Jack hovered nervously at the side of Daniel's bed, shooting helpless, furious glances at the man sitting up in it, wide-eyed and sightless.  Sound asleep.  However, being asleep apparently wasn't cramping his style when it came to shooting his mouth off.  As Daniel started rattling off another incomprehensible stream of words Jack was hugely relieved to see Janet come barrelling around the corner, her heels tapping out such an urgent, emphatic tattoo across the concrete floor Jack was surprised sparks weren't shooting out of them.  And she wasn't alone.  She had a general in tow.

"Za hasa ni rava," Daniel babbled as Frasier and Hammond reached Jack's side.

"You see?" Jack blurted, jabbing a finger at Daniel.  "This exactly what he was doing before."

Except with more clothes on.

"How long has Daniel been in a somnambulistic state?" Frasier sharply demanded, her dark eyes carefully assessing.

"Som – what?" Jack blinked.

"Sleep-walking, Colonel."

"Well, it hasn't been so much sleep-walking as sleep-talking," Jack replied. 

"How long, Jack?" Hammond gently pressed, all too aware of the level of the colonel's distress.

"He started about twenty minutes ago," Jack said after casting a quick look back at Daniel, who'd had resumed speaking again after he'd been silent for several seconds.  "He looked at me, but he wasn't looking at me, you understand.  Whatever, he's not awake.  I tried talking to him but I got nothing back.  Then he started talking, saying all this…stuff, and then he sat up and he's been yapping a blue streak ever since.  I didn't touch him this time," Jack hurriedly asserted as Janet turned stern eyes upon him.  "Haven't gone anywhere near him, I just called you and I've been keeping an eye on him ever since."

"That's good, Colonel," Janet nodded approvingly.  "You've been keeping him under constant observation and you haven't interfered with him in any way."

"Swear to God, strictly hands off," Jack averred, raising his hands.

"And you're positive he hasn't made any attempt to get out of bed or perform any actions or activities."

"What you see has been the extent of the floor show so far," Jack quickly confirmed.  "Funny thing though, if I didn't know better I'd swear he's talking to someone.  Or he thinks he's talking to someone."  Jack grimaced.  "I guess it doesn't help we can't understand even one side of the conversation."

"Does Daniel usually talk in his sleep?" Janet asked without thinking.  Jack's eyes widened with alarm, snapped quickly to the general who was looking at him, awaiting his answer, an inscrutable sparkle in his eyes.

"That you've noticed when you've been off-world," Janet quickly added. "When you've shared a tent – "

"Well, there have been one or two times," Jack admitted truthfully.  "That I've had occasion to hear him do it.  When we've been…off-world.  Or he's been sick.  And yeah, sometimes it isn't English.  But usually," he continued, looking at Janet but keeping an eye on Hammond's reaction, "When he does switch to something else, it's a language I recognise.  Because I've heard it before.  Like Abydonian.  Or Arabic.  He mumbles in French a fair bit for some reason too, don't ask me, couldn't tell ya why.  I might not understand it, but I know what it sounds like.  But this stuff he's been speaking since getting back from P8-youknowwhere I've never heard anything like it before.  I don't know what the hell it is."

"So there are precedents for some of his current behaviour, then," Hammond said thoughtfully.  "You're sure he's never sleep-walked in the past?"

"Daniel swears he never has," Jack loyally asserted.  "He wouldn't lie about something like that."

"I'm not suggesting he would or has, Jack," the general told him with a reassuring smile.  "I just wanted to confirm Doctor Jackson is not, nor has ever been prone to sleep-walking."

"Not that I'm aware of, Sir," Jack meekly supplied.

"Yaza nir abandana." Daniel suddenly emphatically announced, immediately drawing the attention of everyone in the room.  As three heads swivelled at the determined sound of Daniel's voice he closed his eyes, lay back down on the bed and then opened his eyes once more.

"Jack!" the linguist cried, his blue eyes sparking with urgency the instant they alighted on the person they sought.  "Yoso nor agadan.  Meyno ir agadan."

"I think he's awake," Jack said uncertainly.  "Of course, these days it's hard to tell."

