|
PART TWO
Jack stared at the trio from across the clearing, holding the blanket tighter as it tried to slide down one shoulder. Daniel hadn't moved since he'd lain back down, and Teal'c had almost forcibly instructed Jack to keep his distance and hold his tongue. He chewed the inside of his cheek as he tried to decide to go and join them.
He'd dozed off earlier while sitting in the woods, watching the camp. When he had woken, he'd decided that he was now feeling pretty normal, albeit a little cold, and rejoining teammates would be a good idea. It wasn't until he'd spotted Daniel that the anger arose once more inside of him. He hadn't finished telling him what he thought of him when Teal'c arrived and interrupted his sermon.
He no longer remembered why he'd been mad at Daniel. He just knew now that the man he loved was sick and injured, and the more he sat here, the more he wanted to be with him. Making his decision, Jack gathered his feet beneath him and stood up.
A wave of vertigo hit him and he swayed. The trees tilted towards him for a moment before he turned and vomited. Hands were suddenly on his shoulders, helping support him, allowing him to get his bearings. He finally managed to straighten after spitting a time or two. A canteen appeared in his hands and he took a sip, rinsing his mouth then taking a couple of swallows. His stomach tightened, reminding him that it still wasn't happy. He saw Teal'c's dark, concerned eyes before him, and he nodded, letting him know that he was better.
Teal'c gently nudged him towards Daniel and Carter, the latter sitting and watching him warily. He tried smiling at her, but her face remained closed and impassive. He didn't blame her; he remembered what he'd said to her and Daniel earlier.
"The illness marks the end of the mania," Teal'c stated as Jack slowly eased himself down beside the huddled form, looking at Daniel's pain-filled visage. His eyes were closed, his face drawn. The moonlight made the planes in his face stand out, giving the illusion that he was gaunt and pale. Sweat beaded his face and Jack put out a shaking hand. Expecting to touch cold skin, he was surprised to find it hot and dry beneath his fingers.
"Shit," he muttered to himself.
At his touch, Daniel opened his eyes. His gaze was at once wary and imploring.
"I guess sorry won't cut it this time, huh?" Jack said softly as he gently stroked the burning cheeks with the back of his hand. He looked up at Carter, intending the apology for her also.
"Wasn't your fault," Daniel said in a raspy voice. Jack realized that Daniel must know how Jack felt; he'd been on the giving and receiving end of the moss' effects.
"Then I'm sorry that I let Teal'c build that fire and that I was stupid enough to get close to it."
Daniel's slight nod told him he understood.
"It is I who must apologize," Teal'c said as he knelt beside them both. "I was arrogant in my belief that I would be immune to the effects of the moss."
"We both screwed up, Teal'c," Jack told the Jaffa, knowing that he must be feeling as stupid and guilt-ridden as Jack did.
"What time is it?" he asked Carter, moving his arm as he attempted to catch the light of the moon on his watch face.
A flashlight illuminated Carter's arm for a second. "It's 03:15, the sun should be rising in a couple of hours," Carter answered.
"How's he doing?" Jack watched worriedly as Daniel coughed, his face clenched tightly in pain as his good arm came up to clutch at his injured one.
"Not so good," Carter replied. Jack jerked his head up to look at her. "He's in a lot of pain and refused to let me give him anything for it. Maybe you can convince him, sir."
Jack realized that Daniel had probably wanted to stay alert until Jack returned; and knowing his archaeologist/linguist/lover, he probably felt guilty about everything that had happened.
"Don't want any," Daniel muttered before Jack could open his mouth. He coughed again, and Jack moved to slide behind Daniel. Wary of his injured arm, with Teal'c's help he carefully pulled him up beside him, raising his body so that he was sitting curled up against Jack's chest while Jack rested against the trunk of a tree.
He'd felt Daniel tense at first, but he relaxed as he realized what Jack was doing. Jack wrapped the edges of his blanket around the sleeping bag, cocooning them both underneath it.
"You need to sleep," Jack said as Daniel buried his head against Jack's shoulder. "We're not going anywhere except back to base camp as soon as it's light," Jack said as he pulled the edge of the sleeping bag to cover Daniel's nape. Jack was anxious to get Daniel back to the camp. Just knowing that he was closer to the Stargate would be one more weight off his shoulders.
"We'll be stuck on this god forsaken planet for at least twenty four hours, and Janet will have both our hides when she sees the condition I've allowed you to get into. So do us both a favor and let Carter give you some morphine so that tomorrow you don't look half as bad as you do right now."
Daniel didn't move, so Jack continued, trying to figure out what was bothering him. "Hey. I'm me again, and so's Teal'c. We won't be crazy enough to light another fire, so you don't have to worry about any of that stuff happening again." Daniel coughed harshly against him, and Jack tightened his hold against him. He worried about that cough, and saw that Carter must be also as she dug out another dose of antibiotics.
Daniel obediently swallowed the pills and when she held up the syringe, he gave a slight nod. She expertly administered the drug and Jack continued to speak to Daniel softly as he waited for the painkilling effects to be felt.
Jack knew when Daniel began to feel better; his tense body began to sag more and more; his head slowly sliding down Jack's chest until his face was nestled against his arm. Jack tightened his hold on him, preventing him from sliding down farther. He shifted Daniel into a slightly more secure position and the younger man made a noise of protest.
