Storytime with Rachel F Hundred

‘Thanks for picking me up, Daniel.’ Samantha Carter smiled at her SG1 team mate as she got in the passenger seat of the car and closed the door.

Daniel Jackson shifted his gaze momentarily from the road to return her smile before he concentrated on his driving, pulling smoothly away to rejoin the traffic. ‘No problem.’

Sam smoothed her denim skirt a little self-consciously. ‘You know you guys didn’t have to do this.’

Daniel tried not to grin. Sam thought she was on her way to their team leader’s house for a simple barbeque to celebrate her promotion from Captain to Major along with their fourth team mate, Teal’c; what she didn’t know was that Jack O’Neill had invited the rest of the SGC along as a surprise. ‘Well, you know Jack,’ Daniel said mildly, in response to her comment, ‘any excuse for a barbeque.’

‘True.’ Sam’s lips quirked upwards.

‘And we couldn’t let it go without doing something.’ Daniel continued. He glanced across at her. ‘You really deserve it.’

Sam blushed delicately at the sincere praise.

‘I know we’ve all been distracted these last few days because of the Goa’uld thing.’ Daniel murmured. He lifted his hand briefly from the steering wheel to wave in the air as though the vague gesture was enough to encompass the past week; a summit with three Goa’uld in the SGC and an agreement for Earth to be part of the Asgard’s Protected Planets Treaty. Even for the SGC, it had been a strange week.

‘Yeah.’ Sam murmured.

‘How are you doing?’ Daniel asked, concerned as he caught the hint of pained recollection in her voice.

Sam looked at him sharply. ‘I’m fine.’

He almost smiled. Her response was so automatic and so Sam. ‘You did a great job with the healing device. If it wasn’t for you we wouldn’t have found out Nirrti lied about being able to heal Chronos.’ He commented.

‘I’m just glad I got it to work.’ Sam sighed. ‘I really thought I wasn’t going to be able to do it.’

‘What’s it like?’ Daniel asked curious.

Sam pulled a face. ‘Not as bad as the hand device.’ She muttered.

‘It’s weird, isn’t it?’ Daniel mused out loud. ‘I mean just before Christmas you were using the hand device to kill a Goa’uld and now you’ve had to use the healing device to save one.’

‘That’s one way to describe it.’

He looked over at her sharp tone and she visibly winced herself.

‘Sorry.’ Sam gestured at him. ‘I just…nothing about using those things feels right.’

‘Not even the healing device?’ Daniel asked. ‘I would have thought it would have made you feel better about having the ability to use them?’

‘Don’t get me wrong,’ Sam said quickly, ‘I know the value of having the ability, it’s just…’ she sighed again, ‘I hate using them and it’s not like I have any control over them. I don’t really understand how they work.’

Daniel’s gaze flickered to the clock on the dash; they were going to be early. He frowned. Jack was running the surprise party like a military operation; he didn’t think the Colonel would appreciate him turning up with Sam ten minutes before scheduled; Daniel deliberately took the wrong turn.

Sam frowned. ‘Daniel, you’re going the wrong way.’

‘Hmmm?’ Daniel peered at the road as though he’d only just noticed. ‘Sorry,’ he gave a sheepish smile, I was distracted.’

Sam stared at him suspiciously.

‘I was just thinking that I thought you and the other scientists had figured out that the naquadah in your blood had something to do with triggering the devices?’ He rushed out.

She nodded. ‘We managed to ascertain that much from the experiments we ran just after we got the devices from our trip to Cimmeria. But really the rest of it is a mystery.’ She shifted in her seat to face him. ‘We think it has something to do with asserting mental control but there seems to be an emotional component to it.’ She shook her head. ‘I’m still not sure.’

‘Maybe your Dad and Selmak can help the next time they visit.’ Daniel suggested.

‘Maybe.’ Sam crossed her arms. ‘I’ll be happy if I never have to use the devices again though.’

Daniel remained silent. He was aware that Jack had recommended that Sam never be ordered to use the hand device; that it resulted in nightmares and flashbacks of the memories she had from Jolinar, the Tok’ra symbiote who had taken her as an unwilling host. ‘It couldn’t have been easy for you healing Chronos.’

‘It wasn’t.’ Sam admitted. ‘The healing device is a lot harder to operate than the hand device.’

‘That wasn’t what I meant.’ Daniel stopped at a set of traffic lights and took the opportunity to meet her questioning gaze. ‘I meant because of the whole Chronos ordering the assassination of Jolinar.’

