Day 8

Title: Day 8
Author: tarotgal
Fandom: Stargate: SG-1
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Not my characters. I wish they were mine. I definitely don’t get paid for this.
Summary: Team members stuck offworld after "The Light" cope with having downtime.
Notes: Written during my 12 Ficlets in 12 Days in 2020-21 project project for Lady Korana

Jack & Sam

“So what are you planning to do for the next three weeks?” Sam asked, already looking a little fidgety, agitated, and restless in a way that had absolutely nothing to do with the addiction or withdrawal.

“Haven’t really had a chance to think it through yet,” said Jack. Unlike Sam, he sounded relaxed and entirely at ease. “But I think I’ll start by sitting out on the beach and watching the waves.”

“The waves, really?”

Jack shrugged. “You got a problem with the way I relax?”

“No, Sir. I was just… looking for useful suggestions, I guess you could say.” She looked around the palace room, as if she might find something there she hadn’t noticed before that could capture her attention the way the endless Goa’uld text on pillars and walls captivated Daniel or the way the ceaseless lapping of the waves on the shore was enough for Jack.

“Make a list.”

Sam narrowed her eyes slightly. “What?”

“Make a list of things you want sent through. If we’re staying here for three weeks or so, we’re going to need supplies, right? Ask them to send you books or games or whatever you want. And check with Daniel. Get a list from him, too.”

While a list did need to be made, Jack also knew that giving Sam a task to accomplish was the best way to acclimate her to settling in here for a month. It was going to be difficult to keep her busy and relax on the beach at the same time, but that was a mission Jack was willing to accept.

*

Sam & Daniel

“There’s also a brown, leather notebook in the top left drawer of my desk.” As Daniel visualized it, his left hand twitched and started to make the motion of pulling a drawer handle. “I’ll need it and also two of the books on the shelf right across from my desk.” He rattled off the titles of those volumes to Sam with ease, as they were his go-to references with tons of his handwritten notes in the page margins. He could probably get through most of the translation without them if Teal’c were here. But there was no reason for him to stick around the palace and keep them company as they slowly weaned themselves off the addictive drug levels. He’d be a lot better off heading home for a visit while SG-1 was otherwise out of commission. So Daniel would need his journal and reference books.

“And, ah…” Daniel stared at the notepad and pen Sam held in her hand as if willing them to write the thoughts forming in his mind so he wouldn’t have to say them out loud. This was too embarrassing. Within the span of a couple days, he’d yelled at General Hammond, apparently tried to commit suicide, and coded. It had ultimately only been Jack’s quick actions that had saved him. And it was Sam’s logical thinking that had helped them figure out how to deal with the situation at hand. He’d put them both through enough and didn’t want to be the victim in need of help again. But there was also no way around this that he could see. They would all be stuck here together. They were going to figure it out sooner or later. “Could you have them send through a box of Kleenex for me?”

Curious, she narrowed her eyes at her notepad as scribbled it down. “Just to have on hand in case your allergies act up?”

Daniel cleared his throat and failed at trying to keep a flush of embarrassment from his cheeks. “Ah, and a bottle of cold medicine, please.”

Looking up, recognition dawned on her face. “Oh no, Daniel…”

He shook his head. “I think it’s just a minor cold coming on. My colds always start with a sore throat and a tickle in my nose, and I’ve had both for the past couple hours. Hurts when I swallow, but it’s nothing some Dayquil can’t take care of for me. I’ll be fine, considering…” Considering how many times he’d almost died in the past couple days, a little head cold was nothing to worry about.

Sam didn’t seem to agree, as she added the medicine to the list and then started adding other things he hadn’t asked for. But she didn’t tell him she was worried, so that was something. She’d see soon enough that it wasn’t a big deal. This was a chance for him to get to spend weeks diving into language with a new dialect he was only just starting to wrap his head around. So what if he felt a little sniffly while doing it?

*

Daniel & Jack

h’Chhffff!” Daniel kept the tissues pressed to his face with one hand as he continued to take notes with his other. The pencil paused for just a few moments as he sneezed but resumed a moment later. He was in the zone now, words starting to make sense like they hadn’t yesterday. It felt natural, almost easy. If he lost this good momentum, he was worried the knowledge would slip away, and he’d have to spend time reading everything over again to refresh his memory about the various grammar and syntax differences.