"Feeling better?" Jack asked as Daniel pushed his face into Jack's shoulder.
"Mmmm," Daniel responded sleepily.
"Good. Try and get some rest," he said as his hand came up to gently cup Daniel's head.
When Daniel didn't answer, Jack thought he'd fallen asleep. He inhaled deeply, wondering how he could have been so stupid earlier. And the things he'd said to Daniel, where in the world had those thoughts come from? To accuse Daniel of not pulling his weight; of sleeping with Hammond! fer crying out loud.
As if reading his mind, Daniel suddenly mumbled, "Jack, do you think I'm a burden?"
Jack's felt his face grow hot with shame as he struggled to find the words to tell Daniel how sorry he was. He saw Carter look at him with what he assumed was pity. He looked away, unable to face either her or Teal'c. Before he could answer, Daniel continued.
"...Thought I was helping the team. I'm sorry." His words, slightly slurred, conveyed to Jack that he'd thought Jack's silence was confirmation to his question. "I'll ask Hammond for a transfer when we get back." Jack had to strain to hear these last words, so quietly were they spoken.
Damn! He'd hurt Daniel again with his inability to express himself.
"Oh God! No, Daniel! Never a burden!" Jack's cry caused Daniel to raise his head and look at him in bewilderment. "I never meant anything that I said. You must know how much I respect your input and how much I need you on the team. I trust you implicitly. I would never want anyone other than Carter, Teal'c or you watching my six."
Daniel giggled at that. Giggled?
Letting his head fall back against Jack's shoulder, he said, "I'll watch your six, Jack..." His voice sounded even more slurred. "Why is it sixes, and not sevens or eights?"
Jack smiled at the idiotic question. He glanced over at Carter and saw her duck her head in amusement. Teal'c merely raised an eyebrow.
"Sam's got a nice six, but yours is better." Carter's guffaw and subsequent giggles caused Jack to smile even wider.
"Thank you for that enlightening piece of information, Daniel. Now why don't you be quiet and go to sleep?"
"Not sleepy," Daniel murmured, his face burrowing against Jack's shoulder once more.
"Okay, then just close your eyes and try to relax," Jack whispered after planning a kiss on Daniel's exposed temple. He felt Daniel's breath as it escaped the folds of the sleeping bag, warming his cold skin. His breathing slowed and Jack knew that he was finally sleeping.
Knowing that Carter and Teal'c would remain awake and alert for the remainder of the night, Jack allowed himself to close his eyes and rested his chin on the soft hair of his lover's head.
- - - - - -
Jack swore as he manhandled the makeshift litter through a multitude of clinging branches and leaves. Carter walked beside him, pulling as many as possible out of the way, holding the lower ones up so that they wouldn't scratch Daniel's exposed face. They'd had to backtrack several times when the trees grew too close together, preventing them from passing through.
Daniel remained dead to the world. Once the morphine aided Daniel to fall asleep, he crashed, and crashed hard. Between his exhaustion, pain and fever, it didn't surprise Jack at all. They'd stopped to rest a short while ago and had tried to rouse their sleeping teammate in order to give him another dose of antibiotics. He'd finally opened his eyes and mumbled something about fried eggs, and had dozed off before Carter could even get the canteen to his mouth. With a bit of swearing and a lot of coaxing, they finally got semi-comatose friend to take the pills.
It was just as well that Daniel wasn't aware of his surroundings at the moment. As careful as they were, they'd jostled him quite a bit in their attempts to leave the forest. They'd been walking for three hours now, their going slow as they had to choose their route carefully.
Jack could see the sun shining through a patch of trees and with relief, realized that they were nearing the edge of the woods. He raised a shoulder to wipe the sweat that dripped down his face; the temperature had risen quickly with the sun. As Jack lowered the left side of the litter in an attempt to fit it through two trees, he noticed a large patch of moss as the side of the litter brushed against it. The moss was patchy with black splotches all over it. Carter stopped a moment to examine it, and informed him that it looked like the stuff was drying up.
"I think the moss is weather-related," she continued as she brushed by him to push branches out of Teal'c's way. "It probably grows when the temperature dips below a certain temperature. It developed and spread very quickly; I think if it grew in this abundance all of the time, the wildlife would end up killing one another."
As they passed out of the woods and into a bright, grass covered meadow, Jack saw Major Jefferson wave at him from the opposite end. He and several marines quickly strode towards them, and Jack eagerly gave over his end of the litter to a marine who equaled Teal'c in height and bulk. The Jaffa refused to relinquish his hold on the litter, however, and continued to bear his friend's weight as they continued towards the Stargate.
Flexing his hands, which had become cramped and sore from the rough saplings they had forced through the sleeping bag to use as a makeshift stretcher, Jack moved ahead and walked beside Daniel. He was bundled up securely in the sleeping bag, the flap pulled back to expose only his face. Jack reached down and pressed his fingers against the pale skin, noting that Daniel's fever still hadn't abated. His breathing sounded a little rough and wheezy, punctuated with an occasional ticklish cough. Thankfully, it hadn't gotten worse; Jack was hoping that if this was the start of a respiratory ailment, then the antibiotics Carter had been dosing him would keep the infection at bay.
