Part 46
As Philip gently eased himself back onto the sofa he couldn't help but roll his eyes as Jack circled him once more - fluffing up the pillows and holding them in place until he settled down. In truth, Philip wanted to just drop down, because he felt well enough to, but he thought - for his worried lover's sake - he'd move slowly, making no sudden moves that might alarm Jack.
"Comfortable?" Jack asked, checking the pillow behind Phil's right shoulder again. He reached for the blanket and started unfolding it.
"Yes. Thank you," the ailing man said as patiently as he could consider Jack's full on 'mother-hen' routine since they got the all clear to go home again a few hours ago. With paperwork and the issuing of medication, they were finally in the car and on their way back to Jack's a little under half an hour ago. As soon as Jack pulled his jeep up the drive he leapt out, circled the car and was assisting Philip out, up the stairs and onto the sofa before the younger man had a chance to object.
He didn't so much mind Jack's fussing, but the fact that it was unnecessary was why he wanted to end it. With the amount of hovering Jack was doing, Philip was sure he would wear a hole in the rug, wear himself out or wear down the artist's patience until he started yelling at him to quit.
He tried telling Jack, several times, that he felt okay, but the older man nodded mutely then started checking on his pillows or asking if he wanted another cup of tea. As much as he loved Jack, all this attention was really starting to annoy him.
As he laid the blanket over Phil's lap, Jack asked, "Can I get..?"
"No," Philip said quickly, hoping that he didn't sound too rude.
Jack frowned. "You don't know what I was about to ask."
If it wasn't a sentence that ended in 'the hell out of your way and leave you alone for five minutes?' Philip knew he wasn't interested.
He reached out and gripped Jack's forearm as he said, with a patent smile, "I've got everything I need... right here." And that was the truth. For on the coffee table before him was his newly upgraded MDI, a half consumed cup of herbal tea, a box of tissues, a glass of water and his bottle of pain-killers, several bottles of medicines - his 'cocktail' -, a few of his art magazines that he hadn't had a chance to read yet, the cordless telephone and the remote control for the television. On the floor by his feet were the neb unit and the steamer, just in case.
The look on Jack's face clearly told him that he didn't quite buy excuse though but he said nothing, got to his feet and said, "I'll just go make myself a coffee. You sure..?"
"Sure. Sure," Philip said, then rolled his head back and smiled at Jack once more. "But thanks for asking."
The graying brow furrowed slightly then Jack started towards the kitchen at the same moment that the doorbell rang. He paused and opened it to reveal Daniel on the doorstep.
"Hi," the visitor said brightly.
"Hello," Jack said, a little unenthusiastically. That made his friend frown.
"You okay?"
"Peachy. Come in.."
Daniel stepped into the house then pointed to the living room. Jack nodded and held his arm out before turning in the other direction and going into the kitchen.
Daniel took the steps a little slowly as he watched the man on the sofa reach for the remote control.
"Hello.." He said and Phil's face broke out into a friendly smile.
"Ah, Daniel! So good to see you."
Daniel noted the huge level of relief in Phil's voice and wondered if he hadn't walked in on an argument between the two of them. As he perched himself on the chair on the opposite side of the room he laid his jacket over his lap then tilted his head and smiled at his friend.
"What the hell happened to you?" Phil asked, touching his fingers to his own cheek as he asked about the suture tape on Daniel's cheek.
"Oh? That? Nothing. Just a bit of a gash.." Daniel wasn't about to remind him that they'd already discussed that yesterday at the hospital.
"If you say so," Philip said dubiously.
"So?" The anthropologist asked, tilting his head. "Everything okay?" He asked, in a knowing voice.
Phil's eyes shifted to the steps then back to Daniel. He mouthed, "Is he there?" and Daniel looked over, then into the dining room before shaking his head and refocusing on Phil's face. There was another flood of relief across the drawn features.
"He's driving me nuts!" the young man mouthed.
"Oh," Daniel also mouthed as he nodded.
"Look at all this!" Phil spread his hands wide then sighed. Daniel nodded and got up, joining his friend on the sofa so that they could actually whisper instead of mouth everything.
"He's looking after you," the anthropologist told him.
"He's going to give himself a hernia if he keeps this up!" Philip said with genuine concern. "Make him stop."
"How can I?"
