Calling Again…

By Nessessitee

*

Daniel Jackson sat with his head bent low over the ancient artifact on the table in his lab.  Sam Carter came to his door, leaning on the frame as she called to him quietly.  He looked up, his eyes squinting against the bright light before him.  Reaching one hand up he switched off the magnifying lamp and pushed it aside.  With a screw up of his nose and a little nod, he silently asked his friend to repeat her question.

 

“I said - what are you up to?” She stepped into the room, coming to sit beside him at his workstation. 

 

It had been almost two weeks since the mission to Px39812 - and the young man still had no recollection of the encounter with Kel or the incident in the Lab with Jack.  Dr Janet Frasier had instructed the rest of the team that they shouldn’t, under any circumstance, remind Daniel of what happened on the mission.  He was now in therapy for it, trying to work through the repressed memories, but it was her medical opinion that the scientist may never allow himself to remember.

 

The reason she thought he’d never recall it was something she kept to herself, though.  During her initial examination of the man upon his return to earth, she had discovered the sexual activity and questioned him about it.  Daniel reacted badly.  He admitted to not knowing what had happened and that he must have been under the influence of the local voo-doo because he’d never been with a man before in his life. She asked him if he felt raped and Daniel's response at that time was that he wasn’t sure. The doctor tentatively brought up the Hathor incident with him, and after a few choice words and a lot of discomfort, Daniel agreed to go into therapy – again. 

 

Without a doubt she was concerned about him when he left her infirmary a short time later, but he insisted that he needed to get out.  He had to talk to Sam about something important.  Despite being pale, withdrawn and in a slight state of shock the Doctor let him go, hoping that Sam might be able to help him with his concerns.  She intended to keep a close eye on his for the next few days but wasn’t surprised when he was brought in less than an hour later, having collapsed in Sam’s Lab.  She drew her own conclusions -  Daniel’s mind had closed down in order to cope with the abusive situation. 

 

Despite the Doctor’s advice Sam told Jack that she thought Daniel had the right to know what had happened – not only on the world but in her Lab as well.  She told him about the benefits of the colonel ‘gently’ reminding him about the incident – perhaps the Kel encounter first then their own, if he wanted to.  Jack blatantly refused to do this, likening the situation to awakening a sleepwalker, and he ordered the rest of his team to heed the Doc’s advice and keep the secret – forever if necessary. 

 

In his private moments Jack knew that if Daniel was suppressing the two homosexual encounters – Kel'mesh and himself – then there had to be a reason for that!  Perhaps he was a ‘closet dweller’ in denial and, if that was the case, there was no way in hell Jack was about to slap his good friend in the face with the truth.

 

And if truth was to be known, Jack's insistence at not informing Daniel was partly selfish too.  It had been hard enough to make the initial confession to him on the heels of the ‘Kel'mesh’ encounter, let alone a few weeks later - in the cold hard light of sobriety - to a man who either didn’t know he was gay or was refusing to believe it….

 

So, at Jack's request – also – no one on his team was to ever enlighten Daniel, not even if the anthropologist came and asked them straight out.  He stressed that Daniel had to learn this in his own time and in his own way.  Sam, ever romantic, was frustrated at the colonel’s pig-headedness, but Teal’c agreed immediately, saying that he could certainly understand Jack's stance in all this.

 

It soon became obvious, to Sam and Teal’c, that Jack missed the innocence of ignorance – of not knowing that Daniel had feelings for him.  It seemed to make every day harder to bear.  It was obvious that he *wanted* Daniel.  How could he not now that he’d had a taste of him, and a promise from his sweet lips of things to come? 

 

But now Jack was left to push all that down, deep down and hide it in the trap within his soul that he hid all his other heartaches and pain.  In doing that, Jack hardened against his friend slightly.  Sam, ever watchful of things like that, noticed it straight away and tried to make Jack see what he was doing, but the older man held his ground, unable - or unwilling - to give up the argument.  How could he treat Daniel as ‘just’ his friend when all he wanted to do was to bend him over the nearest table and show him just what he thought of him?  How could he concentrate and pretend nothing passed between them when he could still, vividly, hear Daniel’s raspy breath as he sighed out:   "Well, I would have thought the fact that I screamed out *your* name while orgasming *might* just have given it away, Jack."  And, Sam noticed, Jack would clench his fist tightly, leaving crescent shaped scars on the palm of his hand whenever Daniel stood too close to him.

 

After the first week the situation was so bad that Sam and Teal’c designated themselves to act as a ‘go-betweens’ between the heart broken Colonel and the oblivious Anthropologist.  Luckily for them Daniel had been released from the infirmary on ‘one’ condition - he was only on light duties and missions were completely out of the question for a week at least.  So that meant that while they were on missions they had a reprise and Jack could ‘relax’ somewhat. However, back on base Daniel was growing more and more frustrated, and taking out his frustration on people around him – including Jack.  This in turn made the colonel grow more and more angry - that the Daniel he knew, and loved, was slowly slipping away from him.

 

Jack's brewing frustration and anger seethed below the surface and if it went unchecked for much longer, might see the colonel say or do something that they’d all regret.  So the major made sure that she was always there to bolster Jack whenever he was around Daniel, because it was especially around the young man that Jack's moods hit the rollarcoaster.  She often caught the silver-haired man either watching Daniel longingly or on such a short fuse with him that he often snapped at him for asking the most logical or innocent of questions.   Carter worried it would whittle away at their friendship and destroy the dynamics of the team over the long term.

 

Teal’c was designated as Daniel's keeper, watching for the young scientist, making sure he didn’t constantly approach Jack when Teal’c knew Jack to be on his short fuse. He ran interference by making sure Daniel had more than enough work to do, or enough coffee to consume, generally keeping him occupied and in his office – and out of Jack's way.  Whenever the colonel felt the need to be near Daniel, and called on him under the guise of a ‘friendly’ visit, Teal’c always remained in the room, interacting only when necessary.

 

That morning Dr Frasier had revised her opinion of Daniel's grounding.  She told the remainder of his team, and General Hammond, that the Anthropologist was still unfit for Active Duty, and that she’d review his progress in a week’s time after further counseling sessions.  Jack argued that the counseling wasn’t working.  He stated that Daniel needed to start getting back out there again, doing the things he knew how to do, feeling useful again and part of a team - and *then* his memory might return to him.  Dr Frasier argued that Daniel Jackson was a liability still and she would not, in all consciousness, clear him for Duty.

 

The situation was a tinderbox. It was heart breaking, all around.   And there seemed no solution…..

 

The pretty blonde officer shifted on the seat as she peered at the small fragment of clay pot on Daniel’s desk now. 

 

“So?” She asked again, “what is it you’re doing here?”

 

Pressing the glasses back into place upon his nose, Daniel wet his lips quickly. 

 

“Nothing strenuous,” he told her tersely, clearly annoyed at his restricted duties.  The rest of SG-1 had been off world that day, and he was still forced to stay back.  Jack wasn’t at all interested in listening to him pleading his case. In fact, if Daniel considered it, O’Neill might have actually been downright rude to him, demanding that he stay put on earth. 

Picking up a pen and shaking it between his fingers, Daniel murmured as he concentrated on the artifact again,  “It’s the piece of vase that Feretti’s team brought back from PX3909 yesterday.”

