Can I Have A Refund On This Body, Please? 6

Can I Have A Refund On This Body, Please? 6

by Belladonna

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/asb/belladonna/refund06.php
Summary: Cloned Jack is now head of the SGC, Daniel is his partner. Mickey lands a bombshell on his father's- then he gets kidnapped

Daniel rolled over, snuggling against Jack's warm back. "Mmm." He heard Jack hum in contentment.

"Wh't time izzit?" Daniel mumbled sleepily, pressing himself tighter to the warmth in front of him.

Jack opened one eye to look blearily at the clock, "Almost 6."

"Urg." Came Daniel's complaint, making Jack chuckle.

The younger man rolled over to face his lover. He loved to watch Daniel's eyes start to open in the morning gloom, to see that that usual brilliant blue darkened to sapphire. It reminded him of when they made love. "I love you." He whispered.

The sheer emotion in the whispered declaration made Daniel's eyes open more, and he stared into Jack's eyes, about to say something back when there was several loud thuds, and then a 'bang, bang, bang!' on their door. "Dad's! Wake up! I'm gonna start breakfast!" came Mickey's cheerful voice. Jack rolled his head back and sighed gustily, and Daniel dissolved into helpless chuckles.

"I guess we should get up." Jack snarked. Then unable to help himself, he pressed kisses to his laughing lover's face until the other man stopped him with a passionate kiss of his own. They'd lost themselves in each other when the downstairs smoke alarm began to beep frantically.

"It's ok! Nothing's on fire!" Mickey called up the stairs, reassuringly.

Their door popped open and suddenly a large Siamese cat jumped onto the bed and pushed between them, meowing plaintively. This interruption made Jack smother a curse and Daniel laugh again, then sit up rubbing the pushy cat between the ears, "Ok, we're up. Go down and bug Mick." He ordered and the cat meowed again, jumped off the bed and trotted out.

Jack snorted, "I don't know how you do that. I talk to that cat all of the time and all I get is a cross-eyed stare."

"It's because you don't believe that she understands you." Daniel said haughtily, then yelped when Jack slapped his bare ass.

"Hey, no hanky panky! Breakfast is ready!" Mickey yelled.

Daniel was pouting as he rubbed the stinging cheek, "What is he up so early for?" then he winced as the alarm clock went off and Jack dove for it, slapping it off.

"He's got that early rehearsal for South Pacific, remember?" Jack replied, tossing Daniel's robe to him while he slipped on his own.

"Oh, right." The men headed down the stairs and Daniel sat down while Jack grabbed napkins and Mickey put plates full of scrambled eggs and bacon at each place setting. "Looks good Mick, how's the play coming along?"

"Um, it's ok. Kylie, who plays Bloody Mary was crying yesterday about her boyfriend cheating on her, kinda ruined the scene. Then her boyfriend ran in and tried to get her to talk to him, in the MIDDLE of rehearsal, and I threw him out." Mickey grinned, "It was fun. I told him if he couldn't keep his dick out of the fan then he should expect to get it whacked off."

Jack began to choke on his bacon and Daniel howled with laughter. Jack took a large gulp of his o.j., "Ok, no more hanging around the Marines." He said with a scowl.

Mickey rolled his eyes, "Dad, give me a break, you were a Marine." He shoveled a piece of bacon in his mouth, then looked up apprehensively, "Don't freak out on me, ok?"

Jack and Daniel exchanged a look, then looked at their son, "What's the matter?" Daniel asked cautiously.

"I think I might be bi. Or gay. I don't know for sure."

Daniel blinked in shock, then shook his head, "WE just want you to be happy Mick." He felt like he should say more, but he was as blindsided as Jack was. What ~could~ he say?

Mickey gave them a crooked smile, "I'm gonna be late." He finished his breakfast quickly, downed a handful of vitamins then hopped up to dump his dishes into the sink. "I'm gonna be tutoring after school."

Daniel nodded, "Call please."

Mickey disappeared down the hall with a, "Youbetcha." The men could hear him brush his teeth, then he dashed back out, "Love ya." and he was gone.

"Christ, I guess this is why he hasn't asked anyone to Senior Prom yet?" Jack asked, rubbing his face with a moan.

Daniel chewed his bacon thoughtfully, "I can honestly say that I didn't see this coming. He's been so into girls." He looked helplessly at his lover.

Jack shrugged, "What can I say? He knows it's not an easy road, but he's got us and Alex and Dad as examples of how right it can be. Anything we say negatively will be viewed as hypocritical." And both men sighed.

~*~

Mickey was driving his Mustang, ignoring his inner turmoil as his head bobbed while he sang along with the radio when the steering wheel suddenly pulled to the left sharply and a loud 'bang' was heard.

"Damn it! I just put new tires on this thing." He complained as he carefully pulled to the side of the road, feeling the bump as the wheel rapidly lost air. Mickey got out and looked at the afflicted tire, which was now flat.

"Geez Louise." He griped, then went to his trunk and got out a can of 'Fix it flat' and a mini air compressor. He checked the tire over carefully until he found the head of a large carpenter's nail, then used pliers and pulled it out. "Ok, that's weird. It must have been in the road." He used the can and plugged the flat, then hooked the compressor to the car and began to refill his tire.

A primer gray van came around the curve and slowed, then pulled up beside Mickey, "You need any help kid?" the driver asked gruffly. He had a hat pulled low over his unshaven face making all of Mickey's instincts scream at him.

Cursing himself for leaving his cell phone in his car, he said politely "No Sir, I have it under control." While inside he was screaming, 'leave, leave, leave!'.

The man got a frustrated look on his face, then pulled up to park in front of Mickey. Mickey made a dive for his car and scrambled to get his cell phone when he was jerked back by someone extraordinarily strong. He fought and kicked and generally made his attacker work for him when he was suddenly dropped. Scrambling to his feet, he began to run when he heard an electrical sounding whine and then he felt like his whole body was on fire, then nothing.

The woman frowned at the man holding the zat'nicatel, and her eyes flashed gold, "We were not supposed to damage the child."

The man shook his head, already scooping up the unconscious teenager, "He's not hurt. Get the restraints before another vehicle drives by." He helped the woman restrain the boy, then used a piece of cloth for a gag before closing the door to the panel van. He glanced around the scene cursorily then got into the van and drove away.

Not three minutes later a Lexus drove around the curve, and the young woman inside frowned at the Mustang. "Mom, pull over for a minute, that's Mick's car." The whole scene looked wrong to her, the trunk was up, the compressor still by the tire, but no Mickey. As soon as her mother pulled to a stop, she jumped out and walked carefully to the car. No Mickey, but his car door was shut on the wire to the compressor, and that was so NOT like Mickey.

Amanda walked up to stand by her daughter, "What happened?"

"I don't know. I'm calling his dads." She dialed the phone and waited.

