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Daniel stopped just outside of the isolation room, caught Carly's arm before she went inside. "Can I speak to you, alone, for just a minute?"

The dark haired woman nodded, and they stepped back into the hallway. "What's wrong, Daniel?"

"This is…well, it's kind of embarrassing really…but…have you and Teal'c…is it…are you unable to get enough…always have to touch him, love him…" Daniel flushed and looked away.

Carly smiled gently. "No more so than usual. I do tend to touch him more, just to assure myself that he truly is home. But what you're asking is if the desire is more. The Fire does make one's desire much…stronger. Our love, our desire for one another is strong. But not…insatiable."

He shook his dark blonde head. "I feel like I can't get enough. We've been making love every morning, every night, hell, we made love all night Saturday, not counting Saturday morning or when we woke up Sunday morning. And we…uh…we met in the storage closet on Thursday and Friday. It's like…it's like I can't satisfy the need…the hunger for her."

"Daniel, you are The Chosen. She is Your Chosen. The Fire has always burned hotter, brighter in the two of you. She also has the Hathor pheromones, you're addicted to her. You were still in withdrawal when she returned. After six weeks. If there is such a hunger, then I believe it is only…natural. For you and Casey, anyway."

"Thanks…I think," he said, a smile touching the corners of his mouth.

"Has she been just as…needy?"

"Yeah, that's what is so weird about all of this," Daniel replied.

"Perhaps not, if she was not dead; as she, and Teal'c, and the rest of us, were led to believe," Carly replied. "I believe that as The Chosen, you…attract…her, in the same way that she…attracts…you."

"You mean that I have pheromones…"

"Just your own natural pheromones, Daniel. She has mentioned several times her need, not just the desire, but the need to kiss you. Several times a day. It might not have been a planned effect, but it is there nonetheless."

"Thanks, Carly. This has helped," Daniel told her. He hugged the woman tightly. "Let's go make sure they're okay."

"In time, the need will not be so…overwhelming," the Spanish woman predicted.

"I won't complain in the meantime," he replied, grinning at her.

Carly laughed, and then led him into the large room, where her husband, and Daniel's wife, were laying.

Daniel crossed the room to stand by her bed. She was awake. "Hey, gorgeous."

"Hey, handsome. Doctor Montigue says they tagged us," she said weakly.

"Yeah, I know. Angel, I'm going to try and contact them. I need you to help me."

"Okay."

"Just relax, close your eyes," he said softly. He took her hand. "Let me see, Angel." He felt himself pulled toward her, just as he did every time he approached her before she did a search. Usually he found himself in the middle of a small meadow. Or what appeared to be a meadow. Warm, full of sunshine…pleasant. She always met him there, wearing the beautiful white outfit she had worn on their wedding day. It was there where they caressed one another, clung to one another. 

He looked around. She was sitting in the corner of a dimly lit room, her back to the wall, her legs against her chest, her head resting on top of her arms. "Hey, babe."

"Hey. I don't fell well," she said softly, raising her head, giving him a weak smile.

"I know, Angel. Can you feel them? Are they…watching?"

"I don't know. I…it's like I don't have the strength…I'm sorry," she said, letting her head drop back onto her arms.

"Shh…it's okay, honey. I'll take care of this. Just rest." He stood up, walked to the middle of the room. "I know you're there! I know you're watching!" he shouted.

Silence.

"We're warning every human settlement that might possibly stumble through the Stargate onto your planet. Just to let you know, we're going to shut that 'gate down!" He hoped that they couldn't read his thoughts as well, nothing had been said about destroying their Stargate. But he was going to suggest it to Duncan, just as soon as this was over.

Silence.

"This is what's going to happen. You're going to send someone through the Stargate…the Chappa'ai. That…person is going to take these goddamned 'tags' out of my wife and my best friend. Then that person is going to return to you. Then we're going to blow that 'gate… Chappa'ai to pieces." Or at least the DHD, he thought moodily.

"You are in no position to make demands," a voice taunted haughtily.

"Daniel?"

"I'm right here, babe," he said, hurrying to her side.

"You're The Chosen," she murmured.

"Angel, I don't see how the Fire can help me… I can't get that thing out of you, or Teal'c."

