Title: Heroes (6/10)
Author: Karen
Rating: R (for violence and some non-graphic sexual scenes. Whoo hoo!)
Pairing: D/J
Disclaimer: Not mine, not a one.
Category: Angst, Romance, Light Humour.did I mention the angst?
Spoilers: YES! Up to and including 'Heroes' and then we swerve merrily off
into my own little world.
Distribution: Ask and ye shall receive. If you want to.
A/N: This is an episode 'fixer' or 'what if'. I haven't seen the ep or read
a transcript, so it may be a little out of whack when the episode airs. In
my head, everything is hunky-dory and certain events never happen. Period.
Oh, and I'm working on the supposition that Cassie is a senior in high
school.
Dedications: This is completely and totally inspired by the wonderful D/J
vids at www.gypsy-gateway.com, specifically 'Words He Doesn't Say' and
'I'll Be Good To You'. Go check out the final one in the trilogy 'It Is You
(I Have Loved)' that's just been released! Wonderful, wonderful vids,
thanks for the inspiration and all your kindness to a D/J newbie, Amy.
Part 6.
The SGC was under siege. Not by parasitic snakes, small grey aliens or aliens of any description that could take another's shape or become invisible. No, this threat was much worse. The competent and highly trained staff were being pursued by the most feared threat in all the known galaxies.documentary filmmakers.
"If I see you hangin' around my door again I'm gonna get a gun and shoot you with it, Presidential approval be damned!" Jack O'Neill slammed his office door shut with a firm bang and then wrenched it back open to snarl in the faces of the two startled men on the other side. "And don't think I won't know if you go askin' any dumb ass questions about me behind my back. I can have you beamed to the other side of the galaxy like that, pal!" He snapped his fingers under the nose of the man holding the microphone and then slammed his door shut again.
The two men exchanged glances and edged away before the obviously unbalanced Colonel decided to spring back out with a new threat. "Maybe we should try someone else, Bregman? Someone a bit friendlier?"
The man in charge of possibly the most difficult media mission of all time raised an eyebrow. "Who would you like to suggest? That scientist that looks like a Barbie and talks like a physics book, the alien with the personality issues or the archaeologist who keeps smirking and telling us he might be human or he might not be." The man ran a harried hand through his thinning dark hair and sighed deeply. "They were ordered to co-operate with us."
Clive Wright, freshly cleared through National Security and desperate to finish up this particular job so he could get away from the hard-eyed people that populated the SGC, edged further away from Jack's office and clutched his beloved camera to his chest. "I don't think they want to."
"Well of course they don't want to, they want to keep their little 'Star Wars' spectacular all to themselves, but everyone has to learn to share sometime." Bregman's baggy eyes lit up as he caught sight of a small, white- coated figure march briskly past the end of the corridor immersed in a plain file held in her hands. "Bingo. There's that foxy little doctor, let's go see if she wants to chat."
Clive shook his head as he watched his employer head off in hot pursuit of Janet and reluctantly began to follow. Bregman's habit of using less than PC terms to describe the women he came into contact with was normally no more than a slight blip on his embarrassment scale but around the women of the SGC who were used to being seen as equals it could be life threatening. He made a mental note to stand as far away from Bregman whilst he tried to interview Doctor Frasier and, if possible, near something that would supply cover if things got nasty.
Janet had nearly reached the sanctuary of her office when she felt the tap on her shoulder. She jumped and turned to see the filmmaker that had been bugging the life out of her colleagues for the last forty-eight hours beaming at her, whilst his unhappy looking camera man offered her a weak smile and hung back by several paces. "Yes, can I help you with something?" Janet's warm smile of relief that she hadn't been accosted by Daniel was obviously taken as something completely different by Bregman and his grin widened appreciatively as he looked her up and down.
"I certainly hope so." He took hold of one of Janet's hands and raised it to his mouth to brush his lips over her knuckles. "We were hoping we could take up a few minutes of your valuable time and get a few scenes of the most beautiful doctor I've ever seen on film." Gray eyes twinkled in appreciation as Bregman smiled into Janet's amused eyes. "I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend my afternoon with."