"Noki, ni tiramon!" Daniel huffed, sweeping the covers away from his body and sitting up.  "Meyno abada," he insisted, swinging his legs over until he was perched on the side of the bed.  "Iro agadan," he entreated, his right arm describing a wide arc encompassing the empty room.

Daniel peered expectantly at his audience, becoming immediately perplexed as he watched his friends' faces get longer and graver.  Significant glances were briefly exchanged before Jack jauntily observed.

"Well, this in new."

"What?" Daniel demanded and then turned to Cephus.  "I'm sorry, can you ask them," he waggled a hand at the horde of eager Kathosians milling all around the bed, their occasional forays actually into it and through it disturbing and distracting him from being able to focus on the corporeal people in the room he had to convince he wasn't a head case  – "could they step back, just a bit.  I'm feeling a little crowded here."

"There!" Jack frowned.  "Who's he talking to?"

"What's he saying?" Hammond asked, turning to Janet.

"What are they saying what am I saying?" Daniel demanded of Cephus.

"Daniel, can you understand us?" Janet gently inquired, taking a careful step closer.

"Yeah," Daniel cautiously returned, still not certain what was going on but definitely certain when he figured it out he was going to hate it.

"Dahn?"  Jack glared at him.  "What the hell does 'dahn' mean?  Yes?  Does that mean yes?  What does it mean?" he said again, turning to Janet.

"Why are you asking me?" she shrugged.  "How should I know?"

"Yeah?" Daniel said again, hopefully, to be met by another round of uncomprehending eyes.  Once again he appealed to the man only he could see standing at the head of the bed.  "Um, we have a problem here," he said, biting his lip.  "They don't understand me.  Why don't they understand me and how can I fix it?  Any ideas?"

"Okay, this obviously isn't working," Jack muttered.  " Daniel, you want to stop talking to your invisible friend there and focus? I know!" he exclaimed, brightening. "Try stomping once for yes and twice for no!"

"Jack, don't be an ass!" Daniel snarled, crossing his arms and glaring hatefully at his colonel.

"Whoa, I got that," Jack sniffed.  "Obviously there's nothing wrong with his attitude," he dryly observed.  "Pissy as usual."

"So it would seem," Janet lowered her head, smothering a smile.  "Also, I think he understands us, at least."

"Dahn!" Daniel blurted, shaking his head excitedly.  "Dahn yobeyo!  Ah nore yasa," he exclaimed to a patch of empty air by the head of the bed.  "Siri?"

"Ah crap, there he goes again!"  Jack grumbled.  "Daniel, this is getting weird!"

"You're right, Colonel, he does appear to be talking to someone.  Or, at least thinks he is," Hammond mused. "Doctor, could Doctor Jackson be hallucinating? General Hammond's eyes were grave.   "Some delayed reaction to the alien device?  Obviously his mind has been affected in some way."

"Super," Daniel fumed.  "Now they think I'm crazy."

"I didn't see any evidence of it, General, but it's possible we could be dealing with a scenario similar to when Colonel O'Neill had the knowledge of the Ancients downloaded into his brain."

"Oh God, I hope not," Jack shuddered.

"Although when that happened there were observable physiological changes in the colonel's brain functioning but as I said in Daniel's case, there's been nothing."

"Close, but no cigar," Daniel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.  "Cephus, please, what's going on here?  Why can't they understand me?"

"I'm sorry, Daniel, I am unsure," the sombre alien replied, his head lowered, expression deeply contemplative.  "Unless the Mitron judged the easiest way for us to be able to communicate would be to teach you our language in place of your own."

"Oh!" Daniel blinked.  "So you're saying all the while we've been talking, even though I think I've been speaking in English I've actually been – "

"That would seem to be the case," Cephus nodded.

"So how do I switch back?"

"Again, I am unsure," Cephus replied, his eyes pained.  "I understand the Mitron's function but I was not responsible for programming it.  Those who did so remained on Kathos so as to be able to assist you when you returned.  I am sorry," he finished, desperately sincere.

