“Morning, Doctor Jackson,” someone who was not Jack greeted him as he strolled past.
“Oh. Yeah, hi.” 1014.
Fer crying out loud. How typical of Jack to keep him waiting.
Not that he was waiting waiting, of course.
The little ting of the elevator made him jump, and he knew it was Jack. He didn’t have time to ponder his newly-found
psychic powers, as he was too busy being preoccupied in trying to look preoccupied so
that his well-rehearsed hey-Jack-oh-you’re-back cool nonchalance would come off just right.
Jack’s voice drifted out from the opening elevator doors. “…and left
us like that!”
“Lemme guess.” This was a different, new voice. “You shot him?”
“Loved to, but the paperwork
would’ve been such a headache. You know how it is.”
“Mellowing, are we, Jack?” New voice was teasing.
“You wish. I can still kick your ass.” Jack’s voice was equally teasing.
New voice dropped slightly in volume. “Weeeell, that would depend on the activity.”
And Jack laughed.
Daniel had to look. He knew he’d regret it, but he still had to.
Jack was still in dress blues — mmm, dress blues — and so was the newcomer. In fact, newcomer had the
same military-style broad shoulders and well-defined chest, almost-blonde brown
hair, bright brown eyes, and a killer smile.
Which was aimed directly at Jack.
Who was answering with one of his own.
“You challenging me, Major?”
Jack asked, his head leaning close to the newcomer’s.
“Always, Colonel.”
Not only was Jack on full-blown flirt mode, his target was actually reciprocating in equal
force. It was a… a… Flirt Fest. A fuck fuckity Flirt Fest.
Daniel’s stomach didn’t feel so good.
“Oh, hey, Daniel,” Jack said, slowing down to a halt in front of him. “Sheridan, this is Daniel
Jackson, our foremost expert on languages, dead cultures and things to avoid when out in the
field. Daniel, say hi.”
“Doctor Jackson.” Daniel gripped the newcomer’s hand
slightly harder than necessary, but the guy didn’t seem to notice.
“Ah, yes, Jack’s mentioned you.”
“Sheridan’s got a Ph.D. too,” Jack said, his eyes having the audacity to light up as he spoke. “Isn’t
that cool? You don’t see a guy for a couple of years and he shows up with a new
fancy-ass title. Major Doctor. Kinda like Carter, except he actually has a life.”
Was there such a thing as hate on first sight?
“As much as a life as the Air Force allows, of course. But then again, who are you to talk about what
it’s like to have a life, Jack?”
“Hey, I have a life!”
“Sure you do.”
And his ears were uneven.
“Hey, saving the world takes a toll on one’s social engagements.”
“I’ll be sure to remember that excuse the next time someone asks.”
And he blinked funny.
“Anyway, Daniel, he’s here as a new science consultant, for one of the labs, don’t ask me which one,
and he’s to coordinate… something… scientific. I’m going to take him to General
Hammond now, so I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Nice to meet you, Doctor Jackson.”
Daniel seemed to have acquired a mysterious case of lockjaw as he bit out, “You. Too. Major…
Sheridan, was it?”
“Major Jameson, actually. Sheridan’s my first name.”
And his teeth were too big.
Daniel looked down at his cup of coffee, wondering whether it was okay if he decided to throw it at
the next person who happened to walk past him.
No. Wait. Cool. He was cool.
It came with the territory, right? Jack’s orientation being as it was, of course he’d be attracted
to other men. And, well, it wouldn’t be much surprising if other men returned
the sense of attraction. Right? He was okay with it, right?
Jack’s laughter drifted from down the hallway, echoed by Major Toothy’s own chuckling.
And resounding in Daniel’s brain was one big honking NO.
6
The one time Daniel decided to be early for a meeting, and he had to put up with this. ‘This’ being
one extremely hot Colonel and one enamel-ly over endowed Major sitting right next
to each other, too close for one disgruntled Doctor’s comfort.
Where were the other SGC consultants?! It was meeting time! It was highly irresponsible of them
to be late!
“And don’t worry, I’ll talk to Hammond, get you on an active team. You don’t wanna be cooped up on
base all the time, trust me. Out there’s where all the action is.”
My, how nice of you, Jack.
“You don’t have to do that.” Stop grinning, Major Toothy.
“Just consider yourself owing me a favor.”
“Payable how?” Lean any closer and he’d be sprawled all over Jack’s lap.
“Street hockey. You still play?”
“Youbetcha.” What was with the breathy voice thing?!
“How’s the stick handling?”
Even Major Toothy appeared taken aback by that one, but luckily neither noticed how Daniel’s
forehead softly made contact with the table.
“Pretty good, if I say so myself. It’s all in the wrist, you know.”
Surely Jack would pull a muscle if he kept grinning like that. “Hmm. Oh, hey Carter. How’s the
ankle?”
God bless Sam, even if Janet had to push her in a wheelchair to do it.
Jack promptly stood up. So did one Major Sheridan Jameson. Daniel only belatedly so. And he sourly
refused to take the gesture as a mark of a gentleman.
“Getting better,” Sam sighed. “At least I’m mobile.”
Just as Janet parked the invalid next to Daniel, she gave him a speculative look. “You okay,
Daniel?”
“Huh? Yeah. Just a little tired.” Of Major Toothy trying to blind
Jack with his sparkling canines.
“Carter, this is Major Sheridan Jameson, he’s gonna be one of yours. I mean, one of you
coordinating scientist-research officer people. Sheridan, Major Samantha Carter. Don’t ask
me for details, I’m just the escort.”
“How noble of you, Jack.”
“Anyway, I better be going.” Jack stood up.
“For fear of being swarmed by the brainiacs?” Major Toothy could not take
a hint. Shut. Up.
“Dr Harris and Dr Freore should be here soon,” Janet said.
“And that’s definitely my cue to leave.” Jack rolled a shoulder — ooh, muscle action — and then
raised a hand and…
He stretched.
And Daniel’s hands clenched to the armrests, because he did not see Major ‘Oh Sheridan’s My First
Name’ giving Jack a speculative look.
For someone who claimed power of the mystery that was Women’s Intuition, Sam sure didn’t notice that
her friend was fuming. No, instead she was chuckling — chuckling — at whatever
the hell Jameson had said.
