The Middle Path: Stepping on the Path

Stepping on the Path
By Deb Terry

Authors Note: I KNOW that not many of the canon characters of Highlander appear in this first chapter.....but if you don't start reading here, you'll be completely lost. You will see them ALL as major parts of the story in time.


All that Jack could think of was to make the pain stop. Over and over they beat and tortured him, with fire, with whips, with acid that ate into his very bones and over and over they put him in the sarcophagus to heal him so it could all start again. Things were starting to blur around the edges, reality had started to bend. Then he started to hallucinate Daniel, as if he didn’t have pain enough.

At first he threw a shoe through him, passed right through, so it must be a hallucination……… right? But Daniel kept insisting that he was real and that he could rescue Jack in the only way that was possible for him, he could choose to ascend. What a pile of crap that was! Ascending was for people like Daniel, brilliant principled people who do good in the universe, not old broken down colonels with so many shadows in his closet he practically had to have two. Anyway what was so great about ascension, he’d be with Daniel sure, something that had been aching in him ever since the archeological pain in the ass had left him, wounded to the heart and alone. Hurt more than he really cared to think about most of the time that Daniel was gone, knowing that if he did actually think about it the gun would come into his hand and a swift bullet to the brain would follow. But even if he was with Daniel, ascended and everything, they wouldn’t be able to….. touch. He was sure that they could combine or some weird ass shit like that but in all of Jack so private bedroom fantasies there had always been touch, a lot of touching, in a lot of ways. No, there was only one way to really deal with this mess and he asked his friend, his very best friend, to do it for him.

“You can make sure that the next time I go into the sarc, I don’t come out.” He stated grimly.

“I can’t do that Jack.” Daniel said in his usual calm, infuriatingly calm, way, “All you have to do is *want* to ascend.”

“Dammnit Daniel! If it was you, I’d do it…………. for you!” He knew inside that he was lying, he would never, could never put out the light that was Daniel Jackson. That light had to be kept burning forever, no matter what the sacrifice.

“Jack.” Daniel said then suddenly looked around as a white mist started to obscure everything. He looked confused, Jack thought that a hallucination or an Ascended being, whatever the hell he was now, looking confused was… odd to say the least.

“There is a….. Middle path.” A calm, richly toned feminine voice came out of the mist and following it came a figure appearing swiftly from nothing. The first thing that Jack noticed about her was her flaming red hair that was bound in a braid and twisted around her head like a shining crown. She was small too, not much more than Janet Frasier’s height, but from the way she held herself and from the sword and spear she carried with casual familiarity he could tell that she was a warrior of some kind. “Wow” Jack said, “Now I’m hallucinating people I don’t even know.” Jack murmured.

The woman turned immediately to him, smiling calmly, but there was pain in her eyes, lots of different kinds of pain, “I’m not a hallucination, Jack.” She said and walked over to him. She crouched down and touched, caressed actually, his cheek. He felt the calluses of hard fighting on her hand, her eyes fluttered closed for a moment and she breathed his name, somehow making it more than it was, more than it had ever been before, he felt a brief flash of…… something, and then the pain was gone. Not only was the pain gone but the weariness and the blurring caused by repeated uses of the sarcophagus was gone. He blinked at her, not missing the flicker of agony that went over her features. “Who the hell….what the hell are you!” Jack asked in a breathless tone.

“I’d uh kinda like to know that myself.” Daniel said, sounding almost…. annoyed, “And I’d like to add where are we?”

The woman stepped back and stood and equal distance from both Jack and Daniel. In fact now that Jack thought about it they were in an almost triangular arrangement, weird. “My name is Ariana Pierson and I actually come from Earth, I am….. well, “she looked down and blushed, “quite a few things but right now I’m mostly here as a servant of the Gods….. the True Gods of Logres and probably most of the rest of them as well but I’m not really sure about that.” She had some laughter in her voice, something that made Jack want to smile but he didn’t. Whenever he heard about Gods it was usually bad news, deadly bad news.

“Logres…..that’s a very old name for Britain.” Daniel said, “But Gods?” Daniel had now added confused to annoyed. Jack was wondering if he had gone completely nuts, but the feel of her hand on his face had felt so warm…. So real and why would a hallucination of a woman have calluses on her hands?

“Yes Daniel Gods….. the True Gods, the Deities of the Land, and Sea, and Sky. Not an alien race, not technology, not one of your Ascended beings.” Her gaze darkened briefly, “They were there before the Ancients, in various forms, and will be there until the Earth is no more; they are a part of the Earth and….try to keep its balances with its people. They are somewhat diminished now but there is still power there and still people who follow Their way. I am one of them.”

“And you are offering what….exactly.” Jack made sure to keep a sarcastic edge to his tone, trying to push this woman’s buttons, make her reveal her true purpose. She just smiled at him fondly as if she were expecting that, in fact the look on her face was not one of someone meeting new people, she looked as comfortable around them as if she was one of their team mates. That made Jack distinctly uncomfortable. He shifted restlessly and was still surprised by the total absence of pain.

“Like I said a middle path. Not Ascension,” she nodded towards Daniel, “And most definitely *not* death.” She looked at Jack and something grim in her eyes said to him that that choice was and would never be acceptable to her. There was more stone hard determination in her eyes then he had even seen in Daniel at his most passionate. “There is a way to get back to Earth or actually to the Alpha Site, which is a bit safer for you, but there are a few catches.” She looked distinctly disturbed and a bit ashamed, like she wanted to just give him, them, this gift and ask for nothing, except it wasn’t allowed her.

“Oh here we go! What do we have to do give up our souls or swear eternal allegiance or something?” Jack was SO not happy about this.

“No, that allegiance is not yours to swear. Such a commitment can only be taken knowingly and willingly, with all your heart, soul, and mind. What you have to do, and it has to be both of you, is choose to take me as your guide and walk this path before you. That will mean that Daniel must choose to descend and Jack, you must give up some control and follow my lead for a time. The path through the mists always tests you. We will all be tested, just as I was tested to get here, and it will take some time. I’m not really sure how much time exactly, time moves much differently in the mists then it does outside it. I was able to get here fast because the need was great and I had paid the price. The way back will not be so fast.”

Daniel raised a finger in protest and Jack almost laughed, it seemed like they were back at the SGC in the briefing room. “Let me understand this here. I have to Descend to get on this middle path and what exactly happens if I don’t?” Jack could tell that Daniel was starting to shade from annoyed into angry and Jack wasn’t far behind him. Was this woman just going to hang him out to dry if Daniel didn’t give up the damned UNIVERSE to help Jack?

“Then I’m afraid Jack will remain here.” She raised her hand as both men started to protest. “And I will remain with him. I have abilities to hide myself from his captors, I am an empath and a Healer and will be able to take his pain and injuries even unto death, and even then I am an Immortal so unless my head suddenly flies from my shoulders I will revive and heal from every death. I knew this coming in, it was part of my price, and I am willing to pay.” She said this so calmly, Jack somehow knew that she would endure everything that he did, everything that they would do to him. Why the Hell was she doing this?

“Why?” was all he managed to get out of that question.

“Because you are important to Earth, both of you. The Earth has felt your absence these many months, Daniel, and she has grieved.” This Ariana wasn’t looking at them directly, she was hiding something; Jack wondered what but Daniel beat him to the punch.

“You talk of the Earth as if it were a sentient being, not a planet.” Daniel said, Jack had seen this sparkle in Danny’s eyes before, he was making connections.

“She is, the Mother of us all, and she has children both Homo Sapiens Sapiens and,” she shrugged, “The Gods. Everything has a soul Daniel, even planets.” She said softly, like a mother to a child.

“A lot of cultures go through the stage of thinking that….”

Ariana shrugged again, “They’re right. Or at least they are A right. Truth comes in many forms. As someone once told you all paths lead to the Great Path.”

Both men reared back in surprise: no one outside the SGC should know this, “Shifu.” Daniel murmured, “But isn’t being Ascended the….uh Great Path?” Daniel eyebrows furrowed in complexity.

“No Daniel, I’m sorry, it is not. The Ancient….. Ascended Path is one that focuses on a single personality evolving to a different plane of not so much existence as experience. Then there is the path that most humans of Earth take, it can lead to many lives in which they learn, or even just one, whatever they believe in their hearts to be right for them. It is always down to personal choice, but mostly taken in ignorance. Then there is the middle path that some still follow, where mortals choose their lives knowingly to learn and some Immortals strive in their physical lives to learn. Learn to exist in balance between the mind and heart and spirit, between the individual, the People, and the Earth herself. That is the way I am offering you both. But you only have to…. well accept it’s existence and trust me as guide long enough to get the hell out of here and to the Alpha site.” The woman, who Jack could see was wearing some kind of woolen garments, wiped her forehead. Her whole face was bathed in sweat.

“What wrong with you? And how do you know about us, even our names, and what are you getting out of this!?” Jack had always believed in a healthy self interest for anyone, he hadn’t met a supposed ally yet that didn’t want SOMETHING for their time.

“Right now I am holding you in a kind of Limbo, Jack, so your captors can’t come for you. That requires some energy, some effort.” Ariana said, “As to how I know you, about you I can’t tell you or show you until after you have made your choice. As for what I’m getting.” Ariana looked away from them and a slight blush stained the cream of her cheeks, “I get to offer the choice.”

“I thought the Earth, or well the Gods of Earth were offering the choice?” Daniel asked quickly, tilting his head in inquiry.

Ariana’s reply was very low and a little shaky, “I asked them to offer the choice.”

Jack was getting tired of this, he clambered to his feet, “Okay then again we come around to the same question, WHY are YOU doing this!?”

Ariana half bowed, as if she had been struck in the stomach, “I CAN’T tell you, either of you. Not until the choice is made. My reason would influence the choice and the choice must be made FREE, not in obligation or for repayment of any sort! Jack, do you want to get out of here?” she demanded, cutting down to the bottom line.

“Hell, YES!”

“Okay. Daniel, “Ariana turned to the former archeologist, “will you walk the middle path, come back to Earth, back to SG-1, back to Jack?” A speaking look passed between this strange woman and Jack’s friend that left the Colonel confused.

“Give up being ascended to get Jack out of here….. and you.” Daniel mused.

“I am immaterial; I am where I must be.” Ariana replied stiffly, “I am where I am needed.”

“But that doesn’t absolve me of the responsibility.” Whatever else Daniel was going to say was interrupted by the sudden presence of another being, a shining form that Jack well knew.

“Well, Oma Desala, the gang’s all here.” Jack commented bitterly. He had seen what Oma could do, he KNEW the Ascended being could tear this place apart and rescue him without taking this ‘middle path’ whatever it was. Her power was strongly evident, battering against both Jack and Daniel; however Ariana seemed unaffected and in fact affronted.

“Daniel you are violating the rules.” She first scolded Daniel like an irritated mother, “You know you must give up these corporeal things to grow. You must give up your old life to live your new.” Then she turned to Ariana, who had crossed her arms over her chest, “Lady, you are trying to take one of my children.”

“I am not TAKING anyone.” Ariana said in a voice so full of rage that both Daniel and Jack took a step back, “I am giving one of Earth’s children a CHOICE, you who would mask herself as the Earth Mother! They may leave with my help, or they may stay with my help, either way they get my help.”

“And I know why!” Oma raged, Jack was stunned to see a supposedly always serene ascended being lose it so badly, “It is because you…”

“NO!” Ariana stated in a command voice so absolute that Jack felt his own mouth seal shut; it seemed to have the same effect on Oma. “That is not your secret to tell and would influence the choice, for good or ill. The choice must be made free. You and your kind left the Earth a long time ago, making your choice and leaving her concerns behind for your other path, leaving her to be taken over by the goua’ld, also for good or ill. Only the Sacred Isles were spared until a new defense was formed.” Somehow Jack didn’t think she meant the SGC. “Daniel,” she appealed again, “I am giving you the choice, we are at a crossroads here, and it is for you to choose the path.”

Daniel looked at Oma, who still somehow couldn’t speak. He looked at Ariana, standing ready to take whatever action came from his choice. And then he looked at Jack, he looked at Jack a long time. “There was an old Irish story about a bard taken by the Faerie, he saw one path, broad and wide, that led to Hell. Then there was another road, narrow, rocky and full of,” he glanced at Jack again, “sacrifices. And then there was a middle path, only to be taken by bards, dreamers, and the Fae.”

“Yes.” Ariana breathed in confirmation. It felt to Jack like the whole universe held it’s breath for Daniel’s next sentence.

“I …..” he looked at Jack again, and Jack saw something there that he had only half glimpsed before, “I choose the middle path.” Daniel and Jack both found themselves stepping forward and taking one of Ariana’s hands in theirs. Oma seemed to try to protest, try to fling around her power at them but she was lost in the mist in seconds as were they.

“Welcome to the middle path.” Ariana smiled at them both as if all her wishes had suddenly come true. It was beautiful, blinding, and of fierce, fierce joy.

Jack and Daniel walked for awhile, blinded by the mist, guided only by the hands of Ariana and connected by each others’ hands that they had blindly sought out in the mist. After a while it cleared. And though the near horizon was still shrouded by the same white mist, they could see under their feet grass and the suggestion of rolling green hills. “Are we on Alpha already?” Jack asked, “Do you really even know where Alpha is?” he asked the flame haired woman that had become their guide.

“No we are not there. But I do know where we are going or at least how to get there.” she panted back at them, laying her spear with the due care of a warrior upon the ground and practically collapsing down beside it. “We are in the Otherworld, sometimes known, Daniel, as Faerie. It’s a place between realities where everything is equally possible. Where most of the Gods, and some of the dead who chose to, live. You can get anywhere through the mists, but the farther out from Earth, at least for someone born of Earth, the more effort it takes. You were….. very far out, so if you could give me a moment.” She was still breathing heavily and even seemed to be shaking a bit from her effort. She drew up her knees and clasped them against her chest.

“Jack!” Daniel clutched Jack’s hand probably unconsciously, looking around with unalloyed delight “This is just like in the old fairytales; The Land of Summer’s Twilight!”

“Uh Daniel.” Jack pointed out, tugging on his hand, “You’re like….. solid.” He brought his other hand up to pat Daniel’s face, “Yup, definitely solid.” Jack felt like he wanted to jump for joy and run some kind of victory lap. His best friend, the man he had secretly been in love with for quite some time was solid to his touch again. Jack wanted to pull him into a fierce hug but didn’t dare, he knew it would give him away. He thought he had known what he’d seen in Daniel’s eyes when he made the choice but he wasn’t sure yet. And he had to be sure before he could make a move, a wrong move right now could destroy them both.

Daniel jumped back a bit and dropped Jack’s hand, the Colonel kind of hoped it was only in shock, “Uh yeah, I am. Am I…..descended?” he asked their guide, who was still resting on the ground.

Ariana grinned wearily up at them, “Well, let’s just say you are descending. By the time you reach Alpha you will have lost the memories of most of what you have done as an ascended, only the really personal important things.” She glanced up at him grinning wickedly, “Only those things where you skirted those pesky rules for your friends will remain. The rest will remain with Oma. I’m afraid, the Ascended don’t share their secrets widely.”

Jack collapsed on the ground somewhat wearily himself, “Why am I not surprised, every time we think we might get ahead….” He thumped his P-90 on the ground and then suddenly he realized he had a P-90 to thump. He looked down and realized he was completely redressed in full SG-1 gear, as was Daniel. “What the Hell?”

“Truth Jack.” Ariana said, smiling softly, “The first thing this place shows you is the truth about how you essentially see yourselves: you two see yourselves as members of SG-1, and so there you are, dressed to fit the part.”

Daniel sat down a little more sedately then Jack had, “What you are wearing, it isn’t clothing from any modern Earth culture I’ve ever heard of.”

“That’s because it isn’t.” Ariana answered, “The tribe I was born in doesn’t exist anymore. I was born to a small obscure tribe that lived in Britain about 500 B.C.,” a flash a pain and guilt so intense it made Jack jump slightly appeared over her face and then it was gone, “It’s long since disappeared along with it’s name and history. When I told you I could survive anything but my head coming away from my shoulders I meant it. I’m Immortal and roughly 2500 years old. I’ve just recently discovered that the Immortals were,” she scratched the side of her face, “sort of brought forth by the Earth and Her Gods to act as a defense against the Goua’ld, perhaps others not of the Earth as well. A last line of defense. And if I ever find the idiot who started ‘There Can Be Only One’…….” She cut herself off and her normally bright emerald eyes darkened towards the deepest black for a moment, but she shook herself out of it with an effort. “Well that’s a whole other situation, frankly yours was more immediate. That was my first test, which should I go to first, you or any Immortals that I knew.”

“You came to us,” Daniel murmured in his ‘trying to put all the facts together voice’, “You *asked* to come to us to give us this choice.” He looked over her fairly exhausted state, “And it wasn’t easy for you….”

“Yeah, again I gotta ask why? We’ve made the choice, can you answer now? I’m dyin here! How do you even know us?”

Ariana looked at the ground, practically squirming in embarrassment, “Okay.” She said, shifted to her side away from the spear and waved her hand over the grass. A pool of clear water appeared, she looked at their shocked faces, “Here, gentlemen reality is quite relative and somewhat fluid. It only takes knowing the trick of it to change it. This will show you how I experience alternate realties in a way you can understand.”

“Alternate realties, like the Quantum Mirror we found?” Daniel asked.

“Exactly, except the Quantum Mirror isn’t able to reach all the realities that there are. It is a finite object and so can only capture finite realities, the human, or Immortal, mind is infinite. Not only for every decision made is there an alternate reality but for every decision thought of there is also a reality. And even more strange to you, not only those choices made in what you would term ‘real’ reality but in fiction as well.” In the pool Jack and Daniel saw themselves in various situations, various lives, most of them passed too fast for them to identify anything other than the fact that it was indeed them.

“So for every piece of fiction there is a reality in which it happened.” Daniel postulated.

“Exactly so and the reverse is also true. For everything that you hold as ‘real’ there is a world that it is fiction on.” The pool cleared and it showed someone they couldn’t quite see watching a television set. On the television set was THEM, one of their early missions, both Jack and Daniel recognized it. It shocked them to the core. “Hmmmm, looks like reruns tonight, or DVD’s.” Ariana murmured.

“How….how do you KNOW, how did you DISCOVER this!” Daniel gasped. Somehow neither of the men could deny what they were seeing was real for some reason, it stuck too true.

“I’m an anomaly.” Ariana said, waving her hand over the water and clearing it of the disturbing image. “Not many of my alternates are very much like me. Most don’t have the same name or face, not totally sure why, we only share the same spirit, the same passions.” For some reason this made her blush. “I was trained, programmed really, by the elders of my tribe to take glimpses into the future, but I found as time passed that the more I looked into the future the more alternates I saw. The more alternates I saw, the more curious I became about looking ‘sideways’ so to say, and I’ve seen some *very* strange things.” She shuddered, her whole body shaking, “Some things I can’t really even bring myself to face for various reasons. But some ‘realities’ are stronger than others. Like that television show you saw, that gets a lot of viewers, a lot of people thinking, following, and giving it an…. Energy of a sort. From it have spawned many ‘smaller’ realities.”

“But which one is the ‘main’ reality?” Daniel asked.

Ariana shrugged and laughed, “Beats the hell out of me! I figure you have to do the best with the reality you are given. On some of the realties I’ve seen my alternates are practically powerless for one reason or another, even house bound, here I…. well I have a lot of talents as you will come to know. I figure my talent for looking at these realities gives me a chance to make things better here, where I can make a difference.”

“And that’s why you came for us?” Jack surmised.

“Yes!” Ariana agreed almost eagerly, then there was a thunderclap overhead, deafening them for a moment, although the sky was clear. As their hearing returned they could hear Ariana swearing or apparently so, sulfurously, Jack only recognized half the words but those would make an entire Marine squad blush, “The …..inhabitants of this place don’t take kindly to untruths or,” she yelled at the sky, “Even half truths! You could have given me a little time you know!”

Jack shook his head groggily, “Excuse me?”

Ariana sighed and looked at the two men then focused on Jack, “Look I was first and foremost an empath-born, my power comes from my passions, my emotions. The more passion I have, the more power I possess.” Her eyes bored into Jack’s, willing him to make the connection but it was Daniel who connected the dots, of course.

“So for you to reach that deep into interstellar space, to another planet on the other side of the galaxy you would have to be….”

“Deeply, irrevocably, passionately, madly, hopelessly in love? Yeah, that about covers it.” Ariana looked down at her fidgeting hands, as red as a beet, and the two men starred at her. They looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

Jack cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Look I’m sure you are a very nice lady and I am really, really, grateful that you got me out of that mess but that doesn’t mean…..” He was stopped by Ariana leaning forward and putting gentle fingers on his lips. Her eyes were infinitely understanding and infinitely loving.

“Jack, I don’t expect anything from you.” She removed her fingers immediately, not wanting to make him uncomfortable apparently. She looked at Daniel, who looked equally uncomfortable and actually rather pissed. “Either of you. All I’m telling you is what gave me the power to get me to you and to offer this path. And it is, the passion, for both of you.” She looked down at the ground, twisting blades of grass around her fingers. “I personally wouldn’t want to live in a universe where Jack O’Neill didn’t have Daniel Jackson at his side. When I see realties where that doesn’t happen or one of you dies for real and forever….” Silent tears watered the ground. “…can’t face it.” She whispered.

“That’s why it had to be both of us on the middle path.” Daniel said, shaken and a little awed by this woman’s power of emotion, and what it brought forth.

“Partially.” Ariana said in a quiet voice, “that is part of it truly. The other part you have to tell each other.” She abruptly got to her feet. “If you’ll excuse me for just a minute I think I have embarrassed myself enough to last at least a century or two.” She walked a little distance away from them, facing away and staring out into the mist, undoing her braid absently.

“The other part we have to tell each other.” Daniel echoed, “Is there something you need to tell me, Jack?”

Daniel’s face was a mask; Jack couldn’t tell whether he saw fear, revulsion, hope or desire in his eyes. For a moment Jack was going to get past the moment with some kind of humor, some kind of sarcastic wisecrack, anything to take the pressure off him, but then he remembered the reaction to Ariana’s less then perfect truth and sighed, “Daniel….Danny, ever since you’ve been gone, God! My heart’s been this big heavy stone in my chest. I look at Jonas on the team and I HATE him because he’s not you. I’ve been like a wounded grizzly bear since you left.” He sighed again, finally letting the truth free, feeling the burden of it lift off him. “The fact is, Danny, I’ve been in love with you for a while. That’s why I started pushing you down, that’s why I started that stupid flirting with Carter! I didn’t want anyone, least of all you to find out. I didn’t realize what I was missing until you left.” Jack sat up straighter, then jumped to his feet. “When you left!” He ran to Ariana whirled her around and started shaking her. “Where the hell were you when Kelwona happened, huh?! Where were you when his flesh was dripping from his bones! Where were you when I had to let him go!” Jack’s shaking grew violent, his grip bruising.

“Jack stop it!” Daniel grabbed him and pinned his arms to his sides, pulling Jack away from Ariana, “Jack I love you too! I did love you and it was hurting too much! That’s one of the reasons that I left.” Jack collapsed on the ground, pounding it in his fury and grief, Daniel holding him and trying to comfort him through his own tears, and Ariana was collapsed nearby where Jack had practically thrown her, also weeping.

“I….I didn’t know Jack.” She sobbed, “I don’t…I don’t just look I also live, and a very dangerous life. I was….I was involved with some,” she licked her lips, “ things that made me begin the search that finally led to you and the search was long in itself. You were very, very easy to fall in love with Jack. Both of you were. And I saw what you were doing right before Daniel left, and I ached. Then I saw….him leave only a week after it actually happened!” Her cry was one of despair remembered as she clutched her hands to her chest and started rocking, “I wanted to come to you Jack, for your pain, for mine. But you could have never accepted me in Daniel’s place, you had a Daniel-shaped hole in your life that I could not hope to fill and you would have hated me for trying. I had to wait for an opportunity, a crossroads where Daniel could have a chance to remake his choice without the threat of death. I would have taken your pain Jack, your torture and your deaths. I would have kept you free from the sarcophagus, kept you alive no matter what, even if it cost me my head. It’s all I could do if Daniel hadn’t chosen this path and I would have done it gladly and in perfect love and perfect trust.” Her voice had sank to a small sobbed whisper and she still rocked back and forth, trying to comfort herself.

Jack also rocked and pounded the ground in his fury and long withheld grief, but he had Daniel beside him. Daniel, who was solid and warm, who was rocking with him his arms around him, who was gently kissing his neck and his face and everywhere he could reach. Daniel who gentled him with calming words and firm caresses, “It’s okay now Jack, I’m here and it’s over. I’m here and it over and I love you too, God so much!” It finally penetrated Jack’s fog and dissipated his rage and grief.

“God Danny…. Danny.” Jack whispered with a roughened voice. He turned and took his first taste of Daniel’s lips. He must have imagined it and dreamed it a million times and it was a million times better than his wildest dreams. It felt so good, so right. Daniel fit right into his arms as if they were made for each other and the two men practically dove into each other’s mouths, devouring each other until they absolutely had to come up for air. Then Daniel’s head cocked and Jack could hear the quiet sobs still going on behind him.

“Something was happening to you, wasn’t it Ari?” the gentle archeologist asked, still holding onto Jack, still soothing him. “Something that started you looking else where, something that MADE you look.”

Ari nodded, but couldn’t seem to speak, she looked almost paralyzed with grief, on the verge of going into shock. Then Jack made the connection, she was an empath, she was feeling their emotional storm as well as her own, “Can,” Jack croaked and then cleared his throat, “Can you tell us about it?” It was the least he could do for some one who had brought Danny, HIS Danny back to him.

Ari shook her head, gulping air to try to calm herself, “Not, not yet but I’m sure you’re going to learn the whole sorry tale. This is a place not only for truth but of Balance. By the time we get to Alpha you two will probably know as much about me as I know about you. It’s….part of the price.”

“And you knew the price before you came for us, for Jack?” Daniel asked softly.

Ariana sighed shakily, tears still running down her face, “Oh……yes. I pretty much knew what would happen whichever the choice came down to. I was….informed about it but I just couldn’t handle what was happening to Jack,” she bowed her head again, “Just couldn’t!”

Daniel drew just a little away from his colonel, “Jack?” he asked a whole volume of questions with a single word. Jack answered with a nod. Daniel got up and went over to Ariana, picking her up with gentle hands. She leaned against him, wrung out from all her efforts and emotions, their emotions as well Jack knew. “What do you need Ari?” the infinitely gentle man asked her.

“Heartbeat. Need Jack’s heartbeat. Please.” She whispered, barely able to stand. Daniel half-carried her over to Jack and the (not so tough as nails) colonel gathered the woman to his side, placing her head just where she wanted it while he laid down, also exhausted. “Yes. Heartbeat. Safe now.” The woman sighed, her hair spreading over Jack’s chest like a blanket. The two men looked at each other. Safe from what, they wondered.

“Danny, keep watch, can you? I think you are the best off of us.” Jack said softly. Daniel’s kiss had been the best thing in his life to date but Ariana softly nuzzling into his chest wasn’t half bad either. He didn’t know if it was her empathy or what but some how he knew that she trusted him absolutely, and she had given him back his Danny, made their love complete. That was more than enough to make him cradle her gently, rubbing her back.

Daniel picked up the P-90 and settled down next to the older man, sliding one hand into his silver grey hair, “I’ll keep watch, Jack. You sleep for a while. I’ve got your six and don’t intend to let go….ever.” Jack chuckled sleepily at his Danny’s determination and let himself drift away.

Jack woke up, he didn’t know how long later. The light was the same, the misty sky, the hills, everything was the same except Daniel was softly caressing his hair and face, looking down at him with all the love Jack had ever hoped for. “Hey,” he said quietly, still aware of the other warm presence sleeping at his side, “Weren’t you supposed to keep watch?”

“I did, for a while. Nothing seemed to change, absolutely nothing. If you’ll notice it’s not too hot, or too cold, too wet or too dry; everything is even. Everything is in balance. I’ve never experienced anything like it before. Then she started muttering in her sleep.” Daniel looked at the woman that Jack couldn’t help think of as Ari for some reason. “She muttered in a lot of Gaelic dialects, some other languages and English. Some of the languages I’ve never heard before, not surprising if she’s as old as she’s claimed. But I have heard something of a common theme, Jack.” Daniel face was serious and a little pale, “She’s been hurt, a lot of times and in a lot of different ways, and some of those hurts weren’t that long ago.” Daniel sighed, his forehead furrowing, “She said she was safe when she laid against your chest, Jack. I’ve gotten the sense that that feeling is about as rare as naquada is on Earth.”

“You’re right.” Ariana’s sleepy voice intruded before Jack could say anything. She shifted, nuzzled Jack’s chest one last time, breathing in his scent, and reluctantly sat up, pushing her hands through her waves of red hair. “You two, as part of SG-1, risk your lives every time you go through the Gate but on base, on Earth you are relatively safe. I am an Immortal, someone, sometime, way way back in time started this legend that there can be only one which basically means most Immortals believe that we have to fight and take the heads of each other until one of us is left. They think that one will get some prize or power or something.” She tilted her head. “ A certain power, or life-force, is released when our heads are taken and usually absorbed into the victor. We call it the Quickening. What that has to do with us being Earth’s defense against the Goua’ld I don’t know other than that it would kill any symbiote trying to enter us. I’m only just beginning to put the pieces together. But the reality is that I risk my life just walking around a corner. Holy ground is our only refuge and I’m not exactly welcome in most churches, not by the worshippers anyway.”

“But you put that off to come to us, to rescue me?” Jack sat up. He still couldn’t quite believe what this woman had done for them, what she apparently felt for them.

Ariana shrugged and stroked the grass beside her, “Had to, Jack, wanted you to live, wanted you to have a chance with Daniel.” Her voice lowered, “Wanted to live myself.”

“Excuse me?” surely Jack hadn’t heard the last part.

Ariana continued to stroke the grass beside her, her voice was low but so fierce and determined that both the men were a little scared. “The day your heart ceases to beat is the day I offer my head to the first Immortal I can find.” Jack and Daniel both started to protest but she stopped them with a firm hand on Jack’s leg. “There comes a time in every life, mortal or immortal, where duty, family, and just about everything else just isn’t enough to get you out of bed in the morning. There has to be a person,” she smiled a little. “Or more than one, to get up and live for. When they are gone all you can do is follow and hope you will be with them on the other side. I’ve watched generations die. Babies that I have delivered with my own hands ….die, at every stage of life. There just comes a time when it is one death too many. That death would be the two of you, for I’ve been told you will go together somehow. Maybe that’s not how the Gods first wanted it to be but I’ve made my choice.” She laughed, a little bitterly to Jack’s ears. “First conscious choice I’ve ever really made in 2500 years. I’m not letting anyone take that away from me, not even you.”

Daniel, ever perceptive, picked up on something, “Not what the Gods originally planned?”

Ariana looked at them quickly and ducked her head, “Kinda starting at the end but I guess it’s as good a start as any.” She was silent for a moment. Jack moved nearer to Daniel. He saw a flash of pain on Ariana’s face and slightly regretted doing it. She had said that they were easy to love but watching her basically rip her heart out and slice it up for their perusal did stir something in him, he wasn’t sure what though, whether it was pity or something deeper. He looked at Daniel and saw the compassion he always saw there in these types of situations. He was glad, he had sorely missed it. Jonas always had lots of enthusiasm but the all-encompassing compassion of a Daniel Jackson had been absent from their lives. Then he turned his attention back to Ariana as she began to speak again in a tightly-controlled voice. “You’d think in 2500 years I would know a lot about love. Most Immortals do, they fall in and out of love regularly, with mortals and with each other. But my ….. training and my talents set me apart from the beginning. I knew passion and sexual hunger, of a sort, at every Beltane. It was forced into me by the Land itself true, but I was told that it was my place and I accepted that.” She pulled down her neckline a bit and revealed a gold band around her throat. It looked for all intents and purposes like a thick roped noose made of gold.

“A torc.” Daniel said and shifted over to touch it. Ariana leaned into the touch for a moment then apparently got herself under control. // She really does love both of us.// Jack thought. Her love for him had been unmistakable; she had been willing to take what might have been endless torture for him, but this was the first evidence that she also loved Daniel. Jack could see that Daniel saw this and it surprised him too but he buried it under academic curiosity. “I’ve never seen one quite like this. It’s almost exactly like a garrote ready to be tightened.”

“No, no one other than my Family have seen another,” Ariana agreed, “And you won’t. These particular kinds of torcs were, with one exception in all of history, melted down after the wearer died because of what they symbolized. This torc is almost as old as I am, it’s practically a part of my body for all that I can take it off. It’s the one possession I have never lost, never been allowed to lose. There is only one other like it in the world now and that I myself placed around Michael Collins’ neck for the last time before his funeral and was buried with him in Glasnevin Cemetery”

“What does it symbolize?” The glow of discovery was all over Daniel; God Jack had missed that, too, and for longer then Daniel had been gone. Over the past few years Daniel had had to become more of a soldier rather than an explorer and Jack guiltily acknowledged his part in that. Ariana met his eyes with a look of understanding and, yep there it was plain as day again, love. Jack just didn’t know what to do with that and focused back on Daniel, idly wondering if Ariana ever missed anything. Somehow he doubted it.

“It symbolizes that I am a willing sacrifice for the People, for the tribe, Daniel. There were, well, not many of us, there were never many of us, but there was a group of us throughout the tribes and the culture of my birth. Part of the sacrifice for a Priestess is to lay down my body at Beltane for the fertility of the land. It’s part of my function, something I can never escape from, it’s too programmed into me, into my subconscious.” She looked uncomfortable and embarrassed about it but determined to tell the truth. “Mick’s torc symbolized much the same thing but in the masculine sense, he was the sacrifice for Ireland in his time. And he went to his death with the true serenity of a Sacred Year King.” Ariana sighed softly in regret well aged.

“So you would just lay down and have sex with anybody on this Beltane?” Jack asked, “You were made to, that’s …. That’s rape, institutionalized rape.”

Ariana sighed and tilted her head, “Is it? I’ve never really been able to get that quite straight in my mind. I mean when Beltane comes the hunger is in me, it consumes me, obsesses me and there is only one way to satisfy it, so is it consent or not? That’s not a question I’ve ever been able to answer.”

“How old?” Daniel asked softly, “How old were you when this started happening?”

“When my training began.” Ariana face screwed up as she cast her mind back millennia to try to remember, “I think I was about two. I was an empath, that was discovered early. It was kind of obvious. When I was put down next to someone who was happy, I’d be happy, when I was near someone not happy, I started crying. Simple math in those days. It’s rarer to be recognized now, people just don’t make the connection, so most talents block out that part of themselves before they even learn to speak.”

“Then empaths are still being born.?”

“Probably, I don’t see any reason why they wouldn’t be. I’ve saved and trained a few in my time. Others that survive childhood intact, well, have to learn on their own or….. something. I’m only one person and until about ten or so years ago I never left the British Isles. Never wanted to.”

“What happened?” Oh yeah, Daniel was in for the long haul, Jack could tell, but right now the Colonel was so damned pleased just to be in his presence and touching, he absently noticed that he and Daniel never quite stopped touching, that he’d be happy to let Daniel explore to his heart’s content. Anyway he kinda wanted to know too. It was one thing to dismiss curiosity about a crumbling ruin, it was another thing to dismiss a living breathing, and pretty obviously suffering person in front of him. Oh, not to mention that she loved he and Daniel enough that when they died she’d suicide. That definitely focused his attention.

“I was granted a vision from the Gods, under some rather trying circumstances. An Immortal wanted to track down another particular Immortal that he had…. a history with. He found out about my ability to See, which is not only into the future but into the present. He used basically the same methods of persuasion that were recently being used on Jack. That and more ….. intimate ones”

“Rape.” Jack stated flatly. Both he and Daniel had been there in their time.

Ariana flapped her hand dismissively but Jack could see her swallow hard. “Oh yeah, been there done that. Anyway it finally did force me to See.” For the second time Jack could hear the capital on that word, “And I saw someone that the world knows as Adam Pierson but whose true name, at least as far as he knows, is Methos. He’s the oldest Immortal still left alive at 5000 years old. I saw all that he was, all he had been, and for some reason I was allowed for the first time to love, to really love in a romantic sense, what the Greeks would call eros, perhaps even agape. I of course told the other Immortal nothing about what I saw. I had a strength then he couldn’t conquer and with it I finally escaped. I knew I would be followed and watched however, so I stayed as far away from Methos as I could, for roughly ten years. Until this other Immortal had found him another way and was defeated. Until Methos himself came to a crossroad where it would be appropriate to help and meet him. Everything is in the timing you know.” She smiled mirthlessly.

“Then why aren’t you with him, why aren’t you loving him instead…..” Jack broke off.

“Instead of you?” Ariana shifted, and spoke out loud to the air in some kind of language. Jack looked at Daniel and saw him as mystified as he was. A pile of pillows and cushions appeared behind her. “One rule to remember here guys, take nothing if it is not from my hands or by my will.” She said, handing them the pillows to make themselves more comfortable. “I am in effect, your hostage, in the old sense. Taking something from me creates no obligation. Taking something from someone or something else here might. It is the Law of the Land.” They all moved themselves to be comfortable, Jack and Daniel still constantly touching and Ariana facing them, although Jack guessed that wasn’t exactly where she wanted to be, but she seemed to be content to take only what they would give her. Funny, this made him want to give her more, but a lifetime in the military and years going through the Stargate kept him from doing it. He guessed it was much the same for Daniel. They were in an unfamiliar situation, they had to stick together.

Ariana settled back on her cushions and sighed, “Why am I not with Methos, even though I am legally married to him? Well there are a few reasons but most of them center around Duncan MacLeod. Methos and Duncan had been dancing around each other much like you two have been and I didn’t take that into proper account when I went to him, but Methos’ life, his very essence, was on the line. An old student of mine who also had history with Methos.” She glanced over at Jack and Daniel, “It’s not uncommon for us. Few Immortals don’t have at least some kind of history with other Immortals. We are an exclusive group and most of us have to wander since we don’t age after our first death. So we meet, fall in love, come to hate, start vendettas, yadda, yadda.” She grinned at Jack.// Wow she really has been watching us.// “Anyway Methos had been a very different person when he knew this student of mine, in a very different time. But she held a grudge, a very obsessive grudge. When I found I couldn’t get her to let it go I drove her out, refused to teach her more. But she learned some tricks anyway and they were enough to threaten Methos’ life. She wanted to torture him to death time and time again.” She looked at Jack and Daniel with ancient pain in her eyes, “Believe me guys it doesn’t take a goua’ld to be evil, the potential exists in every soul. Anyway, even worse then the whole torture revival thing was that after she had tired of him and his pain she was going to make sure he was taken by a mortal far away from any other Immortal and have his head cut off so that his quickening, his essence would be lost for all time. That’s…… well that’s pretty ultimate for an Immortal, so I was obliged to overcome my frankly pathological fear of leaving the British Isles and go and help.”

“And he fell in love with you.” Daniel said. Jack nodded in agreement, after all they were in a basically similar situation and he already felt damned fond of the woman.

“Oh yeah,” Ari sighed, half pleasure, half regret. “Frankly now I think he may have been influenced by the Gods. He was also of the Old Way and I had been, “ she rolled her eyes, “a good girl for so long that They felt I deserved it. But then there was Duncan, who I also loved and could love, because he finally admitted his love to Methos and really for himself too. Duncan is, in most respects, a very good man. One of the best of us, a real knight in shining armor type. We went through some things together, all three of us, passed every test that the Gods placed before us.” She snorted, “Even the Gods thought we were forever.” Ariana’s voice definitely had a bitter cast to it.

