June 2000 – Commissary, SGC. Morning. Daniel’s still recovering from the ribboning Osiris gave him
Daniel entered the commissary in a hurry; he grabbed a coffee and bagel before sitting down opposite Jack, who appeared to be reading the National Enquirer.
“I have to visit some people, one of my foster Moms died.” He announced briskly.
Jack looked up thoughtfully. "What?"
"What?" Daniel said, around a mouthful of breakfast.
Jack folded the trash rag and placed it carefully on the table in front of him. "You just said your Mom died."
Daniel blinked. "Foster Mom."
“I thought we were your only family?” Jack sat, rigid in his seat, frowning.
“You are, technically." Daniel focused on his breakfast as he explained. "I went through several families as a kid, most I didn’t like for one reason or another, but it was foster care, the kids tend to end up stupid or delinquents.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“You’re not stupid or a d-” Jack cut himself off. “Yeah I see your point, well why you going if you never liked them?”
“Just because I didn’t enjoy my experience per se, doesn't mean I shouldn't pay my respects to one of the people who raised me. And besides, contrary to popular opinion…”
“Whose?”
“Everyone’s’”
“Ah.”
“…My child hood wasn't full of neglect and depravity, despite having no parents.”
Jack eyed Daniel suspiciously for a moment, then relaxed his features and leaned back on the chair, balancing on the two back legs. “So, you won't mind me tagging along then.”
“What?" Startled, Daniel looked up from his coffee. "No, you’re not coming with me Jack.”
“Oh come on Daniel, trouble follows wherever you go," Jack slammed the chair back on all four legs. "If you think I'm letting you out of the state without me after last time you've got another thing coming.”
“Jack” Daniel sighed.
“Daniel.” Jack dared him to think he was going any other way.
“Don't - look at me like that…” Jack was using his ‘I'm only worried about you’ face. “I'll be fine.”
“But Daniel, it’s only because I care.”
Jack's mocking smile as he said those words filled Daniel with dread, making him wish he'd just sneaked off in the middle of the night. “No it isn't, you'd just love to sneak around and quiz people about my unorthodox and unruly past.”
“Daniel, I’m hurt.” Jack feigned, still grinning.
Daniel picked up his coffee, ready to leave. “It won't work Jack. Thanks to foster care I've no sense of parental obligation.”
“Come on Daniel,” Jack hedged in all seriousness. “I'm not keen on letting you go alone.”
Daniel’s speech about parental obligation was quickly out the window when he found himself thinking it over and coming to the conclusion it wouldn't so bad to have the company.
“Think of Teal'c” Jack added to seal the deal when he could see Daniel was wavering
“What about Teal’c?” Daniel asked, confused.
Jack stood, gathering his paper and the reports, until now, hidden underneath. “He very rarely gets to go out, me and him can just come along for the ride and we won't crash the party promise, but at least we're there if you need us.”
“Fine.” Daniel groaned, knowing when he's been beat. “By the way Jack, it’s not a party, it’s a wake.” He said, standing up and walking with Jack towards the commissary doors.
“Good boy.”
Jack slung an arm around Daniel as they walk out, leaving Daniel feeling like he's made a deal with the devil.
*
Jack knocked on the door as a courtesy more so than anything and walked on in before waiting for any reply. “You ready for this, Teal'c?”
“Of what are you referring O'Neill?” Teal'c finished zipping up the rucksack Jack had given him earlier in the day, when he first informed him of the trip they were to take with Daniel.
“This. Road trip. Seeing the great outdoors!”
“Of course O'Neill, but isn't our mission to ensure Daniel Jackson’s safety.”
“There is that, but it's not a mission.” Teal’c raises a brow. “It’s not.” Jack reiterates defensively. “I just didn't want Danny going it alone. Again.”
Jack gives Teal’c the 'you know how he is’ worried face.
“I understand O'Neill.”
“Good” Jack smiles.
“You want to pay retribution for allowing Daniel Jackson to be hurt by the Goa’uld Osiris.”
“Teal’c for the last time, I do not feel guilty.”
“You believe had we both been present his injury could have been prevented.”
“They went on General Hammond’s orders. We were on vacation – there’s no connection.”
Teal’c was about to say ‘very well’.
“But! I’m telling you now even if I hadn’t hung up on Daniel and even if I hadn’t thrown the battery into the pond, and even if Hammond had called and ordered us back, it doesn’t mean things wouldn’t have turned out exactly the same with or without us. Daniel and Carter handled it fine. Our being there wouldn’t have made much of a difference.”
Silence, then Teal’c opened his mouth to comment.
“If I had been there then Carter wouldn’t have been left alone to watch everyone’s back, I might have been able to sneak up on the snake while she was strangling the life out of Daniel and it all would have ended before any ribboning could have even begun.”
Teal’c smiled smugly.
“Shut up.” Jack said, resolutely exiting Teal'c quarters to fetch Daniel.