Daniel was fighting gravity maintaining his smile. “You and Jack been friends long?”
Apparently Jameson was really proud of his dental work, as Daniel couldn’t find another explanation
for that easy smile. “A bit. We worked together on a top-secret project some time
back. Then he went and did his thing, I went and did my thing, and here we are
again, with another top secret project.”
Yay.
Sam still seemed to think there was something amusing at play, although Daniel couldn’t for the
life of him figure out what.
“I actually find it quite surprising that you and Jack are friends,” Sam said. “He’s always had a
thing against scientists.”
“That’s a bit unfair,” Major Toothy said. “Both of you are scientists, and you’re like family to
him. He’s talked about nothing but you guys for the past two days.”
Family, huh? Family is good. Family is wonderful.
Family is not sexy.
Family is familiar.
Family is boring. Everyday. Banal. Not conducive to sparking wild-monkey-sex thoughts.
You just shut up about incest, Brain.
He tuned out the conversation. Daniel was in a serious self-hate mode. If only Major
Sheridan ‘Big Teeth’ Jameson was genuinely unlikable.
But no.
Shit.
Shitshitshitshit to the power of infinity, shit.
“Daniel? Daniel?” He finally noticed the hand Sam was waving in front of his face.
“Still with us?”
He’d start hating her too, if Sam wouldn’t stop looking like she was enjoying the best private joke
in the world.
Five more minutes in the presence of Major Toothy, and Daniel would have had to relinquish all
responsibility for his actions. As soon as the meeting had been called to an
end, Daniel had grabbed his things and made his way down to the commissary. It
just seemed to be vital that he get there before Major Toothy.
Jack was sitting alone at a table, pondering the spiritual significance of chicken strips. The
jacket of his dress blues was slung casually over an empty chair, and as Daniel strolled
toward it, he had to fight down the unexplainable urge to grab it and run.
“Hey, Daniel.” Jack smiled at him. “How was the meeting?”
Haha! Got here before Major BigTeeth! Channeling his inner five-year-old was always
enjoyable, immaturity aside.
“Wouldn’t want to bore you with details, Jack.”
“Sheridan make a good impression on the rest of you people?”
SheridanSheridanSheridan!
“I guess.” Daniel gave a little shrug.
“You guys’ll get along great.” Jack seemed way too sure of
that. “He’s a cool guy. And he’s one of you. You can bond over… stuff…
Hey, he should be here any moment. Want to join us for lunch?”
I’d rather get a snake put in my head.
“Nah, I’ve got some things to do. I’ll be over there.” Daniel straightened to leave. Make
me stay, Jack.
“You sure? You won’t eat properly if you’re on your own.” Jack grinned at him.
“I can take care of my own eating habits, thank you very much.”
“Aww, come on, Daniel. Don’t tell me your whatchamacallits are better company than me?”
Daniel found himself grinning of his own accord. “Some times, they can be.”
“Hah.” Then Jack raised an eyebrow as though in question.
“I’m fine.” Helluva guy.
“Hey, sorry it took me so long.”
Aaaaaand Major Oversized Chompers makes his entrance. Talk about spoiling the mood.
“Sheridan, grab something, have a seat!” Jack gestured.
“Doctor Jackson, will you be joining us?” Major Super Enamel asked.
“No thanks, I’ll pass. Got things to do.” Daniel waved his notes in his defense as he carefully
backed away and found his own table at a corner. Far away enough to allow himself to
inconspicuously watch Jack’s table, and close enough to at least make out what
they were doing.
Daniel was slowly coming to realize that while he was perfectly fine with Jack being attracted to other
men, the thought of Jack actually being with another man made him, well… sick to the stomach.
Stealing a look at how Jack and Major Sparkling Canines were arranging their cups of Jell-O in a
little pyramid, it was obvious they were more than comfortable in each other’s company. And it also appeared that it was only the restriction of their
being in public that they weren’t leaning further into each other’s personal space.
Images came to Daniel’s mind unbidden. Jack kissing the Major. Breathing on him. Touching him.
The actively sexual Jack was perfectly fine. Major Pearly Whites was the one wrong with the picture.
Jack pushed, but wasn’t pushy. He was like a small kid in that way, poking and prodding at
whatever made him curious, but always keeping a safe distance, and at the firstsign of
trouble was always ready to run (or empty a couple dozen rounds, whichever was
more convenient). He established boundaries, not for his sake but for those
around them, and while he constantly tested the limits of those boundaries, he never overstepped them.
Maybe that’s why Daniel had considered Jack’s casual flirting as relatively harmless. Jack knew
better than to get involved with anyone on base, and not only for the obvious reasons.
Jack needed someone who pushed back. Someone who would test his own boundaries, someone to
challenge him back in ways that no one in the SGC dared to.
Well, except me.
But he doesn’t want me.
Major Polished Molars fit the bill perfectly.
Daniel bit into his pen savagely, trying not to glare too much.
Why doesn’t he want me?
Besides the fact that he thinks I’m straight.
Still, that’s no excuse!
“Jeez, Daniel, you’re pulverizing that pen.”
To Daniel’s credit he did not jump, although inside he was flailing around in an embarrassed panic.
“Hey, Sam. I thought you went back to the infirmary.”
“Please, I want to relish my time away from Janet’s evil clutches.” She gave him a gentle smile.
“Aren’t you going to eat?”
“I don’t think I have much of an appetite today.”
Sam nodded, as though that explained everything. “You don’t look so good. You need some exercise.
Let’s take a trip to my lab.”
“No, I—”
“Wheel me to my lab, Daniel.” Sam’s voice allowed for no arguments. “Now.”
Daniel did as he was told, more out of preservation of his own skin than anything else. Sam was
mercifully quiet during the trip, but the silence only lasted until they arrived.
“What?” Although Daniel had a rough idea of what was coming.
“Daniel, you okay?”
He was beginning to despise that question.
But no. Daniel’s nice.
Just nice.
Not hot, or charming or apparently anyone worth flirting with.
Sam then added, “Meow, Daniel.”
“Excuse me?”
“The meeting?” Sam asked. “You were hitting Major Jameson pretty hard. Almost as though you think
he’s not good enough for the Stargate program.”
