The End Of The Line

Wadjet

Part One

Jack O'Neill lay beside his lover of two years, unable to sleep and staring at the ceiling. He turned, propping himself up on one elbow, and gazed in wonder at the sleeping man. He brought a hand up to stroke his lover's face, then stopped. Daniel looked so beautiful in repose, Jack hadn't the heart to wake him.

They'd made love frantically the night before, clinging to each other as if their lives depended on it. That last mission had been close. Too close.

They'd been surrounded by Jaffa, the GDO had been dropped in the panic, and Daniel had almost lost his life going back for it. The Jaffa had been closing in, staff weapons going off all around them as Daniel desperately dialled home. The blast damage to the walls of the 'gateroom bore witness to the ferocity of the battle, and how near SG1 had come to not returning home at all. Again. How many times was that now? If they'd been cats they would surely all have been down to their last life or two. Except for Daniel. He'd been dead more times than Jack wanted to think about. These days whenever they went through the 'gate, it worried Jack senseless that maybe this time would be the last.

Jack was tired. The whole of his adult life had been spent being shot at, captured, tortured, stressed out. He was sick of fighting what seemed to be an invincible enemy. Sure, they'd taken out some of the Goa'uld along the way, perhaps slowed them down a little. They'd even managed to forge good relationships with some of the more powerful races.

Unfortunately, the Nox had stayed firmly on their fence, and no-one knew where the Furlings were, even if they existed at all any more. To Oma Desala 's race, the Ta'uri were little more than ants in the scheme of things, and no-one had heard from Daniel's grandfather since he'd been left with the giants. Sadly, the Tollan were no longer around. Or at least that's what they all assumed, and even when they had been, their policy of not trading technology with more primitive races meant they weren't much use. Primitive. The Tollan's insistence on the use of that word had always stuck in Jack's craw.

The Asgard and the Tok'ra had come to their aid several times, but not really as part of the fight against the Goa'uld. They both regarded the Ta' uri as primitive too. Not advanced enough to be trusted with the technology they needed. That grated with Jack as well. SG1 had helped them both out of tight spots more than once, but sometimes it felt like the goodwill only went one way.

Still, maybe the Asgard and the Tok'ra were right. Everywhere you looked on Earth there were fights, wars and squabbles. Usually over land. Land which would, in all likelihood, be unchanged long after the human race had gone. In time, humans would probably destroy each other, or the Goa'uld would finally come back and do the job for them. Either way the land would still be the land, and belong to itself just the way it always had, no matter which flag flew over it.

Daniel stirred, mumbling in his sleep. Jack was so much in love with the man, some days he felt his heart could explode. It had been a major surprise to him that he could fall in love again at all after Sara. The fact that he' d fallen for another man had been somewhat of a shock too, but that the man was Daniel, for some reason, had been no surprise at all. Jack smiled. Whatever doubts had been in his mind melted away, as he watched the younger man open his bleary eyes and roll automatically into Jack's embrace.

Jack enveloped him with one long arm and nuzzled into his neck. Daniel snuggled closer.

"Mmmm. Morning," he whispered.

Jack's reply was to hold him closer, and kiss his neck and shoulder softly. Daniel pulled away slightly, and looked at his lover with his familiar frown of concern.

"You okay, babe?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. You?"

Daniel smiled, "A little sore maybe, but otherwise I'm okay. We went at it kinda hard last night."

Jack smiled back, a little sheepishly, "Yeah. I guess I got a little carried away. Sorry."

Daniel cradled the older man's face in his hand. "Hey, don't apologise. I'm okay. Really. What's wrong, Jack?"

"I've decided to retire."

Daniel sat up in bed, "What? What's brought this on?"

Jack lay back on the bed and sighed. "I've had enough, Danny. Yesterday was close. Too close. You could have died. We all could. I can't do this anymore."

"But that's the nature of the beast. Most of the time we haven't a clue what we're going to find when we step through the 'gate. We all know that every time could be the last one."

Jack sat up and faced him. "Everything's different now. It'd break my heart to lose Carter, or Teal'c, but if I lost you, my life would be over. I know that sounds kinda melodramatic, but it's true. I guess anyone who's served with me would think I'm going soft in my old age," he chuckled, "and they'd probably be right. Fact is, I love you. I know you know that, but you've changed the way I look at things. On and off the job."

Daniel rubbed his face with both hands, and ran them through his spiky hair. "If we're gonna have this kind of conversation, I'd better make some coffee. You get a shower and I'll go put some on." He kissed Jack lightly and got out of bed, slipping on the blue towelling robe Jack had bought him for the Christmas just gone. Jack smiled ruefully when he remembered buying that particular shade because it matched Daniel's eyes so well, and also remembered feeling a complete sap for doing it.

He padded into the bathroom and turned on the shower, waiting a few seconds for the water to reach a temperature which wouldn't make his balls retreat inside his body completely, and stepped in. The warm spray felt good, wakening his skin, making it tingle. He picked the sandalwood shower gel which had been one of Daniel's gifts on that same Christmas morning. Everywhere he looked, and everything he touched seemed to remind him of his young lover.

He poured a little of the gel into his hand and began to soap his body, noting all the scars and lines. All the physical evidence of a life spent in battle with one enemy or another. If that wasn't enough, there was the psychological damage, and the memories of another war which still shocked him awake, screaming in the middle of the night. These days though, Daniel was there when it happened, and Jack didn't have to sleep with the light on anymore. His lover was always there to hold him as he wept, murmuring softly and rocking him back to sleep.

It was a side of Jack that only Daniel saw, and Jack liked it that way. "Signs of weakness are not a good thing in prison." Jack had once told him. Well, the same went for the 2IC of the most secret project in the history of the planet. It wouldn't do for anyone else in the SGC to know that Colonel Jack O'Neill, one of the toughest men in the Air Force, cried like a baby in the dark. It also wouldn't do for the rest of the SGC to know who cradled him through it.

"Don't ask. Don't tell."

No-one had asked and Jack was tired of not telling. Running his soapy hands down his abdomen, he cradled his balls and fondled them gently. As he rolled them around in his hand, the other strayed to his thickening cock. Memories of the previous night flooded into his mind, as the blood flooded into his penis. Daniel's hands stroking him, fingers squeezing, probing inside him. Daniel's wet mouth engulfing him. Daniel's tight ass, hot and all-encompassing. Jack driving hard into him, over and over. Trying to fuck away the fear, trying to get so far inside Daniel, that they could never be separated by anything.

Jack's eyes closed and his hand began to move more swiftly up and down his cock as he braced himself against the wall of the shower with the other, concentrating on the sensation and the memory. He was too far gone to notice the presence of the man behind him, until he felt callused hands smoothing his flanks, one hand reaching around to pull and rub one of Jack's nipples, as he masturbated. Daniel gently bit his back and shoulders and Jack moaned, leaning into his lover's embrace, rhythmically squeezing the glans and increasing the pace of his stroking. His back arched, and he gasped as Daniel's soap slicked finger probed inside him, sliding in and out. The finger touched the small hard gland deep at the heart of him and Jack cried out, his come mingling with the water stream. Daniel continued stroking gently, taking the weight of the other man's jerking body while Jack grunted and squeezed himself hard, forcing out the last drops of semen, then lightly rubbed the sensitive end of his softening cock. Jack's orgasm faded like an ebbing tide and he finally relaxed, leaning back and panting Daniel's name.

They stood together, the warm water raining down on them both. Daniel held his lover tenderly, resting his head on Jack's shoulder. After a moment or two, he took the sponge and soaped Jack all over, then Jack did the same for him, pausing once in a while to kiss Daniel's face, his lips and his body.

They towelled off in silence, Jack wrapping himself in his old, comfortable black robe, Daniel in his new blue one. The younger man retrieved his glasses from the sink, wiped off the film of steam and put them on. He held out his hand to Jack, and Jack took it, their fingers automatically entwining, and Jack allowed himself to be led into the kitchen where the coffee pot was bubbling gently and reassuringly. He reflected silently that he would pretty much allow Daniel to lead him to hell with the same compliance.

Jack took his usual seat at the kitchen table, and cradled the steaming mug, which the younger man had placed in his hands. He gazed into the blackness and wondered if that was what his life would be like if Daniel ever got killed on a mission. He shuddered.

"Jack?"

"Hmm?"

"This isn't just about yesterday. Do you want to tell me what's going on? You're beginning to freak me out."

Jack sighed and took a long gulp of the hot liquid.

"Okay. Here's the deal. I'm scared. I'm scared that the next time we go through that fucking wormhole either I'm gonna end up dead or worse yet, you are. When we first got together I thought I could handle it. I didn't know how long it would last. Hell, I'd never had a relationship with a guy before, I didn't know how it would work. Buddy fucks and hand jobs in the middle of some godforsaken war zone is a million miles away from being in love with somebody. I never asked for this, Daniel. It just happened."

Looking into his partner's eyes, Jack saw hurt and fear reflected back at him. He moved quickly to reassure him. He took Daniel's hand and squeezed it. "I don't mean that I regret it happened, Danny. God. You know I'm not as good with words as you are, doesn't mean I don't feel it just the same. It was a shock. Can't deny that. But I wouldn't be without you now for anything. And I mean anything. I'm becoming a liability to the team. I care more for you than for Carter and Teal'c, and I'm afraid I could fuck up and put us all in danger." He took another sip of coffee.

" Y'have to understand. I'm Air Force. All my adult life, some General has said 'Go out and shoot that' or 'Go bomb that place.' So I have. Followed orders right from Day One. Even though I'm not exactly... orthodox, you might say."

Daniel grinned, "You might say."

"I've taken care of my team, I've cared about my team, but this is the first time I've fallen in love with one of my team. I thought I loved Carter once, but that soon faded away. Then there was you. I guess I probably fell for you a long time ago but never realised. I thought it was friendship. You were like my kid brother. Then things changed.

It was different for you. You'd had relationships with guys before. None of which I want to know about, by the way."

Daniel smiled. " Jealousy. I like that."

"Huh. Yeah. Go figure." Jack took another long gulp of his now lukewarm coffee, and sighed, "I guess I had a taste of what was coming when you were captured by Nem. We all thought you were dead and it screwed me up way more than it should have. I was gonna retire then, you know? Told the General. He wouldn't let me. He didn't even let me pay for smashing his car window at your wake! Then we found you and everything was okay."

