Daniel
Daniel
by Demon Faith and Stephali
TITLE: Daniel
AUTHOR: Demon Faith and Stephali
EMAIL: rosabeth@hotmail.com or stephalij@hotmail.com
CATEGORY: Angst, Drama, Romance (Sam/Daniel)
SPOILERS: Minor ones for: Forever in a Day, Crystal Skull, Fair Game, Tok'ra, Hathor, Prisoners, Cold Lazarus, Bane, Need, Serpent's Lair, Holiday, The Gamekeeper and Message in a Bottle.
SEASON / SEQUEL: After "Forever in a Day"
RATING: PG
CONTENT WARNINGS: Violence, graphic images
SUMMARY: Spain turns ugly for Daniel...
STATUS: Completed
DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. We have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the authors. Songwrods from 'Daniel' were sung by Elton John, but I have no idea who wrote them! Sorry!
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Well, i love this song. Stephali found it and i wrote a plotline around it, after being so amazed by the relevance to Daniel. You should listen to it sometime! We wrote this one together and there should be more.
Demon Faith/xx
Daniel is travelling tonight on a plane
I can see the red tail-lights heading for Spain,
Sam waved until the plane was well over the horizon. She knew that Daniel needed this, to get away from it all after Sha're's abrupt death but she wanted to be near him, comfort him in this troubled time. She didn't think he needed to be plagued by bumbling archaeologists for an entire month about Spanish history and literal translation. Yet that was exactly what he was doing. He had been summoned to the dig by Robert Rothman, the man who had replaced him in his own ribbon-induced reality. The 'encounter' had reminded him to get in touch with Robert and the man had invited him along. The excavation was almost complete but Daniel had agreed to supervise the last few projects. Sam was outraged. For obvious reasons, Daniel couldn't tell anyone that his wife was dead and that he was grieving so he would be isolated, cut off, from any condolence or empathy he could possibly receive. But if he stayed with me... Sam pushed her selfish thoughts aside and went back to her car.
~
They say Spain's pretty but I've never been...
"Checkmate."
"I believe not, O'Neill."
Teal'c dodged the knight, took out several pawns and moved his bishop into position.
"Checkmate."
Jack stared at the board, dumbfounded. He had lost to an alien! Sam sauntered in, deep circles beneath her eyes.
"Hello. Care to play Chess?"
Sam shook her head sleepily. Jack stood up and went to sit beside her.
"What's up, Sam?"
They had both agreed that when they were off-duty (and off base!) that they would call each other by their first names. It was a major step in their friendship (if you'll pardon the pun!) and increased the bond between the team.
"Daniel. He hasn't phoned in weeks and he was only supposed to be gone a month."
"Maybe he found a nice girl."
Sam shot him a withering glare. Bad subject, Jack. He seemed to take the hint and shut up but it didn't last long...
"Spain's a gorgeous country, Sam. What if he decided to take a holiday?"
Sam shrugged. It just didn't seem like Daniel. There was a knock at the door and Jack went to answer it. It was his house, after all.
"Telegram, sir."
Jack raised an eyebrow.
"They still have those things?"
The boy (he couldn't have been more than sixteen) nodded glumly. He handed Jack the piece of paper, saluted and marched back down the drive. Jack returned the salute jauntily and went back inside. He sat down and began to read:
GET HERE QUICKLY. THERE'S BEEN AN ACCIDENT. ROTHMAN.
Sam's eyes went wide and she immediately stood up.
"What are we waiting for?"
~
Lord, I miss Daniel
Oh I miss him so much.
