" ...and then," O'Neill continued as SG1 made their way to the elevator with Fraiser, " Daniel here says..."

" Oh come on Jack," Daniel was blushing furiously, " You said you wouldn't tell every one on the base."

" Hey I'm not everyone." Janet protested.

" You know what I mean. I make one mistake in translation and my friend here," he glowered at a still smirking Jack, " never lets me live it down. It wasn't that funny guys."

" I am afraid I must disagree with you Danieljackson." Teal'c said, the faintest trace of a smile on his face.

" He was very attractive. Very...athletic." Sam tried to placate Daniel's discomfort, "You'd have made a cute couple."

" Aw Sam. Not you too." Daniel scowled at his three teammates.

" Stop being so mean." Janet said, " besides, Harriman already told me."

" What!! How the hell did he know?" Daniel asked.

" Lydia. In catering." Janet said.

" We've been back six hours guys. Does everyone know?"

" Know what?" Lissa Mason from SG3 asked joining the group waiting for the elevator.

" About Danny's latest conquest." Jack smiled.

" Oh the buff guy on Px32334. " Mason smiled. " Was he really that..."

" Stop it! " Daniel was now crimson. Sam gave O'Neill a tiny glance and Jack knew the teasing had gone far enough.

" OK. Let's drop it guys." he said, " Sorry Danny. Look Mason, Janet, care to join us for a B-B-Q? My place? Ask the rest of SG3 too Mason. More the merrier."

" You're not cooking ?" Mason asked. O'Neill pulled a hurt face.

" Team effort." Sam said.

" Which means Daniel and Teal'c do the catering and these two open the beers."

Janet amended. " Can Cassie come?"

" Of course. " Daniel said as the lift arrived and they piled in, " It'll stop the entendre and innuendo at least." He saw Janet's glance and smiled at his teammates, secretly happy that at last he was able to share such banter. He'd always been the outsider before, the butt of everyone's practical jokes. The teasing he endured from the people at the SGC was friendly and harmless and made him feel included. The smile broadened as he remembered Jack choking on his drink when the handsome young man had been presented to Daniel as a gift, bedecked with ribbons and nothing else,

"He *was* very well endowed wasn't he?"

The woman checked her immaculate makeup with a compact mirror, scanning the parking lot as she did so. The car she was watching so carefully was still unattended. They'd been gone an hour. What were they shopping for? A third world relief effort? Impatient she spared a moment to glance at the photographs interleaved with the magazine on her lap. Nice looking guy, in a college professor type of way. Whatever he'd done to piss off her employer must have been pretty major league she decided. Her instructions had been very specific. The hit had to be today. It was the anniversary, her employer had said, of the day he'd killed her husband. Didn't look the killing type she mused studying the photograph again, still, who could tell? She didn't exactly fit the stereotype hitman herself. She'd followed them from the base unobserved. They'd stopped for groceries. Her employer had suggested the target worked away a lot. No doubt restocking now he was back in the country. The woman might prove a problem, an Airforce Captain the background literature said. It would have been easier if her mark had been alone but at the end of the day she was a professional and dammed good at her job. If the Captain got in the way there were ways to deal with it. An elegantly manicured hand carefully fluffed her platinum blonde hair,

" You're too vain Antonia," the driver said gruffly, silently admiring her casual elegance.

" You're not paid to pass comment Greg," she said pointedly. He pulled a face but smiled as she turned back to the compact to check the parking lot once more. At last she thought, instantly alert, her mark was pushing an overloaded trolley whilst his companion juggled two large grocery bags and chatted away, oblivious to the danger. " About time." She withdrew the semi-automatic from her purse, checked the clip, " Be ready."

" I always am Antonia. You know that or you wouldn't keep using me."

Daniel checked the shopping list and swore under his breath, " We forgot the coriander Sam, and the limes. I'll just..."

" It's OK Daniel, I need to use the ATM anyway, I'll get them," she dumped her bags in the trunk of her car, " Just how did we end up shopping ?"

" That's a good question." Daniel eyed the trolley, heaped high with bags, "I think we got Jack's shopping for the next month as well as supplies for tonight here. Just how many people did he invite? Go ahead Sam, I'll unload this lot." Sam headed back to the store, Daniel watching her for a long minute as she jogged across the parking lot, the late afternoon sun catching her hair, casual in khaki pants and a pink vest that was snug enough to prove just how much a woman she was. He smiled. It was funny but off world Sam was just Sam. Lack of basic facilities meant there was little room for modesty or privacy and Sam was just one of the guys. Off duty however it was a different matter. Occasionally, just occasionally, he'd dream of being tangled her arms, not Shau'ri's. He watched her join the line to use the ATM and sighed, turning back to the task in hand, lifting a bag of groceries into the trunk...

" Excuse me. Are you Doctor Daniel Jackson?" the woman asked. He turned, bag still in hand, slightly off balance as he began to reply, and froze. The gun leveled at his chest had a silencer, some tiny, logical part of his brain noted even as the word ' yes ' left his lips. A barely audible phut sent him cannoning back against Sam's car. Bright blood blossomed on his shirt as the groceries went crashing to the ground, bottles bursting, tins rolling away. His legs began to crumple.

" That's for opening the 'Gate," she said the gun unwavering as she pulled the trigger again, pain exploding as the missile drove through his upper chest, " That's for the four men you condemned to death." Across the lot something made Sam look up from her transaction, some sixth sense warning her even as she saw the gun come up for the coup de grace...

"NO!!" she was running, sprinting towards the woman towering over Daniel, so far away, too far away, " NO!!"

The woman was distracted for a moment, the gun that dominated Daniel's vision wavered. She'd kill Sam he thought as his vision began to fade, not Sam, please don't hurt Sam. He couldn't breathe, his lungs screamed for oxygen as blood filled his throat and consciousness ebbed,

" And this is for Andrew, " and then there was an explosion and the world went away.

Sam saw the woman run. She was heading towards a waiting car. She'd shot Daniel. Sam didn't hesitate. She went straight after the assailant screaming " Dial 911!" at the people she passed, dropping to the ground as shots whistled ominously close to her head, back up and running without a pause. The woman was in the car. It turned, tires screeching, headed straight at her, bowling her over the hood. Sam hit the ground hard, rolling and on her knees in time to see the saloon speed away. She turned back to where Daniel lay. Some one was already at his side, trying to help the stricken man. Ignoring the pain in her own left arm she ran back, repeating the partial plate she'd made over and over.

" Have you called the paramedics?" Sam was on her knees, staring at the sodden mess of his hair, the rapidly spreading blood staining his shirt, pooling on the ground, mixing with the ketchup and mayonnaise and shards of glass.

" Yes. Police too. I can't get a pulse." The woman was using a sweater to stem the flow from his right temple. Sam pushed past, found a thready, faint carotid pulse.

" Hold on Daniel. You can't die here. Not like this." Sam pulled off her vest to apply pressure to the wound on his upper chest that was pouring blood. He couldn't die here. Not in some parking lot on Earth. Daniel's eyes were open but unseeing. Blood ran from his nose and mouth, soaked the yellow sweater, saturated his hair. " Hold on Daniel... hold on... you have to." Daniel was dying before her eyes, skin clammy and grey, lips blue,

" Here they come," the woman who'd been applying pressure to the scalp wound said suddenly as sirens warned of the approaching ambulance and police, stepping back as others came running.

" OK Miss, we'll take over. I'm Dr West, I'm riding out with these paramedics today, can you tell me what happened?" The doctor and the paramedics were already in action, assessing the victim before them, a well-rehearsed team in action.

" Some woman just shot him," the woman at Sam's side said. " She ran off to a car and they hit this lady as they got away."

" OK, let's intubate. Charlie I need a chest tube, there's a tension pneumothorax, his trachea's deviated. Blood pressure's way down. Get two wide bore cannulas in. Better get some pressure on that scalp wound too, it's pumping out." Sam watched, unable to move. Her arms and hands were slick with Daniel's blood, a police officer gently wrapped his jacket around her and she was suddenly aware that by stripping off her vest to use as a bandage she wearing only her bra,

" Here you go Miss. Did you see who it was? Any ideas?"

" No... I got a partial plate."

" OK Miss, " she repeated the information, the make and colour of car, a brief description of the assailant. "Any idea why someone would want to shoot your friend?"

" No. He's, he's an archaeologist, we work at the Cheyenne Mountain Base."

" Military? I guess you'll want us to contact them?"

" Yes..." her eyes went back to Daniel, the police officer talking into his radio as the doctor drove a wicked looking implement between Daniel's ribs to feed in a chest tube, attached a drainage set whilst one of the paramedics intubated the unresisting scientist, West listened briefly, nodded in satisfaction,

" Do you think this has anything to do with your work?"

" I... I don't know, no, I mean.... I don't know, it couldn't be..." Sam tried to think straight, not used to being so hesitant. Could it be related to the Programme? Who'd want to kill Daniel?

" That's better," the doctor said, listening to breath sounds as one of the paramedics ventilated Daniel, " Miss we're gonna run. Are you coming?"

" Yes." She grabbed the bags of fluid proffered by the second paramedic who then proceeded to organize a backboard and a gurney, and tried to stay calm. He'd make it. Jack maintained that Daniel was indestructible. It was true. How many times had he almost died? How many times had he actually died and made it back? They traveled the galaxy on a weekly basis. He wasn't about to die in a parking lot on Earth.

" OK. Let's go." Sam knew she would never forget the nightmarish journey to the hospital. She was given the job of hand ventilating Daniel, squeezing the rebreathing bag that was attached to the tube down his throat as the doctor, and paramedic he referred to as Reggie, inserted a central line to deliver more fluids. The monitors started to alarm seconds before Daniel's heart stopped.

" Hell. Warn them we'll need a cardio-thoracic team waiting." West said grabbing a knife, " Only way, " he said forestalling Reggie's cautions, "keep going with the oxygen Miss." He cut into Daniel's chest, carefully pushing a section of ribs aside; blood had filled the pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart, West cut into it releasing the pressure and the organ began to pump, " Dam, there's a nick." He pinched the hole together, " OK, got a beat." Sam was unable to look away, morbidly fascinated by this drastic measure, " How long Charlie?"

" Two minutes." the driver yelled.

" More fluids Reggie." West said to the other paramedic, " You're doing fine Miss, keep going. OK, we've got some output. " They arrived with a squeal of brakes and suddenly Sam was alone, left behind as the trauma team swung into action, sitting in the now empty ambulance, spattered with blood, shivering under the police officers jacket.

" Male. Mid-thirties. Multiple GSW to the chest and head. 'Tubed at the scene. Tension pneumothorax relieved at the scene. Sats 80% on air, 92% on 100% oxygen. B.P. 80 systolic and falling, heart rate was 180, he went into asystole about ten minutes out, I released a cardiac tamponade and plugged a hole in the right atrium, went back into sinus brady of 50 beats a minute. G.C.S. 8 at scene now 6, right pupil's sluggish. Been unresponsive since the incident. Two wide bore cannula plus a central line, we took bloods, they're over there. He's had three litres Harman's, four of gelafusin. On my count guys, watch my arm OK? Ready, steady, go."

" Next of kin?" the head Nurse asked.

" Outside. He's military, so expect them to be crawling over here as soon as the cops get in touch."

" Great, just what we need. OK, let's get that hole repaired, we can do that here. We need ten units typed, cross-matched and waiting in the O.R., F.F.P. and platelets too. Get O negative into him for now, he's just about bled out. Radiology we need a full skull series, c-spine, chest and abdo work up, he'll need a C-T of that head once we've taken care of this chest injury. " Carrie Eiser, head of cardio-thoracics, was already at work as she spoke, deftly repairing the hole West had been plugging, " Nice work Dickie."

" Thanks." he flexed his numb hand, " We'll get cleaned up, re-stocked and leave you to it." He suddenly remembered Carter, " I'll get his girlfriend."

