"Grand-dad," the dark, good looking young man hurried around to the back of the house. He knew exactly where to find his beloved Grand-dad; sitting in his garden chair, reading his books and soaking up the warm late summer sun.

The old man was there, wrinkled and hunched over, his frail hand, tinged blue by the thin skin covering, moved over the words on the page before him. He stopped when he heard the faint cry and started to turn to the sound. The youth had reached his side already though.

"Grand dad," he smiled, his dark brown eyes looking lovingly onto the elderly man as he squatted beside his garden chair, placing his hands onto the crepe paper arms. The old man looked at his favourite grandchild - his only grandchild - and smiled at the fresh face, touching his hand to the soft cheek. He looked so much like Skaara used to, the old man thought to himself, before he was robbed of his youth, before the Goa'uld stole him...

"I have someone for you to meet," the young man said excitedly, biting his bottom lip before turning to look over his shoulder at the strapping man behind him. The frail head lifted and looked at the ruggedly handsome young man, hands in his pockets, blond hair ruffled by a soft wind. He looked familiar, almost.

"Hello Dr. Jackson, my name's Simon," the man held out his hand to the elderly man in the chair. Nodding, but ignoring the hand, Daniel looked back down at the eager face before him and smiled.

"Have you told your father yet?" he asked, a tinge of a wicked chuckle highlighted his words. The youth pursed his lips together and shrugged. Daniel laughed deeply then looked back up at Simon.

"Hello Simon, it's so very nice to meet you.... finally," he added, with a quick look at his grandson again. The young man blushed a little as he pushed himself up to stand. Daniel lifted his face again then indicated, with a shaky hand, for them to come around the other side, so he could see them without the sun shining in his eyes. They obeyed the silent request immediately.

"You are all Tobias talks about, but," Daniel looked at his grandson, "I guess I shouldn't tell you that!" He chuckled again. Tobias looked at Simon, gave a quick shrug then shot his cheeky grand father a look that could kill.

"Yeah.. well thanks.. grand-dad," Tobias muttered as he scratched his cheek, in the same familiar way his grandfather did when ever he was unsure or embarrassed by something.

"It's good to hear," Simon shoved Tobias with his shoulder and laughed. The two young men looked at each other and smiled.

"Where's father?" the youth then asked, looking back towards the house.

"He's not here today. I think he's at home with your mother and getting in her way, I'm sure!"

Tobias nodded then looked back at his grandfather, seeing the way he was staring at Simon now. He bit his bottom lip again then felt Simon tap his shoulder.

"I really need to go. I'll be back later," he said. Tobias nodded then lent over and kissed his mouth quickly, making Simon shoot a quick look at Daniel before bowing his head.

"It was nice to meet you, Dr. Jackson," he said, shoving his hands into his pants pockets. Daniel lifted his face and smiled.

"Nice to meet you too, Simon. Please bring Tobias by again, I see so little of him these days," he said teasingly as he looked at the dark skinned boy.

"Grand-dad," he said with a slight whine in his voice. Daniel held a hand up and nodded.

"I know, I know, you have University and work and ..." he indicated to Simon, "other things," he smiled.

"I'll do my best, sir.." Simon nodded.

Suddenly it hit Daniel. THAT was who Simon reminded him of. Jack!

Nodding as he pushed himself out of his chair and gathered up his book, Daniel turned and patted Simon's shoulder. "That is all any of us can do," he smiled. Simon nodded.

Tobias walked his partner to the side gate.

"Sorry about Grand-dad.." he shrugged. His lover smiled.

"You're kidding, right? He's great! And he accepted us immediately.."

The dark haired young man gave a laconic shrug. "You know the reason for that!"

Simon nodded then touched his hand to Tobias' cheek. "And he loves you, very much, I can see it in his eyes.."

Tobias nodded. "He practically raised me," he said, looking back at the old man shuffling his way up towards the house, then he looked back at Simon.

"Well he did a great job!" Simon smiled lovingly at his friend. Tobias returned the smile and they pulled together and kissed gently in the privacy of the carport.

"I'll be back soon. You go in and talk to him. Afterall," Simon stepped through the side gate then shut it behind him, separating the two of them. "He *is* the great Doctor Jackson, a Founding Father of the Stargate programme..."

