Chapter 33

Everyone assumed it would be Daniel who had the first book published. To everyone’s surprise, it was Harriman’s face they saw on display. Jack looked from the book to Walter and back to the book. Stargate.

“I did get prior permission, sir,” Walter assured him. “And the Pentagon examined the script before allowing the publication.”

“I’m sure they did, Sergeant,” Jack said. He had skimmed through it and saw his name over and over again. Daniel, Sam, and Teal’c, too, as well as General Hammond’s. “My, my, Walter, what a cleaver little bee you are. Well, don’t just stand there, son, sign it.” He thrust the book out to the airman. “These, too, for Sam and Daniel. Don’t forget the big guy.”

Walter flushed, pleased, and signed the books.

No one doubted the book would be Number 1, but it went there in a day. The entire English speaking world stopped to read. As soon as it was translated into other languages, they, too, stopped to read. Jack’s office was bombarded with phone calls. Yes, every word was true, Staff Sergeant Harriman had been accurate.

Most of the public hadn’t understood why Jack’s attitude had been put up with by the leadership, but they now understood. Stargate Command had saved Earth’s collective ass more times than they had known, and Jack O’Neill was usually at the head of the game. 

All the internet information had been sketchy at best, the staff sergeant filled in the missing pieces. Most of them, anyway. While Daniel did have a book in the works, his was more intellectual; Walter had a gift for breaking down difficult concepts and making them digestible.

The second bomb came out of Sam’s arena; not only was the legendary Area 51 being run by an alien generator that used no carbon fuels and released no pollution, Nellis and Las Vegas and everything within a two hundred mile radius were also connected to the generator. The generators were in short supply due to the materials not being available on Earth, but Area 51 was doing its best to recreate them. 

Since the public had read Walter’s book, they understood about naquadah and its importance, and were starting to piece together the entire bowl of alphabet soup and the potential benefit for the public. 

The average energy bill dropped from $200-$300 a month to $50, and that was just to help Area 51 with a few of their own bills and the expense of personnel to monitor the generator. Of course the casinos still had a larger slice of the pie and had the nerve to complain about paying more than the average home owner.

Sam’s name had been quietly thrown into the public on several occasions as the head of the team that created the ships, as well as being on O’Neill’s team and as his wife, but between the generator and Walter’s book, the public jumped into overtime. Sam’s name was attached to almost all the gadgets, including the home-made dialing device for the Stargate itself. Luckily, the reporters couldn’t get to her while she stayed in the bowels of Area 51. 

The recent interviewers were beside themselves; they had Sam for days and didn’t realize what they had outside someone who helped to create the ships. Sam grumbled that if she had been a man, they would have been all over her for details. Jack had to admit she was right. 

He made a few phone calls and got permission to release a couple of private films of her teaching pilots the ins and outs of the 302s and the 303s, and an academy film of her teaching cadets the physics, what she knew of them, behind the wormholes. Jack wouldn’t put it past her to figure out how to create the wormholes themselves.

Jack’s phone rang in the middle of his lunch.

“Now, Jack, don’t get upset,” he was immediately warned. Jack paused.

“What happened?” he asked, resigned. Landry’s angst was almost palpable through the phone.

“The locals tried to sacrifice him.”

Daniel had been asked to go on a mission with SG-9. Jack knew it was a bad idea, everyone knew it was a bad idea; he was convinced that unit was jinxed. SG-9 had reported Mayan temples.

“Daniel, didn’t the Mayan’s make blood sacrifices?” Jack asked. “Tear out beating hearts, that kinda thing?” He had been to the Mayan pyramids; while the architecture was incredible, knowing what those high altars were used for made him cringe.

“That was here,” Daniel said, frowning with irritation. “That doesn’t mean these Mayans developed along the same lines. Come on, Jack, how often have we come across people from this side of the world? Almost never. I need to go.”

Jack actually didn’t have much of a say in the matter; he wasn’t Daniel’s supervisor.

He went to the Mountain and found Daniel sleeping off a minor surgery. His chest was bandaged.

“Alright, someone tell me what happened,” he said, sitting next to Daniel’s bed. Captain Wallace stood nearby, not looking forward to the general’s visit.

“Sir, when we arrived the locals were getting ready to sacrifice a woman,” Wallace said. “They were waiting for a sign from the gods telling them to stop the ceremony. When the Stargate opened and Dr. Jackson walked through…..”

“They saw it as a sign,” Jack finished.

“Yes, sir.”

“The cut was superficial,” Dr. Lam told him. “Abrasions on his wrists and ankles from restraints. They got him out in time. Someone dialed in and requested a UAV be sent through. It scared the locals enough to let him go. A chemical was poured into the wound on his chest; we had to dig it out a bit to get it all. He’ll have a scar.”

Jack gave a stroke to the brown hair, and leaned back for a long wait. “I don’t care about a scar,” he said. “He’ll be alright?”

“Yes, sir,” she nodded.

Jack called Sam and then home to let Jerrie know he would be late. Throughout the day, people stopped by to chat, check in on Daniel, or to bring Jack coffee. Davis stopped in long enough to drop off Jack's laptop, and then returned to his office.

“Sorry, Jack,” Landry said when he came for a visit later in the afternoon.

“Not much anyone can do, when he gets something in his head,” Jack said, looking at Daniel’s sleeping form.

It was several hours later when Daniel began to wake up through pain meds.

“Crap,” he muttered.

“Is that commentary on your physical state or your summary of events?” Jack asked, relieved.

“Summary,” Daniel croaked. Jack got up and found a water cup and straw. “No pain,” Daniel said with a frown. “What happened?”

Jack gave him a rundown of the surgery. Dr. Lam came in, a tech having notified her that Daniel was awake. She checked his vitals and then looked under the bandage on his chest. She frowned, looked at the men, and then pulled the bandage up further.

“Is this your doing?” she asked Jack.

“What?”

She carefully lifted the bandage away. Except for a little bruising, Daniel’s chest was whole.

“Keep it up, General, and you’ll put me out of business,” Lam commented, tossing the bandage aside. She poked gently at Daniel’s chest. He winced slightly, and said he felt fine.

“I want an x-ray, CT, MRI, the works,” she ordered.

Jack was a little stunned himself as he looked down at his hand. He didn't feel any different. He scrubbed at the palm. It felt normal.

“General, I’d like to hook you up to a biofeedback,” she told him.

“I’m not playing guinea pig,” Jack immediately informed her. “Not now, not ever.”

“I could pull medical rank,” she warned.

“Try it,” he dared her. “There are thousands of people on this planet who are evolving, you want to hook them up, too? Whatever is happening it’s part of who I am whether I like it or not.” But was it? Nothing like this had ever happened prior to getting a double dose of Ancient downloaded into his head. He wasn't going to tell her that, though.

“All the more reason to get current normals on you,” she said.

“You have current normals as of three months ago,” he told her.

It took several hours to put Daniel through all the equipment. Dr. Lam continued to argue with Jack.

“What are you two going on about?” Daniel asked, coming back from the latest imaging. Jack told him. “Jack, I’d like you to do it.”

“Why?” he frowned stubbornly.

“Because. What if something happens to you that turns out to be related to whatever this is?” Daniel asked. “How will anyone know what’s normal and what isn’t if you don’t get tests done now? Jack, she isn’t the NID or the Trust, she isn’t trying to exploit you. You healed me, Jack; we need the normals, as many as we can get.”

Jack growled and muttered as he submitted to Dr. Lam’s tests. “You don’t even know what you’re looking for,” he accused her as she stuck electrodes on his hands, chest, and head. She paused and frowned thoughtfully as she looked at his chest. She shook her head and continued.

“Probably not,” she admitted. “But I do know what’s normal, and if something stands out, I’ll know it’s specific to you.”

Did he notice any odd disturbances in his vision when the healing thing happened? Did his hands get warm? Did they get cold? Any odd sensations in his hands? Did he think any specific thoughts? No, no, no.

When all her tests came back normal, Lam looked around. Col. Reynolds was keeping Jack company while the tests were being done. She grabbed his wrist.

“Colonel, thank you for volunteering,” she said to the started man. She looked at Jack. “He has an owie, General, heal him.” Jack saw a small scrape on Reynolds’ cheek. She attached electrodes to Reynolds. “What do you do from here?” she asked Jack.

“Well, I’ve only done it deliberately once,” he confessed. “I just…. touch.” He put his hand over Kevin’s face.

“Just don’t think you can touch my face any ol’ time,” Reynolds informed him.

“But, Kevin, you know I’ve always had a deep, secret thing for you,” Jack told him.

“Well, I sorta guessed that, Jack,” Kevin told him. “But how could I hope to compete with Daniel and Sam? I feel so worthless beside them.”

“You are worthless, Kevin, but that doesn’t make my feelings for you any less….. ow.” Jack rubbed the side of his head where a roll of bandages had been thrown at him.