 

“Oh, I see,” she said with a nod, peering closer at the object.  Daniel had been starving for an audience with which to share this with for the past few days, so when Sam showed the slightest glimpse of interest, he got quite excited. 

 

“It’s fascinating.  Look at this,” he said in a soft, accelerated voice as he pointed with his pen to a small symbol on the side of the broken clay pot.   She raised her brow then tried to look like she understood the excited ramble he barraged her with suddenly.

 

“So you know what that means?” He finally pulled up the conversation enough so that she could get a word in edgewise.  Expectant eyes looked at her now, blue and shining with anticipation as he awaited, obviously, her acknowledgment.  But she didn’t know what it meant.  She had no idea what it meant and that showed by the little cringe she gave as she shrugged her shoulders at him. 

 

Daniel didn’t often look disappointed.  And when he did it was usually aimed at Jack. She had usually been saved that look in his blue eyes, until now. 

 

Wetting his lips once more, he turned towards the pot then tapped his pen against it gently as he quietly quelled his frustration.  Why was no one interested in things he did? Even Teal’c, who never seemed to leave his side these days, seemed to be there for another agenda, not listening to anything he had to say.  Earlier he tried to talk to Jack in the Mess Hall, only to be brushed aside with a hasty excuse, the colonel actually physically shoving him aside to pass him.  Then again, that was pretty standard for Jack these days. 

 

Why was Sam’s disinterest bugging him so much?  Why did it fuel his frustrations over his work, and in general, his life?  Ever since Px39812 he felt that the others were treating him differently.  He didn’t understand why. 

 

She touched her hand to his arm.  “Daniel, don’t be disappointed.  I’m sure it’s fascinating. I guess it would be like me explaining Base 8 math to you.  Or the theory of a black hole? You know?  It just doesn’t ‘do it’ for you, does it?”

 

Inhaling a long, slow breath the archaeologist nodded, but he still looked disappointed.  Sam rubbed his arm lightly.

 

“Tell you what.  Why don’t you let me buy you dinner at the pub tonight?”

 

Blinking quickly Daniel rubbed the back of his neck. He was feeling weary and the thought of food did appeal to him. He needed to touch base with Sam as a friend again.  Since the mission to Px39812 he was growing more and more agitated and ill at ease at work and at home.  He felt like he was losing touch with the life he had, but he didn’t know why.  His lips parted to say yes but he was stopped by a soft ‘ping’ from his computer.  He turned and touched the mouse, breaking the Egyptian screen saver on his screen.  The little gray box on his computer told him he had a message and would he like to view it now?  He hit the enter button and read the message that opened on the screen.

 

“Huh.” Was all he said. Sam looked at his profile then at the screen he was reading intently again.  “That’s strange.”

 

“What’s strange?” She asked, not reading the private message.

 

“It’s an email from Jack.” Daniel looked over his shoulder at her and then tilted the screen, obviously inviting her to read it.

 

{Daniel, I’d like the opportunity to discuss your report about Px39812.  Will you call by my office before going home tonight?) 

 

Clasping the pen between his teeth he returned the message with: Okay.

 

“That’s it?” Sam asked.  He frowned as he hit the send button.

 

“What?”

 

“That’s all you’re saying in response?”

 

“It’s a discussion about my report, Sam.  It’s not like he’s inviting me to dinner!” The man caught himself blushing as he mumbled those words.  Sam cringed, wanting to tell him it was okay, that they all knew and understood how he secretly felt about Jack, but, as she watched Daniel busy himself with some of the clutter on his work station she finally understood why Jack had been adamant about not telling him. 

 

How would she feel if they came out with an incident like that in her forgotten past?  Pretty damned embarrassed.  And if she wasn’t even aware of those feelings – or was even trying to ‘ignore’ them - that would make the situation so much worse.  She slipped off her stool and came to stand behind him. 

 

“You want to take a rein check on that dinner then?”

 

“We could go out afterwards..” he suggested.  She shook her head.

 

“Look, why don’t I go home, cook a meal and if you come by, you come by..”

 

Daniel shook his head.  Why didn’t Sam think he’d be by for dinner? 

 

“We could order pizza once I get there. My shout,” he offered. 

 

She screwed up her pert nose. “Tomorrow night?  I’m in the mood to cook tonight,  come around if you’re hungry.” She patted his shoulder before starting for the door. 

 

“Sam,” he called to her before she left. She turned, her mouth bent with a smile. 

 

“Thanks.” He said it so softly and so sincerely that she felt terrible, like she was letting him down.  But if Jack wanted to discuss ‘that’ mission with him, maybe he was ready to tell Daniel the truth – despite what the Doc had said – and she didn’t want Daniel feeling committed to dinner plans with her instead. So she gave him a quick wink then left the office.

 

*

Daniel knocked on the door of Jack’s office and stepped inside.  The colonel was sitting behind his desk, Lieutenant Simmons was standing beside him, leaning down onto his hands and looking down at a report opened before them.

 

“Daniel, come on in,” Jack said with a sweep of his hand.

 

“I can wait outside,” Daniel said quickly.

 

“We’re just about finished.  I won't be long!”  He turned his attention to the man beside him and they spoke quietly about the report. 

 

Daniel sat impatiently, not liking the way they stood so closely together.  He looked down at his hands clasped in his lap as he tapped his feet on the floor.  Soon the young man left the office and Jack turned his attention onto his friend.

 

“We need to discuss Px39812.”

 

*

Earlier that day, after the announcement of Daniel's extended stand-down, Jack went to see the Doctor. In strictest confidence he told her about the incident on the mission, about Kel and about the encounter in the Lab.  Janet sat quietly, not showing a single expression when Jack confessed to kissing Daniel. Telling her about being caught with his hand down Daniel's pants was not something he intended to do, however.  That interesting tit-bit of information was for Sam alone, and he was pretty sure it would remain with her – forever.

 

He told Janet that he was concerned that Daniel's problem stemmed from his kiss and that, perhaps, it was his feelings and revelations that day that pushed the confused young man over the edge.  He pointed out how their friendship had suffered over the past two weeks and stated that it would continue to suffer, or even dissolve, if something wasn’t done soon to break the impasse.

 

“You will never yank your hand from the flame,” Jack told her, “if you can’t feel the heat!”  He arched his brow, surprised himself by his prophetic words.

 

Janet heeded his words and asked him how he was coping.  Jack's candor surprised even him.  Professionally he admitted to missing Daniel on his team. He stated that the archaeologist’s absence had left such a hole that even a dozen Rothman’s couldn’t fill it.  SG-1, Jack argued passionately, needed Daniel again. 

 

“And what about you?” Janet asked him flatly.

 

Jack took his time in responding to that question. Personally he confessed to wanting to act on his feelings, that the limbo land he’d existed in for the past two weeks was not a place he could dwell.  It was going to get worse, as time went by and it would, not could - but would, come down to either him, or Daniel, leaving SG-1.

 

“And we don’t want that,” Janet said.

 

“No.” Jack agreed.  “We don’t.  So what do we damn well do about it?”

 

.o0o.

It was sometime later - hours after Jack's consultation with Janet, and a half an hour since his discussion with Jack in his office - that Daniel stood on Jack’s front porch his hand poised to knock on the wooden door.  He shuffled the bottle of wine into his other hand then rubbed his palm on his backside before curling it into a fist and knocking briskly. 