‘Oh.’ Sam looked down at her skirt. She shrugged. ‘I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel about it.’

‘How do you feel about it?’ Daniel replied.

Sam pressed her lips together as she really considered Daniel’s question. ‘Odd.’ She said finally. ‘A bit like I feel when I see…see Martouf although the emotions are opposite. There’s this,’ she waved a hand at herself, ‘part of me that responds as though I’m Jolinar and I can feel how she would feel.’

‘And?’ Daniel prompted.

‘And then, there’s me.’ Sam said quietly. ‘I didn’t like Chronos. I thought he was arrogant and full of himself…’

‘So, a Goa’uld.’ Daniel inserted with a smile.

Sam smiled briefly in response before her expression sobered again. ‘But I didn’t hate him…not like she did.’

A car horn beeped behind them and Daniel belatedly realised the lights had changed. He pulled away with an apologetic hand wave to the car behind. ‘It sounds like you’re getting better at separating your emotions from those triggered by Jolinar’s memories.’ He said.

‘Yeah.’ Sam murmured. Her eyes brightened as though she hadn’t realised it herself until that moment. ‘Thanks, Daniel.’

‘For what?’ He asked surprised.

‘Making me feel like I was telling the truth when I told the Colonel Jolinar’s memories didn’t control me.’ Sam responded wryly.

‘You do know Jack doesn’t think that.’ Daniel commented. ‘He knows you’re, well, you.’

‘I know. He’s been great about the whole Jolinar thing.’ Sam murmured.

Daniel hid a smile at the fondness in her voice. She really did have a thing for Jack, he mused, even if she didn’t realise it. He glanced across and was a little disconcerted to see a blush stealing across her cheeks. He sobered abruptly. Sam had seemed completely oblivious to her growing feelings for Jack but seeing her reaction to thinking about the Colonel, he wondered if she was beginning to work it out.

Sam and Jack had always been attracted to each other but the business with Jolinar had really consumed Sam in the last year. If she really was able to differentiate her feelings from Jolinar’s then maybe she was beginning to realise how she really felt about Jack beyond their military relationship and closeness as team mates. It was incredibly bad timing, Daniel mused with a sinking heart. There was no doubt in Daniel’s mind that Jack had fallen just as hard for Sam as she was falling for him but the Colonel seemed to have come to the conclusion that nothing could happen between them. Not that Jack had mentioned Sam when he had told Daniel he was going to start dating again.

Daniel tapped the steering wheel. He wondered if he should say something. He repressed the urge to sigh. He hadn’t been the first to notice Sam and Jack’s attraction; it had been Teal’c. At the time, the Jaffa had been unaware of the fraternisation regulations that restricted Sam and Jack from having anything closer than the nebulous team mate stuff. He and Teal’c hadn’t said anything to each other since that initial conversation although they had both seen Sam and Jack shift from attraction to something deeper after the couple had been stranded together in Antarctica; seen Jack tear himself apart when Sam had been taken over by Jolinar; seen Sam do the same when Jack was hurt…and none of them said a word. Teal’c and he had a mutual, if unspoken, agreement never to raise the subject. They knew if they did that it would bring the regulations into play and might impact their team.

Was it selfish for them to do that? Daniel wondered. He knew what it was to love someone completely, body and soul; and more, for it to be reciprocated. An image of his wife, Sha’re, filled his head for a moment; her sweet smile and loving eyes. He shook the melancholy away. If Sam and Jack truly loved each other, didn’t they deserve a chance to feel that way? It wasn’t his decision to make, he reminded himself, and Jack had made his decision to move on. He knew it hadn’t been easy for the other man. His eyes went to Sam sitting quietly next to him. It wasn’t going to be easy for her either.

‘Uh…Daniel?’ Sam pointed at the turning.

He jerked his gaze back to the road and swung the car into Jack’s driveway. He stopped the car and wondered what Jack had done with all the other vehicles; only Jack’s truck and Teal’c’s base car were parked in front of the house. ‘Well, we’re here!’ He said brightly out loud.

Sam shot him a quizzical look as they got out of the car. He walked beside her up to the door and knocked loudly. He opened the door and gestured for Sam to enter ahead of him. She stepped into the hallway…

‘Surprise!’

The yell brought her to a stunned halt. Daniel saw her mouth fall open slightly at the packed house full of her colleagues. Her blue eyes travelled over the large banner proclaiming ‘Congratulations, Major!’ pinned up over the fireplace. They took in the proud expression on Teal’c’s usually impassive face, an expression matched by General Hammond. They skipped over Janet Fraiser stood with a delighted Cassie, over all the gathered SGC personnel before they landed on Jack stood on the steps down to his living space, grinning up at her. Sam sent Daniel a mock accusing look and he shrugged unapologetically.