“Well, you can never be too sure,” Daniel said. “It’s a big responsibility. Just wanted him to
fully understand what he’s getting himself into.”
“I’m sure," she replied wryly. “And this has nothing to do with how friendly he is with the
Colonel?”
“He’s friendly with Jack? Hadn’t noticed.”
Sam rolled her eyes. “I've worked with Major Jameson before. Not as long as the colonel did, but
long enough to know that he’s a good man. One of the few I know that will do actual good
in the Stargate program. But it’s not about him, is it?”
He narrowed his eyes at her.“Are you invoking the Women’s Intuition now?”
That got a little chuckle out from Sam, at least. “Tell me the truth. How do you feel about the
possibility of Jack being…” She tilted her head in question.
“The truth?” Daniel looked her square in the eye. “I'm fine with it. And besides, that has nothing
to do with the Major. Besides, what kind of name is Sheridan anyway? What sort of
parents would inflict that name onto a child? And Jack may have known him a lot
longer, but so what? What does that have to do with my honest reservations concerning his abilities regarding this project? Just because he's a
scientist AND in the Air Force doesn't make him more qualified. Hell, I’ve been working
here for years and I’m not even sure what I'm doing half the time!”
“You done now?”
The nonchalant question took some wind out of Daniel a little. He gave a sheepish nod.
“Okay, let’s try this again, shall we? How do you feel?”
“The truth is that the thought of Jack with any man makes my skin crawl," he muttered.
“Any man but you, you mean.”
Daniel stood up quickly. “I know you mean well, Sam, but I… I’m not good at this… thing.”
Sam nodded silently, if a little skeptically.
Daniel said awkwardly. “I’ll be in my office.”
“Go home, Daniel. Take a breather. Major Jameson will be here constantly for the next few days,
settling in and getting things running.” She looked directly at Daniel. “You’ll
need it.”
“I’ll do that.” Daniel started to leave, then slowly turned to look at her again. “By the way,
you were making one hell of a big assumption. I could have just been of the phobic
persuasion.”
Sam smiled. “And Jack really does always follow the straight-and-narrow path.” Daniel was already
heading for the exit when Sam added, “Don’t think I can’t tell the difference between
admiration and… admiration. It isn’t such a big leap to take, is it?”
7
Upon consideration, Daniel would be the first to admit that all this internal drama bullshit was
just that. Bullshit.
Still, self-awareness meant nothing if he still insisted on acting like a complete and utter moron
over the matter.
His earlier resolution was in a complete shambles by the time the mid-week rolled around. Jameson
was, he had to grudgingly admit, very good at what he was supposed to be doing. And apparently whatever it was Jameson was in the labs for, it was
interesting enough for Jack to drop in. And of course, being Jack in an environment that he
was not built for, he was very… Jack.
SGC-speak for ‘annoying the hell out of you’.
“So, what does this do?”
Jameson didn’t even bother to identify whatever it was that Jack was looking at. “It causes impotency
in whoever touches it.”
Jack’s hand froze. “No, it doesn’t.”
“Sure it does. Try touching it and find out.”
The hand carefully retracted itself. “So… what do you want it to do?”
Daniel secretly gagged as he absently collected the wayward artifact he needed from one of the
tables (and presumably return impatiently to his own, no doubt just as important, research).
Jameson was interesting enough it seemed to warrant almost daily visits from Jack. And between
the two of them, they had enough charm to fell any disapproving glares from the other
scientists.
As opposed to when Jack visited Daniel, because what he would get was dust and allergies and
people with serious social communication defects. And enough sarcasm to fuel a couple
dozen half an hour sitcoms.
Daniel had earlier decided to embrace all his doubts and insecurities regarding his fledgling
feelings for Jack. Denial had brought him to this mess, and denial would not help now.
So he had whole-heartedly embraced the fact that he was jealous.
Daniel had taken to having his lunches (and every other meal) within the safety of his office. A man should not be tested so, he
thought bitterly. Everywhere he went, there they were like a pair of very paired up things.
Maybe if Teal’c were there, he’d find someone to commiserate with. Or at least someone who could do
a very good impression of attentive listening.
He didn’t dare risk Sam’s potential ‘I told you so’. Or worse, if she decided to play matchmaker
with Janet.
Daniel shuddered, and looked down on his plate.
Commissary food sucked.
Nothing like a change of perspective to see just exactly what you missed.
At least they were discreet enough to not be caught playing footsie, but dammit, he wanted to be
the one who made Jack go all happy-happy flirting mode. He wanted to be the one who was
the focus of Jack’s attention. He wanted to be the one who could openly appreciate what a great guy Jack was.
And the painful twist of it, once upon a time, he could have been.
Now he was only one of the many, orbiting but never touching down.
8
Having made peace with the unfortunate truth in the circumstances, Daniel had worked himself into
a routine of petty loathing and become quite comfortable with it, thank you very
much, right until the moment Sergeant Siler, of the wrench, upturned it with a throwaway question.
“How long are you gonna be
angry at the Colonel, Doctor Jackson?” Siler wasn’t even looking at him
when the question was asked, being too preoccupied with the potential near future of
death by SGC ventilation system-related electrocution.
“Angry? What are you talking about?” Daniel asked.
Siler blinked repeatedly, as though suddenly remembering to whom he was talking to. “Sorry sir, none
of my business.”
Daniel could have left it at that, but no.
“What makes you think I’m angry at Jack?”
“No reason, sir. Would you look at that, we’ve got corrosion,” Siler segued smoothly. “I’ll go get
my other toolbox from the store room.” He jumped down from his ladder, only to
come face to face with an intent Daniel.
Daniel made an indignant sound, which Siler pretty much took to be his last chance of getting
the hell out of there. So he did, leaving Daniel alone and scowling at the door.
Just because he was currently cooped up in his room, listlessly looking at the translation work in
front of him, did not mean he was sulking. He was just taking a break, that was all.
Even if the break was in its 15th minute and counting. Or that his mind was filled with
thoughts and speculation about Jack. About Jameson. About Jack and Jameson. Together.
Doing things. Together. Non-military things. Things that might be involving too
much showing of teeth.
