The Right Path

by Sistine

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/ass/sistine/rightpat.php
Summary: After Daniel descends, he and Jack seem to argue all the time. So someone unexpected intervenes to set them back on the right path
Info: This is a timed-out fic from the zine Ancient's Gate 13 and a challenge response:
Oma sent Daniel back to fulfil his destiny with Jack but as soon as Daniel regains his memory, they start fighting again. So she sends them off on a journey into the past, through their dreams, to show that they have always been each others soulmate. A mix of past and present, hopefully humorous.

"I said 'no', Daniel!" Jack shouted at the angry archaeologist, furious that the younger man wasn't listening to him.

"Why?" Daniel shouted back. It was his fourth mission with the team after his descension and all Jack had done was shout at him and refuse to let him explore the nearby temple ruin, much like on the previous three missions. "There's no sign of habitation, and the ruins look stable."

"Daniel, for once will you just accept 'no' for an answer without arguing about it!" Jack couldn't understand why he himself was so angry; nothing had happened so far except for Daniel sliding down a small embankment because he wasn't watching where he was going. They hadn't had Daniel back for that long and Jack just wanted to keep the linguist safe.

"No, because you don't have a valid reason to say 'no'!" Daniel shot back, hands on his hips.

From nearby, their two friends and team-mates stood watching, concerned. Every day, the two men had been fighting, and they didn't know why. Joy over Daniel's return had quickly deteriorated into something terrible that threatened to rip the newly-reformed team apart. Sam looked at Teal'c, silently asking if they should interfere. Teal'c shook his head; Jack and Daniel needed to sort this out themselves.

"I have plenty of valid reasons!" Jack yelled.

"Like hell!" Daniel turned on his heel and stormed off towards the ruins.

"Daniel, you come back here right now!" Jack ordered. When the linguist didn't obey, Jack stalked after him, cursing under his breath as he did so. A few steps later, he called back to the rest of his team to continue on the mission; he and Daniel would catch up later.

Blinking back tears that had appeared out of nowhere, Daniel entered the ruins, barely noticing the intricate friezes carved into the walls, so upset was he. The euphoria of being home had well and truly worn off, as had his illusions about Jack's friendship. He didn't know why it hurt so much that Jack obviously didn't like him anymore but he sure wasn't going to let Jack know. "I wish I'd never come back," he muttered as he entered the main chamber.

There was an ominous rumbling and Daniel saw Jack enter the chamber just before everything went black...

********************

Daniel awoke some time later, feeling strangely light-headed. He opened his eyes and saw... white. Okay, this is weird, he thought. There were no doors, no walls - just white. Was he dead, really and truly dead, this time?

"No, you're not, Daniel."

The linguist spun around and saw a figure in white standing there. "Oma?"

"Yes," she replied serenely.

"Where am I?" Daniel remembered enough to know it wasn't very good if Oma was there.

"In your subconscious mind," Oma replied. "It is the only way for you to see your true path."

"My true path?" Daniel echoed. He wasn't sure that he wanted to know what the future held. "So I'm still alive?"

"Yes, Daniel," Oma stated patiently. "But for the moment, you will remain free of conscious thought to truly learn." She had a strategy in mind for both the men, designed for the different ways they responded best.

"Learn what?" Daniel didn't understand, and his brow crinkled as he looked with puzzlement at the Ancient.

Oma smiled, and then the world faded to black again...

********************

//Athens, Greece, 44B.C. - The large mansion ahead didn't faze Dannolos, although the reason he was headed there did. His father, Dimitrios, had fallen into debt and as a result, Dannolos was being given as a gift to the man who could forgive it. He was ill-prepared for the role of a slave, having been brought up in a reasonably wealthy family. Now, however, his whole family was depending on him to keep them alive and off the streets.

Dressed in a simple white linen tunic, Dannolos and his father entered the mansion. A female servant met them and showed them into the courtyard where a man in his mid-twenties waited.

Dimitrios knelt in respect even though the man was much younger than him. "I have brought you my son as I promised."

"So I see." The man rose from where he had been lounging and came over to inspect his new slave. Slightly taller than Dannolos, he had brown eyes and brown hair - a legacy of his Roman mother. "What is your name?" he demanded impatiently.

"Dannolos." He stared at his new master, determined not to show any fear of his situation. Dannolos knew that he had to work off the remaining debt, and he knew his life was forfeit if he failed.

"Welcome, Dannolos." The man placed his hand on Dannolos' head and pushed it down; a rebuke that slaves did not look eye-to-eye with their masters unless they were favored or commanded to. "You understand your situation?"

"Yes, I do." All too well, Dannolos thought.

"Your father says that you have some education. That is why I accepted you as you will be of some use."

Dannolos kept his eyes on the floor. He would much rather be teaching at the school than be here but he had no choice; he had to abide by his father's wishes.

The man turned to Dimitrios. "If you haven't lied to me about his abilities, then your debt will be erased."

Dimitrios bowed low. "You are indeed a gracious man, Joannoelos." Looking at his son, Dimitrios said, "Be well and do not disgrace me." Then he rose from the floor and left Dannolos to his fate.

Joannoelos stood directly in front of Dannolos and stared at him before slowly returning to his lounge chair near the fountain. "I tolerate no disobedience and you will be severely punished for any infractions. I expect you to work hard and if you do so, you may be able to work off your father's debt in only a few years, maybe less. And you will address me as Master. Is that understood?"

Dannolos swallowed hard. "Yes... Master." The words almost stuck in his throat. How was he going to be able to do this for several years? He would have no contact with his family during that time unless there was an emergency, such as a death in the family. But he couldn't complain because at least his accommodations would be good - especially when one considered the alternatives.

Joannoelos nodded once. "How old are you?" he asked curiously.

"Seventeen."

"Betrothed?"

"No." His mother hadn't found anyone suitable for him yet, nor had he found anyone on his own. Now, it was possible that he would not marry at all if he remained here long enough.

"Good." Joannoelos summoned a servant. "Leander will show you around."

********************

Over the next six months, Dannolos recorded all of Joannoelos' business dealings and meticulously kept track of his accounts. He tried hard to obey orders, knowing that if Joannoelos was displeased, then his father might be forced to pay the debt with money that they didn't have.

Dannolos gradually became aware of Joannoelos' lingering glances and coveting stares, and grew concerned. Despite this, he looked forward to spending time with the older man, even if Joannoelos always treated him as a slave. Dannolos didn't know why but he grew to like his master.

As the months passed, Joannoelos and Dannolos spent more time working together and, although the latter was largely unaware of it, growing closer. Dannolos wasn't afraid to argue with Joannoelos, making his status in the household unique.

