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A deep red robe had been placed around Daniel's shoulders. He'd gratefully pulled it around his shivering frame, found that it had loops that went over what appeared to be wooden beads to hold it closed. He stared into the darkness that surrounded the altar. He could sense a presence there. "What is it that you want?"

"Choose." It was the same, resonant male voice they'd heard…before.

"Choose what?"

"Two may live. Two must die. Choose."

Oh, god! He couldn't do this! There was no way he could do this! "If you need a sacrifice, take me! Don't make me choose between my friends, and my Wife, please!"

"Choose now, or all will perish!" the voice demanded.

He closed his eyes. Teal'c would be the first to offer himself. So would Jack. Sam wouldn't hesitate either. Casey…if forced into the situation, he knew without a doubt that she'd offer her own life to save theirs. He couldn't live without Casey. There was no way. To chose to save her would be obvious. But how did he know that he was going to live? If she was gone, he didn't want to live! Jack and Sam had loved each other for so long, had just made love for the first time the night after their meeting with Mackenzie. If any of the team deserved a chance to live, they did. "Let Sam and Jack live. They deserve happiness together. Teal'c is an honorable man, a true Jaffa warrior. He'd sacrifice himself in an instant for any of us. If you take Casey from me-" his breath caught in his throat, "then take me as well. I can't live without her. I won't live without her."

"So be it."

Daniel watched; his body shaking, his heart breaking into pieces as Teal'c and Casey were brought from the room where those two black robed goons had taken them. They were still naked, and Casey was clinging to the Jaffa's hand.

Two more of the dark robed figures lifted her onto the altar.

"I love you, Casey," he cried out. "Forever, Angel."

"I love you, forever, Daniel," she replied, turning her head to look at him.

He could see the tears that spilled onto her cheeks, the fear in those beautiful green eyes. "I'm so sorry, Angel, so sorry," he said, his own tears flowing freely down his face.

"It's all right," she said softly.

An incantation began to fill the air. It sounded as if several voices were chanting together. One of the figures stood beside the altar, raised a wicked looking knife, the gold hilt held it firmly in both hands, then plunged the ten inch long blade into the heart of the woman on the altar. Her scream filled the air, the chanting grew louder.

"Casey!" Daniel dropped to his knees. He was sobbing so hard that the Beings beside him were forced to support his weight when they pulled him back to his feet. He continued to weep as her body was taken to the edge of the pool, and dropped into the water. It turned red with her blood. Her long blonde hair floated around her, and he watched as she slowly sank to the bottom. "Oh, god! Casey!"

Teal'c was placed on the altar next.

"I'm sorry Teal'c," Daniel said, his voice full of tears, his eyes swollen as he continued to weep for the woman who was his entire life.

"Do not apologize, Daniel Jackson. You have chosen wisely."

The knife came down, and Teal'c was offered to the pool as well.

The Beings beside him allowed him to sink to his knees. He wrapped his arms around his waist and wailed his sorrow. When he tried to move toward the pool, where the blood continued to swirl, he was held back. Something began to poke at the back of his head. His grief was too deep, too intense for him to notice it.

One of the figures touched his forehead, and he fell into blessed oblivion.

A   A   A   A   A   A

He rolled his eyes, looked around, trying to determine where he was. Ship! Goa'uld ship! He tried to sit up, groaned from the effort. He felt as if he'd just had the shit beat out of him. Which, it appeared, was exactly what had happened.

"Hey, Danny," Jack said softly.

"Jack?"

"Yeah. I was starting to get worried about you," the older man said.

"How long?"

"Four hours, near as I can tell," was the reply.

"Teal'c and Sam?"

"Sam's okay, she's asleep over here," Jack replied. "Teal'c…I think he's gone."

He was sitting up now, his back pressed against the wall for support. "Casey?"

Jack lowered his eyes. "She…uh…well…the screams stopped about two hours ago."

He began to shake. If she were alive, she'd have been brought back to the cell. "No!" he whispered.

Jack leaned across the narrow expanse of floor that separated them, put his hand on Daniel's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Daniel," he said softly.