“But?” Jack asked, leaning against Daniel and savoring the sheer warmth of the man. He wanted to learn that warmth intimately. And he SO intended to.

“But Methos had loved Duncan first, and without the influence of the Gods.” Ariana sighed, “Duncan became possessive and jealous, and to be fair Methos started to need things, things that he had always needed from time to time that I simply could not provide, could barely think about.”

“What?” then Daniel blushed, “ I’m sorry I’m being too intrusive.”

Ariana smiled gently and again with love, although Jack noticed it was somehow different then the looks she cast at him, not less just…..different. He wasn’t sure what the difference was but it was there. “No Daniel you are just being who you are and please never change. I want you to know, to understand, and frankly I would rather tell you then you be shown and while we travel you probably would have been, it’s part of the Balance. Anyway, Methos has a dark past, a very, very dark past. The kind of stuff that actually created legends of horror and fear that last to this day. He grew out of that phase, he calls it his ‘angry adolescence’, eventually and ever since has usually been a doctor or healer of some sort. He keeps his medical credentials current to this day under whichever alias he lives under, in atonement I think. But sometimes, sometimes he has a real deep, undeniable need to be punished. And when I mean punished I mean being tied up and whipped until his bones show,” Ariana shuddered, “I couldn’t do that, I found that I couldn’t even be anywhere near it without welts starting to appear on MY back. But Duncan could do it, saw the necessity, even a little bit thinks Methos deserves it. Anyway between that and the jealousy and everything it finally came down to an ultimatum: Me or him. Methos didn’t chose me.” She said quietly, accepting it.

“And that drove you to search for love elsewhere?” Daniel asked.

“No, Gods I wish it had, I would have been in time to save you from Kelwona.” Ariana’s eyes had tears in them, tears for them. Jack looked away uneasily. It was getting harder to maintain his distance. This woman felt real guilt for not being there, he knew, guilt was something he was vastly familiar with. “No, I basically hid out for a while and licked my wounds you might say. I was content, I had things to do. I was discarded, surplus to requirements, and I was fairly determined to live with that. But apparently Duncan and Methos, who have a relationship about as calm as you two have, had arguments. Apparently a lot of them. Duncan couldn’t accept somehow that he had all of Methos totally, kept accusing him of longing for me whenever Methos thoughts strayed.” Ariana shrugged, “Maybe he was right, I’ll never know, but Methos set out to prove him wrong.” Ariana swallowed hard and took a moment. “Methos is a follower of the Old Way and quite well trained, so basically he has the ability to ‘invite’ you might say the masculine spirit of the Land, the God of the wilds, the Green Man, Herne, he has many names; into his body. And he came to me as this ‘being’. That….. that does something to me, flips switches in my mind I have no control over. Basically I become the feminine to his masculine, and the Goddess always desires the God for the good of the Land. He basically invoked Beltane out of season.”

“You spent the night together.” Daniel said with his usual sensitivity.

“Oh yes, from what I remember it was quite a night. He didn’t hurt me, physically, but basically in the morning he stated all the reasons that he had done it and well as you might put it told me it was a revenge fuck. THAT broke me, that sent me looking for someone that could keep me together, protect me when I could not protect myself, someone who could maybe love me of his own choice. I looked for the ultimate protector as opposed to Methos who has always been the ultimate survivor. When I did I found one man, Jack O’Niell.”

“I’M the ultimate protector. You gotta be kidding, I couldn’t even protect my own son!” As always that pain and guilt was there to catch him, not much duller than it had ever been. Daniel moved to say something but Ariana beat him to the punch.

“Do NOT! I know that part of your life fairly well and when it comes down to it Charlie made the CHOICE to disobey you. You had TOLD him not to play with ANY guns, even toy ones, much less your own. He made the CHOICE to defy that.” Jack tried to get up and away but Ariana grabbed his hands and, God help him, he couldn’t break her grip! “I’ve been there, Jack! I may be infertile, all Immortals are, but I’ve watched the sons and daughters of my spirit go out and have similar ACCIDENTS happen, even worse I’ve seen them willingly do it to them selves, suicide, and worst of all I’ve sent them out to die myself to protect the Family knowing that they would not come back, and burying them all!” Jack sat back down and Ariana caressed his hands. “I’ve watched a single family for over 2000 years. In that time I’ve had to do all of that and see them die in famine and plague, not being able to save them, even just watched them grow old and die of natural causes.” She seemed focused on his hands to the exclusion of all else. “I’ve had newborns cry themselves to death in my arms because their mothers had died in childbirth and there was nothing to feed them. Jack, if you think your soul is tarnished, what must mine be?”

“Good God!” Jack choked and he couldn’t help it, he leaned his head against her bowed head and kissed her hair, “For 2500 years?” he could barely comprehend it.

“Mmmm-hmmm.” Ariana said softly, “That’s what an Immortal’s life is. To watch friends, lovers, sons and daughters of your heart die for whatever reason. Other Immortals, whether they be friends or not, are basically your opposition, at least that’s the way they see it. That doesn’t allow for many deep and lasting relationships. Perhaps Methos, Duncan, and I were doomed from the start. I haven’t heard that Methos and Duncan have patched things up, as far as I know they are living on different continents.. But I guess there comes a time in every Immortals life when they have to choose to either start hating the mortals who leave them, look for peace at the end of another Immortals sword, or chose to find someone to live for. That’s the choice I made. I know you probably don’t want me, and you certainly don’t have to love me but I NEED to love you, or…..or I’m pretty sure I’m going to go insane. You are my last chance, my last hope.”

Daniel also moved closer and rubbed a hand down her back. “But you wouldn’t, couldn’t come to him when I wasn’t there because Jack and I love each other?”

“Oh yeah, wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice. You two had to come to terms first. And also.” She looked up directly into Daniel cerulean eyes, “Jack O’Niell without Daniel Jackson is but half a soul. I didn’t want half of Jack, I want all of him, and all of you, Daniel, each for different but still very valid reasons.”

Daniel looked away somewhat uncomfortably, “I didn’t know.” he whispered.

“I didn’t let you know, Danny.” Jack freed a hand from Ari’s suddenly loose grip to caress the side of Daniel’s face, “I was too busy running and hiding and denying that you didn’t have a chance. Then I lost my chance.” He leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Daniel’s lips. “We’ve got a second chance now.”

“Yes.” Ariana said decisively, “that you do. And I have some hunting and some negotiating to do. That should give you two enough time for a start.” She got to her feet. “I pledge that no one and nothing will come here unless I allow it. You have privacy, I suggest you use it.” She picked up her spear and started to walk away.

“But…. What about you?” Daniel asked and Jack nearly echoed him. She had said that she loved them but was leaving them with each other.

“Get yourselves in order first, guys. There’s time and time enough for me when you are ready, if you are ever ready. Just because you love doesn’t mean you are loved and I am content that it be so, although I won’t regret a change. Settle yourselves first, I’ll be around whenever you have time for me.” With that she walked out into the mist until she was lost from sight, giving them no chance to answer.

“God, what the hell is THAT?” Jack asked, almost unconsciously.

“Perfect love,” Daniel murmured, “love without ever asking, or even expecting a return. And if I’m not surprised even a thought that maybe she isn’t worthy of being loved.”

“You’re talking from experience aren’t you? That’s how you’ve loved me. How long Danny?” Jack asked softly, turning the blue eyed man to face him.

“I’m….I’m not really sure.” Daniel said blushing, “I’d never had a real friend before so it was hard to tell when my feelings changed from love of a friend to just love. But it was definitely before Shau’re died. I’d start waking up thinking about seeing you that day instead of wondering if that was the day we would rescue her. Started to savor every touch you ever gave me, that kind of melded into desiring the touches you couldn’t give me. Tried to hide it but when you started to push me away I thought you knew. That’s when it began to really hurt. You?”

Jack cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Well I guess all of that stuff happened in my subconscious but I was smacked in the face with it when I saw you flirting with Kira. I wanted to kill her Danny, Kira not Linea, because she got a smile from you I wanted to be mine. That’s definitely when I started to put real effort into running and hiding and hurting.” He kissed Daniel apologetically, “I never hated you Danny, never really wanted to hurt you. Just wanted these feelings I’d never had before to go AWAY and that meant pushing you away too. Then you were gone and I knew what true emptiness was. I had lost you and really my reason for living. Ariana’s right, there comes a time when duty and country aren’t the things that get you out of bed in the morning. It’s a person and that person for me was gone. I guess that’s what ultimately got me into that situation where you found me, begging for death.”

“Why wouldn’t you ascend then?” Daniel said, stroking his face. Jack leaned into it. “We could have been together.”

“Well for all the reasons I told you. I didn’t feel worthy of it, that was part of it. But the other part of it was touch. I wanted to touch you, in every way, make love to you, feel you make love to me. I’m sorry but combining energy just didn’t have the same ring for me.” He smiled at Daniel and kissed him again just because he could.

Daniel grinned. “You can do that now. We’ve pretty much been assured of privacy and these cushions are very comfortable.”

Perhaps at another time Jack would have made a snappy come back but suddenly all the implications of having a blessed second chance washed in on him and words were meaningless. So he took Daniel’s head between his hands and started kissing him. Softly at first, barely there but as he grew used to the reality of finally having what he had so long wanted the kisses became deeper, more passionate and definitely possessive.

Surprisingly Daniel was right behind him being just as possessive back. They explored each other’s mouths, savoring every nuance, and wanting more; coming up for air only when necessary and then diving back in as they tried to crawl inside each other.

“Clothes.” Daniel finally gasped, between kisses, “God Jack too many clothes!”

Jack whole heartedly agreed and began to strip Daniel as Daniel did the same for him. They got in each others way but laughed at it as it was a glorious tangle while one of them distracted the other with kisses to get his own way and then the other did the same. Both were distinctly distractible. Finally they had each been bared and each took their time to look and touch, and savor. Jack was certain he didn’t know what the hell put the look of absolute desire and need in Daniel’s eyes; he was nothing really special. But Daniel, HIS Daniel was perfection in human form, skin flawless and golden, holding few scars from their years with the Stargate. So smooth, so perfect, and his smell, Jack simply couldn’t get enough of the scent of him, wanting to bathe in it, wanting to make it so much a part of him that even when they were separated he could smell it. He dragged himself away from Daniel’s hungry mouth to start kissing licking and nipping his way down the archeologist’s neck, finding a particular hot spot behind his ear and taking full advantage of it until Daniel was moaning and writhing underneath him. Writhing so much that for a moment Jack thought he was going to come himself and backed away.

He wasn’t given long to collect himself because Daniel followed him with a growl and turned them over with a move Jack had taught him ages ago. He also started at the neck, but kept working his way down, caressing, soothing, licking and biting his way down Jack’s chest. Jack knew what he was headed for but that wasn’t what he wanted. He had never wanted just sexual relief from Daniel, that’s what had scared him so badly. He pulled the archeologist back up, fighting him a bit. “Daniel, Daniel! That’s not the way I want it, me taking pleasure from you, then you from me, not the first time. I want us to be together.” He rolled his hips against Daniel’s to try to get him to get the point.

Daniel’s eyes were fogged with lust but they cleared a bit, “Together? Oh.” He looked like a guppy, one of Jack’s favorite looks on him. Jack kissed him into comprehension and Daniel started answering his thrusts. “This….this is going to be fast this way, Jack.” Daniel panted, kissing him all over his face. “Wanted you so long!”

“Don’t care.” Jack panted right back, “Fast sounds pretty good to me right now. Waited long enough. Too damned long!” He thrust up and groaned as Daniel answered him action for action. Their cocks slipped and slid against each other, glided by precome and sweat. But it was more than the physical, Jack had Daniel back in his arms, loving him, wanting him, just as much as he wanted Daniel. He was truly whole again since that day that Daniel had left, really more whole than ever before. The feeling crashed through his system and exploded out of his cock while he called out Daniel’s name, an answering cry echoed a moment later and the two men relaxed into each other. Still stroking, soothing, caressing, and kissing. Lazy kisses now, kisses that made promises, promises that Jack was more than willing to keep. He wanted Daniel all the way, in everyway, and if the Air force didn’t like it they could fuck off! He told this to the gorgeous man in his arms.

“You’d give up your career, your life for me?” Looked like Ariana wasn’t the only one with self worth issues.

“Daniel without you I am nothing, half a man, half a soul. I do the job, I come home, I eat, I may watch some TV, I go to bed and try not to dream about you. Wash, rinse, repeat, day after day. I need you.” Jack leaned up and put all his need in a single kiss. He had to convince Daniel now, had to make the past go away.

As Jack released him from the kiss, Daniel blinked down at him and began to trace his features with the same touch he had used on countless artifacts, artifacts that Jack had been generally jealous as hell of, whether he would acknowledge it or not. “I guess it’s much the same for me. The memories are fading now but I remember being cold, really cold, and hurting. I thought that taking Oma’s path would stop the hurting but it didn’t, made it worse because I couldn’t see you everyday, even if I thought you hated me, at least you were THERE.”

“Aw Danny,” Jack leaned up to kiss him again, “I can never apologize enough for what I did to you, never.”

“Shhh, Jack, you don’t. You love me now, you can touch me, we can make love. I don’t want our relationship to be about guilt or apologizing or anything like that. Anyway, I could apologize just as much for not seeing through what you were doing. I’m supposed to be able to read people but I didn’t read you. Let’s go forward, not back, love.”

“Love, I like that.” Jack grinned feeling so very incredibly lucky, “I like that a hell of a lot.”

“Good because you’re going to be hearing it a lot more, a lot more. Every chance I get in fact.” Daniel’s face went serious. “Now we should talk about what we should do about Ariana. She loves us, you especially, and she saved us.”

“No you’re wrong, not often the case I know, love, “ Jack soothed the indignant look off Daniel’s face. “She told us to get our act together with each other and then when and IF we find something in ourselves for her, and I got to admit I’m already starting to feel something there, she’ll be there. We HAVE to put ourselves first, we’re the ones with the history together.”

“But a lot of that obviously comes from her not feeling that she’s worth loving.” Daniel countered passionately. Jack distracted him with a kiss before he could pull away.

“Maybe so, but she is also right. I have a feeling that she’s had a lot of experience watching people in love and she knows that we have to get absolutely clear about what we feel for each other before we even begin to think about what we might feel for her and we need to get to know her better before we can make any decision either way. Otherwise we could end up in the same situation that she had with Duncan and Methos, with the same potential for us all to hurt each other badly. She said we are her last chance at sanity, we have to do this right and that means starting right here.” Jack pointed at Daniel’s heart.

Daniel looked down at him with a bemused expression until Jack started to grin. “Don’t you EVER try to pull that ‘dumb colonel’ act on me ever again, not that I ever bought it. That wasn’t just smart that was wise…… and right.”

Jack shrugged. “I’ve spent a lot of time watching people in all kinds of really stressful situations. It teaches you. And I’ve watched a master,” he stroked Daniel face, enjoying his eyes closing with pleasure at Jack’s touch, “by which I mean you, handle people all over the universe. And you are right, I’m not as dumb as I make out to be. I’d just lose my advantage if that was generally known. Just like you use the advantage of loose clothing to hide how physically strong you are.” He grinned as Daniel avoided his eyes and shook him playfully. “Come on you know you do it!”

Daniel laughed. “Yeah, that and to stop some of the more overt attentions to the looks everybody thinks I have.” He caught Jack’s look of surprise. “I’m not oblivious, Jack, I’m an anthropologist. I just…..knew what I wanted and it wasn’t the ones approaching me.”

“It was me.” Jack whispered, awed. “God, it was me and we wasted so much god damned time.”

“Moving forward, not back.” Daniel reminded him. “We treasure what we have now and in the future.” He leaned back in Jack’s arms on the surprisingly comfortable cushions. “So what do you want to talk about.”

“What do we do when we get back?” Jack asked. “I told you I’d leave the Air force for you and I will. I can have my resignation on Hammonds desk within an hour of the time we get back.”

“Mmmmmm no, I don’t think so, Jack.” Daniel reached out and grabbed one of the Jackets that they had stripped off each other and showed him the insignia on the shoulder. “She said that here we see truth, especially the truth about how we see ourselves. We see ourselves as part of SG-1, if we give that up we might just lose a part of ourselves as surely as if we lost each other.”

“That would mean hiding out, living a lie, can you do that Danny? I gotta tell you that I want to be with you as much as I can. I’m not looking to make love to you and then leave you for us both to sleep in our empty beds. I want commitment, to be with each other, to be totally invested in each other. I want it ALL, Danny. I’ve gone too long without.”

“I want it that way too, Jack, I do. We need,” he said, drumming his fingers on Jacks chest. “What we need are options, and I know just the person who can give them to us. Ari said she studied our realities, a LOT of realties! She can tell us where all those little decisions might take us and we can pick what we think is best. It’s basically what she’s been doing all her life anyway, if she was saying what I thought she was saying.”

Jack thought for a moment and then shrugged. “Sounds like a good way to get Intel to me, a really good way. She’d be a great asset to the SGC.” He mused, thinking tactically.

Daniel chuckled. “I kinda think that that’s part of what she has in mind. We may not know her too well right now, but she knows us, and the SGC, and what we do. And we may not be ‘invested’,” he smiled at Jack, “in her but as you said she’s pretty much totally invested in us. I think the SGC has a new member whether it wants one or not. I get the feeling that she is one VERY determined woman.”

“Determined about what though?”

“You heard her, determined to keep THIS.” Daniel laid his hand over Jack’s heart, “and I assume mine, beating. I mean she’s going to suicide on the, for her, inevitable day that they cease to beat. If that’s not a commitment I don’t know what is.”

“Yeah you’re right and you’ve also managed to bring the talk away from us and around to her again.” Jack tried to sound annoyed but he really couldn’t.

Daniel shrugged. “She fascinates me. She’s probably seen so much…. And I got to admit her sacrifice, because she already admitted she had to pay a price to get to you in time, her understanding, and her selfless love touches me.”

Jack kissed Daniel, once again enjoying the fact that he COULD. “Yeah, me too I got to admit. And really you and I are a done deal. We’ve admitted that we love each other, proved it pretty thoroughly,” he gestured to their messy bodies, “And said how we wanted to be with each other, committed. The rest we need Intel that Ariana can provide and while we’re doing it we find out more about her and what we feel about her.” He kissed and hugged Daniel to him tightly then released him and started to get up. “She said she had some hunting to do and some ‘negotiating’ whatever that means but she’s going to get back sooner or later, we better get cleaned up.”

“Not ready for round two huh?” Daniel smiled wickedly and traced a finger down Jack’s chest.

“Oh probably but I’m a bit older than you and we really don’t know when she’s going to get back.” He pinned Daniel down with a thorough kiss and then got up to go to the pool of water and start to clean himself off. “I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time on this journey of ours for each other. In fact, I’m completely sure Ariana is figuring it into the schedule.” He looked around. “We need something to really get ourselves cleaned off and dry with.”

Daniel walked over and knelt beside him. “Jack,” he said reprovingly, “you didn’t notice that when we dressed ourselves as SG-1 we included packs and everything we usually bring along on a mission.” He pulled the packs over to them and got out the spare t shirts that they always packed. “Use these to wipe off.” He handed Jack one of the T shirts they’d been wearing. He looked in Jack pack and laughed, “There’s even a couple of those mini boxes of Froot loops that you always carry along. Are we creatures of habit or what?”

“Then yours must have your Journal.” Jack said, giving himself a thorough wipe down with the shirt.

Daniel looked and brought out a book. “You’re right!” he looked through it, then his face turned grim. “And the last entry in it is the one I made the day before Kelwona.” He abruptly closed the book and kept it out of Jack reaching hand. “No Jack! Forward, not back!” he reminded.

“You’ll show it to me someday.”

“Someday.” Daniel agreed smiling. “When we have a lot of good memories to replace it.”

“Fair enough.”

They sat around for a while and basically made themselves at home with each others bodies; kissing, touching, and caressing. They left their jackets off because it really wasn’t cold enough to need them and they liked the feel of skin. For lack of anything better, they also snacked on Jack’s Froot Loops. Eventually they heard the sound of approaching hoof beats and a strong, rich, familiar voice singing in some language. Jack reached for his P-90 out of habit, then set it back down. “Do you know that language she’s singing in?” he asked Daniel.

“Never heard it before in my life. Sounds something like Irish Gaelic but I’ve no doubt it’s much older than what’s spoken now.”

“That it is Daniel.” Ari said as she stopped a huge black stallion near them. Following were a rider less white mare and chestnut stallion. “It’s the language of my birth and very few of even my Family speak it with any fluency.” She gracefully dismounted the stallion. Jack noticed that though the horses had some kind of pad on their backs with stirrups to which some things, including a couple of rabbits, were tied, they weren’t exactly wearing saddles and Jack wasn’t all that familiar with horses anyway.

“How exactly are we going to ride these things like THAT?” he asked incredulously.

“Don’t worry Jack.” Ariana reassured him, “These aren’t exactly normal horses. They are very intelligent, able to adjust to any kind of rider and may even speak to you if they feel like it.” She patted the stallions side. “Although I wouldn’t hold your breath, it’s their last resort. Daniel, these are kind of what once might have been called pooka.”

“Pooka? Is that something like Pokemon?” Jack grinned.

“Jack!” Daniel exclaimed while Ariana just laughed with that gentle fondness that never seemed to leave her. “Pooka were shape shifters of the Fae but were mostly seen as horses. They’d carry anyone who tried to mount them into Faerie, never to return. At least that’s what the stories say.” He frowned.

“Ah yes,” Ariana answered, glancing at them over her shoulder “But what the stories don’t say is that a pooka will only come if a person really and truly WANTS to go, to Faerie or to somewhere else. They usually rescued people who had no other way out of whatever situation they were in and those people were always given the choice whether to stay in Faerie or go someplace else. They also act as the mounts for those of us who walk between the worlds. This,” she patted the stallion she had ridden in on, “is the Black, my companion and my mount when I am in the Otherworld.” She took Jack’s hand and led him to put it on the neck of the white mare. “This is the White who first showed up for Methos after we met. She’s decided to bear you.” Then she took Daniel’s hand and did the same thing with the chestnut. “And this guy carried Duncan a time or two before things fell apart. He wants to carry you Daniel.”

Jack stroked the mare gently but he could feel a roiling anger within him. “God can’t you EVER get away from your past, Ari? And the pain that goes with it? And why the hell do we keep calling you Ari?”

Ariana smiled at him, “I prefer my friends to call me Ari, Jack, and intentions travel pretty freely around here. I dearly want to have you as friends.”

Daniel walked over to her and smiled down at her. “And more?”

Ariana ducked her head. “Yeeeeees, but I also INTEND that that be your conscious choice, after all due consideration.”

Jack came up on her other side. “And the past? And the pain?” he asked gently. He couldn’t help but be gentle. This woman had rescued him, been willing to be tortured endlessly in his place, had given him a fresh start with Daniel, and then had neatly slit her heart into little pieces for their examination and judgment. He thought he’d never meet anyone braver than Daniel but damn if she wasn’t giving him a run for his money.

“The past is always with us, “ Ariana said in a voice that Jack just knew she was keeping low to keep it from shaking, “And the pain, well, it doesn’t quite compare to the joy of knowing that I’ve saved you, that I’ve brought you together and that you love. No pain could dim that pleasure.” She looked up and smiled brightly at the two of them.

“What kind of woman, person, are you?” Daniel gasped. “You are in love with us, particularly Jack. I can FEEL your need for him and yet you take such joy in seeing us being together?” Jack could see his mind turning this over and over and trying to find some kind of grasp on him. Truthfully, he was himself. It was more common in human nature to feel possessive of the one you loved, he certainly felt possessive of Daniel, but she was taking obvious overwhelming pleasure in the fact that Jack and Daniel were now together.

Ariana laughed. “I’m a very old person, Daniel, one who has seen how rare the kind of love you and Jack have for each other is. It’s always a pleasure to be around such a couple, even better to know that I’ve had a hand in bringing it to fruition. And frankly I’ve never felt selfishness in love to be a very useful emotion. It creates much more pain then pleasure. Like I said if and when you, BOTH, it must be both, come to feel something for me, I’ll be here. Until then it’s quite a relief and very much a joy just to be around you. It’s enough. Now if you intend to eat anytime soon, I need to unpack. You can make yourselves useful unloading your mounts.” She gestured them away and started to get everything off the Black.

Jack and Daniel shared an amazed look. “Why are we exploring the universe when we don’t even know people like HER exist on Earth?” Daniel whispered.

“Damned if I know, and I doubt she’s revealed all her,” Jack tilted his head, looking for the right word, “facets yet. This is weird to the nth degree.” He muttered and turned to the white mare. She seemed very accommodating, standing quite still as he figured out how to unload her. She was carrying a cook pot, several sacks of stuff and a bedroll. “No tent.” He said, a little louder then he intended to.

“No need, Jack, it never rains here. It never rains, the light never changes, and the mist will only rise when we get to where were going.”

“The Land of Summer’s Twilight just as I said,” Daniel said, depositing his load of stuff near where Ariana was carefully constructing a fire pit.

“That’s right, Daniel, you are more knowledgeable about the stories of the Isles than I thought you would be.”

“Nice that something surprises you,” Jack said, having already finished his unloading and settled back amongst the cushions.

“There are always differences from reality to reality,” Ariana said as she seemed to spark a fire to life from the end of her finger. Jack and Daniel looked at each other with eyebrows raised: what else could she do? “I got to admit I like this one.”

“I studied and taught at Oxford for a while. Old stories and archeology go hand it hand.” Daniel shrugged. “And I enjoyed them.”

“What there are left of them, between the Christians and the Romans.” Her voice darkened remarkably on the last name, enough to make Jack take notice. “There was quite a lot of damage done. My wish, for a while now, is to let you in on all of the Old Stories and the history behind some of them.” She smiled at Daniel with that love again in her eyes. “Consider it my gift to you, given freely and with no obligation.” She subtly stressed the last two words.

“There doesn’t seem to be many things you want,” Jack commented.

Ariana smiled at him ruefully. “Oh there are lots of things I WANT, Jack, just not many things I’m willing to take instead of being given freely.” She added more logs to the fire. “First, I’m not sure it’s ever really been a part of my nature, taking that is. Second, even if it was it was long since trained out of me. I was meant to serve my tribe and the Gods and finally the Family entrusted into my care. Like I told you I’ve never even really made a personal CHOICE until just recently. I took what was given me, did what I was told or what I had no choice about, and made the best of it. My CHOICE was to dedicate myself to you two and your goals instead of just being servant to the Gods and my Family. That was a pretty big step for me in itself.”

“And you don’t expect anything back for it?” Jack asked, settling back down.

“Why should I? The power to CHOOSE was sufficient to me, whatever else happens with that choice will happen.” She dug a couple of onions out of a sack and tossed them to Jack. “Make yourself useful, rabbit stewed alone is really, really bland.” She also threw a knife that sunk itself point first right in front of Jack before he could react. He lifted his eyes from the quivering knife to Ariana’s emerald eyes and he recognized something of what he saw. They were indeed the eyes of a warrior, a killer, the eyes of someone like him who had done some damned distasteful deeds in the name of survival and duty. They nodded to each other in understanding as another facet of this woman fell into place. He noticed she handed another knife and some vegetables to Daniel; she had made her point.

Together they all prepared a stew and set it in a fair sized iron pot over the fire. Jack and Daniel basically cuddled while Ariana tended the pot; she didn’t avoid looking over at them touching each other but gave them their privacy somehow. At least they didn’t seem to feel hesitant about touching each other around her, although Jack carefully kept them from full blown passion. There seemed to be an air of quiet contentment and safety around them, enveloping them. “You’re doing it, creating this feeling, aren’t you,” he finally said to Ariana; he couldn’t make herself accuse her, but he was acknowledging her.

Ariana shrugged as she poked in the fire. “Course I am, I’m an empath, both receiving and projecting. I can stop a mob in full roar, or the reverse if I really wanted to. It only seemed right that you two should feel free to connect physically now that you are finally at a place where you can.” She looked up and smiled at him, “And it gives me pleasure; everybody wins.”

“You feel our love?” Daniel said from where his head rested on Jack’s shoulder.

“Daniel, I felt your love a galaxy away, and Jack’s love on Earth and all the other places he was. I also felt the agony of you two needing each other. It’s nice not to feel the pain any more.” She leaned back on her cushions that were on the other side of the fire from theirs. Jack figured it was probably a deliberate placement and he wondered whether it was so that they didn’t feel crowded or so that she wasn’t tempted to reach out and touch. Whichever it was she was definitely taking great care with it, without becoming obvious. She made it just seem the natural choice.

“Do you feel everybody all the time?” Daniel asked, sounding concerned.

“Oh no, my shields are much better than that, most of the time. But when I made my choice and swore my Oaths I immediately became aware of the two of you and to a certain extent Sam and Teal’c. Not them so much though, just some vague impressions.” She looked up at them,” they’re worried for Jack and frustrated that they can’t do anything. I’ve made an arrangement to send them some dreams that will try to tell them that you’re safe. Not sure if it’ll do any good but at least I made the effort.”

“Dreams?” “Oaths?” Jack and Daniel said at the same time.

Ariana laughed, “Which question first guys?”

Jack and Daniel looked at each other then Jack took the lead, “Let’s talk about these oaths you swore.”

“Simple.” Ariana held up one finger, “I swore to use any means at my disposal to keep SG-1 alive and functioning until you were all ready to disband, and you and Daniel alive and functioning as long as possible. Second, “ she held up another finger, “I swore myself to Jack, for him to be my commander. In my youth warriors didn’t swear to a country or even a tribe, they swore to the man or woman they judged best able to lead them. I’m too old to change that part of myself. And before you ask the oaths are binding and will be enforced by the Gods themselves should they be broken and their enforcement is not light.” Her eyes were very serious and Jack was chilled by the implications.

“So if I tell you to stay on Earth and stay OUT of the SGC?” Jack asked.

“I would first advise you not to, always the prerogative of a subordinate. I have….a lot to offer the SGC, the top of the list being that I can’t be snaked, my quickening would kill any one that tried. If you stood firm I would stay on Earth, watching until it were necessary that I intervene for SG-1’s safety, then I would go back to Earth and watch again. I have to stand by both oaths Jack. I knew that when I took them.” She looked at the fire, “Oaths are taken somewhat lightly by most people on Earth these days, lightly taken and lightly abandoned, simply because there is nothing to enforce them. This is not so in my case.”

“Then what about marriage vows?” Daniel asked, sitting forward in curiosity.

“Marriages were rarely, if ever, Oathed in those days, Daniel.” Ariana replied, “They were more like contracts, between people, not between a person and the Gods. There were accepted ways to break the contract, not to mention there were at least nine different forms of marriage, one which lasted only a day and a night. Might seem a little strange to you but at least there was no such thing as an illegitimate child. Each child was welcomed and had a place and support, and rights. I kind of miss that.” She shared a look with Daniel and somehow Jack knew she was conveying that she knew and did NOT approve of how Daniel had been abandoned by his grandfather and sent through foster care. She seemed pretty good at saying things with her eyes and her body. Jack figured after 2500 years it came naturally to her.

“And the Dreams?” Jack asked, distracting his new lover from thinking about his childhood. Jack had only heard pieces of it but knew that Daniel didn’t like to think about it if he could avoid it.

“Like I told you the True Gods of Earth still have power, not as much as they once did but still, it’s there. There are also the little spirits of the woods and the water and such. I asked a couple of spirit friends of mine to convey comforting dreams and messages to Sam and Teal’c, Janet and Hammond, especially since I don’t know how long we’ll be, might be a month or more.”

“Or a hundred years?” Daniel asked, “Like in the stories?”

“Oh no not a hundred years, not when you know what you are doing.” Ariana checked the pot, tasted it and started to fill bowls. “Once we do what we have to here, we’ll be where we want to be,” she handed a bowl to Daniel first, apparently knowing that Jack would want the archeologist to have the first serving. Jack wasn’t surprised anymore. “with as little time lapsed as I can manage. There’s a trick to it of course.”

“Of course.” Daniel said absently, “Can you make dreams?”

“No, that’s not one of my talents. I can, if I’m careless get caught in someone else’s dreams.” She shuddered all over, “One of the most frightening things in my life. I lose my sense of self and when I wake up it can take me quite some time to tell whether I’m actually awake or still dreaming, it can affect me for days. That’s why you won’t see me drinking alcohol, one of the reasons.”

“And the others?” Jack asked, if this woman was under his command he had to know as much about her as possible, and about her abilities.

“My control slips, in what I sense and in what I project; not pretty when you are an empath who has seen the things I’ve seen. Loss of the control of my mind is quite a phobia for me as you might imagine.”

“I can.” Daniel said sympathetically.

“What else can you do.” Jack asked, intent.

“Lots of things, Jack, some of which even I don’t know until I do them. Don’t worry by the time we get to Alpha you’ll have plenty of information on what I can do for the SGC and my Commander.”

“So, just to clarify, you are basically GIVING yourself to me?”

Ariana nodded, “My future yes, it is yours. That was my choice. I intend to give Daniel my past. It makes for a nice symmetry.”

“Your… your past?” Daniel blurted. “I thought the Old stories….”

“Those are a part of my past as much as anything. I was and am a bard among everything else, those stories are a part of my lifesblood. But I also intend to give you the story of my life, all of it. No one, NO ONE, knows it all but I am giving it to you.” She looked speculatively, “Maybe together we can determine whether I’ve done more harm then good.” There was a thread of hope in that statement.

“I know we come back to this question a lot but why?” Daniel asked. “Why me, why us?”

Ariana looked at the fire a long time, “I give you my past because you are one of the few born with clear sight, you don’t see to an agenda, as even I do, you just see. That’s reason enough, it would give me peace for someone to just see. And I give Jack my future because I can trust him to use it wisely, to use it for the Earth and frankly to protect me from myself. I….go too far sometimes, I need someone to hold me back when it’s appropriate. And” this last thing seemed to be drug out of her reluctantly, “Because somehow Jack has become my safe place. There are times, as you will learn, that I am unable to protect myself from certain things, sometimes from anything.” She bit her lip, “My heart tells me that as long as Jack’s around, especially if I can hear his heartbeat, then I will be safe. Not exactly sure how that happened, probably has something to do with falling in love, but it’s become instinctive. And yes, Jack, that is one of the things that I want but won’t take. Top of the list actually.”

Jack didn’t know what to say, Ariana was laying quite a bit down on them and Jack was trying to get some hold on it. She seemed a creature of elemental passions and purposes, ancient and alien. He looked at Daniel and saw that he too was trying to figure her out. For a while both of them seemed to be lost in their confusion but eventually a song subtly intruded into their minds and they noticed that Ariana was singing into the fire. The language was the same that she had sung in before but this time it didn’t seem to be a barrier. Jack knew exactly what she was singing about. She was singing a lament about lost chances, about a loss of trust, a loss of faith, a loss of love. She was mourning in song the loss of the forever that Methos and Duncan had represented to her. Jack tried to be unaffected by it but simply couldn’t. He gathered Daniel close to him and was moved, whether to tears for her sorrow or rage that it was done to her he wasn’t quite sure but the feeling was deep. He felt Daniel’s tears against his stroking hand, of course the sensitive linguist would be moved more to tears then to rage. As the song came to it’s quite close Daniel whispered roughly, “Why now? Why do you allow yourself to mourn now? You haven’t before, have you?”

Ariana shook her head, “Couldn’t before, just wouldn’t come out. Guess I had to step fully into my new life before I could mourn the old.” The voice that had been crystal clear and so expressive when she sung was now rough and choked with tears.

Jack wanted to go and comfort her but didn’t feel comfortable leaving Daniel’s side, “Ari.” He beckoned her over to them, but she shook her head.

“No Jack, not tonight. Not from pity, I beg you. Sleep my friends, tomorrow we have to ride.” She banked the fire and started to dig into her bedroll.

“Ari?” he asked, he knew he couldn’t command, not in this, not yet.

“No Jack, no pity. My pain is my own, it is enough and maybe too much that you know it like this. Sleep.” She turned away from them to stare into the endless twilight that was this land. Jack looked at Daniel but the linguist had no answer for him. So they dug into their bedrolls, curled together and willed themselves to sleep.

Hours later, or what felt like hours, Jack was woken by something. At first he wasn’t sure what but then he heard small whimpers and saw the restless motion of Ariana’s bedroll. His decision instantly made, he was over to her in a moment, pulling her up. Her eyes popped open and she clutched his arms with a gasp. Before his eyes he could see the places where she had bit her lips to bloody sheds heal until there was nothing left but the already shed blood. “What’s going on?” he demanded, in a clear and above all commanding voice. He knew his power over her now and he used it.

“Nightmares, “ she gasped, “just nightmares. They’ve been with me for a while now. Nothing for you to be concerned about.”

“For a while now.” Jack stated flatly, “ Since Methos chose and left you alone or since he raped you.” He shook her slightly as she moved to protest, “He used a power he had to force you into sex that you did not want. That’s rape Ari, by what ever name. Now answer!”

“Since…since the r rape.” Ari gulped, looking very young somehow. “Stirred up a lot of demons but they are MY demons Jack.”

“And the biting your lips to the extent that if you weren’t an immortal you’d need stitches?” Jack heard a gasp and knew that Daniel was awake but he focused his gaze on Ariana.

“Didn’t,” she whispered, “didn’t want to wake you. Been sleeping in a sound proof area or far away from other people before this.” She sounded dazed and Jack knew that this was one of the times he had, as her commander, to protect her from herself.

“And when you slept against me earlier, there were no nightmares, no screams.”

Ariana just shook her head but Daniel clarified it, “ No she moved a bit, mostly nuzzling you and she muttered a lot, but she didn’t seem frightened at all.”

“Okay that’s it!” he picked her up, bedroll and all, “As your Commander,” he emphasized the word heavily, “it is my job to take the best possible care of you, just as it is your job to follow my commands. My command is simple.” He placed her next to his bedroll, on the opposite side from where Daniel lay, “You will sleep here and you will take what comfort you need. Do you understand this Ariana, I am GIVING this to you.”

“WE are giving this to you.” Daniel interjected and Jack shot him a look a gratitude. He loved it when they were on the same page.

“Yes we are giving this comfort to you of our own free will and without obligation.” Somehow he remembered that from her earlier conversation with Daniel, it seemed to be what she needed since she nodded jerkily and laid down. Jack got back into his bedroll and gathered her under one arm until her head rested beneath his chin. She stiffened, but he reminded her in a firm voice. “We are giving you this Ari. Take the comfort that you need.” That seemed to do the trick as she gasped once, shuddered heavily all over and then started to slowly relax against him. Jack looked at Daniel and they both waited until the small woman was boneless and breathing deeply in dreamless sleep. “She must have a HELL of a will to make as little noise as she did even in her nightmares.” Jack and Daniel shared an understanding look, they both knew all about nightmares and how hard it was to control anything in the throes of one.

“And in 2500 years she must have a lot of demons to contend with. Did you hear how she said the word Romans? There’s a story there.” Daniel reached over and smoothed out a bit of Ariana’s hair that had become tangled. This seemed to settle her even more. She truly needed BOTH of them.

“I guess tomorrow we start to find out. Part of her price and part of this Balance she talked about.” Jack started to gather Daniel to him but the archeologist shifted until Jack was leaning against him, it seemed right somehow.

“Only fair Jack, she knows our secrets, our lives; this place demands that we be shown hers. That’s something lost from the old stories but it sounds like justice to me.” Daniel kissed Jack’s head and Jack took a moment to marvel in how natural that had already become.

