PART ELEVEN

Sam Carter waited until the clone left her and the Colonel alone. She rounded back around and glared at O’Neill. Her expression contradicted the care and concern in her voice, though, when she spoke.

“Sir, is everything all right?”

Jack returned a bemused laugh. “Sure. Why not?”

“You’re acting.. strangely.”

He groaned and rubbed his scarred brow. “I’m acting naturally, Carter. For the first time in a damn long time.”

“Begging your pardon, but you are not yourself at the moment.  My concern is…”

“What?” Jack’s eyes hardened. “What? Carter? That he’s got some hold over me? That he’s somehow affected me..?”

She didn’t comment on that.  She didn’t need to. Whatever she was thinking was expressed on her face. Jack saw it clearly.

“He’s Daniel, for crying out loud.” He told her exasperatedly. “I’ve known him since-”

“He’s a clone, Sir,” she interrupted him, pointedly.  She wore graciously the glare Jack gave her in return, as she added, “And he’s the only surviving clone.”

Jack’s head tilted back slightly and his eyes narrowed.  It was a dangerous pose from him and Sam sensed it. Through tight lips he said, “Your point being, Carter?”

Sam finally buckled under her commanding officer’s glare. She lowered her eyes momentarily before steeling herself to meet his gaze once more.  “How did the others die?”

Jack knew what she was implying but he told her anyway.  “Harlan basically exploded not long after we left and the others all .. died.” He gave a quick shrug.

“Died?  But they’re synthetics?  How did they die?”

Jack rolled his eyes.  “Well, they didn’t ‘die’ die, they just broke down and stopped working, leaving this clone all alone.”

“And the cloning machine is definitely nonfunctioning?”

“I’m not sure what you’re getting at, Carter, but yes, the machine is broken. Ya wanna go and have a look?”

She shook her head.

Jack continued, “So he couldn’t make another companion even if he wanted to.”

Sam pricked up on his choice of words. “Companion?”

Jack looked at her and knew she was suspicious.  “Companion, friend..” He shrugged as if the list could go on and on.

“So what-” She twisted and looked around the complex then back at him- “You’re going to be this.. friend?”

Jack ignored her tone and said, “I’m thinking of taking some leave – figured the old guy, and Earth, owe me.” 

Sam felt like laughing.  It seemed so absurd.  “How would you survive?”

Jack jutted his thumb over his shoulder towards the gate behind him. “Just been to the Land of Light.  They say we can come visit any time.  They’ll give me food, water..”

“Oh my God!” She realized he was serious. The Colonel was actually thinking of remaining here, perhaps indefinitely, with this clone. Her face heated as she realized that all of Daniel’s fears had been unfounded about how Jack would take the news!  Jack welcomed the prospect of being his mate.

The pretty blonde officer’s mouth fell open.  “You’re kidding me?  You’re giving up earth for that .. that .. clone?” She indicated behind her, to where she believed the clone had gone. As she glanced that way she saw Daniel was there, watching her.  Even at the distance she felt the heat of his glare as if he knew what they were discussing. Realizing that maybe the clones had superb hearing she turned her back on him to block out his stare. Lowering her voice, she said, “You can’t be serious?”

 “Carter, that’s enough!” Jack hissed, harshly.  

She inhaled a deep breath to swallow her rile, and then said, “What about us?”

“Us?” He questioned.

She flushed then added, “Daniel, Teal’c..”

Jack’s stern demeanor crumbled.  “I was going to you all when I came back to let Hammond know.”

“All of us?” She challenged him.  He knew. She knew he knew.  “Even.. Daniel?”

His face turned pink as he groaned and rubbed his hand over his recently-shaved jowl. “Carter, how can I?” His attention shifted briefly to where the clone was still standing, watching, then he returned his gaze to Sam’s flushed face.  Quietly he exposed himself to her.  “You know why I’m doing this, you have to by now..”

She searched his honest gaze and suddenly felt his pain. “I won’t lie to you-” She told him as gently as she could, despite her own feelings about the reason. 

Somewhat dejectedly, he groaned, “So, how can tell Daniel the reason I’m leaving?  We’re good friends, for crying out loud!”

Sam hated that Daniel had asked her never to tell Jack what he’d confessed to her.  She felt trapped by the promise she’d given him.  Still, if Jack didn’t ever tell Daniel, how could he know that he didn’t need to settle for a clone when he could have the real thing? Swallowing hard to settle her beating heart, she said, “I should think that is why you need to tell him…”

“What? And embarrass us both!” Jack hissed back at her, his expression dark. She stared at him then nodded slowly.  So her suspicions were right.  And now it looked like Daniel didn’t have a hope of telling Jack how he felt. Her stomach tightened.  She felt trapped.