"Triad. Call the Triad," she said weakly.

Triad? Why call them? They hadn't helped before…well, that wasn't exactly true…they might not have helped at the moment, but it was because of them that his wife had been returned to him. "Uh…Triad? First?"

Soft light began to glow in the corner of the room. "Yes, Chosen?"

"How do we get these things out of them?"

"I do not understand," First said.

Daniel wrapped his arms around his waist, began to pace. "First, you and your companions released Teal'c and Casey from beneath the rubble, right?"

"We were given permission to do so, yes." She had wanted to do more. But was aware of being watched. So she, and Second and Third had done what they could.

"You trusted the Oannes to make sure that they were returned to Gamma, right?"

"Yes."

"Was allowing the Oannes to tag them part of the deal?"

"It was not," First said.

"Well, they were tagged, and now they're ill. Possibly dying. There is no way that we'll return there to have the tags removed. They aren't willing to send anyone here to take them out. So, we're at a Mexican stand-off," he said. "Now, what I want to know, is what I can do about it…or what you can do about it."

First frowned. "I must research these…tags."

Daniel nodded, waited impatiently. He stopped to kneel beside Casey. She appeared to be asleep. Unconscious was more like it. He settled onto the floor, pulled her into his arms.

"Chosen, we cannot interfere in the matters of individual civilizations and societies. The Oannes have every right to conduct what they believe are harmless observations," First informed him calmly.

"But they aren't harmless! Casey almost went mad from the tag that was in her before. This tag is affecting her health…it's killing her!" he raged. "How many people have gone mad, or died, because of these 'harmless observations'?"

"I do not know," First admitted.

"Look, I know that getting Casey back at all from that…cave-in…was a miracle. And I'm eternally grateful for it. I know that getting permission to free her from the rubble cost you. But why go through all of that, allow her to come home to me, only to let the Oannes to kill her? If she dies, I won't be going through the Stargate. I'll have to raise my kids alone. I won't be…able…to fulfill my… duties…as The Chosen," he said.

"Is that a threat?" First asked coldly.

"No! No! It's not a threat! I'm just saying that I won't be able to do what you want me to do. My heart won't be in it. I won't have her by my side, and we've been told time and again that together we're undefeatable. Which means that alone I could be defeated. I won't risk orphaning my children. It will be hard enough on them to lose their mother…again," Daniel said, desperate to make the Being understand that without Casey, he existed at best. "You were watching me while she was dead, right? Then you know that I can't live without her."

"I shall see what we can do," First replied after a lengthy silence.

"Thank you," he said, sighing mentally. He pulled her closer, held her tightly, kissed her forehead. Which seemed to be too warm. Hurry up, he thought crossly, waiting to hear from the Being that most probably was holding Casey's fate, her very life, in her hand.

"Chosen, you must remove the tags," First said.

He laughed hysterically. "You must be kidding! Dr. Montigue couldn't get the last one out, it buried itself deeper into her brain! I'm not a medical doctor! Certainly not a neurologist! How can I do it?"

"Believe in yourself, as much as She does."

"But-"

"You are The Chosen. It is only right that you save She whom your heart has chosen as your soul mate, the woman you bound yourself to for eternity."

"And if I fail?"

"You are The Chosen."

He watched the faint light fade away. How could he remove an implant from his wife's brain? He shivered. If he didn’t try, she was going to die. He moved back toward his own body, opened his eyes.

"Well?" Jack asked anxiously.

"First says I have to take the damned things out," he replied, not looking at any of them.

"You're The Chosen," Carly said softly.

"Yeah, so they keep telling me," he muttered.

"I'll get the instruments you'll need," Dr. Montigue said quietly.

Daniel looked down at his Wife. 'Believe in yourself, as much as She does.' He smiled. That wasn't possible. She believed in him more than he would ever be able to believe in himself. He took a deep breath. For Her. He had to do this for Her. She had faith in him, trusted him to take care of her, keep her safe. Keep her alive.

"You'll do fine," Duncan said softly. "You're The Chosen."

"For Her. I'll do it for Her. Because She believes in me," Daniel whispered.

Dr. Montigue brought in a tray with several long laser forceps. "You're going after a device not much larger than a few cells. These are what you must use."