Tobias nodded then smiled. "More than that," he said, looking towards the back door, then back at Simon, "he's my grand-dad."

The blond haired man smiled once more then kissed his fingertips before putting them on the tip of Tobias' nose. "Love you. I'll see you later!"

"Love you.." Tobias nodded and watched his partner walk down the driveway towards his car.

o0o.

The young man entered the back of the house and heard the soft song playing. Heading through to the living room he saw his grandfather standing beside the huge stone fireplace, looking out of the tall window into the garden. He slowed his steps, not wanting to encroach on his grand father's private moment, instead he sat on the steps and listened to the familiar song...

*Somewhere in the night

*Inside my dreams you burn so bright

*And I'm with you there and everything's alright *Somewhere in the night

*Before the darkness turns to light

*Let me love you there

*Somewhere in the night...

He watched as Daniel heaved with a heavy sigh, then he pushed up and went over to the window, standing behind the frail older man. Placing his hands onto Daniel's shoulders he allowed his grandfather to lean back against him as he joined him in looking out of the window at the garden, then he looked over his grandfather's shoulder and saw him toying with the dog tags around his neck.

"You still miss him, huh?" he asked gently. Daniel pursed his lips together as he turned his tear- filled eyes towards Tobias. Smiling through the tears he gave a small nod, then looked back out the window again.

*Second chances I wont get

*Wouldn't dare to hope and yet

*Everywhere I turn I see your silhouette *it's been so long but I never will forget....

"I hope Simon and I have half the love you and Grandpa Jack did..." he whispered. Daniel sighed heavily again, and enjoyed the comforting arms of his beloved grandchild.

"So do I.." was all he said, then felt the kiss on his cheek from the young man behind him.

"Come on," Tobias turned him gently from the window, "I'll make you a nice hot cup of coffee.." he said, leading Daniel to his chair beside the unused fireplace now. The older man nodded.

"That would be nice.." he said, sitting gingerly into the chair and closing his eyes as he continued to listen to the song.

*Somewhere in the night

*Inside my dreams you burn so bright

*And I'm with you there and everything's alright

*Somewhere in the night

*Before the darkness turns to light

*Let me see your face.. feel your warm embrace... *Let me love you...

*Somewhere in .. the... night......

He recalled many warm memories of his years with Jack, but the first to come to mind today was that of the day he told Jack they were 'parents'......

+++++

"Unauthorized Gate Traveler," Simmons said over the microphone. Sam, Teal'c and Daniel all ran to the gate control room and watched as the iris slid shut. Then they heard a thud and the gate shut down again. Sam turned a wary eye to Hammond.

"Sir, they're picking up .. readings at the gate." Simmons said.

"That's the Sagan Box," Daniel and Sam said, practically together.

"Who sent it?" Hammond asked. Simmons shook his head.

"Undefined at the moment, Sir, they're scanning for a match on it now."

Sam wet her lips as she lent closer to the computer screen before her. Daniel crossed an arm across his waist and lifted his other hand to his mouth, nibbling on his bottom lip as his brow creased.

"It's from Abydos..." Simmons turned and looked from Hammond to Daniel. The anthropologist frowned as he stepped forward. Then he turned sharply to Hammond and the general nodded even before he asked the question.

"Captain Carter, due to the fact that Colonel O'Neill is laid up in the infirmary, I'm putting you in charge of this mission. You are to go there and see what the trouble is."

Sam nodded sharply. "Shall I go and tell Jack we're heading out though?"

"No, I'll do it," Daniel said. Sam shot him a knowing look then nodded before patting Teal'c on the arm and leaving the room with him.

==

Jack looked up from his bed as Daniel entered the room, dressed ready for his mission, his helmet on his head. The colonel frowned.

"You going out?"

Daniel nodded. "The Sagan box, the one I returned to Abydos with, you know.. in case Kasuf ever needed me for anything after.. well.." Daniel shrugged as Jack nodded. "It's just been sent back. We're going to see what that's about."

Jack frowned. He didn't like not being on a mission with his team, and liked it even less when he couldn't be there to ensure Daniel's safety. Shooting a quick look around the others in the room, he turned and whispered, "you be careful!"

