More nasty Jack - with yet more to come. Sorry, but I did tell you all at the beginning of the story that it was written over a year ago. There is no changing the fic to get to the happy S/J stuff more quickly. Jack's behaviour is a major part of the plot at the moment - changing it would leave nothing but "Jack got better and they all lived happily ever after." Oh, and Froggy - you silly thing, nothing you said upset Jackie or I, so don't worry.
Flatkatsi
Content Warning - Strong language
Soldiers of Misfortune – part 24
"Daniel," quietly chastised the voice that awoke him.
Daniel sat up, stretching from the painful position he'd drifted off to sleep in.
Janet gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Go get some proper rest while I check the Colonel out."
Daniel yawned. "He woke a little earlier."
"He'll likely drift in and out. You need to sleep properly; you've been here for hours."
Daniel caught sight of the time and grimaced. "Where's Sam and Teal'c?"
"Sam's sleeping, under orders, with some assistance I might add and I can do the same to you if necessary. Teal'c is in his quarters, no doubt doing kel-no-reem."
Daniel watched a moment as Janet noted the readings from the machines. Once again he thought how calm Jack looked, despite the ugly restraints reminding him …
"Now, are you going to go rest or do I have to issue an order … and before you say anything, you are under military jurisdiction and therefore …"
"Okay, okay, but I have slept a while. I'll go shower, eat and come back?" he asked hopefully.
Janet glanced down at the Colonel and then back to Daniel's face and seemed to come to a decision. "That's fine by me. Shower and get something to eat then come back here in a little while."
Daniel's body automatically went through the motions of showering while his brain ran amok with thoughts. The few words Jack had spoken had given him some hope that all was not lost. He found himself in the Mess Hall almost before he knew it, reaching for sandwiches and coffee, and then on his way back to the infirmary, and if anyone had asked what he had eaten he would, he admitted to himself, be at a loss to be able to answer them.
The nurse nodded to him as he entered, remarking that the Colonel had been awake on and off, before leaving with her companion as he took his usual place.
Jack was stirring restlessly, his shoulders hunching slightly as if to test the restraints that held him down.
Daniel leaned closer, ready with a smile on his face to greet his friend as he sensed him surfacing from his sleep. The smile on Daniel's face froze as he found two dark eyes regarding him with a glare that could cut ice. He swallowed nervously, drawing back slightly and, as he did so, he saw Jack's mouth compress with a sly smirk.
"What do you want, Jackson?" he growled.
Daniel sat upright, his heart clamoring as the coldness of his friend's stare cut him to the quick.
"J...Jack," he stuttered, earning a coldly amused smile from the man in question.
Daniel's blood ran cold. What the hell was going on with his friend … schizophrenia? Maybe that was the answer? He knew drugs could help control it … but he also knew that that would be the end of Jack's career.
"Do me a favor," growled Jack, "fuck off, Jackson!"
Daniel regarded his friend steadily. Now that a glimmer of something was taking hold, his fear somewhat abated. "I am going, but not because you want me to. I'm just going to have a word with Janet and I'll be back," he responded calmly.
"Don't hurry on my account," spat Jack, pulling on his restraints, his skin already radiating warmth, beads of sweat beginning a slow trickle down his face.
Daniel went out of the room quietly, letting the nurses know he'd left and enquired as to Janet's whereabouts.
He knocked on the office door and Janet sat upright from her file and note littered desk, with a groan.
"Err, have you got a few minutes?" he enquired hesitantly.
Janet stood and stretched. "Sure. My eyes need a rest from this." She dismissed the paperwork on her desk with a wave of hand.
Daniel came right in, closing the door behind him and sat in the chair Janet pulled around to face her. Janet watched him, waiting for Daniel to begin. It took him a moment to gather his words before speaking.
"Is it possible that Jack has somehow become …" he paused, "schizophrenic?"
He could see Janet was weighing up his question before answering him.
"Well, I suppose some of his behavior could seem to suggest that, but what makes you think it?"
"When Jack first awoke when I was just with him, he wasn't violent and threatening or angry, just hurt and confused … when he remembered what he thought was a dream was in actual fact reality … well you can imagine … then he drifted off again. Later he was back to threatening and abusive."
