| Part 7 | Disclaimers |
Spoilers in this part: Scorched Earth/ Beneath the Surface ~ S4
Less than one week later…
“So why didn’t you?” Paul’s voice on the phone sounded as far away as the man actually was.
“Well, I don’t know. I guess I just felt it wasn’t.. right..” Daniel said as he sat by his patio doors and watched the rain fall against the glass. It was nice to be home again. The Memorial Service for Robert Rothman had been particularly hard on him.
Jack didn’t look any better, as he stood solemnly on the other side of the crowd with the other representatives from the SGC, their heads respectfully bowed throughout the service. Daniel felt the need to talk to someone about Robert, especially about the last few weeks he’d spent with his ex-lover.
“Why not? We’re doing it.” Paul was delicately referring to their own form of buddy-fucking.
Daniel cringed. “Well, I guess maybe it was because we’re doing it – as you eloquently put it, thanks Paul – that I felt it would be wrong with Robert.”
There was a long silence and finally Paul said, “Yeah, but Daniel, you haven’t forgotten the terms of our agreement, have you? I’m mean; we’re not *exclusive*, are we?” They were statements, not questions.
“No, I know that..” Daniel said, too quickly to convince Paul that he did.
“I want to - no, I *need* to be sure – that you do, Daniel....” There was concern in Paul’s words.
Daniel waited a beat then said, as casually as he could, “So this obviously means you’re seeing someone else?” He blushed at the thought he might sound jealous.
Paul was silent a while then he said, “No,” and sounded like he meant it too!
Daniel felt a little easier at that. He didn’t mind Paul seeing someone else, but he was concerned about precautions. Not that they didn’t always use a condom and cream when they were together.
“I guess I’d tell you if I did-” Paul admitted quietly. “It wouldn’t feel right, otherwise.”
Daniel smiled at that. “Same here,” he told his long-distance lover.
“Good,” Paul said, happy again that their boundaries had been reaffirmed.
One month later….
Daniel entered his office and dropped his leather satchel onto his desk. There was an icon flashing in the corner of his computer screen, indicating that he’d received mail in his absence, so he opened the mail box. He scanned the multitude of junk mail, requests for research assistance from other Units within the base, general emails sent to all staff regarding issues pertaining to the base and even ones from Jack, discussing facts for their reports, until he reached Paul Davis’ name. That was the first email Daniel opened up. Inside was one simple line;
/ He tried to blow you up? The son-of-a-bitch!/
Daniel slumped into his chair and stared at the message. Word had obviously reached the Pentagon about the incident on P5S-381 two days ago, and Paul’s reaction was pretty much sympathetic with others on the base that had heard of the colonel’s action with the Naquaada reactor-turned-bomb.
Daniel still wasn’t sure how he felt personally. He knew he’d put the colonel between a rock and a hard place, having to decide which civilisation deserved the right to life, the Enkarans whom SG-1 had befriended months ago and had just relocated to this planet, or the sulfar-base Gadmeer civilisation, whom were, for want of a better expression, freeze-dried and not ‘organic’ but years advanced in technology and history.
He had to be truthful and acknowledge that he knew what he was doing when he agreed to go back to the ship with Lotan that last time. Daniel knew Jack had ordered Sam to build him a bomb with the naquaada reactor that was there to power the Enkaran world for the next twelve months. He also knew that Jack had a time limit on when he could detonate the bomb and if that meant he, Daniel, was on the ship at the same time – so be it. The colonel had a job to do – a mission to complete and a hell of a stubborn head on his shoulders. Daniel was just disappointed that ‘Jack’ also felt all of these – over and above the friendship that he’d thought they’d done some repair on in the past month since Robert Rothman’s death.
Maybe if Lotan hadn’t seems so ‘lifelike’. Maybe if he’d failed to gain Daniel’s sympathy with his calm demeanour and gentle way, then Daniel and Jack wouldn’t be estranged – again - right now.
