Disclamier: Stargate isn't mine, I'm just borrowing it for a little while and I'll return it when I am finished...

Hold Fast

By

Elizabeth Ashley Thomas

Looking out the window and across the courtyard she could feel the wind on her face before she even opened the door—but there was no turning back, this was the last obstacle keeping her from her weekend trip home—and she wasn't about to let the weather keep her down.

As she walked across the field she pulled her coat tighter around her and broke into a shuffle as she headed for her dorm room. The jacket was useless and didn't even put up a fight against the cold November wind--in its day the jacket she wore had been more resistant to the forces of nature but now the 30-year-old hand-me-down was showing wear and even the down fluff had lost the ability to insulate her body heat.

Nearing the back entrance of her building, she yanked the door open and let it slam shut behind her as the warmth of the stairwell hit her wind--chilled face.

The stairwell was quiet as she started up the stairs—unusually quiet. It bothered her so much she actually stopped at the second floor to look down the hall—only to see an empty corridor.

She stepped back into the stair well and started up the stairs again but it was already taking its toll on her—that part of herself that she had tried to ignore but never could. That part of her self that told her when something was terribly wrong—the nauseating, dizzy feeling that came before… "Shake it off Thessa!" She paused before reaching the fourth floor and shook her head. "Come on, everything is fine—calm down!"

As her hand touched the doorknob she felt a vibration beneath her feet that quickly moved up the wall and to her fingers—she froze. She didn't need to look down the hallway—she knew what it was…but how many were there? Six? Seven? This was not good—she still couldn't move as the vibrations subsided and the men on the other side of the door became silent. "They're at my door…they're looking for me…" the voice in her head was clear—"RUN!"

In an instant she was running back down the stairs. "If I can make it to the basement—I've got a chance as getting away."

She was one flight away from the first floor and was beginning to think she might make it—then the door below her burst open and in seconds the stairwell below flooded with armed men in black tactical suits and facemasks. She had to grab a hold of the railing to balance herself as she turned to run back up the stairs—only to come face to face with the first team coming down from the fourth floor.

The two men closet to her seized her arms and pinned her against the wall. The rest of the team parted as one man walked from the back of the group and pulled a device from his vest—silver in color with multi-colored lights…she made up her mind that she didn't want to know what was going on or what they intended to do to her.

The man stood before her and held the device at her waist. The lights began to blink rapidly and the stairwell became righter—as though the device were emitting a fluorescent glow that consumed the room.

She was terrified--unable to break free and run—unable to see past the light. She felt a wave of nausea hit her and her knees buckled—the last thing she heard was her own voice screaming… "JACK!!!!!!!!"

And then all was quite--she found herself crouching on the floor. After a moment she stood and tried to focus on her surroundings. The men had disappeared and she was no longer in the stairwell—she wasn't even on the campus. It didn't take long for her to recognize her surroundings—once she did, she let her book bag slide off her shoulders and threw it on the couch before heading into the kitchen.

"Jack? Are you here?" She called out. "Jack? I did it again…" she walked back into the foyer and became more insistent. "Jack?" she stood near the door and looked back down the hall. "Where are you?"

The next sound she heard was unmistakable—there was a loaded weapon aimed at her and the safety had just been flipped off.

"Over here." For a moment she thought the men had followed her here somehow—but how would they know to come here? She turned around slowly and raised her hands as she came face to face with Jack O'Neill.

As her eyes settled on him she smiled and cocked her head to the side. "Very funny Jack—but this is serious…this is the third time I've done this in a month-" She dropped her hands and headed back into the living room.

"Hold it—right there." O'Neill said stepping toward her-- his weapon steadily aimed at her chest. "The only reason you are breathing right now is because I'm guessing you walked into the wrong house. Now, either this is a simple mistake or you need to tell me just who the hell you are."

"What?" She glared back at him and crossed her arms over her chest. "Why do you insist on playing these games? When am I ever going to need to know hand to hand combat?"

"Look, you obviously have me mixed up with someone else here—" He lowered his weapon slowly as he tried to make sense of this situation.

"No I don't, You're Jack O'Neill—" At that—his weapon was once again aimed at her.

"How do you know that?" He asked, glaring over the top of his sights—keeping her shoulders within the prime target area.

"Uhmm-duh…I live here." Glaring at him for another moment she wrinkled her forehead and thought for a moment. "Did you hit your head on something?"

"What?"

"Or did you get your head sucked by one of those ancient head sucker things again? Are you going to start talking all weird again?"

"How the hell-"

"Why are you acting so weird?" In an instant—it hit her. Why she hadn't recognized this place right off? Why things seemed to be…off. Looking up to Jack again, her eyes grew two sizes as she simply stated. "YOU HAVE HAIR." She said as though this fact explained the whole situation.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Oh my god—ooooh my god…" The room began to spin around her—seconds before she lost consciousness she managed to look over to Jack, "Get Sam."

After she came to Jack spent the better part of an hour trying to calm down the young girl he found in his living room. From her incoherent babbling, he had figured out that her name was Thessalie and she knew about him and everyone and everything is his life. She told him about the SGC and Chulac—she even gave detailed descriptions about Sam and Teal'c even General Hammond and his granddaughters.

Jack was dumbfounded, there was only on thing to do—he called in a security unit.

As O'Neill explained the situation to the security unit while Thessalie was placed in an unmarked government vehicle and taken to the SGC for questioning. The security unit spent three hours in O'Neill's house taking fingerprints and sectioning off the areas that the girl had come in contact with. The agent in charge took it upon himself to drill O'Neill's brain for information—and it was only the on site inquiry. He told them everything—but the agent seemed less than pleased that he still couldn't explain how the girl got into his house in the first place.

After the house was marked off, O'Neill was driven back to the base by the security team. He had wanted to call Carter—but he was now officially under containment and contact with anyone was restricted.

