Clearing Skies, Chances of Insight, by Random (PG)

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Jack and Daniel friendship
Pairing: none
Categories: Jack and Daniel friendship, Jack O'Neill, Daniel Jackson, gen, angst, character study, episode related
Warnings: some language
Author on LJ: randomfreshink
Author's Website: Random at Alldanielfic
Link: Clearing Skies, Chances of Insight

Why This Must Be Read: Random gets Jack and Daniel, with all the abrasive edges that still manage to seamlessly fit together.

In this powerful story, we get Daniel, mid-Fallen, remembering without truly understanding the context. So what is he supposed to think when he remembers Reece - that final bleak confrontation, and the subsequent fallout?

Jack takes the opportunity to fix something that he thought he'd never get the chance to repair. But since he's Jack, and Daniel's Daniel... well, of course they can't just sit down and talk. :)

I love how time has given perspective for Jack, even as it has skipped tracks for Daniel; how the ritual Jack chooses suits him so well, yet works for Daniel, too; the reasoning behind Jack's actions in Menace, and how Daniel puts it all together. And most of all, I love Daniel casually wandering after him in the end - because those two click, and they always will.

Full disclaimer: I got to beta this, which means being lucky enough to read it first!


He tugged the ear muffs up and on again, switched his glasses for a new pair of safety glasses since he couldn't find the ones he'd thrown to the floor. Then he lifted his hand, took his time to aim and squeezed off six shots.

Next to him, Jack was already shaking his head and pulling his ear muffs off. Daniel did the same in time to hear Jack mutter a soft, "Oy--two hits. Thinking too much, Daniel."

Daniel turned on him. "And that's the problem? Thinking? Is that always my problem?"

He was breathing hard again, had pushed too close to Jack, but Jack's mouth quirked and the flare of humor in the man's eyes drained Daniel of everything. It left him floundering. Sand could shift like this under you, was just as endlessly fascinating, and Daniel pressed his lips tight. He wished these stray fragments of himself would fit into some kind of pattern…and that Jack wouldn't keep doing this.

But Jack put both hands on Daniel's shoulders, turned him to the target, leaned in and said, "Sometimes. Sometimes not. Trick is to figure out what works best, and when. We don't always get it right, but, hey, a two-hundred batting average isn't bad. And yours is generally higher."

Comments

[randomfreshink.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for the rec -- :)

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Always a pleasure to rec your fics. :) Now write us some more, please - it's been a while!