Sam tried to relax. The plane had taken off an hour ago and Jack was already fast asleep. They had decided that Teal'c should stay behind because a) he was slightly obvious b) he had never been on a plane and c) he thought Spain was somewhere near Antarctica. Sam was fretting like mad. What could have happened? She mentally punished herself for not stopping him, physically holding him back when he got on that damned plane. Realising that continuing with this train of thought would only make the situation worse, she stood up, to stretch her legs and then decided to check on the pilot. Maybe she could take over for a time, it would stop her from being bored. Quickly obeying the Major's orders, the new-ish recruit looked immensely relieved when Sam took over the controls, heading off in search of sleep she reckoned. Oh well, she wasn't really that concerned, it was Daniel who she was worried about. What if he...? Oh my God, what if he...?
A sudden jolt aroused Jack O'Neill from his peaceful sleep. He felt it was within his duty to give the pilot a dressing down. Those damned cadets, never learning properly. Then he saw him.
"If you're out here, then who's flying the 'plane?"
"Major Carter, sir."
Damn again. This was not going well. Maybe it wasn't just Daniel who had needed a holiday, maybe they all did. But this wasn't turning out to be much of a break. He headed for the cockpit. Jack guided Sam away from the plane controls and took over himself. If she lost concentration, she could get them all killed! He brought the plane down gently onto the runway. As soon as it stopped, Sam and Jack jumped straight out and headed for the lonely figure on the other side of the airfield.
"Rothman! What the hell happened out here? Where's Daniel?"
The bumbling archaeologist straightened his glasses and coughed nervously. Sam walked straight up to him, looking just about ready to kill. Jack also glared at Rothman, who cleared his throat again.
"We...were digging up the ruins near Madrid when Daniel yelled. I ran over but I couldn't see him. There was loads of dust, so I sank down to see through. I found him and pulled him out. But he was flailing and I couldn't see why."
"And?"
Sam was desperate, Jack could tell. Rothman had a rather precise way of speaking which made his little speech about twice the length of Daniel's average lecture.
"Um...he's...but I swear I don't know why...he just is..."
"Is what? Spit it out!"
Sam was frantic now.
"Blind! No one knows why but Daniel can't see a thing. His eyes have just. ..stopped seeing"
~
Your eyes have died, but you see more than I
Sam was feeling shattered. They walked down the pristine white hospital ward while horror stories ran through her mind. If he couldn't see, he couldn't dig, he couldn't shoot, he couldn't work,. ..morbid thoughts raced through her mind as they entered the small white room. There he was, sitting up, straining to hear.
"Who is it?"
His voice was cracked and he sounded scared. Sam approached slowly.
"It's Sam, Daniel. I'm right here."
Daniel seemed to relax but immediately began to flail as if he'd lost his balance. Sam rushed over and supported him. He leaned into her, resting his head against her shoulder. She stroked the closely cropped hair, drenched in sweat. His breathing slowed but he still needed Sam's help to steady himself. Jack stood in the doorway, silent tears running down his cheeks. He moved slowly beside Daniel, taking the younger man's hand. Daniel flinched but seemed to recognise something. Sam looked closer and saw that Jack was holding his ring in his palm.
"Jack?"
"Right here, Danny boy. Hear you had a little accident?"
Daniel sighed. Sam smiled fondly down on him.
"You could say that. Got this problem with my sight."
Daniel reached up and traced his fingers lightly over his closed eyes. It was then that it struck her. He hadn't opened them once.
"Daniel. ..can you open your eyes?"
Daniel bit his lip.
"Are you sure you want to see?"
Sam nodded, then realised who she was talking too.
"I'm sure."
Daniel slowly opened his eyes. Black web like strands were splayed over the pupil and into the white, totally covering his vision. Sam blinked back tears and Jack swore softly. Daniel smiled tightly.
"Yeah, it isn't pleasant, is it? I've been told what's there and it doesn't sound particularly appealing."
"We're here to take you home, Daniel."
Daniel perked up, smiling broadly.
"Really? Cool, when do we leave?"
~
Daniel says it's the best place he's ever seen...
"Well, it's a beautiful country. Loads of artefacts..."
Sam nodded sleepily, then jerked herself awake. Fine babysitter she was!
"It's OK Sam. You don't have to listen to this."