“Would you like Dr. Lam to get normals for something else?” Daniel asked, leaning forward, an inch from Jack’s face.

“Ooooh, baby, with video?” Jack crooned, touching his nose to Daniel’s. “Is Kevin joining us?” Reynolds jerked his face away.

“Boys,” Lam threatened. She looked at Reynolds’ face and then back at her equipment. “The scrape is gone and nothing special showed up on the readout,” she said. “General, you felt nothing? Not even something minor? A little whisper of anything?”

Jack thought about it. “A little of that tingly feeling,” he said. “You know, that special feeling….”

Dr. Lam kicked them out of her infirmary.

“You’re a menace, do you know that?” Daniel inquired as they strode down the hall.

“I’m cute and she likes me,” Jack told him.

“Uh huh.”

“Besides, I’m not the one who keeps getting hurt when off-world,” Jack said. “So who’s the menace, Dennis?”

“Good night?” Landry said as they walked by his office.

“Thank you for a wonderful, if unproductive, day,” Jack said, taking Landry’s hand.

“Yeah, I got a small pain, Jack, would you mind?” Landry asked, tapping his butt.

“Sorry, my ass is the only male ass he kisses,” Daniel said, dragging Jack out of the office.

“Sorry, General, you can see I’m a kept man,” Jack called out. “Another time! Another place…!”

Once they were in the elevator, Jack turned to Daniel. “Will you please stop letting the natives kill you?” he begged. A couple of Marines leaving for home looked at them.

“They didn’t kill me, they only cut me open a little,” Daniel said peevishly, peering down the front of his shirt. The cold of the outside air began to reach them and they zipped their coats. Daniel crossed his arms tightly over his chest. “Hey, did you really not sense anything during Lam’s experiment?”

“A small whoosh,” Jack said, wiggling his fingers. Something was bothering Daniel, Jack decided; Daniel's eyes were flickering all over the place, a usual sign that he was upset about something. So far, none of Jack's irritating pokes and prods has snapped the younger man out of whatever was eating him. Or tried to eat him.

“A whoosh?”

“Yeah, like an exhale or the sound of the tide, and my attention seemed to be focused completely on the problem for just a brief second. Davy has a scraped knee; I’ll try it again when we get home.” They checked out with the desk and continued their ride to the top.

“I don’t think I was consciously doing anything when you were down,” Jack said. “I was thinking to myself that you had better damned well not get any weird alien infection, but that was about it. I napped for a little while. That’s it.”

“Jack, you have a natural sense of goodwill,” Daniel told him, rubbing at his temple. “You want people to be well. Unless they’re holding a gun to you. But all in all, you reach out to anyone in need. Since we are bonded in other ways, maybe something inside didn’t need permission; it healed me because you wanted me whole and healthy.”

They walked to the cars which were in a nearby lot with a few reserved spaces. Everyone else parked down the hill and either walked up or took the shuttle. One of the perks that Jack liked was that he had a reserved spot right up front.

“Sirs?” one of the Marines called out. The men stopped. “May I ask a question, General?”

“Sure…” Jack looked for the name tag, but it was hidden beneath the coat.

“Corporal Avila, sir,” the Marine said.

“Go for it, Corporal,” Jack said.

“Yes, sir. I’ve been hearing about this evolution thing,” Avila said. “Is it true, sir?”

“Yes, it is,” Jack nodded. Daniel nodded silently beside him. “You got kids, Corporal?”

“Yes, sir, I do,” Avila nodded. “Three. And they’re all doing things that should be beyond their age and understanding. My wife is afraid, sir. She’s from South America. A lot of people are afraid, whispers of the children being possessed by the devil. I’ve started hearing rumors of very bad things happening to children, and I have to tell you, sir, I’m scared.”

Jack gave the corporal his full attention after glancing at Daniel who didn't seem surprised.

“What’s happening is normal,” Daniel quietly stressed. “It’s happening to some adults, too, but it isn’t as noticeable. There are no devils, we killed the worst of them just a short time ago. Let your kids develop as they will and don’t punish them for doing what is coming naturally to them. The changes must happen for the greater good of our species.”

“Tell your wife this,” Daniel continued after a thought. “These things are coming from their brains. God gave them their brains, so God must want this to happen. It comes from God, so don’t be afraid.”

Avila nodded, a little relieved.

“Thank you, sirs,” the corporal said.

“You’re welcome,” they said. “And I’ll have a talk with the Brazilian ambassador and see what she has to say,” Jack added.

“Corporal, someone should have told you about the Kid Tree,” Daniel said. “It’s not only for the safety of the kids, but also for the parents to talk with each other. Captain Bogner’s wife, Gina, recently took over the calendar and phone list, why don’t you give them a call? I believe the next parent-kid outing is next weekend. This thing with the kids is a hot topic.”

Avila thanked him, and he and his partner continued to the shuttle as Jack and Daniel got into Jack’s truck. “Daniel, I want you to write up a release,” Jack said. “Make it honest and simple, something the common person would understand. Send it to me and I will forward it. I’ll have Paul translate them for a public press release.”

“I can do that.”

Since he was still rubbing at his head and shifting around, Jack left him alone; he probably had a headache. Let him sleep it off when he gets home, he told himself. But they were going to discuss Daniel going off-world whether he wanted to or not.

The children were relieved that Daniel was alright. They insisted on seeing his chest for themselves, so he pulled his shirt up to show them. All that was left was a small line that would soon disappear. They weren’t told the entire story of his healing; Katie had guessed, and she was proving to be very good about keeping quiet. 

It was Davy they were concerned about; it didn’t seem to occur to him that some things were better left unsaid. Davy was still concerned, though, and occupied Daniel’s lap during their evening TV watching. He kept touching Daniel’s chest, running a finger along the center line. Stacy occupied Daniel’s side, huddled up under his arm.

“I’m fine, guys,” he insisted. He kissed heads.

“I don’t like you going off-world,” Stacy informed him.

“I know you don’t,” Daniel acknowledged. “But sometimes I need to go. This was an important cultural find. We will watch them, and if there is a time in the future when they seem a little more receptive to visitors, we will try and introduce ourselves again. We scared them, so I don’t blame them for trying to hurt me.”

When Jack went into the bedroom, he was careful not to slam the door. It would wake up the baby. He showered, taking his time under the hot water, not doing much more than leaning against the wall. Not even an attempted sacrificing was going to keep him from going back through that Gate. One day Daniel won't come back, or if he does, he won't be alive. Again. 

“Are you going to prune yourself or are you going to come out here and yell at me?”

Jack shut the water off and got out, pushing past Daniel as he dried off and found his pj’s.

“Jack, I don’t do it on purpose,” Daniel told him. Jack got under the covers and pulled them up, turning his back to the center of the bed, and turned the light off. He could feel himself being watched in the dark.

“I have a vested interest in you,” he said quietly.

“I know.”

“Every time you go out, you get hurt.”

“Not on purpose.”

Jack turned his head. “I know that, but you attract attention like a magnet,” he said. “Since you won’t stay on-world for us, I’m pulling the kid-card.”

Daniel fell forward and put his face in a pillow.

“That isn’t fair,” he said, lifting his face.  “You just spent three months fighting Goa’uld, you could have been killed. Would you have stayed home if I had asked you? Would you have stayed if the kids had asked you?”

“I’m replaceable, you’re not.”

Daniel sat up quickly and pushed at Jack’s shoulder. “Bullshit!” he yelled. “Don’t you pull that fucking crap with me, O’Neill! I need you, goddammit, you are irreplaceable to ME and yet you don’t even ask our opinion, you just find the nearest spaceship and high-ho silver, you’re off!” He punched Jack on the chest. “I had the decency to ask your blessing before I went off-world, you DIDN’T! This is supposed to be a partnership, you ASSHOLE, I put a fucking RING on your finger! You promised we would discuss things and you LEFT! You left your FAMILY!”

Daniel stormed off the bed and out the room. Stunned, Jack laid there for a moment. What the hell was that? He heard another door slam and he got up, scrubbing at his face before rubbing his chest and wincing. He leaned his head between his knees, running his fingers through his hair. Two rings stroked his damp scalp and he brought his hands down and looked at them. Two rings gleamed in the darkness of the room.

He checked in on the baby who was fussing and found Jerrie tending to her. “I have her,” she said quietly. Jack nodded and shut the door.

The door to the den was unlocked, which he was grateful for; he wouldn’t have to bust down the door. Daniel was sitting on the floor in front of the small couch, his knees drawn up. Jack locked the door and quietly came down into the room. He undressed and knelt next to Daniel, reaching for the pajama tops. Daniel knocked him away.

“You can call me every name in the book, but we are doing this,” Jack quietly informed him.

“My body,” Daniel spat out hoarsely.

