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The explosion felt like it almost took his head off and Daniel felt his sleeve grabbed. Jack pulled him faster and then shoved him ahead of him into the temple. Baal’s Jaffa had them out gunned and out numbered. He and Jack were the last of their team to take refuge in the old temple. As he stumbled in the dust and righted himself using the wall of the temple, he could see Teal’c and Sam had taken up defensive positions at the only other two entrances.
“Daniel?! Don’t you dare touch anything!” he heard Jack yelled at him from the door he had practically thrown Daniel threw. He looked back at Jack and he knew he looked hurt, but the team leader was already focused on their defense. He wished he had a chance to look over the writings which covered every wall, but they’d been overtaken before they had any warning. Jack had contacted SG-3 and they were waiting for them to back them up.
“What did you say to Baal to make him so mad??” Daniel yelled as he took his Beretta out and stood on the opposite side of Jack. It was apparent the attack was unprovoked and had come down so quickly, it could not have been a case of mistaken identity.
“That was a long time ago; what I said was about a time I was his guest, while you were still all glowy,” Jack looked at him incredulously, “You don’t remember talking to me then, do you?”
Daniel had no idea what he was talking about and stared at Jack in consternation and confusion. He knew Jack was aware of his inability to remember anything from his time among the ascended. Another explosion told them the Jaffa were advancing on their position. Daniel yelped as the back of his jacket was grabbed and he was practically thrown into the center of the room as another explosion took out the very spot at the doorway he had been standing at.
He could hear Teal’c yelling and a white light engulfed him. He knew he was screaming at the pain running through his body like lightning. Daniel didn’t know if he had been hit, but the light wouldn’t allow him to move. Not even to fall to the ground. He could still see his friends and his arms were still up in a defensive gesture. His hands were curled in agony and still he screamed.
*************************************
O’Neill yelled as he watched his best friend scream in pain and terror, while he could do nothing. He was engulfed in a white light and contained in a barrier they could not penetrate. He could hear Teal’c and Carter yelling as well and still he could hear Daniel screaming Jack’s name in pain and fear, begging for his help.
Then in a flash of a blinding brighter light and a scream from Carter, Daniel wasn’t there any longer. There was a puddle of clothing where his friend had been standing, as if he had been plucked right out of them. His glasses were lying on top, still open as if Daniel had just removed them from his face. O’Neill saw Carter lying on the ground and ran over to her. Carter was unconscious and he looked back to where his best friend had been standing just a few seconds before. He was now missing. “Daniel!!”
“O’Neill!” he heard Teal’c yell as the marines of SG-3 were streaming through the openings of the temple. “We must leave! Now!!”
“Not without Daniel!!” He yelled back. Looking back into the now dim cavernous temple gave him no reassurance of his friend’s whereabouts. He looked down at Carter’s face and seeing she was still out, looked back around to where Daniel had been. O’Neill made the decision to get the rest of his team home.
“Colonel?! We have to go, Sir!” Major Whittaker told him as he fired his P-90 through the open door. O’Neill knew they were running out of time when they could use the other door.
“Teal’c?! Carry Carter!” O’Neill stuffed Daniel’s clothing into his friend’s satchel and slung it over his head and shoulder as the Jaffa easily lifted Carter in a firemen carry. O’Neill shouted over the explosions, “Let’s get outta here!”
O’Neill made sure he was the last to leave the temple, taking a last look around for his missing Archeologist. He quietly slipped out of the temple as Baal’s Jaffa exploded into the now empty temple. Jack led his people quickly back to the ‘Gate. Anxiety and fear for Daniel was eating away at him; he was never supposed to leave anyone behind. Now he wasn’t just leaving a man behind, he was leaving his best friend behind.
*************************************
As O’Neill stepped onto the ramp, bringing up the rear, he found the ‘Gate room was in chaos of moving bodies as medical personnel took the wounded to the infirmary and the nervous, jittery movements of the marines as the adrenaline high wore down. O’Neill watched in frustration as the wormhole disengaged, the iris slicing the air and signaling Daniel’s loss.
“Colonel O’Neill? What happened and where is Dr. Jackson?” Jack turned to face his superior officer, General Hammond, as the marines slowly made their way to the infirmary, giving the last two members of SG-1 pitying glances as they left.
“Sir, we were ambushed halfway to the village. We took refuge in a temple. We took up defensive positions. Teal’c took one doorway with Carter, and Daniel and I took the only other door into the temple,” Jack said as Teal’c moved to stand next to him.
