Author's Note: Season 3, though season 4 may leak in.
6
Jack wondered how long he could keep up the act. He really only knew a handful of words and if they were to ask him something directly...it was best not to think of that. Drawing closer to them, he lifted Daniel's chin and forced a derisive laugh out. "You see how much more painful it is to these...harvestables when they hear a friend's voice as opposed to the god's?"
Walking around him, he leaned closer and whispered in his ear, but it was loud enough for all to hear. Unseen, his hand slid into the knots. "You are the Beloved? Our queen's standards have slipped, choosing such a poor specimen for such an honor."
Daniel whipped his head around in reaction, spitting at him. "No honor I assure you."
"Insolence!" He moved around, letting his hand fly out and the linguist fell to the side. The blue eyes gazed up at him, wounded, and he nursed the cheek against his shoulder. "I shall have to teach you your place, slave. This host seems to think that you have a grasp on learning quickly. We shall soon see how well he judged your intelligence," he hissed.
"I want no place with you," he glared, hurt erased leaving only pure defiance behind.
"Leave that one to me," Jack intoned, stopping the Jaffa from moving to take him. Moving over to Ferretti, Kawalsky, and another he trusted, he did the same thing to them. "I grow weary of this game. Take those three here, they are close to my host." He gestured towards them, bored but his head shook once more as they approached Daniel. "I'll take the Beloved He and I have some unfinished business to take care of."
Once the Jaffa had pulled them to their feet and they were clear of the huge towers, the made their move and shoved the guards aside and reached for the weapons. With Carter providing cover fire, they shot their guards and turned towards the others. The Stargate roared to life and General Hammond, with Teal'c in the pilot's seat, flew out in a glider.
"Yee-haw!" the general shouted, firing at the towers and Jaffa.
"Nice rescue, sir," Jack whistled. "Daniel, did I hurt you?"
Daniel continued to avoid his eyes. He was hunched in, arms wrapped around his waist.
"Danny?"
With a smirk, his head came up and he met his gaze evenly. "Not even a scratch. Honestly, you are so gullible, Jack." His eyes were sad, "did you mean it?"
"Not a word of it. Hathor doesn't even deserve your spit. Unless you meant her death, then, yeah. I did mean that. Old Hathor is nothing more than a frozen Popsicle."
6
What happened to my hair? Samantha thought, gaping at her dear, dead husband in disbelief. He stood off to the side, deep in conversation with General Hammond and her friend, Janet. Blue eyes narrowed as she noted the complete intimacy between Jack and the doctor. Their ease was that of long-time lovers, not colleagues.
Obviously, they were not together here. But this world wasn't bad. She could live without Jack if it meant that Apophis wasn't raining terror down on their heads.
"So, what's the emergency?" Daniel and Carter entered the room and stopped, stunned.
Jack waved, "Danny! Carter! Over here, Janet will explain things to you. Then you can let me know what's really going on. After which, we'll have a party while I figure out how to explain to Sara why she has two husbands."
"I'm not married, Jack. She is," Charlie said from his position in the corner. Earlier, he'd been told that his counterpart here had a wife and two kids, a third on the way. He either chose to ignore the absolutely terrorized shaking of Samantha's head or honestly didn't see it. "To you, in fact."
Samantha moaned and buried her head, afraid to meet their eyes. This was absolutely humiliating-and she was going to kill Charlie when they were left alone.
"Interesting choice, though not the most intellectually challenging. And, hey, at least I'm human, unlike an alien like the reality Daniel visited." Jack joked, diffusing the situation easily.
"What?" the astrophysicist looked up, startled. "You've been to another reality where I'm married?"
Daniel shook his head, telling her. "No, you were engaged to a Tollan named Narim."
"I thought you liked Martouf, sir," the other Sam said. "Was that a lie?"
"Marty's a great guy. I platonically adore Marty. Hey, may be we should change this subject before I'm in even more trouble than normal?" He saw the twin, evil grins on Sam and Daniel's faces. The curiosity on Kawalsky's, the mischievous twinkle of Janet. Only the general remained neutral in this. Dead either way, he thought. "On second thought, I'll tell Teal'c about the situation. General. Doctor. Captain. Doctor. Major. Daniel?"
