Daniel turned and smiled, saying a weakened, “Hey,” in response.
“I love you, Danny,” Jack said as he moved to his husband.
The younger man slid into Jack's arms, leaning his head against his shoulder, immediately sighing from the comfort of the embrace.
“I love you, too. Mmm ... This feels so good. For a while, I thought I might not get back.”
“I almost killed Carter,” Jack said, leaning his cheek against Daniel's head.
“Why?” Daniel asked, pulling back.
“She kept saying they'd find the answer, and I just kept telling her to hurry and do it. It took too long, way too long.”
“Jack ...”
“Let's say 'hello' to the girls and then go to bed.”
“To sleep?”
“Are you out of your friggin' mind?” Jack said with a smile.
“I missed you, so much.”
“Danny, we've got to stop this separation thing. It's too hard on my heart.”
“Mine, too.”
They shared another kiss, one that promised of the passion to come.
“Angel, if we don't ...”
“I know. The girls ... and then ...”
“And then ...” Jack echoed, sharing another kiss with his husband.
The two headed towards the living room. Daniel had been back on Earth for thirty hours, all of which had been spent at the SGC. He could have come home earlier, but he didn't want to without Jack. By the time Daniel had finished his report, Jack had fulfilled his obligations, and Janet had given Daniel his medical clearance, over a day had passed.
“This used to be easier,” Jack had said on the drive home.
“What do you mean?”
“If Hammond were still here, we would have been out of there in a few hours. I'm sorry, Danny.”
“Jack, you're in command now. It's okay.”
Jack had shaken his head, totally disliking that, not only had they been stuck at the SGC for a prolonged period already, but he'd have to return there in a measly sixteen hours. It was all the time he could afford to take off at the moment. Inside, he had been filled with anger at not being able to focus on his lover. Daniel had reached over and touched Jack's shoulder.
“It's okay, Jack. I understand, and I'm fine. Let's just go home and relax, okay?”
Now they were home, and Jack tended to Daniel, beginning with some time doting on Bijou and Katie, their two adorable beagles, followed by a nice, long bubble bath, just big enough for the two of them. They didn't talk shop, instead focusing on each other and reacquainting their bodies to their nation of two.
====
The next day, the lovers slept in, lounging in bed. Daniel wanted to be held, and Jack wanted to hold him. Their beagles went in and out of the room as the day progressed, just checking to make sure all was well.
They talked a little bit about the planet, but not much, preferring instead to just enjoy being together, a gift they had almost lost. Then, all too soon, the clock had ticked on, and Jack had to return to the SGC even though Daniel was still on downtime. He had another forty-eight hours off at Janet's insistence, not for any physical reason, but for the sake of his emotional health. She wanted him to have time to adapt to being back on Earth before returning to his normal duties and heading off-world yet again.
Hand in hand, the lovers walked from the kitchen to the entranceway. Reaching the front door, Jack squeezed Daniel's hand and said, “I'll be home as soon as I can.”
The archaeologist faced his lover and with his free hand pressed against Jack's heart.
“Jack, I'm fine.”
“You almost died, and I wasn't there. To top it off, I had to mess around with that idiot Soren. I wanted to send in the troops, Danny.” Jack released Daniel's hand and rubbed his lover's upper arms, eventually pulling him into a hug. “I should have followed my heart,” Jack said, his words laden with regret and guilt. Pulling back to look again at the man who owned his heart, Jack sighed, “I'm not sure I like having Hammond's job.”
“My General,” Daniel leaned forward to capture a kiss. His hands rubbed gently against his lover's upper chest. “You did everything you could. Don't second guess yourself, Love.”
“But I didn't do everything I could have. I could have stormed through that Stargate with ten SG teams armed with more firepower than Soren could ever have imagined, found you, and brought you home.”
“Jack, listen to me. I know it's hard. Times like this you wish General Hammond were here so you could just yell and run to the rescue with your P-90, but he's not, and you can't risk our world just for me.”
