"He who has never hoped can never despair,"
--George Bernard Shaw
Jackson stood in a long blue raincoat in front of the grave. It was only starting to drizzle. He adjusted his glasses and threw a rose down on the ground in front of the headstone. He was the perfect picture of misery, his lovely blue eyes had a soft look looking at the name on the headstone: Charles O'Neill.
"I'm glad you came," He said studying Jackson carefully. Jackson turned looking at him wearily, his shoulder slumped.
"Maybourne…" Harry nodded putting his hands in his pockets to protect them from the cold. Jackson looked down.
"Why did you call me here?" The Archaeologist asked looking up again. Harry gave a smile.
"Let's just say I don't like how things are going at the SGC anymore than you do." Jackson crossed his arms in a self-hug.
"Why should you care?" Jackson muttered, "You're not exactly benefiting from the program anymore." Harry tilted his head.
"That is true," Harry admitted, "But the thing is, I'm not entirely comfortable on a planet where Simmons is in control of the Stargate."
"What happened to grab what you can get your hands on?" Jackson asked. Ah, sharp as ever Doctor?
"Views change," Maybourne shrugged. Jackson looked unhappy at that comment.
"That's what Simmons said. Now he's trying to turn me into his pet archaeologist. I'm surprised he didn't get me a collar," hmm, collar, now there was an idea…
"Why did you contact me?" Jackson finally spat, getting upset, "I'm an archaeologist and a linguist,"
"Oh don't give me that Jackson," He said stepping closer to stand beside Jackson, "You've been through the Stargate, you've had to pick up some things from Jack,"
"…what do you intend to do?" Jackson looked at him suspiciously. The rain started to pick up and the Linguist brought his jacket closer to him, but still left the hood down.
"Well, I'm not too happy about the SGC management and since Jack's stuck offworld, I figured you were the best choice, Teal'c's under constant surveillance, the Major's off in Area 51. They won't expect you. Why should they? You're an archaeologist and a linguist, just as you said, you're bordering on pacifism with the exception of the Goa'uld, but I know you Jackson." Jackson shuffled slightly waiting for Harry to continue.
"You're not going to leave Jack behind, you can't," Jackson turned his head away nodding minutely, "Yeah… but I still don't understand why you need me."
"Think about it Jackson. I'm a traitor; all my former contacts have abandoned me. They'll shoot me on sight."
"Except Jack," ah, he finally gets it.
"Yes, except Jack, and since Jack's not here, you,"
"Because you know Jack would tell me about what had happened when he worked with you to clear Hammond, even though in the end you benefited escape from prison, and then after that when you helped him find a way to get Teal'c out of the Stargate…"
"So do you trust me yet?" Harry asked carefully watching Jackson's body language.
"No," Jackson responded truthfully. Stickler for the truth, was Jackson, he had to be, it was easy to see when he was lying, "But you're my only hope of getting Jack back and saving the SGC from corruption."
Harry studied Daniel for a moment. The boy wore his heart on his sleeve. His eyes filled with hope that Harry could do something. What was hope? Harry hadn't had any in a long time. He only had luck, logic, and means. Hope wouldn't touch him anymore. Too much to risk to believe in things. Jackson was filled with hope. It was in his nature, his being. Faith and hope, which had abandoned Harry years ago, flowed around the younger man even after all the shit that had happened to him. Harry smiled.
Hope also made it so that the dear Doctor wasn't suspicious enough. Harry brought up his gun pointing it at Jackson. Jackson's eyes widened in surprise.
"What are you doing!" Jackson shouted. Harry beamed at him.
"I'm kidnapping you Dannyboy," Harry answered. He saw a flicker of anger when he had said the nickname. Jack's nickname for him… among others...
"Why?" Jackson yelled, "I said I would help you!"
"Oh, I know," he grinned. God that man was so cute when he was angry, "It's more of protection for you?"
"Protection?" the scientist growled, "How is pointing a gun at me protection Maybourne!"
