Title: Unexpected Circumstances

Suggested Rating: for young adult and older readers

Category: action/adventure, Daniel/Janet

Setting: Season 8

Synopsis: A medical mission to a friendly planet takes a turn for the worst.

Spoiler Warning: Takes into consideration some of the reported spoilers for Season 8 (although that season doesn’t officially begin for another month and a half). Also anything from Season 1-7 is fair game.

Author’s Comments: This is SO unlike anything I’ve ever written before. For one thing I don’t typically do fan fiction challenges. Usually my muse doesn’t respond well to “limitations” as set by others. But an idea for this one popped in my head and I couldn’t get rid of it. Secondly I don’t exactly have a flair for action/adventure. I enjoy reading and watching it, but don’t feel that strong in writing it. Still, Meg asked so nicely that I felt I had to try. And finally I wrote this in first person POV – something I never do. So, all in all, this piece just feels really weird to me. As a result I’d appreciate (even more than I usually do) any feedback – good or bad – folks have to share. Special thanks to Sonia for the quick beta read. Oh, one other thing. Although I’ve set this in Season 8 who knows how it will actually fit in the scheme of that season when if finally airs. Not that it really matters, considering in this version of the universe Janet is still alive. So, just suspend your disbelief and enjoy the story.

DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters and places (the Stargate SG-1 stuff) are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment only and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Challenge Requirements:

1. The prominent ship pairing must be Daniel/Janet. Other ships have their own fics... this is for Dan&Jan. Whether they're just discovering they have feelings for each other throughout the fic or they're already in a relationship is up to you.

2. It must fit into the category of action/adventure, at least to some degree. (There just aren't enough of those for Dan/Jan)

3. At least the majority of the fic must be set off-world. Where and why is up to you.

4. Have at least one previously established enemy from the show in the story somewhere. Which one and what they're doing is up to you.

5. No permanent character death (though if the enemy is destroyed, that's a-ok).

6. No NC-17 content.

UNEXPECTED CIRCUMSTANCES

- by Michelle Lunsford (May 2004)

‘I’ve got a bad feeling about this’, I said grimly to myself as I rose to follow the Jaffa.

As we moved from the small cargo hold to another part of the ship I glanced around, looking for anything that might be a clue regarding our whereabouts. Unexpectedly my Jaffa guide halted and I nearly careened into him.

‘Oh my – he really towers over me,’ I thought, and a fresh wave of fear surged in my stomach. But then I felt the reassuring presence of my companion as he stepped beside me. I glanced up at him. He returned my gaze, offering what I knew was meant to be an expression of encouragement and confidence. But I could detect the hint of worry lurking in those eyes. Swallowing hard, I tried to force my fears aside and returned my attention to our captor. I watched as he pressed a device he wore on his hand. And as the transport rings engaged I wondered once again how we were going to get out of this mess.

The mission to P3R-221 had been straightforward enough. SG-1 had made initial contact with the planet – which the natives called Vecca – several months ago and found a people who, though not technologically advanced, possessed an extremely rich and diverse culture. It was also discovered they had sufficient quantities of both Trinium and Naquadah as natural resources and so efforts to establish trade and communication had been made.

Then a virus broke out in the capital city. The Veccans requested assistance and I was sent with a medical team to do what we could. SG-1 had accompanied me at the onset, but as things progressed and my team and I got the outbreak under control, they returned home. Only Daniel remained behind, taking advantage of the opportunity to study the Veccan culture and history in more detail. The situation had reached a point where the local medical staff was able to handle it and I’d ordered my team to begin packing so we could also return.

And then it happened.

Without warning a fleet of Goa’uld gliders attacked the capital. It happened so fast – I’m still not sure how it all came about. There were people running everywhere, screaming and shouting as the blasts rained down on us from the air. Within seconds the scene was one of utter pandemonium. I vaguely remember Daniel attempting to bring some kind of order to the situation but even the local leaders were beside themselves, giving in to their fear by responding in chaos. We decided to head for the Gate, urging whoever would listen to follow. We did manage to make it to the Gate with a sizable congregation in tow. Daniel dialed and got the wormhole engaged but only a handful of people had stepped through before a glider spotted us and opened fire.

People fled immediately, running in all directions. Thomason – one of my med techs – had been standing at the top of the steps, hastily helping people through the Gate when he was hit, but I’m fairly certain I saw Lieutenant Anderson make it through. I only hope he was able to warn General O’Neill and the others. Maybe reinforcements can be sent, to fight back against the Goa’uld, or at least to provide enough cover fire to get more of the people through the Gate. Or if nothing else groups can be sent to help deal with the aftermath of the attack.

Of course, not that such potential assistance is likely to do me and Daniel any good at the moment.

If I didn’t know better I’d swear that glider had singled us out. We’d fled to a more secure position near the Gate, but it managed to spot us and after fairly obliterating everything else in the area it hovered at our location, effectively pinning us in place. A swarm of Jaffa had arrived seconds later and Daniel and I were taken prisoner. They hadn’t told us anything. In fact, they’d barely spoken at all, other than to order us to follow them with the clear instruction that any attempt at escape would be met with a hasty shot in the back. They momentarily separated us, and managed to squeeze us into a couple of gliders, from which we were flown to a transport ship in orbit around the planet.

We were locked in a small hold area with one of the Jaffa. Daniel and I tried to talk briefly, to assess our situation, but the Jaffa kept telling us to be silent – a message we finally took to heart when he enforced it with a shove from the butt of his weapon to the back of Daniel’s knee. I felt the ship go into hyperspace at one point, so I have no idea where we are now. However, it was just moments ago that we exited hyperspace and were transferred from our make-shift prison to this ring platform.

I heard a loud noise and a bright light flashed. Blinking several times to get my vision back in focus, I wondered if that meant the rings had disengaged. My suspicion was confirmed when I realized our surroundings had changed. I noticed that Daniel was also taking in our new environment. He momentarily caught my eye and mouthed, “I think it’s a mother ship”. But then our lead Jaffa was moving again and the sensation of a staff weapon pressed between my shoulder blades told me clearly enough that I should follow.

‘Not exactly the most cheery décor,’ I noted, observing the dim hallway. The minimal lighting cast odd shadows across the floor as we progressed. The rhythmic cadence of our captors rang in my ears, mixing with echoes of what I suspected were troops of Jaffa marching on guard patrol in other parts of the ship. Despite my growing apprehension I followed my military training and focused on our route – one left, two rights, another left, onto a lift where we went up two levels and then a final right before arriving at an entryway. The Jaffa pressed a sequence of keys in the wall panel to our left and with a soft swoosh the doors slid open.

This room was much brighter, with light coming from a mixture of orbs at regular intervals along the wall and large ornate torches burning in each corner of the pentagonal shaped room.

‘And yet,’ I considered silently as I stepped into the room, ‘this feels even darker than the rest of the ship.’ A window filled a sizable portion of one of the side walls and I caught a glimpse of the star field outside. I also saw a seating area that could have passed easily for a throne. The only other permanent fixture in the room appeared to be a small dais on which sat some type of console. Various digital maps and what looked like technical readings were being projected above it, leading me to believe it was some type of control center. Three other Jaffa stood guard in the room, but the man standing at the window with his back to us was clearly the one we’d been brought here to see.

“The prisoners, my lord,” our lead Jaffa announced, bowing on one knee.

With deliberate slowness the man turned around. He was tall, but not remarkably so, with dark hair and eyes. His features were sharply cut and he bore a well manicured mustache and goatee.

‘Under different circumstances, I’d probably consider him quite attractive,’ I thought.

“Ah yes,” the man smiled insidiously as his eyes fell on us. He began to close the distance between us and it seemed as if every step oozed arrogance. “Doctor Daniel Jackson – although the last time we met I believe it was Yu’s manservant, Jarrin, was it not?” He paused, his demeanor indicating he wasn’t really expecting an answer. “At any rate, it is a pleasure to see you again, Doctor Jackson.”

I turned my head slightly to catch Daniel’s reaction. He met the man’s gaze directly and with a tone that was surprisingly insolent said, “Sorry that I can’t quite say the same for you, Baal.”