Jack put his head in his hands, "Christ, Danny, I've lost you too many times already. It hurts. More than you can imagine."

Daniel smiled, grimly, "Oh, I can imagine, Jack. I can do more than that. I know. You were lost on Eudora for three months. Three months for God's sake! We thought we'd never get you back. We hardly got any sleep at all, we worked so hard. We tried everything. You weren't dead, but we didn't know that, and you might as well have been. Then we finally found you, and you were with Laira, I just."

"I was never with Laira," Jack interjected, "Not like.well, not like you think. I didn't love her. I was making the best of it. I thought I'd never see you again."

"Okay, I'll give you that one, but for a little while even I thought you were in love with Sam, and that meant you would never be with me. Christ Jack, I've been in love with you for years. Just me and my right hand. 'I care for Carter a lot more than I'm supposed to'. You think that didn't hurt?"

Jack hung his head in shame, unable to find the words to even begin to excuse himself.

"Then there was the whole thing with the bugs, and you expected me to give the order that would kill you. How do you think that felt? Hmm? I watched the torpedoes on the radar. I saw the pictures when they hit the submarine. Dammit Jack, I thought I was going to have to watch you drown or watch the bugs kill you in whatever gruesome way they intended to do it," he cradled Jack's face in his hand. "Look at me, Jack. Don't you think it scares me half to death every time we go on a mission? Don't you think I'm just as scared of losing you? Have you any idea how much I need you? I've lost every single person I ever got close to. My parents were killed, my wife was made a Goa'uld, by Apophis. APOPHIS for fuck's sake! I had to deliver his baby, and then Sha're was killed by one of my best friends ."

"It was Amaunet, Daniel. She would have killed you," Jack interrupted quietly.

"Yeah. I know. I forgave Teal'c. He did the right thing, I know he did. He freed Sha're. It was best." Daniel paused to gather his thoughts and drained his mug before continuing. "My grandfather's off world with whoever the hell they are, then there was Ke'ra, and even my girlfriend from college wasn't safe. I couldn't exactly be accused of making healthy choices when it comes to relationships. At least, not very healthy from the point of view of the person I'm with."

Jack chuckled, "Should I take that as a warning? Seems like you're making my argument for me!"

Daniel smiled, "Point taken."

Jack picked up Daniel's hand and kissed his palm, lightly. " Aw crap. Maybe we should both quit. I'll tell you the other thing that pisses me off. The fact that we have to keep this a secret. When we get back in one piece, the first thing I want to do is hold you in my arms and thank God that we're both all right. I can't do that. Can't remember the amount of times I've wanted to fuck you senseless in the showers, or hold you close and kiss you when you're in your office working, then there's that desk of yours that I keep wanting you to bend me over ."

Daniel pouted, "Jack O'Neill! Anyone would think you only wanted me for one thing."

Jack grinned, "Well, you have to admit, Danny, when we're together it's one helluva thing."

Daniel blushed and grinned right back at him, "One helluva thing, Jack."

"It's not even all that. It's stupid stuff, like the amount of times I've almost called you 'babe' at work. I know it's you calling me that more often than not, and I know I'm not much of a romantic, but I have been known to use terms of endearment like that. On occasion."

Coffee sprayed over the table as Daniel guffawed, "Yeah, but usually those occasions are when I'm buried hilt deep in your ass! Mind you, at least 'babe' beats the hell out of 'Spacemonkey'. Where in God's name did you get that from?"

Jack laughed, "I'm fucked if I know. It just came out, and for the record, that was another time we thought you were dead. God Danny, I really don't want to lose you. Scratch that. I can't lose you, and the longer we keep doing this job, the more likely it is that one of us will end up dead. I wanna do dumb stuff, like go to a gay bar and be able to hold hands, hold you, kiss you in public. I wanna visit San Francisco and cruise the bathhouses, now I know how good gay sex is. Ow! That hurt."

Jack rubbed the sore spot on his arm where Daniel's fist had connected.

"You'll have to discover how to have sex without your dick if you do." Daniel grinned.

" Jealousy. I like that," O'Neill mimicked him, grinning smugly.

Daniel chuckled, "So. What do I do if you retire? If I go back to the academic community I'd never get a job, because even though you and I know that I was right about the pyramids,"

"And boy, were you ever." Jack interjected.

"Well, that's as may be, but no-one else can ever be told. They still think I'm crazy."

"You mean you're not? Let's face it, you're with me. That's more than enough evidence in anyone's language," Jack teased.

Daniel peered over his glasses, "Hmmph. And if I went back to archaeology, I 'd be away on digs half the time. Assuming I could get on one, we'd be apart a lot of the time. What would be the point?"

Jack finished his coffee and considered, "Well, if you can't quit the SGC, I figured you could still work for them even if we tell Hammond about us. You' re a civilian, so the regs don't count. You could take a desk job, still do the stuff with the rocks and shit,"

Daniel frowned. Jack smiled weakly, "or put another way, utilise your extensive archaeological expertise."

"Hmmph. Better." Daniel grunted.

"You could still deal with the language stuff, and I could find work pretty easily as a civilian security consultant. I looked into it when I retired the first time. It could work, Danny. We'd make it work."

The younger man beamed at him, "God, I love you. Come here."

Jack moved around the table, and was grabbed by the neck and drawn down for a tonsil tickling kiss.

"Now, get into that bedroom, Colonel, and get naked, because I'm going to fuck you until you beg me to stop." Daniel grinned.

A wicked glint appeared in Jack's eye. "Hope you've got some viagra in the bedside drawer, Doctor Jackson, because you're not gonna hear me begging for that any time soon. Last one to the bedroom's a pansy."

Daniel stood up and removed his robe wiggling his hips suggestively as Jack stood, positively drooling.

"Well, I would guess that makes both of us," Daniel smiled coquettishly.

O'Neill shook his head. "Daniel, you have the most beautiful ass I have ever seen. It has 'Lick me, Jack, Suck me, Jack, Fuck me, Jack' written all over it. Who am I to argue? Lemme at it!"

Part Two

Jack snuggled further into Daniel's embrace, laying his head on the younger man's chest and resting an arm across his body. Daniel placed a kiss on top of Jack's greying head and sighed.

"Do you think we could do this forever?" he asked.

Jack smiled, "The sex or the snuggles?"

Daniel grinned, "Both."

"The snuggles I can do any time."

The younger man chuckled, "Yeah. Who would have thought you'd be such a sucker for a cuddle?"

Jack raised his head, "You tell and I'm gonna have to kill you."

Daniel pushed his head back down, "Oh shut up, macho man. As if I would. But then again.I could always blackmail you with it."

"Too late, Jackson. I already told you. I'm retiring. I have this little fantasy,"

"Go on.no, let me guess. You want to go down on me in the 'gateroom?"

Jack stroked Daniel's chest, his hand slowly making it's way down his body. "Actually, no, but it's an idea," he grinned, "You standing on the ramp in your bandana and your khaki BDUs that wrap around your tight little ass so well, leaning against the railings,"

Daniel squirmed as Jack's hand wrapped itself around his dick, which was beginning to show signs of interest. "Keep going."

"Then I could kneel in front of you,"

"Hmmm."

"Unbutton your pants," Jack's hand started to massage him.

"Yeeeahh."

"Take out your dick and squeeze it. I'd rub it slowly."

"Aaaaahh."

"Kinda like this,"

"Ah God, go on Jack. Keep talking."

Jack chuckled. This was a new one, he'd have to store this away for later.

"Then I'd look up into the control room and see all the guys up there. Walter at the computer, and Teal'c, and Carter."

"Oh Jesus."

"and General Hammond looking down on us, with their jaws on the floor."

"Mmmm, God, that's it Jack, squeeze it. Ooohh. All of em?" Daniel asked breathlessly.

"All of em. And then, just when I'm sure I've got their attention, I'd take your dick in my mouth and suck it. Like this."

Jack's hot, wet mouth descended on Daniel's by now rock hard cock and took him in to the root, sliding and sucking, changing the pace as Daniel writhed and moaned beneath him.

"Oh Christ, Jack. How did you get so damned good at this? Must have been all that.aaahh.b.b.battlefield training." Jack nipped the mushroomed head and grinned.

"Ouch!"

"Less of the lip, Doctor."

Daniel pushed Jack's head back down firmly, "More of the lip, Colonel and a little more tongue while you're at it."

Jack continued sucking, rubbing his own hardening cock at the same time.

"Jack.ooh Jack."

O'Neill stopped abruptly.

"What?! Dammit, I was really getting somewhere."

Jack grinned, "But my Mom always told me it's rude to talk with your mouth full. Do you want me to carry on telling you about my fantasy?"

Daniel's eyes widened and his cock jerked, "Yeah. Tell me. Everything."

"Well, after I've sucked you for a little while and made sure your cock was really hard.like it is now."

"Yeah?"

"I'd unbutton my pants so that you can take 'em down."

"Uh-huh."

"Then I'd lean forward against the railings."

He got out of bed and braced himself against the nightstand.

"Like this."

Daniel grinned, clearly enjoying the scenario, and got out of bed to join him.

"Then," Daniel continued, "I'd kneel down behind you, stroking my dick, like this." He began to slide his hand up and down his erection wantonly, inviting the Colonel to watch. "Then I'd part the cheeks of your ass, "

"Ooooh yeah."

"And do this."

He began to lick and lave the older man's tight pucker, sliding his tongue gently in and out, able to taste his own come from their previous coupling.

"Oh God, Danny. Yeah. Do it."

"Then, when I'm sure your gorgeous ass is really ready for me," he stood and positioned himself, resting the head of his cock at Jack's entrance.

"I'd do this." He slid inside, his full length, making his lover gasp and push back against him. Grasping Jack's hips he began to rock.

"and. in front of. the whole SGC." he moved more swiftly, sliding balls deep with every stroke. "I'd fuck you. You want that, Jack?" he breathed.

"Oh damn, yeah! Fuck me, Danny. Fuck me hard. Ah God." One of Jack's hands moved to his own cock, stroking and pulling as Daniel fucked him hard and fast.

"Mmmm, oh yeah." Daniel panted, "The geek fucking the ass of the big, bad 2IC of Stargate Command, right there in the 'gateroom. With everybody watching. Oh Christ! Oh, they'd know then wouldn't they? Hmm?" he panted, "They'd know you were mine. Get in their goddamned, supercilious. military. 'Don't ask, oooh, don't tell', mmmm. fucking faces with it, aaaaahh."