Jack’s head was bowed.  He’d been considering his next words carefully.  Finally, after a loud sigh, he told her, “Look, I was thinking of retiring next year anyway-”

“Excuse me?”

Wearily, Jack snorted and said, “What? You think I’m going to stay on SG-1 forever, Carter?”

“I just, I-” She shrugged, befuddled by the confession. She took a moment then said, honestly, “I just never thought you’d leave us.”

Jack gave a sharp sniff.  “I’m not here to hold anyone’s hand.  I’m tired of hopping around the damn universe, being shot at on a good day and taken over by some dumb-assed false god or parasite on a bad one!”

Sam shook her head slowly, unable to believe what she was hearing.  Bitterly, she asked, “When were we going to know?”

An incredulous Jack gave a strangled yell, “For crying out loud!  When it damn well happened, Major, and not before!”

Sam gave a derisive laugh as she shook her head and stepped away from him to pace. 

“I’m old, Sam,” He wasn’t sure what the look in her eyes was: surprise that he’d called her by name after all these years, or disbelief that he thought that way about himself.  He amended it slight. “All right, I’m tired and I want to stop going out there and getting shot at, is that a crime?” he directed the last part at the female officer.

“If you want to retire then why not retire on Earth?”

Jack’s eyes grew dull. “There I retire alone.  Here-” He gave a slight shrug, and met her accusing stare. “I have my reasons,” he obfuscated.

Sam screwed her eyes shut again as she looked down to the floor.  “Sir, I know why,” she told him quietly. 

“And that would be..?” he waited.  Sam wet her lips quickly, shooting a side ways glance towards the clone then back at him. 

*

Hammond, Daniel, Teal’c, Peterson and Hofftom all ran up the steps to the briefing room.  Hofftom was reporting the mission to the General as they moved. 

“So you’re telling me he was..”

“Off world, Sir.  When we first got there.”

“Why?”

“He did not divulge that to us, Sir. Not before Major Carter ordered us to come back and request reinforcements.”

Hammond stop, one foot paused on the next step. “Does she think this clone has done something to the Colonel?”

Hofftom and Peterson exchanged looks. “They did look particularly happy together, Sir.”

On that Daniel’s toe stubbed the step above him and he almost tripped up.  Hammond glanced his way then continued up the stairs.  As Daniel was about to follow Teal’c put his hand on his shoulder and said, “I believe we need to talk, Daniel.”

The archaeologist shrugged and said, “Sure. What? Now?”  He glanced towards the Briefing room. 

“It would seem most urgent now,” Teal’c said.  Daniel shrugged then folded his arms, readying himself to listen.

“It would be best if we held this conversation in private.”

Daniel frowned, unsure what Teal’c could have to say, but agreed with a nod and followed Teal’c back down the stairs and to a private area to talk.

As they walked along the corridor Teal’c chose the right moment to tell Daniel, “As part of my Jaffa training I have been taught to read the lips of my enemy, thereby gaining a strategic advantage over them.”

“Oh..?” Daniel angled his chin up slightly, interested to find out what this had to do with anything. 

Teal’c waited until they’d entered the elevator and pressed the number for Daniel’s office floor before revealing, “I am aware of what was said between the clone and O’Neill in that room yesterday.”

Daniel’s heart thudded against his ribs and his mouth went dry. “All of it?”  He had no idea what was said, but the clone’s parting words, and the knowing look in Teal’c’s eyes now told him that a long kept secret had just been discovered.

“He did well in keeping his face from the camera; however, I was able to see him clearly enough on some occasions.” 

As they alighted from the elevator and weaved their way through the labyrinth of corridors to Daniel’s office, the archaeologist touched the frames of his glasses and muttered, “Do *I* want to know what was said?”

“I believe it is imperative that you do, Daniel.”

Daniel paused in a step a moment and watch Teal’c walk ahead of him into his office.  Closing his eyes, Daniel steeled himself to hear what Teal’c had discovered yesterday.

*

Daniel watched as Jack stepped around Sam and moved towards him, pulling on his bottom lip. Daniel knew that to be a sign of consternation, and didn’t like the look in Jack’s eyes. 

As Jack stopped in front of the clone he said, “She knows.”

Daniel frowned for a second then realized what he meant.  “That’s not necessarily a bad thing, Jack.”

The colonel lifted his eyes to look at him. “It’s not a good thing either.  Hammond’s bound to be getting a team ready.  I have to go back..”

“Jack, no..” Daniel sounded bereft.  He reached out and touched Jack’s arm.  “Please.” His blue eyes implored him. Daniel’s gaze flitted towards where Sam was waiting, discreetly with her back to them.  Lowering his voice, he said, “You know she’s in love with you.”