My mind latched on to the name – one of the Goa’uld System Lords. And if memory served, he was pretty high on the command chain, a position that no doubt had been fortified by the death of Anubis.

The Goa’uld chuckled lightly in reply before turning his attention to me. His amused expression altered into something momentarily inquisitive before he eventually smiled in a manner that left me feeling decidedly uncomfortable.

“Keeping more appealing company these days as well, I see,” he commented lightly, flicking his gaze to Daniel. Then his eyes locked with mine and flashed with that characteristic Goa’uld-like glow. “Doctor Jackson, you must introduce me to your companion.”

Before Daniel had a chance to respond I stood straight and tall and, aiming for a tone that I hoped would come across as somewhat dauntless, said, “I’m Doctor Janet Frasier.”

Baal took a step closer, his eyes purposefully roving up and down my body. I fought against a shudder.

Suddenly Daniel stepped forward, as if attempting to position himself between me and Baal. “What do you want?” he asked, his voice carrying a hint of challenge.

The air hummed with tension for several heartbeats before Baal turned away. But rather than answer Daniel’s question he merely ordered his Jaffa to take us to a holding cell.

As before I attempted to concentrate on our route, but we weaved through so many different hallways – and, admittedly, I’d been rather unnerved by the recent encounter – that I lost count of all the turns before we arrived at our destination. Our new lodging – such as at was – consisted of a small cubicle with two platforms that appeared to function for either a sitting or sleeping area. There was nothing else. Rather than a solid door the cell was closed by an energy beam that gave off a bluish reflection. I could see through the barrier, and noted one of the Jaffa that had served as escort took his post outside our cell, his back to us. Wearily I strode over to one of the platforms and sat down.

Daniel walked over and knelt down in front of me. “Are you okay?” he asked softly.

I nodded and attempted a smile, but the enormity of our dilemma was beginning to sink in and I couldn’t maintain the façade. Shutting my eyes I leaned back against the wall and sighed. “What are we going to do?”

Daniel said nothing, but I felt his movement as he rose and then sat beside me. Then there was a gentle touch on my arm. My eyes fluttered open as I turned to look at him.

“I don’t know,” he said simply. I saw the same traces of worry in his expression I’d seen before, but there was also a sincerity there that I found immensely comforting. He managed a half smile and added, “But we’ll get through this together.”

I’m not sure why I broke down then. It could have been the discomfort I’d experienced when Baal had unabashedly appraised me. Maybe it was the realization that we were captives on a Goa’uld mother ship and no one knew where we were. Or perhaps it was the weight of watching all those people die around me as we’d attempted to flee Vecca during the attack. All I know is that Daniel was there, being the kind and sensitive friend I’d always known him to be. Allowing the tears to fall I buried my head against his shoulder, taking solace in the security I felt as his arms slowly wrapped around me.

^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^

Several hours had passed. My brief crying spell seemed to do me good, the emotional release providing an opportunity to regain my balance. Our situation didn’t look any better, but at least I was more determined now to – as my dad always used to say – hang tough. Daniel and I discussed our circumstance at length. Rescue was unlikely, unless by some miracle someone had been able to trace where we’d been taken. Escape might be possible, but without having any idea where we were, we didn’t have any clues as to where we’d escape. In the end we decided to try and find out what information we could, and be on the lookout for any potential escape opening – deciding that escape into the unknown was preferable to remaining captive.

Daniel attempted, for a while, to get information from our Jaffa guard. But either the shield barrier was soundproof – which we seriously doubted – or else he was pointedly ignoring us.

“You want to give it a try?” Daniel asked, after several failed attempts to engage the Jaffa in any dialogue.

I shrugged. I wasn’t sure how to go about it, but at least it would give me something to keep my mind occupied. “Sure,” I replied. I stood, taking the opportunity to stretch my legs a bit. I started to make my way towards the shield, but before I could even formulate what I wanted to say another Jaffa, carrying a medium sized box, suddenly appeared from around the corner. He motioned for us to step back and then pressed at something on his belt. The shield flickered a couple of times, then went out completely. The Jaffa stepped through. He pressed at his belt again and the shield engaged.

“Lord Baal has requested your presence at his evening meal,” the Jaffa announced without preamble.

Daniel glanced at me, his expression wary. “Not your typical Goa’uld standard of hospitality,” he said.

The Jaffa moved toward one of the platforms – never turning his back to us, I noted – and placed the box there. Opening it he pulled out a pair of women’s slippers, followed by what appeared to be some type of cloth in a deep burgundy color. He sat the slippers on the platform beside the box and then tossed the other item at me.

“You are instructed to wear this,” he said evenly.

Looking down at the mass of cloth in my hand I began to unwrap it, and discovered it was – surprisingly enough – an evening gown. I held it up, noticing the rich feel of the fabric and what I was sure would be an all too revealing cut to the bodice. A sensation of dread began to build in the pit of my stomach.

Perhaps Daniel had an inkling of what I was thinking because he suddenly said, “I don’t think so.”

The Jaffa answered by engaging his staff weapon. “My master was most insistent,” he said coldly. Looking directly at Daniel he added, “My lord also stated that your presence at the meal was not necessarily essential.”

“It’s okay,” I assured, laying a hand on Daniel’s arm, although I’m not sure whom I was trying to convince – him or me. He looked at me, and I could see the conflicting emotions in his eyes. I nodded, hoping it was a gesture of reassurance and said, “We’ll get through this together, remember?”

He held my gaze for a few more seconds before finally nodding as well. “Together,” he repeated, his voice tight.

I glanced around, recalling the sparse accommodations. I fixed the Jaffa with a pointed look. “And where, exactly, am I expected to change?”

The Jaffa said nothing.

Sighing heavily, I glanced at Daniel again. “Would you mind?”

He nodded in understanding, turning his back to offer what cover he could. I turned around also, but not before noticing that Daniel had also opened up his jacket, holding the sides out to provide additional screening. Despite the circumstance, I couldn’t help but smile a little at that.

‘Leave it to Daniel to be chivalrous at a time like this,’ I said to myself.

As I changed into the dress my mind momentarily pulled up a scene from that old Indiana Jones film. ‘Doubt I’ll have any luck getting my host drunk tonight,’ I noted, rather sarcastically. Still, it was enough to remind me that I’d need to be on my guard, watching for any opportunity where I might be able to play this ridiculous scenario to our advantage.

The dress wasn’t a perfect fit, but it was close enough. And the top was not nearly as revealing as I’d feared. However I did discover a rather high slit in the skirt that I’d failed to notice before. I did not look forward to the sensation of exposure I was sure to experience once we were in Baal’s presence. I muttered a word of thanks to Daniel as I stepped from behind him and reached for the slippers. Sliding them on I found they were comfortable enough, and I considered myself fortunate I’d not been given some torturous pair of heels instead.

As I turned around I caught sight of Daniel watching me intently. I was unsure how to interpret his expression. It almost seemed to be an odd mixture of concern and fascination. But he glanced away quickly, mumbling something to the guard about our being ready to go now.

‘What was that all about?’ I wondered, falling into step behind the lead Jaffa. But, not wanting the peculiarity of the moment to distract me, I pushed the thought aside and attempted to mentally prepare myself for what was ahead.

We were escorted to the same chamber as before, but a small table had been set up in one corner.

‘Well, the table may be small,’ I noted to myself, ‘but they’ve definitely gone big in style.’

Everything was plush and ornate, from the linens and place settings to the food itself. The table was low, with several cushions situated around it. I groaned inwardly as I imagined attempting to get up and down from the floor in this dress.

‘No doubt that was all part of his plan,’ I thought angrily, allowing the ire to feed my courage as I glanced around to find our host.

Baal was sitting in his throne, dressed in simple but elegant black and golden robes. He rose to greet us and smiled that oily smile I remembered all too well from our first encounter.

“Welcome! I’m delighted you could join me.”

“As if we had a choice,” I shot back, a little surprised at my own vehemence.

Daniel took a step closer to me and I had the fleeting thought that perhaps he was trying to warn me.

Baal chuckled, his voice resonating in a deep Goa-uld baritone, and fixed me with a feral gaze. “But you always have a choice, my dear.”

I didn’t answer, knowing it would be pointless. ‘Sure, I have a choice – if you want to consider death as a viable option.’

