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Part Two
It was the chill running through him that finally forced him to open his eyes. He looked up at the sky; the sun was still shining brightly, but it was much lower than it had been when he'd stepped, or make that, hobbled outside. Daniel vaguely remembered Jack sliding from beneath him a while back, urging him to get up and go to sleep in their bed. But he'd been so comfortable, so sleepy, so lazy, that he'd mumbled something about staying here and had curled up alone on the padded deck chair. He remembered the feel of Jack's lips on his temple, and had fallen asleep before the patio doors had slid shut behind Jack.
He shivered and pulled the blanket closer, bringing his knees up to his chest and then winced as the movement aggravated his injured foot. He peeled the corner of the blanket away and looked at his watch. Nearly suppertime, which meant he'd been out here for most of the afternoon. Sleeping.
He sighed. Now that he was half awake, he became aware of the usual nausea on top of chills and aching joints. Which meant that he had a fever. Plus the pills he was taking weren't agreeing with him, but it wasn't like that was anything new. So long as he wasn't puking, he could live with the discomfort.
He'd slept for most of the day, which meant that he probably wouldn't sleep tonight. Janet's nurses never let him sleep for that long in one shot. And his fever had started up a couple of hours earlier than had been the norm. Usually he'd start feeling this way after supper, not before. And speaking of supper, he didn't think he'd be able to eat anything, not the way his stomach kept sending waves of nausea throughout his body.
Another shiver and the need to pee caused him to sit up and look for his crutches. He took a deep breath and forced himself up, balancing himself on one foot and swaying until he managed to get the crutches properly positioned. He turned carefully and started hobbling towards the door. Jack must have seen him because the doors were sliding open as neared.
"Hey sleepyhead," Jack said as he moved aside to let Daniel pass. The second he entered the house, the smell of something cooking set off his nausea again.
"Why didn't you wake me up earlier? Now I won't sleep tonight," Daniel groused. He was sorry as soon as he said the words, and the smile on Jack's face quickly faded. "Sorry," he whispered to Jack's back as his lover closed the doors.
Jack turned away from the doors, leaning his hip against the counter. "Doc said to let you rest, I didn't realize…"
"I know, I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound the way it did. The pain killers make me sleepy during the day, but at night the fever keeps me up." He began moving out of the kitchen, aiming for the bathroom. He knew there was Tylenol in the medicine cabinet there.
"Supper's almost done," Jack said as he began taking plates out of the cabinets.
"I'm not hungry," Daniel called out as he entered the bathroom. As he was emptying his bladder, Jack came to stand in the doorway.
"It's just beef stew," Jack said. "Would you rather something lighter? An omelette, toast?"
"Maybe toast," Daniel said, knowing that bread would be easier to force down than something meaty. "My stomach's a little queasy."
"Toast, okay. How about a soft-boiled egg?"
"Whatever," Daniel said, wishing Jack would stop pushing. He pivoted to the sink and began washing his hands. Jack turned around and went back to the kitchen and Daniel took the opportunity to use the running water to mask the sound of his opening the medicine chest. Quickly, he found the Tylenol and downed three of them before joining Jack in the kitchen.
He sat down at the table, and before he'd managed to balance his crutches on the wall behind him, Jack was there with a pillow and was lifting his leg onto the chair facing him. His pills were set on his plate, all lined up in a row, a glass of juice next to them. He sighed, wishing he could skip them but knew they were more than essential in his getting better.
He hadn't told Janet how badly the pills were making him feel. He'd been afraid she'd have postponed his being released. He knew it wasn't right on his part, but he'd just been too miserable to care at that point.
But he was home now, and he'd try to not be too much of a burden on Jack, especially considering that he himself wasn't quite recovered from their ordeal. But how hard could it be? A few naps during the day, eat a few meals, and pray that tonight the fever wouldn't come back. Okay, too late for tonight, make that tomorrow night.
He listened to Jack puttering around behind him, and he lowered his head, waiting for the Tylenol to kick in. Maybe he'd have more of an appetite when his fever went down, although that wouldn't be before Jack was ready for him to eat, considering he just heard the toaster pop.
"Butter?" Jack asked, placing the bread before him.
Daniel shook his head, knowing that anything greasy at this point would just come back up. He reached for the pineapple jam and spread it lightly over the toast. He sat there trying to postpone the time he'd have to put the food into his mouth, watching as supper cooked too quickly, and soon there was a peeled and chopped up boiled egg sitting on the plate beside his cold toast.
Jack took the seat beside him and began digging into his steaming bowl of stew. Daniel reached for the toast, pulled a small piece off, and stuck it into his mouth.
He chewed until there was nothing left to grind, and swallowed. The food went down, hit his stomach, floated around uncomfortably a moment, and settled. Okay, he could do this.
He managed to eat half the egg and most of the toast before Jack reminded him to take his pills. Daniel knew he really hadn't eaten enough to buffer their effects, but he swallowed them anyways. He stood and out of habit, reached for his dirty plate, and then belatedly realized he wouldn't be able to manoeuvre to the sink with it.
"Leave it," Jack said, taking the plate from Daniel's hand. Daniel was usually the neat freak, needing to clean up after their meal whereas Jack, if left to his own devices, would postpone washing up until there were no clean dishes left. "I'll do them later," Jack promised. Daniel raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. To be honest, he didn't feel like cleaning up. What he really wanted to do was crawl into bed, but at this point that would be admitting that he was feeling lousy.
He went to the living room while Jack went outside to retrieve the blanket and pillows. Daniel managed to get down the few stairs by himself before Jack had realized what he was doing. Feeling pleased with that little bit of success, he made his way to the window, manoeuvring carefully between the coffee table and sofa.
By now, the Tylenol had helped a bit and he was feeling a little better, although his stomach was still roiling. When he became bored with looking outside, he sat down on the sofa, glad to put his foot up once more to ease the throbbing.
