Mike walked across the room towards Colonel O'Neill's bed. He had made a point of keeping the Colonel apprised of the progress (or lack of it) of the investigation. At least this time he had something positive to tell him.

Jack turned his head towards the tall, sandy haired man approaching him and waited for him to speak.

"Colonel. How are you feeling today?" It was obvious that the Colonel was healing rapidly. He was sitting up, leaning against a positive mountain of pillows, with a book held in one hand.

"Any news?" The Colonel looked up from his reading

Straight to the point as usual. Mike couldn't understand why Sam Carter liked this man so much. He had no redeeming qualities. Just your average cold, hard military type.

"A hiker has come forward. He just got back home and read the story in the local paper. He's given us a description of a car that he saw on the road near your cabin on the day of the attack." Colonel O'Neill sat up a little straighter. "He remembered a partial plate number, so we are running that through the computers now."

"Could he see the occupants?"

"Only that there were two. He thinks they were both male, but couldn't be sure. We're lucky that he remembers that much." Mike had thought that the investigation had come to a dead end. This witness had given them a lead that they had badly needed.

"Let me know as soon as you hear anything." The Colonel showed no pleasure at the news of the breakthrough and Mike felt no inclination to stop and chat. He turned to leave.

"Mike! I didn't expect to find you here." Sam Carter hesitated at the doorway. "Is there news?"

"Yes. We may have a lead to the car that the attackers were driving." Mike smiled at Sam and continued. "I was about to have some lunch. Would you like to join me and I can fill you in on the details?" He couldn't help noticing the glance that Sam gave the Colonel. It was as if she was asking his permission to go to lunch! "I'll join you at the restaurant in about 15 minutes. I need to speak to Colonel O'Neill first." Sam had noticed that the Colonel had gone back to reading his book. Definitely not normal O'Neill behaviour. As Mike left the room, she pulled a chair over to the side of the bed. With a slight sigh, she sat down.

"I had a call from General Hammond this morning, Sir." She paused. "He needs Daniel, Teal'c and I back at the SGC." She had tried to persuade the General to allow her to stay, but he had been adamant that now the Colonel was well on the road to recovery she should return to her duties.

"Yes, I know, Major." Jack carefully placed his book face down in his lap and looked up at her. "When he called yesterday, I told him that I felt that you should all go back to the base. It seems pointless having you just sitting here marking time when you could be doing something productive."

"You told the General to recall us to duty?' Sam was stunned. She knew that he could do that but she had expected to stay in town until the Colonel was well enough to travel.

Yes, Major, I did. Do you have a problem with that?" The tone in the Colonel's voce made it quite clear to Sam that now would not be a good time to argue.

"No Sir. None at all."

"Good." The Colonel continued. "There is a flight arranged for you at 1500. You should just have time for lunch before you leave." Without another word, he picked up his book again.

______________

"Hi, Jack!" Daniel breezed into the room with a cheery smile. "How are you doing?"

"Why are you still here, Daniel? I thought that the General had ordered you back to base."

Ignoring the obvious coldness in the Colonel's voice, Daniel answered. "Sam and Teal'c went back after lunch, but, you see Jack, I'm a civilian. I am entitled to a vacation and I requested one. The General approved it. So here I am. Thought that I should stay and keep you company. I know how bored you get when you're stuck in hospital." He smiled. "What are you reading, Jack? I brought a book too. "Archaeological Finds of the 7th Dynasty". I'll just sit here then." He dragged a chair over and propped a huge book against Jack's leg. "You don't mind, do you Jack?"

Jack was stunned by the barrage of conversation. What didn't Daniel get? Did he have to come right out and say, "leave me alone" before the idiot understood? Shit! Just when he thought that he had got rid of them here was Daniel doing his "I'm just a nice geek" act. Double shit!

"To answer your questions Daniel Ð it's Paradise Lost and yes I do mind." He glared at the younger man.

"Milton!" Daniel raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I wouldn't have picked you for a Milton fan, Jack." He leaned down and picked up his book. "I'll move this a bit so that it isn't resting on your leg. Better?" Without waiting for an answer he settled himself and appeared engrossed in Egyptian history.

With a sigh, Jack returned to reading, completely ignoring the younger man.

"That went much easier than we had thought that would," thought Daniel as he watched his friend drift slowly into sleep, Paradise Lost sliding from his now slack hand. "Now all I need to do is to get him to talk!"

__________________

The rain was pounding relentlessly against his face, bringing rivers of pain wherever it touched. Heavy, throbbing rain.

"Water shouldn't hurt that much," Jack thought idly.

He watched it as it spat on the ground around him sending little splats of mud. Heavy, throbbing can't move pain.

