Jack had made himself scarce during the hiatus. When he entered the briefing room to get his new orders, it was apparent to all that he had not rested as the General instructed. For the first time, the proud Colonel looked every minute his age.

Hammond looked around the table at the team in front of him. The tension was palpable. He had spent the last 48 hours debating an issue. As he took in the scene in front of him, he realised the decision was obvious. He had planned on separating the team. Daniel was needed back on P39 281, that much was clear. He had thought to put O'Neill with another team, but realised the man was not up to par. His fatigue could prove to be liability. It was also apparent that the team had some major fences to repair, and would not function well until that happened. He stood and glanced around the table, taking in all the faces.

"SG1. I am sending you back to P39 281. Your orders are to help the indigenous people come to grips with this tragedy and see what aid you can provide. If a treaty can be salvaged after these regrettable events, so much the better."

Daniel was irate. "Regrettable events? He.........." Daniel jabbed his finger in Jack's direction, kills their Shaman, and you call it regrettable?" Daniel's anger had grown over the last couple of days, despite Sam and Teal'c's words.

Hammond was momentarily taken aback by the vehemous outburst. He quickly recovered, and shock gave way to his own anger. Before he could reply, Jack beat him to it.

Jack pushed his chair back, slowly, deliberately, then rose to his full height. He stood tall, and with military bearing as he looked Daniel fully in the eyes. Daniel was held in place by that proud gaze. "I regret many events in my life Dr. Jackson. That was not one of them." With that, he pivoted on his heel and left the room.

A pin could have been heard dropping, so profound was the ensuing silence. Hammond finally broke the spell. "SG1, you leave in one hour. I will inform the Colonel. Dismissed."

Within the hour, the team was in gear and assembled at the bottom of the ramp, ready to go. Jack stood, eye's straight ahead, saying nothing. To any looking at him, it was just another mission. To his friends, the hurt in his eyes was painful to witness. Sam and Teal'c stood, not knowing what to say or do. Daniel was off to the side. His feelings, so obvious only a short time ago, were now confused. Jack's words had cut through him, leaving him unsure. His train of thought was cut off by Hammond's voice coming over the intercom.

The General watched the team from the control room. He wondered if he was doing the right thing, sending them off together. He knew they needed to heal, as a team, or SG1 would not continue. He leaned over the microphone.

"SG1, you have a go. Good luck people." Hammond watched, heavy hearted as the four individuals walked the length of the ramp and disappeared. He continued to stare, long after the brilliant blue of the wormhole faded away.

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

The team entered the clearing, vaguely surprised at seeing it empty. Jack gave a cursory look around and saw nothing. "Gee, I was kind of expecting a reception of some sort."

Daniel muttered. "Yeah, like a lynch mob."

Jack caught the words. He stalked purposefully up the younger man and caught him with his stare. This time it wasn't Jack talking, but Colonel O'Neill. "If you want to hate me, go ahead. If you don't want to talk, that's fine. But out here....... we're on a mission. I expect you to behave like a member of this team. If you can't do that, let me know now and I'll turn around and request a new linguist. Got it?"

Daniel stood chastened. He knew he was out of line. "I got it."

Jack gave an abrupt nod and turned away. "All right kids. Let's go."

The team made good time reaching the village. They kept expecting to run into one of the hunters, or perhaps a search party, but the path and surrounding woods were empty.

Finally they past the familiar fields and entered into the village. They were surprised to see the men and women all in attendance. An aura of celebration permeated the place. Laughter carried on the air, and wonderful cooking smells wafted on the breeze. The place did not give the impression of a town in mourning.

The team finally attracted some attention. A group of hunters, playing some sort of game in the dirt, stood and walked towards them. The lead man smiled, then wrapped Jack in a hug.

Jack stood awkwardly, hands at his sides, not sure how to take the reception he was being treated to. Despite the nature of their mission, Sam was hard pressed to suppress her smirk at the Colonel's reaction. Touchy feely was definitely not his thing.

Once released, Jack looked to Daniel. "What's going on here?"

Daniel was in the dark as much as the rest of the team. This certainly wasn't the welcome they had expected. "Um, I'm not sure." He turned to the men who stood grinning in front of him. "They seem to be celebrating."

Jack spoke up. "Ya think? What I don't understand is why? Can you ask them where Sulet is?"

Daniel addressed the men. The one who had hugged Jack pointed in the direction of the Chief's hut. Daniel thanked him, and they moved off. Smiling faces greeted the team while they made their way through the village. As they approached the hut, they noticed the fire they had last dined around, the one Ezamane had used his drug in, was still lit. Sitting in his customary spot in front of the flames was Sulet.

Smiles wreathed his face as he stood to greet them. He held his arms wide, as though to encompass the group at once. "Ghivtra cen."

"He's welcoming us back," Daniel relayed.

Sulet appeared to be looking past the team, searching for something. He turned to Daniel and the two began to converse. Finally Daniel turned to the team.

"It seems as though they don't know about Ezamane. From what Sulet says, it is not uncommon for the Shaman to disappear for days at a time after a full moon. They think he's just doing what he normally does, although they thought we were together. They're celebrating that no other girls were lost. They think it's because of us."

"Yeah, well, they'd be right wouldn't they? Can you ask him if we can please speak to him in private. Perhaps in his hut?" Jack's expression brooked no arguments from Daniel, who dutifully passed on the request.

Once in Sulet's hut, Jack faced the man. Not the Jack O'Neill of late, a man physically and emotionally tired. This was a military Colonel, delivering unwelcome news to an unprepared man. His tone was level and direct, but the words were softly spoken, with heartfelt sympathy. "I'm very sorry to tell you this Sulet. We found the missing girls. They were killed. We managed to discover who committed the crimes. It was Ezamane. In fact, he tried to kill her." Jack pointed to Sam, then waited for Daniel to translate. When the linguist had caught up, he continued on. "He put some sort of drug into the fire. The fumes caused everyone to fall asleep. That's why you couldn't protect the girls in the past. You were drugged. He took us to a clearing. We men were tied to poles. He tied Sam to a stone table and started to cut her with a knife. I managed to break free, and I killed him. I am sorry."

Daniel dutifully relayed the words. He marvelled at the simple telling. Jack hadn't embellished the story, nor minimised his role. Truth be told, Daniel was actually impressed, although he would never admit to it.

Sulet, on the other hand, was having a hard time accepting the story. In only minutes, his peaceful world had come crashing down around him. Not only did he find out that the missing girls had been murdered, he also learned that it was his own brother who committed the crimes. He shook his head, as though there were some mistake.

Understanding the hard time Sulet was having taking Jack's word for the events, Sam stepped forward. She raised her shirt up enough to reveal the damage underneath. The one cut was healing nicely, but the stitches on the other one still showed clearly on the swollen, red skin. She lowered her shirt and held out her wrists which still bore the faint, but unmistakable marks of rope burn. She then stepped back, knowing her point had been made.