After arriving at the base O'Neill was submitted to endless tests to assess his health and psychological state. He had never been poked and prodded this much in his life. After the tests he had changed into his uniform and grabbed a cup of coffee and headed to security to check up on Thessalie as he watched the security monitors showing her in her holding cell.

He admired her persistence. For the last hour and a half she had paced the small featureless room and demanded to speak with someone. Carter and Daniel soon joined O'Neill in watching the monitors—it would be another hour before they would be aloud to question her.

"So…that's her." Daniel had been told that there was an intruder in O'Neill's house earlier that morning. At first he had been worried, but it soon became a budding joke that the seasoned Air Force officer was caught off guard by a little girl.

"Yep—that's her." He said taking his feet off the desk in front of him and turning to watch Daniel walk closer to the monitor as Carter walked in behind him.

"Have they let you speak with her yet, Sir?" She too had been worried when first notified—General O'Neill wasn't one to call in a security unit on a whim.

"Nahh, not yet. It might be a good idea too—I think she's a little upset." She was screaming into the monitor again. As she screamed into the camera he saw a familiar look in her eyes that made him smile—she reminded him of himself a few decades ago.

"You know…the last time someone showed up saying they knew us—" Daniel was treading on thin ice and he knew that even mentioning this subject was going to get him in an even tighter spot.

"Daniel—I don't want to hear it!" O'Neill was out of his seat and covering his ears with his hands.

"Sir—" She reached out and took his hands form his ears and continued. "It shouldn't be out of the question—it has happened before."

"Don't say it Carter—" He said waiving his arms at her to stop talking. "I don't want to hear anything about alternate realities or time travel…I don't want to hear it. Things have just started to get predictable around here…" He walked out into the hall before she could say another word.

She looked back to Daniel as he shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it could be something else."

"Doctor Smith ran a complete physical on her but nothing turned up—she's human and "

"We don't know where she came from?"

"Nope! Not a damn clue! The F.B.I. did a search, no identification match, no parents on record either." He said looking back to the monitor."

"So how do you want to handle her Sir?"

"I have no idea…you guys got anything?"

"Well—this is just an thought, but maybe you should try talking to her…" Daniel said as O'Neill wrinkled his forehead at him.

HOLDING ROOM LS9-368…

In the hallway, O'Neill motioned for the guard to move aside as he reached for the door to the holding room. With a seconds pause before pushing the door open, O'Neill reminded himself not to be too harsh with the kid.

"Hi there." He said closing the door behind him.

"Finally going to talk to me, huh?" She asked looking up from where she sat on the bottom bunk.

"We need to have a conversation here." He said standing by the door.

"I've been trying to have a conversation with someone—anyone ever since your goon squad grabbed me."

"Hey, they aren't goons…and they didn't grab you…they detained you…"

"Can't you just tell me what's going on?" She asked standing and pulling her jacket around her.

"I think it's your job…to tell us…why you're here…"

"How the hell should I know? The last thing I remember was being at the dorm when those guys came after me—then I screamed and I was at the house—"

"What men?"

"They were dressed in black and one of them had some sort of…doohickey…it was metal and it glowed or something."

"It glowed?" He asked looking at her like she was insane.

"Please don't look at me like I'm nuts, this week has sucked enough without you treating me like I'm a psycho."

"Alright—so, you really have no idea how you got in my house?"

"Well—I didn't say that, I said I don't know how I would up here…"

"What's the difference?"

"Ahh-" She growled. "It's complicated."

"You can try to explain it to Lt. Col. Carter or Doctor Jackson, they're kinda more into the complicated stuff than I am—"He paused as he saw her reaction, something was wrong. "What?"

"Daniel?"

"Yeah, what about him?"

"He's here?"

"Yeah…why?"

"Oh my god." She said, looking around the room as though searching for a place to hide.

"What? What's wrong?"

"I didn't know he'd be here."

"Why wouldn't he be here?"

"He's dead."

"No he's not."

"He's supposed to be."

"Look, he's right down the hall—want me to get him?"

"NO!" She yelled as she grabbed his arm to pull him back. "I only want to talk to you."

IN THE SECURITY ROOM…

"Did you see that?" Carter asked as she saw the young girl grab O'Neill arm.

"Yeah—why would she be scared of me?" Daniel asked realizing there was more to this than they expected.

"I have no idea." Carter said looking back at the monitor.

BACK IN THE HOLDING CELL…

"Look," O'Neill said sitting in a chair across from Thessalie. "Let's just start from the beginning…"

"What beginning?"

"THE beginning…"

"Meaning?"

"Alright…tell me why you think you live in my house and know me so well?"

"I've lived with you and Sam since I was about ten." She said as Jack perked up to the mention of Sam's name and then dismissed it completely.

"Okay…how did that happen?"

"Well—that's where it gets complicated."

"Try."

"I don't remember anything form before coming here as a kid…it's all a blur and…the more I try to think about it the fuzzier it all gets."

"What do you mean before you came here?"

"Ohh, this is so bad…" She said leaning against the wall and looking down to the floor. "I have no idea how to explain this—" She said looking back up to him. "I'm sorry, all I've ever been told was that I was born in Toronto—"

"What?" He asked, remembering when they told Cassandra that was her birthplace.

"What?"

"Toronto?"

"Yeah, it's in Canada."

"I know that, why would someone tell you that?"

"I don't know—you're the one who told me."

"Why would I tell you that?"

"Like I know—" She said throwing her up in surrender. "You say a lot of stuff that never makes sense."

"Excuse me?" He asked shaking his head at her babbling. "Like what?"

"Ohh, just stupid stuff." She said trailing off.

"Example please?" He persisted.

"Well," She said trying to think as she walked in a circle and turned back to O'Neill. "Like if I ever got hurt you never took me to a normal doctor—you always brought me here. And you never let me go anywhere by my self—said that it was just asking for trouble."

"Hmm." O'Neill looked down at his hands as he put the pieces together in his head, he knew where this was leading.