He felt something touch him. Reaching and turning him over on to his back.

Voices. A kick. A face leaning in. Leave him. He'll be dead soon. A faceÉ

_____________

"Sorry, Jack! Did I wake you?" Daniel had bumped his book against the Colonel's leg, and the older man had jumped. "Feeling better after a little nap?"

"A little nap! Shit, Daniel!" Jack angrily tried to sit up, swearing as his stitches pulled.

"Whoops! Obviously not! Here, let me help." Daniel reached across and began adjusting the pillows in a determined fashion.

"Daniel. Can't you just go away?" Jack begrudgingly moved to make himself more comfortable.

"No, Jack. I don't think that I can."

If looks could kill, Daniel would have fallen dead on the spot. "It's a plan that you've cooked up with Carter and Teal'c, isn't it? Get the Colonel talking. Find out what's wrong. Well, didn't it occur to you that I don't want to talk?" Jack lay back, what little energy he had, spent, "I would like to rest, get well and get back to work. OK?"

"I'm not arguing with you, Jack. It sounds fine to me." With that Daniel sat back down and buried his nose in his book again.

_______________

Daniel looked down at Jack's sleeping form. He had sat there, being jolly until he felt like strangling himself just to shut himself up! A couple of times, he was sure that he had spotted an almost smile on Jack's face, but each time it had been gone before he could be sure. Daniel grinned to himself. Colonel Jack O'Neill was one very stubborn man. But two could play this game. He quietly left the room, shutting the door behind him as he went.

Water. Everything was sopping wet.

He could hear the sound of rain as it hit the ground and the sound of it tinkling down the metal gutters. Footsteps. The soft padding sound of boots on damp ground. The sucking noise of mud.

Turning. He was turning, but it wasn't him who was causing it. Someone else was moving him.

The sheering pain as a hard boot connected with his side. Movement as someone bent over him É

Jack started abruptly as the door to his room clicked shut. He turned to where Daniel had been sitting to find the chair empty. Must have been him leaving. Finally. Thank God for small mercies! Maybe now he could get some rest. The Colonel snuggled his head back into the pillow.

______________

"It's slow, Sam, but I'm getting there." Daniel was making his daily progress report phone call to his co-conspirators back at the SCG. "He actually made a sarcastic comment at lunch when I asked if I could have his dessert. The doctors have said that he can get out of bed for a short time today. Should give me lots of opportunities for cheery chatting!" He grinned into the phone. "I'll break him down eventually."

After a quick bite to eat, Daniel made his way back to Jack's room. The last few days had been a competition to see who could irate the other first, Daniel with his voice and Jack with his stony silence. Despite his optimistic version of events for Sam, he wasn't sure if their plan really was working. Even when he was asleep, Jack's face had a hard, closed look.

His friend was asleep now. He was moving his head slightly from side to side, obviously in the grip of a bad dream. Daniel shook Jack's arm gently.

"Jack. Wake up."

Crap! The face had been just on the point of coming clear. Jack didn't know why, but he knew that it was an important face. One that he needed to see. Something woke him every time. Every single time! Or some one.

"Daniel!" This time Jack really was angry. He surged up and out of the bed, throwing Daniel's hand off his arm as he rose. "Leave me alone!" He was trembling with the effort not to grab the scrawny little annoyance and shake him until he learnt some sense.

Daniel lurched back in his chair, tipping it backwards in the process. Jack's reaction had been so quick and unexpected that it had taken him by surprise. He froze, unsure of what to do.

"Oh fuck!" Jack collapsed back on to the bed, clutching his stomach protectively. "Shit, that hurt!" He looked over to see Daniel huddled on the floor with a terrified look on his face. "Christ, Danny. It's OK. I'm not going to attack you or anything."

There was silence for a few moments as Daniel picked himself up off the floor and righted his chair. It was broken by the sound of pained laughter.

"You should have seen your face! Priceless" Jack lay alternately laughing and gasping. "It hurts a lot when I laugh. Don't make me laugh again, Danny, please."

"You OK, Jack?" Daniel approached the bed with caution.

"No, I don't think that I am." The Colonel smiled up at his friend, seeing the lines of fatigue on his face. "I think that you should get the nurse to check these stitches and then go get some proper sleep in a proper bed. I'll still be here when you get back." He gave Daniel a guilty look. "We'll talk then, OK?"

With a smile and a nod, Daniel was gone.

_________________

The room was quiet when Daniel returned a few hours later. He had made sure that Jack hadn't done any real damage to himself, before taking his advice and getting some much needed sleep. He sat, as softly as he could, and watched his sleeping friend. The soft tick of the clock on the wall above the door was the only noise that disturbed the silence.

