R-evolutionary

by Riantiata

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/asr/riantiata/revolut.php
Summary: Care for your archaeologist, he's an endangered species

The gunfire crashed back into a shattering silence equally as loud as what had gone before. A bird's voice queried, and the noises of the jungle crept back unsure of their welcome.

Daniel flinched and opened wary eyes, expecting the mad-eyed Rafael to be standing there with the machete extended. If he could only use this rock to stun the man he might be able to grab the weapon.

His eyes widened as he saw Rafael lying beyond his feet, unmistakably dead. He was stunned, his brain hardly taking in the sight. He fingered his rock restlessly, trying to make some sense of what he was seeing. He didn't see the other two terrorists immediately, so he risked a glance upwards. Someone was standing there saying something to him, but the gunfire was still ringing in his ears and the words didn't make sense. All he could see was a pair of legs - then the someone leaned in shouting.

"Daniel...? how many more are there?.Daniel?"

Daniel lifted his eyes higher, that voice.he would recognize that beloved voice anywhere, Jack! How could it be? He was at the SGC coordinating Sam and Teal'c's effort.no! He was here!

He glanced round, seeing the bodies lying beyond Rafael. He shook his head and stared wild-eyed up at Jack.

"That's it. You've got them all." His face worked as he tried to hold his thoughts together, his mouth tremulous and his voice breaking as he cried "What are you doing here?"

Jack flicked his P-90's safety on, and knelt beside Daniel.

"Where's Doctor Lee?"

Daniel gestured behind him "'Bout a mile back."

"Alive?"

"Oh, yeah." Daniel threw away the rock he was still holding wondering how he could have thought it would be effective against a man with a machete. He scrubbed his face with his hands "He couldn't run very fast. They were catching up so I hid him, and led them away." He swallowed, his throat parched as it had been for days. He eyed Jack's water canteen longingly.

*Typical Daniel* thought Jack, *Everyone matters but him.*

Jack followed Daniel's gaze and silently handed him his canteen. Daniel's hands were trembling as he uncapped it and held it to his mouth.

'Hey, not too much at first," Jack took it away before Daniel could drain it, "You know better than that."

Jack turned his head and spotted Burke moving warily around the clearing. "Go find Doctor Lee." He called to him and waved at the track Daniel had indicated. "We need to get out of here."

Daniel saw a gum-chewing, grinning soldier starting to amble away cradling his big gun.

"Friend of mine from the old days," commented Jack. "Come to give me a hand." He examined Daniel's thigh where the bullet had gone in and tied his bandana round it as a temporary bandage. He found a branch, using his knife to quickly fashion a makeshift crutch.

"Will you be able to walk on this?" He asked as he handed the stick to Daniel.

Daniel barely had time to nod before they were attacked again by Rafael's formerly dead henchman. While he wasn't looking too healthy, and not exactly alive, he was certainly animated and shooting the crap out of the jungle. Jack grabbed Daniel and pulled him behind a tree then started shooting at the corpse. It had no effect.

Burke yelled "Hey. Get down." They ducked and Burke fired his grenade gun. The corpse flew apart.

Jack smiled, relieved, and motioned for him to carry on to Doctor Lee. Burke ambled off, whistling.

"Telchak's device reanimates the dead like." Daniel began.

"Yeah" Jack preferred not to remember sarcophagi, and after Shyla's ministrations he reckoned Daniel wouldn't want to either.

Jack reached down to help Daniel who was looking so vulnerable that his breath caught in his throat. Filthy, stinking, shaking with fatigue Daniel still held the attraction he had always had for Jack. He grasped the quivering arms and pulled him up to his feet.

Daniel's face was very close and he whispered "Tell me I'm not hallucinating, or dreaming.Tell me you are really here."

Jack looked into his favorite blue eyes and was angered at the bloodshot weariness looking back at him. The relief at finding Daniel alive broke the barrier that had always restrained his feelings. He bent and kissed the calloused lips beneath him, lingering just a moment. When he pulled back Daniel was eyeing him warily, his gaze troubled and deeply confused.

"Yeah, I'm here, Danny. Your knight in shining camo. No white horse though, we're going to have to walk out of here."

