DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters and property of Stargate SG-1 belong to MGM/UA, World Gekko Corp. and Double Secret Productions. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment purposes and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author. Not to be archived without permission of the author(s).
In some private corner of his mind, Jack grieved.
It had been a long time since he had allowed himself the luxury of release and he knew he should not be doing it now, but the pain of loss was as fresh in his mind as it had been that day...nearly four years ago now....
Jack could not believe that Daniel, for all the pain he, himself, was going through would put aside his own immediate need to tend to Jack's old familiar pain. It had been a long road to understanding Daniel and Jack was beginning to realize he probably n ever would, and that was okay...he knew what was important to know.
Jack refocused all of his attention on the efforts of his team, never more proud of them than he was at this moment. The team that had been considered the 'least likely to succeed' from several quarters had once again proven itself. ..
Daniel 'felt' stronger to Jack, the younger man was still far too weak...they could all feel the pervasive pain of Daniel's injuries like distant, hollow echoes in their own bodies, but the fever had eased and Jack knew their task was almost complete.
Teal'c had been trying to keep a portion of his attention 'outside' to warn them and broke into the link to tell them that footsteps were approaching...
'Damn, that woman has lousy timing...'
Jack tried to untangle them from their mental 'huddle', pulling back slowly to make sure that Daniel would not falter...
Too late!
Nirrti was here...aware of what they were doing...diving in to stop them...
Jack had a brief impression of things getting crowded and then had no more time to think...
Nirrti, or rather the blackness that represented her in this place, was bearing down on them...focusing her attack on Daniel, who threw up a weak barrier between Nirrti and his friends...
Nirrti, ancient and powerful in the ways of assaulting the human mind, broke through with little effort...again advancing on Daniel with an alien cry full of rage.
Teal'c jumped to the forefront, imposing his great will upon the Goa'uld who would bring harm to his friends, but Nirrti 'cast' him aside with a blast of thought.
On some level, Jack knew that alone they had no hope of defeating Nirrti, but together...
Nirrti was overwhelming Daniel, determined to eradicate this Tau'ri who so stubbornly refused to allow her the victory she craved. Jack could feel the darkness pushing Daniel downward, trying to undo all they had worked so hard to accomplish. With an almost instinctive insight, Jack pulled Carter and Teal'c together, directing and focusing their individual energies to form one concerted 'push' forcing Nirrti to retreat for a moment in shock.
Taking advantage of Nirrti's absence, Jack gathered his team around Daniel, drawing him into their merged strength...
It was as if a part that had been missing had suddenly moved into place. Together, they 'fit' in a way that Jack would never have believed possible. Each of them possessed unique, individual strengths; strengths that made them operate in a way many found difficult to understand. The alien warrior, the soldier-scientist, the civilian-scholar and the irrepressible officer...an impossible combination that had learned how to work together against impossible odds and found itself stronger with every effort...
The SG1 'presence' took advantage of Nirrti's momentary lapse. Under Jack's direction, the team formed a battering ram of concentrated will, pushing the darkness away from Daniel, back to her own mind...
With an effort, Jack dissolved the link, briefly hoping that Daniel had the strength to hold his own without them. Jack fought off the exhaustion, noting that Nirrti was still reeling from their 'push' and that there were only two Jaffa with her. Jack sprung to his feet quickly, disarming one Jaffa with a body blow that focused all of the repressed energy and anger he'd been holding in since they'd lost Daniel.
To his left, he noticed Teal'c was up and engaging a second Jaffa, easily relieving the stunned warrior of his weapon and opening fire. Jack disposed of his target with his newly acquired staff weapon and looked around for Nirrti...
The Goddess of Darkness was gone...
Jack started to go after her, but looked back to see Carter bending over Daniel. Deciding that Nirrti could wait...or go to Hell for all he cared, Jack moved to Daniel's side...
The kid still looked half-dead, but a little less so than when they had started out. Sam was busily checking vital signs, nodding at each new encouraging improvement.
"I think he's going to be alright, Colonel..."
The unspoken 'but' just lingered there. Jack knew, they all knew, that Daniel needed to get home, back to SGC and Dr. Fraiser...but there was still the little matter of a missing Stargate and the strong possibility of fighting their way out of here.
"Let's just get him out of here." Jack ordered, incredibly relieved to be saying the words...to be able to meet the crisis with some form of action. "We'll worry about the rest later."
Teal'c stepped up to the chains which held Daniel to the stone slab. Activating the staff weapon and wielding it with the skill of long experience, Teal'c blasted away the metal shackle that held the young man.
Teal'c handed over the staff weapon to Carter and bent to lift Daniel, nearly lost in Teal'c's jacket, with the utmost care. After their experiences of the past few hours, they were all feeling a residual closeness; a need to protect that fragile link that had completed them in a way they had never felt before.
Jack took point with Teal'c following and Carter bringing up the rear. The hallways were eerily quiet, Jack moved forward slowly glancing briefly around a corner...
A staff blast ripped chunks of masonry from the ornate wall, scattering debris over them. Jack rolled forward firing as he went and Carter moved up to cover him. Nirrti's Jaffa fell, the lighted eyes of his helmet flickering once before going out. Jack ch ecked the remainder of the hallway, motioning Teal'c to follow, and they moved ever closer to the door.
A weak voice stopped them, " Wait, Jack...."
Jack remembered a time when he would have ignored the plea, but now...in this place...after everything that had happened....
Teal'c placed Daniel gently on the ground and Jack bent to join him.
"What is it, Daniel?"
Daniel was fighting his exhaustion, but was obviously, urgently, trying to make them understand something. " Jack...the gate..."
"What about it, Danny?" Jack was fighting his natural instinct to act first and talk about it later.
Daniel took a deep breath, visibly gathering the last vestiges of his strength, " It's here, Jack. The Stargate is here...in the temple."