They made good time now that they were out of the wooded area and within two hours had Daniel settled in camp. Several sleeping bags were placed beneath his body as an impromptu mattress, Major Jefferson assuring them that with the change in temperature, the nights would be too warm for them. Jack sat beside Daniel in the shade of several trees, watching his love shivering with fever. Teal'c settled on Daniel's other side, sitting stiffly and probably feeling as helpless as Jack did while waiting for Carter to go check on the Stargate and return with the news as to how soon it could be activated.
He forced himself to meet Jefferson's gaze when the man squatted beside them, and saw that the Major's bruised face was full of remorse and embarrassment. Jack glanced around and noted the remainder of SG8 standing or sitting around the camp, watching them with anxious expressions.
He accepted a freshly-filled canteen from Jefferson and handed him his own near-empty one in return. Jefferson asked a young captain... O'Connor Jack believed his name was, to go refill SG1's canteens and requested that MREs be heated for the returning team members. First taking several sips of water, Jack then poured a goodly amount onto one of Daniel's bandanas and wiped Daniel's sweaty face with it. A slight sigh was the only reaction as the wet cloth cooled his overheated skin.
Carter returned in time to accept her lunch from Captain O'Connor. Sitting down beside Jack, she informed him between bites that she doubted that they'd be able to use the Stargate before the day's end. It would be at least another 24 hours before the 'gate was fully charged, due to the overcast sky of the past two days.
Jack ate his own meal without tasting it. He forced his food down, knowing he needed to keep his strength up but having no appetite whatsoever. Daniel remained deeply asleep, and Jack didn't attempt to rouse him, knowing that his body required the rest.
As he swallowed his last mouthful, a cry of alarm sounded out in the camp. Jack got up and looked towards the sound, Teal'c and Carter following suit. The news came over their radios seconds later. Three marines had fallen through what appeared to be the ceiling of an underground chamber near the ruins that Daniel had been working in. Their injuries appeared serious and the rest of the ceiling was on the verge of collapsing.
With a curse, Jack ordered all available personnel to the site, leaving Captain O'Connor to watch over Daniel. He glanced at Daniel's still form before rushing towards the accident site.
- - - - - -
Daniel was hot. He tried to shove at the fabric covering him and found that he couldn't move his right arm. As he struggled he realized that his arm was securely fastened. He began to panic and finally managed to kick off the offending covering.
Hands grasped his arm and legs and voices yelled out at him. SG8! They were hurting him, forcing him down and trying to tie his hand behind his back. Blurry forms surrounded him and he tried to twist away, kicking at the closest person. Pain erupted in his foot and he cried out as his shoulder simultaneously woke up in agony as he finally got his arm free from his captor.
He fell back onto his stomach, weak with pain, gasping and wheezing for breath. He struggled to breathe, his chest feeling heavy and congested. He tried to crawl away from SG8, but they tenaciously kept hold of him, preventing him from escaping. His breath rattled in his chest and he began to cough uncontrollably.
His airway became congested with phlegm and he couldn't breathe. As he began to fight for air, he suddenly found himself sitting up, strong hands holding him against a hard, muscular body. The position eased his fight for air, and he finally managed to cough up the mucus clogging his airway. His stomach followed suit, expelling sour bile. His body was held securely by those hands, and smaller, softer ones gently took hold of his head as he helplessly gagged and dry heaved.
When the spasms ended he was pulled back against that same body, his face resting against cool skin and material. The smell of sweat and a hint of aftershave tickled his memory, providing him with the feeling of familiarity and safety and love. He heard voices around him but couldn't seem to focus on the words.
He hadn't realized how parched he was until water seeped against his mouth, dribbling down his chin before he greedily swallowed. It was taken away long before he managed to quench his thirst and he tried to voice his complaint. His throat was sore and what came out sounded like a croak.
Something wet and cool was pressed against his face. It felt wonderful. He could feel water dripping down his face, tickling its way along his neck before being absorbed by his tee-shirt. A voice kept talking in his ear, the cadence slow and soothing and familiar. Somehow he'd been rescued from SG8, and had found his way into Jack's arms.
Jack, who'd thought that Daniel wasn't pulling his share of duties most of the time!
He tried to push away, opening his eyes with effort. He had to show Jack that he wasn't a burden, that he could carry his weight in camp. Hands caught at him, pulling him forcibly back against Jack's chest. He struggled briefly, and sagged against him when his strength gave out. He'd failed; Jack was right, he was a burden. He couldn't even manage to sit up, how could he even attempt to do his share of the work?
He could feel oblivion pulling at him, and with the sound of his breath rasping in his ears, Daniel finally gave up and permitted himself to fall head first into darkness.
- - - - - -
As Daniel's head lolled lifelessly onto Jack's chest, he realized that Daniel had passed out. His fever was sky high, and Jack began unzipping his jacket which still served as a sling. Teal'c was there, helping ease Daniel out of the sweat-laden piece of clothing. With his knife, he quickly cut the tee-shirt off Daniel, his limp body quickly prickling with goose bumps as the air reached his overheated skin.
He passed the sodden handkerchief over Daniel's chest and arms, trying to bring his fever down. Teal'c found another cloth and did the same on the other side.
Jack cursed at their predicament. Three injured marines, Daniel sick and injured and the Stargate unavailable for the next twenty four hours. He'd had to reprimand Jefferson when the man had insisted on trying to see if the 'gate would activate now, once they'd rescued the injured men. Carter had argued against it, saying that if the gate didn't have enough energy, it would use up what it already had saved and they'd be stuck here for another three days.