Jack groaned and shook his head. “That’s not the reason.”

“She is!” Daniel said, desperately.  “She told me.  I bet she still is..”

“Daniel isn’t..” Jack argued, feeling the euphoria he’d had the last few hours ebb away from him, leaving him drained.  Real life was crashing on him again.  Carter was right, this couldn’t last.  He met the blue eyes again and his heart clamped.  He gripped Daniel behind the head and pulled him close, whispering softly to the distressed clone.

*

Daniel carefully closed the door to his office and followed Teal’c over to the far corner where the desk and chairs were.  Teal’c sat comfortably, his hands clasped lightly together in his lap.  Daniel sat more awkwardly, on the edge of his seat, a pen in his hand that he tapped rapidly as he waited for Teal’c to reveal what he’d read on the clone’s lips.

On their way to the office Teal’c had admitted to being able to read some of the clone’s conversation.  It was, he told Daniel, part of Jaffa training to be able to read lips in order to learn of the enemy’s strategies from afar.  This news had unsettled Daniel but he continued to walk with Teal’c to privacy.  Teal’c also admitted to having only snatches of the conversation but he discovered enough that had him curious and in need of answers. The resulting conversation left Daniel extremely uncomfortable. 

Daniel now sat with his elbows on his thighs and his head in his hands as Teal’c revealed parts of the conversation. What he heard made him squirm in discomfort.

When Teal’c revealed the part about how the clone called Jack gorgeous Daniel’s head snapped back and his eyes bulged.  “Gorgeous? He actually called Jack gorgeous?”

“Indeed.”

“Oh, God!” The younger man rubbed his hands over his burning cheeks.  He blew out a deep breath. “Anything else?

“He asked O’Neill about his roses.”

Daniel recalled the first night he was back from Abydos and Jack took him back to his place, because no one seemed to know what to do with Daniel.  Jack did. Jack showed him a touch of friendship that he so badly needed at that time – something Daniel had never forgotten and which was the starting point of his crush on the older man. The next morning, on their way out to the base again, dressed in, literally, the clothes off Jack’s back, Daniel recalled thinking how odd it was that Jack’s garden was so ‘pretty’ – it seemed out of character for the hard-nosed colonel.  It was, however, just one in a string of contradictory characteristics Daniel came to learn made up Colonel Jack O’Neill, and made him so damn fascinating.  Thus, the crush grew.

“Who’d have picked Jack as a Rose kind of guy?” Daniel muttered weakly as he felt heat rise through his face again.

“He is extremely successful in things horticultural.”

The conversation continued and the only part that didn’t have Daniel cowering in embarrassment was the moment Teal’c recounted the death of the Jack clone.  Daniel swallowed in a dry throat before he said, softly, “That must have been horrible.”

“I believe, DanielJackson that the clones were very much in love.”

Daniel squeezed his eyes shut tightly and allowed his head to roll back and hit hard against the wall behind him. Growing increasingly uncomfortable from the conversation, Daniel tried not to think about how all this was going to affect the friendship when Jack returned. 

“How can I look him in the eye now?  Now that he knows how I feel about him?”

“Feel?”

Daniel only managed to return Teal’c curious gaze, but he could find no words to contradict his declaration. The Jaffa bowed his head in respectful understanding and showed no judgment on the anthropologist at all.

*

Daniel sat on the sleek black table, his legs dangled towards the floor.  Sam entered the room slowly, offering a small smile to the clone when he looked up.  She’d seen the state of distress this clone had been in when he arrived on Earth yesterday, but his sorrowful look now made her heart sink.  “Can I come in?” She asked.

“You’re in,” Daniel said, hooking his hands beneath his thighs as he lowered his chin to his chest. 

Carter approached him cautiously, easing herself down beside the clone.  “I’m sorry.”

“Why do you have to ruin everything?” Daniel asked her.  Sam frowned then shook her head. 

“I don’t.. I didn’t mean to.”

Harshly, Daniel asked her, “You love him, don’t you?”

Sam’s eyes went wide. “No,” she said, “God, no.”

“Why do you lie to me?” He said, growing more enraged. Sam started to back away but not fast enough to get out of the way of his swipe.  The back of his hand hit her under her jaw, cracking her head back.  Sam toppled from the bed, falling hard to the floor, face down.  Daniel got up off the bed and stood over her.  “You can’t have him this time.” He stepped over her still body and left the room.

As the door closed he grabbed the release bar and pulled it hard, ripping it from its place, making the door unworkable.  Daniel looked at the torn piece of metal in his hand then tossed it aside, before turning and walking along the gangway towards where he expected Jack to be waiting for him.

<End of part 11>