“Daniel?”

hhh… huh-Chhhffff!” Quickly trading one handful of soggy tissues for another of fresh ones, Daniel wiped at his nose. He sniffed a few times to try to drive back the congestion as he turned to Jack. Jack would want a conversation with him, and he seemed to prefer when he could understand Daniel’s half of it. “Hey, Jack. How was the beach?” He chose his words carefully, with no pesky Ms, Ns, or Ps to get in the way.

“Beautiful sunset tonight. You should’ve seen it.”

Daniel nodded to feign interest. He would much rather stay inside where it was warm and work on the translation, and they both knew it.

“The night’s clear tonight, and the stars are all out. I’m thinking of asking people back home to send me a telescope so I can get an even better look at them.”

He was happy for Jack. Being stuck here for weeks wouldn’t have been half as enjoyable without being able to surround themselves with things they enjoyed doing. Daniel had his translations, so he was glad that Jack could stargaze. Before he could say so, he felt another sneeze coming on. He’d asked for one tissue box, but they had sent two, and he was grateful for it as he reached for another Kleenex. “hehhh… h’Shuhhhh! HehShoo!” With a deep breath of relief, he wiped his nose only to be surprised by one more, sudden sneeze. “Heptshhhh!

“Bless.” Jack looked sympathetic but not amused. “You take any of that cold medicine yet?”

Daniel nodded, wiping his nose again and checking his watch. “About two hours ago.”

“The orange stuff or the blue stuff?”

Daniel wanted to tell him it was the blue stuff. It was nighttime, and he knew he should have taken the medicine that would help him fall asleep despite his stuffy nose and coughs. But he’d wanted to keep on working; still did. Plus, he’d be able to say the word ‘blue’ a lot more clearly. But Jack already had his eyes narrowed. Jack already suspected the truth. Arms crossed over his chest, Jack was going to wait Daniel out until he got it, too. “Oradge,” Daniel finally admitted.

“Why am I not surprised?” Jack rubbed his hand over his face. “You do remember that two days ago you nearly died?”

“Actually, I dod’t rebeber—”

“Well, I was there, and you did. And I don’t want to see it happen again. I want you to get some sleep.”

“But…” Daniel waved his hand in the direction of the nearest pillar with script on it.

“That writing’s been there for centuries, right? Your translation can wait until tomorrow.”

Jack didn’t understand. This was fun. This was enjoyable. This was relaxing. This wasn’t work the way fighting the Goa’uld was work. If anything, he felt better working on this translation than he would with a full night’s rest.

“Don’t make me call Doc Fraiser. If I get her out of bed at this time of night, she’s going to think it’s an emergency. And she’s not going to be thrilled to know you’re not following her instructions and taking it easy.”

“But I ab—“

Jack interrupted with a sound like a buzzer going off. “Wrong answer!” He took hold of Daniel’s elbow and pried the pencil from his hand. He thrust the tissue box at Daniel’s chest, forcing Daniel to take hold of it. “Come on.”

Looking longingly at the pillars of script he had yet to translate, Daniel let Jack lead him out of the main hall and down corridors until they got to the room where Daniel had set up his things. Duffle bags with changes of clothes sat beside a small crate of books and notebooks from his office. And against one wall was a pallet containing a sleeping bag as well as extra blankets and pillows. It was by no means luxurious, but it didn’t need to be. Daniel hadn’t had much intention of sleeping there.

If Daniel had hoped Jack would leave once he had escorted Daniel there, he was sorely mistaken. Arms crossed over his chest and a ‘don’t mess with me’ expression on his face, Jack waited as Daniel stripped down to his underwear and climbed into the creaky but warm bed. Daniel had to admit it felt nice to lie down and give his body a rest after working so much. He even closed his eyes, and the burning sensation and eye strain quickly vanished, leaving peaceful relief in their place. Daniel listened for Jack’s footsteps. Once he was sure Jack was gone, he could head back and finish up the section of translation in the quiet of the nighttime. Without the risk of being disturbed, it was likely he’d be able to get through it even more quickly.