He'd returned from the collapse, helping to transport one of the injured marines, when he'd seen Daniel struggling in the throes of delirium. SG8 were attempting to hold him down, preventing him from getting up on his injured feet.
Jack had gone to him as quickly as possible, arriving in time to help Daniel as he began choking as he coughed up half a lung. Carter and Teal'c took over from SG8, helping support Daniel until the spell was over. Jack had been shocked at the heat emanating from the wounded man. His fever had climbed dangerously high while everyone had been involved in rescuing the injured men without causing the roof to cave in. Even now, one had severe back injuries and another had definite internal bleeding. There wasn't much they could do but make them comfortable.
Daniel had seemed to recognize Jack and had stopped fighting him. He'd quieted for a short time, when suddenly he tried to get up, mumbling something about digging latrines. Jack had held him tightly against him until the younger man had finally succumbed to his fever and weakness.
When Daniel began to shiver, Jack dried him off and wrapped him up in the sleeping bag. He didn't wake up, and Jack knew it was going to be a long night.
- - - - - -
Jack stood back from the rush of medical personnel as they swooped towards the injured men being wheeled into the infirmary. He watched as Daniel's gurney was settled in the far corner. He and the rest of the rescue teams all took a seat on empty beds, each awaiting their post mission checkups. He managed to find a bed close to where the nurses were working on Daniel. Doctors Fraiser and Warner were frantically working on the two injured marines, and both rushed their patients to surgery without even a glance towards Daniel.
Jack sighed. Daniel needed help, but he knew that the two marines were much worse off than Daniel. He wanted to go sit beside him but knew that he'd be in the way at the moment. The medical staff was certainly swamped today and it was in his own best interest if he just let them do their jobs. The other doctor on call finally entered the infirmary and was directed towards Daniel.
God, he was tired. He was worried about Daniel and at this point he just wanted to bury the two of them under a pile of blankets and not come out for a week. Actually, he'd settle for a hot shower and meal, and the news that Daniel's fever was gone and that he'd be okay. He, Teal'c and Carter had spent the night alternating sponging Daniel down and holding his shivering body in their arms. By the time daylight had arrived, they'd gotten his fever down considerably, but not without a fight.
Jack sat there a while with his head buried in his hands, trying to drown out the all too familiar sounds of the infirmary. He started when a hand touched his shoulders. He raised his head and peered into Carter's worried blue eyes.
"Sir, are you okay?" she asked. He saw her glance towards Daniel's bed and he couldn't but help look that way too. Ah, there was only one nurse working on him at the moment, maybe he could safely visit his bedside now.
"Just tired," he answered, grateful for her concern but feeling a little snappish and not wanting company. Sensing his mood, she moved off as one of the nurses approached him, ready to give him his examination.
He sat through the physical with quiet determination, and hopped off the bed as soon as the nurse moved off to the next victim. As he moved toward Daniel's bed, he noted the two IVs, the line from the catheter, and the heart monitor. He could see Daniel's flushed face through the oxygen mask and he couldn't resist placing a hand against the too hot cheek. The head of his bed had been elevated; Jack could see that his breathing was a little easier and his coughing had eased off considerably.
The nurse attending him, Debbie, smiled at him before shifting her attention towards Daniel's feet. As she began removing the socks and bandages, Jack picked up Daniel's lax hand, taking care not to disturb the oximeter attached to his pointer finger. When Daniel only shifted restlessly at her treating his feet, Jack surmised that he'd been given something for the pain. Which was probably why he was sleeping soundly and wasn't quite as restless as he'd been the past 18 hours.
"We've started him on stronger antibiotics, Colonel," Debbie said as she looked up from her work. "And don't worry, he's not feeling much of this," she assured him as she began disinfecting Daniel's feet. "A technician will be here soon to take X-rays of his feet and shoulder." Jack nodded, his attention back on Daniel's face as his eyes moved behind his eyelids in REM sleep. He mumbled something unintelligible, his fingers twitching slightly between Jack's. He squeezed Daniel's hand, his thumb massaging gently.
Jack remained with Daniel except for the few minutes that he was sent from the bed while X-rays were taken. Carter and Teal'c came to sit with him once they were released.
It seemed to take forever, but finally he heard Fraiser's footsteps approaching. He looked up and was surprised to see that the infirmary was almost empty. Everyone must have been cleared. He glanced at his watch, wondering why General Hammond hadn't sent someone down to inform him of their debriefing.
"Colonel," Fraiser said as she picked up Daniel's chart. Her eyes came back to Jack's as she scanned him with a critical eye. He held her gaze, trying not to show his exhaustion. He doubted he'd fooled her; but he knew that he'd be able to sleep only when he was sure that Daniel was going to be all right.
"Well, the good news is that there's no major damage to Daniel's shoulder," Fraiser said after she examined said shoulder. "He's torn some muscles and pulled some ligaments, but nothing severe enough to warrant surgery. I think this will heal fine. He'll be stiff and sore for a week or two. He may need some physiotherapy, I'll see how things progress before I decide."
She picked up the chart and made a few notations in it. "Daniel definitely has bronchitis, probably brought on by exposure and his weakened condition. The infection in his feet certainly didn't help. Oh, and Sam did a great job treating those, so I'm told."
Jack sagged back in the chair as the news flowed over and through him. Shoulder, feet, bronchitis, nothing serious, so far.
