This story is designed to be a 'reader's choice' kind of story, therefore there is no identification of the 'lover' - they are merely referred to as 'them' and 'they'.  

You, as the reader, are more than welcomed to insert whichever character you WISH to as the 'lover'.... 

Daniel woke slowly, the sounds of children and laughter wafted through his opened balcony doors. He smiled, stretching out his long body as he began to recall the night before. 

The invitation, the dinner, the 'first' kiss....... The birthday present.

He heard the soft squeak of the bedroom door being pushed open and he smiled
as he watched his friend - no, not any more, now his *lover* - enter the room. 

"Good morning," they said, smiling at him as they crossed the room,
stepped up onto the dais his bed was on and sat on the edge of the bed. He
shuffled back against the bed head, finding the newness of this relationship a
little daunting in first light. 

"Morning, yourself," he said, adjusting the sheet across his naked lap.

Passing over a steaming cup of coffee, they brushed his wayward hair
down then looked lovingly into his eyes. "Thought you could use one of
these..."

"Thanks!" He smiled as he lifted the cup from their hand. He tentatively took a sip of the hot, black brew, watching them carefully over the lip of the cup. They were looking around his bedroom, taking in the details that it was too late and too dark to see last night. Besides, sight seeing was not high on either one's minds as they tumbled through the door, tugging at each other's clothing, desperate to feel skin against skin! 

Shifting his feet beneath the sheet, Daniel sat crossed-legged and lowered the drink into his lap, careful to cup it with his hands to prevent the heat penetrating the thin cover and scolding his tender region.

"I guess this is the point where I thank you for my birthday gift?" He ran his hand down along the arm covered in his terry-toweling bath robe until he met with - then entangled- their fingers with his own. He surrendered the cup as they took it from him and settled it onto the side table. Lifting the joined hands, the lover's eyes focussed on his once more as a quirky smile filled their face. 

"You're going to *thank* me?" The brow arched questioningly. Daniel watched the lips press to each of his fingertips in turn. 

"Ah.. no.." He said, feeling the stirring within his crotch as he watched a pink tongue slip between the fingers. Fluttering his lashes as his breathing started to deepen he muttered, "That... that.. would.. be, uh, wrong..." He caught his breath as the tip of his middle finger disappeared through the soft lips, to be sucked on and toyed with mercilessly. 

His lover was nodding. It would be wrong to 'thank' someone for sharing a night of unadulterated, completely hot, sex with you. 

Sex, in his mind, was something 'shared' - not given - so thanks were not ever needed. Biting his bottom lip, he chuckled as he settled the sheet over his growing erection. "But I can thank you for this-" He pointed to one blue-red love-bite on his stomach; "and this-" He pointed to another on his left chest - right above the nipple; "and this-" There was a dark purple blue mark on the soft, white flesh of the inside of his upper arm, right where his muscle bulged. A long finger traced the mark then followed the gentle rise of the well-defined muscle. He heard the soft inhale of breath as the lips reached forward and kissed the silken flesh once more on the vulnerable spot. Whether it was their inhale of breath, or his, he didn't know. 

Pulling back, their eyes locked with his and then he gasped as he felt a hand touch his thick erection, ill-hidden under the sheet. 

"And this..." A cheeky smile filled their face. 

He nodded. "Oh, yeah," he said, cupping their face with his hand and enjoying the nudge he got against the palm, "definitely that!" 

Their lips met again, this time languid tongues teased and rolled over one another, enjoying sampling the early morning taste of their new lover. The tang of coffee, for both had partaken of some, was strong in the entwined mouths. Pulling back slightly but leaving their foreheads touching, Daniel caught his breath as he whispered huskily, "definitely for that..." He wrapped his arms around his lover, pulling them down onto him, revelling in the feel of their legs parting and dropping around his body. The groins rubbed together, butts and thighs wriggling to provide better angles, better purchase, more enjoyment... 

He tumbled them over, lying them on their back and partially dragging off the sheet, still pinned between their touching bodies. A hand - fingers splayed and tense with passion - slipped down over the gentle rise of his now exposed butt, and then the nails dug into the soft, white flesh as Daniel's thighs parted and he pushed up, dominantly straddled his lover.

A chuckle filled the room as a finger snaked down the anthropologist's smooth, hairless chest, all the way down until discovering the golden trail over the soft stomach. It danced and toyed around the navel, then slipped across the taut skin to the pink scar, still raised and puckered from the not-too-distant Emergency Appendectomy. Their eyes met, as memories of his dramatic and unexpected collapse on a distant world filled both their minds. The panic at getting a Doctor to rush through the Gate with a Med Team to perform the operation on a slab of rock on some distant planet, came crashing through their thoughts and Daniel shivered. With a smile he reached forward, covering his lover's mouth with his own. 

"Don't think about it.." He whispered as his tongue lapped at their bottom lip. 

"How can I not? I came too close to losing you, Daniel..."

"Shhh!" He cupped their cheek in his warm hand. "Shhh!" He presses his mouth against theirs again and felt the need within their kiss as they pulled him closer and kissed him fervently, and - it seemed - forever!