Sulet looked at her wounds, then back at Jack. Much as he wanted to deny the facts presented to him, he had no choice but to accept the harsh truth. Small incidents came to his mind. Things he hadn't given thought to at the time now served to reinforce what the group in front of him were saying. Personality changes he had disregarded. The looks the Shaman had given to the girls who ended up missing. His almost fanatic treatment of his possessions. Sulet looked at Jack sadly, ashamed that this man had done what he should have in searching out the danger to his people. Blinded by his love for his brother, he had allowed needless suffering. In danger of losing control of his emotions, Sulet excused himself and left the hut.

Daniel had winced at seeing the damage Sam had displayed. He scarcely noticed when the Chief left, as shame flooded over him. In his anger at Jack, he had completely ignored the implications the event had caused for the others. He looked back to the scene in the infirmary. To the look of concern on Sam's face as she asked how he was. Only now did he acknowledge her hand held protectively over her stomach. She had been injured and he hadn't even bothered to ask. She had looked to his health, and he had ignored hers. He wondered how she could forgive him, and how he could have let such blind anger cloud his thinking.

As though Sam had read his mind, she moved to stand beside him. "Daniel, it's okay. I know you've been working through something that I can't begin to understand. You weren't ignoring me, you were working on yourself. That's okay." Seeing the man wasn't completely convinced by her words, she continued on. "I could have told you too, if I thought it was worth worrying about, but it wasn't. Just a few scratches, I could just as easily have got from my neighbour's cat. What will make me feel badly is if you continue to worry about this. We're friends, and that hasn't changed. Okay?"

Finally Daniel began to relax. Seeing that, Sam moved away to give him some space. Slowly he put his thoughts behind him, and began to concentrate on his surroundings. Sulet's hut was much the same as the others he had seen. It was dedicated to only the basic of needs. It did have one significant difference however. Daniel wasn't sure if it went with being a leader, or simply a matter of personal taste. He suspected it was the former. The walls in the hut sported a wide variety of masks. As Daniel looked around, he took in the array. It was an archaeologists dream. Different spirits and Gods were represented, covering the beliefs of centuries. An entire evolution of religion was represented. Daniel could have spent days studying the works, and still not have scratched the surface of the represented mythology. Many were simple mud forms, some were woven, some carved of wood. Many were painted, and some were covered in beads. The one that took him by surprise though, was hanging above the door. Daniel moved closer to see the detail. The mask itself was nondescript, but the implication was not. He slapped his head in disgust.

"How could I be so stupid?"

"Daniel?" Sam asked. She snuck a quick glance at Jack to see what he made of the comment. To his credit, he didn't take advantage of the situation. In fact, he looked concerned.

Jack wanted to ask himself, but given Daniel's reactions to him of late, he decided to let Carter handle the questions, unless the circumstances warranted otherwise.

Daniel looked at Sam, obviously worried. "Remember how I said these people struck me as being of North American descent. Quacutil I think ?"

Sam nodded.

"Well, I think I was wrong. This mask" he pointed above the door, "this is Tzutuhiles."

Hard as it was, Jack refrained from offering a gesundheit.

Sam looked at Daniel, the obvious question in her eyes. "And that means.........?"

"It means that these people came from Quatemala."

"Again. That means what?" Sam wasn't trying to annoy Daniel, although clearly she was.

Daniel was getting exasperated. "Tzutuhiles are the Quatamalan descendants of the Mayans".

For a change, Jack was the first one to see where this was going. "So that inscription I showed you was Mayan?"

Daniel forgot his anger for a moment and replied. "Yes it was." He thought back to the leaf Jack had shown him, and the memory triggered another one. "Oh my God. The statue."

"The statue in the clearing Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c recalled the grotesque artefact clearly.

"Yes Teal'c. I saw it briefly in Ezamane's hut. I only saw the head of it, but it was enough to see it's origins. I wondered about it, but I guess I forgot to mention it once the celebration started."

Jack jumped in. "Let me guess. It was Mayan as well."

Daniel nodded absently as the identity of the figure came to him. "It was a statue of Ah puch."

Jack enjoyed playing twenty questions as much as anyone, but this was not the time. "And he is...?"

Daniel looked at him, realisation lighting his face. "He's one of the Mayan God's of Death."

Jack looked at him, wondering if more was forthcoming. "Okay, I'll bite. How many Gods of Death are there?"

"There's two actually. Ah puch is the God of Death by things like old age and sickness. Natural causes. The second is Ahpuc."

Sam spoke up. "Sounds like the same guy."

Daniel gave her a brief smile. "They sound similar, but they're not. Ahpuc is the God of violent death. Things like suicide, hanging........"

Jack interrupted. "Sacrifice?"

Daniel nodded.

"Sacrifice how?"

Daniel wasn't sure why Jack was so eager to get a history lesson, but decided to play along. "The general method was beheading."

Further conversation was halted by the reappearance of Sulet. The man seemed to have aged in front of them. Clearly the news of his brother's actions had come as a shock. Still, he seemed ready to take all necessary steps in dealing with the situation. Sulet looked at Sam. He bowed deeply to her. "Opoy ba nu wera tyunigo. Tro ena qui vocret.". He bowed again. Next he turned to Jack. He repeated the bowing. This time the words flowed fast and furious. When he finished, he looked expectantly at Daniel.

Turning to Sam, Daniel translated. "He offers his apologises for the harm his brother caused you."

Sam answered with a bow of her own, causing a slight smile to grace the old man's face.

Daniel continued to translate for Jack. "He says he is sorry for not recognising the danger to us. He didn't understand why the girls disappeared. While he didn't believe they were lost to wild animals, he didn't think they had been deliberately taken. That his brother could have hurt his own people wounds him deeply, but he is grateful the danger is finally over. He wishes for you to show him his brother's body, and those of the missing children."

Jack nodded gravely at the distraught Leader, then walked over and held out his hand. He clasped Sulet's briefly in his own before releasing it. Indicating that the old man should follow him, he climbed the ladder, and emerged in the sun, the others following behind.

It was a solemn group that Jack led into the clearing. The area was frighteningly undisturbed. Ezamane's body was lying on the ground where they left it. Sulet approached his brother slowly. A lone tear trickled down his worn cheek as he knelt in the dirt. He gently placed his hand on the Shaman's head. Closing his eyes, he began a soft chant. When finished, he withdrew his hand and stood. The once proud Chief appeared broken. His eyes were now dull with grief, and he moved slowly, as though his burden was to great to bear.

Jack moved to the man's side and took his arm. Together they walked to the mouth of the cave. Sulet's emotions got the best of him and he began to weep. Jack wrapped his arm around the man's shoulders and held him. Finally the Chief calmed. He looked Jack in the face, and gave a brief bow, which Jack returned with all solemnity.

Sulet turned to Daniel. As the team looked on, the two men conversed. Tears sprung to Daniel's own eye as he listened. Finally he turned to the watching group.

"He says that great evil killed his children. Their souls have not found their rest and need our help. He asks that we help to send them on by performing a cleansing ritual. He wishes it to be performed here. He says that to move them now will anger the spirits, and separate their souls from their bodies. If that happens, they will never find peace." Daniel looked at Jack. "I told him we will help."