One day at the end of the second year, when his time in the household was nearly finished due to the hard work he had done, Dannolos was working at his table when a shadow fell across it. He didn't look up but stopped writing, waiting to see what Joannoelos wanted. The hand gliding through his shoulder length black hair startled him and he twisted away. "Master?"

"My apologies." Joannoelos moved away and started talking about business.

Dannolos couldn't get the touch out of his mind, and it was all he could think about for the next few days. He had seen Joannoelos do the same thing to some of the slave girls, ones he knew the man had slept with. So what did it mean if his master was doing the same to him?

Another week passed as normal except that Joannoelos touched him more. A hand on his shoulder or neck, the occasional brush of fingers through his hair - it all served to make Dannolos curious and worried. What did the man have in mind?

They were working in a second-storey room when Dannolos found out. The study had a balcony and Joannoelos wandered out onto it, leaving the younger man at the room's only table.

"Join me," Joannoelos ordered.

Dannolos did so, confused as to the change in routine.

"Come closer."

Slowly, Dannolos obeyed until he was standing near the balcony's rail. Then he grew nervous as Joannoelos came to stand right behind him. "Master?" What was going on?

"Just look," Joannoelos instructed, pointing to where the harbor of Athens could be seen, the setting sun turning the water and sky a beautiful shade of orange. "Isn't it beautiful?" He rested his hand on Dannolos' shoulder.

"Yes, Master," Dannolos obediently replied as he looked at the sunset. But he was mostly aware of the warm body behind him, too close for comfort. His breathing increased as Joannoelos showed no sign of moving.

"Do you know what is equally as beautiful?" Joannoelos continued, his hand sliding down Dannolos' arm, raising goosebumps in its wake.

"No, Master." Dannolos forced himself to keep looking out at the sunset, afraid of where this was going.

The hand positioned itself on Dannolos' stomach. "You."

Dannolos' breath caught in his throat. "Master, this isn't appropriate—"

"Why not?" Joannoelos interrupted. "You're mine to do with as I please." His other hand came up to stroke Dannolos' neck.

The young man stood stock still, uncertain of what he should do and afraid of the stirrings he could feel inside him. "This was never part of the arrangement."

"It is now. You see, I want you, Dannolos," Joannoelos said as the first hand ventured underneath the hem of his slave's tunic to caress bare skin. "You intrigue me like no-one else has ever done."

Dannolos' breathing sped up as he became aroused. "No," he protested; he did not want to become this man's bed-warmer.

"Yes," Joannoelos breathed in Dannolos' right ear. "It is unlike any experience you will ever have." His hand encircled Dannolos' neck before turning the younger man's face towards him. "Trust me."

Dannolos stared into his master's eyes, the brown almost swallowed by the black. "Why should I?" Joannoelos only wanted to use him; there would be no feelings involved. "I'm not a slave girl that you can order into your bed."

"No, you're not," Joannoelos agreed. "You are so much more than that." Desire evident on his face, he drew Dannolos in for a kiss.

Instinctively, Dannolos tried to turn his head away but found that he couldn't. A few seconds later, he found he didn't want to. The kiss stirred feelings in him that he had never felt before - at least, not so powerfully. He turned to fully press himself against Joannoelos, desire rising in him. But the thought of being used by the man returned and cooled his ardor. Pushing away from the other man, Dannolos firmly stated, "No."

"What?"

"What will happen after you use me?" Dannolos inquired, his arms crossing over his chest to hold his sides.

"It wouldn't be like that," Joannoelos protested, his eyes still shining with desire.

Dannolos didn't believe him. "Really?" he said skeptically. "What would it be like then?"

Joannoelos stepped forward and put his fingers gently under the younger man's chin. "It would be a wonderful life together," he said softly. He didn't seem afraid to admit that.

Dannolos swallowed hard; that had been a bold thing to say, especially since it went against the common thinking that men with men was only for fun. "I, uh, I... what... um... our whole lives?" he finally managed to get out.

"Yes." Joannoelos slid his hand through Dannolos' hair. "In a week you will be free to return home. I am asking you to stay." The request was made confidently although a hint of fear could now be seen in his eyes.

This was so unexpected; Dannolos couldn't believe that Joannoelos had waited so long to ask him this. "How long have you wanted this?"

"Since the day after we met," Joannoelos admitted freely. He put his free arm around the young man's waist and pressed their bodies together. "At first it was just desire, and then it became more. But I couldn't say or do anything until now because you would have doubted my motives."

That was true, Dannolos thought; he would have doubted him then as he did now.

"You are free to go if you wish," Joannoelos continued. "But I am asking you to stay with me." He rocked his hips against Dannolos'.

The sparks of desire that went through him made Dannolos want to say 'yes' but he had a few other concerns that needed answering first. Slightly breathless, he asked, "If I did stay, what would I tell my family?"

"That I had offered you a position to manage my accounts," Joannoelos replied.

"Would that be true? Would you need me to do... your accounts?" Dannolos was finding it harder to think with Joannoelos' body moving against his own.

Joannoelos leaned in to gently nip one earlobe and then said huskily, "Among other things."

Dannolos shivered at the tone. "And what about the servants?" he valiantly tried to continue. "Won't they find it strange when... if you stop taking women to your bed?" He held his breath waiting for the answer, knowing that future happiness depended on what Joannoelos said next.

"Possibly," Joannoelos conceded. "But if they know what's good for them, they'll keep their opinions to themselves."

Dannolos frowned; did that mean Joannoelos would or wouldn't keep taking women to bed? "But will you—"

"You'll be the only one in my bed," Joannoelos assured him before pressing Dannolos up against the nearby wall.

The young man relaxed with the reassurance and surrendered himself to the older man...//

********************

Jack came back to consciousness slowly, his head throbbing painfully. He found himself lying on the temple floor, warmed by the sunlight. Wait...

He cautiously opened his eyes and stared up at where the ceiling had been. That wasn't good. Nor was the big pile of rocks where Daniel had been standing...

Daniel!

"No," Jack muttered anxiously as he sat up to survey the rocks that had buried his friend. His head swam for a few moments, making him feel nauseous, but Jack ignored it, focusing on the disaster in front of him. "No," he said again, more urgently this time. He had just got Daniel back - he wasn't going to lose him again so soon! "Daniel!"

There was no response. Knowing that he would need help, Jack keyed his radio and said, "Carter! Teal'c! Can you read me?" The radio stayed annoyingly silent. He tried again without success.

"Looks like it's just you and me, Danny," he commented to the pile of rocks. Crawling over to the pile, as standing would make his head worse, Jack looked for any sign of Daniel. On the opposite side to where he had started from, he saw several fingers peeking out from under the rubble. "Daniel!"

