DISCLAIMER: The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-1, the goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of the people who made them up. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Living With The Past

Part three

When Daniel next woke he realised it was late by the light coming in through the curtains. Sitting up suddenly as he realised he was late for work, his memory returned - what had happened on the last mission, and after, the accident on his way home.

Daniel sat on the edge of the bed trying to force down the headache that had resumed now he was awake. He really didn't feel like moving but knew that the only way to rid himself of the pain was to get the medication Dr Fraiser had left for him.

Not bothering to put anything on over his t-shirt, he shuffled his way out of the bedroom and into the kitchen area, automatically reaching for a glass and filling it with water before opening the bottle of painkillers that were sitting on the counter. He rapidly swallowed a couple of tablets then turned to make his way to the couch when he realised he wasn't alone.

'Hi guys,' he greeted the rest of his team who were watching him.

'How are you feeling Daniel?' Sam asked. 'Colonel O'Neill told us about the accident so we came by to see how you were.' Sam's eyes betrayed her. Daniel could see that there was more than concern for his health there and he was immediately on his guard again, answering only the question he'd been asked.

'Much better thanks,' he replied, giving her a ghost of a smile. 'Got a headache still but I'm sure Dr Fraiser's happy pills will do the trick.'

'Want anything to eat, Daniel?' Jack offered, standing up to move in to the kitchen. 'Carter and Teal'c stopped off at the store on the way over and picked up some stuff.'

'I'm not really hungry. What about coffee?' Daniel looked hopefully towards Jack.

'Yeah right,' Jack replied. 'My life won't be worth living if I give you coffee right now. You can have juice or warm milk, your choice.'

'Juice, then,' Daniel forced himself to be polite, to try to act as normally as possible until he could safely retreat to the solitude of his bedroom again.

'Here you go,' Jack offered the glass to Daniel before sitting himself down. 'So…' An awkward silence fell over the group, none of them being sure what to say next. In spite of Daniel's attempts at acting like nothing was wrong, his whole attitude screamed that he was hurting and desperately needed his friends to help him through this difficult time.

Daniel finished his drink and sat quietly for a few minutes, focussing on the empty glass before looking up at the faces that had been watching him.

'Listen, guys,' he said, nervously twisting the glass in his hands, 'thanks for coming over. Sorry I'm not very good company at the moment but I think I need to go back to bed. I'll see you later.' And with that he was gone, leaving three astounded people behind him.

'Did he just say…' Sam began.

'Yup, he sure did,' Jack confirmed.

'But Daniel never goes to bed, even when he's under orders to get some sleep,' Sam finished.

'I know. Carter, you were with him while he went through the memory of his parents weren't you?'

'Yes, it was…' Sam tried to find the right words. 'Very difficult for me to see what he had to cope with. I felt helpless, there was nothing I could do, to see him in so much pain, so much despair and not be able to help him at all. And he kept trying to save them. When he found that wouldn't work and realised what was happening, he refused to do anything more, but you should have seen his face when the cover stone fell on them again and he had done nothing to try to get them out of there.' Sam shivered at the memory, realising that they hadn't really discussed what had happened on the planet at all, or not the more intimate details anyway.

'Was not Daniel Jackson only a child when this event occurred?' Teal'c asked, his voice curious.

'Yes,' Jack replied, uncertain where the Jaffa was going with this.

'Why is it that it is such a painful memory then?' Teal'c now looked puzzled. 'Surely he would not remember something like that very clearly.'

'Teal'c, he watched his parents being crushed to death and was put into foster care in an unfamiliar country with an unfamiliar culture,' Sam explained. 'He had to deal with what happened pretty much on his own and now he's been made to relive that day, making him think that maybe there was something he could have done to stop it from happening, it's re-opened a bad memory that would have taken him a long time to deal with first time around.'

'So what do we do?' Jack was out of his depth and not sure how to deal with this.

'Was not one of your own memories used in a similar way?' Teal'c asked Jack.

'Yes.' Jack replied cautiously.

'Perhaps then you should talk to Daniel Jackson,' Teal'c continued. 'You have both experienced the resurfacing of a memory that should have been left alone. Both Captain Carter and myself were merely observers of these experiences and do not truly know how you were feeling.'

'Why did you have to go and say that?' Jack complained.

'Sir, he's right,' Sam backed Teal'c up, who had responded to Jack's retort with a raised eyebrow.

'I know he is, but if he hadn't said it then I thought maybe you…'

'Sir, you know Daniel better than either Teal'c or me, you were put through a similar experience. You're the only one who can do something about this.' Sam assured Jack.

'Thanks guys,' Jack pulled a face before changing the subject. 'Anyone want lunch?'

