In The Clutch Of The NID 1

In The Clutch Of The NID

by Sunraven

URL: http://area52hkh.net/ass/sunraven/clutch01.php
Summary: A really beat-up Dr. Johnny is carried through Jack and Dan's stargate by AU Teal'c. AU Colonel Makepeace, takes over the AU SGC with his NID troops. Teal'c and Johnny fight their way free and go to the only place they can think of to get help

Part 1

The klaxons rang out, signaling an unauthorized gate traveler.

"Sergeant?" General Hammond queried his tech sergeant.

"It's the other reality's SG-1, Doctor O'Neill's IDC, General. With the emergency code behind it.

"The code translation?"

"Foothold situation, sir."

George looked over at Jack. "Do you think they could be compromised if it's a foothold situation, Colonel?"

Daniel answered for Jack. "The chances of aliens finding out about this reality and attacking us is pretty remote, General. The odds are really high against it, unless the entire SGC was taken over by Goa'uld. If that did happen, they wouldn't alert us by giving us the foothold code, would they?"

"What he said." Jack thumbed in Daniel's direction. "With enough SFs, we should be safe, General, if they are compromised."

After the requisite extra SFs were ordered into the gateroom, SG-1 and Hammond stood in front of the uncovered wormhole to see who came out.

Teal'c, his ponytail looking ratty and with blood spattered all over him, walked through the event horizon. In the big Jaffa's arms was Dr. Jonathan O'Neill, apparently unconscious. The linguist looked really bad. Blood covered his now shoulder-length gray hair and he, too, had blood smeared on his clothes and body.

"What the hell? Johnny?" Jack ran up the ramp with Daniel close behind him. Both men cared deeply for their counterparts from this reality, and it showed in their alacrity, if not in O'Neill's poker face.

"Here, Teal'c, I'll take him." Jack tried to take Johnny from the other reality's Teal'c, but the Jaffa wouldn't relinquish his friend. It was obvious that the big man was dazed from his multitude of wounds.

After watching the tug-of-war between the two warriors for a bit, Daniel spoke up. He could see how out of it Teal'c was. "Teal'c, you look like you need to rest now. Let Jack have Johnny. You're among friends."

"Friends?" Teal'c blinked. "Yes. We made it. He needs your care." He allowed Jack to gently take Johnny. Next, with the air of a man who has accomplished a very important task, he nodded to everyone and proceeded to fall to the deck with a loud slam, unconscious.

"Medical team to the gateroom, stat!" The General's voice boomed over the loudspeaker.

****

Jack looked in to see Daniel sitting by a still unconscious Johnny's infirmary bed. The Colonel fought down a rather strong and inappropriate surge of jealousy at the sight of Daniel's loyalty to the other linguist. The four men had a rather strange relationship, and he knew caring was a big part of it. Still, Jack could never really help his 'HE'S MINE!' mentality. He knew he would be jealous of Daniel until the day he died.

"Hey, Doc says he isn't going to come out of the anesthesia for a while. How about some lunch?"

Before Daniel could answer, Janet came in the door behind the Colonel.

"Teal'c's awake, Colonel. He wants to speak with you, the General and the rest of SG-1."

A sigh of relief almost escaped Jack's lips. Now they could find out what the hell was going on, and why Dan wasn't with them. Jack wouldn't believe Dan was dead. Not until he had the facts.

Teal'c looked really bad still, but his symbiote was doing its job well. It was obvious that the big Jaffa had taken a hell of a beating.

"Teal'c." Jack said. "Can you tell us what happened to you?" Tell us where Dan is, for crying out loud!

The patient cleared his throat, then spoke. "A rebel faction of the NID took armed control of our SGC. The coup was led by Colonel Makepeace. What personnel they could not force to go along with the invasion were put into the brig."

"Makepeace? I thought he was jailed for treason like ours was."

Brown eyes caught Jack's. "He was. Apparently he was released from prison to lead this operation."

"But why?" Daniel asked. "They couldn't keep control of the SGC for long, it seems pointless."

"Apparently Senator Kinsey did not agree with your assessment, Doctor Jackson. We found out the order came from him to take down the current command at the SGC, to take control of the stargate."

"What's the status now, Teal'c?" General Hammond asked.

"I was beaten badly while I fought for my freedom, however they did not take into consideration the healing powers of my symbiote. I broke out of my restraints before our captors could get me into the brig. I snapped my guard's neck, took his weapon, and went to find Doctor O'Neill, who was the nearest to my position. He was conscious when I overpowered his guard and got him out of his cell, but he also had been badly beaten by someone. I believe it was Colonel Makepeace, who has hated Dr. O'Neill for a long while. We realized that we couldn't get to Samantha and the General, as they were under heavier guard, and we had no knowledge as to where Colonel Jackson had been taken. So we decided to try to get to the stargate and find help."

Hammond looked perplexed. "Why didn't you escape and make it to your President, or to the Joint Chiefs?"

"We did not know who we could trust in the government, General. Doctor O'Neill felt that getting to the quantum mirror and through it to you was our best option. He trusted that Colonel O'Neill would know what to do, as do I."

"What I don't understand is why Colonel Jackson wasn't being kept with the other prisoners. Was it because they thought he was too dangerous?"

"No, General. It is because Colonel Makepeace apparently had special plans with regards to Jackson. He has long wanted him sexually, and has felt no compunction to letting his feelings be known to all of us in SG-1 before he was arrested. It was also Colonel Jackson who exposed Makepeace's role in the technology theft ring. I am afraid that what he has planned for the Colonel will not be pleasant."

"Shit. Who knows what that crazy bast..." Jack remembered the General's presence, and swallowed the profanity. "uh, idiot will do to Dan. Our Makepeace always was nuts, and totally without ethics."

"Colonel Jackson is a strong warrior. He will not be broken easily."

Jack looked sadly at the Jaffa who was so like his friend. "No he won't, and that's what I'm afraid of." He turned to the General. "General, request permission to take a team back to Teal'c's reality."

"It's not that easy, Colonel. There are tactical concerns to consider."

Janet's cellphone beeped, and the physician opened it and listened for a bit after identifying herself.

"Dr. O'Neill's beginning to awaken."

Jack nodded and turned to Teal'c. "How long will it take for junior to heal you?"

"I will be ready to fight by your side once the decision has been made to help us."

"Good. General, let's go iron out those tactical concerns of yours."

Everyone followed the General and O'Neill out of the room except Daniel. He turned to Teal'c and asked quietly, "How bad do you think it will be for Dan, Teal'c?"

Brown eyes met blue. "Bad, Doctor Jackson. Our Colonel is not as strong inside as you are, because of his emotional rigidity. He has survived torture before when he was younger, but it wasn't at the hands of someone who holds so personal a grudge."

"Iraq. Jack went through it too."

"Further, he will not know the fate of Doctor O'Neill, which will be even more difficult for him to bear. Makepeace would not hesitate to lie about O'Neill's situation in order to weaken Jackson's resolve and make him more vulnerable to the emotional and physical torture."

"I know. He's likely to be in pretty bad shape mentally by the time we get to him. You get better quick, Teal'c, we're going to need you. I guess you're worried about Sam getting hurt as well, aren't you?"

"Actually, Doctor Jackson, I am not as concerned for Samantha. My wife is a fierce warrior, and would frighten even the most psychotic enemy. As Colonel Jackson has said in the past, 'Sam would frighten even the meanest Goa'uld.' Mere Tau'ri will not stand against her."

Daniel smiled a little. "She is something, that's for sure." At that, Daniel turned and headed to the conference room.

****

When the archeologist walked into the room, it sounded like Jack and Hammond were hammering out the beginnings of a plan.

"As soon as we get to the other side of the mirror, we'll contact the Tok'ra. They should be able to get us back to earth without using the stargate, though it will take longer. It's the only way I can think of. Once we're on earth, we can infiltrate the SGC going the back way, through the manhole tunnels. My entry key card and code should be the same in that reality, like the GDO codes, don't you think?"

"Yes, they probably would be. But what if the Tok'ra can't get a ship?"

"We'll try something else if that happens. General, I'd want the help if this had happened to us, wouldn't you?"

"Yes. Yes I would. All right, Colonel, you have a go for this mission."

"Um, Jack, General? I think we'd better call in Bra'tac, and I think we might want to ask Tannie and Jacob to come as well. From what Teal'c says, Dan might be pretty bad off emotionally when he's rescued and we might need Tannie to help. Jacob can liaison with the Tok'ra."

"Good idea. Go contact them, Dr. Jackson."

Daniel left with alacrity to do that, comfortable that Jack would cover all the details of the attack.

Part 2

Daniel was alone in the gateroom awaiting the Tok'ra, as the military people were off getting prepared for the mission. He watched Jacob and Tannie walk out of the event horizon. As usual, Jacob protected his small lover with his body by going point into and exiting the wormhole. Both the Tok'ra symbiote and the retired General who carried him were crazy about the Pain Eater. In these two beings, it was definitely true what Martouf had said, "The symbiote and the host love as one."

"Jacob, Tannie. Thank you for coming so quickly."

Tannie came up and hugged her old friend tightly. Daniel welcomed the Ardorian's lavender-like scent and the internal buzzing feeling that her empathic gift always created in his body whenever he was near her. Something very tightly wound up inside him eased as the powerful aura of the Pain Eater surrounded him. It was always a surprise after he'd been enveloped by her gift to actually see how incredibly small Tannie was physically. It was like a sun was encased inside a planet's core, or something.

"God, I'm glad the two of you are here. We need your help, Tannie. Do you remember me telling you about the other reality, where Jack is an archeologist and I am an Air Force Colonel?"

She smiled. "Those are the ones you two have taken as your lovers?" Tannie kept her voice quiet so only Daniel and Jacob could hear her words.

The archeologist blushed. "Yes. Those two. Well..." He explained what had happened to Dan and Johnny's world while he escorted them down to the infirmary. Johnny would need healing before he would be physically able to come with them. Daniel had hoped that Selmak would use the Goa'uld healing device to do it, as the archeologist wanted to save Tannie's gifts for healing Dan, if he was still alive when they found him.

Tannie looked at the man in the infirmary bed. Jack O'Neill's face and body, even some of his aura, but yet not... quite. He was in a great deal of pain, even though he had been drugged to control it.

Groggy brown eyes looked up at her.

"Johnny," Daniel began. "This is Tannie. She's an Ardorian Pain Eater, which is a kind of healer, and is going to be coming with us to your reality. I believe you knew Sam's father Jacob as a Tok'ra in your world, before he was killed by Klorel, didn't you?"

"Yes. Tannie, Jack and Daniel have told me about you. Jacob." He nodded at the Tok'ra.

"You are in a great deal of pain, Dr. O'Neill."

"Call me Johnny. I guess it would be worse if Doctor Fraiser hadn't given me a shot of pain meds."

Selmak spoke. "I am here to use this Goa'uld device to heal you, Dr. O'Neill. I understand you have been very badly beaten."

"Yes. But Teal'c and Dan suffered worse than me."

"Teal'c's symbiote has almost completed his healing. So I will heal you because you are needed to go along for this mission to liberate your SGC."

The brown eyes again turned to look at the pretty purple-eyed alien. "You won't be using your gifts on me?"

She smiled at him, reaching down to stroke his silver hair gently. It felt like a cool lavender-scented cloth had been brushed over his tingling skin afterwards. "No. It was decided to save my Pain Eating gifts for when we rescue your Daniel Jackson. We have no idea what condition he will be in when we liberate your SGC."

"I'm glad you're going along, Tannie. Jack and Daniel told us about how you and he brought Jack back from where he had buried himself in his memories of Iraq. Dan's been through a lot, and he won't handle what Makepeace dishes out well, I'm afraid. He's a tough guy, but inside he has a lot of scars."

"In that case, Jonathan, you and I will help heal him together. I sense that you are very strong inside, and that strength will be his crutch, if he should need it."

He smiled through his bruises. "Your words give me confidence, Pain Eater. Thank you. Oh, and call me Johnny. Only my mother still calls me Jonathan."

"You are certainly welcome, Johnny."

Selmak was able to heal most of Johnny's injuries, including the concussion he'd gotten from being clubbed on the head by a p-90. After the healing, Jacob just looked at the other O'Neill for a bit.

"What is it, Jacob? Do I have spots on my face, or something?" Johnny finally asked in a very Jack O'Neill tone of voice.

"Sorry for staring, Dr. O'Neill. It's just you are so like Jack, yet so different at the same time. It's weird."

Johnny smiled at that. "Tell me about it. I almost freaked out the first time I saw myself in a military uniform, with a military haircut and uptight attitude!" Johnny glanced over at Jack, a teasing glint in his brown eyes. "But he kind of grew on me after a while."

Jack smiled at his look-alike. "Rightbackatcha, guy. So, are we gonna let the doc check Johnny out so we can spring him from here? We do have a rescue to pull off, ya know."

