"You can't be serious, T," Jack said, "Carter wouldn't try to kill Daniel!"
"She would not," Teal'c answered, "However, my conclusions remain. Has there not been many occasions where we have found ourselves acting out of character, O'Neill? Daniel Jackson became quite violent under the effects of the sarcophagus."
"You mean, you think Carter is under some sort of alien influence making her psycho?" Jack demanded. It seemed preposterous, but now that it had been said, he immediately began to review all her actions in his head over the last few days. Mostly he remembered her hovering around himself, offering to help him in any way she could, bringing him food and coffee. Once or twice she had brought Daniel cookies as an offering, but looking back even then she had seemed more interested in what he thought of them.
"But why would she want to kill Daniel?" Jack asked, "I mean, it makes no sense! And what alien influence? Janet never detected anything. We seem to be fine."
"We do," Teal'c answered, "Perhaps I need to continue my investigation. However, I believe it prudent to confine Samantha Carter in some way." Jack considered this, then sighed, nodding his head in defeat. As much as he wanted to trust Sam, right now his first concern was Daniel's safety, and if there was the remotest chance that Sam was a threat he had to act on it.
Jack put in the call for Captain Samantha Carter to be escorted to a holding cell while Teal'c left to review all the latest planets they had visited for signs of anything suspicious. Then Jack hurried back towards the infirmary, suddenly certain that he had been gone far too long. He rushed to Daniel's door, nodding absently towards the guards and hurriedly stepped through, calling, "Daniel?"
Daniel was sitting up tensely in his bed, hugging himself tightly, his breathing labored and hitched with silent sobs. Jack rushed to his side, reaching out an arm to hold Daniel's shoulder, only for Daniel to jerk away from his touch.
"No," he gasped, and Jack's heart sunk, recognizing the signs. Hurrying back to the door he quietly told the guards to get hold of Janet, then closed it again and went back to Daniel's side. Looking into Daniel's distant, unseeing eyes, he started to speak calmly and softly to him, patting his cheek and trying to draw him back from whatever dark place he had gone. With his other hand he started to gently rub Daniel's back, careful not to touch his side or shoulder with his arm.
"Come on, Danny," he said, "You're safe. She isn't here, Danny, no one but me, you're safe." He repeated this over and over again, throwing in whispered words of love and calm, until Daniel's breathing slowly began to relax and the silent, harsh sobbing stilled. Jack could feel Daniel trembling beneath his hand and resisted the urge to pull Daniel into a hug, not wanting him to feel trapped. Finally, Daniel's eyes were looking back into Jack's, no longer seeing what wasn't there.
"Jack?" he whispered, uncertainty filling his voice.
"I'm here, Danny," Jack answered, "It's ok." Daniel pulled out of his self hug only to latch his hands firmly to Jack's shirt, the most comfort he was willing to take for the moment. Hearing someone clear their throat, Jack turned his head to find Janet standing there, apparently having decided to stand back and watch until Jack was finished.
"Janet?" Daniel asked, his voice shaky.
"It's all right, Daniel," she answered, "I'm just here in case you or the Colonel need anything. Perhaps some water?" Jack breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn't gone running straight for the sedatives and nodded his head. Daniel didn't answer at all but he accepted his water when it was brought a moment later, even letting go of Jack with one of his hands, though the other kept its death hold on his shirt.
"I'll be just outside, Jack," Janet said, having brought the water, "And I'll want to bring something in a little bit, to help Daniel sleep." Her stern tone offered no argument but Jack didn't think he was going to give one. He wanted some time to get Daniel settled back into reality, and then sleep would probably be a good idea. The fact that Daniel didn't protest spoke volumes for his mental state. Jack continued to calm him down, speaking to him softly, until he thought Daniel had come out of it as much as he was going to. Not willing to leave Daniel, he called out loud for Janet, who brought in the sedative.
A few minutes later, alone again, Jack sat in Daniel's bed leaning against the head rest with Daniel laying against his chest. Jack still wasn't quite holding him, using his empty hands to stroke gently instead. One hand ran over Daniel's hair, the other rubbed his chest, careful of the puncture wound and never going below his rib cage. Daniel had calmed down a good deal, though Jack could still feel minute tremors running through him, and his heart was beating fast beneath his palm.
"Want to tell me what that came from?" he asked softly. Daniel stiffened for a moment, before relaxing once more against Jack.
"Nothing," he answered, "It was just…I'm fine now." Jack sighed.
"We both know that wasn't nothing, Love," he answered softly, "What happened?" Daniel was finally truly relaxing, growing sleepy under the power of Janet's pills.
"Y'know what happen'd, Jack," he answered sleepily, "She was touching me. Holding me down. Couldn't fight her, Jack." He had started to tense again, his hands grasping at the cloth to Jack's pants. Jack continued to move his hands in gentle motions, resisting the urge to hold Daniel tight.
"Shhh, I know, I have you, Danny," Jack soothed him. He wanted to remind Daniel that she was dead, but he wasn't sure which of his molesters Daniel was referring too, and he had only had the pleasure of killing one of them. Feeling helpless and hating the feeling, he did the only thing he could, continue to reassure Daniel and bring him back to the present.
"You love me, Jack, not her," Daniel whispered plaintively, as though seeking confirmation. Jack froze for a moment, not truly understanding those words or where they came from, but answered quickly none the less.
"I love you, Danny," he whispered, "Only you." Sparing a quick glance towards the security cameras, wondering if he would have to do a bit of sabotage at the end of this, he was relieved to see the light was off. Janet must have seen to that. Or, he realized, growing uneasy again, it was whoever had come in before him, who had set Daniel off.
"Tell me, Danny," Jack whispered, "Did someone say something? Did you see something?" Daniel shook his head and Jack sighed, wondering why Daniel didn't want to tell him. Blinking back tears that he hoped Daniel wouldn't be able to notice, his eyes fell upon the table next to Daniel's bed. He saw the untouched bag of cookies and suddenly he knew. Swallowing hard, he forced himself to relax and keep his voice calm.
"It's ok, Danny," he whispered, "Go to sleep." Very soon, under the influence of Janet's drugs, he did just that.