Denial: 101 "The Ties that Bind" written by: Dragonfly
The Ties that Bind: Missing scene
“Hey Daniel!” Jack greeted, looking up from his desk as his friend strode in and closed the door behind him. “Sorry I couldn’t be there today, I had…”
Daniel cut him off, tiredly waving his hand in the air, "Oh, trust me, you’re lucky you weren’t” he exclaimed, slowly easing himself into a chair.
Jack quirked an eyebrow, then got sidetracked.
“Are you wearing *perfume*?"
The archaeologist moaned and bent over to hide his face in his hands.
“Trouble down home?”
Daniel shook his head in his hands. “You have nooooo idea” he whined, then suddenly stopped to look up and glare at his former C.O., “…or do you?”
“Oh, I *may* know *something*” Jack teased, tapping his pen against the desk.
Daniel stared incredulously at him from between his fingers. "And you think it's...*funny*?" his voice took on a bit of a high pitched squeal.
Heart plummeting when he remembered what would happen to his friend if separated from that woman for long, Jack's face turned serious. "No."
Sitting back in his chair with a sigh, Daniel scrubbed at his face with an exhaustion that didn't go unnoticed by Jack. "How are you feeling?"
"Aside from the fact that I'm about to lose my mind? Great!"
Jack winced. "Where *is* the good wife anyway?"
Daniel glared again before answering. "I made her wait downstairs."
"And that's not gonna...?" Jack waved his arm out in a circle towards his friend.
"No, since we’re not actually *linked* with the bracelets anymore, it seems we’re given more of a leeway.” Daniel looked heavenly and silently thanked God.
"Which....would explain why you were fine the other night."
"Right."
"But Gating to another world...?"
"Apparently *too* far," Daniel sighed exasperated and added "but if you ask me-*not* far enough."
Jack bit his lip and cleared his throat. “So have you found a way to separate you two yet?" he finally asked, surprised when his own voice squeaked.
Giving his friend a warning glance, Daniel then took a deep breath and stared off into space, biting his lip. "You... could say that." he breathed out and paused.
Jack quirked an eyebrow and was about to ask him to clarify when Daniel nervously looked at him and suddenly stood up. "Well, I'd better get going. Teal'c has to get back. Oh and he said, “Hi” by the way and that he’d see you Friday.”
Jack’s warning bells went off. *Uh-oh, leaving in a rush...*
"Uh, as will I!" Daniel continued awkwardly, holding up a finger. "See you Friday that is" he clarified quickly, walking towards the door.
*...AND avoiding eye contact. Yup. His friend was definitely hiding something from him.*
"Daniel." Jack warned, but was given no reason to believe he was heard.
"Daniel!" Jack hollered standing up. "Hold it right there, Jackson!" He was pleased when his friend's hand stopped and hovered above the doorknob.
Sighing, Daniel dropped his arm, cursing Jack’s spidey-sense and Jack's chest tightened. "How dangerous?" the general asked, fighting to keep his voice low and steady.
“Well,” raising his eyebrows and cocking his head to the side as he considered, Daniel then turned to his friend. "Nooo more dangerous than negotiating with a pack of irate Unas." He blinked and flashed an innocent million dollar smile.
"Daniel." Jack deadpanned. "I'm having a hard time finding that even remotely comforting."
Eyes and face softening, Daniel tried to ease his troubled friend’s mind. "We've been in worse situations, Jack."
The older man looked down and scratched at an invisible something on his desk. “‘We,’” he mused aloud. They had been through a lot together. Best friends had a habit of doing that. But this time he wouldn't be there. He tried getting an office in Colorado…you’d think being “The Man,” you’d be able to get an office any damn where you pleased…but the only way he’d be able to go home and …well worry from a shorter distance, was to retire. And that was an option he hadn't completely thrown out the window just yet. Heck, he’d done it before. He’s already had a long successful career…how much more successful can one get than saving the world a half a dozen times or so? Maybe it was time to go home, settle down and worry over his kids like any other respectable parent would for their former ascended being, alien and ex- 2IC.
Well, he never claimed they were the Waltons.
But nonetheless they were family.
“Daniel…”
“I’ll be careful, Jack." The younger man nodded seriously, his eyes begging Jack to believe him. "Besides,” he continued with a small reassuring smile. “Teal’c is going. I’ll make sure he looks extra mean before we get there.”
Jack's own smile never reached his lips. Teal'c was always the best at looking intimidating when it came to protecting certain members of the team...despite the fact that they could more than take care of themselves, but it wasn’t enough. The National Guard and three Asgard ships wouldn’t be enough…because *Jack* was the one that should be there. Not that he could protect them any better…but because *that* is where he was supposed to be.
“So…” Daniel eased, snapping Jack out of his thoughts as he turned the door knob. “Friday?”
Swallowing hard, Jack looked to his friend with saddened eyes. “Friday.” he whispered hoarsely. And after a slight nod and a forced smile, Daniel was out the door and Jack was left staring after him. His friend wouldn’t be just a couple of floors away. Jack wouldn’t run into him in the hall. If he was hungry, he couldn’t just barge into Daniel’s office and yank him out by his collar to get something to eat…
Sighing, Jack washed a hand down his face and slowly sat down. He may get to see Daniel, Carter and Teal’c just about every weekend, but it just wasn’t enough. Not when he was used to seeing them every single day. Not when he worked, played and fought beside them for nearly ten years.
Not when it was killing him to be so far away.
Sitting alone in his office, pinching his bottom lip between his fingers, Jack didn’t even hear the phone ring… as he realized that some ties just weren’t meant to be broken…
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.