Rolling back down, the younger man sighed softly, turning his face to look at his sleeping friend. How often had they woken like this on missions where they shared a tent? Dozens of times. Daniel never thought anything of it, just enjoyed the body against him, and - perhaps - fantasized that Jack was fully conscious of what he was doing. Twisting to look at the sleeping man again, he wondered if he was conscious of what he was doing this morning? Did he really manipulate his body to be this entangled with Daniel's? Or was it merely the situation and the strange confession from the night before that had Daniel sort of wishing it were so this time.

The urgency of his bladder gave him no more time to think on it. He reached down and gripped Jack's thigh, easing him off as he got to his knees. Then he scuffled over to the tent flap and unzipped it before heading outside. Unnoticed by him was the one opened eye that was watching him.

Jack watched the butt disappear through the tent flap then rolled onto his side, his groin, although not erect, felt heavy. He had to watch his thoughts or he would have some explaining to do, to Daniel and to himself - the part of him that believed in monogamy and in Philip.

Groaning as he rolled onto his back, he cupped his hand over his forehead as he stared up at the tent roof and thought of his gorgeous lover. He smiled instantly the moment his mind conjured up the face before him. The dark, arched brow. The black eyes that were like holes right into Philip's soul. The mouth that Jack would give anything to be pressed up against *right* now. He felt his groin jump and knew there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it, especially as Philip smiled and said, "Jack." With a low moan Jack felt the shaft twitch in his fatigues once more.

"Jack!" The shake of the shoulder was harsh, and yanked the dreaming colonel back to reality. He opened his eyes to see Daniel staring down at his groin then turned to look at him once more, about to shake him when he saw he was awake now.

"Oh!"

"Sorry," the older man leaned up onto his elbow, looking down at the peak within his pants.

"We've got to get going.." Daniel said, trying to ignore his friend's hard on.

"Damn thing has a mind of its own in the morning!" The colonel mumbled as he rolled onto his side and then pressed himself up into a sitting position.

"Yeah," Daniel commented absently, busying himself with the rolling up of the sleeping bag he and Jack had to share overnight. Crawling to the door, Jack slipped himself out of the tent, unaware of the eyes on his butt as he did. Daniel sighed and then shuffled backwards out of the tent, pulling it down as he went, then rolling it up and putting it into the pack once more.

By the time Jack had returned the campsite was stripped and the fire kicked apart, leaving smoldering ashes. Daniel grabbed his canteen and poured a little of the water onto the embers, rendering them impotent. Jack swung his arms wide as he yawned then flung them in to hug himself tightly before flinging them wide once more. The early morning air was chilly and the visual range still incredibly poor.

"Ready?" Daniel asked, tossing the pack over his shoulder and tugging his hat onto his head.

"Sure," Jack said, reaching down to retrieve his gun which Daniel had left against the log.

They walked in silence a short way, along the top of the ravine that he and Sam would have fallen into the day before. The air was still murky and vision was poor most of the time, but occasionally the wind blew enough to offer a limited clear view. When that had happened Daniel, who was keeping his eyes opened for any sign of the Data Capsule, saw the remainder of the destroyed UAV at the bottom of the ravine.

The data capsule was sure to be inside and they needed to retrieve it. An error on the base meant that a UAV that had been used for a previous mission to a known Goa'uld stronghold and had gathered crucial data about the layout of the headquarters of the Goa'uld's lair, was resent through the gate to this world. The error infuriated the General and he immediately set about organizing for SG-1 to go in and retrieve it. The problem was, it was many, many clicks in from the gate and required a twelve hour hike just to reach it, and another twelve hour hike to get home.

Jack was glad that they'd located it at least. In an atmosphere like this one, it was possible that they might have missed the destroyed UAV and have never retrieved the vital information. Still, it was a long way down and vision was greatly hampered by the air.

