Daniel woke cold, wet, naked, and blind. There was about an inch of
water on the floor all around him and he sat up, dizzy and disoriented. He
wasn’t injured, didn’t feel like he’d been killed and put through the
sarcophagus, and there wasn’t anything obstructing his eyes that his hands
could feel. So either he’d somehow been simultaneously struck
blind, or he was in a room that was completely dark.
Moving
carefully to his knees, Daniel slowly felt out the parameters of the room in
which he was being kept. It wasn’t that big, but it wasn’t tiny, either,
approximately ten feet by ten feet. He wasn’t too sure about that since his
balance was off, but it seemed about right. The walls and floor were plain
cement without any kind of door or window that he could make out, not even
standing on the balls of his feet.
There
was, however, a steady trickle of water in one of the corners and he drank his
fill, which made him feel a little better. It wasn’t until he’d walked around
the room several times that he found a small slit in the floor where the water
escaped. But it was just that, as if the wall didn’t go down the final
half-inch, and Daniel could barely get his fingers in, let alone try and work
it to his advantage somehow.
The
silence was unbelievably disconcerting and even the sound of his
own breathing quickly faded into nothing. He started talking, just to
keep himself from going a little stir crazy; or maybe just to keep himself from going crazy, period.
“We
were on P34-X89, I remember that Sam was talking to
the local magistrate about, what about? Oh, right, mining rights. Not naquadah, but something more powerful than uranium anyhow.
And Teal’c was discussing fighting techniques with
the head of security. I was, what was I doing? I was
oh! Right! I was looking over some ruins on the outskirts of the city. So what
happened?”
Daniel strained to remember, but try as he could, everything after his
walk to the ruins remained a blank.
“It
doesn’t matter, because Jack will find me. He’ll find me and get me out of
here.”
“Your
friend will not find you.”
Daniel jumped out of his skin at the voice that came from nowhere. It
sounded familiar, but he couldn’t tell quite who it was. The insult it made of
the word ‘friend’ was enough to say it was an enemy of Jack’s for sure,
possibly one of his own. “Who are you? What do you want?”
“I have what I want, Dr. Jackson, and you will remain here for a very
long time. You have water, food will be automatically dispensed twice a day,
and your physical waste will be sluiced clean daily.”
“Why?” Daniel demanded, hugging himself in fear. The voice was cold and
certain in its hate, which scared him more than he wanted to know.
His question was ignored. “You will have no contact when I leave here.
You will live to a ripe, old age, alone and forgotten and blind with no means
to end your pathetic life. I will look in on you now and again, simply to savor
how far you descend into madness and to know that I sent you there. No one will
find you.”
There was a faint click that signaled the end of the transmission and
fear clogged Daniel’s throat. He couldn’t really be blind? There would be some
kind of scar or injury if he was, right? People didn’t simultaneously go blind
without trauma or a hereditary problem. That, more than anything, terrified
Daniel because without his sight, he couldn’t read the ancient texts that made
him so valuable to the SGC. Without his sight, he couldn’t remain on SG1 to
protect his friends.
Forcing all that down as much as he could, Daniel shook off the doubts
and said, “You’re just trying to scare me. I’m not blind, the room is dark. And
Jack will find me, I know he will.”
In the cold and dark, Daniel hugged himself tighter, clinging to that
belief.
* * * *
Jack pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stem the headache that,
of course, came with three days of little-to-no sleep and way too much
caffeine. Sam and Teal’c had returned without Daniel
four days ago and they’d spent all that time looking for him, along with three
other, alternating, SG teams. Jack had had to pull two of the extra teams for
other assignments that morning.
A knock at the door cut through his wandering attention and he called
out, “Come!”
Jack nearly groaned when Walter entered the room with the Tok’ra Council’s newest liaison, Kartin/Lia.
She was petite and blond and, as Tok’ra went, only
slightly less arrogant than the rest, but Jack would take what he could get. He
stood and offered, “Have a seat, Kartin.”
Inclining her head as Walter backed out of the office,
Kartin held out a small disk and said, “This is for
you, General O’Neill. It was left with the body of one of our spies that was
still in place at Ba’al’s camp.”
Grim, Jack took the disk and muttered, “That guy’s seriously starting
to piss me off. You’ve watched it, I take it?”
“We have. It is...most distressing.”
Perfect.
Jack popped open his computer and put in the disk to play. At first,
there was nothing on the monitor, just blackness and a time stamp in the lower
right corner, and he frowned at Kartin.
She motioned his attention back to the screen with, “Be patient.”
He was about to say something, when three infrared shapes entered the
black. Two left and the third was stretched out, motionless. The lights came on
to show Daniel out cold on the floor, which was covered in about an inch of
water, but then they were shut off again and only the heat signature remained.
The time stamp cut ahead an hour and Daniel started moving, slowly. He
carefully mapped out the room a few times, then
stopped to drink from some kind of water source.
When he spoke, Jack heard the faint tremor to Daniel’s voice as he
tried to piece things together. And then he heard the fucker who’d kidnapped
Daniel in the first place...Ba’al.
“Motherfucker!” Jack hissed, stabbing the pause button and
picking up the phone.
“Colonel Carter speaking.”
“Carter. Get some kind if video verification whatever to my office right now,” Jack snapped, then slammed the phone down. He took a breath and hit the
play button on the computer.
“Your
friend will not find you.”
“Who are you? What do you want?”
“I have what I want, Dr. Jackson, and you will remain here for a very
long time. You have water, food will be automatically dispensed twice a day,
and your physical waste will be sluiced clean daily.”
“Why?”
“You will have no contact when I leave here. You will live to a ripe,
old age, alone and forgotten and blind with no means to end your pathetic life.
I will look in on you now and again, simply to savor how far you descend into madness
and to know that I sent you there. No one will find you.”
“You’re just trying to scare me. I’m not blind, the room is dark. And
Jack will find me, I know he will.”
A pang ripped through Jack at the certainty in Daniel’s voice at that
last statement. The video played on for another minute and then cut to Ba’al himself, looking as smug as Jack had ever seen the
bastard.
“I’ve planned your slow, excruciating death and revival, as I’ve done
once previously, with such pleasure, and in great detail. But then it occurred
to me that it would be a long time until you left the sanctuary of your command
center, if at all,” Ba’al began. “But your...friends...are vulnerable all the time.
To take one of them, to hide one of them, so that you could never find them,
but knew they were imprisoned in a hole in the ground for the rest of their
life would break you in a way that physical torture never could. And what better choice than the most vulnerable? The one who
relies most on your protection? Your failed protection.
Have a nice life, General O’Neill. I shall send you Dr. Jackson’s body once he
has died of old age.”
To Jack’s credit, he didn’t put his fist through the computer; he threw
the desk lamp into the wall instead.
* * * *
An hour later, Carter’s serious face told Jack everything he needed to
know. Closing his eyes, trying not to feel the pain that was clenching his
stomach tight, Jack forced himself to take a deep breath.
“Are you well, O’Neill?”
