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In no way, shape or form is the information within these pages true to the subject matter at hand or insinuating that certain situations go on within the military. As stated in my disclaimers, these stories are works of fiction and are products of my warped imagination only. Nothing more, nothing less. Absolutely no money was earned nor distributed.
Ocassionally, he'd get a call from Dr. Pacey. The only person from his childhood years that he kept in contact with. She'd want to know how he was doing, if he'd discovered some ancient ruin that would make him the richest man in the world, or if he'd found a girlfriend yet. Of course, he'd throw some strange explanation out there about him and his work. But she never bought it. She would always say that it was unhealthy for a young man to be so involved in his work and not have a woman around. Then he'd have to sit through a good thirty minutes of a lecture from her on tips to picking up women. Though, he really didn't need to here it. For Daniel had no problem picking up women. Almost everyday one of his students were hitting on him. True they were older than him, but still. He strongly encouraged a professional teacher and student relationship. A quality he learned from his father early on. The only problems he really had with women, was that he really didn't know how to handle the female 'professors' that came on to him. Like Dr. Asher.
Dr. Asher was the only woman that Daniel just couldn't function around. He'd met and taken to her his last year of Graduate school. Then, they ended up becoming co-workers. He suppose, that his lack of coherence around her, was because she was a splitting image of Mary Stuart. Only Dr. Asher had long brunette hair. He'd found, that she was as nice as Mary was and that they had a lot in common. If Mary was alive today, people would swear that they were twin sisters. They had formed a good professional relationship. All was going fine between them, until Dr. Asher took it upon herself to change things.
"Hello, Dr. Jackson," a soft female voice said. "Need some help there." Daniel, recognizing the voice, began to feel his nerves flare up. "N...No...I got it Dr. Asher," he stuttered out. He bent down and hurriedly piled his stuff together. "You sure," she said walking over with a little amusement in her voice. "At least let me get the door for you." Daniel swallowed nervously. She was standing right in his field of vision and her skirt was very short. He felt his heart beating in his throat as he felt a certain wave of heat. He stood up unsteadily and waited for her to unlock his door for him. Nodding his head in a thank you, he leaned in and tossed his stuff over to the passager's side. Just as he was about to stand back up straight, he let out a yelp of surprise as Dr. Asher squeezed his buttocks. He stumbled back away from her and his car with a look of nervous surprise plastered on his face.
"My God Doctor," she said laughing some. "I thought you were going to jump through the window on the other side." Daniel, trying to calm down some, nervously said, "Wh...What did you do that for?" Dr. Asher laughed some more as she seductively snaked her way over to Daniel, "What?" She asked as Daniel matched her steps backwards. "There's no need to be nervous around me Dr. Jackson. I thought, that I would make the transition from friends to lovers a little easier for you." Daniel titled his head to the side, "Excuse me?" "Awww, come on Daniel. You and I have been friends a long time now. And it's only natural for you to begin to have feelings for an older woman. I mean, younger men fall for older women all the time," she stated. Daniel shook his no, "I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about," he said backing into a pole.
"Sure you don't Daniel," she stated as she pinned him to the pole with her hands on his shoulders. "Suzanne," he said with a little more authority. "I have no idea what you are talking about." She smirked and in one quick swoop, kissed him passionately. After a few seconds, she found that the kiss was not being returned. Instead, she was getting protests and rejection. She quickly withdrew and studied his face, feeling embarassment creep on her cheeks as she realised that he really didn't have a clue as to what she was talking about. "Oh shit," she said stepping away from him. She ran her fingers through her hair as she stared at him. "Please don't tell me that I read your signals wrong," she said with exasperation. "Signals?" he asked confused. "Yes," she confirmed. "The signals you've been sending me. The nervousness, the stuttering, the fast breathing, ya know, signals," she said waving her hands. "Signals to let someone know that your interested in them, signals." "Oh." "Yeah."
Daniel slowly stepped towards her and turned her to face him. "I'm sorry Suzanne if I lead you on," he said sincerely holding her hands. "It was completely unintentional." "Oh thanks alot, that makes me feel alot better," she stated sarcastically. "No...No...I didn't mean it like that. I mean, you are a very attractive woman and I'm sure every young male student on this campus has had there fantasies about you," he said trying to ease her embarrasment. "Except you," she stated disappointedly. Daniel let a small smile grace his face as he let her hands go. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." "So what were they?" she asked "What was what?" "The signals, ya know. I may be getting old, but I haven't lost my ability to read certain signals Daniel," she stated shortly. "Oh...no.....no. You remind me of someone. Someone that I once knew." "Uh huh. Well, was she a girlfriend or something." No...No...nothing like that," he paused nibbling on his lower lip. "She was my foster mother." "Foster mother?" "Yeah, she died a long time ago," he stated sadly. "You look alot like her. Actually, you two could pass for twins if it weren't for you having long hair and a smoking habit."
