Chapter twenty-four
He hurt all over. He had never felt physical pain like this before.
He closed his eyes as the faceless man raised his arm, only to bring it crashing down on his back with some sort of leather strap.
It sank into his flesh and then was once again ripped from his back as the man raised his arm again and again.
Daniel looked up. The only thing that kept him aware of what was happening was the face of the woman strapped to the wall in front of him.
It was a woman he knew well. She kept her bruised and bloodied eyes looking at his. As if breaking the eye contact they had would break the last bit of strength they felt.
Sam slowly watched as he was hit again and again and again. She flinched every time the sound of splitting flesh reached her ears. But she kept her eyes focused on his, kept silently urging him to hold on.
The man stopped his assault on Daniel's back finally.
A few minutes passed before he came into Daniel's view. He staunted over to Sam, and ran his fingers down her bruised cheek. She mustered enough strength to spit in his face as he did it again.
He raised his hand and slapped her hard. She held back the scream as best she could.
Daniel called out in a hoarse whisper trying to gain the man's attention.
All of a sudden he awoke.
Megan was shaking him.
"Daniel. Wake up. You're having a bad dream, you almost knocked me out." She called to him quietly.
It took him a few seconds to realise that he was safe at home, in bed. He looked around to make sure that he wasn't dreaming and found Megan staring at him worryingly from her side of the bed.
"I'm ok. I'm sorry I didn't know what was happening. I'm just going to go downstairs and get something to drink." He mumbled as he got out of the bed and stumbled towards the door.
Megan knew from experience that he didn't want her to follow him. She had followed him for the first two nights that he was home only to find him slumped over a cup of coffee staring at the bench top. He didn't want to talk yet. When he did, he would. But she knew that she couldn't push the point.
When she heard him padding around downstairs, she quietly got out of bed and went to check that his screaming hadn't disturbed the children then returned to bed.
He automatically put the kettle on when he reached the kitchen and pulled all the makings of a cup of coffee out of the cupboards.
Looking out the kitchen window through the backyard he noticed the kitchen light on at Jack's house. He knew that it was Sam. The two of them seemed to be having bad dreams at the same time.
The first few times that it had happened, Megan had followed him downstairs and even sat with him while he drank his coffee. He never talked and she never forced the issue. She knew enough about what he was going through to know he didn't want to talk yet. And at the moment he didn't want to talk to her about any of it. He wanted to shield her from that horrible side of the universe.
She knew that he was trying to protect her, however much she had already seen out there. So she never pushed the point.
For five nights now, he had gotten into a routine. After Megan woke him from his dreams, he came downstairs and made a coffee. He then waited out on his deck for the gate between the two houses to open and for Sam in her pyjama's to join him on the lounge chair on the deck.
She always had a coffee in her hands and she always walked through the yard quietly, ascended the steps with out a sound and sat beside him silently.
They often sat there until the sun started peaking though the trees to the east. Then she would return the way she had come and he would return back inside and have a shower, waiting for the rest of the house to rise.
He was almost back to normal during the days. He played with his sons, even enjoyed spending every spare minute he could with his family. But he was always distant in some way. His eyes would wander to a tree or the ground and he would stare at it as if being overcome by a memory of what happened on his last trip through the stargate.
But something was different when Sam met him at their chair. She sat beside him as normal, but she leaned against him, rested her head on his shoulder and started to cry.
Momentarily shocked at the different turn of events it took Daniel a few moments to react.
He placed his coffee on the table in front of them, and took hers out of her hand before she spilled it on herself.
Daniel wrapped his arm around his best friend and slowly rocked her, silently urged her to tell him what was wrong.
After a while he pulled her face out of his shoulder so he could see her eyes.
Jacob had come though the gate a few days after they had returned with the Tokra healing device, and had slowly started healing the injuries on both of them. She was still a little bruised around the face and he still had loud angry scars on his back from where the whip has met his skin.
He held her face in his hand until she opened her eyes and looked at him.
He saw all the hurt that had been bottled up in side for the last two weeks, ever since they had gotten back. Janet had tried to get both of them to talk, even suggesting they go and see one of the quack's with a high enough security level to talk openly.
Both had declined, not wanting to talk to anyone about it as of yet.
After a while Sam calmed down, and pulled her self together enough to finish her almost cold coffee.
They still didn't speak, both knowing that all they needed at the moment was each other's company, not words.
When the sun started rising, bringing the voice of the birds with it, they both slowly got up and returned to there respective houses to prepare for the day ahead.
----------
After having showered and dressed quietly, Daniel was walking past Johnny's room on his way downstairs when he heard the boy stirring.
Daniel entered the room and sat on the bed next to the waking toddler.
"Good morning." Daniel said as the young boys eyes focused on his father.
Johnny just happily squirmed in the quilt happy to see his father home. He liked it when his dad didn't go away for trips.