Daniel wished Jack had said something to him, something along the lines of ‘I’m glad I didn’t blow up the ship’ to which Daniel would have retorted, playfully, ‘So am I’. But Jack didn’t speak to him. Not even as Daniel explained to the others in the debrief how he’d gotten Lotan to consider an alternative to terraforming the planet. Nor when he recounted the conversation with Lotan about how Lotan’s purpose was not to simply serve the life on that ship but to uphold the integrity of that life – and how he’d argued against how that could that be maintain through the mass-murder of the Enkarans.
Hammond seemed impressed. Even Sam had arched her brow slightly with a ‘good thinking’ expression in her eyes, but when Daniel glanced over at his ‘good friend’ Jack O’Neill, the old guy had his head down and was studying his hands – he wasn’t even listening to him, Daniel realised! They still hadn’t spoken.
However, his renewed loyalty over the past few weeks had him wanting to protect Jack, if only just a little. So Daniel hit reply and wrote the standard answer that he’d been giving everyone on the base who’d had the guts to creep up to him and tell him, in a low whisper for fear that Colonel O’Neill would actually discover them, that they thought he was an idiot to try to blow up SGC’s most valuable civilian;
‘He was only doing his job. DJ’
Still, even as Daniel hit the SEND button the same thought nagged through the back of his mind - Would Jack have done that if Sam was on that ship?
Jack showered, but no amount of cold spray alleviated his fire. He rubbed his skin harshly, as if scouring off his flesh might cleanse him of the feelings he had regarding his actions against Daniel on P5S-381 three days ago.
Not for the first time he'd been considering retirement. Going away, being alone, getting away from the man that had the power to infuriate him, to distract him from common sense, to make him start to make mistakes....
Jack sighed heavily. It wasn't Daniel's fault. It wasn't his fault, either. He couldn't help being in love but he couldn't do anything about it either. Not while he was a colonel in the Air Force and in charge of the very team Daniel served in.
As he rubbed his soap into the wet hairs on his chest the woodsy aroma stung his nose and made him think about Daniel. He could smell the guy whenever he was in a room with him. Daniel wore no scent, he was allergic to most and even Sam stopped putting on perfume when working alongside him. Yet there was just a fragrance that was quintessentially Daniel. Soap, shampoo, nothing definable, but Jack knew it and could mark Daniel’s position in a room behind him from it. The sodden man examined his soap and wondered if Daniel had ever noticed his smell, or if he even emitted one as distracting as the Archaeologist’s.
He cranked off the water and stood, dripping, on the cold tiled floor. He felt no better but he felt no worse, and with his moods of late, he could have gotten a lot worse! Less than an hour before he’d had Brad’s business card in his hand and was considering using it - he was in the need for something other than his own right hand tonight. As he stared at the card between his fingers though he had imagined Daniel’s face. Without another thought he finally ripped the card into pieces and dropped it into the trash can.
Jack moved to his bedroom without bothering with a towel and he climbed onto his bed, his damp body leaving a halo of shape around him as he lay akimbo on the dark gray sheets. He closed his eyes and tried not to think about how close he came to losing Daniel - how close he came to blowing the man he loved to tiny pieces. It took a while, but finally sleep came to him and took him away from his personal torment.
Five weeks later….
Paul gently stroked his fingertips down Daniel’s arm, drawing light images on the soft, warm skin. Daniel was doing likewise on the smooth skin of Paul’s chest. They were calm and quiet now, curled together in Daniel’s bed after a frantic sex session, whilst the muted television provided the only light in the otherwise darkened room.
When SG-1 failed to return their hail when on a mission to P4x 567 Hammond became suspicious. His suspicions were again raised when Major Griff - the older brother to Captain Griff, who’d been killed by Robert Rothman weeks ago - came back from the Ice Planet and reported that the Leader, Couldron, had claimed the Colonel had led his team to a glazier. It was Griff’s opinion that Colonel O’Neill would never attempt such a dangerous mission, so Hammond called off negotiations with Cauldron and Major Davis was called in.
