A MATTER OF POWER – IV. The Power of Pain by Betty Bokor
Sam/Daniel. Sam deserves a promotion and Daniel is willing to help her. Sam has her own plans.
Spoilers: All seasons, including 9 and 10.
Disclaimer: The Stargate original characters belong to MGM/Showtime, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. This was written strictly for the purpose of entertainment. No attempt at copyright infringement has been made.

The Power of Pain

Chapter 2

Daniel knew he was awake. He just did not want to open his eyes. Everything was silent, except for the humming of the machines around him. He had no doubt that he was in the Infirmary and that the object threatening to send him into a nausea spree was a tube to allow him to breath. It probably was not good that he was intubated; something pretty bad had to have happened. He made an effort and tried to remember.

He recalled the quake. It had been bad. Teal'c had been right by him, helping him protect the children close to them. Then there was nothing until he had awakened in a torturous pain while Carolyn Lam asked him question after question about what he was feeling. "Pain!" he wanted to shout at her when suddenly every sensation stopped and his body fell into a scary numbness. He knew he was panicking. He did not mind dying; he just did not like that kind of nothingness. What would he do if his body did not function anymore? What would become of his mind trapped in that body? The opposite option, a functioning body with an injured mind, was even scarier.

He slightly stretched the fingers of his right hand to check if he could move them or if he was still paralyzed. His heart jumped as he felt not only the movement but also the warmth of another hand holding his. Oh, God! Thanks!

Sam's voice calling for Jack and Carolyn startled him. They both had probably been close by, because their voices reached him in a few seconds.

"Daniel, Daniel!" Jack called him.

"He moved his fingers," Sam explained.

Daniel knew he had to answer, but he was feeling tired and he was not sure that he could deal with Jack and Sam at that time.

"DanielJackson, if you can hear us, open your eyes," Teal'c's voice commanded.

Good; that was good. Teal'c sounded all right. He had come back with him from the quaking planet.

"Do not try to talk," Dr. Lam added.

Sam softly squeezed his hand and Daniel gave in. He slowly opened his eyes and blinked a few times. Dr. Lam directed him to aid as she took out the breathing tube. His friends were smiling around him. Cam was there, too. Carolyn sent them all out as she checked him and proved that the paralysis had disappeared.

After she finished her examination, everybody came back into the room. They talked to him about general matters and joked about silly things. He saw clearly their intention of not talking about any serious concern that could have been worrying them and he understood it. He smiled as much as he could and he made sure that they all saw that he was feeling better. Over the next few days their attitude did not change. He was surprised that Jack could extend his stay so long, but he was happy. His relationship with him felt mended. He believed Sam had talked to Jack and they had reached an agreement, He could not figure out what yet, but they both behaved as they had in the old times.

His injuries were healing fast. If it had not been for the spinal complication, it would have gone even faster. The wound had not been that grave to start with and they had brought him to safety soon.

That Sunday, Jack announced he was due back in Washington D.C. the next morning. He asked Daniel to accompany him for a walk along the hallways of the SGC. Dr. Lam agreed to let him go as long as he promised to stop and rest often.

Daniel could see a hidden intention in Jack's invitation, but he was not sure of what was coming. He asked Jack to walk to his office and his friend agreed. As soon as they sat down among the books and artifacts, Jack started the conversation.

"So, what are you planning to do next week while you're on stand down to recover?"

Daniel thought that was an odd question; the normal Jack would have probably started by recommending a fishing trip. "I have a couple of tablets I want to finish studying and I'll probably-"

"Daniel, stop it!" Jack interrupted him. "Stand down means you're not working. I thought, as a genius, you had already figured that out."

"I've already lost many days of work because of this injury and-"

"What about taking the wife for a short vacation?"

That caught Daniel by surprise. "Excuse me?"

"I thought that Sam and you have been under a lot of pressure lately and maybe it'll help if you take some time off. I'm sure Ferretti and Mitchell can handle things on their own for a few days."

"You're not mad about what happened on the Fourth anymore?"

"Carter and I talked; don't worry. Just take it easy for a while. Choose a nice place and go rest for a few days. I'll take Davis off your back while you're gone; I'm sure he can make up something about the two of you being away together. It will make him happy."

Daniel was not sure what Jack really had in mind. Sometimes it was hard to read him, especially in the last years. He finally concluded that Sam and Jack had finally had a good talk and cleared the air between them. Now his friend was giving him a vote of confidence. Even after what had happened, Jack trusted him with Sam. He was not going to disappoint him again.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Any comments? Please, take a minute and give your opinion. It is very important for me to know what the readers think in order to decide how to continue a story or write the next one, or, if there is no interest, stop posting it here.