Many hours later, after the mission...

"Daniel" Jack ran to catch up with the man in the parking lot. During the mission Daniel had ignored Jack, short of rude really even though he carried out all of the colonel's commands when given. Since they got back to Base he hadn't said a word to him. Jack needed to get to the bottom of his sudden coldness. Fair enough that Daniel had blamed him for the breakup at the start, but that was nearly a week ago now and they'd talked since then. Things seemed to be alright at the time. Jack was at a loss to explain this sudden coldness from his friend.

"For Christ's sake, Daniel, stop!"

Without looking at him the younger man called back over his shoulder. "We're not on a mission now, Jack. You can't order me around!"

Faltering in his step, the colonel watched as his friend reached his car, yanked the door open and got inside.

"Why won't you talk to me?" He yelled exasperatedly when he reached the side of the car. Daniel looked at him with steely blue eyes then slammed his car into gear and sped out of the carpark, leaving Jack amongst the settling dirt and smoke. Coughing and waving the muck away, Jack watched the car as it sped from his view. He turned and headed to his car to follow Daniel.

*/*/*/*/*

Half hour or so later, in a park in Colorado Springs...

Daniel walked across the park, going over to sit on a bench on top of the rise. He looked around. It was getting late and most people were home having dinner. There were a few couples milling about and a jogger or two ran along the water's edge, but that was it. He was alone.

"Danny," Jack said in a quiet voice from behind him. Daniel shook his head as he gave a deep sigh and removed his glasses.

"You following me around?" he asked, leaning forward, his elbows on his thighs as he bowed his head. Jack circled the bench and sat with him.

"I'm concerned.."

Daniel tossed his head back and laughed sarcastically. "Concerned? Oh, that's a good one!"

Jack swallowed hard. "I think you need to see the Doc. I think this break up with Graham has affected you more than you're aware.."

Daniel squinted an eye as he looked at Jack. "My break up with Grae has nothing to do with my mood at the moment!" His voice hissed through clenched teeth, his jaw set to control his anger and pain.

Jack stared at the man that he loved - a man who was becoming a stranger to him, moment by moment. This was killing him inside. He thought he could handle anything in life, even cope with denying himself the man he loved because he didn't think those feelings would ever be returned, but now - he was losing Daniel and he knew it!

Grasping once more to get his friend to open up to him, Jack wet his lips quickly then tilted his head as he asked, in a sincere voice, "So you care to tell me what the problem is then?"

The younger man said nothing, but the look he gave Jack sent a chill down his spine. Jack had never seen such pain, such betrayal in Daniel's eyes since the time he listened to him discuss Sha're and the baby. That night, if Jack hadn't already been in love with this man, he certainly would have been! Listening to the heartache, the confusion and the fierce determination within the shattered man's voice, Jack came to know the capacity Daniel had for love. Sadly, he also came to understand the sheer reverence with which Daniel held his marriage to Sha're. It should have made him wise up, to realize that there wasn't going to be a chance between them - not when Daniel loved his wife so much, but all it did in reality was to strengthen the hidden feelings that Jack had for his friend.

It made him love him more - and Jack's heart nearly broke because of it. Because that night, after the flinging-arms-fits of anger, after the harsh words and bitter thoughts, after the tears and proclamation of love for the much-abused wife, and after the heartache whispered on a weary breath, Jack had held Daniel and rocked the exhausted man to sleep. And that night, for a few hours while he slept, Jack had allowed himself to love Daniel - soothing his brow with warm lips and soft words of comfort. His fingers were allowed to touch him, and they traced over the nose that Jack loved so much (with its little upturn at the end), glided across the curve of the cheek and thumbed lightly over the pout of the lips. In his sleep Daniel had mumbled quietly, his breath soft and warm on Jack's thumb as he snuggled against the firm chest some more while his arms slipped around Jack's waist easily. If dreams could come true, Daniel would have looked up at that moment and seen within Jack's eyes something he could never tell him from his lips.

So, for a few moments, Jack could close out the world and let his beloved seek refuge in his arms and, finally, rest on him. But it wasn't to last. When Daniel woke the next day he had abruptly pulled himself off the sleeping colonel and was standing over him while Jack slowly woke up. Blinking quickly, Jack saw the residual confusion in Daniel's eyes and knew that the spell was broken. He had no other option but to step away from him once more, physically and emotionally. And it was hard. Damn hard! Daniel's eyes were tired, his mouth sad, his heart broken.. and Jack had to keep him at arms lengths - just the way a 'friend' would.