"What?"

"Nothing…look—I'm going to leave, I'll be back soon—we can talk more." He said walking to the door.

"Lucky me." She said plopping down on the bunk.

OUT IN THE HALL, Daniel and Carter had already walked down to meet him and were standing around the corner.

"Okay…that was weird." He said, pointing back to the door as he walked over to them.

"Sir, there has to be a logical reason-" Carter said as he waived his hand at her to stop.

"Yeah I know…" He countered as he walked pass her.

"Why would she be scared of me?" Daniel asked as they walked around the corner.

"Cause you're a bad-ass." He said smacking him on the shoulder.

"Right…" Daniel said pushing up his glasses.

"Sir, maybe I should talk to her." Carter said walking behind them.

"Have at it—" He said walking away and waiving his arms in surrender.

Daniel stopped, knowing O'Neill would have to make a few phone calls that he really didn't want to be around for. Turning back to Sam they walked back to the holding room.

"Wish me luck." She said.

"Oh don't worry, she's not scared of you—remember?"

Daniel stood away from the door as she smiled and reached for the handle.

Carter walked in and closed the door behind her.

"I'm Lt. Col. Carter-"

"I know who you are Sam." She said still sitting on the bunk. "And I'm sorry, I know you are looking for some scientific way of looking at this but—there just isn't anything. I've been sitting here thinking that maybe I got caught up in some rift or something…and I still can't explain why you guys don't know who I am or what the hell Daniel is doing here—I just--I don't know."

"Well—why don't we try with something simple?" Carter said trying to ease the mood as she smiled.

"Like?"

"Lunch." She said clasping her hands in front of her. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah."

"Come on, let's go see what's on the menu in the commissary."

The two were silent as they walked the hall, neither one of them knowing what to say.

"So your name is unusual, where does it come from?" Carter said trying to start with a casual conversation.

"Actually, Thessalie isn't my real name. It's pronounced Na-Sier-Nah-Leh-Ah, but Jack couldn't say it right and he started calling me Thessalie."

Carter smiled at the thought, leave it to Jack to make up a nickname.

"What do you think he's going to do with me?" She asked suddenly serious.

"General O'Neill?"

"Yeah."

"Well, at the moment…"

"You don't know what to do with me." She said recognizing the clueless look on Carter's face.

"Pretty much." She said smiling.

"Thanks for just talking with me." Thessalie said, pulling at her jacket absentmindedly. "I mean—thanks for not…interrogating me."

"No problem." Carter said as they enter the commissary.

"So on a scale of one to ten, just how freaked out is Jack?"

"Oh…. I'd say about a 12." Carter said handing her a tray.

Carter and Thessalie sat in the back of the dinning room at a table alone. Two guards had posted near by, just in case.

"What's with the engagement ring?" Thessalie asked noticing the sparkler on her hand.

Looking down, Carter smiled. "I'm getting married."

"Well—yeah—to who? I mean—that can't be right you and—wait—who are you marrying?"

"His name is Pete."

"Pete?" She asked, as though the name were associated with dirt. "Who the hell is Pete?"

"He's my boyfriend."

"That's not right…" She said, suddenly confused.

"Why is that?" Carter asked, somewhat amused by her reaction.

"Well," She said picking up Sam's hand to look at the ring. "It's just that—" She asked as she got a look at her wristwatch. "What the hell." She said leaning over the table to look at the watch right side up.

"What? What is it?"

"Uhmm—I think I just found out why you guys don't know me."

"Why is that?"

"Because you haven't met me yet." She said, slowly sinking back in to her chair and letting Carter's arm go.

GENERAL O'NEILL'S OFFICE…

"I'M NOT LISTENING!!! LA LA LA LA LA!!!!!" O'Neil shouted as he sat in his chair with his fingers in his ear as Carter tried to explain what Thessalie had told her.

"Sir!" She said leaning over the front of his desk and pulling his arms down. "Please, just listen."

After a moment, he shook his hands free of her grasp and she sat down across from him.

"You know…people should learn to stay in their own time…zones…"

"I had Thessalie moved to a VIP room, she's resting now. In the morning I'll start—"

"Carter—we don't have a time machine…"

"I know Sir—but she got here somehow, there has to be a way to get her back."

O'Neill nodded in agreement.

LATER THAT NIGHT…

Carter sat in her lab with Thessalie's book bag.

"Whatcha doin?" He asked stepping in the doorway.

"Hey Daniel." She said looking down at the bag.

"What's that?"

"Thessalie's book bag."

"Going through her stuff?" He asked standing beside her.

"I know…I hated it when my mom did it to me…" She said unzipping the main area.

Pulling out three large books, she sat them on the table and pulled out a notebook and a planner.

"Nothing unusual." She said looking down at one of the textbooks. " A few books."

Daniel pulled the front zipper and reached in, pulling a wallet out he paused as he looked up to Carter.

"This might be something." He said opening the snap.

As he unfolded the wallet he looked over the cards in the front area. "Drivers license, student ID from the University of Colorado…class of 2010…hey—look at this." He said pulling out an accordion style picture holder. "Oh wow." He said pulling the pictures out and setting down the wallet.

"What is it?" Carter asked looking over.

"Pictures." He said holding them out for her to see.

"Oh my gosh." She said holding them in her hand. Looking down she couldn't help but take a mental step back at the pictures she looked at.

Six pictures in all:

The first picture was a group picture with Jack, Sam, Teal'c, Thessalie and Cassie laughing as they all crammed on the couch in Jack's house.

The second: a snap shot of Sam and General Hammond from a party.

The third showed a 10-year-old Thessalie sitting on Jack's lap. His arms wrapped around her like a bear hug, his head resting on top of her head—both smiling.

The fourth: a snapshot of Daniel from the SGC as he sat at his desk, a little worn from wear and faded from age, obviously the oldest of the pictures.

The fifth: a group photo of a group of school kids.