"Wait. wait, Jack." Daniel said urgently. "We've got to go back. The device is still in the hut. Can't leave it there. It's dangerous and we need it."

"Okay." Jack pulled Daniel's arm round his shoulder and

they started down the track to the clearing. They met Burke bringing Lee back.

"What's with the guy from the evil dead?" the irrepressible Burke quipped as he reached them

Jack and Daniel exchanged glances. "Um." Jack began, then shrugged as he realized he could say nothing.

"Classified?" The gum-chewing Burke grinned and shook his head, knowing he wouldn't get an answer. "You guys are into some crazy crap, man." He laughed as he walked away.

Jack could feel Daniel leaning away, barely able to stand, yet he was plainly ignoring his wounded body, struggling to stay upright in order to speak to the distraught Dr Lee. The doctor had come up on the other side of Daniel and they were speaking quietly.

"I couldn't help it, Daniel." Lee suddenly blurted out loud.

"I know, Bill. Don't worry about it."

"I couldn't stand it," Lee was red in the face, pleading for Daniel to understand "What was I supposed to do? Let's face it, Daniel, I'm a geek not a guerilla. I wasn't expecting to be tortured."

"Bill." Daniel said warningly, but it was too late.Jack had heard.

"Tortured?" Jack frowned. Daniel was dehydrated and exhausted sure, and shot in the leg .but tortured? "Whaddya mean tortured?" he glared at Lee.

Jack was suddenly aware that Daniel had been holding his chest, "What." he eased him back as Daniel staggered then peered down the front of Daniel's vest.

"Jesus," he murmured horrified. Daniel's nipples, chest and navel were a mass of burns. Jack recognized them all too well from his days in an Iraqi prison, battery burns.

His rage ignited and his furious glance at Dr. Lee sent the man stumbling forward to join Burke.

"Why couldn't he keep his trap shut?"

"It's all right, Jack," wearily. "It's done, let it go."

"Forcryinoutloud, Daniel. You got burned because he opened his big mouth. Aren't you resentful in the least?"

Jack was exasperated at Daniel's resigned acceptance. As always, Daniel's reaction to any situation was different to his own.

"Of course I am."

*Well, that's something* thought Jack.

"Angry?"

"I guess." Daniel sighed "But it doesn't help, I would expect him to be intimidated by someone like Rafael. He was crazy. Bill hasn't met that kind of person before. Like he said he's a scientist, and a civilian."

"So are you."

"Not any more, Jack." Another sigh.

Sadly Jack recognized the truth of that statement.

"You ok?" he asked, tucking his arm around the other man to take as much weight as possible.

"Just tired"

"What hurts?"

"Everything." Daniel looked up with a faint, exhausted smile "Oh, Jack. I'm so glad you are here."

"So am I."

They walked in silence until they reached the clearing. The bodies, lying there in the heat, were stinking and covered with flies.

Daniel did not want to go into the hut for the Telchak device. Jack sat him on one of the dilapidated chairs, away from the bodies.

Lee looked at Jack and motioned that he would go in for the device. Jack nodded. Let him work out his guilt. Jack could not feel sorry for him, he could not be as forgiving as Daniel, even if the man was a civilian.

Lee came out holding the device at arms length.

Jack entered the hut and saw immediately why Daniel did not want to return. The chair, with its straps and trailing wires to the battery nearby, was bloodstained and the whole hut had a fetid odor. Jack shuddered as the sights and smells threw up ugly memories. The remembrance of his own incarceration closed in on him. So long ago and yet, in this small hut, the ghosts of the past touched him as if it were yesterday.

He left and entered the other hut, seeing the ropes for tying hands and feet and knowing this was where the prisoners had been kept. The place was disgusting, he'd been in pig pens that smelled better. His rage assaulted him again, leaving him trembling. He wouldn't leave a dog in a place like this for five minutes and yet. They had kept Daniel here, tied up, threatening him, tormenting. torturing; making his gentle Daniel fear for his life. He tried to hold his anger in but it was too powerful to withstand. Memories of Iraq rose up and he choked; the frustrating loss of control, the indignities, abuse - he'd been there and it was a bitter irony that now Daniel had; and the memory would never go away.

