• SPOILERS : Five, anything up through Threshold might be spoiled, but they're so vague I can't even remember what I've mentioned.
• SUMMARY : SG1 undergoes a lovely test, get a little banged up along the way, and each team member has a brilliant revelation at the end. Okay, that might be stretching it.
• PG [A] [Hc] [D]

Jack sat back, sighed deeply and patted his stomach with contentment, ignoring the semi-annoyed glare Daniel was skewering at him. He couldn't help it. This was turning out to be a piece of cake mission, and since those came along so rarely he was going to enjoy it. They'd only been here two hours and already managed to successfully negotiate for the mineral of which the people of P8C 218 had an abundance. Daniel was uncomfortable with the arrangement, though the archaeologist kept his disgruntlement non-verbal. So far. Jack had to admit trading five hundred pair of standard issue combat boots and socks for access to the planet's supply of trinium did seem a bit unbalanced. He felt a minor glimmer of guilt, but was very able to look beyond it to focus on the positive.

Which at the moment was the table of food and drink spread before him. An almost inexhaustible supply of trinium and an excellent meal - oh yes, P8C 218 was definitely going on his Top Ten Planets list. Watching lazily as Daniel finalized their portion of the negotiations with the village elder, Tomahe, Jack's mind wandered to Carter and Teal'c. Too bad the duo had missed out on the feast, but the errant UAV had run out of juice about three kilometers from the Stargate, in the opposite direction as the village of course. They were collecting the standard soil and vegetation samples and retrieving the device while he and Daniel met the natives. Who knew they'd seal the deal before the team could reunite?

Tomahe interrupted his post-meal reverie, scooting closer to him and extending a crooked hand. Jack eyed the old man. Naked to the waist, he had flowing silver hair reaching mid back. Intricate tattoos covered most of his exposed flesh, including his sun-wrinkled face. According to Daniel, the markings looked almost Celtic in nature, though the people were more likely descendents of one of the Plains Native Americans. The archaeologist hadn't been more specific, leading him to believe the conclusion was mostly conjecture. Conjecture or not, it always creeped him out to contemplate the Goa'uld being on Earth in recent history. He shivered involuntarily at the thought.

Perhaps the snakeheads had no part in these peoples' lives. There certainly was no indication of anything Goa'uldy on the planet. The Asgard had been known to protect planets; perhaps this was one of them. All they needed to do was explore a little and Daniel would no doubt figure it out. With official business out of the way, they had nearly two whole days to roam the surprisingly, but blessedly, treeless countryside. Beautiful, rolling fields of grass stretched as far as his eye could see, at least from his vantage point at the outdoor banquet set up in the center of the village.

"Uh, Jack?" Daniel asked, voice sounding urgent. "How about you shake Tomahe's hand before you insult him by continuing to ignore him?"

Whoa. Food must have made him sleepy. Jack sat up straighter and placed his hand in Tomahe's, giving the native his best thousand watt smile. "Tomahe, thank you. You've been a very gracious host. On behalf of the people of Earth, I look forward to strengthening our relationship with the Way-"

"'zata," Daniel hastily mumbled into his ear as he trailed off.

"'zata. Years from now we'll both be able to look upon this moment as a great one for both our peoples," Jack concluded. And Daniel thought he'd bungle this up. Hell, he could schmooze with the best of them.

Tomahe beamed happily and called to several young women hovering around them. Instantly, he and Daniel were surrounded by dark eyed beauties, all showering them with tokens of appreciation from the villagers. Jack couldn't help but notice one in particular was fawning over the younger man, who was squirming and blushing from the attention. He let Daniel suffer for a few minutes before an alarming thought invaded his brain. Daniel had accidentally gotten married in a similar situation. No way did Jack want that to happen again. Not that he regretted the archaeologist's accidental marriage, he mentally amended with a wince. Never. He'd seen Daniel truly happy so few times, most of them revolving around Sha're. He felt a pang of remorse, so common when he wandered onto that subject. Time to lighten up a little.

"So I'm taking it this means it's all good?" He poked Daniel in the arm, then waved his finger at the adoring women.

"Uh, that would be yes," Daniel confirmed. "If we can prove we won't harm the land, the SGC won't have to worry about running low on trinium. Though the world will be in danger if the Wayzata ever develop a fashion sense and start requesting designer shoes."

Jack rolled his eyes and gently backed away from the well-meaning women. Daniel followed his lead and soon they finished their fussing, leaving with giggles. He had to chuckle himself when he looked back over at Daniel to find a string of beads had caught on the younger man's ear. A smile was playing at Daniel's lips and he had to admit it was a good look for the archaeologist. He looked healthy. Happy. His own smile widened.

They all needed a normal mission after the hellish ride they'd just gotten off. Teal'c was all back to normal, not functioning like he was a sociopath anymore. As far as missions went, Jack couldn't have asked for a better one to re-acclimate him into the team. Two days of non-stressful playing in the fields should do just the trick.

"Why don't you go contact the general and let him know we're already done?" he suggested, smirking as Daniel's face started to register a protest and twist into a scowl. "Ah, don't worry. Tell him we're going to spend the remainder of the mission exploring and building the relationship with the...what was it again?"

"Wayzata," Daniel supplied, darting his eyes at Tomahe.

"Right, the Wayzata. We'll be back at our regularly scheduled time," Jack finished.

"What are you going to do?" Daniel asked, sounding leery.

"Relax, Daniel. I won't do anything embarrassing, I promise. I just think it's time for a second helping. Tomahe will keep me entertained," he retorted with a chuckle. "We'll wait right here for you. Send Carter and Teal'c if you happen to see them."

"All right," Daniel hesitantly agreed. "I'll be back in a while."

He gave Daniel a quick, dismissive wave and immediately turned his attention to the platters of food enticing him. He wasn't going to argue with having two more days of cooking like this. Eat now and worry about the consequences later was his motto. Of course, sitting cross-legged for extended periods of time could prove a problem. Wincing as his hamstrings protested, Jack rose and stretched his arms over his head. Maybe he should wait until Teal'c and Carter showed up to eat more. That would be the polite thing to do and he was always polite.

Sitting back down, he observed the cluster of people surrounding him. The Wayzata had a lovely existence - no Goa'uld threats and from what Daniel told him, no rival tribes with which to contend. Happily hunting and gathering for sustenance seemed the ideal way to live to him. He bet they fished, too. With a grin, Jack thought should the opportunity ever present itself again, P8C 218 would be a perfect spot to retire. He clasped his hands behind his neck, closing his eyes.

Before he knew it, his head was floating somewhere up in the stratosphere. Sensing Tomahe might consider it an insult to fall asleep at the dinner table, Jack jerked awake. He kicked himself for sending Daniel to contact Hammond. The women were still lingering in the corners, giggling and eyeing him up and down. He hadn't considered the danger of getting accidentally engaged to one of them himself. Sure the Wayzata spoke English, but that didn't mean he was one hundred percent certain he knew what was going on. Daniel could at least recognize when something looked ritualistic. Which actually hadn't helped him any on Argos, now that he thought about it.

Jack sat up and warily checked for any overt signs he'd suddenly changed his marital status. He could just see it now: 'Sorry, General. We had to break the trade agreement because I refused to stick around and play husband to an underage native girl. Better luck next destination, huh?' That would so not be a good thing. Hammond would have his hide. Or rather, the powers that be would have Hammond's hide, who would turn around and share the wealth. Gotta love the trickle down effect.

He couldn't tell if the beads and feathers hanging from his neck signified anything in particular and none of the girls were going out of their way to cater to his needs. He figured he was safe from that threat anyway. Relaxing once again, he sat back and caught Tomahe's glance. The native was assessing him discreetly, though Jack had no clue what he was looking for. If he were Tomahe, he'd probably be making last minute observations to ensure the people he was dealing with were trustworthy.

"So, Tomahe, how's the fishing around here?" Jack initiated.

The older man relaxed and smiled with enthusiasm. "You are a fisherman, O'Neill? I, too, enjoy the bounties of our waters. More so, I appreciate the solitude of the lake. Away from the children. The wife."

The elder's voice deliberately increased in volume just as a very beautiful woman passed by them, long black hair streaming down her slim back. Her face scrunched into a scowl and let out a huff of disgust when Tomahe reached up his hand and affectionately swatted her on the rear. Jack's eyebrows flew up in astonishment. She had to be half the man's age. Apparently the Wayzata culture bore some similarities to Earth's...well, at least Hollywood's. Jack was suitably impressed.

He was even more impressed when after only a few seconds, her face transformed into a wide smile and she leaned down to wrap her arms around Tomahe's shoulders, hands grabbing his chest. She demurely batted her eyelashes at Jack as she responded, "No more than I appreciate the blessing of silence when you are gone, husband. You like the sound of your voice too much."

Jack grabbed for his glass, raising it to his lips to hide his grin. The couple tussled for a few minutes, playing like children, and warmth flowed through him. He stopped trying to disguise his amusement, chuckling openly at their antics. They were quite obviously in love, despite their age difference. Jack narrowed his eyes, looking more closely at Tomahe. He might have miscalculated the native's age. While Tomahe was silver-haired, he showed excellent physical fitness and his face bore fewer wrinkles than Jack thought. In fact, the Wayzata man couldn't be more than five years his senior.

"Oho! Does she not have fire in her spirit?" Tomahe chortled, easily pulling his wife onto his lap.

"So it seems," was all he could think to say.

"O'Neill, this is my wife Immokalee. My sweet, for the chance to dig in our soil, O'Neill and his people will provide us the means to aid our journeys and make survival of our winters more bearable. But it is not the material items in which we truly gain - it is, I think, the kinship of a good people."

"It's very nice to meet you," Jack said with a gentle smile.

Immokalee's face became bashful as she bowed her head, nuzzled closer into Tomahe and smiled back at him. If he hadn't already been convinced of the sincerity and overall goodness of the Wayzata, Jack would have been convinced by both the elder's honest words and the interplay between him and his wife. Their relationship was as open and loving as any he'd ever seen, and it seemed representative of the community as a whole.

"And I, you. If my husband considers you a friend, then it is so. Welcome," Immokalee simply stated, hugging Tomahe again before sneaking away.

"You will be here for two days?" Tomahe absently asked as he admiringly watched his wife depart. He turned back to Jack, eyes sparkling. "We will catch a great many fish in that time."

"If everything goes as I hope, yes. I can ha-"

A loud commotion from the edge of the village interrupted him, and he and Tomahe rose to their feet simultaneously in an attempt to get a line on the cause of the disturbance. The same stomach that had only moments ago been contented suddenly revolted against him as he realized what it was.

Surrounded by a frantic crowd of natives, Carter and Teal'c were being prodded toward him, weaponless, hands raised.

~~~~~~~~

She wasn't quite sure what to expect. Deep down, Sam knew Teal'c was himself again, but she couldn't get past the images imprinted in her memory by his brainwashed, Apophis-loving alter ego they'd all been exposed to. She felt horrible about it, guilt ridden and ashamed. The vague inclination that the colonel and Daniel were in the same situation did little to ease her conscience. Vague? Maybe not. Her CO had practically run away from them after relaying his orders.

They walked in silence. Gathered soil and vegetation samples in silence. Found the UAV in silence. And that shouldn't have bothered her - silence was the norm for Teal'c - but suddenly Sam found it unnerving. Odd how only a month or so ago she had taken comfort in Teal'c's still, strong companionship and now she was distinctly uncomfortable. In the past couple of hours, Sam had also caught him mutely watching her, adding to her sense of unease. When discovered, his gaze would instantly avert but not before she saw a flash of hurt cross his features.

As they drew nearer to the Stargate, she looked at him and caught him at it again. His unusually obvious pain caused her to wince. Sam had to get a grip. She had to swallow the fear and even anger she still felt toward Teal'c; to move beyond the awkwardness and recapture the friendship she knew she had with him. Only she had no idea how to start.

"Daniel Jackson approaches the Stargate."

Sam's whole body lurched at the abruptness of Teal'c's voice filling the air. Her opportunity to seek redemption would have to wait. There were only two reasons she could think of for Daniel to go to the 'gate alone: the native people were willing to share their trinium, and the colonel had asked him to report to the SGC or the natives were unwilling, and the colonel had ordered him to report to the SGC. The latter didn't make sense, as her CO would likely accompany him, seeking herself and Teal'c before they left the planet. So Daniel must be reporting good news.

Turning to Teal'c, she caught bleakness in his eyes before he pivoted his face away from her. He must have misinterpreted her reaction to his words. She fervently assured, "You startled me, that's all, Teal'c. We haven't exactly been talking much. I was just wondering why Daniel's the only one at the 'gate."

"Indeed," Teal'c intoned, relaxing only slightly. She couldn't tell what he was indeeding.

"I hope it's good news." She tried a small smile. Confidence that she'd be able to overcome her trepidation grew with each word she uttered. If only Teal'c would feel do same, maybe she could too. His hesitancy only seemed to worsen hers. She picked up the pace, struggling against the weight of the UAV, calling, "Hey, Daniel."

Even from fifty feet away, Sam saw him jerk just as he was inputting one of the chevrons. She also heard him mutter in frustration and guessed he'd just misdialed. Oops. Daniel spun around quickly, annoyance transforming into a quick smile when he saw her and Teal'c.

"Hey, guys. Did you get everything you need already?" he cheerfully shouted.

"Yep," Sam answered, patting her daypack for emphasis. "We're all set. What about you and the colonel?"

"Mission accomplished," he reported. "It was surprisingly easy. In fact, I'm feeling a bit guilty about it, but don't have a good reason to object. Jack's having me let General Hammond know the details of the trade, and then I think we may actually have a couple of days to explore the culture of this world."

She and Teal'c were at his side by the time he finished, and Sam could see the excitement in her friend's eyes. She couldn't help but smile at his delight and while she had no doubts the inhabitants of P8C 218 had a fascinating society, she was just glad they had lucked out with such an easy mission. The countryside she had seen was quite beautiful; she looked forward to relaxing in it. Apparently Colonel O'Neill felt the same, or they'd already be packing their bags.

"Well, he'll be happy to know Teal'c and I discovered a nice little lake a short walk away. He hasn't been fishing in months, has he?"

"No, he hasn't. That's great, Sam. It'll keep him out of my hair for most of the mission. Yours too. Sorry, Teal'c," Daniel half-smiled and shifted back to the DHD, punching the chevrons again. He paused, turning to them, "Why don't you head to the village? I can send the UAV and samples back and make sure the general is okay with our staying off world."

Sam noticed the archaeologist focusing primarily on her when he spoke and sneaked a glance at Teal'c. The Jaffa's eyes were determinedly pinned away from both of them. A shot of remorse bordering on pity snapped through her. She knew Daniel didn't mean to exclude or avoid Teal'c, just as she didn't, but the result was the same. Looking pointedly at Daniel, she made sure she caught his attention before transferring her eyes to their quiet friend and then back.

"Sounds like a deal," she agreed, catching Daniel's blush. "Anything we need to know?"

"Not that I can think of. The Wayzata are a peaceful people, descendents of one of the tribes of Plains Native Americans, though it's difficult to pinpoint which one. There's been no indication of Goa'uld activity and they are very friendly. If Jack hasn't eaten it all, there should be food there when you arrive."

Sam was pleased to see him make an effort to have his body language address both her and Teal'c.

"What is it the Wayzata wished in exchange for mining rights to the trinium?" Teal'c asked.

Again, Sam found herself jumping at his entrance into the conversation. Damn. It's like she'd suddenly become one of Pavlov's dogs and Teal'c's voice the bell. Daniel, if he was startled, showed no reaction.

"Shoes and socks," he mumbled, shuffling his feet on the ground.

A bark of disbelieving laughter escaped her, which she tried to suppress by clamping her lips together. Shoes and socks? Daniel couldn't be serious.

"No, really. They migrate to a more temperate region during the winter, but from what I've been told it's still very cool. As long as we don't do any irreparable damage to the land, we could have found many years' worth of trinium. Like with Tonane's people, we will have to demonstrate we can do so," Daniel continued.

"Can we actually do that, though?"

"That's where I have a bit of a problem. The best I could do was to tell Tomahe...the elder, who I'm sure you'll really like...about the mining process. General Hammond will probably have to send SG9 to complete the negotiations. What we've got is tentative, but promising."

She nodded at him, freezing when her stomach apparently remembered his earlier mention of food and growled. She unconsciously rubbed it, chuckling as she noted Teal'c cocking an eyebrow.

"Indeed."

"We'll see you in a few minutes, Daniel," she playfully said, keeping her hand over her stomach. She could definitely use something to eat.

"See you."

Sam raised her eyes to the sky as they continued on toward the village. It was an enchanting blue-green, the clouds bright white and fluffy. Reverting to her childhood, Sam started imagining the shapes into bunnies...trees...and she swore even a naquadah reactor. Wouldn't the colonel roll his eyes at that? Chuckling lowly, Sam shook her head. They hadn't really had much of a chance to relax and just enjoy each other's company on a mission in months. Regardless of the colonel's disbelief and no doubt light-hearted condemnation of things she found entertaining, they all needed time off.

Especially Teal'c. God, why had it taken her this long to actually see he was suffering as much as they from the memories of his words and actions while he thought Apophis was his god? Half a second later, she answered her own question - because she'd been so wrapped up in her own misery. Sam vowed to herself that she would make every effort to salve those wounds and those he felt every time she, Daniel or the colonel unconsciously shrank from him.

"It's so peaceful here," she commented, bringing her attention back to the earth. Teal'c remained quiet, though she thought she saw mild surprise tear across his face. "I hope the general lets us stay. We could really get things going smoothly for SG9."

"Daniel Jackson appeared to believe the inhabitants of this world are very receptive to our presence. I, too, look forward to learning more about their culture."

Sam thought for a moment, trying to dig into what Teal'c was really saying. She hoped she wasn't stretching it when she interpreted that to mean he embraced the idea of a truly normal, mundane even, mission. She'd never actually heard him express interest in anything cultural - like the colonel, he typically amusingly tolerated their teammate's excited lectures. In any case, she thought it a good thing to keep the conversation rolling. He'd spoken more in the last few minutes than she'd heard for at least a week.

"If Daniel said the Wayzata have food prepared, I'll bet we find the colonel napping. He'd better have let them know we're coming. I'm starving."

"I could use nourishment as well, especially that which does not come pre-packaged. If O'Neill has not refrained from consuming everything, I will be displeased."

Smiling her agreement, Sam was about to make more slightly disrespectful remarks about her CO when she heard someone calling out in alarm. She instantly prepared to give assistance if it was needed, hand reaching for her P90. Teal'c grasped his staff weapon in both hands, but didn't raise it. Her scouting eyes locked on five or six men running directly toward them, all with long dark hair and tan clothing. None appeared injured, their faces wearing almost angry expressions. The closer the group got, the more uncomfortable Sam became. Something was not right, and she was beginning to suspect it had everything to do with her and Teal'c.

They remained passive, though Sam swung her head back toward the 'gate. There was no way Daniel would be able to see what was happening; he was a tiny speck, barely visible. She very clearly saw the blue shimmer of the event horizon. Reaching her hand up to her radio, she could only think to warn him back to the SGC. Shifting next to and in front of her provided enough of a distraction for rough hands to grab her arms and twist them behind her back. The grip was firm but not painful, and she thought she could break free easily. Beside her, Teal'c was in a similar situation. Their perpetrators were being very benign, silent. Sam didn't struggle as they ripped her weapon away and removed her radio.

"You serve the trickster, Apophis! Do not deny it, we know the mark," one of them finally hissed, pointing at Teal'c's forehead.

Great. Bitten by that snake again. Sam opened her lips to protest, but it died in her throat when the speaker grabbed her P90 from one of his colleagues, directing it straight at her head.

~~~~~~~~

The accusation was harsh and extremely painful to his ears. Every day since throwing off his yoke of slavery, Teal'c had had to live with the reminder of his servitude on a daily basis. The golden tattoo was precisely why his quarters contained only one mirror, and he rarely used it. In the weeks following the Rite of Mal Sharran, he had not once been able to look at the reflection it held. This was not the time for that cowardice and denial.

"It is true. At one time, my life was devoted to Apophis. This is no longer the case."

"Teal'c, I really don't think-" Major Carter objected to his statements.

"You say this so easily, I might believe your sincerity. Yet you could be deceiving us in your trickster ways!" the young man angrily interrupted, nostrils flaring.

Teal'c watched the P90 waver in the Wayzata's hands, still aimed at his companion. His own staff weapon was held menacingly upon him. There was no choice but to follow the direction of the affronted natives. His mind instantly transported him back to Cartago and, as then, he was prepared to face his past with honor. Perhaps this time his friends would allow justice to eke itself out, especially since the crimes he had committed in his lifetime now included acts against them.

"I assure you I am not," he said calmly, gently holding up one of his hands.

"As I said, we cannot take your word for that, nor that of your companions," the man spat, glaring at Major Carter. "You will come with us."

Despite being very upset, the natives were not showing much aggressiveness. The hasty removal of his and Major Carter's weapons and communication devices had been swift and efficient, not brutal. Teal'c sought the major's attention with a slight twist her direction. She bore an apprehensive but not completely alarmed expression. He nodded once to the apparent leader in acceptance, lifting both hands.

As they were being led away, Teal'c took an opportunity to check on the status of Daniel Jackson. A very rapid turn of his neck permitted him to determine the Stargate was still activated and Daniel Jackson was speaking to the MALP camera. Teal'c could not read his lips at this distance, but the archaeologist's stance showed no alarm. Sharp probing steered him to look forward once again as they entered the small cluster of homes.

Their appearance garnered more intense reactions from the villagers, some crying out in fear and fleeing. For many years, he had not intentionally invoked such a reaction and its occurrence on previous missions was rare. To see it now saddened him. Perhaps the people were correct to be afraid; he had proven there was evil within him. Should he undergo a similar trial as that on Cartago, he would again accept his punishment. He could only hope his friends would not be deemed guilty by association.

"Tomahe! See who these new friends truly are!" the leader called.

Teal'c watched a tattooed, silver-haired man spring to his feet and move toward them, followed closely by O'Neill. The women who surrounded the low table of food retreated quickly, while the gathered men drew closer.

"Ciqala, what is the meaning of this outburst? Surely you do not-" the man called Tomahe trailed off, curious face hardening as he took in Teal'c's tattoo.

"I do. How can we trust them? We were going to join Daniel Jackson as he spoke with their leader through the Great Blue Circle when we saw their approach," Ciqala retorted, emphatically waving Major Carter's P90 around.

The colonel started at the mention of Daniel Jackson, one hand reaching for his weapon, the other his radio. As with him and Major Carter, the attempt was subverted. Helpless to assist, Teal'c inwardly cringed as two burly Wayzata secured O'Neill's arms.

"Tomahe, this isn't what it looks like. Please let me explain."

"You come here as friends, but fail to tell me of...this," Tomahe swiped a hand at Teal'c as if he were the most offensive creature in the universe. "O'Neill, you know I must hesitate to believe you. Ciqala, what of Daniel?"

"He has already activated the Circle. I sent four to stop him from relaying any messages to their world," the native smugly informed. "They will succeed."

Mind reeling, Teal'c tried not to contemplate the various meanings Ciqala's statement could take. Because they had shown tolerance to himself and Major Carter, he hoped the same would hold true for their fourth team member. Staring impassively at the native, he was disturbed to see open hostility. His fear for Daniel Jackson increased.

"Message? He's not going to tell them anything other than how our discussions went... Please. You have to listen," O'Neill attempted again. The entire group focused on the colonel. Teal'c read in his face the same fear he felt. "This is all just a really big misunderstanding."

"Teal'c told you the truth," Major Carter cut in, rotating her gaze between him and O'Neill. "Once, he did serve Apophis. He...doesn't anymore."

She winced at her stilted words, and Teal'c experienced a corresponding dagger of hurt. He did not blame his friends for their slow acceptance of him. He remembered every word, every threat, every attempt he had made to harm them both physically and mentally. Even though each was recommended to seek counseling because of his actions, none of them had, choosing instead to forge on individually, just as he. He was beginning to doubt the near dissolution of their friendship would be so easily repaired.

"He hasn't for years. Apophis is dead," O'Neill wearily bolstered Major Carter's statement.

Tomahe studied O'Neill cautiously for long seconds before turning his attention to Major Carter for similar appraisal. Teal'c saw the alien's face flicker with hesitation but it did not last. Like so many cultures they had encountered, it seemed the Wayzata were resolute in their beliefs. It was a common trait among the human race whether they resided on Earth or elsewhere, and he knew such commitment to be both an attribute and a detriment. Recent experiences had demonstrated just that.

"You believe this to be true, yet I sense deeper doubt. I cannot be certain of your true intentions," Tomahe mused at last. He snapped his head up, signaling his men. "Place them in the empty shelter. When Daniel Jackson is apprehended, I will decide the proper course of action."

O'Neill opened his mouth and raised a hand to once again protest, but was silenced by fierce, threatening glares from Ciqala and the other men. His arm fell to his side as his weapon was taken and they were prodded toward a large, triangular tent structure. Teal'c frowned, unsure if he should be surprised at O'Neill's complacency or resigned to it. Until Daniel Jackson's safety was ensured, none of them were in a position to object. He could read worry and guilt on both O'Neill and Major Carter's faces, which he assumed was for their yet absent friend.

A heavy shove pushed Teal'c through the small opening of the tent, his head roughly brushing against the soft arch. Snorts of derisive laughter floated behind him as Major Carter stumbled into his back, her breath gusting on his right arm. O'Neill cursed irritably but he did not listen to the words. He could not allow his friends to come to harm because of him. If Daniel Jackson did not arrive 'in one piece', he would do whatever it took to remove the threat from SG1.

"Well, isn't this cozy? Ya know, I always thought teepees were strictly Hollywood. Shows how much I know."

The comments were ignored as each turned instinctively toward the entrance, though they all kept an angle toward the others. A flap of cloth slapped over the doorway, dimming the enclosure considerably. Teal'c looked around their prison, noting the sturdy poles braced together, crossing at the top. There was a small hole at that location, providing the only source of light. His eyes adjusted quickly, and he looked back to his companions, jaw tightening. O'Neill's sarcasm did little to disguise the tension.

"Don't worry, Teal'c. I'm sure we can work this out. You'll be fine. Everyone will be fine. As soon as Daniel gets here, he'll smooth things over with Tomahe," O'Neill continued, his tone now softer. "He's a very reasonable man. Even if Daniel can't sweet talk us back onto his good side, the worst that will happen is we'll lose some trinium. Back to status quo."

"How certain of that are you, sir? Does Tomahe alone hold that much power? Do you know what the relationship is between him and Ciqala?" Major Carter's questions flowed together, betraying her agitation. "What if Dan-"

"He'll be fine, Carter," O'Neill broke in, halting her litany of questions. "Daniel said these folks are peaceful and we have no reason to think otherwise. Unless they show some sign of aggression, I don't want to show any. We've talked our way out of worse situations."

Major Carter quieted but did not look any less troubled. Teal'c watched her stride to the edge of the tent and violently kick one of the wooden poles. It was an action more suited to O'Neill, and his eyebrow rose in surprise. O'Neill loudly sighed.

"You're right, sir. I don't know why I'm so upset. Maybe because I feel like we've already been judged after one glance. They saw us and assumed..." She trailed off and turned to him, her face flushing. "God, I'm sorry, Teal'c. You know I didn't mean..."

"It is all right, Major Carter. I understand the difficulty in which I have placed you," Teal'c assured her, attempting to disguise the hurt he still felt at her unconscious hesitation. He did understand.

"No, Teal'c, it's not all right. I don't know why I keep-"

Loud voices from outside drew their attention. Teal'c could not decipher the actual words but that they were harsh was easy to discern. An increasingly uncomfortable feeling grew, encompassing not only him but O'Neill and Major Carter as well. Instinctively, they all drew away from the doorway with muscles tensed. Bright light filled the small space as the cloth was removed from the entryway and something was tossed onto the ground at their feet.