“You wanted to talk, we’re going to talk,” Jack said. “Get your clothes off, or I’ll tear them off.”

Daniel tore his clothes off, angrily throwing them across the room. He pulled a pillow to his chest and buried his face in it as he rocked. Jack slid down beside him.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. He put an arm across Daniel’s shoulders and pulled him over. Daniel released the pillow and put his face in Jack’s chest. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

Daniel continued to cry, his hot tears sliding down Jack’s chest and stomach as Jack held him. He opened up enough to get a hard smack in the face of the pain Daniel had been hiding. He had no idea the amount of fear Daniel had been trying to deal with, and it wasn't about the entire 'sacrifice' thing.

“I want you safe,” Jack whispered when Daniel had begun to quiet. “It would kill me if you died.”

Daniel lifted his head and glared angrily, his face wet, eyes red. “And you think I feel any less for you? You’re a self-centered asshole!”

“Daniel, you are a blessing on this world,” Jack told him. “I wish I could have met your parents, because they created a miracle. If my running out onto a battle field will make you safe, I’m going to do it.”

Daniel leaned back and stared in disbelief at him. “You don’t get it, do you?” he asked. “I don’t have a language for this, so you are just going to have to try and comprehend –I love you. As much as you love me, I love you. It doesn’t seem to occur to you that when your life is in danger, we can only stand by and watch. If Sam is out with you, I’m here alone, Jack. I have no one to understand my fear of seeing one or even two caskets. 

“You have no right to get angry with me about going off-world. I need you here, not scattered across the galaxy, so don’t you fucking read me the riot act about off-world. You said we were a team and you haven’t once consulted with me, except to TELL me what you were going to do. You are no longer my commanding officer, GENERAL, so quit giving me fucking orders and start communicating! 

“I LOVE you, you fucking son of a bitch, so keep your castle towers and let me IN! You fucking trained me as a soldier, I’m not delicate! I don’t need a white knight, you don’t go onto a battlefield without me! Asshole!” He punched Jack in the stomach and jumped to his feet. He angrily wrapped a blanket around himself and stormed across the room. Jack took a breath and rubbed his stomach. okay, maybe it was about a sacrifice thing...

Daniel continued to rage, stomping back and forth, arms waving through the air. “I am your partner, goddammit, not some screeching female on the railroad tracks! I don’t need my head patted, or my ass, for that matter! I’m tired of feeling as though I’m a blond with not much more than two brain cells! I have three PhD’s, Mister Master’s degree, and you haven’t once asked me my opinion on an Earth matter! I’m your resident anthropology expert! Today’s issue of the children is the first time something has come up that you actually asked me to help with and all you wanted from me is a letter! I have to go off-world just to get an anthro fix! You are stifling me!” He threw something across the room and it shattered against a wall. Daniel slid to the floor against a bookcase, sobbing incoherently.

Shocked, Jack sat for a moment. He stood, wincing slightly, and walked to Daniel.

“I’m sorry,” he said. He squatted down. “I didn’t know you were feeling so hemmed in. It’s a poor excuse, but I didn’t know I had to ask before you would offer an opinion on anything. Daniel, you have always been welcome to join in on council meetings, I’m sorry if I didn’t say it. I thought you wanted to be at the SGC and teaching; if I had known otherwise, I would have asked you right away to come to HomeSec. 

“My God, Daniel, anything you have to say will always be the primary opinion, it always has, don’t you know that? I always look to you first; when you don’t offer anything, I look elsewhere. Just tell me what you want. Do you want to be at HomeSec? You can start tomorrow. Just tell me.”

He hesitated before touching the brown head. Daniel sobbed louder. Jack leaned down and put his head against Daniel’s back.

“I love you,” he whispered. “I’m sorry if I’ve been going overboard on the protection. You’re mine and I want the entire universe to know it, even if that means putting my stamp of protection on you. Yes, I can get a little white knight about things. You’re not a wuss, I know that, and I’d have you at my side in a battle any day. 

“If it wasn’t for the children, I would have considered bringing you and Sam with me. I trust you so much, I place the lives of my children in your hands. Yes, I didn’t want you to die in battle, but if something had happened to the children…. I can’t go through that again, Danny; once was once too many times and losing Megan was almost as hard as losing Charlie. I thought you understood that. I should have said it. 

“I may be on the front line, but you are my defense line. If it gets through me, I know you’ll stop it. You carried my ass off the field, I know you’ll save my children. I will do my best to stop with the over-protection, if you will try and understand why I need you here. Please, Danny.”

Daniel finally turned over and knocked Jack back. Jack held him hard, a fist in his hair, continuing to whisper apologies into Daniel’s ear. Daniel finally began to quiet as he stayed plastered to Jack.

“I didn’t know you had been so scared,” Jack whispered, looking at the ceiling. “You never let on.”

“I… didn’t want you to… lose confidence,” Daniel whispered hoarsely. “I hated… you being out there. I buried myself in work and the kids so I didn’t have to think of you probably dead. I have firsthand knowledge of being the spouse of a soldier and I don’t like it. I had Sam, but we didn’t have you.”

Jack stroked his hair and pressed his mouth to Daniel’s neck. “I’m here, Danny.”

Eventually, Daniel used his torn pajama top to wipe his face and blow his nose. Jack pulled on a nearby blanket and covered them.

“Things have been happening here, too, but you haven’t asked about them,” Daniel said. “I’ve had a few studios contact me, asking for information that they can adapt for their shows. Use facts in a fictional environment. I had someone contact me with the idea of public service announcements. They were talking about aliens in general, but the announcements could easily be educational for other things. Col. Chekhov has asked me to come to Russia, the Queen of England wants tea, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, basically all the European nations, Australia, New Zealand… I’ve heard from almost every nation in the world, Jack. They all want education. The countries that have tribes are very concerned. Chekhov says he’s had reports of exorcisms and sacrifices coming from the outback, and the Chinese border is horrific.”

Jack frowned as he looked at Daniel. “What the hell has been happening while I was gone?”

“Exactly,” Daniel nodded, swiping his arm over his face and sniffling. “Hell. It’s been breaking loose. Jack, haven’t you read the reports sitting on your desk? Everyone is screaming for information. I started training my students for service here, not off-world.”

Jack stroked Daniel’s hair and pressed his mouth to his forehead. He did have a stack of reports on his desk, as well as an inbox with a thousand messages. And those were the urgent ones. He turned them over and leaned over Daniel.

“I will read them tomorrow, I promise,” he said. “I’m sorry if I do things that make you feel… less-than. I’m a grunt, Danny; I don’t think you realize how much power you and Sam have over me. I do what I need to do, and I just assume that if you guys want something else, you’d tell me.”

Daniel looked up and touched Jack’s ribs. “Sometimes that’s hard,” he said. “We want you to be happy, too.”

Jack leaned down and gently kissed him. “Tell me something recent that I fucked up,” he said, looking into the red-rimmed blue eyes. “I must have done something that brought on this blow-up, the pressure has obviously been building, so tell me what it is.”

Daniel was silent for a moment. “You countermanded me after I issued a punishment to Katie,” Daniel finally said. Jack thought about it and then nodded.

“Yes, I did, and I’m sorry,” he said. “You’re right, I’m wrong. WE are her parents, not just me. Punishment is on, we will tell her at breakfast.”

Daniel nodded and slowly slid his arms around Jack’s waist. “I know this is wimpy, but just hold me,” he quietly asked.

“It isn’t wimpy,” Jack assured him. He settled down, pulled the blanket tight around them, and held Daniel close.

Early in the morning, they woke up and quietly made love, nothing more than gently touching each other. Jack did his best to pour his entire self into Daniel as he touched and kissed the man. There was something extremely intimate about looking into each other’s eyes as they touched, something more intimate than one being inside the other.

They wiped themselves off with Daniel’s torn shirt and put on their pj bottoms before heading upstairs. The children were quietly eating breakfast, not sure what was happening, having heard the yelling in the night.

“It’s alright, kids,” Jack said, their quiet extremely loud in the morning air. “We had an argument, that’s all. We’re okay now.” He went around and touched heads and cheeks before getting his robe. He brought out Daniel’s robe and found coffee waiting for him.

“Katherine, I believe Daniel gave you a punishment,” Jack said. “I was wrong to take it away. You were an hour late for curfew and Daniel caught you. His punishment stands.”

Shocked, Katie stared at him for a moment.

“But…. that isn’t fair,” she said in disbelief, looking from one to the other. “It was only an hour.”

Jack nodded. “It was an hour in which you could have been dead in a ditch somewhere,” he said. “You didn’t even call to let us know you would be late; we might have extended the deadline, if we had known. No driving for two weeks and you stay home Friday after school until school Monday morning. Without guests.”

Katie slammed her spoon down and ran from the room. A second later, her bedroom door slammed.