Sam could see the first time they'd met so clearly. She could see the Stargate Chamber with crystal clarity, hot, dusty and crowded with Abydonian natives and the slight, fair scholar in native robes, glasses held together with tape, smelling faintly of sweat and hard work. She could see him warily trying to assess what was going on, why his blissful year had been brought to such an abrupt end. Daniel was completely at home on Abydos with the uncomplicated people who had welcomed him as a long lost son. The planet was an archaeologist's dream Sam had realized as they emerged from the 'Gate Chamber into the blazing heat of the day, gazing out over the deserts that had become Jackson's home. She'd gained an inkling of his amazing intelligence and insight in the Map Room that first day. His unaffected modesty as he'd tried to seek flaws in his own logic. She'd known then that they'd be friends.

" Miss. Hey Miss, you OK?" Sam was startled back to the present by West's hand on her arm, " Your friend's in good hands, let's take you through to book him in. Is there anyone you need to call?"

" Yes..." She needed to call the General, and Jack. She allowed West to guide her through to admissions. She was trembling she realized, and her left arm ached, face stung. Her hand went unconsciously to her cheek.

" You've one hell of a graze Miss." West said kindly, " I heard you tell the officer you'd been hit by the car? You ought to get yourself looked over."

" Yes, thank you," she gave the girl at the desk details. West came back, handed her a pair of scrubs, " What...?"

" You need a top Miss." he said kindly, " And your pants are ruined." he smiled, " All the best. Gotta roll."

" I need to use the phone please." She saw the girl at the desk begin to protest and pulled herself together, her voice taking on a sharp, authoritative tone. " It's a military matter." She dialed the mountain, asked for General Hammond, " Sir, it's Captain Carter Sir. I'm at the County. It's Daniel... he's been shot. Yes Sir, it's very serious." Somehow she kept her voice from shaking, " No I'm fine. Yes Sir. Thank you." She put the phone down and numbly went to sit in the waiting area.

" Miss, you need to be seen too." a nurse had appeared at her side.

" My friend. Daniel?"

" He's gone straight to the O.R., it'll be a long wait. Come on, I'll clean that up for you." She was led to a cubicle, helped into the loose surgical top West had supplied. The nurse carefully examined her, Sam responded on autopilot. All she could see was Daniel. Daniel lying in a crumpled heap, grey and unresponsive. Daniel bleeding to death as she tried to stem the blood. Daniel being cut open in the ambulance, the doctor's hand inside his chest.

" We'll get this arm x-rayed too. I'm pretty sure it's just badly bruised but we'd better be certain. The local police are outside waiting to talk as soon as we're done," the nurse said as she finished cleaning the grazes, "Do you need to phone anyone else?"

" Jack." she said, " I have to phone Jack."

" Cassie!" Jack swung her into the air, Cassie giggling as he twirled round, " How's my girl?"

" Great. Where's Sam?"

" Good question. She's getting dinner with Daniel. They're late. Surely not even Daniel could find an archaeological marvel at the local store?" He accepted the bottle Janet proffered, " Teal'c! Get the phone would'ya? SG3 are arriving later, Lieutenant Harding has a daughter about your age Cassie." He saw Cassie pull a face, " What? "

" Cassie here is twelve going on thirty." Janet said with a sigh.

" I'd just rather hang out with you guys." She protested, " Kids are just so..."

" Immature? Cassie you have to have friends your own age as well as us old fogies. Besides, Harding's daughter's a sweetheart. Even if she does have a crush on Daniel."

" Who doesn't " Janet groaned. Then seeing the gleam in O'Neill's eyes, " You didn't hear me say that OK!"

" Who? Who?" Jack asked, the opportunity for some match making raising it's head.

" I'm not saying."

" It's Daisy. " Cassie said. Jack grinned wickedly.

" Cass! She told you that in confidence!" Janet's attention was caught by Teal'c appearing at the top of the steps of the front porch. Something was wrong. She could tell by his face, his posture, " Teal'c?"

" O'Neill," Teal'c's voice made Jack freeze. There was something about the tone, " Captain Carter is on the telephone. She appears to be distressed." O'Neill was running, his blood turning to ice as he snatched up the extension,

" Carter? " He saw Fraiser and Teal'c watching him, Cassie scared, instinctively seeking the reassurance of Janet's arms," Which hospital? Have you let the General know? We're on our way." He saw Janet about to ask, "Danny's been in some sort of accident. He's at the County. It must be bad."

" Go." Janet said. " I'll contact SG3 and lock up. Go on." Teal'c was already running, grabbing a baseball cap. They watched Jack's jeep scream away, " Come on Cassie, we'll sort things out here then we'll go see how he's doing OK?"

" Is Daniel going to die?"

" No honey, " Janet said hugging her close, " Daniel's indestructible."

" General." Carter was on her feet. Hammond took one look and knew how serious it was. Carter was ashen, her face cut and bruised, arm in a sling. Blood caked her hands, smeared her face, stained her pants from thigh to ankle.

" At ease Captain. How is he? What the hell happened?" A noise made them both turn, heavy footsteps, raised voices; one female, one male, and Jack and Teal'c were there, charging into the E.R. waiting room followed by a nurse, " Colonel. Teal'c. They're with me Ma'am. I apologize if they were rude." Jack was staring at Carter.

" How bad?" Jack wanted Sam to say it wasn't so bad, but the blood that covered her belied that

" He was shot. It was a woman. She just walked up and shot him in the chest. His heart stopped and they... had to open him up in the ambulance," what little colour she had leeched away, " She shot him in the chest and the head... " tears threatened. Dammit, she wouldn't cry in front of her commanding officer, in front of the General,

"I'm sorry Sirs, excuse me." she fled.

" General?"

" I just got here Colonel. I'll see if I can't get a doctor to talk to us. Go see how Captain Carter's doing."

" Yes Sir." O'Neill went outside. Sam was sitting on the low wall that ran outside the patient entrance, more composed now, still far too pale. He gave her a few minutes to compose herself further before sitting besides her.

" I'm sorry Sir." She began.

" Can it Carter. Are you OK?"

" Cuts and bruises," she dismissed her own injuries, " I thought we'd lost him Sir. Of all the *stupid*, pointless ways to die!"

" Danny's indestructible Carter. You know that."

" Not this time Sir. I don't think he can make it this time." She met O'Neill's eyes. " I was too far away. I wasn't armed... I tried..."

" Carter you were shopping, not on a mission. No one expects to get gunned down getting the groceries for Pete's sake." He saw Janet's station wagon pulling up. Janet got out alone.

" Harding took Cassie. I thought it best. How is he?" Her eyes fell to Sam's saturated pants and the professional part of her brain knew it was serious, then, taking in Sam's distress, "Has anyone seen to you Captain?"

" I'm fine."

" I don't think so. Come on inside." Janet's tone made Sam obey, military instinct taking over. Fraiser quickly accessed Carter's x-rays and notes. " No fractures but you need pain killers and you need to lie down."

" I've to spoken to the police, but they said they wanted to question me further."

" I've already taken care of that. " Hammond said, " We'll be handling it from here. They're not happy but, frankly, that's their problem. Are you up to talking this through Captain? There's a couple of M.P.'s here, the F.B.I. and N.I.D. will be along shortly."

" Yes Sir. I'm OK Janet. I'll rest after. I promise."

" Any news?" Fraiser asked as Sam joined the two M.P.'s in a quiet booth. Hammond shook his head. " Shall I see if I can get any information?"

" Be our guest." Hammond said. Fraiser went in pursuit of the E.R. team. " Teal'c?"

" Whoever did this may try again." Teal'c had taken up a post watching the main entrance to the E.R. No one was about to come through him Hammond could see. " We do not know who did this, nor why Daniel was targeted."

" He has a point." Jack said.

" I already posted security." Hammond admitted, " Teal'c's right. They might try again."

At the quiet motel just outside the city Antonia was watching her employer rant and rave. The woman was furious. She'd taken up a position to watch the hit and had seen them take Jackson away at speed. He was still alive. He was supposed to be dead. Her beloved Andrew was almost certainly dead because of the scientist and his meddling. He should be lying on a slab in the mortuary instead of being rushed to a trauma room.

" I can't believe you missed! You're supposed to be a professional!"

" I am. I didn't miss. I did just as you ordered. Delivered your message. I hit him twice in the chest, once to the head." Antonia said calmly, watching her employer pace the hotel room.

" He was alive when they left the scene."

" He won't make it. He's as good as dead. All three shots hit their mark. You said it had to be today, not to take out anyone else and you said he was spending the night with his military friends. It was the best chance. I'd like my payment."

" The contract was for a killing."

" The contract was for a hit. I did exactly as you asked. He'll be dead soon enough. The money. $ 100,000 I believe." Antonia was proud of her reputation. A bad hit was bad for business after all. Antonia had argued a long distance hit with a high powered rifle was a safer option but her employer had insisted on a close range hit with the message delivered. She wanted him to know who was behind it she'd said. Antonia had merely shrugged. The customer was always right, at least, that's what they liked to believe.

" $100,000. It's all there." Antonia checked the briefcase, nodding, satisfied. " But you won't be needing it." There wasn't time to react, the shot took her out without pausing. " I'll just do the job myself."

The Doctor paused before opening the door to the waiting area. It had been a long, hard fight in the O.R., a fight that was far from over, and now she had to face the family. A glance at the room raised an eyebrow, an unusual family at that. She pushed the door open and all five were on their feet at once,

" You're Daniel Jackson's family?" Eiser asked. The General pushed forward, standing a good head and shoulders above the petite doctor still dressed in scrubs, her red hair disheveled by the surgical cap that she now held in one hand,

" Dr Jackson has no living family. I'm his legal next of kin, these are his work colleagues and friends. How's my boy?"

" Please sit down, " she indicated the chairs, " I'm Doctor Carrie Eiser, cardiac surgery. It's been a tough six hours." She sat herself and waited for the others to join her. " Daniel sustained three gun shot wounds, one to the head, two to the chest. One of the bullets was deflected by a rib and damaged his left shoulder, the other went through his left lung before nicking the right atrium of the heart, coming to rest alongside his spine. He was lucky to make it to the hospital. We've repaired the damage, as far as possible, but we had difficulty stabilizing his blood pressure and heart rhythm. It's minute by minute."

" Was there damage to his spine? And the head injury? I'm Doctor Janet Fraiser, U.S. Airforce. I'm Daniel's doctor. And his friend."

" Neuro will fill you in in greater detail but we removed the bullet lodged by his third thoracic vertebrae without any problems. It took a nick out of the bone but we stabilized that without touching the nerves. As for the head injury, well the bullet didn't penetrate his brain. However it caused extensive fractures and a subdural bleed that necessitated evacuation. They fitted a titanium plate to repair the bone damage. I have to warn you that neurologically it's possible that Daaniel has sustained permanent damage."

" You're saying he's brain damaged?" Jack asked roughly.

" It's too early to know but... I would be surprised if he comes out of this unscathed. As I said, his heart stopped before arriving at the hospital and twice more before we could get him on by-pass. There's a strong possibility of anoxic injury."

" Can we see him?" Sam asked. Eiser took in the woman's bruises, West had said there was a girlfriend involved in the incident,

" Briefly. He's heavily sedated so we can stabilize his cardiac function and try to reduce cerebral oedema. Not all at once."

" Thank you Ma'am," Hammond said, " I know you've done your best and I mean no insult but is there anyone we could call in to help? I can get anyone, worldwide. Just say the word and they're on their way." Eiser raised an eyebrow, just who was this Daniel Jackson?

" I don't think so Sir, not at this point."

" I understand. I take it Doctor Jackson is too ill to move to the Cheyenne Mountain Complex?"

" A move could kill him."

" Then I'm afraid the Mountain will have to come to him. Whoever did this is still out there and could try again. We'll be supplying security for the Hospital and our own staff to work in the I.T.U. Doctor Jackson was working on some very sensitive issues. You'll understand that it is imperative we protect that information."

" The Hospital Authorities won't like it." Eiser warned.

" That's too bad Ma'am. " Hammond said simply.

" Can we see Danny now?" Jack wanted to see him. It couldn't be as grim as everyone was painting it. Daniel was indestructible after all; hell he'd survived an assault by Ra, bounced back from the dead after his brush with a staff weapon on Klorel's ship, how could a bullet stop him? Eiser got to her feet, led them to the Intensive Therapy Unit.

