October 31st 2004 – 30,000ft, south, southwest of Colorado Springs.
He was running. The feel of his own cooling sweat ran down his back sending chills coursing through his spine. Branches crunched beneath, feet pounding hard and fast. The temptation to stop, possibly seek shelter was one he didn’t want to – couldn’t – give into. So he carried on, feet pounding, sweat pouring out with even greater effect.
Daniel heard the cock of the gun shortly before the shot hit him. Off target? Maybe. Was the un-dead capable of the same deviant thoughts the living had? Daniel wasn’t sure. Zombie movies taught him that once a person was dead they usually weren’t capable of devious thought. Well, until the sequels at least. Was this a sequel? Daniel didn’t think so, and anyway he was about to be very violently blown away and didn’t really have the time to compare the phenomenon of Romero zombies verses Tel-checked Nicaraguan Guerrilla activists.
Rafael levelled his gun again (skin you alive!) fired several shots off in succession at his feet. Here it comes he thought, the killing shot. So any final requests, last words, dying monologs full of declarations of love, regret, or remorse? Daniel remembered he’d forgotten to turn on his service. Then he realised he was sitting down holding a rock and had the distinct feeling he should have hit a tree at some point.
Fast asleep, eyes closed and breathing softly, Daniel flew at a standard 30,000ft. The air was clean, visibility excellent and promised a smooth flight (Jack had always maintained that turbulence added realism). Below the clouds, Colorado went on same as always, on this surprisingly mild fall morning.
While Daniel slept, Jack walked away from Woolsey in the same way a terrier turned its nose up at a fresh chew toy – exercising great restraint. He’d loved to tear the man’s opinions and adjectives limb from limb, but that wasn’t going to happen today. Today, and no doubt the next was all about playing nice. Objective numero uno: money. The Stargate cost over (blah) billion (blah, I don’t care!) it was tiresome when he had to hear it, even more so now he was the one having to say it. Luckily he was the General and being the General (you can do anything thing you want) if Jack chose not to give it a moment’s thought he wouldn’t. At least that was the case until General Hammond stopped by late last week and ordered him to give damn.
“Jack, how are you holding up?” General Hammond said in his usual Texas drawl, opening his eyes just as Jack walked on by in the aisle.
“General-”
“George”
“George, sir,” Jack winced involuntarily, the man had been his superior far too long, “I can honestly say I’ve never felt quite the way I feel right now.”
“Well try not to let it spoil the flight.” George said with a wryly-old man grin. The kind of grin that made you believe he was older, no longer concerned with the petty nuances of life in general. The kind of grin Jack was starting to see on his own face some mornings in his bathroom mirror.
George went back to his snooze. Jack sighed and moved on. He wasn’t quite at that stage yet. Surprisingly Washington (The Air Force’s Florida) seemed to have done Hammond some good. Not quite so much stress. Better hours. Minions bending to your will… actually sounded not so bad.
Jack moved along, eventually sliding into a mostly unoccupied seating area. Daniel jumped, sitting bolt up right in his seat grabbing the plush armrests in a steel grip, eyes clocking onto Jack in the perceptible of his vision.
“I told you I hate to fly.” He muttered, sinking back into his seat with more ease than he gave himself credit for.
“You know,” Jack said sitting down in the seat opposite him. “I can’t believe after, what? Nearly a decade of knowing you you’ve never mentioned this before now. Anyone would think you made it up just so you wouldn’t have to come.”
“I did. I said I was scared of heights. You just didn’t listen.” Daniel said.
“That’s not the same thing and you know it, besides, I’ve flown with you plenty-”
“Twice”
“Okay, fine, you still never said.”
“I was trying not to seem quite so geeky.” Daniel said, and rather sourly at that. He very slowly loosened the grip he’d maintained on the arms and forced his mind to drift. Just enough so he could convince himself it was North America down there and not the Nicaragua jungle.
Jack made it clear what he thought about THAT with a sharp grunt and something that almost qualified as a chuckle.
“Okay, suppose I buy that,” Jack spoke as if the whole idea was ludicrous. “Why are you being such a pain in the ass about it now?”
“Guess I finally realised I am geeky and willing to live with it, and of course what an ass you are.” Daniel’s voice quivered then levelled out. He turned around at the sound of Sam’s voice coming from two rows back on the left, just as she repeated to Teal’c the same words he had remembered her saying before he had drifted off. She’s me, in every sense we are the same, in that paradox it’s an endless circle of constant…
It was the word paradox, a forewarning of more techno jargon to come, that drew Daniel’s (and Jack’s) attention back to each other.
Jack had been called an ass twice every hour since this morning when he announced the cheery news that General Hammond had popped by to visit again and oh, by the way, we’re all travelling to Washington for a conference on budgeting the military way. Carter took it all in her stride. Teal’c was, as he pointed out at the time, most displeased with O’Neill’s selfishness by not facing the independent committee (pompous people with nothing better to do) all on his lonesome. Jack’s reasoning was why the hell should he when he had the power to make them suffer too. Besides, it was a very nice excuse for them all to catch up.
