"I'm sorry, Dr. Jackson. We just don't have the resources to spend on investigating the mirror device; the Stargate already demands all of our attention." General Hammond's expression made it clear that he had already made up his mind to have the alien device that served as a doorway to alternate realities destroyed. As Commander of the SGC, his decisions were rarely countermanded.
"But in its own way, there are just as many worlds to explore within the mirror as there are through the Stargate," Daniel Jackson argued. The young archeologist had inadvertently traveled through the device a year ago and found an alternate reality where the Goa'uld were attacking Earth from space. Their ships had laid waste to the defenseless planet, killing billions. Barely escaping the destruction, Daniel brought with him the foreknowledge of the impending attack and had helped save the Earth of his own reality.
"A war fought on two fronts is twice as hard to win."
"But it, it…think if they had destroyed the Stargate!" Flustered, Daniel's hands fluttered about in frustration. "We'd be—"
"That's enough, son. The mirror represents a threat we are in no way prepared to counter or even understand at this time."
Colonel Jack O'Neill was listening quietly to the debate and found he agreed with both sides of the argument. Watching the exchange, he clearly saw two stubborn men and no middle ground. Ever pragmatic, he saw a fix for that. He cleared his throat. "It seems a shame to destroy it. What say we just weld a plate over its surface, same as the iris on the Stargate? That would render it inoperative, wouldn't it?"
Daniel stared perplexed at his immediate Commander. Whether he was surprised or disappointed by Jack's idea, Jack couldn't decipher, so he shrugged at Daniel and turned his attention back to General Hammond.
Hammond stared at them both, then sighed. "All right. That seems like a reasonable compromise to me, but I pray to God this decision doesn't come back to bite us on the ass, gentlemen. Colonel O'Neill, I am giving you the responsibility to have the mirror device sealed, ASAP."
"Yes, sir. I'll see to it immediately."
"Dismissed, gentlemen."
Daniel wasn't finished yet. He opened his mouth to protest, but Jack grabbed him by the elbow, spun him around and pushed him toward the door. "We're done here, Daniel. Let's go."
Once outside, Daniel turned to him. "Why did you do that?"
"Because this way, it'll still be around for you to study at some later date," Jack said, walking on ahead.
"But what if…where are you going? You aren't going to have it sealed now, are you?"
"That's what ASAP means Daniel. Not after lunch — now. Sergeant Siler can probably have it finished by dinnertime."
Daniel trotted up beside him. "Wait. Let me get my camcorder; I'll just need a few minutes to record its condition now before any damage is done."
"Siler's good; he won't even leave a fingerprint on the thing, but if you want to take a few snapshots, go for it."
The space beside Jack was suddenly empty; Daniel's quick, light footfalls were rapidly getting fainter. Jack smiled; running was the one physical activity Daniel excelled at.
An hour later, Daniel stood in front of the mirror. His filming finished, he had extracted the tape and was labeling it with his fine, precise handwriting. "You know there could be an alternate reality Earth that already has a weapon that is effective against the Goa'uld. Or maybe one where they already know how to remove a Goa'uld without damaging the host. Jack, all we'd have to do is make contact, ask them for the knowledge, and it'd be ours."
Jack watched Sergeant Siler sketch an outline of the mirror on a sheet of titanium/trinium alloy in preparation for cutting it out. Bored, he turned back to Daniel. "And we will—" He was stopped in mid–sentence by a flicker of light from the mirror. "Hey!"
Daniel looked up. "What?"
Jack pointed to the device behind Daniel. "That thing was just on."
Daniel glanced over at the mirror then back at Jack. "Oh? What did you see?"
"Well, me and Teal'c…sorta…."
Even as he spoke, the mirror flickered again. A determined Jack O'Neill and Teal'c stared back at him. They reached out to touch the mirror, then, suddenly they were in the room. Jack opened his mouth to give a warning yell, but the alternate reality O'Neill swung up an MP–5 and aimed it directly at his heart. Jack froze, staring his alter ego in the eyes. While it was unnerving enough to see a duplicate of himself, it was downright chilling to be faced with a pair of dark, expressionless eyes that promised instant death for any provocation. That man, that expression he recognized; it was him, or at least an earlier version of himself.
His back to the intruders, Daniel appeared to be unaware of the danger. The alternate reality Teal'c stepped up to him and in one smooth motion, grabbed Daniel's left arm, twisted it up behind his back and dragged the young man toward the mirror. As Daniel yelped in surprise, Teal'c captured his free hand and forced it toward the device.
"We are ready."
"Sweet." The alternate reality O'Neill backed closer to the mirror. "Let's do it, then."
In one smooth, practiced move the intruders touched the mirror in unison. In an instant, they were transported into the parallel dimension, their images now visible in the mirror. Stunned, Jack watched helplessly as Daniel was manhandled away from the portal, the young man's expression one of confusion and alarm.
Stepping into view, a grim–faced Samantha Carter lifted a control device. She flashed Jack a look of pity before she twisted her fingers, turning the mirror off.
Jack stared at the dull surface, feeling his stomach go cold and hollow. They had no way to activate the mirror; their control had been lost to them…and that meant they now had no way to go after Daniel.
* * * * *
Daniel was rapidly frog marched down the hallways of the SGC, his arm still twisted behind his back. It took all of his concentration to keep in step and avoid falling. His captors ignored his protests, as did the personnel they passed in the hallway. When they reached his office, he was released. He staggered forward a few steps then whirled about.
"Wh–what the hell is going on here?" he demanded, straightening his rumpled clothing with short jerks.
"This one's on the fiery side," O'Neill said, pleased.
"Indeed. His world must be strong; perhaps they have not yet suffered many losses to the Goa'uld."
Daniel stood silently and fumed. Taking in a deep breath, he made a visible effort to rein in his anger; a cool head would better serve him now. "Why have you brought me here?"
O'Neill stared back, clearly evaluating Daniel. "We need your expertise in analysis of alien artifacts."
"Yeah? So where's your Daniel Jackson?"
"Good. You're familiar with mirror travel then; that'll save us some time. Since you asked, my Daniel's busy on another project."
"And that gives you the right to just go out and kidnap another one?"
"Yeah. The stuff here's high priority," O'Neill said, gesturing to a long table with a dozen different items on it. "Here's the deal: you work on this for two days, then you'll be returned to your own world. It's as simple as that."
"Why two days?"
"After forty–eight hours, you will be afflicted by the cascade tremors. They are unpleasant and dangerous to your well–being," Teal'c answered. "You must leave through the TDM before they occur."
"TDM?"
"Transdimensional Mirror."
Daniel chewed at his lower lip. "I need to talk to my people."
"No can do. It takes too much time and effort when we start with the explanations. You'll be back before they've even had a chance to figure out a plan to recover you." O'Neill gestured to one end of the room. "There's a cot over there when you get tired. The small fridge is stocked with snacks and drinks. There's plenty of coffee for the coffee maker and hot meals will be brought to you every five hours unless you are sleeping. As you finish a project, write down the explanation and hand it to the guard at the door."
"Guard?"
"For your own safety, we don't want you getting distracted."
"Uh huh," Daniel said, unable to hide the sarcasm.
O'Neill stepped over to a chair in front of the first project and pulled it out. He patted the seat in invitation. "C'mon, what'd'ya say? It's just two days, then you'll be home. You might even find you enjoy it here."
"Right," Daniel said, unconvinced. Nevertheless, he settled himself down and pulled the first object close. "Like I have a choice."
O'Neill ignored the comment, smiled and slapped Daniel on his back. "Attaboy. I'll come back and check on you later," he said, giving Daniel's shoulder a firm squeeze.
* * * * *
Later turned out to be near midnight. Daniel had been working steadily, making quick work of his tasks. It turned out that seven of the projects were things he'd already deciphered on his own world; all he'd had to do was transcribe their meaning or give instructions as to their use. Two more items were relatively simple translations of texts written in the usual complex jumble of languages that were common in the host seed worlds of the Goa'uld territories. That left three items, two of which he'd never seen before.
There was a sharp rap on the door and Daniel glanced up to see O'Neill leaning against the doorframe. He was dressed in the usual black T–shirt and green camouflage trousers that the Jack O'Neill of his own world favored, but these seemed to fit tighter, showing off the strong chest, flat stomach and muscular thighs. Daniel idly wondered if this Jack O'Neill worked out more than did his own and if so, why. Daniel knew that his own Jack O'Neill was quite trim, his lean body in excellent shape. The extra muscle mass on this man was pleasant to see, but not really necessary. Suddenly realizing where his mind had wandered, he steered his thoughts away from that subject with resignation like he'd done so many times in the past. Colonel Jack O'Neill was strictly off limits.
"Come in," he beckoned. "Door's open — obviously."
Jack swaggered toward him and clapped his hands together in satisfaction. "I hear you've been cutting through our toughest problems like an F–15 through Iraqi airspace."
"Yes. Well, I've encountered lots of these items before, like this one here," Daniel said, picking up a metallic device. "This looks like a Tollan molecular disperser."
"Yep, sure is. Do you know how to use it?"
"No. The Tollans in our reality refuse to share their technology with us."
"So?"
"So…it means we don't have access to their tools. How did you get it, by the way?"
"Off a dead Tollan." When Daniel just stared at him, O'Neill continued. "We had a group of them stranded here at the base. They didn't want to share and well, things got heated. Bottom line is we now have all their stuff; all we have to do is figure out how to use it."
"You killed them?" Daniel asked, shocked by the enormity of the crime and the casual way it was mentioned.
"Old history, Daniel. So, what about these other two things?"
Daniel glanced at what was left on the table. There was a machine of some sort that was covered with a mixture of writing and symbols. Next to it was a pile of high–resolution photographs of a room that looked to be from a more advanced culture than his own; alien script and symbols were plentiful. "These'll be a lot harder to figure out." Now that he'd heard what had befallen the Tollan, he wasn't sure he should try to help anymore. Maybe he needed to find out exactly what type of man and SGC he would be helping with this information.
"Not a problem; you've got all day tomorrow for just those two."
O'Neill leaned in closer until his head hovered above Daniel's. He breathed in slowly. Daniel startled and leaned away; why on earth was Jack sniffing him? As he stared up into the intent, brown eyes, he felt his skin prickle with apprehension. Something definitely was not right here.
O'Neill continued to eye him, his gaze traveling over Daniel's face before it stopped to linger on the young man's lips. "It's about time you turned in for the night. A few hours of sleep will give you a clearer head in the morning."