"Sorry, it's just with the flight and everything I can't keep my eyes open."
Horror flooded through her as she realised what she'd just said.
"Don't worry about it. I know you feel bad. I know you didn't mean it and I know you feel guilty for what happened. Don't be. It's done. I'll live." Daniel's voice trembled slightly. How could his life be anything like how it had been before? But he'd accepted it, was grateful for what he had and had mentally moved on. Sam wondered at his strength. Somehow Daniel managed to see a lot more than she had. In his mind it was crystal clear, in hers it was as muddled as Jack's attempted computer programming.
"Anyway, " Daniel continued, "I'll really have to take you Spain someday. The people, they are so friendly and their own cultures are so interesting. In Madrid alone even there are more than twenty different..."
Sam leant back against the back of her chair. Daniel was the kindest person she knew, reliving his pain in order to relieve her of hers. He was the best, but she feared the damage done was irrevocable. He had changed, things would never be the same again.
~
Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky
The next week wasn't the nightmare Sam was expecting. Daniel had come back to base and in his usual linguistic way had spent most of his time learning Braille. Jack dropped by every ten minutes or so to check up on him and refill his coffee cup. Sam hated looking at Daniel and seeing how dependent he was on people for every single thing. Without his glasses he seemed even more vulnerable than ever but Daniel didn't seem to mind that much. In fact the only time he seemed even remotely embarrassed was when he had to ask Jack to find his razor and then later on, several plasters. If he had let them, SG1, General Hammond and even Dr. Frasier would have been depressed all week. But Daniel didn't. Like a star he shone for them all, casting out their darkness and filling them with hope.
The thing that would test him most however happened on the tenth day since he had returned from Spain. SG1 were going to P3D 571 for a short recon mission, and a military anthropologist from SG6 was going with them. In the hours up to their departure Sam, Jack and Teal'c spent every moment with Daniel, talking about the subjects they felt they could cope with. Memories were too painful. The thought that he would never go through the Stargate again chilled Daniel down to the very core of himself. Never again to experience new cultures, see new horizons and camp under new skies, he resigned himself to the fact that at least in his mind he could go there, as Sam and the others would keep him informed every step of the way. That was of course if he decided to stay.
General Hammond had offered him a new role in the facility. The base's only blind linguist. That kind of was a problem when it came to writing, but he had picked up the basics of Braille now and was pretty certain if someone gave him an engraved tablet of Abydonian he'd be able to translate it. It's just he needed more help than he was willing to ask for. Daniel had called on Jack several times during the night for really simple things like where did my alarm go? or even more annoyingly what time is it?
His computer lay unused in his now abandoned office. Stacks of books no-one else had ever wanted were finally cast away. He now owned a talking clock, he hated the voice, but it was better than nothing, and an alarm system triggering off sounds and vibrations.
That was all very well, but it was the world he missed most. A simple flower in full bloom, a fluttering butterfly, the sunlight. The faces of his friends was just a memory now, their voices all he had to paint a picture. It was hard but he hid it from them. It dawned upon him then. He would never leave here if he had the chance to stay. It would be hard, but once they had left, Janet was going to come up from the infirmary. She always made him feel better, when Sam wasn't around. Both of them seemed to recognise what he needed without threatening his independence. He knew it was because Janet was a doctor and he also knew it was because Sam cared. Someone banged the door, he looked up: well, he inclined his head, he couldn't actually look. But he knew who it was: he could smell the perfume.
"Hey Daniel. We're going to leave soon. Y'alright?"
Daniel smiled. Sam. She moved closer to him and sat down. A hand went to his shoulder, and he leaned against her, gratefully. She touched his cheek lazily and he felt so content in her arms. Then she screamed.
"Sam!"
~
Lord, it looks like Daniel...