___________

Rain and silence. They were the only things besides intense pain that he was aware of Then a hand turning him. That same, endless kick. The gruff "Leave him". The face just coming into focus for a brief second. Blackness.

______________

"Not really much that I can say, is there, Daniel? " Jack glanced ruefully at the other man. "Except sorry, maybe?"

"You can tell me what was wrong. Do you have any idea how worried we were about you? Shit, Jack! You even scared me! When you jumped up, all I could think of was how quickly I was going to die!" Daniel was starting to get angry now. All the worry and tension that had been in him over the last few days boiled over and made him mad as hell. "You put us through Hell, Jack. Sam, Teal'c, Janet Ð none of us knew what was wrong or how to help. We all deserve an explanation."

Through Daniel's outburst, Jack had sat silently on his bed, his long fingers twitching and tugging at the sheet covering him.

"I didn't know." He still hadn't looked up. "I'll talk to the others Ð apologise."

Daniel sat and waited. Jack lay and fidgeted. The silence stretched on. And on.

"Oh for Christ's sake! What do you want from me, Daniel? Blood? I'm sorry. OK?"

"No Jack, I think that you've given enough of that lately. All that I want is for you to tell me what's wrong. It can't be that hard." Daniel pulled his chair closer to the bed. "Am I safe if I sit this close?"

Jack finally looked up and met Daniel's eyes, giving a soft laugh. "Yeah, Daniel, you're safe." He pause and for a minute Daniel thought that he was going to close up again, but after a few minutes, he began to talk.

"I didn't really know what had happened to me." Jack was speaking so softly that Daniel had to strain to hear. "I remember lying in the rain and knowing that I had to get inside. Where I'd be safe." He halted, his hands clutching the edge of the sheet. "It took a long time to get inside." His voice dropped even more. "A long time." Daniel could see the pain on Jack's face as he relived the memories of that agonising crawl across the grass. "I thought that I'd be safe inside. Then I saw what they had done. I laid there, feeling the life pouring out of me and knew that I wasn't safe there anymore." He looked down again. "Do you know what it's like to be the one place that you thought of as yours alone and find that it's not? The one place that I could count on not to change. To be just like it was when.."

He stopped. The cold look had replaced the vulnerable one.

"When what, Jack." Daniel promoted softly, scared that if he didn't Jack would stop speaking altogether.

"When I use to go there with Charlie." Jack put his arm over his eyes and continued. "We use to go to the cabin, just the two of us. Sara never really liked the cabin and couldn't see the point in fishing for fish that were never there. Charlie and I would go up there together. Do a bit of fishing, hiking. You know the sort of things." He gave a pained laugh. "Father son things. Since heÉ "Jack swallowed. "Since he died every time I got up to the cabin, I've felt like a part of him is still there. Sharing the peace with me. They took that away from me. The only place left with happy memories. They left me dying like an animal and enjoyed themselves smashing everything that they didn't want." He lifted his arm down and Daniel could see the change happen as he watched. Jack was gone and the Colonel was back. "They won't get away with it, Daniel. I'll make sure that they don't"

Daniel didn't know what to say. He sat quietly, thinking about what he had just heard. There wasn't much he could say, no words of comfort could change what had happened to Jack. With a sigh, Jack turned over to face away from him.

"I'm tired. Think I'll try and get some more sleep. Why don't you come back later?" Daniel knew that with those few words, Jack had shut him out again.

"OK, Jack. I'll go get something to eat." He hesitated. "Jack?"

"What, Daniel?" There was no friendliness in the voice that replied.

"Maybe if I go up to the cabin, I could sort some of the mess out." He couldn't think of any other way to help.

The figure on the bed stiffened for a moment and then, with an effort, Jack turned back towards him.

"What say we wait until I can get out of here and we'll go together? I need to be there." He paused. "Thanks, Daniel."

"You don't need to thank me, Jack. I'm your friend and I want to help, if I can." Daniel smiled back at Jack. "Get some sleep and I'll see you later."

_______________

Sheriff Richards was feeling a little guilty. He hadn't been back to see Colonel O'Neill since he had got the lead from the hiker. He really didn't like the man. He had his suspicions about his relationship with Sam Carter even before he had sent the Major back to duty, hardly giving her time to say goodbye. Mike had seen the look on her face when she had met him for lunch. Hurt. Not the sort of look that a junior officer has when a superior gives her orders.

He could hear voices as he arrived at the Colonel's door. It sounded like Dr Jackson was having a disagreement with the very disagreeable Colonel Jack.

"Did the doctors say that you could get out of bed, Jack?"