"Jackson-Neal's." Came Jack's cheerful voice, "We're not home right now..." and she closed the phone impatiently, "They're not home."

Amanda pulled out her own cell, "Let me call the school. Maybe someone else picked him up, though her own instincts were starting to wake up. "Hello? This is Amanda Ryan, I was wondering if Mickey Jackson-Neal had arrived at school? No, no one has seen him? Hmm, we've found his car by the side of the road and was wondering if he was there yet?" She paused, nodding, "I'll call his parents, I have their work number, maybe they know what happened." And she closed her own phone, looking at her concerned daughter, "The drama teacher is surprised, Mickey should have been there by now, even if he caught a ride from someone else."

Shawna was starting to become more than worried; "I wonder what happened?"

~*

Jack was going through his usual ton of requisitions when his phone rang, "Dr. Neal."

"Jack, this is Amanda."

Now Jack was surprised, Shawna's mother very rarely called them unless it tied into school, "Hi Amanda, what's up?"

She looked at the car, "Shawna and I found Mickey's car by the side of the road, but no Mickey, and he's not been seen at school."

This made Jack's heart start to beat a little faster, "What? Are you positive he's not at school?"

"Yes, the drama teacher has been looking for him."

"Sonofabitch." Jack cursed, the pressed the alarm on his desk, "Sorry Amanda. Listen, you and Shawna stay put. We'll be there shortly, don't touch anything."

Amanda nodded, "Ok Jack." She spied something slightly under the car, and hitched in a breath, "Jack, his cell phone is under the car."

"Got it. Stay inside your car and if anyone you don't know pulls up, drive away. We're not putting you at risk, understand?" He waved in the head of security that'd just appeared at his door.

"We will Jack." And she hung up. "Shawna, get into the car. Jack said they'd be here soon."

"Something's happened to Mickey, hasn't it?" Shawna's face was pale as she settled into the car, twisting around in her seat to keep an eye on her brother's pride and joy. He'd worked hard to restore the '66 Mustang, and she knew he'd never leave it like this.

"I don't know sweetie." Amanda said, her face troubled, hoping that they were all alarmed for nothing, but knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that something was wrong.

~*~

Jack looked grimly at his former fellow Marine, Colonel Jeffers; "My son is missing. His Mustang was found by the side of the road on the way to school."

Jeffers frowned, "I'll get my team and head there right away Jack."

"Let me know when you're ready. I'm coming with you, but I need to tell Daniel and Carter first."

The other man winced, "Better you than me." The people at the SGC were tight, and he knew just how much the young man meant to the original SG-1.

As he left he heard Jack dial and him say, "Daniel, something's happened to Mickey...."

~*'

Shawna got out of the car when she heard the helicopter flash overhead, then make for a clearing on the other side of the road behind the trees. She watched anxiously as Marines came trotting through the trees, and smiled with relief when she saw Jack.

"Hey!" she smiled shakily as he walked up and hugged her tightly.

"Hey sweetie. Tell me what you know." Jack ordered as he looked over her head to watch the others go over the scene with a fine toothed comb.

Shawna pulled back to look at him, all worried eyes; "We got here at 7:05 on the dot because that's what the guy on the radio said the time was. I didn't touch anything, but I knew it didn't look right. Mickey would never shut the car door on the cord! And the trunk was left open!"

Jack glanced at Amanda, then smiled at Shawna, he hoped reassuringly, "You did good kid. Go ahead let your mom take you to school, let Kyle and Jason know to keep an eye out, and ask around to see if anyone saw anything suspicious, 'kay?"

"You mean like the gray van that's been hanging around?" She asked curiously. Colonel Jeffer's head swung around and he walked over to them.

"Can you describe it?" The Marine Colonel asked firmly.

Startled by his intensity, Shawna backed up a little, "Older van, looked like that gray stuff you use under paint, you know?"

Jeffers nodded seriously, "How many times have you seen it around?" He admired her composure as she pursed her lips and thought.

"Friday night I saw it go by as Mom drove us to horse riding lessons, Saturday I was at school because I helping with the backdrop for the play and I saw it in the back forty."

"Back forty?" Jeffers asked, perplexed.

Jack grinned slightly, "The parking lot on the other side of the street. It's farther away, but the kids who like to protect their cars use it a lot. Like Mickey."

Shawna nodded, "Then I saw it yesterday on the way to school. I thought that maybe it belonged to the guys that are working on the extension to the library. You know, a work van?"

Jeffers looked over at one of his Marines who nodded and walked over to Amanda and spoke quietly to her. Shawna watched as her mother walked over, "Jack, watch Shawna please, I'm going to take Captain Overton to the school."

"You got it Amanda." He looked over at Jeffers to say something when he saw something that made his blood run cold. He'd been assuming that it was remnants of the NID, out to get revenge but now his mind did a complete 180. "Colonel." He walked over to a sapling further in from the road, and pointed to the scorch mark on it.

Jeffers frowned, "Zat."

"Zat." Jack repeated back flatly.

~*~

His head was aching like a sonofabitch when he opened his eyes, "Ow, shit, shit, shit, shit!" Memories rushed back and he gingerly moved his head to take in his surroundings. Small room, odd looking symbols, lots of gold and weird shapes. No clues here.

"How rude." Came an artificial sounding female voice.

Mickey looked to the right and saw an exotically pretty woman watching him closely, "Who are you? What do you want with me?" He asked.

Her eyes flashed, making him start in surprise, "Who I am is no concern of yours. I am to take you to someone who has promised me something very dear to me." She spun on her elegant heels and left, the door to the room he was in closing with an almost silent hiss of air.

'Whoa, what's with the flashy eyed trick and the weird voice?' Mickey was getting that sinking feeling that this had to do with what his dads' did under the mountain. And whatever happened next? He was sure he wasn't gonna like it.

After what seemed like forever, a man came in and jerked Mickey onto his feet. "You won't be harmed if you do not fight."

Mickey eyed him curiously. He was heavily muscled, handsome, with dark wary brown eyes. He felt like there was something the man was trying to tell him, but couldn't figure out what it was. "Fine, whatever." He agreed, noting the relief in the man's eyes. The man's large hand on his shoulder made Mickey's skin heat, and he couldn't hide the shiver of attraction that the contact engendered. 'Geez, I need this right now like I needed a hole in the head.' He thought to himself.

Suddenly there was a deep humming sound, then the sound of a lot of metal brushing against metal and he and the man and woman were inside of a big metal circle, then everything disappeared.

~*~

Daniel was pacing back and forth, a worried Alex and Sam watching him. "Why haven't they called?"

"Daniel, things like this take time." Sam said quietly.

He shook his head, "They should know something by now. I swear to God, if it's the NID then I'm gonna break them. There is no where that they can hide from me!" This last was snarled.

Alex was about to say something soothing, and probably lame, when the phone rang. Daniel pounced on it, "Jackson."