They pulled back amidst soft, breathy gasps as they filled oxygen-starved lungs once more. Daniel's thumb stroked over the lust-flushed cheek as he said, in a low, raspy voice, "I am going to thank you. For giving me the best birthday present - ever!" 

It was quite a wonderful surprise to hear that one of his co-workers had been harboring some deep feelings for him for a short while now. He was pleased that they chose his birthday to reveal those secret feelings - providing him with the best present he could ever ask for. Care. Affection. Love. Lust. All wonderful things to experience as you turn 35, he thought to himself a few times before drifting off into an exhausted sleep last night. 

Rolling the unsuspecting anthropologist onto his back once more, his lover looked down into his shimmering blue eyes and said, "It's a pity birthdays only come once a year!"

Daniel smiled and shrugged as he danced his indexfinger-tip over their kiss swollen bottom lip. "Well, I don't intend to .." He told them as he pushed them back over, and slipped under the sheet so that their warm bodies rested against each others. He entwined his long legs with theirs as he kissed them once more, fully and completely, as his hand worked its way down them, following the contours of their body, until he reached their thigh. He gripped it tightly as he guided them to partially lay over him, his other hand cupping the back of their head as they lost themselves, once more, in passionate kisses. 

It was funny how a little thing could change a life so quickly. That little thing - for Daniel - was the occasion of his 35th birthday.... It had all begun the day before.. the day of question.... July 8th, in the year Two Thousand. 

***

The morning had started off pretty much the same as most mornings at work did. He got in, he changed into his fatigues and he headed to his lab on the 20th level. Passing by people - nameless faces who all seemed to know him though - he greeted them with a nod and they'd respond with a cheery "Hello, Daniel," for the most part, or the occasional "Dr. Jackson" or the even rarely, but totally freaky, "Sir!". 

Daniel fumbled with the keys in his hand as he unlocked the door and hit the switch on with his elbow. The room was pretty much as he'd left it the night before. Over-cluttered and in total disarray that he would swear to anyone else was actually 'organized.' He tossed his keys onto the desk in the corner then placed his coffee cup on the center bench, pushing aside some ancient artifact a few thousand years old, so that he had room to put the paper down to read it. He checked the Stocks, hoping his were doing well. With a triumphant smile, he tapped the paper and said, "Yes! Thank you!" before standing with his arms crossed over his slim body. With his head tilted ever so slightly, he read the rest of the paper then folded it and tossed it in the waste paper bin. He was quietly standing there, cup poised near his mouth ready to drink but with his thoughts so far away, he didn't have the ability to take it any further.

"Penny for them!" 

The anthropologist almost wore the contents of his cup as he jumped into the air when Jack's voice shattered his thoughts. "You okay?" The colonel asked, reaching out to settle the nervy man. 

"I'm fine. I was.. well.. just thinking about.."

Jack's brow arched high. "About?"

"Something." Daniel said, deliberately obtuse. He bit his bottom lip as he frowned at his friend standing beside him, playing with one of the thousand year old artifacts. "Can I do anything for you?" He asked, snatching the delicate object from Jack and putting it back - without a reprimand. What would be the point?

"I wanted to know if you'd like to meet me in the cafeteria for lunch?"

Daniel looked at him skeptically. "Lunch? Jack, you never invite me to lunch?"

The colonel gave a shrug. "You want to come?"

"Ah, no," Daniel said, his brow furrowed in question at his friend. 

Jack held his arms wide in supplementation. "Why?"

Scratching at his thick brow with his thumb nail, Daniel sighed then said, "Because it's my birthday today and I've already made plans..... with.." 

The last word was swallowed up as Sam chirped over the top of him, "Hi, guys!" 

Daniel and Jack both turned to look in her direction. 

"Sam," Jack said, with a polite nod. 

"Hi, Sam," Daniel said, sounding more inviting. She smiled at the gentle anthropologist. 

"Hey-" She chuckled. "What's with the long faces?"

"I wanted to take Space Monkey here out for lunch, but he refused!" 

Sam shot Jack a quick look, almost as if saying, 'I'm not surprised if you called him that!'. 

Daniel rolled his eyes as he adjusted his glasses. "I have plans.."

Both Sam and Jack jutted their chins slightly as they fixed their eyes onto him, questioningly. He shrugged as if to say, 'I'm sorry, but I'm not altering the plans.' 

"Well," the major said, reaching over and hugging him tightly, "Happy birthday, Daniel."

He gave a shy smile. "Thanks, Sam." 

"Yeah," Jack put the artifact down and held his hand out to Daniel. "Happy birthday, Space Monkey!" Daniel was about to take him to task about the name, but decided to give in on it and he put his hand in Jack's then the two men came together for a manly hug, patting each other on the back before pulling away then letting go of their hands. 

Teal'c entered the room, a smile evident on his lips. "Happy day, my friend!" He said, brushing straight past Jack and greeting Daniel with the traditional Jaffa hand shake then they, too, pulled into a manly hug. 

"Thank you!" Daniel was positively pink when he pulled back, all the attention started to make him a little self-conscious about not going for lunch. 

Jack hitched a leg over the corner of the anthropologist's desk as he asked, teasingly, "how old now, Danny?"