"That's not really helpful," Daniel snapped, frustration and worry making him react more sharply than he knew he should have.  "Sorry," he immediately amended.  "Biting your head off isn't going to do any good either.  Think Daniel, think," he berated himself.  "I have to make them understand me somehow.  How do I do that?"

"You keep saying nothing has actually happened to Daniel's brain that you can see," Jack began.  "So to my mind what that says, no matter what it looks like what he's going through isn't the same thing as when I lost the ability to speak English."

"What's your point, Colonel," Hammond asked.

“Here's a thought," Jack offered, turning to the man perched unhappily on the side of the infirmary bed.  "Daniel, you're a linguist, right?  You speak, what – twenty three languages?"

"Dahn," Daniel replied cautiously, eyeing Jack warily.

"Are they still all in there?  In your head I mean?"

Daniel just stared at him, perplexed.

"Colonel?" Hammond demanded.

"Well, think about it for a minute," Jack explained.  "Don't look at me like that," he glared indignantly at Daniel.  "I get ideas.  Occasionally.  From time to time.  Anyway, work with me here. What if – whatever – rather than erasing his brain and filling it with new stuff just sort of confused him a bit?  Added to without taking away? He's still got the ability to speak in all those different languages he could before – including English - but he's stuck on the wrong language track right now.  However if he just tries to switch gears he can get it back."  Jack paused and looked expectantly at the dubious faces around him.  "He's a linguist, right?" Jack insisted.  "So, why doesn't he just – ling?"

More sceptical stares.  "C'mon, Daniel," Jack urged, placing an encouraging hand on his shoulder.  "What have you got to lose?  Try switching to another language.  See if you can."

"My God", Daniel gaped admiringly at Jack.  "That's brilliant.  Is he right?" Daniel asked Cephus without looking at him.  "I haven't actually lost the ability to speak English, or any other language, what the Mitron did was make your language my 'default' language – the one I automatically think and speak in.  So we could communicate without any complications.  I still know how to speak English.  I just have to try?"

"The Mitron will not harm you, nor are its effects permanent," Cephus replied.  "You have lost none of the abilities or knowledge you previously possessed.  It has only added to what pre existed."

"So it's all still in there somewhere.  Good," Daniel nodded.  "That's good.  I should be able to do what Jack said, then, I just have to give it a go.  Oh, okay, let me think; say something else, something else, in another language.  Sure.  I can do this!" he announced, smiling brightly.

"Has he started yet?" Janet muttered to Hammond.

"I don't think so," Jack frowned.  "Sounds like the same gibberish he was talking before.  "Oh Daniel," Jack sing-songed.  "We're waiting."

"Oh, sorry!" Daniel blurted, reddening.  "Um, okay.  What should I say?"

"That sounded different!" Janet said excitedly.

"It did indeed," Hammond nodded.  "You've made a good start, son," he said encouragingly to Daniel.  "Keep trying."

"Okay," Daniel bobbed his head in agreement, his brow furrowing as he concentrated on trying to sift through the confusing tangle of exotic, varied phrases in dozens of different languages tumbling around in his head, in order to pick out the ones he needed.  "I'll try."

"Nope," Jack shook his head.  "Misfire.  Try again."

"Give me a minute, do you have any idea how hard this is?" Daniel sniped at him.

"That sounded like German," Jack mused.  "Cool, a language actually spoken on this planet.  That's progress, right?  Come on Daniel, you're getting warmer!"

"Merde!" Daniel seethed, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Hey, I understood that!" Jack beamed, insufferably pleased with himself.  "You're getting warmer, buddy.  Watch your language though, there's a lady present."

"Stop nagging!" Daniel snapped.  "You're confusing me, I need to concentrate."

"Russian?" Jack frowned.  "Was that Russian?  Cold, Daniel, getting cold."

"Jack – I swear to God if you don't shut up – "

"Yes!" Jack hooted.  We have a winner!  Give the man a kewpie doll!  Way to go, Daniel!"

"That's it?" Daniel exclaimed.  "I'm – I'm – you can – "

"Yep," Jack grinned.  "Now you're making absolutely no sense in a language we can all understand."

"Why doesn't he just ling?" Daniel said witheringly.