Daniel let his head drop back as bitter tears of pain began to roll down his face. No! No! No! It wasn't fair! They'd just found one another! They hadn't been married a month yet! Hell, they hadn't even been married two weeks yet! "No! Casey!" He pulled himself to his feet, stumbled to the opening and the energy field that kept them prisoner. "Casey!"

Jack was on his feet as well, tugging Daniel away from the opening. "Daniel! Stop it! You're gonna bring them down on us again, and Sam has got to rest! She almost didn't survive that last round of torture!"

"My Wife didn't survive!" Daniel shouted.

"I…I know, Danny. I'm sorry. God, I’m so sorry," Jack replied. He put his arm around the young archaeologist's neck, pulled him in for a hug. "I’m so sorry," he repeated in a whisper.

All he could do was cling to the man who'd been his best friend for five years. The first 'best friend' he'd ever had. And weep on his shoulder for the loss of his wife. Again. First Sha're. Now Casey. Cold fury settled into his heart. Never again, he swore silently. Never again. He'd never again allow himself to fall in love. He pulled away from his friend. Patted Jack's shoulder awkwardly. Then turned to face the opening of their prison cell once again.  "Ha'shak! Mik'ta! Take me if you want someone to torture! Or can you only torture women?"

"Daniel!" Jack hissed.

"Don't worry, Jack," Daniel said, his eyes glazed with emotional pain. "I won't tell them anything."

Two guards appeared, their armor clanking noisily as they approached the cell.

The young archaeologist turned to look at Jack. "We get one shot at this. You get Sam to the rings and get the hell out of here. I'll keep 'em busy."

Before Jack could respond, the guards had lowered the force field and were stepping into the tiny room.

Daniel's attack was sudden and unexpected. He managed to get the staff weapon from one, killed both Jaffa and then ran into the corridor. "Go, Jack, get out of here!"

Jack watched as the sandy-blond head disappeared around the corner. He pulled Sam into his arms, and ran for the rings. That kid's the bravest man I've ever met. Stupid sometimes. But brave. As soon as Sam was safe, he'd mount the rescue effort himself!

He ran through the corridors of the Goa'uld al'kesh, firing at anything that moved, leading the pursuing Jaffa away from the ring transport. Daniel slid to a stop when he recognized one of the rooms. He darted inside. Felt his heart shatter into a million little pieces. Casey was lying on a wide table. Two men were leaning over her body. They were dissecting her! The goddamned bastards were taking her apart! He began to fire the staff weapon, taking down the two men, Goa'uld his mind registered, after seeing the angry flare of their eyes just before he killed them. He continued to fire, even when their bodies were nothing more than charred heaps on the floor. He never heard the Jaffa behind him. He felt the blast impact on his back. He managed to stagger to where Casey lay. He died leaning over her, holding her as much as he could.

A   A   A   A   A   A

Jack was sitting on the bench, forearms on his thighs, staring at the lock on the cell door. If only he had something to pick the damned thing with! Casey had moaned softly twice now. She should be coming around. By his calculations, they'd been here about forty minutes. He was damned glad she hadn't heard Daniel's tortured screams, his voice calling out her name with such pain that it nearly undid him.

"Oh, man, what a headache," a soft voice complained.

"Welcome back, Casey," Sam said softly. Hoped that there'd be no further screams from Daniel. Screams that broke her heart, competed with the haunting memories of other such sounds.

"He'll be fine," Casey said, cocking her head to one side. "Just as soon as he figures out that it's a test."

Sam and Jack exchanged a look. "Casey, we have no idea what they're doing to him."

The young blonde settled with her back against the cell door. "They aren't hurting him. Not physically. They're putting him through hell mentally and emotionally. Once he understands what's happening, it will end."

"You are sure of this?" Teal'c asked.

"As sure as I can be."

"What about us?" Jack asked.

"We wait. We're here, out of the way, so that we can't interfere." She could only hope that Daniel'd heard her, would quickly understand what she'd said. Think, Daniel, she thought desperately. Use that beautiful brilliant mind of yours and think!

A   A   A   A   A   A

He opened his eyes slowly. Blue sky. No clouds. He turned his head. Teal'c was lying beside him, badly beaten. A glance in the other direction told him that Sam fared no better. He sat up slowly, put a hand against ribs that were most certainly broken.