"Still younger than you, Jack," Daniel retorted, his eyelashes fluttering quickly. Jack looked at him and laughed. 

"Younger than us all, are you not?" Teal'c asked.

"HEY!" Sam sounded indignant. "I'm younger than him, I'm thirty four..." She mumbled the last word. 

Daniel smiled at her. "Well, I have no problem with being 35," he told his friends. "It's a good age.."

"Third of your life is gone now, Daniel," Jack said facetiously from his perch. The anthropologist shot him a sideways glance. 

"Do you only do birthdays? Or do you do Barmitzfahs, too?" Daniel asked, jokingly sarcastic. Sam burst out in a loud laugh. 

"No, but I've done a Brisk or two..." Jack volleyed jovially. The younger man paused, staring at him a long moment before nodding. Sam chuckled again, this time she was shot down by a quick glance from the colonel. "I've even been known to sing at weddings.." He indicated to Daniel, "I'll sing at yours, if you like.."

Raising his brow, Daniel couldn't help but smile at the repartee in his head. "Who said you're even going to be invited to my next wedding?" 

Jack shrugged. "You're kidding - right?" He said, reaching behind himself to pick up the artifact once more. 

"What is a Brisk?" Teal'c finally asked. 

The three others looked at each other and Daniel casually reached forward, taking the artifact off his friend as he said, "Jack, do you want to answer that one?"

The colonel mumbled, "No, not really," but Daniel just turned on the spot, resting back against the edge of the desk beside Jack, his arms folded over his stomach as he waited for Jack to explain a 'brisk' to Teal'c. 

Sam tugged Daniel aside as the colonel began to explain to Teal'c. 

"I didn't get you anything, well, not yet anyway," she said, shooting a quick look at the others then back at Daniel. "I've got something in mind that I'd really like to give you, but I'm not sure yet..."

He nodded. "Sam, you don't even have to get me anything."

"No, I really want to give this to you. But it will have to be later.." She looked straight into his eyes as he nodded.

"Sure." 

She smiled and patted his shoulder before heading back to the others. He wondered if 'later' meant later today, tonight or in the week? He'd find out soon enough, he decided. 

Jack turned to them as they came back. "So, Daniel.. Dinner tonight?" 

"My shout!" Sam offered.

The younger man was surprised by that offer. "Sure, okay."

Jack looked from Sam to Teal'c then to Daniel. "Why don't I take you, so that you can have a drink or two?" Jack said. Daniel liked that offer too.

"And I shall pay for all your drinks this evening," Teal'c said. 

"Wow! Well, ugh, I'd be a fool to say no then, wouldn't I?"

The others smiled then exchanged looks. "Good." 

"Being off world though," Jack said, "I haven't had a chance to get you anything, I'm sorry."

"Really, no one has to buy me anything. I've got the best present right here," he said a little shyly before lowering his chin to his chest with an embarrassed smile. The other three exchanged another quick look. They knew how hard it had been for Daniel when they were gone that week. Given that he'd just lost his grand father, had the huge medical emergency on P3x0908 and then lost his three best friends - it would have been a harrowing time.

Jack licked his lips quickly then said, "Listen Danny, we're all pretty glad to be back here, too!" 

The slightly embarrassed anthropologist kept his face down as he nodded. 

"This will be our way of saying that we are glad to be here to celebrate this day with you," Teal'c said, taking up from where Jack had left off. Daniel lifted his face to look at the Jaffa. 

Sam slipped her hand across his back and he turned to look at her now. "To let you know that we really missed you, too.." 

Blinking quickly, Daniel wet his lips then nodded and looked down again, not trusting himself to speak. 

"So? The name, Daniel?" Jack asked. 

"Huh?"

"Of your favorite restaurant?" 

"Oh, um, Pellini's."

Jack and Sam gave agreeing nods - it was quite a nice restaurant. Italian food, and very nice surroundings. The young man had good taste, obviously! 

"So, I'll come and get you around 7ish tonight then?" Jack confirmed. Daniel nodded.

"And I will purchase your drinks for this evening." 

"I'll put in for that too," Sam offered. 

"Hey!" Daniel laughed, as if he was some kind of slosh. "You guys planning on getting me drunk?" 

"Yes.."

"No.." Sam and Jack said together then exchanged quick looks.

Daniel smiled. "This is a very nice gesture, guys. It's going to make my birthday quite special.. Thank you. We don't normally make an issue of each other's birthdays.."

Jack and Teal'c looked at each other then at Daniel.

"What?"

"When we were off world, we started to run low on water," Jack started to explain. Teal'c picked it up, "So we had to resort to mixing some of the juice of a native plant with our water supplies to make them last."

Sam finished off with, "And we discovered that it was pretty.. well... potent.." 

Daniel looked at the three of them. "You guys were drunk?" His voice rose in surprise. 

Jack waved his hand at Teal'c's now cleanly shaved face. "You think he'd do something like that sober?" Daniel wet his lips as he rolled his eyes. He wasn't really going to say anything, but he did find it strange. 

"On the night before we returned home we sat around the fire and played a game called.."

"Called - what would I miss most if I never got home again," Sam told him with a sad smile. 