Sam leapt to her feet, despite her splitting headache. Where the hell was she? It looked like a prison; the walls were cold and grey and the whole room was awash with blood. Sam felt she was going to be sick. It was a fairly large room, almost full of people. Her and several other 'aliens' were kept from the rest by bars, probably naquadah. There was a sandy pit in the middle, also soaked in blood. The people around the pit were clutching pieces of white paper. A man stepped into the centre.
"Welcome to the Goa'uld Fighting Claw! Win here seven times and you will be allowed freedom, slaves. And other honoured Goa'uld, bet upon a slave and be granted many riches from the treasury of Hathor herself. We have a new contestant, specially brought for your pleasure. He will fight Antania, our favourite for the evening. Let it begin!"
Sam pressed herself against the bars. Antania came out first; you could tell by the swaggering step and the tattooed 'A' across his chest. Sam craned her neck to see the other prisoner. He was thrown out and could barely stand. Oh no, surely not. ..Daniel!
~
You are older than me
A young 'gate technician had been sent up by Colonel O'Neill to fetch Major Carter. She was ten minutes late for her mission, and although SG1 had been given some slack over the last few weeks, they needed to return to some kind of military order. Paul Newcombe was not looking forward to finding her. The Colonel had told him to check Dr. Jackson's room. That meant those two would be together. He always felt so damned awkward around couples, especially ones breaking protocol, or not, as he reminded himself, Dr. Jackson and Major Carter were no longer team-mates. He felt really sorry for the civilian who had somehow got into the SGC, he wasn't quite sure why, imagine having a career like this cut short so early. He knocked on the door: no answer, He knocked a bit louder: no answer. He opened the door and walked in: no-one there. Damn, he went to find his superior officer.
Well he wasn't really a superior officer, just an officer. Lieutenant White supervised the most junior technicians in the SGC and it was him Newcombe requested assistance from.
"Are you sure? Have you checked Major Carter's lab? The infirmary? The cafeteria?.."
The list went on, and at every question, Newcombe merely nodded his head.
"Report to Colonel O'Neill."
Newcombe didn't move.
"I said report to Colonel O'Neill."
"With all due respect sir, isn't that your job? And as well, I think he'd take it better coming from you."
Eventually Lieutenant Simmons had been persuaded to talk to Colonel O'Neill, mostly out of his affections for Major Carter. Nervously he stepped up to him and explained the situation.
"Report to General Hammond, " the Colonel said before rushing off, evidently to check the base himself.
Lieutenant Simmons patted Lieutenant White on the back. "I think it's your turn."
~
The scars that won't heal
The scene was pitiful. In his ripped uniform, groping around for a familiar touch, Daniel staggered around before collapsing. He stretched out his left arm to feel the ground and shuddered in horror when he felt the sticky mess beneath him. He knew what it was, he didn't have to smell it. The stench of death of and blood around him was unmistakable but if he was afraid he didn't show it. He couldn't. The emotion in his eyes had gone, and in the centre of the ring was a bewildered and confused looking Daniel, with all his anxiety penned up within himself. Sam felt her heart being ripped from her chest but she daren't look away, Daniel deserved more than a friend who turned when things went badly. He deserved to be saved.
Antania was no fool. He knew he was almost certain of a sixth successive victory since he could see Daniel's blindness. However, he knew to keep his wits about him. Having no other weapon that his long jagged teeth and his muscles bulging from his past wins, he crept up to Daniel and leapt upon him, savagely tearing his clothes and skin apart. Everyone in the audience cheered, except Sam. A fearsome looking man clutching a knife hollered to catch Antania's attention. He couldn't, Sam hoped. He wouldn't, Sam prayed. He did. He gave Antania the long curved blade.
Sam forced herself not to shut her eyes as Antania stepped forward, grinning mirthlessly. He raised the wicked-looking knife and thrust down. Sam couldn't help it; her eyes rolled shut. She snapped them open just in time to see Daniel roll over. The knife missed, sticking into the ground. Antania fell onto the hilt and rolled off, winded. Daniel lay still, his blood mingling with the others there.
