Chapter Five: New Living Arrangements

Daniel stepped out of the taxi and took his brand new ID out of his pocket and showed it to the guard. He didn't know what he was doing here at the mountain but he couldn't stay at the house where Sarah was kissing Jack. He didn't want to see Jack fumbling around, trying to remember what they had together for so long.

He made it through the checkpoints and walked with purpose towards General Hammond's office. When he made it there, Hammond was sitting at his desk so he knocked and when George looked up he wave Daniel in.

"General Hammond thanks for seeing me. I know you're a busy man," Daniel said as he sat down in front of the desk.

"Is there something you wanted to ask me about Doctor Jackson?" Hammond asked.

"When do you think the MIA might be fixed so we can get settled?"

General Hammond frowned, "I thought you were settled with Colonel O'Neill and your children?" he asked.

"You told Sarah and she came to the house," Daniel said without recrimination since it was just a fact.

"Doctor Jackson, I didn't realize she would go there. What happened to get you so unsettled?"

"Sir, this is not your problem, I would just like to have some place to go if Jack decides that this isn't working for him. I need someplace to land with my kids and give them someplace safe. We were protected and safe in that other place, accepted for who we were and whom we loved. Here we don't have that safety net which is freaking out Jack more than he can even say."

"You don't think he can get past this?" Hammond asked gently.

Daniel shrugged, "I have learned a lot about Jack in the past ten years and the one thing I do know is when he is pushed, sometimes he doesn't push back."

"Jack O'Neill? Our Jack, not push back?" General Hammond asked.

"When it comes to the kids and me, yeah sometimes he would rather run than be a failure to me or them. I need to protect my children with or without him."

Hammond sighed, "You are sure you need to do this? To give up on Jack?"

"Not give up, just be cautious and hopeful but safe."

General Hammond nodded, "I will see what I can do for you. Do you want to bring the kids back here until we figure out the MIA status as well as getting the birth certificates for the kids?"

Daniel shrugged, "I don't know right now, I don't like the idea of my children being here where people might see what they were capable of. I have to have their best interest before my own."

Hammond nodded, "I understand Doctor."

"Thanks, I am going to go to my office—well the archeology department if that's okay? I'm not ready to go back to the house yet."

"Of course, write down whatever hours you work and I will make sure you are compensated for all your continued service to the SGC."

Daniel smiled and nodded before walking out of the room and towards the department he used to run. He found the way easily and quickly, trying not to think about the mess he was hiding out from. He didn't want to stay away from the house for too long because the kids didn't deserve the same treatment. He found his office filled with a lot of the stuff that had always been there and a lot of things that were new. He found one of the other archeologists and asked what Daniel could help with. The other scientist knew Daniel's reputation and sent him back to Daniel's old office because apparently it was full of the documents and projects that stumped the other people so he sat down and just grabbed the first document and started working.

And felt the release that always came from working, there was nothing like climbing into an old document and letting go of his life. He wanted to forget about the damage that his marriage was finding here in their once beloved world and home. So he slipped away into the language and the culture and found the subtle nuances that made each document and writing style unique in and of itself.

There was no way to mark the time in the past so when the jingling of a phone sounded in the room nearby it shocked him out of the document. He hadn't heard that sound for a long time, nothing like phones in the Vannas world. The noise was so jarring Daniel picked up the phone to stop the sound, "Doctor Jackson?"

"Danny, what are you doing there?" Jack snapped over the phone line.

"Jack, how did you know where I was?"

Daniel, we have been together a long time and you love to hide in your work," Jack responded tartly.

Daniel rolled his eyes, "What would you like me to do? Stick around while you were sticking your tongue in Sarah's mouth?"

"Oh fer crying out loud Daniel, she kissed me and I didn't return the kiss! You really think so little of me, or yourself?"