"Yeah do it, Daniel. We'll show 'em all. Oh God.Daniel!"

Jack's come splattered out onto the wooden nightstand as Daniel jerked inside him, drawing his fingers so hard down Jack's back as he came, that red welts appeared under the skin.

He rested on Jack's back, their breathing slowly returning to normal, and Daniel kissed his neck.

"Wow." Jack turned his head and kissed Daniel's lips. "You are one sweet fuck, Doc Jackson. Holy shit."

"Flattered I'm sure," Daniel smiled, and withdrew from his lover with a final kiss to his glowing back.

"Ooh Jeez, Jack. I'm sorry."

"What?"

"Your back."

Jack looked in the mirror and saw the angry marks where Daniel's nails had scored him. He smiled, almost proudly, and grabbed Daniel for a searing kiss.

"Geek? Geek my ass. You're a tiger. And you're my tiger. I'm never letting you go, Danny. I'll tell Hammond today. You and me. Together. For good."

Daniel pulled back, resting his hands on the other man's waist. "God, you're really serious about this, aren't you?"

"Never more so. I." he looked down at the floor, unsure whether or not to tell Daniel what was in his heart. "Crap. I'm lousy at this."

The younger man cradled Jack's face in his hands. "What is it? You can tell me anything, Jack, you know that. Out with it."

Jack smiled. "It's not really the kind of thing you can just 'come out' with," he chuckled, "if you see what I mean? I know we've been together a while, but the way I feel about you is.well, it's all new to me. Like I said, I've had sex with guys before, but I never fell for one before you and it still kinda freaks me out sometimes. Especially what I'm feeling right now."

"Which is?"

"I.ah dammit. I want to marry you, Danny."

"Wha.?"

"Yeah. Crazy, huh? I mean. can we do that? " Jack blushed. Daniel thought it was the sweetest thing he'd ever seen.

"I think so," he smiled.

"I'm 45 years old, been straight all my life, well, basically straight. Career military. I just.I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Make a commitment. I wanna go stand on the top of Cheyenne Mountain and yell out at the top of my lungs, 'I love Daniel Jackson and if anybody can't handle it, they can stick it up their ass!' You've made me happier in the last two years than I can ever remember. When we first met I was ready to die. Hell, I wanted to. After losing Charlie, I thought my life was over. I never thought I'd be able to get past that kind of pain. Never wanted anyone to get that close to me again. I drove Sara away because I shut her out. Couldn 't share how I felt. You pulled me past that, kicking and screaming. You. Nobody else could do it. You made me feel again. I guess I couldn't help but fall in love with you. Oh God, I sound like an idiot."

Daniel pulled him close, fighting back the tears, "No, you don't. It's okay," he whispered.

Jack tenderly wiped one stray tear from Daniel's face with his finger. "See, I can't risk losing you. I won't. I want us to end up a pair of crabby old queens, bickering over whose turn it is to do the laundry or take out the trash. I want you in my life forever, Danny. Will you?"

"Will I what?"

"Jesus. For a bright guy. you want me to get down on one knee? Is that it? Because you know I can't, it fuckin' kills me."

Daniel laughed through his tears. "Will I marry you?"

Jack nodded, still embarrassed.

"Let me see. To coin a phrase, 'yeahsurey'betcha'," he smiled.

Jack held him close.

"You're the only one in this world who's ever made me feel safe," Daniel whispered into his neck.

That made Jack chuckle, "Safe? In this job? You have to be kiddin' me!"

Daniel laughed with him, "Yeah. I guess. I don't mean physically safe necessarily, I love you, Jack. I don't want to live without you. I've been scared all this time that you'd wise up and decide that being with me was a mistake, or that someone would find out and your career would be over. When we're together I feel like I could do anything, that we could be together always. Then I see you back in your element again and.I'd be afraid that you 'd leave, break up with me, and I wasn't sure how or if I'd be able to handle it."

"And now?"

"Now I feel like I could take on the world with one hand tied behind my back. You are mine, Jack O'Neill. Fuck em all."

They took the drive into Cheyenne Mountain in virtual silence, but there was no tension between them, both had knowing smiles on their faces the whole trip. Every so often Jack would ruffle Daniel's hair or Daniel would squeeze Jack's thigh. They entered the elevator and began the long journey down.

"So, how are we going to do this?" Daniel asked, "Together, or separately?"

Jack shrugged, "I guess I could go in first, prepare George for the bad news. I'm the one resigning. Then you could come in later and we could try and work something out."

"He's gonna go ape. You know that, don't you?"

Jack put an arm around him. "He'll be fine. He doesn't have much of a choice, now, does he?"

As the doors opened, Jack and Daniel were in a close embrace, Jack's tongue attempting to extract one of Daniel's wisdom teeth.

"Ahem."

Jack turned to see a young, extremely red-faced airman waiting to use the elevator, who then saluted smartly, "Sorry, Sir."

Jack grinned broadly, "Hey, no problem, Airman. We're getting married!"

The doors closed on the astonished, blushing young man as Jack and Daniel walked down the corridor roaring with laughter.

They were still giggling as they rounded the corner, almost falling over Sam Carter.

"Morning Sir, Daniel. What's so funny?" she asked.

Jack put his arm around Daniel's waist and squeezed, "Oh, we have news, Major."

Sam raised her eyebrows quizzically.

"Big news." Jack repeated, smiling.

"Huge." Daniel continued, looking at Jack and grinning.

"We'll see you later." With that, Jack strode purposefully down the corridor towards General Hammond's office.

"Daniel? What's going on?"

Jackson hugged her, "We'll tell you later. Go find Teal'c and we'll meet you in the Commissary in about a half hour. Okay?"

Sam nodded dumbly as Daniel jogged off to catch up with the Colonel.

Jack stood outside General Hammond's closed office door and took a deep breath.

"You still sure you want to do this, Jack?" Daniel asked.

O'Neill cupped Daniel's chin and kissed him, softly, for once neither looking around, nor caring if anyone saw them. "Absolutely. I told you. You and me. Together. No more hiding, no more fighting. Let someone else risk getting their ass blown to kingdom come, for a change. Personally, I have plans for yours."

Jack knocked twice.

"Enter."

The General looked up from his desk and smiled, "C'mon in, Colonel. What can I do for you?"

Jack sat down and crossed his legs, "Well, sir, you could accept my resignation."

Hammond dropped his pen. "What?! What's this about?"

"It's pretty simple, General. I want to resign from the Air Force. Effective immediately."

Daniel leaned against the wall outside the General's office, one arm wrapped around his waist, his head resting in the other hand. Various people walked by him, and occasionally someone would throw a concerned look his way, but Daniel was oblivious. After a few minutes, he took to pacing back and forth past the closed office door like an expectant father, frowning, hands in his pockets, clenching and unclenching.

Inside the small room, General Hammond was having difficulty taking in Jack' s bombshell. "You're my second, Jack. One of the best officers I've ever served with, even though you bend the rules to breaking point sometimes. I don't want to lose you. Are you under pressure? D'you want some personal time?"

"There's more than one reason I want to go, George. I'm sick of it. I've been fighting for a long time. Not as long as you have, I know, but I'm still out there in the front line and I've been in some pretty tough spots. We all have."

Hammond had to concede that what Jack and SG1 had faced certainly rivalled his experiences during the war in Vietnam.

"You're out there because you're damned good at your job. As are all of SG1. You're the best hope we have of stopping the Goa'uld from coming back and finishing the job they started 10,000 years ago. SG1 works as well as it does because you all have strengths which complement each other. You go out there and get the job done. That's why I let you get away with blue murder."

Jack smiled proudly. "Yes, we do. SG1 are the best I've ever worked with. Carter is a freakin' genius, Teal'c could probably stop a tank with his bare hands and Daniel. well, Daniel has pulled our asses out of the fire more times than anyone's given him credit for, sir. If it wasn't for him, the SGC wouldn't exist, and the Stargate would just be a pretty ring of metal stored in a basement someplace. Which is something else the boys at the Pentagon seem to forget on a regular basis. Truth is, he's partly the reason why I'm leaving."

"Doctor Jackson? What does he have to do with all this?"

"There's no easy or subtle way of saying this, and you know me, sir, I don't do subtle real well." Jack said, sheepishly.

The General chuckled softly.

"Me and Daniel have been together for the last two years."

"Together as in a relationship?"

"Yes."

"You and Doctor Jackson."

"Yup."

"Well, I can't say I'm not surprised, Colonel. I didn't know you were.I mean, I didn't know you preferred." the General spluttered.

Jack smiled, "Don't worry, sir. I haven't been having sex with every cute guy on the base. Just Daniel."

Hammond frowned, "And it's serious?"

"Oh yeah."

"Are you being blackmailed, Jack?"

"No, sir."

"Then why? You could have kept it quiet. Hell, I'm your Commanding Officer and I had no idea, and if it's been going on for two years, you must have been discreet about it. I don't want to break up SG1, you're my premier field unit. Are you sure this is really what you want? I don't want you to do something you'll regret later on. I'd be prepared to forget this conversation ever happened, and we can go back to business as usual. You can stay with Doctor Jackson and I can ignore the fact that it's going on. Assuming you can conduct your relationship as you have been up to now."

Jack shook his head and sighed. "I don't want to skulk around in the shadows any more. I love Daniel, pure and simple. I love him like I loved Sara - my ex-wife, sir. I couldn't exactly turn up at an official function with Daniel on my arm, despite the fact that I'm sure he'd look just great in a satin ballgown."

The General smiled despite himself.

"I know we can't be accepted by the military, as dumb as the 'don't ask, don 't tell' rule is, so I'm quitting. This isn't a flash in the pan thing, George. It's not some voyage of sexual discovery. Been there, done that. I'm too old in the tooth to be messing around. He wants me for me. He doesn't give a damn that I'm a crabby old sonovabitch, with no patience and bad knees. We argue like cat and dog at times, and he won't take my bullshit any more than I'll take his. He's good for me, General, and I want to be with him, and frankly, every time we go on a mission I'm scared to death I'll lose him. That makes me a liability to the rest of SG1 and that's not only unfair, it's dangerous. I won't put them in danger because I feel more for Daniel than I do for Teal'c and Carter. I don't expect you to understand, or even accept it. I'm just telling you. I quit."

"Then I guess that's it. I can't persuade you?"

Jack shook his head, "Not a chance. There is just one thing, though."

