Mel Jackson sat in Jack and Sara’s back garden watching everyone enjoying the barbecue. Charlie had tried to get him to join in earlier but Mel had no enthusiasm.
It had been three years since his son had disappeared. Although he missed Daniel, Mel was proud that he had put his life on the line for Jack’s.
“Hey,” Jack appeared beside him, “You know you are allowed to relax.”
Mel shrugged, “I am relaxed, Jack.”
“You can’t punish yourself forever,” Jack reminded him, “Daniel made the choice to save me. You can’t do this to yourself.”
“Did you know Sarah is pregnant?” Mel asked his friend.
Jack nodded, “I heard.”
“She started seeing this guy a month after Daniel disappeared,” Mel continued, “A month. He meant so little to her, yet she was the reason Daniel and I barely talked.”
“I know,” Jack settled against the wall.
Mel rubbed his hand over his eyes, “I have two wishes in my life, Jack. And they’re the exact same with a different name in there.”
Jack nodded, “You know my father died when I was about Charlie’s age. Charlie looks at you as his grandfather. I know it’s not the same but we are your family, Mel.”
Mel smiled clasping Jack’s shoulder, “In other words join you.”
Jack nodded and pulled the other man over to the party.
It had been a week since Daniel had lost his first patient. He’d woken the next morning to find Sha’re sleeping beside him, her head resting on his shoulder, her arm around his waist. If things were different, Daniel would have liked being in this position but he couldn’t get close to her.
Carefully so he didn’t wake her, he slipped out of the bed, covering her before getting dressed. He locked her in as he went to get some breakfast, his eyes were blank, his face set in a stony expression. Once he’d eaten, he brought her back some food as always but didn’t speak as he handed it to her. The silence had lasted all week.
Sha’re watched him, not sure when she’d become so concerned for him but she was and it worried her. Sha’re had always known the line, good guys and bad guys but since she’d been on the ship under Daniel’s protection it had greyed considerably. According to what she’d learned because of where he was and the fact that he helped them should have made him the bad guy but he protected her, he had managed to sneak a homing beacon to the ones she’d been captured with and watching him when he’d lost the man had made Sha’re’s heart ache for him.
“We have work to do,” Daniel said brusquely, “So eat fast.”
Sha’re nodded, the past week he’d been snappy and irritable but she hadn’t said anything, hoping he’d find his own way back.
Sha’re found being in his presence frustrating because she wanted to help him, she wanted to find someway to make him understand he wasn’t to blame for the other man’s death but Daniel didn’t see that.
“Give me them,” Daniel snapped, grabbing the medi-packs off her.
Sha’re frowned, “Dan’iel, you need to relax.”
“Relax?” he snapped.
“I chose the wrong the word,” she replied, her tone never wavering, “Dan’iel, it is not your fault what happened. You are incredible, to have learned so much about being a healer only from the databases.”
He dropped his head and Sha’re touched his hand making him look up at her, “Don’t give in to what you’re feeling, you are a fighter. I have seen this.”
Daniel swallowed and nodded, “Then we’re getting out of here soon.”
Their chance to escape came much quicker than Daniel thought was possible. The ship had returned to the fringes of Abydonian space, a raid on a planet that was rich with Naquada. Daniel had started putting a med kit in the shuttle before each mission after what had happened to Maladon, in the hopes he would never have to watch another patient die. He stood in the middle of the shuttle, hoping an idea would spring to mind.
He knew they had one chance at escaping and one chance only. If they didn’t succeed then Hedron would kill him, and Sha’re would be passed to every man on board before being sold as a slave, if she survived.
“Dan’iel?”
He turned to where Sha’re stood.
“What are you doing here?” he snapped, “I told you to wait in the infirmary.”
“Hedron sent me to tell you they will need to leave very soon,” she replied, folding her arms across her chest.
Daniel took another look around the shuttle, “Can you fly this thing?” he demanded.
“Of course,” Sha’re replied bemused, “I have been able to fly since I was a child.”
“Okay,” he took several deep breaths, “If I can override the system and open the bay doors, then you have to get us out of here and to safety.”
She stared at him in astonishment, “You are going to try to do what?”