Scooting over there quickly, Jack tentatively touched the fingertips. They were still warm, which was good news. It meant that if Daniel was dead, he hadn't been that way very long - and on the positive side, it could mean that the younger man was still alive. Buoyed by that thought, Jack turned his attention towards planning a rescue...

********************
//England, 1384, County Devon. - The pouring rain pelted against him but Daniel didn't slow down as he walked quickly through the woods. He had been on the run for three weeks now, ever since news of John Wycliffe's death had reached him. Life for Wycliffe's followers had been very difficult recently as they had continued to preach against corruption in the Catholic Church. Now, however, the Lollards - so known for the red cloaks that they wore - were hunted men with the sentence of imprisonment or even burning at the stake hanging over their very existence. That was why Daniel was running; he didn't want to die and let the church authorities win.

He should have got rid of the red cloak ages ago but it gave him some protection against the cold and the rain. As soon as he could though, he would find something less conspicuous.

As he stumbled out of the woods, he spied a small stone cottage several hundred yards away. Smoke was coming out of the chimney, which indicated that someone was inside tending a fire. Right now, wet through and frozen with cold, that sounded very good to Daniel.

He pushed himself forward, determined to make it to the cottage. He hoped that the occupants would let him warm himself for a while, maybe give him something to eat; it had been three days since his last meal, and the hunger was beginning to take its toll.

Stumbling the last few yards, Daniel hit the door hard. He leaned against it for a moment to get his balance, and then fell forward as it suddenly opened. Daniel put his arms out to break his fall but they folded under him with the impact with the floor.

From above him, he heard cursing and then he was flipped over onto his back. Daniel stared up into a pair of concerned brown eyes.

"What were you doing out on an evening like this?" the man asked gruffly. "You must be frozen through. Come on." He assisted Daniel - half-dragging, half-lifting - over to the fireplace. "Here, warm yourself for a moment while I find some dry clothes."

"Th-thank you," Daniel said, his teeth chattering as he shivered violently. He tried to co-ordinate his fingers into untying his cloak but they were too numb.

"Here, I'll get that." The man, whom Daniel judged to be around ten years older than him, came back and fiddled with the cloak, cursing the wet string with which it was tied. Eventually he got the string undone and he removed the cloak from Daniel's shoulders. Then, after putting the heavy wet material over a chair nearby, he handed Daniel a large piece of linen to dry himself with and some clothes. "They're not much but they'll keep you warm," he said almost apologetically.

Daniel accepted the clothes gratefully and used the opportunity to really look at the man. Short hair that seemed a color between sand and ash was a contrast to his own long light-brown hair; sharp features set in a kind face; and of course those deep brown eyes... Daniel felt something pull inside him at the sight of them. "Thank y-you," he said again, referring to the clothes.

"You're welcome." The man turned his back and waited for Daniel to get changed.

Going as fast as he could with unco-operative fingers, Daniel soon got out of his wet clothes, dried himself with the cloth, and then got dressed in the dry clothes. The fit wasn't perfect - they were a bit too snug as the man was thinner than him - but they were dry and that was what counted. "I'm, uh, I'm done," he announced, sitting back down by the fire.

The man turned and gave him a thorough appraisal. "Hmm," was all he said about it. Then he fetched a blanket from his bed and wrapped it around Daniel's torso. "Here. Don't want you catching your death of cold."

As Daniel pulled the blanket tight around him, he murmured yet another 'thank you'. The man was uncommonly generous considering they were strangers to each other.

"So, what brings you here on a day like this?" the man questioned as he spread the cloak over the table to dry, and then shifted the chair near the fire. He sat down and patiently waited for Daniel's reply.

Daniel spun the truth a little bit. "I, uh, I had to leave town rather quickly."

The man surveyed him with narrowed eyes. "Well, I doubt you're a thief, unless it was clothes you took. So you're either a murderer or an adulterer, which one?"

"Neither," Daniel denied, resenting the implication that he could be either. Both such things were against his religion.

"What'd ya do then?" the man persisted.

Daniel judged that this man didn't know anything about the Lollards, and was probably uneducated like many country folk. Still, he didn't want to take the chance that he might know more than he appeared to, given his manner of speech was reasonably good. "I would rather not talk about it."

"Right." The man's expression clearly conveyed his opinion at being dismissed. "You hungry? I got some broth if you want it."

His mouth watered at the mention of food but Daniel didn't say yes straight away. "How much for it?" he asked; the man looked poor and Daniel didn't want to deprive him of any food.

"Nothing," the man replied. "You look like you need it." He got up and fetched a bowl of broth for Daniel.

Accepting the bowl gratefully, Daniel quickly finished the broth, so hungry was he. Then, his insides warmer, he handed the bowl back to the man. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Putting the bowl aside, the man got out a knife and a piece of wood, and started whittling. Daniel found himself staring at the roughly callused hands delicately turning the wood into a figure. He found himself wondering what those hands would feel like against his skin before he realized what he was thinking. Daniel shook his head and forcibly looked at the fire; such thoughts were of a sinful nature.

Two hours passed quietly as Daniel studiously avoided looking at the man. Whenever he realized his eyes were drifting in that direction, he wrenched his gaze back to the fire. He couldn't stop shivering though - a legacy of three weeks on the run in the cold, wet weather.

The man got up without a word and put his things on the table. Then he went over to one of the far corners. Daniel watched for a moment then looked away when he heard the trickle of liquid into a bowl. When the man meandered back to the fire and put it out, Daniel realized he was going to bed. Slowly, stiffly, Daniel got up and went over to relieve himself in the same place the man had. Then he looked around for somewhere to sleep. A chair seemed to be the only option as there was only one bed.

"You'll have to sleep here," the man said from his position in the bed, seemingly reading Daniel's thoughts.

Daniel stiffened at the suggestion. "I'll be fine."

"No, you won't. You're still cold," the man observed. Then he grinned, a strangely attractive sight. "Your virtue is safe with me."

Daniel considered his options and decided that sharing a bed with this man was preferable to freezing by himself in the chair. He shuffled over to the bed, draped his blanket over the one already there, and got in, positioning himself right on the edge of the narrow bed.

"I won't bite," the man joked as he put an arm around Daniel's waist and drew him back against a warm body. "Just relax."

That was easier said than done. Daniel was very much aware of the body pressed along his back for a long time until the warmth started to seep through his skin. Finally, long after the man had fallen into slumber, Daniel began to sleep properly for the first time in three days.

********************

When he woke again, sunlight was streaming into the cottage through the open windows. The rain had stopped, and the chill of the previous day seemed to have disappeared. Daniel felt very warm - too warm, in fact.

He slowly realized that the man was not behind him still and Daniel tried to sit up to find him. His head protested, swimming alarmingly, and Daniel lay down again, breathing deeply to fight the sudden nausea.

"Stay put," the man ordered, coming into view to stand beside the bed. "You've got a fever."

