Philip had lost track of time - wallowing in his deep thoughts within his mind. He had no idea how long he'd been out there when he heard a soft, 'Hello," beside him. Turning, he was surprised to see Daniel standing in the doorway to the house.

"I'm sorry," Philip looked back at the house quickly, then at the other man. "I didn't hear you arrive."

Stepping out into the rain, Daniel closed the door behind him and got under the umbrella with Philip. He eyed him cautiously for a long moment, then looked out across the yard.

"Jack tells me you've been out here a long time," Daniel said, making casual conversation.

"He insisted on bringing me out this," Philip said, indicating to the umbrella with a nod of his head. "Kind of loses the impact - standing in the rain *under* an umbrella."

Daniel arched his brow slightly. "I guess he didn't want you getting wet," he said.

Philip smiled, but not with humor. "He's worried I'll catch cold."

Daniel crossed his arms over his chest as he gently gnawed at his bottom lip. He stared at his friend intently a moment, watching the way he ducked his face shyly from the scrutiny.

"So why are you out here?"

Philip dug his thumbnail into the sodden wood railing. "To clear my head.."   He shook his long, curly hair out of his eyes as he looked across the yard. "To sort out a few things in my mind..."

The anthropologist's eyes narrowed intensely again. "Everything alright?"

Philip looked at him a long moment, not seeing the 'enemy' but a man who was once with his brother and who'd become fast friends with him through lazy Saturdays in the apartment. Clenching his jaws together tightly, he shook his head as he looked down at his hands on the railing.

"Graham's right," he mumbled then sighed. "He's always right!"

"Your brother's a fool," Daniel said harshly. 

Philip turned to him quickly, surprised by the response. "That's not fair! You loved him once!"

The other man shrugged. "Well, once was enough..." Daniel said, his blue eyes cold.

Philip wondered how easy it was for some people to be in love one minute and in hatred the next. It wasn't something he ever considered Daniel being, but here was the proof. How easily it had been for him to move on - how easy it will be for Jack to do the same, he told himself.

"If you care," Philip muttered quietly, "Graham still loves you."

The anthropologist softened a little, his resolve crumbling before Philip's eyes. "Okay," Daniel uncrossed one arm to wave his hand around as he said, "I was being unfair." He looked out at the lightening on the horizon. "I do still - care - for your brother."

Philip looked at him a long moment before nodding. "I know."

Daniel arched his brow a little and then sighed. The librarian laughed softly as he shook his head. "You just rack them and stack them, don't you, Daniel?"

The golden brow knitted over the bright blue eyes. "I'm.. sorry?"

"Grae, Jack and now Teal'c..." He said, glancing back at the house then briefly meeting the azure gaze as he turned back around again. "Even I had a crush on you for a few days," he confessed with an embarrassed laugh.

Daniel's head tilted as he stammered softly, "you.. you did?"

Philip smiled. It was just 'that' look, that uncertainty, that intrigued him at the start! Changing his tone completely to one of reflection now, Philip leaned against the wet railing as he sighed. "I always seem to develop a crush on Grae's boyfriends. I don't know why really..."

Daniel's head tilted even more, then holding back a smile, he said, "Probably because he has such good taste in men!"

Philip took a moment, then he started to chuckle softly before breaking out into a full-on laugh. He shot Daniel a side-ways glance as he said, "ya think?"

Daniel smiled and scratched at the back of his ear. He pointed to the distance and said, "That storm's coming closer. You sure you want to be out here with an umbrella?"

"The Benjamin Franklin thing? Yeah, Jack's already warned me about it."

Daniel nodded, recalling just how effective the Benjamin Franklin thing was - on Ernest's planet. "Well he knows what he's talking about, believe me."

Phil stared at him a long moment then lowered his face. "Thanks.."

"For?"

"I'd normally talk to Grae about this.. but seeing as it's Jack.."