“Oh, yes, I can, and Daniel, I swear to you, I would have ... eventually, and it's the eventually that's eating away at me. I wanted to act as soon as that ... war broke out, but I couldn't. I had to wait. It killed me, Danny. I'm not a diplomat, especially when my husband is missing, and I was darn close to ignoring that moron and sending in the calvary.”
“You are the *best* person to lead the SGC, Jack. No one else, apart from General Hammond, could do it. Now you have to go, or you'll be late. And I love you, Jack,” Daniel said before kissing his lover again and shooing him out the door.
“Gotta love that man of mine,” Daniel said out loud as he leaned back against the closed door, a loving smile on his face.
====
At the end of the day, Jack returned home to his lover with a surprise.
“I love surprises,” Daniel said, snuggling into Jack's arms as they sat on the sofa.
Bijou and Katie were curled up in their beanbag that sat next to the fireplace. They were sleeping soundly, having no cares or concerns at the moment, now that Daniel was home safe and sound.
“We have a lot to talk about.”
“We do?” Daniel asked.
“I know you, Angel. What happened on that planet is eating away at you.”
“I ... we changed the direction of that planet. I know we can't predict the future, but we ... we caused it, Jack.”
“Which brings me to my surprise.”
“Oh yeah,” Daniel smiled as he reached his hand inside Jack's tan shirt to play with Jack's silver-gray chest hairs.
“It wasn't easy, but I shifted around a few things so this weekend we can go to the cabin.”
Daniel twisted his body to look at his lover, anticipation in his eyes.
“Really?”
“I figured you and me at the lake. We can talk about it, all of it. Danny, you need to remember something.”
“What?”
“It's the nature of what we do that we stick our noses in to other people's business. We do our best not to interfere, but sometimes we have to, and sometimes just being there changes history, like in this case. That doesn't mean we started a Civil War. We can't blame ourselves for dialing the Gate. If we do, then what's the solution? Stop the program?”
Daniel placed a kiss on Jack's neck as he snuggled even closer.
“I know what you're saying, but what I feel, Jack, it's ... there's a responsibility and an obligation there.”
“I know, Angel,” Jack said, running his fingers through the young man's silky hair.
“We can debate it all at the cabin,” Daniel said confidently.
“All weekend long.”
“I should be more upset.”
“You are.”
“How do you know?”
“You need time to process. It'll come out at the cabin.”
“You seem awfully sure of yourself,” Daniel said with a smile.
“We've been through a lot, Daniel. This isn't the first time we've gotten into trouble by being someplace. Remember K'tau? Carter gets the blame for that one. You don't want her living her life feeling guilty that those folks went through some trauma, do you?”
“It was our fault.”
“Yes, it was. Specifically Carter's for messing with the protocols.”
Daniel shifted his position to he could look at Jack, but before he could say anything, Jack pulled the younger man onto his lap. Daniel laughed and mock-whined, “Jaaaack!”
“Come here, you,” Jack said, keeping a firm hold and pulling Daniel downward to nestle into his shoulder. “Danny, the point is that just by walking through the Gate we risk worlds. Our only way to avoid it is not to go which, by the way, would risk our world. I want you to think about that as you swirl around all that guilt you have inside your brain; give it equal time.”
“And we'll talk it about at the lake.”
“At the lake.”
“And then we'll make love.”
“Oh yeah!” Jack took Daniel's hand and brought it to his mouth and kissed it. “Danny, we'll do right by those people. We'll help them any way we can, just like you promised them, but you can't carry around guilt for a Civil War any more than Carter should be walking around hitting herself over the head about K'tau.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
Daniel nodded against Jack's shoulder.
“We'll talk it about in between making love over the weekend.”
“I can handle that.”
“Oh, you will, Jack,” Daniel said as he caressed Jack's face and moved in for a kiss. “But, as bad as I feel, I think I already know you're right. I think that's why I'm not ... I mean I feel like I should feel worse. I feel bad. I feel really bad, but I'm ... gawd.”
“It's not consuming you.”