Opening his eyes at Teal’c soft question,
Jack shook his head and answered, “No, T, I’m not. And I won’t be until we get
Daniel back.”
Carter and Teal’c both nodded and their eyes
had the same certainty that Daniel’s voice had held. A sour taste flooded
Jack’s mouth and he turned away from them, unable to meet their gazes when he
wasn’t all that sure that they would get Daniel back.
* * * *
Life went on, as it always did, and Jack’s attention was diverted from
Daniel’s plight by emergency after emergency and a couple of world-saving
events. It lingered painfully, like a cancer, in the back of his mind every
hour of the day and haunted his nightmares every night. He ached to get Daniel
back in a way that he’d never before felt, not even when Daniel had been
ascended, either time. Mostly because he’d known, then, that Daniel was in a
good place.
Which he definitely wasn’t, now.
Given the time to think about the situation, thanks to Gate maintenance
that kept his people on earth, Jack rifled through all the Tok’ra
intelligence reports that kept tabs on Ba’al. As Jack
had expected, of the few remaining system Lords, Ba’al
had emerged as the force to be reckoned with. Having been on the up-close and
personal side of the bastard’s ruthless nature, he’d considered it to be a
foregone conclusion.
Thirteen months, eleven days and nine hours after Carter had called in
Daniel as missing, Jack was about ready to bang his head against the wall in
frustration. Again. For about the
millionth time in the past thirteen months. Ba’al
was deliberately leaving them false clues, toying with Jack and the rest of the
SGC, who also wanted Daniel back. It was a testament to the way Daniel had
touched everyone’s lives that Jack still got volunteers, eager ones, to go out
looking for him on people’s downtime.
Shoving the papers off his desk to flutter in a mess to the floor was
only momentarily satisfying. He sighed and got to his feet to go pick it up.
His poor assistant had enough to deal with, with him being in a foul temper all
the time, never mind cleaning up his mess. Jack was on the floor sorting
through things when the door burst in. Jack automatically reacted defensively,
rolling to the side and pulling his gun to aim at the ‘attacker.’
Carter held very still.
Jack growled, then snapped, “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
Relaxing, Carter exclaimed, “They found him!”
Shock ripped through Jack and for a moment, he just stared at her.
“What?”
“We just got a call from the Tok’ra! They
found Daniel!” she repeated, almost hysterically happy. “The Gate’s active to
their base and they’re waiting for us!”
Jack was on his feet a second later, running for the Gateroom. Teal’c was waiting for
them there, armed and ready and it was only then that Jack pulled up short to
compose himself and get some answers. Facing Carter, he demanded, “What do we
know?”
“They found him just this morning and brought him to the nearest base.
They didn’t mention anything about his condition, aside from the fact that he’s
uninjured,” she answered.
“Did they say anything else?”
“Just that they’ll hold on to him until we get there.”
Jack frowned. If Daniel was in any kind of shape, he’d be demanding to
get home. They had to be prepared for the worst. Releasing a slow breath, he
said softly, “Daniel’s been held in a black prison cell for over a year. He’s
not going to be in good shape. Brace yourself.”
Sober, Carter and Teal’c both nodded. Jack
turned to the ramp and strode up and into the event horizon. Several crazy,
topsy-turvy seconds later, he walked out onto another world. Teal’c and Carter were only steps behind him as he walked
down the few steps to where Kartin waited. She looked
unusually solemn, which put sent a thrill of dread through Jack, even as he
asked, “Where is he?”
“General O’Neill, I must warn you that Dr. Jackson…is not himself,” Lia informed him gently.
Oh crap. They’re using the
hostess to soften the blow, Jack
thought. Drawing himself up further, Jack repeated in a cold tone, “Where is
he?”
She sighed faintly and her eyes glowed before Kartin
replied, “This way, General.”
Jack followed her down one of their weird crystal hallways and
suppressed the urge to comment on the lack of décor. His stomach was a mass of
nerves and he couldn’t remember being this rigid with tension in years. Not
since the last time Daniel had died on him.
He’s not dead, Jack reminded himself savagely. He’s alive and that’s all that matters!
They stopped at a door where Kartin said, “We
had to put him here for his own protection. I didn’t want him sedated, not knowing what may have been done to his
physiology. Ba’al isn’t the meddler that Nirrti is, but we thought tests should be run, just to be
on the safe side.”
“Good thinking,” Carter agreed.
There was very little lighting inside the room and Jack asked sharply,
“What’s with the lighting? He’s been in the dark for over a year!”
“That’s precisely why,” Kartin replied. “When
we brought light into the cell in which he’d been kept, he reacted…badly. His eyes have adjusted to the dark and light is now painful to
him. When you bring him back, he should have shaded glasses or be blindfolded
until he can become used to regular lighting again.”
Jack bit back the fury at how Daniel had been affected by his
imprisonment. They didn’t even know the extent of the psychological damage yet.
“And otherwise?”
“He is…not well, General. I would recommend restraints to bring him
back to earth and professional care when you get him home.”
Jaw tight, Jack stated, “I’m going to take care of him personally.”
“General O’Neill, you haven’t seen how he is yet,” Kartin
said softly. “Do not make promises, even to yourself, that
you won’t be able to keep.”
Glaring at her, Jack replied, “I’m not. Open the door.”
She sighed again, but waved a palm over the coded lock. Jack looked to Teal’c and Carter and said, “You should stay here until I
can calm him down a little.”
“If you can.”
He gave Kartin
another glare at the woman’s words as he unbuckled his weapons belt and held it
out to Teal’c. Taking a breath, Jack walked into the
darkened room and took a moment to get his bearings. The lighting rose a fraction and there was a whimper of pain that allowed
Jack to focus on Daniel’s whereabouts. He was in the corner, as far from Jack
as possible, and had his arms around his knees, curled up as small as he could
be.
“Oh Danny,” Jack breathed, pain and shame cutting into him. He
should’ve been able to find Daniel, should have been able to save him from the
horror in which he’d been kept. The wary look on his face reminded Jack of a
feral animal scenting danger.
Daniel’s head shot up and wide, unseeing eyes, locked onto him.
Cautious, Jack repeated, “Danny? It’s Jack. Can you understand me?”
Almost in a blur, Daniel launched himself at Jack. He heard Carter cry
out in surprise and worry from behind the door, but didn’t even brace himself
for the impact. Whatever punishment Daniel wanted to dish out, he would take.
It was only what he deserved for his failure of not finding the other man.
Daniel tackled him but, to Jack’s surprise, didn’t do more than that. He clung
to Jack, arms too-tight around Jack’s midsection and legs twined with Jack’s.
Jack grunted at the impact and when they hit the carpeted floor. His
own arms automatically went around Daniel’s shoulders and he held on just as
tight, whispering over and over, “I’m sorry, Danny, so sorry. Should’ve found you.”
Daniel shook with silent sobs, but didn’t let go. Jack felt the tears
soak into his uniform and the trickle of his own escape down his cheek as he
kissed Daniel’s temple and the top of his head. He didn’t even notice the grimy
length of hair that fell forward on him, or the dirt taste of Daniel’s skin.