“Doesn’t sound like justice to make her relive those kind of things though.” He grumbled. He couldn’t help it, he already felt a heavy need to protect this woman who had saved him. Maybe it was gratitude, maybe it was something else, he just didn’t know still.

“Yes but that’s her price. She asked for it, asked to be given the chance to offer this to us. She’s a volunteer, Jack, and no one forced her except herself. Remember that.” Daniel gently turn Jack’s head to the side and kisses him thoroughly, “Don’t reject this gift by regretting it, I’m not going to. It would only insult her and hurt her deeply. She’s a giving person, let her give.” Daniel smiled slightly at the Colonel’s sigh of acceptance. “Now sleep, we’re ALL safe now.”

Jack looked up into the unchanging sky, breathed in a deep breath of Daniel’s scent and what must be Ariana’s scent, made himself accept everything somehow and slipped back to sleep.

Jack woke later to feel Daniel again gently tracing each of the features of his face. Daniel had shifted until he could look down at Jack. His face was intense, focused and very detail oriented. For a moment the scar that bisected one eyebrow fascinated him, then Jack eyes, then the slight quirk at the corner of his mouth. Everything was viewed assessed and catalogued some how. Oh yeah, Jack could definitely get used to being an artifact! His thoughts started to turn towards passion but he became aware of the warm weight on his other side, Ariana, still sleeping heavily. “How long have you been awake?” he asked Daniel in a whisper.

Daniel smiled, “A while, long enough to know that she’s barely moved since you carried her over here. Kinda makes me wonder how long it’s been since she’s been able to really rest.”

“We don’t know, she didn’t tell us how long ago the rape occurred.” Jack could feel a dull rage start to grow in the back of his mind. That someone, someone who was supposed to love this woman apparently dedicated to giving, using her own weaknesses against her for a revenge fuck made him furious. He recognized his feelings getting deeper and stronger by the second and made him self stop. They didn’t know enough, not half enough about her to do or feel ANYTHING. He distracted himself by hooking his hand behind Daniel’s neck, there at least there was no confusion, would never be confusion again. “Hey come here!” he gently pulled down a very willing Daniel into a deep, deep passionate kiss. Jack instantly felt his body reacting and so apparently did Ariana, the feelings behind it, something like that, because she woke with a gasp and sat up.

“I think it would be wise for me to do a little scouting ahead. Yeah, when you two are a….ready.” she blushed a bit but looked damned pleased for all that, “heat up the rest of the stew for breakfast. I’ll be gone awhile, don’t worry and I’ll make sure to sing as I come back.”

“Ariana,” Daniel said, “we don’t mean to push you out or anything.” Jack wished for a brief shining moment that Daniel didn’t have to be such a damned gentleman! He wanted the man’s body, and sooner rather than later!

“You’re not.” Ariana said, reaching down and caressing the side of each of their faces in turn, “I want this and you need it.” She walked away and basically flowed up onto the Black’s back. The White and Chestnut gathered with her and she trotted away, “Remember I’ll come back singing!” she laughed and disappeared again into the mist.

“Amazing.” Daniel murmured, looking after her.

“Yeah amazing but I’ve got something pretty amazing right here to and I want it, badly!” He said, caressing Daniel’s back and sides, slipping under his t shirt.

“Mmmmmm I could go along with that and I think you are pretty amazing yourself you know. Amazing and gorgeous and the stuff that dreams are made of.” Daniel’s hands were under Jack’s t shirt as well and was slipping it up his body.

“Danny boy you got to be blind.” Jack shook his head.

“Not blind,” Daniel murmured, “Just discerning. I only take something that’s passed the tests, tried and true and solid to the core.”

“Well there’s something about me that’s solid.” Jack turned and rubbed his very solid erection against Daniel thigh.

“Oh yeah,” Daniel replied breathlessly, “Very solid, but this time we do it my way. I want you Jack, I want to taste every bit of you, especially this bit.” Daniel settled his hand over Jack erection and squeezed. Jack groaned at the sensation.

“Okay Danny,” Jack said, giving up control of the situation, “I’m all yours.”

Daniel’s eyes flamed and he descended upon Jack’s lips, “You bet your tight ass you are.” Kissing him thoroughly and passionately Daniel determinedly divested them of the clothes that they had slept in, then the mapping expedition began. Daniel set out to investigate every inch of him. Jack tried to respond once or twice, tried to touch him but the archeologist just growled and forced him back down. “Oh no Jack,” he snarled in a tone that went straight to Jack’s cock, “this is for all those times when I’ve had to glimpse instead of look, look instead of stare, be touched by you but not touching back because I thought you wouldn’t want it. I’ve fantasized about touching every part of you and that’s exactly what I’m going to do!”

Jack was awed by the power a vehemence of the man over him, “Okay, Danny okay. I’m right with you, but please God it’s so much! I’m going to explode!” Daniel seemed to be everywhere, stroking, kissing, licking, and every bit he touched seemed to be directly wired to Jack’s cock! He’d never been so turned on in his life and he wasn’t exactly sure he would survive to have a second experience! “Danny please, please..” he begged shamelessly for release.

“Oh yes Jack, the best for last.” He purred and went to his ultimate goal.

“OH GOD!” Jack yelled and half curled up as his cock was sucked into a warm moist, incredible mouth. Jack fell back, murmuring Daniel’s name deliriously, turning his head back and forth. “Oh God, oh yes, you are so incredible.” He tried not to thrust to much up into Daniel’s mouth but simply couldn’t help it. Daniel seemed to be able to take it though and even hummed in satisfaction which made Jack yell out again. God he was so close but he just wanted to wait one more minute, experience the paradise he was in one more minute. The intense heat, the suction that made him gasp, the sweet surrender to finally be under and even controlled by the man he loved, made him fight the inevitable with everything in him. Then Daniel slipped his hand between the cheeks of Jack’s ass, and lightly traced a fingertip over his anus. With that control was no longer possible and Jack felt like he pumped his entire life out through his cock and down Daniel’s wonderfully swallowing throat. He jerked and writhed in reaction as Daniel sucked for every damned drop. “Daniel! Please enough, I can’t take any more.” He finally cried, forcing the archeologist’s mouth away from his over sensitized cock.

Daniel smiled with the universes own definition of smug and propped himself right over Jack’s gasping form on his elbows. “Oh yeah,” he sighed contentedly, “finally got you exactly where I want you.” He leaned down to kiss Jack, sharing his taste with him.

“Oh you got me all right.” Jack panted back at him, “But you didn’t leave me much energy to return the favor. And we’re supposed to be riding later. Christ! How am I even going to stay upright!” Jack was surprised when he felt an almost cold breeze. “What the fuck?”

Daniel looked over his shoulder at the suddenly slightly darker sky, “Uh, I don’t think you want to use that particular name here, Jack. His followers weren’t very understanding of the inhabitants of this world.”

“What name? Do you mean….?” Daniel’s eyes flared a warning, “oh uh yeah okay. I get it. Yeah from the history books that would be a touchy subject wouldn’t it?” Jack especially remembered his reading about Charlemagne’s campaigns against Saxony. Slowly the sky cleared and everything returned to what it had been before. Still Jack could feel Daniel’s hardness against his leg. “Do you want some help with that?” he asked, caressing the cheeks of Daniel’s ass, he’d been wanting to get his hands on it for years and now it was his, he took full advantage.

“Oh yeah.” Daniel said, humping his leg slightly, “ some help would be appreciated.”

“What do you want Danny, tell me. You’ve kinda used up all my energy but I’ll do whatever I can.”

“Just touch me Jack. All I ever wanted was for you to touch me.” Daniel said, his eyes closed and his face flushed.

Jack twisted them so that they were laying side by side, facing each other, “That I can do. Come here, love.” Jack started a slow luxurious kiss and at the same time drifted his hand to encircle Daniel’s cock and start stroking. Daniel kind of made a whimper deep in throat and started trying to crawl into Jack’s mouth, while thrusting desperately into his hand. For a moment Jack tried to soothe him down to a slower pace and then remembered his own desperation of a few moments ago. It had been too long, too many denied dreams and fantasies for slow and gentle at this stage so Jack gave him exactly what he wanted. He devoured Daniel’s mouth right back, practically eating him while he moved his hand in a steady, sure and strong pace over his lover’s cock. It didn’t take long for Daniel to break away from the kiss to pant and then finally scream out his desire as warm spurts of come splashed out between them.

“Oh, Oh, Oh God that was so intense and it was just your hand. Is it just us or the place that we’re in?” Jack idly wondered if there was a time when the man’s mind ever stopped formulating questions. Somehow he doubted it.

“I’m tending towards thinking that it’s just us, love. We’ve both wanted and been denied this for so long, then we thought the possibility was gone forever, now bam! Here we are together doing what we’ve so much wanted to do. Pretty explosive combination.” He soothed Daniel’s still slightly heaving back with one hand while he used a t shirt in the other to clean them both up.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Now I don’t know how I’m going to stay upright in the saddle. Are you sure we couldn’t persuade Ari to let us just stay here for a day or two.”

Jack laughed, “We probably could but, Daniel, there are people at home worried about me and what might be gotten out of me. We have to get back. Plus,” he said, hugging his precious lover tight, “I want to take you to MY home, and MY bed and then we can stay put for at least a week or so. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Okay,” Daniel sighed and snuggled into him. They lay drowsily in each others arms until Daniel shifted slightly, “Ariana’s got to return sometime, we should get dressed.”

“Why?” Jack looked at Daniel, “I mean really why? If she’s been watching us surely she knows what we look like undressed, might give her a thrill to see it for real.”

“Or she might be tempted beyond her control.” Daniel countered, “ You know she doesn’t just love us, she wants us, particularly you. She looks at you like I do I think.” Daniel slid a hand down Jack’s chest. “Lean and sexy.”

“Yeah? You’re probably right but why don’t we see. Seriously Daniel, I’ve got the feeling that the parts of her life we’re going to be shown and she’s going to relive aren’t going to be pretty or happy. There’s no harm in giving her a bit of lightness to take with her into it.” Jack kept his hands busy caressing the archeologists body but he really wanted to do this and he wanted Daniel to be comfortable too, though.

Daniel pulled back a bit and looked Jack in the eye, “You’re starting to care for her, aren’t you.”

Jack looked back steadily, “Yes I am. She got me out of endless torture, would have taken it for me if she had to, helped us finally be together, cut her heart open for us to take a peak at it, and last night….” Jack blew out a breath, “I’m not kidding, Daniel, she would have needed some major reconstructive surgery all around her mouth if it wasn’t for the way she heals. All in an attempt to just keep from waking us! And then I had to order her, ORDER her to take the comfort she needed so badly. That’s the kind of thing that makes a man care!”

“Yeah, you’re right and she does all this without asking for a thing other then to practically do it all over again.” Daniel’s eyes darkened as he got that introspective look Jack knew so well. “I’m starting to care too. I want to do something for her but she won’t take anything that’s false or forced. What do we do?”

“We take small steps that feel right to us. Right now that would be letting her see our bodies, like they are.” He pulled Daniel tighter to him, “If it feels right for both of us. Later we’ll see. With her were going to have to play it by feel and be absolutely honest about WHAT we feel or she won’t take a damned thing. I think she’s had things taken FROM her so many times she got a real phobia about taking anything from anybody else. And with an empath, you just GOT to be honest.”

“God you’re right again, and I’m supposed to be the anthropologist! When did you get so good at observing people?”

“It’s strategy, Daniel, know your opponent. I just hide it, let you take it because it’s easier and then I can just look for the danger signals. My only blind area has been my personal life, especially you. I should have seen what you felt and how I was hurting you, but I didn’t. Plus I think it has to do something with this place. Ari said it makes you see the truth about yourself, I’ve a feeling it makes it easier for us to see the truth about other people. I’m more aware of your wants and needs then I ever have been too.” Jack slipped his hand up into Daniel’s hair, stroking the silky strands, “So what do we do, we have to be together on this.”

Daniel thought about it for a moment, stroking Jack’s body lazily, “Let’s go with your plan, after all truth is important here and this is the truth of us. And you’re right she won’t take what isn’t given.”

“Daniel if we ever get to that point we may have to practically force her to take what we want to give, like last night! From what I was hearing she hasn’t exactly been set up lately or even ever for getting what she wants.”

“She reminds me of me.” Daniel said softly, “I learned in the foster homes not to really want anything, or not to show it because I never got it anyway. Maybe that’s why you couldn’t see, I’d gotten too good at hiding what I wanted.”

“Aww Danny, promise me, when you want something ask. Please ask, for my sake, so I don’t miss something important again, okay?” he kissed Daniel’s forehead, wishing for the uncountable time again that he could kill Nick Ballard for giving Daniel the childhood he had.

Daniel rubbed his hand over Jack’s chest, “I’ve got what I really wanted now, Jack, just don’t take that away.”

“Couldn’t if I wanted to, Daniel, you didn’t know it but it’s been yours for a long time.”

They spent the next while drifting in lazy contentment, just feeling each other and sharing the occasional kiss. Then they heard Ari’s singing again coming nearer. Daniel stiffened slightly in Jack’s arms but almost immediately relaxed back into the state they had been drifting in. Jack twisted a bit to see Ari approach and he saw her hesitate. Her eyes drifted slowly over their naked entwined bodies and Jack could see the want and sharp need, as well as the love that was always present in her eyes. For a moment in fact he even felt it inside himself and it was as strong and true as the feelings that had pushed Daniel and he into each others arms. Then it was gone and Jack watched, without being obvious, as she carefully extracted it from her gaze to look upon them as if they were fully clothed. Jack also got something else from that flash. Their assessment was spot on, she DIDN’T feel worthy of having anything from them. Jack and Daniel shared a talking gaze.

“Hi guys.” Ari said casually, studiously ignoring the state of their dress or rather undress, “while I was out I was approached by some people with gifts for the new lovers. That would be you two.” She said over her shoulder as she started to get things off the Black.

Daniel sat up in embarrassed shock, “They’re people WATCHING us.” He asked in a high mortified voice.

“No Daniel,” Ariana laughed, “they wouldn’t dare. You are under my protection and I wouldn’t allow something like that. I do have a certain standing in this place. It’s just…. your love, it’s new, and it kind of shines out in this place, in a way. It considered a blessing here and so gifts are given, like at a wedding.”

Jack got up lazily and started to put his clothes on, he had given Ariana what he had wanted to, and found out what he wanted to as well. Daniel followed his lead. “You mean we are glowing or something?” he asked lightly

Ariana turned back towards them, her arms full of various things. She looked slightly relieved that they were dressed now and Jack knew it wasn’t from any prudery. It was because them naked tested her hard fought control. And he thought some people in the military had self control, they were babies next to her! Then he almost laughed, that’s exactly what they were compared to a 2500 year old immortal. “Ah what you got?” he asked, smiling at her. He did what felt right again and stepped up to her and smoothed his hand down her head and over her again neatly braided hair. She blinked at him, surprised. He gentled his smile towards her.

“I uh I was given some things that may make our trip a bit easier.” She said, stumbling a bit over her words. She stepped around Jack and knelt down on the ground. The first thing she put down were two long, narrow, parcels. “ This one is for you, Jack.” She said, handing one over to the Colonel. “And this one is for Daniel.” Handing the other one over. They unwrapped the cloth to find sheathed swords.

“Uh Ari.” Daniel said nervously, “We don’t know how to use these.”

“You don’t have to. If it comes to something like that I very much know how to use the one I have, like an extension of my arm. It’s how Immortals fight. Plus your P-90 will work and your Beretta. It’s more of a status thing then a use thing. These mark you as men of some standing, that’s all. You just have to wear them really. The belts are here too and I’ll help you adjust them. Think of it as a pass key or ID badge, it gets you passed certain places without being questioned or bothered.”

“Okay.” Daniel said dubiously, he drew his sword a bit out of the scabbard, “Hey these are folded steel, that takes a long time to do!”

“But,” Jack fitted his hand to the hilt, “They are made exactly to measure. That’s…. weird.” He looked at Ariana questioningly.

Ariana sighed and bowed her head, “Of course they are, only the best they said.” She brought her head back up, “Okay I wasn’t going to address this yet but as usual I have no choice. All your lives you two have lived in a world of science and logic, weird, strange logic at times but still logic. Even the Ascended fit into that category. However, when you entered the middle path, you left that world behind. Here you are in a world where will imposes on reality and makes it conform. Here you are in a world of what you would call magic.”

Jack felt his eyebrows rise to his hairline, “Magic.”

“You said this place was malleable.” Daniel said. “Like you making the cushions.”

“Yeah, but what I didn’t tell you if that with a little more effort and an available energy source, like the Earth or probably any planet that has living things on it, “ she paused and bit her lip, “I can do the same thing. That and a lot more.”

Jack sank down beside her, “You….. can do magic.” He said, trying to fit this in his head.

“That’s what you would call it, it used to be called the Secrets or Mysteries, same thing. A few Immortals can still do what was written about in those Old Stories, some more, some less. I’m just about the most trained and most…. Powerful, I guess.”

“Just Immortals.” Daniel’s forehead furrowed, “Could you train us, could you train mortals to do it.”

Ariana’s face went pale, “I could but I won’t, even if it would mean breaking my oath to you Jack.”

“Why not?”

“Because used enough, or stretched even slightly too far the pressure of controlling magical forces causes a massive brain hemorrhage and death. The legend of the old white bearded wizard was wishful thinking, although they were the ones who taught the training by rote. The ones who actually USED magic all died young, very young. And you aren’t immortal.” She looked down and studied the ground intently.

Jack couldn’t stop himself, he put his arm around Ari and snuggled her up tight against him. Every muscle in her body was rock hard with tension, “How old were you when it killed you the first time?” he asked softly, feeling Daniel take a similar position on her other side.

“Fourteen.” Ari said softly, if they hadn’t been this close to her they would have never heard her, “Just after puberty and my first Beltane rite. The strain was too much for me the very first time. They were delighted when I revived and put me in more intensive training. I was an asset to the tribe, an advantage.”

She was shaking and Jack forced her head, against some resistance from her under his chin. “Chr….” he stopped himself and started again, “God, you were just a kid!”

“Not in those days Jack, I’d had my first period. I was a woman and an adult, I had taken the torc and was a willing sacrifice for the tribe. It was an honor.”

“Yeah, it’s an honor to serve.” Jack spat, remembering his time as a slave named Jonah. “what a load of crap!”

Ariana raised her head and turned Jack’s so that their eyes met, her eyes were calm and serious, and utterly without regret. “You still don’t understand, Jack.” She said firmly, “That was a different time and a different world. War wasn’t something fought by volunteer soldiers someplace far away, it was as close as the next valley; every man of the tribe was a warrior of some sort or other, or had been if they lived long enough, good deal of the women too. Survival was the name of the game and death walked so much closer then, as close as our shadows. I was an asset to the tribe, an advantage over other tribes, I was a sacrifice and I was glad to do it!”

“But were you given a choice?” Daniel asked softly, “You said you’ve never made a choice until us.”

Ariana turned to smile softly at the archeologist, “When your training begins at the age of two and when the time comes to take the torc you don’t really realize there is a choice. It was more of an inevitability.”

Jack got to his feet, swearing harshly, wanting to swing the sword, wanting to kill something, anything to release the rage inside him. All those kids and one was sitting right in front of him! Daniel looked on, knowing better than to get in his way when he was like this. Ari however, got to her feet, stood in front of him and did something that shocked him, she leaned up and kissed him. It was totally platonic, but it was warm and sweet and it took all his rage away. He looked down at her blinking and she blushed right up to her hair line. “Please forgive me, Jack.” She turned, “Please forgive me Daniel. That was so far out of line as to be unaccountable.”

She started to walk away but Jack stopped her by grabbing her shoulder, “No, you stopped me, you made the rage go away before I hurt someone. You didn’t take, you gave again.” He was not about to allow her to feel guilty about that kiss, he’d never felt anything like it.

Daniel got up and walked over to them, “I’ve never seen anyone stop Jack when he’s in that kind of temper, especially about kids. It’s okay.”

“But I could have done it some other way, I acted on instinct. I should have asked your permission first.” She said quickly back to the Archeologist.

“Jack’s my lover, not my possession.” Daniel assured her, putting a hand on her other shoulder, “If he says it’s okay, then it’s okay.” Daniel leaned down and gave Ariana the same type of platonic kiss, but Jack seriously doubted it had the same effect. “There, now we’re even. Now why don’t we look at the rest of the stuff you brought us?” he smiled reassuringly.

Ariana looked at him for a long moment and then let her lips curve in a small smile, “Well the rest of the stuff isn’t anywhere near as impressive.” She said, going back over to the parcels and kneeling down. “There’s some soaps of various kinds.”

Jack followed, going along with Daniel’s distraction, “Soap huh?”

“The Celts invented soap, Jack.” Daniel said in his ‘teaching’ voice. “This Other world seems to be mostly Celtic.”

“Thank you Dr. Jackson,” Jack quipped back, “I did not know that.” There was no heat behind the barb. Not only was Jack damn glad to have Daniel around to banter with, it made Ari’s smile a little wider.

“Learn something new everyday, Colonel.” Daniel laughed at him, his eyes also having seen Ari’s lighter mood.

“There’s also some baked good of some various varieties. Not what you are used to probably but they’ll stretch a while and go with what I can hunt.”

“Sounds good.” Jack knelt beside Ari again, his knees not bothering him for once. He pointed at the last and two biggest parcels, “And those?”

Ari unwrapped them, “Blankets, much finer and softer than the bedrolls. Lambs wool probably.” She handed them to the two men and they were indeed quite a bit softer then what they had been sleeping with, softer even then any lambs wool that Jack had ever felt.

“There are only two.” Jack noticed.

“For the two new lovers, Jack.” Ari said calmly.

“But you are with us.” Daniel protested.

“Don’t worry Daniel, really, I’ve got everything I need.”

Jack exchanged a telling glance with Daniel and just knew they were on the same wavelength again.// I doubt that Ari, I doubt that as much as I doubt Daniel when he says, “I’m fine.”//

It didn’t take them long to pack up after breakfast really, although their seemed to be some kind of ‘discussion’ between the Black and Ari about which horse should take what. Jack was looking at the mare he was supposed to ride, again feeling the tiredness from his earlier exertion with Daniel when he felt a light touch on his shoulder and the tiredness was suddenly gone. He looked around in time to see Ariana touch Daniel in the same way and meet the archeologists startled gaze. Ariana just laughed at their shocked faces, “We do have to ride today guys and I don’t need either of you falling out of the saddle. This costs me very little and it is a joy to give.”

She headed towards the Black but Daniel grabbed her arm, “Even when it hurts you?” he asked quietly.

Ari smiled and put a hand up towards his face. She seemed to like doing that a lot with both of them, “Sometimes especially when it hurts. Just as when you went through that window on Kelwona you weren’t thinking of saving the planet, you were thinking of Jack. It hurt but there was the joy that he would still be alive.”

Daniel blushed deep, deep red and dropped her arm. For one red tinged moment Jack was furious at Daniel for giving himself up like that for him then the cool of Ariana’s gaze felt like fresh spring water flowing over his head and he remembered what Daniel had said previously. You don’t reject a sacrifice freely given in love and he had to admit he might not have ever gotten his wake up call without Daniel being ‘away’.

They all got into their saddles and Jack was amazed how easy it was, for one thing his knees still didn’t hurt for some reason, and for another he just seemed to flow up the horses side as naturally as if he had been doing it all his life. He noticed that the White had turned to look at him out of one eyes and nodded at her. Oh yeah, these things were so much more then horses! Then his attention was gathered by Ariana’s tightly controlled voice. “Stay together now, guys, every step moves us not only in space but to various times. Those in these times cannot see us, nor can we effect what is happening. Try to remember this is for the Balance and the price I chose to pay.” She didn’t give them any chance to answer them but started the Black out, the other two horses followed and they were immediately surrounded by mists.

Some steps later, Jack wasn’t sure how many and he saw a group of people gathering around a hole in a burial mound. “Oh yes.” Ari sighed, “Let’s have the worst first.” She drew them closer, close enough to see it was her being buried, accept she looked much younger, very much the fourteen at which she first died.

“They’re burying you. You’re dead, this is your first death?” Daniel asked.

“Oh no my first death was some 100 years before this, I ‘revived’ after only an hour or so that time. This was when I took my first quickenings. I wasn’t even in the battle. I was a bard, singing my tribe onto victory.” Ari’s voice seemed calm and almost dead but Jack knew that tone, he had heard it in reports from the battle field, from soldiers stressed into near shock. He moved nearer to her, or tried to but the White wouldn’t move, he swore silently at the mare. “As you know Daniel, the Celts at that time took heads as trophies of war. There happened to be three Immortals on this particular battlefield, all three heads were taken at about the same time and I was the only other in range. I took all three quickenings at once. “ She turned to them with a grim twisted smile. “For most Immortals this isn’t really a problem, they get a…. rush from a quickening. It can make them act a little impulsively for a while but that’s all. However, I was born…. Gifted and trained to still more gifts, and taking a Quickening activates them all at once, leaving me with no notion of where the ‘here’ and ‘now’ is. It quite closely resembles a coma state. Not something that was understood at that time.”

Daniel choked and Jack felt like he wanted to vomit, “So you were aware?” The archeologist managed to say in a shaking voice.

“Every bit of dirt, every lessening of the light, every fight to draw in a breath. Everything.” Ariana’s voice was stone, “Let’s move on, it gets a little worse for a while.” She moved the Black forward and the mist closed in again.

“What could be worse?” Jack said harshly.

Ari’s voice came from the mist only as an echo, “I could.”

They moved forward and faced the same burial mound but it was covered now and there was even some grass growing on it. “I don’t really know how long it took me to come back to myself and I don’t know how many times I died digging my way out either. “There was some movement in the side of the mound, “Ahh there I am. Stay back. I’m not sure what she…. I perceived at that time there were a lot of real things and a lot that were not or might not have been real but I only wanted to do one thing to them all.”

“What’s that?” Daniel whispered as he watched the gasping, dirt encrusted thing crawl out of the grave.

Ariana turned to them her face filled with one emotion, guilt, “I wanted to kill them. Every last single one of them.” Her voice spared no mercy for herself. “And I did, down to the last infant. I destroyed the tribe that raised and nurtured me, I extinguished them. And I didn’t stop with them.”

Silence fell among them for a moment as they all were lost in the horror of what Ariana had said, even the lady herself.

“How long?” Jack asked

“I don’t know, by the blessing of the Gods. I hope it was less then a year, I continually pray that it was less then a year because I gathered a following. I killed with everything that was in me. My sword, fire, water , air or more appropriately storm, and even my very voice. I embodied the Morrigan and she grew fat on the leavings. I was called the Voice of War.”

“The Morrigan?” Jack asked, turning instinctively to Daniel.

“The triple war goddess of the Celts.” Daniel answered, his face pale, “One of her forms was the Battle Raven feasting on the corpses left behind by battle.”

Jack blanched, “Sorry I asked.” The horses moved forward again as the earthen form that was Ariana headed for the fires of the village nearby. When the mists cleared again they were in a totally different place, the whole landscape was different, more rocky, less grass. Ariana looking the age she appeared now was on her knees surrounded by human shaped figures that were quite obviously more than human, four of them specifically. One was a tall, strong woman hardened by war, decked with sword and shield, her hair blood red, her eyes were the deepest black. Another woman was there, carrying a spear but also having a harp on her back, her face was gentler and her hair while also red was the red of living flames. She looked down on the kneeling figure of Ari with sternness but also with a slight pity. The next was a old man with a long, white beard and hair; from his stance and the leathery nature of his skin Jack pegged him for a seaman. And the last was kneeling in front of the weeping Ari, cradling her face in his hands. He looked young and strong and handsome, but he also had antlers growing out of his forehead and each antler had nine tines.

“The Morrigan I recognize,” Daniel said, “But the others?”

“There is the one who will become known as Brigid, spear maker and matron of Bards.” Ari said in a far away voice, “Then there is Mannanan Mac Lir, son of the Sea and Keeper of Mysteries, and then there is of course Cernunnos or Herne who has always been somewhat of a spiritual Father to me, to all that were like me really, at least that’s what we called and call him. They have shook me out of my insanity and are now laying my penance onto me. Watch”

The figure of Ari from the past straightened up and then stood up and walked into one of the burned out huts, out of the hut she carried what looked like a very young infant and as she did they heard the braying of a nanny goat nearby. That Ari looked down at the infant with love, a love that they saw reflected in the same features that rode beside them. “I name him Conor UiMhaille.” The ‘old’ Ari said, “I will protect him and his seed and make them flourish until my penance is paid. May the Earth open up and swallow me, may the Sea rise up and drown me, may the Sky fall down upon me if I break this my solemn oath.” Three thunderclaps rang out of the clear blue sky and the gentle lady with spear spoke in a voice that seemed an echo of Ari melodic tones.

“Your oath is accepted, live it well.”

“I have no choice, my Lady, my past is gone. I have annihilated it down to the very name I bore. All I have is this future I am holding my arms and the name, Ariana, that you have given me.” The other Ari cradled the child close to her breast and theirs heaved a dry sob. Jack reflected that no matter how long ago you still hurt at the loss of a child and that child was Ari’s as much as if she had carried him in her own body.

The mist gathered before them again and Ari swayed in her saddle. “I’m sorry.” She whispered, “It’s so much clearer than in my memory. His soot streaked face…. The little burn he had on his shoulder that I put ointment on for weeks, it was hard to find the right herbs but I did it.” She slipped off the Blacks back, took two steps forward and fell to the ground as if axed.

“Ari!” Jack yelled, finding his way off the White’s back and running to her side. He turned her over and found that blood was running out of her nose and mouth. “Daniel get over here!” he ordered absently, not really sure what the archeologist could do.

“She said using magic too much could cause a brain hemorrhage but she didn’t use magic.” Daniel said, confused. He took her pulse as best he could. “Jack, her heart’s racing!”

“Oh shit, Daniel, what do we do?” Jack clutched her head to his chest hoping that his heartbeat would calm her as it had done before, even though his heart was racing almost as much as hers.

“You wait it out, Lad. That’s all you can do.” A voice came out of the mist. Jack and Daniel both turned to see a group of people approaching. Their leader was tall and strongly built with thick black hair and eyes of piercing blue. Jack stiffened in a defensive stance but the man only chuckled, “Calm down lad. I’m Conor UiMhaille or as you would pronounce it now, O’Malley.”

“You are THE….” Jack started, almost dropping Ari. But the man was kneeling there in a second to support her. Still as he tried to draw her away from the Colonel Ari moaned Jack’s name.

Conor’s eyes bore into his, as piercing as Daniel’s in their way, “It’s your choice, Lad.” He said calmly to Jack, with a side glance at Daniel.

Jack and Daniel shared a look both of them going over what they had seen and what it had cost Ari to reveal it. “Let her stay here.” Jack said, holding her close to his chest, “My heartbeat seems to help her. Now tell me how you can be here. You’re dead, aren’t you?” He hitched himself nearer to Daniel who he knew was still in a guarding position, ready to reach for his Berretta if necessary.

Conor sat back and the others gathered around him. Jack noticed that one was completely cloaked, his face hidden, and wondered why. He could see resemblances between some of the people but others were totally different, not even the same race although they were all dressed similarly. “You’re all O’Malley’s?” Daniel asked.

“That we are, Lad, but of course we are only a part of the entire tribe of us here in the Otherworld. I was raised by adoption after all so we tend to do it a lot. Ari, “ the man cast a tender look at Ariana who was starting to shiver. He nodded at some of the others who brought over one of the blankets and helped Jack and Daniel wrap her in it. Then, to Jack’s complete surprise the Black came round behind him and knelt down to provide a back rest. Conor just smiled, “Well she raised me right, taught me all the old ways. Taught me how to fight with a sword and to weave the words of peace and we learned together when it was right to do which. She sent me out to find my own love, a rare thing in that time. I found myself a bonny lass and then a bonny lad and we lived under her care, as have all the generations, born, adopted or fostered since. I’ve been around the Wheel a few times, in the Family of course, and she’s always kept us together no matter how many miles separate us, always kept us O’Malley.”

Jack was almost as spellbound as Daniel by the man’s speech until he noticed that Ari was struggling to breathe, “Hey, I thought this only happened when she used too much magic or something?” he said.

“Aye, “ Conor said sadly, “but the problem has always been that she’s too highly trained, like a harp strung too tight. She gets too highly stressed and the only way she really has to retreat is into her little death. For her more than any Immortal death is a part of her life.”

“It seems so unnecessary.” Daniel said, using a cloth given him to wipe the blood off Ari’s face. Jack noticed the tenderness with which he did this and knew Ari had caught Daniel’s affections too, at least as much as his. And facing a man from history who proudly proclaimed to be a polyamorous relationship as well Jack couldn’t feel so bad about it. Ari said they were easy to love but she was damned lovable herself. Now they just had to prove it to her.

“Rather a little Death, Daniel Jackson, then her sanity, which is the way some Immortals go.”

Jack was shook by the hitching of Ariana’s body in his arms as she fought for breath, her eyes opened and stared up at him desperately, as if he would vanish in a moment. Or, he suddenly thought repudiate her for her crimes, crimes she still carried on her soul. “Go, Ari,” he murmured, “I’ll…. We’ll be here when you get back.” Ari’s eyes went to Daniel who nodded then she closed them with a last sigh and didn’t breath again. Jack clutched her tighter instinctively. But Conor’s hands were on his and gently pried them off.

“The first time is always the hardest, Lad, I know.” Conor said, and he and the rest of the group settled Ari on some cushions and blankets that were produced while others where efficiently wrapped around Jack and Daniel, who were both somewhat in shock. A fire was started and they were given warm drinks to sip. All the time the Black remained behind them for them to lean on and all the time the small cloaked figure stood somewhat apart. When they were settled Conor sat in front of Jack, “Now you and I have some business of a sort, Jack me lad.”

Jack stiffened as did Daniel, “What do you mean. Ari said no oaths would be asked of us or anything. That she took our obligations onto herself.”

“Aye, she did and she’s paying for it right now. But I need to take over a matter of trust from you. When she came into the Otherworld looking, I did not know what to think. I had been among those who had tested her and Methos before their marriage and we did think that it was indeed forever. Then she comes to us horribly broken and starts to look for a way to start her life over. Even the Family had been tainted by his memory since we approved him. So I watched as she Looked and I Saw what she Saw. I Saw you, the four of you, SG-1. And I saw someone else, someone I thought might be lost and need a Family. So, without Ariana’s knowledge I need to add, I went looking for him. I’ve been here a long time and I know the grey places where people can get lost on their way.” Conor turned to the cloaked figure who hesitantly drew nearer, at the big man’s nod the little figure pulled back the hood of his cloaks and Jack’s vision went grey.

Dimly he felt Daniel holding him up as he fought through the haze over his eyes, “Charlie?” he croaked, almost feeling like he was dying himself. His boy stood in front of him, looking exactly as he had the day before he’d died, except he was dressed in the ancient clothing the rest of the group was wearing. Jack reached out desperately and tugged the boy to him to feel his solidity. “Oh God Charlie!”

“Yes Daddy I’m here. I’ve missed you so much! And I’m so so sorry! And I have so much to tell you Daddy!”

Charlie seemed about to run off with a list but Jack pulled him away and put his fingers to his son’s lips, “Just….just a minute, Charlie, let me, let me just look at you for a minute okay.” The boy grinned with a mirror of Jack’s own expression and Jack let his fingers roam through the boy’s hair, over the place where his skull was blown away by the bullet from Jack’s gun. “I can’t believe it.” He whispered.

“Believe it, Jack.” Daniel said, rubbing his back, “I see him too.” Daniel stretched his hand forward, “I’m honored to meet you Charlie.”

Charlie grinned wider and shook Daniel’s hand, “Thank you Daniel, for saving my Daddy’s life the first time, on Abydos…… and all the other times since then.”

“You know?” Jack said in wonder and trepidation, he didn’t want his son knowing all the things that he had done!

“Some of the things Daddy.” Charlie said, “Some of the things Conor won’t let me see yet. He says those things have to between you and me. You were really funny during those time loops Daddy!” the boy giggled and Jack blushed.

“Oh?” asked Daniel, who had never gotten a straight story about what Jack had done during that time.

“Later Daniel. What business do we have regarding my son, Conor?” he asked seriously.

“Do you trust me to take care of your boy until you can join him Jack? May he officially be an O’Malley as well as an O’Niell. You’re the boy’s father it is for you to say.”

Jack thought about it, he and Sara had been raising Charlie in the Church before the blast off a gun and a few trips through the Stargate had destroyed Jack’s Faith, and this place was about as far from the Church as could be. But then why had his innocent son been left in this grey place that Conor talked about. Then he remembered Ariana talking about personal choice so he turned to his son. “What do you think, Charlie, do you want to stay here and be an O’Malley?”

Charlie’s face beamed, “Oh yes Daddy, there’s so much to do here! I mean some of it’s definitely not like home like slopping the pigs and herding cows and sheep, but it’s kinda fun anyway. There’s no cars or others peoples yards or anything to worry about and everybody here has been so nice, especially Conor. He’s teaching me a real old game called uh…” Charlie turned toward Conor.

“Hurling lad, Just the thing to build good muscles and nimble feet.”

“Yeah Hurling, and I’m teaching them how to play baseball. We can’t play hockey since there’s never any ice here.”

Jack smiled over at Conor, “He certainly seems to like it here.”

“We try to make it a good place. And since our intentions effect the environment we usually succeed. But know this I intend to teach the boy the Old Laws so he can live with us in harmony. They are ancient and honorable I assure you. And here we have no war.”

Jack looked to his resident cultural expert for advise, “From what’s been passed down, Jack, I’d think you’d approve. There are theories that the Chivalric tradition started from Celtic roots. Arthur and his Knights were Brythonic Celts after all.”

Jack thought about it for a moment and looked at Conor looking at his son as well as the others, they all obviously held the boy with affection and love. //Maybe family is more than blood ties. After all it’s been true for me and SG-1.// Jack nodded firmly, “Conor I think I’d be pleased to have Charlie in your care.” A general cheer was raised and Jack sank into the almost forgotten bliss of his son’s embrace.

“Oh thank you Daddy! And you be happy with Daniel and maybe Ari too okay?” Jack pulled him back to search his sons face, Charlie shrugged, “The first thing they taught me here is that love is a gift that shouldn’t be refused. Even Jesus said that love is good.” The boy nodded very definitely.

“I don’t think he meant…” Jack started.

“How do we know, Jack.” Daniel interrupted softly, “With how many times that particular book has been edited, how do we know?”

Jack looked at him and nodded slowly, “Yeah, how do we know?”

Daniel turned to Conor, “How did you find him? Why not well, …..”

“Your parents, or Shau’re?” Conor said knowingly, “They had firm beliefs, lad. They knew where they were going. You sent Shau’re off with the rites of her homeland yourself. It’s only the young ones that get lost and then only sometimes. I took a chance and used the most basic power of all, “Conor ruffled Charlie’s hair just as Jack might, “ The power of his Name. He answered and I was glad of it. It’s been a while since I’ve had such a lively lad around and he is, perhaps, preparing me for another round of the Wheel. Truthfully I’ve been learning as much from him as he is from me.” Conor looked around and stiffened alertly at an almost unnoticed change in the atmosphere, “Now, it’s time for you to use the power of the Name, Jack. She’s trying to come back and you may just be able to help her. Call her name, Jack.” he said, pointing to the recumbent body of Ariana, who looked to all purposes dead.

“Why me?” Jack was torn between going over to Ari and keeping a grip on his son.

“You’re her Commander, and her anchor. You just might be able to bring her back, otherwise she might be lost for a time. Call her name, Jack.” Conor almost begged.