" Just a few minutes," she repeated firmly, all too aware of these military types propensity for barging in and taking over, " and not all at once."

" Sir?" Sam needed to see him, Hammond nodded, indicated for Jack and Teal'c to go with her. A nurse was adjusting several of the infusions that were maintaining his heart rate and blood pressure. Daniel lay dwarfed by the technology that supported him; breathed for him; monitored every function.

" Oh shit." Jack said softly. Daniel's hair was gone, clipped short, a blood stained dressing covering the staples that pinched his scalp together, a transducer protruding from his skull to monitor intracranial pressure. A dressing covered the wound West had made to get into Daniel's chest in the ambulance and another, more central incision made by Eiser's team to work on the damage. Three drains emerged from his chest, drawing air and debris from his chest cavity. Two further wound drains came from beneath the dressing to his shoulder. A pulmonary artery catheter had been inserted via a neck vein to monitor every cardiac function, there were several additional lines for the various infusions, and lost beneath all of this, grey and silent, lay Daniel. Jack heard Sam's sharp intake of air, he knew, without looking that Teal'c had instinctively moved to support her,

" What have they done Danny?" he said, his voice cracking as he moved closer. He reached out to touch his friend but hesitated, uncertain what to touch. He'd seen Danny injured before. He'd even seen him killed, but this, this tore him apart. A movement made him aware of Sam on the opposite side of the bed with Teal'c, she took Daniel's hand in hers, carefully avoiding the arterial line taped to his wrist. Jack saw the tears threatening, the determination it took the Captain to stop them escaping.

" I will find whoever did this." Teal'c vowed softly, " And I will kill them. Slowly."

" Take a place in the line." Jack pulled up a chair, the nurse went to protest, stopped. Something about the three made her hesitate. " I'm not leaving. Not until Danny wakes up. Teal'c, take Sam home, she needs to rest."

" With all due respect Sir I'm not going anywhere." Sam said. " You didn't watch them cut him open to try to get his heart going. "

" You can't all stay here," the nurse said firmly. " We need room to work if we are to help your friend. "

" Then we'll stay outside." Sam said. " I'll let the General come in and Janet." She kissed Daniel's hand. Teal'c laid his hand on Daniel's cheek,

" Danieljackson is strong. He will not die." He said with complete conviction. " I will guard this Unit. No one will come past me."

Hammond and Frasier exchanged glances as they came in, Carter had said O'Neill was determined to stay and sure enough he was planted firmly at Jackson's side with an expression that warned people not to interfere. Janet went to run through charts with the nurse and the anesthetist. Hammond stood next to O'Neill, watching the rhythmic rise and fall of Jackson's chest, synchronized by the machinery at the bedside.

" They said a brief visit son."

" They can go to hell." Jack said. " I'm not moving." The silence hung heavily for a few minutes, " Who would want to do this to Daniel? He's an archaeologist for Pete's sake."

" That's something we need to find out. And fast. Until we know that he's still in danger." We all are Hammond added to himself. This had to be linked to the Programme. Jackson didn't know that many people outside SGC. Certainly no one who could be considered a threat. If Jackson was a target then so were the rest of his command. " I'll put everyone on a state of heightened alert."

Pain. Pain consumed him. Dwarfed him. He couldn't concentrate. Couldn't focus. Why did it hurt so much? Why was it so dark? It came to him with remarkable clarity. He was back at Mick Gellar's. Somehow he was back with the fine, upstanding police captain and his family in the nice, middle-class house in the suburbs with the veranda covered in climbing roses and immaculate lawns and flowers beds. He was twelve years old. Cowering from the man who was supposed to care for him. Sobbing in fear as he was shoved aside, landing heavily on a pile of old boxes, waiting for the next blow to fall. " You can stay here till Monday," the man said. " And stop sniveling or there'll be more of the same." " Don't leave me in the dark... please..." the child was scared of the dark. Gellar's favorite punishment was to lock his charges in the damp, cold cellar with no light, no food. Psychological violence didn't leave telltale bruises. Occasionally the man's volatile temper ran away from him and that meant several days locked away from prying eyes until the bruises settled. " One more sound out of you and I'll break your legs." The threat was real. The child huddled in the corner stifling his tears, rats scuttling around in the unrelenting darkness... " Please don't make me stay down here," he whispered, " I'm scared. I'm scared.."

Jack dozed despite himself, perched awkwardly on the hard chair, head lolling. SGC nursing staff had been drafted in. Fraiser, whilst bowing to the expertise of the civilian doctors, had taken over all charge of Daniel's care, acting as co-ordinator for the various specialists involved in keeping him alive.

In the waiting area Sam was asleep under a rug, stretched across several chairs. Teal'c was on guard. Military personnel were posted at every entrance to the hospital. Hammond had effectively quashed all protests. No one without clearance could get within several hundred yards of Daniel.

" His blood pressures down again," the nurse said suddenly, beckoning Janet across, " and he's throwing multiple ectopics. His E.E.G.'s showing heightened activity, could he be seizing?"

" It's a possibility, get a check of his potassium Daisy, and let's give him more blood and a bolus of diazemuls." Janet checked the drains, " Hold on, he's loosing a lot from the medistenial drain. Call Eiser's team." Daisy obeyed at once. The activity woke Jack,

" What's wrong?" he asked, aware of the heightened tension.

" Get the lights up." Janet said sharply to the second nurse, " We need more blood and...damm! " Monitors began to alarm, readouts falling as Janet spoke. Eiser's team were coming in, the civilian doctor briefed by Fraiser as they worked to move Daniel back to the O.R.

" What's happening?" Sam was at Jack's side now with Teal'c. Jack shook his head. Daisy suddenly shoved all three aside,

" You're in the way Sirs. " She snapped, " Get out and let us do our job." They obeyed, helpless to do anything but watch.

" OK, let's get back to the O.R." Eiser said, " Everyone ready? Go." SG1 watched them propel Daniel away. They stood in silence for a long time.

" I want the bastard responsible." Jack said eventually. " They're not getting away with this."

Much later Jack was back at his bedside vigil. A leaking vessel had been resutured and Daniel's vital signs had stabilized once more. Janet appeared at his side, handed O'Neill a cup of coffee,

" Here. You look like you need it. Actually you look like you need a stiff drink but that'll have to do."

" Thanks. He'll make it y'know. Daniel has nine lives."

" He's sure using them up fast. I reckon this makes seven." Janet smiled, " He keeps me in business. Has he ever come through that 'Gate intact?" She checked the readouts, adjusted an infusion pump slightly, " You know, side effects or not we could do with a sarcophagus just about now."

" No." Jack said sharply, " Never again. I thought we'd lost him that time." More than any other in fact he admitted to himself. Shyla and that wretched sarcophagus had screwed him up so badly Jack had feared they'd lost Daniel forever. Worse of all, worse even than those few moments in the storage room when he'd believed Daniel would kill him, was the aftermath of it all. Daniel had been afraid to face Sam and Teal'c. Ashamed of his actions. It had taken a lot of courage for the scientist to sit down and talk, really talk, to his teammates. To ask their forgiveness. He'd worked hard to regain their trust, a trust he'd almost wrecked for good because of his weakness. Jack absently stroked Daniel's arm, " I couldn't see that happen to him again."

His veins burned. He had to get back to Shyla. To the sarcophagus. They were trying to kill him. To reduce him to the insignificant Daniel of before. Weak and timid and hesitant. The Daniel who'd grown up friendless and bullied and abused in care. The Daniel who'd been the butt of everyone's jokes. The sarcophagus had shown him what he could be. What he was meant to be.

/ What about Shau'ri? / his conscience asked / What about your friends ?/ To hell with them. Shyla needed him. She loved him. Honoured him. The others merely tolerated him for his intellect. He'd forced his way to freedom, but Jack had been on his tail at once. Dam him. Jack didn't want him to succeed. Jack wanted him submissive, helpless, dependant... and yet Jack had cradled him in his arms as if he were a child as he'd sobbed in pain, comforted him and rocked him as the futility of his life threatened to overwhelm... Jack had been there when he dealt with his personal demons and faced up to the disciplinary proceedings that had followed. He'd been there when Daniel had faced up to Teal'c and Sam to ask if he could return to the team, and on the countless nights after his discharge home to help him cope with the nightmares and insomnia and guilt trips.

Jack was his big brother, his mentor and his friend rolled into one. Nothing bad could happen whilst he walked in Jack's shadow...

" How's my boy doing?" Hammond's voice disturbed Jack from a doze. The General frowned, " Colonel, go get yourself breakfast and cleaned up. That's an order, and take the rest of SG1 with you. You're making the place look untidy. "

" With respect General Hammond I do not need to eat or rest at present." Teal'c said from his post.

" No, but you need to change." Hammond said pointedly looking at Jack and Teal'c's shorts and T-shirts and Sam's crumpled scrubs. " I'll be staying for now and SG3 are coming to spell you. Captain Carter, you're wanted for further questioning by N.I.D and our F.B.I. friends. Doctor Fraiser, Lieutenant Harding's bringing Cassandra here then you're to stand down."

" Yes Sir." Janet was exhausted. " We had a scare last night, he had to undergo further surgery but his condition's stable at the moment."

" Good. " Hammond waved Jack out, " Come back later. That's an order." Hammond accepted the coffee Daisy produced, " Thank you Lieutenant."

" Day shifts just arrived." Janet said thankfully, " Go hand over Daisy ... and Daisy, thanks, you worked hard." Daisy gratefully handed over to Carolyn North a quiet, serious young woman who rarely socialized with the rest of the SGC. Daisy knew that North was good at her job, even if she were a bit of a cold fish. She made notes as Daisy filled her in on the patient's progress, occasionally casting an eye in his direction, nodding as Daisy ran through the parameters set by Neuro and Cardio-thoracic.

" Go get some sleep Daisy." Carolyn said when Daisy completed her run through, " I'll see you tonight. He's in good hands."

" Are you sure there's nothing else you can recall?" Agent Balston asked. Sam rubbed her face, she'd gone over and over the events in the parking lot until she was no longer certain what she'd seen or done. She shook her head,

" No. I'm sorry. It was all so fast...Is that all? I need to get back to the Intensive Therapy Unit."

" General Hammond said we were to take you home when we'd finished Ma'am."

" I'm not going anywhere." She said firmly, " I just need some painkillers and another coffee."

" I'll see what I can do." Alone Sam closed her eyes, rested her head on her uninjured arm on the desk. She wasn't leaving whilst Daniel hovered so close to death. She might not be able to help but she wasn't going to leave her friend behind again, not like they had when Nem had convinced them of his death...

The memorial service had torn her in two. She hadn't known him that long and yet it felt as if she were saying goodbye to a part of herself. Colonel O'Neill's words made her vision blur with unshed tears. She was an airforce officer. She wasn't going to break down in front of her colleagues. The image of Daniel screaming, burning before her eyes snapped into focus without warning. She could smell his skin scorching. Hear him begging Jack for help as his flesh blistered away to ash...

" Carter." Jack gently shook her. She shot up, tears on her pale cheeks, " Come on Carter. You need to sleep. That's an order."

" I'm not leaving him."

" None of us are. I've sorted out accommodation on the same floor. Come on. Lie down for a few hours. I've organized clean kit for us, Harding's gonna drop it off for us later. Here." He handed her a cup of water and two pills, " The spook told me you needed pain killers."

" Thank you." She wiped her face, the dream had been so very real, the smell, the screams, just as real as those first days after their return from Nem's planet. Jack watched her expression fade, pupils dilate as some unseen terror took over.

" Carter!" Jack's sharp tone brought her out of her reverie, " Do you need a doctor?"

" No. I ... just had a flashback. Nem's little gift. It still happens from time to time. I guess my defenses are down."

" Come on. We all need some rest." Jack led her to a room, " Try and sleep Carter, or I'll get you sedated."

" Yes Sir." She lay on top of the covers, her mind repeating the scene from the day before over and over until the painkillers kicked in and she drifted into an uneasy sleep.