“I guess not. We'll help them,” Daniel stated, but it came out as more of a question, one that, although Jack had already answered, he knew he needed to have answered again.
Firmly, Jack said, “Yes, Love. We'll help them, and like the people of K'tau, they'll move forward.”
“Guilt's a hard thing to get over, Jack.”
“I know.”
Daniel registered the sadness of the response.
“Jack?”
“Guilt about not sending in the troops; guilt about having let you go in the first place; guilt about this.”
“This?”
“It's like I said before. If I wasn't a General, we'd be gone for a week, doing nothing but making love and loving. I can't do that now, so we had a day, not even that, and in a few days, we'll have more, but we don't even have time to ... adjust.”
“No guilt, Love,” Daniel said, kissing Jack. “Been there, done that. I'm proud of you, and no matter what, we have our forever. I admit that I wish we could have huddled together and shut out the world, too, when I got back, but you know what? We still have each other. We'll always have each other. Maybe that's why this hasn't been so hard. Besides, we'll make up for those weeks we were apart this weekend.”
“I love you, Angel.”
“Love you, too, Jack.”
Their conversation turned to other things. As they talked about their day and its events, Jack also mentioned that he might join one of the teams going back to the planet as they helped the people to rebuild the planet.
They took a walk to the park with Bijou and Katie, chatted for a while with Mrs. Valissi, and then enjoyed a quiet dinner.
As the evening passed, Daniel had gone to the study to catch up on his email. Jack ended up on the bed in the master bedroom, reading a western novel.
A little after 10 p.m., Daniel walked into the room and slipped into his pajamas. He noticed Jack had already done so, but was still engrossed in his book. Daniel went to the bathroom, and then when he walked out, he smiled softly, just watching his husband.
“Jack, can we talk for a minute?”
Jack looked up and grinned.
“You have to ask?”
Daniel smiled and moved to the bed. The conversation he was about to initiate was important, and he hoped that Jack would understand. Though not really nervous, he was a little apprehensive. His soulmate's Mr. Jealousy was unpredictable, though in recent times Jack finally seemed to have the green-eyed monster under control ... at least, most of the time.
Jack was leaning against the headboard. His legs were bent at the knees, the closed book resting against his thighs.
The younger man tapped on Jack's legs, and Jack moved them so that were extended outward, but comfortably spread apart. Then, Daniel sat down, Indian-style, on the bed directly in front of his lover. As Daniel positioned himself as close as he could get to Jack, the older man's legs snugly wrapped around his lover.
Next, Daniel took the book and placed it on the nightstand. Smiling at Jack, he took both of his husband's hands in his and leaned forward for a kiss.
“I love you, Jack.”
“I love you, too. Am I in trouble?”
Daniel rolled his eyes at Jack's immediate assumption.
“No, of course not. You said you might go to the planet, either with the first team that goes tomorrow or next week when I'll go through with SG-2.”
“Right. Diplomacy. Good will. All that ... stuff,” Jack said, his distaste at the idea making it clear that he was not really enjoying this part of his new job at the SGC.
“You might meet someone while there, and I need you to know something.”
“Leda.”
Daniel looked a little surprised. His eyes widened as he answered, “Yes,” and then asked, “How'd you know?”
“Danny, you and princesses. It's a given at this point.”
“She's not a princess, Jack.”
“No, but she's just like that ...”
“Jack!”
“Witch ... that kept us locked up. I read your report, Love. She wasn't very anxious for you to get home or to help, even if she came through in the end. I'm not sure she's not exactly like the ... like Shyla.”
“Jack, Leda isn't like that at all.”
“Maybe not, but then, if she's not, why this?” Jack asked, moving their hands up and tilting his head up to motion at Daniel's pose.
Daniel sighed, “It's just ... I think maybe she ... grew to care about me more than she should have.”
“I read the report.”
“Every word, I bet.”
“Every word about her,” Jack answered truthfully.
Daniel leaned in for another kiss, pausing to nibble a moment on Jack's upper lip before letting his tongue slide into his husband's mouth.
