the sins of the past, Stargate SG1, R-ish
Feb. 6th, 2014 12:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
phantismaFandom: Stargate SG1
Title: the sins of the past
Characters/Pairings: Jack O'Neill/Daniel Jackson, Samantha Carter, Original Characters
Word Count: 5406
Rating: R ish
Summary: General O'Neill brings Daniel along to Washington for a summit, never expecting that they would run into someone from Daniel's past...someone that sends Daniel into a spiral that shocks Jack and brings Daniel to confess a dark secret.
A/Ns & Warnings: This fic involves memories of child abuse (mental & physical) at the hands of a foster parent.
"The top brass from all military branches will be there for this." Jack said, fussing with the buttons of his dress uniform jacket.
"And why am I here for this, exactly?" Daniel groused, toweling off his hair. His bare feet made almost no sound as he crossed to the bed to slide his belt through the loops of his suit pants.
"Because you're the diplomatic one." Jack insisted.
"Since when do you need diplomacy in a room full of military men?" Daniel asked, his eyebrow raised. He left the belt undone and slipped the shirt on, swiping a hand behind him to tuck the tails in.
"Since it meant getting a few nights with you before you're off on another mission and I'm stuck pushing paper around my desk." Jack said, smirking.
"Oh, so, I can just stay here then." Daniel chuckled. "Naked and waiting for you?"
Jack crossed to him, hands moving to his hips to pull him closer. "Oh, not a chance. If I have to sit through it, you're going to keep me company."
There was a knock on the door and Jack groaned. "That will be Carter."
Daniel smirked as Jack left him to go open the hotel room door. "Carter."
"Sir." She held up a file folder as she came in. "This rounds out the last of the Generals at the summit."
Jack took the folder and flipped it open, scanning the names from the Army. The list had undergone changes since the summit was first called. He knew one of the Generals, but the other two were new names. "Never heard of these two."
Sam nodded. "Yeah, Tragg has just been named to the Pentagon staff. Hagen was promoted just before you were."
Daniel stiffened up, his brows knitting together as he came around the bed, his suit jacket part way on. "Hagen?"
Sam leaned over Jack's arm to look at the file again. "Yes. Brigadier General Phillip Hagen."
Daniel's face drained of color and he turned on his heel and made for the bathroom, pulling the door shut behind him. Jack handed the folder back to Sam. "Daniel?" He crossed to the bathroom door.
"Just give me a minute." Daniel said, his voice tense.
Jack shrugged and turned back to Carter. Truth be told, he didn't need both of them there. He brought Carter because she tended to make him look good. It wasn't the kind of meeting he excelled at, with long sessions rehashing missions and second guessing command decisions, and unless he was directly involved his attention would wander.
Daniel was mostly there because this part of their relationship was rather new and Jack just wanted him close. He was about to just tell Daniel to stay behind when the bathroom door opened. Daniel's face was flushed and his body language was tense, but he squared his shoulders. "Okay. Let's go."
Daniel remained tense until they pulled up to the building. “Give us a second.” Jack said as Carter got out of the car. He knew they had to be careful here of all places, but he covered Daniel’s hand with his own. “Hey, what’s up?”
Daniel shook his head. “I’m good.”
“Come on, Daniel. I’m not the most perceptive guy on the planet, but I can tell you’re not.”
Daniel took a deep breath, his eyes closed. As he exhaled, he opened his eyes and looked at Jack. “Okay, I’m not, but I’ll be fine. He’s just...someone I used to know.”
Jack frowned, thoughts skipping back over the last half hour. “Who, this general?”
Daniel nodded and reached for the door. “It was a long time ago. I’m over it.”
“It?” Jack followed him out of the car. “There’s an it?”
Daniel shook his head. “Can we just get this over with?”
He joined Sam on the steps and Jack followed, wondering what it was that Daniel was over and why Jack didn’t really believe that he was over it. He didn’t have time to dwell on it though as they were swept into the room filled to bursting with men and women in full dress uniform or business suits. Daniel headed immediately to the table with coffee and platters filled with danish, leaving Jack and Sam to greet General Landry and his aide.
Jack watched Daniel for a moment, but got drawn into conversation and looked away. Landry pulled him along to introduce him to some of the Generals he didn’t know. It was nearly time to start when Carter touched his arm. “Sir.”
He looked at her, then immediately looked around them for Daniel, spotting him near a wall, an army General blocking him from full view. Jack excused himself and made for them, moving to get a better view of Daniel as he approached. Daniel was tight against the wall, his eyes on the floor, his head down, his hands shaking as they held a crushed paper coffee cup. The older man was tall and clearly in good shape. He was older than Jack, his uniform spotless and perfect. “Daniel, we’re heading in.” Jack said, his voice aimed at Daniel, though his eyes were on the General.
“Is he one of yours, General?” the man asked Jack, his eyes sweeping over Daniel. “I didn’t know the air force was in the habit of hiring cowards, even as a civilian contractor.” He turned on his heel then and marched away, disappearing into the crowd of uniforms heading into the meeting room.
Jack reached a hand for Daniel, but he pulled away, spinning toward the wall and curling forward. Jack could hear him sucking in air like he was trying not to throw up. “Hey, he’s gone.” Jack said as softly as he could manage.
Daniel took a step away, straightening up and nodding. “Want to tell me what that was about?”
Daniel shook his head. “Not really.”
“Maybe you should head back to the hotel. Carter and I can handle this.”
There was genuine fear in Daniel’s eyes as he turned to look at Jack. “No. I...I’ll be fine.”
“Daniel--”
“Jack.” He smoothed out his suit jacket and inhaled, letting it out slowly. “If I leave now…” He shook his head. “I’ll be fine. Let’s just...do this.”
He walked stiffly toward the meeting room as Carter fell into step beside Jack. "Sir, is everything okay with Daniel?" Sam asked, her eyes tracking Daniel's movements before coming back to meet Jack's.
"Honestly? I don't know." Jack looked around the room for General Hagen, spotting him with one of the Senators off to the right. "Just...we need to do our best to keep Hagen away from Daniel."
"Sir?" She frowned at him, turning to look at Hagen.
"There's some history there. I didn't get the whole story, but I’m guessing it wasn’t good. Daniel's having trouble dealing."
Sam nodded. "Okay. I can run interference."
Jack smiled. "Oh, I know you can." Sam moved away from him, engaging Daniel in some passing conversation as she guided him toward their seats. Jack made sure Daniel was between them, with Jack on the side between Daniel and Hagen, who was four seats down. The meeting was called to order and Jack sat back in his seat, looking behind the row of backs to Hagen. He was the stereotypical career army guy by the look. His eyes were hard and his voice had matched. He had called Daniel a coward.