"Ling, lang, potayto, potawto, whatever," Jack shrugged. "Hey, it worked, didn't it?"

"Oh for – " Daniel's jaw abruptly snapped shut, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  "We haven't got time for this," he muttered, then opened his eyes again and aimed his attention and the full force of his appeal directly at General Hammond.

"General, I'm glad you're here, please, you have to let me go back to P8X-807 immediately," he entreated, the words erupting out of him in a rapid, urgent explosion.  "There are a lot of people here who are going to die soon if we don't get them back home and millions more on 807 – well, they're not going to die, but they're trapped - they need our help – "

Daniel abruptly stopped speaking, realising from the sceptical looks surrounding him he'd made a bad start.  "Um, maybe I should have put that another way," he said with a strained smile.

"What people, son?" Hammond said softly and carefully. Like he was talking to a delusional five-year old.

"You don't have to back away from me slowly I'm not nuts," Daniel sighed, his heart sinking.

"No, but I think you'd better lie back and rest, Daniel," Janet soothed, stepping forward to place a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"No, no," he unhappily insisted, shrugging off her hand.  "Don't treat me like I'm – please, just listen to me for a minute.  It's important!"

"We're listening, Daniel," Jack told him, giving Janet a 'back off, let him talk' glare.  "Calm down and tell us what's going on."

"Okay," Daniel nodded, flashing Jack a grateful glance.  "I realise what I'm about to say, most of it is going to sound pretty – out there – I know that, and I can't help that, nor can I prove any of it but I'm telling you – you have to believe me.  No matter what it sounds like.  Please?"

The almost plaintive ending of Daniel's entreaty made Jack's gut clench with dismay.  As did the obstinate but unconvinced optimism flushing his determinedly resigned face.  Jesus, Daniel was coming out swinging, knowing he had to score a home run but not really believing he was going to get a chance to even step up to the plate.  In fact, he honestly didn't believe anyone was going to take him seriously but he wasn't about to let it keep him from trying.

Crap, it had to break his frigging heart to have to try so hard.  All the damned time.  How the hell had they all grown so careless of Daniel to treat him this way, that no matter what Daniel did, no matter how many times he proved himself, got it right, knew what to do, pulled their asses out of the fire, saved the frigging day, none of it counted for squat in the eyes of those who knew him best and definitely should know better.  Daniel was still right back behind the eight ball the next time out in spite of everything he'd already done to earn not only their respect, but their automatic trust without ever getting it, and in order to get anything done or be taken seriously he had to fight every one of them tooth and nail. 

Every damned time.

Just because he was Daniel, and for no other reason.

Dammit, it wasn't fair.  And it sure wasn't right.  But there they all were, doing it to him again.

Daniel took several deep breaths, visibly collecting himself before launching into it again.

"We know the Goa'uld attacked 807 at some time in the past and we assumed they removed the population.  But that isn't what happened.  The people are still there.  They never left."

"Un hun," Jack grunted, trying to be supportive.  "And you know this because…"

"Because," Daniel continued, his face full of 'oh god, now we get to the part where they really think I'm nuts'.  "I can see them."

"Why?" Jack asked slowly, trying so hard not to slide into condescending it was painful to watch.

Daniel sighed and wearily hung his head.  "Let's start again.  The inhabitants of 807 – which they call Kathos, by the way - knew the Goa'uld were coming and wanted to hide from them.  That's what the tower was for, and why it was the only structure on the planet that was protected.  It contains the device that phased all of the planet's inhabitants – like what Nick's giant aliens did to us – so the Goa'uld couldn't find them and hurt them.  The device was supposed to un-phase them and return them to normal again when the Goa'uld left, but something went wrong.  It never happened and they've been trapped like that, living like ghosts ever since.   They need me to help them fix the device, get it working again, and that's why I got zapped.  Not to hurt me, but to enable me to see and hear them, and to teach me how to fix the machine so it can change them back."

"Why did this machine select you, Doctor?" General Hammond asked quietly.  "Why not the colonel?  Wasn't he the first one to enter the structure?"