“Come,” Baal continued, waving a hand towards the table. “You must be hungry.”

I glanced to Daniel, silently telling him that I would follow his lead. He gave a slight nod of reassurance and began moving towards the table. I followed, my mind again ruminating over just how I was going to sit down into something that approached a comfortable position without exposing any more bare skin than was absolutely necessary. As we drew closer I noticed the table was actually triangular in shape, which meant there was no way I was going to be able to completely avoid having to sit beside Baal. Then as I watched Baal take his self-appointed place I instinctively knew he was going to hold out a hand to offer me assistance.

‘This just gets worse with each passing second,’ my inner voice bemoaned.

Abruptly Daniel stepped ahead of me, positioning himself to my left as he reached the table first, his hand already reaching for my arm to help me sit down. Immense gratitude welled inside me and I could have flung my arms around him in a suffocating bear hug right then and there. But, considering our present situation, I simply offered him a fleeting glance instead. I managed to situate myself, with my legs curved slightly to my side so that the length of the dress covered them. Daniel waited until I was settled before taking the last empty spot.

Baal picked up a dish that looked as if it contained some type of large, steaming vegetable. “I trust you will find something here to your liking,” he said, passing the dish toward me.

I caught a whiff of something sweet and spicy and felt a distinctive tightening in my stomach. It had been hours since I’d last eaten. But my wariness hadn’t eased up, so I simply glared at him in response.

“I assure you that none of it is poisoned,” Baal commented, retrieving the dish and spooning out a portion onto his own plate. For added measure he sliced off a bite and put it in his mouth.

“Why kill us before attempting to get information from us first, you mean?” Daniel quipped from his side of the table.

Baal met his gaze, his mouth caught somewhere between an amused smile and an irritated frown. “I must say that the information I’ve been privy to regarding the infamous SG-1 always purported that O’Neill was the impertinent one.”

Daniel didn’t even flinch. “I’m just doing double-duty since Jack’s not here.”

I waited, not sure if I should be amused or perturbed about this little tête-à-tête.

“I see,” Baal said at last, passing me the dish again.

I took it this time, serving myself a sample of whatever it was.

“And how is the good General doing these days?” Baal asked as we continued to serve ourselves from the variety of foods.

“Oh, you know Jack,” Daniel replied. It he was the least bit rattled by the fact that Baal had knowledge of O’Neill’s recent promotion then he didn’t show it.

I smiled to myself at the way he’d chosen to be purposefully vague. But I also wondered how long before Baal would grow tired of this little cat-and-mouse game.

They traded barbs a couple more times and then nothing more was said for a while. I busied myself with sampling the items on my plate, taking advantage of the meal since there was no way to know when we might get to eat again. I also surreptitiously attempted to study the room in more detail. But I didn’t feel I’d gleaned anything of value from the exercise. I didn’t have a clue about how to operate any of the Goa’uld technology, and since my knowledge of astronomy is quite limited, the stars outside the window told me nothing regarding our location.

“As distasteful as I find it to do so,” Baal began after the long silence, “I believe I must acknowledge my gratitude to you and your little group.”

Daniel and I both looked at each other in perplexity before turning our gaze toward our host again. ‘What is he up to?’ I wondered.

Baal smiled. “With the defeat of Anubis, I remain relatively unchallenged among the System Lords.”

“Glad we could help,” Daniel replied sarcastically.

‘Maybe a bit too sarcastically,’ I thought as I watched Baal lean forward slightly, his smile growing more sinister.

“Perhaps you would assist me further by providing information of precisely how you defeated Anubis,” he said.

Daniel practically snorted. “Sorry. I can’t do that.”

‘But of course you can,’ I thought to myself. ‘You can tell him about the Antarctic outpost, and its connection to the Lost City.’ I opened my mouth to actually tell Daniel something to that effect, but a slight buzzing echoed in my head before I could form the words. A couple more heartbeats passed before I realized what I’d been about to do.

‘Where did that thought come from?’ I wondered with a growing sense of apprehension.

Baal was speaking again. “Don’t be so hasty, Doctor Jackson. I’m aware that your expertise isn’t necessarily in weapons, but I’m sure you can tell me more than you realize.”

It felt like a haze was forming in my mind. I glanced at Daniel. It looked as if he’d been about to fire back with another smart remark, but then he too had paused, as if reconsidering.

“Some type of alien technology, perhaps?” Baal added, his tone strangely hypnotic.

My mental haze was thickening and again I had a strong desire to answer Baal’s question. Reflexively I shook my head to clear it. ‘Something’s not right here,’ I screamed at myself. Truly worried now, I looked to Daniel. His mouth was clamped tight, his eyes closed in unmistakable concentration. ‘He’s fighting it too,’ I realized.

“What have you done to us?” I demanded, turning my attention to Baal.

But he simply replied with another inquiry to Daniel. “Then again, maybe you’d rather give me the code that informs your people to deactivate your Gate iris?”

Immediately the combination of numbers and letters I’d memorized before our recent mission flashed into my head. I had an almost overwhelming urge to speak them aloud. ‘Concentrate!’ I ordered myself, fairly biting on my tongue to keep from revealing the code.

“Whatever you’ve done,” Daniel said, his voice obviously strained, “it’s not going to work. We won’t tell you anything.”

This time Baal actually laughed. “Oh, your bravado does amuse me, Doctor Jackson.” He leaned back slightly, his demeanor one of utter arrogance. “But I have plenty of time. Now I ask you again, what type of weapon did you use to defeat Anubis.”

With each question Baal posed it was becoming more difficult to fight against blurting out the answer. I didn’t dare break my concentration long enough to look at Daniel again. But I was sure he was still fighting against the same thing I was. ‘You have to think, Janet,’ I told myself. Perhaps if I could figure out how Baal was doing this, it might give me a clue about how to fight it.

Struggling to focus my thoughts away from Baal’s inquiries, I replayed everything that had happened to us in the past half-hour. When the answer finally dawned on me it was so blindingly obvious that I wanted to hit myself for not considering it sooner.

“The food!” I exclaimed. “It may not have been poisoned, but you put something in the food.”

Baal’s attention, which had been primarily focused on Daniel during this inquisition, turned to me. “Ah, my dear doctor – as intelligent as you are beautiful.”

“What is it?” I asked. Whatever the drug was, he’d eaten the food too. It was probably a long shot, but if he would tell me something about the drug then maybe I could figure out how to combat it. “Some kind of truth serum?”

“That would be telling, now wouldn’t it?” he replied. “But fortunately I took the antidote before our little meal this evening.”

I latched on to whatever I could to keep him talking instead of asking more questions. “So there’s an antidote, then?”

Baal’s eyes bored into mine as he asked, “Can you tell me the code that deactivates Earth’s Gate iris?”

His voice seemed to wrap around me like a soft, warm blanket and again the code appeared in my mind’s eye. ‘No, no, no!’ I pleaded with myself. ‘Don’t say it!’

Suddenly I became aware that Daniel was softly whispering something. For a moment I was seized with fear. ‘Oh no,’ I panicked. ‘He’s giving in – he’s going to reveal something.’ But as Daniel’s voice grew steadily louder I discovered that whatever he was saying wasn’t in English.

I picked up one or two words, realizing it was in Latin. Then I recognized a bit in German. The next part was unrecognizable, but definitely one of the harsher languages. ‘Russian, perhaps?’ I considered, taking advantage of this new puzzle as an opportunity to fight against the lure of Baal’s queries. I began to notice there was a steady rhythm to Daniel’s murmurings, and then it hit me. ‘He’s saying the same phrase, over and over again, but each time in a different language.’

Well, if that could keep Daniel fighting against Baal’s truth drug, then maybe I could use it to fight as well. Pouring all my concentration into the effort, I closed my eyes and listened to Daniel’s steady mantra. And as I zeroed in on the sound of his voice, slowly the barrage of Baal’s questioning grew less and less seductive.

Eventually I became aware that the room had grown quiet again. I opened my eyes and saw that Daniel was staring at Baal with an unmistakable look of defiance. His brow was still furrowed slightly, from continued concentration, but otherwise he appeared calm and confident. Baal, for his part, gazed back with a stone-cold expression that did nothing to ease my concern.

