"Daniel," he called but the younger man didn't hear him. "JACKSON!"

Daniel ran into the Temple, slamming into Jack as he did. It was dark inside and his eyes weren't adjusted to the darkness.

"What?' he asked as he pushed himself off Jack.

"Did you see that?" he asked.

"Huh?" Daniel obviously hadn't.

Jack looked at Daniel. "Can you see *anything*?" he asked, watching as his friend rubbed at his eyes, trying to get them to adjust to the darkness. The younger man replaced his glasses and nodded.

"Good. Come with me.." Jack headed further into the Temple. Daniel scanned the walls for any more obvious traps.

After a few more meters he stopped Jack mid-step and pointed to the floor. What seemed like an innocent drawing of a man and woman holding hands was really a false floor over a pit of spikes. Luckily, due to Daniel's knowledge, Jack never found that out as he followed the archaeologist gingerly around the picture and on further into the Temple.

The narrow hall way they were in led into an ornate room, bigger than the Gate room but empty. It had gothic type of pillars on all four sides, and corridors behind each row of pillars, leading off to other rooms and other corridors.

"What is this place? The Tardis?" Jack muttered.

Dropping into archaeologist mode, Daniel wet his lips and clasped his hands together as he explained, "we only saw a portion of the Temple from outside. We've gradually gone further into the hillside and, believe me, this place has many, many rooms."

Jack watched as the younger man illustrated his conversation with his hands, rolling them over each other and then lifting one hand up to indicate to a nearby colonnade. Daniel caught his stare then self conscious tucked some hair behind his ear as he turned to read an inscription on the nearest column.

"It's said to be the Temple of the Light.." he said, his fingers tracing over the carving in the stone. Jack nodded.

"That would explain the bright flash of light I saw.."

Daniel wet his lips as he back at Jack. "Excuse me?"

"I saw a flash of light, behind me.." Jack said, not liking the look on Daniel's face now.

"Why didn't you tell me that?" Daniel asked, the caution evident in his voice.

"I did," Jack argued.

Daniel shook his head as he looked around carefully. "You asked if I'd seen 'that'.. you never said anything about a *light*.." Daniel shook his head as he looked at the Colonel.

"I did. I said.. did you see that.. light.." Jack argued, fully aware it was futile. Daniel shook his head.

"No, you said, did I see *that*.." he said, his voice raising again.

Jack shook his head. "No, I distinctly said..."

There was another flash of light from the other side of the room, disappearing down a corridor. Both Daniel and Jack headed off after it. The corridor had about ten doors leading off it and looked to lead to the outside at the other end. Jack indicated for Daniel to take the doors on the right while he took the doors on the left. Daniel headed off but Jack stopped him, reached down and unclasped the gun from Daniel's thigh and handed it to him. The younger man looked at the weapon then at Jack.

"What am I meant to do? Shoot out the light?" he asked sarcastically. Jack sighed.

"No, you're meant to protect that pretty little head of yours.." he said as he headed off down his side of the corridor. Daniel's anger resurfaced at Jack's off the cuff remark but he ignored it as he went up to the first door and opened it cautiously, ducking out the way then looking in.

"OH sh.., Jack be caref.."

Daniel heard the thud before he finished the sentence. He turned and saw Jack on the ground by his feet with a large cloth bag filled with sand on his chest. It had been a trap on the room the younger man looked in. As Jack was walking behind him, it shot out and smacked the officer off his feet.

"Careful.." Daniel muttered as he squatted, his hand hovering over Jack. "Are you okay?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "The attack of the killer bag! Yeah, I'm just peachy," he muttered, pushing the bag off his chest.

"Well, be careful. I've heard those bags can actually break ribs," he helped Jack to his feet cautiously. The colonel looked down, touching his ribs then shrugged.

"Nope, I'm fine," he said. Daniel nodded.

"Perhaps we should go together.." he said, to which Jack nodded.

"Sounds like a plan."

Daniel pointed to the next door and Jack went on one side while Daniel stayed on the other.

*/*/*/*/*

Sam exited the mud hut and looked around for Teal'c.

"Nothing," she sighed when he came out of the next hut. He shook his head.

Sam sighed then reached down and radioed to Jack.

"Colonel.."

*Yeah..*

"The Village is abandoned Sir," she said.

*Okay, make your way up here..*

"Okay," she indicated to Teal'c to head up to the Temple. "What do you think that light was..?" she asked the large Jaffa.

"I cannot tell you," he said cryptically, but honestly.

*/*/*/*/*

Jack opened the door carefully and Daniel saw the bright glow of light on his face as the door swung open. Jack stood staring into the amber light, unable to move.

"Jack," Daniel whispered but he got no response. "Jack!" he called louder but the colonel still didn't move from the orange glow. Daniel grimaced then threw himself at the awestruck officer, clenching his eyes at the light to protect himself, then he felt them both crash to the ground.

"What .. the.." Jack seemed to wake up now. Daniel held his hand over his lips as the glow of light made its way into the hall. Both men looked up at it from where they lay tangle together on the stone floor.

