Categories > TV > NCIS > Just Another Day
An hour and a half later found Daniel and Tim in Jack's backyard enjoying a two inch thick t-bone. Daniel and Jack were talking since Tim was too nervous to join the conversation.
McGee swallowed his last bite of steak then sat back and just watched Daniel. It was weird comparing adult Daniel to child Daniel. The Daniel he knew had been shy, closed off, especially around authority figures. But he saw no signs of that child as he watched his foster brother talk and laugh with the General. He was so open and comfortable around the older man. "I....what?"He felt his face heat up at being caught day dreaming. They had been talking about Hockey, hadn't they?
"How long have you known Danny-boy?" Jack repeated his previously ignored question. Taking aa sip of his Genesee then shot Daniel an amused look.
"Oh, um, since we were kids." McGee stumbled over his answer. He didn't know how much the General knew about Daniel's life so he didn't elaborate. If Daniel and Jack's relationship was anything like his and Gibbs, then the other man didn't know much.
Daniel wiped his mouth with his napkin before returning it to his lap. "Tim's family took me in after the accident. I stayed with them until I was sixteen and started my sophomore year of college. By then the state had emancipated me so I figured it was time to get used to being in the real world. You know, like normal college kids? Anyways, I kept in touch for awhile but I started to feel awkward. I mean, they weren't my parents. No matter what they said or did to prove otherwise. So why should they care how my week was or what grade I got in Ancient Cultures? I cut off all contact with them after I refused to let them adopt me." He explained. Talking about his past had once been painful but not anymore. Not since the Gamekeeper broadcasted his most painful memory for his friends and his residents to see.
McGee choked on the sip of water he had just taken. "They wanted to adopt you?" Why hadn't he heard about this before? "Why did you refuse?" He knew Daniel had always wanted a family so why did he pass up the chance to have one?
Jack watched as shock passed over the young NCIS Agents face. He had obviously not known about the purposed and declined offer of adoption, which didn't seem odd. Most families had secrets. Lowering is voice, he decided to answer for his friend. "Daniel is fiercely loyal, something I learned first hand over the years. I imagine that he felt, stop me if I'm wrong Daniel, that by allowing another family to adopt him, he'd be betraying his parents and their memories. They were only thing that was /really /his. He did became an archeologist to follow in their footsteps steps."
"He's right." Daniel told McGee then shot his friend a look. "You don't have /to look /so smug about it." He mumbled and easily dodged and caught the napkin that had been thrown at his head. He retaliated by throwing the napkin back, hitting Jack in the side of the head.
Watching their interaction was almost hypnotizing, McGee thought as he shook his head. Starting to feel left out as the napkin battle escalated, he gathered his courage and plunged into the conversation for the first time. "How long have you known Daniel, Sir?"
"For crying out loud! How many times do I have to ask you to call me Jack?" Jack pointed at Daniel. "It's you're fault that I now feel like I'm living in the twilight zone!" He exclaimed. "I had to beg and plead to get you to use my rank and bribe to get you to use Sir. Now I have one that/won't/ stop!" He sighed. "I work at the Pentagon kid, I have enough people there to kiss my ass. So when I'm at home, I just want to be plain old Jack O'Neill who has a cabin in Minnesota with a lake with or without fish depending on the reality. So please just call me Jack." Now that he had made his point, he was ready to answer the question. "I've known Daniel for almost twelve years and we've been friends for eleven."
McGee tilted his head to the side. "Oh? You weren't friends to start out with?"
Daniel rolled his eyes. "Jack doesn't like scientists. He has no time for them. So when he got stuck with me, he didn't take it very well."
"So what happened to make you two friends?" McGee wanted to know since he knew nothing about Daniel's adult life.
Jack leaned back in his chair. "He saved my life and the lives of my team. I owed him my life, the least I could do was give him my friendship." He said, seriously.
McGee turned his head to look at Daniel, who was looking back, steadily. "I don't understand. Ithought you were an archeologist?"
"I know you don't." Daniel told him, honestly. "And I am an archeologist or at least I was until Iwas laughed out of academia." He didn't sound bitter or resentful at the revelation as he looked at Jack. "Were you able to get him cleared?"
"Took some convincing but I got him clearance. I was certain that I was going to be turned down until I mentioned your name to the IOA. Seems that the Chinese Representive has a soft spot for you." Jack sounded amused. It was a well known fact that Daniel had a way with woman, Alien or otherwise. Well, well known to everyone except Daniel. He was as clueless about the effect he had on woman as the day he joined the Stargate program bound and determined to find his wife, Sha're
"Clearance? IOA? What's going on Daniel?" McGee didn't like not knowing all the facts.
Daniel nodded. "I'll clean up out here so why don't you go ahead and take him inside and fill him in on the basics?"
Jack stood and let out a whistle. A second later a grey Great Dane puppy came running across the yard and towards the deck. "Slow down, Atlantis!" He yelled and was pleased to see the puppy heed his command and slow before bounding onto the deck. Patting the already large dog on the head, he crossed the deck and opened the patio doors that lead into the game room. "Are you waiting for a written invitation?" It wasn't clear if he was talking to Atlantis or McGee, but both stood and followed him inside.
