Title: Foundations
Author: Brenda A
Author Page: Brenda A
Note: (First published in Gateways 4. Many thanks for Joyce for the permission to post
Category: Adventure with a healthy dollop of hurt/comfort
Spoilers: S3 episode Shades of Grey
Season/Sequel info: Fourth Season
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Separated from Teal'c and Sam, Jack and an injured Daniel must fight to survive on a hostile planet.
Disclaimer: Stargate Sg-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author.

Colonel Jack O'Neill stood at the edge of the abyss and whistled softly. This view was not for the squeamish. Turning slightly, he shot a quick look at Daniel Jackson who was standing well back from the edge, arms wrapped around his chest as he stared across the chasm at their goal on the other side.

The unmistakable structure of a pyramid lay on the opposite cliff from where they stood, its top just visible in the distance over the tree line. SG-1 had come to PCX-942 with little expectation of finding anything of particular scientific value or military interest. The MALP probe had indicated an Earth-like atmosphere and the usual trees but no life forms; of course the MALP had been wrong before as they had discovered the hard way. But a day's exploration had yielded no indigenous life forms other than unidentified small, rabbit-like animals that occasionally darted across their paths as they moved farther from the Stargate. O'Neill had just about been ready to bag this mission as a bust and head back when they'd spotted the top of the pyramid in the distance.

Daniel had immediately gone into 'excited archaeologist' mode, and Jack had had to pull him back by the scruff of the neck more than once when he threatened to overtake Teal'c on point as they hiked toward the structure. Pyramids meant trouble, specifically Goa'uld trouble, and every member of the team was on alert. His Jaffa staff weapon clutched firmly in his hands, Teal'c's sharp, experienced eyes swept the rugged terrain, missing nothing as they moved forward. Major Carter brought up the rear, all senses straining for any sign of danger around them. Even Daniel, Jack noted with approval, had his hand resting on his holster as they tramped over the uneven ground.

As Daniel strode just a step or so ahead of him, Jack had taken the occasion to study the other man even while keeping his senses sharply alert. He'd been hoping for a nice, quiet mission with maybe a few old safe ruins for Daniel to explore. Ruins, not a damned pyramid. Of course, what he'd really hoped for was some serious down time so he could coax Daniel into a little fishing trip away from the SGC. He knew he still had some serious repair work to do to their relationship after his black ops job for Thor and the Tollans. And the repair work had to come from him.

Ever since that day he'd stood in the 'Gate Room and admitted he'd been undercover for the Asgard - and therefore his team should just please forget everything he'd said and done on that mission, thank you - Daniel had drifted away, just out of reach, and Jack was beginning to worry he wasn't coming back. He felt a little like a swimmer trying to swim to shore against the tide; no matter how hard he tried, the shore kept getting further and further away.

He still cringed when he remembered the look on Daniel's face after he told him their friendship had no foundation. Since then he'd apologized, he'd groveled, he'd bought gallons of Starbucks coffee, but things still weren't right between them. Oh, Daniel said he'd accepted the apology (and he sure as hell accepted the Starbucks coffee) but he'd taken a definite step back from their friendship and had put space between them that hadn't been there before. Teal'c and Carter seemed to be back to normal with him, but then they hadn't come over to his place to offer the hand of friendship only to have it bitten off at the elbow.

The one solid thing Jack had come to believe he could count on in a life filled with uncertainties was Daniel's friendship. To be sure, in the beginning it had snuck up on him and insinuated itself in his life when he wasn't looking, but now it was such an integral part of his life that he realized - maybe a little belatedly - he truly treasured it. Now he was seriously worried that privilege  - and it was a privilege, no question about it - had been withdrawn. He had decided when they got back he was having a talk with Hammond to make sure he and Daniel got that down time; and then he was going to make sure Daniel spent it with him and they were going to put things right.

***

They'd set a brisk pace toward their goal and had been making good progress... until they reached The Bridge. And a hell of a piece of architecture it was, too, Jack marveled, partly in awe, partly in dismay. Carter had said it looked like something out of her worst basic training nightmare, and he had to agree it would be right at home there -- if not for the bottomless pit looming underneath.

It was an incredibly intricate rope bridge with flat pieces of smooth evenly-sized planks to walk on and thick ropes providing waist-high barriers on each side to give the lucky crosser something to hold onto. There may be no life forms on the planet now, but this bridge was evidence there had been at some point. Jack looked up as Teal'c came back from his examination of the structure.

"It is well constructed," the Jaffa announced. "I see no flaws or weaknesses. The ropes are securely fastened, and no planks are missing or show signs of stress."

Jack was aware of three pairs of eyes on him as he nodded, his gaze on the bridge. His own examination had yielded the same conclusion; the bridge looked safe enough, and it was the only way they had found so far across the chasm. He'd had to cross worse bridges in his time and without the luxury of checking them out first. But he wasn't at all certain this was a particularly good idea where Daniel was concerned. The archaeologist didn't make a big deal out of his problem with heights, and so far it hadn't kept him from doing what he had to do on a mission, but something like this would prove a challenge to anyone, let alone someone with acrophobia.

As if reading his thoughts, Teal'c announced, "With your permission, I shall cross first, O'Neill."

Pulled out of his musings, Jack shook his head at the Jaffa. "No, that'll be me, Teal'c. Once I'm on the other side, Carter you follow, and bring the camera." He was trying to be as casual as possible about this, but he could feel Daniel stiffen at his side. The kid would probably jump all over him for the gesture, but he felt as if he needed to offer him the out, whether he took it or not. And knowing Daniel as he knew Daniel, he was pretty sure he wouldn't. Still, he made the offer. "Teal'c, you and Daniel stay here; Carter and I will check out the pyramid and film --"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Jack. What do you mean, stay here?" Daniel was in front of him immediately, toe to toe, pushing his glasses up with sharp jab of his finger. "I can't stay here. You need me in that pyramid. What if there are hieroglyphs --"

"Then we'll get them on film," Jack replied, already accepting Daniel wasn't about to be left behind.

The younger man crossed his arms and gave him a level look "That won't work, Jack. You can't be sure you'll get everything on film, and sometimes there are little things, things so subtle, that you might not pick up on. Plus, there might be booby traps. That's why I'm here. That's my job."

O'Neill did his best to hide his grin as Daniel edged up a notch into 'passionate archaeologist' mode and thanked his lucky stars this wasn't an argument he had to win. "Okay," he said simply.

Daniel was already well into determined archaeologist mode by the time Jack's words sank in. "O - okay?" he repeated, blinking.

"Okay," Jack repeated with a shrug. "You win. We'll all go."

The look of astonishment on the other man's face, immediately followed by one of open suspicion, made Jack turn away quickly before he lost the grip on his grin. "I'll cross first, then Daniel; Carter, you're next, then Teal'c. One at a time. Wait until I'm across before you start," he instructed Daniel. "No point in putting any more weight on than we have to."

Daniel slid an uneasy look at the bridge, but nodded his understanding. Before he moved to step onto the bridge, Jack turned to him and said quietly. "Just remember --"

"Don't look down," Daniel finished with a faint smile.

Jack nodded. "Right. And keep your eyes on me, okay?"

This time the smile reached the archaeologist's eyes for a brief moment before it disappeared, and his face assumed the neutral expression Daniel turned in his direction so often these days. "I'll be okay, Jack."

Wincing inwardly, Jack nevertheless clapped him lightly on the arm and said heartily, "I know you will."

The crossing was more or less what Jack had expected. It was disconcerting until you got the 'feel' of the bridge swaying with every step and the planks underneath giving with each footfall. But once you reached a rhythm and got in synch with the gentle movement, it was just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other and holding on for balance.

Once he reached the other side and stepped off, he turned and saw Daniel standing by the edge, waiting for his turn. Sam leaned forward and said something to him, and Daniel nodded. Then she squeezed his arm, and he took his first tentative step onto the planks. Even from where he was standing Jack could see the younger man stiffen as the bridge undulated under his feet.