“Please Daddy.” Charlie added, “She needs help. Even I can feel it.”

Jack kissed his son’s forehead, “Okay, Charlie.” He released his son and went over to the woman that had changed his present, past and seemed destined to change his future. He put a gentle hand on her face, “Ari, Ariana, come back to us. Come on Ari, it’s time to wake up.” He said feeling a bit foolish but at his words the to all appearances dead woman drew in a great gasp and her panicked eyes locked on to his. “It’s okay Ari, just come back now.” He helped her sit up as she began to cough.

“Dan….Daniel?” she choked, “Daniel’s still here?”

“I’m right here Ari, why are you afraid?” Daniel asked concerned.

Ari leaned forward and coughed up a large clot of blood, then leaned back into Jack’s embrace, “I thought after you saw what I was, what I did, you might choose to go your own way. Even ascend again, it’s still always your choice while you walk the path.”

Daniel’s forehead wrinkled, “It didn’t even occur to me. I don’t want to be parted from Jack for one thing and.” He came over and put a tender hand to Ari’s face as well. “I don’t think I want to be parted from you either.” Ari started to protest, “Ah Ari, you know it’s the truth. This middle way you’ve shown us might not make us ‘one with the universe’ but I was starting to get the impression that that phrase was another name for stagnation. I’m back on the road of discovery and I love it!” And Jack could tell from the gentle smile on the man face he was coming to love her as well, just as Jack felt his heart soften for her. //Oh boy, this is going to get complicated.//

Ari’s smile to him was grateful and radiant and Jack felt a surge of feeling in him, whatever happened he wanted to see that expression as much as possible. Then Conor cleared his throat and spoke in a formal tone, “O’Malley,” he said, obviously addressing Ariana, “We have a new member in the clan.”

Ari’s forehead wrinkled, “New member?” Then she looked around Jack’s shoulder and gasped, “Charlie! By the sweet Gods!”

“You know him.” Jack really didn’t question.

“Of course Jack, I know most of your life. I most certainly know what propelled you into the Stargate. But I thought he would have been….. elsewhere.”

Conor leaned back obviously pleased with himself, “Ach, I had an inkling that the poor lad was lost so I went on Quest for him and I was right.”

Ariana sat up straight and a stray glimmer seemed to catch in her torc, “And you have permission from his father?” she asked formally.

Jack answered, “He does, O’Malley.” Picking up on her formal title and feeling that this exchange could have happened just this way a thousand years ago as well as today. Jack had always had trouble understanding Daniel’s passion about the past, the days problems were enough for him. But now, he suddenly saw clearly, that everything they were now as a human society rested upon a pyramid of what had happened before……..the knowledge was all there, in Ariana’s gaze.

She surveyed them all with a surprisingly regal glance, and another facet of her fitted into Jack’s mind. This was a woman used to ruling and yet she had put herself under his command but that didn’t seem to preclude her rule over her Family. Strange. Then she smiled and reached out her arms for Charlie, who was welcomed with a fierce hug and a kiss on the forehead. “Thank you, O’Malley. My honor is yours.” He said as he’d obviously been coached to do..

“Ah Charlie O’Niell O’Malley,” she said tracing a finger down the side of his face. “Twice Irish and twice blessed. But Charlie, your honor is your own to make or to mar. You must always remember that.”

Charlie looked around confused and so was Jack but Conor smiled, “That’s the first lesson she taught me, my lad.” He explained, “And we all get it from her. Now the rest of your life is to find out what honor is.”

Ari smiled at the boy, “Let me give you a hint, twice blessed boy,” she whispered to him just loud enough for them to hear, “It all begins and ends with love.”

Charlie looked to his father for confirmation. Jack shrugged, “It’s the best answer I’ve ever heard.”

Charlie nodded, looking thoughtful, “I’ll remember.”

“Good.” Ari approved and Jack could definitely see how she had been a mother to generations. Then she looked over at Conor with a twinkle in her eye, “I suppose you’d like us to rest here for awhile?”

Conor looked at her seriously, “Ari, you just died, you’ll need some rest before you can ride on. Plus you’d not be pulling Jack-lad away from his son so fast.” He said confidently.

Ari settled back down on the cushions wearily, “No, Conor I would not. Just remember, no matter what is given them; food, drink, clothes, whatever, the obligation is MINE, no one else’s. I will have it no other way.” Her eyes were already closed but her tone was the command of a true ruler.

“At your will, O’Malley.” Conor bowed his head then reached out to Jack with a merry smile.” Now come and hear how your young one is fitting in with us.”

Jack reached out and hugged his son, wanting to soak up as much of this time as he could. Behind him he heard Ariana softly whisper, “Daniel, could you hold my hand while I’m asleep. I don’t want to bother Jack. Not now, it wouldn’t be right.”

“Of course, Ari.” The compassionate man said back without hesitation, “I won’t leave your side.” And Jack smiled at the caring he heard in his partners voice.

Jack really couldn’t tell how long he listened to Charlie tell him about what his, for lack of a better word, life was like. It seemed the rustic, semi-nomadic life of these people suited his son well and Conor was also at their side giving Jack an update on things that Charlie learned to do well and those things not so well. One story was the first time Charlie had been sent out with the other ‘boys’ to mind the cattle and Charlie had been so busy explaining about some video game or other that the head bull had wandered away, taking the rest of the herd with him. As punishment he was sent out with the recaptured cattle alone for the next period of time.” We’ve learned to tell time here of a sort, Jack.” Conor said, when asked, “It was about a week and the herd gave him a merry chase every day of it too.” He laughed and even Charlie giggled, reddening slightly.

“So that’s how punishments are here?” Jack asked. He really didn’t want to get the idea of Conor, or anyone, raising a hand to his son. That was something he simply didn’t want to hear!

“The Old Ways went more for reparations than corporal punishments, Jack. If only because corporal punishment might damage someone to the point of not being useful anymore. A case in point is if a lad shows disrespect of the duties of a lass, he is sent for a time to perform those duties and find out just how hard they really are. I remember when Ari first did that to me, I showed a great deal of respect for the women folk from then on!” Conor laughed. “And sometimes a lad or a lass will find out that they like that other life so much that they take it as their own and more blessing to them. Many are the Stories about our women warriors, less well known are the tales of our male weavers and clothiers and such but still if one is happy in ones living….” Conor shrugged.

“But this isn’t living, it’s the afterlife isn’t it?” Jack asked, “I mean will Charlie grow up?”

“To us the afterlife and the lands that our Gods live in are one, as well as could be reached by some of those still living, like you and Daniel and of course Ari so this is pretty much what we all expected. And your Charlie will grow, if he wishes, he may wait for you to join him.”

“But…. But I’m not sure I’ll join him.” //I probably belong in hell.//

“It all depends on where you truly believe you belong, Jack. You might not have ever thought of yourself as much,” Conor looked at him with wise eyes, “or even worse than that, deserving of punishment. But I tell you now that Ariana O’Malley would not pick just ANYONE to be her Commander and she has the experience of millennia of conflicts. I’ve been through life and Death a few times so I know the raw power of belief. And, at the end, if you have doubts Ari can guide you, she has guided generations over the threshold between life and death. It is the last blessing those O’Malley’s who ask it feel in their Earthly life.” Conor’s face was sober, “And it is the one that causes her the most pain.”

“But she can still see you…. Here.”

“She rarely comes here, Jack. She must pay a price for each visit and she never knows what the Gods may ask. Although this last time she paid the price before she came.” Conor’s eyes were hard.

“Methos.” Jack said in a grim voice.

“Yes, and he desecrated the most sacred rite we know in doing so. He will be called to penance and those are not light like the laws of the People. Each penance tests a persons most inner being. He will face much for his crime, and it may take more than a mortal lifetime to make things right.”

Jack thought a moment, “If she has to pay a price to come here, will I have to pay a price to see my son?” He didn’t really want to be permanently separated from Charlie again, he’d pay any price asked.

“Not you Jack, you do not dwell between the Worlds. Ariana is your hostage in this, always. If you wish to come, she would have to pay the price.”

Jack grimaced at that thought but Conor put an arm over his shoulders, “Don’t you know she’d pay the price a hundred times over for you Lad?” he asked softly.

“I can’t ask…”

“She’ll see your need. I’ve never seen anybody hide a real longing need from that woman very long. She was born to serve her people, and trained to such a sensitivity that she refuses to train others to. Most of the time she can keep it in control but with those she’s closest to, “Conor shook his head, “Not a chance. She doesn’t ‘peek’, but if it aches in you she’ll know.”

“I don’t get it, Conor. Why would people train someone to such a sensitivity? It’s gotta cause her pain and her ‘deaths’ don’t look like fun.”

“They told her it would make her sensitive enough to feel the changes of the Earth better and maybe it did, she won’t say. But she was at the forefront of changing the training among the people of the Isles. She and I traveled a lot during my first life on Earth, and I know she’s traveled at other times just for that purpose. She herself has eradicated certain herbs that caused her heightened sensitivity so that there could be no more with her vulnerabilities. She helped develop new ways to sense the Earth Mother and the Gods. It wasn’t a penance and she never Oathed it but I think she promised herself that the practice would die with her. In many ways, she is the last of her kind.”

“She said she wanted Daniel to help her figure out if she had done more harm than good with her life. I think that definitely counts on the positive side.”

“We may think so but she sees how the modern world is treating our Mother Earth and she isn’t sure.” Conor started walking Jack back towards where Ari lay. “She needs eyes not so close that can see clearly. She has great faith in your Daniel.”

“So do I, on many things. He’s the best man I know.” Jack looked over his shoulder, Charlie seemed to have been roped into some kind of foraging party. “Do you think we could stay here….. for a while. I really don’t want to leave yet.”

“I know, you miss your boy.” Conor said, “Ask Ari, she is your guide. She will know if steps are necessary. I would have told her about Charlie when she was on her way to you but she was moving with the fury of a storm.”

Jack nodded, thinking of what he was going through before Ari got to him and suddenly aware she had probably been feeling some of it too. She had said that when she Oathed that she became aware of all of SG-1 to a certain extent but mostly to Daniel and himself. No wonder Conor couldn’t have caught her!

They approached the fire pit that had been kindled to warm Daniel and him earlier. There were now more fire pits around them as a camp of some kind was made. Ari was laying on the cushions and Daniel was right by her side as he had promised but the Immortal’s sleep was anything but as peaceful as it had been with Jack beside her. “You could have come got me.” He said to Daniel mildly.

Daniel shrugged, “Tried but she woke enough to say ‘No’ and ‘Charlie’. Then she made sure I couldn’t get out of her grip and nobody else around here would go for you.”

“Damn, doesn’t she think she’s important at all?” Jack sat down on the other side of Ariana from Daniel and shook her shoulder, “Ari,” he said, shaking her to at least half awareness, “Ari if you needed me you should have sent for me. I could have talked to Charlie here.”

“No,” she mumbled, “ not important, mustn’t be selfish this time.” Her eyes were still closed and Jack was pretty sure she was still asleep but he was getting some valuable information.

“Ari, when the hell have you ever been selfish?” From what Jack had seen she was anything but.

“With Methos. Took him from Duncan. Was unnecessary. Surplus to requirements. Just an experience. Just a waste.” Ari mumbled deliriously. Conor cursed behind him and Jack saw Daniel’s face turn white as he felt his own turn red with anger.

“Dammnit Ari, wake up now!” he commanded and obedient as she always was to that tone in his voice her eyes popped open. She looked at them all, horrified at what she had just revealed. “Is that what that asshole said to you the morning after he raped you? Report!” He kept it strictly on a command basis, knowing that that was the only way he’d get an answer.

“Yes, yes, that.” She gasped, clutching his arms, “That I was just the way the Gods helped him find his soulmate and it’s true Methos and Duncan are soulmates, I saw it before they did.”

Jack moved forward to clutch her chin with his hand and force her eyes to meet his. “Well he’s an asshole and I’m your Commander. You are necessary until I say other wise. Do you understand?!” He shouted at her as if she were a raw recruit and saw Daniel flinch but he was pretty sure that this would break through self-hatred she had built around herself. He couldn’t promise more quite yet but he sure as hell could do this.

Ari nodded and gulped air as he held her gaze with his, he told her in that gaze that he was not giving up on her so she had no right in hell to give up herself. He had done this for other people under his command before and it was easy to do it now. Then as she steadied he softened his grip and his gaze, “Anyway, without you I’d still be back with Ba’al, Daniel would still be ascended and we would still be separate and miserable. Most important of all, I wouldn’t know that my son was in a safe, good place where he’s happy. That was always the worst, I was never sure.” He was smoothing the back of his fingers down her cheek now, “If that asshole called you selfish, then he didn’t know you I don’t think. All’s I’ve ever seen you do is give. So put that nightmare away, it’s not you.” He looked to Conor for back up, he had known her the longest.

“You only believe that because he caught you between Goddess and human when you are most vulnerable to thoughts and he knew it. He is a blasphemer and a desecrater of the highest order.”

A new calm baritone voice came out of the mist, “I am well aware of that Conor. I have already been called to judgment and penance.” Out of the mist walked a tall lean, hawk faced man with intent hazel eyes. He wore a loose long sleeved shirt of navy and black jeans, over it a long black coat that could easily hide a sword. Within a breath Ari was up, and between him and Jack and Daniel, her sword drawn from nowhere. Jack reached for his P-90 and Daniel drew his Beretta while Conor rose to his feet, drawing his own blade.

“Methos.” Ari said in a calm quiet voice and Jack almost shot the man on principle. Only the knowledge that he would just get right back up stopped him.

“Ari.” Methos said in the same kind of steady voice. This was two warriors sizing each other up and Jack knew everything could turn on a hair. He hoped Charlie and his foraging party were well away. Then the man drew his sword, plunged it’s tip into the ground, and stepped quite far away. “I’m unarmed now.”

“Hardly.” Ariana snorted, “Strip.”

Methos face broke into incredulous laughter, “You must be joking.”

“Oh come on Methos.” Ari said in a silky tone that barely covered the danger in her voice, “You’ve always got one more knife. I’m a guide right now. It is my duty to see that my charges are unharmed in this land. Strip down……completely.”

Methos hesitated and Jack thought he saw the lean man sway towards his sword then he must have seen something in Ari’s face because he took another two steps back from it and started to strip down. As he did Jack was damn glad she had ordered it, the man seemed to have knives stowed everywhere. Methos seemed a bit amused by Jack’s amazed glance, “It’s a dangerous world for an Immortal, who ever you are.”

“You can call me Colonel, “Jack said, Conor’s words about the power of a name ringing in his skull. He tipped his head towards Daniel, “And him Doctor. That will do for now.” He shot a warning glance at Daniel who seemed about to protest.// Don’t you dare give him any advantage, Daniel. Not this guy.// He tried to convey in his gaze.

Methos shrugged nonchalantly. He slipped off his shirt and his pants with conscious grace then raised an eyebrow at Ari. “All the way?”

“All the way Methos, you don’t have anything I haven’t seen before.” Ari said calmly.

Methos slipped off his boxers (and another knife) and almost posed. Jack had to admit he was good looking, a long lean swimmers body with firm musculature that his clothes had hidden. For a moment Jack felt inadequate, then he remembered what the guy had done and how so many goua’lds were equally attractive. “Okay,” Ari said, lowering her sword slightly from guard position, “You can put the boxers back on, JUST the boxers.”

The man smirked, it looked like a habitual expression, “I thank you for a modicum of modesty.”

Ari nodded like a queen granting an award, “You don’t see yourself as Death any longer?” she asked, mildly interested.

“Guess not.” Methos busied himself with covering himself then looked up at her through his eyelashes, “You broke me of that.”

“Death?” Daniel asked, and Jack cursed him silently for the thousandth time for not keeping his mouth shut in a tense situation.

“You didn’t tell them of all my sins, Ari?” Methos asked lightly.

“Only the ones that matter.” Ari answered steadily. “But if you insist. Doctor, this man and three of his ….. brethren of the sword were the basis for the story of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. He was Death.” Daniel chocked, “Don’t worry, my friend. He knows better than to face the Voice of War.”

“Yes well, I gave up my title but then you never did. It’s a part of you, perhaps a part your new friends should know about?” Methos asked.

“Why are you here, Methos?” Ari said wearily.

“To pay the first part of my penance and make your Commander aware of all your vulnerabilities. Your Father requested it.” Methos said defensively. “And to make you aware of the rest of it, because it’s going to impact your new life. At least that’s what they tell me.”

Ariana swore extensively for several minutes, using several languages. Sitting down but still placing herself between them and Methos and keeping her sword at her side. At one point Daniel cocked his head at her, “Busybodies? Gods are…..busybodies?”

Ariana rolled her eyes, “Like you wouldn’t believe my friend. Especially when you’ve been their favorite …. representative for centuries.”

“Well you’ve got to admit there are not many left like you.” Methos said, seriously.

“Or like you.” Ari acknowledged but the same time her voice twisted it to remind Methos of the crime he had committed. Jack saw the man wince as it hit the mark. “So begin your penance, my Commander is here.” Ari did not indicate whether it was Jack or Daniel but the older Immortal must have had a clue cause he focused on Jack.

“Okay Colonel, since it’s a bit chilly I’ll make this brief. As you’ve probably already experienced, Ari fights with her heart, her whole heart. And she can still be the Voice of War which means she can move with goddess like speed and skill, faster than you would ever believe. In a battle situation this is fine, it may even save you or her but other things set her off too. Sometimes it will be in a simple spar, it’s happened. Sometimes it will be if someone threatens someone she loves and it can happen quite suddenly, even when she fights it. Watch her eyes, Colonel, if they go deep black, she’s about to lose it. Shoot first and aim for the heart, take her down before she kills someone she doesn’t want to.”

“You got to be friggin kidding….”Jack started then felt Ari’s hand on his wrist.

“He’s right…..Colonel. To my shame I am still a berserker and though I’ve gained great control over it, some things will still trigger it.” Then Jack felt something totally weird, he felt Ari’s voice in his mind, **If someone threatened you, Daniel, or SG-1, I would lose it, Jack. He’s telling the absolute truth.**

Jack blinked but tried not to give away that anything had passed between them, it was still a tactical situation he felt. “Okay, so we have to be careful sometimes. I’ll remember, anything else?”

“You know about Beltane?”

“Oh yeah, we know about Beltane.”// And what you did you son of a bitch!//

Methos coughed, “Well, there is the other end of the scale, at Samhain, Halloween, the day of the dead. As that day draws near Ari’s heart will slow down and then finally cease to beat, her blood to flow, although she will still act alive. She will only take breath to speak. On that night she will open the Gates for the Dead, a way for them to speak to the living.”

“It’s not as bad as it sounds, guys.” Ari said, “They always tell me who their messages will be for so I can have them there and the messages are usually brief.”

“And you will bleed dry by the dawn, and be lost for days in death and trances.” Methos continued.

“Not necessarily, Methos,” Ari countered, “The Colonel has already shown that he can call me back.”

For the first time Methos looked less than self assured, “He called you BACK? No one’s ever….”

“He did.” Ari shut him out cold. Jack felt a surge of almost …… triumph. There was something he did that no one had ever done before. Daniel’s half glare warned him to keep it serious, but he still couldn’t stop a smug grin.

Methos bowed his head, “I stand corrected. Congratulations Colonel.” He sighed and went on, “I assume she has told you about her magic. Well, I’m here to tell you of the prices she pays; it’s usually blood and death. She has a will that can hold it off until it’s safe but she WILL always pay for what she has done.”

“A price I will pay willingly, even gladly.” Ariana said in a firm, confident voice.

“Truly?” Methos asked, he looked like he was probing an old wound.

“As sure as the sea meets the shore.” Ariana’s determination was as hard as diamond.

Methos bowed his head with something like regret. Maybe the other man had loved her, Jack thought, but he had also chosen another and punished her when the choice didn’t go well. He had lost something precious, something Jack was only beginning to discover. Jack made a promise to himself then; that no matter what happened or didn’t happen between Daniel, Ariana, and himself he would never hurt her the way this man had. Hurt her to the point where she withdrew herself completely.

“Well,” Methos said, breaking into Jack’s thoughts, “That’s the first part of my penance paid. The rest ….. well, I don’t pretend to know what it is that you people do, I haven’t been told yet. All I know is that you may get certain orders from the President and/or the Pentagon that could be detrimental to you. I’m to take an at least,” he emphasized the last two words, “semi-public position to moderate those orders or to just make sure they don’t happen.”

“Oh,” Ari said, “Facing your phobia of being in the public eye, even maybe attracting Immortal attention.”

Methos nodded, “Yeah, as usual the Gods know where to strike the hardest and their penances are also a test. Hopefully I can pull this off with everything else going on.”

Ariana’s brow wrinkled in confusion, “What’s going on?”

Methos sighed, and Jack could see how weary he was, “Duncan’s gone……..dark, Ari, very dark. He’s even alienated Joe, who is on his way to Ireland to become your Watcher. He’s not….Hunting, yet, but he won’t let anyone near him; not even Amanda.”

“Oh,” Ari sighed, “Oh, this isn’t good.”

“That’s putting it mildly.” Methos murmured.

Jack put his hand on Ariana’s arm and turned her a bit, “What’s going on? Anything that we need to worry about?”

Ari dropped her head, “I don’t know, we may have to. Sometimes, for various reasons or even no reason at all, an Immortal can go dark and cruel, start to delight in pain or start Hunting Immortals for the sheer rush of the Quickening. I don’t like it, Duncan MacLeod’s always been one of the best of us, always.”

“But he’s young,” Methos said, “only 400 years old and he wouldn’t be the first to go down this path.” It was slight but Jack could hear a shadow of guilt in Methos’ voice.

Ariana looked out into the mists, her eyes unfocused, “There is an outside influence in this.” She said in a sleepy voice, almost sighing it. “The first chance was missed and so it cannot truly be combated until the Young God is in full ascendancy.” Jack felt a chill, the woman he knew as Ariana was not sitting next to him, she had been replaced by something ancient and eldritch.

Methos bowed his head in utter respect for the presence before him, “I hear you, Lady, and I will be ready to act.”

“You will not be alone. This one must act with you. As Lord and Lady you must act to bring back the Light to a benighted soul.”

Methos looked rebellious but eventually bowed his head again, “Yes, Lady, at your will.” They all waited a while as Ariana continued to stare into the mists. Finally Methos looked at Jack, “If you can bring her back, Colonel, I suggest that you do it or I’m not sure how long we’ll be sitting here. She gets lost easily at times, especially here.”

Jack frowned at Methos but put a gentle hand to Ariana’s face and turned it towards him. He could tell from her eyes that she didn’t really see him. “Ari, come back. Don’t get lost out there. Come back now.” He put all his powers of command into his voice and it worked. Immediately her hand came up to hold his against her cheek and her eyes focused on him. “There you are.” He couldn’t help but smile.

Ariana bit her lip on what Jack knew was his name then smiled, “Thank you for bringing me back, Colonel. It’s so easy to get lost in this land when I See.” She looked around at the others, “What did I See?”

Methos seemed unwilling to answer so Daniel did, “You said that There was an outside influence on what I assume to be….. Duncan. And that it could only be combated when the Young God was in ascendancy.” He sounded a little confused, as if he had an idea of what was meant but wasn’t sure.

“That would be at Midsummer, Summer Solstice , when the Sun is highest in the sky.” She looked keenly at Methos face, “What else did I See?” she asked him.

Methos cleared his throat uncomfortably, “That you and I must face it as Lord and Lady.” He said wincingly.

Ariana went dead white and clutched for Jack’s hand, “What?” the Colonel asked in reaction.

Ariana whispered, “That means at Beltane Methos still must be the Lord and claim his Lady.”

Daniel gasped and Jack growled, “Over my dead body! After what he did to you!” He started to get up to follow his first instinct and beat Methos into the ground but Ariana pulled him back down.

“So I condemn someone to darkness of the soul…… maybe forever?” Ari asked him seriously, “And maybe condemn other Immortals to losing their heads? You are my commander and you CAN stop this but you have to take into account the price…. On either side of the decision.” Ari waited, looking into Jack’s eyes.

Jack turned away from Ari’s emerald gaze to the cerulean one that had been his moral compass for years. Daniel, as always, was ready. “Remember when you had me destroy Thor’s Hammer? This feels like the same decision.”

Jack nodded, “Okay, I’ll ….. let it ride.” Then he glared at Methos, “But if you so much as scratch her I swear I’ll take your head myself!”

“And I would take his Quickening, as I would no matter who takes his head.” Ariana looked over at Jack with calm eyes, giving her Commander the facts he needed, “Methos carries one of the most powerful Quickenings on Earth, as do I, what it would do to me……well I don’t like to imagine it.”

“Then when Ariana suicides?” Daniel questioned Methos.

The older Immortal nodded sharply, “The last part of my penance.”

“I don’t like this, I REALLY don’t like this.” Jack muttered. He did not want to see Ariana with this man who had raped her and started such self hate in her as he had witnessed.

Ariana sighed wearily, “We don’t always have to like the decisions before us, my Commander. We just have to live with them.”

“Yes we do,” answered Methos in a voice just as weary, “But you have my pledge, Colonel, that I will not hurt her in the Rite and I will bring her back to you, personally, when we are released from our duty.”

All that Jack could do was nod. He just mostly wanted this man to go away now, before anything else could happen that would cause them to fear the future. “This is so far out of my league I couldn’t see it with the Hubble.” He muttered.

“You’d be surprised at what becomes commonplace in time, Colonel.” Ari said softly, soothingly, “After all you sort of take your current assignment for granted and the first time….” She smiled at him and he felt a soothing touch float across his mind. She did not want him in pain for what could not be avoided, it would only bring her more pain he realized so he let it go.

“Well that’s my mission done here.” Methos said, getting to his feet, “Be well Ari. Oh you might be interested to know that Adam Pierson suicided by jumping off the cliffs of Mourne, body was lost at sea of course. You are a widow and can go back to being what you really are, Ariana O’Malley.” He gave her a twisted grin.

“Oh.” Ari said softly, “Then who will be in Washington?”

“Oh, I finally settled on Adam Weatherwax.” he grinned, “I thought you’d appreciate it.”

Ariana snorted, “Yeah, you can be as stubborn as she is. And she too stands at the edges of things.”

“All to be used for your best interest now. That’s the number one goal, They told me, to ease the life you have chosen as best I can.” He gathered up his clothing and walked into the mist like a prince wearing royal robes, “I’ll be in touch.” Floated out of the mist just as he disappeared.

“Ari, what’s going to happen?” Daniel asked, kind of like a child needing reassurance.

Ari smiled at him gently, “I’m not really sure, Daniel, the future is mutable and very fluid. Things can change on a dime with one step taken instead of the other. The trick is to accept that there is no one, right and true path but just many paths that bring many outcomes.” She put a hand on the troubled archeologist’s shoulder and shook him slightly. “Concentrate on today, Daniel, don’t let the possibility of danger tomorrow dim the brilliance of the now, but revel in it so it can armor you against any darkness.”

“Is that how you’ve lived your life?” Daniel asked her.

Ari looked down, “Not always. In my youth I was terribly serious, always taking time to consider the paths I was taking. But I grew older and learned to revel in simple things like a baby’s smile, a child’s laugh and the warmth of my family around me without seeing doom behind every shadow. Perhaps it is a willful blindness but it let’s me LIVE.”

“You can’t live in the past.” Jack mused quietly.

“Or in the future.” Ari agreed, “You can only live the now as best and as hard as you can.”

“Mmmmmm, speaking of the now.” Jack said, “I know that there are people worried about me back home and stuff, but would it be possible to spend a couple of days here…. With Charlie. I mean, it’s been so long.” Jack felt a lump in his throat and Daniel’s hand caressing his back.

Ariana smiled gently, “Of course Jack, but to do so we must take certain precautions or rather…..notifications. There are people back in your world that are worried about you and well,” Ariana ducked her head, “I love them too.”

“How do you know….” Daniel started then shook his head with a rueful grin, “Silly question isn’t it? You watched us so you watched them. And of course you care for them.”

“They are worth caring about.” Ariana said calmly then turned to Conor, “We’ll need a magic fire, cara. Collect the woods.” The big Celtic warrior nodded and was off like a shot. Jack had never seen such absolute obedience; he guessed it came from Ari being Conor’s mother as well as his leader, and maybe a few other things thrown in for good measure. “Come, we must move a bit away from the others.”

“Is this dangerous?” Daniel asked, frowning, even as he and Jack got to their feet.

“Not exactly but it is private and in nine cases out of ten magic is simply knowing just a bit more than someone else, mystery is all. That is why Mannanan, who is the original teacher of magic is called the Keeper of the Mysteries.”

Jack shrugged his shoulders a bit uncomfortably, “You know, when you put it that way it really doesn’t sound much different than the Goua’ld, knowing just that much more technology than the humans that they enslaved.”

“Very true Jack,” Ari said as she got down on her knees and started to dig another fire pit with her bare hands, “but there are miles of differences between enslaving humans and helping them keep the balances with each other and the Land.” She grinned up at them, “Or perhaps no more than the length of this Torc.” She fingered the golden noose around her neck, “All the True Gods have expended themselves for the People, long, long, before I was born and have in essence worn this Torc. They kept the Sacred Isles, Logres and Erin, free from influences not of the Earth. And then, when they were done, according to what I was taught, they retreated here to allow us the freedom of choice. It is not their fault I never made mine, it was the training of *men* that kept me from doing it.”

Daniel sighed, “So again the messages of God or a god are corrupted at the hands of men.”

“And hasn’t the spirit that was in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution been corrupted or misused to this very day by those such as Kinsey?” Ari said absently as she measured out the fire pit and made sure that it was exactly circular. Conor came back with a couple of others, carrying nine separate bundles of wood. Ariana held out a hand and three pieces of paper appeared in it, in her other hand was a quill and ink. She handed them over to Jack with a solemn and slightly unfocused look. “I know Daniel would be better with these but they’ll be quicker to accept your handwriting, even as mysteriously as it will appear. One to Hammond, One to Carter, and one to Teal’c of course. A Sacred Trine.” She handed all the items to Jack.

“I’d uh” Daniel bit his bottom lips just a bit, which in turn distracted the Colonel just a bit, but he sternly forced it down, “make it short, sweet, and……believable as possible.”

“Yet you cannot lie, not even by omission.” Ariana’s voice was becoming strange, choral in a way. It seemed, to Jack opera trained ears, to be becoming complex with various tones and harmonies. He looked into her face and saw that she was again more than she usually seemed to be, she was reaching between Worlds.

Jack shared a look with Daniel and bit his own lip, then looked down at the objects in his hands. He didn’t have anything to lay things out to write upon but before he could protest, Ariana passed her hand under his and a stone, perfect in shape and form appeared. Jack was almost getting used to this. He laid the sheets of paper on the stone. “The same message for all three I think, that’ll be easier.” He frowned and looked at his lover, “Danny, you’re the one with the words, what do I say?”

The linguist looked from the papers, to Ariana, to Jack, “Start with the most important news first, and the most believable.”

Jack hummed in agreement, “Have been rescued from Ba’al.” he said, knowing somehow that it must be said as it was written. “Am traveling with an old companion and a new companion and am safe in their care.” He grinned at the two in question, Daniel grinned back but Ariana seemed far away. That sobered Jack and he bent to his writing, having some trouble with the quill and ink, but he knew that the mistakes and blots would make it more believable. “Am traveling in an unfamiliar area but our safety is pretty much assured. Have been delayed by a very old” Jack hesitated, how could he put the miracle of his son’s presence on paper and make it them believe, “memory. I beg indulgence for a couple of days until our journey to Alpha Site can resume. Try not to worry, I am bringing home something long missed and much loved.” Jack felt a power flow through him, from Ari, and from the ground beneath him as he wrote the last sentence, not as a soldier but as a friend and a man in love. Quickly holding onto that feeling he wrote those words again two times, again speaking the words as he wrote them. As soon as he was finished, he looked up at Ariana, but it was Conor who handed him a small, razor sharp knife.

“You must mark it, Lad. The Old Way, so it will go to your home, to your family as it were.” Conor said in a calm, steady voice.

“And they’ll be able to test it, “ Daniel said, his voiced a bit hushed, “like that note that came through the Stargate from wherever and whenever.”

“Right.” Jack nicked the base of his thumb and put a bloody thumbprint on to each of the papers. He looked them over and then folded them and handed them to Ariana. “Here they are.” Conor then, somewhat to Jack’s surprise, used modern military hand signals to make sure he and Daniel were on either side of her. He turned to Ari to ask the why and how but saw that she was already staring intently into the empty fire pit, totally focused on it.

Ari held out a hand imperiously and Conor places some sticks in her hand, “Birch.” He said, his voice solemn. She laid it down in the pit and fire ignited instantly from no where.

“Birch. Beith. First of the Year and the Goddesses’ Own.” Ariana sighed, but the force of her sigh shook them all. Conor grabbed for the ground but Jack and Daniel grabbed for Ari and each other, again forming a triangle.

Ariana held out her hand again. “Oak.” Conor said, placing it in her hand.

“Oak. Dair. Staff of Wisdom and Rod of power.” Ariana’s voice took on more strength as the fire grew a little.

“Hazel.”

“Hazel. Coll. Wood of the Faerie, Wood of this Land.” Again the offerings were laid down and again the fire grew more, if not higher then hotter. Jack could feel it bathe his skin and he couldn’t look away anymore.

“Rowan.”

“Rowan. Luis. The World Tree, from deepest depth to highest heights.” Daniel had now started speaking in unison with Ariana and fear struck Jack’s heart, this alien force was engulfing them. He fought it hard for a moment, then Daniel’s peaceful and loving gaze urged him to relax and accept ….. again. He did and he suddenly felt Daniel and Ariana with him and in him, in his mind and in his heart. Daniel was all wonder and joy and glowing excitement, Ariana was all love as she somehow took that and settled it into a steady thread of emotion-power to merge with her own. Jack *felt* them reach for him, needing his support and he could do nothing but give it. After all, it was ultimately for him.

“Hawthorne.”

“Hawthorne. Uath. The Bridal band, Beltane’s flower.” The three of them spoke as one now, although Jack was sure that at least one of the words he had never even heard of before. A part of his mind, still assessing, noted that Conor stayed free from whatever force that gripped him, Daniel, and Ariana, but he watched them carefully and guided them all. Jack had felt this before, except he had been in Conor’s place, guiding the three unique members of SG-1 as they moved through the galaxy.

“Willow.”

“Willow. Sail. Graceful Lady and First of Healer’s.” Somehow Jack’s mind moved with Daniel’s and Ariana’s to make connection between ancient knowledge and modern fact. Willow, the bark, probably *was* one of the very first discovered healing plants and was used to this day in the form of aspirin.

“Fir.”

“Fir. Tree of the Wheel. Of Birth and Rebirth.” The knowledge of what all that meant was acknowledged by the back of his mind but Jack started to focus on the small but growing image in the heart of the Fire. Cheyenne Mountain. His heart stirred as he started to smell the familiar, chill air, he poured that feeling into what they were doing and felt an even greater longing from Daniel who had been longer and farther away.

“Apple.”

“Apple. Ceirt. Heart of love and bringer of joy.” They seemed to be getting closer to the mountain, seeing it’s surface and all that lay below at once, like a vast intricate puzzle.

“Vine.” Conor’s slapped that wood into Ariana’s hand with a definite authority and Jack knew that they were nearing the end. Like him telling Daniel to Dial the Gate home.

“Vine. Muin. First initiator and invitation to the Sacred Mind.” Daniel’s mind was overwhelmed with thoughts of ancient Greek rites but Jack herded him back into what they were doing. Ariana took the first of the folded papers out, “To?” she asked.

“General Hammond.” Jack first was a soldier, he needed to report to his post.

“General George Hammond, leader of the SGC, Guide and Guard.” Ariana’s voice was full with fondness and even love, and a yearning as strong as their own to be in his presence. She thrust the paper into the fire but it did not burn. It sank into the fire and Jack could swear he saw it land on the General’s desk.

Ariana held out the next paper but she didn’t have to ask. “Major Carter.” He said and was surprised by the shock of fear that flowed through Ari and how her hand briefly shook.

“Major Samantha Carter. Sister, daughter, and” Ariana hesitated and gulped only continuing at Conor’s prod. “most feared one.” Again the paper sank through the fire and landed within the SGC, on Carter’s Lab table. Both he and Daniel were distracted and almost stopped to question until Conor wordlessly reminded them to attend to business. The third paper came forth.

“Teal’c” Jack answered shortly, uncomfortable with the new emotions flowing between them. However thought of the Jaffa seemed to steady Ariana and renew her focus.

“Master Teal’c of Chulak Brother in Arms and of Spirit.” Ariana said and the last paper went through, actually landing on Teal’c’s lap as he meditated. For a moment Jack even thought that the large warrior saw them somehow. Ariana held them all steady for a moment, nothing moved, nothing *breathed*. Then she thrust her hands down into the fire. Jack and Daniel tried to stop her but lost touch and with relief saw that the fire was extinguished under her hands as suddenly as it had been lit. It did however, put them into the perfect position to catch Ariana as she crumpled.

Jack turned her over with Daniel’s help, there was no blood but he expected it any second. “Oh, not again. Not today Ari, dammnit! Dying once a day is enough!” He said through clenched teeth.

“Jack.” Ari gasped and at that moment it didn’t sound much different to the Colonel’s ears then the hundreds of times Daniel had called out his name in warning or pain. He grabbed her hard, as if he would face her death and spit in it’s eye.

“Stay. With. Me.” Jack ordered steadily. Grief and guilt stabbed through him as he recognized that those three words, in just that tone, would have kept Daniel from going with Oma. Her felt his lover behind him, holding him as he held the immortal woman before him. He leaned back against Daniel, soaking in his strength to fuel Jack’s own. “Just stay, alright!” Jack said, losing his steadiness in the face of the fight.

Ariana breathing quickened for a few moments, then slowly steadied as her head again rested against his heart. After a few minutes as they were locked together, all three, she tilted her head up and he watched the emerald of her eyes slowly come to view. “Okay now, Colonel. Not sinking anymore. Looks like I’ve done my dying for today.” Jack relaxed and again he felt a familiar feeling, like the Iris had just closed behind him and all were present and accounted for. Triumph and exhaustion about covered it.

Conor immediately got up and started to summon the other people of the Family, of which Charlie was noticeably absent, to Jack’s relief. “Cool water and fresh meat and bread.” The oldest but one O’Malley commanded, “Congratulations lads you’ve come through your first spell, your first ritual, relatively unscathed.”

“You used all *nine* woods.” Ariana gritted out as she tried to untangle herself from Jack. Jack resisted for a moment, not wanting the connection between the three of them to be lost, but gave up feeling it already lessened. “*Nine* Conor!”

Conor bowed his head but grinned, “It was convenient……… and their *were* three of you.” He said with even more innocence than Daniel managed under fire. Centuries of practice, Jack assumed.

“Dammnit Conor, you set us on a course not even fully known to these two.” Ariana was fighting to stay mad, but she was also fighting the same exhaustion that was covering Jack and, he assumed, Daniel. They exchanged confused glances although there was a tiny spark of inspiration in Daniel’s eyes.

“What course Ari?” Daniel asked softly, partly to be calming but partly from fatigue.

Ari lay flat back on the grass and pounded one hand weakly upon it. “Jack was the instigator of the spell, you were the back up and I…… was the facilitator. Using all nine of the sacred woods it *might* set us onto a sacred course. A course that could lead My Commander to become My Lord.”

“Your Lord” Daniel’s face furrowed, “Like……. Like Methos?” Jack’s shoulder’s tensed, he didn’t know *anything* about this stuff.

