AN: Something I cooked up after seeing 'Meridian' for the fifteenth time. Seriously, watch Jack when he tells Jacob.
Stargate: SG-1
"It's Daniel."
Two words – well, three if you wanted to be grammatically correct, four if Teal'c said it, and an intelligible mess when Carter was given the responsibility – but two words that Jack hated beyond almost any others. They ranked just below the "I'm so sorry for your loss" and "There was nothing we could do" he heard from the doctors after his son…
Anyway, he's heard those two words, or variations on the theme, more times than he ever thought possible, even after spending those few days (had it only been a few days? It had felt like a lifetime, changing everything when he returned) on Abydos when Daniel was either dying, dead or blowing up bad guys, switching roles every few minutes.
He's stalling, digressing, taking the long path, because he's not sure he wants to know what this latest potential fiasco could be.
There have, after all, been so many.
xXxXx
"It's Jackson."
His report to General West, who had been understandably surprised to see him, had been short and to the point. They went, they saw, Jackson (because he couldn't call him Daniel, not then, because they might realize something had happened, and he wouldn't betray his newest friend like that) conquered, his last act having been to send the drastically downsized team back to Earth.
After, he went to Catherine, apologized for being a jackass (Daniel thought that it was clever, the way the English language had anticipated Jack O'Neill's arrival), and told her what really happened. When he asked about family, her answer explained more than Daniel's easy acceptance of being left behind. It told Jack how to continue living, despite everything.
He retired then, said his goodbyes to Sara, and stared up at the stars, regretting that he would never be able to thank Daniel for everything.
xXxXx
"It's Daniel."
Of course, then everything changed again. He can still remember arguing with General Hammond (God, seems like forever ago), trying to persuade him not to send a nuke through the 'gate to Abydos. He'd like to say he was thinking of the people, and Skaara, and he was, but he was also thinking about Daniel Jackson, and how there was suddenly a chance that he would get to say thanks.
He didn't, not in so many words, but he liked to think Daniel understood.
xXxXx
"It's Daniel."
The first time Daniel dies (well, that Jack 'knows' he's dead) after Abydos turns out to be a big lie. The weird alien in the water was apparently on a fact-finding mission, and aside from a bad migraine, Daniel escaped unharmed. For the few hours that Daniel was dead, though, Jack was numb.
Their relationship hadn't yet reached the level of best friends, but the bond that had been created on the first mission was slowly strengthening into something unbreakable.
xXxXx
"It's Daniel."
It scares him, sometimes; the mantle of responsibility Daniel has placed on his shoulders. Daniel knows the world is ending – Jack can fix it. Doesn't matter if he has to disobey orders to do it. Doesn't matter if he has to leave Daniel behind. Daniel's girlfriend (seriously, girl on every planet) gets him hooked on alien happy juice – Jack can fix that, too. He's been there before. Daniel's brain goes on vacation – Jack is there. Rinse and repeat.
But it goes both ways. Jack gets stuck on an ice planet that turns out to be his own planet – Daniel finds him. Jack's brain suddenly gets a lot smarter – Daniel helps him communicate. Jack abandons his team and his principles, then turns out to be a good guy all along – Daniel's pissed, but eventually understands and forgives him.
So yeah, it's a lot to handle. But it's not like he's doing it alone.
xXxXx
"It's Daniel."
Until he is.
He took it for granted – Daniel will always be here. He really didn't see it coming. Yeah, Daniel didn't need him as much. And yeah, they have a few 'differences of opinion'. And yeah, he didn't really question making Daniel into an assassin and sending him alone into the enemy camp.
There's a lot he didn't do.
And then Daniel needs him again. But not to save him. To let him go.
He tries. Tells Jacob to stop. Accepts Not-Daniel onto his team. Tries to understand while Daniel watches him die again and again. Saves the world a couple more times, not thinking about where Daniel is and what he's doing.
But then Daniel needs him again – and when could he ever say no?
xXxXx
"It's Daniel."
They start over.
It's not like he has a choice. Daniel doesn't even know himself, let alone Jack, but it's good, because as Daniel learns who he is, so does Jack. He picks up on things he missed before, and he's better about clueing Daniel in on his own idiosyncrasies.
It's not like it was before. That's probably a good thing. But Daniel still needs rescuing, this time from crazy Hondurans, and Jack can't seem to keep away from alien head sucking technology, so their twisted friendship still works.
xXxXx
"It's Daniel."
One thing doesn't change. Jack still hates those words. He hates them when Daniel takes another trip to Ascendedland, hates them when Daniel's brain gets sent to another galaxy, really hates them when Daniel sacrifices himself (again) and turns up as a member of the Milky Way's Most Wanted.
He hated them before because he was the bearer of bad news. He hates them now because he's not. He hates them because by the time he hears them, there's not a whole lot he can do but wait.
Or, you know, help Daniel steal a spaceship.
xXxXx
"It's Daniel."
It was amazing to Jack that those two words that had caused so much heartache, grief, anger, and pain could now seem so innocuous. It was ridiculous to think that something else had happened. After all, it was Daniel, he was knocking on the front door, and if Jack didn't answer soon, he would very likely be dealing with a pissed off Daniel.
He pulled the door open, revealing his best friend juggling pizza and Guinness. That explained the knocking, then.
"Geez, Jack, took you long enough. I know you're old and all, but that was just ridiculous."
Jack rolled his eyes and took the beer. "I had to get over the shock that someone was actually visiting me."
Daniel was equally good in the eye-rolling department. "You fly out to Colorado in your fancy private jet every other month to 'inspect' the SGC. We went fishing – fishing, Jack! – last month in Minnesota. I flew out here inj- in just the back of an Air Force transport to see you. Show a little appreciation."
Jack hadn't missed the change in wording, and he narrowed his eyes at Daniel, who shrugged.
"I'm fine."
He looked fine, too, but now that Jack was looking for it, he saw the faint creases of pain on Daniel's face, and saw the way he hunched a little when he walked. He knew it couldn't be too bad – Daniel was here, after all, and there was no way Carolyn Lam would have let Daniel leave, let alone fly, if it was serious.
"So no air hockey, then?"
Daniel was going to go blind with the amount of eye rolling he was doing, but he just shook his head and grinned. "I'm sure we'll find something else to do."
He took his pizza into the living room, and Jack soon heard the faint strains of a theme from one of the History channel's shows. He hesitated, tempted to call Sam and ask her what had happened, but he decided to leave that for later. If he had learned anything from the last ten years, it was that life was short, and time spent with friends was precious. Daniel was fine, he was here, and even if it was the last time Jack saw him in this life, he was sure his best friend would pop up somewhere down the line. After all…
It is Daniel.
Stargate: SG-1
AN: Wow, it's been awhile. I was debating which story would break my self-imposed posting freeze, but this one just made sense. I like the friendship between Jack and Daniel and just how freaking complicated they make things.
Let me know what you think!