That was everyone's cue to leave and to start preparing for the operation ahead.

****

"Hey, O'Neill, your pack's not tight enough, here, let me take care of it for you. Wouldn't want you to lose it if we get into a firefight."

Daniel fought down a smile as Jack fussed over Johnny since Dan wasn't here to do it. He had already been the recipient of the "Mother Jack tightening the pack way too much" ritual a few minutes before, but he was glad that his lover was fussing over Johnny like Dan would have if he had been here. Johnny needed all the caring and reassurance he could get right now.

The archeologist's eyes turned to where an overprotective Jacob was performing the same action on Tannie's pack, and this time he did smile. These military guys were so protective of their civilian lovers, despite the fact that all of them could protect themselves and put their packs on correctly as well. It was nice to be loved, and he genuinely didn't mind the overprotectiveness, on a whole.

Tannie smiled at Jacob after he tightened her pack, then went over to Daniel. She surreptitiously loosened the too-tight straps, and grinned as Daniel did the same.

"They love with all that is within them, our lovers, do they not, Daniel?"

"They sure do. I even feel guilty that I can't stand being choked to death and have to loosen the straps after Jack tightens them, knowing that he does it because he loves me."

The Ardorian winked at him. "Ah, but we would be of little use to them if we expired from lack of breath, would we?"

"That's certainly true."

General Hammond's voice came over the loudspeaker. "SG-1, you have a go. Godspeed, people."

Jack turned and saluted, grinning at his CO. "See you on the flip side, Sir."

****

The trip through the quantum mirror went fast, as usual. Once in the other reality's alien lab, Jacob pulled out a Tok'ra communication device. He placed it on a lab bench, and said, "This will let the Tok'ra know that another Tok'ra needs help. It also is broadcasting this gate address. Now we wait."

"While we wait, Jacob, let's go over what we're hoping to do here, okay?"

"Fine. I'm assuming you're going to have me ask the Tok'ra to provide the manpower, right?"

"Yep. With zat weapons so we don't kill anyone if possible." Jack's eyes narrowed into an evil expression. "I want these assholes to stand trial for this and get executed for treason."

"Agreed. We'll let the US government clean up their own mess, and just concentrate on taking back control of the SGC." Jacob looked over at Bra'tac. "Master Bra'tac, do you know how use a zatnikatel gun instead of your staff weapon? We don't want to kill these Americans."

Bra'tac looked insulted. "I was using zatnikatels since fifty years before you were a glimmer in your father's eye, Tok'ra."

Selmak answered that sarcastic comment. "And *I* was using zatnikatels before your ancestors were born, Jaffa. You do not want to compare ages with me, I do not think, for you will lose." The sense of humor of the Tok'ra came out loud and clear.

Bra'tac laughed. "Yes, but I have been in my own body, for which I am grateful."

"Jacob, Bra'tac, can we figure out how we're going to pull this off now? This SGC is almost as impregnable as ours, you know."

Daniel quickly grew bored with the planning, finally deciding to leave it to the military minds of the group. He wandered over to where Tannie was sitting on a bench with Johnny, talking quietly with the linguist.

"Hi. Can I join you two? Those guys are gnashing the infiltration plan to death, as usual. The military mind and how much they relish doing this never ceases to amaze me."

"Sure." Johnny moved over to let Daniel sit beside him.

Daniel put his arm around his sometime lover's shoulders. "I'm worried for him too, Johnny. He is a Jackson, though, which means he's pretty strong inside, despite what he's been through in this life."

"Yeah, Tannie was just telling me that, Daniel. From what Dan's intimated, he barely survived that prison in Iraq, emotionally, I mean. What he was forced to do, to have done to him, was appalling."

"He's told you about it? Jack never did tell me, not until he had to stand and watch me get, um, assaulted, and he went catatonic. He only told me afterwards because I already knew most of it from the healing Tannie and I performed to bring him back to me."

Johnny took Daniel's hand. "Dan's never told me details, but in the beginning, right after we got together, he had some difficulties with, ah, certain intimacies. We had to go really slow to get over the hump. I figured it out on my own from his reactions, and got him to spill a little bit."

"Really? He doesn't seem to have any problems with, um, anything like that since the four of us got together."

O'Neill's lips turned up into a gentle smile. "Jack and Dan have helped each other heal, in a lot of ways. They ease the darkness in each other in ways we never can do for them."

"That is often the case, Johnny, when two scarred people become close. There are only two ways a love like that can proceed. Their illnesses can feed off of each other and increase in severity, or they can help heal similar old wounds. Daniel and JackO'Neill have been good for each other in the time they've been together, as friends and as lovers. They have both become much stronger because of their love. I expect the same is true for your Colonel Daniel and JackO'Neill."

Daniel smiled down at the little alien. "You had a lot to do with that healing, Tannie. You were kind of, of the bridge that we could ride over into emotional health."

"Do you think that's the role you'll play with Dan when we get him back, Tannie?"

She looked past Daniel at Johnny. "A Pain Eater's role in an emotional healing is to give conscious access to the memories that are wounding the mind, and to give strength to the person as they deal with those feelings. I suppose it is rather like a bridge, but one that protects as well as supports. Your Colonel Dan will be hurt more from those old memories he long ago buried being wrenched out into the light by this experience, than he will be from the new sufferings. That is because he has you to support him now, where he did not have you then."

"She's right, Johnny. That's what pushed Jack over the edge when he saw me being assaulted and couldn't do anything to stop it. What happened to me brought out old wounds that he had buried deep, where he had to watch a boy in jail with him being raped to death. He went inside himself because he couldn't face what he saw as his failure to protect me. But it was guilt and pain from the other memory that kept him trapped there."

"Will you and Jack help us if Dan's bad, Danny? He loves you both, and Jack, since he's been through something like this, might make all the difference."

"Of course. You know we'll help. But don't make things out to be worse than they could actually be, before you know how bad they are." He glanced at Tannie. "That came out kind of jumbled, didn't it?"

The Pain Eater smiled. "I understood it Daniel. It is wise counsel. We shall wait and see."

In the silence of the ancient lab, the loud sound of the stargate activating reverberated through the room.

Every person in the room except Tannie cocked their weapons, ready to shoot any unfriendlies who came through.

Part 3

It was Martouf who walked through the event horizon, his zat rifle cocked and ready. He took one look around, then said with astonishment, "Selmak, Jacob?"

Tannie, sensing a surge of hurt from Sam, moved over to her behind the larger males' backs.

"Samantha?" The Pain Eater whispered to her friend, knowing that Martouf, who was dead in their reality, had been a friend to the Major.

"I'm fine. It's just hard to see him again."

Jacob walked forward, and Selmak spoke. "Martouf. Lantash. Well met, my old friends."

Lantash spoke, the confusion obvious. "You were killed being rescued from Klorel. How is it that you are alive? Were you taken to a sarcophagus?"

"No, Lantash. We are from another reality. Your Jacob and Selmak are still dead. In our reality, you were killed as well. It is good to see you alive." He waved at the others. "This is SG-1 from my reality, come to help the Tau'ri from this reality. We need the Tok'ra's help."

"There is obviously much to tell, and I am not the one to make the decision to render aid." He looked at the others. "All of you are known to me, from the report we received about the destruction of Apophis' motherships. I believe you can be trusted, so will you come with me to speak with the High Council?"

Jacob looked at Jack, who nodded, then the ex-general turned back to Martouf. "Of course we'll come. Thank you."

****

After Jack, Johnny and Jacob spoke with the Tok'ra High Council and made their request, they were asked to leave while the Council deliberated.

The rest of the group looked up when the three men walked into the room they had been shown to when they arrived.

"Are the Tok'ra going to aid us, O'Neill?" AUTeal'c asked.

"They're trying to decide now, Teal'c. You know how the High Council is. They talk everything to death."

"Be good, Jack." Jacob said as he sat down by Tannie and Sam. "They seemed pretty open to helping us, Teal'c, and they even have a stealth-capable Teltak available right now. I think they'll help."

Selmak added, "It is to the Tok'ra's advantage to help the Tau'ri in this endeavor. It is doubtful that Senator Kinsey and Colonel Makepeace would make as cooperative allies as General Hammond is."

Jack snorted. "Yeah, right. You mean the "You scratch my back and I'll leave your's still itching" type of cooperation, doncha?"

"Jack, with so many of our people at risk in their undercover positions with the System Lords, we can't be as open with Earth as we'd like. Too many lives are at stake, here."

"Hmph! Like my people have never been at risk, Jacob?"

"Of course you have, that's not what I mean, and you know it!"

"What I know is that we seem to do a lot for you, but never get much in return."

Tannie, sensing a blow-up coming between the two military men, walked over to Jack. "JackO'Neill, we must keep our focus on this reality, and what is needed to free these Tau'ri and their SGC from the NID, do you not agree?"

The Colonel looked down at her grumpily, then finally smiled a little, reaching over and lightly stroking her purplish-colored hair. "That's as nice a way of telling me to shut up as I've heard in a while, Tannie. Okay. I'll bitch about the Tok'ra on our own time, in our own reality." He glanced over to Jacob. "Later, Jake."

"Much later, I think. We do what we can, Jack, and that's all I'm going to say on it."

Martouf and Anise came in the room, stopping all discussion.

"The Council has decided to help you. Martouf has been put in charge of the Tok'ra that will go with you. We wish you all luck."

"Thank you, Anise."

Anise left, leaving Martouf to get everyone ready to leave for planet Earth.

****

After the trip to Earth, the teltak was parked on Earth on the mountain, still in stealth mode. The troops got ready to disembark and begin the operation.

"Tannie, stay in the center of the group like always, and don't distract any of us by wandering out of formation."

The Ardorian had to smile at Colonel O'Neill's comment, which he made every time she went into battle with him and his SG-1. He'd never forgotten the one time she had wandered out of the team formation, when an alien creature was sending out really strong vibes that caught her attention. She'd become almost mesmerized by what she sensed. In the end, it had been that alien that had saved them all from marauding Jaffa in service to Bastet.

"Glad it's you and not me he's making that comment to, Tannie. After five years, I think Jack finally trusts me with the wrong end of a gun." Daniel whispered to her.

"He is right to say that to me, Daniel, as I mislike weapons and only carry a zatniketel when I have to. JackO'Neill knows that I will never become a soldier. You are a good soldier as well as an excellent archeologist, and he trusts you."

"Nah, Jack doesn't trust anyone. He only mistrusts me and the rest of SG-1 less than most others. He doesn't say that to me anymore because he knows he'd be sleeping on the couch if he gets too obnoxious about not trusting me in a firefight.

"You would never make him sleep alone for a comment like that, Daniel, and you know it."

"I know, I'm a total wuss when it comes to Jack, and he always gets away with murder with me. Oh well." He mocked sighed, causing her to giggle quietly.

"Move out, people, and keep it quiet." O'Neill looked over at Jacob. "The ship will go back in stealth mode once we're out, won't it, Jake?"

"Yes, I've programmed it to come out of stealth mode only when I come back to it. Earth doesn't have any technology that can crack the stealth shield."

Jack actually behaved himself, he didn't make a sarcastic comment, only gave the Tok'ra a dirty look that shouted "That's because you snakes refuse to share it with us!"

The secured manhole entrance to the SGC was only known to a few chosen officers at the base. Which meant, of course, that Jack and Hammond had the only cards with entry access in their reality. In this one, Colonel Dan and General Hammond had the cards. Fortunately for this reality, Jack's code on his card matched Colonel Dan's.

"Teal'cs, grab this cover, will ya? It's too heavy for one guy to lift. Oh, and don't just drop it on the ground, lower it. No need to make extra noise and draw attention to ourselves."

The two muscular Jaffa complied, lifting the heavy steel cover off of the manhole with barely a strain of identically huge muscles.

"Tannie, you go first and I'll follow right behind. Once we're down, use your gift to scan the immediate vicinity to see if any hostile personnel are around. We have to make the assumption that most of the people have gone over to the NID thugs to save their own skins. We can't trust anyone but ourselves."

"Yes, JackO'Neill. I should stop at the twenty-eighth floor and wait for you to join me?"

"Yep. That's where the brigs are, and that's where we'll find Carter and Hammond. Getting them out is our first priority. George will know who to trust, and who not to trust of his people."

It wasn't easy to climb down twenty-eight floors with full packs on. By the time Tannie got to her destination, sweat was poring down her face. Jack lowered himself to the ledge so close to her that she could feel his breath on the side of her face.

"Any unfriendlies out there?"

"No, I sense no one in the general vicinity. There are people further away down the corridor, though."

"Probably the SFs guarding the prisoners. Okay, I'll go out first, with you covering me with your zat, Tannie. We've got to get off this ledge before anyone else can get down."