Antania struggled to his feet, anger filling his blood-shot eyes. He stepped up to Daniel and gave him a solid kick. Daniel gasped in pain and went sliding into an energy perimeter field. Sam swore softly and tears filled her eyes, as her friend was 'shocked' into submission. Antania ran up to Daniel's smouldering body and lunged at him. Weakly, Daniel pulled himself to one side. Antania crashed into the field head-first. He screamed loudly. Many patrons snarled in anger and one of the guards quickly took a knife. He threw it lazily across the ring and it struck Antania in the back, killing him instantly. His corpse fell over Daniel and they both laid still.
Sam pressed herself to the bars, craning her neck to make sure Daniel was alive. As he was pulled from the ring, she caught glimpse of the steady rise and fall of his chest. She sighed heavily and then perked up. They were dragging him to her cell.
"Don't even think of escaping or your death will be slow, girl."
The guard had a deep, brash voice, laced with a broad Chulakian accent. Several mean-looking guards flanked him and Sam wouldn't leave without Daniel, even if she could. He was thrown into the cell, spinning across the dusty ground as the 'auditorium' cleared and the guards vanished from sight.
Sam skidded to the floor beside Daniel, heaving his head into her lap. She caressed his damp hair and he tried to get away from her.
"No Daniel, it's Sam, it's me, don't worry, don't worry..."
His weak struggles ceased and he relaxed into her hands. She looked over his injuries, but saw immediately that most of them were far beyond her expertise. If he was forced into that ring again, Sam dreaded the outcome. How could she help him when both their lives were on the line? She sat there in the darkness, pondering their death.
~
Do you still feel the pain?
The other prisoners' hostility increased as the hours passed. Antania had two wins left and many wanted him to be victorious, just to prove it could still be done. No-one could remember the last time someone was set free, many believed it was just a lie to get them to fight. Whatever they were thinking though, it wasn't good for Daniel. Since they knew it would be him in the ring again, they immediately set about taunting him, yelling and screaming at him. Daniel however did not take in a word of it. He was still too far gone. His eyes were open, yet he saw nothing and was still basically unconscious. Sam could tell he was getting worse. His breathing more laboured, his pulse more thready, and then it happened again. Light seemed to surround them, enveloping them in mist and then...
Sam thudded to the floor, Daniel beside her. She was getting really annoyed by this. Why the hell did this keep happening? And why? And where? And how? Who kept transporting her and Daniel into these places for no apparent reason? She was determined to find out, but she had other matters to see to first. Daniel.
"Sam...?"
Sam crawled over to Daniel, who was shaking his head feverishly. His temperature was through the roof and Sam couldn't do a damned thing. She decided to look around, see where they were this time. This had happened five times before and each time they had ended up in a different place. The first time it was Hadante; oh happy memories there! The second, third and fourth was the SGC. And now they were...somewhere. Of course, it definitely wasn't real. Hadante was strangely silent and deserted, as was the SGC. This place was just the same, although it looked very different.
It was just like the crystal planet, where the Colonel had encountered those pretty blue creatures that had duplicated him and left him stranded there. This planet was similar (Sam was guessing it recreated planets, not places, but she could be wrong) except that instead of blue crystals, there were red trees, quavering in the breeze. Then Sam heard something. A faint buzzing sound coming from nowhere and everywhere at once. She tried to pinpoint it, running around wildly to find it.
"Get off me, get off..."
Oh hell! Sam ran for Daniel, praying that the whispered plea had not come from him. She approached and gasped. Daniel was covered in wasps; huge, great wasps over five feet long. And unknown to anyone else, Daniel absolutely hated wasps. He had been stung as a kid and had been frightened ever since. He had confided in Sam after the experience with Teal'c becoming a living beehive, something that sent Daniel shaking even now. Sam felt it must be worse this time, since he couldn't see them, only feel them crawling over him...that made Sam shiver. She ran forward to try and ward them off but she was too late. Daniel screamed...and disappeared. Sam waded frantically through the crowd, searching for him in their masses. Then they turned on her. One giant wasp flew into her, knocking her backward into the sand. Its sting was nearing her leg and however much she tried to escape, she knew she couldn't. A sharp pain hit her leg and she screamed. The world went black.