He heard Jack’s boots hit the stone floor. But instead of leaving, the footsteps came closer. When it sounded like they were almost upon him, Daniel felt his glasses being eased from his face. His eyes snapped open to see the somewhat blurry shape of Jack folding the glasses and setting them on top of a nearby crate of books. Then, to his surprise, he watched Jack sit down, leaning back against the same crate.

“Jack. Sniff! You dod’t have to stay.” He didn’t need a babysitter. And he definitely didn’t want a babysitter.

“You gonna promise me you’ll stay put if I leave?”

Daniel hesitated in answering for a second, and that was one second too many. He heard Jack chuckle. “I think you’re addicted to this place in more ways than one. I’ve saved your life twice in the past week, and I’m sure as hell not going to let a little cold be the thing that finally does you in. You need your rest, and I’m going to make sure you get it.”

“But I… hahh… hah-IH!” Daniel pressed his palm against his nose as his other hand emerged from under the covers, dipped down, and searched for the tissue box he’d placed on the floor beside the bed. His fingertips brushed over a tissue then stretched a little further and took hold of it. Switching hands just in time, his body curled in on itself with a strong “HEHTchhffff!

“Bless.” Jack sighed and scrubbed his hand over his face. “Look, Carter’s got those experiments she’s playing with. You’ve got your translation. This is supposed to be downtime, and you’re both still working. If you two can, so can I. And it’s my job to make sure all members of my team get through this safely. Right now, that means I’m staying right here to make sure you get some sleep… and in case you need me.” The last part of that statement was softer and a little hesitant, like he wasn’t sure how Daniel was going to take it, like he expected plenty of objection and push-back.

But Daniel didn’t give him any. He knew when he’d been beaten. And it really did feel nice when he closed his eyes. Maybe he could do as Jack said and get a little rest now. He could wake up early and get back at it feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Sure, he’d have to spend some time getting back into the groove with the translation, but he wasn’t too worried about that. If he’d gotten there once, he could get there again.

“Gnight, Daniel.”

Daniel hesitated for another second, then he pulled the top blanket off and tossed it in Jack’s general direction. He heard a soft grunt of appreciation and some shifting around as Jack wrapped the blanket around himself. Daniel gave his runny nose a wipe and let his body grow heavy. “Dight, Jack.”

*

Jack & Sam

“It’s mild, but it’s definitely a fever: one hundred point two,” Sam told Doctor Fraiser during the next scheduled check-in. Janet had wanted to see Daniel for herself, but Daniel was sound asleep at the moment and neither Sam nor Jack had any interest in waking him up. When Daniel was awake, all he did was cough and sneeze, and it was nice to have a break from that as well as knowing Daniel was getting some much-needed rest. There wasn’t a whole lot they could do to help him here offworld, but making sure he slept made them feel like they were at least doing something useful.

“That’s not what I was hoping to hear, but it’s not cause for alarm just yet. Let me know if goes up any higher. I’ll have a bottle of Tylenol sent through.”

Jack’s eyebrows rose. “Nothing stronger?”

“I’m still worried about his system being compromised. It’s been through a lot. His exposure to the device was a lot longer than yours, and with the crash he had and now this head cold, I don’t want to risk giving him anything stronger unless I absolutely have to for life-saving measures. There’s already acetaminophen in the Nyquil, so the extra Tylenol should technically not even be needed. But if his fever gets higher, you’ll have it in an emergency to bring his temperature back down.”

“We’ll make sure he takes it only if he gets worse.” Sam sounded as resolute in that as Jack felt. Presenting a united front would be helpful.

“How’s the detox going?”

Jack and Sam exchanged a look. “We hit a tiny setback,” Sam explained. “Jack and I are fine. But after we took it down a step this morning, both Loran and Daniel started getting agitated. I think I’ve figured out a way to decrease the steps by half, which should be helpful. It might take us a little longer than we’d planned, but there’s every indication we’re still on the right track and this method will ultimately work.”

“All right. Keep me apprised. Thanks.”

