While You Were Sleeping
Jack/Daniel, Jack/Sam implied
Summary: A Stargate version of the movie of the same name.
Spoilers: vague ones for all ten seasons, but nothing specific.
Disclaimer: If they were mine, SG-1 would still be on the air.
Distribution: My LJ, my site, anywhere else, just ask.
Feedback: very much appreciated.
Author’s notes: Originally intended for the reel_sg1 community. Some tweaking of series canon for my own selfish reasons, I also messed with the movie a little to make everything work. Okay, a quick guide of who the Stargate characters are supposed to be in the movie.
Jack O’Neill=Lucy Monroe, the
heroine of the movie. Samantha Carter=Peter Callahan, the man Lucy lusts for
secretly. Daniel Jackson=Jack Callahan, his brother who falls for Lucy. Cassie
Frasier=Mary Callahan, their baby sister. Jacob Carter= Ox Callahan, the
father. Selmak (
He’d been in this job for too long, Jack thought. Hour after hour, day after day of the same damn thing: tokens clattering into the dish, the answering clack of the turnstile. Same boring thing five days a week without a word of thanks. Until her.
It was a Friday, he remembered. The familiar clink and clack that Jack was used to, but this time there was a brushing of fingertips as token was given and taken. It made him look up. She was blonde, tall and gorgeous with a blinding smile as he withdrew his hand. Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief as he pressed the button that allowed the turnstile to move.
“Thanks.”
He started seeing her every day he worked, always at the same time. It never went beyond the occasional brushing of fingers and her “Thanks,” or “Thank you.” But he sure as hell thought about her. A lot. She became the star of….he thought about her. Today was no different. Seeing her was the highlight of Jack’s day. Which, if Jack thought about it, was pitiful, so he didn’t. He was going to say something today, like, “You’re welcome.”
There she was, right on time. Thousand watt smile in place as she dropped her token and said, “Thanks, handsome.”
Jack’s brain shut down. She thought he was handsome. Him. Jack O’Neill. Pushing fifty, going grey, bad knees Jack O’Neill.
“You’re welcome, gorgeous,” he replied, but she was gone.
He sighed, and his fellow token taker Janet tsked sympathetically.
“She’s out of your league, Jack.”
“A guy can dream, right?”
“Keep dreaming,” she chuckled.
The station was quiet and Jack could see the platform from where his booth was. She was waiting for the C train when a couple of punks started harassing her. They tugged at her coat and then one pushed and she was falling onto the tracks. Jack was out of his booth in seconds. He ran, looking down and praying she was still breathing. When he saw that she was, he jumped.
His knees would be killing him later but he had to hurry. He lay next to her, checking for broken bones and trying not to notice how good she smelled. The whistle of the C train broke into his thoughts and he rolled them both out of the way. Jack took a moment to admire her face up close. Her eyes fluttered open.
“Hey,” he whispered.
She looked back, confused and passed out.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jack watched as everyone rushed around him, trying to find someone who could tell him where she was. He saw her pass by some doors and attempted to go through them. A small, officious looking doctor stopped him. Jack read his name tag, “Harriman, Walter.”
“Sir, you can’t go in there.”
“But…”
“Are you family?”
“No, but I…”
“Family only,” the doctor barked.
She was already gone and Jack knew he would probably never see her again.
“I was going to marry her,” he sighed.
Next thing he knew a nurse was dragging him to the trauma ward, to the room where his mystery woman was. There was yet another doctor, tag reading “Lee, Bill,” who didn’t seem to happy to see Jack there.
“Who’s he?”
“Her fiancé,” the nurse said.
Jack started to protest that he wasn’t but he was cut off by a lot of voices outside the room and a bunch of people clamoring to get in.
“Where is she, where’s my baby girl?”
“Calm yourself, Jacob. There she is. Does she look pale?”
Jack backed up and tried to disappear into the wall.
“Who are all you people?” Dr. Lee asked.
“We’re her family,” the slightly shorter balding man said. “How’s my Samantha?”
Well, now Jack had a name to go with the face.
“She’s in a coma. But her vitals are strong and her brainwaves are normal so she could wake up at any moment.”
Just then a cop walked in and over to Jack, drawing everyone’s attention to him.
“Sir, can I ask you a few questions?”
“Who’s he?” the father asked.
“He’s her fiancé, the one who saved her,” the cop replied.
“Saved her?” the mother asked.
“She was pushed off the platform at the train station,” Jack supplied.
The family whispered among themselves for a moment.
“He jumped onto the tracks,” the cop added.