All he really felt was that Daniel was alive and warm and whole in his arms,
which was a damn sight more than he’d expected to have, ever again. He was a
lot lighter than Jack remembered, though, the solid muscle of him gone from his
long confinement.
There was a timeless period where neither moved, but clung to one
another, reconnecting and reassuring. A soft tap at the door brought Jack out
of the haze and he craned his neck around to see Carter peeking inside. He
stroked his hand over Daniel’s oily hair, saying, “We have to go now, Danny.
Carter and Teal’c are here and they want to see you.”
Daniel burrowed impossibly closer, pressing his face to Jack’s throat.
“I want to get you home, Danny. I want to get you clean and have you
checked out, make sure that fucker didn’t do anything to your body without you
even knowing about it,” Jack said. “I won’t leave you again, I promise, but we
have to go.”
Shaking, Daniel allowed himself to be brought to his feet. It wasn’t
until then, that Jack noticed he was naked. Scanning the room, he found a
discarded robe and moved to get it. Daniel walked right with him, not letting
go. Scooping it up from the floor, Jack said, “I want you to wear this, okay?
You’re too cold without anything on.”
Seeming reluctant, Daniel still let Jack put the robe on him. He
remained close to Jack, holding on to his belt as they walked towards the door.
When it opened and light spilled into the room, Daniel gave a soft cry and
pressed his face to Jack’s shoulder, hiding it.
“Carter, you have any sunglasses?”
“Ah, yes, Sir,” she answered, pulling some out and handing them over.
Jack turned and coaxed Daniel into standing straight again, even though
his eyes stayed closed. He carefully put the glasses in place and ordered
softly, “Open your eyes, Danny-boy.”
Daniel did, after a moment, then relaxed visibly and met Jack’s gaze
with a squint.
Jack smiled and asked, “You ready to say hi to Teal’c
and Carter?”
A slightly panicked expression surfaced, but Daniel nodded, his hand
tightening on Jack’s belt. Jack pulled him forward, stepping to the side, and
Carter came closer, smiling.
“Hey, Daniel, remember me?” Carter asked softly. “Is it okay for me to
give you a hug?”
Daniel shifted nervously, but nodded again. Carter tentatively put her
arms around his shoulders and gave a gentle squeeze, murmuring something in his
ear that caused Daniel to sag in her arms and let go of Jack to hug her back.
Jack couldn’t help but smile as the wonder-twins had their own reconnection.
When they finally let go, Daniel returned to his spot directly behind Jack, his
hand on the belt.
“It is good to see you again, DanielJackson,”
Teal’c rumbled, not making any move to approach.
Jack turned and asked, “You want to say hi to the big guy, Danny?”
Daniel gave a short wave before pressing up against Jack’s shoulder.
The fact that he hadn’t yet said a word worried Jack the most.
Pushing that aside, Jack slid an arm around Daniel’s waist and said,
“Time to go home, Danny. If it’s too bright, just close your eyes, okay? I’ll
lead you. Carter, radio ahead and make sure no one’s waiting for us in the Gateroom. We don’t want Daniel to get spooked.”
Daniel’s hand twined in Jack’s shirt as they started out into the hall
and Carter ran ahead of them. Teal’c walked ahead of
them with Kartin, though neither
“We had a great deal of difficulty in getting him through the Gate on
the other world to here,” Kartin informed them.
Jack cupped Daniel’s face and promised, “It’ll only be a few seconds,
Danny, and then we’re hone. You won’t ever have to go through a Gate ever again,
I promise. I’ll hold onto you the whole way, you’ll be safe, all right?”
Daniel pressed up against him from the side, hiding his face against
Jack’s chest, and Jack put his arm around Daniel’s waist again. He nodded at
Carter, who went first to make sure the way was clear. Jack waited half a
minute before started forward again. Daniel let out a small whimper of fear as
they approached the event horizon, but Jack steeled himself against it.
The trip through was as short and jarring as ever, but Jack was so used
to it that he barely gave it a thought. Daniel was stiff and unyielding in his
arms, though, and a rim of panicked white showed around those pale blue eyes,
even from behind the sunglasses. Jack held and comforted him, rubbing his hand
up and down Daniel’s back. It took a few minutes, but eventually Daniel relaxed
into his arms with a soft sigh.
“Okay Danny, time to go to the infirmary so we can get you cleaned up
and checked out,” Jack ordered gently. When Daniel made a distressed noise, he
continued, “I’ll be right there with you. And just think about how good it will
feel to be completely clean again.”
Daniel hesitated, but there was never any real doubt about him obeying
Jack. Reluctance personified, Daniel allowed Jack to lead him from the Gateroom into the main hall. It was completely empty, for
which Jack silently blessed Carter, and they made it to the elevator without
any problem. At the elevator, Daniel turned stubborn about getting inside and
Jack knew then that the other man had come out of the whole thing with at least
a case of claustrophobia.
It took several minutes to coax Daniel in and the minor threat of
having to take the stairs all the way down to the infirmary to get him to move.
Teal’c stayed behind so there would be more room on
the ride and Daniel immediately plastered himself to Jack when the doors shut.
Absently stroking the matted, oily hair, Jack rubbed Daniel’s shoulder
soothingly the whole ride down.
The hall to the infirmary was also clear and only Dr. Fredricks and Nurse Jenson were there waiting. Carter had
clearly filled them in on Daniel’s new aversion to people, because they were
soft-spoken and gentle the entire time. And the lights were dimmed, too. Jack
let Daniel hold onto his hand as he showered in the back of the infirmary and
allowed the nurse to wash his hair. Jack teased, “Haven’t seen it this long in
years, Space-monkey.”
A too-brief smile flashed at the nick-name, and then the shower was
over. Jack helped dry him off and put on a hospital jonny.
He sidestepped whenever necessary during the exam, letting Dr. Fredricks do her thing.
When she was done, the dark-haired woman said, “I’ll have the results
back in about an hour. I want to hook him up to some IV nutrients right away as
he’s dangerously underweight for someone of his height.”
Jack nodded and said to Daniel, “They need to fatten you up a little
before you come home with me, Danny, so just be still while they hook you up,
all right? It won’t hurt a lot. You’ve had IV’s before, remember?”
With a tentative nod, Daniel closed his eyes again and held out an arm.
Jack chuckled and said, “That’s my brave Danny-boy.”
Daniel’s hand tightened on his when the needle went in, but he didn’t
otherwise move or protest the action. Jack managed to get him to lie down and
pulled the covers up over him.
“Just to rest while the IV does its thing,” Jack promised at the
subsequent accusing look. “You don’t have to go to sleep and I’m not leaving.”
Daniel continued to look at him suspiciously, so Jack just maintained a
benign, innocent look until it faded. It took several minutes of petting the
now-clean and soft hair for Daniel’s lids to droop. Jack knew that, surrounded
by familiar sounds and smells, comforted by holding his hand, Daniel would fall
asleep. He might wake up with nightmares, but at least he would sleep a little.