Several strained seconds of silence ticked past before Baal eventually broke into one of his unsettling smiles again. “I wondered if you would be able to fight against the drug I used,” he said, his eyes never faltering from Daniel’s. “Most intriguing. No doubt you will continue to interest and amuse me before I no longer have need of you.”

Daniel didn’t reply, but I caught the slight way his body tensed. Yes, Baal’s comment had been an obvious threat, but I suspected Daniel had way more of an idea than I did just how bad things could get before this was all over.

“But for now,” Baal continued, “we are finished. You may go.”

Daniel didn’t waste any time in getting up. He was already offering his hand to help me up as well when suddenly one of the Jaffa who’d been standing guard thrust the end of his staff weapon between us.

“I meant that you may go, Doctor Jackson,” Baal said, turning his attention toward me. His expression became blatantly predatory as he added, “But I am not yet ready to dismiss the company of your friend.”

I fought against a rising sense of panic and reflexively turned to Daniel, sending out a silent plea for help. But Daniel’s attention was fixed on Baal. He was practically shooting daggers at the Goa’uld, his fists clenched at his side and his entire body rigid. The look I saw on his face sent a momentary shiver up my spine.

“No,” Daniel said. There was an icy tenor to his tone that ratcheted the already obvious tension in the air up a couple of notches.

For a moment Baal merely returned Daniel’s steady gaze with an unreadable one of his own. Then he arched one eyebrow slightly and said, “Trust me, Doctor Jackson, it will be much easier if you do not remain.”

Daniel shook his head adamantly. “If Janet stays, then so do I.”

Baal responded with a somewhat dramatic sigh. “Very well – if you insist.”

With the slightest flick of his hand Baal gave a signal and two Jaffa were immediately at Daniel’s side. Each one grabbed an arm and roughly jerked him over against the wall.

“No!” I shouted. I rushed to get up and nearly got tangled in the skirt of my dress. I felt a vice-like grip on my arm and realized that Baal had me.

“Let me help you, my dear,” the Goa’uld purred at my ear as he lifted me into a standing position.

“No,” I cried again, struggling to pull from his grasp.

“Now, now,” Baal continued, holding me fast. “You may want to reconsider being quite so combative.”

The subtle warning cut through my growing trepidation and I froze, meeting the cold eyes of the Goa’uld who stood in front of me.

“You see,” Baal went on, “as long as you cooperate, Doctor Jackson will come to no harm.”

He suddenly stepped aside and I saw that Daniel had now been strapped to the wall at his wrists with his arms raised slightly above him. His mouth was gagged. The two Jaffa still stood nearby, but now one of them held some kind of stick, about a meter long, with a double-pronged head on one end. I wasn’t sure what the device was used for, although torture seemed a fair bet. Reluctantly I met Daniel’s eyes, unsure what I would see there. There was a sense of desperation, and perhaps even a touch of fear. But most of all I saw anger – cold, hard anger.

‘Hold it together,’ I told myself. ‘You can do this. You have to do this.’ Taking a deep breath, I turned to face Baal, and asked in as steady a voice as I could muster, “What do you want?”

“Only to ask a few questions,” he replied with a smile.

I swallowed. ‘Why do I get the feeling that’s not all he’s got in mind?’ Mentally steeling myself, I pulled back my shoulders and thrust my chin forward slightly. “Okay. What’s the first question?”

Rather than speak again, Baal just stared at me. Then, with an agonizing slowness, he purposefully circled around me. I could feel his eyes on me, but forced myself to stand firm. After making a complete loop he paused, leaning in slightly.

“What were you doing on Vecca?” he finally asked.

Well, at least that was a question I could safely answer. “Offering medical assistance.”

Baal nodded, as if he’d already known the answer. He moved to circle me again, but stopped on my right side and reached out to run a finger deliberately up and down my arm from shoulder to elbow.

“And why was Doctor Jackson there?” he questioned, moving again to repeat the process on my left arm

“Studying their culture,” I replied. The purposeful invasion of my private space was already beginning to disturb me, so I reached for a bit of acrimony as a means of fighting against it. “That is one of the things archaeologists do, you know.”

Baal chuckled slightly. “Of course,” he said, his tone colored with amusement. He leaned closer, and I felt the heat of his breath against the back of my neck as he asked, “And where was the rest of SG-1?”

From the corner of my eye I saw Daniel struggling against his restraints. “They were not on this mission,” I answered, offering at least a partial truth.

Baal was standing behind me when he suddenly grabbed both my arms, effectively pinning them against my side. He pulled me against him, his mouth brushing against my ear as he continued the interrogation. “Then surely, when you and your medical team planned to return to earth, you would need the recognition code so that your Gate’s iris could be deactivated.”

‘So much for the safe questions,’ I mused, feeling my apprehension start to stir again.

Without warning Baal wrapped one arm around me, at the level of my shoulders. It resulted in freeing my arms, but I was still trapped against him. “What is the code?” he calmly inquired.

“I don’t know,” I lied.

Baal must have given some sign to his Jaffa because the guard immediately touched the edge of his stick to Daniel’s side. My worst fear was confirmed as I watched a strange orange-yellow light appear to illumine Daniel’s entire body, and his scream of pain was only partially muffled by the gag in his mouth. It lasted only a few seconds but felt as if it played out before my eyes in an eternity.

“Let’s try again, shall we?” Baal taunted as he slowly caressed my hair. “What is the recognition code that deactivates the iris?”

My eyes were beginning to sting with tears as I continued to look at Daniel. He was sagging against his bonds now, his breathing labored. But he managed to raise his head, meet my eyes and give a slight shake of his head as if to say don’t reveal anything.

When I failed to respond, the Jaffa hit Daniel with the stick again. “Stop it!” I cried, thrashing against Baal to no avail. “I told you I don’t know.”

Baal pulled my hair aside and slowly began planting light kisses along the line of my neck. It was as if he was becoming aroused by watching this torture unfold. I tensed, gritting my teeth in anger against his manipulative violation.

I glanced at Daniel again. Even though I knew it would be hurtful to see him, slumped in his restraints, I thought it might also fuel my anger so that I could endure what Baal was actually doing to me. But to my surprise I saw Daniel was pulling with all his might against the straps that held him in place, a desperate fury burning in his eyes.

“The code?” Baal whispered against my ear.

“I don’t know,” I bit out the words, filling each one with all the rage I felt.

Daniel’s body writhed and he screamed as they hit him a third time.

And then, all at once, it stopped. The Jaffa with the torture stick stepped aside while the other guard reached up to unfasten Daniel’s bonds. As he fell to the floor Baal unexpectedly released me. Reflexively I spun around, bringing my hand up in what I intended to be one powerhouse of a slap. But he anticipated me, and grabbed my arm before I could carry through.

“Beautiful and feisty,” he commented, his voice laden with fascination. “You are a most impressive woman, Janet Frasier.”

“Leave her alone,” Daniel called from where he still crouched on the floor. His voice was weak but there was no mistaking the challenge in it – and it earned him a swift kick in the side from one of the Jaffa.

After a few more heartbeats Baal finally let go of my arm. Without a second thought I hurried to Daniel’s side. Not knowing if Baal would keep us here longer, or return us to our cell, I wanted to give Daniel a cursory examination to determine how badly he’d been hurt. But he patiently pushed away my attention and made to stand up. I helped as best I could, positioning myself so that he could lean his weight against me. But again he neglected my offer, determined to stand on his own.

The two Jaffa continued to hover nearby and moved in even closer as Baal approached us.

“I will allow you to return to your cell, for now,” he said, his voice even. His eyes flashed once as he added, “But make no mistake – this has only been the beginning.”

As his eyes fell on me I involuntarily took a step backwards. “However, there is no reason why our future encounters need be so… unpleasant,” he said softly. He reached up toward my face and I took an additional step back, only to encounter the wall. And then Daniel was standing in front of me, completely blocking me from Baal’s view.

“Don’t ever touch her again,” Daniel said. His voice was low, barely above a whisper, and there was an edge to it that I’d never heard before.

For a moment I feared Baal would strike out against us again, but he simply turned away. “Take them to the holding cell,” he barked over his shoulder, and then strode out of the room.