Jack came to join him and they sat shoulder to shoulder, Daniel idly rifling through a few monthly periodicals that had come in the mail, Jack flicking through the whole gamut of channels, and back again. Daniel couldn't concentrate enough to read, so he put the magazines down. Jack finally settled on an old war movie and Daniel let the images and sounds float over him.
He felt a hand tug him closer and he nestled sleepily against Jack's warm bulk. He hadn't realized he'd nodded off again, but he enjoyed the feeling of contentment just being by Jack's side. He could hear Jack's heartbeat thudding comfortingly beneath his ear, the drone of the planes in the movie lulling him further into sleep.
// Daddy, it hurts. //
// I know, Daniel. Now hold still so I can put a bandage over it. //
Daniel squirmed as his father finished cleaning out the deep slash along his arm and wrapped it up in a white bandage.
// Now, when I tell you not to go play in a certain area, will you listen to me next time? You do know that you could easily have stepped on that piece of broken shard, don't you? //
Daniel swallowed, knowing the damage the sharp pieces of broken clay could cause since one of his father's workers, Alam, had stepped on one a few weeks ago. It had gone straight through his foot, the edge of it poking through the top of his foot. Daniel remembered the screams of the other workers, the injured one being strangely silent. He'd been rushed off to the hospital and Daniel hadn't seen him since. Daniel pointed his bare toes and shifted his feet beneath the chair, hiding his dirty feet from his dad's sight.
// This is going to need stitches, I'm afraid. We'll go straight to the hospital and I'll leave word for someone to tell your mom what happened when she gets back. //
Daniel panicked at the word ‘hospital'. Alam hadn't come back, and Daniel was afraid that he'd never see his mom again if they left without her. He kept his fears to himself, though. He'd disobeyed his father, slipping into a newly discovered room of a tomb that had been partly buried in sand. He'd sat before the painted walls, knowing better than to try and touch anything, but nonetheless attempting to translate the hieroglyphs that had been hidden from human eyes for thousands of years.
He'd reached forward to catch the light more easily, leaning on the sandy floor, when suddenly a sharp pain had gone through his forearm. He'd lifted his arm to see blood, mixed with sand, pouring down his arm.
Daniel coughed, and his father's arm tightened around him. The waiting room in the small hospital was packed, and Daniel wasn't feeling well. He felt sick to his stomach, his head hurt, he was cold and his foot was throbbing.
// Shhh, Danny, // his father said as he brushed the bangs from Daniel's eyes. Daniel opened his eyes at the touch, and saw that he was no longer a child. But he felt safe, his father's strong arms would protect him always.
// I don't feel good, // Daniel whined.
// I know, it'll be over soon. // His dad rubbed Daniel's back, and pulled Daniel's face back close against his chest. Daniel could hear his heartbeat thudding loudly, and he relaxed against the secure haven of his dad's hug.
He opened his eyes again, and realized he couldn't see the floor. Fog had risen up to his knees and more was coming in through the open doors and windows. To Daniel's horror, the people in the room soon became vague shadows, only an occasional cough or sniff indicating that someone was there.
// Daddy? //
// It's okay, you're safe with me. //
Daniel felt the cold, clammy mist touch his face, and he couldn't help but breathe it in.
// The fog, Daddy. //
// I won't let it hurt you, Daniel. //
Daniel coughed, the mist tickling its way down into his lungs.
// But the fog, it'll make us sick. //
It touched his stomach, and he felt a wave of warm heat as nausea assailed him.
// It's only a dream. Wake up. //
// Daddy? //
// Daniel. //
"Daniel."
Daniel started awake, seeing his father staring at him as he pulled away. The image remained for a few seconds before Jack's familiar face replaced it. Daniel stared around him, disoriented, trying to figure out how the room had changed from the hot, airless hospital to Jack's living room.
"You were dreaming," Jack explained, reaching out and touching Daniel's face. "You have a fever." Jack's hand remained on his cheek for a few seconds while Daniel sat confused, still trying to clear the cobwebs of the lingering dream.
The nausea and headache had remained, though, and the way his stomach was churning, he knew he needed to head for the bathroom, now.
He stood, forgetting about his foot until it brushed against the floor. He gasped, then swore, the pain escalating the throbbing in his head. He grabbed for his crutches, ignoring Jack's questions and moving away from his attempts to help. He hobbled awkwardly towards the stairs, silently cursing at the layout of the house. He had barely made it to the first step when his stomach finally revolted.
He fell to his knees and the tip of one crutch caught the edge of his injured foot. Gasping in pain, retching and choking, his body expelled the remains of his last two meals. A warm hand rubbed his back as he helplessly convulsed, unable to move as he fought to bring his stomach under control.
Finally, breathing rapidly and heavily, he sat back, hoping there wouldn't be any dry heaves. He met Jack's worried gaze, and then closed his eyes against the mess he'd just made on the stairs. He wished he could ignore the smell, his vomit-spattered clothes reeking almost as bad as the puddle.
"Sorry," he finally whispered.
"Don't be. Think you can get up?"
He nodded, and shifted onto his knees. Jack helped pull him and led him back to the couch.
"Here, take this off," Jack said, grabbing hold of the bottom of Daniel's tee shirt. He pulled the soiled article of clothing off and bundled it up. He pulled the afghan from the back of the sofa and placed it over Daniel's bare shoulders. "Stay here, I'll go clean that up."
"No, that's okay, I'll do that," Daniel said quickly. "Just get me some soap and water and—"
"Daniel. Sit, stay here and relax. I've cleaned up puke before. Remember, I used to be a father?"
Jack's words suddenly reminded Daniel of his dream, and how he'd dreamed of sitting in his father's comforting arms only to wake up in Jack's. He sat there staring at the darkened yard out back while his lover began cleaning Daniel's mess.