“And Matthew, yes, you may have a sleep-over Saturday night,” Jack continued. “Five guests only and you may pick three movies from the video store.”

While the kids got ready for school, Jack held Olivia and got in some Daddy time before he needed to go to the office.

“Thank you,” Daniel said softly. He leaned over and pecked at Jack’s mouth before heading to a shower.

“Were there discipline problems while I was gone?” Jack quietly asked Jerrie who was clearing the table.

“A little, at first,” she said with a shrug. “Daniel may appear a little soft-serve, but the kids quickly discovered that he stands his ground. They settled. Sam was a little unsure of her place but she found her rhythm. I think she had a few parental talks with General Hammond. She’s known him a while, I take it?”

“Yes, she has. He served with Sam’s father, Jacob, for years. He knew Sam and her brother Mark when they were toddlers.”

Jerrie nodded.

“He’s moving back here,” Jack said. “He’s taking the commandant position at the Academy. Sam misses her father, and she really didn’t have time to get to know mine, so I’m glad George will be here for her.”

Jerrie started the dishwasher and Jack handed her the baby.

“Thank you,” he said.

He stopped by his mother’s house on his way to work.

“How did you discipline us without feeling like crap for doing it?” he asked her.

“I didn’t,” she said. “Made me feel like crap every time.”

He kissed her cheek and continued to work. He knew he wouldn’t like it, and he didn’t when Davis handed him a quick over-view of world events.

“Oh, my fucking Christ,” Jack moaned, tossing the paper down. Paul nodded gravely.

“It’s bad enough some of those countries are still killing female babies, but this? Entire generations are gone,” Paul said.

Jack scrubbed at his face and tuned out for a moment. World statistics were horrifying. He knew the stats for murder and suicides were up, but he had no idea the death numbers for infanticide were also through the roof. There were entire populations in Asia that were in their death knells from the lack of children.

“Send that report to Dr. Warner,” he said. “And get me… who’s the worst?... Get me… no, I’m going to pay them a personal visit.”

“Sir…,” Paul hesitated.

“Well?”

“Jurisdiction, sir,” he said. He knew the general wasn’t going to like it. “Our job is to protect Earth from invasion and, through the SGC, explore the galaxy. Anything else is outside our jurisdiction. We should inform the World Health Organization and let them deal with it. That would be proper procedure. Sir.”

“Out.”

Davis inclined his head and left the room.

Almost one million children worldwide had been killed in the past three months. Jack felt sick to his stomach. He went into his private bathroom and got rid of his breakfast. He brushed and rinsed his face before going back into his office. He sat at his desk and leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed. His phone rang. He pressed the intercom.

“No calls, Abigail,” he quietly requested. It would never have occurred to him that sitting behind a desk could be as hard, if not harder, than being in the action. At least when he was in the field he was doing something. What can he do sitting behind a desk? One million children.

“Yes, sir,” Mrs. Clark responded after a moment.

An unknown time later, the door quietly opened. A tissue touched his face, gently stroking his cheeks and eyes.

“A few times while I was growing up, I resented and hated humans,” Cassie said softly. “I was angry. I didn’t understand why you couldn’t have come just an hour sooner. One hour, that was all I wanted, and maybe I wouldn’t have been alone. If there are gods, I think they wanted me to be here, for whatever purpose. I needed Janet in my life, I needed all of you. I wouldn’t have needed rescuing, if Niriti hadn’t destroyed my world. One life, Jack, just one. It’s a blessing. You can do this, Jack; one person at a time.”

Jack took a shuddering breath and pulled her close, burying his face in her belly.

“I can’t tell you how to fix this, I don’t know,” she said softly, arms around his shoulders. “But I know you, and I know that when the time comes, you will do the right thing.”

He nodded shakily and tugged her blouse back into place.

“Generals aren’t supposed to break down in front of little girls,” he said huskily.

“That’s okay because I love the ones that do,” she informed him. She kissed his head and turned.

“Honey, I need Daniel, Sam, Dr. Lam, Dr. Warner, Dr. Wagner, the Surgeon General, and reps from the NIH and WHO,” he told her. “Our people need to prepare a presentation for the others; I need everyone here for an urgent meeting at eight a.m. local time tomorrow and keep it to themselves.” Cassie nodded and left the room.

Jack decided to close shop and work at home for the rest of the day. His main excuse was that he needed baby time. The world always seemed a better place when it smelled like a baby. He staggered into the house and found her in a swing watching Jerrie clean the living room. Olivia saw Jack enter and squealed, holding out her arms.

“Da!”

Jack picked her up and held her close, breathing in her scent.

“Did you just say that?” he asked her. He experimented with the sounds as she watched his face closely.

“Da!” she decided, and squealed in delight.

“Oh, baby, I needed to hear that,” he told her. He collapsed onto the couch and sat her up on his stomach. She bounced enthusiastically and patted his chest as she babbled.

“You left a couple hours ago, bad day already?” Jerrie asked.

“You have no idea,” he said. The house phone rang and he answered it. “O’Neill. Just write up something from the cultural perspective,” he said. “Everyone from their own specialty. Did Paul send you the quick report he gathered? It’s killing me, Danny, I tossed my breakfast when I read that report. No, I’m fine. Olivia called me Da. I felt a lot better after that.” 

Once Daniel and Sam were home, Jack demonstrated his new status as Da! and Sam took Olivia, coaching her with, “ma ma ma ma….”

After attention was given to all and the kids were in bed, Sam and Daniel worked on their reports for the morning meeting.

“Are you as pissed with me as Daniel is?” Jack asked Sam as he watched her type.

“Why is Daniel pissed at you?” she asked, not looking away from the screen. Jack told her. “Oh. A little,” she said. “But my point of view is different; I was raised in a military family and I’m military. Remember that Daniel isn’t military, no matter what he’s been doing over the past ten or so years. He doesn’t think military. As your wife, I would have liked a little discussion before you headed out, my opinion taken into consideration; as an officer, it didn’t occur to me to question it, although I would have liked to have gone with you and gotten my shots in.”

Jack was standing behind her chair and he leaned his head on her shoulder for a moment. “Okay,” he said. “I can’t stop and discuss every move I make, Sam. I have a job to do.”

She paused and turned her chair.

“Jack, you certainly don't need to explain that to me; I get it. But he’s lost the people he’s loved most in his life,” she stressed. “His parents, Sha’re, his grandfather, Kasuf, everyone. I honestly don’t think he’d recover if we lost you. 

“The next time you go gunning for a snake, just try and find a few minutes to talk with him. Give him a little reassurance. He’s strong, except where you’re concerned, and he hides his insecurities very well. You’re his lover, father, brother, best friend; if he loses you, he loses everything. He might stick around for Stacy, but it wouldn’t be with a full heart. 

“I’ll pay more attention, if something like this happens again, and do what I can, but you need to stop and consider others, too. You have a family, now, not a team trained not to question, and unless you want to find yourself with children and lovers who resent you, you need to do a better job at communicating. Use Dad as your example.”

He stretched his back and shoulders, wincing, and nodded. “Okay.”

He went down into the grotto. Daniel’s face was plastered to the computer screen, a pen lodged between his teeth. Jack leaned against the desk and watched him. He reached out and stroked a stray lock of hair.

“You’re getting shaggy again,” he commented. The hairline had gone up a little, but Jack didn’t mention it.

“I like it shaggy,” Daniel murmured. He made a notation on the pad next to him. Jack was amused to see Daniel’s notes were being taken in some sort of Arabic script; probably Egyptian.

“So do I, actually,” Jack said. He touched Daniel’s chin. “Hey.” Daniel paused and looked at him. “Enki told me that my life span has reached that of the Ancient’s themselves.” Daniel sat back, his eyes widening. “I didn’t want anyone to know because I’m kinda creeped out by it. I guess my body is starting to react to the regeneration. I also didn’t want to be confined to a cell while doctors took me apart. If I do die before you, I am giving you this guarantee here and now –I will Ascend and I will spend as much time with you as I can until you join me. I’ll come back, if I can figure out how. I promise you, I’m here and you’re not getting rid of me. No matter what happens.”

Daniel took a shuddering breath and accepted the arms around him. Jack pressed his mouth to the top of Daniel’s head.

“Get back to work,” he said. “We’ll take time together as soon as someone gets the ball rolling with this mess. Our major informed me that I’m not that person. He’s a little irritating, sometimes.”

Neither Daniel nor Sam got any sleep as they hustled to put together as much information as they could. They already had reams of notes; it was simply a matter of putting them into context for their meeting with the heads of various health organizations. 

Daniel wrote from a cultural view, how different cultures would probably react and suggestions of ways to counter-act, along with a proposed public statement that was written at an eighth grade level for the Western countries, and a third grade level for the third-world countries. 

