FIC: The Other Man - PG-13, Jack/Daniel, Jack/Sara

[icarus]

This is a Stargate AU requested by sharp_tongue.




The Other Man
By Icarus



The kitchen was dark with only the light on over the sink, turned low on the dimmer switch.

Sara shut off the water and sponged down the faucet, wringing the sponge out into the drain. That left her with... no more excuses to avoid the living room. But she did so just the same, waiting, with her hands on the edge of the counter. It was dark outside too, and there was nothing to see but a black window.

She could hear the low murmur of men's voices from here; Jack's deep baritone, and now and again a softer voice, very mild. Edged with humor and self-mockery. She'd been prepared to hate that voice and the man that came with it, but she found she couldn't. Which was disappointing. She supposed that she was getting old.

She felt rather than heard Jack come in and lean against the kitchen doorway; there was almost a warmth to his presence behind her. Could almost see the worn shirt pulled tight across his chest, the bit of t-shirt peeking out underneath. He waited, too, studying her, weighing her mood. There was the soft plosh of the beer as he took another sip. Forcing her, as usual, to make the first move.

"So he's the one?" she said sharply.

It came out a lot harsher than she intended. She turned to look at him to soften it, but his eyes were tracing the patterns on the floor. She never could read him. They stood in silence in the dark kitchen.

Just about when she'd given up on an answer, he said: "It's only for one night."

Jack looked up at her, his warm, dark eyes glinting. He'd said he was sorry once; he wasn't going to repeat himself. His tone grew frustrated, "He had nowhere else to go."

"He could've stayed on base."

Not charitable, she knew, but she was past caring at this point. She might not be able to hate this 'Daniel Jackson' but she'd be damned if she was going to share.

"I can't say that I don't regret what happened, because I do," he said, having the nerve to sound hurt. "And it isn't... You just have to trust me that history isn't gonna repeat itself. What happened at Abydos..." She stiffened and didn't want to hear it again, his rush of explanations about 'a man' and 'a night' and 'a situation.' "But I'm not gonna stop being his friend. I owe him at least that much."

And that was it, wasn't it? Because he was a man it was somehow not okay for her demand Jack never see him again. Because a man could be a buddy but a woman was what-? She was awed at the double standard.

"Do what you want," Sara said, turning her back on him. "You will anyways."


Finis.

Comments

[tafkarfanfic.livejournal.com]

Wow. That was really good. Because it was a realistic portrayal of the situation, as it would play out. Nice job.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Thank you. *mood lifts slightly from a really crappy day* Thank you, thank you.

Icarus

[sffan.livejournal.com]

Great job. I loved this bit And that was it, wasn't it? Because he was a man it was somehow not okay for her demand Jack never see him again. Because a man could be a buddy but a woman was what-? She was awed at the double standard. to pieces.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

That double-standard is strange, isn't it? But it's true. Jack would think he can put Daniel back in the "best friend" category.

Icarus

[dustandroses.livejournal.com]

Wow. This is very nice. Sara pointing out the double standard and not even able to hate Daniel, wishing that she could.

a softer voice, very mild. Edged with humor and self-mockery

I really like this description of Daniel's voice - describing the man, as well.

Short and to the point. Very nice.

I just have one question. How AU is this exactly? Would Jack actually say "What happened on Abydos...? "On Abydos" really sounds like a location that's either an island or a different continent, or of course, a different planet. And one of the things that seemed to tear them apart, in canon at least, was the fact that he could never tell her about his missions.

I can see him telling her about something like what happened between himself and Daniel, but not telling her enough about a mission to say On Abydos as casually as that. Ummm, am I over analyzing, here? Feel free to smack my hand if I am. It just seemed to stick out at me when I read it. :::shrugs:::

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Hi, checking email before I run out the door. With Jack part of the SGC I figured Sara would be in the know. Certainly Sam told her bf.

Icarus

[dustandroses.livejournal.com]

Certainly Sam told her bf.

Yeah, but only after he'd already seen shit happening that couldn't be explained away, especially to a police officer. Things like Osirus and her glowing eyes, personal shield and hand device. And Sam uses a zat in front of him, too. But even then, she has to get approval before she's allowed to tell him anything, and everything she tells him is classified under the National Security Act.

If you work for the SGC, your family doesn't usually get told anything about the Stargate. Even Sam's father - a General in the Airforce, couldn't be told about it, until they suddenly had a need for him to know. They made a big deal in that episode, about how relieved Carter was that she could finally tell her father exactly what she did. It seems he hadn't been too happy she was a "satelite geek," and was much prouder of her once he knew the truth. (A bit shallow of him, huh?)

I read a discussion on one of the Stargate Yahoo groups in which several members of the military were involved. They said that canon on the show was very loose on security, even if they seemed to talk about it all the time. They discuss off world missions in public places, Daniel brings home classified documents to translate. They said that none of that would happen in Real Life. I usually try to go with canon, though and let stuff like that slip by when reading or writing. What does wildernessguru say about it? Has he ever been involved with anything classified?

Do I think about this shit too much, or what?

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

*sigh* I'm having a crap day and I'm afraid I don't have the wherewithal for an intense discussion about security. If this were something more than a drabble, I might worry about it.

Yeah, they talk about stuff in public places that would definitely be a no-go. Also cell phones. That's a big no-no.

Not surprised about Daniel bringing documents home that he probably shouldn't though. In all honesty, I have a friend in the CIA and... it shouldn't happen, but it does. You can't get everything done in a 10-hour day (don't even mention '8 hours' or you'll hear a lot of laughter).

Icarus

Yikes.

