DISCLAIMER: All 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 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.
8am
Jack was not at all surprised as he pulled into the parking lot and saw Daniel's car sitting just where he'd parked it the day before. "Bunk, pillow and a pot of coffee, huh? You need to get out more Doctor Jackson! No doubt you've made some astounding discovery during the night… which I will have to listen to… in great detail… all day…" Jack continued to mumble to himself. As he walked to the front gate, his foot kicked a small black box, thinking someone had dropped their pager, he picked it up and turned it around absently in his hand. 'Gives me another reason to visit security,' he thought.
Greeting him at the security checkpoint was an extremely tired looking Sergeant Johnson, "Sir!" he said, snapping to attention.
"At ease, Sergeant," O'Neill ordered. "Why are you still on duty?"
"One of the new recruits was supposed to spell me… Jim Hyde I think. He never showed."
"Sorry, that'd be my fault," the Colonel apologized. "I had him and Winch removed from duty."
Johnson knew better than to ask why, but hoped it didn't have anything to do with Dr. Jackson, and his being drunk.
On his way to central security, Jack crossed paths with General Hammond, "Good morning General!"
"What's tickling your fancy, Colonel?" Hammond asked, surprised at O'Neill's cheer so early in the morning.
"Sorry I didn't follow protocol, but I just had to have them thrown out last night. They didn't give the MPs any trouble, did they?" Jack asked with satisfaction.
"Who?" the General asked with a blank stare.
"Winch and Hyde! Who else got thrown out last night?" Jack asked with an irritated edge to his voice.
"No notice came across my desk. Let's check this out together…" They continued walking to security as Jack explained the events of the prior day.
The sun had been up for nearly two hours now, but he hadn't dared to open his eyes to see it. He knew how high he was, and that knowledge paralyzed him with fear. His knee had taken the brunt of the landing and was badly bruised and bent at an odd angle. He'd explored the ledge by touch, briefly, determining it was about 3 feet wide and 10 feet long, and had a few scraggly bushes growing out of cracks in the rock. He ached as if he'd been punched all over - he guessed it was from the dragging. His head throbbed and he was intensely thirsty… so… this is a hangover! It had been hours, but Daniel still held on to the hope that his captors would try to rescue him, or at least send help… when they woke up… when they weren't drunk… they had to.
9am
The wind began to pick up slightly. Daniel's frustration grew. He'd never been in a situation where he didn't have any options… no plan… no conceivable way out. He had to try to climb - try something… Daniel forced his eyes open, and once again his palms began to sweat and the world tilted. He felt pulled down by unseen forces… grabbing at him, threatening to pull him off the ledge. His eyes reluctantly closed again, and a measure of safety returned. He drifted off to sleep, all the while trying to freeze his body in one position - pressed against the rock wall - away from the drop.
10am
It was determined that Daniel was in fact missing. The lights were on in his office, computer still running. No signs he ever slept in his bunk… no signs of him anywhere. It was as if he'd simply disappeared. Jack had tried calling his apartment, and was relieved at first to hear the familiar, "Hi!…" but as he began to speak, the answering machine message continued and he knew it wasn't Daniel. He began to replay the prior night in his mind, and thought of just how drunk the two soldiers had been. 'What was I thinking! Daniel probably went to talk to them himself… security never got a call. Still, why hadn't anyone seen him?' Jack fumed to himself and waited… it was all he could do.
Security details circled the base, interviewing all they met. Jack sat by the phone waiting for Sam and Teal'c to report in. They'd gone to check out Daniel's apartment… just in case he'd had car trouble and found another way home. The Colonel had the phone answered almost before it rang, "Well?"
"Sorry, sir," Sam began. "No sign of Daniel. We used his spare key and looked all around. Doesn't seem as if he's been here in awhile, or if he was, he left already this morning."
"Are you certain?"
"I too feel strongly that Daniel Jackson did not come home… he has not listened to the messages on his telephone machine… most uncharacteristic," Teal'c commented.
"Come on back," Jack ordered. "We'll try something else."
He was climbing… the others pushing from behind… a nice day… a fun day… sunlight, children's laughter. He'd never dared to do this before… never… The slide seemed so high, and he was so small. Still, today… he believed he could do it!
He began to slow as he reached the top rung - the little girl in front of him squealing with glee - already had reached the bottom… safely… always safely…
His grip tightened on the cold steel bar at the top… yes! He'd made it to the top! Now he looked out over the playground, expecting to feel like the King of the Mountain, instead he felt a terror grip him, worse than his most awful nightmare… His stomach turned and popped, his hands grabbed tighter - knuckles turning white. He froze, wide-eyed, staring. Mommy was there, so small, calling to him.
"It's OK Danny. Slide down! Come on, honey! You can do it!"
The children behind him began to complain, he felt a slight shove at his back.
"C'mon kid… get goin! This is no fun! What'sa matter with you?"
He had never heard of anyone afraid of high places… what was wrong with him?
"Danny? Want me to come up and help you?"
