Title: A Man's Diary
Author: charlie1902
Fandoms: Stargate SG-1 / Highlander

Genre: Angst, Humour
Rating: K+

Warning: mentions past Noncon, bit of torture and very slight hints of slash (very hidden)

Spoilers: None
Summery: "A mans diary!? Adam I was running around with you naked and got tortured because of someone's diary?", "Not just any mans diary Daniel – my diary from the 1590's."
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters you recognise but do own the ones you don't. This is my way of loving them.

Chapter three – The End

The men soon gave up on punching Daniel, it hurt their hands after a while, next they broke the four fingers on his right hand one by one holding them against the wall and ramming the butt of a gun into each of them. Daniel had screamed each time. A knife was produced and one of the men cut Daniel, just small cuts but in various places on his arms, legs, chest even his cheek. When Methos still said nothing they left,

"We're be back with whips and other nasty items – think on it." After they had left Methos turned to his friend,

"I'm sorry,"

"S'not your fault," he slurred through his pain. The immortal wanted to tell him, wanted to explain why he couldn't tell but he knew someone was probably listening.

"I wouldn't be able to tell them if they were do'in this to you,"

"That doesn't make me feel better," Daniel laughed and then winced,

"The others will be here soon, Jack and Sam and Teal … Murray,"

"Your friends?"

"More than that they're more than that family they saved me, save me everyday …" Daniel was losing consciousness and Methos didn't try to stop it although it meant he was hanging by his wrists. Unconscious he couldn't feel pain.

When the door opened again Methos looked, intending to try and bargain with the men but it was not the same guys. These guys moved cautiously and when they reached Daniel one of them stroked his hair sighing softly.

"Colonel Jack O'Neill to the rescue," he said softly just as a series of explosions surrounded them. Three guys at the door fired loud machine guns at people Methos couldn't see.

Not feeling awkward in his still naked state Methos never the less thought he should start acting as though he was; act like the scholar he was pretending to be.

"Could I err get a err a jacket or err some sort of clothes," he stammered as a beautiful blond lady uncuffed him.

"Oh of course sorry here," she had been focused on Daniel to really notice his body but once she did she took off her own jacket and handed it over blushing.

"Why aren't you wearing any clothes?"

"I was in the um shower when they took us."

"What did they want?" an obvious test from a very distracted colonel,

"I don't … don't really know they were t…talking about s…some book but I didn't really understand any of it." The colonel muttered under his breath negative about civilians as he held one in his arms. A really small woman wearing a doctor's coat ran past him on crazy high heels straight to Daniels side.

"How bad Doc?" they both left out a cry as they saw his fingers

"Pretty bad but I'll know more when I get him back to the SGC."

"It's Adam right?" Jack asked as a very large silent man lifted Daniel onto a gurney.

"Y…yes Adam Pierson."

"Big Scottish guy was looking for you,"

"Oh," Crap what did McCloud want now?

"C…could I get a lift back to my place seeing as I'm … not dressed and then c…come visit Daniel?" if the man was being taken to a top-secret military base he doubted he would be aloud but he was hoping the question would shift attention off of him and onto Daniel, letting him leave quickly.

"Yes and No, Lou drive Adam home will ya. I'm sure Daniel will come see you when he's better. Lou is going to get a statement ok?"

A large group were walking out with Daniel and the one 'Lou' left behind didn't look happy about being stuck with the baby-sitting duty.

The two men walked in silence to a car and as they got in watched a helicopter take Daniel away. Now that he was safe Methos had unconsciously loosened the grip he had on his quickening and was fully healed,

"You got a lot of blood on you do you need to go to the hospital?"

"No it … it's mostly Daniel's he tried to save me,"

"Daniel's like that and don't worry about him I've seen him bounce back from far worse," Methos was curious did Daniel get hurt a lot,

"What do you mean?" he still needed to play clueless

"Just that he'll be fine now then you're place was well and truly trashed you sure you want to go back there right now?"

"Nowhere else to go," he lied.

He would lie to this Lou, tell him he knew nothing, did nothing and then get his things together, warn Mac and Joe the military were sniffing around and lose himself somewhere in South America. He promised to keep an eye on Daniel though it sounded like being part of the SGC wasn't good for his health. Although he supposed fighting god-like aliens was never going to be easy. He closed his eyes and wondered at that: he was at least 5000 thousand years old and couldn't remember before then. Had he worshipped these Gao'uld he'd certainly done so after they had gone form Earth but had he done so when they were there? He shuddered at the thought. His driver turned on the heating and refrained from asking questions until they were Adam's apartment. He sighed as he saw how trashed it was.

Daniel woke slowly in the SGC infirmary. He reached out for his glasses and looked around. Jack was sleeping in his usual chair next to him and a glass of water was on a tray to his right. Thirsty he reached out but stopped when he saw the bandages covering his whole hand. He thought it was funny they didn't hurt.

"You'll be as good as new in no time Danny," Jack said quietly

"Yea," Daniel replied with a sigh,

"Water?"

