon returned. Laying on their bellies once again, Jonas folded the paper into a card shape and asked Andrew what made his mother happy.

"Flowers!"

"Good. I'll draw the flowers and you can colour them, okay?" Andrew nodded. Jonas grabbed a black crayon and drew a simple bouquet of flowers, which Andrew eagerly coloured in. The pizzas arrived just as they were finishing. Jonas paid for the pizzas and took them into the kitchen while Andrew put away the book and crayons. He set the card on the small coffee table set in front of the sofa.

Andrew managed to eat two slices while Jonas satisfied himself with just one. The rest he would leave for his little friend. After everything was cleaned up and put away, they sat on the sofa with Andrew curled up in Jonas' lap. Jonas read him a few stories from his favourite book. By the time Judy came home, Andrew was sound asleep, curled up against Jonas' chest.

"I hope he wasn't too much trouble," she said as she picked up Andrew and laid him on the sofa to continue his nap.

"No trouble at all," Jonas said. "How is your mother?"

Judy looked at him and smiled. "She's fine. It wasn't a heart attack, but she'll need medication for the next few weeks."

"That's good news." Jonas rose to his feet. "I'll get going now."

Judy reached for her purse. "Here," she said, "let me pay you."

"Don't even think about it. We had a wonderful time."

"He adores you, you know. I've never seen him take to anyone the way he has taken to you."

"He's an adorable child."

"You're the closest thing to a father that he has."

Jonas looked at her. "I suspected you were alone. We played cars in your bedroom."

She smiled weakly. "Charles has no interest in Andrew at all. He's never even seen his own son."

Jonas simply shook his head and looked down at the little boy sleeping on the sofa. "I can't imagine not wanting to be with my child."

"Oh, you have children?"

"No," Jonas replied to Judy. "I'm not married, but I know how difficult it must be for Andrew. I didn't even get to know my parents. They died shortly after I was born."

"You turned out pretty well."

"I had good teachers."

A tiny voice spoke. "Jonas? Are you going home?"

Jonas sat down once more to talk to his little friend. "Yes, I am."

"Will you come play with me again?"

Jonas grinned and rubbed Andrew's hair. "I sure will, Sport." Andrew climbed up and fell into Jonas' arms, wrapping his little arms around Jonas' neck and hugging him. Jonas had little choice but to hug him back.

Judy looked at them and smiled.

* * * * *

Doctor Lee had determined that there was no safe way to disconnect Daniel and Vala from the stones, and no ‘off switch' could be found on the Ancient device. Anything he might do would probably kill them. Whatever was happening to Daniel and Vala in Ver Eger, they would have to see it through to completion and find their own way back. He could think of no other options.

Both Col. Mitchell and Teal'c were present when both Daniel's and Vala's heart rates and breathing began to escalate rapidly and dramatically. Dr. Lam knew that something very serious was happening to them in Ver Eger. From all indications on the monitors, they were about to die there, and they were about to die on Earth as well.

Dr. Lam and her team worked frantically to prevent that from happening, but nothing they did, nor nothing they could do, changed the events unfolding before their very eyes. Daniel and Vala were dying, and Mitchell and Teal'c could only stand by and watch it happen.

To Be Continued​

 

[gsdx]

Chapter 18
ENDINGS AND BEGINNINGS​

Colonel Cameron Mitchell refused to stand by and watch his friend, Daniel Jackson, die a meaningless death and Dr. Lam was helpless in preventing the deaths of both Daniel and Vala, which were quickly approaching. There was only one thing left that he could think to do.

"Teal'c!" he shouted. "Help me!" Mitchell grabbed the base of the Ancient communication device as Teal'c moved swiftly to grab the other side. They lifted it and headed toward the door on the run.

As they ran down the hall, carrying the cumbersome machine between them, Mitchell saw a maintenance technician dressed in blue overalls walking away from them. "You!" he yelled. The man turned. "Clear the halls to the elevator and get it up here!"

The man turned back and began running.

By the time Mitchell and Teal'c reached the elevator, the technician was holding the door open for them. "Gate Room!" Mitchell shouted. As they entered, the technician punched the button. Teal'c and Mitchell fought to catch their breath.

Mitchell panted. "As soon as these doors open, clear the hall to the Gate Room and get the door open!"

"Yes, Sir," the technician replied.

The elevator stopped and the doors slid open. The technician took off running, followed by Col. Mitchell and Teal'c as they struggled with the weight and awkwardness of the device they were carrying. The huge, metal door of the Gate Room was sliding open as they approached. They ran inside and stopped at the base of the ramp.

"Dial it up, Chief!" Mitchell shouted to Chief Sergeant Harriman, who sat at the computer console in the Control Room.

"Where, Sir," Harriman said into the microphone.

"Anywhere!" Mitchell yelled. "Just dial!"

The large, metal ring began to spin. Mitchell watched impatiently as the seven symbols locked into place with agonizing slowness. Still panting, he said, "Get ready to throw, Teal'c. On my mark."

Teal'c knew without being told what Mitchell had in mind. He was ready.

After what seemed to be an eternity, the seventh chevron locked into place. Mitchell shouted, "Now!" just as the familiar sound of an opening wormhole reached their ears. The two men heaved the object back, swung it forward, and threw it. The vortex created by the opening gate enveloped the Ancient communicator in mid air. It was instantly disintegrated.

Without waiting, without a single word, both men ran back to the infirmary. Above the Gate Room, through the large window there, General Landry stood slightly behind Chief Sergeant Harriman, his right hand resting on Harriman's shoulder.

"Shut it down, Chief," he said. "I'll be in the infirmary."

"Yes, Sir."

The gate shut down and silence filled the room.

* * * * *

Daniel and Vala were awake and sitting up in bed when Mitchell and Teal'c arrived. Dr. Lam was, once again, giving them a thorough examination to make certain that they had suffered no ill effects from their adventure in Ver Eger.

Mitchell gave Daniel a welcoming hug and said, "We thought we were going to lose you, Jackson."

"I did, too."

As they separated, Teal'c said, "It is good to see you well, Daniel Jackson."

"Thanks, Teal'c," Daniel said. "I really thought we were goners."

An ‘ahem' from the other bed brought everyone's attention to Vala. "It is good to see you as well," Teal'c added as he nodded to her.

Mitchell asked, "What happened to you there, Jackson? You were freaking us out here."

Daniel glanced at Vala. She shared his sadness. "Harrid and Sallis are dead. They were being burned alive, and it's all our fault."

"You mustn't blame yourself, Daniel," Vala said in sincere consolation. "It would have happened eventually whether we had been there or not. The Ori knew of the Resistance. There was nothing we could have done to stop it."

Daniel nodded slowly, looking down his body as if expecting to see acrid wisps of smoke rising from it.

"What happened after you became conscious, Dr. Jackson? You collapsed again so suddenly," Dr. Lam asked curiously.

"Like we told you, we discovered another device on Ver Eger. A man named Fannis had taken us to it. He was part of the Ori Resistance. Somehow, a Prior managed to follow us without our knowing it and he destroyed the device and killed Fannis. I guess that's when we fell unconscious again."

Valla picked up the story. "The Prior almost killed Daniel, too. He just waved his hand and Daniel went flying across the room. I thought he'd killed Daniel just like he killed Fannis." Vala paused a moment, remembering. "The Prior used Daniel and me as bait to draw out the rest of the Resistance and we were taken to the Ara again." Her voice failed her and she could not continue. She glanced at Daniel with tear-filled eyes.

"Harrid and Sallis were being burned alive on the Ara when you brought us back." It was only then that Daniel noticed that the Ancient device was missing. He looked from the empty table to Mitchell, who read the question in Daniel's eyes.

"Vortex," he said softly, and Daniel knew instantly what he meant.

General Landry entered the room and, with everyone else, heard the tale from the beginning as Daniel and Vala related the events which had occurred in Ver Eger.

"The Ori are very real, General," Daniel concluded, "and very dangerous. They have real powers and they're not afraid to use them."

"We know," Landry replied. "We've already encountered the Priors."

Daniel looked at his hands as they lay in his lap. "They didn't waste any time, did they?" Looking up to Landry, he added, "They will come, General, and we have no way to fight them."

"Everyone has weaknesses, Dr. Jackson," Landry said, "and those weaknesses are our best weapons. We'll find them and we'll use them against them."

"Then I suggest we start looking right now."

* * * * *

True to her word, Vala produced a crystal key and removed the Goa'uld bracelets from both her own and Daniel Jackson's arm. She bid Daniel a fond farewell but, after being searched at Daniel's recommendation, it was discovered - not once, but twice - that Vala was trying to smuggle out a few artifacts which she had ‘accidentally' placed in her pocket.

Following one final search, Vala was allowed to leave the SGC. She walked up the ramp and into the Stargate. Daniel was now free to get on with his life and to begin the difficult task of getting Jonas to come back.

* * * * *

Jonas was busy rearranging books in the History section of the library. He didn't hear the tiny footsteps approaching on the carpeted floor, but he felt the tugs on his pant leg. He looked down and smiled.

"Hi, Andrew," he said as he turned his attention to his little friend. Judy stood behind the boy.

"Hi, Jonas," Andrew grinned back. "I have something for you." He held up a white envelope. "Open it," he said.

Jonas took the envelope and opened it. He pulled out a homemade card. On the front were the words ‘Thank you Jonas'. Beneath the words was a crude picture of a rocket ship drawn in crayon. Two smiling faces were peeking out through the windows. Inside the card were the words ‘Your friend Andrew'.

"I drew the picture all by myself," Andrew said proudly, "but Mommy had to help me with the words." Stretching himself on his tiptoes to see and to point at the picture, he added, "That's me and you in the rocket."

With a tear in his eye and a smile on his face, Jonas knelt in front of his young friend and gave him a gentle hug. "It's beautiful, Andrew," he said. "I'll keep it forever."

As he walked with Andrew's mother, following Andrew to the Children's Library section, Judy held out some money. "I found this in the refrigerator last night. I can't accept it."

"Yes, you can," Jonas replied. His voice was stern. "Take it and buy Andrew some food. If you don't, I'll take the money and buy the food myself and drop it off to you tonight. Either way. . ."

Judy looked at the money in her hand. "We'll manage," she whispered.

They stopped walking and faced each other. "I saw your cupboards yesterday, Judy. I grew up in an orphanage. I know what it's like to go to bed hungry. I've grown very fond of Andrew and I won't stand by and watch him be a victim to an uncaring father. Take the money. Let me help."

Judy looked up into Jonas' eyes, then leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "You'd make a wonderful father."

Jonas smiled, then settled on the floor beside Andrew and began pulling out books.

* * * * *

Vala had been gone for just under an hour when Daniel Jackson collapsed. When he regained consciousness, Vala was standing beside him. Mitchell, Teal'c, and Dr. Lam were present as well.

Daniel stared up at Vala. "Don't tell me. . . ."

"I'm afraid so, Daniel. I started feeling dizzy and came right back."

"Teal'c? What's happening here?"

"I do not know, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c replied. "The removal of the armbands should have severed the link immediately."

Daniel sighed.

Dr. Lam spoke up. "Could the long-range communication device have augmented the link, Teal'c? Made it more permanent?"

"It is possible, Dr. Lam, but I cannot be certain," Teal'c said. "However, your reasoning is sound."

"That's not an option," Daniel said as he climbed out of bed. Looking at Vala, he said, "And you're going to find another one. But first, we're taking a ride into town."

* * * * *

Jonas went shopping after work. He stopped at the local department store and headed for the DVD section first. He picked up the complete Star Wars series, five cartoon compilations, The Wizard of Oz, and six of his favourite Walt Disney movies. Next, he found the latest in Star Wars bed coverings and then headed for the toy department where he picked up colouring books and crayons, a number of cars and trucks along with a mat on which was printed a small town complete with roads and streets, a handful of the latest Star Wars action figures, and the biggest set he could find of a toy train he had seen advertised on television. The small trains worked by remote control on wooden tracks that you put together yourself in any pattern you liked. Wooden bridges allowed the tracks to cross over and under each other. Finally, he grabbed up a few packages of batteries necessary to run the train.

It was almost 7:30 PM when he finished shopping, so he decided to go home and take the gifts to Andrew the next evening. Corey was sitting in the hallway near his door when he arrived. A long, white box tied with blue ribbon sat on the floor beside him.

"A deliver guy dropped these off for you," Corey said.

Jonas set his packages down, retrieved his keys, and opened the door. Picking up his packages once more, he entered, kicking the white box into the room and kicking the door closed behind him after Corey had entered as well. He placed the bags on his bed, then went to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee.

"My, my," Corey commented. "Aren't we being Mr. Cheery tonight."

Jonas ignored him. With the coffee brewing, Jonas went into the bathroom to piss. He washed his hands before walking to the sofa and flopping down on it. He still hadn't said a word.

Corey picked up the box and carried it to the sofa, sitting down beside Jonas. "Aren't you going to open it?"

"No."

"They're from Daniel."

"I know. Open them yourself if you want."

Corey did, pulling back the tissue and gasping. "Orchids! Oh, they're beautiful!"

"They make me want to puke!" Jonas said loudly as he grabbed the bouquet out of the box and bent the stems in half. Rising to his feet, he walked swiftly to the garbage container, opened it, and tossed the flowers inside.

Behind him, Corey rose to his feet. "Maybe I should go," he said.

Jonas turned to face him. "Maybe that's a good idea. I'm not in the mood for company tonight."

"I'll see you later," Corey said softly and left, closing the door behind him.

Jonas was as careful and quiet as he could be as he lifted the lid once more and retrieved a single blossom from the discarded flowers. Snapping off the broken stem with his thumb, he dropped it into the garbage and replaced the lid before sitting down on the sofa once more. When he finally went to bed that night, he still held the single orchid in his hand.

* * * * *

The next morning, he phoned Judy's apartment and asked if he could stop by after work. He had a surprise for Andrew. Later that afternoon, with packages in hand, Jonas stood at the apartment door and knocked. Tiny footsteps approached and the door opened. "Hi, Jonas!" Andrew shouted.

"Hi, Sport," Jonas said in greeting as Judy approached from the kitchen. "You know, you should never open the door until you ask who it is."

"I knew it was you. Mommy said you were coming."

Jonas knelt down on one knee. "That doesn't matter, Andrew. It's dangerous to open the door until you're sure who is there. Even if you know I'm coming over, you have to promise that you'll still ask who it is, okay?"

"Okay, Jonas." Andrew's eyes fell on the packages. "Whatcha got?"

"Just a few surprises. Can I come in?"

Andrew stepped back. Jonas rose to his feet, grabbed up the bags, and entered. Andrew pushed the door closed behind him. Jonas set the packages in front of the coffee table and sat cross- legged on the carpet. Andrew quickly joined him. Judy sat on the sofa, watching.

"Can I look?" Andrew asked anxiously.

"Sure," Jonas smiled. He watched in complete rapture as Andrew opened one bag after another and withdrew the contents, his little face aglow with excitement and joy.

When all the bags were opened and the contents spread out on the floor, Andrew jumped into Jonas' arms. "Thank you, Jonas," he said, and kissed Jonas on the cheek. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Sport."

With Judy's permission, they played with the cars and the street mat for an hour while Judy gathered up the remaining toys and DVDs, putting them in their proper places. All too soon, though, it was time for Andrew to go to bed. Jonas promised that he would come back again soon.

"Will you stay and tuck me in?" Andrew asked.

"I think I can do that," Jonas smiled brightly and replied. His dimples bored into his cheeks. A few minutes later, as he waited on the sofa, Jonas heard his name being called and he arose and walked to the bedroom. Andrew was lying under his new Star Wars blankets, his head resting on a younger Obi-Wan Kenobi. His smile was enormous and full of pride. Jonas sat on the edge of the bed and tucked the blankets around him before smoothing Andrew's hair with gentle fingers. "Now, you be a good boy for your mother, okay? I'll come back soon." He leaned forward and kissed Andrew's forehead. "Goodnight, Sport."

"Nitey-nite, Jonas."

Back in the livingroom, Jonas stood beside the door. "I would be angry with you for buying all those things for Andrew if you weren't such an amazing and special man," Judy said sincerely. "Andrew talks about you all the time. He really cares for you."

"I care about him, too," Jonas replied as he glanced toward the bedroom door. "He's a special child." Glancing back at Judy, he added, "Don't worry. I won't shower him with gifts. He didn't have much here to keep him occupied and I'd just like to help you take care of him if you'll let me. It can't be easy for you."

"It isn't always. Mom and Dad help out when they can, but they don't have a lot of money either."

Jonas smiled in understanding. "If he needs anything at all, don't be afraid to ask. I'll see that he gets it."

Judy kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Jonas. You're an angel. You don't know what this means to me and, especially, to Andrew."

Jonas merely smiled once more, turned, and left the apartment. He walked down the hall feeling better than he had in a long time.

* * * * *

The Ori threat grew over the next while. Priors made appearances on various planets throughout the galaxy, including Chulak, demonstrating the power of the Ori and demanding that the inhabitants worship them and follow the Book of Origin. Their power was very real. They could give life, and they could take it away just as easily. Those who accepted the Ori were granted life. Those who opposed them were destroyed.

Jonas Quinn maintained his friendship with Corey. As far as he could tell, Corey had no suspicions about his being aware of the continuing surveillance or of the bugged apartment, but he still didn't understand why they hadn't tried to take him yet. What were they waiting for?

Daniel had tried several times, even against orders from General Landry, to contact Jonas both at home and at the library, but Jonas refused to talk to him. Jonas was understandably polite at the library, but, at home, he was almost rude and told Daniel to leave him alone, and, above all, to stop sending flowers, before hanging up on him. Daniel wouldn't give up, though. This battle wasn't over.

Daniel and Vala were still linked together and, at Daniel's insistence, Vala had suggested that their only remaining option was to talk to Arlos, a former ‘friend' of Vala's from whom she had ‘borrowed' the bracelets. He would know what to do. Arlos told them that he would sever the link if Vala returned the necklace she had stolen from him when she left. Unfortunately, Vala had traded the necklace for a power coil, which she had traded for. . .

Thus began a galactic scavenger hunt which took them to corners of the Milky Way which Daniel didn't even know existed. With the necklace finally in hand, they returned to Arlos only to be told that there was nothing he could do, but he suspected the effect would eventually wear off on its own. They need only wait.

Daniel wasn't happy. Waiting wasn't something he did well.

* * * * *

His anxiety didn't last long. Only days later, following a rousing game of basketball with his friends, Daniel decided it was time to shave his beard off. He had never liked it in the first place. Landry had been right. It looked like a dead rat on his face. Perhaps shaving would portend a new beginning for him.

It worked. Lt. Col. Samantha Carter soon returned to Stargate Command. Daniel hugged her for a long time and his smile was larger than it had been in many, many weeks. Even the thoughts of still being linked to Vala and the absence of Jonas couldn't dampen his spirits. With Sam's return, there was suddenly light at the end of the tunnel, and Jonas Quinn was standing in that light. There was a chance after all, and Sam was it. She had brought Jonas back to him once before when she left. Perhaps she could do it again now that she had returned.

Teal'c's smile was equally as large as his hug. Mitchell was ecstatic to see her. Sam was the missing link to the reformation of SG-1 and suddenly here she was. All he had left to do was to prove that they could be a team again. Vala stepped back and watched, a hint of sadness in her. With Sam back in the picture, Vala was the fifth wheel on a four-wheel cart. Had it not been for the fact the she and Daniel were still linked, she would have asked permission from General Landry to allow her to go on her way. As soon as it was safe, she decided, that is exactly what she would do.

The celebrations were short-lived, however. General Landry received a message through the Stargate from a minor Goa'uld, Nerus, who had been in service to Baal for many centuries. Vala knew Nerus and warned Landry that he should have nothing to do with him.

"He is an immoral, conniving, untrustworthy, devious, grotesque, pompous, sneaky, depraved, fat pig!" she announced.

"I thought she was bragging about herself until she said ‘fat'." Daniel mumbled with a sideways glance to Mitchell as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well, she is looking a bit chunky," Mitchell responded with a wink and a smirk.

Nevertheless, the message had been clear. A mysterious force field had appeared on the planet Kallana, surrounding the Stargate there, and the force field was expanding. Worse, a Prior was on site and the Gate had been open for two days, violating all the known laws of Gate physics. Sam believed the Stargate was being powered by a black hole in the originating galaxy, being the only way a Stargate connection could be maintained beyond the thirty-eight minute threshold. Nerus believed that the Ori were creating a beachhead in the Milky Way Galaxy through which they would begin their invasion. He offered his assistance in finding a way to defeat them.

Despite Vala's apprehension, General Landry allowed Nerus permission to visit Earth. His knowledge and assistance would be invaluable.

Sam barely had time to unpack her bags before she was thrown back into doing what she loved doing best, and that was helping to save Earth from imminent disaster. It was decided that she, along with Daniel, Teal'c, Mitchell and Vala, would travel through the Stargate and rendezvous with the Prometheus, which would transport them to Kallana. Amongst the equipment they would take with them would be a Naquadria-enhanced Mark IX ‘Gatebuster', designed by SGC's own Lt. Col. Samantha Carter. The bomb would not only destroy the Stargate, thus severing the link to the Ori galaxy, but should destroy the force field as well.

It should have been a good plan.

The explosion was visible from the ship and the force field, much to the shock of everyone, began to expand at an enormous rate and Sam realized that shield had absorbed the energy. Her Gatebuster had provided enough power to the shield to allow it to almost completely encircle the planet. Energy blasts from the Jaffa Ha'taks finished the process. Still worse, the Stargate remained intact and open.

Almost immediately, dozens of triangular ships appeared through the Stargate on the surface, flew through the planetary shield, and began arranging themselves into a huge circle in space. Gerak, head of the new Jaffa Council, fled the scene after his escort Ha'taks were destroyed, but warned the Prometheus that a cloaked scout ship would be left behind to keep an eye on things.

It soon became clear to those aboard the Prometheus that the individual ships were creating a gigantic Supergate through which the invasion of the Milky Way would begin. The Prometheus was powerless to stop it. Moreover, Sam became aware that the force field was now shrinking the planet into a singularity - a black hole. If that were to succeed, and the Supergate could be completed and opened, the black hole could power the gate indefinitely, allowing entire fleets of Ori ships to invade the galaxy for years to come.

To everyone's surprise, it was Vala who saved the day. She, alone, knew what had to be done, and she did it. Sneaking into the ring room, she used the rings to transport to the cloaked Tel'tak where she disabled the Jaffa onboard and sent them back to the Prometheus. Uncloaking the ship, she flew it into the final spot in the enormous ring moments before the last piece was about to maneuver into place, preventing the completion of the Supergate.

With the singularity formed, the Supergate opened and began collapsing in on itself due to the Tel'tak's corruption. Vala had single-handedly prevented the invasion, and now she was dead. At least, that's what everyone thought until Sam told them that her telemetry scans had indicated ring usage. Vala may have been trying to ring back aboard the Prometheus, but it appeared that she may have been whisked off to the Ori galaxy instead when the matter stream was pulled into the massive wormhole.

Daniel survived the separation. He still suffered minor effects, but there was no-longer a threat of collapse or death. He was finally free from Vala. As soon as he returned to Earth, Jonas Quinn would become his next priority.

He reached into his pocked and pulled out a handkerchief, laying it reverently in his hand. With gentle fingers, he unwrapped the treasure inside. A gold necklace appeared, and Daniel picked it up by the heart-shaped medallion. He turned it over and read the inscription once again as he tucked the handkerchief back in his pocket, then he raised the medallion to his lips and kissed it, grasped the chain in his fingers, and slipped the necklace over his head and around his neck. He tucked the medallion into his T-shirt and lay his palm against it. He promised himself that Jonas would be wearing it again, very soon.

* * * * *

Daniel and Sam had long conversations about Jonas during their return journey aboard the Prometheus. Their trip would be shortened when they reached the planet with the Stargate, but it would still take quite some time nonetheless.

Sam would do what she could, of course. She had noticed the necklace Daniel now wore around his neck and she knew immediately that it was the necklace he had given to Jonas for Christmas. She was still certain that there was something much more serious going on than Jonas would admit to. She knew Jonas - perhaps not as well as Daniel did - and she knew his mind. She also knew how deeply he loved Daniel. She couldn't imagine that a single indiscretion aboard the Prometheus would cause Jonas to react the way he did, especially when Daniel had been bound and held captive and, for all intents and purposes, raped by Vala. When she was settled in on Earth, she would go see Jonas and try to determine what was really going on.

"It's good to have you back, Sam," Daniel said as he gave her yet another hug of friendship. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you, too, Daniel. It's good to be home."

* * * * *

SG-1 was a team again. "That's what I'm talkin' about!" Mitchell had shouted as he gazed at the smiling faces of his teammates. He recalled that day he had walked into the SGC and announced to General Landry that he was "ready to join SG-1, Sir." Landry had replied, "You're here to lead SG-1." Despite enormous opposition and unwillingness, he had vowed to himself that he would pull the team together again, and he had succeeded. Even Teal'c had readily accepted the invitation when both Sam and Daniel had agreed to rejoin the unit. The trouble with the Goa'uld was behind them, but the threat of the Ori lay before them. They would meet that threat head-on as a team.