He went back outside "We've got what we came for " he announced "let's go." He wanted Daniel and Lee away from this place, the memories were bad and his own were making him uneasy.

Their pace was slow, Daniel and Doctor Lee were weaving with fatigue and, though Jack kept his arm around Daniel, the younger man staggered often.

"Burke," he called "You brought transport?" Burke nodded. "Might be an idea for you to go for it. Bring it as far up the trail as you can. These two can't go the whole way."

Burke nodded and began to increase his stride, then Daniel called "No."

Burke stopped and looked at Jack, who looked at Daniel.

"Rafael said.lots of insurgents. revolutionaries are in the jungle. Many factions. he kept out of their way. Not. good idea to split up."

He closed his eyes in exhaustion.

Burke shifted his gum, brought his grenade gun up and said "He's right."

Jack nodded and hitched Daniel up further, keeping a tight hold.

"Might need to be ready." Jack looked across at Dr Lee shuffling tiredly along "Can you handle a gun, Doctor Lee?" Lee shook his head.

Daniel opened his eyes "Give me your pistol, Jack." He took it and stuck in the waistband of his pants "I can always hit 'em with another rock if they get too close."

Jack chuckled, knowing that as bad as he felt Daniel would never give up.

They were lucky, no bands of terrorists crossed their path which was probably lucky for the terrorists, as far as Jack was concerned. He reckoned a pissed off Daniel was a force of nature, and he was feeling pretty damned cranky himself.

They reached Burke's jeep safely. Jack asked Lee if he would drive so Burke could keep lookout. He agreed, and Burke gave him directions until they were out of the forest.

Jack sat in the back with Daniel beside him. The window was down and his P-90 poked out menacingly. Daniel lolled on his shoulder, seemingly asleep but Jack knew better. He'd seen Daniel roar out of slumber, his pistol firing before his eyes were open, when they'd been attacked off-world. His instincts were almost as hair triggered as Jack's * unless he's in archeologist mode,* Jack smiled at his thoughts.

Even the jeep was feeling the heat and, in the little town they finally limped into, it died. Fortunately the town's only hotel, where they were staying, was not too far.

In a room cooled by a large ceiling fan, Jack lowered Daniel onto one single bed while Lee stretched out on the other. In seconds Lee was asleep, snoring and twitching.

Sitting beside Daniel's bed Jack looked over at Lee "Did you say he was married?"

Daniel nodded, already half-asleep.

"How does his wife cope with all that noise?"

Daniel kept his eyes closed, but smiled "Same way as I do with you. There are times, in our tent, when I hope you won't wake any predators we happen to be sharing a planet with. For a special ops colonel you can really do noisy. How did you manage in the old days?"

"Didn't sleep."

Jack needed to relax but he couldn't until Daniel's injuries had been seen to. Burke had gone off to find the doctor he said he knew would be discreet. Trying to keep a low profile in this country was difficult, and a civilian scientist getting shot could make a lot of waves.

He kept cursing himself for not being there as back up. Just because it was Earth didn't mean it couldn't be dangerous. Daniel should never have come into such a volatile country with just another scientist for support. Especially one who had managed to get his Daniel hurt. He looked resentfully at the portly man lying on his back with his mouth open. Serve him right if he caught flies.

He wished Burke would hurry. Though Daniel needed the sleep, he also needed medication. He hoped the doc would not want to try to take the bullet out. Their own Doc Fraiser needed to do that. He had phoned Hammond to let him know the results and a car had been arranged to get them to the airport for a flight home. He just wanted Daniel looked at before then.

Burke arrived ushering in a thin, elderly man clutching

a battered medical bag.

"Senor.?" he said hesitantly. He came to the bedside, and Jack undid the loose bandana.

"Aah." The man indicated he wanted Daniel's pants removed. Jack did so, waking Daniel in the process and telling him the doctor had arrived. Daniel nodded and drifted off again which was a blessing from Jack's point of view. He didn't want Daniel suffering from embarrassment, along with all his other trials, for the stench coming from Daniel's clothes was making the doctor's eyes water.

Leaving the doc cleaning the wound he asked Burke, "Anywhere here you can get some clothes? Don't want to put those filthy rags back on him. I'll try to give him a wash when the doc's finished."