As Mike opened the door he was confronted by the sight of a very agitated Daniel holding tightly onto the arm of a swaying Jack O'Neill. The Colonel looked as if he hadn't been held up, he wouldn't be upright at all. Mike hurried forward and took the man's other arm.

"Let's get you back in bed." He urged them both a few steps backwards until Jack felt the edge of the bed against his knees and sat with a surprised groan.

"Just what the hell did you think that you were doing, Jack?" Daniel had been shocked to find his friend standing, pale faced in the middle of the room.

"I was bored" Jack had the grace to look a little embarrassed. "Thought that I'd check out the scenery over there." He pointed vaguely towards the far side of the room.

"Well that was just a bit stupid, wasn't it, Jack?" Daniel knew that he should have expected this sort of thing. He was just surprised that it hadn't happened any earlier.

"Yeah. WellÉ" Jack carefully lifted his legs up on to the bed. "I felt better."

Daniel gave him an understanding look. "If you promise to stay there and be good, I'll go check and see if you can go for a little ride in a wheelchair. Get out of this room." He grinned, "But only if you're good."

"Yes, Mom. And I'll eat all my vegetables. Promise". Jack smiled happily at Daniel.

Mike had stayed quiet, watching the interplay between the two men. This was a side to Colonel O'Neill that he hadn't seen before. He seemed relaxed and happy. He was even joking with Dr. Jackson. This was more like the man that Sam had described to him. The man for whom she obviously had a lot of respect. With a mental shake, Mike approached the tall man lying on the bed.

"I thought that I would bring you up to date with developments, Colonel O'Neill."

Jack settled himself more comfortably on the bed with a slight grimace of discomfort.

ÔYes, Sheriff?"

"We ran the partial plates and came up with a few possibilities. Unfortunately, it seems that the car used by your attackers was stolen the day before. It was found, burnt out, about 100 kms south of here. We weren't able to get any prints from the wreck. I'm afraid that it looks like we've come to a dead end in the investigation."

Jack felt the stitches pull slightly as he tensed. He had known that this had always been a possibility, but he had hoped for more. With an effort, he kept his voice even. "I can't say that I'm not disappointed, Sheriff, but I do appreciate your efforts."

"That's OK, Colonel. I'm just sorry that I couldn't give you better news." Mike was surprised by how well the Colonel had taken this. "I'll let you know if anything else turns up, but at this point, it doesn't look likely."

___________

So cold. So very cold.

An overwhelming feeling of loss swept over him. The warm memories. The feeling of being the most important person in someone's life. The almost physical pain of love when you looked at your child. The very real pain of the guilt. Nothing could bring that complete trust and love back.

Nothing could help.

Nothing.

_____________

"Szar ugy!"

Daniel stared at Jack in surprise. The extent of the devastation in the cabin was shocking, even though Sam had described it to him. It seemed as if nothing had been left whole. Even the chairs had been ripped apart, stuffing draped over the seats like clouds over hills. The floor was littered with tiny shards of glass glistening in the sunlight from the open door.

"I didn't know that you spoke Hungarian, Jack." Glancing at the taller man, Daniel found himself trying to break the tension. He realised that Jack surprised him quite often with his intellect. He pretended to be the stupid tough guy, especially around other people, but sometimes with his team, he let his guard down.

"There's a lot that you don't know about me, Daniel. Let's just leave it at that, shall we?" The closed look was back

"How many languages do you speak?" So far, Daniel had identified at least two languages that his friend had a working knowledge of - Arabic and German. Now Hungarian!

Jack's cold eyes met his. "Just the ones that I needed. Enough."

"Russian, Chinese?" Daniel just couldn't let it go. He found himself babbling inanely as the tension grew.

"Drop it, Daniel."

"Oh Ð OK, Jack." Daniel leaned forward and pushed the wheelchair forward. "Anyway, you're right. Shit does happen,"

Jack's eyes were darting around, taking in every detail of the destruction. Daniel watched as they stopped on certain spots Ð a blank place on a wall where something had hung, the bookshelf empty of books, the cabinet with the door hanging half off filled with broken objects. They finally came to rest on the floor to the left of them.

"Suppose I'll have to get new carpet." Jack's voice was unemotional as he looked down at the purple stain, dried and cracked. Daniel suppressed a shudder as he realised just what Jack was looking at. "Maybe I should choose a red one this time."

The uncomfortable silence lengthened as they entered to cabin. Finally it was broken by Jack's quiet question.

"Why didn't you ever come fishing with me when I asked, Daniel?"