When the team had finally returned through the gate, five hours ago, Paul felt a weight lift from his chest. Seeing Daniel dressed like *that* didn’t hurt the matter, either.
“Did I happen to mention how *hot* you looked in that outfit, by the way?” Paul asked as he grazed his lips lightly over Daniel’s ear. The young man chuckled and leaned up to look into the hazel green eyes.
“A few times, yeah.”
Eyeing the stubble that he’d personally insisted ‘had to stay there!’ Paul grinned. “How could O’Neill have resisted you?”
Daniel leaned in closer as he swiped his fingers over Paul’s bottom lip. “He had a Simpsons fixation going on.. I think he was actually dumber with that memory scan..”
“If that is possible..” Paul added then felt the sting of Daniel’s quick glare. “Come on! He hankered after Carter and not YOU, with you looking the way you did?”
“Smelling the way I did!” Daniel flopped onto his back and rubbed a hand across his face. Paul twisted and leaned up onto his elbow this time.
“Well, none of you were someone we wanted to get down wind of when you got back, if you know what I mean.”
Daniel blinked and then gave his bed buddy a sly grin. “You didn’t take long in getting me all sweaty again – I might add!”
Paul laughed and slid himself onto Daniel, draping his legs between the younger man’s thighs. “That’s because you looked so damn good!
“Technically, that wasn’t me-” Daniel pointed out to the man ravishing his chest. “It was a memory stamp of some guy called Karlan.”
“Well, can I get Karlan’s phone number.. I think I’m in lust!”
Daniel laughed now and gripped a fistful of Paul’s hair to lift his face up. “Karlan’s dead – get used to it..” Then he sighed loudly. “Maybe if I’d just kept my damn mouth shut about the memory stamp, worked my way through it myself with Teal’c – I could have jumped Jack when I had the chance.”
“Did Karlan like Jonah?”
“Hell, no! Didn’t even know him. None of us knew each other..”
“Except the colonel and the major – a bit convenient, don’t you agree?”
Daniel sighed miserably. “It did seem like Jack wanted into her pants..”
Paul held up a finger and did a good impression of Jack O’Neill. “Not Me! Jonah! For crying out loud!”
Daniel was too miserable to be impressed.
Paul caressed the shape of Daniel’s hip bone and the tops of his thigh with a wide stroke. “Do you think they..?”
Daniel shot daggers at the other man for the
suggestion. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”
“Sorry..”
“He seemed really weirded out when I mentioned I’d, that is, Karlan, had been dreaming about him, though..”
Paul rubbed his friend’s bare back sympathetically. “What kind of dreams?” he asked innocently. When Daniel rolled his eyes at him Paul muttered, “Oh,” quietly. “Well, I did hear that there have been some repercussions to this particular mission all ready.”
Daniel’s brow crinkled as he frowned. “How?”
“They are looking into the profiles of O’Neill and Carter – to see if there are any ‘conduct unbecoming’ in their history. The fact that they were memory stamped ‘together’ has some people asking a lot of questions!”
Daniel eased up onto an elbow and looked down into the unshaven face. “What for?”
Paul shrugged and traced his finger across Daniel’s brow line. “I think there’s an inside push in the Pentagon to get the colonel out. Conduct Unbecoming is a perfect end for the Colonel, in some people’s view.”
“Why?” Daniel’s blue eyes filled with worry and his brows knitted together. “Despite his failings as a decent human being at times, Jack’s the best person to lead SG-1."
Paul pulled a face then shifted to reach his white wine from the nightstand. “There are those that would argue that point with you, Daniel..”
“You?”
“Me?” Paul took a sip and shook his head with his mouthful as he reached to put the goblet down again. “This push is from higher up, even if I was so inclined.. which I’m not.”
Adamantly, Daniel said, “If Jack goes, I’ll go.”
Paul raised a brow. “You feel that strongly?”
Daniel sat up and bent his legs, hooking his arms around his knees beneath the white bed linen. “You know how I feel about Jack..”