O'Neill sipped at an extra strong coffee as he headed back to the I.T.U. Despite his anxiety he had managed to grab four hours sleep and had woken feeling worse for it, tongue dry and coated, eyes gritty, head muzzy. He showered and shaved and grabbed a donut in the canteen before making the journey back to the grim little room where Daniel still clung to life.

Teal'c, inevitably, was already outside on duty. Jack knew the Jaafa held himself responsible for Daniel's safety, always keeping an eye on the scholar as he blundered through life in his endearingly careless way. It was Teal'c's way of coping with the knowledge that he had taken Shau'ri and Skaraa from Daniel Jack suspected, not that the Jaafa had said as much, but he'd seen Teal'c watching out for Jackson. Quietly protective, never far if things got dangerous.

" Danieljackson's condition remains unchanged." Teal'c said in his ever calm way, " Major Ferretti is with him at present."

" Ferretti? I thought SG4 were off world?"

" Got back this morning." Colonel Kensig said appearing from the waiting room, hand extended, Jack accepted it warmly, he liked Matt Kensig a lot. " Shit deal O'Neill. The boys wanted to call in. Ferretti especially."

" Thanks Matt, Daniel would be pleased." Jack was genuinely touched. Daniel was never sure if he was one of the guys, believing he was merely tolerated because he was with SG1 and occasionally useful to the Programme, but his uneffacing manner and intelligence had won him friends whether he realized it or not.

" We'll push off if you're back, the General's put us on rotation for guard duty over the next few days." Kensig stuck his head into the I.T.U., "Ferretti, time to move out."

" Hey Colonel, had to come when we heard. Who'd do a thing like this to Daniel? Bastards. Hand 'em over when you're finished and we'll deal with what's left." Ferretti took Jack's proffered hand, then turned to the Jaafa, " See you later Teal'c. Look after him, y'hear?"

" I hear."

" Take care yourselves," Jack said, " This nutter's still out there. Who knows who's next on their list."

" Nice thought. Perhaps we should get back off world? Phipps, Douglas," Kensig called to the two officers in the waiting area, " let's roll." Jack watched them go before quietly taking over at Daniel's bedside.

" Any news ?" he asked North. The nurse shook her head. She was always a little anxious around O'Neill. He unnerved her. It was as if he could see straight through a person into their deepest thoughts she mused, and that wouldn't do at all. She had carefully concealed her past with the help of N.I.D., they owed her that much at least. They'd accepted the crap she'd fed them about feeling closer to Andrew by getting involved with the project that had cost him his life without question. Just happy she was willing to let things go at that no doubt.

" He's still heavily sedated. Dr Giles from Neuro was here an hour ago. He's pleased so far. The I.C.P. measurements are within normal parameters. Dr Eiser's team called by and they seemed satisfied with his progress so far. Dr Fraiser's due back in a few hours. His blood pressure is less labile and his heart rate less irregular."

" That's good?"

" Yes Sir." She went back to filling in her charts. Jack watched her for a few minutes, something about her disturbed him but he didn't know what. He'd caught her watching them on the base from time to time but there was nothing significant, apart from the fact she rarely socialized. Her pale, narrow face was always serious, unsmiling. She was widowed Jack knew, two young kids. Must be hard. Daniel had tried to befriend her, recognizing a fellow outsider but she had politely but persistently avoided all attempts to be included and slowly she was left alone. She suddenly looked up, aware of O'Neill's intense gaze. Embarrassed he looked away, turning his attention back to Daniel.

" Hey Danny. Hope you had a better sleep than I did." O'Neill squeezed a cold hand. " They said we should talk to you. I bet Ferretti gave you a headache. That was a dumb thing to say. That bullet in your head probably gave you a headache." His eyes traveled up to Daniel's face. Huge, livid bruises distorted his eyelids which were taped closed to protect his eyes. The ventilator tubing was held in place by tape, pulling Daniel's mouth askew. " Oh Danny you know how much I hate this part of the job. I hate hospitals..." **...Charlie lay crumpled in a heap by the bed...his hair saturated in blood, eyes open, staring, part of his skull torn open. Sarah screaming...neighbours running... Jack on his knees trying to stop the blood. Trying to hold Charlie together as they waited for the ambulance. Sarah's screams that went on and on...**

" Are you all right Sir?" North asked again, watching the Colonel's colour leech away. He snapped back, annoyed to be caught out in that very private daydream.

" I'm fine. Headache."

" Would you like me to get you something for it?"

" No. Thank you." He got up. Paced the cluttered room. " I hate this waiting."

" It's hard isn't it. Waiting; not knowing from minute to minute what's going to happen, " she turned away, " Loosing someone you love is always hard."

" We're not loosing Daniel. He's going to make it." Jack's tone was sharp.

" Yes Sir." He could tell she didn't believe it. She had already given up on the scientist. Suddenly Jack was angry. How dare she.

" He's not going to die. Not like this. Don't give up on him."

" I haven't Sir." But she didn't believe it, he could see it in her eyes. He had to go out for a few minutes, get away from the feeling of doom that had descended like a cloud. Teal'c didn't comment as O'Neill stormed out. He watched impassively as the Colonel kicked a few chairs in the waiting area and slammed doors. Part of the Jaafa envied O'Neill his ability to express his rage in such a manner. When the opportunity arose he would also seek relief in some physical outlet for the rage that burned inside. Danieljackson was a scholar, a gentle, thoughtful man who would never willingly harm a soul if he could find a way to avoid it. Whoever had carried out this deed was a coward. Let the authorities hunt them down. If he, Teal'c, had the opportunity he would avenge the assault on the most vulnerable member of his Team. They would not die easily. A movement brought Teal'c instantly on guard. His posture relaxed a fraction as he recognized the elderly couple being escorted by an airman,

" Doctor Langford. Professor Liddlefield. It is an honour." He inclined his head a fraction.

" Hello Teal'c." Katherine's face was strained. " General Hammond contacted us this morning." She winced a little as a muffled crash made the door to the waiting room vibrate. " I take it Jack's not coping too well?"

" He is most distressed. As are we all." Teal'c admitted. " Danieljackson is gravely wounded."

" Ernest, go in to Daniel. I'll see to Jack." Katherine said calmly. " Is Sam all right?"

" She is sleeping. She sustained only minor injuries." Katherine nodded, then gently shoved Ernest into Daniel's room and turned to confront Jack.

" Hello Jack." Katherine closed the door behind her.

" Go away Katherine. Please." Jack's voice was uneven. He was keeping his emotions in check by the tiniest thread. He stood with his back to her. Several chairs and a table were over turned and a lamp lay shattered against one wall.

" I don't think so Jack." She was directly behind him, " We all love Daniel, it's only natural you feel angry."

" I haven't got time to feel angry. I should be out there searching for the bastard who did this." There was no room for emotion, twenty plus years in the service had taught him that if nothing else. Emotions wasted energy; clouded judgement; caused loss of focus. He was a good officer, so why was he finding it so dammed hard to stay detached?

" But you're afraid to leave in case he dies and you're not here?" Jack nodded. Katherine walked round to look him in the face. " It's not your fault you weren't with him Jack. You can't be with everyone twenty four hours a day. Stop beating yourself up." She rested a hand on his arm. He blinked away the moisture that threatened, accepted her embrace, "Whatever happens Jack it wasn't your fault." She pulled away, recognizing Jack's need to be business like, " Now, straighten this room up and organize some tea for Ernest and I. We'll be with Daniel."

Some hours later Carolyn North watched Katherine and Sam at Daniel's side with a curious sense of satisfaction. This had, in fact, turned out better than she could ever have hoped. A direct kill of the man responsible for opening the 'Gate would have been satisfying but this prolonged torture of his friends was a gift indeed. Carter looked as if she'd aged a decade in the twenty hours since the shooting. It was a running joke amongst staff at the Mountain that Carter's hair and makeup survived everything intact. Not today. Her face was pale and strained beneath the bruises, and Langford looked every one of her seven decades. Langford was directly responsible of course. The old harpie had dragged Jackson in to solve the mystery of the Stargate and in effect was as much to blame as the scientist himself. North smiled to herself. So perfect. Originally she had merely planned to kill Jackson but the geek had a lot of friends on the Programme, friends who were going through the wringer and that suited her just fine.

" Could I get you a coffee Doctor?" Carolyn asked as Sam left to fetch Ernest, Katherine smiled,

" Thank you." The nurse quickly checked her patient and, satisfied, went to the station to the percolator.

" It's not exactly great, but it's hot and wet."

" You're very kind." Katherine drank it, wincing at it's bitterness, " Even you would cringe at this Daniel. Is it true Nurse? That they can hear you?"

" So I believe." Carolyn said, " Excuse me." She went back to her work, leaving Katherine to carry on talking about history, legends and myths of the Vikings, her voice soft and soothing, penetrating the darkness that surrounded Daniel's mind.

** Kendra had survived separation from the goa'uld that inhabited her body. Shau'ri could have been saved. That thought kept coming back to him. He had destroyed the means of saving Shau'ri. Had blasted Thor's hammer to allow Teal'c to escape. Teal'c had sought him out back on Earth but Daniel had cut him dead, buried himself in his lab, needing time alone,

" May I enter Danieljackson?" Teal'c stood at the doorway, possibly the last person Daniel wanted to see at the moment in time, " I wanted to speak with you. To thank you."

" Don't mention it." He turned back to his work.

" Danieljackson. I am very aware of the sacrifice you made in order that I might leave the labyrinth. I know that you regret it."

" No, I don't... not really, it's just, I miss her Teal'c. So badly it hurts... "

" I was responsible for taking her from you Danieljackson. "

" No Teal'c, you weren't. Apophys was. Not you. I don't regret destroying the hammer. We'll get her back, and save her, in time."

" I will spend my life searching Danieljackson, if that is what it takes. We will bring Shau'ri safely home one day. Together."

" One day." Daniel smiled, " Come on in, don't stand in the doorway. I was looking up information on Thor..."

" Captain Carter." Hammond came into the waiting room with a police officer in tow and two N.I.D. officers, " I believe you met this officer yesterday?"

" Yes. Thank you for the jacket, Officer?"

" Bracey Ma'am. How're you doing?"

" I'm fine, thank you."

" N.I.D. lifted a partial print off a bullet casing found at the scene," Hammond explained, " It matched that of one Antonia Figgonni, she's well known to the F.B.I., not that they've ever been able to pin anything to her before. Several witnesses came up with a photo-fit that matches her pretty closely. Officer Bracey brought some mug shots of her for you to I.D."

" Of course." Sam took the photographs, picking one out of the collection, " That's her. The hair was a little longer but yes. No doubts." Jack took the photograph and showed Teal'c.

" Quite a looker."

" We must track this female down." Teal'c said.

" There's no need for that." Bracey said, " I can tell you exactly where she is."

" Then let's go." Jack was already half way to the door.

" She's down stairs. In the morgue, " the N.I.D. guy said with a shrug. Jack took an instant dislike to the man. He seemed almost bored by the whole incident, " Her body was found this morning. She'd been shot in the head, hands removed and the body set alight to slow identification. Whoever did it was sloppy though, didn't cause enough damage to destroy all her teeth. Dental records show a match."

" Dead?" Sam asked, confused.

" Very. I'd guess whoever hired her decided to get rid of the evidence." Bracey said.

" Which leaves our trail stone cold." Jack finished, " Great. Just great."

Katherine stopped, suddenly aware of a nagging ache in her chest. She'd stayed with Daniel for several hours giving the others a much needed break. Ernest had just gone to arrange a car home. She closed her eyes, inexplicably weary, a growing sense of unease creeping up on her.

" Katherine, Ernest's waiting to take you home." Jack said gently. Katherine nodded, she felt woozy, slightly sick. " Are you OK?"

" Fine... just a bit stuffy in here..." she stood slowly and staggered against Jack, a hand going to her chest.

" Whoa. Nurse! I need some help!" Jack swung Katherine into his arms. She was pale, sweating, Carolyn was summoning help, Jack laid her on a trolley in the far corner of the room,

" My chest, " she whispered, " My chest hurts."