"Daniel, it's me."

"It's the NID, isn't it?"

"No. Not NID. There was the residue from a zat."

"A goa'uld?" Daniel asked in surprise. Both Alex and Sam froze, then Sam jumped up to go check the satellites for any hidden alien ships.

"Yeah. Listen, I've gotta run. We're taking the helo up to do a quick grid search." Jack looked at Shawna, grimacing faintly. They needed to drop her off at the school first. She was already too curious about what was happening to her brother.

"If it's a goa'uld then he's already gone Jack." Daniel said slowly, the knowledge that his son might be suffering making his heart hurt. "We've got to get him back Jack. He can't..." his voice broke.

"Daniel, listen to me. No matter what happens, I promise we'll get him back." Jack vowed. He refused to think about what might happen to their son in the clutches of a goa'uld.

~*~

Nicholas Ballard was happily humming as he translated the great walls of the pyramid that the aliens had told their story on. He'd been on the planet P7X-377 for several years after his grandson had been led there by the crystal skull. It had been a very fruitful and fulfilling time, he was making use of his training and the company of the aliens was by far better that the old company of the voices that had been in his head at the mental hospital.

"Nicholas." Boomed Quetzlecoatl and Nick looked up at one of the race of aliens that he'd privately called Djinn, after the fairytales from the Middle East.

"Yes?"

"Your grandson is in much pain. You need to go to him."

Nick stood up hastily, "Daniel? What has happened to him?"

"You must go."

"Yah, yah. Of course." He gathered up his things quickly, then paused and looked around, "Will I ever be permitted to come back?"

The alien nodded, "If that is your wish. Now we must go to the ring." A circle of energy began to swirl around them, transporting them to the Stargate.

Nick picked up his bag and followed the great alien to the gate, which started to spin. The alien held out one of its amorphous hands, which suddenly held a gold, symbol engraved item, "Use this. The enemy of mine enemy is my friend."

The old man examined it curiously, fingers brushing the intricate detailing, but nodded obediently, "Thank you." Then he was inside of the wormhole.

~*~

Sam and some of her staff were searching they skies for the alien threat when suddenly the klaxons went off and the announcement, "Unauthorized offworld activation!" She stood and gestured to her people, "Keep looking." And dashed out.

Daniel met up with her in the passageway, Alex on his heels and from the other direction came the newly arrived Jack O'Neill. "Jack!" Daniel said with relief.

"Hey Danny, have you heard anything yet?" he asked, checking his friend over as they all crowded into the control room. Jack looked over Daniel's shoulder at his lover, who shook his head, blue eyes showing worry for his older twin.

Daniel shook his friend's hand gratefully, "They think it's a goa'uld."

"Fuck." Jack said savagely. Alex unobtrusively placed a comforting hand on his lover's back, and felt Jack relax minutely.

The sergeant looked up in surprise at the profanity, then looked back at his computer when Sam asked, "Who is it sergeant?"

"I don't know ma'am, they aren't sending an I.D.C."

"Very well, close the iris." She commanded.

He tapped his computer and they watched as the iris swirled shut. Suddenly there was a loud tone, almost bell-like and the iris wavered, then as they watched an old man tottered through. The old man looked up with a concerned look on his face, "Daniel? Are you there? It is I, your grandfather."

Both Daniel and Alex chorused, "Nick?"

~*~

Mickey eased a finger between his neck and the tight metal band that was around his neck. He was weirded out by his surroundings, his head swiveling about as he stared curiously at all of the gold and gaudiness, and armed guards of impressive football linebacker stature. The guard on his right, the man from earlier shoved him into a large room and pushed him forward. "Here is the child, my Lord."

Looking up, Mickey saw a cruel looking man with close-cropped hair, mustache and a neatly trimmed beard. Beside him was the woman, looking even more exotic in clothing that looked almost stylishly Japanese. "Who are you?" He asked, and got prodded painfully in the back.

"Be silent." A guard barked.

The man raised his hand benevolently, "Be easy." He leaned forward and said, "Kneel before your god, Marduk."

Mickey's eyebrow arched in surprise, "My god? I don't think so! I'm a Protestant."

Marduk frowned, "Who is this Protestant?"

With an eyeroll Mickey explained, "I worship God. The only God? Maybe you've heard of Him, creator of all life in the universe? To ask me to worship you would be against the rules that say 'You shall have no other God before me." He hoped he was quoting right. His Sunday school days when his mom was still alive were behind him by a few years. Daniel was kinda against the whole organized religion thing.

"I have heard of this religion. Preposterous." Marduk waved a hand.

A shrug, "I don't care if you believe. It's what I believe." Mickey replied, then grunted as he was shoved to his knees.

"Fool! I AM god and you will bow before me!" Marduk roared, holding up a hand with what looked to Mickey like a weird ugly bracelet that began to glow, and suddenly he was screaming in pain.

Camulus forced himself not to wince as the young boy screamed in agony. He glanced at Amaterasu who stood impassively by. He'd often wondered how he'd grown a conscience, when his brothers and sisters never did.

"My Lord Marduk." Camulus said, pitching his voice over the screams.

Marduk looked up, pulling his hand back and breaking the connection. "Camulus."

He bowed, "You will need proof that the boy is unharmed if you are to gain the information you seek."

The goa'uld pouted slightly and leaned back on his throne, "Of course you are correct Camulus. Take him to his cell."

Camulus bowed obsequiously, "As you wish my Lord." He grabbed the half-fainting boy and dragged him off through the door.

"You couldn't have stayed quiet? For pity's sake boy!" Camulus shook Mickey in frustration, then half carried him into his cell. He retrieved a bowl of water and a cloth and cleaned the sweat and tears from the boy's face, silently admiring the beauty and castigating himself for it. What was the use of getting attached to the boy?

He was a goa'uld and the boy was the son of one the most hated Taur'i. An unlikely relationship doomed from the start. "Now stay here and be silent." He growled and stormed out.

Mickey rolled to his side and groaned. Great. He had the world's, maybe the galaxy's worst headache and as a bonus, a scolding from one of the bad guys. Fucking terrific, his day just couldn't get any better.

~:~

Everyone was seated around the conference table, (except Jack who was still searching the area where Mickey disappeared). Nick looked at his grandson's in confusion, lapsing into Dutch as he asked, "How did this happen?"

Daniel looked at Alex; "It's a long story Grandfather. Um, what are you doing here?" He replied in English.

"Quetlezcoatl just appeared and told me that my grandson needed me." Nick shrugged, his bewildered eyes blue eyes dancing between the men.

Alex looked at Daniel, then at their grandfather, "Daniel's son was kidnapped by a goa'uld." Jack looked up from the phone, keeping his attention on the conversation while he waited for someone

Another surprise! Nick smiled, "I haff a great grandson? Daniel, you are married, yah?"