"Of course we will. What does he want us to do?"

Daniel questioned the leader. He nodded in acknowledgement then turned back to his team.

"He says that only fire will cleanse the evil. We need to light a fire in the cave and let it burn for from dawn to dusk. After that, the entrance will be sealed with stones."

Jack looked agreeable but confused. "Of course we'll help, but why us? Surely he wants the families to be a part of this?"

Daniel had the grace to hold his tongue against the retort trying to break free. "He says the families will come when the cleansing is complete, and the evil is removed. Normally the Shaman would be asked to perform the duties, but since he is dead, it falls to us......to you, as his killer.......to take responsibility for it."

Jack flinched at Daniel's words. Knowing nothing he could say would change anything, he simply turned to Sulet and nodded.

The leader turned away and headed into the woods.

Jack nodded at Teal'c. "Make sure he gets home would you?"

Teal'c answered with a slight incline of his head, then turned and followed the departing form.

Jack moved closer to Sam and Daniel. "Okay. From what you said, I take it we have some work to do. Sam, would you start collecting some wood for the fire. Daniel, you and I can find some stones to seal the cave. Teal'c can help when he gets back. Any questions?"

Sam pointed to Ezamane. "What about him Daniel. What does Sulet want us to do with him?"

"He will burn in the cave as well. He was a holy man, and deserves a proper burial. Daniel couldn't help but look at Jack as he said that. "Sulet hopes that the fire will cleanse the evil which lives in his heart."

Sam made a move towards the fallen Shaman, but was stopped by Jack. "It's okay Carter. I'll move him. After all, I killed him," Jack's face was unreadable as he said the words.

Sam nodded sadly, then moved off to begin her task. It would take a lot of wood to feed a fire for that long.

Ignoring Daniel, Jack reached down and grabbed the Shaman by the arms. It was awkward moving the stiffened body, so Jack resorted to dragging the man across the dirt.

Unwilling to watch, Daniel turned his attention to the knife lying forgotten in the dirt. He picked it up and studied it. It was beautifully crafted. The blade was an inky black, reminding Daniel of obsidian, but was too strong to be made of the glassy material. It had to be flint. Generally the stone wasn't this colour or texture though. Daniel remembered back to his archaeology lessons. When flint was exposed to high heat, it took on the slick, inky sheen he was seeing. He wondered at the workmanship of it. It was a double edged blade, with an impossibly sharp edge. The craftsmanship was undeniable. The blade was slightly oval, with an elongated shape. The front and back had been carefully chipped away to form a smooth surface, while the edges had been pressure flaked. The result was a slightly serrated cutting edge. The heel of the knife had been formed into a dowel shape and fitted into a slightly hollowed bone which formed the handle. Sinew was then wrapped around to secure the two pieces.

Along the handle were markings. As Daniel looked closer, trying to read them, he realised they formed the name of Ahpuc.

Shivering slightly as a shudder ran up his spine, Daniel moved to the stone altar. He laid the knife down and turned his attention to the statue. He removed it form it's niche. It was not a large piece. It stood only about eight inches high, and weighed about 3 pounds. It was carved from a single piece of sandstone. Daniel turned the figure over as he studied it. The carving was meticulously done, and the figure seemed almost lifelike. Most riveting were the eyes. They seemed to capture and hold Daniel's with it's own.

Daniel shook his head. He had the strangest feeling that the statue could see inside him. That it was studying him, as he studied it. It was more than disconcerting. He placed the statue beside the knife. Deciding to return the objects to Sulet, Daniel looked for a means to carry them. Settling on his pack, he shrugged it off and set it beside the two relics. He loosened the drawstring, and widened the neck of the bag. Reaching out, he picked up both relics.

To anyone watching, they might have noticed how Daniel suddenly stood stiffly upright. They might also have seen how his normally blue eyes suddenly flashed black, or how his expression changed. However, no-one was watching.

For his part, Daniel blacked out. When he awoke, he was unsure where he was. He seemed to be trapped. Despite the dimness, he made out the shape of a small, featureless room. Trying not to panic, Daniel walked around the perimeter. He was shaking by the time he had finished his inspection. There were no doors or windows. He was unsure where the scarce amount of light came from as there were no provisions for that small amount of security.

//"Hello? Is there anybody there? I'm Daniel Jackson. I'm a traveller from Earth."// The silence was deafening.// "Can anybody hear me?"//

**"I hear you."**

Daniel started at the words. They seemed to come from all around him, and the voice sounded older than time. //"Who are you?"//

A wall in front of Daniel opened. He was unable to walk through it though. It was more like it had transformed to become a giant movie screen.

**"For now, I am you Daniel Jackson."**

//"I don't understand. What do you mean?"//

Laughter boomed all around him. **"You do understand. You just choose not to. Look."**

Daniel looked closely at the view in front of him. He was seeing his bag. He also saw two hands holding the statue and the knife. They were his hands. Realisation hit. He was witnessing the scene through his own eyes, but the control was not his. His prison was in his own mind, and someone else was using his body.

A fear that Daniel had never before known threatened to overwhelm him. //"Who are you!?"//

**"You know who I am. You just need to say my name."** Ahpuc knew his control over his host would increase with the recognition of his name. He only wondered it this man knew that as well.

Daniel realised that he did know who his possessor was. //"You're Ahpuc."// As the name left his lips, he recognised his mistake. Already he found the walls of his prison closing in. His possessor had gained a stronger foothold in Daniel's mind.

Daniel heard and felt the chuckling. **"Very good. I knew you were the right one for me. I needed a new vessel after your friend killed Ezamane. You will do nicely."**

//"How did you get in me?"// Daniel was determined to find out a way of breaking Ahpuc's control of him.

**"You handled the objects"**

Daniel couldn't believe it was as simple as that. //"Surely lots of people touched those things?"//

**"Actually, no. These have been passed down from one Shaman to another. It is forbidden for others to touch them."**

//"So you've inhabited, or taken over or whatever you want to call it, every Shaman?"//

**"No. Most had been trained to resist me from the time they were small."**

Finally it made sense to Daniel. //"Since Ezamane had no teacher to guide him, he didn't learn how to fight you."//

**"True. It still took some time. He was as stubborn as he was gifted. I managed to work through his defences though, and in time he became mine."**

//"What about me? I have no talents."//

**"You underestimate yourself. You have knowledge. That is power in it's own right."**

Daniel wondered what he wasn't being told. //"I don't believe that in all these years, no one has touched both the objects. What aren't you telling me?"//

**"You are a clever one aren't you. Very well. You are correct. Some had touched the artefacts over the years. They were possessed of weak minds though. Had I been able to access them, I'm not sure I would have. I grew weak over the years, but bade my time. I was saving my strength for the right one. When Ezamane came along, I knew it was time to act. Thanks to him, I have grown in strength."**

Daniel ventured a guess. //"The girls?"//

**"Yes. Their deaths gave me new life. I have grown stronger. Now I am free to act."**

//"What do you want with me?"//

**"Watch and learn".**

Daniel had no choice but to witness his body's actions.