“Teal’c pulled Daniel away from the side of a wall just as some type of mortar destroyed the spot Daniel had just been standing,” Jack took a deep breath and continued on, “A bright light enveloped Daniel and he disappeared.”
“General Hammond, I must take responsibility for Daniel Jackson’s loss. If not for my error of pulling Daniel Jackson to that very spot, he would not be missing,” Teal’c confessed to a stunned O’Neill.
“General? Teal’c only pulled Daniel out of the way. We don’t know what caused Daniel’s disappearance,” O’Neill told the General in irritation at his other friend’s willingness to take responsibility, even those not his own. “Permission to return to look for Daniel, Sir?”
“In a short while I’ll have a M.A.L.P. sent through to see if it’s safe to return,” Hammond said with authority and in a tone O’Neill knew would not be ignored, “but in the mean time, you and Teal’c will go get checked out in the infirmary. I want a full briefing in one hour.”
With that, O’Neill watched as the General walked away with purpose. He gave Teal’c an exasperated glance and then preceded him to the infirmary.
*************************************
The M.A.L.P. had given them a glimpse of at least a hundred Jaffa around or near the Stargate when they’d finally sent it through. Jack cringed and growled in frustration at this latest delay in finding his friend. He was now sitting at the briefing table with Hammond, Teal’c, Major Whittaker, and Dr. Fraiser. The doctor was giving her report on the injuries to their superior officer.
“And that, Sir, brings me to the condition of Major Carter,” Janet said quietly. “Last month, I performed a full physical of the Major and found her in perfect health. However, upon her return from P38-674 she is now four months pregnant.” She paused at the gasp from Colonel O’Neill, “As this is not possible, I performed more tests and discovered this pregnancy is somehow accelerated and I estimate she will deliver this child within one week. It’s not possible to be exact on the date.”
“How in Sam blazes is this possible, Doctor?” Hammond asked in frustration. Jack could see a mirror image of his own helpless frustration.
“I don’t know, Sir,” Janet said softly and with an expression of fortitude, continued, “it’s more complicated than you’re aware, Sir. I ran a test in an attempt to determine the identity of the father and found the fetus has Daniel’s blood type. I’m going to have a DNA test run to see, but I believe the fetus may be Dr. Jackson.”
There was a stunned silence. Teal’c cleared his throat and spoke up, “General Hammond, I believe I may be able to explain.”
“I sure as hell hope you can, son,” Hammond nearly exploded in his rising level of consternation and helplessness.
“I recognized some of the writing in the temple and I believe I now know what has occurred,” Jack was confused as the Jaffa had an expression of contriteness and guilt. Jack didn’t believe he’d seen on Teal’c face since the Jaffa had been forced to kill Daniel’s wife.
“There was what I thought a myth the Goa’uld had a place in which to perform a rebirth of their hosts if a sarcophagus could not complete the regeneration,” Teal’c was looking at the table top as he spoke and Jack wondered at his behavior, not understanding it or where it was coming from.
“The legend told of the literal rebirth of the host, somehow implanted in a female, but the gestation Doctor Fraiser indicates is reminiscent of the legend of a short gestation period,” Teal’c ended and was quiet.
“You mean that in a relatively short period of time, Dr. Jackson will be an adult once more?” Hammond asked in shock. He seemed to be the only one with the ability to speak. Jack didn’t think he could utter a word.
“No, General,” the Jaffa said quietly, as if for once he was afraid to answer, “the gestation is extremely short, but the growth is a normal one and the legend is unclear if the child retains the memories of the adult.
Shock reined supreme in the conference room and Jack found his voice to ask the one question they must all be pondering “Is there a way to reverse this?”
“No, O’Neill. Once this is done, the legend says it is permanent.”
“What could have triggered this machine to operate in the first place?” Hammond asked quietly as the whole situation and its ramifications were just becoming realized.
“I believe I am at fault, General Hammond,” Teal’c said, continuing to stare a hole into the table, his knuckles white from the grip the Jaffa had on his own hands, “I touched a symbol I had not recognized at the time, at the precise moment I threw Daniel Jackson into the marked area on the temple floor.”
“I also believe it is Daniel Jackson that Major Carter has been impregnated with as she was the only female in the temple,” Teal’c said.
“What would have happened to Daniel if a female had not been within the temple at that moment?” Janet asked and Jack could see the good doctor was grasping the ultimate end.
“Daniel Jackson would have ceased to be, Doctor Fraiser.”