"Oh," Daniel nodded. "Cheery game." 

The three others laughed softly. 

"So what was the outcome?" He asked them. 

"Warm bed," Jack said quickly then met Sam's playful glare. Looking back at Daniel he shrugged as he mumbled, "I think I said warm bed..." 

Sam laughed, "Yes, you did, sir..." 

He shot her a quick look then narrowed his eyes as he stared at her a moment longer. 

"We each formed the same answer." Teal'c said, distracting Daniel from Sam and Jack's playfulness. 

The anthropologist lifted his chin as he folded his arms over his chest. "Oh?"

"You," Teal'c told him.

"Huh?"

"You," Jack said, rejoining the conversation. "You were what we'd miss most about not coming back to earth..." 

"Me?" Daniel's surprise was obvious. Sam smiled happily as she looked at his bewildered face. "I'm speechless..." he muttered softly.

"That would make a first!" Jack mumbled teasingly. 

"No, I really am..."

"You can now see why we wished to take you to dinner," Teal'c said, smiling himself. 

"Thank you, I'd.. I'd..."

Jack and Sam looked at each other and said, together, "speechless!" 

"I am.." 

Jack pumped the air. "Yes!" 

Sam laughed and Teal'c raised his brow slightly.

*
Daniel floated on air for the rest of the day. His lunch, with Major Davis, had gone well. The two men had formed a fast friendship during the days following the incident with the Crystal Skull. The major was brought in to discuss the disappearance of one earth resident, a Nick Ballard, and he was still there when Daniel suffered with his appendicitis attack on P3x0908, when all hell broke loose on base to try to get a surgeon to him as he was too ill to gate travel. Janet had been beside herself with worry, unable to perform the operation herself and having to organize someone else to be flown in and briefed quickly about the incident. Then, after that had settled down, the rest of SG-1 went missing onto Thor's ship and were lost for one week while all on Base hurried to prepare the Beta Gate for use. 

Davis had come to know Daniel pretty well in those trying circumstances and it had been his opinion that the anthropologist was conscientious and capable person, and certainly someone he found himself getting along with quite easily - quite a unique find in his line of work. Although he had jurisdiction in the case of blowing the sub with Jack and Teal'c inside, he saw that Daniel was agonizing over it and thought it was best that he have control of the situation - or at least appear to. He had no idea it was Daniel's birthday that day but was honored that the anthropologist had kept their date, despite the offer from Jack. Daniel had laughed and said something along the lines of 'working with Jack, not being married to him'. The comment had caught Davis' attention. 

*
After work Daniel came back to his apartment, tossed his keys across the room to land on his sofa as he went in to shower. After scrubbing himself in shower gel -making the bathroom smell like a forest- he grabbed a towel off the railing and headed into his bedroom while fastening the fluffy blue towel around his waist. Ruffling his hand through his short, dark blond hair he stood before the mirror and looked at his reflection as he thought about his friends. All three had apologized for not having a present for him earlier, but that they had something to give him at dinner. 

He'd pulled his pants on, over his socked feet, and then fastened them around his waist as he reached for the shirt next. The doorbell jangled and he immediately went to it, thinking that Jack must have been a little early. He managed to get one arm in to the sleeve before he tugged the door open. 

"Oh!?" Janet's brown eyes were larger than normal as she eyed the partially naked man before her. Daniel quickly gathered up the shirt in front of himself as he eased his other arm into the sleeve. 

"Ugh, Janet," he said, stammering a little. "Sorry," he said, stepping back to let her in. 

"That's alright, Daniel. I've seen your chest before, oddly enough!" She teased. 

He grinned and ducked his face. "Ah, yeah..." Then, remembering his manners, he invited her into the apartment with a sweep of his hand. "Come in, sit down, would you like some tea?"

Janet smiled. "Thank you, I will. No, I'll follow you into the kitchen, and yes please." 

He stopped and considered her response with a slight tilt of his head. He suddenly laughed, his nose crinkling as he dipped his face to his chest "Oh."

She smiled at him amiably, seeing that he'd picked up on her little joke then she pulled a small rectangular shaped box from her jacket pocket. "Happy birthday, Daniel." 

His eyes went wide - clearly it was an unexpected gift. Shaking his head slightly he said, "Now Janet, you shouldn't have..." But the smile told her that he was glad she did. 

She thrust the gift at him again and shrugged. "It's not what I really wanted to give you, but when I saw it, it caught my eye." She placed the gold box, tied in a neat blue ribbon, in the palm of his hand. "Maybe I'll give that other gift another time. There's always Christmas.." 

He blinked rapidly a few times, then lowered his lashes as he looked at the box in his hand as he tugged carefully at the ribbon, unfastening the bow slowly. Shaking the box slightly, he lifted the top off to reveal a silver key chain with Egyptian hieroglyphics engraved on it. He read the inscription easily. It said 'Daniel'. 

"Wow," he said on a soft sigh as he lifted the ingot out of the box. Bouncing on his palm, noting by the weight alone that it was of good quality and would have been expensive, he curled his long fingers around the key chain as he smiled at her. "Thank you. It's really lovely." 

