Chapter Four

11 September 2008 — Earth: SGC — 22:10 hours

 

Things were not looking good for Daniel.  SG-1 had been to quite a few planets but still came up empty handed.  Between the Goa’uld destroying their home worlds to keep the Ori at bay and the Ori destroying Goa’uld technology to prevent retaliation, things were looking pretty slim.  Jack was getting ever more aggravated and Sam was exhausted from all the overtime she was putting in to find someplace— any place they might have overlooked.  Their deadline was fast approaching and all of them were desperately grasping at straws.

 

Late at night, before the last day they were permitted to search, the team got together in Sam’s lab.  Since Daniel was doing better physically, they decided to ask Vala to join them, just in case she could come up with something outside the box.  But each idea that was brought up was just as quickly shot down.  They were tired and irritable.  All of them, blurry eyed, combed through each mission report, lost in their own thoughts.

 

Cam stood up and stretched.  “Ohhhh… man.  I’m wiped.  My brain is mush.”

 

Vala looked up from an old report from SG-1.  “Hey,” she said getting up from her seat, “what about these guys?”

 

She handed the folder to Sam, who looked over it.  As she read the planet’s designation, her eyebrows shot up and she smiled.  Carter gave the report to Jack.

 

“The Nox?” he asked.

 

“Why not?  They brought us back from the dead; they should be able to heal Daniel,” Sam replied.

 

“If I remember correctly, they were not eager on sharing with us,” Teal’c mentioned.

 

“It’s worth a try— for Daniel,” Vala pleaded.

 

“We promised them we wouldn’t drop by anymore,” O’Neill said as he rubbed a hand over his face.

 

Sam took the file back from her C.O. and tossed it onto the desk with an air of scarcely restrained anger.

 

“Fine,” she spat, “Vala and I will go and talk to them.”

 

Jack looked at her amused.  With a soft smirk he nodded, “Alright, Carter, simmer down.  We’ll run it by Landry.  If he agrees, we’ll head out to the Nox tomorrow.  We still need to keep this on the down-low from Daniel.  I don’t want to get his hopes up.”

 

Sam smiled sheepishly and nodded back at him.

 

“Come on, campers, let’s get some rack time.  I’ll go talk to Hank and let you all know in the morning.”

 

With murmurs of agreement, the group left Sam’s lab and headed to their on-site quarters.

 

***

 

11 September 2008 — Earth: SGC — 23:00 hours

 

O’Neill went down to General Landry’s office, knowing that Hank would still be there.  As he walked to the elevators, he really couldn’t help but believe that this mission would not yield any better results than the last several had.

 

His thoughts turned to Daniel.  He had suffered so much in the past 12 years and most of it because of this place.  Add that to his already tragic childhood and Jack really couldn’t understand how the man could stay so positive and trusting.

 

Leaning on the wall waiting for the elevator to come, Jack felt a hand on his arm.  Turning, he saw Vala standing next to him with an anxious look on her face.

 

“What can I do for you, Princess?”

 

She smiled at his reference to her as ‘Princess’.  Vala knew he had picked that up from Cameron.

 

“Do you think that these… Nox will help Daniel?” she asked with apparent desperation.

 

Jack dropped his head down and let out a sigh.  “I don’t know, Vala.  The Nox are unusually… peculiar.  I just hope that the Ori never found them.”

 

Seeing that she was upset, Jack put a comforting hand on her shoulder.  “We’re trying, Vala.  And if we can’t find anything to fix Daniel, he’ll have you to help him get through this.”

 

These words were the kindest ones that he had ever spoken to her.  With a sniffle, she gave him a quick hug, surprising O’Neill.  He watched as she walked away… back to Daniel.

 

***

 

12 September 2008 — Earth: SGC — 05:00 hours

 

The next morning, Sam made her way to her friend’s ISO room, “Daniel.”

 

The soft voice seemed to reach his sleeping mind and stirred him into wakefulness.  Slowly he opened his unbandaged eye and focused on the smiling face hovering over him.

 

“Sam?” he whispered.

 

“Yeah, it’s me.  Sorry to wake you… I’ve given this a lot of thought and feel that you have a right to know what we’ve been doing.  Just so you have something to hang onto.  We’re going to visit the Nox today.”

