'Antel had spoken sense to him, there was no denying it, but what could he do?' the elder Reetou thought as he paced the room from one end to the other; the rhythmic tip-tapping of his clawed feet his only company to such thoughts. As he turned, for the umpteenth time, to pace the other length of the room, his talons on each claw chinked nervously together. However, neither sound disturbed his thoughts.

"Praek, why are you awake at such an ungodly hour?" a voice softly interrupted his pacing.

He turned to face it and immediately bowed. "My Lord Sahlak," he whispered, "I hope I have not disturbed you?"

"Well, perhaps a little, Praek, but you still have not answered my question."

"It is my son, my Lord..."

"Nothing untoward has befallen him, has it?"

"Oh no, nothing at all... Thank you for your concern." Sahlak simply inclined his head slightly to one side. "And I still have not truly answered your question, have I," Praek added with a sigh.

"No you have not," Sahlak replied, "So, if nothing untoward has occurred then why is it that your son troubles you now?"

"He raised a view concerning the Human, O'Neill, and his kind, of why we deem him and his kind as simply potentials, worthy of their destruction but *not* worthy of saving."

"Go on," Sahlak prompted, slightly intrigued.

"Well, perhaps Antel is right in that we should at least afford them the courtesy of voicing their plan to us concerning the eradication of the Ga'ould."

"Why the change of heart, Praek?" Sahlak simply asked, "Were it not your testimony when Salaena sent her reports to us that convinced others like yourself, such as I, that they were somehow tainted?"

"Yes, I know, my Lord, but now, having spoken with O'Neill and upon seeing the fire and determination in his eyes and in his actions, despite what I have already done and what I intend to do to him and the others that are with him, I am now beginning to have second thoughts."

"Oh?"

"I expected a weakness from him, but instead he showed an indelible courage that I had not afforded him and his kind at all."

"Did you not get as much with the reports?"

Praek shook his head at the enquiry. "No, and I am beginning to sense that perhaps I *have* been too closed minded on this."

"So, what is it that you want from the Council and me?" Sahlak asked and added, "Because I am with little doubt that this is a prelude to you wanting to ask something of us."

"Could we meet now?" Praek asked with a hint of hope in his voice.

"Why can it not wait until morning?"

"I am due to interrogate them this very morning and I would prefer not to. If this can be resolved before such a time, then perhaps I would not have to?"

"Ah," Sahlak replied thoughtfully, "Well, should the task be such a burden for you I could always assign another to it."

Praek almost jumped at the chance, but he stopped himself. He knew what his orders had been; inflict as much pain, without concern that they could expire from such a thing, but above all else to get the information that is required from them. He now knew he could ask for clemency on his behalf from such orders, but the one that then took his place, perhaps they might not show as much leniency as he could from this point on?

Perhaps O'Neill would even die.

Praek knew that O'Neill would be the first that the new interrogator would choose, simply because, at this moment in time, he would appear to be their weakest link; what with the injuries that he, Praek, had already inflicted on him. He sighed. He would prefer not to have to inflict any more injuries, but he determined that now there was little choice at all for him. Step down and perhaps watch each one of the Humans expire; because he was sure that this Human O'Neill would not budge an inch from his promise of defiance; or continue with the interrogation until the Council could reach a decision? Not a simple

choice and one that would inflict more injuries. Could he stomach being the actual inflictor, no matterh that each infliction would be tempered with the fact that he could control the severity of the infliction? 'He would have to,' he eventually thought, because despite everything else, his son had now forced him to view things from a wider angle than he had originally afforded.

"No, my Lord, that will not be necessary," Praek eventually muttered, "I shall see it through, if only you promise that my enquiry is at least to be considered by the Council and yourself."

"I do *not* need to issue such a *promise*," Sahlak stated, "however," he added when Praek opened his mouth to say something, "The Council and I shall indeed meet this morning and consider what you have told me."

"Thank you, my Lord," Praek sighed gratefully and bowed slightly at the waist towards Sahlak.

"You are always welcome, my friend," Sahlak responded, "Now, go to bed, Praek, and at least *try* to sleep. I shall do the same, though I have to admit you have given me much to think on."

"I shall indeed and thank you again, my Lord," Praek softly said as he passed Sahlak on his way out of the room.

Sahlak turned and watched his friend leave, noticing at once the lift of his shoulders and the slightly elevated step he took. Something he would never reveal to his friend was that although he had been on the Council as they had each reviewed Salaena's reports, his was the only vote that had countered the overall concession to what was happening now.