"Colonel O'Neill threatened to shoot you again, didn't he?" Janet gently pulled her hand from Bregman's and surreptitiously wiped it on her lab coat with a wide smile. "And Major Carter tried to tell you all about her newest scientific break through."
Clive couldn't help the snort of laughter as the Doctor's dry tone and hurriedly changed it into a cough as Bregman turned to glare at him. "Sorry."
"Doctor Frasier, or can I call you Janet?" Bregman barely waited for Janet's nod of permission before sweeping on. "Although the flagship team of the SGC is obviously going to be a main focus of our work, we're also wanting to tell the story of the people behind the scenes as it were, the human element behind the heroes. And you, dear lady, are someone I definitely want to know more about."
"Uh-huh." Janet shot an amused grin at the young cameraman now rolling his eyes behind his boss' back and shrugged. "Ok, well I have some time before the next team is due back. Come in and make yourself at home." She led the way into the Infirmary and waved at an empty cot. "Have a seat." Janet leaned against the wall by the bed and stuck her hands in her pockets. "What would you like to know?"
Bregman boosted himself up onto the bed before checking the camera was rolling and turning to Janet with a big smile. "You enjoy a huge responsibility here at the SGC, how do you cope with that?"
Janet blinked at the blunt question and said carefully. "I don't know if enjoy is the right word. I'm certainly expected to maintain a careful monitoring of SGC staff and our allies and provide acceptable answers to unusual questions." She licked her lips nervously and shrugged. "Part of my job is to accurately record the new diseases and treatments we come across and assess the practicalities of using them in our ongoing fight with our enemies and helping our own race."
"But it is a lot of pressure for one person to handle." Bregman smiled encouragingly. "Tell us how you deal with seeing your friends and co- workers injured or near death on a regular basis, that must be hard."
"I, er."Janet shook her head and shrugged helplessly. "Of course, I." She turned gratefully as she heard the sound of heavy footfalls coming through the Infirmary doors and the hopeful look on her face melted away when she met the cool blue eyes of Daniel Jackson. "Daniel."
"Hi, Janet." Daniel folded his arms across his chest and raised an eyebrow in a manner eerily reminiscent of a certain short-tempered Colonel at the two men with Janet. "Mr Bregman, I see you found someone to talk to."
"Dr Jackson." Bregman's smile dimmed a notch as he looked at Daniel's closed face. "We were just speaking with Doctor Frasier about the human cost of the Stargate programme, someone who sees the hurt and frailties of the people behind the heroics."
"Ok-kaay." Daniel stared silently at the two men before suddenly breaking into a wide smile. "Sounds fascinating, mind if I sit in?" Ignoring the stunned expression on all three faces he jumped up beside Bregman on the bed and nodded at Janet. "Don't mind me, go on."
"Daniel, is there some kind of an emergency?" Janet glared at her ex-lover as he wriggled his butt on the bed to get into a comfortable position. "Are you hurt?"
Daniel's eyes darted to Janet's and held. "Well now, isn't that a leading question?" He tilted his head towards Bregman who was almost quivering with eagerness as looked between the tense pair. Daniel held Janet's eyes for another few seconds before suddenly giving her a wide smile. "But I'm not hurt, for once, I just came to pin you down to a date." Daniel wasn't the only one to notice Janet's flinch at his choice of words but he was the only one to smile. "Y'know for us to get together with Sam and go over the latest care package Thor sent through for us. The medical stuff."
"I wasn't aware you were involved in that project, Daniel." Janet frowned as she realised she had backed herself up against the wall and her shoulder blades were actually aching from the pressure. She forced herself to relax and lean away from the wall. "I was under the impression Sam and I would be responsible for overseeing the work."
Daniel's smile widened. "Colonel O'Neill agreed with me that you needed a linguist to work in conjunction with you to ensure the correct translations were being used." He glanced at the two men, avidly observing them and shrugged. "National security, fate of the planet stuff. Y'know, the usual."
"Really?" Bregman forgot all about tension between the two doctors and latched on to the fact that Jackson was being more forthcoming than he had been in the two days they had been trying to interview him. "Are you involved in a lot of high security clearance projects?"
