Denial: 101
"Don't Know Yet"
written by:
Dragonfly
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Avalon Part One: Missing scene
Pulling on his flight jacket, Daniel didn’t have to turn around to know who just slipped through the infirmary curtain.
“How’d you find out?” he asked softly, fingering the bracelet that was condemning him to hell for the next God only
knew how many hours.
“Oh…I have my ways.”
Smiling, Daniel turned around and saw Jack- hands in his pockets, rocking back on his heels.
The archaeologist’s smile, however, turned into a cringe when, “Come on, sweetcheeks! Let’s go find the treasure
so we can get on with the honeymoon!” was hollered from the other side of the curtain.
Shoulder slumping, Daniel whined, “Jaaa’aaa’aack” as he held out his arm. “cut it off.”
“Oooh, I don’t know, Daniel,” His old friend spoke casually as he walked passed the extended hand, hopped up on
the cot and crossed his arms. “I think you two will be happy together.”
Daniel petulantly dropped the condemned appendage and glared at his former C.O.
Jack raised his eyebrow defensively. “What?! Help you?!” he cried, then looked down to pick at the blanket he sat on
and mumbled. “I wasn’t even invited to the wedding.”
“That *is* true!” was bellowed helpfully from behind them.
Daniel ran his fingers through his hair with both hands…then eyes huge, started pulling. “Aargh!”
Jack instantly jumped up and grabbed them, pulling them back down. After making sure they were going to stay at
his friend’s side, he let go and straightened Daniel’s collar.
“I don’t know what’s worse,” he started hoarsely, as he leaned back on the cot, one arm draped over his knee. “not
being with you guys and having to wait here. Or not being with you guys and *not* being able to wait here.”
Jack’s moment of candor left Daniel floundering. “Jack…”
Standing up and cutting his friend off, Jack studied his feet. “Be careful out there, Daniel. Mitchell is good, but…” for
a moment, the old soldier’s words caught and Daniel felt his heart plummet. He opened his mouth to say something,
but Jack was already looking up at him with a grin plastered to his face. Nodding, Jack placed a hand over Daniel’s
shoulder and squeezed, taking a deep breath. Daniel thought he was about to open himself up even more, but he
was wrong.
“First born, Danny, better be named after me.” he forced out with a sigh.
Daniel let out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding and ducked his head, shaking it. “I’ll name my prosthetic limb
after you, Jack, before I have anything to do with that vile woman.”
Jack cocked his head and dropped his hand, studying the younger man. “Kinky.”
Giggling, Daniel wiped a hand down his face and looked back up at his old friend, who was still observing him.
“I’ll see you when you get back?” Jack tried so hard to force his question into a statement.
“Yeah.” Daniel answered softly, face turning serious. “You’ll see me when I get back.”
Jack narrowed his eyes, searching for truth. When he found some, or replaced it with hope, he nodded and
vanished to the other side of the curtain… but to Daniel, the *other side* might as well of been light years away.
Avalon Part Two: missing scene
Jack sat thinking, leaning forward with elbows on knees, twirling his hat in his hands; he sat and waited for his ride to
land.
He didn’t know what to do.
Leaving the SGC wasn’t supposed to be so hard. The fight was supposed to be over…for them at least. Everyone
moving on is the only thing that gave Jack the strength to let go. And now…
*Jesus*
Jack scrubbed a hand through his hair.
Now with a flick of a bracelet, his kids were running off into danger again. …just as he was walking…away.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way.
He had it all figured out. Sam would be safe, ogling over her doohickeys…and thankfully *she* at least still was.
Teal’c would be busy building his free army-living a dream he so long fought for. And Daniel, Daniel was supposed
to be so far away…shit, who was he kidding?
He’d worry anyway and it would slowly drive him insane. He was hoping that ignorance really would be bliss. No such
luck. He couldn’t ignore his “DIT-AR” (Daniel in Trouble-Again Radar), even if he tried.
And now his kids were off getting into God only knew what and he couldn’t even order people around in vain-just to
exercise a little bit of control.
“Sir? Your flight is ready.” The airman informed him, becoming concerned when the senior officer didn’t get up.
“Sir?”
Jack sat thinking, leaning forward with elbows on knees, twirling his hat in his hand.