"Daniel, schizophrenics are usually self-harming rather than violent towards others."
"But Jack is angry and agitated and reacting violently when he's touched, not to mention I think he's showing signs of paranoia."
"It's widely thought that the storms of electrical impulses in the hippocampus cause violence." At Daniel's questioning raise of brow, she continued. "Aggressiveness is initiated in the hypothalamus, which lies in the primitive part of the brain known as the limbic system. It's at the lower front of the brain. A severe dopamine imbalance would be present if this was the case."
Daniel's mind drifted, he knew only too well first hand what a dopamine imbalance could cause. Pulling himself back to the present he gave a deep sigh. "But what if other levels were off? I mean, could it be a combination? Something we can cure – not brain damage?" He clutched at the few remaining straws he had left.
"Well, we have run a barrage of test, but not specifically hormonal. Initially we were mainly checking the levels of the drugs he had in his system. I'll authorize more tests, but I wouldn't get your hopes too high."
Daniel nodded dumbly. He had been sure he'd been on to something that, although it would finish Jack's career, wouldn't mean his ending life in a padded cell.
He left to return to Jack, not sure how long he could stand being around his friend as he was at the moment, but willing to try anything, when he found Sam just outside Jack's room, staring at the closed door, tears in her eyes.
"Sam?"
Sam turned to face him fully. The bruise from the slap Jack had launched at her was large and dark, her mouth where he had caught her, still swollen.
"I want to see him but …" She stifled a sob back in her throat and raised her hands in a helpless gesture.
"I know Sam, I know." He felt helpless and torn himself. What it was doing to Sam he could only guess, his own hurt was bad enough.
"I feel as though I'm the catalyst," she confessed.
Daniel shook his head. "Believe me, you're not the only one he's gone for. I …" he debated whether to tell her what he had spoken to Janet about, but then dismissed it until Janet checked it out further. "I'll go and sit with him a while … look, why don't you go talk with Teal'c and try and keep busy a little?"
Sam regarded him with a puzzled expression.
"You think the same … that it's my fault?"
"Oh, God, no! I just can't stand the thought of him hurting you more … when he woke earlier he was … shall we say, angry?" he tailed off.
Sam gazed at him for a moment, before giving a slight nod.
Daniel heaved a sigh as he watched her move off. He wasn't looking forward to going in, but in he would go.
When he got there, the nurse just coming out advised him General Hammond had gone in and he would be better waiting. There was the sound of angry voices – well Jack's angry voice, the General's tone was initially quieter, but even so, as the battle ensued, Hammond's voice became raised.
xoxoxoxoxo
General Hammond was staggered by the look his 2IC cast him as he entered. The dark eyes were regarding him with something akin to hatred.
"Come to see the show?" asked the Colonel bitterly.
Hammond sighed and moved closer. He'd dismissed the nurse and informed the SF's he didn't want them to enter unless he called for them. The pressure on him to transfer Jack was being applied from more than one direction and with a sickened heart, he realized unless there was a miracle cure, Jack would only be going to one place.
He stood, trying to ignore the flashing dark eyes that stared at him. Gathering his thoughts, wondering just what he could say.
"Jack I …"
"Oh I just know it's gonna be bad … it's always Jack when you want something, George. What's it this time, George – want someone blowing up – assassinated? Another man to their death? Just how many good men have you wasted over the years?"
George Hammond clenched his hands into fists at his sides. His frustration with his 2IC clearly showing.
"What's up, George, at a loss for words? First time a General I know got lost for words. How many good men … just how many have you murdered over the years? Hell, I know I got blood on my hands, but you Generals give these order and sit on your fat assess while we get fucked over – time and time again!"
"Colonel, that's enough!" reprimanded the General. The Colonel's ravings held just enough of truth in them to be smarting his conscience.
"No, George – it's never enough … never!" bellowed the enraged Colonel.
Hammond took a step back and Jack O'Neill laughed. His eyes glinting wildly, the look of a mad man, he realized.