"Ye-ees." Daniel tucked his hands under his thighs and swung his booted feet as he glanced back at Janet's closed face. "I work on the Stargate programme." He grinned as he caught the involuntary twitch of Janet's lips at his dry reply and continued smoothly. "It goes with the territory."
"DanielJackson." All four heads turned as Teal'c walked into the room. "I have been searching for you. Colonel O'Neill wishes me to tell you that our presence is required in General Hammond's office at 1300 hours." The Jaffa stared impassively at Bregman and Clive and then inclined his head towards Janet. "DoctorFraiser, do you wish to be alone?"
"What? Oh, no, that's fine, Teal'c." Janet smiled at the large man and then blinked as he crossed the room to stand impassively at her side. "Is there something I can do for you?"
"No, DoctorFrasier." Teal'c folded his hands behind his back and eyeballed Daniel pointedly over the top of Janet's head. "I wish to remain to observe this documentary making. To ensure it is handled.carefully." The tide of colour that flooded Daniel's face had the Jaffa's nostrils flaring before he moved his bland gaze to Bregman and Clive. "I will remain."
Understandably the two non-SGC personnel in the room looked less than happy at being the focus of the warrior's attention but Bregman tried to rally himself. "Wow, Doc, we should take you around the base with us. You sure do seem to have some influence with these fellas."
"DoctorFrasier is held in high regard by all who know her." Teal'c took another step closer to Janet and twitched his well-developed shoulders. "She is well liked."
"Er, right." Bregman found himself leaning back on the bed and out of reach of the alien's worryingly long arms. "That's great. Actually I've read that you also took in a young girl a few years back, Doc. You're greatly admired by your colleagues for raising a kid and doing such a high-pressure job. She's an alien as well, isn't she?" The temperature in the room dropped a few degrees as Janet flinched at the familiar term being applied to her beloved daughter and Teal'c and Daniel both lost their expressions of blandness and instead just started looking mean.
"You know, I really don't think I like that word when it comes out of your mouth, Bregman." Daniel got off the bed and braced his legs apart as he placed his hands on his hips. "You might want to watch who you say that to around here."
Teal'c nodded coldly. "Indeed."
"Come on, guys, I didn't mean anything by it." Bregman tried to laugh. "We've read the report on the kid, it's not like we don't know she's from another planet. We just figured it'd add a great dimension to the story of SGC. The human woman loving one of the things she's.uuurgh!"
"You are SO lucky I'm not Colonel O'Neill." Daniel tightened the hand that had flown up to grip Bregman's throat and watched with detached interest as the smaller man pulled desperately at his arm whilst he fought for breath. "He'd have killed you before you finished the first sentence. Teal'c, help the nice man with the camera."
"Daniel, stop it!" Janet made a grab for Daniel's other arm and was alarmed when he shrugged her off without even breaking stride as he marched Bregman backwards towards the Infirmary door. "You'll hurt him."
"I believe that is the intention, DoctorFrasier." Teal'c took hold of the petrified Clive's arm in a gentle hand and steered him after Daniel and his captive. "This way please."
Daniel's arm tensed and he thrust Bregman back, smiling as the man fell onto his butt and skidded a few feet back along the corridor. Two passing airmen looked down and the younger one saluted Daniel. "Sir. Is there a problem?"
"I think Mr Bregman probably wants to talk to General Hammond fairly urgently, Roberts. Can you escort him to the briefing room?" Daniel stepped aside as Teal'c escorted Clive past him and waved as the two airmen helped the spluttering filmmaker to his feet. "I'll see you there, Bregman."
"Your commanding officer is going to hear about this!" Bregman was gasping for breath as he rubbed his bruised throat. "This is intimidation and."
"Oh, I can guarantee he will." Daniel tucked his hands under his armpits and rocked on his heels cheerfully. "Colonel O'Neill just loves stuff like this, right Teal'c?"
"That is correct, DanielJackson." Teal'c stood shoulder to shoulder with his friend and smiled. "I believe he will be delighted to have an excuse to discuss Cassandra. She is much loved by us all."
"Daniel, Teal'c!" Janet tried to push past the two men and reach the wheezing Bregman. "I'm so sorry, I don't know what's got into them."