Dr. Fredricks came up to make her report, but he
shook his head and waved her away, knowing that the voices would wake Daniel,
that he wasn’t under deep enough yet.
Almost a half hour later, when Daniel suddenly sighed deeply and turned
onto his side to snuggle against the pillow, Jack used his free hand to motion
her over. They’d shared enough tents over the years for Jack to know the other
man’s sleeping habits by heart. Daniel would sleep the night through now,
barring nightmares, and be dead to the world throughout.
“So. What’s the deal, Doc?” Jack questioned, nonetheless keeping his voice
quiet. “He okay?”
“Yes and no. I don’t even dare to guess at his mental state, but
physically, he’s all right. No one did anything to his body,
there aren’t any foreign substances or chemicals. Aside from his weight and
muscle loss, Dr. Jackson’s in good shape. His eyes will return to normal, but
it will take time.”
“How much time?”
“Hard to say. Could be a couple of weeks, could be months.
I’ve got shaded prescription glasses already on order for him and they should
be done before you leave tonight. But he’s going to have to be exposed to
brighter lights gradually if he wants to re-adapt,” she answered.
Jack sighed. “Beautiful. Anything else?”
Hesitating, she finally said, “I’m not truly qualified, but he
shouldn’t be left alone for the foreseeable future, General. I doubt that he’s
suicidal, but he’s scared and confused and been through a severe trauma. He
should see a professional for PTSD as soon as he can stand being around a
stranger again. You’ll have to push him, because I don’t see him seeking out
new people on his own. He was an introvert before this happened, and now…well…I
don’t exactly know what he is, but you shouldn’t leave him alone.”
“I won’t be,” Jack replied simply.
His retirement papers were already filled out and waiting for the
moment they got Daniel back. Jack had known that he would take care of Daniel
no matter what shape he was in, and that it would require full-time care.
Something he couldn’t give if still tied to the SGC. It wasn’t guilt that had
prompted the decision, either. Jack had had a lot of time to think about their
relationship over the last thirteen months and had realized that the love he’d
had for Daniel was a lot deeper than any he’d ever known. Caring for him would
keep them close, which was all Jack wanted, even if it never went any further
than friendship on Daniel’s part.
Glancing down at Daniel’s sleeping face, Jack combed his fingers
through the too-long hair and smiled briefly as he stated, “Daniel will be
living with me, from now on.”
* * * *
Daniel woke comfortable and warm and dry, which immediately told him
that he wasn’t in his cell. The other thing that instantly reassured him was a
very distinctive snore that he would know after a hundred years apart, even
though he knew it hadn’t been that long since he’d last heard it. He didn’t
know how long it had been, but not a
hundred years, even if he felt a hundred years old now.
Cautiously opening his eyes, Daniel was glad that he had the sunglasses
still on and that the lights were still dim. There were more people moving
around outside the curtained off area he and Jack occupied, but he couldn’t see
who it was. At some point, the nurse or doctor, had removed the IV line, though
the spacer remained; probably for the next ‘feeding.’ Jack, however, was very
visible on a bed that had been pushed close so that their hands could remain
clasped together. He was sound asleep on his back, face turned towards Daniel
with a line of drool pooling onto the pillow.
Daniel hadn’t seen anything so perfect in way too long.
Scooting closer to the edge, Daniel slowly brought up the callused palm
and kissed the center of it. He knew that Jack blamed himself for not finding
him sooner, or at all really, since the Tok’ra had
rescued him, but Daniel knew that Jack had done everything he could to get to
him. Pressing the limp hand to his cheek, Daniel sighed happily and brought it
back to his lips to kiss again before holding it to his chest.
He was home and it felt wonderful.
Jack mumbled something in his sleep and stirred, yawning. A few moments
later, his eyes fluttered open and his free hand came up to automatically wipe
away the sleep gunk. Daniel wished that he could see the dark brown of Jack’s
eyes, but it was too dark for him to make out through the lenses.
“You’re awake,” Jack said, surprised.
Daniel nodded and smiled at him. He wasn’t sure that he could talk
after being silent for so long and didn’t feel like trying it out where anyone
could hear any embarrassing noises that his throat might make.
Jack sat up and asked, “You up for some company? I bet Carter and Teal’c would love to see you.”
Hesitating only briefly, Daniel nodded. He knew they wouldn’t really
care about what he looked like and that they wouldn’t hurt him. It was an
unreasoning fear, the tendril of dread that surfaced whenever he thought about
being around others. He knew that no one at the SGC would hurt him and yet couldn’t
stop a shiver at the thought of seeing anyone else.
Squeezing Daniel’s hand, Jack promised, “Just the Doc, Carter and Teal’c. Well, unless that pretty nurse wants to check you
over too, like they always do. Never could figure that one out.”
Daniel grinned at Jack’s teasing and reluctantly let go of his hand so
the other man could make the phone call to Teal’c and
Sam. Even though he heard Jack’s voice on the other side of the curtain, the
isolation cut into him fast. Daniel was determined not to make a fuss or act
like a coward as when he’d first been found, but it was hard. His heart beat
heavy in his chest and it felt like he couldn’t get a full breath. Gripping the
blankets with both hands, Daniel bit his lip to keep silent, certain that if he
gave voice to the fear, he would start screaming and never stop.
Jack returned a few minutes later, took one look at him and wrapped his
arms around Daniel from the side, pulling him close. Rocking him gently, Jack
murmured soothing words directly into his ear. It seemed to take forever before
he could take a full breath and his pulse calmed, but finally, he was able to
pull back a little.
Looking worried, Jack’s thumb brushed at his mouth and came away
bloody. “Danny, if you need me, it’s okay to call for me. Doesn’t matter how
stupid it might seem, I promise. Hang on, let me clean
you up a little, okay?”
Daniel stayed still while Jack plucked out a few tissues and applied
pressure to the split lip. He winced, but didn’t try to squirm away.
Jack’s lips brushed his temple before he said, “There. All better now.
Carter and Teal’c are here by now. You ready?”
As long as I can hold on to
you, Daniel thought. He
nodded, forcing a smile, and took a better grip on Jack’s hand.
“All right kids, come on in and say hi,” Jack called out.
Daniel smiled at him on hearing that. It had been a long time since
he’d called them his ‘kids,’ longer even than Daniel’s kidnapping. And he still
didn’t know how long it had been, come to think of it.
Sam was smiling brightly as she walked around the curtain, eyes
suspiciously bright. She gave him a careful hug and he pulled her in tight. She
smelled heavenly and felt so good and solid to him; the sister that he’d never
had and always wanted.
Teal’c held back again, as if knowing his large frame would spook Daniel,
standing a few feet away as he greeted, “You look better, DanielJackson.”
Daniel smiled his thanks and kept hold of Jack’s hand in one, and Sam’s
hand in the other; he needed a third hand for Teal’c,
obviously.
“Daniel, can’t you speak?” Sam questioned.