The sixth picture made Daniel pause and Carter gasped as she focused on the two people in the photo.

"Oh—uh…is that?" he asked blinking hard at the picture.

"Yeah, I think it is." Carter said looking down at the picture of her and General O'Neill. The events going on in the picture were crystal clear. Carter and O'Neill were on the right side of the photo—kissing each other with their arms wrapped around one another. Teal'c and General Hammond stood in the background—clapping and smiling.

Neither Daniel nor Carter said a word. Daniel let the picture go as Carter looked closer.

"Daniel, look." She said pointing to the picture where her arms were wrapped around O'Neill's neck… she held a small ring box in her hand and there was a ring on her left finger.

"Uhmm, how far in the future did Thessalie say she was from?" he asked, and was immediately confronted by a glare from Carter. "Never mind."

"Uhmm, I don't think General O'Neill needs to see this." She said pulling the picture from the sleeve and shoving it into her pants pocket before she put the picture back in the wallet and closed it.

Obviously rattled, Carter stepped back from the table and ran her fingers through her hair.

"I think I'm going to head home for the night." She said as she began to put her things together and straighten up her desk.

"Sam…are you okay?" He asked, knowing full well she wasn't.

"Yeah—I'm fine, just tired." Looking around, she realized she didn't need to take anything with her and she set down things in her hands and looked up to Daniel. "You staying here tonight?"

"Yeah, got some work to catch up on."

"I'll see you in the morning then, goodnight." She said all but running from the room, leaving Daniel standing there alone.

Daniel knew she needed to talk, he knew she was only going to go home and drive her self crazy thinking about the picture and Pete. But he let her leave. He had never poked his head into the whole awkward relationship between Jack and Sam and he wasn't about to do it now. Sleep was a better idea—and much safer.

As Daniel entered his quarters he kicked the door shut and took off his utility blouse, tossed it over the chair and untied his boots before lying across the foot of the bed.

If Sam could keep that picture away from Jack it would save them from a month of silence treatments and awkward moments where he would no doubt just wind up leaving the room to avoid speaking his mind.

As he relaxed and took off his glasses he fell asleep and began to dream immediately.

He found himself walking toward a Chinese temple that was out in the middle of an open field. The sky was clear blue and the sun shown brightly as he walked up the steps and inside.

A young man greeted him at the door and bowed, Daniel did so in return and looked at the man.

"You seek that which you do not know you must keep secret." The young man said before turning into the main large room where candles lit the room dimly.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Daniel asked as he took his shoes off. Somehow he knew what to do even though he had no idea what was going on.

"You need not inquire into that which you already know."

"Alright…what's going on? Come on, really." Daniel said looking about the room as though the answers were on the ceiling.

"Daniel." A soft, female voice called from the corner.

As he turned, he squinted as he saw a woman he recognized.

"I know you, don't I?"

"You shall remember that which you have vowed to forget." The woman said walking into clearer sight.

"You're Ohma Desala aren't you?"

"When you were returned your memories were taken as punishment, they must be returned to you now."

"What are you talking about? What do I have to remember?"

"You have to save her Daniel, you must remember."

A bright light enveloped him and images began to pass through him. The images flashed through him before he could focus on them but he knew what they were—his life before he was returned, when he was ascended.

The light dissolved and Daniel woke with a start and sat straight up on the edge of the bed. His eyes wide and his heart racing, he ran from the room and down the hall.

Sleeping peacefully in the VIP room, Thessalie had given up on finding a way home for the night.

Daniel down the hall not even realizing he hadn't put his boots back on and was running down the hall in his trousers and t-shirt, he's even forgotten his glasses.

Stopping abruptly in front of the guard that stood guard over Thessalie's door, he gasped for air before dismissing him.

"It's alright, go on…I wan to talk to her alone."

The guard moved and Daniel walked in the room, softly closing the door behind him.

He moved to the foot of the bed and watched Nasiah as she slept.

"Thessalie." He said in a voice that was oddly commanding and yet gentle at the same time.

Thessalie jerked awake at sat up in the bed. Her mouth dropped open as she caught sight of Daniel standing at the foot of her bed.

"I know who you are." He said relaxing his shoulders and smiling at her.

Thessalie too relaxed as he smiled in return.

"It's about time." She said leaning against the headboard and running her fingers through her hair. "I was running out of sarcastic comments to tell Jack…"

Standing at the foot of the bed, Daniel had forgotten everything that he was just about to say.

She was just looking up at him as if she knew what he was thinking, a smile on her face that reminded hi of non other than JACK O'NEILL.

INCOMMING TRAVELER

The alarms sounded and Daniel looked to the door as if he wanted to run from the room—his only excuse to keep from dealing with this situation.

He had taken two steps toward the door when the room filled with an all-consuming light that paralyzed him where he stood…

IN THE GATE ROOM…

"REPORT!" General O'Neill called out as he entered the command room that over looked the gateroom.

"Sir—there's nothing coming through." The sergeant said hesitantly as the worm hole disengaged and the alarms went silent.

"That was weird." He said looking over his shoulder where Carter or Daniel would usually be standing—only no one was there. "Where is everyone?"

"Colonel Carter went home for the night Sir and I haven't seen Doctor Jackson."

With the mystery of the gate activation still a mystery, O'Neill went in search of Daniel.

"Yo! DANNY!" He yelled into Daniel's office a he walked in to find the lights on and the room empty. Looking around—dumbfounded—he turned and walked down the hall to Daniel's quarters. Two knocks and he pushed the door open—again to find an empty room with the lights on. "…they actually left?"

BACK IN HIS OFFICE…

O'Neill stood behind his desk as he dialed Daniel's home number—something in the back of his mind was telling him that things were worse than they seemed.