 

“The Nox?” his eyebrows furrowed together.  Clearing his throat he asked, “Why?”

 

“We’re going to see if they can help you.  Heal your legs so you can walk again.”

 

Looking confused, Daniel shook his head.  “I… I don’t understand—”

 

Sam pulled a chair over and sat down, glancing over to make sure Vala was sleeping.  “We’ve been going out to different places trying to find a healing device or a sarc.  We haven’t had any luck, though.  So… now we’re trying the Nox.”

 

Daniel let out a long breath and closed his eye.  “You guys don’t have to do that.  I’ll… I’ll be fine.” His voice sounded anything but fine.

 

Sam took his hand in hers and squeezed it, “This team would do anything for you, Daniel.”

 

He started to object, when she pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him.

 

“Just as all of us know, you would do the same.”  She stood up and kissed him on the cheek.  With a bright smile Sam said, “I have to go now.  We’re scheduled to leave in an hour.  Keep Vala out of trouble.  Oh… and don’t tell Jack I said anything.”

 

“Are you going to get into trouble?”

 

She grinned, “Nah! I’m a full-bird colonel now, he can’t intimidate me anymore.”  She took a quick look to make sure the General wasn’t behind her and said, “Besides, he didn’t actually say it was an order.”

 

Daniel chuckled.

 

As a nurse came to check his vitals, he said, “I have the best friends in the galaxy.  No.  They’re more than friends.  They’re more like family— the pack that’s always there.”

 

When she left, he fell back to sleep with a smile on his face.

 

***

 

12 September 2008 — Planet Designation: P3X-774 — 06:05 hours

 

As soon as they emerged from the Stargate, it disappeared.

 

“Déjà vu,” O’Neill mumbled.

 

“This happened before?”  Mitchell stared at the empty spot where the DHD had been moments before.

 

“Yep,” Sam said.  “It’s their way of saying, Hi, we know you’re here.”

 

Jack buckled up his P-90 and put his sunglasses on, “Well, kids, let’s go find us a Nox… in socks…”

 

“On a box with a fox—” Sam said with a smirk.

 

“I do not believe there are any foxes on this planet,” Teal’c intoned.

 

Cam fell into step next to the Jaffa.  “Fox in Socks!  That was one of my favorite books.”

 

“And here I thought you were a Green Eggs and Ham sorta guy,” Jack said.

 

“Sam I am!” Carter raised her hand in the air.

 

Teal’c cocked his head curiously, “What do you speak of?”

 

Jack turned his head and grinned at the big man, “You mean to tell me that you’ve been on our planet for over twelve years and never read Dr. Seuss?”

 

“Is this Dr. Seuss a man of medicine or a doctor like DanielJackson?” inquired Teal’c.

 

“Actually, he wasn’t a doctor at all and his name wasn’t Seuss,” Sam said.

 

“So he was an impostor and a fraud.  A master of deception.”

 

“Sort of,” Jack couldn’t stop his laugh. “He was probably the world’s greatest children’s author.”

 

“Shhh…” Cam went to one knee looking into the tree line.

 

He heard a rustling and slowly drew his weapon level.  Jack clamped a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

 

“Wave that around and you’ll lose it.  Just warning you.”

 

Standing back up, Mitchell raised an eyebrow, “Huh?”

 

“The Nox are peaceful and they have a strange way of making weapons disappear,” said the General.

 

Sam walked up to Mitchell and whispered, “I told him not to bring them, but you know the General.”

 

“Yeah, O’Neill without his weapon would be like O’Neill without his pecker.”

 

Sam’s face went red as she laughed quietly.

 

The wind rustled through the trees like paper wind chimes when a high-toned voice behind them spoke, “Good day.  We were expecting you sooner.”

 

The team spun around with hearts in their throats and their guns at the ready.

 

“Stop that!” Jack demanded of the annoyingly stealthy Nox.

 

The small, moss-covered young man smiled at them.  “It has been a long time, friends.  I am sorry that we must meet under such circumstances.”

 

Cam leaned over and whispered in Carter’s ear, “My gun is missing!”

 

“Better check your pecker then,” she whispered back with a grin.

 

“You won’t need any weapons here, Cameron Mitchell.  The Nox do not wish to harm anyone.”