She blushed a little, embarrassed by his genuine appreciation of the gift but pleased that he really liked it. He reached across and placed a soft kiss on her hot cheek. Pulling back slowly, their eyes locked as he smiled once more. 

Suddenly finding her voice, she shrugged as she pointed to the kettle which had finished boiling, "Like I said, I saw it and thought of you immediately. It's from the small gift shop in the Mall, do you know it?"

Shaking his head, his eyes and nose crinkled as he admittedly, a little coyly, "I don't get out that much..."

She raised her brow then nodded. Probably not, she thought to herself as she gathered up her drink and followed him into the living room with it.

She was aware of the careful way he lowered himself to his knees by the side of the coffee table. 

"Side giving you trouble?" She asked as casually as she could, given the fact that he was one of her favorite patients and she didn't like to see him in any pain. 

"It's..." He stopped, gritted his teeth behind his smile and blinked quickly. "That obvious, huh?" 

"Guess that elevator door shutting on you the other day wouldn't have helped much!" She tried to sound stern but he looked up with large blue eyes and she found herself smiling at him once more. 

"You heard about that, huh?" 

With a dip of her head, she placed the cup onto the table and tucked a foot under her thigh. "Not much happens around there that I don't hear about."

// Especially where one of my favorite men are concerned// 

Ducking his face again, hiding his smile he said, "I had to get up there..."

"I know!" She nodded. "Jack and the others were coming home."

His grin lit the room now. "It's great that they got back okay, isn't it?"

She nodded. It certainly was. Reaching for her cup, she looked at him as she said, "and now I guess that means you'll get more sleep at night!" 

Daniel gave a soft laugh as he looked down once more, suddenly finding his hands in his lap fascinating. "I guess.."

She looked over the sandy blond hair and then said, quietly, "Your friends are very lucky to have someone like you who cares so much about them.."

He looked up, his head titled slightly as his lips quivered with his thoughts. A shy smile finally broke through as he adjusted the glasses on his nose. "I care about all my friends, Janet. You included..." 

She looked a little lost for words and he felt suddenly awkward so he added, quickly, "won't you join us for dinner tonight? Jack and the others are taking me to Pellini's." 

"Pellini's? Wow, that's expensive..."

He lowered his face, thinking that it might be too expensive for her to want to join them. 

"I'd love to come, if you think the other's wouldn't mind." 

He looked up again and smiled. "No, of course they won't. It's my birthday, after all," he said with a smile as he raised his coffee cup to his lips. 

Suddenly the doorbell jangled again and, a little curious, Daniel checked the clock on the wall as he got to his feet. It was still too early for Jack. Jumping up onto the top step (almost as if to show Janet that he was a lot better than she thought - given the look in her eyes the whole visit) he reached for the door and pulled it open quickly. 

"Hello!" His voice hitched with genuine surprise as he looked at his caller. 

"Hello, I hope you don't mind..."

"No! No, come on in..." Daniel stepped aside and allowed the visitor into his apartment. 

Seeing the back of Janet's head in the living room, he stopped. "You've got company?"

Daniel shook his head. "It's just Janet. Come on!" The anthropologist placed his arm around his friend's shoulder and led him into the living room where Janet turned to see them. 

"Major Davis!?" Her look of surprise said it all. She had no idea that the two young men were friends. 

"Hello, Doctor Fraiser. I hope you don't mind my butting..."

"Don't be silly. Sit down!" Daniel swept his arm towards the sofa and Davis nodded, going to sit down opposite where Daniel was kneeling onto the floor once more. 

"Oh! Coffee? Would you like a coffee? Do you even drink coffee?" Daniel laughed softly. 

"Yes." Davis said, smiling then shaking his head as he broke into a soft laugh. "I mean yes, I drink coffee and yes, I'd like one, please." 

Daniel nodded and got up again, leaving the two guests to themselves. They sat in awkward silence for a few seconds then Janet asked, "So, you heard it was Daniel's birthday, then?"

Looking through towards the kitchen then back at the doctor, the major nodded and said, "Yes. He told me at lunch today...."

Her brow went up slightly and the young officer said, as he rose unsteadily to his feet, "Please excuse me a minute.." Janet nodded and turned her head to watch him go to the kitchen. Rolling her eyes, she reached for her cup once more, staring off into the distance through the large window. 

Davis was behind Daniel before the anthropologist even knew he was in the room. "Oh!" He said as he backed into him as he leaned over to get a coffee mug from the cupboard. 

"Sorry." Davis blushed a little. 

"I'm the one that should apologize.." Daniel said because he was the one that backed into him. 

The officer shook his head. "No, I mean... I didn't mean to interrupt. Are you two going out this evening?"

Daniel frowned then his mouth dropped open as his eyes flicked quickly in the direction of the living room then back to him. With a slight curl of his top lip, he said, "Janet and I are just friends...."

Davis nodded, looking relieved. "I thought I was interrupted something."

The anthropologist shook his head. "No, though I must admit I'm surprised to see you again so soon..." 

Davis lowered his head. "You mentioned it was your birthday today."

"Yeah..?" 

The major extracted a flat square present from his inside pocket of his jacket. "Happy birthday."