"Hi.." Daniel gave a little wave and tried to smile. The light started to grow dimmer and dimmer until they could make out a shape within it, hovering above their heads.

"Oh.. great.. " Jack muttered under his breath. Sitting up slowly and disentangling their arms and legs, Daniel stared in awe at the Entity.

"Hi, I'm Daniel Jackson.." he touched his fingers to his chest.

"And I'm Jack.." Jack said with a little wave, also sitting up.

"You and your father are most welcomed here.." the entity said to Daniel.

"Wha.. ? What? My father?" he stammered and tilted his head in confusion. Jack looked at him.

"What?" he asked. Daniel blinked and looked at the colonel.

"You heard it.." he held his hand up to the entity the looked back at Jack quickly. "Didn't you?" He frowned as Jack shook his head.

"Your father cannot hear me," the Entity informed the confused linguist.

Daniel looked from the bemused stare of Jack to the entity.

"But I can?" he asked.

"What?" Jack asked.

Daniel turned to him. "I can hear it, it's talking to me," he told him.

Jack frowned. "You bump your head in that fall, Daniel?"

"No, Jack, I can hear it," Daniel said as the Entity said over the top of him, "he cannot hear me.."

"Why?" Daniel and Jack asked at the same time.

"You are the one who is knowledgeable. You know 23 languages. I am imprinting my thoughts onto your mind and that is how you are hearing me. Your father is not knowledgeable.."

Daniel smirked at this but shook his head.

"Firstly, he's not my father.." he tried to explain.

"Huh? Your father? Why does it think I'm your father..!!?"

Daniel looked at the agitated man next to him. "I don't know why, Jack, it just does," he shrugged.

"You said you were Jack's son..." the Entity said. Daniel frowned then laughed.

"No.. I said I'm Daniel Jackson.. Jackson is my last name," he laughed softly, "Not that I'm *Jack's* son..."

The Entity hovered before them looking between the two men.

Indignity creased Jack's face. "It thought you said..?"

"That I was Daniel, Jack's son.. and you introduced yourself as Jack.. so naturally..." Daniel shrugged, holding his hand to the Entity, indicating to it.

"Oh, naturally," Jack sighed sarcastically, then continued to grumble as he dusted his butt and thigh down, "As if I look old enough!"

Daniel looked at the annoyed man. "It was a mistake! Don't take it so personally!" He sighed.

"Well, don't take this personally but.." Jack was about to say when he suddenly felt a hum go through his body as the Entity passed through him.

"What did it just do?" He looked at Daniel.

"Tell Colonel Jack O'Neill that I am pleased to meet him, and I meant no offense.."

Daniel looked at the entity then at Jack. "It's pleased to meet you and meant no offense."

Jack turned to look at the thing hovering behind him. Suddenly the face of the Entity changed to take on Jack's appearance.

"Oh my.." Daniel sighed then the Entity passed through him, filling him with a gentle hum before passing out the other side. Daniel swiveled around quickly to look at the Entity that now had his face on.

"Oh, a shape Shifter!" Daniel said, quietly excited by the discovery.

"I am also pleased to meet you Doctor Daniel Jackson. I am able to take on any form you wish," the entity continued.

"Really?" Daniel's eyes grew wide.

"What?" Jack growled exasperately at the one sided conversation.

"It said it can take on any form I wish.." the younger man filled him in on the conversation.

Jack rolled his eyes half expecting to see Lt. Simmons pop up on the face of the entity next but to his surprise, Daniel closed his eyes and Sha're appeared.

"For crying out loud.." he muttered, amazed at the likeness.

"Dan-yell.." the entity could even take on her voice. Daniel swung around and looked at Jack.

"Try it.." he said, sounding like a child in a toy store. Jack shook his head but Daniel gripped his arm.

"Try it.." he said. Jack closed his eyes and thought hard, then he slowly opened them again and Charlie was standing before him.

"Dad," he smiled. Jack shook his head then the Entity became blank again. Solemnly Daniel touched Jack's shoulder, gripping it firmly.

"You okay?" He asked his distraught friend gently. Jack nodded.

"Ask it if there are any others...?" Jack said and soon Daniel returned the answer.

"No. It's the last of its kind. Travellers have come through the gate and taken them, and the forms don't survive the process."

"What happens to them?" Jack asked.

"They never re-materialize on the other side," he said, with a shrug.

"How does this know that?" The colonel asked.

"He feels the others, or rather, he could.. until they disappear.." he said. Jack looked at the Entity before them.

"Colonel?" Sam's voice flooded through the Temple. The Entity startled at the sound but Daniel calmed it. Soon Sam and Teal'c joined the others in the corridor.

"Holy Hannah!" She exclaimed as she saw the Entity.

"Perhaps this is the light that went through the village," Teal'c said.

"Light?" Jack tilted his head.

Sam eyed the light doubtfully as she spoke, "yeah, we were looking down at the village when a bright light flashed through it."

