FIC: The Protocol

[gategeek]

The Protocol
Author: gategeek
E-mail: shanilka@attbi.com
Season: Two
Category: Epilogue - Need
Summary: Follow up to "The Price" http://www.ascifi.com/forums/showthr...threadid=11614
Pairing: None
Rating: PG-15
Warnings: implied sexual situations - nothing graphic
Spoilers: Need
Disclaimer: They're not mine, I just borrowed them for this little tale. I understand they belong to MGM, Showtime, Gekko, etc. No copyright infringement intended. No money exchanged hands.
Author's Note: Many thanks to Pough, the Alpha beta and Queen of grammatical technobabble. Who loves ya, baby?
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Jack sat gingerly at the edge of the exam table, a thin sheen of sweat on his upper lip and his hands curled into fists. Janet stripped off her bloody gloves and stepped back. She stared at the fingerprint bruises on his upper thighs, which had been the first warning sign that this was not to be a routine post mission exam. It wasn't the first time she had done this -- a military base was certainly not immune to the darker parts of society -- but it never failed to make her blood boil and her stomach churn. The fact that she counted Jack O'Neill as one of her personal friends just made it that much worse. With a tremendous effort she willed herself into a state of professional detachment.

"Sir--" she began, but was immediately interrupted.

"Doc, just give me the penicillin shot and spare me the lecture, okay?"

"Sir, there is a protocol to follow in cases of sexual assault."

"Sexual assault ..." Jack said bitterly " You mean rape?"

She felt her head start to throb but didn't back down. "Yes, sir. I mean rape."

"Well , then, you don't need to bother. I wasn't raped." his fingers clenched and unclenched compulsively, crinkling the paper that covered the exam table.

"Colonel."

"I consented -- it was necessary." His tone was flat, his face expressionless.

Janet felt distinctly nauseous. "Sir, are you saying...?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. Now that we understand each other can we please drop it?" His voice was angry but his eyes were pleading.

"Colonel, you know there is mandatory counseling for this type of, uh... injury." Jack looked away with a disgusted expression. "I can't leave it out of my report."

Jack exploded. "Yes, you *can*. I was *not* sexually assaulted! Christ -- don't you see? " His face was flushed and he took several deep breaths, trying to reign in his anger. "It was bad enough baring my ass to that scumbag , you make me bare my soul to McKenzie and it really will be rape."

Janet felt his words like a physical blow. Damn it, he wasn't fighting fair. "Sir, even if I don't initiate an SA Protocol I still have to document these findings in my report. As Chief of Psychiatry, Dr. McKenzie will have access to the information."

The phone rang, fracturing the tension in the room "Fraiser." she answered, turning away from Jack's glare. "Yes, sir," she said, nodding. "Right away, sir." She hung up and turned back to face Jack. "General Hammond wants to see you -- it's about Daniel."

Jack was already pulling on his clothes, clenching his teeth against the pain he was desperately trying to hide.

"Colonel, we'll need to talk about this later." she said firmly.

He studiously avoided her gaze. "Sure, Doc. Later." And he was gone.

But later wasn't that afternoon. Nor was it the next day. And later wasn't whenever she ran into Jack, who was striding from one crisis to another in those frantic hours of Daniel's withdrawal. Later was "not now," and she was running out of time.


Four days later, Dr. MacKenzie appeared in Janet's office with a chart clutched in his hand. His face was grim. "Dr. Frasier, I just had a chance to catch up on the medical reports from SG-1's mission to P3R-636. May I ask why an SA protocol was not initiated for Colonel O'Neill?"

Janet sighed. This wasn't going to be pretty. "Colonel O'Neill felt it wasn't necessary. I'm not sure I agree with him but I decided to wait until we could discuss the matter further."

"Not necessary?" he asked incredulously. "And since when is that up to the patient to decide? I definitely do not agree with your handling of this matter. Regardless of the outcome of your 'further discussions' I expect Colonel O'Neill to report for mandatory counseling within the week." He turned stiffly and left the room.

Janet sat back in her chair and began to massage her temples. Somehow she knew this was not going to help matters. The problem was, she wasn't sure what *would* help. The colonel had obviously agreed to some kind of hideous barter in order to free his team. His physical exam findings had been truly sickening. If it had been any other patient she would have initiated the protocol without question. Had she let her friendship with Colonel O'Neill cloud her professional judgement?