Ariana hissed in displeasure, “Yes dammnit. But not without a conscious choice, several conscious choices, from both of you. And FULL BLOODY DISCLOSURE!!!!” The last statement was thrown into the sky like a challenge but the misty clouds didn’t seem to be moved by it. “Conor you shouldn’t have done it.” She ended wearily.

“Wasn’t my choice, O’Malley. When we went looking all nine were there in a circle, ready to be used.” Conor laid a hand on her shoulder as Ari weakly tried to sputter out another round of curses. “Everything is a test, O’Malley, and everything has a price.”

“But I am the hostage.” Ari said, still protesting.

Jack shook his head and leaned heavier into Daniel, who seemed the least drained by whatever had happened, “No, this was out side your price and your protection. This was……….. personal, for me alone.”

“But I *wanted*….” Ariana tried to protest again but was stopped by Daniel reaching out from where he supported Jack and laying fingers on her lips.

“Done is done, Ari. Live in the present, right? We’ll just be……. more careful next time.” Daniel wound his other arm around Jack, keeping him safe.

“If there is a next time.” Jack grunted, his nostrils picking up the scent of approaching meat. Three stomachs growled at the same time and Conor laughed while Ariana muttered something.

“And that is a price for them too, Ariana, already.” Conor looked into Jack’s questioning gaze. “What she said basically translates into ‘Next time over my headless corpse.’”

“Ah.” Jack said, “I think that would be against standing orders, Ariana, as in ‘never leave anyone behind’. Got it.” The last two words were a stern command and her eyes snapped to his, briefly they fought for dominance in their gazes but Ari dropped her eyes first, bound by Oaths she believed in.

“Yes, my Commander.” She sighed in defeat. “Conor, you are still under my command, feed us, now!”

The old Celt grinned and turned away to gather their feast.


The feast, for it definitely WAS a feast, was quickly gathered for them. Jack was not surprised to see Conor lift Ariana to a sitting position, lean her against him, and feed her by hand. She was almost too exhausted to chew but every time she tried to slip away into sleep he would talk softly to her to rouse her, or Jack would himself. Slowly the hollow within them all filled and they were able to lay back and rest on the cushions gathered and the three horses who were really weren’t horses providing backrests. As the Immortal woman drifted off into a sleep that none of them could stop this time Jack grinned wearily over at Conor. “I can see you’ve done this a lot of times.” He had Daniel on one side of him to lean against and Charlie drowsing beside his knee, using the cloak that had covered him initially as a blanket. If this wasn’t heaven it was good enough for Jack O’Niell. “I could almost stay here.” He sighed.

“Unfortunately you can’t lad.” Conor said sorrowfully back at him, “At least not yet. Firstly, it would make Ari break her oath to keep SG-1 together and I doubt you’d want to cause that. Second, from what I’ve been able to find out you and your fian, your team, have some Purpose yet to be played out.”

“You’d think we would have fulfilled our purpose by now.” Daniel said, a little bitterly, “We’ve certainly paid enough.” Jack looked over into that cerulean gaze and saw for the first time how those steps away from Jack to join Oma and her crew had torn at the archeologists heart, just as it had at his. Ariana shifted a little in her sleep and a two fold stream of love hit them from her, enough to almost knock them down. They both gasped and Conor grinned.

“Sorry lads, after a spell and in her sleep Ari has piss poor control. She sees a need and she answers it.” Conor said calmly observing their reaction and just knowing the cause.

“She really does feel that way, that LOVE.” Daniel emphasized, “for both of us?”

“If she didn’t she wouldn’t have taken her Oaths the way she did. She’s always acted according to her heart within the rules that confined her and made her what she is and for YOU.” He pinned them both with a powerful gaze, “For you she flung away most of those rules entirely. She’s only kept three old things, really, Beltane, Samhain, and the Family……..and she only kept the Family cause we refused to give her up!”

Daniel was shaking his head and his eyes were blurred as he tightened his arms around Jack, “We can’t ignore that kind of sacrifice, Jack!”

Jack soothed him, massaging his back and turned his archeologist to face him, “No, we can’t and we won’t but we have a ways to go and a lot to see before we can form a plan or make a definite decision. We haven’t even gotten used to each other yet.”

“And that’s the way to go, Jack.” Conor spoke up, “My first time around my Lia and I watched Bri-o for some time before we included him in our loving. A three is more delicate to balance than a two, take my word, but some times it’s stronger too. Those times one of you has been injured…….” He looked on them with a fond, fatherly gaze, “Well in the future, Gods willing, there will be another, probably Ari since she’s the Immortal, to lean on. Not to mention she’s a healer and she’ll kill herself seven times over if need be to bring one of you back. And that’s with or without you loving her back. That’s what sent her to you in the first place, your pain.”

“Does everybody reincarnate, Conor?” Daniel asked, shying away from the implications just stated, “Or is it just you, or just a few?”

“Ah. The Eternal question,” Conor grinned, “What happens after the life we know on Earth. Well as many times as I’ve been around I really can’t say for sure, it tends to be different for different people. I and some of the other O’Malley’s reincarnate in the Family and usually memories of our former lives wake up when their ready, at least mine do. Of course The O’Malley knows who we are as soon as she meets us, she says that souls and auras don’t change, but she leaves the finding out to us. Some of those that have been O’Malley’s never reincarnate, they are content in this Otherworld, ‘under the hollow hills’ we call it. And then some never come here at all and pass on to some thing else.” Conor leaned back and put his hand behind his head, “It really all comes to a package of what you believe, what you think you deserve, and what you want at the time that you die. At least as far as I’ve been able to observe, I’m no authority on anything outside the Family really. And those of us who are the most frightened, or just want that last moment of primal connection ask Ariana to guide them over. And even then it’s not always to here.”

“And sometimes people get lost.” Jack reached down and stroked his head through Charlie’s hair. “They are allowed to get lost!” Jack could feel his heart tighten as what had been done to his son broke down upon him again.

“That’s no one’s fault, Jack lad.” Conor said firmly, “Even the Gods make mistakes, and perhaps to a purpose. After all if he hadn’t been lost, he wouldn’t be here beside you now. It’s all up to wyrd.”

“Wyrd is the Norse concept of fate, isn’t it?” Daniel asked, following his curiosity as usual, “It’s not really my field but that’s what it’s usually translated to.”

“Fate? Not anything so simple Daniel.” Conor called to one of the others of the party who had brought along a hand loom of all things. The old Celt put it down between them, He pointed to the threads strung up and down the loom. “This is the warp of your wyrd, what the Gods have decreed, it includes your genetics, your family, your appearance, all the things that there is no control over or is decreed by karma,” Conor looked up at Daniel, “Yes I know another term from another culture but it’s something you’ll understand. This,” he stroked his hand over the finished part of the weaving, “the weft is all the decisions, all the paths you take in your life, all the things that CAN be controlled. Together they are your wyrd. And say I take this thread,” he gently pulled out on of the weft threads from the weaving, “And cut it…..well the whole weaving might not fall apart but it might be weakened. Thinking this way, one comes to accept how ones wyrd is woven and be mindful of the weaving. And that’s just in THIS reality, when you count all the others it gets incredibly complex. Best to concentrate on this one, the now, I’d say.”

“As Ari said.” Jack grinned, petting his son’s hair.

Conor laughed, “Who do you think taught me? Although actually we learned that one together. My first life she was very solemn, guilt ridden, as you might imagine, she killed herself again and again trying to See the best path for me. Do you know the first time I saw her really, truly smile was when my first child was born? By my next time around, a few hundred years later, she was much more cheerful and has grown better ever since.” He frowned, “Until Methos caused her to retreat, then there were two times when I was really frightened for her. The first time was when she had got here broken beyond what I had believed possible, then I slowly relaxed as she finally determined to find a new goal for her life. And the next time….” He looked away and looked back, “When she realized that she had found you two a bare week after Kelwona. I truly didn’t know what she was going to do then. But it has turned out well, and perhaps better than well.” He nodded to Charlie.

Jack nodded, “I can never repay…..”

“Truly Jack?” he smiled over at Ariana and looked at the two men with a wise eye, “I think you are already well on the path to repaying me.”


The next space of time, Conor told them it was about three days, were an education and a revelation for Jack. He spent much of his time with Charlie of course, something of which Daniel and everybody else heartily approved. He got up early in the ‘mornings’, before Daniel even stirred from his nest of blankets, left a kiss on his lips and once, catching Ariana still asleep, on her cheek to which she unconsciously smiled. Then he would trail after ‘the boys’, they all appeared to be boys but he eventually learned that what they appeared as was not always the fact of them. They all were truly male at least but he’d found out that they had ‘passed over’ at every stage of life and merely found the appearance and character of a youngster most comfortable for them. They were all of them ‘young at heart’, and so it showed as such physically in this Land. With them he watched cattle and sheep graze, whichever Charlie had been assigned to that day and, best of all, he watched them at their play. When Charlie was alive, Jack had rarely had the time between missions to sit down and just watch his son play. There just wasn’t the opportunity between the Air Force and trying to be somewhat of a husband to Sara. But now he did and what he found was enlightening.

Charlie was a natural leader like his Dad, but unlike his father, he was also a born negotiator and bargainer. When there was a quarrel among the boys it was usually Charlie who straightened things out so everybody was happy. And he managed to barter his way to the ownership of things that caught his eye. “Where did he get that from?’ Jack questioned softly, watching his son seal another bargain.

“That might actually be my influence.” Jack twisted suddenly to see Conor had come up behind him, “But it’s also part of his heritage, part of his blood as well as it is part of yours if you dig deep enough.” The black haired Celt said, sitting down beside him. “It was after all one of the major talents that made your line great.”

“What do you mean?” Jack asked confused, “There’s nothing special about the name O’Neill. There are lots of O’Neills about, especially in Chicago where I come from.”

“Sure there are.” Conor’s blue eyes, darker than Daniel’s, twinkled at him, “but your line is the one directly descended from the last High Kings of Ireland.” He laughed at Jack’s dumfounded expression. “It’s true, you are the last of a line of kings. We O’Malley’s were the ones to come up with the notion of sending a minor son away with the Flight of the Earls that marked the end of Gaelic rule in Ireland. And we were the ones who made sure that your line got safely to America, along with several O’Malley branches who also needed to escape at the time. Unfortunately your ancestors thought too highly of themselves to accept being part of the O’Malley clan. But we never forgot them.”

“No we never did.” Ariana said, appearing as suddenly as Conor had with Daniel close beside her, “We always kept help nearby, as you could probably ask your old friend Joe Dawson.”

“Joe Dawson?” Jack thought heavily for a moment, then the memory came clear, “Joe! He was the quarterback of my High School football team! Beat me out for the position too, and Homecoming King! I had to take wide receiver instead. I haven’t heard from him since right before I went into the Academy.”

“No, you wouldn’t have.” Ari said sadly, “When you went to the Academy, he went into the Marines and then Vietnam, where he lost both his legs. He stopped communicating with almost everyone then……..even family for a while, until I had him found and brought to me at the Estate so I could help him find himself again.” Ari smoothed her hand over the short, soft grass that was everywhere here, “If there is one thing I do know about it is the wounds a war can leave on the mind. I regrettably have more experience healing such wounds then I really want. However,” Ariana straightened up and looked directly at Jack, “If I am to be in Colorado Springs, as I would very much like to be, Joe will be following. And I’m sure you won’t make your reaquaintance with him more difficult than it has to be.”

“No,” Jack answered automatically, “of course not.”

“He’ll be following because he is your…….Watcher?’ Daniel asked, “I think I remember Methos saying something like that. What Are Watchers?”

Ariana smiled at Daniel, “Watchers, simply put, are an organization of mortals who ‘watch’ and record the lives of Immortal’s, believing their secret, for most of us keep VERY secret, lives to be important to the whole of history. And with the information that has recently been given to me, they might actually be true. I’m hoping that they’ll come out of the shadows to help reveal to Immortals what their true purpose on Earth is. It’s long past time we stopped killing each other.”

“What are the chances of them helping?” Jack asked, his eyes following Charlie as he ran down the Hurling field with the ball, the sliotar they called it, balanced on the flat end of his Hurley stick. He pounded the ground when Charlie took a miss step and the ball fell off to be captured by the opposing side. //Boy but this game is fast! Faster played then Hockey even.//

“Actually pretty good, extremely good.” Ariana said absently, “Especially since they found, somewhat to their displeasure that over half of the organization is O’Malley in one way or another.” Ari cheered with the rest of them when Charlie’s side prevented a goal and recaptured the sliotar, “Not to mention that my own personal Watcher also always just happened to be part of the Family.” Ari’s eyes twinkled at Jack telling him there was nothing accidental about it.

“So you keep control over these Watchers?” Daniel asked, trying to understand this sub-culture, actually more than one, that he’d never knew existed on the planet of his birth.

“As little as possible,” Ariana stated, “tis not for me to dictate the path that the Watchers, or any of the other organizations the O’Malley’s have an interest in, evolve and change. We just keep our people there in case of an emergency. It was a good thing too, with the Watchers, they were about to declare open warfare on me, Methos, and Duncan, before Joe and the others stepped up and said, “Not going to happen.” Ari smiled, her eyes still following the game, “Joe told me you could hear the cries of rage for miles.”

“Other organizations?” Daniel asked, eternally curious, “What other organizations? Are there a lot of them?”

Conor started laughing and Ariana slapped his thigh, “Hush you.” She said to him, then turned to Daniel, “Well, let’s just say if all our connections were known conspiracy theorists would have a field day. Because of the way Conor and I started we tend to be inclusive rather than exclusive. For instance, if, when we get there, Jack and General Hammond accept me into the SGC, by Family tradition which is Family Law, the SGC becomes O’Malley with all the rights any O’Malley does.”

Jack pulled himself away from the watching the field of the game, “You’re kidding?” Ariana shook her head, smiling, “And what are the Family rights?”

“Safety net.” Ariana said, definitely, “No O’Malley is ever left without some sort of support, if they get stuck in a bad situation, we send people out to unstick them.” Jack saw her look at Daniel with soft, loving eyes, “And there is no such thing as an O’Malley orphan. If there’s no family to take care of them in the area they consider ‘home’, they are sent to the Estate where they are taken care of and raised with the same love I raised Conor with.”

Daniel cleared his throat, “Too bad the Jackson’s or the Ballard’s weren’t part of the clan.” He said softly.

Ariana answered just as softly, “I know.” ,placing her hand on the ground over his. Then she mercifully backtracked to an earlier subject, “As for organizations we are involved in well, the family has existed, unbroken for more than 2000 years, that’s given us time to put our fingers in a lot of pies. Some of those pies are going to be quite an advantage to the SGC, if allowed. For instance, it’s not well known, in fact it’s not known outside the Family and the other key people that at the time the need to know, thanks to a small….glamour or as you would put it spell, that any O’Malley who goes into the Armed forces in America swears a different oath when becoming an officer. The public oath they take, means nothing, after all it’s not to a God that is really served by the Family, although he IS respected. The TRUE officers oath of an O’Malley is taken in secret and provides provision to act on the Families,” she blushed and looks down, “and The O’Malley’s behalf. That they take with the threefold vow, like I did when I adopted Conor, and THAT is binding to the death.”

Jack shook his head, “How the hell could that happen? There’s no way the Joint Chiefs would allow it!”

Conor shrugged, “Easily, the tradition was established before there were any such thing AS the joint chiefs of staff. The agreement was made with George Washington himself. As a Mason, he already owed the O’Malley family a favor and so we made the secret oath of officers and the members of Congress part of our pay back.”

“How would the Masons owe you a favor?” Daniel asked, “They were largely an English organization, your enemies.”

“Now Daniel,” Ari said, “first I didn’t ALWAYS consider the English my enemies. How could I? I was raised on that Island, I had fought for that Island in my time. Only when they threatened the Family did we come into conflict. As indeed, we’ve come into conflict with the Irish Republic’s government from time to time. A largely Catholic government isn’t exactly comfortable with the knowledge that it’s oldest Family is secretly but resolutely Pagan. But anyway it wasn’t the Masons themselves that started the exchange, it was their forerunners, the Knights Templar. They were being threatened by the Pope at the time so what better person to guard their treasures than a safely neutral Pagan, then the obligation just naturally ran from them to their spiritual descendants, the Masons.”

“There’s no real historical evidence linking the two, although most Masons believe it.” Daniel put in.

“And again, it is true.” Ariana’s eyes misty, looking back into a past only she could recall, “I remember when the first message came to me from Jacques De Molay, the last Grand Master, I could hardly believe my eyes. I never did find out where he found someone in France to write a letter in Gaelic.” She laughed slightly but sadly, “He told me he had a dream…..of Patrick actually. I’d done that one a favor when he first came to Ireland, a chieftain, name of Dichu, tried to kill him. I stopped the hot head and told Patrick to go about his business, he was inevitable after all, but to leave the Family alone!” Ari clenched her jaw for a moment. “and he did so we treated each other with distance but respect.” She leaned forward and put her chin on her knees. “We were both servants of our Gods after all, neither of us could deny it. Anyway, Patrick remembered the favor owned and so when the treasures of the Templars were at risk, he sent the Grand Master to me. In a world of Catholics and Muslims, I was safely Pagan….. and neutral.”

“The stories about the treasures, they actually existed!” Daniel’s eyes flamed.

“Exist Daniel,” Ari said calmly, even a little sadly, “They exist, in one small corner of the Otherworld, cut off from the rest they still exist…..waiting.”

“Waiting?!” Daniel got to his feet, garnering the attention of just about everybody that wasn’t actually involved in the game. “Those treasures…. The Ark of the Covenant? The Writings of Jesus? The Holy Grail? They could change the world!”

Ari gracefully got to her feet and put a hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “Yes they could, but how would they change it Daniel? I don’t leave the Estate much but that doesn’t mean I’m ignorant of what goes on in the world. If one of the treasures is the Ark of the Covenant and if I brought it forth what would happen, hmmm? The Jews would want to claim it, as would the Christians, and then where would they place it? It’s ancient resting place is now under the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, a Muslim holy site. And how would they get it back? Over a mountain of bodies and an ocean of blood. You KNOW that.” Ari stroked Daniel’s hair as his head bowed, “You are a Light, Daniel and so you see the beauty of everything, the rightness. It’s why I chose you to be my chronicler, my legacy. But most people only see one way, their way. Then there is the other matter.”

“What’s that?” Daniel asked, his voice rough as he once again was reminded that humans were more often cruel than kind. Jack ached for him as he always did at these times, as he always had.

Ariana shook her head and smiled softly at him, “It’s not my God. These things, and no I’m not going to tell you what they are, were given to me by a true follower of that God.” Ari shifted her eyes to look over Daniel’s shoulder, “Jacques knew what was coming, and he knew what his death would be; to be burned at the stake. And yet he faced it with calm and serenity, knowing that which he guarded, and a few followers, would be saved. He was a true follower of his God, and as I announced to the Family a true Hero. The O’Malley’s remember heroes and he is one of our favorites, so his memory will never die as long as we last.” Ari again turned her emerald gaze to Daniel’s cerulean one, “and until another comes to me with the same light on him the matter is out of my hands. The treasures are not mine to give or to take.”

Jack watched, fascinated as Ari stroked Daniel’s face and shoulders, calming him, settling him to the truth of the matter. Many times Daniel had had to face these kinds of feelings alone, even Jack as in love with him as he was couldn’t quite understand the pain of seeing a bright opportunity denied because of ‘normal’ human nature. Jack was too steeped in cynicism. But Ari understood, even with all her years, she understood his pain and was able to ease it. Jack’s gratitude, and he had to finally admit it, love for the woman grew again as she tended to his lover in a way he could not. Jack blinked the incipient tears from his eyes and focused back on the game giving them a bit of privacy.

After awhile however, he noticed the slackening in Daniel’s posture under Ari’s care, “So the Mason’s and particularly Washington owed you a favor huh? And that gave you an in.” Jack said when he judged they were ready.

Ariana turned to him and smiled, “That was my first in but it was THAT winter in Valley Forge and so Ephraim Davis was able to approach with what Washington needed, a stealthy route for supplies for his troops and, “Ariana tilted her head and her eyes twinkled, “the knowledge that the French would eventually come to his aid against the English. I was not fond of the English at that time. The Treaty was later formalized when Benjamin Franklin made a secret visit to the Estate. In it I pledged the Davis line to be loyal to them, as long as they were loyal to us, and a little aid such as I had provided in times of need. For their part they pledged that any O’Malley to serve them would take an altered Oath when they became a member of the Armed services or a member of the government and allowed us to hide the Ard Ri, the line of High Kings, in America.” She shook her head laughing, “Never did I dream that it would effect MY life so much.”

There were so many implications to the stuff that had come rolling off of Ari’s tongue that Jack’s head spun. He felt like he had when they had first opened the Stargate, the history of everything he knew was turned on it’s head. Then he felt himself latch onto one fact, a personal one. “Davis…..as in Paul Davis?”

Ariana looked at him confused, “Paul Davis? Unusually young to be his rank? Works at the Pentagon…..”

“As the liaison to the SGC.” Jack finished. The look of absolute shock on the lady’s face was hilarious, he started laughing, “You didn’t know? You were watching us and you didn’t know about our own Major Disaster Davis?”

Ari’s face went red, them white then she started ripping off curses again, she seemed particularly good at that sort of thing, “Damn him!” she finished, “I’m going to take that…that BRAT over my knee. He flew under my radar!” She turned and slapped the back of her hand against Conor’s shoulder, who was absolutely rolling with merriment. “and that’s enough out of you, me lad.”

“Oh Ari I do love it when you get caught by your own cleverness!” The Celt guffawed, “It was you who taught him, taught them all to be unobtrusive.”

“It wasn’t meant to be used against ME!” Ari raged but a grin was already starting to lighten her face and she laid down on the soft grass, “Ah well, turned out right in the end, as per usual. If I’d known there was a member of the Family already in the SGC the temptation might have been too great.” She glanced at Jack and he could see the pain she had endured as she waited for this opportunity, this crossroads as she had said, to occur. And he could see her pain of those months of waiting had equaled or even bettered his during that time. He looked away to face the game and felt Daniel’s gentle touch which he leaned into.

He let himself be drawn back into the so unfamiliar game that his son was now playing and enjoyed it just as much as he’d ever reveled in Charlie playing in the more typically American games, those that he had gotten to see. Later Charlie got him, most happily, to help him teach baseball to ‘the boys’ and when they had complained about not having the proper equipment, Ariana had still been within hearing, talking with Daniel about their favorite of the old Celtic stories. A few incomprehensible words later and they had bases, bats, balls, a home plate; everything they needed. “I wouldn’t have taken you for a baseball fan.” He said to the small woman as she created from seemingly nothing a perfectly proportioned bat.

“I’m not,” Ari smiled up at him, “absolutely detest watching the game, but I AM a fan of the American view of it, expressed in books and movies. One of my favorites is ‘Field of Dreams’, it would have to be with how I live my life.” She cast her eyes over the people around them, reminding Jack that all of them, save Daniel, Ariana, and himself were technically dead. He grinned ruefully and shook his head.

“Somehow I have a hard time visualizing you watching movies, Ari.” Daniel said from where he stood over to one side. The smile on his face was the one Daniel only used with people he was entirely comfortable with. Usually that mostly meant SG-1, but it seemed that she had been added to the roster. Jack was glad, more than glad, he and Daniel were progressing in their good opinion of the Immortal woman. At the very least, she was already a trusted friend.

“Why not Daniel? I’m a bard…a storyteller and movies are where some of the greatest stories are told, or retold, now. I’d be a fool to ignore it.” She laughed teasingly, “Not to mention it’s created a whole new bag of narrative tricks and I LOVE collecting those kind of tricks. We don’t keep much modern technology on the Estate, with three exceptions, TV rooms to keep track of current events and current entertainment, lights in the Main House to reduce the risk of fire and a shitload of computers.”

“Computers?” Daniel asked, automatically it seemed.

Ariana laughed at him, “For all the email, Daniel! Email has been the best blessing the Families gotten in almost forever. It was pure hell keeping track of the Family before THAT little miracle.”

“Are you trying to tell me a member of the Family didn’t come up with the idea?” Jack picked on her, she stuck her tongue out at him and they all three laughed. With that Daniel distracted her into another line of conversation and Jack turned back to the bliss of playing with his son.

A while later Daniel and Conor came to break the game up, Conor handing out the evening chores to the boys, including Charlie and Daniel to lead Jack back to the center of the camp, where they would sleep. From the expression on Daniel’s face the archeologist was turning thoughts over in his mind thoroughly. “Penny for them.” Jack said, tossing a baseball up and catching it. “Or do I need to guess.”

Danny chuckled, “Probably the same as you……Ari.”

“Oh yeah, she not like…”

“Anyone we’ve ever met. Even those species like the Nox who also live for centuries and more. And the Goua’ld are frankly BORING compared to her.”

“Boring?” Jack lifted an eyebrow at his lover, even as he slipped a arm over his shoulders.

“Sure, they’ve got one track minds. Conquest and enslavement…..that’s all. The Nox just stay on their planet and the Ascended….” Daniel frowned, “My memories ARE dying as Ariana said they would but I remember being told again and again to let go of ‘corporeal matters’, “ he laughed bitterly, “to basically stop caring. While Ari’s gone through the centuries, the millennia, taking a PERSONAL interest in history and people, in everything really. Jack I….”

“Love her.” The Colonel completed confidently. He supposed he should feel threatened that the man of his dreams cared for another, but he didn’t it felt right. He supposed it was because he felt the same, her caring, her heart had attracted him just as much as Daniel’s always had. And her ability to look at life and laugh eased his soul, gave him hope.

“I’m sorry.” Daniel whispered, hanging his head, “It’s like Abydos again, but more, because she’s closer to us, to our own society.”

“Don’t be Danny, I love her too. Knew it for sure today as she created those perfect bats and balls. The look on her face, the joy she had in giving Charlie and the rest these simple things…..I wanted to kiss her right there and then.”

“Should we tell her?” Daniel asked.

Jack shook his head, “Not yet, she’s got a lot to show us yet and a lot to tell us. I don’t think she’d fully believe it right now. I think she needs us to KNOW all the crap of her life before she’ll except what we want to give, even though we know the most important thing.”

Daniel picked up on him again, they were back on that same wavelength that they had mutually destroyed years ago, “What she is now, the rest is immaterial.”

“But not to her, love, not to her and we have to respect that as she respects us.” Jack ended the conversation with a look, they were threading their way to the middle of the camp where Ariana and some of the others were tending the fire and the food. He watched her graceful way about doing the simplest of things and found her utterly beautiful. He wanted to kiss her again, maybe even more but he knew he was right, it wasn’t time yet. And in that moment an idea was born, an idea he hid deep inside himself to be discussed with Daniel later. A gift he wanted to give to Ari, something she had never had before.

“Hey, guys I see Conor got to you in time. The venison’s done to a turn.” Ari wrinkled her nose, “Not that venison is my favorite dish but it’ll do.”

Jack and Daniel sat down but in a moment of complete accord not in their usual place, together on the opposite side of the fire from Ari. This time they sat within touching distance of her. She stiffened slightly and looked at Jack under lowered eyelids with uncertainty in her gaze. Jack met it with the direct look of this was where they were sitting and that was going to be that. If there was to be a separation between them, Ari would have to make it so, she would have to withdraw from them. Ari stared at the fire and cut off slices of meat for them with jerky motions, unlike her usual grace, but when she turned to them to hand over the meals she saw that their gesture was genuinely meant and she relaxed. She still sat away from them but not too far, well within reach. Jack smiled and looked down at his plate, savoring the first bite, “Mmmm, don’t know what you are complaining about. Venison is a good meal.”

Ari snorted, “Sure it is, if it wasn’t what you ate most meals, when there was meat at all, for the first few centuries of you life.”

“I would have though you’d have been more used to beef.” Daniel said, he was on the other side of Jack, but smiling at her with much the same look that was on his own face, Jack knew.

Ari took a bite and chewed thoroughly, “After a while, after the forests opened up a bit. The old story about a squirrel being able to go from one end of Britain to the other without touching ground was quite true in it’s time. But even after cattle were wealth so if you didn’t need to eat one it was better. Only immediately following Samhain was beef and other domestic meats common.” She looked down at her plate and picked up some vegetables. “Samhain was when we slaughtered everything we knew we couldn’t afford to feed through the winter. It’s always been a season of blood…..and of the Dead.” She grinned sideways at them. “but it was also the New Year. We always believe that life begins in death, and death in life.”

“So everything was a part of everything else?” Daniel asked.

Ari nodded, “Of course, that’s why the first holy symbol you see in the Isles is….” She drew it in light from the tip of her finger on the ground. “The spiral, and the whole world…” she connected two more spirals to it to form a sinuous triangular shape, “was the triskel. Three lives, three worlds. Land, Sea and Sky.” The cool silver of the light shone up into her face, like moonlight, turning her into the image of a goddess.

“And where’s Fire?” Daniel asked, “that was the fourth element according to the Greeks.”

Ariana reached over across Jack and took Daniel’s hand guiding it gently towards the middle of the light drawn figure. “Right in the center, where it can be the communication between the Worlds, even as we used it ourselves.” And for a moment Jack watched the two of them smile at each other, in perfect accord, both of them seekers of truths; a teacher and a student. But suddenly he knew he could get in on the act as well, if he chose to…..and for the first time he did.

“Is that why your hair is that flame red, Ari?” he asked, “Because that’s where you stand isn’t it, between the Worlds.”

Ari blushed and let go of Daniel’s hand, “My Commander is wise.” She said, sitting back, withdrawing into herself.

“You Commander is learning.” Jack answered.

“Not to mention being a smartass.” Daniel said, grumbling slightly for Jack breaking the spell that had held him and Ari in a single moment of understanding. Jack just smirked.

“Natch.”


And then, before Jack knew it, the time out was over and Ariana said they would have to ride out after they had slept one last night. Jack stayed close to his son in the next hours and Daniel stayed close to him. Jack filled his eyes and his ears and everything with Charlie’s presence. He didn’t want to leave but, at the last, when he moved to protest it was Charlie himself who stopped it. “Daddy,” he said, with a quiet voice that Jack just KNEW was the beginning of wisdom, “You have things to do…..and who else would tell Mommy where I am?”

Jack blushed, he had never even thought of Sara since allowing Charlie’s adoption into the O’Malley’s, and then he blushed even more, “She won’t understand this.” He said and knelt down to face his son, “Charlie you remember how she was, she won’t want to understand this. This is against everything she believes.” He put his hands on his son’s shoulders, staring into eyes so like his own.

Charlie bent his head down, “Then you have to explain harder, Daddy, and get Daniel and Ari to explain with you. If that doesn’t work……I’ll come at Samhain to explain myself.”

Jack flinched, remembering what Methos had described of the fear and pain and blood of Samhain. “No.” he whispered automatically.

“If not him,” Ariana said behind them, having come to them unlooked for again, “then it will be someone else, Jack.” She sighed, “Samhain is always the same, and if that’s what Sara needs to make peace with you both then…..” she smiled and stepped forward to caress Charlie’s head, like she must have done to a thousand boys a thousand times before. “then the sacrifice is more worth the price then ever.” Charlie turned from Jack to be enveloped in Ariana’s embrace and she held him gently, rubbing his back. “You are a good boy, Charlie, a very good boy.” She whispered down into his hair. “And we will be back to see you in time, I promise. Now I need your father for a while okay, he’ll be back later to say good-bye.”

Charlie backed up from her and ducked his head, “Your will, O’Malley.”

Ariana stopped him before he could take another step, her hand to his cheek, “Not O’Malley, never just O’Malley to you, Charlie. I am only ever Ari to you, unless necessary. You are like Conor, like Adam Methas, you are a child of my soul. And you are a prince royal, never forget that Charlie UiNiell.”

Charlie blinked up at her and smiled like the sun coming out from behind a cloud, “I never will.” He whispered and sprinted away before Jack, or Daniel behind him could move.

“Who is Adam Methas?” Jack asked softly, getting to his feet. The name was obviously connected with Methos, the name was too similar not to.

Ariana smiled gently but sadly at them, “A miracle…..but a miracle for another time. There’s a better one for right now.” Behind her the three horses, pooka, whatever trotted up.

“I thought we weren’t riding out till….” Daniel forehead wrinkled with frustration, “what passes for morning around here.”

“We’re not, not really. This is just……a gift. Something I want to give you.”

Jack growled loudly, surprising both Ariana and Daniel. He strode over to the startled woman. “Ariana O’Malley when is it exactly that you STOP giving.” He shook his head, his sudden anger turning to sorrow, “Do you ever just …..stop?” Daniel was at his back and he knew his lover understood. Jack took care of his people, he took care of those he loved and when they didn’t take care of themselves he got angry. Even during their worst days, Jack would still get pissed at hell when he found out that Daniel had missed a weekend or other downtime slaving himself over a translation. It had been some of their worst fights…..the last time, just after Reece, only Daniel walking out had stopped blows being exchanged. This was as natural to Jack as breathing, as living, he couldn’t BE Jack O’Neill and not show anger over Ariana’s continuing sacrifice. The rest of this trip was a necessity but that she would give more……no, just no!

“Jack,” Ariana said in a low, shaking voice, “I need to do this, I need to give this.” She stopped his next comment with a look, “Not because the Gods say, or the Land says, or anything other than it is what my heart commands. Please Jack.” She took his hand and knelt before him, “Please, my commander, my prince, my…..love I need to give this to you and the light that stands by your side.” She shifted her gaze to Daniel, “The light that makes my world a bright place to live in again when all was darkness. Please, I beg of you let me give this gift of love. As….” She looked up into his eyes, “As you love me let me give this.”

Jack was on his knees beside her in an instant, caressing her face, “You knew?”

Ari’s eyes overflowed with tears, “The moment you did, and then the moment you told each other. I am an empath and bound to you, how could I miss it? That’s why I need to give this.”

Daniel was beside them, touching Ari, loving her as Jack did, as Daniel loved Jack. It all seemed to flow between them now, like a circuit, each moment increasing the strength. “What do you need to give?” Daniel whispered finally, because even as the feeling grew between them, something, probably Ariana herself, kept them touching only minimally.

“Come and I will show you.” Ariana whispered, finally leaning down to kiss the tips of Jack’s fingers, “Please, I’ve been working on it for so long. I used to wander through it when the pain was the greatest. Please.” Ari begged.

“Show us.” Jack whispered, her will and the gift for her that lay in his planning mind keeping him away from her.

Ari smiled like the sun and got to her feet. She mounted and so did they with the same odd ease of the first time. Again the mists closed about them and in a while parted. It was sunset where they emerged and the air was achingly familiar, as was the house before them. From it’s simple framed doorway to the deck on it’s roof with the telescope handy. “This can’t be…”

“Home?” Ari sighed, “No, it’s not. It’s an illusion, well mostly an illusion. Every bit built of love, need and hope. A place where you were happy, a place where you were angry, and you mourned.” She got down off the Black and led them through the front door. It was Jack’s house, exactly, every detail in place. “I would come here, sometimes to remember.” Ari’s eyes turned to the fireplace and a shadow of them on the night Jack first brought Daniel home appeared, “And sometimes to watch you.” Another shadow appeared. It was Jack, alone, sitting in his chair, staring at nothing. “and once to save your life.” And Jack knew the night they were seeing, he watched the hand with the gun raise into view, before he was spun around to see Daniel’s agonized eyes.

“I told you, Danny.” Jack whispered through a desert dry throat, “After you left I kept SG-1 in rotation, didn’t even allow us a weekend. I knew I could probably get Sam and Teal’c and your replacement back in one piece. Or that Teal’c would. But every time I went out I prayed that I would be too slow and every time I stepped back through the Gate I prayed the iris would close a second too soon. Then when that didn’t happen I got out my gun one night, loaded it and then…..” Jack’s forehead wrinkled, “I don’t remember anything until waking up the next morning with a headache. I thought I’d gotten drunk and dreamt the whole thing.”

“Jack.” Daniel whispered taking him in his arms as they shook together at what had so nearly happened.

“I saw that night from here, “ Ari was whispering too, none of them seemed to be able to do anything but, “And I acted. I shut you down, shut your mind down completely. Then got you to your bedroom,” she blushed, “Undressed you and put you to bed, leaving the vague memory of drinking and a headache in my wake. It was the only way to save you.”

Jack shook his head, speechless, but Daniel found his tongue, “Thank you.” He said, his voice shaking, “Thank you.”

“Thank YOU, Daniel, for having the courage to come back and walk the Middle Path.” Ari said back with simple dignity. Then she walked over towards them and took each one of their hands in hers. She bent over them and placed a sweet kiss in each palm then put Jack and Daniel’s hands together, “Live your dreams tonight. Live them for you, and live them for me because I have certainly dreamed them as well as you. And when the mirror sun wakes you share a smile before we journey on.”

She started to walk away but Jack caught her and brought her to him, needing her in that moment as much as he needed Daniel. She stopped him her hand on his lips, “No Jack, I’m only human. You kiss me and I’m yours and I won’t be able to stop.”

He pulled her hand away, “And that’s bad?” Forgetting for a moment everything, every plan, even every price in the presence the two he loved and wanted so desperately.

“Yes, I think it would be, my beloved.” She said and looked around. “This is a place of old dreaming and old ghosts. The dreams need to be fulfilled and the ghosts laid to rest before new ones can be born. Love each other into exhaustion, then dream sweet, so sweet, and wake to the sun’s reflection I created here to join me once again.”

Jack might have protested but he seemed to blink and she was gone slowly closing the door behind her. He shook his head, shaking her spell off, and turned to his lover, his face flaming. He was embarrassed; while Ari was here he had just wanted her, wanted them both and had never asked Daniel his opinion, he just reached like a child for piece of candy. “Danny,” he stuttered, “I’m… I’m sorry. I… I think I went a little crazy for a minute there. I didn’t even ask.”

Daniel quirked an eyebrow, “Probably a good thing, I would have backed you up. She saved you.” He sighed pulling Jack back into his arms, “she saved you for me ……and I’ll bet you never found that gun again.” He laughed shakily.

Jack laughed shakily too, “No I never did then she must have quickly added insurance cause I forgot I ever even had a gun at home till now. I should be angry someone messed with my head but..”

“How can you, how can we when she did it for us and with such love. Jack,” Daniel eyes flicked to the stairs leading in this copy house to Jack’s bedroom, “How much would you care to bet she provided for every need for us tonight.” Daniel’s eyes made his intent clear, it was time for them to finish what they had started, to know each other completely.

Jack shook his head, “That’s a sucker bet and I’m not taking it up. But.” He snugged one of his arms around Daniel’s slim waist, “I will take you up. Danny, have you…” he searched his love’s eyes, not sure of what answer he wanted.

“Have you?” Daniel challenged back, always pushing him as he always did. Oh but this time the pushing was causing a whole different reaction as Jack felt himself harden against Daniel’s hip. He would only have to angle just a bit to meet the hardness he felt against him. But the last few times had been rough and frantic, an expression of need long denied. This time a different mood was on them both. A mood for slow, deep and thorough…. and playful. Jack could sense it over the wave length he had almost always shared with the archeologist.

“We know what we need to know.” Jack concluded, seeing what he needed in Daniel’s eyes. No fear, no hesitation, just a building, burning desire making his pupils dilated until the blue was almost gone. Already Jack could feel his throat tighten and his breath come faster. Not needing any words, he started at his favorite place, just underneath one of Daniel’s eyes, kissing lightly then dragging his lips whisper soft down his cheek to open his lips slightly and lick at one point of Daniel’s jaw. A light moan made him sigh and smile. He pushed his lover gently backwards towards the stairs. It was slightly ridiculous to peal Daniel out of his SGC uniform as he gently guided his love up the stairs but Jack found it a wild turn on and was only barely able to maintain control. Then he dropped his head against Daniel’s shoulder, moaned and shuddered hard as an elegant hand reached down and squeezed slightly. “Careful Danny, I’d swear the thing was on a trip switch and we don’t want any……premature explosions.”

