Daniel remembers his father in snatches of memories that make a mosaic of the whole; the scent of a certain aftershave, ink and dust; the feel of calluses when his small hand slid against his father’s fingers; the deep sound of his father’s voice telling him stories of Ancient Egypt to lull him to sleep.
He remembers the card he had drawn when he was five for his father’s birthday; the care and attention given to each letter formed to spell out simply; ‘I love you, Daddy.’
Daniel leaves the briefing about the virtual game and heads to his office. He picks up one of his father’s journals and opens it to touch the creased card; the words of love that his father had long ago saved and tucked within the worn pages.
2.Nicholas Ballard
The sanatorium sends Nick’s things a few weeks after his Grandfather takes up residence with the Giant Aliens. Daniel is recovering from appendix surgery, the rest of his team are hopefully somewhere off-world waiting for the Earth gate to be fixed rather than at the bottom of the ocean, and he’s grumpy.
One box takes Daniel by surprise. It’s filled with news of him; articles he published, announcements of his lectures, reviews of his work. Each one lovingly captured in protective plastic with notations on dates, locations or journals scrawled in Nick’s loose hand-writing on labels.
Nick had told him he was proud of him but somehow the box is proof that Daniel treasures.
3.Jack O’Neill
He’s never really sure when he started to love Jack but then Daniel’s never really sure when they slipped into the bond they share that somehow transcends even the closeness of SG1. There are still times in the heat of temper when he wonders that they are friends.
Daniel looks across the cargo bay where Jack is working on the rings, making them into something only he knows. Daniel’s all too aware that even if their efforts save Earth, Jack may not survive with the Ancient knowledge in his mind. His chest is tight with the agony of the potential loss ahead of him. He has no idea how Jack found the strength to let him Ascend; Daniel can’t face losing him.
‘Jack.’ Daniel pauses, unsure what to say; how to say it. He’s supposed to be gifted with words and yet he can’t find any.
Jack lifts his head and his eyes meet Daniel’s and suddenly, Daniel knows he doesn’t need to say anything at all.
4.Teal’c
He should hate him. And Daniel did for a while before time found him understanding the Jaffa more and their team bond eroded the hurt that was left. Maybe hate surfaced again briefly when Teal’c fired the shot that killed Sha’re but it didn’t last as long as the hate Daniel felt for himself for never saving her.
They’ve had years of friendship and camaraderie but Daniel’s still surprised at the strength of his love for Teal’c as he promises the broken Jaffa, worn by so many defeats in the relentless game, that he’s real; that he’s there to help him, to fight beside him; that they’ll win the game.
Teal’c’s hand grips tightly as he clasps Daniel’s forearm and Daniel responds by clasping Teal’c’s with equal force. They’re in it together to the end.
5.General Hammond
Daniel hated losing Hammond’s presence at the SGC. There was something just so reassuring about having Hammond at the helm and something so unsettling when he was no longer there. Daniel has never gotten used to seeing someone else in Hammond’s place; not Weir, not Landry, not even Jack.
He tries to recall as he stands beside Sam at the funeral whether he had ever told General Hammond just how much he had admired him; how much his leadership had shaped Daniel in ways that he hadn’t even realised; how much he had appreciated the paternal love and care the General had lavished on SG1; how much he missed him.
As the shots are fired and the fly-by screams overhead, Daniel misses him again and silently wishes him Godspeed with quiet love.
Five men Daniel loved
1.Melburn Jackson
Daniel remembers his father in snatches of memories that make a mosaic of the whole; the scent of a certain aftershave, ink and dust; the feel of calluses when his small hand slid against his father’s fingers; the deep sound of his father’s voice telling him stories of Ancient Egypt to lull him to sleep.
He remembers the card he had drawn when he was five for his father’s birthday; the care and attention given to each letter formed to spell out simply; ‘I love you, Daddy.’
Daniel leaves the briefing about the virtual game and heads to his office. He picks up one of his father’s journals and opens it to touch the creased card; the words of love that his father had long ago saved and tucked within the worn pages.
2.Nicholas Ballard
The sanatorium sends Nick’s things a few weeks after his Grandfather takes up residence with the Giant Aliens. Daniel is recovering from appendix surgery, the rest of his team are hopefully somewhere off-world waiting for the Earth gate to be fixed rather than at the bottom of the ocean, and he’s grumpy.
One box takes Daniel by surprise. It’s filled with news of him; articles he published, announcements of his lectures, reviews of his work. Each one lovingly captured in protective plastic with notations on dates, locations or journals scrawled in Nick’s loose hand-writing on labels.
Nick had told him he was proud of him but somehow the box is proof that Daniel treasures.
3.Jack O’Neill
He’s never really sure when he started to love Jack but then Daniel’s never really sure when they slipped into the bond they share that somehow transcends even the closeness of SG1. There are still times in the heat of temper when he wonders that they are friends.
Daniel looks across the cargo bay where Jack is working on the rings, making them into something only he knows. Daniel’s all too aware that even if their efforts save Earth, Jack may not survive with the Ancient knowledge in his mind. His chest is tight with the agony of the potential loss ahead of him. He has no idea how Jack found the strength to let him Ascend; Daniel can’t face losing him.
‘Jack.’ Daniel pauses, unsure what to say; how to say it. He’s supposed to be gifted with words and yet he can’t find any.
Jack lifts his head and his eyes meet Daniel’s and suddenly, Daniel knows he doesn’t need to say anything at all.
4.Teal’c
He should hate him. And Daniel did for a while before time found him understanding the Jaffa more and their team bond eroded the hurt that was left. Maybe hate surfaced again briefly when Teal’c fired the shot that killed Sha’re but it didn’t last as long as the hate Daniel felt for himself for never saving her.
They’ve had years of friendship and camaraderie but Daniel’s still surprised at the strength of his love for Teal’c as he promises the broken Jaffa, worn by so many defeats in the relentless game, that he’s real; that he’s there to help him, to fight beside him; that they’ll win the game.
Teal’c’s hand grips tightly as he clasps Daniel’s forearm and Daniel responds by clasping Teal’c’s with equal force. They’re in it together to the end.
5.General Hammond
Daniel hated losing Hammond’s presence at the SGC. There was something just so reassuring about having Hammond at the helm and something so unsettling when he was no longer there. Daniel has never gotten used to seeing someone else in Hammond’s place; not Weir, not Landry, not even Jack.
He tries to recall as he stands beside Sam at the funeral whether he had ever told General Hammond just how much he had admired him; how much his leadership had shaped Daniel in ways that he hadn’t even realised; how much he had appreciated the paternal love and care the General had lavished on SG1; how much he missed him.
As the shots are fired and the fly-by screams overhead, Daniel misses him again and silently wishes him Godspeed with quiet love.