The infirmary was one of Jack O'Neill's least favourite places in the world. On any world, for that matter. He had spent countless hours cooped up in one infirmary or another over the course of his long military career, but this one, this one was by and far his least favourite of them all. How many friends had he lost, or almost lost, over the years? All in this room. And now, to make matters worse, good old Doc Frasier was among those he had lost, leaving a gaping void in the sterile environment where once there had been at least one sympathetic face. This room was a dark reminder of all the times Jack had sat helpless to save someone he cared for, and this time was no exception. Two days after returning from P7X-294 with SG-1, his former teammates and Mia still hadn't shown any sign of waking.
Jack had spent the past two days dividing his time between sitting vigilance over the precious group, and working out pent-up frustration in the gym. Despite Dr. Lam's repeated assurances that their vitals were growing stronger all the time, he couldn't shake the feeling that this time had been much, much too close for comfort. If only they'd just wake up!
It was about three in the morning on the third day back when Jack was woken from a restless sleep in his usual seat, propped up in an uncomfortable chair against the wall, right across from where his friends all lay. He glanced around the dimly lit room, expecting to see a nurse checking vitals, but there was no one else there. Repositioning himself into a slightly more bearable position, he was just about ready to drift back to sleep when something tickled the edge of his awareness, forcing his tired eyes open again.
"Torturing yourself isn't going to bring them back any faster," said Daniel, motioning towards the beds. Jack shot up from the chair, staring in disbelief. Looking from the still and silent form occupying Daniel's bed, back to the radiantly healthy man before him, Jack felt a familiarly sickening wrench in his gut. Opening his mouth to speak, Daniel countered first, saying, "He's fine, Jack."
"But you...he...," Jack stuttered, confused, looking from one to the other and back again.
"I died over five thousand years ago, Jack," said the glowing Daniel, the ascended Daniel.
"You're Mia's Daniel," Jack replied, the pieces coming together in his mind.
"Yes," he replied with a smile.
"I thought you said Oma wouldn't help you ascend again," he said, almost accusingly.
"She didn't," Daniel replied. "Apparently sacrificing myself for the good of the timeline was enough. Plus, you know, third try's the charm, and all that."
"Ah," said Jack, not entirely understanding. Daniel smiled fondly at the other man's look of confusion. "So what brings you to our neck of the woods?," Jack asked, trying to keep his tone light.
"You, actually," replied Daniel.
"Am I that far gone?," Jack asked in return. Daniel smiled again.
"You look like you could use a friend," he replied calmly.
"I'm not really sure I deserve my friends, at the moment," Jack retorted, his tone derisive.
"None of this was your fault," said Daniel.
"I gave the go on the mission. I dragged Mia into it."
"You can't blame yourself for everything that happens," Daniel replied. "Believe it or not, Jack, there are some things in this universe that are completely beyond your control." Jack glared at him.
"Is it so wrong to want to keep them safe?," he asked quietly.
"No. But it is wrong to torture yourself when you can't." The two men fell silent a moment as Jack's gaze once again drifted to the sleeping forms across the room. Finally Daniel broke the silence, saying, "You know, that's where Mia's father went wrong." Jack cringed at the words, but Daniel continued. "He held on to tightly, and in the end, it destroyed him. She deserves better than that, Jack. Go take care of yourself. They'll all still be here when you get back."
"What about you?"
"I've never left any of you alone when you needed someone," he replied, smiling again.
"Pulling guardian angel duty?," Jack quipped.
"Something like that."
Silence again. Fidgeting awkwardly, Jack said at last, "You did a good job with her, you know," motioning towards the young woman laying so eerily still in her bed.
"Thank, you, Jack. That means a lot," he replied sincerely, gazing fondly at the girl in question.
"Is there anything you want me to tell her, when she wakes up?," Jack asked uncomfortably, feeling as if he really should make the offer. This was the man who had raised her, after all. Her father, as it were. Daniel shook his head, that peaceful smile spreading slowly across his face again.
"Just take care of her," he said at last, turning back to Jack. "Now get out of here. Eat. Sleep. I'll stay with them until you get back," he finished, ushering Jack to the door. "And remember what I said. Stop torturing yourself. You're a good man, Jack. One of the best I've ever known. Get that through your head, and you'll do just fine." Giving Jack one final little shove out the door, Daniel watched him disappear down the hall, hopefully toward the mess and a much-needed meal followed by a good night's sleep.
Turning his attention back to the row of beds lining the far infirmary wall, Daniel gently touched each of his friends in turn, carefully pouring just a little of his own energy into each one of them, lingering the longest on the daughter of his heart. Softly caressing her ashen cheek, he whispered, "Be happy, Mia. You'll always have someone watching over you." The hint of a smile touched her delicate lips, and she sighed contentedly as she settled into a more natural sleep. Slowly pulling away, Daniel eased himself back into the deep shadows of the dimly lit room, watching his careful ministrations take effect as one by one, his friends regained some semblance of life where they lay.
A/N: Almost there... Just a few more days, with any luck, and we'll have this all wrapped up! As always, feedback is welcome. And thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone still reading this!