~
Daniel, my brother
Sam sat up and rubbed her eyes. What the hell had happened? She looked over to see Daniel lying on his back with someone puttering over him. Someone. Sam stood up quickly, hands raised. The man turned and smiled.
"I am Lucifer. I have freed you from the Claw."
"Well...thanks. How is he?"
She indicated Daniel before struggling over to him. Whatever position she might be in, it was more important to get Daniel through this alive, than to save herself.
"He is deeply injured. A wound like this can penetrate even the hardiest of souls. His resistance was great but the sword was greater."
Sam coughed nervously.
"I meant, how is he physically? Will he be alright again?"
"That is up to his soul. The moment he gives up fighting all will be lost, despite his obvious strength. It is rare for one to recover from injuries such as this, all we can do is hope that the goddess looks favourably upon him."
Sam grimaced slightly. This was Daniel's forte, Daniel's life, Daniel's work. She couldn't sit here and talk with this Lucifer person. She needed action. Sam inspected Daniel's injuries one more time and found to her horror that he was dying.
An open wound lay in the middle of his chest. She had never seen it before and was sure that she would have noticed it. Then a thought of dread filled her. What if it was Lucifer? She looked up quickly and screamed. Lucifer was standing above Daniel, knife poised to strike. Sam charged at him and knocked him to the floor. He raised the knife above him and it sliced through Sam's arm. She cried out in pain but pulled the knife straight out. She knew it was dangerous but she had to kill Lucifer. From her position on the floor, she threw the knife in a wide arc that struck him right between the eyes. He rolled to the floor smoothly, hardly making a sound. Sam staggered to her feet and made her way to Daniel, whose breathing was getting heavier by the minute. The wound was obviously from a staff weapon and it was amazing he was still alive. Sam put it down to his exceptional good luck and hoped that it would last out until she could get him...somewhere. The Tok'ra? The Asgard? Where the hell could she take him? She heaved him onto her good shoulder and made her way towards the opening in the cave.
~
Must be the clouds in my eyes
"They're both gone, sir. We've searched the whole base and there's no trace. They're last confirmed location is Daniel's office. Sam was seen going in about half a...day ago."
General Hammond couldn't quite believe this. It took 12 hours for the SGC to realise two of its most important members were missing. When Sam was five hours overdue, sending a technician. It had taken two hours to reach the Colonel and then another hour to reach him. They had searched for a solid four hours and there was no sign of them. Where the hell were they? Were they just blind? The General choked on his own thought. It was a cruel slip but a mistake all the same. Maybe their vision was clouded by the fact that it was Sam and Daniel. He hadn't, of course, ruled out the Asgard, but it was unlikely. Jack was frantic with worry and was seriously considering charging through the Gate to find them. Not that he had any idea where they were. Janet had to sedate him just to make him sit still. General Hammond looked out of the Control Room window. Right before his eyes, the Gate began to dial. He shouted to the technicians to leave the iris open and set up a perimeter guard. He would usually keep it closed but he didn't want his two friends splattered against the iris. Then again, if it was Apophis, or another fun Goa'uld, then it would be best to have a guard set up. The last chevron dialled and the wormhole gushed out. It retreated back into its blue circle. It was a full ten minutes before the blood-drenched figures staggered through. Sam looked so pathetic standing in the middle of the Gate room, Daniel unconscious in her arms. They were obviously on their last legs. The tech was already reaching for the mike without even waiting for an order. As the announcement flooded the base, Jack and Teal'c ran for the Gate room. Sam was on her knees now, Daniel lying in her lap. Jack got in just before Janet and crashed down beside them. Sam leaned tiredly against him and he supported her, almost unwilling to meet the sight of Daniel, hardly recognisable through the layers of blood. Janet's medics pulled him gently off Sam, allowing her to collapse against Jack in weariness. He!
pulled her slowly into his arms and lifted her as he stood. She protested weakly, waving her arms around and muttering about Daniel and sarcophagi. Personally, Jack still thought that Daniel and sarcophagi were a bad mixture and he knew Sam was clear on the point as well, but even he could see that Daniel wasn't going to heal all on his own.