"Fine, JackO'Neill."

Jack twisted the door lock mechanism to open with a grunt of exertion, opening the heavy maintenance porthole cover carefully. When nothing happened and no alarm was triggered, he jumped out into the corridor, turning to help the tiny Ardorian down and onto the deck with one arm slung around her waste.

Within minutes the rest of the team had followed.

"Okay, let's go. Tannie, Jacob, you're with me on point. Tannie, keep your sensors on maximum, let me know what's coming at us."

Daniel whispered to Johnny, "Sensors on maximum? He makes her gift sound like some tool from the starship Enterprise."

Johnny smiled, but didn't answer. He was too nervous about what they were going to find up ahead of them. Would his friends be hurt, or worse?

God, Dan, where are you?

"There are people up ahead, around that corner, JackO'Neill." Tannie whispered into the Colonel's ear. "nine spirits I sense, three of which are similar to Samantha, Janet, and GeorgeHammond. Six others I do not recognize."

Jack waved his zat gun towards his team, his fingers flying in signals that told them that all of them should round the corner at once. The two Teal'cs, Bra'tac, Sam, Daniel, and Jack were going to fire the zats at the same time twice each, not having a choice but to kill the Marine guards. They couldn't afford to have them alive behind them. He signaled that Tannie should move to the rear, and motioned Jacob to protect the Pain Eater if NID reinforcements should come from that direction.

They all did as ordered, and the surprised NID guards were killed almost without realizing what had happened.

"Teal'c, babe, you did it! I knew ya'd come, and bring Bray with you!" Colonel Samantha Carter smiled through her bruises, which covered a good portion of her face. Her voice was low, but it carried to her rescuers. At the same time, O'Neill shot out the three security cameras above their heads and the ones in the cells.

Jacob knelt to fumble the keys out of the ranking NID man's pocket. "Got the keys."

"Hurry, Jacob. We've got to get outta here before they send someone to check the cameras."

They let the prisoners out, hurrying back to the access tunnel they had used to break in.

"We're going to ground on the thirty-second floor as planned, people. It's deserted and full of a bunch of stored stuff. They'll never find us there without a door-to-door search. I'm betting that they don't have the manpower for that to happen any time soon."

"That's assuming they haven't convinced our staff that all of the base leaders were taken over by Goa'ulds or something like that, Colonel O'Neill. They'll have a lot more manpower in that case."

Jack looked at this reality's General Hammond, his hand on the door of the tunnel entrance. "Do you have any better ideas, General?"

"No."

"Then go on in, Sir, and start climbing down."

The General did just that, though the climb wasn't easy on the older man. He had fought back hard when he'd been taken, and the NID, who had no respect for rank or age, hadn't been gentle with him.

Tannie and Jacob did the checking and opening the door routine, but this level had been deserted for a long time.

Jack set up their command center in an out-of-the-way room, one that could easily be defended if it was overrun. It also had direct access to a man-sized ventilation duct that would make a handy back door if they had to retreat.

"Okay, we want this to look like only SGC personnel are involved in the breakout, not outsiders. Carters, you two need to hack into the security computer system and find out where they've got Colonel Jackson stashed, got that? Also, I want you to see if you can jinx the cameras, make them look like they're playing, but not showing us, that sort of thing. Teal'c, Teal'c and Master Bra'tac, I want you three to see if you can find a way through to take out the gate control room and the security control room. Before you do that, though, disable the doors to all the armories, so they can't get to extra ammo and weapons. Tannie, Daniel, Doc and Jacob, you're with me and Johnny, who'll be getting Dan back." Jack turned to the Pain Eater. "Jacob's got the healing device, so no matter what condition Dan's in, Tannie, don't use your gift. We can't have you down or out of it, cause we'll need you to sense our way around, okay?"

"Yes, I understand."

The Jaffas left to do what was needed, bristling with weaponry and general chutzpah.

"Colonel, we've broken into the security camera in the room that Colonel Jackson's being held in. It's a VIP suite, Sir."

"God damn that Makepeace, I'm gonna cut his balls off with my commando knife." Colonel Carter hissed, her eyes on the semi-darkened room that held her ex-husband and friend.

"Easy, Colonel." Jack warned AU SAm, but when he saw Dan, curled up in the rumpled bed, he felt a fury well up from his belly that almost made him see red.

The other military man was naked, and though his back was to them, they could see the harsh darkness of whipping lines across his back, buttocks, and legs. He was curled into a fetal position, so all of them got a good view of the blood and other nasties that had dried on the skin of his butt cheeks and upper legs. Bruises covered his entire visible body. He had obviously fought for all he was worth.

Daniel stood there looking at the back of his own body, his arm around a shaking Johnny.

"Oh, God, look what they've done to him, Daniel."

"He's a tough bastard, O'Neill, remember that. The important thing now is to get him away from Makepeace." Jack growled.

As though in response to his name being spoken, Robert Makepeace entered the room to look down at his victim. The evil satisfied smile on the Marine's face sickened all of the people watching.

"Well, Danny boy, somehow Carter and Hammond have gotten out of their cells, perhaps with some help from someone else here at the SGC." Makepeace sat down on the bed and stroked the other man's hip fondly, a look of lust mixed with cruelty plastered all over his features. "Don't think that they'll be able to rescue you, though. I've got a quarter of a battalion of NID agents guarding this corridor. I'm having way too much fun with you to let you go now."

"Fuck you, Makepeace." Came from the body under his hand.

"Still feisty, I see. Well, it's going to be you who gets fucked, Dan, as soon as I recapture my prisoners. In the meantime, you stink. Go take a shower, so you can be ready for me when I come back."

No comment came from the body on the bed this time, which scared the people who knew him more than anything else. It wasn't like Dan not to have an attitude back to his captor. He must be hurt pretty badly!

"I do not believe that that Daniel will be able to walk out of there, JackO'Neill. He has been hurt very badly inside, from the looks of his wounds." Tannie turned to Jacob. "You will have to heal him, beloved, before we can leave."

Jacob nodded, and Selmak said, "Yes. It will have to be done quickly, which will not be easy. But it can be done."

"Do a triangulation on the outside corridor camera, Carter. Find out which VIP room he's in and how many guards are outside." Jack's eyes looked almost dead inside, the normally warm chocolate color darkened to almost black. Black Ops O'Neill was in the fore, and woe to anyone who got between him and his quarry.

Daniel suddenly almost felt sorry for Robert Makepeace when he noticed his lover's expression. He turned and looked upon his bruised and battered alternate, and all pity disappeared. Makepeace deserved whatever Jack would dish out to him.

"Got it, O'Neill." Major Sam answered. "It looks like sixteen guys guarding the corridor from the elevator to the VIP suite. Dan's in VIP five."

"Okay. You guys hold the fort here. We're going to get him."

Colonel Sam stood up, turning to Colonel O'Neill. "I'm going with you, O'Neill."

"I gave you an order, Colonel."

"Fuck your order, O'Neill. This is my patch, and that is my friend there. I'm going, if I have to go alone."

"Jack, let her go." Daniel's quiet voice broke through Jack's anger at this insubordination.

"We don't have time for this, for crying out loud. Come, already. Grab Carter's zat and P-90 and let's go!" He turned to Major Sam. "Have you got those cameras blocked yet, Carter?"

"They're all showing recurring digital loops now, Sir. Good luck, and bring him back to us."

"Thank God someone follows orders around here!" Jack grumbled as he went out the door and headed to the access tunnel. "Move, people!"

Part 4

With the zat guns and surprise on their side, the attackers had the advantage. But it still wasn't easy to take out sixteen of the NID's finest. In the end, Colonel Sam got shot through the leg, Doctor Fraiser got one in her arm, and Jacob got nailed in the side, narrowly missing his liver when he threw himself in the way of a bullet aimed at Tannie.

When the Tok'ra went down, Tannie ran to her lover as she sensed the pain he was in.

Selmak said to her, his voice rough with concentration as he healed the damage, "I'll take care of him. Go, I cannot heal Colonel Jackson now. It is up to you, Than'chia! GO!"

Responding to the command in the symbiote's voice, the Pain Eater left her lover and ran into the VIP room that held Colonel Jackson. The agonizing energy from both Dan's emotional pain and his physical condition hit her at soon as she stepped through the door.

"Carter, make sure we've got 'em all, through to the elevator."

"Yes, Sir." Colonel Sam left with alacrity, knowing that they would need privacy with Dan to get him ready to travel.

Johnny had tried to take his lover into his arms, but Dan, not realizing in his painful delirium who was touching him, started fighting the linguist off.

"No, do not touch him, Johnny!" Tannie ordered as she came up to them. "He does not know it is you, is not thinking clearly."

Motioning everyone to back off from the hurt man, the Pain Eater approached him, giving off harmless and soothing vibes.

"We are your friends, Daniel, and have come to take you away from the pain. Be at peace now." Extending her hand, she used her gift to calm him so that he could see that he was being rescued. "I am attempting to ease your pain, my dear, so that we can leave here."

All eyes were on the two beings, on the healer and her patient.

"Well, isn't this a cozy little gathering."

Jack looked up, cursing his stupidity as he faced Colonel Robert Makepeace. The Marine stood there, his P-90 ready to shoot anyone who moved wrong.

"Makepeace, give it up. By now, the Teal'cs and Bra'tac have taken the control rooms and Security. Your mission's busted."

"The other reality's O'Neill. Well, well. Interesting to see an O'Neill who isn't a fucking pansy. I've got reinforcements on the way, fly boy. It's you who should surrender."

Dan moaned in relief as some of his pain eased, bringing Makepeace's attention over to Tannie and the hurt Colonel. "Hey, bitch, what are you doing to him? He's mine! Get away from there."

God, in his own sick way, that man actually cares for Dan. Daniel stood quietly as he thought this, his hand away from the weapons on his belt.

Dan, whose head was clearing as Tannie worked on him, realized what was happening. The healer's body blocked Makepeace's sight to the Colonel, so he reached over and snatched her zat gun from her waist holster, sitting up with an over-loud moan to catch the Marine's attention. Cold blue eyes caught the purple ones of the Pain Eater, and, catching his unvoiced command, she nodded briefly.

In a heartbeat, Dan raised the gun, Tannie threw herself to the side and out of the way, and the Colonel shot the Marine with a bolt of energy.

As he was taking a bead for a second killing shot, Johnny said quietly, yet with a lot of force, "No. Dan, don't. You'll never be rid of him if you kill him when he's down like that."

The voice of his lover was the only one who could have gotten through the red haze of madness that ran through the Colonel. His gun hand dropped to the bed, and he said, "Johnny? You're alive?"

The linguist took that question as permission to move in and take hold of his lover, which he did with a gentle caring that brought tears to Tannie's eyes.

Right then, Colonel Carter came around the corner, having heard what went on in the room. Her pretty face like a cold mask, Sam took out her pistol and shot the unconscious Makepeace in the head. The next shot went through his heart, and the last was aimed at his groin. The Marine was dead before the second shot hit, fortunately for him.

"CARTER!" Jack shouted, when she looked like she would just keep putting lead into the body. "Stand down!"

"Yes, sir." She kicked the body, hard. "That'll show you to mess with Danny, asshole!"

"Hand your weapons over, Colonel." Jack nodded at Daniel to take them from the angry woman. "We'll take it from here."

She gave them over, albeit rather reluctantly, then moved over to where Johnny held Dan in his arms.

The radio clicked on and Teal'c's mellow baritone came on. "O'Neill, we have taken our objectives. We have also liberated some imprisoned members of the SGC we found. The last of the NID soldiers are being searched out and neutralized as I speak."

"Great! We have wounded down here, Teal'c. Call the General and give him the okay to come up and take over, willya? I'm going to take our wounded to the infirmary."

"We liberated some of the infirmary staff as well. They will meet you there. O'Neill, what of Colonel Makepeace?"

"He's a casualty, big guy."

"Good." The sound of intense satisfaction told Jack this was Col. Dan's Teal'c, not his own. "How is Colonel Jackson?"

"He's alive." Was Jack's terse reply, not wanting details to go out on an open channel. "O'Neill out."

"All right, people, let's get these guys to the infirmary."

By then, Selmak had made good progress towards healing Jacob. The Tok'ra came in, saw the situation, and took Tannie up and into his arms. The Pain Eater, in starting to heal Dan, had metamorphosed the worst of the whipping marks and the extensive bruising off of his body onto hers. She was awake, but was very weak as her spirit turned itself towards getting rid of the bad energy that she had taken in. Dan's body was still battered and bruised, but he was in a lot better physical condition than he had been.

Sam and Johnny between them helped Dan into some clothes that Daniel had found and given them from his pack. Between the two of them, they supported the still battered Colonel to the infirmary. Colonel Carter limped from the graze she'd taken, but resolutely ignored the pain in order to help her friend.