Sam wrote from a physics view, Dr. Lam from a medical view, and Dr. Warner was putting together examples from various imaging techniques along with footage of children and adults working on a level that they had previously been unable to attain. Jack knew some of the footage of brain activity, neurons lighting up, were his own. All identification would be removed from the images.

Jack watched Davy sleeping and felt a heavy heart. Other than growing out of his allergies, Davy had shown no signs of advancement.

In the morning, they rushed to Jack's office. Enki was waiting for them, dressed in his Tau’ri best, which looked odd on him, causing the others to stop and stare. 

“Are you sure I'm needed for this?” he asked. He tugged at the neck of his shirt, trying to loosen the tie.

“No,” Jack admitted. “But you know more about this than we do, so I need you here.”

Their guests from the World Health Organization, the National Institutes of Health, and the US Surgeon General’s office were all having a hard time with the information they were receiving. They agreed that there was a sudden surge of infanticide worldwide, but they had been putting it down to shock from the knowledge of aliens present in their lives. 

Jack’s side of the table was becoming irritated with the titanium wall they were hitting from the other side of the table. The visitors refuted every single piece of evidence Jack’s people came up with. Daniel finally stood so hard and fast that his chair teetered before righting itself as he went to pace the side of the room.

Dr Thorn, from the WHO, held up a hand. “I understand your frustration, I really do,” he said. “Think about it this way: it’s been almost three decades since we began educating Africa about HIV and AIDS. The numbers are still increasing despite the education. Men, women, and children are dying from a preventable disease all because they refuse to accept the education and adjust their culture. How do you propose we stop an entire country in the throws of hysteria? 

“We can’t even get the Middle East to behave, and they’ve been at each other’s throats since the beginning of time.” Enki cocked an eyebrow and gave a silent, reluctant nod. “Give us the magic word, Dr. Jackson, please,” Thorn said.

Daniel looked out the window for a moment and then stormed out of the room. There was silence.

“The problem with the hysteria of those indigenous peoples isn't just their lack of understanding.” The doctors looked at the odd older man. “And you know it, gentlemen. The problem comes in the form of orthodox religions coming in behind you and telling these highly superstitious people that God is punishing them, and will continue to do so unless they obey.”

“We cannot stop countries from allowing spiritual groups inside their borders, if that's what they want,” Warner said. “We have no say in the matter. Health organizations pass out truck loads of condoms, women -girls as young as twelve, mind you- are given birth control. For free. And these groups convince them that it's poison. Africa is littered with unused condoms and birth control pills, General. What would you like us to do about it? These people understand divine punishment, not science, and if educational groups go in and tell them that the religious groups are wrong, there will be fall-out. And now you want us to convince them that their children are perfectly fine?”

“Actually, that's exactly what you should tell them,” Enki said, pointing his finger in emphasis. “You tell them the truth. Because I can tell you now, gentlemen, and ladies, anyone who doesn't get with the program will be left behind. You have allowed organized religions to run ram-shod over this world for thousands of years, and it's time to grow the hell up.”

In shock at the cold words, Wagner gaped. “You are talking about war, Mr Enki! We cannot and will not force anyone to accept science OR religion! Just what are your qualifications for this meeting, anyway? Who are you, sir?”

Enki sat back, gave his beard a stroke. “I could say I'm God, but that might make things worse.”

“Alright,” Jack jumped in. If Wagner's face became any redder, he might gave an aneurysm. “Dr Enki is more than qualified to be here, so let's leave it at that. Can we return to this education thing, please?”

Thorn sat back, pursing his lips in thought as he looked at the old man in speculation. Jack decided to not take Thorn for granted; the man was seeing too much that wasn't said. 

“I’d like to look at the developmental reports that you have shown us,” he said. “I can see something physical in the imaging you have shown us, I don’t deny that, exactly what we are seeing remains to be seen. Test scores have certainly taken a dramatic leap across the board; my own grand-daughters, five and seven, are working on subjects beyond their years. A few of these reports, though, contain instances of what we would term ‘the paranormal.’ 

“How do we justify someone claiming to see inside a body without equipment, or someone reading the thoughts of others? Those things cannot be proven in a scientific manner; they are a matter of belief, not science. If those are the kinds of things that are happening in these countries, I can understand why indigenous peoples are afraid of their own children.”

“Are you saying you don’t believe the reports?” Sam asked him.

“No, Dr. Carter, I’m saying prove it.”

Jack looked at his note pad which was covered in geometric patterns commonly called scribbles. “Cassandra? Dr. Thorn is sounding a little parched; would you mind?” He gestured toward a water pitcher at the end of the table. He gave her a nod. The pitcher moved on its own accord down the table, poured neatly into the glass before the man, who was now as white as a sheet, and settled back onto the table without a drop being spilled.

Their guests were pale in the silence of the room.

“There are no cameras on, doctors,” Jack said quietly. “And as Daniel would say, denial is more than a river in Egypt. I need a volunteer.” He leaned forward, staring intently at Thorn. “Dr. Thorn, will you trust me?”

Thorn considered him for a moment, and then gave a nod. Jack stood and opened the door. He spoke softly to the SF outside and came back in, shutting the door. He had a pocket knife in his hand.

“May I see your hand?” Jack asked, standing over the man. Thorn looked from the knife to Jack and then held out his hand. Jack sliced the skin in the palm. The other doctors gasped and jumped to their feet.

“Down!” Jack barked. They sat. “Dr. Thorn, please verify that your skin is indeed open and that the red stuff isn’t fake.” Slightly shaky, Dr Thorn examined his hand and then nodded. Jack offered the other doctors the chance to examine the hand. They all confirmed a clean cut, a centimeter deep. Dr. Copeland grabbed a towel and made for Thorn’s hand. Jack snatched the towel away and put his hand directly on top of the bleeding gash. A moment later, he removed his hand. He poured water onto the towel and handed it to Thorn.

“Go ahead,” he said. Dr Thorn carefully cleaned the blood away and stared at his palm. Not a line remained. His colleagues examined him also and then sat to stare in disbelief at Jack. “There are still no cameras working in here,” he reminded them as he cleaned his hand of the sticky blood.

“You are insane, General O’Neill,” Dr. Wagner hoarsely informed him.

“Probably,” he said. “If you will excuse me for a moment.” He walked out of the room.

Jack slammed his office door and went to stand at the window, scowling at the peaceful open field covered in a late snow fall. Daniel was sitting on the window sill next to him, quietly contemplating his coffee cup.

The door quietly opened as Sam came in. Paul came in with Dr Thorn behind her. The doctor went to them and leaned with his back to the wall next to Jack. 

He took a deep, thoughtful breath. “General, there isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t spend a small amount of it angry at the way this world has been managed,” Thorn said in a low, assuring voice. 

“I cannot help someone who doesn’t want to be helped. If someone is standing on a ledge with a gun pointed at their own face, I cannot help them without their permission. They have got to WANT it. 

“Look at this another way –you went out to fight bad guys only after the victims asked for help, didn’t you? How many lives would have been saved if you had taken it upon yourself to go out and hunt them down before you were asked for help?” Jack looked at him. “It wasn’t your place to force your personal morals and ethics upon others, was it? You know as well as I do that help has got to be wanted, not forced. If you force it, that makes you the dictator, doesn’t it?”

“Where’s the line?” Jack asked.

Thorn shrugged. “Sometimes we need to stand back, far back, before we can see the line. Once it is visible, then we can work with it. The line isn’t visible, yet, Jack. If you cannot bear witness, turn away until you can find the strength to help pick up the pieces.

“I believe you, everything you and your people have presented, I really do; my faith lies deeper than the shallow ground. I will present as best I can to the Director-General, and I will advise that educators be sent into the worst of the affected areas. That’s the best we can do. If the countries, or even a single person, asks for help, we will give help. No questions asked. I give you my promise. But we cannot force them.”

Jack saw deer far out at the timber line and watched them.

Jack knew he’d be receiving a phone call sometime before bed. It came thirty minutes after the doctors left HomeSec. Whatever Enki had said to them in private, they went away thinking instead of ridiculing.

“Henry, I don’t know what Dr. Wagner was talking about, he seemed a little reluctant to do a dammed thing to help with this situation,” Jack told Hayes. “We showed them all the facts we had, that’s it. I don’t know, Dr. Thorn said he’d help. Hell, Henry, what’s more concrete than x-rays and his own granddaughters? Two. What about your grandkids, aren’t they doing weird things? Well, then, see? Whatever happened to seeing is believing?”

Declaring it Happy Hour, his people poured into his Jeep and headed home. “Was that really an argument that needed to be started?” he asked as they left HomeSec grounds.

Enki pursed his lips. “This is a battlefield, Jack; choose the battle, don’t let it choose you.”

Jack knew that lesson only too well and it was one he hated. He was only one person, he understood that. How the hell was he supposed to stop entire countries from committing genocide? 