"Cephus isn't sure," Daniel weakly grinned.  "Something about my mind made me a better candidate than Jack.  And the fact I was a temporary ‘ghost’ myself for a long time courtesy of Nick’s aliens.  Anyway, it looked us both over and I'm the one it picked."  Lucky me, his bleak eyes mirthlessly proclaimed.

"Cephus?"  Hammond asked again, his expression conveying he was deeply considering everything Daniel was saying but betraying no clue as to his opinion of the reliability of either the speaker or the intelligence he was offering.

"He's the – um  - their leader.  "He's standing right over there."  Daniel waved toward the spot near the head of the bed where he'd been directing his remarks earlier.

"Oh?" Hammond quirked a brow, his face devoid of any other expression.  "You claim this alien is standing over there – and you can see him?"

"Yes," Daniel murmured.  "Not just him.  There are quite a few Kathosians in this room with him.  They're sort of all over the place.  They came through the gate with us when we returned from 807.  And I don't 'claim' anything, Sir," Daniel continued, rallying, raising his head and meeting Hammond's gaze head on.  "They're there, and they're as real as you or I – they're just in a slightly different dimension.

"I know the way this sounds," Daniel continued, his voice becoming more impassioned as his need to succeed for the Kathosian's sakes overrode everything else.  "But really, what I'm telling you, it's not so far-fetched, we know it's possible and technology capable of doing this exists.  We've experienced it – both Jack and  - " He broke off and cast an appealing glance at Jack.  "If you don't believe me and won't let me go back, fine, but these people who are here need to return to their planet or they're going to…well, I'm not sure what's going to happen to them, but they won't exist any more, in any dimension.  If you won't let me go back to the planet at least dial up 807 so they can go home.  Even if you don't believe me and think I'm seeing things, humour me on this point. Where's the harm in just dialling the planet and leaving the gate open for a few minutes?  Can you at least do this for me, General?"

"We're not saying we don't believe you, son," Hammond began in a placating voice making Jack grimace as he remembered, not proudly, uttering a very similar statement to Daniel not so long ago.

"But you don't believe me," Daniel snapped, flushing.

Ouch.  And there was the other shoe, dropping.  Right on his sorry head.

"That you have been affected by the alien technology is not in question," Hammond continued.  "We know you currently believe what you are saying, but given the…mental confusion you experienced directly after the attack, have you stopped to consider what you believe you are experiencing isn't real?  You were under an alien influence causing you to hallucinate before, and you were as convinced of the reality of the phantom Linvris during that incident as you appear to be about – these people."

The resulting sick smile spreading across Daniel's face in reaction to Hammond's comment found an answering echo in the pit of Jack's stomach.

"I wondered how long it would take before we got to that," Daniel said with a bitter burst of laughter.  "Once a nut case, always a nut case.  This is completely different, but I have no idea how I'm going to convince you I'm not crazy or seeing aliens that don't really exist – if I'm the only one who can see…"

Daniel's voice trailed away and he turned towards the spot of empty air he'd named 'Cephus'.

"Doctor Jackson, I don't wish to unduly distress you," Hammond continued as he, like both Janet and Jack looked automatically to where Daniel was directing his attention as if doing so would enable them to see what he claimed to be seeing.  "And I'm certainly taking your request under advisement.  However, before I make a decision I think it would be prudent for you to submit to Dr Fraiser for some more testing, just to confirm the alien device hasn't had any further deleterious effects on you and what you believe you are experiencing isn't in fact being caused by – "

"Aren't you listening to me, I keep telling you we don't have time for that!" Daniel angrily cut him off.  "They – they don't have time!  Dammit," he fumed, smashing his balled fist into his thigh.  "How can I make you understand?  What can I do to convince you? I'm really sorry," he said to the empty air.  "I told you this would happen, they – what?" he suddenly said and then paused for several seconds.  "Do you think that would work?"

"Doctor Jackson?" Janet quietly addressed him, trying to get his attention.

"Doctor, I'd like you to get started on those tests immediately," Hammond murmured, his eyes never leaving Daniel as he delivered his instructions in a barely audible voice.  "I'd also like Major Carter to be in on this.  Her expertise could provide some useful insights into the situation.  Has she reported for duty yet this morning?"