"Just stand there a minute, and get used to it, Daniel," he called across.

"'Kay," Daniel responded, hands gripping the rope on both sides, his whole body tense.

"Now just walk across slowly. Hold onto the sides and keep your eyes on me."

He saw the archaeologist take a deep breath, then begin to move, his progress slow and awkward. Jack found himself muttering under his breath, "Easy, easy, just take it slow." From the way Daniel was moving, Jack could tell the swaying of the bridge was bothering him badly, and he was so tense he hadn't been able to obtain any rhythm. He was fighting the gently rolling planks, and he was liable to stumble if he didn't adapt to it soon. "Be one with the bridge, Daniel," Jack called out suddenly.

The younger man stopped, holding tightly to both sides as the bridge swayed, but Jack heard a choke of reluctant laughter. "What?!"

"Just go with the flow, big guy," Jack told him, relieved to have eased his tension somewhat. "Don't fight it. Take a deep breath and then just start walking." What really worried him was that if Daniel stumbled, he might get a eyeful of the chasm beneath and freeze. Daniel Jackson had more sheer guts, not to mention determination, than anyone he'd ever met, but right now he was nervous as hell, and the sight of the abyss under him would likely break his hard-won concentration. Jack was willing to trust the bridge with their individual weight, but he didn't want to have to stage a rescue on it. To his relief Daniel did as he said, took a long, deep breath, then once again began to walk. This time he was more in tune with the movement of the bridge, his steps a little more sure. Jack never took his eyes off him, and for his part, Daniel's gaze never wavered from his face.

Daniel had just reached the halfway point in his crossing when all hell suddenly broke loose on the other side. Without warning, streaks of white light flared from the thick cover of trees, and the earth around Carter and Teal'c exploded as the flares slammed into the ground. Daniel stopped immediately, head whipping around so fast he nearly lost his grip on the ropes.

"Daniel! Eyes front! Get moving now!" Seeing that Daniel was still on his feet, Jack turned his attention to his remaining team mates on the other side. More energy blasts were coming out of the woods; Carter and Teal'c had taken dubious cover behind an outcropping of rocks and were returning fire, but Jack couldn't see the enemy. "Carter, what's your situation?" he barked into the radio.

"We're under fire, sir. Can't tell how many there are, but they're hidden in those trees on the hill."

"Can you make it to the bridge?"

Before she could reply, a blast of white light hit the bridge halfway between their side and where Daniel was still standing. Planks exploded, and the bridge swung to an alarming angle, nearly tossing the unprepared archaeologist over the side. Jack could hear him cry out as he was slammed to his knees and struggled to maintain his grip.

Jack swore under his breath, "Goddammit!" Two voices immediately shouted in his earpiece.

"Sir, the bridge!"

"Daniel Jackson you must get off the bridge immediately!"

Faintly, he could hear Daniel's breathless and shaky voice, "Love to..."

Another blast hit the bridge, closer to Daniel this time. Both Carter and Teal'c fired back fiercely, trying to provide some cover for the beleaguered man. That last shot had done some serious damage to the structure of the thing and Jack could see it begin to sag under Daniel's weight.

"Daniel, move!"

But Daniel was in no position to move immediately. After that last blast, he'd lost all semblance of control and could only hang on, his face white as the bridge continued its violent undulating. He'd lost eye contact with Jack, too, and was staring blankly down into the seemingly unending darkness looming under him.

Quashing the insane impulse to dash out onto the bridge and bodily haul his friend to safety -- an action that would have probably resulted in both of them plummeting to their deaths -- Jack dropped to one knee and forced calmness into his voice. "Daniel."

That tone got through to the frozen archaeologist where shouting would not. Daniel's head shot up and his eyes, reflecting panic ready to erupt, immediately locked onto Jack's.

Trying to block out the sounds of warfare on the other side and the knowledge the rest of his team was also in danger, Jack focused his whole attention on Daniel. There was nothing he could to do help Carter and Teal'c from here; Daniel's rescue, however, was within his reach. Keeping his voice level he said, "Daniel, Sam and Teal'c are in trouble. You've got to get off the bridge so they can get out of there. They won't leave until you're out of danger. You know that."

Even from where he was kneeling at the end of the bridge, Jack could see the terrible knowledge reflected in the anguish on Jackson's mobile face. Calling on that reserve of sheer guts which had seen him through a multitude of perils in the past, Daniel gripped the ropes at his sides a little tighter and slowly pulled himself to his feet. Jack followed, straightening with him. Once upright, his face set and eyes fastened on Jack's face, Daniel began to move.

It was a hell of a trip. The bridge was swinging crazily, dipping dangerously to one side as one of the support ropes began to give. How Daniel managed to stay on his feet, Jack didn't know, unless it was by that brand of single-minded determination seeming at times to define Daniel Jackson.

"Come on, come on," Jack muttered under his breath, willing his friend to hurry while careful to keep his features calm and focused. Carter and Teal'c were still engaged in a firefight on the other side, trying to draw their unseen assailants' attention away from Daniel and the bridge. The archaeologist was almost within reach when their luck gave out. One last blast hit the bridge, and the support ropes finally gave.

Jack only had an instant to register the shock on Daniel's face as the younger man felt the bridge fall away under his feet. With a vicious curse, Jack lunged, stretched, grasped his friend's wrist in a bruising grip and threw all his weight backwards. He was rewarded with an armful of Daniel Jackson. Quickly twisting, Jack pinned him to the ground, throwing his own body over him in a move that was as instinctive as it was protective. For an instant the only thing he could think was, Safe, safe, safe.

Then he barked into his radio, "Carter! Teal'c! Get out of there!"

Carter's voice crackled back through his earpiece. "Sir, is Daniel --"

"With me. Get back to the Stargate. Daniel and I will try to find a way back on our own. Radio check-in every two hours. Now go!"

"Yes, sir."

Once he was assured Teal'c and Carter were on their way, Jack turned his attention to Daniel, feeling the faint tremors rippling through the younger man's body. The archaeologist had landed on his stomach, his face pressed into the ground, and Jack could see his hands had clawed into the soft earth. As much as he would have liked to indulge him in some recovery time, they didn't have the luxury. There were hostiles on this planet, and they could be on this side of the bridge as well. And to add to their problems, the Stargate was on the other side of this abyss, and they'd just lost their only known way back.

"Daniel? Hey, you okay?" Jack carefully rolled off and gave one tense shoulder a gentle shake.

"I'm -- I'm okay." Daniel's muffled voice shook for a moment before he got it under control, "Sam and Teal'c --"

"On their way back to the Stargate." Slipping a hand under the archaeologist's arm, Jack said with some urgency, "Come on, Daniel. We've got to get to some cover. We're out in the open here."

With a sharp bob of his head, Daniel pushed himself off the ground and climbed awkwardly to his feet, stumbling a bit despite Jack's steadying hand. "I'm okay," he repeated a little breathlessly, trying to pull away from the firm grip on his arm.

Giving the younger man a swift, comprehensive look, Jack assured himself he had his feet under him and released him with a final clap to his shoulder. "Okay then, let's get out of here." Jack led him away from the remnants of the bridge and made for the nearby tree-covered hills.

It was a tough climb. The ground was soft and uneven, the incline steep, and the undergrowth hid tree roots that conspired to trip them up at every opportunity. Both of them measured their length at least once on the journey; each was pulled back to their feet by the other. Only when they had reached what Jack considered sufficient height and cover did he stop and quickly put out a hand to steady Daniel, who had just caught his foot in yet tangle of vines hidden in the brush.

"Okay, time for a break."

His chest heaving with exertion, the archaeologist merely nodded and dropped down where he was, leaning back against a tree. When he had his breath back, he looked up at Jack with obvious worry, "Do you think Sam and Teal'c got away?"