****

"How is he?" Jack asked Janet, her arm now in a sling from where she had been shot.

The two of them turned to look at Colonel Dan, lying on his side with Johnny sitting close by the hospital bed and holding his lover's hand. Janet had made sure up front that the SGC 2IC had a private room with no way for anyone to look in on the two of them. He needed Johnny now, and damned if she was going to let "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" interfere with that.

"Despite Tannie's healing, the whip marks were really deep, Colonel. Dan said that Makepeace hit him with the buckle side of his belt, with full strength. What's more, he beat him on both sides of his body. It was only dumb luck that the Colonel's genitals weren't damaged as badly as other parts of him were, or he'd be both sterile and possibly impotent as well as a result. That animal put a wooden stick up his rectum, as well as violating him sexually. There was a lot of tearing and internal bleeding. Tannie and the Goa'uld healing device healed the worst of his physical injuries, and the others are coming along as well as can be expected. It's his mental health that has me worried now. He's depressed, deeply so, and I'm sure he's considering suicide or something almost as drastic. I'm fighting off Doctor MacKenzy now, he wants to put the Colonel away in a mental health clinic to help him get through the rough spots."

"I'll kill MacKenzy if he so much as touches him, Major!" O'Neill snarled. He'd let that quack have Danny once, and would never let him get his hands on anyone he loved again. "What he needs is Johnny, some time off from the SGC, and Tannie."

Fraiser's brown eyes looked at the other Colonel compassionately. "Easy, Sir. You know that you and your people can't stay here much longer, Colonel, or entropic cascade failure will set in. I'd say you'll be safe for another twelve hours, then the risk of seizures increases."

"We'll be out of here in time, Doc. If Tannie needs to, she'll stay here, since her counterpart in this world is dead."

"That Pain Eater is something else. I would love to be able to study her healing gift a little closer."

Jack smiled a bit. "You and our Fraiser both, Doc. But Tannie's with the Tok'ra now, and isn't available for any guinea pig work any more." His expression firmed. "She was kidnapped by the NID herself, and after what they did to her, she wouldn't let our Fraiser near her and her gift. Can't say as I blame her there."

"No, I suppose not. But still, did you see the way she took on the bruises and whipping wounds herself? Complete transfer of the wounds. Amazing."

"Actually, Tannie told me she doesn't take on the actual wounds, but the energy of them. So her body mimics the wounds, but since she's healthy, the wounds disappear once she's had time to meditate to get rid of the negative energy."

"Amazing. Still, it must be tough on her to take that much pain into herself."

"Yeah. She's one of the strongest people I know. I couldn't do what she does, that's for sure."

The subject of their conversation came into the infirmary right then with her Tok'ra lover walking next to her.

"JackO'Neill, Doctor Fraiser, I would like to see your Daniel, if it is timely to do so?"

"Of course. I don't need to tell you how fragile he is, do I?"

"I am a Pain Eater, Doctor. I could sense Daniel's pain as soon as I left the elevator. I understand the situation and will proceed with caution."

Janet smiled. "I knew you would, but I did have to say it."

Tannie smiled back. "Yes, you are like a fierce tigress protecting her cubs. May I go in now?"

"Yes." This was said through a thoroughly reddened face from the alien's comment.

Tannie turned to Jacob. "Jacob, I will need to be alone with my patient." Her purple eyes moved to the other two people standing there. "Johnny can stay for a few minutes, then he will need to leave as well."

"I'd like to see you tell him that, Tannie. He hasn't moved for the last two days, except to go to the bathroom. Wouldn't even listen to my Daniel, that's how stubborn he's been."

Tannie's eyes narrowed. "He must rest and eat to remain strong so he can help his Colonel. He will do as I ask."

After she had entered the room, Jack turned to Jacob. "Wanna bet that Johnny's out here in about five minutes, with no arguments?"

"Are you kidding? I live with her. I know how persuasive she can be. No way am I going to bet against her."

****

Tannie closed the door behind her and went over to where Johnny was sitting. The linguist looked old; his face seemed gray and tired.

"Johnny."

He smiled at her. "Tannie. Dan, do you remember Tannie helping you when we rescued you?"

Sad blue eyes looked at her. "I remember smelling some flowery smell, and how my pain eased. That's all."

"My healing often is described like that, bringing an odor like what the Tau'ri name as lavender." She looked over at Johnny. "Johnny, I must have some time alone with your love. You need to eat, to shower and rest as well."

Brown O'Neill eyes narrowed in irritation. "I don't want to leave him, Tannie."

"I know. However, if we are to perform a healing later, you must be rested and nourished, in order to take part. Otherwise I will be forced to exclude you."

The threat worked.

"Oh for crying out loud! Oh, all right. Dan, I'll be back in a few hours, okay?"

Johnny leaned over and kissed his lover's forehead.

"Make it more than a few hours, guy. She's right, you look like shit."

"Well, you aren't exactly the picture of loveliness yourself, you know." He turned and left the room, flashing his lover one more look before he closed the door behind him.

"I've been trying to get him out of here for a while now." Dan caught the Pain Eater's eyes. "I'm impressed. He never moves that fast when I tell him what to do. So, you're Jack and Danny's Pain Eater."

"Yes. I am Than'chia of Ardor."

"My team was the one that came to your world after the Goa'uld destroyed it. You didn't live, in this reality."

"Yes. I almost didn't live in my own reality. JackO'Neill and SG-1 came and saved me just before Sokar's Jaffa killed me. It is because of the fact that I am dead in this reality that I am able to stay and help you."

The Colonel closed his eyes tiredly. "No one can help me."

"That is not true, Colonel."

Suddenly the blue eyes blazed up at her, almost insane with anger. "What the fuck do you know about it? I was fucking raped in every way a guy can be raped, made to do what that sick bastard wanted. You don't know jack about it!"

Tannie, responding in part to his fierce emotions, was mad right back at him. "You assume that I have never been captured or raped by the NID, Colonel Jackson. You assumed wrong. Even if I didn't have first- hand knowledge of what you went through, I am a Pain Eater. That means that I feel what you do, with no minimization of your pain."

Her words had gotten the wounded man's attention. He looked at her, appalled. "You were *raped* when you were kidnapped? Jack told me about when you got snatched, but no details."

"That is because he does not know. I chose not to burden my friends with what happened to me. It was done by a sick, pitiful mind who is now in the care of the Maker of All Things. To rape one such as myself, even drugged as they kept me, causes the mind and soul of the rapist to be torn apart. My gift got out of control, and forced the man to feel my pain and anger a thousand fold. He went into a deep coma, and never came out of it. I heard his body died, later, in prison."

"Shit, you sound almost sad for the asshole."

"I am a healer, Daniel. To take life is anathema to me, unless it is at the end of it to ease a spirit from a body filled with sickness and pain. I betrayed all that I hold dear when that happened."

"He fucking deserved it, and if it hadn't been done by you first, Jack would have taken him out if he knew what the asshole did."

"Yes. Daniel..."

"Call me Dan, please. I haven't been called Daniel since I was a kid."

"Dan, it is not easy to recover from what happened to us. I did so only because I knew that I could no longer be a healer if I let the wound fester. I had the support of my dear friends at the SGC, especially Jack and Samantha, and I managed to heal. But you, my dear, have unhealed wounds beneath what has just happened, which have been torn open by this. Please let me help you deal with your pain."

"Danny told me what you did for Jack when he flipped out that time. But I'm not in a coma, I'm alive and will soon be well. I can deal with this on my own." The young man's chin jutted out in stubborn anger.

"I disagree. You will think yourself healed, Dan, until Johnny tries to make love to you. It is then that you will find just how damaged your spirit is. Unless you plan to never make love again?"

"Shit! How in the hell does Jack put up with you when you won't take no for an answer?"

Tannie smiled gently. "It is simple. He just admits that I am right, and takes my advice."

That got him to smile back at the Pain Eater. "What would you do to me if I let you do this, Tannie?"

"I will do nothing to you, Dan, except that I will be your guide and protector as your spirit goes through the healing process. It is these deep memories of your time in Iraq that must be excised in order to foster healing of this new experience."

"How do you know about Iraq?" Blue eyes were now narrowed in suspicion.

"Johnny told me what he knew about what happened to you."

"He had no right to do that!"

"He does. Love gave him the right to do so."

Dan apparently decided not to answer that comment.

"So just you and me, we'll do this?"

"You, me, Johnny, and if you wish, JackO'Neill and Daniel. Jack has been through what you have, and that insight and caring will help you deal with this more efficiently. Also, Jacob and Selmak, my mates, will be there as support for me, though they will have no part in your healing."

"Yeah, it's okay for them to be there. Jack'll know what to do, since he's been through it."

"Daniel has been through healing as well, Dan. He asked me to help him before he and JackO'Neill were joined in marriage by me. He has great insight and can help you."

Dan sighed, closing his eyes for a few seconds. Finally he opened them to look at her. "Okay, I'll do it, as long as Johnny, Jack and Danny are with me. When and where will this take place?"

"First you must physically recuperate. We have a nice mountain retreat where we have performed the healings in the past, in my reality. I had heard that my General Hammond purchased the property recently. What do you think about going there?"

"That sounds good. The farther away from this place, the better."

"Then I will make it so, Dan. Now, dear, rest and get your strength back. Jacob, Selmak and I will be returning to our reality now that you are mending. I expect that you will be physically healthy again in a month's time. Can you set it up for Johnny and you to come to us then? We'll make the arrangements and set everything up on our side."

"Yeah, we'll be there. Hell, If I don't come, Jack'll probably come over and drag me to it."

She smiled at this comment about her friend. "Yes, he just might do something like that. When I decided to go with Tok'ra, JackO'Neill threatened to handcuff me to the stargate to stop me from leaving."

For the first time since his ordeal, Colonel Dan Jackson smiled. "I can see him doing that. He's something else, that's for sure."

Tannie left him not long after that, stopping only to give Johnny some last minute instructions.

"Now, Johnny, I would be very careful with gestures of affection, go slowly with Dan. He will not respond well to being touched for a while."

"I kind of figured that making love would be out for a while, too."

She looked up into his O'Neill eyes. "Be very, very careful about approaching Dan sexually, Johnny. It will not be easy for him to emotionally move back to that after the brutality he has suffered. But don't be sad, my dear. He is a strong man, and the time for you two to be together again will come."

"I'll do whatever it takes, Tannie, to make him whole inside again. No matter how long I have to wait!"

She reached over and took his hand. "I know, Johnny, and that is where I feel the most hope. Your love is strong enough to see him through this."

Part 5

ONE MONTH LATER:

Tannie, Jacob, Jack and Daniel waited as the incoming wormhole engaged. A minute later, Dan and Johnny, dressed in civilian clothes and carrying small suitcases, walked out of it.

Jack was appalled when he got a good look at Dan.

God, he looks like a ghost. He's lost weight. This stuff has been eating him up alive. Johnnie looks, shit, he looks really worried, just like I would be if it was Danny.

Still, the older Colonel steeled his expression to neutral and smiled at his friends.

"Hey, kid, ya look a little bit better'n you did the last time we saw you, but not much."

Dan smiled, but it came out as forced. "Hey, you aren't exactly Miss America yourself, O'Neill."

The very-Dan-like pissy comment brought a real smile to Jack's lips. At least Dan was starting to get his spirit back.

Tannie sensed Dan's emotional malaise, as well as Johnny's worry. She came up to the linguist and hugged him, sending strength and reassurance into his tense body.

"It is good to see you."

Johnny smiled shyly down at her. "It's good to see you too, Tannie."

The Pain Eater sensed that Dan wouldn't be comfortable with a hug from her, so she just nodded at him, saying, "Your body has healed well, Dan. Good. Your strength has been recovered."

"Oh, yeah, I'm strong again. No physical problems left over except for a few more scars for the complexion."

"Tannie, Janet wanted me to give you this. It's Dan's medical progress charts for the last month." He handed a folder to her.

"Thank you. Why don't all of you go and get lunch in the cafeteria before we leave for the retreat. I'll read this in the meantime.

"Shouldn't you eat, Tannie?"

She smiled up at her Tok'ra lover. "Will you order me a sandwich, tuna is fine, to take with us? I will eat on the way." She turned to Johnny. "Johnny, can you spend a few minutes with me before you go to meet the others for lunch?"

"Hey! I feel like I'm being tattled on here." Dan complained.

Jack reached up and squeezed the irritated man behind his neck gently. "Quiet, kid, you're on our turf now. And Tannie's the boss in this."

Dan had only flinched a little bit at the caress; he really hated to show weakness in front of Jack. But Tannie could feel how much he disliked the touching.

"If you are good, Dan, I will let you tattle on Johnny later, eh?" She smiled gently, letting him know it was okay to be irritable.

Having been given a face-saving out, Dan muttered, "Well, in that case, go ahead Johnny!"

