Daniel watched as Jack disappeared into the event horizon's flux, not knowing if he would ever see his friend again. 'But, really,' his mind whispered, 'it was just Jack's body. As he had told Hammond earlier, Jack had already gone.

He had watched the alien destruction of his friend with fearful eyes. The frustration and confusion in Jack's brown eyes was heartbreaking as he struggled so hard to comprehend what was in his mind. It was a losing battle and Daniel had suffered as well, watching helplessly as it robbed Jack of first his speech and then slowly stealing his mind, shutting out those who wanted so desperately to help.

Yet, somehow, Daniel knew Jack-his friend Jack-was still in there somewhere, submerged and lost unless the alien device and the strange gate coordinates were the answer. The answer to a question Daniel could not even begin to comprehend.

He watched as Jack fought the losing battle, saw the soldier fade away until he could not even communicate or understand them, blocking out everyone as surely as if Jack were behind steel walls. Still Daniel kept his faith in the man. Jack had always found an answer. No matter what, Daniel had come to rely on that. It was the one constant above all others: Jack O'Neill could and would find a way, no matter the circumstances.

Daniel had followed his friend to the gate room and stood silently watching as Teal'c offered to accompany the soldier on his unknown voyage, mentally kicking himself. He should have been the one to offer. It was his place to be at Jack's side as he faced the unknown, if for no other reason than he knew in his heart Jack would do the same for him if the circumstances were reversed.

Daniel knew, somehow he just knew, this was a trip Jack had to make alone. It would be what he wanted. If there was no answer, no solution on the other side of the gate, Jack wouldn't want his friends witnessing his final losing battle.

As the older man moved up the ramp, Carter entered, remarking on the remote device and Hammond denied it. Daniel knew he had to let Jack know. The risks of this trip had just risen immeasurably! He hurried up the ramp and stopped beside the man who stared so fixedly at the event horizon.

"Jack, if you do this...if you go, you might not be able to come back..."

Something registered and Jack turned to look at him one last time, his brown eyes flickering for a moment with something...realization, gratitude...Daniel couldn't be sure as the man turned and entered the flux, leaving him standing alone on the ramp.

Now alone, Daniel paced by the gate ramp. The embarkation room had emptied as the others moved to the control room, waiting. Hands jammed in his pockets, shoulders hunched with guilt, he paced from one side of the room to the other. Daniel alone kept vigil by the gate, waiting for his friend's return.

He should have been doing something, anything, but he knew his thoughts would be centered on this room, waiting, so he paced and waited and watched, hoping and praying for the chevrons to activate.

Daniel paused in mid step. What if Jack were truly lost? What if it had just been all nonsense, some cosmic joke and the soldier's atoms were scattered to the universe? He face paled.

NO! He would not believe that. The alien memories had shown Jack how to construct the power device and how to program the new gate locations. It could not just have all been to pull him in and kill him...could it?

Daniel's blue eyes clouded with doubt behind the glass lenses. He should have gone with Jack. His friend shouldn't have to face this alone. The last time Jack had stepped through the gate alone, it had been to take the crystal entity 'Charlie' home. "Leave the lights on...I'll be back..." Jack had promised this time, but he hadn't been able to say it. Maybe this time, Jack O'Neill wouldn't be returning.

"Or maybe he knew, no matter what you'd keep the lights of home burning bright," a tiny voice whispered. Daniel shook the thought aside. Maybe they would never know what happened to Jack. The military would just list him as missing in action and life would go on...and Daniel knew he would drown in his own guilt.

He was the one who had told Hammond to let Jack go. He had spoken up for his friend when Jack couldn't, but had he said the right thing? He had so firmly believed the answer was out there, just as he had faith in Jack when no one else did. It would still be Daniel's fault...

"Stop it!" his mind snapped. "You're acting like he's already dead!"

Daniel looked at the floor, tears welling. He strongly believed in the good in everyone and everything. He had refused to believe something bad could come of Jack's actions. But what if it had? What if it were simply some alien trick to get access to the base? Had he not only condemned Jack, but everyone on earth?

"Stupid Jackson stupid!" He castigated himself. Would he never learn? From the first time they'd met, Jack had been trying to teach him to look before he leaped, but now...

He stopped pacing and leaned wearily back against the wall, his eyes moving to the gate. It stood tall and silent, giving no answers, no comfort to his troubling thoughts.

Had his optimistic, Pollyanna attitude gotten Jack killed?

"He's already gone..." Jack was already lost to them, his mind sagely pointed out. It was just the shell of the man. Who and what he was, was already lost to the alien power.

Lost...lost...lost..echoed through Daniel's mind just as Daniel, himself, had been so lost that day on Abydos when his world came crashing down. Jack had made him come back to earth. Had given him no choice. It was 'orders' but later in the corridor, it hadn't been orders.

The soldier had seen the lost look, heard the heartbreaking "I don't know what to do with myself.." He had dragged the scientist home with him, God only knew why. They had talked through the night, there by the fireplace...they had opened up to each other about lost loves, and lost dreams, missed chances and hopeful futures.

Somewhere in that long night they had both found a friend, neither had realized they needed. They had each discovered another soul who made the attempt to reach across the abyss of loneliness, to try and breach the walls built high as protection against closeness.

In the two years they had worked together, they had come to respect each other. Jack tolerated him and his scientific nonsense, but he truly listened and trusted the younger man's judgment, seeking his verbose input before making final decisions. And Daniel had come to respect the soldier's way, and his sincere concern for his team.

Somewhere in the midst of all their differences, they found a common middle ground, each balancing the other. More importantly, they built a friendship they both needed, a place of security, each knowing no matter what, they could rely on the other.

This time....this time when Jack needed the answer, Daniel had come up empty handed. He had no answers, no solutions, short of the one the soldier had taken.