Daniel nodded. "We'll be there and back before you know it," he smiled, small lines wrinkled at the sides of his blue eyes.

"You'd better be!" Jack whispered cautiously. Daniel nodded then turned and left.

Jack hated that the most. Not only was Daniel going on a mission without him, but he couldn't even kiss him goodbye! After being together nearly two years, he still hated to leave Daniel without a kiss goodbye.

True to his word, Daniel was back sooner than Jack anticipated. The young anthropologist went up to Janet and whispered something in her ear. She turned and looked at Jack then nodded, knowing about the men's relationship for over a year now. She herded the rest of the group out of the room and Jack started to get nervous as he pushed himself up in his bed.

"Danny? What is it?" he asked, suddenly afraid that Sha're was on Abydos and that she had somehow beaten Ammonet to return to Daniel. The younger man sat on the side of the bed and wet his lips nervously. Then he gave a soft sigh, placing his hand on Jack's covered legs, before tilting his face up at him.

"Jack.. I'm.. well.. I'm kinda .. a .. father.." he said.

Jack was dumb-founded. "What the hell do you mean?"

"Umm, Kasuf died..." Daniel said quietly. Jack cringed then put his hand out to rest on his lover's shoulder.

"Oh, Danny, I'm sorry..."

Daniel nodded then frowned as he looked up. "And Sha're's child is now without a ... parent.." he shrugged.

"What about the midwife that was helping Kasuf out with the kid?"

"She was in the accident as well. Kasuf, his brother, Ulaf and the midwife were all killed and Sahm'ure ..."

"Who?"

"Sahm'ure. Sha're's child..."

"They called the kid Sa-moo-ree?" Jack screwed up his nose.

"Sah-moo-U-ree," Daniel corrected the inflection as he pushed his glasses back up his nose. "It's an ancient Egyptian name, Jack," he sighed. Jack rolled his eyes.

"Yeah? And he's gonna get his butt kicked around here if he goes to school with a name like that!"

Daniel pursed his lips and gave a small shrug.

Jack shook his head at that reaction. "Well, there's no way a kid of mine's gonna get his butt kicked, you hear me?"

Daniel wet his lips and smiled slightly at his lover. Jack gave a little shrug.

"Well, your kid's my kid.. almost.. kinda? Right?" he shrugged again. Daniel nodded slightly then gave a small laugh.

"Yeah, I guess.." he said softly.

"So?" Jack asked after a few moments of silence. "Where is he?"

"He's being checked out now. I should go and see if he's..." the door opened and Sam walked in with a young child on her hip. He was dark skinned, big dark brown eyes edged by dark lashes, long dark curly hair and little fat round cheeks. Jack could see that Kasuf had taken good care of the child in the 3 years or so that he'd had him.

"Here you go.. Sah'... Daniel how did you say that name again?"

Daniel sighed and looked at Jack who gave a shrug.

"Sah.. moo.. hu-ree..." Jack said in exaggerated inflections.

Daniel held his hands out to the child and said, as he took him into his arms, "I guess we could slowly introduce a new name to him."

"He's a little old for a name change, isn't he?" Sam asked. Jack shook his head.

"Nah, you give kids new nick names all their lives," he said. Sam pursed her lips then shrugged as she looked back at the child cradled in Daniel's arms now.

"So, what are we going to call you?" she poked his fat cheek gently.

"How about Sahm?" Daniel looked at Jack, who thought a moment then shrugged. Sam looked up.

"Sam? Really?"

"We can just shorten his name to Sam.." Daniel shrugged then turned to the child and asked it, in Egyptian, if he wanted to be called Sam. The little boy smiled then nodded and called out, "Sam!" in a heavy Egyptian dialect.

"Errr, does he know any English, Danny?" Jack frowned. The thought of becoming an *instant* Dad terrified him a little more when he realised he wouldn't be able to actually communicate with the child.

Daniel gave a quick wince then shook his head. Jack sighed as he bit his bottom lip then looked at the child in Daniel's arms then at his lover as he looked at the child, smiling and bouncing it on his hip, "but Daddy Daniel can teach you, can't I?" he babbled at the child then looked at Jack. The colonel had a frown on his face. "And Daddy Jack can teach you all about baseball and street hockey.." he smiled. Jack grinned.

