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Chapter 20: Jack

"Damn, damn, damn..."

Why didn't we see this sooner? He seemed okay back then...well, not exactly okay, but dealing with it. Could a person really go through something like that and not remember...

Dumb question, O'Neill... how much do you remember about 'X marks the spot'...

It was there all along, Carter just put the pieces together faster than the rest of us... including Daniel.

Daniel...

Damn it! Why Daniel? Like I haven't said that before... Hasn't he paid enough dues in his young life to deserve a little peace?

I feel like I want to hit something. I guess that's why Carter brought me outside to tell me this.

"Damn, damn, damn..."

" Colonel, you've got to calm down..."

She's right and I know she's right, but...

"Dammit, how am I supposed to calm down? Daniel almost took a long walk in deep water today because of that..."

I stop that train of thought right there. If I'd known this when I killed her, I'd've done it slower and had more fun with it...

I stomp around in the darkness of the yard a little longer and try to get my heart to stop trying to jump out of my chest. I stop a few paces away from Sam with my back to her, scrubbing my face with my hands like that's going to help me wake up from this nightmare...

" So what do we now, Sam?"

She looks as helpless as I feel. " God, I don't know, Jack. Something like this is..."

"O'Neill!"

Without hesitation we run back to the house. If something's important enough for Teal'c to shout, it's important....

As we run into Daniel's room, Teal'c is looking through Daniel's things, but Daniel is...gone.

Teal'c apologetically explains that Daniel had asked for a drink of water and by the time Teal'c had got back with it, Daniel had disappeared. Teal'c's search reveals that nothing is missing but Daniel and the clothes on his back...even his shoes and his crutches...crutch... are still here.

So Daniel's out there in God knows what state of mind, barefoot, on a bum leg, wearing only jeans and a thin shirt on a cold Rocky Mountain night...

"Damn!"

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