"They're insane!" Bregman backed away from Janet and jerked his head at Clive to follow. "I'm going to make sure they're both court-marshalled for this."
Daniel swapped unconcerned looks with Teal'c and called after the retreating men. "Good luck, we're civilians, you can only get us fired!" He waited until the corridor was empty before looking down at Janet's scarlet face. "Are you ok, he didn't upset you too much did he?"
"Are you INSANE?" Janet's eyes were bugging out incredulously in her head as she looked her ex up and down. "Have you any idea what you've just done?"
Daniel looked baffled. "Um, yes? I just stopped that little weasel bad mouthing Cass and using you both for his tacky little film." He looked at Teal'c. "Right?"
"Correct, DanielJackson." Teal'c eyed Janet's livid face and decided he'd better go and find somewhere else to be. "MajorCarter is expecting me, please excuse me." He bowed slightly to both of them and then took off as fast as his long Jaffa legs could carry him.
"Coward." Daniel watched his buddy desert the field and then turned back to Janet, only to find she'd disappeared. Again. "Dammit, will you stop doing that!" He hurried into the Infirmary and was just in time to see the door to Janet's office slam shut behind her. "Janet!" He stormed after her and threw open the door to march into the office. "What is your problem?"
"MY problem?" Janet slapped her palms onto her desk and leaned forwards. "Daniel, you just assaulted a civilian and you think *I* have a problem?" Her hands curled into fists. "Just get out."
Daniel gripped the edge of the door and slammed it shut with enough force to make the room shake. "I did that for you. Did you want him to talk about Cassie that way?"
"Of course not, but I could have handled it without you and Teal'c losing what little you obviously have left of your minds and throwing him out on his ass." Janet flopped into her chair and dropped her head into her hands. "I can't believe you did that, what were you thinking, Daniel? It's not like you to treat people that way."
By now completely confused, Daniel stared down at the top of Janet's head. "Um, yes it is." He tried to smile at her as she lifted her head and stuck out his hand. "Hi, I'm Daniel Jackson, explorer, archaeologist, diplomat and convicted criminal on eight separate worlds that I know of." He grinned boyishly. "Or did you think I came back injured so many times from missions because Jack got tired of hearing me talk?"
Janet stared at his hand uncomprehendingly for a moment and then dropped her head back down. "Just go, Daniel, please. I'll think of something to tell the General."
Daniel pulled back his hand and titled his head to the side. "Come on, Jan, it's not that bad. General Hammond isn't going to do anything to me or Teal'c, we both know that." He chewed worriedly on his lip as Janet continued staring at her desk top and then moved to cautiously touch her tense shoulder. "Janet?"
"Daniel, leave me alone!" Janet wrenched out of his light hold and batted his hand away. "I told you to go."
"I'm not military and I don't take orders from you." Daniel's soft voice betrayed none of the tension that was apparent in his eyes or the line of his body. "Is this about what happened with Cassie the other night?"
"No!" Janet gave him her best CMO glower and scooted her chair back out of reach. "I just want you to leave me alone."
"And I told you that I'm not going to do that." Daniel folded his arms and propped a hip on the corner of her desk. "I want to make things right between us." He sighed. "I just want to be with you again."
"Well you can't. I keep telling you that I don't want you like that anymore, Daniel, when are you going to start listening to me?" Janet's eyes were darting around the room, looking anywhere but at the man perched on the edge of her desk. "I don't need you to come swooping in to save me from stupid little bigots and I definitely don't want you following me around like some kind of stray. Why don't you believe me?"
"It's probably got something to do with the fact that you cry over me at night and that you can't look me in the eye when you tell me you don't want me." Daniel smiled almost sympathetically at Janet's stunned face and shrugged. "Cassie talked and I pay attention. I know that I hurt you and I know you're just trying to protect yourself like I was but there's no need anymore, Janet. I swear I won't hurt you again."
"Daniel." Janet leaned back in her chair and tried to swallow as he reached out to skim a finger over the back of one bone white hand where it clutched at the arm of her seat. "I was upset that you were missing. I worry when any of you are in trouble."
