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Chapter 12: Colonel Jack O'Neill
I need to get Daniel home.
He's finally asleep after another handful of aspirin.at this rate they'll be gone in two days.not that we have two days. Now all I have to do is figure out a way to get past Heru'ur, get Kasuf back, get to the gate, and get Daniel back to Doc Fraiser.
Piece of cake.
I'm starting to think Fraiser's wrong about these headaches. Daniel's always had more than his share of garden-variety stress headaches.hell he works himself to a frazzle at the drop of an artifact.but I've never seen him like this. I'm no stranger to migraine pain myself...this ain't it. When the pain's at its worst he's actually running a fever and I've seen him holding his chest several times tonight when he thought no one was looking. I need to get him to Doc.
Now.just how are you going to manage it, O'Neill?
According to Skaara, we've got about seven more hours of darkness. If Heru'ur keeps his promise, he'll kill Kasuf at sunrise. I can't let myself believe he'll actually do it. Kasuf is his only real bargaining chip, he loses his power over us if Kasuf dies, but that won't stop old snake face from hurting Kasuf to make us do what he wants. There's also the matter of those innocent people locked up in the village. I know I come from a different sort of place than Daniel and Skaara, but one thing I do know.I can't just stand by and watch Kasuf be harmed. Just like I can't let Heru'ur get his hands on any of us.
I never used to have these kinds of conversations with myself.things were clear-cut, good guys lived-bad guys died, orders were orders.no matter who got hurt. I can't do that anymore. It does matter.a hell of a lot more than I would ever have imagined pre-Stargate years. Things changed for me then, life got.bigger..
Of course, three years of exposure to a walking conscience probably didn't hurt. I make jokes about it, but Daniel really is that.and more. It really didn't even take three years for me to realize that about him. Hell, the first.no second.mission out found him in my face and definitely, stubbornly in the way of my usual, bulldozer's-got-nothing-on-me tactics. I caved on that one, I'm still not sure why.and was glad when it turned out Daniel was right. Pissed, but glad. Little did I know it was just the beginning of our 'battles'.battles I gradually learned really were worth the time, the energy and the passion we brought to them. Sometimes I was right, sometimes he was.which is the way it should be. And I like to think I've changed enough to bring some hopeful realism into the mix. I know there's been more than a few times lately when Daniel has surprised me by coming up with some downright masterful.though often painful.strategies, getting that communication device from Apophis was just one. The point is we've both grown.
Boy, does that hurt to admit..
Daniel shifts a little in his sleep and I bend over to check him. He's hot again. Skaara rolls over and looks up at us, his eyes begging the question. I just shrug my shoulders at him, it isn't good.but damned if I know how to help Daniel.
Skaara sits up, drawing the space blanket over his shoulders. God, he looks so young.even now. I know that's just an illusion. His eyes aren't young anymore...I doubt they ever will be again.
"What will we do, O'Neill?" he whispers. His eyes are on Daniel, but I know he's talking about more than just our friend.
I shake my head, I know Skaara's not the wide-eyed hero worshipping kid he was three years ago, but I can see in his eyes the absolute faith in me.the expectation that I will come up with some way to make all this right. He still believes in me.but I don't know if I deserve it.
I just can't admit to him that I still don't have a clue.