"How do I see what I'm doing?"

"With a microscope. And we'll bring in a portable CT scanner. You will be able to watch a monitor, see where the implant is, and where to move the tweezers in relation to the device," the doctor replied.

He put his hand on her cheek. Her skin was warm. She was flushed, although her face was pale beneath the fevered color. "Let's do it," he said.

Dr. Montigue gave the order, and the equipment was brought into the room. An IV was started, and Casey was given a sedative that would keep her unconscious for the duration of the procedure. If she were to awaken, and move, it could be disastrous. The tech who set up the machine was the same one who had performed the ultrasound test to determine the baby's gender when Casey had been pregnant with Nicholas.

Daniel watched, listened carefully as Dr. Montigue explained how the procedure must be done, and how to use the microscope and the monitor. "I'm no damned medical doctor," he complained under his breath once again as he took his place at Casey's side. His doctorate was in archaeology, for chrissakes! And why the hell was he thinking about doctorates right now?

"Any time you're ready, Daniel," the older man said calmly.

With a deep breath, Daniel inserted the thin probe that contained the laser forceps, and a microscopic camera, into her nostril. He watched through the microscope, moving slowly, carefully - terrified of hurting her, or causing irreparable damage to his Beloved. Sweat beaded up on his forehead, his upper lip. He could feel it trickle down his back. Someone gently wiped a cloth over his face, never once blocking his field of vision.

Sam had returned while Daniel had been trying to reason with the Oannes. She stood next to Jack, her hands gripping his arm, watching her best friend perform a delicate operation on his wife. One that he would have to repeat on his best friend. She shook her head mentally. Daniel had never once walked away from anything that he had to do. No matter how difficult. No matter what the risks were. It was little wonder that he was The Chosen, she thought.

"You're almost there," Dr. Montigue told him, his voice soft, calm.

"I can see it," Daniel reported. He glanced up at the monitor. The tweezers were just slightly below the tiny implant. He closed his eyes for one second. Wished that Casey were awake to send her strength to him. To cheer him on. To help him.

'Believe in yourself, as much as She does.'

He took a deep breath. "I'm ready," he said quietly. He pushed the button, and the microscopic tweezers reached for the implant. He could 'feel' them close around the tiny tag. Carefully, oh god so carefully, he began to withdraw the probe.

"Easy, gently," Dr. Montigue said. "That's right. Nice and slow."

He was sweating again, he blinked it from his eyes as he watched the progress of the probe in the microscope. For the second time someone gently wiped his face. Almost…almost…so close now…He let his head fall back when he pulled the probe away from her face. Held tightly between the pinched ends of the tweezers was a barely visible disc. He tossed it into the bowl that a nurse held toward him. Knew that it would be cleaned, and sent to the base. Sam would be able to tell them about it, after she had a chance to study it.

"Do you need to rest?" Dr. Montigue asked.

He shook his head. "No. We have to get the damned thing out of Teal'c as well." He accepted the cool, wet towel from another nurse, wiped his face with it. He settled himself onto the stool beside his best friend. And started the entire procedure again.

It had taken him thirty-seven minutes total to remove the tags from Casey and Teal'c. Their temperatures began to drop immediately, and Dr. Montigue predicted that they would be conscious within an hour. He suggested that the team, and Duncan, wait in the more comfortable waiting room, assuring Carly and Daniel that they would be notified the minute that their spouses were awake.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Daniel dropped wearily into one of the chairs, leaned forward, put his elbows on his knees and buried his face in his hands.

"Let's see…you can deliver babies, sew wounds closed on a battlefield, perform microsurgery, Danny boy, you should go for your medical license," Jack teased.

He tried to smile. "Yeah, sure."

Carly sat down beside him, put her arm around his shoulders. "Thank you, Daniel, for saving my husband."

He looked over at her. "You're welcome. I'm just glad it could be done," he said quietly. He rolled his head around, flexed his shoulders. What he wouldn't give for one of Casey's massages right now! It suddenly hit him. He had done it! He had successfully removed the implants, the same kind that none of the doctors had been able to remove the last time. "First?" he said softly.

Bright light emanated from the corner of the room. "I am here, Chosen."