"And that is?"

"Daniel wants to stay on with the SGC, but as a consultant, not as part of a field unit. Can that be done?"

"I don't see why not, I'd hate to lose his experience as well as yours, but it would have to come from him."

Jack rose and opened the door, "Danny? Wanna come in for a minute?"

Daniel entered the room nervously.

"It's all right, son. The Colonel's told me all about you two. Why don't you have a seat?"

Daniel drew up a chair next to Jack, who put his hand reassuringly on the other man's shoulder.

"So, you two are an item, huh?" Hammond asked Daniel, smiling.

"Yes," Daniel said quietly, "ahem. Yes," he repeated, much more confidently. "Yes, we are. Absolutely."

"Well, I can't say I'm very happy about you taking away my 2IC, Doctor Jackson. Can't say I didn't wish you were a female, either, but that's not really open to debate."

Daniel smiled, "Sorry I can't be of any more assistance, General. The fact is that Jack and I are in love. That may not be a nice fact as far as the military is concerned, but it's a fact all the same. Jack is Air Force, and for us to make a life together he has to leave. I'm a civilian, and hopefully the same regulations don't apply. Frankly, I'd have a pretty hard time of it if I did have to leave the SGC. I'd be laughed out of academia, it's unlikely I'd be able to even get on a dig of any significance. As far as they're all concerned I'm a deluded idiot. Like my grandfather. The fact that we were both right is neither here nor there in the wider world, because no-one can tell them. I could still bring a lot to the programme, General. No-one knows more about the Goa'uld than I do, except Teal'c. As good as my staff are, no-one has the language expertise I have, or the extent of the archaeological experience. I haven't studied ancient Egypt, I've lived it."

General Hammond put up his hand to stop Daniel before the young man became breathless.

"It's all right, son. You don't have to convince me how important you are to the Stargate programme. I know better than anyone how big your contribution has been and still is. Personally, if being together makes you happy, then that's just fine with me. I wish you both well. Obviously from a military point of view, I have to go with the regulations and accept the Colonel's resignation, but with a heavy heart, I might add. I wish there was another way, Jack, but there isn't. As far as you're concerned, Doctor Jackson, I see no reason why you shouldn't continue working for the SGC. You're not a security risk, since the military rules don't apply to you in this particular case. Obviously I'll have to clear it with the Pentagon, but I have a certain amount of influence," he smiled, "and we certainly couldn't afford to lose your expertise for the sake of who you're sleeping with."

Daniel blushed.

"SG1 will have to be completely re-structured. Do Major Carter and Teal'c know about this?"

Jack shook his head. "Not yet. We're planning on telling them right after we leave here. We thought you should be the first to know."

"Well, all right then. Get a your resignation to me in writing, Jack, and I' ll process it immediately. Doctor Jackson, I'll have to do a little shifting around of personnel and I'd appreciate any recommendations, but before I do, I'll contact the Pentagon to appraise them of the situation. I'll be in touch, but in the meantime I'll put SG1 on stand down. Can't let you go quite yet, Colonel. Not til the paperwork is through."

"Yes, sir."

Hammond sighed. "I'll be sorry to see you go, Jack. It's been quite a ride."

"Quite a ride, sir," Jack smiled.

"I know I've said it before, but you are two of the best people I've ever had the privilege to serve with." Hammond stood and saluted.

Jack returned the salute. "Thank you. You too, sir."

"Dismissed."

Jack gently closed the door to Hammond's office and took Daniel by the hand.

"That went pretty well," Daniel smiled.

"Yeah, I guess it did at that," Jack replied, squeezing his hand. He picked up their conjoined hands and looked at them in wonder. "God, Daniel. I feel like I've had the weight of the world taken off my shoulders."

" Are you still sure you made the right choice, now it's done?"

Jack pulled him into a close embrace and nuzzled into his neck, laughing. "Yahsurey'betchasnookums."

Daniel pulled away and kissed him, "I love you, Jack. It'll be all right ."

"I can't believe you just did that outside Hammond's fuckin' office!" Jack chuckled.

Daniel grinned, "Know what? I couldn't give a shit." He stroked Jack's cheek softly. "I can't believe you just did that for me. You've given up everything. I can't tell you how much that means to me."

Jack leaned into Daniel's hand and kissed his palm. "Not for me Danny, for us. I can't imagine being without you. Don't wanna even try. If I had to bungee jump from the Brooklyn Bridge I'd do it. I'd take on a battalion of Jaffa armed with nothing but a rubber band and a coupla paper clips."

Daniel smiled, "You're not MacGuyver, Jack."

"Maybe not, but I look kinda like him, don't I?" he smiled back, taking Daniel's hand again and they began walking down to the Commissary to tell Sam and Teal'c their news.

Daniel loosed his hand and slipped his arm around Jack's waist. "Except for the hair."

Part Three

Sam turned around in her seat to get a good look around the commissary, which was fairly quiet because of the time of day. Shift changes had already happened, breakfast was long since over and lunch was an hour or so away.

"Daniel said half an hour. That was forty five minutes ago. Where the hell are they?"

"I do not know, Major, but if DanielJackson said they would be here, they will be here." Teal'c replied, with his usual pragmatism and complete confidence in the honesty and sincerity of both men.

Sam took a sip of her orange juice and sighed, "I wish I knew what all this was about. They were acting very strangely. Do you have any idea?"

"I do not."

"Well, they said it was big news, it obviously concerns both of them. It was almost like..."

"Almost like what?"

"Like they were... together."

Teal'c quizzically raised an eyebrow, "But did you not just say that they were together when they spoke to you?"

"I don't mean like that, Teal'c. I mean... together."

"I do not understand."

Sam smiled, "No. I guess you don't."

"Hey kids! Sorry we're late, we got a little..." Jack looked at Daniel, who was blushing furiously, and grinned, "... distracted. I'll get us some coffee. Carter?"

Sam shook her head, "No, thank you Sir, I'm fine."

"Teal'c?"

"I do not drink the coffee here. It is swill. But thank you, O'Neill."

"Swill? Daniel teach you that?"

Teal'c nodded, slowly, smiling. Daniel smiled proudly through his blush and Carter giggled. Daniel sat at the table with his head so far down, it was threatening to disappear into his t-shirt.

Okey dokey," Jack smiled, and went up to the counter. Looking back he shouted, "Don't you tell 'em anything til I get back there, Daniel. I wanna see their faces when we tell 'em!"

Sam decided to see if she could get Daniel to spill the beans anyway, and sidled up close to him, smiling sweetly and resting her head on his shoulder. "Daniel?"

Jackson shook his head and grinned at her, "Nuh-uh. He'd kill me."

"And?"

"Okay, I know. Been there, done that, but he's Special Ops trained, Sam. You can bet he'd find some way creative."

Carter banged the table in frustration, "Damn! Party pooper."

"You must curb your impatience, Major Carter," admonished Teal'c, "We will find out soon enough, but I must confess to becoming curious myself about your news, DanielJackson."

Jack returned with the tray, coffee for himself, tea for Daniel. The younger man always preferred tea in the commissary, his delicate coffee palate unable to stomach the cheap blend they always served here.

Sam couldn't contain herself any longer. "So?"

Jack smiled enigmatically, "So. Been busy?" he teased.

"Sir!"

Jack threw up his hands in defeat. "Okay, okay! Don't blow a gasket, Major. So. Tell 'em, Daniel."

Jackson took a deep breath, "Well, er... ah... I'm not sure how to start."

"Oh fer cryin' out loud! We're getting married." Jack grasped Daniel's hand across the table and smiled, looking into his lover's eyes.

The last three words were delivered to a silence so complete, you could have heard a pin drop. The silence was almost immediately broken by mutterings around the room.

Teal'c's eyebrows almost hit the ceiling, but other than that, there was no response from the big Jaffa. Sam initially chuckled, "That's a good one Sir, very original." Then something in the way the two men were looking at each other made her gut clench in shock. Her jaw dropped, coming to rest softly on the table top, her eyes as big as saucers.

"You're kidding, right? Sir??"

Daniel and Jack were completely immersed in each other, hardly noticing the stares from the other diners, or the abject shock on the face of their colleague.

"Colonel!"

"What?! Oh, Carter, sorry. Just stepped out for a minute there."

"Getting married? You and... you and... but... You and Daniel? Sir? Are you serious?"

Daniel wrapped his arm around Sam's shoulders. "We've been lovers for the past two years. We didn't tell you, because... oh God, there were a million reasons why we didn't tell you. Not that we didn't think you'd understand..."

"I don't," Sam snapped.

"Well, I guess it'll take a little getting used to," he smiled and squeezed her gently.

"You're not... I mean, I didn't know you were gay. Either of you, let alone both, let alone that you were..." she babbled.

"We're not," answered Jack, "well, I wasn't, I mean, not officially... kind of... we're... I mean... Daniel? Help me out here."

"The thing is, Sam, Teal'c. I had feelings for Jack almost from the beginning. I've been bisexual for most of my adult life. You weren't to know, it's not the kind of thing that comes up in general conversation and not the kind of thing you share unless it's necessary. The problem was never which sex I wanted to have a relationship with, it was just that I wasn't good at relationships. Period. Until him that is," he smiled.

"But Daniel, what about Sha're? Didn't you love her at all?"

"Of course I did, even though she was a gift. Trouble was, I was attracted to Jack when we went to Abydos, despite the fact that he was a complete jerk, and hated my guts."

"Hey!"

"Sorry Jack, but you were. At the beginning, at least."

"Well, okay, maybe I was. But I never hated you."

"Did."

"Didn't."

"Yes, you did."

"Did not!"

Daniel frowned, "Anyway. We started working together and I fell for him, God help me. Big time. I knew he didn't feel the same about me, or at least that's what I thought, and I did love Sha're. I just chalked it up to another unrequited crush. Then.well, then things changed and we got together. It turned out that Jack cared about me in the same way as I cared about him. He wanted the same things, but fought it off. I had no idea."

"You had no idea," Sam snorted, "What about General Hammond? What did he have to say about this?"

Jack chewed lazily on his slightly stale Danish and shrugged, "Not much he could say, seeing as I retired. Again."

Sam crumpled in her seat. "So, you're breaking up the team. Thanks a ton, Sir. They'll probably shuffle me off into a lab somewhere. Couldn't you just have kept quiet about it?"