“Jack, we've both been stranded off-world before.”
“Oh yeah. Been there, done that. Don't want to do that anymore,” Jack said, staring deeply into his soulmate's eyes.
“You know what the difference is between those times and now?”
“Tell me, Angel.”
Daniel took his right hand and gently moved it across Jack's left cheek so that the tops of his fingers caressed the skin. His movements were tender and slow, and then he turned his hand over so that his palm made one soothing, circular motion on Jack's cheek.
“I knew I'd find my way home to you, that somehow I'd get through the Stargate, and if I didn't, I knew you'd come get me. Somehow ... through the Gate, or Thor, I don't know; but there wasn't a doubt in my mind that if I couldn't get home, you'd find me.”
Jack brought his left hand up to his face, taking Daniel's hand. He leaned his cheek into it, then moved his face to kiss the center of his Love's palm. He closed his eyes, and then opened them to see his heart, his Daniel. Moving their hands back down, Jack initiated another kiss.
“I would have, Danny. That's why I was so frustrated with Carter. I knew you were out there. I felt you.”
Daniel smiled.
“Did you, Jack? Because I thought of you every second. Every ... single ... second.”
Daniel connected again with Jack's lips. As they kissed, their intertwined hands moved in gentle massaging motions, never just resting in the other's hand, but caressing, tracing their fingers, or just rubbing against the other's skin.
“You know it's weird, Danny, but I did know. That is exactly why I was so upset with Carter. You were there, and I couldn't get to you. It was that dang diplomacy, but somehow, inside, I was positive that you were fighting to get home, and that we'd be together like always.”
“I knew, too. Jack, I think that's why I didn't get angry with Leda. I mean, I remember I did get upset and annoyed with Shyla, but I didn't here, and it had nothing to do with Leda or her people; but it had to do with ... with here,” Daniel tapped lightly against his chest, over his heart, and then did the same over Jack's heart. “We're strong, Jack, and like you said, we've endured a lot over the years. Somehow, crazy and strange as it sounds, this ... it just seemed like a little detour, another roadblock.”
“But it didn't win. The evil Fates lost.”
“Big time, Babe. Gawd, all I did was think of you. Jack, I had devised a thousand ways to get home. I knew sooner or later we'd be here, and I knew it wouldn't be long. It sounds odd.”
“Our nation of two is stronger than ever. Those Fates might as well give up. We're forever.”
“Jack, I need you, so desperately, but I also know you have obligations, and I want you to fulfill those. I know you feel guilty about your duties keeping us apart, but it won't be forever, and ... what's important is this, you and me, together, here and now.”
“Geez, Danny,” Jack said, leaning in for more kisses, too many to count.
Still, Jack had another question that needed answering.
“Danny, did you kiss her?”
“No, you nut. I think when I first woke up, she got the wrong idea.”
“Why?”
“I didn't know where I was or what was happening. One second there's a war going on and the next I'm in some little house somewhere. Everything ached. When I woke up, she was sitting on the side of the bed. She was going to go, but ...” Daniel sighed and looked down, “Jack, I wanted to know what was happening, and I didn't want to be alone. Gawd, it was selfish.”
“No, it wasn't. Danny, you were scared. What's selfish about wanting to be reassured, and didn't you just tell me you didn't even know where you were?”
“I didn't. I ... I guess I feel a little guilty.”
“You have nothing to feel guilty about. She just overreacted, that's all.”
“I reached out and touched her. I didn't think about it until now, but I felt her respond to that touch. I should have just gotten up and left.”
“Daniel, you could barely breathe at the time.”
“Her marriage was on the rocks.”
“Did you know that?”
“Not then, but ...”
“Then you have nothing to regret. You didn't do anything wrong.”
“I'd like to believe that.”
“Danny, one touch doesn't make someone fall in love with you. That ... is that all there was?” Jack asked tentatively.
“Babe, please don't let Mr. Jealousy make something out of this. There was nothing. I care about Leda the same way I care about ...” Daniel looked as if he were trying to remember some alien on a distant planet. “... about ...”