* * * * *

Daniel stood inside the door of his home for a long time looking at the emptiness of it and listening to its silence. It had been a long time since he had been there. Tears came unbidden to his eyes and he let them flow. They didn't help ease the pain he felt, though. It dug into him like knives and his breath came in ragged gasps.

Finally, he walked to the bedroom and stood in the doorway for a time. The room looked so empty, but the picture of Jonas remained on his bedside table. He walked to it and picked it up before sitting on the side of the bed. He stared at the photo as tears flowed freely and he lay on the bed, clutching the photo close to his chest and allowing the tears to come. It had been a long time since he had had the opportunity to think about Jonas and he lay there for many long minutes, remembering and thinking and planning. When he had no more tears to cry, he sat up, replaced the photo on the night stand, and walked into the bathroom where he stripped off his clothes and prepared a bath.

Over an hour later, he walked barefoot and naked into the kitchen as he towel-dried his hair. He made a cup of instant coffee, spooned in some powdered creamer and a whole lot of sugar. He sat at the table, sipping the brew and thinking. When he went to bed, he still had not arrived at a suitable conclusion.

* * * * *

Sam arrived at the apartment in town, parked, and was soon standing at the door, knocking. The door opened. Jonas couldn't hide his excitement. "Sam!" he shouted and pulled her into a strong embrace. "Sam! It's so good to see you again!"

Sam could hear footsteps inside the apartment and a young, blond-haired man entered her line of vision and sat on the sofa. She pushed away from Jonas, the smile on her face suddenly replaced by discomfort and embarrassment. "Oh, I'm sorry. . . um. . . I didn't know you had company."

Jonas looked over his shoulder and saw Corey looking at them. He looked back at Sam.

"I'll. . . um. . . come back another time - maybe."

"No, it's okay, Sam," Jonas said, smiling as he grasped her arms. "Please, come on in."

Sam reluctantly entered the apartment and Jonas closed the door behind her. "Corey? This is my friend, Samantha. Sam? This is Corey."

Corey rose and extended his hand. Sam took it in greeting. "Hello," she said.

"I'll get going," Corey said to Jonas. "You two look like you have a lot to catch up on."

"You don't have to leave," Jonas said.

"I think I should," Corey said, moving toward the door. Jonas followed. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" He stretched up to give Jonas a small kiss on the lips. "Goodnight."

Jonas closed the door, listening to Corey's footsteps moving down the hall. He turned to join Sam on the sofa. "We're just friends, Sam. There's nothing going on between us."

"He kissed you, Jonas," Sam said. "What's that all about? You're not even gay."

Jonas shrugged. "I think I am now. I like being with men."

"Does Daniel know?"

Another shrug. "I haven't told him. It's none of his business anyway."

"You can't mean that, Jonas," Sam said in amazement. "Daniel still loves you. He's probably at home right this minute trying to figure out how to get you back. You're killing him."

"He was killing me, Sam. He used me and then he turned around and stabbed me in the back by jumping into bed with Vala. If he really loved me, he would never have done that to me."

"You know that's not how it happened, Jonas," Sam said. "You know he didn't have a choice."

"Men always have a choice. If having sex with Vala didn't excite him, it never would have happened. If he loved me, he wouldn't have let it happen. But he did."

Sam just shook her head. She couldn't believe that Jonas would say the things he was saying.

Jonas continued. "He may have loved me at one time, but that was before we had sex together. After that, it was all about the sex. Daniel loved the way I made him feel, and that's the only reason he kept me around. That and the fact that I kept his belly full, too. It took me a long time to realize it, but the only reason I was there was to take care of him. I won't ever let anyone use me like that again."

Sam reached out her hand and placed it over Jonas' hand. "How can you do this to him, Jonas? Vala is gone. She's not coming back. Daniel is like a walking dead man without you. I was with him at your house last night. He couldn't stop crying."

"I know what you're trying to do, Sam, but it's not my home anymore. This is my home. There isn't anything that you or Daniel or anyone else can say that would make me want to go back. I'm living my own life now. I have new friends who I care very much about. My life with Daniel is over. I won't go back."

Sam's frustration grew. "And what about your old friends? Are you just going to walk away from them?"

"If they don't stop bugging me about going back to Daniel, yes, I will. This is my life, and there isn't any room in it for Daniel. I don't want him in it. I have to do what's good for me for a change. I'm happy here. I don't want to go back."

Sam rose from the sofa and looked down at Jonas. She was silent for a long time before speaking again. "I can't listen to this anymore, Jonas. I thought we were friends."

"We are," Jonas said as he rose to his feet.

"No, we aren't. The Jonas I knew would never talk like this."

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Sam," Jonas said.

Sam shook her head again, her face stern and confused. She searched Jonas' eyes for some inkling of what was really going on, but she saw nothing there. Without a word, she walked away and opened the door.

"Sam?"

Sam stopped and turned back to look at him one last time. "Please ask Daniel not to phone me anymore, and tell him to save his money and stop sending flowers. I just toss them into the garbage anyway."

Sam stared at Jonas for a very long minute. Her teeth were clenched and her eyelids were narrowed into slits. Finally, she said, "Tell him yourself!" She left, slamming the door behind her.

* * * * *

Daniel climbed into his Jeep and started the engine and was about to put the car into gear when he noticed the small, brown envelope tucked under the windshield wiper. He opened the door, reached around, and grabbed the envelope in his hand. It was folded in half, but had no writing on it. Inside was what felt like an audio tape. He tossed the envelope on the seat beside him and drove to Cheyenne Mountain.

Later, changed into his military blues, Daniel entered his lab and sat at the desk. He opened the brown envelope he carried, pulled out the tape, then opened a drawer beside him. He dug through the junk and papers and books he kept there until he found a small cassette player. He plugged it in, popped the tape into the slot, and hit the ‘play' button. His eyes grew large as he listened. He punched the ‘rewind' button and, the moment it stopped, he pulled the tape out of the machine and ran out the door.

He arrived at Sam's lab, breathless and anxious.

"Daniel?" Sam said, concerned. Daniel's face told her immediately that something was wrong.

Daniel tossed the tape on her desk. "Play it," he gasped.

Sam grabbed up the tape and moved to a shelf full of equipment. She opened a tape machine, dropped in the cassette, and punched the ‘play' button. A male voice came over the speakers.

"Oh, God," Sam said as she listened. Putting her hand on Daniel's shoulder, she said urgently, "Wait here!" She ran down the hall toward the elevator. Sgt. Syler was walking toward her, carrying a large box.

"Sergeant!" she shouted. "Have you seen Teal'c?"

"Yes," Syler replied. "He was on his way to the Gate Room with Col. Mitchell."

"Thanks," she shouted and set out running.

Soon she was climbing the steps into the Control Room. "Chief," she said when she arrived. "Where's Teal'c!?"

Chief Sergeant Harriman responded, pointing upward with one finger. "He's upstairs with. . ." - Sam was gone - "General Landry," he finished to no-one in particular.

Sam reached the top of the stairs, sprinted across the Briefing Room floor, and burst into General Landry's office without knocking. Landry sat behind his desk. Teal'c and Col. Mitchell were seated in front.

"Excuse me, Sir," Sam said urgently, her voice full of panic. "I'm sorry." Teal'c and Mitchell turned their heads to face her. "Teal'c, we need your help. Jonas has been kidnapped!"

To Be Continued​

 

[gsdx]

Chapter 19
KIDNAPPED​

Without a word, Teal'c sprang out of his chair and followed Carter as she ran back to her lab. By the time they reached the elevator, Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell was running beside them.

"I didn't think the General would let you in on this," Sam said breathlessly.

"I didn't give him much choice," Mitchell replied. "This is my party now, too."

Daniel was still standing where Sam had left him, staring at the shelf of equipment. Sam quickly rewound the tape and played it. The male voice came through the speakers again.

"Good morning, Dr. Jackson," the voice said. "You don't know me, but I know you very well, and I have something you want very much. The thing is, someone else wants him just as bad as you do, and they're willing to pay me fifty thousand dollars for him. Jonas Quinn is sitting beside me, and he's going to stay here until you decide if he's worth two hundred thousand. I thought I would be gentleman enough to let you at least make the offer. Just so you know I have him, I'll let him tell you something that only you would know." To someone else, the voice said, "Take the gag off him. . . . Okay, fag, it's your turn. Just do it like we rehearsed and you won't get dead."

Jonas voice came over the speakers. "Hi, Daniel. It's me." He became silent.

"Come on, you fuckin' faggot!" There was a resounding smack of skin on skin. "Do it like I told you! I want your faggot boyfriend to know it's really you! Now, say what you're supposed to say! Nothing more, nothing less!"

"I'm sorry!" Jonas pleaded. "I'm nervous! I forgot! Please don't hit me again!"

"Say it now!" the male voice shouted.

Mitchell interrupted. "Now, wait a minute!" Sam hit the ‘pause' button. "Maybe I'm the new guy here, and I don't really know Jonas all that well, but he didn't come across as the type of person who would get nervous."

"He is not, Colonel Mitchell," Teal'c said calmly. "Nor would he ever forget."

"What do you mean he wouldn't forget?"

Daniel glanced over at him. "Jonas doesn't forget."

Mitchell looked at Sam, who nodded her agreement.

"Jonas Quinn is incapable of forgetting," Teal'c added.

"Then why did he say he did?"

"So he could tell us that the kidnappers were nervous," Daniel added.

Sam said to Mitchell, "He stood up to Anubis, Sir. A few kidnappers wouldn't even phase him. Jonas is very clever."

"Itchy trigger fingers?" Mitchell asked.

"Not really," Daniel replied. "I think he's telling us the kidnappers are amateurs. They probably don't really know what they're doing."

Mitchell thought for a moment. "I've got to start listening."

"You don't know Jonas well enough yet," Daniel said. "He doesn't do or say anything without a reason."

Sam looked at Daniel. Something he had just said rang true, and she suddenly realized that she had been very wrong. She was about to speak up when Mitchell said, "Back it up a bit and continue, Carter."

Sam rewound the tape and started it again.

". . .vous! I forgot! Please don't hit me again!"

"Say it now!"

"Okay, okay!" Jonas said and paused a moment. "Daniel? Ask the maid to remember to water the Ficus."

"Shut him up again," the male said. "So, Dr. Jackson, there's your proof. You've got two days to give us your answer. I'll phone you at your home Friday morning, but don't bother trying to trace it. I'll be calling you from a phone booth and I'll be gone long before you can get there with your faggot friends. Two hundred grand or he goes for fifty thou and you'll never your boyfriend again."

The tape went silent, and so did the room. The pregnancy of the silence was broken by Teal's deep, resounding voice. "I alone am responsible for the kidnapping of Jonas Quinn," Teal'c said suddenly as he stood there with his hands clasped behind his back. "I beg your forgiveness, Daniel Jackson."

Daniel looked at his big friend. "What do you mean, you're responsible?"

"The night following the farewell party for O'Neill, I was awakened in order to respond to a telephone call. It was O'Neill. He told me that Harry Maybourne had visited him at his cabin that evening."

"Maybourne?" Sam repeated.

"Indeed," Teal'c continued. "Harry Maybourne told O'Neill that Jonas Quinn was being followed. He asked that I watch out for him and keep him safe. I fear that, in the days which followed, my mind became preoccupied and I neglected my duty. I had, in fact, forgot the matter. I have failed both you and Jonas Quinn, and I am deeply sorry."

"You can't blame yourself, Teal'c," Daniel said calmly. "We all had a lot on our minds."

"Jonas knew," Sam said.

"Knew what?" Mitchell asked.

"He knew he was being followed. He figured out that he would most likely be kidnapped, too."

"How would he know that?"

"Believe me, Sir. If Maybourne knew, Jonas knew as well."

"It is extremely difficult to remain hidden from Jonas Quinn."

"Aw, come on, guys," Mitchell said, disbelieving. "No-one is that good."

Daniel turned to face Mitchell. "Do you remember what colour socks you were wearing when you and Teal'c came over to our place for dinner that day?"

"Are you kidding? I can't even remember if I wore shoes."

"Jonas would know, and he'd be right."

"Why doesn't anyone tell me these things?" Mitchell asked.

"We just did," Teal'c said.

"Okay," Mitchell concluded. "Let's assume he knew he knew he was going to be kidnapped. Why didn't he tell anyone?"

Sam looked over at her friend and said, "Daniel."

"Me?" Daniel asked.

"What would you do if you knew Jonas was going to be kidnapped?"

Daniel looked incredulously at Sam. "I'd do anything I had to do!"

"Exactly," Sam said. "He was protecting you, Daniel. He was protecting all of us."

Teal'c eyebrow raised in question as he looked and Sam.

"I bet," Sam continued, "if we went over to his place right now, we'd find bugs all over his apartment, including the telephone."

"Listening devices?" Teal'c asked.

"Yes," Sam said. "It sure would explain a lot."

"Like what?" Daniel asked.

"I wasn't going to tell you this, Daniel, but I went to see Jonas a few nights ago. The Jonas I talked to wasn't the Jonas I know. He said some nasty things about you."

"Jonas wouldn't do that to me," Daniel objected.

"Yes, he would, pal," Mitchell said. "I went to see him, too, when you were hooked up to that machine. He said some pretty nasty things about you to me, too. He couldn't wait to get me out of his place. In fact, he. . . ." Mitchell stopped and turned his gaze to the floor.

"What?" Daniel asked, his eyes now moist with pain and tears. "What did he do?"

"Son of a bitch," Mitchell whispered.

"Cameron!" Daniel yelled.

Mitchell looked up at him. "Sorry, Jackson," he said. "Jonas came on to me."

"Jonas wouldn't do that," Daniel said. "You must have been mistaken."

"He kissed me, Daniel," Cameron said. "I'm sorry, but he kissed me, and he had. . . ." He stopped again and looked at Sam.

"Tell us, Sir," Sam said knowingly. "If I'm right, I know what you're going to say."

"Okay, what I was going to say?"

All eyes turned to Col. Carter. "You were going to say he had his hands in your pants. Am I right?"

"Only one hand," Mitchell replied in surprise. "I was ready to pound the living shit right out of him."

"And he would have let you do it, Sir," Sam said before turning to face Daniel. "Listen to me, Daniel. He did it to protect us. Everything he did to you and to us was to keep us as far away from him as possible."

Daniel was shaking his head slowly.

"If it's any consolation, Jackson," Mitchell said. "He's one helluva kisser."

Daniel ignored him.

"Think about it, Daniel," Sam continued when she had his attention again. "He knew he was in danger. As much as we tried to convince Jonas that you still loved him and wanted him back, he was convincing us that you didn't. Rather, he was telling the kidnappers who were listening in. He was doing everything he could to make the kidnappers think he didn't want anything to do with you."

"Why, then, would Jonas Quinn leave those clues in the voice recording?" Teal'c asked.

"I don't think he expected to be put on the auction block, Teal'c," Sam said. When she saw Teal'c's eyebrow raise in question, she continued. "When people are kidnapped, it's usually for ransom, but I've never heard of the victim being sold to the highest bidder. I think Jonas expected to be kidnapped, probably for his unique genetic make-up, and sold to the people who wanted him. Daniel wasn't even part of the plan. But, when he found out that Daniel was being dragged into it anyway, he knew you'd do anything you could to rescue him. He had to think fast and come up with another plan. He told us what he could about the kidnappers and he told us where he is and how we can find him. That way, we can help him on our own terms."

"So, where is he?" Mitchell asked.

"I don't know, Sir," Sam said. "Daniel, do you know what Ficus he's talking about?"

"I don't even know what a Ficus is," Daniel replied.

"It's a rubber tree," Sam said, "and your maid knows where it is."

"She's a housekeeper," Mitchell reminded her.

Sam ignored him and continued. "He took this all on his own shoulders and he was ready to die all alone just to keep every one of us safe."

"And he barely even knows me," Mitchell said as he shook his head.

"Jonas Quinn knew you well enough to consider you his friend, Colonel Mitchell," Teal'c said wisely.

"I owe that boy a huge apology."

The room became silent as everyone looked to Daniel. He stood there, his head down and shaking slightly. "I'm so sorry, Jonas. I'm so sorry." Looking up again, a determined look now on his face, he said, "I've got to get him back."

"I will accompany you, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said.

"I'm in," Sam added.

"No-one leaves this place without me," Mitchell concluded.

"What about General Landry?" Sam asked.

"Don't worry about Landry," Mitchell said. "I'll handle him."

"Okay, then," Sam said. "Where do we start?"

"Can you track the bugs, Carter?" Mitchell asked.

"Piece of cake, Sir," Sam said, "but it's a waste of time. I would have to track the receivers and only complete idiots would leave them running."

"They're amateurs," Daniel commented.

"But they're not stupid," Sam added. "They would know the receivers can be traced. Our best bet is your housekeeper."

"I'll go talk to the General and meet you back here," Mitchell said.

"I shall retrieve my hat from my quarters," Teal'c announced.

"Wait, Teal'c," Sam said as she went to a file cabinet, opened the bottom drawer, and pulled out a black toque. When she turned back to face her friends, they were looking at her in surprise. "What?" she said. "Sometimes my ears get cold in here."

Teal'c accepted the toque and pulled it on, being careful that his gold tatoo was properly covered as Mitchell left the lab.

"Daniel, you'd better call your housekeeper. Tell her we'll be paying her a visit."

"Right," Daniel said as he moved to the telephone on the desk. He picked up the receiver and dialed his own home. There was no answer. "She must still be at home," he said and dialed another number. He looked down at the desk, his finger tapping nervously on the telephone. Suddenly, his head raised, as did his eyebrows. "Mrs. McCreary!" he said. "Good! You're still home. It's Daniel. Look, I need to come over and talk to you right away. I'll be bringing a few friends. Is that okay? . . . Okay, thanks. Stay right there. We'll be there soon."

Soon they were all gathered in Sam's lab again.

"We can go in my Jeep," Daniel said as he anxiously pulled his keys out of his pocket.

"Here," Mitchell said, holding his hand out with the palm up. "I'll drive."

Daniel yanked back his hand. "It's my car! I'll drive!"

"Daniel," Sam said quietly, "you're not in any condition to drive. Give the keys to Col. Mitchell."

"You cannot assist Jonas Quinn if your recklessness allows you to become injured, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c added.

Daniel surrendered himself to the logic and placed the keys into Mitchell's extended hand.

"Okay, SG-1," Mitchell said. "Let's move out."

* * * * *

Mrs. McCreary opened the door of her apartment to Daniel and his friends. They entered and she closed the door. She recognized the blue military uniforms immediately and wasn't surprised to see Daniel wearing one.

"Mrs. McCreary," Daniel said in introduction, "you remember Cameron Mitchell?" She shook his hand. "This is Samantha Carter, and Teal'c." She shook hands with each.

"No last name?" she asked.

Teal'c smiled and shook his head. "No." He bowed in greeting.

"You know it's impolite to wear a hat in someone's home," the little lady exclaimed.

"I apologize, Mrs. McCreary," Teal'c said, "but regulations prohibit me from removing it."

"What kind of talk is that? Daniel?"

"It's okay, Teal'c. Take it off," Daniel said. Teal'c did so.

"Oh, my," Mrs. McCreary said when she saw the serpent tatoo on Teal'c forehead. Her hand reached up to touch it, but she suddenly stopped and asked, "May I?"

Teal'c bent down slightly to allow the short woman to reach it. "Indeed you may," he said.

Mrs. McCreary ran her fingertips over the tatoo. "What does it mean?" she asked as she pulled her hand back.

"It was once the symbol of a false God," Teal'c replied. "It is now the symbol of freedom from slavery for my people."

"Then you mustn't ever hide it."

"Mrs. McCreary," Daniel said impatiently, "We need to talk." He indicated the sofa with a sweep of his hand. Mrs. McCreary went to the sofa and sat down. Daniel followed and sat beside her. Sam sat in a matching chair while Mitchell and Teal'c remained standing.

Mrs. McCreary knew from Daniel's expression that he was deeply troubled. "What's going on, Daniel," she asked. "What's wrong?"

Daniel took her hand in his own. "Jonas has been kidnapped."

"Oh, my!" Her eyes flew wide and her free hand moved swiftly to cover her mouth. "When? Why?" she asked after moving her hand to rest on her small bosom.

"We don't know," Daniel answered, "but he left us a clue on the ransom tape and we think you know the answer."

"Me?" she asked in astonishment.

"Yes. He said, ‘Ask the maid to remember to water the Ficus'. Do you know what that means?"

Mrs. McCreary looked down, deep in thought. "I don't have a Ficus," she whispered to herself. "I don't know anyone who has a Ficus except my friend, Mrs. James, down the hall." She looked up again. "But what would Mrs. James have to do with this? What Ficus is he talking about, Daniel?"

"I don't know," Daniel said. "He wouldn't have told me to ask you unless he was sure you would know what it means."

"I'm sorry, Daniel, I don't know."

Daniel suddenly grabbed her arms and shook her. "Damn it! Think!" he shouted desperately.

Mrs. McCreary recoiled from his anger. "Daniel! You're hurting me!"

"Daniel!" Sam shouted and moved to sit beside Mrs. McCreary as Daniel removed his hands and fell back against the sofa. Sam put a comforting arm around the lady's small shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. McCreary," Daniel apologized. "I'm worried about him."

"I'm worried, too, Daniel," the lady said as he put her hand on his thigh. "If Jonas said it, then it means something, but I can't think what it is right now."

"I think we could all use some coffee," Sam said to Mrs. McCreary. "Give everyone a chance to cool down and think clearly. Would you like me to make some for you?"

"I'll help you." They rose from the sofa and disappeared into the kitchen.

Mitchell moved to the sofa and sat down beside Daniel. "Take it easy, Jackson," he said quietly. "It won't help if you scare her half to death."

"I know," Daniel said dumbly.

"The solution will come, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said. "You must not force it."

Daniel nodded. Mitchell patted Daniel's leg twice and said, "Good boy." He stood and began looking at the various photos on the wall to pass the time. When Sam and Mrs. McCreary returned to the room, Mitchell pointed to one photo and asked, "Is this you and your husband?"

"Yes," Mrs. McCreary said as she returned to her place beside Daniel. "That was taken on our wedding day," she added with a smile as the fond memories tiptoed through her mind. "In fact, we moved into an apartment not far. . . from. . . ." Her eyes glazed slightly and shifted from side to side as she fought to bring a single memory to the surface where she could grab it.

Daniel noticed and leaned forward. "Mrs. McCreary?" he said.

After another long pause, she turned to look into his eyes. "I remember," she said excitedly. "Daniel, I remember!"

To Be Continued​

 

[gsdx]

I am catching up to my writing, proofreading, and editing now, much faster than I had anticipated. (The last few chapters have been buggers to write and need a lot more editing before I'll be happy with them, and I still have at least one or two more chapters to write before the story ends.)

Chapter 20 will be posted tomorrow. Chapter 21 will be posted sometime on the weekend. New chapters will be posted every few days after that.

Thanks for sticking with me as long as you have. This story has grown far beyond my original expectations.

Neil

 

[gsdx]

Chapter 20
RESCUE​

Jonas Quinn sat on a wooden chair. A black strip of cloth covered his eyes and a strip of duct tape covered his mouth. His hands and feet were bound. He remembered back to the moment when the kidnapping had occurred. He wasn't certain when Corey had poured the drugs into his drink, but he suspected it had been while he was in the bathroom. He had tasted the drugs the instant he drank his cola and he knew the moment had arrived. He had soon begun to feel sleepy and unsteady. He had looked at Corey and asked, "What have you done?" And then he had collapsed, falling off the sofa onto the floor.

The memories came back quickly and easily.

He heard voices in the car as it moved along in the darkness. He was sitting up, his head bouncing gently against the window of the car. He kept his eyes closed.

"Shouldn't he have a blindfold on?" It was Corey's voice he heard, and it came from his left.

A voice from the seat in front of him answered. "He'll be out for a few more hours. We don't want to draw any attention in case someone sees him."

The driver said, "If he wakes up, bop him on the head with your shoe."

The drive continued for several more long minutes. Jonas carefully opened his right eye. Trees and buildings flashed by in the dark, but he didn't dare turn his head. He discovered that he could look out the front windshield if he looked to the left. He concentrated on his breathing to keep it calm and steady while he looked for any landmarks or indications as to where he was going.

The chatter continued until the man in the passenger seat said, "Okay, slow down. It's just up ahead."

The car slowed and Jonas began concentrating more on his surroundings. The driver pressed on the brakes and the car turned off to the right and into a parking lot. Two buildings with an alleyway between them were lit up by the headlights. The building on the right looked familiar, and there was no mistaking the scroll and the date carved into the stone above the doorway, even with the quick glimpse he had had of it. He had seen this building before. They entered the alleyway, driving to the end and turning left.