“He did?”
The mother came over, her arms outstretched.
“I always hoped Sam would find someone special and she found you.”
Jack found himself wrapped in a hug and awkwardly returned it, smiling at all the other family members.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Why did you say that?” Jack hissed.
He’d pulled the nurse aside after they’d left the family.
“Say what?”
“That I was her fiancé.”
“I heard you out there,” she said, “You said you were going to marry her.”
“I was talking to myself.”
The nurse frowned. “Well next time tell yourself you’re single and get over it.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jack found himself waiting
with the family, the Carters. Jacob and
“So what did you first notice about Sam?” Catherine asked.
“Her smile,” Jack replied instantly.
“Ha!” Jacob crowed. “At six-hundred dollars a tooth I should hope so.”
“Be nice, dear,”
Jack looked up; he’d been playing with the fraying sleeve of his sweater. Everyone was waiting for his answer.
“I saw her…and I knew. I knew my life would never be the same.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After the Carters had finally left, Jack made his way back to the room. Just a final look, he told himself. Sam looked kind of small and insignificant just lying there.
“Hey,” he said. He went to the chair next to the bed and just…looked. “I’m Jack. So, we’re engaged. I was engaged once, married even. But that was a long time ago. Never saw myself getting married again. You seem like a really nice gal, and I’m sorry that your great family got caught up in all of this. But they seemed so happy that I didn’t have the heart to tell them the truth. But I will, I promise. Then we can both go back to our normal lives.”
Jack laid his head next to her hand, promising himself he wouldn’t fall asleep. He didn’t see George standing in the doorway, or see him leaving.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jack woke suddenly, confused as to where he was until he saw Sam. His mystery woman, who he was engaged to. He yawned and stretched and cursed himself for falling asleep in the chair. He was about to leave when the Carters trundled in.
“Jack!” Jacob said. “Did you spend the night here?”
“Yeah.”
Everyone cooed at how romantic that was.
“Look, since we missed Christmas, what with Sammy being here and all, we’re having a thing tonight, why don’t you come?”
He handed Jack a business card: Carter and Son, their home address on the back.
“Maybe,” he answered. “Right now, I gotta go to work.”
“Sure, sure, call us. You’re welcome anytime, you’re family now.”
Jack gave a mock salute and left, a feeling of guilt settling deep into his gut. When he got to the elevator, an orderly stopped him.
“Mr. O’Neill, your wife’s….”
“She’s not my wife, yet.”
“Sorry, your fiancée’s things,” the orderly gave him a box of stuff.
“You’re Sam’s fiancé?”
Jack turned to the woman who’d asked, propping the elevator open with his body.
“Yes, I am. And you are?”
“Vala Maldoran. I’m a co-worker of Sam’s at Gero, Gould, Cooper and Wright.”
“Uh huh.”
“Is she still upset about that skiing trip?”
Jack just gave her a blank look as he backed into the elevator, Vala following.
“I swear I had no idea her appendix was going to burst. And it’s not my fault that the surgeon wasn’t competent….”
Jack rolled his eyes as the doors closed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“I’m going to hell,” Jack said.
“Why is that, O’Neill?” T asked.
T was Jack’s boss, but also his friend, despite his refusal to call Jack by his first name.
“I’m engaged to a woman in a coma, T. A woman I barely know and I want to tell her family but they were so happy and the grandmother has a heart condition and …..”
“You should tell them, O’Neill. Better to cause brief pain now than continue with this pantomime.”
“Charade, T, charade,” Jack sighed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jack did end up at the Carter’s for their Christmas thing.
When he walked up to the brightly lit house to find George sitting on the porch step, smoking a cigar.
“Sit with me a moment, Jack. Don’t like to smoke in the house.”
Jack lowered himself to the step, his knees creaking.
“You’ve known the Carter’s a while, George?”
“Worked with Jacob for a long time, I’ve been living with them since my Martha passed away. They’re good people, Jack.”
“Yeah, I got that.”
“Look, son, I want you to know something. I heard you talking to Sam the other night.”
Jack paled. “You did.”
“But I’m not going to say anything.”
“Why not? I need help, George. I can’t let them go on thinking I’m engaged to Sam.”
“Let me tell you something about the Carters, son. They’re happier than I’ve seen them in a long time and that’s because of you. Just let them have this for a while longer. Then you can tell them.”
“So you’ll help me, right?”
“That I will, Jack. Come on, let’s go in before we freeze our asses off.”
