All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

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Category: Missing scene; angst
Season/spoilers: Season 5 – The Last Stand
Rating: PG
Warnings: Nudity
Summary: Daniel discovers some of the Goa’uld are playing more than one game
Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, he isn't mine, but I wish he was... plus the usual MGM are great and worthy.
Author's Notes: Happy belated birthday to Lems. Thanks for nagging me at SG-4<g>

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Scribe's Shower Scene Series

In the Raven’s Claws

 ***********************************

Daniel sank to the floor, emotionally drained by his run in with Osiris and the somewhat terse conversation with Jacob. His thoughts were spinning as he tried to figure out the implications of his narrow escape. Osiris now believed him to be Jarren. That meant he was still free to move around the space station. Now if he could come up with some way to rescue Sarah. Oh God - first Sha're, now Sarah. Was fate never going to deal him a fair hand?

He rested his forehead on his knees and wrapped his arms over his head. This was all getting way out of hand. He'd been uncomfortable playing the role of assassin from the start, but now the reality of what he was doing was up, close and personal. He tugged at his hair in frustration, still unable to see a way to protect Sarah while delivering a crushing blow to the Goa'uld. That he would do so if he had to was not the issue - he didn't need Jacob to remind him there was a bigger picture. God, he and Jack debated that issue often enough both during and after missions. But that didn't mean he wouldn't try to change the details of the picture if given half a chance. There had to be a way…

"Jarren, what are you doing on the floor?" Yu's voice dragged Daniel from his thoughts.

He scrambled to his feet and bowed his head. "I was tired," he said, unable to come up with a better explanation and hoping his admission wasn't going to earn him another beating. He was fairly sure he was supposed to be occupied with domestic tasks when Yu was absent rather than sparring with an ex-girlfriend cum false-god-with-a-grudge. Of course, he could argue he'd been obeying Yu's order in not getting himself killed. He knew first hand that Osiris believed the use of physical pain was an acceptable way to encourage a conversation to go where he wanted.

"Are you unwell?" Yu demanded, his gaze sweeping Daniel from head to toe.

"No," Daniel replied, deciding this was probably an appropriate moment to suck up to Yu. He adopted what he hoped was a sincere, concerned look. "My weariness comes through fear for your life, my Lord. This place makes me… uneasy."

Yu nodded, accepting the sentiment with the casual ease of one who assumed the world revolved around his presence. "I too will be glad when we are gone from here. For now, though, we must not only play the games of the other System Lords, we must excel at them." He stepped closer. "I wish you to visit Morrigan for me."

"Morrigan?" Daniel's dismay was only too evident. "But, my Lord, yesterday…"

Yu rested his hand lightly on Daniel's shoulder. "Yesterday is gone, Jarren. Today I have seen a way to turn her interest in you to my advantage. You will not fail me, will you?"

The question was both request and threat. An unwelcome thrill of fear skittered down Daniel's back as Yu's fingers applied a subtle,yet deliberately painful pressure to the bruises across his shoulders. "Of course not." He bowed his head. "Tell me how I may serve you."

The pressure lessened. "You will take a message to her."

A message? Okay, he could do that. However, the relief he felt at Yu's request was short-lived. The Goa'uld smiled coolly and continued. "And should Morrigan be depraved enough to make an advance towards a mere human slave, you will pleasure her in whatever way she desires and learn what information you can from her. I have heard that in the heat of passion Morrigan's tongue can become quite… unguarded."

No way. No way in hell!

Daniel closed his eyes, forcing his panic and distaste into a dark, secluded corner as he bowed his head. "Yes, my Lord."

**************************

Morrigan's servant eyed Daniel up and down with cold contempt before gesturing him to follow through the hallway to Morrigan's inner chamber. Once there, the leather-clad slave dropped to his knees before his mistress and bowed his head to the floor. A sharp look and a less-than-subtle hand signal told Daniel he should do the same. For a brief moment, Daniel held Morrigan's gaze. Her eyebrows twitched at the sight of him and her lips curled with anticipation as he reluctantly imitated her slave's obeisance.

"Speak, Merel," she commanded, moving across the chamber so that her spike-heeled boots were in Daniel's line of vision.

The slave's voice was suitably reverent. "Lord Yu's slave has a message for your ears only, my Queen."

"A message?" She sounded the words as though she was trying them for size and found them extremely pleasurable. Daniel felt heat prickle at the base of his neck as he imagined her eyes on him. "Then you had best leave us Merel so this slave of Yu can fulfil his duty."