The younger man chuckled, “My Colonel, always thinking in ordinance. And what would you say is the caliber on this thing?” he purred, stroking Jack through his pants, making him hiss with pleasure.

“Tends to vary, “ Jack said as he slipped his hands under Daniel’s loosened trousers and gripped his ass, “but I’m sure I could find the perfect fit for it around here somewhere.”

Daniel titled his head back in pleasure, “Somehow I don’t doubt you in the least.”

Jack bent his head to lap at the conveniently exposed hollow of Daniel’s throat, making him moan deep and pant with need. “Well mark it on the calendar, Colonel O’Neill is right for once.”

Daniel shook his head, keeping his head back, “Colonel O’Neill isn’t in this room, only Jack O’Neill, my lover.”

Jack jerked as a bolt of hot desire shot up his spine and he gently bit where Daniel’s shoulder met his neck, marking him. “Yes, YOUR lover, and with me is Dan…”

“Danny.” The blue eyed man panted, “Just Danny, nothing before you exists so I don’t need any other name.”

“Danny.” Jack agreed, “MY lover.”

Blue eyes met brown, “Yours.” He said simply and Jack could swear he felt the room shake with the power of Daniel’s declaration.

“Then I guess that means I get to look my fill this time.” Jack grinned.

“As long as I get my fill, or just get filled.” Danny grinned back just as wickedly.

“I think I can manage that.” Jack slowly but gently removed the rest of Daniel clothes. He gazed at the lovely, perfectly proportioned body of his lover, “Perfection.”

Daniel lifted one eyebrow, surveying Jack’s still clothed state, “And are you just going to just open you pants or do I get the full service.”

Jack chuckled and bent down to nip one of the man’s nipples and suck hard to punish his impudence. He didn’t seem to mind though, clutching at Jack’s shoulders and crying out under his lips. “Full service, every damn time I can manage it.” Jack growled against his chest.

“So start servicing.” Daniel threw down the gauntlet, challenging him. They had done this first over Daniel’s initial training, each of them double dog daring each other to achieve just a little more. It was an old familiar game in a whole new arena, and Jack felt his lips twitch with the old familiar smile.

“I seem to have some restraints around several effective areas. Think you could tend to that?” He said, challenging back. Daniel bit down on what was obviously a laugh and slid of the first layer of Jack uniform, immediately raising the ante by doing it painfully slowly and then spending several minutes smoothing Jack black t-shirt over the muscles of his chest and over his stomach, which clenched at the caress. “I don’t feel very effectively freed, Dr. Jackson.” He reproved playfully.

Daniel shook his head, “ Military men, always in a hurry, always liable to miss the important details.” Daniel trailed the tip of his tongue up the side of Jack’s neck and sucked on his earlobe. Jack struggled valiantly to keep his knees from buckling, to keep in the game.

“Hmmmmm.” He sighed, “could fall asleep at this pace.” He met Daniel’s eyes which upped the ante, and the heat between them again. If they kept going like this, and Jack so meant to, the bedroom…..hell the house would be nothing but ashes by the time they were done. He jerked with sensation as Daniel pulled back his collar and bit him in the approximate place of Jack’s earlier marking of him, except harder. “Hey, down boy.” Jack muttered, “I may have to get those things filed down or something.”

“I doubt it when you feel what I can do with them.” Daniel said, they were almost on automatic now, trading quips as they traded sensations. Daniel’s hands skimmed up under Jack’s t-shirt and lifted it over his head, then with a smooth move used the elastic material to bind Jack’s hands behind them and spent the next several minutes biting, licking, sucking and otherwise stimulating Jack’s nipples. “Still want then filed down, Jack?” Daniel said fiercely, latching for a moment onto the officers bottom lip.

“Must have been temporary insanity.” Jack muttered, “But there are better places for them……and better ways to use what you have effectively kept tucked away.”

“Tucked away, huh?” He let go of the t-shirt binding Jack’s hands but before Jack could untangle himself, Daniel had opened his fly and pulled the hot shaft of his cock out. “Did you mean this?” The archeologist said, rubbing his thumb over the already dripping tip and spreading the pre-come around the head.

Jack caught a breath and got his hands out the tangle of fabric around them. They had somehow made their way up the stairs and to his bedroom and Jack considered tipping his tormentor onto the bed as he shuddered again. But no, that would be too fast. “Wasn’t exactly what I had in mind but perhaps…” he knelt more gracefully than he’d managed in years, and before Daniel could react, started to bathe his lovers balls with his tongue while his hands divested himself of his own trousers. At last they were both equally naked.

And Daniel didn’t seem inclined to stop him as he gently sucked each testicle into his mouth and rolled it slightly on his tongue. Meanwhile he firmly caressed up from Daniel’s feet to massage the back of his thighs, incrementally spreading them apart. Then he leaned in and licked slightly behind his lover’s balls and Daniel called out his name. “You called?”

Daniel smiled down at him, “Bastard.” He laughed.

“You called for a bastard? Don’t see one around here, royal blood in my veins remember?” Jack grinned up at him and they shared a laugh, but when he leaned back in towards Daniel’s beautiful cock he was stopped.

“You were the one to first mention the danger of being premature.” Daniel warned, only half joking. He reached over to the nightstand for the very conveniently placed tube of lubricant. “I think I’d rather this were used for it’s proper purpose.” He said, handing it to Jack.

Jack took the tube and rubbed the smooth, cool plastic of it up and down Daniel’s thigh. “I will, on one condition, “ he looked up into Daniel’s faintly unfocused gaze and laid down the next challenge, “that you don’t come but do me after I’m finished with you.” He smirked, “Unless you think you can’t control yourself enough. Unless you think you don’t got the stuff.” Now there was a phrase from the past. It had never failed to prick Daniel’s pride and it didn’t now.

The blue eyes focused to a laser sharp gaze and flamed brightly, “I can take anything you can dish out and more.” Another familiar phrase from the beginning of their friendship but with a purr that made Jack’s cock throb and jump.

Jack got to his feet and pushed Daniel, gently, down onto the bed. “Then I think this is the position we should start from to see how you do.” He licked and bit his way across Daniel’s chest while getting some lube onto his hand and warming it between his fingers. Daniel willingly spread and bent his knees slightly for Jack to slip his fingers down to start stroking the cleft of his ass. “Ready for testing, Dr. Jackson?”

Daniel almost laughed but managed to growl, “Bring it on,” instead. They were both fully into this game and enjoying it immensely. So Jack kept going, stroking deeper until he was stroking right over Daniel’s opening. Daniel gasped and arched a bit but kept his gaze on Jack face, still playfully challenging him. Jack turned a last stroke into a circle continuing around the ring of muscle, pressing firmer each time around until he was just slightly inside.

He could see Daniel gasp harshly and knew he was about to lose it at the first penetration. He didn’t want the game to end yet so growled into his partner’s ear, “Giving up already? I expected more…..resistance.” he slid the finger in more while Daniel turned to look at him with a more determined look. “That’s better.” He approved.

Daniel grinned dangerously at him, even as his hips arched to deepen the penetration. “I’m not…..giving up *anything*, “ the archeologist stated, “until you give me everything you got!”

Jack stabbed his finger deep, hitting the prostate the first time, then while Daniel was gasping slipped in another slicked finger. “If you think you can take it.” He said in a cheerfully doubtful tone. Daniel glared even as he grasped the sheets in tight fists and arched again. Jack grinned gleefully down at him, he’d never known that this old game could be so damned FUN! He kept up the pressure, massaging the nub of Daniel’s prostrate relentlessly until Daniel’s eyes started to slide closed as he neared a peak again. “Guess I’m gonna win this round.” Jack prodded again with the desired result.

The glare was instantly back and Daniel let go of the sheets by his arching hips to be drawn up in a lazy gesture and tucked his hands behind his head, “Sorry, didn’t quite catch that, was starting to drift off here….”

“Noticed that.” Jack said smugly.

“To sleep.” Daniel continued, “Now if you had something big enough to actually make an impression…” He smiled.

“I might have something about your size.” Jack slowly pulled his fingers out of his lovers body and smoothed a generous amount of lube on his aching cock, shuddering a bit even just under his own hand, the game had got him so hot.

“Your ego maybe.”

“Oh?” Jack smoothly inserted himself between Daniel’s thighs and the head of his cock pushed against Daniel for the first time. Jack dropped the game momentarily, no matter what prior experience Danny might or might not have had this was the delicate part. “Breathe love.” He said as the first hint of discomfort crossed Daniel’s face, “Open your eyes, breathe with me…….and let me in.” Daniel looked up at him and their breaths synchronized. Jack pushed a little more, then a little more, and he slid sweetly home. He paused for a few minutes until Daniel adjusted, then the game was on again. “See, fits perfectly.” He softly crowed, resting his forehead against Daniel’s and smiling down into his lover blue, blue eyes.

Daniel smiled back up at him, “Yes but can you use it?” And squeezed his muscles around him, drawing a reluctant groan from Jack’s lips.

Jack started to thrust slightly, “Oh I think you will find I can.” He growled and nailed Daniel’s prostate again. And so he continued thrusting harder and deeper than he’d ever planned for their first time into Daniel’s willing body and every time Daniel seemed to be losing the battle not to orgasm, Jack playfully taunted him and thrust harder until he was pounding into him, “Come, Daniel, come! You know you want to.” He said roughly as he felt his own peak nearing.

“You,” Daniel gasped and growled, putting his hands on Jack’s ass to pull him in even harder, “first!”

Jack lunged one more time and he was there, crying out and jerking erratically as his orgasm over took him. He ended up sprawled over Daniel, kissing his shoulder repeatedly as he felt Daniel’s heartbeat throbbing through the rock hard cock pressed into his stomach. “You’ve got exactly one minute to get on your back, O’Neill.” Daniel growled into his ear. “Or I WILL hurt you!”

Jack grinned and withdrew carefully to flip over onto his back with a dramatic gesture of surrender. Daniel sat up and glared at him, trembling and regaining whatever control he had left. “Only fools play with fire, O’Neill.” The archeologist growled, reaching for the lube.

“Now Daniel, I’ve never given you an assignment I didn’t have complete confidence you could fulfill magnificently.” Jack judged a little flattery wouldn’t hurt him at this point as Daniel slicked his fingers and Jack bit his lip at the frankly wild look in his lover’s eye, “Gloriously even.” He said.

Daniel loomed up at him, looking fucking dangerous but also fucking damned hot! Jack swallowed hard as he felt Daniel’s first touch then the archeologist broke and started laughing, “You are so easy, Jack.” He said, pushing against Jack’s body a little more directly than Jack had him but with the same sensitivity.

“Now Daniel I’ve always had confidence in the way you handle fragile things.” Jack said, breathing deeply as Daniel’s finger penetrated him.

“And here you go referring to your ego again. I think that we need to declare a moratorium on that subject.” Daniel said lightly, although he could quite disguise how heavily he was breathing, how much he NEEDED.

“And that is?” Jack asked, then gasped into the electrical shock as his own hidden gland was stimulated for the first time. “Yeah, that’s it Danny.” He encouraged, closing his eyes.

Another rougher stab shot his eyes back open. “No way, Jack.” Daniel insisted, rubbing firmly with two fingers already. “I kept my eyes open to watch you take me, you made sure of it. Now the same courtesy please.” He grinned but was preparing Jack more quickly than he’d been prepared. Jack didn’t really blame him, made him smile just a bit wider to know exactly how close Daniel was to coming, how much he needed to come.

“Well, since it’s YOU.”

“Mmmmm it is me,” Daniel said, sliding into position above him, “and it’s you.” He said starting the first push. “Open for me Jack,” Daniel gasped, “don’t make me beg.”

Jack gasped in a breath at the burning, “Not this time maybe.” He said breathlessly as Daniel fitted into him. “Gods, yes!” he exulted, arching his back, feeling completely Daniel’s at last. “Your turn now Danny-boy.” He said, thrusting his hips back up against his lover, “take me home.”

Daniel’s thrusts were faster than Jack had started, harder too. Jack loved it, “Every time Jack. Gonna get you home. Every. Single. Time.” He thrust opening Jack so deep he felt it though his whole body. But Jack was free from having to control his own reactions so he reached up and pulled Danny down into a rough kiss.

“Harder, Daniel.” He demanded, “Show me what you got, everything Daniel Jackson, everything you got. Lose control for once and just TAKE.” He snarled.

A savage growl ripped from Daniel’s throat and he started slamming into Jack so hard the older man had to put his hands up against the headboard to keep from being knocked out. He arched into it, fucking LOVING it as his archeologist finally lost the last shred of control and drove his orgasm home right into Jack’s depths, his head tilted back and a strangled cry on his lips as it ripped through him and then dropped him, almost sobbing to breathe onto Jack’s chest. “That’s it, “ Jack whispered to his beloved rubbing his hands over the younger man’s shivering body, “you finally took what you needed, Danny. Finally took what was yours. Gods you were magnificent!” he pressed his nose into Daniel shoulder, bathing in his scent like he’d dreamed of. “You won.”

The archeologists shivered in reaction on him for long minutes, then withdrew and propped himself beside Jack. “I won.” He confirmed, then his eyebrows rose, “And “Gods”?”

Jack shrugged, caressing Daniel’s sweat bathed face, “Contagious habit, and you definitely won.”

Daniel grinned, “And what did I win?”

“Oh just me and all my worldly possessions.” Jack grinned, exulting in every ache of his body.

“Jackpot.” And they sealed it with a kiss.

They made love again that night where there should be no night. This time without the games and the challenges but with whispered words of love and devotion, making every gesture speak of their feeling for each other. Then they slept for a while. Jack thought it would be all night, but just before the mirror-dawn, Daniel woke him and started to arouse Jack again with all the knowledge he had so far garnered.

Daniel had always been a quick study and soon enough Jack was kneeling on the bed, his hands on the top of the headboard, bracing his shuddering body against Daniel’s unhurried thrusts “Danny please.” Jack gasped when the archeologist had intercepted the hand he’d started to reach down to his own aching erection. “I need to come, please!”

Daniel trapped Jack’s hands under his on the headboard and continued his slow aching thrusts. “You know Jack.” He said harshly into Jack’s ear, “I’ve always had the fantasy of doing this but with some ……woman sucking you off. It was one of my favorites. She never had a face before but she does now. I see red hair Jack, do you see red hair? And the creamy skin of her naked back? Her soft lips around you?” Daniel panted, his thrusts becoming harder, “I’ve watched her watch you, Jack, she wants to devour you. Wants to drink you down to the last drop.” He released one of Jack’s hands, “Stroke yourself Jack,” he commanded, “and look down into those shining emerald eyes as Ari sucks every last drop out of you.” Daniel guided Jack’s hand down and Jack, barely able to breathe at this point, looked down into the fantasy Daniel had created in his mind and came harder than he had ever believed possible, too hard to even let out a cry.

When the grey faded from his vision, Jack found himself face down on the bed, with Daniel laying beside him panting and looking smugly proud of himself. “That wasn’t fair.” Jack said.

Daniel looked over at him, “It was completely fair. I’ve always had that fantasy.” He turned over to face Jack completely, “And now you tell me about the thing you’ve been turning over in your mind concerning the lady in question. I know there’s something.”

Jack turned over, blinking up at the ceiling, “It’s nothing bad.” He defended himself, “Just give me a minute or two to gather back my brain from where it’s been pumped out through my dick.”

Daniel nuzzled into his neck, “Never thought it was bad but if this is the reaction I get from just the fantasy I can’t wait till we actually do it too you.” He purred.

“I may never survive.” Jack said, and just caught his breath. “I’ve just been thinking, Danny. Ariana’s been given, taken, and raped but I remember my grandmother talking about something that stuck in my head; about when she was courted. She cherished those memories till her dieing day. I thought…” he made a weak but eloquent gesture.

Daniel propped himself up above Jack, grinning down at him, “My God, Jack, that’s brilliant! Give her something no one can ever take away…..memories!” Then his face got confused, “But which one of us?”

Jack let a truly evil grin cross his face, “I thought…..we both would. Make it part of our game like the beginning of the night.” He set out the first challenge as always, “if you are up to it?”

Daniel kissed him deeply, “You are a genius!”

Jack shrugged, “I have my moments. She’s going to make us wait anyway, it’s written all over her. So we might as well make the wait fun, challenging, and….maybe hurry it along a little. Especially with the inspiration you just gave me, sheesh!” He pressed his head back into the pillows, “What a picture!”

Daniel blushed hotly but there was a pleased smile on his face none the less. “Wasn’t it? You weren’t the only one to see it, Jack, and you weren’t the only one to grey out either. I just woke up before you is all.” Daniel grinned wickedly at him, “Especially when the thought of empathy,” he caressed the term with his mouth, drawing it out, “occurred to me. Woke me right up.”

“Oh my Lord!” Jack half sat up, “Every feeling, every sensation…”

Daniel nodded wisely, “From everyone of us…….and if she chooses….magnified.”

Jack started laughing, “And I thought I was kidding about not surviving! Oh Gods!” he said feelingly. Daniel started laughing too at the prospect as the mirror dawn started to stream through the window on to Jack’s face. “You know when the Lady said to love each other into exhaustion I didn’t think you’d take it literally. I’m not even going to be able to crawl down the stairs much less get up on the White’s back.”

Daniel shrugged, “Well I may have miscalculated on that last session a tad but would you rather I hadn’t?”

Their eyes met, “Nah.” Jack said, “it was worth it. And it certainly proved that we are both amenable to being with her in bed.”

Daniel tilted his head up, then reached up and dragged the tip of his finger through the spray of come on the head board. “Oh I’d say you were amenable.” He said, lapping at the come on the tip of his finger, “any more amenable and I’d have needed a defibrillator.”

“For which one of us?” Jack questioned, wincing at the ache in his well used ass, and they laughed again. Life was certainly becoming fun again, and in Jack’s considered opinion it was about damn time!

It took them an hour to lift themselves out of bed and then they would have spent another hour in the shower, playing and loving but Daniel looked around and sniffed, “ Coffee.” He said absently and got out of the shower to start drying off immediately.

Jack put his hands together on the overhead track of the shower door and leaned halfway out, “You know, I just LOVE being the second love of your life Dr. Jackson…..right behind the Almighty Bean.” He chuckled.

“Aw come on Jack,” Daniel grinned as he slipped into some sweats that had been in the drawer of the bedroom, “I had you just an hour ago I haven’t had coffee in…”

Jack slipped his hand over Daniel lips, “In too long.” He completed softly, not wanting to poke at a wound that was finally healing in his psyche. He felt Daniel’s mouth curve into a smile and a soft kiss. He took his hand away and replaced it with his own mouth briefly. “Come on.” He said softly, still smiling, “If you smell coffee that means someone’s brewed it which means…”

“Ari.” Daniel smiled.

They both dressed quickly and went down to the kitchen to find Ari sitting at the table with a mug of coffee in front of her. She was dressed in a soft loose robe, like a dressing gown and she smiled at them both, glowing with happiness. “Thought this might bring you down.” She stated impishly, “Have fun?”

“You don’t know?” Jack questioned back as his lover made a beeline to the coffee maker. He grinned at Ariana’s immediate blush.

“I know….some.” she admitted, taking a sip of her coffee, “Honestly I tried to block out most of it. Succeeded too until someone invoked my name.” She glared over at Daniel who joined her in the blushing department, “Next thing I knew Conor was shaking me back to consciousness and laughing his ass off. That was a MEAN trick to do when I was in the middle of my Family Daniel.” She grumbled as Jack convulsed with laughter. “Overload would be a rather MILD term for the experience.”

Daniel was immediately apologetic, crouching down beside Ari, “I’m sorry I didn’t even think, it just was a fantasy and…..”

Ari leaned over and kissed his forehead, “Did I say it was a BAD experience, Daniel?” she ruffled his hair like Jack had done habitually when they had first known each other. “on the other end of the spectrum from that, “ she laughed, “Or maybe off the spectrum….and just what I needed for this morning. Now fuel up, Dr Jackson, we need to swing by to take our leave of Conor and Charlie and be on our way.” She grinned after him as the archeologist went to get a cup of the brew for himself and when asked for Jack as well.

Jack stroked Ari’s arm, the fabric felt silky….and fragile, “Don’t tell me you rode over in this?”

Ari smiled, taking another sip, “No, just didn’t want to make you guys feel over dressed. And, “ she frowned down at her cup, “Wanted to pretend for a while that it’s just a normal day and we’re going to walk out of that door and climb into your truck to head for the mountain. Have wanted that for so long so let’s pretend for a while, ok?” Ari smiled weakly but hopefully at her commander.

Jack’s eyes narrowed, “You know what’s coming next now don’t you?”

Ari licked her lips, nodding and keeping her eyes on her cup, “I’ve pretty much been briefed about the rest of our journey now. They knew I would most likely resist the first part. It was the nadir of my life….it defines everything after it. Hell, I don’t even remember what my name was before it happened. I did not become ‘Ariana’ until the moment before I took up Conor from that burned out hut. That was the moment I started to become what I am now……except for the shadow of the Voice of War, and even that was kept so that I might guard the Family. After all in the beginning it was just me and Conor against.” She shrugged, “Just about everybody.”

“I’m not going to like what I see today am I?” Jack groaned, accepting his cup from Daniel and taking a sip.

Ariana shook her head slowly but was kept from explaining by Daniel’s started exclamation. “Hey!” he said, taking what must be a second sip and savoring it, “This is the blend I always buy. You never kept this in your house Jack. Ari, did you bring it in?”

Ariana kept her head tilted down but looked up Daniel through her eyelashes, smiling softly, “Uh…..no.” she said softly.

Jack scowled and shrugged, “Took it when we cleaned out your apartment, just seemed natural to put it by my coffee maker, just kept it there.”

“In hope that Daniel would come back to drink it.” Ariana whispered, soft as a sigh.

Jack growled and shoved the table away from him, knocking over the cups on it. “Goddammnit! Living with you two is going to be like living with my skin turned inside out! I’ll have no secrets. No…” Jack surged to his feet, tipping over his chair and strode to the living room, fighting to breathe as he shook in reaction and surges of panic. He vaguely heard soft words behind him and waited for the first touch wondering which of them would come for him. It was a small hand that turned him around implacably and emerald eyes that he looked down into.

“No defenses. That’s what your were going to say isn’t it?” Ariana said with a terrible understanding in her eyes. “Jack O’Neill do you really think you are the only men I examined before my choice, or the first ones? There WERE other opportunities for me but I chose YOU and I did not do it lightly. I examined ALL of your life. The Sight knows nothing of ‘Top Secret’ it only knows truth and I followed it through all your darkenesses until a great light was brought to you.” She smiled over to Daniel who now came close and rested against Jack back soothing down the trembling that was still in him, “And you followed that light, wrestling down your darkness to do so. As you continue to do so to this day.”

Jack cringed and gasped, “Not always.” Thinking of all those times he had dismissed Daniel out of hand, not for a strategic reason but just because he didn’t want to listen. Arms wrapped around him front and back, holding him up, “Not always!” he cried leaning down onto Ari’s shoulder.

“Then don’t do it again Jack.” Daniel said, kissing the back of his neck, “I told you I didn’t want us to be about the past but the future. Just don’t make the same mistakes.”

Jack shook his head, his heart tearing apart in his chest, “But I will. Orders…”

“Won’t exist, if you don’t want them to.” Ariana stated strongly and gently lifted Jack face up between her sword-calloused hands. “Jack…..did you really think I was going to let you have to live hiding what you felt for us, or even try to hide what I feel about you. I’m an empath, I CAN’T! Even trying would drive me insane. But” she stopped him from protesting, “You don’t HAVE to be in the Air force to lead SG-1.”

“How?” his voice cracked.

Ari smiled softly, “Quite easily, my beloved. Before you stands a weapon, a weapon such as your scientists cannot even dream of. You know now I do not lie and I tell you that water, any water, wind or, more appropriately, storm, fire, you’ve seen the least of my powers in that, and at the deepest sacrifice even the Land, any Land will answer to my call. And this weapon.” She smiled up at him, “Follows only ONE voice. You will have the leverage to get anything you want and what you want…”

“Is SG-1, SG-1 back at the beginning when we were the tightest and the closest. When everyday was an adventure, not a chore. I’ve gotten so tired Ari.” He said, finally exposing his deepest wounds to the light. “What I did, what I had to do…….do you understand why I didn’t think myself worthy of Daniel’s love or yours?” Daniel’s arms tightened around him but he clung to his lover’s strength with one hand, even as he reached out to stroke his Lady’s hair, sharing with her a tentative smile.

“All too well, Jack, been there. I didn’t feel I deserved Conor’s love that first time around either. I’d killed his parents for the sweet Gods’ sakes’! But that didn’t stop him loving me. But now you have a way to go back and rebuild things to the way they should be. Come on, let’s get you sat down.”

She started to move away but Jack grabbed her back like a lifeline. “No, please!” as his heart started to race again.

Ari swayed back into his hold as naturally as the rain fell to Earth, reaching up to stroke his hair, “It’s okay Jack, we won’t stop touching you until you don’t need us too. You realize this is a panic attack?” she asked and sighed at his nod, “Need a little help?” she asked.”

“Please.” He gasped, is breath was starting to catch in his throat, he couldn’t seem to draw enough air into his lungs.

“Easy, Jack, easy.” Jack was dimly aware of the fear in Daniel’s voice and that Daniel had never seen him lose it like this before. Hell, he HADN’T lost it like this ever in front of Daniel.

“It’s going to be okay, Daniel.” Ari said softly and reach up to lay a soft kiss on his lips and as the first kiss she had given him ‘days’ ago took his rage, this one took his fear, but slowly, drawing it out like poison from a wound. Sweat broke out all over his body and he shivered, breathing deep breaths. “Careful love, don’t hyperventilate.” She gave him a searching look then looked over his shoulder, “Daniel, I’ll get him to the couch. You refill the cups. Coffee will help warm him…..and it’s smell means comfort doesn’t it, love?” she smiled at Jack.

Jack shrugged, “It’s Daniel.”

“Exactly.” The man so named said and kissed the nape of his neck again before he slowly let go, passing Jack’s weight to Ariana.

Ari held him up as Daniel went back to the kitchen to fetch the brew. “You’re stronger than you look.” He mumbled to Ari as she settled him on the couch. He leaned his head back and tried to get his thinking straightened out again.

“Have to be to survive, beloved.” Ari said, curling up against his side “It’s a rough world out there for a female Immortals. Men tend to have the advantage, but not even the acknowledged best of them in sword skill alone has ever bested ME.”

“Methos?” Daniel asked as he crouched down in front of Jack and wrapped his hands around the warm mug. Once Jack had managed a sip and give his lover a weak smile he sat down on the couch as close to Jack as Ariana was on the other side. The crowding didn’t feel threatening in the least to Jack….it was in fact the most relaxing sensation he’d felt in as long as he cared to remember. And their ignoring his ‘weakness’ didn’t hurt either.

Ari laughed, “No, sorry to say. Methos gets by with his wits and lots of knives as you saw. The best in blade to blade among immortals has been Duncan MacLeod for quite a while now. Duncan can’t even get a whiff of a new fighting style without wanting to learn it, but whenever our blades crossed,” she laughed sourly, “and that was more often then not, it always ended up with my blade at his throat. Quite a blow to the ego and Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod never weathered those well.” She sighed, “In the end I suppose Methos was right.”

“No fucking way!” Jack burst out.

“There is no way I can even conceive of you being a waste to anyone, Ari!” Daniel followed up quickly. Ari stopped them both with a gesture.

“That’s not what I meant guys.” Her voice stayed soothing and steady, “But when I look back now and see what was and what is Methos and I were …… try outs for each other. I was needed to heal the wounds that had festered in him since his time as Death, and fight both him AND Duncan, usually literally in Duncan’s case, to prove that he had paid enough. I may have loved Duncan but we didn’t really get along all that well, most of the time there was always the feel of an armed truce between us.” She rubbed her cheek against Jack’s shoulder and he reached over to smooth down her hair, the gesture comforting them both. “You know the kind of truce where each side is rearming? And Methos taught me how to love physically outside the rite, taught me the ways of pleasure and he was quite a good teacher. In the end there are really no regrets for me cause it all leads me to you. My anchor, my talisman that can call me back from being lost, and my light, “ she tilted her head forward and smiled at Daniel who blushed, “My light that reminds me everyday that humanity is worthwhile if it can produce such as you, Daniel-love.”

Somehow her words imposed a silence on them all for long minutes as Jack felt the new pattern of what his life was going to be settle into place. Jack once again had a foundation, newer and stronger than before, the rest would come in time.


Jack couldn’t really tell how long they sat here, if it really in the end even mattered, but by the time the first cups of coffee were gone Ari was definitely ready to face the future. But not the immediate future he noted. No, she skipped forward to the SGC. When he tried to call her on it she smiled a brittle little smile at him and just said, “Let us dream for an hour, Jack. Let us conjure with the future to decide what we want. The reality will come for us far too soon.”

Jack grinned and said, “Yeah.” Then he turned to Daniel, “So how do we get SG-1 back to where it should be and what would YOU like to see it do?”

“Honestly?” Daniel looked at Jack warily which struck him to the heart but Daniel immediately saw his mistake and kissed him in apology. “ Other than the chance to be an archeologist again from time to time; I do love first contact Jack, but I’d kinda like to see less of ‘take me to your superior technology’ and maybe more of ‘what can we do to help each other?”

“Which very well might become superior technology…….or something totally different that may be just as important.” Ari said, nuzzling Jack’s shoulder. Jack swung his arm over her head and pulled her in close. “I was there at the beginning of the establishing of the concept of large scale ‘trade’ in the Isles and one weakness I’ve noted about the SGC is that …..for the most part they only dealt with people nearest the Gate and then only in a ‘get the goodies and run’ fashion. You never stopped to find out what people a valley, or hell three valley’s over might have. You never stopped to think that what you saw THERE might not be all there was to see.” Ariana moved to look at them both, “Think about it, say if you went through the Gate and found the Celts how can you assume that the whole world is Celtic…..or may there perhaps be Romans, or Greeks, or for the Gods’ sake people who broke away from the usurpers grip LONG before and went their own way creating something entirely new!” Ariana looked as fired up with the concept of this as Daniel would be….as Daniel was when Jack glanced over at him.

“That’s right!” Daniel jumped off the couch and started pacing, “even the UAV only has a limited range so how do we know the people we encounter are the only people there are…….or even the only Stargate on that world! Hell we only found the Antarctica Gate when you and Sam were diverted there! Who says there is only one Stargate on each planet?”

“That’s true,” Jack said thoughtfully, “I sure as hell wouldn’t want there to be only one way off the planet in case something went wrong.”

“Exactly.” Ari said, snuggling even further into Jack’s side. He noticed she was practically clinging to him which meant that what he was going to see today he REALLY wouldn’t like. “I can tell you right now there are at least three ways off of my Estate to this day…… and that’s not even counting the ways to leave into the mists. I’ve never really seen the charm of locking oneself in a burning building.” She added dryly.

Daniel looked at her ruefully, “You cut right to the chase sometimes don’t you?”

“When it’s necessary. Daniel, as steeped in history as you are even you tend to think of ‘newer’ being better and that’s not always the case. Sure our lives are easier now……. but seeing how things have changed over the time that I have been alive I can’t exactly say that that’s an unmixed blessing. For instance, in the past there were drugs just as addictive as anything on the streets today but when you had to get up each morning to tend very willful animals or to fight so that you would survive and your life and the lives of your family depend on your ability to function at your best….. those entertainments hold little allure and were usually only indulged at sanctioned times. The ancient world and by extension many of the worlds you deal with have a VERY different outlook than you believe, and on that note,” Ariana pulled herself away from Jack and faced him seriously, “It would be my first suggestion as a subordinate to the second in command of the SGC that you disband SG-9 completely and don’t get a trained diplomat within MILES of the gate unless it’s with a culture that has a similar diplomatic structure of their own. I knew tribal chieftains, I WAS a tribal chieftain and really I still am. We deal with the person in front of us, usually one we have already observed and believe to be honorable, not the men that man sends especially a smooth talking diplomat. For a leader to even SEND someone else says that you are of lesser importance in his eyes and lessens his importance in his tribes eyes. You’d probably be quite surprised at all the things you’ve missed out on, Jack-love, after all I saw and wore silk LONG before I ever knew anything about where it came from.”

That’ll mean longer missions.” Jack said, thinking about it, “it will at least make Daniel’s department happier.”

Daniel started to say something but Ari waved him to silence, “And it has a sound strategic standing, Colonel. Believe me you’ve not gotten a good hold on a world and what it has to offer for at least a year. And I know that’s a long time to ask of your SG teams but do not soldiers go to be sent for postings in time of war for a year or more? This is still a war, I NEVER forget that, but you really don’t know what you will find when you take a closer look and isn’t winning this war worth that?”

Jack blinked, “Yes, of course, keeping it secret and communications will be a problem but we’ll figure it out because you’re right it’s worth it.” Jack frowned and stood up walking to the front window, looking out at the precise duplication of his front yard, knowing that every blade of grass was created to let Ari get a little closer to him…. To them until he and Daniel had been ready to meet her. “Is this what it’s going to be like Ari? You backing up the things that Daniel yearns for with sound strategic reasons?” He didn’t turn, he was talking about something much more important than their missions now, he was talking about their lives.

Her voice sounded softly behind him, she was close but she didn’t touch him yet, “Probably yes….. at least when there ARE good strategic reasons. And then sometimes I will probably be explaining the things you have to do as a leader and a protector to Daniel who always wants to see things as they SHOULD be rather than as they are.” He heard Daniel’s rueful chuckle and turned to see them both, “And there will be times when I do that, maybe even painfully, in either case.” There were unshed tears in her eyes but Ari was smiling gently, with so much love it made Jack’s whole body ache. “Because I have been and am both the dreamer, the bard who sees what could be if people would just TRY….. and the hard headed chieftain who has had to send my children, my kids, out to die so that the Family may live. In my way I can see from both the warriors and scientists view and so …… meet in the middle.” She smiled shyly, “it’s my way.”

Jack reached forward to caress her cheek and saw Daniel walk up and hug her from behind, but again they couldn’t seem to do any more and at this point Jack didn’t give a damn about what they had planned. He wanted to make love to this woman that seemed to be made for the both of them. Ariana wouldn’t weaken Jack and Daniel’s relationship, she would strengthen it by understanding them both and cutting through the bullshit that they sometimes wrapped themselves up into, as she said, to meet in the middle. He struggled under the restraints on them but it was Daniel who finally broke out in frustration. “Dammnit Ari, why can’t I even so much as kiss you! Let us go!”

Ari gently loosened Daniel’s grip on her and turned around to kiss him, gently but platonically. “It’s not me that holds you back, my dearest ones, things must come in their proper order. For one thing I am not yet completely free of Methos and Duncan. MacLeod’s darkness may be at his own invitation but I’m sure my defeating him and, to my shame, sometimes taunting him certainly stamped the RSVP on it. And” she looked down blushing, “My body has already prepared itself for Beltane so we know we will at least be back by then.”

“Prepared?” Jack said.

“Of course,” Daniel said, “It is always a virgin Goddess at Beltane. If I’d had time to think about that I would have wondered.”

“It grows back?” Jack exclaimed incredulously, “Every year?”

Ari nodded, “Every year. As it was said in Francis Ford Copolla’s Dracula, “The Blood is the Life.” As even good Yeshua said, “take this and drink, this is my blood, the blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many. Do this always in remembrance of me.” And so it is done to this day. And so too do I, pour out my blood at Beltane and Samhain, in sacrifice to the living and the dead.”

“The Old Gods not happy with wine huh?” Jack said, a little bitterly.

Ari smiled, “No, if only because what I do is a bit….. more strenuous than the saving of souls. Souls are important, but what I do is for THIS world and THIS life. I ensure the Harvest.” She looked up at them with pride, standing tall, and it struck Jack. To her the pain and blood and sacrifice was nothing because it was so people could be fed, to her the link was real and with all that he had seen so far he couldn’t really deny what she said. When he had been Jonah and when it had been his honor to serve it had really all been for a lie. But her pride wasn’t a lie and it wasn’t a con. She put food in the mouths of people by her act, something in him could not deny that. Probably, foremost in his mind, was that the woman simply did not lie, at most she seemed to only be able to voice to him a half truth, and even that she had been caught out in. Other than that he really couldn’t say where his faith in her statement came from……. Unless it was what made him UiNiell.

Jack shook himself out of contemplation, “ Rumors? Lies? Fairytales? I should have been struck by lightening where I stood. That one goes to you Dr. Jackson,” he grinned at Daniel who grinned back, “The Old Stories have come among us and whaddaya know?” he stepped up to Ari and gave her the short sweet kiss that was all that was allowed and sweeter for it, “they’re real, and the reality more beautiful than the telling.”

Ariana’s eyes shone up at him, “Are you becoming a poet, Jack UiNeill?”

Jack grinned, “Got to do something to keep up with a bard and a linguist.” He turned to Daniel and kissed him in apology for all the times he’d dismissed a truth he’d been too dim or busy to see, “Looks like I’ll be needing some extra tuition, Dr. Jackson.”

Daniel shook his head, “Not from me, I can only tell you what’s survived. The Lady’s the one with the truth here.”

Ari laughed and joined then in their embrace, “A Truth Daniel, A Truth, no more and no less than all the others found out there and equally valid. I am not one to deny another’s path because it is not my own. I honor Yeshua highly as a Sacred King and as a champion of his Truth. In fact there’s been a lot of times when I yearned to merely be able to have a conversation with him. I’m just not fond of what has been done with what he taught.” She reached up and kissed their cheeks, “Now if you’ll excuse me, we’ve been delaying long enough. I like showers too you know. I think I’ll catch one and then we can go make our farewells.” With that she skipped away from them and up the stairs.

“Our lives are never going to be the same again are they, Danny?” Jack said looking towards where she had gone.

“Did you really think they ever could be Jack?”

Jack shook his head, “Nah, but I had to check.”

Ariana didn’t keep them waiting long and they were back on horseback before Jack even could get his mind straight. Not that it stayed straight for long because he glanced over and saw Ari effortlessly balancing herself on the Black dragging a comb through her wet hair and swearing in all sorts of languages. It was the effortlessness that got him, she was all grace, perfectly balancing in her seat as it moved with the pooka’s stride and she was utterly unconscious of it as she untangled the seemingly endless knots in her hair. It probably wasn’t even in her mind what she was doing, creating this picture of grace in motion, it was so much a part of her being that she probably couldn’t be any other way. It was such an economy of motion that the long experience needed to create this effortlessness was emphasized in a way she probably wasn’t even aware of. And another glance showed him that Daniel was just as enraptured. He could almost hear his lover delineate how long and all the ways this woman must have ridden to achieve this economical perfection of form and balance.

Suddenly Jack looked down at his hands as he was consumed with the desire to see her with a sword in her hands, to see her in battle. He knew that Daniel probably wouldn’t understand the urge; the archeologist had been baptized into a world where the unsubtlety of guns held preeminence but Jack had studied more kinds of fighting than the P-90 he carried. In his studies in European military history he had to do some research on all kinds of fighting styles, including the sword, since it was THE weapon for men for some time even after guns had come to the scene. Today the Musketeers of France were still not known primarily by the muskets that they carried but by their swordsmanship. He could almost see the fighting styles he had read about paired down to the effortless, economical, elegant grace of form that she showed riding. How they would come out in the way that she fought. Every movement so ingrained that it no longer required though but flowed one into the other. Oh yes he knew that Daniel would never understand this desire but it burned in him. He gulped and looked at The White’s mane. How could he even talk about this desire with Daniel without his lover thinking he was bloodthirsty or something!