"Hot," Daniel murmured.

The man placed a cool hand on Daniel's forehead. "I know. How long were you out in that storm?"

"Don't know." Daniel closed his eyes and let the coolness of the man's hand soak through his skin. "Been walking for three days."

A strip of wet linen was placed over his forehead, replacing the hand. Daniel heard the man stand up and move away, muttering in a voice he probably wasn't supposed to hear. "What were you escaping from?"

Then Daniel sank back into a deep sleep and heard no more for several hours.

********************

Daniel didn't know how long he had been drifting in and out of sleep when he heard a voice that wasn't the man's. He knew that at least one night had passed, as he had woken to feel the man behind him, keeping him warm, but other than that...

He struggled to concentrate on what this new man was saying - no, more than one man - the fever making it hard to concentrate.

"He's your brother?" the first voice, very deep, asked skeptically..

"Yes," came the reply. "He went out in the storm the other day." The man's voice dropped and murmured something else that Daniel didn't hear.

"I see," the second voice said sympathetically, a hint of pity evident. "Did you see any strangers in a red cloak while you were looking for him?"

"Don't get many folk around here," the man said as Daniel tensed. Would he be turned in?

"Is that a 'yes' or a 'no'," Deep Voice asked firmly.

"That would be a 'no'."

"Mind if we take a look around?" Other Voice asked, footsteps indicating that he was already coming inside.

"Sure, go ahead."

Daniel kept his eyes closed as at least two men searched the cottage. He hoped that his host had put the cloak somewhere it wouldn't be found.

After what seemed like an inordinately long time, Daniel heard the footsteps going away and voices apologizing for the intrusion. Then he heard the man - he really should find out his name - come to sit by the bed.

"Now I know what you were running from, you'd better tell me who you are," came the casual statement.

Clearing a throat that hadn't been used much for speaking recently, Daniel croaked out his name. He was grateful that he hadn't been turned in to the church authorities.

"Pleased to meet you, Daniel. I'm John." A cool hand came to rest on his right wrist, which was sticking out from the blankets.

"Cloak?" Daniel asked weakly.

"Buried out the back," John replied. "I kinda figured you mightn't want it seen." He didn't give any reason for that assumption though.

"Why didn't...?" Daniel queried, finding it hard to form the question.

"Why didn't I turn you in?" John clarified. His fingers moved to slide through Daniel's damp hair, and his brown eyes looked into the feverish blue ones. "Because you don't deserve to die."

Daniel couldn't breathe for a moment as he saw the love in John's eyes. They didn't know each other at all and the man loved him? That wasn't possible! And certainly not that kind of love!

"Now, get some rest so that you can get better." John's fingers were still moving through his hair. As Daniel closed his eyes, comforted by the gesture, he heard John whisper, "You can't die on me now."

********************

Less than a day later, Daniel's fever broke and he started to feel better. However, because he hadn't eaten anything except for a little broth over the past few days, he felt as weak as a newborn kitten.

John was on hand to assist him though, feeding him broth to build up his strength, and assisting him when he needed to walk. Daniel was sure that John must do some kind of work but even when the man left the cottage, he was never gone for long - or so it seemed to Daniel.

They were able to have a few conversations that day, with Daniel finally able to stay awake for long periods of time. Daniel found out that John was a farmer and had lived by himself for the past year after his father had died, leaving the farm in his care. And Daniel had related his own tale, knowing instinctively that John was a good man and wouldn't turn him in.

That night, they again shared a bed. They started off facing away from each other but when Daniel woke in the morning, John had spooned up behind him, an arm draped over his stomach - and something hard was pressed against his buttocks. Neither the arm or the body pressed against him worried Daniel but the erection did. Daniel hoped that it was just a morning erection and not directly related to him, given how John had looked at him two days ago.

A hand started gently caressing his stomach and chest, causing Daniel to tense. "John?" he hissed, hoping that the man would wake up. When the caress didn't cease, Daniel grabbed the hand and held it away from him. "John!"

"What? Oh." The rapid loss of heat against Daniel's back told him that the man had realized what was going on. "Sorry."

"No harm done," Daniel told him, only half-lying. He now viewed John's actions with a measure of suspicion. But on the other hand, he wasn't exactly repulsed by them. Slowly and carefully, Daniel sat up and faced John. "Are you married?" he inquired, feeling the need to know exactly what John's intentions were.

"I was," John replied. "She died three winters ago." His expression was one of guilt and pain.

"I'm sorry," Daniel said inadequately. It was obvious to him that John had loved her very much.

John shrugged. "It wasn't your fault." He put his hand out to pat Daniel's arm and then quickly pulled it away when he realized what he was doing.

Daniel had two choices: he could pretend that nothing was going on and leave as soon as he was able; or he could investigate further and figure out what was going on. His Christian beliefs told him that the former would be the best course of action but his natural curiosity tempted him towards the second.

John must have sensed something because he suddenly sat up and put his hand back on Daniel's arm. "Don't leave," he requested urgently.

"I-I have to," Daniel stated. He couldn't in good conscience remain, especially since he was warmed by John's touch.

"No, you don't," John disagreed. "You don't want to spend the rest of your life on the run."

Daniel stared into the soft brown eyes. "What are you asking me to do?" He really needed to know.

John lifted a hand to caress Daniel's stubble-covered cheek. "I'm asking you to stay here with me."

Something stirred inside Daniel at the words and the caress but he tried to ignore it. "So you don't have to be alone anymore?" he questioned, probing for John's true intentions.

"I don't mind being alone," John stated, his thumb gliding over Daniel's dry lips. "But ever since you arrived, I've been hoping that you would stay with me." He looked hopefully at Daniel.

His mouth dry from the unexpected eroticism of the caress, Daniel could only stare at John for a few moments. Then he swallowed hard and said, "That's the devil talking."

"No," John disagreed. "Love." Leaning in, he kissed Daniel firmly on the lips.

For a brief moment, Daniel panicked. Then desire flooded through him and his control slipped out of reach. Letting his emotions guide him, he eagerly kissed John back. Hands caressed him, arousing him further, and he let his own hands roam over John's body. And then he was lying on his back with John moving to cover his body with his own, one leg rubbing against his hardening groin...//

********************

It felt like Jack had been moving rocks for hours. He'd had to start at the top and now, as he looked at the pile, he thought that it didn't look any smaller. The pile of rocks he had shifted, though, looked huge.

"I'm coming, Daniel, just hang in there," Jack said as he took a break and sat down on the cold floor. He reached in to hold Daniel's fingers, pleased to note that they hadn't cooled down dramatically, which meant that the linguist was still alive. At least, that was the theory Jack was going on because it was the only way he could keep going. Daniel wasn't allowed to die again so soon after they got him back; it just wouldn't be fair. Jack had found it hard enough to cope during the past year and he didn't think he could do it again.