Jack nodded then tilted his head to look at Daniel. The young anthropologist wore a look of utter awe on his face and Jack was suddenly taken aback by the wide eyed stare and the hint of a smile on his friend's lips.

"They are my team members; Sam and Teal'c," Daniel seemed to be introducing the others to the entity. Sam frowned and looked over at Jack. He gave a sharp shrug.

"*We* can't hear it, but *he* can."

Daniel didn't take his eyes off the light when he mumbled, happily, "because I know 23 languages."

Teal'c stepped up to the entity and tilted his head as he looked at the glowing apparition. It turned to look at him then passed through him, leaving Teal'c with his eyes closed and a warm hum through his body. The alien turned to look at Daniel and gave a slight smile. The anthropologist smiled back at him.

Jack tapped the side of his gun. Sure, this was one hell of a discovery, but he didn't know what they were meant to do next. The apparition couldn't talk to the others, and they couldn't take it home to study it. His eyes narrowed as he watched Daniel conversing with it, but he didn't listen to the conversation. Instead, he watched as Sam dragged out her meter and scanned the vision with it. Suddenly the glow got stronger. Daniel put his hands up, getting between the entity and Sam and protecting her from it.

"It's alright, she's doing no harm. We mean you no harm," he implored gently, trying to appease the being. It turned slightly to look at him, and this time Jack started to step between it and Daniel. The younger man held his hand out to Jack to hold him off.

"It's okay Jack," he said, catching the look of concern in his friend's brown eyes. Patting Jack firmly, he nodded, "I'm okay!" Then he looked and smiled at the entity once more.

"Learning anything yet Daniel?" Jack asked, staring at the soft orange glow.

"Yeah, quite a bit actually, nothing that's of strategic value though," he added, with a slight glance at the colonel. The officer stared back at him.

"Well, are *you* getting anything out of it?"

The young man nodded then looked at the light. "Quite a lot actually," he added with a smile at the Being. Jack sighed and looked at Sam, who gave a little shrug. The colonel looked at Teal'c who was still staring at the light.

All of a sudden, Daniel pressed his palms together then bowed at the light as he stepped back. The light grew bright suddenly then blinked out. Sam and Jack quickly looked around for it, then at Daniel.

"Where did it go?" Sam asked.

Before he could answer her, Jack came in with, "what the hell was that thing?"

Catching his beneath, Daniel held his hand up towards the area of air that the Entity had occupied. "It.. it was.. incredible.." he stammered through his adulation.

"I notice you didn't do a lot of talking," Jack frowned. Daniel smiled and shook his head.

"I didn't need to. It can read thoughts and feelings and.. well, we communicated that way." He shook his head as if he was still unable to believe the whole situation.

Jack couldn't help but smile slightly at his friend. Like a little boy in a candy store, Daniel's blue eyes were wide, his pupils dilated, a smile creasing the corner of his mouth, dimpling his cheek.

"Where has the entity gone?" Teal'c asked.

Daniel shrugged. "Said something about the time had come, bade me goodbye, then.. well you saw, it blinked out.." he said, waving his hand towards the area the entity was hovering in. Jack reached out and patted Daniel's shoulder. The younger man jumped a little then looked at Jack.

"Sorry," he smiled shyly. Jack frowned then shrugged.

"Come on. If it's gone, we may as well head for home."

Daniel nodded then took one more look over his shoulder as they were leaving. A peaceful calm had fallen on them as they headed back to the gate in companionable silence. Daniel could hardly contain his smile as he recalled the meeting. Teal'c looked over at his friend, happy that his suspicions of this world were realised. He stepped up to Daniel's side.

"Was it everything you had hoped for, DanielJackson?" He asked in a low voice. Daniel's eyes flicked up to watch the back of Jack's head as he nodded.

"More than that even," he reached out blindly and patted Teal'c's shoulder. "I have to thank you, for leading us there." Then with a happy smile, Daniel looked at his large friend adding, "It said it was good to meet you *again*."

The Jaffa bowed his head and smiled faintly. "I am pleased that you made contact."

Daniel smiled broadly at his friend. "So am I," he nodded.

"Did it tell you anything?"

"Yeah," Daniel said, shooting a look towards the back of Jack. "It told me not to worry about Jack." After a few moments, Daniel added, with a soft sigh, "I hope it was right."

Teal'c's brow arched. "It told me that I would meet some travelers who would help me free my people."

Daniel looked at him and his jaw dropped slightly.

"Hang on," the linguist's looked at him wide eyed. "It spoke to you? How?"

"I speak 5 languages, DanielJackson."

"You do?!" He looked stunned, then tilted his head, "you do?"

The large head bowed. "One day they may be needed. Until then, I have no use for them."

"Still, I'd love to know what they are."

"Perhaps one day, my friend."

Daniel shrugged. He suddenly knew why Teal'c had suggested the team go here. He realised they needed the healing of the Entity. Daniel reached out and patted his friend's thick arm as they headed off together.

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