Work Text:
Title: Daniel's Gift
Author: CJ aka WritinginCT
Fandom: Stargate SG-1
Pairing: Jack/Daniel
Rating: G
Warnings: none
Categories: Drama, Angst
Feedback: Love it? Hate it?
Disclaimer: I don't own the recognizable characters I'm just inspired by them. Hopefully they've had fun playing in my sandbox.
Summary: When Daniel ascends Jack has to handle closing out his affairs, one item in particular teaches Jack something new about Daniel.
Status: Complete 1/3/08
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When Daniel ascended it fell to Jack as executor of his estate to go through his affairs and try and put some semblance of order to things. Most things were simple, like paying the remaining utility bills and arranging for this museum to get this artifact and that museum to get that artifact based on a detailed list left with Daniel's will. But some things were a bit more complicated, like the bank account Daniel held in trust for someone named William Barry.
Jack had never heard Daniel mention a William Barry and he had no idea why on Earth Daniel would have been making regular deposits into the account for almost four years. There was a tidy sum accumulated and it now fell to Jack to be sure that William Barry received it.
Jack had wished that Daniel had left him some sort of explanation as to what this was all about, but all he had was an address for William. Jack's attorney sent off a certified letter and a meeting was scheduled.
He dressed formally in his dress blues, going for a little intimidation factor. He was handing over a chunk of money that Daniel had shed blood and tears earning, and he wanted the recipient to know that, and he also wanted him to know that Jack was not to be trifled with.
Jack was sitting at the conference table in the attorney's office waiting. William Barry was late. Jack's attorney could see him getting annoyed and tried to make light conversation, he wasn't successful. Twenty minutes past the appointment time a secretary knocked on the door and showed in William Barry.
Jack was known for being able to take surprises in stride and to hide all signs of surprise from his face and he had to employ every trick he knew to do it as he took in the sight of sixteen year old William Barry and his mother. Jack assessed quickly. A pretty black woman in probably her late thirties, she looked to be what Sara would have called "spruced up", meaning her good suit, shoes, and handbag and little extra time and fuss with her hair and makeup. William was also spruced up, wearing a suit and tie and shined shoes and the small, slight young man looked wholly uncomfortable. Jack realized that their clothing wasn't expensive, and Mrs. Barry wore only costume jewelry. They both looked nervous and scared and Jack wanted to cuss Daniel in all twenty-three languages he knew for not explaining what exactly this was all about.
The attorney introduced himself and Jack and Jack warmly shook Mrs. Barry's hand, hoping to put her at ease. She apologized profusely about being late, "I am so sorry. My car absolutely refused to start. And then the cab was late. We really didn't mean to keep you waiting."
Jack heard himself and wondered if he were channeling Daniel, "It's no trouble. Don't even worry about it."
She smiled and Jack then put her arm around her son pushing him forward a bit, "This is my son William."
Jack could see that the boy was shy and totally intimidated by the surroundings. Who was this kid to Daniel? And why would Daniel want him to have so much money?
Jack extended his hand to William and the kid shook it gingerly, not meeting Jack's eyes. Jack decided that lightening up the mood was required and he teased, "No, no, no. That wasn't a handshake. What was that? Here, stand up straight, firm grip, and always look'em dead in the eye. It makes the other guy wonder what you know that he doesn't."
Jack was pleased to see a little grin finally cross William's face. They all sat down and the attorney asked William, "Do you know a Doctor Daniel Jackson, William?"
"Daniel is my friend." The young man answered lightly.
Jack could see the joy in William's face. It was a joy only Daniel could bring to someone's face. He asked, "How do you know Daniel? When did you meet him?"
"I met him at the library about four years ago, during the summer between seventh and eighth grade."
Mrs. Barry smiled, "He spends a lot of time at the library. He's even going to work there part time over the summer. He likes books."
Jack's expression grew soft, and an inkling of why Daniel did what he did started to form. "Daniel too. I call him bookboy sometimes."
William laughed, "And rockboy, and plantboy, and Spacemonkey."
"He told you all that?"
William dropped his eyes and answered quietly, "Yeah. We talk about a lot of things." He looked up and met Jack's eyes and asked respectfully, "Why are we here, sir? Did I do something wrong? Is Daniel in trouble because he's my friend?"
"No, William. No one's in trouble. And we'll get to why you're here in a minute. But first, tell me more about you and Daniel. How did you become friends?"
Jack could see that the young man didn't want to answer and Mrs. Barry asked him, "Do you want me to tell them that part?" When William nodded she addressed the others, "William met Daniel the summer he came to live with me. I was his foster mother. His parents were killed in a fire in their apartment house. He didn't have anyone else. We finalized the adoption three years ago and he became my son legally."
Big light bulbs started going off over Jack's head. "So you have a lot in common with Daniel."
The kid took a big breath, "Yeah. He told me about his parents being killed when he was little."
Jack said softly, "So you met in the library?"