Daniel grabbed her arm and yanked her inside the shuttle, pushing her to the pilot’s seat, “Get ready to go.”
“Dan’iel,” she started to protest, not sure he’d be able to override the system.
Daniel glared annoyed at her, “Just get ready to go,” he turned away from her, tapping away at the computer again.
“Daniel?” Hedron’s voice came over the radio, “What’s going on?”
Daniel ignored him, focussing on his task, he knew these systems well.
Hedron called again, “Daniel, what the hell are you doing? Stop whatever you’re doing now and return to the infirmary.”
Daniel found what he needed and overrode the bay door controls, “Go,” he told Sha’re.
Knowing this was insane but also their only chance, Sha’re lifted the shuttle off the bay floor and into the black space in front of them.
“Head for friendly territory,” Daniel ordered, moving to the front of the ship.
An explosion beside them threw Daniel forward; he slammed into the console beside her before dropping to the floor and lay there, unmoving.
Sha’re swung the ship round, avoiding the shots being fired at them by the Ivory. She glanced at where Daniel was unconscious on the floor; he’d saved her life by finding them a way out, now she had to return the favour by getting them to safety.
She banked hard to the right, gripping the seat with her legs as she continued to avoid the pirate ship, all she needed was to get to an Abydonian Star Vessel. As if summoned by her thoughts, the Flamia soared into view and Sha’re let out a cry of relief.
“You have entered Abydonian territory,” Teal’c’s stern voice came over the open channel, “Surrender your vessel.”
The Ivory spun and disappeared making Sha’re sigh, “Teal’c,” she radioed to him, “Permission to dock?”
“Sha’re, it is good to hear your voice,” Teal’c told her, “You can dock whenever you are ready.”
“Have the healer waiting,” Sha’re ordered, “I have a casualty with me.”
*********************************************
Daniel groaned as he woke up, he could hear murmured voices and he hoped that he wasn't back on the Ivory because he knew Hedron would let him heal, before allowing Tilli to gut him slowly for what he’d just done.
“Dan’iel,” a voice called to him.
Forcing open his eyes, Daniel was greeted by Sha’re standing above him, dressed in a uniform, her dark eyes staring down at him coldly.
“Hi,” he sighed, “Guess I’m your prisoner now,” when she didn’t answer, he shrugged, wincing at the pain in his muscles, “At least I won’t get gutted in my sleep, right?” She continued to stare at him, making Daniel sigh, “Well as riveting as this conversation is, I’m going back to sleep.”
As he closed his eyes again resting against the pillows, Sha’re finally spoke.
“We shall arrive at Abydos in two days,” she told him, making him look up at her again, “There you shall be tried as a pirate.”
Daniel shook his head, turning over, “Then I am definitely going back to sleep.”
Sha’re left the infirmary heading to her quarters to relax for a while. She nodded to the guards she had watching over Daniel as she left the room, marching as fast as she could through the corridors.
“You feel guilty,” Teal’c noted as she stepped into her room.
“Why are you here?” Sha’re snapped, ripping off her jacket and throwing it onto the chair.
“I am here to advise,” Teal’c reminded her, standing stoically at the door.
“I do not need your advice,” Sha’re turned on him, “I just need some peace.”
She headed towards the bedroom for a shower, assuming Teal’c would leave but she was stopped cold by his voice.
“You care for him.”
It was the fact that he stated it and didn’t question that made Sha’re swallow hard, “No.”
“You are lying,” Teal’c told her, “Sha’re, you must decide what you are going to do before we arrive on Abydos because if you do something you later regret, there shall be no way to remedy the situation.”
“Leave now,” she snapped, “I need some sleep.”
Sha’re lay staring at the ceiling thinking back over the past few months. Daniel had managed in many small ways to protect her especially from Nerobas and Mylak. Both men had tried several times to attack her but Daniel had always managed to stop them from touching her.
With a sigh, she turned punching her pillow several times trying to get comfortable. Finally she couldn’t lie there any longer, pulling on some clothes she went wandering through her ship not sure how she ended up in the infirmary. The guards simply nodded to her as she came closer.
Sha’re took one of their weapons, “Go. Wait outside.”