"You know I sold another part of my soul for you, George – not much left you know now, but I believed in you then …" said the Colonel, his tone quieter, his eyes closing slightly as he spoke.
"Jack… I …" began Hammond.
"Don't want words, George – why don't you just fuck off home, and take care of the kiddies, you old fool, you should have retired a long time ago, not be meddling in this place!"
It took every semblance of control that Hammond had to turn without answering the ravings of the mad man that he faced. His anger was boiling just below the surface and when he stepped out to find the alarmed face of Daniel Jackson he felt the rage erupt.
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"General?" asked Daniel, alarmed by the darkly red face that glowered at him as Hammond closed the door to Jack's behind him with a ferocity that had seemed previously alien in the General's emotions.
"Not now, Doctor!" snapped Hammond and made as if to push Daniel to one side so he could pass.
Nimbly Daniel blocked the General's passage.
"Uh, look, I sort of … well you know that Jack …"
"Doctor Jackson, at this moment in time I am between considering committing O'Neill to an asylum or having him arrested and court marshaled or maybe both if I could get away with it. Now if you don't mind …"
Daniel panicked then, walking backwards still in front of the General as he made his way from the infirmary. "General, you can't …"
"Do not proceed to tell me what I can or can not do with my command, Doctor Jackson. As you are so fond of reminding you when it suits, you are a civilian and if you continue to be a bother I am sure we can arrange suitable confinement …"
The General stopped walking, stilling completely, his mouth still open, but no words coming out. Daniel watched the rotund face pale and the heavy sigh that was omitted, followed by the General clasping both hands to his face, his shoulders sagging in defeat, his next words so quiet that Daniel had to strain to hear them.
"My office please, not here."
Daniel quietly followed the General to his office, and only when the General was seated behind his desk and had waved the Doctor impatiently into the visitor's chair did he speak again.
"Doctor Jackson, I know he can't help what is happening to him, but I need to decide just what we are going to do with him."
Daniel felt the color draining from his face, the slight buzz in his ears beginning to penetrate his mind. "No, please you can't commit him …"
"I just don't know what else to do for him. There doesn't seem to be …"
"He just needs time … maybe we can …"
"Doctor Jackson, time is what we don't have an abundance of. If we can't find a valid reason for him to remain here we have to …"
"You mean you're being ordered to just get rid of Jack? You can't just dismiss him to some institution to rot – hasn't anything that he's done for this world and the others, meant anything to anyone?"
"Of course it has. You know how I feel about the Colonel, and as much trouble as he is, he is worth it, you know that, but there are others that feel the Colonel's current health is a threat."
"Then there's even more of a reason to keep him here, General. For God's sake don't let them just lock him up and throw away the key!"
General Hammond sighed a weary sigh, the tiredness that enveloped him seeping from him like a terrible cloak.
"I'll do what I can, Doctor Jackson, but even I can only protect him so much."
"I know General, but thank you." Daniel stood. He hesitated, wondering whether to speak or not. "You do know deep down that it isn't Jack that said those things. He has nothing but complete respect and admiration for you."
General Hammond raised his head so that his eyes could meet Daniel's.
"I know, Doctor Jackson, I know, but thank you for saying so and the respect is mutual, but you ever tell him that and you are in big trouble mister," said Hammond, the barest of smiles on his face.
Daniel nodded and made his way to the door, before turning and giving the General a small smile. "Thank you," he said quietly before leaving.
xoxoxoxoxo
He made his way back to the infirmary, loathe to return to the hatred, yet so frightened that time was running out. His decision made, he entered Jack's room once more.
Jack was moving restlessly as Daniel entered, but still sleeping. His movements showed his agitation, the occasional incomprehensible muttering reached Daniel's ears, but try as he might he couldn't catch more than an odd word and nothing made sense.
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The bang woke Daniel with a start. Heart thumping, he shot upright in his chair to find Jack thrashing on the bed, struggling against the restraints, his fists banging against the metal frame. For a brief moment Jack's eyes flew open, wild and dark, pinning him with the desolation he saw and for a split second he was reminded of something … or someone …"
xoxoxoxoxo