"I…uh…I did it."

"As we knew you would."

Was that pride in her voice? He smiled. "Thanks for the help."

"We did nothing. You were the one who saved them."

"You at least helped me to understand that I could," he said quietly. "Thank you for that."

"You are most welcome, Chosen." The light faded, signaling that the Triad had left.

Daniel looked over at Duncan. "We have to close that 'gate of theirs. Permanently."

"I agree. How?" Duncan replied.

"Couple of nukes should send it to the bottom of the sea," Jack suggested. "Not too many planets with aquatic life that can operate a Stargate."

"If we destroy the DHD as well, it might keep them from trying to put it back on that island," Sam suggested. "I don't understand. Did they really need our help, was it all a set-up? Or did they just take advantage of the situation?"

"I guess we'll have to ask Casey, see what she can tell us," Daniel said. "I hate to think that it was a complete set-up. But under the circumstances…" He shrugged his broad shoulders. "I'm just glad it's all over."

"As am I," Carly said, sounding exactly like Teal'c.

A nurse appeared at the door of the waiting room. "Doctor Jackson? Ms. Sanchez? They're awake."

A  A  A  A  A  A

Daniel nearly ran to the room, rushed to her side. "Hey, gorgeous," he whispered, brushing blonde silk from her face.

"Hey, handsome. Did it work? Did you get it out?"

"Yep."

"I knew you could do it. Never had a doubt," Casey said, smiling up at him.

"Thanks, Angel."

"So, uh, when can I get out of here? I am so hungry!"

His smile became a grin. "There's a small, plain burger out in the jeep."

"Maybe later. What I want right now is a big honkin' order of nachos!"

He glanced at his watch. "Sorry babe. Tyrone's closed ten minutes ago."

"Damn! Okay, what about Dairy Queen? An order of chicken fingers and extra gravy?"

"Closed."

"Curly's?"

"Closed."

"Oh this is so not fair!" she complained. "We really have to do something about getting an all-night diner or something!"

Daniel laughed. "I think there's one near the spaceport."

Her eyes lit up. "Good! Just as soon as Attila the Hun gives me back my clothes, we can go!"

"Attila the Hun?"

"Some orderly with a tyrant complex," she replied.

He chuckled, lifted her fingers to his lips. "Love you, Angel."

She raised her other hand, traced his jaw, could feel the roughness of his beard. "Love you too, Stud Muffin."

Dr. Montigue entered the room. "If you two think you can keep from getting tagged again, I'll let you leave," he teased.

"That will not be a problem," Teal'c replied. "We will not be returning to PY2 498."

"That's for sure!" Casey declared. "We should totally erase that address from the freaking computer!"

"Already done, Case," Duncan said from the door.

"Good!" She looked around. "Where are my clothes? If somebody doesn't give me my clothes, I'm leaving in this gown!"

"Oh, she's back, and she's fine," Jack laughed.

"Yeah, laugh it up! I'm starving, and no one will give me my damned clothes!"

The orderly chose that moment to walk in the door, two bags in his hand. "Keep it up, and I'll put your stuff back in the locker."

"Try it," Casey countered. "I'll walk bare-ass naked to get it!"

"Don't test her on it," Daniel warned.

The orderly chuckled. "Here ya go, Mrs. Jackson. Doc says you're free to go."

"About damned time!" She started to get out of the bed.

"Uh, wait a sec, Case," Daniel said, hastily grabbing the curtain that surrounded the bed, offering privacy to the occupant.

"We'll meet you over at the diner, Space Monkey," Jack called.

"Sure, okay," Daniel replied. He was trying not to watch his wife get dressed. Knew for certain that as soon as he got her home, he was going to take her to bed and get a nice long, slow fix of his Angel.

"Can you at least wait until after we've eaten?"

He started, hadn't realized he had been staring at her. "What?"

"I was just wondering if you could make it through dinner. Or should I help you out, here and now?" she whispered, reaching for him.

He caught her hands, held them behind her back, kissed the tip of her nose. "Knock it off, Case," he whispered in return. "You know how needy I am when it comes to you."

She smiled. "I know. As needy as I am for you. But I really am hungry."

"Let's go, Angel," he grinned.

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