Coward? That was never a word Jack would associate with Daniel. In fact, Daniel was braver than most men Jack had ever known. Hell, he’d sacrificed himself to save a planet full of ungrateful bastards. Whatever the history there, it was clear that General Hagen didn’t know Daniel at all.
Daniel was the first one out of the meeting room when the break was called. He needed to get away, get out from under Jack’s stare, away from Sam’s overwhelming concern. He couldn’t function like that, not with Hagen just a few feet away. It just validated everything Hagen had ever said about him, about his weakness, his fragility.
He was shaking as he made his way into the mens room, shutting himself into a stall. He rubbed a hand over his face. It had been years since he’d even really thought about Hagen. A lifetime really. He wasn’t the scared little boy he’d been then. Except it had only taken two words to take Daniel back to that house, to that time.
He should have known when his stomach twisted just hearing his name. He’d thrown up in the bathroom as the memory rushed through him. But he’d convinced himself he needed to face the man, show him he was wrong.
Only now Daniel isn’t as convinced that he was wrong.
He knew Jack would be looking for him, looking for some explanation. Daniel wasn’t sure he had one. Not one that wouldn’t make him look weak,make Jack see him the way Hagen always had. He sucked in air and forced himself to focus. He was there to support Jack. He was a grown man, a man who had walked on other planets, faced things Hagen would never be capable of imagining.
He squared his shoulders and swallowed the cold knot of fear threatening to come up on him and opened the stall, crossing to the sinks and mirror. He ran cool water and rinsed his hands, then splashed some water on his face before pressing paper towels to his wet skin.
“I have to admit, I didn’t expect I’d ever see you again, Boy.”
Daniel stiffened, turned his back to the voice. “Sorry to disappoint you.” His voice lacked its usual bite, fell flat in the still air of the bathroom.
“You always were a disappointment.” Hagen said coldly. He was between Daniel and the door, taking up all the space. There was no way around him without physical contact. Daniel bit his lip and tried to find his anger, something to beef up his confidence. “Couldn’t even make it in the academic world, last bastion of cowards.”
“I’m not a coward.” Daniel said through gritted teeth, turning finally. “You don’t know anything about me.”
Hagen stared at him, hands on his hips. “I know you were the laughing stock of the archeology community with your asinine theories, and it’s only a matter of time before those pussies in the air force see you for who you really are.”
Daniel knew Hagen didn’t know about the Stargate or Daniel’s role there. Even if he did, Daniel didn’t think it would matter. “Knew from the moment I laid eyes on you.” He stepped closer and Daniel involuntarily stepped back. His mind flashed back to half a dozen times when Hagen had backed him into a corner, usually when he was angry or Daniel had done something wrong.
“How long before you run away again?” Hagen asked. Daniel stepped back again, his back suddenly against the wall. “Just like you did when you were 12, and when you were 13. Just like you did when you graduated high school. Just like you did when you couldn’t cut it.” He was too close and Daniel was starting to sweat, his heart racing.
Behind Hagen the bathroom door opened. “Daniel?”
Hagen turned and Daniel pushed off the wall, past Hagen, past Jack, tears burning down his face as he ran blindly through the people, out into the morning sun. He could hear Sam calling him, but he kept moving, blindly working up to a run.
It was stupid, but he didn’t stop until he reached the hotel, ducking into the alley, gasping and clinging to the wall as if it could protect him from the past. His head swam with memory, with marching in the rain, with bloody knuckles from Hagen’s yard stick, with days and days of pain from the beatings.
Daniel doubled over, holding his sides, fighting back the urge to vomit into the trash strewn alley. “Coward.” The word echoed around inside him, coupled with images of Hagen’s face, all that rage directed at Daniel’s fumbling, bumbling...his inability to do anything to Hagen’s standards.
He dug in his pocket for the key card to the room. He had to get out of sight, Hagen would find him...which he knew was stupid, but he couldn’t help it. He climbed the stairs and opened the door, eyes darting around the room. The maid had obviously been in, the beds made, the room tidied up.
Daniel shut the door, dropping the key card onto the table and pulling a shaking hand through his hair. He was better than this...and yet…
”Do it again.” He ripped the blanket and sheets off the bed and threw them into a pile on the floor, glowering down at Daniel. His hands trembled as he sorted the sheets out of the pile and he couldn’t focus on the task he was so worried about the yardstick in the man’s hands. He’d already made the bed twice and each time Hagen had torn it apart, telling him it wasn’t good enough.
The other boys all stood at attention at the ends of their beds, pointedly not watching as that yardstick came down across the back of his hands. He didn’t yell, that was one lesson he had learned in his months in that house. He bit his tongue and closed his eyes, swallowing down the pain and trying to just get through it, get the bed made well enough that they could move on to the next torment.
His face was wet and he wiped at the tears angrily. Just the man’s voice had been enough to take him back to that place, to those years trapped in that hell. Each word was like a blow with that leather strap, cutting into his skin, reminding him he was worthless, he was broken, he was a coward...hiding, running away, never good enough, never fast enough...It had been twenty years and it might as well have been twenty minutes from the last time...when he was thirteen.
His skin burned with the memory, his pants around his ankles as the other boys watched Hagen bring that leather strap down over and over, until Daniel’s knees had buckled and he’d been dragged by his hair to the corner. Fury filled him and Daniel yelled, upending the table before moving to the dresser and swiping his hands over it to throw all of the odds and ends on it onto the floor. The beds were next, ripping apart the carefully made corners, dumping the mattresses onto the floor.
He tripped over the blankets and landed on the floor, his chin hitting the tipped over table. It was enough to stop him, to make him realize what he’d done. Jack would come looking for him. Jack.
Daniel shook his head and pulled himself to the wall, covering his head with his hands. Jack would never want him like this. Now that he knew. Jack would see this and know.
Jack glared at his cell phone, as if staring at it would be enough to get Daniel to answer. At least he knew Daniel had left on foot, so there was only so far he could go. Jack wasn’t sure where in DC Daniel would feel comfortable enough to run to, so he had to assume he’d head back to the hotel.
He didn’t even have the door fully open and he knew he was right. The room was trashed, one of the mattresses keeping him from getting the door fully open. “Daniel?”
He squeezed into the room, his eyes skipping over the damage, looking for Daniel. “Daniel it’s just me.” He shut the door and shoved the nearest mattress back up onto the box spring, stepping over toiletries and clothing to peek into the bathroom. Daniel had obviously been there.
