Against All Odds

Written by Ivanova

Comments? Write to us at Ivanova@angelfire.com

SUMMARY : Daniel goes to help a colleague with tragic results.

PG-13 [A]



Against All Odds
by Ivanova

Jack stared into the fridge. He pushed a few bottles aside hoping to find the brand he prefered. Sighing, he grabbed a bottle of imported beer. As he closed the fridge he looked at the label. //Where does the kid find this stuff?// Daniel had taken to the habit of introducing him to different cultures, which mainly meant different ethnic foods but had recenty spilled over into sampling different types of beer.

He twisted off the cap and took a drink. Maybe I should make some coffee...

The sound of Teal'c's voice interupted his thought and he walked through the swinging door that led from the kitchen to the dining area.

"What's up Teal'c?"

They had had a good day. He had invited Teal'c, Sam, and Janet over for a barbeque. They had a few laughs and talked about what they were working on since Daniel had left to consult on a dig overseas.It had come as a surprise to the young anthopologist when a collegue from his university days had tracked him down asking for help. He needed an expert on obscure languages and Daniel fit the bill. With General Hammond's approval he took three weeks leave, packed a few things, and had Jack drive him to the airport. That had been a week ago.

Jack wished that he would call. He didn't like his people off and about where he couldn't keep track of them. Especially Daniel. The kid had a knack for getting into trouble. Of course it came as no shock that he hadn't called to let them know he had made it ok. Daniel had probably had his head stuck in a book studying up on ancient languages since Jack had waved him onto his plane. But knowing Danniel, he would have called if he could have found a phone, which he wouldn't have considering the dig was at a very remote site.Janet had left to pick up Cassandra hours before while the others stuck around to enjoy each other's company. It was now getting dark out and Sam had just left to head home.

"O'Neal, is this not the place that Daniel Jackson has gone to dig?"

"Huh?" Jack walked across the room to stand behind Teal'c, who was sitting on the couch.

They had introduced Teal'c to the wonders of TV not long before. He dismissed the sitcoms and sci-fi shows not understanding why people chose to watch them. Jack fondly remembered introducing him to "I Love Lucy". That had been a real kicker. However, Teal'c prefered to watch shows which told him about the world he had adopted. This usually entailed endless hours watching the discovery channel, but more recently, as was the case today, CNN.

Jack leaned over the couch and grabbed the remote to turn up the volume.

"...unconfirmed reports that troops have been randomly wounding and killing civilians in the south eastern regions of Djibouti..."

Jack set his beer down on the dining table and grabbed the cordless phone from it's tray before returning to his position behind the couch. HIs finger paused over the autodial as it started ringing and he pushed the answer button instead...

"Hello?...Yes, Sir, we're watching it now...Has any of this been confirmed?..."

Just then the front door burst open, "Jack! I just heard on the radio..."

Jack motioned Sam to be quiet, silently mouthing that he was on the phone with General Hammond, and pointing for her to join Teal'c on the couch.

"...Yes, Sir...Yes, Sir...Thank you."

Jack set down the phone and turned to find two pairs of eyes watching him. "That was Hammond, he said that all we know right now is what's on CNN. He's going to call some contacts and see what he can find out."

"Sir, Daniel..."

"I know, Sam. But we can't do anything now. We don't even know what's really happening yet."

"In what location is Daniel Jackson working? Perhaps he was not in this south eastern region."

"Carter?"

She shook her head and he knoew before she said anything that Danny was in trouble, "He's outside of As-Ela. It's about as 'south eastern' as you can get."

----------------------------

Three hours later, they were back at SGC in General Hammond's office, awaiting news of further developments. Teal'c was sitting calmly in his chair, for all intents and purposes looking like he was meditating. Sam shifted nervously in her seat as she watched Jack pace the confines of the small office. General Hammond had left to retrieve an update on the situation overseas.

"Why can't he just go on vacation like the everybody else? No, he's got to tromp off to the middle of nowhere in some backwater country in the middle of a poilitcal upheaval!"

"Sir..."

"Can't let him out of your sight for five minutes and he's not in trouble..."

"Sir..."

