Part 88
Daniel crept towards the circle of rocks and peered at it hopefully. He carefully peeled back the cling wrap and touched his fingers to the slightly scooped-out rock. There was only enough water in there to provide a drink for Jack, if that. He sighed with disappointment then lifted his chin to stare up at the cloudless blue sky above him. The heat radiated through what was left of the black t-shirt, and he felt the warmth caress him like a gentle hand. Days like this would be beautiful back at home. He'd lost count of the amount of times he'd stood on his balcony and had his face tilted towards the sun like this, just soaking up the rays. He wondered if he'd ever get the chance to do so again when he heard a strange sound in the distance. He cocked his head to try to listen but the noise was too muffled. Carefully he crept along in his squatted position, until he reached the thick trunk of the old tree. Then he peered around the bark-covered shelter and saw the edge of the Stargate. He didn't realize he'd been so close to it all along. Blue eyes scanned the area but he couldn't see who, or what, had made the noise. He crept along a little further, and ducked behind another tree when he heard the sound again. This time it was louder and much clearer. The noise was angry. Despite not being English, Daniel could tell that the perpetrator was not happy. He pressed himself as close to the tree as possible then he inched around it until he could finally see what was happening.
In the clearing, in front of the Stargate, were two creatures, one most probably the one that had stolen him through the gate. Daniel craned his neck to see what they were fighting about and his breath stilled in his throat when he saw the MALP on its side at the edge of the dais. He wondered if that meant that a team had made it through but he decided that, with the aliens still there and so close, that it was unlikely. Perhaps they were still coming and that was why the aliens hovered around the gate now. Without weapons, they would be no match for the others when they did arrive.
He wanted to run back to Jack, to tell him the good news – that Earth had made the location and were trying to get help to them - when he noticed another creature on the dais who was inspecting the actual gate. A noise, like a loud foghorn, emanated from the beast and shook the trees around him – literally. Daniel cringed and covered his head from the ear-splitting noise as he slid down the back of the tree. He curled himself against the noise then, when it stopped, he peered around once more and witnessed the fury of the alien as the one that had been doing the shouting finally grabbed the first alien around the neck and throttled him until the beast stopped fighting and fell, slumped, in his arms. The assailant dropped the lifeless form to the ground and stepped over the carcass without a backwards glance as he climbed the steps of the dais to join the one at the gate.
As the alien reached the gray ring Daniel noticed that it looked down. Long, sharp talons peeked out from a furry foot and kicked at shapes of red..what? Blood? Daniel squinted to see it better but without his glasses he knew he’d never have a hope of focusing on it at that distance.
The two aliens exchanged angry words then turned and walked off together, ignoring the MALP as if it meant no threat to them. Patiently Daniel waited until he felt it would be safe then he eased himself out of his hiding hole and stepped up to the back of the gate. Carefully he stepped up onto the dais and moved through it to the MALP. It looked intact. He knew that the usual SOP was to send the MALP, get telemetry and then send in the troops when the place looked secure. So where were the troops? Were they on their way? The blond-haired man quickly spun around to look at the DHD. There was no way they’d know it was broken. He had to warn them! He searched around for something, anything, and then he saw what he wanted, leapt off the back of the gate and stooped to pick up the wide piece of bark from the ground. He looked around again and found several chalky stones that he tested on the bark. One managed to leave enough residue behind on the damp bark that he could write a note on it. He scratched out words onto the flat surface; ‘DHD Broken. Jack needs medical help ASAP!’ then he propped the bark against the base of the DHD facing the gate, and secured it with a few small rocks. He hoped that, in the event that a rescue was attempted the MALP would pick up the sign and alert the others to the danger before they came through. They’d also know to bring medical help with them as well. He tried to carefully angle the camera towards the sign in the hope that they’d check once more before sending through the rescue party.