He took the clean tee shirt Jack handed him and put it on, then pulled the afghan back up over his shoulders against the chill he still felt. He didn’t resist when Jack stuck a thermometer into his mouth, and he took the Tylenol Jack handed him without complaint. His thoughts kept churning back to the sanctuary of his dad’s arms in his dream; arms that had meant security and love. The same feelings that were evoked when Jack had been holding him.
His father.
Jack.
Security and promise of safety.
Not the arms of a lover.
The arms of a parent.
Damn, he was so confused.
- - - - - -
Jack had watched Daniel slowly withdraw from him. Ever since he'd had that little dream on the couch earlier that evening, he'd physically started pulling away from Jack. Oh, Daniel was compliant, taking his medication, coming to bed when Jack urged him to, drinking juice and water when Jack pushed it into his face, answering his questions but not participating in any conversation.
Jack had put it down to his fever. It wasn't that high, just enough to make him uncomfortable and miserable. And obviously Daniel's stomach wasn't doing that great. But once Daniel had been medicated, hydrated and tucked into bed, he'd turned onto his side, facing away from Jack, and was now pretending to sleep. They'd shared tents for way too long for Daniel to be able to fool Jack, even before they'd become lovers.
And Daniel was restless now; that was also due to the fever.
Normally Daniel would be happy to let Jack or one of his teammates care for him when he was sick or injured. During the first years, he'd always been surprised at their offers to come and stay with him until he was well enough to be up and about on his own. Of course, Daniel had done the same for them, and Jack had always looked forward to Daniel's visits.
Daniel had appeared to be plenty happy to be home today. This was the first time one of them was sick since they'd become lovers, but Jack hadn't expected this change in temperament tonight.
So he let Daniel lie there miserably on his side of the bed, his arms bereft, his heart aching. He longed to make Daniel feel better; if he couldn't ease his pain or fever, at least he could try and offer comfort and love. But Daniel wanted none of it, and Jack, as much as he hated to, allowed Daniel his 'space'.
Jack remembered those times when Sara had been sick, how he'd enjoyed being the caregiver, her fevered body lying snuggled in his arms and knowing how much his touch and care meant to her. He'd hated seeing her sick, just like he hated seeing Daniel sick right now, but the feeling of being needed, wanted, had made his heart swell with love.
And he wanted Daniel to 'need' him right now, and he felt guilty with those thoughts because it shouldn't be about him, it should be about Daniel. About making his lover feel better. And if it meant leaving him alone, without comfort, then that was what he'd do.
Jack thought maybe Daniel would be happier in the impersonal care of the infirmary rather than here at home with him.
But then why had Daniel seemed happy to be home? He'd very obviously enjoyed sleeping in Jack's arms earlier this afternoon out on the deck? Of course, he hadn't been running a fever at the time and he hadn't just puked up his supper… but Daniel had always been comfortable with Jack, even sick.
He remembered many occasions when they'd simply sat side by side on the couch and Daniel would fall asleep, his head cushioned on Jack's shoulder. They'd been friends then, and Daniel had never pulled away from Jack's offer of comfort.
So why now?
The mattress dipped each time Daniel turned restlessly. Jack remained still, not wanting to add to any guilt Daniel might feel if he suspected he was keeping Jack awake. But when the bed began to shake with Daniel’s shivers, Jack reached over and turned on the lamp. He glanced at the clock and saw it almost 4 am. Neither of them had slept much this night.
“You okay?” Jack asked, raising himself up on his elbows, putting a hand on Daniel's shoulder.
“Sure,” Daniel replied, "I'm fine." The shivering stopped as Daniel tensed his body.
“Look, if you’re cold, why not just tell me.”
“I didn’t want to wake you,” Daniel said after a pause, turning to look at Jack.
Jack shook his head and picked up the thermometer from where he’d left it beside the bed. Daniel squinted up at him and turned onto his back. He opened his mouth without a word, allowing Jack to slip the small instrument under his tongue.
Jack got up and went to get a spare blanket, water and Tylenol. Keeping the blanket doubled, he spread it over Daniel’s trembling form, then placed the back of his hand against Daniel's cheek, feeling the slight scrape of stubble and the dry heat of his skin. He climbed back into bed and shook out two caplets, putting the pills beside the bottle of water, ready to administer once Daniel's temperature had registered.
Again, the fever was within the parameters that Fraiser was comfortable with, but high enough to make his lover miserable.
Daniel took the proffered pills and downed half the water before handing the bottle back to Jack and turning onto his side, again presenting his back to Jack.
Jack reached for a novel he’d been reading since he knew he wouldn’t get any more sleep that night. As he made himself comfortable, he decided to broach the question that had been lying heavy on his mind.
“Would you rather I took you back to the infirmary tomorrow?”
“No!” Daniel said, surprise evident on his face as he turned to stare at Jack. Then his face closed up, and he spoke in a very quiet voice. “Unless, you’d rather not have me here. I mean, you’re still recovering yourself."
"That's not what I meant."
"I can go back first thing, if you'd rather."
"Daniel, I don't want you to go. It's just that you seem a little – off."
"Off?"
"Unhappy?"
"How about sick?"
"Well, yeah, but—"
"I'm fine. I just… don't want to be a burden."
"You're never that. A pain in the butt, maybe, but never a burden." Jack smiled to show he was joking.
"I want to stay. I… if you don't mind."
For a moment, Jack thought Daniel had been going to say something else. "Try to sleep," Jack said as he turned back to his book and giving Daniel the privacy he seemed to want.
Daniel nodded and pulled the blankets over his head, effectively telling Jack he didn't like the glare of the lamp. Jack waited till Daniel settled and began reading, hoping to lose himself in its pages.
- - - - - -
Jack rushed to the phone, hoping he could answer it before it woke Daniel up. It was almost 8 am, and Daniel had finally fallen asleep just after 6 when his fever had broken. Jack had been sitting at the kitchen table, reading the paper and sipping his third cup of coffee when the shrill ring of the phone had disturbed the quiet of the house.