"Helping a collegue! He doesn't even like the guy!"

"Sir!"

"What?!"

"Ranting about it is not going to help."

"I know that Carter." Jack slumped into the chair beside Sam, "I know...I just can't stand sitting here. Daniel's out there, right in the middle of this."

"I know, Sir."

A few moments later the door opened and General Hammond walked in. He was holding a stack of papers marked 'Secret' and 'Confidential'.

"What's the word, Sir?"

"The 'word', Colonel, is that Daniel Jackson has landed himself right in the middle of a civil war."

"What is the President's stand on this?"

"Well, understanding that this is a civil war and we stand to gain nothing by interfering, officially he will not take action."

Sam jumped out of her chair, "But, Sir!"

"I said 'officially', Captain Carter!"

Jack, who sat stiffly in his chair, leaned toward the General's desk, "And 'Un'-officially?"

The General let out a deep breath, "And unofficially, the president understands that Dr. Jackson would be a grave security risk if captured by the wrong side. Hell, either side at this point..."

"What are we going to do about it, Sir?"

"He has authorized me to organize a small rescue party to be flown out in the morning. They will be flown into one of the surrounding countries, making their way into Djibouti to the dig site where Dr. Jackson was working. They will scout the area and if possible return with Dr. Jackson."

"Sir, I..."

"Colonel, before you even volunteer, you are much too valuable to this facility to be chosen for this team. That goes you as well Captain Carter. You all know too much about this operation to qualify as a low security risk."

"Who's gonna go, sir?"

"I'll let you know at the briefing tomorrow, 0500 hours. Until then I suggest you all get some rest. It's going to be a long few days."

------------------------------------

Three day's after the rescue team had left, the rest of SG-1 and General Hammond gathered around a monitor that had been adapted by SGC personel for the rescue mission. They had used SGC technology to adapt a system for sending live feed from a hand held recorder, much like the recorder on a MALP unit.

"...We found the target site, Sir...It appears to be abandoned...the team is spreading out to search now Sir..."

Jack watched the picture as the man slowly scanned the area. He grimaced as he saw that most of the tents and buildings for the dig had been knocked down or burned to the ground. The picture blurred as the cameraman spun around, running footsteps and shouting could be heard in the back ground.

"...They found someone..."

More shaking as the man ran to join the other team members.

"...oh, God...Oh, God...bodies...they're all dead sir...they're...it's a mass grave..."

Jack felt his knees buckle and would have fallen if not for Teal'c.

Teal'c guided his commander and friend to a chair as he battled his own emotions. Daniel Jackson was a good friend. He had much respect for the young scientist. To lose him like this was a difficult thing to accept, he would have to spend many hours in meditation to come to terms with the tragedy.

"Oh no! Not Daniel!" Sam had tried to be strong over the past three days. She hadn't let her emotions get the better of her once, never even considering the possibility that she would never see her friend again. Daniel had been 'dead' so many times it was like a running joke in the SGC, 'How many lives does a Space Monkey have?'. Now the worry that she had held inside and the grief of finding out the truth hit her at once and she found herself staring transfixed at thescreen as the camera panned over the open gravesite.

The troops had not taken the time to cover the grave. Sam's mind quickly calculated all the facts she knew about the horrors of war and she knew without a doubt that not only did the troops not cover the bodies, they had not even dug the grave.

She closed her eyes as the tears spilled down her cheeks. She couldn't keep her mind from imagining the horrors her friend must have witnessed before they killed him. The image of Daniel digging his own grave was too painful and she started to sob openly.

Jack watched as the picture zoomed in on a pile of personal effects. The fate that befallen his friend left him stunned. He couldn't focus on anything around him, his eyes glazed over with shock. The sound of Sam sobbing broke him out of his trance and he shakily rose and enveloped her in his arms.

He wiped his own eyes, blinking away moisture there. The camera had paused, Jack could see a book lying open with it's pages flapping in the wind. Lying next to the book was a pair of wire framed glasses, one lense crushed. //Danny...// He closed his eys against the image and rubbed a hand over Sam's back to comfort her.

