"What the hell did you say to him, Carter?" Jack demanded, storming into her cell. She had been there for several hours now, alternately demanding to be told why she had been restrained and wanting to see Jack. Now that Jack had finally come, however, her hopeful smile was crushed under the weight of his fury. A look of uncertainty flickered over her face, followed by anger but it quickly smoothed into simple confusion.
"Why am I here, sir?" she asked, "I have important work to be doing, but no one will answer my questions. Is SG1 being quarantined for some reason?"
"Not SG1," Jack answered, "Just you. And so help me, if it turns out there's no alien influences…" He trailed off, letting his threat die. Death threats couldn't be made lightly, not when everything he said was being recorded, and especially not when he thought he just might carry those threats out. Sam, far from being intimidated in the face of Jack's wrath, stood and faced him defiantly.
"What did you say to Danny," Jack asked, his voice rough with frustration. He wanted to go back to Daniel right then; he hadn't wanted to leave him in the first place but Hammond had finally ordered him to come and explain why he had had Sam locked up and why Teal'c was terrorizing the research assistant in the records department. Hammond had been troubled when Jack had explained. Finally, Jack had been allowed to leave, but with the order that Sam be told why she was being locked up.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Sam answered him now, "I gave him cookies."
"You gave him a panic attack," Jack growled, "Teal'c thinks you tried to kill him." Sam paled, but remained standing tall.
"And what do you think?" she asked, "You think that I would try to kill Daniel? That I could try and harm you?" Though her question had started off in anger, it dwindled in her last statement, her eyes momentarily haunted.
"Maybe you wouldn't," Jack admitted, "We suspect alien influences. You'll have to take some tests."
"I'm me, sir," she insisted, then stepping closer she whispering too low for the recorder to pick up, "I told him that you deserved better than him." Jack resisted the urge to shove her back. Leaning in close, their bodies creating a momentary illusion of lovers about to kiss, he hissed vehemently in her ear, "There is no one better for me than him." Turning abruptly on his heels, he left her there, gaping after him. As the door slammed shut behind him, her expression turned tragic, then thunderous.
Jack marched from her cell with quick strides towards the infirmary, finally returning to Daniel's room. He was sleeping still, but it was a troubled sleep. Already, the sheets had been shoved about into a bunch at his feet as he thrashed about.
"Danny," Jack whispered, hurrying to his side once the door was securely closed. He had already turned the now functional security camera before he left so that it now faced towards the door, recording anyone who entered but giving them privacy. The audio device was now covered by a small CD player, the speakers turned directly towards the recorder, so that unless they shouted the only words it was going to pick up clearly were the words to the song playing. It was the best Jack could manage in a secure facility, understanding the need for the devices, but wanting privacy. He was glad he had taken the time to do it now as he tried to resume his place at the head of Daniel's bed, hoping he could pull Daniel from whatever nightmare had him in its grip. Before he could make it, Daniel suddenly sat up in bed gasping for breath, his eyes open wide.
Jack changed tactics, bending down so that he was eye level with Daniel, wanting him to see who it was before he tried to form any sort of contact.
"Danny?" Jack asked, sitting down cautiously on the edge of the bed, "You with me, Love?" Daniel's eyes locked onto his, sending a shiver down his spine at their intensity. Immediately two hands reached out to latch onto Jack with a solid grip. Jack didn't pull away even when the grip became painful, knowing Daniel needed this connection to keep himself firmly locked into this reality.
"I'm real, Danny," Jack whispered, "I'm here." Daniel nodded, slowly getting his breathing under control. Finally he relaxed his hold on Jack, then let go completely in favor of a glass of water. He sat up further when Jack made a move to climb into his bed, resuming their positions with Jack leaning against the head rest and Daniel against his chest. Sometimes Daniel found it easier to talk if he didn't have to look at Jack, and like this Jack could offer support without forcing Daniel to face him.
"Please tell me, Danny," Jack whispered and he felt more than heard Daniel's sigh.
"I hate being weak, Jack," he answered, his voice soft. Jack swallowed, working to keep his voice steady.
"You aren't weak, Danny," he said, "You're one of the strongest men I know."
"Stronger than Teal'c?" Daniel asked, making a strenuous effort to lighten the mood.
"Well sure," Jack answered, "You could take him." Daniel grinned for a brief moment before lapsing back into silence.
"Danny," Jack began, hesitating. He knew he should tell him about Sam; he suspected that part of Daniel's silence was from his desire to protect her, but he wasn't sure how much he wanted to say.
"Jack?" Daniel asked, hearing the conflict in Jack's voice.
"We think Carter is sick," he finally said, "At least, Teal'c is looking through the old missions for anything that could have made her go…nuts, and Janet is running tests…" Daniel tensed in his arms, not expecting that.
"I think…I think there's something wrong with Sam," he finally acknowledged.
"Tell me," Jack whispered, "Please, Love."
"She was…well she wasn't like herself," Daniel finally answered, deciding to take an analytical viewpoint, "She seemed obsessed with you, Jack, I think she's been…well stalking you. She knew about us…she said she saw us kissing. We never kiss where anyone can see us, Jack, she had to have been, well, really spying."
"And she just…she mentioned…she talked about Shyla, Jack," Daniel blurted out, his analytical façade breaking for a bit, "I mean, that wasn't in the reports, I didn't tell anyone, no one but you and you had to drag it out of me. How could she know?"
Very carefully keeping his tone neutral, Jack answered, "I don't know, Danny, that issue hasn't come up in a while. Maybe…she guessed?"
"I didn't want to sleep with her," Daniel whispered, "She was going to give Sam to her fake Jaffas. I did it to protect her, Jack, I wasn't…I didn't mean to cheat on…"
"You never cheated on Sha'ure," Jack assured him swiftly.
"It got all mixed up in the nightmare," he continued, "Sam was calling me a…Shyla was there, only she was Hathor too…and then Sam turned into Sha'ure and wanted to know why I was cheating on her, and you wanted to know too…I wasn't even with you then! I couldn't have…and you kept saying Sam wouldn't cheat on me, and you loved her, and…" Daniel was gasping again, and Jack could feel the shudders running through him.
"I love you," Jack answered, "Only you."
"I know…I know it was just the dream and…and Sam's words," Daniel stammered, "God, I'm pathetic, they're just words!"
"Words from a friend," Jack pointed out, "Words that brought up living nightmares. Anyone would have reacted the same way. I would have." Jack took a deep breath, trying to keep the anger and hatred that was burning through him from coming out in his voice. "Just remember that they weren't true," he continued, "None of that was true, Danny. You are loyal, strong, and I love you, so much." Daniel didn't answer and Jack didn't have to see his face to know that he was crying, silently. Jack let him cry, a few tears escaping down his own face, until Daniel finally began to relax again, leaning back heavily against his chest. Jack brought his arms around him in a tentative hold, and was relieved when Daniel allowed this. They remained like this for a long time, just reveling in their connection, until Daniel finally broke the silence.
"You think Sam was trying to kill me," he whispered, his voice heavy but resigned.
"Teal'c thinks she's a strong suspect," Jack answered reluctantly, "We're trying to figure this out." Daniel nodded, then leaned his head back again, secure in Jack's arms, surrounded by Jack's love.