Biting his lip re-opened the cut but Jack was ready with more tissues.
As he put more pressure on the small hurt, Jack said, “He’s just not ready to
talk yet, Carter. There’s nothing physically wrong with him, according to the
Doctor.”
Daniel opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again, embarrassed.
She squeezed his hand gently and said, “It’s
okay, Daniel, you don’t have to talk. It’s enough that you’re here and okay.”
Well, that last part was debatable, but Daniel gave her a smile in
return anyhow.
“The Doc wants to give him another session of IV nutrients, then I’m taking him home,” Jack said.
“Sir, what about…”
“It’ll be taken care of, Carter.”
Daniel flinched at the sharp interruption and wanted to ask what was
going on, but didn’t dare.
“It’s okay, Danny, nothing for you to worry
about,” Jack promised, pulling away the tissue. “Sorry to startle you like
that.”
Dr. Fredricks arrived then with another bag
of nutrients, which she hooked up to the IV and snaked into the spacer on
Daniel’s arm. “All right then. He should rest quietly while it dispenses, so I
need to ask you all to leave. Well, except you, General.”
“Carter, before you go, can you have Siler come and hook up a secured
line down here so I can make some calls?”
“Of course, Sir.”
Daniel cringed a little at letting Siler see him this way, but didn’t
protest. Jack needed to do his work. It had to be enough that he was staying in
sight of Daniel while he did it. At least, he was pretty sure. He wasn’t
desperate enough to need Jack to be in constant contact with him.
“Thanks, Carter. Teal’c, say hi to Braytac for me while you’re there.”
“I shall, O’Neill. Be well, DanielJackson.”
“Bye Daniel. Rest easy, okay?”
She hugged Daniel and then they were gone.
Jack’s hand returned to Daniel’s shoulder and he squeezed lightly as he
promised, “Siler doesn’t have to see you, Danny, don’t worry.”
Daniel nodded and sighed. Maybe it wouldn’t take too long to get back
to normal. Watching as Jack talked to the doctor a short distance away, but
still in plain sight, Daniel could only hope that would be the case.
* *
* *
Jack
woke in the middle of the night, his bladder too full from the beer, as he’d
known it would be. He sighed and rubbed at tired eyes before glancing at the clock
on the nightstand. He’d only gotten five hours of sleep, which, granted was
three more than he’d gotten since Daniel had returned. It had been a long week,
putting everything into place for his retirement and keeping Daniel at his side
to keep the other man calm.
The
infirmary had been his de facto office for the first two days while Daniel was
on IV nutrients and the three days after that, Daniel had stayed with him
either in his office, or in the quarters they’d used to sleep in. The only
problem being that Daniel woke from nightmares of being back in that fucking
cell after only about two or three hours of sleep at a time. MacKenzie had speculated that the SGC itself was the problem, that once Daniel was off-base, his sleeping would
improve.
Another thing that pointed to possible conditioning
from Ba’al, unfortunately. Making it so that Daniel couldn’t even be on base unless
he was twitching with fear would be exactly the sadistic kind of thing the Goa’uld would do. Daniel’s aversion to people hadn’t
subsided as yet; he could only visit with one or two people more than Jack at a
time, which had limited the people to be called into his office while getting
ready to step down.
It
wasn’t until his replacement had finally arrived today, Colonel Sumner, that he
could officially turn everything over and bring Daniel home. Sumner was as
impassive and nonjudgmental as Jack remembered from their short time serving
together before his stint at the SGC. The other man had been at the SGC on and
off over the years, brought in for special missions. He had a deft touch with
his people, a diplomatic turn with words that Jack was missing, and the
ambition to seek the position out, once Jack had put out the official request
for a replacement, where Jack had just fallen into it. It would be a good fit,
both for the SGC and Sumner, of that, Jack was sure.
Daniel’s
eyes still weren’t back to normal, but there had been slight improvement. He
wore the prescription sunglasses all the time, unless they were outside at
night, and Jack was surprised by how much he wanted to see his blue eyes
unfiltered. At least he was talking again. Jack hadn’t realized just how much
he’d come to rely on Daniel talking him into, or out of, things. There’d been
no real reason for him to start. He’d just woken the fourth day and asked for
some coffee in a slightly roughened voice. The roughness had gotten smoother, the more Daniel talked, but was still present.
Deciding
that he could think better with an empty bladder, Jack rolled out of bed. Not
two steps out, however, his foot struck something solid and he stumbled,
falling over what had to be Daniel lying on the floor. He impacted the floor
with a grunt of pain, catching himself on his hands, sprawled over Daniel.
“Jack?
Are you all right?” Daniel exclaimed, hands running swiftly over him.
With
a snort, Jack pulled his legs up, off Daniel, and sat up. “I’m fine, Daniel.
Question is, why are you sleeping on my floor?”
Even
in the dark, Daniel’s embarrassment was plain as he answered, “I couldn’t sleep.
It was too...confining...in the guest room. I tried the living room, but that
was too open, too many places for someone to get in. I know, I know, no one’s
going to get in here, no one would want to, but...anyhow. I knew I could sleep
in here and I’d planned to be gone before you woke up.”
Jack
briefly cupped Daniel’s face and ordered, “Go on and get in bed, Danny, I’m not
going to let you sleep on the floor.”
“Are
you sure?” Daniel asked, hesitant.
Tweaking
Daniel’s nose, Jack said, “Yes. I have to visit the little General’s room, then
I’ll be back and we’ll talk about this.”
“You’ve
renamed your bathroom after your...”
Jack
laughed at the sly teasing and stood, offering his hand down to Daniel and
hauling the other man to his feet. They parted and Jack took care of business
before walking back to bed. Daniel had taken the left side, his tent side, and
Jack smiled at the moonlit sight of the other man stretched out in his bed.
Daniel
looked up just then, catching his gaze and they stared at one another for a
long time. Daniel was different, there was no doubt about that, but he was
still the man that Jack had grown to love over almost a decade. Whatever Ba’al had done to him, they would get through it together.
On that thought, Jack climbed into bed and rolled onto his side, Daniel doing
the same so that they faced each other. “What do you need, Daniel?”
Knowing
what Jack was asking, his face a mix of longing, shame, and need, Daniel
whispered, “You, Jack. I need to be near you all the time, to see and, and to
touch you.”
Jack
nodded, half expecting that kind of answer. He reached out experimentally and
combed his fingers through the longish hair. Daniel had refused to cut it
shorter than his ears, much like the original cut he’d sported so many years
ago. Daniel sighed, eyes closing as he leaned into the caress. Swallowing
against the wave of desire that hit him, Jack said softly, “You know it’s
almost a certainty that this behavior, this need, has been programmed into you,
right? That Ba’al fucked with your head.”
Daniel’s
eyes opened and he met Jack’s gaze calmly as he replied, “Yes. But there was
already something there for him to work with Jack, and you know it. I probably
wouldn’t have taken it to this extreme only because, well, I wouldn’t have
known how. I’ve wanted...this...for a long time.”