"Yes, my Queen." Merel bowed his head to the floor once more, than climbed swiftly to his feet.

"Wait!" Morrigan's command pulled Merel to a halt. Daniel risked looking up as she beckoned her slave closer and whispered something into his ear. Merel nodded his head and then, shooting Daniel a dark look, he hurried from the chamber.

As Morrigan's attention swung back to Daniel, he ducked his head. Determined to escape her presence as quickly as possible, he tried to launch into his role as message bearer. "Lord Yu wishes…"

"Shhhh!" Morrigan tiled his head up and pressed a finger to his lips to silence him. "I know why that fool Yu sent you to me." She circled Daniel slowly before coming to a halt in front of him. "I will accept his gift, but he will receive nothing in return." She held out her hand. "Come!"

Daniel studiously ignored her. His tongue darted over his lips, providing moisture before he tried to deliver his message again. "Lord Yu…"

"Come, slave!" Morrigan repeated, impatience creeping into her voice. "You will do as I command then, if I see fit, I will hear your message." She flexed her fingers, indicating Daniel should rise and take her hand. Reluctantly he did so and Morrigan led him towards the far corner of her chamber. Letting go of his hand, she waved towards the shower room. "I like it hot and hard," she said, laughing as Daniel's eyebrows almost danced off his face. She leaned closer. "Adjust the water flow so it is hot and hard."

"R..r..r…right." Daniel bolted past her, his face burning. Oh God. Oh God! This couldn't be happening to him. He tilted his face upwards and blew out a defeated breath, willing to beseech any passing deity that might have the power to either rescue him or strike him down with a handy thunderbolt. Thor, if you’re listening, one of those beam-me-up moments you're so fond of treating Jack to would be good right about now.

Nothing. Zip. Nada.

Jack was right. Expecting the Asgard to be on hand when you needed them was about as likely to be fulfilled as the Tok’Ra volunteering full and total information on a mission. He sighed inwardly. Okay, he could do this. A few minutes of unwelcome bodily contact was a small price to pay when the future of a thousand worlds was at stake, right? Water splashed noisily onto the floor in front of him as he adjusted the controls to Morrigan's requirements. Satisfied with the pressure, he held one arm beneath the flow and modified the temperature until it was hot but not scalding. He was under no illusions about who was going to end up wet, and he didn't need to add first degree burns to the catalogue of disaster that was threatening him.

Reluctantly he turned round and met Morrigan's watchful gaze. She beckoned him with one finger, the action sending a shiver of disgust down his spine as he forced himself to walk towards her, drawing to a halt a respectful distance away. Like a cat pouncing on its prey, she immediately moved into his personal space and lifted the heavy collar from his shoulders.

The wide belt he'd been wearing joined the collar on the floor and Daniel swallowed hard, feeling suddenly nauseous as his gaze fixed on the shower. Every nerve wanted to scream a protest but he was powerless to thwart her. He couldn't risk doing anything to damage the mission - not at this point with Sarah's life in the balance. Not even if it meant… His train of thought shattered as Morrigan's arms slid around his waist to his back and her fingers deftly unfastened his shirt. Blank it out. He would simply blank it out. That was what he was good at, after all. It would just be one more unwanted memory to shut away with all the others--

She circled him again, sighing with mock disapproval at the bruised stripes on his back. "Yu is a fool to use your body in such a fashion," she whispered. "He only understands the use of pain whereas…" She ran an appreciative hand across his naked chest. " I appreciate both pleasure and pain."

Daniel winced as she suddenly pressed herself against him. The hard carapace of her bodice gouged into his skin as she pulled his head down and claimed his lips with hers. Her hips gyrated against him, and he felt a moment of satisfaction that the unwelcome sexual provocation repelled him so intensely the oral ejaculation of his last meal was a far more likely outcome than what she was attempting to achieve.

Except - damn it - he had to think of the mission. He now had both Yu and Jacob pushing him to discover information. Who the hell did they think he was? James Bond? The thought gave him a moment of wry amusement as he shuttered out Morrigan's continued attempts to arouse him. Jackson, Daniel Jackson - shaken but not stirred.

She pulled away from him, white anger flaring, but then mocking amusement filling her eyes. "You would resist me?"

"I wish only to serve my Lord Yu," Daniel parroted a well-rehearsed phrase.

"Indeed." The reply seemed to add to Morrigan's amusement. "I'm sure you provide for his every need." Her smile turned predatory once more, and she lifted his hands towards the fastenings of her bodice. "Now, show me how skilful you can be with these beautiful fingers."

