It was Sam who woke him. He scrambled to his feet, settling his glasses into place, his anxious eyes skimming the camp. "Where's Jack?"

"Said he was going to do a last minute survey. We're to break cam and he'll meet us at the gate."

Daniel's expression fell. He had wanted to clear the air as soon as possible before things went any further. Yet the fact Jack had returned to camp and not awakened him spoke volumes. Hurt cut through him as he moved to gather his things. It was hours later before good-byes were said to the natives and they finally approached the Stargate.

Jack was waiting, pacing impatiently by the DHD. He refused to meet Daniel's eyes as he ordered Sam to dial them home. The young captain looked from one man to the other, sensing something was wrong between them but saying nothing, moved to comply.

Daniel dropped his pack and stepped up beside Jack, reaching out to lay a tentative restraining hand on the older man's arm. "Jack we gotta talk."

The soldier coldly shrugged off his hand and turned to glare at him. "I think you said quite enough last night Dr. Jackson."

Daniel felt the air rush from his lungs as if Jack had physically punched him. "Jack..." a soft pleading tone crept into his voice.

Ignoring him, Jack motioned Sam and Teal'c through the stabilized wormhole, then without a backward glance, he stepped through, leaving Daniel to follow.

Daniel stared after him, his head tilted to the side, his expression one of hurt. Licking his lips, he bent to pick up his gear. As he did, something slammed into him, knocking him down, pinning him to the ground with its weight as the scientist felt something sharp, something he was sure were teeth, ripping into his shoulder.

"Ja-ack!!" he screamed out in terror. Smothering pain overwhelmed him. As blackness inundated him, he realized there had been on one to hear his scream of agony.

Jack moved down the ramp passing Sam and Teal'c and saw the general entering the embarkation room. Handing his gear to a nearby tech, he moved toward his commanding officer.

"Colonel, I see you made another..."

"General Hammond sir, you have a call," an airman interrupted.

Motioning for the colonel to follow, Hammond headed out the door. Jack followed him, tucking his baseball cap into a jacket pocket as he did.

Sam and Teal'c exchanged looks and glanced back at the gate, waiting for the fourth member of their team to materialize. The gate winked out of existence leaving them staring at the back wall. Dropping her gear, Sam ran from the room.

"Colonel!"

Jack in conversation turned with a disgruntled expression. "What, Captain?"

"Did Daniel request to stay behind?"

"No, why?"

"He didn't return sir."

Jack sighed. "I'm not that man's keeper," he groused then gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry, Captain. He probably wandered off to look at some rock." There was more than a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"No Colonel, I don't think so. He would have said something. Should we..." She trailed off.

"Should we what Captain? Go check on him?" She nodded, and he sighed again. "All right," he held up one finger in the air between them, "but this is the last time. Do you understand me, Carter? And if we get back there and he's trying to decipher some stupid rock formation, he's grounded for a month...if not off the team!"

Sam started. The words were harsh coming from the colonel who usually seemed to be more lenient with the scientist. "Yes sir, I'll tell him."

Dismissing himself, Jack moved back to the embarkation room, and as Sam ordered the coordinates redialed, he gathered his pack from the tech with a small apologetic smile. After the gate stabalized, he trudged up the ramp, his thoughts on happily kicking the mouthy scientist's ass all the way back to Abydos.