The car stopped a short time later and Jonas closed his eyes, feigning unconsciousness as they roughly pulled him from the car. Corey and another man grabbed his arms and, together, they dragged a limp Jonas Quinn across the parking lot. Jonas heard the click of a lock and then he was being dragged across a threshold and down a hallway. He could hear the echoes of feet against the nearby walls. They turned left and down another hallway and he was taken into a room and set roughly on a wooden chair. His hands were pulled behind his back and bound tightly with a plastic handcuff and he was blindfolded and gagged. Another plastic handcuff bound his ankles together. Jonas remained limp and settled himself into waiting for the moment when he should ‘wake up'.

"What do you think Mr. Franklin is going to do to him?" It was Corey's voice.

"Probably cut him up into little pieces to find out what makes him tick," another voice said.

"Hey! Nobody said anything about anyone killing him!" Corey shouted loudly.

"Keep your voice down, fag. You want to wake the neighbourhood?" said a third, more mature voice. "How else do you expect Franklin to study his genes?"

"Corey's only interest is what's in his other jeans, isn't it, Pretty Boy?"

"Shut up!"

There was a sudden smack of a hand meeting a face. "Don't you talk to me like that, you little fag. Now get over there and keep an eye on your boyfriend until he wakes up. And keep your hands off him. I don't want to see that shit."

"He's not my boyfriend," Corey said. Then, much more quietly, he added, "I only wish he was."

"Are you sure Jackson will pay?" Jonas had almost reacted at the sound of Daniel's name, but he forced himself to remain calm.

"You heard the lady yourself. The fag still loves his little baby. He'll pay alright. Then we hit Franklin with a half-mill price tag."

"I wouldn't pay a nickel for him," said a fourth voice.

"Not even for a blowjob that could curl your toenails?"

"Shut up! I ain't no queer!"

"Shut up, both of you!" said the mature-voiced man. "Thompson, you take first watch at the look-out window."

"Nya nya."

"Why me? Why can't Ted go first?"

"Because I'm the boss and I'm giving the orders! Now, get your ass out of here! Ted will relieve you in four hours. Fuck! I ask for kidnappers and I get you whiney little twerps!"

Jonas suddenly realized that he was dealing with the equivalent of accountants trying to build a skyscraper. Corey, in fact, had probably been recruited into the group only because he was gay. The only one who seemed to know what he was doing was the ‘boss' man. Jonas had expected to die when this man, Franklin, got his hands on him. He hadn't expected that he might die at the hands of a bunch of bumbling idiots.

And now, Daniel was being dragged into it despite all his efforts. He hadn't anticipated that. He had expected to be held until the kidnappers received their ransom payment and he was delivered into Franklin's hands. Jonas knew that Daniel would pay any amount to get him back, but he also knew that, with the SGC behind him, a rescue would not be out of the question, especially with Sam back in the picture and SG-1 a team once more.

Considering what he had learned, the ransom tape to Daniel hadn't come as a surprise. What did surprise him was to learn that he would be allowed to speak on it in order to prove to Daniel that he was, indeed, alive and a prisoner. His mind raced as he came up with a new plan. In only moments, he knew exactly what he would say.

* * * * *

Daniel's housekeeper, Mrs. McCreary, turned to Cameron Mitchell. She pointed excitedly to a large bookshelf nearby. "Hand me that photo album!"

Mitchell looked at the bookshelf. A number of photo albums of various colours sat on the bottom shelf.

"Which one?" Mitchell asked anxiously.

"The red one."

Mitchell reached for it.

"Or maybe the black one with the gold edges," Mrs. McCreary added.

Mitchell grabbed both and hurried to give them to the little lady.

She took them, setting the black album aside as she began leafing through the pages of the red album. "After we were married, Jerry and I lived in a small apartment not very far from here. It was all we could afford at the time, and barely big enough for the two of us, but we wanted to start a family. Jerry started saving to buy a house and I got a job so I could help. I found a job working as a seamstress in a clothing factory just outside of town. After a few months, they discovered I had a knack for numbers and they moved me downstairs into the office. Damn!" she shouted as she turned to the last page of the album. She set the album aside and snatched up the black one.

She continued as she began flipping through the pages again. "There was a Ficus plant in the office, but everyone ignored it. I took it upon myself to water it and tend to it. They put me in charge of it."

Mrs. McCreary began to turn a page, stopped, and flipped it back again. "Here!" she said, spinning the album around and pointing to a photo. Everyone craned their necks to see it. "This is where I worked. The seamstresses and tailors worked up here on the second floor. There was a showroom here on the first floor with big windows and the storage rooms were in the back. When you entered the front door, the office was right there, and the Ficus stood right beside the door." She looked up at Daniel. "I showed this picture to Jonas years ago, Daniel. Do you really think he could have been thinking of this?"

Daniel leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm sure of it, Mrs. McCreary. Thank you."

"Does it still exist?" Sam asked.

"I think so," Mrs. McCreary replied as she thought. "I haven't been there for a long time, but I seem to recall that it was turned into an office complex for awhile. It was closed down a few years ago and put up for sale. I don't know if it's still there or not, but it would be easy to find out."

"Where is it, Mrs. McCreary," Daniel asked. "Could you draw us a map?"

"You can't go, Daniel," Sam said quickly. "They know you and they know your Jeep. They will probably have someone watching. Even if we went in another car, they might recognize you."

"I'll go," Mrs. McCreary said suddenly. "They don't know me."

"You can't," Daniel said. "They know me and they know where I live, too. They might have seen you and your car there."

"They're watching you, Daniel. They're not watching me."

"I can't let you do it. It's too dangerous."

"Sam could go with me. Who would pay attention to a little old lady and her granddaughter out on a leisurely drive?"

"Thank you for the compliment," Sam grinned, "but you don't look old enough to be my grandmother."

"Stick to the truth, child," Mrs. McCreary said abruptly. "You don't lie very well."

Daniel looked at Sam and smiled. "I'd have to go back to the base to change," Sam said. "They'd recognize the uniform."

Mrs. McCreary handed the photo album to Daniel and rose to her feet. "Come," she said to Sam. Colonel Carter had little choice but to follow.

When the ladies had left the room, Mitchell said, "Jackson? What are the chances she's right?"

Daniel looked up. "If Jonas saw that picture and he saw the building they took him to, you can bet your ass he's either in that building or in one very close by."

"But it's just a building! It looks like any other building."

"Yes, but look here," Daniel said, pointing.

"It's a door," Mitchell replied.

"Above the door!"

Mitchell squinted, then picked up the album and moved it closer to his face so he could see the scroll work and the date engraved there. "1936," he read. To Daniel, he asked, "You're telling me Jonas saw this picture once a few years ago and he remembers it?"

"As we have been trying to tell you, Colonel Mitchell," Teal'c said, "Jonas Quinn is extremely observant, and he does not forget."

Mitchell looked into Daniel's pale blue eyes. "You're sure about this, Jackson?" he asked.

"One hundred percent."

Mitchell nodded. "Good enough for me, then." He sat down to wait. "We'll get him back," Mitchell said with authority. "I promise."

Sam and Mrs. McCreary returned. Sam still wore her uniform slacks, but she now had on a white blouse and pale green sweater which she had left unbuttoned. "I think we're good to go," she said as she gave a swift pirouette.

"Oh, Samantha." Mrs. McCreary announced suddenly. "Could you use these?" She moved to a window and picked up a small set of binoculars from the sill. Sam followed her. "They're not very strong. I use them to watch the bird feeders down there," she said, pointing out the window.

Sam accepted the binoculars and looked out the window, then raised the binoculars to her eyes and looked again. "These will be great. Thanks."

"Good," Mrs. McCreary said. "Let's get going, then. We've got work to do." Then, with a shiver of excitement and a large grin on her face, she added, "I feel like we're The Avengers! I'm John Steed and you're Mrs. Peel!"

Sam looked at Daniel, who shrugged his ignorance and shook his head.

"And a very fine John Steed you are, Mrs. McCreary," Mitchell said. "All you need is a bowler hat and a cane."

Mrs. McCreary beamed at him.

* * * * *

"The building is just up ahead," Mrs. McCreary said from the driver's seat. "On my side."

"Okay, slow down a bit." The car slowed. "A bit more," Sam said. "Good. Now keep this speed and try not to look out the window. If anyone is watching, I don't want them to see you looking."

Sam watched carefully as the car approached. A parking lot came into view through the trees as did a single-storey building attached to a smaller, three-storey building, followed by an alleyway and the building which Sam recognized from the photograph. ‘For Sale' and ‘Sold' signs were quite prominent on all three buildings. They appeared to be vacant. Her eyes scanned the windows, but she could see nothing.

"Can you see anything?" Mrs. McCreary asked as she glanced at Sam.

"No, nothing," Sam replied. "They look abandoned."

They drove on and more buildings came into view. Sam pointed to her right and said, "Pull in here. Stop under that tree facing the road."

Mrs. McCreary complied.

"Do you have a road map?"

Mrs. McCreary reached under her seat and retrieved several maps, handing them out to Sam. "Will these do?"

Sam glanced over them and selected a map of the local area, handing it back to her new friend. "Wait here. Lock the doors and don't open them for anyone. If someone comes along, just pretend you're lost and looking at the map. If you have to, leave and then try to come back for me. I'll wait for you here. Can you remember all that?"

"Yes."

"Okay. I'll try to be back within thirty minutes," Sam said as she opened the door. "If I'm not back within an hour, go home and tell Daniel and the others that I'm in trouble."

Mrs. McCreary put a restraining hand on her arm. "Be careful, Samantha."

Sam smiled assuredly. "I'll be fine. Don't worry. You just take care of yourself." She stepped out of the car and disappeared into the trees.

* * * * *

Sam sat on the chair in Mrs. McCreary's apartment holding a sketch she had quickly drawn. The others crowded around her to see. "This is the basic layout. Here's the building in the picture. There's an alleyway, then a two-storey and single-storey building joined together. I watched from the ditch across the road, here. The only movement I saw was here," she said, pointing to the third window from the left in the single-storey building. "I just got a hint of movement the first time, but the second time, he stood in the window and stared at the road as if he were waiting for someone. He was young and small, about twenty, and had blond hair. I waited almost ten minutes before a green car showed up. As soon as the car appeared, the man disappeared from the window and the car pulled into the lot and drove down the alleyway. The driver was wearing sunglasses and had a beard. About thirty or thirty-five, I would guess. A minute later, I heard the car door slam shut from the left side of the building, here. I didn't hear or see anything else and headed back to Mrs. McCreary." She paused and glanced at Daniel. "I can't be sure, but the man in the window looked like Corey."

"Who's Corey?" Mitchell asked.

Sam looked up at Daniel. She knew she had to tell him, but she didn't want to.

"Sam?" Daniel said. "Who's Corey?"

Sam looked back at him. "I'm sorry, Daniel. I didn't want you to know, but I think you should know now. Corey was at Jonas' apartment when I went there and they looked. . . very friendly."

Daniel clenched his eyes shut and heaved a deep breath.

"Daniel," Sam continued, "if it really was Corey I saw in the window, Jonas knew he was the ‘inside man'. Someone had to put the bugs in his apartment and probably slip him some drugs, and it's my guess it was Corey. Jonas played him just like he played Col. Mitchell and me. He fooled everyone. He knew what was happening and he had complete control of the game. He played it by his own rules." Sam could see the betrayal in Daniel's face. "Whatever he did with Corey. . . whatever happened between them. . . he did it for you. You must believe that."

Daniel remained silent, his eyes still clenched as he tried to block out the images popping into his mind of Jonas being with another man. He snapped his eyes open following a smack on his cheek hard enough to jar his glasses loose. He raised a hand to his cheek, pulled up his eyebrows, and looked up at Mrs. McCreary who now stood with her hands on her hips and a stern look on her face. His mouth hung open in surprise and shock.

"Now you listen to me, Daniel Jackson." Her voice was fierce. "You snap out of it right this minute! Jonas needs you and we don't have time for your pity party! I don't know the whole story, but I know Jonas loves you, and whatever he might have done, he did it for you! He needs your help now and you can't give it to him if you stand around feeling sorry for yourself! Now, pull yourself together and help him! I can still take you over my knee, too, you know!"

The room was silent. Daniel dropped his hand and glanced at each of his friends, then looked back at Mrs. McCreary. She was much more relaxed, her face now gentle and concerned. She placed her hand on his arm and said quietly, "He needs you, Daniel. Bring him home."

Daniel stood and pulled her into his arms. The little lady disappeared into his chest. "I will," he said softly.

* * * * *

It was dark. SG-1 was concealed within the trees and bushes behind the building. A metal security door was directly in front of them near the outside corner. Colonel Mitchell scanned the windows with his monocular. Hidden down the road and awaiting word from Mitchell were three vehicles, one of which contained a unit ready to move in for ‘mop-up' purposes.

General Landry had ultimately given his consent for the rescue operation. However much he disliked Jonas Quinn, no man deserved to be kidnapped for genetic research. He reassured Daniel, however, that nothing had changed. Jonas Quinn was not allowed on the base as long as Landry was the Commander of SGC.

Dressed for stealth at Carter's recommendation, each member was clad in black. Pistols hung from their belts, strapped to their right legs while knives were strapped to their left legs. Sam wore her black toque in order to cover her blonde hair. Both Mitchell and Carter wore a black utility vest in which they carried the necessary equipment. Each was armed with a Zat.

Sam had readily agreed with Daniel's assessment of the kidnappers being amateurs. From what she had seen during her surveillance, she had guessed that they were petty criminals out to make a quick buck. It was likely that most of them would be unarmed and that they wouldn't be prepared for any sort of rescue attempt. Still, Jonas was their hostage, and they would most certainly put him in the middle if they were confronted. SG-1 should easily be able to sneak in and disable the kidnappers before they even knew anyone was in the building. Stealth and surprise were their best weapons.

Mitchell whispered. "Where are they?"

"I don't know, Sir," Sam whispered back. "They're in there. The buildings are connected, but they're not joined unless they made their own doorway, and that's not likely."

Mitchell turned toward Teal'c. "You're sure you saw the lookout in the front window?"

"Indeed," Teal'c whispered. "He appeared twice in the third window from this end."

"That's where I saw him this morning," Sam whispered.

"Then where can they be?" Mitchell brought the monocular to his eye once again and slowly scanned each window from one end of the building to the other. He neared the far end, stopped suddenly, backed up to the previous window, then looked at the next window again. He repeated his movements before looking at the last four windows. "Carter," he whispered as he handed her the monocular. "The last four windows."

Sam directed her attention there as Daniel asked, "What is it?"

"Sorry, Sir," Sam said. "I can't see anything."

"Look at the last four windows and compare them to the one beside them."

Sam did so. "Blackout curtains?"

"Looks like it to me," Mitchell answered in a hush. "Let's see that floor plan again."

Sam pulled a folded piece of paper from a vest pouch and unfolded it before them. Mitchell pulled out a penlight. Shielding the light from the building, they looked at the plan which Sam had printed out from city records. Daniel peered over Mitchell's shoulder as Teal'c kept watch over the building.

"Okay," Mitchell said quietly as he pointed, "it looks like the lookout is in the bathroom, here. Second door down the hall." He scanned to the other side of the page. "Two joined rooms with only one door off the hall. What do you think, Carter?"

Sam thought for a moment as she looked at the plans. "It's my guess that they would put Jonas in the far room, probably tied up and gagged. There might be someone with him on watch. The room off the hall is probably what the kidnappers are using as living quarters while they're there."

"Sounds good to me," Mitchell said. He looked to both Daniel and Teal'c for confirmation, which they gave with a nod of their heads.

"How many do you think there are?" Mitchell asked.

"At least three, Sir, according to the tape. Probably not many more."

"Teal'c, can you take the guy in the bathroom?"

"I can."

"Okay," Mitchell said. "Carter? Are you sure you can get us in that door?" He nodded toward the back door.

"Yes, Sir."

"What about the other doors? Will they be locked?"

"I doubt it, Sir. There's no need for them to feel they have to lock them, but we should be ready just in case."

"Which way do they open?"

Sam looked at the plans again. "In, Sir."

"Good," Mitchell whispered. "Teal'c? You stop at the bathroom door and wait. Jackson? You're with me and Carter. You'll open the hall door and stand back. Carter and I will go in first and take care of the kidnappers. Keep your Zat handy and keep your eyes on that other door. If we can surprise them, they won't have time even to pick up their weapons. Everybody clear?"

Three heads nodded.

"Okay, let's go."

If things went as easily as getting inside the back door had been, the rest of the operation would be a walk along the beach. Hinges were oiled and locks were picked in a timely fashion and the door opened silently. With Zats in hand, SG-1 was ready.

Mitchell entered first. He listened. There were no sounds. He turned on his penlight and aimed it carefully down the hall. Looking back at the others, he nodded once, followed by a nod from his three teammates. He entered the door on feather feet. Sam followed close behind, then Daniel, and, finally, Teal'c. He could see the hallway branching to the left and stopped. He turned off the penlight as he motioned the others to remain still. He crept forward and peeked carefully into the dark hallway. Near the end of the hall, on the left, light could be seen escaping from under a door, casting a soft glow over the white, linoleum-tiled floor. He dropped slowly and quietly to his knees, bent down until his cheek almost touched the floor, and glanced down the hallway. Nothing blocked the light at the end of the hall. The hallway was clear. He stood again.

He aimed his penlight at the floor of the hallway in which his friends stood and turned it on. A moment later, Sam's booted feet appeared in the light. He placed his fingers over the tip of the flashlight, allowing only a sliver of light to peek through. He turned back to the main hallway and started down, indicating the second door with a brief flash of light. As quiet as whispers, they moved, their footsteps barely stirring up any dust that might lie there. Teal'c stopped at the second door, his back pressed against the wall, and waited.

Mitchell, Sam and Daniel continued to the far door. The light made it relatively easy to see and Mitchell turned out his penlight and tucked it away. The light was dim and flickering. Sam's first thought was that they were burning candles, but the faint smell of coal oil reached her nostrils and she guessed that one of the kidnappers had raided his camping equipment for a light source. Two voices could be heard, along with the ruffling of playing cards as they were riffle- shuffled loudly against a table. A radio could also be heard. They most certainly were not professional kidnappers, and they were unaware of the people standing outside the door.

Mitchell stepped to the other side of the door and stopped. Sam stopped before it. Daniel moved between them. He sucked in a deep, silent breath and held it as he wiped his left hand against his pants. Reaching out carefully, his fingers wrapped themselves around the doorknob and he turned it in agonizing slowness. The door wasn't locked. When it had turned as far as it would go, he glanced at both Sam and Mitchell, who rewarded him with a nod. He clenched his teeth and pushed.

Mitchell burst past him and into the lighted room, turning quickly to the left. Sam moved past as two bolts of energy blasted out of Mitchell's Zat. Down the hall, Teal'c waited patiently until the man inside pulled open the bathroom door. His hand, still clutching his Zat, swung up, slamming into the man's unsuspecting face and knocking him flat on his back on the tiled bathroom floor.

Daniel's attention was immediately drawn to the young man sitting on a chair in the middle of
the room, directly in front of him. He rushed in, passing the second door and totally forgetting that he was supposed to guard it. He set the Zat in Jonas' lap as he pulled off the blindfold and carefully removing the tape from Jonas' mouth. A huge smile and deeply dimpled cheeks met Daniel's happy face.

There was no time for happy reunions, however. Daniel retrieved his knife from its sheath on his leg, leaned around Jonas' back, and sliced through the plastic strap which bound Jonas' hands. He was just moving to cut away the bindings on his feet when Jonas screamed, "Daniel!!"

Daniel spun around, but it was too late. A man now stood in the open doorway he had just passed.. A shot tore into his chest, sending the knife flying across the floor. Another bullet burned into his right thigh. Now weaponless, Daniel let out a blood curling scream of fury and charged the man, bearing down on him like a runaway steam locomotive.

Jonas dropped out of the chair and crawled desperately for the knife as Mitchell spun around, Zat in hand, ready to shoot, but Daniel was too close and blocked his view. Two more shots rang out. The first shot blasted out through the back of Daniel's left shoulder, sending black material, blood, and flesh flying onto the floor. No-one knew where the next bullet entered - not even Daniel. He rammed into the man with the strength of a raging bull, knocking him backward against the wall. The pistol went flying. His left hand found the man's shirt lapels and he held him there in a death grip as his right fist flew into the man's face. The sound of breaking bone could be heard even above Daniel's loud grunt of total fury which accompanied the blow. His arm reeled back and pounded at the face, and then again, and then two more times, each punch punctuated with a frightening grunt of rage. Daniel's hatred and anger came out in those punches and everything that was inside him powered them. He pulled back for a sixth punch, but the man slumped in his left hand and Daniel released him. The man dropped noisily to the floor. Daniel watched him fall, his chest heaving as he gasped for breath.

He stood there for a moment, then looked down his own body where he felt something strange. His black T-shirt and black pants were made becoming even blacker by the dark stains which were quickly spreading downward. He felt a distant pain, as if it were in someone else's body. Still panting for breath, he slowly lifted his hand to his stomach and pressed it there for a moment before pulling it back and holding it in front of his disbelieving eyes. His hand was covered with blood and destroyed flesh. Turning slowly, his hand still held out before him, he saw Jonas on the floor. Jonas seemed very dim and very distant, and he was fading away even as he watched. Daniel realized suddenly that the entire room was growing dark. The pain he felt was becoming very real and it began to overwhelm him. He blinked slowly.

"Jonas?" he said in a whisper. Darkness overtook him and his eyes closed. Daniel Jackson fell to the floor.

Jonas Quinn saw the events unfolding before him as if he were watching a video running in ultra-slow motion. He had already cut through the plastic strap which had bound his feet together and was kneeling on the floor, looking up at Daniel. Each moment was an eternity as he watched Daniel turn toward him. Death was in his face. His hand was held out before him, red with blood. More blood drained from his chest and a huge stain was forming at his left shoulder, another on his right thigh. Most frightening, though, was the massive stain spreading out from the wound in Daniel's abdomen. Jonas heard his name being spoken, and then he watched as Daniel closed his eyes and crumbled to the floor on his back - a marionette suddenly detached from its strings.

"Daniel!!" he screamed and scrambled on all four extremities across the floor to reach the man who had, once again, saved his live. With his own heart pounding, Jonas lay his hand on Daniel's heart. "Sam!! Help me!!" he shouted.

Jonas could feel a heartbeat, but it was very weak. He turned his attention to the hole in Daniel's belly. He didn't like what he saw. Carefully lifting the T-shirt away from Daniel's body, Jonas stuck the fingers of both hands into the hole and pulled. The shirt ripped from hem to neckline and he pulled the shredded material aside, exposing the gold necklace with the heart-shaped medallion hanging around Daniel's neck. A large hole lay open on his stomach where there had once been smooth skin. Without thinking, Jonas grabbed his own shirt at the front and ripped. Buttons flew everywhere, bouncing off the floor and the wall. He tore off the shirt, rolled it into a bundle, and laid it over the wound, pressing down firmly, but gently, with the palm of his hand. He did all this before Sam even reached his side.

Sam took one quick look at her friend and said, "Oh, God. Colonel!"

Mitchell was already on his radio, shouting. "Move in! Move in! Medics ASAP! Man down! I repeat! Man down! Contact SGC and have Dr. Lam on emergency stand-by! Mitchell out!" He then moved to the man whom Daniel had beaten unconscious and began binding him securely. His face looked a mess, and his nose had an ugly slant to it now, but Mitchell had no sympathy for him. Daniel had given him exactly what he deserved.

Teal'c arrived in the room, his arm wrapped around the chest of the young man he was dragging along the floor. When he saw his friends around the body of Daniel Jackson, he dropped the man to the floor and rushed to their side.

"How may I be of assistance, Colonel Carter?" he asked anxiously.

Sam had already ripped open one of the bandages she carried and had applied it to the wound in Daniel's chest. She was gently applying the tape. "His leg, Teal'c!" she shouted back. As she worked frantically, she could hear the sharp rending of material as Teal'c ripped open the pant leg to expose the gushing wound there.

Jonas, meanwhile, knelt beside Daniel, stroking his hair and cheek and calling out softly to him. Tears flowed from his eyes and dripped to the floor and onto Daniel's unmoving body.

"Daniel, please." he begged in desperation. "Open your eyes. . . . Come on, Daniel, look at me." Daniel remained still and silent. "Damn it, Daniel! Open your eyes!!" Jonas' scream startled Sam so much that she stopped for a moment, her hand holding a bandage to Daniel's leg as she looked intently at his chest. She could see it expanding ever so slightly. She glanced at Jonas for just a moment before continuing her efforts to stem the flow of blood still seeping from Daniel's body. It terrified her to see the amount of blood pooling on the floor around him. She couldn't remember the last time she had been so frightened.

Daniel's eyelid flickered slightly and Jonas called to him. "Daniel! Open your eyes! I'm here, Daniel! Please! Look at me!"

The eyes opened momentarily, closed, and then opened again. The pale blue orbs sought the face he longed to see once more.

When Daniel's gaze met his own, Jonas whispered lovingly. "I'm here, Daniel. I'm here."