They got up and Jack was warmly welcomed by all of the Carter family, It felt weird but oddly comforting to be surrounded by the Carter’s happy family, going through Sam’s scrapbooks to see all her accomplishments. He ended up falling asleep on the couch and regretting it come morning. There was an unfamiliar face at the table in the kitchen. The man was dark haired, blue eyed and looked nothing like the Carters.
“Jack! You’re awake,” Cassie squealed, pulling him towards the table. “This is Daniel, our brother. He’s adopted,” she mock whispered. “Daniel, this is Jack, Sam’s fiancé.”
Jack held out his hand while grabbing a donut from the box in front of Daniel.
“Nice to meet you, but I gotta book, work.”
Daniel took his hand, grip firm and solid but giving him a look that lasted longer than necessary.
“Sure, we’ll be seeing plenty of each other in the coming days, I’m sure,” Daniel replied.
Jack nodded, grabbed his coat and left. Daniel looked at Cassie.
“Sam’s engaged?”
“I know, isn’t it romantic? Jack saved her from being run over by a train.”
“I see,” Daniel said. “Don’t you think that if Sam got engaged it would be splashed all over the papers?”
“Daniel….” Cassie sighed, rolling her eyes.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Daniel was still a little skeptical about this O’Neill guy and did some research, finding the address for Jack’s apartment building. There was a petite brunette standing outside, working on her car.
“Excuse me? Do you live here?”
She looked up, giving him the once over.
“Live here? Honey, I own the place. I’m Anise.”
Daniel avoided the outstretched hand.
“Then you know the guy in 52 C, Jack O’Neill?”
“Know him?” she laughed. “Darling, I’m dating him."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jack, meanwhile, was checking out Sam’s apartment, in the ritzy part of town. He could guess at some of her favorite things. She also had a cat. Jack was more of a dog person. He was chasing down the feline when he pushed open a door and knocked into someone. Daniel.
“Oh God! I’m sorry! I didn’t hear you come in.”
He went to the nearby fridge and started scooping out ice with his free hand. He handed it to Daniel and their fingers brushed. It felt like when Jack and Sam had touched, only more intense. But Jack ignored it.
“Sam doesn’t have a cat,” Daniel commented, nodding to the can of food Jack had in his other hand.
A small meow accompanied by said feline jumping on the counter had Jack grinning smugly. The phone ringing startled them both.
“Aren’t you going to get that?”
“Nah, I’ll let the machine pick it up.”
It rang a few more times before Daniel answered it and then held out the receiver to Jack who tried to hide his surprise and confusion.
“Hello? Yes. Really? Sure, no problem, I’ll be there shortly.”
He hung up and Daniel looked at him expectantly. “It was the hospital. It’s, uh, customary for friends and family to give blood.”
“Let’s go.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
They were sitting opposite each other and Jack was trying to ignore how blue Daniel’s eyes were or how this one lock of hair kept flopping in his face despite his best efforts to keep pushing it back.
“When did you first meet Sam?”
“September seventeenth,” Jack answered.
The date was imprinted in his brain. The nurse handed him some orange juice and Jack gulped it in one go.
“Three months?” Daniel said. “That’s awfully fast.”
“I gotta go,” Jack stood and walked off.
“Hey, wait,” Daniel called, trying to get up, but he was still attached to the IV.
“You’re not done, sir,” the nurse warned.
“Sure I am,” Daniel said, pulling out the IV and attempting to follow Jack. He fainted.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Daniel found him in Sam’s room, just watching as she slept with the rest of the Carters. Jacob and George were using the unoccupied bed as a table for their card game. Catherine was sitting next to Sam’s bed while Selma and Cassie stood on the other side. He was taken aback at how quickly and forcefully Daniel approached him.
“What’s Sam favorite ice cream?”
“Rocky road.”
“Favorite color?”
“Green.”
“Favorite Beatle?”
“Paul?” Jack guessed.
“Ha! Everyone loved Paul.”
“I liked that Harrison fellow,” George commented from a chair.
“What the devil is going on, Danny?” Jacob asked.
“Don’t ask me,” Daniel ranted. “Ask his girlfriend.”
“That isn’t very funny,” Selma chided.
“Not that girlfriend,” Daniel huffed. “His other girlfriend, Anise.”
“Annie?” Jack snorted.
“Yes, Aniseto Kra. She said you two were intimate.”
“She also said she invented Velcro. She’s delusional.”
“Oh dear, oh dear,” Catherine fretted, holding a hand to her heart.
“See what you’ve done?” Jacob accused, getting up and crossing to her.