 

“But…”

 

“The General did warn you, ColonelMitchell,” Teal’c said with a Jaffa’s version of a smirk.

 

“You’re Nafrayu, right?  It’s been a long time.  You’ve grown,” Jack said.

 

“Yes, like all living things.  I remember you, O’Neill.  The great hunter.” Nafrayu smiled at him.

 

Jack shifted from one foot to the other, remembering the time that the young boy watched as he used a bow and arrow.

 

“Since you seem to miraculously know why we are here, is there anything you can do to help our friend?  You remember Daniel, right?  The peaceful one?”

 

“Yes, we remember him fondly,” Lya said as she appeared next to Nafrayu.

 

“Hold on a sec— how did y’all know we were coming?” asked Cam.

 

“With races that are evolving rapidly, the Nox keep them under observation.  With the very young, understanding that their actions will cause either a positive or negative impact on the universe as a whole, seems to escape them,” Lya said.  “And we trade with some of the planets you have been visiting.  Because you were asking about a healing device for one of your people, we knew it was only a matter of time for you to come to us.”

 

“Oh,” was all Mitchell said.

 

Jack was getting anxious, “Can you help Daniel?”

 

Lya and Nafrayu looked at each other for a long moment, communicating silently.  Nodding in agreement, Nafrayu turned back to the team.

 

“We cannot help Daniel—,” he said.

 

Jack threw up his hands in frustration, “Outstanding!”

 

“But,” the young Nox continued unperturbed, “there is a race that may help you.  We will contact them and see if they would be willing to let you bring Daniel into their realm.”

 

O’Neill let out a huff but nodded— taking it for what it was… a possibility.

 

***

 

12 September 2008 — Earth: SGC — 07:00 hours

 

The sound of the klaxon had Vala running to the control room.  SG-1 was coming back and she hoped it was with good news.  However, when she saw the looks on their faces, her heart sank.  Turning to race down to the ‘gate room, she nearly bowled over several people in her rush.

 

She met them at the blast door as it opened.  O’Neill was the first one through and didn’t stop for her at all.  Cam followed behind likewise.  Sam stopped and with a sad look, shook her head.

 

“What?  What does that mean?”

 

“The Nox can’t help Daniel—” Sam started to say.

 

Vala reached for the wall, disappointment etched on her face.  Sam reached out to steady her and said, “Hold on, Vala.  They couldn’t help us, but they did have an idea of who might be able to.”

 

Vala resumed her composure and listened intently to Sam as they walked up the stairs to the briefing room together.

 

“It’s a race that we have never come across before.  Apparently, they’re very private.  The way that they have kept the Goa’uld and the Ori away is by not letting anyone know about them.”

 

Vala stopped suddenly causing Sam to run into her.  “Oh, sorry… but if they are wary of outsiders, why would they help us?”

 

“Well, the Nox said that they would contact them first and ask if we could come see them.  If that doesn’t work…” Sam trailed off,  “we really are out of ideas.”

 

Vala nodded her understanding and they continued into the briefing room.  With the whole team assembled, General Landry came in.

 

“What did you find out?” he directed his question at Jack.

 

“The Nox were painfully unhelpful in regards to healing Daniel themselves,” Jack remarked.  “However, they know someone that can help.  The problem is, these people don’t take kindly to strangers.”

 

General Landry closed his eyes and shook his head.  “Why can’t anything be simple when it comes to Dr. Jackson?”

 

There were smiles all around the table as well as nodding of heads.

 

“I warned you, Hank.  Daniel is the biggest football bat of the whole SGC!”

 

“When will the Nox get back in touch with us?” the General asked.

 

“In a few days,” Sam said, “we hope.”

 

With a deep sigh, Landry nodded, “Alright, I’ll inform the President and you all can have some down time.  When we get the word from the Nox… Well, we’ll tackle that when it gets here.  Dismissed.”

 

All of SG-1 stood to leave.

 

“Um, sir,” Carter reached out to stop O’Neill from going, “I sort of told Daniel what we’ve been doing and that we were going to see the Nox today.”

 

“Carter!” exasperation coloring his voice.

 

“Well, you didn’t say it was an order, sir.”

