Kiatra

Author: Katie Joy Barns

Summary:

This is a Daniel story. Daniel is feeling lost after seeing the tragic death of his wife, Sha're, on the planet, Mi'kla. On his way back to the stargate, he trips over Kiatra, an Earth slave of the Goa'uld. She was taken from Earth when she was sixteen and has now been in Mi'kla for ten years. The Jeffa frightened her so much that she never spoke the entire time she was there. She has forgotten how to speak. Daniel takes it upon himself to reteach her and to learn everything that she has learned. He developed a strong attachment to her as does she. This is NOT a love story. In a sequel, maybe, but not this one. Daniel IS just getting over losing his wife, you know. All Disclaimers apply.

Daniel Jackson stumbled through the underbrush as he headed back towards the stargate. Screams and gunfire vibrated off the trees. Goa'uld ships could be heard whooshing above him, their fireblasts destroying the meager cover of the forest. His vision was blurred by smoke and...something else. He couldn't see where he was going. He soon tripped and sprawled onto the ground and was tempted to just stay there. A whimper from under him changed his mind. He scrambled onto his knees and saw a small woman curled into a fetal position below him. Her eyes were closed tightly and she was only dressed in rags; a tattered, wool cloak her only protection.

Her skin was streaked with dirt. A wave of protectiveness came over him and he bent over her. He placed two fingers at her throat, feeling for a pulse and sighed with relief when he found one. Very carefully, he lifted her up and cradled her to him. He looked up and realized, with a start, that he had no idea where he was. "Daniel!" He turned and saw Colonel Jack O'Neill coming straight at him. He looked a little startled to see the woman in Daniel's arms but decided to ignore it for the moment. "Come on." He grabbed Daniel's arm and pulled him forward. Daniel tightened his grip on the woman and followed Jack through the dense foliage, which was rapidly catching on fire. He kept the woman tucked close to him, to protect her from the debris.

Almost to the stargate, shots were fired behind them and a crossbow arrow hit Daniel's right shoulder. He barely felt it, his concentration solely on getting through the stargate safely. With one last burst of strength, he stumbled through the stargate and landed on his knees on the other side. Captain Samantha Carter and Teal'c rushed to his side. Teal'c lifted the woman out of his arms and layed her on a nearby stretcher. Sam knelt next to Daniel and noticed the arrow in his shoulder. Jack was just coming out of the stargate and Sam called to him as they sealed it. He knelt next to her as she contenplated the best way to pull it out.

"This is going to hurt," she warned gently. Jack gripped Daniel's shoulders and, knowing it was the best way, Samantha pulled the arrow out quickly. Daniel clenched his teeth and cringed, trying hard not to cry out. The doctor arrived and she and Sam helped Daniel out of the room to bandage him up. Jack was about to follow them when Teal'c called him over. "What's up?" he asked him and noticed Teal'c was standing over the woman that Daniel had brought in. She was small, maybe just a few inches over five feet. She had LONG golden-brown hair that hung in an unkept braid. She was wrapped in a torn cloak which barely hid the rags she wore. He could hardly see her skin through all the dirt and grime on her. Teal'c pointed to the woman ankle which was surrounded by a tatoo of swirling designs.

"That is the mark given to an Earth slave," he said in his deep, serious voice. Jack looked at Teal'c, and then at the woman, and then back at Teal'c. "An EARTH slave? You mean this woman is from Earth? Here?" "Yes." Jack rubbed his forehead and then looked back at the woman. "How could they possibly have slaves from Earth?" "I do not know, Colonel O'Neill." "Then how..." His question was cut short by a terrible scream from below him. The woman was awake and she had bolted upright and was trying to run away. Teal'c, Jack, and two other men held the woman down as a doctor tried to put some sedatives in her. Her struggling made it impossible.

"What's going on?" Daniel asked from the door. His right shoulder was bandaged. His eyes held a mixture of confusion and curiosity as he searched for the source of the bloodcurdling screams. His eyes rested on the woman that Jack and Teal'c held down. The woman HE had rescued. Something strong overpowered him. "What are you DOING?" He forced his way through the crowd and pushed the men away from her. He put a soothing hand on her cheek. "Shh. Shh. It's okay. It's okay. These men aren't going to hurt you. It's okay. Shh." The woman's eyes finally focused on Daniel's and her screaming ceased as she listened to the softness in his voice. She allowed the doctor to give her the sedatives and the woman was almost smiling as her eyes closed. He watched her for a few moments until he realized the dead silence in the room. Daniel colored slightly as he stood up, feeling all eyes on him. He pushed his glasses up on his nose and tried to think of something to say.

"Well..." he started and cleared his throat. "See you at the debriefing." He walked as calmly as he could out of the room before taking off towards the shelter of his quarters. Jack's eyebrows were raised as he watched Daniel leave. He looked over at Sam, who had followed Daniel in. She looked as perplexed as he felt. "Well..." Jack said.

* * * * * *

Daniel was sprawled on his stomach, on the bed in his quarters when Jack found him. Daniel had his eyes closed and was feigning sleep. Jack could tell, so he sat in the only chair in the room and waited for the silence to get to him. He didn't have to wait long. Daniel groaned as he sat up, running a hand through his hair. "What happened in there?" Jack asked quietly. Daniel shrugged. "I heard the screams, I went to see what was going on. When I saw all of you holding her down, something came over me and I had to stop it." "WHAT came over you?" "I don't know! That's the problem. I, don't, know." Jack collapsed back on his bed, wincing when he landed on his shoulder and adjusted his weight off of it. Jack waited a few minutes, forming his next question carefully.

"Would this have anything to do with Sha're?" Daniel bolted up at the mention of his 'wife's' name. He took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes. "No. NO. This has nothing to do with her," Daniel said, "Could it? I mean.. no. NO, it doesn't. It DOESN'T. It can't." Jack heard the uncertainty in Daniel's voice but didn't say anything. "Alright. I was just asking." He stood up to leave and hesitated at the door. "If you ever need to... talk or something, well," Jack said, a little uncomfortable, "there's always me." "No, no. Thanks, but no." Jack was almost out the door when Daniel said something that stopped him in his tracks. "I saw her." Jack slowly turned around, stepped back into Daniel's room and shut the door, He didn't bother to sit down this time.

"You what?" Daniel didn't look at him as he spoke. "She was with him. I hid behind some trees and just... stared at her. Watched her. She was so beautiful and I could see she was finally breaking free of him. I could see the defiance in her eyes." He looked down at his clenched hands and Jack could see tears welling up in Daniel's eyes. "He apparently didn't like what she was saying and I watched as he slowly... " Daniel's voice stopped as he forced back sobs. Jack waited silently, knowing what was coming. "As he slowly...killed her." He looked up at Jack, his eyes watering. "He tortured her, Jack. Right in front of me. I didn't want to watch, but I couldn't turn away while he... he... TORTURED her." Daniel finally let go of all the tears he had been holding back. Hesitating for just a moment, Jack sat down next to him and let Daniel cry on his shoulder. Daniel was like a brother and he hated seeing him in so much pain.

When Daniel had cried himself out, he pulled away, keeping a steady hand on his shoulder. "You going to be alright?" Daniel sniffled and looked up, looking somewhat refreshed. "Yeah, yeah, I think so." Jack headed out the door, giving him some time to be alone. "Jack." Jack turned around. "Thanks." Daniel gave him a lopsided, almost grin. Jack nodded his head ever so slightly. "No problem."

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