Title: Stories from the Table: Daniel's Office

Author: babs

Feedback: baeckknit@aol.com

Rating: G

Pairing: Jack/Daniel

Category: Challenge POV Slash ER

Date: 3/9/03

Status: Complete

Series: Tokra Flats Table series

Season/Spoilers: None

Archive: Alpha Gate, Area 52, jd-divas

Synopsis: The traveling table in Daniel's office

Notes: Un beta'd and this all due to the gals in AG Chat. Daniel on codeine but not for long. And sorry, Deb, just couldn't find a use for your word .

Stories of the Table: Daniel's Office

I am a table. I am a rectangular four-foot wide by eight-foot long, oak table with four sturdy legs and a no nonsense sealant. I am a table that is meant to last and take all kinds of abuse. While I will never join my fellow tables in the auction rooms at Sotheby's as a valuable antique, one hundred years from now I will still be serving the mobiles in some fashion. I am young as tables go and I began my life of service when I was purchased in the early 90's by the U.S. Air Force Quartermaster for the offices of NORAD. I was relegated to the nether regions of the mountain upon my arrival to a top secret facility called the SGC. I have seen a lot of service in my days and nights here. I still continue to serve and serve gladly.

I am currently in the office of Tall Civilian Daniel. He requested my services two weeks ago when he came back after a time away with many, many old and dusty objects. Although the objects have since been taken off of my surface and I have been wiped with a damp cloth courtesy of Tall Civilian Daniel, I still remain. I now serve as a repository for many papers and still more books.

It has been quiet in Tall Civilian Daniel's office lately. There is no Tall Military Jack in to visit him, there is no Tall Major Sam, there is no Tall Alien Teal'c. Tall Civilian Daniel is here for many, many hours each day. Small Doctor Janet has come to visit bringing him trays of food that she sets on my surface. She does not leave until he begins to eat it.

Daniel has pulled his chair over to me and is currently rifling through a stack of papers. He coughs once, twice and then blows his nose, discarding the tissue on me. I may be utilitarian but may I just say yuck to that habit of his.

"Damn it all to hell," he yells and then pounds a fist onto me. I am astonished, not that anyone would be able to see, for after all, I am a table. I don't do emotion well. But still I am astonished. Tall Civilian Daniel may grow quite impassioned at times. I have heard him expounding his theories to all and sundry many times, but Daniel is not usually one to resort to language I most frequently associate with the Marines.

" Where is it?" He begins to talk to himself, a habit I have noticed in both Daniel and Major Sam. He lifts a stack of papers and then spreads them out, standing up and leaning over me with a large magnifying glass to better study the papers. "The answer has to be here. It has to be."

"Damn it, Jack. Why didn't you wait for me anyway?" He mutters. "I told you going to P4T-551 was a bad idea. I told you. And now look where it's gotten you." He continues to search the documents, his muttering in a language I do not understand. Certainly one I never heard him use before. He drinks from the coffee mug he has placed on one corner earlier although I know the beverage it contains is no longer warm.

There is a knock on the door and Military Man in Charge Hammond enters the room. "Doctor Jackson."

"Hello, General." Daniel stretches from his hunched position and places his palms flat on me as he stands. I do not think that Military Man in Charge Hammond realizes that Daniel's hands are cold or that they are trembling. "I nearly have it, sir. I think I have it translated."

"You need to rest, son." Hammond says in a voice that sounds sad. "Doctor Fraiser is worried about you."

The cough that rattles through Daniel as Hammond speaks vibrates through his body into his hands and I absorb the shock. "No, no, no. You don't understand, General. I've almost got it. I know how to get them home."

Hammond sighs and then motions to Daniel. "We'll go to Sergeant Siler and then you are reporting to Doctor Fraiser. Is that understood, Doctor Jackson?"

Daniel snatches the papers he has strewn across my surface into an untidy heap and follows the General. I notice, even if Hammond has not, that Daniel has not agreed to anything.

I do not know the passage of time as the Mobiles measure it, in seconds, in minutes, in hours, in days. But Tall Civilian Daniel does return, a small bottle in his hand and wearing the same clothes he wore earlier. I judge that not much time in the way the Mobiles measure it has passed.

Daniel places the bottle at one corner and coughs a few times as he struggles to open it. He squints at the writing on the bottle after he tosses the cap and it skids across me, then shrugs and takes a swallow.

"That's vile," he gasps and grabs for that coffee mug that must have only a swallow or two left in it.

Tall Civilian Daniel does not know what to do with himself, I decide. He walks around his office a few times, sits at his computer but does not use his keyboard, takes the books off of me and puts them in the shelves where they belong, gathers the few papers that remain and puts them on a stack on top of a filing cabinet.

The coughing that I've been listening to for the past two weeks is nearly gone except for little puffs now and again. Daniel passes me once more, trailing a hand along my surface, his hip brushing against a corner. He grabs a jacket that is hanging on the back of his chair and bunches it up on top of me.

"You'd better be okay, Jack. All of you better be okay." He sighs loudly and hops up onto me, curling onto his side.

I do not think that Small Doctor Janet would approve of this behavior, but I am a table. I can do nothing except provide my support in Daniel's time of need.

The room is very still and Daniel sleeps deeply and soundly. A tap sounds at the door, but Daniel does not rouse.

Three Mobiles slip into the room. Tall Military Jack, Tall Major Sam and Tall Alien Teal'c. They are silent as they study Daniel.

"He's okay, sir." Tall Major Sam whispers.

"MajorCarter and I will inform DoctorFraiser that DanielJackson is resting, O'Neill." Tall Alien Teal'c nods at Jack.

"Yeah, thanks. I'll make sure he gets home. I'll tell him you are both fine." Tall Military Jack speaks to the others but his eyes are fixed on Daniel.

The door closes quietly behind them.

Jack places one hand on me and leans over sleeping Daniel. He takes his other hand and traces a finger along Daniel's jaw up to Daniel's forehead.

"Danny," he whispers in a voice I've never heard him use before.

"Hmm…umm." Daniel murmurs. He rolls over onto his back.

"You're going to regret doing this," Jack laughs as Daniel opens his eyes.

"Jack?" Daniel asks as if he can't believe the voice he's heard.

"Hi honey, I'm home." That is Tall Military Jack. I have come to expect those types of remarks from him.

"You're home." Daniel echoes, groaning as he tries to sit up. Jack leans an elbow on me and helps Daniel sit.

"I'm home." Jack answers. "Safe and sound."

Daniel pivots and dangles his legs over my side. "Safe and sound." He leans against Jack and Jack allows this, both of us supporting Daniel.

"How about we go home?" Jack says after a long silence.

"Home. Home is good." Daniel nods and slides off me, still leaning on Jack.

"Home is very good." Jack agrees as they walk out of the room.

I am a table. Not a spectacular good looking table, just a table that does its job when needed and without question.

babs baeckknit@aol.com

As you float now,, where I held you and let go, remember when fear cramps your heart what I told you: lie gently and wide to the light-year stars, lie back, and the sea will hold you. -Philip Booth