"Yeah," Daniel cautiously agreed.
"Care for a little goodnight kiss?"
"What?"
"A kiss. Goodnight. And maybe something more…?"
Daniel understood the words, but couldn't grasp that he was hearing them from Jack. "W—wha…you…you and me?" he stuttered.
"Yeah."
"No. No…I really don't think so. No."
O'Neill lifted his eyebrows and tilted his head to the side. "I take it this means you and me aren't fucking like bunnies over in your world?"
"What? No! Not…definitely not."
"That's a shame. So far, the Jack O'Neills of the universe are only batting about .500 in nailing their respective Daniel Jacksons."
Daniel blinked slowly as the words sank in. "Wait. How many times have you done this before? Kidnap me, them, ah…the other Daniels, I mean," he added hurriedly as he saw O'Neill grin at the first question.
"You make lucky number eight."
Daniel's quick mind did what came naturally and pieced together seemingly unrelated objects. "The Daniel in this reality isn't busy working elsewhere, is he? He's either off–world or…. he left you."
"Ran off like a thief in the night," O'Neill admitted freely, but then he stared hard at Daniel. "He's here on Earth, somewhere. I'll find him eventually," he promised with eyes as dark as the devil's soul. O'Neill leaned in closer and Daniel felt an icy chill run down his spine. "You sure you don't want that kiss?"
"Positive."
"Maybe later?" he tempted.
"I don't think so."
"We'll see," O'Neill said, smiling. "You know, I just love the way you sit with your mouth half open 'cause I know you're just aching for the chance to wrap those full lips around my hard cock." He straightened up and took a long, possessive look down Daniel's body before sauntering out the door.
Daniel's mouth snapped shut with an audible click. He sat there, heart racing and stomach churning. This was so weird it was off the scale. What the hell was going on here?
* * * * *
The next day was futile. The objects Daniel had left to decipher proved impossible to unravel, especially when his mind kept drifting back to what Jack had intimated the night before. Jack and he were lovers? In multiple realities? What did that mean? Did frequency indicate truth? Could the Jack he knew really be attracted to him? Were they really supposed to be together?
Daniel paused to consider his own feelings. Of course he liked Jack and found him appealing. The truth was that Jack was everything Daniel found attractive: handsome, honest, reliable, strong, brave, experienced, humorous and he treated him with respect…well, most of the time. He was also as sexy as hell, but Daniel tried very hard not to notice that. It was precisely because he was so attracted to Jack that Daniel worked hard to ignore his own feelings and resist the strong pull to develop a deeper relationship with the older man. He knew that path would be fraught with hazards and heartache and — if past experience was any indication — would eventually leave him an emotional wreck and ruin his life.
Closing his eyes, he thought back to his university days when he'd had a roommate whose girlfriend was a psych major. She'd offered him some advice after seeing Daniel devastated by a broken heart from a failed affair with his first mentor, Mark Richards, the man who'd been responsible for him when he was just a bright, but naïve, sixteen–year–old enrolled in UCLA. Gently, she had explained that because he had lost his father at a tender age and he had never bonded to a father figure during his stays in a series of foster homes, he now craved what he'd lacked in his past: the approval and love of an authority figure/older man. She warned him that he would always be attracted to such men and he should guard against the desire to seek out their approval. In such an unequal relationship, Daniel would be vulnerable to being used and abused, just as his mentor had done. He was not sure if he believed her or not, but since the experience was so painful, he vowed never again to be in that situation.
So, he had cultivated suspicion and antagonism when confronted with any and all authority figures until the reaction had become automatic. He knew it chafed at Jack when he ignored his authority, but Daniel felt it necessary. The truth was he could feel himself wanting to please Jack, wanting to see his approval and it scared him. When Jack scoffed at him or his ideas, Daniel felt hurt — much more than if Teal'c or Sam had been the ones to criticize him. Aware of the danger, he had walked a fine line to keep himself from getting too close to Jack while allowing enough of a rapport to be able to function effectively with him in the team.
As long as he kept a lid on his own feelings and occasionally tormented Jack with his stubborn behavior, Daniel knew he was safe from an entanglement that would leave him vulnerable. So, he focused on their differences, differences that seemed even more extreme in this universe. The Tollan had been killed and, apparently, this Jack thought nothing of it. He also seemed quite at home in an SGC that used kidnapping as a way to solve their problems. This Jack O'Neill was more like the man Daniel had first met on his initial journey to Abydos; hard, impatient, more selfish and single minded. He wondered what had happened — or hadn't happened — to cause this change.
His inner voice pointed out the obvious — they'd been sleeping together here and now they weren't. He frowned. It certainly sounded egotistical to theorize that depriving Jack of himself as a bed partner would make any difference in an alternate universe, let alone such a significant change.
Daniel glanced at the clock for the hundredth time that day and felt a surge of frustration at the slow passage of time. It was eleven p.m. If he was lucky, he'd be home by noon, sooner if he could convince this SGC that it was futile to keep him here for the full 48 hours.
* * * * *
It wasn't until 2 a.m. that Jack O'Neill came back, wearing the same tight clothing that accentuated his lean, hard body. Daniel made sure his eyes never wandered from O'Neill's face as he didn't want to give the man the impression that he was encouraging him.
"I hear you didn't do too good today," O'Neill said, closing the door before he sauntered closer to the archeologist.
With a frustrated sigh, Daniel tossed down the photo he'd been studying. "No. These items are completely alien in origin. Without some point of reference, it's extremely unlikely I can translate them. Certainly not in the few hours I've left here."
"Well, it was worth a try," O'Neill said, bouncing up on the balls of his feet. He was a mass of barely restrained energy.
Daniel took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I can go home then?"
O'Neill just stared at him, his expression so closed that Daniel felt a prickle of unease.
"Since I'm done here, I mean," he continued. "You might as well send me back before those tremors begin, right?"
O'Neill tilted his head and moved nearer, invading Daniel's personal space. "You may be done here, but we're not finished." He laid his hand on Daniel's head, flexing the fingertips until they burrowed through the soft strands.
Daniel shrugged off the hand and stood up, squarely facing O'Neill. "No. Don't. I told you I'm not interested in that."
Jack shrugged dismissively and stepped closer.
Daniel put his hand flat against O'Neill 's chest. "I said 'no'," he repeated, putting as much authority and determination as he could into the simple word. "And I want to see General Hammond. Now."
"Who?"
"General Hammond, the man in charge of the SGC."
"Don't know a Hammond. The man who oversees the SGC is General Maybourne, but he doesn't come here much. The man in charge of the Stargate and TDM is me and you'll be happy to hear that you will be seeing quite a lot of me in the next few hours."
Oh, this was not good. Definitely not good. Daniel glanced quickly at the doorway, calculating his chances of reaching it safely.
An explosion of movement took Daniel by surprise and left him pinned with his back against a bookshelf, O'Neill tightly imprisoning Daniel's arms behind him. Face to face, Daniel stared wide–eyed, shocked by the sudden violence from a man he had always considered a trusted friend. He shifted his stance to try to regain his footing, but O'Neill countered the move, painfully pressing his lean body even harder against Daniel's. Trapped, Daniel tried not to panic and took a few deep breaths. He was startled to smell the familiar woodsy odor of Jack's aftershave. It was the same brand that his Jack used and it was an odor that Daniel associated with friendship, safety and good times…and it was as disorientating as hell to smell it now.
O'Neill tilted his head and licked Daniel's ear, his breath hot and moist against the young archeologist's neck. "Since your Jack is a little slow off the mark, I'm going to do him a little favor here. The fact is, I make sure to send all the Daniels back after they've been broken in by me, 'cause once you've had Jack, you'll never go back — you'll just want more."
Daniel was incredulous. "What? You…you're saying y–you rape all the Daniels you kidnap?" He could not believe that; Jack wouldn't do that. This was insane. This couldn't possibly be happening.
O'Neill kissed behind Daniel's ear, then used his teeth and lips to nibble and suck at the ear. "I prefer to think of it as 'seduce.' Besides, it's not rape if I know you want it…and I do know you want it." Reluctantly, he left the ear and leaned back enough to look Daniel in the eye. "I have the advantage here; I know exactly what you like and what turns you on."
"No. No, you don't. If you did, you'd know that I don't like this. I don't want this," Daniel protested, his voice thick with desperation.
"Well, you'll like this!" O'Neill kissed him, using leverage and pressure to force Daniel's mouth open. Hard suction pulled Daniel's tongue into O'Neill's mouth. The sensation was frightening and he panicked. Struggling, he worked his arms free and shoved O'Neill away. He scrambled toward the door, but was tackled, hard, from behind. He fell heavily, O'Neill's weight on his back knocking the air out of his lungs. Stunned, he lay there helpless as O'Neill grabbed an ankle and dragged him toward the cot. He was hoisted up by his waist and dropped face down onto the bed. A cold metal ring snapped tight around one wrist and then both his arms were pulled up over his head. He heard a sharp clang as the handcuffs were looped over the rail at the top of the bed and he felt his other hand roughly manipulated until it was also entrapped in the steel band.
He coughed as he fought to normalize his breathing. "Jack, please…don't do this." He twisted his head to the side trying to glimpse Jack's face.
Ignored, hands pushed and pulled his T–shirt until it was past his head and bunched around his elbows. He was tilted briefly onto his side while hard fingers dug at his waistband, making quick work of the fastenings of his trousers. A series of tugs and his pants, shoes — everything below the waist was stripped off him. The coarse wool blanket he lay on irritated the soft skin of his face, chest and groin, while cool air wafted over his naked and exposed backside. Heart pounding, he tried to find the words that would stop O'Neill. "Look, just because you're angry with your Daniel it doesn't give you the right to hurt me or the other Daniels! This is not right, and it won't settle anything," he said, craning his head around. "You can't do this to me!"
"Can and will." O'Neill slid off Daniel's glasses. They clicked sharply as he folded them and placed them on the countertop. He turned and stared at Daniel, his gaze traveling slowly down his body. Determinedly, he began to unbuckle his own belt.
Using his restrained hands for leverage, Daniel gathered himself. He pulled his knees up and rolled, attempting to push off the mattress.
"A–aah–ah!" O'Neill warned. He grabbed Daniel's ankles and pulled them straight with a sharp jerk. "Stay," he ordered.
Daniel snorted. "You don't really expect me to just lie here while you…you…."