It was Daniel Jackson.

~~~~~~~~

Watching Sam and Teal'c depart, Daniel couldn't help but think they all needed this mission. He certainly did. No way would he ever tell Jack, but he had no intense interest in American studies - he was an Egyptologist for a reason, after all. No, he was more excited to have a couple of days of peace, quiet and normality. A burble of laughter filled his throat as he turned back to the DHD to start dialing for the SGC for the third time. What exactly constituted normality for SG1? The abnormal was the norm.

The past couple of months had proven that. Just when he'd thought they'd faced everything, something new had sprung up and attacked with tenacity. Daniel's mind constantly returned to the bizarre, fearsome persona of a fully Apophis-devoted Teal'c, no matter how hard he fought the images down. Nothing could have prepared them for it. The mere idea someone could be that stanch in their beliefs, enough to forfeit personal freedom, to die, to kill for one being or one idea was difficult for him to comprehend. Yet Teal'c had changed into that. Had been that fanatical at one point during his life.

It frightened him still.

He tried to get his mind unstuck from that particular track, watching the Stargate spin and the wormhole splash out. General Hammond would be pleased at the simplicity of this deal, and Daniel was confident he'd allow SG1 to remain off world for the allotted duration of the mission. He wasn't sure if he had ever seen the general so shaken as when deprogramming Teal'c. He knew he had a tendency to place General Hammond on the father figure pedestal, especially after overhearing the other man's feelings toward him. Daniel had always known the general cared a great deal for all 'his people', and more and more often those feeling were coming out into the open. He applauded that on a personal level; worried about it on a professional one. The commander of the SGC showing the world how much it hurt him to see others in pain was dangerous. He was probably just being paranoid, remembering the forced retirement debacle not so long ago.

The MALP camera swung around. He hated being seen but unable to see himself to whom he was speaking; it always made him feel slightly helpless and impotent. Glancing quickly down at the UAV, he finally made contact with the camera and prepared to talk.

"Doctor Jackson, this is General Hammond. Is there a problem?"

Jumping at the unexpected greeting, Daniel thought about how foolish probably looked through the lens. Another lovely aspect to reporting in via video link. The general's words were hasty in delivery but he could easily read a touch of apprehension in the tone. He looked at his watch, and remembered he was reporting back sooner than scheduled. With assurance, he said, "No, sir. Not at all. Actually, I think we may be done. The Wayzata - the indigenous people - are very open to trade."

"That's good news," the general replied with barely concealed relief.

"Yes it is. And you'll like this, sir. All they want are shoes and socks. I think in the long run we'll be able to offer them more but they had little to no interest in our technology. It's a start for now. Jack asked I request for us to stay the rest of the mission to work on building diplomatic relations and study the culture in more detail."

Daniel paused, attention pulled by rustling in the grass from several directions. He darted his eyes nervously around, suddenly feeling a little like a bug under a microscope. His eyes revealed nothing out of the ordinary, and he felt silly. Likely he was just sublimating the feelings he always got with the video link to the here and now. Imagination working overtime.

"Doctor Jackson...Doctor Jackson?" General Hammond's voice drew him back to reality. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, sir. Sorry," he swept aside the lingering uneasiness. "I thought I heard something. Just the wind. Anyway, I think it would be a good idea to stick around for a couple of days. Teal'c and Sam found the UAV, which I'm going to send back to you."

"Very well. In fact, why don't you stay an extra forty-eight hours? I'll send additional supplies in case you need them," Hammond agreed.

"Thank you, sir." Daniel was surprised at the extension but knew they all could use more than two days together. If they went back home, the avoidance game would begin all over again, and he for one had had enough of that. He needed to work through his shortcomings and get back to a comfort level with Teal'c. "They shouldn't be necessary, though. From what we've seen so far, the Wayzata aren't opposed to eating, drinking, and being merry. They don't appear to have any enemies, here or of a Goa'uldish nature. We've been welcomed with open arms."

"If you're certain?"

"Yes."

"You have a go then, son. Try and relax a little. Tell the same to Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter and Teal'c. Hammond out."

Though the words were somewhat abrupt, Daniel heard the general's honest desire to see them heal as a team. He also heard the older man's need for similar healing. When they got back to the SGC, Daniel really hoped they would be the SG1 they should be - four distinct parts, but bound together. That should help General Hammond more than anything.

Dragging the UAV toward the still open wormhole, Daniel grunted. He should have enlisted Sam or Teal'c to help him with this particular task, and thanked his lucky stars the Stargate wasn't set on a raised platform. Finally pushing the miniature plane through the event horizon, he rested his hands on his knees for a moment. Two weeks off from his workout routine, and the effects were oh-so-evident. Shaking his head, he straightened up.

There it was again. The 'gate shut down with an audible snap and his senses went on full alert. While the people of P8C 218 may be friendly, Daniel had no idea if the same could be said for the animal life. The village was only a short walk away. Surely he could reach it without getting himself mauled. Walking more briskly than usual, he fought the increasing agitation his mind was feeling. There was nothing to...

He twisted around with a lurch. Whatever it was, it was NOT the wind. Silence surrounded him again and he was torn - should he go like a bat out of hell, or just resume a normal pace and hope whatever was stalking him would lose interest? His hand edged toward his sidearm. Better safe than sorry.

More movement sounded behind him. All around. Shit. Running it was. He was going to feel like such an idiot if this turned out to be prairie dogs or bunny rabbits. He got about ten strides before he felt something snag his daypack and tug. Instinct took hold as he halted and pivoted around with both arms swinging. He didn't even see what he was hitting but he did hear a pained groan, and felt his knuckles slam into something warm and soft. The hold on his pack released, mild satisfaction bubbling through him. Daniel finally looked at his attacker, still unsure what to expect.

What he saw surprised him so effectively he didn't even have time to react. He was grabbed from behind as he gaped at a Wayzata man standing before him, eyes black with anger and nostrils flaring. He noted slight discoloration to the man's jaw line and was instantly repentant. These were peaceful people - why were they hunting him?

"Uh, I'm sorry about that. I think there's been some kind of mistake. I didn't realize...is there something I can do for you?" he fumbled for words, hoping to settle the misunderstanding before this escalated to further violence.

"There has been no mistake," the native growled, drawing back an arm, unleashing a fist into Daniel's own jaw.

Head snapping back, he tried to understand what was happening, why he was being detained. He thought he understood the whole hitting thing, and though the punch hurt, it certainly wasn't the worst he'd ever received. Still, Daniel sagged into the arms holding him, which reacted by wrenching their grip and hauling him back to his feet. Violating hands removed his daypack, sidearm and radio.

"That wasn't necessary," he automatically chided, knowing right away he'd made an error in judgment. The Wayzata man glared at him, but it was too late for complacency now. "I thought I was being attacked by animal or some -"

"Quiet. We are to bring you to the village," the man sharply interrupted, eyes sparking angrily. "You will speak no further, or I will silence you."

"But if you'll -"

Another resounding slap had him seeing spots. Daniel decided the Wayzata meant what he said. He'd be damned, though, if he'd let them off that easily. Passive resistance should do the trick. They could cart him off to the village, but he didn't have to help them. Remembering how Sam had taught him to relax his muscles completely to give the illusion of unconsciousness, he limply folded, almost smiling at the muffled curses as the men tried to compensate. He was mentally prepared to fight back if they should start treating him harshly, but they simply pulled him along. Commotion and excited voices let him know when they'd entered the small community.

"Why have you harmed him?" he heard Tomahe exclaim.

"He struggled against us. I assure you, we did not do him permanent damage. He appears to wound easily," the guy who'd smacked him smugly said.

"Put him with the others."

"Of course."

He was carried only a few steps farther when the entourage stopped. The hands tightened around his arms, he was jostled, and then he was flying through the air, landing in a heap on the hard ground. Daniel stayed motionless, waiting for the mutters of disgust to fade away before rolling over onto his back to take in his surroundings.

"Daniel!" a worried voice called from above. Sam's face floated above his, and he shot her a brief smile while he straightened his askew glasses.

"Hey, Sam."

"That's it? You get tossed in here like a sack of potatoes and all you say is 'Hey, Sam'?" she criticized.

Peering up at her, Daniel was amazed at her lack of restraint. It took a lot to get Sam so ruffled. He grabbed her hands, which were patting him down for injuries, and squeezed.

"What happened?" Jack asked him as he felt hands underneath his shoulders prodding him to sit. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. Uh, what's going on? Why are they treating us like criminals all of a sudden?" He frowned at each of his three friends in turn, trying to read their expressions in the dim light. He waved his hand around the teepee. "I'm assuming this is serving as some type of holding cell?"

"It is because of my presence here, Daniel Jackson. This was a planet under Apophis' rule, though I have not been here before."

"Yeah, apparently there's been a little Goa'uldy influence after all. The good news is that they've been pretty calm about it all so far. Where the hell did you get that?" Jack asked, pointing vaguely, then indicating his own jaw.

Daniel shrugged. "Oh, you know...I hit one of them first."

"You didn't. Excellent communication skills there, Daniel. I'm sure that will do wonders to regain their trust," Jack snorted, beginning to pace.

"Regain...what?"

"They think we're aligned with Apophis; that our trade deal is a scam. Apophis obviously plays...played...some role in their belief system. They called him a trickster," Sam told him, helping him to his feet.

"So when they saw Teal'c's tattoo, they thought we were working for him? That should be pretty easy to explain. Tomahe's a very rational man..."

"Where have I heard that before? Let me ask you this - how many words did you get in before they hit you, Daniel? Ah, let me guess. Two?"

Jack had a point but he maintained hope the Wayzata would listen to reason. And apparently they were about to find out sooner rather than later. The flap covering the small entrance to the teepee abruptly flew back, letting in the sunshine.

"Come."

Daniel drew in a deep breath and hoped they could get out of this without trouble.

~~~~~~~~

As he stooped out of the teepee, Jack really didn't have a good feeling. It was amazing how a person's attitude could change so drastically in such a short amount of time. Not more than half an hour ago, he was looking forward to relaxing and enjoying himself. Now? Not even close. He was trying not to be a pessimist but he thought the chances of them leaving P8C 218 with a sweet trinium deal were getting slimmer and slimmer by the minute. Actually, that wouldn't even be so bad. Daniel's spectacular entrance into their prison, though, had sent up classic warning bells.

So did the quick deliberation by Tomahe. Unless there hadn't been a deliberation yet, and they were on their way for just that. None of them needed the stress of being on trial at the moment, especially not Teal'c. Jack remembered very clearly his frustration at the Jaffa's acceptance of his punishment on Cartago. It was an incident he pretended to possess vague memories of but in truth, he could remember every single moment of that particular mission. What if Teal'c up and decided to take the fall again? He felt horrible for even thinking it, but he wondered if he, Carter and Daniel were up to the task of triple defense attorneys.

Trying to at least appear calm, Jack stretched his arms above his head as he had done earlier. The village had become incredibly quiet - the women and children had all but vanished, and the men were gathered together around the same table where he and Daniel had just eaten. Apparently changes in attitude were not limited to him and his team. The once jovial group of people now scowled at them somberly as they were guided to the center of the assembly.

Tomahe sat at the head of the now cleared table, looking sad and grim. Jack's stomach tightened and the alarms in his head went from DEFCON five to DEFCON three. Grim, he could accept. Sad gave a whole new string of possibilities. Foremost on his mind was this wouldn't be a simple case of no deal, go home. He edged closer to Teal'c as if it would protect his friend from an as yet unknown threat, unable to shake the feeling whatever was to come, the Jaffa would be at the heart of it. Daniel and Carter mirrored his movements.

Shaking his head, Tomahe stood when they stopped directly in front of him. He looked as though he were about to speak but had no idea what to say. Jack speculated if that was how he appeared to Carter, Daniel and Teal'c most of the time. The men surrounding the village leader, however, were anything but befuddled. They could definitely be interpreted as borderline hostile.

Finally, Tomahe began speaking. "I do not even know how to address you. Are you friend or enemy? When Ciqala implied your possible duality, I was skeptical. Now I am uncertain my faith was well placed."

Jack opened his mouth to speak but he had no idea what to say. He had already tried to tell the Wayzata about Teal'c, and had been shot down. Tomahe's right hand flew up, halting the unformed explanation before it could even get underway. He snapped his jaw shut tightly, nodding in acquiescence. On the other side of Teal'c, Jack saw Daniel's mouth also closing and wisely bit back a grin at their like-mindedness.

"The possibility of friendship between your people and mine still exists," the native continued, looking at them seriously. His gaze lingered on Teal'c. "However, if it is to be so, we seek confirmation of your good intentions."

"Well then," he burst, incapable of holding in any longer. "It's very easy to explain -"

Unsurprisingly, his words solicited a response before he could even complete his sentence. Angry pain burned the back of his legs, and then he was on his knees. That particular tactic was such a cliché. The antagonists in any good altercation always had to clip someone to the ground, right? It was an unwritten rule. Wait, though. In this case, they might be considered the bad guys. Jack sheepishly looked up at his teammates. Carter and Daniel frowned at him with equal amounts of concern and disapproval. He shrugged.

"Ciqala, that was not necessary," Tomahe reprimanded calmly, watching Daniel help him to his feet. "O'Neill is right. They should be allowed to plead their case. I do not wish to hear it from him, however."

Circling around the table, the elder halted in front of them. There was no malevolence in his words or expression, merely apprehension for his people's well being. Jack took comfort in his interpretation of Tomahe's state of mind, tension easing slightly. The Wayzata wouldn't harm them. He was one hundred percent certain of that. Somewhere from behind and to his left, a low grumble emerged. Ninety-nine percent certain.

Tomahe paused before Teal'c, turning observant eyes to his, Carter, and Daniel's positions. Jack swore he saw the native nod as he resumed speaking. "Tell me, minion of trickster Apophis, are these truly your friends or mere pawns for your use? Slaves?"

For a long breath, there was silence. Jack heard Carter swallow and Daniel shuffle his weight, while he fought the need to clear his throat. Teal'c didn't move a muscle. Not even the telltale jaw twitch...twitched. Tomahe's query was too close to the experiences they had all just gone through. Even if that Teal'c was brainwashed, he had considered them lesser than himself. Jack finally did make a gurgling noise, not quite a throat clearing but enough to break the dead air.

Teal'c still didn't alter his position as he replied, "I am no longer in the service of Apophis. He is, in fact, deceased. I fight alongside the Tau'ri against false gods such as he."

Jack tried not to cringe when Teal'c referred to them as Tau'ri instead of friends. Deliberate or not, it hurt. Both in that Teal'c might not consider them friends or that he might not consider himself worthy of friendship. Eyes narrowing, Tomahe changed focus onto him. Uh oh. The other man had picked up on Teal'c's distinction as well. Jack wanted to give Teal'c some type of cue to use caution in his choice of words, a warning which normally would have been redundant. Fearing any sign from him would somehow serve to strengthen the Wayzata's doubt of their honor, he instead tried to make his expression one of complete pleasantness.

"So you have said," Tomahe amicably agreed, still eyeing Jack exclusively. "But we have also said the words of a trickster cannot be taken so lightly. Is it not true Daniel Jackson struck Atonwa?"

One of the men came forward at his mention, showing a jaw smudged by a bruise. Crap. The one time Daniel actually had been showing self preservation was now being held against them. Jack wasn't sure if he should refute Tomahe's claim or not. Permission to speak seemed to be required first, and he hadn't received it yet. The village elder nodded once at Daniel.

"That is true. However, I was not totally aware of exactly what or whom I was hitting at the time," Daniel admitted, an embarrassed look flickering toward him. On schedule, the younger man's hands started gesturing wildly. "You see, I was returning to the village and I thought something was tracking me, which turned out to be true actually. It just wasn't what I expected and I didn't realize it until it was too late to stop. I did apologize, for what it's worth. He didn't seem too -"

"Ahm, Daniel?" Jack broke into the archaeologist's nervously wordy confession before the Wayzata started getting impatient. When his interruption didn't gain a negative response from the natives, he hastily continued, "I think they got it. Accident, right?"

"Uh, right."

"You speak true, Daniel," Tomahe mused with a slight smile. "As you describe it, anyone would have acted in the same manner. I did not approve Ciqala's deception in escorting you back to the village, whether you be friend or foe. Please accept my apology."

"Of course."

Jack found himself puzzled by the strange mixture of trust and mistrust. It seemed so easy for Tomahe to believe the archaeologist meant no harm in his actions, yet the same truth that Daniel wouldn't have apologized if he truly served Apophis didn't seem to register. No sense whatsoever could be derived from the double standard. As far as he was concerned, they had already demonstrated their good will but they were still here, facing sentence for nonexistent crimes. Guilty until proven innocent, a common theme in many cultures as Daniel had once tried to point out to him.

"Your self defensive act does not negate the possibility you serve Apophis. As I said, anyone would have acted as you," Tomahe said.

Oy.

"Apophis is dead. He was no god, though he may have been a trickster. My...friends did battle with him and prevailed," Teal'c suddenly spoke again. "Unlike I, they have never sworn allegiance to him. If it is proof of our loyalty you seek, there is no need to obtain it from anyone but me."

Great. His fear was coming to life. Jack unconsciously shook his head, frustrated at Teal'c for offering himself up so readily. Even as his friend's words hit the audience, he knew they were futile. No way would he let Teal'c stand this, whatever this turned out to be, alone. Not again. He snatched a look at Ciqala, then Tomahe. They wouldn't be satisfied unless they knew all of SG1 was trustworthy.

"I truly wish your statement alone could be believed. We have a saying - actions speak louder than words. A simple test should prove whether you serve Apophis or if you are honorable."

"Yeah, we have that saying too. And believe me, if we worked for Apophis, you'd know it by now. Don't you think it odd Teal'c and Carter gave in without protest? That Daniel and I chit-chatted for hours without raising a hand against anyone? What do those actions say?" Jack asked, disregarding the implied 'do not speak unless spoken to' rule. Frustration at the elder's narrow-mindedness overruled caution.

"How long has it been since you've seen Apophis?" Carter butted in. "Several years, right? Ever wonder why?"

"We can tell you why. Please Tomahe," Daniel continued. "You can trust us."

Conflicted emotions swapped places on the elder's expressive face like they were tag team wrestlers. Jack felt hope return. They were getting through to him. Tomahe exchanged glances with Ciqala and the rest of the men, and he noted with alarm only half the crowd looked to be swaying in their favor. He had the feeling this was an all or nothing deal; they had to convince everyone. Judging from the scowls, it wouldn't be easy.

"Ciqala, bring it," Tomahe directed.

So not promising. Tomahe had just essentially gagged them - they weren't going to talk out of this. All Jack could do now was hope the actions they'd have to go through wouldn't cause permanent harm to one or all of his team. Not knowing what 'it' was, he could only guess 'it' wasn't a good thing. A sudden thought that flight might be their best option crossed his mind, and he searched the crowd for blatant weak spots. Disappointed when he found none, he slapped his right palm against his thigh over and over. His hands were figuratively tied and he didn't like that feeling one bit. The point was moot anyway, he realized - their GDOs were gone.

Ciqala slipped back through the crowd, carrying a small bundle of cloth. The native drew up to Tomahe, and Jack saw the cloth was actually draped over something, not really a package. Gruesome images popped into his head - all of various implements of torture. He was pleasantly surprised and relieved when the covering was removed to reveal three very harmless looking earthenware bottles on a serving plate.

Jack allowed himself to relax just slightly. Maybe the Wayzata had some natural version of sodium pentothal. A little truth serum might cause some embarrassment, but it sure as heck would prove their innocence. Once this test was over, he could mend fences with those of his team he would no doubt offend and with Tomahe, then have an entire day of fishing. He might even get a couple of hours in yet today.

This wasn't so bad at all.

~~~~~~~~

Sam watched her CO carefully, ready for any signal he should give for action. His face had remained relatively inexpressive throughout Tomahe's speech, but she was disturbed when emotion had managed to rupture through. If anything was an indication of the stress the colonel was under, it was a break in his stony, military façade. The things he flashed revealed much both to her and she was sure to Tomahe. She could see his frequent glances at Teal'c as concern; she also knew from an outside perspective they might be interpreted as anxiety. Or, more dangerously, as nervousness of a slave for his master. Any attempt by her to get his attention would have only exacerbated the suspicions of the Wayzata.

Now, as the small vials were displayed before them, Sam read the relief on his face. It was so obvious she could almost hear as well as see it. Shifting to check on Daniel, she witnessed the exact same expression take his face hostage. Teal'c though, standing in between the pair, remained extremely still. He had only moved to speak and even in those instances he hadn't given the impression he believed what he was saying. To say she was worried would be an understatement. She started to think maybe he didn't believe it. No, she mentally amended. Teal'c believed Apophis was dead; what she was troubled he didn't believe was that she, Daniel and the colonel were still his friends. Sam shook her head and tried to focus on the events unfolding around her, turning to once again to the colonel.

Judging from his stance, he seemed to think the little bottles posed minimal threat but something in her gut told her otherwise. The Blood of Sohkar had been an unpleasant experience for each of them - what if this was the same stuff? She wasn't sure she wanted to take that trip again...no, she was positive. She was almost as concerned by the fact there were only three containers. Logically, she figured they were for the three humans of SG1, so what would Teal'c endure instead?

Her experience with the Wayzata was painfully limited, and knowledge specifically of Tomahe even more so. Sam couldn't be sure the test they were going to be subjected to would remain as harmless as their treatment had been so far. Surveying the men surrounding them, she decided it was better to stay calm and see what progressed than provoke unnecessary violence. Every indication from the colonel said he felt the same, and a good portion of the natives were staring at them with uncertain curiosity, not fear or anger. Ultimately, she knew there was little to be done to stop the proceedings. She tamped down on the part of her wanting to vocalize her questions and objections. Talking was bound to be plentiful in a few minutes.

"We are telling the truth. You don't need to give us anything to tell it. We already are," Daniel reiterated, ending the silence at last. His words were repetitive, betraying the desperation he tried to keep from manifesting, and Sam silently thanked him for issuing the protestations she wanted to. Daniel was remembering Netu also, she could see the same expression of disbelief and pain barely shining from his eyes now as had after her return to the pit.

"We must be sure," Tomahe maintained. "Do not fear. No harm will come to you unmerited."

For some reason, that did little to comfort her. With a wave of his hand, Tomahe directed Ciqala to follow him. He went to Teal'c first, taking him by the arm and guiding him forward and away from them. Heart beating triple time, Sam took an unconscious step, stopped by the colonel's hand and a headshake. She frowned, but halted in compliance, pivoting to watch Teal'c.

When they were about fifteen steps away, Tomahe nodded for Teal'c to stay still. Ciqala at his heels, the elder bent down and traced a large circle around her friend, then quartered it with lines running directly north, south, east and west. He reached for two pouches tied to a belt around his waist, pouring the contents of one into his right hand. Appraising Teal'c, he began to speak lowly. Sam could barely discern his voice but realized he wasn't speaking English. She drew her gaze to Daniel in unspoken inquiry. The archaeologist's face was scrunched in concentration, head shaking. He couldn't translate for her.

Sighing, she returned her attention to the ceremony and hoped she'd be able to figure out what was going on by herself. Tomahe had filled the east/west running line with black sand or ash and had turned Teal'c around to face them. Due south. The elder stood in front of him again, still chanting in a very beautiful, but totally incomprehensible language. Random realization that Tomahe also served as the community's shaman plopped into her brain, a thought she immediately dismissed as trivial. And obvious. She shook her head and watched him empty the other pouch into his hand and walk around Teal'c to trickle something into the north/south line. Sam saw burnt red filtering through his fingers, and it mesmerized her. It looked like blood. She shivered and swallowed heavily, averting her eyes to look instead at her friend in the center of the circle.

Incredible calm was all she could see, and it didn't surprise her. Teal'c was ready for whatever test the Wayzata saw fit to administer, physically. She hoped mentally as well. The question of his loyalty to them was academic - they had lived through the worst doubt already. Had lost that belief and regained it. Nothing done here would change that. She hoped he would come through it understanding their friendship and his worth to them. She hoped he would just come through it.

Tomahe said a few more unintelligible words before reaching for the first bottle Ciqala presented to him. He picked it up, removing the cover and toying with it loosely. Sam now thought all of the vials were for Teal'c, not for her, Daniel and the colonel as she had supposed earlier. The elder paused as if deliberating, his head swinging back and forth between the three of them and Teal'c. His shoulders straightened as he started walking toward them at last.

"No!" Teal'c cried out, voice startlingly loud over the hushed crowd. "Your concern lies with me. Do not harm my friends."

Stride breaking, the elder spared him a glance and stated, "No harm will befall them if it is not meant to be."

As he resumed his approach, Sam thought she saw gladness light in his eyes. Knitting her brows, she looked again to her CO. The colonel stood still, though his hands were bunching tightly. Apprehension was rising in his tensed face, back stiff. There was still nothing she could do or say to stop this from happening, and no valid reason for her unquestionable fear. Tomahe went directly to stand in front of the colonel, whose jaw now clenched in time with his fists. He said nothing as the elder began speaking in undertones again.

The bottle was raised above their heads for a full minute, the entire gathering caught up in the ceremony. Sam still heard Teal'c shouting, but the roar of blood in her ears muffled his voice. She swiveled her neck to make sure he was all right, and saw ten Wayzata had enclosed around the circle, preventing him from rushing to their sides.

She was more certain now than ever the content of the vials was more than simple truth serum. Tomahe lowered the bottle to the colonel's tightly pursed lips. This first small sign of obvious rebellion was not missed by her, or any of the Wayzata. Atonwa, the one Daniel had struck, interposed between him and Tomahe, hands clamping onto the colonel's jaw to pry it open. Without hesitation, the elder poured the thick liquid down his throat, then clasped his hands in a strong grip. The colonel fought to extricate himself, but wasn't able to move. Apparently satisfied the potion had been swallowed, Atonwa released his head.

"Gah! That's horrible!" the colonel roared, gagging slightly. His face went abruptly pale and his eyes glazed over. "W-what?"

"Jack, I think I know - "

"Quiet," Atonwa hissed and moved to Daniel's side. The native towered menacingly over him, ready to force his mouth open if necessary.

"You don't have to...urgh," Daniel gurgled as hands clamped on his jaw, words swallowed.

"Hey, knock it off!" the colonel muttered, already slurring noticeably. Sam saw him take a stuttering step toward Daniel, easily restrained by a single native. She frowned.

Tomahe ignored both men, continuing on with his incantation. He cautiously removed Daniel's glasses and handed them to Ciqala before placing his free hand over the archaeologist's eyes. Sam's breathing increased right along with her friend's, his alarm seeming to multiply in her. If Daniel was on the verge of panic, she knew they were in trouble. As if she hadn't already determined that.

She closed her eyes, listening only to Daniel's retches of displeasure. Instantly aware of his release when she heard him let out a string of curses, language so atypical for him, her anxiety was now mountainous. Opening her eyes again, she found herself looking directly into strangely sorrowful brown eyes. She glared back with disgust, refusing to give the Wayzata the satisfaction of her worry by looking at any of her teammates. Suddenly, though, she found her voice.

"I don't know what you think your magic potion is going to tell you. The colonel said it before - we've all said it! If we really served Apophis, you would have known it long ago. This is a total cliché thing to say, but what you're doing is an exercise in futility. We are peaceful travelers and we want to be your friends. Though after this we may reconsider."

Tomahe blinked, appearing somewhat befuddled by her outburst. Then the sadness returned and he quietly placed a palm across her lips while he began the last stage of the ceremony. Sam grunted in protest, catching the colonel slumping to the ground out of the corner of her eyes. Jerking her head away from the elder's hand, she studied his still form for signs of life. His breathing was shallow, barely registering. Whatever this stuff was, it was fast acting.

"You speak with passion," Tomahe said, regret coloring his tone. "All of you. Your concern for one another is compelling, I admit, especially for the Jaffa. I believe all will be well."

Before she could figure out what he was talking about, Atonwa was giving her the royal open-your-mouth treatment and something vile breached her lips. Choking on the liquid, Sam's stomach was rising up in anticipation as it unwillingly slid down her throat. The texture of molasses, it was some of the nastiest stuff she had ever experienced - reeking like river mud on a hot, humid day and tasting exactly as it smelled. Its effects were nearly instantaneous.

Atonwa released her and she wavered unsteadily. Everything appeared to ripple, executing graceful flips. She raised her hands in the air and wiggled her fingers, watching with fascination as both her hands and their digits multiplied. A deep, burning sensation began to set upon her throat, making her cough dryly. Swallowing was difficult, though she really needed to alleviate the parched feeling.

The thud of Daniel collapsing next to her echoed loudly and she tried to locate him, finding herself unable to move. Her name. Someone was calling to her...Teal'c? Squinting through dimming vision, Sam searched for him. She cleared her throat, pain tearing through it. What was happening to her?

"Teal'c?" she screamed, though her ears only heard a faint whisper.

Then the ground proved its solidity, sneaking up and thumping her into unconsciousness.

~~~~~~~~

Though he was effectively segregated from his friends and unable to assist them, Teal'c refused to be silenced by the men guarding him. Their threatening stares only provoked his outrage, his muscles contracting with readiness to fight. Once again his friends were being made to suffer for his crimes, and only logic and knowledge his actions would in the end harm their position prevented him from plowing through the human barrier. Major Carter remained standing, albeit on shaky legs. Her head bobbed toward their fallen companions in uncoordinated jerks.

"Major Carter!" he called, uncertain if she could hear him. Uncertain what he hoped to say to her.

Head slowly lifting, she peered in his direction. Her face was unnaturally flushed, eyes drunken as she raggedly whispered, "Teal'c?"

He could give her no assurances; only watch her slide to the ground as O'Neill and Daniel Jackson had only minutes ago. Teal'c stonily glared at Tomahe as he returned to him. Rage boiled within at the Wayzata's deception. They had been assured no one would be injured, yet his friends all sprawled unconscious on the ground, victims of some type of drug. He was certain his own fate was about to be determined.

"You care for them deeply," the elder declared knowingly.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow at the smaller man, realizing Tomahe wasn't asking him a question, merely stating fact. Under situations of capture and interrogation, he was accustomed to concealing all emotion, a skill long practiced. In this instance, though, he did not think denial would be effectual. The Wayzata appeared to be an intuitive people, the elder and shaman even more than the rest. To contradict the statement would only succeed in proving their trickery.

"I do," he stated, looking beyond the native to his inert teammates.

Tomahe nodded once, following his gaze. A frown deepened the wrinkles lining his eyes as he shook his head sadly. "Were it completely up to me, the trial would be over. Your kinship with them demonstrates you have a good heart, too good to serve the likes of Apophis. The others require more convincing."

"What is it you will have me do? Be assured, my own life matters little compared to my friends. They do not deserve to be treated in such a manner."

"What I told you was true - they have not been injured. Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee their continued health. That is for you to ensure, Teal'c."

Restraining a growl of frustration, Teal'c wished Tomahe would simply proceed with the test. He would do all in his power to see his companions returned to the SGC unharmed, surely the Wayzata understood that? Eyes pinned on O'Neill's limp body, he squeezed his jaw convulsively.

"How am I to do so?" he repeated.

"First I must have your friends placed in a more comfortable location. They will be unconscious for quite some time, and it is not my desire to cause them ill," Tomahe explained. "I assure you, they will not be mistreated."

"So you keep telling me. Am I to believe you so readily?"

"Come, then. We will join them."

The assembly of men containing him to the circle parted at a slight gesture from Tomahe, and for the first time Teal'c was comfortable moving. The elder led him to his friends' sides, the guards forming an entourage behind them. Flight, if he would choose to abandon his team, was an impossibility. The simple thought rankled him, as though it alone was a betrayal.

Ciqala hoisted O'Neill carefully over his shoulder, with a thoughtful eye turned to Tomahe. Teal'c had the impression his handling would not be so gentle were the elder not present. The same could be said for Atonwa, who similarly lifted Daniel Jackson. He caught the native's eyes snapping with irritation, his jaw working side to side to accentuate the discoloration placed there by the scientist. Teal'c did not hold back a snarl this time, and was immediately rewarded by a head bowing in resentful acquiescence. Major Carter's transporter carried out his duties without a sound, managing her with delicacy. He presumed it was due to her gender more than anything.

They journeyed back to the teepee in which SG1 had been held before. Teal'c rotated his gaze between each of the three swaying figures before him, feelings of self-condemnation tiding again. They were useless thoughts. His confidence his companions were accepting of his presence among them had grown even since their confinement. He would not fail them now.

He and Tomahe remained outside as O'Neill, Major Carter and Daniel Jackson were carried into the structure. Sensitive ears distinctly heard them being jostled callously to the ground, and it disturbed him when no sounds of discomfort were emitted. The Wayzata were determining trust in them but Teal'c was finding it more and more difficult to extend the same consideration. He knew Tomahe could not have control over individual actions. Still, what was the saying O'Neill had said in reference to Colonel Maybourne? One bad apple spoiled the barrel?

Ciqala, Atonwa and the nameless Wayzata exited the teepee, holding the flap open for them and carrying the vests of his companions. He removed his own before instructed to do so, letting it fall to the ground. Tomahe entered quickly the structure, then called for him to follow. He did, giving the natives surrounding him a look threatening retribution should they seek to damage him or the rest of SG1. Gratification came in the form of hastily averted eyes. Teal'c knew he would maintain a close watch on at least Atonwa, who appeared to hold little power but had been the one to show the most obvious dislike for them.

A quick perusal of the enclosure gave comfort in his friends' safety. They were all lying on their backs, close together so their shoulders touched. The tent provided protection from the sun, and it was considerably cooler within than it was outside. He was heartened to see they would have at least minimal body heat, should they be detained for any length of time.

"Out of fairness, I must tell you basic information you will need for the next several days. The potions your companions were made to drink have three distinct results. When they awake, each will feel the effects acutely, and I must remind you these conditions can be reversed. They will only be so if you are successful."

Again, Teal'c's aggravations abounded. The long-winded explanation Tomahe was providing made him think he would be extremely unhappy when the true nature of the test was revealed to him. He nodded his understanding to prompt the elder to continue.

"O'Neill will be incapable of using his hands. Daniel will not be able to see. Major Carter's voice will not function," Tomahe quickly delivered the information. "You will be taken far from the village and left, with no tools or food. It will be up to all of you to return here within two days."

Teal'c did not understand how this would prove their honesty. Tomahe seemed to sense his confusion, continuing, "The soul of a person recently deceased is kept by an individual. This person must treat his eyes, his hands, and his voice as sacred vessels for the soul. In a similar way, your friends each now lack a component of the soul. Your soul. In order to prove your soul, and theirs, worthy to walk the Red Road, you must keep them safe."

He remained unclear as to the meaning behind the test but now that his role was defined, Teal'c wished only for it to be underway. As if his thoughts were broadcast, he heard numerous footfalls approaching, both animal and human. Tomahe nodded, gesturing for him to leave the teepee. Stepping out, he was greeted by several men atop horses. Roughly hewn travois were attached behind three of them, one presumably for each of his teammates. More time had passed than he realized, the sky deepened with the approaching sunset. The temperature was significantly cooler.

Apologetically, the elder took his hands and bound them securely. Natives moved past them into the teepee to retrieve his friends, and they were swiftly placed upon the biers. Teal'c noted O'Neill's hands were curled arthritically, a reminder of the handicaps forced upon the trio. Prodded to mount one of the horses, he tore his eyes away to look stoically ahead.