"The antibiotics you gave him helped keep the infection down. That in itself is probably why he doesn't have pneumonia at the moment." At Jack's hopeful look, she said, "But it's still a possibility. He's very weak and has no more reserves left. What he needs now is to sleep and heal. Which is why you're going to hop into that bed right next to him after you go shower and eat, and do the same."
He nodded, too relieved and tired to argue. With a last glance at Daniel, grateful that his other two team members remained with him, he went off to follow the doctor's orders.
- - - - - -
"Thanks, Jack," Daniel said through clenched teeth as the older man helped him back onto his hospital bed. The trip across the infirmary to the bathroom had been absolute agony, but Daniel wasn't about to admit it to Jack or anyone else. Normally by now he'd be walking with the aid of crutches, but due to his shoulder, that option was out of the question. At least he was beginning to feel a little stronger; although his legs still felt like strands of wet spaghetti after his short trek.
He stifled a cough as he lay back down, easing his feet onto the pillows placed at the foot of his bed. His feet were throbbing now, something that always happened whenever he walked on them for a bit. Not that walking was any fun either.
Jack removed the soft slippers from Daniel's bandaged feet and fiddled with the sheet and blanket. He eased the coverings over Daniel's abused feet, making sure that they didn't put any pressure on them before tucking them around his hips. Daniel closed his eyes, waiting out the pain, which throbbed to the rhythm of his elevated heartbeat.
He felt so helpless. Unable to even walk to the toilet by himself, how pathetic was that? Although he had to admit that he'd improved quite a lot in the past two days. Before that he hadn't even had the strength to stand. Once again, here he was... a burden.
"I wish I didn't have to go," Jack said plaintively as he sat down on the chair beside the bed and interrupting Daniel's thoughts. SG1 was being sent out on an offworld mission to finalize a treaty; something that had been planned weeks beforehand. It was bad enough that they were going without Daniel, who had played an important part in the negotiations. It would have added insult to injury if they were to delay this meeting, even if it was due to Daniel's inability to attend. The Sorrkesh were sticklers for punctuality and agreements. SG1 had said they'd return on this day; and return they would.
"I know," Daniel said, wishing also that Jack wasn't leaving for the next day or two. Janet had said that since his white blood cell count proved to be almost normal today, and seeing that he hadn't had fever since this morning, she'd let him go home tomorrow afternoon if things continued to progress in the same vein. But with Jack leaving he wasn't sure if she'd allow him to be on his own. Daniel couldn't see what difference it made; at least at home he'd have a change of scenery and things to keep his mind occupied. He could doze in front of the television, or sit on Jack's back verandah and relax. Here he was stuck looking at medical equipment and cement walls.
He had books to read, Jack and Sam had made sure of that. But he couldn't seem to drum up the strength to read more than a paragraph or two. Either he'd doze off or end up with a headache. At least now his friends came to visit whenever they had a free moment, either keeping him company or just lending support.
He dreaded the thought of spending the next couple of days alone here in the infirmary. He was well enough to be bored; didn't that mean he was well enough to go home?
Even the members of SG8 had come to visit a few times; Major Jefferson sporting one hell of a black eye. Daniel didn't recall hitting him, but he did remember his feet and fists making contact before he was overpowered and forced to the ground.
His feet finally quit their complaining and Daniel began to relax. He closed his eyes and shifted on the bed, trying to get comfortable. He started a bit when he felt Jack's fingers on his face as he removed his glasses, but smiled his appreciation nonetheless. He felt Jack lean over him to put the eyewear on the table beside his bed, using the movement to cover a quick kiss on the cheek. Daniel's smile widened.
"I gotta go," Jack said reluctantly after a moment. Daniel opened his eyes and gazed at his lover. Jack straightened and placed a hand on his uninjured shoulder as he stood, and squeezed gently. "I'll see you in two days."
He nodded, knowing that they really had no idea how long this treaty signing was going to take. It could and most likely would take several days, as they still had a few items to iron out. He watched Jack as he made his way out of the infirmary, wishing fervently that he was going with him.
- - - - - -
As the car turned a corner, Daniel jerked awake. It was taking all of his willpower not to nod off; he didn't want the driver to see how weak and tired he really was. He saw the man sneak a peek at him and blushed. Damn, what must he be thinking? Good old Daniel Jackson, getting beat up by SG8 and being left out of the action when his team goes away for a nice, quiet mission. Daniel made a fist with his right hand, hidden inside his sling.
He turned his head and watched the scenery go by, realizing that he'd slept longer than he'd thought, they were now in town. As the driver turned once more, Daniel opened his mouth to tell him that he was going the wrong way, when he suddenly realized that he was being driven to his apartment. Not Jack's house. Damn, but he was stupid.
He'd fully expected to recuperate at Jack's, but he had no ready excuse to give the driver in order to make a detour to his Commanding Officer's home. Okay, so Daniel would go home, grab a few pieces of clothing and take a cab over to Jack's house. No big deal.
They pulled up in front of his apartment building a few minutes later and Daniel managed to undo the seatbelt before fumbling one handed with the door. As the driver leaned over to give Daniel a hand, he finally managed to undo the latch and the car door swung open. Gritting his teeth and preparing himself for the pain, Daniel swung his legs and cautiously put his weight on his slippered feet.
