Fever Dreams

Fever Dream

A/N: I almost felt guilty when I realized I liked torturing them so much, but I got over it rather quickly! Any feedback is welcome.

Jack shivered in his cell. He’d gone through the gate two weeks ago with Carter, Teal’c, and the new guy that took Daniel’s place. They’d met a people called the Vasarians. The new guy, Jack couldn’t remember his name, had given the usual spiel about how they came in peace, blah, blah, blah, but something went wrong. Jack wasn’t sure what had really happened. One minute they were all there, the next Jack was in this cell. They told him the rest of his team had been returned through the Stargate, but he was there to stay. Apparently, he was some foretold visitor who would destroy or save the planet, if he was to save it he had to be purified.

The purification was a long process. Jack was alone in his cell with no interaction, but was taken out every third day and beaten in as ritual manner. This was supposed to make the evil emerge so it could be destroyed, and the savior redeemed. Jack couldn’t even begin to catalog his injuries. H knew his left arm was broken, a couple ribs and his right knee was dislocated, not to mention all the cuts and bruises. The infections had set in, and so had the fever. He wondered what these people would do when they realized he wasn’t Christ. That was more Daniel’s style.

He knew he was losing touch with reality, because he was pretty sure Ra wasn’t in the cell with him laughing. Jack decided he knew too many Gou’auld; they were all stopping by to taunt him. He didn’t know where his team was, getting sicker by the hour, and dead enemies were taunting him. Karma really was a bitch. They all stopped by even Carter, Teal’c, Sara, but his heart bled every time Daniel and Charlie asked why Jack had let them die.

Danny was back this time all glowy and everything.

“Jack, why are you here? Sam and Teal’c are frantic.”

“Cause, I deserve to suffer.”

“What?”

“I let you die, Daniel. You and Charlie. I couldn’t protect you.”

“Jack, my death wasn’t your fault, neither was Charlie’s.”

Jack frowned, “Yes, it was. I let you die. Everyone I love died or left me behind.”

“Loved?” Daniel asked.

“Yep, I killed Charlie with my gun, Sara left, and you went away. I’m glad you’re out there somewhere.” He said earnestly.

“You don’t love me, we’re best friends, but that’s not the same.” Daniel’s face was confused.

Jack snorted, and then coughed holding his ribs. That hurt. “It’s a secret.” He slurred. “Can’t tell cause I’m military and you don’t love me back.”

“Jack, are you okay?”

“Nope, gonna die soon.” His face was all dreamy, “Then I’ll be out there looking out for you.”

“Listen, Jack, Sam’s looking for a way to get you back. All you have to do is hold on.” Daniel said urgently

“Oh, she already stopped by. She doesn’t like me since I told her I loved you.”

“You’re hallucinating; she hasn’t been here since these people gated her and the others back.”

“I know I’m hallucinating. I haven’t eaten for three days and I’m pretty sure this is infected.” He held up his arm where the bone had broken through the skin. Angry red streaks ran up the skin to his elbow and the arm was twice its normal size.

There was a sharp inhalation, “Jack! My God!”

“See, I told you.”

“I’m really here, you know.”

“Nope, you’re all glowy, out there learning things. You can’t visit, Oma told me so.”

“When was this?”

“After you died. She told me I lost you so she was keeping you.”

“Jack, she’s not like that.”

“The hell she’s not! You left! You died and left me alone so you could be with another alien bitch! We were supposed to stay together!” He finished gasping.

“That’s not reasonable.” He answered offended. “It’s not my fault I died!”

“I know, I told you it was mine,” Jack said quietly. “This is a fairly decent dream all considered. I wonder if I’ll ever have a good one. You’re alive, so is Charlie, and we’re all living together. I retire, you teach at some college and Charlie’s in high school.”

“Oh, Jack.”

“I told you, Danny, I love you. I’m *in* love with you, and like everyone else I lost you. I need to make you go now they’re coming.”

“I’ll be back, I promise.”

“Okay, Danny.”