"Sweet," he nodded.

"And Aunty Sam is going to take you to the park and places like that!" Sam clapped her hands together and took the child, sensing that Jack and Daniel had a few more things to discuss.

"Sam!" the child said, repeating the only word it recognised. Sam laughed.

"I'm gonna like this!" she said, jiggling the child on her hip. Daniel nodded then waved at the child as they left the room. Then he turned back to Jack...

====

The old man sighed at the memory. They'd gone on to discuss the viability of two men raising a child, and the fact that they were never around much. Daniel had been adamant, however, knowing that if they ever did get Sha're back again, Sahm would need to be with his mother, and having grown up on foster homes himself, he didn't want Sahm to go through that. So they got in a Nanny, a robust woman called Milly who was an old friend of Janet Fraiser's and who didn't ask questions, and she looked after Sahm for many years in their own home whenever the men were not around.

Daniel's weary eyes now fell on the photo of a strapping young man, standing in a tuxedo next to a beautiful woman in a wedding dress. Pushing up out of his chair, he shuffled over to the photograph and picked it up.

"Oh, Sahm.." he sighed. The man looked so much like his father that it was hard for Daniel to look at him at times and *not* see Apophis. There was always something distant about Sahm as well, despite getting the best care and love that Daniel could foster on him as a child. It was as if he could sense that he was not really Daniel's son, that he was something of a *secret*, a secret that the two men never chose to reveal, like many secrets of the gate programme that were never revealed to the world when it finally became public knowledge. Sahm did follow in Jack and Daniel's footsteps, however, and was now a colonel himself in the Stargate programme, however gate travel was no longer carried out through the SGC.

Daniel put the gold edged photo frame back onto the stone mantel. He'd never left Jack's house, that was his home, it was where they raised Sahm, then Tobias, together.

It was also where Sam had delivered her first born child, late one night when it decided that it wasn't going to wait to be delivered in a hospital but rather on a rug infront of the fireplace during a blizzard. Daniel smiled at the memory of Sam, flat on her back, her husband, Allen by her side, gripping her hand tightly while Daniel was delivering the baby.

"Relax Sam, remember, Danny's done this before!" Jack had laughed as he patted Daniel's shoulder. Sam had puffed that she recalled very vividly that he'd only delivered *two* babies in his life! Daniel corrected her that he was actually the one to bring Sahm into the world as well and Sam took a moment from her panting to apoligise for the mistake! Jack had laughed again, while Daniel had wiped his bloodied hand across his forehead before telling Sam to push 'one more time' and then held her little son in his hands for the first time. He remembered the way Jack had wiped the blood from his forehead then smothered him in the most consuming kiss, while the proud parents got to know their new son, Andrew.

It had been a magical moment for them all, one missed by Teal'c who had returned home to be with Drey'ak and Rya'k as his time neared for his symbiot to be removed from his stomach or else take over his body. They had received word a month later that Teal'c had received a new baby Goa'uld and was alive and well with his family. He never did return to earth though, as the gate program was slowed to a stop and the fight with the Systems Lords waned. He chose to remain with his family instead and after the SGC completely shut down, they lost all contact with him.

= =

"Grand dad," Tobias handed him the steaming cup of coffee.

"Thank you," Daniel smiled weakly and shuffled back to his chair, looking more hunched over than Tobias could ever recall. The young man looked at the photo of his father on the mantel then at Daniel.

"What do you think father's going to say?" he asked, sitting on the stone hearth next to his grand dad.

"So it's serious then?" Daniel asked. "You and this Simon..?"

Tobias nodded. "I love him, Grand dad, with all my heart and all my soul..." he sighed.

Daniel nodded and smiled. "As it should be."

"With Simon, I can finally see a glimmer of what you and Grandpa Jack had, and I only hope we have as long a life together as you two did..."

Daniel looked down then shrugged. "It's never long enough though."

Tobias felt the sadness in his grandfather's heart now and sighed softly. Finally the old anthropologist turned his mouth down in a shrug then sighed. "As for what your father will think about this, he will probably blame me and your Grandpa Jack for influencing you!" he laughed softly. Tobias looked down into his cup then shrugged.