Ahpuc placed the statue reverently back into it's niche. He then turned his attention to the knife. The weight of the stone felt wonderful. He ran his thumb gently across the razor sharp edge and smiled as the tiny beads of blood welled to the surface. With the letting of blood, he gained more control of his host. Satisfied, he turned his attention to the clearing. Seeing it was still empty, he leaned against the stone. He was prepared to wait. It would be interesting to see how the man who killed Ezamane would react to dealing with his friend's possession.

Ahpuc continued to scan the clearing. As his eyes came to rest on the mouth of the cave, he became aware of the thoughts of his captive.** "So, you wish to see what lies within. I understand your friend has forbidden it."**

Daniel snorted mentally. //"He's not my friend. Not anymore."//

**"Are you so sure of this?"** Ahpuc was enjoying the feelings of anger his host was projecting. They were both entertaining, and served to fuel him. As the God of Death, he enjoyed the emotions of hate, anger and jealousy. All provided the means to war and death and those were events he thrived on.

//"I'm sure."//

**"Very well then."** Without warning, Ahpuc projected the scene within the cave. Daniel was treated to the view in all it's horrifying clarity. He was even given the added audio version as Ahpuc transmitted the sounds of the girl's dying screams.

Daniel was beyond horrified. He tried to run from the sights and sounds, but was locked within the prison of his own mind. Frantically he began beating mentally against the walls to no avail. He tried to block out the images, but lacked the physical ability to do so.

Ahpuc was amused. Ezamane had not fought nearly so hard, and had actually encouraged the actions after a time. This host had fight and spirit and Ahpuc wondered how long it would take to break those.

**"Enough. This serves nothing."** He broke off the scene.

Daniel fell to the ground panting. He had never before felt such hate for anyone or anything. Not even for Apophis. The sheer malevolence of the creature was awe inspiring. Finally Daniel realised why Jack had tried to protect him from the knowledge of the cave. Why his friend had killed Ezamane. You don't reason with hate like that. You stop it. Even better, you destroy it. Now that he had become a part of Ahpuc, they would need to destroy him. Daniel could only hope that was possible. He just prayed he would get the chance to say good bye to his friends, and to tell Jack that he finally understood.

**"You know, I find you a most complex person. Part of you rebels at what I have done, at what you feel I represent. Yet, as I read your mind, I find that we are not so different."**

Daniel snorted in derision. //"We are nothing alike. I value life, and freedom. I try to protect people, to defend them against the likes of you."//

**"You see, that's why I like your kind. You are so adept at self delusion. I can see into your mind. I know that you have killed before."**

//"Of course. I told you. I protect people.//

**"And you have never enjoyed the feelings this gave you. You never savoured the feelings of power? Of control?"**

//"No."//

Ahpuc laughed. **"As I said. Self delusion. Shall I help to rekindle your memories. You seem to have forgotten some of them."**

An unwanted memory surged forth. Daniel was shooting the tank of the immature Goa'uld larvae. His smile barely contained as the writhing creatures landed on the ground, squirming in the dirt, and suffocating in the lethal environment.

**"You see. You condemned your friend for his actions."** Jack's face flashed in Daniel's mind, the haggardness in full detail. **"You purport to be better, yet you knowingly killed off helpless children, and enjoyed doing so."**

//"Stop it! Get out of my head! You have no right to be there, or to judge me."//

**"Maybe, maybe not. Yet you felt you had the right to judge your friend. You took his actions at face value. You saw the signs of Ezamane's activities, which you ignored I might add, yet when he......" **Jack's face flashed again........**"acted, you vilified him. How can you claim to be better than I. I at least admit who and what I am. Perhaps you need to do the same."**

Daniel fell quiet, reflecting on Ahpuc's words. Whether it was in deference to his need for quiet, or merely an aspect of his gloating, Ahpuc left him alone.

Daniel sank against the wall of his prison. Uncertainty set in. He had killed those Goa'uld larvae, and he had enjoyed it. At the very least, he had gained great satisfaction from the act. That couldn't make him as evil as Ahpuc though. Could it? He tried to recall the good he had helped do. Nothing came to mind. All he could hear and see were his words to Jack and his murder of the larvae. Daniel sagged into a heap on the floor, shame and guilt torturing his mind.

Ahpuc smiled. He knew he had twisted the situation somewhat. He also knew what this man stood for and it certainly wasn't death and corruption. What he did have a deep seeded sense of guilt that had been ridiculously easy to tap into. It served his purposes to have his host questioning and confused. It made control all the easier.

Daniel lay there, tears falling heedlessly from his eyes. //I'm no better than he is. I have killed. Not in battle either. I killed because I wanted to. What does that make me? I am no better that him. He's right. If anything I'm worse. I'm a monster. Oh God help me, I'm a monster. I deserve this.// As he thought about Ahpuc's words, another voice crept into his mind. It sounded suspiciously like Jack. He strained to make out the phrases.

"Danny Boy. You did good."

Daniel's tears slowed somewhat, and the voice gained strength. "Yeah. Space Monkey. Yeah."

The tears stopped and Daniel pulled himself to sitting. The words came more rapidly.

"We'll find her. I promise." Jack promised. //Jack always keeps his promises.// Strength kept back into Daniel.

//"Where are you Jack?"//

"I'm in here Daniel." Daniel felt a warmth wrap around his heart.

"I trust you Daniel." //Jack trusts me. He trusts me to fight for good. He would want me to fight this. I have to fight this. Ahpuc can't win. I hurt Jack, but if I let Ahpuc win, we all lose. I have to win. I have to fight. I can do good things.// Confidence flowed back into Daniel's weakened soul.

Slowly he stood. He didn't know if he could win against Ahpuc, but he meant to fight. Jack would want him to, and more importantly, Daniel wanted to.

Daniel braced himself for the battle he knew was to come.

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

When Jack finally finished manipulating Ezamane's body into the cave, he was tired. Physically and emotionally. He would have been happy to never have witnessed the scene in there again, yet here he was. Jack left the cave and sat himself down just outside, with his back against the stone wall. He leaned his head back until it came to a rest. Closing his eyes, he tried to breathe deeply enough to rid himself of the stench still clinging to his nostrils. Sensing motion in front of him, he opened his eyes to see Daniel striding towards him. The expression on the archaeologist's face was one Jack had never seen before. "Daniel?"

**"Daniel is not here. I sent him away. You are dealing with me now."**

A blur of motion swept in Jack's direction. Only his reflexes moved him out of the way in time. He rolled to his side and landed in a crouched position. He eyed Daniel warily. "Who are you?"

A cold laugh rang out. **"Oh come now. Surely you know. Why, Daniel told you about me not long ago. Don't you remember?"**

Without waiting for an answer, the knife lashed out again. Jack sprung forward into a diving roll, the knife whistling harmlessly overhead. He gained some distance then stood, turned and faced his attacker. A name jumped into his head. "Ahpuc."