"Oh God!" Daniel said, putting the spoon down and taking the plainly wrapped gift from his friend. "You shouldn't have...!"

Davis shrugged. "As I was walking back to my car from our lunch I came across this c.d. store on Main Street. Do you know it?""

Daniel shook his head as he eased the tape off the wrapper carefully. Davis watched the long fingers unwrap the gift slowly as he continued to say, "I went in and was just thumbing through some titles when I saw this one. You said you liked them..." He waited for Daniel's expression as he revealed the c.d. The anthropologist smiled and shook his head. 

"I don't have this one! That's amazing! I think it's the only one of theirs that I don't have!" 

Davis beamed. "I'm really glad I got it then."

"Thank you!" Daniel lowered the case and looked directly into the major's eyes. "I.. I ... thanks.." He said with a blush as he looked down at the c.d. once more. Davis smiled at him. 

"That's okay.." he mumbled quietly, watching Daniel read the case. 

*
Janet returned from the bathroom to find Davis sitting on the sofa and Daniel over by his stereo unit, his butt wriggling a little as music boomed from the speakers. With a grimace, she nodded at Davis as she sat down again.

"Your gift?" She mouthed, pointing in the air. 

He nodded then smiled as he shouted over the music, "He seems to really like it.."

She nodded as well, deciding not to fight the music with words. Daniel turned the song down as the track finished and he turned and saw Janet again. "Oops, sorry."

She shrugged then realized that her cup was refilled with tea. "Oh, thanks. I should get going after this though, if I'm to dress for dinner.."

With a shrug, Daniel sat on the sofa beside Davis and reached for his cup. "Why? You look fine." He was sitting forward, with one hand resting on the back of the sofa, the other hand curled around the warm mug. 

She smiled and said, "Daniel Jackson, you're a saint! No, I really need to go home a put a face on!"

The two men turned and looked at each other, then shrugged. Janet laughed. 

"How about you?" Daniel asked the man beside him. 

"No, I don't need to go home and put a face on..." 

Daniel's nose crinkled and his head dipped as he chuckled. "No," he said, drawing in a breath and biting his bottom lip momentarily before asking, "Will you come to dinner, too?"

"Dinner?"

"Pellini's. On Fifth."

"Oh, yeah, I know the place. Ummm-" He turned to look at Janet who shrugged. 

"Don't look at me, he's just invited me along as well," she told him with a smile. 

Davis nodded as he turned back to Daniel. "Sure. What time?"

"Eight." 

"Okay, but-" he said, sitting back in the chair, his hair brushing Daniel's hand on the back of the sofa slightly. "Does this mean I'll have to give you another present..?"

The anthropologist never got to answer as the doorbell jangled once more. 

"Still too early for Jack?" Janet asked. Daniel nodded as he got up and went to the front door, leaving the two to talk, a lot more amiably than before. 

"I'm sorry about my strange behavior before," Davis told her. "Only I thought I'd interrupted something..."

Janet gave him a sideways glance. "What made you think that?" 

He shrugged then sighed as he sat back, resting his head on the back of the sofa. "I was relieved to hear that I wasn't..." 

Janet nodded as she cupped her hands around her drink and stared off into the distance, vaguely aware of Daniel's voice in the background.

"General?" The surprised voice carried into the living room clearly. Davis sat straighter on the sofa as soon as he heard the cry. 

"Hello, son!" The thick Texan twang was unmistakable. "A little dickey-bird told me it was your birthday today."

"Yes. Come on in," he said, stepping back and sweeping his hand into the apartment again. The General looked surprised by the others in the room. "Hello," he said, stepping down into the living room. 

"General!" Davis got to his feet immediately - an action Daniel noted with slight interest before he turned to his newest guest and asked if he wanted a coffee. 

*
The four of them were talking amicably when the doorbell jangled once more. Daniel put the bottle of Top-Shelf Scotch, his gift from the General, back onto the table and got up. 

"This has got to be Jack," he muttered as he headed out of the room. Opening the door he rolled his eyes as he laughed to himself. Jack frowned. 

"Old age making you nuts, Danny?" 

"No. Come in..."

"Holy..." Jack said under his breath when he saw the others. "Holding a party I wasn't invited to?" The colonel twisted from his waist to look at the man standing close behind him. 

"No." Daniel said, then smiled. "They've all come to wish me a happy birthday.."

The colonel raised his brow, then his eyes darted part way down Daniel before flicking back up and settling onto the wide blue eyes. "Well, aren't we Mr. Popular?"

"Surely a title I snared from you, Jack.." Daniel muttered, playfully shouldering his friend as he passed him. Jack screwed his nose up at the back of Daniel's head then he greeted the others with a joyful, "hello!"

*
After a volley of conversation, which lasted longer than they really had the time for, the General turned to Jack beside him on the sofa and said, "I hear you're taking Daniel out for a good time tonight."

Jack arched one brow then shot Daniel a side-ways glance. "We're hoping to, Sir.." 

Daniel quickly said, "Why don't you join us, General?"

Jack tilted his head further from Hammond's view as he glared at Daniel, clearly saying with his eyes what he couldn't say out loud: 'Are you nuts!' The anthropologist was well aware of the glare but ignored it. 

