Walking Into The Future
by BeeBee
TITLE: Walking Into The Future
Author: BeeBee
Email: beverleybeaumont@hotmail.com
Category: Hurt/Comfort, Drama
Pairing: Daniel/other
Season: 5
Rating: PG
Content Warnings: none
Status: Completed
Summary: A serious accident gives Daniel a new chance at life.
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. We have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the authors.
Author's notes: This is my very first fan-fic. Please give me feedback. Thanks to all you wonderful writers out there who have inspired me to have a go!
Walking into the Future by BeeBee
"How's he doing?"
Jack jumped to his feet as Dr Frasier came through the doors of the ICU towards him, his back and knees protesting at the sudden movement after sitting hunched on a bench in the corridor for the past 3 hours.
Janet rubbed her eyes wearily. It had been a long day and having to break bad news, especially to Colonel O'Neill, was not her favourite pastime especially when that news was about one of his team.
Sam and Teal'c rose to their feet more slowly, each dreading the news and yet hoping for the best.
"Daniel has undergone various tests and at this stage all I can say is that there is nothing else we can do now except wait for the results. We managed to stop the bleeding and but he has not regained consciousness yet and until the specialist arrives from Chicago I cannot give a definite prognosis on the spinal injury." She paused, "On arrival he had no movement or feeling in his legs but whether this is just compression of the spinal cord or a definite severing of the spinal cord I am unable to say." Janet gave the team a sympathetic smile. They looked exhausted and her news had been met with an impassive stare from Teal'c, with tear -filled blue eyes by Sam and with a stony glare by the Colonel.
"I'm sorry "she repeated "we just have to wait and see I'm afraid, now if you'll excuse me I have to report to the General."
"Can we see him?" The Colonel spoke his eyes hard and bright, Janet turned to him, "only for a few moments, as I said he is still unconscious". Janet smiled weakly at them.
Sam didn't think she could compose herself but still needed to actually see and touch Daniel to make sure he was alive after the freak accident he had suffered on P3X924. She knew she needed to be strong not only for Daniel but for the Colonel as well who surely blamed himself for what had happened even though it wasn't his fault. In reality she blamed herself for what had happened, if she had been more careful, if she had turned more quickly when Daniel shouted to her.....if, if, if.........
"Carter"........
Colonel O'Neill touched her arm, "shall we go in?" She looked at him, confused for the moment; she blinked, dragging herself back to the SGC and the reality of the situation. "Carter.....?" "I don't think I can sir ........" she made to walk away down the corridor but he stopped her; "Carter, Daniel needs us to be strong for him, it's all we can do at the moment" O'Neill turned to look at her his eyes giving no emotion away. She nodded sadly, "OK let's do it" Jack strode off towards the door of the ICU before she could change her mind. He took a deep breath and entered the ward, how could he look Daniel in the face, how could he tell him everything would be OK when he knew it probably wouldn't be and that Daniel might never walk again, never be able to go through the Gate with them, never come back to SG1. His mind froze and he remembered back to what had got them into this situation in the first place.
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The mission to P3X924 was supposed to have been the usual fact finding visit with Carter full of enthusiasm for the results the MALP was sending back, Teal'c as impassive as usual, Daniel rushing into the gate room at the last minute stuffing books and papers into his pack. "OK kids let's hit the town" Jack called behind him as he strode up the ramp towards the event horizon.
At the other side it was cold, very cold. "Ah winter, how lovely" Jack cried. He hated cold planets, why were most of them cold, why couldn't they find some nice tropical paradise occasionally where he could lay back in the sun while Carter and Daniel dashed about doing whatever scientists do when they find something different to play with? He blew on his fingers and rubbed his hands together. "Carter, he called over to her, "why didn't the MALP give us the temperature of this arctic paradise?" "Sorry Sir we knew it would be cold" she replied about to launch into a description of the resources the MALP had. "Ahhhhhhh...." he held up his hand to stop her in full flow. "Can it Carter it's cold that's all I need to know, now you and Daniel go and do whatever it is you need to do while Teal'c and I check the area and then get a fire started." Carter smiled and started fumbling in her pack for sample tubes etc.; Daniel had already started to wander off towards a group of trees a few metres away.
"Daniel?"
"Jack?"
Daniel turned back to see what Jack was fussing about
"Don't go too far" Jack liked to keep his errant archaeologist within sight on a new planet. If there was trouble out there Daniel would be sure to find it.
Daniel signalled that he understood the instructions and then carried on wrapped in his own thoughts as usual.
Teal'c and Jack set up camp, neither said too much, it was too cold to do much other than keep moving and hope that Daniel and Carter would soon have had enough and then they could go back through the gate to a nice warm SGC.
A couple hours later Carter and Daniel were back. There were no signs of life on the planet and Daniel had been unable to find any artefacts to play with. They huddled round the small fire drinking rather inferior standard issue coffee while they discussed whether or not they need to stay in this frozen wilderness any longer. As they discussed their plans a wind blew up and the snow rose in clouds around them.
"Well this is fun"; Jack stood up and flapped his arms around his body to keep warm.
