Part 23
The alarm clock woke Jack with a start. He growled and untangled himself from Philip as he reached across to shut it off. The long, lanky arms of his sleepy lover tangled around his throat then Philip pulled him down, planted a closed-lips kiss on him then released him before rolling over and going back to sleep – all without uttering a sound.
“Morning to you too!” Jack mumbled, partially pouting over having to leave his warm lover, partly annoyed that Philip could go back to sleep and he couldn’t. Regardless of the time, he drew the bedding back up over his shoulder and spooned into the back of the toasty-warm body.
“Aren’t you meant to be getting up?” Philip mumbled.
“Don’t want to,” Jack said, nuzzling his face through the curtain of black silk until he could kiss the back of Phil’s neck. With an exasperated sigh the young man reached down and threw the bedding off the both of them. Jack clearly protested that unfair act by groaning then snarling as he rolled off the bed. He looked down at Philip and saw he hadn’t moved. Rolling his eyes he turned towards the bathroom but was stopped when Philip said, “Hun, I’m cold. Can I have the blankets?”
Jack laughed then reached down and tossed them onto him. “There!”
“Thank you!” Philip didn’t bother to straighten out the tangled mess balancing precariously on his side now. With a loud yawn Jack went to the bathroom and started his shower.
In his absence, the young artist rolled onto his back and languidly stretched his arms up towards the ceiling as he, too, yawned. Casting his eyes around the room he couldn’t help but smile. Jack was right. Waking up together like that was certainly better than sleeping alone, even if he did have to steel himself to ignore the poke in his butt as Jack rolled over first thing that morning.
*
By the time Jack was dressed Philip had managed to make him a breakfast of toast and some brewed coffee. From the room the older man could hear the hacking cough that persisted in his lover. He wore a worried frown as he headed down to the dining room, seeing the deluge from the night before. Philip shuffled into the dining room, placing the plate and the cup onto the table and waving his hand at the mess. Through his coughs he told Jack that he’d clean up. The colonel watching him warily then asked, “have you had your medicine?”
“Yeah, a few minutes ago. It will kick in soon!” He planted a kiss onto Jack's head, stifling the coughs long enough to do that at least, then he turned and shuffled his way back to the kitchen, grabbing a plate before he went.
When he came back out and reached over for the goblets Jack stopped him by putting a hand on his upper arm. The younger man’s body shook so much with the coughing fit that the leftover wine slurped up the sides of the glasses and threatened to spill over. Jack reached over and lowered his hands to the table, making him put the glasses down. Then he guided Philip back to sit in his lap. The younger man protested but Jack gripped him around the small waist and held him tight. Soon the coughs subsided and Philip could draw back longer, deeper breathes, even if they did make his chest sound like an old rattling drum. Looking over his shoulder at the man behind him, Philip seemed to have a mixture of embarrassment, remorse and apology on his face. Jack was gently rubbing his hand over the terry toweling gown Philip was wearing.
“You okay?” Jack asked him in a low, serious voice. Philip touched his hand to the arm around his waist as he nodded.
“Mornings are getting colder, that’s all.”
“Yah.” The tone of disbelief in Jack's voice made Philip turn to look at him. Slipping his hand further up the tatty gown, Jack skimmed the neck then pushed his hand into the tangled hair. “Baby, I’ve got something to say to you.”
“What?” Philip asked twisting to see him better, but Jack slowly rose to his feet, slipping Philip from his lap. He took his hand and led him into the living room and they sat together on the sofa. Taking Phil’s hand in his, Jack concentrated his attention on the stroking of the skin, and avoiding Phil’s eyes.
“I go on a mission today..”
“For how long?” Phil asked, scanning his eyes over the bowed gray head.
“I don’t know.” Jack said quietly. “But, while I’m gone I want you to do me one big favor.”
Philip couldn’t stand not seeing him any longer. He cupped Jack's chin and made him look up.
“What is it? I’ll do it, whatever it is,” he promised, a little afraid for Jack as this was not his usual way of saying goodbye before a mission.
Taking a moment to just stare at the bearded face, Jack finally cupped his hand around the face gently and said, “Will you go home?”
“You don’t want me to stay here and wait for you?” Philip asked.
“No. I .. think it will be best if you went home, especially this time.”
“Jack,” Phil inched closer. “Hun, you’re scaring me a little, I hate to say..”
Jack closed his eyes and rubbed his thumb and finger into them. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to..”
“You’ve never said goodbye like this before..”
“I’m concerned about your health,” Jack lied, but he hoped Philip would buy it. “I don’t know when I’ll be back..”
Philip stared at him a long moment then ignored the tears stinging up the back of his nose. “Why do I get the feeling it’s more ‘if’ you come home this time?”
Shaking his head, Jack tried to calm him but Philip resisted. “Jack?”
“Things might get a little out of hand today, I don’t know.”