Daniel tried to smile, the corners of his lips managing only a slight curl. "Jonas," he whispered, the sound barely as loud as the rustle of a leaf in the breeze. He grimaced at the effort and clenched his eyes shut and gritted his teeth against the pain. His eyes slowly opened once more. "It hurts."

"I know. I know," Jonas said soothingly, his face close to Daniel's face. "Don't try to talk. Save your strength. You're going to be okay, do you hear me? I'm not going to let you die!"

Jonas noticed the movement of Daniel's left arm out of a distant corner of his eye. The hand lifted ever so slightly and dropped back to the floor. Daniel winced again, his entire body tensing as he groaned in agony.

"Lie still," Jonas said urgently. "Don't move!" He pressed gently at Daniel's shoulder. "What is it? What do you want?"

Daniel's eyes opened again when the pain allowed it. "Necklace." Jonas' eyes moved automatically to the pendent lying against Daniel's chest. "Please," Daniel whispered.

Jonas knew immediately what Daniel wanted. With his free hand, he reached for the gold chain around Daniel's neck. "Cameron, help me." Mitchell was there in a flash, gently lifting Daniel's head off the floor far enough for him to help Jonas to pull the chain free. He gently lowered Daniel's head again. With one hand, Jonas managed to loop the chain over his own head, the heart-shaped pendent falling to his bare chest.

"I've got it, Daniel," he whispered through his tears. "I've got it."

Daniel managed a weak smile. A single tear escaped from the corner of his eye and rolled down his face leaving a thin trail of moisture. "Love. . . you," he whispered.

"I love you, too, Daniel," Jonas replied, then bent down to press his lips gently against Daniel's lips.

Somewhere behind him, soldiers burst into the room, rifles ready. Medics followed close behind, rushing to the small group of friends gathered around the body of Daniel Jackson. Other footsteps echoed down the hall outside. Doors were kicked in. Rooms were examined. Kidnappers were being carried away.

Jonas heard none of it.

He leaned back, staring down into Daniel's eyes. They were barely open. Daniel blinked slowly once more, pressing a few more tears from his eyes. Jonas laid his palm against Daniel's cheek. It felt cold. It felt dead.

Daniel sought Jonas' gaze once more. When he found it, he whispered, "Goodbye," and then he closed his eyes.

To Be Continued​

 

[gsdx]

Chapter 21
BY A THREAD​

Dr. Carolyn Lam had been waiting for them when the ambulance and the vehicle with the remaining members of SG-1 riding inside had entered the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. The truck transporting the kidnappers would follow. She and her aides were now in one elevator, descending into the depths of the mountain. Jonas was with them. Mitchell, Sam, and Teal'c descended in another.

Dr. Lam had tried to prevent Jonas' entry into the complex, reminding SG-1 of his banishment from the SGC, but Jonas had refused to leave Daniel's side and to relinquish his hold over the wound he still protected with his hand. Mitchell had been infuriated and had ordered the Doctor to "get busy and do your job!" He would take full responsibility.

Jonas now wore a jacket over his shoulders, procured from some soldier by Col Mitchell, who had wrapped it warmly around his friend. Jonas' tan slacks were still moist with large patches of Daniel's drying blood, his face, chest, and arms marred by ugly blotches of red.

As Dr. Lam was busy examining Daniel, aides and nurses busied themselves hooking him up to various IVs and equipment which was attached to the gurney, injecting him with prescribed medicines, checking his vitals, pumping air into his lungs, and doing whatever was necessary to keep Daniel alive. The Doctor gently lifted the bandage on Daniel's stomach to see the damage for herself, then quickly pressed Jonas' hand back down. Jonas had insisted that he, alone, would maintain the pressure on the wound. His shirt was gone now, discarded back at the building when the medics had replaced it with a large bandage. The shirt was blood-soaked and useless now and lay discarded on the hostage room floor.

Looking up at the nurse who had just finished taking Daniel's blood pressure, Dr. Lam said, "Switch places with Jonas."

"No!" Jonas shouted. "I'm not leaving him!"

"Jonas, please," Dr. Lam said calmly. "We're taking him directly into surgery. That is one place you cannot go."

Jonas knew that to be true and reluctantly allowed the nurse to take over the duty of holding Daniel's insides inside.

"You can help push the gurney to the door," Dr. Lam added. "Are you well enough to run?"

"Just try to keep up with me," Jonas replied, his voice full of determination and challenge.

* * * * *

Jonas was standing outside the closed door of the operating room when Sam arrived with Mitchell and Teal'c.

"How is he?" a concerned Sam asked as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. She handed him the jacket she had picked up off the floor after it fell off during Jonas' sprint down the hall. He pulled it on, feeling suddenly chilled in the metal hallway of SGC.

"I don't know," Jonas answered. His gaze remained locked on the closed door. His face was full of worry and fear.

"Come on," Sam said gently. "Let's go and get you cleaned up."

"No."

"Jonas, you're a mess," Sam continued. "You're covered in blood, you're exhausted, and you're probably hungry and thirsty, too. There's nothing we can do here."

Jonas turned his head to look at her. "I'm not moving, Sam. Please don't ask me to."

Sam thought for a moment. "Okay," she said in a hushed voice. "Do Daniel's clothes fit you?"

"Yes."

Turning to Teal'c Sam said, "Would you go to Daniel's locker and see if you can find some clothes? And bring a blanket. We can hold it around him while he changes."

Teal'c nodded and disappeared down the hall as Col. Mitchell moved to Jonas' side. "How are you holding up, pal?" he asked in a friendly, concerned tone.

Jonas returned his gaze to the surgery door. "I don't know," he said. "This wasn't supposed to happen. I should be in there. Not Daniel."

"No-one is supposed to be in there," Mitchell replied.

"I thought I was keeping him safe," Jonas said quietly, "and now I've killed him."

"He's not dead, Jonas, and it's not your fault," Mitchell said.

Jonas turned on him. "Whose fault is it, Cameron!?" he yelled, his face red with anger. "Tell me! It's my fault he's in there! He got shot because of me! I should have done more to protect him!"

"You did all you could do."

"It wasn't enough, damn it!! It wasn't enough!" Jonas shouted, slamming his fists into the metal walls. He turned his back to the wall and slumped to the floor, crossing his arms over his bent knees and burying his face into them as he cried. "It wasn't enough."

Both Sam and Mitchell knelt beside Jonas, placing comforting hands on his back and arms. They let him cry.

Teal'c arrived with a blanket, a shirt, a pair of pants, and underwear lying over one arm. He knelt beside Sam. "Has something happened to Daniel Jackson in my absence?"

"No, Teal'c," Sam answered. "Jonas is just upset. He holds himself to blame."

"I understand," Teal'c nodded. "I, too, feel responsible. Had I been more vigilant and remembered. . . ."

"We're all responsible, Teal'c," Sam interrupted. "We had a job to do and we didn't do it. I should have been watching that other door."

"It was my mission," Mitchell added, "and I screwed up. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine."

Jonas sat up, resting his head against the wall, his eyes closed. "Will you stop, please? I don't want to listen to this." His eyes opened as he glanced at his friends. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but the fact remains that Daniel is in there dying, and it's all because of me." His hand rose to his chest and he grasped his precious pendent in his hand. "It was my job to protect him, and I did the best I could, but it wasn't enough. And now I have to deal with the consequences."

"What is that man doing here!?" General Landry's voice boomed in the metal hallway.

"General," Sam said, rising to her feet.

Mitchell rose as well. "General Landry," he acknowledged.

"I want him out of this base this instant!"

"No, Sir," Mitchell said calmly.

"No, Sir?" Landry asked incredulously.

"Yes, Sir," Mitchell continued. "I said ‘No, Sir'."

"Are you disobeying a direct order, Colonel?"

"Yes, Sir, I am." Mitchell squared his shoulders. "You can do anything you want to me, but I told Jonas he could be here, and here is where he is going to stay."

Jonas stood up. "I've caused enough damage already," he said. "I'll go."

Mitchell put a restraining hand on Jonas' shoulder and held him firmly. "You'll stay." To General Landry, he said, "I won't back down on this one, General."

"I could court-martial you for this, Colonel."

"You'd have to court-martial me as well, General," Sam said. "I stand by Colonel Mitchell's decision."

"As do I, General Landry," Teal'c said. "Jonas Quinn is my friend. I abandoned him once. I do not intend to do so again."

Landry scanned all the faces in front of him. "Are you telling me you're all willing to jeopardize your careers for this man?"

"Yes, Sir," Sam said. "I guess we are."

Mitchell butted in. "General, permission to speak with you privately?"

The General pressed his lips together as he made his decision. Finally, he nodded once, turned, and walked down the hall. Colonel Mitchell followed him. The remaining three watched as Mitchell faced Landry and talked to him. It appeared that he carried most of the conversation. They could hear whispers echoing off the walls, but the echos mixed together and the words were lost to them. Several minutes passed as General Landry listened, and then he spoke. When he was finished, he turned and walked away. Mitchell returned to his teammates.

"You can stay," he said to Jonas, "but you have to stay in the hall. The General doesn't want you to have any contact with Daniel."

"Thank you, Cameron," Jonas said sincerely. "What about you?

Mitchell looked back into the direction General Landry had walked. "Oh, we're fine. Now, come on. Let's get you into some clean clothes."

Sam stepped back politely as Teal'c handed the clothes to Jonas before helping Mitchell to hold up the blanket screen. Jonas quickly pulled off his blood-stained clothes. Blood had seeped through the material and had caked on his legs. He ignored it. He pulled on Daniel's underwear, pants, and shirt. The fit wasn't perfect, by any means, but at least they were clean. He emptied the pockets of his own pants and Teal'c held out his hand to retrieve the blood-stained clothing.

"I shall have these laundered for you, Jonas Quinn."

"Just throw them away, Teal'c," Jonas replied. "I don't want to see them again."

"Very well," Teal'c nodded. "I shall return shortly with some chairs."

Jonas leaned back against the wall, his arms crossed. He felt the material of Daniel's clothing against his skin and he felt closer to him. He closed his eyes in thought. "I didn't want any of you getting hurt." Jonas said softly. "I tried. I really tried." He opened his eyes and looked at the door in front of him. He didn't look away again for a long time.

* * * * *

Daniel Jackson was in Recovery. Jonas Quinn sat outside the door while Samantha Carter sat beside him. Cameron Mitchell and Teal'c were in Jonas' apartment. Mitchell knew that Jonas would not leave Daniel's side, even if being ‘at his side' meant that he had to sit in the hallway, so he had offered to go to Jonas' apartment with Teal'c and pick up some clothes for him.

"I think six of everything should be enough, don't you?" he asked his Jaffa friend. "I can put them in with my laundry and keep them clean for him."

"I believe that will be sufficient," Teal'c replied. "I shall retrieve his toiletries."

Mitchell opened the drawers and began pulling out T-shirts, shirts, pants and slacks, socks, and underwear. He left the more personal briefs behind, picking out only the more decent styles. He picked up a pair of metallic, cobalt-blue briefs and held them out as he examined them. He realized that they matched the colour of Jonas' eyes, and he knew immediately that Jonas had bought them specifically for Daniel. They could even be the pair which Daniel had said were his ‘favourite' the night of his binge. He added them to the pile.

Teal'c returned with a small shaving kit, now filled with Jonas' required bathroom items.

"Where did he say his sketch pad was?" Mitchell asked.

"I believe he said it was in the desk under the telephone."

Mitchell opened the drawer and located the sketch pads. Two of them were full. A third had only a few used pages. He took them all. He flipped through the pages, marvelling at the talent of the young man. Most of the sketches were of Daniel, of course - some of them not meant for prying eyes - but several were of the SG-1 members, General Hammond, a doctor identified by Teal'c as Janet Fraiser, and several sketches of a little boy in the new pad. He grabbed up both packages of pencils - one black carbons, the other coloured pastels - and the small case of sketching tools Jonas had asked for. He was about to close the drawer when something caught his eye. He reached in and pulled out a photo of Jonas and Daniel together. With a nod of consent from Teal'c he added it to the stack.

"Now, what are we missing?"

"We have not yet procured the requested books."

"Right," Mitchell said as he remembered. "Closet." Mitchell found the small closet and pulled out the box of books. He opened the box and looked at the various titles ranging from simple novels to scientific and archaeological tomes. "Which ones should we take?"

"I believe," Teal'c said, "that Jonas Quinn requested the entire box."

Mitchell looked up in surprise. "Are you kidding? It took me weeks to get through Dick and Jane."

"I am not familiar with that story."

"Good stuff if you're three years old. Well, if it's the entire box he wants, it's the entire box he gets."

Back at Stargate, Mitchell managed to persuade Jonas to go for a shower and to clean himself up. He should at least look human and dressed in his own clothes when Daniel woke up.

* * * * *

It was three days after he had heard that Daniel had been shot. He had desperately wanted to be there with his long-time friend, but circumstances simply had not allowed him to get away from Washington until now. He stood there in the familiar hallways of SGC looking down at Jonas Quinn as he lay across four wooden chairs, covered with a grey blanket, and sleeping soundly. An empty food try lay on the floor beside a box of books and other items. He reached down to place his hand on Jonas' shoulder, giving it a gentle shake as he called his name. "Jonas, wake up."

Jonas snapped awake immediately and looked up. "Jack?" He quickly sat up, pushing the blanket aside, and rose to his feet. He took Jack O'Neill's extended hand and shook it vigorously. "I'm glad you're here."

"I came as soon as I could. Sorry it took so long." Jack looked down at Jonas' makeshift bed. "Why aren't you in there with Daniel or down in one of the guest quarters? Those don't look very comfortable."

"I'm not allowed there. Except for the bathroom down the hall, this is the only place I'm allowed to be."

"Landry," Jack said in understanding. Jonas nodded. "How's Daniel?"

"Sam says he's still critical. It's still touch and go, and he's not getting any better." Jonas paused. "I'm scared, Jack. Sam hasn't actually said anything to me, but I think Daniel could still die."

"What's all this ‘Sam' stuff? Haven't you even been in to see him?" Jack's eyes were filling with anger.

"No."

Jack grabbed Jonas' arm and pulled him along with him as he walked to the open doorway and stepped inside. A young nurse appeared from around the hospital curtain.

"I'm sorry, General," the nurse mumbled. She was obviously nervous and uneasy. "He's not allowed in here."

"Oh, yes he is," Jack replied. The anger in his eyes came out in his voice as well. "Is that curtain there just to keep Jonas from peeking in?"

The nurse glanced quickly at the white curtain hanging from the metal rings and frame surrounding the bed. "Yes, Sir."

"Open it."

The nurse hesitated a moment, then obediently pushed the curtain aside. Daniel Jackson lay on the bed, the blankets folded neatly at his waist. Bandages covered one shoulder and his chest. A larger bandage covered the wound on his stomach and disappeared beneath the blanket. Various IVs hung from stands around his bed, their contents dripping slowly into the clear, plastic tubes that entered his arms. Small disc pads and wires were stuck to his chest and forehead, attached to machines which bleeped and recorded every heartbeat and every hint of activity in his brain. An oxygen tube was inserted into his nostrils.

Jack placed his hand on Jonas' back and gave him a slight push. "Go," he said. Jonas raced to Daniel's side. "Is Dr. Lam on base?" he asked the nurse.

She nodded.

"Tell her I want to talk to her. And get General Landry up here as well. I want to talk to him, too."

"Yes, Sir," the nurse said and set about doing so.

Jack approached the bed slowly. He winced when he saw Daniel's face up close. There was no life in it. He would not look out of place if he were lying in a coffin instead of on a hospital bed. Only the thin, green, bouncing line on the monitor gave any indication that Daniel was actually alive. "Oh, crap," he said quietly as he winced once more. He placed a comforting hand on Jonas' back.

Jonas turned to look at him, tears streaming down his horror-stricken face. "My God, Jack," Jonas whispered. "Look at him." He looked back at Daniel, his left hand reaching out carefully to stroke Daniel's hair with his fingertips. He gently placed his right hand into Daniel's. His fingers carefully wrapped themselves around it. Daniel's hand was dead and cold and unmoving.

They stood there in silence for several long minutes staring down at their friend in disbelief. A voice sounded behind them, but only Jack O'Neill heard it. "General?" it said.

Jack patted Jonas on the back and went to meet Dr. Carolyn Lam.

Dr. Lam kept her voice low, but stern. "I have orders not to allow Jonas into the room."

"And I'm giving you a new order," Jack replied. "You're making a big mistake keeping Jonas away from Daniel. The only medicine Daniel needs is standing beside him right now. Trust me on that." Dr. Lam continued to look into his eyes and Jack didn't look away. "Carolyn, your only duty is to Daniel. Not to me. Not to General Landry. I'm asking you to wait and see for yourself. Daniel needs Jonas to be with him."

Dr. Lam remained silent, and then nodded. "Okay," she said.

"Thank you," Jack said with relief. "Now, how is he?"

She glanced over at the bed for a moment. Jonas Quinn was still holding Daniel's hand as he spoke softly and caressed Daniel's hair and face. "Frankly, General, I don't know why he's alive. Everything I know about medicine tells me he shouldn't be. In fact, he should have been brought here in a body bag rather than on a stretcher. I was told he pummelled a man to unconsciousness. He shouldn't have been alive to do even that. How he even survived the fight is beyond me. I just don't understand it."

"I do," Jack said. "So, I ask again. How is he?"

"Well, the shoulder shot was clean. It passed right through. The bullet in his chest passed between his ribs and lodged in his lung. The stomach wound was worst of all. He was shot at close range and there was serious internal damage. There's another wound on his right thigh. He's breathing on his own, but we're giving him oxygen. There haven't been any signs of improvement yet and I'm afraid that his loss of blood and the lack of oxygen may have caused brain damage. We won't know that until he wakes up. I would place his condition as ‘extreme'. To be very honest, General, I don't expect him to wake up again."

"Who let that man in here!" a voice boomed angrily from the doorway. Jonas spun around, detaching himself from Daniel and facing the new man who had entered the room. His eyes were wide with terror.

"He's here with my permission, General," Dr. Lam said calmly.

Landry's face burned red. "What in hell has Jack been telling you?"

"Come on, Hank," Jack said. "Cool your shorts, will ya?"

"That's it!" Dr. Lam announced. Grabbing both men by an arm, she directed them toward the door. "Take it outside, gentlemen! I won't tolerate this nonsense in my hospital!" She pushed them outside, leaving Jonas alone in the room. The nurse waiting just outside the door entered to continue her duties.

"Jack, I don't want that man in there!" Landry whispered loudly.

"Listen to yourself, Hank," Jack returned. "You can't even call him by name. Do you hate him that much?"

"You're damned right I do, Jack, and I'm entitled to hate anyone I want!"

"Yes, you are, but does that entitle you to kill Daniel?"

"What in hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I'll tell you, General," Dr. Lam interrupted. "Dr. Jackson should not be alive. You can bring in all the specialists you want. One look at his records and they'll tell you the same thing. Dr. Jackson should be dead, and General O'Neill tells me that Mr. Quinn is the only reason he's not. He's never lied to me before, and I have no reason to doubt him now. It's my sworn duty to do everything I can to keep Dr. Jackson alive, and if it takes Mr. Quinn to accomplish that, then that is what I'll do."

"I give the orders around here," Landry reminded her.

"And you know your orders don't apply to me when it comes to the welfare of the people under my care." Dr. Lam was much smaller than General Landry, but she stood up to him and backed him away with her command. "Dr. Jackson is not improving. Personally, I don't expect him to survive this. But General O'Neill believes he's alive only because of Mr. Quinn and has asked me to give them a chance. I have told him I will do so. Until then. . . ."

"Dr. Lam!" Jonas Quinn's screaming voice exploded out of the room and echoed down the hall.

To Be Continued​

 

[gsdx]

Chapter 22
NEW HOPE​

Dr. Lam pushed the two Generals aside and burst into the room. Generals O'Neill and Landry followed her inside.

"His hand!" Jonas said excitedly when Dr. Lam reached him.

She looked at Daniel's right hand. It was lying palm-up and Jonas' hand was holding it. But it was Daniel's fingers which caught her attention. She moved around Jonas and examined the monitors, then leaned over Daniel, opened his eyes one at a time, and flashed the penlight in them. She plugged her stethoscope into her ears and listened to his chest. To the nurse, she said, "Monitor his vitals closely. Note any reactions." She moved back around Jonas.

"What is it, Doctor?" General Landry asked.

"I'm not sure yet, General," she replied. "Mr. Quinn, take your hand away."

Jonas did so. Daniel's fingers closed slightly, then relaxed to a more normal, open position.

"Okay. Take his hand again." Dr. Lam watched carefully as he did so. Daniel's fingers remained as they were.

"What were you doing when it happened?"

"I was just stroking his cheek and talking to him."

"Do it again."

Jonas looked over his shoulder, first at General Landry, then at General O'Neill, who simply nodded. They were now standing close behind him. He turned back and leaned over Daniel, the backs of his fingers gently caressing Daniel's cheek. "I'm here, Daniel," he said softly. "It's me, Jonas. I'm here." Daniel's fingers didn't move. "Squeeze my hand, Daniel. Please, squeeze my hand." Still no movement. "Please, Daniel. Do it for me." His voice raised in urgency. "I'm here, Daniel! Please, I need you to squeeze my hand!"

He stood back up straight, looking with disappointment at his hand. Daniel's fingers hadn't moved.

"What else did you do?" Dr. Lam asked.

Glancing back at General Landry, Jonas replied, "I. . . um. . ." he stammered. "I didn't do anything," he said.

The nurse interrupted hesitantly. "He kissed Dr. Jackson, Doctor. He didn't think I could see."

"Do it again, Mr. Quinn."

Jonas hesitated. He could feel General Landry's eyes burning into him from behind. With one more glance back at Jack, who nodded encouragement with his smile, Jonas turned his attention back to the man he loved. His voice was soft and gentle. "I'm here, Daniel. Can you hear me?" A short pause, and then he whispered, "I love you."

Slowly, he bent down and pressed his lips against Daniel's mouth. As had happened the first time, Daniel did not kiss him back, but, moments later, he felt Daniel's fingers closing on his hand. He clenched his eyes shut, trying to close away the tears of happiness. He had not been mistaken. He had not dreamt the whole thing. He raised his head, staring down into Daniel's sleeping face.

Dr. Lam's voice broke the silence which followed. "He knows it's you," she said. Jonas stood up to face her.

"Of course he does," Jack O'Neill said with great relief and satisfaction. Landry looked at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means this," Jack answered. "He knows Jonas is with him now. If you want Daniel back, you're going to need Jonas to get him here."

"Jack, if you think I'm going to listen to this nonsense. . . ."

Jack cut the sentence short. "This isn't one of my jokes, Hank. Trust me. I've known Jonas for almost four years. I've known Daniel a whole lot longer than that. Whatever you may think about them, the way they feel for each other is very real. Carolyn told me just now that she can't think of a single reason why Daniel is still alive. I can, and he's standing right in front of us. Daniel needs Jonas. He promised Jonas that he would always take care of him, and he's keeping that promise."

"I think General O'Neill may be right," Dr. Lam added. "For three days now, Dr. Jackson has been a breathing dead man. Until now, there hasn't been a single sign of life except a faint heartbeat. Somewhere in a faraway corner of his mind, Jonas is reaching him when we haven't been able to."

"I won't believe that," Landry said. "It's just a coincidence."

"Mr. Quinn? Take your hand away again." Jonas did as Dr. Lam ordered. As expected, Daniel's fingers relaxed once more. "Now, take it again and just hold it." He did. They waited several minutes. Nothing happened. "Don't say anything," she whispered. "Just kiss him."

Jonas leaned over and kissed Daniel. The fingers immediately closed on his hand.

"Now, let me try," the Doctor said. "Hold his hand again." As directed, Jonas released the hand and then held it again after it had relaxed. Dr. Lam moved around him. When Jonas was ready, the Doctor kissed him. "Anything?" she asked.

"No."

"Dr. Jackson knows, Sir," the Doctor said to General Landry. "I'd be willing to bet that you or anyone else could do the same thing and nothing would happen."

"I'll do it." Everyone turned toward the voice which came from the doorway. Colonel Cameron Mitchell moved forward into the room and to Daniel's bedside. "Tell me what to do, Doc."

"You can't be serious," General Landry said.

"If it's going to help Jackson, Sir, I'm very serious." Turning to Dr. Lam, he asked, "What do I do?"

"Just hold his hand and kiss him."

Mitchell nodded as he looked down at Daniel's impassive face. "I sure hope someone gave him a mint this morning."

Jonas stepped back. Mitchell took his place, held Daniel's hand, and gave Daniel the best, most genuine kiss he could. "Bummer," he said when he stood up again. "That should at least have got me a date for the weekend."

"Wait a moment, Colonel," Dr. Lam said quickly. "Take his hand again." He did. "Mr. Quinn?" She nodded toward Daniel. Jonas kissed Daniel once more. The fingers closed on Mitchell's hand.

"Well, I'll be damned," General Landry said, genuinely surprised. "Sleeping Beauty."

"I wouldn't say that to Daniel's face when he wakes up," Jack O'Neill quipped as he crossed his arms. More seriously, he added, "Daniel needs him, Hank. And you need Daniel."