"While I fuck you? Yeah, I do." O'Neill continued to strip off his clothes. "I'd like some cooperation, but I guess that's not too likely?"
"No."
"Suit yourself."
"Then let me go; I don't want this."
"Oh, yes you do; you just don't know it yet."
"I'll call for help."
O'Neill wasn't impressed. "Go ahead," he said walking over to a cabinet. He reached inside to remove a folded towel. "There won't be anyone in this section until tomorrow morning. Yell as long and as loud as you like." He walked back and knelt at the bedside. Laying the towel out on the floor, he flipped it open to reveal a bottle of Astroglide and a scattering of condoms.
Oh, god. Condoms? Multiple condoms? Daniel swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly quite dry. It was one thing to know intellectually what was going to happen, but it was another to actually see the materials that were about to be used on him.
O'Neill stroked his hands down on Daniel's back and felt the younger man jerk at his touch. Moving his hands in slow circles, he let them roam freely over the slender body, enjoying the pure sensuality of the warm, solid flesh lying before him, all the more exciting as it belonged to someone who had been denied to him for months now. He smiled as he caressed the smooth, pale skin, his hands wandering up over the shoulders. All the Daniels had strong backs and wide shoulders, though the musculature ran on the light side and nowhere near the potential they could carry. This one's back tapered nicely to a slim waist, narrow hips and a nicely rounded ass. He slid both hands over the firm globes and kneaded them, feeling muscles tense defensively at his touch. He frowned; he'd have to work some to change the kid's attitude.
Painfully vulnerable and completely unable to defend himself, Daniel shuddered with a surge of panic as O'Neill's hands groped him intimately, reminding him of the past when another trusted friend had turned on him, betrayed him and taken what was not offered freely. He'd promised himself that he'd never be in that situation again. He sucked in a deep breath and held it, trying to regain some control. Calm, calm; he needed to be calm. It was his only hope to get some control back. Frantically, he searched his memories for any words that might stop O'Neill as the Colonel's hands continued their exploration.
Picking up the bottle of lube, O'Neill squirted a healthy amount in his cupped hand then wedged his fingers between Daniel's cheeks. He lay his head down on Daniel's back, indulging his desire to have even more body contact and to breathe in the wondrous smell that was Daniel. He straightened his palm to let the thick, slippery fluid run downwards. As he began to massage the tight ring of muscle, Daniel jumped and brought his knee up sharply. It impacted solidly into O'Neill's hip. Half expecting it, he quickly trapped the limb against him, effectively neutralizing it from further mischief.
"Daniel? We can do this the easy way or the hard way. I want you to think very carefully about your choices," he said, leaning heavily on his elbow, letting it dig painfully into Daniel's thigh. "Easy. Hard. And keep in mind I find both ways a whole lotta fun."
He carefully released Daniel's leg. While Daniel did not move to kick him again, neither did he relax any; apparently he was still undecided about his choices. Well, O'Neill could go with that; not knowing which way Daniel would jump would simply add another level of excitement to the proceedings. Cautiously, he resumed the task of working the lube into Daniel, using his shoulder to press down firmly against Daniel as the younger man resisted the intimacy. The lubrication negated Daniel's protective efforts and O'Neill's fingers slipped into him easily. Working his fingers in and out of the velvety softness, he stretched and relaxed the sphincter, taking time to enjoy the warmth and solidity of Daniel's body.
When Daniel felt himself breached by O'Neill's fingers, his mind went white with panic. "No…."
O'Neill ignored the soft sob from Daniel. Most of the Daniels did that and pretty much at the same moment, too; it was strange, but not important.
Soon, his own cock was flushed and hard, aching with its need to replace his fingers. Daniel's preparation was more than done, he decided. He stood and curled his hands around Daniel's hips and lifted. Automatically, Daniel's legs flexed and when O'Neill released him, he remained tucked in what — in other circumstances — would be a protective or flight ready position, but was also the perfect height for O'Neill to mount him. Quickly, he scooped up a condom and positioned himself behind Daniel, forcing his captive's resistant legs further apart as he knelt between them. Pulling Daniel's hips closer, O'Neill pressed against him, letting his cock rest on top of the spot he would soon pierce.
"Almost there," he whispered as his fingers expertly freed the condom from its wrapper. A few seconds later, he slipped it on his aching member and liberally coated it with another generous application of lube.
"Jack! Jack, please…don't," Daniel pleaded desperately.
"Sorry. Now relax, Daniel; it'd be easier on you if you try not to tense up."
"Fuck you!"
"Promises, promises," he said, pressing his cock firmly against the well–lubed entrance. He got a firm grasp on Daniel's hips and leaned forward slightly. The ring of muscles gave easily and allowed him to slip inside the heated passage.
Daniel grunted, panting through the discomfort as he leaned forward on his elbows in an attempt to escape the sharp, burning pain as he was stretched taut.
Halfway home, O'Neill paused at his partner's discomfort. "Daniel? What did I tell you?" he reprimanded. "Relax and work with me here, or this whole scene may take an ugly turn."
"Like it hasn't already," Daniel said through gritted teeth.
O'Neill jerked Daniel back, hard, impaling him completely. Ignoring Daniel's gasp of pain, O'Neill spoke mildly. "One of these days, you are going to quit mouthing off to me and follow orders for a change."
"Maybe the other Daniel, but not me."
"Same difference. Now shut up; I'd like to concentrate here." O'Neill began to rock back and forth, settling on a smooth, steady rhythm with long strokes.
Powerless, Daniel complied and kept quiet. Now that the worst that could happen was occurring, Daniel realized he could cope with it. Besides, there was little point in further protests or pleadings; the quickest way out now would be when O'Neill finished. Acquiescence would work in his favor and might even speed things up. He laid his head on his forearms and waited, letting his mind go blank as his body jerked with the impact of the older man's thrusts, the pain receding to a more tolerable burning.
A few minutes passed and O'Neill showed no signs of slowing down. Daniel revised his theory that things might end quickly. A few minutes more and Daniel shifted some of his weight off his sore elbows, apparently the Air Force Colonel's stamina was at its peak.
The position change altered the angle of O'Neill's thrusts and he groaned with increased pleasure. He needed more and he needed it now. His hands slid down Daniel's sides, following the curve of his body past his armpits as he laid himself flat across Daniel's back. Changing his stance so he was now pushing off from the balls of his feet, O'Neill found he had enough leverage to curl his hands up over Daniel's pectorals and use the sharp indentation of his collar bones as finger holds. The position was very satisfying and O'Neill tightened his grip and began pumping again with shorter strokes. He could feel the power of his thrusts reverberate through the man in his arms and he quickened his pace. This is what he'd been craving: Daniel. Daniel in his arms. Daniel under his control. Possessing Daniel's body — fucking him so hard that he couldn't think about anything else but Daniel, damn him!
He pulled his arms tighter, forcing Daniel back further onto his cock. His rhythm increased again until the strokes were short, hard stabs into the yielding flesh. It was enough and the orgasm pulsed and flamed through him, his legs trembling. He cried out as he came, his voice hoarse with raw emotion.
Daniel struggled to support O'Neill's near total weight, fighting to maintain balance despite the fierce coupling. O'Neill's fingers spasmed, digging painfully into his shoulders as O'Neill jammed his cock deep inside and held it there. Daniel, stretched tight around the heated organ, clearly felt each twitch of O'Neill's cock as it shot its load.
Exhausted, legs and back cramping from the prolonged effort, O'Neill dropped down and lay there, pillowing his head on Daniel's back. This was his favorite way to bask in the afterglow; arms and legs curled around the younger man, totally surrounding him, while his cock was still embedded within his lover, its hypersensitivity relaying yet more sensations about Daniel. He flexed, giving his hips a little roll and felt his balls slide against Daniel's ass, the warmth sending a jolt of pleasure up through him. With a sigh of satisfaction, he hooked his right leg around his partner and pulled him along as he rolled over onto his side. Still inside him, Jack wrapped his arms around the heaving chest and tense stomach. Nuzzling through the hair, he laid a kiss on the back of Daniel's neck, thinking of nothing else but absorbing the flood of sensations. The firm body in his arms was hot and slick with sweat, its solid weight something he could rail against — someone who could take the power and force of his love and match it.
He rubbed his hand lower on Daniel's stomach until he felt crisp, short hairs brush against his fingers. He sought out the limp flesh and curled his fingers around its thickness, gently trying to coax it to life.
"Don't!" Daniel bit out between clenched teeth. His backside burned, his tender flesh throbbing around the hard invasion of Jack's penetration.
"Come on, Daniel; it'll be good for you." O'Neill spotted the bottle of Astroglide laying amongst the wrinkled bedclothes and scooped it up, squirting a generous portion onto Daniel's cock. He spread the slick liquid over the flaccid organ and started to stroke and pull, knowing that the combination of moist warmth and expert handling would make Daniel hard whether he wanted it or not.
"You've had what you came for, so just leave me be. Please."
"Not until you come. I wanna feel you come. I need to remember what that feels like."
"You're sick, you know that? I'm not the Daniel you've been having an affair with. We never met before yesterday. Now leave me be, for God's sake!"
"You're wrong; we are meant to be together — no matter what reality. Any Daniel, any Jack O'Neill. We need each other like an itch needs a scratch, and I know just where you like to be scratched." He kissed Daniel's back again, scattering a few nips as he went. Flexing his hips slowly, he rubbed his groin against Daniel's ass. It felt wonderful, the movement tugging on Jack's cock, causing it to start to swell again. He smiled, applying more wrist action to Daniel's cock and was rewarded by an increased girth. 'Just like old times,' he thought smugly.
"See, I told you you'd like this."
"You bastard. This doesn't change anything. Stop, damn it."
"I will — after you come. I wanna feel you buck, I need to hear that groan you make just after you come." His hand slick with lube, O'Neill concentrated on the moves that never failed to cause his Daniel to become aroused — a series of pulls alternating with his thumb rubbing firm circles on the head. Daniel tried to flinch away from the unwanted attentions, but the small twitches and tensing he produced caused O'Neill to get as hard as a rifle barrel. The kid was trying to resist — O'Neill gave him credit for that — but he wasn't going to allow it. "That's my Daniel," he chuckled as the organ in his hand twitched in response, growing harder still. "Give me all you've got," O'Neill urged as he added some pelvic thrusting of his own. "I know you want this."
"You're delusional," Daniel gasped, angry that his body was cooperating of its own volition.