He blew out a deep breath and put his hands on his hips as he turned towards the gate. Perhaps they would try again soon and he could remain and warn them instead? Though it probably wasn’t a good idea to remain out in the open with the aliens around so much. They may not see the sign, or understand it if they did see it, but they’d sure as hell see him if he stayed there. Suddenly something caught his eye. The sun glistened off the red on the stony dais and he frowned as he stepped carefully up to the gate. He squatted and clenched his eyes tight as he picked up the shards of the red glass-like substance. He stood and fitted the shape against the shattered chevron, and his heart fell. Without the functioning chevron there was no way they were going to make the gate work. Now anyone coming through to rescue them would be as stranded as they were. He went back to the sign and tossed it aside as he searched for new bark. Hot tears stung his eyes, he felt frustrated and angry and knew that anything he did now for survival was probably futile. He and Jack were stuck there! Well, hell to that, he thought as he ripped a sheet of bark from the tree and went back to the MALP. He scratched into it “DHD is broken. Gate chevron is shattered. Attempt no rescue! DJ’ then he propped that against the DHD in the place of the other one. As he straightened up he tried to swallow the hard lump that had now filled his throat.
Sucking in an angry breath he looked over at the fallen alien. His basic survival instincts kicked in and he started to wonder how warm all that fur would be for the two of them in the cave. It would make a good ground cover, soft… And the meat would give them food, for some time at least. He hated having to think about another life form like that, but realistic enough to know that it might be their only means of survival. Then his vengeance kicked in. If this was the alien that had stolen him, Daniel couldn’t think of a better or more fitting ending for the damn thing than to rip its heart out and devour its flesh! He toed the animal with his boot emotionlessly then put his hands on his hips and looked around. It was a big beast. That would mean it would be heavy to move. He thought about the vine hanging near the cave entrance. He could tie it up and drag it back to the cave. He rubbed his hand over his mouth as he pondered that thought then he decided that it had to be done, and the sooner the better, so he left the animal and headed back towards the water, deciding to collect that along the way and give it to Jack.
He hurried into the dense undergrowth and he’d almost reached his small pool of water when he sensed he was being followed. He turned to look over his shoulder but could see nothing moving in the leaves behind him. He took another step and the sensation of something moving behind him came to him again. He stopped and squatted, eased the sharp knife from his boot then he stood up, clenched the stick in his fist and continued on his way towards the water.
As he crouched beside the stones he knew he wasn't imagining things. There was a quiet crack of a stick breaking at a short distance behind him. He gripped the stick in his hand more tightly and waited. It seemed like forever as he held his breath but nothing ever came at him from the shadows. He carefully picked up the stone with the water and then started back towards the cave.
As he grew nearer to the cave he realized that he couldn't go back there. That would lead the creature to their hiding hole? What could happen to Jack? He steered around the cave entrance and continued on, into an area of the forest that he didn't know.
*
Graham was in the commissary when Sam entered the room. He watched her grab a coffee and a sandwich then she made her way over to him and sat in the chair opposite his.
"Any good news?" he asked as he blew across the steaming drink.
She shook her head then bit into her sandwich.
Graham checked his watch and said, "I have to go. I've no reason to be here and if I stay much longer it's going to create suspicion."
She wanted to say, 'if it hasn't already', but she let his comment go and said, instead, "I'll call you on your cell phone if you like. Let you know how things are going."
Graham nodded gravely then sighed. "I'll be with Philip. At the hospital."
"How is he coping?" she asked before she took another bite and chewed through her food.
"He doesn't know. I just told him that Jack was here at the base working on something that he couldn't get away from, though I'm sure-" he looked at his watch again "-he's going to have a few frantic questions by the time I get there this afternoon."
"What will you tell him?"
"Need to know," Graham arched his brow as he met her gaze. "Isn't that the play of the game?" He reached for the packet of cigarettes on the table beside his hand and slipped them into his pocket as he stood. Sam tilted her face up to watch him.
"If the gate is gone.."
"It's gone," he said glumly. "We both know that."
The pretty blonde woman nodded. "Okay, yeah. Well, at least we have hope. Dad and Martouf will be at that world soon, and we know they're going to the right one, at least."
Graham quirked his head slightly and gave a sharp nod. "I hadn't thought of that, but you're right."
Sam's smile revealed white teeth. "They have SG-9 and Teal'c. A formidable team!"
A smile ghosted across the worried man's face. "Sure."
Sam winked as he wished her a good afternoon then she turned slightly to look over her shoulder and watch him go. With a less than convinced sigh, she turned back to her food and continued to eat.
*
Graham entered the hospital room and saw his brother over by the window painting the image he could see from it in pastel shades.
"Hey you!" Philip said after he briefly looked to see who'd come into the room. Immediately he went back to his painting while Graham crossed the room to stand behind him.
"Hey!" He said in a less than enthusiastic response. Philip glanced at him again.