It had nothing to do with blood, everything to do with perfection of form and function, not really all that far from the warm glow Jack felt when he saw Daniel in the middle of a dig. The man had absolutely no idea how many times Jack had watched him immerse himself in what he knew to be the precise discipline of exacting every particle of information a place had. He’d no idea how much visceral satisfaction Jack had gotten from it either, even before the fact he was in love….and lust with the man knocked him over the head. Jack sighed, he would have to make that little fact known to his lover at the first appropriate opportunity.

Conor and Charlie were waiting for them alone, where the temporary camp had been. There were few marks left behind from the traveling band but then Jack now expected no less. He got off of horseback and gathered Charlie into a hug, just as he saw Ariana do the same with Conor. He wanted to call Daniel over but one look at his lover told him it would make him uncomfortable. He would feel intrusive; nothing could be further from the truth but it would take some time to get that through the legendary Jackson skull. “Be good, Sport.” He said, on his knee before his son, “No more letting the cattle roam huh? Not the place for it.”

Charlie laughed, “Yes Daddy, and you tell Mommy about me. Promise Daddy?” he said insistently.

“Charlie I told you she’s not going to understand this.” Jack said regretfully, “Or even if she did she would hate this. To her it would invalidate everything she believes.”

“Daddy, you have to….Ari promised.”

“Ari promised what?” he asked sharply. Then small but strong hands came down on his and Charlie’s shoulder.

“Ari promised to a son of her Family.” The Lady said, looking down at them both with the eyes of a born ruler again. “That she would open the mists before Samhain if necessary to allow Sara peace with what her son has chosen. This is the decision of The O’Malley and has nothing to do with my loyalty to you as a subordinate.”

Jack got up and squared off against Ari, that’s exactly what it felt like, like they were about to fight. With words or with blows he didn’t know, and dammnit Jack felt another of Ari’s facets slip into place in his mind. She was his subordinate, Oathed to her Gods as such, and yet she would fight him where she must. Her talents were under his command and he could even call her back from death but her will and her Family were still her own responsibility. She was still a chieftain, and would never be anything less. Jack found that reassuring because that was what had in the end cemented his decision between Carter and Daniel. Carter gave in. She had even followed an illegal order once rather than save him from his own foolishness as Daniel had gone out and done. That kind of ‘loyalty’ he SO did not need. He needed the kind that would stare him straight in the face, tell him when he was being a horse’s ass, and still love him at the end of the day. Still, it didn’t keep him from fighting and he knew from Ari’s eyes she would have been disappointed if it had. “All this could destroy her you know.” He stated, trying to protect the ex wife that he still loved.

Ariana arched an elegant eyebrow, “Has the Faith of Yeshua grown so faint? My Faith did not even shiver when I met a man who had seen Yeshua with his own eyes and I knew for Truth that Yeshua was indeed the son of his God. Nor did his when he saw MY Gods face to face.” Ari tilted her chin up, “No, we recognized that each was on a path that was True, as in appropriate, for us and acknowledged each other as equals. And so it has happened again and again, with Patrick, with Jacques, and with others. And so she can be happy in her Faith AND with her son’s decision to be here, or she can question and she will be answered by me or another she trusts or, “ Ariana’s face darkened. “she can condemn her own son for his choice of freedom and love in which case I have NO pity for her. Do you think it was an accident that no ‘heretic’ either Catholic or Protestant was EVER burned in Ireland? The rest I could not control but THAT atrocity I would not have happen.” She spat out between clenched teeth, “Not in MY LAND!”

“You are a Queen.” Jack said, automatically it seemed to him.

Ari bowed her head graciously, “Of the old way, where the Queen IS the Land, I am all that is left.”

Daniel came up behind them, Jack absently noted, as he felt something in himself move and he met her, steel for steel, royalty for royalty. Gods help him if he ever took her loyalty for granted or try to use her in a way against her ethics. A swift kick in the ass would be the least he could expect. She had sworn to him, but everyday he would have to prove worthy of that swearing or there would be hell to pay. He hoped he was up to it. “Ari.” Daniel said, cautious of the tension he saw between her and Jack, “what ARE you?”

Ari’s eyes passed from Jack’s; graciously, effortlessly and Jack was grateful he had passed her test. “Daniel,” she said to the archeologist in a much milder tone, “If I were to stand here and tell you all the things that I am or have been, we might be here a year or more. Look here, “ she reached over her back and pulled out her sword from the no-where place that it hid and held it flat between the two of them, “can you count how many layers of folding there are?”

Daniel put his hand out to touch but Ari gently warded him away from marring the blade with a fingertip, “No,” he finally said, “only the maker would know.”

“And would you say you are the same man or one might say ‘of the same ore’ that you were when you met Jack?”

“Of course not, I didn’t even know myself then.” Daniel answered with his usual passion.

Ari smiled gently, “Let us say rather that you did not know all of yourself. You knew yourself as archeologist, anthropologist, and linguist, but much has been added since then.”

Daniel frowned, “I’m not sure I like some of the things that have been added…..like the blood on my hands.” He looked down at his hands as if he could see all the blood even yet. But before Jack could even take a breath Ariana moved her blade between Daniel’s hands and his eyes.

“And perhaps the iron does not like the dull carbon that is added to make it steel, but it is the stronger for it.” Daniel eyes came up to meet hers and she smiled, “And how much more should be added to me for all the centuries, all the changes I’ve seen, and all the things that I’ve been. As a very good friend once said…. For Immortals, ‘Upon the page so much more is written.’ “

Daniel tilted his head a bit, his eyes sparkling with discovery, and again the two of them were in the teacher-student rapport that Jack had seen between them before. “I would dearly like to meet that friend.”

Ariana’s eyes clouded and she looked away, “I would dearly like that too, Daniel, I miss him much.” She gave a rueful smile to his instant sympathy, “A right royal mess that was, where Sean lost his head, but perhaps to a cause.”

“Tell me.” Daniel said softly.

Ariana chuckled, “Not today, love, today is the story of MY life. All things in their order.” She turned to Jack, challenging him again, “My commander.” She said, giving him his due.

“My Lady.” He said, giving her the same courtesy. Her eyes sparkled in delight of his perception and she turned away. Jack went over to Daniel and leaned his head against his lovers shoulder, groaning somewhat dramatically, “And here I thought you were bad in the field.”

“What do you mean Jack?” Daniel asked, “She sworn to her Gods to be subordinate to you….. she’ll follow your orders.”

“Sure she will, right up to the point where I give a stupid one.” Jack said, unable to keep the laughter inside him, after all he wasn’t exactly displeased with the situation, “then she will ever so nicely kick me in the ass or whatever she has to do to make me come to my senses. She’s my follower as long as I am worthy of being followed” he looked over at Ari exchanging a few last words with Conor, “No sliding into that asshole, ‘shoot first, ask questions three days later’ self or I’ll be on my ass faster than you can blink.”

Daniel thought about it for a moment, “You know for the life of me I can’t see where that’s an entirely bad thing.”

“Neither can I, Daniel, neither can I. But it will be ‘interesting’. As in the old Chinese curse, ‘May you live in interesting times.’ ”

Their farewells made they mounted up on the horses that were not horses and rode into the descending mist. Ari waited until they were cloaked from everything but each other and then spoke, “You said earlier that I would follow you as long as your were worthy of being followed and you were quite right, Jack. Now to see why, because there was another time when I swore to follow a leader with a Gods-bound Oath, just one other.” She looked at him with a serious gaze and Jack felt his chest tighten. /Here we go./

“I would later find that they named this year 60 AD but at the time all I knew was that the world was changing. All of a sudden into a land of circles, spirals, and curves, came the straight lines of the Roman world. It seemed the balance between everything was overturned. Oh, they gave things like technology and what they called ‘civilization’ but they took their payment in taxes, levies, and finally the attack upon a Queen of the Iceni.”

“Boudica.” Daniel said softly.

Ariana bowed her head slightly, “Yes. So, after taking the caution of seeing the O’Malleys safely on their way to what is now Ireland, I went and oath bound myself to the victimized Queen. And as it turned out it was one of the more foolish actions of my life, rising from my ingrained belief that a Queen was bound to the Land and would save it. But I had forgotten what my own hand had wrought. Look.” She pointed ahead and again they looked into the past.

Ari was standing around with a group of what Jack assumed to be Celts of all manner, some obvious warriors, others perhaps druids? Jack didn’t know but it wasn’t the time to ask, the Ariana of long ago was speaking. “My Queen if we attack Londinium it will make a trine, Three cities burned and destroyed……and that makes it a sacrifice to the Gods and they WILL listen to those sacrificed.”

One of the men stood up and looked down his nose at Ari, “But they are Romans! Why should OUR Gods listen to THEM!”

The Ari of old clenched her fists, “Because they have eaten of the fruits of the field, because their children have been born here, because they are now as much children of the Logres as we are,” arguing voices rose angrily around her but her strong trained voice rose above it, “all it requires is a sacrifice to give them the rulership! A sacrifice YOU are about to make”

It seemed for a moment that the warriors and Druids would mob that Ari and pull her down like wolves, but another female voice rose, “Stop!” And the crowd drew back to reveal the woman Jack had to suppose was Boudica. By some quirk of genetics they looked much the same, both of short stature and both with an abundance of flame red hair, but there was something about Boudica that was….overdone. Her clothes were finer than anyone’s there, her jewelry more rich, even the torc (which did not fasten together in the sacrificial knot but was finished with lavish end caps that did not QUITE meet) was more grand than any others there. She was most obviously the Queen and the Leader here but Jack wondered if she was trying too hard because before her was Ari, a Queen that needed no markings to be what she simply was, the real Queen that hid in the plainest wrappings.

Boudica stalked over towards Ari and Jack could see that the woman was enraged. “You came to me as a chieftain but you brought no tribe to fill my army, you came as a seer and yet none of your Seeings have been to my advantage, why is that?” she asked silkily, dangerously.

“I did not bring my clan because I was told to risk no one but myself.” Ariana proudly, “And if my Sight has not been useful to you it is not my fault, but I tell you now this attack will be your defeat sooner or later.”

“You were told by who? The Gods I suppose? Funny that no other chieftains were told the same.”

The Ariana beside them bowed her head, “And here, for the first time I questioned the wisdom of changing the way I was taught. When I was young there would have been no question that I was under the orders of the Gods in that matter, the markings were there for those that had eyes to see. But by this time they had even forgotten that the torc meant anything more than to be of princely state.”

Boudica went on, “And all the Druids and the seers with us speak of my triumph.”

The Ari of that time met the Queen’s gaze steadily, “Animal guts and hallucinogens can speak of what the Seer wishes to see and they no more want to see Logres conquered than you do. As for triumph isn’t that a Roman term? A true ruler of the Celts does not see triumph except the yearly one that the tribe has survived and that the children live. I do not see that here. Seeing the Queen used to mean seeing the Land.” The Ari of that time stood back with sorrow in her eyes, Jack glanced to the side and saw a reflection of that sorrow well aged in regret.

“So you would rise against me?” Boudica growled, “That is if you can even get out of this camp.”

“No, Boudica I will not. I have taken the threefold Oath and so am bound to follow you, so follow you I will but I will not be a part of this atrocity even as I was not at the other towns.” That Ari stood in Boudica’s face and growled back, and her growl was more than human, it carried within it the howl of the hungry wolf and the caw of the battle Raven and for one moment all there saw who REALLY had the power and it was not who they thought it was. “I will never again carry the blood of children on my hands, but I am your Oath bound follower, so when you come to me, and you will, I will do my best for you. Until then Boudica, Queen of the Iceni I bid you farewell. I have laments to sing for the sacrifices that you send to the Gods tomorrow.” Then that Ari turned and walked away and no one dared touch her.

Boudica hesitated for a minute, struck by the power she had seen naked for just one minute, and then laughed scornfully to draw the crowds attention back to her. “And so now we see what fear of the Roman will do. Do you fear them, my brave ones?” A roar of refusal answered as the mists descended.

“Boudica did always know how to lead the warriors.” Ari commented dryly as they rode on. “But it didn’t stop what happened, they destroyed Londinium as I lamented it and got a glimpse of what it would be in the future, and then the Legions descended. The defeat was inevitable, as I looked back after I realize the Romans were inevitable and that served me well for dealing with things in the future. Everything is a test, I’ve learned, with something to teach, and everything has a price.”

“And the price that time was losing to the Romans?” Daniel asked, “Having to bow to the inevitability.”

Ari smiled at him with an expression that made a shiver go down Jack’s spine, “No, because Boudica came to me at the last and I did what I had Oathed to do. I served her to the end.”

The mists rose again and they could see a small ragged band, on foot, and among them was the torn and ragged figure of Boudica, no longer a Queen, but just a woman trying to escape capture. Ari was also there, at the back of the band, her eyes behind, “They’re catching up!” she shouted to the group.

Boudica, now without her group of sycophants to shore her up panicked, “What do we do?! They will capture us all and display us like animals in their filthy city!” she shrieked.

Ariana walked through the crowd, her back unbowed, her Queenship undiminished. “No, I will stay and stop them. Ask no questions Boudica! Not this time! Go and live free. You didn’t trust me before, but trust me now, on my Oath I WILL stop them.” Boudica looked frozen with indecision so Ariana calmly commanded the ragged band to take flight and since she was the only one there NOT panicking they did. Jack knew this, this was how he had gotten one of his field commissions; being the only one around that looked like they knew what the hell they were doing. So the last tag of the Celtic army left Ari alone and she stood still in the middle of their track, her face as pale as frost but her eyes hard with determination.

“What are you doing?” Jack asked after a few minutes when the figure of Ari in front of them did not move.

Ari’s voice was subdued, “Using one of the most deadly weapons in my arsenal and my most innate, empathy. I could feel the Romans, even at the distance, could feel their hate, their need for revenge against those who had dared rebel. So I mixed the pot ……and added lust. And heightened it to the point where they were no longer thinking, just feeling. Ah,” she pointed, “there they are.”

The mass of men that came over the rise was more like a pack of rabid wolves then men by that time. Jack knew that they would have torn apart anything in their path but Ariana was not one to leave things half done, she stepped forward and shouted. It was Latin but a Latin Jack couldn’t understand even with his knowledge of Ancient, the root from which it had come. “That’s soldiers Latin, gutter Latin.” Daniel said.

“I was hardly going to invite them to do what they did with gentle language.” Ariana said.

“What did you invite them to do?” Jack said tightly, even though in his gut he knew.

“If you would conquer the Celts, Roman, conquer me.” Daniel said in a breathless tone. “You WANTED them to rape you.” He half accused Ari.

“It was the only way. I could have fought them I suppose, but I might have killed one or two before I had fallen, and the others would have gone after Boudica. THIS way they were already killing each other over me before the first one laid a hand on me.” She turned The Black and looked at them straight, “I’m not proud of what I did this day, I never have been but it was necessary, I thought, for my Queen’s.” She looked directly into Jack’s eyes, “For my COMMANDER’S escape and I would do no less today.”

“No!” Jack said, his voice scraping over his tightened vocal cords, “I will never ask for that and I will never accept it.”

“Especially since it was all for nothing.” Daniel said in a low voice, “Boudica died by her own hand.”

“Yes, not but one valley from where I was, my sacrifice was for nothing. And so I have not bound myself to a commander from that time to this.” Ari said calmly.

Jack was anything but calm, he slid off his horse and vomited the contents of his stomach onto the ground, dry heaving even when there was nothing left. As the spasms calmed he felt Daniel’s and Ari’s hands on him, he grabbed onto Ari’s, “Promise me, Oath it dammnit, that you will not EVER do this for me!”

Ari stroked his hair, “Why Jack? Tell us why, tell DANIEL why.”

Jack bent over as another wave of illness shook him. “He doesn’t have to!” Daniel protested.

“Yes.” Ariana said calmly, but with an iron note in her voice, “If not for you than for himself. Tell us why Jack.” She said and he could no longer resist.

“Be-Because I know what it feels like to be…..conquered.” he gasped, “To be raped, to be used, to be ground down so that those that took you can feel superior to you. And I know what it’s like to be betrayed, to be….. left behind. I was in that hellhole in Iraq for four goddamnned months and I got MYSELF out. They didn’t come for me, I wasn’t worth enough to them!”

“And so you became darker, and harder and fought, even when you got back.” Ari said in a calm and above all accepting voice, “You fought everyone, the doctors who treated you, the shrinks who tried to ‘fix’ what they could never understand, the military who had left you for dead. You started to find ways around their ‘rules’, always to make sure you brought your men back alive.”

“And I did more.” Jack said, finally letting out the darkness like the vomit that had left his stomach. “I started to judge everyone by whether they would stand up to me or not, by whether they could endure what I had. My teams were always the best because I never let up on them. But Sara, she didn’t stand a chance, she always gave in, gave me my way, and so a part of me despised her for a weakling. Our marriage was over long before Charlie died……hell I thought *I* was over then until…..” He looked up at Daniel.

“Until me.” The archeologist said lovingly, “although I never understood really. I said what anybody else in my place would say.”

“But you said it with a combination of gentleness and strength that he had never seen before, and that people are always surprised by.” Ari said still soothing Jack as the tremors passed. “Even I in my life have only seen a few like you, and usually they belong to one God or another. You seem to belong to yourself……or perhaps the Stargate itself.”

“I’d like to think that I belong to Jack now.” Daniel said.

“Perhaps. That I belong to Jack is certain, that Jack belongs to you is equally so, but to who or what you ultimately belong to.” Ari hesitated, “I’m not quite sure yet.”

“Are you trying to say that I love Jack less then you.” Daniel said hotly.

“By no means, Daniel, you love him as truly as any soul can love another. I am not talking about love, I am talking about necessity. As soon as you left Jack started falling apart. If you asked Jack to leave me now, and you could, I too would fall apart. But you serve a higher necessity.” Ariana paused and seemed to asses Daniel top to bottom. “If I were to make a preliminary guess I would say you belong to the future. Jack and I are both creatures of the past, by blood and by nature, both of ancient royalty. But you light the way to the future and draw us on to bring to ancient powers to bear for a new purpose. You are our Light, as I have named you, and your light leads us through the Stargate.”

Jack turned over woozily and leaned back against Ari, knowing she was strong enough to support him and watched Daniel think it through. “I guess,” he finally said reluctantly, “it makes sense. All this time we’ve been pitting science against what we saw as the lies that the Goua’ld had sown. But now we are here.” He looked around at the mists that surrounded them, the pookas that bore them on their journey, at the Lady that had brought them together, “and I cannot state anymore for certain that all mythology are just primitive ways to explain that which they could not comprehend. Magic is real!” he said with a dawning awe.

“But no more an answer to everything than science is, my beloved. In the end science and magic are but tools, and bring as many problems as they do answers. It is we, the living beings of the Universe, that must find the right ways of using them.” Ari said, “And so again it is all down to our actions and we are ultimately responsible for the reality we create everyday.”

Jack grunted, “And we are making a hash of it aren’t we? After all look at the Earth today, look at the SGC?”

“Oh I don’t know, Jack.” Daniel actually grinned at him, holding a warm hand against his cheek, “We’ve now got an immortal with the power that came down from before the Goua’ld, we’ve got the last descendent of the High Kings of Ireland.”

Jack felt Ari brush a kiss into his hair, “We’ve got a man that thinks so far out of the box he doesn’t even know where the damned thing IS.” She laughed at Daniel blush but they still smiled at each other. “We’ve got love to hold us together and hope to take us forward and if I’m not mistaken the Gods behind us all the way. I may have made the ultimate choice.” She reached out and drew Daniel to her until they all tangled around each other, “I believe it was blessed from the moment it was made.”

“You’re going to change everything.” Daniel grinned at her.

“Hell yeah,” Jack kissed Daniel and then Ari, “I can’t wait.”

They stayed wrapped around each other, almost huddling with each other for a while as they calmed down. Then Ariana looked out into the mists and sighed, “I don’t want to stop for the day yet, if you two can manage it. Firstly I really want to get to Alpha, but more importantly you two have seen me in dark situations long enough. Let’s take a look at the lighter side, shall we?” she kissed each man’s cheek and Jack suddenly knew what she had been talking about back at the copy of his house she had made. She made these affectionate gestures, touching, caressing, kissing them so easily and so naturally. Asking her to stop would be like asking Daniel to stop asking questions. He’d done that once, creating irreparable harm and he wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice.

He reached out to her as they got to their feet, bringing her close, “You were right. We will be in SG-1 but the Air Force can go hang. I’m not going to ask for the necessary deception that would keep me in the service from you, Daniel, or myself. We’ve done enough and are going to be doing a damn sight more enough to love whoever the hell we please.”

Ariana swallowed nervously and looked up at him with troubled eyes. “You know this might set you both up for more ridicule and bigotry than even if it were just you and Daniel were together? Even same sex couples have a hard time accepting of the concept of a permanent threesome.”

“Well that’s too damn bad, cause I can’t give either of you two up.” He put his hand on her neck and tilted her face up to his. “You are as much worth fighting for as Daniel is Ari.” He looked over towards his lover, asking for support. He was not disappointed.

Daniel stepped closer to them. “Jack’s right, Ari, you are. And I’ve been fighting against unjust stereotypes all my life. This is just one more.” He grinned at her, “Not to mention all the stories you have to tell me. Quite a delicious icing on an already irresistible cake.” He very obviously eyed her face and form with an overtone that made her catch her breath and shiver in Jack’s arms.

Jack grinned and the bonds on them loosened enough that he was able to nuzzle her neck and behind her ear. She moaned and clung to him for a moment before pulling herself out of his embrace. “You are temptation itself, the both of you. Gods I was a fool to ever think that only an Immortal could understand me, but then you two have been through many lifetimes these last years. Ah well I’ve been wrong before and I perfectly happy to be wrong on that assumption too. Not to mention the delicacies I see before me.” She eyed both of them up frankly and actually licked her lips, “Can’t wait.” She sighed.

Both Jack and Daniel laughed at her and she joined in but it was Jack that spoke. “I still say you are both blind. I am most definitely getting the best part of this deal.”

“Really?” Ariana drawled, “Well, think again, Colonel. You’ve got to remember what the standard for beauty was for most of my lifetime. The scars made the man, were part of the beauty of men.” She met Daniel gaze for a moment and then put a soft hand to Jack’s face, “Then there’s the eyes, aren’t I right Daniel?” The archeologist chuckled and nodded, “Those eyes that in the precious moments you let yourself go fill up with love, pain, sadness, joy and best of all …… mischief.” She grinned up at him, “Looking back I think it was the mischief that sealed my heart to you. There’s been more people than I can count that have tried to tell me I need more fun in my life.”

Jack found himself grinning back at her, “I’ll try my best if you help me with this one over here.” He reached out and snagged his archeologist. “He needs to have more fun too, AND” he grinned over at Daniel, “I don’t always mean those scholarly debates that set your heart all a flutter. I mean down and dirty just plain fun.”

Daniel shot a look of appeal over at Ariana but she shook her head at him. “He’s right you know.” She said turning a wise eye on the younger man, her gaze softening. She stepped close to Daniel and used her softest voice, “I know you haven’t had the easiest of lives, Daniel, and if I could go back in time to fix it, I would. But I think it’s time, well past time, for us all to enjoy life a bit. I really don’t think that the universe will fall apart if we do from time to time. “

Daniel glared at her for a moment then grinned, “Okay I can agree and Jack’s got the perfect plan to get us all started, don’t you love?”

“Hey you weren’t supposed to spill the beans right now, Danny?” Jack protested.

“What better time?” Daniel laughed at Ariana’s look of bafflement. “You might as well tell her now Jack.”

“Yes Jack,” the lady said silkily, her smile bright but slightly dangerous, “Let’s hear about this perfect plan.”

Jack cleared his throat, “I though we might, well, court you for a while.”

“COURT me?” Ariana’s surprise was hilarious, “Jack, love, I’m already won. I love you both so much that is taking the Gods themselves to keep me from flinging myself at you now.”

“Yeah, but they will keep you from us for a while, won’t they?” Jack answered.

Ari’s face sobered and nodded, “Probably. Most likely till after Summer Solstice, when you said Methos and I have to fight for Duncan’s soul.”

“Yeah well, that’s as may be, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun in the mean time.” Jack stated firmly.

Ariana appraised him for a moment and nodded, “And it will be the both of you?” she said in an amused voice, but Jack though he could detect under her amusement was a rising joy.

Daniel grinned, “We’d thought we’d make it, well, kind of a game. See if we could out do each other. You probably know we like that sort of thing.”

Ariana laughed, but then pinned each of them with a serious gaze, “Okay, I’ll play along, as long as it stays fun.” She said firmly, “The last thing I need after Duncan and Methos is for this kind of ‘game’ to get out of hand.” She warned them.

Jack smiled at her understandingly, “Promise. It’ll all be in fun.”

Daniel nodded then made a small request, “Yes but at the end of the game let us each have you a few nights to ourselves first, Jack first obviously.” He held a hand up when Ari and Jack moved to protest, “Don’t try to tell me that you don’t need him more, Ari, not love, NEED. It won’t wash with me.” The archeologist reached out to her as her gaze dropped, “It’s okay, Ari love, “ he subtly emphasized the last word, “the first thing you said when Jack held you for the first time was that you were finally safe. I have no problems with you reveling in that feeling first. That’s one of the things I love about him too. And as for why both of us alone first…. I have the feeling you are going to be quite different with each of us and then different again when all three of us together. I selfishly want to experience you on my own first, Ari, just like I did with Jack.”

Ari sighed, “That’s probably a wise decision. Permanent threesomes tend to be like that, very….. fluid. Some nights you two will want to be alone together, sometimes each of you might want to be alone with me. But,” she looked down at the ground and blushed quite brightly, “I have noted from past experience that it was when there were three in the bed that I was the most…….” She bit her lip, “intense.”

Jack blinked at her for a minute his mind going off into a haze of erotic fantasies. After a moment he shook his head and then nudged Daniel out of his own daze. What could they say, in the end they WERE both guys, and sometimes defaulted into thinking with their dicks. Jack rolled his shoulders uncomfortably and looked away into the mist, “Well we better get moving or we’re never going to get to a time or place where we can put those thoughts into action will we? Could we, uh, walk for a while?” There was no way in HELL that he could endure being in the saddle in his current condition.

Ari giggled, Jack noted that he liked her giggle, and said, “Sure we can walk. Come on.” Her eyes sparkled at Jack a moment and then she led them on their way.

They walked for a while in the mist then Daniel stepped forward even with Ariana, “You know Ari, these, uh, flashbacks or whatever, tell us about your history but they don’t tell us much about your personal tastes.”

“Yeah, the only things we know like that so far are that you, “Jack started ticking them off, “don’t like a Venison meal, you like movies, you like how baseball is portrayed in movies.”

“You take your given word extremely seriously, you are a devious political player, and the only thing you value as much as us is your Family and your Gods.” Daniel chuckled, “And you don’t talk about your Gods like I’ve ever seen anyone do.”

Ariana grinned at him, “That, my dear Daniel, is partly because you are used to the Usurpers, the Goua’ld, and partly because you either don’t remember the old stories well or they’ve been watered down for you. I am above all a Celt, and our Gods always kinda liked it when we had the strength of will to stand up and spit them in the eye.”

“Yeah, that’s definitely something I doubt the snakes would ever like. Even the Tok’ra tend to be arrogant as hell. But still, back to the point, if you don’t like venison to eat, what do you like? And what kind of movies should we take you to see? That stuff.” Jack asked, also catching up so they were all standing side by side.

Ari smiled over at him and then looked back into the mist, keeping them moving. “Well a lot of things depend on my mood. Sometimes I will be dieing for one of your stakes, Jack, usually medium rare, sometimes I will be dieing for sushi.”

Jack groaned, “I think I’ll leave you on those nights to Daniel. I’m usually a meat and potatoes kinda guy.”

Ariana laughed, “And it’s the same with entertainment, all depends on my mood. Although you can keep the Jell-O wrestling for Teal’c if you don’t mind.” She winked at Jack who grinned back, “I do tend to favor musical theater and movies a lot of the times but that’s because songs, especially songs that tell stories like musicals do are a bards stock in trade and that is always very strong in me.”

“What’s your favorite musical then?” Daniel asked.

Ari smiled softly and sadly, “Les Miserables over all, for reasons that won’t make sense to you right now. Give it time Daniel, even you can’t swallow 2500 years at one go. And speaking of such, here’s another dose, “ she nodded a head and they saw that the mists had risen again. But this time there was no one in sight that looked like Ari. There was only and old, vastly ugly crone waiting in a forest beside a well. Jack looked at her questioningly. “That’s me,” she assured them, “under a glamour. From the time I got to Ireland till this point in time I and the Family wandered Ireland. I acted as a bard mostly, because in some ways a bard in the Ireland of those days had the most power. With a song we could make or break a king and that kept the Family as safe as anything but eventually I was called again to my Ancient duty. A King of Ireland wished to test his sons and I was called upon to enact one of the Oldest tests. Watch.”

Jack and Daniel watched as one by one three men approached Ari’s loathsome disguised form and asked for water from the well. Each time she demanded a kiss and they refused indignantly then the next man came to her and he had a very different demeanor, showing a respect that the others had not. “Lady, may I have some water from your well.”

“I will give it freely.” The transformed Ariana said in a horrible cracked voice, “to the man that satisfies me.”

Daniel murmured, “I know this.”

“Shh, love,“ the Ari at their side said, “watch it play out.”

“What will satisfy you Lady.” The man said, still respectful.

“Oh a kiss should start us off right.” The crone said. The man thought for a moment and then kissed her as if the creature he saw before him was the most desirable of women. And under that she became that and more. When the man pulled away Jack and Daniel gasped. The lady was recognizable as Ari now but Ariana raised to the form of divinity. She was more than beautiful, she was a Goddess. “And so you have won your prize, Niall, with your generosity to the lowest of creatures your have won the regard of the of the Goddess Sovereignty.” She held out a cup, “Celebrate and drink the wedding cup with Erie herself.” As the man, Niall, drank and looked upon the Lady with awe and worship, the mists descended again and Ari stepped away from them. “And so you see a bright face of mine, or more accurately what I become the vessel of. You will see her again at Beltane, maybe other times too, but even then please remember you get something even more rare than that Goddess. That Goddess has shared herself with a multitude of men, some worthy, some not. But the only other men who have moved ARIANA to passion are Methos and Duncan.”

Jack blinked his eyes clear of what he had just seen, “Yeah, I think on the whole, I prefer you as you are. The Goddess is a little …..too much for all the time, I think.”

“Niall,” Daniel mused, “That would be Niall of the Nine Hostages, founder of the UiNiell line and the first of them to be Ard-Ri of Ireland.”

Ariana nodded, “And Jack’s direct ancestor. I later served him as court bard and then some of his successors, but never as Ariana publicly, although Niall found out my true name when he granted me the land that would eventually become the O’Malley Estate. Publicly I was always known as merely The Harp, and since I was wise enough to disappear frequently, it came to be considered a inherited or awarded title, only the druids had an idea I was the same person although they never found out my name. Eventually Brian Boru came to the throne and he was so famous that I became known as the Harp of Brian Boru.”

“But,” Daniel sputtered, “that harp is kept at Trinity College now….. it appears on the Irish flag.”

Ari grinned, “Really? A harp that carbon dates to about 400 years after Brian’s time? *I* carved that Harp myself, every detail, and sent it to the Pope as a sign that I would not fight him over the people of Ireland but that I also wasn’t going away. The name that was mine got stuck to it and so it has remained.”

“And I thought our idea of history got knocked on the head when we discovered the Stargate? Do all Immortals make such impacts in history?”

“Not usually.” Ari said, “most try to keep a low profile, especially in these days of electronic records and such. And none have had a Family like mine, both a support and,” she sighed, “an endless series of grief’s, because most of them eventually die.”

“Most of them?” Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ari shrugged, “Once the Watchers, which is an organization that dates back to ancient Mesopotamia, were discovered and the O’Malley’s got involved it became the practice that any O’Malley who observed an Immortal they thought would fit in adopted them into the clan. There are a good number of O’Malley Immortals now.”

“What were you trying to do?” Jack asked, “gather a power base?”

“Gods no.” Ari laughed, “I only wanted to get the Family into the Watchers to make sure MY Watcher was always O’Malley and wasn’t some religious fanatic who might try and make sure I lost my head. They kinda took the bit in their teeth after that. Still do, actually, Joe’s one of the worst too.” She grinned at them, “You are gonna have the gratitude of a LOT of people when you bring me back to Earth.”

“I thought you were taking US back.”

“Yes but you two, and the SGC, have given me a life to go back to and a purpose. Something to fight cleaner than mere survival, and perhaps the very enemy I was shaped and modeled for ultimately. It cannot be coincidence that I am the only one of my kind to be Immortal and survive until now. I’d say that the Gods are finally ready to fight back and they gave me the choice to take the battle into the Usurpers teeth.” This time Ari’s grin was a bit feral. “That’s not why I made the choice, in fact I was not told the whole story until after my choice was made, but it does give me a certain satisfaction.”

Daniel frowned, “You think that’s why you are the way you are?”

Ari shrugged, “It’s as good a guess as any. As Tolkien wrote: ‘Even the very wise do not see all ends’. But you gotta admit there is a clear pattern, if you look back. My training, the Voice of War, my fealty to the UiNiell’s and how I preserved the line, my Treaty with the US, and other things…..it all adds up. We weave our wyrd, half the time blind, but you can always look back and see how the pattern has brought you to where you stand and I never met an Immortal yet who didn’t have eidetic memory so….” She shrugged.

Jack nodded, “Yeah I guess we can all look back and see how we got here although I gotta tell you that you are going to make things seriously weird.”

Daniel laughed, “Yeah, but when has that ever made a difference at the SGC?”


They decided together that they weren’t quite tired enough to stop yet so the continued. Ari showed them different parts of her life, Beltanes that went well and the rich harvests that followed, Beltanes that went badly, that were horrors to her and left the Isles to starve. “So you see,” she said softly as they watched an Ariana of long ago bury an achingly tiny bundle among the burial mounds on the O’Malley estate, “the sorrow of a ‘bad’ Beltane never ended that night for me……I knew it was only the beginning of the pain for that year.”

Jack couldn’t stand it, he gathered Ari into his arms and let her shed some bitter tears for those that had died on her over the centuries. “Then why did you take the risk of going away from the O’Malleys when Beltane approached?” Daniel asked, frustrated. That had also been a part of the yearly pattern. Ari had explained that after there were no more properly trained priests of the Gods left she found she could still enact the Rite with ANY man and every year she did so. She left the Estate and wandered away from where any O’Malley was to come upon a man, usually in the prime of his years, appear to him as the Goddess to make him a God for one night alone. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked, when the man was kind. But the Goddess was not that discerning, all’s she asked for was strength of mind and virility, and that did not always go with gentleness so that sometimes the Rite was no more than rape and it would take Ari longer than normal to heal as she channeled all her powers, including her Quickening itself, to sparing the Isles as much as she could but it was never complete. The Harvest was doomed to be less if not fail all together.

“I……I’m not sure but I think that my subconscious mind simply could not bear the thought of enacting the Rite with one of those who I regarded as my children.” Ari said, still leaning her forehead into Jack’s neck. She shivered and Daniel crowded closer to her so that they bracketed her. It was like pieces of a puzzle, Jack thought, Ari was so small that she fitted perfectly in between their larger forms. It must have felt as good to Ari too because she relaxed so much that they were practically holding her up. Jack rested his chin on her head and Daniel leaned in to kiss him, causing the inevitable and Jack was damn near sure unconscious sigh of satisfaction from the woman between them. The two men shared a smile…….this was all crazy but it felt so right, so very good. Jack only regretted that they could take it no further than this. But they could hold her here for a moment, between Worlds, between times, between everything and wrap themselves in a contentment Jack had rarely known. Over Daniel’s shoulder he could see the Black looking at them and he thought he read some kind of approval coming off the equine. Jack only hoped they could continue to live up to it.

After a while he moved away and looked down into Ari’s eyes. They had been sad, almost tortured by the past deaths, but now they looked dreamy, a little vague, and very, very happy. “Why don’t we take a rest stop huh?” he said, gently smiling at her, “And you and Daniel can talk about what was GOOD about those years. I’m sure he’s salivating for new cultural information from a reliable primary source.”

Daniel grinned at him, “Primary source Jack? You’re giving away your education again, which for the record I always knew was in History. Education files of SGC staff are not kept under a security lock you know.” He moved away from Jack and Ari, allowing his lover to settle their Lady on the rich green grass carpet that clothed this Land and help him unload the saddle bags. “in fact I’ve never really been sure how you got away with the ‘dumb grunt’ act to begin with.”

“Simple.” Jack said, setting the packs down across from where Ari was already carefully cutting a circle of the sod for a fire pit. “The act for the most part only works for people who assume what you see is what you get. It never worked with Hammond; he made me 2IC, it never worked with Teal’c who knows ALL about the advantage of appearing less than you are, and it never worked with you. Hell, the only one on the team who ever bought it was Carter which made taking her up on that ‘want you but can’t have you’ trip easier than it should have been.” He looked directly at Ari who had snapped out of her lazy, happy daze at the mention of Carter’s name and was now studying the fire pit intently, picking sticks of wood out of the air to make a fire. “And don’t think I’ve missed that she’s your ‘most feared one’. It leads directly from that doesn’t it, Ari?” He didn’t have to make it a command, he knew Ariana would tell them, this was too important not to give them the information they needed.

“Yes, Jack, it probably does. I’ve……had time, from my perspective at any rate, to investigate things. A lot more time here than you’ve had outside the Otherworld. I’ve had time to look at a lot of……possibilities and alternates.”

Jack was going to leap into threat assessing but Daniel beat him by kneeling down by Ari and stopping at the personal aspect, “Which means you’ve spent a lot more time than we’ve been apart needing us.” He said simply, totally derailing Jack from where he’d been headed. But perhaps this was more important. Daniel put his hand to her face and tilted it up to look at him, “How long Ari? How long were you waiting for us to get to that place where you could give us the choice of the middle path? How many times have you shed tears for us and because of us, love?” he concluded softly, gathering her to him in that exquisite sympathy for pain he had always shown. Jack smiled remembering how he’d first seen that in a few soft but passionate words said to a suicidal Colonel on Abydos so many years ago.

Ari sighed shakily, resting in the comfort of Daniel’s embrace, “That’s an unanswerable question here, love. But ……. long enough to be sure, long enough to make sure I wouldn’t make the same mistakes I made with Methos and Duncan, and long enough to explore various possibilities and alternates. To find patterns in those alternates as well.” She pulled back and smiled a little up into Daniel’s concerned face, “And I’ve always been pretty good with patterns, as you might know from traditional instrumental Irish music. A traditional reel is the same pattern repeated faster and faster with each time around.” She kissed Daniel lovingly and laughed a little, “usually until someone gave in and admitted they just couldn’t go on anymore. We Celts are a great people for games…..even in our music.”

“YOU are avoiding the point…….you were in pain.” Daniel stated stubbornly.

“Yes I was, Daniel, but now I’m not. If loving you has caused any pain, it now causes even more joy and so the pain is no more and we need not talk about it. What was broken is fixed and under the Old Laws it is now as if the pain never happened. That is how I feel and who are you to tell me I must be in pain again?” Her question might have sounded indignant in another tone but it did not, it was the gentle inquiry of a teacher again and required an answer.

