Jack was silent as he stared off after Philip.

"Is everything alright, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked in a soft voice as he stepped up beside his friend. Jack jerked, like he'd been pulled from a thought then he turned his head and saw that both his friends were watching him with concern.

Waving his hand towards the hallway, he said as, "We, uh, we've had a few... words.." He stressed the word 'words' then gave a sharp shrug. Daniel and Teal'c exchanged looks then the anthropologist wet his lips quickly.

"More than a few, it would seem..?" When Jack looked at him Daniel arched his brows so high they raised over the rim of his glasses and remained there while a concerned look etched his face again. Jack sighed then shrugged, looking slightly beaten.

"We'll work it through," he told him quietly.

Daniel's brow knitted slightly with genuine concern as he said, "I hope so." He felt the warmth of Teal'c's hand as it pressed to his back gently, showing his silent support.

Jack turned and stared into the bright blue orbs then his eyes flicked down, taking in all the features and details of Daniel's face - so perfectly depicted in his dream, he was surprised to note. Catching his breath in a deep sigh he said, "me, too."

"Daniel, should we not leave?" Teal'c asked his lover as he slipped his hand up onto Daniel's shoulder, giving him a gentle squeeze. Daniel's eyes flickered as he looked at Jack. Tilting his head a little, he asked, "Should we?"

Jack thought a moment then shook his head. Daniel sighed at Jack's desolation then he reached out and patted his arm firmly. "Then is there anything I can do to help with dinner?"

A wisp of a smile ghosted on Jack's lips as he finally drew his attention from the hallway and onto his friend again. "So, are you saying you're hungry?"

With a smile, trying to encourage Jack into happier thoughts, Daniel asked, "Well, did you make your chili?"

Jack grinned sheepishly now and twisted to look at Teal'c who was standing behind them both as they stood shoulder to shoulder. Dropping his eyes back to Daniel's face again, Jack mumbled, "You *wanting* to sleep alone tonight?"

Daniel laughed as he looked at Jack. "No..." he said, fully aware that sleeping alone was 'far' from the agenda tonight as Teal'c's surreptitious actions behind him left him with no doubt of that. Daniel's body was, at that moment, full of tingles as Teal'c's hand moved up and down his back, the fingers massaging the skin through his clothing then the palm pressed onto the back again and moved down onto his rump where it stayed, rubbing the rounded globes lightly. Jack, oblivious to the caresses, moved off towards the kitchen, expecting Daniel to still be at his side. When he reached the door he turned slightly and saw the two men in the living room kissing tenderly. Diverting his eyes he pressed on the door and went in. Soon Daniel joined him in the kitchen.

"What did you do with Teal'c?"

"Bathroom."

"Ah." Jack nodded. Before they could say anything else Teal'c's voice boomed from the other end of the house.

"O'Neill!"

Jack sprinted from the kitchen, followed closely by Daniel. Reaching the bathroom Jack gasped as he saw Philip on the floor, a pool of blood by his head. "Christ!"

"I discovered him this way. It would appear he fell and hit his head."

Jack was hesitant to touch Phil, considering the blood smeared over the forehead, shoulder and floor. Teal'c gently lifted the head, cradling it in his hands in his lap. Jack was about to say something as Teal'c smoothed his fingers over the brow but he reached out and grabbed his wrist instead, ceasing the action. Teal'c looked at him with slight confusion. Without looking from the dark gaze, Jack told Daniel, "Call Janet! NOW!" Daniel ran back to the living room to place the call and Jack released Teal'c's hand. "Phil's got a disease that attacks the human immune system. You shouldn't touch him."

"It will not affect me," the Jaffa reassured him.

"We don't know that for a fact, Teal'c. Considering your 'only' immune system is the snake, I don't want to take that chance, okay?"

Teal'c reluctantly moved his hand away and reached up for a towel instead, rolling it and placing it under Philip's head as he shuffled back. "I am sure I would be alright, O'Neill."

Jack nodded. "But I'm not willing to take that chance!" He stood up and reached into his medicine chest, pulling out some gloves he had in there. Taking a clean face washer he wet it and then smoothed it across Phil's head. Muttering in a low voice he said, "Come on! Wake up, baby!"