"That's where you're wrong. This is your fantasy; we've acted it out often enough. If it were my fantasy, you'd be pole position, Dr. Jackson. Your hands free, my hands free…eye to eye, mouth to mouth, tongue to tongue…." His voice had gone thick and husky. "You'd be giving me your best lap dance while my career Air Force dick was up your highly educated ass."
It was too much to ignore. The words, the smell of sex, the expert stroking of his cock while his prostate was stimulated from O'Neill's penetration all combined to overwhelm Daniel. As heat rushed to his groin and his cock grew hard, his hips jerked instinctively. With his arms still tied and fully extended above his head, he felt vulnerable, exposed, and helpless to do anything but experience what was being done to him. As desperate as he was not to respond, he couldn't stop his body's reaction, and he found himself fucking O'Neill's willing fist. He bit back a sob as he came, his body shuddering.
"Oh yeah!" O'Neill yelled, feeling the fine tremors and twitches coursing through Daniel's body. The young man's orgasm was an incredible turn on for O'Neill; the trembling body in his arms so erotic it ignited another climax of such intensity, O'Neill thought he might pass out from his inability to breathe.
Dazed and panting, they lay spooned together, O'Neill entwined completely around Daniel while the young archeologist remained stretched out, unable to move. Overwrought and spent, neither man broke the stillness as they recovered and were soon deep in an exhausted sleep.
* * * * *
The shrill, tinny alarm of a wristwatch woke Daniel with a start. Disorientated, he blinked at his blurry surroundings and tried to ease his aching shoulders. The clink of the handcuffs and the inability to move his arms shocked his mind into instant awareness of his situation. He tensed and shifted his weight in preparation to sitting up.
"Not yet," O'Neill whispered, tightening his hold. He pressed a kiss to Daniel's shoulder then rubbed it with his chin, the rough stubble causing the tender skin to burn.
Heart racing, Daniel stayed quiet, apprehensive of what O'Neill might be intending.
The older man sighed and untangled himself from Daniel. The bed dipped as he rolled off and stood up in one smooth motion. He walked to the other side of the bed and bent over to pick up the towel. He paused, his gaze lingered over Daniel's body.
Uneasy at the inspection, Daniel inched his leg up protectively over his groin.
O'Neill smiled. "It's a crying shame you can look that good without needing to work out more. As it is, you are enough to tempt the devil himself, Dr. Jackson, but, regretfully, it is 0600 and we are out of time." He walked over to the sink and dampened the towel. Turning, he leaned back against the counter and wiped the damp cloth over his stomach before he used it to clean his cock and balls. Finished, he emptied out a pencil cup with a sly grin and victoriously held up a small silver key. "Now, shall we get you straightened out?"
Daniel had seen that determined expression before on O'Neill and he tensed as the older man approached. The Colonel easily caught the back of Daniel's knee and pushed it further up to the young man's chest before he trapped it to the cot with his own knee, effectively pinning Daniel in a very exposed position. Using a fresh corner of the towel, he cleaned the used lube from Daniel's cleft, squeezing the smooth mounds of muscle as he performed his task. His hand slipped lower and grasped Daniel's balls, rolling them about in his warm hand.
"Way too tempting…oh well; what's a few extra minutes in the long run, anyway?" He slapped Daniel's ass. "That's what you get for making us late."
Daniel yelped, jerking reflexively, startled almost as much by the sharp noise as the burning sting. "Hey!"
"Yeah?" With a quick movement, O'Neill swiveled Daniel's knee to the opposite side of the cot, splaying the young man open. He stared thoughtfully at Daniel's exposed cock and tilted his head to the side. "Ya know, I probably have time to suck you off. Would you like that? My mouth all over your cock…whatcha say, Daniel? I'll even swallow."
Daniel stared back at him, mouth open, incredulous. God help him, he couldn't stop from picturing the act. It was erotic, it was forbidden…and it was wrong. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. "I think that would be a very bad idea."
O'Neill laughed. "You think too much. And you can't lie worth a damn…but you are a good lay. Hey! How's that for a linguist joke?"
What the hell? The man was now making fun of him? He felt his face burn as his temper rose. "That's enough; let me go." He jerked the handcuffs. "Why'd you have to handcuff me, anyway? It's not like I'm a danger to anyone."
"Daniel, you're forgetting, I have the advantage of experience. If I left you loose, you woulda spent all your time and attention trying to run away. I happen to know that once you're restrained, you're docile and an easy lay. I know what works on you celibate Daniels: tie you up, talk dirty to you and offer you what you can't have — intimate knowledge of Jack O'Neill. It'll make you roll over every time, because deep down inside, you want this."
"You're, you're…you're insane!" Daniel sputtered to cover his shock. That couldn't be true, could it? It was exactly what had happened, however; aside from his initial dash for safety, he had done little except to protest verbally.
O'Neill pressed both Daniel's knees out until he had the younger man pinned open on the bed. "No, just realistic. Now shut up; I'm gonna be busy here for a bit." He lowered his head and began licking Daniel's inner thigh, leaving a moist trail as he worked his way up. "I'm gonna suck you dry. I'm gonna suck you so hard your eyes will roll back in your head. I'm gonna suck you until you're begging me to let you come." Firmly gripping Daniel's cock by the root, Jack engulfed the semi–limp organ in his mouth. His head bobbed back and forth as he applied his tongue and suction, surrounding Daniel's groin in a molten pool of pleasure.
As he felt his cock twitch, Daniel was suddenly filled with a very different type of fear; what if O'Neill was right? What if he could manipulate Daniel on such a base level? He felt his heart hammer with impending panic; he was trapped, he was so trapped. Arms extended and stretched tight above his head, legs pressed open, he was laid physically open before O'Neill and the very vulnerability of his position was affecting him psychologically, leaving him feeling emotionally exposed as well.
Of course, O'Neill knew exactly what moves to make and for how long. He licked. He sucked. He pulled the foreskin back and used his tongue to massage the cock's sensitive head and probe its slit. Daniel's attempts to ignore the unrelenting sensations were useless. He felt his cock swell and harden. He tried to ignore his growing need, but the urge for completion became overpowering. When he realized his whole focus was on O'Neill's mouth and what it was doing to him, he shuddered and gave himself over to it.
Jack felt the change. Daniel's breaths were no longer hissed through gritted teeth; now the gasping intakes were interspersed with shuddering exhalations. Daniel's hips twitched and jerked toward him. He no longer had to press apart the legs to keep them from coming together protectively; instead he had to lean down on them to keep the eager limbs from rushing to meet him. Daniel was ready, but O'Neill had no intention of letting the younger man off that easily. He tightened his thumb and forefinger around the base of his erection, effectively trapping the blood supply within the achingly hard organ. Daniel would not be able to ejaculate unless O'Neill permitted it. Satisfied, he deep throated Daniel again until the young body was arching up to meet him.
Once O'Neill heard moaning, he straightened up until he could see Daniel's features contorted in a grimace of denied ecstasy. Desperate eyes locked with his and pleaded for release. "Beg for it," O'Neill demanded.
Daniel was sweating under the relentless stimulation. He felt dazed, as if he was being pulled inside out, or that his soul was being extracted by the dark–eyed demon who was intent on controlling him. Daniel hated being controlled; the very thought of it roused his natural stubbornness. "No…."
Still squeezing the base of Daniel's cock, O'Neill leaned forward until he was hovering over Daniel's face. He stared hungrily at the full lips and perfect white teeth. As he watched, Daniel's pink tongue darted out to moisten dry lips and O'Neill's groin jerked with a conditioned response. That tongue, so talented, so inquisitive, so compulsively active; he longed to have it exploring his body again. "Tell me you want this," he grated, becoming impatient with his own game.
"I…." Daniel swallowed hard, his throat dry. He was nearly lost in those compelling eyes, but still he resisted. He could not let O'Neill be right about this; he'd be signing over his soul if he agreed. He shook his head.
Jack smiled; he was so close now. He brushed his lips lightly over Daniel's, then returned to deepen the kiss in stages, until the kiss was a seduction in itself. As it slowly unfolded, he melted onto the increasingly pliant man beneath him. While Daniel did not return the kiss, neither did he try to push O'Neill's tongue out of his mouth. It was a half–hearted attempt to remain passive, but O'Neill knew it was the same kind of passivity that a simmering pot has before it boils over.
As O'Neill ended the kiss, he tugged at Daniel's lower lip with his teeth. "You can be so stubborn sometimes. Tell me you want this."
Daniel shook his head.
"Daniel, you do realize don't you, that the longer you resist, the longer this goes on, right?"
Daniel's eyes widened.
O'Neill smiled into their blue depths. "That's right; just say it. Besides, you know that any confession given under duress is inadmissible in a court of law, and you can always tell yourself that what you're about to say is a lie. I, on the other hand, will know it to be God's honest truth. We can both be happy as soon as you tell me you want me to finish sucking you off."
Daniel threw his head back in frustration. "All right, all right!" He stared at O'Neill and bit his kiss–swollen lips. "I want you to finish sucking me off!"
"In your own words."
"Right. Fine. How's this then: Please, Jack. Please let me come."
O'Neill raised an eyebrow, clearly indicating he wanted the rest of it.
Daniel licked his lips again. "Okay. Suck me, Jack. Make me come."
"Close enough, Danny–boy." O'Neill tilted his head and bent down to kiss Daniel's collarbone; now it was time to mark him as one of O'Neill's victories. This Daniel was further proof that they belonged together, another affirmation that his own Daniel would be unable to resist coming back to him. He sucked hard at the pale skin, knowing exactly what it would take to leave a hickey there and then he bit down hard. Blood, hot and tangy mixed with Daniel's shout of outrage and pain. It wasn't a bad bite, just enough to break the skin, but it was a mark that would last a little longer than the reddened stain would. When the other Jack O'Neill saw it — and O'Neill knew he would — that man would feel jealousy that he wasn't the first to lay claim to Daniel's body. Then that O'Neill would understand the mark and know he would soon find passion, raw and primal, when he took Daniel for himself. Lastly, he'd feel gratitude toward his alter ego for making it possible to enjoy the sweet pleasure of this young man.
Now that Daniel had submitted, and O'Neill had left his message, there was nothing holding him back from reaching his goal. He dropped his head back down and engulfed the weeping cock. Still gripping the base, he licked and sucked until he'd regained the tension and brought Daniel's need back to the brink. When he released his hold of Daniel's cock, the younger man cried out and shot his seed. O'Neill kept sucking, pulling out even more, knowing the extra stimulation would be excruciating for Daniel, but it would also make for one of the hardest orgasms this Daniel had ever experienced.