He carried her into the infirmary and laid her on a bed. Janet clearly didn't know what to do. It was obvious that Daniel could die at any moment and the SGC simply didn't have the technology or the expertise to deal with the problem. Janet instructed her nurses on making him comfortable but couldn't honestly think of a way to save him. She moved over to Sam, knowing she would do more good there. Sam seemed lucid enough and was desperate to make some point.
"Sarcophagus..."
Yes Sam; we need one but where the hell are we going to get one? Janet patted her arm almost unconsciously.
"We don't have one of those Sam..."
"Egypt..."
Her voice was a strained whisper but she seemed to know what she was talking about. Jack, however, was totally clueless. Teal'c walked over as she said it and clapped his hands! Everyone turned to him in astonishment. He had a wide grin on his face!
"Egypt was where the Goa'uld reigned, yes? Is it not possible some of their technology remains there?"
Jack's face cracked into a smile as well and Janet allowed herself a weak grin. Sam seemed to relax, happy that her point had been made. Janet ran for a phone and Jack pulled up a chair beside Daniel, begging him to hold on until they had found a sarcophagus. Teal'c stood beside Sam, grasping her hand tightly, trying to offer comfort if he could. They waited for several hours before Janet announced one would arrive within a day.
Suddenly Daniel's live monitors went. To Jack's utter shock, Janet made absolutely no effort to resuscitate him. She simply shrugged, then hurried to clarify he actions.
"If a sarcophagus can bring Daniel back from the dead twice, I'm sure it can do it again."
Jack fairly exploded.
"This sarcophagus has been sitting in a pyramid for thousands of years! It could be broken, for all we know."
Janet stood up quickly and started de-fib. It wouldn't do an ounce of good, she knew that, but it kept the Colonel quiet.
As they waited, Sam eventually came round and heard all the news. She was glad that they had found a sarcophagus but the fact that Daniel was dead now was putting a dampener on her rejoicing. Her worst fear was that it wouldn't work, backed up by Jack's frantic worries along similar lines. Janet had threatened to sedate them all if they didn't shut up when a message came through. Janet repeated it to them all.
"The sarcophagus is now in the Storage Room. We need to get Daniel there quickly."
Jack and Teal'c took the trolley, with Sam running beside, silently praying that the damned thing would work. She hoped it wouldn't simply disintegrate him or blow out the SGC. The doors slid open and Sam ran up to the 'thing' and inspected it quickly. Not quite the same as the modern sarcophagus but one of these had kept Hathor alive for ten thousand or so years, and Sam hoped it would help Daniel. She pressed the activation hieroglyphic and the sarcophagus slid open. Well, it was working. Jack lifted up Daniel's body and laid it gingerly in the sarcophagus. Sam shut it up again quickly. They all dragged chairs around the sarcophagus and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And waited.
At last, the top slid open. They all stood up slowly and went to peer into the top. As Sam neared the opening, a figure shot up and yelped. Sam stepped back and placed a hand over her hammering heart. Daniel grinned at her broadly. Then he tilted his head to one side. Ever so slowly his eyes began to open. The eyelid flew up and those expressive blue eyes were clear once more.
Daniel could see.
~
He should know, he's been there enough
Daniel sat at his desk, thinking over the last couple of weeks. Being blind had certainly been an experience and one he hoped never to have again. A knock at the door startled him and he looked up. Sam was standing in the doorway, bunch of flowers in hand. Daniel sat back in his chair, as she pulled up one of her own and gave him the flowers.