For a long moment, Daniel hesitated, unable to think, unable to react. Only when Morrigan's eyes narrowed with the promise of anger did he suddenly jerk back to reality. Slowly he reached for her and began to unlace the heavy leather bodice.

A snarled goa'uld oath from the doorway behind him made him snatch his hands away. He caught a look of triumphant delight in Morrigan's eyes as she glanced past him. And then he spun round to find himself face to face with Baal.

Before he had time to react, a fist impacted with his stomach, driving him backwards towards the shower cubicle. As he doubled over, Baal folded his hands into the waistband of Daniel’s pants and he found himself lifted into the air, the coarse fabric cutting into his groin before he was thrown hard and fast against the rear wall of the shower. Jack’s voice sarcastically commented in his mind that he thought the Goa’uld could only do that with a hand device as the breath was once again knocked from his lungs. He slid down the wall and fell forward onto his knees, the powerful jet of hot water adding insult to injury as it drummed mercilessly against the bruises on his back.

Painfully he pulled air into his lungs. Somewhere close by he was aware Baal was aiming a torrent of goa’uld curses in his direction but he was too distracted by his body warring with itself to attempt to translate, the need to breathe battling with an urgent desire to vomit. Both desires were brought to an abrupt halt by a blaze of pain as a back-handed slap contacted with his right cheek, knocking him sideways to the floor. Baal had followed him into the shower and was now towering over him. Behind Baal he could hear Morrigan’s voice, strident and angry. With neither the strength nor the opportunity to escape, Daniel curled around the pain and attempted to present himself as a smaller target for Baal's anger. The heated words being exchanged five feet above his head were a sharp counterpoint to the steam-filled air and hot needles of the shower stinging his skin.

“How can you bear to touch one such as this?” Baal emphasised his disgust with a kick that contacted painfully with Daniel’s ribcage.

“Why do you care if I consort with a human slave?” Morrigan screamed in response. “I saw you with Bastet!”

“Bastet?” Baal paced away. “You lower yourself to this because I spoke with Bastet?!”

“You did more than speak with her! I’m not a fool!”

Oh crap! Daniel realised with horror that Morrigan and Baal were engaged in an old-fashioned, out-and-out lovers tiff. The memory of Morrigan's whispered words to her slave filtered into his consciousness and with it the certain knowledge that he'd just been used as pawn in some sick game of jealousy and revenge.

Above him the argument was growing more heated. Morrigan launched a tirade of verbal abuse at Baal.

“You are nothing but a Shin’tac,” she screamed. “I would rather give my body to this slave than have you touch me!”

Another guttural snarl from Baal was all the warning Daniel got that he was still, figuratively and literally, in hot water. A kick to his abdomen almost lifted him from the floor. A foot impacted with his already abused ribs. He was vaguely aware of Morrigan screeching at Baal to stop as he threw his arms up to protect his head from the flurry of blows.

Then pain exploded and the world went black.

***************

"Jack?" Daniel gasped with pain as the return to consciousness brought with it a myriad of unwelcome sensations.

"Quiet, Jarren." An unfamiliar voice sounded close to his right ear and a hand pressed him back against the soft mattress. Cautiously he pulled in a deep breath and tried to ignore the uncomfortable warmth radiating across his abdomen as he dredged his memory for what had happened and where he was. A face swam above him, the features out of focus. He blinked hard. It definitely wasn't Jack and, unless Janet had rushed to his bedside from a Chinese-themed fancy dress party, it wasn't her either.

"Arrrggghh!" He twisted to his left as the warmth moved up to his chest and intensified. Oh God! It felt as though his bones were being liquefied. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't speak. No, please. Stop it! He caught a brief glimpse of a golden beam of light radiating from the palm of the person standing over him.

And the darkness claimed him once more.

**********************

Daniel was alone when he woke. He lay motionless for several minutes as his memory slowly returned. Morrigan's two-faced seduction. Baal's jealous anger. A lovers' tiff conducted above his head. Pain and abuse. Crap! He'd expected this mission to be a tough one, but getting caught up in a Goa'uld soap opera certainly hadn't been top of his list of likely scenarios.

Slowly he pushed himself upright on the bed, wincing at the residual aches and pains that lingered as a reminder of the beating he'd suffered. This was going to be one hell of a mission report to write - if he survived long enough to ever put pen to paper. He slid from beneath the silk sheet that covered him and realised he was naked except for the ring Jacob had given him. His clothes were strewn on the floor; the pants still damp and wrinkled from Morrigan's shower.