His heart felt a little easier to know that his friend, albeit with a push from his son, had now concluded much the same as he. The only difficulty; and he knew that it could amount to the same as climbing Mount Santar on a hot day, was to convince the other members of the Council that perhaps these Humans deserved such a chance that Praek had described to him. He knew his thoughts would be with Praek this morning, having to inflict such injuries that was obviously something he had not wanted to inflict, but his zeal would most assuredly be on presenting such a strong case on behalf of Praek and also, by proxy, the Humans to the Council.

He sighed, shook his head and then also left the room; his clawed feet leaving a tick-tack sound hanging in the air.

# #

"O'Neill?" Teal'c called, "O'Neill!"

"Aww, c'mon Teal'c, can't you let an injured man sleep?" Jack softly complained.

"I have, O'Neill, and I would continue to do so, however, there is someone here to see you."

Jack slowly rose to a seated position, holding a hand to his head in the hope that maybe it would help relieve some of the pain that was there. He looked at the Jaffa and whispered, "Gees, you look as bad as I feel, big guy."

Though he was grateful, Teal'c ignored Jack's concern for him and said, "It is the Reetou that you spoke with earlier."

"Ah, that why you look like death warmed up?"

"It would appear so."

With a sigh, Jack placed a hand on the big man's shoulder, indicated with his head for him to stand and levered himself upright as Teal'c obliged him. He wobbled a little, then when he felt strong enough, he faced the door and, with a voice husky with sleep, he said, "So, something I can do for you, *Da-ad*?"

"I wish to speak with you, O'Neill," Praek simply stated.

Jack frowned at him, "Now?" he whispered.

"Yes, and I wish to speak with you alone."

"Bit early, don't ya think, for a little torturing?"

"I am not going to harm you... I simply wish to speak with you."

Jack still frowned at him, then he looked toward Teal'c, then to Daniel whom had now joined him and the Jaffa and then to Sam, who was lying on her front on the cot, watching them. He srugged and took two steps forward, then turned when am called to him.

"Someone needs to go with you, sir."

"I'm afraid that that would not be possible, Samantha Carter," Praek said, "I assure you that I do not intend to harm O'Neill, only that I wish to inform him of something and perhaps *ask* something of him."

"And we should believe you, because?" Jack asked with undisguised scepticism.

"I agree that given the circumstances my word would mean little to you, however, as you would say, my word is my bond."

At first Jack simply blinked at the elder Reetou, but believing he had no choice at all, he sighed and started to walk towards the door. He stumbled a moment and only managed to stay upright when he felt Teal'c's strong hand grasp his arm and hold him steady. "Thanks," he whispered then pulled his arm out of the hand and started off again.

"O'Neill," Teal'c called, "I believe that SamanathaCarter is right. You should not go alone."

"Yeah, well, if I'd been born with the sense that my mother always *thought* I had, then maybe I'd agree with you, but judging by things, I don't think I have a choice."

"Sir?" Sam called.

"It's all right, Carter, I'll be back," Jack assured her and softly added with a smile, "and whilst I'm gone, don't let the bed-bugs bite."

Daniel frowned. 'Always with the jokes,' he thought, 'even though anyone can see for themselves that you're not one-hundred percent with this.' "Just be careful, Jack," he muttered aloud and then watched, as the others did, as the door closed, blocking any view they had of their friend.

# #

Jack walked as quickly as he could, which wasn't quick at all, keeping a hand on the wall beside him as a guide and also as something to keep him upright. The wall felt cool to his touch and he briefly placed the hand on his forehead to alleviate some of the heat there. He hadn't been aware that he had stumbled until he felt the strength of a claw grasping his arm, *holding* him upright. He flinched for a moment, expecting something else, but instead could not stop the look of surprise on his face as the elder Reetou muttered, "It is not far, O'Neill. Do you wish me to aid you further?"

"I, uh, I think I can mange," he eventually spluttered and replaced his hand on the wall when Praek let go of him. He watched a moment as the elder Reetou sauntered off ahead of him. He then took a deep breath in and on the exhalation started to move forward again.

True to the Reetou's word, which Jack thought *might* be worth something at least, he found himself standing in a doorway that led to a plush abode. He cautiously stepped inside, taking in his surroundings as he moved. Then he stood in front of the Reetou and said, "You wanted to talk, so talk."

Praek turned to face him and then sat on something that vaguely resembled a couch. He moved a claw forward to indicate something that looked like a stool behind Jack and said, "Please sit, O'Neill, and then I shall talk with you."