Once situated, the band of natives began their journey, leaving the village at a trot, taking a northern route. The trip was uneventful and quiet, giving him ample opportunity to memorize the terrain in the fading light. For a good while, there was nothing but grass. Gradually, the ground became more sparsely covered and rockier. Teal'c believed they had traveled between five and ten kilometers at the most when he observed a huge dark expanse in the ground.

As they drew nearer he realized it was a large gorge, only about two hundred feet across but so wide he could not see where it ended. A rope and wooden bridge crossed the divide, and it was here they stopped. He was prompted to dismount his horse, which he did while still sustaining visual contact with his unconscious friends. They were picked up and carried to the bridge, carefully taken across one by one.

Once they were on the other side, Teal'c followed. Tomahe was right behind him, ushering him along as though there was a rush. Teal'c was starting to suspect the true difficulty of the test they were about to undergo. Upon stepping off the bridge, Tomahe set upon releasing his bonds.

Warm hands remained on his as the elder spoke. "I think you understand. We will leave you here, but access to the bridge will be removed. I wish you luck, Teal'c. For both your people and mine."

With that, the Wayzata men quickly crossed back over the bridge. When the last had made it, Teal'c saw them removing the sturdy posts stabilizing the bridge, their grunts of effort echoing over to him. He solemnly watched, feeling alarmingly helpless. It took them considerable time, during all of which he stood impotently. Finally, he saw one side fold over and the other followed shortly. The ropes slapped the wall of the canyon with finality. It had begun.

Twilight still clinging, Teal'c made a hasty study of their new surroundings. The coolness of the air did not go unnoticed, and he knew the first thing he should do was attempt to build a fire. Eerie howling started up as the Wayzata got farther and farther away. It made the need for fire all the more important.

Reassured his friends would not awaken for some time yet, Teal'c scouted the surrounding area for anything that might prove suitable to burn. He never went out of eyesight of the three huddled figures, fearing the creatures of the night would sense easy prey. He gathered as many dried tufts of grass as he could, knowing it was not enough. It would have to do.

He piled it together tightly, and removed his jacket. Tearing it into strips for added fuel, he searched the ground for two flat stones. Doubt waged within. What if he could not start the fire using this method? The cold and the animals would become viable threats in a short amount of time.

Dismissing the negative thoughts, Teal'c painstakingly scraped the rocks against each other, rewarded with minute sparks. The grass failed to ignite, and he continued on, conscious of the howls coming nearer. This would work.

There was no other option.

~~~~~~~~

Blood pulsing in his temples was the strongest indication of consciousness returning. Daniel struggled to focus his mind, finding it uncooperative and sluggish. Something hard and sharp dug into the small of his back and it took far too much energy to roll off the offending object. Lurching to his side brought along a bevy of unpleasant effects - nausea, vertigo and extreme muscle aches to name a few. He groaned, scrunching closed eyes even tighter.

And memory returned. Tomahe. That terrible stuff he'd been forced to drink. The ceremony. He hoped he was wrong about the purpose behind the ritual. God, he hoped. It had taken him too long to put it all together, only realizing the implications when the shaman had grabbed Jack's hands. Nagi Gluhapi. The Keeping of the Soul, or at least some mutation of that rite. Confirmation was Tomahe covering his...

Eyes.

He groaned again, shivering. He was outside and, judging from the lack of noise, no longer in the village. Maybe. Even though he knew what to expect, Daniel didn't want to open his eyes, scared he'd be proven correct. If he kept them shut, he could hang onto hope. Taking several deep breaths, he swallowed and knew he had to face the inevitable. Sleep crusted eyes cracked open a slit. Nothing. There was nothing but suffocating blackness, sending him into a panic despite his foreknowledge. He lay absolutely still, trying not to hyperventilate as the darkness seemed to close in around him.

Blind. He was blind. This couldn't be happening. It wasn't real, just some mind game. That's all. Not blind. He closed his eyes again, counting to ten. When he opened them, he'd be able to see. Jack, Sam and Teal'c would be right in front of him. Prying back his eyelids, Daniel bit back horrified disappointment. He really was blind. Not alone, though. Couldn't be alone.

"J-jack? Sam? Teal'c?" Daniel whispered, voice trembling pitiably. Because he had no idea where he was, he didn't want to call anyone's attention except his friends'. Not that it mattered. The lump in his throat prevented him from speaking in anything but hushed tones.

His query gained no answer, and he started breathing harshly. He widened his eyes as if he were merely in a dim room, an automatic physiological reaction. He had always wondered why people thought opening their eyes in the dark would somehow enable them to see better. It certainly never worked. Definitely wasn't going to work for him now. A manic chuckle erupted from him, out of nowhere. Now was not the time for hysterics. He brutally swallowed the frightened noise. If he was freaking out, his friends would feel their impairments all the more. At least he'd been able to figure out the basic gist of the ceremony. If only he could have given them some type of warning. The need to find them became more important than his own physical limitation.

Sobering, Daniel tentatively reached out his left arm. Coarse stones rolled under his fingers, cold. He shivered, realizing it must be either night or early morning. The sun hadn't had time to warm the ground. Wait. Rocks. The terrain near the village had been grassy, the soil fine and smooth. Okay, so he wasn't in the village. Question number one answered. The more important concern on his mind, though, was the location of his friends. Tomahe wouldn't have separated them, would he? No, not Tomahe. The people as a whole. They wouldn't. Keep the soul. His mind, anaesthetized before, now raced in leaps and bounds, searching for valid reasons for the only conclusion that was acceptable: Jack, Sam and Teal'c had to be around here somewhere. But why weren't they responding?

It was strange how the body seemed to know how to compensate for the loss of one sense. Rather, how the brain did. Daniel gave himself a few more minutes to settle down and get used to his new predicament. He banished all thoughts from his mind for the time being, trying instead to maximize the functions his body was still capable of. He could hear wind swirling, the noise something like what you hear when you blow across a bottle of beer. Feeling no such breeze, he puzzled over the sound for a moment before switching to smell. Dust, smoke, and something else. It was a pungent and tangy odor, familiar. The smell of the locker room after a mission or a workout. Sweat?

This was okay. He could deal with lack of sight. His other senses would work for him. Daniel reminded himself of this over and over, trying to get comfortable in his situation. Millions of people lived their entire lives without seeing a thing. So they weren't on an alien planet, seemingly abandoned without any means for survival. Big deal. If others could do it, so could he.

He planted his left hand firmly on the ground and drew his right one up, flopping onto his stomach. Pushing up, he fought another bout of nausea as he rose to his hands and knees. Crawling was his safest bet at this point. As long as he didn't have to go too far, his knees shouldn't get too damaged. His head finally stopped spinning, and he nudged forward a little. So far, so good. Slow and steady, and he'd be just fine. Right.

Completely terrified, that's what he was. Just about over the edge. His moods were swinging from total composure to panic in the span of half a second. The only thing that would even remotely calm him was if he could find at least one of his friends, if not all of them. Resolve growing, Daniel eased forward and to the right with hands searching cautiously, seeking warmth. He could do this. It was easy to keep hands moving, scrabbling over the hard earth. Focus, focus, focus. He didn't need his eyes. Didn't. Would find them soon. Roving faster and faster, he almost passed right by it.

There. Warm, soft, firm, cold. An arm, watch face soaked in cool air. His fingers probed gently across a wide hand, curled like a claw. Jack. Thank God...shouldn't he be moving? Normally, the slightest sound or touch jolted the older man into rapid awareness. Daniel frowned, tracing the fingers of his friend's hand. Eyes, voice, hands. Jack wasn't reacting because he couldn't feel anything. The brief comfort he'd gained at discovering his friend fled quickly. He pushed the lump in his throat down, determined now to find Sam and Teal'c.

He regretfully let go of Jack's hand, continuing his search. Which direction? Did it matter? Veering right, Daniel thought perhaps they were organized in a circle, as if they were at a routine mission camp. Three around the fire, one on guard. It didn't make much sense but he went with it anyway. He had nothing to lose. So much to gain. Nearly crowing with relief, he fumbled into another warm body. Sightless examination was becoming easier, and he quickly identified it as Sam. Two down, Teal'c to go.

What had happened to Teal'c? Daniel could scarcely remember witnessing Sam's forced intake of that oh-so-special concoction let alone anything regarding the Jaffa. If the Wayzata hadn't changed the ritual too much, he predicted Sam would have a hard time speaking when she awoke. God, please let it be only that. But Teal'c's fate was open for speculation, and he really didn't have any idea what to expect. Well, he had some idea, just not much yet. Either his friend had been kept at the village for some unthinkable reason, or he was with them. Wherever they were. Simple which he preferred.

"Teal'c?" he whispered again, knowing if his friend were nearby he'd be heard.

No reply came, and Daniel swallowed. That didn't mean they were all alone, him blind, Jack crippled and Sam unable to verbally communicate. Teal'c was probably just doing Kel No'reem. Shouldn't have any objection to a blind archaeologist interrupting him, should he? Heading right again, he slowly crawled. His hands produced only rocks and occasional sprouts of dry, long grass. Worry seeped into his bones. No Teal'c. God, he really wished Jack or Sam would wake up.

That out of control feeling flowed through him - the one he had had when speaking to the general via the MALP video. Only this time the blindness was certain and lasting and the unease amplified a hundredfold. He swore he'd never complain about giving video reports to the SGC when off world again. How far had he inched? Too far. Teal'c would never sit this far away from them, even if they were all in perfect health but especially not under these circumstances.

Daniel knew he should turn around but he so wanted to find his friend, he couldn't. He paused at a scuffling noise from the direction of Sam and Jack. He thought. He waited, but it didn't repeat. In the silence, he noticed the whirling wind sounds had gotten louder, and he could now feel a breeze on his face. Dismissing it, he resolved to go just a few more feet, then he'd stop and wait until the others regained consciousness. Why wouldn't they wake up already?

"Daniel Jackson, you must not move!" Teal'c's thunderous, inexplicably agitated shout startled him so thoroughly, Daniel jerked forward.

Into nothing.

Oh, God. The ground was gone. There was an insane moment of utter silence and absolute stillness. He was Wile E. Coyote about to take a tumble down what he imagined was a very extensive drop. In the longest second he'd ever experienced, Daniel still didn't have time to register the relief he felt at Teal'c's voice. He couldn't even breathe. Could only anticipate.

Then air was whooshing across his face as he somersaulted down. Instinctively, he reached for anything to stop his descent, a mad prayer incanting in the back of his mind. He got only ripped fingertips as he flipped around, the momentum of his actions steering his body to fall feet first. Forceful air clogged his nostrils, allowing him to breathe only through his mouth. He didn't know whether or not he was screaming. Cheek scraping along a rocky wall, he cursed, but thought he felt something warm brush his outstretched limbs. Couldn't be sure, it was happening so fast. What or whoever it was lasted only a fleeting second.

"Shit, Daniel!"

Jack? He sounded so far away, muted by the falling rubble and his own mental cries. Ohgodhewasgoingtodie. Daniel desperately hoped he wouldn't feel anything. That Jack wouldn't make it to the cliff's edge he'd apparently just toppled off to see his body crash gruesomely into the ground. That Teal'c wouldn't add this to his lengthy list of perceived sins. That Sam...

Grunting with pain and fear, Daniel looked up as though his sight would be restored just so he could see his friends' faces one last time. Darkness prevailed, though, denying him his wish. Regardless of physical sight, he swore he could see them anyway. Jack was tossing him a lopsided grin. Sam's face was lit up by a huge smile, eyes brimming with happiness. Teal'c's face was transformed into subtle warmth, almost imperceptible but so real.

Daniel reached for them as the ground finally greeted him, sending him into a permanent nothingness.

~~~~~~~~

"Daniel Jackson, you must not move!"

Flat on his back, Jack went from a semi-conscious haze to shocked alertness in the span of one second. The scrabbling noises and soft murmurs he'd been trying to figure out for the past few minutes suddenly became crystal clear. Daniel was obviously awake and moving around. But what the hell was Teal'c screaming about?

His body responded without prompting, torso lifting vertically while his eyes jarred open. Whoa. It was dusky out, the sun still very low on the horizon. He couldn't tell right away if it was morning or evening, but surmised from the coolness in the air that it was the former. The vista before him twisted a couple of times, white clouds swirling in the aquamarine sky. Whatever that stuff Tomahe had fed him, it left a hell of a kick. He was still feeling quite punch drunk, despite his alarm. Tearing his eyes off the still spinning sky, Jack looked down to see Carter's prone form. She was out cold. Daniel, Teal'c. He had to focus.

He turned slightly to his right, and his stomach churned both in reaction to the movement and from what was playing out in front of him. Crap. Daniel was on his hands and knees on the edge of a very, very big hole. Very. Teal'c was running at him full speed but Jack could tell, even in his muddled condition, that the Jaffa wasn't going to make it. All he could think to do was to get over to the archaeologist before he slid right off the cliff.

Shifting his arms to help balance while he rose, Jack was more than a little disturbed to realize he couldn't feel them from the elbow down. He had two hunks of useless flesh dangling from his arms. Alarmed, he looked down at his hands, appalled to see them curled like an arthritic old man's. Shitshitshit. He didn't have time to deal with it; could only think about Daniel. His gaze snapped back to his friend hovering at the precipice.

To see him disappear with grim inevitability right before his very eyes.

"Shit, Daniel!"

The scream ripped from his throat, and he swore his heart would follow the sound out of his mouth. Teal'c was almost there, just missing Daniel by a millisecond. Watching helplessly as the Jaffa lunged for Daniel's feet, leaning far over the rim.

Carter moved restlessly beside him, but he couldn't spare her his attention. Cursing his useless limbs, Jack rolled his hips and rested his weight on his right elbow. He edged the rest of his body onto his stomach, fumbling for purchase with his arms while he pushed his knees to bear his weight. He inchwormed his arms closer to his body, and scrambled gracelessly to his feet with a grunt. Once standing, he ran pell-mell for Teal'c, hoping the fact the Jaffa hadn't moved from his position meant he'd managed to catch Daniel. Please.

His gait slowed as he approached Teal'c, noting his friend wasn't making any noises of exertion, nor were his back and leg muscles working overtime. Oh...God. Jack could clearly read the implications of those facts. Sharp eyes scanned the expanse, his legs becoming shaky as he confirmed just how far a drop Daniel had just fallen. He didn't want to look; couldn't stop himself. Jack held his breath and cautiously leaned over Teal'c's shoulder, expecting only the worst - to see Daniel splattered on the ground below. Would he be able to see him? He selfishly hoped not.

He couldn't prevent himself from closing his eyes for just a moment, unwilling to face truth quite yet. The image of Daniel disappearing kept replaying, already a terrible thing to have to live with but his imagination kept conjuring up even worse pictures of his friend's lifeless body, broken and bloody. His eyes opened with as much lack of control as they had shut and found himself staring at the back of Teal'c's head.

With a groan, he shifted and leaned just a bit more, arms swinging distressingly heavily. Suddenly, though, his condition made no difference to him. The frown he felt caressing his lips became a huge smile of relief as he took in one of the most beautiful things he'd seen in his life. Twenty feet from the cliff's edge, an outcropping about three feet wide held the crumpled figure of Doctor Daniel Jackson. The young man was facing the craggy wall, almost touching it. Jack watched unblinkingly for signs of life, relief trading down for worry. His full bank of will was invested on his friend.

'John O'Neill, get down from there this instant before you fall and break your neck!' His mother's standard, oft repeated words from childhood sprang to mind. He remembered wondering why she had always made such a fuss when she caught him on the garage roof, until the four-year-old neighbor kid, what was his name...Maxwell Anderson, had somehow climbed atop the family car. He'd fallen off, broken his back, and spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair. Jack never went onto the roof again. Any fall greater than your height could kill.

He really wanted Daniel to shuffle, groan or something to ease the mounting concern. Twenty feet was a fair distance, and Jack had gone that far and more himself. He understood chances were the younger man would be banged up pretty thoroughly. That was it, though, he told himself. Nothing more than lacerations and bruises.

In the middle of his mental inventorying of potential injuries, Jack was startled by a hand on his shoulder. Jumping, he tore his attention away from the still body below, arms woodenly dangling. Damn. He'd forgotten about that problem, and about Carter or Teal'c. His 2IC stood behind him, face waxy with distress. He shot her a reassuring smile, then looked back down to Daniel.

"You all right, Carter?" he distractedly asked. He paused for her verification, which didn't come. Not withdrawing his gaze from Daniel, he repeated, "Carter? Teal'c, can you tell if he's breathing?"

"She cannot speak, O'Neill," Teal'c said in a subdued monotone. "I am sorry for allowing Daniel Jackson to fall. Had he perished, it would have been my fault."

Jack's brain went on overload. Daniel was alive. Carter couldn't talk? Why had the archaeologist been messing around where any sane human wouldn't venture without good cause Teal'c's fault? There was no way, Jaffa or not, he could have reached him. He started thinking about the younger man's fall, and he couldn't wrap his head around any good reason for Daniel's latest romp with Death. Why couldn't Carter talk?

"What?" he stupidly stuttered. He whipped his head to take in Carter's appearance again, and found her bleakly nodding as she stepped right between him and Teal'c to see for herself if Daniel was all right.

"The drink you were forced to swallow has affected each of you. You cannot feel your hands, is that not correct, O'Neill? Major Carter's voice has been stifled. Daniel Jackson is unable to see," Teal'c quietly said.

Understanding at Daniel's seemingly careless behavior dawned, and without thinking, he tried to lift his hand to swipe it across his mouth. It didn't work. A sick feeling took root as he thought about what Daniel must have gone through, waking up with no way of knowing he was alone or not. Completely in the dark. And the fall...he morbidly wondered if it was better to be able to see the bottom or to just hit with no warning. Nice. Cheery. And irrelevant. Daniel had not hit the bottom, and he was battered but fine. None of them would get hurt - Jack swore he'd heard that uttered by Tomahe several times. Tell that to Daniel.

He was getting angry now, mind fully getting with the program as his arm hung uselessly from the elbow. Letting it drop, Jack finally registered Teal'c's previous words in their entirety, looking down to find him still sprawled on the ground, head and shoulders leaning over the side. Even from an awkward angle, he saw the controlled anguish in Teal'c's expression and his fury cooled to the back burner.

"Teal'c, this wasn't your fault. There's no way you could have reached him in time to prevent it," Jack softly, unnecessarily absolved. "Daniel won't blame you in any way."

"I should not have ventured so far from you. My attention was needed at your sides."

Crouching down, Jack stumbled clumsily. His center of gravity seemed to be all screwed up, and he almost regretted the move. Out of habit, he tried to reach out his hands to grasp Teal'c's arms. Muttering a curse at his current inability to proffer any sort of physical comfort to his friend. He never realized how much he actually needed to touch for his own peace of mind until it had been removed as an option. The reminder of his ailment, for lack of a better term, also seemed to drive Teal'c's self-recrimination, his dark eyes burning with unspoken misery.

Carter shifted abruptly, a hand reaching for Teal'c's shoulder, to where he wanted his own to be. She squeezed, and Jack peered up at her briefly. She hadn't averted her eyes from Daniel, proving there was nothing wrong with her ears. Even without looking, she had known what he'd want to do for Teal'c. Not for the first time he was reminded how lucky he was to have such a great group of people around him.

"I know you, Teal'c. You were out there for a reason, weren't you? What was it?" he coaxed.

"Nothing should have distracted me to the level in which I could no longer effectively protect you, Major Carter, and Daniel Jackson," Teal'c stated, changing positions at last to look him straight in the eye.

"Distracted? I don't think so," Jack fired back. "Tell me."

"During the night, there was activity beyond the light provided by the fire I was able to build. As the night progressed, the fire diminished, as did the illumination. I was forced to move farther and farther away in my patrol."

"What kind of activity?" he prompted, sensing Teal'c still needed more reassurance.

"There were animals similar to canines circling the camp. I believe they would have done you harm if they had the opportunity."

Teal'c had been wandering around without a weapon, in the middle of the night, with wolves or coyotes out there? With anyone else, this would have led him to give a strongly worded reprimand, but instead he just nudged, "Which they didn't, because you were protecting us. And I'd say it was barely dawn when I woke up, so you must have been some distance away when Daniel started crawling around. Not. Your. Fault."

To support his assertion, Carter pressed harder on Teal'c's shoulder. The Jaffa didn't look much more convinced, though Jack was happy to see his shoulders relax slightly. He knew nothing any of them could ever say or do would make Teal'c forgive himself, but they could get try to get him to at least understand they didn't blame him. It wasn't nearly enough.

"You got us?"

After a moment's hesitation, Teal'c brought a large hand to cover Carter's and responded, "I have got you."

"Good," Jack breathed in relief.

A million unanswered questions uncurled themselves from the corner he had shoved them. So many he didn't know where to begin. Before he could place them in order of importance, a soft noise stole his attention. A barely perceptible moan...from Daniel.

The questions could wait.

~~~~~~~~

It had only taken Sam a couple of seconds after the colonel's shout had wakened her to realize something was wrong with her throat. Her memories were fleeting but clear. An intense burning and dryness just before she'd passed out. They were the first clue. Of course, opening her mouth and not being able to talk had helped. She'd had no time to contemplate her strange physical anomaly when the understanding of where her CO had run off to hit her hard.

Now, listening to the colonel try to tell Teal'c not to blame himself - she suddenly realized the Jaffa seemed the only one without some type of handicap, at least not a physical one - Sam wanted more than anything to lend aid. She couldn't tell Teal'c that Daniel was fine; that he was already stirring. The only thing she could do was to keep her eye on the archaeologist and reinforce the colonel's words by some other means. Her hand clamped onto the first body part it came across.

As Teal'c spoke, she began to understand their situation a bit more and at the same time had more questions. Ones she had no idea how she was going to ask. So far, she had remained relatively calm about the loss of her voice. There was only mild discomfort - a persistent parchedness and need to cough. Now she was starting to panic just a bit. Without her voice, how could she give the guys her input?

Of the three of them, Daniel was the one she thought most likely to be able to communicate without words; he'd proven he could do it before. There was the kicker. It seemed obvious to her Teal'c's assertion of Daniel's blindness was correct. No way would he have ended up out of their reach if he had seen where he was going. The rumors rolling through the SGC about his ineptitude were completely unfounded. Sure, sometimes he tripped over his own feet but who didn't? That didn't translate into carelessness.

Without his eyes, she was going to have to figure out how to correspond with the colonel and Teal'c. Sometimes not an easy task even with a voice; now it seemed daunting. Sam tried to swallow, choking past a throat that seemed completely closed up. God, she felt as though she was constantly on the verge of vomiting. The sensation certainly wasn't going to help her in the least, becoming increasingly more difficult to ignore. Her frustrations were mounting, piling on top of each other. She was positive they were already way over her head.

"I have got you," Teal'c murmured. Instantly, her thoughts that she couldn't focus on anything but her throat disappeared. It was easy to ignore as his hand covered hers.

"Good."

Sam heard relief in the colonel's voice but she could tell it was only halfhearted. Though she'd missed most of the conversation, she was sure Teal'c wouldn't forgive himself so quickly. Her CO knew that too, and they could both take the small victory as the first step for their friend. Knowing him so well, she knew he'd very likely never forgive himself completely. She squeezed his shoulder again, keeping her fingers tight, finding it extremely easy to get back to the level of comfort with him she had only hours ago struggled with. Teal'c needed it.

She watched Daniel's head shake from side to side, stopping when his nose was almost flattened into the ground. Guessing he was finally rousing, she pressed Teal'c's shoulder twice. They needed to let him know where he was and not to move. God, she wished she could say something. Daniel moaned softly.

"O'Neill, Daniel Jackson is awakening," Teal'c said as he withdrew from her grasp to lean over the side of the cliff.

The colonel shifted with a curse. Sam winced in sympathy. Without his hands, he must feel as useless as she did without her voice. Even more. He cautiously peered down at Daniel, who still hadn't really moved. She studied the archaeologist's every move like a hawk watches a chicken. It wouldn't help him but for some reason it helped her.

"I heard him," the colonel testily snapped, then paused. "Sorry, Teal'c. Nerves are a little worn. Let's just see if he's okay...Daniel? Daniel, can you hear me?"

The three of them waited for an answer. The lump in her throat grew with each passing second of silence, and Sam really did choke. There was no accompanying gurgle. Odd. She would have thought herself capable of some sound. Whatever the Wayzata had done to her, it was comprehensive. Augh. What was she doing? That wasn't important. From below, Daniel produced another groan, louder this time.

"Damnit, Daniel. Wake up, will you?" the colonel angrily called.

"Jack?" Daniel finally whispered.

He shifted suddenly, rolling onto his back. In her head, Sam was screaming for him to stay still. Her mouth even opened to let the words flow, to tell him she was here. That they all were. She clamped her lips together again in aggravation, stuck watching him as he tried to locate the colonel's voice. His eyes were still shut.

"Yeah, Daniel. You've had a little fall," the colonel called in a deceptively nonchalant voice. "Do me a favor and don't move a muscle, okay?"

From twenty feet away, she could still see Daniel tense. He swallowed a groan. Her mind raced to fill in the reasons for his distress. Duh. He'd just fallen off a cliff.

"Okay...Jack?"

"What?"

"Shouldn't I be, uh, dead?"

Sam smiled. Daniel sounded like...Daniel. That was undeniably a good sign. She glanced over to the colonel, for the first time relaxing enough to look away from the archaeologist. His face was sporting a pained smile. Her own faltered a bit as she realized what he was thinking. She closed her eyes, turning her head so she'd be looking at Daniel when she opened them again.

"Yes you should be, Daniel," he somberly answered. "I hope your lucky streak doesn't end anytime soon. You landed on a narrow ledge about twenty feet from the top of an extremely big cliff. And you scared the crap out of all of us."

"Sam? Teal'c?"

A pang of regret swept through her as Teal'c answered for both of them. "We are here, Daniel Jackson."

"Everyone okay? Tomahe..." Daniel opened his eyes as he trailed off.

Recoiling slightly, Sam was taken aback by the blankness of his stare. She expected his eyes not to register their surroundings, but this was worse. Irrefutable.

"Shit," the colonel breathed.

"We are fine," Teal'c answered. "What of your condition? Have you sustained any injuries?"

Never had she been so glad to have him around. While she and the colonel struggled to face the horrible whiteness of Daniel's eyes, so obvious even from a distance, Teal'c was pulling it together. Giving him a grateful look, Sam saw he was having as difficult a time as they. His jaw was clenching tightly, hands fisted and planted firmly on the ground in front of him.

"Ahm, I don't think so. Without moving, I can't really tell though. Bruises," Daniel called, eyes still searching as if sheer will would enable them to see again. "Nothing worse."

"Well, I'd feel better if you were up here with us," the colonel called, finally seeming to cram his shock down.

"You and me both," Daniel mumbled with a funny little chuckle. "Any suggestions on how I can do that? I don't suppose you've already whipped up a rope ladder or something? Sam?"

The question struck her more efficiently than a punch to the nose, bringing with it the same stinging pain. She'd been so stupid, wallowing in her own miseries when she should have been thinking about that eventuality. Apparently Daniel thought she would have been, too. Sam hadn't thought her throat could feel any more closed off than it already did, but his inquiry almost sealed it over. Rubbing a shaky hand across her dry lips, she rocked back on her heels.

"Sam?"

"Cat's got her tongue, Daniel. She can't answer you," the colonel gently informed him.

"Oh...that's right. I figured that, I just forgot. I'm sorry, Sam," Daniel apologized, and then coughed.

"We'll think of something, don't worry."

The colonel slid to his butt, arms hanging limply in his lap. Sam crinkled her eyebrows at him. He furrowed his in return, a frown playing at his lips. She relaxed a bit, interpreting his body language to mean he hadn't been thinking about a way to get Daniel up either.

"I just don't have a clue what," he dejectedly muttered. "Goddamnit. Ideas, people?"

For the first time, Sam took in their new surroundings. Aside from the gaping canyon stretching farther than she could see in both directions, there was nothing but sparse tufts of grass and rocky ground. No trees. No bushes. Nothing of use. She balled her hands and thumped them against her hips rhythmically, trying to get ideas from somewhere. Their clothes as a makeshift rope? No. Daniel was too far down and too heavy. She noted with a frown that Teal'c's jacket was missing.

She leaned down to look at him again, glad to find he'd closed his eyes. Instantly feeling guilty for the thought, she closed her own eyes briefly and open them again to focus. Studying the craggy cliff wall, Sam came to the only conclusion available. Daniel was going to have to climb, unassisted and without safety harnesses.

Oh, and she couldn't forget - blind.

~~~~~~~~

Every time Major Carter opened her mouth in a vain attempt to speak, his own throat constricted. His hands cramped painfully when he looked upon O'Neill's deadened limbs, though his friend expressed no such discomfort. Needles pricked his eyes as he gazed down upon Daniel Jackson. Teal'c was the cause for each of their conditions. He would ensure they were not permanent; that they would return whole to the SGC, no matter the cost to him. But there was no time to dwell on his self-pity. He stamped down those feelings, allowing them to instead increase his motivation.

He knew better than his companions the terrain would offer nothing to aid the task of bringing Daniel Jackson up from the ledge upon which he had fallen. Sheer fortune had saved his friend's life where he had failed, and he would not waste the chance he was given to redeem himself. Even the rope bridge, still attached on their side was out of reach of the archaeologist. Had he his sight, an attempt to jump to it would have been a possibility. Teal'c immediately dismissed the useless bridge; did not allow it to taunt his failure. Watching Major Carter, he sensed she had also realized they would not have any outside forces to rely on in their undertaking. Her eyes dimmed as she took in the fragile bridge swinging so near, and she quickly pivoted to scan him and O'Neill briefly. Closing her eyes, she then leaned over the precipice. O'Neill sat, eyes focused on some distant point.

"Anything?" O'Neill asked after a few minutes.

Major Carter's shoulders slumped and she eased back, turning her body toward O'Neill. She grasped his shoulders to get his attention, then turned to include him. Teal'c already surmised what her suggestion was going to be. It was the only one he himself had been able to ascertain. A scowl formed on the major's face as she opened her mouth again, shaking her head angrily.

"It's okay, Carter. Relax."

She smiled quickly and rose to her feet, pantomiming climbing motions. Teal'c slowly nodded his agreement and looked to O'Neill, who bore a confused expression. He suspected the team leader did, in fact, understand the implications of Major Carter's actions, but he explained nonetheless. "I believe she is suggesting Daniel Jackson must climb to safety, O'Neill."

"What! Not to state the obvious here, but he can't see. How exactly is he supposed to do that?"

In principle, Teal'c felt exactly the same as O'Neill but he knew of no alternative. Daniel Jackson had proven himself surprisingly adept in the skill of rock climbing. The idea was a risky one, and extremely dangerous. He had to believe that together they could guide the archaeologist through the process. They must.

Major Carter pointed to her eyes, then over the cliff. She moved to lean down next to O'Neill, indicating his mouth. Finally, she shifted to him and mimicked hauling something over the side. Again her thoughts mirrored his own, and Teal'c felt a surge of warmth for her. It had been some time since he had felt comfortable around his friends, and they around him. Perhaps the Wayzata were not so wrong to have them endure this test, though he still believed the method to be unduly harsh.

"We must be his eyes, O'Neill," he calmly stated, straightening his shoulders with confidence. "Daniel Jackson is strong-minded and will prevail."