[dustandroses.livejournal.com]

Sorry to contribute to your crappy day. I'm probably making a mountain out of a molehill, so just ignore me, ok? I wrote a 3200 word fic over the course of the evening and morning hours, and still haven't been to bed yet, so I'm probably just a little loopy, anyway. :::slinks away, trying to look inconspicuous:::

Huh...I hadn't thought about cell phones. Good point.

Re: Yikes.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

3200 words? Cool.

I've decided that you're right, good catch, and I'll change it here. I might not be able to fix where it's uploaded just yet. But it'll be right on my website. *changes wording from 'Abydos' to 'Mission'*

Oh. Wait. The reader needs that cue to be able to place this in time. *frowns at fic* Ah hell, after a day like today I'll look at it tomorrow. I need to write some porn.

wildernessguru pointed out the cell phone issue when we were watching Foothold. Also he was very emphatic that "No way would they be discussing classified stuff at a restaurant!" It really annoyed him to tell you the truth.

Icarus

[dustandroses.livejournal.com]

3200 words? Cool.

Yeah, I really like it when it flows just right, you know? Sometimes you torture and torture over every line and every other word, and sometimes it just tells you how to write it. I like those. They make me happy. It's now up to close to 3500 words...my beta is thoughtful, tireless and entirely too enthusiastic over my Oz Smut Day fic. They seem to be growing by leaps and bounds, but each one puts me that much closer to finishing my series. And once it's posted, I get to explore my flist's smutty offerings, and they're almost always enjoyable. I love Wednesdays.

Oh. Wait. The reader needs that cue to be able to place this in time. *frowns at fic*

Would it help to say something about it being their first mission together? Or that Daniel saved his life? As harmless and vague as the references are by themselves, I doubt they'd be covered by National Security. Oh, but then she'd know they were doing dangerous things and her husband wasn't into "Satellites" and "long range telemetry." But she'd have to know that's a cover anyway, wouldn't she? He comes home beat up and shot at and spends lots of quality time in the Mountain's Infirmary. So unless he's having an affair with Frasier, too, he's getting hurt somewhere.

Hmmm...see how I am. This is my problem in my fic, too. I'll go around changing it after it's posted if I find a typo, let alone an error in my planning/thought process/whatever stupid thing I did. I worry things to death. Bad Dusty!

Good old WG, I knew he'd have thought of security! I have to stop writing, I still haven't slept, and I've progressed so far past loopy I don't have a name for what I am.

Well, maybe wiped will do. So as soon as I get my final edit to my beta (looking for pictures of tattoos and scars for details in fic right now), I'm off to bed.

Hope your crappy day got better once you came home!

Re: Yikes.

[queenofstars.livejournal.com]

Oh. Wait. The reader needs that cue to be able to place this in time.
You said so in the header: Set during Children Of The Gods. AU. There, problem solved. =) Or, you could have Sara think she doesn't want a repeat performance of the explanations fiasco, even if it's been a year since she heard it, or something like that. ::waves hands:: I'm not the expert author here, I'm the experienced reader. *g*

[goseaward.livejournal.com]

Abydos is a real place, actually, or was--so it's not necessarily giving something away. Both cities named that no longer exist, but it could have been some archaeological somethingorother.

I really need a geek icon. :D

[dustandroses.livejournal.com]

I think it was the word "On" that seemed to bother me more than Abydos. It would actually make sense for a archeologist to be in Abydos, all things considered. But like I said the "On" made it seem like an isolated place like an island or planet or something.

Spending as much time as I have been recently, discussing one or both of my fandoms, I've about decided I need a geek icon myself. Only I think mine needs to have the word "Warning" printed across it in big red letters.

Like I told Icarus, just ignore me, I'm working on negative sleep hours and I think I'm a bit loopy. I loved the fic, anyway.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Don't worry about it. We all get intense from time to time. It's the nature of Stargate I'm finding out. :D

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Ooo. Good point. That solves the problem. Dusty has a good observation about "on" Abydos... hmmm.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

By the way:

Wow. This is very nice. Sara pointing out the double standard and not even able to hate Daniel, wishing that she could.

:) I appreciate it. I ran it by sharp_tongue and she felt that really was Sara.

a softer voice, very mild. Edged with humor and self-mockery

I really like this description of Daniel's voice - describing the man, as well.

His personality really comes across in that soft voice, doesn't it?

Icarus

[skipmcgee.livejournal.com]

OOO, angst and illicit trysts, I'm sold.

didn't want to hear it again, his rush of explanations about 'a man' and 'a night' and 'a situation'

I love this line, both because the explanation sounds exactly like Jack, and the way Sara describes him so well. You (Or I do, anyway) just feel bad for all 3 of them, because things can only get worse from here on out. Daniel's only been back less than a day and already everything is fraying.

I'm waiting for your other stories, 'cause your drabbles are addicting.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

You (Or I do, anyway) just feel bad for all 3 of them, because things can only get worse from here on out. Daniel's only been back less than a day and already everything is fraying.

Yep. It's all a matter of degree, how bad it's gonna get for them.

Icarus

[lizardspots.livejournal.com]

Brilliant drabble! I won't enter that heavy looking discussion about Abydos, since my canon info on SG-1 can fit snugly in a matchbox. But very good, leaving lots of stuff unsaid for the reader to unpack at their leisure, give them something to mull over. I particularly liked this bit:

And that was it, wasn't it? Because he was a man it was somehow not okay for her demand Jack never see him again. Because a man could be a buddy but a woman was what-? She was awed at the double standard.

I love that in all of your work, you don't just focus on the characters, but you reveal these really clever incites into human nature.