 

The door opened and Jack stood before him.  “Danny, glad you could make it.”

 

The caller held his breath at the sight of his host.  Jack had never looked better, in his humble opinion, as he did standing before him now, dressed in a pair of loose-fitting denim jeans and a chunky, cable-knit sweater.  The silver-gray hair was tousled lightly and Jack's eyes seemed to shine despite reflecting the miserable day outside.  Momentarily speechless, Daniel remained on the porch until Jack made a big show of stepping back and inviting him in.

 

Suddenly finding his voice, Daniel passed him the bottle of wine as he began to peel his scarf from around his neck.  “I seem to have more offers for dinner tonight than I know what to do with.”

 

Jack grinned as he took the bottle then he quirked his head at Daniel's comment before giving him a wink as he turned to go into the kitchen.  Left alone, Daniel wilted slightly, overwhelmed by the feelings bubbling within him - feelings that he knew he’d had for Jack for a very long time but didn’t have the courage to act upon.  Why would he?  Jack never showed any indications to him that he could return his affections. In fact, Jack seemed quite close to Sam these days, which often made Daniel uncomfortable.  Perhaps that was why he kept having these weird dreams about being in Sam’s lab, kissing Jack, and having her walk in on it.  He wasn’t sure why he had those damn dreams but he’d give anything to make it real.

 

As he turned away from the door he saw the table setting.  Jack had gone all out.  “Wow,” he muttered to himself in a soft voice as he looked at the spread on the dining room table.

 

*

Jack was in the kitchen, standing at the fridge and staring in at the contents inside.  He couldn’t believe that Daniel was really there.  Janet had suggested to him that he try to meet with Daniel outside of work, preferably somewhere private so that they could interact, allowing the colonel the opportunity to see where the relationship was at.  Getting Daniel to his place, the doctor told him, would be one *big* hurdle to jump. If Daniel was harboring any deep seeded problems with Jack and/or his actions in the lab it was most unlikely that he’d show up.  But he did!  Now all he had to do was to follow the good Doc’s suggestions and see how things played out.  With any luck, the problems of the past two weeks would come to an end this night.

 

A smile crept across his face as he thought about the good-looking man in the next room.  The surprised look on his face when he announced that he seemed to have more dinner dates than he knew what to do with melted Jack's heart.  How could a guy that gorgeous not see that people would want to be with him?  Jack was pretty sure his thoughts at Daniel’s announcement were evident on his face:  And you accepted mine! Good! 

 

Realizing that he couldn’t hide in there forever, the pondering man reached for two bottles of beer, slammed the door shut and ran a nervous hand through his hair before he pushed on the swing door to go back out into the dining room.  First thing he saw was the way Daniel was appraising the dining setting. 

 

“Just felt like making things a little.. special,” he explained the extravagant setting nonchalantly as he glanced at the table; the deep blue tablecloth, the gold cutlery that he’d managed to score half of in the divorce settlement, and the white bone china, all shining in the soft candlelight of the three pronged candelabra. 

 

Special was right, Daniel thought to himself as he looked up at Jack. 

 

“I’m honored,” he said, a little humorously, a little seriously.  Jack shrugged as he passed over a bottle of beer to his friend.

 

“I spend so much time at the damn base that I rarely get a chance to enjoy half the stuff I own.  So I figured, tonight, I’d indulge myself.” With a jerk of his head he indicated for his friend to follow him outside.  Daniel stepped onto the back patio with him, the wet bottle of beer in his hand.

 

Jack watched him from the corner of his eye as he sucked back his own drink.  After a few moments of silence between them, he asked, “You gonna drink that?”

 

“Ah-” Daniel looked at the unopened bottle he’d been absently toying with for the past few moments.  With a shrug he turned the bottle over and over, as if it held the secrets to the universe.  Jack held his hand out, flicking his fingers to indicate that he wanted the wet bottle. Daniel obliged.

 

“You don’t like beer, do you?” He said, putting the unwanted drink on the table. 

 

“No,” Daniel confessed through a gritted-teeth smile as he wiped his wet hand on his thigh. “Not a lot.”

 

“Then why take the bottle from me?”  Jack asked, a look in his eye that Daniel hadn’t seen before. 

 

“I , uh.. I guess I just..”

 

Jack smiled dryly. “You do that a lot, don’t you, Danny?”

 

“What’s that?” The young man tilted his head.

 

“Do things because you think it’s what’s expected of you.”

 

“I’m not sure I’m following you?”

 

With a wry grin, Jack shook his head. He’d planted that seed and didn’t need to push that point at this stage.  Daniel was smart. Jack knew he’d mull it over in that incredible brain of his, and wanted the chance to give him time to do that.  

 

 “Doesn’t matter,” the colonel said before going back inside to check on the meal.  When he returned, a short time later, he handed over a glass of wine – the wine that his dinner companion had chosen for the meal. With relief in his eyes Daniel reached for the proffered object.

 

“You should have just come out and told me you wanted wine,” Jack said, turning to rest his butt against the railing as he folded his arms over his chest and looked at the man beside him.  Daniel shifted his gaze to meet the brown eyes.  “There are always going to be people in this world that like beer and those that like wine.  There’s nothing wrong with preferring one to the other..”

 

The younger man frowned, unsure if he fully understood Jack's sudden interested in alcohol. “I guess it wasn’t important…” He bowed his head as he shrugged. 

 

“That’s where you’re wrong.” Daniel looked up and met Jack's earnest eyes, as the older man asked, “Why isn’t it important? Because it’s what *you* want?” 

 

“No.”

 

“Good.”

 

“What?”

 

“I just want you to start to get the things in life that you want, Danny.”

 

With a roll of his eyes the anthropologist mumbled, “Like getting off desk duty..”

 

“Well, yeah,” Jack said, nodding as he held his hand out towards his friend.  “Exactly like that.  You just need to go in there on Monday and tell the Doc that you’re all better now.”

 

“Am I?”

 

“Aren’t you?”

 

“I don’t know.  I don’t know what got me on desk duty in the first place.”  He tapped the side of his head then shrugged.  “Something’s messed my mind – again!”

 

Jack wet his lips slowly.  He was treading dangerous waters here.  They’d reached this point a lot sooner than he thought they would, which was good news for them, but bad news for his plan of action.  He had to alter his methodology now.  What was his contingency plan?  How was he going to guide Daniel through dinner now?

 

Forgetting the plan for a moment, Jack said earnestly, “I want you to promise me something, Danny.”

 

“What?”  His friend asked, pursing his lips slightly. 

 

“That if you want anything.. *anything* from me, you’ll just come right out and ask me for it. Okay? More times than not, the answer will be Yes.”

 

With a confused frown that saw Daniel's thick golden eyebrows knit together, the younger man shrugged and said, “Okay.”

 

“Starting now. Tonight.” Jack said.

 

With another shrug, Daniel said, “Fine.”

 

“Good.” Jack took another swig of his drink then went back in to stir the food again. 

 

He left Daniel on the balcony, alone with his glass of wine and his thoughts.  The young man turned around and leaned down onto the railing as he looked out over the sunken garden.  He bowed his head as he thought about Jack's words.

