Four days later, late in the afternoon, Jack entered the infirmary and found Daniel asleep. Janet had taken out the IV that morning. The restraints had been left on, however, and Daniel was probably sleeping from boredom. Standing there, looking down at his son, it was all Jack could do to keep from smiling--not that he wasn't a little angry, as well. Daniel had refused to share his suspicions--suspicions that he was Jack's son--suspicions that Janet's tests had now confirmed. Well, now it was time for Daniel to learn his lesson.

"Come on, Daniel. Wake up," ordered Jack, slightly shaking Daniel's arm. As Daniel opened his eyes, Jack added, "We have things to do."

"No more truth serum, please," mumbled Daniel.

"Don't need it. We've found my son without your help."

"How?"

"Carter suggested we do a computer search based on the information we had. There was an individual who met all the requirements. I'm getting ready to bring my son back to Cheyenne Mountain." Jack started unfastening Daniel's restraints as he continued, "Janet's released you. You're coming with me."

"You're sure this guy's your son?"

"Janet's tests have confirmed it." Jack handed Daniel some clothes. "Now, get dressed. We need to get started."

"I'd rather not. Take Sam or Teal'c."

"You're not getting out of this, Daniel. I'll need to talk with my son, and given your skills at negotiations, I think you're the most qualified, don't you? As team leader, I'm making it an order. Now, I'll wait outside. I'll expect you to be ready in ten minutes."

- - -

A short time later, Jack was driving down the mountain road. It had been about five minutes since they had left the base. He took his eyes off the road for a moment to spare a quick glance in Daniel's direction. Daniel was staring silently out the passenger side window. His eyes back on the road now, Jack asked, "Daniel, are you all right?"

"Yeah," replied Daniel, somewhat forlornly.

"Look, Daniel. It'll be okay. My son will know you never exposed him."

"It doesn't matter. I don't think we're talking about the same person."

"Oh…you sure about that?"

"Yeah."

Daniel slipped back into his silent world. Jack drove on a little further down the road till he came to a spot where he could pull over. He parked, got out and walked around to the passenger door. Opening the door, he said, "Okay, Daniel, get out. That's an order." Daniel reluctantly obeyed. Jack then led him a short distance away. "Now sit," ordered Jack, indicating a large boulder. Daniel sat down and Jack sat down beside him. "Now, Daniel, what's wrong?"

"It was all for nothing. I thought I'd found your son but I was wrong. I was such an idiot. All the hopes…and fears…and pain…and humiliation…they were all for nothing."

"Daniel, I meant what I promised earlier. We'll find a way to square things with your neighbors."

"That's not it. It's just…" Daniel sighed, and became silent.

"What?"

Daniel remained silent a bit longer, then replied, "From Ariana's descriptions of the couple she met, I thought she was writing about Claire and Melburn Jackson. I thought I was your son. That was my blood that I brought Janet."

"Then, why didn't you tell us? Did you hate the idea that much?"

"No. Actually, I thought the whole idea was pretty nifty, at first. But it doesn't matter now."

Jack was persistent. "I'd still like to know why. You said you found it nifty at first. What about later?"

"I got to thinking about everything, about how everyone wanted to protect your son. I was afraid things would change and I was right. Both you and General Hammond refused to allow your son on the team."

"You didn't exactly give us all the facts, Daniel. Besides, what did you accomplish? You weren't on the team while you were under arrest."

"I know. But I kept thinking maybe you guys would need me to translate something, or to help with negotiations or some other task you were having problems with, and would drop the charges. If I told, however, I'd never be allowed on the team"

"Maybe we wouldn't endanger my son by placing him on the team, but we wouldn't have put you off."

"That doesn't matter now," said Daniel, the disappointment evident in his voice. "Let's just go pick up your son, okay?"

Daniel started to rise and Jack stopped him. "Not just yet," Jack insisted. "There's something else I want to know. Just what were you thinking when you took my gun?"

"I don't know. I just wanted to stop it. You guys gave me that truth serum. I was afraid that I would tell you everything--that I'd lose my place on SG-1. No more going through the Stargate…no more meeting the natives and studying new cultures…no more examining artifacts except those brought back by others. I could notice the drug taking effect, and I knew I had to act fast. I guess I just wasn't thinking too clearly."