"What say we blow this planet and get back to sunny, warm, Cheyenne Mountain?"
No one disagreed with him. "Carter you dial us home, Daniel get your gear together while I kill this fire and then let's get the hell out of here."
As he spoke Carter walked towards the DHD with Daniel not far behind her. Before anyone knew what was happening a gust of wind blew past them, a tree next to the DHD creaked and swayed.
"Sam watch out" Daniel cried a warning as he saw a large tree start to topple towards her. She turned but before she could move the tree started falling, Daniel ran towards her and pushed her as hard as he could. She fell awkwardly in the snow and looked up just in time to see the whole weight of the tree fall across Daniel and knock him to the ground.
"Daniel......Colonel, Teal'c help."
Jack and Teal'c were already running towards them. "God damn it Daniel can't you keep out of trouble for 5 minutes" Jack yelled as he fell to his knees in the snow next to the tree.
Daniel was barely visible under the trunk. He had fallen onto the stone pedestal that held the DHD otherwise the soft snow would have protected him from the weight of the trunk. As it was he was well and truly pinned under its weight.
"Teal'c help me get this off him" Jack cried worried by the paleness of Daniel's face and the fact that he was unconscious. Teal'c dropped his pack and tried to move the tree but even the great strength of the Jaffa couldn't raise it enough for them to try to pull Daniel free.
Jack thought quickly.
"Carter, get back through the gate and get help" Jack ordered. Bring lifting gear and a medical team. Carter stared horrified at what had happened why hadn't she moved quicker before Daniel had had to intervene.
"Carter stat!" The Colonel ordered.
"Yes Sir" she stuttered, she started to move towards where Daniel was hidden under the tree trunk. "Daniel....?" O'Neill stopped her; "just get help Major, that's an order." She nodded, glanced once more at the unconscious Daniel, dialled home and ran into the event horizon.
Daniel felt cold and numb, something heavy was pressing him into the ground, he couldn't breath properly or move but couldn't remember why.
"Jack.........." he moaned.
"It's OK Danny just lie still, help's on its way." Jack stroked his cheek. He was pale, cold and starting to shiver.
"Jack.....I can't move my legs."
Jack froze......"it's OK you're pinned under a tree once we get that off you'll be fine" he prayed it would be so. The trunk was across the bottom of Daniel's back and there had been no soft snow to cushion the blow. Jack knew what sort of damage Daniel could have sustained but pushed that thought to the back of his mind. All he could concentrate on now was keeping Daniel warm and still until help arrived.
It seemed like hours before the gate activated again and Carter; Dr Frasier with a medical team and SG7 came through.
"Doc he's trapped and I think there might be some internal injuries" Jack shouted to her over the noise of the wind.
Daniel was still conscious though not totally aware of his surroundings. He was pale and clammy and his lips had a bluish tinge. Worse still he had stopped shivering a sure sign of hypothermia despite the blankets Teal'c and Jack and tried to wrap around him.
Janet knelt in the snow and checked his vital signs, "you're right Colonel we need to get him out of here and back to the infirmary now." She raised a worried face to the Colonel and his heart sank.
"Daniel, can you hear me?" Janet bent down to speak to him. "Have you any pain?"
"J...nt" he slurred "can't feel my legs.........hurts...."
"Where does it hurt Daniel?" Janet stroked his arm while a medic set up an IV.....
"Back, ribs......everywhere........" he moaned as the needle pierced his skin.
"OK Daniel I'm giving you something for the pain now, just hold on and we'll have you tucked up in a nice warm bed in the infirmary before you know it" Janet told him. He nodded and as the effects of the medication kicked in his eyes drifted shut.
Teal'c and SG7 had set up the lifting gear and were ready to raise the tree. "Take it easy" Janet shouted to them, "there may be spinal damage and we need to move him as little as possible until we get him on a spinal board"
They nodded and slowly raised the tree. Janet and the 2 medics got the spinal board into place and gently with practised skill managed to manoeuvre Daniel on to it without too much trouble.
"Colonel help me secure these straps" Janet ordered. She was conscious of the fact that the Colonel hated to feel helpless in a situation and especially one that involved Daniel.
"Stay by his head and monitor his breathing for me" she ordered. "Right on my command.....lift." The backboard was lifted up and the DHD activated. "OK lets get him home the doctor ordered.
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Sam and General Hammond waited anxiously at the bottom of the ramp as the gate activated and the team came through. Another team of medics were waiting to assist in getting Daniel to the infirmary and Janet barked orders at them as she came down the ramp in front of the medics carrying the unconscious Daniel with Jack hovering at his head.
"OK lets get him to the infirmary, carefully, no sudden movements" they dashed past Sam and the General who stared worriedly after them.
"Colonel?" the General looked at Jack who merely stared fixedly at the retreating medical team. "SGI get warmed up and then report to my office" he ordered, he glanced at Sam and then touched her on the shoulder, she was pale and near to tears. He didn't know exactly what had happened on that planet but knew from her face that she blamed herself.
"Sir" Jack interrupted, "I need to go with Daniel....."