 

<End of part 1>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

<Start of part 2>

 

After taking his time to stir the food- the action just a device to buy him some more time - Jack thought about whether or not he was getting through to his friend out there on the porch. Was the wine versus beer analogy too abstract, or would Daniel's mind churn around and latch onto it, like the steel trap Jack knew it could be.  He took a long swig of his beer then covered the fry pan with a lid before heading back outside again.  As he approached the sliding doors he hesitated, seeing Daniel bent over the railing in an attempt to peer under it for some reason.  Jack knew there was nothing under there but his old bike and a pair of skis, so whatever was holding Daniel's attention was obviously *not* visual.  He hoped that maybe Daniel was hanging up side down in an attempt to ‘think’ more clearly.

 

As he stepped out his booted feet made a soft thud on the wooden flooring and then scratched across the dirt.  Daniel's immediate response was to start uncurling and stand up once more.

 

“You okay?” Jack asked cautiously, watching with a lop-sided grin as Daniel unrolled slowly.   He wasn’t sure if Daniel’s flushed cheeks were from the position or the fact that he’d been caught hanging over the edge like that.

 

“Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah..” Daniel nodded, his eyes darting around the garden and not focusing on Jack.  He jutted his thumb at the railing as he spoke, “I was… I was…” 

 

“Hanging up side down,” Jack said bluntly.  Daniel stopped all movement and gave him a blank stare.  “Nothing wrong with my eyes, Danny.”

 

//And I certainly got an eyeful of your neat ass bobbing up and down like it was!//

 

Daniel looked at the door then back at Jack with a look on his face that almost asked the same question – Nice view? Jack couldn’t help it as his smile broadened slightly.

 

“Actually,” Daniel said, saving the day as he broke the moment between them.  He swiped his thumbnail across his bottom lip as he said, “I do have something I want to ask you, actually.” When he gave a nervous cough Jack arched his brow and waited. “Do you know what happened to me on Px39812?”

 

They remained in a locked stare as Jack answered him, slowly, “Yes, I do.”

 

“Will you tell me?”

 

“No.”

 

“Not even if I ask you to?”

 

Shaking his head, Jack said, “No,” again.

 

“Why? You said if I wanted anything from you I could ask-” Daniel held out one hand and gestured to his friend with it.  “I’m asking..”

 

Slowly Jack swiped the dry spot on his bottom lip with the tip of his tongue.  “Because I’m under orders from the Doc not to *tell* you anything…”

 

Rolling his eyes, Daniel muttered something under his breath then stopped when he heard Jack say, “But I guess if you were to ask me, say, a Yes or No answered question, that wouldn’t be too.. bad..”  And it would be well within the realm that the Doc ‘did’ give her permission for.

 

“You’re just not allowed to tell me straight out then, is that right?” Daniel asked, wondering what could have been so bad that he wasn’t allowed to hear it.

 

“Yes,” Jack said, then grinned when Daniel looked at him with a wide-eyed gape. 

 

“Hah, funny,” the younger man said, matching Jack's smile now.  “So, okay. Yes or No answers..” He tapped his fingers against his lips as he considered his first question. “On Px39812 - did I hurt anyone?”

 

“No.”

 

Blinking quickly Daniel searched his mind for his next question.  “Okay,” he said, dipping his head a little as a thought formed for him.  “Did I…. damage something?  Something important or of cultural significance?”

 

“No.”

 

Screwing his face up slightly Daniel's eyes again lifted to the sky.  “Did I insult someone? Verbally?”

 

“No.” 

 

Frowning now, the puzzled man really had to think hard for another question.  “Did I … leave the group at anytime?” 

 

“Yes.”

 

The blond head bobbed.  “Ah, okay.”  He chewed his bottom lip as he thought a moment.  “Did I go off alone or did I have someone with me?”

 

“You.. you weren’t alone,” Jack said, having to break the game slightly.

 

Again Daniel nodded. “Okay, was that someone - Kel?”

 

Jack held the wide-eyed gaze a moment then said, “Yes.”

 

Swallowing now, the anthropologist bowed his head and Jack wondered just how much more he was going to ‘remember’ or want to bring out into the open with him. 

 

“Can I ask you something now?” Jack asked after a long pause.

 

“Yes,” Daniel said, seemingly relieved that the expectation for him to continually ask the questions was off his shoulders momentarily.

 

It was as if Jack was going to ask him the meaning of life but finally he when he finished his deliberations, all he said was, “Can we take this inside, so I can finish cooking?”

 

Daniel's smile quickly turned into a chuckle. “Yes,” he said as he swept his hand before him, indicating for Jack to go first. 

 

*

Once inside the house again Daniel stood by his friend’s side as Jack continued to cook.

 

“Can we continue the game?” he asked, watching him stir the food.

 

Jack arched his brow without looking at him.  “Is that what you think it is? Just a game?”

 

“No,” Daniel said as his lips pouted slightly. “This is my life we’re discussing here, Jack. I wish we could just go into your living room and you tell me what it was I did on that world that was so horrible that I can’t bear to remember it.”

 

The dark eyes shifted slowly to gaze upon Daniel's worried face.  “I wish we could too, believe me.  As far as I’m concerned it was nothing..”

 

“Was it something I did to you?” Daniel asked suddenly worried by Jack's response.  

 

Jack shook his head, as he replied adamantly, “No.”

 

Closing his eyes a moment Daniel gave a deep sigh.  As the eyes opened he stared directly into Jack's concerned gaze.  “Then why can’t we talk about it?  We talk about everything Jack?”

 

Shaking his head the older man held his ground. “I’m sorry, Danny. Not until you’re ready.  The Doc says you can only play 20 questions…”

 

“The Doc?”

 

Jack cringed then said, “Ah.. Yes.”

 

A faint smile ghosted across Daniel's lips as he shifted his eyes to the side slightly.  “Okay.  So you’re doing this under medical advice…?”

 

“Yes,” Jack said with a shrug as he slurped some liquid off the wooden spoon.

 

“Whose idea was it? Hers or yours?”

 

“Yes,” Jack said, then looked at Daniel as he gave a soft chuckle. “Sorry, couldn’t resist. And speaking of not being able to resist..” He held the spoon up to Daniel and the younger man took a tentative taste. 

 

Rolling his eyes he expressed his delight at the heavenly food.  “Have I told you that I love it when you cook for me?”

 

Jack took a moment to answer that.  No, Daniel had never told him that before despite making the comment sound like something he’d often thought about telling him.

“No, you haven’t,” Jack said, holding his finger up between them.  “But I’m glad you did!”  His smile softened as he stared into the bright blue eyes.  Lowering his voice, he said, earnestly, “I like cooking for you, Danny.”

 

The younger man swallowed and Jack even heard it.  The brown eyes drifted down to the partially opened mouth before meeting the puzzled gaze once more.  With a wry smile, he suggested, “Back to the questions?”

 

“I .. ah..” Daniel stammered and crossed his arms over his chest.  This gave Jack enough time to wilt, realizing how close he’d come to just reaching over to kiss his companion.  As an after-thought he realized that that might not have been a mistake.  But the moment was past.  Daniel had moved to get the plates from the dining room now and he laid them side-by-side on the counter as he asked,  “Have you and the others been keeping something from me?”

 

“That’s a given,” Jack said regretfully as he concentrated on serving out the food again.

 

Daniel nodded.  “Ah yeah, I guess it was.” He laced his hands together then pointed both index fingers up so that he could bounce them off his lips.  “And, are you the only ones that know what it is? Or does the doctor and the general know as well?”