Daniel looked down at her and blinked, “Once you fix what was broken it’s done.” He said in dawning understanding.

Ariana smiled, “And perhaps you have learned the lesson of how not to cause the pain again. Reparation…..taking active action to make right what was first made wrong requires a great deal more thought, skill, and effort than just sitting on your ass and feeling guilty……or enduring any kind of punitive punishment. YOU have to take action……which means you usually have to examine and find out how things went wrong in the first place, because only then can you make things better.” Ariana sighed, “That in the end is why I have to take my place as the Lady at Beltane this year, with Methos as my Lord, and fight with him to bring Duncan back to the light. In the end, perhaps, my ……… determination to teach” she looked down and sighed, “or thinking I was teaching Duncan that he had been a judgmental bastard, was MY crime. You teach nothing by holding a blade to a man’s throat. I should have remembered that,” she shrugged, “but I had never been in love before.”

“I’m not sure I understand Ari, with us you seem so confident.” Daniel said, “and patient.”

“Because I have learned better now.” Ari said, “And, perhaps although I do not like to admit this defeat to the Usurpers, because you are not Immortal. You two treat me like a mortal woman mostly, especially you Daniel, because I appear as such. But right this moment, if you were different men……if you threatened me and mine I would have little trouble killing you right where you are. I would not even have to use magic. My experience makes me strong, Jack noticed that. It makes me quick, combat is instinct. But most important of all is makes me cunning in a fight.” She shook her head, “Immortals tend to find mortals not much competition hand to hand……..after all most of us have learned the tricks any of you use now back when they were invented, and have more variations on them to take into account, “She started counting on her fingers, ”environment, difference in stature, difference in weight, different speeds……and most important of all the different clues every warrior gives out as they fight. We have to……because the *Immortals* that are coming after us, always, are much more cunning in all those things and only by continuous training do we survive. Even I, who am considered somewhat of a recluse and one of the most peaceful among Immortals.

“And so between me and Duncan it was always like lighting a fuse. He’d make a comment about Methos’ history….. and no matter how much I tried to keep my temper it would end up blade to blade, and then my blade at his throat. And sometimes worse, Methos shooting me down just before I could take his head.” Ari looked uncomfortable, “And sometimes to my shame I even taunted him for it. I did not accept the pattern then……that Methos and Duncan’s paths always lead them back to each other, just like yours and Jack’s do. I do not regret coming into their lives when I did; no one else could have fought Cassandra, the Immortal who wanted to capture and hold Methos then, and won. But I do regret NOT being patient that time and letting Methos and Duncan come to a peace between themselves before falling into Methos arms.” Ari smiled reminiscently and blushed, “But I must admit Methos was quite a temptation that night…..I showed him the power that could not be combated with a sword. He immediately of course had his blade at my throat. I just leaned back my head and said, ‘If it will give you the strength.’ The next thing I knew he was kissing me like there would never be another sunrise. It was the first time I had been touched with passion outside the Rite……I could not resist. That perhaps is forgivable, but my treatment of Duncan must be made right……according to the Law I still live by, the ethical standard I hold myself to, it is as necessary as life itself.”

Jack shifted uncomfortably, “You were right when you told us Immortal lives are complicated. But I have a question, with this kind of history behind you, how can you think of us as anything other than children?”

“Jack.” Daniel objected softly.

“It’s a fair question.” Ari nodded, “and one I only have some of the answers for it, the rest must be taken on faith. In some ways I am very much more experienced and will be your teacher, but in others you will be mine. I have traveled little outside the British Isles, I am very much a child myself in understanding the culture you take for granted. There will be times that you will have to lead me in understanding what you would take as very simple things. And love, physical love…….” she blushed but held Jack’s gaze, “I still have much to learn there as well, about my own body as well as yours and I am rather looking forward to that classroom. I and Methos were together not much more than a year…….I’m fairly sure you two will be teaching me much. And in the end the simple fact is that you two have experienced more in the last five years than most Immortals experience in lifetimes. You are adults to me, Jack,” she took a shaky breath, “you are very much adults to me.”

Jack looked at her. She was sitting very still, her hands clasped together; she appeared to be quite calm but her eyes were slightly dilated and her breath a bit quick. It was harder to tell with a woman than a man but she was aroused, perhaps even painfully so……..and she had no outlet for it, could have no outlet for it right now. Or could she? He stalked over to her, keeping his eyes locked onto hers, and as he neared her breathing picked up more and she wouldn’t or couldn’t look away. Her knelt down next to her and whispered in her ear, “Show us……with your mind. The only way you can. Your love is unmistakable but your passion……” he let his breath bathe her ear and neck, “I’m not convinced.”

“Jack,” she protested faintly but he could see her pulse jump in her neck.

“Jack,” Daniel said uncertainly, “what are you doing? She has to wait, her body has to be virginal for the Rite to succeed.”

“Her body has to virginal but her mind does not,” He bent down and placed a kiss on her lips, one of the light kisses they were still limited to, “Her mind is anything but virginal right now I’d bet and she can show us.” He glanced over at Daniel and revealed his true goal, “Her mind is ablaze with what she wants, needs……the touches she wants to give and to get. Isn’t it, Ari? You are imagining everything you desire from us, together and apart. How it’s going to be, how we’re going to be, how you’re are going to be.” He lent in and smelled her hair, feeling her shiver, “so let go. Let it out, release the pressure the only way you can right now. You allow us freedom from unfulfilled desire but deny that for yourself. It may be necessary but that doesn’t mean it’s right.” He took her hand and kissed it lightly, then kissed her lips lightly. “I think what you said the other day was absolutely true; your biggest phobia is about losing control…..of your mind but perhaps of everything else as well. But Ari, love, losing control is what love and passion are all about……and this is MY first lesson to you.” He whispered, leaning her back to lay down on the grass. She was almost gasping for breath now she wanted so badly, “Give up control, let out everything that is bubbling within you and show us beyond a shadow of a doubt that you desire us as much as you love us. Let go, love,” he whispered in her ear, “we’ll catch you when you fall.”

Ari was moaning with each breath as if they were making love to her…..and in his mind Jack was. He pictured vividly as he could how he wanted her in his bed, in his arms, under him, over him, around him, knowing she was catching every thought. But her head was shaking minutely, she still couldn’t let go. He appealed to his partner, who he saw still didn’t quite get it, “Help her Daniel.” He said a smoothly as he could, considering he was hard enough to burst out of his pants. “She needs to let go, she’s caught in a trap between the ache of her body and the necessities of the timing, but if she let’s her mind go it will be enough until her body is free to be ours.” He stared up at the archeologist. Couldn’t he sense the tension, the need thrumming through the woman’s body? “Only her mind is her own now, Danny,” he explained simply, “so we make love to her mind.”

Daniel nodded slowly, “If it is her choice.” He said, reminding Jack how often their lady had not had a choice.

Jack smiled, “What do you want, love. We can leave you alone now….”

That finally broke her silence, “No! Please Jack, please!” she raised up a trembling hand to the other man, “Daniel.” She breathed on a sigh of pure need. He took it and gave it that same kind of light kiss Jack had done with her other hand.

“Let go, Ari.” Jack whispered again, putting an arm around her waist and holding her close enough to feel his erection. She arched and moaned at the feel of him against her.

Daniel, understanding now, smiled devilishly and leaned in as close to her, putting his arm over her next to Jack’s. On the surface perfectly innocent but Jack could FEEL her trembling on the edge. “He’s right love, you need to show us. You need to let go.” Daniel leaned in close to her ear but Jack could still hear every word, “We trusted you….. now trust us.”

Ariana’s eyes were closed now, she was gasping every breath, “I….I can’t!”

“Yes,” Jack stated calmly, “You can. You need it. We can’t take this but you SO need to give it.”

Ari turned lust dazed eyes to him, “G-give?”

“Give us your desire, love, now when we cannot take it. Give us what no man who has touched the Goddess ever got. Give us you.” He found the limits loosening a bit, just enough that he could nibble down her neck, Daniel noticed and followed his lead. She cried out under their touch. Jack concentrated on fantasies of them, now all of them together. Her whole body was shaking between them but she her control still held.

Almost helpless she writhed under their arms, fighting to let go as hard as she was fighting not to. “You’ll……you’ll catch me?” she said, her voice shaking so much he could hardly understand her.

At first he thought to limit it, they were only mortal after all, but that wasn’t what she needed and this was not a time or a place for limits. He turned her face to his, kissed her as deeply as he could, and said confidently, “Until the day after forever.”

And her control broke, flooding him with raw desire and crushing need that was instantly fulfilled as their minds touched. He heard Daniel cry out and felt his arm tighten over his on Ari’s body just as he did the same and they came, untouched, from the pure desire and love flooding from the empath’s mind into theirs. And suddenly from theirs to each other as well as all three of them shuddered and gasped in a crashing wave of sensation that was physical, mental and emotional. Long moments seemed to pass when Jack couldn’t tell if what he was feeling was Daniel, Ariana, or himself and didn’t particularly care since it was all ecstasy. Slowly they seemed to separate back into their physical bodies but not completely…..oh no, not completely at all. Jack just knew that they were in him, part of him as much as if their were invisible umbilicals between them. He luxuriated in the feeling until Ari said tremulously, “What…..what did we do?”

“You don’t know?” Jack looked at her incredulously, surely this had to be her doing so she must known that it was at least possible.

“No,” she said faintly, tilting her head back in the grass, half closing her eyes “I’ve never even conceived…….I don’t have to reach out to touch you anymore. You are both inside my shields. How is that possible?”

“But…..you did it!” Jack said.

“No she didn’t Jack.” Daniel stated. His eyes were intent on him, assessing him like he’d assess a new language. “Jack how did you know Ari was so aroused, so in need?”

“It was obvious!”

“It wasn’t to me and I was practically holding her and it’s never obvious with a woman, but you were absolutely sure. You didn’t make a guess, you KNEW, from three feet away.” Daniel stated with absolute surety.

“Uh.” Jack didn’t have an answer for him…..it had been so clear!

“Jack,” Ari asked, still catching her breath, “You’ve always known when Daniel was nearing exhaustion……even when you were pushing him away. How?”

“It was always obvious just from looking at him. Plain as the nose on his face.” Jack said.

“Then why would I not see you for days and then have you burst into my lab browbeating me because I hadn’t slept or eaten enough. I always thought you had someone watching me but you didn’t, did you.” Daniel looked deeply into Jack eyes, “You just KNEW when I was about to collapse and was there, pissed as hell because I’d allowed myself to get into such a state. You just knew, like you just knew with Ari, what was needed.”

Ari raised Jack’s hand to her face, kissed the palm and rested it against her heart. “You are an empath, love.”

“No way! Daniel’s got to be the empath, he can put himself into other people’s shoes faster than I can blink! I’ve offended half the galaxy with my efforts in diplomacy.”

“Yet you always know when General Hammond’s being really pressured by Washington and needs a break or just a chuckle from an insubordinate subordinate. You always know when Teal’c needs a night out of the Mountain. “Daniel stated calmly, “You always know after Janet’s had a hard time of it whether to take Cassie off her hands or to make sure that she goes right home to her.”

“And Carter?” Jack tried to fight the evidence piling in front of her. “There’s no way I’m empathetic with Carter.”

“No empath can feel comfortable with someone who represses themselves so ruthlessly.” Ari stated calmly. “That’s one of the reasons I fear her so.”

“But everybody else…..everybody knows I’m a diplomatic accident waiting to happen.”

“When an empath, forced into latency at pre-conscious thought age, comes back to power; nine times out of ten they have an inbuilt control mechanism.” Ari smiled at him, “Yours seems to be that you are only aware of people you already care about.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.” There was no way Jack could believe this.

“Jack I did not bring you and Daniel within my shields. I am too well trained to do that even in a moment of,” she smiled and stretched lazily, “uncontrolled passion. And you were the one projecting even through my tightest shielding, opening a way for Daniel to get in. I felt it, love……you were in the lead. You made us all one in a way I haven’t heard of since……” she laughed, “Tristan and Isolde and in that tale it was a magic potion!”

Jack felt in his mind for the presences of Ari and Daniel and felt them react to his mental touch even as they gasped out loud in physical reaction. “Okay,” he said cautiously, somewhat in awe of what he could now do for his lovers without even moving a finger. “I gotta ask, is there a downside to this? Ari, you are the expert.”

Ari’s forehead wrinkled in thought, “Perhaps,” she said slowly, “if one of us is captured and….hurt the others of us will probably feel it. But that also means that if we are separated will know the instant one of us gets into trouble. We probably won’t feel comfortable being outside a certain range of each other, although we might be able to stretch that over time, but it also means we’ll always know where to find each other.” She shook her head in wonder, “We’ll always be able to find each other, always, because each of us is carrying pieces of the other two inside us.”

“Daniel, can you feel that too?” Jack tried not to make his lover feel anything to see what the archeologist could pick up.

“I….” Daniel closed his eyes and frowned, “yes. I feel…..like I always felt when I knew you were standing right behind me but stronger now and Ari too. I…..” A look of absolute wonder spread across his face, “I’m not alone anymore……no matter how many miles are between us. Never alone.” Daniel’s voice broke and Jack joined Ari in gathering the rejected orphan, disgraced scholar, and former outcast, into their embrace as their presence finally healed the wound that had been inflicted the day a cover stone fell in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Jack knew in that instant that he had redeemed himself for every dark deed he had ever done, because he had fixed what the society he’d killed for had broken. The reparation was made and with it indeed came blissful peace.


It seemed to Jack as if the euphoria of their, he didn’t quite know what to call it, ‘merging’ didn’t last very long for Ariana. In fact as soon as she got the fire going, with the tip of her finger as usual, she started to stare in it and brood. After a while her eyes had gone a bit hazy and shapes started to appear in the flames. First a fiery portrait of Jack and Daniel, then a torc like hers, then the torc was broken and melted, then the flames leapt up with a roar and she jumped slightly, gasping. Daniel who had been the most fascinated was the first to touch her. She jumped again, her eyes a bit wild, and focused on him. “Danny?” she asked tentatively, still half entranced.

“You saw something again, didn’t you Ari?” Jack asked, frowning as he remembered the image of the torc breaking and melting. He didn’t like the feeling it gave him. But he realized suddenly that HIS mood was being affected by Ari’s. She was on edge, he could feel it.

Ariana nodded nervously, “You guys remember after we sent the notes to Cheyenne mountain that I wanted to swear we wouldn’t take another step down that particular path.” She bowed her head, “Well, we did, or rather Jack did.”

Jack sat down next to her, “What exactly am I supposed to have done?” he asked, a little angry…..at what he didn’t quite know yet.

Ari turned to look at him, her eyes filled with guilt, “You showed power Jack. Enough power to attract attention. You overcame the will of a experienced empath and the limits of Beltane, in the mind only, but you still did it.” She looked out into the mists, “I feel Them calling now……They are calling for you and Daniel to make the next Choice.”

“They?” Daniel frowned, “you mean the Gods, your Gods.”

Ari shrugged, “Might be the Gods I serve……it is the most likely since I could be said to be your initiator and that would tend to set the pattern. But,” she looked out into the mist that always surrounded them, “whoever is out there is calling, wanting me to bring them in so that they can offer you two a Choice.”

“A choice.” Jack echoed, “and the choice is?” He asked although he was pretty sure he knew.

Ari shrugged, her face troubled, “To start on the path towards being the favored Child of a God or Goddess. To make the choice I never did, because for me it was inevitable.”

“To become your Lord.” Jack stated a shiver running down his back. He wasn’t sure he wanted this.

“To make the choice to start down that path.” Ari confirmed, “I really cannot think that it would be any other than Herne himself calling for you Jack. You are UiNeill, you are a King.”

“But he’s not calling me?” Daniel asked, tilting his head.

Ari considered the call that only she could hear, “No, someone more…..suited to you is calling your name. I’m not sure who it is and I probably will not know until I go out and follow the call. And.” She turned from the mists to look at Jack and Daniel, “I will not go out there unless you send me. This is the choice I am giving you. They are making the offer but I’m damn well not going to follow up on it unless you two decide if you even want to consider it.”

Jack and Daniel looked at each other, “I think we need more information first.” Daniel said finally, “You said you would never train someone to be like you…”

“And I won’t!” Ari said fiercely, then sighed bowing her head, “but there is another way. A way I and Conor found because I would not train anyone in the Old Way. It takes more conscious effort on the part of the acolyte but it also gives them more control.” She shifted slightly, “Most of it will have to be told to you out of my hearing. Since the beginning of time there have been…..mysteries particular to each gender. Jack you especially will be mostly concerned with the Male Mysteries. But I can tell you at least one of what would become your duties should you take this Path since it is one that is shared by both. That is the Hunt.”

“The Hunt?” Jack asked, mystified.

“The Hunt……you mean the Wild Hunt. The Hunt that would go after PEOPLE!” Daniel looked alarmed, and Jack couldn’t blame him, he couldn’t do THAT!

Ari shook her head and sighed, “No that kind of judgment is for the Gods alone and was usually only called on those who had been betrayers of the worst sort; kin-slayers, sociopaths, people who no human agency could control or stop. The Hunt that a priest or priestess of the land is more simple…….and much more profound.” Ari shifted slightly and took each man’s hand into one of her own, “As Goddess I keep the balance between humans and the crops that they grow; but that is only half the story, isn’t it? The Balance also must be kept between the apex predator of Earth and the prey that they hunt, the animals that give their lives so we may live.”

Ari sighed and a soft smile came to her lips, “You would not probably think so but the Hunt is a very……transcendent experience. We Hunt the deer, it is always the deer, they chose or were chosen for this task long ago to represent the rest of the animal kingdom. That is why Herne always appears with antlers. The Lion may represent the Temporal King, but it is the Stag that represents the Sacred king. And so, every once in a while, we are called to Hunt the King Stag. I, as the Huntress, am given a spear. The Hunter is given nothing more than a pair of antlers and a knife because his Hunt is so much more important. He must Challenge the King Stag on it’s own level. And, “Ari sighed, “it is a beautiful thing.”

“Beautiful?” Daniel asked, with a slight air of loathing about him, “How can death be beautiful.”

Ari looked the archeologist straight in the eye, “Because we are inevitably called to a Stag whose time as King is almost done. Very soon he will be challenged by one or more younger and stronger stags and probably be defeated. You know the story then. He will be outcast to the edge of the herd and finally probably fall to illness, injury, or starvation. And you KNOW it, in that last moment, when you look into his eyes as you strike the fatal blow that he thanks you for giving him a clean, honorable death.” Her voice sank to a loving whisper, “You always know. That is part of the mystery……to recognize that the prey is peaceful at giving his life so that others may live and that the Balance is kept. That is why when an O’Malley asks for the final Blessing, to be guided across the threshold, I may weep but I still do it.”

“But”, Jack said doubtfully, “You did say that the Hunt was on a level playing field. I’m not getting any younger Ari. I’ve probably got only a couple of years of field duty left in me.”

Ariana’s face took on a decidedly amused cast, “Really? How have your knees been lately, Jack? And your back, been giving you much trouble?”

Jack frowned and tested them, stood up to twist and stretch his entire body, “No pain,” he murmured, “no pain since you touched me that very first time! You fixed me…..ALL of me!”

Ari nodded, “To quote a favorite Jaffa, ’Indeed.’” She shrugged, “It’s something that happens when I get attached to someone. That attachment produces a certain amount of energy that because of my peculiar array of gifts I am aware of and can manipulate so that the energy is not wasted. Joe Dawson, for instance, has not aged a day physically since the day I walked into his bar in Seacouver. It my way of putting off the inevitable.”

“But why would it be inevitable if that……’feedback loop’” Daniel said, “keeps people from aging. If they don’t age they don’t die, except by accident.”

Ari turned to him with the sorrow of ages in her eyes, “Because eventually without fail they come to me one day and say, ‘Ari, it’s time to stop, I’m ready to start moving on.’ Conor has had five lifetimes and he’s come to me at some point in each of those lifetimes and done that. Joe will too. I always get angry and resentful, sometimes stop talking to them for months, but I also always respect their choice. As I do when some one asks for the Blessing.”

“And I suppose we will one day too.” Jack said knowing that what she was doing for him she must also be doing for Daniel.

She clenched her jaw, “Yes, you will.” She said shortly, “and then I will start making my plans to follow.”

Daniel shook his head at the implications and got back to the main topic, “Is there anything else you can tell us about what Jack at least is being called to do? And why am I being called also?”

Jack sat down beside his lover and nudged him slightly, “Duh. It’s because we have to remain equal. Ari’s been telling us that from the beginning. That’s why you had to descend for me to get on the path. This is always going to be double or nothing for us.”

“Triple or nothing.” Ari said firmly, “I will definitely be making THAT perfectly clear out there. Neither of you is going to be like Michael Collins, I’ll break and melt my torc down myself, if that’s the score.”

Jack and Daniel looked at each other. They didn’t even need to ask…..Ari had just stated with unshakable will that they were more important than the Gods she had served for all her 2500 years. They were more important to her than anything. “I think,” Daniel then said tentatively, “I think we had better see what’s on offer then. I’ve got to admit I’m curious.”

“When AREN’T you?” Jack grinned then sobered, “But he’s right Ari, we don’t have enough Intel to make a good Choice so I guess we’d better send out our scout.” He grinned at his Lady.

Ari sighed and bowed her head, “All right, but I warn you. It will be the Lady herself who brings them back, I will be ‘overshadowed’, willingly I might add, so that I do not influence your free choice.”

Jack nodded, he knew that their freedom of choice was more important than any thing that might happen to her, “Okay. Then your Commander sends you out on a scouting mission. Let’s see what they have for us.”

Ari looked at Daniel who nodded his ascent and then rose gracefully to her feet. The Black was immediately there for her but Jack stopped her for a moment, “Before you go…” he murmured, leaning down to kiss her as thoroughly as he was able within the limitations still binding her. He dwelt over it until his shoulder was tapped and he turned to find a grinning archeologist, “Your turn huh?” he said and grabbed Daniel before he could take his place next to Ari and kissed him halfway into oblivion.

He knew his face was smug because once Daniel caught his breath he glared at him. Jack just smiled and pushed Daniel over towards Ari to give their lady his own kiss. After she had received her kiss and sighed from the rightness of it she looked at them both intently for a moment, then mounted her steed and trotted off into the mists. This time the other two pookas stayed behind. Apparently this was a errand for Ariana alone.

“Do you always have to be a smartass?’ Daniel asked, half severely although one corner of his mouth was turning up.

“Actually…..yes. Especially if I’m going to be taking care of you two. Some one has to keep you laughing.”

Daniel crossed his arms over his chest but he looked amused anyway, “And it doesn’t occur to you that we are both adults and can take care of ourselves.”

Jack raised an eyebrow, “You may be adults but the taking care of yourselves thing you basically suck at. YOU I know need a someone to look after you…….and Ari I can guess. The same “push, push, push, until the problem is solved or I collapse mentality. At least ONE of us three need to remember non-‘interesting’ things like eating, sleeping, and my favorite……..” he grinned, “personal contact.”

Daniel tilted his head, “By which you mean sex. Somehow I doubt that ones going to be a problem. From the evidence I’d say Ari’s reaction to you is about the same as mine. All you have to do is look at me in a certain way and all I can think about is sex. Why did you think I’d sometimes get so very angry with you being in my office? Those times when I was incidentally hiding my lower regions behind the nearest available barrier.”

“Even when we were fighting.” Jack asked, damning himself for being blind.

“Before you started being an utter bastard sometimes ESPECIALLY when we were fighting. Why did you think I’d get extra pissy sometimes?”

“More snarky I’d say.” Jack stated, “you usually saved pissy for the Goua’ld.” Then he grinned, “But now that I know……”

Daniel groaned, “Oh crap. You are going to seduce me on base aren’t you?”

Jack looked Daniel up and down, slowly, “Every chance I get.”

The archeologist hid his face in his hands, ‘I’m doomed.” Then they both broke out laughing.

Jack and Daniel sat around the fire that Ari had lit talking while they waited for……whatever to descend upon them. “Wonder who’s calling you?” Jack asked Daniel.

“Don’t look at me…..Ari’s the expert on that and she didn’t even know. I suppose we’ll find out when they get here. From what she said it might not even be a God……might be a Goddess.”

“You know we are taking to this multiple deities thing a little easier than most people would thing. Shouldn’t one of us have freaked a little bit by now.”

Daniel shrugged, poking at the fire with a stick, “I don’t know about you but even before the Stargate I was mostly an agnostic…..shading towards atheism. It’s actually kind of a relief to find out that there is someone……or lots of some ones trying to look out for the human race.”

“What about God……I mean God as in the Christian one?” Jack asked laying back against the White who had volunteered by kneeling down behind him. She seemed to be paying attention and Jack wondered if she’d comment.

Daniel shrugged, “Ari didn’t discount Him or anything, she just said she’d never encountered Him. And remember what she said about Yeshua…uh Jesus. In philosophical terms Ari would probably be called a Henotheist.”

“And that is?” Jack said, idly tearing up a handful of grass and feeding it to the White who lipped it up graciously. Jack smiled, he hoped he’d get to spend a lot more time with these horse-things, he was getting very fond of his own mount.

“A person who, while believing that all gods exist, chooses to serve just one pantheon or singular God. From what I remember the Jews were originally like that…..although I’m not quite sure that their the same today. Most of Western culture has been largely monotheist for a while now. But,” Daniel looked over at Jack, “You and I have been dealing with alien races that have at least represented themselves as Gods for a while now. I think that probably accounts for the lack of shock.”

Jack nodded thoughtfully, “That makes sense but brings up another question. Ari’s made her opinion clear on the Goua’ld……and Oma as I recall. Remember ‘she who would mask herself as the Earth Mother’?”

Daniel forehead wrinkled, “Yeah, which is funny, cause about the only memory of being Ascended that doesn’t have to do with you was being constantly told, “We must only watch. We are not Gods, Daniel.” He shook his head, “Not very consistent.”

A deep, male voice sounded behind them, “Even True Gods are not always known for consistency, Daniel Jackson.” They turned to see three figures walking out of the obscuring mists. One was obviously Herne, a tall male figure in the prime of his life, wearing leaf green hunting leathers and with a set of majestic antlers sprouting out of his head. The other had the outward appearance of their Ariana but her beauty was again raised to that of divinity. She was no longer wearing practical traveling clothes but a flowing dress that looked to be made entirely of different flowers. She shown with a subtle radiance and as Jack looked on her he could do nothing but love her as he loved seeing the globe of Earth from space. This was the Lady he had been defending for the last six years as a part of the SGC. She smiled at him, returning his love with equal force, but he knew that it was not the love of Ariana O’Malley it was the love of a mother for one of her children.

Last was a wiry rugged seaman with long white hair and a beard. Daniel immediately exclaimed, “Mannanan. I remember you from that memory of Ari’s. Mannanan Mac Lir, son of the Sea….”

“And Keeper of the Mysteries.” a roughened but gentle voice responded. The seaman approached Daniel and laid a kind hand on his shoulder, “You love solving problems, young one, especially those of the various Gods, who else did you think would offer to be your patron?”

Herne, crossed his arms in front of his chest and grinned, “Ari could have probably guessed if her thinking hadn’t been clouded by worrying over this Choice in front of you two.”

“Which,” said the Lady in a voice that was Ariana’s and yet not, “is why she is not here in truth. This choice is for you two alone.”

“But you are letting us consider this together?’ Daniel asked with his usual insight.

The Lady smiled indulgently, “And when are you ever apart? Ariana did not feel herself prepared to watch you make this choice by herself. She feared that she would influence you one way or the other. She ASKED me to be present within her this time.”

“But she will pay the usual price?’ Jack asked immediately and forcefully.

“Jack.” The Lady said lovingly, walking over and putting a hand on his shoulder, “it was not I that demanded she be trained as she was. It was the work of mortals……as such things often are. We,” she gestured around as even more figures started appearing out of the mists, “have worried about her most of her life because of those effects. And” she leaned up and kissed his forehead, “we bless you for being able to be her guide in the darkness that you are. She has needed you for longer than you have been alive, Jack O’Neill.”

Jack blushed and looked around, there were quite a number of …….beings appearing out of the mists. He didn’t feel threatened, not under the Lady’s gaze but he was curious. “Why so many?’ he asked softly.

“You’re choice is going to affect more than your lives, lad.” Herne said, stepping closer, “it’s going to affect us too.”

Jack and Daniel looked at each other, a bit alarmed, “How?’ Daniel asked.

A single crystal tear slid down the Lady’s cheek, “You and Ari are going to give us the chance to reach the orphans of Earth. There are so many of my third weaving out amongst the stars; either under the Usurpers sway or all alone sometimes. Many of my sisters were not prepared for it when my orphans were deposited on them. They were to young to care for them properly and did not have enough experience to make a weaving such as my first,” she gestured at the figures around them, “just yet.”

Daniel looked at jack and the lady in astonishment, “Teal’c did once say that many planets were terraformed by the Goua’ld when they had valuable minerals.”

“Exactly,” Mannanan said firmly from his place near by, “the sisters were deprived of learning how to develop life forms of their own. That is one of the heavier crimes to be laid at the Usurpers feet. But now it is not time to think of that. This is the time for you, each of you, to make the Choice to step fully on the Middle Path. Until now you have been but guests, guided by The O’Malley, now you must choose to walk it as for one to whom it belongs.”

“What are we going to have to do? Daniel asked cautiously.

Jack frowned, “Yeah Ari said she couldn’t tell us much. Men’s mysteries?”

Herne grinned at Jack, “Indeed for you and me lad it will involve the King and God part of the equation.”

“But for you and I, Daniel, “Mannanan said kindly, “Ari has already been, and will continue to be one of your primary teachers. I am the Keeper of the Mysteries, of magic, so mostly being my ‘son’ will be learning and using the safer magic of the Lesser Path. As opposed to the Greater Magics that Ariana wields.” The more than man grinned at Daniel, “It is more complex, more subtle in effect, and harder to study, but I don’t believe that will be a problem for you, lad.”

Daniel gulped, “You want me to learn MAGIC?”

“Of a sort, lad, you already have knowledge of many what you call ‘mythologies’. Ariana and others and I will be able to help you understand them on a deeper level. Turning your knowledge into wisdom in the process, because as you already know they are two different things. This will enable you to make the more subtle changes that is a sign of a lesser path worker.”

“Worker?” Daniel asked, “You mean magician.”

Mannanan sighed, “Magician has a lot of different connotations in your mind and in others. ‘Worker’ is more honest…..and accurate since you will indeed work for everything you get from the Mysteries.”

“But he won’t die for it.” Jack had to confirm, Daniel wasn’t immortal.

All the beings around them laughed, “Definitely not UiNeill.” Mannanan said “Ariana stated quite firmly what would happen if either of your lives were put in danger by taking this path. And it would cause the breaking of one of her Oaths. What kind of creatures would we be if by our actions we caused such a thing to come to pass? We require as much honorable behavior amongst ourselves as our followers after all.”

Jack and Daniel looked at each other…….these beings were as far away from what the Goua’ld had portrayed as ‘God-Like’ behavior as it could get. With them no one was above reproach; not even themselves. “What would our duties be?” Jack asked finally.

Herne grinned wider, “The most traditional duty of the priest is to protect and support the priestess who is the Lady. To help her and aid her in the path of action that she chooses to follow. Which I must say makes for a nice symmetry between you and my daughter since her Choice is to support the goals that you have long ago pledged your lives to. And it will reinforce your influence as her Commander, because sometimes the best way to support an ardent priestess such as Ariana is to keep her from pushing herself too hard.”

Mannanan turned to Daniel, “And your role will be the third part of the dance, supporting the priestesses Greater magics with your lesser, so that she does not have to make more of an effort than is truly necessary. To be the buttress to her in times when it is not necessary for her to act on the moment. Conor O’Malley in his many lives has served this role but I daresay you will prove to do even better than he.” Then the Son of the Sea put his hand upon Daniel shoulders, “And, unlike Conor, I will ask you to assume the Lord’s role in the Beltane Rite if Jack is somehow unavailable or unable.”

“And I am the one that truly asks this,” the Lady stated firmly, “Since her woman’s heart has been awakened the Rite has become more and more difficult for her in the aftermath. She does not wish, as a woman, to be touched like that by someone she does not love. This was cemented by Methos’ desecration of the Rite.”

“That’s why she didn’t want to be present, that was the influence she feared to use!” Jack realized.

“Very good, Lad,” Herne said to him, nodding approval, “But we made not such promises to keep that secret and as her Commander and her beloved it is,” he paused and smiled, “ ‘Intel’ that you need to have.”

“But we can’t stop what’s going to happen this Beltane.” Daniel said, alarmed.

“Not even We can stop the pattern set for this Beltane……it has been building for the two years of the world she has……unavailable.” The Lady said sorrowfully, “it must be played out as she has already told you.”

“Then what if we’re not ready to make the Choice?” Jack asked fiercely, “Or what if we refuse?”

“Jack!” Daniel protested.

“I’m sorry, Daniel, *I* need this answer before I can make my Choice.” He faced Herne, “Tell me.”

Herne faced him steadily, “Because you want to see if any are punished if you refuse. You test us and that is a good and right thing. All those with power should be questioned and tested from time to time. You understand this, and this is the answer. If you are not ready to make the Choice now we will wait until you are, you both have shown potential in many ways, enough for us to make the Call. But that does not mean that you must answer on the instant…..the Choice is always yours and ultimately will be.”

“And Ariana, what will happen to her?” Jack challenged again. This time Daniel kept silent…..he understood what Jack was doing, being the protector.

“Nothing.” The Lady sighed, “but that in itself is a great deal since ‘nothing’ means that she will be subject to the same pattern that has always governed her existence. And when you are with me it will not be all that bad. She will most likely be able to focus on one of you as consort at Beltane.”

“Most likely.” Jack echoed, “that means there is a chance that she won’t.”

“Yes, without an actual priest to her priestess she will be carried by a certain amount of chance at Beltane. And,” the Lady’s face became grim, “if one of my sisters triggers the need for the Rite in her, which I cannot tell you for certain could happen or not, it would have to be a native son of that planet to complete the Rite. But if a priest is at her side then the pairing is equal and it will not matter from what soil he sprang.”

Daniel’s eyes became thoughtful in the way the usually made Jack shake in his boots. He tensed waiting for what his lover was about to hit them all with, “But……what if there are two priests with her at the right time or the right place? What if there are Three in the Rite?”

All the beings around them looked shocked to speechlessness, even Herne and Mannanan, but the Lady laughed delightedly, “Oh, MacLir, you have chosen WELL!” She walked over to Daniel, “I think you already know. What if three teammates, three lovers, three people with sacred power come together?” she asked him smiling.

“Three is always the sacred number and we would be three participants coming into the Rite on three levels with three kinds of power.” Daniel said with awe in his voice.

“Rather like three across on an old slot machine wouldn’t you say?” The Lady teased.

Daniel’s eyes flamed and he actually jumped around in a circle like Jack hadn’t seen in years. Jack couldn’t contain his laughter over the ‘Danny Dance” although he tried but his lover didn’t seem to mind a bit. “We win.” The archeologist breathed, “We complete the pattern with a power that may never have been seen before. Like……like strapping naquada to a nuclear device,” he explained directly to Jack, “except of creative force rather than destructive!”

The group of beings, that Jack was starting to be comfortable calling Gods, around them burst into shocked discussion with each other. The Lady, the inner soul of the planet they called Earth, just looked around in a self satisfied way. “And so as has been said, “ she commented ironically, “a little child shall lead them. The potential was always there it just needed the right time, place, and people. It appears that it is now……if that is your choice.”

Daniel looked about ready to jump in feet first but Jack put a hand on his arm. “Before we decide, can we talk alone for a moment, privately.” Jack stressed the last word.

“Of course Jack, “The Lady said, quelling all the others with a stern gaze, “the Choice must be made free.”

“Thank you,” Jack said and pulled Daniel away before his lover could say a word. Daniel was not exactly pleased.

“Jack what the hell are you doing! The choice is obvious….this is so much bigger than us that…”

“Exactly.” Jack cut in, “It is bigger than us but it effects US personally. You look at the big picture and that’s great, Danny, it’s what makes you a Light like Ari says. But I am the protector and that makes me stop and take a look at the small picture and see how if effects who we are. Just making the choice doesn’t make us priests…..not in any religion, and you know that, the learning and the tests might not be ones were familiar with. I sure as hell am not going to be celibate like the Catholic priests I knew as a child. But there will be some costs, Ari said that…..hell even Methos implied that you have to learn and accept things about yourself that may not be comfortable. Now I already know we want the big picture stuff…..but are we ready for the small personal stuff too? Cause you know they aren’t going to tell us…..only we can decide to take that risk.”

“The Choice must be free.” Daniel echoed thoughtfully.

“But that means we also have to own up to the Choice. In the Academy they called it ‘reciprocal responsibility’. The higher the rank you are, the more that is required of you and the better you have to be. We are looking at a mighty high ‘rank’ here.” Jack said seriously, “Are you sure we can take it? I’m serious Daniel, not playing, do you really think we have the stuff.” Jack was pretty sure of his lover’s answer but he had to hear it…..he just had to.

Daniel’s face lost that overexcited look and he actually thought, which made Jack sigh inwardly in relief, and was the reason he’d done this mostly. He watched the wheels turn in his lovers head. Nobody could analyze a situation better than Daniel……once you got him analyzing. Jack waited as his beloved archeologist finally looked at things from all angles, including some that Jack himself had probably not even considered. Finally Daniel looked at him directly and seriously, “As long as we keep loving each other, Ari, and saving the planet Earth,” His mouth crooked in a grin, “which someone once told me never gets old, we should be okay. I think this is the right Choice Jack.”

Jack held his eyes for a moment then smiled, “I think so too but I wanted you to think and make sure.” He gestured back to where their patrons awaited with their kin. “Shall we?”

Daniel grinned and lead the way back. He walked up to Mannanan and said simply, “I’m ready. I chose to take you as my patron.”

There was no reaction and Jack grinned, knowing that again it had to be both of them, they had to be equal in all things. He turned to Herne, “And I guess I’m ready for you…..to try to become your ‘son’. What do we have to do?”

Herne smiled, “You have already done it, you made the Choice and you made it as freely as even my daughter would wish. Now it is our turn.” Herne took out a knife, it was small enough to be easily concealable, but Jack could tell from the gleam on it that it was sharp enough to do real damage. The hilt was of bone….no, made of an antler. “This piece of myself will always allow me to find you, whether for a test or to lend aid, all over the Galaxy. This marks you as one of mine.”

Herne passed the knife over and Jack ran his fingers carefully over it. It was not ornamented but was beautiful in is simplicity. “Thank you.” He said, although the implications of possible aid made those words seem inadequate.

“And this is for you.” Mannanan said handing over a similar knife to Daniel, except the hilt was oddly shaped gold instead of from an antler. “I do not have a handy piece of myself to give as my brother has,” he grinned, “ but this hilt was made from my cup which would shatter when a lie was told before it. The stem of that goblet which became the handle will vibrate in similar circumstances, as well as allowing me the same connection with you as my brother Herne has with your Jack. I am sure you will be able to use that your advantage.”

Daniel took the knife with reverence, “Yes…..I think I will.” He stuttered.

“And I cannot leave myself out of the gift giving.” The Lady said with an impish smile. She gathered Jack to one side and Daniel to the other, kissing each mans cheek lightly, “To the Three of you I grant peace, rest, and healing. We stand guard this night so that you may make the trip home with all speed. The Gods give you rest tonight,” And the surroundings darkened at her word, “and go forth tomorrow stronger than ever before.”

And Jack knew nothing more until the morning light came and he knew himself blessed.

The End………or is it the Beginning?