He shrugged, half-interested in seeing Jack deal with this. "Should be fascinating to see you try to explain this to Teal'c." They heard him say as he walked out the door after Jack.
"I'm not that bad," he protested.
"You're not that good either," he retorted.
656
Jack gave Samantha a hug, turning towards the mirror. "I am sorry I can't give you what you really want but Jan..."
"Is your love here. Besides, it would make things awkward with your Sam. At least you've given me the chance to say good-bye, I didn't get that before."
He smiled slowly, allowing her to see a side of him that only Daniel ever had. Even Janet was not aware of his ability to speak so eloquently to the grieving. "You may never have what you had with your Jack but you will never be alone. Don't hide from the world. Grieve for a while if you must but I'll tell you what I know your Jack would say. Don't stop living, it won't bring any solace to you and will only hurt his memory in the end."
"Good-bye, Jack." She watched him go, careful to keep the tears hidden.
"Bye, Samantha. And don't be afraid to cry," he hugged her tightly. Then moved away and touched the mirror. She turned away, not wanting to see him leave.
6
Jack sat in his office, contemplating his report. Putting the finished project to the side, he wondered if he should see what Daniel was doing. It could not have been easy for him, seeing his wife die. And by the hands of a friend. Then again, should he interfere in something like this? May be Daniel wanted to grieve alone.
"Let's get out of here, Jack." Daniel stoically said. The linguist stood at the door, arms at his side, and the colonel rose silently and approached him, eyes studying the drawn and pale face before him.
This was new to them, usually he went to Daniel. It hurt to see the pinched look on his face. And the loss of innocence in the blue eyes, twisted his heart. But he knew that was how it had to be. Time changed them all, no matter how much he wished it could be otherwise.
Still, he thought as his arm curved around him protectively, it hurt him so much.
6
Daniel was shooting baskets restlessly in the gym. The lack of faith his friends had in Ke'ra bothered him. It was possible she could be Linea, but she wasn't now. As long as she had no remembrance of things past, she was no danger, right?
His head shook and he shot another wild basket. No, she was working on the cure. She would want to know. And in knowing lay the danger. Ke'ra was no danger. She wanted to heal. Her heart was open to helping and loving. She wanted to give, not take.
It was Linea who wanted to harm. To destroy.
Linea could not be set free again. She was poisoning the mind and life of another, much like a symbiote did. The Destroyer of Worlds needed to be destroyed herself. But Ke'ra deserved to have a life of her own. Did they have the right to deny it to her?
No.
But if they let her live, then Linea would resurface, for they had no right to deny her the cure she worked so hard to make.
Was saving her life right when in doing so many would suffer as a result?
Then, death was their only option. They would have to kill an innocent soul to save the lives of others. No other option existed but those two. Kill her or let her go and fear the day when Linea would emerge and take control.
Or was there a third option? Jack was always saying that if someone could come up with an impossible but better option, it was Daniel.
And now a new thought came to mind. Was this just a reflection of their lack of trust in him? Were they actually thinking that he could not be trusted? He seemed to attract women whose ultimate goals was to harm them. Did they not believe him because of it?
Shaking that one off furiously, he pondered the problem of Ke'ra. There had to be another option because he couldn't in good conscious let a good woman die in the hopes of stopping an evil woman from being reborn.
656
Tossing his finished report in his box, Daniel noticed a note carefully written in Gaelic, resting against the picture of Shau're. He knew that it could only be from Jack. Who else would bother?
But what could he possibly want to say to him so much that he would take the time to write it in a dead language?
'Daniel,
You were right that Ke'ra had a right to live even though she was Linea. As usual, your gut led you to the best solution for all. I will only say this, you were wrong about who I trust the most.
As much as Teal'c is my warrior brother, you are my anam cara. I trust you more than I trust myself. I just wish you could bring yourself to believe that.
Hockey tonight. I'll pick you up at eight.
Jack.'
He looked at the clock. If he was to make it in time, he needed to leave now.
6
"I don't like this," Janet said, nibbling her lower lip.
"Neither do I. But Jacob's a good man. Did you talk with Sam?"
Her head shook, "not yet. Send her in so I can give the major her pre-mission physical. I'll talk to her and Jolinar then. Hopefully, it will prove to beneficial to all concerned parties."