Daniel appeared in the doorway behind Teal'c. "She's on her way," he said, then noticed that Teal'c was sitting away and Jack was wearing gloves. It struck him as odd immediately. "What's happened?"

Shaking his head, Jack continued to mop up the blood that was oozing from the deep gash on Phil's temple. "Come on...!" He said with impatient worry.

"Jack?" Daniel queried, squatting behind Teal'c, his hand resting on the broad shoulder. The colonel looked up then shook his head as he watched Daniel roll his head to the side in question, his blue eyes wide with worry.

Muttering to himself again, Jack snapped, "Where the hell is she?"

Daniel frowned. "I literally just called her! She's probably on her way!"

"She only lives in the next damn street over.." Jack groused.

Seeing Jack's deep concern Daniel said, in a gentle voice, "Then she'll be here soon, won't she?"

Jack's hand tapped the smooth cheek lightly trying to rouse the unconscious man as he mumbled his name over and over.

"Is he breathing?" Teal'c asked.

Jack checked the slow rise and fall of the chest - again. "Yes!" Blood oozed from the gape again and Jack pressed against it gently, breathing a sigh of relief when Phil's head rolled slightly and he moaned very softly. "Philip!"

The dark eyes blinked open slowly, taking a while to adjust to the face hovering above him. "Jack?"

"Christ!" The colonel started to breath normally again, his heart, currently thudding in his throat, was able to return to normal once more. Philip's hands groggily grappled for a hold so that he could pull himself up. Teal'c instantly reached forward, his hands helping to press Philip into a sitting position. Jack shot him a quick, 'stop it' look then he looked into Philip's eyes. "Phil?"

The confused man touched his hand to his head then pulled it away, gasping when he saw the bright red blood. "Oh, shit, Jack!" He said in a voice that trembled slightly as he looked into Jack's concerned eyes.

"It's okay!" The older man said, showing that he was wearing gloves.

Philip felt the warm liquid under his palm on the floor and looked down. "It's everywhere!"

"It's okay.." Jack reassured him. "You've got a nasty bump on your head," he said as he mopped it again with the face washer, then looked down into the bleary eyes, "You want to tell me what happened?"

Shaking his head, Phil looked down. Jack wasn't sure if that meant he didn't want to tell him, or just didn't know. Philip's supporting arm started to give way and before he tumbled backwards he was caught against Teal'c's chest and arms again.

"Thank you," he said weakly, trying to sit up again. Jack saw the dark stain on Teal'c's blue shirt.

"Ah, Teal'c..." He jutted his chin and Teal'c looked down.

"Okay, what the hell is going on here?" Daniel demanded, fearing the truth. Jack looked up but before he could say anything the doorbell rang.

"Thank god! Get that for me," he told Daniel, who shot him a dark look before getting up and going to the front door only to return soon with Janet, who was carrying her bag.

"What's happened?" she asked, stepping over Teal'c then squatting behind Philip, immediately aware of all the blood on the floor and soaked into the back of Phil's top.

"We're not sure..?" Jack said, tilting his face to look at Philip, who shook his head to indicate that he didn't know either. Jack looked back at Janet and shrugged.

She gave a sharp nod then said to Teal'c and Daniel, "Can I have a little room, please?" The Jaffa shuffled back before slowly rising to his feet. Jack lifted his face.

"Grab a clean top from my room," he told him, then looked at Janet as she moved closer to Philip. Daniel frowned at Jack as Teal'c went into the bedroom next door.

"Can we get him up a little higher?" she asked, standing again. Jack assisted Philip to sit on the closed toilet lid, then he perched himself on the edge of the bath while Janet set her bag onto the vanity unit beside her. 

"Before you start..." Jack said to her. She looked at him and tilted her head.