Together.
He carefully unclenched his fingers. At any other given moment, he would have been horrified at how
he’d almost crumpled up some priceless ancient alien text, but he was too busy not stewing.
He was not sulking either.
He was not sulking to stew. Not even if every thing he did sparked a thought and that thought
invariably would return to Jack.
Or pretzels.
Pretzels?
The naked kind.
Daniel sighed, eyes drifting down to the ladder that Siler had abandoned in his haste to get out of
there. He decided that he might as well return the ladder to the poor man, and take the time
to get out of his office.
“Doctor Jackson.”
The voice echoed down the hallway, spoken in that true authoritative manner that Daniel
intellectually knew better than to hate.
A long second while he composed his features, and then he turned, face blandly interested.
“Yes?”
The good major took his time walking towards Daniel, making him stand there like… like…
Like a flunky.
If Daniel had laser vision, there would be a pile of cinders… right there.
“If you're not busy Doctor, may I have a moment of your time?" Sheridan asked, all politeness and
courtesy.
Daniel shrugged and kept walking.
“Doctor Jackson, I should warn you, I can be just as persistent and annoying as Jack when I want
to be,” Jameson began, easily keeping up with Daniel’s long strides.
Well, it explains why you two are friends then, Daniel thought cattily.
Jameson continued casually, “So you might as well stop trying to scurry off and give me the one
minute I’m asking.”
“Fine. What?”
“By the looks of things we're going to be working together for quite a while, you do know that,
right?”
Daniel did not bother to answer the obvious.
Jameson pressed on, “And if you don't like me for whatever reason, that's fine, too. But it's
unfair to Jack.” There was a calculating feel in his next words as he reminded needlessly, “He's your team leader.”
Daniel stopped abruptly, taking petty pleasure in seeing Jameson belatedly realizing so.
“Look, Major… Jameson. I am not the most friendly guy in this place. Don't mistake my natural
reticence for some sort of obscure vendetta against you.”
The mild condescension either did not register or was ignored. "Big words scare Jack off, not me,”
Jameson said mildly.
Daniel began walking again. “I was merely trying to explain. Lucky for me you managed to
understand. Now if you don’t mind…”
And Jameson was in front of him, all 6 foot something of the major suddenly blocking his path,
forcing Daniel to halt his determined stride.
“Jack’s a persistent guy,” Jameson said.
“You noticed,” Daniel said carelessly.
“Yes.” Jameson’s voice was surprisingly low when he added. “But he
knows where he’s not wanted. He… misses bugging you. You’re more
irritable. In a good way, of course.”
“A good way. Of course,” Daniel said, surprising even himself with all-new levels of sarcasm.
“It’s just all part of the job description.”
Daniel was pretty sure that that muscle twitch was Jameson resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
“Doctor Jackson. Your opinion – your acceptance – means a great deal to him.”
Acceptance? What the hell is he blabbing about now?
He was about to start walking away again, when he was suddenly struck with the image of Jack, in his
office, eyes down to the floor, saying that Daniel was the last person in the world
he’d thought to worry about.
Oh.
Jameson stuffed his hands in his pockets, satisfied. “Good.”
Without a backward glance, Daniel made a tactical retreat to his office, leaving the
ladder to Jameson’s mercy.
Daniel unconsciously slumped on his desk, wondering why the murkier terrains of history were much
more easier to navigate than human emotions.
What a day, Dr Jackson, to be told off by someone you’ve made a point to dislike.
About Jack no less.
Daniel sighed again. He hadn’t thought he was being obvious. Of course, thinking back, his
actions were as subtle as a sack of bricks dropped from a great height, but still.
And this is guilt.
He hadn’t thought that Jack would notice.
As soon as he thought the thought, he knew it was a foolish thought. But, in a moment of spite,
which had quickly snowballed into acts of random madness, he didn't think Jack would
notice. After all, he was too busy with his new friend. His old friend.
But there really wasn't anything to be upset about. It wasn't like that Jack was his... his....
it wasn't like they weren’t full-grown men capable of mature adult decisions.
Okay, so maybe a bit upset.
Then he remembered that lunch at the cafeteria. He had been sitting quite a
distance away, but even so the easy camaraderie between Jack and Jameson had been
clear. And every moment since then, to be perfectly honest, he’d acted
like a complete jackass.
All right, make that a lot upset.
Aww, crap.
8
Daniel was a man with a purpose. One goal in particular was to make the little echo in his head
stop, the one that had Jameson’s voice and kept saying, He thinks you’re avoiding him, over and over again.
Gripe as he might, there was some truth to that.
And he hadn’t done anything to make Jack think otherwise.
Also, Daniel’s brain added treacherously, he hadn’t done anything to make Jack think he was okay with… with…
Jack’s stereophonic sexuality.
Oh no.
That little drop in his stomach had to be yet another wave of guilt settling in.
He’d been mean to Jack. That was the last thing he’d wanted to do, because the whole purpose of
self-pity was to inflict pain upon oneself, thus saving wear and tear on everyone else’s
feelings.
He wouldn’t apologize for being irritated, but he would apologize for being a jerk.
“Sergeant, have you seen Colonel O’Neill?”
“No, sorry, Doctor Jackson.”
“Thanks.”
Daniel rarely if ever had to corner Jack down, on base or off, because Jack did more than enough
cornering for both of them. And by the look of it that arrangement had been a good thing
because Daniel was just now discovering that he absolutely sucked at hunting
Jack down, a considerable feat considering they were stuck under a goddamn mountain.
How the hell did Jack do it?
“Excuse me, Airman?”
“Yes, Doctor Jackson?”
“Have you seen Colonel O’Neill?”
“The physical labs, I think.”
Well, at least he was getting some exercise.
Taking an intrepid peek through the open entrance into the physical labs, Daniel noted that
they were empty, save for two science personnel, Major Carter, Major Jameson and Major
Jameson’s Oozing Charm, which surely had acquired an identity all it’s own.
“Whoa, that’s pretty cool,” Jameson was saying.
“Yeah, well.” Sam shrugged casually. “And what about you?”
Momentarily putting aside his extreme allergy to Jameson, Daniel leaned in the doorway and asked,
“Sorry to interrupt, but have you guys seen Jack?”