"Love you, Jan."
"Back at you, babe," she responded. Hugging him with a desperate strength, she thoroughly ravished his lips. "Come back and I promise you another one of those."
He groaned and pulled back. "I'll send Ferretti instead and go with you to P49-X52."
"Get gone, Jack," she laughed and kicked him out.
Sam raised an eyebrow as Jack nearly crashed into her before righting himself and gesturing vaguely for her to go in. "Am I interrupting anything? Though I do have to question the wisdom of carrying on so at the base."
Janet's face blushed lightly. "It's the nature of this mission. We're usually well behaved."
"Compared to who?" Sam teased.
"Stop it, girl and relax. Tell me, have there been any problems with your cycle?"
She hopped onto the examination table, folding her hands before her. "Nope. Which surprises me because I stopped taking the pill a few months ago."
"Are you sorry?" Janet asked.
"Nah, the pill was inconvenient at times. It was also unnecessary since Jolinar's presence takes care of things. You were right to say it's crippling me."
"And how are things going between you and her?"
"Better now that we've talked things through-especially since we talked about Martouf," she sighed, leaning back against the wall. "It's still hard to differentiate between her feelings and my own."
"Why fight it then? Especially since its what you both seem to want?"
"Because I don't know if I want it for me and my own happiness. Or if I'm just touched by their decades long love story and want them to reunite."
Janet nodded, understanding dawning in her eyes. "I see. Listen, I may be out of line by suggesting this, but why don't you talk to Martouf? He has experienced this confusion when he blended with Lantash, though I am only assuming that this is true. He is also one of the parties in question."
"You might be right," she sat up straight and her eyes lightened to a gray blue. "Doctor Fraiser, I am pleased to see you."
"Jolinar," she was delighted to speak with the Tok'Ra. "How have you been?"
"I am almost fully healed from the prolonged torture to my body. My host has helped me heal and recover. Returning to Sokar's prison is something that fills me with dread. I do not wish to return. Yet, Selmak is important to us. I will go to retrieve him."
"You won't be alone this time," Janet reminded her.
"I might as well be, though that Colonel O'Neill of yours makes being alone rather hard. Is he always so...intrusive?"
"Nosy? Loud? Over bearing? Interfering? Mother Hennish? Definitely, and we wouldn't have it any other way."
"You speak oddly of the man you love."
"I may love him but I am not ignorant of his flaws," Janet said. "What of Martouf? He'll be by your side."
She sighed, "it is him I most wish to protect from the things that I had to do to survive."
Janet studied her intently, "it will come out eventually. Best tell him yourself. Betrayal is an ugly thing and an even worse feeling when done with the best of intentions."
"You may be right," Jolinar conceded.
"Of course I am. I date the colonel, remember? One of us has to be right, since he so rarely is."
656
Jacob looked at Jack, doubtfully. "Sam will kill you for this, you realize that, don't you?"
"Yeah, but at least I'll die knowing that she's finally got that life I've been ordering her to get for years. My question is, are you going to help?" he looked at him, curiously.
"Her or you?"
"Her, sir. Daniel, you just about done?" he hollered.
"Almost, Jack. I think this is one of my better pieces. Are you sure the translation is correct?"
"Positive. Borgas is one of my first languages."
"No, I won't." Jacob said, wondering what Jack meant with his comment about languages.
"What?" Jack asked, blinking at Jacob.
He smirked at the revealing reaction. "Both Selmak and I agree with your actions, even though she questions your ways."
"They need to talk and locking them in the room for our four hour flight is the best solution," he reasonably pointed out "Surprisingly, it was Daniel's idea."
"Why does that surprise you, Jack?" his voice was slightly muffled.
"Because its you, Danny, the boy with...never mind. There's no way I can say this without sounding bad." He quickly retracted, seeing Daniel's glare.
Martouf and Carter walked in, looking decidedly uncomfortable with each other. A sad norm for them. One that they were all heartily sick of. "You wanted to see us, sir?" Sam addressed the colonel, moving to stand beside her dad as she did.
"No. Daniel did, some rock he found back there. Wanted your opinion on it." His head indicated the open door they were standing in front of. They could hear Daniel's exasperated sigh when he heard Jack's words.