"I have HIV," Phil said in a low mumble. Jack felt the reactions of the others - the surprise and the shock to hear such a confession - yet he didn't looked at either of them. His eyes remained on the bowed head, wondering what was going through Philip's mind at the moment. Jack didn't see Daniel dip his head and turn from the door, going through the house to the living room. Janet finally released her breath when she looked at Jack, seeing the truth in his eyes. This man, this young, good looking man was somehow tied to the Colonel and, considering his condition, she had a fairly good idea now *how* they were tied together. Slowly Jack looked at her but gave nothing more than an acquiescent shrug. She nodded, letting him know it had nothing to do with her, then she bowed her head to address the sitting man.

"I'm glad you told me, though I don't think it's much of an issue at the moment," she told him, extracting a needle and some Local Anaesthetic from her bag. "This will hurt.." She jabbed the needle into the tender scalp and then started to prepare herself for stitching him. Jack looked around and noticed Daniel was gone. He stood, his hand touching the back of Philip's shoulder as he did. The younger man looked up as best he could and saw where Jack's attention was. He blinked then lowered his eyes again, and it came as no surprise to him when Jack said, "I'll be right back.."

Trying to hide his snort, he mumbled, "Take your time. It's not like I need you.."

But Jack didn't hear that retort. He was already out the door. Janet, however, heard the words and felt the tension in the younger man.

"Everything alright?" She asked him cagily. He lifted his dark eyes to look at her but only saw a 'friend of Jack's' so he decided to keep his opinion to himself.

"You tell me. You're the one stitching me up at the moment, " he said in a low voice. She gave a slight shrug.

"Care to tell me what happened here tonight?" Philip looked at her again. She gave him a slight smile. "You know, between Doctor and patient... "

"In confidence?" he asked, realizing he really needed someone to talk to. She gave him another smile as she nodded sharply.

"You bet.."

Philip looked over to where Teal'c appeared in the doorway and she followed his gaze. "Teal'c," she said to him, "Why don't you go and find out where the others are." The large man frowned then saw the way she flicked her eyes. He bowed his head and reached forward, pulling the door to before going towards the living room.

Janet looked down into the cimmerian eyes. "So, how about we start with your name?"

He smiled at the pretty woman. "Philip."

With a quirky smile she said, "Hello Philip, I'm Janet.."

"Don't I have to call you Doctor?" he joked, feeling at ease with the woman immediately. She raised one brow then laughed.

"Not unless you want to."

Philip began to tell her about his condition and about some of the events that led up to the fall.

*

Jack had stepped into the living room, carefully observing the man in the corner who was over by the window, arms wrapped tightly around his waist as he stared out at the night sky.

"Daniel?" Jack asked in a quiet voice as he approached him. He saw the silhouette by the window visibly twitch at the call. "Danny?"

He was surprised when Daniel turned to him, his eyes wet but not teary, his face flushed with anger and emotion. With a hoarse voice he asked, "Are you crazy?"

"What..?" Jack was taken aback by the abruptness of Daniel's question.

"Philip has HIV and you 'willingly' started a relationship with him?" The voice was strained and barely more than a loud, angry whisper.

"I take it you didn't know.." Jack said, lowering his face.

"Didn't know?! Of course I didn't know!" Daniel flung his hands around, clearly agitated now. "I can't believe you ..." He stopped himself, sucking back his words before they exploded from him - angry, hurtful words that he felt, but didn't want to express.

"What the hell was I meant to do?" Jack was getting angry now too. "Turn my back on him?"

The blue eyes widened. "Are you telling me he didn't tell you straight away?"

"No!" Jack shook his head then said it again as he threw his hands around. "NO! He told me... He told me and then left me to think about it..."

Daniel tilted his head, his eyes hardening a little as he said, "Well, which 'end' thought about it Jack?"

The colonel felt his anger rise within him and he started to tremble. "I do not believe you just said that to me!"

"Come on, Jack!"

"No, you come on Daniel! What the hell has this to do with you anyway?" He yelled, but tried to keep his voice down for Philip's sake.

Gulping like a fish, Daniel tilted his head as he said, "What's it to do with *me*..?"

"Yeah!"

"Philip is HIV positive and you're in a relationship with him...?! How does that not affect me?"

The colonel's eyes narrowed. "I still don't follow you!"