The vial! Hurriedly he snatched up his pants, his fingers fumbling to find the pocket that contained the deadly poison. To his relief, it was still there. He sat heavily on the bed as the sudden adrenaline rush vanished, leaving him feeling lightheaded. He'd come so close to nearly blowing this mission. If Yu had found the vial ---

He shook his head and breathed deeply. There was no time for recriminations now. He'd escaped from Morrigan's clutches, alive if somewhat the worse for wear, and the vial was still in his possession. Not only that but the double-crossing nature of the Goa'uld had given him an idea on how he just might be able to save Sarah. It wasn't exactly the greatest plan, but given the other options, it was all he had. It was time to wind things up, learn whatever he could, and get the hell out of Dodge.

Not knowing what else to do, he dressed as quickly as he could, covering the vibrant bruises that now decorated his skin with the uncomfortable slave outfit. He'd always found the SGC uniform to be over-starched and itchy, but right now he'd happily trade. The coarse damp material of his pants was already chafing at parts of him that were used to the protection of Fruit of the Loom, and the heavy metal collar was reminding him of just how badly bruised he was.

He moved towards the door and caught a glimpse of himself in a mirrored panel on the wall. That was odd. He pulled to a halt, tilting his head first to the right, then to the left. There wasn't a single mark showing on his face and arms and yet he was sure Baal had not discriminated over his choice of target during his rage-driven attack. At the very least, he remembered a back-handed slap that had split his lip. His tongue probed the skin and found nothing.

"I healed your more obvious wounds." Yu's voice sounded from the doorway, making Daniel start. "I also repaired the internal damage to your body."

Daniel turned and bowed to the Goa'uld, his gratitude genuine despite the conflicting emotions about how he'd been hurt. "Thank you."

Yu's expression was hard. "The bruises that remain are to remind you of your failure. Morrigan took much pleasure in returning you to me barely alive. Fail me again and I will not waste my time restoring your health."

"I understand," Daniel replied, hating every moment of the role-playing. "Please forgive me for dishonouring you."

Yu turned away, the subject apparently closed. "Return to your duties, Jarren. It is almost time for the ceremony."

"Yes, my Lord." Daniel bowed once more and hurried from the room.

*******************

Jack fell in step beside Daniel as they headed towards the infirmary and the routine post-mission check-up. With all that had happened on the planet he'd barely had a chance to acknowledge Daniel's presence, let alone check his team-mate was okay. He'd just about had time for a quick top-to-toe-glance to check Daniel wasn't sporting any obvious injuries and then the need to make the most of Elliott's sacrifice and get his team safely back and through the 'gate had taken up all his attention.

As he looked at Daniel now, he could see the lines of weariness around his eyes and the pinched expression that meant all was not well in Jacksonville. "Tough mission, huh?"

"Yeah, you could say that," Daniel admitted quietly.

"You did okaygood, Daniel." Jack emphasised his encouragement with a friendly slap on the back. He jerked his hand away as a hiss escaped through Daniel's teeth. "You okay?"

"It's nothing," Daniel mumbled.

"Like hell," Jack retorted, his gaze attempting to burn a hole through the unflattering orange tunic Yu dressed his slaves in. "You're hurt."

Daniel turned pained blue eyes towards him. "I'll live… "

Jack could read the unspoken words in Daniel's expression. A lot of good people had died today - Elliott, ?????, God only knew how many Tok'Ra. "You don't have to punish yourself…"

"Don't!" Daniel came to an abrupt halt and raised his hand, silencing Jack. "Don't tell me what I have or haven't got to do!"

Surprised by the outburst, Jack raised his eyebrows in sympathetic question. The effect was immediate. Daniel's shoulders slumped, the anger draining out of him, and with it what was left of his adrenaline-fed energy. Jack stepped hurriedly forward, catching Daniel's elbow to steady him as he visibly swayed.

"Infirmary. Now!"

"I'm fine."

"Sure. And I'm Marilyn Monroe."

That Daniel didn't come back with some comment about that alarmed Jack even more than any physical hurt that might be hiding beneath his clothes. Daniel was like the energizer bunny, at least as far as his brain was concerned. He just kept going and going. If he wasn't up to bantering something was definitely wrong.

Daniel allowed himself to be guided down the corridor for a dozen steps, but as they reached the junction he suddenly froze. "I can't do this right now." His gaze drifted down the corridor towards his office, the opposite direction to the infirmary. "I… ummm…"

"Ten minutes with Fraiser, then I'll drive you home."