Thanking the driver, he managed to hobble into the lobby without showing much of his discomfort. The doorman stood there watching him with a sympathetic expression as he made his cautious way to the elevators. Daniel wondered what must be going through his mind. 'Yep, here comes the good ol' doc once more, barely able ta walk, sweat pouring down your face, arm in a sling, breath rasping in your lungs. What ya go do now, doc? One of your teammates beat you up? Oh no, this time it wasn't just one, it was all four. Ya know, maybe you should see about getting new friends, doc. 'Cause these ones sure don't do a great job o' taking care o' ya. And ya sure don't wanna be a burden on 'em, do ya?'
How many times had Daniel come home either limping, in a cast or sling or simply walking that slow, cautious way due to an injury? The man must think that Daniel was some kind of loser, and Daniel was running out of excuses to tell him for every time he got hurt.
He entered the elevator car, grateful when the doors slid shut and hid the man's curious gaze. The walk through the base to the car had tired him more than he'd expected, and he was shaking badly by the time he reached the door to his apartment. He fumbled with the keys and cursed when he dropped them before being able to insert them into the lock.
He finally got the door open and entered his apartment. First things first, he needed a pain killer. He hobbled to the kitchen and turned on the faucet. He fished in his jacket for the bottle of pills Janet had given him. He tried to open the bottle but it was the kind that was childproof, needing both hands to pop the cover. He slid his right hand out of the sling and grasped the bottle with it. His shoulder gave a painful twinge when finally the cap popped free, scattering half the pills over the counter, into the sink and onto the floor.
Daniel dropped the pill bottle onto the counter top, ignoring it as more tablets spilled out. He filled a glass of water and grabbed a pill, swallowing it down. He left the mess for later, all he wanted was to get something into his stomach before the pills wreaked havoc down there, and then get to bed. He opened his fridge and was greeted with the sight and smell of spoiled food.
He shut the door with disgust and shuffled to the pantry. It was quite bare, with only a box of crackers that looked edible. He realized belatedly that he'd been spending so much time at Jack's that he hadn't gone for groceries in weeks. He grabbed a handful of crackers, but spit out the first stale bite. Abandoning the idea of food, he made his way to the bedroom, having to hold onto the wall now for support.
Breathing harshly and coughing, he fell more than sat on top of the bed. He rolled onto his side, relief from being off his feet bringing tears to his eyes. His feet began throbbing as the pain intensified. Trying to distract himself, he reached for the far edge of the comforter, wanting to cover himself with it. He was hot at the moment, but knew from experience that as soon as he cooled down, he was going to be cold. He tugged but it wouldn't budge; it was probably caught between the mattress and box spring. He tugged harder but it still wouldn't move.
Giving up, he huddled on the bed, feeling the sweat pouring down his back and sides. The other alternative was to stand up and push the comforter back from where he lay, but the thought of getting on his feet at the moment made him decide to bear the coming cold.
He lay as still as he could, the pain in his feet and shoulder all consuming for the moment. He felt so alone, so miserable. He should have been glad to be home but was now regretting his pleading with Janet to let him go. His friends and family were away, he couldn't manage to do anything for himself and damn it, he was starting to get cold.
- - - - - -
Jack swore as he maneuvered the Avalanche up the street, searching for a parking space. He had wanted to surprise Daniel; they'd come home much earlier than expected, the signing ceremony being short and to the point. Upon arriving at the SGC he'd learned that Daniel had been released and had gone home. He'd whizzed through all of the paperwork and medicals and had arrived home only to find an empty house. He belatedly realized that Daniel would have been chauffeured to his apartment and not Jack's house.
Driving around the block, he finally found a space and parked the Avalanche. Walking swiftly, he entered the apartment building, nodding to the doorman as he held the door open for him. As he approached Daniel's door, he hesitated before knocking. Realizing that Daniel might be asleep, he opened the door using his key.
The lights were off and even though it was still daylight, the rooms were gloomy. He glanced around, not seeing any sign of Daniel. As he made his way towards the bedroom, he spied the spill of pills in the kitchen. Quickly swiping them off the countertop and into his hand, he poured them into the bottle which had been lying on its side. He picked up the dozen that were on the floor and blowing the dust off of them, also dumped them in their container.
So Daniel must be sleeping, as he had first suspected. He knew that the pain killers tended to knock Daniel out; his weakened condition quickly succumbing to their effect. He heard coughing as he made his way to the bedroom, confirming his realization. He stopped in the doorway, seeing Daniel asleep on top of the comforter.
Walking quietly and sitting on the side of the bed, he placed a hand on Daniel's cheek, testing for fever. His skin felt cool to the touch. Jack saw how Daniel was huddled, his knees pulled to his chest, and reached over to tug the comforter back. It resisted his efforts a moment before coming loose. He tucked the edges around Daniel's shoulders and leaned over to kiss his forehead after removing Daniel's glasses.
Daniel opened his eyes and turned his head slightly. Seeing Jack, he smiled sleepily as his eyes closed once more.
"Hey," Jack said.
Daniel response sounded more like a breathy sigh, but Jack understood the 'hey' beneath the murmur.
"Didja eat?" he asked, realizing that Daniel must have gone straight to bed upon entering the apartment. Daniel didn't respond so Jack got up and let him sleep. Making a quick mental calculation, he figured that Daniel would be waking up in about an hour or so. He decided he'd have supper ready by the time Daniel was cognizant enough to be hungry.