"Is this why you went crazy the other day when I touched your blood, isn't it?"

"I was just being cautious!" Jack hissed, through a tight jaw.

"Oh, being cautious? Oh, that's... that's just great!" Then he flung his hand in the direction of the bathroom. "You're playing Russian roulette with a loaded gun here, Jack! Have you gone back to that death wish of yours?"

"Look this is *not* his fault! If you must know he was cheated on and he contracted it that way! If anyone should understand something like that - it's you!"

Daniel felt the verbal slap across his face then he shook his head as he lowered his voice. "Well, I'm sorry he contracted it that way..."

"So what's that meant to mean, huh? That he's not *allowed* to ever love, or be loved, again?" Jack argued in a low voice.

"No!" Daniel retorted quickly. "No! But you have to understand, Jack - accidents happen!"

Through clenched teeth Jack hissed again, "we are *careful*!"

Daniel bristled once more. "Yet somehow the thought of my coming in contact with your blood the other day filled you with terror! Why is that if you're so 'careful'?" The sarcasm was very evident again.

Jack's blood reached boiling point. "Now, you just listen..."

"No, *you* listen. Jack!" Daniel yelled over the top of him then lowered his voice when Jack shut up. "We bleed on each other all the damn time out in the field...."

"Oh, for crying..."

"How can you be 100% sure?" The blue eyes flashed angrily.

"Because I know what we are doing! We take so many damn precautions..."

Daniel's hand flung towards the direction of the bathroom as he jumped up and down on the spot. "He just bled all over Teal'c!"

"The snake will protect him!" He screamed back, ignoring his own concerns on that point at the moment.

Daniel jaw was tight, his teeth gritted as he breathed heavily through his nose. "You put Teal'c in a 'risk' situation..."

"He's immune to everything else, Daniel! Why would this be different?"

"What if he's not! What if HIV damages the larvae?" They stood, glaring angrily at each other - the rest not needing to be said.

"Then we have a way of beating the damn snake heads, don't we!!" Jack snapped before realizing the full recriminations of the statement. It didn't escape Daniel, however.

"What did you just say?" His blue eyes went icy cold. "Did you just say..?"

Throwing his hands up Jack snapped, "Forget I said that! That ... that .. was .. wrong.." His face contorted when he realized the full impact behind his unthinking response. "Really, I'm sorry, Danny..."

Daniel gulped back the next words on the tip of his tongue then stared at Jack coldly. Slowly he bit his lips together before he shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. In a more controlled voice, he said, "I just don't believe this. You, of all people, doing something so stupid. Putting us at risk like that.."

Shaking his head, Jack said in a restrained voice as he clenched his fists in frustration. "You are so...." Then in a more normal tone he added, "not everything is about you, or the damn team, Daniel. Sometimes, just *sometimes*, it's about me.. and what *I* need!"

"And in the meantime you put us at risk without even telling us?" Daniel's head tilted as his voice became strained again.

Jack's eyes flashed angrily. "I thought you knew.."

The brows darted into a frown. "Why would I know?"

Jack grounded his hand into his eye as he caught his breath and took control of his spiraling emotions again. "I just..." He shrugged. "I guess not everything *is* your damn business, is it!" He said in such a way that Daniel took offense to it. It was as if Jack was telling him that *none* of this was his business, too.

"Oh? And so the fact that his blood just *might* have gotten into Teal'c's pouch is none of my business? Oh.. that's.. great!" Then he nodded and gave a derisive grin before saying, "good.. good response, Jack! Your loyalty to your friends has obviously gone south.."

Totally insulted now, the colonel whipped his head around to look at him as he yelled, "Hey! I happen to love that man in there.. okay? Yes, he has HIV. Yes, I knew about it but I just didn't think to shout it from a goddamn rooftop.." He stared at Daniel now then added, in a frighteningly menacing voice, "and if you don't like it you can get the hell out of my damn house! In fact, get the hell out of my damn LIFE, Daniel!" With that he turned abruptly and stormed off, shouldering past Teal'c who was quietly watching the argument from the top step.