The anthropologist swung around when he heard, "Daniel?"

"Philip!"

He smiled at his friend, taking a step closer to him and throwing his arms around his shoulders. He didn't see the look Philip shot Jack over his shoulder as they hugged. Jack eyed his lover up and down slowly, enjoying seeing him look so amazingly hot in a blue shirt - one of Jack's actually but who'd know that - unbuttoned to reveal a white t-shirt tucked into his well fitting black pants with belt. Philip pushed his hands into his front pockets as he tilted his head to look at his lover and slowly Jack looked up to meet the casual stare.

Pulling back, Daniel asked, "There you are!. How have you been? I haven't heard from you - well, since the aliens abducted you on your way to buy more cigarettes!! Sorry we didn't get a chance to talk last night.."

The dark eyes crinkled with his smile as Philip - avoiding Jack's stare - said, "Oh, I know. That place was packed! And you two left pretty early!" He said teasingly then shrugged, " I've been busy, how about you?"

"Good. Real good. Jack! You remember Philip, don't you?" Daniel stated, a little tone to his voice as he stepped aside and dropped his arm across the shorter man's shoulders. Jack heard the tone and the 'abducted by aliens' comment earlier and recalled that Philip and Daniel had had this discussion. Philip told him that they went for coffee but that was all. But now, there was no way to hide it anymore. Not that Jack wanted to!

"Actually, Daniel," he said stepping a little closer to the good-looking artist and staring down into the upturned face. He saw Philip inhale deeply then he gave his lover a flit of a smile. Philip returned the unsure smile as he tilted his head slightly.

"We know each other," Jack confessed quietly without taking his eyes off Philip, then touched his hand to the collar of the shirt he was wearing as he added, "Very well!"

Daniel's head tilted then his mouth parted slowly. One eye squinted as he looked from Philip to Jack then back to Philip again.

"I see," he said with a nod before fishing into his back pocket and pulling something out. He dropped Jack's zippo lighter into his friend's hand and Jack looked >from the silver lighter to Philip, who was also frowning, then to Daniel again.

With a slight smile, Daniel nodded towards the lighter. "Graham gave it to me when he came to see me in the infirmary on Tuesday.."

Jack's eyes closed slowly. That was why Daniel was so shaken when he came into the locker room. He's just found out that Jack and Philip were lovers! Gripping the lighter into his fist he gave a little nod.

"Thanks."

"Well, Graham found it on your coffee table, I do believe.." Daniel said, looking at Philip. The younger man cringed then looked at Jack with an 'I'm sorry' expression in his eyes. The colonel shrugged.

"Knew I'd lost it, just couldn't remember where!"

Daniel grinned. "I'm not surprised. I can't recall the number of times Philip's asked people for a light at a party. He tends to lose them!" He grinned at his friend.

"Actually, I've given up smoking now," Philip said.

"Which is why this wasn't missed," Jack said, bouncing the lighter in his palm.

"I see," Daniel said, nodding.

"I do not," Teal'c said, in a low voice as he stepped behind Daniel's shoulder, his front brushing the back of his lover casually. Daniel turned quickly to look at him then back at Jack, just to gauge his friends reaction. There was nothing in his eyes, which made Daniel very happy!

With his blue eyes fluttering slightly, Daniel explained, "Oh, Um, Jack met Philip at my house - was it last Friday?"

"The one before last," Jack said as he nodded.

"And the next thing I know Philip's stepping out for cigarettes, and I never hear from him again!" He gave his friend a teasing smile. "I didn't know at the time it was because he and Jack had.. gone for a coffee - wasn't it?"

Philip rolled his eyes then nodded. Daniel knew full well it wasn't just a coffee now!

"Then after we got back from .." Daniel nodded, not about to reveal the mission number in front of Philip.

"P3x4111," Philip said, then looked at the amazed faces. "I've a head for numbers!" He said, shrugging nonchalantly. Jack smiled at him then shook his head as he looked at his feet.

"P3x4111," Daniel said, then looked at Teal'c again. "Graham came to see me, to tell me that Jack was having an affair with his brother, Philip. He gave me the lighter and said he found it on their coffee table, and that Philip had met someone on Friday night who'd stayed the night.."

"Sheesh! Your brother should be a detective!" Jack muttered and Philip laughed.

The large Jaffa head nodded. "I see."

"Was that all he wanted, by the way?" Jack asked, hooking his elbow onto a nearby shelf and leaning for support.

"Ah, no," Daniel said slowly looking Jack straight in the eyes. The colonel nodded.

"Ah huh!" It was obvious the lieutenant had asked for a reconciliation.

Turning to Teal'c once more, Daniel smiled, "So after that I went to see Jack, we talked, he left, -and you, me, Janet and Sam went to the pub.."

A warm smile lit Teal'c's dark eyes now. "That I do recall.." He said, his voice a thick, soft rumble. Daniel's smile broadened as he blinked quickly while looking into Teal'c's eyes.

**It all started in the pub between them when Daniel told Teal'c what he and Jack had said to each other in the locker room that afternoon. The Jaffa realized that his heart's-desire didn't have those kind of feelings for Jack and decided to confess how he felt, and to admit to being the person who sent the basket to him on the Saturday. He said that spending the night with him following that gift, listening to the pain he felt, was one of the hardest nights of his life. He then said that he didn't say anything because Daniel needed to work through his feelings without Teal'c adding to them. **The Jaffa had confessed in a low voice that leaving Daniel on P3x4111 - injured like he was and knowing how the Colonel felt about him - was another of the hardest things he ever had to do. Daniel had trouble believing his ears. From feeling like the loneliest person in the world, he'd gone on to have two men confess their secret love for him on practically the same day!