Especially with the way things were between them at the moment. All they seemed to do was argue and Jack didn't know why. Well, part of it was his awareness of Daniel in a sexual manner. Upon seeing his linguist again after a year of absence, it had hit him just how good Daniel looked. That awareness, and the fact that Jack didn't *want* to be attracted to Daniel, had contributed to the semi-permanent bad mood - he didn't know what Daniel's excuse was.

Jack absently caressed the fingers he held, the long slender fingers that definitely knew how to touch. He had seen the way Daniel handled his artifacts, touching them as he would a lover, caressing them... Jack shifted uncomfortably and let go of Daniel's hand. Time for him to get back to work and stop thinking about irrelevant matters.

Carefully standing, his knees protesting at the movement, Jack started shifting rocks again and praying that he wasn't too late.

********************
//Ballarat, Australia, 3rd December, 1854 - The attack, when it came, was a complete surprise. The 150 miners who had remained overnight in the stockade were taken unawares at dawn when a troop of soldiers fired on them.

Daniel Jackson was one of those miners. He had come to Ballarat to try his luck looking for gold, only to face poverty when the government put the gold license fees up to a price not many could afford. That was why he was in the stockade as part of the protest. But unlike most of the one thousand miners, he had slept in the stockade that night - he had nowhere else to go as he and Teal had moved their tent there as a measure of protection from others who may do them harm.

A heavy weight pushed him to the ground just as a burning sensation started in his right thigh. Daniel had armed himself when he had heard the shots but hadn't fired yet. It didn't feel like he had been shot but he couldn't work out what else it would be. The shotgun fell out of his hands as he hit the ground, the heavy weight pinning his lower legs, pushing him face first into the dirt. Daniel managed to lift and turn his head far enough to see that someone was lying on him but he couldn't make out who it was.

When the person didn't move, Daniel gritted his teeth and tried to roll over. It was no good though - the body was a dead-weight. "Teal!" he called out, hoping that his friend from America was close enough to assist him.

His shout went unanswered; whether due to the noise or something else, Daniel couldn't determine. He lay there for a long time, listening to the gunshots around him and trying not to think of the body lying across his legs.

After what seemed like hours, the shooting suddenly stopped. The cries and moans of the wounded and dying sounded unnaturally loud to Daniel, and he wondered how many had survived the attack.

The weight was suddenly lifted from his legs and Daniel rolled over, relieved to be free at last. Then he saw that the man on his legs had been Teal, and he was dead. "No," Daniel whispered, the pain of his wound having drained his energy. Teal had been his only friend, his protector; life on the goldfields would be difficult indeed without him.

Booted feet came into view and then a woman's face. "Are you all right?" came the concerned question.

His vision blackening at the edges, Daniel stared at the woman for a long moment before saying, "Fine." He absently noticed the woman's blue eyes before the darkness claimed him.

********************

Waking up was painful. Daniel felt the pain radiating from his thigh before he even opened his eyes. He shifted uncomfortably and a groan erupted from his throat as the move pulled at the wound.

A damp cloth was placed on his forehead and, startled, Daniel's eyes flew open to stare at the young blonde woman who was standing over him. Compassion was much in evidence in her expression, and Daniel recognized her as the one he had seen before blacking out.

"It's all right," the woman said, taking a seat next to the bed. "A piece of timber pierced your thigh but it has been removed." She rested a hand on his arm briefly as if to soothe him.

"Who...?" Daniel croaked; he found that his throat was dry when he spoke.

"My name is Samantha, and you're in my brother's home," she replied before continuing. "Your wound needed treating."

Daniel was confused; why wasn't he at a hospital or still at the stockade? "Brother?" he queried.

"Yes," Samantha replied in a soothing tone "Now rest - you need to gather your strength."

Rest. As if that were a command instead of a suggestion, Daniel's eyes closed and he drifted back to sleep.

********************

The next time he woke up, he could hear two voices - the female one he identified as Samantha's but the male one he didn't know. Daniel turned his head towards the voices and slowly opened his eyes.

One big blurry shape gradually, after a lot of blinking, split into two smaller blurry shapes; the owners of the voices, he presumed. The shorter shape on the left had to be Samantha so who was the other one? The brother she had mentioned?

Samantha turned towards Daniel then and said, "He's awake," to her companion. Then she came forward to sit by Daniel's bedside. "How do you feel?"

"Thirsty." Daniel's mouth was dry and he didn't know how long he had been asleep.

"Here, drink this." Samantha reached off to the side and picked up a mug. Then she put one hand under Daniel's head to help him sit up a little before pressing the mug to his lips. "Just drink slowly," she instructed.

Daniel obeyed, relishing each cool mouthful of water. He drank half of it before he lay back down, the effort of holding his head up too tiring. "Thank you," he said gratefully.

"You're welcome," Samantha replied, smiling gently at him.

The man Samantha had been speaking to earlier moved into Daniel's view and asked gruffly, "What is your name?"

His eyesight good enough to see the trooper's uniform that the man was wearing, Daniel didn't say anything. He turned away in disappointment; Samantha had turned him in and now he would go to gaol.

"It's all right," Samantha said, putting a hand on Daniel's shoulder. "This is my brother, Jack."

A trooper? Daniel looked at the man in disbelief; why was a trooper letting him stay here?

"I promise you're not in any trouble," Jack said to him. "Only the ringleaders will stand trial."

So Jack thought he couldn't be a ringleader? Not that he was, but he had been active in the cause. What would happen to him if Jack knew that?

After a few moments, Jack sighed with frustration. "Fine, be like that. But just remember we can't protect you if we don't know who you are." He stalked away.

"I'd better see him out," Samantha said apologetically before hurrying after her brother.

Daniel waited until he couldn't hear the footsteps and then he threw back the quilt and carefully, slowly, sat up. Pain radiated from his thigh and side through the rest of his body but he gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the nausea in his stomach. He had to leave before Jack found out more about him, not to mention got in trouble for harboring him.

His head swam alarmingly, and Daniel slumped back onto the pillow, temporarily defeated. This was going to be difficult. He shivered and suddenly realized that he was naked. Who had undressed him? Daniel hoped it hadn't been Samantha. As he pulled the quilt over him, he saw a massive bruise on the left side of his chest. That was the side that had hit the ground first when Teal had pushed him down and then fallen on him; no wonder it was bruised. He gingerly prodded it with his fingers - oh yes, that definitely hurt!

He was going to miss Teal so much. They had met the day Daniel had arrived on the goldfields, and Teal had almost instantly assumed the role of protector; there were some men on the goldfields who would take advantage of a young, good-looking man if there were no other alternatives. Teal had also taught him how to defend himself and how to survive, and it looked like he would need those skills now.