**"Ah. So you were listening. Your friend wasn't sure that you were. He seems to feel that you ignore him a lot."**

//"Don't listen to him Jack. He's toying with you. It's not true. I do know you listen and that you care."//

Jack refused to rise to the bait. He knew the tactics. He had employed them himself in the past. Distract your opponent, then take advantage of it. He needed to turn the tables and ask the questions. He needed to get this thing out of Daniel and he couldn't do that without information.

Ahpuc started to move combatively in a circle. He moved the knife in front of him with complete control. Jack matched the circular march, his eyes never leaving the weapon.

"So, why do you do it? Why do you pick these men and make them kill for you? Why don't you do it yourself?"

**"If I told you that, I'd have to kill you."**

"You're going to do that anyhow, so what's the harm in answering."

Ahpuc laughed. **"You know, I could get to like you. I watched you in the village. I saw you looking at me. You knew what I was up to. I applaud you for that. No-one else suspected me. For over a year I got to indulge my tastes, and no-one guessed. Then you come, and in less than a day you had me figured out."**

"Gee, I'm flattered. Just call me a good judge of character." Jack dodged as the knife swung at him. He sidestepped easily as he tried to figure out his next course of action. He had to stop Ahpuc, without hurting his friend. His weapons were out of the question. This had to be done with finesse.

Daniel watched the fight through second hand eyes. It was strange. He was seeing Jack as Ahpuc was. As one fighter to another. Daniel knew Ahpuc's intentions and called out a warning to his friend, despite the knowledge that his words couldn't be heard. He watched as Jack dogged the next strike. Daniel was tense, knowing this would only escalate. Already Ahpuc was closing the distance between the two men.

Jack saw an opening. He dove forward, grabbing Ahpuc's arm and twisting the appendage. He succeeded in flipping the man to his back. Acting on his advantage, he knelt and planted his knee on the man's chest. He reached with both hands to grab the knife clenched firmly in Ahpuc's hand. The move might have worked, had Ahpuc's eyes not started to glow. Jack felt his body lift, then fly through the air to crash against the stone altar. He fell heavily to the ground, temporarily winded.

Daniel screamed with impotent rage. //"You cheated. He had you and you cheated!"//

**"Tsk tsk. That is not cheating. I have the power..... he does not. This is what I do. This is what I've waited for all these years."**

Jack shook the cobwebs from his head and considered his options. This man had power, and wouldn't hesitate to use it. Jack needed to wrap this up before anyone else came and got hurt. He wondered if he could appeal to the creatures ego.

"Well done," Jack called out as he rose. "You played that well. I guess that's what you God's need to do when you take on a mortal." The taunt in his voice was unmistakable. "You have to rely on your powers. Too bad. It would be interesting to see if you could win on your own."

Daniel watched the scene unfolding with interest. He applauded Jack's tactics, and just hoped they would bear fruit.

**"Just you and me? Well......this could be fun. I will enjoy breaking you slowly. Death at ones own hand is infinitely more pleasurable than simply watching."**

"We'll see about that."

Once again the two combatants started to circle. This time Ahpuc took the initiative. He feinted left, then moved quickly to his right, knife hand extended. Jack recognised the feint for what is was and reacted accordingly. Unfortunately, his lack of sleep had slowed his reflexes somewhat, and the knife got it's first taste of his blood. It caught his left palm as he tried to block the strike. Swiftly the knife sliced through the tender flesh, cutting a diagonal swath across the length of his hand.

Daniel hissed in sympathy, but noticed Jack showed no reaction to the wound.

**"Ah. First blood goes to me."** The glee in Ahpuc's voice was infuriating.

"Yes, but it's last blood that counts." Jack reigned in his emotions. Letting them get out of control would only give the advantage to his rival.

Jack rushed unexpectedly, dropping at the last moment to sweep his leg out and kick his opponents out from under him. He followed up on the successful move with a quick chop to the neck. Ahpuc's eyes rolled back, but Jack knew it was only a momentary victory. He would have to follow through before he lost the advantage. He reached for the knife. Ahpuc, heavily stunned, blindly slashed it in front of him, catching Jack on the cheek. The wound was not serious but it was messy. As before however, Jack ignored it. He reached again, and this time got his hands on the knife. He wrested it from Ahpuc's grip, and threw it as far as he could. Grabbing the man by the shoulder, he drew him up to standing. Reaching for both hands, he drew them to Ahpuc's back. Without a rope to secure the man, he cast about for options. He finally settled on Daniel's pack still waiting on the altar. Dragging the still stunned man backwards, Jack made his way towards the pack. When he reached his destination, he used his uninjured right hand to hold Ahpuc's wrists, while he fumbled with the pack with his left hand. He grabbed the string that secured the neck of the bag and started to pull it free. He almost had it when Ahpuc shook off the stunning chop.

Ahpuc broke free from Jack's hold and delivered a harsh elbow to Jack's ribs, knocking him back against the stone. Ahpuc followed up with his arm across Jack's throat. O'Neill leaned away from the pressure until he was bent backwards, back pressed against the cold stone.

Daniel screamed. //"Stop it! You're killing him."// Daniel beat against the walls of his prison in a fruitless attempt to distract Ahpuc.

As Jack felt the crushing weight rob him of his oxygen, he scrambled to stop the other man. He cupped on hand behind the other and pressed them into Ahpuc's chin, forcing the other man to loosen his hold. Gaining a momentary reprieve, Jack let go with one hand and felt around for some sort of weapon. His hand brushed against the statue of his nemesis. Grabbing it more securely, Jack lifted the object. He felt Ahpuc tense.

Daniel cheered him on. //"Come on Jack! You can do it!"//

Jack started to move the statue towards Ahpuc's head, but hesitated at the last moment.

Understanding his hesitation, Daniel screamed. //"Just do it Jack. You have to stop him."// Panic washed over him as he realised his friend's desire to protect him might cost Jack his own life.

Ahpuc sneered. **"Now you know why I choose these forms. Always there is someone who cares. Someone who can't hurt the host."** Ahpuc tensed as Jack moved the statue again.

Jack noticed Ahpuc's reactions both times he moved the statue. Maybe it was divine intervention , or maybe it was simply a lack of oxygen, but an epiphany came to him. 'Maybe I don't have to hurt Daniel after all'. With all his quickly failing strength, Jack raised the statue high overhead and smashed it down on the altar. The grip on his neck loosened immediately, and Jack gasped for air, his knees buckling.

Daniel watched the statue descend towards the unforgiving stone. **"Nooooooo,"** came the deafening scream, then all went dark.

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

When Daniel came to, he lay quietly, assessing his situation. His prison was gone, and no thoughts interfered with his own. He opened his eyes and was delighted to see the sky first hand. He moved slowly, testing his limbs. Everything seemed in order.

"Daniel?" Jack was still sitting against the stone altar. He had seen his friend move, but was still feeling shaky and weak, the adrenaline from the fight gone. His body was resisting his urge to move. Jack knew if his actions had been wrong, and the broken statue hadn't released Daniel, then he still had a fight on his hands. If that was the case, he needed to gather his strength.

Daniel pulled himself to a sitting position, and found himself only scant feet from the Colonel. "Yeah Jack?"