Jack first looked at what, he thought, resembled a stool, then turned back and frowned at Praek. He was tempted to say that he'd prefer standing, but his legs immediately protested that thought and whether he wanted to or not, he found himself seated.

"Excellent," Praek muttered.

Jack sighed, "Well?" he asked.

"I am not entirely sure you will believe what I have to say to you, O'Neill," Praek muttered, "but I thought it beneficial that I at least speak with you."

"Okay, *Da-ad*," Jack sarcastically replied, "I have a little problem here in that at the *best* of times my concentration span wanders a little, and this damned headache that you gave me is not making it any easier. So, you wanna get to the point?" he groused.

Praek did just that. "My name is Praek" he said, "and I am one of the founder members of what you and Salaena referred to as a rebel faction within the Reetou."

"Whoa, there," Jack interrupted, waving a hand in front of himself, "Salaena?" he asked.

"She was the one that visited your world with one of your kind that went by the name of Charlie."

"Ah, right, okay, go on," Jack softly urged.

"It was my and the other members intention, from the first moment we captured you, to extricate the information we required to attack and eliminate all potentials from their worlds."

"Look, Praek," Jack again interrupted, "I *know* all this and I have the wounds to prove it. You wanna try getting to the point sometime *this* century?"

Praek sighed, but he could understand O'Neill's impatience and decided to do as the Human had asked. He took a breath and said, "I have asked the Council of Elders to consider the view that perhaps you and your kind, as potentials, are actually worth saving and to also consider hearing the point you rose with my son concerning the plan you have in ensuring the eradication of the Ga'ould once and for all."

Jack blinked at Praek, dumbfounded and rendered silent by what this Reetou had said to him. 'What?' he thought. 'We got a chance?' He blinked again and muttered, "Okay, give me minute, I'm thinking."

"I do not understand, O'Neill, what is there to think about? What I have told you is true."

"I know, I know, or," Jack added, "I *think* I know." He grimaced himself when he could hear just how unclear he'd been, but what Praek had told him had unsettled him. He'd spent most of the night trying to think of a way out of the situation he and his team had found themselves in, had annoyingly come up with nothing, and now to be told that this Reetou had found a way out for him and his team *for* him, well, if the truth were known, it had thrown him. He really didn't know *what* to say.

However, eventually, he looked up with a frown and asked, "So, *no* more torturing?" He swallowed deeply the dread he felt when he'd guessed that the look the Reetou had just given him was a look of regret.

"That would be the part where I ask something of you," Praek softly replied.

"Yeah? What, you wanna know if I want to be tortured any more or wondered if I'd like you to stop now? Cos I gotta tell you, the stopping part sounds *really* good to me."

"No," Praek stated harshly, "the something I need to ask of you is who should I torture next?"

"It's whom," Jack replied and added, "and now you've *really* lost me. If your Council is going to consider hearing our plan, then *why* continue with the torture?"

"Because it has not, as yet, been determined whether we should listen to you or not and so the initial orders of extracting the information we need, by whatever means, still stands."

'Oh,' Jack silently mouthed, but aloud said, "So, your, uh, Council(?) your Council doesn't have something called 'a pending situation' then? You know, hold off all payment of bets until it's been sorted out one way or the other?"

Praek shook his head, sighed and then replied, "I am afraid we do not and this therefore leads me back to my initial question of whom I should torture next."

"Okay, buddy, but first I got a question for *you*," Jack replied.

"And that is?"

"How the HELL! can you ask me that?"

"Because I thought you would be more qualified in choosing the one most likely to survive such a thing."

Jack suddenly stood, instantly regretting it as he felt the room around him spiraling away from him. He felt a claw go around his waist and then his feet shuffle forward. He sighed when he felt the comfort of cushions behind his back, but balked when he heard Praek say,

"I am sorry to have disturbed you so, O'Neill, it was not my intention."

Jack blinked open his eyes, though he knew they revealed his distress, and whispered, "Hell, Praek, I should be grateful that you might have gotten us out of this mess, but... but I *can't* choose."

"You have to, O'Neill..."

"Just... Just do what you have to, Praek, but... but only on me."

"You most assuredly will expire," Praek gasped.

"Believe it or not, but I'm a lot tougher than you think," Jack softly quantified his decision.