"Maybe you did. You've always had more of an impact on my life that he ever did.."

"Tobias.." Daniel said gently, waiting for those dark brown eyes to lift up and look at him then he smiled, "your father loves you very much. You should know that!"

Tobias shrugged. "Yeah, well, he has a strange way of showing it then, Grand-dad!"

"It was so difficult for him. He lost Cleo at a very bad time in his life, and he was finding it difficult to suddenly be a mother *and* father to you..."

"You were both to him."

Daniel shook his head. "I had your Grandpa Jack. And Milly was like a mother to Sahm throughout his early years. I never was around much for him either, you know..." Tobias stared at his cherished Grandfather. "I guess I did a better job of raising you than I did him.." Daniel shrugged. The young man put his hand on Daniel's arm.

"You did a great job of raising me," he smiled and Daniel nodded and patted his hand lightly.

Then he wet his bottom lip, a habit he never did end up breaking, and sighed heavily. "It was hard for him, growing up in a house with two fathers, Tobias, and I sometimes think that it affected him more than we anticipated it would," Daniel sighed, then looked up at another photo of his son, "but I never regret my decision to do that. I always hoped his mother would return to us, but she never did," he sighed sadly.

"Where is she?" Tobias asked. Daniel blinked then gave a feeble shrug.

"I really have no idea," he said sadly.

"Do you still love her?"

Tobias and Sahm were always brought up with the knowledge that Sha're was the mother and that she was kidnapped and taken away, held against her will, but they always assumed that Daniel was the father, and they were never told any differently.

Daniel gave a wistful smile. "I always loved her."

Tobias nodded then shrugged. "As much as you loved Grandpa Jack?"

Daniel looked at his beloved grand child then shook his head. "No where near as much as I love him.."

Tobias smiled. He loved his Grandpa Jack as well, but not as much as he loved Daniel. Grandpa Jack was the one that would take him for rides on his back around the garden - despite his advancing years, and he was the one that instilled in Tobias a deep love for the game of Hockey, encouraging him to take it up professionally. It was a goal the young man was still working on, in between studying for his Archaeology Degree. It was also Jack that Tobias got his dry wit from, and many of his mannerisms too. Daniel took comfort in that as he watched the young boy grow into a young man in the years following Jack's death.

At the age of 13, Tobias was devastated the day he got back from camp to be told that Grandpa Jack had died...

Jack had known for a while that he had cancer. It was something he chose not to share with Daniel until it became too obvious to hide it any longer. Together they tried to keep the news from the boys, deciding that Sahm had enough on his mind with his work at the Stargate Programme while Tobias was just a young teenager, in and out of the house, going away to summer camps, never a care in the world or a concern that either of them wouldn't be there when he came home..... It wasn't hard to keep the secret.

Daniel had been in the garden, Jack was on his garden chair, watching his lover who was still very good looking for a guy of 81, except he'd lost the hair a long time ago. In the early days Daniel was always reminding Jack what Cassandra - from the future- had said to them that time they went back in time to 1969. She had said that she'd barely recognised Daniel *with* hair. Jack had tried to calm his concerns by telling him he'd love him bald or that having no hair would bring out his blue eyes more or, more importantly, that worrying about it was only going to make it fall out quicker anyway! Gradually, over the years, it all went, but to Jack, he was still the cutest thing on this earth!

So on this warm summer's day Jack laid on the lounge chair, soaking up the rays, watching Daniel as he pottered around, pruning back bushes here and there. Daniel had been keeping a constant eye on Jack all morning as he didn't look so good that day and Daniel was concerned. He'd called the Doctor who promised to call by in the afternoon then Jack asked to go into the garden. Daniel had set him up, with a rug and hat and drink, then he went about with the shears and chopped off any wayward leaf on the shrubs at the bottom of the garden.

"You know, this is why we have a gardener," Jack had called out to him. Daniel had lifted his hand and tossed it at him as he went about his work again.

"I enjoy this," he called over his shoulder. Jack had smiled to himself.

"Danny," he heard Jack call. As he turned he saw that Jack was trying to get up, and quickly went to him. Jack collapsed in his arms and they crumpled to the ground together, Daniel cushioning the blow for his lover...