It shouldn't have happened that way but he didn't have time to dwell on that right now; he had to concentrate on leaving.

Samantha chose that moment to enter with a wooden tray that held a steaming bowl. "Do you think you can eat some porridge?"

It certainly smelled delicious but Daniel was pretty sure that if he tried to sit up, his nausea would come back again. But maybe if he only tried to sit up a little bit... "Please," he accepted the offer of food.

With the assistance of several pillows that Samantha put behind his back, Daniel was able to sit up enough to eat the porridge. Well, more accurately, be spoon-fed the porridge despite his protestation that he could feed himself.

Daniel managed to eat all of the porridge and felt the better for it. But Samantha gently took the pillows away and told him to rest before she left the room. Since he wanted to leave as soon as possible, Daniel decided to rest up and gather his strength.

********************

Samantha sat with him much of the day and chatted to him on and off. Sometimes she would ask questions, other times tell stories. Daniel couldn't work out whether she was lonely and had no friends, or whether the trooper had told her to keep an eye on him. Either way, she seemed sincere but Daniel wasn't going to trust her just yet.

Evening came slowly, although Daniel did manage to sleep during the afternoon. He and Sam had eaten together - he in bed, she in the chair - and now she was reading to him. Daniel found himself listening to her voice, the slight Irish lilt to it relaxing him, so much so that he forgot about making his escape.

That was until the trooper - Jack - came home. Samantha went to the front door to meet him, and Daniel could hear the terse question:

"Any progress with him?" as they advanced towards the bedroom.

"Only that he's not from England," Samantha replied. She allowed Jack to precede her into the bedroom.

"So what has he got to hide?" Jack questioned, his suspicious eyes on Daniel.

Keeping silent, Daniel stared back at him; he wasn't going to give anything away.

"Tracking down your friend was easy," Jack continued, moving to stand imposingly beside Daniel. "Once I had his name, it was easy to get information on the goldfield whore."

Daniel winced and looked away from the trooper. The downside to having Teal as a protector was the rumors that they were more than friends. And although Daniel had not done anything sexual with any of the miners, the rumors had persisted. He turned his head back and looked Jack in the eye. "I'm not a whore."

"Really? So you're saying you're not Daniel Jackson?" Jack inquired, disbelief written on his face.

"No, I'm saying I'm not a whore," Daniel stated firmly. He knew what the penalty was for male whores and he was determined not to pay for something he hadn't done.

"So you are Daniel Jackson?" Jack persisted.

Daniel said nothing.

"I'll take that as a yes." Jack put a cloth bag on the bed next to Daniel. "So these must belong to you."

Daniel immediately recognized the bag; it was his. Carefully, without sitting up, he undid the drawstring and examined the contents. His books, journals, shaving kit and clothes were inside, as were Teal's belongings. Daniel's breath hitched as he looked at the photo of Teal's family, who were still in America. He would have to write and tell them the news... after he escaped from here.

"How did you get these?" he accused Jack. "Why?"

"Your tent wasn't exactly guarded," Jack replied sarcastically. "And... Sam figured you might want them before somebody stole them," he accredited his sister with the reason.

That was nice of her, Daniel thought, giving Samantha a nod of thanks. They were all the belongings he had in the world. But... "Did it matter? You're just going to send me to gaol, aren't you?" he said to the trooper.

Jack shared a look with Samantha, and Daniel narrowed his eyes; something was up. "What?" Fear gripped him and his stomach churned. "What are you going to do with me?" he asked warily.

"Nothing," Samantha assured him, running a soft hand over Daniel's forehead. "We're going to protect you."

The suspicion didn't abate with those words. "Why?"

"That's a good question," Jack said, glaring at his sister.

"You're the one who brought him here," Samantha retorted, glaring back at him.

Jack obviously didn't have a reply to that because he stormed away without saying a word.

Samantha watched him go and then turned back to Daniel, a sad smile on her face. "He likes you. A lot," she stated simply.

"What?" Daniel couldn't believe what he was hearing. "That's impossible." The trooper had shown nothing but disdain for him.

"No, it's not." Samantha gave his forehead one last stroke and then stood up. "Goodnight." She blew out the lamp before leaving.

Daniel stared at the dark ceiling and contemplated the strange revelation for a long time...//

********************

Jack finally uncovered all of Daniel's body. The linguist had been protected by a pocket that had formed over him but a rock had hit his head. The small cut had been bleeding, leaving a dark red trail across Daniel's forehead. Jack quickly checked for other injuries but neither saw nor felt any. When he was finished, he drew Daniel's body up to cradle him carefully.

Jack called futilely into his radio again, hoping that Teal'c and Carter were on their way, then he looked down at Daniel and stroked the young man's hair. "Just hang in there, Danny. You're going to be fine," he promised softly, his heart aching at seeing his love injured...

His love?

Eyes wide open, Jack stared down at Daniel's still form. Love...?

********************

//Days passed and nothing more was said about Samantha's revelation. However, Daniel was extra aware of Jack, watching and learning what the older man was like.

What he found surprised him. By opening up more himself, Daniel was able to draw Jack into conversations and he found that the man had a good sense of humor. He was also, Daniel learned, a compassionate man, as evidenced by the fact that Jack hadn't turned him in.

Little by little, day by day, Daniel began to fall in love with Jack.

In light of what the trooper had accused him of being, Daniel couldn't say anything to him about the connection he felt was being forged, especially as he wasn't sure what Jack's reaction would be. Sam had only said 'like', which was a long way from 'love', which in turn was taboo in society. But occasionally, Daniel believed that he saw something in Jack's eyes, something that, while not love, could at least be lust.

The fact that Samantha had said anything to him was interesting. She must be a very open-minded and loving sister, he decided, to understand that her brother liked another man. If, of course, Daniel was reading her words the correct way. He liked her, and they often had very lively discussions, the topics wide-ranging and often surprising. It should be her he had fallen for. Instead, he had gone for the man, which was just asking for trouble.

After six weeks, Daniel was feeling much better and the wound in his leg had healed to the point where he only had a slight limp. He knew he shouldn't stay with the O'Neills any longer but he had nowhere else to go. And... he didn't want to leave either. So that left him with a serious quandary and no easy solution.

One night, Daniel was in the living room with Jack; Samantha had gone to bed early. He was wrestling with his dilemma, staring at the fireplace, when Jack suddenly spoke.

"Are you married?"

The question surprised Daniel but after a few seconds, he replied, "No, I'm not."

"Betrothed?"

Daniel could see that Jack was trying unsuccessfully to act nonchalant. "No," the younger man said, "I'm not betrothed." He had never had the opportunity nor the inclination with the women he had courted. "What about you?" Daniel dared to ask, believing he already knew the answer.