"Sure," after taking two slips Daniel suddenly jerked back spilling the water down his front ignoring it he asked Jack urgently,

"Is P…Adam ok?"

"He's fine he was worried about you. He was grateful to you for stopping them hurting him," Jack had read the statement Lou had taken from Daniel's friend. It had been exactly as he had thought the guy was clueless as well as useless and Daniel had suffered in his place.

"What? No I didn't I failed,"

"Damn he said he was alright, why would he lie?" Daniel sighed

"He wouldn't want to be taken into a military base,"

"You're going to have to explain that one to me sometime,"

"Not now could you send someone to check on him I want to speak to him,"

"Ok go back to sleep and I'll have Lou get him to phone you,"

Daniel nodded and slipped back to sleep.

"He'll be fine," Janet said appearing by his bedside to do doctor things

"He always is Doc," Jack was always afraid one day he wouldn't be; he and the rest of SG-1 courted death far too often for Jack's liking.

When Lou called Jack's mobile nearly three hours later the sound woke Daniel up,

"Is that Lou? Is Adam there?"

"Hey Jack I'm at this guy Adam's apartment but he's not here?"

"Wait a couple of hours he's probably working?"

"No Jack I'm mean he's not coming back all his stuff is gone and there's a note here for Daniel."

"Great, bring it back with you,"

"Jack?"

"Bye Lou see you back here,"

"Sure thing Colonel,"

"Jack?"

"He's not there, he left,"

"Oh, should have guessed he would," Daniel was still disappointed

"Daniel just who is this guy?"

"I told he is a friend and that we were at college together. I never said but he was so much … cooler than I was but he was always there for me." 'Kind of like you' Daniel thought and paused to gather his thoughts. Jack could imagine how naïve Daniel was when he was at college.

"One night we were walking back home – he walked me back home: I lived in a really bad neighbourhood. He was always doing that making sure I was ok. These three guys from the local military base they attacked us I don't really know what happened but I woke up in the hospital and he was gone. The three men he'd killed them Jack." That surprised the colonel and Daniel saw it in it his face he looked away ashamed,

"I didn't know how to feel about that and I couldn't talk to him about it because he'd just gone and now it's happened again. He killed one of the NID agents I didn't see it, don't know how but that's why they beat him so badly." Jack was even more surprised,

"He killed an NID agent?"

"Yea some guy they called Walker," Jack made a note of that name and tried to remember if Adam had looked hurt

"Last time he just appeared six months later – when he should have been graduating. He told me he'd changed his name but he didn't talk about that night."

"Do you think he'll show up again this time?"

"I don't know he knows I'm working with the military now,"

"That really makes that much of a difference?"

"I don't know, I don't know what happened before or even much of what went on last night,"

"I doubt he's ready to give up on your friendship,"

"I don't seem to bring him much luck,"

"He left you a letter, Lou's bringing back."

"Good," Daniel drifted off to sleep a small frown stayed on his face.

Three hours later he woke up as Sam and Teal'C appeared in the room alongside Janet and General Hammond

"Daniel do you think you're ready to tell us what happened yet?"

"Yea sure,"

"Take your time son," Daniel nodded absentmindedly as he thought of how to share last night with them,

"I was sleeping at Adam's it was nearly morning when I woke up, not sure why but then Adam comes in wearing just a towel and oh he was holding this really big sword. I had forgotten that," he said with a frown,

"A sword?"

"Yes a broad sword like an Ivanhoe I think, the TV turned on but it was a camera. He pulled me up and that's when I called you. We went over two buildings and then down into an alley where we were ambushed. I was knocked unconscious and when I woke up he was down we were put into a van and taken to where you found us. The NID agents kept kicking him while he was out. He fought back as they tried to chain him up. He would have gotten free too except a guy snuck up behind him."

"How many men was he fighting?"

"At that time three but before in the alleyway err over five I think but he did have that massive sword and they obviously weren't prepared to shoot him. They wanted him to force me to translate his book,"

"That's what they wanted, that book?"

"Yes. He looked really scared but angry too. When they said they were interested in his book he was surprised although …" Daniel's voice drifted off as he thought back

"Daniel?" Lou arrived quietly and handed Sam (who was standing furthest back) the letter

"I think he was more surprised about the language of the book than why they wanted the book almost like he …"

"He already knew what they book was about?" Sam suggested

"Yes, how did you know?"

"This letter he wrote for you, it's written in ancient!" Daniel lent forward quickly and reached for it,

"What?" she passed it to him and the group watched as he slowly read it his frown deepening as he did. When he'd finished he re-read it before sinking back down,

"I don't believe him,"

"Daniel what does it say?"

"It says, I mean Adam wrote, 'Daniel I am sorry to have to leave you again and I'm sorry for what you suffered because of me. I have a secret much like the secret you have and I could not let those men discover it. That book is a journal and its contents must remain hidden. I am pleased your theories were correct and that one day your work will have its place alongside the greats like Darwin and Plato. I hacked into some computer systems, sorry. One day when you have left the military I will tell you my secret but until that time I wish you the best of luck. Tell your team not to bother looking for me I won't be found. Best wishes Pierce.'"