"That you?"

"Huh"

Jack grinned. "Never mind." That simple familiar term was more effective in convincing Jack of Daniel's identity than any test would have been. Using the altar behind for leverage, Jack pulled himself to standing.

He crossed the distance to Daniel and held out his hand. Daniel reached tentatively for it, and allowed himself to helped.

The two men stood face to face. Jack's cheek still bore a bleeding cut, and the bruising was already showing vividly on his throat, in sharp contrast to the paleness of his face. It was his eyes however, that caught Daniel's attention. They were worried, and unsure.

Daniel groaned inwardly. He remembered all the hateful things he had said and cringed. His actions were inexcusable, and he didn't know how Jack could forgive him.

Both men stood there, unsure of what to say. The moments grew long. Finally, feeling the need to say something, Jack spoke. "You okay?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Peachy." Jack realised this was going nowhere, fast. He turned and moved towards the altar to start picking up the pieces of rubble. For some reason, he felt a compulsion to tidy up the mess. Slowly he assembled them in a pile. He looked up as Daniel moved to the other side of the stone and started to silently help.

Daniel kept casting brief glances Jack's way to try and assess his friend's mood. Jack never looked up enough for him to tell. From the Colonel's silence though, Daniel was worried. He didn't realise the feeling was mutual. Finally he gave up the pretence of trying to help, and he began to move away.

Seeing that Daniel was leaving, Jack made a decision. Things needed to be resolved here and now. Unmindfully, he grabbed Daniel's hand in his own wounded one. Blood streamed between the two, and ran down their arms. Daniel looked nervously at the blood, then at Jack.

"You need to get that looked at you know." The words sounded inane to him, considering he, or rather his body, had inflicted the wound in the first place.

Jack looked absently at his hand, then dismissed it. "That can wait Daniel. We need to talk about what happened."

Daniel bowed his head in shame. "I'm sorry Jack, I really am. I tried so hard, but I couldn't fight it."

Jack reached with his other hand and lifted Daniel's chin to look the man in the eyes. Tears filled the blue orbs, magnifying their colour.

"I'm not talking about today Daniel. Of course that wasn't your fault. I'm talking about before."

"I'm sorry about that too Jack. I should have known you had a good reason for doing what you did. I just wish you had trusted me enough to tell me what was going on."

Jack was surprised. "I do trust you Daniel. It was never that. I just wanted to spare you and Carter the details."

"I don't need you to protect me Jack. I'm not some weakling who cracks under pressure." Anger had crept into Daniel's voice.

Jack's voice was soft, soothing. "I know that Daniel. You've been through more in the past few years than most people live in a lifetime."

Daniel looked questioningly at his friend. "I don't get it then. Why?"

Jack looked past Daniel, pondering the question. He thought about the things Daniel had endured over the past few years, then was caught by flashes from his own past. Daniel knew that whatever Jack was seeing, it wasn't the trees and rocks in the clearing. The sadness in the man's eyes took Daniel by surprise, and grabbed at his heart.

When Jack finally spoke, it was in a voice Daniel had never heard before. "When you spend your life in the darkness........ when you see and live enough horror, it does something to you. It chips away at your soul, little by little until there's nothing left. Once that happens, it's too late. You don't get it back." Jack looked at Daniel. "I don't want that for you, or Carter." Jack shook off his reverie, and released Daniel's hand. He started to walk away.

Daniel was stunned, and deeply saddened by what he heard. "Jack?"

Jack stopped, but didn't turn around. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry."

"I am too Daniel. I am too." With that he left the clearing.

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

Teal'c was making his way back to the clearing when he heard the sounds of fighting. He started to run, and entered just in time to see Jack smash the statue. He wanted to rush forward and see to his friends health, when something held him back. It was Sam.

She too was returning, with a full load of wood. There had been plenty of branches lying on the ground, sparing her the need for an axe. She was on her way back when she spied Teal'c. He appeared to hear something and took off. She dropped her load and followed. She arrived just behind him. The big man was obviously engrossed in whatever he was watching, as he never noticed her arrival. She took in the scene, and while not aware of what was happening, she sensed the two recovering men needed to be alone. She lay a restraining hand on Teal'c arm. He was startled at seeing her beside him. She indicated for him to be quiet as they watched the drama unfold.

Tears sprung to Sam's eyes as she listened to Jack's words. Her heart went out to the man as he walked away. She wished she could do something, but that would involve revealing her presence, and that was unthinkable. The moment was a private one, which the Colonel would not appreciate knowing had been shared. It just pained her to know that once again he had watched out for their well being, and had paid the price for it. A price he had met far too often.

Teal'c too was moved. As First Prime, he had witnessed and caused much suffering. He understood Jack's words better than anyone. The difference was, he was already much older than O'Neill when he had begun to fight, and had received many years of training to cope. Jack had been trained in combat, but not in how to deal with its implications. Teal'c had also never suffered physically, a feat O'Neill was intimately familiar with. These things all conspired to take their toll. He knew O'Neill sought to protect his team, physically and emotionally, and this planet was just another example of that. He was grateful that Daniel finally understood the cost behind Jack's actions. He could only hope that this step was a healing one for both men.

Both Sam and Teal'c waited until Daniel was alone. By mutual agreement, Teal'c went on into the clearing alone. Having both arrive at such a sensitive moment would have been suspicious. Sam left and doubled back until she found her load of wood. She gathered it again, and once more headed towards the clearing.

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

Jack walked aimlessly. He wasn't sure where to go, or why he wanted to go there. He only knew that he needed some space. The last week had been a hard one, physically, and more importantly, emotionally. He thought over his brief conversation with Daniel. He had wanted to ask how his friend really was. How having some ancient Mayan God controlling his body had affected him. He wanted to explain his actions and his words more clearly. He just couldn't. He hadn't meant to reveal his thoughts to Daniel. Not those ones. Those were for him only. Jack grabbed a chunk of wood lying in his way. He threw it violently into the brush, hoping to work off some of the tension he felt. Smiling grimly as the wood hit a tree and exploded into toothpicks, his mind started to wander. It headed in a direction he wasn't comfortable with.

When he had killed Ezamane, it had been clear cut. The man was a sadistic killer. He was also possessed of frightening powers. To Jack there was no choice. Stop him. End the killings. It was a no brainer. Until Daniel was possessed that is. Then he realised that there was an innocent man underneath. What if Ezamane had been like Daniel? Someone possessed of a strong sense of morality and justice. Jack hadn't considered that when he acted. What if someone else had come across Daniel? Would his friend now also be lying dead?

Jack didn't stop to consider the personal cost of his actions. How his avoidance of hurting Daniel had almost cost him his own life. How by killing Ezamane he had saved Sam's life and the rest of his teams. He was too busy working on his feelings of self loathing to recognise the good, as well as the bad.

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

Teal'c approached the silent man who continue to stare at the woods. He made sure he made enough noise that he didn't startle him. "Daniel Jackson, are you all right?"

Daniel turned guilt laden eyes on the Jaffa. "Not really Teal'c. I really blew it this time."

