Title: Intervention
Author: Sam938
Rating: PG 13 some swearing.
Summary: Ep addition. Set between Citizen Joe and Reckoning. Daniel just can't sit back anymore. And everyone wonders, after that.
Classification: S/J UST
Archive: please ask
Disclaimers: Don't own them, didn't create them, and this is purely for fun and not profit.
Status: Pretty much done. 8 chapters. Short, though. It is an ep addition so, obviously not RST.
Feedback: Yes, thanks! I'd very much appreciate it
Scope note: In Citizen Joe, Jack mentions meeting Kerry Johnson. In Reckoning, the next episode, Daniel gets taken by the RepliCarter. This tale is an episode addition set between the two. It's also a precursor to Threads. I don't normally write this kind of ep/fanfiction additions, but the realizations that Jack, Sam and Kerry and even Pete made in Threads seemed forced, vanillia and incomplete to me. I wanted more background on why Kerry "got " it so fast, why Pete was reasonable, and why Jack and Sam were.. well, you can take that wherever you want to go with them. So, here's my interp. And Daniel's the lynch point.
And, given that Daniel is often in the wrong place and the wrong time and can be seriously annoying, and yet can be an alert, sensitive kind of guy upon occasion, I figure this is the one time that he should have gotten it right, and wrong, in his own unique way.
The story starts by assuming that the reader knows that Daniel and Teal'c have found out about Jack's relationship with Johnson by accidentally showing up at Jack's place when Kerry and Jack are having dinner, left after apologizing, etc. etc. and that the next day Daniel has decided to butt into the situation. So, that's definitely AU. The DJ/ Teal'c experience is prior to Sam running into Jack and Kerry accidentally, which occurs in Threads.
Uhh.. just to make sure I've been clear. This story does not have closure. It's an AU ep addition between Citizen Joe and Reckoning. Closure, for what it's worth, is in Threads.
Intervention
1.
Daniel glared at Jack, suddenly realizing he was more than just annoyed with the man. This time he'd actually reached disgusted, which had to be a first. He looked away, around Jack's office, focusing on anything except Jack's closed, forbidding expression.
He should have known this was never going to work. He was never going to get Jack to see the situation reasonably. Any sensible conversation about personal issues was clearly impossible when the other participant was a full-flown Brigadier General who was at his crusty best, and one who seemed to be perfecting the art as he rolled into the job. Who'd have thought that Jack would take to general-ism so well?
But that wasn't the point. In the end, their latest conversation reminded him of a damned inquisition, although to be fair, Jack hadn't started it. He had. He'd started question to Jack about his relationships, not the other way around. Jack had turned the tables about five minutes ago and Daniel had gotten nowhere since.
He focused and finally got back to the point. "I can't believe you're doing this."
"None of your business, Daniel. And if you don't shut up and leave now, I'll have you removed."
At that, Daniel finally looked back at Jack. "You can't do that."
Jack's closed expression never wavered, although he did put down the pen he'd been messing with. He shrugged and pointed at his shoulder. "My base, my star, and the last time I looked, you were a civilian who's only allowed around here because I said so."
"See? That's exactly the point. You never get that 'military' unless something's wrong. And this is wrong. You're not thinking clearly."
"Daniel, I'm not the one who's confused here. You are. Go away. In fact, go far, far away. Really far. You're on research leave for the rest of the week, and SG1 isn't scheduled off world until next Monday. So get out of here and go play with whatever you want as long as you do it off of my base, out of my sight and out of my hearing." He turned to his laptop, indicating that the conversation was over.
Daniel thought he'd just wait him out, but Jack clearly wanted to see the last of him because he looked up again almost immediately. His expression was as hard as Daniel had ever seen it.
"Now would be good."
"Damn it, Jack, just think for a minute. You can't just throw me off the base because you don't want to hear what I have to say."
Jack shrugged. "Actually, I can. It's in the regs."