^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^

We were unceremoniously deposited back in our cell. Daniel had insisted on making the trek back without any assistance, but as soon as the force field barrier was engaged he heavily slumped to his knees.

I immediately transitioned into doctor mode and knelt beside him. “Are you okay?”

He managed a slight nod. “Been better,” he quipped, wincing as if even speaking was painful.

“You need to lie down,” I instructed.

It wasn’t easy, but between his tenacious effort and my assistance we managed to make our way to the sleeping platform. Daniel eased down onto his back, his eyes closed, and I settled on the edge of the platform beside him.

“Let me check for injuries,” I said, reaching to cautiously touch his side.

“I’m okay,” Daniel replied, pushing my hand away.

“I thought I was the medical doctor here,” I scolded, a little perturbed at his resistance.

Daniel sighed. “This isn’t the first time I’ve experienced the particular joys of a Goa’uld pain stick,” he said. His voice was still strained but there was no mistaking the hint of sarcasm. “While it does hurt, a lot, it doesn’t seem to do any serious damage. I just need to rest.”

I was about to launch into a more stern reprimand when his eyes slowly opened and he fixed me with a look so intense that I felt my heart skip a beat.

“At the moment,” he said, his voice soft, “I’m much more concerned about you.”

I blinked, not entirely certain how to take his comment. Sure, I knew Daniel cared about me – as I did him. We were friends. But something in his tone had struck me, and unbidden the images of him struggling against his restraints earlier rose in my mind. ‘Why had he fought against them so hard?’ I found myself wondering.

“I’m a little rattled,” I finally admitted. “But I’ll be okay.”

“Are you sure?” he pressed, still holding my gaze.

I nodded, suddenly unable to say more. Fortunately it must have been enough to reassure him because he nodded as well and his eyes fluttered closed.

A few seconds of silence passed before Daniel spoke again. “I’d never forgive myself if he’d hurt you,” he whispered.

The confession touched me deeply but I also knew Daniel was prone to taking entirely too much responsibility for things that weren’t his fault.

“Daniel, I appreciate your concern,” I said sincerely. “But let’s keep things in perspective here. You were strapped to the wall, for goodness sake. There wasn’t anything else you could have done.”

He looked at me again, his mouth open to reply. But he hesitated, and eventually gave a slight nod instead and shut his eyes.

I momentarily closed my own eyes, taking a deep breath to calm myself. Baal’s torture had been disturbing enough, and I knew my emotions were still taut from the experience. But Daniel’s comments weren’t exactly helping matters. As I let the breath out slowly a new thought came to me. ‘Could it be that Daniel considered it much worse to watch how Baal had toyed with me, compared to what was inflicted on him by that pain stick?’ Maybe in my current state I was jumping to conclusions, but his words and demeanor both seemed to indicate something like that. I quickly pushed the notion aside, knowing I wasn’t prepared at the moment to follow where such thoughts might lead.

Forcing myself back into my medical persona, I observed my patient. Daniel’s breathing was more regular now, although his face still showed lines of tension. Despite his assertion that he was okay I knew I’d never be satisfied until I’d checked him in more detail.

“I’m going to take a look at your side,” I said, using my best no nonsense tone. This time he didn’t push me away.

There were some burn marks, where the stick had made contact, but they appeared to be mild. Not that it mattered – I didn’t have any means of treating them anyway. There were no other visible signs of injury and a cursory examination indicated – as much as I could determine without other equipment – that there hadn’t been any internal damage. His pulse was a little irregular, but that was to be expected. I made a note to check it again in a few minutes to see if there was any change.

I remained by his side as the moments ticked past, periodically checking his pulse. To my great relief it was slowly becoming more regular, and eventually I could tell he’d drifted off to sleep. I watched him a while longer, marveling – as I’d done countless times before when he’d been restricted to the infirmary – how regardless of the circumstance he always managed to look so peaceful when sleeping.

‘Oh Daniel,’ I thought silently, ‘what are we going to do?’

I’d certainly been on my share of missions since being at the SGC, and while I wasn’t quite the solider that Sam was I still felt fairly confident in my level of training and abilities. I’d even made a point – especially since that incident with Hathor all those years back – of keeping myself in better shape and more up to date on things like self-defense and weapons. But this was the first time I’d been in a situation like this, and there was no denying that it had me on edge. ‘The fact that Baal has taken such a liking to me,’ I reflected with a momentary shudder, ‘certainly hasn’t made it any easier.’ As I gazed down at the man sleeping beside me I knew that a majority of the reason I’d been able to hold up thus far was because Daniel was here. Sure, he didn’t have the same kind of training as O’Neill or Teal’c, but he’d definitely picked up a few tricks for survival during his time with SG-1. And I knew that he’d do everything in his power to keep me safe.

His comments from our recent exchange echoed in my mind. In the stillness of the moment, looking at his serene features, I found I could not so quickly dismiss the thoughts I’d had earlier. ‘Am I imagining things?’ I asked myself. Daniel had a rather protective nature when it came to people he cared about, so perhaps this was just an extension of his personality, possibly amplified because of the dire nature of our circumstance. But a little voice in the back of my mind kept niggling at me that there was more to it than that. On impulse I began to think back on everything that had happened to us. ‘Actually,’ I considered, ‘he’s been doing the protective role since the moment we were captured on Vecca.’ In fact, he’d been down-right hovering over me at times. Strange that I hadn’t really noticed it before.

‘But if it really is something more than his typical protective nature,’ I wondered, ‘then why is it showing itself now?’ As my mind ran down this new track of consideration I came to two basic conclusions. One, if this was a legitimate emotion on Daniel’s part then it was something entirely new, perhaps brought on by the danger we faced. The second possibility was that he’d actually felt this way for some time and the danger we faced – or maybe even that truth drug he’d consumed during dinner – had brought it to the surface.

‘Or maybe I’m just going crazy,’ I thought sardonically. Weariness settled on me and I rubbed at my eyes. Daniel was deep in sleep now, and although a part of me thought that at least one of us should probably be awake while we remained in Baal’s custody I knew I needed to get some rest too. Quietly I made my way over to the other sleeping platform and stretched out on my side. With one last look at Daniel, I closed my eyes and willed myself to sleep.

^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^

I woke, feeling terribly stiff and uncomfortable. For a moment I wasn’t sure where I was, not to mention why I was dressed in some ridiculous evening gown. But as I blinked my eyes, pushing away the fog of sleep, it all came back with unwelcome clarity. I glanced across the cell and saw that Daniel no longer was asleep on the other platform. Turning my head to look around I found him sitting at my feet. He was gazing straight ahead and his arms were linked casually across his chest.

“How long have I been out?” I asked.

“I’m not really sure,” Daniel replied, his voice low. “You were already asleep when I woke up. It’s difficult to have any accurate sense of time, but I think it’s been several hours since we were brought back to our cell.”

I sat up, wincing as my muscles protested at being in the same position for too long, and noticed that I had an SGC military issue jacket draped across my shoulders.

Daniel must have picked up on my awareness of it because he said in a somewhat sheepish tone, “I thought you might be cold.”

I glanced over and saw that he was watching me closely, seemingly a little unsure.

I offered a small smile in response to his thoughtfulness. “Thanks,” I said, handing the jacket back to him.

“No,” he shook his head in the negative. “Keep it.”

Well, I wasn’t cold, and I figured Daniel probably knew that. But the jacket would cover my bare shoulders and at least make me feel a little less conspicuous in my attire. I figured he knew that as well. Meeting his eyes, my smile deepened in acknowledgement of his offer.

Slipping the jacket on I said, “I guess it would be too much to hope that there had been some change in our circumstance while we slept?”

“Looks like we had a guard shift change,” Daniel replied pointing at the Jaffa who stood outside. “But that’s about the extent of it.” Suddenly his features broke out in a most amused grin.

“What?” I asked, looking around to see what had so unexpectedly become a source of entertainment to him.

“Sorry,” he muttered, attempting to hide his smile. “It’s just that it’s a little big on you.”

Glancing down at myself I found I had to fight back a grin of my own. The shoulder seams of the jacket hit a good two inches down my arm. The sleeves were bunched up, but still my hands were nearly covered by the length of them, and I had a sneaking suspicion that when I stood up the edge of the jacket would reach about mid-thigh.