Daniel looked at Jack, puzzled and concerned. This obviously wasn't the reaction they were expecting, particularly from Sam Carter.

"Sam, we thought you'd be happy for us." Daniel said, quietly.

Sam's face softened and she took Daniel's hand. "Don't get me wrong, Daniel. I am.I guess. I care for both of you and I want you both to be happy. Just didn't ever dream you'd find happiness with each other. It's a lot to get my head around, Sir. You just turned my world upside down. Teal'c's too. I just assumed you were both straight, you've both been married, both had relationships with women apart from your wives. What else was I supposed to think? You've never shown the slightest indication to me that you were attracted to men, or each other for that matter. Two years?"

Jack nodded, "Yup. Been living together for almost one."

"Why the hell didn't you say something? Didn't you think we had a right to know?" she almost shouted.

"Jesus, Carter! What are you? A cop?" Jack bristled, "We didn't think it necessary to put an ad in the base bulletin. We also didn't think you needed to know. Not then. Don't ask, don't tell. You didn't ask and neither did Hammond. Besides, it didn't affect the job. As your CO, it really didn't cross my mind to share who I was having a wild time making love with, and I'm so sorry if that's rained on your parade, Major, but that's the way it is. I'm in love. With him." Jack jerked a thumb in Daniel's direction, "I'm gonna get married. To him." Jack's tone softened. "Look, Carter. You and Teal'c are the nearest thing we both really have to family. We were hoping you'd be supportive. Let's face it, Daniel is in love with me, the guy needs all the help he can get."

"The guy can take care of himself just fine, flyboy." Daniel retorted.

"Dammit Daniel, you said you'd never call me that at work!" Jack blushed.

"You retired. It doesn't count."

"If anyone calls anyone else here 'baby', 'honeypie', or 'sweetcheeks', I'm going to have to leave." Sam smiled.

Her smile broke the tension, and all eyes turned to Teal'c, who sat as impassively as ever.

"So, big fella. What's your take on all this?" Jack enquired, wrapping his arm possessively around Daniel who had come to take the seat next to him.

"I have no take, O'Neill." Teal'c replied. "There is no custom on Chulak for a man to take another man for his wife. There are sometimes physical and emotional relationships between warriors, but there can be no formal union between them."

"So, what happens?" asked Daniel.

"Usually, the two men take wives and continue to see each other in secret. It is, as here, 'do not ask, do not tell'. The wives know what is happening, but never speak of it for fear of shaming themselves and their husbands. Since coming to your world I have learned many new customs and this union of men is one of them, even though it is not widely accepted. Perhaps it would work on Chulak, but not for many centuries, I fear. I am happy for you, O'Neill. I am sure DanielJackson will make you a good wife."

This last remark heralded chuckles around the table. Even Teal'c was grinning.

"Never thought of it that way," Jack grinned, "Hmm. Wife. I like the sound of that. Wife! Get my slippers. Wife! Where's my dinner?"

"Husband! Get over here so I can kick your ass." Daniel responded, smiling calmly.

"You think you're man enough, Dannyboy?" Jack parried, warming to the verbal sparring.

"You want me to show you again, so soon?" Daniel leered.

"Just wait til I get you home." Jack replied, a wolfish grin appearing on his face.

"Oh guys, wait up there. Very nearly waaaaay too much information." Sam interjected.

Both men grinned, sheepishly. "Sorry, Sam." Daniel apologised.

"Ah, yeah, sorry Carter."

"Are you two like this all the time?" she smiled.

The lovers looked at each other and smiled inanely. "Pretty much," Jack answered.

Sam rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprised? Although I never really figured you for such a sap, Colonel."

"Oh Sam, you have no idea," Daniel grinned, looking at his blushing lover, who shot him a glare.

"Hey. I'm retired. Paperwork still has to go through, but what say we give Jack a try, huh?"

"Sure. Jack," she smiled. "So, where do we all go from here?"

Jack shrugged, "Tell you the truth, I don't really know. I'm hanging up my boots, Daniel is staying on with a desk job, because quite honestly I've been on my own way long enough and there's no way some slimy snake-head is going to take him away from me. I don't know what Hammond has planned for you guys, I think he's still reeling."

"He's not the only one."

"Sam, I'm sorry we didn't tell you before," Daniel said softly, "Neither of us knew how long this would last. We wanted to be sure. Up to now, we've been able to work together and keep it quiet. Now? Now, it's different. I couldn't guarantee I would watch your back or Tea'lc's, as conscientiously as I should. I'm in love with Jack and I don't know if I'd save his life over yours, even if it wasn't the right choice for the team, but I might. I don't want to put us all in jeopardy like that."

Jack nodded his agreement, "That goes for me too, and for the CO to take more care of one of his team than the others, just can't happen. Not only that, but I've come to terms with being with him now. It doesn't screw with my head anymore. We love each other and make each other happy. I'm done hiding, I'm too old for that crap. I want to be out in the open. If folks don't like it, that's too damn bad, but at least this way I can't be fired for holding hands with the person I love."

"I guess so, S... Jack. Having a hard time getting used to all this. That's all."

"I know, Carter. I realise it's kind of a shock to everyone. It hasn't been exactly a walk in the park for us either, for all the reasons you came up with before. Still, now you're in the picture."

"Yep, I guess we are. So what's this about you getting married? You proposed?"

Jack nodded, "An officer and a gentleman."

Sam laughed, "You don't mean you picked him up and took him outside?"

"Yep," he grinned, mimicking Homer Simpson, "I'm going to the back seat of my car with the man I love, and I might be ten minutes!"

"Be careful, we might start calling Daniel 'Marge'", Sam teased.

Daniel sent her a mock hurt look, "Sam, I swear if you ever do that, I'll divulge your innermost secrets."

Sam blushed, he had no idea of her innermost secret. Why would he? She'd never told him how she felt about him. They were friends, great friends. The best, but he would never know now that she had wanted it to be more.

The truth was, their little revelation had hit Sam to the core. Up to now, she'd been content to hope that one day Daniel would fall for her the way she had fallen for him. She'd never meant it to happen, she guessed it was just a consequence of their close friendship. They talked a lot, laughed a lot, got along like a house on fire. She'd never thought to confess to him the amount of nights she'd lain awake, or cried herself to sleep thinking about him. Now it was too late. He'd found the other half of himself he'd always been looking for and it was Jack fucking O'Neill.

In hindsight it wasn't so much of a surprise. They shared each other's personal space way more than was normal for two guys. Daniel was much more physical with Jack than he was even with her. He would allow Jack to take liberties with him that he'd never allow anyone else to take. His glasses, for example. It was okay for Jack to push them up, or take them off, but he wouldn't let anyone else get that close. Ever. Then there was the time they all thought he was dead on Apophis' ship. She had naively thought that his smile was for all of them, but thinking about it now, he was just looking at Jack. The smile had been for him, and only for him. She remembered the time when Jack's mind was flooded with the knowledge of the ancients. Daniel wouldn't leave his side the whole time, or so she was told. If he could have, Sam thought Daniel would have gone through the 'gate with him, heedless of the fact that it could have been a one way ride.

She went back to her office almost spitting bullets. It was hard to keep the façade of being happy for them, when not only had the Colonel turned her working world upside down, but had broken her heart at the same time by taking away any chance she had with Daniel, forever. The dilemma was that part of her was happy. She really did love them both in different ways and really did want them to be happy. It would have been so much easier if they'd met someone from the outside though. For some reason, it stuck in Sam's craw that they were together. It was her problem, she acknowledged it was her problem and it was up to her to suck it up and get over it.

She did the only thing she could do. She called Janet.

About an hour later Jack sauntered into Daniel's office and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Jack!"

"What?"

Daniel blushed, "Oh yeah, I forgot. We're out now aren't we?"

"Oh yeah," Jack grinned and decided if he was going to be a bear, he might as well be a grizzly, and after winking into the security camera above them, he swooped down to take Daniel's gaping mouth in a full-on kiss. With tongues.

"Mmmmpphffff."

"I'm sorry?"

Daniel fought to catch his breath, "Nothing. Not a thing. I'm fine. More than fine. C'mere."

Daniel grabbed the Colonel's jacket and pulled him forward again, doing some serious exploration of his own, leaving the older man breathless too.

"Woah! That was... you are... damn Daniel. How in God's name do you do this to me? Two years we've been together, and you can make me hard just like that. I wonder sometimes how the hell I keep up with you!"

Daniel grinned, "Talent, Jack. Pure talent. Not to mention the fact that I love you down to the roots of your hair."

"Now, y'see there you go again. Talking about taking me down to the root."

"That's not what I said and you know it."

Jack grinned mischievously, "Do you think we've squicked them enough to have turned off the cameras?"

"Jaaaack..." Daniel admonished.

"Oh, all right. I can wait til we get to the truck. But no longer. I am so gonna blow you in the parking garage."

Daniel choked on his coffee, "Jesus, Jack, don't do that!"

"Try and stop me, spacemonkey."

"Oh, God. What am I going to do with you?"

"Well, you can blow me in the truck. After. I'm sure I'll be needing a little relief, and turnabout's fair play." Jack replied innocently.

"Out."

"But Daniel..."

"OUT! I am trying to find a minister or someone who can marry us. Gay marriage isn't legal in Colorado, so we can't have a civil wedding..."

Jack snorted, "Hmmph, no wedding I've ever been to has been civil. Always ends up with somebody fightin' somebody."

"I didn't mean... Jack, please. Just leave me be for half an hour. Then we can have a little lunch, take ourselves off to the parking garage and I can have dessert," he smirked.

"Me too!"

"You'd better. Now go, shoo, skedaddle. I have work to do." Daniel waved him away.

"Well, okay, but don't forget, all work and no play makes Jack a grouchy old bear."

"Half an hour. Forty five minutes tops. Forget lunch. My lips, my tongue. Your hard-on. Promise."

Jack put his hands in his pockets and turned on his heel, leaving Daniel's office, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

"Oh yeah!"

Daniel shook his head and smiled. Two years down the line and he still couldn't believe how happy Jack made him. Or how horny. He shifted in his seat and tried to think of the translation he was attempting to finish.

Jack was grouchy, stubborn, petulant at times, bright and breezy at six in the morning... Daniel shuddered at the thought. Even when Daniel had tried to keep him up all night - literally - the man was still awake at dawn. Thankfully, Jack knew how to deal with 'Morning Daniel'. Mostly coffee, coffee and more coffee. Daniel had gradually trained him in the coffee addict's ways, and apart from one extremely explosive incident with a pack of Folger's decaff, Jack was coming along nicely.