"Colonel O'Neill?"
"Yes. Who is this?" The female voice sounded vaguely familiar, and when she introduced herself as one of Fraiser's nurses, Jack was able to put a face to the voice.
"Doctor Fraiser asked me to stop and change Doctor Jackson's bandages," she said. "I can be there in fifteen minutes or so, if that's okay with you."
"Sure," Jack said. "You know how to get here?" He gave her directions to his home and decided to make some fresh coffee. It was the least he could offer her since she was going out of her way to do this for Daniel.
He'd just turned the coffee maker on when he realized that Daniel was still asleep. In their bed.
"Damn," he muttered as he hurried to the bedroom.
"Daniel, wake up," Jack said as he pulled the blankets off his lover's form. Daniel opened his eyes and looked at Jack blearily.
"Come on, you've gotta get up," he said as he reached for the crutches and held them to the still horizontal form in the bed.
"What time is it?" Daniel asked, finally sitting up and rubbing at his eyes. Jack could see the shadows beneath Daniel's eyes and the paleness of his skin. He hated doing this, but he had no choice.
"It's just after eight and Fraiser's nurse is gonna be here any second to look at your foot."
"Oh. Okay," Daniel said, lying back down.
"Daniel, get up," Jack ordered.
"Jack, it's easier for her to change the dressing if I'm lying down."
"Yes, of course it is. But try and wake that lovely little brain of yours and think what exactly you're lying on."
"Your bed," Daniel said after a pause, looking at Jack in confusion.
"Yes. *My* bed, and how, pray tell, would we explain the fact that you were sleeping in my bed when I have a perfectly good spare bedroom?"
"Oh. Shit." Daniel sat up and slid to the bed's edge just as the doorbell rang. He grabbed the crutches and stood up as Jack went to answer the door. Jack heard the bathroom door close as he opened let the tall redhead in, and he ushered her into the living room while they waited for Daniel.
- - - - - -
The routine task was more painful today; probably due to the fact that he had no painkillers in his system. The packing in his foot had been removed and the open wound was being carefully examined before Janet's nurse began replacing it.
He grit his teeth at the sensation of the medicated wadding being pushed into his foot. Previous times he'd been lying on the bed and didn't have a bird's eye view of the procedure. When she picked up a long stick and began pushing the packing in, Daniel had to avert his eyes.
He looked wildly around the room, searching for something to distract him from the necessary pain and discomfort. Finally he met Jack's gaze. His lover had been leaning against the wall, hands stuffed deep into his pockets, a look of indifference on his face. But when Daniel looked to him for encouragement, his expression changed to one of worry and concern. Quickly Jack skirted the coffee table and came to sit beside Daniel.
Daniel hated himself for needing his support. He'd always been self-sufficient. When had he become so dependent on Jack? He squirmed slightly in discomfort and looked away, ashamed now to look at Jack and instead concentrated on the patterns of the wood floor.
At his movement, the nurse looked up at Daniel. "You appear to be in pain, Doctor Jackson. Didn't you take your medication?"
"Um, no," Daniel said as he looked at Jack's legs. "I just got up."
"Colonel," the woman reprimanded as she continued working. "According to Doctor Jackson's chart, he's two hours overdue for his meds."
"I know, but he had a bad night and he finally fell asleep I didn't want to wake him…"
"You know, there's usually a reason to keep to a time schedule. Had you done so, he wouldn't be experiencing this level of discomfort." She turned gentle eyes towards Daniel. "I'm nearly done," as she gave the packing a few more final pokes.
"Why isn't the wound sutured?" Jack asked. "Wouldn't it have been easier to stitch it together?"
"Yes, if Doctor Jackson had been brought to the infirmary soon after his injury, that's what Doctor Fraiser would have done. But because it was several hours later, his foot swelled and it made it too difficult to meet the edges of the wound. So this way it gets to heal from the inside out. And I'm happy to say that there's no sign of infection, and everything is looking good."
She finished up by wrapping an ace bandage around his foot, and began putting her stuff away.
"Doctor Fraiser wanted me to remind you that even though your three days' enforced rest restrictions are almost over, Colonel, you are to continue taking it easy."
"Yes, ma'am," Jack said as he stood up to escort her to the door.
"I'll see you tomorrow," she said to Daniel with a smile as she left the room.
Daniel thanked her and sat there, trying to ignore the throbbing in his foot.
He heard Jack go into the kitchen and a few minutes later, he returned with a tray. Daniel looked at the bowl of oatmeal, juice, cheese and sliced apple.
"I figured the oatmeal might be easier on your stomach," Jack said as he placed the tray on Daniel's lap. Daniel smiled his thanks, picking up his spoon. "I put brown sugar on it, just the way you like," Jack pointed out. Daniel stirred the dark, melted sugar into the oatmeal and took a bite. It was good. He ate as quickly as he could just so that he could take his pills.
"Hurting bad?" Jack asked when Daniel swallowed the medication.
"Throbs, kinda like a toothache. Just so long as it doesn't get poked, it's fine."
Jack smiled. "Sorry about that. I didn't think. I should have woken and fed you earlier."
Daniel took several bites of the cinnamon-sprinkled apples and then sat back, sated. He'd actually been hungry this morning, despite the overall-feeling of fatigue and nagging headache due to lack of sleep.
"Thanks, that was good," he told Jack when the older man took away his tray.
"Glad to see you're appetite's back."
Daniel heard Jack puttering about the kitchen, and he let his head fall back onto the couch. The sounds faded, and he drifted, until Jack shook him awake gently.
"How about you go back to bed," his lover suggested. Before Daniel could object, Jack raised his index finger. "I should have said *we* go back to bed. Just for a couple of hours. I'll set the alarm."
Daniel remembered his words of the previous day, accusing Jack for having let him sleep too much and he ducked his head a moment. "Sure," he agreed, lifting his foot off the coffee table and holding his arm out for a hand up. Jack smiled and pulled Daniel up, then handed him his crutches.