-------------------------

They had been put on standdown until Dr. Frazier cleared them fit for duty and until a replacement could be found for Daniel.Jack stood in the middle of the office. He couldn't count the number of times he had been in this very same office. Listening while Daniel went on about his latest theory or just watching a hockey game taped while they were away on a mission, trying to explain the sport to Daniel.

This isn't real...this can't be happenng...Danny...

Jack walked around the office. There were books and maps spread, seemingly, hap-hazardly everywhere. Mixed in whith the books and papers were artifacts for a dozen different worlds. Jack ran his finger along the books on one of the shelves, stopping as he came to one that was very out of place in it's surroundings. he pulled it off the shelf and made his way to a seat.

Normally, he sat in the worn leather chair in front of the desk. But as he avoided a stack of books, he sat down in Daniel's place. He ran his finger over the spine of the odd book again, 'Strategies of Ice Hockey'. He couldn't recall Daniel ever showing much interest in the sport, watching the games to humor Jack.

He flipped the book open and smiled as he saw highlighted sections and notes scawled in familiar handwriting in the magins. His eyes caught in a question, 'Ask Jack. What is a fisticuffs?'.

Jack slammed the book closed and threw it on the cluttered desk.

God Dammit, Danny! Why's you have to go there?!

He leaned over dropping his face into his hands. He could feel the stubble on his face that he didn't have the initative to shave away.

He rubbed his Face and ran his fingers through his short hair.

Taking a shaky breath, he pulled an envelope from the pocket of his jacket. It was addressed to him in the same stylized handwriting that was in the book...

Jack,

I'm writing this to let you know that I arrived safe and sound.

Still in one piece. I tried to call, but I couldn't find a phone. I hope this is legible, I'm writing in a hurry because we have to catch a bus in a few minutes and I won't even be able to mail this if I don't hurry. I guess since you're reading it, I made it.

John met me at the airport and I got to meet two more members of the team. Everybody seems really nice and I think this will be better than the last dig I went on. Ask me about it sometime.

I have to go now. Tell everyone I said hello and to take care.

See you in a few weeks.

Bye,

Daniel

Jack clutched the paper tightly, tears flowing from his eyes. It was ironic how a letter meant to bring reasurance, brought only pain. He could imagine Daniel searching for a phone to call and let his friends know he was alright and then having to settle for a quickly written letter.

How long had it been since he had dropped off a very excited Danny off at the airport. Two weeks. Not even that long. It seemed like anightmare and Jack wished he could wake up and find that that was all it was.

--------------------------------

Teal'c sat in his quarters. Overthe last few days, he had spent a great deal of time meditating. he still had no clearer understanding of why anyone would wish to harm Daniel Jackson. Captain Carter had tried to explain that there were some people on this planet that believed that only people who thought like them should live.

This was a concept that he understood. On Chulak, everyone served the same gods. If they did not they were banished or killed. When he had first come to this planet, he soon found that while everyone on Chulak believed in the same gods, not everyone on earth was this way. It seemed that a large majority of this planets conflict was for this reason alone.

He wondered if this was why Daniel Jackson was killed. Perhaps he did not believe in the same gods as the people of Djibouti. He would have to ask Captain Carter if this was so...

----------------------------

"Janet, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Janet Frazier had made it habit to keep an eye on Sam. After the initial grief of the news wore off, Sam had become quite and pensive.

Sam gave her a slight smile, "Yeah, I'm sure."

"Ok, well, I'm off then. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ok, bye."

Sam watched as Janet made her way to her car. She stood in the doorway until Janet gave her a wave as she pulled out of the driveway It's not that she didn't appreciate that someone cared enough to stop by and check on her. It's just that she had grown up as a military brat and being military herself, she didn't like expressing such strong emotions around anyone. It still made her figity thinking that she had broken down in the control room, sobbing into Colonel O'Neil's arms.

Of course no one would hold it against her, or even bring it up again. She just didn't like the feeling of being so out of control.

Since Daniel's...death, that's all she had felt...out of control.

She thought about how the others were taking it. Teal's seemed confused and she knew he was angry at the injustice of it all. He had been greatly upset that the rescue team didn't bring back Daniel's body. It was custom for Jaffa to keep watch over the body of a fallen comrade. He had been meditating a lot more than usual and it seemed to help.