"You okay?"
"Sure."
Philip frowned now and put down the pallet in his hands before he wiped his brush with the piece of rag that he had tucked into his belt. "Sure?"
The older man shrugged. "Sure."
Philip made a noise at the back of his throat and went through to the bathroom to wash out the bristles. "I don't know why you're in the glums. I should be the grumpy one. Do you know that I haven't heard from Jack so far today! You'd think he'd find the time to at least call me, it’s damn near dinner time! Doesn’t he get a lunch break?"
Graham listened to the running water shut off then he looked at his brother as he stepped out from the white bathroom.
"He's busy.."
Philip nodded, and that made the curls by his temple bob slightly. "I guess I have to get used to this. He's obviously good at his job if the General put him on duty immediately!" Philip covered the pallet in cling wrap and then he tidied up the brushes and put the lids back on all the tubes of paint before packed the pallet away.
As he straightened up he shot a quick look at Graham. "You're Mister Talkative today!"
"Huh? Oh, sorry, I've got a lot on my mind."
"Well!" Philip's handsome face split with a smile. "Good way to work on concerns or frustrations is by going to the gym. Why don't we go for a while?"
Graham arched his brow. "How many times have you been today?"
"Once. Around six this morning. That's well over ten hours ago!"
Graham chewed on the inside of his cheek then he shrugged. "Why not."
"Look at this!" Philip said in excitement as he rolled his t-shirt up to reveal honey-colored skin, lightly rippled into a six-pack across his stomach. "And this!" He turned and pulled the back of the shirt up. His skin was smooth and taut over well-defined muscle across the back and under the arms. "I'm pretty proud of that back!" He gloated.
Graham nodded and helped him tug his shirt back into place. "Pretty amazing!"
"I can't wait for Jack to see it!" He said then laughed at his own words. "You know what I mean. I can't wait for him to see it.. because I can't wait for him to.."
"I get the idea,” Graham said as he forced a smile to his lips.
Philip frowned then shrugged and said, "I'll grab my gear. You got some stuff?"
"Ah, no," The older man said as he scratched at the back of his short, cropped hair.
"You can borrow something of mine."
*
Daniel pressed himself back against the boulder as he caught his breath. What ever it was that was following him was now playing with him! Whenever he went one way the creature got around the front of him and started to force him back. When Daniel changed directions it was again in front of him and again it pushed him into retreat. Now he was trapped, literally caught between a rock and a hard place as he tried to catch his breath. The hot afternoon sun beat down on him and covered his body in a slick sheen of sweat. If that creature was working on smell he'd have plenty to go by, Daniel thought as he swallowed from a dry mouth and then coughed harshly.
He looked first one way then the other and felt like he was being watched from all directions. He took a tentative step off to the left then he slipped between the large leafy foliage of the trees and hoped to come to a better place to hide.
He was desperate for water now. His throat ached from the dryness and his head thumped from lack of moisture. Or maybe that was caffeine. He longed for a coffee as well. His body ached; all his joints pulsed as blood jolted through moisture-starved veins.
He also wanted to sit down and take off his boots. His feet were sweating and slipping inside the hot leather as he walked, and that caused friction burns from his wet socks.
He'd long since lost the water he'd gathered but he still clutched the pointed stick in his white-knuckled fist and he could still feel the security of the handle of the axe inside his belt.
He ducked under a wide, deep green leaf that had a shiny top surface and tiny hairs on its underside. As Daniel's arm brushed the hairs he felt a stinging sensation and grasped his arm with a yelp. It looked as though he'd been rubbed with an abrasive item, like a vegetable grater or something. His skin was raised and red, and small blisters were appearing as he watched the surface bubble and rise. He clenched his jaw and eyes tightly to stop himself from screaming out in futile frustration.
*
The two brothers had just ended a session of intensive weight training and were taking a quiet jog on the treadmill as they talked companionable together. While Graham’s heart wasn’t in the workout, or in the idle chitchat his brother was enthralled in, he did try to keep up with him in case Philip started to worry about Jack. They both looked more alike now that Philip had shaved off his beard and pulled his hair back off his face with a band. Their body’s glistened with sweat and their shorts and tops stuck to their torso as they ran side-by-side. They were the only people in the well-equipped gymnasium and Philip took the opportunity to talk candidly to his brother.
“Grae, can I ask you something?”
The other man responded with a grunt.
