CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
"Hi, Sam," Daniel said as he came into her lab.
"Hey, Daniel. Feeling better?"
"Uh huh. As Jack would say, my batteries are recharging nicely." He looked at the abikar that was sitting on the table. "So, what are you up to?"
"I'm trying to figure out how to open this thing. It appears to be completely seamless, and there are no protrusions or indentations to push. I've been at it for an hour."
Daniel casually reached out and touched the crystal. Instantly, it opened up like the petals of a flower, exposing its core. Sam's mouth fell open and she looked at the archeologist.
"How'd you do that?"
Daniel tapped the side of his head. "Everything about them is controlled by thought processes. You just have to know what mental commands to give."
Sam smiled and shook her head. "Would you mind sticking around for a while? I have a feeling things will go a lot faster."
Daniel pulled up a chair and sat beside her. "I'm all yours."
'I wish,' Sam said to herself. Then she gave herself a mental slap. This wasn't the time to think about that.
Though Daniel didn't have a great deal of knowledge on how the technology of the abikars worked, he was still a big help to Sam. In the end, however, she came to the inescapable conclusion that there was no way for them to create more of the devices.
"The level of technology is just too advanced, sir," she told Jack a while later. "And, even if it wasn't, there are materials used in the construction that I've never seen before. Without a supply of those materials, it would be impossible to construct more."
"So, unless Daniel turns more of the red ones into blue ones, that's the only one we're ever going to have?" the colonel asked.
"I'm afraid so."
"And I won't be doing that," Daniel told him. "The abikars can't be used for any beneficial purpose. They were designed specifically to capture Gorrums. The one I accidentally activated during the test shut down when it failed to detect the presence of a Gorrum within the field it generated. If there had been some other kind of living creature trapped within the . . . I guess you could say the 'net' that the abikar cast, it would have shut down far sooner. That's one of the safety features. If a human being was caught by the full power of an abikar, they would be crushed by the extreme atmospheric pressure. The abikars are worthless to us unless a Gorrum happens to come to Earth. As for the red ones, we already know what happens to anyone they're used on. I won't let them fall into the wrong hands. When we go back to Dichar, I'm going to destroy all of the crystals."
Jack glanced about. "Um, you might want to keep that to yourself, Daniel," he said in a low voice. "Although I agree with you, the NID and certain other factions wouldn't be happy. You know how eager some of those politicians and military bigwigs are to get their hands on anything they think can be used as a weapon. We're just going to have to make up a story, like saying that the Dicharins destroyed all the crystals themselves."
"What about this one?" Sam asked.
"We need to get rid of it, too," Jack answered. "As it stands now, the NID still don't know that Daniel is the only one who can control that thing, but if they do get their hands on it, they'll find out that they can't make it work. That's going to make them start to wonder what's going on."
Sam nodded. "You're right. As long as the NID never get their hands on it, there won't be a problem with keeping Daniel's secret."
"So, how do we get rid of the thing and make it look like an accident?"
"We can take it with us back to Dichar," Daniel replied. "I'm sure we'll be able to think of something."
That having been settled, everyone turned their attention to other things. As was usually the case when they were on stand-down and nothing to interest him was happening on the base, Jack got bored and restless. When that happened, he had a tendency to visit his teammates . . . a lot.
It was after about the seventh or eight visit to Sam's lab and Daniel's office that Jack began noticing a pattern. Quite often, when Sam was in her lab, Daniel was there, too, both of them working on some alien doohickey, sitting close together, talking in low voices, their faces reflecting their fascination with what they were working on. The same was true when he'd go see Daniel in his office. Often, he'd find Sam there chatting with him about something or listening to the archeologist as he discussed what he was working on. In fact, whenever Daniel was missing from his office or Sam from her lab, Jack would usually find them together. He was beginning to think that they'd been metamorphosed into siamese twins.
On one of the occasions when Jack did find Daniel alone in his office, the archeologist was sitting at his desk, looking at an unframed photo. There was a tender smile on his face. When he became aware of Jack's presence, he quickly placed the photo, face down, on his desk.
"Hi, Jack. Can I help you?" he asked.
"Nah, just stopping by to see what you're doing."
"Oh. I'm just translating some tablets that SG-16 found."
"Ah." Jack came up to the desk and started playing with a statue. He was trying to figure out how he was going to get a look at the picture without Daniel knowing. Hmm. Time for the old, distracting attention ploy.
Jack leaned his arm on the table and 'accidentally' knocked off a few file folders. "Oops. Sorry."
Daniel bent over to retrieve the folders, and Jack took the opportunity to peek at the picture. He then replaced it in the same spot and got down to help Daniel clean up the mess.
"Well, I can see that you're busy, so I'll let you get back to work," Jack said once the last folder was back on the desk. "Maybe we can have lunch."
"Sure, that would be good."