Teal'c cocked his head in a questioning way. "How so?"

"I know about the girls Teal'c. I know what you and Jack saw, and I know why he didn't tell me. He wanted to spare me, and I attacked him for it. What kind of a friend does that?"

Teal'c sighed at the lost expression on Daniel's face. "A good friend."

Daniel looked at him, clearly puzzled. "How can you say that?"

Teal'c looked him in the eyes, hoping his words would make the man understand. "Do you not know what you mean to this team? How you make us think about our actions, and how they effect others?"

Daniel didn't answer. He just fumbled with his glasses and listened.

"One of the reasons O'Neill cares about you, is that you care about others. If you had accepted his actions without comment, you would not have been true to yourself, and your nature. O'Neill acted as he had to knowing what he did, and you acted the same. Anything else would have been wrong, for both of you. Do you understand?"

"I think so Teal'c." Daniel thought back to Jack's words about his life. "Teal'c......can I ask you a question?"

"Of course Daniel. I will do my best to answer you fully."

Daniel couldn't suppress his grin at the answer. Talk about true to nature. He quickly sobered up though, as he considered how to phrase his question. "You've seen a lot of battle haven't you?"

Teal'c nodded.

"What happens to you?"

"I do not understand the question."

Daniel fumbled for the right wording. "Does seeing all that death and violence do something to you?"

Teal'c understood, and it saddened him. He knew the question related to O'Neill's words. "Yes Daniel, it does. It hurts inside, and the hurt does not like to leave. Every battle, every death leaves a small wound."

Daniel nodded thoughtfully. He was glad he knew. It gave him some insight he sorely needed. "What do you do about it?"

Teal'c stood in thought. Clearly he had never given the question any consideration before. "I meditate. I spend time with friends. I try to see the hope in the faces around me, and most of all, I forgive myself."

Daniel looked into Teal'c's eyes. "Do you think Jack forgives himself?"

"No Daniel, I do not."

Daniel muttered. "Neither do I." He started to head in Jack's direction. He called over his shoulder "I'll be back shortly."

Knowing his young friend was off in search of O'Neill, Teal'c started on his next task. He left the clearing in search of suitable stones for sealing up the cave.

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

Sam arrived with her bundle and placed it near the mouth of the cave. She found the clearing empty, and hoped everyone was all right. As she went to leave, she noticed the pile of rock heaped up on the altar. Closer inspection led her to believe it was the remains of the statue. She hoped someone would come back soon to update her on recent events. It was clear she had missed something significant.

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

Jack had finally stopped walking. Fatigue was wearing heavily on him and he finally realised that his cut hand was still continuing to bleed. He found a good sized stump, backed by a moss covered tree. Using the stump as a stool, he sat wearily. He tore the bottom of his shirt off and wrapped the cloth tightly around his hand. After securing it, he leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes. It felt good to rest. He decided to sit for a while and catch his breath. Then he would head back to help the others. They still had a burial to perform.

Daniel had not trouble tracing Jack's tracks. The man was not trying to hide from anyone, he was simply making his way through the forest. Daniel made good time and it wasn't long before he came across his friend.

Jack sat motionless, leaving Daniel to think he was asleep. He approached quietly, so he wouldn't disturb the resting man, and was surprised when Jack's eyes opened.

"It's okay Daniel. I heard you. Why are you here?"

"Because I need to talk to you. What you said back there........."

Jack waved his hand, cutting off Daniel's words. "There's nothing to talk about. I shouldn't have said all that stuff." Jack looked at his friend. "You're right Daniel. I should have told you about the cave. You might have figured all this out in time. Ezamane would still be alive, and you wouldn't have been possessed by that ......thing."

Daniel waited patiently until Jack stopped talking. "You finished?"

"Yeah" came the weary reply.

Daniel cleared his throat. "First of all, thank you." Seeing Jack about to interrupt, Daniel shook his finger. "Ah ah ah. It's my turn to talk." Daniel turned serious. "What you said back there made sense. I'm just grateful that you wanted to protect me from that. Not many people would have. Secondly, you did the right thing with Ezamane. He was corrupted by Ahpuc long ago. Even if we had figured out how to free him, he never would have recovered. He liked the killing as much as Ahpuc did. Thirdly, I know he almost beat you because you didn't want to hurt me. Thanks for fighting for me, and for setting me free."

It was Jack's turn to wait, albeit not so patiently. "Your welcome. But I'm not so sure about Ezamane."

"Trust me Jack. Ahpuc was more that happy to let me know about him. He went dark side a long time ago. You trusted your instincts, and they were right."

Jack looked a little uncomfortable with all the praise. He decided a change was needed. "Come on Daniel. I think we have a funeral to attend."

Together the two men walked back to the clearing.

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

Night had fallen by the time the preparations were in order. Sam had gathered plenty of wood by the time Jack and Daniel made it back. She smiled when she saw them arrive together. Clearly they had made significant progress. It remained to be seen whether or not everything was healed, but time would tell. The group helped Teal'c to gather the remaining stones. All were tired when the task was completed, but none were quite ready to give in to their fatigue. In low tones, they began to talk about the events of that afternoon. By the time the story was told and questions were answered, it was time to light the fire.

Jack had taken the job of setting the wood in the cave. He kept it near the entrance so the fire could breathe, but far enough back that the flames would do their job. As he solemnly lit the fire, he said a quick prayer for the girls under his breath. It was the same one he had said at Charlie's funeral.

One by one, the team stood in front of the blaze and paid their final respects to the girls they had never met.

Together they tended the fire throughout the hours. It grew in size until it spilt out the front of the cave, it's smoke staining the rock face above.

As the sun finally began it's descent, they became aware of movement in the woods. Sulet entered the clearing, followed by the men and women of the village. The Chief nodded his acknowledgement to the team, then walked to the front of the fire. He removed a small statuette from a pouch he carried. Beckoning Jack to come forward, he handed him the pouch for safekeeping.

Sulet stood in front of the fire, the flames illuminating his face in the dwindling light. He held his hand out, ignoring the searing heat. Speaking aloud, he started to speak. When he finished, none of the villagers had a dry eye. Finally, he kissed the amulet then threw it into the flames.

Sam turned to Daniel and whispered the question to Daniel. "What's he doing?"

Daniel was equally quiet as he replied. "The statue is a representation of the God Nohochacym. That's the Creator God. The Defender from evil. Sulet has asked for his protection and blessing of this place, so that the souls within might rest undisturbed." Sam nodded her acknowledgement then turned back to watch the proceedings.

Sulet turned to Jack who gave him back the pouch. On a whim, Jack walked over to the altar. He gathered up the pile that he and Daniel had left there, and carried the stones over to the fire. Looking at Sulet for approval, he threw the remains of the statue into the eager flames. He stepped back and watched for the Chief's lead.

