It was only a routine mission. Daniel poked absently at the colorful flames of the campfire as it hungrily consumed the wood that sustained it's life; trying desperately to rid himself of the nagging feeling this expedition was destined to end in disaster. A feeling that gripped him the moment he stepped from the gate and saw the lush world designated 93X799. A nagging fear that wrapped itself around him like a Goa'uld symbiote around it's host's spine, integrating itself until it was in complete control.

"What's up sir?" Jack asked as the general waved them to the chairs in front of his desk. "I thought we were on stand down until the Doc and Carter finished their tests on Junior." Carter was helping Dr. Fraiser test a new theory that may replace Teal'c's immune system so they could safely remove the infant Goa'uld he carried.

"Dr. Fraiser requested four days for her tests which is almost perfect since I would like the two of you to accompany SG-6 to P3X799. As you know this isn't a new team but with Colonel Cranston's decision to retire, Major Warsaw will be taking command. In addition, one of the airman has requested less hazardous duty since he just became a father which leaves Warsaw and Sergeant Johnson the only members of the original team. The MALP data shows P3X799 to be extremely similar to earth, although it seems to be uninhabited. Colonel, I want you to go along not only to observe and evaluate SG-6 but also to estimate any strategical value of the planet."

"Yes sir."

"Excuse me sir, but why exactly am I going along? Even if the MALP had shown ruins or anything of historical interest, SG-6 has an archeologist and there's some research I-"

"Son, Dr. Wilson has only been offworld once before and I'm hoping that your presence may help him adjust to the idea of dealing with cultures that he couldn't possibly imagine."

Jack listened to General Hammond's explanation, careful to keep his expression as passive as Teal'c's. Although it wasn't unusual for a superior officer to observe and evaluate, he knew Hammond had ulterior motives for requesting they accompany SG-6. Like the rest of his team and almost anyone who had gotten to know him, the SGC commander was worried about Daniel. The young archeologist had seen more than his share of violence and death; had himself been the victim of abuse and torture beyond the scope of most people's reality and had somehow always bounced back. The search for his wife, the hope that they would somehow free her of the Goa'uld that imprisioned her body was the fuel that kept him going. That hope had died with Shar're and with it an important part of Daniel Jackson.

Now, unless they were scheduled for a mission offworld, Daniel rarely left the SGC, locking himself in his office, studying the artifacts of different planets or burying himself in research that might reveal the location of the planet where Amonet had hidden the son of Apophis. Jack would have been willing to bet his house that Daniel wasn't sleeping more than two hours a night and if the rest of the team didn't keep watch and insist he accompany them to the mess hall (where he usually ate a few bites and pushed the rest of the food around on his plate) his only nourishment would be pot after pot of coffee. The only thing that seemed to keep him going now was the desire to keep the promise he'd made to find and protect the boy he'd helped bring into the world.

O'Neill knew Hammond was hoping that this trip would not only get Daniel out into the fresh air but also give him time to work through the emotional turmoil twisting his soul. Jack pulled his thoughts back to what the general was saying.

"Granted the MALP has given no indication of any form of habitation other than wildlife but you yourself have pointed out on more than one occasion how strange it is for a Stargate to be on a planet that is totally devoid of some type of human life. Maybe there were humans there at one time. You have the experience to show Dr. Wilson what to look for." Although he didn't look happy about General Hammond's request, Daniel nodded in agreement.

"Think of it this way Danny boy," Jack clapped him on the shoulder as they left the office, amazed how much weight his friend had lost in the last month, "it's a working vacation without the work and you get to spend it with your favorite person in the world. ME!"

"Wonderful...a week of sleeping on the ground, eating MRE's and listening to your corney jokes..."

"Doesn't get any better than that!" Daniel couldn't suppress a small smile as Jack finished the sentence before he could voice the rest of his minor complaint ruffling the light brown hair which was quickly returning to it's former length. "Maybe we'll even get in some fishing."

Daniel glanced across the campsite as Jack chuckled at one of Major Warsaw's stories. He was in his element and it was nice to see his friend relaxed, the lines of concern lessened by the two days on P3X799. They really did need to find better names for these planets. Daniel felt guilty because he knew he'd been the focus of Jack's latest worries, just as he knew Jack was there for him if needed. Ready to listen, ready to talk and willing to help. He also knew his friend could identify with alot of his feelings, having suffered the loss of his son. A loss that had devastated and almost destroyed the colonel. His eyes moved to the darkness beyond the fire. Why couldn't he shake this feeling?

P3X799 was a beautiful, seemingly primitive planet, the area around the Stargate resembling what Daniel imagined Montana to have looked like before pioneers moved west searching for homes. Of course, the sky over Montana was blue rather than lavender and the tall grass waving in the cool breeze didn't exactly have a rose tint to it but somehow the pastel colors fit the peacefulness of this planet. That afternoon they had watched from a rise as shaggy beasts, their royal purple fur almost dragging on the ground, rambled across the valley floor as far as the eye could see, ignoring the humans as if they were inconsequential.

"Looks like a cross between a buffalo and a rhinosauros." One of the airmen commented.

"This must be what it looked like when the buffalo roamed the west without fear of man." Daniel smiled at Jack's quiet observation not the least bit surprised that his friend had put voice to his own thoughts.

"Well we might has well make camp for the night." Warsaw picked a site with the forest on one side and boulders at their back and everyone set about their duties pitching tents and preparing the evening meal. Pulling a collapsible fishing pole from his pack, Jack announced that with any luck they would have fresh fish for breakfast, indicating the river they'd been following for the past two days. Neither Daniel nor Dr. Wilson had found any signs that humans, other then the six people gathered in camp, had ever set foot on P3X799 but following procedure Warsaw posted a guard just the same.