Heavy boot tread could be heard as the guards came down the hall. Jack had decided they wanted to add psychological torture to the physical. Those boots weren’t as loud before. Daniel had left him, but that was okay; he didn’t want him to see what they did to him. It wasn’t pretty.

~~~````~~~````~~~````~~~

Three hours later they dragged him back in his cell. He couldn’t walk anymore. His temperature had spiked dangerously leaving him weaker than before, and the recent beating hadn’t helped. He heard one of their high priests say that the evil wouldn’t stay in him much longer. That had made Jack feel ever so much better, clearly that just meant he was dying at a good rate. He passed out.

“…ack, wake up! Please, wake up for me.”

“Wha… Danny? You okay? Need something?”

“Yes, I need you to wake up and pay attention to me!”

“I always pay attention to you, Danny.”
Daniel snorted, “No you don’t you sleep during every presentation I make.”

“PX3-786 Shows signs of ruins that could prove that Ancients as well as the race known as the Furlings. This could shine light on which of the races developed first, or even if they shared the planet. Maybe there is evidence of where they are, if the race still survives that is.”

“Jack, that was over a year ago! How are you doing that? Wait, it was the only one you listened to, right?”

“Nope, I gotta photographic memory. I heard everything you say, Danny. Could give you lots of examples, but I’m tired.”

“A photographic memory? Jack you’ve been playing dumb all this time! I could kill you! I didn’t need to do half the stuff I did to work on translations you could have just helped me!”

“Hey, you don’t have to do anything. I heard ‘em say I won’t last too much longer. I guess I’ll see you soon.”

“No, Jack, I came to tell you that Sam, Teal’c, Janet, SG units 9 and 13 are coming to get you out of here! The Vasarians triggered a huge rockslide in front of the gate to keep you here. I saw it and went to tell Teal’c, but I had to wait until he was in Kel’no’reem. I can’t get through to Sam, she only believes in empirical evidence. Anyway, they just blew the rocks away and will be here in two hours. You have to hold on!”

Daniel noticed Jack was unconscious and his breath held an ominous rattle. The High Priests must have punctured a lung during one of the beatings. He’d already survived so much; he had to hold on for just a little while longer! Janet had come through the gate with the others, but at this rate Jack would be dead and buried soon. He flew to the SG teams.

Daniel appeared beside his former teammates. One unfortunate side effect of being ascended was the inability to verbalize what he had to say. Jack was different in that regard, but he wasn’t sure why. Teal’c noticed him right away.

“It is good to see you, Daniel Jackson.”

“Daniel!” Sam exclaimed.

He showed them what he wanted by looking in Jack’s direction and moving toward him quickly.

“We already know Col. O’Neill is in trouble, Daniel. It’s why we’re here.” Sam explained.

Daniel frowned and repeated his actions. He couldn’t even nod yes or no! Sometime this ascension thing sucked!

“I do not believe that is what Daniel Jackson is attempting to convey, Major Carter.” Teal’c said.

Daniel smiled at Teal’c and tried again.

Janet stepped forward, “I think he wants us to hurry. Is the colonel in some sort of trouble, Daniel?”

“I concur with the doctor.” Teal’c stated.

Daniel smiled at Janet and Teal’c in relief. He was glad someone understood him.

“Sir!” Sam called over the officer in charge, and explained what Daniel had told them.

Col. Ashby had only been with the SG13 for a few weeks, and had no idea who Daniel was. “Am I to understand that we’re going to accept the word of that glowing blotch?” He asked incredulously.

“Sir, this is Daniel Jackson. He was on SG1 until he ascended five months ago.” Sam tied to explain.

“Major, I have a hard time believing that blob was on a SG team, and I’m not going to risk this mission on that thing’s recommendation.” He said stubbornly.

There were open mouths around the Colonel. Daniel couldn’t believe this guy had made it through the psych evals to get a post in base, much less command of a team.

“This being was formerly a human known as Daniel Jackson.” Teal’c said slowly, but firmly.

“Excuse me if I don’t take the word of a thing with the enemy inside him.” The colonel sneered.

“Colonel, who am I?” Janet asked.

“Dr. Frasier, rank of captain, and head of the medical assist on the rescue mission of Col. O’Neill.” He answered quickly.

“That’s right, I am the head of the medical team on this mission, and as the medical officer in charge I am commanding you to return to the Stargate and turn yourself in for a complete medical evaluation. You, sir, are hereby relieved of duty. Two men from SG9 will go with you to make sure you reach the base.”

A Janet’s order two men came forward and one took Ashby by the arm. “Please, come with us, sir.” He asked.

Ashby yanked his arm free and shot Janet a venomous look. “We’ll see what the general has to say about this.” With that he stalked off with his escorts behind him.

Sam laughed, “I’d love to be around when he tells his theories to Gen. Hammond.”

“Security cameras, m’dear. Just remember the security cameras, and I’ve got an inside man.” Janet said smugly.

Daniel floated in between the two women anxiously; every minute they delayed was another risk to Jack.

“Right,” Janet said looking at Daniel’s worried face. “How far is it to this place?” She asked Sam.

“Approximately 30 minutes.”

“All right people, double time! We’ve got a man in trouble!” Janet yelled.