"I know, that must be hard, I'm sorry." Daniel kept his eyes on her face as he covered her hand with his and stroked the underside of her wrist with his long fingers. "But Cass also gave me the impression that it wasn't just when I was lost. She said you cried in your room almost every night when we broke up." He edged closer as Janet blanched and tried to pull away from him. "I used to lie awake every night or, when I did get to sleep, have nightmares about you being taken away from me. I was stupid and selfish before and I won't make that mistake again." Daniel bent his head and waited until Janet looked reluctantly up at him. "I love you."
Which was of course the moment the emergency alarms sounded all over the SGC.
End Part 6.
Part 6.
The SGC was under siege. Not by parasitic snakes, small grey aliens or aliens of any description that could take another's shape or become invisible. No, this threat was much worse. The competent and highly trained staff were being pursued by the most feared threat in all the known galaxies.documentary filmmakers.
"If I see you hangin' around my door again I'm gonna get a gun and shoot you with it, Presidential approval be damned!" Jack O'Neill slammed his office door shut with a firm bang and then wrenched it back open to snarl in the faces of the two startled men on the other side. "And don't think I won't know if you go askin' any dumb ass questions about me behind my back. I can have you beamed to the other side of the galaxy like that, pal!" He snapped his fingers under the nose of the man holding the microphone and then slammed his door shut again.
The two men exchanged glances and edged away before the obviously unbalanced Colonel decided to spring back out with a new threat. "Maybe we should try someone else, Bregman? Someone a bit friendlier?"
The man in charge of possibly the most difficult media mission of all time raised an eyebrow. "Who would you like to suggest? That scientist that looks like a Barbie and talks like a physics book, the alien with the personality issues or the archaeologist who keeps smirking and telling us he might be human or he might not be." The man ran a harried hand through his thinning dark hair and sighed deeply. "They were ordered to co-operate with us."
Clive Wright, freshly cleared through National Security and desperate to finish up this particular job so he could get away from the hard-eyed people that populated the SGC, edged further away from Jack's office and clutched his beloved camera to his chest. "I don't think they want to."
"Well of course they don't want to, they want to keep their little 'Star Wars' spectacular all to themselves, but everyone has to learn to share sometime." Bregman's baggy eyes lit up as he caught sight of a small, white- coated figure march briskly past the end of the corridor immersed in a plain file held in her hands. "Bingo. There's that foxy little doctor, let's go see if she wants to chat."
Clive shook his head as he watched his employer head off in hot pursuit of Janet and reluctantly began to follow. Bregman's habit of using less than PC terms to describe the women he came into contact with was normally no more than a slight blip on his embarrassment scale but around the women of the SGC who were used to being seen as equals it could be life threatening. He made a mental note to stand as far away from Bregman whilst he tried to interview Doctor Frasier and, if possible, near something that would supply cover if things got nasty.
Janet had nearly reached the sanctuary of her office when she felt the tap on her shoulder. She jumped and turned to see the filmmaker that had been bugging the life out of her colleagues for the last forty-eight hours beaming at her, whilst his unhappy looking camera man offered her a weak smile and hung back by several paces. "Yes, can I help you with something?" Janet's warm smile of relief that she hadn't been accosted by Daniel was obviously taken as something completely different by Bregman and his grin widened appreciatively as he looked her up and down.
"I certainly hope so." He took hold of one of Janet's hands and raised it to his mouth to brush his lips over her knuckles. "We were hoping we could take up a few minutes of your valuable time and get a few scenes of the most beautiful doctor I've ever seen on film." Gray eyes twinkled in appreciation as Bregman smiled into Janet's amused eyes. "I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend my afternoon with."
"Colonel O'Neill threatened to shoot you again, didn't he?" Janet gently pulled her hand from Bregman's and surreptitiously wiped it on her lab coat with a wide smile. "And Major Carter tried to tell you all about her newest scientific break through."
Clive couldn't help the snort of laughter as the Doctor's dry tone and hurriedly changed it into a cough as Bregman turned to glare at him. "Sorry."
"Doctor Frasier, or can I call you Janet?" Bregman barely waited for Janet's nod of permission before sweeping on. "Although the flagship team of the SGC is obviously going to be a main focus of our work, we're also wanting to tell the story of the people behind the scenes as it were, the human element behind the heroes. And you, dear lady, are someone I definitely want to know more about."