The clank of Jaffa armor filled the air. His companions sat up slowly beside him. Together they managed to get battered bodies onto unsteady feet.

He gasped when Jack and Casey approached the cage. Both were dressed in silk robes. Casey was clinging to Jack's arm.

"You should not have returned," Jack said, his voice echoing with the dual quality of a Goa'uld.

"I came for my Wife," Daniel said, gritting his teeth against the pain, both the physical, and the emotional.

"She is no longer your wife. She is my Queen," Jack said. He turned and ran his hand over Casey's cheek.

Daniel flinched as she leaned into the caress. Not again! Oh god, not again! "Casey…Angel I know you can hear me. I know you're in there. Fight her, Casey, fight!"

Jack looked at him and laughed, then led the young blonde away. The Jaffa followed.

"I believe escape is possible," Teal'c said softly. "If we can raise this…cage…it will be possible to slip out from beneath it."

Sam shook her head. "That might work for one of us. It will take at least two to lift it."

"We have to at least try," Daniel said.

The blonde major grabbed Daniel's arm. "Daniel, remember what my Dad said. The Goa'uld have found a way to counter the procedure to remove them. Even if we get out of here…the colonel and Casey are…well…they're…"

"They must be killed. We can do no less for them," Teal'c said quietly. "O'Neill would not wish to live with a Goa'uld inside him. Nor would Casey Jackson."

Daniel closed his eyes against the pain. He knew that his friends were right. But oh, god, could he really kill her? He tossed the thought about. Casey was a prisoner in her own mind. If he truly loved her, he'd set her free, end that torment. He nodded, even as the tears began to flow down his cheeks.

It wasn't easy, but the three managed to escape from the cage. Carefully, they slipped inside the castle that was now the home of Adad and Inanna, two Mesopotamian 'gods'. Daniel had been fascinated by the writings he'd found, unaware that the two Goa'uld were still in residence in the palace. The details of just how the Goa'uld had come to possess Jack and Casey were fuzzy at best. He shook his head. Something seemed…odd. As if he'd just suffered through similar heartache, and as if it had been…minutes ago. He shook the disconcerting thoughts away, then looked at Sam. "I can't live without her."

Sam gave him a small, sad smile. "I know."

"You and T head for the 'gate. I'll take care of this," he said softly.

"Daniel…"

"Go, Sam. The SGC needs your brilliant mind."

"They need yours, too," she insisted.

He shook his head. "There are at least a dozen other archaeologists just as capable. Maybe more so. We can't leave Jack and Casey like…that. The three of us can't get in there and…free them…and get out again. It's a one way trip."

Sam put her hand against Daniel's cheek. "She loved you so very much."

Tears filled his eyes, he leaned into the caress of one of his best friends. "I know. Jack loved you."

"I know."

He blinked his tears away, looked up at the stoic face of his best friend. "Make sure she gets home."

"I will do so," Teal'c said softly.

Without another word, or a backward glance, Daniel slipped deeper into the castle. He could hear them. Making love. He bit back the bile that filled his throat when he heard that sweet whimper. He pushed the door open. Watched for a few seconds as Jack…no, not Jack... Adad thrust into his wife. He bit back his sob of pain, aimed the staff weapon that was suddenly in his hands, fired twice.

He raced to Casey's side, pushed Jack's body away from her.

"Daniel?"

"I'm right here, Angel," he whispered.

"I'm so sorry! I love you, only you, forever," she said, her voice fading.

"I love you, Angel, only you, forever." He leaned down to kiss her, took her last breath into his lungs. Didn't even attempt to run when he heard the Jaffa approach. He was still holding her when the Jaffa killed him.

A   A   A   A   A   A

He opened his eyes. Oh, god, what a headache. Ribbon device. Yep, they always left a distinct pain in the head! He rolled to his side, slowly sat up. Casey was leaning against the wall, her eyes closed. Her face was bruised, she'd been badly beaten. He glanced around the dank cell. They'd all been beaten. He slid closer to his Wife. "Hey, gorgeous," he whispered.

"Hey, handsome," she whispered in reply.

"Just hang in there, Angel, we'll get out of this."

She leaned against him, put her head on his shoulder. "I'm trying."

