~~~

Little Wars

~~~

Daniel leaned heavily on the prison bars. Well? What did he expect? For Jack to suddenly forgive him? And now...here they were. Deja vu'. In yet another prison, in another time, only this time Jack wasn't too ken on staying close. He glanced over toward Sam where she held her father in her arms.

They were talking quietly, Martouf close, asking questions, as the three of them spoke together. They were planning strategy, relaying information, working on the latest battle in their little war.

Daniel barked harshly at his own joke. 'Little war', now that was funny. His whole life had been a series of little wars, sometimes on a real battlefield, but more often of late in his mind. Half afraid to touch, afraid to go forward and afraid to go back. A war being fought on three fronts.

A dejected sigh escaped. 'I'm so tired of this bullshit.' One chance, that's all he asked, just one chance. He missed the closeness he had had with jack, but the friendship could be salvaged, right?

The clang of the metal doors startled Daniel out of his morbid thoughts. He looked up into the mad eyes of Aphosis, shuddering. Who was next? Where was Jack?

Jack landed nest to him, totally unaware of the world around him. The guards pushed forward into the cell with Aphosis grabbing Martouf and hauling him off. For one second, Daniel had thought it would be him, but with an evil, promising grin, Aphosis left. And Daniel heard the words that smile harboured; 'You don't have a lot of time. Us it wisely. It will be the last, Daniel Jackson. Then you *will* be MINE.'

There was death written into that smile. A death filled with the promise of pain. Aphosis hadn't forgotten. He knew about Ammonet. The only question Daniel had was, did Aphosis think he killed her? Did it really matter in the long run?

A flash of blue and gold rounding the corner ended Daniel's speculation for the near future. Whatever, he knew it would not be...pleasant. Grimacing, Daniel turned toward Jack.

Marred as he was, Jack still drew him. His fingers itched to caress the greying hair, to affirm with touch what his eyes relayed; Jack alive and breathing. His hand hovered in the air at a moan from Jack, before sliding down to gently touch his shoulder.

"Jack." The heat of that simple movement tingled in his fingers, raced up his arm and struck straight into his soul. He could almost taste the pain pouring off the limp body laying next to him, the salt caked on his skin from feverish sweating.

"No, I don't wanna go to school." Brown eyes slid open to reveal a depth of pain more than just physical as Jack brushed his hand away. 'Don't Daniel. Just don't, okay?' Jack silently implored. His shoulder throbbed in time with his head and the ground wasn't exactly soft. "Yeah?"

'Same old Jack. Sarcasm at its finest.' Daniel missed the silent plea, instead mourning the loss of contact. Jack was always pushing him away, either with words or his body. He looked away, sinking back against the bars. Barely tolerated his presence when they arrived on Netu. It was like after Abydos all over again, earning Jack's respect. Being in the way of what Jack really wanted, like Skaara. At least the heat of the brief touch remained, and Daniel clung to its warmth against the chill in the room.

"Ow...oh." Jack gently inched back against the bars next to Daniel and felt every one of his years. His head spun imitating a jack-knifed truck crashing down the highway on its way over the cliff. 'Give it a rest, Daniel. You don't give a shit about me.'

"You okay?"

"No." The concern in Daniel's voice irritated Jack's abused nerves. 'I feel like I've been through the ringer. How do you think I feel?'

"They, ah, they took Martouf."

Jack stared out into the prison hallway, the pain rising again. 'Just talk about what happened, Jack. You don't hear the hope in Daniel's voice.' Thinking about 'why' would hurt too much. "They put that damn memory thing on me." Jack paused for a minute, working hard to remember what he had said at the time. "And then they gave me something that reminded me of the '70s." Jack furled his eyebrows working hard to solve this latest mystery. 'Why Daniel? What's going on here? Why aren't you on the other side of the room or something?'

"The Blood of Sokar."

"Daniel..." Pain rocked his temples, pulling him toward the bliss of darkness.

"Yeah?" Daniel wanted to do *something*. 'Anything Jack. What do you need?'

"I'm gonna pass out again." Yet another silent plea...'Catch me.'

This time Daniel heard.

~~~

Little wars, not merely a battle drawn, played, and then won or lost, but many infinitesimal battles raging on several fronts until one comes out the victor. And this was only the first of many battles yet to come.