**It had taken quite a lot of persuasion, but Teal'c had eventually won Daniel over that night at the pub, insisting they take it slowly to allow things to happen when they happened. The two men sat and talked for hours after that, then Daniel offered to drive him back to the mountain - neither Sam nor Janet objecting to the suggestion but at the same time, not knowing what was brewing between the men either.

**They shared their first kiss that night, in the front seat of Daniel's car back at the Mountain. But things didn't progress fast - just as Daniel needed. Last night, well, last night was a sweet consummation of a week of tender wooing on the behalf of the Jaffa.... and the sex was a natural and unhurried progression from the kisses and caresses on the balcony in the middle of the night.

Jack and Philip exchanged quick glances. "Oh?" Jack said, as he saw the look between the two men now.

Daniel gave him a double take before he realized Jack wanted the gossip. Wetting his lips quickly, Daniel turned and whispered, "Would you like me to draw you a diagram, Jack?"

Jack was about to say something then his lover smacked him in the arm instead. He turned to see Phil smiling at him. Rolling his eyes he resigned himself to having to wonder for the rest of his life what had happened between the two men that night.

Daniel turned towards Jack. "So, we're still on for dinner at your place tonight?"

"Sure," Jack said with a shrug. "If that's okay with you?" He asked Philip.

"Oh," the younger man wasn't used to being consulted. "Sure."

"Seven!" Daniel said. Jack nodded, then the four friends said their good byes before Daniel and Teal'c headed out of the library together. Jack watched them go then finally he turned to Philip.

"Did Daniel introduce you to Teal'c?"

Nodding, the younger man said, "Yes, last night at the party."

"I thought Daniel said you didn't get a chance to talk?" Jack frowned as he followed Philip through to the back of the library.

"No, well we didn't. Just said Hi and he introduced me to Teal'c. I guess sharing that tent the other day kinda worked in their favor!"

Jack cringed. "Oh, Um, actually," Jack said, pulling Philip up short by gripping his elbow once they got back to his office.

"What?" Philip asked.

"Teal'c and Sam ended up returning home and Daniel and I were left in the tent.."

"Alone?"

Jack bit his bottom lip then shrugged. "Nothing happened."

//Except you woke up hard, if I recall!//

Philip shrugged then sighed as he went to the window. "And now he has a new lover."

"Yes, apparently." Jack nodded.

"How do you feel about that?" He asked sincerely.

"I'm fine with it," he said, stepping up behind Philip. The artist's arms wrapped lightly over Jack's arms on his waist.

"You are?"

The colonel turned Philip to face him. Cupping his hand up his cheek he said, "I've told you before I'm not in love with Daniel. I might love him, but I'm not in love with him." Jack searched over the dark skin, the black elegantly arched brow line, the high cheekbone, then finally he looked into the dark orbs. "Why won't you believe me?"

The younger man blinked then gave a nervous shrug. It was obvious why, even Jack knew why. He'd been really badly hurt and he was terrified of being hurt again.

With a gentle sigh, Jack said, "I couldn't ever imagine being with him.. not like I am with you. Not like I want to be with you," his voice was a hushed whisper, "all the time.."

"You do think of sex 24 hours a day," Philip said lightly.

"No!" Jack said, pulling back and holding his finger up between them. "No, this isn't about sex. This is about me, wanting to be with you. I came here today to tell you that."

"You're serious, aren't you?" He frowned. Jack nodded.

"If you'll let me, I want to try to make this work between us. I'm not really sure why you're interested in a crusty old man like me, or even *if* you really are...."The colonel pulled himself up as he saw Philip shake his head. "Or have I just made a huge fool of myself?"

Smiling and swallowing hard, Philip said, "I've told you before Jack, you're not old.."

Jack gave a tentative smile. "What about the rest?"

Philip sucked back a soft breath. "Isn't too soon..?"

Jack felt the slice through his heart as he looked down.

"I mean, is it?" Philip asked. The older man looked up at him again.

"For?"

"To tell you I'm in love with you," Philip whispered as he pawed at Jack's cheek gently. The colonel gave a little shake of his head.

"If it's how you feel.."

Philip bit his lips together, then nodded before looking into the dark eyes. "It is."

"Good," the colonel nodded.

"Why?"

With a shrug, Jack had answered the question. He felt the same way.

"Falling in love can take a minute, an hour, a year or a lifetime...." Philip said, quoting softly.

"Who said that?" Jack asked.

The young Librarian shrugged. "I read it in a book one day," he said. Jack smiled and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Oh, really?"

Philip laughed. "Yeah, really!"

"What was it again?" Jack asked, nudging his nose against the soft face.

"Falling in love can take a minute, an hour, a year or a lifetime.."

Pulling back, Jack smiled as he touched his finger tips to his lover's lips. "Or a week."

Philip smiled. "Or a week!"

They both pulled together for a tender kiss, lips brushing lightly until tongues delved deeply, tasting and teasing their partner and losing themselves to that place of contentment that they reached every time they kissed.

The End

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