They walked off, and the Pain Eater and the linguist took a walk down the corridors of the SGC.

"Has he let you touch him at all since the assault, Johnny?"

"When he was still hurt, he didn't have a choice. It was me or the infirmary staff. He preferred me, I guess. Since he's doing better physically, he's barely even letting me spoon behind him when we sleep, Tannie, let alone touch him romantically. One morning three days ago, he woke up with an, um, you know,"

She smiled at his discomfort, taking pity on the red-faced archeologist. "He woke up with an erection?"

"Yeah. Anyway, he was on his side and pressed up against me, still half asleep, and he started rubbing against me..." Johnny was blushing furiously. "Shit! This is embarrassing."

"My people were much more open about discussing and sharing physical pleasures than you Tau'ri, Johnny, so do not be afraid that you will shock me or anything."

"Okay, I guess. Anyway, Dan started rubbing against me, so I, I was half asleep, remember, reached out to pull him closer. He screamed, Tannie! It about scared the piss out of me, I can tell you. Afterwards, he was royally pissed off at screaming like a woman, is how he put it. It took me hours to calm him into a better mood. I hate this! I want to help him but just don't know how."

"Do not worry, Johnny. The fact that he let you that close to him this soon is a good sign. He is feeling guilty for denying you his body. He senses your sexual frustration and wants to be with you to ease it, but he can't make himself do it yet."

"God, it's been hell being with him at home and not be able to at least hold him, Tannie. Frustration is right!"

She patted his shoulder. "That is one reason I wanted JackO'Neill and Daniel along with us. They can take care of any sexual desires you have. I will need your head and spirit clear when we start the healing ritual."

If anything, Johnny turned even redder. "I shouldn't BE this frustrated after only a month, Tannie. I'm not exactly a sex-crazed teen, ya know."

"Having a passionate relationship is nothing to be ashamed of, Johnny. I understand from what I have sensed that your relationship with Daniel and JackO'Neill is very physical as well. They will take care of those needs temporarily until you and Dan can resume relations."

"Do ya think that will ever happen, Tannie?"

She grabbed his arms for emphasis. "Yes. I promise you that that time will come again. Do not despair of it, Johnny. You have my word."

"How can you promise me he'll want me again, Tannie? What if he never completely gets over it? He hasn't said much, but what that asshole Makepeace did to him had to have been horrible, to judge from his reactions to being touched!"

"Do not underestimate your beloved, my dear. He has a very passionate nature, which won't be undermined by this forever. Now, you go to lunch, and I'll read Dr. Fraiser's reports."

"Okay. See ya later."

Jacob came into the VIP room the two of them shared. Tannie was meditating quietly in a chair, her face calm.

"Tannie?"

Purple eyes opened and sense of the outer world came back to the Pain Eater.

Jacob, do you think she is totally unaware of us when she meditates that deeply?

I don't know, Selmak, it almost seems like she's close to death sometimes, she gets so deeply into it. Like she's not even breathing. It's kind of scary, actually.

"You two are discussing me again, aren't you?"

Jacob laughed. "Never can fool you. Selmak was just wondering if you sense us when you're that deep in your meditating."

"In a place of safety such as this, I do not keep a piece of my awareness on the surface to scan for danger. Until you said my name, I was not aware of you except through our life bond. Jacob, Selmak, I need to speak with you before I leave."

He came over and sat down on the bed facing her. "Okay. So talk."

"I have changed my mind. I do not think it would be wise for you to come along on this trip."

Hurt and annoyance sprung into both beings' minds. "Why? I've always come along with you before on these healing excursions."

"None of the previous healings you have attended involved Tau'ri sexuality as much as this one does. One of the many roles a Pain Eater has to play is that of a sexual healer. That is not a role I have played since I have known the two of you. It is not a role that you will be comfortable with me playing, Jacob, I am afraid."

"What do you mean, sexual healer?"

You know what she means, Jacob. The term is quite clear.

Shut up, Selmak, I want to hear it from her!

"When damage has been done of a sexual nature as in this case, the healing process may involve certain intimacies with the ailing one."

"You're talking about fucking Jackson?"

That is a rather rude way to put it, Jacob, and will only make Than'Chia angry.

Tannie's eyes narrowed at her lover. "Your rude response is exactly the reason that I feel it would not be helpful to have you present, Jacob. Selmak, alone, would be fine. He has lived so long, and in different sexes as hosts, that he is open-minded about sexual matters. You, however, were brought up on Earth, and have a great deal of sexual inhibitions due to that upbringing. I cannot have a jealous lover bringing in negative energy to what already will be a very precarious and volatile situation."

"You are talking about you going to bed with him, aren't you?" Jacob fought down the bout of almost insane fury that came over him, with Selmak's help.

"Yes, and possibly not just with him. I will not say any more, as it will just upset you further. I would like you to return through the Chap'e'ai, Jacob, instead of accompanying us."

"And what if I say no?"

"Then I will have to appeal to Selmak."

"You mean have him take over the body and drag me through the Stargate? When I fell for you, Tannie, I didn't plan on the fact that you'd be screwing other men behind my back!"

"It is this attitude that is the reason a Pain Eater rarely marries, Jacob. Sexual healing is one of our duties, a legitimate one, which often does great good. If I engage in sexual relations as part of the healing process, it does not mean that I love you or Selmak less. If that type of healing is what Dan needs, then I will give him that. I am sorry if you find this objectionable, Jacob. But that cannot stop me from doing my duty. I do not want you upset, which is why you must remain here."

He stood up, the picture of wounded male dignity. "Don't come back to the Tok'ra, to me, if you do this, Than'chia. I will not abide being cheated on by you."

You do not speak for the Tok'ra, Jacob. Tannie is much beloved among our people. She will always be welcome to live with us.

I mean what I say, Selmak! I'll be no goddamn cuckold!

Jacob steeled himself to endure the hurt and sadness that came through his bond with the Pain Eater as a result of his words. His anger closed out what his bond was telling him, and what his symbiote was saying. The ex-general turned and walked out the door without another word to his lover.

Before he got more than a few steps, however, Selmak forcibly took control of Jacob's body, turned it around, and walked back to the VIP suite.

"Than'chia, I will work on Jacob to try to let him see that his narrow Tau'ri beliefs are not acceptable to the Tok'ra, and with regards to your healing. Contact us when you come back, and we WILL discuss this further. Jacob's love for you is great, and that is what will triumph in the end. Try not to let this distract you from what you must do."

"Thank you, beloved. I would not wish to lose either of you."

"He will come around in time. Be well, beloved." The Tok'ra turned and made his way to the elevator that would lead to the stargate.

Part 6

"Where's Jacob?" Jack asked as he stowed Daniel's suitcase in the SUV.

"I decided that it would be better for him to return to the Tok'ra at this time. Something has come up, and he was needed more there." Tannie hated to lie to her friends, but it was but a small untruth, her conscious told her.

Daniel's eyes opened in surprise. "He's never missed one of these healing sessions. Isn't that odd, Tannie? What if you need support from him, like you did the last two times?"

"Hey, Daniel, it isn't like we can't help her if she overloads, or whatever, right, Tannie?" Jack's wise eyes told the Pain Eater that he knew something else was going on beneath her words, and he *would* find out about it, later and in private. The crafty Colonel knew that Jacob was as protective as he was, and would never leave his lover if she needed him unless he had no choice.

The trip went quietly. Jack tried to get up a game of I-Spy, but Dan was so subdued that he soon gave it up. Daniel was driving, with Jack sitting next to him in the passengers seat. Dan and Johnny sat in the first back seat, with Tannie and the luggage in the back seat.

In the end, Jack played with his gameboy, Johnny snoozed, Dan stared off into space for the entire trip, and Tannie worried about Jacob.

Needless to say, it wasn't a very pleasant trip.

****

"Okay, my dears, Dan, I need to spend some time with you." The Pain Eater looked over at the other three men pointedly. "I'm sure you three will all be able to entertain yourselves?"

Johnny flushed, knowing exactly what Tannie wanted him to do to entertain himself. She'd stressed the importance of him relieving himself of his sexual frustration before he could take his place to help in Dan's healing. Suddenly the vision of him in a threesome with Jack and Daniel shot straight to his groin, and he filled to almost painful hardness.

Noticing his sexual vibes, Jack put his arm around his counterpart. "Come on, O'Neill, let's put our old Asses into a nice hot Jacuzzi." The Colonel's voice was a low and feral-sounding growl, making Johnny harden even more. No one stood a chance when they were the focus of the unstoppable sexual force that was Colonel Jack O'Neill in alpha predator mode.

Dan, seeing his lover's sexual excitement and how turned on Johnny was by Jack's alpha routine, tightened his jaw in pain. *He* should be the one driving his lover to hardness, not Jack.

Tannie sensed Dan's jealousy and anger, and reached over for his arm. "Come Dan. The sooner we are done with this, the sooner we can join them in the hot tub."

****

Once in the room, the Pain Eater used her gift to reinforce the shielding in the room. This was necessary to protect the others outside the room.

Dan watched the small alien doing this, his jealousy and anger at himself dropping away in his fascination. He could feel a tingling all around him, telling him that energies were being moved.

"What are you doing?"

Once she was finished with her task, she turned to him. "I am reinforcing the shield I already had placed in this room. I have performed healing here before. This will protect the innocents outside from the negative energies we deal with in here."

"I doubt they'll be noticing any type of negative energies. They'll be too goddamn busy fucking like rabbits."

She came up to him, her eyes never leaving his angry face. "You are not ready to resume sexual relations with Johnny, Dan. Why do you begrudge him taking pleasure with your other two lovers?"

"He's mine! I, shit!" The Colonel hit a fist against his other hand, his anger radiating from him. "I fucking hate talking about my Goddamn feelings!"

Tannie put out her hand. "Then do not talk, for now. Come, let me show you what will be happening during our healing sessions."

The troubled man, mesmerized by the alien's glowing purple eyes, took her hand and allowed her to lead him to the couch. She sat down on it, leaning against a fat pillow that rested against the arm of the chair.

"Sit down and lean against me, Dan, and let me show you how a Pain Eater heals. We will need to be in physical contact for this."

The thought of touching her, despite how beautiful the Ardorian was, raised his hackles. Fear rushed to overcome him, but he relentlessly fought it down and into submission.

Christ, Jackson, she probably weighs about a hundred pounds, if that. It's not like she could hurt you! Fucking sissy.

Stiffly the military man sat down and gingerly leaned his weight against Tannie. "I'm kind of heavy there, Tannie."

"You will not hurt me, love, so do not worry. I have held much greater weights than yours."

Somehow he knew she wasn't talking about size. As soon as Dan's body touched the Pain Eater's, he felt himself being surrounded by a sweet tingly feeling that made him feel incredibly safe. He found himself relaxing for the first time since the whole Makepeace thing had started.

"Good. Do not worry, my dear Dan, no one can hurt you, not even your inner pain, not while I hold you. Relax, and slow your breathing for me, hmmm?"

Her musical voice and slight accent lulled him, and his body responded to her commands. Soon Dan's respirations matched Tannie's, and she pulled him into empathic rapport with her.

"I am going to open my gift and share it with you, Dan, to let you see as a Pain Eater sees for a little while. Open yourself up to me by relaxing even more, love."

He did as she asked, feeling himself sinking deeper and deeper into the powerful aura of the woman who held him. As he relaxed, glowing colors started showing at the back of his eyeballs.

"What are... colors, I see colors."

"Yes. Your spirit is interpreting what you are feeling through my gift as colors. Daniel Jackson saw it the same way. Is your spirit not beautiful, my Dan?"

"It's bright. Why's that red through there?"

The red he referred to was the color of arterial blood. It washed through his bright orange spirit and down into the deep parts of him like blood washing down a drain.

He felt her words in his mind now, as well as his ears.

That is what you went through, Dan. I have a similar marring in my spirit, only mine is older, and has mostly healed. Do you wish to see it?

Yeah.

The purple haze became stronger around him, and the Colonel felt himself being drawn into it. The Pain Eater's spirit was unbelievably powerful, and he couldn't resist the pull. When he stabilized, he stood in a purple landscape filled with a kaleidoscope of colors. Amidst this prism were two of the blood-red ribbons of color, all of them faded into mostly stains.

You have more than one?

Yes. The larger one is from the death of my people. It is the stain of their murders, and the pain of it will forever darken my soul. The smaller, thinner one is what happened to me when I was a prisoner of the NID.

Why don't I have more than one, Tannie? I've been through this shit a coupla times now.

Because your experiences were so similar, they have merged into one stain upon your soul. The older, deeper memories are being strengthened by the newer one. No, Dan, do not try to touch them. Even old and healed as they are, they are still powerful and could drag you down into them.

Dan felt a gentle force pull his hand away from where he was almost touching Tannie's memory-color. Obviously, this Jackson shared his counterpart's curiosity about strange and new experiences.