"I'd really like you to join us..." He added, tilting his chin up slightly as he locked his gaze with Hammond's. The small blue eyes softened a little with his smile. "Son, I'd really like that. Thank you!" 

Daniel nodded and then, and only then, he met Jack's gaze. Blinking rapidly, a sweet smile came to Daniel's lips and almost a 'forgive me, Jack' look filled his eyes. The colonel sighed and shook his head as he lowered his chin to his chest. 

"So what number Fifth Street is this restaurant?" Janet asked, starting to gather her keys and purse together to leave. 

Jack's brow arched slightly. "Oh? You too?"

"One hundred and one. I've been there before.." Davis said, then met Jack's stare. He nodded, silently answering Jack's unasked question. The colonel gave a slight roll of his eyes but Davis hadn't seen that as he turned to Daniel beside him again. 

"Have you?" Daniel asked. Davis nodded. 

"Well, that's great. So I should call and have them change the reservation then?" Jack asked, trying to hide all annoyance within his voice but not succeeding. Daniel lifted his face as he looked up at his standing friend.

"Oh? Oh, I hadn't thought of that... Sorry."

The colonel shrugged as he nodded. "Go figure.. Phone?"

Daniel pointed to the corner of the room and Jack went to place the call. Janet got to her feet as she said, "I'll have just enough time to go home and freshen up." 

Daniel got up off the sofa and walked with her to the door. "Really," he said as he reached to open the door, "you look fine!" 

She smiled then touched her hand to his cheek. "Aren't you a sweet one! No, I need to do my hair and face. It's a special night, after all..."

He bowed his head as he smiled shyly. "Thank you," was mumbled so softly she almost didn't hear it. Reaching across, he kissed her cheek lightly then leaned back onto the opened door. 

"My pleasure!" She said with a playful poke to his ribs. "I'll see you at eight!" 

Nodding, he waved her goodbye then turned to go back into the living room. He almost bowled Davis over as the man was standing right behind him again. 

"Agh!" Daniel steadied himself by reaching out and grabbing the officer's shoulders. Davis' hands came out to help steady him as well. 

"My fault.." He gave an embarrassed smile. 

Daniel looked at him a long minute, then he blindly reached behind himself and opened the door. 

"I'll see you at eight then," the major said, stepping out into the corridor. Daniel nodded. 

"Two meals together in one day," Daniel said as he laughed lightly. "If we keep this up, we'll be as fat as houses!" 

Davis shrugged one shoulder. "I'm sure we can find others things to do together that doesn't involve food," he said then shoved his hands into his pants pockets. Daniel smiled. 

"You could always come over and listen to my c.d. collection.."

Davis laughed then scratched at his eyebrow. "Uh, yeah, sure..." He said, leaving Daniel in a clear mind that their taste in music was not compatible. The two men laughed then Davis turned and went down the hall. Daniel closed the door then went back to where Jack and Hammond were talking like old friends.

"The General tells me you didn't do too much *resting* while we were gone!" 

Daniel rolled his eyes slightly. "Well, first we had your little disappearance to cope with, then the hassle of getting in the Beta Gate... and the troubles we had trying to get that up and running, working through the night - because I just *know* you'd do that for me, Jack.." He couldn't resist the chance to playfully jibe his friend. Jack almost blushed as he looked at him, his lips parted slightly and a pink tongue toyed with a dry spot on his bottom lip. Daniel shrugged, realizing he wasn't going to get a verbal comeback, and went on, "Trying to work out why the damn thing wouldn't work properly, and deciding we needed Sam in to help rescue herself -" He paused as Jack's brow hitched even higher. "Well, it was a joke at the time.." the anthropologist muttered to himself then said in a louder voice, "Davis and I worked through the night together on most nights, and then there was the .." He stopped when Jack sighed heavily. "No-" Daniel lowered his chin to his chest, "not a lot of rest.. actually."

The colonel nodded as he sat forward. "Well, I think you should have an early night tonight then, young man!" Daniel shrugged. 

"You know, Colonel, I had to Order him back to bed on more than one occasion, if I recall correctly!" Hammond said, shooting Daniel a teasing smile. 

"Oh? Really!" Jack tilted his head to look at his friend who was kneeling on the floor on the other side of the coffee table. 

Daniel scratched behind his ear with his thumb. "Not to mention the time you threatened to sit on me so that I actually stayed in bed..."

Jack and Hammond exchanged quick glances then the colonel looked at the anthropologist with a quizzical look in his eye. "With you?" 

"On me.." Daniel clarified. 

Jack nodded and shot the older man another quick look before sitting back in his chair. "I see." 

"I took the hint," Daniel said with a nod. 

"Bright boy," Jack teased him then looked at Hammond, seeing the fond smile on the General's face. "So I take it we will be seeing you at dinner, Sir?"

Hammond remained looking at Daniel. "Wouldn't miss it for the world!" 

Checking his watch, Jack said, "Well if we don't all get out of here soon, we'll all miss it!"

Daniel nodded and got to his feet and the three men made their way to the front door. Daniel checked that he had his wallet and keys as he went by patting his pants pockets. Grabbing his Sports Coat off the rack by the front door, he said goodnight to Hammond then he was about to pull the front door closed behind them when Jack said, "Daniel?"

