Status: C/U
Category: slash, drama
Spoilers: Know who Nyan is? Even if you don’t, it’s not that much of a spoiler. 
Disclaimers: Dannyboy’s drifting lazily down the River Denial, and Paul’s got a season pass to come visit. A continuation of Incubator,’ ‘Sensation,’ ‘Objects At Rest and In Motion,’ ‘The Beast That Screamed I At The Heart,’ and ‘Somnambulist’ but I don’t think you’ll miss anything if you haven’t read them first
Rating: not for the little ones
Content Warning: m/m. 
Summary: Once more into the breach, dear friends, once more. 
Dedication: To Tamy, for all the web help. Thanks also to Em again for the once over ;) and to Rowe for the name suggestions 
Archiving: Yes please, just let me know so I can come and gloat. 
Notes: Title stolen from TS Elliot via JMS (B5: Crusades). Just a short little lead-in to the final chapter. 

On with the show! 

Paul eyed the spear-head nearest him with wary eyes. Beside him, Daniel was trying one language combination after another, trying to make himself clearly understood. Only once the language barrier was broached could they begin the negotiation for the release of the SG teams 

Paul was confident that Daniel’s natural talents would soon rectify their situation. What he wasn’t confident of was his own ability. 

Despite his strong words in the gear-up room, Paul was painfully aware of his own inexperience in this kind of operation. Again he pushed away thoughts of Major Kovech, the head of the project’s diplomatic team, doing this job instead. But Hammond had asked him to come for more than just his diplomatic skill – he was determined to do all his jobs well. 

“Paul.” 

His focus snapped back into place. “Got it?” 

Daniel nodded without breaking eye contact with the leader. “I think they’re saying that they took the two teams as some kind of offering. Whatever comes through the Stargate is considered worthy for their gods.” 

“Goauld?” Fuck, that would just make his day. Having to have it out with a Snakehead. 

“No,” Daniel said slowly, drawing out the sound. “I think these people worship…urr, real gods.” 

Despite the intensity of the situation, Paul grinned. “Not aliens masquerading as such.” 

Any reply Daniel had was cut off by the leader. Daniel listened intently. “I think he’s asking why we’ve come.” 

“We’ve come for our people.” Paul addressed the leader directly, trusting Daniel to manage the appropriate translation. 

Daniel’s hands were as expressive as any language as he formulated the correct phrases. The leader replied, and Daniel responded. Paul felt his own impatience growing as this continued on for nearly a minute. However, he didn’t interrupt. He knew that if there was something important he needed to know, then Daniel would tell him. 

“Paul, we’ve got a problem.” 

“What?” 

“It’s a sacrificial system, but it’s also a proxy system. They believe that if the sacrifice is not done correctly and on time, then the land will perish.” 

“Who have they been sacrificing before? Other Gate users?” 

Daniel shook his head, and Paul saw the first cords of tension tightening on his partner’s neck. “They sacrificed his predecessors, Paul. If there is no suitable offering from the Gate, then he must die to protect and nourish his people.” 

Paul forced himself to stay relaxed. However he knew that this was a serious complication. The leader would be unlikely to give up his hostages if it meant he had to die in their place. “Dan, does the sacrifice have to be human? Or would anything coming through the Gate suffice?” As Daniel turned back to the leader, another thought occurred to Paul. “Oh, and tell him we want to see our people. We don’t deal unless we know they’re alive and well.” 

Daniel felt slightly trapped as they felt their way down the slippery stone steps to the underground holding chamber. Knowing that Ferretti and his team were holding their escape route, he tried to keep his mind on the task at hand. But the niggling sense of trepidation would not leave him alone. 

One booted foot slipped on the mossy, damp steps, and instantly he felt strong hands grab him on either side. He regained his balance before shaking off Teal’c and Paul’s hands. Paul’s touch lingered for just a second longer, but Daniel received the message loud and clear. Support was here, should he need it. 