Despite being mostly healed, the residual energy can still be dangerous for those not accustomed to traveling the paths of the spirit. We will return to your spirit now.

Again that feeling of being caught in a gale-force wind, and he stood in his own orange spirit-place. He felt himself moving, and a bright blue band pulsed just under his left hand. It crossed the entire soulscape, bursting with power.

Wow. What's that?

Touch it and see. This one is safe.

He reached out and put his hand in the cool-feeling color. A strong sense of Johnny, his love for Dan and Dan's for him, pulsed through him.

Johnny! This is Johnny, inside me?

This is your life bond with Johnny, Dan. We will use it later to give you strength when we do the healing. It is time to come back to the world, love, for your soul grows fatigued.

Dan felt himself being pushed out of the warm orange space, and he felt a fierce reluctance to leaving the safe zone. But the purple wind was relentless, and soon the Colonel opened his blue eyes, the vision gone. He suddenly felt so cold and bereft!

Jackson sat up, glancing at his watch while he did. Only about a half an hour had passed. Turning, he looked at the just awakening Pain Eater. Now that she was pulling away from him, he couldn't believe how small she was physically, compared to how powerful her spirit was.

"That was... I don't know what that was, but it was incredible. Thank you for sharing your gift with me, Tannie."

She smiled and reached up to stroke his face gently. It felt like a cool cloth had moved over his cheek afterwards. "My pleasure, my Dan. Do you understand better what we will be doing when the healing starts, now?"

"Yeah, I think so. I'll be going into that red streak. You'll be there with me the whole time, won't you?"

"Not only me, but Johnny, Jack, and Daniel as well. You will not be alone. Now, let us go and see what those three are getting up to, eh?"

His blue eyes narrowed. "You know damn well what they'll be getting up to. You set it up, didn't you?"

"Yes. Johnny's head, soul, and body must be at peace when he helps with your healing. JackO'Neill and Daniel will insure that is the case." She grinned. "They are finished what they were doing for the moment, though. We can safely go to them now."

"How can... Oh, never mind. Let's go. I could use a good soak."

When the two of them walked into the tub room, the obviously satiated naked men in the jacuzzi started trying to cover themselves frantically.

"Tannie, fer crying out loud! Warn a guy, why doncha?"

"As I have told you many times before, JackO'Neill, I am quite accustomed to the sight of naked male bodies, and will not be shocked by yours." She proceeded to shock the hell out of all four males by pulling her clothes off and climbing into the tub with them.

"My, your faces are red, my friends. Is it from the heat?" Purple eyes twinkled at them. "Dan, come in, please do not be shy."

The younger Colonel grumbled a bit, but he finally did strip and climb in with the others, his entire body blushing.

"I see you have been taking care of Johnny while I worked with Dan, JackO'Neill and Daniel. His body and spirit have been eased somewhat."

"Dammit, Tannie, are you trying to embarrass us here?"

"No. Be aware, my friends, that we will be getting much more open with each other in the next few days. It is the only way to complete this healing process."

"Why didn't we have to do this before, during mine and Jack's healings, Tannie? Um, sex wasn't as open of a subject then."

"Because the memories the two of you needed to heal dealt with other issues than sexuality, and the act of sex. Daniel, yours had to deal with a loss of control, victimizations for which Daniel-the-child had no defense against. JackO'Neill, your memories had to do with being unable to protect those you cared about from evil predators, despite your own victimization. You were more hurt by not protecting than by being assaulted yourself. Dan is a very controlled spirit. His wounds have to do with his forced sexual acts by the NID and by his jailers in Iraq, and the loss of control that involved. Why do you think I wanted the four of you together in this? The sexual bond is strong between you, and that bond and the one built from caring for each other is what will make this healing process succeed. I will be the bridge that strengthens that bond and channels the power into helping Dan."

"Um, Tannie, are you going to be doing what I think you are going to be doing while you act as this bridge? The reason Jacob isn't here with us?"

Purple eyes turned to blue ones. "If you are asking if I will be making love to you all, Daniel, the answer to that is - perhaps. If that is what it takes to build your spirits into one support for Dan, then that will happen. If not needed, it will not."

"Don't we have anything to say in the matter?" Jack asked grumpily. It wasn't that he didn't find Tannie attractive. He'd thought she was hot from the first day SG-1 rescued her. Seeing her naked body now was definitely bringing a rise to the Little Colonel, despite the hot love-making he, Johnny and Danny had just gone through. It was just that the Colonel liked to be in control of any sexual situation, and this seemed like anything but being in control.

"Do you not think you could find it in yourself to make love to me, my old friend?" Tannie knew exactly how Jack felt about her. She always had.

"That's not the point, and you know it!"

"Um, Jack, what exactly is the point? If us making love to Tannie is part of the requirement to help Dan heal, well," The younger linguist smiled at the Pain Eater. "I for one will be happy to oblige."

"Me, too, Dan!" Johnny volunteered. The older linguist really liked the Pain Eater.

"Ya don't need to tell us that, Danny, for Christ's sake! We can all see how yer artifact is standing at attention, there. You, too, O'Neill!"

"Artifact? Ya gotta be kidding, Jackson!" Dan said, trying to ignore his inner fearful trembling at the thought of being naked and this close to the other men. He would not let fear master him! For some reason, the thought of loving Tannie didn't bother him as much as being with his own lovers. Weird.

Johnny piped in with, "Like your Action Jackson doesn't have a name, Dan?"

Jack started laughing like a maniac at that. "Action Jackson! I like that, Dan."

"Shaddup, Jack! Hey, it's better than your obelisk, Johnny! Naming it after a rock, for Christ's sake."

Smiling, Johnny retorted, "What's better than a rock-like pillar of hardness, Dan? I've never seen you complain about it."

Caught out, the younger Colonel felt laughter bubble up from inside him at the silliness of their conversation, the first since his capture. "Ya got me there, Johnny. I love your obelisk."

"Why do men of all species and cultures name their organs of love, Daniel? It is a trait I have seen throughout my travels."

"What in the hell have you been doing with the Tok'ra, Tannie, to know that?" Jack asked, shocked at the alien woman's earthiness.

"As Daniel says, JackO'Neill, I have been but a peaceful explorer of the galaxy, like yourselves."

Laughter erupted in all of them at that comment, and Daniel blushed even redder than before. All of them were glad to see Dan laugh for the first time since the kidnapping. The healing of the younger Colonel had taken it's first step.

They soaked for a while, until Jack sat up. "Hey, I'm hungry. How about if we stop turning into prunes here and get something to eat?"

Dan's stomach growled loudly in response, making him blush. "I guess my stomach agrees with you, Jack."

After a good dinner of barbequed steak, salad and hot dogs, they all just lounged around the fire for a while until night fell.

"Hey, what are the sleeping arrangements going to be, guys?" Jack asked, trying not to look at Dan. Usually the four of them all slept together in a king size bed.

"You, Daniel and Johnny will be sleeping together tonight, JackO'Neill, and Dan will be with me." Tannie announced.

"Wha... um I'm not..." Jackson didn't want to hurt his new friend's feelings, but he didn't think he could have sex with anyone, not yet, anyway.

"Do not worry, Dan, we do not sleep together for lovemaking, for you are not ready for that. You will be with me for protection against nightmares, to insure you are well rested. That is all."

Dan looked at Johnny, who nodded his permission. "Okay, if that's what you want, Tannie. It would be nice to sleep a night without seeing Makepeace's face again."

The Pain Eater stood up and put out her hand. "Then come, my friend. There is a ritual we must do to insure no heavy dreaming takes place."

"Ooh, ritual, I like the sound of that." Jack purred, grinning evilly.

Purple eyes turned to him and she said in a husky voice just laden with sexual innuendo. "The sound of it is all you will know, for now, JackO'Neill." She grinned. "Be patient. Perhaps your time will come as well."

The Colonel blushed crimson, and Danny and Johnny laughed at his stricken expression.

"God, Jack, you should see your face. You look like a deer caught in headlights!"

"Shaddup, Daniel. You too, Johnny."

Dan and Tannie left them like that, heading to the bedroom in which they would stay the night.

****

After the two got ready for sleep, Tannie instructed Dan to take off his black t-shirt and to get under the covers.

"You want me to take off my shirt? Why?"

"To massage your muscles out of their current tightness, my friend. I know it will be difficult for you to allow me to touch you, after what you have gone through. But I ask you to trust that I will not turn this into a sexual encounter. You need this, Colonel Dan. Your muscles are as tight as old wood."

"I do trust you, Tannie, though I'm scared shitless about tomorrow." He pulled his t-shirt up and over his head, tossing it onto a dresser. "Do your worst, babe!"

She smiled at this bit of false bravado. "Thank you for your trust. Now lie down."

He did, and Tannie poured an herbal oil of her own mixing onto his scarred, yet still beautiful, back.

"My people have, uh, had a saying that may help your concerns, I think. Translated, it says 'Do what you can to prepare, then let it go, for tomorrow will take care of itself'. We have done all we can until the first moment of healing comes. Now you must try to trust that, and let the fear go for tonight." She saw the tension in his stiff neck and shoulders, and felt the dull throb of his headache in her own body.

Tannie straddled Dan and started working on the muscles of his back and neck. As she worked, she let her gift siphon off his headache and tension, and she started singing quietly at the same time in her own language.

The Colonel relaxed into the skilled massage and listened to her at the same time. He didn't understand a word of the song and assumed correctly that it was her native language. But what he heard was like no singing he'd ever heard before. It sounded like Tannie's laugh, a high fluty sound that caressed each note then playfully jumped to the next one. Before long, the combination of muscular manipulation, aroma therapy, sound therapy, and empathic draining had its effect.

"I feel like I could fall asleep right now." His eyelids were getting to feel like they had lead waiting them down. "Are you hypnotizing me, or something?"

She stopped her song, stroked his neck one last time, and moved off of him to slide under the covers. Gently pulling the now less rigid soldier against her body, Tannie slipped her arm around him. He tensed at the contact, but such was the trust Dan held for the Pain Eater, that he relaxed into her light hug.

"It is an old technique, my Colonel, that has been used before every battle my people ever fought. The song tells of bravery in battle, of victory, and of love, which is the only correct reason to fight."

"Love, I would have thought the emotion to start a battle would be hate, not love."

"Hate is the negative of love. We hate the goa'uld because they would enslave or kill those that we love, and destroy our worlds. There would not be hate, without love of something to prime it. On the eve of battle, now is the time to think of who we love, who we have loved, and perhaps who we will love in the future. Rejoice in these, for they will not remain unchanged from what goes on tomorrow. In that love will you rest safe tonight."

Sleepily, he answered, "It's been a long time since I've felt safe. It's nice."

When she sensed him drift into sleep, she reached into his mind and deepened the trance. Tannie pulled the covers up over them and kissed Dan lightly on the cheek. Quietly through her lips against his cheek, she spoke in her own language the final words of the ritual.

"Sleep well, my warrior, and find your strength again in your dreams. The Maker of All Things is with you, and you are safe tonight."

Finally, Tannie followed Colonel Dan into sleep.

****

The Pain Eater woke up the next morning to the feel of a man spooning against her back, rubbing his morning erection against her body. Dan's arm was around her and stroking her breasts, causing her nipples to harden against his hand.

The Pain Eater reached out with her gift and sensed that Dan was still asleep, mostly. His sexual need was real, and his body was reacting automatically to her closeness in order to satisfy that need.

Quietly she turned, lifting his hand off of her, until she faced him.

"Dan. Wake up, dear."

Military reflexes kicked in, and Dan opened his blue eyes and looked at her.

"Um, Tannie?"

She smiled. "Good morning, my Colonel. You woke me with your body's needs."

He started to get up, but she stopped him with her hand. Dan fell back onto his back, the covers falling down below his hips. "Shit! Don't tell me I ..."

Her smile grew into a grin. "Yes, you did. Your body feels its long absence from your lover." The grin dropped off suddenly. "It is not only Johnny that needs satisfaction, Dan. Would you like me to take care of it for you?"

He caught her purple eyes. "I would like nothing better, Tannie. But I don't think I'd be able to stand even you touching me there yet."

"Well, then it is good that a Pain Eater does not need to touch someone to satisfy them, is it not?"

"What? How?"

"Close your eyes and trust me, dear."

Dan did as she asked. Soon after that he felt this incredible energy surge through his body. It was pure sexual energy, but with a power unlike anything he had ever felt before!

"Shit!"

"You like this?"

"Are you kidding, oh Goooodddddd!" The energy coalesced in his groin, tweaking the sensitive nerves in his erect cock with a master's touch. It was like the best, most intense blowjob he'd ever gotten. Within a minute he exploded, screaming his pleasure at the top of his lungs until his throat felt sore and his cock shot out more and more semen over his belly.