"Sometimes I really hate this job." she thought as she reached for the necessary paperwork.

*********************

Jack sat outside MacKenzie's office with a sick feeling in his gut. He pawed through the meager assortment of magazines, wondering if it was an unwritten rule that all doctor's offices had to stock really old copies of "Field and Stream." He could swear he'd seen the same issue at Charlie's pediatrician's office.

The door opened, and Daniel stepped out. "Oh - Hi, Jack, were you looking for me?" He looked at Jack, then nervously looked behind him, as if the answer to his question was there.

Caught flat footed, Jack wracked his brain for a plausible explanation.
"Ah - no, I was just..."

The glass partition between patients and the office staff slid open. "Colonel O'Neill? The doctor will see you now."

"I'll talk to you later, Daniel," he said, and slipped through the door
.
Damn, damn, *damn* -- Jack knew Daniel was in post-detox counseling. He should have planned his appointment so this didn't happen. Now Daniel was going to be like a dog with a bone.

Dr. MacKenzie stood up from behind his desk and offered Jack a seat.

"Colonel, thank you for coming in."

"Don't thank me yet," Jack muttered as he slumped into the chair.

"Yes, well, I think you know why you're here."

The statement was greeted by dead silence. Jack had no intention of making it easy for him.

MacKenzie began again. "As you know, there is mandatory counseling in cases of sexual assault."

Jack sat up and leaned forward. "In that case we have nothing to talk about. I wasn't sexually assaulted."

The doctor sighed. "The medical report I read says otherwise."

"Then, it's wrong." There was another long pause. Jack stared coldly at the doctor and felt a moment of childish satisfaction when MacKenzie looked away first.

"Colonel, your physical exam showed obvious signs of a violent sexual encounter."

"Which occurred with my consent. Ergo - no assault." Jack interrupted

MacKenzie flinched at the implications of Jack's statement. "So, what you're saying is..."

"I'm saying it was a transaction - plain and simple. I needed to get into the throne room. Chickweed had access. I got what I needed, and he got what he wanted. End of story." He sat back in his chair and glared at the doctor defiantly.

MacKenzie looked horrified. "Colonel, this was hardly a simple business transaction."

"World's oldest profession, Doc." Jack's grim expression belied the lightness of his words.

MacKenzie made an exasperated noise. "Colonel, I've reviewed your medical files."

"I hope they were entertaining for you. Did you read them with a tub of popcorn and a biggie size drink?"

The doctor ignored the jab and tried again. "Based on your past experiences..."

Jack cut him off again. "Based on my past experiences I think I'm uniquely qualified to say what is and what isn't a sexual assault. Now can we just get on with whatever platitudes you have to offer so I can get the hell out of here?"

"Colonel O'Neill, I really think..."

"Yeah, well, thinking is highly overrated. Why don't you just tell me the first thing that comes to your mind, and we'll call it a day," Jack said, leaning across Mac Kenzie's desk.

The doctor sat back heavily in his chair. He could feel the beginnings of a migraine forming behind his right eye.

And he knew the hour was just beginning...

*****************
Jack spent the week in counseling; MacKenzie spent the week taking migraine medication. That Sunday night Daniel brought carryout over to Jack's house.

Jack was sitting on his couch, wielding the TV remote. Chinese food cartons littered the coffee table.

The return to ShylaWorld was scheduled for 0700. The plan was to introduce new mining techniques, upgrade working conditions and get the hell out of there as fast as humanly possible. A simple mission that had to be done, and then had to be forgotten. Just like everything associated with that damn place.
Daniel had made no mention of their meeting outside MacKenzie's office.Hadn't even asked how things were going. It was all good, as far as Jack was concerned. They had been able to get through Mu shu pork and shrimp fried rice without as much as a hesitant thought. Jack was starting to relax.
Of course, it was too good to last.

"So how did it go with MacKenzie?" Daniel asked casually, scraping the rest of the rice from the bottom of the empty container.

Jack was instantly wary. "The usual BS."

Daniel stared at him for a while, then offered. "Well, my counseling session--and thank you so much for asking--went pretty much the same as they usually do."