McGee swallowed his last bite of steak then sat back and just watched Daniel. It was weird comparing adult Daniel to child Daniel. The Daniel he knew had been shy, closed off, especially around authority figures. But he saw no signs of that child as he watched his foster brother talk and laugh with the General. He was so open and comfortable around the older man. "I....what?"He felt his face heat up at being caught day dreaming. They had been talking about Hockey, hadn't they?
"How long have you known Danny-boy?" Jack repeated his previously ignored question. Taking aa sip of his Genesee then shot Daniel an amused look.
"Oh, um, since we were kids." McGee stumbled over his answer. He didn't know how much the General knew about Daniel's life so he didn't elaborate. If Daniel and Jack's relationship was anything like his and Gibbs, then the other man didn't know much.
Daniel wiped his mouth with his napkin before returning it to his lap. "Tim's family took me in after the accident. I stayed with them until I was sixteen and started my sophomore year of college. By then the state had emancipated me so I figured it was time to get used to being in the real world. You know, like normal college kids? Anyways, I kept in touch for awhile but I started to feel awkward. I mean, they weren't my parents. No matter what they said or did to prove otherwise. So why should they care how my week was or what grade I got in Ancient Cultures? I cut off all contact with them after I refused to let them adopt me." He explained. Talking about his past had once been painful but not anymore. Not since the Gamekeeper broadcasted his most painful memory for his friends and his residents to see.
McGee choked on the sip of water he had just taken. "They wanted to adopt you?" Why hadn't he heard about this before? "Why did you refuse?" He knew Daniel had always wanted a family so why did he pass up the chance to have one?
Jack watched as shock passed over the young NCIS Agents face. He had obviously not known about the purposed and declined offer of adoption, which didn't seem odd. Most families had secrets. Lowering is voice, he decided to answer for his friend. "Daniel is fiercely loyal, something I learned first hand over the years. I imagine that he felt, stop me if I'm wrong Daniel, that by allowing another family to adopt him, he'd be betraying his parents and their memories. They were only thing that was /really /his. He did became an archeologist to follow in their footsteps steps."
"He's right." Daniel told McGee then shot his friend a look. "You don't have /to look /so smug about it." He mumbled and easily dodged and caught the napkin that had been thrown at his head. He retaliated by throwing the napkin back, hitting Jack in the side of the head.
Watching their interaction was almost hypnotizing, McGee thought as he shook his head. Starting to feel left out as the napkin battle escalated, he gathered his courage and plunged into the conversation for the first time. "How long have you known Daniel, Sir?"
"For crying out loud! How many times do I have to ask you to call me Jack?" Jack pointed at Daniel. "It's you're fault that I now feel like I'm living in the twilight zone!" He exclaimed. "I had to beg and plead to get you to use my rank and bribe to get you to use Sir. Now I have one that/won't/ stop!" He sighed. "I work at the Pentagon kid, I have enough people there to kiss my ass. So when I'm at home, I just want to be plain old Jack O'Neill who has a cabin in Minnesota with a lake with or without fish depending on the reality. So please just call me Jack." Now that he had made his point, he was ready to answer the question. "I've known Daniel for almost twelve years and we've been friends for eleven."
McGee tilted his head to the side. "Oh? You weren't friends to start out with?"
Daniel rolled his eyes. "Jack doesn't like scientists. He has no time for them. So when he got stuck with me, he didn't take it very well."
"So what happened to make you two friends?" McGee wanted to know since he knew nothing about Daniel's adult life.
Jack leaned back in his chair. "He saved my life and the lives of my team. I owed him my life, the least I could do was give him my friendship." He said, seriously.
McGee turned his head to look at Daniel, who was looking back, steadily. "I don't understand. Ithought you were an archeologist?"
"I know you don't." Daniel told him, honestly. "And I am an archeologist or at least I was until Iwas laughed out of academia." He didn't sound bitter or resentful at the revelation as he looked at Jack. "Were you able to get him cleared?"
"Took some convincing but I got him clearance. I was certain that I was going to be turned down until I mentioned your name to the IOA. Seems that the Chinese Representive has a soft spot for you." Jack sounded amused. It was a well known fact that Daniel had a way with woman, Alien or otherwise. Well, well known to everyone except Daniel. He was as clueless about the effect he had on woman as the day he joined the Stargate program bound and determined to find his wife, Sha're
"Clearance? IOA? What's going on Daniel?" McGee didn't like not knowing all the facts.
Daniel nodded. "I'll clean up out here so why don't you go ahead and take him inside and fill him in on the basics?"
Jack stood and let out a whistle. A second later a grey Great Dane puppy came running across the yard and towards the deck. "Slow down, Atlantis!" He yelled and was pleased to see the puppy heed his command and slow before bounding onto the deck. Patting the already large dog on the head, he crossed the deck and opened the patio doors that lead into the game room. "Are you waiting for a written invitation?" It wasn't clear if he was talking to Atlantis or McGee, but both stood and followed him inside.
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