"I have to be honest with you. I don't really know, Jack." Daniel couldn't bear to look at his friend. He could tell how hard it had been for him to even ask the question. "I think that I just took the easy way out. You know - thought that fishing was boring so I avoided the issue. Every time that you asked I was busy with other things." He glanced up. "I wasn't really thinking of your feelings. I didn't know how much this place meant to you." He knew now just how important the cabin was to Jack and how much it had meant to be invited there. He thought back to all the times that Jack had asked him up here and all the light dismissals of the invitations that he had given. His heart sank at the thought. "I'm really sorry, Jack."

"It's OK, Danny. You probably would have been bored out of your mind here anyway."

Daniel looked up at Jack's answer. "Don't do that, Jack. Don't turn it into something unimportant. That's exactly what you did every time that I said no. Don't shut me out like that. IÔm the one that should have made the effort to listen and I didn't. I should have." He turned and knelt beside the chair. "Friends should listen to each other, Jack."

Jack smiled the first genuine smile that he had given since the whole nightmare began. "Well then. Listen to this. Get your sorry butt off of the floor and find a broom. I didn't finally get you up here just to have you sitting around and relaxing. Move it, Dr Jackson!"

With a laugh, Daniel leapt up and gave a smart salute. "Yes, Sir, Colonel, Sir! Dr. Jackson reporting for cleaning detail, Sir!"

With a determined air, Jack rolled himself towards the pile of debris on the floor. "OK. Let's start with the bookshelf. See if those bastards left anything readable."

_________

Three hours later, the main room of the cabin was almost back to normal, if normal was an almost totally bare room. The pile of rubbish at the back door had grown to almost titanic proportions as it was progressively sorted through by Jack and taken out by Daniel. The only sign left of the attack was the mark on the carpet and Daniel had solved that one by using his cell phone to arrange for new carpet to be laid in a few days time. With an exhausted sigh, Daniel gave the room a final look.

Jack was feeling totally wore out. The day had left him with mingled feelings of satisfaction and anger as he saw each broken memory thrown on to the trash heap. It had been hard to discard the smallest things Ð the torn children's books that he use to read to Charlie, the broken crystal vase that Sara's aunt had given them for a wedding present. They had never liked that vase, that's why it had been at the cabin and not in their house, but it had been surprisingly hard to throw the broken shards away. The whole day had been like that and he had had to fight to keep his emotions in check. It was the anger that sustained him. The anger that someone could do this.

"Come on, Jack. We'll come back tomorrow and finish the rest." Daniel hadn't failed to notice how Jack had become increasingly more pale and drawn as the time passed. "You better get back to the hospital before they send a search party for us." He pushed the wheelchair back through the door and locked it behind them.

____________________

"Unscheduled gate activation!"

General Hammond strode hurriedly into the control room. None of his teams were due back for at least twelve hours, so this could only mean trouble.

"Do we have an ID yet, Sergeant?"

"Yes, Sir. It's SG1"

"Open the iris!" The General watched as the wormhole established and his premier team stumbled out on to the ramp. It had been a fairly quiet few months since Colonel O'Neill had returned to duty and Hammond had begun to get a little complacent. He should have remembered that trouble followed SG1 around like a bad smell. He hurried to the gateroom to greet the four team members. Teal'c was holding up a limping Dr Jackson, with Colonel O'Neill beside him assisting Major Carter.

"Medical team to the embarkation room." The almost routine announcement echoed over the speakers

"What happened, Colonel?" The General was surprised to see that Jack seemed to have a slight smile on his face as he helped Major Carter on to a waiting gurney.

"Cockroaches, Sir." Jack couldn't help a small laugh from slipping out. "Daniel was looking at some rocks under a stone slab" He was interrupted by a pained "Artefacts, Jack!" "As I was saying, General Ð Daniel was looking at some rocks and a few cockroaches ran out. He got all frightened, bumped the slab and Major Carter tried to stop it falling on him. Didn't quite make it, Sir."

From another gurney came Daniel's protesting voice. "They were giant insects, about eight inches long, General. I'd challenge anyone not to jump when one of them runs over your hand!" He glared at Jack. "At least Sam tried to help. All you could do was laugh."

"Yeah! And look where it got her." Jack looked over to where Doctor Frasier was examining Major Carter. "How is she, Doc?"

"Her shoulders dislocated, Sir. And it looks like Daniel's leg is broken. I'll have to take x-rays to be sure."

Jack had the grace to look a little ashamed with himself. "Sorry, Danny. I didn't realise that it was that bad. Next time we'll take the bug spray and give any dark spaces a good soak before you start poking into them."

General Hammond shook his head. "This means that Major Carter and Doctor Jackson will be out of action for several weeks, Colonel."

