"This was more than a test of choice O'Neill, it was a test for you also, Daniel Jackson had to choose his real life and as his friend you had to allow him the choice."

Janet gave Daniel a clean bill of health, the bruises were superficial, and there was no internal bleeding.

"You still look like shit though."

"Thanks Jack." Daniel smiled. He turned to the doctor; "Can I go then?"

"I want you to stay on base, for at least another twenty four hours."

"But why? I feel fine, I feel great actually,"

"Just humor me okay?" Daniel relented and Frasier handed him two pills and a glass of water.

"What's this?"

"It's a sedative." Daniel tried to give it back.

"Janet I've been asleep, for the passed three days, I'm not tired."

"Hence, the sedative, your mind needs rest as much as your body and it hasn't slept at all in three days." Daniel sighed and threw the pills into his mouth, chasing them down with the water. "Go to sleep in the VIP room, and go quickly before it starts to effect you." Daniel nodded and Jack helped him down off the gurney, they walked the short distance to one of the VIP rooms and Daniel was out before his head hit the pillow.

Jack couldn't sleep; he was too wired after everything that had happened. He stayed on base, partly to look after Daniel and partly because Frasier didn't know if there might be side effects to the ritual they both took part in. Daniel had been asleep for about four hours and Janet said the sedative would take him 'til morning. She'd offered Jack the same deal, but he refused. Rubbing his eyes with fatigue he tried to figure out why he'd done that.

Unable to settle, Jack decided to go to the gym and try to work himself into exhaustion. When he got there, Jack found he wasn't the only one with that plan.

"Daniel, aren't you supposed to be asleep?" he asked the very conscious man, pounding away at the large workout bag.

"Couldn't." he grunted without pause to his beating of the bag.

"Frasier said that sedative she gave you was supposed to knock you out all night."

"She was wrong."

"Maybe you should go get another."

"Jack what are you doing here?" asked Daniel stopping suddenly.

"I've got energy to burn; I thought I'd burn some."

"I know what you mean," said Daniel grabbing the bar on the weight machine. "I haven't felt this hyper since we were wearing those armbands."

"Daniel."

"What?"

"How much weight is that?"

"I dunno I didn't check."

"Daniel that's two hundred pounds!"

"What!" Daniel cried, dropping the bar he looked around. Sure enough two hundred pounds clattered down to the bottom.

"Do you know what's wrong with him doctor?" asked General Hammond.

"There's nothing wrong, sir." She began tentatively.

"Then why the battery of tests?"

"The problem is he's too healthy sir."

"Too healthy?"

"Yes, he has increased strength and muscle tone, he's got better dexterity, and balance, and though he still needs his glasses his vision has actually improved."

"What could have caused this?"

"I don't know sir it may have something to do with his illness or something else entirely, but that isn't the only problem."

"What is it?"

"He's running on adrenaline sir and can't come down, the sedatives I have don't keep him down for more than an hour, and he can't sleep. He's in pain because of his injuries, but my pain killers don't affect him either, I'm worried that if I can't find a way to get him some rest he's going to crash."

"Do what you can doctor. And report to me any changes."

"Yes sir, but there's very little I can do at this point."

"I know doctor, just do your best."

"Jack, you've gotta get me out of here, I'm going nuts, this room is too small I need space, help me." Daniel paced around the VIP room like a caged animal.

"You heard what the doc said; she wants you to stay put."

"Jack I just need something to do, I need to be doing something can you bring me some stuff from my office?" Jack looked at Daniel pacing shaking his hands by his sides, and got a rude flashback from his sarcophagus addiction.

"Daniel slow down and take a deep breath,"

"Why do people keep telling me to do that?"

"Maybe it's because your face is so red it looks like you're about to pass out." Daniel stopped; he was shaking slightly on the spot.

"I sorry," he said, "I guess I'm tired."

"Get Frasier to give you another sedative."

"They don't work anymore."

"Not at all?"

"Nope."

"I've got an idea." Jack turned and was gone from the room, he returned a few minutes later with Teal'c.

"What's going on?" asked Daniel looking at the two of them.

"Teal'c is going to meditate with you to see if we can bring you back down to earth." Smiled Jack. Daniel sighed.

"Worth a shot."

