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The Phoenix hovered above the transport ship. SG-6 had been trained to wear containment suits. They suited up, and ringed over to the ship. They found the men crammed onto the bridge of the dying craft.

"Phoenix, we count twenty-four. All have life signs, though a couple of them are faint. They’re not just sleeping now, they’re unconscious. Not enough room to ring them from here. Request orders," Major Parker said.

Casey had been nearly asleep. Daniel was sitting beside her, running his hand over her back in a slow, gentle motion. She sat up on the bed, grabbed his arm. "You have to do it, Daniel, there’s no other way. Just think them to the infirmary, My Heart. You can do this, I know you can!"

Daniel nodded. He concentrated, ‘felt’ the men on the decrepit vessel. He thought about them moving from where they were to the floor of the infirmary. The pull of strength from his body left him gasping for breath.

She went to the intercom and contacted the medical bay. "This is Casey Jackson…are the slaves there?"

"Yes ma’am" was the stunned reply. "They just…appeared! All of them, all over the floor!"

She looked over at Daniel and smiled. "I knew you could do it, my heart," she said softly. She walked back over to the bed and laid down. "Rest now, My Love."

He put his head on her shoulder, his arm around her waist. Her fingers moved over his face, through his hair. He closed his eyes, and within minutes was asleep.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Wade opened his eyes. He looked around, uncertain as to where he was. He sat up, shook his head slightly to dispel the cobwebs that seemed to have surrounded his brain. He heard a slight gasp, looked over to see a young woman staring at him as if she had seen a ghost. He frowned slightly.

"Airman, do you have a problem?" a deep voice asked.

"No sir, it’s just…that he…he looks…he looks just like Doctor Jackson!" the young woman stammered.

"Thank you for pointing out the obvious. Do you have something you should be doing?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good. Do it." The speaker came around the curtain. He was a young man, early thirties perhaps, with short brown hair and laughing brown eyes. "You really do look like him," he grinned conspiratorially.

Wade frowned. He didn’t understand a word the man was saying.

The young man patted the patient’s shoulder. He motioned for the black haired man to lie back. "Call Doctor Jackson down here, will you? If anybody can find out what language these men speak, it will be him," he said to a nearby armed guard.

Wade watched as the doctor connected a…device…to his finger. His eyes were checked, then his mouth. The doctor’s hands pressed against his throat and neck. He wanted to scream. Slave traders! They had been rescued by slave traders! Why else would he be examined in such a way?

Daniel entered the infirmary, Casey by his side.

"Doctor Jackson, thanks for getting here so quickly. One of the patients is awake, and he doesn’t speak good old American English," the doctor explained.

The archaeologist nodded. "No problem. Where is he?"

"Right here," the doctor said. He pulled the curtain.

Wade felt as if all of the air had been sucked out of the room. Fate was a cold-hearted, hateful bitch, he decided. Because standing beside his bed was Casey, beautiful green-eyed Casey, and the man who had taken her way…the man who could be his twin.

Daniel nearly gasped out loud. Lying on the hospital bed was the man who had fucked his Wife in that pleasure house. The thought that at least the man was wearing clothes this time flashed across his mind, nearly making him laugh out loud. He stared into blue eyes that he was sure were as surprised as his own.

Casey felt her heart plummet to her feet. Ishtar this morning, Wade this afternoon. Why not? Why the hell not! She glanced at Daniel, watched his beautiful blue eyes go from shocked to angry.

"You!" Daniel hissed. He glanced at Casey. She was looking at him, her eyes full of fear. His hand reached for her, touched her cheek. She pushed her face against the palm of his hand, closed her eyes briefly. ‘It’s okay, Angel. You didn’t know what you were doing.’

‘No more than you did, I guess.’

‘Love you, Casey.’

‘Love you, too, Daniel.’

Wade watched the two, had the feeling that there was more going on than just a simple caress, a simple shared look.

Daniel turned back to the man. "Why were you on that transport ship?"

The black haired man started when he heard the man speak Standard Galactic. "We escaped. Your…escape…gave the others the…will…to try," he explained.

"Drucilla Seleconne?"

"Dead."

Daniel nodded. He certainly couldn’t be sorry that the fat bitch was dead. Murdered probably. If every man there had suffered an…‘inspection’…he shuddered. He could imagine only too well the humiliation, the degradation these men suffered daily at her hand. "Where were you headed?"

Wade shrugged. "We hadn’t really decided. I wanted to take them home…but none were willing to return…most are…broken."

Again Daniel nodded. He glanced at Casey again, noticed that she was trying hard not to stare at the man on the bed. He frowned. She doesn’t have…feelings…for this guy, does she? The thought made his stomach burn.

"I think I’ll see if Sam is busy right now," Casey said softly. She didn’t wait for an acknowledgement before she fled the room.

Daniel watched her walk away. She was upset. He was sure that seeing this man was part of the reason. He was also fairly sure it wasn’t the only reason. His frown deepened.

"She is very beautiful," Wade said softly.

"She is my Wife. My Beloved," Daniel said stiffly.

The black haired man nodded. "I thought as much. She is still very beautiful."

He could feel his hands curl into fists. "Yes, she is."

"She loves you very much."

Daniel started. He hadn’t expected that. "Yes, she does. I love her with all that I am."

"I know." He looked at the empty doorway. As do I, he thought moodily.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Casey stood in the corridor outside of the infirmary, her back against the wall, her heart pounding in her chest. Today had to be the biggest cosmic joke in the universe! Finding the woman that Daniel had…that he had slept with…and a few hours later saving the life of the man she had cheated with…She shook her head. It was as if Fate was determined to see just how much they could stand before losing their minds, or losing their marriage!

She closed her eyes, leaned her head back. Could Daniel ever forgive her for sleeping with Wade? She jumped when his fingers caressed her face.

"Don’t do it," he said softly.

"Don’t do what?"

"Blame yourself for what happened. Casey, you were so out of it you didn’t have a clue what was happening."

She reached up and traced his jaw with trembling fingers. "I’m so sorry, Daniel. At least I didn’t have to see you and…Ishtar, in the…heat of the moment."

Daniel smiled, forced the memory of that man on top of his wife, thrusting into her, to the back of his mind. "I guess it makes up for seeing me kiss Neferteri."

She shook her head. "Not hardly. A kiss is one thing…he was…we were…" she dropped her eyes.

"Babe, don’t do it. Don’t go there."

"I love you so much it hurts," she whispered.

He pulled her into an embrace. "Right back ‘atcha, babe," he whispered in reply.

She held tightly to him, took comfort from his arms. Somehow she didn’t think she’d be haunted by thoughts of her husband with Ishtar. She was almost positive, however, that her dreams… nightmares…would be filled with a man who had black hair, and her husband’s face.

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