"Yeah, I think I can manage that. It'll cost you though."

Jack pulled out a wad of lempira notes and handed them to Burke "Get what you can. Underwear; shirt; pants. I think he can survive his boots."

Burke grinned, "You owe me for this, buddy."

"Well, like I said, I'm grateful for your help. I'll drop the word upstairs, see what they can do for a better posting - out of this sweatbox, somewhere not too hot."

"Yeah, that'd be great."

Burke went out and Jack sat by the bed watching the doctor work. When the leg wound was clean and properly bandaged it was the cleanest bit of Daniel's body. Then he tended the burns on Daniel's chest by cleaning the area and smoothing a salve on the inflamed skin. Daniel was awake and biting his lip, as the doctor gave him a couple of shots.

The doctor put his equipment back in his bag and looked at the snoring Lee. Jack smiled and shook his head indicating that Lee was not injured. From a pocket Jack took a stack of lempira, from another he took US dollars. He offered them to the doctor who smiled, took some from each pile and said "Gracias, senor," dipped his head at Daniel and left the room.

Daniel was still biting his lip.

"You still in pain?" Jack asked.

Daniel shook his head.

"So what's with the ." Jack signaled to the lip.

Daniel lowered his eyes "Embarrassed."

Jack's eyebrows raised "'Cause you're naked?"

"No - because I stink."

Jack sat on the bed and took Daniel's hand "I've been where you are, Daniel," he said quietly "They left me in that stinking prison to rot, and I was well on the way. I was higher than a hunk of blue cheese. It's not your fault."

"But the smell!"

"That's not all you. Old 'don't torture me, I'll tell you anything you want' over there is putting out just as much. Anyway, we're going to take care of your personal hygiene problem right now."

Daniel made big eyes.

"Yup. I know a shower is out of the question, but a wash won't hurt."

"I can't, Jack. Much as I desperately want one. The salve he put on the burns, they are keeping the pain down." He gestured to his chest and the wounded thigh and sighed wearily.

"It's not a problem, Daniel. I'll just take to you to the bathroom and wash around the salve. It will help."

"I don't know." Daniel's voice was small, tight with exhaustion. His body language told Jack that after everything he'd been through the final indignity of having to be washed was almost too much.

"Look," Jack said, matter of factly "Burke has gone to get you some clean clothes, now you don't want to put them over that cheesy body do you?"

Daniel shook his head, but looked anxious.

"So.will you let me help?" Jack asked gently, his voice soothing. Daniel nodded, slowly. "Come on then. Bathroom's just next door, no-one will see."

He picked up some towels and washcloths, and tried to escort Daniel to the bathroom. Daniel, however, poked his head out into the corridor; then gestured Jack to go and open the door of the bathroom. Then he limped hurriedly in and fell heaving against the wall.

"Daniel," Jack scolded. "Take it easy on the leg."

"Someone might have seen."

Jack chuckled "You've got nothing to be ashamed of."

Daniel blushed.

"Come on, sit on the chair and I'll do what's needed." Jack picked up a washcloth and started on Daniel's face then washed down the arms and gently around the edges of the salved chest.

Daniel sat and wondered if he would be able to look Jack in the face again.

Jack didn't mind doing this for Daniel, especially in his sleepy state. However, the way he felt about Daniel made him realize he could not be too intimate with him, Daniel would have to be up to handling the more private.parts.

Jack helped him to stand; then washed his back, went down the front of his legs to his toes and returned up the back.

"Now" he said "do you want to do your middle? Can you reach all right?" He could see the stiffness in Daniel's arms and shoulders stemming from when he'd been bound, and doubted Daniel would be able to reach right round.

Daniel managed to wash his front, while holding on to Jack with the other hand. He was tiring rapidly and felt so weak, and angry with himself for his weakness. He knew he was probably going into shock but it was hard to get past what he was feeling to be able to rationalize or accept it. He didn't know what to do, the washcloth dangled from his hand as he tried to reach behind him. Finally he looked to the man patiently supporting him, trusting that Jack would take care of everything, and him.