He made it up the stairs without any problems, proud that his strength seemed to be returning. Yesterday he'd felt like the few steps were unending, today they were just a small obstacle to be overcome.
He slid under the covers while Jack took his clothes off before joining him. He realized belatedly that he'd never even changed out of his sweats before the nurse had arrived, then shrugged mentally. He'd get dressed later, when they got up again.
He turned onto his side and felt Jack spoon up behind him after a moment. As much as he hated to admit it, he welcomed Jack's presence, and took hold of his hand when Jack placed his arm around Daniel's chest.
"Alarm's set for two hours' from now," Jack said into his neck. He could feel Jack's breath puffing against his nape and he smiled, feeling content despite his misgivings.
- - - - - -
The noise was coming from far away, insistent and shrill. Daniel tried to force it away from his mind, but it kept on. Then the bed dipped and the noise stopped, and continued. This time it was of a more musical tone, but just as unrelenting in its insistence to be noticed.
"Hello. Hey Carter."
It took him a few more seconds to register that both the alarm clock and the phone had been ringing at the same time. He rolled onto his back, missing Jack's warmth in the bed. As Jack continued talking to their friend, Daniel glanced at the clock and saw it was just past eleven. He debated staying in bed today, he felt he could probably sleep another couple more hours.
"Sure, pizza sound okay to you?"
On second thought, it looked like he was going to have to get up.
As Jack hung up, Daniel asked, "Company?"
"Yeah. Teal'c just called Carter and he wanted to know if she was up for a visit. She wanted to check with us first, though. They'll be here in about forty minutes."
"Then I'd better get dressed."
- - - - - -
The sun had moved while Daniel had slept, and he shifted his head to bring the sunlight back onto his face. He stretched sleepily. He could hear Jack, Sam and Teal'c talking softly together. Their conversation had kept him company as he'd dozed on and off on a deck chair throughout the afternoon. He felt content, his family was here, they were safe and well, and had he mentioned that the sun's heat felt good?
"Sleeping beauty awakes," Jack teased when Daniel opened his eyes and canted his head to look over at his friends. He ignored his lover, and sat up, a little stiff and groggy from his nap. He saw the unfinished game of The Hound and the Jackal sitting on the little table beside his chair and he realized with a pang that he'd dropped off mid game. He stretched again, yawning, and apologized.
He realized he would fall asleep once more if he stayed where he was so he sat up and reached for his crutches. As he moved off to wander around Jack's back yard, he heard Jack asking, "Where you going?"
"I need to stretch my legs a bit," he answered, heading for Jack's rose garden, careful with the crutches in the spongy ground.
"Leg, you need to stretch your leg," Jack called back.
"Fun-ny," Daniel replied.
- - - - - -
Jack watched as Carter walked across the yard and joined Daniel near his flowerbeds. She offered the younger man a glass of juice which he downed willingly, her hand lying on his back in friendly support.
Jack was glad their friends had stopped by. It had distracted Daniel and had placed a buffer between him and Jack. He wasn't sure what had happened last night… maybe Jack had pushed just a little too hard? But Daniel seemed to be himself again, laughing and joking with his friends.
But Daniel looked better today, stronger, happier. Maybe last night had been a combination of fever, fatigue and pain.
"Hey, you guys are staying for supper, right?" Jack said as he stood up. He had some chilli in the freezer, he could zip off to the bakery and get some bread. He could get a cake or something at the same time since there wasn't much of the pie left that Carter had brought over.
"Sir, I wouldn't want to impose," Carter started, but Jack merely waved her worries away.
"No imposition, besides, Daniel's enjoying your company."
Daniel snorted. "Right, considering I've slept most of the time you guys have been here."
As Carter leaned forward to talk with Daniel, Jack entered the house. He was a little surprised to find Teal'c following him. He skipped down the stairs leading to the basement where he kept his large upright freezer.
"DanielJackson appears to be recovering slowly," Teal'c said as Jack rummaged through the freezer. Spaghetti sauce, curry, stew… damn, where was the chilli?
Arms full of frozen goods, Jack turned to look at Teal'c. "Yeah, actually if it weren't for the nightly fevers, I think he'd be getting better even faster. And thanks, Teal'c, for going back to the planet for those samples. Without them, Danny might still be stuck in the infirmary."
Teal'c simply inclined his head, his eyes expressing his pleasure. "I do not know if anyone has mentioned this to you, O'Neill. But the container that held the samples we had collected had been placed on top of something which I believe to be similar to what DanielJackson stepped on."
"Come again?" Jack said as he found the elusive chilli at the bottom of the pile. He turned to glance at Teal'c before returning the Tupperware containers which Daniel had so carefully marked.
"The sample case had been pierced through the bottom by a small razor sharp stone. Had you not set it down in that exact position, it is possible one of the team might have injured themselves further during the night.
"That container's made of metal," Jack exclaimed, thrusting the frozen bowls at Teal'c and wiping his chilled hands on his tee shirt. He shut the door and stuck his hands beneath his armpits to try and warm them up.
"Indeed."
"There wasn't any fog when you went back, was there?" Jack waved Teal'c to precede him up the stairs.
"There was not. Visibility was not hampered in any way. The rock that pierced the container was not the only one in evidence, although they had been well hidden by the fog. I believe we were extremely lucky that night."
"Yes, we were," Jack said, visions of one of them rolling in their sleep onto something sharp enough to stab through metal. He took the containers from Teal'c and placed the chilli into a bowl and stuck it into the microwave.
"I did manage to break off a piece and return it to DoctorFraiser. She has concluded that it was not the origin of the organism that is in DanielJackson's blood. That came from the water DanielJackson stepped in with his wounded foot."
"Yeah, she told me that."
"The rock, however, did contain significant traces of the minerals we were searching for. General Hammond is sending SG-8 for further analysis.