"Artifact, Jack," Daniel corrected automatically as he joined them. "It's in there. Give me a moment to get my notebook and I'll join you."
They entered and Jack shut the door, sliding a bolt into place. "You kids have fun. But be careful, though we are no longer on a mission, any foul play could make your leaders look bad."
"Sir!" Sam protested, trying to force the door open. "DAD!"
"Don't bring me into this," he replied.
"Dr. Jackson? Selmak? Surely the two of you will be reasonable," Martouf tried.
"No more appealing for help, you two. The two of you have much to discuss and we won't let you out until you do. The both of you make me tired," Jack's voice calmly informed them.
Daniel added, "there's no use in trying to open the door, Sam. We've provided food and water, plus something to read. Other than that, you only have each other."
Sam and Martouf stared at the door, glanced shyly at each other, and then studied the floor. Outside, they could hear the footsteps walking away, leaving them isolated in the room. It was going to be a long journey.
6
Jack left the base, sighing. Things were better now that he'd been exposed as a double agent. His team knew that he'd lied to them about his feelings. Teal'c and Carter would get over it. Both were 'career military' by choice. They understood following orders even when it went against the grain of one's beliefs.
But Daniel was another matter entirely. From the get go, he had always found it difficult to separate the colonel from Jack. To be honest, Jack liked it that way. They worked better when they were of one mind. How far back had this little stunt caused them to fall?
Though Daniel had left before him, he didn't expect the linguist to be home. Since his 'theft', they hadn't seen each other, save for the infamous day. Pulling into the driveway, he stopped and got out with a deep sigh. The house looked sad and lonely, he'd gotten used to Daniel's presence.
Opening the door, he stopped, shocked. A delicious smell tickled his nose. Automatically, he catalogued the scents to draw a picture of dinner. Head cocked to the side, he realized that it was a traditional Egyptian meal. "Daniel?"
"You were expecting Thor?" he teased, leaning over the counter. The slight smile on his face revealed that he knew he was confusing Jack. And he loved it. "Go wash, I'm just about done here."
Looking around, he noticed that many of the things Daniel had removed were back. His living area looked friendlier, more lived in. "What? But I thought that? After what happened with the Tollans and the spying? Your work? And when I left, you weren't…the straws?"
Daniel snorted at the disjointed comments, coming around to stand in front of him, looking in his eyes. "What? That little display of yours? "Not much of a foundation", I believe were the exact words you used. Isn't that correct?"
Jack nodded, mind numbly processing what was happening. To think that this whole horrible mission should end like this had been something he had never dared to contemplate. That it was actually happening, his mind couldn't seem grasp fully.
"Could you possibly have been more obvious, Jack?" he asked, snorting. "That was like shouting "I'm lying my butt off here! to me." Honestly, how unobservant and clueless about our friendship do you think I am?"
He slowly blinked. "What?"
"We had a conversation about our friendship before, not to long ago in fact. I remember everything we talk about, Jack, even when its said in passing. As for not being in the gate room, I couldn't be there and not give you away. They were expecting to see some proof from me about how I now felt about you. How could my disgust show more clearly than in not watching you leave?"
Slowly, Jack's head nodded. What Daniel said made sense. How could he have not seen it for himself?
"And, really, you deserved it," his voice softened. Now, he sought comfort from his friend, that he was not wrong about his conviction. "But not everything was a lie, was it?"
Jack leaned against the counter, studying him, knowing what he really wanted to hear. "Everything about you wasn't true. About the second Stargate program with me in charge, that was true. My feelings about the superior races and their haughty attitude? Oh, yeah, that's true. I hate their smug superiority. The way they refuse to help us, yet beg for our help when something goes wrong with them. About the only ones who ally themselves with us who consistently come through are the Asgard-and even their aid is often to little, to late."
"That's what I thought," Daniel replied, relief in his tone.
"So, we're good?"
Daniel thought for a moment, slowly nodding. "We're shaken, how else could we be? But good."
6
Daniel stood in the hallway, unbelieving at what he'd just witnessed. Sam had just stepped into the elevator and Jack walked down the hall, as though nothing was wrong with their world. And he was still here. Alone and invisible. Gee, it felt like all those time in the foster homes. May be life was trying to tell him something and he was just slow in learning it. Shrugging, he decided to follow Jack.