O'Neill appraised him noiselessly, brown eyes flickering with an emotion he could not quite isolate, nodding tentatively. "Right." He raised his voice, head turning to face the canyon. "Daniel, you're not going to like this. There's nothing up here that will help you get...up here. You're going to have to climb."

"You're...kidding, right?" Daniel Jackson's voice floated weakly to them. "Please tell me you're kidding."

"Indeed he is not, Daniel Jackson. Major Carter has already delineated the route in which you are most likely to succeed. She will indicate the directions to O'Neill, who will relay them to you. Do not worry, the distance is short. Once you are near enough to the top, I will be able to lift you over. It will be all right."

"You make it sound so easy," Daniel Jackson snorted, raising a shaky hand to clasp the bridge of his nose in a familiar gesture.

"It's okay, Daniel. Trust us to guide you. We've got time, so slow and steady will do the trick," O'Neill bolstered, disguising the doubt Teal'c still knew he felt.

With O'Neill's words, though, came a vivid reminder of the deadline set forth by Tomahe. He had not had the opportunity to tell the others of the specifics of their location, nor of the ceremony. Recrimination ate its way back into him.

"We do not have time, O'Neill," he softly corrected. "Tomahe informed me that if we do not return to the village within two days' time, your impairments will remain."

"Ah...crap," O'Neill uttered but did not look nonplussed at his disclosure. "Let's not tell Daniel that, shall we? He's going to be under enough pressure."

Teal'c nodded, as did Major Carter. Collectively, they moved closer to the cliff's edge. Peering over, he saw Daniel Jackson had already risen to his feet and was cautiously feeling the stony wall with his fingers. Frowning, he detected a trace of blood tingeing the tips, and also a streak running along the archaeologist's right cheekbone. Worry insinuated into his veins, chilling him with misgivings. He carefully assessed his teammate's hands and face for any indications of pain. Only minor winces gave him slight reassurance. It would have to be enough.

"You ready, Danny?" O'Neill called, the use of the epithet the only indication of his apprehension.

Daniel Jackson's head snapped up to them, eyes wide and disturbingly colorless. He nodded. "As I'll ever be."

Poking O'Neill in the shoulder, Major Carter then proceeded to point to the first handhold. The process was painstakingly deliberate as O'Neill described to their teammate each step. On occasion, he would provide assistance but he found himself predominantly centering all of his energy on every move Daniel Jackson made, every falter nearly forcing his heart into his throat. Major Carter was sure with her guidance, O'Neill quick in his supportive delivery. Daniel Jackson's moves grew steadier but he knew the archaeologist's stamina was limited, and the closer he came to them, the more comfortable Teal'c became.

His concentration warped time, and it did not seem long before Daniel Jackson, red-faced and breathing harshly, was within his reach. He signaled O'Neill, who had been sneaking glances at him for several minutes. Teal'c rose to his knees, eyes never leaving the archaeologist, while O'Neill shifted to brace his legs between his own as extra support.

"Daniel Jackson, I am able to reach you now. I will lift you momentarily," he cautioned his friend.

The younger man scrabbled slightly, as he had each time Teal'c had spoken. He knew Daniel Jackson had merely designated all his attention to O'Neill and took no offense, thought the physical reaction was startling. Major Carter and O'Neill both twitched as though they believed their teammate to be falling again. His body instinctively concurred, muscles flexing.

"Go...ugh...od," Daniel Jackson struggled to say. "Don't think I..."

And then what Teal'c feared would...happened. His friend's right hand slipped from its hold, jarring his precarious balance. He felt O'Neill jerk behind him, the hold on his legs instantly strengthening as he lunged with both arms outstretched. Major Carter also moved, ensuring she did not interfere with his action. His mind flashed to the first time Daniel Jackson had fallen; to when his fingertips brushed the younger man's hands, seconds too late. As he again felt the rasp of fabric slip through his fingers, he cursed and extended even more. O'Neill's legs lost their hold, and he was falling.

The extra momentum enabled him to latch onto Daniel Jackson, though it no longer mattered. Teal'c was dragged farther off the edge, following his friend down. He gauged whether or not he would be able to land on the ledge and still maintain his grip. It would not be possible, the fall would launch them too far from the cliff wall. He stared at his friend's face for the first time since the drop began, refusing to look elsewhere though it disturbed him greatly. The blank eyes did not diminish the resounding fear haunting the features, which lasted only a moment before it converted to grim acceptance.

"No! Teal'c...Carter do..." O'Neill's screaming voice finally broke through the roar in his ears he had not been aware was there. "DAMNIT!"

Teal'c braced to plummet as he slid down, hands locked with Daniel Jackson's. O'Neill shifted quickly, and he suddenly felt a heavy weight on the back of his legs. Not enough to halt the descent, but enough to provide time. He became conscious of Major Carter's hands clutching at his shoulders in an attempt to find purchase. Her support gave him the leverage to draw the archaeologist closer to the cliff's face. He watched as his friend's feet instinctively sought solidity, hunting for any outcropping or crevice on which to land. Grim acceptance turned into relieved determination.

Closing his eyes, he used every muscle to inch back. Assisted by Major Carter, he soon was out of danger and he opened them again to ensure Daniel Jackson was still safe. The archaeologist's knuckles were white, a stark contrast to his own dark fists. Tremors of tension and muscle strain jolted into him through the embrace of hands, and he was startled to discover they did not only derive from his teammate but himself as well. It was all the more imperative to get Daniel Jackson to solid ground immediately.

O'Neill transferred some of the weight off his legs, tetchy comments continuing at not being able to use his hands. While he could sympathize with the team leader's frustrations, he could not dwell upon it. He automatically wriggled backward with each foothold Daniel Jackson attained, slowly gaining ground. As the young man approached the precipice, Teal'c had a resurgence of strength and heaved his body up, bringing his friend with him. Major Carter latched onto the archaeologist's right arm and tugged. Together they fell back onto O'Neill, a jumble of arms and legs.

"Ge-ugh."

"Ow..."

"Yeah...urgh...get offa me!" O'Neill wheezed from the bottom of the pile.

Letting go of Daniel Jackson's hands, Teal'c carefully extricated himself from the heap and turned to assist his friends. Face down and still at the bottom, O'Neill was writhing to roll over but seemed to be having extreme difficulty. Curses peppered the air, and he knew he should not take pleasure in the colonel's discomfort.

But he allowed his lips to turn up in a smile, happy to have his friends safe, at least for the moment.

~~~~~~~~

For an insane second, Daniel had the urge to roll off Jack and kiss the ground. Chuckles refused to be contained as he pictured how he'd look like a cartoon character if he gave in to the compulsion. This was quite possibly the most inappropriate time to laugh, and it was very unlike him but the relief was so overwhelming he needed release. There was movement on either side, and big hands rapidly clamped onto his shoulders.

The more Jack swore, the harder he laughed, and the harder he laughed, the more insistent the hands became. The rational part of his brain knew he was simply reacting to the stress of the past few minutes but that realization didn't make him stop. He was suddenly vertical, being bodily moved off the squirming form beneath him. The change in altitude was enough to make his head spin, oddly reminiscent of the time he'd had an inner ear infection as a child. He had been lying on his bed, eyes closed, and it had felt as though he was spinning around and around. Not enough to make him queasy, just very disoriented. As soon as he'd open his eyes, the feeling dissipated. So now, as then, he opened his eyes.

And saw nothing. He stopped chuckling as reality reasserted itself, and he remembered suddenly that Jack couldn't use his hands and Sam couldn't speak. The lack of her voice became devastatingly obvious, as did the absence of Jack's inquisitive, searching touches. The smile disappeared from his face as Teal'c moved to answer the older man's need for help. Smaller, softer hands replaced his, probing his arms, legs and torso in search of injury, on hand finally resting on his cheek. There was a dull ache emanating from his right cheekbone and he vaguely recollected scraping it along the rock face. His fingers throbbed a little too, and he wasn't surprised when the other hand gathered both of his together.

"Sam?"

His left hand was tugged upward and placed on something warm, which then moved up and down. Smiling, he realized it was her cheek. He brushed his fingertips across her features quickly, amazed he could discern she was frowning and her eyebrows were furrowed. Daniel moved his hand to her neck, resting it just above the hollow.

"You okay?"

She nodded again, her chin butting into his hand. He let it drop into his lap as her fingers again probed his cheekbone. It must be a deeper scratch than he could envision based on the pain, or Sam wouldn't continue to fuss. He already missed the sound of her voice, and twinged at how much he knew she must be suffering. Daniel found himself selfishly and strangely thankful he'd been rendered sightless instead of voiceless.

"Thanks, Teal'c. Daniel?" Jack queried from behind and to the left, voice sounding muffled. Fabric rustled and the older man grunted as his voice suddenly became closer and clearer. "I think a more appropriate question is are you all right? Anything broken? Carter?"

Daniel waited a moment to let Sam answer however she could. He could almost feel the tension still electrifying the air before he replied, "I'm okay, Jack."

"Well, in that case, let me take the opportunity to ask you what the hell you were thinking when you decided to wander off? Oh, and blind at that!"

"I, uh," Daniel began, recoiling slightly at Jack's harsh tone. He wanted to protest but he knew he shouldn't have crawled away from his teammates. He shut his mouth, teeth clicking loudly.

"Do you realize how close you came to being smashed into a million unrecognizable..." Jack stopped his tirade as Daniel turned to face his voice. He heard a heavy sigh. "No, you probably don't."

Something told him he was better off not seeing the 'extremely big cliff' he'd just climbed back up. His imagination was conjuring some pretty spectacular images on its own, and they were accompanied by visions of his friends' faces right now. He heard them all simultaneously shift, Sam grasping his hands again and Teal'c moving closer to support his back. He didn't really need either but didn't move. The absence of Jack's touch was brutally obvious, his own need for it surprising him. Removing his left hand from Sam's, he reached for Jack and hoped he'd come into contact with anything other than his hands. Tender fingers bumped into something hard, and he felt around to determine what it was. A knee?

"I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have...I panicked a little," he lamely mumbled, desperately wishing someone would change the subject.

"We do not have time to discuss this further, O'Neill," Teal'c abruptly stated.

Daniel heard the impatience and concern in his tone, and that was enough to make him alarmed. There was a long pause in which he could only hear each of his friends breathing. Just as he was about to ask what was going on, Jack spoke.

"Right. No time. Don't think you're getting out of this lecture, Daniel," the older man warned, then moved his knee out of Daniel's grip. "Teal'c, you said two days, right? No problem. By then Hammond will have sent someone to look for us."

Daniel's confusion grew, and he raised his hand in the air. It smacked into something...someone. He winced an apology, "Sorry. I have a question, though. What's going on? I mean, I figured out Tomahe was performing some strange variation of the Lakota Keeping of the Soul rite, right? But where are we? Two days for what?"

"You are correct, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c rumbled. He could feel the vibrations of the Jaffa's speech through the hands on his back. "The Wayzata have determined that in order to trust us, our souls must be proven worthy. Tomahe informed me each of your impairments represent a component of the soul, and only if we return to the village within two days' time will your sight be restored, Major Carter's voice returned and O'Neill's hands begin to function again. As I am seen as the instrument of Apophis, it is my responsibility to ensure your safety."

"Of course, that makes sense," Daniel agreed and twisted his hand free from Sam's to turn around to face Teal'c. He hoped. Even if he couldn't see, he felt reassured by maintaining some semblance of normalcy in his behavior. "But that's it? How far away are we from the village? Did they give you something, too? Are you all right, Teal'c?"

"We are approximately five kilometers from the village. I am well, Daniel Jackson."

"Five?" he repeated, still puzzled. It didn't seem that difficult of a task. "I don't understand."

"Ah, how could you forget that little tumble you just took? Think Grand Canyon," Jack muttered, sounding angry. Daniel thought perhaps it was more displeasure with the situation. "Very wide, very deep and very impossible to walk around in two days. Like I said, given we're essentially working with half a team, I think our best bet is to stick it out until Hammond sends back up. We've only got a day left of this mission, and Tomahe gave us two. So all we have to do is find something to eat, something to keep a fire going at night, and wait."

Only a day. That didn't seem right to him but he couldn't figure out why. Daniel tried not to think about the whole Grand Canyon thing Jack had just mentioned, searching his memory for why that comment had been flagged. A day, a day. What...oh, crap.

"Uh, guys?" he warily issued.

"Daniel?" Jack cautiously prompted, and without the benefit of seeing his friend's face, Daniel thought menacingly.

"When I contacted General Hammond, he authorized an additional two days for the mission," he spit out the words in a rapid string and cowered for Jack to whap either the back of his head or his shoulder. He only got a huge sigh, and closed his eyes at his insensitivity.

"You didn't think it important to relay that little tidbit earlier. Say, oh, way back in the village?" Jack was exasperated. Daniel guiltily interpreted his friend was bothered at his instinctive reaction more than his omission of information. Not being able to see a constant reminder of Jack's dilemma was at once a blessing and a curse, leaning more toward the curse side.

"Well, it wasn't exactly a priority at that point, Jack," he defended. "How was I supposed to know this was going to happen?"

Sam's small hands rubbed his shoulders in a comforting gesture, and he could picture her face softening in understanding. God, he wished she could talk. If wishes were fishes...

"There is no time to argue," Teal'c reminded. "It will not assist our situation. We must focus only on successfully returning to the Wayzata village. That is the only thing of importance."

"You're right. Sorry, Daniel," Jack sighed again. Daniel was becoming more and more agitated at the recurring sound from the older man and Teal'c's need to keep the conversation on track. "Can I just say how much this mission is starting to suck? I mean it. I can understand the need to confirm our good will, I really can. But I don't understand the apparent impossibility of the test we're being forced to take. Carter, Teal'c, any brilliant ideas on how we're supposed to get across the great divide?"

Daniel tried not to be hurt at the exclusion of his name in the question, certain Jack didn't mean to imply he was useless. He wouldn't. Swallowing the unintentional slight, he felt Sam's hands begin their massage again. Their weight on his arms had been forgotten, and the reminder now gave him comfort. He awkwardly reached up to find her hands, and nodded. He might not be able to see but he could still use his brain.

"I have not been able to devise a means yet, O'Neill. However, I do know we must reach the bottom of the gorge by the end of the day. During my patrol, it became evident to me there is little with which to build a fire in the near vicinity. As we traveled to this location from the village, the journey did not deviate from a straight path. I do not believe it efficient to seek the items necessary for survival against the canines which will no doubt appear again during the night."

"Canines?" Daniel nervously asked. This was getting better and better. He urged himself to think harder.

"Indeed. At the floor of the gulch there is a river to provide water, and sufficient brush to supply fuel for a fire. I believe we may also seek sustenance. Major Carter nor I have partaken in a meal since our arrival, and we will need energy if we are to surmount the other side of the valley," Teal'c continued.

"Okay, then. Now that's established, how do we do it?" Jack impatiently asked. "I'm not trying to be a Doubting Thomas here but I'm having a problem seeing how we're supposed to get down a thirty plus story cliff with Daniel blind and me...useless. We don't have any gear."

The hopeless voice provoked Daniel more than a little. It wasn't like his friend to be so negative, and he could only place the fault on Jack's inability to use his hands. He realized he was blind on more than one level. For all he knew, Sam was also feeling impotent. She'd probably already figured out how to get them out of this mess, and couldn't even tell anyone. He started feeling quite negative himself when he had a thought.

"Teal'c?" he called out, twisting slightly as if it would help him see his friend. "How did we get here, exactly? I'm guessing the Wayzata didn't launch us across with a catapult, right?"

The Wayzata were a peaceful people, and wouldn't have left them out here to die. Certainly Tomahe wouldn't have abandoned them without a means to pass the test, or how valid would that test be?

He had to be right.

~~~~~~~~

The rest of the archaeologist's face may be as expressive as ever but that didn't seem to matter. All he could see was the younger man's eyes, and he was unable to overcome the vacant stare. If he could feel his hands, Jack knew they'd be itching to cover his friend's eyes with something. Or to cover his own face in frustration. He had no idea what Daniel was going on about. What difference did it make how they had gotten here?

"They did not, Daniel Jackson. We rode horses to this location, then took a rope bridge which extended across the canyon," Teal'c methodically stated. "The Wayzata then returned to the other side and detached it to prevent its use."

Jack was still confused but he knew Daniel must be on to something. He looked each of his team members over. Teal'c had a thoughtful expression plastered across his features, the dead giveaway being his cocked eyebrow and tilted head. Carter's eyes were widening by the second, and she squeezed Daniel's shoulders. He really tried not to pay attention to the ruddy fingerprints staining her cheeks from the younger man's earlier exploration of her face.

"What?" he urged. She turned to him, then to Teal'c, and shook her head. "You have to, Carter. Figure out how to tell us."

She rolled her eyes at him but relinquished her hold on Daniel to move next to Teal'c. Taking his right hand in her left, she turned it palm up and began tracing something on it. The Jaffa frowned at her, and shook his head. After a few moments, she dropped the hand in frustration, rubbing her forehead. She moved back to the archaeologist.

Studying her hands, Jack couldn't figure out what she was trying to say and doubted Daniel could figure it out either. He looked at his own useless limbs and cursed them again. He didn't know how, but it seemed Tomahe had known precisely which body part to infect in each of them. Admittedly clueless on how to read Carter even with her voice, now he didn't even have the means to try.

"H?" Daniel quietly asked, interrupting his internal rant. A shy smile turned the corners of the younger man's mouth upward. "Are you spelling something? When I was little, my mother would trace letters on my back and make me guess them. She'd mix them all up to try and confuse me. When B came I'd call it out, and she'd slap me like there was a bee on me."

Jack grinned at the wistful tone in Daniel's voice and the obvious happiness of the memory. The comments were slightly off track but it didn't matter. He thought he finally understood what Carter needed to communicate, and realized the archaeologist did too. They needed to let her finish, to work out a system of 'talking'. She squeezed Daniel's hand and nodded for the sake of him and Teal'c. She continued tracing letters on the palm, moving faster and faster as the younger man adjusted to reading them.

"H-O...wait, what was that one again?...W-F-A-R-A-C-R-O-S-S," Daniel recited the letters. "A-N-D-H-O-W-F-A-R-D-O-W-N. How far across and how far down? Exactly what I was going to ask, Sam."

Talk about teamwork. Teal'c nodded, rose, and moved to the cliff's edge to peer over. His teammate had already mentioned he could see the floor of the chasm enough to feel confident that was where they needed to be by nightfall, and Jack was sure that was a good thing. Just how good was a Jaffa's eyesight, anyway?

"Your idea has merit, Major Carter," Teal'c announced as he rejoined them. "The depth of the canyon is only slightly longer than the length across. We should be able to climb down the ladder and jump the remainder of the distance without further injury."

Instantly, Jack's brain supplied a hitch in that plan. Both Carter and Teal'c were physically fine and able. Daniel had proven he could make do without his eyes, though it might not be easy. But he couldn't figure out a way to deal with his own very physical handicap.

"Uh, I think we have a problem," he called his team's attention to him. "I'm not quite sure how I'm going to get down two hundred feet without being able to use my hands. That, and I'm slightly concerned at how fun of a time Daniel won't have either."

He looked up from his inspection of his hands to stare into three blank expressions. Double taking, Jack had to remind himself only Daniel was blind. Apparently he was the only one to consider that particular wrench in the works, and he couldn't blame them. It wasn't as if they could feel what he wasn't feeling. Flashing a grimace, he turned away.

Scuffling noises made him turn back, and he saw Carter scrambling to her feet. She was waving her hands at Teal'c, who complied and stood up. She skirted around him, grabbed his shoulders and turned both of them so he could see her. Once she was positioned, she awkwardly wrapped her arms around his torso, gathering his arms to his chest. She mimicked lifting him up. The look on Teal'c's face made him want to laugh out loud but he merely choked back a snicker.

"What?" Daniel asked, blindly seeking out the source for his humor.

Sobering instantaneously, Jack realized her plan would have to work. There wasn't any way he could climb down without some sort of assistance, and pride was the least of his concerns at the moment. He could handle looking completely ridiculous if it meant getting them the hell where they needed to be. Besides, Daniel couldn't see anything and Carter wasn't about to make any comments.

"Nothing, Danny. Teal'c's just going to have to help me out. A lot," he softly said, brushing his knee into the younger man's thigh. "And you're going to let Carter help you."

"Oh, right. Jack?" Daniel tentatively asked. "How are you doing, really?"

"I'm peachy. Nothing I like better than being as useful as a square wheel, you know that." He hadn't intended for that to be so sarcastic but as he finally had the guts to look at Daniel's face, he saw the younger man's lips twist unhappily downward. He amended, "I'm okay. It's just been a rough day already, and I have a feeling it's not going to get any easier."

"O'Neill, we must endeavor to determine a means to scale the bridge in tandem."

Why couldn't Teal'c ever speak English? He nodded, realizing his friend was really telling him they needed to find a way to take his arms completely out of the picture. Two swinging deadweights would only get in their way. Teal'c would also have to bear the brunt of getting him down onto the bridge in the first place. He couldn't just slide off the edge of the cliff and hope he wouldn't plummet down. Nope, like it or not he was going to have to be tied to the Jaffa. Staring into to space, Jack's gaze landed on Teal'c's bare arms. Where was his jack...that was it. Their jackets.

"Carter, Daniel, take off your jackets. Teal'c help me with mine, will you?" he ordered.

He didn't have to say anything else; all three of them leapt into action. It was very disconcerting to know someone was tugging on his arms but to not be able to feel it. He swallowed the uneasiness as Teal'c and Carter quickly fashioned two of the jackets into slings, each of arms in the sleeves of a separate coat, fastening his arms to his chest and draping the other sleeves over his shoulders. Well, it actually seemed more like a straitjacket and for a brief second he was glad he couldn't feel anything. It was bad enough thinking that comparison.

As Teal'c stepped up behind him and Carter stood back to figure out the best way to secure them together, he asked, "Do you think it'll be strong enough?"

"I believe it will. I can use one arm to hold you as we begin the descent, and then transfer your weight on my chest as we progress. I am more concerned your jacket will not be big enough to encompass both of us, however," Teal'c rumbled, lifting his arms for Carter to scoot the jacket under them.

"Yeah, well. This is as close as we're getting," he groused, though he wasn't at all bothered by the close contact. In fact, he was strangely comforted by it. "And when you get your voice back, Carter, you will not make mention of this to anyone at the SGC. Ever."

"Oh, for a camera," Daniel called, brushing his hands on his thighs and taking a step closer to them.

"Ah! Don't go wandering around," he instinctively cautioned. "Just wait for your turn. You and Carter get to be up close and personal, too, remember?"

"Well, from the sound of it we won't be nearly as...intimate as you and Teal'c."

Damn. Daniel's fertile imagination was probably supplying countless sordid images right about now. Jack shot the archaeologist a lethal glare, almost reeling away from Teal'c as he caught the emotionless eyes looking at a point beyond them. God, that was just not becoming any less of a shock. He didn't think he could spend the next day and a half reacting like that every time he looked at his teammate. Carter's soft hands distracted him, silently probing in between him and Teal'c and he suddenly wanted to hear her voice. Of course, he wasn't going to get that either. He sighed deeply.

"Major Carter is tying the remaining jacket to the sleeves. This arrangement is provisional at best, O'Neill," Teal'c commented.

"It'll work," Jack scrounged up confidence from nowhere. "We don't have much of a choice, after all."

"Sam can tell me every detail later, right? I mean, because I'm here and all, I shouldn't be considered your ordinary SGC personnel. I'm technically a witness anyway," Daniel called, dutifully keeping his feet planted on the ground where Jack had instructed him to stay.

Jack growled.

"Killjoy. Sam, you're telling me everything. And I'm sure you'll be able to share some very useful information, Teal'c," the archaeologist undauntedly continued. "I still wish I could see it for myself, though."

In the middle of forming a witty retort, Jack swallowed it down at the pensive comment. He'd endure the humiliation if it meant Daniel could see again. And he'd even enjoy it if Carter could tease him right now.

There was no way he would allow these conditions to be anything more than temporary.

~~~~~~~~

"I wish you could see, too," the colonel murmured so quietly she almost missed it. "And you will."

Sam doubted her CO intended for any of them to hear his words but Teal'c momentarily tensed in reaction, telling her he had overheard it as well. Knowing it was better to pretend she hadn't heard the softer side of the colonel sneak to the surface, she finished knotting the jacket sleeves and inserted her hand into the tiny space between the two men and zipped up the jacket Teal'c was kind of wearing. It probably wouldn't do very much good but it certainly couldn't hurt.

Concentrating on a specific task was definitely helping her cope with not being able to talk. She was pleasantly surprised at how easy it had been to get her points across, and ashamed she hadn't had enough faith in her teammates in the first place. None of them would blame her thoughts, she knew, but she still chided herself. She stepped back to appraise her handiwork. Well, it wasn't pretty, that much was true. It should work, though. There was enough give to allow Teal'c to be a few steps below the colonel. Crossing her fingers, she hoped it would last two hundred or more feet down a vertical drop. She felt the lighthearted mood dissipating quickly as they all realized it was time to begin.

"Carter? Do me a favor, will you?" her CO whispered. "Can you find something to cover up Daniel's eyes before we start? I don't want anything to get in them and do real damage."

She snapped her eyes to meet his, and knew instantly the request was really more for his benefit than Daniel's. More for their benefit. She'd seen Teal'c covertly checking out the archaeologist with haunted eyes, and she didn't exactly find it fun to look at those white orbs. Nodding, she quickly walked over to Daniel, tearing at the bottom of her T-shirt. She made sure to make enough noise to warn her friend of her approach, shuffling her feet slightly on the rocky ground.

"Sam?" he asked as she stopped directly in front of him. He seemed nervous, bouncing from foot to foot. "How are we going to do this? You're not big enough to wrap yourself around me like...at least I presume that's what Jack and Teal'c are doing?"

The colonel was right. Daniel was looking in the correct direction but the lack of recognition was disturbingly apparent. She doubted covering up the offending eyes would completely take care of the problem. The only thing that would take care of the lead in her stomach was the reversal of whatever Tomahe had done to them.

She cringed at his rambling questions, wishing she could answer him. Knowing he was simply anxious, Sam reached out and squeezed his shoulders. The tense muscles relaxed a bit, and he stopped moving about. She moved her hands back to her T-shirt and mentally cursed people on television shows who made it look so easy to rip cloth into pieces. Capable Air Force officer she may be but that didn't mean she could was a hulk. Without a starting point, she couldn't do it.

Embarrassed, she could feel the colonel and Teal'c staring at her. She rolled her eyes at them and turned to concentrate again on her garment. Her roaming gaze caught sight of several tears on Daniel's T-shirt, which must have happened when he had fallen. Problem solved. Latching onto him, she grinned at his yelp when she knew she should feel bad for scaring him.

"What are you doing? Jack, what's she doing?"

"We thought it a good idea to cover your eyes, seeing as we're about to climb down a rocky cliff wall and you can't really see when it's good to shut them," her CO hastily explained. "Sorry, should have told you that."

"Oh. Okay."

"Knew you'd understand. Are you two almost ready?"

Sam triumphantly ripped a strip off the bottom of Daniel's shirt and rapidly brushed her fingertips across his eyebrows. He closed his eyes, simultaneously letting out a short puff of air. Placing the band across his eyes, she tied it snugly around his head and stepped back. A little bit better, though the black cloth served as a very physical reminder of his blindness.

"I think we're all set," Daniel redundantly stated as she latched onto his left arm and began steering him over to the fallen bridge where Teal'c and the colonel were already waiting. "Although I'm still not sure how you're going to help me, Sam."

Counting on him to figure it out quickly, Sam just tightened her hold on his arm and kept walking. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Daniel raise his right arm in the air and then quickly bring it back down. She clenched her jaw at the instinctive movement.

"Carter, Teal'c and I are going to lead. We stand a greater chance of slipping up, and I don't want to take all of us down in one fell swoop."

Sam blinked in objection, letting go of Daniel to run the rest of the distance. Shaking her head, she peered down the cliff and frantically tried to come up with a way to express her concern with that idea. His suggestion made sense, and she understood it but Teal'c had said there would be a slight drop at the end. Without his hands, the colonel wouldn't be able to control his fall and she didn't want to take the chance Teal'c's estimation was off.

"C'mon, Carter. You know it's the way it has to be. Let's go."

She vehemently shook her head again, this time bringing up a hand. Swinging to look at Daniel, she walked back over to him and dragged him over to the colonel. This was so aggravating. Ignoring the archaeologist's mild protests, she lifted his right palm and started tracing.

"Slow down, please. Okay...N-O-O-N-E-T-O-H-E-L-P-Y-O-U-I-F...I think I know where you're going with this, Sam. Do we really know how far a drop we can expect at the bottom? Not to doubt your eyesight, Teal'c but it might be better if Sam and I go first in case we need to catch Jack. Or build some sort of cushion on which he can land."

Beaming at him, Sam wavered at the now masked face before her. She impulsively leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, rewarded with a little cough and a blush. For the colonel and Teal'c, she bounced her right pointer finger off of her nose a couple of times to indicate her agreement.

"Major Carter and Daniel Jackson are correct in their assessment. We should allow them to descend first," Teal'c stated and bowed his head just a touch.

The colonel got the look that always reminded her of someone suffering from an ice cream headache, and she could tell he saw the logic in their argument. It was hard for him to let any of his teammates place themselves in danger when it was easily avoidable. In this case, the danger was present regardless of their position on the way down.

"All right, all right. Point taken," the colonel conceded after a moment. Worriedly checking over Daniel, he continued, "I know we're on a deadline here, but I want you to be extremely careful. I also realize I don't have to tell you that. It just makes me feel better."

Sam guided Daniel over to the big posts holding up the bridge, looking down one more time. She thought it would be pretty easy to navigate the planks once they built a rhythm. Pushing down on his shoulders, she led the archaeologist to his knees. He was practically vibrating with tension, understandably skittish.

"Daniel Jackson, you must relax. Major Carter is leading you to the right side of the bridge and she will accompany you on the left. There are short wooden planks spaced very closely to one another, which will aid you. If you are able, placing your foot on every other one will simulate a ladder. It will likely sway both from the wind and from our weight upon it," Teal'c calmly informed.

"Relax. Sure. This will be a piece of cake, no problem," Daniel grumbled as he scooted backwards, his hand firmly clamped onto hers. "Okay, relax. Relax. Relaxing now."

The nerve-induced comments were succeeding in causing her own anxiety to increase. Daniel couldn't help it, and if she could she'd probably be joining him. Instead, she simply constricted her fingers around his, then released the grip to place her hand across his back as they reached the edge. Her left leg fumbled for her first foothold, followed by her right. She waited for Daniel to get situated before tapping him once to urge him to continue. Climbing one handed wasn't going to be possible for the entire trip but as long as she could maintain it, she would. For his sake as well as hers.

Daniel was steadier than she would have expected next to her, rapid breathing now the only sign of stress. They slowly made their way down, faltering only a couple of times. About ten feet down, a shower of sand and pebbles beat on her bare arms as Teal'c began his and the colonel's descent. She mentally wished them well but didn't look up, instead keeping her eyes pinned on her companion. She was already growing tired at the uncomfortable position and her limbs were shaky. Her stomach was also beginning to remind her of its continued mistreatment. A low chuckle from Daniel made it apparent he heard the growls. She risked a slap to the back of his head.

"Ow," he mock whined. "I'm sorry, Sam. You must be starving."

She rubbed the back of his neck, trying to let him know her state of hunger was the least of their worries at the moment. They couldn't stay motionless for long; Teal'c was steadily approaching them. Sam visually scouted the thick ropes which had once served as side rails for the bridges, suddenly wishing for a knife. She'd feel so much more comfortable if she could somehow be connected with Daniel, uncertain she'd be able to catch and hold him if he slipped. Being tied to him might result in her own tumble but in the grand scheme, she thought that preferable to seeing him plunge before her eyes. And she had personal experience in that regard.

Falling into silence, albeit involuntary on her part, they began picking their way downward again. The rubble kept trickling down and she was thankful they had placed the makeshift mask over Daniel's eyes. She didn't doubt he'd have quickly figured out to close his eyes but the added insurance eased her mind a bit. Keeping her own head turned away from the debris, she vainly fought against the straining muscles of her left arm. She checked their position, stunned to learn they'd already navigated over halfway down the cliff.

At ease with Daniel's climbing competence, Sam patted his back and skimmed her hand away. Just as her fingers lost contact, a particularly large chunk of dirt landed on his head. He jerked, slipping slightly. She overcompensated, lunging for him and at the same time losing her own balance. There was no time to process anything as her feet came off the bridge. Hands clutching at Daniel's arm, her fingers unable to find purchase.

"Sam!" he shouted, his left hand reaching for her searchingly.

Momentum and gravity pulled her away and she haphazardly shimmied along the bridge, heart pounding and lungs seizing in panic. Daniel stretched as far as he could but she knew it wasn't enough. She cursed her carelessness, wanting to scream out.

"SAM! Jack, Teal'c! She's falling...I can't..."

The rest of his cry was lost amidst the scuffle of rocks, the rush of blood in her ears, and pain as her head contacted hard stone.