"That, I didn't know." Jack looked at his watch and decided he had plenty of time to go get the bread and dessert. "Go on back outside. I have to run a short errand, I'll be back soon."
- - - - - -
Dirty dishes and coffee cups, crumbs and smears of icing littered the coffee table, testament to four full, sated stomachs. They'd been having a good discussion over the past hour about the various movies they'd seen, or not seen, when Jack noticed that Daniel had gotten quiet. He continued describing the plot, using two spoons to represent planes, and how they strafed the coffee cup, er, boat, in their attempts to sink it. All the while, he kept glancing at Daniel, who had gone from leaning forward in interest to sinking into the corner of the couch.
Jack brought the climax of the story to an end and glanced at his watch. It was after eight, the sun had gone down more than an hour ago and Daniel's fever was only kicking in now. He noticed Teal'c and Carter looking Daniel's way and Jack got up, handed Carter the afghan while he went to get the Tylenol and thermometer.
"Really, I'm fine," Daniel was saying as Carter tried to get him to lie down. He waited till she covered him with the blanket and then he sat on the couch beside Daniel. When Jack went to put the thermometer in Daniel's mouth, though, Daniel waved it away.
"Jack, I'm fine. Let's just do this later."
"I need to know if your fever goes down with the Tylenol. You know that, so why the big deal?"
"Just give me the pills. I'll take my temperature later."
"We'll take your temperature now." He handed Daniel the medical implement, and Jack felt his irritation rise when Daniel placed it on the coffee table.
"Later, okay?"
Jack grabbed the thermometer and snapped, "Daniel, put this thing under your tongue now or else I'm gonna stick it someplace where the sun don't shine. Makes no difference which end gets the reading, so long as I get one."
Daniel glared at Jack and he grabbed the thermometer, thrusting it into his mouth with enough force that Jack was sure it must have hurt. As Daniel lay there with the three of them watching him expectantly, Jack suddenly realized the reason for Daniel's reticence. Daniel reminded him of Charlie lying sick on the couch, and both he and Sara fussing over him.
It was one thing to be in the infirmary where it was expected to have your body functions examined and recorded, but it was quite another lying in your home with friends watching as you professed to being sick and vulnerable. And of course, Jack's words hadn't made the matter any easier.
Jack leaned over and kissed Daniel's jaw, whispering 'sorry' before straightening up. He kept a hand on Daniel's chest while they waited for the beep indicating the reading was ready.
His fever was higher tonight. 100.8. He handed Daniel the Tylenol and water, wondering if there was any kind of pattern to the illness. It had started later tonight, but was higher than the previous night.
"I think it's time we leave," Carter said as Daniel handed Jack the empty glass. She smiled at Daniel. "I'm feeling a little tired myself, and I guess if I'm tired, then the Colonel must be also."
She kissed Daniel's cheek. "Feel better soon," she said softly before nodding at Jack. "Thanks for lunch and supper, Sir."
"Indeed O'Neill, I enjoyed this day immensely. I am glad you are all recovering." Teal'c turned to look at Daniel. "You will be well soon, DanielJackson. The micro organism will soon be destroyed and you will return to work in no time."
"Thanks guys," Daniel replied. "It was fun, even though I slept through most of it."
"That's why they enjoyed the day so much," Jack teased. His words were met with silence and Daniel didn't look at Jack.
He walked his friends to the door and locked up behind them. He picked up the dirty dishes and washed them, going to check on Daniel occasionally through the half wall. Every time he went to look, Daniel had turned or shifted, obviously unable to rest.
"Come on, you'll be more comfortable in bed," Jack said gently as he came down the stairs. Daniel pushed the afghan aside and accepted Jack's help to stand. But once they reached the bedroom, Jack had another idea.
"In here," he said, steering Daniel to the bathroom and flicking the light on. He lowered the toilet seat cover and indicated that Daniel sit.
"Take your shirt off," he said, stopping up the sink and running some hot water. "People kept dropping in today so you never had a chance to get a proper wash." He soaped up a cloth and stood before Daniel, waiting for him to throw his dirty tee shirt aside on the floor.
"I can do this," Daniel said, holding his hand out for the soapy cloth. "I'm not a child."
"No, you're not, but sometimes you sure act like one." Jack ignored Daniel's out held hand and began washing Daniel's chest, moving down and under his arms and across his back. He felt Daniel shiver and Jack rinsed him off quickly. He rubbed him dry and then handed Daniel a stick of deodorant while he went to retrieve a clean pair of sweats.
When he pulled the tee shirt over Daniel's head, Daniel mumbled once more, "I can dress myself, Jack, I'm not a child."
Okay, this was twice he'd referred to not being a child. Jack kissed Daniel's nose when his head popped out of the tee shirt and said, "I know. And I'm not your father." The startled look on Daniel's face confused Jack, but Daniel lowered his head moments later and Jack almost thought he'd imagined it.
He helped Daniel take off his pants and began washing the lean legs and groin. Daniel's cock remained flaccid at Jack's touch, but Jack had expected this; fever and medication were sure to do a number on his libido.
He finished quickly, not wanting Daniel to feel a chill, but hoping nonetheless that the water might help bring down his fever. He eased the sweats over Daniel's injured foot, then the other leg, and had Daniel stand while he pulled them up. His face was close to Daniel's cock, and he couldn't help but lean over and kiss it before pulling the sweats up and over it. "Definitely not your father," he said softly, looking at Daniel intently.
Daniel stared at him, eyes wide behind his glasses. He handed Daniel his toothbrush and waited while he brushed his teeth.
"Come on, let's get you comfy," Jack said when Daniel finished. Daniel hobbled to the bed and Jack pulled the blankets over Daniel, watching as his lover turned onto his side, watching Jack. He was tempted to get into bed with Daniel, but if his lover had wanted him there with him, he would surely have asked. Instead, Jack turned out the light and went to watch some television.