Daniel and Alex exchanged pained looks, and then Daniel looked at his grandfather, "Um Nick, I'm not married. I adopted a son with my partner, Jack."

Nick's eyebrows raised and he looked over at Jack, who held up his hands and shook his head, "Not me. Danny's talking about my son Jack."

Thoroughly confused now, Nick just raised both hands in surrender, "It does not matter. What matters is what is being done to bring my great-grandson home."

Alex and Daniel exchanged fond smiles. Nick had always been the cosmopolitan, open minded European. He wasn't even fazed by the fact that his grandson was gay, only focusing on the important things. "We have a team out looking for clues right now, Nick." Alex said.

The old man nodded his white bushy head, "Goot. Now I have something for you." And he reached into the pocket of his tweed coat and pulled out the item he'd been given and set it on the table.

~*~

Jason was watching worriedly Shawna as she paced back and forth. "Did his dad tell you anything?"

She shook her head, "Only told me that there's stuff I'm not supposed to know."

This made Jason sigh. He knew more than his girlfriend did at the moment. One of the perks of having his own father, Col. Lou Ferretti working with Mickey's dad's at the mountain is that he'd already called to check up on Jason and tell him what he knew. And the news wasn't good.

"You know Mickey." Kyle said stoutly, "He's a fighter. They'll ~give~ him back."

Jason looked at his friend, snorted, then outright laughed. "Geez Kyle!"

Shawna shook her head, "This is ~serious~!"

Now Jason leaned forward and grabbed her hand as she tried to walk by, "Shawna, Kyle's granddad, and my dad both work at the mountain. I can tell you that everyone there is doing their level best to find Mick. They've got the best technology, the best everything. They'll find him." He twined their fingers together.

"I just hope they find him soon." She said quietly, sitting down and leaning against him for comfort.

Kyle and Jason's eyes locked, and they both nodded, "Me too." They said in unison.

~*~

Jeffers was on the starboard side of the helo while Jack checked out the port side, when suddenly the pilot said, "Hey, there's a gray panel van." He pointed and Jack moved over and looked down with Jeffers.

"Looks like the grass has been flattened by something. "

"Looks like the outline of a tel'tak to me. And how in the hell did a tel'tak get to Earth without anyone knowing?" Jack barked.

Jeffers winced, "I'm not sure Jack. Let me notify the mountain."

Jack gazed down as the helo began to make it's descent towards the clearing, his face drawn and angry. An enemy had his and Daniel's son. Someone who wanted to cause them pain and anguish. Someone who was gonna die as painfully as possible if Jack had anything to say about it. "Doc? General O'Neill wants to speak with you Sir." He took the headset and pulled the mic to his mouth, "Yeah."

"What's up kid?" His older self asked.

"Why don't you tell me? How do you think a tel'tak got on Earth without anyone spotting it?"

Jack looked over at the table full of people, "No idea. Carter? How did a tel'tak get on Earth?"

Sam looked up in surprise, "With our radar, it theoretically isn't possible Sir."

The man on the ground huffed a sigh, "I heard her. Tell her she's wrong. We have a hole somewhere the size of the tel'tak."

"Then he's not on Earth anymore." The older Jack said, and the conference room went silent.

"No." Jack agreed softly.

"I'm gonna try Thor."

"Thanks, we're headed back your way." And Jack the younger hung up the phone.

Daniel's eyes went flinty; "We have to get him back."

~*~

Marduk smiled greedily as he moved closer to Mickey; "You will make a beautiful slave. Or maybe I'll gift you to one of my children to be used as a host."

Mickey shuddered in fear. He had no idea what a host was, but the predatory look on this bad guy's face didn't need any kind of translation at all.

The goa'uld walked around Mickey as if he was eyeing a side of beef, "Or maybe I'll use you first." There was an electronic noise and the goa'uld made a face, "Yes?" He listened for a moment, then answered harshly in another language. He strode to the door then looked back at Mickey, "I will see you again." And he was gone.

Camulus stood outside of the cell, glancing furtively around, noting the Jaffa in this corridor was on patrol. He watched Marduk leave the cell before he pressed the crystal and the door slid open, with no sign of the boy. Startled, he stepped inside and cursed his stupidity as he felt a strong arm go around his neck.

"I'll snap it! Don't think I won't!"

He could feel the young man's frantic heartbeat against his back, and he tensed his neck making the muscles flex. "I'm your only hope, you stupid child."

"I'll bet. You're the one who kidnapped me!"

Camulus gave a grunt of frustration, "I volunteered to keep you safe, you idiot. I owe your father."

Mickey tightened his hold, "Which one?"

"I am talking about Daniel Jackson."

"Owe him how? Never mind." Mickey was thinking rapidly, weighing his options. Right now his body was hyper aware of the muscular strength and heat he was against, and he was trying not to get hard. He wasn't gonna have someone accuse him of Stockholm syndrome, that was too cliché.

The goa'uld grimaced faintly, "It matters not. I'm here to help you. Daniel Jackson did me a kindness once."

"So talk."

"If you would let me go?" Camulus asked politely. He was stronger than Mickey, and he knew he could overpower the young man, but he didn't want to hurt him. Didn't want Mickey to think badly of him.

It took a long moment, and then he was abruptly released and pushed forward. Camulus turned and faced the young man he'd help kidnap, for young man he was, not a child, "I cannot help you for now, but you are in no danger. For the moment." His eyes raked down Mickey's body, both he and his host interested far more than they should be.

"What is Marduk, and the woman?" Mickey asked.

Interesting. Daniel Jackson had sheltered his son from the reality of the goa'uld.

"You may not be aware that your planet is fighting the goa'uld. I believe your media would call us 'aliens'. The goa'uld is a symbiote that lives within a human body, sometimes in harmony, but mostly not. Your father has been fighting us for many years, since one of us took his wife."

"Shar'e." Mickey breathed.

"I believe that was her name, yes."

Mickey looked at Camulus, "So, you are you? Or the symbiote?"

Camulus smiled, "I am Camulus, my host is Marcus, though he rarely speaks."

"Because you won't let him?" Mickey challenged.

The older man's head bowed, then came back up, and a light tenor voice spoke, "I am content to let Camulus speak for me. We have been together several years and he knows me well."

A lot of questions were now answered in Mickey's mind, about what his parent's did, about Aunt Sam and what happened to Cassie's mom, about his grandfather and Alex. "Why me?"

"Your father defeated Marduk's son. Because you are his son, and a weapon against him." Camulus said simply.

Mickey grinned, "Oh, poor Marduk. My dad's will find me and burn his ass."

Admiring the young man's naïve bravado, he warned, "Do not antagonize Marduk. He won't hesitate to torture you until you die, over and over. Or worse."

"Since I can only die once..." Mickey trailed off as he saw Camulus shake his head with pity.