"Colonel" the General lowered his voice....."Jack", he spoke gently to the Colonel. "Let Dr Frasier and her team do their work. We will hear the moment there is any news" he patted Jack's arm. He knew how worried SG1 would be about Dr Jackson, God knows he worried about him as well. The young archaeologist never seemed to cut a break, first his parents, then his wife, Sarah/Osiris, the Harcesis child..........how could one young man have deserved so much pain in his life..........and how could one person be so unlucky..........he shook his head and looked at the remaining members of SGI. They need to be together, he knew that, but he also knew that Dr Frasier had to do her job and 3 people lurking outside the infirmary wouldn't help.
An hour later a clean, warm SGI, minus Dr Jackson, sat in the Briefing Room....."and then I ordered Major Carter to return through the Stargate and return with help" the Colonel finished.
"Colonel you did everything you could, you can't blame yourself for what happened to Dr Jackson, it was just an unfortunate accident."
The General tried to reassure the team but knew it was in vain, of course they blamed themselves. Daniel was one of them, he needed protecting and they had failed him, nothing the General could say would make them feel any better, they needed to see Daniel, know he was OK and would be up and out of the infirmary ready for their next mission. The General knew they needed to be in the infirmary with Daniel and dismissed them.
"SGI dismissed and on stand down until we know how Dr Jackson is....."
the words were hardly out of his mouth before they were out of their chairs and heading towards the infirmary to wait, who knows how long or for what news.
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"Colonel O'Neill?" Janet's voice brought Jack back to the present and he followed her into the ICU.
Daniel lay surrounded by machines and tubes, the usual hum and beeping of the machinery associated with keeping him alive. "What's the news" Jack asked.
"As I said Colonel we are awaiting the arrival of a top neurosurgeon from Chicago. We operated to repair his ruptured spleen and stop the internal bleeding but there appears to have been some compression of his spinal cord and I'm really not qualified or have the expertise to try to reduce it on my own. Dr Slattery is an expert in this field and if anything can be done to help Daniel he's the one to do it."
Jack nodded, "but will he walk................" Colonel, it doesn't look good but let's not cross bridges before we come to them" Janet warned. "Let us see what Dr Slattery has to say before we start jumping to any conclusions." She patted his arm. Perhaps it wasn't within Air Force regulations for a Captain/Doctor to be so familiar with a Colonel but what the hell, he needed it and she was in the business of making things better wherever and whenever she could. If a bit of human contact could help Jack O'Neill at this time who was she to say it wasn't strictly within the rules.
Jack moved to the chair positioned next to Daniel's bed. How often had he sat here praying for Daniel to be OK. The kid had 9 lives but was this the ninth...........Stop it Jack, don't go there, just wait...............he took Daniel's hand in his. It was cold and unresponsive. He leant forward "Danny come on you can beat this, don't let a damned tree win." Daniel stirred slightly but didn't wake up. Jack settled back in the chair for a long wait.
Jack was stiff and sore. He woke slumped in the chair hours later. Janet had kept an eye on him as well as monitoring Daniel's condition but decided the Colonel needed to sleep and to be with Daniel so left well alone. He rubbed his eyes and glanced over to Daniel. He was still sleeping, drugged or unconscious - whatever. His face was pale and his breathing soft and there were pain lines between his eyes. Jack turned and found Teal'c and Sam standing behind him also watching Daniel.
"How is he Sir," Sam asked.
"No change" Jack shook his head, "any sign of that damned specialist, how long does it take to fly here from Chicago."
Sam started to answer him..."thank you Carter I think I know the answer to that question" he snapped.
"Sorry Sir" Sam apologised, "How are you doing?"
"Me, just peachy, I'm stiff, sore, tired, angry, sick of hearing people say sorry, all the usual thanks for asking" he responded.
"Sorry Sir.......Sorry" she grimaced as the Colonel glared at her. "I guess we're all a bit uptight at the moment."
Jack nodded; he was sorry for snapping at Sam but felt so damned useless. He wanted to smash his fist into something, to thrown things, for Daniel to wake up and smile at him, for today never to have happened...........
"Colonel" he looked up to see Janet standing at the foot of Daniel's bed.
"Colonel O'Neill this is Dr Neville Slattery."
Jack stood up and ran his eyes over him; the man he hoped could bring Daniel back to them in once piece. He saw a tall, greying, tired looking man in his early 50s. Not that impressive to look at but hey if he could do the business that was fine by him. They shook hands.
"If I could just have sometime to examine Dr Jackson and read through Dr Frasier's findings I will brief you in about one hour Colonel" Dr Slattery bowed slightly and moved to the bedside and lifted Daniel's chart. Jack considered himself dismissed and reluctantly exited the infirmary to wait, once again.
Only one hour, it seemed like he had been sitting in Daniel's office for days. Why didn't he wait in his own office, or with Sam or in the Briefing Room? Because he needed to keep in touch with Daniel and this dark, untidy room was his closest link at the moment. He lifted his head off the desk and looked at the clock for the hundredth time. 55 minutes.......1 hour, an hour and a half, an hour and 45 minutes....what the hell was taking so long. Just at the moment as he was contemplating what to do next the phone rang and he flung himself across the room to grab the receiver.