“What I’ve done?” Daniel said.
“If he wanted to prove it, he’d prove it,” Catherine stated. “Wouldn’t he?”
All eyes turned to Jack who squirmed. Then he remembered Sam’s friend and….
“She has a scar,” he said.
‘Where?” Daniel pushed.
“An appendectomy scar,” Jack clarified. “She was on a skiing trip when it burst and she’s not very happy with it and was planning plastic surgery to get it fixed.”
The room was silent.
“Oh, I’m her mother, I’ll look,” Selma declared.
She lifted the sheet, all the men discreetly looking away. Jack mentally crossed his fingers that the Maldoran woman had been telling the truth. Selma put the sheet down and nodded. Jack sighed in relief and Daniel looked disappointed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jack was safely back in his own apartment after fending off Anise, when there was a knock at the door. It was Daniel, bringing an engagement present from his parents. Jack took one look at his tiny place and decided a couch should go in Sam’s apartment. They talked during the drive over, Daniel asking about Jack’s past, getting him to spill secrets even T didn’t know about. It was comfortable, something Jack had never experienced, not even in his long dead marriage. Which he told Daniel about.
After maneuvering the couch into Sam’s apartment, they returned to find Daniel’s truck blocked in.
“You’re stuck until the morning, Danny-boy,” Jack teased.
“Walk you home?”
“Sure,” Jack shrugged.
They talked more about Jack’s past, about Jack’s son, Charlie, who died from SIDS, which lead to the end of his marriage to Sara. Daniel told him about wanting to leave the family business to pursue a degree in archeology. They both shared a desire to travel, a feeling of restlessness that never went away. They got to Jack’s building, the walkway covered in ice.
“You need help getting across that?”
“Maybe, not sure my knees will hold up.”
Daniel offered his arm and Jack hesitantly linked his through it. They slipped and slided, stumbling into each other’s arms, laughing and smiling. They finally did fall down and as they helped ach other up, they were inches apart, breathing each other’s breaths. Jack finally let go, pushing away and walking to the door. He looked back and waved.
“Goodnight, Daniel.”
“Night, Jack.”
Jack went in and bounded up the stairs faster than he ever had. He went to the window the minute he got in the apartment and watched as Daniel carefully picked his way across the ice. Jack was grinning madly.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“I’m having an affair. I love Daniel,” Jack confessed to T.
“Who is Daniel?”
“The brother, of Sam.”
“The woman in a coma?”
“Yes. I’m going to the special hell,” Jack hit his head on T’s desk. “What should I do?”
“Remove the device providing energy to Samantha’s nutrient giving machine.”
“Pull the plug, T. And you’re sick. Sick.”
T just raised an eyebrow.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Another dinner at the Carter household, one of many Jack had been to since the accident. Jack was sitting across from Daniel. They kept trading smiles and semi-flirtatious looks. Jack pushed the guilt of sort-of-cheating on his not-fiancée down and enjoyed himself. At the end of the night, everyone gathered in the foyer to send Jack off. He put on his coat and Daniel opened the door. They were standing in the doorway when Catherine squealed.
“Mistletoe. You need to kiss, its tradition.”
Everyone nodded and Daniel shrugged. Jack sighed and leaned forward, aiming for Daniel’s cheek. But Daniel turned at the last moment and their lips brushed briefly. A jolt went through Jack as they separated. The family clapped politely and Daniel may have been blushing. Jack waved goodbye and headed home. Daniel watched him from the doorway.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Another boring day at work as Jack collected tokens, Janet sitting across from him doing the same. Then a familiar face made him smile.
“Cassie! And your friend…?”
“Merrin.”
“Come in, come in,” Jack waved, pushing the button to let the turnstile free and they came around into the booth.
“Who’s this Jack?” Janet asked.
“I’m Cassie, Jack’s marrying my sister, Sam.”
“D’oh,” Jack said under his breath before turning to the girls. “Train? I’ll see you later, Cassie.”
“Later, Jack.”
“You’re getting married, Jack?” Janet cuffed his arm. “Is she pregnant?”
“Yes, she’s pregnant, Janet,” Jack answered sarcastically.
Neither saw that Merrin had caught the exchange.
“It’s complicated, Jan.”
“I want an invite.”
“Of course.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“You got my sister pregnant?”
The party stopped around them and Jack just hung his head. Daniel had followed him to T’s New Year’s Eve party and then sprung this on him. He grabbed Daniel’s arm and pulled him outside and back to the truck. They drove back to Jack’s apartment in silence. When Daniel parked, Jack turned to him.