At Sulet's nod, the villagers filed past the fire, one by one. Each carried a bag filled with sand. The bags were emptied over the flames until the last one was finished. Each measure of sand beat the flames back a little more, until the fire was extinguished. Sulet then picked up a large stone and laid it on the remains of the fire. He executed a brief bow, then moved on. As with the sand, each villager placed a stone, followed by a farewell bow. When the last person had gone back to their spot, Sulet indicated for the team to participate. With great reverence, the team copied the actions of the villagers. Once finished, they moved to the side to observe. Sulet turned to the watching team. He spoke to them all, but directed his gaze at Jack. Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked back into the woods, followed by the mourners. Before long, the forest once again fell silent.

Sam looked at Daniel. "What did he say?"

Daniel looked at Jack, wanting him to believe. "He said we have helped to purge their land of a great evil. Now their children can find peace, and they can begin to heal. He offers us his thanks."

Jack looked at him, then gave a little smile. The words struck a chord inside him, and helped ease some of the guilt he felt. Seeing the gaze of his team resting on him, he cleared his throat and stood tall. "Alright campers. Let's go home."

As they left the clearing, Jack turned a gave a final look around. Hearing something, he listened closely for the source. It was a bird singing. Smiling to himself, he turned and led his team home.

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

Back at the SGC, a very worried General quickly felt relief. It was obvious from the moment the team stepped on the ramp, that they had an interesting story to tell. It was also apparent, that they had come back a team.

Janet checked the group out. Aside from some stitches in Jack's hand, and a stern lecture for him to get some rest or else, she let them go. It wasn't until they left, that she wondered if everything was as healed as it seemed. After all, Daniel had been possessed by a rather nasty God.

The team took their meal together, then went their separate ways. Teal'c stayed at his quarters on base. Sam decided she had a project in her lab that was too exciting to leave any longer. Jack and Daniel headed home, with Jack driving. As they pulled up in front of Daniel's apartment, Jack realised that the usually voluble man had been unusually quiet on the ride home.

"Daniel? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Jack. I'm just tired. You should be too. When was the last time you slept?"

"Don't change the subject, Danny. This isn't about me. This is about what happened back there. You had a pretty nasty guy in your head. Are you sure you're okay with that?"

"Yeah. Like I said, I'm just tired." Daniel ended the conversation by opening the jeep's door. "See you tomorrow Jack." Daniel walked away, into his apartment, leaving Jack sitting there, wondering.

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

Daniel sat huddled amidst the bundle of blankets piled up on his bed. His back was pressed against the headboard, his knees drawn up to his chest with his arms wrapped protectively around them. His chin rested on his knees. His gaze fell unseeingly on the wall at the far end of the room. Instead, his mind returned to the scene of the last mission. A time he knew he would never forget. He sat, staring in the dark, when a loud noise broke him from his reverie. Daniel looked through his open bedroom door, to the front door at the end of the hall.

"Daniel? You in there?" It was Jack.

Daniel thought about getting up, but felt unable to. His emotions were running too high to deal with anyone rationally.

The thudding on his door came insistently again.

"Daniel. I know you're in there. Open up."

Daniel glanced at the illuminated clock at his bedside. It was 3:07am. He sighed deeply, then got out of bed. If he didn't let Jack in, the police that would undoubtedly be called would meet with a rather annoyed Colonel. It was a meeting he didn't want to think about. He scrubbed his hand through his shaggy hair tiredly as he shuffled down the hall. His stance was weary as he leaned against the hallway wall while opening the door.

Jack was looking rather wide eyed for someone who hadn't slept in goodness knew how long. Perhaps that was why. Overfatigue was sometimes it's own stimulant.

"Took you long enough," he grumbled as he pushed past Daniel and entered the bedroom.

Daniel watched him suspiciously, as Jack went threw his drawers and threw articles of clothing on the bed. When it looked like Jack had finally stopped, Daniel spoke up. "What are you doing here, and why are you doing that? Do you know what time it is? Didn't Fraiser tell you to rest?" Daniel's voice was starting to squeak as his frustration grew.

"It's almost too late is what time it is. As for why I'm here, you'll find out soon enough, and I don't think even Fraiser would argue about this one. Besides, I have all day to sleep." Jack indicated the clothes on the bed. "Now hurry up and put these on. We have to go."

Jack pushed passed a stunned Daniel and left the room. "Go!? Go where?"

Jack just turned back and gave a grin. "Just hurry will ya?"

Daniel started grumbling under his breath, but did as he was asked.

Half a hour later, they were headed out of town in Jack's jeep. When asked again about their destination, Jack only smiled. Finally they pulled up to a small campsite just a few miles from the city limits. Jack grabbed a small pack from the rear of the jeep, and tied two blankets to it. He threw a warm jacket to Daniel.

"You might want to put this on. It gets cold up there."

"Up where?" If Daniel wasn't starting to panic before, he was now.

Jack turned and walked to a path Daniel hadn't even noticed. He took a few steps along before looking back. "Coming?"

Daniel shrugged into the jacket, all the while questioning his sanity. Finally he was ready and started to follow the Colonel to who knew where, in the middle of the night.

After a short while of easy walking, the trail began to ascent the hill rapidly. Daniel followed Jack up the steep incline, his lungs straining to keep up. "Why did you say we needed to come here?" he called breathlessly to the man in front of him.

"You'll see Daniel."

"Answer me this. Why do we have to climb a mountain in the dark?" Daniel was starting to pant. Walking and talking were proving to be a difficult combination.

"It's not a mountain Daniel. It's a hill." No hint of fatigue was in Jack's voice, much to Daniel's annoyance.

By the time Daniel crested the hill, Jack had already taken a spot on his blanket, with Daniel's set out nearby.

Daniel's irritation with Jack's seemingly effortless climb quickly faded as he took in the scene. They had an uninterrupted view of the town below, and the hills surrounding them. "What is this place?"

Jack continued to take in the breathtaking panorama. "It's where I come when I need to think. The air is better, and a person can clear their head, without all that....." Jack waved his hand absently in front of him, indicating the town below.

Daniel was still confused about the purpose of this venture. "So why are we here now? Couldn't we come during the daytime?"

Jack turned to look at his friend. "Because there's something I need to show you Daniel. Something I think you need to see."

Daniel cast his gaze about, seeing nothing around him but rock and trees. "What?"

"You'll see soon enough."

The two sat in companionable silence for a short time before Jack broke the silence. "Here it comes," he spoke in hushed tones.

The sun started to rise in the distance. Yellow light began to bathe the area, quickly turning to vivid shades of red, orange and purples. As the sun rose higher, the colour finally began to fade. With it went the weight of the burdens he was carrying. It was the most spectacular sunrise Daniel had ever seen, and when it was over, he felt cleansed.

Neither man spoke for a few minutes. Finally Daniel cleared his throat and turned to Jack, taking note of the peace on his friend's face, unaware the same look was on his own. "That was an incredible sunrise Jack. Thanks for sharing it with me."

"That wasn't a sunrise Daniel." He smiled at Daniel's confused expression. "That's soul's salvation."

The confusion on Daniel's face quickly turned to understanding, and with that came a smile.

Wordlessly Jack turned back to the scene unfolding beneath him. Lights were starting to turn on in the homes below, as people began waking up.

It was the start of a new day.

The end