" Let me." North quickly did a set of observations, this was too good to be true, she glanced up as a medical team arrived, " Not him, his visitor." Jack saw Ernest and Sam in the doorway staring in disbelief,

" Carter, stay with Ernest." He ordered as they wheeled Katherine away, how much worse could today get?

" A minor cardiac episode my ass." Katherine scowled. " I'm as fit as a fiddle." She was propped up in bed in a room next to Daniel's looking a hundred times better than she had four hours before. Ernest was clutching her hand like a drowning man.

" Ernest, it's about time you made an honest woman out of her. Danny keeps on about how you already act like an old married couple so go on, be one. Perhaps she'll listen to you then when you tell her to slow down." Jack smiled, then, " I'm glad you're feeling better. We're just next door. The Doc's checking him out, might start reducing the sedation..."

" Go to Daniel. I'll see you later." Katherine smiled.

The neuro team were pleased with Daniel's progress, had removed the invasive monitor and drain leaving just a row of clips visible. Janet reduced his sedation as they'd suggested and now Eiser's cardiac team were in the room modifying the infusions and removing one of the chest drains. Carolyn watched with a scowl.

" Tired?" asked Janet, Carolyn realized she was being observed and flushed.

" A little. Sorry."

" That's all right. Children keep you up last night?"

" Yes, they've been unsettled since we lost Andrew."

" It must be very hard. It's only been a few months hasn't it?"

" A year yesterday. We're doing OK though."

" Nearly home time, you can get some rest then." Janet said kindly. She knew Carolyn had taken her husband's death hard. He'd been in military intelligence, killed on a mission, all very hush-hush. There was something else but she couldn't put a finger on it. All that really mattered was the fact North was a highly skilled member of staff. " At least Daniel's making good progress. Could you mix up the next batch of dopamine for me?"

" Of course." Carolyn went to work, carefully diluting the drug, not with sodium chloride but with potassium. That would liven the next shift up she smiled herself. By the time she'd completed the task it was time to hand over to Daisy, " Have a good night Daisy."

" Thanks. A quiet one I hope."

Sam was talking softly to Daniel. The reduced sedation had so far had no effect. He lay silent and still, no trace of movement. What if the initial fears were true? What if his amazing intellect had been snuffed out by the bullets? Daniel reduced to a twilight world of long term care. Sam made a conscious effort to stop that particular train of thought. He'd make it. Intact. He had to. Daniel was a soul mate. Someone who allowed her own impressive intellect to blossom without fearing it, without ridiculing some of her more outlandish theories. Someone who recognized that because she was an officer didn't mean she was devoid of emotions or cerebrally challenged. Someone she loved; not in a romantic way, his heart was tied forever to his lost wife, but as a friend, a brother.

" Whatever happens Daniel we'll keep searching for Shau'ri for you. We'll bring her back," she promised, stroking his cheek. " We owe you that at least."

" Captain Carter." Teal'c was at her side. He had reluctantly allowed SG4 to stand in for him in order to get a few hours rest. A tired Jaafa was of no use he admitted. " Colonel O'Neill has requested we join him in the cafeteria." He saw her start to decline, " I believe Colonel O'Neill's exact words were ' carry her if you have to, don't take no for an answer '. Will you join us?" Sam smiled and got to her feet.

" I'll be back Daniel. Don't chase the nurses OK?" she kissed his cheek. Daisy frowned as they left, Daniel's blood pressure was down, she increased the inotropes, checked the other drugs being infused. A run of ventricular ectopics sounded alarm bells in her head. She called Fraiser, drew blood to check Daniel's electrolytes, winced as another run of ectopic beats raced across the monitor screen. Janet came in just as it settled temporarily into sinus rhythm.

" What's the problem Daisy?"

" And we thought the food at the Mountain was bad." Jack pushed his dinner around warily. The canteen was quiet. He recognized two of Eiser's team a few tables away; several junior doctors were sharing a joke behind them; an airman was snatching a snack, briefly acknowledging SG1's arrival with a nod of his head and half a dozen visitors, with weary expressions of exhausted fear on their faces, were spread amongst the remaining tables. Rain hammered against the picture windows, the dismal weather reflecting their mood.

" My food is quite adequate." Teal'c stated.

" It's a salad Teal'c. Even these guys couldn't ruin a salad." Jack risked another mouthful of casserole. He watched as Sam forced her food down. She'd not eaten all day, one of the reasons he'd decided a break was a good idea. They needed to distance themselves for a couple of hours or they'd all end up cracking. The pagers made them all jump. A high pitched alarm followed by a muffled voice / **Code blue I.T.U. Cardiac team respond** /

" Daniel!" Sam was running,

" Dammit!" Jack and Teal'c were on her heels. Ferretti barred their way,

" Doctor Fraiser said no," he said firmly. " Sorry." Jack began to protest then stopped, turning away, running both hands through his hair before turning to Carter.

" I can't stand this." He said abruptly. " I'm going home. I can't just sit around here waiting for him to die like this. Call me when it's over."

" Colonel..." Sam watched him go, biting down her own fears as the Colonel vanished round the corner. Janet emerged a few minutes later,

" We've got him stabilized again," she said wearily, " His blood chemistry is all over the place. It caused an abnormal heart rhythm. We've changed all the infusions as a precaution, there might be a faulty batch that caused the rise in his potassium or it could be an indication of worsening kidney failure, we knew there was a risk... Where's Colonel O'Neill?"

" He went home. He needed some space." Sam said. Janet nodded, aware how hard he was taking events.

" He'll be back Sam. Come on, you can come in now."

Jack sat on the roof of his house, oblivious to the rain, and gazed up at the clouds that obscured the night sky. How the hell had he gotten so involved with people again. After Charlie he'd vowed he'd never get close enough to be hurt again and then Jackson and the Stargate Programme had come along and he'd ended up with another family. That brought a smile to his face. Family. Some family.

" Damn you Jackson. You've a lot to answer for," he swore. Unbidden images of the memorial held when Daniel was believed dead crept in and then, even more vivid those last minutes on Klorel's ship...

" Daniel! Dammit!" Blood everywhere. A messy, partly cauterized, still smoking hole blown through Jackson's shoulder and chest from a staff weapon...

" Leave it! I'm dead anyway..." Daniel had known he'd slow them down, ruin whatever chance they'd have to save the Earth, " Leave me..."

" I'm not leaving you Daniel." And yet even as he said it he knew the younger man was dying. Daniel knew it too.

" Leave me. I'll stay ... watch your backs." In that moment Jack had believed he would never see Daniel again. Afterwards, in the Orbitor on the way back to Earth he'd silently begged Daniel's forgiveness for leaving him behind once more. It was General Hammond's expression that gave a faint inkling that Daniel had somehow, some way made it home in one piece. Jack hadn't cared who'd seen his delight as he'd crushed his friend close. Later that night, after the endless debriefing, Jack had found Daniel sitting alone in the Embarkation room, arms wrapped around his knees, rocking back and fore, crying as if his heart would break.

" Danny? "

" Go away Jack. I need to be alone. There's some one in my quarters and the Infirmary's packed and they won't let me off base... I just needed to be alone."

" I don't think so Danny. I think you've been alone enough." He sat by the younger man's side.

" How'd you find me anyway?"

" This is the military Danny. We have ways." Jack had been annoyed with Harriman when he'd woken him from sleep to say he thought someone ought to check out Doctor Jackson. Now he was grateful. Daniel looked like hell. " We saved the planet Danny. We're all alive. What's wrong?" He saw Daniel's face, " That's it isn't it? You thought we were dead?"

" Everyone I ever loved has died, or left me Jack... I was so pleased with myself, working out how I could get back to Earth, and then when I realized you were gone... "

" We're not gone Danny." Jack hesitated a moment then hugged Daniel hard, " See. We made it. Because of you. I'll never leave you again."

" Promise?" he managed a wobbly smile.

" Promise. We're family."

" Damn you Daniel." He couldn't stay here he knew. He got to his feet, chaffing his arms against the sudden chill. He'd wait it out with the rest of Daniel's 'family'. He'd made a promise, he owed him that much.

Jack talked. Janet had told him to talk so he talked, taking turns with Sam and Ferretti and others through the endless day and the night that followed. Daniel lay unresponsive, his condition unchanged throughout. There had been no further indications of cardiac or renal problems and the duty doctor had slowly decreased the rate of several of the infusions. Towards the morning the younger man began to get restless, right hand going for the endotracheal tube down his throat, legs moving, trying to kick off the covers.

" It's a good sign, confirms the spinal injury didn't cause permanent damage at least." Janet said, " He's not moving that left arm but then the shoulder was shattered and it could be that..." Or it could be damage to the brain they both thought but didn't state. She caught the flailing hand again, " At least he's showing some sign of waking."

" Hi, time you got some sleep Sir." Carter appeared with coffee, "Go on, Teal'c and I have had a few hours rest."

" You'll..."

" We'll call if there's any news. " He left reluctantly. Teal'c caught Daniel's arm, placing it back on the bed, gently restraining him.

" He appears improved," he noted, seeing the improved colour, signs of returning life.

" He's getting there." Janet affirmed. " Excuse us, we're just handing over." Sam caught Carolyn's glance at Daniel and frowned. The nurse seemed... annoyed. Then it was gone.

" I'm getting paranoid," Sam muttered, then seeing Teal'c's raised eyebrow, "Sorry Teal'c. Thinking aloud. " She sat opposite him, holding Daniel's unmoving left hand. Janet came across to say goodbye, " Say hi to Cassie for us."

" I will. She wants to visit, but not yet. I don't want her to see him like this. " Janet nodded at the paintings interspersed amongst the cards and balloons on the far wall, " She has a soft spot for Daniel."

" We all do." Daisy said joining them, the young Caribbean girl had her eyes set firmly on helping Daniel forget his wife. Fraiser had to smile. Half the female staff on the base had designs on Jackson yet he was completely oblivious to them all. " See you this evening Daniel, come on, I'll drive us home."

Sam and Teal'c were still there when General Hammond called in. He watched the nurse closely. There was something he couldn't quite place about her. She'd joined the rotation to the Mountain several months ago, came highly recommended, had an excellent record, a young family. Her husband had died on active duty, that much he knew, but it had all been very hush-hush and he had been unable to access further details. Apparently some things were even more top secret than the 'Gate Programme. But something didn't add up. Perhaps it was the fact she wasn't a team player. The Airforce was a strange place for some one who was so solitary.

They chatted a while, all the time Daniel growing more agitated. Dr Giles from neuro had appeared and made encouraging noises. Hammond wanted his boy back and fit for duty. The terrible prospect of long term disability loomed in the back ground. Giles had warned Hammond and Fraiser not to expect too much, information they'd kept from the rest of SG1, time enough for that later. He watched the young man's hand go repeatedly for the tube in his throat, Carter catching it, soothing him. He firmly quashed the nagging doubts. They could face up to problems when they occurred. For now keeping Jackson alive was all that mattered.

The trail was completely cold. The intelligence teams had drawn a big blank despite working with the civilian authorities in an effort to make progress. The car hadn't been traced. The body in the morgue offered no clues. Whoever had arranged this was still at large and that was no comfort at all. They were all at risk until the assailant had been removed from the equation. After seeing Daniel he called in on Katherine.

" How are you Doctor?"

" Katherine please. I'm fine. This is my cardiologist Doctor Spanswick."

" Hello." The young woman smiled, shook Hammond's hand, " Well, as I was saying, we had some more of your blood work back. On the whole everything checks out but the stress of your friend's illness could have precipitated this attack. We'll run a few more tests but that could have caused your episode yesterday. You're very lucky it didn't cause any long term ischaeimia."

" Can I go home today?"

" Tomorrow. Possibly. Rest today, let us carry out a few more tests, I'll get the nurse to draw blood and we'll take it from there."

" Whoa Daniel." Sam caught his flailing arm, firmly placing it back on the bed and his eyes flew open. " Nurse! Daniel it's all right. Can you hear me? You're safe. You're in hospital."