"Yes, General. I realise that." Jack replied as he walked with the General and Teal'c to the briefing room. "Under the circumstances, I was wondering if I could have a couple of weeks leave. I need to sort out a few things at my cabin."

"I thought that you had finished the clean up, Colonel." General Hammond settled into the chair at the head of the table.

Jack turned towards the waiting coffee pot and poured a cup for himself. "Sir?" He lifted the pot and looked inquiringly at the General. Hammond shook his head. "I arranged for some painting and things like that to be done, sir." Jack continued. "It's costing me an arm and a leg, so I thought that I better check that the contractors have done a good job."

"There is no reason why you shouldn't take some leave, Colonel. Shall we say two weeks, starting the day after tomorrow? That should give you plenty of time to catch up on your paper work before you go." The General looked pointedly at Jack. "Including the mission reports for the last two missions and the staff evaluations."

The General wondered how a man of Jack's age could manage to look like a little boy being told that he had to finish his homework before he could play.

"Yes, Sir." He could almost hear a whine in the Colonel's voice.

"May I also request leave, General?" Teal'c surprised both the senior officers by asking. He tilted his head towards the Colonel. "If you will permit me, ColonelO'Neill, I would like to accompany you."

Jack smiled. "I would enjoy the company, Teal'c."

____________

Jack drove the hire car they had collected at the airport, with practised ease around the winding mountain roads. He was feeling relaxed as he listened to Teal'c's choice of music Ð Country and Western, not what he would have picked, but just the right thing for a long drive. He had managed to finish all the reports that the General had ordered done and they had bid farewell to their two injured team mates, before leaving on the trip to the cabin. Teal'c had been good company. Every time that he left the mountain it was as if he was seeing Earth for the first time. Jack never ceased to enjoy the slight air of wonder that the alien had about him as he looked out the car window.

"Beautiful country, isn't it, Teal'c?" The Colonel watched as a tall tree covered mountain appeared around the bend.

"It is certainly visually appealing, O'Neill. Although I am surprised that you enjoy the sight of so many trees."

"Trees are alright in their place. And this is their place. It's the ones on other planets that I have trouble with." Jack glanced down at the dashboard. "We'll have to stop for gas soon. Hopefully we'll be at the cabin before dark."

It was only a short time later when they spotted a gas station at the side of the road and turned in. As he pulled up, Jack glanced idly at the two men walking from an old blue car towards the small diner attached to the gas station. Parking next to a pump, Jack got out and began filling the tank. He allowed his mind to wander slightly, thinking of the events of a few months ago. The images of rain and wet, dark grass had finally left his dreams. Why did they come to mind now? He suppressed a shiver and took a deep breath. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

Teal'c watched as the Colonel finished filling the car and paid the attendant. He had noticed the distracted look on O'Neill's face and the hesitation as he climbed back into the driver's seat.

"Is there something wrong, O'Neill?"

Jack turned on the motor and swung the car back out on to the road. "No, Teal'c. I'm just tired. It's been a long day."

_______________

Sheriff Richards was startled to see his two visitors, Colonel O'Neill was looking tanned and fit, as if he had spent the last few months vacationing on tropical isles instead of working at whatever the hell that base was.

"Good to see you again, Colonel." Mike even managed to inject some enthusiasm into his voice. "What can I do for you?"

"We were passing through on our way up to the cabin and I thought that I would check in and see if there have been any developments."

"None, I'm afraid, Colonel. I don't think that they'll ever be caught now." Mike shook his head ruefully. "Sorry that I don't have better news." He paused. "How's Major Carter? I haven't heard from her for a while."

"She had a slight training accident. Dislocated her shoulder." Jack explained. "She should be at home in a couple of days. Why don't you call her then." He watched as the Sheriff's face brightened. "I'm sure that she would like to hear from you."

Maybe the Colonel wasn't so bad after all, thought Mike as he waved the two men goodbye from the front of the Sheriff's Office. He turned back to his desk, opened the top draw and got out his address book, flipping it to the page for "C".

____________

Shit! The hard kick connected with his side. The rain still poured down. It was never going to stop. The water rushed over him. Drowning. Choking him. Can't breathe. That face. Again. Looking down. Watching him die.

_____________

"O'Neill!"

Teal'c's voice Jack woke with a start, his heart pounding.

"O'Neill. You were having a nightmare." Teal'c bent over the agitated man as he struggled to regain control.

Taking deep gulping breaths, Jack sat up in bed, untangling the bed clothes from around him. "Sorry that I woke you, Teal'c."

"It is not a problem, O'Neill. Perhaps it would help to describe this dream to me. You may be able to sleep more easily if you do so." Teal'c's concern was obvious. Jack took in a few more deep breaths. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to tell his friend about the dream. Something had brought it back and talking about it might make him understand why.