"Please.. Jack .. not yet! I'm not ready to lose you yet.." he cried but Jack's tired brown eyes looked up at him, and a smile twitched on his tight mouth.

"I'll always be with you, baby.." he said, wincing a bit with the pain.

Daniel shook his head and put his face next to Jack's as he whispered, "I love you..."

He felt Jack pat his leg then looked at him again. "I love you too, space monkey.." Jack flinched once more.

"Does it hurt?" Daniel sniffed.

"Only when I laugh.." Jack mumbled and Daniel cried as he gave a soft laugh, his hands touching Jack's face tenderly.

"Have I said it enough to you Jack? Have I shown you enough? Do you know how much you complete me?" he sniffed and Jack nodded feebly.

"You and I made one hell of ... a.. team.. Danny.." Jack groaned as his eyes started to loll shut.

"Oh.. please, Jack.. no..." Daniel whispered as he buried his face against his neck again.

"Hey, baby.." Jack whispered weakly and Daniel sat up, glad to see he was still with him. "It's been one hell of a ride, huh?"

Daniel bit his lips together and nodded, his tears sprinkling onto Jack's face as he touched his fingers to his eyebrow, to the deep furrow between them, down his eye, making it close as he did then open as the fingers dropped onto the cheek then onto his mouth.

"One hell of a ride, Jack.." he whispered as he looked up into the soft brown eyes for the last time. Jack gave a gentle smile then flinched and Daniel watched as his lover's eyes glazed over. He sniffed loudly as he lifted Jack in his arms, cradling him to his chest, sobbing quietly against his neck as the warm sun shone down on them in the garden.

==

Tobias broke his memory of being told what had happened that day and he looked over at Daniel, seeing the tears in the vacant blue eyes, his mouth opened and his breathing slightly ragged. His skin looked paler than it had and Tobias was suddenly concerned.

"You alright?" he asked gently. Daniel blinked away the tears and focused onto Tobias. He gave a weak smile.

"I'm tired, Tobias..." he sighed soulfully. The young man shifted next to him, lying his both his hands on Daniel's forearm now. He knew the past ten years had been hard on his grand dad, learning to live without Jack was not easy for him. He aged so quickly too, like losing Jack had sucked all his life and blood from him. He knew that his Grandpa Jack had completed Daniel so much, that it was like learning to live without a limb. Aunty Sam and Aunty Janet had been around a lot more, keeping watchful eyes on their old friend, seeing that he took care of himself and they'd asked Tobias to watch over him too. And right now the young man thought he needed to call them.

"Grand dad.. will you be alright until I get back? I'm just going to make a call.."

Daniel smiled and nodded feebly. "Of course, off you go," he said, indicating with a flick of his shaky hand towards the phone. Tobias got up and made the call, telling Sam and Janet to get over there as soon as they could, something wasn't quite right with Daniel. Then he went back to him, holding his hand and carefully stroking his arm.

"Have I told you lately Grand dad.. umm.. I love you?" he asked, tears stinging the back of his nose. Daniel turned tired eyes onto him then smiled.

"You tell me every day in every thing you do," he said. Tobias nodded and smiled.

"Just checking.." he said.

"Tobias..." Daniel called softly as his head rolled back and his eyes stared up at the ceiling. The young man stood to look down on his grand dad. The pale blue eyes looked at him, then he raised a shaky hand to touch the soft cheek, his mouth moving slightly but the effort to speak took his breath away briefly.

"Oh.. Grand dad.." Tobias shook his head, fully aware he was losing his grandfather.

Daniel wet his lips again. "As Jack said to me once, it's been one hell of a ride..." he chuckled softly. Tobias' vision blurred so he blinked away the tears.

"I've called Aunty Sam and Aunty Janet.." he said. Daniel's breath grew shallower.

"Thank you.." he whispered, his mouth barely moving now to form the words.

"Should I call father?" Tobias asked, his hand trying to comfort his grand dad in gentle strokes.

"No, he's probably busy.." Daniel said, puffing a little now. Tobias nodded then heard the doorbell ring and ran to the door.

"Daniel?" Sam went over and stood beside her dear friend.

"Oh, Sam... He's a worrier.. isn't he?" Daniel smiled, then he tilted his head to see Janet. "Oh? You too? My, what a turn out.."