"O'Neill......"
"Dr Slattery and I are on our way to the Briefing Room Sir" Dr Frasier's voice came over the phone to him.
"On my way........." OK Jack this is it keep calm, it could be good news he lectured himself as he sped down the SGC corridors scattering personnel left and right. They all knew what was going on and that it was best to give Colonel O'Neill a clear path at times like this.
Jack took a deep breath and opened the door of the Briefing Room. General Hammond was seated at the head of the long table as usual looking grim. Sam sat to his right, looking down at her hands, which were gripped tightly together. Teal'c sat next to her expressionless as usual but, as Jack well knew, no expression did not necessarily mean no emotion as past occasions had proved.
Dr Slattery and Dr Frasier sat on General Hammond's left with piles of files and papers in front of them. Their expressions were giving nothing away. Jack took his seat next to Teal'c and waited for their news.
Dr Frasier started,
"Dr Jackson has sustained a compression fracture of L4/L5 vertebrae. Dr Slattery will fill you in on the details."
Dr Slattery glanced sympathetically at the people seated around the table. He hated this part of his work. He was a good surgeon, no he was a damned good surgeon and had carried out many successful operations and some not so successful but the part he hated most of all was having to talk to patient's families and friends.
He took a deep breath and faced the stricken team
"Whilst Dr Jackson's spinal vertebrae were fractured the spinal cord was not severed as can usually happen in such cases. It is however compressed and at the present time Dr Jackson has no movement or feeling in either leg. I intend to operate within the next 12 hours to relieve this compression and stabilise the vertebrae but............."
Jack's heart sank, there always had to be a but....we got your son into the OR alive but he died.............your wife still loves you but can't live with you.......
Dr Slattery's quiet voice brought him back to the present as he continued...
"but we don't know if the spinal cord will recover from the compression. Dr Jackson may be permanently paralysed, only time will tell."
Jack heard a sob escape from Sam. Dr Frasier's eyes were wet with unshed tears and even General Hammond looked as if he were holding his emotions in check with difficulty.
"So what are you saying exactly" Jack asked the doctor. "What will it take for him to walk again?"
"As I said" Dr Slattery gently repeated, "only time will tell. It may take a few weeks for the compression to recover and then a great deal of physiotherapy may help Dr Jackson to regain some mobility but I cannot promise anything, every case is different it really is just a matter of time."
Jack nodded,
"OK now we know the worst let's get on with getting Daniel back on his feet. I won't accept that a member of my team might have to spend the rest of his live sitting in a wheelchair, not if I can do anything to prevent it."
Sam nodded, unable to trust herself to speak.
"Indeed" Teal'c responded "I also will assist DanielJackson in anyway I can to facilitate his full recovery."
General Hammond smiled sadly as his gazed passed over the members of the team he secretly considered part of his family.
"SGI consider yourself relieved of active duty for the time being. Dr Slattery, Dr Frasier thank you for your reports, please do everything you can to assist Dr Jackson."
He dismissed them with a nod. His best team out of action, Dr Jackson perhaps permanently out of action and a Colonel who looked fit to go to war............this was going to be a long few months.
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The surgery was over, the pressure on Daniel's spinal cord had been released and now all they could do was wait. Jack sat next to the sleeping archaeologist holding his hand and waiting for him to come around from the anaesthetic. No matter how long it took he would sit there, he wouldn't have Daniel wake up with no one there to comfort him, keep him positive, help him with all the things he wouldn't be able to do for himself..........for a while Jack added. He was determined that he wouldn't go down the road of accepting this as a permanent state of affairs. He would fight for Daniel when Daniel wasn't able or willing to fight for himself and he would fight with him to keep him mentally motivated to the job in hand. Daniel couldn't be allowed to slip into despair at his condition, that helped no one, as Jack O'Neill was well qualified to know.
"Jack?" He looked up to see Daniel peering at him through half open blue eyes.
"I'm here Danny it's OK", Jack leaned over so that Daniel could see his face without having to move.
Daniel blinked and passed his tongue over his dry lips.
"What happened?" Jack's heart sank this was it, time to face the music, time to put on his optimistic, cheerful hat while inside he was being eaten away by sadness and worry.
"You've had a little operation on your back Daniel...do you remember what happened on the ice planet?"
Daniel frowned, his head was fuzzy from the effects of the anaesthetic but he vaguely remembered the cold, being trapped under something, being in the infirmary and Janet and someone else talking to him..............Slowly his mind cleared and he started to remember.
"Jack I can't move my legs" he started to panic. His breathing quickened and he tried to sit up.
"Hey steady" Jack pressed him back down onto the pillows, "take it easy Daniel you're OK."
Jack realised as he said it that Daniel was far from OK but he needed him calm if he was to talk to him about what the situation was. He pulled in a shuddering breath and started to tell his best friend news he never wanted to have to give or for Daniel to have to hear.