"I don't know. Take him out or something. He'd going to kill me with kindness.. or I'll kill him.. Whatever comes first!" He kicked at the blanket Jack had laid over his lap.
With a heavy sigh Daniel scratched behind his ear and said, "You're just going to have to get used to it, Philip."
"If I was sick enough to need this, I'd appreciate it.. but even Janet said I was well enough to go home. I'm almost over this damn cold and now Jack's going to start fussing over me like I'm about to draw my last breath! I can't.."
He stopped himself then sighed and rubbed his face. "God, I know I sound ungrateful.."
There was a slight noise from the back of Daniel's throat and Phil wasn't sure if he agreed with him or sympathized, but he went on regardless. "I can't even fluff my own pillows, and Danny, I'm not that sick - not yet! If he's like this already what's he going to be like when I start to really deteriorate?"
Daniel held his gaze a long moment and Philip wasn't sure if the other man was thinking that he was an ungrateful so-and-so or what, but finally Daniel sighed and nodded.
"You sure you're okay?"
"Yes! I know I gave him a big scare, but the truth of it is, I'm feeling fine now. I admit I probably don't sound that great.." Suddenly he burst out into a fit of coughs then rolled his eyes as he caught his breath.
"You are wheezy.." Daniel stated the obvious.
"I know." Philip gave a small smile. "And with all the medication I'm on I probably rattle when I walk... I just..." He sighed forlornly then shrugged. "I love him to bits, but if this keeps up, I'm going to throttle him!"
Daniel bit back a smile, recalling times Jack would hover by his hospital bed when he'd been injured on a mission.
"I guess he's worried about leaving you alone in case you start to have breathing difficulties again."
"I know!" Phil covered his face as he groaned, realizing that he probably did sound ungrateful to his friend. "Daniel, please..” He said wearily like a man who was tired of the fight already. “I’m on thirty different pills a day, Jack's shooting me up with antibiotics for the pneumonia and now Janet’s upped my medicine,” he pointed to the MDI on the coffee table. It's ALL making me feel better and my chest feel a lot clearer. I know Jack won't want to go anywhere but I can't have him watching over me twenty-four hours of the day. Can't you take him to a Bar? Just for an hour or so? I think he needs the break as much as I do, only he's too afraid to admit to it."
"I can't make him go out. It was hard enough dragging him away from you in the hospital," Daniel told him.
"Really? Jesus, what am I going to do with him, Daniel?"
"Appreciate him - while you can?"
"No, don't," Philip screwed his eyes up then sighed. "I'm not meaning to sound ungrateful," he shot a look out of the corner of his eye to his friend then asked, "But I do, don't I?"
Daniel made a soft noise as he tilted his head to the side.
"See! Knew I'd be the bad guy.." Philip kicked the blanket again.
"Not so much the bad guy, but you have to understand how hard this is on Jack as well. You say you feel better and I have to say, you look a lot better than I was expecting you to..."
Philip pushed off the blanket and stood up. Holding his arms wide he quickly checked the dining room before leaning down and whispering, "I don't want to be confined to the sofa for the rest of the afternoon. I want to be able to get up and got to the bathroom if I need to without having him offer to hold it for me.."
"Please," Daniel cringed, making Philip laugh.
"Sorry, slight exaggeration there."
"Oh, really?" Daniel said as he pursed his lips then tilted his head back to look up at his standing friend again. He gave a soft huff then pointed to the cordless phone on the table. "Jack's cell phone number's programmed into that, isn't it?"
"Yeah," Philip said, sounding hopeful as he sat beside Daniel once more.
"Okay. I'll take him out - for an hour or so - but you have got to call us if you're feeling funny, even just a little! If not, I won't ever do this again, do you understand me?" The sharp look in the blue orbs clearly told Philip that he meant every word.
Philip nodded and, with a grateful smile, said, "I promise. Don't worry, I don't want to go through that again, so I promise I'll call the minute I start to feel a little unsure of 'anything'!"
Daniel stared at him a moment then nodded as he got to his feet. "Okay."
Philip sighed with relief as he leaned back against the sofa. "Thanks, Daniel."
The standing man looked at him, not looking very sure of doing this, but he turned and went to the kitchen to find Jack.
*
As he pushed on the doors and went in he was sure he saw Jack turn around quickly to look out of the window.