*************************************
Sam Carter opened her eyes to see her commanding officers standing over her and in a panic, she tried to get up in an ingrained reaction to their presence. Gentle hands easily held her down and she acquiesced. She looked and saw her doctor and friend, Janet standing just above her pillow.
“Sirs?” she asked in confusion to their expressions and something made her touch her stomach. Her eyes opened wide at the protruding bulge. “What’s going on, Sirs? What happened to me?”
“It’s a long story, Carter,” Jack said and then in succinct terms, General Hammond explained the situation to her. She lay quiet at the implications and her superiors allowed her the time to adjust as well as come to the same conclusions they had. Jack was forever shocked to actually see how fast his 2IC could formulate her thoughts as Carter came to the same theories they had, but in an extremely short amount of time.
“So in a very short amount of time, I’ll give birth to Daniel?” she asked softly as her formulated thoughts were reaching deductions no one had thought of yet. Carter had read and believed babies could hear and even feel the voice and emotions of the mother. She was intent on her friend not being harmed by anything she may say or feel.
“Yeah, Carter,” Jack was secretly relieved Carter wasn’t screaming for Janet to take Daniel out of her body. He didn’t know what that would do to his friend or even if Daniel would be aware of it. Daniel would probably find out afterward as it would come out in a mission report.
“Wow,” she said in shock. Everyone was quiet as Carter digested the information. Jack smiled as she absentmindedly rubbed her protruding belly. He thought the gesture demonstrated a protective nature in his 2IC. Carter looked directly to Janet and then asked, “How long?”
*************************************
Jack made ready to go through the ‘gate and stood at the edge of the ramp. He was standing with Teal’c waiting for SG units 7 and 4 to search the temple in an attempt to discover what had happened to Daniel. The marines entered battle ready and Jack glanced up at the control room window. Hammond gave him a serious look and grabbed the microphone, “You have a go SG-1, 4 and 7. Find out what happened to my Archeologist.”
Jack smiled at his CO’s slip. He always addressed Daniel as ‘his Archeologist’ when things were serious and dramatic with Daniel. He glanced back once and only slightly to smile at Hammond before the blue wormhole swallowed him.
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They made their way cautiously through the forest area and back to the temple where Jack had believed Daniel had been changed. They brought along SG-7’s archeologist, Dr. Bernstein, to read the symbols on the wall of the temple. Jack watched and realized he didn’t have as much faith in Bernstein’s abilities as he had in Daniel’s.
“I think I may have an answer, Colonel O’Neill,” Bernstein told him quietly. The man was sedate and annoyingly calm at all times. It was as if the man had no enthusiasm for his work. Daniel was a bundle of enthusiasm, which irritated O’Neill most times. Jack missed it.
“Go ahead.”
“Teal’c was correct in that this symbol, the sign of Tauret, is one of rebirth,” Bernstein pointed out the symbol and Jack nodded as he had a scattered memory of Teal’c balancing himself as he used sheer muscle to forcefully thrust Daniel out of the way of exploding brick mortar.
“These other symbols seem to indicate the transformation is permanent, but I’m not sure as there are symbols missing as part of the wall is missing. Most likely shot away in the attack of SG-1,” Bernstein concluded and turned back to the wall with its missing block of information. This missing block lay on the temple floor, common dust covering the floor and their boots.
Jack’s hope to regain his friend back was disappearing with the dust floating in the air. He looked at Teal’c and the Jaffa had a strange expression on his face. He looked at Jack hard before looking back at the floor.
“Check to see if there is anything else in this temple that can tell you how we can change Daniel back,” Jack said with finality as he began his own futile search.
*************************************
The blue vortex opened again, the whoosh drowning out all other sounds in its tidal wave noise imitation. General Hammond was there at the base of the ramp waiting for Jack when he came through, chilled as always.
“Welcome home SG-1, 4, and 7. What did you find, Colonel?” Hammond asked quietly with concern as he approached him. Jack was glad to see his superior officer waiting for him and his welcome didn’t appear to be tinged with bad news, other than what he was going to report to Hammond.
“Nothing, Sir,” Jack said morosely, lightly kicking the dust off of his boots before looking back up into the clear blue eyes of the General. “The part of the wall that may have had instructions on how to reverse the process was destroyed and now it’s just so much more dust.”
“That’s unfortunate and not what I wanted to hear. Come to the briefing room in one hour to debrief and then afterward, you and I are going to figure out what to do for Dr. Jackson.”