Having surveyed their surroundings and found no immediate danger, Jack dropped down to the ground opposite Daniel and nodded briefly. "Probably." He couldn't know for sure, but he did know the competence and resourcefulness of their two missing team members. "Radio check in two hours; we'll know for sure then."

The younger man looked away, his lips compressed. "Two hours," he muttered.

"Yeah, I know," Jack said quietly, "but I'd lay my money on Carter and Teal'c any day."

His head nodding in agreement, Daniel murmured, "Yeah, me too." Suddenly he dropped his head back against the tree he was leaning against. "Damn! If I hadn't frozen out there on that bridge like some, some --"

"Daniel," O'Neill interrupted firmly, "I know twenty-year veterans who would have lost their lunch in a situation like that. You got across as quickly as you could, and nothing you did put Carter and Teal'c in danger." When Daniel didn't answer, O'Neill frowned. "Got that?"

Without meeting his eyes, the younger man nodded, but distress was still evident on his features. "Yeah, got it." Then abruptly changing the subject he asked, "What kind of weapons were those?"

The colonel had been asking himself the same thing. "Some kind of energy weapon." He pulled out his canteen and took a long drink, watching as Daniel did the same.

"Goa'uld technology?"

"Maybe." Probably. Putting his canteen away, O'Neill climbed to his feet, his eyes automatically sweeping their surroundings. "Okay, let's move out. We've got to find a way back across the Great Divide and get back to the Stargate."

Daniel followed him to his feet, settling his backpack more comfortably on his shoulders. "What about the pyramid?"

Jack gave his head a sharp shake. "No longer a priority, Daniel."

"We'll be going in that direction anyway. Jack, we should at least check it out. I mean, we're here --"

"And we have an unknown number of hostiles around us and two team members who may still be in trouble," O'Neill reminded him sharply.

The younger man looked away quickly, his face flushing guiltily. "Of course," he admitted, his voice low. "I didn't mean -- it's just, there might be information there we could use."

O'Neill suppressed a sigh. He couldn't really be angry at Daniel for his seeming single-mindedness; after all, Daniel was just being... Daniel. And, Jack admitted, he was just doing his job. Daniel wore a lot of hats when SG-1 was in the field: archaeologist, anthropologist, linguist, expert in mythology, and resident information-gatherer about the various cultures they encountered and the Goa'uld in particular. He was probably right about the pyramid housing information they might be able to use. But the mission changed when they'd been attacked. Information gathering was no longer their priority; survival was. And at the bottom of it all, O'Neill knew Daniel was desperately worried about Carter and Teal'c and despite anything Jack had said, still blamed himself for their situation.

He laid a hand briefly on the other man's shoulder. "I'm hoping there's nothing there we need," he said quietly and moved out.

***

It was like hiking through the foothills of the Rockies, Daniel thought. The terrain was similar and the air was as thin. Jack had taken him on a camping trip the last time they were on down-time and he'd felt this same light-headedness when they'd been hiking the rugged high country. That hiking trip seemed like a lifetime ago now. That had been before Jack had made the decision to lie to him and to not trust him.

Irritably he rubbed at the ache beginning between his eyes. He'd promised himself he wasn't going to think about that. It was over; it was done. Jack had apologized; he'd accepted. End of story. Except it wasn't quite the end because he hadn't been able to rid himself of the hurt that had blossomed inside when Jack had calmly told him their relationship had no foundation. Okay, that had been a lie, and Jack insisted he'd told him that to get him out of the house and away from the danger that was the NID as quickly as possible But even knowing it was a lie hadn't been quite enough to extinguish the pain. It still hurt. And he was still angry. And damnit, he missed Jack. He missed the easy/difficult, uncomplicated/complex, fulfilling/infuriating friendship with Jack O'Neill. He knew Jack had been doing everything short of sending him flowers to get back into his good graces and try to get their relationship back on track. He was the one holding back, the one who was reluctant to take the final step to put everything back the way it was. Why? He knew Jack was doing his job, knew it wasn't personal - although it sure as hell felt like it - and knew Jack felt contrite as hell about it. That should be enough for him to be able to put the whole distasteful episode behind him. The part of him that had been hurt had already done that, he acknowledged, wincing as his headache worsened, but the part of him that was angry hadn't. He'd been hurt plenty of times before in his life and had learned to deal with it. But he had never had a friend who meant as much to him as Jack O'Neill so he had precious little practice dealing with a feeling of betrayal by someone he trusted as completely as he trusted Jack.

He rubbed irritably at the spot between his eyes as his headache flared. Fishing in his vest pocket, he pulled out a packet of analgesics and popped two into his mouth, swallowing them dry.

Catching the movement, Jack turned and shot him an inquiring look. "You okay?"

Daniel nodded. "Headache."

The other man nodded. "Yeah, the air's pretty thin. As soon as we get to that rise up there we'll --"

Something whooshed past Daniel so closely he felt heat on his arm, and a tree next to O'Neill exploded. Before Daniel's brain could even process what had happened, Jack grabbed him by the arm and bodily shoved him in front of him, placing himself between Daniel and the direction the shot had come from. "Move!" he barked, spraying the woods around them with semi-automatic fire to cover their retreat.

Daniel moved. Stumbling, panting to draw oxygen into his straining lungs, fumbling at his holster to try to pull his gun, he ran over the uneven ground. Trees burst into flame around him, and behind him, he could hear Jack pounding at his heels. His foot caught on an exposed root and he fell, hard; pain blossomed in his left wrist, but he didn't have time to consider it because an instant later Jack had yanked him to his feet, and they were once again running. Low, thin tree branches stung his face, and he had lost his sense of direction a long time ago. Once Jack pulled on his arm, sending them in another direction, straight up, but Daniel didn't even have enough breath in his lungs to groan.

He hadn't heard any energy blasts in a while and wondered if they were still being followed. If they didn't stop soon, he was going to collapse, no question about it. His legs were quivering. His lungs were screaming, and his head was about two seconds from exploding. He was suddenly aware the ground next to him had fallen off, and he spared a look at the steep drop by his side. Before he could move away,  there was the unmistakable sound of an energy weapon, he felt an almighty punch on his back, and the earth disappeared under his feet.

***

"Daniel!" The last blast had slammed into the other man, sending him over the edge of the rocky ravine. As Jack watched, horrified, he tumbled head over heels down the side of the steep hill, crashing through bushes and bouncing off rocks. Without hesitation, Jack dropped to his rear and began to slide down after him. He'd been hoping for something along the lines of a 'controlled fall'. However, any semblance of control disappeared after about five seconds, and all Jack could do was tuck himself into a tight ball as he rolled and hope for the best.

After an eternity of bouncing and rolling, some bushes slowed his descent; then all breath was knocked from his body as he came up hard against a tree. Lucky he wasn't leading with his head. It seemed to take forever, although it couldn't have been more than a few seconds, before he had enough breath back in his lungs to roll over and pull his rifle around, facing the ledge they'd just come over. Satisfied there was no one in pursuit, he climbed a little unsteadily to his feet and looked around frantically for Daniel.

"Daniel? Daniel!" Trying not to dwell on what he might find, he began a hasty, determined search for his friend.

It only took seconds to locate him. Jack saw his boots first, sticking out from where his body had been practically swallowed by the undergrowth. His jaw clenched. He dropped down by Daniel's side, gently pulling the brush away from the unconscious man's face and placing an unsteady hand under his jaw. "Come on, come on, come on," he muttered. When he finally registered the faint but steady beat, he sagged, resting a hand on the tangle of brown hair and took a brief moment to savor the relief.

He's alive. He's alive. He's alive. Okay, he's alive. Your job is to make sure you keep him that way.

First thing  -- Was the enemy still in pursuit? Thanks to the undergrowth they were pretty much concealed which was a blessing; he didn't want to have to try to move Daniel without knowing what his injuries were. Peering out through the brush, Jack didn't see any sign of anyone, but then they hadn't had any warning the last two times either. He gave it a few more moments just to be sure then turned back to Daniel.