~~~~~~~~

"She's falling! I can't reach her, I can't see her!"

Daniel Jackson's cry caused O'Neill to twist in front of him, making his already difficult task even more challenging. Teal'c tightened his grip and shifted to look down, only to witness Major Carter sliding away down the bridge with her face a mask of terror. The archaeologist was frantically extending his left hand, unable to see she was already out of his reach.

"Teal'c, move! What's happening?!" O'Neill yelled, still squirming in his arms. "Carter?"

Teal'c didn't budge, transfixed at the tableaux and horrified at his inability to help. This time he really was going to lose a friend, and along with her O'Neill and Daniel Jackson would be doomed with permanent disabilities. Though he knew it had been mere seconds, time seemed to slow, blighting his memory with Major Carter's terrible expression. He chose the coward's route and closed his eyes.

And heard a dreadful thud. Frowning at its nearness, Teal'c forced himself to again look down. Approximately twelve feet below Daniel Jackson, Major Carter hung by her right hand, miraculously entwined in the ropes of the bridge. She faced outward, the sudden stop apparently jarring her. Hope flared, then flickered as O'Neill's writhing caused the bridge to sway slightly. That the major's fall had even been halted was amazing, and he was concerned anything might dispel the good outcome.

He realized O'Neill could not yet see so he moved, saying softly, "We must remain still. I fear much movement will destroy the tremulous balance of Major Carter."

"What?" O'Neill hissed, freezing as he took in the scene. "Oh, man."

Tearing his eyes from his unmoving and apparently unconscious teammate, Teal'c switched to Daniel Jackson. The younger man was absolutely still in shock, and he heard quiet mumbles floating up but was unable to discern them. It was not difficult to surmise the content. Though the situation had not been as dire, he too had once been rendered blind and unable to help when his teammates were in danger. To be that close to a friend, knowing failure would result in death was unimaginable.

"Daniel Jackson," he gently said. "It is all right. Major Carter's hand was tangled in the ropes. She is but twelve feet below your current position."

The archaeologist noticeably relaxed, resting his head in relief on the rail he was clutching. Looking up, he smiled. "Thank goodness. Is she okay?"

"We can't tell," O'Neill swiftly answered. "I think she's unconscious. But she's alive, that's all that matters."

"I fear jostling will cause her to loosen from the tangle. It would not be wise for O'Neill and I to move until she has regained consciousness," Teal'c stated and watched understanding take residence in his friend's countenance.

"So, what? We can't wait for her to wake up, right?"

"We cannot. You must make your way down to her and secure her before this happens. If she awakens, she may cause herself to be dislodged."

"I knew you were going to say that. Is she still on my left, or did she shift when she fell?" the younger man asked as he gingerly began descending.

"She's still on your left, Danny. Just keep going down until we tell you to stop, okay? Be careful," O'Neill cautioned.

Despite the updrafts blowing around them, the air seemed to become suffocating as he watched the archaeologist pick his way down the bridge. He was moving rapidly, and Teal'c was impressed at how little his actions caused the ropes to swing. O'Neill's breath was coming in short bursts, carefully controlled to exhale every time Daniel Jackson made it to the next rung and inhale when the process was repeated. He did not think his friend even realized he was doing it, and as he found it oddly comforting he did not say anything. Within minutes, Daniel Jackson drew alongside the major and the man in front of him let out a huge gust.

"You're there! She's about half a foot to your left."

"It's strange, I could tell she was here," Daniel Jackson commented. "How is she positioned? I don't want to accidentally bump her. Sam?"

At her name, Major Carter began to stir, and Teal'c became alarmed. She must not move until he had the opportunity to tell the archaeologist what to do. He quickly called, "Daniel Jackson, you must not encourage her to awaken yet. Her right forearm is six inches to the left of your hand."

The younger man inched his fingers toward her arm, wrapping them around it when he came into contact. He stopped, looking up. "What now? I can't let go with my other hand."

"What does she look like? Is she all right?" O'Neill anxiously asked.

He cringed as saw Daniel Jackson's face fall. Even partially covered, he could see the hurt the words unintentionally caused. For a long moment, there was only silence. O'Neill sagged with realization, leaning his head back on Teal'c's shoulder.

"God, I'm sorry. I didn't mean - "

"It's okay, Jack. I think she's all right; she's waking up," the archaeologist quickly dismissed. "But I still don't know what I'm supposed to do next."

Eyes trained on the white-knuckled hand around Major Carter's wrist, Teal'c mentally reprimanded himself the oversight. He should have instructed Daniel Jackson to secure himself to the ropes along his right side, to prevent the possibility of another fall. The unconscious woman's stirrings were growing increasingly erratic and it was now too late to implement such a precaution. Swearing in Goa'uld under his breath, he exhaled harshly.

"I don't think you really can do anything except hold on, and I'm not just talking about to Carter. Try and wake her up slowly. Teal'c, I think we can start moving again."

He nodded and pivoted back to face the wall, arm muscles beginning to fatigue. O'Neill was assisting the best he could but without the equilibrium gained from his arms, there was little he could do. Rough grunts accompanied occasional collisions of his head with the wooden planks, for which Teal'c was regretful. Despite cautionary measures and an extremely slow pace, the contact could not be avoided. He knew his friend would not complain about the discomfort he was enduring. This did not ease his mind.

Daniel Jackson's soft murmurs could be heard, and he attempted to disregard them in favor of concentrating on controlling his and O'Neill's descent. The urge to check on his teammates was overwhelming, the need to see if Major Carter had awoken almost painful. He was unsurprised at how much he missed hearing her voice and how big the void its absence created. His affinity for the young major had developed significantly during the years of their acquaintance, and he found her ability to speak him into relaxation pleasant. While his two male companions were also close, she seemed the one to break through his barriers. He wished he had told her of this before, vowing to do so upon their return to Earth.

"It's going to be okay, Sam. Can you reach to me with your other hand?"

The closeness of Daniel Jackson's voice took him aback. He was unaware they had traversed the distance they had. Teal'c slowed at O'Neill's head bob, turning so they could both observe their teammates. Major Carter was indeed awake, though her movements were sluggish uncharacteristically graceless. Her left arm was groping the opposite direction of the archaeologist as she endeavored to right her position, her feet digging for a hold.

"Carter, are..." O'Neill began, reconsidering to simply watch with every muscle flexed.

Daniel Jackson remained motionless, waiting for her to reach out to him. He seemed to know exactly what she was doing, blindfolded face following her actions and his grasp on her arm loosening just enough for his thumb establish a comforting massage. Teal'c caught a glimpse of the major's face, immediately noting a large scrape along her left cheekbone. Her arms also bore a multitude of scratches, and he could see her right wrist already beginning to swell. He hoped it was merely strained, not broken. Her feet finally landed on the jagged boards, and with a teary grimace Major Carter pushed up to relieve the weight on her damaged wrist.

Her left hand latched onto the bridge and her body twisted to face the cliff again. Teal'c relaxed minutely as Daniel Jackson released his grip, moving his arm around her shoulders in an awkward hug. He relaxed even more as she complemented the gesture by laying her head upon his shoulder. Once again, fortune had proven kind. He could not help but wonder if they would be able to sustain it for the remainder of the journey back to the Wayzata village.

Shaking his head as if to physically fling the ominous thought from it, Teal'c took a careful inventory of his friends. They were still pale, and he was unable to determine whether both of them still shivered with the shock of near death or if Major Carter's shaking simply carried through to the archaeologist. In either case, he wondered if they would be able to proceed. He wanted to get his team safely on the ground as soon as possible.

"Do you require a few minutes to recuperate, Major Carter?" he inquired.

"Everything okay down there? Carter?" O'Neill gruffly asked at the same time, their words overlapping.

~~~~~~~~

Bombarded by the questions, Daniel couldn't answer right away and he wasn't quite sure how to anyway. Sam wasn't fine. She was shaking almost convulsively in his arms but like Jack had said before, she was alive and that was all that mattered. His own body was twanging as most of the adrenalin rapidly fled, leaving his muscles feeling like jelly. Teal'c and Jack's questions were driven from concern, and logically he knew it was a good idea to wait a while before continuing. Logic didn't guarantee that was the best route, however.

"It's...good. " He winced at the expression he knew Jack must be pulling at that comment. "But I really think Sam would prefer to get the hell off this thing. I know I do."

"Good?" Jack retorted, exasperation plain.

Daniel let out a huff of laughter at the expected response. Dare he tell Jack how predicable he was becoming? "Well, all things considered. Whenever you're ready Sam, just give me a squeeze."

He heard a snort from above, which he also could have foretold. Jack thought he could disguise concern with abruptness or sarcasm but it never worked with anyone on SG1. He didn't mind, and would actually have been alarmed had his friend not reacted that way. Especially considering how helpless he must be feeling. Daniel couldn't imagine how frustrating it was for Jack to have to be strapped to someone else, unable to perform simple tasks by himself.

Sam lifted her head off his shoulder at last, pulling him away from his thought flashes. Her breathing had been calming incrementally, and he found his own following her pattern. The horror of knowing she was going to die with him unable to do a damn thing about it despite being only inches from her would not fade, and he ironically blessed his blindness again. He wasn't sure which he'd consider worse: the images his mind implanted of her falling through his fingers or true images had he been able to see.

Moving away a little, Sam nudged him in the ribs with her right elbow. He wrinkled his forehead, wondering if that was her indication to start climbing again. When her shoulder shifted beneath his hand it gave him a pretty good confirmation. She must have hurt something, as her movements seemed more stilted and clumsy than they had before. Worry notched up at the sign of an even greater risk of a fall.

Certain everyone else had already thought about it and dismissed it for reasons not evident to him, Daniel bit down on his lip and tried no to think about it. It wouldn't do any good, and it would certainly detract from his own much-needed concentration. Though climbing down the ladder was proving much easier than climbing up the cliff, it was still a difficult task, and every time he put his foot down on another board, he was afraid it would be loose and fall away. Creaking of wood and rasping of rope dominated the sounds entering his ears, followed closely by the paced breathing of his companions. The constant stream of tiny stones hitting his head became customary, and he numbed his brain, thinking only of being on solid ground again.

It felt as though they had been climbing forever, and Daniel desperately wanted for it to be over. His muscles ached from the tension of staying in a constant state of readiness; if Sam slipped again, he would not let her fall. Feeling like a small child on a family vacation, he called out, "Is it much farther?"

Beside him, Sam stopped. He felt a gentle touch on his shoulder the same instant Teal'c's strong voice sounded. "There remains only a matter of five steps, Daniel Jackson. Beyond that there is a fifteen-foot drop, which is unmarked by hand or footholds. It appears climbing the rest of the way is not an option."

Great. Daniel slumped his shoulders and tapped his forehead against the bridge. Aches and pains hidden by adrenalin and necessity rose to the surface with a vengeance, a reminder of his earlier adventures with gravity. He should have expected this; their luck had been temperamental so far, never completely bad but far from good. Another nudge on his shoulder made him sigh deeply as he figured out it was Sam's chin. Her wrist must be hurt badly enough that she didn't want to use it if she didn't have to. She probably couldn't climb down even if Teal'c thought it an option.

"I don't suppose there happens to be a nice, cushy mattress or something along that line down there?" he asked, only half joking.

"Ahhh...no. And there is one other thing," Jack ruefully answered, pausing.

In the quiet space, Daniel's attention was teased by something he hadn't noticed before. Preoccupied by his concern for Sam, he'd missed the very familiar, very liquid sound emanating from below. The river Teal'c had mentioned; and it sounded way too close for comfort.

"Don't tell me - there's a fast moving river and very little bank."

"You are correct, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said, sounding surprised. "The river runs closest to this side of the valley. There is approximately eight feet between the cliff wall and the water's edge. Unfortunately, there is little to act as a buffer."

A soft flutter of air brushed across his cheeks, and he felt Sam shift as Jack announced, "Carter's waving her right arm in the air and frowning, which I'm assuming means she thinks she'll have problems."

"So I go first and try to help her?" Daniel uneasily guessed.

"You got it. You think you're up for this?"

"I can't think of anything I'd rather do, actually." It came out wearily sarcastic, and he instantly regretted the comment. "Um, how many rungs are there left? I think it would be a good idea to get as close to the ground as I can before I do this."

"There are ten. It would indeed be wise for you to proceed as you have indicated," Teal'c somberly stated, apprehension in his voice clear. "The cliff has sloped slightly as we have approached the bottom, and I fear a straight jump would cause additional injury."

Ten. Right. Teal'c had said that before. Maneuvering down the remaining five steps, he stopped at the bottom of the improvised ladder. Daniel exhaled and transferred his hands down a couple of rungs, keeping his feet firmly where they were. Sam shuffled, trailing him. He cautiously let his right foot off the bridge, seeking to brace it against the cliff. His left quickly followed, and he found himself ready to go, though he really had no desire to let go of the bridge and suffer more bruises. Knowing the ground was only ten or fifteen feet below him did nothing to reassure him. He really wished he could see it.

"Well, here goes nothing," he muttered into his shoulder.

"You'll be fine, Daniel," Jack assured just as he shoved lightly off.

Instinctively looking up to acknowledge the words, Daniel's concentration wavered, as did the tiny bit of control he had mustered. Even still, this time the disorienting feeling of falling in blackness wasn't nearly as bad as before, for which he was thankful. The ground still met him rather rudely, though, and his legs jarred painfully before they gave out. Landing hard on his butt, he flailed his hands out to prevent a full sprawl, earning jarred wrists as well. He gave up, letting nature take its course, falling all the way back with a groan to lay motionless.

"Are you well, Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked after a moment's hesitation.

Not bothering to verbally answer, he lifted his left hand in the air to give a wobbly thumb's up. His butt had to be one colossal purpling bruise, judging from how it was throbbing. It was not a pleasant sensation, and he was fairly certain he'd have to sit on one of those doughnut shaped pillows for a week in order to be even half way comfortable. Snorting, he rolled to his side.

"Daniel?"

"Fine!" he ground out, coughing as he inhaled a mouthful of dust. He couldn't tell how far he'd fallen from the slope, hearing only the concern in Jack's voice. The rushing river sounded much closer. Futilely wishing he could see, Daniel rose to his hands and knees and ignored the protests of his sore body. "Just need a minute."

"Danny, I don't mean to be pushy but I think Carter and Teal'c are getting a little tired," the older man reminded.

He was instantly on his feet, head spinning. Taking a stumbling step, he thought better of it and asked, "Which way am I facing?"

"You are looking away from us. Turn slowly to your right and stop when I direct you do to so."

Thought was getting clearer, as were his functioning senses. He heard Jack and Teal'c talking quietly behind and above him, along with indistinct scraping noises. It took him a second to determine it was Sam preparing to jump down. He focused on that, turning around and stopping before Teal'c could tell him to. His arms automatically raised, stretching out as he took a step forward.

"Danie- " Jack started to say.

And promptly stubbed his foot on a large obstruction. Lifting his sore appendage and doubling over slightly, his hands lowered to splay upon what was apparently a good sized rock. What little confidence he had he'd be able to help Sam in any way deflated. He couldn't even walk a couple of steps on his own. Actually, he was damned lucky he hadn't landed on the stupid thing. It would have been nice if Jack or Teal'c had warned him of its presence.

"You shouldn't do that, there's a big honkin' rock right in front of you," the colonel finished, voice trailing off at the end. "Ouch."

"Got that," he growled back, putting his foot back on the ground. His mood was following his optimism down the spiral. "Though I'm really not certain I'll be able to do anything to help, tell me where to go."

"Take one step to your left, then four forward. There remain no further obstacles, Daniel Jackson, and this path will bring you approximately one and one half feet before the cliff."

He once again raised his arms and followed Teal'c's instructions. Standing with arms still outstretched, he could feel the wall with his stinging fingertips. Daniel flipped his hands palm up before starting to retract them. Not certain what he was supposed to do next, he started to ask for further orders when he heard a rush of pebbles skittering along the rock face.

"Carter!"

Jack's cry was the only indication he had before he suddenly had his arms full of squirming major. Something incredibly hard smacked him on the right cheekbone, insulting the injury already there. Despite the blindness, Daniel saw stars as he and Sam tumbled to the ground.

~~~~~~~~

It had been a pretty dumb idea, Jack had to admit. They really shouldn't have expected Daniel to assist Carter in his current state. The mess of legs and arms twitching below spoke for that. He'd thought the chance of his 2IC worsening an injury to the point of completely disabling her was worth trying to subvert. With him already unable to use his hands, they certainly didn't need any additional handicaps. Perhaps they'd been successful - it looked like the archaeologist had taken the brunt of the fall. Again.

Muffled groans and gasps carried upward, and he winced in sympathy. At least neither of them had been knocked out again, a thread of silver lining but better than nothing. Jack was distracted from the impromptu game of Twister his two landborne teammates were playing by a faint tremble in Teal'c's muscles. He would wager a month's pay the Jaffa hadn't done his Kel No'reem thing while they had been unconscious and was now coming up on the thirteenth hour. They needed to get off this cliff soon.

"Kids? You okay down there?" he shouted, brow furrowing as his subconscious got a strange hit.

Carter carefully rolled off Daniel, flipping over onto her back to stare up at them. She had a huge grin on her face, which he met with a confused glare. He rotated his gaze to the archaeologist, the sole source of all the grunting and heaving...apparently caused by stifled humor, not pain. A mirroring grin lit the uncovered portion of the younger man's face, and Jack didn't know if he was more angry or befuddled. What he did know is that he had no idea why the pair thought this all was so funny. He certainly didn't think it was, just like he hadn't found it amusing when his civilian scientist had launched himself straight for the only boulder in the vicinity, missing it by a margin too close to measure. Okay, it was angry.

"What the hell? Carter? Daniel?"

"She...she landed right on me!" Daniel stuttered, obviously trying to keep himself under control. "I knew that was going to happen. Oh, ow..."

The younger man sat up, a hand reaching to massage his right cheek. Jack saw fresh red trickling, and attributed it to the crack that had echoed when Carter had fallen. He noted a corresponding vivid mark was blooming on her forehead. Again, he found nothing at all humorous with the situation, and was beginning to suspect his team members were suffering a slight post stress meltdown, not for the first time during this mission. He understood it and wished he could grant them time but knew it had to end.

"Bet it...looked exactly as I pictured it," Daniel was still rambling. "You okay, Sam?"

Jack relaxed when Carter reached out to the younger man, giving him a gentle squeeze of affirmation, switching her hand quickly to his cheek. The archaeologist withdrew from the probing fingertips, finally regaining control. The smile vanished from Carter's face as she turned her attention back to him and Teal'c.

"Yeah, we really need to get down from here. I'm just not sure it's necessary to take the time to go separately," Jack thought aloud, eyeing the major's injured wrist, the swelling obvious from here. "Especially judging from what just happened. What do you think, Teal'c?"

"I believe we should separate our bond but go together," Teal'c murmured in his ear.

"Right." He nodded, turning to face the cliff. "Do you think you can untie us?"

"I can."

Teal'c grunted, shifting most of his weight to the left, using his thigh to pin Jack to the bridge. He tried to lift himself away and to tense his muscles, wishing he could do more to help. The quivering he'd felt before increased to the point he was alarmed.

"What's going on? What, Sam?" Daniel paused. Jack gathered Carter was telling him something, and he resisted the urge to turn around again and upset the precarious balance Teal'c had going. "Oh. Is that a good idea? Jack, are you sure you want to do it this way?"

"Do you have any other ideas? Carter's wrist looks pretty bad, and I'm sure you don't want me landing on top of you. Just back up a couple of steps, okay? The sooner we get this over with, the better."

There was a hefty tug on his back and the jackets loosened around him. Teal'c re-evened his weight distribution, and he fought back a surge of panic. No matter how much he knew this was their only option, he still couldn't help cringing at the prospect of falling without being able to control his landing. He trusted his Jaffa friend with his life but nature had a mind of its own.

"Are you prepared, O'Neill? I will endeavor to ensure your safe landing," Teal'c intoned, as if reading his thoughts.

"Let's do it."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than he was flying backwards, Teal'c's arms wrapping protectively around his chest. They dropped vertically, feet first, his stomach left behind at the bottom rung of the bridge. He'd jumped from countless airplanes, voluntarily and involuntarily, without trouble but he now found himself nauseated and tense for the anticipated rough landing. With a jolt, his feet contacted the ground and the arms around him let go. Teal'c fell backward as he fell forward.

Valiantly trying to prevent himself from planting his nose in the dirt, Jack twisted to the side. It was enough. Pain reverberated from his left shoulder and temple as they collided with the rocky soil. Through his own scrabbling, he heard Teal'c emit a soft moan and Daniel calling both of their names. He collapsed onto his back, staring at the brilliant sky. Within seconds, Carter's face was hovering over his, a worried frown distorting her features.

"I'm okay, Carter," he dismissed. "Teal'c?"

She helped him sit up, cradling her right wrist. He caught sight of Teal'c already sitting before him, a worried Daniel lingering at his side. The Jaffa looked no worse for wear, though he noted an abnormally pallid color to his skin. Oh, yeah, Junior absolutely needed TLC. A quick perusal of his other two teammates and his own stressed exhaustion made the vote unanimous. They needed a break.

"I am well, O'Neill."

"Sure you are. How long's it been since you meditated?"

"It has been some time," Teal'c vaguely answered, jaw clenching as Daniel found and clamped onto his arm.

Jack casually took in their surroundings. There was a distinct absence of anything useful around them - very little plant life and subsequently no fuel for a fire. And one moderately fast river, which was too wide to wade across in their current debilitated state and probably deceptively deep. The only way they would get across it is if Teal'c were functioning at his usual level. Which he wasn't. Still, he had to give his friend the option.

"Would you rather take the chance and cross the river now, or mediate for a while and then tackle it?"

Teal'c stared thoughtfully at him but didn't say anything. Jack took that as a vote for the latter, which of course he had planned on enforcing anyway. He wished he could grant his friend rest right away but Carter's injuries merited immediate attention, and now they were close to water Daniel's could use cleansing as well.

"Okay. Check out Carter's wrist and take both of them down to the river to clean up those scrapes," Jack ordered, wanting to do the tasks himself. Wallowing in his uselessness would get them nowhere, though. "Carter, can you help me up?"

Teal'c detached himself from Daniel, rose, and moved to his side. Jack was lifted to his feet. He staggered toward the boulder, where he sat to watch over his team and figure out what they had to do next. Glaring at the bright sun, he estimated it was a little after noon. His stomach agreed with him, rumbling loudly. If he was hungry, Teal'c and Carter were probably famished.

He squinted at the cliff on the other side of the river. Thankfully, it was significantly less steep, though that didn't say much. It looked relatively navigable. For someone without any physical weaknesses. Which was a tag only befitting one of them, and even that was questionable at the moment. He huffed angrily, kicking at the rocks beneath his feet.

Lost in thought, he jumped when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked up to find Teal'c, Carter and Daniel standing before him, appearing cleaner if not better. Come to think of it, he could use a bath and a drink himself. Of course drinking would lead to a certain bodily function he didn't really want to think about performing with the help of either of his male teammates. How humiliating. He felt his cheeks blush, and instantly diverted his thoughts from the subject. A little dehydration wouldn't kill him.

"Teal'c, what's the minimum time you need in Kel No'reem?"

"An hour should be sufficient."

Liar.

"You've got two."

"That is unnecessary, O'Neill."

"I say it is. Now go. We don't have time to argue this," he retorted, repeating Teal'c's advisement from earlier. Two hours wasn't even enough but it was all he could allot. "In the meantime, we'll scout around for food and try to figure out the best way across the river. Go."

Teal'c bowed his head, moving to the other side of the boulder, and he focused on his other team members. Carter's right arm was wrapped in the remaining jacket, her face unable to hide how much it hurt. He looked down at his own confined arms, experiencing phantom itches. Daniel looked surprisingly well for someone who'd fallen off a cliff once, almost another time, and then had a one hundred and twenty five pound weight drop on him from fifteen feet above.

"Daniel, you stay here with Teal'c. Right here," he clarified. "Carter and I will go see what we can find."

With no argument from the archaeologist, Jack struggled to his feet and started walking downstream with his 2IC, in search of better luck.

~~~~~~~~

A soft murmur teased the periphery of awareness, calling him to regain full consciousness. Teal'c allowed the quiet sounds to coax him slowly, exiting his deep meditative state cautiously. For a moment, he forgot where he was and the situation in which he and SG1 were. It all came flooding back as he opened his eyes to take in the near barren surroundings. He uncrossed his legs and stood, body refreshed by the short reprieve.

Silently turning, he located Daniel Jackson seated with outspread legs between the boulder and the river. He was feeling around, carefully exploring the ground, wincing when his fingertips contacted something too sharp. For what the younger man was searching, Teal'c did not know. Watching his friend, he noted O'Neill and Major Carter were nowhere to be seen. He remembered them departing to find nourishment, leaving the archaeologist to his care. He was not certain he agreed with that decision; it sometimes took incredible stimuli to break through to his subconscious during Kel No'reem. He dismissed the disapproval, as there had come no harm of it and walked toward the young man.

"No, this one will never work. Too thick. Time to move to a new spot," Daniel Jackson muttered to himself, tossing a small stone back to the ground and scooting to his left.

"Daniel Jackson, what is it you are seeking?"

"Gah!" the archaeologist yelped, a fistful of stones he had gathered flying into the air as his hand transferred to his chest. "Geez, Teal'c. Don't do that!"

"I meant only to be of assistance. I am sorry," Teal'c apologized, chiding himself for forgetting to make his presence known. "It was not my intention to frighten you."

"It's okay. I should have heard you coming." Cheeks flushing, Daniel Jackson looked mildly embarrassed. "I was, uh, trying to kill time by finding skipping stones. Jack and Sam have been gone a long time, and a nap was out of the question. Not much else I could do, you know?"

"Is the river not moving too quickly to skip stones?"

"You've skipped before?" Astonishment dotted the words.

"When O'Neill took me fishing, it became apparent there were no fish in his lake. He then taught me his technique in skipping stones. I quickly surpassed him in proficiency."

Daniel Jackson laughed outright, a very welcome sound. He sobered, though, and asked, "Teal'c, what time is it? Shouldn't the others have come back by now?"

Judging from the position of the sun, Teal'c estimated two and one half hours had elapsed. He frowned at his laxness in arousing automatically after two. Crouching next to the younger man, he verified the estimation on his timepiece. His frown deepened further as he realized it had been three hours. It was highly unusual for O'Neill and Major Carter to be tardy. He knew both of them would not have intended to gone longer than the two hours scheduled for his meditation.

"You are correct, Daniel Jackson. It has been three hours."

"Wuh...well, what do you think happened to them?" his friend asked, distress obvious. Teal'c knew countless scenarios had likely crossed his mind during the period of solitude.

"Of that I cannot be certain. There may be a reasonable explanation for this delay. Perhaps they were successful in their search but it took them a greater distance than anticipated," Teal'c attempted to reason. He was trying to convince himself of the validity in his words as much as Daniel Jackson. In truth, he suspected their absence was a result of something far more serious.

"I suppose that's possible but I'd feel a whole lot better if they would come back. God, Teal'c, they didn't even tell me which direction they took."

"They went downstream. We must begin a search immediately," he announced, standing and scouring the landscape. He saw no indication of his friends.

Rising to his feet, the younger man swayed slightly. Teal'c reached out a hand to aid him gain balance, sympathetic to his plight. Blindness was extremely disconcerting to every other normal function. He wished he did not have to force Daniel Jackson to join the search but as he had no idea how long it might take, he was not comfortable leaving him alone. He took the archaeologist's left hand in his, placing it on his right forearm. A slight nod told him it was acceptable to begin walking.

They traveled in silence for a time, Teal'c keeping his eyes on the ground to make certain the path was free from obstruction. Daniel Jackson stumbled several times before finding a rhythm and relaxing enough to let him do the guiding. It was not long before his friend nervously began to fill the quiet air, and he smiled with welcome, faltering when he glanced at the blindfolded figure.

"You know, this whole thing is really fascinating when you look past how much it sucks, as Jack would say. I wonder how The Keeping of the Soul became so mutated from the original rite on Earth? I never would have expected this variation. Well, obviously. If I had, we probably wouldn't be here right now, would we?"

"It is likely Apophis influenced the Wayzata culture in such a way the people developed a more suspicious nature," Teal'c suggested, jaw clenching at his former master's name.

"True, but I would have thought his disappearance might have made them relax a little. No, that's not logical. Just because a trickster goes away doesn't mean the people would automatically revert to the trustful ways of their ancestors. There are numerous examples of that right on Earth," Daniel Jackson mused.

"Were they not trustful until my presence was made known to them?" he answered, pained at the implication of his own words.

His companion halted, hand grabbing at his arm. Teal'c turned to look at Daniel Jackson, finding a face with lips thinned and forehead creased staring back at him. Even without his expressive eyes, his friend's countenance was easily discerned as consternated.

"Teal'c, none of this is your fault. I know Jack's probably already told you that, and Sam would if she could."

"You are incorrect, Daniel Jackson. The actions of the Wayzata are consequential of my past with Apophis, and it is my responsibility to make sure no harm comes to you, O'Neill or Major Carter until our return to the village. So far, I have failed in my duty."

"Failed? I suppose that's why I'm standing here right now? If you'd failed I'd be dead, Teal'c."

"Had I not failed, you would not have been on the cliff at all," Teal'c reminded, beginning to walk again. The turn of the conversation had taken was doomed to end in a stalemate.

"No, if I hadn't been crawling around like an idiot I wouldn't have been on the cliff," Daniel Jackson corrected, right hand waving around animatedly.

Teal'c debated whether or not to continue the discussion. The conversation, while unpleasant in content, seemed to compensate for the inertness of Daniel Jackson's face and provided a level of normalcy. The impairment did not become invisible but it did become easier to look beyond when the younger man was fervently occupied. Selfish motivations were not a means he would typically employ when making a decision. In this instance, selfishness won.

Before he was able to respond, he became aware of a sound that seemed out of place. Unable to determine the nature or the point of origination, he again halted their forward movement and rapidly conducted a surveillance of their new surroundings. The terrain had changed considerably to include more vegetation and variation in the level of the land, rising high in some locations and dipping in others. It was increasingly difficult for Daniel Jackson to adjust his walking pattern, and Teal'c deliberated only a moment before deciding to investigate alone.

"Daniel Jackson, I believe we may be near to O'Neill and Major Carter's location."

"You hear that, too? Sounds a lot like we did when we were climbing down the bridge... You don't think..."

Not surprised his friend had distinguished the sound, he tentatively said, "It is possible. The ground has become somewhat uneven, and difficult to traverse. Perhaps it would be best if I search the vicinity alone."

He waited for the younger man to object, receiving instead a head nod. Eyes narrowing at the ease in which Daniel Jackson agreed, he assisted him to sit on the ground. The uncustomary acquiescence was highly indicative of how the blindness was truly affecting his friend. While he was demonstrating acceptance and ability to adapt Teal'c suspected that internally, the archaeologist was very afraid.

"I will search in a circular pattern, and will not be far away."

"You'll come get me when you find them?"

"I will. It is likely your assistance will be needed."

Daniel Jackson proffered a wan smile and a wave of his hand, which Teal'c promptly followed. He felt confident he would find O'Neill and Major Carter nearby. That they had not gone far from their starting point worried him considerably, though, and he was uncertain of the condition in which he would find them.