“What on earth are you talking about? Sam and I….are waiting until we get married,” he lied.
“I just…never mind. Walk you to your door?”
“Sure, it’s only fifty feet away, but why not?”
They got out and Anise spied them.
“This guy bothering you, Jack?”
“No, thanks, Annie. Go enjoy yourself.”
She nodded and went after the new guy from the first floor, Jack thought his name was Jonas something.
“So, goodnight, Jack,” Daniel ventured.
Just then the fireworks started. Jack turned to see that Daniel was looking at him and that they were standing very close. He thought about leaning in for a quick kiss. Instead he opened the building’s door and stepped back.
“Happy New Year, Daniel.”
“Happy New Year.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jack was definitely falling deeper and feeling guiltier about not telling Sam’s parents that he wasn’t engaged to Sam. Until he got the call from the hospital on New Year's Day.
“What’s going on?” he asked Jacob.
The older man had been waiting by the elevator.
“Sam’s awake.”
‘Oh shit,’ Jack thought, but he got in and tried to put on a happy face.
When Sam didn’t recognize him, Jack was relieved. Even more so when Dr. Lee said it could be amnesia from the accident. So he was off the hook for a little bit longer. He cornered George when everyone was leaving.
“George, you gotta help me tell them the truth.”
“I’ll do what I can, son.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
An envelope landed on T’s desk.
“This is a wedding invitation, O’Neill.”
“Yes, to my wedding.”
“To whom are you being wed?”
“Sam.”
“The woman who is no longer in a coma. But I thought you professed your love for her brother, Daniel.”
“Yes…no…just be there, okay?”
“I will, O’Neill.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jack was late to his own wedding. Typical. Because Sam was still on IV fluids, it would have to be him doing the walking. When he got to the hospital chapel, everyone was there, waiting. The music started and Jack walked, trying not to notice Daniel in his suit. The music stopped and the minister picked up his Bible, ready to start the ceremony.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join….”
“I object,” Jack said.
“I didn’t get to that part yet,” the minister said, confused.
“I would have to object too,” Daniel said.
“What the hell is going on?” Jacob asked.
“I’m sorry, but I’m in love with one of your children,” Jack said.
“We know dear,” Selma replied.
“No, not her,” he pointed to Sam. “Him,” he pointed to Daniel.
“Danny, what did you do?”
“It wasn’t him. It was me, all me,” Jack said, the guilt lifting. “The first day, at the hospital, I wanted to see Sam, but they wouldn’t let me unless I was family, even though I saved her life. So someone told the doctors I was her fiancé. Only I was never engaged to Sam.”
“Why didn’t you say something?” Daniel asked.
“I didn’t know how. It was crazy and I wasn’t sure I could, and then I didn’t want to because I fell in love with you, with all of you. You became my family and I didn’t want to disappoint you.”
Jack started to go back down the aisle when another man burst in, followed by a short woman.
“Samantha Carter is engaged to me and I object to this wedding,” he shouted.
“And I object to his objection,” the woman said.
“Who is he?” Cassie asked.
“Pete Shannahan,” Sam answered.
“And she is?” Selma asked.
“His wife, Carolyn.”
“You got engaged to a married man?”
“Sammy, what on earth?”
Jack disappeared in all the mayhem, taking one last look at Daniel who smiled back.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Last day, huh?” Janet commented.
“Yeah,” Jack said.
It was a few days later and Jack was leaving the city. He had some money saved and he had no idea where he was headed as long as it was away from the Carters and from Daniel. It was better that way.
“Well, good luck to you, hon,” Janet said, giving him a hug and heading home.
“Thanks,” he replied absently.
He kept collecting tokens, not noticing passengers. Then something different clattered into the dish: a ring. Jack looked up. It was the Carter family, minus Sam, with Daniel in front.
“Jack, I have a question to ask you,” he said.
Jack held the ring in his fingers. “Yeah?”
“Get in there and ask him properly,” Catherine chided.
“Can I?”
“No,” Jack said.
Everyone stared.
“Not without a token.”
Daniel dropped one in the dish and Jack pressed the button, turning in his chair. Daniel came into the booth, practically straddling Jack’s lap.
“Marry me, Jack.”
“Why not?”
“Jack….”
“Yes, I will, Daniel.”
Daniel smiled, Jack smiled back and they were kissing amidst the applause and cheers of the Carters.
Years later, Sam would ask Jack when it was exactly that he fell in love with Daniel. Jack’s reply was, “While you were sleeping.”