DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters and property of Stargate SG-1 belong to MGM/UA, World Gekko Corp. and Double Secret Productions. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment purposes and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author. Not to be archived without permission of the author(s).
Chapter 15: The Scent of Rain
Jack heard the crashing noise from the vicinity of the kitchen and panicked...
"Daniel! God..." He pushed himself up on his arms, as if somehow he could push away everything that had been holding him down and go help...
He hated feeling this helpless.
"Daniel! What's going on? Daniel?"
Only the windblown silence answered him. He felt a sudden chill, unsure whether it came from the cold or the pervasive feeling of alone-ness creeping up on him...
'Daniel's okay...he has to be...'
Jack thumped a hand against one of the large planks lying across the back of his legs.
'Damn it!'
"Daniel!"
Jack hit the floor again in frustration, pulling forward against the heaviness holding him back. Several smaller pieces of debris shifted off the pile, striking him in the back and Jack ducked his head.
"Damn it to hell. What the hell else can go wrong?" Jack shook his head and sighed in frustration.
"At this point, I wouldn't ask."
Jack started at Daniel's voice, shaking his head and grinning as Daniel came into view.
"What the hell happened?"
Daniel limped over and sat down beside him, placing a basket of food within Jack's reach. Rubbing at his head, Daniel shrugged. "Just had a little trouble catching my breath. I'm okay..."
'Uh huh...'
Jack reached for a bottle of water and studied the younger man carefully. Daniel was whiter than ever, beads of perspiration on his forehead, fine tremors affecting his grip on his own water bottle...
"You sure you're okay?"
Daniel nodded but avoided looking toward Jack, reaching instead for the bottle of Tylenol in the first aid kit. Jack noted the action, accepting Daniel didn't want to talk about it...and reached for one of the chocolate bars.
"Got all the food groups there, did you?"
Daniel smiled at the comment, shrugging a bit. "Just the important ones..."
Jack pulled off a bit of cheese, offering it to Daniel who shook his head...
"Daniel." Jack pulled out strongest 'for your own good' tone and Daniel favored him with the petulant 'I'm fine, don't bug me about it' look. Jack had a look of his own ...the 'I care what happens to you, you damn stubborn archaeologist' look that generally...and usually successfully...countered it.
Daniel sighed hugely and took the cheese...nibbling at it with a clear lack of enthusiasm.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Jack caught the sidelong look from Daniel...so happily familiar...and grinned in return.
'Maybe things are going better than I thought...'
Daniel took another long drink from his water bottle and prepared to stand again. "I should get back to work. It'll be dark soon."
Jack nodded noting the flick of Daniel's wrist tossing the remainder of his cheese into the stack of wood already removed. He shook his head, there was no sense in making a further issue of it...and it wasn't long until dark. Looking back again at the mess on his legs, he realized it was going to be another very long night.