Jack looked at the fireplace for a long moment before replying, "I'm not either."

"Because you prefer men?" Daniel decided to be bold and inquire.

"Who told you that?" Jack demanded angrily, his eyes blazing. He stood up, about to storm out of the room.

"No-one told me," Daniel semi-lied, getting up to block Jack's path. "I have eyes, you know."

Jack's eyes narrowed. "Get out of my way," he ordered.

"You started this," Daniel said, standing his ground. "Why did you want to know if I was married?"

"Conversation. Ever heard of it?" Jack stated sarcastically.

"No, it was more than that," Daniel disagreed, shaking his head. "You wanted to know if I was available."

"Dream on." Jack went to push past him.

Daniel again moved to stand in front of Jack. They were eye to eye, the trooper only slightly taller than Daniel. "I like you, Jack, though I don't know why. But I'm not a whore. I only do relationships so if you're looking to scratch an itch, go elsewhere."

"I only do one-nighters," Jack replied, not realizing what he was revealing with that sentence. "Otherwise is too risky."

Daniel nodded in understanding; Jack couldn't afford to be caught with another man. "Then I'll say goodnight." And leave soon, he thought, so I'm not torturing myself.

He went quietly back to his room, his heart heavy that the risk hadn't paid off. He packed his few belongings and then slung the bag over his shoulder, ready to leave. Then he paused, uncertain - where would he go? Back to the goldfields to beg lodging and food? No-one would provide that unless they wanted to use him in return. Back to his birthplace to live on the streets? Or perhaps to the Highlands where he could find a new beginning?

"Are you leaving?" Jack's quiet voice interrupted his thoughts.

"I cannot stay," Daniel stated, turning to face the man standing in the doorway.

"Why not?"

Daniel looked into Jack's brown eyes and saw that the question was sincere. "You know why not."

Jack nodded. "Because you like men too."

"No," Daniel denied. "Because I like you."

There was silence for a few moments before Jack asked, his expression conflicted, "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I'll never see you again," Daniel replied sadly, hanging his head and hugging his chest. "Even if it was more, we couldn't be together," he added softly.

There was another long pause and Daniel decided that it was time to leave. Limping, he went to go past Jack but the man blocked him the same way Daniel had earlier.

"I want it to be more," Jack stated equally as softly, his hands coming up to grip Daniel's biceps.

"What?" Daniel said in disbelief. He looked into warm brown eyes and saw the truth there. "But—"

"I can't explain it," Jack interrupted. "It's not right and yet I want you to stay with me. In my bed," he added.

Not incentive enough, Daniel thought; he wasn't going to risk gaol or worse for lust. "And your heart?" he asked directly.

Jack held Daniel's gaze for a long time before replying, "And my heart." He shifted one hand to cup Daniel's cheek and then pressed a soft kiss to the younger man's lips.

Electricity sparked through Daniel's body, and he pressed himself closer to Jack, wanting more. He could feel Jack's hardness rubbing against his own, creating a wonderful friction. When the kiss ended and they both pulled apart for air, Daniel said breathlessly, "Mine too."

The answering look in Jack's eyes told Daniel that the older man knew exactly what he meant. And then they fell upon each other again, needing to finish what they had started...//

********************

Daniel, breathing heavily, suddenly found himself back in the white world. The vision had been very erotic in several parts, and he found that he was aroused by the images - a cause of puzzlement since he had never before been interested in gay sex. "Always in the same place," he complained quietly about the end of his visions before calling out to Oma, "What was that about?"

"You must look beyond the seen," she said, appearing behind him.

'Beyond the seen'? What did that mean? Daniel frowned in thought; the phrase sounded similar to 'look beneath the surface'. "What am I looking for?"

Oma said nothing, just waited patiently for him to figure it out.

"Right," Daniel muttered - no hints were allowed. With a sigh of impatience, Daniel started thinking about the visions. He began with the obvious. "Okay, it was set in three different time periods, and in all of them, two men became lovers," he said aloud; nothing startling there. Then he moved onto the men and realized that one of the men had always had blue eyes and the other brown, and their names were always similar or the same as his and Jack's. "That's weird," he murmured and looked inquiringly at Oma. "Is that it? They were similar to Jack and myself?"

Maddeningly, Oma still said nothing.

"Obviously not," Daniel said in frustration. He continued to think about the visions. Similar names and appearances... "They're us?" he queried, deciding that this was the most likely reason that Oma would have shown him the visions. "You're saying we've lived several lifetimes and in each one, Jack and I always found each other?"

"Yes," Oma replied serenely.

"But they were all lovers," Daniel felt compelled to point out.

"Yes."

Daniel stared at her while he tried to figure out what Oma's point was. "Jack and I aren't like that."

"Why not?" Oma questioned, her expression remaining neutral.

That threw him for a loop. "Because... because we're not gay," he said desperately.

Oma frowned as she quickly opened her mind and learned what Daniel meant by the term 'gay'. "You don't have to be," she told him.

"I...we don't?" Daniel was confused. "If we were... that way inclined, that would mean we were gay."

"Labels do not define us, Daniel," Oma scolded gently. "You of all people should know that."

Chastised, Daniel opened his mouth to continue the argument and then realized he didn't know what to say that Oma wouldn't have an answer to. He shook his head, simply denying that what Oma was saying was true. "Jack doesn't love me like that."

"Are you certain?" Oma planted a seed of doubt.

Daniel changed direction with his questioning, unable to answer that question. "You're saying that Jack and I are soulmates. If that were true, then why hasn't anything happened in this lifetime?"

Oma said nothing, letting Daniel work it out for himself.

"Because the circumstances and society are so different," he answered his own question. "Homosexuality was tolerated in Ancient Greece, and in the second vision, they were completely alone. The third one is closer to our society now but they didn't have to work together."

Oma nodded, approving of his deductions.

"But why are you showing me this?" Daniel questioned, not understanding her motives. "Jack and I can't be lovers." He knew the rules as well as anybody.

"It is meant, Daniel. Do not waste the time you have. You are stronger together than apart," Oma informed him before fading away.

"Wait!" Daniel shouted but it was too late. He glanced around him. Now what was he supposed to do?

********************

Jack cradled Daniel's head against his chest, his fingers threaded through the short brown hair. "Come on, Daniel, wake up," he begged, tears burning his eyes. He had heard Daniel's breathing speed up a minute ago but then it had returned to normal, unlike Jack's heart which was still beating fast with fear.

"He will not die," a female voice said beside him.

Jack whipped his head around to see Oma Desala standing there. "Then what are you doing here?" he accused.

"You needed to return to the path set out at the beginning of time," she replied.

