Part 14
*Three days later...*
Jack sneezed loudly and birds flew from the trees above them as the team quietly crept through the undergrowth on P3x9090. Sam turned to look at Daniel and they both smiled. Jack was cursing under his breath as he wiped his nose clean.
"Damn cold!" He muttered, sounding thick and congested.
"Sir," Sam commented quietly, "Would it hurt for you to follow Janet's advice and take a few days off work?"
Jack glared at her. "It's just a cold, Major!"
"MajorCarter is correct, O'Neill. We can hardly use stealth in our approach on worlds if you sneeze and alert the enemy that we are near."
Jack glared at Teal'c now. "Okay, so I sneezed, for crying out loud! One lousy sneeze!"
"Ah, actually, Jack," Daniel held his finger up and the colonel growled the minute he saw that. This was going to be a lecture, no doubt about it. "Both Sam and Teal'c are right, you know that, don't you? You really should follow Doctor Fraiser's advice and take a day or two off work, get over the cold and come back.."
"I'm fine!" Jack protested.
"Well, that's great, but you know, while you're sneezing and stuff, we can all catch this cold!"
"Oh gee, thanks Daniel, for your care and concern!" Jack sneezed again and Daniel rolled his eyes.
"That didn't come out as it was meant to," he mumbled.
Jack cast his watery eyes over his friend then said, into his handkerchief, "Oh, really?" he said laconically. Daniel pressed his lips together then raised his eyes to the orange sky above them.
"Okay, kids," Jack said then starte the slow build up to a sneeze, "Let.. Ahh.. call.. ahh.. this.. ah.. one.. achooo!"
Daniel looked at Sam who looked at Teal'c. The team turned around and went back to the Stargate. "We'll peg this one as a return later," Jack said, snuffling as he walked behind his team. "Much later," he said, finally admitting, to himself that he felt like shit.
*
When they came through the gate they were surprised to see Hammond and Frasier at the end of the ramp.
"Everything okay Colonel? You weren't due back for two more hours," Hammond said.
"Due to the overwhelming concern of my team, Sir," Jack said, taking a moment to glare at each of them in turn before looking back at his CO. "I've decided that I might follow the Doc's orders here and head home for a day or two... Try to kick this cold.."
Janet gave a triumphant smile as she looked at her lover. Sam winked back at her.
"Okay, Colonel. SG-1 is on stand down until.."
"Begging the General's pardon," Sam interjected, and then looked at Jack quickly, "But couldn't we return, Sir? We encountered no hostiles and it really is just a recon mission. I wanted to get a sample of the water, wanted to know what made it glow like that.."
"I'm thinking some kind of phosphorescent," Daniel offered.
Sam nodded enthusiastically then said, "Exactly." Turning to Hammond she added, "I'm not sure it's of any strategic benefit Sir, but I would like to find out."
Hammond considered that then looked at the three team members, "You all willing to go back there?" They all agreed so he turned and told the lieutenant to redial the planet. "Either return or report back within the hour. Major Carter, you are in charge."
Sam nodded and bit back her smile. "Sir," she said, and then as she glanced at Janet she saw the proud look in her lover's dark eyes.
As they all moved off the ramp for the opening of the gate Hammond said, "SG-1 you have a go."
Jack sneezed loudly then stuck his finger in his ear and shook it vigorously, trying to dispel both the ringing and the itchiness within the ear canal. Hammond cringed, knowing how uncomfortable a cold can be. "That is, without your leader."
Sam smiled. "We'll report in soon, Sir."
"Good Major."
Jack waved his hand at the opened gate and muttered, "Now, go and find out what makes that water glow."
Sam shot her CO a friendly smile before turning on her heels and heading back up the ramp. Daniel looked at his miserable friend and reached out to pat him on the upper arm. Jack flinched - even that touch hurt his aching body.
"Get some rest!" Daniel ordered. Jack nodded then wiped his nose once more as he watched his friend go through the gate. Teal'c bowed his head then followed soon after. As the gate closed Jack looked at Hammond then Janet.
"Okay, well, this feels strange!" He muttered before following Janet to the infirmary.
*
He sat on the gurney in the infirmary as she felt his glands in his throat.
"Your glands are up," she told him before shining a light in his eyes. He flinched and pressed the heel of his hand into his eye.
"Ouch!" he said, sounding like a petulant child. She smirked.
"What about other symptoms? Fatigue?"
"Got that," Jack sighed.
"Sore throat," she checked his chart.
"Yup, that too," he muttered, pulling at the front of his throat and making a throat clearing cough to make his point. She clicked on her penlight and checked out his throat.
Without comment she referred to his chart again. "And according to your temperature, you're running a fever."
He pressed the ball of his hand into his eye once more as he yawned. "Kinda."
"Jack, you've a classic case of the flu. And considering I saw Philip two days ago and diagnosed the exact same thing for him-”
The colonel growled and sat back on the bed. “Damn cold! I can’t do my job because of a damn cold!?”
She smiled at the grumbling man. “Well, it’s a little more than a ‘damn cold’,” she joked, doing a good impersonation of him. He snarled at her and she laughed.
