Janet looked up as General Hammond entered the infirmary. Handing the charts to one of her assistants, she crossed the medical bay giving him a searching look.

"Have you seen Dr. Jackson? I sent him down here earlier."

She motioned to the quiet figure in the farthest corner from the door. "I sedated him."

"Why?" Hammond's expression darkened slightly. "He was fine when I saw him."

Janet looked at the floor, getting her own emotions under control before bringing her dark eyes back up to meet his. "I'm afraid he's taking the loss of SG-1 rather hard sir. He blames himself sir! It seems he was shot and convinced the colonel to leave him behind." She rushed on as the General started to speak. "He honestly thought they would escape but not if they tried to take him with them. They were more than a team...they-"

"Then you haven't heard?" Hammond interrupted.

It was her turn to frown. "Heard what sir?"

"They've been found. The shuttle picked them up and they're on their way home even as we speak."

"You're sure...sir?" She held her breath, afraid she hadn't heard him correctly. "Sam, Colonel O'Neill, Mr. Teal'c...they're alive? Really?"

"Yes Doctor, really. They're fine. In fact I spoke with Colonel O'Neill while he was on the shuttle. He said something about Captain Carter always wanted to be an astronaut." He nodded toward the bunk. "Do you want to tell him or shall I?"

"I'd like to sir, if you don't mind."

"Fine. I guess his report can wait until the others arrive. I'm sure it will be a most interesting account." He looked toward the ceiling and sighed. "Of course, there is the slight matter of disobeyed orders and court martial."

"Sir!" Janet blurted out without thinking. "You must be kidding! They saved this entire planet!"

"That they did, Doctor, that they did. However, they disobeyed my direct orders to do it! What kind of a commander would I be if I let such insubordination slide?" He waved a hand in the air, stopping her before Janet could respond. "I imagine I would be an out of work officer. The president himself would show me the door if I even suggested taking actions against SG-1" He gave her a small smile. "Still..."

"Sir, you wouldn't!" Janet could almost see the idea taking form in his mind.

"Wouldn't what Doctor?" He questioned innocently.

"You wouldn't dare continue letting them believe Dr. Jackson is dead! Or letting him...Not after all they've been though together. That would be too cruel and unjust!"

"Yes, it would,...but if Dr. Jackson didn't know until they were actually here at the base..." he trailed off, arching an eyebrow.

"You expect me to keep something like that from him? Even if I could, he'd hear it from someone else." Janet pointed out.

"Not if you kept him here."

"General Hammond! I can't believe you would-"

"They're due in at 1800. That's less than two hours."

"But sir-"

"You do have to admit Doctor, it might be worth it just to see the look on O'Neill's face," he prodded slyly.

Fraiser's face flushed. The man had a point. Still, to keep Daniel in the dark concerning his friends...Yet, if the hypo kept him under for just a little while longer...maybe. As if he could read her train of thought, Hammond gave her a sly smile. "I'd be willing to bet, he'll hug the kid."

Fraiser hesitated. She couldn't see being cruel to Dr. Jackson, but if the rest of the team was due to arrive in such a short time...Smiling she shook his hand. "You're on sir!"

*****

Janet gently shook the young man's shoulder. "Dr. Jackson?" He stirred slightly and she shook him again. "Daniel?"

He struggled out of the sedative fog and tried to focus his blurry eyes on her face. "W-what....?"

"General Hammond is waiting for you."

He straightened into a sitting position, pushing his glasses into place higher on his nose. "I-I...I was....suppose to report to him about..." Daniel's voice trailed off slowly as the memories came crashing back down on him.

She pat his arm. "It's okay Daniel. I told him you would be up to see him as soon as you cleaned up." Janet motioned toward a side door. "I thought you might like a shower." He nodded, slipping from the bunk, and crossed to the door. "I'll have the QM bring you some clean clothes."

He nodded again, saying nothing as he stepped into the doctor's private bathroom. Closing the door firmly behind him, Daniel turned and saw his reflection in the mirror. His face was haggard, his eyes red-rimmed behind the glasses. Daniel felt like he was a hundred years old and the weight of the entire world was resting on his shoulders. With a deep sigh, he stripped and stepped into the warm flow of water.

As the wet warmth streamed over him, it began to soothe his body but not his heart. Daniel scrubbed his hands through his hair, then leaning the sides of his fists against the wall, he rested his forehead against them. A sob welled out of him and he scrubbed at his eyes. Leaning his forehead against the wall again, Daniel let the water from the shower mix with the tears which flowed down his cheeks.

The steady comforting hiss of the water blocked all sound from beyond and within the confines of the shower's walls, Daniel surrendered to his grief. Sliding to the floor, he allowed the overwhelming release of sobs ripped from the very bottom of his soul as he mourned the loss of his friends and his own failure to save them.

He had talked them into going to the coordinates, discovered in that alternate reality. They had believed and followed him...followed him to their deaths. He had killed them. It was his fault. Daniel's sobs deepened, tearing his soul apart. This was a loss to great to bear, yet, he knew he had to. Daniel had to go on. If nothing else, he had to continue for their sakes. To honor their memory by finishing what the four of them had started.

The water was turning cold before, his emotions drained, he stepped from the shower to discover clean clothes draped over a rack on the wall. His hand froze as he reached for the BDUs. Daniel really didn't want to don the familiar drab green and black outfit. It was military clothing. The clothing of his friends. He wasn't military and didn't have the right to disgrace the clothes they had worn with such pride. Clothes they would never wear again.