- - - - - -
For a moment Daniel had thought Jack was going to join him in bed, but instead he left him alone and turned out the lights. He felt alone and misunderstood, although he knew the latter was due to his own rejection of Jack's comfort last night. And why had he reacted so childishly to having his temperature taken in front of his friends? It wasn't like it had been the first time they'd watched him register a fever. But for some reason, compounded by the confused feelings he kept getting the moment his fever returned, he had felt vulnerable and had become stubborn.
Of course Jack had ended up with getting the last word in. 'I'm gonna stick it someplace where the sun don't shine'. And he'd have done so, also. That was one thing Daniel knew about Jack, he might tease but he'd always be ready to carry out his threats. And Teal'c would probably have given Jack a hand, too.
Damn, but this was so stupid. He wanted rid of this fever, his foot to be better, and Jack in his bed, and not necessarily in that order. Instead he shifted once again, trying to get comfortable. He was afraid it was going to be a long night.
He turned restlessly in bed, miserable and stiff and unwilling to admit that he was tired. He could hear the faint drone of the television, and wondered if Jack would be willing to give up whatever he was watching and come join him.
"Jack!"
He never expected Jack to come running into the room.
"What is it? Are you all right?" Jack asked, turning on the light and rushing to the bed.
Daniel put a hand up against the glare. "I'm fine. I was just hoping… wondering if you were… coming to bed soon?"
Jack froze, then smiled gently.
"Give me ten minutes to lock up and shower." He turned the overhead light off, turning on the softer bedside lamp instead.
Daniel nodded and smiled back. He listened as Jack closed up, shutting the lights behind him, then whistling softly as he entered the bathroom. The water ran for a few minutes and a short time later, Jack walked into the bedroom, naked.
Daniel watched Jack as he walked across the room to the bureau. There was no doubt in Daniel's mind that he loved Jack. How could he have mistaken this man as a father figure? Sure, Jack was older, but that was just his body. Daniel loved all of Jack; the snarkiness, the tenderness, the humour, the predator, the courage, the lover. He felt he'd been lost in the fog of his mind, and the sun had just come out to burn it away. He was no longer fog bound, and his way was clear.
When Jack slid under the covers, he looked over at Daniel a little uncertainly. Once Jack had turned the light off and was in the process of settling himself, Daniel slid towards Jack's side of the bed. He placed a tentative hand on Jack's chest and immediately, strong arms were pulling him towards Jack's warmth. He gladly turned to the comfort, raising his head and finding Jack's mouth unerringly.
After a moment, he pulled away and nestled into the curve of Jack's shoulder. "I love you," he said to Jack.
"I'm sorry about what I said earlier," Jack said, brushing a hand across Daniel's forehead.
"No you're not. But that's okay, I deserved it. Sort of."
"Now I know you're sick," Jack chided. "It was uncalled for, especially in front of Carter and Teal'c."
"I don't know what came over me. I think this fever's affecting my thought process."
"Then stop thinking and go to sleep." He felt a touch on his hair and realized Jack had kissed the top of his head. He closed his eyes, and tried to relax.
"I always loved doing this for Sara," Jack said after a moment. "Whenever she was sick, it was nice to feel needed, to be the caregiver. I guess maybe I expected you to feel that way, too. I'm sorry I pushed that on you, and didn't give you any space."
"I like this. More than you know. I've been so used to being alone and taking care of myself when I was sick that it's a relief to let someone else take over. It's just that… I had a dream… and I remembered my dad… and for a while I—"
"What?" Jack prompted when Daniel didn't go on.
He shrugged. "I feel safe with you. It's different when you're sick, you know? To admit you're vulnerable, to allow someone else to take care of you. That dream reminded me of being a little kid, safe in my dad's arms, and then there you were, holding me, and…"
"You didn't like feeling safe?"
"No. I didn't like feeling the way I'd felt with my dad, with you."
"Safe?"
"Yes."
"I'm not your father."
"Thank God, no, you're not," Daniel replied, snuggling closer and pressing his uninjured leg between Jack's. He was tired and sleepy now, and he felt safe. And loved.
- - - - - -
"I have good news," Janet said with a grin as she walked into the infirmary. "Your last blood work shows no sign of the organism."
"Hey, that's great," Jack said as he sat down on the bed opposite where Daniel was lying. "That's probably why Daniel's fever broke in the middle of the night and didn't come back."
"Jack didn't trust the thermometer. He kept waking me up every hour to take my temperature."
"Did not," Jack said. "I just tried all three thermometers to make sure I was getting the same reading on all of them."
Janet began unwrapping the ace bandage around Daniel's foot and he looked away, meeting Jack's gaze. Her hands were gentle and deft, and soon the packing had been changed and the foot rewrapped.
"This is healing very well," she said as Daniel sat up.
"Doesn't throb quite as much," Daniel admitted.
"If this keeps up, I think I can release you to light duties in a week."
"Sweet," Jack said. "Daniel's been climbing the walls at home."
Which was true. He was bored, and he was also frustrated at not being able to move about easily.
- - - - - -
Jack stood looking down at Daniel who was sprawled on his back, snoring lightly. Jack admired the way the early morning sun highlighted the blond strands in Daniel's light brown hair. Since Daniel's fever had broken two nights ago, he no longer looked pale and weak.
With a smug smile, Jack placed the tray he was carrying onto the bed and leaned over and laid his lips over Daniel's. The slight snore ended suddenly, and Jack felt the mouth beneath his spread into a smile.
"Morning," Daniel said as Jack pulled away.
"Hey."
Daniel yawned and stretched, looking sleepily at Jack. "What time is it?"
"Just after seven. I was hungry and I thought you might appreciate breakfast in bed today." Jack waved at the tray on the bed and Daniel grinned.
"You know, I could eat," Daniel said as he sat up. "I just gotta—" he pointed towards the bathroom and Jack handed him his crutches.