“It’s .. kinda.. personal,” Phil let him know cautiously. Graham slotted his eyes to take in the man beside him and concluded that Philip was finally going to ask him about Daniel. As he continued to jog he wiped his face with a small towel then perched it on the display of his treadmill.
“Like that’s ever stopped you before,” he tried to joke but it felt flat – he wasn’t in the joking mood. If Philip felt in the mood to talk then maybe that was a good thing. Graham knew he could pretty much leave his brother to have a full on conversation with himself and his own shitty mood, agitation and fear for Jack, and more importantly, Daniel, wouldn’t need to rear its ugly head. He flicked his hand as he said, “Shoot.”
Philip squirted some water into his parched mouth then he said, “It’s about Jack.”
“Oh!” Graham’s obvious surprise was evident to anyone who might have seen him, however Phil’s head was down, he looked like he was reading his display on his treadmill but it was more that he didn’t want to look at his brother as he said the next few words.
“As an outsider what do you think he’s feeling at the moment?”
The older man’s brow crinkled as he frowned.
“I mean,” Phil went on without needing to be urged, “Since the healing.”
As he shook his head again Graham said, “I’m not sure I follow you.”
Phil slowed his steps to a walking pace and he reached for the small towel draped over the handle of his treadmill. After he wiped his face he said, “Do you think he might want out?”
Graham stopped running now as well and dropped his pace to a walk as he threw his head back and placed his hands on his hips, breathing deeply to fill his lungs. After he’d caught his breath he looked at his companion. “Out of what?”
“The relationship..”
There was a stunned silence between them until a laugh of disbelief ripped from the older man’s body in a harsh huff. “You’re joking, right?” As he reached for his bottle and gulped back some refreshing water he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. When he saw that Philip was deadly serious he shook his head, swallowed his mouthful of water then wiped the back of his hand over his lips. More gruffly than he might have been in a better frame of mind, Graham answered him with, “I see that healing cured you of everything but your damn paranoia!”
Philip lowered his chin to his chest as he sighed despondently.
“Jesus, Phil! Blind Freddy can see how that guy feels about you!” Graham said in a lowered voice. The younger brother looked up, blinking as he shrugged then looked down again. Graham shook his head and started running again. “We are so *not* having this conversation,” he muttered to himself as he checked the readout on his treadmill. Christ! This had got to be the least of Philip’s trouble at the moment and the lieutenant felt frustrated that he couldn’t tell Philip that he had bigger issues to be concerned about.
“You don’t understand,” Phil said quietly as he picked up his pace and started jogging as well.
“Well, you’re right about that one!” Graham said roughly. “How on earth could you think he’d want out.. now? After waiting so damn long?”
“That’s just it, Grae..” The brother sounded desperate. “He hasn’t really been waiting, has he? He never expected I’d live through this…. What if *this* isn’t what he’s expecting.. What if *I’m* not what he’s expecting…”
Graham stopped running abruptly and tilted his head as he looked at his brother. In a soft, incredulous tone he said, “You are so stupid sometimes - you know that, don’t you? Or maybe I am, because you can’t really be saying what I think you’re saying… surely!?”
Philip didn’t respond with words, just a deep growl.
“You’re not talking about whether you’re going to please him or not.. Please don’t tell me you’re asking me that?”
“No..”
“Because I can’t reassure you on that point, Phil,” he said honestly.
“I’m not talking about the damn sex..” The younger brother groused as he started to really pace out his strides, almost matching them with his growing agitation. Lowering his voice he said, “But there comes a time when we have to get up off the dining room table or out of the bed…”
Graham shot his brother a look that clearly told him that that was too much information about his – and the Colonel’s – sex life for him.
“What happens then?” Phil asked, almost rhetorically.
“What do you mean?” Graham asked, still not fully understanding his concerns. “Christ, you’re not newly weds, Phil. The two of you have been together for over a year so I’m guessing there’s some basis of a relationship there?”
“When we were together Jack knew there was always going to be an out – eventually.”
“Oh Christ. No way!” The older brother scoffed harshly in disbelief. “You’re not seriously telling me you think he was waiting around for you to go so that he could go off and have some ‘real’ fun somewhere else?”
“I was dying, for crying out loud! And he knew that!” Determined eyes fixed onto the Lieutenant. “And we both know Jack enough to know he never leaves a man behind..”