Jack stood in the bathroom doorway for a long minute, trying to decide where to look next. He heard something, soft, not quite a sniffle, not quite a sigh. He took a step toward the closet, the sliding doors mostly closed. “Daniel?” He pushed the door to the side and for a moment, almost wished he’d left Daniel his privacy.
He was sitting in the back of the empty closet, knees drawn up to his chest, his arms hugging his knees. He lifted his red, tear stained face, his eyes all the more blue for the dark and the red surrounding them. He blinked slowly, then just as slowly put his head back down on his knees.
Jack slid down to the floor, not reaching for him. “You okay?”
Daniel’s eyes closed and he shook his head slightly. “Sorry.” He cringed as soon as he said it, pulling back into the corner. “I...I couldn’t stay there.”
“Did he do something?”
“He didn’t have to.” Daniel said, reaching up to wipe his face. “God, I’m a mess.”
Jack had talked to Hagen enough to know that the general had been a foster father, one of the families Daniel had been placed with, and that there was no love lost between them. Daniel was never someone who was going to do well in a military family, hell, it had taken him years to feel like he was fitting in at the SGC, and even then he was always the first dissenting voice when it came to military decisions he didn’t agree with.
“Daniel, I don’t know what’s going on in your head--” Jack knew instantly it was the wrong way to approach this...whatever this was. “Look, Hagen’s an ass from what I can tell. You can’t take anything he said--”
Daniel stood abruptly and moved back into the room. He stopped, staring at the mess he’d made and shaking his head. “This is wrong.” Daniel started working, squaring up the mattresses and pulling the sheets out of the tangle of linens and comforters on the floor.
“Daniel, stop.”
“No, need to clean up this mess.” Daniel got the sheet on the first bed and adjusted it carefully. Jack climbed up off the floor, watching Daniel make perfect military corners.
“Daniel, really. Leave it. Talk to me.”
“No.” Daniel shook his head, though his hands stopped with the blanket in them. “Never supposed to talk about it.”
Jack froze, hearing something new in his tone, something that made him realize that Hagen might have been more than just loud and brash, demanding as a parent. “Daniel, look at me.”
Daniel face turned toward him, but his eyes didn’t lift all the way. “Tell me what Hagen did to you.”
“Nothing.” Daniel responded. He put the blanket down and sighed. “At least that’s always how it sounds.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “He was just...strict. That’s what my social worker told me when I begged her to move me. Said I’d get used to it...that I could use the discipline.”
“I’ve never seen you like this, Daniel.” Jack said, moving closer. “I’ve seen you face some scary shit, but I’ve never seen you lose it like this.”
“You don’t know what he was like.” Daniel said. “I was in that house for three years.” His voice had dropped to barely above a whisper. “Three years of him.” He was shaking, his body all drawn in tight.
“Daniel--” Jack reached for him, but pulled his hand back when Daniel physically recoiled from him, like he was expecting to get hit. “Shit, Daniel.” Jack’s stomach twisted as his mind flashed over all the things Hagen might have done to Daniel when he was just a defenseless boy. He stepped away, wanting to protect Daniel from his own growing anger. “What did this guy do to you? Did he...I mean…” But he couldn’t voice what he was thinking. It was too horrific.
Daniel turned, his eyes wide. “No, Jack...he was just…” He sat, his hands around his stomach as he curled forward. “There were three other boys there. I was the youngest. I...wasn’t like them. I didn’t know how to...be what he wanted.”
Jack sat on the opposite bed, even though he wanted to be there with Daniel, let him know he was safe, that Jack would never let someone hurt him...but he could tell Daniel wasn’t ready for that.
“I was a failure. His only failure to hear him tell it.” Daniel said softly. “I couldn’t keep up. Couldn’t do things the precise way he wanted them. I was still torn up over my parents...he didn’t like crying...and I didn’t know how to stop.” Daniel looked up suddenly, guilt on his face. “I’m sorry.” He flinched again and stood, pacing away. “Listen to me. God, Jack. Forget it. Let me clean this up. You go back to the summit.”
“No.” Jack said, standing. “I’m not leaving this room until you tell me everything.”
Daniel took a deep breath and Jack could almost see him physically stuffing the pain and fear down inside him. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“Don’t give me that shit.” Jack argued. “I’ve seen you go up against Anubis and stand up to the Ancients, I’ve seen you sacrifice yourself to save a planet full of ungrateful bastards, hell those assholes in South America tortured you, could have killed you..but this guy scares you.”
The room was quiet for a long moment, and Jack wasn't sure what exactly he heard in Daniel's voice when he did speak. "I never have been afraid of dying, Jack. When I lived in that house...dying would have been better...but no...that would have been the coward's way. He wouldn't have let that happen."
Jack took a step closer, reaching a hand for Daniel. When he didn’t immediately pull away, Jack took his hand, lifting it between them. “You are not a coward, Daniel. You may be the bravest man I’ve ever met.”
Daniel’s eyes closed, a tear slipping down one cheek. “No, Jack. I’ve never been brave. Not by myself anyway.” He licked his lips and lifted his eyes to Jack’s finally. “Only when I’m protecting someone else.”
Jack lifted his hand to cup Daniel’s face, moving close enough to brush a kiss over his lips. “You are the bravest man I know.” Jack repeated.
“I ran away.” Daniel whispered into the silence that followed. “I couldn’t take it. I snuck out in the middle of the night and I ran...and when they found me and they took me back….” He was shaking, pulling his hand away from Jack’s and pacing back toward the closet. For a long time he didn’t say anything. Slowly, his hand went to his belt. He turned so his back was to Jack and undid his belt, unzipped his dress pants, letting them fall. He then tugged his boxers down and lifted his shirt tails and jacket.
It wasn’t lost on Jack that for as long as he’d known Daniel, and for all that they had been sleeping together for six months or so, he’d never really seen Daniel fully naked in the light. “Daniel?” Jack took a step closer as Daniel adjusted his stance, bending forward just a little.
Jack stopped cold when he saw what it was Daniel was showing him. It explained a lot about the way Daniel behaved when they were intimate, and a lot about how he’d reacted to Hagen. Daniel’s upper thighs and buttocks were marked with scars, the kind that came from a serious beating with a cane or belt. “Daniel...I…”
“I was twelve.” Daniel offered, bending down to retrieve his pants and moving away again. “He beat me until I couldn’t stand up, then dragged me to the attention corner where I stood for ten hours before he finally let me go to bed.”