“I guess you’re right,” I replied and began rolling up the edge of one of the cuffs.

“Here, let me help,” Daniel offered, reaching for my arm. His manner was still one of amusement but as he leaned in slightly I began to suspect it was partly for show. “We need to get out of here,” he whispered, his tone very determined.

“I thought we already discussed this,” I whispered back, curious about his quick shift in demeanor. “There’s no where to go.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Daniel answered, continuing to work on the sleeves. He momentarily met my gaze. “I don’t trust Baal – we have to act, and soon.”

‘Well of course you don’t trust him,’ I thought silently. ‘He’s a Goa’uld!’ Aloud I said, “I don’t trust him either, but why the sudden urgency?”

He finished rolling the last cuff but didn’t pull away. “I can’t explain it, but something tells me Baal was just playing with us earlier. He won’t be that way the next time.”

Something in Daniel’s behavior told me he knew what he was talking about, although to my memory he’d never been an actual captive of Baal’s before. In fact, none of SG-1 had – except for O’Neill, and that had happened when Daniel had been ascended.

“Daniel, this… sense you have – could it possibly be related to a memory from the time you were ascended?”

He hesitated before answering. “I don’t’ know.” He shrugged. “Maybe. I just know it’s something I feel very strongly about. Baal will bring us before him for questioning again, and he won’t stop until he gets the answers he wants. And if by any chance he has a sarcophagus on board this ship…”

He didn’t need to finish the thought for me to understand just how horrible that outcome would be.

“I’m also not sure that he wouldn’t separate us,” Daniel added. His eyes locked with mine as he confessed, “And I really don’t want to think about what that could mean.”

I nodded, not quite sure if the tingling sensation in the pit of my stomach was because Daniel’s statement implied what Baal might do if he had me alone, or rather how Daniel might respond if that happened. “Okay. Do you have any kind of plan?”

“Sort of,” he answered. He glanced over to the guard outside our cell. Although it appeared he couldn’t hear us, Daniel leaned in a little closer and kept his voice low. “I was thinking about how we got here. I’m not nearly as good at figuring this stuff out as Sam is, but based on how long we were in transport I don’t think we’re terribly far from Vecca.”

I was guessing that terribly far was a relative distance in this case. Still, I didn’t understand how it could matter. Whether Vecca was a couple miles away, or a couple thousand light years, how were we supposed to get back there?

“The transport vessel on which we were brought here is capable of hyper travel,” Daniel went on. “I think we should try to get to it.”

I stared at him incredulously and it was all I could do to keep my voice from raising loud enough for the guard to overhear. “Are you out of your mind?”

“Probably,” Daniel admitted, his expression no less resolute than it had been before. “But it’s the best I’ve been able to come up with.”

“Okay, supposing we can get out of this cell,” I began, “do we even know where the transport ship is?”

Daniel nodded. “I have a pretty fair idea. I’ve been paying attention to our route, and this particular ship is laid out much like all the others I’ve been on.”

Admittedly I was impressed. But that was hardly the least of my worries. “Alright, so what if we actually make it that far – never mind there are apt to be guards everywhere between here and there, plus on the transport itself – do you have any idea how to get to Vecca? Do you even know how to fly the thing?”

This time Daniel’s expression faltered, revealing some of his uncertainty. “I think I can. Teal’c has taught me a little, and I’ve actually had some experience in other situations.”

His less than confident tone certainly didn’t reassure me, but I knew none of that really mattered. He was right. We needed to get out of here, and we needed to do so now. Chances were we’d never make it, but considering the possibility of additional torture at the hands of Baal – or worse yet, more of his sexual advances – I was beginning to think that death was a much more acceptable alternative.

Unexpectedly Daniel reached for my hand. “Janet, I know this won’ be easy. But I’d rather die trying to get us out of here than sit back and wait for Baal to do something far worse.”

That odd sensation that more feeling was behind Daniel’s words than he was revealing pulled at me again. But rather than try to push the notion aside this time, I mentally reached for it, drew it in, and pulled it around me like some kind of shield. “Okay.” I squeezed his hand in reply. “But we’re doing this together. Just tell me how I can help.”

Daniel glanced toward the guard again before returning his attention to me. “I’m not sure, but I think the ship might be in the middle of its night cycle. There’s only been one guard the whole time…” He took a deep breath, and I wondered if he was somehow attempting to settle his resolve. “Can you help me with a little diversion?” he asked.

Willing up my own courage I met his gaze straight on and nodded. “Let’s do it.”

Without warning, Daniel grabbed at his stomach and fell over onto the floor in a heap, wailing in pain. I picked up on his idea instantly, jumping down beside him as if in a panic.

“Guard!” I shouted. “I need help!”

The Jaffa had already spun around at the sound of Daniel’s outburst, but he hesitated as he took in the scene before him.

“He’s suffering from a seizure,” I yelled in my harshest medic’s voice. “Get in here now!”

I saw the guard’s hand move toward the device on his belt that would deactivate the shield barrier, but he still seemed unsure of how exactly to act. Fixing the Jaffa with the hardest expression I could muster I barked at him again, “Or do you want to be the one to tell your master that his prisoner died while you stood by and watched?”

That got his attention. As the Jaffa responded I leaned over Daniel and whispered in his ear, “He’s coming.”

The Jaffa wasn’t careless, I had to admit. He left his staff weapon outside the cell, but kept one hand close to the zat gun in its holster at his side. And no sooner had he stepped inside our cell than his hand pressed the device to bring the shield up again.

“Get over here and help me hold him down,” I ordered. ‘Quite a performance, Daniel,’ I thought to myself as I struggled to hold his shoulders flat against the floor. To the Jaffa I added, “If we can just get him still for a few seconds, then I can help him.”

Very carefully I watched the Jaffa from the corner of my eye. As soon as he knelt and reached for Daniel’s feet and legs I let go of Daniel’s shoulders and sprang to the side.

It happened faster than I ever would have expected. Somehow Daniel managed to get in a kick to the side of the Jaffa’s head, throwing him off balance. The next instant Daniel was on his feet, running head long toward the Jaffa even as the guard struggled to get back up. They both fell to the floor as Daniel plowed into him, but that’s when I saw my opening. Reaching in between the tangle of arms and legs I grabbed for the zat gun, nearly shouting in triumph when I felt my fingers close around it.

“Daniel move!” I bellowed, barely waiting long enough for Daniel to roll off his opponent before I activated the weapon. The characteristic twang of the zat echoed in the room. The guard twitched for several seconds and then all was silent.

‘Well, except for the pounding of my heart,’ I observed.

Daniel threw me a look and smiled. “Good work,” he complimented, a little breathless from the attack. Reaching down he unfastened the Jaffa’s belt and pressed the device as he headed for the doorway. Once we were both outside he made certain the shield barrier was back in place and grabbed the Jaffa’s staff weapon. “This way,” he instructed, and took off down the hall.

I wasn’t certain if it was luck or fate that seemed to be on our side, but we encountered very little enemy movement as we made our way through the ship. When we did run into a group of Jaffa, we were warned well in advance because of their excessively loud marching, and thus always managed to duck behind some crevice before being discovered.

“Shouldn’t be much farther,” Daniel called softly over his shoulder as we made another turn in the hall.

‘I’ll take your word for it,’ I thought to myself, keeping close to his heels. As far as I was concerned every corridor looked the same, and we’d been making so many turns that I was beginning to think we were going in circles. We were nearing the end of this particular passageway when Daniel suddenly halted and I nearly plowed into his back.

Very cautiously Daniel peeked around the corner. When he pulled his head back again I heard his sigh of resignation. “I thought luck was being a little too kind to us,” he murmured under his breath.

“What is it?” I asked, keeping my voice low.

“The ring platform is being guarded by six Jaffa,” he replied, turning to look at me.

I swallowed hard and met his gaze. “I’m ready,” I said.

Daniel paused, and for a moment I thought he was going to say something. But in the end he simply nodded. “On three?”

“On three.”

