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'I guess I should tell them. Shouldn't I? I can't run away, I am working with the military on a top-secret project. They would search for me. Like this alone isn't bad enough. Maybe if I just told Jack?
Would he understand? Just gotta find out, I guess.'
"Hey Daniel? You OK?"
He bit back his automatic 'I'm fine' and thought about what he would say.
"We need to talk, Jack."
His friend looked surprised. He probably hadn't been expecting this.
Well, maybe he had, but not now.
'Come one, help me out here Jack,' Daniel silently wished. When nothing happened, he licked his lips and started.
"Jack...."
'Just tell it! Now's the perfect time.'
They were at Jack's place after -what seemed for the first time ever since they had gone through the 'gate- an easy and quiet mission. They were on stand down for a few days now, having explored four planets in a row in the past three weeks. They would've done five, if Sam hadn't had that little accident with the glass.
'Just talk now, Danny-boy' he tried to encourage himself. "How am I gonna tell this? It's gonna sound crazy..." he muttered to himself, with a grim smile.
He knew for sure Jack would have him checked out by Doctor Fraiser, to see if he was really OK. Of course, they would find nothing, because there was nothing wrong with him. So they'd probably ask MacKenzie for help. And no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't even pretend he liked that guy.
"I'm...."
He hesitated again, but this time Jack jumped in, acting like a father-figure.
"You can tell me."
'Yeah, but don't be shocked.'
"I'm not who you think I am."
That still didn't explain anything. And now Jack was eyeing him suspiciously, like he was some kind of crazy, weird alien. 'He probably thinks I am one, right now.'
"I mean, I am Daniel Jackson. But that's not entirely true."
'Yeah, that helped! Now Jack' will immediately call Fraiser and MacKenzie and I can be sure that I'm gonna see the familiar white walls again soon.'
"What exactly do you mean?"
"I am Daniel, but after the death of my parents, I was... sort of kidnapped."
He could see the Colonel didn't quite follow it. So he went on with his explanation.
"The Centre took me and... trained me. They did all kinds of simulations."
"Woah! Wait a minute! The Centre?"
"Yeah, some kind of organisation. Hard to explain... some kind of crime-organisation."
"And why did they do these... simulations with you?" Jack wasn't convinced and frankly it didn't surprise Daniel. He remembered how Jack had reacted when he'd returned from the alternate reality.
'This must sound just as confusing as the other realities-thing.'
"I became a 'Pretender'," he continued, ignoring Jack's question. "When they had a problem, they would ask me for a solution. I didn't know what they did with those solutions from me. I didn't know some of those simulations were real, Jack. I helped them with some pretty bad stuff. When I found out about it, I escaped. I'd been on the run for about two years, when I decided to settle down. See if they would fine me. A half year after that, Katherine contacted me."
"Woah, easy there... You're absolutely sure you're allright? "
"Yes. Jack, it's true."
"You're not Goa'uld.. or something like it?"
Jack was getting concerned, maybe something terrible had happened to the linguist off-world... or -as a voice in the back of his mind softly whispered- maybe the story was true?
"No, here..." he showed his neck, to let Jack see there wasn't a scar, the Goa'uld entry sign. "... look."
"Ah."
"You don't believe me, do you? What can I do to make you believe?"
"OK, since your... abduction and your escape you were in the Centre, right?"
Daniel nodded, indicating the Colonel was right.
"So how do you explain all the schools and digs you're supposed to have attended, according to your file, while you actually were at the Centre?"
"I didn't."
Aha! Got you! was written on his CO's face.
"Jack, don't you think I can fake those things? I mean, I *have* studied archaeology, I could've gotten the PhDs the normal way, instead of what I did. I faked them. I desperately wanted to disappear in the crowd. And I read a lot of stuff about digs in Europe and Egypt, had some pictures made with the computer of me supposedly being there. You know how easily you can do things, when you really want to? And not get caught?"
The Colonel was still glaring at him, not convinced, but the way Daniel was acting... It didn't sound as unbelievable as first.
"Why did you kept it a secret for so long?"
"I wanted to live my life, this life. I finally had a life! So I kept myself quiet, didn't want to be found."
"So why tell it now?"
'Good question Jack. Why? Because of the dreams he had had? Nightmares, dreams that fall into the catgory of dreams in which you woke up, sweating and scared as hell, were definitely rated as nightmares.
"I've been having... bad dreams lately. And I always wanted to tell you the truth anyway."
'More questions Jack? Still don't believe me? I'd have understood it you didn't believe me right away, you're too much of a soldier for that. But I thought you would understand it, once it got through to you. I never lied to you before, did I?'
Jack O'Neill had a hard time believing his friend. He knew Daniel wouldn't lie. Remembering the physical the good doctor always did after every single mission, he knew his friend was fine, physically. Maybe it was something in his head... It couldn't be Ma'chello again, could it?
What if the whole thing was true? It could be... it wasn't impossible.Would there be any kind of consequences for SG-1? No, probably not. As long as Maybourne or one of his friends didn't got a hold of Daniel.
They didn't have to tell Hammond either...
Woah! Hang on there Jack! First make sure if the story is true and if it isn't -which his first thought had been after hearing it- see if Daniel's okay. The man looked a bit pale, but they had been on a mission not so long ago and sleep was something they both needed.
"Okay..."
His eyes searched the blue ones, for a moment the eyes were like glued to each other. It was like a conversation without words, arguments and answers, by simple looking at each other.
'Daniel is telling the truth,' he realised. 'The kid never does cease to amaze me.'
"I believe you."
For a moment the archeologist looked surprised, but then he smiled -and Jack had to admit it was good to see a smile on his friend's face once again.
"I knew you'd believe me."
'Am I so easy to predict? Gotta work on that...'
"What are those ...bad... dreams about?"
"The Centre. Let's just say I didn't had much fun there. In the dreams they found me, chased me all over the base until they found me. And then you, Sam or Teal'c would appear, trying to stop them and they shot you guys. For no reason. They just didn't care. I'm afraid they're gonna find me, Jack."
Nervously Daniel licked his lips before he continued. "If they find me, I can't stay here. They'll hunt me down."
It was a fact, something simply had to be done.
"*If* they find you, Daniel. If we don't stop them before they find you."
The Colonel made a silent promise with those words. Daniel nodded, showing he understood. His face was grim, he didn't like the idea of being found at all.
After a silence for about five minutes, the linguist got off the couch, grabbed his coat and searched his pockets for the car keys.
"So... see you later, Jack."
"Yeah, see you..."
Daniel was already out of hearing range when Jack softly added
"Danny-boy".
**end**
© 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.