Distracted from his search, a thought occurred to him. He picked up the telephone and began to dial.

"Hello? Cascade Police Department? I'd like to speak to Blair Sandburg please."

"Well, whadaya know?" Blair put down the phone and ran his fingers through his unruly mop.

"Chief?" Jim Ellison enquired.

"A... friend. From college. Daniel Jackson. We studied anthropology together. He's getting married."

"That's great. Do you know her?"

Blair chuckled, "No Jim, not her, him. And not personally, although Daniel's told me plenty. He's a Colonel in the Air Force."

Jim raised his eyebrows, "The how the hell can they get married? The military isn't exactly famous for its tolerance."

"Jack retired. For Daniel. Man, that's some commitment. He must love Danny a whole lot."

Jim went quiet, "Yeah. So, er, you and Daniel?"

"Yeah."

"Good friends?"

Blair squirmed in his seat, "Yeah, we were... yeah, real good friends."

The sudden flush on Sandburg's face and his quickening heartbeat told Jim what he wanted to know. Something he'd been wanting to know for a while. Blair and Daniel had been lovers, which meant that Blair had been with guys before. It didn't necessarily mean that Jim's attraction to the young man was reciprocated, but it was a start. A few times he'd noticed the smell of arousal on his Guide, but Ellison was never sure enough that he was the reason, to follow it up. Something to pay close attention to from now on.

"He wants me to go down to Colorado Springs. Come to his bachelor party, be his best man, or something. Hell, I've never been to one of these things before. I have no idea!" Blair laughed.

"When?"

"Next weekend. You wanna come?"

Jim smiled and shook his head, "Can't. Sorry, Chief. Simon's booked me for a stakeout next weekend."

Blair looked puzzled. "He never said."

"Oh it wasn't for you to worry about. Just a favour for another Captain. Only needs one of us. You go ahead to Colorado Springs and have a good time. And no hitting on the bridesmaids... or whatever."

Sandburg's puzzled expression deepened. "Sure. Okay, Jim. I'll call Daniel back and tell him."

"I'm going to the snack machine. You want anything?"

"Man, since when have you known me put any of that crap into my body?"

Ellison threw up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. Only asking. There's always a first time. For everything."

Blair could swear he saw something flicker in Jim's eyes, desire maybe? A dare? Was he flirting?

"Nah. Not possible." Blair whispered to himself and picked up the phone.

"Ah Christ, love you Daniel. Bless the gods of tinted windows and big parking garages." Jack sighed, ruffling Daniel's hair as the younger man tucked Jack's soft member back into his pants and zipped them up. "I thought the top of my head was gonna come off."

"Mmm. Me too. You really are something, Jack. How come we've never done this before?"

"In the truck?"

Daniel nodded.

"I...'ve thought about it. Once or twice. For a little while. All the fucking time," he grinned.

"Kinky. Dangerous. I like it. Think of any more public places we could do it?"

Jack snorted, "You mean like all the storerooms in the SGC? We already did those."

Daniel smiled, "Oh I don't know. There's one on Level 16 we haven't tried."

"How about Main Street in the middle of the day? That dangerous enough for you?"

"I like a little danger. The possibility that we might get caught. I've seen enough cells to not want to be arrested, thank you!" he thought for a second or two, "Although, I've seen a couple of discreet places in the woods I'd like to check out sometime."

The glint in Daniel's eyes threatened to make Jack get hard yet again, and he marvelled both at his lover's libido and his ability to pull Jack along for the ride. And what a ride it always was. Jeez, who knew? No wonder Sha're practically kissed his face off when they first went back to Abydos.

"I'm gonna get you some bromide, Jackson. Now, did you find anything out about ministers?"

"As a matter of fact I did. Neither of us are religious, and if you look in most religious texts, what we're contemplating is pretty much a no-no."

"And?"

"and so, I spoke to a Humanist minister. Dave Carson. He wants to see us both before he agrees to do the ceremony."

"We have to be interviewed?" Jack asked incredulously, "You jest, Daniel. Surely, you jest?"

Daniel shook his head, "Nope. He has to be sure you really want to make an honest man of me before he'll marry us."

Jack sighed, "Red fucking tape. Okay. When?"

"This afternoon. Five o'clock. In town."

Jack rolled his eyes, then smiled. "You really want to get this done quick dontcha? Say.you're not pregnant or anything are you?"

"Jack, don't be an ass."

"Ooh, haven't heard that one in a while. Okay, are we good to go? I don't have any work to do, because I'm retired now. How 'bout you?"

Daniel grinned, "Re - ti - red. Oh, I really like the sound of that. No, I'm good. I finished the translations for SG6, we have a little time and I think I know where I'm going..."

"You think?"

"I'll get us there, Jack. Just drive. I need some decent coffee and Tylenol to get rid of this crick in my neck before we get there anyway. Next time, we go in the back. Serves me right for taking my time."

O'Neill looked at his young lover and smiled wolfishly, "Next time? Oh boy."

Part Four

The airport concourse was pretty crowded as Daniel squirmed his way through, his stomach clenching in anticipation. Parking, as usual, had been an utter nightmare and if Blair's flight was on time, that meant Daniel was fifteen minutes late. He stopped to catch his breath and looked up at the arrivals screen above him.

'Flight NW340 - Cascade - Landed - Gate 19'

"Shit!" Daniel muttered under his breath, and looked around for the gate. Negotiating the noisy, jostling crowds as swiftly as they would allow him to, Daniel caught sight of a shock of dark curls, the owner of which was sitting at a table outside the Starbuck's booth, his body crouched forward, obviously reading. It never had taken Blair long to find a coffee shop. If anything his coffee radar was even better than Daniel's. Or maybe it was his Sentinel's influence, making those already discerning nostrils even more sensitive. Daniel smiled to himself. The younger man had taught him so many things, coffee appreciation being just one of them, even if he did have the awful habit of re-using grounds in emergencies. Anything was better than instant.

Daniel's breath hitched and his heart skipped a beat at the sight of his former lover. A brief memory of the last time they were intimate flitted through his mind. It must have been over two years ago, before he and Jack had finally bought a clue and become a couple.

Still, running his fingers through Blair's long, luxuriant hair had been something Daniel had missed, as happy as he was with Jack. Not to mention the feel of those beautiful tresses splayed out across his own bare chest, as they held each other in the afterglow. The younger man's hair was soft, and full of life, a little precocious even, rather like Blair himself. Daniel was pleased he had decided not to tie it back today.

No-one at the SGC had known, not even Jack, but Blair and Daniel had been meeting fairly regularly since he'd been back from Abydos. He'd never told Jack because... well, it had never come up. Jack had never asked where he was going when he took R&R and it wasn't the kind of thing a person in a military environment would actively advertise.

"Bye guys! I'm spending the weekend with my boyfriend!"

Even General Hammond hadn't known, although it probably wouldn't have mattered. All he knew, was that for the first few years Daniel was with the SGC, when he went on leave, most of the time there would be a Cascade contact number as well as his mobile and beeper. Daniel had always been a private person, and his relationship with Blair was something he liked to keep just between them. Perhaps it was time to tell Jack, though. Clear the air before the wedding. Blair was going to be ring-bearer, after all.

When Daniel had told Blair about Jack, he had been understanding and pragmatic about it. He could tell Daniel was in love and was happy for him. That wasn't to say he didn't miss being with Daniel, they'd been lovers for a very long time, off and on, and good friends for even longer. Sex was something that worked very well for them. Blair would probably describe them as 'fuck buddies', but he wouldn't dream of ever saying that to a romantic like Daniel, and besides, Blair did love him.

Blair chuckled to himself, trying to imagine the other man's face if he ever actually described their relationship that way. Speaking of which, where the hell was Daniel?

Blair almost jumped out of his seat as a pair of long arms wrapped around him and a face nuzzled into his hair.

"Sandburg..." Daniel murmured, his velvet voice vibrating against the shell of Blair's ear and sending shivers down to his toes.

"Jeez, man! Don't creep up on a guy like that!" Blair yelped. Daniel grinned and took the chair opposite.

"Sorry, B.J. And I'm sorry I'm late. Couldn't get a parking space."

Blair raised his hands, "Hey, don't sweat it. You're here now. Damn! You look great, D.J.! Being in love suits you. 'Bout time that Colonel of yours made an honest man of you."

"Yeah. I still can't believe he actually retired though. I guess he really does love me," Daniel shook his head incredulously.

"What's not to love? I'm just surprised he waited so long to make his move!" the younger man grinned.

Daniel chuckled, "I have to say, I was getting a little tired of waiting. I seem to remember it didn't take you too long, though. Taking advantage of a poor innocent virgin like that," he whispered.

"Hey, no-one could accuse me of being backward at coming forward, when I want something. You were the cutest guy on campus. Bar none. And you were older than me, but wasn't everyone?" he laughed. "Besides, I wouldn't let a little thing like that stop me, " Blair's voice also dropped to a whisper and he leaned across the table until his face and those beautiful, twinkling blue eyes were mere inches from Daniel's, "and I don't seem to remember you complaining at the time. Or since for that matter."

"Touche." Daniel smiled, wickedly, fighting off the urge to kiss him.

"I'm just glad it worked out between us. You've been a good friend to me, man."

"Likewise. You ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

After stowing Blair's hold-all in the trunk of his dark blue Range Rover, Daniel got into the driver's side and buckled his seat-belt. The car started with a throaty roar and Daniel looked across at his passenger, grinning as Blair struggled to clip his own belt in place.

"What?"

Daniel shook his head, "Nothing. I'm just so glad you're here."

Blair cupped his hand around the other man's thigh and smiled warmly.

"Me too. Now, let's get to your place, I need a shower and something decent to eat. Airline food just does not get any better!"

"You got it."

Daniel slipped the car into gear and eased out into the traffic.

Jack was back at his house, rattling around like a pea in a bucket, surprised at how lonely he was after only a couple of days without his lover. Not being at work didn't help much, but both Jack and the house were definitely suffering from a lack of archaeologist.