"Please Janet, can't you just jab me with something to make be feel better?"
She raised her brow. It was unlike Jack to request a injection so she figured he must have been feeling bad. "I can give you a shot that will help with the throat, I guess."
"Thank you," he moaned.
"But that's not going to be enough. I still want you on a course of antibiotics."
Jack growled, this time baring his teeth at her. She laughed lightly. "I'll take that as a yes, you'll do as you're told." She went over to the cabinet and extracted a syringe and some antibiotic. Coming back over to him, she removed the new needle from the sterile pack and attached it to the syringe.
“Whatever gets me back on my feet,” he said, wincing as he moved to present a butt cheek to her.
“Aching joints?” She surmised from his movements. He gave a resigned sigh and nodded. “So, my advice to you, Colonel, is to go home, rug up in bed - or not, depending on your fever - and rest!” She jabbed him hard and felt his whole body stiffen from the sharp pain. Leaning closer she whispered, “That means leaving Philip alone this time!” He turned and looked over his shoulder at her and she smiled. “You caught his cold!”
Closing his watery eyes slowly, Jack pulled his pants back up as he groaned. “First time in months we share the damn bed..”
“And you share a cold,” she finished for him, already knowing the story from Philip.
He nodded but he didn’t regret it. After Daniel had left that night, Jack had carefully picked up his sleeping partner and carried him to his spare room. As they neared the room Philip lifted his face from the warm throat and asked to sleep with him that night. Jack was more than fine with that and carried him through to his room. He placed Phil onto the bed then changed, before climbing in and drawing his semi-conscious lover back into his embrace. For a few moments they touched and caressed each other, even taking a moment to kiss tenderly – albeit with partly closed mouths – then Jack let him finally fall asleep again, enjoying the fact that they were sleeping in the same bed that night. They spent the next day in bed, but by then Philip was heavily gripped with the cold and by that evening Jack was feeling the start of one brewing within his body too.
Janet placed a bottle of pills in Jack's hand now and said, “Take one of these three times a day, with food.”
He looked at the label. “Did you give these to Phil?”
She frowned then shook her head. “I gave him a different sort, why?”
“Just haven’t noticed him taking any pills,” Jack said, and then sneezed.
Janet quickly moved out of the way then said, “well, he should be!” She watched him a moment then asked, “Jack, how are things with you a Philip at the moment?”
He frowned. “Okay, why?”
“It's just that, well, it’s not like you to be knocked by a cold like this,” she said, then added, “I'm wondering if this cold of yours isn't partly stress induced."
"It's just a cold, Doc!" he groused. “You said yourself, Phil has one..”
She made a soft noise at the back of her throat as she shrugged.
"What?" Jack asked, after witnessing that reaction.
"What?" She widened her eyes and looked at him with innocence on her face.
Jack's eyes narrowed then he said, "Forget it. Can I go yet?"
"Sure, right after I take some blood."
He growled.
"You've been off world, Colonel! You know the rules as well as I do!"
Jack sighed and rolled up his sleeve. "Yeah right, ya betcha! Join the Air Force - Become a pin cushion!"
Janet bit back her amused smile as she readied the equipment on the tray beside her.
*
Before he left for home, Jack tried calling home. When he got no response he tried to reach Philip on his cell phone. There was no response on that either. Jack sighed heavily then tried a call to the library.
“City Library. This is Todd.”
“Ah, is Philip there?”
“Yes he is, but I believe he’s in a meeting at the moment, may I take a message for him.”
“Um, no,” Jack said, scratching at his eye. “When’s he going to be finished?”
“I’m not sure. I can get him to return your call if you like?”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll come and see him.” With that he hung up the phone then headed to the gear up room to change.
*
When he reached the library he walked straight through to Phil’s office without stopping by the front desk. He did, however, throw a quick glance at the man sitting behind it, tending to a customer’s needs. He was immediately surprised that ‘Todd’ was so young, and looked so ‘unlike’ a Librarian dressed so fashionably like he was.
Knocking on the door of the office, Jack peered around and saw Philip asleep on the sofa. He stepped inside then shut the door behind him, locking it as well. He squatted beside the sofa then started to brush hair off the damp face lightly. He reached over and placed a light kiss on Phil's cheek and the younger man stirred in his sleep.
"Todd?"
Jack sat back and frowned. Philip was still obviously asleep so he left him a moment, not touching him and he held his breath while he watched Philip rouse from his slumber.
"Hey," the waking man smiled when he saw him, seemingly oblivious to the name he'd called as he emerged from his sleep. "What are you doing back? Don't tell me it's already after six?" He spoke softly in a throaty whisper as he struggled to sit up.
"No," Jack reached to assist him now. "I came home early. My cold.."
"Oh?" Philip touched his hand to Jack's forehead. "Oh hun, you're burning up!"
Jack nodded then said, "You wanna come home with me? We could be two sick men cuddling in the same bed.."