With that cryptic statement hanging in the air, Jack began his trek to the infirmary with Teal’c and the other SG units. Thoughts were swirling through his brain like the vortex of the wormhole.
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Carter made her way to her the Stargate control room, rubbing her belly as she waddled along. She grimaced as she realized how she was walking, as it couldn’t be described as anything else. She felt like a duck. A fat duck. She had smiled earlier to realize her friend was now a fetus and inside her body; that she was caring for him in a manner she’d never expected, but was glad to do.
She sat carefully at the computer. She was due to run a diagnostic on the gate system and wanted to finish before Daniel took up the majority of her time. She looked at her belly and smiled, imagining that last kick was in response to her thought. She rubbed her belly again as Daniel seemed to be calmed by her action.
She was uncomfortable and felt there were now so many demands on her time and person, but she believed she was up to the challenge. She didn’t want to trade this experience for anything. Bearing a child was one thing she didn’t believe she’d get to experience. Sam also wondered what her father would think if he’d seen her this way. She wondered when he’d next pay her a visit and smiled when she mentally created a vision of his reaction.
Hearing footsteps, she turned to see her CO and frowned. Ever since they’d found she was pregnant with Daniel, Colonel O’Neill was constantly around her and she was becoming irritated. It was as if he were curious about Daniel being inside and how she was handling it. She had begun to suspect he didn’t trust her to take proper care during this delicate phase. Her frown deepened as he seemed to fidget around the control room, without saying anything. As if he was just waiting for something, someone.
“Can I help you, Sir?” Sam asked irritably. She’d tried. She really had, but she couldn’t tone down the irritation his presence was wringing out of her at this moment. Normally, a whole squad marching past didn’t even catch her attention. Sam was aware her irritation was most likely due to her growing hormone levels, as Janet had nauseatingly explained to her at length before she’d considered releasing that morning her after three days stay in the infirmary.
“Um…,” Colonel hesitated and looked at her with uncertainty. She’d never seen that expression cross her superior’s face before and didn’t know how to respond, so she just stared at him. “Carter? Can I…um…can I touch your stomach?”
Sam continued staring at Colonel O’Neill, this time in shock. She couldn’t believe he’d just asked and for some reason she was considering it. She numbly nodded her head and he approached tentatively and slowly placed his hand on her engorged belly. He whispered, “Have you felt him move at all?”
Carrying on his whispering, she said, “Yes, I felt him move before I left the infirmary.”
“Can I put my ear there? – indicating his hand’s position – to see if I can hear him?” Sam realized Colonel O’Neill may have missed having children and was now so curious he couldn’t seem to help himself. She nodded at him again and he gingerly leaned down to put his head against her belly.
Carter smiled as he applied slight pressure against her and he was rewarded with a light kick to his head from Daniel. She covered her mouth to reduce her culpability at laughing at him when he jumped in shock and stared at her.
A smile slowly spread across his features and they both began laughing together. Colonel O’Neill said quietly with a laugh, “I guess Daniel’s being feisty is a trait he was born with.”
*************************************
Teal’c entered the SGC cafeteria and after obtaining his food, headed to Major Carter’s table. After sitting, Teal’c observed that the warrior woman was not eating the appetizing food on her plate. “Major Carter? I observe that you are not eating your meal. Do you no longer feel hunger?”
“I was, Teal’c,” Major Carter huffed as she stared grumpily at her food, “I was so hungry when I walked in here, but after I started eating, I was suddenly full.”
“Perhaps Daniel Jackson has grown to such a size that he takes up the space left for your evening repast,” Teal’c told her then of his experience of Drey’auc’s pregnancy with Rya’c. She listened attentively and nodded her head in agreement with his observations.
“That’s about the same thing Dr. Fraiser told me about what to expect,” she said with a sigh. “I can know something on an intellectual level, but when I get back to my lab and I start to feel really hungry again, I know I’ll scream.”
“If it will help, I will assist you by making sure there is always fresh fruit in your lab and come by often to see if you need nourishment,” he offered.
“Thanks, Teal’c, but you don’t have to.”
“I feel that I do, Major Carter,” he said seriously, “for if not for my actions, you would not be carrying Daniel Jackson in your womb and he would be relaxing here with us. We would all be enjoying a meal.”
Sam stared at her team-mate in shock at his brutal honesty. She also knew if she hadn’t been there, there would have been no hope of getting Daniel back. And she did want her friend and team-mate back. She rubbed her stomach and smiled at the Jaffa, “You don’t have to, Teal’c. I won’t have to deal with this too much longer and I have an idea that I will be more uncomfortable soon.”