"Happy Birthday."
Daniel turned around quickly to look at his calendar. July the Eighth! Omigod, he'd forgotten his own birthday! Sam was looking a bit sheepish now but Daniel didn't even seem to notice.
"Thank you so much. I'd...forgotten."
Sam smiled slowly, some of her uneasiness ebbing away. She knew why she was here. She just couldn't tell him.
"Thought you might've done. Had to remind the Colonel. According to him, 'Space Monkey needs a life and it starts here'. That was a quote, by the way."
"I can believe it."
Daniel eyes Sam carefully. There was something she wasn't telling him. But then, there was something he wasn't telling her.
Back in that Spanish hospital, the relief had been her voice, one beautiful reminder of the world. And if it hadn't been for Sam, he wouldn't be alive now. It was through her cunning brilliance and TLC that he was even here to be worried. TLC. Tender Loving Care, what Sam was always there to provide. Was there more than friendship in her thoughtfulness, her attentions? When he had been stuck in Machello's body, Daniel vividly remembered Sam's voice, urging him back to reality, to live. Her tender kiss and, yet again, genius getting him out of there and back in his own body. There was so much he had to thank her for. And so much he owed her. There was also something he had to tell her. He had felt it for some time now but it was ever stronger and he needed her to know, to feel...
"Are you all right, Daniel?"
Sam looked at him with an expression of concern. She was always concerned about Daniel; he had had such a tragic life. Firstly, his parents dying when he was eight, and then his wife being abducted and killed. Daniel Jackson deserved so much more then what life's cruel fate had thrown at him but Sam couldn't do a damn thing about it. And now, so soon after his dear wife's death, she was involved in conflicting feelings over him! Some friend she was, putting her own self-indulgence before her grieving friend's needs. He couldn't possibly face her emotions (hell, she couldn't!), not after all he had been through. She couldn't weigh him down with that burden.
"Yes, I'm fine. There's just something...I have to tell you."
Sam involuntarily felt her heart beat faster, excited at his words. She calmed herself down; he was probably only talking about some new artefact. He continued.
"I know Sha're only died a few weeks ago, but...I think I'm in love again, Sam. I don't know what to do. Help me, please."
Sam stared at him, running over possibilities. Could it be Janet? No, that was Jack's territory. One of the medics? A technician? A Spanish woman? Maybe Jack was right; maybe he did meet a girl out there. Sam thought carefully before answering, completely oblivious to the one variable she'd left out of her equation.
"Well, if it really means something, then go for it. She's very lucky, you know. What's her name?"
Sam tried to hide her obvious interest. Whoever this girl was, Sam had no right to let her feelings cloud his judgement. Daniel seemed to be embarrassed to answer but met her eyes as he spoke.
"I believe she goes as Major Samantha Carter, PhD."
Sam sat there, totally speechless. Her? She was the one he loved? Daniel watched her face anxiously, holding his breath in anticipation. Sam spoke shakily, almost ignoring his last comment.
"Well, I have a new love as well."
Daniel looked as if he'd just lost his best friend; in theory, he had. Sam hurried out with the next part of her speech, not wanting to hurt him.
"They call him Daniel Jackson, PhD."
Daniel looked as if he had been slapped. The look of total shock and wonder would equal any lottery winner. He stood up slowly and then kneeled in front of her, clasping her hand.
"Was that a confession?"
"I believe it was."
Sam leaned forward slowly until their lips met. She slipped off her chair and into his arms, knocking him back against the floor. Carefully, she removed his glasses and settled into his arms.
One certain Jack O'Neill decided the door would be better shut. Slowly closing the door, he turned to Teal'c, who wore a very puzzled expression.
"I think the party's off."
"Why is this, O'Neill? Is Daniel Jackson ill?"
"Nope, Teal'c. I think him and Carter are having a...private celebration.
THE END
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