A smile crept across Phil's features but was partially hidden behind the beard he was now sporting. "Sounds nice. I should stay though," he said. “I’m feeling a lot better and I’ve a lot of work to catch up on.”
“But you were asleep when I came in. Surely they don't expect you to be working if you’re not well?"
Philip sighed and kicked his feet over the edge of the lounge now and Jack sat beside him. "You don't understand. Sure, I was having a nap, but Todd was going to wake me in a few minutes. I have to confess Jack, I always nap in the afternoons now.."
"Since when?"
"For a few weeks," he said, sounding breathless again. Jack wondered about this. Just how was this Todd waking him anyway if his kiss earned him that response? "After I've napped I'm much better and I can work until six most days."
"Well, will it kill you to come home now with me?"
“Aw, hun, you’ve no idea how much I wish I could come home with you! But I’m in so much trouble as it is for having time off work…”
Jack sneezed then rummaged through his pockets for a tissue. “Just this once?”
Cupping his love’s flushed face, Phil said, “Look, go home, go to sleep and by the time you wake up, I’ll be there. I’ll even bring Chicken broth with me!”
Jack rolled his eyes.
“Hun, I simply cannot take anymore time off. Between you and me, there’s something odd going on here and Head Office is on my case…”
Jack frowned. “How serious is it?”
Phil shrugged then said, “I could lose my job.”
Jack coughed and asked, "Is that such a bad thing?"
Philip frowned. "Of course it is! Jack, I'm not *that* sick that I can't work!" he said, sounding almost panicky. "I'm a long way off from ever being that sick!"
The older man arched his brow. He knew how important Todd’s work was to him, and he also knew that keeping busy meant many long-term ill people had some kind of focus, some purpose to their life and that it was beneficial for many of them to keep working as long as they could. However, if it meant it was achieved to the detriment of Phil’s health then he wasn’t sure if it was worth it.
To not inflame the argument though, he asked in a low voice, "So I'll see you around six then?"
Philip nodded and gave him a grateful smile, realizing that he might have over-reacted. "About then. I'm doing shelving this afternoon so I shouldn't be late."
They both got up and went over to the door but stopped just before it.
"Shelving?" Jack asked, as he casually touched the shorter man’s waist.
"I'm systematically going through and making sure all the books are in their right spot."
"Why you? Isn't that why you have the team?” He sneezed then as he rubbed his nose clean with his tissues, he asked, “Isn't that 'Todd's' job?” He tried not to make the name Todd hiss off his lips, but he wasn't sure he was successful.
"Well, technically it's not my job, but if anyone from Head Office were to come through here tomorrow and the books not be right, then that is my problem."
"Tell them that it's Todd's fault!" Jack said, tightening his hold on his lover's waist. Philip frowned and grew annoyed.
"No, it's not his fault. It's my problem."
"Oh baby, you need lessons in delegating!" Jack said, shaking his head.
"Don't tell me how to do my job, Jack," Philip said, pushing out of the embrace. "I've had this job a lot longer than I've known you! I managed very well.."
"Hey, I was only joking!"
Philip looked at him the bowed his head. "Sorry. I guess I'm still tired. I'm a little jumpy, it's this mew medication Janet's put me on, makes he kinda hyper.."
Jack didn't buy that. He wondered if Philip's defensiveness had more to do with the fact that he was picking on Todd than anything else. His head hurt too much to argue that point at the moment. He shrugged then reached out and unlocked the door.
“I’ll see you at home?” He asked as he opened the door.
Philip pressed the door closed again then went onto his toes and cupped the back of Jack's head.
“Babe, I.. probably… don’t taste..” His words were swallowed as Phil’s lips pressed his firmly. Jack gave a soft moan as he wrapped his arms around the narrow waist and squeezed Phil closer. They didn’t use tongues but the kiss was tender and passionate nonetheless.
Pulling back, Philip smiled at him. “You tasted fine.” Jack's smiled quivered on his lips.
“Well, okay,” he said with a nonchalant shrug. Phil laughed then traced his fingers down the flushed face. “I’m sorry I gave you my cold.”
Jack's fingers delved into the beard that Philip now sported. “That’s okay. I won’t hold it against you for too long!”
The younger man smiled. “Yes you will. You’ll bitch about how I made you suffer for months!” Jack laughed as he nodded.
“You know me way too well, baby!”
“Yes,” Phil said as he searched the face before him intimately. “I do!”
Jack smiled again then kissed his lips quickly. “See you at home.”
“Love you,” the head librarian said then smack Jack's butt as he went through the door.
End of Part 14
Stories on this page are the property of Nessessitee and Slida. Please do not copy these without the written permission of the Author. All Rights are acknowledged for MGM, Gekko and Stargate Productions as to the Copyrights of the characters within this story and no infringement on the copyrights are intended. For the Bombshells Series the character of Philip Simmons is entirely the creation and intellectual property of Nessessitee and Slida.
While the performances given by RDA and MS help to fuel the author's desire to write for their characters in a niche that she feels is present on the actual show, the portrayal of their characters in loving relationships in no way reflects the Author's opinion of the men's private life, nor should it be construed in that manner.