Blue eyes swivelled towards Jack. "Ten minutes?"

"Not a second longer." Jack nodded solemnly, wondering how the hell he could convince Fraiser to deliver that particular guarantee, but determined Daniel wasn't going to stay on the base for a moment longer than was necessary. Daniel clearly needed to be somewhere that didn't remind him of death and war and whatever he'd experienced up on that snake-infested space station.

Daniel's gaze had drifted back towards his office, his look one of longing.

"C'mon, Danielny. Ten minutes now or a two-hour pissed-off Fraiser special later," Jack said softly. His hand stole back to Daniel's shoulders, the touch feather-light, but enough to feel the shuddery breath that was pulled in deep, then exhaled.

"'Kay." Daniel turned towards the infirmary the, his back straightening with determination as , he marched towards his appointment with the medics.

********************

"Well?" Jack demanded as Janet Fraiser returned to her office. His heart sank. Ten minutes had already become twenty, and from the look on the doctor's face she wasn't about to let Daniel go. Her mouth thinned into a tight line and she banged Daniel's medical notes onto her desk with more force than was necessary. Whatever she had discovered, she was pissed.

"Yu…" she sucked in an angry breath. "Laid into Daniel with a whip of some kind."

"A whip?" Jack swore softly - that son-of-a-bitch Yu was going to regret the day he was born if he Jack ever got his hands on him. A whip?! No wonder Daniel had flinched at his touch. "How badly…"

She waved a hand in the air, cutting him off. "Just sore and bruisedHard enough to leave some angry looking weals. I'm guessing the punishment was intended to make a point rather than injury. But, that's not all.t…"

Jack's stomach lurched. Why did there always have to be a but? He winced inwardly as Janet continued.

"He's being a bit shy about details but apparently hee also had a run in with one of the other system lords. Fortunately for Daniel, the goa'uld Goa'uld weren't allowed to carry weapons on the space station, otherwise I'm guessing he wouldn't be sitting in my infirmary right now. He said Yu used a healing device on him, but he still has a hell of a lot of bruising on his chest and abdomen. That, together with the fact that's he's obviously physically and mentally exhausted…"

"No, you can't!" Jack interrupted vehemently.

"Excuse me?" Janet's eyes widened.

"You aren't keepingcan't keep him here," Jack shrugged apologetically as Janet drew herself up to her full height, clearly preparing to argue with him. "Not tonight. I promised him."

"Colonel…"

Okay, time for the shameless begging. If only he could just master that eyelash batting thing Daniel did. Jack did his best wheedling look, "Daniel *needs* to go home."

Janet raised an eyebrow. Maybe the wounded lambkicked puppy look would work better - that one always seemed to get Daniel whatever he wanted, even coffee in the infirmary. Jack readjusted his features. "I promise, if you let me take him home tonight, I'll bring him back in one piece tomorrow, all rested up."

"Colonel O'Neill, please stop pulling faces at me. You aren't helping your cause."

"Oh." Feeling somewhat hurt Jack attempted to set his face into a normal expression, only to realise he was now so self-conscious nothing felt normal. He turned his concentration back to Janet, but she was already scribbling in Daniel's notes.

"Just this once, Colonel, I happen to agree with you. Take him home. Get him to shower, eat and sleep. What order he does those in is up to him, in whatever order he prefers." She unlocked the drug cabinet above her desk and pulled out a tub of painkillers, shaking two into her hand. "And get him to swallow these with dinner - they may make him feel a little out-of-it while he's awake, but once he hits his pillow, they'll help him get a decent night's sleep."

"Thank you!" Jack was so relieved at her capitulation he could've kissed her.

As though guessing his mood, Janet hurriedly backed away. "Get out of my office before I change my mind!"

"Yes, doctor." He turned heel and ran, rounding Daniel up on the way.

****************************

"Right," Jack tossed the towel he'd just collected from the linen closet onto Daniel's lap. "Janet said you were to shower, eat and sleep. So why don't you hit the bathroom while I start on dinner?"

He turned towards the kitchen, then realised Daniel was staring at the towel as though he'd just been given a deadly snake. "Daniel? You okay?"

The sound of his name snapped Daniel out of his daze. "W…w..what?"

Jack raised his eyebrows and gestured towards the bathroom. "There's plenty of hot water."