 

Jack lifted his eyes to the ceiling a moment. Daniel didn’t need to know about the chat with the Doctor this afternoon so he answered, “Yes. No and No.” 

 

Daniel smiled, crinkling up his nose slightly. “Funny.”

 

“Yes,” Jack said, then grinned when his friend looked at him.  He passed Daniel his plate then they walked to the dining room and sat down opposite each other. 

 

As he flicked out his cloth napkin Jack said, “I’ve got one for you now, okay?”

 

Daniel nodded as he loaded his fork with food. 

 

Jack asked, “Do you have any recollection yourself of what happened on Px39812?”

 

The young man’s face flushed suddenly.  “I ugh. I ..”

 

“Yes or No, Daniel?”

 

The golden lashes fluttered as Daniel said, weakly, “Yes.”  Blinking quickly, he looked up and countered that with; “I think so!”

 

“Think so?”

 

A little reluctantly, he explained, “I’ve been having some weird dreams….”

 

“Of?”

 

He puffed out his cheeks as he blew out a hard breath. “Kel.”  Heat stung his face as he gave a quick shrug. Jack nodded gravely.

 

Daniel kept his eyes averted as he asked, “Do you think my dreams are trying to tell me something?”  He paused a moment then hesitantly looked up, blinking nervously behind the little round frames.

 

Jack held his breath then said, “Yes.”

 

The look on Daniel's face was heart breaking.  Jack didn’t want to be the one to remind him of this, but he had been sticking to the rules, and as such, he’d been allowing Daniel to set the pace and discover this on his own. 

 

A little hesitantly, Daniel asked, “Do Sam and Teal’c know what happened?”

 

“Yes,” Jack said, rubbing his fingers up and down the wet neck of his beer bottle as he intently watched his friend. 

 

“Agh..” Daniel bowed his head, turning red again.

 

Jack watched him a moment longer before saying, “Now ask me if they care?”

 

The younger man looked up.  “Do they?”

 

“No.” Jack said.  Then he added, with a shrug, “Well, not in the way you’re worried about, anyway.”  Relief flooded the handsome face and Jack felt his breath coming a little easier again.

 

The anthropologist’s head was still bowed when he heard Jack's next question, asked very gently,  “How do you feel about your actions on Px39812 then?”

 

Daniel tilted his head back and squinted at his friend. “I can’t answer that in a Yes or No answer.”

 

Jack wanted – no, needed - to know why Daniel had been suppressiing the memory of it.  What was it about the incident that had him trying to block it from his mind? He nodded and held his hands open slightly.  “So forget that.  I’m curious to know *how* you feel about that?” 

 

Daniel placed a forkful of food into his mouth and began chewing.  After swallowing he said, “I’m surprised..”  He put another forkful of food in his mouth.

 

“Surprised? Why?”

 

He swallowed that mouthful and laid his utensil down on his plate.  “That I’d do that.. Show that side of me.. to you and the others.” He reached out a hand and picked up his glass of wine.  Jack noticed the slight tremble in the long fingers. 

 

“Why though? I thought we were all friends?”

 

“Friends or not, there are moments in one’s life that should be kept.. private..” Daniel said in a quick, quiet ramble.

 

Jack agreed with a shrug and mumbled, “But you’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about.  They understand..”

 

//They// The word hung in the air between them. 

 

Daniel bowed his head as he toyed with his hands in his lap.  “Can I ask you something now?”

 

“You can ask.  I’ll have to judge whether or not I’m allowed to say anything.”

 

Pouting his bottom lip slightly, Daniel said, “That’s fair enough.” He lifted his hands onto the table now, and continued to scratch the side of his thumb with his index finger. 

 

“Do you…?” He asked in a very low mumble, shrugging as his words faded out.

 

“Do I what? Know or care?”

 

“Well, I take it you know..” Daniel said, keeping his eyes down and shifting in his seat awkwardly.  “Do you.. care?”

 

Jack waited for him to be brave enough to look up.  Once the blue eyes focused onto him he said, “Yes.”

 

Screwing his eyes shut, Daniel seemed to wither. 

 

“Aren’t you going to ask me how or why?”

 

“No,” Daniel said, a nervous chuckle lifted his words.  “I don’t think I want to know..”

 

Jack wanted to tell him about the Lab but he knew the rules. He couldn’t tell Daniel anything more than the man was willing to hear – and judging by the level of blush in his cheeks, Jack knew he wasn’t prepared to hear that the lot of them have been living with the knowledge that Daniel was secretly in love with him. 

 

“Go on,” Jack tried to keep things light. “Try me. You might like the answer.”

 

As he shook his head again, the younger man lowered his face. “Oh, no, I don’t think so.” He reached for his glass and gulped at the contents. 

 

“What are you so embarrassed about?”

 

The blue eyes glared at him as if to say, ‘you even need to ask?’  but Daniel quickly dismissed that thought with a flippant shrug as he put the glass back down again.  “It wasn’t one of my finer moments, let’s leave it at that!” He laughed uneasily and muttered to himself, “God, of all the times to experiment-”

 

Jack frowned.  “Is that all it was? An experiment?”

 

Daniel turned the corners of his mouth down as he shrugged, then reached for his glass again, taking another large gulp.  Coughing slightly as he put the drink down, he said, “I can assure you Jack, I’ve never done that before..”  He hoped his tone would imply to his friend that he’d never try it again either.  After all, Jack was the only man Daniel was interested in.  With the possibility of something eventuating between them next to zero, he didn’t want his straight-laced colonel worried that he was about to run off with every new male that crossed his path. 

 

Jack wasn’t buying the nonchalant routine.  Daniel still had some recollection of the mission that was he trying to keep secret.  Experiment?  Suddenly a thought hit Jack.  “So? This was your *first* time?”

 

Daniel took a moment to answer that, taking up the silence by wiping his hand across his forehead.  Jack saw the fingers visibly trembling again.  He looked at the face and saw how pale it had become.  “Agh…” Daniel tilted his head back then looked Jack in the eye.  “Yeah…”

 

Jack lowered his eyes, not because of his friend’s discomfort but because he was overwhelmed with the memory of walking into that tent and seeing Daniel, on all fours, with that huge man ramming into him.  He suddenly realized that maybe Daniel wasn’t calling his name in ecstasy.  Maybe it was in fear – in terror – in need for Jack to go in and protect him. 

 

The air left his lungs in a sudden rush as Jack sat forward and buried his face in his hands. “God, I’m sorry!”

 

Daniel, whose face was still bowed, hadn’t seen Jack's reaction.  “No,” he told him innocently, “I wanted to play this game, you’re not to blame..”

 

Jack's fingers peeled from his hot face slowly and they met Daniel's blue gaze as it lifted. 

“I’m not talking about the damn game, Danny!” He said gruffly, then realized, by the stunned look on his face that Daniel wasn’t being deliberately obtuse.  “I’m talking about the mission.  The reason you’ve been blocking this whole thing..”

 

Daniel's face contorted slightly as he frowned.

 

“You were date-raped..”

 

Daniel's breath hitched as his lips parted quickly. “No.”

 

Irate at himself, Jack flinched as he said, “Jesus! Why didn’t I realize that?”

 

“No, you’re wrong..” Daniel protested weakly.

 

“You were inebriated!  You were a virgin!”