A long time later, he sat back on his heels and frowned in concern. The weapon blast had caught Daniel in the back, on his right shoulder. It looked similar to the kind of wound a staff weapon produced, only deeper. It looked almost like a puncture wound surrounded by badly burned skin. Jack had done his best to clean it with water and bandage it, but it was going to need real medical attention before long. He hadn't discovered any broken bones, but there was a nasty gash on Daniel's forehead, and the real probability of a concussion. Just as there was a real probability of cracked ribs from the amount of ugly bruising on his torso. His glasses, of course, were long gone, so at least there was no broken glass in his eyes. But the scratches and bruising on his face from where he'd made contact with brushes and rocks on his way down made him look very battered indeed, along with the swollen and darkening wrist. Superficial, Jack tried to tell himself. Bumps and bruises. The burn on his back was the worst of it, and once he was back home, Fraiser would fix him up good as new.

Daniel began stirring when he was cleaning the laceration on his head, and Jack laid a steadying hand on his forehead as his eyelids began twitching, hoping to ease his friend's journey back to consciousness. Keeping his voice low and calm, he said, "Daniel? Daniel, come on. Wake up." Daniel's eyes flew open, and Jack felt his entire body tense. "Easy, easy," he murmured. "It's just me."

Dazed blue eyes gazed up at him, and a frown formed on the pale, bruised face. "Jack?"

Jack managed what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Welcome back."

Daniel squeezed his eyes shut and mumbled hoarsely, "Happen'd?"

"You got hit by one of those energy blasts. Then you did your Amazing Flying Archaeologist Routine."

Daniel blinked his eyes open and mumbled a confused, "W-what?"

"Fell off a cliff," Jack explained, giving the matted hair under his hand a gentle ruffle. "Now that you're awake, I need to check you out again. Make sure I didn't miss anything."

Daniel shifted slightly and caught his breath. "Why?" he managed. "What'd you find?"

"Oh, lots of bumps and bruises," Jack answered casually, carefully running his hands again over Daniel's limbs. "Let me know if anything hurts."

"Isn't there an easier way to do this?" Daniel suffered the examination more or less in silence until Jack skimmed light fingers over his ribs. Then his whole body suddenly stiffened and he tried to flinch away from Jack's touch, gasping, "Damn it, Jack, that hurts!"

"Sorry," Jack's mouth tightened as he realized he definitely felt something give under his touch. Sitting back on his heels, he once again, plastered on a composed expression. "Lots of bumps and bruises." He held out three fingers in front of Daniel's nose. "How many fingers?"

Daniel squinted at them for a moment, then raised rueful eyes. "You don't really have six fingers on your hand, do you?"

"Oh, I think you'd have noticed that before now, don't you?" Jack kept his tone light as he reached for the canteen and tried not to let his growing concern show. Sliding a hand carefully under Daniel's head, he lifted him up and pressed the canteen to his lips. "Water, Daniel. Slow and easy."

Daniel obediently took a few sips, then grunted when Jack let him back down. "My shoulder..."

"That's where the energy blast hit you. It looks something like a staff weapon burn."

"Feels like one too."

"I think I'd better give you a shot of morphine," Jack decided. As he readied the shot he frowned to himself when he realized Daniel wasn't going to raise a protest.

A few minutes later the lines of pain around Daniel's eyes eased as the shot began to take effect. Jack had spent the time talking to Daniel to keep his mind off the misery, half his mind on the one-sided conversation and the other half working feverishly on a plan of action.

"What do we do now?"

Daniel's voice was a little slurred, but he wasn't tensed up with pain any longer which was a relief. "Now, we find some shelter and hole up there for the night." Staying here wasn't an option. They were pretty well concealed by the heavy brush, but the wind had been steadily picking up, and the temperature was dropping rapidly. From the way dark clouds were beginning to swirl around overhead, it looked like a doozy of a storm was moving in. There was no way Daniel could spend the night out in the open in his condition so that meant they had to find shelter, and they had to find it fast. "But first, I'm going to tape up those ribs," Jack said easily. "Just to make sure. I think they're just bruised, but --"

"I think I broke something," Daniel interrupted. His voice was low and breathy and he kept his eyes averted. "Something doesn't feel...right."

"All the more reason to tape them up then," Jack replied in his best matter-of-fact, it's-okay-because-I-say-it-is voice, and opened the medkit. He was most emphatically not going to think about Antarctica.

Several minutes later, he laid Daniel back down and gently wiped the droplets of sweat off the younger man's forehead. Daniel hadn't made a sound during the entire process, but he'd broken out in a sweat, and Jack could feel the fine trembling under his hands. He wished the kid had just yelled, but they both knew he didn't have the luxury. Daniel wouldn't do anything he thought might give away their position.

To fill in the silence and try to take Daniel's mind off his suffering, Jack said quietly,  "With any luck, Carter and Teal'c will be back with reinforcements tomorrow."

Daniel gazed up at him, heavy blue eyes searching his face. "They haven't called in, have they?"

Jack took a moment to let his gaze travel along the rough terrain surrounding them before answering. They hadn't called, and he hadn't been able to raise them, but there could be a lot of reasons for that. "Nope, but the mountains could be interfering with the signal."

"Do you believe that?"

Jack looked down at him and put every ounce of conviction he had in his answer. "Yes, Daniel, I do." He'd already consolidated everything he thought they'd need into one pack, and he slipped that on now, tucking away his binoculars. "Those hills over there are probably our best bet for finding shelter. I saw some openings which look promising. We should be able to make it over there before dark --"

"Jack."

Daniel's voice, quiet but ragged, stopped Jack in his tracks. "I don't think --"

"We're going to go together, Daniel," he said briskly, refusing to let the other man finish his thought. "So don’t even think about arguing."

Daniel squeezed his eyes shut momentarily, and Jack saw his body tense before he slowly exhaled. "I don't think I can," he said flatly when he got his breath back.

"Yes, you can. Because you're going to let me do all the work."  Leaning down closer to the injured man, Jack laid a gentle hand on his head to gain and keep his attention. "Daniel, believe me, I know what I'm asking you to do," he said, his voice quiet but intense. "I know how hard it's going to be. But we can't stay out here tonight. And I am not - not - leaving without you."  He'd had to do that once, had to leave Daniel, his chest half blown away, to die alone. He wasn't leaving him, and Daniel wasn't going to die. End of discussion.

Some of Jack's fierce determination must have gotten through because a soft sigh escaped Daniel's lips. "Okay," he whispered.

"Okay." Giving the filthy hair under his hand a gentle tousle, Jack slid his arm under Daniel to help him into a sitting position. The sound of the other man's choked off cry of pain cut right through him, but he clamped his mouth shut and didn't comment. Instead he set his jaw and put everything into getting Daniel onto his feet. It wasn't pleasant, and Daniel's breath was coming in short, harsh gasps by the time Jack had him upright. "Easy, easy," he murmured, taking as much of Daniel's weight as he could.

Daniel pressed his free arm around his ribs and ground out, "Jack, this isn't going to work."

"Yes, it is."

"Why - because you say so?" Daniel shot back testily.

"Glad we understand each other. Now come on, Daniel. We need to get moving." This wasn't the time for sympathy or letting his own feelings show. The best way to deal with the situation - for both of them - was to appeal to Daniel's innate stubbornness and keep him focused on their situation...which was getting more desperate as the weather continued to deteriorate around them.

The storm hit in full force before they were halfway to their destination. The roar of the wind was so loud conversation would have been impossible if either man had breath for it. Sheets of cold rain stung their faces and soaked their clothes, chilling them. His jaw set in determination, Jack hung onto Daniel like grim death, supporting most of his weight as the younger man stumbled beside him. He was doing his best to shield Daniel from the worst of the buffeting, but in all practicality there wasn't much he could do except hang onto him and keep him moving.