*

Sam & Daniel

“Feeling better?” Sam asked as she approached Daniel in the main palace chamber. Whether he had done it consciously or not, he had his notebooks spread out around him like a buffer between him and the rest of the world. She carefully stepped over and around them.

“Lots,” Daniel confirmed, neither flinching nor pulling away to avoid her as she moved in to palm his forehead and check him for fever.

Sam smiled, pleased by how cool his forehead felt. “Well, I brought you a blanket and a thermos of hot chicken soup. But if you don’t want them—”

Daniel stopped scribbling and his head snapped up from the notebook he was working on. “Oh, I wadt theb. Thadks.”

He still sounded stuffed-up, which was no surprise given how much sneezing he was doing. But his voice was stronger and his eyes were no longer fever-bright. If Jack had let him venture out of his room to resume work on the translation, she certainly wasn’t going to tell Daniel to go back to bed. But he was far from recovered.

hehh… hehh-Hihshuhhh!” Only half-covered, Daniel thoroughly tended to his nose with a tissue afterward.

As he blew his nose, Sam draped the plush, gray and red plaid blanket around Daniel’s shoulders for him. Daniel made a faint sound of appreciation then blew his nose yet again.

She sat down next to him and passed him the soup and spoon over. The thermos would keep the soup warm for hours, but Daniel dug in immediately. It was good seeing him with an appetite again.

huh!” He set the thermos down, balancing the spoon across the top, and snatched up another tissue. “hetttchooo! Sniff! Sorry.”

She leaned to the side, bumping her shoulder against his to let him know it was all right.

“So, how’s your broject goidg?”

Given that he’d been a bit out of it the past day, Sam hadn’t expected him to remember, let alone ask. “You really want to hear about it?”

He nodded and picked the thermos up again as she began to regale him with the latest findings.

*

Daniel & Jack

At first, Daniel assumed it was the coughing that had woken him. A quick gulp of water from the bottle kept next to his bed and a few blows of his nose helped it pass without too much misery. But the normally quiet night in the palace was filled with more sounds than usual. Sounds of gasping, whimpering, and thrashing.

Fighting through dim light and blurry vision, Daniel could see Jack sleeping on the floor across the room, where he’d been every night since Daniel came down sick. This time, Jack wasn’t just sleeping, he was dreaming. And it didn’t seem to be a particularly good dream.

Pushing himself up, Daniel got out of bed and crossed the room. “Jack?” He squatted down and put a hand on Jack’s jerking shoulder. “Jack, wake ub.” When Jack didn’t obey him, Daniel gave him a little shake. “Hey, Jack. You’re havig a dightbare. Wake ub.” After a firm shake, Jack’s body froze and his eyes flew open. Without even giving Jack a second to recall what had just rattled him, Daniel gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “It’s okay. It was just a dightbare. You’re safe.”

Jack’s breathing slowed, and he sat up, using the wall for support. “Daniel! You’re not… you’re okay?” His voice was soft, not just a whisper but gentle, almost timid.

Daniel nodded. “I’b fide. I… heh!” Quickly, he turned his head to sneeze over his shoulder. “Hehhtshoo!” He rubbed his nose on his shoulder and gave Jack a sheepish smile. “I bead, I’ve still got this awful cold, but otherwise I’b fide.”

Daniel wasn’t expecting Jack to suddenly launch himself forward. He wasn’t expecting to find Jack’s arms around him, tightening into a hug. He wasn’t expecting to hear another desperate whisper. He patted Jack’s back, damp with sweat, and just repeated reassurances even as Jack clung tighter to him. 

Jack didn’t tell him what the dream had been about, but Daniel could guess. After a good long while, Jack’s body grew heavy against Daniel’s and loosened its hold. Pulling out of the embrace, Daniel took the opportunity to rub his nose. But it didn’t feel right to get up and go back to bed after this. “Hey, you got a telescope sedt through, right?”

“Yeah.”

“How about we grab a couble bladkets and go sit out od the beach with it?”

Jack brightened, hope dancing in his eyes. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. I’ll grab the bladkets.”

“And the Kleenex box.”

Daniel was still a little embarrassed, but his smile turned toward amusement as he gave a laugh. “Of course the Kleedex box.”