As the answering machine picked up—his intuition had turned into panic. He slammed the phone down and picked it up again. Pressing the call button he spoke into the receiver as his voice echoed over the PA system:

"DOCTOR JACKSON DIAL 94, DOCTOR JACKSON DIAL 94." He said before hanging up the receiver—if Daniel were in the base he would call in a few seconds, knowing that 94 was a priority code.

A few moments passed and O'Neill was positive now. Daniel was missing.

Yanking the receiver off the desk once again he dialed Carter's home number and waited. Two rings later and Carter was on the other end of the line.

"Hello?"

"Carter? Is Daniel with you?" He persisted, then shook his head once he realized how he had sounded.

"Uhmm—no Sir, why is something wrong?" She asked, hearing the panic in his voice. "Did something happen?"

"Daniel is missing—I can't find him anywhere. He isn't answering his cell phone or home number and he isn't here."

"That's unusual…"

"I know."

"I'm on my way in, Sir." She said.

"Alright."

After hanging up the phone, O'Neill felt helpless. What had happened to Daniel was beyond him—

As Carter exited the elevator on the SGC level she saw O'Neill approaching from the opposite hall.

"Carter! Over here!" he called out as he waived her over.

"Any luck Sir?" She asked crossing the hall to his side as they walked back to the command room.

"Before Daniel went missing there was an incoming worm hole—but no one came through." He said as they walked in as Carter sat at the computer terminal.

"Nothing came through?" She asked as the screen before her began to run a diagnostic.

"Nope, it was on for about two minutes and shut off." O'Neill said as he leaned against the counter beside her.

After a moment of punching the keys before her Carter's mouth dropped open as she turned to look at O'Neill.

"What is it?" He asked looking over to her.

"Sir, at the same time the gate was activated there was a massive surge of energy— it's nothing I've ever seen before."

"So…"

"The energy readings show it to be around Thessalie's room."

With out a word, they both headed for Thessalie's room down the hall.

As they came around the corner O'Neill froze and held out his arm to stop Carter as he realized that the guard was not standing outside her door.

"Sir?" Carter asked as he held his arm in front of her waist.

"The guard is gone." He said approaching the door slower.

Turning the knob he swung the door open—once again to an empty room with the lights on.

"Where is she?" He asked looking back to Carter who had walked to the bedside. "What the hell is going on?" He said storming out into the hallway.

Lying on the cold metallic floor, Daniel began to slowly move as he regained consciousness. First moving his arms and legs and then sitting up right. Darkness lay all around him as he padded the floor to the nearby wall. He stood and felt along the wall, trying to find a door that wasn't there.

He began to remember the last moments before he saw the light, he started to remember Thessalie.

"Thessalie! Are you here? Thessalie?" He called out listening for the slightest sign of her presence.

A soft groan from the corner alerted his senses and he dropped to his knees as he felt the floor in her direction.

"Thessalie? Can you hear me?" He asked as his hand came in contact with her foot. "Thessalie? It's Daniel…are you alright…come on, talk to me." He said feeling up her legs to her arms as he pulled her up right in front of him.

"OW! That's gonna leave a mark." She said as she came to life. "What the hell happened?" She said holding her head.

"Are you hurt?" He asked trying to fell her arms for wounds in the darkness.

"Just my head, I don't think it's bleeding—would be easier if there was light."

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"A bright light…I couldn't move and then I heard you calling out my name."

"I don't remember anything either—wait!" He said letting go of her arm and taking off his watch of his wrist.

"What?"

"My watch—" He said pressing the indigo button that illuminated the small area between them.

"Look at you being resourceful—who would' a known?" She quipped as he held it up to her forehead to check her wound.

"No, it's not bleeding…just a bump."

"A big bump." She said wincing at the pain.

"Well—any idea where we are?" He asked trying to lighten the mood.

"Nope—I got nothing." She said in classic Jack O'Neill fashion.

"Hmm." He said trying to ignore the similarities between Thessalie and Jack.

Silence fell between them as Daniel remember why he had come into her room in the first place.

"I guess this isn't a very good time to acknowledge the gigantic elephant in the room huh?" Thessalie asked leaning against the wall.

With a heavy sigh "No—we should talk about this—I just haven't a clue how to start"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you first—I wasn't expecting you to be here. When Jack slipped your name—I freaked."

"Freaked? That seems to be a pretty good description for what I'm feeling right now."

"Do you just want to talk about it later?"

"I don't know why this would surprise me—hell, considering everything I've been through in the last eight years—you'd think nothing would shock me—but I guess there was one thing out there I wasn't considering—"

"Having a daughter?"

"Yeah—that one."

"Is it so bad?"

"No—not bad, just—you'd think that's something I would remember…"

"They took your memories of me—of everything, it's not your fault."

"Still—I'm sorry how had to grow up without a father."

"But I did have a father—that was one thing you made sure of…"

"Jack."

"He's been a great father—probably spoiled me a little too much."

"He's rubbed off on you."

"Really? Jack always tells me that I'm just like you. Getting into trouble all the time, he told me once that he's had to rescue me almost as many times as he's had to save you."

"I wish I could have been there."

"You were there when it counted—and you're here now."

"Yeah—but where is here?"

"Sorry, can't answer that one."

"Well, it doesn't look like a Goa'uld ship."

"How can you tell? It's dark."

"Well, the Goa'uld usually don't put their prisoners in pitch black rooms where they can't see anything."

"Big egos huh?"

"You could say that."

"I guess this isn't a very good time to mention that I really don't like the dark."

"Me either—"

"Well—there's something we have in common."

"I'm sure we have more than that in common."

"Really?"

"Yeah—like…"

"I'm a complete coffee fend." She said.

"REALLY?"

"Yeah—Jack cut me back to two cups a day though—said I needed to be regulated."

"That sounds like Jack."

"So—Dad-- tell me that you're a complete bad ass and you know how we're going to get outta this."

"Uhmm—okay…just uh—give me a few minutes."

Through the darkness he tried, once again to find an exit or anything that might serve as an escape. After a few moments he leaned against the wall and tried to think.