A couple of hours later Jack stepped out of the infirmary to find Carter and Teal'c waiting in the corridor. They both looked at him expectantly.
"Well I have explained the situation to him and to be honest I don't know how he's taken it."
Jack rubbed his hand over his eyes. He was exhausted; he just wanted all this to go away.
"Sir?" Sam touched his arm.
"He listened to everything I said to him and then just turned away....." Jack's voice broke. "I guess he needs time to come to terms with it himself"
Jack sincerely hoped this was the case and not, as he suspected, that Daniel was just shutting down. Daniel had a habit of putting things he couldn't deal with to the back of his mind and shutting them away.....the death of his parents, the desertion by his grandfather, the loss of Sha're...the list was endless and this was just another thing to add to it. At what point would the list be so long that Daniel just wouldn't be able to cope any longer..........No don't go down that road Jack, he reprimanded himself. Jack could be tough, hell he had been through enough in the past to make him tough, and he would pull Daniel through whatever it took. Suddenly he felt old, old and tired as if this was going to be one battle he might not be able to win.
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Two months later.....
They had all been to hell and back but now things were looking brighter. Daniel was being discharged from the rehabilitation centre today and they were going to fetch him and bring him back to Jack's house. A house that had been adapted to the needs of someone in a wheelchair.
Daniel had been depressed, it had been expected, he had wanted to give up and give in and just lie in bed but the whole of the SGC had been unwilling for that to happen.
While he was stuck in bed he had never been short of visitors, never been given time to sink into depression. Sam, Teal'c, Janet Frasier, Cassie, General Hammond and even his granddaughters along with other members of the SGC had taken it upon themselves to keep him going.
There had been flowers by the cartload, enough cookies to sink a ship; TV, video games, journals and books and when the fun stopped the work began. They brought him artefacts, pictures taken on various planets visited for him to report on, translations to do and he even got the job of teaching Cassie Greek before her summer vacation.
In between all this were the physiotherapy sessions. They were tiring, painful and frustrating and on many occasions he collapsed back into his bed or wheelchair sweating, shaking and crying but he was never allowed to stop.
Now 2 months down the road he was able to manoeuvre the wheelchair pretty well, get himself in and out of it and manage most of his day to day care with minimal help. He still couldn't move his legs but there was some slight feeling in them. They felt heavy, as if they didn't belong to him, just something he had to drag around.
He still felt depressed and had bad days but all in all things weren't too bad. Hell he had seen other patients in this rehab centre a sight worse off than him. Some unable to do anything for themselves, some with few or no visitors. If friends alone could get him through this then they would but he knew he had to take the major part of the battle on himself. The trouble was he was tired, too tired to fight another battle after so many others. Why couldn't they just leave him alone?
He managed to put a good face on whenever he had visitors and no one really suspected how he actually was feeling about everything. How much he dreaded having to go back to work at the SGC and see all the pitying glances he would get. How he hated the thought of someone, no doubt Jack, having to help him with everything.
He sat in his wheelchair looking out of the window waiting for his friends to arrive. He had seen this view every day for the past 2 months and would be glad to see something different. He was nervous and apprehensive about what the future would hold. General Hammond had promised him there would be a job for him at the SGC and that certain adaptations had been made to accommodate an archaeologist in the wheelchair but he was embarrassed about seeing everyone again and going into a new environment. He felt safe here at the rehab centre, everyone knew him as someone in wheelchair, he had never been any different to them but facing the real world was making him feel sick......he wasn't even sure where he was going to stay. He knew for certain his apartment on the 3rd floor was not going to be an option although he would dearly love to get in there and lock the world out.
Jack had said it was sorted and he had to believe that, he did believe it, Jack had never let him down. Over the past months Jack had always been there for him. Daniel felt bad about it at times, he looked so tired sometimes when he arrived but although Daniel begged him to rest, not visit so often, go fishing, Jack just kept turning up and kept Daniel going. Daniel knew for a fact it was mainly down to Jack that he was feeling as good about things as he was today. Many days he had sunk into a dark depression, when nothing seemed worthwhile but Jack always managed to drag him out of it one way or another and now looking back he realised he was grateful for that. He didn't know what the future held but he knew he would live with it whatever it was. He owed that much to Jack, Sam and Teal'c and everyone else at the SGC who hadn't just abandoned him here.
He heard the door bang open and wheeled himself round to face it. Here they were, time to take a deep breath and face whatever the world had to throw at him next.
Jack and Teal'c were standing smiling down at him.
"Dr Jackson your time is up it is time to wheel you to a better place"
Jack joked at him. Daniel smiled,
"Gee thanks Jack, lead on.....I think."
Jack could see that Daniel was nervous but he was elated that they were getting out of that place. He had never liked hospitals, the smell, the sights, the sounds. Life would be so much better when they were home.
Teal'c bowed,
"DanielJackson I would be honoured to escort you off the premises."
"Thanks Teal's" Daniel laughed,
"I guess that's it then, lets roll." Jack picked up his bags and Teal'c positioned himself behind Daniel's chair as Daniel wheeled himself to the elevator and a new life.