At the peak of one of the most incredible orgasms he'd ever had, the door to the bedroom slammed open and three naked and worried men shot into the room, looking for an assailant.

Tannie, who had orgasmed from just sensing Dan's pleasure, was catching her breath as Jack, Daniel and Johnny burst in.

"Is he having another nightmare?" Daniel asked with concern.

"No, shit, I'm fine!" This was said to a worried Johnny, who had dropped to his knees by his lover's side.

Jack, catching the flushed faces and the strong whiff of semen, not to mention seeing Dan's belly and just softening cock coated with the stuff, folded his arms over his chest and said crossly, "He's just been royally fucked, I'd say, haven't you, Dan?"

Dan pulled himself up to a sitting position, reaching over to draw Johnny up off of his knees.

"Hey, guy, your knees will kill ya if you kneel there like that."

The linguist sat down on the bed, feeling a surge of anger at the satiated look in Dan's blue eyes. It should have been him making his lover feel that way!

"I thought the two of you weren't going to do any touching like that, it was too early." He looked over at Tannie, who was now sitting up and smoothing down her hair and the large t-shirt she wore. Johnny's O'Neill chocolate eyes were mournful at what he saw as the Pain Eater's betrayal.

"Johnny, no, it wasn't like that." Dan took his lover's hand, the first time since his kidnapping that he had initiated any touching. "I woke up with morning wood, from a dream about you, and Tannie made me come just using her gift. She didn't even touch me! It was unbelievable.

Jack said in a pissy voice, "Hey, Tannie, share the wealth, why doncha? Give us some of what he had."

Purple eyes narrowed. "You do not know what you ask for, JackO'Neill. And you do not need it, as you can make love with Daniel and Johnny just fine." It was clear from the tone of her voice that she was annoyed by his disrespect.

"Well maybe I'm getting tired of your teasing, what do ya think about that?"

Dan spoke up, seeing the Pain Eater's growing annoyance with the other Colonel. "Uh, Jack, if you don't want to be embarrassed, I suggest you shut the hell up."

"No, Dan, perhaps it is time to show JackO'Neill one of the true powers of a Pain Eater." Tannie actually growled, she was so pissed off.

The Andorian proceeded to turn the full force of her gift on Colonel Jack O'Neill, channeling it into pure sexual energy. The military man was taken completely by surprise, dropped to the floor as he lost strength in his legs, and detonated into a massive orgasm with a loud scream of pleasure bordering on agony. All within the time frame of about fifteen seconds!

Daniel came up to his wheezing and practically comatose lover, reaching down his hand. "Come on, Jack, let's go take a shower. You're a mess."

"Can't. I think I'm dead, Danny. She killed me!"

"You are not dead, Jack. And I don't feel sorry for you! It serves you right for being so rude to Tannie."

O'Neill turned brown eyes to the Pain Eater, still wheezing heavily. "Never do it again, 'as stupid. Sorry Tan."

She smiled as she got up and stretched, all animosity gone. "Be careful what you ask for, my JackO'Neill. For you might get it, and find it is more than a body can easily handle. I will need some time this morning to be alone and meditate, my dears. I will see you when I am finished."

The four men watched as the Pain Eater left the room.

Dan looked over at Jack, whose blood pressure was just returning to normal. "Wish we could bottle her. What a weapon against the Goa'uld!"

"Yeah, right. Kill 'em with pleasure. My fucking dick's sore as shit!"

"Hey, it's your own fault, O'Neill, so quit complaining!"

Part 7

"Johnny, I would like you, JackO'Neill, and Daniel to be present from now on during the healing rituals. Your caring and support will help the process a lot."

Jack spoke for all of them when he asked, "What do you want us to do, Tannie?"

"Let us go into the healing room and begin."

The Pain Eater sat everyone down on the couch and two armchairs they had brought in from the living room. The chairs were placed close together in front of the couch. Once everyone was seated, Jack and Daniel were in the chairs, and had their knees touching Dan's and Johnny's, who were bookending Tannie between them.

"It is important that you all keep touching each other as you are doing now. That will make it easier for me do bring your spirits into Dan's spirit space. What I will be doing here is extremely difficult with this many people. It is only because of the bonds you have developed from your intimacy that allows me to do it."

"Um Jack and Danny's going to be inside me?"

Jack snorted. "Like it's the first time that's happened, Jackson!"

Dan blushed and retorted, "Up yours, O'Neill."

"Any time, Jackson, any time."

"Yes, they will be inside your spirit, as well as Johnny. But do not worry, Dan, about your innermost thoughts being open to them. They will see only those memories of what has happened to you in relation to the healing. I will lock off the rest of your thoughts and feelings from scrutiny."

Jack grinned, once more hiding his nervousness behind flippancy. "Got something to hide from us, Jackson?"

Blue eyes caught brown ones. "Yeah, just like you do, O'Neill. It goes with the job."

The older Colonel's face sobered. "Right."

Tannie interrupted. "I want you all to close your eyes, and try to relax, breathe deeply. Yes, that's it." She reached over and took Dan and Johnny's hands in her own.

Nothing happened for about a minute, except they all felt like they were helped to relax by a tingling, lavender-scented wind.

Dan felt himself being drawn down into his soul-scape like before, only this time everything seemed more distinct. He looked down at his body, surprised to see that the whole of him appeared to be present.

"I will bring in the others now, Dan."

He swung around and saw Tannie there behind him, dressed in what looked like purple robes.

"You're here?"

"My spirit is within you, and your mind has showed me thus. First I will bring Johnny inside."

She waved her hand, and the landscape moved until they were next to the blue ribbon that was his bond with his lover.

"Touch this, love, so we can bring Johnny inside."

Dan did, immersing his hands into the blue stream. A strong feeling of Johnny came into him from his hands.

"Hey, what is this? Where am I?"

"I have brought your spirit in here inside Dan's, Johnny."

Dan withdrew his hands from the blue stream and turned to look at the love of his life.

Johnny's spirit looked different than he did physically. He didn't have his glasses on. His hair wasn't gray, but was back to the sandy brown color he'd been born with. It was also long again, cascading down his shoulders in the way Dan loved the most. The marks of age were gone, and he looked about thirty.

"Wow! You look different, Johnny. Like you're my age again. You're really hot!"

The linguist pulled a piece of his long hair over to look at it. "Hey, my hair's brown again!"

"Johnny?"

Daniel's hesitant voice came from behind them. Both men turned and watched the younger archeologist come over to them. He looked like he always did, but without his glasses. Only a bright transparent light seemed to surround him.

"Um, where are we?"

"You're here inside my soul, Danny."

"Fer crying out loud, where the hell is this?"

They all turned expectantly to look at Jack, who had Tannie standing next to him holding his hand as she brought his spirit inside.

"Woof! Look at him!"

"Yeah, real hot!"

"Wo, mama!"

Jack also had brown hair again and an unlined face. The sadness that was always there in O'Neill's eyes from the death of his son was gone. There was a permanent twinkle in the brown eyes as he looked around, then at his friends.

"What?"

Daniel moved over to his lover. "You look like you're about thirty, Jack. Nice!"

"My friends, we must move to the healing. Keeping you all here is very taxing for me."

Dan walked up to the Pain Eater. "What should I do?"

She waved her hand, and the scene changed to one where the red streak was very close to them.

"You must touch the red, Dan, so that we can deal with the pain of your assault by Colonel Makepeace. We will deal with the deeper memories another time." Tannie took Dan's right hand. "Johnny, Daniel and JackO'Neill, take hold of Dan's clothing so that we can follow him into this."

Dan felt his lovers grab hold of him. He reached down with both hands, Tannie holding the one, and engulfed them in the blood-red mess.

They all felt as though they were sinking, and a putrid butcher smell surrounded them. When Dan opened his eyes, he was looking at himself, naked and tied up, lying on the bed in VIP 5.

Defiant blue eyes glared up at a distorted version of Robert Makepeace. Dan had been whipped, punched, poked, and who knows what else, but he was still defiant.

"Grab him, put him on his hands and knees on the bed facing me!" The Marine ordered two other Marines.

"Shit, he did it in front of others, Dan?" Jack asked, his voice aching with compassion and pain for his friend.

Dan's expression was hard and yet it was panicky at the same time. "Tannie, I can't do this, go through it again."

Johnny put his arm around his lover. "I'm here for you, love."

"Us too." Jack said, he and Daniel moving closer to the scared man.

"Dan, this memory, the fear that is generated from it, is what you must conquer as the first step in healing."

They watched as the two big men manhandled Dan into the position Makepeace wanted him in. The Marine zipped down his fly and took out his hard cock, putting it at Dan's opening and ready to rape the younger man.

"Fuck this! Makepeace, you're mine!" Jack darted forward, grabbing the other Colonel and pulling him off Dan.

"O'Neill! I'll kill you, you fucking pansy!"

"Wrong O'Neill, asshole." Jack said as he swung a right hook, which knocked Makepeace five feet away.

The other two Marines went after Jack, but Daniel and Johnny stopped them by tripping them. Both archeologists each kicked their goon in the head, knocking them out cold.

By now, Jack had nearly beaten Makepeace to a pulp. When all the fight was gone from the Marine, Jack grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and dragged him over to where Dan stood.

"He's all yours, Dan, do what ya want with him."

Dan looked down at the man who had raped and brutalized him. "I want to kill you, but you're not worth the blot on my soul. Makepeace, you're a sorry son of a bitch, and you ain't gonna stop me from being able to love Johnny again."

The Colonel spit on the nearly unconscious heap of Marine, then turned his back on him.

"Dan, you must take this memory, which is a part of you, into your spirit self in order to heal."

He looked down in disgust. "This? No way!"

"My friend, you must. Remember, we are here with you. That memory is the first obstacle to healing."

Dan turned, grabbed the pulverized Marine, and pulled him into a hug. All of the angst, fears, rage, disgust, self-hate that came with the Makepeace memory came into Dan. With his lovers around him giving him their strength, he accepted that part of him into himself. Makepeace disappeared into the Colonel

Afterwards, the scene disappeared.

Tannie's spirit face had lines of fatigue etched on in from all she had done so far. "How is your fear of Makepeace now, Dan?"

The Colonel looked inside himself, finally grinning. "I'm not as disgusted or scared any more! Cool."

The Pain Eater nodded. "Then we have completed what we came for. I grow tired, my friends. It is time to bring you all back."

One at a time, the men came back to their bodies and started coming out of the trance.

Jack opened his eyes first, looking around to see if they were still at the SGC. Nope, they were in the ritual room in the resort.

All the men sensed the Pain Eater's exhaustion and turned to her as one.

"Tannie, you okay?"

"I must sleep, so tired..."

Dan scooped her up into his arms and carried her into the bedroom she had shared with him, leaving the Pain Eater to her rest.

****

"So, big guy, ya wanna go outside and play snowball attack?" Jack asked after the four men had eaten and rested.

"I think I'd rather read, Jack." Daniel murmured, opening the spine of his newest translation book.

"Me, too." Johnny said, doing the same thing. "Maybe I'll join you guys later."

"So, Colonel, ya think ya can take me on?" Jack grinned alpha challenge at Dan.

"Easy as pie, Airman! You are so mine!"

The two of them bundled up in their winter gear and headed outside in the snow.

Daniel and Johnny didn't read anything. As soon as their lovers left, they ran to the ice-incrusted window, cleared a spot, and watched their boys playing.

****

"Gotya good, Jackson!" Jack clapped gleefully, his synthulate and leather gloves encrusted with packed snow.

Dan, spitting out the snowball that had hit him square in the head, growled, "Lucky shot, O'Neill."

The younger Colonel ran and launched himself at Jack, using his weight to push the older man back into a snowdrift. The drifts up there in the mountains were at least six feet high, so both of them disappeared into it.

After a bout of wrestling in the snow, they pulled themselves out, laughing and holding onto each other's snow-draped bodies. They were obviously having the time of their lives.

Daniel looked over at Johnny. "Should we go out and show them how archeologists play, Johnny?"

O'Neill grinned back at him. "They'll cream us, but let's go ahead and see if we can sneak up on them."

As the two civilians entered the scene, Jack was wiping the snow from Dan's rosy face, smiling at him.

"It's good to see you laughing, kid."

Blue eyes narrowed with mischief. "Who's a kid, old man?" Dan took out Jack's legs and dumped him back onto the deep snow, jumping on top of him and trying to stuff snow down his jacket.

"Your ass is mine, Jackson!"

"You'll have to fight for it, O'Neill!"

Two voices chorused, "No, YOU will!" Daniel and Johnny jumped on top of the two airmen, and a very cold and wet wrestling match ensued, amid much laughter. It lasted for a long while, until Dan managed to get some snow down Daniel's shirt. The heat-bred archeologist immediately started shivering.