Jack flipped through a dozen more stations, settling on an infomercial about stain remover.

Daniel cocked his head to the side and waited. Still nothing. "I've seen a lot of counselors, Jack. You know, the whole orphan/foster child/ boy genius thing. Some were helpful, some weren't. I think I'd definitely put MacKenzie in the latter category. I'll see him since it's required, but it's been a lot more helpful to just talk to you. Thanks for being there, by the way."

"Anytime, Danny," he said, and sincerely hoped Daniel knew how much he meant that.

"So,Jack ,why did you have to see MacKenzie? Was it something that happened on P3R-636?" Daniel wasn't going to let the subject drop.

"It's nothing, Daniel." He turned the TV volume up a notch. "Don't worry about it."

Daniel leaned over and snatched the remote. "Don't do this, Jack."

Jack stared at his now empty hand, then returned his attention to the screen.

"Jack, what happened back there? What aren't you telling me? Don't try to protect me. It was my fault..."

Jack was suddenly on his feet, leaning down to invade Daniel's personal space. "Dammit, Daniel, it was not your fault. It never would have happened if I hadn't gotten you crushed under two tons of rocks." Jack's eyes blazed with anger as he continued. "And maybe I'm not trying to protect you. Maybe it's just none of your goddam business." He straightened up and stalked across the living room, flinging himself into a recliner by the fireplace.

There was a long silence. Finally, Daniel said ,"I don't agree with your interpretation of events, but I suppose you're right. If something happened to you while I was a sarc junkie on 636, it's none of my goddam business. I don't necessarily have a right to know. I'm sorry." His words were clipped, his voice angry. "I'll go now," he said and stood up.

Jack said nothing and continued to worry a loose thread in the upholstry.

Daniel walked to the front door and paused with his hand on the door knob. Finally, he gave an exasperated sigh. "Damn stubborn son of a bitch..." he muttered and turned back to the living room. "Okay, so I didn't go."

Jack rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. "Sit down, Daniel," he said wearily. "Look, things got a little rough on 636. It's nothing I haven't dealt with before."

Daniel remained standing. "Why do I not find that comforting?"

Jack continued. "MacKenzie ordered mandatory counseling. I don't agree, but it's not up to me. That's all. Now would you please sit down?"

Daniel looked unconvinced, but finally sat down, never taking his eyes off of Jack.

Jack began to squirm a little under his gaze and finally jumped up from his seat. "I'm gonna get a beer. You want anything?"

Daniel shook his head.

The rest of the evening passed in a tense and uncomfortable silence. Jack hiding behind his beer bottle and Daniel sitting with his arms folded, stealing glances at Jack with a worried frown on his face.

*********************

Daniel stood in the throne room on P3R-636. A shiver ran down his spine as he recalled the last time he was there -- Jack on his knees, coughing up the soot of the mines onto the clean marble floor. Daniel remembered that feeling of complete clarity, of perfect knowledge. It was a delusion, of course, but even now the feeling was enticing.

"You okay, Daniel?" Sam cast a worried glance his way.

"Yeah, Sam. I'm fine.Thank you," he said quietly.

"Fine" was a relative term, of course, but he was actually more concerned about Jack. The man had been on emotional lockdown for the past few weeks. He wore the mask of normalcy, but Daniel knew it was a facade.

A single long tone from an unknown instrument announced the arrival of the royal entourage. The team stood uneasily before the throne as Shyla settled herself. She looked directly at Daniel as she spoke. "My heart is filled with happiness at your return. Since the death of my beloved father, I have had little cause for rejoicing." When there was no response, she continued. "After your departure it came to my attention that several of my subjects mistreated you while in the mines. They have been stripped of their positions and now labor as you did."

Daniel interrupted, holding one finger up in the air to make his point. "Actually, we're hoping nobody has to labor as we, uh, they did. We've brought information on new mining techniques that should make forced labor unnecessary."

"That will be most welcome, Daniel." she said, smiling sweetly. "Still, as a gesture of goodwill, I have brought these men from the mines today, should your friends wish to avenge themselves." She waved her hand as she spoke, and three dirty, battered men shuffled into the room, their leg irons clinking against the floor.