~~~~~~~~

Where the hell were Teal'c and Daniel? Sam's concern mounted with every passing minute, and those minutes were going in slow motion if her watch had anything to say about it. She supposed checking it every five minutes had something to do with her present, agitated state. One and a half hours of clock watching was driving her out of her mind in slow, methodical increments. Most of the time was spent trying to figure a way out of the hole she and the colonel had literally fallen in, the rest wondering if he was ever going to wake up. And wondering why the hell it was taking their other two teammates so long to realize they'd missed their two hour window. Of course, that thought always prompted her to worry about their safety as well as hers and the colonel's.

The anxiety was endless, and she was more than a little fatigued. The colonel always managed to pull the long straw when it came to sleep - after quickly determining they were well and truly stuck, he'd told her to get some rest. She did so gladly but swore he didn't even give her an hour before gently kicking her back to consciousness. He then promptly flopped onto his back and fell asleep. Fighting the urge to kick him rudely awake, Sam circled the small area nervously.

It really wasn't a good idea for him to be sleeping when their only means of getting out was dependent on somehow getting Teal'c and Daniel's attention. Provided the pair would ever come looking for them. Chewing on her lip, Sam ignored the intense throbbing of her wrist as she paced. They really couldn't wait down here any longer, and she thought if she locked the discomfort into a far corner of her mind she'd be able to scale the wall this time. Seeing as there was very little choice, she shucked the jacket-sling, tossing it atop of the slumbering colonel. Impulsively, she nudged his ribs with her toe before turning to face the wall. Examining the ten foot climb, she rubbed her left palm down her thigh, took a deep breath and placed her foot in the crack she'd determined to be the first step.

Ten feet was nothing on a normal day. Today? Ten feet might as well have been a thousand. Sam got as far as finding two footholds and one hand. The other attempted handhold resulted in excruciating agony shooting down her arm at the mere hint of weight. Jumping backwards off, she kicked at the wall and screamed mental profanity. A gargling snuffle echoed throughout the damnable and dank prison, and she briskly pulled herself together as she turned to face her CO. He was staring at her with a very perplexed expression, the same ice cream headache look. Hunkering down next to him, she helped him to sit and pulled her jacket off of his lap.

"Any word from Teal'c or Daniel?"

Chewing on her lower lip, she shook her head as she helped him to his feet. He cursed aggressively, abusing various items - his damned useless arms, the damned hole they were in, Tomahe's damned mother - the latter two of which Sam wholeheartedly agreed and she added a few of her own into the mix. The colonel was quite heavy when his actions were limited, making the transition incredibly difficult and awkward. Once upright, he yanked out of her grasp and started stiffly pacing, pausing frequently to kick irritably at the wall.

"Where the hell are they, anyway?" he muttered, frown lines creasing his face. She wished she had an answer for him. Hell, she wished she simply could answer him. All she could do was shrug, which seemed to cause his scowl to deepen. He sighed and looked up, eyes narrowing. "How long was I out?"

She flashed him two fingers. Close enough to the truth - she didn't have the energy to try and tell him an hour and a half.

"Damnit, why didn't you wake me up?" he shouted, voice reverberating in the small space.

Annoyed, Sam glared at him, making certain the look transmitted 'bite me' and 'I tried' simultaneously as she emphatically waved her hands around. With some success, too, based on how he repentantly ducked his head.

"Teal'c, was that Jack? Did you find them?" Daniel's faint voice carried down to them, excitement plain despite being muffled. "Are they okay?"

Daniel! Sam forgot her exasperation with the colonel, studying the small gap for signs of the archaeologist. Concern he might be close enough to fall down with them battled with relief that he sounded fine, and that Teal'c was apparently okay as well. She gave her CO big smile and a thumb's up.

"Daniel Jackson, you must remain where you are." Teal'c's voice boomed, much clearer than Daniel's. Several pebbles and a fine mist of soil rained down on them as the Jaffa's head suddenly appeared above, turned away. He switched his attention down to them, still calling to the archaeologist with a touch of unusual irritation. "I have indeed found them. I will retrieve you after I have determined their conditions."

"Oh for..." the colonel mumbled, then shouted, "We're fine, Daniel!"

"Jack? Teal'c, what's going on?"

Teal'c raised an eyebrow, turning away yet again. "They appear to have fallen in a sinkhole but have sustained no additional injuries. Remain still, I will be at your side shortly."

Grinning as the Jaffa disappeared to collect an apparently wayward Daniel, Sam knew they'd be out of their prison in a few minutes. She wasn't sure how, exactly, but she trusted her teammates implicitly. The landscape was significantly different here from where they had climbed off the cliff wall. There had to be something they could use.

"I wasn't trying to undermine your directions, Teal'c. I could hear where you were," Daniel was hastily explaining as they returned to the hole.

"This may be true, Daniel Jackson. However, you would not have been able to avoid falling into a similar hole as O'Neill and Major Carter."

Cue a long silence, followed by a meek, "Oh...right."

"Look, can we get moving? We do have a deadline people," the colonel abruptly burst.

Immediately, Teal'c reappeared, eyebrow still raised. His dark eyes scanned the small hole, analyzing any possible means out. Sam saw him flicker toward her wrist, then to the colonel's wrapped arms. A barely noticeable wave of apprehension splashed on his gaze for a brief second, returning quickly to neutrality. Doubt flared up. What if they couldn't figure something out? Teal'c and Daniel couldn't leave them here for retrieval later; they all had to return to the village together. As rapidly as the though had arisen, she stomped it down. That wasn't an option and it wasn't going to happen.

She hoped. Over the past few minutes, she had come to realize something incredibly important and embarrassing: she had to pee and she had to pee soon. Had she known they'd be trapped for hours, Sam never would have drunk so much water before. They hadn't even deemed the river safe for consumption but the compulsion had been so strong she hadn't been able to stop herself. That she had even been able to swallow had been a shock. Apparently her throat only felt closed off, and while it was still difficult to swallow, now she knew she could, her discomfort eased.

"Good to see you too, Jack," Daniel's disembodied voice wryly commented.

Sam looked at her CO to find his face contorting into a pained grimace. Puzzled, she laid a hand on his shoulder in inquiry. Bleakly, he closed his eyes for several seconds, opening them with a shake of his head. She choked in realization - Daniel's casual greeting unwittingly called upon his disability, a reminder that obviously stung the colonel.

"Sorry, Daniel. You know we don't have time for small talk," the colonel thickly said. He stared up at Teal'c's shadowed face. "Suggestions? Solutions? Carter's tried climbing but her wrist is too sore to hold any weight."

"There does not appear to be any items readily available to assist in lifting yourself and Major Carter out."

"How far down are they?"

"They are no more than ten feet below us, Daniel Jackson."

"So, maybe all we need is to get something down there for them to climb on? Could you reach them if they were raised a couple of feet?"

"Like what, Daniel? A boulder? There's not much room down here, and I don't think I really want to get squashed, thank you."

With the colonel's sarcastic comment, Sam swiped a hand down her face. They were getting nowhere. She completely understood her CO's frustration but right now she wanted to smack him on the head. Slyly, she smiled. How many times had she wanted to do just that, prevented by his rank? Now, though, it could be blamed on her needing his attention. She took a step forward and let loose with a completely satisfying thwap.

"What the he...Carter?" the colonel spat as his head dipped.

"I believe Major Carter desires your attention, O'Neill."

Bless Teal'c. She had an idea but by her own standards it sucked. It seemed the fastest way out. Make that really sucked. She pointed first to the colonel, then to Teal'c and mimicked someone picking up a large object. Her CO blinked once and stared at her as though she had just sprouted antennae. Pointing to him again, she moved to her hands and knees near one of the walls. Her wrist objected but she ignored it.

"No way, Carter. I'm not climbing on you. What about your wrist?"

She stood up and blew a stray lock of hair off of her forehead. He was right but so was she; she just had to convince him of it. Staring, she tried to assure him with her eyes, snapping the fingers of her left hand.

"West Side Story?"

"Jack, I think she's right. All you have to do is get on her back, and Teal'c will have you up in a second," Daniel reasonably inserted, astonishingly following everything that was going on.

"Then how do you get up, Carter?"

Leaning over, she indicated the foot and handholds she'd used earlier. She'd just skip the first steps, boosting herself high enough for Teal'c to pull her up. Flashing the colonel her watch wrist, she spread her hands and shrugged. He darkly glared at her, shaking his head.

"Fine. Teal'c, do you think you can handle it?"

"I can." The Jaffa looked away, stating. "Daniel Jackson, it would be best if you moved back several feet."

"Buuh...Okay."

Recalling how heavy her CO had seemed when helping him to his feet, Sam groaned to herself. This really, really sucked. Making sure Teal'c was braced and ready to do his part, she resumed her hands and knees position. The colonel shambled up to her, grumbling unintelligibly. She tensed her back as he shifted and placed his right foot in between her shoulders. Considering he didn't have much equilibrium, he hopped on very smoothly, not even putting his left foot down before Teal'c scooped him up and out. Scrambling to her feet, she just caught his legs disappearing over the edge.

She could hear rustling and cursing as she eyed the wall with severe dislike, waiting for her turn out. Teal'c finally poked his head back down, and Sam took a deep breath, moving into position. God, she hoped the exertion didn't make her bladder burst.

~~~~~~~~

"Son of a bitch...urgh," Jack grumbled.

Though he should have felt somewhat sympathetic toward his friend, he couldn't help but smile. Jack sounded like himself, reassuring Daniel he was truly fine. He tussled to bring the older man upright, hindered by both of their impairments. His knee contacted with something soft, and from the resultant groan assumed it was a sensitive area.

"Sorry, sorry," he apologized, finally getting a firm grip on Jack's shoulders and hoisting him into a sitting position. He kept a hand firmly around his friend's back. "You good?"

"Good is not the word I would use," Jack hissed.

What was that supposed to mean? Was Jack hurt and they thought it best not to tell him? His blindfold tightened as he scrunched his forehead with worry. With no way to buffer his landing, Jack could have hurt himself. No, they would have told Teal'c about any injury before he lifted them out. He heard scuffling coming from the sinkhole and turned toward the noise, distracted from his worrisome thoughts.

"Are you well, Major Carter?"

Silence.

"Let him look at it, Carter. It looks more swollen than before. How long did you have it out of the sling?"

Silence. Worry.

"How many times did you try to climb out?"

Silence again. Daniel was going nuts, his ability to cope with sightlessness diminishing. Stress and exhaustion compounded, putting a rough edge on his nerves. Knowing it was a temporary condition should have made blindness easier to accept but the longer he couldn't see, the more he found that to be untrue. Because he knew it would go away made him want his sight back immediately.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" he exclaimed, unknowingly clamping Jack's shoulder tightly. "Sam?"

"It's okay, Daniel. Teal'c's just making sure Carter didn't do any more damage to herself. She looks a little off...ooh, okay. Not off. Pissed and headed this way. Help?"

He loosened his hand, concern fading. Sam was all right. He couldn't figure out why she would be angry, unless Jack had been more unbearable to her while they were trapped. Just imagining being stuck with a very verbal Jack when you couldn't talk back was enough to make him cringe in commiseration. Said colonel slid away, feet pushing him back and propelling him out of Daniel's hands. She was approaching them rather quickly. He braced for the altercation, assuming she was going to find some physical means to vent. Her footsteps just kept increasing and he sat back in confusion as she ran past them, a hand skimming his hair.

"Okay, so not pissed."

"It would appear Major Carter was in immediate need of privacy, O'Neill," Teal'c stated, coming closer.

Daniel didn't get it.

"I told her to go easy on the water."

Oh... privacy. Poor Sam. The topic of water made him realize he could tell a difference in the speed of flow of the river, a bare trickle reaching his ears. He turned his head toward it, cocked to the side. There was no way for him to tell how deep it was here but it seemed this might be a decent place to cross.

"I believe you may be correct, Daniel Jackson."

The voice in his ear made him jump, arms flailing. He really wished Teal'c would stop doing that! Jerking toward the Jaffa, Daniel frowned and wondered how he knew what was going through his head until he realized that just because he couldn't see anything didn't mean his friends couldn't. He was probably broadcasting every emotion and thought in full color. Discomfited, he squirmed under the assumed examination, mentally noting to try and stem his reactions.

"How deep is it? Can you tell?" he asked.

"I cannot. However, the speed is significantly reduced, as is the width. I will navigate across alone, and return for you when I am able to determine the safety," Teal'c stated, clapping him on the shoulder before promptly moving away.

"Teal'c, wait! You should know the water is..." The sound of splashing told Daniel the Jaffa had already reached the river. There was a barely discernable gasp, then Jack finished, "very cold. Man, I wish people would listen to me."

Cold water sounded really good right now. Daniel's stomach rumbled, in desperate need of attention. Sam and Teal'c must be famished by now, though obviously Sam had at least been able to fill her stomach with water. Temporarily. He could hear her moving toward them again, returning from her emergency bathroom break. A soft touch to his back confirmed it.

"Teal'c's seeing how easy it is to cross here, Sam," Daniel updated her. "How's he doing?"

There was a moment of nothing before she knelt, took his hand and began tracing. He hoped she wasn't taking offense to him attempting to keep her actively involved. Personally wanting to feel a part of the mission made him believe she would, too. He was pretty sure everyone felt the same, and because of this knew they'd be successful. They'd make it back to the village and prove their souls were clean.

Her soft fingers drew careful letters into his palm. It would have been easier for Jack to tell him the same information and he unconsciously looked toward the older man, wanting to send him an unspoken thank you. The movement was so natural, he almost forgot his eyes were covered and even if they had not been, chances are Jack would have seen nothing in them. He swallowed, now hoping his action hadn't caused more stress.

"Waist high. That doesn't seem too bad. How wide is it here?"

"About twenty five feet," Jack replied. "Teal'c's on his way back now."

"What about the other side? Is the cliff just as steep over there?" Daniel asked, trying to put an image into his mind.

"No, but it still looks bad. We may have to scout around for a bit before we can figure out a way to get up the damn thing."

Discouragement flavored Jack's tone, making him believe that when he said it looked 'bad', it looked really bad. Of the four of them, he and Jack were the two most likely to have difficulties. Sam's wrist lessened her physical acuity as well, leaving Teal'c the only fully functional team member. Still, he had to believe Tomahe wouldn't have allowed them to be stranded with absolutely no way back. The elder had been certain they could survive and remain friends with the Wayzata.

His brain went on overdrive, trying to remember everything that had happened in the moments before they were made to drink that concoction. Searching for a clue. Something, anything he could interpret either from the ceremony itself or Tomahe's words. Nothing. He'd been too busy trying to work out what was going on to remember every detail. But someone else might.

"Jack, I really don't think Tomahe meant for this to be an impossibility. We'll think of something, we always do," Daniel said, hoping his friend could pick up some optimism. "Back in the village, can you guys remember if any of the Wayzata said or did anything that might give us something to go on?"

"Daniel, all I remember is them taking Teal'c and making me swallow that sludge. After that, my head started feeling like a bowling ball."

Daniel sighed as Sam wrote 'nothing sorry' on his hand. He refocused his mental search. The Keeping of the Soul rite was associated with the Lakota. Perhaps there was something else about their culture that could help them. A flash of Teal'c standing within a broad circle, quartered by red and black lines popped into his mind.

He didn't have time to explore it any further as he heard Teal'c swishing out of the water. The resurgence of hunger and thirst pushed its way to the forefront, his stomach growling loudly. Rubbing his belly, Daniel shifted to stand up, and was startled by a large hand lending aid. Droplets of ice cold water splattered onto his arm. He shivered, realizing it must be early evening already or they were in a shady area.

"Hey, Teal'c," he greeted, grateful for the help. The day's activities might be easy for his mind to repress, but his body was adamant in its protests. Amazingly, he thought even more bruises were developing every second. "Thanks."

"You are welcome. The river is safe to cross at this junction. We should go immediately, as it is indeed very cold. It would be best to go before the sun sets completely. I will assist O'Neill."

Sam took his right hand as Teal'c moved to help Jack stand. She guided him cautiously to the river's edge, where they stopped to wait for the others. He could tell they were very close to the water and he squeezed her hand to let her know he was going to crouch down. Thirst was ordering him to take the opportunity now rather than wait until they were in the river. Tensions were running high, and he didn't want his friends to think anything was wrong by bending over in the middle of the trek. Releasing him, she also leaned down. The icy liquid felt good but he was careful not to drink too much too quickly. Sighing with satisfaction after a few handfuls, Daniel stood again.

"Ready?" Jack asked softly.

Pressure on his arm induced him to take a small step forward. Pausing with a foot still in the air, he queried, "Shouldn't we take our boots off?"

"Normally, I'd say yes. With our luck being what it is, I'd say no in this case."

"There is sufficient brush to maintain a fire all night, Daniel Jackson. Our footwear will be dry by morning," Teal'c added.

Good enough for him. As long as they didn't have to walk around with soggy feet. He put his foot down, the frigid water suddenly not feeling quite so good. Wincing, he submerged his other foot. Boots good! Sam's hand convulsed as she transitioned into the river as well, and Jack was on his left side, their shoulders bumping occasionally. They walked fast, spurred by cold and Teal'c's guarantee of safety. Each step brought the water higher and made Jack's grumbles grow louder. Daniel couldn't agree more with his friend's salty observations.

Still waist deep, he came to the sad realization he was woefully bad at estimating distance without his eyes. It felt like they should be across already. He almost asked the question, reconsidering when he thought maybe his friends were tired of his frequent inquiries for basic information. It was difficult to tell, as numbness crept through his legs and torso, but he thought the water was getting shallower.

Thank goodness. He attempted to relax the shivers wracking his entire body, focusing on getting warm soon. Next to him, he could hear Sam's teeth chattering and Jack's running commentary had long since disappeared.

"Almost there, Daniel," Jack murmured. "Just a few more oh shi -"

Jack's voice disappeared at the same moment he heard a soft splash and felt something hard slam into his legs, sweeping them out from under him and sucking him under the freezing water.

~~~~~~~~

He went down fast. One minute there was solid riverbed under his feet, the next nothing. Jack had been grateful for Teal'c's hands-off assistance, the Jaffa hovering but not holding; glad to finally be able to do something on his own. As his head plunged below the surface, though, he had second thoughts about that. Boy, did he.

Unable to control his fall, Jack bumped solidly into Daniel's legs. Through the surprisingly murky water, he saw the younger man lose his footing and slip under next to him. For a few seconds he went straight down in a confused descent, unsure of what was happening. Light was quickly dimming, reducing his already distorted view. Must have walked right into a drop off. A pretty deep one at that. Something bumped into his head, and instinct finally won out over shock.

Vainly scissoring his legs in an attempt to regain the surface, Jack knew it was a losing battle as he continued to float down. Green darkness engulfed him, notching up the natural panic setting in his mind and actions. Shadows flickered from above, ominous and reassuring at the same time. Had to be Teal'c. Encouraged, he fought gravity and the urge to inhale much needed oxygen. Again, he felt something brush across his shoulders and he turned.

Daniel.

The younger man must have also plunged into the drop off, brought along by his momentum. He could barely make out the archaeologist, though he was almost on top of him. A seeking hand flew right in front of his face and he desperately wanted to tell his friend to get the hell to safety and forget about him. Daniel grabbed a handful of his hair, gaining full contact at last. Shifting, searching hands groped until they located his armpits, where they latched on tightly as Daniel moved behind him. Still kicking, Jack felt them slowly moving upward at last.

He could tell Daniel was struggling, even though he couldn't see him. His own lungs burned for fresh air, and he knew they were going too slow. He involuntarily let out a small bit of breath, bubbles tickling his nose. It only increased the need to inhale. Frantic now, Jack tried to kick harder but his legs felt like rubber. He wasn't going to make it. Letting his legs stop, he relaxed into to the weak hold, apologizing for giving up.

The hands gripped him more tightly, fear evident, as he sagged and let more air escape until there was nothing left in his lungs. Strange warmth filled him, deceptively reassuring. It lulled him into complacency and he welcomed it. Jack gave in to what his lungs wanted, opening his mouth to let in a mouthful of water. Absolute darkness taunted.

Until suddenly he was wrenched by a force far stronger than he could credit Daniel. Frigid air assaulted his skin, pricking it with icy daggers. Wracking coughs heaved out of him, prompted by an intense pressure on his diaphragm. He was gasping for blessed air, uncertain how he came to be saved. Didn't matter. Nothing mattered but getting the hell out of the water. Thrashing his head about, he kicked his legs with rejuvenated vigor as he was hauled strongly backwards.

Chaotic splashing and spluttering filled the otherwise quiet air, and Jack remembered Daniel at last. He twisted in the vise of dark arms, seeking proof the archaeologist was well. Relaxing only when he saw Carter tugging a floppy Daniel toward the shore, he allowed Teal'c to carry him up the bank and set him gently on his side. Coughing continued, stunted only by the shivers now attacking. So cold. The sun had all but disappeared, taking with it the moderate heat it provided.

Daniel fell to his knees about two feet from him, still spitting water and coughing as though to expel an internal organ. The archaeologist struggled to keep his hands and knees position, but Jack could vaguely see the tremors of cold tearing into him as he collapsed face first into the rocky soil. Carter was rubbing his back, looking terrified. And very wet herself.

Warm. They all needed to be warm. Teal'c moved away from him, withdrawing a hand he hadn't even been aware was rubbing his shoulder. He missed the small amount of warmth it garnered, shivers eating all of his energy. He heard a faint clicking noise, somewhere above his head. It grew more insistent, giving him something else to concentrate on. He shifted to find the source.

Teal'c was banging a couple of rocks together, face scowling with the urgency of his task. Faint Goa'uld words carried over to them as the Jaffa repeated his actions over and over, a pile of brush already at his side. Wondering when the other man had had the time to gather the necessities, Jack flopped onto his back and tried to wiggle closer to Carter and Daniel. He wanted to tell Teal'c to look for sticks to rub together - that method of fire starting was a lot more efficient. But he didn't have the energy. All he could do was take in the blue tinged lips of the two youngest members of SG1, looking as miserable and bedraggled as he felt.

"O...okay?" he finally managed past rattling teeth. His voice was disturbingly weak in his own ears. Keeping focused on Carter, he breathed relief at her short nod. At least he assumed it was a nod. Hard to tell with all that quaking. "Daniel?"

The archaeologist was panting, still face down. At Jack's prompting, he began to stir, arms shakily pulling up to brace himself. Carter leaned closer, wrapping her good arm around Daniel's shoulders, helping him kneel. The younger man finally managed, " Th...hat was n...not fun."

Jack felt a laugh building, which came out only as a pained wheeze. Not fun was perhaps the biggest understatement on the planet. This whole thing was Not Fun, and he was frankly getting tired of it. A day had already been used up just getting down the damn cliff; he found it hard to believe they were expected to get back up it and take a five kilometer hike back to the village all in one day. And a night. He derisively snorted, remembering how certain Daniel was that they could overcome. It was like their roles had been reversed.

"Ya think? T...teal'c, how's it coming?" he stuttered, arching his back to check on the Jaffa's progress.

The rock clicking paused only long enough for Teal'c to say, "Shortly, O'Neill", then doggedly continued. Jack frowned at the terse reply but quickly realized how much pressure his Jaffa friend was under. Though it was largely self-induced, he knew that didn't make it any less real than if from an outside source. And Teal'c had that too. Hell, it was always his job to be responsible for the lives of his team members. To have the added stipulation of vying for their souls at the same time was hard for him to comprehend. He could easily disregard that aspect. Teal'c would not do so.

"Good. God, it's cold. Anyone else notice that?"

A glare from Carter and a snort from Daniel told him he scored. The archaeologist shuffled toward him, blindfold soggily drooping slightly off kilter. Water was streaming from the cloth, and Jack knew it would be a good idea to take the stupid thing off. Blindfold. He sobered. Daniel was never going to see again. Carter could never expound on some scientific discovery again. He'd be...a lump of uselessness. People could argue he could still lead a full life but without his hands, he felt like a giant redundant paperweight. And Teal'c. It would kill the Jaffa to be 'responsible' for their conditions, no matter how many times they assured him he wasn't. Just like that, Jack resolved they'd get out of this. They had to.

"Seriously. Whose bright idea was it to go swimming in that ice bath? Glutton for punishment."

He sneaked a look at his friends and knew they knew what he was trying to do. Carter moved along with Daniel, guiding him to Jack's shoulders. Together, they eased him upright just as Teal'c's battle with the rocks was won.

A tiny spark was a great start. Just what they needed.

~~~~~~~~

The colonel had no idea how bad he looked as he joked with them. Drowned rat was a fair comparison - his hair was matted to his head, water trickling down his bruised face. Both he and Daniel had blue lips, and Sam was sure she did as well. Even if she hadn't completely submerged like the rest of her teammates, she was still mostly soaked. As she helped her CO move closer to the fire Teal'c was stoking, she looked more closely at the Jaffa. He, too, was showing definite effects from the cold.

"It appeared to have been your idea, O'Neill," Teal'c retorted ambiguously, either joking or accusing. Or both.

"I know it w...wasn't mine! And I would have d...declined an invitation," Daniel chimed in.

Sam opened her mouth to join the light-hearted banter, when she remembered her muteness. Suddenly, the night coming down at breakneck speed seemed to be more than just a simple act of nature. Right now, so much depended on being able to laugh at adversity, and here she sat. Mime extraordinaire. She smiled at her own twisted, unfortunately very likely real, joke as she wrestled to loosen the sling. Through none of her own doing, it had remained stubbornly secure throughout the entire ordeal. Tightened even.

Tugging with frustration at the sodden cloth, she didn't notice Teal'c kneeling before her until his hands covered hers. Startled, she looked up to find him gazing back with nothing but grimness in his eyes. She realized she must have been more out of it than she thought, the mood around the now respectable fire completely silent. So much for the colonel's attempt to comically lessen the severity of their situation. Daniel was next to the colonel and was clumsily working on getting the jackets off of him, challenged by stiff fingers. And blindness.

Her grim, self-deprecating smile disappeared. They were in trouble, having made veritably no progress today. Traveling at night didn't seem an option anywhere on the planet, let alone up the side of a cliff. The colonel had been right before. Uninjured they might have made it but with the current conditions, pre multiple falling down cliffs, into holes, and under icy waters, they were screwed. She could spell screwed on Daniel's palm, though she was sure even without seeing he was aware of that fact.

Teal'c slid the sling off, wringing out the jacket thoroughly before spreading it out near the blaze. He cautiously added a couple of more good-sized logs...where the hell had they come from?...and stirred the hottest section of the fire. Daniel finally managed to wrest the colonel free and was trying to twist the jackets free of water. He wasn't nearly as efficient as Teal'c, who directly moved over to them with a departing glance at her. Bobbing her head, Sam moved nearer to the fire. She tugged at her bootlaces, the dampness of her feet seeming to permeate her entire body. Already, though, the heat was seeping in.

She shucked her boots off and propped them against a rock to dry. Gaining comfort of temperature, she realized again how much her wrist ached and how much she needed to eat. It had almost gotten to the point where she was so hungry she wasn't hungry. Oh, who was she trying to fool? Reluctantly pulling her boots toward her, Sam shot her teammates a look, receiving a nod from Teal'c.

"O'Neill, Major Carter and I will attempt to procure food before it becomes completely dark. Will you and Daniel Jackson be able to maintain the fire in our absence?"

Head snapping from staring at Daniel attempting to warm up his stilled hands, the colonel barely nodded. "We'll work out some kind of system. Just don't get too far away, okay?"

"We will not."

Sam finished tying her boots as Teal'c approached her with an outstretched hand. She was not really excited about leaving the warmth of the fire but knew the quicker they embarked, the quicker they'd get back. Stunned as Teal'c hoisted her to her feet smoothly, then continued the motion to wrap an arm around her shoulders, she easily accepted the extra protection from the cool air. The arrangement would hinder their search and went against all normal traits of the Jaffa, which to her implied it was as much for his benefit as hers. She welcomed it.

As they left the glow of the campsite, she heard the colonel murmur, "Danny, maybe you'd warm up faster if you took off your blindfold to dry."

Daniel's reply was muffled, totally lost. Sam was already concentrating on the ground, searching for edible plants and roots. The lulling sound of slow moving water was no longer threatening, instead giving her an idea, one hopefully much than wasting time looking for plants. She was sure she and Teal'c could actually accomplish the task, so long as she could tell him her idea. Knowing him, he'd already reached the same conclusion and would make her job easier. Or unnecessary.

Poking him in the side, Sam indicated the need to stop. Teal'c's grip loosened as he turned to face her, eyes drawing up from the ground to meet her gaze. The sky was hazy blue now, dusk blurring everything. She pulled herself out of his arms, missing the heat of his body right away. They had to do this quickly. Rubbing her nose with chilled fingers, she let out a breath and pointed to the river. Then she brought both of her hands in front of her, palms together, and waggled them rapidly in the air, hopefully mimicking a fish swimming.

Teal'c somberly tilted his head to the side, stating, "Yes, Major Carter, that is a good idea. I have yet to devise a way to capture the fish. There is no time to make a spear or a net."

She exhaled again. He was right. Eying the ground, Sam scoured for anything they could use and got a fat load of nothing. Even being a Jaffa, she didn't think he'd be able to catch anything with his bare hands. They slowly kept walking, still looking for plants while searching for a means to fulfill the other objective. The river seemed to be flowing more quickly, even just a few paces downstream. Louder splashing met her ears, and she tried not to pay attention to it.

"Major Carter," Teal'c whispered, a hand halting her in her tracks. "That is not the river. Look."

Well, their luck might be turning after all! Not twenty feet downstream, she caught sight of three vague, medium sized shapes. She couldn't see them clearly, couldn't tell exactly what they were, but that didn't matter. What mattered is that they were scooping fish from the river as though they were simply carrots in a garden, flipping them ashore with pragmatism as they returned to the river to wash up.

Raccoons, or at least the P8C 218 rendition. She beamed back at Teal'c, surprised to see a similarly huge grin plastered on his face. All they had to do was scare the 'coons away, steal their booty, and head back to camp. Ordinarily, Sam might have felt a jab of conscience for thieving someone else's earned treasure but this was life or death. Besides, how many times had the damn creatures woken her up when banging around in her garbage can? Revenge on off-world vermin would be just as sweet.

Teal'c bent down and gathered a handful of gravel, taking several quiet steps toward the animals. Sam could now see they'd caught six fish, enough to feed all of them. While Teal'c tossed the rocks at the raccoons, she checked the shoreline for sharp rocks to use as filet knives. She found something even better - decently sized clamshells lined the bank and she grabbed a couple halves. The creatures chittered angrily as her teammate kicked more rocks at them, and they fled when it became apparent the threat was real.

She jogged up as he was picking up the fish, all of them still in good shape. Offering her assistance, Sam put out her left hand and snagged two of them. The night air was again reasserting itself on her clammy skin, and she shivered slightly. Teal'c ushered her back to the campsite with a quirk of his left eyebrow. It was more than enough.

They traveled the short distance in silence, and Sam instantly thought back to just a day ago - the uncomfortable silence that had accompanied them. Now the silence was uncontrollable on her part, just when she needed more than ever to speak to Teal'c. She regretted she hadn't done so when she was able, not sure she'd ever get the chance again. Communication was still possible, she knew, but there was something so reassuring about someone telling you everything was okay. Not to worry or blame or be guilty. You couldn't write the same feeling as you could emphasize in tone and expression.

The orange glow of the firelight pulled her away from the depressive thoughts playing through her brain. It didn't do any good to dwell on the 'what ifs' and 'should haves'. If anything, it would decrease their chances at success, and she damned well wouldn't be the reason for failure. She doubted either the colonel, Daniel or Teal'c were letting negativity pull them down. With that, she straightened her shoulders, tightened her grip on the fish and clamshells and walked back to the camp. They'd eat and rest tonight, and finish the Wayzata's trial tomorrow.

She was sure of it.

