FICLET: The Walls of Jericho, Jack/Daniel. Partlet - 10

[icarus]

The Walls of Jericho - 10 (from part 1 here)
by Icarus



They were given a trio of rooms and, lucky them, and en suite bathing room just as Jack had hoped. The walls were all of that same black rock, rough with more carving (which was starting to wear on the eyes) but, wonder of wonders… Jack settled on the edge of the square platform with a sigh… this alien species had invented something bouncy and relatively similar to beds. It beat every sleeping platform, straw ticking, and pile of pillows he'd encountered off world.

Sam looked surprised when Jack assigned Daniel and Teal'c to share one of the rooms, while he gave one to Sam and the last for himself. But he wasn't giving Daniel a second shot at 'conversation.'

Unfortunately, just as he'd feared, there were also four sets of those curtains draped across each bed.

"They're a highly structured and ritualized society," Daniel said patiently when Jack complained; his tone said yes you have to. "We don't know their power structure yet, but they expect the forms to be followed at every level. If we want to get anywhere we have to play along."

"Okay. Let's freshen up for dinner then, shall we?"

Jack nabbed the bathroom first. If he was going to let aliens embarrass and torment him, he was going to take advantage of the amenities first. He was sure aliens did this just to fuck with people.

As he stepped out of the tub, Jack was surprised to find the floor warm on his bare feet and chalked another one up for these guys. Their towels were cheap-hotel scratchy - oops, they lost a point there - so he made do with his camp towel, dressed --

-- and stepped into his bedroom to find Daniel sitting on his bed, hands clutched together between his knees.

Quick-draw Carter had grabbed the bathroom behind him, and the heavy rock door shut with a soft thunk. Teal'c was nowhere to be seen.

"I already said no." Jack really hoped it was Daniel's pet theory he wanted to talk about. "You may not go artifact hunting and that's final."

"Um. This isn't about that."

It was too much to hope. Jack swung the towel around his shoulders, folded his arms and pointedly didn't sit.

"Come to apologize then, for nosing into my affairs?"

Jack inwardly winced at the bad choice of words, and the very unfortunate plural there. Daniel was a linguist. He wouldn't miss that.

"Nooo." Daniel looked down at his hands and hesitated. "I didn't think I'd get another chance."

He was right about that. Jack waited with a stony face.

"Jack…" His voice trailed off. He took a breath and started again, saying quickly, "Why do you stay?"

Jack's eyes narrowed. He had no clue what Daniel was talking about. But cornered or not, he was not going to discuss this. It was really not any of Daniel's business. He'd just made the mistake of answering before.

"In the military. Why don't you... leave?" Jack's mind couldn't even wrap around a word for this, and Daniel pressed on, urgently, "-- so you can be yourself."

Finally he managed a "What?"

"Where you don't have to…" Daniel's hand sketched in the air, "Pretend… anything any more."

"You think I'm pretending?" Jack stabbed a finger at his chest.

Daniel didn't budge. "Well to be here you'd have to, at least on a certain level."

"I am myself. This -- Colonel Jack O'Neill -- is who I am." Jack spun about in consternation. "What'd'you think, I'm acting? No one could fake this!"

Daniel rolled his eyes a little and muttered, "Well, you're right about that."

"Tell you what: I change my mind -- go artifact hunting. Now." Jack's finger pointed, dagger-like, at the door.

"But don't you want to be --" Daniel swallowed and started again. "You can't be complete without all of who you are. Don't you want that?"

Of all the romantic -- then Jack's mind did a three-step leap of logic and it clicked: Daniel. Incomplete. Shau're. That's what this was about.

"Daniel," Jack began gently. "I was married to Sarah for, what was it? A decade? You were only, well, you and Shau're weren't together very long. And there was all this exotic-ness and culture-stuff. Languages. Everything you ever wanted. But it isn't… this Romeo and Juliet thing, it isn't it."

"What does Shau're have to do with you?" Daniel's voice still broke on that name.

"I'm just saying -- it's not it. This fantasy you have, being together forever. It's not real."

Daniel looked dumbfounded and Jack pressed his advantage.

"She was just a person Daniel. If she'd lived she'd be… well, she'd be confused by what you've made of her. This larger than life Thing."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this."

There was a long silence, and Daniel was perfectly calm.

Then he stood and said in that all-too-cold voice, "And Charlie was just a kid."




Part 11 is here.

ETA: corrected typos (thanks kuteki!)

Comments

[wenelda.livejournal.com]

Then he stood and said in that all-too-cold voice, "And Charlie was just a kid."

Oh, ouch. *Eagerly awaiting next part* eee so exciting!

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Thank you! The next part is up. *eyes glitter*

I think I've turned evil. I'm writing angst.


Icarus

[wenelda.livejournal.com]

Woo! *runs off*

[kuteki.livejournal.com]

Ooh, now we are getting back to the conversation, and it's taken a nasty turn, very glad the next part is up, because the ending is evil, just wanted to point out two typos. I think there are too many "of" here four sets of those of curtains and "had" missing here He no clue. *goes to read the next part*

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

it's taken a nasty turn

Oh yeah. Digging around in the sensitive stuff.

just wanted to point out two typos.

Thank you very much, I'll fix those now.


Icarus

[kres.livejournal.com]

Ow. Ow, ow. That hurt. Waiting with baited breath now.

[dementedsiren.livejournal.com]

"Tell you what: I change my mind -- go artifact hunting. Now."

*snickers* So very Jack.

*goes to read more*

[lizardspots.livejournal.com]

Oooh, getting to the ouchies now. *wince*