SGC
"Colonel O'Neill. Come in and I'll let you know how Dr. Jackson is." Dr. Brightman waved him into her office. "Have a seat."
"How is he, doc? He seemed all right, just tired."
"Essentially, that's correct. He still hasn't regained any of the weight he lost while he was missing; his iron levels are below normal, as are his vitamin B levels. Both of those lead to exhaustion. He needs about a month of rest and no stress or he could be in for some serious, long-term problems. In old fashioned terms, he's rundown."
"A month? Crap! He just had a two-week vacation before this mission. OK, I'll see that he does what he's told." Jack stood up and went over to the bed where Daniel was lying down, fully dressed.
"Hey, Daniel. How are you feeling?"
"Like I can't breath. I don't feel sick or hurt, but I just don't want to do anything. Jack, I've never been like this. Even when I've been hurt, I want to get up. Now I just don't care about anything."
"You know that beach you wanted to visit? I think that's a good idea. Doc says you need rest and to gain some weight back again. She's ordering a month down time for you."
"I can't take a month! I've been gone for over three months as it is. I have a lot to catch up on in my office." Daniel envisioned stacks of work on the floor, reaching as high as the ceiling.
"Look, Daniel, doc says a month. Dr. Jago is good at what she does and she can keep the rest of your department going. That's what you hired her for, to be your second-in-command, so to speak. If you don't do what the doctor says, you'll be sick for a lot longer."
Throwing his arm over his eyes, Daniel nodded in defeat.
"Good. Now we're going to get you home and then decide how you're going to spend this next month."
XXXXXXXXXX
Arwen had heard that SG1 had returned late yesterday afternoon. She was hoping to find Daniel in his office this morning, but instead had been called to General Hammond's office.
"Have a seat, Dr. Jago. Dr. Jackson has been ordered to take a month's medical leave and that means you'll be heading up his department during his absence."
"What happened? Was he injured?" Arwen chewed on her lip nervously, concerned for Daniel's safety. She'd been listening to base gossip since she came back, interested in anything she could learn about him, and knew that he had a history of serious injury.
"No. It appears that he just hasn't fully recovered from the time the two of you spent at the oasis." Hammond glanced at his watch. "I'm sorry to cut this short, but I've got a meeting."
Arwen departed for her office. Another month! I'm never going to get to talk to him.
XXXXXXXXXX
The month passed quickly for Dr. Jago. She had all the responsibilities that Dr. Jackson usually covered, except for going off world. She had no idea how he managed to find time to complete everything on base and still go on missions with SG1. No wonder the man lived on coffee! She took temporary quarters at the base and only left her office to eat and sleep.
Daniel spent the month in Egypt. He visited with friends of his parents and couple of his former colleagues, who would still claim his acquaintance. By the end of his leave, he had gained most of the weight back and was feeling well and was ready to get back to work.
XXXXXXXXXX
Arwen was very glad that Daniel was finally back. She was exhausted from working sixteen-hour days, seven days a week. She had always respected Daniel's expertise, but now she had gained tremendous respect for his efficiency.
She knocked on the door connecting their offices an hour after she heard him moving around in his office. She cracked open the door and saw Daniel staring out the main door to his office, shaking his head. She grinned, realizing that he thought the knock had come from the other door.
"Um, Dr. Jackson, over here."
He swung his head around, searching for whoever had called his name. He met her eyes, his blinking rapidly in confusion. "Oh, Dr. Jago, I forgot that door was there. No one's ever used it before." Daniel walked cautiously toward her. "Come in. What can I do for you?"
"I wanted to welcome you back, finally. I had no idea how much work you do around here! I haven't been able to go home in a couple of weeks." Arwen had no idea what words were spilling from her lips. All she was aware of was Daniel. Her heart did a slow roll under her ribs and she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
He was instantly aroused, red-hot, gut-wrenching, soul-searing, beyond physical attraction. His deepest desire was to merge souls with her, know her thoughts, secrets, and desires. He wanted to cradle her so tightly that they would intermingle and become one.
Daniel folded his arms across his chest and stared down at his shoes, deliberately regulating his breath. "I'm glad to be back."
They were interrupted by Sam, who entered Daniel's lab joyfully and threw her arms around her friend. "God, we've missed you, Daniel. I'm so glad you're back and healthy."
Daniel returned her hug, along with a huge grin. "Sam! How've you been/"
Arwen's heart sank and she turned back to her office, heart-sick. She berated herself for having held onto a hope that Daniel cared for her and not Sam.
She spent the next hour staring at the pen on her desk, her heart empty, her mind not focusing. She lifted her head when she felt him walk into the room. Turning in her chair, she waited while he walked toward her, his arms full of files.
"Um.. Dr. Jago, I've been reading the reports you wrote while I was gone. You really got a lot done. But I do have a couple of questions."
They spend the next two hours reviewing the files and getting Daniel up to speed on the artifacts and translations that she had completed. She gave him a tentative schedule for completion on a couple of others she was currently working on.
Daniel finally looked at her directly for the first time since he'd been in her office. "You don't look to well. Are you sure you're OK?"
"Just tired. A couple of nights of sleep should fix me right up again." She lied. She felt terrible.
"We're done here. I want you to go home now and don't come back until day after tomorrow. Sleep. Understood?" Daniel gazed at her over his glasses.
"Yes, sir!" She gave him a smart salute and would have clicked her heels together if she'd been standing.
Daniel looked up to see Sam standing in the doorway between their offices. "You ready for lunch?"
"Sure." Daniel turned back to Arwen. "Go home. Sleep and I'll see you day after tomorrow."
Arwen watched him put his hand on Sam's shoulder as they walked out of her office together. She dropped her eyes to the floor and missed the look of anguish Daniel gave her before he closed the door.
Well, that's that. I know where his heart is and I won't bother him with my feelings again.