Having
his doubts about that, knowing just how much Daniel liked his women, Jack said
softly, “Danny, I can’t take advantage of you like this. It’s not right. It’s
too soon to know if this is permanent, or if the Tok’ra
or someone else, can do something to get your head back on straight. No pun
intended.”
Daniel
turned away from him, curling onto his side into a ball as he whispered, “I’m
sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
The
pain in Daniel’s voice automatically shifted Jack into protective mode and he
moved close, wrapping an arm around Daniel’s waist. “It’s not your fault,
Danny, and I have no problem being your teddy bear, believe me. Any time you
need to touch me, or hold on to me, do it. I’ll never
deny you, and I think you know that.”
“It’s
not fair to you, Jack,” Daniel countered. “I know that you would never deny me,
but at what cost to yourself?”
Jack
dared to kiss the back of Daniel’s neck and he ordered, “You let me worry about
that. Right now, my primary objective is to get you healthy and as close to
normal as you ever get.”
A
weak chuckle was Daniel’s answer. As was turning over and cuddling up against
Jack’s chest. Jack wrapped his arms around Daniel, relishing the warm body on
his and breathing in the clean, male scent of him.
Daniel
was asleep in moments, but it was a long time before Jack closed his eyes and
let himself follow.
* *
* *
Not sure what had woken him from a sound sleep,
Daniel blinked and yawned, rubbing his eyes clear. Even in the dark, he could
see clearly as he looked around the bedroom to find nothing out of place. He
was on his stomach, a position he never woke in, and Jack was sprawled heavy
and sleeping over his back. It was strange, but not at all unpleasant, and gave
him a safe, warm feeling deep inside that Jack was so very comfortable with
him, especially while sleeping. Jack was known for his issues with intimacy and
commitment, but apparently that was his conscious mind and the rest of him was
just fine with trying to smother Daniel with closeness.
Jack mumbled something in his sleep and hitched closer, nuzzling at
Daniel’s shoulder and causing Daniel to freeze. He felt every single inch of
the other man all along his body, including the hard shaft pressed against his
ass. Daniel hadn’t realized just how solid and muscular Jack was, not until just
then when the bare torso rested on his back and a strong arm was slung around
his abs, holding tight.
He’d known, logically, that Jack was fit and healthy for his age. He
worked out daily, sparred with Teal’c and other
soldiers and won most of the matches. Well, except against Teal’c,
but even those were fifty-fifty, and that was impressive in and of itself. Jack also had terrible eating habits, but he never
gained an ounce, not that Daniel could tell. The only real concession to age
that he’d made were complaints about his knees and the silver hair. Daniel just
hadn’t thought all of that through to its natural conclusion...that Jack was
really, really strong.
That strength had always protected him, Daniel knew, taking blows that
were meant for him or others who weren’t able to defend themselves. That
strength had seen Jack through torture and more beatings than Daniel wanted to
remember. That strength had carried him to medical treatment or safety whenever
necessary. And now that strength was on top of him, pinning him to the mattress
as Jack gently undulated against him. His boxers were damp enough with pre-come
for Daniel to feel through his own sleep pants and he knew from that, that the
other man had been having an erotic dream for quite a while.
He wasn’t entirely sure how that made him feel.
On the one hand, Daniel didn’t want this to all be one-sided. He wanted
Jack to get something out of this, to be happy and to please him however Jack
needed to be pleased. He knew that Jack would be horrified to find himself
doing this to Daniel. If he didn’t stop the other man, Jack might realize what
he’d done later and feel a lot of guilt for using Daniel, even in his sleep.
On the other hand, Daniel had never been with a man before, despite
society’s laxity regarding same-sex unions, now and throughout history. He’d
never felt any urge to act on the mild curiosity he’d experienced now and again
throughout his life. And Daniel certainly hadn’t ever taken accepted any of the
plentiful offers that he’d received over the years. No man had ever held enough
fascination or attraction for him to give it a try.
Jack breathed Daniel’s name right beside his ear with such longing that
Daniel gasped silently, fingers instinctively gripping the bedding bunched up
beneath him. Jack’s arm tightened further as he hunched lightly against Daniel,
his breathing quickening. Arousal slowly rose through him as Daniel felt the
smooth, hard planes of Jack’s body rub against his. Warm, moist lips sucked at
Daniel’s shoulder, prompting a shiver to run through him.
“Daniel,” Jack mumbled. “So good, so...Danny...”
There were other mutterings but they were too jumbled to make out and
Daniel was too astonished by his own body’s response, however belated, to
Jack’s lovemaking to concentrate on the soft words anyhow. For
the first time in a very long time, even since before his capture, his cock was
hardening, the blood pooling slowly in his groin as his breathing shortened.
And then Jack groaned, jerking hard against him, coming and biting down on
Daniel’s shoulder as he did so. Fire flashed through Daniel at the possessive
mark and he gasped, shuddering in desire.
When Jack collapsed on him, motionless once more, a vaguely betrayed
feeling surfaced because now that Daniel was hard and aching, Jack had fallen
back into a deep sleep. Moaning softly in frustration, he took a deep, calming
breath and forced his body to relax. It took a long time for his dick to soften
and by then, dawn was filtering through the bedroom window. Not wanting Jack to
figure out what had happened, still trying to figure out exactly what was going
on in his own head, Daniel carefully extricated himself from Jack and padded
silently out of the bedroom.
He had a lot to think about and sure couldn’t do it with Jack on him
like a second skin.
* * * *
There was something almost edgy to the looks that Daniel had been
giving him all day, but for the life of him, Jack couldn’t figure out what was going
on behind those sunglasses. He’d woken alone in bed, Daniel’s side cold to the
touch, for which he’d been grateful considering the contents of his boxers.
Breakfast had been quiet and Jack had found himself on the receiving end of
Daniel in a domestic mode. He’d protested vainly, because Daniel had ignored
him and continued to get together what little breakfast could be made,
considering the contents of the fridge. So Jack had given up and read the paper
while the other man had made breakfast, served it, and then cleaned up.
Taking care of the yard, which had come as close to jungle-status as a
Lunch had been a repeat of breakfast, taking place outside on the back
porch, and Jack had enjoyed the sun instead of reading the paper. There was a
quiet conversation about how the yard was progressing, but not much else, and
Jack was reminded of the early days of their friendship when Daniel had been
recovering from losing Shau’ri. The scholar had taken
up residence in Jack’s guest room, since he’d had nowhere to go, and they’d
spent their downtime working in the yard.
By the time the afternoon had worn away, Jack surveyed his backyard
with something akin to satisfaction. There were still things that needed doing,
but the bulk of it had been taken care of. Turning to Daniel, his words dried
up as he saw Daniel just standing there, face lifted to the sun, clearly
soaking in the heat. His hair stuck to him, wet with sweat, and his torso
gleamed with it, the ribs still far too easy to count by sight. He knew from
the Tok’ra description that the place Daniel had been
held, had been cool, almost cold, and had seen for himself
the watery floor. It was no surprise that Daniel would want the heat and light,
even if his eyes weren’t really up to it.