Finally, at the end of his reserves, Daniel sagged in Jack's arms, falling to his knees before Jack, his reactions slowed by the cold, was able to catch him. Jack took one good look at his face, white with pain and exhaustion and knew all the determination and stubbornness in the world wasn't going to get Daniel back on his feet without some rest. The hills they were heading for weren't that far away now, but too far for Daniel at the present time, and besides, the idea of dragging him around in this storm while he searched for cover was less than appealing.

He sheltered Daniel under a big-boughed tree with leaves broad enough to provide some small refuge from the downpour. The injured man was huddled up against it, arm tucked protectively around his middle, and his eyes were squeezed shut as he breathed shallowly through his mouth. Fighting down the feeling of déjà vu wanting to surge up inside him, Jack made his decision and leaned down, laying a hand on Daniel's arm. Putting his lips right against Daniel's ear so he could hear him over the howling wind, he said loudly, "Daniel, I'm going to leave you here while I try to find shelter. I'll be back for you! Understand?"

At first he wasn't sure Daniel had even heard him. But after a few moments, Daniel's hand came to rest on his forearm and he felt a weak squeeze. Automatically he covered Daniel's hand with his own, wincing at the iciness of the younger man's skin. "I'll be back for you," he repeated, his tone taking on an edge of desperation. "You hear me?" Dammit, Daniel, you'd better hear me. "I'll be back for you!"

Tired blue eyes blinked open and met Jack's a moment before sliding shut again. "I know."

Jack gave the cold, stiff hand under his one last squeeze. "You'd better remember it too." Then without allowing himself to look back, Jack surged to his feet and turned away. This wasn't like that time on Apophis' ship. Daniel wasn't dying. And he was coming back. Not like that time at all, so he really needed to stop thinking about it.

***

"I'll be back for you."

I know you will, Jack. Never thought anything else.

Daniel pressed tight against the tree at his back and concentrated on taking shallow breaths. God, everything hurt. His shoulder was burning like someone was sticking a hot poker into it, and the pain wrapped around his ribs wasn't to be thought about. His cold, wet clothes were clinging to his icy skin, and he was shaking so hard his teeth were chattering.

How long had Jack been gone? Couldn't have been long. Or was it? What if something happened to him? What if he'd been hurt or ran into trouble? Daniel pressed his cheek against the rough bark of the tree. Nothing happened to Jack. He's fine. He'll be back any minute. This is like a stroll in the park to him. He's probably already found a cave, has a fire started, and is cooking supper. The thought made him smile despite the pain. Jack was the most completely competent person he'd ever known. You could put him down in the middle of just about anywhere, and he'd be able to survive with nothing more than his knife and the clothes on his back. It was almost scary.

Except that wasn't scary to Daniel; it was damned comforting. He was never really scared when he was with Jack, no matter how dire the situation seemed. It was an old habit from when he'd first joined SG-1 he'd never lost. Jack didn't always make what Daniel considered the right decisions when there was a moral issue at stake, but Daniel never doubted Jack's absolute determination keep his team safe, and he knew Jack used every skill at his disposal to do so. Which was what he had been doing when he deliberately shut Daniel out and drove him away while he was on that black ops mission for the Asgard…

Before his increasingly fuzzy mind could go any further along that path, he became aware that the mournful canine howls he'd been hearing through wailing of the wind were getting closer. Memories of the packs of wild dogs that roamed Abydos flashed through his mind. If there were enough of them, and they were hungry enough, they would attack a lone human. And if that human were injured and they sensed easy prey…

Oh God. His heart beating wildly from a sudden rush of fear-induced adrenaline, he fumbled at his holster with cold, stiff fingers.

***

Too, too much longer Jack was on his way back to Daniel through the driving sheets of rain. He'd finally located a cave deep enough to provide both shelter and good cover, but it had taken way too long. The hillside where the cave was located was treacherously slippery, and he'd had to force himself to slow down; he wouldn't do Daniel any good if he ended up with a broken leg. He was back on more or less level ground now and moving at a good clip. He couldn't stop thinking of the shape Daniel had been in when he left him: his face frighteningly white under the bruises, his skin like ice, shivering from the cold, eyes squeezed shut against the pain. Damn. How could things go to hell so fast? How did he let them go to --

The sound of an animal howling in the distance made him push himself even faster. That was another worry: the local wildlife. He'd heard those howls since the sun disappeared, and Daniel was alone, probably unconscious, and unprotected. He froze as the next canine cry was followed immediately by a gunshot. Then another. "Oh, shit!" Throwing caution to the gale-force wind, Jack broke into a run, darting through the obstacle course of rocks, trees and bushes all but hidden in the dark separating him from his goal.

The animal cries filled the night, chilling, mournful sounds that grew louder and seemed to surround him as he pounded through the rain. Jesus! It sounded like the hounds of hell. He knew that sound...had heard it before...a pack of wild dogs moving in for the kill...

He spotted the tall canopy tree up ahead where he'd left Daniel and, remembering the gunshot earlier, called out before crashing through the bushes. It was a scene right out of his worst nightmare. Daniel was stretched out on the ground, his 9mm sidearm clutched feebly in his hand. Not a foot away from him was the body of an animal which looked like a hideous cross between a wolf and a hyena, its long fangs bared even in death. Moving in for the kill were at least a half dozen others, slobbering, vicious, hungry beasts, their eyes shining in the dark as moved in unison, stalking closer and closer to Daniel.

Jack raised his automatic rifle and fired several bursts into the air. The beasts immediately stopped, emitting sharp barks of fear. He did it again, and determined the next round was going right into the sons of bitches if they didn't clear out now. But that was all it took. The noise had the desired effect, and as a pack, they fled into the night. Jack waited a moment to make sure they weren't coming back, then ran over to Daniel and dropped down beside him.

Daniel's eyes were slitted open, and his breathing was shallow and harsh, but he acknowledged Jack with a slight nod as Jack eased the gun out of his slack grip. "Good shot," Jack said quietly, glancing over his shoulder at the lump of fur and fangs nearby.

"Little hard to miss...at that range," came the hoarse whisper.

"They're gone now," Jack assured him. Sliding the gun back into its holster, he worked one arm under Daniel and carefully eased him up. "Found a place where we can spend the night. Have a nice rest?"

"Oh yeah. Neighbors were a little noisy though..." Daniel caught a sharp breath as Jack stood him upright. "How far?"

There was a plaintive note to Daniel's voice that made Jack wince, but he only said, "Not far. And then you can rest, promise." Carefully sliding Daniel's arm around his neck, Jack got a good grip on the younger man's belt with his other hand to support him without  putting pressure on his ribs. "Nice little place, I think you'll like it. Has a view and everything."

As they began their laborious trek, Daniel mumbled, "But no pets allowed, right...?"

***

Jack worked quickly and methodically at stripping off Daniel's soaked clothes, clenching his jaw at the muffled sounds of distress escaping the younger man's lips. The forced hike had been sheer torture for Daniel, and Jack didn't  even have the comfort of fire to offer him. He hadn't been able to find any wood that wasn't too wet to burn, and the best he could do was get Daniel out of his wet clothing and wrap him in a blanket to try to get him warm, hoping the wood he'd brought in would dry out by morning so he could get a fire going then. In the meantime, they had the long, cold night to get through.

Jack shone his flashlight beam over Daniel as he laid down beside him; Daniel had his eyes closed, but Jack could see him shaking under the blanket. With a frown, he reached out and placed a light hand on his forehead. Daniel's eyes flew open. "Wha --"

"Easy. Just me." He offered a small, reassuring smile. "Just checking for fever."

"'m too cold to have a fever," Daniel muttered fretfully.

Actually, Jack definitely felt feverish warmth under his hand, but he didn't say anything as he switched off the light, plunging them into darkness. His rifle was by his hand along with the flashlight, and he wriggled closer to the shivering man. "Ah, Daniel..." He cleared his throat. "Don't take this the wrong way, but --"

He broke off as a hand reached out and snatched a handful of blanket, tugging him closer. "S'all right, Jack," Daniel slurred, "I'll know it's just your sidearm..."