"I am pleased you are willing Daniel Jackson." Teal'c smiled tightly, the look of concern for his friend not hidden in his deep eyes. Daniel nodded in understanding and a glance at Jack thanked him for this idea. "Please be seated Daniel Jackson and we will begin."

"You seem better." smiled Janet, "Did you get some sleep?"

"Well actually Teal'c showed me, how to Kel nor reem and I feel like I've had a good night's sleep. Look," he smiled holding up his hand, "no more jitters." Janet smiled again, but frowned.

"Daniel, have you slept at all?"

"I don't think I need to. The Kel nor reem worked wonders and I finally feel like myself again and what's more." He held up his shirt. "All my bruises are gone." Janet stared.

"How is that possible?" cried Janet in disbelief.

"It is very possible." came a deep voice from the door.

"Teal'c?" called Daniel. "What's wrong?"

"I have failed you Daniel Jackson." The Jaffa stepped forward into the infirmary.

"What are you talking about Teal'c?" asked Frasier a little worried.

"I believed the Primtak would cure you of the Jaffa illness,"

"And it has." Said Daniel a little confused. "Look, this is me not dead of an infection."

"No it has not, it has taken away your need for a symbiote, but you are still a Jaffa Daniel Jackson."

"How do you figure?"

"I realized this during our kel nor reem together. You reached a point that previously you have never been able and should not be able were you not a Jaffa." Daniel stared at his friend.

"Teal'c it wasn't your fault, I asked you to perform the ritual, I take responsibility for this."

"But had I not assisted: -"

"I'd be dead." The Jaffa lowered his head in understanding.

It took a few days for Daniel to get used to his new status as a Jaffa; Teal'c helped his with the transition, reminding him to kel nor reem because it would be worse than going without sleep as he had done in the past. Jack and Sam were there also every step of the way, though neither really knew what to do to help, Daniel was simply reassured that his friends would stick by him no matter what.

After a week of stand down on top of the time Daniel was ill and missing, SG-1 was itching to get back to work.

"Absolutely not, Colonel!" The General cried.

"Why not? Daniel's fine and Teal'c and Sam are ready to get back out there what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" cried the General in disbelief, "Dr Jackson has been turned into a Jaffa!"

"A Jaffa without a symbiote." Jack pointed out.

"He's still been compromised."

"Compromised, he's Daniel!"

"He's been changed by an unidentified Alien influence, he's tantamount to a National Security threat!"

"National Security my ass, he's still Daniel but with a few added extras."

"Like a symbiote pouch."

"Like increased speed and agility, strength and stamina. Hell he can even read faster."

"There is any number of ways he could have been changed that we can't detect and we need to consider the possibility that Dr Jackson would pose a threat off world."

"Daniel Jackson is a loyal and true member of this facility and team, he would not willingly do harm to anyone here."

"Hey, Teal'c," Jack smiled waving his friend into the General's office.

"O'Neill." He acknowledged with a bow of his head.

"I don't doubt Dr Jackson's loyalty Teal'c, but we don't know what this virus does to a person mentally."

"It does not matter; the primtak removes anything that prevents a person from choosing their own path."

"Like the symbiote?"

"Indeed." Daniel was stood outside the door; he was waiting to see whether the team could get back to work, but without meaning to Daniel was able to hear everything that was said. As much as he hated to admit it the General was right. He, Daniel was a security threat and he never wanted to put his friends in danger on his account.

Daniel remembered Teal'c's lessons in Kel nor reem and how a deep enough trance could touch on the subconscious mind like sleeping for humans. If there were anything, in his mind that would hurt his friends he would find it there. He went back to his room and prepared for Kel nor reem, he lit candles much as Teal'c did enjoying their light and warmth.

He sat cross-legged on the floor. Breathing deeply, he tried to clear his mind. He tried to find that spot in his mind where everything was still.

"Daniel." His eyes flicked open.

"Jack?"

"Wakey, wakey sleeping beauty."

"I wasn't sleeping."

"Yeah, right."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean you are sleeping Daniel."

"Jack don't get all cryptic on me, I haven't had any coffee."

"Here." Said Jack passing Daniel a cup,

"Where'd this come from?" Daniel took a long drink.

"From you."

"Jack what did I say about being cryptic?" Jack sighed.

"Fine, here's the deal, you went into kel nor reem to find out if you've been changed by this illness, besides the obvious."