A smile tilted Paul’s lips as he made his way along Daniel’s arm, up to his ear with soft kisses. “Somehow I don’t think going in there arguing that you’re in love with the colonel, therefore will refuse to work if he’s not reinstated, will hold much water.. Probably just enough to drown yourself in, that’s all.”
The younger man rolled his eyes and bit back a moan as Paul’s lips brushed the back of his ear delicately. “I’m not about to go in <groan> and proclaim any such .. ah… shit-” He jerked his head away when Paul nibbled on him and gave his playful mate a good-humored glare for trying to distract him from his mood. The two men shared suggestive smiles then Daniel twisted and picked up his glass, downed one large mouthful of the fruity white wine Paul had brought along for their dinner then took another mouthful. Before he could swallow it Paul had gripped the back of his head and forced their mouths together so that he could steal the wine from Daniel’s lips. The younger man moaned and settled into the kiss, sharing his liquid willingly with his bed partner.
The two men kissed languidly for hours, enjoying the taste and texture of each other’s mouth – both still too satiated from their earlier sex to feel more passionate stirrings.
Carter, Teal’c, Janet and Jack crammed into a booth at the local Bar, deciding that they needed to celebrate their return to real life. It appeared to Jack that Sam had something she wanted to straighten out with him, but he didn't want to go there - not tonight, maybe not ever. Jack was passing out the round he’d just purchased when Janet said, “It’s a shame that Daniel couldn’t join us.”
“Yeah, where did he go to?” Jack asked as he settled in his chair.
“I witnessed him leaving with MajorDavis,” Teal’c said, picking up the packet of chips and clasping it between his large hands. Jack cringed then patted Teal’c’s arm, indicating that he wanted the pack. The Jaffa handed it over.
“Davis?” O’Neill asked as he gently pulled open the pack and shook its contents into the bowl.
“Apparently they’re friends,” Sam said, diving in for a chip. She held Jack's gaze as he did a double-take at her.
“Who knew?” the colonel shrugged as he settled back, diverting his gaze from Sam's lock.
“Paul would have been welcomed here,” Janet said. When Sam gave her a sly smirk the Doctor jabbed her in the ribs with her elbows.
“Oh?” Jack arched his brow and looked at Janet. The Doctor blushed then shot a dagger look at Sam, making the Major chuckle more before filling her mouth with potato chips.
“Teal’c?” Jack now quirked his head as he turned to the man beside him. “Are you able to shed some light onto this subject?” He was referring to Carter and Fraser.
“I have witnessed DanielJackson and MajorDavis leave together many times whilst the Major is here.”
Jack was suddenly interested in the new topic. “You have?”
Teal’c bowed his head slightly. “I believe they are good friends, O’Neill.”
Jack didn’t like the sound of that at all. Daniel was his friend. What did he need to be friends with another man for? Another good-looking man… Jack gulped his beer and wiped his lips with the back of his hand.
It took some time, but both Daniel and Paul managed to extricate themselves from the bed, put on some warm bed clothes then go out to find food in Daniel's kitchen. They sat on the sofa in the living room while they ate the heated tinned soup - the only thing left in Daniel's pantry that hadn't rotted in his time away.
After eating, they'd settled quietly together on the sofa. Daniel was watching television and Paul was sitting beside him, reading a book, while he absently rubbed Daniel’s feet with one hand. Both men were dressed for bed in flannelette pajamas and socked feet. Paul was reading one of Daniel’s journals from a two-year old mission and appeared engrossed in the neat words while Daniel channel changed, not able to settle on one thing, it seemed. He sighed and tossed the remote onto the sofa between them.
“With television this bad is the world worth saving?” the anthropologist grumbled as he dropped his socked feet from Paul's lap and reached forward to pick up his coffee.
Paul grinned then raised his chin, looking at the back of the dark blond head. He placed the book on the floor beside the end of the sofa and sat up. Before Daniel could move Paul was nibbling the back of his ear tenderly. The younger man squirmed and moaned as the tongue snaked around towards the well in his ear. Daniel leaned back and Paul slipped partway across his lap, his arm out to hold himself up as his lips met Daniel’s and brushed the softness for a moment before their mouths opened to the other and their tongues touched for the first time in months.