Jack sighed as he stepped up to the edge of the cliff face, his foot resting on a rock as he peered over the edge. Daniel lifted his chin to get a better look over the edge as well, but he still remained behind Jack. There was still a small issue with heights as far as the archaeologist was concerned.

The colonel turned to look over his shoulder at his friend and they practically pressed noses together. Daniel made an apologetic noise and stepped back.

"I'll go," Jack said, slipping the gun over his head and passing it to Daniel.

"Be careful," he said and their eyes met. Jack gave a flit of a smile then nodded.

"I'm always careful, Danny," he said, patting his friend's arm as he started down the slippery slope. Daniel kept an eye on him for as long as he could but Jack soon was lost in the murky atmosphere. Biting his lower lip the younger man sat back onto a large boulder and waited.

Suddenly, out of the darkness was a cry and then a gut wrenching thud.

"Jack!"

Daniel sprang to his feet, immediately dropping the pack to the ground as he scurried over the edge of the cliff face, tracing his way to Jack who had obviously gone over the edge. All the way down he called out to his friend, assuring him that he was coming, but he got no response in return. Part of him secretly thanked the fact that Sam and the med. team would be almost back and he'd have help, probably within the hour.

He saw a dark shadow at the bottom of the pit and slid on his butt until he reached his friend.

He crouched beside the colonel's still body, then he raised his hand over him - almost too scared to touch him - as hee said, "Jack? Can you hear me?"

The older man groaned then slowly rolled onto his back, Daniel offering help.

"What happened?" Daniel asked, brushing the dirt off Jack's face and discovering the damage was minimal under there.

"Slipped." The older man groaned and went to sit up but gripped his chest in pain.

"It hurts?" Daniel asked, adjusting his glasses. Jack grimaced as he nodded and Daniel flexed his hand before slipping it under Jack's tattered t-shirt.

"Je-sus!" Jack jumped then cursed as Daniel's hand touched his skin.

"That hurts?" The worried blue eye went wide.

"Your hands are cold! Least I warmed mine first!" Jack hissed through clenched teeth. The anthropologist rolled his eyes.

"And you call yourself a Doctor.." the colonel teased the timid touches.

"Of Archaeology, Jack," he said, then mumbled, "so you're safe, as I'm used to running my hands over old things."

He grimaced as Jack flinched when the fingers found a tender spot. The colonel's eyes narrowed.

"What did you say.. OUCH!" he tugged himself away from the touch.

"Jack!" Daniel said sternly then gripped the top and held it up. Jack took the hem and pulled the black material up so that Daniel could feel his skin unobstructed.

He saw, with some horror, as Daniel pulled his hand back and wiped the back of it over his nose. His fingers were stained red with Jack's blood.

"What the hell are you doing!" Jack said, dropping his top and hastily gripping Daniel's wrist with his large hand.

The anthropologist frowned then said, "You're bleeding, so what!"

Jack picked up his shirt tale and wiped Daniel's hand clean. "You know better than to touch blood, Daniel!" he hissed, and if Daniel didn't know better, he'd swear Jack was angry with him.

"I've touched your blood before!" he said. "I've got the damn stuff in me, remember!" He was referring to one of the incidents after a mission where Jack donated blood for Daniel in an emergency transfusion. His skin went cold as he realized that he wouldn't be able to be that free about his blood ever again - just in case!

"Well, from now on I want you to wear a damn glove!"

Daniel frowned. "A glove?"

"Yes! What part of that didn't you understand?" The colonel hissed as he got to his feet unsteadily. Daniel looked up at him.

"All of it," he said, getting to his feet also. "Jack!"

He wondered if the colonel suspected him at all. He reached out and gripped Jack's shoulder as he spun him around to face him. The older man screwed his face up as he said, "Just wear a damn glove, okay!"

Daniel looked down at his blood stained hand then at his friend. "Your wound still needs attention," he said, looking straight into Jack's dark eyes. The colonel nodded then looked around.

"And the kit is?"