That, at least, was something.
Jack stopped in front of Daniel's office, not surprised to find himself there. Stepping inside, he sighed and rested his head on the wall. "If he wasn't your grandfather, I would be paralyzed with fear and desperation. And don't sigh, it's true. He believed something outrageous, just like you. Only difference is, you get to prove yours on a weekly basis."
The linguist stepped closer and rested his hand on the tense shoulder, squeezing. For a moment, it relaxed under the offered comfort. "Carter was right. You are here, aren't you?" he softly whispered, turning to the empty space behind him. Jack could almost see his friend standing there but said nothing more, just enjoyed the peace in the room.
Enjoyed the silent comfort of the ghostly touch.
They stayed that way until someone passed by in the hall. Daniel withdrew, he had a grandfather to see and kick into gear.
656
"You knew I was there, why didn't you just believe Nick?"
"Having a gut feeling about something is a tricky thing, Daniel. While my gut about fighting or meeting people hasn't let us down, emotions are another. And in our line of work, I can't take things on faith easily. There's to much that can go wrong," he explained as they pulled into the diner. Jack waited at the door for him. Together, they entered and looked for their friends.
Janet rose and waved when they entered.
"It's also hard when that sense has been mocked, Daniel."
He nodded, understanding in his face, "hey, guys. Did we keep you waiting long?"
"For these eyes to rest on you once again, the wait is more than worth it," Janet drawled lazily, sliding over so that Jack could join her.
"Janet!" he protested, sitting by Sam. "Jack, call her off."
"Why? I agree with her."
"So do I," Sam added.
"As do I, DanielJackson. You have been missed," Teal'c intoned.
Still blushing, Daniel protested faintly. But he was secretly pleased. They reminded him that he was loved and needed. They were family. An unusual family, may be. One that wasn't for everyone, definitely. But his nonetheless.
And he wouldn't have it any other way.
6
Daniel was miserable. Jack had left after inviting him to go fishing. Something he never would have done because he knew Daniel wasn't fond of it. He also knew that the linguist would've said yes just to please him. Jack had been very careful to choose activities both enjoyed. He'd even avoided asking him to hockey games until he found out that he liked hockey.
Of course, that was a secret both would carry to their graves. As far as everyone here knew, Jack dragged his friend to the games to the sound of his vociferous protests. And Jack made it up to him, he'd go to exhibits or museums when asked. Deny it though he might, Daniel knew he enjoyed the trips due to his own unique way of private lecturing.
Only the twinge in his side stopped him from accepting.
His friend's brown eyes showed that he wouldn't leave him alone. It was the same look he'd had on Apophis' ship. So, Daniel had sent him off with a joke about staying in bed for a few more days. All he'd really wanted to do was have him stay by his side.
And he felt guilty for it.
656
Jack looked in on Sam, not surprised to see her working. "This what you planning to do on vacation?" He clucked his tongue, staring at the…whatever it was on the desk in the darkened room. It was one of her new doohickeys.
"Its fascinating, sir." She replied, removing the goggles on her face to see him clearly.
"Carter, you do know what a vacation is, don't you?"
"It's what you do all the time," she replied pertly.
"Spare me the insubordination, Carter," he mock groused. "Fascinating. Is that a euphemism for boring?"
Her eyebrow raised in perfect imitation of Teal'c, "as you say, sir. Besides, Martouf is coming and we'll spend some time together."
"Excellent. Since I can't persuade you to come fishing, keep an eye on Daniel for me, would you?" he left the office.
"Sir!" she followed him.
He turned, "yes?"
"Have a good time. Janet and I will keep him alive. One piece may be out of the question, considering his behavior sometimes," she laughed at his expression. Only one patient was worse than Jack and he was in the Infirmary right now.
"No damaging..." he was suddenly beamed out of the hall, "my archeologist...Thor?"
"I am here, O'Neill. Down the hall, I shall guide you the rest of the way."
656
Carter's eyes widened and she immediately hit the alarm. About to go and see the general, she thought better of it. Instead, she went to see Daniel and had to rush to the bed to restrain him.
"What's going on? Where's Jack?" he asked, struggling against her hold.