- - - - - -
Daniel rolled over onto his back, feeling warm, comfortable, pain free and contented. He stretched, and happily realized that he was in his own bed. It was a pleasure to wake up elsewhere than on the hard ground or an infirmary bed.
Bits of memory filtered through his groggy brain and he realized that he remembered Jack talking to him. He called out for him, his voice sounding slightly hoarse.
Listening intently, he sat up when he didn't hear a response. He was sure Jack had been here. Gingerly putting his feet down on the floor, he pushed the comforter away from him. As he stood up, he realized that he hadn't been able to pull the damned thing onto him; Jack had surely been here.
Walking in short mincing steps towards the kitchen, ignoring his complaining feet, he called out again for Jack. He spotted his bottle of pills sitting on the countertop. Hobbling over to them, he realized that the bottle had been changed. This one he could easily flip the top open with one hand. The other one sat empty beside it.
Jack had definitely been here, but had gone. He'd probably taken one look at Daniel's ineptitude and had left. Daniel didn't blame him, he was fed up of having to depend on others right now; Jack must be just as disgusted having to do and care for Daniel.
He made his way down to his sunken living room, taking the few steps too quickly and jarring his feet badly. He half fell onto the sofa, quickly taking the weight off his aching soles and hitting his sore shoulder against the edge of the couch.
He curled up dejectedly on his side, thinking how he was in constant pain and felt invariably abandoned and useless. His feet eventually stopped throbbing, but the pain in his heart didn't.
- - - - - -
Juggling the grocery bags and the hot foil containers in his hands, Jack got the door open and shut it with a swing of his hip. He brought the small amount of groceries he'd purchased into the kitchen and made short work of putting them away. Getting ready to put their dinner on a couple of trays, he heard coughing coming from the living room area. He smiled; Daniel was up so he wouldn't have to try and drag him out of bed to come eat.
Leaving their meal for the moment, he went to check on Daniel. He was lying on his back on the sofa. For a moment Jack thought he was still sleeping but as he bounced down the steps, realized that Daniel's eyes were open.
"About time you woke up," he teased as he sat on the sofa beside Daniel. When he didn't respond or even look at him, Jack began to worry.
"Danny?" he said as he brought a hand up to grasp his arm. At the touch, Daniel's eyes finally shifted and he glanced at Jack a moment before moving to stare at the wall again.
"You okay?" Jack asked.
"Did you forget something?" Daniel asked in a soft voice. Before Jack could reply, Daniel continued. "Oh, and thanks for picking up my mess, but you didn't have to. I'll be more careful in the future. It was nice of you to stop by earlier."
Jack was dumbfounded as Daniel tried to turn away from him, dismissing him as he turned his back on Jack. The action was lost on him though, when Daniel hissed as his injured shoulder couldn't bear his weight. He seemed to content himself with turning his head towards the back of the couch.
He squeezed the cold flesh beneath his hand, trying to get Daniel's attention and thinking that he should put the heat up in the room and bring him a blanket.
"Did I forget something? Mess? What are you... Daniel, what's going on?"
"Nothing's going on. So the mission went well? I see you're back early."
"Of course the mission went well, you did such a great job with the treaty that all they needed to do was put their John Hancocks on the dotted line," Jack said irritably as Daniel changed the subject. "Daniel, what's that comment about my stopping by earlier?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing my ass," Jack snapped, his voice rising slightly as his temper began to flare. He hated it when Daniel tried being vague. This was the man who constantly spoke about airing their feelings to one another, why was he talking in riddles?
"I did come by earlier and saw you were sleeping. Since you had nothing edible in the house as you've been spending all your time at mine, I went out to get a few staples for our breakfast and picked up some supper."
He felt the minute shift of muscles stiffening as he continued to hold onto Daniel's arm. The younger man turned his head to look at Jack, his eyes appearing wider than usual without his glasses.
"You went out for groceries?" came the whispered question.
"Well, unless you wanted to eat green ham and eggs, where did you think I...?" Jack began asking, when the sudden realization made him swear. "You thought I wasn't coming back?" At Daniel's slight blush, he realized that he'd guessed right.
"Daniel, what the hell is going on in that slightly muddled brain of yours?" Jack let go of Daniel's arm and stood up, staring down at his confused lover. "What have I done to make you think I didn't want you? Is it because I went on that mission? You knew I had no choice..."
As Daniel struggled to sit up, Jack leaned over and gave him a hand, quickly picking up a few cushions and placing them on the coffee table. He lifted Daniel's feet, ignoring his protest as he set them onto the soft mounds.
"It's not the mission, Jack." Daniel couldn't seem to meet Jack's eyes as he sat with his left arm cradling his injured one.
Jack seated himself beside Daniel, turning to face the distraught man. He reached over to pull him against his chest. Daniel stiffened and resisted a moment, but then melted against Jack, burying his face against Jack's shoulder.
"Okay, spill," Jack ordered as he tucked his chin on top of the short, cropped hair. "What's bugging you?"
"I hate being like this," came the soft reply after a moment. "I hate being helpless, dependent on you and others."
"You're injured," Jack replied. "It's normal to feel frustrated. But this is more, isn't it?" Jack thought back to their conversation on the planet, about Daniel asking if he'd been a burden to Jack after Jack had accused him of being sick and injured. "This is my fault," Jack said with a sigh. "Damn it, if I'd only been able to keep my mouth shut."