Landry nodded. "Yes, I do, Jack," he admitted softly. He drew in a deep breath as Dr. Lam approached him.

"General," she began, "I don't understand this any more than you do. My concern is with the body, not the mind. I can't tell you why this is happening. All I can tell you is that Mr. Quinn is somehow reaching Dr. Jackson. Medically speaking, that link was severed when he was shot. Mentally speaking, it's still there. I would like to contact Dr. McKenzie to see if he could at least tell me what's going on and what I can do to help."

The General's mind told him that everything about this relationship was wrong. That was what he had been taught throughout his entire life. But he couldn't deny what he had just witnessed. Something had happened that he couldn't explain, nor could he understand. But, he knew he had to accept it. "I'll have him here Ay-Sap," he said. "Mr. Quinn? I owe you an apology. I was wrong, and I'm very sorry. I'll arrange quarters for you and see to it that you get proper ID and pass cards while you're here."

"Thank you, General, but I'd rather stay here if Dr. Lam says it's okay."

"It certainly couldn't do any harm," Dr. Lam said as she was giving Daniel another checkup, "as long as you don't get in the way." Colonel Mitchell pulled his hand away. It was immediately replaced by Jonas' hand.

General Landry nodded. "I'll have a bed moved in for you, then."

"Really, Sir," Jonas objected, "I don't want to be an imposition. I'll be fine on this chair."

Landry looked at Jack O'Neill, who shrugged his shoulders. "Very well. Come see me before you leave, Jack. Now, if you will excuse me?" General Landry left the room.

Jonas turned to Colonel Mitchell. "How can I thank you for everything, Cameron?"

"Just cook dinner for me and that's all the thanks I want."

"Consider this an open invitation then," Jonas smiled. "You're welcome anytime. As soon as we get back home, that is."

Mitchell returned the smile. "Can I get you anything? Do anything?"

"No, I'm okay for now," Jonas answered. Then, "Oh. Next time you come up, could you bring Daniel's shaving kit? I'd like to clean him up a bit. He looks horrible." A glance at Dr. Lam and her nod of assent told Jonas it would be okay for him to do so.

"I'll go get it now," Mitchell said happily. As he turned to leave, he said, "It's good to see you again, General." Jack nodded.

Jonas gave Daniel yet another kiss and was rewarded by Daniel's fingers closing on his hand.

Jack gave Jonas a moment alone with Daniel, then walked over to stand by him. "Maybe it's just me," Jack said, "but I think he looks better already."

Jonas remained silent as he stared into Daniel's sleeping face.

"He'll be fine, Jonas. He's too stubborn to die."

"It was bad, Jack," Jonas said without looking up. "There was so much blood. I don't think I've ever been so scared in all my life."

Jack put his hand on Jonas' shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. Hoping to take Jonas' mind off his fears, Jack asked, "Have you talked to his housekeeper? I'm sure she'd like to know about his progress."

"Sam phoned her for me the other day. I'll call her later. Which reminds me. I should phone the library and see if I still have a job. Sam phoned there, too. She told them I was sick, but I don't know how long I can get away with that one. But right now, I just want to be here with Daniel."

"I can go talk to them if you'd like."

Jonas turned to face him. "You don't have to go to all that trouble on my account."

"What trouble? I ride the elevator, I get in a car, someone drives me there, I talk, someone drives me back. Besides, what librarian could resist a handsome guy like me in a shiny new uniform?"

"Mr. Conklin could."

"Oh," Jack said thoughtfully. "Okay, I'll take Carter with me then." Jonas smiled in spite of himself. "So, I talk to this Conklin guy?"

"You're not going to let me talk you out of this, are you?" Jonas asked.

"Nope."

Jonas' attention was suddenly aimed at the doorway behind General O'Neill as Samantha Carter entered the room. Jack followed his gaze and smiled broadly.

To Jonas, he said, "Speak of the Devil." To Sam, he said pleasantly, "Hello, Colonel."

"General!" Sam said, surprised. "I didn't know you were here. It's good to see you again, Sir. Hello, Doctor."

"Colonel Carter," Dr. Lam said as she continued her examination.

"It's good to see you, too, Carter. Would you like to go for a ride with me? I have an appointment at the library. A friend of mine needs some assistance keeping his job."

Sam's eyes turned toward Jonas, then back again. "I'd love to, Sir, but I'm rather busy at the moment."

Jack's eyebrows raised. "More scientific stuff I wouldn't understand," he said. "What did you do? Discover EM waves in my Fruit Loops or something?"

Sam chuckled. "Actually, I just came to tell Jonas that Corey caved and spilled the beans. The idiots recorded everything that went on in your apartment and Corey told us where the tapes are. It seems they were going to try to blackmail Colonel Mitchell as well. He also gave us a name. Aaron Franklin. I managed to trace him to Franklin Genetics in Texas. Authorities are moving in now."

"Excellent work, Carter," Jack said, pleased and proud. "You haven't lost your touch."

"It wasn't really me, Sir," Sam said. "Teal'c was standing behind him when he confessed."

Jack's smile was enormous. "Gotta love that guy."

"Yes, Sir." Turning to Jonas, she asked," How's Daniel?"

"Look at his hand," Jonas replied, beaming. He had yet to relinquish his handhold.

Sam examined the hand and noticed the grasping fingers immediately. "Wow!" she exclaimed in surprise. "You did that?" Jonas nodded. "Dr. Lam couldn't even get a reaction when she stuck pins in him."

"She should have used sugar like Jonas did."

Sam looked questioningly at General O'Neill. Jack made a kissing motion with his mouth. Turning back to Jonas, she said, "You're kidding?"

Jonas shook his head and smiled. "General Landry wasn't too happy about it at first."

"He was here?" Sudden realization struck her and she looked at Jonas. "Hey! You're here, too!"

"Mr. Quinn is Dr. Jackson's new prescription," Dr. Lam said with authority.

Jonas blushed. "Thanks to Jack, I'm back in. I can stay."

"And thanks to you," Jack added, "Daniel is still alive. Just be sure you keep him that way."

"I will, Sir," Jonas replied sincerely.

"If you will excuse me then," Jack finished, "my chariot awaits to whisk me off to Bookland, USA. I hope they don't still have the records of that Joy of Fishing book I forgot to return in Minnesota seventeen years ago." He thought for a moment. To Jonas, he asked, "You don't think they still have that on record, do you?"

Jonas grinned. "I doubt it, Jack. At least not here."

Jack clapped his hands together. "Good! Then I won't mention it to them. Now that I have fish in my pond, it might come in handy if I ever actually go fishing to catch fish. I'll see you kids again soon. Dinner in the commissary tonight, Carter?"

"I'd like that, Sir."

"Ex-cel-lent!" Jack said and turned to walk away.

"I'll walk with you, Sir," Sam said. "I could use the exercise."

As they left, Jonas heard Jack ask, "If you get some time, could you check my Fruit Loops anyway?" Sam replied with an amused "Yes, Sir."

* * * * *

Col. Cameron Mitchell sat in the chair beside Daniel's bed, his right leg crossed over his left knee. Daniel and Jonas were the only other people in the room. He was watching intently as Jonas placed rolled-up towels on either side of Daniel's head, moistened his face with warm water, and lathered it with shaving gel. He began carefully running the razor dextrously over Daniel's rugged cheeks, all the while dodging the numerous wires and tubes and patches. He looked into Jonas face, admiring the concentration and compassion and love he saw there. He found himself envying Daniel greatly. He had been right when he told Daniel that he was one of the ‘lucky ones', that the love he had with Jonas came along only once in a lifetime. Daniel had been one of the lucky ones. Mitchell had not.

"Jackson is damned lucky he found you first," he said off-handedly.

Jonas looked at him from the other side of the bed as he shaved the left side of Daniel's face. It was awkward working left-handed, but Jonas managed with consummate skill. "Why?"

"Because, if you took care of me like that, he'd have had some serious competition."

Jonas blushed slightly and smiled. "Thanks," he said as he returned to his task.

"I can see why he fell in love with you. You take very good care of him."

"It's my job. And it's a job I enjoy very much. Daniel needs a lot of taking care of." As an afterthought, he added, "That's not very grammatical, but I don't know the correct way to say it."

Mitchell was silent for a moment. "Do you miss Kelowna?" he asked finally.

Jonas shook his head. "Not a bit. I didn't have many friends there, and I didn't have any family that I knew of. Daniel is my family now, and so are you guys. I wouldn't trade any of you for anything."

"What attracted you to him in the first place?"

Jonas had finished shaving the left side of Daniel's face and was moving around the bed to shave the other side as he answered. "A lot of things, really, but mostly it was his kindness and enthusiasm. I knew the moment I met him that he had a good heart. He took the time to listen to me and to answer all my questions, and I think he liked having someone he could talk to who actually understood what he was saying. Everything he did was for someone else. He didn't do anything for himself. That's what I fell in love with. And then, of course, he died saving my life."

"So, it wasn't sex?"

"Not at all," Jonas replied. "That never even crossed my mind at first."

"There, you see?" Mitchell said. "Jackson told me the same thing and I still don't understand it."

Jonas stopped and looked up at the wall in thought as he tried to come up with the answer. The nurse arrived at that time to check the monitors and Daniel's vital statistics. Jonas stepped back and waited until she finished, made the proper recordings, and left again. He returned to his task before continuing to speak.

"It's difficult to explain. I was a virgin when I met Daniel. I had my fantasies, of course, but they never involved men. When we finally figured out that we really loved each other and moved in together, everything we did was because we wanted to make each other happy. Making love with him was no different to me than cooking his breakfast or washing his clothes. . . or shaving him now. It just came with the territory. It was the natural thing to do."

Mitchell thought about that, then asked, "So, he really isn't gay, like he said?"

"I can't answer for him, but I'd have to say ‘no'."

"But he enjoys the sex, right?"

"Yes, but only with me."

"What about you?"

"I can't answer that, either," Jonas replied honestly. "The only sex I've ever had is with Daniel, and I enjoy it very much, so I suppose that could make me gay. But, unless the opportunity arises to have sex with other people, either male or female, I couldn't say for sure. I can tell you, though, that the thought of having sex with Corey turned my stomach. Then again, everything about Corey turned my stomach. If the right person came along, though, who knows?"

The room fell silent for a time, the silence broken only by the scrape of the razor on Daniel's skin and the sloshing of water as Jonas rinsed the blade. Mitchell ended the silence. "I know why you kissed me at your apartment that night, but why did you kiss me at the house when Teal'c and I went there for dinner?"

"I don't know," Jonas said as he stopped and looked at the wall again. Then, turning to Mitchell, he said, "It was something I needed to do. I needed to thank you for taking care of Daniel when he went on that bender and words didn't seem enough."

"Well, if I had to pick one kiss," Mitchell said off-handedly, "I think I liked the second one better."

"I believe I liked that one better, too." Jonas returned to his task. "You're a pretty good kisser."

They fell silent again as Jonas finished the shave and cleaned Daniel's face of any remaining lather, adding a small splash of aftershave to his cheeks. He replaced the shaving tools to the kit, grabbed up a soft-bristled brush, and carefully brushed Daniel's hair. When he was satisfied with his efforts, he stepped back and said, "There. You look almost like Daniel again."

He packed up the kit, set it on the stand near the bed, and pulled up a chair to sit opposite Col Cameron Mitchell.

Mitchell uncrossed his leg and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Look, Jonas, I want to apologize for that night at your place. I was wrong about you and I put you in a bad situation. I'm sorry."

"I didn't give you much choice, but I had to do something to get you out of out of there."

"You almost got your face punched in because of it, you know." Mitchell sat back again and crossed his leg on his knee.

"I know. I was expecting it. I wouldn't have blamed you if you had."

"You wouldn't have looked too pretty when I finished with you."

Jonas glanced at Daniel. "It would have been worth it." He paused a moment, thinking, then asked, "Why didn't you just beat me up?"

"Jackson," Mitchell replied honestly with a nod to his unconscious friend. "I knew how he felt about you, and I could never do anything to you that would hurt him." Mitchell paused, looking at Daniel and shaking his head slowly. "You know, he's stronger than he looks. And you were right. He doesn't do anything for himself. He does it all for everyone else, including me."

"He's a good protector," Jonas said with a small smile.

Mitchell admired Jonas' dedication, and it caused him to think. Jonas had told so many lies before the kidnapping and it was difficult for Mitchell to separate the truth from the fiction. "What if I had accepted your invitation?" he asked finally.

Jonas stared into Mitchell's blue eyes. He looked at Daniel. "If it wasn't for Daniel, you would have." He looked back at Mitchell in time to see the nod. "Let's just say," Jonas said softly, "if you had accepted it, you wouldn't have found me an unwilling participant."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"It was intended to be one."

A momentary silence followed, then, "Could you really have curled my toenails?"

Jonas smiled and winked. "Ask Daniel when he wakes up."

Mitchell smiled back. Jonas sounded certain that Daniel would survive but, deep in his mind, Mitchell hoped that he would at least have the opportunity to say ‘hello' to Daniel Jackson once more, and he hoped that Daniel would be able to say ‘hello' back to him.

They sat talking and time slipped away. Jonas held Daniel's hand, enjoying the simple contact. The nurse appeared regularly to fulfil her monitoring duties. During their chat, their friendship grew and, before long, Jonas knew all of Mitchell's favourite foods and desserts and he promised to make Mitchell the best meal he had ever eaten. Mitchell would remind him of that often.

"Good morning, campers," General Jack O'Neill said with a grin, even though it was almost three o'clock in the afternoon. He was still dressed in his General's uniform. "Good news, Jonas. Your job is secure. Someone named Mrs. Quarter Horse is taking over for you until you come back."

"Quartermain," Jonas corrected.

"Whatever. She's been telling everyone you're in the hospital."

"It's not really a lie," Jonas said.

"She asked me to give this to you," Jack said, pulling an envelope out of his pocket and holding it out to him.

Jonas took it, looked at his name hand-printed in red crayon, and smiled. "Andrew," he said. He opened the envelope and pulled out the card. It was a delightful ‘Get Well' card. Inside, Andrew had printed his name. Above it, his mother, Judy, had written, "Andrew picked out this card himself. He wanted to go to the hospital to give it to you himself, but we couldn't find where you were. - Judy." He handed the card to Mitchell, who read it and handed it to Jack.

"Who's Andrew?" Mitchell asked.

"A little boy who loves choo choo trains and spaceships," Jonas smiled.

"Is he the boy in your sketch pads?"

"Yes."

"Cute kid," Mitchell remarked.

Jack handed the card back to Jonas. "Oh," he said. "I almost forgot. I brought something else for you. It's in the hall." He walked to the door, peeked around the corner, and nodded once. He returned with a little lady who everyone knew.

Jonas jumped up from his chair as Mrs. McCreary ran to his open arms. Mitchell rose from his own chair.

"Thank God you're alright," she whispered as she buried herself in his chest. "How's Daniel?"

"He's still in critical condition, but Dr. Lam says he's not getting any worse. In fact, he showed some improvement this morning."

"That's good news, isn't it?" she asked excitedly.

"Very good news." Remembering his manners, he asked, "You remember Cameron Mitchell?"

"Yes, I do." She gave him a big hug as well. "Mr. O'Neill told me you captured the kidnappers. Thank you."

"It was my pleasure, Ma'am."

"How did you find her, Jack?" Jonas asked.

"Sam phoned her and asked if she wanted to see you and Daniel. It didn't take much arm- twisting."

"Thanks, Jack."

Mrs. McCreary asked her young ward, "Why would anyone want to kidnap you, Jonas?"

Jonas shrugged. "Money, I guess."

"You can tell her, Jonas," Jack said. Jonas looked up at him in surprise. "She's earned the right to know. If it hadn't been for her, they never would have found you. She deserves to know the truth."

"How much?" Jonas asked.

"As much as you want. She's signed the papers."

Jonas looked into Mrs. McCreary's eyes. "You can't say anything to anyone about this."

Mrs. McCreary placed her hands on Jonas' arms. "You know I wouldn't."

Jonas nodded. "Here, sit down. This might take awhile." Mrs. McCreary sat in the chair recently vacated by Col. Mitchell.

"I'll come back later," Mitchell said.

"You don't have to leave, Cameron," Jonas said. Mitchell nodded his thanks and took an ‘at ease' stance beside General O'Neill.

Jonas took a calming breath and began his tale. "A few floors below us, there's a huge metal ring taller than this room. We call it a Stargate. It was found in Egypt a long time ago and it has a lot of different symbols on it. There are thousands of similar rings on planets all over the galaxy. When we match certain symbols, we can make a sort of tunnel to one of these other planets. Sort of like dialing long distance on the telephone. When we step into the tunnel, we can go to the other planet just like that." Jonas snapped his fingers. "Daniel figured out that the Stargate is an alien transportation device and he figured out how to make it work. He's been going to other planets for a long, long time as a member of a team called SG-1. Jack, here, General O'Neill, was the leader of that team before he became a General, and Sam - Samantha Carter - and Teal'c were members, too. And now Colonel Mitchell is the leader."

Mrs. McCreary glanced up at Jack O'Neill, who nodded.

"Almost four years ago, Daniel travelled through the Stargate to a place called Kelowna. The Kelownans had discovered a mineral similar to uranium here on Earth, but it was much more powerful and much more dangerous. They were doing tests on the mineral when Daniel arrived. You see, they were at war with two other continents on the planet and they hoped to be able to develop a bomb that would end the war. Daniel tried to tell them how dangerous it might be, but they wouldn't listen. Something went wrong with the test and it started leaking radiation. Several scientists died right there. It would have exploded, but Daniel broke through a safety window and took the experiment apart. He saved the lives of millions of people."

She glanced at Daniel's unconscious body. "Daniel would do that."

"He saved my life, too, Mrs. McCreary."

She looked at Jonas, excitement and fear in her eyes. "You went there with him?"

"No," Jonas said, shaking his head. "I was already there. Kelowna was my home. That's where I was born."

Mrs. McCreary sat in silence for a few moments as his statement sank in. "You mean you're not from Canada?"

"No, I'm not." Jonas smiled.

"But you're human!"

"We'll explain all that to you later. It's a long story, but that's another thing Daniel figured out. I want him to tell you himself. I had met Daniel only a few days before the accident, but we became best friends in those few days, and that's when I started falling in love with him."

Mrs. McCreary looked down, her face creased in concentration. "Four years ago. That's when Daniel was lost in the Amazon for a year. He told me he lost his memory and lived with a tribe of natives until he was rescued." She looked back into Jonas' deep, blue eyes.

"Daniel wasn't lost in the Amazon. When he saved all those lives on Kelowna, Daniel received a lethal dose of radiation." He paused. "He died, Mrs. McCreary."

"But. . ." She looked quickly and confusedly at the man on the bed beside her. "I don't understand."

"Daniel will explain this better, too, but, for now, I can tell you that he Ascended to another life form. He became sort of a. . . good ghost. Only the best people with goodness in their hearts can Ascend, and Daniel is one of the best people I know. He became an Ascended Being. I joined the SG-1 team while Daniel was gone, but while he was Ascended, he still took care of us. He helped Jack. . ." (he pointed to the General) ". . .when he was being held hostage and tortured by an evil alien called a Goa'uld, and he helped Teal'c and his friend, too, when they were dying after a huge battle. They were the only two people to survive the massacre."

"This man, Teal'c. He's from another planet, too, isn't he?"

"Yes. He's from a planet name Chulak. He's a very good man, too, Mrs. McCreary. He's one of Daniel's best friends. And he's my friend, too. Teal'c was a slave to the Goa'uld before Jack met him. He used to fight for them, and now he fights against them."

Mrs. McCreary looked away for a moment as she recalled the gold tatoo on his forehead. "A symbol of slavery, and now a symbol of freedom." She nodded. "I understand now."

Jonas continued. "Anyway, a year after he Ascended, Daniel tried to save an entire planet called Abydos when another Goa'uld named Anubis tried to destroy it. But we think Daniel broke the rules of the Ascended Beings by trying to fight Anubis and they stopped Daniel instead. Ascended beings aren't supposed to interfere directly with humans."

"You're not sure if he fought this Anubis?" Mrs. McCreary asked curiously.

"No. They stripped Daniel of his Ascended powers and wiped his memory and made him human again. That's when we found him alive on another planet and brought him home. He didn't remember us at first, but his memory soon started coming back - except for the memories when he was Ascended. They took that away forever."

Again, Mrs. McCreary looked at the unconscious form. "This Daniel would have fought Anubis to save his friends. I can't imagine him not doing anything else when he was. . . ‘Ascended?' Daniel wouldn't let it happen if he could stop it."

"That's what we think, too. When his memories started coming back, Daniel and I started falling in love all over again. He saved my life one more time when he rescued me from Anubis. You see, Anubis had captured me and was torturing me, too, trying to get information out of me. But he couldn't hurt me the way he expected because my genetic make-up is different from yours or anyone else's on Earth, and he wanted to know why. Daniel could have escaped, but he wouldn't leave me behind. He rescued me and found a way to get us back home. That's when I knew I loved him more than anyone else in the world."

Mrs. McCreary continued to stare into Jonas' eyes as she processed what she had just heard. "The kidnappers wanted your genes," she stated as a fact.

"The kidnappers wanted the money," Jonas corrected. "They were going to sell me to a man in Texas. He was the one who wanted my genes, but the kidnappers got greedy and tried to get more money out of Daniel. They drugged me and their drugs worked for awhile, but I woke up a long time before they expected me to. I saw the building and I recognized it from your photo album. That's why I asked you to remember the Ficus. If it wasn't for you. . . ."

Mrs. McCreary took Jonas' hands in his own, stood up, and kissed him on each cheek. "I've heard enough. I did what I had to do," she said quietly. "Now, I want you to do what you must do. Bring Daniel back home again."

"I will," Jonas promised.

Mrs. McCreary released Jonas' hands and stood to look at Daniel. She marvelled at all the wires and tubes and bandages and patches and beeping monitors. She hated seeing ‘her boy' like this. "Can I touch him?" she asked softly.

"Yes," Jonas replied.

She reached out her hand to touch Daniel's cheek with the back of her fingers. "He feels so cold," she whispered. Her fingers moved to his hair and she stroked it with great tenderness, then, balancing herself on the side of the bed, leaned down and kissed Daniel's forehead. "I'll see you soon, Daniel." To Jonas, she said, "If you need anything at all, call me."

Jonas nodded.

"Mr. General? I'm ready to go home now."

Jack extended his arm in official escort fashion and Mrs. McCreary took it. She glanced back with a large grin on her gentle face. "If Mrs. James could see me now!"

* * * * *

Except for a quick shower and a change of clothes each day, and bathroom breaks, of course, Jonas spent every moment with Daniel. He talked to him incessantly when he wasn't visiting with his friends, who visited often. During his first evening with Daniel, he had met the young physiotherapist, Alec, who arrived twice a day to massage and stretch Daniel's muscles. Jonas had watched carefully and had impressed Alec with his dextrous manipulations. He was encouraged to massage Daniel's arms and legs as often as possible.

Teal'c, Sam, and Mitchell were wonderful as well, visiting whenever they could and taking turns bringing him his meals. Often, they would bring their own meals as well and they would dine together. At night, Jonas would pull his chair close, interlock his fingers with Daniel's, kiss him goodnight, and go to sleep.

The nurses continued to pay their regular visits, checking tubes, wounds, monitors, wires, drips, and catheters, and making detailed records of each visit.

It was early evening outside Cheyenne Mountain on Jonas' third day with Daniel. The nurse was with him doing her duties, and Jonas was massaging Daniel's arm and talking to him, telling him all about Andrew and his love of old steam locomotives and about the day he had babysat the boy. His hands suddenly froze in place and his voice fell silent. The nurse spun around, looking anxiously at the monitors. She grabbed a penlight from a pocket in her uniform, lifted Daniel's eyelid with her thumb, and shined the light into it.

"What is it?" Jonas said. There was more than a touch of fear and apprehension in his voice. "What's happening?"

The nurse checked the other eye, flipped off the flashlight and dropped it into the pocket as she ran toward a intercom on the wall near the door. "Dr. Lam to Recovery One, stat!" Her voice echoed throughout the halls of SGC. "Dr. Lam to Recovery One!"

Jonas grabbed hold of Daniel's hand and clutched it tightly. Whatever was happening, he was not about to let go of it.

To Be Continued​

 

[gsdx]

Sorry. I've had big problems with Chapter 25. I knew where I wanted to go with it, but I couldn't get there. I've had to rewrite that chapter twice now. Nothing was working for me, but I finally have something I can work with in editing. Things should move faster for me now.

I also apologize for my medical ignorance and lack of knowledge concerning gun shot wounds. If the wounds I gave to Daniel aren't as life-threatening as I have made them out to be, then I screwed up, but I did the best I could without spending weeks researching them. I hope you can forgive me if I'm totally wrong.

 

[harry113]

I certainly think Daniel's injuries are life threatening. We can't tell if his several times ascended body reacts in the same way as ours. That's my thought anyway.
Great story, you are a master of suspense... keep it up ( the suspense,that is!!)
Thankyou
Harry

 

[gsdx]

I thought I was just getting good at cliffhangers

Thanks for the comments about the injuries. I was hoping I wasn't too far off-base.