Daniel groaned as he brought his hand up to cup Paul’s ear. He knew how good Paul could make him feel and he anticipated it with an ache in his heart. Paul’s tongue grew frantic in Daniel’s mouth as if he was unable to satiate his need with that act. Wordlessly, the older man slipped backwards off the sofa and knelt before Daniel. He looked up at him then he reached up and lowered the waist of Daniel’s pajama pants down to his thighs. Daniel arched, the thrill building to a sweet crescendo for the antagonizing moment that Paul would take him into his mouth. When he did that, Daniel arched up again, a soft cry puffed off his lips and he clamped his eyes tight to concentrate on the sensations building within him. Paul knew how to tantalize and tease, his lips brushed over the tip, his eyes fixed onto Daniel’s, his smile teased and thrilled the younger man. “Tonight I’m going to fuck you from behind..” Paul murmured against the shaft. “And you’re going to believe I’m O’Neill.”
“No,” Daniel shook his head, unable to fight too hard as he was awash with sensations that sapped his strength. “I won’t do that.”
Paul teased him further then almost brought him to the end before he raised his face and said, “You will.” A moment later Daniel was crying out roughly, no names, nothing intelligible, just cries roughened by orgasm. Paul rose to his feet and held out his hand to Daniel. The younger man allowed him to pull him off the sofa, wrap a tight arm around his waist and take him to the bedroom.
Daniel flopped face first onto the bed and Paul soon divested him of his clothes, then his own. He kissed Daniel’s back and buttocks, slowly working his way to the cleft and working at it once he was there.
Daniel barely had strength to push himself up off his face so it was with a ragdoll resistance that he was skewered by his mate. Paul brought Daniel back against his chest and for the first time in their love-making, Paul remained wearing his dog tags. Daniel couldn’t help but feel that he was trying to recreate Jack, as best he could imagine him. Daniel always fantasized about the dog tags, but he didn’t know why. As Paul fulfilled his needs he kept urging Daniel to give into his fantasies, to allow his mind to conjure up Jack’s image. Daniel tried to fight it but with the tags in his back and Paul’s hand on his cock again, he was powerless to stop the growing images of Jack’s face, his smile, his voice as he again neared his end. Paul, doing a remarkable impersonation of Jack O’Neill, whispered tenderly into Daniel’s ear, “Who loves ya, Space Monkey.”
That was Daniel’s undoing. He shuddered and then lurched forward, spraying seed across the bed as he cried out one single moan from his parched lips; “Jack!” As he came down, his body shivering through the sweet sensations, he turned his face towards Paul and they kissed.
As Paul pulled back he breathed against Daniel’s lips, “Yes, I think he should.” They kissed tenderly again and then Paul, who’d finished amongst Daniel’s climax, eased himself from the tight ass and then rolled onto his side. Daniel looked at him, then down to his cock, flaccid and weepy against his inner thigh, then back to his face again.
“You finished too?” He crawled up beside Paul and flopped onto his side with a grunt. Paul grinned lasciviously as he swiped some of the short hair from Daniel’s damp forehead. “You calling out Jack’s name did it for me.”
Daniel laughed; a deep, throaty laugh as he brushed a curled finger beneath Paul’s chin. “Most relationships break up when the partner calls out another’s name.”
Paul smiled then dipped his face to kiss the finger before he said, “Ours is strengthened by it.”
“Why’s that?” Daniel asked lazily.
Paul searched the gorgeous face, with its afterglow perspiration and the pinkness of orgasm. Daniel’s chest rose and fell steadily again and his eyes had trouble staying open. As he drifted off to sleep Paul remained silent, for fear of waking him again and having to answer the question. After he’d watched Daniel sleep for a long while he turned and clicked off the bedside lamp, then he tucked himself against Daniel more tightly and fell into a deep slumber of his own.
End of part seven
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Rights held by Nessessitee –Dec 2002