"Enough, enough!" Daniel cried out, his body jerking spasmodically.
O'Neill sat up and examined Daniel with dark, predatory eyes. Slowly, deliberately, he lifted Daniel's legs one at a time and hooked the knees over his shoulders. Inching up closer, he cupped his hand in front of his mouth and spit Daniel's semen into it. Without breaking eye contact, he wiped the viscous fluid over Daniel's anus, his fingers pressing it into him. He straightened just long enough to press his cock against the puckered opening.
"What?" Daniel asked, alarm seeping through his confusion.
"The first time was all for me, a reward for waiting so long. The second time was to prove to you that your body wanted this. The last time was to seduce your soul and now this time…this time is for 'us'." With that, O'Neill thrust himself forward, plunging himself in to the root.
Daniel's wounded cry pierced the silence. Shocked, he could only stare back with wide and dilated eyes. The coupling was rough, hard and oh so perfect. Each stroke was to the hilt in one, long smooth plunge, and each stroke rubbed against his prostate gland. Such intensity could not last and Jack came hard, his muscles straining, wild eyes locked with Daniel's frightened ones. He could feel Daniel's cock thumping against his stomach as it jerked with the dry spasms of another orgasm.
O'Neill collapsed onto Daniel. Still catching his breath, he said, "This is what's possible together, Daniel. There ain't nothing else like it, anywhere else, with anyone else. Remember that."
* * * * *
O'Neill pulled up his pants and zipped the fly closed. He looked over at Daniel lying dazed on the bunk, his spent cock still pink and swollen from O'Neill's efforts. "That's another reason why I know you wanted this; you Daniels never put up much of a fight."
Daniel groaned and turned his head until his face was half hidden behind his arm. "I shouldn't have to; no means no. Besides, you're a professional soldier with black ops training; what good would it do me?"
"You never know; you might get lucky. Oh, wait a minute; you did get lucky, didn't you?" Smiling at him, O'Neill leaned over and unlocked the handcuffs. "I think you're just too lazy to learn to protect yourself."
"There's no point in me trying to learn that." Daniel sat up and blinked, grimacing as he eased his arms down into his lap. "My job is to understand and communicate with the cultures we encounter; Jack's job is the security of the team. He protects me so that I can concentrate on what I need to do. It's how we work and I trust him completely." He shifted until his weight was balanced on one hip as he sought to ease the ache in his backside.
"You mean you trust him with your life, but not to fuck? Who's fooling who now?"
"He doesn't think of me that way." Examining his wrists, he could see bruising. He rubbed at them, trying to dispel the indentations and numbness.
O'Neill snorted. "Maybe you're not as bright as I thought. Of course he thinks of you like that!"
"No."
"Hey! I should know. Watch him next time. He'll look at your lips, then down at your neck. When he does, he's thinking how smooth and inviting that skin is and how he'd like to kiss it. Trust me; to him it's a regular neon sign that says 'More good stuff down here!'"
"He's nothing like you."
"Buy a clue, Daniel, from Vanna if you have to." O'Neill went over to the phone and punched in a number. "Carter? Meet us at the TDM and power that baby up. It's time we returned our guest." Hanging up, he turned back to Daniel. "Now, get yourself dressed; you're going home."
* * * * *
He marched Daniel back to the TDM room, his hand curled about Daniel's upper arm in a hard grip that was totally unnecessary.
Carter was already in the midst of flipping through realities. Finally, she slowed, stopping at one that displayed a beehive of activity. Grim guards with MP–5s quickly swung their weapons at them. A tired and anxious Jack O'Neill jumped to his feet and drew a zat gun.
O'Neill snorted. "Oh yeah. Look at his face and tell me he doesn't want you."
"I don't deny he cares for me, but that's all it is."
"Really? Watch this, then." Shifting his grip, he let go of Daniel's arm and grabbed a handful of his hair. A sharp pull downward angled Daniel's face up and his mouth opened with a cry of surprise and pain. O'Neill took possession of him with a long, lip–bruising kiss. Finished, he turned Daniel around to face the TDM and shook him. "See? Look at him; that's what jealousy looks like, friend."
Feeling his face burn, Daniel looked up, his gaze locking with that of his own Jack O'Neill. He saw rage, horror…and yes, jealousy. Daniel closed his eyes and looked away.
O'Neill yanked him close and whispered in his ear. "I was right, wasn't I, smart boy? He's wanted you from the moment he first saw you and dreams about you every night; trust me on this."
O'Neill stepped closer to the TDM, pulling Daniel with him. "What are you going to do about it? Keep burying your nose in those goddamn books of yours or find a little backbone? All you need to do is look up, see what's right in front of you and snatch a few moments of comfort with someone who loves you."
Stunned, Daniel looked up again, shocked by the pain and intense longing in O'Neill's expression. Could there be something else besides perverse lust and obsession here? Was love the cause of O'Neill's drive to hurt and control any Daniel Jackson he could get his hands on?
O'Neill's gaze dropped to Daniel's lips, then down to his neck. He swallowed hard then brought his eyes up again to stare levelly at Daniel. "Go. Get out of here," he said, his voice harsh and thick with emotion. He released Daniel's arm and delivered a sharp slap to his ass to get him moving.
Daniel jumped in surprise, but once he realized he was free, he didn't hesitate. He quickly reached out to the mirror and slapped his hand against its surface. A surge of energy flashed through him. The transport complete, he jumped away from the mirror. The alternate reality O'Neill stared back at him, the expression of loss on his face gone in a blink of an eye to be replaced by the hard, dead–eyed expression that had so unnerved Daniel when he first met Jack more than three years ago. This specter of what could have been gave a sharp command and the mirror went blank, its dull surface oblivious to the pain in the people whose lives it had changed.
Daniel stared warily at the opaque surface, stunned that he could be free of that bizarre and twisted alternate reality so quickly. As the knowledge that he was truly safe sank in, fine tremors coursed through his legs and arms, the after–effect of an adrenaline primed body.
"Daniel?"
The archeologist jumped, not at the soft question, but the oh–so familiar voice of Jack O'Neill. He turned and found himself the focus of a room full of men. A half dozen airmen were still frozen in their defensive positions; their MP–5s and eyes still carefully trained on the mirror and at the ready, but Daniel was under no illusion that they had not seen his rough treatment by the alternate reality O'Neill. SG–3 stared openly at him, their faces a mixture of anger and shock, save for Makepeace's knowing smirk. Daniel licked his lips — lips that still tingled with that last, forceful kiss — and felt himself go red with embarrassment.
As for Jack…well, Daniel couldn't bear to meet Jack's eyes. He dropped his head and flushed harder at the scrutiny. He felt transparent as if the places the other Jack had touched him now glowed, making it plain for all to see what he'd been doing. Immobile with shame, he fought the panic that rose in his chest and made it hard for him to breathe.
"Daniel." Jack was suddenly beside him, his hand gently closing on his upper arm, his fingers fitting perfectly to the area that still tingled from being gripped hard just minutes before. "Come on, big guy. Let's get you checked out at ol' Doc Fraiser's." Firm pressure guided him forward.
Doctors. Damn, he did not want to be examined by any doctors. "There weren't any Goa'uld there," he protested softly.
"Probably not, but you know the rules."
Yes, he did. The rules were that anyone who went off–world had to submit to either an MRI or an ultrasound. All right, he could handle that. He could probably work it so no one in the infirmary caught sight of the various marks that must be scattered across his body.
They arrived at the infirmary without delay and he was quickly ushered onto a bed. Jack lingered, worried by a thousand unasked questions, until Fraiser shooed him out. Daniel answered her questions and volunteered for a full MRI scan, stating that since the circumstances were so unusual, it might be quicker to just get it all done at once. She was surprised, but quickly accepted his suggestion. Blood work followed. While he smoothed down his black t–shirt sleeve, he mentioned that the room was rather cool. Fraiser told him to keep his shirt on and simply snaked the bell of her stethoscope under the garment while she listened to his lungs and heart.
It wasn't until she was almost done that she paused and studied him with a thoughtful frown.
"What?"
"You've been very quiet."
"I'm tired. They kept me busy working on translations most of the time I was there. I think I need to take a few days off."
"General Hammond expects you in his office when we're done here; you could ask him then."
"Yes." Daniel shifted forward to stand up.
"Wait. I…Daniel…is there anything else I should know about?"
He stared at the floor. His lips were tight with annoyance when he finally returned her gaze.
"I'm your doctor, Daniel. I have a responsibility to you and to the SGC to be thorough. If there's anything you think I should know about, you need to tell me."
He hated this part of his life when the military's obsessive/compulsive ways callously intruded into all aspects of his life. He was forced to accept it if he wanted to continue to work in the SGC. He knew he would be pestered until he gave her something to satisfy her hunch that he was holding something back from her. "Fine. I had unprotected sex while I was gone."
Fraiser's eyes grew round. "Oh." Her lips had barely formed a 'who' shape when Daniel sternly cut her off.
"I don't think that's any of your business."
"Of course not. Sorry." She cleared her throat. "Are you concerned that your partner might be pregnant?"
"No. Look, just do whatever tests you need to do and I'll deal with the results when they come in. All right?"
"Yes. Of course. We can run the tests off the blood samples we already have. In addition, I'd like to draw blood for a HIV test in six weeks, and then do a repeat six weeks after that." She hesitated. "Let me know if you notice any swelling, redness, itching, pain or sores anywhere you came into contact with your partner. You'll also need to watch for any unusual discharge or blood in your urine."
Daniel stared hard at the floor. He'd thought he should be passed the ability to be any further embarrassed by now, but he was wrong. "Fine. May I go now?" he said, tersely.
"Yes, Daniel," she said, her expression worried.
Not caring that he had probably upset her, he jumped to his feet and was out the door before she could call him back. Once at Hammond's office, he gave his report quickly, glossing over the details of his ordeal while sticking to the basics of why he had been kidnapped by the other SGC. He could tell the General was trying to listen impassively to his report, but as he talked, he watched disapproval darken on Hammond's brow like gathering storm clouds. He was strangely comforted to see how deeply offended Hammond was that Daniel had been abused by a military organization that was almost identical to his own SGC. The troubled general was more than eager to give Daniel a week off as long as he promised to have a written report on his desk in two days. Daniel agreed and with measured steps, left Hammond's office, the SGC and the mountain complex. And when he reached his own door, it took both his hands to control his shaking long enough to slide the key into the lock.