Graham frowned then shook his head. His initial concerns over his missing friends vanished as Graham tried to understand his brother’s odd question. “If you think that Jack was staying with you out of loyalty because you were dying…?”
“All he had to do was *wait*..” Philip said as he arched his brow to punctuate his words. .
Graham shook his head then said, “Look, you know him better than I do.. so he must have given you some kind of proof that he was doing this - staying with you because he didn’t wannt to be seen as the bad guy and leave a dying man..”
“Well.. nooooo,” Philip muttered under his breath as he shrugged. “Not really..”
Feigning surprise, Graham said, “Oh? So.. what makes you sure he’s done that then?
Philip rolled his eyes as he gave in to his brother’s comments. Graham always had a way of making him feel like what he was fearing was stupid – and usually it was, that was why he liked to share his fears with his big brother so much.
With a reluctant shrug and in a voice that sounded almost like a admonished child’s, Phil said, “Okay, so maybe it was something he wanted in the beginning, to be the one to bring a little happiness into the ‘poor dying boy’s life’ but things got really hard at times, Graham. You’ve no idea..”
Graham took in a breath and watched his despondent brother carefully. After a few moments of silence he asked, in a gentler voice, “Is that why you had your own room?”
If Philip was surprised that he knew that he didn’t show it. “Partly. Partly because I needed the barrier sometimes..”
“You’re a true Simmons,” Graham grumbled as he began to jog alongside him again. He snorted and said, sarcastically, “The good old ‘kick’em to the ground then leave them before they can ever hurt you’ attitude is shining right on through!”
“You can talk!” Philip hissed then softened as Graham slotted his eyes towards him as if to say ‘exactly my point!’
“Besides-” Graham reached for his towel, and wiped his face again, before dropping it over his handle, “-Jack would have understood that it was your disease talking back then.”
“Not all the time,” Philip confessed.
Graham watched him a moment then asked, “Are you telling me that you deliberately tried to push him away? Why?”
Philip stopped running then grabbed his towel and turned to sit on the end of his treadmill. In the mirror he could see if anyone entered the small gym. Graham grabbed his towel and sat beside his troubled sibling. When Philip didn’t talk Graham nudged him softly and tried to encourage him to look up at him.
“I didn’t want him to be alone..” Phil said in a soft voice as he rubbed the heel of his hand into his right eye. Graham leaned a little closer to hear him better.
“After you were gone?”
“Yeah,” Phil said, and then looked up. His eyes were so sad. “So I did some things..”
“Like?” Graham asked with a frown.
Philip rolled his eyes, coughed and said, “I tried to get him and Daniel together.”
Graham straightened up slightly on the mention of his lover’s name, especially because of the context of the conversation. Philip was unaware, still, that he and Daniel had resumed their relationship but he didn’t want to say anything to Philip about that – not just yet. He had too much going on in his own mind that he needed to sort through before he was willing to announce anything to the world, or more especially, to Philip.
“How?” He asked cagily, knowing he wasn’t going to like he answers.
Philip wet his lips nervously as he said, “I basically told them both that I’d approve of a relationship between them. I even said that I wouldn’t mind if they had one while I was still alive. Jack’s such a physical guy..” The young brother said sadly then shrugged and added, “And I know, from what you told me about him, that Daniel is too.”
Graham blinked and lowered his face a little. Philip touched his arm. “I’m sorry – maybe I shouldn’t be telling you any of this?”
“No, it’s okay,” Graham said, and it was- for the most part. He reasoned to himself that that was then and this was now, and that Daniel and Jack stood a snowflakes chance in hell of ever becoming a couple.. there just wasn’t the attraction there anymore. “Besides, you can’t just make two guys go out because they happen to be gay *and* single. There has to be attraction there.”
“Oh, there’s attraction there! Believe me!” Philip said as he nodded his head. “Always has been and always will be, no doubt!”
Graham’s frown deepened. “What makes you say that?”
“The way Daniel stayed with Jack through all this. I mean, I know he was trying to be a good friend, but – well you know what situations like this can do to people. I think it might have brought them closer..”
“Closer?”
“Yeah and that’s okay – really – because it wasn’t like Jack was cheating on me, because I kept telling him I was happy for them to be together.. so ‘if’ they did..”
Graham held his hand up and said, “Let me assure you, Philip, that Jack didn’t have *time* for anything! He remained by your side throughout it all.”