Daniel behaved the worse. Like he’d expect anything less, come on, Jack was a little ignorant on the minor issues that rubbed Daniel the wrong way, but THIS he knew would go down as well as the Titanic.
“Look I know you’re upset, but how about we play nice? Just until after the conference then you can scream and yell all you want.” Jack forced cheer into his tone, like he always did when he felt sorry for Daniel.
“I don’t want to scream or yell. I want to go home.” Daniel added sulkily, leaning over and pulling the airsick bag out of the chairs side pocket.
Jack sort to remind Daniel of how willing he was to abandon them all for an Ancient city. “That’s not what you were saying a week ago.” But Daniel ignored him, leaving Jack to watch in twisted fascination.
Daniel didn’t puke into the bag. He blew it up, stood, leaned over the chairs in front and popped it next to Woolsey’s ear, Woolsey having taken the seat at some point during their little debate on Daniel’s fear of heights and/or flying.
Jack got the blame. Daniel sat looking innocent and frankly who would you believe thought popping a paper bag on an airplane full of military personal was funny? Daniel was a sneaky son of gun in general principle and Jack firmly believed only he knew how truly deceptive the little shit could be once he put his mind to it.
“I’ll get you for that.” Jack muttered solemnly when all faces had turned away and the escorts had re-holstered their tazors.
“Promises, promises.” That little bit of joy managed to scare any remaining trace of nightmare zombies away for the time being.
“Say, that chick that beat the crap out of you, she mess with your screws too?”
Only in time for Jack to replace it with a nightmare of a different persuasion.
“Vala.”
“What?”
“Her name is Vala.” Daniel reiterated forcing a show of boredom. “She was irritating, but I have to give it to her, she’s good.”
“So Hammond told me.” Jack winked, “quite the looker too.”
Oh god, Daniel knew he didn’t want to hear any more of this conversation, does he have to know absolutely everything? Teal’c stood up, for the first time during his one-sided conversation with Sam and Daniel saw his cue and seized it.
“Wait up, Teal’c. I’ll join you.” Daniel stood.
“I was merely intending to visit the bathroom Daniel Jackson.” Teal’c said, though his eyes practically screamed something entirely different. Something along the lines of if I have to hear it one more time…
“Like I said, I’ll come with you.” Knowing Jack hadn’t heard what Teal’c had said Daniel made a show of forcing Teal’c to take him along anyway.
“As you wish Daniel,” Teal’c said this much more stridently, he allowed Daniel to follow him down the belly of the plane, out of sight of almost all air force personnel. Sam collared Major Davis seated across from her, who was now trapped, a hapless victim of the conversation that never ends. Everyone had a potential for evil, and she was no different. Daniel thought she should get over it already.
“Are you feeling well Daniel Jackson?” Teal’c said, finally coming to a stop and taking another seat.
“You know, I’m not entirely sure,” Daniel mused, ever the picture of innocence.
The museum floor was cold beneath his feet. Same as always, the pre evening sunlight bounced off the marble floor and gave a serene sense of calm. Though he doubted things were at all calm that day, that’s always just how he imagined it to be. Walking through, the hallway was deserted, a grand staircase stood vacant and wanting in the middle. Voices, muffled but audible, coming from a separate room draw Jack’s attention. Like Alice stepping through the looking glass the tranquil appearance transcended into a bright bustling room full of people who seemed incapable of sitting still.
Jack looked around studiously, eventually clocking him. Daniel was sat on the solid dusty floor in the left hand corner, surrounded by extra strength saran wrap and empty wooden crates, people dashing back and forth all around him. It was like he had his own little oasis of calm hidden away in there.
Jack took one more look around and walked over; just as he always did.
“What are you doing here Jack?” Daniel asks him, looking up through a fringe full of golden strands.
Jack doesn’t really know himself, and unlike in the real world he’s fine with telling Daniel this. “I don’t know Daniel.” He says, crouching down to check out which picture Daniel’s drawing this time.
“I don’t like flying.” Daniel turns his crayoned drawing of a jumbo jet over so Jack can’t see it.
“So I’ve been told.”
“You really need to hear more.” Daniel remarks with a sigh too big for a boy his age.
Jack sighs and settles down on the ground next to him. “Daniel I always listen to you.”
“Yes, you do mostly. But I said hear.” Daniel corrects, index finger held mid air to accentuate his point. “You don’t hear what it is I’m telling you. I say a lot of things you don’t hear. If you heard everything I said then maybe I would never have been kidnapped by those crazy rebels.”
Why was it Daniel could never let things go? He’d said sorry months ago. Gone through all the guilt and frustration and had thought he’d paid his due. “Why are we talking about this?”
“You brought it up.”
“Well how about I bring up Rand? Hmmm?” Jack grinned wickedly. “Whose fault was that fiasco?”
“Damn it Jack.”
“Language.” Jack chastised. It didn’t matter how much grown up talk he did. In the dream Daniel was always still an eight year old boy. “Three months you were missing, I was crazy with worry! Did you know that?”