“General Hammond asked to see
him,” Sam said. “He should be in his office, or the briefing room.”
“Okay, thanks.” Daniel took off before Jameson could say anything.
When Daniel reached the briefing room, General Hammond was nowhere to be seen, but Jack was
standing by his desk, scowling daggers at an open folder in his hands.
“Jack. You busy?”
Jack looked up sharply, face actually lighting up when he saw him. “Daniel!”
Daniel found himself doing a double take. The last time he’d gotten butterflies in his stomach had
been, what, in high school?
“Actually I am kinda busy.” Jack waved the folder at him, and gave a long-suffering sigh. “Mission
proposals. Ugh. Did you want something?”
Daniel opened his mouth. Then closed it. He’d spent about an hour scouring the base for Jack, and in
all that time hadn’t even paused to ponder what he’d actually say when he found him.
Jack gave the folder a restless shake. “Daniel? I gotta get this done by the end of the day
so…”
Oh, right, he’d come to apologize.
“Ah yes, Colonel, are you done with those?” General Hammond had appeared in the doorway behind
him, cutting off whatever he’d been about to say.
“Sir, yes, sir,” Jack said, moving past Daniel toward General Hammond.
“Good, there are some final things I need you to look over,” Hammond said, taking out another small
file from the small stack in his hands.
“For crying out… Yes, sir.”
“Shouldn’t takemore than a few minutes. Have a seat. And pass it to Alice when you’re done, will
you?”
Jack nodded curtly as General Hammond disappeared again, not that Daniel noticed. He was too busy
hovering uncertainly as Jack took a seat and practically tore the file open.
“You in a rush, Jack?” Daniel asked.
“Big game on tonight.” Jack said, eyes skimming the pages quickly. “End of the season.”
“Ah. You going to watch it with Jameson then?”
“Yeah, right. I see enough of the guy on base, why would I want to spend my
free time with him, too?”
Something in Daniel’s stomach was twisting funnily, and it was that bit that was reminding him that hey, Jack spent time with Daniel off-base and they saw even more of
each other during work. Huh.
Also, Jack had a very aesthetically-pleasing head, especially with the way tufts of hair
always ended up sticking at awkward angles by the end of the day.
Argh. Now was not the time to stall.
Still, it wasn’t supposed to be like this. Jack was supposed to be
look him right in the eye, and in doing so Daniel would instinctively know what to say.
It was difficult to apologize when the recipient was more concerned with budget numbers and imminent
hockey glory.
Before Daniel could figure anything out, Jack bellowed an, “Okay, I am done!”
He slammed his palm down on the file and practically jumped out of the
chair. “I’ll be seeing you, much later.”
Jack could move quickly when motivated, leaving Daniel to stumble awkwardly after him into the
hallway, his legs doing a strange indecisive walk-jog-run after Jack, who by then was
already waiting at the elevators.
Now or never.
“Jack!”
“Hey. I’m kinda in a hurry so—”
“I know, I know.” Theoretically, a simple ‘sorry’ would have done, but Daniel knew it
wouldn’t be enough. There were other things there, other issues to be addressed and balances to be kept, and there had to be a way to accomplish that
within a few syllables. “We…”
Jack was looking at him. Closely. Curiously. “We what?”
“We’re okay, right? About… about everything?” And Daniel did something he had never done before,
which was to reach out a hand and pat Jack on the arm.
Jack blinked, and then broke out into a dazzling grin. “We’re okay.”
“Okay,” Daniel said tightly, unable to look away.
“Cool.” He returned the gesture with a little mock-punch at Daniel’s shoulder.
Ting.
Jack stepped in. “Have a good weekend, Daniel.” He gave a little open-palm wave just as the doors
slid shut.
Daniel smiled to himself. And then doubt assailed him. Jack did know what he meant, right?
Right?
9
And that final thought nagged at him (in a strangely familiar voice) for the rest
of the day, even as he attempted to bury himself in work, gave up, checked out
for the day, drove home, made some half-hearted attempt at dinner, ruined his
half-hearted attempt at dinner, and finally got into his car to head to Jack’s.
He blamed Jameson, for reasons obvious.
He blamed Sam, because she was the one who’d started it all.
But most of all, he blamed Jack for having turned his world upside down without
even realizing it.
Even as he looked out the window of his car and caught movement on Jack’s
observation deck, Daniel refused to acknowledge the reason he was really there.
It was likely to have something to do with swooping in and claiming territory,
but that line of thought was a little too Neanderthal for even Daniel to contemplate.
The absolute thing Daniel wanted was for things to be back the way they were before.
Oh, for life to have a stop and rewind button.
Daniel could not rest until he made things right. Proper. Balanced. Whatever. Back to
the way before, when things were simpler, and Jack was nothing more than his
irritating yet reliable friend and occasional CO.
Yeah, that helped his ego.
Thoughts of a possible panic attack flew across Daniel’s mind as he made his way up onto Jack’s
roof, but the body was working on autopilot.
If there was anything Daniel had learned during his some years of traipsing across the galaxy, it was that
his instincts could always be trusted to bring forth results. Sure, not always the
results he wanted, but at this point he’d settle for anything.
He hadn’t a clue exactly how he was about to broach the topic to Jack but he figured he’d figure
that out eventually. He was calm. He was cool. He was mature. And his target was suitably
oblivious to his presence, sitting cross-legged on the observation deck, a
small portable lamp set next to him and…
Holy fuckin’ fishsticks.
Jack was wearing glasses. Rectangular, rimless, with thin silver frames.
Daniel was pretty sure that on their own the glasses were harmless, but perched on Jack’s nose they
upped the hotness factor of the man to damn well scorching.
It was sound of Daniel’s wheezing that got Jack’s attention, causing him to drop his book in
surprise. “Jeez, Daniel, what the hell are you doing sneaking around like that?!”
Daniel gaped, blinking repeatedly as Jack stood up to approach him.
“Well, this is a surprise, Doctor Jackson,” Jack said cheerfully. “Come on up, it’s been a while
since you’ve visited this place.” He reached out a hand to Daniel, who didn’t
notice when Jack hauled him up. Didn’t even notice when Jack started frowning, for all
his attention was focused on the pair of bifocals.