Jack left Daniel's office, thinking about the photo. It was of Daniel and Sam and had been taken at some get-together. Jack thought he recognized it as this year's Fourth of July party. Daniel and Sam had looked happy in the photo, wide smiles lighting their faces, an arm around each other. It had been a good party, the first one they'd had since Daniel's return. More than half of the off-duty personnel from the SGC had attended. The party that took place four days later was just the members of SG-1, Janet and Cassie. That party had been to celebrate Daniel's birthday and had been quieter and more introspective as everyone remembered how they'd each spent the previous July eighth alone, thinking about the friend who was no longer with them. A lot had changed since that lonely July eighth, most of it for the better. A lot had changed even in the short time since that photo was taken, and Jack was beginning to wonder of even more had changed than what he'd been aware of up till now.
It was late in the afternoon on the day before they were scheduled to go back to Dichar that Jack was approaching Sam's lab and heard hers and Daniel's voices. He came to a stop just outside the door and listened in.
"So, Sam, would you like to go on another one of those non-dates tonight?" Daniel asked. "There's a movie playing that I'd like to see."
"Oh, I'd really love to, Daniel, but I can't," Sam replied. "A friend of mine is in the hospital, and I promised to go see her."
"I'm sorry. Is she okay?"
"Yeah, it's nothing really serious. But she has no family, so she's kind of lonely sitting there in the hospital. I'd invite you to come along, but it wouldn't be a good idea."
"Why?"
"Helen would like it too much."
"Huh?" Daniel said in a bewildered voice.
Sam laughed. "Daniel, you are so refreshingly clueless when it comes to some things. Helen is single. She'd take one look at you and. . . ."
"Oh." By the tone of Daniel's voice, it was clear that he now understood.
There was a moment of silence. "That is unless you're interested in making Jack happy and getting a girlfriend," Sam finally said.
There was a slight tone in the major's voice that Jack picked up on, one that told him she would not be pleased if Daniel got a girlfriend.
"Uh . . . no, Sam, I'm not interested in going out and finding a girlfriend." There was a long pause. Then in a soft, sincere voice, Daniel said, "I don't need anyone new in my life. I already have everything and everyone that I need."
"It's good to hear you say that, Daniel." Sam's voice sounded happy. "I'm glad that you're happy. You deserve it."
"Thanks. Well, I'll see you tomorrow, then."
Jack quickly hurried away down the hall so that Daniel wouldn't know he'd been listening in on their conversation. He waited in a place the archeologist would have to pass by to get to the elevator. A couple of minutes later, he spied the archeologist, who appeared to be deep in thought.
"Hey, Daniel."
The younger man looked up. "Oh, hi, Jack."
"You about ready to head home?"
"Um, actually, I was going to get a little more work done. I have no plans for tonight."
"Ah, well, in that case, why don't you come on over to my place? We can get some takeout and watch something on TV."
Daniel hesitated, looking like he intended to refuse. Jack didn't give him the chance. "Come on, Daniel. It'll be fun. And I seem to recall you saying something about taking my advice and getting a life outside of work."
The archeologist sighed. "All right. But if we're going to watch TV, it has to be something we both agree on."
"Deal. I'll pick up some Chinese on the way home. You want your usual?"
Daniel nodded.
"Okay, see you at my place in an hour."
Jack left the base, glad that he'd gotten Daniel to agree to come over. He hadn't invited the younger man because he wanted to share a meal and watch a movie with him. He had realized that he needed to have a little talk with Daniel about some things, for his friend's sake and for the well-being of the team.
Daniel arrived right on time. The two men ate dinner in relative silence, occasionally chatting about this and that. Jack was working up the courage to get on the subject that was the reason for inviting the man over.
They were cleaning off the table when Jack finally decided to go for it. "So, Daniel, what's up with you and Carter?"
Daniel's entire body stiffened for an instant, then he forcibly relaxed his muscles. "What are you talking about?" he asked, keeping his voice casual.
"Well, you two have been pretty chummy lately."
Daniel looked at Jack, his expression slightly angry. "We're friends, Jack. We've been friends for quite a while now, in case you didn't notice."
Oops. Okay, time for a different tactic. Anger would not be a good thing. "Yes, I know that, Daniel. I didn't mean to imply that it was wrong for you and Carter to show affection toward each other. I just noticed that you two have seemed to be getting closer recently, ever since. . . ."
"Ever since I died, Jack. You can say it. I died, twice, in fact. Though I'm not saying it was my favorite thing in the world to do, what happened that first time did teach me some things, most importantly that it was time for me to let myself be happy, to find some joy in my life. Up until a couple of weeks ago, do you know how long it had been since I was happy, really happy for more than just a few hours out of a day here and there? Six and a half years, Jack, not since I lost Sha're."
Jack turned away, upset to hear Daniel say that.
"For the first time since that day, I feel like . . . like I'm really okay, like my life is something to enjoy and look forward to."
Jack turned back to him. "I'm glad you feel that way, Daniel. It's good to see you happy. But . . ." Jack braced himself, "but I know that you can be happier."