“Have you ever told me?” Daniel shoots back, calm as ever, unaffected by Jack’s flipping out. “I mean how am supposed to know you were so upset to the point you ordered Sam to fix it. Ever think I missed you just as much?” Daniel held his gaze for a matter of seconds before reverting his concentration back onto his crayons.
Before Jack knew it their time was up. A sudden click clunk from the far side draws everyone’s attention. Daniel watches the stone fall and Jack watches Daniel. The room fills up pretty quick, with screams and frantic people running towards Daniel’s parents now lying under several tone of ancient rock. As always a blood pool finds its way out and smears the shiny floor. Next to him Daniel moves up onto his knees and shuffles in closer.
Jack picks him up in a hug this time around, turning Daniel away from the fruitless rescue the very naïve museum staff are attempting.
“Why am I here Daniel? Why do I always come here?” He asks.
“I don’t know Jack. It’s your dream.”
“General O’Neill? Sir, wake up, General?” Sam leaned over and gave him a small shake.
Jack felt himself being pulled from sleep. “What? Daniel?”
“General, its Carter.”
“General?”
“Yes sir.”
“You’re a General – how long have I been asleep?”
“You’re the General, Daniel’s playing noughts and crosses with Major Davis and you’ve only been asleep an hour… sir.”
“Very funny Carter.”
“I aim to please.”
“If I’ve only been asleep an hour why on Earth are you waking me up?”
“General Hammond wants to go over a few things with you.”
“Things?”
“Ground rules, Sir.”
“Sounds more like George, tell him I’ll be right there.”
Sam gave him the look.
“Shoo…Carter.”
Daniel drew a triumphant line through three noughts. Davis tried to look chagrined but really, after getting beat five games in a row he figured Daniel had him beat fair and square. It was nice to be in the company of SG-1 once again and Davis had always liked working with Daniel. Only half way through and the journey so far had been like a mad game of musical chairs, his personal contribution to the great switch around was getting away from Colonel Carter, she’d always struck him as a little neurotic, but the whole repliCarter issue (an O’Neill/Daniel joint effort so he’d been told, which explains how it had made it into the official reports) had obviously gotten her unravelled. Davis had flown on the prestigious jet along with Woolsey and General Hammond from Area 51 where their group had been conducting a tour of the new Asgard tech lab, he hadn’t been to the SGC in a long time, not since Jack O’Neill had taken command at any rate so the stop off was a novelty. Now on their way to Washington, a very unlikely band of individuals had someone to avoid at every corner. Woolsey was most definitely not in anyone’s good books.
“You win again, Dr Jackson.” Davis sat back, taking a drink from the armrest. “Daniel?” He questioned when he offered him a drink and got no response.
“What?” Daniel finally answered dreamily.
Daniel didn’t look well to Davis, he’d paled considerably. “Daniel, are you feeling okay?”
“He’s fine Major, just hates to fly, isn’t that right, Daniel?” Jack had walked up and leaned, arms folded across one of the chairs in front.
Daniel stared at him, a yearning look in his eyes. Jack did the right thing for him, he deflected. “General Hammond is ready for you now, Major.”
Davis stood immediately, “Yes sir.” He turned momentarily to smile at Daniel, then left – quickly.
“He’s going to think you don’t like him again.”
“Again?”
“Never mind.”
Jack sat down in Davis’s vacated seat. “So a little bird tells me we need to talk.”
“What bird?”
“Doesn’t matter” Jack gave him a funny look, “point is…we need to talk” Jack said it as if it was a great surprise to him too.
“Why?”
“Because you’re mad at me Daniel, and not just for today.”
“How’d you come that conclusion?”
“Because somehow this little trip is reminding you of the journey home after I rescued you from South America and I never told you how much I missed you when you were trapped on Rand.”
“Wow.”
“I know.”
“Who told you all this again?”
“Telling me I’m wrong?”
“I didn’t say that exactly… I admit I have been feeling a little, er, I guess like you’re still mad at me for the whole getting caught in a war thing, I mean I knew you would have missed me and all, but I don’t exactly know how to say how sorry I am.”
“You scared the crap out of me.”
Daniel ducked his head.
Jack took his hand and Daniel looked at him sideways. Jack gave Daniel’s hand a good squeeze, communicating every emotion he had for him in that one touch. Daniel got the message and smiled.
“What about my dreams?”
“Your Dreams?”
“How did you know I was dreaming about my kidnapping last year?”
“Lucky guess?” Jack teased, then in all seriousness added. “I know you Daniel.”
“Of course.” Daniel resigned to the truth of it. “I know you too, you know.”
“You do?”
“Ah huh, and there’s no way you’re going to make me sit in on this stupid meeting if I say I really don’t want too.”
Jack shifted in his seat and tried to lie. “I don’t like you that much.”
“Yeah you do.” Daniel sat back confidently, a winning smile on his face.
Jack grinned too, but only because Daniel had closed his eyes and couldn’t see him.
Fin.