"Ummmm…." Daniel gingerly lifted the towel and laid it across the arm of the sofa before climbing to his feet. "You know what… ummm… I don't really need to…" He pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut as though struggling to keep hold of his train of thought. When he looked back at Jack, he was frowning slightly, his lips pursed as though he was still rather puzzled by where he was and what he was doing. "Do you… ummm… Do you need a hand in the kitchen?"

"No," Jack replied slowly, alarm bells ringing loud and hard in his head. It was his turn to give a puzzled frown as Daniel's expression into hurt disappointment. Sure, Daniel liked to cook but Jack would've thought washing the aroma of that space station out of his hair would've been a much higher priority. Something wasn't adding up. He shook his head, unable to figure it out. "Daniel, go shower, okay? You smell like a Goa'uld."

He realised it was the wrong thing to say the moment the words hit the air. Daniel folded his arms across his chest and his jawline sharpened as his head tilted in objection and spat sharp, angry words. "Who appointed you bathroom monitor? I'll shower when I'm good and ready."

"Okay…" Jack elongated the word as he backed towards the kitchen, his hand raised in defeat. There were times when he was perfectly willing to take Daniel on in a spat, but this definitely wasn't one of them. If Daniel wanted to act like a five-year-old with an intolerance for cleanliness that was his concern. "Suit yourself. Dinner will be twenty minutes."

"Fine!" Daniel snapped the word, his gaze sweeping Jack's living room and falling on the TV remote, which he snatched up. He hit the on button and the TV sparked into life, the screen displaying a local ballgame. "I'll just watch the game."

Watch the game? Jack didn't miss the undercurrent of desperation in Daniel's voice. He waited in the doorway for a few seconds, expecting Daniel to start channel surfing, but instead the younger man was sitting rigid-backed on the sofa, eyes glued to the screen as though his life depended on it. Jack shook his head again and turned towards the refrigerator. It was going to be a long night.

*****************

They ate in silence. Or rather Jack ate while Daniel pushed his food around his plate. Finally exasperated, Jack stood up and cleared both dishes, scraping Daniel's meal into the trash.

"You know you aren't making this easy for me," he complained.

Daniel blinked at him, his coffee mug half-way to his mouth. "Sorry?"

"The deal I made with Fraiser was to get you to shower, eat and sleep. So far I've bombed on two."

"Oh." Daniel peered into his mug as though it contained the answers to all the world's problems. "Sorry."

Jack relented as he took in Daniel's weary posture. "Don't worry about it. But cut me a break and swallow these." He placed the medication Fraiser had given him on the table besides Daniel's mug. Daniel raised his eyebrows in question. "Painkillers. She said they'd help you sleep."

His expression reluctant Daniel scooped up the pills and tossed them into his mouth, washing them down with the remains of his coffee. "Happy now?"

"Not until I hear you snoring."

"I don't snore."

Jack let that comment pass with a pointed look. "So… wanna play chess?"

That at least elicited a brief smile from Daniel. "You ask me to play *after* I swallow Janet's pills? That's not exactly fair."

"All's fair in love and war… " Damn. The shadow that had been brooding over Daniel all evening was back. Jack sighed inwardly as Daniel shuttered down again. His punchline fell into dead space. "…and chess."

"I think maybe…" Daniel gestured towards the guest room. "I am kind of tired."

"Sure." Jack was at a loss as to how to break through the barriers Daniel had so effectively constructed. He never had been good at doing the 'feeling thing' and Daniel, despite his ability to ramble on for hours about some tedious piece of scribble on a wall, had frequently shown he preferred to work through the tough stuff on his own. Jack knew that just being there was generally enough. He just hoped that was true for whatever was bugging Daniel right now.

He shrugged casually, as though there was nothing unusual about Daniel's behaviour. "I'll see you in the morning, then. I'll make eggs."

"Yeah," Daniel replied listlessly. "Eggs would be good."

**********************

He could smell her perfume. It was on his skin. In his hair. Heavy with the exotic scent of off-world blooms and the subtle undertones of a Goa'uld-inhabited body. He felt contaminated by her touch. Dirty and unclean.

Daniel tossed and turned, his bruises making it impossible to find a comfortable position in the bed despite Janet's medication. His thoughts churned over the events of the past few days. Morrigan's cynical use of him. Yu's casual treatment - valuing him only as a replaceable possession. At least Baal's jealous rage suggested he was still a person capable of doing more than simply obeying orders. And then there was Sarah - or rather Osiris - beautiful, yet deadly. His mind replayed each incident as the critic in his head examined his performance in detail and awarded him a big fat zero points.