Jack’s dancing brown eyes met his and the Colonel nodded at the archaeologist; an acknowledgement that Daniel had completed his assignment successfully before Jack’s attention shifted back to Sam; he held out a hand for her to join him. ‘Major.’

Sam tentatively took Jack’s hand, her blue gaze happily meeting Jack’s warm chocolate eyes. ‘This is great, sir.’ Her smile lit up her face and for an instant the couple stood frozen on the steps, hand in hand, smiling at each other, the rest of the world seemingly forgotten.

Daniel took a hasty step forward, nudging Sam. He watched amused as Jack recovered instantly and tugged Sam into the crowd toward a waiting Cassie. Daniel sighed and pushed his glasses up. A brief look around the room reassured him that maybe nobody but he had noticed the couple’s moment until his gaze landed on a frowning Teal’c who was looking over at their team mates with concern.

The Jaffa was dressed in casual clothes along with the rest of the party-goers; khaki combat pants with a simple khaki t-shirt with the word ‘warrior’ on the front. Daniel recognised it as the outfit Cassie and Sam had given Teal’c for Christmas. The matching baseball cap could be seen peeking out of the back pocket on the pants. Daniel watched with rueful amusement as the Jaffa headed over to Sam and simply stepped between her and Jack on the pretext of congratulating Sam.

Daniel headed towards his team mates; someone pressed a cold beer into his hands half-way there and he politely dodged other people with a shy smile until he reached his destination.

‘Hey.’ Daniel raised his beer in greeting to the Jaffa.

‘Daniel Jackson.’ Teal’c inclined his head. ‘You completed your mission very successfully.’

‘Indeed,’ quipped Sam, smiling; her arm was slung casually around Cassie’s shoulders. ‘I had no idea you guys had planned this.’

‘You deserve it.’ Jack commented, gesturing with his beer bottle.

‘You are a formidable warrior.’ Teal’c acknowledged proudly.

‘And a great scientist.’ Daniel added.

‘And beautiful.’ Cassie piped up.

Sam gave her a grateful squeeze.

‘You know, sir,’ Janet smiled at Jack, ‘I was wondering what you had planned to say before the Asgard beamed you up.’

‘Ah.’ Jack shuffled under their combined regard. ‘That.’

‘I admit, sir,’ Sam said, ‘I’m a little curious myself.’

‘Well, I, uh,’ Jack pushed his hand through his short grey hair. He gave a short laugh. ‘I think it went something along the lines of formidable warrior, great scientist and…’

‘Beautiful?’ Cassie suggested innocently.

Jack leaned down to whisper loudly at the young girl in a conspiratorial manner. ‘Well, I had outstanding officer but I think beautiful probably works better.’ He straightened and winked at Sam.

She ducked her head but managed a smile.

Daniel wondered if he was the only one who saw the look of disappointment in her eyes at Jack’s original thought.

o-O-o

Daniel searched the garden for Teal’c and spotted him on the far side of the lawn, standing looking up at the darkening sky watching the last of the sun bleed gold into violet. He headed over towards the Jaffa, leaving behind the babble of voices and the underscore of music.

‘Hey, I wondered where you’d gotten to.’ Daniel pushed his hands into the pockets of his pants.

‘I wished to view the sunset, Daniel Jackson.’ Teal’c confessed, clasping his hands behind his back.

Daniel nodded understandingly. Teal’c was usually confined to the mountain and he took every opportunity to appreciate the outside. ‘It is beautiful.’ Daniel murmured wistfully.

‘Indeed.’

The two men looked at each other in complete understanding. They both watched the sunset for a long moment.

‘So.’ Daniel said into the silence. ‘Do you think the Goa’ulds will keep to the treaty?’

‘Perhaps.’ Teal’c murmured. ‘Their fear of the Asgard is great.’

‘Let’s hope they never work out the Asgard are bluffing them.’ Daniel muttered.

‘It is unlikely.’ Teal’c shifted his weight.

‘I guess it doesn’t prevent them from attacking us when we’re off world.’ Daniel added. ‘Chronos was pretty clear if we met up, we could expect trouble.’

‘I look forward to it.’ Teal’c growled, his expression darkening.

Daniel sighed and wrapped his arms around his torso. ‘How are you about everything?’

Teal’c stiffened. ‘I am fine, Daniel Jackson.’

