Unsung Heroes
By: ChaosTheory89
Rating: PG
Summery: [Heroes, Tag, Hurt/Comfort, slight DJl/JF] Jack and Daniel talk about life, love, and what you do for your country.
Spoilers: Heroes 1&2, duh. Also, pretty much shoots Season Six out there… and all of Daniel's deaths… basically, spoilers ahoy! Watch out.
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 is the intellectual property of Gekko Productions, Showtime, and Sci-Fi. "American Soldier" is the property of Toby Keith and Dreamworks records. This is a work of fan fiction, and is not meant to infringe on the copyrights of any of the respective holders.
Notes: Janet Fraiser is not dead. La La La… (Plugs ears) not dead, not dead…
* * *
I don't do it for the money; there's bills I can't pay
I don't do it for the glory; I just do it anyway.
I can't call in sick on Monday, when the weekend's been too strong
I just work straight through the holidays; sometimes all night long.
Providing for our future, I will gladly do what's right
I'm out here on the front lines, so sleep in peace tonight.
I'm an American Soldier…- Toby Keith, American Soldier
* * *
Daniel looked more than a little preoccupied, which was understandable. Daniel also looked forlorn, hopeless, and depressed, which was also usual. However, his best friend Jack also looked a bit forlorn, and that was unusual: Colonel Jonathan O'Neill, USAF, Jack to friends, didn't do forlorn, hopeless, preoccupied, or depressed. At least, not when he was on his medication.
"Daniel." Jack said, softly. Daniel was startled out of his reverie.
"Yeah, Jack?" Daniel asked, slowly.
"How are you doin'? How's Sam?" Jack cursed himself for being injured for about the billionth time that day. If he could just get out of this infirmary – but he couldn't, Doc Fraiser would kill him … Oh. Doc Fraiser wasn't around to kill him, anymore. Or stick needles in him, ever again. Jack sighed.
"As well as can be expected, I guess, Jack. I mean, we're all under review, Sam's … well, not good, Teal'c, I can't really tell the difference…" Daniel trailed off.
"Yeah. Danny…"
"It was my fault, Jack," Daniel whispered, looking up through his glasses. Jack would have shot up from the bed if it didn't hurt so much…
"No, Daniel, it wasn't. And it wasn't that airman's fault, either."
"… Janet just wanted to get him home… She shouldn't have been out there, Jack…" Daniel drummed his fingers on Jack's sideboard. The Colonel noted with slight amusement that he was rubbing off on the poor space monkey.
"Yeah, she wanted to get him home. Janet knows: you can't stand it if you don't know that you did everything to get everyone home, safe…" Jack sighed, looking up at the ceiling and wishing he had the words.
He, along with Samantha Carter, Cassie, and perhaps Teal'c, was among the few that knew of a certain budding relationship which had just run into serious difficulties.
"It's not fair… I die every few months, get popped into a sarcophagus, and bounce right back… but Janet…" Daniel's voice cracked. O'Neill shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to say. Sam should be here, or Teal'c…. he couldn't handle a grieving archeologist having a breakdown…
"Daniel, if it helps, she knew the risks. Doc knew what she risked going out into the field, knew what it was to work with alien viruses and Go'ould and God knows what else was thrown at us. She died for her country."
"Why, Jack? Why her? Why couldn't the Jaffa have just shot me, and I'd be dead, and there would be no sarcophagus, and no ascending or whatever else we've done to bring me back…"
"Daniel! Don't think like that."
"Can't help it anymore, Jack. Can't help it."
"She wouldn't want you to. There's always something to live for."
"So they keep telling me."
* * *
A.N. Yup. She's dead. Can't believe it. We did get a major shippy D/J (JANET! NOT JACK!) Moment in there, but the Heroes arc just threw a [space] monkey wrench in all my fanfictions… arg. So I'll just stick with a tag.