Jack froze in the act of putting an arm carefully around Daniel. Carter. You are so going to pay for that. He settled his arm around the other man and shuffled closer. He heard Daniel give a sigh of relief, then felt his head bump lightly against his chest.

"Oh god, that's so much better," Daniel mumbled.

"Yeah, it is," Jack agreed and automatically brought up a hand to stroke the thick, damp hair on the back of Daniel's head. "Try to get some sleep."

For a few moments there was silence, then Daniel asked quietly, "Jack, do you think they made it?"

"I think," he answered carefully, "they had a good chance. Hey, this is Carter and Teal'c we're talking about. They may have gotten held up in the storm, same as we did, but I think they'll make it." Tugging Daniel's blanket a bit higher, he covered his friend's head in an attempt to conserve as much heat as possible. "Now, would you please get some sleep?"

The silence and the slow breathing of the man plastered against him told him he was talking to himself. With a sigh, Jack closed his own eyes to get some much-needed rest himself.

***

It was a cold, miserable night which seemed to go on forever. Daniel was feverish and restless, muttering things that made no sense even when they were in English. Jack did his best to keep him warm and still, soothing him with the sound of his voice or gentle pats when he got too agitated. He was amazed it worked so well, but the end result was both of them waking up every hour or so. They were both exhausted and drained by the time the sky outside the cave began to lighten.

With the dawn came the kind of bone-chilling cold you only ever get at that time of the day, and Jack decided he was going to get a fire started if he had to use their clothes to do it. Carefully easing away from the dozing man, he tucked the blanket in around him to conserve what body heat he could, and paused to lay a hand gently against his forehead. Hot. Way too hot. Grimly he got to his feet and checked on the wood he'd brought in last night.

The fire was burning cozily, the pot of water was beginning to heat, and Jack was dressed in his dry clothes when he heard the muttering start again. Before he could get over to Daniel, the younger man pushed the blanket off and began rubbing fretfully at his forehead, disturbing the dressing on the gash over his eye.

"Hey, hey, hey, stop that." Jack dropped down by his side and pulled Daniel's hand away from his forehead and at the same time tugged up the blanket.

"Hot," Daniel complained petulantly.

"You'll give yourself a chill. Come on, Daniel, settle down now."

As if finally coming awake, Daniel blinked his eyes open and stared blearily up at Jack, confusion on his face. "Jack?"

Relieved that Daniel finally seemed back with him, Jack answered matter-of-factly, "You've got a bit of a fever, Daniel," and snagged the nearby water bottle. "Let's get some water into you, okay? Don't want you to get dehydrated."

"Where are we?"

Jack slid his hand under Daniel's head and lifted him high enough to take some sips from the canteen, trying not to react to the soft whimper of distress escaping the dry lips. "Do you mean, where are we in terms of where in the galaxy are we? Or do you mean, where specifically are we on PCX-942?"

Daniel grimaced as Jack laid his head back down. "I'll take the short version."

"Cave. Do you remember --"

"Oh. Yeah." Daniel squeezed his eyes shut, and Jack saw him swallow hard. "Jack. Everything hurts. Really bad."

Jack knew how intense the pain was for Daniel to even make the admission. "Okay. Sounds like it's time for another shot. And I'd better change the dressing on your burn."

"Oh, I wish you wouldn't."

"Have to keep it clean, Daniel," he said gently. "Infection --"

"Do it, Jack," Daniel broke in, impatience mixing with the pain in his voice. "Just don't talk about it, okay?"

Giving the dark hair a sympathetic ruffle, Jack pulled the necessary supplies out of the medkit and set to work.

***

By the time Jack was finished, he was sweating as much as Daniel, and his hands weren't quite steady. The shot helped ease the pain a bit but not nearly enough for what Daniel had to endure. The burn was infected, swollen, angry, and filled with fluid, and the pain was pulsing through Daniel's body along with the infection. Jack peeled off the stained bandage, cleaned the wound again and applied a new dressing. Then he dressed Daniel in his now dry clothes and moved him closer to the fire. It all had to be done, and he did it with a gentleness that would have put some of Fraiser's nurses to shame, but he knew it had been agony for Daniel.

Pouring a little of their precious supply of water onto his handkerchief, he wiped away the beads of sweat on Daniel's flushed face, allowing the cloth to rest for a few moments on his closed eyes. When he finally lifted it, Daniel opened his eyes and whispered hoarsely, "Sorry."

"For cryin' out loud, Daniel, what are you sorry for?" Jack snapped in sudden frustration as he sat back on his heels.

Daniel's uninjured shoulder twitched in a weak shrug. "That was a kind of…general 'sorry'. For lots of things."

Jack gave him a long, hard look, then deliberately turned away and began rummaging through his pack. "I'm making some soup," he announced. "Once we get that inside you --"

"I don't think I can --"

"Yes, you can, Daniel, and you will," Jack interrupted, his voice flat. Pulling out one of the packets of soup mix, he tore it open and poured the powder it into the boiling water. "You need the nourishment to keep your strength up." When he turned back with the soup, he found Daniel watching him. The dark rings under his eyes looked like bruises, and there were red spots on his cheeks as his fever continued to climb.

"Jack." Daniel's whisper was gentle and strangely apologetic. "I don't think a little soup is going to make any difference."

Jack slid over beside Daniel and worked his hand gently under the younger man's head. "Everything makes a difference, Daniel," he said firmly. "A cup of water, a piece of bread, an hour of sleep - any one of those things can make the difference when you're trying to survive. Now come on..." He held the cup to Daniel's mouth. "Slow and easy." For a moment Jack thought he was going to resist, but then Daniel obediently began to sip unenthusiastically at the hot soup, and Jack let out a little sigh of relief. At least he didn't have to pour it down his throat.

A long time later Jack added some more sticks to the fire and doggedly ate his own MRE. Daniel had finished the soup and managed a cup of water before slipping into a feverish sleep. At least when he was asleep he wasn't in pain. Jack mechanically chewed his meal and stared into the fire, the weight of worry bowing his shoulders. Both his resources and his options were limited: Daniel couldn't be moved, so that meant they stayed here until help came from the SGC. (That was assuming Carter and Teal'c had made it back for help, and he was going to keep on assuming they had.) Their immediate needs were more wood and a supply of fresh water; he was confident he could take care of both needs without leaving Daniel for more than a short space of time. They had enough supplies for two more days, but Jack knew they didn't have two days. Daniel didn't have two days.

He looked over at his friend, his heart sinking. There hadn't been many times in his life when he'd felt this helpless. He usually had a plan. No, he always had a plan, damn it. Sometimes the plan didn't work. Sometimes the plan was to look to Daniel or Carter or Teal'c for the solution, but there was always a plan. This time his plan was to sit here and wait for help while Daniel slipped further away from him minute by minute? That wasn't a plan. That was failure, pure and simple. He'd failed Daniel. How many times did that make? He could go back to his promise to get Sha're back and bring it forward, and he could probably spend a good, long time sitting here tallying up the number of times he'd let Daniel down in one way or another. His eyes rested on his friend's face, and he smiled ruefully as he all but heard Daniel's voice in his head: yes, Daniel, I could also count up the number of times I came through for you, and maybe they even out. And, right, who's keeping score anyhow? But he was desperately afraid this was the time that was going to count, the final failure, the one he'd never have the chance to make right.

He'd found a small stream not far from the cave and gathered more wood. There was no sign of pursuit by whoever had attacked them yesterday so it seemed like they were safe for now. Having piled the wood in a corner and put the water on to boil, he settled down by the fire and reached out to lay his palm against Daniel's forehead, wincing at the heat radiating off the other man. He left his hand there, brushing back the wispy fringe touching the hot forehead, needing the tactile contact. Daniel gave a little sigh that sounded like Jack's name and turned his head toward him as if seeking more contact. "I'm here, Danny. I'm here." Almost immediately Daniel settled down again, and Jack could feel him relax under his touch.  My skin must feel downright cool to him. As hot as he is, it probably feels pretty good. The thought he was somehow providing some small measure of comfort actually gave him some comfort too, and he sat there for a long time, his hand resting on the hot forehead, watching Daniel sleep, listening to his harsh, shallow breaths.