By the way, I'm surprised that no-one mentioned the pendent. I thought it would be more fun to blow a hole in his belly than to have the 'killer' bullet bounce off the medallion. That was too cliché, even for Jack O'Neill.

 

[gsdx]

Chapter 23
ECHOES FROM THE DARK​

Dr. Carolyn Lam was on her way to talk to General Landry when the summons came over the speaker system of SGC. She had already called up the elevator and, in a single, eternal moment, her meeting with Dr. McKenzie and General Landry swept through her mind.

* * * * *

They sat at the Briefing Room table. Dr. Lam sat on one side. Dr. McKenzie sat opposite her. General Landry on her right at the head of the table.

"Have you seen the videos which were made or read the transcripts of my interviews with them, General?" Dr. McKenzie asked.

"No, I haven't," Landry replied honestly. "I didn't think they were pertinent to the SGC."

"Perhaps not, but they are pertinent to Dr. Jackson and Mr. Quinn. I highly suggest that you do so. You may gain a better understanding of their situation."

General Landry nodded. Perhaps he should do so. He truly disliked Jonas Quinn, and watching him kiss Dr. Jackson had been deeply disturbing to him. Yet, he couldn't deny that something had occurred - that there was, indeed, a link between the two men that extended far beyond what he had always imagined a homosexual relationship to be. He witnessed genuine love, and he witnessed a genuine reaction to it. There was much more to it than he had originally thought. SG-1 was telling him he was wrong. Jack was telling him he was wrong. Even Carolyn was telling him he was wrong. He was the only one remaining to think himself right.

Dr. Lam aimed her attention across the table. "What can you tell us about what's happening, Dr. McKenzie?"

Dr. McKenzie thought for a moment before beginning. "You told me that Dr. Jackson's injuries were extremely serious. I have known him for many years, and I have followed his relationship with Mr. Quinn with keen interest. I believe both you and General O'Neill when you say that Mr. Quinn is the only reason he is still alive."

Landry folded his hands on the table in front of him as he looked into his memory. "When I was young, I had an aunt and an uncle - my Grandmother's sister and her husband. Aunt Helen was a feeble, sickly, old woman. She lived much longer than any of us ever expected her to. On Christmas Eve one year, my Uncle Arthur died suddenly of a heart attack. Aunt Helen was dead before New Years Day. I remember my Grandmother telling me that Aunt Helen had nothing left to live for."

"The mind is a marvelous machine, General," McKenzie continued. "It can kill a person and it can keep a person alive, no matter what medical science says. In your aunt's case, she stayed alive because your uncle needed her. In Dr. Jackson's case, Mr. Quinn needs him, and he needs Mr. Quinn. His mind's will to survive far outweighs the body's will to die. In order to keep himself from dying, he has literally shut down his brain and put himself into a self-imposed coma."

"The coma isn't real?" Dr. Lam asked with curiosity.

"Oh, it's very real indeed. By shutting down his mind, all his energies can be diverted into repairing his body. However, in this particular case, Dr. Jackson has left a tiny portion of his mind alert to certain stimuli which he can easily recognize and watch for."

"The kiss?"

"Precisely."

"But why a kiss?" General Landry asked. "Why not holding hands, or responding to Mr. Quinn's voice?"

"A valid question, General, and one which is easily explained. Lying on a hospital bed, being tended by doctors and nurses and being visited by his friends, it is reasonable to assume that there would be voices in the room much of the time, and many people would be touching him, either through friendly gestures or through normal medical attendance. For Dr. Jackson to wade through all that input in order to locate Mr. Quinn's voice or touch would take more energy than he could afford to expend. It would, in effect, be like trying to find the proverbial needle in a very large haystack. On the other hand, a kiss would be less frequent, especially on the lips. Many of his friends may kiss him on the cheek or forehead, and they would undoubtedly be ignored as well, even if Mr. Quinn were to kiss him there. But very few people would be likely to kiss him on the lips except Mr. Quinn. When a kiss happens, Dr. Jackson can then safely open his mind briefly and determine who is kissing him. He would easily recognize Mr. Quinn and he would then allow himself to respond accordingly, such as grasping the hand which he felt holding his own hand."

"I see," said Dr. Lam. "So, when Jonas kissed him and Colonel Mitchell was holding his hand, the fingers closed on Colonel Mitchell's hand. If Dr. Jackson recognized the kiss, and then realized that someone was holding his hand, he would simply assume it was Mr. Quinn."

McKenzie nodded. "Precisely. It would take little effort to recognize the touch, but it would take far more energy to identify it."

"Dr. McKenzie," General Landry interrupted, "wouldn't it still take a lot of energy to close his fingers?"

"Not as much energy as it would take for him to identify the hand or to come to consciousness and to speak. That simple gesture of holding the hand has one purpose only, and that is to let us know that Dr. Jackson is still in there. That he is still alive and aware and fighting."

General Landry cast a questioning glance at Dr. Lam. "Like I said to you before, Sir, that is the only voluntary reaction we've had from Dr. Jackson since he was brought in." To McKenzie, she said, "If the coma is self-imposed, does that mean that Dr. Jackson will come out of it on his own?"

"I'm certain of it," Dr. McKenzie replied, "but only when his body is repaired enough to allow him to do so, when it's no longer a danger to his survival. However, it will very likely be very difficult for him to wake up."

"How so?" Dr. Lam asked.

"Is there any brain activity?"

"Very little. Just enough to keep his body working without machines. That is why I suspected brain damage as well. Except for the kisses, the EEGs show very little variation or activity."

"That shows how deep he is inside his own mind," Dr. McKenzie continued. "When he finally comes out of his coma, it's going to be a long and difficult journey. You had best be prepared to help him get back. He may not be able to do it by himself. And I suspect that Mr. Quinn will be the one who has to do it. I suspect he will be the only one who can reach Dr. Jackson in order to help him."

Dr. Lam nodded. "Okay," she said. "What do we have to do?"

* * * * *

Dr. Lam spun on her heels with the memories fresh in her mind and ran back toward the infirmary as quickly as she could. Moments later, she rushed into the recovery room where Dr. Daniel Jackson lay. Jonas was a statue standing beside the bed, clutching Daniel's hand to his chest. The nurse stepped back as Dr. Lam circled the bed and stood opposite Jonas.

Her eyes quickly scanned the monitors as she stuffed the stethoscope into her ears and placed the small disk onto Daniel's chest, listening carefully. She moved it and listened, and then moved it once more. She pulled the stethoscope from her ears, letting it fall into place around her neck, and pulled out her tiny flashlight. Daniel's eyes were moving behind his eyelids. She opened his eyes one at a time with her thumb and flashed the beam of light into them.

With her penlight tucked back into her uniform pocket, she placed her hands gently on Daniel's cheeks as Colonel Samantha Carter burst into the room and stood near Jonas. With her office on the same floor, Sam was the first to arrive. "Dr. Jackson. Can you hear me? It's Dr. Lam. I want you to open your eyes." There was no response. More loudly, she said as she patted his cheeks, "Dr. Jackson! Open your eyes!" Still no response.

She stepped back and removed her hands from Daniel's cheeks.

"It's up to you, Mr. Quinn," she said with a soothing sense of calm. "He's fighting to wake up and he needs you to help him."

Jonas looked at her anxiously, his face still filled with fear and apprehension. "What do I have to do?"

"Talk to him. Make him wake up."

Jonas turned his attention to his lover. "Daniel," he said gently, "it's me, Jonas. Open your eyes. . . Look at me, Daniel. Please, open your eyes."

"Louder," said Dr. Lam.

Jonas clutched Daniel's hand tighter. "Daniel, I want you to open your eyes for me. . . . Do you hear me? Open them. . . . Daniel, please. I need you to open your eyes."

Daniel's eyes still flickered behind his eyelids, but there was no other response. "Don't be so polite, Jonas," Dr. Lam urged. "You have to make him wake up. Don't ask him. Tell him."

Colonel Mitchell and Teal'c arrived in the room and stood on either side of Col. Carter.

Jonas heaved a deep breath. "Daniel, open your eyes! . . . Come on, Daniel, do it! Open your eyes now!" He waited a moment before continuing even louder. "It's me, Jonas! I'm right here and I'm waiting for you! Now open your eyes! . . . Don't you leave me like this, Daniel! Do you hear me!? I need you to come back to me!"

Daniel's eyebrows furrowed slightly and Jonas felt a faint pressure on his hand. Mitchell immediately stepped beside Jonas and placed a reassuring hand on his back. "You're doing it, pal," he said gently and encouragingly. "He's almost here. Now bring him on home."

"Damn it, Daniel, open your eyes!" Jonas was shouting now and squeezing Daniel's hand even tighter. "Listen to me! It's Jonas! I love you and I need you! You have to open your eyes! Please, Daniel! Do it for me! Come back to me, Daniel!"

His brow furrowed once again and a single tear escaped the corner of his right eye and left a small stream of moisture as it rolled down his temple. Behind Jonas, Sam wiped her own tears from her eyes as Teal'c laid a friendly, supportive hand on her shoulder. The pressure on Jonas' hand increased.

Jonas' voice was now a scream reverberating off the metal walls of the recovery room. "Do it now, Daniel! Open your eyes! Come on! Do it! I need you to come back to me!. . . Damn it, Daniel, open your eyes!!"

The room plunged into silence as Daniel's lips parted and he sucked in a small breath of air. His eyes worked desperately behind his eyelids as the lines on the monitors came alive with activity. With agonizing slowness, the eyelids opened part way. Daniel's pale blue eyes came into view. Jonas could hear Sam sniffling behind him.

"That's what I'm talkin' about," Mitchell whispered into the silence. He patted Jonas twice on the back in congratulations and then stepped back to rejoin Sam and Teal'c as Jonas leaned forward.

General Landry entered and stood behind them.

Behind barely-open eyelids, Daniel's eyes moved slowly, seeking and finding the handsome face of his lover, the wet cheeks now deeply pitted with twin dimples. Tears flowed into his eyes and he blinked slowly to push them away. His voice was barely louder than the whisper of a snowflake settling on the ground. "Jonas," he said.

"I'm here, Daniel," Jonas said softly as he wiped the tears from Daniel's face. "I'm right here." He leaned down and pressed his lips against Daniel's. For the first time, Daniel responded and kissed him back. Jonas' own tears fell with silent splashes on Daniel's skin.

"I love you, Daniel," Jonas whispered. Daniel smiled weakly, the corners of his mouth barely moving, but the smile was there nonetheless. Jonas felt a slight pressure on his hand - hardly noticeable - but Jonas could feel Daniel's index finger pressing faintly into his skin. Jonas knew what he was saying, even without words. "I'm holding your hand, Daniel. Can you feel it?" Jonas was rewarded with another press of Daniel's finger. He quickly glanced at the Doctor. "He says ‘yes'. He's using his finger to tell me."

Dr. Lam nodded. "Okay, Mr. Quinn," she said, "you're going to have to do the talking for him."

"Okay."

"Dr. Jackson, can you move the fingers of your left hand, please?"

Daniel's eyes never left Jonas' gaze as the fingers of his left hand moved slightly.

"Can you lift your arm?"

Effort was very apparent on Daniel's face. His eyes closed and his brow furrowed in exertion, but the arm didn't move.

"Okay, you can relax." The Doctor lifted the bottom of the blanket, exposing Daniel's feet. "Tell Mr. Quinn when you feel something. Do you understand?"

Daniel's eyelids slitted open once more. His finger squeezed. "He understands," Jonas said.

She pressed her thumb against his left heel.

"Yes."

Dr. Lam ran her thumb up Daniel's foot, following the outside, until she reached the base of his toes.

"Yes," Jonas said.

Her thumb moved to the foot of his injured leg.

"Yes."

Again, she ran her thumb up Daniel's foot as she watched for any toe reaction.

Once more, Jonas said, "Yes."

"No Babinski," Dr. Lam said.

"Is that good or bad?" Jonas asked anxiously.

"It's good," Dr. Lam assured him. "It means there is no nerve or brain damage."

Jonas impulsively clutched Daniel's hand as Dr. Lam covered his feet. She moved back to the head of the bed. "Dr. Jackson, do you feel dizzy?"

"Yes."

"Nauseous?"

Jonas waited, then said, "No."

"Do you have a headache?"

"Yes."

"Do you feel any tingling in your arms or legs as if they're asleep?"

"No."

"Listen carefully, Dr. Jackson," Dr. Lam said softly. "You have been shot four times. When I name the wound, I want you to tell Mr. Quinn how much pain you feel. Move your finger once for a little pain and twice for a lot of pain. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Left shoulder."

"Little pain," Jonas said after a short pause.

"Right leg."

"Little."

"Chest."

Jonas felt two presses. "A lot."

"Stomach."

"A lot," Jonas said, then suddenly, "Wait!" He paused. "Daniel, I felt four twitches. Was that a mistake? Did you mean to say ‘four'?" Daniel's finger twitched once. "Yes. He meant to say ‘four'."

"It must mean that the stomach wound is much more painful than his chest wound," the Doctor said.

"He says ‘yes'."

Jonas didn't see Cameron Mitchell put his arm around Samantha Carter's shoulder and pull her close. Sam's eyes, as was common is such situations, we're filled to overflowing with tears and she wiped at her cheeks with the knuckle of one finger..

Dr. Lam began examining the bandages, lifting the corners of the ones on his shoulder, chest, and stomach before discreetly pulling back the blanket from the side, exposing Daniel's right thigh and lifting the bandage carefully. All was as it should be. She replaced the blanket over his leg and placed her fingertips on Daniel's abdomen. "Tell Mr. Quinn when you feel extra pain." She pressed her fingers gently into Daniel's body, moving them about as she tested various spots.

Twice, Jonas said, "Yes."

The Doctor then busied herself checking the monitors as she listened through her stethoscope. Placing the small disc near the top of the bandage over Daniel's right lung, she said softly, "Dr. Jackson, I need you to take a deep breath for me. As big as you can, and try to hold it. Can you do that for me?"

Daniel breathed in, his face suddenly contorting in pain and his eyes and jaws clenching against it. More tears spontaneously leaked out of the corners of his eyes as he exhaled quickly.

The room was as quiet as an abandoned tomb except for the sounds of Daniel's panicked gasps of breath. Jonas placed his free hand on Daniel's cheek, his thumb gently caressing the rugged skin. Daniel's eyes opened to narrow slots once more, locking onto Jonas' eyes. Tears flowed freely from them now. Whatever their eyes were saying to each other, whatever Daniel received through the hand on his cheek, the effect was almost immediate. Daniel's breathing began to calm. His face slowly relaxed.

Unnoticed by anyone else, General Landry finally released the breath he had been holding. His thoughts were his own, but, if anyone had the ability to read them, they would have been surprised by them.

The long silence was finally broken by Dr. Lam's voice. "Dr. Jackson, I need you to do it again. You have to work through the pain and take as deep a breath as you can."

Daniel's eyes still reflected the excruciating pain he felt.

"I know it hurts, Dr. Jackson," Dr. Lam said soothingly, "but I need you to try one more time. I won't ask you to do it again. I promise."

Jonas' voice was soft, gentle, and heartening. "Daniel, listen to me. I've got you and I won't let go." Slowly and gently, Jonas lifted Daniel's hand and pressed it against his chest again. "Can you feel my heart?" He felt Daniel's finger press against his hand. "Take as much of my strength as you need."

Daniel's jaws clenched tightly and his hand squeezed Jonas' hand with as much strength as he weakened muscles could muster. Jonas locked his gaze on Daniel's eyes, never blinking, never twitching. He could feel his heart pounding against the back of Daniel's hand. Moments later, the grip relaxed and Jonas stroked Daniel's cheek tenderly, wiping away the tears that now stained his face. "Good," he said with a gentle smile. "Now, concentrate on me. Watch me and breathe in again. Share all the pain with me. Give it all to me."

A few, tense moments passed before Daniel slowly sucked air into his lungs again. His face contorted in agony once more, his body tensing, but his eyes remained open as he drew strength from Jonas Quinn.

Moments later, Dr. Lam said, "Okay, Dr. Jackson, you can relax now. I'm finished."

Daniel relaxed into the bed as Jonas comforted him with soothing strokes of his gentle fingers. Tears flowed freely from both eyes as his brow furrowed with the pain he had just endured. Jonas continued to soothe him with calming words and loving caresses.

"We're finished, Dr. Jackson." Dr. Lam gave a quick order to the nurse who immediately filled a syringe to a prescribed amount from a tiny vial and injected it into the IV tube. Daniel turned his eyes toward her voice. Dr. Lam retrieved her penlight and examined his eyes once more. Finally, she smiled broadly. "You're doing fine. I've given you something for the pain and to help you relax."

Daniel's blinks were much slower now, as if the effort were too great to keep his eyes open. Once again, he sought the eyes of the man he loved so much.

"How do you feel," Jonas said softly with an encouraging smile.

"Tired," Daniel whispered.

"Sleep now, Daniel," Jonas said in a lullaby voice. "I'll be right here when you wake up. I promise." He leaned forward once more and kissed him. Daniel responded, but, a moment later, his lips relaxed. When Jonas came away, Daniel Jackson was asleep.

* * * * *

Dr. Lam pulled the curtain closed as she said to the others, "We'll just be a moment."

On General Landry's order, another bed, already prepared for use, had been wheeled into the room. His mind had been opened these past few days, especially since he had watched the videos and read Dr. McKenzie's interview reports. He didn't totally understand the relationship, but he accepted it now and realized how easily a little prejudice could destroy someone's life and happiness, and even their health. It had been his prejudice which had almost killed Dr. Jackson. He knew that now, and the realization had startled him. Whatever they might feel for each other, and whatever that might make them, Daniel Jackson and Jonas Quinn were deserving of his respect. That was a lesson he would never forget.

"Are you okay, Colonel Carter?" he asked with genuine concern.

Sam nodded. "I'll be fine, Sir," she replied, still wiping tears from her face. Glancing back at the closed curtain, she added, "Everything's fine now."

"I believe Daniel Jackson will make a full recovery," Teal'c mentioned. "His resolve is, indeed, admirable."

"Yeah," Mitchell said. "What Teal'c said."

"Colonel Mitchell," Landry said. "Would you keep me apprized of Dr. Jackson's progress?"

"Yes, Sir."

Landry turned to leave and stopped. "Oh, and see that Mr. Quinn uses this bed instead of that chair." As an afterthought, he said, "If Dr. Lam allows it, push them together, but keep the curtain closed when they're sleeping. It isn't much privacy, but it's the best we can do."

With a nod, Mitchell responded, "Yes, Sir."

"Thank you, Sir," Sam added.

As General Landry disappeared out the door, Sam and Mitchell looked at each other in genuine surprise. Teal'c voiced their unspoken words. "I believe General Landry has altered his thinking concerning Daniel Jackson and Jonas Quinn."

"Push their beds together?" Mitchell asked. "A few days ago, he didn't even want them on the same planet."

Sam shrugged. Jonas had a way of sneaking into people's hearts, as she, herself, knew very well.

Thinking back to his days of being First Prime to Apophis, Teal'c said calmly, "Fear often makes it extremely difficult to deny the truth even when one encounters it face to face. However, as the Jaffa have most adequately proven, it can be done. I believe that General Landry no-longer fears the truth behind Jonas Quinn and Daniel Jackson."

"You can say that again, Teal'c," Mitchell affirmed.

"I do not care to do so, Colonel Mitchell," Teal'c said. "Perhaps you will listen more carefully when I speak the next time."

Sam grinned when she saw the smirk cross Teal's full lips. Mitchell saw it, too, then looked at Sam. "Funny guy," he said with a nod of his head toward his Jaffa friend. "Was he always like this?"

"Ask him about the Horus, the Serpent, and the Setesh guards sometime," Sam replied. "He'll have himself rolling in the aisles."

"A Jaffa joke?" Mitchell asked.

"Deja vu," Sam mumbled as she shook her head and grinned to herself.

"Come on, Teal'c. Let's hear it?"

Fortunately - or unfortunately, the curtain was pulled back again and the three friends turned their attention to Daniel's bed. Jonas sagged limply in his chair, still holding Daniel's hand and staring into his face. Daniel was still hooked up to the IVs, but the oxygen tube was gone, as were all the wires and small, white pads which had been stuck to his forehead. Those attached to his chest remained. Dr. Lam approached them.

"Dr. Jackson is fine," the Doctor assured them quietly. "He's breathing well on his own, but his heartbeat is still weak. He's sleeping now and I don't think he's in danger anymore. To be very honest, I'm astounded at his recovery these past few days ever since he reacted to Mr. Quinn. I'll check him out again when he wakes up, but I think he's out of the critical stage." Looking back at the couple, she added, "Mr. Quinn is something of a miracle worker. I wish now that I had let him in the very first day."

"That is, indeed, good news," Teal'c remarked.

"He still has a long road ahead of him and it's going to take time, but I think he has all the help he's going to need now. I doubt if Teal'c could drag Mr. Quinn from this room."

"Will he have bad scars?" a concerned Sam asked.

Dr. Lam shook her head. "I don't think so. Dr. Culvert is an amazing plastic surgeon. He did all the closings and he'll be coming back again in a few days to check his work. Dr. Jackson may need minor surgery later on after all the wounds heal, but I've known Dr. Culvert for many years. Even Dr. Jackson's worst scars should be barely noticeable."

"Oh, that's good," Sam said.

"Do me a favour," the Doctor said quietly. "Mr. Quinn is exhausted, and this little session has drained him emotionally as well as physically. I don't expect Dr. Jackson to wake up at least until tomorrow, but Mr. Quinn refuses to leave him and get some real sleep." Looking at Teal'c, she added, "Try to convince him."

Cameron Mitchell nodded. "Teal'c is very good at convincing people to do things. We'll handle it. General Landry sent in this bed and said we could push them together with your permission."

Dr. Lam nodded. "You have it. It may be the only way you'll get Mr. Quinn into it. If you will excuse me?" She left the room. The nurse followed her.

Sam and Mitchell approached Jonas as Teal'c moved to the empty bed. Mitchell grabbed Jonas' arm and pulled him out of the chair and out of Daniel's grasp. "Come on, Sparky," he said with authority. "We're rearranging furniture." Sam wheeled the chair away as Mitchell directed Jonas to the end of Daniel's bed. Teal'c pushed the extra bed into the spot they had just vacated and, when it was in position, he locked the wheels.

"Alright, pal," Mitchell said, "it's bedtime for you. Dr. Teal'c's orders."

Jonas glanced at Teal'c, who tilted his head slightly and raised a single eyebrow. "I am a bit tired," he said. He looked at Sam and met her broad smile with one of his own. Then he turned to Mitchell. "I don't deserve friends like you."

"Sure you do. Now, come on. You need to get some sleep."

Jonas nodded. "Thanks, guys. I really mean it." As he climbed onto the bed, Sam pulled the curtain around once more.

"We'll see you later, okay?" she said.

Jonas nodded again and the three friends left him alone in the room with Daniel. He rolled to his side and carefully took Daniel's hand in his own, interlocking his fingers with Daniel's. He was rewarded with Daniel's fingers closing on his. No kiss was required anymore, but Jonas kissed him anyway. "Goodnight, Daniel," he whispered. "I love you."

With the gentleness of a feather, he rested right hand on Daniel's upper arm and wrapped his fingers around the muscle there. He nestled his head into the curve of Daniel's shoulder and closed his eyes. Before the echoes of his friends' receding footsteps faded away, Jonas Quinn was asleep.

* * * * *

During the remainder of the evening and night, the nurses continued their regular visits, making certain all was well. Both Daniel and Jonas slept through it all.

Jonas awoke in the morning. Daniel still slept, but Dr. Lam reassured him that he was no longer in a coma. He was simply sleeping, and he may remain asleep for quite some time. Jonas was not to become concerned about it.

The day passed quickly, with Jonas shaving Daniel again, talking quietly to him, massaging his limbs, performing his physio, and bathing him with a sponge wherever he was able to reach without disturbing him.

Before lunch, he sat down with a pad of paper and made a list. Later, during one of Mitchell's many visits to the recovery room, Jonas showed him the list.

"This stuff stays. Everything else is mine."

Mitchell accepted the ring of keys with the promise that he, Teal'c, and Sam would take care of everything.

That night, Jonas fell asleep once again, snuggled against Daniel. His dreams were happy ones. He and Daniel would be going home soon.

To Be Continued​

 

[gsdx]

Chapter 24
RECOVERY​

Jonas Quinn wasn't aware of the sun shining brightly outside the Cheyenne Mountain Complex when he felt fingers lightly squeezing his hand. He came awake immediately and lifted his head from Daniel's pillow. Daniel was looking at him and smiling. Jonas raised himself up on his left elbow.

"Hi," Daniel said in a whisper.

"Hi," Jonas smiled back.

"Love you."

"I love you, too, Daniel." Jonas leaned his head forward and down. Their foreheads met and they closed their eyes in a moment of togetherness, and then they kissed.