"It was the attack on me here at the cabin." He smiled ruefully. "Don't know why I keep having nightmares about it. It isn't as if I haven't been hurt at other times. I have enough material for a thousand nightmares. Don't know why this one seems to win out over the others." He saw Teal'c's look of understanding and continued. "I'm lying in the rain, bleeding to death Then they turn me over and someone kicks me, hard, and stands looking down at me. Talking. Discussing me. When I first had the dream, in the hospital, I could never see the face. Each time it seemed to become clearer and then something would wake me up." He grinned. "Usually, Daniel. I haven't had it for a while. Tonight I could see the face clearly." He stopped.

"Fucking Hell!" Jack leapt from the bed and began pacing the room, scrubbing a hand through his hair.

"What O'Neill?" Teal'c raised one eyebrow in enquiry.

Jack spat the words out slowly, one by one. "It was one of those men at the gas station. Today. They were going in just as we arrived. He was the one that bent over me. That son of a bitch!"

"We should inform the Sheriff immediately." Teal'c stood and reached for the telephone beside the bed.

"No!" Jack's thoughts were racing. "I don't want to tell the Sheriff. At least not yet." He turned to Teal'c with a look of pure hatred. "I don't want to tell the Sheriff at all."

Teal'c smiled back at him, an almost identical expression on his dark face. In the sickly light of the new moon the two men looked at each other in complete understanding. Two men who had seen death too often for it to worry them. Two men trained to be cold, hard killers.

_____________ Sally Mathews would have told the drop dead gorgeous man anything that he wanted to know. When he walked into the gas station diner late in the morning and wanted to know if she knew the name of the man that he described she just quietly drooled and happily gave him not only the name, but the address. Totally ignoring her husband Frank glaring from behind the counter, she followed the tall man with the heavenly dark brown eyes as he walked out and drank in the sight of him getting into his car.

_____________ As darkness fell, two figures dressed in black moved silently towards the old house on the edge of the small town, through the stand of pine trees bordering the property, over the long, unmown grass of the lawn and to the small lit window at the back. The slimmer of the two quickly took a look, ducked down again and indicated with two fingers to his larger companion. Without a sound, they melted back into the night.

The two occupants of the house sat, watching TV and drinking the last of the very large supply of beer that they had bought with the proceeds of their latest heist. Peter Jones and James Brycell were very pleased with themselves. They had found that it was far easier to make a living by breaking into houses, than by any legitimate means. And much more fun too.

"We've run out of beer."

Peter looked up. James' inebriated mutterings were beginning to seriously annoy him.

"We just drank the last bottle. I told you that it was the last one. We'll get more tomorrow." He glared towards the podgy young man on the couch. James had spilt his plate of food down the front of his shirt and on to the floor in front of him. Bits of hamburger lay in lumps on the carpet and lettuce was hanging from his clothes. Peter had an irrational feeling of anger as he watched James sink lower into the cushions. He was stuck with this sorry son of a bitch. He was sorry that he'd ever agreed to look after his younger cousin while his uncle was in prison. James certainly knew his way around the local countryside, where the best targets were, but he was a liability. He had a vicious streak that had caused too many problems. Take the time at that cabin in the woods. There hadn't been any need to stab the owner. They could have just knocked him out and left with the good stuff. Instead, James had seemed to take pleasure in hurting him as much as possible and leaving him to bleed to death. Then he had gone berserk when there had been hardly anything worth stealing. They had come away from that job with little to show for it and then they had had to lay low for weeks while the local law tried to find them. Peter had given James a beating after that little episode. Now he just needed to keep him in line.

Peter sat back in his armchair and tried to relax.

Jack felt the sudden start as the man that he held woke to the touch of the knife at his throat.

"Stay still."

He stroked the blade softly across the sweaty neck, causing bright drops of blood to well from the wound. He spoke gently. "If you struggle, my hand may slip." He stopped and then continued, in a thoughtful tone, "On second thoughts, do struggle. Please."

Across the room, Teal'c held the shivering man on the chair by the throat. He was looking straight into the scared eyes and smiling ever so slightly. It was surprising just how menacing a smile could be.

"What do you want?" A suddenly sober James would have screamed the words if he could have, but the blade was pressing too hard for that.

With a tug, Jack turned him quickly to face him, the knife now moving to touch James's stomach.

"What do I want? Let me think for a moment. Wait. Don't tell me. I can answer this one." He held up his left hand and cupped James's face gently. "I want to make you suffer and then I want to kill you. Slowly" He drew the last word out.