* * * * *
Daniel sat quietly in his apartment, the only light the warm, flickering glow of the pine logs that popped and sizzled in his fireplace. Hugging himself, he sighed and stared into the flames. He had grown up around campfires — at least he had until his parents died when he was eight. Their death had put a sudden end to the nightly ritual of being held and cuddled as the cooking fires burned down to embers. Later, when he was on Abydos, he had enjoyed returning to a routine of living around a fire with the accompanying companionship and physical closeness of Sha're and her family. With such close associations with feeling loved, the tangy odor of wood smoke had become a comforting smell to him. Whenever he was stressed or feeling particularly lonely, he would light a fire and let it warm his soul.
Now, he stared pensively into the flames and tried to sort out his thoughts and feelings, and the massive confusion that left him unable to concentrate on anything else. He decided to tackle the overwhelming feelings of shame first. He sighed heavily. This was going to be messy.
Right. First off, the soldiers he worked with had witnessed his weakness, seen him manhandled and forcibly kissed — treatment that Daniel should have resisted. He saw their shocked faces and burned with shame that he was so lacking in the bravery that was the hallmark of the SGC. He'd worked hard to be accepted by these courageous men and now it felt as if all his efforts had been for nothing. They couldn't possibly respect him now; he had been shown to be lacking and he would be damned lucky if his position on SG–1 was not taken away — taken away as swiftly as his sense of security had been.
That was another issue he had to deal with; cosseted deep within the safety of Cheyenne Mountain, surrounded by professional soldiers, an unknown enemy had reached out and removed him. Was his life always to be under the threat of sudden, destructive change? How could he ever be safe? If the base was not safe, nothing was safe. Unfortunately, the many losses in his life supplied more than enough proof that his safety and happiness existed on the vagrant whims of a harsh world.
Anxiety tightened around him and he could feel panic welling up into fear. It was his old enemy, Fear, again. Past experience had taught him the only way to deal with fear was to face it, plow right through if he could. So, what did he fear now? Loss, he always feared loss. He'd lost his sense of security, yet again. He faced the possible loss of his work — a job he was born to do; a job, that if it was taken away, would leave him in a pointless existence. He'd lost control over his own body and his right to willingly choose, or refuse, sexual partners. He fretted that he'd lost the respect of his coworkers and close friends. And most of all, he feared the loss of Jack O'Neill; the man he'd kept at arm's length, but whose departure would shake Daniel to his core.
Everything about Jack Daniel craved and, God help him, he could now add sex to that list. Alone in his apartment with his confused thoughts, he could hear the alternate reality O'Neill's words echo in his mind. He could feel phantom lips and hands move over his body. He had desired Jack O'Neill and had wondered what it would feel like to be held in his strong arms. Now he knew, but the reality of knowing was all wrong and twisted. The touches — for the most part — had been firm, pursuing their goal single–mindedly and without the infliction of physical pain, but his wishes had been ignored and his body totally controlled by O'Neill. What could have been a dream realized had been turned sour by the shade of the fine man he knew and longed for. It reminded Daniel of the genie tales, or the deal with the devil parables; no matter what you asked for, the trickster would fix it so you never got it. Bitter was the knowledge that despite what O'Neill had done, Daniel could not help but long for his touch again.
A voice whispered in his mind, "Once you've had Jack, you'll never go back — you'll just want more."
Unpleasant memories, both tactile and emotional, washed over Daniel and his stomach performed a slow roll. Queasy with anxiety, he slouched lower on the couch and pulled an afghan up to his chin.
Okay, he didn't want the stalker's touch; he wanted Jack's touch. Maybe it had been too long since he'd lain in the arms of someone he cared about; he was still a young man and his body craved affection even if his mind turned away from it. For three years he'd been without Sha're, yet had remained faithful to her even though it seemed less likely now that he'd ever get her back.
Lonely, disturbed and badly shaken by his experience through the TDM, his heart despaired of ever finding someone to love, someone he could take comfort from. Of course, luck would have it that he craved the very man he was determined to avoid. He sank lower into his misery, still plagued by the headache he'd had for most of the day. Desperate to soothe his pain, he turned to the one memory he had of the alternate reality Jack that he could fool himself into believing was comforting…his firm, warm presence as he lay spooned behind Daniel, his arm laying across Daniel's stomach, hugging him close….
Daniel was half–asleep when the doorbell rang. Blinking in confusion, he frowned at the unwanted intrusion and considered not answering it, but his strong streak of responsibility won out. Tiredly, he heaved himself to his feet and opened the door, quite prepared to send whoever it was packing.
Jack O'Neill stood on his threshold and glanced up expectantly, a brown paper bag under his arm.
Daniel startled as a quick surge of fear flashed through him. Recent events were too close, too traumatic for him to ignore the sudden appearance of a man that bore the likeness of that other Jack O'Neill and it sent his heart racing. His mouth suddenly dry, Daniel swallowed hard as he struggled to remain calm and he reminded himself that this was his Jack O'Neill, the man he'd been thinking about for the last few hours. It worked and he relaxed, but unfortunately, those thoughts caused another strong response and Daniel felt heat as a flush spread up his face.
Jack's eyes narrowed at his reaction and Daniel stared back, trying to banish his recent fantasies and concentrate on what his friend wanted while still calculating the possible outcomes of the unexpected visit.
"May I come in?"
"Oh. Of course." He stepped aside and Jack brushed past him, the aromatic scent of his cologne wafting after him. Daniel blinked rapidly at the familiar smell. That had been a comfort smell, too, before his latest trip through the TDM and now…now it was also associated with that other Jack O'Neill — the obsessive one that was totally focused on Daniel and sex — and his stomach tightened again. Sex and Jack, but this was a non–threatening Jack at least. He felt a tingle of excitement and frowned at the response. Silently he prayed that he had not been conditioned by one night of events to now associate Jack with sex. That would really make his life difficult.
He was confused again. While it was true he hadn't wanted what that other Jack had done to him — especially during their first encounter — he had ended up physically responding to Jack's actions, even being turned on by them. Undeniably, he had wanted it this morning. Hell, the bastard had made him admit he wanted it. What did that indicate about his depth of self–knowledge if a total stranger knew more about what gave him pleasure — and what turned him on — than he did himself? What other secrets did he harbor, what other life–altering realizations waited to be discovered? He hated not knowing.
He breathed deeply, slowly pulling in the aftershave fragrance as he tried to analyze his reactions to it. He felt…good, warm…but there was that trace of anxiety. He paused; did that mean he was anxious about Jack or just worried about the coming conversation? Did he really fear Jack or just what Jack could do to him? He searched his feelings. No…not fear…not even true anxiety. He was so confused he wasn't even sure he could pick a word for how he felt. Did that mean he was okay about what had happened with the other Jack? Or was he just so pathetically desperate for affection he was willing to take nearly anything to get it?
"Daniel?" The simple word was filled with concern, wariness and uncertainty.
Daniel started. "Oh, sorry." Shutting the door, he joined Jack in the living room. He hesitated briefly before choosing the opposite side of the couch to where Jack habitually sat.
The Colonel frowned as he sat down. He fished two long–necked beers out from his paper bag before he set it down on the floor. He offered one of the dark amber bottles to Daniel. "Here, I though you might like this one, it's German."
Daniel took it automatically and twisted off the cap. "Thanks." The chilled brew smelled heavily of the grains that gave it birth and carried a rich aroma. He sipped cautiously and realized this brand of beer was actually almost good.
Jack relaxed back onto the couch, enjoying a healthy swig of beer. "Enjoying a quiet night at home, I see. Nice fire," he added.
"Yeah."
"You left the mountain pretty quickly today. I was waiting in your office, but you never came back."
"Sorry. As soon as Dr. Fraiser finished with her usual tests to see if I had been goa'ulded, I talked to General Hammond; he gave me some time off."
"I know. You've gotta lot on your mind?"
Daniel nodded, taking a sip of beer to avoid answering verbally.
The Colonel sighed and leaned forward. "Daniel, do you need to talk about what happened?"
"Need?" he questioned worriedly. It was a feint, but he was unsure if he wanted to pursue this line of inquiry just yet.
"Daniel…."
Pensively, he picked at the beer label. The condensation had made the paper soggy and it began to roll under his fingertips. "I'm a…I'm not sure that's a good idea."
"This is me you're talking to. Something is bothering you and if you'll pardon the shrinkspeak, you'll feel better if you talk about it. I know you."
Daniel shot Jack a quick look and frowned. The Jacks of the universe did tend to know their Daniels, though not exactly in the same way that this Jack meant. Unnerved, Daniel lowered his gaze to the floor and cleared his throat. "I, ah…I…." he faltered, fighting the impulse to tell him.
"How about if I promise that whatever you say, it'll be strictly confidential? Just between you and me." Jack stared unflinchingly at Daniel, his expression and his body language reassuring Daniel that if he confided in him, there would be no harsh judgments, only support and understanding. Daniel knew that Jack never went back on a promise, either; he would stand strong by his word.
Daniel chewed nervously on his lower lip. What if he told him? What would Jack do? Would it hurt or heal? Draw them closer or push them apart? If he didn't tell him, Jack would get angry with him and Daniel realized he didn't want to lose Jack. Maybe doing as he asked wouldn't be the disaster Daniel feared; maybe Jack wouldn't get angry and shun him. Which choice was the one that would please Jack and not push him away?
"Come on, Daniel. Talk to me," Jack coaxed, leaning toward him.
It would be so easy…and he did want to talk to Jack. Actually, he ached with the need to do it. He was just so damn lonely and Jack was here, was trying his hardest to convince Daniel to confide in him. He snuck a look at Jack and saw earnest concern and a fair amount of worry.
He'd always felt safe around Jack and he did know that this man would never hurt him. Jack was safe. Maybe he didn't need to be so self–protective around Jack. What would be the harm in being comforted by the older man, anyway? Daniel was sick of being on guard, weary of being ruled by his past. He hated the paranoid thought that every man was out to take advantage of him. It was an infantile fear and he was a man now, one who could take care of himself.
Jack's patience was reaching its limit. "Dammit, Daniel. I need to know what happened to you over there. That sonovabitch did something to you, didn't he?" Anxiety sharpened Jack's voice, and Daniel saw the first glimmer of fear in those brown eyes.