Unseen by either of them, Colonel Cameron Mitchell rose silently from his chair nearby and went to summon Dr. Lam. When he returned with the Doctor, Jonas was lovingly caressing Daniel's hair.

Dr. Lam circled the bed. "So," she said, smiling brightly, "how's my favourite patient?"

Daniel turned his head slowly and met her gaze. "Thirsty," he whispered. "Hungry."

"That's what I want to hear. First things first, though." To Jonas and Colonel Mitchell, she said, "Would you excuse us a moment, gentlemen?"

Jonas rolled off the bed and moved it out of the way before stepping around the curtain to join Mitchell. He hated sleeping in his clothes, but he felt it was only proper that he do so.

"Hi, Cameron," Jonas said as they continued into the hallway. "When did you get here?"

"About an hour ago, I guess."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

Mitchell shrugged. "Jackson's my responsibility now, and that makes you my responsibility, too. Part of that responsibility is making sure both of you get your beauty sleep."

"Thanks, but wouldn't you rather be talking to Sam or Teal'c instead of sitting around here?"

"First of all, once Carter gets past ‘hello', she uses words I have to look up in the dictionary most of the time - if I knew how to spell them so I could look them up. Secondly, the way Teal'c goes on and on, I can't get a word in edgewise."

Jonas smiled. "So you'd rather sit here and watch us sleep."

"Sure. Why not?"

Jonas looked silently and deeply into Mitchell's pastel blue eyes. "I'm so glad I met you, and I'm glad Daniel has you to look after him when he's off-world."

"Well, I'm glad he's got you to look after him here at home."

"Looks like we both have our work cut out for us."

"Yeah," Mitchell sighed, "it's a dirty job, but someone has to do it."

Jonas snorted and glanced at the closed curtain. "Well, with bedpans in my future, I think my job just got a little dirtier."

"I don't think I like him that much," Mitchell said with an exaggerated shiver as Jonas looked back at him.

"If you did, you wouldn't mind the bedpans too much." Jonas turned thoughtful as he looked into Mitchell's handsome face. "Thanks for sticking up for us against General Landry, Cameron. After the way I treated you. . ."

"Oh, pshaw!" Mitchell waved off the compliment. "But if you and Jackson want to keep making new friends, you should really work on your grips. Squishing a guys nuts isn't a very good way to say ‘Pleased to meet you.'"

"It works when you want to say ‘goodbye', though."

Mitchell's eyebrows raised as he remembered the moment. "Yes. It was very effective for that."

Jonas studied Mitchell's face. He saw no animosity in it - no hard feelings. "Would you mind if I drew your portrait?"

"I wouldn't have to get naked or anything, would I?"

Jonas chuckled. "That's up to you, but it's only fair that I tell you that a portrait is from the shoulders up."

"Oh. You mean. . . ." Mitchell raised a pointing finger to his shoulder and moved it several times up and down from there to the top of his head. Jonas nodded, still chuckling. "So I wouldn't even have to put on clean underwear."

"Why would you think you had to take your clothes off?"

"I saw your sketches of Daniel." As he watched the blush spread upward across Jonas' cheeks, Mitchell quickly added, "Sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you. They were very good sketches."

"Daniel doesn't even know about them."

"What did you do? Draw them from pictures or something? They were almost photographs themselves."

Jonas tapped the side of his head.

"Wow," Mitchell exclaimed. "That's incredible. Even da Vinci needed a model for the Mona Lisa."

"Thank you."

"So, you don't even need me to pose for you?"

"Not for a portrait," Jonas replied. "If you want more, you could pose or I could always use my imagination."

Mitchell nodded in thought. "Just how good is your imagination?"

"How good would you like it to be?"

Mitchell had just opened his mouth to answer when the sound of the curtain being pulled back from around Daniel's bed interrupted him. Jonas rushed into the room. The IVs were disconnected now and Daniel no-longer had the heart monitor wires attached to his chest. The head of the bed had been partially raised and Daniel greeted him with a huge smile and a much more comfortable, relaxed look on his face. "I can pee. . . by myself now," he whispered proudly. "I'll need. . . your help, though."

Jonas nodded and bent down for a quick kiss.

"I'm taking Dr. Jackson off the critical list," Dr. Lam said to Jonas with a relieved smile. "It's going to take awhile, but he'll be as good as new before you know it."

Jonas' entire body relaxed at the news, as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. Still, though, he knew that the most difficult portion of his job lay ahead of him.

"Mr. Quinn?" the nurse said, handing him a metal container with a lid and a bent, clear, plastic straw. Jonas turned to Daniel and placed the straw in his mouth. Daniel took a small drink of the water, letting it slosh in his mouth a moment to help clear away the staleness he could taste there. He took another sip.

"Hi, Cameron," Daniel said when he was done.

"Hi, Jackson," Mitchell said. "What can I get you for breakfast?"

"Something light and easy," Dr. Lam suggested.

"Waffles?" Jonas asked. "He likes waffles."

"Waffles are good," the Doctor agreed. "No butter or syrup yet, but if they have fruit or fruit salad, that would be good. And, perhaps, some toast with peanut butter and orange juice?"

"Yummy," Daniel whispered. "Coffee?"

"Sorry, Dr. Jackson. You're not quite ready for that yet. Perhaps some tea later."

Jonas checked his watch. "I don't think they're serving breakfast anymore."

"You want waffles? I'll get you waffles," Mitchell said with determination. "What would you like?"

"I'll just eat whatever Daniel can't eat, thanks."

"Oh, Colonel," Dr. Lam said. "Make sure you get real orange juice and not that packaged mix."

"I'll squeeze it myself if I have to. Be right back." Cameron Mitchell left the room.

Dr. Lam glanced at the two young men in front of her. She could see the effect Jonas was having on Daniel. Life was already coming back into his face. "You can relax now, Mr. Quinn," Dr. Lam encouraged. "Dr. Jackson is out of danger. His heartbeat is getting stronger and everything checks out. We just have to start working on getting his strength back." She sighed heavily. "This is definitely one for the medical books."

"Thank you, Doctor, and please, call me Jonas." To Daniel, he said, "I promised Mrs. McCreary I'd phone her with any news. I think this qualifies." Daniel smiled and nodded as Jonas walked to the telephone on the desk and dialed.

"Hi, Mrs. McCreary. It's Jonas. Daniel's awake. . . . Don't worry. He's fine. He's been taken off the critical list. In fact, we're getting ready to feed him breakfast right now. . . . Yes, real food. No more liquid lunches. . . . I'm not sure. I'll have to talk to Dr. Lam. He's still very weak, but I'll let you know as soon as I find out when I can bring him home. . . . Okay. I'll keep in touch. Thanks, Mrs. McCreary. . . . Yes, I'll certainly do that. . . . Goodbye."

Jonas returned to Daniel's bedside, held his hand, and leaned in to kiss him. "That was from Mrs. McCreary. This one is from me." The kiss from Jonas lasted much longer.

When they were finally finished the kiss and simply losing themselves in each other's eyes, Dr. Lam said, "Mr. Quinn?" Jonas looked up at her. "Sorry. ‘Jonas'. Would you like a nurse to help you with his breakfast?"

"I can feed him. If it's okay with you, I'd like to handle his other ‘personal' matters as well. I just need someone to explain what I need to do."

"Are you certain? We have nurses to do that."

"I want to do as much as I can for him."

Dr. Lam glanced at Dr. Jackson. The look in his eyes told her that he would undoubtedly prefer having Jonas help him in those matters. His modesty wasn't foreign to her. She shook her head in amazement. "General O'Neill was so right about you. I don't think Dr. Jackson could be in safer hands. I'll leave you to your breakfasts. If you need anything, let me know, or ask the nurse. She'll be making regular visits for the next few days and I'll be in to check your wounds, Dr. Jackson."

"Thank you," Daniel said, his voice still hushed.

"Yes, thank you."

After Dr. Lam and the nurse left them alone, Jonas began smoothing Daniel's hair. "You scared the hell out of me, you know that?"

"Sorry."

Jonas stared into the morning-sky eyes of his lover for a long time and became suddenly serious. "I was asleep when you broke into the room, Daniel. I didn't know that man was in the other room or I would have told you. I should have been watching more closely, but I was so happy to see you. I'm sorry. It's my fault you were shot."

"No blame. . . . Safe now. . . . That's important."

Jonas' hand moved to Daniel's cheek. "Then I'm sorry I lied to you and hurt you so badly. I'll never do that again."

Daniel smiled his understanding. "I need you to. . . kiss me again."

It was a slow, passionate kiss this time, and lasted for several minutes.

"Ahem!" Mitchell cleared his throat and put on his best, posh, British butler attitude. "Dinnah is sahved, Sah!" As Jonas turned to retrieve the tray, Mitchell added, "Sorry for the intrusion, but if I waited for you guys to finish sucking face, Jackson would be sending his breakfast out for carbon dating."

Jonas snickered.

"Don't you guys ever get tired of doing that? Never mind. Stupid question."

Jonas carried the tray around to the right side of the bed and set it on a wheeling tray table. Cameron had brought a double order of everything, just in case. Jonas set about slicing the waffles and bananas and preparing the breakfast, replacing the water in the glass with orange juice.

"So, Jackson, how are you feeling?"

"Better." Daniel was beginning to find his voice again, but it was still a harsh whisper.

Mitchell reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out Daniel's glasses. "I've been keeping these for you." He pulled the arms open and set the glasses in place.

Daniel looked at him through the lenses. "God, you're ugly."

"You're not so pretty yourself, pal."

Daniel smiled and blinked. "So, we're still good?"

"Yeah, we're still good."

"Just checking."

"Welcome back, Jackson."

Daniel nodded as best he could. "Thanks, Cameron. . . . I owe you."

"Jonas is going to cook dinner for me when you get out of here. That's good enough for me."

"Enough chatter," Jonas said. "Time to eat."

"I'll come back in a little while," Mitchell said. "General Landry wants to see me."

"That would be good, if you don't mind," Jonas said. "I'd like to go for a quick shower when we're done and I don't want Daniel to be here alone."

Mitchell nodded. "Sure thing. See you soon."

Jonas began feeding Daniel, who seemed to savour every single bite. Daniel felt a bit silly, being spoon-fed like a little baby, but he had little choice in the matter. He couldn't even lift his arms let alone hold a fork.

"I know what you did. . . at the apartment."

Jonas froze and apprehension shadowed his face.

"I understand," Daniel quickly added. "Why did you give back. . . your necklace? . . . Were you really upset. . . at Vala?" The questions took a lot of effort and many shallow breaths, but Daniel needed to know the answer.

Jonas stopped and set the fork onto the tray. Slowly, he pulled the pendent free from his shirt and clutched it tightly in his fist. His eyes locked on Daniel's. "You have to believe me, Daniel. Giving back the necklace was the most difficult thing I've ever had to do in my life. It felt like I was ripping out my heart and putting it in your hands. It's never coming off again. Never."

"That didn't answer. . . my question."

Jonas took Daniel's hand in his own and held it tightly. "I love you more than anyone else in the universe, and I know you love me, too. But I also know that you had a life before me, and I can't expect you to abandon it entirely." Jonas paused, searching his mind for the words which would convey his feelings. "I don't share the urges you feel, Daniel. Until you came along, I never really felt any urges for anyone. I don't expect you to deny them. I only ask that you tell me if they become more important to you than I am."

Daniel said softly, "No-one will ever. . . be more important to me. . . than you."

Jonas smiled and bent down for a ‘thank you' kiss.

Daniel managed to eat three of the four waffles and two slices of the toast, but he drank all of the orange juice and most of what Jonas had left in his glass. Jonas tidied up and wiped away the stray crumbs and orange juice drips from Daniel's face and chest.

"Now," he said as he stood over his Daniel, "do you want the edible toothpaste or do you want to try the real stuff?"

"Edible stuff tastes like. . ."

"Mint-flavoured it is," Jonas finished for him as he set the edible toothpaste back into the shaving kit. From years of observation, he knew exactly how Daniel brushed his teeth and he tried his best to duplicate it. Daniel clenched his teeth and pulled back his lips when necessary, and, without a word spoken, opened his mouth for Jonas at the proper times. He couldn't have done a better job himself. For his part, he managed not to dribble too much when he spit into the dribble cup which Jonas held at his chin.

Mitchell returned as Jonas was shaving Daniel. "Hey, you're getting pretty good at that," he said as he sat down.

Jonas smiled. "It's easier with a face that knows it's being shaved."

"So, Jackson, how do you like all this pampering?"

Daniel responded in a conspiratorial whisper, "A lot."

Mitchell grinned, winked, and whispered back, "Our little secret."

Jonas completed the shave and finished the clean-up as Daniel chatted with Mitchell. He was impressed by the changes in Daniel since yesterday. Colour was returning to his face and his eyelids no-longer drooped as much. He was smiling more often and, with his glasses on, he was looking more and more like Daniel with every passing minute. His face still looked thin and gaunt, but good food would soon change that. Jonas' only wish was that he could cook it himself.

When all was done to his satisfaction and Daniel had been suitably kissed, Jonas said, "I'll go for that shower now."

"Before you go," Daniel said, "I. . . um. . ."

"You ‘what'?"

His eyes flickered downward. When it became obvious that Jonas had no idea what he was talking about, he said, "I have to pee!"

"Oh." Jonas began looking on the shelves behind the bed.

"Is this what you're looking for, Mr. Observant Guy?" Mitchell held out a urine bottle.

Jonas gave him an embarrassed smile and took the bottle from him. "Thanks."

"I'll wait outside," Mitchell said and politely left the room.

Jonas slipped the bottle into position under the blanket and waited until Daniel was finished. He took the bottle into the bathroom, emptied it and washed it out thoroughly, and left it on the sink until he was told how he should sterilize it. He returned to Daniel's bedside, gave him another kiss, and assured him that he would be back soon. He placed his hand tenderly against Daniel's cheek as he stared into his pale, blue eyes. "You are so beautiful, Daniel Jackson."

Daniel smiled his thanks. "Will you marry me?" Daniel stared into the deep, sapphire eyes as Jonas remained silent in thought.

"Let me get back to you on that," he replied with a smile.

Jonas found Cameron Mitchell waiting in the hallway. "I'll be back in about twenty minutes."

"No rush. I'll stay with him."

"You know, you really don't have to be here so much."

Mitchell shrugged. "Nothing better to do. Until Jackson gets back on his feet again, SG-1 is stuck with simple recon missions on boring planets counting plants and trees. Watching the two of you is exciting stuff in comparison."

Jonas looked deeply into Mitchell's eyes. They may have been almost the same colour as Daniel's, but his personality was very different. Still, Mitchell was replete with the same dedication, goodness, compassion, and loyalty that Jonas loved so much in Daniel. He recalled a recent statement Mitchell had made to him. It made him think. Knowing Cameron as he did now, he suspected that, if he had met Cameron at the same time he had met Daniel, it may have been extremely difficult for him to decide which man to fall in love with. Mitchell was the warrior, though. Daniel was the intellectual. That gave him the edge.

Jonas now saw Daniel as a beautiful, sexy man. He had not always done so. That came much later in their relationship. From the moment he had met Cameron Mitchell, though, Jonas had thought him to be extremely handsome and equally sexy. He had been shocked even to have thought about another man in such a manner and he had been even more shocked when he realized how much he had enjoyed his ‘encounter' with Cameron that evening in his apartment. He had been very honest with Cameron when he had admitted that, had Cameron accepted his invitation, he would have been a willing participant. He certainly wouldn't have objected.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Jonas heard his name being called. He blinked and became aware that he was still staring into Cameron's eyes.

"Where in hell did you go?" Mitchell asked with a huge grin on his face.

"Sorry," Jonas mumbled. "I'll. . . um. . . go get that shower now. Thanks for all your help, Cameron." Mitchell was still grinning as Jonas turned and hurried down the hall.

Mitchell joined Daniel again.

"Is he gone?" Daniel asked.

"Yes."

"I need a phone. . . and a phone book."

Mitchell quickly located a telephone outlet near the bed, retrieved the phone from the desk and found a phone book. He carried both back to the bed and plugged the phone into the outlet. "Can't lift. . . my arms yet."

"No problem," Mitchell acknowledged as he flipped open the phone book. "What am I looking for?"

Mitchell ended up doing all of the talking, conveying messages from Daniel. In the end, the transaction was completed successfully.

"Surprise," Daniel said.

"Don't worry, Jackson. I won't say anything."

* * * * *

Daniel napped twice during the remainder of the morning, but, in early afternoon, he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer and nodded off for a longer sleep. Jonas was assured by Dr. Lam that this was to be expected and should be encouraged. Daniel needed plenty of rest and the Doctor appointed Jonas with the task of seeing that he got it. At the first signs of tiredness, Jonas was to clear the room and to let Daniel sleep.

General Landry arrived for a visit a short time after Daniel awoke from his nap. He acknowledged each man with a nod. "Dr. Jackson. Mr. Quinn."

"General," both Daniel and Jonas said at the same time as Jonas rose to his feet.

"At ease, Mr. Quinn," the General said politely.

Jonas sat back down.

"Everyone taking good care of you, Dr. Jackson?"

"Yes, Sir," Daniel replied, his voice still hushed. "Thank you."

General Landry stood with his arms straight at his sides. "Dr. Lam tells me your recovery has been something of a miracle. She also tells me that it's all because of Mr. Quinn."

Both Daniel and Jonas waited impatiently for what was to follow.

"I'm now convinced of that as well," the General said finally. They were interrupted by a nurse entering the room. General Landry turned to her. "Could you come back in a few minutes, please?" The nurse nodded, then swiftly turned and walked out the door.

Turning back to face the two young men, he continued. "I've always taken pride in thinking that I'm an open-minded, non-judgmental man. It took this incident to make me realize that I'm not. I had prejudged both of you and closed my mind to your relationship, and my prejudice almost killed you, Dr. Jackson. Please accept my apologies."

When the General held out his hand to Daniel, Jonas said quickly, "He can't lift his arm, Sir."

The General took Daniel's hand and gave it a tentative, gentle squeeze. Daniel responded with a firmer grip. "I truly am sorry, Dr. Jackson."

Daniel smiled. "Thank you, Sir. . . I'm sorry, too."

"For what?"

"First day. Your office."

"All water under the bridge, Dr. Jackson." General Landry released Daniel's hand. "If either of you need anything at all, let me know and I'll see that you get it. Has Dr. Lam put you on a special diet?"

Jonas responded. "No, Sir. She's going to make up a list from things available at the commissary that we can choose from."

"Well, then," the General concluded with a nod of his head. "Mr. Quinn, I do hope you can forgive me for the way I treated you." He held out his hand and Jonas took it into a firm shake.

"Think nothing of it, Sir," Jonas replied. "No harm done."

General Landry nodded. "Thank you. Now, you take good care of Dr. Jackson. And if you need anything for yourself. . . ."

"Really, Sir," Jonas said, "I'm fine."

Landry nodded. "If you will excuse me, then, I must get back to my office."

"Thank you, Sir," Daniel said once more, and General Landry left the recovery room.

* * * * *

"Do you remember me telling you about the guy that was cruising me at the library?" Jonas was saying in response to Daniel's question.

Daniel nodded.

"That was Corey. At least I thought he was just cruising me at the beginning, but when I found the telephone transmitter that night after he left, I knew he was in on the kidnapping."

"Sam said you. . . kissed him."

"He kissed me, Daniel. Anything that happened, Corey did it."

Daniel's eyes fixed themselves onto Jonas' gaze. "You didn't. . . um. . ."

"Never. Corey tried, but I wouldn't let him. I would have done anything for you, Daniel, but having sex with Corey wasn't one of them."

Silence filled the room for many heartbeats. "What about Cameron? . . . He said you. . . came onto him."

"I won't lie to you, Daniel," Jonas said as he held Daniel's gaze. "I did more than that. I propositioned him."

Daniel paused, thinking, then asked, "What if he had. . . said ‘yes'?"

Jonas fell silent, knowing that he had to tell the truth to Daniel, but also knowing that he feared telling it. "If he had said ‘yes'," he said finally, "I would have done it." He looked away from Daniel and said softly, "And I think I would have enjoyed it."

Daniel looked away, too, deep in his own thoughts.

Jonas found the silence disturbing and frightening. "You're mad at me, aren't you?"

Daniel caught Jonas' sad eyes. "No. . . I would only be mad. . . if I wasn't so sure. . . that I would have. . . enjoyed it, too."

They fell silent then, each looking deeply into the other's eyes and finding the love and devotion in them. It was still there, and neither of them could imagine it ever going away.

Daniel's voice was a whisper. "I need you to. . . kiss me, Jonas."

They were still kissing when a voice shattered the silence in the room. "Delivery for Jonas Quinn."

They looked up to see Sam bouncing across the floor, a big grin on her face and a long, white box wrapped in blue ribbon in her arms. She set the box into Jonas' extended hands. "They were delivered to the front gate. I was heading back to my lab and I found the Private wandering the halls looking for your room."

She located a large pitcher and filled it with water. It would make a suitable substitute for a vase. When she turned back from the sink, Jonas was still holding the closed box in his hands and kissing Daniel again. "You can do that later. Let me see what you got."

Jonas set the box on the bed beside Daniel and carefully opened it. When he pulled back the tissue, Sam gasped. "Oh, my! They're beautiful!" She watched as Jonas lovingly lifted the blooms from their container and placed them into the water pitcher. Both he and Sam leaned in to smell the magnificent aroma. Behind him, Sam could see the smile on Daniel's face and the look of absolute joy in his eyes. What she wouldn't give to have a man who loved her enough to send her a dozen orchids.

Jonas took the pitcher from Sam and placed it on the rolling tray.

"How are you feeling, Daniel."

"Better. . . . I want to go. . . home."

Sam smiled and nodded. "I'm sure Dr. Lam won't keep you here any longer than necessary. Look, I'm heading down to the canteen for a snack. I'll bring something back if you'll join me."

"I'd love a. . . big, fat steak. . . with a heap. . . of mashed potatoes. . . and gravy, . . . but I'll settle. . . for a sandwich. . . and dessert. . . . What can I have?"

Jonas checked the list left by Dr. Lam. "Ham and cheese, chicken, or turkey. No mayo. For dessert, any fruit pies, muffins, Jell-O, white or carrot cake, banana cake. No ice cream, though."

Daniel thought for a moment. "Ham, I think, and. . . pumpkin pie. . . . Maybe a blueberry muffin. . . if they have them."

"Jonas?"

"Just a ham sandwich, thanks."

"I'll be right back," Sam said and walked out the door.

"It's so good to have her back," Jonas said.

Daniel nodded and looked at the orchids, the gentle scent reaching his nostrils. "Jonas?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you for. . . taking care of me."

"There isn't anything in the world I would rather be doing, Daniel."

Daniel bathed himself in the startling waters of Jonas' blue eyes. "Hold my hand."

Jonas did, and he smiled. The deep, welcome indentations of his dimples appeared spontaneously.

"Jonas Quinn? . . . Will you marry me?"

"Yes, Daniel Jackson. I will."

Their hands gripped each other.

"I love you. . . so much," Daniel said sweetly.

"Not half as much as I love you," Jonas replied.

* * * * *

Daniel fell asleep during Sam's visit. He had eaten most of his own sandwich and half of Jonas' sandwich as well. The pie and muffins remained on the tray for later.

"Wow," Sam remarked. "He doesn't usually nod off when I'm talking about ancient ruins."

Jonas' response was speedy and filled with reassurance. "Dr. Lam told me we have to expect this for the next few days. I saw him getting sleepy awhile ago, but he was so exited listening to you, I couldn't send you away."

Sam pulled her lips back in a tight line. Her own excitement about the ruins would just have to wait for another day. "We're heading out tomorrow morning for another recon, but we should be back tomorrow evening. I'll come by to see him again, and I'll bring the pictures."

"He'll enjoy that."

Sam rose to her feet and Jonas stood up as well. She kissed him on the cheek. "See you tomorrow."

"You bet."

When she was gone, Jonas pulled out his art pad, opened it to the first blank page, picked up a carbon pencil, and began his sketch of Colonel Cameron Mitchell.

Mitchell arrived later bearing gifts and finding Daniel awake again. "Happy birthday," he said as he handed a white, plastic bag to Jonas. Inside were six pairs of pyjamas, two each of powder blue, midnight blue, and shiny silver. "Three for each of you. They're new. I just had them washed."

"You didn't have to do that, Cameron."

Mitchell shrugged. "You don't have any, and I'm sure Daniel would prefer these over that green sandpaper the Doc would stick him in."

"Not fun," Daniel said.

"Besides, you'll match. Now, what do you want for supper?"

* * * * *

Later that evening, Jonas had his first encounter with a bedpan. With a nurse guiding him, Jonas quickly learned what he had to do and how to clean sterilize the pan and the urine bottles afterwards. In his mind, Daniel checked off one more item that he no-longer had to worry about. His modesty didn't apply to Jonas Quinn.