James's legs began to shake uncontrollably as he saw the coldness in the other man's eyes. And he knew just why this man was doing this. He knew.

"Recognise me, don't you?" Jack pressed the knife against the soft folds of James's belly. "Bet you didn't think that you'd see me again. After leaving me to die and all."

"It told him not to hurt anyone. I told him to leave you alone." Peter's desperate cries came from the other side of the room. "I didn't do it!"

"I didn't do it. It wasn't my fault!" Jack mocked as he echoed the man's words. "Never is your fault, is it? But you didn't stop him, did you? You watched him and you did nothing. You probably got a thrill out of watching." He spat his next words towards the frightened man. "You enjoyed it!" He released his grip and threw the trembling James to the floor. "Stay there!"

With a mighty shove the silent black man sent Peter flying to join him.

Jack stalked around the untidy room, recognising items from his cabin. In a corner he found what he was looking for. Reaching down, he picked up a small fishing rod and held it tightly.

"Why did you take this?" He asked, his voice unemotional.

Peter looked at the tall man and swallowed. "I thought that I would give it to my nephew. Look, take anything that you want and let us go. There's still some money left. It's in the kitchen. Take it all. Just let us go!" His voice rose as he became more and more desperate.

Jack was across the room in a second. His first kick landed as he began to shout. "You just don't get it, do you!" More kicks punctuated each word. "You stupid mother fuckers! I don't want money. I don't want to let you go! I just want to hurt you!"

"O'Neill." The big man watching from the couch spoke for the first time. "Enough."

As Teal'c's words registered, Jack straightened. With one last kick at the cowering figures he backed slowly away. Teal'c watched as he paced the room, his hands clenching and unclenching. Only the gasping breaths of Peter and James could be heard for several minutes. Jack kept pacing, the air filled with tension, violence and the smell of fear.

Jack knelt beside the terrified men.

"You did something that much worse men than you have tried to do for years." He laughed with no humour at all. "You caught me unaware. It won't happen again." He smiled gently from a few inches in front of their faces. "You're scared of dying aren't you? Well let me tell you, I've been there, done that, bought the T-shirt. It isn't nice. Not nice at all. In fact it sucks big time. Do you think that you could get to like the feeling? The pain as the knife digs in. The hard kick of a bullet in your chest. It's a rush you know. The ultimate rush. Do you want to feel it? I could show you what it's like."

The calm voice of Teal'c interrupted him again. "O'Neill. I believe that you have said enough."

Jack took a long, deep breath and stood.

"I'll tell you what I want you to do. There are no deals. No bargaining. In fact you have no choice. You will go to the sheriff's office and admit to all your crimes. Every last one of them. You will give detailed descriptions and when you come to trial you will plead guilty to all charges. You will go to prison and you will thank God ever day that my friend was here tonight. We will watch you every step of the way and if you don't do this, you will wish with the last breath that you take that you had."

Pausing only to pick up the small fishing rod, without a backward glance, he walked out the door of the house with Teal'c a close step behind him.

_______________

"Colonel O'Neill." Sheriff Richards greeted Jack as he opened the cabin door. "I've got some good news. It's a little unexpected."

"Come in, Sheriff." Jack opened the door wider and invited the officer in. "Beer?" He asked, holding his own up in example.

"No thanks, Colonel. I don't have much time. This morning two men came to my office and confessed to several crimes that have occurred in the area over the last couple of years. They admit to being responsible for several break ins and numerous armed attacks and robberies. One of the attacks was on you." Mike watched Jack as he told his surprising story.

"Really." Jack's face remained impassive. "That is unexpected."

"Yes. You'll be pleased to know that you won't have to testify at a trial, as they tell me that they intend to plead guilty to everything." Mike could see no reaction on the Colonel's face at all. "They seemed to be very eager to go to prison."

"How odd. They must have had a crisis of conscience." Jack took a long drink from his bottle.

Mike looked around the room. "I see that you have brought a few more personal things with you, Colonel." He walked to where a fishing rod hung on the far wall. "Was this yours when you were a boy?"

"No, it was my son's." Jack O'Neill stood and moved to stand next to the Sheriff, a soft smile spreading across his face. "It looks good there, doesn't it? Brings back pleasant memories."

__________

"Good to have you back." General Hammond greeted Teal'c and Colonel O'Neill as they began the briefing for their next mission. "Did you get everything sorted out, Colonel?'

"Yes, thank you General. Even had time for a little fishing," Jack answered, grinning.

"Catch anything, Sir?" Major Carter asked, smiling.

"Oh yes. Teal'c and I had quite a good catch", came the unexpected reply. "It must have been the bait. Worms. Big, fat, juicy worms."

The End