 

Jack rolled his eyes, “Might as well go and tell him then.  And Carter… ah, never mind.”

 

***

 

12 September 2008 — Earth: SGC — 07:45 hours

 

Vala and Sam went up to see Daniel to tell him what had happened.  In the elevator, Vala turned to the other woman.

 

“Samantha,” she said softly, “you’re good friends with Daniel, right?”

 

“The best.  He’s always been there for me, no matter what.”

 

Vala was quiet for a moment, then asked, “Do you have any… feelings for him?”

 

Sam raised her eyebrows and gave the other woman a grin.  “You mean… romantically?”

 

Vala just nodded at her.

 

“No, Vala.  I don’t have any romantic feelings for Daniel.  He’s more like… my big brother.  We’d do anything for each other.  There’s a bond that’s been forged between the team that I don’t believe will ever be broken.  You and Cameron are part of that now too.  But, no, I’m not involved with him.”  A sly grin spread a crossed her face, “why do you ask?”

 

Vala shrugged her shoulders and looked away.  “Did he ever get close to anyone after his wife died?”

 

“Nothing that serious.  I think he’s been afraid too.”

 

“Afraid?” Vala looked at her stunned, “Afraid of what?”

 

Sam bit her lip, as the doors of the elevator slid open.  Taking hold of Vala’s hand, she led her to an empty ISO room.

 

Still nibbling her lip, she turned to Vala with a serious expression.

 

“Vala, I don’t generally talk about others’ relationships, but in this case… I think you should know.  After Sha’re was taken as a host to Ammonet, Daniel had a hard time adjusting to life back on Earth.  His whole focus was to rescue his wife and Skaara.  As each mission went by and the hope started to fade, he threw himself into his work so he didn’t have to think about it.

 

“Then we were blindsided by Hathor, and she, well— she raped him to use his DNA for her children.  He was seduced by a woman, became addicted to the effects of the sarcophagus and had a hell of a time coming down off it.  When Daniel found out that Sha’re had become pregnant with Apophis’ child, he was devastated.  Plus, he was the one that delivered the baby but had to leave him with his father-in-law for protection.

 

“About six months later, Teal’c killed Sha’re before Ammonet could kill Daniel with the ribbon device.  Losing her once and for all hit him hard.  He wasn’t the same for a long time.  In fact, he almost left the SGC for good.”

 

Vala’s hands were covering her mouth, eyes wide with shock.

 

The Colonel continued, “While he was still grieving for Sha’re, another woman came into his life only to discover that it was Linea the legendary Destroyer of Worlds.  Jack really laid into him when he found out that Daniel was falling for her.  After that, a past love interest came back into his life, only to be taken as a host for Osiris.  It was Sha’re all over again.”

 

Taking a long breath, Sam watched as Vala tried to take in all the information.

 

“I heard a little of what happened when the two of you first met.  The ribbing and taunting?  Daniel just isn’t like that.  Didn’t you notice how guarded he was when you showed up here?  He knew you were a thief and a con artist— he wasn’t going to put an ounce of faith in you.  Or play your games.  But somewhere along the way… Daniel’s feelings for you started to change.  He’d never admit it, but I could tell.

 

“When you disappeared as the super-gate blew up, he was miserable, and it wasn’t just because of the Kor mek bracelets.  He was right back to work as if nothing happened, the consummate artist at keeping his emotions locked away.  After you had contacted us with the long-range comm-stones to let everyone know you were alive, and married— and pregnant…,” Sam paused for a moment, wanting Vala to completely understand, “that was one of those rare times just the two of us went out— as friends, and he got completely trashed.  He had a hangover for two days.

 

“You see, Vala— Daniel’s been burned so many times that I didn’t think he would ever look at a woman with thoughts of love again.  But he really deserves to have some happiness in that department.  I think you scare him.  I think that he has fallen head over heels for you and that terrifies him so much, he pushes you away.  I know he can’t take another heartbreak.  If you love him… really love him, please be sure before you break down all his defenses.”

 

The former pirate’s face glistened with tears.  The tragedies in both their lives had jaded their hearts to such a degree, when love did come, neither one of them could recognize it.