Bifocals? Oh no, not just bifocals.
Fuck-me bifocals.
“What’re you staring at, Daniel? Have I got something on my—” Jack asked, raising a hand to his
face. His fingers touched the rims, and his eyes immediately widened. “Oh shit.”
Daniel stared.
Jack’s voice dropped to low and threatening as he said, “Daniel, I swear to god that if you tell
anyone I have reading glasses, I will destroy every single pair of yours, do I make
myself perfectly clear?”
Daniel swallowed.
“Daniel?”
Daniel was sure that some part of his brain registered whatever half-baked threats Jack was
making. But there was another part that was making his arm move on their own volition. He
was merely being helpful, he told himself. Look at them, perching precariously on
Jack’s nose. Those glasses were about to fall off on their own anyway.
Well, it was perfectly obvious to Daniel, but it was possible that Jack would
misunderstand the way he was gently pushing the glasses back up his nose. So
that same part of his brain made his mouth say softly:
“Payback.”
Jack blinked.
Daniel blinked twice.
Did he just…
Ok, so not with the not-throwing-yourself-at-the-Colonel program here. Time for
damage control.
He needed to apologize quickly, before the misunderstanding he was hoping to
correct got worse.
Breathing in deeply, he opened his mouth to say—
Only to realize Jack was studying him closely, his eyes peering
over his fucking fuck-me glasses.
Vaguely, Daniel wondered if he ever thought that glasses could be that sexy.
More clearly, he thought, what the hell.
He was sure there were a million good reasons why it never was a good
idea to kiss the commanding officer of your team, but at that moment, he
couldn’t remember a single one of them.
Daniel distantly registered Jack making a sound like ‘oof’ as he was thrown back against a railing,
but he was too busy getting his lips acquainted with Jack’s. The kiss was sloppy, his
nose was pressing into Jack’s cheek and their frames were clinking together,
but all the same, it was the hottest. Thing. Ever.
Jack was the hottest thing ever.
Daniel was just coming to terms with that fact when he felt Jack’s hands gently grip his upper arms and
force him a respectable distance away.
Daniel was smiling stupidly, and why should he be? Why shouldn’t
he take what he wanted? He’d been a good boy for so long, it was only fair.
The stunned look on Jack’s face was well worth it, too.
“Well,” Jack coughed. “Seems my gaydar has been malfunctioning.”
“I’d say so,” Daniel agreed.
There was that stunned look again. “Before you say another word, we’re taking this inside.
Now, Daniel.”
Once inside, Daniel looked around uncertainly. Funny how familiar surroundings could look
terrifying and new in the light of sudden revelations.
Even just looking at Jack in
his home surroundings didn’t have that calming effect it once did.
“Jack?”
Jack’s voice was flippant when he said, “Daniel, I’m really very sorry for dumping it on you like
that. You deserve better, and I should have mentioned it to you before, but I kinda
figured that it wasn’t all that important.”
It took Daniel a moment to realize what Jack was really saying. But by then he was too stunned to
reply.
“Hey, you’re only human, and theres no need to be embarrased.” This was Jack being cautious, hands in his pockets and the coffee table
standing between them. “Curiosity has always been one of your greatest, uh, talents.”
Daniel gaped. “No, Jack, I—”
“Daniel! You’re not thinking clearly. Go home. Give it some time, you’ll see that it’s…” Jack’s hand
made a crazy waving motion.
“Excuse me, no, it’s not—” Daniel imitated the
waving motion with flourish. “It’s me. And you. Me and you.
I want… I want you. What, you don’t think I’m good enough for you?”
That made Jack sputter indignantly. “That’s not what I said.”
“Then what are you saying?” Daniel snapped. “That because I find you attractive, it’s got to be
mistake? I don’t know myself enough to know what I want?”
“That’s not what I said.”
“Then what are you saying? You don’t find me attractive?”
“Beside the point.”
“It’s very much the point, Jack! If you don’t find me attractive, then you better just come
out and say it!”
“You’re very attractive!”
“Really?!”
“Yeah!”
“Then what are we shouting about?!”
“I don’t know!”
Jack deflated, and took a moment to press the heel of his palm against his forehead. “You don’t
just wake up one morning gay, Daniel. It doesn’t work that way.”
Daniel crossed his arms. “Who cares how it works?” he asked, some of his frustration seeping through.
“Look at what we do for a living. We have our conceptions of the universe turned
around on a daily basis, so me liking you – a lot – is really all that farfetched?” He came closer to the
wary Colonel, carefully keeping his arms close.
“And besides,” Daniel shrugged. “This is all your fault.”
Jack’s eyes widened behind the glass. “How did you get to that
conclusion?”
“You flirt like a hussy. And you dare call me a cheap date.”
Jack sputtered. “I do not flirt!”
“Yes, you do.”
“Do not!”
“Yes, you do.”
“Do NOT!”
“Jack, you do. You have no respect for other people’s personal space, you can’t seem
to get through a conversation without using some sort of innuendo, and you get all touchy-feely for no reason
whatsoever—”
“Okay, maybe I flirt a little bit,” Jack conceded.
Daniel bit back a tart retort and merely answered, “That’s an understatement.”
Jack looked like he wanted to say something, but he paused, considering. Slow realization passed over Jack’s face. “You
were – no, you couldn’t have been…”
“What? No! Of course not.”
“You were!”
“No, I wasn’t.”
“You so were!”
“Well, you were busy flaunting your hotness!”
Jack looked pleased. “You think I’m hot?”
“I don’t think,” Daniel said pointedly. “Just look at you! I’m only human,
Jack, and you shouldn’t have been wearing those damn dress blues in the first
place.”
“I’m… sorry?” Jack’s grin was going to be the death of him.
“Sure you are. But anyway - and the - I mean, and then
there’s the…” His eyes glazed over as he focused on Jack’s glasses.
“Gyuuuhh…”
Jack squinted down at his newest accessory. “I thought I looked kinda stupid in them.”
That did it. Daniel used what little calm he had left to place his glasses on the coffee table, and
then launched himself at Jack.
Jack would have to realize that Daniel meant business now rather than later, and if that meant a judicious application of
violence on Daniel’s part, well, he’d always been the sort who was all for the greater
good.