"Son of a bitch! He hacked our computers!" Sam stormed out to check on them. The rest of his team and the general were also angry

"Why did he sign his name Pierce?" General Hammond asked

"That was his name when we first met he changed it and disappeared before he graduated."

"Daniel finish telling us what happened?" General Hammond requested his voice tight with anger

"When an NID agent came in to tell the others about Walker he said they couldn't find the book,"

"It is still hidden?"

"Adam would have taken it by now,"

"What then?" Jack asked although he could guess

"They wanted Pierce … Adam to tell them where he had put the book … journal,"

"But he didn't!" Jack's voice was filled with anger that Daniel's friend had let them hurt him so badly for a book

"Jack I understood I would have had to let them hurt him." Daniel wondered if he could have done that.

"That's different that's national security!"

"We don't know what his secret is although …"

"What?"

"I was just thinking what if he was an ancient?"

"An ancient wouldn't have let them hurt him or you like they did,"
"We have seen ancients that are mortal," Teal'C said

"And ones that are not always so helpful too," Jack said bitterly

"You really think he could be an ancient in mortal disguise?" General Hammond asked,

"Maybe Pierce … he acted so relaxed and laid back but I always thought he was hiding part of himself."

"Really Daniel?"

"Um maybe?" Daniel shook his head thinking about Adam the man could hardly be said to be benevolent or arrogant or anything like the ancients they had come across mortal or otherwise.

"Maybe not ancient but someone who knows about them?" At Daniel's confused question General Hammond put a comforting hand on his shoulder and left to use the red phone.

"Whoever he is you know we're going to have to look for him?" Daniel leant back into his bed and closed his eyes,

"I know but I also know you won't find him,"

"Don't be so sure Danny the US military has a good record when it comes to finding things and people it wants to."

"Maybe but Adam he'll go somewhere the US military can't and blend in so well he's neighbours will swear he's been there for years."

"How will he do that?" Daniel smiled

"Jack he speaks countless languages each as well as his native language, whatever that may be."

"Has faith in us Danny,"

"I actually would rather you didn't find him if you can't I know NID can't." Jack choked at that

"I like to think we're a little better than them Danny do you really think we'd hurt the guy?"

"I know you won't Jack but if you get orders to hand him over to someone who will I know you would." Jack went silent looking at his friend in hurt. Daniel opened his eyes realising he probably shouldn't have said that.

"Daniel Jackson: O'Neill is most honourable," stated Teal'C

"I know Teal'C but look Pierce he won't tell you his secret no matter what the man is more stubborn than even you more stubborn than you the two of you and Sam put together. What would you do then keep him locked here for years?"

"Not years," Jack said uncertainly he could see why Daniel wanted to protect his friend – but did he really think the man needed to protect him from Jack?

"He hasn't had any great experiences with the military and by chasing after him your only going to prove he needs to hid from you, from me." It hurt Daniel that his friend didn't trust him with his secret.

"We have to find him first."

Just then Jack's phone rang,

"O'Neill,"

"Colonel could you put me through to Daniel?"

"Adam?"

"Yes,"

"Jack?" Daniel was leaning forward for the phone

"Where are you?" Jack pulled out of Daniel's reach

"No where I'm going to share with you,"

"Why are you running?"

"I'm sure Daniel's shared my letter with you by now – I have a secret one I'm not willing to let the US military find out about,"

"We'll find you, you know and find out your secret – must be a hell of a good one for you to let Daniel suffer the way you did,"

"Jack!"

"It is," Jack paused,

"Are you an ancient?"

"A what?" he didn't mean immortal did he?

"An alien the group whose language you wrote the letter in?"

"Oh no but I knew one I think,"

"Who?"

"Jack please put me through to Daniel," thinking about it Jack eventually did as asked

"Pierce?"
"Hello Daniel are you alright?"

"I'm fine are you ok?"
"Always, about my secret I am sorry I trust you but not who you work for,"
"I know Pierce it's ok I understand, I just wanted ask that book . . .?"

"Yes what about it?"

"It was worth it what I went through?"

"It was my diary Daniel,"

"Your diary!? A mans diary!? Adam I was running around with you naked because of someone's old diary?"

"Not just any mans diary Daniel – my diary from the 1590's." that stopped Daniel

"Your diary from the … the 1590's?"

"Yes Daniel,"

"Your secret is you're a time traveller?" the archaeologist guessed

"No I've meet one or two in my time though,"

"Then what how could you have a diary from the 1590's?"

"I'll tell you all about it one day." Then there was silence

"Pierce … Adam?" Daniel looked at the phone,

"Dammit,"

"What did he say?"

"That book was his diary!"

"He keeps a diary?" Jack said laughing

"From the 1590's Jack how could he have a diary from over four centuries ago?"

"Maybe he is an alien," Teal'C suggested

"Maybe,"

"Guess your going to have to be more careful out there Danny,"

"Sorry?"

"Well you have to survive so you can quit the military and find out his secret!"

Daniel just shook his head,

"I'll see him again before then,"

"You sound sure?"

"I know I just know I will,"