"No luck?" Thessalie called out through the darkness.

"Not yet."

Without warning, the section of the wall behind Thessalie began to rise, as though a large garage door was opening and letting in the light.

The sunlight pierced their eyes and Thessalie shielded her eyes as the light spread through the whole room.

"Thessalie! Over here!" Daniel yelled as he saw two figures coming through the opening straight toward her.

It was too late and as Daniel ran to her side the men had carried her out of the opening—and then it was dark.

"NO THESSALIE!!!" He screamed through the door. But it was useless—no way out.

AT THE SGC…

"I don't like this! I really don't like this!" O'Neill screamed as they entered the briefing room.

"Sir—there's not even a residual signature any more, I have nothing to go off of and anything could have happened."

"Asguards? Tollen? Could they have done this?" He asked, sitting in the head chair.

"It could be anyone Sir."

"Carter—what happened to the days when you knew everything and just pulled some cock-a-mamie scheme outta thin air and saved the day?"

"Sorry Sir." It was all she could say, the situation was just as frustrating for her—if not more, she usually could figure out a way through anything, but this time there was nothing to even start with.

IN THE DARKNESS…

The darkness was now filled with the echoes Thessalie's terrified screams from a somewhere close by.

WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO HER?

It was all Daniel could do to sit in the corner—he'd already exhausted his voice by screaming and beating the walls, screaming for them to stop and to take him instead.

As he listened to her scream once more, a small opening across the room opened and a pair of eyes appeared.

"Hey! Over here!" The voice called.

"Who's there?" he called out as he crawled over to the opening.

"I'm getting you out of there—just stand back a little ways.

A larger section of the wall slid open, just large enough for Daniel to slide through.

"Come on!" The voice called out as Daniel slid out feet first.

"Who are you people?" He yelled as he suddenly found himself in the woods standing beside a young man in a dark gray military uniform.

"You have to get her out of here." He said pulling him by the arm into the woods.

"Listen! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!?" He screamed as he pulled the young man against a tree.

"They want her for something, you weren't supposed to come too. They're going to hurt her, you have to get to her."

"What do you care?"

"Listen—I didn't sign up for killing our own here, they've got her hooked up to some machine and—"

"WHO has her!" He screamed grabbing the young man by the throat.

"They're called the trust." He said through gasps.

"What?" He asked looking around slightly dumb founded. "We're on Earth aren't we?" He asked suddenly realizing that—once again things were not as they seemed.

"Listen—I didn't sign up for killing our own here, they've got her hooked up to some machine and—"

"WHO has her!?" He screamed grabbing the young man by the throat.

"They're called the trust." He said through gasps.

"What?" He asked looking around slightly dumb founded. "We're on Earth aren't we?" He asked suddenly realizing that—once again things were not as they seemed.

The young man took Daniel by his shirt to focus his attention. "LISTEN TO ME! You have to get to her, save her—they are going to kill her!"

"Where is she!?" Daniel asked, seeing the fear in his eyes—he decided to listen.

"A building, near the river—I know a way to get you in. It'll lead you to a vent that will end right over the room they have her in." He spoke as he began to walk toward the tree line—Daniel could hear the river before he saw it and near the bank was another building.

"How do you know this!?"

"This—all of this was built for one reason—for her. There's only one room for the project—the vent is for the pressure release of the exhaust."

"And how am I supposed to get through the vent?"

"It only vents the pressure every 20 minutes—that should be enough time for you to get in and out." Still approaching the building as he spoke—the young man opened a vent cover on the side of the building and motioned for Daniel to climb. In.

"Why are you doing this?" Daniel asked, pausing as he climbed into the entrance.

"She looked at me—asked for help—told me that you were her father and she needed you, said that I had to help—that I was supposed to."

"You're a good man."

"I have to get back—they'll notice I'm gone." And with that he was running back through the woods.

Daniel closed the door behind him and proceeded through the dark vent. As he slowly made his way through the vent a part of him wondered how he managed to get into situations like these. Through the last eight years he'd been shot, abducted and tortured more times than he could count—it was all Jack's fault. Before he met Jack O'Neill he was happy being a boring archeologist that never did anything adventurous. But everything that had happened had been god for him—ten years ago he never would have been on a top secret military site trying to save a daughter he never knew he had.

He was nearly 20 feet through the vent when he came across the dead end and another opening through the ceiling. Laying down over the opening he could make out a dimly lit room beneath him—Thessalie laying on a table in the far corner. Slowly he moved the vent and set it aside. Searching the room below, he saw no sign of anyone but Thessalie in the room. With one final thought of blaming all of this on Jack for rubbing off on him—he braced his hands on either side of the opening and lowered his body down and jumped to the floor.

The room was nearly dark, only two sources of light made it possible for Daniel to see the door on the far side of the room and Thessalie on his right. Slowly he walked to her side and touched her shoulder.'

"Thessalie—wake up." He whispered, trying to shake her without making too much noise. But she didn't stir. "THESSALIE!" He tried, this time shaking her harder as he shook both shoulders.

In an instant she jolted into consciousness and sat straight up on the table as she jerked away from Daniel.

"NO!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!" She scream, clearly terrified.

"THESSA! It's me Daniel!" He yelled, taking her by the arms and pulling her close to his chest. After a moment she relaxed and as if she was waking from a nightmare she held to Daniel for dear life.

"Oh god—Dad, they…they…did something to me—it hurt—" she said burying her face in his shoulder as he lifted her from the table and let her stand at his side.

"Thessalie, listen—we have to get out of here I don't know when they are coming—come on." Daniel tried to rush her but it wasn't working. As he walked beck over to the opening in the ceiling Thessalie leaned back against the table and started to cry. "Thessa—please." He said walking back over to her and smoothing down her hair as she leaned into him. "Thessa, I'm sorry I couldn't stop them."