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Once in the parking lot Daniel was surprised.
"Jack?" he questioned as he looked at the shining station wagon.
"The jeep has gone to the parking lot in the sky" Jack replied, opening the trunk of the new car and heaving all Daniel's equipment inside.
"But you loved that heap of junk" Daniel had a horrid sneaking feeling that the new car was for his benefit and he hated the fact that Jack had had to do this.
"Daniel, the jeep had had it's day, it was time for a change" - and how would we have gotten you into it - was the rest of the sentence that was left unsaid.
The drive back to Jack's house was over far too soon. Daniel's stomach was churning as they turned into the familiar tree lined street.
"Home Sweet Home" Jack warbled as they pulled up the drive. "Welcome Home Daniel"
Jack got the wheelchair out of the trunk and brought it round to Daniel's door. With practised skill Daniel managed to manoeuvre himself out of the car and into the chair without too much effort while Jack hovered like an anxious mother hen at his side.
As he spun the chair round to face the house his heart sunk. He had just hoped they would arrive, get inside, have a beer and relax but instead there above him was a huge banner, Cassie's handiwork no doubt.
A brand new ramp led from the driveway to the front door where balloons and streamers hung. In the doorway stood Sam, Cassie and Janet all smiling down at him.
OK Daniel, he chided himself, the floor is not going to open up and swallow you so on with the show.
He smiled and slowly wheeled himself up the ramp and into their embraces and kisses.
"It's great to have you home" Sam kissed his cheek and smiled at him while Cassie jumped up and down next to her.
"We're having a party, we're having a party she chanted as she danced around Daniel's'' chair.
"Thank you Cassie, I think Daniel has got the message" Janet smiled down at him as she pushed Cassie inside and held the door open so that Daniel could manoeuvre his chair inside.
Later that evening Jack and Daniel sat on the porch watching the stars, drinking beer in Jack's case and a soda in Daniel's.
The party had been a great success. Daniel's initial reservations about his predicament had been well and truly brushed aside by his friends as they welcomed him home.
He was tired and his back ached but he didn't want to spoil the evening for Jack. He knew Jack was content at the moment to have Daniel at home with him without thinking too much about the future and Daniel himself had spent too much time thinking about just that since the accident and was glad to push it to the back of his mind and just enjoy the companionship.
Daniel pushed himself up in his chair to try to relieve some of the pressure on his back.
Jack jumped "Daniel, you OK?" he queried.
"I'm fine Jack, just a little sore and tired I guess, it's been a busy day." Daniel smiled at Jack reassuringly.
"Hell, I'm sorry, I should have realised." Jack jumped up
"Do you want me to help you get ready for bed? What can I do?"
"Jack relax" Daniel leant back and looked at the stars. "It's a beautiful night you should be up on the roof with your telescope"
"I'd rather be here with you" Jack admitted. "It seems a long time since we had an evening like this, I just want to enjoy your company out of that damned hospital"
"It was the night before our last mission" Daniel reminded him.
Oops, perhaps that hadn't been a good idea. Jack's face clouded over. Daniel had realised while stuck in the hospital that looking back wasn't going to get him anywhere and he wanted Jack to face facts as well and now he had gone and put his big foot in it and spoiled the evening.
"Daniel, I'm sorry" Jack wanted to explain how he felt about what had happened back on that frozen pile of rock out in the middle of the universe, how he felt about his best friend returning in a wheelchair, about being stuck with a new fourth member of SG1 when he wanted Daniel to be there when they went through the gate, wanted to have to shout at him to stay in sight, not to touch strange devices, not to argue so much. Just to be there where he should be.
"Jack, leave it" Daniel leant over and put his hand over Jack's clenched fist. "What's done is done and nothing either of us can say will change that. Let's just take it from here OK?"
Jack nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
"I think I will turn in if that's OK with you" Daniel released the brakes on his chair and turned into the living room.
"Need a hand" Jack tried to act as if getting Daniel out of a wheelchair and into bed was something he did every day.
"No, I'm good" Daniel waved a hand at him. "Night Jack, see you in the morning."
Once in the bedroom with the door firmly closed Daniel heaved a sigh of relief. Well that was over and it hadn't been too bad after all. Now was the bit he really hated, the actions that reminded him that he wasn't able to walk and do everything he used to do.
He took a deep breath and started his bedtime routine, the one he had been taught well at the rehab centre. The one that made him feel he was able to look after himself even though the effort it took left him exhausted and sweating.
Once in bed he relaxed. He had always liked Jack's spare room. Hell he didn't usually think of it as a spare room, it was his room. The room he had slept in that first night back from Abydos when his world had been turned upside down. The room he had cried in and Jack had held him like a baby in when Sha're had died. Sha're, he closed his eyes and called to mind her face, the beautiful face he would never forget as long as he lived. He remembered their brief time together before fate had cruelly torn them apart and his eyes drifted shut and he slept.
Chapter Ten
"Up and at 'em Danny Boy" Jack's voice broke into Daniel's dream and woke him abruptly.