Half listening to Warsaw Jack glanced at Daniel over the rim of his coffee mug, hating the feeling of helplessness that washed over him. Daniel appeared to carry the weight of the universe on his shoulders. His friend was hurting but until Daniel was ready Jack couldn't help. Sharing a tent he had lain in the dark the past two nights listening to Daniel toss and turn, only to end up whimpering in grief when he finally did sleep. He didn't understand why Daniel wouldn't let him help. Wouldn't talk about the grief that overwhelmed him. If anyone would understand, it was Jack. It had been Daniel who helped him come to grips with the death of his son. Helped him start to live again; find the joy and laughter that life had to offer. He no longer avoided thinking of Charlie. No longer shied away from the memories of his laughter, of the joy on his face as he bounded down the stairs on Christmas morning.

Daniel had been the first person Jack ever talked to about Charlie. Unable to face the grief and guilt he had volunteered for every suicide mission that came along, wishing for death only to survive each time. Talking to Daniel, reliving that moment when he heard the gunshot and...reliving? How stupid could he be? That's why Daniel wouldn't open up to him. Not because he couldn't face the fact that Shar're was gone but because talking might reopen Jack's own wounds, make his friend relive his own pain and sorrow and Daniel wouldn't deliberately be the cause of anyone's pain. Damn him!

Daniel was the most gentle and compassionate man, Jack had ever had the good fortune to meet. As many times as Jack had wanted to strangle the young archeologist or threatened to put him on a leash so that he could keep the enthusiastic, multiple Phd from running off and getting hurt, Jack wished for that Daniel Jackson. The Daniel Jackson who's bright blue eyes lit up with excitement at the mention of a new archeological find, who scrambled through ruins, touching everything, totally unaware of any possible danger. The energetic Daniel Jackson who questioned everything, argued about everything and had a natural curiousity about the universe. The Daniel Jackson who's whirlwind mind always seemed to be racing ahead of everyone else. Who was totally unaware that his rumpled appearance, impish smile and boyish charm left women wanting to either make love to him or mother him.

Jack missed the childlike Daniel Jackson who cared about people; who worried about hurting someone's feelings, who felt guilty about being the cause of concern to others. He missed the trusting and naive Daniel who saw only the good in others and rushed to greet new friends, laughing and playing with the children of the villages on planets they visited. The Daniel Jackson who fought to free humanity from the Goa'uld, willing to give his life to protect others. Jack didn't think he would ever understand how the gifted young man had spent his childhood in orphanages and later in abusive foster homes, feeling useless, unwanted and in the way, yet had held onto the best, most decent parts of himself. Daniel had more heart, courage, character and conscience than anyone Jack had ever known.

O'Neill knew that Daniel still didn't see how valuable he was to the SGC program or to SG-1, always convinced he was a liability because he wasn't military and the others feeling protective, constantly seemed to watch over him. He may not be military but Daniel had his own code of honor. To him, things were black and white, right or wrong and there was no choice but to do what was right. He treated others with honor and integrity, no matter how he himself was treated.

For once Jack wished for a planet full of ruins so he could once again watch Daniel go into what he called Jackson mode, lost for hours in fascination as he translated the writings, giving a complete history of a broken plate when all that was asked was how it might have gotten broken. Jack wasn't sure how or when it happened but somehow the geeky archeologist who, in most aspects, was the total opposite himself, had wiggled past Jack's defenses and become more than just another member of SGC, more than one of his team. Somehow Daniel had become his friend. His best friend! The one person that Jack felt closer to than anyone else in the universe. The one person that seemed to know his deepest thoughts, fears and pain and was more than willing to share them. On some unexplainable level it was as if their souls had connected, replacing what was missing in the other, giving each the opportunity to heal and grow. Maybe in some strange way, the fates had sent Daniel to him to make amends for taking his son.

"Hey Danny boy, it finally dawned on me what the perfect strategical use of this planet is." Jack had joined Daniel next to the fire as everyone except the airman taking the first watch turned in.

"And just what might that be?" Daniel dragged his gaze from the darkness to watch as Jack whittled the end of a long stick to a sharp point.

"A vacation resort for people with severe allergies. I haven't heard you sneeze once since we got here."

"New allergy medicine from Dr. Fraiser." He watched as Jack began working on a second stick. "What are you doing?"

"Making us a couple of shish-ka-bob sticks."

"For what?"

"For these." With a grin, Jack pulled a small bag of marshmallows from his pack. "What's camping without marshmallows and ghost stories." Skewering two puffs of sticky fluff on each stick he handed one out to Daniel.

"Charlie loved these." Jack broke the companionable silence that had fallen between them carefully twirling the stick to make sure the marshmallow was perfectly toasted. He wanted his friend to know it was alright to talk about their lost loved ones. Talking, remembering, didn't hurt the way it once had. In fact it truly helped. "Of course he liked them so black it was like eating sticky charcoal."

"Shar're would have liked them." The quiet words were spoken after what seemed an interminal silence as Daniel blinked back the tears glistening in his blue eyes. "She had a real sweet tooth."

"It'll take awhile Danny boy and the pain never really goes away but all the good memories help to make it just a little easier." He wasn't very good at this comforting philosophical stuff. "As long as you keep her in your heart she'll always live."

"Thanks Jack." Jack just nodded knowing the quiet words of gratitude were for more than the marshmallows.