"Yes. I was trying to read a book on the Great Pyramids. Mom had taken me to the museum and I really liked the mummies and stuff. But the book was hard and I didn't read so well back then and I had to keep getting up to go to the dictionary to look up words. Anyway, Daniel was sitting at another table reading and he kept watching me. Finally he just came over and said hello and asked me if I liked the book. Then he just sat down and started telling me about how he grew up in Egypt and stuff. We went through that book together and he taught me a lot."
Jack nodded knowingly, "Daniel is a great teacher."
"He told me his job took him out of the country a lot but he would meet me at the library when he could. He taught me to read better and when school started back up he would help me with my homework if I got stuck. I could use the computer at the library and when he was away I could email him. He even had a friend that would help with my math and science questions. Her name is Sam Carter. Do you know her? She's in the Air Force like you. She's an astrophysicist." Jack noted the hint of pride in William's voice that he would know someone so important.
Jack was going to kill Carter. She and Daniel had been helping this kid for YEARS and no one bothered to mention it to him? Jack chuckled thinking about the look that would be on Carter's face when he called her on all this, "Oh, I know Carter. You couldn't have had better help in science. So Daniel has been mentoring you all this time?"
William shrugged, "I guess you could call it that. He's just my friend. We do do stuff together other than homework. We go to museums and he even brings me to special things they have at the colleges, like guest lecturers and exhibits and stuff. He comes to my baseball games when he can and sometimes we just go to the movies. And he came when..." his voice dropped off.
Mrs. Barry knew what he wanted to say, "Daniel came to court with us on the day William's adoption became final and took us all out for a big celebration dinner. He was very happy for William."
Knowing that Daniel had been denied that himself Jack smiled again, "I'll bet he was."
William met Jack's eyes and realizing that there was no judgment in them said, "He gave me a journal. He had my new name burned into the leather."
How totally Daniel, Jack thought. "Sweet. So William, now that you've got two of the smartest people on the planet helping you with your homework, what do you want to do in the future?"
The smile on William's face was almost blinding and he answered without hesitation, "I'm going to be a teacher."
And suddenly everything made sense. Daniel wanted to make sure that William could fulfill that dream. He had made sure that William had enough money to go college, and from the sum, go to a good college. How typically Daniel. And how typically Daniel not to tell a soul.
Jack looked down at his hands knowing that he had to tell them about Daniel being gone; he took a breath and looked at them, "Mrs. Barry, William. I'm afraid I have some bad news. You know that Daniel works with me and I can't tell you the details because it's classified, but Daniel is gone, he's listed as missing in action, presumed dead. I'm sorry."
Mrs. Barry gasped and covered her mouth with her hand in horror. William looked directly at Jack and could see that Jack was struggling with his own emotions and didn't feel the least bit self-conscious when tears streamed down his face, "Daniel's dead?"
Jack hated lying to the kid, but there was nothing he could do, "We believe so, yes."
Mrs. Barry asked in a little voice, "I don't understand. Why are we here exactly?"
Jack took another breath wondering how she was going to take the news, "I am the executor of Daniel's estate. Apparently four years ago, probably soon after he met William, Daniel opened a bank account in William's name and started depositing money into it on a regular basis. After listening to William I believe that Daniel wanted to make sure that William could go to college and become a teacher." He gently pushed the bank book across the table to her.
She hesitantly picked it up and looked inside, gasping again as she saw the total, "Oh my god. This is too much, we can't possibly accept this."
William took the bank book from his mother and looked at it, his eyes growing large at the sum. "I never asked him to do this. I just wanted to be his friend."
Jack could see how uncomfortable they both were, as if Jack thought they took advantage of Daniel and he said gently, "Daniel always did things his own way and for his own reasons. I think he saw great potential in you, William, and he wanted to make sure that nothing stopped you from reaching it. He would want you to become a teacher and have a great future."
Jack's attorney stepped in at that point explaining how the trust was set up and all the legal mumbo-jumbo and Jack found himself lost in his own thoughts. He thought he knew Daniel, thought he knew all there was to know. And he was wrong. And that thought made him sad, because if he didn't know something this wonderful about his friend, what else didn't he know?
They finished up the meeting and Mrs. Barry asked rather sheepishly to use the phone to call a cab. Jack wouldn't hear of it and insisted on giving them a ride home. They made quiet small talk in the truck as they gave Jack directions to an unfamiliar neighborhood. It wasn't the best part of town, nor was it the worst. Jack pulled up to curb in front of a three story house. It was a little run down, but the yard was neat and there were plants and flowers hanging on the front porch. Jack could almost envision Daniel here, the house had a homey, inviting feel to it that would have appealed to Daniel.
Mrs. Barry thanked Jack and headed inside, William was getting ready to get out of the truck when Jack turned to him, "I know you're hurting right now, and it's okay to cry and to grieve. And I also know today was a lot to take in but try and keep your chin up. He wouldn't want you to be sad. And keep working with Sam, it'll be good for the both of you. She misses him too."
William met his eyes and asked quietly, "Do you miss him?"
The lump in Jack's throat almost wouldn't let him answer but he managed to croak out, "More than you'll ever know."
William didn't say anything, he just nodded and got out. He paused for a moment before closing the door and standing straight and tall, and looking Jack right in the eye, he extended his hand.
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the end.