The floor leveled out and the small party fell into single file to troop down the final, narrow passage. The archeologist part of Daniel’s mind automatically noted the delivery motif, which tied in strongly with ideas of rebirth, reincarnation, the renewal of the land. 

He and Paul were obviously going to have their work cut out for them. The question was, why hadn’t the others seen the same cues, realized the danger? 

Beyond the leader of the party, he could see flickering torchlight. He’d have his answers soon enough. 

As soon as the group entered the holding area, the prisoners were on their feet. Automatically Daniel moved over to the bars and counted them off. Sam, Jack, and his replacement, Nyan. In the other cell, the five members of SG-2. All of them looked tired and disheveled, but physically unharmed. 

“Daniel?” The surprise was clear in Jack’s voice. 

Daniel tried to keep his voice level and neutral. The languages may be different, but a lot could be discerned from a speaker’s tone and cadence. “Jack. Are you all alright? Have they hurt you or anything?” 

The eight were shaking their heads negative. “We’re alright. Sick of being in a cell all day and night, but okay. Glad to see you.” Hope was clear in Jack’s voice. “What’s say you spring us already, huh?” 

Daniel had to smile. “We’re working on that. Hold tight.” He turned back to where Paul, Teal’c and the three local representatives waited. 

The Chieftain spat out a few words. Daniel frowned and replied in kind. 

“Dan?” 

“He’s says that now we have seen them, we can negotiate.” 

Paul nodded, his face wreathed in flickering shadows. Daniel thought he saw the hint of a smirk break through Paul’s normally impassive negotiator’s mask. “Find out what they will accept in place of SG-1 and 2.” 

“Davis?” 

Paul took a step towards the cells. “Don’t worry sir, we’ll have you out of there in no time.” 

Jack was almost hanging on the bars now, confusion clear on his face. “Davis, what the hell are you doing here?” 

Daniel was sure that this time the flicker was of annoyance. “Hammond wants to negotiate your release without resorting to bloodshed. I volunteered to help. Here I am.” In dismissal, he turned back to face the Chieftain. “So, what do you want?” 

The negotiating party had withdrawn back to the surface. It was approaching local dawn, but Paul was showing no signs of fatigue. By now the language had become natural to Daniel, and he translated automatically as the two sides battled it out. 

The Chieftain, Paul and Daniel sat in a kind of triangle, with their respective groups ringed around them. Daniel was vaguely conscious of their presence, but most of his focus was on Paul and the Chieftain. The two of them had fallen into a pattern, almost double-teaming against the other man. It felt so natural, working like this. They had negotiated as a team once before, in Russia, but this felt different again. He just couldn’t put his finger on what it was that had changed. 

But it was obvious from where he was sitting that Paul was in his element. He seemed almost to be glowing in the firelight, his eyes bright and his gestures animated as he passionately argued their case. Hammond had almost given him carte blanche to get the eight hostages home, but Paul wasn’t giving any more than he had to. It was an amazing performance. 

Daniel found himself mirroring Paul’s posture and attitude towards the Chieftain as he translated their concluding arguments. The two men sat, eyes fixed on the Chieftain, as he sat in silent contemplation for a long moment. 

Abruptly, he stood. Paul and Daniel scrambled to their feet also. “Dan?” 

Daniel held up a hand for silence. “He wants to speak to his advisors before making a final decision.” Both men bobbed their heads in respectful understanding as the Chieftain strode into a gaggle of his kinsmen. 

Paul let out a long sigh. “Think we convinced him?” 

Daniel turned slightly. “Well, I was. That bit about linking the Gate to their rebirth ceremony was inspired.” 

Paul laughed lightly and looked over to find Teal’c and Ferretti watching with renewed interest from the sidelines. “I wasn’t sure. But when you pointed the shape of those tunnels out to me, it was the first connection I thought of. Do you think…” he trailed off and nodded towards the returning Chieftain. “Showtime, Dan.” 