With the room now empty and the curtain pulled, Jonas carefully put a pair of pyjama bottoms on Daniel, then stripped and pulled on a pair himself. With the beds pushed together once more, he arranged the blankets on Daniel's bed so he could share them. He cuddled next to Daniel, kissed him goodnight, and nestled his head into Daniel's shoulder. With their fingers interlocked and the scent of each other lingering with each breath they took, they fell asleep.

To Be Continued​

 

[harry113]

GSDX thank you for a fantastic tale,
so very well written

 

[gsdx]

Thanks. I'm almost at the end of the story now. There will be at least 3 chapters to come - probably 1 or 2 more. There's still a few more things I want to get in before I wrap it all up.

Unfortunately, the posted chapters are catching up with the writing. I had major problems with Chapter 25 and it took 3 complete rewrites before I got something I could work with. I'm not really happy with it, but it will have to do, I suppose. It gets me where I want everyone to be. I'll have to slow down a bit in the updating, I think, but I'm writing as fast as I can.

 

[gsdx]

(By the time I finished proofing and editing Chapter 25 yesterday, I had enough stuff for two chapters, so I divided it. It makes for a shorter read and gives me more time to finish writing the rest. Hope you don't mind. - Neil)

Chapter 25
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS​

With SG-1 away on recon, Jonas began his first day of Daniel's rehabilitation. He was determined to get Daniel out of the SGC and back home as quickly as possible. Daniel was still asleep and, after a light kiss on the forehead, Jonas climbed out of bed, grabbed up his clothes, and headed for the bathroom for a quick wash and change. He then headed out to get breakfast for the two of them, including an assortment of fruits for snacks during the day. On his return, he set the tray on the rolling table and leaned over Daniel to give him a proper ‘good morning' kiss. Daniel came awake.

Jonas leaned back again, looking down into the handsome face of his best friend.

Daniel smiled. His eyes were bright and alert though his eyelids still gave him a tired look. "I like waking up. . . like this." His voice was stronger, but his sentences were still chopped due to the shallow breaths he had to take when he talked. That would change, Dr. Lam had explained, as his lung healed. It would just take time.

Jonas took care of Daniel's toilet needs before moving his bed to the side. He raised the head of Daniel's bed and lifted the lid of the breakfast tray to expose their meal. Besides the waffles and toast, there was a bowl of freshly-sliced strawberries, several bananas, apples, and oranges, four fruit muffins, glasses of orange juice and milk, and a steaming bowl of oatmeal flavoured with a touch of brown sugar and cinnamon. ‘Power food', Jonas thought, and all approved by Dr. Lam.

With a napkin laying over Daniel's neck and upper chest, Jonas fed him bite by bite. Daniel ate all the waffles, each piece fortified with a slice of strawberry, and all the oatmeal. He managed to eat two of the four slices of toast and peanut butter, and drank both glasses of milk. Jonas munched his own breakfast as he fed Daniel. The fruit, muffins, and the remaining strawberries, as well as the orange juice, were set aside for later.

Dr. Lam arrived to check Daniel's wounds as Jonas was massaging Daniel's arms and legs. Jonas watched intently as the Doctor lifted each bandage and examined each wound carefully. At his request, she explained in detail what changes she was looking for which might indicate problems or infections. Daniel was still receiving antibiotics, but that didn't necessarily mean that things couldn't go wrong. The leg and shoulder wounds were healing well although it would take time and exercise for Daniel to build up the muscles again and to get back full movement of his left arm. His chest wound was also healing well, but breathing would be painful for a few days more as his lung mended itself. The stomach wound was still seeping fluids, but that was to be expected.

"All in all, Dr. Jackson," the Doctor said, "you're in pretty good shape for a man who was almost dead a few days ago."

The physiotherapist, Alec, arrived later that morning, and Jonas called in Dr. Lam to supervise the strength-building exercises he had asked Alec to show him. Dr. Lam nixed only two of the exercises, fearing that they would put too much strain on the injuries, and told Jonas what he should look for when they were finished. She didn't anticipate any problems, but it was certainly prudent to be aware of how Daniel's exertions might affect his wounds.

With the exercises and their recommended repetitions clear in his mind, Jonas mentally set up a daily regimen which he put into place immediately. He apologized to Daniel only once when the exercises first brought him to tears. With a kiss of understanding, Jonas said, "I'm sorry, Daniel, but we have to do this."

"I know," Daniel replied with effort as he talked through the pain and tears. "It hurts."

"It hurts me to see you in pain like this, and it hurts me more to know that I'm causing it." Jonas paused to wipe tears from Daniel's cheeks and to smooth out his hair. "I love you, Daniel. I want us to be at home where we belong. I want us to sleep in our own bed and to eat our own food. I want to take care of you. But I have to do this first."

Daniel was swept into the deep, blue oceans of Jonas' eyes. He saw so much love in them. "I want that, too," he said, and he smiled through his tears. "Do what you. . . have to do."

Jonas bent down to kiss him. "I didn't really have to do that. I just wanted to."

A large smile crossed Daniel's lips as the ran his tongue over them and tasted Jonas there. "Do you want to. . . do it again?"

Jonas' response was long and passionate.

* * * * *

The next day, Daniel greeted his friends by lifting his right arm and waving to them. A huge smile was plastered onto his face, mirrored by the grins of congratulations on the faces of his teammates.

Sam spoke first. "That's wonderful, Daniel!"

"It is indeed," said Teal'c.

"Great!" Mitchell announced. "So, feel up to racquetball this afternoon?"

"How about chess?" Daniel asked.

"I suck at chess."

"Good," Daniel smiled slyly.

"Oh, Cameron," Jonas said suddenly, "I have something for you." He retrieved his sketch pad and opened it to a full-colour, pastel portrait, complete with the tiny moles on the left side of his mouth and the one on his lower left eyelid.

"Wow," Sam said. "That's incredible. Do you have me in there somewhere?" Jonas flipped pages until he found Sam's portrait. Sam nodded approvingly.

Finally, he turned to the portrait of Teal'c and held it up. "Your talent is commendable, Jonas Quinn."

"Thanks."

That night, after Jonas had set up the beds, he opened his right arm - an invitation to Jonas.

Jonas looked down at the arm, knowing what it was that Daniel wanted to do. "No, Daniel," he said. "It's too soon. I might hurt you."

"You won't. . . hurt me."

Still, Jonas hesitated.

"Please."

Jonas eased himself into the space offered by Daniel. His head came to rest on Daniel's shoulder and his body pressed into Daniel's side. His arm, bent abruptly at the elbow, came to rest upon Daniel's chest, carefully avoiding the bandaged wounds. Daniel's arm came up then, wrapping itself around Jonas' strong back. A sigh escaped his lips.

That night, Jonas slept while Daniel held him. They slept better that night than they had in a long time.

* * * * *

Daniel grew stronger each day and soon was able to get out of bed with Jonas' assistance and sit in a wheelchair. His first ride was to the bathroom. Jonas stayed with him to help, of course, but Daniel took extreme pleasure in being able to sit on the toilet again in total privacy. Jonas took the opportunity to push Daniel up to the sink in order to do a quick shampoo and rinse of his hair. Until he could get Daniel into a shower again, it would have to suffice.

Daniel's second ride, the next afternoon, was to the surface. It had seemed like forever since he had felt the soothing warmth of the sun on his face and he sat in the sunshine for almost a half- hour. Jonas sat on the ground beside him, his arm resting on Daniel's uninjured thigh, his hand holding Daniel's hand. Few words were spoken. The sounds of the world around them spoke to them instead.

"Promise me," Daniel as Jonas wheeled him back to their room inside the mountain. "I want to be. . . in the Gate Room. . . when SG-1 leaves. . . on a mission."

"You'll be there if I have to carry you," Jonas promised.

* * * * *

The next morning, Daniel ate breakfast in the commissary. He was understandably nervous. He could eat by himself now, although Jonas still had to prepare his food for him. His left arm still wasn't strong enough to do the job. But, he became easily fatigued and, when eating, his arm would begin to shake and Jonas would then have to finish feeding him.

Jonas knelt before him in the hallway, holding both his hands in his own. "I won't let you embarrass yourself, Daniel. The sooner we can prove to Dr. Lam that you can do these things, the sooner we can go home, and I'm not going home until you do."

"I want to. . . go home, too."

Jonas stood up, leaned in for a quick kiss, then pushed the wheelchair down the hall and into the commissary.

Daniel was greeted with cheers, whistles and applause. Even the canteen staff paused in their duties in order to participate. Sam, Mitchell, and Teal'c were already there and they joined in the celebration as well. Everyone was standing. Always the modest one, Daniel dropped his chin to his chest, but his broad, happy smile belied his humility. He was enjoying every moment.

Mitchell's voice could be heard even above the din. "That's what I'm talkin' about!" He pulled his chair out of the way and moved around to sit beside Sam. Jonas pushed the chair into the empty spot and left Daniel to talk with his teammates as he went through the line to pick up their breakfast. Along with the prerequisite waffles and toast and juice, Jonas had also picked up a supply of fruits and muffins for snacks later in the day.

Daniel managed to eat almost half his breakfast when Jonas noticed the fatigue beginning to set in. The moment Daniel's hand began to shake, Jonas calmly reached out to take the fork out of his grasp. "Do you want to go back to the room?"

"No," Daniel replied quietly. "I'll stay. Help me?"

Jonas continued to eat as he fed Daniel as well, but soon noticed Daniel's hand twitching slightly as it lay in his lap. He looked at Daniel and Daniel looked at him. Daniel was smiling weakly, but his eyes told a different story. "Are you okay?"

"Feeling dizzy," Daniel said in a loud whisper.

Jonas jumped up from his chair and began gathering the snack foods onto one tray. "We have to go," he said.

"Do you require any assistance, Jonas Quinn?"

"Thanks, Teal'c, but I'll manage," Jonas replied with an appreciative smile. "There won't be anyone to help me at home, so I might as well get used to doing it by myself." Teal'c nodded. Jonas carefully set the snack tray onto Daniel's lap. "Can you hold this?" Daniel nodded.

"Daniel, I have those photos of the ruins ready," Sam said. "I'll come by with them a little later."

"I can't wait."

Back in their room, Jonas took the tray and set it on the rolling table, then quickly opened Daniel's robe and checked the stomach wound. All looked as it should. "Do you need to go to the bathroom?"

"No."

Jonas slipped the robe from Daniel's shoulders and arms, then helped him out of the chair and into the bed. Daniel sighed and immediately relaxed into the pillow. "We did it," he said proudly.

"Yes, we did, Daniel." Jonas smiled and kissed him before reaching for the shaving kit and the toothpaste.

* * * * *

Daniel was sitting up in bed when Sam arrived with a laptop computer. Sam and Jonas stood at the head of the bed on opposite sides so they could see the screen. The excitement in Daniel's voice as he scanned the photos could not be disguised. "I have to. . . see this place," he said. "They're definitely. . . Mayan, but. . . there are Egyptian influences. . . as well. Did you take any. . . close-ups of these. . . engravings?"

"They were pretty dirty and eroded, but I managed to enhance them a bit with the computer," Sam said. "I put them in a separate folder." Daniel called up the menu, his fatigue and dizziness now totally dismissed. "Here," Sam said as she pointed to the screen.

Daniel's eyes lit up with excitement and his eyebrows rose high on his forehead as he spoke quickly. "They combined the. . . two languages. . . and came up with a. . . brand new language! . . . Do you know what. . . that means?" Without waiting for an answer, he set the computer aside and began to swing his legs off the bed. "I've got to. . . get to my lab!"

Jonas grabbed his shoulders and held him back. "Oh, no you don't. Not today."

Daniel settled back into the bed, but his face remained anxious. "Jonas, please! . . . I can do this. . . . I need to be. . . doing something!"

Jonas shook his head. "You're staying right here," he said with authority. "Tell me what books you want and I'll go get them." When the list was narrowed down to only four books, Jonas went to retrieve them.

"What does it mean, Daniel," Sam asked.

Daniel began explaining in his short, broken sentences, wincing occasionally as his excitement caused him to breathe more deeply than he should. "For years, we've been trying to figure out why the Mayan and Egyptian cultures could be so similar, yet so different at the same time. My father was convinced that the Mayans were an off-shoot of the Egyptians, but he could never explain how they managed to cross the ocean. I always suspected the Mayans were a totally separate culture but they had a common influence. About twenty thousand years ago, the Bering Strait was still a land bridge. That's the stretch of water between Russia and Alaska. Eastern Asians crossed that bridge and settled into North America as Inuit and Native Americans."

"Inuit?" Sam asked.

"Eskimos, but they call themselves Inuit," Daniel said. "The point is, over thousands of years, they expanded southward and created their own separate cultures. The Mayans settled in the Yucatan about five thousand years ago."

"Around the same time as the Egyptians were building pyramids for the Goa'uld."

"Yes. They may never have had contact with each other on Earth, but they had the same influences. And, if I'm right about these pictures. . . ."

Daniel didn't have to finish the sentence. Sam knew exactly what he meant. If he was correct, he had just discovered an entirely new culture - a Goa'uld melding of Mayan and Egyptian cultures. If Daniel was as excited about this as she was when she figured out how to work the Naquadah reactor, she knew precisely what he was feeling.

* * * * *

Daniel Jackson sat in his wheelchair, the laptop set on his lap. Jonas sat on the bed nearby. Sam sat beside him. Colonel Mitchell and Teal'c stood off to the side.

"Intriguing, Dr. Jackson," General Landry said as he looked down at the laptop. "How important is this?"

"It's very important, General." To Jonas, he said, "Jonas?"

"General, Daniel has asked me to do the talking for him," Jonas began. "Every planet that the SGC has visited which was inhabited by humans, their cultures were based upon a single Earth culture. It's like the Goa'uld scooped up an entire city and plopped it down on another planet and let them go about their business. Many of these cultures were later abandoned by the Goa'uld and left to fend for themselves. In some cases, other alien races took over the care of these people. The Asgard took over as the Gods of the Scandinavian planets, such as Cimmeria. The shape-shifters destroyed the Goa'uld on Tonane's planet and remained under the guise of the Salish spirits. Even the people from the Land of Light had the crystal skull giant, Quetzelcoatl, to watch over them. This is the first instance of a culture created from two separate cultures. From them, an entirely new culture was created, complete with its own language which they developed on their own by melding their own languages."

"Can I ask a stupid question?" Colonel Mitchell asked.

"Better than. . . anyone else. . . I know, Cameron," Daniel said.

Mitchell's face and voice took on definite sarcastic tones. "Ha ha," he said. "Now I know why Vaudeville's dead."

"Who is this Vaudeville?"

"It's an old form of entertainment, Teal'c," Mitchell said. "Your Jaffa jokes would have fit right in."

"I see," said Teal'c as he raised his eyebrow.

Mitchell scrunched his face into one of disbelief. "No, you don't!" he admonished.

Teal'c lowered his eyebrow, puffed out his chest, and raised his head in a regal fashion. "I was being polite, Colonel Mitchell."

Mitchell eyed Teal'c closely, gave him a double-take, then calmly went back to his conversation. "Anyway, there's something that has always bothered me. When you watch Si-Fi shows on television, all the aliens speak English. I always thought that was stupid. I mean, what did they do? Put translator chips in them or something?"

"It's television, Cameron," Daniel said.

"I know that, but why do all the humans we run into always speak English, no matter where they came from?"

"Not all of them do."

"Most of them do, and the ones that don't speak English usually speak a language you can understand with that brain of yours."

Daniel opened his mouth to speak, then suddenly pursed his lips together as his brow furrowed in deep thought. Sam shook her head and Jonas merely shrugged.

"The answer is abundantly clear, Colonel Mitchell." All eyes turned toward Teal'c.

When Teal'c did not elaborate, Mitchell said, "Well?"

"You wish me to explain?"

"D'uh! I wouldn't have asked the question if I didn't want the answer."

Again, Teal'c raised his head in a regal manner and said simply, "Commonality."

Mitchell scrunched one side of his face into a confused grimace. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Of course!" Daniel said excitedly. "Why were humans. . . taken from Earth. . . in the first place?"

Sam supplied the response. "To be used as slave labour and Jaffa."

"Exactly," Daniel continued. "But the Goa'uld couldn't. . . create an army. . . from stolen Jaffa. . . if everyone spoke. . . a different language."

"But, why English? It wasn't very popular back then. Why not Egyptian, or French, or Latin?"

No-one had an answer for that one until General Landry suggested, "Luck of the draw?"

Teal'c nodded. "That sounds reasonable, General Landry."

"Okay, I'll give you that," Mitchell began, "but what about. . ."

"Colonel, please," said the General. "Now, where were we. Mr. Quinn?"

"Thank you, Sir," Jonas said. "As I was saying, all the planets we've visited have had a basis in a single Earth culture. These ruins show that there were two diverse cultures forced to live together and, between them, they created an entirely new culture and language. The ruins are obviously very old and the U.A.V. didn't show any current human habitation. What happened to them?"

"Maybe it was. . . an experiment," Daniel interjected. " Maybe it didn't work. Maybe the two cultures. . . destroyed each other. Maybe the Goa'uld destroyed them. . . because they figured out. . . that the Goa'uld weren't. . . really Gods." Daniel pointed at the laptop screen. "That's what I hope. . . this well tell us."

"How long before you can have a translation for us, Dr. Jackson?"

Daniel glanced at Jonas again to offer the explanation. "This isn't a simple matter of translating the two languages, General," Jonas replied. "This is an entirely new language created from both languages. They didn't just mix both languages into a sentence. They took a Mayan hieroglyph and an Egyptian hieroglyph and combined the two into a new hieroglyph. We have to learn how to read it, first."

"And more detailed excavation of these ruins may hold the answers." General Landry made it more a statement than a question.

"Yes, Sir," Daniel said.

Landry nodded. "Very well, then. I'll send out Conners with SG-14 tomorrow."

"Could you send. . . Nyan, Sir? Kurt doesn't know enough. . . about the Mayan culture. Nyan knows both Mayan. . . and Egyptian. . . and he knows almost. . . as much as I do. And he's not. . . as reckless as Kurt."

"Nyan is off-world until next week, but I'll make arrangements to send him there as soon as he's rested up and finished with his reports."

"Thank you, Sir."

General Landry heaved a deep breath and glanced around. "Well, then." His focus finally turned to Jonas. "It looks like you're taking good care of Dr. Jackson."

"Yes, Sir."

"Carry on, Mr. Quinn," Landry said with a smile and a quick nod. "I expect him to be returned to active duty yesterday. The Ori don't appear to be quite as patient as we are and we need Dr. Jackson out there. He knows the Ori better than anyone else."

"I will, Sir."

With final nods to the small group of friends, General Landry took his leave.

* * * * *

Daniel's recovery advanced at a rapid pace. Jonas continued the rehabilitation exercises and, except for one ‘bad day', Daniel ate all his meals in the canteen. As long as weather permitted, they spent more and more time outside the confines of Cheyenne Mountain, often just sitting together and reading. Daniel began to spend time in his lab, sitting at the desk with Jonas by his side as they tried to decipher the new Mayan/Egyptian alphabet. The work was laborious and slow, but Daniel met the challenge with his custom enthusiasm.

Daniel could walk to the bathroom now, no-longer requiring the wheelchair, but he still needed Jonas' support to get him there and back. Sponge baths were a thing of the past. Each morning, during their visit to the bathroom, Daniel would sit on the toilet and, together, he and Jonas would wash his front side and under his arms. Then he would stand and lean against the wall as Jonas washed his back. Finally, he would lean over the sink for a quick shampoo and rinse.

The shoulder and leg bandages had been removed, although the chest and stomach bandages would remain for awhile yet. His breathing became easier each day and Daniel was able to speak more complete sentences without having to stop for a short breath of air every few words unless his excitement overwhelmed him. Only when he pushed himself to near exhaustion did he succumb to bouts of dizziness.

Dr. Lam was suitably impressed following her examination that Tuesday afternoon and was astounded with Daniel's progress. Unless something drastic happened, she announced, Daniel would be released from the hospital in four days.

Daniel could barely contain his exhilaration as he sat on the side of the bed and dialed the telephone. He counted four rings before the receiver was picked up. "Hello, Mrs. McCreary? It's Daniel. We're coming home! . . . No, not right now. Dr. Lam wants to keep me here. . . until Saturday. . . . I can't wait to see you, too. Sorry I wasn't very good company. . . when you were here. . . . I'll be careful. I want to come home. . . . Okay, thanks. I'll see you soon. . . . Okay, bye."

Daniel's face radiated the excitement he felt inside as said to Jonas, "I'm going home!"

"We are going home, Daniel," Jonas replied with a smile which mirrored Daniel's smile.

Daniel leaned forward, stretching himself toward Jonas lips. It was the happiest kiss they had shared since Daniel woke up so many days ago.

* * * * *

"We're going home on Saturday," Daniel announced when he and Jonas met their friends for dinner. With a glance to Mitchell, he added, "Don't say it, Cameron."

"Say what?"

"I believe Daniel Jackson is referring to your common retort: ‘That is what I am talking about'."

"Thank's, Teal'c," Daniel said as he rolled his eyes.

"You are most welcome, Daniel Jackson."

Mitchell leaned toward Sam. "He is a funny guy!"

Teal'c nodded as a sly smile curled one corner of his lip.

Sam rose from her chair, circled the table, and planted a kiss on Daniel's cheek. "That's great news, Daniel," She said happily. "I bet you've already started packing."

Daniel glanced down his body, pulled the belt of his bathrobe tighter, then spread his hands in a ‘finished' gesture. With a grin, he said, "All packed!"

"Speaking of which," Jonas said to the three, "if you aren't busy for the next day or two, could you take turns watching over Daniel for a few hours? I have to do some serious grocery shopping before we go home and I want to pick up some other clothes for Daniel and myself. I don't want him going home in his PJs."

Daniel interrupted him. "What about all those dinner packets. . . in the freezers? We can eat those."

"They were for you so you could have a decent meal without going to restaurants. No microwave dinners for us while I'm in the house. I'll give some to Mrs. McCreary and to anyone else who wants them."

"Hello!" Mitchell said, his arms above his head, his index fingers pointing down. "Mr. Can't Cook Hotdogs here!"

"You can have first pick, Cameron," Jonas grinned. "Teal'c? Maybe you can make arrangements to get a microwave in your room, or to use the one here." Teal'c nodded. "Sam?"

"If there's anything left when the Colonel paws through it, I'll have a look-see," she said, and then suggested, "I'll do your shopping for you, Jonas."

"No, Sam," Jonas objected, "there's too much to buy."

"I'll get Mrs. McCreary to go with me. She knows your usual brands. And Colonel Mitchell can go with us to carry it all in."

"Me!?" Mitchell leaned back in his chair and placed his hands over his blue-jacketed chest. "Do I look like a bag boy?"

"No, you look like someone who wants to help his friends."

"I hate grocery shopping!"

"I'll do the shopping," Sam said with finality. "You're there for the muscle."

"But. . . ."

Sam ignored him. "Make a list, Jonas," Sam said as she looked across the table at him. "We'll do your shopping for you. Daniel needs you more than he needs us. And make a list of the clothes you want while you're at it. Colonel Mitchell can pick them up for you. I think you'd rather have him pawing through your underwear drawer."

"My life's dreams fulfilled," Mitchell said with a shiver.

"I'll call Mrs. McCreary tonight and make arrangements with her."

Jonas looked around at his dearest friends, going from face to face as emotions welled up inside him. "When Daniel is feeling up to it, you're all invited to the biggest feast you've ever eaten."

"Now that makes it worth going grocery shopping," Mitchell said.

Dinner continued, and so did the conversation. During dessert, Samantha Carter posed a question to Jonas which Daniel had been so afraid to ask since their troubles had begun. "Jonas, you left Daniel the first time because he wouldn't leave Stargate."

"I don't feel that way anymore."

"I know," Sam added quickly. "I was just curious. When did you first begin to feel that way?"

Daniel looked at Sam and she caught his gaze for a moment before they both turned their eyes to Jonas Quinn.

Jonas sat in silence for a moment, deep in thought. "I think," he said quietly, "it really started when Daniel was almost killed when he was negotiating with the Rand Protectorate." He looked into Daniel's face. "When Replicator Sam killed you. . . I didn't think I could deal with it anymore. I had to do something."

Daniel put his hand over Jonas' hand and clutched it tightly in his grasp. He now knew, as did Sam, that another trip into the past wouldn't have fixed anything. It had been broken long before they had screwed things up.

"I've got a question for you, too, Jonas," Mitchell said. "The first time Teal'c and I went to your house for dinner, what colour socks was I wearing?"

"White sport socks with two red bands at the top. You had them folded down to your ankles."

"Lucky guess," Mitchell said. "My shoes?"

"White Nike sneakers with red bands around the sole."

"Jeans!"

"Levis. No belt. Low rise boot cut. 527s."

"Shirt!"

"Tommy Hilfiger tee. Light blue to match your eyes. Black trim on the sleeves and neck band."

"Underwear!"

"You weren't wearing any."

Sam snickered. "We tried to tell ya, Colonel."

"Indeed we did, Colonel Mitchell," Teal'c added.

Mitchell removed his foot from his mouth and stuck a spoonful of Jell-O in it.

To Be Continued​