"I was screaming—but they acted like they couldn't hear me. They did something so I couldn't escape—I couldn't get out. All I ever wanted was to be here with you—to meet you and tell you I loved you…but-" Through her sobs Daniel heard the words that he never thought he'd hear in his life.

Lifting her chin to see into her eyes, Daniel couldn't fight against the tears that were stinging the corners of his eyes.

"Thessa—all I have ever wanted in this life was you, and even if I don't get to keep you—never forget that I have always loved you, even before I knew you existed."

"Really?"

"Really."

"I don't want to loose you."

"You won't—I swear it. But—we really have to get out of here." He was smiling now and so was she.

"Guess we better do the whole run for our lives thing huh?" She said brushing away her tears.

"Yeah…can you run?"

"Oh yeah…lead the way Rambo." She followed him to the opening and he lifted her up into the ceiling. In one jump he reached for the edge and pulled himself up into the opening—just as the door opened below and people enter.

They crawled for the exit as fast as they could. Reaching it first— Thessalie kicked open the grate and jumped out into the ground.

Soon they were running through the woods. Daniel couldn't keep the obvious issues from replaying through his mind—he had a daughter—they had been abducted by a covert ops team and were now running through the woods with no shoes on and no idea how to get back home.

"Okay—so, you have a plan right DAD?" Thessalie yelled over her shoulder as she continued to run a head of Daniel.

"Uhmm, yeah—of course I have a plan."

"Ok…so…might it include a way of getting out of the freezing cold woods and next to a fire with a cup of coffee?!"

"Uhmm, actually my plan was a little more simple than that."

"How simple?" She asked stopping dead in her tracks as he almost ran into her.

"Like—" he said trying to stall as he looked over to the river and saw a fallen tree that would work well as a bridge to get to the other side. "We can get across the river on that tree." He said heading over to the tree as she followed him toward the riverbank.

Daniel stepped out on the tree first and bounced to a few times to make sure it was sturdy. Turing back to Thessalie he held out his hand for her. "Now just walk out to me slowly—and try not to trip." He said taking her hand in his and guiding her out on the log.

"Okay—so…ohhh I hate this…did I mention that I don't really like uh—crossing rivers on fallen trees."

"It's ok—don't worry, a little further and we'll be on the other side." He said moving his feet slowly so he wouldn't get too far a head of Thessalie. "Just don't look down and take one step at a time."

"You know—you're really getting the hang of this whole fatherly advice stuff."

"Thanks." He couldn't help but smile—at least he didn't sound like his father.

Once on they reached the other side of the river, Daniel and Thessalie ran up the small hill—to find a road just pass the tree line.

"See, told you I had a plan." Daniel said looking down both sides of the road to look for cars.

"Oh don't even—you didn't know this was here—you got lucky." She said glaring at him.

"Okay…I got lucky." He was looking down the opposite end of the road when Thessalie screamed.

"YEAH BABY! We both got lucky!!!" She was almost squealing as Daniel whirled around to see a car coming toward them.

It wasn't long before they were dropped off at the nearest town—in New Mexico.

"I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT WE ARE IN NEW MEXICO!!!" Thessalie screamed as Daniel dialed numbers on the pay phone. "I mean—Jack would freak out if he knew I was in New Mexico—I'm not even aloud out of Colorado Springs!"

"Hey Jack—" Daniel said as he watched Thessalie ranting off a storm in front of the phone booth. "Yeah—we're okay…uhmm, we're in New Mexico—wana send a plane? Oh—ok, I guess a helicopter would be better…we're in a small town called Hidalgo…Yes Jack…like the movie…alright." He hung up the phone and looked back to Thessalie. "He's sending a helicopter…it'll be here soon."

"Good—it'll give us time to talk."

"What do you want to talk about?" Daniel asked, walking over to sit on a picnic table in a clearing.

"First off--wow thanks for saving me." She said sitting next to him and pulling her knees up on the edge of the table.

"You're welcome—it was fun." He couldn't hide the silly grin that escaped across his lips.

"Second—I know why I'm here…it took me a while, but I think I figured it out."

"You know why you're here? OK—enlighten me."

"When I was little—before you came and brought me here…I remember where I was and…what I was."

"You're talking about what I saw in my dream…"

"Do you remember what you saw?"

"Yes—Ohma was there."

"Ohma—I miss her. She was so wise in her judgments in raising me that when Jack got me he said I was like a step ford child and made me eat chocolate ice cream for a week…I forgot most of everything from then—but one thing I do remember is what you told me before leaving me with Ohma."

"But—I thought you were a baby when I left you—"

"You'd be surprised what the heart can remember."

"What did I tell you?" He asked.

"You told me that you were sorry for leaving me—that it killed you to give me up—but that by giving me to Ohma you were saving me and my mother."

"Your mother—I don't remember her."

"Her name was Tea'na—she was an ascended being just like you were. I wasn't supposed to happen though—and when the others learned of my existence, they started hunting me down. You knew they would find me if you kept me—and you gave up your self in order to save me. That's why they made you human again—and took all of your memories of me, my mother and everything that happened. But I'm here to tell you that you have to find me."

Daniel's brain was in over drive—he had a daughter—from the future—sitting in front if him telling him that he had to find her—she was there why did he have to find her?

"You know something Thessa, for being raised by Jack O'Neill you sure have a talent for being vague." It was enough to break the tension of the moment and make Thessa smile—mission accomplished.

"Yeah, I know. He blames you for it." The look on her face made him take a second glance—that was a Jack O'Neill smirk if I've ever seen one.

"So—I'm serious. You have to find me."

"The younger you?"

"Yes. I'm only about six right now."

"Six—isn't that—"

"Yeah I know I should only be about 2 years old but…when you grow up in an alternate plain of existence time really doesn't matter."

"Okay…so how do I find you?"

She smiled and stepped off the table.

"That's where the fun starts…it's not just a where type of answer…"

O'Neill had flown out with Carter to the airfield to catch the helicopter out to get Daniel and Thessalie. He was determined to figure out what was going on and just how they wound up in New Mexico.