Daniel helped his son out of bed and helped get him dressed. When he was ready to face the outside world he took him downstairs. He was about to start making some breakfast for them both when the intercom sounded.
They had installed an intercom between the two houses, it saved on phone calls when they were only next door to each other.
"Grandad to Johnny, you up yet little man." Came Jack's voice out of the machine.
Johnny ran over to the machine, and having been taught how to use it pressed the right button to talk and answered his grandfather.
"Yep."
"Your mum and dad up yet?" Came Jack's crackely voice.
Before Johnny could answer Daniel placed his hand on the machine and spoke.
"Yes Jack, I'm up. What's wrong?"
"Nothing Daniel, I just wanted to see if my Grandson would like to join Sam and me for pancakes."
Before Daniel could say a word Johnny was already heading for the back door, turning to see if his father gave him permission before he actually opened the door.
"Off you go." Daniel said to the boy as he practically burst through the door.
"He's on his way."
Daniel moved to the kitchen window, so he could watch Johnny safely go from one yard to the other.
He heard movement upstairs and expected to see Megan any minute. The twins were still in bed, they tended to sleep in for another hour or so, depending when there last feed was.
After a few minutes Megan came down the stairs and headed for the kitchen to find a steaming cup of tea waiting for her on the table.
Daniel had his back to the door when she walked in, he was still looking out into the backyard.
Megan walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his stomach and leaned her cheek against his back. He turned in her embrace to face her and returned the intimate gesture.
They stood like that for a few moments enjoying each others company and the quite of an almost empty house.
"Where's Johnny? He wasn't in his room." Megan asked quietly still leaning on his chest.
"Your father invited him for pancakes. He couldn't move fast enough. Little chubby legs going at top speed thru the backyard." Daniel joked.
"Well how about we see if Dad can look after the other little terrors when they wake up and we spend the day together?" Megan asked hoping that he was keen on the idea.
They hadn't spent much time alone since he and the team had returned from there last mission. They were all on restricted duties until after the wedding in two weeks. He had been home for week and had barley had a decent conversation with her in that time.
"Sounds like a good idea to me." He replied much to her relief.
NOTE::::: I apologise over and over again for how long it has taken me to do this chapter. For those of you who knew I was pregnant, I would like to announce the birth of my beautiful son. He is eight weeks old, and that would explain my lack of posting for the last few months. Hopefully I can keep up a chapter a week, but im not going to promise anything. I hope you have enjoyed this one, and im already halfway through the next one. Please Review Ellie Mae
He hurt all over. He had never felt physical pain like this before.
He closed his eyes as the faceless man raised his arm, only to bring it crashing down on his back with some sort of leather strap.
It sank into his flesh and then was once again ripped from his back as the man raised his arm again and again.
Daniel looked up. The only thing that kept him aware of what was happening was the face of the woman strapped to the wall in front of him.
It was a woman he knew well. She kept her bruised and bloodied eyes looking at his. As if breaking the eye contact they had would break the last bit of strength they felt.
Sam slowly watched as he was hit again and again and again. She flinched every time the sound of splitting flesh reached her ears. But she kept her eyes focused on his, kept silently urging him to hold on.
The man stopped his assault on Daniel's back finally.
A few minutes passed before he came into Daniel's view. He staunted over to Sam, and ran his fingers down her bruised cheek. She mustered enough strength to spit in his face as he did it again.
He raised his hand and slapped her hard. She held back the scream as best she could.
Daniel called out in a hoarse whisper trying to gain the man's attention.
All of a sudden he awoke.
Megan was shaking him.
"Daniel. Wake up. You're having a bad dream, you almost knocked me out." She called to him quietly.
It took him a few seconds to realise that he was safe at home, in bed. He looked around to make sure that he wasn't dreaming and found Megan staring at him worryingly from her side of the bed.
"I'm ok. I'm sorry I didn't know what was happening. I'm just going to go downstairs and get something to drink." He mumbled as he got out of the bed and stumbled towards the door.
Megan knew from experience that he didn't want her to follow him. She had followed him for the first two nights that he was home only to find him slumped over a cup of coffee staring at the bench top. He didn't want to talk yet. When he did, he would. But she knew that she couldn't push the point.
When she heard him padding around downstairs, she quietly got out of bed and went to check that his screaming hadn't disturbed the children then returned to bed.
He automatically put the kettle on when he reached the kitchen and pulled all the makings of a cup of coffee out of the cupboards.
Looking out the kitchen window through the backyard he noticed the kitchen light on at Jack's house. He knew that it was Sam. The two of them seemed to be having bad dreams at the same time.
The first few times that it had happened, Megan had followed him downstairs and even sat with him while he drank his coffee. He never talked and she never forced the issue. She knew enough about what he was going through to know he didn't want to talk yet. And at the moment he didn't want to talk to her about any of it. He wanted to shield her from that horrible side of the universe.
She knew that he was trying to protect her, however much she had already seen out there. So she never pushed the point.