Praek stood and walked away. He turned at the doorway of his room and said, "I shall think on what you have said, O'Neill, but I cannot promise you the outcome. I cannot and will not allow your death to be on my hands and if you cannot choose for me whom is next, then I shall, regrettably, have to do so myself." With that said, he then went on to inform Jack that he would lock the door, but that he should feel free to wander within the room and that he trusted him enough not to harm his son whilst he was away.

Jack wearily nodded his head, softly whispered his promise and then settled back into the cushions behind him, chewing over what Praek had departed with. Somehow he had to convince the elder Reetou that he could withstand anything he could inflict on him; because anything else he couldn't *bare* to think on.

Chapter Five

Jack woke with a startled yelp as a continual screeching sound invaded his dreams and brought him back to reality with a bump. "What the...?" he gasped, holding his head as his headache flared once more. He risked opening his eyes and looked for the source of the sound. He saw Antel doing a crazy run in a tight little circle, with his arms flailing and his mouth emitting that awful screech that had woken him. He gingerly sat and called out, "Hey there, Antel, what's with the noise?"

It stopped in an instant and Jack almost fell back on the cushions behind him with a sigh of relief, but seeing the tears on the kid Reetou's face had him remaining upright and feeling concerned. "You okay?" he gently asked as Antel turned to fully face him.

"What have you done with my Father?" Antel growled.

"Done? I haven't done anything. And while we're at it, what makes you think I *have* done something to your Dad?"

"He is not here and the door is locked, thus rendering me your prisoner."

"Oh and I guess it was *wise* of me to do your *Dad* in, then lock myself in here, with you, and risk your *wrath*? Huh?" Jack sarcastically replied. He winced when his headache spiked again and he moved a hand to his head and rubbed at his temples.

"I am *not* a prisoner?" Antel asked and added, "No harm has come to my Father?"

"Not from me," Jack stated.

"Then why is the door locked? And why are you here and not my father?"

"Because," Praek suddenly announced from the doorway to his room, "*I* locked it, so that O'Neill here could rest in relative peace and quiet whilst I considered the options he gave me without disturbing him, my son."

Jack sat back a little and watched the reunion with his own eyes. At once he saw Antel's face light up the moment he had heard his father's voice and it painfully reminded him of Charlie's face whenever he would return from a mission. He swallowed the pain whole and continued to look on.

He saw Antel leap into his father's arms and heard him squeal a little when Praek swung him around once and then dropped him to the floor again. Again he saw a shadow of what his life had been like, when Charlie had occupied a part of it. What Praek and Antel might have said to each other was drowned out by his own painful memories. Only when something like this, that prompted these memories, did he ever venture to such a place; and, despite the good times, he always found it far too painful. He jolted a little when he felt a claw grasp his arm and he blinked up at the owner of it.

"O'Neill?"

"Uh, sorry about that," Jack immediately apologised, "kinda got lost a minute there."

Praek frowned at him and whispered, "Lost? I do not understand."

"S'okay," Jack gently assured him, "Really, it's fine," he lied.

"As you wish, O'Neill," Praek muttered, looking slightly perplexed as he stood.

"So-o, you get your thinking done then?" Jack suddenly asked, desperate to change the subject.

"I have, but I fear you will not like what I have concluded."

"Well, I won't know 'til you tell me," Jack replied and with a wave of his hand he urged, "So, tell me."

"I have thought long and hard about this, O'Neill, and I have concluded that whilst I do not have the courage to perform such an act that will inflict further injuries, what I can do, but it will be at a price, is inflict a deepening wound on one that already exists."

"Uh, you wanna run that by me again?" Jack muttered with confusion.

Praek sighed, but did as requested, "I already bare the guilt of the injuries that I have inflicted on you and I could not withstand any further guilt from knowing that I have inflicted more of the same on someone that you obviously care deeply for... So," Praek concluded, "I have decided to accept your noble gesture of offering yourself for further torture."

"Okay, I can live with that," Jack sighed with relief, "But I want you to know" he added, "that I had this great *great* speech ready. You know, thanking my Mom and Dad for giving birth to me, that I wouldn't be here where I am today without them," Jack blinked a couple of times before he admitted, "Okay, maybe that wasn't *quite* true, 'cos, you know, *they* didn't exactly see me being here on another planet being held prisoner." He looked up at that point and sighed, "And I guess you're not getting *any* of this, huh?"

Praek simply shook his head, a look of utter perplexity, but mostly concern, shadowing his features.

"Hey, it's okay, really," Jack assured the Reetou.

"I will try to limit the damage that I do, O'Neill," Praek gravely began, "and I will try to lengthen it as long as is possible without the others, that do not know of what I have asked of the Council, becoming suspicious."