"Yeah, ok."

"So here you are this is your subconscious and of all the images you could have picked to lead you through this veritable mine field, your mind picked me."

"Ok," said Daniel a little, taken aback. "So what do we do now?"

"Hey, this is your quest Space monkey, not mine."

"Don't call me that."

"Why?"

"Because it's not exactly a favorite memory of mine."

"What this one?" Jack turned around and an image played out before them. Daniel made his way through the crowd in the gate room toward his friends. Jack saw him and a smile stretched across his face.

"Stop." Said Daniel staring at the image and it froze. "That's not the memory I was talking about."

"Oh," said Jack. "You mean this one." The image changed and they watched as Daniel fought off the Jaffa coming down the corridor and then he was hit by a staff blast to the chest. Smoke rising from his chest, they watched as he told Jack to leave him behind. Daniel turned away from the image and it faded from sight.

"You left me to die."

"You told me to leave you."

"There was no other way; I wish you'd stayed though. But that's not why I'm here."

"Fine," said Jack. "Why are you here?" Jack waved his arms and they found themselves back in the isolation room Daniel saw himself laid on the bed with Jack dosing next to him.

"Wait a minute how can I remember this if I'm unconscious?"

"This is your unconscious remember? Just because your eyes are closed doesn't mean the rest of your senses aren't working, this image is extrapolated from what all your other senses are telling your body."

"Wow."

"Hey, I'm you remember?"

"Right. When is this anyway?"

"It's right now."

"Now? Now I'm in Kel nor reem."

"No, Kel nor reem is how you got here."

"But what's wrong with me?"

"Your body fights the change once more."

"What does that mean why?"

"Ok, I'm hypothesizing based on what you know, but don't acknowledge. The last test wasn't finished, Jack interfered in the perfect universe scenario and showed you the way out, but that's not how it's supposed to work. When he woke up, you were saved but not cured, you read the ritual yourself, and it stipulates that anyone performing it will be returned to human form."

"That's right. So what's happening now?"

"You went into a deep Kel nor reem to search your mind, but in that state it left you vulnerable to the last of the Primtak essence left in your system. Jack found you in your room and couldn't wake you; they brought you here for observation." Daniel walked around to the side of his own bed. He looked at Jack fidgeting in the chair.

"So how do I wake up?" He looked up at the Jack stood by the wall.

"The last test was choice; all you have to do is make the right one."

"The right choice?"

"Yes,"

"And this is a choice between what?"

"Living and dying."

"Fine I choose to live." Jack shook his head,

"It's not that easy."

"I didn't think so."

"This is the kind of choice, you've made before it's not that hard." said Jack.

"When have I made this choice before?"

"That time on Klorel's ship. It was your choice to stay behind, Jack would have done everything in his power to take you with them if you asked him, but you chose what was best for the team."

"How is this like that?"

"Each time you die it has a profound effect on the team they pull together to support each other, but when you come back they pull around you."

"Is that bad?"

"Hear me out. If you died and stayed dead, Jack and Sam would pull together to finally admit their feelings for one another, Sam would give up her military career in favor of coming back as a civilian consultant." Daniel frowned

"Jack and Sam?"

"Don't ask me this is how your mind has decided your friends will react to your death. They get married and have a son, named Daniel." Jack rolled his eyes at that, "and Teal'c will be his godfather. They will revere your name in private until the Stargate is finally made public. You'll be an American hero, the man who opened up the stars to us and died trying to defend the planet. Your name will be blazed across the history books and there'll be Daniel Jackson middle's schools popping up across the country." Daniel smiled and then moved away from the bed.

"But are they happy?"

"What? Oh, the happy thing, well happiness is relative isn't it? Sufficed to say they get their share."

"But what happens if I wake up?"

"Er," Jack frowned. "There's not much data to go on." He said. "Apparently your subconscious spends it's time thinking of elaborate scenarios, where your friends are all happy once you're dead." He raised his eyebrows and shrugged. "That's got me a bit worried actually," then he shook his head. "Anyway the nearest I can tell if you wake up, you'll deal, add another nightmare to the growing pile in the corner, that cliff was a dozy, and things will go on as they always have. Sam and Jack will skirt around each other, until one of them decides to get a life, I vote for Sam. You and Teal'c will have a lot of discussions about what went wrong with the ritual and the future will be made as we go along."