 

“Jack..”

 

“I should have stopped it!”

 

Daniel reached across the table and gripped his friend’s hand.  “Jack!”

 

He stared into the moist blue eyes then shook his head and turned his face away - unable to look into the trusting gaze any longer. “You were calling out for me!  I thought… I..”

 

Daniel slipped his hand from Jack's as he sat back and asked, “I called for you?”

 

Jack's eyes screwed shut as he mumbled, ruefully, “You were calling my name..”

 

Suddenly Daniel leapt to his feet, knocking over his glass of wine as he backed away from the table, mortified that Jack knew he’d called for him.

 

“Jesus!” Jack said, frantically trying to clean up the wine before it spilt over the edge of the table and onto his cream colored carpet.  He briefly glanced up at the stricken man backing up to the front door.

 

“Ya wanna help me here, Danny?” He said, gathering up the cloth into folds to capture the leaking drink.

 

“I *called* for you?”

 

“Yeah,” the older man said as he started to ease the cloth from beneath the plates and cups.  Without thinking he said, “You called for me and I came in there..” 

 

He didn’t register Daniel's despondent groan as he frantically rolled the damaged cloth into his arms and headed down to the laundry with it, leaving Daniel in the dining room. 

 

The younger man sighed heavily as he reached for the back of a chair to steady himself as his thoughts swirled within his cloudy mind now.  Lowering his head he tried to come to grips with the reality that the horrific dreams he’d been having about Kel were all too real.  Steeling himself with a deep breath in through the nose, Daniel clenched his hands into fists as he headed off towards the laundry.

 

“I’m sorry,” he said as soon as he appeared in the doorway.  Jack shrugged as he closed the washing machine’s lid.

 

“It will wash out,” he muttered without looking at his friend.

 

“I meant about calling your name…”

 

Jack stopped his movements and turned to look at Daniel. “You have nothing to be sorry about!  I’m the one that should be apologizing.  I walked in there.. I saw..” Jack's face flushed almost as red as Daniel's was now.  “I watched the two of you…”

 

With a flicker of a frown, Daniel asked, “Watched?”

 

Jack held the gaze defiantly – looking a lot strong than he really felt. “As in rooted to the spot,” he told him quietly.  With disgust at himself he rubbed his hand over his mouth as he moved away, stepping towards the back door to look out of the window.  “I didn’t know… I thought you were enjoying it..” He shook his head as if he could never forgive himself for this now. 

 

Daniel stepped up behind him.  “Even if I wasn’t – you aren’t responsible..”

 

Jack twisted slightly to look back at him but decided to keep his face away. 

 

“Jack?”

 

“No, Danny.  I should have protected you.  He was an alien life form and I stood and .. watched..” 

 

“He was a man, Jack.. and how long were you watching us for?”

 

Shaking his bowed head, Jack muttered, “Until you finished....”

 

Daniel's mouth dropped open.  In a voice softened with disbelief, he said, “You watched me come?”

 

The despondent man rounded his shoulders in an attempt to lower his head even more.  “God, we’ve been through this already..” He muttered, under his breath. 

 

Daniel still heard it though and suddenly realized that the dreams he’d been having about being in Sam’s lab kissing Jack were as real as the Kel dreams.  “The Lab?” He asked in a breathless whisper.

 

Jack twisted slightly to meet the blue-eyed gaze. “What about it?”

 

The younger man’s face twitched with a soft, curious smile as he said, “We’ve been through this in .. the.. the lab?” He tilted his head and added, “It’s not just another one of my dreams, is it?”

 

Jack looked over the face warily.  “You’ve been recalling that?”

 

Daniel's frown deepened but his smile grew at the same time.  “I thought it was just dreams… I wanted it to be real..” 

 

“Believe me, Danny..” Jack said, nodding slightly,  “It was *very* real..”

 

Daniel blinked then raised his hands to cup Jack's face with them.  He waited, holding Jack for a moment, waiting for the rebuttal that never came.  With a nervous swipe of his lips he stepped even closer as his eyes remained in an intense hold with the man before him.  Jack didn’t move, not one muscle, as Daniel closed the gap between them slowly, savoring the moment as he latched his lips over Jack's for – what was to him – the first time. 

 

Jack gave a soft growl as he brought his arms up and around the younger man, wrapping them around his waist as he opened his mouth to allow Daniel to deepen the kiss.

 

Pulling back out of the kiss reluctantly, Daniel swiped his tongue across his lips again and crinkled his nose slightly before he gave a shy smile.  Jack grinned as he pressed his lightly fisted hand against the strong, slightly stubble-covered jaw line and brushed the corner of Daniel's mouth lightly with his thumb. 

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Daniel asked.

 

With a shrug, Jack said, “I was following orders..” His voice was soft and deep as his slightly out-of-focused eyes scanned Daniel's handsome face. 

 

The younger man smiled as he pressed his hand against Jack's chest, feeling the lump of the dog tags beneath the sweater.  “Since when did you start listening to orders?” 

 

In all seriousness, Jack said, “Since your life – or at least your mind - depended on it.”

 

Daniel's breath hitched in the back of his throat and Jack gave him a lop-sided smile. The older man jerked his head towards the hall way and said, “Come on, I can think of better places to be discussing this…”

 

Daniel smiled as he stepped from the laundry first and waited, pausing only momentarily before following Jack to the living room.  The relationship was still too new for them to automatically fall into each other’s arms as they walked back towards the living room, but just as they neared the dining area Jack turned around to the man shuffling behind him with his head bowed.  Daniel pulled up abruptly and lifted his chin to look at his companion. The look in his eyes clearly told Jack he was waiting for him to say something.

 

With a shrug, the colonel said, “Aren’t we like.. you know.. boyfriend and boyfriend.. now…?”  He watched as Daniel blushed and dipped his face.

 

“Sounds so stupid when you say it like that,” the younger man murmured as he rolled his head back to look into Jack's brown eyes again.

 

“Yeah, well..  I just wondered why we were walking down here like.. well.. this..?”

 

“Like what?” The golden brows arched up high as Daniel peered through his glasses at his friend. 

 

Jack looked at him a moment then tossed his hand as he said, “Not important..” He turned and continued onto the living room, leaving a puzzled Daniel behind him.

As Jack trotted down the steps into the warm room Daniel bit back his smile and hurried to catch up with him. 

 

“Jaaaaaaaack..” He said as he hurled himself through the air into the twisting man’s arms.

 

“Jesus!” Jack grunted as they both toppled to the floor then Daniel rolled him over onto his back and grinned as he straddled him.  “What the..?”

 

“Did I break anything?”

 

“Err, no..” Jack said, feeling the heaviness of his companion as Daniel settled himself onto his abdomen.

 

“Good!” Daniel grinned then pulled off his glasses and tossed them to the floor beside them. “This better?”

 

Jack stared up at him a moment.  “What.. better?” He asked, momentarily distracted by the unshielded eyes in the orange glow of the fire alongside of them.  

 

Daniel grinned then held his arms wide. “This. You, Me.. The firelight..” As he spoke he lowered himself onto his hands then slowly leaned down until his lips were a hair’s breadth from Jack's mouth.

 

“Oh, yeah.. that.. this is good.. great even..” Jack mumbled and felt his lips brush Daniel's.