~~~~~~~~

The smell of damp hair and wet, heated cloth blanketed the space around the campsite as he and Major Carter returned, fish in hand. Daniel Jackson had an arm draped across O'Neill's back, oblivious to the uncomfortable look upon the other man's face. Teal'c could not determine whether the look was based upon their position or the blankness of the archaeologist's uncovered eyes. It did not take him long to decide it was the eyes. O'Neill was extremely comfortable touch, unquestionably the opposite when it came to seeing his team members injured in any way. He felt the same.

Major Carter was trembling with cold, and he easily took the fish from her, stating, "I will prepare them. You should join O'Neill and Daniel Jackson at the fire."

He continued walking, drawing close to the fire on the opposite side of his companions. Setting the fish down, he automatically added fuel to the blaze, which had dimmed slightly. Major Carter's face revealed her pleasure as she slid out of her boots, placing her feet as close as possible to the flames. He followed her initiative, realizing he, too, was cold.

"Fish? How'd that happen? You weren't gone that long," O'Neill greeted at last, weariness filling his tone. He nudged Daniel Jackson's shoulder with his head, causing the younger man to remove from the embrace. Instantly looking lost, white eyes searched futilely for something on which to focus. O'Neill's whole body cringed but he looked away. "Not complaining, of course. Just curious."

Teal'c frowned at him for a moment before telling the story. As he spoke, he watched Major Carter almost leaning into his words. He wished she could add commentary to his factual report, knowing that wish was pointless. Turning his frustration into productivity, he studiously set about scaling the fish. The clamshells did not make it an easy undertaking, but certainly were better than no utensils at all. His companions and he fell into quietude, O'Neill and Major Carter staring into the flickering fire, Daniel Jackson emptily mirroring their postures.

Behind the scraping noises he was generating, Teal'c could hear a symphony of growling stomachs. This would likely be their only meal until they returned to the SGC, and he was glad it would be a fulfilling one. After he had completed three fish, he stopped to look for something on which to place them to cook.

"Cut them into chunks and skewer them with sticks. Carter and Daniel can hold them over the fire," O'Neill quietly suggested, shifting his legs out from underneath him. He tilted too far, losing his balance and heavily bumping into Daniel Jackson. "Damnit. I'm sorry."

Daniel Jackson roughly caught O'Neill, hands seeking the best place to hold as the other man squirmed. He scolded, "Nothing to be sorry for, Jack. Please just let me help you. Or let Sam or Teal'c."

"I know, I know. This is just really getting tiring, you know?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Of course you do. You and Carter - "

"Are just fine, right Sam? We're all fine, and we're all going to have some dinner now. Just lean on me; I can still use one hand to hold a stick."

Teal'c listened to the exchange in silence while he looked for suitable branches to use as skewers. The anxiety of the day's events had not permitted for the needed conversation. He suspected that individually, all of his friends had gone through a similar circle of guilt, negativity, and resurgence of optimism. While it was important to do so, it was also important for them all to do the same for each other. The affirmation that they were all experiencing the same thing would enable them to work more effectively. He was not sure how but he knew that together they would succeed.

Attention returning to his companions after he'd found long enough limbs, Teal'c was glad to see Major Carter had moved to the fish and was hacking the filets into smaller pieces. He must take them to the river to rinse, and then the first batch would be ready. She stood when he arrived, indicating she agreed with his unspoken course of action by jutting her thumb back toward the river.

"Indeed. Your assistance would be appreciated," he gently said. Circling the campfire, he crouched next to Daniel Jackson, taking the younger man's hands in his. "Major Carter and I will rinse the fish and return. Are you able to hold two skewers, Daniel Jackson?"

"Shouldn't be a problem, Teal'c."

"Very well." He pressed two thin branches into the archaeologist's free left hand and stood. With a nod to O'Neill, he and Major Carter again left the campsite, proceeding cautiously on socked feet.

"Damnit, Jack. Sit still or at least warn me when you're going to move. I'm armed now, so don't think I won't hit you with these switches."

"Ha. I dare you. It's not like you can see me - you'd probably just hit my arms and we both know that ain't gonna hurt me."

"Oh, you're funny."

"I know. It's a gift."

"Gift? I was thinking curse."

"Hey!"

Teal'c smiled at the rapid insults, viewing them as a sign things were beginning to take on a somewhat normal edge. The team's acceptance of the individual members' temporary limitations was a good start to aid them working as one. Dipping his hands and their contents into the cold water, he took yet another surveillance of their surroundings. Perhaps the cliff was not so insurmountable, seeming so before only because of heightened tension. Daylight would tell, so for now he would not concern himself. Much.

He and Major Carter rejoined their teammates, meal in hand. Quickly arranging the meat on Daniel Jackson's sticks, he guided the younger man into the proper position. The crackling of the fire and his continued scraping and filleting became the only sound, all of them eased by the warmth at last. Teal'c's clothing was half dry, and he was much more comfortable as he robotically carried out his actions.

"So, uh, anyone give any thought on how exactly I'm going to eat?" O'Neill suddenly asked.

Pausing, he looked up to find O'Neill staring at him with embarrassment. There was little choice. Either he, Major Carter or Daniel Jackson would have to feed him. Teal'c saw no reason for discomfort but also understood how O'Neill might have a different opinion. Of the three of them, he believed it would be least humiliating to be aided by him.

"I will assist you, O'Neill," he volunteered.

Relief swept across the colonel's face, confirming his assessment. O'Neill relaxed, shifting into Daniel Jackson's shoulder. The younger man braced to accommodate, leaning forward and accidentally placing the fish directly into the fire. Major Carter leaned over O'Neill, gently easing his hand back. The archaeologist lurched slightly with surprise before nodding and closing his eyes. He kept them closed.

"Thanks, Teal'c. I think Daniel's fish is done. Well, it's not crappie but I'm guessing no one's going to complain. Carter, how are yours coming?"

The major nodded, withdrawing her own sticks. Teal'c finished cleaning the remaining fish, moving to take a stick from her and Daniel Jackson, squeezing to sit between O'Neill and Major Carter. The uncomfortable expression had returned to the team leader's face.

"Again, a Kodak moment. Jack, you and Teal'c are going to be the talk of the SGC while Sam and I will get nothing," the archaeologist dryly commented before taking a big bite of his fish and continuing to speak with a full mouth. "In fact, I think this may keep the rumor mill going for a long, long time. I should actually thank you guys."

O'Neill scowled at Major Carter as she hid a smile behind her hand, only half serious with his anger. Behind the sharpness in his eyes, Teal'c could see the colonel relaxing again. Neither the major nor Daniel Jackson would reveal any unneeded details in their mission reports or elsewhere, and even if they did it was likely he and O'Neill would never learn of it. Teal'c had found the 'grapevine' at the SGC extremely elusive when it came to learning of information pertaining to himself, though he had had the pleasure of hearing marvelous stories of his human friends.

"Teal'c, whack Daniel on the back of the head for me, will you?" O'Neill groused, a smile teasing the corners of his lips.

"I will do no such thing, O'Neill. Daniel Jackson has sustained several injuries to his cranium today. I would not wish to knock more sense from him," Teal'c calmly intoned, holding a piece of fish to O'Neill's lips.

Daniel Jackson choked, coughing harshly as he uttered, "Teal'c! What have I ever done to you?"

"Oh, I see. So you can dish it out, but you can't take it?" O'Neill chortled. "I still think you need to get smacked. Carter?"

Major Carter brightened at the inclusion, instantly abandoning her dinner to sit down next to Daniel Jackson. Teal'c raised an eyebrow as she issued a tiny cuff to the nape of his neck, leaving her hand there. He gave her the discarded skewer, which she gratefully took and replenished with a new piece of fish. He had not had the opportunity to wash it, but said nothing. It did not matter.

They ate, the amicable mood settling the nervous air. Teal'c's mind leapt to the evening's watch, reminded of the animals surely residing in the valley. Daniel Jackson would not be able to watch at all, and neither would O'Neill. Both would protest, but eventually see the logic behind their exclusion. That left him and Major Carter. She was clearly exhausted, and he noted she held her injured wrist closely to her chest.

As they finished, Major Carter took Daniel Jackson's left hand, tracing slowly. The archaeologist furrowed his brow, opening his eyes as he translated, "Sam says she's thirsty."

"All right, head to the river and then we'll turn in. Daniel, you and I have it easy this trip - no watches for us. You okay with that Carter? Teal'c?"

Not completely surprised O'Neill had assessed the situation identically as him, Teal'c said, "Indeed. I believe Major Carter is in need of immediate rest. I will take the first watch."

"Okay. Wake her at 0200? That good for you, Carter?"

She nodded, but Teal'c had no intention of waking her before 0300. He wisely told none of his companions, instead watched the major's increasingly slow blinks. He would rouse her only when absolutely necessary.

They journeyed to the river, where he helped O'Neill refresh himself. As his human friends attempted to make themselves comfortable on the rough soil, Teal'c located a large rock upon which to maintain his watch, pleased to hear their breathing quickly even out with sleep. Tomorrow would bring challenges, of that he had no doubt, but they would face and overcome them.

~~~~~~~~

The same image kept flashing over and over, its meaning remaining a mystery - two lines drawn in the shape of a cross. One line was blood red, the other a deep blue-black. The harder he tried to understand, the farther away the answer became. He realized with a start he didn't know the question. You had to know the question before you could interpret the answer. This knowledge made him step back, the image broadening to now include a big circle drawn on the ground, encompassing the lines. Inside the circle stood Teal'c, staring at him knowingly. Teal'c knew what he needed to know. His dream self called for Teal'c's help, holding out his hands. Teal'c turned to him, an almost malicious smile transforming his countenance repulsively until it was no longer his friend, but Ciqala standing before him. The native threw his head back, pointed at him and laughed deeply. Over his ridiculer's shoulder, he saw Tomahe's sad face.

Daniel flew up with a huge gasp, eyes opening, heart beating rapidly, and hands held out before him. He saw nothing and the dark world careened nauseatingly, attempting to right itself. The sensations threw him into complete panic, his hands dropping to seek the ground or whatever he'd been sleeping on. Sleeping? Disoriented and confused, he widened his eyes in the hopes of regaining sight but was bitterly disappointed. Rocks scattering from the left raised his alarms even more, and he slithered backwards to get away. The noises became identifiable as footsteps, and he cringed when he knew he couldn't escape whoever was coming for him.

Throwing his arms over his head, he was shocked when a gentle voice filled his ears. "It is only I, Daniel Jackson. You must calm down. It is all right."

Teal'c? At his friend's voice, Daniel sagged with relief. Steady hands clasped his shoulders, keeping him upright. His mind raced, sorting reality from dream. They were camped by a river in a really big gorge, until tomorrow when they'd climb up and out. He couldn't see not because it was dark but because he was blind, and he'd just had an embarrassing episode of dream therapy right in front of a good friend. He groaned and buried his head in what he hoped was Teal'c's shoulder.

"Are you unwell? Should I wake O'Neill?"

"No," he said, muffled by cotton and muscle. Huffing, he drew back and shook his head. "I just had a really strange dream and got a little confused."

"If you are certain."

"Oh, I am. Extremely."

"Very well. You should attempt to return to sleep," Teal'c coached, grip not relaxing.

"I'm not so sure that's going to happen. What time is it anyway?"

The harmless sound of the fire popping filled the otherwise dead air, making Daniel wonder what was wrong. Teal'c finally answered, sounding reluctant, "It is three o'clock."

Heaving a sigh, he wriggled out of the Jaffa's strong hold. Nothing wrong with that, still time for him to calm down and get some more sleep as Teal'c had recommended. Knowing re-analyzing the dream would probably keep him agitated did little to prevent him from doing just that. He couldn't help it. Unpleasant or not, there was something he needed to figure out, and his brain would probably force him to do so before he had a prayer of slumber. Maybe if he shared...wait a minute.

"Three? Weren't you supposed to wake Sam at two?" he whispered accusatorily.

"Major Carter requires more rest than I," Teal'c solemnly reported, his tone making no apologies.

"I see your point, but you need to be at your best too. Jack and I..." He halted, swallowing a couple of times as worry escalated. "Jack and I aren't going to be much good tomorrow. We're going to need a lot of help, no matter how we get out of here."

"I require but a short time in Kel No'reem. I will awaken Major Carter shortly. You should regain sleep, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c reiterated, a heavy hand clamping on his shoulder.

"I will. I just...the dream I had," Daniel rubbed his forehead, as if that would help him decipher the ideas floating in his brain. When his hands didn't meet with cloth, he frowned. "Teal'c, is my blindfold dry? I think Jack and Sam are bothered by my blindness."

"It is. I will place it on you momentarily. O'Neill and Major Carter are indeed disturbed at the evidence of your impairment, as am I."

"I...I'm sorry."

"For what do you apologize? It is not a matter over which you have control. I am equally troubled by O'Neill and Major Carter's physical deficiencies."

"Yeah," he agreed, deciding not to address the self-recrimination he still heard in his friend's whispered words. "I know what you mean. It's like they're still Jack and Sam but somehow not at the same time. I guess it's true what they say - you don't know what you've got until it's gone."

Teal'c said nothing, but the hand on his shoulder remained and tightened. Daniel switched from rubbing his forehead to giving his whole face a rub down. His hands were still over his eyes when he felt pressure lift from his shoulder and a nudge to his fingers. Stiffened cloth brushed on his cheeks as the blindfold was replaced.

"We are going to get things back to normal, though. I just wish I knew..." He struggled to vocalize what his brain was screaming at him, obvious now. "Teal'c, I asked the others this before but now you. Is there anything else, anything at all, that happened back in the village when Tomahe was performing the ceremony? More specifically, did he do or say anything after we'd all passed out?"

As he asked the questions, he realized he was relying on Teal'c to have the answer, or at least a hint to what he knew was buried in his head somewhere. He knew they'd find a way out of the valley without his input, but he somehow needed to contribute with something other than incessant inquiries as to their location and surroundings. Something.

"You, O'Neill and Major Carter were taken to the same tent which housed us prior to the ceremony. Tomahe escorted me to the same, where he proceeded to explain in greater detail the test which we were to undergo."

Daniel's hopes fell. That didn't tell him anything. He chewed on his lower lip, replaying the ceremony from memory for the two thousandth time. What had happened to him, Jack and Sam didn't matter; he knew the purpose behind each of their plights. No, it was something else.

"That's it? Are you sure?" he desperately asked.

"Tomahe did make mention of something he referred to as the red road. He said that in order to walk upon it, I must prove my soul worthy. Then we exited the village and were deposited on the far side of the canyon."

Instantly, Daniel remembered Teal'c standing in the center of that circle, both in reality and from his dream. The cross sections divided by a red line running north and south, and a black line going east to west. He focused on the red, searching memory banks for any information he had gleaned in his studies. The Red Road...what was it?

"Do you believe this to be important, Daniel Jackson?"

He held up a finger, silencing his companion. So close...he could visualize the text and just needed the words to focus. The Red Road was the good or straight way - the north is purity and south is the source of life.

"Teal'c, which direction did the Wayzata take us?"

"We traveled north, in a direct line."

"That's it! It has to be, but I still don't know what it really means. Teal'c, does this make sense? According to the Lakota, there are two roads on which a person can travel. The Red Road runs north and south and is considered the road of the good. The other road, The Black or Blue Road, is the fearful road, filled with troubles, error and destruction. Tomahe sent us north, on the right road and essentially told you we needed to stay on it."

He was excited, hands waving blindly in front of him, warming as they neared the fire. Teal'c's larger ones entrapped them and pulled them down, not in an attempt to subdue him but to keep him protected. Daniel let his friend guide them down into his lap, mind racing too quickly to pay much attention.

"If he told you that, maybe he was also telling you something else. We just have to figure out what that is. I knew it. I knew he wouldn't leave us out here. Now that I think about it, he wouldn't have even mentioned that our handicaps were short-term if he didn't think we would succeed. It wouldn't matter - chances are we'd be dead."

"I am uncertain we can validate this theory, Daniel Jackson. I have seen nothing of which would provide assistance or delineate the proper path," Teal'c broke into his out loud thinking. "It does not appear likely there is indeed a specific, related trail associated with this Red Road."

Shot down, Daniel let his shoulders slump. Teal'c had a good point. If his idea was correct, it should have been obvious...if they had been looking for it. They hadn't. He vehemently shook his head, not ready to give up quite yet.

"Maybe that's true but have you been looking? You couldn't have been, nor could you have known what to look for! I'm not trying to be argumentative, Teal'c, but I think that in the morning we should really consider it," he rallied, straightening up with another thought. "Actually, I think we need to go back to the bridge. We've already strayed off of The Red Road, don't you see? The river...runs east and west, doesn't it?"

"It does, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c confirmed, now sounding a bit more convinced. "You believe it to be representative of The Black Road."

"Seems to make sense. Think, Teal'c. Can you remember what the cliff face looked like back at the bridge?"

"I cannot. I did not note anything out of the ordinary about it but as you stated, I was not attempting to do so. This is not something we need to discuss at this hour, Daniel Jackson. Whether you are correct or incorrect, tomorrow will be an extremely difficult day. You should sleep."

Teal'c reinforced his words by moving his hands up to his shoulders, squeezing gently. Daniel mutely nodded and tried to keep his mind off of their potential salvation. Slowly sinking down to the hard earth, his muscles reminded him of the abuse they had endured and begged him to grant them mercy. He vaguely heard his Jaffa friend rustling around, probably waking Sam for her watch.

He drifted into sleep with the hope they'd discover a way out of the canyon in the morning.

~~~~~~~~

Jack recounted the conversation he'd overheard last night, feeling somewhat regretful he had not announced his conscious state to Teal'c and Daniel. He didn't know why he had just lain there until the archaeologist had really gotten going, pulling random pieces of information and melding them together, making sense of something that from anyone else's lips would seem ludicrous. He had a tendency to insert questions into the younger man's thought process, a fact he'd been told on several occasions. With most people, questions would provide another avenue to bounce ideas from but for Daniel they served as distractions. He'd come up with and answer his own questions.

So he'd merely listened, and had seen the logic in the case his friend had presented. A bit scattery logic but there nonetheless. Like Teal'c, he didn't recall anything unusual about the landscape, and briefly wondered if Daniel had considered the fact that they had had to move downstream in order to cross the river. Of course, it turned out they didn't have that much better luck traversing calmer waters. He'd found himself unable to return to sleep as Carter was roused, instead spent the remainder of the night staring at the stars. His back was turned to the fire, and his nose was freezing but he had no desire to flop clumsily around to get resituated.

For hours, he heard only Daniel's breathing, Carter's shuffling, the river flowing and an occasional coyote yapping. Now more noises were sounding - birds greeting the day, brush rustling as the wind picked up, and Jack knew he should get up and get the team moving. Teal'c had pegged it when he'd said today was going to be hard, and he hoped for all of their sakes that Daniel's theory held some truth.

A squeaky sigh from the archaeologist's direction convinced him morning was here. If Daniel was rousing on his own, it was time to get on with the last day of the test. Get back his hands. Get off this rock. He had serious second thoughts about making this a vacation or retirement planet. He'd had just about enough of P8C 218 to last him a lifetime. With that thought prodding him, he used his legs to tip onto his back, groaning as he rolled right onto a large and sharp rock. It dug into the small of his back, eliciting another growl of pain as he arched and tried to shove away.

He made very little progress, but was suddenly elevated off the ground. Several dizzying seconds later, he was sitting next to a confused and stretching Daniel, looking at Teal'c's retreating figure and Carter's shy smile. A guy could really get used to having a manservant carting him around all over the place, though his Jaffa friend would probably have serious objections.

An errant hand thumped him in the head on its way down, the owner promptly apologizing. "Jack? I'm sorry. I, uh, I didn't see you there."

The comment was unexpected and slightly inappropriate, especially coming from Daniel. He had to laugh, unsure if he should be glad or upset by the acceptance of the younger man's blindness. Yesterday he had been hampered by frequent pangs and reminders...as if he could forget any of their problems...that he knew had kept him off his game. He and Carter never should have been so preoccupied they missed sighting that damn hole before falling into it. And he should have never selfishly indulged in escaping into sleep, leaving his 2IC alone. He sniffed at smirking man next to him, acknowledging the joke.

"Good excuse. Bet you hit me every chance you get, just because you know I can't reciprocate."

"Oh, darn. My secret strategy is out," Daniel drolly said. "Augh, what time is it anyway?"

Golden pink tinged the sky, hinting sunrise was well underway. Already, the coolness of night was being replaced by warmth. It was going to be a decently warm day, he could tell by the way the air smelled. Carter scooted next to Daniel and spelled on his hand. Though her resources were limited, she was coping with the lack of voice very well, Jack mentally noted. A spark of pride ran through him again at each of his team's capability to adapt with the conditions surrounding them. Yes, he was a bit challenged by feelings of uselessness, as he was sure Carter and Daniel were. But they all swallowed those for the benefit of the end goal. Whether or not they pass this 'test', he already knew the souls of SG1 were clean.

"Time to get going? Right. Point me to my boots?" Daniel's voice drew him back. "How's your wrist?"

Jack checked out said wrist, glad to see it appeared less swollen. He could tell from Carter's expression it was still quite sore, though. Jumping as Teal'c came back to him and took his right ankle, he cursed himself for already becoming somewhat unfocused. Shoving the humiliation of being dressed like a mother dresses a toddler, he cleared his throat.

"Yes, time to get going. I - "

"Daniel Jackson, I informed Major Carter of your theory last night and she believes it worthy of consideration. O'Neill was awake, and therefore has also been apprised," Teal'c uncharacteristically interrupted him.

Giving the Jaffa an undignified double take, Jack was flustered at being called out on the eavesdropping. No, not eavesdropping, he corrected. Exercising his right as commanding officer to allow his team to stretch boundaries. Yep, that sounded much better. He sneaked a guilty look at Daniel to find his mouth gaping ajar.

"Yeah, so. Anyway," he fumbled and avoided admitting guilt. "It's an interesting idea. We can keep our eyes open for any suitable places to climb as we walk. You almost finished there, Teal'c?"

Fortunately, no one seemed to want to push the issue, instead readying themselves. Teal'c gathered the jackets, wrapped his arms in their wonderful straightjacket, and helped him to his feet. Carter shook her head when the Jaffa silently inquired whether she needed her arm slinged, but accepted the jacket to wear. Daniel was the last to rise, absently brushing off his butt.

"Good, are we all ready? Fire out? Carter, kick some more dirt over it, just in case," Jack nervously ordered. He couldn't pinpoint a direct cause for his apprehension, which only edged it up even farther. "Let's go see if we can follow this Red Road. Or at least find it."

Dividing his attention between making sure they were walking along a clear path and eyeing the formidable cliff wall, Jack was disheartened to see just how steep the incline was. It didn't look to be lessening at all, despite Daniel's confidence they'd find some miraculous way up à la Tomahe. Every once in a while, he was distracted by the younger man tripping over loose rocks or brush when Carter wasn't fast enough to steer him away. His 2IC worriedly clung to the archaeologist's side, Jack suspected to give herself the comfort of being able to 'speak' around him as well as to keep him protected. Wouldn't Daniel just love that?

"Stop," Teal'c abruptly called out, and he couldn't halt his forward movement in time to prevent crashing into the Jaffa's broad back.

"What?" he and Daniel both asked.

"There. Do you see it?"

Jack followed his big friend's raised arm and gasped. Ho-ly Buckets.

Oh, you bet he saw it.

~~~~~~~~

Sam couldn't remember the last time she'd seen anything so breathtaking. Spending most of her time buried in a mountain probably had everything to do with that, and she vowed that when the returned home she would try and take in more sunrises and sunsets. And sunny Sunday afternoons strolling in the park. She'd always told herself the traditional on-world Saturday chess games with Cassie were enough for her, that she didn't really need anything else to feel fulfilled outside of work. How much beauty was she missing every day? When they got back, she swore she was going to explore her own world. Of course, if there was work to do...

"Well, I'll be damned," the colonel whispered. "Teal'c, are you getting this?"

From their distance, Sam wasn't sure if what they were seeing was really what it looked like, nor could she tell if the area was navigable. They were still quite some distance off from the bridge site, but the natural wonder playing out was obviously directly across from it. The sun had risen just enough to peek down into the vale, color changing from fluffy pink to a gloriously deep red. A red usually only seen at nightfall. It cast a uniquely narrow beam onto the cliff wall, unexplainable in how it was so focused on one area. Her brain wanted to solve that riddle, and she wished she had more time. Already, though, the beam was diffusing.

"I am," Teal'c confirmed, letting them all know he had committed the event to memory.

If they'd been minutes later in their arrival, they'd have missed it. The suns rays rapidly broadened, lightening to disperse the magical moment. The beam had turned the cliff face brick red, inexplicably carving what looked like a path into it. Sam had no idea if that is what Tomahe had referred to as The Red Road, but for once in her life, she was going to go with that abstract theory.

"What?" Daniel demanded again, his fingers gripping her arm. "What is it?"

Only at his inquiry did she realize none of them had actually specified what they were witnessing. She reached up and captured his questing hand, squeezing it encouragingly as the colonel murmured a reply.

"I think we found your Red Road, Danny. The sun is showing us the way. Teal'c?"

"The sunrise highlighted a select portion of the cliff, Daniel Jackson. I believe the area designated to be traversable for all of us. It will be arduous. We will succeed."

Teal'c saying their success was forthcoming with such certainty was tremendously reassuring. He never exaggerated; she wasn't sure he was capable of such a thing. Whatever crossed his lips was guaranteed fact in her eyes. Sam could feel the smile splitting her face, knew it was cheesy but couldn't stop. They were getting back to the village and getting back to normal. And not just on the scale of regaining their lost senses.

The tension in the archaeologist's muscles relaxed, and she turned to see a hesitant smile flicker below the broad swath of cloth over his eyes. She automatically moved down to check his T-shirt, and amazingly smiled even bigger herself. Daniel was going to be mortified at returning to the SGC in what could only be deemed a belly shirt. She was sure he knew, somewhere in his subconscious, of his ventilated state. It was breezy, and a good chunk of his midriff was exposed for all to see, save him. Nix chunk, she reconsidered. So not the right term to describe anything about him.

"Really? I knew Tomahe - "

"Ah! I'm not ready to give all the credit to that guy. This could be a fluke, and we really don't know for certain we'll be able to climb it yet. Let's just check it out."

Her CO wasn't smiling anymore, his face set into a slight scowl as he looked ahead. She could see him systematically scanning and assessing the cliff, at the same time trying to hang onto the abstract hope. Wishing she could do something to solidify his belief, Sam simply kept her hold on Daniel and started to follow Teal'c.

"Okay," Daniel murmured.

She smiled at the archaeologist's restraint. Knowing about a thousand and one ideas and questions were running amok through his mind, Sam rubbed his forearm gently. He nodded his acknowledgement with a half smile. Once they were back home, she'd have to schedule a block of time to let him expound. They had a pretty good system worked out for whenever the colonel cut one of them off, something they'd recognized early in the team's formation would be a frequent occurrence. Both found it didn't matter if the other person even listened, it just helped to think everything out loud to someone. And it had paved the way for their friendship.

They walked briskly now, and she had to be extra diligent watching for obstacles in Daniel's path. The duty consumed her attention, so it came as a surprise when Teal'c slowed and stopped. She gave the cliff close examination, trying to seek out the path lit by the sun. Nothing. Her hopes fell with disappointment as she realized they must have been wrong; it looked as steep and impossible as it had before. With the proper equipment it could be scaled, but there was no way they could talk Daniel all the way up, nor could Teal'c carry the colonel. Bitterly turning to confirm her assessment with her CO and Teal'c, Sam's eyes caught something.

Snapping her head back, she saw it. Was that...? She unconsciously lifted her hand and pointed, shooting her companions an excited look. The colonel's mouth was unattractively gaping open and Teal'c's eyes glinted. Daniel's forehead was wrinkled, no doubt he was wondering why no one was talking. Instantly, she gathered up his right hand and told him what the rest of them could see.

"T-R-A-I-L," he breathed out, chuckling as she added an exclamation point at the end.

"There does indeed appear to be a passage marked, though it is treacherous."

That was a kind appraisal. It looked downright scary, some of the brush carrying up the path. Scattered rubble and large rocks littered the walkway, easily the reason they hadn't noted it yesterday. Sam raced to think of a way to connect them all before beginning the journey, and searched for something to hold water. There was no way they'd go into this unprepared.

"We can do it," Daniel confidently stated.

The colonel rolled his eyes and muttered something about blind faith before calling, "Of course we can. But we're going to need a few things first."

Sam nodded and looked at the fallen rope bridge, wishing they had managed to loosen some of the rope. As it was, she and Teal'c were going to have to maintain close holds on Daniel and the colonel, and there was nothing to use as a container for water. She dug through the pockets of the bulky jacket she wore, knowing she'd probably not find anything of use. Empty handed, she proceeded over to the colonel to check out his. Her inquisitive fingers brushed against something cool and almost sticky. She tugged it out, recognizing the opaque white objects in her hand right away, and remembered balling them up and shoving them away yesterday.

"Hey! We're one for two. I guess that's good, eh?" the colonel commented as she moved past him toward the river. "Drinking from rubber gloves sure beats drinking out of other rubber...things."

Now it was her turn to roll her eyes, which she did emphatically as she rinsed out her discarded gloves and filled them as full as she could before tying them off. She searched the ground, hoping something would provide inspiration to serve as rope - maybe even locate some pieces from the bridge.

"Jack, I was thinking about yesterday. We should find a way to safeguard one of us from falling, " Daniel said, unaware the rest of them were way ahead of him. "Do you think there's a way to protect your arms with only one jacket?"

At his musing, Sam critiqued the standard Air Force wear. She didn't really feel the material was sturdy enough for a straight vertical drop but on the slightly less extreme incline it might do. Additionally, unlike before they'd be going up - a slip would be easier to prevent or control. Theoretically speaking of course. Nodding, she gently set the water down, moved in front of her CO and started wrestling with the jackets.

"Carter seems to think so. Either that or she's given in to basic instinct and wants to get me out of my clothes."

Teal'c immediately insinuated himself between her and the colonel, eyebrow arched. She stepped back with a grin; she'd long since moved on from her embarrassing crush on her CO. Oh, he was still attractive...my, yes...but she was content to look and not touch. Daniel cleared his throat, and she swore she heard the word delusional cross his lips. She shook her head, getting back to business by removing her own jacket and going over to the archaeologist while Teal'c organized the colonel.

Now the problem became how to attach two people together with the bulky material. Belt loop? Not strong enough. Wrist? Too risky. She checked her own injured limb with a frown. Waist? Not enough jacket to go around. They might have to be content with securing only two of them, the colonel and Teal'c being the most obvious choices. At least Daniel could attempt to stop himself of someone else in the case of a fall.

"Not going to work, is it?" the colonel stated, the first to voice it.

She shook her head, lips pursed as she indicated him and Teal'c. Expecting him to protest, Sam shrugged her shoulders helplessly. He didn't say a word, though, just let out a long-suffering sigh. Abandoning Daniel's side, she proffered the jacket.

"It's okay, Jack. We won't need it anyway, it's just a security blanket of sorts anyway, right?"

This from the one who'd fallen twice. With that thought, she wondered how good of an idea chaining the colonel and Teal'c together was. To solve her silent dilemma, the jacket was taken from her arms. Like it or not, she and Daniel were on their own, and she had a feeling they'd also be the lead team. Well, she wasn't going to argue with that.

"We're all set. Carter, can you handle the water and help Daniel at the same time?"

There wasn't any other choice. Confidently, she picked up the inflated gloves and went to Daniel's side again, ready to climb.