“Well, don’t go! Just.. don’t go!” Philip said adamantly as he shook his head.
“Baby I have to go. You’ve got no idea how many lives depend on this.. believe me!”
Sniffing harshly, Philip blinked his damp eyes and he said, harshly, “None of them mean a damn thing to me!”
“One of them is yours!” Jack told him quickly. Philip frowned then looked around the room.
“Oh God!” He stood up and paced the living room. “No, no! What’s the point of me living if you die?”
“I’m not going to die,” Jack groused as he rubbed his face.
“What? So you’ll just get busted up some? Is.. is that meant to make me feel better?” Phil tilted his head questioningly. “A few days ago Daniel almost died.. and now you’re telling me *this*?”
Getting up, Jack crossed to him and gripped him by the shoulders. “I’m telling you nothing. All I’m saying is I’d prefer it if you were with your brother while I was gone this time.”
Philip dragged in a long, shaky breath then nodded. “Okay. I don’t want you worrying about me on top of everything else.”
“Good,” Jack squeezed the bony shoulders, using his thumb to really feel how skinny Philip was under his clothing. He said nothing though, instead he pulled him closer and planted the softest kiss he could on the dry lips. Ending the kiss, the tacky lips peeled apart slowly as the men straightened up once more. Jack held Phil’s face gently as he brushed his thumb over the coarse beard.
“I’ll call you the minute I get home. Okay?”
“Home? Or back from the mission?” Phil asked.
With a nod, Jack said, “Back from the mission.”
“Okay. I’ll wait for the call. Call the land line. My cell phone’s acting up.”
Jack nodded then he continued to caress the black beard as he stared into Phil’s eyes. “You’ll be okay,” he said then added, “but go and see the Doc if your coughing gets worse.”
That surprised Philip. “How long do you think you’ll be gone?”
“A day or two, maybe three.” Jack said as nonchalantly as he could.
“Three days? Oh, okay.”
“You’ll be fine.”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine, but what about you?” Philip said, adjusting the collar on Jack’s top.
“I’ll be good.. great even!” Jack tried to be flippant but it fell flat as Philip looked at him with such fear in his eyes. With a soft sigh, he dragged the younger man back against his body and buried his face in his hair. “Love you, Philip..”
Tears brimmed then fell down the long lashes as Philip squeezed Jack as tightly as he could. He didn’t want to ever let him go and only reluctantly surrendered him when Jack pulled back. With a trembling smile Philip reached into Jack's top and pulled out his dog tags. A determined look lit his eye as he said, “I do not want this, okay!”
Jack nodded, knowing what he meant. Phil nodded too, glad that his point was made. He placed a kiss on the tags then tucked them back inside Jack's sweater. Patting them lightly he said shakily, “Come home to me, Jonathan.”
“I fully intend to!” They hugged once more then pulled back for a tender kiss. “Look after yourself, kid.”
Philip gave a lop sided smile as he said, “I fully intend to.” Jack grinned and kissed the tip of his nose before turning and picking up his satchel. He paused at the door then cast one last look at Philip before going out. The young man covered his face as he slowly sank to the chair. Doubling over, he started to cry quietly.
*
The group was somber that day as they prepared for the mission. Jack had already argued with Hammond, several times, that Daniel didn’t need to come on the mission. This, of course, upset the archaeologist who then started arguing that he thought he was more to the team than just ‘another scientist’. It took Sam’s level headedness to make him see that Jack was only trying to stop him from going on a Suicide Mission – and that was done because he cared!
With his hat in his hand, literally, Daniel went to find his friend in the Gear Up room.
“Listen, I’m sorry about earlier. I should have realized..” he began, waving his hand by his head. Jack looked at him solemnly then looked down as he continued to tie his bootlaces. “I should have realized I meant more to the team than just that..”
Jack looked up again then he stood with his hands on his hips as he said, “And more to me?”
Daniel nodded and lowered his eyes to the floor between them. Jack clapped his hand onto his shoulder firmly and said, “Good. I was trying to keep your ass safe, that’s all.”
“I know.” Daniel sighed then he said, “But I can’t be here when you’re out there Jack, don’t you see that?”
The colonel turned from where he was pulling his jacket from the hanger and stared at him. Daniel looked at him earnestly before clenching his jaw and looking down. Slipping the jacket on, Jack said in a growl of a voice, “Well, keep your pretty head down, Billy!”
Daniel didn’t understand the reference to an old song about a man who went to war and died, but he surely understood the sentiment.
“I fully intend to return in one piece..” He assured the colonel. Jack put his hands on his hips again as he nodded.
“You’d better!
They were silent a moment then Daniel said, “Jack.. I .. I..”
“Save it,” he cut him off and turned to retrieve his patches from a drawer. Patting them on into place he mumbled, “See, this is exactly why I’m glad you and Teal’c are no longer in a relationship!”
“Why?”