‘You know Sam said the same thing and I didn’t believe her either.’ Daniel responded softly.

Teal’c raised his face up to the sky and the last rays of the dying light. ‘I once promised my mother that when the opportunity came to destroy Chronos, I would take it. That one day we would have revenge for the death of my father.’ He paused. ‘I had such an opportunity and did not take it.’

‘Because you knew it would doom Earth if you killed him.’ Daniel comforted him. ‘You did the right thing, Teal’c. I know it couldn’t have been easy for you.’

‘It was not.’ A muscle worked in Teal’c’s jaw. ‘The next time Chronos and I meet; I will not be so restrained.’

Daniel placed a hand on Teal’c’s shoulder. ‘We’ll be right there with you, Teal’c.’

Teal’c turned back to Daniel and bowed his head deeply.

‘We should probably head back.’ Daniel said, indicating the milling people up by the house.

Teal’c fell into step beside him. They were half-way back to the house when voices drifted towards them from the side of the house; raised voices. They looked at each concerned and made their way towards what sounded like an escalating argument.

‘…and you can’t tell me this wasn’t blatant favouritism!’

‘MacNally…’ Lou Ferretti tried to interrupt.

‘I made Captain before her!’ Captain MacNally’s strident voice yelled over Ferretti’s annoyance.

‘And when you’ve saved the Earth as many times as she’s saved it, you’ll get to be Major too.’ Ferretti argued. ‘The way I heard it, the Colonel and Hammond had nothing to do with it; the President made the call himself after she killed that Goa’uld, Seth.’

‘She was a Goa’uld!’ MacNally shouted at his former boss.

Daniel looked at Teal’c alarmed. MacNally’s voice was loud enough to carry to the back garden.

‘And you’re an idiot.’ Ferretti’s own voice was beginning to rise in volume.

‘Oh come on! Carter’s so obviously screwing O’Neill…’

Daniel felt Teal’c move and he sprang after him hurriedly. By the time, he’d caught up with the Jaffa, Teal’c had MacNally in a throat hold, pressed up against the wall of the house; MacNally’s feet dangled about a foot off the ground as his hands tried desperately to pry Teal’c’s hand away from his windpipe.

‘Shouldn’t we do something?’ Ferretti asked as Daniel simply took in the scene with undisguised satisfaction.

‘I don’t know,’ Daniel said calmly, crossing his arms, ‘I think Teal’c has the right idea.’

‘What in God’s name is going on here?’ Hammond’s voice behind them had Daniel and Ferretti spinning around guiltily. Jack and Hammond stared back at them.

Jack ignored the two men and focused on the Jaffa. ‘Teal’c?’

‘Captain MacNally has insulted the honour of Major Carter.’ Teal’c growled the words.

Jack’s expression darkened as he correctly jumped to the insult MacNally had made. He pushed his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels as though to prevent himself from charging over to administer his own justice.

‘On Chulak, I could kill you for insulting a sister of my house!’ Teal’c glowered at MacNally who struggled futilely to shift the choke hold.

‘But here I can’t let you do that, son.’ Hammond sounded regretful. ‘Let him go.’

Teal’c let go abruptly and MacNally crumpled as soon as his feet hit the ground.

Hammond looked at him in disgust. ‘What I can do is order you, Captain MacNally, back to the base.’ Hammond gestured at Ferretti. ‘Colonel, see to it that he gets there and gets treatment for his throat. I’ll deal with him in the morning.’

‘And let’s keep this to ourselves.’ Jack suggested. ‘I don’t think Carter needs to hear about this tonight.’

‘Yes, sirs.’ Ferretti snapped to attention and picked up the hapless MacNally.

They all watched as Ferretti disappeared with him.

‘Teal’c, consider yourself reminded that this isn’t Chulak.’ Hammond said briskly. Teal’c inclined his head. Hammond sighed and headed around the house.

‘What did MacNally say?’ Jack asked as soon as the General was out of earshot.

Daniel sent Teal’c a warning look. ‘It doesn’t matter, Jack. It was his usual garbage.’

Jack nodded slowly. He jerked his head and they all started the walk back towards the garden. His dark eyes met Teal’c’s. ‘Nice choke hold.’

‘Indeed.’ Teal’c’s words were coated with satisfaction.

o-O-o

‘Thanks for the help clearing up.’ Jack flopped onto the sofa and eased the top off the bottle in his hand.

Daniel looked around the tidied room and shrugged a little awkwardly given his sprawled position in the armchair. He’d stayed behind after everyone else had disappeared; Janet had volunteered to drive a very happy and slightly tipsy Sam home. His tired eyes took in the time; three in the morning. He yawned.