~~~~~~~~

Daniel thought he had a pretty good understanding of what was happening, astonished to learn how much of the communication on SG1 was non-verbal. He didn't want to make mention of his distinct problem with hand signals, head nods and knowing looks by insisting his friends give him a play by play, but a little detail would have been nice. Sam was guiding him and he was comfortable with her lead, so he tried to stuff his tension and exhaustion driven pettiness into a nice, dark corner. Given the state of his eyesight, that wasn't difficult.

"Sam, I can carry one or both of them," he murmured to his travel partner. "Doesn't make sense for you to have that burden plus babysitting detail."

There was a slight hitch in their pace, then he felt something cold and round pressed to his left hand. He brought it gingerly to his chest and cradled it snugly. With both of her hands occupied, Sam wasn't going to be talking to him at all on the way up, he realized, and there wasn't much activity from the others either. Perhaps it was better that way, easier to concentrate. Unfortunately, he didn't have a whole lot to concentrate on, being led around took care of that. Speaking of, he noted they were slowing.

Behind them, he heard Jack grunting, apparently keeping up with Teal'c wasn't easy. The mental image of Jack tied to the Jaffa warrior like a puppy on a leash was worth a thousand words. It didn't matter how much he had to pay, he was getting Sam to spill on everything he was missing. He sobered, wanting yet again to see what his friends saw. To see anything at all.

"It would be best for Major Carter and Daniel Jackson to go first, O'Neill."

"I was just going to say that. They can find all of the rough spots first. I wouldn't want to break a nail."

Uncharitable thoughts instantaneously sprang to the tip of his tongue, held back only when he realized Jack was right. He and Sam would encounter all the bad stuff first. Fantastic. The uncharitable thoughts came back in full force as he unkindly envisioned Jack planting his face into the ground. He really needed to get out of here.

"Hey! I think I can speak for Sam when I say I'm touched by your concern. We'll try not to bowl you over on our way down after discovering a rough spot," he sniped, surprised himself at the venom his voice contained. Really, really needed to get out of here and back to normal.

There was a huge pause, a strange guttural noise, and then Jack quietly said, "You know I was joking, trying to ease the atmosphere a little."

Damn. Daniel flinched, mentally and physically. He did know Jack had a repertoire of supposedly funny remarks always at the ready, and normally enjoyed a verbal war with the other man. Had no idea why that one had sparked him as so not funny. He waded through the million things he could say to apologize. Jack was perhaps...no positively was...the most caring team leader in the SGC, and he had just minimalized that like an oaf.

"I know," was all he could get out, head familiarly turning down to stare at where he knew his feet were.

"We should begin now," Teal'c erupted as though nothing out of the norm had happened.

Daniel nodded slowly, once again missing the pat to the shoulder Jack would have given to signal all was okay as they started. Without it, and without seeing his friend's face, he couldn't tell for certain and that bothered him. A lot. Fortunately, he didn't have long to stew, as he quickly discovered he was wrong when he'd thought he'd have nothing on which to concentrate. Turned out he had to concentrate on just staying vertical. Climbing down a cliff wall on a ready-made ladder was cake compared to climbing up without the benefit of a stable structure to follow. Despite the incredible job Sam did, he stumbled often, agitated by how much fun it wouldn't be to have a rubber glove of water explode all over him. Or to tumble head over heels down another cliff.

From what he could tell, they were traveling in a loose zigzag pattern. It seemed they'd go about twenty feet one direction, stop to catch their breath, and start off again in a different one. His head was beginning to spin, especially when he remembered how crappy he was at judging distance without his eyes. He had no real clue how long they'd been climbing, nor how far they'd gotten. All he really, truly knew is that his calves were already killing him and sweat was unglamorously gliding down his face, neck and back. Hell, even his arms were sweating, Sam finding it more and more difficult to keep a grasp on his right, and the water glove wanted to come popping out of its hold every other second. He found that most of the time they scrambled rather than climbed, almost crawling up the side of the cliff.

They slowed their already snail-like pace again, and he knew another break was coming. Every time they stopped, he could feel his muscles cooling down and tightening. He bemoaned more than ever the break from his workout routine, and from the sounds of it, Jack was feeling the burn as much as he. Sam let go of his arm, tapping his shoulder once. Leaning toward her, he felt her breath gusting across his cheek and realized she was as worn as the rest of them.

God, of course she was. Just because she couldn't whine about it didn't mean she was having an easy time - that shouldn't have been an astonishing revelation. She pressed down, and he lowered his right arm behind him as he crouched, coming into contact with a large something. He sat down, ignoring how callously his body would react later.

"I don't suppose we're almost done?" he wheezed, feeling the water being eased from his grip.

"Not even close," Jack groaned in his ear on the way down to join him on whatever he was sitting on. "What, about a third?"

A third? If Daniel's heart weren't trying to beat out of his chest, it would have fallen into his feet. He might just as well have been told they were tackling Everest for the effect the words had on him. Every ache and pain suddenly became ultra sensitive, right down to the sting of sweat in his cut cheekbone. A third? There was no way...he'd be flat out crawling by the end of it.

"Please tell me you're joking again. You know, to lighten the mood?"

"O'Neill does not exaggerate, Daniel Jackson."

Oh, crap. Hours and hours of more torture. The sweat soaked band of cloth chafed his skin, making it itch and burn around his eyes. Jerkily lifting his arms, he tore it from his head, pulling a few strands of hair. He viciously wrung out the blindfold, slapping it against his thigh afterwards. Sam bumped him on his left shoulder...or was that Teal'c? In either case, he nudged over as another SG1er sat down. Small hands took his...it was Sam...and placed one of the water containers in them, but didn't relinquish the hold. He let himself be directed in even this simple task, knowing he'd probably spill much of the needed liquid all over if left on his own. He frowned. Maybe he had no reason to gloat of Jack and Teal'c getting all the good gossip - he and the colonel being handled like children would be a highly entertaining for some.

"Thanks, Teal'c," Jack sighed.

They sat for a brief spell, just long enough to get stiff. Daniel shifted off of his perch and stretched, staving the cramping. Hopefully. Debating whether or not to replace the wet blindfold, he felt Jack and Sam rise to join him. Fingering the material, he was reluctant to put it back on - the sweat seemed to pool right around his eyes when he wore it. Maybe he could just keep his eyes closed?

"Leave it off, Daniel. You've got a little redness around your eyes, it can't be comfortable."

Shoulders sagging in relief, he let the cloth slip out of his still sore fingers. Sam tapped him again, resuming her usual position on his right. So far they were doing really well, despite not having gone as far as he'd hoped. He closed his eyes and braced for more grueling exercise, fervently wishing he could devote some of his brainpower on something besides the task at hand. Instead, he reverted to letting his brain numb and allowed his body to perform as mechanically as possible.

"Teal'c, wait. Can we slow...augh!"

Jerking out of his self imposed reverie, Daniel heard Jack grunt just before rocks skittered rapidly. A deeper huff of air sounded seconds later, followed by more falling stones. Sam stopped, removing her hand and stepping from him toward the other two. No one had cried out, so he was fairly sure no one had fallen, but the lack of any sign worried him.

"Jack? Teal'c?"

"It is all right, Daniel Jackson. We merely stumbled."

"Ow, ow, ow. Charlie Horse. Left calf...help!" Jack ground out, voice tight with pain.

Wincing sympathetically, Daniel cautiously edged his way closer to the rest of his teammates. Someone stopped him as he neared, and he knelt down next to the cursing colonel, where he imagined they were all gathered. Not wanting to get in the way, Daniel sat down and stretched his own legs again while Sam and Teal'c tended Jack.

"Right there. Harder. Ah, that's better."

If he didn't know the context for Jack's garbled words, he'd think... In spite of the obvious discomfort his friend was in, Daniel relaxed a bit. How many more zigs had they zagged? He'd lost count, but had to believe they were almost done. The sun seemed to have moved quite a ways in the sky, hitting him full on the right side. Since they'd come straight north from the village, it made sense that they were now facing south, with the sun at the west. Right?

"You okay, Jack?"

"Oh, just great. Gotta mouthful of dirt, there isn't any skin left on my nose, and I think amputation would be less painful than this goddamned cramp. I knew I should have stuck with the Stairmaster."

Caustic though the remark was, he was glad for it. It meant Jack was still fighting. Remembering Teal'c had fallen as well, Daniel added, "What about you, Teal'c?"

"I have suffered no injury greater than several scrapes. As soon as we are able, we must continue. The sun is near setting, and we have approximately twenty-five feet to climb."

Daniel stiffly stood up, nearly bumping into Jack and Teal'c as he did so. Twenty-five feet was inconsequential when they'd already climbed so far. He could ignore his drained body, bolstered at the disclosure of their near completion. Sam once again resolutely took him by the arm. The mental image of the top of the cliff and an end to the torment would fuel him the rest of the distance.

~~~~~~~~

O'Neill limped noticeably beside him, face set in a deep scowl. Each of his friends, however, seemed to hold themselves more upright with every step they took. The precipice loomed overhead, tangible now. Teal'c's confidence grew exponentially; once they cleared the cliff wall, they would not have a difficult time journeying to the village. Above him, Major Carter quickened the pace, Daniel Jackson firmly in hand.

As he and O'Neill approached, Teal'c wished they had budgeted their water supply more efficiently. Only one half of a glove remained, and they had yet to travel five kilometers. With the sun's rays losing some of their strength, the temperature was declining. It would considerably aid the situation. Still, his own thirst spoke of dehydration from exerting so much energy during the course of the day. His teammates would be feeling it even more.

"We're here? Thank goodness," Daniel Jackson's weary voice drifted down.

Looking up, Teal'c watched his young teammates scramble over the top of the cliff, reaching solid ground at last. They disappeared only momentarily, Major Carter returning to peer over the edge, prepared to give assistance if it was required. Spurred by their achievement, he and O'Neill increased their pace while still exercising caution. The experience of climbing while attached to his friend had taught him much, and eased his spirit. O'Neill had shown nothing but trust in his actions. So it could be said for Major Carter and Daniel Jackson. With the bulk of the journey completed, the most difficult segment at least, Teal'c relaxed. They would return to the SGC soon.

"Hey, kids. Make room, we're coming up."

He eased onto the flat ground by his friends' sides, turning to help O'Neill complete the climb. The other man slumped unceremoniously down, lying on his bound arms and breathing heavily. His own muscles were demonstrating definite indications of over taxation, reminding him again of the lack of water consumption and its effects on their bodies. Though rest was needed, they should not do so for a long period of time, instead hasten on the trek back.

"I can't believe we did it," Daniel Jackson breathed, still kneeling next to Major Carter. She reached for the archaeologist's hand, tracking something that made him smile. "Was there a doubt? No, of course not, Sam. Thanks."

"Ditto that, big guy," O'Neill agreed, face still in the dirt. "But help me up, will ya?"

"It will not be long before the sun sets," he stated as he lifted the team leader. "We should continue immediately."

O'Neill and Daniel Jackson simultaneously moaned, and Major Carter appeared grossly displeased. Behind the instant reactions, however, Teal'c knew they understood the urgency of returning to the village, both for the return of their senses and to avoid nocturnal wildlife. His hands went to release O'Neill from the protective leash, the connection no longer needed.

"Homestretch, right? This will be a piece of cake, a walk in the park, a -"

"Ride down a slide? Geez, Jack. You need to lay off of the euphemisms."

"Shut up."

"Oooh, good one."

Teal'c saw weary determination flow over Major Carter's face, her fatigue apparent as she moved to her customary position next to Daniel Jackson. The road ahead appeared clear, and he did not feel it necessary for her to be the one to help the young man. Sensing her need for a break from the task, he suggested, "Perhaps Major Carter and I should walk ahead and clear the path for your safety, O'Neill."

O'Neill eyed him suspiciously for a moment, then surreptitiously followed his gaze to the major. Upon seeing how exhausted she appeared, he agreed, "Sure. Walk this way, Danny. Just watch where you put your hands."

And so they walked, silence again falling over them, borne of tiredness only. Occasional murmurs from the men behind littered the quiet dusk air, serving as a means to keep him focused. He estimated it would take them slightly over an hour to reach the village, and by then sunset would have passed. Teal'c hoped the Wayzata would consider them successful if they returned in the dark, as he was certain his companions could go no faster than their current pace. Even pushing, they could not return before the sun disappeared.

While most of his attention was on keeping their path free of obstruction, Teal'c frequently checked on Major Carter, making certain she opened her eyes again after each increasingly lengthy blink. It had indeed been a long day, and he was in extreme need of Kel No'reem. He speculated on what type of reception they would receive, and whether they would remain on P8C 218 for another night. It was not his desire to do so. He doubted any of his friends would wish to remain either.

"What do you know? They kept the lights on for us," O'Neill flatly commented, breaking into the stillness and making him realized they had reached the outskirts of the Wayzata encampment.

Loud calls reached his ears, voices agitated and relieved at the same time. The sky still clung to color, hued a deep blue. As they made their way to the center of the village, to the precise location of where this had all begun, Teal'c held his head high. Curious natives stared at the raggedy team, and he felt a hint of condescension. They had not believed SG1 would return; had believed he served a demon and trickster. Prior to the ritual forced upon the, he might have joined them by giving into self-recrimination for actions of his former life. Now, though, with the help of his friends he had truly accepted and moved on, knowing he was still a part of a family of sorts.

"You have come back." Tomahe's voice called out from a group of men, Ciqala and Atonwa among them. Teal'c was pleased to see their dumbfounded expressions, bordering on shamefulness as the elder pushed to the front of the crowd. "And have proven your souls are worthy."

"Yeah, isn't that great? Just like we told you," O'Neill menacingly growled, leaving Daniel Jackson to step in front of him and Major Carter. "Now what do you say you hold up your end of the bargain and fix us all up?"

Tomahe faltered back a step, seeming genuinely surprised at the vehement tone in O'Neill's voice. Arching an eyebrow when the elder did not immediately respond, Teal'c reasserted, "We have done as you have asked. We are all safe and standing."

"Yes. Your journey was not an easy one, you have been battered and you are weary. So it is with many souls. These hardships only prove to strengthen. Is this true for you?"

The question was directed to him, to which he simply bowed his head. SG1 had indeed regained their strength as a team as much as he gained individual strength. The test may have been designed to have his friends rely upon him for safety, but in truth they had survived only by working together.

"Yadda. Can you reverse what you've done or not?"

"Jack -"

"Not this time, Daniel. We can worry about being polite later. Right now I'm more concerned with getting out of here," O'Neill snapped, glaring at Tomahe. "See, we passed your test, proved in some convoluted way that we were telling the truth all along. Now, of course, you're going to have to pass our test before we decide we want to continue our relationship with you and your people. The first step - give Daniel his eyes, Carter her voice, and me my hands back. Simple."

"Ah, Tomahe...you have to understand -" Daniel Jackson began, facing away from the native. Teal'c gently turned him. "Oh...thanks. You have to understand we've been though a lot. We just need some time."

"I do understand," Tomahe sadly acknowledged. "I knew upon enforcing the ritual we would take a great risk. I also know you are a fair people, and you will judge us accordingly."

The calm rationality Tomahe exhibited took a slight edge off of the anger Teal'c still harbored against the Wayzata, reinforcing the feelings he had had on and off during the past two days. He believed no harm was meant to them; that Tomahe knew precisely the impact the ritual would have on them as individuals. It had been about more than the trustworthiness of the Tau'ri in general. For that he was grateful, but that did not change the fact his friends were still affected by the handicaps placed upon them.

"Ciqala, please bring their items," Tomahe requested. "And the medicine. You should know, O'Neill, it will take some time for your bodies to return to their normal function."

"What're we talking? Days? Hours?"

"Perhaps overnight. I am uncertain. It has been a great while since the drink has been given to anyone. You should feel immediate results."

Ciqala returned with two others following him, their belongings in hand. He handed Tomahe three vials, similar to the ones containing the original drug. O'Neill bristled, irritation still great. Teal'c felt the same, wanting to leave this place immediately. The elder approached the colonel first, as before, and lifted the vial to his lips.

Whipping his head away, O'Neill questioned, "This isn't going to make us pass out again, is it?"

"It will not."

Doubt flickered, then hardened O'Neill's face but he grimly nodded. Tomahe resumed tilting the liquid into O'Neill's mouth. The same look of revulsion wiped any other expression off of his face for a second before it was replaced with sullen amazement. Teal'c interpreted it to mean the antidote was indeed already working. Walking first to Daniel Jackson before moving onto Major Carter, the native handed them the remaining vials.

"You must drink it all."

They did as directed, and again showed signs of healing - Daniel Jackson's eyes filled with tears, some of the whiteness clearing, and Major Carter uttered a tiny groan. Teal'c lifted the corners of his mouth, and walked to gather their gear. A quick perusal confirmed nothing was missing.

"Well, we've had a blast. Love to stay and chat, but the mood seems to be gone," O'Neill burst, joining him at their equipment. "Suit me up Teal'c. My arms are still pretty much out of commission. I've got a lovely case of pins and needles, though."

Major Carter and Daniel Jackson silently came over, hastily helping to get everything situated. The younger man fumbled a bit, though it was obvious some of his sight had already returned. Together, they prepared to go, and Teal'c was conscious of the silent crowd of Wayzata circling them. O'Neill anxiously muttered under his breath, anxiety showing through. There was no threat of danger, simply a need to return home.

Standing, O'Neill announced, "Let's go. We'll be in touch."

He stalked away, not looking back. Teal'c stayed at Daniel Jackson's side, unsure of how the dark would affect his returning vision. Major Carter took up the other side and they followed their team leader out of the village. Though he could not determine why, he felt it important that they catch up with O'Neill. He guided the archaeologist loosely, urging both he and the major to quicken their steps. They did so automatically, both sets of eyes pinned on the figure ahead of them.

"S...sir?"

At the intonation, Daniel Jackson immediately halted, as did O'Neill. Though it was little more than a croak, Major Carter's voice was music. Teal'c moved around to stand next to her, placing his hand upon her arm.

"It is good to hear your voice again, Major Carter."

"You can say that again!" O'Neill crowed, jogging back to them. "Welcome back, Carter."

"It is good to hear your voice again, Sam," Daniel Jackson instantly complied, his watery eyes squinting at her.

Teal'c studied the young man to ascertain how well he could see, pleased to learn even more of the film seemed to have dissolved. O'Neill took up the same task, dividing his time between the pair. He could see movement within the sling, and thought to remove it. Shifting over, he reached to assist O'Neill, who nodded.

"Not much good yet, but I can feel them. It's a start."

"Indeed," he agreed as he finally loosened the restraint. O'Neill's hands fell to his side, but his right was lifted back up immediately, uncoordinatedly aiming to land on his forearm. "It is a good start."

O'Neill smiled, and gave similar pats to Major Carter and Daniel Jackson before he straightened his shoulders. He turned slightly, sweeping his arm to point them toward home.

"Shall we?"

Teal'c took up his position next to the archaeologist, and they continued on the short walk to the Stargate. He swiftly aimed for the Dial Home Device upon arrival, inputting the symbols for Earth. As they wormhole engaged, he surveyed his exhausted friends. Squaring his shoulders, he fulfilled his own need to see to it of their safe arrival, guiding them to walk side by side through the event horizon.

~~~~~~~~

Stepping onto the SGC ramp, Jack felt the adrenalin making a fast escape from his body. The klaxons continued to sound for an unnecessarily long time, followed by General Hammond's booming voice as he practically ran up to greet them. His head throbbed with every syllable of every word, and he closed his eyes as if to block everything out. All he really wanted was a long, hot, refreshing shower followed by a long, comfortable refreshing nap.

"Colonel? What happened? You weren't scheduled back for another day!"

Jack sighed, wishing for once the questions could go unasked for a little while first. He brought his left hand up to scrub his face and, though it was clumsy, actually managed to do it. Probably looking like a complete moron, he grinned at the general, then looked to his team again as if to confirm they were all getting back to normal. Daniel's eyes still looked horrible; they hadn't stopped watering since he'd drunk the antidote, and Carter kept clearing her throat as if she had a huge frog in it. He winced, knowing it was likely the unpleasant sensation he was experiencing was similar to what they were undergoing. Teal'c stood behind them all, removed just slightly from the hub of activity beginning to form.

When he didn't respond to General Hammond, his CO asked again, more gently, "Colonel, what happened to you?"

"Oh, you know, the usual. Abandoned on the wrong side of a gorge, falling off cliffs, into holes and rivers. Same ol', same ol'."

"And the drugs, don't forget the drugs," Daniel faintly muttered.

Doctor Fraiser pushed her way up to them, several white-clad nurses following right behind. Her hands probed his contused face, and he growled at her. She instantly backed away to tend to Carter and Daniel. He knew he should be telling the general more but all he could focus on was staying upright. Vaguely hearing the doc call out her surmised diagnoses, Jack just stared at the ramp.

"Did you say drugs, Daniel? Can you see this? Sir, Doctor Jackson seems to be recovering from some temporary blindness. Sam, is there something wrong with your throat?"

Jack looked up again, right into the general's probing gray eyes. He shook his head slightly as his CO switched his gaze to Teal'c, who remained silent and obviously uninjured. He wasn't sure how his warrior friend was handling all of this; knew the last thing he wanted to do was detail the mission while standing on the 'gateroom ramp. Hammond nodded once, attention moving to his still slightly curled hands.

"I'm sure you've got quite a tale to tell. I'd like to know how everything went from going smoothly to...this," General Hammond said with a sweep of his hand encompassing all of them. "However, it's apparent you are all exhausted, and with Doctor Jackson's mention of drugs...and all of the activity you highlighted, Colonel...I think it best if you head to the infirmary immediately."

"I agree, sir. From the looks of it, all of them are suffering from exhaustion, possibly dehydration. If drugs were the cause of the conditions they appear to be recovering from, I'd like to see if there are still traces in their bloodstream," Fraiser stated as she rejoined them.

"Sir, is that really necessary? Despite...this," Jack sighed, waving his half deadened left arm to indicate his team as they were guided out of the embarkation room. "The Wayzata are still potential allies. I admit I'm pissed at the moment, but the door's still open on their end. The doc can get her little hands on both the drugs and the cure, seeing as they might be hesitant to refuse us anything. We kind of laid a guilt trip on them."

"We can't break standard procedure, Colonel, and you know it."

Glaring at the petite and awfully smug looking doctor, Jack already knew his case was lost. Instead of a hot shower, by himself, he was going to be subjected to a humiliating sponge bath, and the comfortable nap he so deserved would more likely be restless sleep on a hard infirmary mattress. There had to be something he could do about that...

Strategically giving in to the examination and sponge bath should be enough to negotiate them getting released from the infirmary to on base quarters. Not the best upgrade, but better than nothing. Hands pressed him onto a bed, already cutting away his filthy T-shirt and poking cold fingers into his chest. Before the curtain was thankfully drawn around his bed, he caught sight of the rest of his team undergoing similar treatment.

Fraiser moved away from him, and from the sounds of it went straight for Teal'c. The Jaffa's deep rumbling voice was rather soothing, and Jack fought to open his eyes after each blink. Every once in a while he'd catch snippets of the conversation, enough to figure out the son of a gun had gotten his hands on a golden ticket - using his 'I require privacy for Kel No'reem' excuse to get out of the infirmary right away. Lucky dog always could charm Fraiser.

He ignored the invasive hands cleaning him up and prepping him for the doc's torture fest, seeming to fight over which of them got to jab him in the ass with a gratuitously big needle. He growled at the well-ventilated gown being wrestled onto him, but smiled as Daniel's overly tired voice snapped rudely at one of the nurses. Jaws had dropped throughout the 'gateroom at the younger man's state of dress and subsequent revealed stomach, something Jack studiously filed away for future teasing. He'd caught Carter eyeing it on more than one occasion during the hectic mission, a fact he also stored away.

The curtain parted, Doctor Fraiser getting back to him at last. Time to turn on the O'Neill magnetism and charisma - who cares if it had never worked in the past? He really had to convince Teal'c to give him lessons on how to handle pint-sized physicians. Purposefully making his eyes go soft, he tried to catch hers. She expertly refused to look at him.

"Don't even try it, Colonel. Not even Sam or Daniel succeeded, and I only let Teal'c go because his need for deep meditation was very evident. Everyone knows he needs absolute quiet to do so."

Huh. Little did she know Teal'c could perform Kel No'reem in the middle of a tornado, earthquake, landslide, tsunami or hurricane. And those were only the natural phenomena in which he'd witnessed precisely that. Jack wasn't about to rat out his friend, though, so he just keep puppy-dogging away. One of these days it would work.

"Seriously, Doc, I just need a few gallons of Gatorade and some sleep, and I'll be as good as new. Couldn't I get that in the comfort of on base quarters?"

"You need considerably more than that, Colonel," she softly said, finally looking directly at him.

He transferred his gaze to her hands. She was poking at his hands with a pen, apparently testing him for sensation. Now that he knew what she was doing he could feel something but before that, it had simply felt as though there was a bug crawling across them. Frowning, he wrinkled his eyebrows.

"Carter? Daniel?"

"It's going to take a while. Daniel can only distinguish large shapes and the most Sam has said is 'water' and 'where's Teal'c', and that was after some heavy translation."

Crap. Fraiser would have them confined to the infirmary for days at this rate. That left only one option, and it was a huge risk. BIG. If he got caught, he'd be in the doghouse for months, and so would his team. They'd agree with him, he was certain. All for one and one for all, and all that hokey garbage.

"But..." Jack sighed, struggling to get out of bed. He couldn't give in quite so easily, or her suspicions would be raised.

"Ah! Colonel, you know I have authority to keep you here. Don't make me put a guard at your bedside."

Feigning dejection, Jack slumped and submissively lay down on the bed as she briskly inserted an IV. That would put a minor wrench in his plan, but it was still workable. All he had to do was wait...forty-five minutes, max.

"Try and get some rest now," Fraiser ordered, drawing the curtain as she departed.

As tired as he was, Jack couldn't sleep knowing they weren't all in the same place. Couldn't until he was certain Teal'c was dealing as well as his outward appearance claimed, and he couldn't do that from here. He stayed awake by listening to and cataloguing every noise, every word spoken around him. Fortunately, there were no other patients in the infirmary, leaving him, Carter and Daniel pretty much alone. Since their injuries were negligible, and the primary treatment was to sleep, the activity in the room all but disappeared in short order.

He waited until he'd not heard movement for a straight fifteen minutes, then cautiously eased out of the bed. He gently rolled the IV stand, checking for giveaway squeaks. Breathing easier when he discovered none - he wasn't sure he could actually carry it - he poked his head out of the curtain. Coast was clear. Carter first. Of course, he couldn't quite recall which bed was hers. Didn't matter. If he ran into Daniel first, he'd just relay the plan and come back for the archaeologist after grabbing Carter. Without ceremony, he plunged into the first semi-private sleeping area.

It was empty. What the hell? Freezing when he heard soft whispering, Jack cursed. He couldn't get busted - he was a Special Ops trained colonel in the US Air Force! The possibility of humiliation at being found out by some wet behind the ears nurse was too great. He automatically searched for a hiding place, the only one presenting itself being under the bed. Uh uh. Not with the open backed gown on, forget it. That was worse than being discovered. The slight scrape of the curtain being drawn made his shoulders slump.

"Jack? There you are!"

Daniel! Spinning around, he saw both of his younger team members grinning at him. They had somehow scrounged up some robes and sweats, bare toes curling on the cold concrete floor. They were way faster and smarter than him, the cool breeze riding up his bare legs and back evidence of just that. He took inventory of their appearances to ease his own concern. Carter's wrist was securely wrapped, bandages littering her arms and face where she had contacted the cliff wall and she was pale. Daniel's cheek laceration was held together by a butterfly bandage, one of the nurse's attempts to prevent a scar, he surmised. His eyes were still watery and opaque white...but wait. Daniel was looking at him, not just in his general vicinity.

Smiling back at them, he whispered, "Jeez, don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Sorry. Did you hear Teal'c escaped?"

"Yeah. Was just thinking of joining him, you guys up for it?"

Carter exuberantly nodded her head, stepping toward him with a dark bundle in her hands. She rasped, doing a dead on impersonation of Marianne Faithful, "Yes, sir. Here, for you."

Taking the items from her, he realized they were a pair of sweats and a robe. He fumbled into both, strangely grateful neither of his friends offered help. Without another word, they stealthily made their way out of the infirmary and toward Teal'c's quarters. It seemed a little suspicious that they didn't run into any personnel on their way, but Jack didn't give credence to the thought.

They approached the door, and Carter rapped lightly on it before opening it a slit and poking her head in. Jack could see the warm glow of candlelight, and knew the Jaffa was meditating. He felt a glimmer of guilt for intruding on the personal activity, but quelled it easily. Pushing by Carter and Daniel, he entered the room to find Teal'c staring at the door as if he had been expecting them.

He indistinctly remembered the Jaffa's voice being abnormally loud in the infirmary when he had convinced Fraiser to let him out. Teal'c knew they'd come here as soon as they could. All of the mistrustful feelings, the doubt, from the last few weeks fled. His friend was truly back.

Carter and Daniel followed him into the room, no one saying a word. Words weren't needed. Not yet. Maybe not ever. The Wayzata ritual had done more than prove their souls to the natives; it had proven their souls to each other. It shouldn't have been necessary. Jack hoped it never would be again.

Teal'c nodded at them once, then closed his eyes. Jack looked around the room, not surprised to see their friend had arranged bedding and pillows on the floor. Enough room for all three of them. He promptly chose one of the makeshift beds, and laid down, head heavy with exhaustion but his soul was light in the knowledge his team was once again whole. Not even the fury of Fraiser at finding them AWOL from the infirmary concerned him as he drifted off into a much-deserved sleep.

Author's Notes: Like Grady Tripp's (lead character, Wonder Boys...a nice flick) 2600 page novel that just wouldn't end, I suspected this story was following the same pattern. I wanted this to be a quick, down-and-dirty fifty pager, then I hit page seventy. 'I can wrap it up in ten,' I thought. So, thirty pages later, I made a choice to end it once and for all. I didn't have this betaed (and am holding my hand out for slaps rigith nwo...OW!), though input early on from Denise and Cindy helped tremendously!

© December, 2001 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.