Carolyn joined Carter at his bedside. It had been a quiet shift, save for Jackson's tossing and turning. Now terrified blue eyes met theirs and Carolyn felt anger building. What did it take to kill the man?

" Try not to struggle Daniel. You'll hurt yourself." If only North thought bitterly. Daniel was fighting the ventilator now, trying to cough up the tube in his throat. " Dr Fraiser, we were just about to call." Carolyn schooled her features and smiled, " Dr Jackson's showing signs of waking up." Janet crossed the room and caught his hand in hers,

" Get me some midazolam please, I don't want to extubate him just yet, not until Dr Eiser's happy with his chest films, and he'll hurt himself." North hurried to comply." Good to see you back Daniel. Give him five c.c.'s, Daniel I'm going to give you something to help you relax." Carolyn injected the drug into the I.V. tubing and watched him relax, eyelids closing reluctantly. " Well. At last, some good news to hand over to the next shift. I was beginning to get worried."

" He looks better." Jack said with a satisfied smile. the endotracheal tube was gone, replaced by nasal oxygen prongs. Daniel had not shown further signs of waking since the night before, apart from struggling a little when the tube in his trachea had been removed, but as the day had worn on he'd become increasingly restless to the point the duty doctor had gently restrained him, afraid he'd pull out one of the many lines that still remained. Katherine nodded, looking relieved,

" We've been reminiscing, Ernest and I, about when the Stargate was discovered. My father's work, Ernest's mission... I think we've bored him back into unconsciousness." Jack kissed her cheek.

" Nonsense. However, I heard it said you were supposed to have been discharged home to rest."

" She was. But Katherine never was one to do as she was told." Ernest sighed. " Come on my love, let me take you home. Allow Jack some time with Daniel." Lightening briefly lit up the room, followed by an ominous roll of thunder, " Let's go before we have to request a boat rather than a car."

" We'll see you tomorrow." Katherine kissed Daniel's hand, " pleasant dreams."

" You can't stay awake forever." Sam said kindly, taking in Daniel's exhausted features. " I can try," he smiled, he didn't want to sleep. To sleep meant loosing Shau'ri a hundred times over as the scenes from their failed rescue mission played over and over in his mind. To sleep destroyed the carefully constructed walls that sealed memories too painful to confront from their hiding places. To sleep brought anguish and pain that he couldn't deal with at this point in time...

" How is he Sir?" Carter slipped in to join Jack. The Colonel shrugged, he saw Carter's features cloud,

" He'll be OK Carter, you know Danny, knock him down, he bounces back. Takes a licking' but keeps on ticking." Sam gazed down at her friend in the hospital bed. The bruising had settled to multi-coloured mottling now, most of the dressings removed to expose rows of staples and sutures. All but one of the chest drains were gone and slowly it was beginning to look more like Daniel, but that just made it worse, made it more real somehow. Jack saw her bite her lip, force down tears. Carter was riding too close to the edge. " Why don't you go home Sam. Get some proper sleep?"

She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak, she could feel her face burning. Damn it, she was an Airforce Captain, she *would not* break down like some silly school girl. How could she tell Jack that she was afraid to sleep. That every time she allowed herself to sleep she was woken by screaming nightmares that clung even after she'd put on the lights. They sat in silence for some time until Carter had to ask the question that kept coming to the front of her mind,

" What if he doesn't... what if the damage..." she tried to voice her worse fears.

" He'll be OK Carter. This won't stop him. Hell a staff blast didn't stop him. Being dead hasn't stopped him."

" This is different! This is... " Tears escaped, " I'm sorry..." Now they'd started she couldn't stop them, her shoulders shook as she turned away from Jack, embarrassed by her weakness. O'Neill gently pulled her into his arms and held her. He thought he was going to drown as she wept, unconsciously found himself rocking her as if she were a child, making soothing noises as she let go of the emotions she'd held in check for so long.

Sam was crying. Not that she'd ever let anyone see of course but Daniel had a habit of blundering in on Sam at vulnerable moments and today was no exception. He'd been looking for somewhere to hide. Fraiser wanted him on base twenty four hours after his run in with Heru-ur and he needed privacy so he headed for one of the storage areas to thrash out his thoughts and walked straight in on Carter.

" I'm sorry... I..." what? I was looking for somewhere to have a good cry but you beat me to it? " What's up Sam?"

" Noth..." that was stupid. Something was obviously up. " I, I had some personal news. Sorry. I just needed somewhere..."

" Private. To have a good cry. And I disturbed you. I'm sorry." She managed a smile. " Want to talk about it?"

She shook her head, he turned to go, " Don't. Please. I... I had an argument with my Dad. He's dying Daniel. We had a stupid fight and he's dying. He just thought he was helping. He knew how I'd always dreamed of getting onto the astronaut programme and I go and say no with no explanation. It was his dream too, to see me in space and I can't even tell him what I'm doing..." Daniel took her in his arms, stroking her hair, not saying anything just letting her vent her emotions...

Sam was dozing, head on Daniel's bed. Jack slumped, eyes closed, in the chair next to her. Daniel opened heavy, reluctant eyelids. Infirmary, he thought through the haze of sedation. What happened this time? He recognized the smell, the muffled sound of monitors and infusion pumps and faint voices. Definitely the Infirmary. Screwed up on a mission again Jackson. The aching, nagging pain from his shoulder began to compete with the pain on the right side of his head. He couldn't move. Why couldn't he move? Sam's hair was millimetres from his hand but he couldn't make his body respond. Restraints. Had he hurt someone? He forced his fingers to reach her hair, she jerked awake, uncertain what had woken her and then saw him watching her.

" Daniel! Sir Daniel's awake!" Jack was on his feet next to her now, "Daisy!"

" Hey Danny," Jack beamed, " Teal'c! " The Jaafa was there in an instant, Daniel saw the concern beneath his usual inscrutable features and realized things had been bad.

" Hello Doctor Jackson." Daisy was there, " Can you hear me?" He tried to respond. Nothing. His throat was raw, he licked dry, cracked lips, "You're in Hospital."

He could tell that. Not the Infirmary though. The ceiling was wrong. He'd seen the Infirmary ceiling enough times to know that. Jack was holding a straw to his lips. Even the effort of taking a mouthful was too much but he managed a tiny swallow,

" Are you in pain?" Daisy asked.

" Dumb question...." he tried to say but only the tiniest croak came out. He took another sip of water, something about the expressions of his team mates made him ask,

" Dying?"

" No Danny. You're gonna be just fine." Jack said, but his voice cracked. That wasn't a good sign Jackson mused through the haze. His team mates features wavered in and out of focus as Daisy went to call the duty doctor,

" We are glad to see you awake Danieljackson." Teal'c said. Sam carefully hugged him, hiding her over bright eyes. That bad, a part of his mind said. He tried to hug her back but his hands were still secured.

" Did I hurt someone?" he asked.

" Oh.. no..." Jack freed his hands, " You've been kinda restless. There." Daniel moved his right hand experimentally. Something didn't seem quite right with the other, he glanced down, catching sight of a bulky dressing.

" What happened?" his voice was a husky whisper. His throat agony.

" Time enough for that later." the duty doctor said. " If you could give me ten minutes?" SG1 went outside, relief bringing exhaustion. They slumped to the floor outside Daniel's room, too weary to move, to relieved to care.

" We should call the General." Sam said.

" Leave it a few hours, it'll be dawn soon." Jack said looking out of the window at the sky beginning to lighten. The storms of the past few days had passed. Not a cloud in the sky Jack realized. It was going to be a great day.

North watched Daniel's visitors with well disguised disgust. Hammond and Fraiser had arrived and were chatting to a pale but very much alive Jackson and planning a move to the Mountain in the next twenty four hours. How could he have survived? It was his fault her beloved Andrew was dead. Yet he was still alive and even sharing a joke with Hammond about his new ' military ' hair cut.

" Carolyn, we'll be moving out tomorrow, back to our own territory." Fraiser said crossing to the nurses' station, Carolyn found a smile from somewhere,

" Good. I think we're beginning to annoy the civilians," she said.

" I think you're right. You three, home. Rest. That's an order." Fraiser said casting a glance over SG1. She saw the protests coming and stalled them. " You've been here four days. Time to get some sleep."

" Four days?" Daniel had no idea, " What happened anyway? I mean, who'd shoot me? Was it a mugger?"

" We don't really know son." Hammond and the others had been briefed not to reveal too much too soon. Daniel was having problems assimilating information as it was, frequently repeating questions, forgetting the answers moments later. He had no recollection of the shooting, nor of the mission immediately preceding it, but he was conscious and lucid much to everyone's relief. The slurred speech and hazy recall would hopefully improve in time Fraiser reassured theem, the main thing was Daniel was alive.

Fraiser watched the rest of SG1 with a smile as they hovered protectively around Daniel. Whether they were aware of it or not Daniel was the glue that held SG1 together, and he had survived, despite the odds, once again. That's seven lives Daniel, Janet cautioned in her mind, try to be careful with the last two, for all our sakes. She became aware of Hammond's voice, " Dr Fraiser's right. I want SG1, minus Dr. Jackson of course, fit to return to duty in two days. That means sleep."

" We have slept." Jack said. His crumpled, unshaven appearance belied that.

" Jack. Do as you're told. You look like hell." Daniel said.

" Care to borrow a mirror?"

" I'm in good hands. Carolyn here will look after me."

" SG4 are going to be here any minute," Hammond said,

" SG4? " Daniel asked confused. Hammond bit his tongue. Jackson didn't need to know they were still concerned for his safety. The General quickly improvised,

" We had to secure the Hospital Son. You were too sick to move." That was true enough and Daniel accepted it without question, " When SG4 arrive you go home Colonel. That's an order. Is that clear?"

" Yes Sir."

" Now, if you'll excuse me Son, I want to talk with Dr Fraiser."

" We'll let you get some rest Danny." Jack said, taking his cue from Hammond. Time for the daily progress meeting with Giles and Eiser's teams, " Try not to get into trouble OK?"

Daniel's eyes clouded, " Did I screw up again? Is that why I ended up here?"

" No! Hell no Danny." Jack saw the anxiety clouding Jackson's face, "Some lunatic shot you. You didn't do anything wrong." Daniel didn't believe him he could see.

" O'Neill speaks the truth Danieljackson." Teal'c reassured him.

" Sam was hurt too."

" It's just a few grazes Daniel. I'm fine." She squeezed his hand, " It wasn't your fault."

" You're sure? "

" Positive," Sam smiled, kissing his cheek. " We'll be back soon. Try and rest." There was something they weren't saying, he could tell despite the painkillers and the amnesia, but his vision was wavering and he was so tired he had to close his eyes. He felt Sam's lips brush his cheek again, heard them leave. They'd tell him in time, when they were ready, but right now he needed to drift back to sleep.

Hammond looked around the table with relief. The civilian specialists were more than pleased with Jackson's progress. He could have told them the man was unstoppable. Dr Jackson sure had a guardian angel on his side working overtime.

" There's some residual weakness in the left arm but that's from nerve and muscle trauma " Fraiser said, " Neurologically he appears to be making a remarkable recovery and as Dr Eiser stated his cardiac function has returned to normal."

" He'll be prone to mood swings, emotional outbursts over the next few weeks, possibly bouts of depression," Giles warned, " That's very common, along with memory loss and amnesia around events surrounding the incident. But initial signs are good."

" This damage to his shoulder?" Jack was worried. If he wasn't one hundred percent fit Daniel wouldn't make it back to active duty.

" Time will tell. With physiotherapy and determination he'll hopefully regain full use. We'll run an MRI scan but initially things look pretty good." Giles reassured them.

" I'm not being awkward Doc, don't take this the wrong way, but pretty good isn't good enough. I need my man one hundred percent." Jack said.

" I can't give you that assurance Colonel. Take it a day at a time. Daniel will have to stay on medication to prevent seizures for some time, it's extremely common following this type of injury for the victim to have fits. You're looking at several months of recuperation time before you'll have a definite answer."

" Several months?" Sam was shocked, " But..."