Origin: Missing scene and Tag
Jack forced himself to *leisurely* stroll down the hall, though his feet fought to walk to the beat of his heart- which
happened to be thumping a mile a minute. He had to see him. He had to see for his own eyes that he was still in one
solid, *corporeal* piece.
Coma, burning to death and finding a new big and nasty to wreck havoc on the universe, all in one day. Yup, that
was his Daniel.
He leaves him in someone else’s care for *one* mission and this is what happens. See, this is why SG-11 lost their
privileges looong ago. Not that he didn’t trust Mitchell, he just…hell, he didn’t know. He didn’t know *anything*
anymore. For cry’in out loud, he should be on a plane right now heading away from this place- heading away from
nearly a decade of memories.
*If these walls could talk* he thought idly, his pace never faltering.
Though restored with a slab of this and that and a couple layers of paint, Jack could still point out where the scars
should lay from their stand against the Replicators and Retu…and various other…situations.
He could also point out the *exact* spot where Daniel puked all over *his* shoes. Yup, brand new too. Jack could tell
he was sick, even though his friend appeared to still be in the denial stage about it and was dragging him home to
get some *real* rest when up came more food than he thought possible…at least for Daniel. The boy never did eat
much.
Finally rounding the last bend, it took all Jack had to slow his pace, because he found himself walking *a lot* faster
than he intended, and silently ease into the room. His heart instantly calmed, however, at seeing one, solid corporeal
known as Daniel Jackson, typing away at his computer.
He couldn’t help but smile when his friend first greeted him as if it were completely normal that he’d be there. As if he
expected him to come sauntering in after a difficult mission to pull him away for a bit.
Who would pull him away now?
…and it wasn’t really a lie that he was in the neighborhood.
“Sorry you missed Daedalus.”
“No you’re not.”
*Got me there.* “You’re right. I’m not.”
Jack was doing pretty well. He had refrained from pulling his friend into a bear hug…though it had been close *and*
he even stopped himself from rubbing his head. It wasn’t even something he had done in a while, but suddenly he
found the urge nearly overwhelming.
Still, he was beginning to think he’d make it through without any embarrassing displays of affection *until*, that is,
Daniel confided in him that he was scared.
*Aw, damnit.*
Daniel doesn’t do scared. Jack had learned that quickly. He did *curious*. He did *cautious*. But he didn’t do
*scared*.
*Damnit*
Jack’s resolve instantly began to crumble and nearly fell completely apart when Daniel wearily averted his troubled
eyes. And in that heart wrenching moment, Jack realized there were two things he could do. He could, *One: Offer
some awkward and useless encouraging words and pat him on the shoulder.* Or *Two: Pull him into a fierce hug and
then pack up *all* his kids and catch the next flight outta there.*
He decided to go with number Three. *Changing the subject, while telling his friend in two words that no matter what
came their way-they’d deal with it. Together.
“I’m hungry.”
And of course number three worked.
A small smile touched Daniel’s lips and offered the General hope. “Me too.”
Good ole’ number three. “Wanna?”
“Mmm-hmm”
And so, just like any other day they headed out, side by side. They’d grab Teal’c on the way and hope Carter was
finally available. Then after picking up a movie and some grub, they’d all gather at…well, it would probably be
Daniel’s house now, and just relax the night away.
Teal’c would sit on the floor, completely engrossed in the movie. Carter would curl up with a blanket on the chair and
Daniel would no doubt, fall asleep half way through the movie and end up stretching out on the couch until his legs
rested on top of Jack’s knees.
And Jack wouldn’t have it any other way.
Silently walking down the corridor, Jack was reminded again of all battles that were fought, the victories that were
celebrated and the friendships…the *family* that was created within these walls. And though right now he didn’t know
yet how many more times he’d be walking these particular streets of wordless history, he realized as he couldn’t help
it anymore and finally draped an arm across his friend’s shoulders and squeezed-that it didn’t matter.
Because he wasn’t going anywhere just yet.
The end…for now.
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DISCLAIMER: All characters and property of Stargate SG-1 belong to MGM/UA, World Gekko Corp. and Double Secret Productions.
This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was
intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the
storyline and the actual story are the property of the author.