Daniel's brow furrowed as he looked around them, then back to Philip with an uncertain smile on his face. "We, uh, we didn't really talk about anything.."

Phil laughed, always enjoying that lost look in Daniel's eyes. "Well, it helped, so thanks."

The blue eyes darted around then back to Philip again. "Okay," he said with a growing smile of curiosity before pointing over his shoulder to the house. "I'm going inside. You coming?"

The younger man nodded. "In a moment," he told him before passing over the umbrella. Daniel hesitated then took it with him.

Turning to the door, he almost fell into the house when the glass door slid open and Jack stood there. "Jesus, Jack!" He mumbled to himself.

The colonel held out Philip's mobile phone to the librarian. "It's Graham," he said, without emotion. Philip took the phone then Jack and Daniel went back inside, leaving him in private.

Philip tucked his free hand into his back pocket as he tilted his face down while he spoke to his brother.

"Hi."

*What's up? I got your message.*

"Just to tell you I wouldn't be home tonight, though, right now, I'm not so sure..."

*Oh?*  There was a long silence. *Phil?*

"Grae, I'm thinking of going away," he said casually as he raised his face to feel the rain fall lightly on him again.

*Where?*

"Not sure. My drawing's stalled and I really need a change of scenery.."

*Phil. Is there anything wrong? Do you need me to come down there and get you?*

"No. I'm fine. I drove here tonight from work.." He was still very casual in his tone.

There was a sad sigh from the other end of the line. *I heard Daniel's voice..*

"Ah, yeah." Phil cringed slightly. "Jack invited him to dinner," he told his brother as he went down and wandered the back garden, aware of the water-logged grass squelching beneath his feet.

*He invited Daniel to dinner with you there?*

Phil's brow knitted. "Oh, for crying out..."

*Will you stop that!* Graham snapped angrily. *You're beginning to sound like him!*

"Well stop being stupid! He invited Teal'c as well!"

*Oh! So a little foursome...*

"Shut up!" Philip yelled down the line. "Shut up! That's sick! You know I don't do that kind of thing... That is sooo sick!!"

Graham was concerned by the distress in his little brother's voice. Worried now about what the situation might be at Jack's place, the lieutenant asked, *Phil, do you need me there?*

"What? No...Oh for... No!"

*You sure you're okay?*

"Yeah, I'm- " He paused and rubbed his hand down his face. "I'm just not feeling well.."

*What's wrong?*

"I've been light headed all day and I've a really bad headache.."

*Did you take anything for it?*

"Yeah, a fist full of aspirin, then some of those pain killers. They should kick in soon."

*Well, you call me if you need me. As for you going away - well,* there was a considerable pause before he said, *it's not like you to run from your problems, Phil. But if you want time away, then I'll back you. You know I've been thinking of going to Canada, if you can wait a week we could go together?*

Phil sucked back a long, deep breath as he nodded. He did. "Thanks Grae! I'll think about that..."

*Look, just take care of yourself, okay? I'm here if you need me!*

"I know! Bye." He started to head back up the ramp when Jack stepped out of the house, a large towel in his hands. The younger man paused on the bottom step, his eyes locked with Jack's concerned brown gaze. Holding the towel open, Jack invited him in with a smile. Philip stepped up to him, taking solace in the arms wrapping around his damp body as Jack pulled him closer and kissed his temple. "You'll catch cold..." He whispered. Philip tilted his head back and Jack smiled warmly as he brushed some jet black strands out of the cimmerian eyes. "You need to look after yourself better."

"I know," Philip said quietly then closed his eyes as Jack kissed his cheek lightly.

"Come inside. Dinner's ready."

Philip, without an appetite, allowed Jack to lead him into the house once more, then he stepped away from the embrace as he headed down to the bedroom to change his clothes. Daniel silently watched Jack watch the younger man walk away. He saw the sadness in the brown eyes as Jack looked down at the towel in his hands still, then he chewed his bottom lip with concern as he watched Jack soulfully sigh.