"You couldn't help what you said, it was the moss," Daniel said, his voice slightly muffled as his face was still resting against Jack's tee-shirt.
"Yeah, it was that damned stuff that spoke using my mouth, but you took the words to heart. You know that I didn't mean what I said."
When Daniel didn't reply, Jack continued. "Major Jefferson told me you'd spoken to him and his men, that you forgave them for what they did to you."
"I started the whole thing, Jack. How could I not forgive them?"
"You started nothing, that god damned moss did," Jack argued. Okay, this was going nowhere. He decided to try another approach. "How often have I made you angry or upset with something I said? Or on a mission, when you me ask for more time and I veto your request? You can't tell me that for a moment you don't feel anger towards me... that my words or orders don't make you want to tell me off."
Daniel nodded his agreement after a moment.
"Then when you get a second or two to think about it, you realize that yeah, maybe that snarky Colonel has a reason for his decision, something that you don't know about, or remember that we have a timeframe and need to keep it. Or maybe he wants to cut the mission short so that he can drag his archaeologist home to make wild, passionate love to him."
Daniel snorted at that, and Jack smiled.
"What I'm trying to say here is that yes, maybe I've had the occasional notion run through my mind that you do tend to get injured quite a bit. But as to your being a burden, Daniel? Never! But hell, I've been injured almost as often as you. I've never even suspected that you might think of me as being a burden when I'm laid up."
"God, no, Jack. I want to help you when you're sick or injured. I've never even considered letting someone else help you! Damn, I love you, you're mine to take care of." Daniel's anguished words brought a lump to Jack's throat and he had to clear his throat before continuing. He stared at the intense blue eyes that had turned up to look at him.
"Then why would I harbor the thought that you're a burden, hmmm?" Jack asked gently. "I feel exactly the same way," he said as he lowered his head to kiss Daniel's lips. It was a gentle touch, healing and forgiving.
He pulled back and laid his cheek against Daniel's forehead. "I like doing things for you, Danny. I hate to see you hurt or sick, but I like that you permit me to see your vulnerability when you're not well. That you trust me enough to let me into your life and allow me to see when you're hurting, both physically and mentally. Hell, I kinda like the thought that I'm needed, as sappy as that may sound."
"I always need you, Jack," Daniel said as he raised his hand to clasp Jack's neck, pulling him back for another kiss. His mouth opened beneath Jack's, his tongue coming out to invite Jack's to come and play.
Never one to miss an opportunity, Jack allowed Daniel to ravish his mouth. The sound of Daniel's rumbling stomach pulled Jack back to awareness and he straightened up, remembering that he'd gone out to get them some food earlier.
"As nice as this is, I think you need something to eat, hmm? And don't you have a pill or two to take?"
"Yes mom," Daniel said with a sigh as he pushed himself off of Jack, allowing the older man to get up.
Jack returned in a moment with their still-warm supper and Daniel's antibiotics. He opened the foil container for Daniel and handed him a fork, watching as the younger man awkwardly maneuvered the implement with his left hand. Jack dug into his supper, enjoying the take-out from their favorite restaurant.
Daniel seemed to eat with gusto but his stomach decided when he was halfway through his meal that it had had enough. Jack brought their trays back to the kitchen and settled himself once again beside his love. They half sat, half lay on the couch, relaxing in the quiet of the late afternoon.
"So, do you want any dessert? I got some cheesecake; or would you rather *be* the dessert?" Jack asked with a grin.
"Hmmm, I think I'd like to be the dessert first, and then have the dessert," Daniel said sleepily.
Jack glanced down at Daniel, noting that his eyes were half closed. "How about we have both desserts after a little nap?"
Daniel smiled, then stood up with Jack's help. As they made their slow way to the bedroom, Daniel leaned against Jack. The smile remained on his face as Jack helped him lie down on the bed. As Jack spooned against Daniel's back, he heard the contented man say, "better green ham and eggs than lilac moss."
Jack snorted, glad to see that Daniel was in a better mood. "Actually, isn't it 'green eggs and ham'? Charlie always loved Dr. Seuss," Jack said.
"Both sound just as disgusting." Daniel shifted his legs slightly, and Jack raised the top of the comforter with his foot, taking the pressure off of Daniel's legs.
He wound his arm around Daniel's waist, careful of his injured arm. Daniel took hold of his hand and threaded his fingers with Jack's.
"I remember you holding me," he told Jack. "A lot of what happened on the planet is a blur, but I remember feeling safe in your arms."
Jack kissed the back of Daniel's head, squeezing the fingers slightly. "I was terrified of losing you back there," Jack confided. "You got so sick, and we had to wait to open the 'gate."
"When I first woke up, I kept hoping that you'd come find me," Daniel said, his voice soft. Jack knew that he was already half asleep. "I mean, you weren't even *on* the planet and I was expecting you to rescue me. How dumb is that?"
"Not dumb at all. Just shows how much faith you have in me." Jack felt the fingers beneath his go lax, and he knew that Daniel had fallen asleep. He wasn't sleepy, but was contented to lie there holding his lover in his arms. If that made Daniel feel safe, he'd do it for an eternity.
FINIS
<< BACK TO PART ONE Feedback makes the difference between writing and posting; please contact me at joag_sg1@hotmail.com
|