"Oh God Daniel. I'm so sorry," she stated sincerely. "Man, I feel like such a fool. And here I am thinking you were too shy to let me know how you felt about me, when all along you were seeing her in me. God I'm sorry. Please forgive me?" Daniel looked at her, a little thrown off by her plea for forgiveness. "There's nothing to forgive Suzanne. It was an honest mistake." "Mistake, Daniel, I practically threw myself all over you." Daniel chuckled slightly and shook his head in agreement. "Look, let's just forget this ever happened O.K. You don't tell anyone and I'll be sure never to let anyone know how much of a fool I made of myself tonight," she asked hopefully. "O.K."
With that, Daniel walked Suzanne back over to her car and watched her leave the parking lot. Then got into his car and sat staring at his steering wheel. He berated himself for not telling her the truth of why he was so nervous around her. Not only did she look like Mary, but she always made him think more about Ben. He'd have dreams about the terrible things that Ben did to him when he stayed with the Stuarts. Then, he'd think about why he never told them what Ben was doing. He also, would never tell her, that he used her presence to ease the pain of never going to visit Sean and Mary's graves. With Suzanne Asher around, it was like Mary there with him. Some how, some way, Mary was watching over him through Suzanne. And whatever Mary found out, she'd tell her husband Sean. Daniel took a deep breath and wiped a single tear away that fell unwillingly. He started the car and left.
Daniel caught the movement behind him and jumped up grabbing Jean Luc's hands, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jean Luc, startled at the anger he saw in Daniel's eyes, stuttered out, "They just want to talk. Let's find out what they want. It could be something...." "I don't give a damn what you think Jean Luc," he hissed out trying to control his fear as he saw them making their way over to them. "I honestly don't care what 'they' want," he said loud enough so that they could hear him. "I don't like the way they operate. Whatever they have to say to me, they can keep it. Because I don't want to hear it," and with that, he stormed off. Glaring at them as he made his way over to their camp site. He walked into his tent and plopped down on his sleeping bag. He covered his face with shaking hands. 'Don't you see Jean Luc,' he thought to himself. 'I can't work with them, I just can't.' Daniel laid down and cursed his terror of running into Ben.
"Sorry," he said sincerely. "Oh," she said waving her hand. "Don't worry about it hun. Just give me a hallah if you need anything else." Daniel nodded his head as he watched her walk away. He sat in silence staring out the window for a few minutes before Laura came back. "Here ya are hun," she said placing a steaming hot cup of coffee in front of him and a plate of toast. "Want cream or sugar with that." "Uhm...No...black is fine." She nodded her head, "All right, I'll be back later on to check on ya O.K." Daniel mummbled a quick thank you as she walked off again. Slowly, he wrapped his hands around his steaming hot cup of coffee and took a long deep sip. Savoring the warmth as it spread throughout his body. He stared back out of the window watching the rain as it danced on the sidewalk. Ocassionally, he'd stretch out his legs and tap his life. Well, all he had left that he could stuff into his two suitcases. Sighing heavily, he allowed his thoughts to wonder.
'Damn,' he thought. 'How the hell am I supposed to answer that?' Stiffling a frustrated sigh, he slowly turned around and told the truth. "Well," he said waving his hands nervously. "I don't have any idea who built them," he said trying to ignore the scene of people leaving. "But that's not the point," he rammbled on quickly trying hard to catch someones attention. A few seconds later, he found himself standing in the room alone. With a deep sigh of frustration, he slumped down to sit on the platform. "What am I doing?" he asked himself quitely as he took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. 'Well Dr. Jackson,' he thought. 'There goes what was left of your career. Not that you had much of one anyway.' With a half laugh half sigh sound, he dropped his head and covered his hands over his face, contemplating what he was going to do now and where he was going to go.
"Someone would like to have a word with you Sir," the officer said, gesturing towards a black limousine. 'Oh God,' he thought as he stared at the tinted windows. 'What if.....' he shook his head slightly as he scratched that thought. 'Calm down Jackson,' he said to himself. 'They just want to ask you the same thing every other military branch has asked you. Just say what you always say and leave it at that.' He took a deep nervous breath, "Who...who is it?" "If you could just step over to the car sir?" the officer asked gently. Daniel studied him and the car curiously. 'I can just see who it is. It want hurt any,' he thought taking a deep nervous swallow. His mind made up, he reached a shaking hand down to pick up his suitcases. "I've got these sir," the officer said opening the door for him to get in. He took a nervous look in the car and released a breath of relief when he saw an older woman sitting there. With one last glance behind him, he stepped in and closed the door.
Daniel shook his head no, but his eyes were unsure. He tilted his head to the side and studied her. "It's nothing...really," he said unconvincingly. Laura just sat there staring at him crossing her arms on the table. "Oh goodness me. I don't even know your name handsome," she stated trying a new tactic. "Daniel. It's uhm...Daniel Jackson," he said blushing a bit. "It's good to meet you Daniel Jackson," she said smiling. "Now that we're better acquainted, why don't you tell me about this girl of yours that has you lost in Bonkers." Titling his head at the phrase, he found himself talking. "She's not a girlfriend." "Oh" "I mean," he stumbled out. "She's not my girlfriend." "Uh huh." "She's, well, I just met her about an hour ago. She approached me with a proposition."