"He's fine, saying good-bye to the General. Most likely trying to convince him to go fishing with him."
"But the alarm?"
"Is just a simple glitch, Daniel," she calmly lied.
He yawned, calm and no longer fighting the drug. "Tell Jack to see me before he goes, okay? I think I will accept that fishing idea after all, if he'll put it off for a day or so."
"I'll do just that," she waited until he was sleeping. "I hope."
"What's happening?" Janet asked from her office.
Sam joined her, closing the door behind her. "The Asgard took Colonel O'Neill."
Oh, gods, Janet thought. "Why?"
She shrugged, "I don't know. Keep an extra watch on him. The colonel would kill me if anything happened to him. And I wouldn't blame him." With one last look at him, she left the Infirmary.
656
Daniel sat, helpless. Before him, an empty cavern where the Stargate once was. Empty, like his soul felt. It hurt worse than when Shau're died. With her, he had almost expected death to be her freedom.
But this was like watching his parents die. Again, he could only be witness to the tragedy unfolding before him.
Helpless and trapped. What would he do without his family?
Without his anam cara? He finally admitted, if only to himself, that Jack was his soul friend.
656
Odin's ship flew over Earth and nodded his thanks to them.
Jack rested his hand on Thor's, "get better soon, buddy."
"You are indeed as Thor said. Odd but extremely loyal to those you deem worthy," Odin observed.
"It's always been an Achilles' heel of mine," Jack shrugged. "Thanks for the ride."
"We owe you for showing us a way we had not considered before," was the reply before he beamed them down.
They startled everyone with their appearance in the control room.
Everyone except Daniel. Blue eyes stared dully ahead where the gate had once been. The trio winced at the look on his face. "Oh, Danny," Jack murmured and ignored everyone as he approached the stricken man, with Teal'c and Carter right behind him.
Two fingers touched the stiff shoulder and turned him around. Blue eyes refused to look up, taking their time to process the new information before them. His ears twitched, recognizing the voices that spoke around him. His nose picked up on familiar scents. For a moment, the eyes resisted, then lifted to see Jack and in the background, Sam and Teal'c.
"Come on, Space Monkey, let's get you back to bed," he said softly. Placing his hand under the elbow, he lifted the man to his feet and guided him out into the hall. By unspoken agreement, the other two left them alone. It was nearly empty in the hall as they made their way to the Infirmary.
"Jack?" he finally spoke into the nearly empty hall. Turning towards what he thought was an illusion, he sought comfort from it anyway.
There were no words inside him to ease the fear Jack saw in Daniel's eyes. So he didn't even bother. Opening his arms wide, he pulled the younger man into a reassuring hug-something they both needed. They stood in the hall, uncaring of time or the opinion of others.
After three years, no one really noticed them anymore. Or cared to question them.
656
They were at Jack's cabin after that disastrous mission on the Russian submarine. "Never again."
"Hmmmm..." Daniel looked up from his book. Surprisingly, he had enjoyed himself at the cabin. He wasn't expecting to. It had been a relaxing two weeks off. There was color in his face, which would please Janet when she arrived with Sam, Teal'c, and Cassie for a final blowout before they returned to work.
"I will never again go up against those bugs in such a tight place. Submarines are not good for close combat. Nor will I leave you behind again. You've got my six," Jack elaborated.
"Why? Doesn't Janet want it anymore?" he teased. "I don't blame her. It's starting to show its age."
"You little snarky archeologist," he mock pouted.
"That the best you can come up with?"
"Words are your forte, not mine." He pushed him towards the lake once he wrestled the book from his grip. With a laugh, Daniel grabbed onto his arm and they both tumbled in, getting into a water fight once they broke the surface. "Grab him, that's dinner!" he called out seeing a large fish swim by. Because, contrary to popular belief, the lake was full of fish. They just needed the right moment to show themselves.
"No, he's not. We're having a traditional Chulakian meal. You promised Teal'c," Daniel reminded him with a semi-scold.
Mock sigh, "so I did. Let's get the place cleaned up. They'll be here soon."
"Why must I help? I'm an invalid."
"Half of its yours and don't try that I'm injured routine, it doesn't work on me." Shoes squelching all the way, they made their way into the cabin.
End, Act 7.