Jack could have gotten away easily, of that Daniel was certain. Whatever the case, Jack only managed a
breathy “Whoa, Daniel!” before being backed up against the wall and getting his wrists
locked between Daniel’s fingers.
He carefully took off those
confounding wire-frames and said, “Shut up, Jack.” It was easier to
kiss Jack than to talk, so that was what Daniel did. There was no flair or
panache in his technique, but he must have been doing something right, because soon enough
Jack was making interesting little noises in the back of his throat.
A quick maneuver and Jack’s
hands were free, though this time they landed on Daniel’s hips,
bringing him in closer and – oh yeah!
“Second door to the left, isn’t it?” Daniel gasped between kisses.
“What?” Jack asked.
“Your bedroom,” Daniel all but snarled.
“Uh…”
But Daniel wasn’t going to wait for answer, opting instead to grab a fistful of Jack’s shirt and
hope that he got the hint. Which he did, thank god, allowing them to navigate drunkenly
pass a few chairs, a table and a staircase toward the ever-elusive O’Neill
master bedroom.
Once there, there was much more in the way of kissing and groping, as well as several
uncoordinated attempts to disrobe. Daniel finally lost his balance at the foot of the bed, grappling
uselessly for Jack’s arms as he toppled backwards onto the spread.
Biting back a curse, Daniel opened his eyes to see Jack still standing at the foot of the bed,
looking at him.
“What?” Daniel snapped, feeling awkward and clumsy all over again.
“Nah,” Jack said, his sudden
grin almost maniacal. “Just enjoying the view.”
“Well, could you enjoy the
view a little closer?” Daniel huffed, and pushed himself up, one hand
in front of him to tug at Jack's pants. Jack let himself be pulled forward until
his knees bumped against the edge of the bed, thus allowing Daniel free access to
start undoing Jack’s pants.
“You know what I think?” Jack asked conversationally as he helped tug Daniel’s shirt over his head,
“I think you have absolutely no idea what you’re doing.”
“That’s never stopped me before,” Daniel pointed out, finally getting Jack’s
fly open. Jack was about to respond to that, but the words turned into a very interesting
moan that Daniel decided he had to hear more often.
Daniel let his gaze travel upwards from the open fly, up across the flat
stomach and chest, and finally resting on Jack’s nicely bewildered expression.
Daniel realized that he was grinning. And because he wasn’t the sort to leave
it well alone, he just had to comment, “Cat got your tongue?”
Suddenly he was flat on his back, six-foot something of Colonel on top of him.
In Daniel’s recent musings, he’d wondered what it would be like to have
another man on top of him. He’d had a vague inkling as to the kind of rush it
could be to get as much as he could give, but that inkling had been way off that mark.
Mostly because he wasn’t with just another man.
He was with Jack, and that made all the difference.
Jack, who was grinning between kisses, who waggled his eyebrows as he yanked
Daniel’s pants off, and who burst out laughing when Daniel started cursing in
Abydonian.
Whoever said that laughter during sex was bad, obviously hadn’t known Jack.
That was a good thing, come to think of it.
It was also a good thing that at least one of them knew what was going on,
for soon enough Daniel felt Jack move in between his legs, scissoring them
together and bringing his crotch up to meet Jack’s hipbone. Glorious pressure
bloomed in his gut, making him gasp.
Still, it wasn’t anywhere near enough for Daniel, so he tightened his grip,
wrapping a thigh firmly around Jack’s waist and locking him down.
“Fuck…” Jack gasped, mouth somewhere near his shoulder. He was thrusting back,
shoulders shaking with the effort.
All Daniel knew was that it still wasn’t enough. He needed to get closer
somehow – closer and harder and he was pushing with all he had and it still
wasn’t enough.
“Jack… I…” Daniel gasped.
It was possible that Jack heard him, because he suddenly shifted to the
side and then ground down sharply, ripping the orgasm out of Daniel.
Like flying, only without the nausea. Definitely no nausea.
A little sore throat, maybe.
Then there was the matter of watching Jack come, all cursing and moaning,
and gripping his shoulder so hard Daniel knew there would be bruises
tomorrow.
They lay there, all sweaty and sticky, until Jack finally decided to let
Daniel breathe and rolled off him.
10
Daniel was fascinated. There were a number of activities in reference to Jack
and Jack’s bed that Daniel’s libido had come up with, but this was not one
of them. Not by a long shot.
“Will you stop staring?” Jack asked, turning to give Daniel a mildly
irritated look.
“You’re cutting your toenails,” Daniel pointed out.
Jack stared at him. “Yeah. I do that when they grow too long.” He lifted his
foot and wiggled his toes at Daniel. “Long toenails. Must cut.”
“The domestic mundanity of this is just too surreal.”
“You rather I toe you until you bleed to death?” Jack bent back over his
foot and started clipping again.
“Well, no,” Daniel said slowly.
It was just spectacularly wrong that they were both naked, in bed
together, wide awake, and the only action to be had was that of a nail clipper.
“So… You and Jameson.” Daniel reached out and poked Jack in his lower back.
“Whaddaboutit?”
“Were you guys ever…” Daniel trailed off.
“Ever what?”
“Ever a thing.”
Jack snorted. “Not my type.”
“Really? Why?”
Jack shrugged as he carefully placed his toenail clippings on the side
table. “Guy didn’t annoy me enough.”
“Is that an insult?”
“Make of it what you will, but you’re the one who’s warming my sheets. Scoot
over!” Jack slid under the covers, immediately shimmying over to spoon over by
Daniel’s side.
“Now we’re getting somewhere.”
Jack huffed a sigh as he skimmed his lips across Daniel’s breastbone. “Give the old man some
time to recover, whydoncha?”
Daniel stroked Jack’s hips gently. “I am trying to help, you
know.”
“So Daniel… You’ve been thinking indecent thoughts about me since you found out about my lack
of preference, huh?”
“A little. But mostly I was being confused.”
“Oh. Yeah well, you’re you and all.”
Daniel stifled a moan as Jack’s tongue grazed a nipple. “Have you… Have you ever thought about
me?”
