'Restoration', sequel to 'Brittle' and 'Breaking', rated R

I couldn't leave them like that.  Here is Restoration, ~1800 words, rated R, still very dark.  Beta-love to starting_gate   and juliabk .  Be sure you've read the drabbles first.

SG-1 is held captive:
Brittle, 100 words, Jack's POV
Breaking, 100 words, Daniel's POV

( SG-1 is rescued... )

        

( SG-1 is rescued )

“Colonel O’Neill,” the figure said loudly. “Glad I found you.”

 

Jack’s arms dropped. “Morton?” A dream.

 

A hand slapped against his chest. “Got him,” said the voice that couldn’t possibly be Morton’s. Jack sat up, trying to peer through the dim light. Which suddenly became blinding. Jack floated through whiteness for the blink of an eye, and then found himself sitting on the floor in a corner of a room that seemed foggily familiar.

 

“It is good to see you, O’Neill.”

 

Jack sagged back against the wall. “Thor,” he croaked.

 

The Asgard came closer and laid a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “I have come to rescue you.”

 

“Well, this is surreal,” Jack said, head spinning.

 

“You are not hallucinating,” Thor assured him.

 

Jack tried to come to grips with that concept, but he was too exhausted. Too much hard physical labor, piss-poor nourishment, perpetual lack of sleep and constant dread had combined to leave him feeling weak and dazed. Another flash of white light left him blinking in confusion. “Colonel!”

 

And there stood Teal’c, swaying a little on his feet but supporting Carter just the same. “Guys.” Real? Alarm. “Daniel.”

 

“I’m certain that Dr. Jackson will appear shortly, O’Neill,” Thor said.

 

Jack tried to rise to his feet, but Thor was in the way. “Send me down there,” Jack said sharply.

 

“You are in no condition,” Thor objected. “Let your men finish what they have started.”

 

“Damn it!” Jack shouted hoarsely. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

 

Sam slid down to the floor as Teal’c left her side, walking towards Jack with a rigid jaw. “I will go,” he said forcefully. “Return me now!”

 

Jack made it to his knees. “You’re not going without me.”

 

There was another flash of light, and the discussion became moot. A foot from where Carter was sitting, now rested Daniel’s still body. Carter made a sound of distress and pulled herself towards him. Teal’c was at her side in three long strides, lowering himself to the floor.

 

Jack crawled.

 

~~~~

 

They had all been dehydrated, malnourished, aching and exhausted. But Daniel came first. Jack actually fell asleep while Thor was working his magic, but his sleep was not restful. The image of Daniel’s bruised body and swollen, battered face was too fresh in his mind. Horror followed him into the brief blackness. He woke with a pounding heart to find Carter staring at him with dull pity, and Teal’c pacing the floor.

 

When Thor appeared and beckoned, Jack was the first one to reach Daniel’s side. He stared greedily at the face that really belonged to Daniel. Not the deformed mask he’d been forced to assume, but the real deal. Color restored, Daniel looked like a man who merely slumbered, not one who was about to draw his final breath. Jack reached out his hand to touch the unblemished skin, but drew it back, and then wasn’t sure why. He heard Carter sobbing. Too much. This had been too much for all of them.  He reeled back from the bed.

 

Teal’c caught his arm. “I will stay with DanielJackson. You and MajorCarter must be attended to.”

 

Jack looked up and saw the moisture on Teal’c’s cheeks, and wondered why his own eyes remained painfully dry.

 

~~~~

 

SG-1 was now in the pink of health, if a bit thinner than normal. The wonders of Asgard technology and Asgard medicine. Just peachy.

 

Reports came in from the planet below. Situation under control; prisoners confused but mostly cooperative; food and water being doled out with cautious largesse to avoid over-indulgence that could be fatal to weakened systems. Guards dead or confined.

 

Serrim dead. At the hands of one of his own guards, who promptly surrendered his weapon and led the way to Daniel’s unconscious body. 

 

Serrim’s body destroyed.  Zatted out of existence in front of a host of prisoners, who had howled in rage. And Jack knew just how they felt. He knew what he would have done, given five minutes alone with the corpse. He knew their bloodlust and hatred and fear.

 

He’d told Daniel. “Serrim’s dead, Daniel.” Voice flat and harsh sounding to his own ears. Daniel had twitched and moaned and turned his head away. It was a reaction, at least. A break in the still, tense silence that enveloped him like a shield of armor.

 

~~~~

 

“Can you do anything to help him?”

 

“I can,” Thor answered. “There is a way to block Dr. Jackson’s access to the memories of what transpired.”

 

“So, what are you waiting for?” Jack’s voice rose. “Why the hell haven’t you done it yet?” 

 

“Sir!” Carter protested. “We can’t make that kind of decision for him!”

 

“Daniel’s in no condition to let us know what he wants,” Jack snarled. “Why make him suffer?”

 

“Because it’s his memory, his brain, his body! We can’t…”

 

“Do you actually think for one minute that he wants to remember? That he wouldn’t give anything to just wipe...” Jack swallowed bile, “wipe it all away?”

 

“I don’t disagree with you,” Carter said carefully. “But Daniel has to be the one to decide.”

 

Jack knew she was right. He’d known it before she even opened her mouth.

 

“I need not only Dr. Jackson’s consent, but his cooperation,” Thor informed them. “He must be conscious and accessing his memories in order for me to isolate them.”

 

“Is there any danger?” Teal’c asked calmly, and Jack could have kicked himself.

 

Thor tilted his head. “Not when done properly. I am fully confident in my ability to perform the procedure.”

 

“So, we talk to Daniel,” Jack said uncertainly. Except that Daniel isn’t talking.

 