Jack gestured with his bottle. ‘You staying over?’

‘Yeah, thanks.’ Daniel murmured.

‘You want a beer?’ Jack asked idly, taking a gulp.

Daniel shook his head. ‘I’m good.’

‘Yes, you are.’ Jack murmured.

Daniel blinked at him. ‘Excuse me?’

Jack sat forward and ran his thumb over the top of his bottle. ‘I couldn’t have got through this last week without you.’

‘How much have you had to drink?’ Daniel demanded wearily.

‘I mean it, Daniel.’ Jack looked over at the younger man fondly. ‘I don’t what I would have done without you this last week. You know me. Diplomacy and all that stuff…’ he shrugged, ‘it’s not really me.’

Daniel’s eyes softened. ‘You underestimate yourself, Jack. You obviously impressed the Asgard.’

‘I don’t even remember what I said.’ Jack waved at Daniel. ‘I was just relieved I had all that Ancient stuff out of my head.’

‘Still, you’re better at this than you think you are.’ Daniel pointed out. ‘You did great with the Goa’uld.’

‘Only when the whole thing went South.’ Jack shook his head. ‘I seem to remember pissing them off within the first minute; it was your letter of apology that got them back to the table.’ He took another long sip of his beer. ‘You were great. Briefing us about the Goa’uld, looking after them…looking after me.’

Daniel couldn’t deny the pleasure that spread through him at the other man’s praise. He had been taken aback when Jack had praised him to the Asgard; he had felt it had probably been an attempt to get out of the work but to hear him say it for no other reason than to say it…’Thank you.’ He raised a hand. ‘I think we all did great. Sam healed Chronos and saved the day; you bluffed them and Teal’c…Teal’c didn’t kill anyone.’

Jack gave a short laugh and slumped back against the sofa cushions.

‘I really thought he was going to kill MacNally there for a second.’ Daniel’s eyes widened as he realised he’d said the words out loud.

‘It wouldn’t exactly have been a loss.’ Jack said bluntly.

‘What do you think the General’s going to do with him?’ Daniel asked.

‘Give him a rap over the knuckles for disrespecting Carter, especially now she outranks him.’ Jack shrugged. ‘Transfer him off the base after enough time has passed.’

‘One of us should tell Sam before she hears it from someone else.’ Daniel commented.

‘Yeah.’ Jack looked hopefully at Daniel.

‘I guess that’s me then.’ Daniel sighed.

‘I don’t think it should be me given what he…’ Jack waved his bottle at Daniel, ‘do you?’

‘Probably not.’ Daniel allowed.

‘You want to know something funny?’ Jack asked.

‘Sure.’ Daniel agreed readily.

‘I went on a date.’ Jack confessed. He looked everywhere but at Daniel.

Daniel stared in shock. ‘When? I mean, who? I mean…’ his voice trailed away.

‘Just before New Year.’ Jack was still avoiding Daniel’s gaze. ‘She was nice.’

Daniel picked up on the reservation in Jack’s voice. ‘But?’

‘It didn’t feel right.’ Jack admitted.

Daniel considered what to say carefully. ‘Maybe you just aren’t ready to move on like you thought. I mean, there’s no rush, is there? Why not give it some more time?’

‘I guess.’ Jack said slowly.

‘There you go.’ Daniel said blithely.

They fell into an awkward silence.

‘It’s so unfair.’ Daniel said unthinkingly.

Jack’s eyebrows rose a little. ‘What?’

Daniel had been thinking it was unfair that Jack and Sam couldn’t be together but he knew he couldn’t tell the other man that. He cleared his throat hurriedly. ‘I was thinking that it was unfair people jumping to the conclusion that Sam only got promoted because…you know.’ He saw Jack’s shoulders relax a little.

‘There’s always going to be someone who jumps to that conclusion, Daniel.’ Jack stared down at his bottle. ‘That’s why…’ he stopped abruptly and with his gaze still affixed to his beer, he missed Daniel’s look of compassion.

‘I, uh, I think I’ll turn in.’ Daniel stood up. He made his way across the room and stopped by the steps. ‘Jack.’

The older man turned to him questioningly.

‘Sam really loved tonight.’ Daniel said quietly.

‘Yeah.’ Jack smiled sadly in acknowledgement. ”Night, Daniel.’

Daniel continued on down the hallway to the spare room and closed the door behind him. He’d been right first time, he mused sadly; it was unfair.

fin.