“Whaddya mean, they’re just letting us go?” Jack was pulling his newly returned field pack over his shoulders even as he spoke. 

“I think we managed to convince them that sending you through the Gate would be a suitable offering for their goddess,” Paul replied. He seemed unfazed when Jack brushed him off and grabbed Daniel’s arm. 

“How’d Hammond get you in here so fast, anyway?” Daniel looked at Jack and read the unspoken question: ‘And why’d he send Davis?’ 

“He called us up, we came to see what help we could offer.” He didn’t miss Jack’s sideways glare as he heard the repeated ‘we.’ 

Sam came to their rescue. “Come on, let’s get out of here before they change their mind.” 

Quickly, the group began to march back to the Gate. Deliberately, Daniel arranged it so Paul was behind him and Sam was in front, between Jack and himself. He knew he couldn’t avoid the conversation – or argument – that he knew was coming, but he could at least delay it till they had some semblance of privacy. 

Behind him, a hand reached out to touch his shoulder. With two long strides, Paul fell into step besides him. Daniel’s congratulatory comment died unspoken as he saw the worried look on Paul’s face. “What?” he asked quietly. 

“That was too easy,” Paul replied in a whisper. “They did a backflip when they didn’t have to.” 

Daniel felt his nerves return with a vengeance. “Perhaps they were worried if they didn’t, we’d take them by force?” 

Paul was shaking his head. “I don’t know. This ceremony was a key part of their religion, right? The cornerstone of one of their most basic beliefs” 

Daniel nodded, not liking where this was going. 

“Well, think about it. Would you just roll over and acquiesce if some outsider said you couldn’t have Christmas today because we want our presents back?” 

Daniel bit his lip. “Especially when up until now they’ve shown every inclination to fight all the way for them.” A look passed between them, then without speaking further Paul fell back to Teal’c and Daniel strode forward to Ferretti to warn them. 

It was a wary group that crested the last hill before they reached the Stargate. Daniel looked down to where the Gate stood, a lonely circle in the middle of an otherwise featureless valley. “No wonder they have such a strong belief in rebirth. I mean, their culture must have undergone a radical shift coming through. No wonder it’s formed such a vital part of their belief structure.” 

He saw Paul nodding agreement from his position at the back of the pack. 

“Enough with the lesson,” Jack groused. “Let’s get out of here.” 

Daniel watched two of Ferretti’s marine’s lead the way down the slope. “I wonder why they haven’t ambushed us?” 

Paul shrugged as he started down. “Well, it’s not as if there’s any cover here in which to hide an army. But I’ll still feel better when we hit the ramp.” Behind them, Teal’c rumbled his assent. Not for the first time, Daniel was glad that Teal’c was with them. 

“Almost there,” he told himself. “Almost there.” 

The klaxons were ringing loudly as he threw himself bodily through the wormhole. Moments later, Paul came through and collided solidly with Daniel. Both men tumbled under their combined momentum to land in a sprawled heap at the base of the ramp. As they anxiously tried to untangle themselves, Teal’c stepped backwards through the wormhole, his staff weapon primed for firing. 

“Close the iris,” someone yelled and was rewarded seconds later with a metallic noise as the wormhole was sealed. 

Blushing slightly, Paul pulled his legs out from under Daniel’s and pushed himself to his feet. “Everyone okay,” he asked the bigger man as he thumped down the ramp. 

“I am well,” Teal’c replied calmly. He then looked down. “Dr Jackson, do you require assistance?” 

Embarrassed, Daniel accepted Paul’s hand. “I’m fine, Teal’c,” he said as he was pulled to his feet. He looked around the now crowded Gate room. Several of Janet’s white-coated staff were moving through the group, checking for major injuries before escorting them to the infirmary. 

General Hammond was also there. “Good work, gentlemen,” he said, looking over to include Ferretti in his praise. “We’ll debrief after Dr Fraiser has checked you out.” 

“Yes, sir,” they chorused automatically. 