Janet and Sam exchanged teary smiles then looked back down at him.

"How are you feeling Daniel?" Janet touched her trembling hand to his brow now.

"Strangely content.." he mumbled. Janet nodded. "There's a sort of hum.. going through me.." Daniel said quietly then he looked at Sam as he heard her sniff.

"Sam.."

She bit her lips together in a smile then laughed softly. "You know me Daniel, I cry at a drop of the hat these days.."

Daniel nodded feebly then held his hand out. "Tobias.." he said. The young man stepped up to him and took his hand, rubbing it against the back of his cheek.

"Well, this is a nice send off..." Daniel heard Jack say. He frowned.

"Jack...?" he called softly. Sam and Janet exchanged glances then Janet nodded, letting Sam know that it was very close now. Sam lent forward and placed a gentle kiss on Daniel's cheek. His eyes locked onto hers as she pulled back and they wrinkled ever so slightly with a smile. Janet reached down and touched Tobias' shoulder as the young man started to sob quietly.

Daniel swung around with such a quick force then he looked down at himself. He touched his hands to his chest then looked up. He was in the garden, the sun was shining and he was dressed in black.

"Danny.."

He swung around again, with the kind of agility that only a young man could do. He held his hands out, and realised that was because he *was* young...

"Oh, Danny boy!"

Daniel looked around again, suddenly aware of glasses on his face again. He hadn't worn glasses in years, not since the corrective surgery....

*whistle*.. "Hey!"

Finally he looked around again and saw him. Jack! Standing in the corner of the gate room. But he was just in the garden....? He looked down at the concrete floor, then he looked up. Jack was still there.

"Jack?" he frowned. Jack smiled and pulled his hands from his pockets as he slowly held one hand out to him. Daniel frowned then took a step towards him.

"I .. I don't get it..." he brushed some of his long hair out of his eyes. Then stopped himself! That wasn't something he'd done in a long time either!

Jack smiled. "What's not to get? I've been sitting here, freezing my ass off for the past ten years!"

The young man frowned. "Ten years? Jack. you're not a day over.. 40," Daniel shrugged.

"Actually, I'm 43. You're 36... the ages we were when we first got together."

Daniel frowned. "I don't understand..."

Jack gave a heavy sigh. "I was told to come and wait for you.. they told me that you were ready now. Something happened with Tobias today?"

"Oh...he's.. he's got himself a nice, young man..." Daniel said, pointing over his shoulder then realising he was pointing in the wrong direction so tried pointing the other way, but even that felt wrong.

Jack opened his mouth as he nodded. "Ahh, I see. So you feel now that you can finally let him go..."

Daniel shrugged. He wasn't sure what he felt.. only extreme confusion.

"But what if it doesn't work out? He's left all alone again?" Daniel said.

Jack shook his head. "It works out," he said. "Trust me on that one."

"How do you know that?"

"I don't know.. I just.. do!" Jack shrugged.

Daniel's brow furrowed as he bit his bottom lip. Suddenly he sensed it too! "Wow, that's so weird," his bright blue eyes blinked quickly, "I wonder why we can feel that... do you suppose it's the...?"

Jack smiled. "Forget it, Danny, just go with it. Come on.." he nodded up the ramp of the gate.

"What?"

Jack grinned, tightened the hold on his hand and then he looked up at the Gate. It burst to life. Daniel stepped up beside him then looked at him. Jack loved that puzzled look on his face and reached out, cupping his hand along Daniel's jaw. Then he pulled closer and kissed his lips gently.

Daniel touched his hand to his mouth. "I felt that.."

Jack nodded. "Good, I haven't lost my touch then!"

Daniel stared at him, then he slowly let go of his hand, cradling Jack's face in both his hands then he pulled him closer for a gentle kiss. Jack's arms engulfed him as they deepened the kiss. Finally they pulled back and Jack's eyes widened.

"Oh, boy. You haven't lost your touch either..!" He smiled then he gripped his lover's hand again. "Come on. The window of opportunity doesn't stay open forever.."

Daniel nodded and allowed Jack to lead him up the ramp, and through the gate one last time...
 
 

THE END.
 
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