He and Daniel had agreed, that now the arrangements were made, the minister was booked, and Janet and Cassie were dealing with the catering, they would spend the couple of days before the wedding apart. For appearances if nothing else, Daniel had kept the loft. They thought it wise, just in case anyone started to take too close an interest in their relationship. Daniel said it was customary in almost every culture that the groom and the bride didn't see each other from at least sundown the night before the wedding, until the ceremony itself, so he'd taken a few things and gone back. Jack had felt a stab in his gut as he'd watched Daniel put his bags in the car. He knew Daniel would eventually be coming home, for good, but seeing him go had not been a pleasant feeling.

The bed was far too big without Daniel in it, and Jack had been unable to sleep for two nights now, tossing and turning ceaselessly. Even cuddling Daniel's pillow, which still smelled of him, didn't make it any easier. Jack felt ashamed. A total sap and insecure to boot. He'd spent the time mooching around like a lost puppy dog. To add insult to injury, they had decided to pick something to read to one another, something suitably romantic. Jack had searched the web for hours and so far had been completely unable to find a piece which didn't come with an insulin shot. He sighed heavily, feeling both hopeless and helpless.

There were two more nights to go before the big day. Teal'c had offered to take him to Chulak, to indulge in the Jaffa pre-marriage ritual, but in all honesty Jack felt far enough away from Daniel as it was. Going all the way across the galaxy was going a little too far, in Jack's opinion. Then there was Daniel's friend, Sandburg. Daniel hadn't really mentioned him before, and that worried Jack. If they were close enough for him to ask Blair to be ring bearer at their wedding, why hadn't Daniel talked about him? Jealousy swirled around in his stomach like the aftermath of left-over meatloaf at the SGC commissary.

"Aw crap." Jack said aloud to the empty room, "Pre-wedding jitters. That's all this is. You had 'em just the same before you married Sara. Get a grip O'Neill."

After refusing Teal'c's suggestion of a full Jaffa bachelor party, Jack had counter suggested something he knew the big Jaffa enjoyed, even if it didn't do that much for him - jello wrestling. Sam had declined, preferring to accompany Daniel and Blair on their civilised little evening out. A basketball game, followed by a meal and plenty of alcohol. Another thing they agreed on was how horrendous it would be if they turned up at their own wedding with raging hangovers, so the bachelor parties were being held two nights before the ceremony, rather than the night before. Jack figured that he'd miss Daniel just as much tonight as he had the previous two, but decided it was time he stopped feeling sorry for himself, and have a good time with Teal'c.

He looked at his watch. 3 o'clock. Four whole hours until he had to go and get Teal'c from Cheyenne Mountain. He sighed, for the hundredth time that day, and went out onto the deck to catch some sun, collecting a cool beer from the refrigerator on the way, chugging on it as he climbed the stairs.

"Oh wow!" Blair exclaimed, his voice muffled by a mouthful of salt beef sandwich, "You remembered. I can't believe you remembered!"

Daniel grinned, enjoying the sight of the younger man attacking his late lunch with the same enthusiasm as everything else in his life.

"Salt beef on rye, 4 inches deep, with a sour Israeli pickle, from Segelman's Deli. How could I not remember? The few times you've been here you've made me get you at least one!"

"Mmm. Y'know, I've had salt beef sandwiches in New York, and London, and LA and plenty in Cascade, but no-one, man, I mean no-one makes a salt beef sandwich quite like Manny at Segelman's. They taste almost as good as you. You're beautiful, Daniel. Thanks."

Daniel blushed.

"Hey, I'm sorry D.J. That just kinda came out. I didn't mean..."

"It's okay. Really. You want a drink? I have some iced tea."

"Perfect."

Daniel padded into the kitchen, adjusting his swollen cock and massaging his aching balls. He'd been half hard since he'd first clapped eyes on Blair again, but that little throwaway comment had just finished the job. He opened the refrigerator door and looked at the icebox, the idea of shoving a few ice cubes into his pants briefly crossing his mind. He decided that the screaming would probably alert Blair that something was wrong, and since he really didn't feel in the mood to explain why he had ice in his shorts, Daniel tried to think of something to calm things down a bit.

Harry Maybourne in the shower. That should do the trick.

Blair slumped back on the couch, leaving his sandwich half-eaten. The last thing he wanted to do was make Daniel uncomfortable, but even though he'd fallen hook, line and sinker for the Sentinel of the Great City and was convinced that his place was always by Jim's side, it didn't stop him pining. He'd forgotten how sexy Daniel was. His years in the military had changed him from the slightly built, vulnerable, nerdy type of guy he'd been at college, as unbearably cute and attractive as he'd been then, into a fit, muscular, incredibly hot and sexy man.

Daniel was still the nave one, still able to see the best in people, still quick to blush, but his age and experience had given him a harder edge, which Blair found irresistible. When Daniel had told him about Jack, he'd understood completely that they couldn't be together as lovers anymore. It pained him, but first and foremost Daniel was his friend. Other than Jim, his closest friend, and although he found it difficult not to kiss Daniel - especially when he did that 'lip licking' thing - and as hard as it was not to touch him, and damn near impossible not to want him, their friendship was strong enough to stand that test. Blair silently prayed that he would be.

Jim had accused him once of being enough of a dog to hump a table leg. He was probably right. Blair's more than healthy libido had worked its way through quite a few girls at Rainier and elsewhere in Cascade. He wasn't exactly a hedonist, but he had needs and there always seemed to be plenty of ladies willing and available to take care of those needs. Blair loved women. Their touch, their smell, making love to them...or at least having sex with them. It sounded pretty shallow when he thought about it, but as much as he loved women and they seemed to love him, Blair could never see himself settling down with anyone but Jim. He just couldn't commit to any of them.

Since he'd met Jim, there had only been one woman and one man who had captured his heart. The woman was Maya Curasco and their relationship had been more complicated and painful than he wanted to recall. He didn't know when or if he'd ever see her again and thought it was probably best that way. The man, on the other hand, he had fallen for many years before, and was standing in front of him with a tall glass of iced tea in his long, slender fingers and a bulge in his pants, which was showing distinct signs of interest. Not that Blair was really looking, but when a guy's groin is inches away from a person's face, it's a little difficult not to notice.

"Thanks."

Their fingers brushed as Daniel passed him the cool beverage, and both men felt a tingle.

Daniel turned away, his breath escaping in a sigh. "Oh, God."

He deliberately went to the chair that was farthest away from Blair and sank into it. His head flopped onto the soft back of the armchair, he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

"Hey D.J. You okay?"

Daniel didn't move, couldn't say what he was going to say, and look at Blair at the same time.

"You mean apart from wanting to fuck you through the floor, and feeling like a complete bastard for it? Just fine, thanks." Daniel replied quietly, frustration and confusion evident in his voice.

Blair hung his head, "Oh, Daniel."

Daniel smiled, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees and allowing his glasses to hang from his hand. Sometimes it was slightly easier to deal with difficult situations when the world was a little blurry.

"Yeah. Oh. D'you want to know the worst part? I'm scared."

"Of marrying Jack? Come on, you love him. I know how long you waited for him to come around. He's your soul mate. Your beshert. Just like Jim is for me."

The older man nodded, smiling at his friend's use of the Yiddish word. "Yes, he is. But one of the reasons why I called you was because..." Daniel took a deep breath, "because I couldn't stand the thought of not being with you again. Ever. I wanted to be with you...I wanted to sleep with you, one last time. How bad is that?"

Blair went over to his friend and knelt between his legs, wrapping his arms around them.

"It's not bad. You're not bad."

"Blair, I want to be unfaithful to the man I love. Doesn't that make me a cheating bastard?"

"Does it make you love Jack any less?"

"No."

"Would you do it again after you're married?"

"God, no."

"Look, D.J. This is a time of transition for you. You're taking a leap of faith here, it's bound to be scary, and it's only natural to want to hang on to some of the life you're leaving behind."

Daniel sighed and stroked his friend's face, " You... you're so special, Blair. You were my first, you know? Not just the first person I ever slept with, you were the first person I ever fell in love with. You only get one first time and one first love. I was lucky, it was you."

The younger man leaned into Daniel's hand and closed his eyes, "That goes both ways, Daniel. When I first saw you in class, I knew there was something different about you. You were the only one who was ever able to keep up with me. Really get what I was talking about, and then some. You challenged me. You were brilliant. It's a clich, but you hit me like a blinding flash, man. I fell in about a minute flat and I've loved you ever since. I'd screwed around some, but I'd never fallen in love before. Not real, grown up kinda love, anyway. No matter who I'm with, or who you're with, I couldn't stand to not have you anywhere in my life at all. Jim's the man for me. Absolutely. If he ever gets a clue. But there'll always be a place in my heart for you. Always."

Daniel smiled and ran his fingers through Blair's curls, sighing.

"I'm not on my own here, then?"

Blair chuckled, "No way, man. If you want the truth I've been hoping something would happen ever since you called. I was just praying it wouldn't be a drunken grope after your bachelor party, because that would have been cheap and nasty and we'd both have regretted it. If we do this thing it has to be with both of our eyes open. We know what we're doing and we know why."

"And that scares me too," Daniel's voice had dropped to a whisper, "because if we do get together, it's always so overwhelming, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to stop. It's like I can't get enough of you and that scares me. I'm just a big ball of fear right now. I don't want to cheat on Jack, I love him. I don't want to hurt him, but I can't marry him without being with you again. I'd always be wondering. Hankering after one last time. It would eat away at me, it could ruin everything. I know what I'm like."

"Okay. You and me together, now, it's a last fling. That's all. At least, physically. I'll always want to be your friend. Try to see this as a literal and symbolic kissing goodbye to the old order, so you can move forward to your new life with Jack. For me, too. I've decided that when I get back to Cascade I'm going to tell Jim how I feel. I can't hold it back anymore. Every time I'm around the guy lately, everything about him turns me on. He's a Sentinel for chrissakes, he's gonna smell it on me. I have to 'fess up. Hey, he might already know!"

"You're taking a pretty big risk."

Blair nodded, "I know, but I have to do it. Jim is my beshert. I can feel it. Besides, you know me, I have been known to take risks in the past and I have less patience than you," he smiled.

Daniel chuckled softly, and leaned forward, taking Blair's face in his hands. "Part of me will always love you, you know."

Blair's lips parted in anticipation of Daniel's gentle kiss, and he leaned forward into the seated man's embrace. Their lips met and meshed as if they were made to be together, their tongues meeting, tenderly tasting each other. The chill of the iced tea still faintly evident, the slight bitterness of the pickle and the unique and special taste of the other.

"I love you, too, Daniel. We'll work this out."