"Dying is not, in and of itself, the absolute worse thing that can be done to you. Marduk wouldn't hesitate to do more." Camulus let it drop as he saw horrified understanding bloom on the young man's face. He moved into Mickey's space, his body touching gently, making the younger man gasp.

"Never mind." Mickey felt a little shaky. They could see each other eye to eye, though Mick maybe had an inch on the other man, but the feeling of his body against the other man made him want to moan, and press closer.

"If you get out of this, ask Jack O'Neill what Ba'al did to him. Then maybe you will understand the danger we are to you." And with this parting shot, Camulus stepped back and swept out. Outside the cell he was shaking, his own stupidity appalling him. He could NOT want this boy, this child. (This man?) His host added softly.

Inside Mickey paced, "Fuck me. I am so screwed."

~*~

"What is it?" Daniel asked Sam as she walked back into the room.

She shook her head, "It has a energy field of some kind, but I don't know what it does." Sam gave a frustrated sigh, flopping into her chair.

Nick picked up the device, rolling it in his hands, "It must haf something to do with the goa'uld."

Daniel stood up and paced, not noticing his grandfather's worried gaze on him. "I can't sit here anymore. I...." The sound of the door opening made him spin around.

"Jack." His arms went around his lover and the two men clung to each other for a long moment. Jack's eyes closed, "I'm sorry babe. I wish I had better news."

Daniel tightened his arms for a moment, then pulled back to look into Jack's eyes; "It's not your fault Jack."

Jack O'Neill sighed from his spot at the table, "No, it's probably mine, and Daniel's, and Carter's and Teal'c's. We've made enemies over the years." He drummed his fingers on the table.

Jack looked over, then did a double take, "Nick?"

Daniel chuckled at the bemusement on his Jack's face, "Jack, this is my grandfather Nicholas Ballard. Nick, this is my partner Jack." He stopped, "Oh, and the Commander of the SGC."

Now Nick was no dummy, and he grimaced thoughtfully, "You are a soldier too, yah?"

Jack shook his head, "No sir, I was a Marine, then I got my doctorates at MIT."

The old man looked from Jack O'Neill to Jack, and shook his head, "It is much too confusing."

Klaxon's went off and the wonderful sounds of, "Unauthorized Off-world Authorization!"

Jack moved back, "Carter." And they headed to the control room, the older Jack on their heels.

Nick watched them leave, and then looked at Alex who'd stayed behind, "You are Daniel also, yah?"

Alex squirmed slightly, "It's a long story Nick. I don't how much I can realistically tell you, call me Alex though. But, why don't you tell me about Quetzlecoatl and what you've been doing with them?"

The old man nodded and began to tell Alex what he'd been doing for the past several years, the younger man listening avidly.

The gate opened and Sam smiled as her father stepped through. With Dr. Neal on her heels, she trotted down to the gateroom, "Dad!" and then stopped at the serious look on his face, "Dad?"

The former Air Force General eye's flashed, and Selmak spoke, "Dr. Neal, I'm afraid that I have bad news."

Up in the control room Daniel swayed and Jack caught his friend, helping him collapse into a chair. "Danny, snap out of it!" Jack said quietly.

In the gateroom, the younger Jack swallowed hard, "Hit me."

Selmak looked puzzled, then his face cleared, and he held up a Tok'ra communicator, "The Tok'ra received a message."

"From who?" Sam asked.

"Marduk."

"Who's Marduk?"

Daniel sucked in a breath, "Better known at the father of Ba'al."

Jack in the gateroom, hissed in a breath, and Jack in the control room closed his eyes, "Son of a bitch." He whispered, memories of torture at Ba'al's hands flooding him.

Daniel quickly got up and bolted down the to the gateroom, Jack hot on his heels, "Hi Selmak, Jacob. What does the message say?"

Jacob looked at the four people who were in front of him, his daughter Sam, honorary Aunt and mother figure to Mickey, Daniel and Jack, Mickey's fathers, and Jack O'Neill, Mickey's grandfather...and felt pain, "You're not gonna like it." He opened it and the image of the goa'uld Marduk shone brightly.

"O'Neill, I have something that you desire." And suddenly Mickey was pushed into view.

Daniel stiffened, not feeling Jack place an arm around his shoulder as they watched their son. Mickey was shoved to his knees and Marduk leaned down, "Tell O'Neill who I am!"

Mickey glanced over his shoulder, his rebellious eyes on the communication device, "He's a motherfucker who thinks he's a god..." before the last word popped out of his mouth, a painstick was jabbed into his side and he screamed, light shining painfully out of his eyes and mouth.

"Ohgod." Daniel whispered.

After a long moment, the painstick was withdrawn and Mickey slumped to the floor, "My Dad's gonna kill you." He promised.

Marduk shook his head, "Such an impetuous young boy. And so pretty." His hand moved down to caress Mickey's face. He looked up, "A son for a son."

Daniel growled, "I'm gonna rip him apart with my bare hands."

"O'Neill. I wish for the device that you defeated Anubis with. That is all, a fair trade is it not? You have three of your Earth days." And it shut off.

Jacob sighed, "We received it 18 hours ago. He's given us co-ordinates, it will take at least two days to get there."

~*~

Mickey rolled to his side and groaned. He hurt. Everywhere. Then he grinned to himself as he remembered the look on Marduk's face when he went against the script. "Hey, I can improvise." He said aloud to his cell, then coughed, which made him wince as his abused muscles protested.

He hoped that his dad's were ok. As more time went by, his chances for a rescue were increasingly unrealistic, and the help Camulus was supposed to be, well, he'd rather take his chances with his dad's.

Rolling to his back he sighed, he'd missed rehearsal. He hoped that Mr. William's wouldn't give his part away. He HOPED that he'd be back to actually be in the play. And in his deepest, most private thoughts, he hoped that he'd be rescued before Marduk did what he'd promised. That hand on his cheek had turned his blood cold.

The door slid open and Camulus stood there, frowning ferociously. "What DID I tell you? You are very fortunate that Marduk did not snap your puny body in half!" He knelt down beside Mickey and checked him over thoroughly, trying to ignore his body's clamoring.

Mickey laughed wearily, "My dad says that I speak without thinking a lot. Now I know what he meant." He stretched slightly, aware of the darkening of the other man's eyes.

"We will be arriving at the planet soon. Be ready." Camulus snapped and he swept out.

"Planet? What planet?" Mickey asked but the door slid shut silently.

~*~

"No word?" Jack asked his lover quietly, and Daniel shook his head.

Jacob looked over at Daniel. The man's face was set, his blue eyes dark as he watched the displays on the console. Behind him, his Jack was standing, staring blankly into space, one hand gripping Daniel's shoulder as if that link between them was the only thing keeping him grounded.

'Perhaps it is.' Came Selmak's wise voice.

"Hey, I'm gonna see how Sammy's doing." Jacob said out loud.