“Because .. it screws up the dynamics of the group..”
A faint, confused smile kissed Daniel's lips as he said, “Errr, wasn’t it you that said you were in awe of our ability to conduct ourselves professionally when we dealt with the Rectogs?”
Jack rubbed his tongue over his dry bottom lip and then shrugged. “Okay. Well this is why you and I would never have worked then!” he said, waving his hand between them as casually as he could before sitting down onto the bench. Daniel frowned.
“How’s that?”
Jack was reticent as he bowed his head. After a pregnant pause he slowly raised his eyes to latch onto Daniel's puzzled look. “Because I’m finding it hard enough ordering my best friend in on this damn mission…”
Daniel stayed silent a moment then he took a tentative step towards Jack before stopping again. Quickly he sniffed and looked around the room, trying to find something, anything, to divert his attention at that moment. Jack slowly rose to his feet then he stepped across the low bench and stood directly in front of the nervous archaeologist. Daniel stopped looking around and locked his gaze with Jack's once more. Apprehensively his hands toyed with the hat held between them at waist height as they remained in an odd sort of silence.
In a low voice, Jack finished his thought. “I could never order my lover onto it.”
Daniel blinked quickly then wet his lips with a darting tongue. “Then it’s just as well you and I aren’t… aren’t..” He stammered slightly and looked down.
The moment the bright blue eyes released him Jack closed his eyes slowly and sucked in a deep breath. “It doesn’t make it any easier,” he whispered finally. Daniel shook his bowed head and agreed.
Suddenly the two men embraced each other, burying their faces against the other’s neck. “We’re going to be fine!” Daniel whispered, almost sounding like he believed it.
Jack nodded then pulled his face away from the warm neck as he said, “Yeah, you betcha!”
Both men took a step away now and then smiled amiably at each other. “Come on,” Jack said, raising the hand that was holding his baseball cap and lightly hitting Daniel up the back of the head with it. “We’ve got some Goa’uld butt to kick!”
Daniel smiled and nodded, then hit Jack (not so lightly) up the back of his head with his boonie hat. Jack winced, for his head was still tender from the last mission, but Daniel didn’t see this as he went in front of him and out into the corridor.
*
As the two men walked side by side towards the gateroom, talking and joking together, they resembled nothing of the couple in the gear up room. Jack was almost bowled over when Janet came running around the corner, her large brown eyes misty.
“Hey, sorry,’ he said, straightening her up. “You okay? Did I hurt you?”
“No, Colonel, you didn’t hurt me. In fact, you’re just the man I was coming to see.”
Starting along the corridor again, Jack said, “Gonna have to wait, Doc. I’m about to step through the gate.”
“You can’t!” Janet said and the determination in her voice stopped the two men mid-step.
“Excuse me?” He asked, sounding a little peeved. Janet shifted from foot to foot as she said, “Colonel I need to see you in my office, stat.”
Quirking his brow, Jack glanced across at Daniel then swiveled back to look at the diminutive doctor. “Hammond would bust my..”
“I have his permission to stay the embarkation until I’ve had a talk with you.”
Jack shrugged. He figured it had to be something serious if Hammond was willing to stay an embarkation. Turning towards Daniel he just shrugged and the archaeologist nodded and continued to go to the gate room alone.
Jack looked at Janet then held his hands wide. “I’m all yours.”
Janet gave a sharp nod then started to go around the corner and back to her office with the bewildered colonel in tow.
*
Once inside the office he sat down. Janet went over and closed the door then wrung her hands together as she went back to her desk.
“So, what’s up?”
“You, um, you didn’t go into the sarcophagus the other day, did you Jack?”
“Nope. It would take more than a bump on the head to get me into one of those damn things again!” He snarled then shuffled in his seat as he scratched at the inside corner of his eye. “Why?”
With a sad smile she looked down at the folder beneath her hands. “Only I recall you once saying that you wished you could get Philip to a sarcophagus to cure him.”
“Still do,” Jack said, fidgeting slightly.
Her smile grew sadder. “Though impossible, colonel.”
“Yah,” Jack sighed resignedly. He suddenly did a double take and looked at her. Something was wrong. Something serious HAD to be wrong - with Philip - if she was willing to stay embarkation to discuss it with him. “For crying out loud, Janet, just tell me what’s wrong!”
She laced her fingers together then put her hands on the desk as she leaned forward. “Jack, what I’m about to tell you .. is never easy..”
“Huh?”
“Do you remember when we were looking at Philip’s blood work ups and I was explaining about his low T-Cell count..?”
Jack nodded. “Are you telling me that they’re lower?”
She looked at the ceiling. “Well, actually, these are very low results.” She passed over the folder for him to look at the chart.
Jack shrugged as he passed the folder back to her. “We know he has HIV, so what’s the problem?”
The Doctor sucked back a deep breath then said, “Jack, these are your results…”
**************
End of Part 23
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.