Daniel tucked his shirt tails in and zipped his pants. “The next day he made me do all the chores while he tallied up my mistakes, and every time I cried or made noise from the pain. I stood at attention for all of the meals and wasn’t allowed to eat. When dinner was over he told me I was getting a lash for every infraction. I lost count at around fifteen. Carlos helped me upstairs...helped me get cleaned up. It went on like that for days. Until the school called him about me standing in class.” He sighed and moved to pick up the upended chair, sitting gingerly as if old wounds had physically opened.
“He found other ways to punish me after that. Extra laps, scrubbing the floors with the smallest brush he could find, only to dump dirt on the floor just as I was finishing, assigning me extra chores, extra homework.”
Jack wasn’t sure what to say, he was too caught on the image of poor twelve year old Daniel bent over the end of a kitchen table while a grown man beat him. A cold fury was swirling in his stomach and he was beginning to wonder if he could face the man again without beating the shit out of him.
Jack held out his hand and it took a few minutes before Daniel moved to put his hand in Jack’s and step closer. “I can’t imagine what you went through.” Jack said softly. “And I’m so sorry it happened.”
Daniel rolled his eyes a little and sighed. “I lived through it.”
Jack kissed him softly, letting his hands lift to cradle Daniel’s face in his hands as his tongue caressed his lips. “Nothing he said to you is true, you know that, right?”
“I know you believe that.” Daniel said. He smiled tightly. “Most of the time I believe it too. Just...it took a long time for me to get there, and it’s scary how quickly I can fall back into that frame of mind.”
“I won’t make you go back there.”
“No, I want to.” Daniel responded, his eyes meeting Jack’s and for the first time since Daniel had heard Hagen’s name he seemed in control. “I need to face him. I just...it happened so fast. I wasn’t ready.”
“And now?”
“If I’m honest, what I want right now is to spend the afternoon here in this room with you reminding me who I am...but we both know that won’t solve anything.”
Jack considered it for a moment, letting his lips curl up in a half grin. “There’s some merit in that idea.”
Daniel kissed him, then stepped back, straightening out his suit and tie. “Thank you, Jack.”
“Just you remember one thing, Daniel Jackson.” Jack said, as they moved to the door. “That bastard didn’t beat you. And I love you.”
Daniel smirked at him. “That’s two things.”
“So sue me.” He let Daniel lead them out of the room and down to the car. In minutes they were back at the summit. “You sure about this?”
“No. But I’m not alone.”
“Damn right.”
Daniel’s stomach was twisted in knots and he wasn’t convinced he wasn’t going to throw up, but Jack was a strong presence behind his back as they made their way back into the room. Sam spotted them and came away from the two men she had been talking to, one of whom was Hagen. She looked pissed.
“Carter, how goes?” Jack asked, his hand light on the small of Daniel’s back.
“That guy is a piece of work.” Sam said, drawing a deep breath.
“Sounds like you’ve been having fun.” Daniel said wryly.
“If he weren’t a general, I might have punched him by now.” Sam responded, glancing over her shoulder.
“Now, now Carter, I’m sure he’s not worth a court martial.” Jack said, his hand rubbing lightly against Daniel’s back.
Daniel’s heart was racing and his insides were twisted up as Hagen came toward them. “Well now, General O’Neill, I see you’ve convinced your princess to come back. Does this mean we can finally move on?”
Daniel took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. “You need to back off.”
Hagen raised an eyebrow. “Really? Or what?”
“Or I let everyone in this room know that you are a bully and a monster who abuses defenseless children for his own amusement.” Daniel said, his voice low.
“Abuse?” Hagen said, stepping even closer. “You were an undisciplined sissy. Still are from what I can see.”
Daniel could hear Jack saying something, but couldn’t make out the words over the roaring in his ears. His hands tightened into fists and memory flashed through him. He couldn’t have stopped what happened next if he’d wanted to.
His fist connected with Hagen’s jaw, snapping his head to the side. As Hagen turned surprised eyes to him, Daniel hit him with the other fist on the other side of his jaw. Hagen stumbled backward, into a table.
Daniel stepped closer, fists raised, ready for him to come back at him. “What you did to me, and to the other boys put in your care, was wrong.”
“I’ll have your job for this.” Hagen said, spitting blood onto the floor.
“I don’t think so.” Jack said, moving in beside Daniel. “In fact, you’re the one who should be worried about his job, General. I’ve seen what you did to Daniel. I’m willing to bet there are others who will back his story, and when I find them, I will be having a very long conversation with your superiors about your commission. No man who treats people the way you have should be in a position of power.”
The entire room was watching them as Hagen stood up, straightening his uniform. “This isn’t over.”
“No, Sir, it isn’t.” Daniel said. “But this time, I’m not afraid of you.” It wasn’t entirely true, Daniel was actually terrified, but with Jack and Sam beside him, he had something he hadn’t had the last time he’d stood face to face with Hagen.
He had family.
He licked his lips and stepped in close to Hagen. “I finally understand, General. Every time you called me a coward, you were just pointing out your own cowardice. I see you for who you really are. And I’m done with letting you terrorize me.” Daniel turned on his heel and took a step away.
He didn’t see Hagen lurch for him, but he felt both Jack and Sam push him away and by the time he got turned around, the two of them had Hagen pushed back into the hands of two guards.
“General O’Neill, what is the meaning of this?”
Jack turned to the Senator, pointing at Hagen. “This man is a child abuser, Senator, who takes in foster children so that he can bully them and abuse them. When Daniel threatened to expose him, he attacked.”
“He hit me.” Hagen bellowed, straining against the guards.
Jack’s face was deadly serious like Daniel had never seen. “You hit him first, it was just twenty years ago. Get this man out of my sight before I hit him too.”
“Jack.” Daniel reached for him, pulling him back away from Hagen as the guards pushed him toward a door. “Jack.” His eyes were bright and still filled with rage as he turned to Daniel. “It’s over.” Daniel said softly.
Jack inhaled and let Sam pull them both back to a corner where they had at least some privacy. “No, it isn’t over, Daniel. Not until he pays for what he did.” Jack finally said, his voice soft, his face finally losing some of the anger.
Daniel’s eyes danced over the faces still watching them. “If we were anywhere but here, I would kiss you right now.” Daniel whispered, blushing when Sam smiled at him from beside Jack.
“I think you two have caused enough of a scandal today,” she said, her eyes sparkling. “But, if you want, sir, I can cover the rest of today’s briefings. You two should go get some...rest.”
Jack raised an eyebrow at her. “Yes, I think Daniel needs a lot of rest.” Jack agreed.
“Go on. I’ve got this.”
“You heard her, Danny. Lets go get you some rest.”
They were nearly to the car when Daniel felt Jack crowd in behind him, his lips on Daniel’s ear. “And by rest, I mean sex.” Jack whispered. “Lots and lots of sex.”