With their people on the way Daniel zipped ahead to be with Jack again. He found him slumped to side as if he’d tried to get up. His breath was so shallow, and his heart was faint. He wasn’t supposed to die yet! Jack was supposed to be there for him! He would be left alone again.

“Jack, wake up! Please, they’re on their way. All you have to do is hang in there for a little while, I promise.” He pleaded.

“I’ll try.” The faint answer came.

His heart was bleeding; he’d trade places in an instant rather than watch Jack go through a slow death. He wondered if this was how Jack felt when watching him die by inches with radiation poisoning. He had the feeling that was exactly the way he felt.

“You still with me, Jack?”

“Danny,” Jack mumbled restlessly.

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m here, right by your side. Stay with me, Jack, and I promise I’ll find my way back to you.”

“Can’t, you’re dead, gonna come to you.”

“No, Jack, I’m not dead! Don’t you dare give up!”

He heard the sound of gunfire. It was the sweetest thing he’d ever heard. “Jack they’re here! SG1 is here! You’ll be home soon!” He turned to see Jack slumped on the floor. He had stopped breathing.

He knew they weren’t going to be there in time. He picked up Jack and began a desperate race to the Nox planet. Screw the non-interference rules, he had to save Jack!

“Lya!” He called desperately “Lya, Jack needs help!”

Amazingly, a wormhole opened right in front of him. He raced through with no hesitation. He emerged on the other side to see a village of the Nox waiting, and the sweet face of his friend.

“Lya, please help him.” He asked respectfully.

“Of course we will,” She answered quietly.

The Nox gathered around Jack and began to use their healing powers. Daniel let out a shaky breath. He had risked everything to help Jack, but he wasn’t sorry. Even if they sent him away and he died as punishment, he would not take back his actions. Jack was more important to him than that. He was slowly realizing that Jack was his entire life. He ascended to keep an eye on Jack, he broke rules for him. He would break any rule to stay with the man he… loved.

A small thrill went through him as he realized this was why he truly came back from Abydos. Why he’d unburied the Stargate there; all in the hopes that Jack would come back for him. Sha’re was the gift he’d never expected and he cherished her, but Jack was the other half of his soul. He needed Jack to hold on until he could get back to him. He had the feeling it was getting harder for Jack to do that.

The Nox were done with the healing, but Jack would not wake for a couple of hours. They escorted the two of them to the Stargate. Lya stepped forward to accept Daniel’s thanks and to activate the gate. Daniel knew how much this had meant to him but he tried. A smile was his reward. He turned and took Jack home.

He heard the klaxons go off in the SGC gate room, and the sound reminded him of how much he missed his old life. Zipping around the universe was fun, but he had someone to come back to now. Gen. Hammond gave the okay, the SF lowered their weapons and a stretcher raced up to take Jack to the infirmary.

Daniel felt a tugging, it was the others wanting him to come to them and explain his actions. He had no intention of leaving until Jack woke up. Jack almost never left his side when he was sick or beaten, and his was always the first face he saw when he woke. It was his turn now. Daniel realized that while the team visited, Jack was the only one who woke to infirmary staff on a regular basis. That was about to change.

The rescue team came through the gate an hour after Daniel and Jack returned. Hearing the news Janet, Sam and Teal’c rushed to the infirmary. They saw Jack in bed and Daniel hovering beside him.

“Why did you send us through the gate if you were going to rescue him?” Sam asked irritably.

“I believe Daniel Jackson only acted when O’Neill’s life was in immediate danger.” Teal’c said calmly.

“We would have been too late?” Janet asked.

“I believe it to be so.”

“Well in that case I believe the colonel owes you a great deal of thanks.” Janet said.

Daniel just smiled.

Jack started to stir just then and his teammates gathered around his bed. He opened his eyes and blinked rapidly for a second.

“What crawled in my mouth and died?” He asked at random. Then he looked and saw everyone standing around.

“Daniel, what are you doing here?”

“You needed me, Jack”

“Sir, you were captured by the Vasarians, and as near as we can figure, tortured so you could become their religious icon.” Sam summarized. “We were too late to rescue you so Daniel took you somewhere to heal you.”

“Where did we go?” Jack asked concerned.

“I took you to Lya and the Nox. They were barely able to bring you back. You can’t do that to me, Jack.”

The others couldn’t hear what was being said by the two men, but it was obviously a private conversation. Janet motioned the other two away. She figured they would get the whole story from the colonel later.

“Jack, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t know, Danny. I guess I figured there would be more time, but it was gone and so were you. You loved Sha’re, and all I saw in your life were women. How am I supposed to interpret that?”

“I don’t know, Jack, but I promise you one thing; I will be back and we will work this thing out. I don’t need you dying on me anymore than you need me dying on you.”

“I can wait until you come back, Danny, but don’t make it too long okay?”

“Okay,” The tugging he’d been feeling grew stronger. “I have to go now and give an accounting. They want to know what I’ve been doing. Stay alive for me, Jack.”

“Same goes for you, Space Monkey.”

One last smile and Daniel disappeared. Jack knew he’d be back and smiled as his friends gathered around his bed.


~End~