A Bird in the Hand
A. Rhea King

Chapter 1

Arrows flew from one direction. Bursts from powered weapons came from the other. And in the middle, were the culprits that started the battle. Sam, Mitchell, Teal'c and Daniel had come to this planet and found the Prior's had started convincing the people to follow their faith. It was apparently enough to anger Frank, he took over the body and in less than an hour, the Priors and villagers were fighting each other because he'd convinced the villagers the Priors were con artists. Now they were huddled behind rocks, trying to stay out of the line of fire.

"Jackson! Dial the gate."

Daniel started to move. His eyes flashed with light and he fell back.

"Dial it your damn self!" Frank snapped back.

Mitchell shot him a glare. "Give Daniel back now, Frank."

"NO! Any idiot can see sticking your neck above these rocks will get it shot off."

"Frank, give him his body back."

"No. I'm no--"

The light disappeared from Daniel's eyes. "Sorry about that."

"Just dial the gate," Mitchell ordered.

Dodging from rock to rock he made his way to the DHD. SG-1 followed him, keeping him covered as best they could. Daniel dialed home and ducked behind a rock with Sam. Daniel looked back when the gate burst open, his own eyes flashing with light.. Sam looked at him and he met her eyes. She saw nothing but terror in those brown eyes – an emotion she wasn't accustomed to seeing.

"Frank, Cameron hasn't--" Sam started to say.

Frank ran for the gate and jumped in.

"That gutless... FALL BACK!" Mitchell ordered.

They ran through the gate and came out in the S.G.C. Daniel was sitting on the ramp, head in hands. He looked up, watching them pass him without a word. The light in his eyes faded and he closed his eyes.

"Damn you, Frank," Daniel whispered.

Frank dribbled a basketball around the court, feeling its rough texture against their hand. There were times when Frank's emotions were overwhelming and confused him. With seeing people killed by the Priors and then running out on the team before Mitchell gave the order, Frank's shame and guilt almost felt like his own.

'This isn't translation, you know,' Daniel teased.

'Thought you weren't speaking to me,' Frank said.

'Yeah... It was only your second mission. I guess we can't expect everything to go right.'

Frank threw the ball at the net in anger. It bounced off the backboard and he caught it.

"Daniel, I'm never... I'm never going to be like you," Frank told him out loud.

'I know that.'

"No one else does."

'Hey, when I started this I hadn't even handled a gun before and certainly never killed anyone. I--'

"Those villagers are going to die because of me. And did you see how Sam, Teal'c, Mitchell looked when they came through the gate? Most of the base isn't even talking to us because of it."

'There's more going on than that.'

"How do you know that? No one's talked to us?"

'Gut feeling. Play basketball, Frank. That always makes you relax, and then I get relaxed, and then we'll go translate something.'

Frank smiled, tossing the ball into the air. It glided through the air and smoothly through the hoop and net.

'Wow. That was pretty good,' Daniel said.

Frank felt Daniel smile and start to relax. He smiled. 'Shoulda seen me in high school – in numerous high schools, actually. Oh, wait. You can, can't you?' He ran to catch the ball and line up for another shot.

'It's not the same. But what?'

'This too will pass, Daniel. You'll see. New stuff scares humans. And thu'lo. We just hide it better, I think.'

Daniel chuckled. Frank shot the ball again and made another basket. They were both startled when someone clapped. Mitchell stood in the door, leaning against the frame.

"Pretty good," he said, smiling.

"Thanks," Frank answered and started dribbling again.

'First time he's talked to us since we got back from the mission,' Daniel muttered. 'Don't piss him off, okay, Frank?'

"Did you need something?" Frank asked. He turned, aimed and shot.

"No. Not really. Just noticed you were playing and stopped to watch."

'Right,' Frank and Daniel thought together.

Frank jogged to catch the ball. Mitchell moved faster and caught it before him. Frank moved back, watching him dribble the ball slowly. Mitchell looked up at Frank, right into his glowing eyes. Landry had been the only other person to do that since Daniel and Frank returned to the SGC. Another first.

"Been holing up a lot, haven't you two?"

"Holing up?"

"Yeah. You two never seem to come out of his office much and you've been scarce on the last two missions. Could have really used one of you on the last one. Found these tablets with a bunch of crazy writing on it." Mitchell shot the ball. It almost made it in, bounced off the rim, the wall and hit the floor. Frank and Mitchell both ran after it. Frank grabbed it, made a sharp right, pivoted and shot over Mitchell's arms as he jumped. The ball made it through the hoop.

"Been busy," Frank muttered.

"Busy? Seems more like you two have been scared."

"I guess you didn't see what happened in the cafeteria."

"I did."

"And you wonder why we've kept to ourselves?"

Mitchell caught the ball and spun to face them, holding the ball tight to his chest.

"Who's scared of facing people? You or Daniel?"

Frank slowly stepped back, holding Mitchell's gaze.

'Both. Just tell him both'

"Daniel says both. He's right, I guess. I... I dunno what we're doing half the time. It gets pretty confusing in here."

"Kind of like Siamese twins, huh?" Mitchell tossed the ball to Frank.

Frank caught it, looking at it. "Sort of."

"Course, I have noticed that people have been giving you two the cold shoulder. Even Teal'c has been avoiding you two."

"He didn't like this idea from the start, I heard."

"Nope, but he'll get over it."

"And Sam?" Frank looked up.

"Frank, you're older than all of us. You should know that with change comes adjustments, right? Granted, we'd all like the old Daniel back just the way he was, with no extra voice or mind in him, but what's done is done. You saved his life and I'm good with that."

"And that's what you think about all of this?"

"Toss me the ball."

"No answer?"

"Toss me the ball."

Frank tossed him the ball. In a burst of speed he dribbled toward the basket. Frank moved to block him and was all over him trying to block the shot. Mitchell and he jumped and he just barely kept the ball from making its shot with the tips of his finger. He landed on his feet, caught the ball and spun to face Mitchell. Mitchell was smiling.

"I think Jackson really sucks at basketball and you're going to give me a run for my money."

'What? I've won before.'

"He says he's won before, Cameron."

"I let him."

'He what?'

"He doesn't believe you."

"And what do you believe?"

"I believe..." Frank smirked. "I believe you."

'The support is overwhelming, Frank.'

"That piss him off?" Mitchell laughed.

"He's not happy."

'Kick his ass, Frank.'

"But I have explicit orders to kick your ass."

"Bring it on."

Frank dribbled toward the net, laughing at Mitchell's attempts to stop him. They became so wrapped up in the game that they didn't see Landry come to the door and watch. He smiled at their teasing and banter. Mitchell had been concerned about Daniel refusing to go on missions and apparently took Landry's advice to talk to the two of them.

"Sir," a soldier said, walking up.

He turned away from the game.

"Sergeant Major Whitmore is waiting in your office, sir."

"SG-9's new member. Tell her I'll be with her in a moment."

He nodded and walked away. Landry turned back to the game. In a struggle for the ball, Mitchell accidentally tripped them both. They hit the cement hard, but came up taunting each other about it. Landry turned away, leaving them alone. In time, he knew the rest of the staff of the SGC would accept Daniel and Frank. It was a matter only time could work out.