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Part 10 - Jack [by PHO]
Carter's smart in more ways than one. Her eyes grew impossibly wide as Hammond reiterated that Daniel was off the team, but, unlike me, she chose not to address the subject with him. Instead, she stammered nervously for a moment, then excused herself. Never saw anyone disappear around a corner as fast as that. It would've been funny if I hadn't been so pissed at Hammond. Of all the uncaring, ill-considered, badly timed, just plain stupid things to have happen. Daniel should have been asleep, rather than having his heart and soul crushed … again.
Hammond's gone now. We exchanged glares for a moment, then he followed Carter down the hall … at a much slower pace. Guess he didn't want me to think he was running away from the situation. Well … he was, and still is. The very idea that we should drop Daniel from the team. He needs us now, more than he's needed us since Sha'uri was taken.
Shit! Daniel's conscious again, and struggling to get down. I really wanted to get him back in bed and settled first. I could still force the issue; he's far to weak too pose much of a challenge, but…
"Easy does it, Daniel. You don't have your sea legs, yet."
His wan smile is almost heartbreaking. "Th..thought you were Air Force, J'ck."
A joke. Dammit Jackson. I know what you're doing. You're trying to hide, to withdraw into yourself. To run away, just like the General. Well, ain't gonna happen. I'm not gonna let ya. "Ya think?"
He nods and chews on his lip, even as he tries to stand by himself. I recognize that look; he's trying to hide his pain. Look at him, wobbling, trying not to clutch at my arm. Okay, fine. I'll hold onto his. His blue eyes are so, so intense as he stares at me. What? There's … something.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no. He wants to be alone. He wants me to leave him … alone. I can see it in his eyes, and I'll bet, knowing the kid the way I do, that he thinks he deserves everything that's happening to him. Shit, I'm betting he believes he deserves worse than he's getting, if that's even possible.
He thinks he hurt us. Well, okay, maybe a little. No, better be honest with myself. He hurt us a lot. But we're over it. Well, mostly over it. And, yeah, we're a little, maybe a lot angry. But not enough to throw him to the wolves. Not enough to let him be thrown off the team. Not without a fight.