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.
As they pressed on toward the weird looking rocks Daniel had arbitrarily chosen as a possible destination, Jack couldn't help but notice that Daniel seemed to have an increasingly hard time keeping up a steady pace. More than once, Jack had caught the younger man holding his side as if hit by sudden pain. When they'd reached a grove of stunted trees, Jack called a halt and they'd taken the time to turn one of the knives into a spear. Jack had cannibalized his attendant's garb to fashion a quiver, using braided golden threads for a bowstring. Daniel had fashioned the arrows, and done an impressive job considering how little they had to work with. Jack had kept the cloak intact, the thin material didn't offer much protection but it was a choice of that or sleeping on the ground...so he rolled it up and tied it with some strips from his tunic.
Daniel's clothes had suffered as much as he had; they were too ragged to offer much in the way of useful material. Jack had surreptitiously checked the outfit, noting several stains and tears in the back of the tunic that they'd missed before. Jack wondered what sort of damage Daniel was trying so hard to conceal...and wondered if he should insist on looking. Daniel was so damnably, stubbornly independent; this wouldn't be the first time he'd concealed an injury to keep Jack from worrying...or yelling. And, Jack knew, he would yell...it was a reflex. They'd been hours away from Netu before any of them had realized how high a price Daniel had paid to get that communication device and save their hides; it was just part of Daniel's nature not to complain when he was hurt. In the end, Jack had decided to let things ride.
They walked for hours, but had no real way of knowing exactly how long. The moons didn't seem to move, they or the planet...or whatever...they were on obviously didn't rotate. When Jack felt like they'd walked enough, he called a halt and started a fire in the tried and true Boy Scout way...he rubbed two sticks together. Jack had never been able to master that skill as a boy, but this time it worked like a charm. They had gathered some nuts and berries along the way and Jack divided them up. Daniel nodded thanks and picked at the strange food with an openly distrustful expression.
"C'mon, Daniel...They might even taste like chicken." It was a bad, running joke, and Jack knew it was, but it was worth it to see Daniel smile.
Daniel tasted one of the nuts and looked up at Jack, nodding, "They do..."
Jack laughed obligingly and ate some himself. They really did. "Must be some weird universal decree..."
Daniel smiled again, and got up to put more wood on the small fire. Jack didn't miss the wincing expression or the stiff movements, or the sharp intake of breath as Daniel stood up.
"Okay, that's enough. Let me look at it." Jack ordered. It was better to know what they were dealing with now, rather than later when they ran up against one of those creatures Tel'nat had warned them about. Daniel sat down, with a deep breath...and no arguments...pulling down the coverall top and turning his head away from Jack.
Jack moved around to get a look...and cursed. Daniel had been...'branded'...was the only word Jack could come up with. Large, angry tracks of burns dotted the young man's back. Tel'nat had clearly taken his time trying to get Daniel to talk. Jack felt a fresh surge of anger at the alien leader, a nearly blinding flash of rage that he swiftly forced down before he really did yell at Daniel.
"Daniel...why didn't you say anything?" Jack tried to keep his voice gentle. Daniel didn't need anything to add to the pain that he'd carried with him all day.
Daniel shrugged as Jack started ripping strips of the tunic for bandages. Burns were prone to infection and Jack hated to think what they'd already been exposed to. Daniel cursed himself as Jack wrapped his back as carefully as possible. By the time Jack finished, Daniel was white and trembling. Jack helped him get the jumpsuit back on and wrapped him up in the cloak.
Daniel sighed shakily. "Thanks...I think."
"So...when did you plan to share...that....?"
Jack asked it almost casually, but Daniel knew his friend was still raging, nearly as angry with Daniel for not telling him as he was with Tel'nat for doing it. Daniel wasn't sure he could answer Jack. Until they'd gotten here, there hadn't really been the time or the opportunity, after that....he just wasn't sure. It just hadn't seemed necessary. Besides showing the burns to Jack would have meant explanations, like the one Jack was so obviously waiting for now.
"I don't know, Jack. It was...bad. I just..." Daniel didn't want to explain it. It was just one more thing he would learn to live with...or without....
Daniel closed his eyes against Jack's searching glare. He knew Jack wasn't going to let it drop.
"Daniel...." Jack's voice was unexpectedly gentle, surprising Daniel enough to make him look up. "What is this?"
Daniel was caught off-guard by the question, but didn't have to ask what Jack meant.
"It's...I dunno, Jack. Since...It's just hard to care what..." Daniel trailed off, recognizing the feeling he couldn't put into words...and knowing Jack did, too. He'd recognized the same thing in Jack back on Abydos four years ago. Apathy, a lack of interest in going on...Daniel knew he'd never seek it out as actively as Jack had...but he just wasn't as sure as he'd once been that it was all...worth it.
"It is, you know." The quiet admission stunned Daniel. Jack was getting too good at reading his mind lately.
Daniel nodded, "I know...In my head, I know...."
Jack gave him a long look, opening his mouth to say something else when they heard a sound in the bushes. Jack stood up quickly, slipping an arrow into the bow, and Daniel grabbed the spear, moving to stand at his side.
There was a low growl and something large and furry shot out of the shadows.