Daniel and Jack looked at him and nodded, "Sure Jake, we've got it under control up here." Jack said quietly.

Jacob slapped him on the back gently and walked back to where Sam was working. He stopped in the doorway and had to smile, he could remember countless times seeing his daughter in the exact same position. Head bent, a line between her brows as she concentrated on her newest project. "Sammy?"

Sam's head came up and she blinked, "Oh, hey dad."

He smiled, "So, what is it?"

Now she dropped her face into her hands and sighed gustily, "I don't know."

"We'll be arriving in two hours."

She looked at him, "Have you heard anything?"

"Not yet."

Sam grimaced, "I don't know what we can do, dad."

"We're gonna lie through our teeth."

Jacob and Sam looked around to see a visibly tense Jack in the doorway. "We'll pass off that gadget you brought with us, snag Mick and run like fuck."

"And what's plan b?" Sam asked tartly.

A tired shrug, "Won't know until we get there Carter. It's a crap shoot."

She sighed, "Tell Daniel I discovered some writing on it. It's very small and very faint, but..."

"But Daniel can do anything." Jack said with a small smile. It was like an article of faith for those who knew and loved Dr. Daniel Jackson.

Sam laughed, "Yep, Daniel can do anything."

Marduk was seated on his throne, Camulus and Amaterasu on either side, with the boy kneeling, albeit reluctantly, at his feet. A guard came in and bowed low.

"Yes?"

"My Lord, a tel'tak has arrived."

A cruel satisfied smile crossed Marduk's lips. He'd already planned in the long term. He'd take the device, kill the Taur'i and take the boy as a slave, and a lover. Until he got tired of him of course. Then he'd give him to his Jaffa, a fitting end to his enemies spawn. "Let's them land and escort them to my throne room."

"Weapons, my Lord?"

Marduk smiled imperiously and gently rubbed his beard, "They may keep their puny Taur'i weapons. You have everything in place?"

"Yes my Lord."

"Then begone."

The Jaffa bowed his head and stood, "As my Lord wishes."

Camulus gazed at Amaterasu as she stared blankly into space. He'd not been able to find what Marduk had promised her, but he'd discovered the trap and had added his own, well, small additions. If it all worked well...

^*^

Jacob was frowning, "I think it's a mistake."

Daniel shook his head and he slipped into his protective vest, "I know I translated it correctly Jake. The device is meant to kill goa'uld, and I don't think it'll differentiate between Selmak and Marduk."

"Do you know how to activate it yet?"

Jack looked at his lover, then at Sam and she shrugged, "We think so. Just keep the engine in this thing running, we may be leaving in a hurry if our other ride doesn't get here."

"BE careful."

"We will dad." Sam said, kissing him on the cheek. She looked at Daniel and Jack and Jack nodded, and she opened the door.

The First Prime of Marduk eyed the three of them dispassionately; "You are to follow me."

Daniel felt Jack grab his fingers for a moment then let go, and they followed the man down the long corridor.

Mickey felt like his knees were on fire. He'd discovered that kneeling on a cold metal floor was absolutely no fun. Especially kneeling at the feet of a bad guy with delusions of grandeur. He flicked his eyes towards Camulus, then the sound of booted feet came down the corridor and his head snapped up, heart pounding wildly.

Daniel's first glimpse of their son made his heart skip a beat. Mickey was on his knees, a collar around his neck and what looked like a pleated Egyptian style skirt and nothing else on. It highlighted his son's lean musculature, forcibly making him realize that the boy was gone, and a man was in his place. "Mickey."

Mickey smiled, his eyes alight with relief. He ~knew~ everything was gonna be ok, "Hey Dad's."

Marduk stood, "What trick is this? I commanded O'Neill to come here with the device."

Jack straightened, his brown eyes hard, "HE couldn't come. I'm here as his representative." He assessed the other goa'uld before dismissing them, and then his eyes went to his son, "You ok Mick?"

Mickey nodded silently. He was suddenly very scared, he could feel the rage vibrating though Marduk, and knew that something bad was about to happen.

Camulus too was aware and stepped forward, "It was ordered by my Lord Marduk that O'Neill would bring the weapon that he defeated Anubis with."

"We have it." Sam said.

Marduk got to his feet, "Show me." He demanded, eyes glittering with greed.

Suddenly Mickey shoved upwards, his head smashing into Marduk's groin, making the goa'uld roar with pain. The Jaffa froze for a moment, then began to raise their weapons while Camulus cursed, "Mickey, no!" He bellowed and lunged forward. And all hell broke loose.

Jack was startled and raised his weapon at the Jaffa and began to fire. Daniel jumped forward to pull Mickey back from Marduk and just about collided with Camulus in the chaos, "Back off." Daniel snarled, pulling his son to him. There were shouts and curses and the smell of burning flesh in the chaos of battle.

Marduk straightened up, his eyes fierce and glowing yellow, "Get the child and kill them all!" He ordered his guards, assuming that his will would become fact.

Camulus ducked under a staff blast, wincing, "We need to get Mickey out of here. Marduk wants him. If we lose..." The goa'uld trailed off as he threw himself out of the way of falling body. Daniel's eyes met his in startlement, and then he cried out as Mickey was torn away from him.

Mickey fought like a tiger and somehow maneuvered the Jaffa that had grabbed him into the way of a blast, and the man went down with a cry. Breathing hard, Mickey's hands scrabbled for the weapon he'd seen the dead Jaffa drop. His fingers found it and he began to fire into the crowd of Jaffa as they tried to swarm the throne room, "Dad!" he screamed and saw Jack's head snap around.

"Mick!" Jack roared back and began to battle his way through the crowd. Daniel was fighting too, savagely using his knife and his pistol as he tried to make it to his son. Mickey felt someone bump into his back and he jerked in surprise but heard a familiar snarl, "You could not have waited?"

This made Mickey laugh wildly, "Sorry, but he was up to something." He called back, firing into the crowd of Jaffa. He could hear Camulus hurling insults at Marduk as they fought back to back.

He heard the crackle of a radio and saw his Aunt Sam speak into it, then he watched as she shot a couple of Jaffa then yell, "Sir! He's here!"

"About goddamn time!" Jack barked. He twisted his head to look for Daniel and put two fingers in his mouth and shrilled a whistle. Mickey saw his other dad grin and pull something out of his pocket and slide in onto the floor towards Marduk.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend!" Daniel called out, and the object began to glow. Mickey watched in surprise as his Aunt Sam and his dad, Jack disappeared, then Daniel, then he felt a buzzy feeling and on instinct grabbed Camulus when everything dissolved he saw a bright light, then nothing.

Thor looked down at the unconscious young man; "This is your grandson, O'Neill."

Jack sighed, gently brushing the overlong bangs off of Mickey's face, "Yeah."

The little alien looked up at his friend, "He is unharmed."