"A proposition," she repeated fighting to hide the smirk on her face. Daniel looked up and realised what he had just said. "No..no...it's not what you think." Laura shook her head not really believing him."Well, what did she say?" "She offered me a job," he said unenthused. "A chance to do what I've been trying to do for most of my life." "For something you've been wanting to do for awhile, you sure don't sound that excited about it," she observed. "It's not that I'm not excited," he said sitting up straighter in his seat. "Don't get me wrong, I mean, I would jump at an opportunity like this no questions asked. I mean, to have proof of what I've been saying all along. To finally, be able to see that I was right all this time. To proove to everyone that I have not completely gone mad," he said looking as if he was about to jump out of his seat. "My God honey," she said thinking of the passion he had in his eyes. "Then why are you so down young man? It sounds to me that you have just been offered the opportunity of a life time."
Daniel slouched back down in his seat and sighed. "I'd have to work with the military." "The military?" she asked. "What's so bad about that?" Daniel dropped his eyes down on his cup of coffee. "I'm not a real fan of them, that's all." Laura studied him and knew that there was more to it than just that, but chose not to push. "Honey, a lot of people don't like working with the military. But the good thing is, they came to you asking you for help. Whatever it is, I'm sure they'll accomodate whatever your needs are. I mean," she said with a laugh, "it's not everyday that those fools admit to needing help from anyone. Personally, I'd feel honored." Daniel let a small smile grace his face.
"Listen hun, what ever your worries are about working with them, I just can't see them standing in the way of you pursuing your dreams. In just that brief moment when you where explaining to me your feelings of this opportunity, I saw more passion in your eyes than I've seen in my entire life time. And that's a long time, if I may," she chuckled out trying to lighten the mood. "I want you to think about all that you can lose if you decide to except this job." She waited for a moment as she sensed his wheels turning. "Well," he half laughed half sighed out. "That's easy. Let's see, I was evicted from my apartment earlier today so I have no place to live. I completely skrewed up any chances I had of furthering my career after the conference this morning. And the only things I have with me are not even worth any effort from a petty theif. To sum it up, I've basically hit rock bottom." Laura looked at him sympathetically, "Well, it looks to me like you've all ready made up your mind." "Huh?"
She let a smile grace her face, "Honey, you said it yourself. You have no home, no job, and nothing worth stealing. So, if the only thing that you may lose is the clothes on your back in exchange for some clean military duds, I don't see a problem. I'm sure they'll provide a place for you to stay and you'll be doing something you enjoy. A luxury every human being on this Earth dreams about. Not to mention the chance to proove to everyone that you were right all along. If not for those reasons, from what I've seen here, the thrill alone should be one hell of a ride for ya. It seems to me, that your worries are nothing compared to everything that you will gain. The least you can do is go and check it out for awhile, see how you like it. At least then, you won't be sitting around in some dirty back alley or better yet, an old coffee shop talking to an old woman wondering 'what if'." She stood up and patted him on his shoulder, "Why don't you take some time and think about it a little hun. I'm sure whatever you decide, it'll be the right choice." With that said, she placed the bill in front of him, gave him a wink and walked away.
Danny sat silently staring after her for what seemed like an eternity. He let his eyes drift over the few people that were sitting in the coffee shop. It was getting late, so the lunch rush was over. Now, there was only old men and homeless people in there sipping on steaming hot cups of coffee. Every once in awhile he'd hear a cough here and there. As his eyes roamed, he locked gazes with an old dirty homeless man who lifted his cup of coffee, acknowledging a hello. Daniel nodded his head and reached up to grab his cup of coffee. He heard someone start laughing out loud. Right before he took a sip, he saw himself. Sitting right in front of him where the old homeless man was sitting at. He was dirty, old, worn down, and was clearly carrying a heavy load of regret. The laughter he heard began to get louder and louder as it seemed like time had slowed around him. He saw a shadow looming over the old him and hesitantly looked up to see Ben standing over him laughing and hugging a beer bottle.
"I told you. Didn't I tell ya DJ. I told you that you'd be nothing. I told you that no one would want to be around you. You're worthless. Everything is your fault. Everything," Ben said laughing evily. Danny watched himself cringed into the corner of the booth, agreeing with everything Ben said. Suddenly, he saw Ben begin to grow taller and bigger while still laughing. "I'm better than you DJ. For your nothing without me. Nothing, you worthless piece of shit," he said as he drew back a hand and swung it to slap him. "NO," Daniel yelled out, abruptly slamming his coffee back down and jumping up from his seat. Oblivious to the startled stares he was getting. He scrammbled to drop his money on the table, grabbed his bags and coat and rushed out. Stopping just before he reached the door to mouth a quick thank you to Laura. Then he turned and ran out into the street flagging down cabs, for he had a plane to catch and a devil to beat, or rather a chance to proove to himself that Benjamin Stuart did not run his life.