Jack stopped with the licking, propping his chin on Daniel’s chest. “Hmm. No, I don’t think
so.”
Daniel scowled down at him. “Why not?”
“Because it’s dangerous to want what you can’t have,” Jack said.
There was a smile as Jack said it, but Daniel thought he heard the slightest of tremors that made
his stomach feel the bad sort of funny. Even after the events of the past few days,
Daniel knew better than to point it out.
So instead, he tugged Jack up for a kiss, the first one they’d had so far that was not punctuated by
any sort of desperate groping.
“That’s nice,” Jack, always the eloquent one, said afterward.
Daniel smiled. Maybe there’d be talking later, maybe there wouldn’t. For now, he was in bed with
Jack, a man who had no qualms about clipping his toenails in bed. Good enough.
11
Meanwhile, the world continued spinning. And it was Monday again.
Daniel didn’t know what to expect when he went back to work. To be sure, in the cosmic sense,
nothing had changed. But some profound evolution had occurred
in Daniel’s little universe, and now he was wondering if it would be
evident enough for all to see.
He’d showered a little longer than usual that morning, hands moving on water-slick skin, trying to
remember all the places Jack had touched, even if it seemed he was taking extra care
trying to rid of the evidence instead.
He dressed himself, and drove to work, feeling some fundamental shift in the way he moved, and walked, and talked. More
than sure that everyone could tell what he had done, he could feel
a mark burning into his chest and those bestowed with military eyes would see it burning bright
scarlet.
Yet, as he passed the SGC’s primary checkpoint and went down the elevator, he made it all the way
to his office without a single out-of-place glance or greeting. As if things hadn’t changed
at all.
By the time Daniel for the scheduled rendezvous in the control room, Jack was already there, hands
in his pockets and dressed to the SGC nines with the only dishevelment being a slightly messed-up collar. He didn’t look like a guy who had just, a
few hours earlier, given Daniel a quickie in his hallway before sending him home.
“Are you sure it’s not time yet?” Jack was asking Sergeant Davis. “Teal’c does have this thing for
punctuality, and he’s never missed a mark yet.”
“We’ll find out soon, sir,” Davis replied, just before turning slightly in his chair and adding,
“Good morning, Major Carter. Dr. Jackson.”
“Good morning, Davis,” Sam said.
“Morning,” said Daniel.
At the sound of his voice, Jack’s head slowly swiveled around. There was nothing all that
different in the gaze, either. Right there were the same eye crinkles and slow smile, just the
sort Daniel and various other SGC persons had been receiving well over the past half decade.
“Good morning, Daniel,” Jack said.
Daniel panicked. “Uh.”
But Jack had already turned away. “Morning, Carter.”
“Good morning, sir,” Sam said, oblivious to the fact she was stealing Daniel’s line.
“Hmm, must’ve been a productive weekend, eh Carter?” Jack asked.
“Yes, sir it was. I got a lot of work done.”
“I’m sure you did,” Jack said.
It looked like the beginning of another at-the-Control-Room-waiting-for-the-wormhole banter. Except
Daniel had lost the script along the way.
He could choose to remain standing where he is, or he could try stealing subtly across, to stand
by Jack’s side. He could reply a pithy observation. He could try smiling secretly
at Jack. He could make signals to Sam.
He could, for the sake of theory, act normal.
But what was normal in the universe where Daniel had just spent a very pleasurable 52 hours
molesting, and being molested by, Jack?
Daniel was too busy thinking to notice that Jack was no longer paying even half-interest at the
Stargate. Instead, his easy smile had suddenly sharpened into a scowl, eyes fixated somewhere
above Daniel’s eyeline.
“Hey, what’s that?” Jack said. “Don’t move!”
Daniel froze, but not out of obedience. “What?”
“That!” Jack said.
Daniel remained frozen as
Jack’s hand moved towards his head with a sort of horrified caution,
and he felt the slightest of touches against his hair.
“Dandruff,” Jack said, looking very concerned.
“I don’t have dandruff,” Daniel said, insulted. “I take good care of my—”
The fingers were still there. He could feel them there, and in
fact, the thumb had descended against the outer shell of his ear and was…
Oh!
“Right there!” Jack said,
still squinting at Daniel’s follicles. “Ain’t that right, Carter?”
“You have the closer look,
sir,” Sam said, her expression caught between propriety and amusement.
The thumb was still doing something with Daniel’s ear, and he was sure that it wasn’t touching.
No, just touching wouldn’t make his hormones jump from zero to hot zingalingdoodah.
“You better get a new shampoo,” Jack said. The hand left the edge of Daniel’s scalp and
slammed down on his shoulder, making him jump.
“Shampoo, right.” Daniel’s
thoughts leapfrogged from Jack’s hand to Jack’s hand with shampoo, and
he had to grab the edge of the console table to steady himself.
“I can recommend something,
if you want,” Sam suggested. “Well, at least I know Major Jameson can.”
Daniel looked at her sharply. She had that faintly bland smile, the one that made people think that
they’d said something so profoundly silly that the only reason she was holding her
tongue was because she had no idea what had just been said. If Daniel didn’t
know any better, he’d think that really was all there was to it.
“Most dermatological products are solely cosmetic,” Sam added helpfully. “It’s always good to ask
someone who knows.”
“Of which Major Jameson is an expert, I'm sure,” Daniel retorted.
"Hey, not everyone is born with good scalp genes," Jack said mildy. “You should listen to
Carter, Daniel.” The semi-theatrical whisper was for comic effect, no doubt,
but the subtext remained – he was standing very very close. Was that a gust of warm air blowing into his
ear? “She’s a very wise woman.”
Davis spoke, a faint throat-clearing noise punctuating his words: “Incoming wormhole,
Colonel.”
“That’s our Teal’c, always on time,” Jack said, settling back to watch the Stargate spin.
Every time a wormhole burst to life, and Daniel was there to see it, it never failed to take his
breath away. Every time felt like a brand new experience.
But in the new dark of the control room, the effect of contrast against the bright glare of the
wormhole, the tight feeling in his chest was caused by something else entirely.
He should have known that Jack’s smile would never be harmless again. Even there, out in the open, among
countless people who would probably never know.
But all things considered, it was an excellent trade-off.
FIN