His friends had died. Earth was at risk of once again being controled by the Goa'uld and the blame lay soley with him. He had given up the codes. "Take him! He will make a good host. Easy to control." The serpent guards jerked him to his feet as the Stargate activated. His guilty blue eyes met Jack's seeing forgiveness as his friend drew his last breath.

Daniel's eyes flew open, relief washing over him in waves at the realization he was in their tent on Apakia. Taking several deep breaths to keep from hyperventilating, he sat up, scrubbing his hands over his face. The nightmare images still vivid in his mind, he jerked around at the barely discernable groan, to find Jack thrashing about on the fur pallet caught in the grips of his own nightmare.

"Jack?...Jack wake up...it's alright Jack wake up." Daniel ducked barely avoiding a fist as O'Neill, arms flailing, sat straight up in bed as if pulled by invisable strings. "Easy Jack...it's okay...just a bad dream." Grabbing his wrists, the anthropologist held on tightly whispering reassurances until he saw the colonel's breathing beginning to slow and the panic receding from his eyes. "Come on, let's get some air."

"Daniel Jackson?"

"It's okay Teal'c, go back to sleep." The Jaffa nodded and Carter not wanting to embarress her commanding officer kept her breathing even, pretending to sleep, as Daniel led Jack outside.

Jack sank to his knees several yards from the village, struggling to lock the doors on memories of people and events he hadn't thought of in years. Stretching out in the tall grass he rolled onto his back staring up at the countless stars. He'd always found solace in the night sky, one reason he'd built a small observatory on his roof.

Which way was home? Was one of the bright lights twinkling against the black velvet sky, earth? "Jack?" He smiled slightly at the apprehension in Daniel's voice. "It's okay Danny...I'm fine. Sorry I woke ya."

"You didn't...Was it the same as this afternoon?"

"Let it be Daniel."

"Was it?" The younger man persisted stubbornly

"I said let it be!" Jumping to his feet, O'Neill turned his back on Daniel and hurried toward the lake.

The stone skipped three times across the still surface of the water before sinking out of sight. His heart told him that as a friend who overflowed with compassion, Daniel was trying to help but his head told him talking would only open the floodgates. Floodgates he may not be able to close again. Whirling at the sound of footsteps, his hand automatically reached for the sidearm left behind in the tent.

"Damnit Daniel! Don't you know better than to sneak up on people." O'Neill half snarled, pissed the kid had followed him.

"I wasn't sneaking." Daniel shrugged. "I was following orders."

"Whose?" Jack growled, turning away from Daniel, afraid the man would read his expression.

"Yours."

Jack spun around. "Excuse me?"

"From this moment on no one and I do mean no one goes anywhere alone. Quote, unquote."

"You picked a hell of time to start following orders." Shaking his head slightly, Jack turned to skip another stone across the water.