Title: the sins of the past
Characters/Pairings: Jack O'Neill/Daniel Jackson, Samantha Carter, Original Characters
Word Count: 5406
Rating: R ish
Summary: General O'Neill brings Daniel along to Washington for a summit, never expecting that they would run into someone from Daniel's past...someone that sends Daniel into a spiral that shocks Jack and brings Daniel to confess a dark secret.
A/Ns & Warnings: This fic involves memories of child abuse (mental & physical) at the hands of a foster parent.
"The top brass from all military branches will be there for this." Jack said, fussing with the buttons of his dress uniform jacket.
"And why am I here for this, exactly?" Daniel groused, toweling off his hair. His bare feet made almost no sound as he crossed to the bed to slide his belt through the loops of his suit pants.
"Because you're the diplomatic one." Jack insisted.
"Since when do you need diplomacy in a room full of military men?" Daniel asked, his eyebrow raised. He left the belt undone and slipped the shirt on, swiping a hand behind him to tuck the tails in.
"Since it meant getting a few nights with you before you're off on another mission and I'm stuck pushing paper around my desk." Jack said, smirking.
"Oh, so, I can just stay here then." Daniel chuckled. "Naked and waiting for you?"
Jack crossed to him, hands moving to his hips to pull him closer. "Oh, not a chance. If I have to sit through it, you're going to keep me company."
There was a knock on the door and Jack groaned. "That will be Carter."
Daniel smirked as Jack left him to go open the hotel room door. "Carter."
"Sir." She held up a file folder as she came in. "This rounds out the last of the Generals at the summit."
Jack took the folder and flipped it open, scanning the names from the Army. The list had undergone changes since the summit was first called. He knew one of the Generals, but the other two were new names. "Never heard of these two."
Sam nodded. "Yeah, Tragg has just been named to the Pentagon staff. Hagen was promoted just before you were."
Daniel stiffened up, his brows knitting together as he came around the bed, his suit jacket part way on. "Hagen?"
Sam leaned over Jack's arm to look at the file again. "Yes. Brigadier General Phillip Hagen."
Daniel's face drained of color and he turned on his heel and made for the bathroom, pulling the door shut behind him. Jack handed the folder back to Sam. "Daniel?" He crossed to the bathroom door.
"Just give me a minute." Daniel said, his voice tense.
Jack shrugged and turned back to Carter. Truth be told, he didn't need both of them there. He brought Carter because she tended to make him look good. It wasn't the kind of meeting he excelled at, with long sessions rehashing missions and second guessing command decisions, and unless he was directly involved his attention would wander.
Daniel was mostly there because this part of their relationship was rather new and Jack just wanted him close. He was about to just tell Daniel to stay behind when the bathroom door opened. Daniel's face was flushed and his body language was tense, but he squared his shoulders. "Okay. Let's go."
Daniel remained tense until they pulled up to the building. “Give us a second.” Jack said as Carter got out of the car. He knew they had to be careful here of all places, but he covered Daniel’s hand with his own. “Hey, what’s up?”
Daniel shook his head. “I’m good.”
“Come on, Daniel. I’m not the most perceptive guy on the planet, but I can tell you’re not.”
Daniel took a deep breath, his eyes closed. As he exhaled, he opened his eyes and looked at Jack. “Okay, I’m not, but I’ll be fine. He’s just...someone I used to know.”
Jack frowned, thoughts skipping back over the last half hour. “Who, this general?”
Daniel nodded and reached for the door. “It was a long time ago. I’m over it.”
“It?” Jack followed him out of the car. “There’s an it?”
Daniel shook his head. “Can we just get this over with?”
He joined Sam on the steps and Jack followed, wondering what it was that Daniel was over and why Jack didn’t really believe that he was over it. He didn’t have time to dwell on it though as they were swept into the room filled to bursting with men and women in full dress uniform or business suits. Daniel headed immediately to the table with coffee and platters filled with danish, leaving Jack and Sam to greet General Landry and his aide.
Jack watched Daniel for a moment, but got drawn into conversation and looked away. Landry pulled him along to introduce him to some of the Generals he didn’t know. It was nearly time to start when Carter touched his arm. “Sir.”
He looked at her, then immediately looked around them for Daniel, spotting him near a wall, an army General blocking him from full view. Jack excused himself and made for them, moving to get a better view of Daniel as he approached. Daniel was tight against the wall, his eyes on the floor, his head down, his hands shaking as they held a crushed paper coffee cup. The older man was tall and clearly in good shape. He was older than Jack, his uniform spotless and perfect. “Daniel, we’re heading in.” Jack said, his voice aimed at Daniel, though his eyes were on the General.
“Is he one of yours, General?” the man asked Jack, his eyes sweeping over Daniel. “I didn’t know the air force was in the habit of hiring cowards, even as a civilian contractor.” He turned on his heel then and marched away, disappearing into the crowd of uniforms heading into the meeting room.
Jack reached a hand for Daniel, but he pulled away, spinning toward the wall and curling forward. Jack could hear him sucking in air like he was trying not to throw up. “Hey, he’s gone.” Jack said as softly as he could manage.
Daniel took a step away, straightening up and nodding. “Want to tell me what that was about?”
Daniel shook his head. “Not really.”
“Maybe you should head back to the hotel. Carter and I can handle this.”
There was genuine fear in Daniel’s eyes as he turned to look at Jack. “No. I...I’ll be fine.”
“Daniel--”
“Jack.” He smoothed out his suit jacket and inhaled, letting it out slowly. “If I leave now…” He shook his head. “I’ll be fine. Let’s just...do this.”
He walked stiffly toward the meeting room as Carter fell into step beside Jack. "Sir, is everything okay with Daniel?" Sam asked, her eyes tracking Daniel's movements before coming back to meet Jack's.
"Honestly? I don't know." Jack looked around the room for General Hagen, spotting him with one of the Senators off to the right. "Just...we need to do our best to keep Hagen away from Daniel."
"Sir?" She frowned at him, turning to look at Hagen.
"There's some history there. I didn't get the whole story, but I’m guessing it wasn’t good. Daniel's having trouble dealing."
Sam nodded. "Okay. I can run interference."
Jack smiled. "Oh, I know you can." Sam moved away from him, engaging Daniel in some passing conversation as she guided him toward their seats. Jack made sure Daniel was between them, with Jack on the side between Daniel and Hagen, who was four seats down. The meeting was called to order and Jack sat back in his seat, looking behind the row of backs to Hagen. He was the stereotypical career army guy by the look. His eyes were hard and his voice had matched. He had called Daniel a coward.