Daniel half rolled his eyes as he said, "up there!" He pointed his red fingers into the air. Jack looked at him dully then sighed. Daniel shrugged, realizing that it caused some problems then he reached forward and grabbed the bottom of Jack's t-shirt. Considering the colonel was the only one of them with a jacket as well, he ripped the black top into a long strip and got Jack to hold the remaining top up while he used the strip to tourniquet the wound. As he tugged the ends, tightening the material across the heaving chest he noticed how the blood wrung from the top and dripped onto his pant leg.

"There," he said, stepping back and watching as Jack lowered what was left of his t-shirt again.

"Thanks," the colonel said in a quiet voice.

"It should hold until we get back up to the pack." Daniel said, wiping his hands on his pant leg before turning and picking up the data capsule that was caught in the remains of the crashed UAV beside them.

Jack was just glad they'd gotten what they'd come for and could now go home. He was looking forward to getting back, having a long, hot shower and going to see Philip. But, first things first - they had a capsule to get home again. One that was now in Daniel's hands - safe and sound.

The two men made their way up to the cliff face again and started for home, Jack feeling slightly light headed from the exertion and blood loss.

Daniel walked beside him, keeping one eye on the slightly staggering man. Every time he went to offer Jack help the colonel held one hand up, warning him off.

Silently they walked back, and were met halfway down by Sam, Teal'c and Janet with her medical team. The arrivals were surprised that it was Jack that needed retrieving and not Daniel, as first expected. The walk back, hour upon hour of trudging over the rocky terrain and stumbling in the dim light, was excruciating, and never had the team been so happy to see the Gate loom on the horizon.

Once they were back at the Base again, Jack was placed in the infirmary to have some stitches in his back while Daniel was placed into the next bed for stitches to his brow.

Sam and Teal'c came into the Infirmary and stood between the two beds.

"The General is extremely happy that you both retrieved the capsule," she told them, smiling between her friends.

"Peachy," Jack muttered as he shifted slightly.

"Yeah, that's great," Daniel also muttered.

Sam frowned slightly then said, "Well, I guess you'll both be heading home now?"

Jack inhaled a long, deep breath then said, "I've got someone I have to see first, why?

Daniel shot him a quick look, but said nothing as he looked at Sam again. "Yeah, why?

"I thought you might like to come to the pub," she said, smiling as her lover returned to the room. Janet looked at Jack as she prepped the needle for him.

"How about it, Colonel?" she asked, swabbing his skin beside the large wound.

"No, thanks," he said then flinched as the sharp point pierced his skin. Sam looked at Daniel, arms folded over his chest as he stared at Jack's back, then she asked him.

"No, I'm really tired and I think I might go home to bed."

Jack said nothing as he straightened up, fastening his button fly as he looked back over his shoulder at his friend.

Sam noticed that there was something strange about the two of them and wondered if they hadn't talked. Putting two and two together and, for once, getting the math wrong, she smiled to herself. Jack didn't have someone to see, and Daniel wasn't racing home to bed! Well, at least - not alone!

With a happy sigh she turned and started for the door, only to stop abruptly as she saw Graham Simmons approach. She decided to wait around a little longer and leant back against the doorframe when he entered the room.

Graham saw Jack first and bristled. The colonel looked up and saw the man, and immediately he was struck by how alike Graham and Philip were, although it would seem Philip was the better looking of the two. Expecting some reprimand Graham began to turn away.

"Don't go," the colonel said, stopping the lieutenant in his tracks. Daniel looked up and saw Graham for the first time. The two officers turned towards the anthropologist then Jack said nothing as he passed Graham, staring at him a long while and seeing his lover in the fine features and dark skin.

"Okay, Danny?" Jack asked. The blue eyes blinked as they moved from Graham to Jack.

"Yeah, thanks." He nodded and Jack nodded too, turning to leave the two men alone. He limped as he headed out the room pulling the door shut behind him.

Graham turned back to see Daniel - and the cold, hard stare in the blue eyes.