“I know he did.. well, rather I assumed he did. I really don’t recall much of anything after I phoned Jack that day.. Everything else is really patchy..”
“You’re still in therapy?”
“Yeah and by the looks of it I’ll be there a while longer. Janet’s being great about it, but there’s not much they can do, I just have to accept all this in my own time..”
“And you will,” the brother assured him as he patted his forearm. “But you have to stop making up worries for yourself! Jack was never unfaithful to you – especially with Daniel. I can understand why you think that, considering what you said..”
“I’m not just making it up though, Grae. Surely you remember how attracted Jack was to Daniel..”
The older man’s eyes darkened slightly. “Of course I do, but that was a long time ago Philip. A lot has happened in that time. Jack fell in love with you!” He said, in a lowered voice.
“But I tried to push him and Daniel together..”
“So? It didn’t work..”
“I think it did and they have been very discreet about it actually.”
“Why? What do you know?”
“That I walked in on them a few times and they were in compromising situations. One morning Daniel had slept over on the sofa and I discovered him and Jack in the living room, Jack using Daniel’s lap as a pillow..”
“So?” Graham refused to worry about this. “You and I have done that..”
“But you and I don’t wake up nuzzling our face into each other’s dick..”
Graham’s resolution faltered slightly at this unexpected comment. “Oh?”
“Jack woke up nuzzling away at Daniel. I pretended not to see it, but it wasn’t easy to take, even though I kept telling them it would be okay..”
Graham thought about that a moment, and tried to block the mental image that flooded his mind. “So what?” he said with a shrug. “It doesn’t really mean much..”
“Do you remember that time you went to Canada and I was going to come but I stayed home at the last minute?”
“Around your birthday?”
“Yeah, and Blair came over. I think you already knew that Jack and I hadn’t seen each other in a few days back then?”
“I sensed there was trouble in paradise,” Graham said.
Rolling his eyes, Phil told him, “It was more than that. Jack had had an erotic dream about Daniel. We basically separated..”
“Because of a dream?”
“Because Jack confessed that he wasn’t quite over him…”
Graham hung his head and took a moment before saying, “But that was all a long time ago..” Lifting his face he reminded him, “A lot has changed. Jack is with you now. He loves you..”
“But what if he and Daniel had – quietly – been together all this time. What happens now? I love Jack and I’m sure he loves me.. but he might have been expecting me to go.. leaving things with him and Daniel open.. Logistically, this might be a really awkward thing for him..” Phil shrugged. "And he wouldn't really have done anything wrong, the poor baby."
Graham stared at his brother a while then lowered his face as he shook his head. “How can you even think this, let alone believe any of this, Phil?”
“Where is he now?” The words were sharp as if they were meant to make the point on their own.
Graham’s words stuck in his throat a moment then he said, “He’s at work..”
Philip nodded. “With Daniel.”
The older brother sucked in a deep breath then nodded. “Sure, he’s with Daniel, but they are working.. that’s all!”
Philip pressed both heels of his hands against his temples and gave a loud growl. “God! See, I hate being left alone to think too long!”
“You think too much,” Graham tried to smile as he nudged him.
“I know I do!” Philip sighed sadly then looked at the dark-eyed man and said, “But it *might* have happened.. How can you be so sure that it’s not!”
“Because,” Graham sat back, resting his elbows on his knees as he tilted his head back and took in the man beside him, “I’ve spent a lot of time with Jack this week, and I didn’t see anything that might have hinted at this.”
“But Daniel has been around a lot, right?”
“Sure. He took time off from work in order to be there for Jack, and me, when we needed him…”
Phil sighed forlornly and covered his face with his hands. “Why can’t I shake this feeling that there’s something going on that I don’t know about. I just.. I’m getting it mostly from Daniel, that’s why I started to wonder..”
Graham wet his lips then got to his feet. He held his hand out to his brother and pulled him up as well. “Don’t worry about Daniel, okay? He’s not with Jack..”
“Technically – he is…” Philip reminded him.
“Sexually, he’s not!” Graham said, as he begun to lead his brother from the gym.
“I wish I could be as sure as you,” Phil muttered.
“Trust your big brother on this one, okay?” Graham said with a wink as he pulled open the gym door. “Now, race you to the showers!” He flicked him playfully with his towel then ran off, chased by Philip to the showers next door.
<End of Part 88>
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.