Jack, always on Danny watch, bellowed, "That's enough! Danny's cold, it's time to go inside and hit the hot tub!"

None of them argued, since they were all starting to feel the freezing temperatures as darkness fell.

****

Tannie found the men in the hot tub later.

"Hey, Tannie, babe, come on in, the water's great!" Jack greeted her, a beer in his right hand and a sandwich in his left.

The Pain Eater did, and they handed her a huge lunchmeat sandwich and a bottled water, since she never drank alcohol.

"You look better."

"I am better, now that I have rested and meditated, Daniel, thank you. What did the four of you do while I was resting?"

"We went outside and played in the snow." Daniel reported succinctly. "Jack and Dan got creamed!"

"Hey, we just let you and Johnny win, didn't we, Dan?"

"Nah, they took us by surprise, O'Neill, and creamed us. Two geeks, at that! It's embarrassing!"

The Pain Eater smiled at the four cheerfully drunk men. "It is good to see you enjoying yourselves."

Jack yawned. "Yeah, we had fun. But I'm getting too old for this stuff, I think. I'm ready to hit the sack, what about the rest of you?"

Dan looked over at Tannie.

"Johnny, Daniel and JackO'Neill, I would like you to sleep with us in our bed tonight. Dan misses you."

"Aw, yer embarrassing me, here, Tannie!" The crimson color of Dan's face showed the truth of that.

She smiled, getting up and out of the water. As the Pain Eater grabbed a towel, she looked down at the men. "Tonight, Dan, if you feel you are ready, I am going to open your senses to feel the lovemaking that goes on. If you handle that well, then I will try making love to you first."

"Um, Tannie, why not let Johnny love Dan? After all, he is in love with him."

"Dan is not ready for a male lover, Daniel. My size and gender will insure that he feels in control throughout the process. Tomorrow, loves, after we do the final healing ritual, then will he be ready for being with his lover again."

The guys looked over at Dan, who blushed. "I'm still not sure I could bear any guy touching me like that. But I'm getting there, I can feel it!"

Jack, chocolate eyes warm, reached over and stroked Dan's short hair. "You've been a hell of a lot braver than I would have been, guy. I'm impressed."

"Gee, O'Neill, a complement? You dying or something?" Everyone there could feel the younger Colonel's pleasure at the admiration in Jack's voice.

"Nah, just turning sappy in my old age." O'Neill got out of the tub, grabbing another towel and starting to dry his body off. "Speaking of which, time for these old bones to head to bed."

Tannie reached out and stroked Jack's arm lightly, causing an instantaneous twitch of interest in his cock. "Your bones just want to see Dan and I make love, JackO'Neill, you cannot fool a Pain Eater."

His grin grew in wattage, along with his blush. "Hey, ya can't blame me, can ya? A Jackson with a hot babe like you, Tannie? Sheesh, it'll be like I died and went to heaven!"

Dan splashed Jack for that, and Tannie left them playing to get ready for bed. They would all be sleeping in the California King bed in the main room, so she moved her things in there. She took a shower to get the antiseptic from the Jacuzzi water off of her body, finally came back in to meditate a bit. She also wanted to make sure the room had only good energy in it, which it did.

It wasn't long before the men filed in, one by one.

Daniel, wearing sweatpants, climbed on the bed and sat up by Tannie. "Do you think Dan is ready for this, Tannie?"

"Yes. I also feel that he wants very much to get well. This will help him to do so. It will also build our separate spirits into one strong one, for Dan will be dealing with the worse memories tomorrow, and will need our support."

"What should I do?"

She smiled and leaned over, kissing Daniel lightly on the lips.

She even tastes like lavender! Daniel licked his lips, then leaned forward and pulled the Pain Eater into a deep kiss. She was so much lighter and softer than Jack and even Shau'ree, it felt odd to be with such a tiny woman.

"Hey, Jackson, start without us, why doncha?" Jack griped as he climbed into bed. The Colonel was nude and comfortable as only a long term military man could be with that situation.

"Yeah, Daniel, I'm supposed to be the one loving Tannie, not you!" Dan groused.

Tannie pulled out of Daniel's arms, smiling at the other men. "Dan, your job, for now, is to just watch and sense what we are doing. I am going to bring the four of you into empathic rapport with me, as I have done with Daniel."

"So does that mean we all got to kiss ya, Tannie?"

"Yes, JackO'Neill, though it really is not necessary, it is a rather pleasant way to begin."

Brown eyes narrowed at her. "You aren't gonna be doing anything like what you did to me this morning, are you? That was too damned intense for my old body to take."

"If I do that to you now, it would not be full force as it was this morning. That aspect of my gift is too intense for most people to feel with pleasure. No, JackO'Neill, we will be doing this the old fashioned way, I'm afraid."

He laughed, reaching out and pushing Daniel over so he could hone in. "Move over, Danny, it's my turn!"

Jack's kiss was, as usual, strong and very alpha.

When he finally pulled away, he mumbled, "There's a lot to say about the old fashioned way!"

"Jack, I felt you kiss Tannie! I felt your arousal, and hers as well! We're in rapport now, Tannie?"

"Yes. Now it is Johnny's turn."

The Pain Eater brought the last two men into rapport, then pushed Daniel, Jack, and Johnny at each other.

"Make love to each other, my dears, and I will work with Dan."

"Working" with Dan involved Tannie touching the Colonel as they both watched and sensed the other three men making love. It was pretty intense, as the feelings moving around the circle of them just kept getting fed back and getting stronger with the feeding.

Jack prepared Daniel with his lubed fingers, and he entered his lover at the same time Johnny took Daniel's cock into his mouth.

"Shit, Tannie, it's like his dick is in me, and Johnny's got my cock in his mouth!" Dan whispered to the woman who held him.

"Yes, that is how it needs to be. May I start touching you, my dear?"

"Are you kidding? I thought you would never ask!"

She laughed, and ran her purple fingernails down Dan's scarred chest. When she scraped his nipple, he caught his breath as a surge of power shot into his groin. The other nipple was next, then the belly button.

Dan decided to quit being so passive, and he reached out and stroked Tannie's breasts, thumbing the nipples to make them stand up. He could feel her pleasure, as well as his own and the other three men.

Jack was getting ready to climax as he tweaked Daniel's hot spot while pounding inside of him. Daniel was now jacking Johnny off, and being done himself by the other archeologist's talented mouth.

"God, coming, ahh, Danny, Goooooddddd!"

Jack's orgasm triggered the other two men into their own climaxes, and a lot of noise was made.

The intensity of it was too much for Dan. He moved up, spread Tannie's legs, and entered her roughly. Suddenly he had to come, or both his dick and head would explode! The Colonel covered her lips in his, rough in his need.

The Pain Eater clung to Dan, feeding him her pleasure at having him inside her. It wasn't long before she orgasmed, screaming out her ecstasy. Dan exploded right after that, crying out like he was in pain.

Exhausted from a very busy day and the vigorous lovemaking, the five of them collapsed into a snuggly heap like puppies, asleep almost immediately, still in rapport.

Part 8

Tannie again woke up with the feeling of a man spooned against her naked body, but this time it was Jack. He held the Pain Eater in his arms, his breath wuffling in her neck and stirring her hair. His erection was firmly lodged between the cheeks of her butt as though it belonged there.

She smiled, deciding she wanted to make love to her oldest friend. Canting her hips and putting her hand between her legs, Tannie guided him into her body. She leisurely started working him with strong pelvis muscles, sensing his sleepy enjoyment as he woke up. It wasn't long before Jack took over the pumping, his body moving in a rhythm as old as life itself.

The two lovers didn't notice as the other three men awoke as they sensed the pleasure Jack and Tannie were enjoying.

Daniel, who had been sleeping next to Jack, moved over and pulled O'Neill's hips still for a few seconds as he entered him from behind. Together the three of them got caught up in the joy and pleasure of a three-way lovemaking.

Dan, getting totally turned on from what he was picking up from the other three, pulled Johnny over and whispered in his ear, "Can I come inside you, babe?"

Johnny turned and looked at his lover. "You want to? It's okay?"

"Yeah, I think I can!" He smiled, his voice deepening. "Turn around, and commere!"

Johnny did, not even grunting when Dan entered him without lubing up or prepping him. He was so glad to feel his love inside him again!

The vibes were roiling between the five people by now, and when the orgasms started, it seemed like the temperature in that bedroom reached that of a sun! By the time the group sex session was complete, all five people could feel the emotions of the other four almost as clear as their own.

Daniel sat up, lifted his hand to his face and looked at it. "I can feel all of your hands, as well as my own! This is really interesting, Tannie. Jack, your back and knees are hurting, aren't they?"

Jack pulled his head up from where he had collapsed after the love making. "Yeah. Put too much strain on 'em yesterday in the snow."

Dan said, "I thought it was my own back and knees that were hurting! Weird."

The Pain Eater smiled, getting off the bed to go take a shower. "This is what I planned for us, Daniel. You are all feeling a small bit of what a Pain Eater feels at all times. After we shower and break our fast, we will deal with Dan's memories of Iraq."

"Shit, I feel so fucking good right now, can't we just skip that?"

Tannie looked down at the handsome man. "Perhaps. Dan, if you feel you could allow Johnny to make love to you, to enter your body, then perhaps you won't need the deeper healing. Do you wish to try? We will leave you to do so, and you can see."

Dan looked over at Johnny, who looked hopefully back. "Do you wanna try, Dan?"

"Sure. I was able to do you. Shouldn't be a problem to let you do me." He glanced over at the others. "We'd better try this alone, guys."

"No problem."

Daniel and Jack got up and went to take their shower, together as usual.

The three people went about their businesses, but felt the entire lovemaking attempt through their bonds with Dan and Johnny. They felt the fear slam into the Colonel as Johnny prepped him and the rigidity of his body, which made entry difficult. The frustration and anger the young man felt screamed across at them, making Jack wince.

"Shit. Poor kid. I know what he's going through. Though I was with Sara after Iraq, and didn't have to deal with penetration. I couldn't have taken that, I don't think."

Finally, Dan and Johnny gave up. They walked out into the living room with dejected faces.

"You felt that?"

"Yeah, kid, we did. You gave it a good shot, ya know."

"Not good enough!" Dan turned to Tannie. "Take me through that healing today, Tannie. I am going to let Johnny love me again, if it kills me!"

"I will, my dear. Shower and eat, then we will start the ritual."

****

Once again they stood in Dan's soulscape before the now lighter red streak. The Colonel again put his hands into it, and they were dragged down to a fetid darkness that was his memory of Iraq.

The memory that showed up was Dan being gang-raped by a group of Iraqi prison guards and military men. This time, Tannie told the group that they couldn't stop the memory. Dan had to face this, taking his memory of his battered self into himself, to accept the humiliation, pain, hatred, fear, rage, despair, all of it. He had to accept that he had had control ripped from him, and all the fighting in the world would not have stopped the cruelty. That it didn't happen because he week.

The younger Colonel hesitated when the time came, but Jack was the one that gave him the courage to go on.

"Come on, Dan, you can do it. You're a hell of a lot stronger than me, and this will show it. We're here with you, ya know. You aren't alone in this."

Dan squared his shoulders, turned, and grabbed the younger Dan to himself. The other four felt the maelstrom of negative emotions he took inside his spirit.

When Dan had calmed after taking the memory inside, he turned to his friends and lovers.

"I feel like an infected sore's been cleaned and drained. Shit I'm tired!"

"As are we all, Dan. It is time to come back to the world." They all noticed that Tannie's soul body was fading out by the end of the healing.

"Tannie, you alright?"

"I am fine, my dear Jack. I will have to rest and meditate for a long while once we are through, though."

****

Soon they were all self-aware again, and Tannie withdrew the empathic rapport between the four men and herself. Finally the Pain Eater left to rest and recuperate from the drain of the healing process.

Dan and Johnny went off alone to make love, which Dan managed to do successfully after a few false starts. Jack and Daniel joined them afterwards, and the four of them renewed their bonds of affection and passion.

Later, it was Jack that summarized the entire process the best.

They were sitting around the living room before a blazing fire. Dan, Daniel and Johnny were playing scrabble on the rug in front of the fire. Jack had his arm companionably around Tannie, the two of them sitting on the couch enjoying watching the other men play.

The older Colonel said quietly to the Pain Eater, "Ya know, even the deepest hurts can be healed by love. Who'd a thought it?"

She smiled up at him. "Now you have truly learned the secret of the Pain Eaters, my Jack O'Neill."

"HEY Dan, orgasm is not spelled o-r-g-a-s-u-m! Take those tiles back!"

"Who's gonna make me, four eyes, you?"

"FOUR EYES! Jack, Dan called me four eyes!"

"FOUR EYES! FOUR EYES!" Dan sang.

"Okay, kids, play nice."

The End.

Next: The Two Love As One