Finally he removed his hand, drew his knees up and lowered his head, pressing the heels of his palms into burning eyes. Damn it to fuckin' hell. He wasn't one to give up, not ever. Or, at least not now in his life. There was a time he had been ready to give up, eager in fact. But that all changed when he encountered two incredible forces that changed his life: the Stargate, and Doctor Daniel Jackson. Life hadn't been the same since. Thank god. But now he never gave up and he never let any member of his team give up either.

Except this time it wasn't a matter of coming up with a plan or fighting seemingly impossible odds or facing off against a Goa'uld system lord. This time it was a matter of sickness and fever burning relentlessly in Daniel, and he had no way to fight that. There was no way to get Daniel to help; he had to wait for help to come to them, and he knew it might come too late.

***

Daniel felt himself relaxing under the touch of a cool, gentle hand. For a moment he was confused, and his mind almost called out Sha're's name. But he realized almost immediately that was wrong. He recognized that touch, knew the feel of those calloused fingers, knew the strength and gentleness in those hands. "Jack." The name escaped him like a sigh, and he heard Jack murmur some reassurance as he soothed his hot skin with a cool hand. Poor Jack. He didn't know anyone who raged against helplessness as fiercely as Jack. Daniel knew there wasn't anything his friend could do for him he hadn't already done, and he also knew the anguish of the inevitable would be tearing him apart inside. Jack was first and foremost a protector. To him the greatest failure was to fail to protect.

He forced his heavy eyes open a slit and saw his friend sitting beside the fire, hunched over, the heels of his palms pressing hard into his eyes. The good news was he wasn't really feeling the pain anymore; the bad news was that wasn't exactly good news. He should be feeling the burning in his shoulder and the pain in his ribs. Instead he was feeling a spreading numbness throughout his body. In fact, he couldn't even feel his legs anymore. He wasn't going to tell Jack about that though. Jack was already worried enough. He was just so tired. His thoughts seemed to be wandering around all over the place, and it was getting harder and harder to keep everything straight. He just wanted to close his eyes...

"Jack."

Jack's head shot up, and he managed a smile as he once again laid a hand on Daniel's forehead. "Hey, buddy. I didn't know you were awake. Think you can eat some more soup?"

"No, don't think so." Daniel drew a careful breath. "Jack, is this what it was like for you and Sam…in Antarctica?"

Something flickered in Jack's eyes, but he only said, "Nah. It was way colder than this. This is positively balmy compared to that place."

Jack probably didn't know Sam had told him everything. After their ordeal in Antarctica she had needed to talk to someone; Daniel had recognized the signs and made sure he was around when she was ready. One night he brought Chinese over to her place to keep her company, and she told him about the whole terrifying experience: her frustration at not being able to get the Gate to work, how Jack wouldn't let them give up hope, how his condition kept getting worse, and how he finally made the decision for both of them.

"Sam told me."

"Told you what?"

Daniel gasped as his face was gently wiped with a damp cloth. "Told me there came a time…when you knew…"

The movement of the cloth stopped abruptly. "Daniel, what the hell are you talking about?" The tone was deliberately conversational, but Jack was squeezing the cloth so tightly Daniel could feel a sudden trickle of moisture sliding down his temple.

"Jack." Daniel lifted a heavy arm and reached clumsily for Jack's wrist. Immediately Jack captured his hand in both of his and pressed it back down. Frustrated at his weakness, Daniel gave the earth floor a pathetic thump with his fist. "You should try to make it to the Gate."

"We're waiting for Carter and Teal'c," Jack said firmly.

"We don't even know if they made it."

"I believe they did."

"Doesn’t matter. You know it won't make any difference."

"What the hell kind of attitude is that, Jackson?" Jack snarled. "You're just going to give up?" He leaned down so his face, flushed with anger, was barely inches from Daniel's. "You don't give up till I tell you you can give up, you got that?"

Daniel knew it was Jack's fear and frustration making him angry, but really the idea of Jack getting in his face and shouting to make him do something was pretty funny considering how well Jack knew him.

The same thought must have crossed Jack's mind at the same moment because he pulled a face, then took a long, deep breath and said in a much calmer voice, "Look, Daniel, I'm not leaving you, and you're not going anywhere without me. Got that?"

Daniel shook his head restlessly, licking his dry, cracked lips before saying, "Jack, the longer you stay in one place increases the risk of being found by whoever was chasing us. You should keep moving --"

"You know," Jack interrupted, turning back to the fire, "it occurs to me if you've got the energy to argue, you can eat some more soup."

"Jack, please." Daniel could feel what little strength he had draining. "Listen to me --"

"No, Daniel, you listen to me." Jack wheeled around and leaned down so he was once again in Daniel's face, but this time he wrapped his hand around Daniel's and squeezed it. "I am not leaving you here," he said deliberately. "Nothing you say is going to change my mind so save your strength. We got into this together, and we will get out of it together just like always. We're not talking about the fate of Earth hanging in the balance here; we're not talking about a suicide mission on an enemy ship. We are talking about you and me, and I would not leave a team member behind, let alone the best friend I've ever had. Now, are we clear on that?"

Daniel looked at him for a long time, then nodded. "Yeah," he whispered, closing his eyes as he let Jack's words wash over him. He had known for a long time that Jack was the best friend he'd ever had and one of the most important people in his life, but he wasn't always sure how Jack felt about him. Hell of a time to find out.

He felt the coolness of the cloth on his face again. "I know I haven't always been very good at this friendship thing." Daniel almost smiled at the mumbled admission. Any apologies between him and Jack always seemed to come out in mumbled, barely coherent half-sentences. But then, words had never been that important between them. Actions had always spoken louder.

"You've always been fine…at this friendship thing." Daniel knew his words were slurred, but he also knew it was important he get them out, important for Jack to hear them.

"I can do better. And I will." Jack's voice suddenly turned more conversational, "When we get back…"

When we get back. Jack, don't…

"…we're going to go fishing."

"Fishing?"

"Yep. When was the last time you went fishing? Better question - have you ever gone fishing?"

Eyes closed, the cool cloth soothing his parched skin, Daniel smiled a little to himself as he listened to Jack ramble on about the joys of fishing and what wonders he would behold. He'd been fishing in places Jack could only imagine, had caught fish Jack had probably never heard of. Actually, he quite liked fishing, and he felt a sharp pang of regret they'd never share that fishing trip.

He felt Jack's hand slide under his head and grunted as he was carefully raised, the canteen put to his lips. "Water," Jack told him quietly. "Come on, Daniel, drink. Please." Jack sounded so insistent, so anxious that Daniel did his best to drink a few sips, but he had trouble swallowing. He was so tired, and it was getting cold again. He felt…disembodied. Like he was floating away. It was very strange. He wondered if he said that out loud because the next thing he knew he felt Jack's arms go around him as the other man stretched out beside him, pulling him close to his own warmth.

"That better?" Jack's voice was a whisper next to his ear.

It was always better when Jack was around. He'd been miserable these last few weeks as he tried to work past his hurt and anger over the Tollan matter. It all seemed pretty silly now. Yes he'd been stung by Jack's apparent lack of trust - but he knew (at least he did now) that Jack was only doing what he always did: protect his team by whatever means necessary. He'd been hurt by the way Jack had so casually dismissed their friendship - but again, Jack was protecting him. And yes he was angry - angry because Jack had been out there with no back-up and could have been killed, and the last words he would have said to him would have been words of anger. Those were all good reasons to be angry and hurt, but it seemed so unimportant now - and such a waste of time.