" Captain, Daniel was lucky to survive. Dr Giles is right, even without the neurological trauma the shoulder injury alone will take months to heal." Janet said gently. " There was no point in emphasizing this aspect before. It was enough to see Daniel survive. Now we have to face the facts that this will be a long haul." Janet saw the shock on their faces. They were so used to bouncing back from minor injuries, and using ' alternative ' methods to repair massive damage that the prospect of Daniel never being fit enough to rejoin them had never even crossed their minds. " I'm sorry. But let's be positive. We all know Daniel's track record. He'll be fine."

The mood had changed perceptibly, the euphoria of a few hours ago replaced by stark realization. Hammond saw SG1's thoughts turning to a worse case scenario and knew it was time to call a halt to the meeting.

" I want to thank all of your staff for the treatment you've given Dr Jackson." Hammond said warmly, " He would have died without your skill. I'm certain he'll make a full recovery. You'll be pleased to hear we'll be leaving you tomorrow."

" We'll wave goodbye." Eiser smiled, " But we'll miss you."

Jack fell onto his own bed in relief. Carter and Teal'c occupying his spare rooms; he'd offered to drive them to their own homes but no one wanted to be alone yet. Daniel was going to be OK. They should have known. No matter what the civilian doctors thought Daniel would rejoin SG1, they wouldn't allow anything else. He closed his eyes, pulled the quilt over and began to drift. Daniel was going to be OK. Carolyn North's face came into focus. He'd caught her glowering at them this morning, the expression quickly replaced by a neutral smile. It was almost as if she was angry that Daniel was getting better.

" You're paranoid O'Neill," he muttered, " Go to sleep." But sleep wouldn't come. Exasperated he pulled on a robe and went to the kitchen. Sam and Teal'c were already there, working their way through the donuts they'd picked up on the trip home that morning.

" Aw you didn't eat the Boston Creme one Sam?"

" I did." Teal'c admitted. " I was unaware that one was reserved for you." Jack picked a jelly one up, speaking around a mouthful,

" Just remember next time. Senior Officers only."

" I will commit the fact to memory." Jack cocked his head, uncertain if the Jaafa was kidding or not,

" Something doesn't add up." Sam said. " Someone hired Antonia. So where are they now? We're all at risk as long as they're out there."

" Or are we?" O'Neill said. " There's been no further incidents... Could it be personal?"

" Could Danieljackson have angered someone so much?" Teal'c asked.

" Well he is kinda flaky. It has to be linked to the Programme. But who?"

" Well there are a few of the guys who think he shouldn't be on active duty." Sam said, " A few disgruntled lab staff who've felt put out by his thought process and impatience at times but..."

" Colonel Maybourne does not like Danieljackson." Teal'c said. " He said he would have him removed from the programme."

" He wouldn't..? Nah, not even Maybourne is that big a bastard." Jack said. " I'm done with this ' resting '. Let's go to the Mountain."

" General Hammond's had a team working on it since the shooting, plus N.I.D. and the Feds," Sam pointed out.

" Yeah but they're not us. Besides, I wouldn't trust N.I.D. to direct traffic let alone head up a major investigation."

" You think they're not interested." Sam said.

" The thought had crossed my mind. Let's face it, SG1 hasn't exactly got a glowing record when it comes to dealing with them. To tell the truth I trust that guy Bracey to do a better job. Finish up Carter, let's do a spot of snooping ourselves."

" N.I.D. " Sam said suddenly. " We sent four of their men into oblivion. We shut down their extra curricular activity with the second gate. We've blocked them on several occasions." Jack was staring at her. His voice was very quiet when he spoke.

" Let's go see the General."

" I thought you were ordered to go home and rest." Hammond scowled.

" We did. We're rested." O'Neill said. " Now we're back."

" I give up. Well I was about to send a team back to town. Seems they picked up the driver this morning. Gregor Zincewicz, a man with a colourful past. Perhaps you'd like to go and harass a few civilians."

" We'd be delighted." Jack said, " But first Captain Carter's come up with an interesting theory regarding our N.I.D. friends."

" Come to my office. I want to hear it."

Three hours later they were ushered into a small office whilst the police captain went to fetch the officer working on the case. They'd left the General on the phone to Maybourne, a man none too happy to be accused of assisting an attempted murder. A slight, graying police officer came into the room interrupting their quiet conversation regarding Maybourne's possible involvement. Carter recognized him at once,

" You're looking better Ma'am, " Bracey smiled accepting her handshake, looking her up and down as he did so. She sure looked different in uniform he mused. " We finally traced the car used in the shooting at a chop shop, had an undercover working there on another case who recognized the plate. We leant on the guys involved a little and they came up with a name. We picked Zincewicz up this morning, he's well known; record as long as your arm. Denied all knowledge at first until we let it slip Antonia was dead. He'd been out of the State, hadn't heard. Seems he had a soft spot for her."

" Did he know who hired her?" Sam asked.

" Not exactly. But it was a woman."

" Daniel's fatal charm again." O'Neill said." No name?"

" No. But she was military."

" He's certain?"

" Very. I think you've got an internal problem Colonel."

" Then we'd better trace it. Could this driver identify her?"

" He might need some incentive."

" I will get the information out of him." Teal'c said without hesitation. Jack shook his head,

" Even criminals have rights in America Teal'c. The right to silence being one of them."

" Then your system is flawed."

" Tell me about it. Seriously, Teal'c might intimidate him into co-operating."

" Worth a try. He's in Interrogation One, come on, I'll take you."

Greg got to his feet as they entered the interrogation room. He was nervous. He'd been busted before, but never like this. He had rights. But the police had merely said the matter was out of their hands. He watched the three military types anxiously. The woman with her arm in a sling he recognized, not looking so hot in her regulation issue clothing, but definitely the chick from the shooting.

" I want my lawyer," he said before they had a chance to speak.

" Save it." O'Neill said, his voice very quiet. " Some one tried to execute one of my team. I want to know who was behind it. "

" I don't know nothing about it."

" You are lying." Teal'c towered over Greg who cowered away, scared.

" You keep him off me. Y'hear!"

" Who hired her Greg? We know it was military." O'Neill said.

" Think about it. They hired Antonia to kill Daniel, then killed Antonia. Now who else knew about the hit? You. What makes you think you aren't next on the list?" Sam asked. The driver paled noticeably. Nice work Carter thought O'Neill.

" What's in it for me if I co-operate?"

" How about I don't let Teal'c here tear you limb from limb?" Jack snapped. Teal'c managed to look suitably menacing without moving a muscle or changing expression. Greg shifted uncomfortably in his chair, not so cocky now.

" I have rights. You can't hit me."

" Not as a military prisoner you don't. We can make you disappear without a trace. We can get you charged with espionage. Face a firing squad. No questions asked. Well not too many any how." Jack said. Greg slumped.

" You're bluffing."

" Are we?" O'Neill's voice was dangerously calm. Greg glanced from the colonel to the big guy and back again. They were right, Antonia had been a professional and she was dead. He was no killer. Just a driver. He wouldn't stand a chance.

" It was a woman. She works at the base. Had a lot of information about when you were working away. When you'd get back. Stuff like that."

" Describe her." Carter said. He shrugged.

" She was a woman. " He saw O'Neill's face darken and expanded, "Taller than me, slim...skinny even. Dark hair, olive complexion. Kinda plain."

" Who does that sound like to you Carter?" Jack asked feeling very uneasy.

" The nurse. Carolyn North." Teal'c said without hesitation. Carter found a photo in the personnel file she was holding, thrust it under Greg's nose,

" Is that her?"

" Yeah. I think. She wore a hat and glasses. I'm pretty certain..."

" Bracey. Get hold of General Hammond, tell him to warn SG4 that Carolyn North's behind this. We're on our way. Come on kids."

" Hey what about me?" Greg wailed. Bracey shrugged, heading for a phone,

" Guess you'll have to wait on that."

Daniel woke with a start. Dam his shoulder hurt. It took a few minutes for him to recall where he was and why. His head swam as he struggled to sit, his vision wavered and nausea washed over him. Carolyn was watching him, a curious expression on her face. She came over, eyes locked with his and for some reason he felt uncomfortable.

" Do you need painkillers Daniel?"

" Please. My head hurts, and my shoulder."

" I won't be a minute." She went to the nurses' station and collected two syringes she'd prepared earlier before returning to the bed. Daniel watched her insert them into his I.V. line, " I didn't think you'd survive," she said softly, " I was willing to pay a lot of money to see you blown away. You killed my husband."

Daniel couldn't speak. Something was wrong.

Carolyn carefully turned off the alarms, disconnected his monitors from the central station down the hall, "Murdered him as surely as if you'd pulled the trigger. You opened that *fucking* 'Gate and you were there when they forced him to jump. He's out there somewhere, alive or dead no one cares. Oh they paid us off handsomely. Got me the transfer I requested, no questions asked, thought I'd just get on with my life as if nothing had happened. They didn't give a damn about Andrew. Well I give a damn."

He was choking. Unable to draw air into his lungs. Unable to move. To blink.

" A tragic set back. Another cardiac arrhythmia, and after surviving so much too. You owe Andrew and his team that much Jackson." Daniel was panicking, deprived of oxygen, Carolyn smiled. Her face filling his rapidly distorted vision. " I hope you rot in Hell." She was so focused on the task at hand she didn't hear Eiser come in to the room. The doctor paused, then, taking in Daniel's colour before she glanced at the monitors,

" What are you doing? Get away..." She shoved the nurse aside. North easily subdued the civilian, twisting her arm up behind her back, gun at her throat as the door burst open. Ferretti froze at the scene before him, sidearm drawn, the rest of SG4 on his heels.

" I'll kill her." North said calmly.

" Let her go North." Kensig snapped.

" I don't think so Colonel." Carolyn's eyes strayed back to Daniel. He was blue, the silenced monitors showing plunging oxygen levels and an increasingly erratic heart rate. Eiser stopped struggling, the pressure on her arm easing a fraction, the gun no longer jammed against her neck but pointing at Daniel. Eiser wasn't military but she'd taken self defense and she wasn't about to let this lunatic kill a patient she'd worked so hard on. She slammed her head back, striking North's face, twisted free, dropping as Ferretti fired, his shot going slightly wide as Carolyn stumbled. North spun, returning fire as she did so, turning the weapon back on Daniel and then Teal'c was pushing past SG4, launching himself at North with a roar, knocking her half way across the room, the rest of SG1 close behind.

Eiser was frantically intubating, hand ventilating as Jack and Ferretti dragged Teal'c off the nurse. Sam hadn't moved. Eyes fixed on Jackson's cyanosed face, his eyes open, meeting hers. Sam vividly saw him lying in an ever widening pool of blood in the parking lot; in the Infirmary after Marchelo had stolen his body; Janet working on him to resuscitate the frail old body; in flames, begging for help as his body disintegrated on Nem's planet... Carolyn was screaming abuse. Kicking and struggling as Kensig and Phipps held her fast. Jack and Ferretti held Teal'c between them, the Jaafa ready to kill the female without hesitation.

" What the hells going on?" The noise had brought Dr Giles and several nurses running, " Carrie? "

" She's given him a paralyzing agent." Eiser was still bagging the unresisting Jackson. " And who knows what else! He's throwing multi-focal ectopics...could be potassium too..." Giles was drawing blood even as she spoke, vaguely aware of the scuffle still ensuing at the periphery of his consciousness. The results confirmed Eiser's suspicions,

" Good call. OK, let's get some insulin and 50% dextrose on board." Giles drew the drugs up, an eye on the erratic heart rhythm, " No offence to you nice military folks but we'll be real glad to get back to normal."

" Bloody murdering bastards!" North screamed, biting Kensig as she fought her restraints, spitting at Phipps, " I should have killed you all! "

" Teal'c, could you calm down a little here!" Ferretti yelled, almost lifted clear of the floor as the Jaafa strained against his colleagues, " You're gonna wrench my arm off."

" Get that woman out of here." Giles snapped, " Give us some room to work."

" He killed my husband." Carolyn screamed. " He deserves to die!"