For five nights now, he had gotten into a routine. After Megan woke him from his dreams, he came downstairs and made a coffee. He then waited out on his deck for the gate between the two houses to open and for Sam in her pyjama's to join him on the lounge chair on the deck.
She always had a coffee in her hands and she always walked through the yard quietly, ascended the steps with out a sound and sat beside him silently.
They often sat there until the sun started peaking though the trees to the east. Then she would return the way she had come and he would return back inside and have a shower, waiting for the rest of the house to rise.
He was almost back to normal during the days. He played with his sons, even enjoyed spending every spare minute he could with his family. But he was always distant in some way. His eyes would wander to a tree or the ground and he would stare at it as if being overcome by a memory of what happened on his last trip through the stargate.
But something was different when Sam met him at their chair. She sat beside him as normal, but she leaned against him, rested her head on his shoulder and started to cry.
Momentarily shocked at the different turn of events it took Daniel a few moments to react.
He placed his coffee on the table in front of them, and took hers out of her hand before she spilled it on herself.
Daniel wrapped his arm around his best friend and slowly rocked her, silently urged her to tell him what was wrong.
After a while he pulled her face out of his shoulder so he could see her eyes.
Jacob had come though the gate a few days after they had returned with the Tokra healing device, and had slowly started healing the injuries on both of them. She was still a little bruised around the face and he still had loud angry scars on his back from where the whip has met his skin.
He held her face in his hand until she opened her eyes and looked at him.
He saw all the hurt that had been bottled up in side for the last two weeks, ever since they had gotten back. Janet had tried to get both of them to talk, even suggesting they go and see one of the quack's with a high enough security level to talk openly.
Both had declined, not wanting to talk to anyone about it as of yet.
After a while Sam calmed down, and pulled her self together enough to finish her almost cold coffee.
They still didn't speak, both knowing that all they needed at the moment was each other's company, not words.
When the sun started rising, bringing the voice of the birds with it, they both slowly got up and returned to there respective houses to prepare for the day ahead.
----------
After having showered and dressed quietly, Daniel was walking past Johnny's room on his way downstairs when he heard the boy stirring.
Daniel entered the room and sat on the bed next to the waking toddler.
"Good morning." Daniel said as the young boys eyes focused on his father.
Johnny just happily squirmed in the quilt happy to see his father home. He liked it when his dad didn't go away for trips.
Daniel helped his son out of bed and helped get him dressed. When he was ready to face the outside world he took him downstairs. He was about to start making some breakfast for them both when the intercom sounded.
They had installed an intercom between the two houses, it saved on phone calls when they were only next door to each other.
"Grandad to Johnny, you up yet little man." Came Jack's voice out of the machine.
Johnny ran over to the machine, and having been taught how to use it pressed the right button to talk and answered his grandfather.
"Yep."
"Your mum and dad up yet?" Came Jack's crackely voice.
Before Johnny could answer Daniel placed his hand on the machine and spoke.
"Yes Jack, I'm up. What's wrong?"
"Nothing Daniel, I just wanted to see if my Grandson would like to join Sam and me for pancakes."
Before Daniel could say a word Johnny was already heading for the back door, turning to see if his father gave him permission before he actually opened the door.
"Off you go." Daniel said to the boy as he practically burst through the door.
"He's on his way."
Daniel moved to the kitchen window, so he could watch Johnny safely go from one yard to the other.
He heard movement upstairs and expected to see Megan any minute. The twins were still in bed, they tended to sleep in for another hour or so, depending when there last feed was.
After a few minutes Megan came down the stairs and headed for the kitchen to find a steaming cup of tea waiting for her on the table.
Daniel had his back to the door when she walked in, he was still looking out into the backyard.
Megan walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his stomach and leaned her cheek against his back. He turned in her embrace to face her and returned the intimate gesture.
They stood like that for a few moments enjoying each others company and the quite of an almost empty house.
"Where's Johnny? He wasn't in his room." Megan asked quietly still leaning on his chest.
"Your father invited him for pancakes. He couldn't move fast enough. Little chubby legs going at top speed thru the backyard." Daniel joked.
"Well how about we see if Dad can look after the other little terrors when they wake up and we spend the day together?" Megan asked hoping that he was keen on the idea.
They hadn't spent much time alone since he and the team had returned from there last mission. They were all on restricted duties until after the wedding in two weeks. He had been home for week and had barley had a decent conversation with her in that time.
"Sounds like a good idea to me." He replied much to her relief.
NOTE::::: I apologise over and over again for how long it has taken me to do this chapter. For those of you who knew I was pregnant, I would like to announce the birth of my beautiful son. He is eight weeks old, and that would explain my lack of posting for the last few months. Hopefully I can keep up a chapter a week, but im not going to promise anything. I hope you have enjoyed this one, and im already halfway through the next one. Please Review Ellie Mae