The familiar, gut-wrenching sound of Jaffa armor filled the air. They were jerked to their feet without regard to the wounds they all bore, their arms bound roughly behind their backs, then forced through the narrow door of the cell. Marched down a long corridor.

Osiris, in Sarah Gardner's body, was sitting on the throne in the ornate room into which they were led. "Daniel Jackson," she sneered. She looked at the others. "I will let them go, if you agree to remain here and serve me."

"No way in hell," Jack snapped.

"Jack," Daniel hissed. "This could be a way out."

"No way, Danny. We don't leave our people behind."

"The offer is only good for another few seconds," Osiris taunted.

"Deal," Daniel said.

"Daniel! No!" Casey cried out.

The Jaffa were still standing behind them, but he managed to step closer to the woman who held his entire universe in her slender hands. He put his forehead against hers. "It's just for awhile, Angel. Just until Jack can get back here with help," he whispered. "Give me a kiss, and then go."

Her lips trembled against his. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too." He turned to his best friend. "If you get back this way, and…um…well, you know…I don't want to live that way."

Jack nodded. "I understand."

The Jaffa led the prisoners to the room where the 'gate was located. Daniel was allowed to follow, the Goa'uld beside him. Osiris stood next him, her hand on his shoulder as he watched his Wife and friends go through the Stargate. She was safe. She would be fine. He turned to look at the woman, or at least the body of the woman he'd cared for years ago.

"Let us prepare," Osiris said. "Soon, Daniel, you will be with Sarah once again."

Oh hell, that didn't sound good! He began to struggle when he was led to a chamber where a sarcophagus sat. It took four Jaffa to put him into the device. I'll be able to fight them, he told himself. If my wounds are healed, I'll be able to fight them. He clung to that thought as he lost consciousness.

When he awoke, unsure how long he'd been in that damned coffin, he was taken through corridors, down the elevator, and through yet another corridor to what appeared to be a medical lab. He was stripped, and chained face down on a narrow table. Oh, hell, this is not good!

Osiris…Sarah began to scream. The symbiote crawled from her mouth, was carefully picked up by one of the keir'os' with a long pole that had finger-like extensions on the end. One of the other men was using a healing device on Sarah as she continued to bleed from the mouth.

Daniel closed his eyes. Jack wouldn't let him down. He had faith in his friend. Jack would kill him. To protect Her. He screamed as the symbiote began to burrow into the back of his neck. He could feel the…presence. Knew that Osiris was 'looking' for him. He remained still, silent.

The man crawled off of the table. Motioned that Sarah should be stripped as well. "Now, my Beloved, I shall touch you the way that I have longed to do."

He expected her to fight him. Scream. Cry. He nearly gave himself away when she smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "It's been a long time since I was with him. I loved him very much."

"But he didn't love you."

Sadness reflected in those gray eyes. "No. He didn't."

"Now you shall have him. And me."

She giggled. "Total package deal. You will let me talk to him sometimes, right?"

"As long as he survives, yes," Osiris replied. "Come, I can wait no longer."

It was an odd, unsettling experience, to make love, but not be the one in control. He could feel all of the sensations, his hands touching her skin, his mouth kissing her, moving over her body, her hands and mouth on him. He could taste her, smell her. But it was…different, as if there was a…barrier…between him and his body. The climax certainly wasn't nearly as…intense…as what he experienced with his Wife. Perhaps it was because Sarah wasn't Casey. No woman could make love like her! He quickly pushed down that thought. He didn't want Osiris to find it, and decide to search out the one pure, precious thing in his life.

He hadn't expected Jack to return so quickly. He was overjoyed to feel the anger that flooded his mind, Osiris's anger. He was looking out through his eyes, yet, they weren't his any longer.

"I promised, Danny, and I keep my promises."

He watched Jack raise the P90. Welcomed the hot, terrible pain of the bullets ripping through his body. "No sarcophagus," he managed to gasp, trying to yell above the screams of the Goa'uld, not realizing that he was whispering.

"I understand, Danny," Jack said softly. He turned and gave the order that the sarcophagus in the other room be destroyed.

"Casey?"

"She'll be fine, I promise."

The screams of the symbiote stilled. "Thanks, Jack," he said, then closed his eyes.

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