 

The dominant man chuckled, his breath puffing into Jack's mouth as he said, wantonly,  “You don’t sound convinced.”  Lifting back slightly he shook his hair from his eyes then looked down at Jack once more.  The older man held his breath as Daniel closed over him again then lowered himself down onto his elbows to cup the top of Jack's head in both hands as he whispered, “Maybe I should convince you..?”

 

“You could t-” Jack never got the next word out as Daniel pressed their lips together in a toe-curling kiss.  Long, slow and deep – the kiss allowed the two men to explore the unchartered caverns as their bodies gently rocked together.  

 

As Daniel lifted up in an attempt to break the kiss Jack stretched up in his attempt to continue it.  This made Daniel laugh around the tongue between his teeth then he rewarded Jack's tenacity with a firm suck on the thick muscle before he released him.  The second that their lips parted Jack's hand grabbed the back of the blond head and held Daniel in place, resuming it all over again.  It was a struggle for Daniel to stay kneeling upright over him as the older man tried to pull him down again.

 

“Jack-” Daniel laughed against his partner’s mouth.  “I need air!”

 

“It’s over rated,” Jack mumbled back then pressed his tongue deeply into Daniel's mouth.  The young man gave up and laid down over him once more, squirming his body into the one beneath him.

 

With his hands again cupping the gray head, Daniel devoured the willing mouth, tousled with Jack's eager tongue and sucked on lips, tips and tongues until they both seemed ready to surrender the kiss.

 

“Holy…” Jack breathed out heavily and clapped his hand over his eyes as Daniel struggled to kneel up over him again, woozy from his testosterone high.

 

With his hands pressed against Jack's chest for support, the panting man whispered, “Okay.. you’re convinced..” His mouth tightened into a smile that caused dimples to appear on his cheeks while his hazy blue eyes blinked rapidly.

 

“You sure?” Jack asked cheekily as he ran his hand up one of Daniel's supporting arms then down the front of his chest.

 

“I’m sitting on the evidence, Jack..” Daniel deadpanned then gasped as Jack's hand found his own evidence.

 

“Hiding evidence yourself, I see..” he said as he rubbed his thumb along the thick ridge in the baggy pants.  Daniel's eyes fluttered closed momentarily as he murmured Jack's name under his breath as the stroking continued.

 

Jack eased himself into a sitting position – a task none-too-easy with a fully grown man straddling your hips – then he cupped his free hand behind Daniel's neck as he reached in and lightly nipped at the arched throat. 

 

“Ooh yeah..” Daniel purred as he gave into the dual sensations, allowing them to swirl in his body, dancing around each other until they crashed in the pit of his stomach.  “Little.. to the.. left.. Ahhhhhh…Yesssss-” he murmured as Jack's lips latched onto a particularly enjoyable spot.

 

With care Jack eased Daniel off his lap – lying him down on the floor as he crawled onto his knees beside him.  He looked at the man laid out before him - the way one of Daniel's arms fell above his head, the other arm stretched past him towards the fire.  His legs were both bent slightly, one leg along the mat, the other swayed in the air right beside Jack's elbow. 

 

It was clear that something was troubling him as he stared down into the blue eyes.  Daniel was about to prompt him, but Jack finally found the words he was looking to say.

 

“Danny, I’ve got to ask you something..”

 

Jack's words were so intense that the smile wavered on the younger man’s lips for a second.  “What is it?”

 

“About the Kel.. incident?”  He watched as Daniel's face flushed slightly again and the eyes diverted to the fire.  

 

“What about it?”

 

Jack touched his hand to the side of Daniel's head and wordlessly the young man turned to look at him once more.  “You’re gonna have to guide me.. okay? Let me know when you’re ready and don’t be worried about telling me to back off..”  As he said this Jack trailed his hand down the front of the lean body, pausing to rub the flattened stomach momentarily then he looked down into the worried blue eyes.  “It will be okay.  We’ll be okay..” He assured him.

 

Bringing his hand in to pinch the bridge of his nose as he thought about his response, Daniel replied, in a soft voice,  “I think we need to clear something up.”  He shifted his gaze onto Jack's concerned face then he squeezed the bridge of his nose before sighing out harshly.  Closing his eyes he muttered, “Yes, I was intoxicated and maybe in some warped way I tried to block it out, but I never once thought of it as.. date-rape..” His eyes fluttered open as he watched Jack's expression.  The older man showed him nothing but care and consideration.   Swallowing hard, Daniel regretted having to say the next words, but he knew they had to be said.  “I willingly participated.  I know that now..”

 

“But you weren’t responsible for your actions..”

 

Shaking his head, Daniel sat up and in doing so, pushed Jack back from him slightly.  He hugged his knees to his chest as he said, “Jack, I wasn’t raped, okay? I’m sorry if you need to think that in order to forgive me for my actions.. but  *I* did it and ..” He looked briefly at his companion then away so that he could say, “and I enjoyed it.”

 

Jack gave a soft grunt as he got to his feet and paced in front of the fire.  Daniel closed his eyes momentarily then clenched his teeth, annoyed at his own honesty.  He blinked and looked up at the man pacing like a wounded cat then he got to his feet as well and went up behind Jack.  To still his moving partner he placed a hand on Jack's shoulder and waited for the movement to stop.  Once it did, he told him, “I just.. I called out your name because I wanted it to ‘be’ you…” 

 

Jack turned and stared at him, his dark eyes narrowing to find the truth in Daniel's expression.  Seeing it there he stepped towards his companion, swooping him into his arms – one arm around him, one hand on Daniel's throat, angling his chin.  He danced Daniel back two steps and by the time they’d stopped moving, Jack had latched his mouth over his lover’s and was kissing him with every ouch of his desire and passion. 

 

Years of want, of desire, and of denial, came flooding through in that kiss.  Jack's hands worked at removing Daniel's clothing and the younger man let him. With the buttons on the shirt finally conquered, Jack swept it back from the body, leaving it to fall down Daniel's arms as he knelt to devour the chest and stomach.

 

With the shirt still caught around his wrists Daniel brought his hands around to cup Jack's head as it moved across his stomach, licking and sucking as it went.  Jack's hands soon found the buckle on Daniel's belt and opened it without problem.  As he unzipped that black chinos Daniel was wearing he felt his partner moving, as if struggling with something.  He soon realized that Daniel had been stepping on the backs of his heels and pulling his shoes off, making it easier for Jack to completely disrobe him. The chinos pooled around the ankles covered in black cotton socks.  Both lots of clothing were pulled off, leaving the anthropologist in nothing but his tight-fitting, gray cotton boxers and the shirt, still dangling from where it was caught around his wrists.

 

Adjusting himself onto his knees once more Jack flinched, very slightly, but enough for Daniel to notice.

 

“Get off your knees,” he told him.

 

“I’m fine..”

 

“Dammit Jack.. get off your… Ommppft!” 

 

Jack had listened to him and had rolled down onto his back to lie down, and in doing so, he’d grabbed Daniel behind each thigh and tugged him - which pulled him down in a loud thud as he straddled Jack’s body in a kneeling position once more.

 

“You okay?” Jack questioned after Daniel stopped grimacing.