"Uh-huh." Janet shot an amused grin at the young cameraman now rolling his eyes behind his boss' back and shrugged. "Ok, well I have some time before the next team is due back. Come in and make yourself at home." She led the way into the Infirmary and waved at an empty cot. "Have a seat." Janet leaned against the wall by the bed and stuck her hands in her pockets. "What would you like to know?"
Bregman boosted himself up onto the bed before checking the camera was rolling and turning to Janet with a big smile. "You enjoy a huge responsibility here at the SGC, how do you cope with that?"
Janet blinked at the blunt question and said carefully. "I don't know if enjoy is the right word. I'm certainly expected to maintain a careful monitoring of SGC staff and our allies and provide acceptable answers to unusual questions." She licked her lips nervously and shrugged. "Part of my job is to accurately record the new diseases and treatments we come across and assess the practicalities of using them in our ongoing fight with our enemies and helping our own race."
"But it is a lot of pressure for one person to handle." Bregman smiled encouragingly. "Tell us how you deal with seeing your friends and co- workers injured or near death on a regular basis, that must be hard."
"I, er."Janet shook her head and shrugged helplessly. "Of course, I." She turned gratefully as she heard the sound of heavy footfalls coming through the Infirmary doors and the hopeful look on her face melted away when she met the cool blue eyes of Daniel Jackson. "Daniel."
"Hi, Janet." Daniel folded his arms across his chest and raised an eyebrow in a manner eerily reminiscent of a certain short-tempered Colonel at the two men with Janet. "Mr Bregman, I see you found someone to talk to."
"Dr Jackson." Bregman's smile dimmed a notch as he looked at Daniel's closed face. "We were just speaking with Doctor Frasier about the human cost of the Stargate programme, someone who sees the hurt and frailties of the people behind the heroics."
"Ok-kaay." Daniel stared silently at the two men before suddenly breaking into a wide smile. "Sounds fascinating, mind if I sit in?" Ignoring the stunned expression on all three faces he jumped up beside Bregman on the bed and nodded at Janet. "Don't mind me, go on."
"Daniel, is there some kind of an emergency?" Janet glared at her ex-lover as he wriggled his butt on the bed to get into a comfortable position. "Are you hurt?"
Daniel's eyes darted to Janet's and held. "Well now, isn't that a leading question?" He tilted his head towards Bregman who was almost quivering with eagerness as looked between the tense pair. Daniel held Janet's eyes for another few seconds before suddenly giving her a wide smile. "But I'm not hurt, for once, I just came to pin you down to a date." Daniel wasn't the only one to notice Janet's flinch at his choice of words but he was the only one to smile. "Y'know for us to get together with Sam and go over the latest care package Thor sent through for us. The medical stuff."
"I wasn't aware you were involved in that project, Daniel." Janet frowned as she realised she had backed herself up against the wall and her shoulder blades were actually aching from the pressure. She forced herself to relax and lean away from the wall. "I was under the impression Sam and I would be responsible for overseeing the work."
Daniel's smile widened. "Colonel O'Neill agreed with me that you needed a linguist to work in conjunction with you to ensure the correct translations were being used." He glanced at the two men, avidly observing them and shrugged. "National security, fate of the planet stuff. Y'know, the usual."
"Really?" Bregman forgot all about tension between the two doctors and latched on to the fact that Jackson was being more forthcoming than he had been in the two days they had been trying to interview him. "Are you involved in a lot of high security clearance projects?"
"Ye-ees." Daniel tucked his hands under his thighs and swung his booted feet as he glanced back at Janet's closed face. "I work on the Stargate programme." He grinned as he caught the involuntary twitch of Janet's lips at his dry reply and continued smoothly. "It goes with the territory."
"DanielJackson." All four heads turned as Teal'c walked into the room. "I have been searching for you. Colonel O'Neill wishes me to tell you that our presence is required in General Hammond's office at 1300 hours." The Jaffa stared impassively at Bregman and Clive and then inclined his head towards Janet. "DoctorFraiser, do you wish to be alone?"