“Oomph,” Carter whispered as she clutched her belly, “oh, did Daniel just move. You wanna feel him, Teal’c?”
Carter watched as the Jaffa’s eyes grew large, hope replacing the shock she’d first witnessed there. He slowly rose and walked to her side. Slowly bending over, Teal’c lightly placed his hand on her swollen belly. Carter smiled as Daniel chose that moment to push what felt like his head on one side, perhaps stretching out what would be his long legs on the other. She felt a distinct pushing in two opposite directions. She chuckled as Teal’c’s eyes grew round and she saw the largest smile spread across his features.
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It had been a long week and Jack was tired, but happy in a strange way. Carter had taken her pregnancy as well as they could have expected her too, but the accelerated gestation meant her hormones ran rampant. Carter had caused her own form of chaos, sending most marines scattering in several directions throughout the SGC with looks of outright panic at her ferociousness.
Walking up to the typical hospital bassinet, Daniel lay sleeping after a labor that lasted twelve hours. The memory less painful, he reminisced of Charlie’s two day labor, but rueful of Sara’s exhaustion. Daniel was all pink with blond/gold very fine hair covering the small head. Jack smiled as he bent down, picking up his newborn archeologist.
Daniel opened his eyes without crying and stared back at him with eyes Jack knew would return to the cerulean blue. Jack’s smile widened as Baby Daniel blew a spit bubble and stretched his body in the yawn that followed. Jack closed his eyes and tenderly kissed the dainty brow powdered with blond hair.
He glanced over at Carter, who had fallen asleep as soon as the medical staff had allowed her to do so, which was only after she’d breast fed a very hungry baby Daniel. Jack was relieved when the wailing had ceased as soon as he quickly latched onto one of Carter’s nipples. Jack’s smile widened as he was told this by Fraiser, who’d chased him out before the feeding had started.
Jack smiled wider as he recalled that during the week Hammond had wisely evaded Carter, who had taken her hormonal surges out on any male in her vicinity. Unfortunately for he and Teal’c, they were the usual victims. They were the ones she had called to demand they provide the absurd food request to satisfy her cravings.
Jack tenderly laid baby Daniel against his chest, rubbing his back and softly crooned to him some obscure child’s song. He ignored Janet, who smiled at him from the door to her office before she returned to her paperwork on Daniel’s birth. Jack caressed a hand across Daniel’s soft as down hair and kissed his crown, the little body relaxed further into sleep.
Jack thought back to how it was Teal’c who’d taken the entire episode with a solemn self anger. They’d returned to the planet and discovered when the Jaffa had yanked Daniel to safety, he had pushed an indention in the wall that had thrown Daniel into his subsequent childhood. The guilt the Jaffa had felt was apparent in his expression. There was air to Teal’c’s demeanor Jack couldn’t explain, but right at this moment he knew all would be revealed in time.
Being a practical man, Jack also wondered if NID would try to take his younger friend. If Daniel didn’t retain his memories, the young child would be perfect to program as they saw fit. If Daniel did remember everything, a young child would still be easy to manipulate. Jack really didn’t like to think about it, but pragmatism demanded he pay that possibility some attention.
He looked up to the twin gazes of Hammond and Teal’c. He slowly walked over and offered his small bundle to the General. Hammond gently took Daniel in his hands and Jack wondered how the General’s hands now seemed so large. He also marveled how this small person was going to somehow grow into the six-foot frame of their Archeologist.
Jack smiled as the took in the fixed stares of Teal’c and the General as Hammond brought the baby to his chest, to hold and murmur comforting nothings into the soft, pink shell of an ear. Daniel seemed to snuggle closer to the warmth of the General’s ample chest. Hammond looked up and smiled at Jack, laughing quietly. He looked down again and kissed the small head before gently passing the small child to Teal’c.
Jack watched as the Jaffa held Daniel tenderly in his extra large hands and began to sing a tune quietly in his own language. They all smiled as Daniel yawned, bunched his fists, moving his mouth as if chewing and returned to his sleep.
Fondly, Jack watched as Teal’c cuddled the tiny baby in his arms. He then smiled as he saw a tiny hand grip the edge of the Jaffa’s shirt. Teal’c began to walk around, quietly singing. His arms rocked a gentle cadence to his quiet song as Jack and Hammond looked on.