He found himself staring down at the Earth as a whole, seeing only the beautiful blue orb, greens and browns, white clouds; the most beautiful planet he had ever seen, if he wasn’t being too biased. A few spots darkened the ozone, damaging the picture, bringing memories of other worlds he had been to, people who destroyed themselves with pollution and weapons. When push came to shove, nature shoved hard.

The children were happy to see Enki and they kept him occupied until dinner. When the doorbell rang, Sam answered it, surprised to see Dr Thorn on the other side. She invited him in and introduced everyone. Olivia regarded the stranger, decided he was okay, and permitted him to hold her hand.

“Beer?” Jack asked, sipping a beer as he leaned against the kitchen counter.

“No, thank you,” Thorn said with a soft smile for the baby, his experience showing.  “Water would be good, though.” Jerrie went to fetch a glass for him. “I don't mean to intrude; I was wondering if I could speak privately with you about medicine on other worlds. How they have handled their epidemics. Would that be alright?”

“Sure,” Jack said. “But it's Sam and Daniel, you'd want to speak with on that, Doctor; I know what band-aids are for.”

“Gabriel, please,” Thorn invited.

Davy came in, munching on a carrot. He leaned into Jack’s side and shyly pushed his head into Jack’s waist. Jack gave his soft cheek a stroke.

“This is my little man,” he said affectionately. “He used to be a very sick little man.” Jack told Gabriel about Davy’s past with allergies. Gabriel nodded thoughtfully as he looked at the boy.

“I’ve seen a few cases,” he commented. “The body’s wiring gone wild. But you can eat everything now?” he asked Davy. The boy nodded.

“Daddy fixed me,” Davy informed him. Gabriel looked at Jack just as Jack was looking at Davy. He hadn’t realized Davy knew about the odd things that had been going on.

“I was considering whether or not I should ask,” Gabriel said to Jack.

Jack leaned down and pecked Davy’s head. “Go,” he said, scooting the boy. Davy left the room and went to find Aba.

“I don’t know how I’m doing it, or even if I'm doing it,” Jack quietly admitted. “I don't think so, not his allergies. Cuts and scrapes, yes, but not that. This whole thing is recent, though, and I certainly don’t have a history of these kinds of things.”

“There must have been an event that precipitated this,” Gabriel said, frowning. “I can’t believe you woke up one morning and started healing people.”

“No, there was an event,” Jack said. “It’s one of those things still under very tight security. I healed someone of a serious wound once, unconsciously, and it stopped for a couple of years. It started up again this past year. I honestly have no idea how I’m doing it. Dr. Lam found activity in parts of my brain that….”

Gabriel snapped his fingers. “The CT that was lit up like a Christmas tree,” he said. “Subject A. That’s yours, isn’t it?”

“I will never testify to it,” Jack warned.

Gabriel held up a hand. “Patient confidentiality, Jack,” he promised. “I don’t suppose you would consider….”

“No, I wouldn’t. I don’t foresee martyrdom in my future, only grandchildren.”

Gabriel heard the conviction and didn’t push it. “Why aren’t more adults doing these new things? Any ideas?”

“None of my own,” Jack said. “Sam feels that not everyone is changing, nor will they. Enki is of the same opinion. Davy has a cognitive problem, and I haven't noticed anything happening with his brain.”

“Sorry, Jack, but I think you’re wrong,” Jerrie said, surprisingly, from the table she was setting. The men looked at her. “He may not be upping his IQ points, but I think he’s developing those other senses just like some of the other kids. I think he’s doing that empathy thing that you can do. Remember the discussion about him seeming to read people’s heart? He’s pure, Jack; he sees the truth.”

“Empathy, too?” Gabriel asked. Jack reluctantly nodded.

“I’m sorry, I thought he knew!” Jerrie said, horrified that she had let loose a house secret. Jack waved her off

“It's a recent thing,” Jack said, not ready to bring the man into the fold. But he had a feeling Gabriel would be joining them. 

There was a knock at the front door and someone in the living room answered it. A moment later, “Dad!” Matthew yelled. “It’s for you! Malek and M’Net!”

Jack raised his eyebrows and went into the living room. The two were exchanging greetings with Enki.

“Don’t yell, Matt, just come get me,” Jack said. “Mal, phone not working?” Malek thought about it and decided to put it aside. “M’Net, how’s it hangin’?” He knocked paws with the big cat.

The Sua glanced back at his tail. “Close to the floor?”

Children snickered.

“Scram,” Jack told them. The children scrammed. “So, boys, what’s up?” Jack sat next to Sam who had been coloring with Stacy. “Hey, no one called me, how did you get here?”

“Al'kesh,” Malek said. “We were only a few light-years away.”

Jack nodded. Malek sat as M’Net took the baby from a very startled Gabriel. Olivia screeched happily and took fistfuls of fur as he nuzzled her cheek with his nose.

“Where’s T’Keet?” Daniel asked.

“With her family,” M’Net said. “K’Nm, sister to N’Sa, has taken T’Keet. K’Nm is young; she is considering taking me as her consort. T’Keet has expressed a wish to keep us together. It pleases me.”

“You don’t have a say in it?” Daniel asked. “You are her parent, she can’t stay with you?”

M’Net considered it. “Cubs belong to the mother and her family. There is precedent for a consort raising the cub on his own,” he admitted. “And I would welcome it, but she needs a whole family, her clan. The destruction of our village was… T’Keet misses a mother and consorts. I miss N’Sa and my brothers, too.”

Daniel reached over and squeezed a paw. “I hope K’Nm does choose you,” he said. “She will be gaining a wonderful gift.”

M’Net flicked his ears. “Thank you.”

“M’Net is also the Sua representative to the unification council,” Malek said. “They will be requesting protectorate status as soon as the peace treaty is ratified. There was a lot of talk over the choice of him, but it was decided that since he already spoke both Tau’ri and Goa’uld, and his extensive experience with you, that he would be the appropriate choice. He will be reporting directly to the high queen.”

“Great!” Jack exclaimed. “How many worlds does that make?” He knew most of the worlds were going to be protectorates; until they were able to adequately protect themselves, they were going to need help. A few had decent ground troops which gave them the pride to sign on as full members. The main council of the unification was Chulak, the Tok’ra, Langara, Kalam, Serrakis, Mulakma, and Taklede. 

The last two Jack hadn’t met, but he was told that they both had air vessels and managed to stave off many attacks from the Goa’uld in their section of the galaxy. The two groups were neighbors who discovered that they needed each other’s help, when they weren’t fighting with each other. These seven were making the main decisions on the treaty before it was signed.

“Thirty-two,” Malek said. “There are six more currently considering the proposal. We are very close to the final negotiations over the treaty; it was written with great skill, so there hasn’t been very much to alter. Well done, Daniel, we are all in your debt for such a masterful document.”

“You’re welcome,” Daniel said, slightly embarrassed.

“We would like to know if Col. Carter can,… what is your expression… come out to play?” Malek said. “During the clean-up of remaining Goa’uld, Anubis’ storehouse was discovered.”

There was a squeak from Jack’s side. “Can it wait?” he said, amused. “Katie’s birthday is next week.”

“Since Col. Carter is the only one who seems to understand these things, they can wait,” Malek said. “What is ‘birth day?’ Is Katie not already born?”

Daniel explained the celebration. Malek and M’Net thought about it. “Tau’ri have strange customs,” Malek finally said. The Sua agreed.

“We brought tokens,” Malek said. He reached into the pouch at his waist and brought out several small devices and handed them to Sam. “These are always useful. We kept a few for ourselves.”

Sam was thrilled as she slipped the small healing device over her fingers. She concentrated and a small blue beam sparked from it. “Thank you, Malek,” she said with a delighted grin.

“What is it?” Gabriel asked.

“A healing ribbon,” she said, making it spark again.

Gabriel leaned forward with interest. “Will it heal anything?”

“I don’t know,” Sam admitted. “Malek, does it work on diseases or just physical injuries?”

He thought about it. “Just physical injuries, I believe,” he said. “No, let me clarify; it can heal a physical injury caused by a disease, but not the disease itself. It mends tissue.”

“Can anyone use it?” Gabriel asked.

Sam shook her head. “No, only someone with a specific DNA marker,” she said. Gabriel was clearly disappointed.

Malek and M’Net stayed long enough for dinner and then took their leave. Daniel put several pieces of fruit into a bag and handed it to M’Net to take home to T’Keet. The seeds within the fruit were being saved, dried, and nurtured to see if they can be grown in their home soil.

Enki had been relatively silent during the evening except for attending to the children. Once in a while Gabriel would look at him, curious. Sometimes even Jack forgot the old man was present.

After dinner the adults retired to Daniel’s den. Gabriel was amused at the picture of the lion on the front of the door; he got the joke. Olivia was the only non-adult present and she was happy to play on the rug, attempting to scoot herself from one place to another. She hadn’t quite gotten the hang of knees, but she did belly-scoots just fine.