"How do you think I felt? You were shot with my gun. Charlie was shot with my gun. Charlie died. If you'd been hit at a slightly different angle, you could have died."

"I'm sorry."

"That wouldn't have prevented it from happening. Listen, Daniel, I don't ever want you to try anything like that again. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," replied Daniel, deciding that the tone of Jack's voice warranted a 'sir.' "Now, haven't we been here long enough? I just want to pick up your son and get this over with."

"In a few minutes." Jack and Daniel sat silently for several minutes. Every once in awhile, Jack would glance at Daniel. It was obvious that Daniel was still disappointed. Feeling that he had waited long enough, Jack reached out and grasped Daniel's arm reassuringly, as he softly said, "That other blood Janet tested…it was yours."

Daniel was stunned. "Then…" That was as much as he could manage to say.

Jack nodded. "Your suspicions were correct. You are my son. The tests confirm it."

"And you and General Hammond are really going to let me stay on SG-1?"

"Yeah."

"Then, why'd you have to bring me all the way out here to tell me? You could have told me back at the base."

Jack smiled. "Well, Daniel, it's called withholding information. You know all about that, don't you?"

"I'd say it's more like revenge."

"That, too." Then, Jack became very serious. "Daniel, you do realize why we were so desperate to find my son, don't you? That we believed if his existence should become known, the Goa'uld and several others could prove a threat."

"Yeah," agreed Daniel. "If the Goa'uld knew, they'd either try to kill him or more than likely, it would be a race to see who could claim him as a host."

"Right. And Ariana was guessing that his inherited genetic knowledge would be latent. At that time, we didn't know if she was right or not. Even if she were, we've all seen the results of a snake controlling his host. We know the Goa'uld are able to access the host's memories. How do we know a Goa'uld couldn't readily access this knowledge if he took my son as host? And there's still that possibility. Daniel, you're going to have to be very careful."

"I will," Daniel promised.

"That scenario could have put the whole planet at risk," Jack continued to explain. "That's why General Hammond came up with that treason charge. He thought maybe you'd try to contact my son and we'd discover his whereabouts. Or if that didn't work, you'd feel pressured enough to reveal that information. It would never have gone any further than it did. It was only a ruse to try to gain your co-operation. The MPs that the general sent were only ordered to arrest you and bring you back to base. They weren't given any additional information."

"So you guys never thought I was a traitor?"

Jack shook his head. "Never. But the whole thing traumatized you a lot more than any of us thought it would. You wouldn't eat. Dr. Fraiser spoke to us about her concerns."

"There were just so many things churning around in my mind. I suspected our kinship. I knew how desperate you were to find your son and I was tempted to tell. But like I explained earlier, I was afraid of being put off the team. I understand why you guys felt you had to do it, but it hurt. You guys were my friends and you, probably my father."

"That's why I tried to come up with some other alternative to get it over with. I just wanted to find my son and get the rest of us all back on the same team. I wanted to make things easier for you. That's when I thought of the truth serum. Only it didn't go as expected." Jack became noticeably paler as he recalled the incident. "Daniel, when I heard that shot, saw you fall to the floor, that blood on your forehead…"

Daniel realized Jack's sincerity about everything. "Jack, like I said before, I'm sorry."

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, too."

Deciding to change the conversation to something less distressing, Daniel asked, "So, what am I supposed to call you, now?"

"What would you like to?"

"Well, Dad would be sort of nice, but then we don't want anyone finding out about your son. So, I'd say that's not possible--in private, either--otherwise, it might slip out in public. I guess I'll just have to keep calling you 'Jack,' but you'll know what I mean."

"Yeah. Of course, I'll keep calling you Daniel…and Danny…and Dannyboy…and Space Monkey…and--"

"Hey! That's not fair. How come you get all the fun?" Daniel interrupted.

"Because I'm older than you, I'm the team leader, and I'm your father, that's why. Now, how about I drive my son back to base?" Jack stood and Daniel immediately did likewise. Unable to resist, Jack grabbed Daniel and hugged him firmly. "I'm glad it turned out this way," Jack stated. "Not all the stuff we went through, but the fact that you're my son."

Returning the gesture, Daniel agreed. "Me, too." And the small bit of moisture in the corners of both men's eyes sparkled in the final rays of the setting sun.

Authors note: The detail in the challenge that I said I'd reveal later was that Daniel discovers he is Jack's son.