"I checked with security when I arrived, Sir," Janet replied in an equally soft voice.  "According to them she's still here.  She didn't leave the base last night."

"We won't need Sam," Daniel suddenly announced calmly, at last turning to face them once more, his face strangely empty for its seeming serenity.  "You need proof of what I'm telling you before you'll trust me, I think I can give it to you.  We'll try, anyway.  Jack," he said coldly, his voice louder, harsher.  He extended his hand to the man standing behind Janet, waiting expectantly.  " I need you to help me do this."

Daniel's face shone with the serenity of the damned.  It was a look of tired resignation, weary acceptance of the continually reaffirmed reality he was not enough, what he was, knew, and had accomplished was not in itself sufficient for anyone, even the man he loved, for them to be able to take him on trust.  Jack had seen this quiet but very personal disappointment in Daniel's eyes before.  He'd looked just like this as he stood there in Oma's garden and said those words.   The same words implicit in his silent, resigned eyes.

If you're ever going to trust me, now's the time.

Or what, Daniel?  On Kheb he'd lowered his weapon, but not for Daniel.  It was Bra'tac's word he'd trusted, not Daniel's and yet, Daniel had forgiven him.  More than that, Daniel had even found a way to forget about it, put it away, not let it eat at him the way it should have.  The way it would have him, if the people he most loved and trusted treated him the way they treated Daniel.

The way he was treating Daniel now. 

That time he'd failed the test and Daniel had let him off the hook.  And here they were again, bellying up to the same yardstick but this time – it was different.  Jack could feel it, see it in an unaccustomed coolness in Daniel's normally warm and accepting eyes.  Nothing big, hardly discernable at all, just the barely there prescient gleam of fatalistic anticipation.

Daniel was expecting him to let him down again.  He'd asked for trust, hadn't received it and was resigning himself to having to prove himself, once again.  Sure, Daniel had asked him for his help in supplying this proof, but the disappointment lurking in his eyes at being required to – yet again – especially by him…

If he did – if he made Daniel go through with this, made him prove himself… Daniel would never be fully his again.  Jack could see that plainly as well.  Daniel's spirit couldn't support another denunciation of his integrity or devaluation of his word.  Especially by the man who claimed to love him and above all others should be the last one to doubt him and make him do this.  If he made Daniel prove himself this time – it would be the last time.  Daniel would never ask him for anything again.  Look to him, expect anything, he'd pull away, start to close off, retreat and eventually…

It ended here, one way or the other.  Which way – completely up to him.

"Jack?" Daniel asked again, the ghost of a tremor in his voice.

"No," Jack grunted, crossing his arms and planting his feet firmly, his body language leaving no doubt he wasn't budging from the spot he was currently claiming.

"No?" Daniel's voice sounded so small and desolate that for a second, even though he knew it was going to be okay, the momentary shattering of Daniel's faith in him devastated Jack to the core.

"I don't have to, and neither do you," Jack hurried to assure him.  "Prove what you've been telling us, that is.  If you say there's a planet full of people on 807 who need our help and there's a bunch of them standing around in this room whether I can see them or not makes no difference - if you say they're there - that's good enough for me."

Jack could feel Daniel's blinding smile of gratitude bathing his back as he turned to Hammond, a bright 'please see things my way or else' grin on his face.

"General, request permission to lead my team back to 807 for a rescue mission ASAP.  Daniel says there are people there who need our help.  My responsibility, Sir."

"You're sure, Jack," Hammond asked, the gentle quirking of his lips softening the severity of his expression.

"Yes Sir," Jack jauntily retorted.  Truthfully. And, as he abruptly realised as soon as he'd said it to the general it was true.  He really did…believe.  He spared a second to glance back at Daniel and saw every reward he'd ever want in life beaming at him from the blue depths of a pair of quietly shining eyes.

"Aren't you?"

"Very well, Colonel O'Neill, assemble your team.  SG-1, you have a go."