Daniel shrugged but realized that Jack couldn't see him shrugging but Jack gave a sigh as if he saw it anyway. "Jack, I think you need to have some time and figure out what you really want. You think we have to stay together, that we should stay together for the kids but I can feel you pulling away a little at a time, I understand Jack."

Jack cursed under his breath, "Are you asking for a divorce Danny?"

Daniel sniffed as the tears threatened, "How can we get divorced Jack? We're not married." With that, he slipped the phone into its cradle and slipped his fingers across his eyes trying to wipe the tears away. He wanted to slip back into the written word but the damn phone rang again. Daniel's leg started bouncing as the ringing continued. He knew it was Jack wanting to talk but Daniel knew that Jack's words and that cajoling voice would convince Daniel to get home so it was just better if he didn't answer.

"So you gonna answer that?" Janet asked as she stepped in the room. Daniel looked up and smiled at his friend before he lifted the phone and dropped it again.

"No," Daniel answered.

"You wanna talk to a friend?" Janet asked.

"Don't you have work or something?" Daniel asked with a smile.

"Without SG1 within our ranks, my doctors are a lot less busy and you look like you need a friend more than anyone needs medical attention."

Daniel nodded and stood from his desk as the phone rang again, "Yes definitely." He rushed away from the ringing phone and out the door into the grey hallways of Cheyenne Mountain. They stayed quiet for a while, getting away from the echoing sound of the phone before either of them spoke.

"You and Jack huh?" Janet whispered in deference of listening soldiers in the halls.

"Yeah, for ten years and five children and a lot of weird stuff. We were together all through out, always fighting against anything that came at us and working through everything but now its like he doesn't know we're worth fighting for any more."

"Daniel, I hate to have to tell you something else as well."

He paused in the hallway, "What now?"

"There are some rumors floating around about you and Jack, people are finding out the truth and some are not reacting very well."

"What does that mean?" Daniel asked.

"Nothing specific, only that you must have done something to him, seduced him during a bad situation. I heard whispering that they blame you for Jack talking about leaving and I'm worried that you might get hurt."

Daniel shrugged, "I can't stop people from whispering rumors, they were whispering them years before Jack and I disappeared along with Sam and Teal'c. They won't do anything, the people here are good men and women, they won't take their frustration out on me."

Janet shrugged, "I hope your right, are you going to tell Jack about this?"

"Tell Jack about what?" Daniel said as they started walking again. Janet shoved him gently and he laughed and pretended that he was hurt by it.

"Daniel, I watched the way he looked at you when you were leaning against the wall, I don't think you should give up just yet."

"I already told you, I'm not giving up."

"I can see the pain in you Daniel but I also see the hopelessness."

He shrugged again, "You didn't see the look when Sarah made him admit to her that we were together. You didn't see him kissing her. You didn't see him say nothing when his ex-wife called me a fag and accused me of turning Jack."

Janet's eyes widened as each sentence came out of his mouth. Daniel saw on her face the feelings and uncertainty of hope. Daniel nodded sadly and stopped when Janet touched his arm, "You still have the kids to think about."

"I know, I don't know if splitting the kids up and adopting some sort of schedule between the two of us is going to be a good choice for us either. Johnny and Zada are as much my children and the Claire, Janet and Zale are."

"Wait what?" Janet asked with a laugh.

"What what?" Daniel returned, too wrapped up in thinking about divorce and separation again.

"One of your daughters is named for me?" Janet asked with a squeak of excitement.

"Oh yes, she is. Janet Catherine."

Janet reached for him and hugged Daniel hard, "Thank you for that."

"Jack and I love you and we wanted to name one of the girls for you. She's kind of like you, bossy and opinionated."

Janet laughed, "Yes that does sound like me."

Daniel pulled away from the embrace and looked at Janet, "Listen, I need to get back to work and I'm sure Jack has given up on the calling thing. I will talk to you later okay?"

"Okay, just promise me that I can meet my namesake for real soon."

Daniel smiled and nodded before he turned back down the way they were walking and headed back to his office and the sanctuary of the past.