"Jack....what's wrong?" Daniel raised himself on his elbows squinting as the morning sun shone in his eyes.
"Just your morning wake-up call Daniel, breakfast is served." Jack threw open the curtains and turned to prop some extra pillows behind Daniel to help him sit up.
"Just coffee............." Daniel was silenced by Jack's hand being held in front of him.
"None of that nonsense my boy you need to keep your strength up" Jack put the breakfast tray across Daniel's legs. Scrambled eggs, bacon, croissants, juice.....
"Where's the coffee?" Daniel complained.
"If sir will just eat what's on the tray, maybe, and I mean maybe, coffee will appear" Jack sat down on the bottom of the bed.
Daniel sighed. There was obviously no point in arguing when Jack was in one of his mother hen modes. He took a forkful of egg and put it in his mouth.
"Actually this is really good" Daniel smiled at Jack. "Thanks Jack."
Later, once the food had been eaten and a large cup of coffee gratefully downed Jack stood up.
"OK Daniel now into the shower and get yourself dressed before your visitor arrives." Jack wore that sneaky smirk that Daniel well knew by now meant trouble.
"Excuse me, visitor?" Daniel questioned. "Didn't we do visitors last night?"
"Different visitor Daniel, a surprise from General Hammond"
Daniel opened his mouth to ask another question but was stopped when Jack bent down and threw back the covers from his legs.
"Come on time is a wasting"
Daniel groaned.
"Need any help?" "Just pass me the chair" Daniel sat up and painfully lifted his legs over the side of the bed ready to swing across into the wheelchair Jack had placed next to him.
"Leave you to it then" Jack left the room "don't be long in there" Once outside the door he leant against the wall and closed his eyes. Colonel Cheery, what an actor he was turning out to be, at least Daniel didn't seem to suspect that it broke Jack's heart every time he saw him struggling with that damned chair and legs that wouldn't support him.
He banged his head back against the wall. Pull yourself together Jack he admonished himself and headed to the kitchen to clear up before the visitor arrived and work began.
The kitchen was set to rights and Jack was just emptying the trashcan when Daniel wheeled himself into the kitchen.
"OK want to let me in on your little secret?" Daniel leant back in the chair and tried to guess, from Jack's expression, what might be about to happen, not that he expected to be able to read Jack's face. Experience had taught him that the ex-black ops Colonel was nothing if not a good liar when he wanted to be.
Before Jack could answer there was a knock at the door and he turned to answer it, giving Daniel a sly wink in passing.
Daniel watched as the door opened to reveal tall, slim women about his own age with long red hair wearing a white overall and carrying a large black bag.
"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this?" Daniel looked at them both.
"Dr Daniel Jackson meet Miss Laura Betteridge"; Jack paused for effect. "Your personal physiotherapist courtesy of General Hammond."
Daniel stared. "I don't understand, I had physio at the rehab centre, I thought I was going back to work at the SGC?"
"Daniel, Daniel, Daniel" Jack chided him "How ungrateful, General Hammond and Dr Frasier have been in contact with Dr Slattery and from your recent test results he thinks there is every chance that you will be able to walk again and Laura here is the person who has been charged with the task of getting you back on your feet and back on SG1 where you belong."
Daniel went pale, he was just getting used to the idea that he was about as good as he was going to get and now Jack dropped a bombshell like this.
Laura stepped in and held out a hand. "Hello Dr Jackson, it's a pleasure to meet you, now shall we get down to work?"
She smiled, "in the bedroom I think" she turned to Jack for confirmation.
"Now that's an offer you can't refuse Danny Boy" Jack smirked as Laura deftly took hold of the wheelchair and turned it into the bedroom and closed the door.
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One month later...............
Daniel sat on the porch in the warm morning sun waiting for Laura to arrive. Jack was off world on a mission and wouldn't be back for a couple of days yet and even though Daniel had insisted that he was fine on his own and would enjoy a few days peace and quiet secretly he had to admit to himself that he didn't really enjoy his own company all that much and even missed Jack, his noise, his jokes, the Sports Channel, the beer............he smiled to himself.
The past month had been hard work but it was paying off. He could now stand with the help of a frame and could even manage a few steps with crutches. Laura was a wonder. She was patient with him when he was feeling down and things didn't seem to be improving as fast as he would like and yet she was firm and never let him get away with anything. He could be exhausted, sweating and begging to be allowed to rest but she just smiled sweetly and totally ignored him!
Add to all that the fact that she was very attractive and fun to be with made all the hard work very worthwhile from all angles.
He stopped himself.............physio/patient relationship Daniel nothing more, he reminded himself. Once you are up and about again Laura will disappear to another patient and you won't need her anymore.
Not need her? He felt already that he needed her all the time. He looked forward to her arriving each morning and hated it when she had to leave each night. Since Jack had been away she had stayed for supper a couple of times. She had let Daniel cook, part of his therapy he supposed, and had sat at the kitchen counter with a glass of wine chatting to him and telling him about herself. Later as they had sat on the porch after supper he had told her something about his life.