Daniel rose and held out his hand to the younger man. Blair took it and pulled himself to his feet, his fingers entwining with Daniel's.

"Come on," Daniel smiled.

It was an order, a plea, and a tentative question, all in one. Blair slipped his arm around Daniel's waist and they walked together the short distance to Daniel's bedroom, the taller man resting his head on Blair's.

Daniel closed the bedroom door behind them, softly. The golden glow of the afternoon sun flooded the room, casting long shadows across the floor. Years of passion, love and desire hung in the air, trust and reassurance in both men's eyes for the other.

Blair lifted his head to capture Daniel's mouth in another sweet kiss as he deftly unfastened the buttons on the other man's cotton shirt. He pulled it out of Daniel's pants and nuzzled the older man's neck, sucking on the pulse point and breathing in his scent.

Daniel leaned his head backward and hissed as Blair continued his explorations. It had been so long and felt so right. His hand drifted up to entangle itself in his lover's long hair and Daniel sighed Blair's name as he carded his fingers through it.

Seemingly finished with Daniel's neck, Blair turned his attention to Daniel's hairless chest and his small, taut nipples. He circled them with his tongue, each in turn, then worried one nipple with his teeth while stroking the other with his thumb.

"Ah, God, Blair! You keep on like that I'm going to come in my pants. Slow down a little, please?"

The younger man grinned. "Oh, now that's a sight I haven't seen in way too long."

Daniel gritted his teeth as his nipples faced another onslaught from Blair's swathing tongue and teasing finger tips.

"You...are...a...bad...man...Sandbuuurrrgg. Ah dammit! I'm serious. Wait til I get near that fucking nipple ring!"

Suitably chastened, Blair quickly unfastened Daniel's belt buckle and unbuttoned his fly. The light grey soft, cotton shorts already had a dark stain on the front, from the pre-come seeping out of the tip of Daniel's cock.

"Oh, wow. You weren't kidding were you?"

His "No" came out as a strangled gasp. Blair didn't need to be a Sentinel to know how close his lover was and he pulled Daniel's shorts roughly down to his knees, being careful to pull the waistband over the heated flesh, exposing the purple headed cock to the open air.

Blair smiled in appreciation, "And there you are. God, Daniel, you're so beautiful. Have you any idea?"

He took a long lick from base to tip, bracing Daniel's shaking legs with his shoulders, flicking his tongue at the last second to swipe off the clear fluid.

"Mmmm. That tastes so good. Change of plan. Get naked Daniel, and lay down. I feel a 69 coming on," he grinned.

As they undressed, Blair looked slightly concerned.

"What's wrong?" his lover asked.

"I hate to make this 'sensible' babe, but...it's been a long time. Are you clean?"

"Oh yes, yes of course. Regular tests. They're always sticking a needle in my arm for something. You?"

"Absolutely. I get tested pretty regularly too, but it doesn't really matter, the only person I've had unprotected sex with in the last five years is you."

Daniel lay back on the bed, enjoying the sight of the smaller man divesting himself of his clothes. There was a wiry strength in him that belied his small frame. He was, as the phrase suggested, 'small, but beautifully formed' and Daniel couldn't wait to explore every inch of him.

Blair knew that with him, 69 was one of Daniel's favourite positions. They would lie on their sides, head to toe, sucking softly on each other, taking pleasure from giving pleasure, tongues, lips and fingers working together to bring each other close. Concentrating on pleasuring the other person gave just enough distraction for them both to make it really last. Sometimes they brought each other to a shuddering peak, the slow burn culminating in a sweet intensity they rarely found from penetration. Sometimes, the urge to be inside would become to much for one or the other to bear, and they would come together that way instead.

"C'mere B.J. It's been too long. I want to taste you."

Blair took his place along Daniel's side on the bed, lifting his leg to rest on Daniel's shoulder, allowing the other man easy access to his cock, his balls and his ass. And Daniel would assure his best attention to all of them.

Blair's cock was slightly bigger than Daniel's, and Daniel was more than well-enough endowed. Sometimes it made deep throating Blair difficult, but that was really too intense a sensation for this. Daniel drew as much of Blair's cock as he could into his mouth and Blair gasped at the wet heat of it.

"Oh, man..."

"Mmmmm."

The air filled with soft moans and sucking sounds, as the two men made love to each other. Stubbly chins nuzzling around swollen ball sacs, teeth nibbling gently on tumescent flesh, wet tongues lapping at swollen cock-heads and tight rings, fingers probing each other, seeking, finding that sweet spot inside, stretching, sliding in and out, point and counterpoint until Daniel could hardly stand it and Blair was breathless.

"Oh god, Daniel!" Blair gasped, suddenly, "Want to...want to be in you. Stop. Want to come inside you. Please baby, stop!"

Daniel loosed his mouth's grip on Blair's aching cock and turned him around so that they were facing each other. As Blair caught his breath, he stroked Daniel's face.

"You are so good. So intense," he murmured, panting. "I'm gonna fuck you so right, Danny. Love you. Wanna make this something to remember."

"Oh, yessss. Oh, Jesus! Please Blair, yes!"

Daniel raised his leg and guided the younger man to his opening. As he wrapped his long leg around Blair's hip, Blair's cock slid inside him smoothly, their previous efforts having made Daniel more than ready.

Daniel grabbed Blair's head and pulled him in for a deep kiss, his tongue mimicking the movements he wanted and needed from the other man. Daniel held him tightly as they rocked together, Blair's lips and tongue never leaving Daniel's skin, kissing his face, his lips and his neck without cease, as Blair thrust upwards into him. His free hand strayed all over the larger man's back, nails gently dragging as Daniel moaned and mumbled.

Blair could feel the orgasm coming, his balls tightened and tingled, pulling up into his body, the wheel of fire beginning in the small of his back. He brought his hand between them, and encircled Daniel's weeping cock, the slick moisture and sweat on their bodies proving to be all the lubrication he needed to bring Daniel to orgasm in a few swift pulls. Daniel's come spattered between them, landing on both their bellies, as the bigger man cried out his release. The clenching pulses from Daniel's ass dragged Blair's own come screaming out of him and deep into his lover, as he threw back his head and gasped Daniel's name.

Blair held onto him, his face buried in Daniel's neck as they gradually came down, breathing and heart rate slowing to normal. Daniel nuzzled his face into Blair's hair and gently rubbed small circles on his lover's sweating back.

"Oh Christ, Daniel. Oh, man. That was incredible. I'd forgotten. Can you believe that? I'd actually forgotten how good we are," he whispered.

No reply other than a small sob was forthcoming from Daniel, and Blair drew back to look at him. Tears were rolling down his nose, one or two dripping onto Blair's chest.

"Aw baby, no. Don't do that. Don't."

Daniel pushed Blair's curls back over his ear as the younger man wiped Daniel's tears with his fingers.

"You know what? I hope this guy knows what he's got. I don't care how big a hardass he is, if he ever hurts you, I'll break his fucking legs, I swear."

Daniel chuckled through his tears, "Oh, don't do that. He already has bad knees. It's an ACL problem."

Blair smiled and kissed him, "That's better. Jesus, man. What am I gonna do with you?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." he sniffed.

Blair's finger appeared, touching his lips softly to silence him. "Ssshh. I know. That's the thing. I know. I'll go get a washcloth and clean us up."

Daniel held him tighter, "No." he whispered. "Not yet. Let's just stay like this for a couple more minutes...okay?"

Blair stroked Daniel's hair soothingly. " Okay, I'm not going anywhere. It'll be all right. I promise."

Part Five

Sam sat disconsolately at Janet's kitchen table, staring into the mug of steaming coffee Janet had just given her.

"I want to be happy for them. I really do, but...da..." Sam suddenly chuckled, diffusing the tension.

"What?"

"I almost said "Dammit, Janet"."

Sam's companion chuckled with her at the reference to the Rocky Horror Picture Show. " Well, I'm glad you know, now. It's been terrible having to keep it a secret."

Sam's eyes widened in shock, "You knew?"

Janet lowered her head and took a sip of coffee, "Well, there are certain things...when they'd been...it's..."

The penny suddenly dropped for Sam, "Oooh, I see."

The other woman smiled gratefully. Having to explain exactly how she found out about Jack and Daniel's affair wasn't something she felt comfortable doing. She could still remember what a shock she'd had, when she had been giving Colonel O'Neill what should have been a routine post-mission examination. She'd thought that Jack had been assaulted while they'd been off-world, but didn't want to talk about it. She cajoled, bullied, ordered him to have a full exam and some counselling, but he'd been adamant there had been no assault. She'd been forced to admit, even though there was evidence of anal penetration, there was no sign of injury. Not even a small tear, indicating that the perpetrator - who ever he was - had been extremely careful.

//"Colonel, I have to take a swab to check the DNA, just in case it was one of our people. I have to report this. You know that."

Jack took her gently by the arm. "Janet, please. You don't have to report this. I wasn't raped and I can tell you exactly whose DNA you'll find on that swab, apart from mine. Daniel's."

Janet's mouth opened in astonishment, as Jack's face reddened with embarrassment.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "Our very own, Doctor Daniel Jackson."

"And you weren't raped?"

Jack chuckled, "Rape? Janet, this is Daniel we're talking about. Come on. Do you honestly think he'd force himself on anybody? Least of all me. I was asking for it. Trust me on this."

"A simple 'no' would have sufficed, Colonel."

Jack blushed an even deeper shade of red. "Sorry, Doc."

"So are you telling me that you and Daniel are having an affair?"

He nodded, "For quite a while now. We got careless is all. Usually we make sure that we haven't slept together anytime near to a physical exam, or if we do, we make sure there's no, ah..."

"Evidence?" Janet smiled.

"Exactly."

"So what happened this time?"

"Oh, too much time on our own, too much opportunity, too little control. We ended up doing a long recon together, while Teal'c and Carter checked out something else. He just can't keep his hands off me, sex god that I am," he grinned.

It was good to tell someone, finally, even though his hand had been forced. He was glad that it was Doc Fraiser, too. She and SG1 had a close bond, had been through a great deal together and she cared very much for all of them. As for she and Jack, they shared a chemistry which had allowed a deep friendship to form over their years of service, although for a whole host of reasons it would never have gone beyond that for either of them. It helped that she wasn't under his command, at least not directly, and that allowed them to tease each other, sometimes mercilessly.

"Hmm. Sex God. I can see that, