Chapter Twelve: Machines and Magic
Daniel held Jack tightly, letting his husband cry out the terror that Janet's phone call somehow released in his husband. He would never know what it was like for Jack because his loss of Charlie but he knew the terror of thinking what their children were going through right now in the hands of people who don't care about the lives they held were children. They were Daniel's children and Jack's children. And these people didn't have any idea of whom they were screwing with.
"What did you say to me a couple hours ago?" Daniel finally whispered against the skin just behind Jack's ear.
"We're going to get them back and they are going to be okay."
Daniel nodded and pressed his hand against the back of Jack's head. He knew Sam was on her phone with someone from the base, getting another update but nothing was going to pull him away from Jack until his Colonel was ready to step away and face the word once more.
Then the phone rang and Daniel took it from Jack's lax hand and pushed the talk button and pressing it to his ear one the opposite side that Jack was pressed into. He would rather have an uncomfortably close conversation on the phone then let go of Jack at that moment, especially when he could still feel the slight shudders from Jack's body. The older man didn't really do crying as it was but sometimes it was just too much and losing their children was opening up the pain of the past for Jack. "Jackson," he snapped into the phone.
"Daniel, we got a short burst of data from the GPS before it shorted out, they are still in the city so we are getting closer," Hammond said on the other side of the phone.
"Thanks General," Daniel said and hung up. "They are still close Jack, we are going to find them."
Jack nodded then with a sudden burst of movement, Daniel's husband jerked back to press his lips to Daniel's mouth. Daniel didn't taste the passion and love beyond the fear that was choking them both; he felt the stress and pain fighting to the surface. Daniel pressed a gentle palm to Jack's cheek as he pressed into Jack's mouth gently. He felt when the single tear splashed onto his cheek and just poured his love out in the caress, he slid his hand behind Jack's neck and relaxed into the kiss until Jack gentled and released Daniel's mouth. Jack immediately placed his forehead against Daniel's and they each took a couple deep breaths and Daniel watched as Jack centered himself before he pressed another kiss to the corner of Daniel's lips and they separated and Daniel nudged at Jack to sit back down on the Claire's bed. Daniel tugged a chair over and sat down as well.
"Will you tell me what it was like with Charlie? Tell me about the emotions that are choking you right now."
Jack looked over at him in surprise, Daniel never pushed about Sarah and Charlie. Same way that Jack never pushed about Daniel's foster cares experience. "I don't know if I can Daniel."
"If you do, maybe it won't have the power to choke you anymore," Daniel returned gently.
Jack took a deep breath and pulled away from Daniel's gentle grip on his hand and he was sure the older man wasn't going to speak only to surprise Daniel when he did. "I remember Charlie being this beautiful soul, so happy and content when we were all together even though that didn't happen all that often. I was always gone with training and secret missions but Sarah didn't know to be bothered by it. Guns were such a big part of my job that it would have bee strange not to have a weapon in the house. Sarah and I were outside, Charlie was supposed to come out as well and I was just starting to wonder where he'd gone off to when we heard the shot. I raced inside and found him there on the bed, blood all around him and turning ashen from the rapid blood loss. I couldn't believe I had done something so stupid as to cause my child's injury then death. We called an ambulance and I applied pressure as Sarah was on the phone, talking to the operator. There was nothing we could possibly do though, he was bleeding out too quickly and so we held him even as that shinning light that I always saw started to fade away. Daniel I still can't really and truly forgive myself for that and now, its happening again."
"Jack, I know you see it that way but our children are not Charlie, they are going to be fine. This is not a macabre history repeating itself story, you were right earlier when you said they didn't know who they were taking. Our children are smart and know how to take care of each other."
"They shouldn't have to Daniel, that's supposed to be our job."
Daniel sighed and nodded, "And when we get them back we are going to do everything we must to see that this never happens again. Right?"
Jack nodded.
Daniel sighed and reached out his hand, palm up and smiled a little when Jack's hand reached out to take his gently. "I think there is something in my life that I shouldn't be protecting from you anymore. Let's see this one last brick fall between us right now."
"What are you talking about Danny?"
"The foster care system, that I was a part of for eight years."
"Daniel, you don't have to tell me to prove anything."
"That's not what this is," Daniel said, shaking his head slowly. "This is me giving everything to the person who has done the same for me."
Jack nodded and waited.
"Okay," Daniel took a deep breath, "Mostly it was just neglect, people who already had too many fosters to care for just to add on another distraught little boy who had no one and nothing. I did what I had to, to stay under the radar and do well in school. I was sure that I could get emancipated so I could leave for college early but several of the homes caused problems for me."
"Why would they?" Jack asked gently.
"These were the homes later where I wasn't just dealing with neglect, there was a lot of shouting and a few slaps here and there," Daniel was underselling the abuse a little but when he felt Jack's grip on his hand change he knew he was doing the right thing. Jack would just want names and addresses so he could go and beat up people, "If they could discredit me even in the smallest ways then it would be possible to keep me from crying wolf on their behavior. It didn't happen a lot, just enough and never bruised me. I just stayed quiet and stayed in the system till I turn eighteen and by then I was accepted with a full ride scholarship and I chose that day to leave it all behind. It didn't mean anything anymore because I wasn't going to be that little boy who didn't stick up for myself."
"Is that why you wouldn't talk about it?" Jack asked gently, his thumb rubbing gently on the inside of Daniel's wrist.
"I didn't want it to let it consume but it did anyway," Daniel heaved a great sigh and scrubbed a hand under his glasses and over his eyes.
"Why do you say that?" Jack asked gently.
Daniel fidgeted and tried to pull away from Jack but the older man wouldn't allow it. "I didn't talk to people, I didn't make relationships with others. Sarah Gardner and I didn't even really have a good relationship because I was married to my work. The only time I was ever alive before you was when I was learning something new or going on digs, it was the only time I felt like I was with my parents and without them there was nothing to live for anyway."
"Danny," Jack whispered gently.
Daniel stood and moved away from Jack's touch, "No pity Jack."
"Not pity Daniel, never that." Jack's words were a loving caress.
"So the damage they did in me was something I didn't even recognize until you pulled me into your family and taught me to care and love others again, with Sam and Teal'c then with you. Because of you I fell in love."
Jack snickered, "Feelings mutual Danny."
Daniel finally turned back towards Jack, shimmer of tears making the sight of his husband blurry around the edges. Jack stood and walked over to him, pressing close enough for them to share body heat. Jack slipped his fingers up and slipped off Daniel's glasses then swiped gently at the tears that were slipping from his eyelashes. It was the first time since he was nine years old that another person knew everything about him and looking up into Jack's gaze and seeing that all-consuming, no holds barred love made Daniel want to cry even more. Jack pressed forward for another of those warm and wet kisses that sent Daniel's heart thudding in his chest. Jack pulled back and Daniel hugged his husband tightly, arms around Jack's neck as Jack's arms pressed against his back.
"Thank you for telling me Danny."
Daniel nodded into Jack's throat, "Thank you for trusting me with Charlie," he whispered the boy's name reverently.
Jack pressed another kiss to the corner of Daniel's mouth and they each took a couple of deep breaths before Jack smiled, "We should rejoin the others. See if there is anymore news."
Daniel nodded and crouched to grab his glasses before they turned to return to the living room where Lauren and Ben were sitting on the couch, Sam in between them struggling with the need to cry. Lauren's arm was around her shoulder, pressing her other hand into Sam's cheek in comfort. Ben looked up when they walked into the room but Lauren paid them no attention, as if Sam was her daughter-in-law and Daniel didn't exist, as if he didn't lose his children as well.
Daniel swallowed the anger that was rising up to choke him, he touched Jack's wrist lightly who was staring at his parents as well before he walked upstairs to lay down in his bed. He realized he was still holding the phone so as he scooted across the large bed and dropped the phone on the floor, listening to the clunk of the device and curled up on his side away from the door and all of a sudden, hated the silence.
The last time he'd been alone in a house without children was more than ten years ago and suddenly he wondered how he'd ever had such a problem with having children in the first place because the lack of small voices happily talking to each other or arguing about something they had read or learned or even sometimes over a toy. He loved hearing Jack talking to the kids first thing in the morning or arguing with them about the true goodness of Fruit Loops, the kids don't really like cereal as they all were brought up in basically an organic household but Jack was constantly telling them the joys of his favorite breakfast.
Daniel thought about the time he'd spent with them each and every day, teaching them new languages and passing on to each of the children a true love of learning, not one born of necessity. He hoped where ever they were, all six of the children were together and watching out for each other and he hoped that if they could safely get away and find their way back to their fathers', he hoped they would do so.
For now, all he could do was wait and try not to fight with Lauren whom he so desperately wanted to shout at. He pushed his glasses off, placing them on the pillow where Jack usually lay. He closed his eyes and started counting in his head and allowed the ease of the counting to calm his mind and lets the fear fall away.
He slipped into a calm mind space and found himself thinking of the home he left behind and there were his sons, Zale and Johnny, holding hands. "Zale, Johnny?"
"Daddy, this was the only way we could use our powers, they are keeping us separated and drugged. I don't have enough mental clarity to teleport to them or tell you anything about where we are. Johnny started screaming and they could not calm him and so we were placed together. He gave me enough strength to reach out to you in this way."
"Why me and not Papa?" Daniel questioned as he walked over and placed his hands on each of their shoulders. The sensation of touching them was much like as if they were with him in person even though Daniel knew he was sleeping and dreaming.
"I have biological connection to you Daddy and my emotional bond is physical as well, which allowed me to reach past the fogginess of the drugs."
Daniel nodded and leaned down to hug them, "I'm so sorry babies. We shouldn't have been fighting."
"Its not your fault Daddy," Zale said with his small hand pressed to Daniel's cheek. "Johnny and I both were not very good at hiding our powers even though we knew there were people out to get us."
"You grew up thinking that magic was normal, not something to hide," Daniel shrugged. "We can't change what happened, have you seen or heard from Jake, Haikon or Ishtar? The GPS isn't working that we didn't know about, something is shorting it out. Did the people holding you remove and destroy it?"
Zale frowned, tilting his head, "They were taken as well?"
Daniel nodded and he watched as the boys' image shimmered and his hands slipped through them and he fell forward.
Zale sighed unhappily, "I am losing hold on your mind Daddy! The GPS is fighting with the magic. If they drug us heavily enough it could allow the GPS to do what is intended. I will seek to allow that to happen."
Daniel shook his head, "No Zale, we'll find you without you possibly getting hurt from the drugging."
He watched as Zale's form flickered and Johnny's did as well. Daniel wanted to pull them close but he couldn't touch them anymore. "I love you Daddy," Zale whispered.
Daniel teared up at the words, "I love you both and we are going to find you!"
Johnny spoke out loud, since this was not his physical body, "We're going to be okay Daddy. I love you and we're going to be together soon."
With that they were gone and Daniel woke from his sleep shouting, "Johnny!"
Jack came running into the room, looking around the room before he sat down next to Daniel, "What is it?"
"I saw Zale and Johnny in my dream. They are being drugged so they can't use their powers. Zale said this was the only way he could reach out to me."
Jack pressed a hand to Daniel's cheek, "Are they okay?"
"They seemed so, I told them that we loved them and we were going to come find them. We need to call and make sure they are still using the GPS, Zale sounds like he might have a plan and though I told him not to do it he's going to do it anyway."
"Sounds familiar," Jack said with a grin. Daniel rolled his eyes and chuckled a little. Daniel watched as Jack reached down where Daniel had tossed the phone and he dialed the base once more, informing Hammond or someone to keep using the GPS, and let them know if anything came from it immediately. Daniel felt Jack's hand pressing against his chest, bringing his heart rate down with its soothing stroke. Daniel knew his kids were still in danger, and if Zale is to be believed were going to be in more danger very soon but he got to touch them and talk to them for a moment instead of the last time he'd seen them where all five of his little babies as well as Greer were unconscious on the ground in their back yard. Just like nothing could ever make him forget Henry's assault, he would never forget that sight of them all lying on the ground in the grass, not knowing if they were alive or dead just utterly still.
"It's going to be okay Danny."
He turned and looked at Jack, "He didn't even know that Sam's kids were taken, whoever has them has enough space and power to keep nine children sedated and Zale is going to try to get them to drug him to an extreme point so the GPS will work. I don't know if that's going to be okay. Our children have never even had aspirin let alone what they are probably giving them."
Jack nodded, "I know but they also burn through everything so quickly, their metabolisms are much higher than ours. We will try to get to them before Zale attempts his plan."
"How do you expect to do that?" Daniel asked quietly.
"You know what I miss all the time now that we aren't there?" Jack paused and Daniel shrugged, "Magic."
Daniel nodded, "I miss Akina and Adrian and all of our friends there and the people that made some of these things impossible to pull off. Our children were protected, not targeted there. I want to go home."
Jack said and was about to speak when someone else did, "Ask and you shall receive." They both looked up shocked by the voice they had not heard in a long time.