Jack nodded, not really having anything to say. What could he say? Thanks? Maybe, after it was all over and done with, maybe *then* he could. "Uh, you think I can go back to the cell now?" he eventually asked, "I should tell the others what's been decided and why, because if they don't know, they'll go ballistic. Trust me."

Praek nodded and replied, "Antel shall have the honour of accompanying you there O'Neill. I shall give you one hour before I return to your cell and collect you."

"Fine," Jack replied with a grimace and with the aid of Antel he stood and wobbled out of the room.

Praek stood to one side and watched both his son and the Human leave. His heart hung heavy in his chest, but he could not quell the pride he felt that he had reached the one and only conclusion that would serve both he and O'Neill accordingly. Still, the thought of what he must do played heavy on his conscience, but he had his son to thank for that, and he wuld not trade it for anything. In a strange way it was comforting to him that he could still feel such distress.

# #

"So-o, Antel, you love your Dad, huh?" Jack asked as the silence stretched on for far too long, as far as he was concerned.

"He is a good Father and I believe he loves me as much as I love him."

"That's good to have, you know."

"I believe so," Antel replied and then stopped. He turned to Jack and said, "Salaena sent a report that informed my father, and through him, me too, that you once had a son called Charlie, but that he was now gone."

"Yeah, I did," Jack softly whispered in reply, unable to find a commanding voice through the stab of pain he was feeling, "And yeah," he added just as softly, "he's gone."

"Is this why you were silent most of the time, whilst my father and I greeted each other this morning?"

Jack simply nodded, his voice completely gone now.

Antel could feel the distress emanating from O'Neill and wanted to try and alleviate some of it for him, so, after a moment's consideration, he said, "Salaena sent an adage to her report that you had loved your son and that the pain of losing him still remained a heavy burden on your soul, one she wished she could remove for you. She hoped that by allowing the being that had accompanied her on her mission to take the name of your son, that it might have helped you in some way."

Jack frowned at Antel, "She," he muttered, "she wanted to do that for me?"

Antel nodded and then revealed, "She liked you, O'Neill, which is why my Father and the other members of the Council deemed her initial reports as tainted."

'Oh', Jack mouthed, unable to keep the surprise he felt from showing on his face.

"However," Antel continued, "through talking with you yesterday, I believe that those initial conclusions were in error."

"Antel?"

"Yes, O'Neill?"

"You didn't by any chance *say* as much to your *Dad*, did you?"

"I did," Antel confirmed and then resumed walking Jack back to his cell.

"Whoa there, you wanna slow down a minute?" Jack called out when he found himself falling behind. The moment he had caught up with Antel, he placed a hand on his shoulder, gave it a quick squeeze and whispered, "You're a good kid, Antel, and don't you forget it."

The young Reetou actually smiled at the compliment and said, "Thank you, O'Neill, however, my Father would say otherwise."

Jack actually chuckled at that, but added with all seriousness, "Only in jest and maybe, just maybe, when you might have deserved it." He laughed out loud when he heard the beginning bubbles of a responding giggle erupt from Antel.

# #

"Jack?" Daniel called through the wall that separated him from his friend.

"Yeah, Daniel," Jack called back, "Be with you in a minute."

Daniel turned away from the wall and looked at his cellmates in turn. He not only could see the utter relief on Sam's face, but he could also feel it. And it felt good to see her smile again, even though it was out of relief rather than with any humour. He then looked at Teal'c and although the Jaffa's expression rarely changed, despite what he might be feeling internally, he was pleased to see at least a ghost of a smile on the big man's face.

He then sat down on Jack's cot and blew out his own breath of relief, but anxiously fidgeted as the door slowly opened. He stood, unable to remain seated any longer, and went to Jack the moment his friend's head popped around the side of the door. "You okay?" he quickly whispered as he took Jack's arm and led him to his cot.

"Will you stop fussing?" Jack groused, but still allowed Daniel to lead him to the cot.

"The day you stop getting hurt is the day that I'll stop fussing," Daniel groused right back at him.

Jack shrugged his shoulders and admitted, "Okay, well that's a long time coming then."

"You're telling me," Daniel replied and added, "Now just... just sit down and... and tell us what happened."

"Something happened?" Jack asked, with an overt look of innocence on his face.

Daniel simply raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh, you mean my leaving with Praek and coming back, oh-h-h," he checked his watch, "a couple of hours later?"