"But will they be happy?"

"There's that happy thing again, and remember this is only what you know. In the near, near future, everyone is happy, that you're alive. In near future Jack is guilty that he distracted you on the ramp when you fell. Teal'c is guilty that he agreed to do the ritual; Sam is guilty, because she couldn't do anything to help and you feel guilty for being such a pain in the ass all the time. There are a lot of tough times ahead, but with each other to depend on, you'll get through, and closet optimist that you are still believes that in the end, you'll all get the happiness that you deserve."

"So basically, things will turn out right either way?"

"Yes."

"What do you think I should do?"

"That's cheating I'm only here to give you the options, the choice is up to you. I will ask you a question though, is this how you wanted to die?"

"No, but I never really get a choice in the matter."

"You have the choice now." He said stepping out of the way of Sam and Teal'c.

"Any change?" asked Sam putting her hand on Jack's shoulder.

"No," said Jack. "Janet said he's just fading away."

"Daniel's strong, he'll make it."

"It's close Carter, I'm tired of feeling so useless. Every time I'm in this situation, I swear it's the last time, but something happens and," he gestured emphatically to the man lying in the bed.

"We'll get through this." She said quietly calming him with her hand.

"Come on Daniel wake up!" Jack shook the bed violently. "I'm sorry I distracted you on the ramp." He said. Daniel in the corner jumped.

"You are not to blame O'Neill, I believe this to have something to do with the Primtak; I must have performed it inadequately."

"No, Teal'c." said Sam. "At least you did something; I barely kept myself together let alone find a way to help. Besides Janet said it worked, Daniel is completely human again, even the pouch scar is gone."

"Damn," said Daniel "I know these people way too well." Subconscious Jack just nodded.

"You have the answer." And with that he was gone. Daniel stared at the empty space and then looked back over his friends, they were still arguing over whose fault it was and who should take the blame for Daniel's plight. Daniel smiled and knew he couldn't leave them. Not yet, anyway.

Daniel felt as though he'd been hit in the head with a frying pan, all his senses were on over load the light hurt, the sound hurt, even his skin hurt. The first words he heard were:

"Daniel's my friend too don't you think I'd like to help him as much as you do? Damn it Carter we all feel helpless it just goes with the territory."

"Hey, Jack," Daniel's voice was low and hoarse, but he was heard, Jack spun in surprise, looking down at his friend.

"Daniel!" cried Carter, the best expression of surprise and relief on her face.

"You guys want to keep it down; you're loud enough to wake the dead." He smiled wanly; it was worth a dry mouth to see the looks on their faces when he said that.

"Carter, get Frasier." Barked Jack instantly back to himself, Sam left with an 'I'll be right back' and Jack turned to look down on Daniel again. "You gave us quite a scare there Danny boy." Said Jack with a wide grin.

"Jack, I" but that was as far as he got before his voice gave out, all her could do was mouth water and Jack nodded. He pulled a plastic cup from a unit out of sight, Jack fed the straw into Daniel's mouth and he took a drink.

"Better?" asked Jack.

"Much."

"Are you going to be okay for a minute? I'm going to go see where Sam's got to." Daniel nodded and Jack got up to go, but Daniel grabbed his arm. "What is it?" asked Jack turning back to him.

"Thank you," said Daniel with a smile of his own.

"For what?" Jack asked.

"For helping me make the right choice." Daniel smiled and Jack went off in search of the doctor.

Epilogue

Diary of Daniel Jackson

It's been over a month since I woke up from the last test of the Primtak, being human again is harder to adjust to once you've felt the power of the Jaffa, but all in all I'm glad to be me.

I haven't told Jack about my dreams, he barely remembers Abydos. I don't want to burden him, it's just too much pressure to tell him he's the one person I have faith in more than anything in the world. I think he already knows some of it.

Things are definitely back to normal; Jack is calling me we have a mission briefing in ten minutes and I have to collect my notes, but I'm tired because I didn't sleep last night.

Subconscious Jack was right I do have a new nightmare, and that cliff was a hell of a fall, but what I see now, is my Sha're and our son sitting in our house on Abydos waiting for me to come back from my walk with Jack. They're waiting and I'm never going to come home.