"Yes," he sighed, feeling himself relax into the offered warmth. It wasn't enough to stop the cold inexorably creeping through his body, but it felt good not to be alone.

"You're tired, aren't you, Danny?" Jack's voice was strangely thick, and his hand had found its way to Daniel's head, stroking his hair. "It's okay. If you're tired, it's okay to sleep. I'll be here. I'm not leaving."

Jack's voice sounded very far away, but even so Daniel didn't miss the way his voice broke. It took all his remaining strength, but he managed to lift his arm enough to drop it onto Jack's. When he felt the familiar material under his hand, he curled his stiff fingers and pulled a handful of it into his fist, strangely comforted. "I know." The words left his mouth in a sigh, and knowing he'd never been safer, he closed his eyes and allowed the darkness to take him.

***

Jack felt the grip on his jacket relax by degrees and squeezed his eyes shut as the body in his arms went limp. I'm sorry, Daniel. I'm so damned sorry. I should have found a way. I should have been able to save you. He could hear the shallow, labored breathing of the man in his arms and felt the heat radiating off him in waves. "It's okay, Daniel. I'm here. I'm --"

"O'Neill. Can you hear me?"

The sudden static in his radio and the tinny sound of Teal'c's voice almost gave him a heart attack. "Teal'c!" He fumbled with the switch on his radio.

"It is I, O'Neill. Major Carter and I have returned with SG-3. We have found another way across the chasm and are approaching your position."

"Where are you?"

Carter's voice came across the radio. "We're fixed on your signal and we appear to be about a quarter of a mile due south of your position, sir. We ran into some hostiles but --"

"We need a medical team," he broke in sharply.

"We have a medical team, sir," Carter answered swiftly. "The general wanted us to be prepared for any eventuality."

"Colonel, this is Doctor Fraiser." She sounded a little out of breath. "Can you tell me what your situation is?"

Jack looked down into the lax face of his friend and slipped a hand under his jaw, feeling the weakening pulse. "Just hurry," he said harshly.

There was a brief, charged silence then Carter answered crisply, "On our way, sir."

As Jack's radio went silent, he slipped a hand to the back of Daniel's head and pressed it gently to his shoulder. "Hang in there, Danny," he whispered. "Please just hang in there. I know I said it was okay to sleep, but I'm countermanding that order, you hear? You can't rest just yet. You need to keep fighting. That's an order, Doctor."

Every breath of warm air gusting onto his neck, every heartbeat he counted was a victory. Daniel was a limp weight in his arms, the dark head heavy on his shoulder. He rested his chin on the sweaty, matted hair, tightened his arms, and held on. He had this insane notion if he didn't let go, neither would Daniel, that somehow he could share his strength with his friend, that if Daniel knew he was there, he wouldn't give up.

"I've never known you to give up on anything, Daniel. Don't start now."

"O'Neill!"

Jack looked up to see Teal'c's large form filling the cave entrance, his chest heaving with exertion. He could hear mad scrambling outside where apparently the rest of the rescue team was making their way up.

"Gang's all here, Danny," he said softly, "We're going home. Both of us."

***

Jack reached over and lazily pulled another beer from the cooler by his lawn chair, then turned his head to give his companion an indulgent look. Daniel was in the recliner lawn chair, stretched out, eyes closed, fishing pole resting in his hands as he dozed in the sun. Jack gave his head a little shake as he twisted off the cap to his beer. He'd been one sick boy by the time they got him back to the SGC. In truth, he'd been barely alive. Fraiser had spent a half hour just trying to stabilize him before she would even allow them to leave the cave, and then after they got back she didn't sleep for two days as she fought to keep Daniel alive. He knew that for a fact because he hadn't slept either. Apparently a wound caused by those energy weapons on PCX-942 became immediately and massively infected, and the poison had raced through Daniel's body, coming within a hair's breadth of killing him.

It had been too damned close, but he'd pulled through. Of course, he spent a further week in Fraiser's infirmary getting his strength back, and if she had her way, Jack knew she would have kept him even longer. But Jack had a plan, and surprisingly, Fraiser had gone along with it. Perhaps she saw the signs of restlessness in Daniel and knew as well as Jack did he'd find some way to sneak in work even when he was supposed to be flat on his back resting. However - and this was the brilliance of his plan - Daniel couldn't do work if he was sitting in the beautiful wilds of Minnesota with a fishing pole in his hands and Jack to watch over him. Even Fraiser couldn't argue with that. And the fact Daniel was desperate to get out of the infirmary meant Jack had no trouble at all convincing him to come along for a little fishing. After that it had been a simple matter to conveniently 'forget' Daniel's bag with the books and the laptop. After half a day of sulking and under-his-breath-muttering, Daniel finally stopped grumbling and from what Jack could see, was having a good time as well as slowly regaining his strength.

Who knew the kid could tie flies like that? He was a constant source of amazement.

"What?"

Jack snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of Daniel's voice and blinked a few times to bring him into focus. Daniel was looking at him with that wide, unblinking stare which could unnerve - or annoy  - depending on the occasion. "What, what?"

Daniel turned his attention back to the fishing rod in his hand. "I'm okay, Jack. Getting stronger every day." He shot Jack a sideways look. "This was a great idea, by the way."

"It was?" Jack caught himself quickly. "Of course it was."

"I like fishing," Daniel continued, reeling in his line a bit. "Despite the fact there don't seem to be any fish in this lake."

"Ah, but it's not actually catching fish that's the point of fishing --"

"Yes, I know, it's the act of fishing itself," Daniel finished in the patiently suffering tone of one who had heard that platitude one too many times over the course of the last couple of days. He gave Jack another sidelong look. "You're right. And I'm glad I came; I think I needed to get away for a while."

"Really?"

Daniel gave that a brief moment of consideration, then nodded. "Really."

Jack studiously turned his attention back to his fishing rod. "And you don't mind spending that time with me?"

Out of the corner of his eye he was aware of Daniel's head whipping around. "Why would I...?" Daniel broke off the question and returned his gaze to the gently rippling lake in front of them. "You know, when we were in that cave and I thought I was - well, when I was dying, I had some time to think about...things. Regrets. About what a waste of time it is to be angry. About how lucky I've been in my friends. And yes, Jack, I do mean you."

Until he heard those words, Jack didn't realize just how much trepidation he'd been carrying around regarding the state of his friendship with Daniel thanks to the Tollan affair and the steps he felt he'd had to take to protect his team. He didn't expect them to like his decision, but he had hoped they would understand. He had known Daniel would be the wild card, of course, but hadn't anticipated the painful personal turn it would take for him. He felt that little knot of unease unravel and tendrils of relief spread through him.

"So..." He cleared his throat. "we're okay then?"

"Jack, I may not always agree with what you do or the way you do it, but I usually understand why you do those things. Sometimes it just takes me a while to remember that." Daniel paused, then added firmly, "From where I'm sitting, the foundation's pretty solid."

Jack looked at him then, and nodded. "From where I'm sitting too, Daniel."

Both men returned their attention to the lake, and a comfortable silence fell between them.

"Which isn't to say it doesn't occasionally need some work."

Jack bit down a grin. "Can't argue with you there," he said complacently. It wasn't always easy being best friend to the smartest kid on the block. Not to mention one with a moral streak a mile wide and the kind of curiosity that killed cats. But, even so --

"But it's always worth it."

Jack looked over at the sound of the quiet, serious voice and saw with some surprise that Daniel was staring out over the lake, a thoughtful look on his face as he nodded his head. He was talking to himself.

Not bothering to hold back his grin any longer, Jack settled back in his chair and stretched his legs in front of him. Nice to know, even though they disagreed on just about everything else, they agreed on that.

Of course, he supposed that meant he'd sometimes be driving those five miles out of his way to pick up the occasional cup of Starbucks coffee. But like the man said, sometimes the foundation needed a little work...and it was always worth it.

Finis