 

“Little warning next time, Jack..” the young men said with a glint in his eye as he settled back onto the warm abdomen and then felt Jack's thighs as he bent his legs up to support his back. Jack gave a wanton smile as he snaked his finger up the inside of Daniel's thigh, under the leg elastic of the long-lined boxer shorts and beyond, to the warm moisture of a hot groin. He gave a little moan as his fingers brushed the coarse hairs then he almost whimpered as he delved into the heat of the bend of Daniel's crotch and his thigh.

 

Daniel eased himself up to kneel up over Jack, allowing him access as he occupied himself with the removal of the shirt around his wrists.  With a quick flick, the shirt was history, flung to the dark recesses of Jack's living room.  Daniel smiled as he looked down at Jack below him. 

 

“Still think you’re over dressed,” Jack mumbled as he brushed his finger along the sensitive groove between groin and thigh once more. 

 

“They stay on until you’re undressed,” Daniel told him.  Jack arched his brow then rolled onto his stomach, crawling out from between the golden-haired thighs then he got to his feet, a little ungracefully- but that only made Daniel chuckle more – before he stood before him, arms wide as he said, “You gonna do it, or do I have to?”

 

Daniel smiled wantonly as he sat onto his butt, and dragged one knee to his chest.  Tilting his head back to look up at Jack, he said, “Do it for me…”

 

Jack's eyes narrowed onto the lustful smile then he shrugged and started to peel his cream sweater off.  As he passed it over his face he felt arms wrap around his body and he laughed as he looked down at the man hugging him. 

 

“You gotto let me do it, kiddo..”

 

Daniel laughed.  “You do the top half…” He sucked back a licentious groan as he started to unfasten Jack's pants.  “I’ll do this half..”

 

“Meet you half way,” Jack said as he undid each button slowly. 

 

There was no meeting halfway at all.  Daniel had divested him of his pants, shoes and socks long before Jack had managed to remove his black shirt.  Daniel was now on his knees, his hands resting on his thigh as he stared at the partially naked man before him.  Jack stepped up to him, so close that Daniel's throat arched right back in order for him to look up at him.  Automatically his arms went around Jack's thighs as he rested his chin into the semi-hard groin then he began to rub his face against the green boxers until he felt the cock inside jerk in arousal.  Pressing his chin lightly against the firm ridge now, Daniel looked up at his lover and smiled.  Jack lightly placed his hand on the back of Daniel's head. 

 

“You wanna take this to the bedroom?” 

 

Slowly the younger man got to his feet then he wrapped his arms around Jack's neck and reached to kiss him tenderly.  They lost themselves in the intense, passionate kisses again as body rubbed against body and made cocks twitch and strain against their confining garments.  As they slowly peeled back Jack kept his arm around Daniel's waist while the blond man kept his arm around Jack's shoulders as they both started towards the bedroom. 

 

As they walked along the hall they kissed – tender and almost chaste this time – then Jack reached blindly for the handle of his door and opened it.  Daniel's eyes opened from a kiss slowly to take in the room before him.  As they entered the room their contact slipped down to mere handholding as the men approached the bed, both going automatically to the opposite side. 

 

They climbed onto the bed together, crawling across the bedding on their knees until they reached the center where they stopped and faced each other.  Jack cupped the handsome face in his hands as he closed in for another kiss.  Daniel allowed him to manipulate him throughout the kiss and to guide him back onto the bed so that he could sit up beside him. 

 

As Jack pulled back from the kiss this time he placed his fingertip against Daniel's lips.  Both men smiled then Jack turned his head to look down at the gray pants that were straining to withhold Daniel's erection.  Jack shifted and gripped up the elastic, his whole attention taken with the task as he slowly slipped the tight fitting boxers down his lover’s long, lean legs and off the end of the bed.  He stared down at the uncircumcized cock that was bobbing slightly from the movement.  Daniel pressed his hand against Jack's chest as he sat himself up.  Pushing his lover off him, Daniel climbed off the bed and went into the adjoining bathroom, where he washed himself clean.  Jack moved in behind him in the reflection of the mirror.  Daniel smiled shyly then passed the rinsed out washcloth back to his lover.  Jack stepped forward and ran the cloth under warm water before using it to clean himself, ensuring, like Daniel had, that all areas were clean. 

 

By the time he was done Daniel was lying back on the bed, one leg bent up casually as he leaned up onto an elbow, occupying himself with tracing the pattern on Jack's bedding.  The older man growled as he crawled onto the bed with him and Daniel chuckled as he laid onto his back, letting Jack dominate him as he straddled the flattened body. 

 

As he ran his hands up Jack's strong arms he enjoyed the feel of the hairs on Jack's forearms then the ripples of muscles on his upper arms.  Daniel slowly tracked his movement until he wrapped his hands behind Jack’s head and pulled him down into a fiery kiss. 

 

Tongues dueled until the desire within both man made them crave more – something more intimate – more fulfilling.  Jack's slips brushed across Daniel’s face, down his throat and onto the expanse of chest.  He kissed, sucked and nipped almost every inch of Daniel’s body on his way down to this prize.

 

At the same time Daniel was reaching for any part of Jack that he could suckle on.  He latched himself onto the older man’s flank and caused a deep red mark to appear.

 

Jack growled at the sensation as his hand hovered over the straining cock.  Slowly he grasped it, and then he tugged the skin back to reveal the deep purple head.  The tip throbbed within his hand, growing shiny with anticipation while he awaited the bliss of Jack's warm, moist mouth. 

 

Not sure if Jack was waiting ofr him or not, Daniel reahed his hand up and gently pressed on the back of the gray head.  That was all Jack needed. His lips parted and he swallowed Daniel down to the back of his throat.  He pulled back then closed his mouth over him once more, this time opening up his throat to swallow Daniel deeply.

 

The young man curled up around the sensation of being deep throated.  It had never happened before and he gagged as Jack continued to take him that deeply, until Daniel felt like he might explode. 

 

He laid back down and positioned himself between Jack's thighs as he felt his tip press the hot recess of Jack's throat.  He closed his eyes and surrendered to the ripples of arousal that seeped throughout him now as Jack continued his relentless pursuit.

 

Daniel felt the tingles within his thigh and crotch and knew he didn’t have long. He opened his mouth and swallowed Jack down as far as he could – it wasn’t any kind of deep throating but the moan of enjoyment the older man made told Daniel that it was enough.  Jack started to gently thrust into Daniel's willing mouth and soon the young man added to Jack's sensations by pressing his fingers through the tight opening and striking the hard nub within until he felt Jack shake furiously and clamp down on his fingers hard.  Daniel whimpered as Jack's load shot down his throat and seconds later he bucked, driving himself deeply into the fold of Jack's throat as he gasped and shot his load into his lover’s mouth. 

 

Both men collapsed onto the bed, satiated.  With a groan Jack shifted in behind Daniel and spooned him as he dragged the bedding up over them.  Daniel reached back for Jack's hand then draped it around him, bringing it up under his chin as he closed his eyes and sighed deeply.  Jack whispered into Daniel's ear, “G’night, space monkey.”

 

Daniel chuckled sluggishly then mumbled, “Night Jack…” before he drifted off to a well earned sleep.

 

Jack laid behind him for a moment, taking the time to thank whoever was listening for helping them sort through this.  As he snuggled into the warm back of his partner he realized that he’d have to work on Daniel in the morning.  He understood that it was too hard to do with something in his mouth… but tomorrow was another day and he fully intended to hear Daniel – as he made him come – calling his name…..

 

<The End>