"Daniel I can't believe someone so young can have been through so much" she commented at one point. She had leant over and kissed his cheek and Daniel had been shocked by the surge of emotion he had felt at that friendly touch, a block of ice that had sat in his heart ever since Sha're had died seemed to melt a little. Laura must have sensed it for she blushed slightly and pulled away.
Now he sat waiting for her arrival, ready to do battle with his reluctant legs and his thawing heart.
A car horn woke him from his daydreaming. Laura waved as she jumped out of the car and ran up the path. She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, not her usual professional attire at all. Daniel raised his eyebrows questioningly.
"Isn't it a lovely day" she smiled as she reached him. "Much too nice to be sweating on a walking frame I think, don't you agree?" Daniel waited...
"I thought we could go for a picnic, what say you?" She waited for his response. He smiled broadly.
"Great idea, who am I to argue with my therapist." Daniel smiled and released the brakes on the wheelchair.
"No" Laura put her hand over his. He stared at her.
"Not in a wheelchair Daniel, not today. Today you are going to walk." Laura announced wickedly.
Daniel's heart flipped. OK he could do this, he hoped. He put his feet firmly on the wood floor of the porch and pressed his hands into the arms of the chair to raise himself up. Laura put her hands under his arms to help him. In a moment or two he was standing in front of her, panting a little from the effort.
"See, nothing to it, ready to roll?" Daniel nodded as Laura passed him the elbow crutches she had ready. He adjusted his weight and with Laura watching him carefully started to walk slowly down the path towards the car.
*******************************************************************************************
Daniel was exhausted. They had driven into the woods and Laura had found a perfect picnic spot not too far from the car for Daniel to walk there before flopping gratefully on the rug she had set out.
They had eaten, talked and slept in the afternoon sun before packing up and driving back to the house. Now as they slowly made their way back up to the front door Daniel was shaking from the efforts of the day.
"Straight to bed for you I think" Laura announced as she opened the door for him.
Daniel was too tired to argue and just allowed himself to be led into the bedroom where he sat on the bed while Laura lifted his legs onto the bed for him. He laid back and closed his eyes. Perhaps he could just sleep in his clothes tonight, he honestly didn't think he could summons up the energy to go through his night time routine.
Laura knew that she had pushed him as far as she could but it had been worth it. She knew Daniel could do it and that he had the determination not to give in. She also knew he was now exhausted beyond his limits and so was prepared for what had to happen next, indeed what she had planned to happen next. She was about to take advantage of the most attractive man she had met in a long time. Yes she had argued with herself continuously about ethics and relationships with patients but what she had come to feel for Daniel couldn't be ignored. She couldn't just get him back on his feet and then walk away from him, leaving him to wander the universe alone again. Yes he had explained to her about Sha're but Sha're was dead and she wasn't and neither was Daniel. It was time he took steps in more than one way. She would help him to walk again and hopefully, if he felt as she did, she would help him to love again as well.
*******************************************************************************************
The mission had been a simple one, the planet deserted and nothing of significance for the team to report back on and so, once the de-briefing was over Jack had jumped in the car to head home and surprise Daniel with his arrival a day early.
It was just before dawn when he pulled up at the house and noticed Laura's car still outside. He smiled to himself as he crept into the house and peered around the door of Daniel's room.
Daniel was fast asleep one arm flung above his head and the other wrapped tightly around a very pretty physiotherapist.
Jack quietly closed the door and went into the kitchen to get himself a beer. He sat down on the sofa and raised the bottle.
"Well done Colonel and well done Daniel" His plan had come to fruition and neither Laura nor Daniel would ever be aware of how he had schemed and planned and interviewed umpteen physiotherapists before he found the one he was looking for.
*******************************************************************************************
Six months later......................
"First barbecue of the year always tastes the best I say" Jack announced as he turned the steaks smiling across at his friends.
Sam lifted her head from the salad she was mixing. "I agree Sir" Teal'c nodded "Indeed O'Neill, this is one earth custom I am in favour of"
Janet came over to the group holding a bottle of wine. "A lot has happened since the last time we were doing this," she reminded them as Cassie hurtled past on her new bicycle, waving to them all.
"They all watched in silence for a moment remembering the past few months before putting them finally behind them.
"Daniel, Laura look at me" Cassie yelled as she whizzed past them as they came up the drive their arms entwined.
The silence was broken, they all turned to smile at the new arrivals. Daniel looked fit and well and even better than that happier than they had ever seen him. Apart from a slight limp he was back to normal and ready for the first mission through the gate next week. Laura had worked a miracle and now she was going to hang on to it. She had recently taken up a permanent position within the SGC and had moved into Daniel's apartment a couple of weeks ago.
"OK gang let's eat" Jack rattled a pan lid with a spoon to attract their attention.
"But first a toast" Daniel stepped in and raised his glass.
"To good friends, and a wonderful therapist." He bent down to kiss Laura tenderly.
"And now food" Jack smiled. "By the way Daniel do you know how many therapists I had to see before I found this one, let me tell you.................everyone laughed as Daniel raised puzzled eyes to the Colonel.
"Jack...................?"
Fin
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