Well, that was a pretty solid sign that Jack wouldn't be leaving until he had the whole story. He could try to lie, but the odds were good that Jack would see through it. Besides, he did want to talk…he was so tired of being lonely. He either trusted Jack or he didn't, and if he did, what was the point of withholding the truth?
Sighing, he quit fighting himself. He would answer Jack honestly and deal with the results. He was sick of being afraid of the unknown. "Yes. Yes, he did." He lifted his face to squarely meet Jack's stare.
The Colonel swallowed hard. His gaze drifted down to Daniel's throat before he returned Daniel's stare. Looking positively sick with guilt, he asked, "What? What did he do to you?"
Daniel felt his world slide sideways. He knows. He knows because he knows himself and his own secret desires. The alternate reality Jack was right.
What did it mean? Was it fate that he and Jack should become lovers? Did all the Jacks and Daniels need to become lovers to satisfy some universal whim? Sam said the universe craved order; surely she wasn't talking at this level.
"He, ah…." Daniel hesitated, trying to choose the right words — words that would heal and mend rather than hurt and destroy.
"You know he's not me, right? You know that I would never do anything to hurt you; I respect you too much."
That surprised him. "You do? Respect me, I mean? Sometimes I'm not so sure."
"Of course I respect you. It's just that we have disagreements."
Daniel held up his hand. "I know. We're not having that discussion again." Besides, they were getting distracted from what they really needed to talk about. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Jack, in that world, Jack and Daniel are lovers."
Jack opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. Twice.
Daniel continued, his voice as level as he could manage it. "Their Daniel has left the SGC and gone into hiding. Deprived of his knowledge and…companionship, that Jack O'Neill cites a backlog of untranslated texts as an excuse to kidnap the Daniel Jacksons from the other dimensions. That Jack O'Neill has become an obsessed, multi–dimensional stalker."
The fire popped and a lone spark sailed out onto the hearth, shattering the stillness.
Jack slowly shook his head. "No, dammit. That can't be right. Hammond—"
"There is no General Hammond over there. Think 'General Maybourne' and you'll see why certain behaviors are tolerated as long as they produce results."
"That's insane."
"That SGC has kidnapped eight different Daniels. That Jack has…." Daniel hesitated. Raped? Seduced? Which was right? "…has had sex with all of the kidnapped men. That Jack claims that in four of those eight realities, the Jack O'Neills and Daniel Jacksons have been lovers." He stared at Jack's stunned face. "What does that mean? In five out of nine realities, we are lovers. He said, all Jack O'Neills wanted sex with their Daniels. Is that true? Is that what you want?"
O'Neill's expression had closed up. Straightening his posture, he leaned back. "What do you want from me, Daniel? Do you want me to take responsibility for something I didn't do? To decry the real or imagined sex lives of the Jack O'Neill's of the universe? Well, I can't. All I can say is that I'm sorry for what happened to you and I wish to God it hadn't. And, listen up, because this is the really important bit: That man is not me!"
All of which failed to answer Daniel's questions. He sighed and held out his hand to soothe the diatribe; this was not going the way he wanted. "Wait, Jack, please. I need to tell you that…that while it started out as a rape, it ended up being a seduction. I think I owe it to you to tell you that." He took a deep, steadying breath. "I don't want you imagining a worst case scenario here."
Jack was incredulous. "I hate to break it to you, but rape is a worst case scenario!" He paused. "Wait a minute, back up here; are you telling me you enjoyed it?"
Daniel looked down at the beer he held. "Well, obviously not the first time, and I didn't wa—"
"First time? First time! Just how many times did you two go at it?"
"Hey! I was handcuffed to the bed, all right? I did not have a whole lot of say in the matter."
"Handcuffed? That son of a bitch! Why would I…he…handcuff you?"
"He said it would make me more docile and easier to handle. Turns out he was right."
"You didn't fight him?" Tension had forced Jack's voice up an octave.
"I tried at first, but…Black Ops, Jack; I was no match for him. Besides, he was Jack O'Neill, a man I trust with my life."
"Daniel!" Jack paused and briefly closed his eyes as he collected himself. Finally, he sighed. "I can't undo what happened to you. I'm sorry he hurt you, but I'm not the man that did this. I'm not." His voice was heavy with despair.
"I know that."
Jack stared at him. "And you know that we can't go after him, right? That we have no way to control the mirror and therefore are unable to either punish him for his crime against you or even stop him from committing similar acts?"
Daniel lowered his eyes, his arms curling around himself in a hug. "I know that, too." He was quiet as he thought out his next words, feeling the heat rise to his face under Jack's hard gaze. Biting his lower lip, he made a decision and looked up to meet Jack's eyes. "Jack, I have to know: Do you desire intimate relations with me?"
"No."
"Because if you do," he said, deliberately ignoring Jack's response, "I would be receptive to the idea."
Jack straightened, blinking rapidly. "What did you say?" he asked, stunned.
"I said—"
"No. Never mind. It doesn't matter, because it's not gonna happen. Aside from the fact that you've just been raped and are obviously emotionally fucked up from it, I am your commanding officer and any sexual relationship is strictly against regulations—"
"I am not military. Those regulations don't include me. You're using that as an excuse."
"That's a technicality. The reason behind the law is to prevent the abuse of power, favoritism and forming bonds that may impair judgment — all things that would disrupt the smooth functioning of the team."
"Really? Let's take a look at those reasons one at a time, shall we? As the only one on SG–1 with no extensive combat training I already receive favored treatment by the whole team. Sam takes point, you flank her and Teal'c's on our six; my place, as you have repeatedly informed me, is third, the most protected position. It doesn't get much more favored than that.
"And as far as abuse of power goes, when was the last time — or better yet — name anytime that I ever let your position intimidate me? Isn't that one of your main complaints about me? That I don't listen to you?"
"Like now?" Sarcasm dripped from Jack's words.
"Yeah, like now."
They stared at each other through their impasse.
"Jack, are you telling me that you don't want to fuck me? Because if you are, just look me square in the eye and tell me you don't."
Jack's eyes dilated and he swallowed hard. His gaze dropped to the base of Daniel's neck and he licked his lips.
Well, that was an answer whether Jack acknowledged it or not. Feeling shamelessly manipulative, Daniel reached up and slowly unbuttoned his shirt, letting it hang open and allowing Jack a better view. He slid closer to Jack and reached out to capture his hand. With his eyes wide and unblinking, Daniel slowly guided Jack until his hand was pressed against Daniel's chest over his heart. "Tell me you don't want this, Jack."
"Dammit, Daniel. You're playing with fire."
"Maybe I've been too long without heat." Cautiously, he leaned closer until he was breathing in the air that Jack had just exhaled and the scent of the Colonel's aftershave surrounded him. The tip of his tongue darted out and moistened his lips. "Maybe we could make a little fire together."
Jack's eyes were black with desire, but still he didn't move, neither toward nor away from Daniel.
Emboldened by Jack's indecision, Daniel brushed his lips feather light across Jack's. He leaned away, but his movement was halted by Jack's hand as it suddenly darted behind him and cupped the back of his head. He froze.
"Daniel, what the hell is going on here? Is this what you really want?" Jack's voice was harsh and agonized as his eyes searched for the truth, his face a terrible mask that was beginning to crack under the pressure.
Daniel licked his lips again; Jack was weakening. He felt a surge of heat flood into his groin. "Yes…you are what I want. I'm still trying to sort out what happened, but there is one thing this experience has made me face up to: I've wanted this, wanted you, for a while now."
"What about your recent experiences? Isn't this a little soon for—"
"I don't know, Jack. Yes, no, maybe. I do know that I feel I need this, need you. Right now."
The dark eyes focused on Daniel's mouth. "I see." He leaned close to Daniel and kissed him, his lips tentative and undemanding. Daniel opened his mouth under Jack's, welcoming the velvety heat of his tongue as the Colonel began to reciprocate Daniel's explorations with rhythmic movements that sent jolts to Daniel's toes. He twisted about until he was crawling on top of Jack, pressing him down onto the sofa. They lay that way for many minutes, kissing while their fingers hastily loosened constricting clothes and burrowed within. Jack's hands were warm as they lingered over their newly discovered territory, taking time to caress Daniel before venturing further. His touch was so unlike the other Jack's, pleasuring instead of hurting, giving instead of taking. The touches inflamed Daniel and his blood burned through his body making his cock hard and aching. He grew urgent with the need to get closer to Jack. Lost in a haze of desire, it took Daniel a few heartbeats to realize Jack had quit kissing him and was gently calling to him.
"Easy, big guy, easy now. Daniel, do you have any condoms?"
"No," he said, breathless. "I've never had any reason to."
"Not a problem." Jack shifted and Daniel felt himself slide between Jack and the back of the couch. Cradled in the narrow space, Daniel groaned as Jack freed the younger man's thickening cock from his unzipped trousers. Stroking and pulling at him, Jack captured Daniel's mouth in another searing kiss. Daniel wrapped his hand over Jack's and guided him to a pace that soon had him grinding his groin against Jack. As the strokes quickened, his legs began to tremble and he came gasping Jack's name, shooting his seed onto their stomachs. His breath came in great shuddering lungfuls that turned into sobs as he burrowed his head in the hollow of Jack's neck.
Jack nuzzled Daniel's hair and whispered soft words. "Let it go; you're safe now," he said, rubbing Daniel's back, hugging the quaking man closer to him.
Torrents of emotions swamped Daniel, emotions released by his recent trauma and made all the more powerful for having been subliminated for many years. Hot tears rolled down his face as Jack's warmth and support washed over him, soothing the chaos from him. Jack had comforted him like this once before, when he'd been out of his mind from withdrawal from that damned sarcophagus. Aside from that, he couldn't ever remember feeling so cared for and safe as he struggled against loss and hurt. This was the second time Jack had been there for him and that was proof enough for him. The fear that Jack would leave him fled and he relaxed, letting Jack's soft words and gentle touch salve his wounded soul.
After a time, he finally quieted. He broke the calm by laying a kiss on Jack's shoulder. "Thanks."
"You're welcome. Where'd all that come from?"
"You don't want to know."
"You're wrong, Daniel. I do want to know, but now's not the time." He ran his fingers through Daniel's hair, then smoothed the strands back down. "Feel better?"
Daniel sighed. "Oh yeah, but I think my seduction technique needs revamping."
"We're lying together on your couch and bodily fluids have been released; your technique must have something going for it. Besides, these things happen; no sweat. Better out than in, and all that."