Jack walked over to the porch and went inside, allowing Daniel his literal
moment in the sun. Poking his head around in the fridge, he saw there was
absolutely nothing there. Exactly the same as the night before when they’d
arrived home from the base for the first time since Daniel’s return.
No magic refrigerator fairies, he thought with a snort of amusement.
Daniel pressed up suddenly from behind, his arms snaking around Jack’s
waist, holding tight. Jack startled, not having heard him come in, then realized the other man was shaking. Wincing, he gently
pried Daniel’s hands apart and turned so that he could hold him properly.
Kissing Daniel’s temple as he soothed a hand up and down the still
sweat-slicked back, he murmured, “Sorry, Danny, just didn’t want to interrupt
the sun worship.”
Face tucked against Jack’s throat, Daniel muttered, “Interrupt in the
future, please. Don’t just...disappear.”
“Will do,” Jack promised. When the tremors died down, he asked, “I
guess now’s a bad time to suggest a trip to the grocery store?”
Daniel swallowed audibly, but shook his head and countered, “It’s fine. I, I’ll be fine, as long as I can stay right with
you?”
Jack nodded, pulling back enough to cup Daniel’s face in his hand. “You
can hold on to my belt if you want. No one’ll even
look twice.”
“They’ll think I’m your slave.”
The thoughtful tone to Daniel’s words was enough to set off warning
bells in Jack’s head, but he wasn’t sure why, since it was a truthful
observation. “C’mon. Let’s get cleaned off and then we can get real food. I can
only take one serving of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in a day, even as
made by you, Danny-boy.”
Daniel smiled up at him and let go.
Showering was awkward, to say the least. After the scare in the
backyard, Daniel wouldn’t let him out of his sight, so he just sat on the
toilet seat while Jack took his shower with the curtain open. He hopped in the
shower while Jack shaved and got dressed, then stepped into a pair of Jack’s
sweats and one of his t-shirts, since they had no clothes for him save the cammos and black tee.
“We need to get you something decent to wear,” Jack commented,
frowning.
Daniel shrugged. “I’m comfortable.”
“But you look like a penniless nobody,” Jack informed him. “And that
doesn’t sit well with me. Okay. Here’s the plan. First we stop by the mall and
get you some clothes. Then we grab food there for supper and go
grocery shopping on the way home.”
With a quick glance at the clock, which was already at
Jack grinned and answered, “You know how I shop, Daniel.”
Nodding, Daniel echoed the grin before warning, “Try not to terrorize
too many shop girls this time, okay?”
“I make no promises.”
* * * *
Daniel did, actually, wind up holding on to Jack’s shirt as they walked
through the mall towards a department store for clothes. The other man walked
swiftly, a man on a mission, his long legs eating up the distance, and they
fell into an easy stride. It was the same as they always walked when going
somewhere together, just a lot closer than normal. Daniel knew that he received
more than a few curious looks, but ignored them as best he could. He wasn’t
sure if it was because of their close proximity, or his ill-fitting clothes,
but the flush over his cheeks had started the moment he’d taken hold of Jack’s
shirt and hadn’t yet faded.
Stopping in the Men’s Department, Jack searched for someone who worked
there and, on finding one, barked, “You! Over here, now!”
The hapless attendant stopped mid-stride and altered course towards
them. He didn’t look frightened, just wary, as he asked, “Yes, Sir? May I help
you?”
“I need clothes for this one here. Pants, shirts, t-shirts, casual,
formal, jeans, underwear, socks, the works,” Jack informed the young man.
The clerk tried to get a good look at him, but Daniel shrunk back
behind Jack, and pressed up close to him. Jack turned and put his hand firmly
at the base of Daniel’s spine, pulling him forward and then pushing him gently
in front. Both hands were on Daniel’s shoulders, holding him in place and up,
to his full height and breadth. Jack squeezed briefly before saying, “You can
get his size by looking at him, right?”
Nodding, the young man took a good long look, which made Daniel blush,
then said, “You can have a seat, or come back in approximately an hour, Sir.
I’ll have everything ready by then.”
Jack’s hands finally tugged him in close and Daniel went willingly,
pressed up against Jack’s side as the other man informed the clerk, “We’ll get
something to eat and come back.”
“Of course, Sir.”
With an arm around Daniel’s waist, Jack guided them out of the
department store and Daniel found that he had to protest quietly. “Jack, you
can’t possibly have enough to spend that kind of money on so much clothes for
me!”
Jack chuckled and asked, “Daniel, how much do you think Brigadier
General’s make, minimum wage? I’ve been one for over a year now, own my home
outright, and have almost no living expenses. One top of that, Colonel’s do
pretty well in the pay-grade department too, and I was one of those for a lot
longer than just a year.”
Put that way, Daniel frowned up at him. “Just how rich are you Jack?”
“Rich enough,” Jack answered, smirking.
Mildly exasperated, Daniel was going to say something to express his
displeasure at being kept in the dark when a familiar voice called his name.
Stiffening, Daniel turned when Jack did and his hand tightened on Jack’s shirt
as Major Paul Davis strolled towards them. Jack had tensed as well, but showed
no sign of it save for the jumping of his stomach muscles under Daniel’s hands.
Instead, Jack smiled almost pleasantly and greeted, “Fancy meeting you
here, Major. What brings you to the mall? Slumming?”
Shaking his head, Paul smiled politely in return, replying, “Not at
all, General. I was here on business at the Base and, after hearing that Dr.
Jackson had been found, just had to see for myself that he was all right. It’s
good to see you unharmed, Dr. Jackson.”
Daniel flushed under the intent, pale blue-green of
“And I understand that you’ve retired again, General. I’m sure we’re
all sorry to see that come to pass. Again.”
There was distinct amusement in the man’s words, but Jack only said,
“Thanks,
Daniel blinked in surprise at the lazy drawl and gazed up at Jack,
frowning. He didn’t say anything, though, knowing that the two officers were
baiting each other. It was weird to know that they were doing it over him, but
there wasn’t anything he could do about it. Since the very first time Paul had
shown up at the SGC years ago, the two men had taken an instant dislike to one
another.
Time had not improved the relationship.
It had taken a long time, years really, for Daniel to understand that the
animosity was because of him. He still didn’t like being used in the tug-of-war
game they persisted in, but that was just how they were. Jack didn’t like
Paul’s noble background on principle, nor did he trust his intentions towards
Daniel. He’d actually taken Daniel aside at a formal function
and warned him about going off somewhere with the Major ‘to discuss anything,
Daniel. Discuss in this case, does not mean actual conversation.’ That
the Pentagon soldier would take it as an invitation that Jack knew Daniel
wasn’t making.
It didn’t mean they couldn’t work together seamlessly when
circumstances, usually world-threatening in scope, threatened. But in downtime,
the two men were worse than dogs fighting over a bone.
“I’m sure that’s true,” Paul replied, his smile thinning a bit. Turning
his attention back to Daniel, he said, “I was hoping that we could get together
at some point during my trip here, Dr. Jackson. There are a few things...”