"Ri-ight," Jack drawled, still suspicious. "And what path would that be?"

"You already know. Do you have the courage to take it?" she stated before disappearing.

"Hey!" Jack yelled before silently cursing the Ancients. "I hate it when they do that," he muttered. A movement against his chest had him looking down in hope. "Daniel? Love, can you hear me?"

"L've?" Daniel murmured, struggling to open his eyes. In the white landscape, he had gradually become aware of a warmth surrounding him, and he had wanted to know what was causing it. Now he knew. He could feel Jack's arms around him, holding him close.

"Danny, are you alright?" Jack fussed shifting slightly so he could see the linguist's face more clearly. "Can you open your eyes for me?"

"Think so." With a huge effort, Daniel managed to get his eyes open, blinking rapidly as they sought to adjust to the light. "What happened?"

"The roof fell in on you," Jack explained, letting his hand roam over Daniel's cheek, making sure this wasn't a dream. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Head," Daniel muttered, becoming aware of the pounding inside his skull.

Without thinking, Jack leaned down and placed a kiss just above the wound. "Anywhere else?"

Daniel stared up at Jack for a long moment, trying to process the change in his friend. "Did you get hit on the head too?"

"Nope. Just had one of those epiphany things," Jack replied, staring down at Daniel with love. "I thought you were going to die again. Didn't want you to."

"You let me last time," Daniel stated softly, not blaming Jack but not entirely forgiving him either.

"And that was the biggest mistake I made," Jack admitted. "The second biggest mistake was not realizing the first one until now."

Daniel found it hard to believe what he was hearing. It was almost as if he were unconscious again, watching those visions of the past. "Are you sure you're not injured?" he inquired.

Jack just shook his head ruefully. "How did we let this get so bad?" he asked, not really wanting or expecting an answer. There had been a time in their friendship where these kinds of feelings wouldn't have made either of them question their sanity.

"Maybe... because we didn't want to admit there was anything more than friendship," Daniel ventured cautiously; Jack hadn't released his hold so the linguist felt somewhat safe in his assumption.

"Maybe," Jack agreed, vowing never to make that mistake again. "I'm admitting it now."

"Me too." The coincidence of the timing was too great though. "Jack, did Oma have a little chat with you, maybe show you a few things?"

Jack's expression became slightly puzzled. "Actually, yeah, she stopped by a few minutes ago. Didn't stay for a chat though. Why? She talk to you too?"

"In a manner of speaking." As he smiled up at his friend, Daniel resolved to tell Jack about the visions at a later time. "So... where do we go from here?"

"Well, we can't waste Oma's efforts, can we?" Jack said as he leaned down for a kiss.

"No, we can't," Daniel replied, lifting his head to meet Jack halfway. Desire, like that in the visions, shot through him, causing the ache in his head to be overshadowed by one in his groin. He had never imagined feeling this way about Jack, and he was glad that Oma had opened their eyes to the possibility.

"Sir? Daniel?"

The two soon-to-be lovers pulled away in alarm upon hearing Sam's voice. Jack recovered first and shouted, "Carter! In here!" He checked his watch; they had been in the temple for a couple of hours so their team-mates were right on schedule. And, he realized, the doorway was unblocked - he was pretty sure that it hadn't been earlier. But then again, he hadn't really noticed since he had been focused on rescuing Daniel.

Daniel shifted, trying to sit up so that he wasn't found in a compromising position with Jack. But his progress was impeded by two strong arms. "Jack?"

"Just a moment longer," Jack replied before kissing Daniel's temple. He breathed in deeply, taking in Daniel's scent and the fact that the linguist was alive, and then released his hold. "Tonight, my place?" he asked, hoping that Daniel would agree.

"Okay," Daniel agreed, sitting up; he couldn't wait.

Sam rushed into the room, followed closely by Teal'c, and the soon-to-be lovers found themselves on the receiving end of a lot of care and in Daniel's case, probing for injuries. And although Daniel insisted he was fine, SG-1 headed back to Earth to get him checked out by Janet.

********************

After several hours of being observed in the infirmary for a possible concussion, Daniel was sent home with Jack, who was to keep an eye on him. Everyone thought it was a miracle that Daniel's injuries hadn't been worse, and the two men involved didn't enlighten them as to the cause of the 'miracle'.

"So," Jack said as soon as the front door closed behind him. "Where were we?"

"Why did she interfere?" Daniel mused, so deep in thought he didn't hear Jack's question. He had been trying to understand Oma's actions since they had got back but with no success. "The Ancients aren't supposed to interfere with the affairs of lesser beings."

Jack shrugged. "Does it matter?"

"Yes, I think it does." Daniel made his way into the living room and sat on the couch. "She went to a lot of trouble to make us 'see the unseen'."

"What?" Jack followed his linguist and sat down beside him, their bodies facing each other. "She just came to talk."

"No, she didn't," Daniel disagreed, remembering his visions. "She showed me three visions, three slices of our past lives, to demonstrate the path we're meant to follow."

"Daniel..." Jack warned, sensing the younger man was about to start spouting Oma-isms.

"But why didn't she show you?" Daniel wondered, not heeding the warning.

Jack thought back to the feelings he'd experience when Daniel was trapped under all those rocks. "Oh, I think she had something else in mind for me." Obviously Oma had chosen methods that each of them would respond to: Daniel had the intellectual visions; and Jack the threat of losing Daniel forever. When Daniel looked at him, puzzled, Jack elaborated, "Does 'rockfall' ring any bells?"

Daniel got it. "Oh." Nothing else needed to be said about that.

"So," said Jack, changing the subject slightly, "want to fill me in on these past lives?"

Daniel told him about the first one, to which Jack made the predictable comment, "I wore a dress?!" Daniel rightly ignored that and continued with the other two visions. And as he spoke, Jack could see each one clearly, almost as if he had been there with Daniel.

When the younger man had finished, Jack contemplated the similarities. In every one, he was Daniel's protector - albeit a reluctant one in the third vision - as he was now. But unlike now, he had apparently had little hesitation in going after what he wanted. "So what - this was Oma's way of slapping upside of the head for being so dense?"

"Apparently," Daniel replied with a brief grin. "But I still don't know why she interfered to tell us."

Jack had his suspicions: something bad was coming and Oma wanted them to have strength in being together rather than making each other weak by continually arguing. But he didn't say that to Daniel. Instead, he simply said, "Neither do I." Daniel was smart; he would eventually figure it out.

"Don't you want to know?" Daniel asked curiously.

"Not particularly," Jack replied casually. "All that really matters is the result."

"Which is...?"

"Which is us together, loving each other," Jack stated as he leaned forward and closed in on Daniel's kissable mouth.

As Jack's lips descended on his, and arousal sped through him, Daniel had to admit that was a very good idea...