XOXOXOX

Daniel woke again as it was beginning to get dark, his headache had eased at last leaving him with only a vague dull feeling to indicate the concussion had not quite cleared up. Deciding that he would feel a lot better if he cleaned up and got into fresh clothes, he quickly showered, shaved and put on clean sweat pants and t-shirt. Looking thoughtfully at the tangled mess of sheets on his bed, he stripped it all off and tossed it into the hamper before pulling out a fresh set and re-making the bed. Satisfied that his bedroom looked presentable once more, he headed for the kitchen to see what he could forage for himself.

'Jack!' Daniel stopped abruptly at the sight of the other man lounging on his sofa, watching ice hockey on the TV. 'I thought you'd gone.'

'Surprise, surprise, here I am,' Jack said, smiling at Daniel. 'So - how are you doing?' Jack looked appraisingly at Daniel, noting the freshly washed and changed appearance and the forced smile on his face. The newly-recovered Dr Jackson however, couldn't conceal the pain in his eyes that looked around with a dullness that didn't belong.

'Much better thanks,' Daniel said, trying to sound cheerful and ready to get back to work. 'Well, almost back to normal. I've got a bit of a headache still, but nothing that won't clear up after a good night's sleep.'

'You've been asleep for almost twenty-four hours already and you want more?' Jack kept his tone light and teasing, both of them knowing how good Daniel was at following medical instructions to rest.

'Well, not just yet,' Daniel conceded. 'I was actually looking for something to eat. You want anything?' Daniel had started opening cupboards to see what there was.

'I don't mind if I do,' Jack replied. 'If I remember rightly, Carter left a carton of chicken soup in the fridge, just needs a couple of minutes in the microwave and there are some fresh bread rolls in that bag - the ones with cheese sprinkled on that you seem to enjoy so much.'

'Right,' Daniel mumbled as he found what he was looking for and began putting it together.

Jack watched Daniel out of the corner of his eye, resisting the urge to make Daniel sit down while he took care of the cooking, well reheating. He remembered Daniel's comment from last night about not being allowed any space in his own home and figured he should try to take a step back for the time being.

Five minutes later they were both sitting with trays on their laps when the doorbell rang.

'Sam and Teal'c?' Daniel asked, wondering if they had come back.

'Nah, probably Dr Fraiser and her impeccable timing,' Jack replied, setting his tray on the floor carefully before standing up.

'Can't we pretend not to be here?' Daniel asked, trying to make it sound as though he was joking, but Jack read more into it, knowing he wanted nothing more than to be left alone.

'Are you kidding?' Jack said. 'You were asleep when she stopped by this morning and she's not going to take no for an answer. Let her do whatever she needs to, then I'll see if I can get you a reprieve for a couple of days. Will that do?' Daniel nodded his reluctant acceptance of these terms and continued eating his soup.

'So,' Janet's voice greeted him, 'glad to see you taking note of my instructions for once.'

'Janet,' Daniel greeted the new arrival.

'How are you feeling today?' Janet asked as she accepted the cup of coffee Jack had handed her, allowing Daniel to finish eating before examining him.

'I'm fine, now,' Daniel said, trying to maintain his cool, wishing people would stop asking him the same question over and over. 'Just a bit of a headache but nothing like it was earlier.'

'That's good.' Janet paused, wondering what to say, sensing the strained atmosphere surrounding Daniel.

'Carter and Teal'c stopped by earlier and brought supplies with them,' Jack informed Janet, making small talk to pass the time. 'Daniel graced us with his presence for about five minutes, but he's spent most of the time asleep.' Jack ruffled Daniel's hair as he said this, eliciting a fairly normal reaction.

'Ja-ack!' Daniel complained, keeping his tone as neutral as possible, concealing his irritation. 'I'm done.' Daniel stood up to return his tray to the kitchen but was stopped by Jack taking it from him.

'Dr Fraiser needs to check you out,' Jack informed him. 'I'll wash up and leave you in her hands.'

Ten minutes later Janet had completed her exam.

'Will he live?' Jack asked.

'Providing he follows my instructions and takes it easy for the next forty-eight hours, I think he should be alright,' Janet said, a glimmer of mischief in her eyes as she followed this up with 'Of course, if he doesn't do what he's told, I've got a new treatment I need to test out…'

The look on both Daniel's and Jack's faces was worth it, Janet thought to herself, knowing that both of them hated being in the infirmary at any time, even when they needed treatment.

'Anyway,' Janet continued. 'Glad to see you're looking better. Come and see me before you return to duty in two days.'

Janet took her leave, Jack seeing her to the door and by the time he returned he realised Daniel was still trying to avoid him and had headed back to bed. Sighing to himself, he made his way to Daniel's bedroom, hoping that maybe he would still be awake but fortune was not with him and Daniel lay there, still looking a little pale and still very vulnerable, his deep regular breathing telling him that any deep and meaningful conversations would have to wait until the following day.