“I don’t know where to start with the big feline,” Gabriel said. “So, what’s with Malek’s voice? Dual vocal cords?”

“Only when the symbiote is talking,” Sam said. “We very rarely hear from the host; he has a regular voice.”

“And the symbiote?” Gabriel asked. “I thought those things were the bad guys?”

Daniel did his best to explain the different queens and parentage. Gabriel leaned back in the chair, absently watching the baby. Daniel leaned down and took a piece of fuzz away from her; it was on its way to her mouth. She scowled at him.

“Jack, the more open you are with me, the more I can help you,” Gabriel finally said. “I understand about secrecy, I know where more skeletons are buried than you would guess. I know that a lot was not said today. And why do I have the feeling that Mr. Enki here is more than a kindly grandpa?”

“Just Enki,” the old man said easily. He stared at Gabriel for a moment. “Jack, reach in to him. Not just his surface emotions, deeper; sense the river they are flowing from.”

Jack rubbed his face noisily and blew out a puff of air. He stood and went the couple steps to Gabriel’s side. 

“Would you mind?” he asked, holding out a hand. Gabriel gave him a hand. Jack immediately sensed a great curiosity followed by a slight shiver of dread. He saw a cord and followed it. An attraction to him, knowledge that he was unobtainable, amused acceptance, a longing for the healing device, a brief image of a small, emaciated child, lifeless, frustration, anger, a brilliant love, laughter of children.

Jack stepped back. “Gabriel, it will be considered treason if you disclose this information. Daniel, would you please start?” he quietly asked. Sam and Daniel looked at each other.

Several hours later, Gabriel was leaning back in his chair, white faced, wide-eyed, and wrung out from the debriefing.

“Dear Lord,” he whispered. Jack handed him a glass of something amber and Gabriel downed it in one gulp. “This is more than cops and robbers with space ships,” he said. Jack nodded. “You were right to keep this from the public. The data will be disseminated; I think Daniel’s summary will do nicely. I think I’d like to change a few things in it, though, just down-play the language a little more. 

“I cannot do anything overt with countries, Jack, you know I can’t; it would constitute my invading someone else's property. I will do what I can around it. I, also, have information that isn’t public knowledge; the Director-General is stepping down and I’m taking over. Shortly. I promise you, to the best of my ability, I will do all I can to help. You will have one hundred percent of the World Health Organization at your service.” He kept staring from Jack’s head to Enki.

After Gabriel left for his hotel, they bedded Enki down for the night in the den and went up to bed.

“Was that the right thing to do?” Daniel quietly asked.

“I hope so,” Jack said, striping off his clothes. “When I went inside, I felt nothing except a great need for well-being. There was a vastness inside of him. The only thing I can think of is an unending cargo bay filled with information and he has the only key. We could use a medical director for HomeSec and SGC; I’d ask him on board, if I thought he’d take it, but I think he can be of more use where he’s going.”

Daniel slid his arms around Jack’s waist and held him. Jack paused in his dressing.

“I’m sorry,” Daniel said against his shoulder. “I’ve been selfish, thinking of my needs when you’ve been thinking of the entire world.”

Jack held tight to him. “No, you haven’t been selfish,” he said. “I blinded myself. My first thought should always be for home. I will help guide the unification; the world will evolve as it will. The information is where it needs to be, let the experts take care of it.”

He took Daniel’s face and kissed him, sucking gently and licking at his lips. He laid Daniel on the bed and moved over him. When Sam came out of the shower, they pulled her in.

In the morning, Jack stopped Katie on her way out the door.

“I’ll be late,” she said.

“I’ll take you,” he said. “I want to ask you something. Just how much can you read off people?”

Katie thought about it, looking at the ceiling. “It’s like, when I look at someone, sometimes I see a dark spot in them. I can’t actually see bones and organs and stuff, I can only see if something is off. Like, last week I looked at Mrs. Lewis, my math teacher, and I saw a dark spot over her jaw and the other day she had to leave school early because she had a dentist appointment.”

Jack frowned. “So, you just look at someone and you see it?”

She shook her head. “No, it’s more like I look just past them, not directly at them, and if something is wrong, I see a dark spot out of the corner of my eye.”

He nodded. He felt a hesitation in her. “What is it?”

“I talked with my guidance councilor,” she said. “He’s going to get me a tutor.”

Jack frowned. “A tutor? For what?” She had no need for tutoring, not with her grades.

“Pre-med courses; I’m going to take the M-SATs.”

Jack looked at her. He put his mug down and lifted her high with a yell. She laughed and he peppered her face with kisses. He pulled back and lifted his head.

“Don’t think this is getting you out of a grounding, Miss Thing,” he informed her.

“That’s Dr. Thing, to you,” she said impudently. “And when I graduate as the best doctor in the country, you are going to hire me.”

“Ma’am, yes, ma’am!”

Sam drove her to school with excited chatter while Jack informed Olivia that her big sister was getting too big too fast. Olivia offered him her bottle.

Daniel took Enki to school with him as a treat for his class, so Jack relaxed until Jerrie got back and could take over with the baby. Maggie came over and Jack told her Katie’s news.

“Her mother and your father would be so proud,” she said. Jack agreed. He knelt on the floor and laid his head in her lap. She stroked his hair. “Jack, I don’t know what’s going on with you, and I’m not sure I want to know,” she said. “I will say this, though; one day at a time, sweetheart.”

Even big, bad generals needed their mommy. Jack felt better by the time he got to work. 

He called Hayes and let him know that Dr. Thorn was completely in; Maynard wasn’t happy about it. He then told Paul that they were handing over the evolution reigns to Gabriel while they concentrated on the unification.

Several more alien representatives called on Jack, each with the assumption that their need was important enough to come calling on him instead of dealing with the main council. He turned them over to Paul and Cassie.

“Can I change my address?” Jack asked the ceiling.

He left the building to go and visit the Academy. They had a new general. Students and staff snapped to attention when Jack walked in. He returned salutes and waved them down.

“As you were, kids,” he offered. A helpful cadet escorted him to Hammond’s new home.

“Jack!”

“Nice place, George,” Jack said, taking his hand and looking around. The office furniture was dark and warm, the walls a rich umber. Hammond was decorating with medals and photographs. A picture of his girls was prominently displayed on his desk, and Jack spotted one of himself and SG-1. The cadet was wide-eyed when he left the generals. Jack held out a small box. Hammond looked at it and chuckled.

“I need candy like I need a hole in the head,” Hammond informed him. He took the box anyway. “I cannot believe I’m doing this, Jack, I must be out of my mind.”

Jack sighed and updated him on current events. When he was done, Hammond was staring at him.

“What would Jacob have said? Holy buckets?” Hammond asked. Jack chuckled and nodded. “Wow, Jack, you’ve been a busy boy. Just do me a favor? Don’t over-work Abigail; we have a date tomorrow night.”

“You’re a dog, George.”

Jack did a little shopping, picking up things for Matthew’s sleep-over, food that would be absolutely bad for growing boys and the videos Matthew had requested. He picked the kids up from school and noted a slightly absent look on Katie’s face. When they got home, he directed Matty and Stacy to put groceries away, and took Katie by the hand and led her into his office. He shut the door.

“Who is he?”

“Who?”

“The boy who put that look on your face,” he said, waving a finger. She flushed.

“Isn’t there some sort of rule about rummaging inside of people?” she asked him.

“Yes, there is,” he said. “It isn’t my rule, but I agree with it, usually, and I didn’t rummage, I guessed and you just confirmed it. Spill.”

She stamped a foot and turned to look at his books. “Esteban, okay?” she demanded.

“Okay,” Jack shrugged. “Are we meeting him? No, I’ll rephrase –when are we meeting him?”

She opened her eyes wide. “Oh, God, please don’t zat him,” she begged.

“No zatting,” Jack promised. “Are you sleeping with him?”

Katie flushed. “No,” she said. “We haven’t even been on an official date, yet.”

“Okay,” he said again. “Honey, I can’t control your body, it’s yours and you’re a big girl. Seventeen next week. All I can say is to ask you to rethink any decision to sleep with anyone until you are a little older. Put your future first. You want to be a doctor? You’ll never get near it, if you don’t set priorities. Boys are not a priority, no matter what your hormones are telling you. I can’t stop you, though, so if you do decide to sleep with him, make sure you’re up to date with your pills and make sure he wears a condom. No party hat, no party. And if you’re going to spend the night with him, don’t lie to me; just tell me you’re spending the night with him. Promise?”

“I promise,” she nodded.

He kissed her forehead. “Good girl. And if he hurts you, I will zat his ass.”