"I shall leave you to your explanations, O'Neill," Antel suddenly announced and made a move towards the door.

"Uh, Antel?" Jack called out to him, and as the young Reetou turned back to face him, he added, "Thanks."

"I have no idea what you are thanking me for, O'Neill, but if it makes you feel better, I shall accept them anyway." And with that Antel turned and left the cell.

Jack looked at his friends' faces one at a time and suddenly realised that it was good to see them; and judging by the looks he was getting in return, he thought it was the same for them too. Mind you, he guessed that maybe they had more of a right to look relieved than he did. However,whatever, it was still good to see them. Now he just had to figure a way of telling them what Praek had decided and why. 'Shouldn't be too difficult,' he thought, but immediately frowned when he knew just how difficult it was *actually* going to be. Yeah, granted he was surmising by what his own reaction would be, but then, each one of his friend's, when it came to stuff like this, was exactly the same as him.

He sighed.

"Well, Jack?" Daniel prompted him.

Jack braced himself for what he suspected was going to be an explosion that could rival any nuclear bomb, gritted his teeth and eventually muttered, "Well kids, it's a long story, and I've only got an hour to tell you, so, no interruptions and I sincerely hope you are all sitting comfortably."

Chapter Six

"You stupid *stupid* son-of-a-bitch!" Daniel exclaimed, his hands bunching into fists that accentuated his anger. He shot to his feet and started to quick-pace the cell. One-step two-step, turn... One-step two-step, turn...

"Daniel?" Jack called, "Hey, c'mon Daniel, give the guy a break will ya? Praek already feels pretty guilty about this..." he waved a hand at his head, "and he wasn't feeling too great about the thought of *doing* this," again he waved a hand at his head, "to someone else."

Daniel stopped his pacing and glared at Jack, taking a deep breath in to calm himself. "You know," he began through gritted teeth, "if I was stupid enough to believe you, then I'd believe you, but I *know* you and Praek's guilt has nothing, *nothing* to do with why you agreed to this..."

"Sure it did..." Jack replied.

"Did *not*..."

"Did too..."

Daniel waved an angry finger in front of him, to stop Jack from entering them both into another childish and, right at this moment in time, annoying debate. "Don't..." he simply warned the older man.

"DanielJackson," Teal'c's voice suddenly boomed and, when he saw the young archaeologist turn to him, he added, "I believe I understand why O'Neill has done this."

"Well, I'm glad you do, Teal'c," Daniel forced out through his gritted teeth of anger, ignoring the Jaffa's simple raise of an eyebrow at him, "because I sure as HELL! won't *ever* understand *any* of the stupid, arrogant, insensitive decisions that he makes, like *this* one." When he saw Jack raise a finger in front of him, to gain his attention, he turned and blurted "What?"

Jack frowned with puzzlement at him, then shrugged his shoulders, "Oh, nothing," he replied, "I was gonna argue about what you thought about mydecisions, but... but I guess I realised that maybe you were right."

"Arrrgh!!!!" Daniel yelled and swiftly turned away from his friend.

Jack sighed. 'This has got to stop, so, time for my infamous CO voice to make its appearance,' he thought. "Okay, Daniel," he muttered in a clipped tone of his own, "then tell me, oh wise one, what would you have done if you had been in the same position as me? Hmm?"

Daniel slowly about faced Jack and stated, "I... don't... know!"

"So, you can't even admit to yourself that given the same choices that *I* had, *you* wouldn't have done the same?" Jack simply asked.

"I haven't had time to think on it," Daniel sulked back at Jack.

"And what makes you think that *I* have?"

"Why, Jack?" Daniel suddenly urgently whispered, "Why all *this*? The hero stuff? The self-sacrificing thing? Don't you *know* that we care for you? Don't you know that right now, right here, how scared we are?"

"What do *you* think, Danny-boy, and what makes you think that I *don't* feel the same way?" Jack sighed. He put a hand to his head and started to massage his temples, feeling a claustrophobic silence descend once again on the room. He wanted to lift it, but right at this moment he was too tired to.

Daniel moved to sit on his haunches in front of Jack and as he placed a hand on his friend's knee, he asked, "Listen to me, Jack, please. You're hurt already, so, don't you think it would have been a better option to have chosen one of us to go through what you've already gone through? We're healthy, well except for a little dehydration, but we're certainly a lot stronger than you."

"And that is why, DanielJackson," Teal'c stated, "that O'Neill put himself forward rather than one of us."