Daniel recognized one of the men, but the other two were strangers. He glanced across at Jack and noticed him unconsciously grinding his teeth.

Daniel spoke hurriedly. "That won't be necessary. As I told you before, we aren't here for vengeance. We only want to make things better for your people."

Shyla looked confused. "I do not understand. Surely your leader, at least, would wish to take back that which was taken from him?" One of the prisoners, a short, stocky man, was pushed to his knees before them. There was a flash of a blade, and the man's tunic was torn away, leaving him naked.

Daniel looked at his teammates. Teal'c wore a positively murderous expression. Sam had shut her eyes, and Jack looked as if he'd been carved in stone.

"Not interested." Jack ground out, staring blankly at the far wall.

Daniel's mind was racing. "What was taken from him?" His eyes darted from Jack's blank expression to the naked man kneeling in front of them. Suddenly, the pieces fell into place with a sickening thud. He felt the blood pounding in his ears and thought for a moment he would pass out. "Oh ****."

*************************

The sun had begun to burn off the morning mist. Jack sat in front of the fire, clutching his first cup of coffee. They had been offered rooms in the palace but had politely declined. Well, at least Daniel was polite.

The atmosphere the night before had been tense, to say the least, but Jack had managed to stonewall them with his patented military hard-ass demeanor. Teal'c and Carter had left early in the morning to commune with the local engineers. Neither of them had looked particularly well rested.

Jack heard Daniel behind him and shifted to give the younger man space to sit. "Here it comes," he thought.

"I didn't know you spoke Arabic," Daniel said quietly. His face was drawn and pale.

Jack was taken aback. "What the hell are you talking about, Daniel?"

"You've been speaking Arabic in your sleep," he continued, picking at the label on his MRE packet. "I've known you all this time and never knew you spoke another language."

Jack stared into his coffee cup. "Well, there's a lot you don't know about me, Daniel. Trust me, it's better that way. Sorry if I kept you up."

"I wasn't sleeping anyway."

Jack looked over at him, then dropped his gaze. "Sorry about that, too." He tossed the rest of his coffee into the fire and stood up.

"Jack, we need to talk."

"Not now, Daniel."

"When, Jack?"

Jack wheeled around suddenly. "Dammit, Daniel, would you leave it alone? After our little welcoming ceremony yesterday, I'm sure you've figured out what everyone else on this goddam planet apparently already knows. The only other thing you need to know is that it was *my* decision. I did it. It was necessary. It happened. I'm *over* it."

"That's not what I heard last night, Jack." Daniel said softly.

Jack froze. He silently cursed the subconscious weakness that caused him to spill his guts in his sleep. It had happened before, but Sara didn't understand Arabic, so it hadn't seemed like such an invasion.
Jack sank back down to the ground and dropped his head into his hands. Finally, he looked up.

"Daniel, don't do this to me. I appreciate it. God knows I do, and I'm sure it would be better for all concerned if I could 'share my feelings' or whatever, but it's just not me. It's not who I am."

Daniel held his gaze for a long moment. "I can't say I understand, Jack, so maybe I'll just say thank you - for being who you are."

Jack gave a small smile, the relief evident on his face. "Right back atcha, Dannyboy," he said.

And it was enough, for now.

--FIN

[Hatshepsut]

Whoa, stirring stuff, gategeek! A powerful follow-up to the price. Very angsty Poor Jack!

And don't you just loathe Doc. McKenzie?! Poor Janet having to pass Jack on to him.

Liked the crack about the popcorn. Somehow you gave the feeling that it wasn't far from the truth...

Would write more, but I need sleep. I was just going to switch off when I saw your follow-up and couldn't resist it

Best wishes,
Hatshepsut :wave:
--

[shazstar]

Wow that was very very powerful. Not many people can go for that kind of dark element and carry it off...well done

[Rowan]

You do good work, Dal.

Row

[imported_Sandman]

As if doing what he had to do wasn't bad enough, huh? And then Daniel finding out out--the way he found out.... I really appreciated your Jack Daniel interplay. You got just the right ammounts of emotion in there wihtout going over the top or out of character bounds. You are a fine writer

[gategeek]

thanks, sandman. i struggled quite a bit with the jack daniel scenes so am very pleased to hear that they worked for you.
shanilka