" Did he?" Eiser asked injecting the insulin mixture whilst Giles set up an infusion, " kill her husband?"

" No. But I guess she thinks he did." Jack let Teal'c go as North was dragged off, the Jaafa still ready to rip the nurse limb from limb. " Teal'c see to Captain Carter. Now Teal'c." Carter was still frozen to the spot, alarmingly pale, expression fixed on some distant point. One day, Jack thought to himself, recognizing the pallor and glazed expression, we're going to have to go back to Nem and have a little chat about those memories he implanted. He turned his attention back to Daniel, " Is he going to be OK?"

" Once we've stabilized his blood chemistry." Eiser said. " Remember what you told me? He's indestructible."

SG1 were due back from a surveillance mission to P68326 later that morning. Thank goodness Janet sighed. Daniel had not been an easy patient and between his bouts of depression and bad temper he'd driven everyone away, even the ever patient Daisy, and was now refusing to co-operate with the physiotherapist. In the four weeks since their return to the Mountain he'd under gone further surgery on his shoulder to improve mobility of the joint. He'd lost weight and motivation, depression crashing down as he recuperated. He needed to get back to work, but without regaining full use of his arm there was no way he was going to be let off world and his poor concentration and blurred vision limited his ability to work in a consultative role. Fraiser had broken the news a few days earlier that he'd be off rotation at least six months until they were certain he was neurologically recovered and Jackson had refused to get out of bed since.

" Hey. Feel up to complying today?" Janet asked. Daniel didn't even turn to face her. " Daniel."

" I've got a headache," he muttered. Janet was annoyed now.

" Dr Jackson turn around when you're addressing me! " She snapped. That got his attention. Janet winced, unused to being so abrupt with Daniel. He hadn't washed or shaved in days. His painfully short hair was uncombed and she knew he hadn't eaten. He looked like hell. She couldn't afford to pussy foot around. Being nice hadn't worked. Time to get tough. "You can't sulk forever Daniel. You have to do the physio if you want to get back to work."

" Who says I want to? I killed him Janet. She was right. How many others have I killed by opening the 'Gate? We should never have touched it." He was sitting up now, " If I hadn't opened it Shau'ri..."

" Might still have been taken. At the very least she'd be a slave still. Is that what you want?"

" I don't know any more..." He looked so wretched that Janet wanted to hug him. She wanted to hit him too. This bout of depression was dragging him down so fast, " Perhaps she'd have been safer as a slave."

" You don't mean that Daniel."

" Don't I?" Janet became aware of the General entering the room, Daniel didn't look up, the picture of utter dejection.

" Dr Fraiser... may I have a word..." Hammond looked anxious. He drew her aside, spoke softly. Daniel didn't move. Six months before they'd even consider him fit for 'Gate travel. They'd replace him. A nice, efficient, military type to slot in and take over and they'd never want him back. Some one like Brewer, the guy who'd stood in for him this mission. He'd be relegated to a consultant role on Earth, or asked to leave and what would he do then? He didn't belong on Earth. He didn't belong anywhere. Hammond was still talking. Fraiser was disagreeing with something. Then one word caught his attention.

" What's wrong with Katherine? General?" He saw the annoyed glance Fraiser shot at Hammond, " Please?"

" Katherine's in the County. It seems she had a heart attack this morning." Hammond said. " Ernest wanted you to be told..."

" I have to go. Please..." he was on the edge of his bed. The first time in days, "Janet please..."

" Take it easy Daniel. You're too wobbly to go running around. Let's get you dressed at least." Fraiser put a hand out to steady him. Well it was one way to get him upright, it was a start.

" I'll organize a car." Hammond said. " I'll come with you."

It took them almost two hours to get to the hospital by the time General Hammond had sorted out a problem that couldn't wait and they'd been held up in an endless traffic queue. Daniel was nearly besides himself by the time they headed for the third floor where Ernest was taking a quick break from Katherine's bedside. " How is she?" Ernest was pale, trembling. Without Katherine he would be lost. It was her patience and love that had helped him adjust to an Earth that he no longer considered home.

" She's stable now. After the last scare..."

" Scare?"

" When you were ill... she had a bad angina attack . You know what she's like, she wouldn't slow down." He led them into the room. The smell and sounds too close for comfort. Katherine was lying in bed, eyes closed, looking so old, so frail, that for one awful moment Daniel wondered if she were still alive. Then sharp grey eyes fell on her visitors and she sat up, waving off Ernest's attempts to help.

" What are you doing here Daniel? " she asked sharply, taking in his ashen appearance, " Look at you! He should be in bed. You should know better General Hammond."

" I see you're feeling better." Hammond said smiling despite his anxiety. " He insisted. He's as stubborn as you."

" Katherine." Daniel took her hand, squeezing it hard, " I had no idea..."

" I'm old Daniel. Bits are wearing out. Fortunately I'm as resilient as you. For heaven's sake sit down before you fall down. How are you feeling?"

" I'm... getting there."

" Then why do you look like the survivor of a prison camp? Designer stubble doesn't suit you Daniel. Don't they have razors at the Mountain?"

He looked at the floor, embarrassed, " I've been kinda down."

" Then pull yourself together. I take it SG1 are off world or they'd be cluttering the place up too. They need you Daniel and you're no use to them like this."

" Katherine. Calm down..." Ernest begged. Katherine was in full swing now,

" Get off your backside and get working on that arm. You want to be part of the Programme? Then work for it." She saw his expression, reached out to take his hand, " They need someone with an iota of common sense Daniel, someone to see past the obvious. You made the Programme happen."

" I don't belong there Katherine."

" Says who son? " Hammond asked, genuinely concerned, " You'll be back in action as soon as you're fit."

" Daniel the Stargate Programme is my life's work. When I'm gone I want to know it will be in good hands."

" You're not going to die Katherine," Daniel looked stricken.

" Not yet," she agreed, " I've still got too much to do. Listen to your doctors Daniel. Do as you're told."

" This, I take it, is do as I say, not as I do?" Dr Spanswick came in, casting a disapproving eye around the room, " Hello General. Miss Langford is supposed to be resting. Not holding court. Professor Liddlefield can stay, you two out. Now."

" Yes Ma'am." Hammond went to usher Daniel out when heavy footsteps and raised voices announced the arrival of SG1, back a few hours early from P68326. They burst in without knocking. They'd been cleared by Fraiser in record time and headed straight for the hospital, unwashed, unchanged, all asking questions at once. Spanswick watched in disbelief as the three hugged Katherine and Ernest and pounded Daniel on the back, before depositing themselves around the room, O'Neill sitting on the foot of the bed, Carter against the pillows alongside Katherine. Teal'c stood behind Jackson, almost protective Spanswick mused, regaining her composure,

" General Hammond. This is not part of your facility, although I'm beginning to believe it is. Out. Visiting hours for non-family members are four to eight. Go."

" Katherine is family." Jack said firmly. The doctor threw her hands up in despair,

" Out." She repeated. Daniel got slowly to his feet, " And someone get that man a wheelchair before he falls over and makes more work for us. Miss Langford needs to rest. You can see her later." Hammond knew when it was pertinent to obey orders.

" Come on folks. You should be at a debriefing anyway."

Teal'c had moved alongside Jackson, ready to give support if necessary as they left the room.

" You look like crap." Jack said. Sam found a wheelchair and Daniel sat gratefully, " Fraiser afraid you'll top yourself if she gives you a razor?"

" Sorry. You guys OK?"

" We are well Danieljackson. We are pleased to see you. We are concerned for your welfare however."

" Concerned my ass. What's this nonsense we heard about you refusing to get out of bed?" Jack asked, direct as ever. Daniel blushed, " Jackson I'm gonna kick your sorry behind to the gymnasium every day I'm on Earth. You hear? How're you ever gonna be fit for duty if you don't work at it? "

" I...I, six months Jack. They'll replace me."

" It's just until you're well Son. Did you think I'd push you off the team?" Hammond asked. Was that what had been behind Jackson's uncharacteristic temper tantrums and depression?

" Six months. That's it. I want you fit to return to duty by then. Corbin Brewer is *not* a permanent fixture on my team. He's filling in. " Jack squatted in front of Daniel to look him in the eyes, " no one's gonna replace you space monkey. Y'hear?"

Daniel managed a grin, " I hear."

" Good. Now, let's get a full update on Katherine's condition and then we'll go back to the Mountain. You've got a date with Deadly Delia the physiotherapist."

Daniel dozed on the veranda of Jack's house. The Colonel had organized a B-B-Q for SG3 and 4 and several of the medical staff along with General Hammond, Katherine and Ernest to thank them for their support over the past months.

Eight weeks down the road from the shooting and Daniel was having a down day, but they came less frequently now and slowly, with patience, his physical condition was improving. His short-term memory was all but perfect, the only grey area being events around the shooting itself and the days afterwards. The headaches still came and went and his moods swung with the weather but he was getting there. He'd had no seizures and Fraiser had begun to reduce his medication and had cleared him for limited duty at the Mountain to stop him driving everyone insane. Everyone had been briefed as to what, exactly he was allowed to do and for how many hours at a time and he'd been warned any attempts to exceed these parameters and he'd be back on sick leave before he could say artifact.

Carolyn North was in a secure facility receiving psychiatric help, her two toddlers being cared for by her distraught parents. Jack secretly hoped she'd remained there for life. He had a feeling she wasn't done with SG1 yet.

" Daniel?" Sam was at his side with a soft drink. " Katherine and Ernest have arrived."

" Thanks Sam." He took the drink, with his left hand she noticed with a smile, carefully controlling a slight tremor as he placed it on the table before getting to his feet,

" Well someone looks a whole lot better than the last time I saw him." Katherine beamed, he accepted her embrace, shook Ernest's hand warmly. The couple had returned from a trip visiting Katherine's niece in Oregon that morning where Katherine had been convalescing. Something caught Daniel's eye, the glint of sunlight on gold, mouth open he caught her left hand in his. Jack and Teal'c had joined them to exchange greetings before the rest of the guests muscled in. All four gaped at the huge solitaire.

" Katherine? Something you wanted to tell us Ernest?" Jack asked.

" It was your idea." Ernest pointed out. " Make an honest woman of her you said."

" Daniel?" Katherine asked. Without a word he kissed her, hugged Ernest, pounding him on the back.

" I'm so happy for you." Sam kissed them both, Teal'c following, his arms engulfing Katherine, " Let's tell the troops."

" I hope you brought the champagne?" Jack asked.

" Twelve cases; in the car." Ernest smiled handing Jack the keys,

" That should do for starters." Jack said, " We'll send for more later."

" Who'd have thought it? Sly old dog." Jack grinned. The afternoon had extended into a late evening. Jack's house was littered with dozing SGC staff and their families and SG1 were sitting on the back steps watching Cassie and several other children playing baseball with Hammond, Fraiser and a handful of the more sober officers. Harriman and Daisy were asleep on the back veranda after an impressive drinking competition involving rather more champagne than was judicious and Katherine and Ernest were lazing in a pair of steamer chairs in the shade of a tree, hand in hand like a couple of teenagers.

" Star crossed lovers reunited." Daniel smiled, " They deserve to be happy." He was silent for a few moments, his thoughts straying. Jack saw the change in his expression and patted Daniel's shoulder, instinctively knowing where the younger man's thoughts were heading.

" We'll find them Danny. One day."

" We will bring Shau'ri and Skaraa home Danieljackson. As I have promised."

" And then, " Sam said passing a beer to Jack, sodas to Teal'c and Daniel, " We'll *really* show them how to party. Right Sir?"

" Right." Jack grinned. " To Shau'ri and Skaraa and our mission." He raised his bottle, the other three clinked against it, " To SG1, let's see what's out there."

© May 19,1999 The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

This one's dedicated to the Gang ; that's my long suffering husband Hugh, Douggie, David, Dean, Big Mark, Cathy, Paul, Pauline and Andrew for being there when Marie and I needed them in 1996; and, of course, my ' little ' sister Marie and my new brother-in-law Dickie, fandom has a lot to answer for, congratulations kids. Long life and good health to you all my friends.