"WHAT CARTER!?" He had to scream over the engines to get her attention—but he couldn't stand it any longer, he could tell she was thinking too hard about something—he could see the smoke coming out of her ears.

"SIR!?" She had barely heard him—and his voice startled her.

"WHAT'S WITH THE LOOK?" He asked pointing to her face.

"It's just all of this Sir—Daniel and Thessalie—disappearing out of the base and winding up in New Mexico!"

"I know—I'm not even going to try and figure it out—I just want to get them back."

"I know Sir—a few more minutes and we should be there." She leaned back into the seat and looked out the opening—this was going to be interesting to say the least.

"I don't ever remember doing that!" He was about to loose it—he couldn't believe what she had said he had to do—where he had to go and what he had to do. It was impossible.

"I can send you there!"

"Is that good idea!?" He asked—not really wanting the answer,

"Well, I haven't done it to anyone else before—just myself, but I think I can control it now."

"Oh ok…suddenly you're more confident—I get it that makes a difference."

"Daniel—please."

"You have to tell me more!"

"What do you mean?"

"There has to be another way to do this—if you know what's going to happen then maybe there's a way to prevent some of this stuff happening!"

"What stuff!?"

"You said that Jack retires and Pete gets killed…there has to be a way to keep that from happening."

"Don't do this—there are certain things that have to happen."

"How does Pete dying accomplish anything except hurt Sam?"

"You don't get it—it's all a domino effect. You rescue me and give me to Jack before you leave—Jack retires—Sam is put in charge of the SGC—the Goa'uld gets loose on Earth and Jack has to kill Pete to save Sam—"

"WHAT!? What do you mean he has to kill Pete to save Sam—what happens!?"

"When the Goa'uld gets loose, he tries to help Sam and gets taken over by the Goa'uld—he takes Sam hostage. He tries to kill her—and Jack shoots him to save her."

"Oh god—come on—why does that have to happen!?"

"BECAUSE THEY ARE MY PARENTS!!!!"

"What?"

She had said too much now and stood before Daniel with her eyes locked on the ground. He sat there a moment and took a deep breath before standing and walking over to her. He didn't say a word—only reached out and pulled her into his arms and hugged her.

"It's alright Thessa. You don't have to tell me anymore—just tell me what to do."

The helicopter hovered a moment over the gas station until Daniel and Thessa came into view. Then Jack yelled out for the pilot to land in the parking lot.

The helicopter hadn't touched down before Jack jumped from the fuselage and started walking toward Daniel as he stood with his arm around Thessa.

"Here we go." Daniel said as he pulled Thessa tighter—the wind from the helicopter was unforgiving.

"Let's go Daniel!" Jack yelled over the wind as he motioned for Daniel and Thessa to get in to helicopter.

Daniel began running after Jack with Thessa still huddling under his arm as though she were a duckling under her mother's wing.

Jack noticed this—but chose not to react. The jumped into the helicopter and Thessa sat next to Sam while Daniel sat on her other side.

Sam watched as Daniel buckled Thessa's straps and then his own—this was odd; she exchanged looks with Jack who only shrugged his shoulders back at her.

Thessa smiled up at Daniel as the engines roared. "I'VE NEVER BEEN IN A HELICOPTER BEFORE!"

Daniel smiled back down at her and put his arm around her shoulder as the helicopter rocked slightly.

It was a short flight to the base—but long enough for Thessa to fall asleep on Daniel's shoulder.

He didn't even try to wake her up as they landed; he only picked her up into his arms and carried her to the car that would take them back to the Mountain.

O'Neill and Carter didn't know what to think—here was Daniel with the young girl that had disappeared with him and now he was acting like—her father.

O'Neill kept his opinions to himself until they got to the base and Daniel had taken Thessa to his room to lie down.

When Daniel came out of his room and shut the door behind him—Jack was waiting for him in the hallway.

"Daniel." Jack said in a voice that sounded fatherly and accusing.

"She's my daughter Jack." He turned from the door and looked at Jack.

Jack looked back at him and started to speak—but stopped. Something had changed in Daniel's eyes. His eyes were no longer that of a bright eyed chilled, as he had grown use to through the years. There was something new in his eyes, something Jack recognized—something that had been his eyes years before, the concern of a father for his child.

Jack nodded and stood from the wall where had been leaning. "Let's talk." They walked down the hall, Daniel looked back at his door as though he could see pass the metal door—Jack took his shoulder and he turned back around.

"She'll be fine Daniel. Let's go talk about this daughter of yours."

Jack sat in his office chair and stared at Daniel. He wasn't sure if he should try to believe what he had just heard or if he should have Daniel committed to the psych ward—again.

"Okay, so she was an enlightened…" Jack squinted through the recap he was trying to work through.

"Yes."

"And, she some how transported her self here because she doesn't know how to use her "powers" yet?"

"Uhmm, okay—yeah." He was trying to get through this bad rendition of his explanation, no matter how much Jack was getting it wrong.

"And we have to send her back—so we—you, can find her?"

"Yes."

"Okay, sounds simple. How do we get her back home?"

"She can do it on her own."

"And how to we find her again?"

"She showed me."

"Daniel, I know you're all excited about this—"

"She's not a toy Jack—she's my daughter." Jack sat back at seeing this side of Daniel; normally the only thing he was this passionate about was some old artifact.

"I know that—"

"I trust her, and if you don't want to do this then I'll do it without you."

"Daniel—calm down. We're going to do this—I just need more information."

"I'm asking you to trust me. You do trust me—right Jack?"

"Oh course I do—"

"Then don't ask any more questions."

Daniel stood and walked out of the room. Jack tried to call after him but he knew it was no use—Daniel was unreasonable at this moment and it left Jack feeling unbalanced, Daniel had always been even tempered and easy to reason with, now there was no telling what he was going to do.