Coward? That was never a word Jack would associate with Daniel. In fact, Daniel was braver than most men Jack had ever known. Hell, he’d sacrificed himself to save a planet full of ungrateful bastards. Whatever the history there, it was clear that General Hagen didn’t know Daniel at all.
Daniel was the first one out of the meeting room when the break was called. He needed to get away, get out from under Jack’s stare, away from Sam’s overwhelming concern. He couldn’t function like that, not with Hagen just a few feet away. It just validated everything Hagen had ever said about him, about his weakness, his fragility.
He was shaking as he made his way into the mens room, shutting himself into a stall. He rubbed a hand over his face. It had been years since he’d even really thought about Hagen. A lifetime really. He wasn’t the scared little boy he’d been then. Except it had only taken two words to take Daniel back to that house, to that time.
He should have known when his stomach twisted just hearing his name. He’d thrown up in the bathroom as the memory rushed through him. But he’d convinced himself he needed to face the man, show him he was wrong.
Only now Daniel isn’t as convinced that he was wrong.
He knew Jack would be looking for him, looking for some explanation. Daniel wasn’t sure he had one. Not one that wouldn’t make him look weak,make Jack see him the way Hagen always had. He sucked in air and forced himself to focus. He was there to support Jack. He was a grown man, a man who had walked on other planets, faced things Hagen would never be capable of imagining.
He squared his shoulders and swallowed the cold knot of fear threatening to come up on him and opened the stall, crossing to the sinks and mirror. He ran cool water and rinsed his hands, then splashed some water on his face before pressing paper towels to his wet skin.
“I have to admit, I didn’t expect I’d ever see you again, Boy.”
Daniel stiffened, turned his back to the voice. “Sorry to disappoint you.” His voice lacked its usual bite, fell flat in the still air of the bathroom.
“You always were a disappointment.” Hagen said coldly. He was between Daniel and the door, taking up all the space. There was no way around him without physical contact. Daniel bit his lip and tried to find his anger, something to beef up his confidence. “Couldn’t even make it in the academic world, last bastion of cowards.”
“I’m not a coward.” Daniel said through gritted teeth, turning finally. “You don’t know anything about me.”
Hagen stared at him, hands on his hips. “I know you were the laughing stock of the archeology community with your asinine theories, and it’s only a matter of time before those pussies in the air force see you for who you really are.”
Daniel knew Hagen didn’t know about the Stargate or Daniel’s role there. Even if he did, Daniel didn’t think it would matter. “Knew from the moment I laid eyes on you.” He stepped closer and Daniel involuntarily stepped back. His mind flashed back to half a dozen times when Hagen had backed him into a corner, usually when he was angry or Daniel had done something wrong.
“How long before you run away again?” Hagen asked. Daniel stepped back again, his back suddenly against the wall. “Just like you did when you were 12, and when you were 13. Just like you did when you graduated high school. Just like you did when you couldn’t cut it.” He was too close and Daniel was starting to sweat, his heart racing.
Behind Hagen the bathroom door opened. “Daniel?”
Hagen turned and Daniel pushed off the wall, past Hagen, past Jack, tears burning down his face as he ran blindly through the people, out into the morning sun. He could hear Sam calling him, but he kept moving, blindly working up to a run.
It was stupid, but he didn’t stop until he reached the hotel, ducking into the alley, gasping and clinging to the wall as if it could protect him from the past. His head swam with memory, with marching in the rain, with bloody knuckles from Hagen’s yard stick, with days and days of pain from the beatings.
Daniel doubled over, holding his sides, fighting back the urge to vomit into the trash strewn alley. “Coward.” The word echoed around inside him, coupled with images of Hagen’s face, all that rage directed at Daniel’s fumbling, bumbling...his inability to do anything to Hagen’s standards.
He dug in his pocket for the key card to the room. He had to get out of sight, Hagen would find him...which he knew was stupid, but he couldn’t help it. He climbed the stairs and opened the door, eyes darting around the room. The maid had obviously been in, the beds made, the room tidied up.
Daniel shut the door, dropping the key card onto the table and pulling a shaking hand through his hair. He was better than this...and yet…
”Do it again.” He ripped the blanket and sheets off the bed and threw them into a pile on the floor, glowering down at Daniel. His hands trembled as he sorted the sheets out of the pile and he couldn’t focus on the task he was so worried about the yardstick in the man’s hands. He’d already made the bed twice and each time Hagen had torn it apart, telling him it wasn’t good enough.
The other boys all stood at attention at the ends of their beds, pointedly not watching as that yardstick came down across the back of his hands. He didn’t yell, that was one lesson he had learned in his months in that house. He bit his tongue and closed his eyes, swallowing down the pain and trying to just get through it, get the bed made well enough that they could move on to the next torment.
His face was wet and he wiped at the tears angrily. Just the man’s voice had been enough to take him back to that place, to those years trapped in that hell. Each word was like a blow with that leather strap, cutting into his skin, reminding him he was worthless, he was broken, he was a coward...hiding, running away, never good enough, never fast enough...It had been twenty years and it might as well have been twenty minutes from the last time...when he was thirteen.
His skin burned with the memory, his pants around his ankles as the other boys watched Hagen bring that leather strap down over and over, until Daniel’s knees had buckled and he’d been dragged by his hair to the corner. Fury filled him and Daniel yelled, upending the table before moving to the dresser and swiping his hands over it to throw all of the odds and ends on it onto the floor. The beds were next, ripping apart the carefully made corners, dumping the mattresses onto the floor.
He tripped over the blankets and landed on the floor, his chin hitting the tipped over table. It was enough to stop him, to make him realize what he’d done. Jack would come looking for him. Jack.
Daniel shook his head and pulled himself to the wall, covering his head with his hands. Jack would never want him like this. Now that he knew. Jack would see this and know.
Jack glared at his cell phone, as if staring at it would be enough to get Daniel to answer. At least he knew Daniel had left on foot, so there was only so far he could go. Jack wasn’t sure where in DC Daniel would feel comfortable enough to run to, so he had to assume he’d head back to the hotel.
He didn’t even have the door fully open and he knew he was right. The room was trashed, one of the mattresses keeping him from getting the door fully open. “Daniel?”
He squeezed into the room, his eyes skipping over the damage, looking for Daniel. “Daniel it’s just me.” He shut the door and shoved the nearest mattress back up onto the box spring, stepping over toiletries and clothing to peek into the bathroom. Daniel had obviously been there.