The children began to laugh. His face turned bright red, as he snapped his eyes shut. "N..N..No!" he stammered his reply. He began to sway, but it seemed as if the slide itself were tipping and leaning. He would fall… he knew it… if he let go of the bar… he'd fall.
He opened his eyes again, and the dizziness returned. He didn't know which way he was facing, he never remembered letting go… but the worst was happening… he was falling… falling…
"Daniel!! Daniel!!!"
He woke with a large start at the sound of his name, trembling and sweating, and dangerously close to the edge. It was a hawk calling out - seemingly calling his name, which had awakened him.
11am
Jack tried to focus on his work, reports from the last mission, dismissal orders for Hyde and Winch. Instead he sat nervously drumming a pencil, tapping his foot, hoping the door would open and a sheepish Dr. Jackson would peek in and tell him about yet another distraction that had taken him to… anywhere except the horrors that kept running through Jack's imagination.
Suddenly, the door did open, but it was a very nervous Sergeant Johnson accompanied by Teal'c. "Sir! I had no idea Dr. Jackson was missing, or I would have. Oh, you have to know I was doing my job… and…"
"What's this?" O'Neill barked. "You know something about Dr. Jackson's whereabouts? You've seen him? Full report… NOW Sergeant!"
Johnson recounted Daniel's drunken behavior the prior night and how he'd left in the company of Hyde and Winch sometime between 3 and 4 am. "They said they'd take him home, and then return for duty - but they never came back!"
"Dismissed, soldier! I'll deal with your punishment later!" Jack waved him out of his office.
A plan … he needed a plan. Jack would tell him "Where there's a will, there's a…" did he say "way" or "or"? Didn't matter… Jack would tell him to keep trying, Daniel reflected. First, he'd try to get the handcuffs off. He'd already managed to bring them around to his front side with great effort - and as he twisted and contorted his body to achieve this, he felt just how sore his knee was. He noted ruefully that it most likely wouldn't hold his weight. He tried everything. The cuffs wouldn't slide off his hands. He tried looping a link of the cuff chain over a piece of sharp rock and rubbing it, pulling on it. Who was he fooling? The rock wasn't going to cut the chain!
12pm
There had already been an APB put out on Hyde's car as well as the two men. There seemed nothing more to do. Jack went looking for Sam and found her in the records room, pouring over the last 12 hours of security camera videotapes. "Sir! I think I've found them, the tape from Elevator D, marked 2am."
Jack watched the tape closely. Daniel clearly looked uncomfortable, though nothing was being said. He kept looking at Hyde's hand, Jack noted that he was holding the little beeper thing he'd picked up in the parking lot. He noted the elevator stopped on level 9. He took Sam and Teal'c and they went to check it out.
He leaned back again, even more discouraged. The wind had increased a bit more, but the sun was still warm. Almost overhead, he said to himself… must be about noon. Close as he could figure, he'd been on the ledge 7 or 8 hours now. He knew for certain 'they' weren't coming back. Maybe they thought he was dead already. He began to imagine what it would feel like to die of thirst on that ledge… better to just jump off he decided.
Voices began to speak to him from within. Strong, supportive voices… voices that had pulled him back from the brink time and time again. He could hear Sam's anguished voice as she cried at the foot of his bed - when he lay exhausted, ready to give up, within Machello's body. He was unable to respond to her as she implored him not to die on her. She had given him the strength and determination to fight back from the void of coma. Her voice was calling to him again.
It began to blur and mingle with a strong, deep voice. A voice of authority, experience… a voice he allowed himself to trust even at the times when he couldn't trust himself. It was Jack, and he was holding onto him, pulling him back from the psychological brink of madness and withdrawal following his addiction to the effects of the sarcophagus. It was Jack telling him that he could get through this… now Jack was also telling him… he could get through this.
He thought also of Teal'c, who many times offered a silent strength. His presence often was the only reassurance needed that they'd be able to overcome… that they would prevail. He had thought a great deal about Teal'c when he was being held captive on the dark side of Elosha's planet by the touched. The situation truly was hopeless, he was being slowly beaten to death - and nothing was working… there was no escape. He knew with certainty that Teal'c would come for him… that somehow they'd all come for him, and it kept his determination strong and his sanity intact.
No, even as fear and discouragement threatened to crush him, he wouldn't give up… yet. He discovered he could keep his eyes open now, as long as he fixed his gaze at the distant horizon or above. Absolutely no looking down! A slight movement caught his eye to his right and just below. He dared to glance over. Squinting, he saw two small, tan, furry forms wrestling on a similar ledge. Kits, he thought, probably mountain lion kits. Cute.
Then it occurred to him, if they were playing on that ledge, there had to be a cave behind them - and perhaps it led to a way off the rock face! But how to get over there? He looked at the length of rope still tied about his waist - seemed long enough. He tugged hard on one of the bushes. It seemed anchored firmly, but would it hold his weight long enough for him to… to do what? Swing along the rock and repel over to the other ledge? Oh, sure! He'd just hang there, eyes shut, swinging in fear until the rope gave way or he managed to pull himself back to where he was to begin with.