"Physically." Jack murmured. He wondered what kind of irreparable damages to Mick's psyche Marduk had done. He looked up as the younger Jack walked into the room.

"How is he?" He asked, standing beside Jack and Thor to look down at his sleeping son.

Thor moved over to a monitor, "Mickey Jackson-Neal is physically well Dr. Neal. He will awaken soon."

Meanwhile Camulus was pacing back and forth in a cell, tension in every line of his body. Daniel watched, his eyes grim, "Why? What did you hope to gain?" He asked.

Camulus flicked his eyes over to the angry father, "Is Mickey alright?"

"None of your fucking business." Daniel snarled. "Why did you do it?"

"I had no choice." The goa'uld said flatly.

"You always have a choice!" Daniel shot back.

Now Camulus turned to him in fury, "I am a goa'uld! I am choiceless! Ba'al was my lord. He died and I served his father! MY choice! But I also made the choice to help your son because it was the right thing to do."

"Danny? He's waking up!" Jack called and Daniel stood and rushed out.

Camulus went to the door of the cell, yearning to see if Mickey was all right.

Mickey blinked slowly and found his vision filled with his dads, his grandpa, and a little gray alien dude. "Dad?" He stammered and found himself in a three-way hug sandwich.

Both men hugged him tightly, crooning comfort as their son shivered in their arms. After a few minutes his head came up and he pulled back, shaking slightly, but not from tears. "How could you now tell me!?" He asked, his voice angry as he fought with his emotions. Happiness that he was safe, and what he felt was betrayal of his dad's not telling him how much danger that he was in.

Daniel put a hand on Mickey's bare shoulder, and it was shaken off, "Mick." He said helplessly.

"Mick, it was classified. We couldn't tell you everything. You already knew more than was safe." Jack said, trying to placate his son.

"Well you see where that got me! I was this close," Mickey held his thumb and finger together, "From Marduk taking my clothes off and doing stuff to me! If it hadn't been for Camulus..."

Both of his dad's paled, and Mickey twisted around to stare out one of the large windows. Thor stirred slightly, and Jack O'Neill looked sad and tired, "Why don't you guys make yourselves scarce, see if the goa'uld on the planet are dead or something." He said softly.

Daniel shook his head, but Jack waved at him, mouthing, 'I'll talk to him'. Thor looked a little confused, but Jack jerked his head at the little alien and he left too, leaving Mickey and him alone.

Mickey angrily wiped the tears off of his face, his arms doing that self-hugging thing that Daniel and Alex did, and that Jack hated. "Hey kid."

"Grandpa." He sighed as he felt his grandad's shirt get draped over his bare shoulders, and then a comforting arm over it.

"Did Marduk touch you?"

Trust Grandpa to get down to brass tacks, Mickey thought with wry affection. "He only touched my face, when he wasn't torturing me."

"God." Jack sighed explosively. "I'm so sorry Mickey."

Mickey shrugged, leaning against his grand father, accepting from him what he couldn't accept from his dad's right then. "It's not your fault."

"Oh, but it is. Ba'al and me, we've got a history. When we finally whacked him, well, we didn't know he had a daddy in the wings."

Mickey turned to look at his grandfather, "Camulus told me to ask you about Ba'al, and what he did to you."

"Oh he did, did he?" Jack drawled, silently vowing to throttle the goa'uld as soon as he saw him.

"He saved me."

Jack nodded, "You saved him. Call it even."

Mickey sat silently for a moment, then said, "Can I see him?"

He felt his grandfather stiffen but he pressed, "He's no danger to me. He protected me Gramps, really."

Jack sighed, "Hang on for a minute."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Daniel held an angry, shuddering Jack in his arms, absorbing the other man's rage and pain, "It'll be ok Jack. Shhh." He ran his fingers through the short brown hair, trying to calm himself down for Jack, and for Mickey.

"I'm not sorry the bastards are dead." Jack said grimly, trying to keep grips on his control. They'd had Thor check on the planet, and everyone with a symbiote, including Jaffa, were dust. The device had worked incredibly well. So well that Jacob had waited until the device's energy had cut off and retrieved the device. Now the Tok'ra would take over the planet and help the survivors.

"I know."

"Did we do the right thing? Should we have told him?" Jack asked, his voice quiet.

He felt rather than heard his lover's sigh, "I don't think so Jack."

"You were protecting your son. There is no shame in that." Thor said.

Daniel and Jack separated and looked over at the alien who'd helped them so many times. "Did I tell you thanks for getting Jack here? I didn't think we were gonna be able to fight our way out in time."

Thor nodded, "It was nothing. I was happy that we were close enough to respond to O'Neill's signal for help."

~*~

A voice from the doorway made Mickey turn.

"Are you well?"

Heart beating a little faster, Mickey nodded, "I'm good. Are you ok?"

Camulus moved closer and reached out slowly, giving Mickey time to move back. When he didn't Camulus cupped the younger man's cheek, and smiled as Mickey rubbed against his hand. "I am well. Now that I know you were not harmed."

Mickey smiled, then sighed deeply, "This isn't going to work, is it?"

There's a bitter laugh, "Unlikely. You live on Earth, and I..." Camulus sighed, pressing his cheek to the top of Mickey's head, "And I will go back out and find a new master, or maybe pick a random destination on the chappa'ai."

"Chappa'ai?" Mickey asked, one of his hands gently stroking Camulus's arm.

Camulus let out a gusty sigh, "You may want to ask your father. I'm not sure I should tell you anything more."

Mickey moved back and looked into Camulus's eyes, "Thanks for rescuing me."

Unable to resist, Camulus leaned down and kissed Mickey. He was going for gentle, but Mickey gripped the back of his head and devoured him.

Sam was about to enter the room and check on Mickey when she stopped in shock. "What in the hell are you doing?" She barked.

Mickey felt Camulus jerk but he held on, letting the kiss end naturally. He moved back slowly, seeing the apprehension in Camulus' eyes, then he looked at his Aunt Sam, "Um, what did it look like we were doing?"

Sam visibly contained herself, then glared daggers at Camulus, "Please wait outside." It wasn't a request and both men knew it. She watched as the goa'uld touched Mickey's face, then she moved out of the way when he walked out. "Mick, what is going on?"

Mickey sighed, "It's not Stockholm syndrome, or whatever else that you're thinking Aunt Sam." He looked towards the door that Camulus left through, "He, I don't know, more than attracts me. There's more to him." He shrugged helplessly.

"He's a goa'uld! You do know what that is, right?" Sam demanded.

"Yes, he sat me down and explained everything. I've even met his host." Mickey said softly.

Sam was thoroughly bewildered, "I thought you liked girls?" She decided to let the problem of Camulus go for the moment.

Now Mickey smiled, "Oh, I do. Apparently I like guys too. It happens, you know."

"Oh Mick, your dad's are gonna freak."

"It can't work. Camulus and I know it." He gave her a pleading look, "Don't tell my dad's."