Nobody really saw much of Jack. He kept to himself, except for the occasional calls to make sure she and Teal'c were ok. He had taken it upon himself to notify Catherine and Earnest. She had heard some rumors flying around base that he had been seen wandering the corridors late at night, and that he had been seen coming out of Daniel's office on more than one occassion. Of all of them, he had been the closest to Daniel and she knew that he was still just trying to cope. They all were.

Maybe I'll ask Teal'c to teach me that meditation stuff...

--------------------------------

Six days after Daniel's death, the remaining members of SG-1 sat in Colonel O'Neil's office looking over dossiers.

"Ok, one more time."

"Sir, we've already went through these twice. If we haven't found someone by now, maybe he's not in there."

Jack looked up from the newly restacked dossiers, "Look, we know nobody can replace Dan...Daniel. But we have to find someone before we'll be cleared so let's just make the best choice we can. Ok?"

Sam nodded her head and picked up a dossier, "Yes Sir."

"Teal'c?"

"I concur." He also reached forward to grab another folder.

Jack had just flipped open the file for one 'Jennings, John SSgt.' when the phone rang...

"Hello?...Catherine...Catherine, calm down...Ok, we'll turn it on now."

Jack slammed the phone down and ran out of the room. Sam and Teal'c were surprised by the sudden exit but were quickly on their way out the door to follow him.

Jack dodged people in the hall as he ran. Why is it there are always twice as many people out when you're in a hurry? He finally made it to the breakroom, running in and grabbing the TV remote from a startled airman.

Someone in the back of the room yelled something as Jack flipped the station to CNN. Ignoring them, he turned up the volume just as Sam and Teal'c caught up to him.

"...And now to our latest breaking news in the Djibouti Crisis. The American embassy in Djibouti reports that while many refugees have tried to storm the embassy, they expect no changes in the evacuation of Americans from the city...We also have confirmation that one American, not an embassy worker, has been let into the embassy...Alan, do you have that footage for us?...

Yes, Amy, while we cannot confirm the name of the unknown American we did manage to get footage of him as he entered the embassy..."

Jack dropped the remote as he watched the unknown American approach the open door of the embassy. He was abruptly thrown back to reality as Sam grabbed his arm.

"Sir?"

"He's alive! Our Space Monkey is alive!"

-----------------

It was another two days before they saw him. The military plane carrying him back from Djibouti was scheduled to land in Los Angelas. General Hammond had authorized them leave in order to fly out and meet him when he arrived. Even Teal'c had been granted permission to accomplany the rest of his team.

They had left with specific orders to, 'Bring him home', and had every intention of doing just that.

They stood anxiously awaiting the reunion with their friend. The plane had just landed and a tall flight of stairs was being wheeled to the cabin door.

After several of the passenger's had exited the plane, Jack was getting nervous. //Where is he?!//

Just then a very bedraggled looking Daniel stepped onto the staircase. Even from a distance, Jack could tell that he had lost weight. He shook his head, against all odds, the kid had made it back from the dead once again.

As he neared the bottom of the stairs, his team ran to greet him. Sam gave him an enthusiastic hug followed by one from Jack. He turned to Teal'c expecting something along the lines of 'I'm glad you are alive, Daniel Jackson' but was instead pulled into a crushing hug.

"Wha...?"

"Whoa, Teal'c! Hug him, don't crush him!" Jack had a hard time trying to keep a straight face. While waiting on Daniel's plane, Teal'c had asked why there was so much physical contact being displayed in amongst strangers. He and Sam had explained that hugging was a usual form of greeting when you hadn't seen someone in a while.

Sam was making no effort to control her laughter, "Yeah Teal'c. The General said to bring him home, I'm pretty sure that meant in one piece!"

Daniel was enjoying the friendly banter of his teammates. He had had a harrowing past week and was still trying to convince himself tha this was all real and that it was over.

Jack noticed his expression and threw an arm around his shoulders, "So, how about we go catch a game of hockey?"

***THE END***



© July 26, 1999 The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.