First thing Daniel noticed when he woke up was the brightness of the lights' overhead. He had to squint as he looked around and tried to move. Big mistake. His body screamed in pain with even the littlest movement so he stopped moving and slumped down in the bed. He was in the infirmary. A small groan escaped from his lips when the memories of their escape came crashing into his mind. A frown then followed. His head was throbbing so he reached up only for his fingers to be greeted by a bandage wrapped around his forehead and most of his upper head. He lowered the hand, confused. He knew there was nothing wrong with his head besides the headache so why was it wrapped? Next his hand moved to his chest and stomach which was covered with a thick, heavy bandage but that was because of the staff weapon wound he received in the back. "Anyone here?" He mumbled out as he moved his head from side to side, finally adjusting to the bright lights.
Jacob was sitting beside Sam's bed when he heard something coming from one of the other beds so he rose to his feet and pulled back the curtain to be greeted by the very awake Daniel Jackson. "Welcome back to the world of the living, Daniel." He stepped up to the younger mans bed and rested his hands on the railing. "How are you feeling?"
Daniel blinked at Jacob appeared and he then noticed that they other beds were occupied. One by Teal'c and the other by Sam. "I'm doing as well as I could, I guess. How long have I been out?" He questioned.
"Well, Doctor Brightman has been worried about you. You've been out for a week and a half. They couldn't find any reason for that except that you were mildly anaemic. They've been giving you transfusions for the last three days trying to get your blood count back to normal." Jacob glanced up at the empty bag of blood that was hanging from the IV pole beside the top of Daniel's bed. "Looks like it worked." He waited a moment before talking again. "You're a hero, Daniel. You saved Teal'c and Sam."
His eyes followed Jacob's to the bag of blood. "I guess so." He whispered and looked away from the older man as he spoke. "I am not a hero, Jacob. I'm a traitor and everyone knows it. I shouldn't be treated kindly for one nice thing when I've done hundreds of horrible things too. What's with the bandage on my head?" Daniel reached up and touched it as if to show him.
Jacob sighed. "Jack thought that it would be best if only a select number of people knew that you're marked by a Goa'uld System Lord. Especially Baal when that is who the current enemy is." He watched the other man for a reaction.
Daniel let out a sigh and dropped his hand. "If I am questioned about it, I will not deny it. Nor will I give them any information that I may retain from my years for service to Baal." He turned his head away from Jacob again and stared at the wall.
"I see that our patient is awake?" General Jack O'Neill questioned Jacob when he entered the infirmary to check on Teal'c and Sam. "How's he doing?"
"I'm laying right here, General. No need to ask him when I'm capable of answering for myself." Daniel couldn't hide his dislike for Jack as he spoke. "You may torture me but know that I will tell you nothing." He held his chin high when he turned look at Jack. "I will not be your own personal information bringer. What I know is for only me to know."
Jack couldn't believe the hatred that was radiating from Daniel's voice and it was directed solely toward him. "Whoa! Calm down there space monkey. I just came to check and see how everyone is doing." He was overly happily because he was trying to mask his confusion of the situation. "No need to get excited. No one will be torturing you. We're all on the same side here."
Jacob watched the exchange between the former best friends then returned to his daughter's side who was awake and listening to everything while staying quiet.
"Are we? Are we all really on the same side, General?" Daniel reached up and pulled the bandage off his head and dropped it on his lap. "This seems to say otherwise." He crossed his arms over his chest which was a mistake since he grimaced in pain.
"That doesn't mean a damn thing, Daniel. I can't nor will I ever believe that you willingly joined that monster. It isn't possible. The Daniel Jackson I knew wouldn't even consider it." Jack said.
Daniel snorted before throwing his legs over the bed and pushing himself out, standing with the help of a nearby hospital tray. He leaned heavily against it as his body once again screamed in pain. He straightened himself up to his full height which was the same size as Jack. He looked him straight in the eye and began to speak, never breaking eye contact. "The Daniel you knew died when his best friend betrayed him with the woman he was supposed to marry." He searched for a glint of recognition to what he was saying but got none. "I came home from my extended off-world mission with SG-12, early. You know what I found when I walked into MY apartment? Hm?" He gritted his teeth not only from the pain but from the anger bubbling to the surface. He knew this wasn't the time or the place to confront Jack but he couldn't wait. Every day he waited was another day that he lost more of himself. "I...found...my...best friend...in...bed...with...my...girlfriend." He spoke each word slowly and deliberate so Jack would understand what he was saying. His breathing was sharp and raged from the anger that was bottled up inside of him ready to erupt.
Jack's eyes widened slightly at what Daniel said. He had seen him in bed with Sam. A one night stand that shouldn't have happened to begin with. Suddenly Jack was taken back to that day. He had stopped by to check on Sam, something he told Daniel that he'd do while he was gone. When Sam opened the door, she was openly crying. No, more like sobbing and collapsed into his arms. He helped her to the couch and sat her down, waiting for her to calm down before he asked what was wrong. There she told him that she was pregnant with Daniel's baby. He didn't understand why she was so upset until she told him that they had talked about having kids and decided to wait a few years after they were married. She was afraid that Daniel would be mad at her. Jack had tried to explain to her that Daniel loved kids and loved her so he could never be mad. After that one thing lead to another and he ended up comforting her in a way that only Daniel should. They regretted it afterwards and talked about telling Daniel about it so that he knew. But they didn't see him for the entire weekend and then on the following Monday he was withdrawn and acting cold toward them. They didn't understand what had happened to him and thought maybe something went wrong on the mission until nothing showed up, abnormal, in the mission debriefing. It was a routine exploration mission, nothing out of the ordinary happened. Jack was pulled back into reality when he knocked over Daniel's water pitcher and the cold water ran down his pant leg. He swallowed hard and continued to stare at Daniel. "I'm sorry." Was all he could say at the moment until he had time to think so he turned on his heels and exited as quickly as he could.
"Ya. Run you damn coward." Daniel screamed after him and launched the half empty water pitcher into the wall, making the wall splatter all over the floor. He huffed and sat back on his bed, turning his head to look at the wide-eyed Sam. "What the hell are you looking at?" He snapped out as he walked over and pulled the curtain back across before laying back in his bed. The pain was massive now and he could feel the hospital gown sitting to his back. He had reopened his wound and it was soaked through the bandage. He proceeded to rub his temples where the headache was growing more painful. He lay on his side facing Teal'c bed since the other man wasn't awake. He then zoned out as nurses appeared to change his bandage. He couldn't help but think about his time at the secret base on an unknown planet.