He moaned softly as his failure beat at him as cruel and as harsh as the feel of Yu's switch on his back. Sha're. Sarah. One lost to him completely, the other still imprisoned inside her own body. Baal, Morrigan, Bastet, Yu - all running free in the universe, causing pain and misery, because of him, because of his decisions, his choices.

Flipping his pillow over, he sought the relief of cool, crisp cotton against his skin, but the pillow was already tainted with the smell that permeated his body - the metallic tang of the artificial environment of the space station, the musky aroma of Yu's clothes, the milky perfume of the oatmeal that formed the staple diet of the slaves - all now mingled with his own sweat and the sharp scent of remembered fear.

The clock on the bedside table blinked red lights at him, mocking his inability to sleep. Irritably, he pushed the bedcovers off, flipped onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. He knew the answer to his problems - both practical and emotional. Yet, fear tied him to the bed as effectively as rope. He ran a hand through his hair, the style shorter than ever. Despite its length, it felt greasy, unclean - the smell of it on his fingers was sour.

With an audible groan, Daniel pushed himself from the bed and went to meet his demons.

******************

The sound of running water permeated through Jack's dreams to his bladder. With a weary sigh he rubbed sleep from his eyes and peered at his alarm clock. Three o'clock in the morning? He only woke at three o'clock needing to pee if he drank more than three bottles of beer, and last night he hadn't touched a drop of liquor, despite thinking he might be better off drowning Daniel in whiskey rather than giving him those little white pills of Janet's. The disturbing thought that he was getting old crossed his mind, but was instantly driven away by the realisation that he really could hear running water.

He slid out of bed, pulled on a pair of pyjama pants and padded towards the door. Down the hallway he could see light spilling from under the bathroom door. Daniel was showering at three in the morning? Jack sighed to himself. Well, Janet had said the archaeologist could eat, sleep and shower in whatever order in chose, but he didn't think this was exactly what she had in mind.

His bladder full and Daniel occupying the bathroom, Jack headed for the living room and the TV. He'd catch up with the sports news to keep his mind of his bodily needs while waiting for Daniel to get through with washing.

Twenty minutes later, Jack was beginning to feel concerned - both about Daniel and his own bladder capacity. He padded up the hallway and knocked on the bathroom door.

"Daniel? You about done in there? I need to pee."

No answer. Jack's concern edged up a notch and he rapped louder. "Daniel! Are you okay?"

Still nothing. Concern now full-blown worry, Jack hesitated, his hand on the door handle. The bathroom lock had broken several months ago and, living alone, Jack hadn't seen any urgency in fixing it. Now his concern for Daniel warred with the etiquette of marching in on the guy in the shower. He opened the door a fraction and called Daniel's name through the crack. A rush of hot, steamy air greeted him along with the sound of the shower. From Daniel there was nothing but silence. Jack pushed the door wide.

"Daniel?"

The room was like a Turkish bath, the air thick with steam, condensation running down the tiled walls in rivulets. Daniel was standing with his back to the door, stark naked in front of the shower cubicle, his eyes apparently transfixed on the fierce jet of scalding water splashing into the foot basin.

"Daniel!" Jack lurched past him and shut off the flow, swearing as the burning water gushed over his forearm. "What the hell are you doing? Trying to scald yourself to death?"

"J…Jack?" As though waking from a trance Daniel turned a confused look in his direction.

Jack winced, both from the dazed look on Daniel's face and the sight of the bruises on Daniel's body. Janet's words hadn't fully prepared him for the truth. Daniel hadn't just had a run in with a Goa'uld, somebody had clearly kicked the crap out of him up on that space station. Suddenly conscious he was staring at Daniel's naked body, Jack snatched up a towel and thrust it into Daniel's hand. For a moment Daniel simply stared at it non-plussed but then, like an automaton, he wrapped it around his hips.

"Want to tell me what the hell's going on?" Jack's voice was rough but concerned.

"I… ummm…" Daniel blinked as though trying to clear his vision, then glanced back at the shower head and shook his head.

"Some pretty heavy-duty bruises you've got there," Jack offered, hoping the comment might encourage Daniel to talk.

Daniel glanced down at his multi-coloured torso, his expression rueful. "Baal."

"Baal?" Jack felt cold anger twist in his gut. "He did that to you?"

"We… ummm… there was a bit of a misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding? So he beat the crap out you?" Jack's eyes narrowed. "Please tell me Fraiser checked you for internal injuries."

"There was no need," Daniel sounded distracted. "Yu healed the worst of it."

Jack absorbed both the information and the casual way Daniel mentioned it. Before he could speak again, though, Daniel had turned his confusion back towards him.