Right now, he'd give anything to be holding Daniel at arm's length once more, because the fully between them was much wider than that now. If the words 'I love you' could have fixed the rift between them Jack would have used them at this point. With the sunlight setting around them, the park started to grow dark and cold, matching the stare Jack was getting from his friend right now. As he dipped his head to look down at his hands, the colonel knew that that wasn't what Daniel needed to hear right now. He wasn't sure what the problem was, but to admit to something like that, with the treatment he'd been giving Daniel of late, it would have probably ripped the fabric of their friendship beyond repair.

"I'm not getting something here, am I, Daniel?" Jack asked, tilting his head and squinting at his friend in confusion. "I know you blame me for your break up with Graham - though I must admit that I haven't the slightest idea why I'm to blame," he said, tapping his fingers to his chest then looking up into the cold blue eyes and tight-lipped mouth. Closing his eyes and looking away quickly, Jack sighed. "You might want to help me out here a little.." He said with a shrug. He deliberately didn't look at Daniel for a few long minutes then he turned his head and saw him still staring at him, still tight lipped and still cold as ice in the eyes.

"Oh, for crying out loud! What is it!" he hissed, then said, "You're constantly glaring at me, you're ignoring my orders, you're.."

"I'm pissed off, Jack..!" Daniel cut him off abruptly, and loudly.

The colonel looked around the park quickly, his tongue worrying at his bottom lip. Okay, so Daniel was finally talking.

"Gee, I kinda noticed that," the older officer said curtly as he started to bristle.

"Oh, really?" Daniel oozed sarcasm. "And since when have I ignored your damn orders?"

"Daniel," Jack groaned tiredly as he rubbed one hand down his face.

Daniel threw his hand out as he yelled, "Look, Jack..!"

"No! You look, Daniel!" Jack yelled back just as loudly as he jerked a finger in Daniel's face. "Don't start with me! I wasn't the one that cheated on you!"

The whole park went silent, the only sound was the wind howling through nearby trees. Jack saw the look change in Daniel's eyes, even in the darkness he saw the anger change to confusion - and pain - as that sore was brutally ripped open once more.

Daniel's mouth flapped open as he looked at Jack. "How the *hell* do you know that?" he stammered.

Jack shrugged and looked down at his feet.

"Jack!" Daniel wasn't in the mood for games.

"I asked him." Jack confessed through a heavy sigh.

"You... what!?" The younger man nearly flew backwards off the seat.

"I damn well 'asked' him!" Jack squared his chin as he looked at his angry friend.

The wind was loud once more as the men remained in a heated stare.

Wordlessly, Daniel's head tilted a little and his mouth twitched like he was going to say something, but then he diverted his eyes to the ground and shook his head sadly. Jack screwed his eyes shut at the sight of the hurting man.

"Why?" Daniel asked in a quiet voice. "Oh, god! Why!" He flung his arms wide as he leapt to his feet and started to pace in a circle, trying to ease the hyperactivity he felt.

Jack remained on the park bench, watching his friend pace like a caged lion. "You're my best friend, and you're hurting! I wanted to know why.." he said, then seeing that Daniel didn't believe him, even though it was the truth, he added, "Look at you, Danny. You're wired, you're angry..." He pressed himself into a standing position and he went over to his friend, softly illuminated by a nearby lamplight. His eyes cast over the rough stubbled chin, the dry lips and the dull eyes. "You look bad," he said in a softer voice.

With a roll of his eyes, Daniel shook his head and gave a distrait smile. "I feel bad, Jack, and you wanna know why? You wanna know *why*?" He yelled. Jack nodded.

"Yes, I want to know why!"

"You!" Daniel shoved his finger into Jack's chest. "YOU!" He yelled, pure hurt within the blue eyes.

"Me?"

"You are a hypocritical bastard and ..I can't stand the sight of you!" Daniel flung his hands over his head before walking away.

Jack stood, mentally and physically winded by Daniel now. He watched his best friend walk away, one hand in his pocket and the other pushing his fringe back, and Jack didn't have a clue as to why he just said what he just said.

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