“The witch? Or Ke'ra ... or the snake.”
“Jack! Sarah isn't a Goa'uld anymore.”
“I know, but she took off quick enough.”
“Did you really want her to stick around?”
“Heck, no!” Jack spoke quickly and definitively.
“Babe, the point is,” Daniel began as he brought Jack's hands to his mouth and kissed them. Then he rubbed his left cheek against them and sighed contently, closing his eyes for a moment. Looking back at his lover, he completed his sentence. “... Leda's a human being, and I care about her like I care about all people. She's having a rough time in her marriage, and she misconstrued my wanting her to stay by my bedside. I think she might have misunderstood something else. Gawd, Jack, it's your fault.”
“Mine?” Jack asked incredulously. “What did I have to do with whatever happened between you and Peta?”
“Leda,” Daniel corrected, squeezing Jack's hand tightly.
“This,” Daniel held up their hands. “Jack, I have a long way to go, but ... you know, I laugh more now and ... well,” he looked down for a second, “I'm not quite so ... I mean touching isn't so ... I mean, it's not exactly easy with other people, but I'm not so afraid anymore.”
“This isn't about when you first woke up, is it?”
“I was trying to talk her into asking her husband to help us with the plan. He didn't believe it could be done, and Leda had lost hope. I raised my hand to her cheek, but she moved.”
“Two and two.”
“What?”
“Asking her not to leave your bed, a tender touch, a bad marriage ... add two and two, and you get the wrong idea in this case.”
“Apparently. All your fault, O'Neill.”
“Jackson-O'Neill, and don't you forget it.”
“Never. Not ever, Jack. You're my husband, and I love you so much.”
“Do you now?” Jack asked, his hands going behind Daniel's back and pulling the younger man to within an inch of him. “Show me.”
“Mmm ... so demanding,” Daniel said, his own hands against Jack's face, moving gently, then more hurriedly as their next kiss deepened.
Daniel moved up, allowing Jack to extend his legs and recline to a prone position. The younger man straddled his husband as they kissed, his hands making small kneading motions along Jack's neck and upper shoulder area. Suddenly, Daniel stopped his actions. He looked down at Jack, searching his lover's luscious brown eyes.
“Jack, tell me. Tell me you knew I would never do anything to jeopardize our love and our home. Tell me you *know* that you're my world. Tell me, Jack.”
Jack's hands caressed Daniel's back as he gazed up into Daniel's beautiful blue eyes. They were misty from emotion.
“I knew, and I know. When I read your report, it took me about five seconds to realize this was another damsel in distress. You didn't have to say it. I know how you write, and it was easy to read between the lines. Was I worried?” Jack let out a tiny snort while his hands moved to Daniel's shoulders. He moved them across the breadth of the broad shoulders, and glided them up to Daniel's jaw line. His fingers pressed very lightly into the skin. “No. Crazy as it sounds, Angel, this time I wasn't. I told you before that I felt you out there, and I did. It wasn't our silent words, but ... I knew you were alive and ...” Jack smiled.
“Thinking about you? Wanting you? Needing you?”
“All of the above. I know, Angel. You're mine.”
“All yours, Jack. All yours,” he repeated as they began to kiss again. “Yours,” Daniel gasped between kisses.
“Love me, Danny. Need you.”
As the night ended, Jack and Daniel made love in their nation of two, each secure in their love and their home.
====
“Daniel. I didn't think you'd come back,” Leda spoke three weeks later when Daniel finally returned to the planet.
Though he had intended to return sooner, other missions had interfered. Various other SG teams had gone through, however, and Jack had already made one other visit there himself.
“I made a promise, and we keep our promises.” She nodded and looked over in the distance where her husband stood, talking with Jack and the members of SG-9. “How are you, Leda?”
“Some have hope we can ...”
“I meant you,” Daniel said, looking off towards her husband.