A loud string of curses caught everyone’s attention. Over on one side of the room, Jack was leaning awkwardly against the wall, Sam Carter one on side, an orderly on the other. His face was screwed up in pain, and he was holding his leg. 

“Fuck,” Daniel muttered so quietly only Paul heard him. “It’s his knee again.” 

“And that’s when they came over the ridge. They knew they’d have lost the element of surprise with a good one hundred metres of open ground between us and them, so they tried to outnumber us. There were literally hundreds of them sir. They must have been waiting for us just over the ridge.” 

Daniel nodded and picked up on Ferretti’s commentary. “They had a small group of archers as well, which was our biggest worry. Lieutenant Fowles managed to get the Gate open and send the GDO code, and we came through.” He shrugged as if to say ‘and you know the rest.’ 

Hammond nodded as he sat back in his chair. “Thankyou. Dr Fraiser, your report?” 

Janet leant forward to rest against the table. “On the whole, SG-1 and 2 are in fairly good health. Mild dehydration, a few cuts and bruises, but that’s about it. However, Colonel O’Neill did do some damage to his knee coming through. I’m waiting for some scans to be processed to see whether or not it will need surgery.” 

“I see.” Hammond nodded slightly. “That will be all. Dismissed.” The group around the table rose to leave. “Dr Jackson. May I see you and Mister Davis for a moment?” 

Sharing a look, Paul and Daniel sat down again. The three men kept silent until the others had left the room. 

Hammond gathered his thoughts. “How did you find the mission, gentlemen?” 

Paul and Daniel exchanged a look. “We achieved our objectives, sir.” 

“I’ve had the official report,” Hammond said in mild rebuke. “I want to know how you felt being on the other side.” 

“Sir,” Paul said slowly. “What are you trying to say?” 

Hammond chuckled. “Very well. Let me be plain. What I’m trying to ask is whether you would consider a more permanent return to the program.” 

Paul immediately turned to look at Daniel, waiting for his response. 

“Both of you.” 

“Sir?” The question came in stereo has both men sat up in their seats. 

“You heard me,” he said coolly. 

“With all due respect, sir,” Paul began. “My history…” 

“Is irrelevant to the President,” the General cut him off. Paul stared at him. Hammond chuckled in amusement. “We Texans may have a reputation of being conservative, but that doesn’t mean it’s always true. I have convinced him that you are too much of an asset to waste.” 

Paul leaned forward to rest on his elbows, his fingertips pressing together to form a steeple in front of his face. “Well, its nice to know you have that kind of confidence in me, but with all due respect sir, I really don’t think that many people here and at the Pentagon would be overjoyed to hear of my return. And they could make life very, very difficult.” 

Hammond exhaled slowly. “I wish it wasn’t so, but I see your point.” He sat back and looked for a long moment at the two men seated before him. “But hypothetically, if that wasn’t an issue, would you both consider returning?” 

Paul and Daniel turned to look at each other. Paul raised an eyebrow slightly, and the corner of Daniel’s mouth twitched upwards in response. But he then shrugged. Paul nodded subtly once. “If you remove those elements from the equation, then yes General. We’d consider it.” He stressed the ‘consider.’ They didn’t want to start making commitments. 

Daniel studied his folded hands. “But it is an issue. Honestly, can you really see any scenario where we could come here and there wouldn’t be a disruption?” 

“There is one possibility, gentlemen.” Hammond had their rapt attention. “I’m not sure how far along plans were when you left, Mister Davis, but we have a go-ahead to expand our research base at the Beta site into a fully fledged offworld colony." He smiled at Daniel. "They've named it Roanoke. I believe that was your suggestion?" Daniel ducked his head and nodded as Hammond pressed on. "It's predominately civilian, with a primary focus on research and exploration.” He paused to try and gauge their reaction. “Now, as you know, our treaty with the Goauld does not extend past this planet, so there are risks. And as much as I would like to, I cannot guarantee that this would be a solution to those…” he chose his word with care. “…elements we have been speaking of. But the would be well served by your presence.” 