Daniel kissed his shoulder again. "I think there's supposed to be an exchange of bodily fluids, if I remember correctly. Let me see if I can remedy that." Slowly, he inched himself down the Colonel's long, lean body, kissing and caressing as he went. He could feel Jack's body tense under him as he reached his groin.
"Whoa, Daniel…that's not necessary." Jack's fingers searched for a handhold on Daniel's shoulders.
Daniel found the zipper half opened and used his teeth to tug it the rest of the way down. "Oh, yes it is," he said, ignoring Jack's protests. He stopped nuzzling briefly while he pulled the clothing low enough to free Jack's hardened cock. After a few exploratory licks, he quickly engulfed the organ.
Jack jerked in surprise. "Dammit, Daniel! Stop!" Curling forward, he grabbed Daniel by the shoulders and heaved him against the back of the couch.
Daniel stared at him, his eyes wide and blank with shock.
"No, wait, Daniel. I didn't mean it like that." He swung his legs off the couch and hunched toward Daniel awkwardly, Jack's erection tall, eager and forcing him to maneuver carefully until he was sitting next to Daniel. He slid his arm around Daniel's shoulders and tried to pull him close, but Daniel resisted. "Didn't you hear me say 'stop'?" Jack asked with gentle exasperation.
More confused now than ever, Daniel looked away while blinking rapidly.
"Daniel, you don't need to do that for me."
"Yes, I do; I have to." The words were automatic and slipped out before Daniel could stop them.
Jack turned towards Daniel. Cupping his chin with careful fingers, he guided Daniel's face around until he could look him in the eye. "No, you don't. Why would you think you have to?"
Daniel swallowed and closed his eyes. He knew exactly why, but he would sound so pathetic if he spoke it aloud.
Jack pulled him close and this time Daniel did not resist. He pressed his face into Jack's chest and felt Jack rest his chin on top of his head. "Tell me," Jack said, his voice gentle and non–demanding.
Daniel felt safe, safe enough to share with Jack a glimpse into his unhappy past. He had already decided to trust him and so far, that had worked out well. He took the plunge. "I felt that if I didn't give you sex, you wouldn't stay with me…and…I really need you to stay with me right now."
The admission staggered Jack and he felt as though he'd been gut punched. He tightened his grip around Daniel and hugged him closer. "You don't need to offer me sex to get me to stay with you." He froze suddenly, then asked, his voice tight, "Daniel, is that what this is all about? Did you just jump my bones because you needed me to be here with you?" Jack bent his head until he could see Daniel's eyes.
"I suppose that's partly true, but it's also true I've wanted you for years. I was too paranoid to try before because I didn't know that you felt the same way until the other Jack told me you did."
"That son of a bitch has a lot to answer for. Do you know you've got a bite on your collar bone? A damn hickey, too. What the hell was he thinking?"
"He was marking his territory."
Jack snorted disgustedly. "I'm sorry I asked."
Daniel's hand flew up to the angry red mark, trying to hide it. "I'm sorry. I, you…it…it disgusts you—"
"Easy, easy," he soothed. "Remember this: he does, you don't." Jack stared earnestly at Daniel until Daniel relaxed somewhat.
As Daniel watched, the expression in the older man's intense brown eyes shifted and Daniel suddenly knew he was being assessed with all the Colonel's tactical expertise. The appraisal unnerved him, but he waited it out.
Jack murmured, "Wait a second." He bent over and snagged the afghan from where it lay crumpled on the floor. He leaned carefully back until he was lying down and positioned comfortably. "Come here," he ordered, lifting his arm in invitation. Daniel shifted until he was nestled again under Jack's arm. With a quick flip, Jack managed to throw the small blanket over them both.
Daniel relaxed as he felt a surge of easy familiarity. This was right, Jack and him; he could feel it on an intuitive level…and he smiled for the first time in days. It didn't matter what the universe wanted and it didn't matter what Stalker Jack had said; this Jack O'Neill had proven more than once that he was not out to take advantage of Daniel. In fact, there was one important point that still needed to be clarified. "Jack, does this mean you don't want to have sex with me?"
"It means that now is not a good time to make that decision."
"So that means that you don't—"
"No," he interrupted. "It simply means that there is too much going on right now for either of us to make such an important decision. And before you ask again, yes, for the record, I do want to make love to you, but I'm still not convinced we ought to…at this point in time."
"That's the best I'm going to get, isn't it?"
"Yep."
"But that's a definite maybe for later?"
"Yep."
"I can live with that." He burrowed deeper into Jack, luxuriating in the warmth and comfort of the older man's embrace. He wasn't too worried about seducing Jack when the time was right; he had inside information he could take advantage of. The emotional rollercoaster of the past few days had exhausted him and he felt the pull of sleep, but a couple of things still niggled at him and would not let him be. "Jack?"
"Hmmm?"
"Do you find my university degrees erotic?"
Jack slowly opened his eyes and stared incredulously at Daniel. "Sometimes Daniel, I swear you have a screw loose."
"It's a simple question."
"Why?"
"There were a couple of things the other Jack said that made me wonder if you didn't have a…you know…a kind of fetish about it."
"Really? Okay…let me think for a minute." He was barely suppressing a smile. "Truthfully, I find many things about you erotic, but I think your intelligence is especially sexy. You can really kick ass when you've got all your brain cells firing in unison."
"You're laughing at me."
"At both of us, Daniel. I never thought in a million years that I'd admit to something like that." He ruffled Daniel's hair before he slipped his arm over him and pulled them closer together. "Now do us both a favor and shift that sexy brain of yours into neutral, okay?"
"Wait, just one more thing. For the record, I breathe through my mouth because while I was growing up, my allergies made it impossible to breathe through my nose and now it's a habit."
"O–kay…." he said, slowly.
"I just wanted to make that clear."
"I…understand."
"Really?"
"No, but it doesn't matter."
Okay, maybe that didn't matter, but there was something bothering Daniel that did matter. "Jack, what about SG–3 and all those airmen?" he asked worriedly.
"What about them?"
"Well, they must…I think they…Jack, they saw me and, and the ah—"
"Daniel? They saw a gentle, well–respected civilian being jerked around and terrorized while they watched and were unable to help," Jack said, his voice calm and soothing. "That type of thing is their worst nightmare."
"They were shocked."
"Not by you. They were shocked that anyone could possibly treat you so poorly."
"Are they going to treat me differently?"
Jack was silent for a few seconds as he gave the question serious consideration. "I don't believe so, especially if you act the way you normally do," he said, laying a chaste kiss on Daniel's forehead. "But if anyone does, you need to tell me and I'll just go have a little talk with them. Promise?"
"Oh. Okay." While Daniel usually preferred to handle his own problems, he sometimes found dealing with military mindset confusing. If Jack wanted to handle any fall out from this, Daniel was more than happy to let him as he did not want to make a military faux pas and cause the situation to worsen.
Grateful, he allowed his fingers to trace the contours of Jack's shoulder as he considered his next move.
"Yes?" Jack asked patiently after a few minutes.
"Just one more thing."
"Sure; what is it?"
"If and when we do decide to become lovers, I promise you a first class lap dance. Pole position…with your career Air Force dick up my highly educated ass."
Jack jerked as though he'd been hit with a live wire. "Jesus Christ, Daniel! Where the hell did you learn to talk like that?!
Gotcha! Daniel smiled and continued. "Eye to eye, mouth to mouth, tongue to tongue…our hands free…."
"Daniel!"
"I just wanted to give you something to think about."
"Yeah, and if you keep talking like that, I'm going to have to leave."
Daniel froze. "You said—"
"I know what I've said and I meant it. It's just that I'm only human here and if you say things like that, I'm gonna have to spend some quality time with myself in your bathroom. I'm serious about a cooling down period, and talk like that isn't ah, very cooling."
"Oh. Right, I understand. I'll be good now. It's just that I needed to know how you really felt about me."
"Then ask. You're my best friend and the hottest archeologist I've ever seen; I don't want to screw up one for the other."
Daniel could see the wisdom in that. He kissed Jack's chest in acknowledgement. He waited a few moments, then asked, "Am I hotter than Rothman?"
Jack sighed. "Even on your worst days, big guy…even when you're being a royal pain in the ass."
Daniel smiled, pleased by the backhanded compliment. He relaxed into Jack and threaded his right arm around him until he found the perfect place to rest it draped over the bend where Jack's neck met his shoulder. Daniel closed his eyes and luxuriated in how right this felt even though he knew his left arm would be numb within the hour. The bed would have been a better choice for comfort, but he liked this better. The narrowness of the couch ensured that they had to wrap their arms around one another and that was more important to him right now than any collection of numb arms or sore necks.
Feeling the steady pulse of Jack's heartbeat in the great vessels of his neck, Daniel's thoughts drifted. He was content with his senses were full of Jack. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the sounds, smells and feel of him, and realized one was new territory: touch, he'd been missing it up until now. He hadn't been able to use his hands when he was with the other Jack. As a linguist and an anthropologist, Daniel knew the first language of mankind had been body language; with his hands tied, it had been just as bad as being gagged. Touch communicated so much to another human being, especially when the topic of the conversation was both physical and intimate. Hands had their very own vocabulary: slow down, speed up, I want you closer, move there, I worship every inch of you…. It really didn't matter what head games the other Jack had played on him, or how many times Daniel had been made to come; with his words ignored and his hands restrained, Daniel's half of the interaction had been negated. He had been relegated to a mere object, a stand–in…a point to be made. It was an epiphany of sorts and the shame he felt from the incident began to dissipate as his anger at himself was redirected towards the man who truly deserved it. It was a momentous realization and his body jerked in reaction as he felt the heavy weight of guilt leave him.
Jack's left arm encircled his waist and pressed him close while his other hand moved in slow, soothing circles up and down his back. Jack's chin rubbed along the top of his head in perfect synch with the other caresses.
Daniel lay stunned in his lover's warm embrace, for Jack's touch spoke more eloquently of love than words could ever have conveyed. How different this was than being with the other Jack. It was true they looked the same, they smelled the same…they may even have felt the same, but thankfully that comparison would always be unknown to him. This Jack was completely new territory for Daniel to touch and to come to know better. His heart beat faster with anticipation, for he already knew that Jack was loving, supportive and fiercely protective…and Daniel ached to find out what other fine qualities were hidden out of sight, waiting to be discovered by a more intimate interaction. A whole new world had opened to him when he had opened himself to trusting Jack.
He felt a small smile warm his face; lucky for him new worlds were his forte.
END