~~~

 

The temporary drug that Thor had given to Daniel was working. Daniel was functioning well enough to listen and understand and speak coherently, although it was obviously an effort.

 

“I’ll be like I was before? Only these specific memories will be blocked?”

 

“That is correct,” Thor confirmed.

 

“There’s no risk? There has to be a risk of something going wrong.”

 

“There is no risk whatsoever of damage to your brain. There is, however, a slight risk of additional memories being blocked, or partially blocked. The risk is small and the percentage of memories that may accidentally be lost to you is equally small. You would most likely never even notice.”

 

“Oh, that’s comforting!” Jack snorted. Daniel turned haunted eyes to him. “Sorry,” Jack mumbled.

 

“I’d like to forget,” Daniel whispered, and he began to shake. Jack automatically reached out for him, and Daniel jerked away violently. Jack pulled his hand back quickly. “Sorry, sorry,” Daniel said in a thin voice. “I can’t stand to be touched.”

 

Jack’s mouth worked silently, his hands and shoulders moved, his face and body tried to express what there were no words to say. Daniel’s eyes were locked with his, and Jack grew still, letting his sorrow show. Tears glistened in Daniel’s eyes. “But I want to be touched.” Jack nodded helplessly, and Daniel nodded back.

 

“I think you’d all heal better if I forget, too.”

 

“Jesus, Daniel, this isn’t about any of us! You…you were the one…you were the one who got raped and beaten, and you’re the only one that you need to be thinking about now!”

 

Daniel’s expression froze and then changed subtly. “He didn’t rape me, Jack. Not… Orally, yes. But, not…” He looked away. “He couldn’t sustain an erection long enough to rape me. Which frustrated him into beating me, which made him hard, and then…” Daniel fell silent and finally gave a small shrug. “It could have been worse.”

 

“Bad enough,” Jack managed to choke out.

 

“Yes, bad enough,” Daniel agreed somberly, feeling Thor’s eyes upon him.

 

“Have you made your decision, Dr. Jackson?” Thor asked quietly.

 

Daniel nodded. “I want to forget.”

 

Jack sighed.

 

“We should begin at once,” Thor said.

 

“I’d like a minute alone with Jack first, if you don’t mind,” Daniel said anxiously.

 

“Of course.” Thor exited the room, leaving the two friends eyeing each other uneasily.

 

“Daniel?”

 

“I want you to promise me something,” Daniel said.

 

Jack paled. “You’re going to be fine,” he said hastily. “You heard Thor.”

 

Daniel waved his hand. “No, no. Nothing like that.”

 

“Oh. Okay, what?”

 

“I want you to promise to tell me everything later. When I ask you, I need you to tell me.”

 

Jack’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me?”

 

“You heard me, Jack. I want your word.”

 

“I thought the whole object of this was so that you could forget. What the fuck am I missing here?”

 

Daniel started shaking again. “I don’t want this to come between us. If I know you’re keeping a secret, I might hold it against you.”

 

Jack shook his head. “Daniel…”

 

“Listen, Jack. Just listen. You’d never be the same around me again if you were forced to keep this sort of thing from me. I don’t…” Daniel’s voice cracked. Jack started to reach for him, and before he could pull back, Daniel grabbed hold of his hand. “I refuse to let this drive a wedge between us. Give me your word!”

 

Jack looked down at Daniel’s white knuckled grip and very, very carefully didn’t place his other hand on top and pat comfortingly. “I promise.”

 

Daniel’s hand fell away. “Good,” he gasped. “Good. Don’t worry, it’ll be like hearing a story that happened to somebody else. You won’t hurt me. It’s best for all of us.” He gulped. “I think that drug is starting to wear off.”

 

Jack stood quickly. “I’ll get Thor.” Daniel nodded emphatically. “Right. I’ll see you in a little while, then.” Daniel’s eyes followed him as he backed towards the hallway. “Dr. Jackson.”

 

Made you smile, Jack thought as he ran to find Thor.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~     

 

Thor checked over his equipment one last time. “All is in readiness, Dr. Jackson. Shall we begin?”

 

“I’m feeling very cold,” Daniel said through chattering teeth.

 

“I apologize,” Thor said. “Just one moment.” He crossed into the next room, and Daniel stared at the ceiling and waited. It would all be over soon. A death of sorts. A rebirth. Familiar ground, really. Thor returned with a blanket that had been warmed. As soon as he placed it over him, Daniel felt the cold begin to seep out of his bones. Tucking the blanket around his patient, Thor said, “May I ask you a question?”

 

Daniel had been halfway expecting it. “Sure.”

 

“Why did you lie to O’Neill?”

 

“I didn’t,” Daniel answered, relaxing into his warm cocoon.

 

“I healed your body,” Thor reminded him.

 

“Serrim didn’t rape me,” Daniel said quietly. “He let his guards do that. They drew lots. One in the morning, and two…” He swallowed and looked Thor square in the eye. “But Jack doesn’t need to know that.”

 

“I agree.” Thor inclined his head solemnly.

 

Daniel stared at the ceiling. “Now make me forget.”

 

THE END

Finale: http://http://sid.dreamwidth.org/54122.html 'Healing Touch'