Three days later:
"Three of those… one triangular bandage… field dressings … one, two, three…"
It was quiet in the infirmary and Janet was sorting out first aid kits. An apologetic-sounding tap made her lose count. She looked up to see Daniel's head poking around the door.
"Um.. Janet? You wanted to see me?"
"Yes Daniel" she said, stuffing the bandages into a first aid bag and zipping it up tightly. "It's time I checked you over again properly." She put the bag down and moved towards him. "I need to see that you are still healing properly." She paused and fixed him with pointed stare "I haven't seen you in a while - have you been avoiding me?"
"Ah- no, um…sorry" Daniel explained self-consciously. "I've been …busy."
It was partly true, but he had been avoiding her. Mostly because he wasn't quite sure how to deal with the fact that he had poured so much of his heart out to her in the woods and partly because he was confused. He has talked to her about his love for Sha're, but since he had got back he had found himself increasingly thinking about Janet; how good it had felt when she had pulled him towards her, the comfort of her small hand in his as they had walked back through the woods. The recollection left him feeling embarrassed, confused and guilty.
"Ok, excuse accepted" said Janet with an easy smile. She didn't seem to feel the slightest bit awkward he noted with partial relief. "So how've you been?"
"Fine" Daniel replied reflexively.
"Good. Hop up on the bed so I can check you over."
'Hopping' was still out of the question and Daniel climbed up carefully. He felt Janet's eyes watching him critically and tried to make his movements as natural as possible. Lying back with his arms behind his head he stared up at the ceiling.
"So, no pain?" Janet enquired professionally.
Still no mention of the woods. Daniel shook his head. No significant pain anyway. Janet pulled up his top and placed her hands gently on his stomach. Palpating around the newly formed scar she said "I hear it took them a lot longer than they thought to set up the second gate."
Poking was still uncomfortable and Daniel, doubly distracted, replied clumsily "Err yes, they finally got it running yesterday." With a deliberate attempt to sound disinterested he added vaguely "technical difficulties or something."
He didn't think that Janet would be fooled by his tone. For the past few days he had been haunting the Gateroom, pacing distractedly and irritating McKay as he struggled to recode Sam's safety protocols. Sporadically (whenever McKay made it clear that if Daniel didn't leave then Daniel would himself be in need of re-coding) he had returned to his lab and worked feverishly hoping to find anything else of use and half-hoping to hear more voices – provided they said something useful.
Vocalising his thoughts Janet said "They needed Sam's help huh?"
The whole 'knowing what he was thinking' was a bit disconcerting Daniel decided. He sat up slowly, carefully twisting so that his healing muscles did not have to bear the brunt of lifting his weight from flat, and felt over the raised pink scar absentmindedly. He chose his words carefully;
"Yes it's…uh…it's ironic that she's not here to save herself." If she had been, SG-1 would have been back in an instant instead of -
For a moment Daniel felt his thoughts slide towards the abyss of worry that he had been carefully trying to avoid. Janet's voice pulled him back.
"Well…you are fine." She sounded pleased. "There are no signs of residual infection." She looked hard at him. "You were very lucky."
"Yes, so you keep saying." Daniel said, tucking his T shirt gently over the scar. He kept his hand in place for a moment, subconsciously protecting the area from further investigation and wondering how to word what was on his mind.
"Uh-huh. I still want you to take it easy for at least a…." Janet stopped and they both listened as the base communication system kicked in. A disembodied voice over the radio shouted "Off world activation, repeat, we have an off world activation." Without waiting for Janet to finish, Daniel grabbed his jacket and jumped down from the bed, using the mattress as a starting block, and sped out of the room.
Janet was left completing her sentence to the open air "Another week…Ok!" She looked in the direction of Daniel's rapid exit and sighed.
Daniel ran through the SGC corridor towards the gateroom, ducking and dodging around the hordes of people all seemingly walking the wrong way. Misjudging a step he bumped into two airmen and had to push between them. "Ow, excuse me, sorry, ow!" He pivoted balletically, hand raised in apology but didn't stop. The elevator doors were just closing and he made it through the narrowing gap just in time. The seconds in the elevator gave him a moment to catch his breath, but he wasn't grateful for the respite; it seemed to take eternity.
In the gateroom, the SGC's protocol for an unscheduled off-world activation ran like clockwork. Guards readied themselves, the iris clamped tightly shut as soon as the vortex from the opening wormhole had dissipated and the control room filled with people. General Hammond hurried keenly in as Harriman scanned for signals.
"Receiving SG1's IDC sir." Harriman announced excitedly and Hammond instantly gave the order to open the iris.
Daniel rushed into the room, breathing raggedly and ignoring the resurgence of discomfort in his side. He stopped, and looked yearningly at the gate in hopeful trepidation.
For what seemed like an eternity nothing happened. The event horizon of the wormhole rippled like the surface of a calm pond but nothing came through. Daniel's heart thumped so hard that he was sure that everyone nearby must hear it.
SG-1s IDC – surely it had to be them… unless… Just as he felt ready to snap with tension the ripples bubbled and Jack, Sam and Teal'c stepped through with a slight fizzing noise. The wormhole snapped out of existence behind them.
Daniel let out the breath that he had been unconsciously holding and sagged a little at the sudden release of tension.
SG-1 were home.
Ok, finished it at last. (I'm not going to write my way through Small Victories from Daniel's POV!) Thanks to everyone who has read it all and particular thanks to everyone who has reviewed it. I am new to this, so any constructive criticism is very gratefully received and I'll try act upon any advice if I write anything else.
Hope you enjoyed it.