"Oh Mick." Her voice was filled with misgiving.

"I'll tell them." At the look on her face, he smiled tightly, "Soon. Promise."

Sam squeezed him tightly, "Ok . I'm glad you're back Mick." She pulled back and looked up at him seriously, "Give your dad's a break, ok? I didn't tell my dad until he was dying from cancer. And he's a general in the Air Force, but he didn't have the need to know."

"But I saw Uncle Jake at Thanksgiving last year."

She sighed, patted his cheek, "More secrets kiddo."

Mickey let his head drop to her sturdy shoulder, "I know, I know. This whole situation SUCKS!" He cried into her shoulder passionately.

"You have no idea sweetie." Sam lifted his chin and her eyes were solemn, "Ask Cassie and you'll understand how bad it can get." She added softly, "At least you have your dad's still."

His eyes went over her shoulder to see both of his dad's in the doorway. He could see their sadness, and their overwhelming love for him, and realized that it wasn't anyone's fault. It just was. "Hey." He said and they smiled and Mickey knew that everything was gonna be ok.

Mickey was buttoning up the borrowed shirt as he fired questions at his dad's. Questions like, 'How long they'd been doing this, how many places had they been, were there more goa'ulds out there etc.

Suddenly something else pushed it's way through Mickey's shock, "Did I see a small guy with big eyes? Or was I hallucinating?"

Jack chuckled, "That would be my buddy, Thor."

Mickey sat down with a graceless thump, "Thor. As in...?"

"Thor of the Asgard, Supreme Commander of the Asgard Fleet, friend and all around good guy." Jack said breezily.

Daniel shot his lover a look, "Not helping Jack." He sat beside his son, "Thor is part of a race of aliens that have watched over Earth for millennia." He held up a hand, forestalling Mickey's next question, "Yes, all of Norse mythology is based on them."

Mickey nodded soberly, then smiled, "Sweet."

Jack smothered a snort at the pained expression on his Danny's face. "Sorry babe, I've corrupted him." He managed to get out before succumbing to laughter. This only made Daniel frown harder, which made Mickey join in the laughter. It was a catharsis of sorts, a release from the soul searing tension that's been their constant companion for the past 3 days. It lasted for all of a minute before Mickey was sobbing in their arms; another purging of emotion that was needed.

What Mickey's dad's didn't realize is that he was mourning the loss of Camulus as well.

Jack looked in on his grandson and smiled at the scene before him, Danny and his son had their arms around their son, words of comfort spilling as tears fell. Everything would be ok.

"I would meet your grandson, O'Neill." Thor spoke behind him, making Jack jump.

And yelp, "Geez Thor, make a noise or something, would ya?" Jack would swear he saw an imp of mischief in the little alien's eyes.

"I am sorry O'Neill."

Sure he was. "Yeah, uh huh."

"Grandpa?" Mickey's eyes were curious as he looked at Thor.

"Thor, this is my grandson Mickey. Mick, this is my friend, Thor. Supreme Commander of the Asgard fleet and all around nice guy. Er, Asgard."

Mickey knelt unselfconsciously so that he was eye level with Thor, "Hi Thor."

"Hello Mickey. I am honored. O'Neill has told me many great things about you." Thor's large eyes were fixed on Mickey, with a degree of intentness that was beginning to weird Jack out.

"Um Thor? Whatcha thinkin'?"

Thor tilted his head, then looked at Jack, "Your grandson will join the SGC in the future, will he not?"

By that time Sam was in the room with them, and they all looked at Thor with their mouths open, but only Daniel asked the question on everyone's mind, "What?"

Mickey smiled, his eyes never leaving Thor's, "I am. I'm going to college, probably the Naval Academy then I'll join the SGC."

"Um, what was that?" Jack shook his head as if there was a mild buzzing in his ear, "I don't think I caught that." He fixed a glare on his son, then one on Thor.

Thor fixed his gaze on Jack, "Mickey Jackson-Neal will be a fine leader of the SGC." The alien changed the subject abruptly and headed out the door. "We are almost to Earth."

*

Camulus listened sadly to Mickey as he spoke to Colonel Carter, then to his father's. The young man was right, they had no future. He sighed and gazed out of the window. What would the future hold for him?

~*~*~*~*~

One month later-

SGC barbecue at Jack O'Neill's and Alex's house, everyone had come but now there was only the Ferretti's, Sam and her dad, Daniel and Jack with Nick, and the boys.

Nick was seated at the dining room table with Daniel, Alex and Jack, going through some old family albums he'd retrieved from storage. "And this is my moeder, your overgrootmoeder Trintje. She was a battle axe of a woman." He said fondly. "Very goot with languages, like you boys." He nodded at Alex and Daniel.

"Mick's very good with languages too." Daniel replied absently as he turned another page of the old family album.

"Yah, my great grandson takes after my side of the family." Nick said proudly, a twinkle in his eye.

"Hey!" Jack said indignantly while Alex and Daniel both laughed.

The boys were lying in the backyard, watching the clouds scud across the sky. Jason looked at his friend, musing on the changes he could see and the ones that weren't so noticeable. Before, all Mickey had talked about was playing professional sports, then after he came back, it was different. ~He~ was different. Now Mickey had this clear plan for his life, the Naval Academy and the SGC.

"So, why the Navy?"

Mickey grinned lazily, lobbing an acorn at his friend. "Because that's where the Marines go too."

Kyle rolled over to regard his friend, "Ok, why the Marines then?"

Their friend frowned thoughtfully, not treating their questions as trivial. Another sign of the changes that Mickey had gone through. He'd grown up overnight. "I think it's because I want to make a difference, and because Dad was a Marine."

Jason nodded slowly, "So's my dad, but I never thought, 'Hey, I wanna be a jarhead like daddy!'. "

"What do ~you~ want to do?" Mickey asked curiously.

Now this made Jason pause, because he'd only really thought about college, and getting a degree in advanced mathematics and maybe playing some college baseball. "Um, I guess I only thought I'd go to college, maybe teach?"

Mickey looked at him seriously, "What they're doing at the SGC is important. You should join up, you too Kyle." Part of his reason was to make a difference, and part of it was to see Camulus again.

Kyle shrugged, "I'm already going to the Air Force Academy, after that? It's up to the Air Force."

"Cripes." Jason threw up his hands, "I'll talk to my dad, see what he thinks." He rubbed his auburn hair in frustration, "I wish we were kids again."

A dreamy smile crossed Mickey's face, "Not me."

In the house, Daniel had listened to the conversation with surprise, and not a little trepidation. It struck him that Mickey was like Buffy, a comparison that would make Jack roar with laughter, so he kept it to himself. But it was true, for Mickey had a destiny and he was already preparing himself for it. All that he and Jack could do was support and guide him. Daniel hoped that it was enough.

Next: Day Of Silence, Day Of Trouble?