Work Text:
Notes: thanks to Elaine for proofreading.
Disclaimers: not mine *stated in a bored voice*
***
Morning Visions
***
He was lying on a too-soft bed in a house not his own under a sun he had not been born under, and was feeling contented with his lot. He was doing something for his people and he was familiarising himself with another way of living. There had not been many alternatives under the Goa'uld. The system lords did not encourage choices or opinions not their own.
The man in his arms sniffed. Teal'c tightened his hold. His lover and swordmate reacted by nuzzling his chest.
O'Neill liked to snuggle. Sometimes Teal'c thought the other man was mistaking him for one of the 'teddy bears' his dear friend had shown him. He did not mind it though. He felt privileged to be allowed to see the playful side of his lover, a side rarely seen.
"Morning." DanielJackson had taught him the greetings of this world early on in his stay on this world. Some of those puzzled him, but some of the habits and manners he had told O'Neill caused a similar reaction in his lover.
"Morning. How about spending the day in bed?"
O'Neill raised his head to look at him. Judging from the grin on his face it was safe to assume that his lover was in one of his playful and eager moods. Those moods had proven to be infrequent and thoroughly enjoyable.
"The mission objective might prove to be a difficult one to achieve, O'Neill, but with our skills and determination we should prove to be capable of accomplishing it."
"Good."
The smile aimed at his direction would have been worth going against a system lord.
"Have I showed you how to eat ice cream in bed?"
They had, as DanielJackson once put it, done their best to try anything once, but Teal'c could not recall that one.
"I believe you have not."
"Let's correct that mistake, shall we?" O'Neill suggested.
Teal'c admired his lover's and swordmate's form as he walked from the bedroom. He suddenly realised that he would do practically anything for him. It was not an unpleasant realisation.
***
Midday Illusions
***
"I don't wanna hear it!"
Jack stepped out of the house and retreated to the backyard. He needed space, a time out. After a few rounds of pacing he sat down on the lawn and tried to tame his heart.
It was a familiar quarrel between him and Teal'c. They were free with tales and stories with each other. Jack liked to just lie down with Teal'c and listen to his stories of his life as a Jaffa, a father, a warrior. Sometimes Jack felt like *he* was the alien as he was absorbed into Teal'c's past and the world his words created. But there was one subject he did not want to know of: the pouch and the Goa'uld larvae in it.
The Goa'uld were the enemy and for Teal'c to have one of them inside him was kind of symbolic he supposed, but it also signalled his mortality. Sooner or later the larvae was going to mature and leave its nest, killing Teal'c.
Jack hugged himself. He did not want to think of it, but he was not really that good in denying facts of life.
He looked up at the blue sky. He did not want to lose Teal'c. He did not want to even think of it, but repressing did not help any. He had learned that lesson early on in his life. They would have to face that particular fact, and it was better to do it sooner rather than later.
*I don't want to lose him.* Somewhere along the line the lover had become beloved, the one true love. The one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
*So, O'Neill old boy, how about doing something about it?* But what? Teal'c needed the larvae to live, to survive. With all the testing and research Janet was no closer to figuring out an alternative. But would using a baby Goa'uld just to keep Teal'c alive make them as bad as the adult Goa'uld? Use them and discard them? But maybe they could somehow make sure the larvae grew up to be Tok'ra. What was the main difference between the two anyway? If they recruited Jaffas and practically raised new Tok'ra, could they tip the balance in the old tug of war between the Tok'ra and the Goa'uld? *Nice idea, but the brass isn't going to buy it.*
That left leaving, going out there on their own. Bra'tac would help them, for all his arrogance he was a trustful ally. The Tok'ra would help in anything that strengthened their position.
*It would also mean ducking the SGC for the rest of their lives.* As a civilian, he would not be allowed to use the stargate anymore and as a colonel, he could not become an independent operator. It would be deemed too risky. They would have to sneak out.
*That would mean lying to our friends, leaving Danny, Sam, Janet and others behind.* Jack looked around. Earth was his home, but there was a wider world out there. He had sworn to protect his home planet against any dangers.
*I've done my share.* It was time he thought of himself. Besides, he would still be protecting Earth, among others. But was his plan worth the risk?
He heard the back door open behind him. Teal'c walked softly along the lawn and sat down beside him.
Jack could hear the wind whispering in the trees as his lover waited for his decision. It was on the tip of his tongue to change the subject, again.
"How long do you have left?"
***
Evening Mirages
***
Daniel could not concentrate on the symbols and hieroglyphs before him. Usually he could lose himself in the work, drive out the depressing thoughts and memories and concentrate on the wonders of the mind, but not today.
It was official: Colonel Jonathon O'Neill was considered a deserter and to be taken into custody when encountered.
He could not believe it. Why would Jack do something like that? The world out there was incredible, but he would never have thought that Jack would be the one to leave, to go and wander the worlds. He had seemed so... practical. Sam he could have believed or even himself, but not Jack.
It was useless. He pushed the papers aside and went to make some coffee. If he was going to stay up all night, at least he was going to do it with some clarity of thought.
Teal'c had asked for some leave to go visit Drey'auc, nothing unusual in that. Jack had asked to be allowed to go with him and everyone had assumed he just wanted to go and try the fishing there. But when neither came back after their leave...
Hammond had sent a team after the two when he received no clear answers from the village elders to his questions. The two had left two days before they were supposed to return to earth, with master Bra'tac. That's probably what had surprised Daniel the most. He had always assumed that Jack did not go along that well with Bra'tac, the two were too much alike. Bra'tac had visited Teal'c and Jack for a few days. They had sparred and talked, and then left through the gate.
The coffee was ready. Daniel took his mug, and froze. It was the one Jack had given him after his old one died in an accident. *To boldly go where no one has gone before.* Jack had really done it.
Daniel filled the mug and returned to his paper-burdened desk. What bugged him most was the thought that he was missing something. Jack would not have left just for the sense of adventure, there had to be something more. They had contacted their allies and asked them to return the wayward colonel if and when seen. Everyone had assured them that they would do so, but the assurances seemed more placating than anything else. Daniel doubted that anyone would actually bring Jack back to the SGC. What did they know that he did not? Hammond seemed genuinely puzzled and pissed off, so it could not be some intricate military plot. Had the Tok'ra or Thor asked Jack to help them, on his own?
Daniel did his best to bite through the end of his pen. He loved puzzles and he was sure as hell going to solve this one. He had to admit it would help if he could just ask the man in question.
Daniel looked at his pen in disgust. He really needed to get rid of the habit.
Hammond was going to assign new members to the SG-1. If their luck held true, they would probably meet Jack and Teal'c one day. He would have his questions formed and lined up by then. Before that, he would just have to do some research on the subject.
Mind made up, Daniel returned to his official research.
***
End