But something of what Daniel was trying to say must have finally gotten through, because Jack did relent somewhat. "Look… I know you mean well. But the point is that my personal life and how I spend my downtime is none of your damned business. And it never will be."
"Jack --"
"Leave it alone, Daniel." It was more of a growl than a comment.
"This isn't right."
Jack didn't even bother to respond. Daniel wished he would; wished he could get something out the man, but he was as cold as stone. Worse than when the Ancients had taken over his brain again. He was just… unreadable and inaccessible. Daniel swore at himself, mentally. He should never have left this issue alone for so long. He should have tried to talk to Jack before the promotion. Who'd have figured that Jack of all men would turn out to be one of the hardest hard asses in the Brass once he got used to the position?
The General, not Jack, stared at him. "Dr. Jackson, SG 12 has been waiting for me for five minutes now in order to debrief. Is there something important you need to say? Otherwise, you're wasting both of our times."
Daniel sighed, knowing he wasn't going to get anywhere. "I -- God, you're an ass, Jack."
If anything, Jack's jaw got firmer as he finally reacted. "Nothing new in that. And you are off the base for the next week. Consider it a vacation."
"You can't--"
"I can. It's done. And in case you missed the memo, Daniel, or you're having a hard time coming back from the dead, calling your CO an ass to his face is universally acknowledged as grounds for disciplinary action in the private, public and military sectors."
"I wasn't talking about work."
"See? There's another problem." Jack raised his hands, indicating quotes. "This is a 'military base' and you're 'working' and I'm in charge. Got it?"
"I don't think that --"
"That's the problem, Daniel. You don't. And you have never been able to distinguish between the personal and the professional."
"Damn it, Jack --"
But Jack had clearly had enough. He gestured through the glass wall of his office, where Walter was hovering outside, as usual. When the man entered, he continued. "Doctor Jackson has requested some downtime, which I've granted. I don't want to see him here until Monday, and I expect that if he does arrive early, you'll inform me."
"Of course, sir." Harriman gestured Daniel towards the door.
Daniel ignored him. "Jack, you can't--"
"He's leaving now, Walter."
"I'm trying, sir." This time, Harriman grabbed his arm.
Daniel shook him off. "I just want you to think about this, Jack. Think about what it means to you and to Sam. There's too much there to --"
"To whom? What the hell are you talking about, Daniel?" Jack turned, suddenly, and looked at Harriman. "Walter, give me a minute with the fruit loop in front of me, and then come back with reinforcements."
"Yes, sir." Harriman clearly couldn't get out of the door fast enough.
Daniel ignored that too. "My point is --"
"MY first point is that you are never again going to imply in front of any of my officers that there is even the slightest hint of anything except a professional working relationship between Colonel Carter and me. It's insulting to both of us and I'm not going to allow your incorrect ramblings create unmerited gossip on my base. My second point is that you are way out of line. I didn't ask for your advice, and I don't want it. What I do with my personal time is, as I said before, none of your damned business. What piece of both of those points are you missing? "
Okay, maybe Jack had a point, even a couple of points on that one. Daniel tried compromise. "None. And you're right. I shouldn't have said anything about Sam with Harriman in the room, although discretion is his middle name. But this is still unfair to you, Sam and to Kerry Johnson."
With Johnson's name connected to Sam's, Jack finally reacted. It just wasn't the way Daniel had hoped.
"Okay, now I'm sure. You're certifiable. I've always suspected it, but now it's a given. Just in case you missed the last couple of years, which in part you did while being dead, Daniel, Carter's been dating a cop and now she's engaged, for crying out loud. She's got nothing to do with anything related to me personally. And any relationship I have with Agent Johnson is above board, by the regs, and none of your concern."
Jack gestured through the glass of the closed door to where Harriman was waiting with two SFs and gestured him in.
"Walter, get Dr. Jackson off my base."
"Yes, sir." Harriman gestured to the SFs.
Daniel sighed, admitting defeat. "All right, I'm going. You don't have to escort me. But you're still an ass, Jack."
"Out."
He left.
TBC...