Not wanting to argue with their Commander, even if she had been missing for several months and was not technically in charge just now, they left her alone in the room.
Sha’re moved deeper inside finding where Daniel slept, he seemed for the first time since she met him to actually be relaxing.
“I’m still a very light sleeper,” Daniel remarked without opening his eyes when she sat beside him. When she didn’t say anything, Daniel looked up at her, “You know I was getting some rest before you came in. Why are you here if you’re not going to talk?”
“Why?” Sha’re asked softly.
Daniel moved so he was sitting facing her, “Why what?
“You had a place on that ship,” Sha’re told him, “You were one of them. Why did you help me?”
Daniel rolled his eyes, “I didn’t belong there. I hated having to stand by and watch what they did. Sha’re, I’m not a medic. I somehow managed to struggle by as one. Keeping myself useful so Hedron didn’t decide I wasn’t worth the trouble and just kill me.”
“What do you want?” Sha’re asked, leaning back in her chair.
“I want to go home,” Daniel whispered achingly, “I want to see my father and I just want to get away from what I’ve become and go back to who I was.”
“Where is your home?” Sha’re asked; they’d never been able to talk like this on the Ivory.
“A planet called Earth,” Daniel sighed, “I know the address for it but before we left they were erecting a covering so that nothing could come through without our permission. I’d die the moment I stepped into the event horizon.”
“Your people have radio communication?” Sha’re asked softly.
He nodded.
“Then once we have returned to Abydos and you are better,” Sha’re smiled, “We shall attempt to contact your home.”
Daniel stared at her confused, “I thought I was going on trial?”
She dropped her eyes slightly, “I shouldn’t have said that. I apologise.”
“Accepted.”
Sha’re smiled again, “Sleep some more. Tomorrow I shall show you my ship.”
Daniel was getting very confused, Sha’re had seemed to do a 180 turn and seemed to be treating him like a guest now.
“What do you think of my ship?” Sha’re asked as they walked along the corridors.
“Nice,” he replied.
“You do not seem sure,” Sha’re said to him.
“I’m a little…” he hesitated, “What’s going on?”
“I do not understand,” Sha’re said softly.
“This,” Daniel snapped, “Yesterday you were all ready to have me thrown in jail. What is with this sudden change?”
Sha’re stopped walking and leaned against the bulkhead, “When I was captured I knew what to expect. And then…you completely confused me and I reacted badly to it.”
Daniel stared at her, “So…”
“So, I told Teal’c that you were not a prisoner but a guest,” she told him, “My Father is expecting us and I shall speak to him about letting you go home.”
Daniel smiled gratefully, “Thank you.”
Daniel stared in amazement at the city he saw when he stepped out of the shuttle. In the distance sat a pyramid that his mind noted was exactly like the one in Giza.
“Dan’iel,” Sha’re gently touched his arm, “Are you coming?”
“Yeah,” he followed her, still craning to look at the city around him.
She smiled softly to herself as he wandered behind her. When her Father appeared Sha’re ran forward to meet him, hugging him tightly. The man turned to Daniel, who knew he still looked exactly like one of the Ivory crew; the man looked Daniel up and down before motioning to the guards nearby.
“Father,” Sha’re snapped, “No. This is Dan’iel; he helped me escape and looked out for me while I was a prisoner,” she motioned the guards away, “Dan’iel, this is my father and leader of Abydos, Kasuf Densai.”
“Pleasure,” Daniel murmured as he saw Kasuf’s distrust.
Kasuf motioned them to come with him and Sha’re fell into step beside Daniel, “He is just being careful.”
“Yeah,” Daniel sighed, this was going to be a long day.
*********************************************
“Dr Jackson,” the young assistant called to him as he entered his office, “Colonel O’Neill wanted you to know that you leave in just under two hours.”
Mel nodded, “I’ll be there,” he replied, returning to his reading with a sigh.
They’d made contact with Abydos the week before and after several talks through the wormhole they’d agreed to allow a delegation from Earth to visit. Mel, as one of the senior civilian consultants, had won the toss from Catherine to go and open a dialogue with the Abydonians, especially as he had been speaking to the leader via radio.