 

“I… I can’t believe how much Daniel has been through.  It never occurred to me that our pasts would be so similar.  And me… flirting and teasing.  It’s the only way I knew how to protect my heart.  But when I first meet him…,” she shook her head remembering how he made her feel.  Sure they were fighting, but something about him wouldn’t let her alone.

 

“With Daniel— he’s the only reason I came here.  The only reason I stopped running away.  No one has ever treated me with respect or trusted me enough to even call me a friend.  I’ve gone about this all wrong.”  She let out a sigh of raw emotion and said with a hitch in her voice,  “How will he ever believe that my feelings for him are genuine?”

 

“Vala, I believe that you are in love with Daniel.  I also think he’s in love with you.  I’ve seen it in his eyes, he tries to hide it, but it’s there.  Just… don’t play games.  Daniel is honest and that’s what he respects.”

 

Sam got deathly serious then, “But, if you hurt him, there will be nowhere you can hide that I won’t find you and hurt you.  Understand?”

 

Vala’s eyes went wide and she nodded.  The two women regarded each other and Sam knew she had gotten her message across.

 

***

 

12 September 2008 — Earth: SGC — 08:20 hours

 

Dr. Lam was with Daniel when Sam and Vala walked in.  She was taking the bandages off his face and checking how the cut that ran from his right ear down to his lip was healing.

 

“I’m sorry, Daniel,” she said quietly, “but you’re going to have a visible scar.”

 

“Is my eye okay?”

 

Pulling the pen light out and shining it into both his eyes, Dr. Lam smiled.  “Yes, I think it will be.  It’s reacting just as it should.”

 

Daniel let out a long sigh and murmured, “Small mercies.”

 

He then noticed Sam and Vala and gave them a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

 

“Hey,” Daniel said without much feeling, “how were the Nox?”

 

Sam pulled up a chair and sat next to him.  “They… they told us of a race we haven’t dealt with before. Said they’d get in touch with them and ask for their help.  Hopefully, these guys will be agreeable.”

 

She didn’t sound all that confident, but Daniel understood what it was— a prospect.  He looked over to Vala giving her a half-hearted grin.  She sat on the side of his bed and reached out to run a finger softly down the scar.

 

“You look roughish now, a real warrior.”

 

“Oh yeah, that’s me… Mr. Tough Guy,” the sarcasm dripping with each word.  The idea of him being a tough guy was ludicrous.

 

“Daniel, you are the toughest man I have ever met,” said Sam while the other women nodded in agreement.

 

Dr. Lam finished her check-up and left the room with Sam, who begged off on account of her work.  Vala took hold of Daniel’s hand and sighed.

 

“Are you doing alright?” she asked.

 

“I guess… just bored.  Could you get my glasses for me… and maybe a book or two from my office?”

 

“Sure.  Just don’t overdo it with the reading.  Don’t want to strain those beautiful blue eyes.”

 

He held her hand tightly and said, “You know, I never thanked you for not giving up on me back in the cave.”

 

Vala just shrugged her shoulders and looked away briefly.

 

“No, Vala,” he said in a solemn voice, “I really mean it.  Thank you.  I was sure I wouldn’t make it out alive.  You kept me going.”

 

It was time to see if he could really put aside his insecurities and open his heart.  Gently he pulled her down and kissed her forehead.  She pulled away only a little and stared into his eyes.  Taking a chance, she pressed her lips to his and kissed him softly.  As she began to back away, he threw his good arm around her and pulled her back down to him.  Opening his lips slightly, he invited her in and she willingly obliged.  It was nothing like the kisses they shared on the Prometheus.  This meant something… to both of them.  This kiss was consensual and wanted.  It was passionate and made their blood raced.  If it weren’t for his heart monitor beginning to beep loud and rapidly, they both would have gladly continued.

 

Sitting up, she smiled, “I’ll go and get your stuff.”

 

He merely nodded, not able to string even two words together.  It was as if she had totally kissed the brains right out of him.  Still reeling from the feelings that were burning in his soul, he decided that this was definitely going to need more contemplation.  Daniel watched her go with a perplexed expression.  He could feel his heart beating fast and wondered how it could betray him like this?  Still… maybe he could let her in.  Maybe this really was love.  The pain meds must be clouding his common sense he concluded as he drifted into a restless sleep.