Jack took the washcloth from him with a quiet, understanding smile, quickly dealing with his buttocks. Daniel flinched as Jack washed the crack where he had fouled himself - it was sore. He felt again the fleeting embarrassment but Jack's calm, caring attitude took a lot of the sting out of Daniel's dependence.

At last, Daniel could wrap a towel round his waist and sit down in comfort.

"I'll wash your hair in a moment. I'll have to use the tooth mug, as that's all there is, so it will take a time. You'll have to put up with my manly shampoo instead of that herbal stuff Carter gives you."

"I don't care so long as it smells better than it does now." Daniel smiled gratefully up at Jack. With his body now clean he had lost the sensation of floating in limbo. He felt more grounded especially with the solidity of Jack at his side.

Jack helped Daniel to stand, shifted the chair to the basin and transferred his weary friend. Then proceeded to wash the matted hair twice.

At the end of the session they were both tired. Daniel got up to leave, hoping to go back to bed.

Jack stayed near to Daniel supporting him as he swayed.

"Are you going to wash Bill next?" Daniel asked with a tired smile.

"Not likely. He can do his own stinking body. That reminds me, I'll have to compensate the hotel for the laundry bill they are going to have."

"I didn't think I was going to make it this time, Jack. Thought my luck had finally run out." Daniel remarked, in a sleepy voice "I'm glad you came for me"

Jack had a memory flash of Daniel lying against the tree waiting to be skinned alive by a manic renegade, then relaxed as the moment passed. Daniel was safe.

"I'm glad I did too."

Daniel looked up, seeing the soft smile on Jack's face. He remembered the kiss Jack had given him, dare he.? He leaned up and kissed the smiling mouth, retreating quickly in case he had misunderstood.

Jack's arms came round him, warm and comforting, "Hey. Afraid you won't be welcome? Don't be. I've waited a long time for this."

"Not sure if you kissed me because you were glad I was still alive or."

"It was or, Daniel .definitely or." Jack kissed him deeply.

"I was a bit.um.confused. It's not like you to be.um, well I mean we were in a war zone and you.kissed me. Anyone could have seen.'

"Nobody there but I didn't care. You were alive."

"Thanks to you .Oh, Jack. I can't wait to get home. Janet will be mad with me and it will be wonderful after all this." Daniel leaned in happily, ready to go to sleep on Jack's damp chest that was far more comfortable than the creaking bed with its broken springs.

"We'll be on our way this evening. Meanwhile, I'll go see what Burke has managed to find for you."

Jack left Daniel smiling sleepily to himself and returned shortly with jeans, shirt and boxers.

"Burke did well. Let's get these on you."

Jack slid the boxers and jeans carefully over Daniel's wounded leg and slipped his tired arms into the shirt.

"And look. A bonus." With a flair Jack produced a toothbrush from his pocket.

"Oh, glory." Daniel snatched it, grabbed the tooth mug and started scrubbing at his teeth. Jack thought he would never stop but finally he pulled away from the basin and sat down again.

"That was just what I needed. Remind me to thank him. And you. " he pulled Jack's head down and kissed him ".can taste me clean."

"I'll take you anyway I can get you." Jack assured him.

They hugged for a moment then Jack pulled him to his feet. Daniel's eyes were closed and he staggered. Jack put an arm around him and half-carried Daniel back to their room wanting to get him horizontal before sheer exhaustion caught up with him.

Burke was tapping the still sleeping Dr. Lee on the nose with another toothbrush. He looked up as Jack brought Daniel back and said "Hey. You musta missed out on a lot of sleep."

Daniel yawned "I think sleep deprivation was one of their standard tools. And thanks for the toothbrush Mr Burke, it was a godsend."

Burke grinned around his gum and laid the new brush beside the sleeping scientist. "You're welcome. I must be going. Glad everything turned out okay."

He picked up his jacket and grenade gun and, with a wave of his hand at Jack, left the room.

Jack stripped the cover off the bed, where Daniel's grimy body had dirtied it, and laid him down in the clean sheets.

"You get a couple of hours sleep, Danny."

Daniel fought sleep for a moment asking anxiously "You'll be here?"

"Always. Not goin' anywhere without you. I'll wake you when the car comes."

Daniel felt the soft kiss and tried to respond but slid instead into dreamless slumber. Jack was here. All was well.