With one final nod of affirmation he slowly and silently mouthed out the three-count. When we stepped around the corner I focused all my attention on taking out the enemy. We did have the element of surprise, and two of them fell before there was much of a response. I repeatedly fired my zat and heard the steady discharge of Daniel’s staff weapon beside me. But then the answer came and we were both dodging staff blasts from the guards. Two more Jaffa fell, and then a third. I was beginning to hope we might actually make it when I suddenly heard a yelp of pain to my right. Instinctively I knew Daniel had been hit, but I forced my training to carry through and aimed for the final guard. He hadn’t even fallen before I spun around and saw that Daniel was lying on the floor, clutching at his arm.

“Daniel!” I ran over and knelt so fast I nearly fell beside him.

“It’s not bad,” Daniel insisted through gritted teeth.

“I’ll be the judge of that,” I replied. “Let me have a look.”

“You can play doctor when we’re off this ship,” Daniel shot back. His tone was a little harsh but he looked at me with an instant expression of apology.

I knew he was right – we needed to get out of this corridor – so rather than argue I helped him to his feet. We positioned ourselves on the ring platform, but before activating it I had a thought. “Wait,” I said, stepping away from him. Not bothering to explain I simply aimed my zat and fired off several shots. Within seconds all six Jaffa bodies were gone.

“Good thinking,” Daniel said. His voice was tight, and I knew he was fighting against the pain, but he still managed a slight smile.

As the rings activated I felt a momentary twinge of panic. ‘What if where we’re ringing to isn’t the transport ship after all?’ But we arrived safely, and a quick look around showed there were no Jaffa present inside. I helped Daniel into the pilot’s seat and made a survey of the rest of the ship while he began to prep the engines.

“No sign of any other Jaffa,” I said after I’d finished my check.

Daniel didn’t reply, but that was no surprise considering the pain in his arm and his concentration on getting the ship started. I plopped down in the other seat, watching him and silently willing for our success. When the ship finally lurched forward I nearly fell out of my chair.

“Sorry,” Daniel murmured.

“No problem,” I answered, settling back in to the seat and gripping the armrests significantly tighter than I had before.

The ship lurched again, but this time there was something distinctly different about it.

“I was afraid of that,” Daniel said, bringing up what looked like some kind of map on the console in front of him.

Unfortunately I’d already guessed what had been the source of that last sudden movement. “Was that enemy fire?”

In answer there was another jolt to the ship and several streaks of yellow laser fire shot past the canopy.

“Yes,” Daniel replied. “I’ve got the shields up now, but they won’t hold for long. I’m going to program a quick jump, just to get us out of here, and then try to figure out where to go from there.”

That didn’t exactly sound safe to me, but the alternative was definitely less appealing. “Anything I can do to help?” I asked.

“Just hang on,” Daniel answered, and without further warning I felt an intense acceleration as the star field outside the canopy became a mass of swirling blue. Within a few seconds there was the opposite jerking of sudden deceleration and the stars came into focus once more.

“I don’t remember hyper jumps being that abrupt when we were on the inbound trip,” I commented.

“Sorry,” Daniel apologized again. “I’m afraid that has more to do with my piloting skills.” He worked at some of the controls on the console and another map came up. “Yes! I was right,” he exclaimed.

“About which part?”

“Vecca,” he replied. “I should be able to input the coordinates and make the jump – it’s not that far.”

The transition to hyperspace was no less jarring this time, but at least I was a little more prepared. “How long?” I asked. When there was no answer, I glanced over and saw that Daniel was practically slumped over the console in front of him. I quickly moved to his side and eased him back in the seat.

“Don’t know for sure how long,” he answered, “but I’ve got it on autopilot for now... should be okay until we jump back to real space.” His speech was getting slow and somewhat slurred.

“Let me check your wound,” I said, carefully inspecting his arm. There was an area about four inches across that looked painfully charred, but for the most part it appeared the blast had just grazed him. I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. Other than see to it that he got some rest, there was little I could do for Daniel now.

“I wish there was some way I could dress this. I’m sorry,” I said, a little surprised to hear my voice crack. I also noticed that my hands were getting shaky, no doubt from the surge of adrenaline that had been pumping through my system since we’d first began our crazy escape. ‘Daniel won’t be the only one who needs to get some rest,’ I thought.

I felt the warmth of Daniel’s hand as he reached for mine and slowly wrapped his fingers around it. “It’s okay.” His voice was soft, even comforting, and I found myself suddenly fighting back tears.

“I’m sorry,” I said again, although I wasn’t really sure why. It felt as if the full weight of the past ordeal was falling on me now and I just didn’t think I could hold up much longer. As a tear began to slide down my cheek I turned away, so he wouldn’t see me break down.

“Hey,” he said, tenderly touching my chin to pull my face so I could look at him. “You can do anything except apologize, is that clear Doctor?” His tone was so full of kindness and compassion, but it was the gentle teasing that finally broke my resolve. The tears began to fall freely and I felt him slowly tug at me with his good arm. As I settled easily into his lap I wasn’t certain what surprised me more – Daniel’s physical offer of comfort, or my eager acceptance of it.

It seemed so natural to rest my head against his uninjured shoulder and to feel the warmth of his hand as he affectionately wiped at my tears. Yes, I could detect that some small part of my brain was calling out to me that I was treading into unfamiliar and possibly dangerous territory here, but frankly I didn’t care. Daniel’s arm was around me as a strong, comforting support. His breathing, though a little shallow, was a steady rhythm that was somehow managing to help calm the turmoil within me. There was no way to know if we were both really going to survive this whole nightmare but at the moment everything felt right with the world.

“I should let you rest,” I said after a while.

“I am resting,” Daniel replied, his voice reflecting a sense of contentment.

I pulled away slightly, so that I could look at him. He gazed back at me, his expression intense but undeniably pleased. I couldn’t really say that I saw anything in his eyes that I’d never seen before, and yet something about this whole experience felt unmistakably different. ‘If he’s always looked at me like that in the past,’ I wondered, slowly beginning to comprehend my own feelings, ‘then why have I never really noticed?’

“What are you thinking?” he asked quietly.

I shook my head. “I’m not exactly sure.”

He smiled, accepting the answer rather than pressing me for more. “Then I’ll get some rest,” he promised.

I nodded but couldn’t bring myself to move. Somehow I wasn’t entirely prepared to leave the warmth of this moment.

As if sensing my hesitancy Daniel reached up and slowly traced the curve of my face with his finger. “I always thought you were a very beautiful woman, Janet,” he said, his eyes never faltering from mine. “And strong, determined, intelligent, compassionate…” he trailed off, a slight smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. “Well, I guess the list goes on for a while.”

I swallowed, not knowing how to respond.

His expression grew serious as he went on. “I’m afraid when we jump back into real space--” he paused, suddenly tentative. Finally, with a heavy sigh, he admitted, “The truth is I don’t know if I can land this thing. So, I may have saved us only to turn around and get us both killed.”

Admittedly, this wasn’t exactly the kind of news I wanted to hear. But Daniel had been honest with me, and that was all that mattered.

“It’s okay,” I replied. “I’d rather die, here with you, than be alive back on that ship.”

The seconds that slipped by felt interminably long but eventually Daniel gave a slight nod and then closed his eyes, easing his head to rest against the chair back.

“Get some rest,” I encouraged, reaching up to brush lightly through his hair. Then, on impulse, I leaned forward and planted a kiss on his cheek.

When I drew back I saw that Daniel had opened his eyes and was watching me. As I met his gaze I froze, suddenly unwilling again to withdraw from him entirely. And so, even though I never would have anticipated it before now, I found myself not the least surprised when Daniel pulled me to him. When his lips brushed against mine there was no sensation of fireworks or earth-shattering revelation. It was a simple kiss, sweet and warm with only the barest hint of passion beneath the surface. But something about it felt undeniably real.

We pulled apart by some unspoken mutual consent and as my eyes fluttered open I could see that he was already easing back against the seat again, finally settling in now.

“Rest,” I whispered once more, and as carefully as I could I got up from his lap. I silently made my way to the other chair, trying to make myself comfortable as I turned so that I could watch Daniel. I didn’t know how this would all come out in the end, but for the moment I was happy.

^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^

I stared at the report in my hand, wondering if this was actually the fifth or sixth time I’d attempted to read it. ‘Not that it matters,’ I reflected with a heavy sigh. ‘I still don’t remember a word I just read.’