Jack stood in the bathroom doorway for a long minute, trying to decide where to look next. He heard something, soft, not quite a sniffle, not quite a sigh. He took a step toward the closet, the sliding doors mostly closed. “Daniel?” He pushed the door to the side and for a moment, almost wished he’d left Daniel his privacy.
He was sitting in the back of the empty closet, knees drawn up to his chest, his arms hugging his knees. He lifted his red, tear stained face, his eyes all the more blue for the dark and the red surrounding them. He blinked slowly, then just as slowly put his head back down on his knees.
Jack slid down to the floor, not reaching for him. “You okay?”
Daniel’s eyes closed and he shook his head slightly. “Sorry.” He cringed as soon as he said it, pulling back into the corner. “I...I couldn’t stay there.”
“Did he do something?”
“He didn’t have to.” Daniel said, reaching up to wipe his face. “God, I’m a mess.”
Jack had talked to Hagen enough to know that the general had been a foster father, one of the families Daniel had been placed with, and that there was no love lost between them. Daniel was never someone who was going to do well in a military family, hell, it had taken him years to feel like he was fitting in at the SGC, and even then he was always the first dissenting voice when it came to military decisions he didn’t agree with.
“Daniel, I don’t know what’s going on in your head--” Jack knew instantly it was the wrong way to approach this...whatever this was. “Look, Hagen’s an ass from what I can tell. You can’t take anything he said--”
Daniel stood abruptly and moved back into the room. He stopped, staring at the mess he’d made and shaking his head. “This is wrong.” Daniel started working, squaring up the mattresses and pulling the sheets out of the tangle of linens and comforters on the floor.
“Daniel, stop.”
“No, need to clean up this mess.” Daniel got the sheet on the first bed and adjusted it carefully. Jack climbed up off the floor, watching Daniel make perfect military corners.
“Daniel, really. Leave it. Talk to me.”
“No.” Daniel shook his head, though his hands stopped with the blanket in them. “Never supposed to talk about it.”
Jack froze, hearing something new in his tone, something that made him realize that Hagen might have been more than just loud and brash, demanding as a parent. “Daniel, look at me.”
Daniel face turned toward him, but his eyes didn’t lift all the way. “Tell me what Hagen did to you.”
“Nothing.” Daniel responded. He put the blanket down and sighed. “At least that’s always how it sounds.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “He was just...strict. That’s what my social worker told me when I begged her to move me. Said I’d get used to it...that I could use the discipline.”
“I’ve never seen you like this, Daniel.” Jack said, moving closer. “I’ve seen you face some scary shit, but I’ve never seen you lose it like this.”
“You don’t know what he was like.” Daniel said. “I was in that house for three years.” His voice had dropped to barely above a whisper. “Three years of him.” He was shaking, his body all drawn in tight.
“Daniel--” Jack reached for him, but pulled his hand back when Daniel physically recoiled from him, like he was expecting to get hit. “Shit, Daniel.” Jack’s stomach twisted as his mind flashed over all the things Hagen might have done to Daniel when he was just a defenseless boy. He stepped away, wanting to protect Daniel from his own growing anger. “What did this guy do to you? Did he...I mean…” But he couldn’t voice what he was thinking. It was too horrific.
Daniel turned, his eyes wide. “No, Jack...he was just…” He sat, his hands around his stomach as he curled forward. “There were three other boys there. I was the youngest. I...wasn’t like them. I didn’t know how to...be what he wanted.”
Jack sat on the opposite bed, even though he wanted to be there with Daniel, let him know he was safe, that Jack would never let someone hurt him...but he could tell Daniel wasn’t ready for that.
“I was a failure. His only failure to hear him tell it.” Daniel said softly. “I couldn’t keep up. Couldn’t do things the precise way he wanted them. I was still torn up over my parents...he didn’t like crying...and I didn’t know how to stop.” Daniel looked up suddenly, guilt on his face. “I’m sorry.” He flinched again and stood, pacing away. “Listen to me. God, Jack. Forget it. Let me clean this up. You go back to the summit.”
“No.” Jack said, standing. “I’m not leaving this room until you tell me everything.”
Daniel took a deep breath and Jack could almost see him physically stuffing the pain and fear down inside him. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“Don’t give me that shit.” Jack argued. “I’ve seen you go up against Anubis and stand up to the Ancients, I’ve seen you sacrifice yourself to save a planet full of ungrateful bastards, hell those assholes in South America tortured you, could have killed you..but this guy scares you.”
The room was quiet for a long moment, and Jack wasn't sure what exactly he heard in Daniel's voice when he did speak. "I never have been afraid of dying, Jack. When I lived in that house...dying would have been better...but no...that would have been the coward's way. He wouldn't have let that happen."
Jack took a step closer, reaching a hand for Daniel. When he didn’t immediately pull away, Jack took his hand, lifting it between them. “You are not a coward, Daniel. You may be the bravest man I’ve ever met.”
Daniel’s eyes closed, a tear slipping down one cheek. “No, Jack. I’ve never been brave. Not by myself anyway.” He licked his lips and lifted his eyes to Jack’s finally. “Only when I’m protecting someone else.”
Jack lifted his hand to cup Daniel’s face, moving close enough to brush a kiss over his lips. “You are the bravest man I know.” Jack repeated.
“I ran away.” Daniel whispered into the silence that followed. “I couldn’t take it. I snuck out in the middle of the night and I ran...and when they found me and they took me back….” He was shaking, pulling his hand away from Jack’s and pacing back toward the closet. For a long time he didn’t say anything. Slowly, his hand went to his belt. He turned so his back was to Jack and undid his belt, unzipped his dress pants, letting them fall. He then tugged his boxers down and lifted his shirt tails and jacket.
It wasn’t lost on Jack that for as long as he’d known Daniel, and for all that they had been sleeping together for six months or so, he’d never really seen Daniel fully naked in the light. “Daniel?” Jack took a step closer as Daniel adjusted his stance, bending forward just a little.
Jack stopped cold when he saw what it was Daniel was showing him. It explained a lot about the way Daniel behaved when they were intimate, and a lot about how he’d reacted to Hagen. Daniel’s upper thighs and buttocks were marked with scars, the kind that came from a serious beating with a cane or belt. “Daniel...I…”
“I was twelve.” Daniel offered, bending down to retrieve his pants and moving away again. “He beat me until I couldn’t stand up, then dragged me to the attention corner where I stood for ten hours before he finally let me go to bed.”
Daniel tucked his shirt tails in and zipped his pants. “The next day he made me do all the chores while he tallied up my mistakes, and every time I cried or made noise from the pain. I stood at attention for all of the meals and wasn’t allowed to eat. When dinner was over he told me I was getting a lash for every infraction. I lost count at around fifteen. Carlos helped me upstairs...helped me get cleaned up. It went on like that for days. Until the school called him about me standing in class.” He sighed and moved to pick up the upended chair, sitting gingerly as if old wounds had physically opened.