“No.”
Jack’s interruption clearly startled Paul, but Daniel suspected it was
due more to the icy tone, than the simple denial.
“I think Dr. Jackson can speak for himself, General.”
Spoken with icy disdain; it wasn’t insubordination if Jack wasn’t
military anymore, after all.
“Daniel does not go anywhere, with anyone,
unless I’m with him. Period.”
The glint that Daniel spied in Paul’s gaze as it swept back over him
was both speculative and possessive, hungry even. He
shivered with some kind of dread that he couldn’t really figure out and moved
closer to Jack, though that wasn’t really possible.
Jack’s hand tightened on Daniel’s hip almost painfully as he stated, “You
look at him like that again and I will cut your eyes out.”
The threat was all the more frightening for the quiet promise with
which it was spoken.
Paul’s eyes snapped to Jack and he questioned, with equal civility,
“Are you Challenging me, General?”
Before Jack could answer, and he knew exactly what that answer would
be, Daniel spoke up with, “Jack? I think our reservations are ready. We should
go. Please? Please, can we leave?”
The two soldiers stared at each other for a long moment. Jack nodded
once, sharply, without taking his eyes away and said, “I’ll see you later,
Davis.”
“Yes, Sir. I look forward to it,” Paul replied smartly.
Feeling the steely tension in the muscles under his hand as they walked
away, Daniel searched for the nearest alcove and found one after they’d turned
a corner. He guided Jack that way and, once away from prying eyes, wrapped his
arms around Jack’s neck, holding on tight. “You can’t fight him, Jack, promise
me you won’t! He’ll kill you and I’ll be alone, without you.”
Jack’s arms went around Daniel and his face pressed to Daniel’s throat
as he slowly decompressed. It took several minutes of Daniel rubbing his hand
over Jack’s shoulders and back while he held on almost too-tight with the
other, before the rigid muscles slowly relaxed. Finally, though, Jack gave a
deep sigh and the rest of the tension faded. Pulling back, Jack managed a wry
grin as he commented, “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Daniel.”
With a wince, Daniel apologized, “I’m sorry, Jack, but I’ve seen him
fight and he’s vicious.”
Lips twisting briefly, Jack didn’t really counter it. He combed his
fingers through Daniel’s hair and suggested, “Let’s get something to eat, okay?
I’m starved.”
Daniel sighed in relief, knowing that the danger was temporarily
averted. He managed a smile and asked, “Can I pick the restaurant?”
“Only if the menu’s in English,” Jack stipulated, smiling more
naturally.
“I make no promises.”
* * * *
They’d had a good dinner, the menu had been in
English, then picked up the clothes and headed home. Jack had called in a food
order on the way back and, after putting Daniel’s new clothes away, they’d just
sat on the sofa for the rest of the night. Daniel had stretched out on it, his
head on Jack’s thigh while Jack’s fingers brushed through Daniel’s hair as he
watched television. Jack had been pleased that the other man had actually
fallen asleep that way, a clear indication that the stress from the
confrontation with
It had been an unexpected encounter and Jack was still trying to figure
out exactly how
Then there was getting ready for bed. Sharing a bathroom with Daniel
was as easy as it always was, their movements coordinated through years of long
association in close quarters. Climbing into bed, Jack had grinned happily to
himself when Daniel automatically curled up on him, head resting on his
shoulder. This was definitely something that he could get used to; both the
falling asleep with Daniel in his arms and waking up knowing that he was
nearby.
It was shortly after the light had been turned off, that Daniel dropped
the bomb.
“Jack?”
“Yeah, Danny?”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
Daniel was silent for so long that Jack started to think he’d fallen
asleep. But then he asked hesitantly, “Could I be your slave?”
Jack froze in place, then groaned out loud,
wishing his current position didn’t stop him from kicking his own ass. He
should’ve seen this coming. Should’ve known that of course, Daniel would take that extra
step towards the extreme. “Danny, you’re not slave material, buddy. You
can’t even follow simple orders in life and death situations. There’s no way
that you would make it as a slave, and that’s even assuming that I would take
on a personal slave. Which I wouldn’t.”
Sitting upright, Daniel gazed down at him and questioned, “Why not?”
“Why not? What the hell kind of question is that?”
Jack demanded, also sitting.
Daniel shrugged. “You’re not in the military anymore. And I know you’re
not an abolitionist, so why not take a slave? You can have one if you want. A
body slave, if not a house slave, since there’s not much here to take care of.”
“First of all, I am not so hard up that I need to buy a slave for sex,”
Jack stated, making sure to clear that up right away. At Daniel’s accepting
nod, he continued, “Second, I’ve been military so long that I doubt I’d be able
to deal with ordering someone around the rest of my life.”
“Jack, come on. You love to give orders,” Daniel scoffed.
Jack snorted and pointed out, “And you hate to take them.”
Head lowering, Daniel was silent a moment before taking a breath and
looking at him again to say, “Not from you.”
It was Jack’s turn to scoff. “Oh, right. So the last nine years of
disobeying me at every possible turn were a figment of my imagination?”
Even in the moonlight, Daniel’s flush was easy to see. Clearing his
throat, Daniel clarified, “I don’t hate to take orders from you, not any more.
I want to...to please you, Jack. I want to be anything that you need me to be,
whether that’s filling your bed or helping you in the yard or whatever. I want
to belong to you, to be only yours. I don’t...I don’t really need or want
anything else.”
And suddenly, Jack knew that Daniel’s head had really and truly been
fucked with. That Ba’al had done his work all too
well and with devastating accuracy. SG1 was part of history now. Part of him
had been hoping that with some time, Daniel would recover his footing. That
Daniel would go back to normal, Jack would un-retire
again, and the four of them would be together as teammates once more.
Daniel was the heart of the team and without his strength of will,
without his moral compass, the rest of them were just soldiers with good
intentions, but no true need to stick to the straight-and-narrow. Not if it
netted Earth what was needed to protect her and her people. Ba’al
had cut the heart out of SG1 by taking away Daniel’s independence and will.
That indomitable will to argue against the military point of view, against
expediency, and for the high road, had been subsumed by the programming the
fucker had inserted into Daniel’s brain.
“Please don’t be angry with me, Jack, I’m sorry. I won’t bring it up
again,” Daniel whispered, starting to pull away.
Sighing with regret and bitter disappointment, though not for, or with,
Daniel, never Daniel, Jack held on tight, keeping the other man where he was.
Kissing Daniel’s forehead, Jack promised, “I’m not angry with you, Danny-boy,
just thinking is all. Look, let’s just give this some time for now, okay? I
won’t say no, but I’m not saying yes, not yet. Just...get some sleep, okay?”
Daniel nodded and pressed a chaste kiss to Jack’s mouth as he murmured,
“Thank you, Jack.”
“You’re welcome,” Jack replied.
It was yet another night that he spent staring at the ceiling. Jack had
the feeling there were going to be a lot more to come, in the near future.