It had been a little over two weeks since I’d woken to find that I was actually recuperating in the SGC infirmary. Daniel hadn’t been lying when he’d said he wasn’t sure about landing the transport ship, but thankfully the crash hadn’t been fatal. Later we learned that we’d been found by an SG team. Several teams had been sent to Vecca immediately following that initial attack of Baal’s Jaffa. They’d been able to fight off the remaining Jaffa, and begin helping the Veccans to rebuild. Intel hadn’t really provided anything to help them find us, although I’d heard a rumor that by the time we finally crashed on Vecca General O’Neill was considering sequestering a fleet of 302s – one being personally flown by himself – to go on a manhunt.

I’d been released from the infirmary five days ago. Daniel, who‘d suffered slightly more severe injuries from the crash, was released a couple of days later. We’d spoken briefly, but otherwise had been avoiding one another. I’d detected a slight tension between us now that had me worried. I knew neither of us was comfortable allowing something like that to linger for too long and I figured that sooner or later one of us was going to have to confront the other about it. ‘I just wish I knew which one of us was supposed to make the first move,’ I said to myself

There was a light rap-rap at my door and, in light of my thoughts, I started. Glancing up I saw that perhaps the answer to my question had, in fact, just revealed itself. Doctor Daniel Jackson stood in the doorway, his manner slightly ambivalent but his expression unreadable.

“Hi,” I offered, trying to make my tone welcoming but undemanding. “What can I do for you, Daniel?”

He eased a little farther inside and shoving his hands in his pockets he answered, “Um, I just thought I’d drop by and see how you were feeling.”

I smiled. “Still a little tired.” I waved a hand at the stacks on my desk. “And the backlog of paperwork doesn’t help much.”

That managed to get a tiny smile from him and I felt my spirits rise a bit. ‘So far, so good,’ I observed silently.

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” he replied. “I’ve been busy too.”

Something about the way he said that made me wonder if he was making an apology. But I said nothing.

“I was wondering,” he began, shuffling his feet slightly as he paused. I waited patiently, knowing that he would get to it when he was ready. After several more tense seconds of silence he finally met my eyes and said, “I was wondering if we could talk.”

“I think that would be a good idea,” I replied. Standing, I stepped around my desk and sat in one of the chairs on the opposite side. Motioning toward the other one I asked, “Why don’t you sit down?”

He momentarily hesitated, as if considering, but eventually he shut the door behind him and moved toward the seat. “I’d like to explain,” he said without preamble, “about what happened on the transport ship.”

I’d rehearsed this scenario in my mind so much in the past two weeks that I answered without even thinking. “You don’t have to explain anything, Daniel.”

He arched an eyebrow, clearly confused. “I don’t?”

I shook my head. “No, you don’t. It was a dangerous situation, and we were both under a lot of stress. Emotions were high.” I smiled, a little sheepishly, and shrugged. “These things happen.”

He nodded but his expression wasn’t easing up any.

I tried again. “It’s okay. I’m not upset, and I don’t feel uncomfortable about it. I understand that we were just two very good friends, needing a little comfort and reassurance from one another.” As I’d thought about this over the past two weeks I’d become fairly convinced that this was the right course to take – plausible deniability. But watching Daniel as he sat across from me I was becoming less sure.

“I see,” he finally said, his voice low. “Then I guess there really isn’t anything to explain.”

He moved to get up but I knew that things hadn’t really been resolved. ‘What if I’m wrong?’ I argued with myself. My vacillation continued until he was nearly to the door, and I knew if I let him leave now then we’d probably never address this issue again. “Wait,” I called.

Daniel paused and then turned to face me, his eyes searching mine questioningly.

“Sit down,” I invited again. When he didn’t move I softened my tone and added, “Please?”

He acquiesced then and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Why don’t we try this again,” I offered. “And this time I’ll actually listen to what you have to say rather than jumping to my own conclusions.”

He was quiet for a long time but I forced myself to wait.

“Is that how you really feel… about what happened?” he eventually asked.

I considered the question carefully before answering. “To be honest, Daniel, I’m not sure how I feel. The whole thing has taken me a little by surprise.”

A light chuckle escaped his lips then and he smiled. “Believe it or not, I know exactly what you mean.”

Silence held again but it was less heavy this time. When Daniel met my eyes now I saw traces of the same feelings I’d seen reflected there when we’d been Baal’s prisoners.

“I think there is some truth to what you said before,” Daniel went on, “about what happened being between two very good friends who were trying to help each other.” He leaned forward slightly. “But I also know, that for my part at least, there was more to it than that.”

The sincerity of his words and his gaze was a little too much for me and I had to glance away.

“Does that… make you uncomfortable?” he asked.

“Yes,” I admitted, but then shook my head in the negative. “And then again, it doesn’t.” Building up my resolve I met his gaze straight on. “Like I said, it’s a little surprising. But… I don’t think that necessarily means it has to be an unwelcome surprise.”

He nodded, and when he spoke again his voice was barely more than a whisper. “I guess what I really need to know is… do you want to just forget it happened, to go on as we were before?”

‘That’s the million dollar question, now isn’t it?’ I thought silently, biting at my lower lip. For a moment a sense of panic threatened to well up inside me. To consider where our relationship was going, how it was changing, and where it would end up was just so… overwhelming. But then images came unbidden to my mind – the scene of Daniel, worn and wounded but resting peacefully in the pilot’s chair of the stolen transport ship, while I sat and watched him, feeling utterly content. Suddenly I realized that I didn’t need to be able to see the end of this particular journey in order to answer Daniel’s question. I simply needed to be able to see the next step.

“No,” I said, smiling warmly at him. “I don’t want to just forget it happened.”

He smiled as well and it seemed as if the tension visibly eased from his shoulders. “Neither do I,” he said.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Unfortunately it did little to calm my now racing heart. “So, what happens now?”

Daniel shrugged. “One step at a time?” he suggested.

I thought it over. “I believe I can handle that.”

“Maybe… maybe I could take you out to dinner?”

Something about the bashful eagerness in his demeanor created a buzz of dancing butterflies in my stomach.

“I don’t have to work the late shift on Thursday night,” I said. “How about then?”

“I’d like that,” Daniel answered. He smiled openly then and my stomach went from butterflies to out-and-out somersaults. “Pick you up at eighteen thirty?”

I nodded. “Eighteen thirty.”

“Okay,” he said, slowly standing. “I’ll see you then, I guess.”

He turned to leave but once again the little voice in my head was urging me to call him back.

“Daniel?”

He paused, hand on the doorknob as he turned to face me. “Yes?”

‘Why do I feel like a giddy school-girl all of the sudden?’ I wondered as I stepped over to him. Aloud I said, “I never did really get a chance to thank you.”

A quizzical expression passed over his features. “For…?”

“Well, everything, I guess,” I replied, shrugging slightly. “For getting us off Baal’s ship, and especially for watching over me, and protecting me.”

“You’re welcome,” he said, smiling again before turning to go.

‘Do it now!’ my inner voice pleaded, and before I could even think to argue – or lose my nerve – I reached up and, standing on tip-toes, pulled Daniel’s face to mine. I could tell the action caught him off guard at first, but it wasn’t long before he responded. Just like the first kiss, this one was undeniably enjoyable. But as I slipped my arms around Daniel’s neck I felt some of that underlying passion reveal itself a little more than it had before. Warmth enveloped me as Daniel wrapped his arms about my waist and I realized that while I’d originally intended for this to be a short and sweet kiss I wasn’t exactly too eager to see it end just now. Eventually it was basic human physiology, evidenced by the need to breath, which forced me to pull away.

Daniel blinked as I gazed up into his eyes and I felt a surge of anticipation as he smiled and said, “I’ll see you Thursday night.”

After he left my office I fell back in my seat, a little surprised at my own forthrightness. Then, with a clearly self-satisfied smile, I picked up my pen, flipped the pages of my daily calendar until I found Thursday. In the eighteen thirty time slot I wrote dinner date. “Until then…” I whispered aloud, turning the pages back to today’s date. Then, with a sigh of resignation, I picked up the file and began to read once more.

~ END ~

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