“He found other ways to punish me after that. Extra laps, scrubbing the floors with the smallest brush he could find, only to dump dirt on the floor just as I was finishing, assigning me extra chores, extra homework.”
Jack wasn’t sure what to say, he was too caught on the image of poor twelve year old Daniel bent over the end of a kitchen table while a grown man beat him. A cold fury was swirling in his stomach and he was beginning to wonder if he could face the man again without beating the shit out of him.
Jack held out his hand and it took a few minutes before Daniel moved to put his hand in Jack’s and step closer. “I can’t imagine what you went through.” Jack said softly. “And I’m so sorry it happened.”
Daniel rolled his eyes a little and sighed. “I lived through it.”
Jack kissed him softly, letting his hands lift to cradle Daniel’s face in his hands as his tongue caressed his lips. “Nothing he said to you is true, you know that, right?”
“I know you believe that.” Daniel said. He smiled tightly. “Most of the time I believe it too. Just...it took a long time for me to get there, and it’s scary how quickly I can fall back into that frame of mind.”
“I won’t make you go back there.”
“No, I want to.” Daniel responded, his eyes meeting Jack’s and for the first time since Daniel had heard Hagen’s name he seemed in control. “I need to face him. I just...it happened so fast. I wasn’t ready.”
“And now?”
“If I’m honest, what I want right now is to spend the afternoon here in this room with you reminding me who I am...but we both know that won’t solve anything.”
Jack considered it for a moment, letting his lips curl up in a half grin. “There’s some merit in that idea.”
Daniel kissed him, then stepped back, straightening out his suit and tie. “Thank you, Jack.”
“Just you remember one thing, Daniel Jackson.” Jack said, as they moved to the door. “That bastard didn’t beat you. And I love you.”
Daniel smirked at him. “That’s two things.”
“So sue me.” He let Daniel lead them out of the room and down to the car. In minutes they were back at the summit. “You sure about this?”
“No. But I’m not alone.”
“Damn right.”
Daniel’s stomach was twisted in knots and he wasn’t convinced he wasn’t going to throw up, but Jack was a strong presence behind his back as they made their way back into the room. Sam spotted them and came away from the two men she had been talking to, one of whom was Hagen. She looked pissed.
“Carter, how goes?” Jack asked, his hand light on the small of Daniel’s back.
“That guy is a piece of work.” Sam said, drawing a deep breath.
“Sounds like you’ve been having fun.” Daniel said wryly.
“If he weren’t a general, I might have punched him by now.” Sam responded, glancing over her shoulder.
“Now, now Carter, I’m sure he’s not worth a court martial.” Jack said, his hand rubbing lightly against Daniel’s back.
Daniel’s heart was racing and his insides were twisted up as Hagen came toward them. “Well now, General O’Neill, I see you’ve convinced your princess to come back. Does this mean we can finally move on?”
Daniel took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. “You need to back off.”
Hagen raised an eyebrow. “Really? Or what?”
“Or I let everyone in this room know that you are a bully and a monster who abuses defenseless children for his own amusement.” Daniel said, his voice low.
“Abuse?” Hagen said, stepping even closer. “You were an undisciplined sissy. Still are from what I can see.”
Daniel could hear Jack saying something, but couldn’t make out the words over the roaring in his ears. His hands tightened into fists and memory flashed through him. He couldn’t have stopped what happened next if he’d wanted to.
His fist connected with Hagen’s jaw, snapping his head to the side. As Hagen turned surprised eyes to him, Daniel hit him with the other fist on the other side of his jaw. Hagen stumbled backward, into a table.
Daniel stepped closer, fists raised, ready for him to come back at him. “What you did to me, and to the other boys put in your care, was wrong.”
“I’ll have your job for this.” Hagen said, spitting blood onto the floor.
“I don’t think so.” Jack said, moving in beside Daniel. “In fact, you’re the one who should be worried about his job, General. I’ve seen what you did to Daniel. I’m willing to bet there are others who will back his story, and when I find them, I will be having a very long conversation with your superiors about your commission. No man who treats people the way you have should be in a position of power.”
The entire room was watching them as Hagen stood up, straightening his uniform. “This isn’t over.”
“No, Sir, it isn’t.” Daniel said. “But this time, I’m not afraid of you.” It wasn’t entirely true, Daniel was actually terrified, but with Jack and Sam beside him, he had something he hadn’t had the last time he’d stood face to face with Hagen.
He had family.
He licked his lips and stepped in close to Hagen. “I finally understand, General. Every time you called me a coward, you were just pointing out your own cowardice. I see you for who you really are. And I’m done with letting you terrorize me.” Daniel turned on his heel and took a step away.
He didn’t see Hagen lurch for him, but he felt both Jack and Sam push him away and by the time he got turned around, the two of them had Hagen pushed back into the hands of two guards.
“General O’Neill, what is the meaning of this?”
Jack turned to the Senator, pointing at Hagen. “This man is a child abuser, Senator, who takes in foster children so that he can bully them and abuse them. When Daniel threatened to expose him, he attacked.”
“He hit me.” Hagen bellowed, straining against the guards.
Jack’s face was deadly serious like Daniel had never seen. “You hit him first, it was just twenty years ago. Get this man out of my sight before I hit him too.”
“Jack.” Daniel reached for him, pulling him back away from Hagen as the guards pushed him toward a door. “Jack.” His eyes were bright and still filled with rage as he turned to Daniel. “It’s over.” Daniel said softly.
Jack inhaled and let Sam pull them both back to a corner where they had at least some privacy. “No, it isn’t over, Daniel. Not until he pays for what he did.” Jack finally said, his voice soft, his face finally losing some of the anger.
Daniel’s eyes danced over the faces still watching them. “If we were anywhere but here, I would kiss you right now.” Daniel whispered, blushing when Sam smiled at him from beside Jack.
“I think you two have caused enough of a scandal today,” she said, her eyes sparkling. “But, if you want, sir, I can cover the rest of today’s briefings. You two should go get some...rest.”
Jack raised an eyebrow at her. “Yes, I think Daniel needs a lot of rest.” Jack agreed.
“Go on. I’ve got this.”
“You heard her, Danny. Lets go get you some rest.”
They were nearly to the car when Daniel felt Jack crowd in behind him, his lips on Daniel’s ear. “And by rest, I mean sex.” Jack whispered. “Lots and lots of sex.”