"How much longer is this gonna take?" Jack complained, eyeing the placid, shimmering surface of the event horizon.  Well, here they were, back on 807.  All of them, that is, except Daniel.  Daniel was still in the gateroom, shepherding his invisible buds through the gate.  It was taking freaking forever.  They'd been here for almost ten minutes standing around listening to their hair grow and still no Daniel.   Or any evidence of the intangible horde allegedly exiting the wormhole all around them, but then there wouldn't be, would there, seeing as how they were invisible.

"Daniel won't come until the last of the Kathosians has safely made it back through the gate," Sam said, making herself more comfortable on the wide stone step she was seated on.  "And as he's the only one who can see them…"

"Yeah, I know, he has to stay to make sure they all make it," Jack grumbled.  As soon as they're all safe and sound, then he'll come bopping along and the folks back at the SGC will know it's okay to shut down the gate.  Damn, how many of those guys hitched a ride with us the first time?  They must have been moving pretty damned quick to slip so many on through, because we never leave the gate open this long, not if everyone gets back okay right off.  I mean, what for?"

"Omigawd, I'd forgotten about that!" Sam suddenly exclaimed, realisation rushing across her face.  "The gate!  Now that you come to mention it, Colonel," she began excitedly, rising to her feet.  "You and Daniel don't know this because you were gone as soon as you hit the ramp getting him to the infirmary, but there was a slight glitch with the gate when we returned.  That's why I was called back to the control room, I was checking it out, trying to figure out why the gate wouldn't shut down."

"As I recall you were never able to determine what caused the gate to remain open for approximately fifteen minutes after we returned."  Teal'c smoothly added.

"Seventeen minutes, forty three seconds," Sam corrected.

"What?" Jack gaped.  "It did what? Almost eighteen frigging minutes? You're kidding!"

"Nope," Sam shook her head.  "We ran a diagnostic but couldn't find any reason why the wormhole wouldn't disengage.  Everything was functioning normally and there was absolutely no reason we could determine why it wouldn't shut down.  The gate was behaving as if someone was deliberately keeping it open, but of course that was impossible because…"

She stopped speaking, shamefaced as she realised the 'proof' of Daniel's assertions had been there all along.  Only no one had made the connection.  "And then of course the gate shut down on its own and everything was back to normal," she finished meekly. 

Jack glared at her, furious, images of Daniel's desolate face splattering all over his inner eye.  The whole ordeal they'd just put him through needn't have happened.  The proof they'd expected Daniel to supply before they'd believe him, Daniel already had it and he hadn't known.

"Did it occur to you to mention this, at any time?" he demanded, only just managing to restrain himself from bellowing into her face.

Sam was clearly embarrassed to have missed the connection but she wasn't going to be bullied either.  "With all due respect, Sir," she snapped back at him, meeting him glare for glare.  "I didn't see any reason to.  Sometimes the gate – well, we still don't completely understand how it works and if every once and awhile it does something – odd – we aren't always able to determine why.  We continue to study it and learn more about its functioning all the time, but occasionally it behaves in a way we don't understand and can't explain.  Without knowing what Daniel told you later in the infirmary – it was just another one of those occurrences. That's all the incident was to me at the time, another momentary glitch that straightened itself out.  I didn't think any more of it, certainly didn't connect it to Daniel and because I wasn't in the infirmary the second time, when Daniel was telling you what had happened to him and I didn't know about the Kathosians there wasn't any reason to attach any more significance to the event than it being one of the anomalies in the daily operation of the gate that sometimes occurs.  I forgot about it, okay?" she finished with a steely glare at her CO, daring him to dispute her.

Jack glared right back at her, considering it.  He was still inwardly smarting from the shock of coming face to face with Daniel's belief in their disbelief, unable to deny his friend's low opinion of all of them or evade his own contribution to the undervaluing of the confidence of the best man he'd ever known.  He was angry and he wanted some payback, but keeping to the theme of facing the music the word 'displacement' suddenly came to mind.  Yeah, sure he was pissed, but it wasn't really at Carter, it was at his own dumb-ass self, and dumping on his major in an attempt to expiate his own guilt – well it wasn't cool for starters.