"Have I been in here long?" He gestured at the steam.

"At least twenty minutes."

"Oh. Funny… I don't remember…" Daniel gaze returned to the shower unit and his hand went to his hair, his fingers rubbing at the short, dirty strands. "I must've…"

"Must've?" Jack prompted.

Daniel gave a brief smile of ironic amusement. "Baal threw me into Morrigan's shower, right before he.. I… ummm… I think I must've…."

"Flashback?" Jack offered, the mention of Morrigan's name making him wonder exactly what Daniel had gotten involved in. Daniel nodded wearily, and Jack added, sympathetically. "It happens."

Jack knew that was true. Flashbacks after a traumatic event weren't uncommon. However, judging from the amount of steam in the room and the length of time he'd been waiting to pee, Daniel had been out of things for quite a while. Way longer than the few seconds of a normal flashback. What if he was suffering from some kind of head injury or… The medication! Jack suddenly remembered the pills Janet had given him. Could they have made Daniel zone out? Janet had said something about them making him woozy.

His thoughts were disturbed by an angry and colourful exclamation from Daniel, who had wrapped his arms around his bare chest and was now glaring at the showerhead as though it had offered some kind of personal insult. "Wanna share?"

Daniel gave a mirthless laugh. "Guess Fraiser had better call mental health. Seems I can't even get in the shower anymore."

Jack reached out and gently patted Daniel's shoulder, the angry red weals on Daniel's skin once more sparking his own anger. "You've been through hell, Daniel. Fraiser told me what Yu did. Then Baal had a go. And you're exhausted and doped up with painkillers. I think it's too soon to be calling yourself a basketcase, don't you?"

Daniel's jaw set as he stared at the showerhead, his body suddenly trembling with pent up emotion. "I can't get in the shower, Jack. I *need* to feel clean but I can't get in the fucking shower!"

Jack was working with only the scantiest of information, but he'd heard enough to realise that whatever had happened to Daniel up on that space station it had somehow become indelibly connected to stepping into the shower. He'd seen it happen in stressful situations before - the body's flight or fight trigger somehow getting tangle up with something totally unrelated to the actual danger, a phobia triggered by the smell of apples or an illogical fear of shoelaces. No matter how bizarre it seemed, he was sure the only way Daniel was going to move forward was by getting into the shower, and the sooner the better. Right here, right now, was as good a time as any.

"Sure you can." Jack spoke the words with all the confidence he could muster. Daniel opened his mouth to protest, but Jack beat him to it. "I'll sit outside and wait for you, okay?"

Daniel shot Jack an angry look, embarrassment flooding his face with colour. "I'm not a kid who needs babysitting."

"I know," Jack replied softly. "I just figure, what with the lock being broken on the door and all, you'd appreciate knowing no one is going to walk in on you."

"There's no one here but you."

"I know."

Daniel stared at him, clearly weighing the thought. Cautiously, Jack leaned forward and brushed a hand through Daniel's hair. "Trust me - you'll feel a hell of a lot better."

For a long moment Daniel held his gaze as though searching his very soul for the truth. Then he nodded and his right hand dropped to the towel around his waist. "I won't be long."

"Sure," Jack replied with relief. "But can I pee first?"

*************************

Five minutes later Daniel stepped out of the bathroom, his damp hair sticking up in clean, sharp spikes and the towel once again wrapped around his hips, the damp cotton clinging to his legs as he moved. Jack had been sitting on the hall floor waiting for him, and he scrambled to his feet, welcoming the fresh scent of lime and ginger shower gel that floated towards him from Daniel.

"Better?" he asked.

"Yeah." Daniel nodded, and Jack allowed himself a small smile. Not only did Daniel smell different, he looked different - as though a huge weight had lifted from his shoulders. He had no doubt Daniel still needed to work through some of the other baggage he'd brought back from the mission, but whatever dark seed Baal had sown into Daniel's psyche had been rooted out. Somehow Jack knew Daniel would find a way to cope with the rest. Jack leaned forward and ruffled his hand through the damp spikes of Daniel's hair.

"Don't go to bed with that still wet."

"No, mom." Daniel shook his head in mild exasperation.

"See you in the morning then? I'll cook eggs."

"Eggs would be good." Daniel turned towards the guestroom. "Oh and Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

Jack raised his eyebrows in confusion. "For what?"

Daniel smiled. "Oh you know… just…" He lifted the back of his hand to his nose and inhaled deeply. "For having decent shower gel."

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