TITLE: "A Day Behind"
AUTHOR: Verb
RATING: T, I would think.
CATEGORY: Humor, Daniel/Janet, shameless Asgard jokes.
SUMMARY: Timing Is Everything
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable Stargate SG-1 characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment only and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. This story and other publicly unrecognized events or characters therein are copyrighted to the author and may not be used or reproduced in entirety or in parts without express permission of the author.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I always have problems with naming my stories. This one owes its title to a Bowling For Soup song, entitled "Belgium". It is, quite possibly, the funniest parody of a love song I've ever heard. This song made me think, write, and laugh so hard that people on the bus gave me funny looks. This is the result of that laughter. Please enjoy!
DEDICATION: Again, to Dessert Blossom-by-the-Sea, for encouragement and kick ass beta'ing. Also? To everyone who reads this little story. Yes, you! You're brilliant. What do you mean, 'Why?' Because I wrote the story, and I said so!
Chapter 1 – In Trouble
"I don't know what we did, but I think we're in trouble."
Daniel turned, pulling a book from one of the multiple shelves that were housed in his office. "Why do you say that, Jack?"
Jack made his way over to the desk, making himself comfortable in Daniel's rather overstuffed office chair. "I was just in the infirmary, checking up on a few things."
Daniel fought to suppress a grin. "And by 'checking up on things', you mean visiting Sam, right?" he clarified as he pushed Jack out of his chair. He knew his friend would probably be more comfortable in his chair, but if he let Jack sit there once, then he would do it all the time. A little like a dog, Daniel though to himself, Let them on the bed once and it becomes a habit.
Jack couldn't quite pull off a casual shrug as he made his way to the more uncomfortable chairs on the other side of the desk, watching Daniel shuffle his papers and books, no doubt looking for a specific passage for his translations. "Maybe that too. But I ran into the Doc, and she did not look good." He leaned forward and placed his elbows on the desk. "Did you do something?"
Daniel sat still for a moment and tried to think of what it was that he might have done. Last night had been very busy – SG-7 had brought back a few tablets they retrieved from a temple on P4X-393. He had spent most of the day and night attempting to translate the writings and make sense of the message. After way too many cups of coffee and at least three incidents of waking up with his head on his desk, Daniel had forced himself to go to his on base quarters. "Nothing that I can think of. Was Janet angry at you for something?"
Jack removed his arms from the desk and leaned back in his chair, making a face to show his discomfort at being forced into the plastic chair. "Not that I can think of. I mean, she did have to kick me out of the infirmary last night, but she always does that." He paused and looked thoughtful for a moment. "But she was a lot less forceful than normal. Almost as if she was really sad about something."
Daniel frowned and rearranged some of the open books scattered across his desk. "Sad? That's not good." He looked up and his eyes met Jack's. "Is it possible she's just upset because of what happened to Sam?"
"Possible." Their last off-world mission had not gone well. A standard scientific recon mission on P4N-294 had quickly turned ugly when a group of the planet's inhabitants had appeared at SG-1's campsite. According to the little information Daniel was able to get before Jack had been forced to turn tail and head back to Earth, the planet was once ruled by Adric, a minor system lord with a taste for blond hair. Apparently, the colour was rare in the planet's population, and Adric favoured those with the trait, treating them better and allowing them certain privileges. One look at Carter had caused a mini-war, resulting in Sam taking an arrow to the chest when the planet's inhabitants had opened fire in an attempt to bring her back with them. Jack suppressed a small shudder as he recalled pulling Sam through the 'gate earlier that week. He had been truly afraid she was so severely injured that he would lose her. He pushed his thoughts to the present. "Fraiser was a little shaken up when we first came back through the 'gate. But you know the Doc; she starts barking orders to everyone and she's fine."
Daniel nodded at his friend, remembering the rush of gratitude he had felt to the petite physician when she had taken control of the situation. He always had known she was an excellent doctor, but more and more he had started to see her as something other than just a very close friend.
Jack's voice snapped Daniel out of his mind's little side trip into his feelings. "Do you think that maybe she's just tired from being awake for so long? I don't think she slept the entire time Sam was unconscious after the surgery."
"She didn't," Daniel confirmed. He knew for a fact that Janet had been up, worrying non-stop since it was he who had found her in the commissary at three in the morning, fast asleep with her head on the table beside a cold mug of coffee. Daniel had gently woken her up and poured each of them a fresh cup. They ended up talking for almost two hours about work, Cassie, everything and anything to avoid talking about Sam. While he walked her back to the infirmary, Janet had confessed how worried she was about Sam, and expressed her thanks for his support. Daniel had been genuinely surprised when Janet had given him a quick but warm hug before retreating back to her office. He had stood frozen outside the infirmary for a solid five minutes before his brain had caught up to his senses and he was able to process all of the emotions flooding his system. It had taken the last few days after Sam had woken up to sort through all of those feelings he finally had to admit he harboured for the base's CMO. He had hoped that once things had calmed down as much as it can at the SGC, he would try to work up the courage to talk with Janet.
"Well, that can't be good." Jack pulled himself out of his chair. "What do you say we swing by Teal'c quarters and go visit Sam? Hopefully she'll be able to convince Janet that she's gonna be ok. Maybe then things will get back to normal."
Daniel shot him a look. "Ok, well as normal as it can be around here," Jack admitted. "Come on, let's go."
Daniel shook his head. "Why don't I meet you there, Jack? Let me put a few of these artifacts away."
Jack fixed his friend with a hard look. Since when has Daniel refused a visit to the infirmary? Jack had suspected there was something going on between his friend and the Doc. He just wasn't sure if they were aware of it yet. "Ok, well, when I get to the infirmary in 15 minutes, you had better be there."
"I will, Jack."
"I mean it. I will hide the base's entire coffee stash from you if your ass isn't in one of those god-awful infirmary chairs by the time I get there."
Daniel smiled at Jack's teasing threat. "I'll be there. 15 minutes." He turned his back to Jack and put away some of the books he was no longer using.
Jack shot one last look at the archeologist before leaving the office.
Daniel sighed as he heard the sound of Jack's footsteps fade in the hallway. Placing the last of his books, he paused for a moment and leaned against the shelf, his mind experiencing a slight overload. He was determined to help Janet if she was having a rough time with something. He had always known that he hated to see other people in pain, evident by the way Jack complained about his unconscious ability to get in trouble while off-world. But Daniel was worried that Janet hadn't come and talked to him about what was bothering her. He just hoped that a talk with Sam could shed some light on the situation.
xxxxxxx
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