"What? Oh, no, that's fine, Teal'c." Janet smiled at the large man and then blinked as he crossed the room to stand impassively at her side. "Is there something I can do for you?"
"No, DoctorFrasier." Teal'c folded his hands behind his back and eyeballed Daniel pointedly over the top of Janet's head. "I wish to remain to observe this documentary making. To ensure it is handled.carefully." The tide of colour that flooded Daniel's face had the Jaffa's nostrils flaring before he moved his bland gaze to Bregman and Clive. "I will remain."
Understandably the two non-SGC personnel in the room looked less than happy at being the focus of the warrior's attention but Bregman tried to rally himself. "Wow, Doc, we should take you around the base with us. You sure do seem to have some influence with these fellas."
"DoctorFrasier is held in high regard by all who know her." Teal'c took another step closer to Janet and twitched his well-developed shoulders. "She is well liked."
"Er, right." Bregman found himself leaning back on the bed and out of reach of the alien's worryingly long arms. "That's great. Actually I've read that you also took in a young girl a few years back, Doc. You're greatly admired by your colleagues for raising a kid and doing such a high-pressure job. She's an alien as well, isn't she?" The temperature in the room dropped a few degrees as Janet flinched at the familiar term being applied to her beloved daughter and Teal'c and Daniel both lost their expressions of blandness and instead just started looking mean.
"You know, I really don't think I like that word when it comes out of your mouth, Bregman." Daniel got off the bed and braced his legs apart as he placed his hands on his hips. "You might want to watch who you say that to around here."
Teal'c nodded coldly. "Indeed."
"Come on, guys, I didn't mean anything by it." Bregman tried to laugh. "We've read the report on the kid, it's not like we don't know she's from another planet. We just figured it'd add a great dimension to the story of SGC. The human woman loving one of the things she's.uuurgh!"
"You are SO lucky I'm not Colonel O'Neill." Daniel tightened the hand that had flown up to grip Bregman's throat and watched with detached interest as the smaller man pulled desperately at his arm whilst he fought for breath. "He'd have killed you before you finished the first sentence. Teal'c, help the nice man with the camera."
"Daniel, stop it!" Janet made a grab for Daniel's other arm and was alarmed when he shrugged her off without even breaking stride as he marched Bregman backwards towards the Infirmary door. "You'll hurt him."
"I believe that is the intention, DoctorFrasier." Teal'c took hold of the petrified Clive's arm in a gentle hand and steered him after Daniel and his captive. "This way please."
Daniel's arm tensed and he thrust Bregman back, smiling as the man fell onto his butt and skidded a few feet back along the corridor. Two passing airmen looked down and the younger one saluted Daniel. "Sir. Is there a problem?"
"I think Mr Bregman probably wants to talk to General Hammond fairly urgently, Roberts. Can you escort him to the briefing room?" Daniel stepped aside as Teal'c escorted Clive past him and waved as the two airmen helped the spluttering filmmaker to his feet. "I'll see you there, Bregman."
"Your commanding officer is going to hear about this!" Bregman was gasping for breath as he rubbed his bruised throat. "This is intimidation and."
"Oh, I can guarantee he will." Daniel tucked his hands under his armpits and rocked on his heels cheerfully. "Colonel O'Neill just loves stuff like this, right Teal'c?"
"That is correct, DanielJackson." Teal'c stood shoulder to shoulder with his friend and smiled. "I believe he will be delighted to have an excuse to discuss Cassandra. She is much loved by us all."
"Daniel, Teal'c!" Janet tried to push past the two men and reach the wheezing Bregman. "I'm so sorry, I don't know what's got into them."
"They're insane!" Bregman backed away from Janet and jerked his head at Clive to follow. "I'm going to make sure they're both court-marshalled for this."
Daniel swapped unconcerned looks with Teal'c and called after the retreating men. "Good luck, we're civilians, you can only get us fired!" He waited until the corridor was empty before looking down at Janet's scarlet face. "Are you ok, he didn't upset you too much did he?"
"Are you INSANE?" Janet's eyes were bugging out incredulously in her head as she looked her ex up and down. "Have you any idea what you've just done?"