"Yeah?"

"Shoes?"

"Oh!" Daniel went back inside and put his forgotten shoes on while Jack waited in the corridor of the apartment block. 

*

The sizable dinner party were being rather loud in the corner of the restaurant as they drank good red wine and ate pasta and talked about 'saving the world - yet again!'. 

There was a pile of presents in front of Daniel, all had been graciously received and opened with due care. He was sitting back, one fisted hand resting lightly on the white linen cloth as he swirled the red wine in his glass before taking a mouthful. He was feeling 'good'. No where near drunk, he'd just engorged on the best food known to him, been showered with presents and was surrounded by his closest friends. As he sat there he felt someone move in behind him and then they whispered in his ear, "I've another gift for you, and I think I should give it to you outside, if I may..."

Daniel turned to look at them, his blue eyes growing softer as he smiled at them. "*Another* gift?"

His friend smiled hesitantly then nodded. The anthropologist got to his feet and followed them out of the restaurant, then across the dark parking lot to a car in the corner. Getting inside he sat beside them, turning as best he could to face them. He watched the hands tighten around the steering wheel before them and realized that this was not a simple 'gift giving' moment. 

"Daniel..."

"Yeah?" 

"There's something I have been wanting to *give* you - for a while now..."

Wetting his lips, the anthropologist felt his heart rate quicken. Even though his mind told him to not be foolish, his heart was already telling him that this person was about tell him something - something he'd secretly been harboring for 'them', only he'd been too shy to let them know it.

"What is it?" Daniel was surprised his voice sounded so level. He watched the face turn towards him and held his breath as their hand cupped his cheek. His heart fluttered as the thumb brushed his bottom lip and it almost stalled altogether as they looked up at him, looking deep into his eyes - their own eyes full of lust, clear even in the dim light of the parking lot. 

"This...." The two faces came together slowly, slow enough that he heard the crunch of the leather seats as it shifted under their weight and felt their breath puff across his lips before the mouths sealed shut. It was a tease of a kiss really, then they pulled away again. "How do you feel about .. this?"

Daniel swallowed then his hand came up to cup their face as he pulled his glasses off, tossing them into his lap. "Like this.." He guided them closer before sealing their lips once more and sinking his tongue deep into their hot mouth. 

After losing himself in the toe-curling kiss a moment his mind started whirling and screaming at him. What the hell was he doing? This was his friend!! But as he felt their hand glide down the side of him, then onto his thigh where it squeezed the fleshy limb tightly, he realized that this was where the friendship ended. Now they were moving on, onto a plane that he'd wanted to take this friendship to himself but hadn't had the guts to try before. His fingers delved into their hair as he secured them against his mouth once more, both working the kiss to dizzying heights until air-starved lungs cried out for resuscitation. 

Pulling back, they both gasped noisily in the confines of the car. The windows, fogged up already by the heat the two aroused bodies were giving off, diffused the light even more so that Daniel could see nothing but shadows on their face. It gave the moment a surreal feel, so he touched his fingertips down their cheek, onto their lips - just to reassure himself that this was real and happening. As they turned to kiss his palm, his body felt charged with a shock of electricity then he melted as they nibbled softly on the fleshy base of his thumb.

"Daniel, I don't want to move this thing too fast..." The voice was a lust-filled moan, soft and erotic to the young man's ears. He cupped their head once more as he pulled them into another kiss, silencing all talk of not taking this any further tonight. He couldn't let them go - not now - not after he'd tasted them! 

Pulling out of the kiss he pressed his forehead against theirs as he asked, breathlessly, "I'm not going to get much sleep tonight... why don't you join me...?"

No other words were spoken. The two faces came together again for another long, deep kiss - both bodies squirming to be nearer but the center console of the car was in the way. As they pulled back once more, Daniel wrestled with his senses and realized that they'd soon be missed and perhaps the others would come out to see what was the matter. 

"We should go back inside," he said through soft kisses against their lips. 

"We should..." The slick tongue danced over his top lip and then Daniel moaned. 

"Oh, please... Don't do that!" The moan was the desperate pleading of an over aroused man. Light laughter filled the car now then Daniel captured their face between his hands and held them for a spine-tingling kiss. 

Slowly and with regret, they parted once more. Daniel grappled for the door handle. "We really should..."

"...Go inside, I know!" 

They got out of the car and stopped to look at each other across the top. With a smile, Daniel slammed the door shut and rounded the car to walk beside them to the restaurant once more. 

They received a few strange looks from the rest of the dinner party but no one said a word to either of them, despite Daniel's hair sticking up all over his head like he'd just spent ten hours in bed....

*

And now, as he rolled his new lover onto their back in a successful attempt to straddle them once more, he smiled down at them pinned beneath him. He lowered his face and kissed them fervently, realizing that this was certainly one birthday, and one present, that he was never going to forget.... ! 

THE END

So.. WHO did you imagine in the story with him??? Hmmm??

(Image of Paul Davis was taken from - http://www.snufflebear.ma-at.net/Pooh/SG1/pics/514/2.html )