Anger burst in sharp spikes, sparking behind his eyes and tightening his skin into hard fists. Jack rode upon his fury, swallowing it whole to be contained in the sparks of his eyes. He found Major Davis with little trouble haunting Sam's lab with a soft apologetic smile. Sam didn't seem particularly happy herself, standing calm as a storm about to strike. Teal'c stood beside her, an unmovable mountain of strength that had Davis unconsciously leaning away. To those who knew him best, Teal'c's expression was anything but calm, though it retained a control that Jack envied.
Jack strode upon them from behind, as yet unseen by anyone except Teal'c's observant eyes, and he gave no sign towards the man he faced. Sam could have seen him too, if she wasn't preoccupied with Davis.
"Look," Davis was saying, "I'm sorry to be the one to have to say this. I don't know, maybe you are too close, you just can't see it, but I think there is something disturbing about O'Neill. I really think he might be…responsible for Daniel's condition."
"Colonel O'Neill is an honorable man," Teal'c answered, his voice dark.
"Major Davis," Sam said, her own voice clipped but still polite, "I don't know what you think you are seeing, but I can tell you that the Colonel would never hurt Dr Jackson."
"I know, you'd want to think that," Davis persisted, "And I really hate to even suggest you are wrong. But I have pictures…I have proof that O'Neill…prefers men. Now, what if…"
"Major Davis," Sam interrupted, "We thank you for your concern, but unless you have business here concerning the SGC then I think you really should leave."
"But…" Davis began, "You can't approve of…"
"Who Colonel O'Neill prefers or does not prefer is not your concern," Teal'c said.
"The colonel would not hurt Daniel," Sam agreed, "Even if he did 'prefer men' as you put it. I 'prefer men'; do you think I hurt Daniel?" Major Davis finally stopped trying to speak, taken aback by how well his latest revelation was received. After a second, though, he regrouped and began again.
"I'm sorry you will not listen to my warnings," he said at last, "And I truly hope you are correct. I'd hate to discover that Daniel suffered further injuries at O'Neill's hands because you wouldn't listen."
He started to turn away, only to feel a hand on his shoulder. Jack had heard enough. The barely contained fury welled within him as he spun the major to face him, then brought his fist across his face, knocking the man to the floor. Peripherally, he knew that Teal'c and Sam were still there, calling his name, but he had eyes only for Davis as he crouched over him, ready to strike again.
"Daniel told me," he hissed, "You threatened one too many of his friends. And now you're going to die." Davis stared back at him in a dazed sort of horror as Jack raised his fist again, but someone grabbed it from behind.
"Sir!" Sam yelled, "You can't, not here like this!"
"Let me go, Teal'c, he deserves to die," Jack said, trying to pull free of the Jaffa's grip.
"Is Major Davis responsible for Daniel Jackson's condition, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.
"I'm not, it was him!" Davis cried, "You kill me and your career is ruined, Daniel will be ruined! I have pictures, proof, everything; if I die is automated to be sent out to everyone in the SGC!"
"Sir," Sam tried again, "You can't just kill him."
"This man raped Daniel, Carter!" Jack cried in frustration.
"Indeed," Teal'c said, and Jack suddenly found his hands free, "Then it is just that he be killed."
"No, Teal'c, Colonel, wait!" Sam cried, "Not like this! There are procedures!" But even her voice didn't sound that certain, and she made no move to constrain Jack.
"I saw the reports," Jack continued, "I saw the pictures. If ever there was a scum sucking bastard in this galaxy who deserved to die, it's you. And that includes some pretty nasty snakes out there."
"Daniel wouldn't want this!" Davis cried, quaking from the threat in Jack's eyes, "He wouldn't want you to kill for him! Do you really want that guilt on Daniel's head?"
Jack's eyes narrowed further, the sparks igniting into flames as he clutched tightly to the major's jacket.
"You're right, he wouldn't," he admitted. Then leaning in closer, he whispered into Davis's ear, "But he isn't here, is he."
"You'll go to prison! How will that help Daniel?" Davis demanded. Jack glared in response, knowing that he was right and hating him for it. At least, hating him more.
"Sir, please," Sam pleaded, "We'll find another way to do this." Finally, Jack nodded, releasing Davis's coat.
Major Davis scooted away from Jack and Teal'c as he rose from on top of him. This brought him closer to Sam, who he seemed to feel safest with.
"Do you see what I was talking about," he asked her, "He's violent! And you still think nothing I said could be true?" He stood up, glaring towards the colonel indignantly, wiping at the blood running from his nose. Sam looked at the major, hesitating in how to respond. Without warning, she kicked him hard, directly between the legs. As the major crumbled back to the ground she walked away, joining Jack and Teal'c.
"Is Daniel all right, sir?" she asked as they walked towards the door.
"He will be," Jack answered, "As soon as scumbag is dealt with."
"Will you not kill him, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.
"Too many cameras here, T," Jack answered as they left the lab, "He's right. I would probably be sent to prison for it; hell if he really does have those pictures I could do time anyway. That wouldn't help Daniel."
"Ah, sir," Sam said, "And these pictures…they would be real?" Jack hesitated, trying to read her expression.
"Because I want to show you some interesting tricks I can do with photos on a computer," she finished, grinning. Back in her lab, Major Davis finally made it back to his feet. Glaring darkly towards the door where the three had left, he made his own way down the hall. He had his own threats to carry out.
