Title: These Trusted Few

Author: Caroline Corken

Fandom: Stargate SG-1

Pairing: Daniel Jackson/Jack O'Neill

Rating: NC-17

Status: New complete

Archive: Yes please for WWOMB. Anyone else who wants it, just let me know.

Series/Sequel: Second in the Plausible Denial series

Disclaimers: Stargate SG-1, Doctor Daniel Jackson and Colonel Jack O'Neill are © Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp.

Notes : Second in the Plausible Denial series. With thanks to Louise for all those episodes she sent me (see you at Wolf SG-5!) and to jenni for beta-ing and generally making this story better than it was. Probably best to consider this story an AU as things will be taking even more of a tangent later on in the series.

Summary: Jack deals with the fallout of Daniel's kidnapping.

Warnings: No real spoilers for the series, but you won't know what's what if you don't read part one.

NC-17 due to content of future stories in this series. This story in itself would probably only get a PG. Will contain angst and main character death later in the series as well as m/m (slash) interaction. If this squicks you, well, you've been warned.

Plausible Denial 2: These Trusted Few
By Caroline Corken

"Having fun are we?"

Daniel looked up from his notes, Jack standing in the doorway of his office. He went back to his work. "I'm translating Jack."

"Uh huh."

Daniel didn't look up at that, and after a while, assumed that Jack had left because nothing else was said to him. Just when he was about to look up to confirm this, he heard his door shut.

"Daniel. What's wrong? You haven't gated anywhere for a while now." The 'not since Maybourne kidnapped you' hung in the air between them.

"I just told you Jack. I'm translating. The tablets brought back by SG3?"

Jack found himself a chair and sat down opposite his friend. "Other people can help you with that. That's what they're here for, remember?"

He turned back to his notes. "I'm needed here. Now, if you'll just let me get on with it?"

"Damn-it Daniel, no. I won't let you 'get on with it'. This 'getting on with it' is driving me nuts! You're needed. Out there." He prayed for Daniel to look at him just then, to see the meaning in his eyes. Daniel was part of the team, part of the family and not having him there by Jack's side was like having a limb missing. Like some essential part of him was lacking. "With us."

Daniel looked up then, anger flaring behind his glasses. Jack saw it and hoped he'd let whatever was bothering him out, but it died as quickly as it had come to life. "I'll be back. I will. I just." He sighed, pushing his fingers up and underneath his glasses to rub at his eyes. "I just need to work on this. I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. I think it's a possible early deviation of Shim-shim and the stones placed near the gate an Inuk. . ."

"Stop it! Just. . .stop it Daniel alright?"

Jack couldn't help but catch the cold look on Daniel's face. Betrayed.

"What would you like me to say Jack?"

"How about the truth? And not that crap you told Fraiser and Hammond either."

Daniel stood. "The truth? The truth?" His arm lashed out, swiping most of the stuff from his desk to the floor, other, older and more valuable items getting caught in the backlash. "I've been treated like dirt! My loyalty called into question like that. Like that Jack? Is that truthful enough for you huh?"

Jack stood, coming round the desk, trying not to stand on anything that wasn't already broken. "It's a start." He sighed. "You know that wasn't us. You have to know that."

All the fight just left Daniel. Jack could see it happen. One moment his whole body language was screaming for a fight, the next he looked like he might fall down under a light breeze. Which he did, much to Jack's surprise. It almost looked like his legs gave out on him. Jack joined him on the floor, albeit a little more slowly.

"We where going to meet up for dinner. I was really looking forward to that, and then. . ."

Jack reached out, squeezing Daniel's knee in comfort. "I know. And it sucks big time. Tell me you haven't been stalling on those translations of yours huh? You've translated stuff that's looked a lot harder than this before." He picked up a piece of paper with some words written on it. "Hell, it doesn't look that hard even to me." He pointed out a word. "Means snow, right?"

Daniel looked at him with surprise on his face. "Yes."

"Really?" Jack was just slightly surprised himself.

"No."

"Smart ass archaeologist."

Daniel couldn't seem to help the small smile he allowed to grace his features and Jack felt himself smile in return. He never could help himself when Daniel smiled. Which probably explained so much of the trouble they got into off world.

"You're right though Jack. I have been stalling. I just. . . I don't know if I can be a part of this. . ." He waved his hands around in an all-encompassing motion. ". . .anymore. I have so much invested in this program. So much I care about." A quick, wary look at Jack before he carried on. "I care about you and Teal'c and Sam. I want to find Sha're and Skaara. I want to stop earth from becoming just another Goa'uld waste-land." Shaking hands removed his glasses, setting them on the floor. "I don't trust them anymore. I want to, but I can't."

Jack nodded. He knew he'd have to be careful of what he said right now. The wrong thing could so easily secure Daniel's leaving. Which was the last thing Jack wanted. Daniel was his best friend. He'd saved more than Jack's life, he'd saved his soul right at the very start and what amazed Jack the most was that Daniel hadn't even been trying.

"You trust me, right?"

Puzzled look on his face. "Jack?"

"Just answer the question Daniel. Do you trust me?"

"You know I do. You don't have to ask me that."

Jack nodded, hoping, willing Daniel to believe in him completely now. "Then *trust* me."

"Trust you?" And he did. Jack could see that understanding reach Daniel's eyes. Knew what Jack was asking of him. "Trust *you*?"

Jack couldn't help himself and he shrugged, trying to make out like he wasn't asking anything big of Daniel here. "Yeah. Trust me. Trust Teal'c and Carter and General Hammond and Fraiser. The rest can go to hell." Jack put his hand on Daniel's shoulder and gave it a brief squeeze, but he didn't let go.

Silence. Jack could almost see Daniel processing that last bit in his head. Giving it thought, dissecting it and putting it back together to see how it fit into things. To see how he could make it fit into all the little pieces of himself. Finally he looked up at Jack.

And Jack just knew. Could tell by the smile flitting behind Daniel's eyes that he was okay with this now. Or at least better with it, for now anyway.

"When are we scheduled for our next mission?"

Jack stood, placing a hand to the small of his back and stretching a little before he reached it out to Daniel to haul him to his feet. "Oh, I think we've got time for a bite to eat first. Come on, my treat."

"The food in the commissary is free Jack."

He clapped an arm around Daniel, leading him out the door of his office. "You only think that. Trust me, with their take on lasagne, it's never free."

Daniel looked back at the mess in his office. "I really should clean that up you know."

"I'm a Colonel. I can order anyone I want to clean it up." He paused, Daniel stopping too to look at him. "Except General Hammond."

"Don't forget Teal'c."

"Nobody forgets Teal'c Daniel. Nobody."

They continued bantering like that all the way to the commissary; to the locker room and as they walked up the ramp to the gate and to a new world the next day.

The End