Mel finished what he was doing the picture of his wife and son catching his eye. Daniel had been gone for three years now, three years where Mel had to fight to keep going.
Sarah had tried earlier that year to get Daniel declared dead but Mel had fought her, he needed to believe that his son was alive somewhere. She didn’t seem to care that Daniel was gone; she’d been seeing one of the marines since about a week after Daniel’s disappearance. Mel managed to avoid her most of the time especially as she was now pregnant. He’d been in the infirmary when she’d been talking with the Doctor and wanted to shake her when he overheard her say that this was her first pregnancy.
The bright sun made them all wince and sunglasses were instantly brought out as the team exited the Stargate on Abydos. Mel stepped forward as the leader Kasuf moved to them.
“I apologise for being so unorganised for your visit,” Kasuf stated, “But my daughter recently returned to me after being lost.”
Mel felt a stab in his heart before nodding, “I completely understand how that overrules everything else.”
“You have children?” Kasuf asked, leading them towards where they would be staying.
“A son,” Mel spoke softly, he could feel Jack O’Neill’s gaze on him but didn’t look back, “He’s…missing.”
Kasuf nodded in understanding, not saying another word until they were in the main room of the complex that would house the team while they were on Abydos.
“My daughter was helped by a man who comes supposedly from your planet,” he broached the subject to Mel, “Perhaps you could meet him to make sure that he is from your world, just to ease my mind on if my daughter is being deceived.”
Mel felt a small hope build but knew that getting his hopes up would not be a good idea.
“Of course,” Mel replied, “You feel he is lying.”
Kasuf shrugged, “He was a member of a Pirate ship and he apparently tried to help her.”
“You think it’s a trap of some kind,” Jack interrupted.
Kasuf shrugged again, “I am unsure. However, if you meet him then you can question him about your world and hopefully tell me if he is who he says he is.”
Jack shared a look with Mel before nodding, “I’d like to meet this guy too.”
Daniel sat on the balcony of the small room they’d given him to stay in, he knew there were guards outside watching to see if he did anything. He was tired even after the rest he’d managed to get although that wasn't much as he jumped at every sound.
He wanted to go home, just wanted to find a place he felt safe even for one night.
“Dan’iel,” Sha’re’s gentle voice floated from the room.
He turned to her smiling to find she was wearing a long white dress that seemed to flow as she walked towards him.
“Morning,” he smiled back, giving her a quick appreciative look before turning back to look at the scenery, “Glad to be home?”
Sha’re settled at his side, “Extremely,” she studied him for a few moments, “How are you?”
Daniel shrugged.
He was shocked when she gently touched his cheek, the harsh defensiveness in her eyes he was so used to gone replaced by gentle, sweet wide brown orbs. He’d always found Sha’re attractive, it was hard not to but there was more now, in her eyes was a warmth he’d seen once before only. The night she’d held him after Maladon died he’d looked into her eyes seeing tenderness that he could see now.
“There is a delegation coming here from another planet,” Sha’re explained, “After they are gone I shall speak to my father about allowing you to call your people.”
“Thank you,” Daniel smiled softly at her before glancing out over the city once more.
Daniel stood on the balcony alone again, Sha’re had gone to speak to some of her friends promising to return later. He heard the door to the apartment open, and from the footfalls behind him knew it wasn't Sha’re.
He took a deep breath waiting for someone to speak but when silence was all he heard he sighed, “Are you here for a reason or just to stand there?”
“Daniel?”
Daniel froze at the voice, his heart pounded in shock as he spun to see the most welcome sight standing there.
“Dad?” his voice broke slightly before he moved to Mel and fell into his father’s arms.
Mel hugged his son tightly; the fear from the past few years melting away with the tangible proof his son was alive. Daniel pulled back for a second, seeing how aged his father was before nodding to the man standing just behind them.
"Hi, Jack,” he smiled softly.
Jack grinned, “Dr Jackson, you do show up in the most unexpected of places.”
Unable to stop himself Daniel started to laugh, a little hysterically but he felt a weight lift from his shoulders.
Heliopolis Main Archive
A Stargate: SG-1 Fanfiction Site
In A Moment
by LE McMurrayKapitel Bemerkung:
Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.Here is the next part.
Enjoy
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