Daniel looked baffled. "Um, yes? I just stopped that little weasel bad mouthing Cass and using you both for his tacky little film." He looked at Teal'c. "Right?"
"Correct, DanielJackson." Teal'c eyed Janet's livid face and decided he'd better go and find somewhere else to be. "MajorCarter is expecting me, please excuse me." He bowed slightly to both of them and then took off as fast as his long Jaffa legs could carry him.
"Coward." Daniel watched his buddy desert the field and then turned back to Janet, only to find she'd disappeared. Again. "Dammit, will you stop doing that!" He hurried into the Infirmary and was just in time to see the door to Janet's office slam shut behind her. "Janet!" He stormed after her and threw open the door to march into the office. "What is your problem?"
"MY problem?" Janet slapped her palms onto her desk and leaned forwards. "Daniel, you just assaulted a civilian and you think *I* have a problem?" Her hands curled into fists. "Just get out."
Daniel gripped the edge of the door and slammed it shut with enough force to make the room shake. "I did that for you. Did you want him to talk about Cassie that way?"
"Of course not, but I could have handled it without you and Teal'c losing what little you obviously have left of your minds and throwing him out on his ass." Janet flopped into her chair and dropped her head into her hands. "I can't believe you did that, what were you thinking, Daniel? It's not like you to treat people that way."
By now completely confused, Daniel stared down at the top of Janet's head. "Um, yes it is." He tried to smile at her as she lifted her head and stuck out his hand. "Hi, I'm Daniel Jackson, explorer, archaeologist, diplomat and convicted criminal on eight separate worlds that I know of." He grinned boyishly. "Or did you think I came back injured so many times from missions because Jack got tired of hearing me talk?"
Janet stared at his hand uncomprehendingly for a moment and then dropped her head back down. "Just go, Daniel, please. I'll think of something to tell the General."
Daniel pulled back his hand and titled his head to the side. "Come on, Jan, it's not that bad. General Hammond isn't going to do anything to me or Teal'c, we both know that." He chewed worriedly on his lip as Janet continued staring at her desk top and then moved to cautiously touch her tense shoulder. "Janet?"
"Daniel, leave me alone!" Janet wrenched out of his light hold and batted his hand away. "I told you to go."
"I'm not military and I don't take orders from you." Daniel's soft voice betrayed none of the tension that was apparent in his eyes or the line of his body. "Is this about what happened with Cassie the other night?"
"No!" Janet gave him her best CMO glower and scooted her chair back out of reach. "I just want you to leave me alone."
"And I told you that I'm not going to do that." Daniel folded his arms and propped a hip on the corner of her desk. "I want to make things right between us." He sighed. "I just want to be with you again."
"Well you can't. I keep telling you that I don't want you like that anymore, Daniel, when are you going to start listening to me?" Janet's eyes were darting around the room, looking anywhere but at the man perched on the edge of her desk. "I don't need you to come swooping in to save me from stupid little bigots and I definitely don't want you following me around like some kind of stray. Why don't you believe me?"
"It's probably got something to do with the fact that you cry over me at night and that you can't look me in the eye when you tell me you don't want me." Daniel smiled almost sympathetically at Janet's stunned face and shrugged. "Cassie talked and I pay attention. I know that I hurt you and I know you're just trying to protect yourself like I was but there's no need anymore, Janet. I swear I won't hurt you again."
"Daniel." Janet leaned back in her chair and tried to swallow as he reached out to skim a finger over the back of one bone white hand where it clutched at the arm of her seat. "I was upset that you were missing. I worry when any of you are in trouble."
"I know, that must be hard, I'm sorry." Daniel kept his eyes on her face as he covered her hand with his and stroked the underside of her wrist with his long fingers. "But Cass also gave me the impression that it wasn't just when I was lost. She said you cried in your room almost every night when we broke up." He edged closer as Janet blanched and tried to pull away from him. "I used to lie awake every night or, when I did get to sleep, have nightmares about you being taken away from me. I was stupid and selfish before and I won't make that mistake again." Daniel bent his head and waited until Janet looked reluctantly up at him. "I love you."
Which was of course the moment the emergency alarms sounded all over the SGC.
End Part 6.