"Well, this way, you have no choice,"
"Yes, yes, that's usually what happens when someone points a gun at you!"
"Think of it this way Daniel—"
"That's Doctor Jackson to you!" He grinned at Jackson's words, no position to make threats, but he does anyways. This must be what snake baiting is like.
"Well then Doctor Jackson, think of it this way. If I kidnap you Simmons won't have any hold over you. He can't make threats on Carter and Teal'c if you have no choice in the matter,"
"Why would you bother kidnapping me?" Trying to find plot holes now?
"I need you to translate this alien artefact that I swiped from Area 51. You would never translate it willingly so I decided you might need some convincing."
"Ah, my car or yours?" not much of a response but he would take it.
"Mine, now come on, let's go, we have someone to visit." Harry waved his gun over towards an old, red, Mazda Protégée.
"What? who?"
He couldn't believe this. He was getting kidnapped by Harry fricking Maybourne. Why didn't he at least take a sidearm? Jack would kill him when he got back…Jack… this is why he would make a deal with a devil like Maybourne, to save his friend, his best friend. Maybourne waved him towards an old Mazda protégée, ooo lovely, the red's fading into pink. Wait a minute, what does he mean visit someone?
"What? Who?" Maybourne rolled his shoulders back.
"Colonel Robert Makepeace," Daniel's face hardened. Oh God, not Makepeace.
"No," He suddenly stopped, "He's in federal prison, for life,"
"I was in federal prison for death," Maybourne pointed out happily. Smug bastard.
"Why Makepeace?"
"Why not Makepeace?" Ugh, the rat bastard said it as if he knew why not Makepeace. Makepeace always getting into his personal space. Makepeace always touching him. Makepeace always in the locker room watching. Jack says he's oblivious to this stuff, but really he's not. Makepeace wasn't subtle. Then again, a little voice inside his head said to him, Jack does that stuff too, he touches you and gets in your personal space, and weren't you sure that he was watching you change one day? Daniel told himself that Jack was just zoning out like he always does. They were friends. God, he needed to get Jack back.
Harry knew about Makepeace's little crush on SG1's archaeologist. Couldn't really blame him, the kid was hot in an oblivious, innocent, cute sort of way. He himself just loved watching surveillance tapes of Daniel at home. Makepeace wasn't subtle about it though. He remembered visiting the base one-day. He saw Makepeace and watched his eyes trailing up and down Jackson's body. No, not subtle at all.
"Something that happen when Makepeace was your CO? While Jack was off playing secret man and had no time for his little lost linguist?" Harry watched Jackson's reaction. Ah, it still hurt. The pain in those pretty blue eyes was perfectly clear. Jack had hurt him with that little 'No foundation,' talk. Harry still remembered it clearly. The silence that followed, the click of the door. He figured that that was the sound of a heart breaking. That's why he thought he could trust Jack in the first place. That conversation. He wondered to this day how Jack had made it sound so authentic. Jackson must wonder that too. Must have doubts about the friendship. The kid looked so vulnerable and lost at the moment. No wonder Jack stuck so close to him… well… other than the obvious reasons and the kid's more… visual assets… the kid was too sensitive, too easily hurt, he needed protection. At the same time, Jackson was stubborn, never giving up if something big was at stake. He chose his battles carefully and usually won. He hid that hurt. He needed Jack to pull him out of whatever dark place he hides in his mind.
Now Jack was gone.
Harry was snapped out of his thoughts when the kid answered, "No," and that was it, just 'no.'
"Then let's go kid," Harry said. Jackson wrinkled his nose at the 'kid,' but Harry kinda liked it. Jackson got in the car. Harry slipped into the driver's seat and they were off. Harry could have sworn he heard Jackson mutter, "Off to see the wizard again," hmm, must be hearing things.
Hawk: Read and review, I don't own Stargate or any characters. If you didn't know already this has slashy thoughts.