"I don't understand, Teal'c," Daniel said, turning and facing the Jaffa, but still keeping a comforting hand on Jack's knee.

"Praek does not wish to harm any one of us, and he, as O'Neill has already stated, feels guilty about the injuries that he has *already* inflicted."

"Yes, I get that. So?"

"If you, SamanthaCarter or myself were to be taken, then Praek would be forced to inflict *new* injuries on us, but with O'Neill the injuries are already there and he would not have to start again. He would be able to *use* O'Neill's injuries to satisfy those that are there to watch and consider Praek's loyalty; while the Council can then safely come to a decision without fear of being discovered."

Although Jack winced at the prospect, especially the thought that maybe the decision they do come to would not be in their, or his favour, but he still managed to say, "Thanks, Teal'c."

"Do *not* be hasty with your thanks, O'Neill," Teal'c suddenly stated. "While I understand what you have agreed to, I, like DanielJackson and SamanthaCarter, am concerned."

"Yeah?"

"Indeed. I am concerned that you might not survive."

'Oh great, just great, Teal'c,' Jack silently thought, 'if they weren't concerned already, you've now just frightened the life out of them.' However, aloud he said, "I'll be all right, Teal'c. I got the man of the moment who's going to be doing his level best *not* to hurt me, uh, *too* much and... and you know what? I resent the fact that you're questioning my manliness. That,that kinda hurts..."

"Your manliness?" Teal'c asked with a raised eyebrow of enquiry.

"You know, my macho, my... my *coolness*." When Jack received nothing but a slight rise again of Teal'c's eyebrow, he frowned, but then lightly punched the Jaffa on the arm and said, "But, hey it's okay, I know you didn't mean to." He then turned his attention to Sam, whom he'd realised hadn't said a word since he'd got back. "Carter? You okay?" he gently asked her.

"Not really, sir," she stated, "but as Daniel and Teal'c have just said, there's not a lot I can do about that."

"Okay, kids," Jack sighed, "can we stop now?"

"Huh?" Daniel muttered.

"It's a done deal, finished, acabar, finire... You got that?" 'Oh for cryin' out loud!' he thought, when no one answered him, 'can't they see I didn't have a choice?'

"O'Neill? It is time..."

Praek's voice interrupted any further thoughts he might have had. He blinked up at the elder Reetou and then looked, one by one, at his friends. He stood with the help of Daniel's hand on his arm and slowly started to make his way to the door. He stopped when Carter suddenly called out to him. He raised an eyebrow of enquiry and then almost toppled when he found himself with an armful of a Major, that, given that she was a woman, a woman that he secretly loved, it wasn't too bad to have a Major hugging you. "Sam?" he eventually whispered, "it's going to be all right, trust me."

"I hope so, sir," she whispered back, then lightly kissed his cheek and moved away from him.

Teal'c then stood in front of him and held out an arm. Jack took it without hesitation and was subjected to the Jaffa handshake of friendship and respect. "Look, big guy," Jack muttered, "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Indeed, O'Neill."

Then Daniel stood in front of him and despite where he was about to go and whether or not he was *actually* going to survive it or not, he couldn't help himself. His sarcastic remark of, "did too," slipped out before he could stop himself.

"Jack," Daniel solemnly began, but stopped when Jack started to wave a hand in his face.

"Don't, Daniel, okay?" Jack whispered, raising one straight, forceful finger in front of him. "As I said to Carter, I'm gonna be fine. Praek here will see to that. And besides, you can't get rid of me *that* easily."

"Sure Jack," Daniel whispered and then drew his friend into a bear hug. "Just... just make sure you *do* come back, okay?"

Jack silently nodded, took one last look, but hopefully not a final look, around the cell, then turned away and left.

# #

"I am sorry, O'Neill," Praek muttered as they both walked.

"For what?" Jack asked, though he had an inkling of what was about to be said.

"For what I am being forced to do."

"Look, Praek," Jack sighed, "I've just spent a really stressful morning trying to get my friends back there to understand, and I hope you don't mind, but I really *really* don't want to have to go through it with you too."

"I have made many grave errors concerning you and your kind, O'Neill, some of which, if they had not been made in the first place, would not have placed you or I in this precarious position we now find ourselves in. I wish for you to know that I am sorry for those errors."

"And I'm grateful for your apology, Praek," Jack replied, "but... ah hell, I'm more grateful that you've given me and my friends a chance, because I gotta tell you, I was coming up dry trying to figure a way out of this."

Praek slightly bowed, but said nothing.