Daniel and Paul swapped another brief look. “It’s an interesting offer, General.” 

“Take some time,” he told them as he rose to his feet. “Think about it. Talk it over. If that doesn’t suit, we’ll think of something else.” He then looked directly at Daniel. “We’ve missed you, son, your expertise and your unique perspective on our work here. It hasn’t been the same since you left, and I think we have been poorer for it.” 

Paul had risen to his feet, but Daniel was still seated, obviously stunned by the General’s candor. Discreetly, Paul rested his fingertips on Daniel’s shoulder in quiet support. “Thankyou General. For everything.” 

Nodding once, the General turned and headed for his office. 

Sighing, Paul sank back into his seat. 

“Both of us. Offworld, permanently.” 

Paul managed a bitter laugh. “Hey, I’ve known some officers who wanted to send all fags to the moon. Maybe now they’ll be happy.” 

Daniel was smiling even as he shook his head. “Not funny, Paul.” 

“I thought it was. You okay?” He reached out to rub Daniel’s arm slightly. 

“Paul, cameras.” 

“Fuck ‘em,” he said viciously even as he dropped his hand back onto the rests. “Anyway, I think pretty much everyone knows now.” 

“Still…” 

Tiredly, Paul rubbed his eyes. The fatigue of the all-night negotiation was catching up to him now that the adrenaline of their escape was wearing off. “Yeah, I know.” 

There was a rustle of fabric beside him as Daniel pushed himself to his feet and walked around to stand at the window overlooking the Gate room. “Do you know what my problem is, Paul?” 

“What?” 

“I’m this…this…” Daniel held up his hand in a frustrated gesture. “This close to just doing it. Diving through the Gate and never looking back.” He turned and leant against the glass as he spoke directly to Paul. “Living on Abydos – I think it was the best year of my life up until that point. I never really fitted in anywhere. We opened the Gate and went through, and all of a sudden I belonged somewhere. I could just be me.” He folded his arms across his chest and dropped his head with an explosive sigh. “Then my dream world fell apart and I was back to playing a role.” 

Paul was on his feet, walking around to put his hands on Daniel’s arms. “Dan?” 

Daniel looked up. His eyes were so bright and clear, unguarded and shining with both worry and hope. He chewed on his lower lip. “Paul? What if it could be like that again? You and me, just being us.” Under his hands, Paul felt Daniel’s muscles tense. “Not ‘those gay guys,’ or ‘the dweeb and the diplomat,’ just…us. Could we be that, and still do our jobs?” 

Paul felt like pulling Daniel into a hug, but knew he couldn’t, not here. It was too exposed a place to even be having this conversation. Instead, he forced a smile and squeezed Daniel’s arms gently. “It would be great, wouldn’t it?” 

“But they could make it a nightmare.” Paul thought he could physically feel Daniel deflate and fold in on himself in hopelessness. In response, he guided an unresisting Daniel around to stand at his side as they looked down into the Gateroom. 

Paul’s gaze was drawn to passive Stargate. Diving through it – it had been one hell of a rush. No wonder his Daniel seemed so drawn to it. “Coming back doesn’t mean you have to go back to the way it was. It could be a fresh start.” 

“I know,” Daniel said impassively. 

“But you’re still not sure?” 

Daniel just shook his head. 

“Then what are we going to do?” 

Daniel smiled to his reflection at that. “You are going to get some sleep,” he said as he pulled away and headed for the corridor. 

“Where are you going?” Paul called out after him. 

Daniel turned to walk backwards for a few paces. “I’m…I’ve gotta go look someone in the eye.” He nodded once and was gone. 

Paul turned to look down at the Gate. He scrubbed his hands through his hair and tried to marshal his thoughts. Making his decision, he headed out into the corridor and went looking for Sam Carter. 

General Hammond had offered Daniel a choice. Paul wanted to make sure that Daniel made the right one.