Matthew was clearly excited in the morning, waiting for his friends to show up for their sleep-over. Two boys were military, the other three were not. He was not happy about having to include his little brother, but Jack insisted; Davy loved his big brother and wanted to be part of his circle. 

Two of the boys lived nearby, so they were over before cartoons ended. Jack greeted parents at the door and sent the boys upstairs. Jerry Bosco showed up with Vinnie and Corp. Standard’s son, Dylan. The corporal was a single parent and on duty, so Bosco offered to drive Dylan over. Jack patted heads and sent the boys up with the others. 

Jack unconsciously clasped forearms with Bosco instead of taking his hand. They went into the kitchen and sat at the bar stools, pouring mugs of coffee.

“How’s the new team working?” Jack asked.

Bosco gave a nod. “It’s coming together,” he said. “I think Zane will be alright with a little more field training, and Lukas seems to be as eggy as Daniel. A little more attitude, though.”

Jack understood; Harold Lukas tended to rub Jack the wrong way whenever he was over consulting with Daniel about something.

“Has Reynolds settled on a 2IC, yet?” Jack asked.

“Not sure,” Jerry admitted. “His latest, Capt. Brogan, seems to be doing alright; the colonel hasn’t said anything different to me. Molina is a quiet guy, keeps to himself, but he’s proving to be a decent guard and he can be counted on.”

SG-1 had lost three people in the Baal battle, and SG-3 had lost two. Nyan had been beside himself when Reynolds came home alone, and after the funerals they had gone out and gotten drunk together in a bonding moment. 

To Jack’s surprise, the seemingly delicate Nyan had taken well to team duties, although he was still a little slow with weapons. Reynolds had insisted on leaving Nyan home, instead of bringing him out to the battle, a choice even Daniel had been grateful of.

“Jack, who’s this person Daniel’s been bringing in to the base?” Bosco asked.

“Which one?”

Jerry was a little flustered. “I am ninety-nine percent sure this person used to be a man,” he said. “Ronnie Johnson.”

Jack nodded, slightly amused. “Ah, yes, Ronnie,” he mused. “Daniel’s current pet student. Interesting, isn’t she?”

“She?” Bosco stressed. Jack gave a warning shake of his head.

“Don’t, or you will get an earful from our Dr. Jackson on the subject of respect and self-determination.” He dug at his own ears with a finger and Bosco chuckled in understanding. “According to Daniel, she’s a heaven-sent gift and we should be thankful to have her. Besides, Olivia likes her.”

Jerry went to the swing hanging from the door frame and took the baby out. She gave a pleased gurgle and patted his face.

“Yeah, I’ve been learning all about self-determination,” Jerry sighed. “I promised Vinnie I’d go with him to parent days at the Rainbow Center. Connie and I split turns; I go one week, she goes another. It’s twice a month. Jack, I had no idea kids today had so many issues to deal with,” he said, a look of confusion on his face. “They are actually more aware of their own bodies and their own emotions than I certainly was at that age.”

“Kids are scary today,” Jack agreed.

“There are over thirty kids at that center,” Bosco said. “I didn’t think there were that many gay adults in this town, much less kids, and a couple of them are already talking about gender reassignment. What the… heck is going on?” Olivia was making a mess on his lap with a banana.

“Shoot if I know,” Jack responded. “I’ve discovered that going with the flow eases my headaches, though.”

Bosco nodded sympathetically.

“Vinnie has a boyfriend,” he said. He winced. “I can’t believe I said that. Anyway. I had to convince him not to bring his boyfriend to the sleep-over tonight. I thought it might make the other boys uncomfortable. I’m feeling like I need to monitor them as though they were boy-girl, instead of boy-boy.”

Jack snorted. “I gave Matthew the low-down on sex and responsibility, gave him a box of condoms, and told him I trusted him to make the right decisions. I figured, if he was going to do anything, nothing I could say, no amount of locks on his door, was going to keep a fourteen-year old, almost fifteen, from doing it. So far, so good. As far as I’m aware.”

“We have teenagers in the house, Jack.”

Jack lifted his coffee mug and clinked it with Bosco’s.

The fifth boy came in a while later, brought by his mother. Jack didn’t know this boy, but he must be the missing Tommy.

“Follow the noise,” he said, pointing up the stairs. The boy gave a shy glance at his mother and then took the stairs politely, one at a time. Jack took the bedding and pillow from the mother and dropped it onto the couch.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be fine,” he assured the nervous woman, Ms. Cummings.

“Thank you, General,” she said. “I have to work tonight; Tommy has the phone number, if I’m needed.” She worked at a local 24-hour department store. Jack knew they barely paid minimum wage and no over-time was outrageous.

After she left, Jack looked at the boy’s bedding: a few blankets and a flat pillow. The other boys had brought sleeping bags. When the boys came down due to abject starvation, they were obviously emaciated, Jack took a good look at Tommy; clothes were worn to the threads, sneakers had holes in them, the soles were bare. He did a little rummaging and found that the boy was also thread-bare in the inside, although very loved by his hard-working mother. There was a longing inside for acceptance, something to feel proud about, a sense of shame over something... his home, Jack guessed, seeing how the boy tried not to look around, afraid to touch anything.

“Boys!” Jack called. They took their faces out of the refrigerator. “Let’s talk.” There were groans. “None-a that,” he scowled fiercely. Those who knew him snickered. “I’m the general here, remember?”

“You’re not going to talk about sex, are you?” Matthew moaned.

“Why, do I need to?” Jack asked.

“No!” the boys all shouted.

“Okay, then,” he said. “I just want to get a little acquainted with everyone.”

They got their snacks and sat on the living room floor. Jack sat in the command chair.

“Alright,” he started. “We can skip Matty because I know him only too well, I changed his diapers.” The boys shoved at Matthew, completely red, and laughed. “Let’s see, I know Vinnie, an SG-3 brat, don’t deny it, son, I’ve known you since you were seven years old. A whiny seven, I might add.” The boys howled as Vinnie also turned red. “You’ve turned into a nice young man, son. 

“Dylan, I don’t know you but I’ve met your father; he’s a good man, proud to have him on our team. You look like him. Frankie and Carlos, you both live in the neighborhood, total terrors from the day I moved in nine years ago.” They proudly admitted it. “Let’s see if I remember correctly; Frankie, your dad is a plumber and your mom is a teacher, right? Good. And Carlos, with seven brothers and sisters, God bless your mother, you are lost in the crowd, right? No, that can’t be, not with that red hair.” As incongruous as it was, Carlos Gutierrez had bright red hair thanks to his maternal grandfather. The hair and freckles always managed to startle new teachers who were expecting a child of Hispanic descent to be dark. 

“Tommy is new to me,” Jack said. “Let’s see, Tommy, I believe your mother said her name is Trisha. How old are you?”

“Fourteen, sir,” came the quiet response. Jack nodded.

“And what classes do you share with Matt?”

“Home room and social studies,” Tommy said. Jack was getting a sense of hero-worship and awe from him.

“And what does your mother do?”

“She works at Fylinda's and sometimes she does accounting, but there isn’t too much of that needed except during tax season.”

“Good!” Jack declared. “Now. I have a question for everyone. Has anyone noticed and been talking about any changes that are happening?” he asked. “Like really weird things happening?”

“Other than you and my dad blowing up aliens?” Vinnie asked.

“I have a zat, boy, and I know how to use it,” Jack warned.

The boys laughed, although the civilians didn’t know what a zat was.

“I think he’s asking about all that geek stuff,” Matthew said to his friends. They all expressed their understanding. “Yeah, almost all the kids in school are passing tests with A’s, even people who never got A’s in their entire lives. It’s wigging the teachers out.” The boys agreed with him.

“Anything else weird?” he asked.

“A few kids are doing those weirder things,” Matty reported. “Really wigged out Mr. Mulroney when a girl handed in a homework assignment before he gave it. She had all the answers right, too.”

According to the boys, few girls kept bursting into tears because other people were thinking bad thoughts or feeling bad, a boy kept laughing at the jokes a prankster had yet to play, another boy swears he sees ghosts and then helps them to ‘move along.’ Jack would have to ask Daniel about that one. Over all, though, it was mostly a jump into the cognitive area that the kids were doing. Jack was a little relieved; he wasn’t ready to deal with Jedi wars. He released the boys.

“Sir?” Frankie stopped. “Is it… okay… what’s happening?”

Jack looked at him. “What do you think is happening?” he asked.

Frankie frowned as he thought. “I think…. we’re changing. Somehow. I get laughed at when I say that, but I think it’s true.”

Jack gave a nod. “You are changing, son, and it’s okay,” he assured the boy. “It’s normal, it’s natural, you don’t need to be afraid. All that’s happening is that your brain is understanding more than it used to. This is a good thing.”

Gabriel had called to tell him that the first of the public notices would be going out the following week. It was none too soon, as far as Jack was concerned.