"You gonna be okay with this?" Jack suddenly asked.

"No," Praek simply answered with a shake of his head, "but, in time, perhaps I shall be."

"Well, look on the bright side, if your Council can come to the *right* decision and that's to let us at least have a chance to speak, then, hey, whatever happens, it'll have been worth it."

Praek shook his head with a sigh. O'Neill still continued to bemuse him.

"O'Neill," he suddenly blurted.

"Hmm?"

"There is something I do not understand..."

"And that's?"

"Your seemingly flippant attitude concerning your life. Do you not care for it?"

"I care for it very much, Praek," Jack confirmed, "but what good would it do either of us if I was to start peeing my pants just thinking about what *might* happen or what *could* happen? See..." he added, "and there's the crux of it all. It's *all* circumstantial. Nothing's certain, so, for once, I'd like to go for the optimistic angle. I'd like to believe that only the *right* thing is gonna happen. That Daniel, Teal'c, Sam and me are gonna be going home soon, back to a world that the Reetou might actually *like* instead of wanting to *destroy*." Jack then winced and stopped to lean against the wall a moment as a sudden, sharp spike of pain blurred his vision. He tried to blink it away but it was a persistent little bugger.

"O'Neill?" Praek softly enquired.

"It's okay," Jack gasped at him, clenching a fist against the wall, "I'll be fine if you could just give me a minute here."

"I would be very much like to, O'Neill, but they are awaiting our presence."

Jack silently nodded, gulped back any expression of the pain he felt and then straightened and started to walk again. He could not stop the flinches as each throb that occurred with each step that he took, stabbed at him, but for the sake of everything, he gritted his teeth and ordered his feet to move.

# #

'It was a strange place to be,' Daniel thought, 'All of us looking, but not *at* each other.' He knew why... No one was looking at the other because each of them was afraid that their concern, or, more accurately, their downright fear, was being mirrored on the face of the other. Hell, he was doing it himself.

He *wanted* to look at Sam, to conjure a look of assurance on his face for her, but because his own fear was that potent, he seriously doubted whether he could pull it off. So, like the others, he continued to stare at the walls, the door, the ceiling, anywhere, other than at his friend's faces.

'Gees, Jack, why'd you have to go and do this?' he asked himself for what felt like the thousandth time. Teal'c had been as articulate with the facts as was expected of him, but, as far as he was concerned, they *still* hadn't explained to him the why. What *would* he have done, if it had been left to him, and why? He sighed, a deep sigh of acceptance. Yeah, Jack had been right. He would have done the self same thing had it been his choice, but knowing this only hurt him that little bit more.

He wanted another option, one that did not jeopardise his friend's life; one that would mean they all could simply leave and forget a place that held a rebel faction of a race called the Reetou. He fisted his hand and hit the side of his cot out of frustration. 'Wishful thinking, Danny-boy', he heard Jack tell him and again his friend was right. Sometimes, just sometimes, there really was no other option, but again, knowing this, he still wished there was.

He felt the cot give as someone else sat next to him. Her perfume gave away just who it was, but he could not stifle a giggle when he thought that if he was wrong... 'God, Jack,' he thought, 'of all the things that are good in you, that makes who you are, why the hell did I only inherit your sense of humour?'

"Daniel?" Sam softly whispered.

'Oh God,' he thought with fear, 'she's expecting me to look at her. I can't Sam, I can't.' However, despite what his mind had demanded of him, his heart had shouted the loudest and the strongest, and before he knew it, he was looking into the bright; because of unshed tears he registered; blue eyes that were always expressive in one way or another. 'O-okay, let's try nonchalance,' he asked himself. "Hmm?" he muttered aloud, but instantly knew he'd failed. 'Damn! Sorry Sam.'

"Daniel?" she called again, this time gently placing a hand on his shoulder.

He blinked and then looked at her, *really* looked at her. Yep, there it was, the same fear *he* was feeling. His hand automatically covered hers and then he slowly drew her into a hug. "It's all right, Sam," he whispered in assurance, thankful that his words could do what his face could not, and added, "You know Jack, he'll be back."

"Is that supposed to convince me or you, Daniel?" she softly whispered as she buried her head further into his shoulder.

"Both, I think," Daniel just as softly replied and then began the standard circular pattern of comfort on her back as he felt her first shudder of a sob go through him. "I wish I could say something, Sam, that could help, but I can't. I'm just as scared as you," he whispered, quantifying his inability to help her.

She nodded, stifled another sob and whispered, "I know... I know."