"I'll be right back with the coffee," Jack said as he pushed the tray out of Daniel's way as the younger man slid off the bed. Jack returned quickly and put the coffee mugs down on the bedside tables. By the time Daniel returned to bed, Jack had placed the pillows up against the headboard for Daniel and was lying on his side, head resting against upturned palm.
"What did you make?" Daniel looked at the tray with interest.
Jack sat up and placed the tray on Daniel's lap with a flourish. He was happy to see Daniel looking at food with an appetite. He'd hated seeing him simply picking at his meals, eating only to ensure Jack didn't nag.
"French toast, fresh squeezed orange juice, bacon, hashed browns, fruit, and coffee." The tray was nearly overflowing with the food, several plates having been balanced carefully in order to fit.
Jack took a folded tissue from his pants' pocket and displayed Daniel's meds. With a grimace, Daniel accepted them and washed them down with the juice.
"This looks delicious," Daniel said as he took a bit of bacon. "But I'll never be able to eat all this."
"Who said it was all for you," Jack said, stealing a slice of bacon. He picked up a strawberry from the bowl and dipped it into the sweetened whipped cream he'd prepared. When Daniel swallowed what he'd been chewing, Jack held the piece of fruit to his lips. Strong white teeth bit into the firm flesh, and Jack continued to hold the remaining piece of fruit until Daniel teased the remaining bits from around the stem, his teeth nibbling at Jack's fingers in the process.
Daniel then cut a bite of French toast and held it out towards Jack. A drop of syrup fell onto the sheets as Jack stretched forward to accept the mouthful.
He then fed Daniel a slice of pineapple after dipping it into the whipped cream. As Daniel ate the fruit, Jack leaned up against Daniel and licked the small dab of cream that had smeared on the side of his mouth.
"Mmm," Daniel said, turning to offer his mouth to Jack. Jack kissed him soundly for a moment before taking another slice of bacon. He lay back onto the bed as Daniel sighed.
They continued to eat, feeding one another bits of food, or Jack stealing from Daniel's tray, until Daniel pushed the near-empty tray away.
"I'm stuffed," he complained with a happy sounding sigh.
"No room for dessert?" Jack teased. He took the tray and put it on the floor, and then pulled Daniel until he was lying more than sitting, and drew Daniel's head towards him for a kiss.
"I always have room for dessert," Daniel answered when Jack allowed him to pull up for air. "Can I have seconds?" He lowered his head and kissed Jack soundly, while his hands made their way down Jack's torso and skimmed the waistband of his pants.
- - - - - -
With his pulse still thudding in his ears, Jack quickly pulled his pants back on, hopping first on one foot and then the other. The doorbell sounded again and Jack cursed, mentally berating himself for having lost track of time. He kicked his foot into his slipper as he glanced at the clock, the damn nurse was early!
He was aware of Daniel slipping into his sweats and reaching for his crutches as Jack left the bedroom. Jack opened the door and greeted the nurse, whose duty it was to visit this morning. He greeted her and escorted her to the living room, then ran off to get her a cup of coffee while Daniel made his awkward way to her. As Jack was coming back down the hall, he nearly burst out laughing when he heard her words.
"You're quite flushed, Doctor Jackson. Are you sure you're feeling all right?"
"I'm fine, thanks," Daniel stammered.
"You're sweating. Maybe you have a fever?"
"No, no," Daniel protested as Jack made his careful way down the stairs so as not to spill the two mugs of coffee in his hands. The nurse had her hand on Daniel's wrist and she finally looked up at Jack as he put the mug down on the table before her.
"His pulse is racing, Colonel."
Jack smiled at her as he sat down in the armchair beside them, sipping at his own coffee before replying.
"He's fine. It's my fault, actually. Daniel complained that his bedroom was cold last night and I turned the heat up. I just forgot to go turn it down after he'd fallen asleep. It's like a sauna in there now. Plus I lost track of time this morning, so Daniel had to hurry out of bed. It's no wonder his pulse is racing. You're out of shape, big guy. You just wait till Janet gives the all clear, you and I are gonna hit the gym and get you back into fighting shape in no time."
She looked at Daniel again, and Jack could see that the sexual rush was fading. Jack didn't know whether to laugh or worry at the partly relieved look and partly irritated look Daniel threw Jack's way. Laughter finally won out and he bit his cheek to stop the sound from bursting forth, hiding his face in his coffee mug.
"Don't I get any coffee?" Daniel asked as he watched Jack take another sip.
"Fraiser said one cup a day. You've had your quota."
Jack smiled at the pout that appeared on Daniel's face. While the nurse was busy changing Daniel's dressing, Jack leaned over and handed Daniel his mug. Daniel took a long drink before handing it back.
The nurse finished in a very short time, eliciting only a few grimaces from Daniel before she was rewrapping his foot in an ace bandage.
"You're healing quite nicely, Doctor Jackson," she said as she gathered her supplies. "You'll be good as new in no time."
After Jack escorted her back outside, he returned to the living room to see Daniel finishing off his coffee. Jack sat down beside him and took the now empty mug away from him. Suddenly Daniel leaned against Jack and began giggling.
"What?" Jack asked as he wrapped an arm around Daniel and drew the snorting archaeologist closer.
"You have great timing, you know that? A few minutes earlier and…"
Jack laughed. "She came early," he complained.
"I didn't."
Jack snorted and kissed the top of Daniel's head. "That would have solved part of our problem, wouldn't it?"
Daniel giggled helplessly against Jack, wiping tears from his eyes before pushing a hand underneath Jack's tee shirt, trailing a path along Jack's abdomen.
"How about we go back to the bedroom and you can feed me some more dessert?" His mouth nibbled Jack's neck and he gently bit down near his shoulder.
"You sure? Wouldn't want to spoil your appetite for lunch."
"Actually I was hoping on working up an appetite? You up for it?"
Jack grinned as he stood and pulled Daniel onto his feet. "Oh yeah, in more ways than one."
FINIS
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