“I am fine,” she said, looking down a bit shyly, as if not wanting to see into Daniel's eyes, her hair blowing in the wind.
“Daniel,” Jack said as he approached.
“Jack?” Daniel responded, automatically smiling at his lover.
“Hello, Leda.”
“General O'Neill.”
“Daniel, you might want to be in on that little pow wow going on over there.”
“Okay. Goodbye, Leda.”
“Goodbye, Daniel.” She watched him walk away. “He is doing well?”
“Very. Uh, thank you, by the way.”
“For what?”
“Daniel says you nursed him back to health. He's grateful.”
“Grateful?”
“As am I. He's our most valuable resource, and ... my best friend, so thank you again.”
Jack smiled and walked away, leaving the woman to stand and watch, which she did. She saw Daniel hear the General's approach, and again, saw that smile. She remembered her husband used to smile at her that way, once upon a time, and wondered if it was possible for him to look at her again in that light. She had lost Daniel, not that she had ever had him, but there was the dream, her dream of a smile directed at her.
Just then, her husband glanced her way, and he smiled. It wasn't quite the same, but he hadn't smiled at her in a very long time. She nodded and smiled back, and turned around to head back to her home. She paused, turned around and looked again at Jack and Daniel, noticing how at ease they were with each other. She couldn't make out the words between them, but Jack had said something and Daniel laughed, nudging Jack slightly. Then the two grew serious again as they continued their talks with the leaders of the planet.
Leda blinked, and then went on her way.
====
“That went well.”
“I think so, too, Babe,” Daniel said, throwing his arms around Jack in his office. “I don't like this office.”
They had already turned off the usual recording devices, and Jack had closed the blinds and locked the door, but he was a little too visible now as the General of the SGC.
“It kinda stands out when we do this,” Jack said in agreement.
“Well, we've already done it, so ...”
“Yeah ... so ...” The lovers kissed each other longingly. “I can't wait to go home,” Jack stated.
“Just waiting for you.” Daniel saw Jack look at his desk. He noticed the laptop was there, along with the pile of messages that Sergeant Davis had just handed him. Daniel sighed at the reality of the situation, “I know. Maybe by nine if we're lucky.”
“I have ... memos to read,” Jack groaned.
“I'm proud of you.”
“For reading memos?”
“For being the best General in the United States Air Force.”
“How would you know?”
“Well, okay, you're the best kisser.”
“I repeat,” Jack said more forcefully, “how would *you* know that?”
Daniel gave his lover a wicked smile and headed for the door.
Jack called out urgently, “Where are you going?”
“Well, apparently you want me to do research. I thought I'd track down all the generals and do a comparison.”
“Over my dead body.”
Jack moved quickly to Daniel, but the younger man moved as well, attempting to reach the door.
Jack grabbed him and as they wrestled, they hit the door, making a loud bang.
“Oops,” Daniel said with a chuckle, as they slid down to the ground.
A few seconds later, they heard Sergeant Davis tap on the door.
“Is everything okay in there, General?”
Jack coughed, then responded, “Everything's fine, Sergeant, or it would be if a CERTAIN archaeologist would remember his duty, stop trying to put me between a rock and a hard place, and just do his job!”
“Uh, yes, Sir.”
“DISMISSED, DAVIS!” Jack shouted through the door.
“Duty? Hard place?”
“It's your duty to make sure that when your husband is hard as a rock that you do your job and ... take care of it.”
“Oh. And, uh, are you ...?”
“As a rock.”
“Oh!” The two kissed. “We shouldn't, Jack. Not here right now.”
“I'm a friggin' General. Davis wouldn't dare walk in here.”
“But ...”
“Daniel,” Jack smiled. “It's an order.”
“Mustn't shirk an order ... General.” Daniel kissed his husband as his hands worked to unfasten his pants at the same time. “My General,” he said again before another kiss.
“Love you, Angel.”
“Love you, too. Forever and always, only you,” Daniel sighed, and then proceeded with his assigned task.
This was one order that Daniel Jackson-O'Neill happily carried out!
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