Coffee
Coffee
by havocthecat
Summary: Daniel and Janet skip class. It's much more fun that way.
Category: Alternate Universe
Episode Related: 703 Fragile Balance
Season: any Season
Pairing: Daniel/Janet
Rating: FAM
Warnings: none
Author's Notes: This is an AU that diverges after "Fragile Balance" and resolves one of the events of the Heroes two-parter.
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story was created for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).
Archived on: 09/05/06
***
They'd both been to this coffee shop independently before and discovered that when they met once after school. It was a small, privately-owned place with wooden tables instead of plastic laminate, comfortably padded chairs, and large, overstuffed sofas in every corner that had been draped with exotic-looking cotton batik throws.
"What'd you get?" asked Janet, sitting down at the table with her drink.
"Triple espresso latte with extra whip," said Daniel. "You?"
"Just a raspberry mocha," said Janet. "I, unlike some people, feel no need to set up a caffeine drip directly into my veins." She paused. "Though I did feel like doing that some nights in the infirmary."
"Tell me about it," said Daniel. "This is nice. Why haven't we done this before?"
"Too busy saving the world on a regular basis when we were all grown up," said Janet bitterly. "Don't ask me how I managed to find the time to raise a daughter too."
"I was never sure how you worked that out," said Daniel. "But you're avoiding the real reason we came out here."
"I was hoping you wouldn't notice," murmured Janet.
Daniel chuckled. "Much as I enjoy spending time with you, I don't want to let your emotional well-being fall to the wayside. Talk to me, Janet. Tell me what's wrong."
She looked down into her coffee mug and then back up at Daniel. "I told you, I died," said Janet. "The Goa'uld had found the Alpha site and attacked while I was there. I was in the field, trying to help Airman Wells when I was--" She paused and took a sip of coffee. "I was hit by a staff weapon."
"Janet--"
"Let me finish, Daniel."
"You--your adult counterpart--he was holding me when it happened," said Janet. Her face was calm, but her eyes were sad. "Screaming for a medic. No one made it in time." She shook her head. "It wouldn't have made a difference anyway, but I couldn't tell you--him--that."
"What happened then?" asked Daniel.
"I woke up on a lab table next to an adult clone of myself," said Janet. "She and I argued, found Jonas and let him out, and we managed to get a message off to Thor. Now *she's* back at the SGC as CMO and living at home, and Jonas and I are stuck here going through high school." She shrugged. "I get a whole new wardrobe out of it, at least."
"I'm sure it's still difficult," said Daniel.
"You have no idea," said Janet. "Do me a favor and don't ask what happens after you die. Mackenzie asked us both that, like, five times each. I can't remember anything. At least you ascended."
"That wasn't exactly a picnic either, Janet," said Daniel. "That high a dosage of--" He started stammering as a customer walked in the door and past them. "--uh, aspirin can't be good for you."
"I was there," said Janet. "I saw everything, and while I didn't go through it, you better believe I had my fair share of misery then."
"I know," said Daniel. "So what did you do when you got back to the SGC?"
"I spent a week staring at the walls of the infirmary," said Janet. "I needed to recover from the mental trauma."
"Sounds boring."
"It was." Janet swirled her finger in her whipped cream and licked it off. "But it allows for a lot of thinking."
"What was the result?" asked Daniel. "Of all the thinking, I mean."
"I got very, very angry," said Janet. "I mean, I *died*. Gave my life in the service of my country--hell, my entire world. And what do I get out of it? *She* gets her life back, and *I* get exiled to high school."
"Some people might look at this as a way of starting over," said Daniel gently.
"I didn't want to start over!" exclaimed Janet. "I was happy where I was. I had a daughter I loved, a job I enjoyed--a job that meant something--and now I have a psychologist insisting I find an extracurricular activity so it looks good on my college transcripts. Who cares?"
"Extracurricular activities aren't necessarily a bad idea," said Daniel. "At least it gives you something to do."
"Yeah, I've heard you're the local SCA hotshot," said Janet. "But I'm not in the mood to play the How To Get Into College In Ten Easy Steps game."
"I don't know what to say, Janet," said Daniel. "But every one of us has lost someone because of Loki's experiments."
"Please," snorted Janet. "That's supposed to make me feel better?"
"It's supposed to make you feel less alone," said Daniel. "Because you aren't. Alone, that is."
She smiled at him. "I *do* know that, you know. But it's hard not to be angry at the way things worked out."
"And at least you're alive," said Daniel. "I know I'm relieved about that, and I'd imagine that if *I* am, then maybe my adult self is realizing that maybe your adult self isn't going to be around forever either."
Janet frowned. "That's a disturbing thought. Exactly how long *have* you been interested in me, Dr. Jackson?"
Daniel grinned. "Telling you takes some of the mystery out of it, don't you think?" he asked.
"I think you're flirting with me again," said Janet. "So, do you want to tell me where you're taking me out to dinner on Friday night?"
"Not yet," said Daniel. "If we're going to redo our high school years, we should do it right. Ask Sam to ask Jack to ask me, and maybe I'll tell him." He smirked. "Or maybe I'll tell Jack to tell Sam to tell you to mind your own business and let me surprise you."
Janet laughed. "It'll be nice. I'm looking forward to it."
"Me too," said Daniel, leaning forward slightly. "I've been looking forward to this for a long time. I'm just glad we're finally doing something about it."
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