Daniel frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?" He suddenly decided that he didn't want to talk anymore. He turned away and headed for the living room. "Let's just watch some TV."
"You're in love with her, aren't you," Jack said quietly.
Daniel stopped so abruptly that he almost stumbled. He stood frozen in the center of the living room, his back toward Jack. "What makes you think that?" he finally asked in a tight voice.
"Because it's true. I don't hear you denying it."
Daniel changed directions and headed for the door. "I think I'd better go now."
"Dammit, Daniel! Don't run from this!" Seeing that the archeologist wasn't going to stop, Jack changed the tone of his voice. "Daniel, please. I need to know. Are you in love with Samantha?"
Daniel stopped again, his hand on the doorknob. He stood unmoving for several seconds, then his shoulders slumped. "Yes," he whispered, barely loud enough for Jack to hear.
Jack felt a brief twinge of pain, even though he had already guessed the answer. "What are you going to do about it?"
Daniel was still facing the door, his head bowed. "Nothing."
The answer surprised Jack. "Why not?"
"Because I don't want to mess things up."
"Mess things up?"
Daniel let out a long, unsteady sigh. "Sam and I are friends, Jack, good friends, the best of friends. I don't want to lose that. I can't lose that." He paused. "And you and I are friends, too."
Jack frowned. "What does that mean?"
At last, Daniel turned to face him. Their eyes met. "You know what it means."
This time, it was Jack who turned away. He busied himself in the kitchen. He heard Daniel come back into the room.
"And there's no point in you denying it either," the archeologist said.
"I . . . I do care about, Carter," Jack admitted after a moment.
"I know. I've known for a long time."
Jack didn't say anything to that. "How long have you known that you were in love with her?"
"Around . . . two and a half years, ever since that entity infected her and you had to zat her twice. But I knew long before then that I felt more than friendship for her."
Surprised, Jack looked at him again. "You never showed it."
"No. I can be a very good actor when I have to be. How about you?"
"I figured it out when we had those armbands and Carter and I were separated by the force field. She kept telling me to leave her, and I . . . just couldn't."
They both fell silent. Daniel was trying to decide whether or not he should ask a question. The answer was important to him, but he didn't want to upset Jack. "Jack, would you. . . ." He stopped. "Never mind."
"Would I what?"
Daniel shook his head. "Forget it. I don't have the right to ask."
Jack stared at him. "Just ask, Daniel."
There was a long silence, then, "Would you ever consider transferring out of the same chain of command as Sam so that you could be with her?"
"No," Jack replied after only a moment's hesitation. "Not as long as we're fighting the Goa'uld."
Daniel gave a nod, his gaze falling to the floor. It was something he had wondered about for quite a while.
"Daniel, if you had to, would you leave SG-1 to be with Carter?"
Daniel lifted his head and met the older man's eyes. "The truth?"
Jack gave a short nod.
"Yes. It would hurt, a lot, but if it was the only way and it would mean that I could be with her for the rest of my life, then, yes, I would."
That answer, more than anything else, made Jack realize how much Daniel loved Sam. He knew that being on SG-1 meant a great deal to Daniel. For him to be willing to sacrifice that was very revealing.
Jack took a deep breath as he came to a very hard decision. "Daniel, I do care about Carter, a whole lot more than I should, but let's face it. It could never work out between us, even if there wasn't the whole chain of command thing. I realized that a long time ago, and I've come to terms with it. It doesn't bother me as much as it used to. I've gotten past it. And I care enough about Sam that, if she can be happy with someone else, I want her to have that." He paused. "You two are good together. You're a lot alike. You'd be good for each other."
Daniel gaped at his friend. "Jack, are . . . are you giving me your blessing?"
Jack's face twisted into a grimace. "For cryin' out loud, Daniel. I'm not your father, and I'm certainly not Carter's father. All I'm saying is that I think you two could be happy together, though, frankly, the thought of how smart your kids would be scares the crap out of me."
Daniel was still staring at him, open-mouthed. "You're making a big assumption there, Jack. For Sam and I to be together, these feelings would have to be mutual."
"Yeah, I know that." He looked at Daniel closely. "And you'll never know if they are if you don't tell Carter how you feel. You're the bravest guy I've ever met, Daniel, and I've never known you to back down from anything that's important. Maybe it's time that you show some of that courage and determination in your personal life." He turned back to the sink and started filling it with water for the dishes. "Maybe a movie wouldn't be such a good thing tonight after all."
"Yeah." Daniel started walking out of the kitchen, then he paused. "Jack . . . your friendship is important to me. I wouldn't want to . . . to hurt that."
Jack looked at his friend. "Daniel." He waited for the archeologist to turn to him. "No matter what, I am never going to let anything get in the way of our friendship again. You understand?"
Daniel searched his eyes, then nodded slowly. "Yes. I understand." Their eyes met for a while longer. "Good night, Jack."
"Night, Daniel."
Jack watched Daniel leave, then turned his attention back to the dishes, feeling surprisingly proud of himself.