"Well, that was a surprise. I thought he'd be more.. I don't know.. sick?" Daniel said, trying to start the conversation as he watched the back of his friend.
"Yeah. He's umm.. he is.." Jack seemed to nervously wipe his sink with the dishcloth. With a hint of a smile in his voice he said, "Doc said he was too well to stay in her hospital."
"Good. That's what we want to hear, isn't it? I'm just glad he responded so well." Daniel tried to think of how he could get to the subject of getting Jack out of the house.
"Yeah, Doc says he's gonna be fine," Jack said limply, folding the cloth and hanging it over the faucet.
Daniel went to Jack's side and peered around him to look into his face. "Pity I can't say the same thing about you."
Closing his eyes the older man sighed and bowed his head. "I'm a little.. tired."
"A little, huh? Listen-" He wiped his lips with the side of his index finger. "Why don't you and I go down to Shrivers for a few?"
"I can't leave him.."
"Course you can. You said it yourself, Janet said he's fine-" The blond head peered at Jack a little closer. "And getting out of the house for an hour or so might do you both some good."
A wry smile curled up Jack's lips. "He's asked you to get me out of here, hasn't he?"
Daniel blinked then tilted his head as he said, "No.. no.. not really.. ugh.. yeah." He bit his lips together and smiled when Jack looked at him. "I've told you before, Jack. It's going to be a long road. Don't burn out already."
"What if something goes wrong when I'm out?"
"He's got the phone.. all he has to do is press the button and even if he doesn't talk.. you'll know it's him.."
"What if that's too late?"
"Oh, come on, Jack!" The younger man said exasperatedly. "He's fine and you can't hover over him twenty-four hours of the day!"
Jack sighed then nodded. "You're right."
"Good. So you'll come?"
With a shrug, the older man said, "Yeah sure... I'll just tell him."
Daniel went to the living room and as he entered, Philip looked up. Jack suddenly appeared on the top step then trotted down and went over to Philip.
"I'm going to go out for a while..."
Philip smiled and reached out to Jack. "Good," he said. Jack held his hand and leaned down to kiss his lover's forehead. Philip asked, "Where are you going?"
"Shrivers," Jack said as he straightened up and tugged his coat on.
"Ah, going to knock back a few brews. Wish I were coming with you."
"Why don't you?" Jack offered. Philip smiled as he got to his feet, a lot more easily than Jack expected he could, clearing indicating that he was as 'well' as he'd been saying he was all along.
"I'd love to hun, but -" He looked over at Daniel then back at Jack. "I think you really need to spend some time with your friends too. I can't monopolize you." He started fixing the collar on Jack's coat then he smoothed his hands across the shoulders. "Any idea how long you'll be?"
Jack smiled as he kissed Phil's cheek then said, as the two of them headed to the front door, "It's a hot date with Daniel. Who knows what time I'll come home! Don't wait up!"
Philip chuckled and Daniel rolled his eyes before saying, "Won't be too long. I have work tomorrow."
Jack stopped on the top step and faced Daniel. "You ruin all my fun!"
"It's a work night, Jack. I can't stay out too late!" He joked.
Jack looked at Philip and winked at him. "Won't be too long."
"I'll phone.. - IF - I need to.." Phil said, pointing to the phone on the coffee table. Jack looked at him a moment and his smile faded a fraction. Phil saw that and returned a serious nod. Jack's face twitched with a goodbye smile then he left the house, leaving Philip alone.
*
A pop from the fireplace woke Philip with a start. The room was now dark - night had obviously fallen outside. He shifted on the sofa and coughed a little, before getting up.
"Jack?"
He went to the base of the steps and looked through the darkened house.
"Hun?" His voice rose slightly with concern.
Peering out of the window beside the door he saw the Jeep in the driveway and started down to the bedroom.
"Jack? You in here?" he asked, going through to the bathroom. As his concern grew his breathing started to labor. He headed down the unlit hallway, coughing as he went, and then though the living room to the patio doors. He looked out through the window into the yard out back for Jack, but he couldn't see anything. His coughing started to nag him so he went into the kitchen for a glass of water. When he switched on the light he saw a piece of paper attached to the fridge door.
- Philip. I've gone to Shrivers with Daniel. Won't be any later than 8pm -
Suddenly Philip recalled Jack going out and he smiled as tears stung his eyes.
