Disclaimers: Not mine, yes I'm fully aware of that fact. Just borrowing them, and promise to return them to TPTB after they've been suitably cleaned, fed, and rested. Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes. No money has exchanged or will exchange hands. No copyright infringement is intended.

This story is SLASH. Do not read if you are offended by homoerotic content.

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Life, or Something Like It

Part One: Found

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"What if the Gate falls into the ocean?" Jack demanded.

"I'm willing to take that risk!" Daniel insisted. This was too important, too real to let go.

"I'm not. Lets go." Not taking 'no' for an answer, Jack grabbed his arm and dragged him from the room.

"Jack!" Daniel stumbled down the stairs, reaching for Jack at the same time. "Please." Daniel pleaded softly.

And Jack let him go...

~~~

Slowly, Daniel woke from the dream. Jack. How he wished Jack was here right now. Being his normal sarcastic, demanding self. If nothing else, it would be nice to have someone who cared if he died. Or at the very least help him find the Gate.

Sighing, Daniel stared blindly up at the sky. Where was *it*? How could it just disappear? Six months trapped on this planet with no way out. And he'd looked...everywhere. The Gate had vanished as if it had never existed at all.

It had been a one way trip to hell.

Violent rain, fierce winds, one gale force storm after another. A day to day fight just to survive. Daniel sighed again, letting his mind drift off. It was better than thinking about how much he hurt or why he'd been so stupid as to follow the boy through the Gate. His eyes followed the clouds, watching as they built up, layer upon layer not really paying attention. Instead he created castles in the sky.

Dreaming. Remembering.

The look in Jack's eyes as he came out of the ocean. That one of pure relief, surprise, and thankfulness that he was alive.

Daniel had been pretty happy to be alive himself. Nem may not have liked the answers he found, but eventually he let Daniel go. The whole time Jack never gave up, never wanted to believe he was 'gone'. Not even when Jack was packing out his apartment. Jack said that he almost gave up then. It had just seemed so final. And Jack called him stubborn?

Jack's hand on his shoulder after they defeated Hathor. Yet another mistake that Jack had supported him through. Damn, had Jack always been there? Forcing him to see what he didn't want to see? Accepting even at his worst?

The first beer he'd had in years, shared with Jack at his house. The look of irony on his face as he talked about the end of his marriage. Trying to think intelligently with his head spinning from the alcohol. That had been the beginning.

Daniel smiled fondly at the memories, plucking at the damp grass beside him.

Jack...Jack harassing him, demanding that he get a move on. Get up, move his ass, get going, keep going.

Daniel shook his head, confused. "Jack?" Daniel looked around trying to find him. Was Jack here? No, Jack couldn't be here. Daniel was all by himself. He just wanted Jack to be here. His mind was playing tricks on him.

"Did I hear my name?"

"Jack!"

"Yeah, Daniel, it's me."

"Okay, now I know I'm losing it."

"Don't worry Danny, I'll get you outta here."

"I'm not going to make it Jack."

"Yes, you are. Come on, let's get you on your feet."

Daniel laughed. Lord, even his ghosts were nuts.

"My leg's broke, Jack. I don't think I'm going anywhere."

"Daniel, I don't care what you think or don't think, get off your ass and move."

The air was heavy, wet, he couldn't move. He wanted to. Jack wanted him to. Thunder rumbled and a fat drop of rain hit his cheek, trickling down his nose. Rain. 'Oh god,' he moaned. It was starting again. The hair stood up on the back of his neck. First one drop fell, then another and another and another, the wind joining the mass of towering mass of clouds above him. Blue skies gone dark grey. then the rain hit hard, a fierce deluge pouring down.

Daniel tried to move. Tried to make his body listen to the voice in his head. He slid in the mud, the rain soaking him to the skin in seconds. Pain exploded as his broken leg hit a rock buried in the ground. He must have blacked out for a second because Jack was gone again. Did he scream? Hurt, run, hurt, run. He wanted to move but it was futile. His leg was on fire. It hurt to breathe. What did it matter? Wherever he went, the rain would always find him.

"Move, god damn it!" He was back. Jack's voice was growing more and more insistent. More angered. Did apparitions get wet too? If Jack were here now, he'd laugh...

"Daniel, give me your hand and get up on your feet. Fucking *move*." How many times over the last months had Jack been there for him? Even if he just a voice in his head. It was cold, so cold.

"I'm cold, Jack."

"Daniel. Daniel." The voice was pleading now. Maybe he should listen? Jack always knew what to do.

"Storm's coming Jack."

"Way to state the obvious, Daniel. It's already here."

"Oh. Yeah."

"We need shelter."

"Oh sure, Jack. I keep a spare tent in my back pocket."

"This is serious. Think, Daniel!"

"Like I don't know that? There's nothing, Jack. Nothing!" Daniel barely comprehended the threat, pain taking control of his exhausted mind, the struggle of being alone for so long finally taking its toll. "Damn it! What do you want from me?"

Jack was silent for so long that Daniel thought the specter finally left him in peace.

"Daniel, you have to move!" shouted a familiar voice in his ear.

"I'm too tired. Just need to rest, Jack." He reached out, his hand trembling, only to have Jack disappear.

"On your feet, Jackson!" The specter had moved to his feet. Danny raised his head to look at the vengeful apparition standing with his hands on his hips commanding Daniel's attention.

"Go away Jack." He intoned bitterly. "I'm not going to make it and you know it."

"God damn it, Daniel. I can't do this by myself. You have to help me."

"I can't."

"Jackson, if you are not on your feet and hobbling toward that cave back there in ten seconds, I'm going to shoot you myself where you lay."

"I'll never reach it before the storm hits. My leg's broke Jack. Don't you remember?"

"Oh for crying out loud! Danny, this is not a dream." Hands pulled him up into standing position.

"Real?" Daniel shook his head trying to think past pain that exploded through his leg and chest with the sudden movement.

"Glad to see you get with the program, Daniel, now lets move." Jack put his arm around Daniel's waist and they half ran, half hobbled for the cave.

"Jack?"

"What?"

"I think I'm going to pass out."

"So nice...of you...," Daniel struggled to answer. "Wanted...you to know...," His breathing labored, Daniel tried again. "Thanks."

"Just keep moving. We're almost there."

"Jack?"

"What now?"

"I think I'm going to pass out." Daniel coughed, clutched his broken ribs, and blacked out. His last thought before his good knee hit the ground was to whisper 'sorry'. He never heard Jack's muttered oath as they fell.