"That's right, Phil.. He went out.. remember!" he muttered to himself as he ran the water into his glass. He took a few sips then re-read the note and smiled again. He was grateful that Jack had thought to leave that note, because without it he would have forgotten where he'd gone. Checking his watch he saw it was a quarter to eight and then he heard the sound of laughter and footsteps on the front porch. He went out and greeted the two men as they entered the house.
"Hello baby!" Jack said with a smile as he put his arm around his lover. He bent down and kissed Phil's mouth and the younger man could smell the beer on his breath.
"Greeting party, isn't that nice," Daniel said as he smiled at Philip.
"I was just getting a glass of water," Philip explained as he was dragged to the living room with Jack.
"Have a nice time?" he asked, and then gave a soft squeal as Jack sat down abruptly, pulling him into his lap.
"Ah, Jack had more of a good time than I did," Daniel said, then ducked the cushion that was aimed at his head.
"I had a couple of beers," Jack told the man on his lap but Philip knew he'd had more than that, considering how he was running his hand up and down the inside of his thigh in front of Daniel like he was.
"Seems like it," he said, surreptitiously removing the hand inching its way to his crotch.
"Did you get my note?" Jack whispered.
Phil turned his head to look into the dark eyes then he smiled, a gentle smile of appreciation, as he nodded. Leaning his forehead against Jack's he said, "Yes, I did. Thank you."
Jack gently kissed his closed lips and both men began to deepen the kiss when Daniel said, "Agh, I think I'll go now."
Jack pulled back and smiled with half-closed eyes. "You don't need to. I'll restrain myself." He looked at Phil as he said that last line. The artist smiled then turned to Daniel.
"Me, too." His fingers traced up and down the short gray hair at the back of Jack's neck.
"I can always go.." Daniel offered.
"No, really," Jack said as he gently dumped the man from his lap onto the sofa beside him. He patted Phil's thigh and then said, "Who's for a drink?"
"Oh, yes!" Daniel sighed as he settled back into his chair. Philip reached forward and lifted his cup to Jack.
"Thanks, hun," he said with a smile.
Jack took the cup then reached down and kissed Phil's lips again before going to the kitchen.
The surprised man looked over at Daniel.
"Well, that's a lot better!"
Daniel smiled. "He put back a few.."
"Looks like he needed to." After reaching for his painkillers, Philip shook two white tablets into his palm then tossed them down his throat as he picked up his water. After a large gulp he put the glass back down then met Daniel's quizzical gaze. "Jack's funny. One minute he's fussing and not letting me do a thing, the next he yanks me into his lap, jarring my back-" He licked his lips then adjusted the pillow behind the small of his back to settle back against it. "God," he sighed after a few moments of peace between them. "I love seeing him like this."
"Intoxicated?" Daniel asked, arching his furrowed brow.
Philip laughed. "No, just.. relaxed.."
At that moment Jack entered the room, carrying the three cups in his hands. He passed over Daniel's coffee first, which freed up his hand to separate the two cups in his other hand. "And one for you," he said, putting Phil's into his hands. The younger man smiled as he thanked him then he placed the cup on the table while Jack sat beside him. Adjusting his shoulder, Philip leaned to rest back against Jack's arm, enjoying the feel of the caress Jack's hand was now giving his stomach and chest.
With his mouth next to Phil's ear, Jack asked, in a quiet voice, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm good," the younger man answered, reaching up to capture the hand on his chest. He brought it up and kissed it before replacing it on his stomach. Jack instantly started to caress him again.
*
After a few more hours of companionable discussion Daniel got to his feet and stretched his arms up over his head.
"I should go, I have an oh-seven-hundred call tomorrow," he said, checking his pockets for his car-keys.
Jack tapped Phil's chest and the young man sat forward, allowing him room to get up.
"Yeah, me too," the colonel said, then froze part way through standing up and met Daniel's wide eyes. Both men held their breath a moment before Jack turned to Philip, who was looking at him with a frown on his face.
"Work?"
"Ugh, yeah," Jack cringed then waved his hand in Daniel's direction as he said, "I'll just see Daniel out and come back. We need to have a little .. chat."
Philip looked at the expression on Daniel's face then back at his partner. "Seems like it," he said.
<end of part 46>
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.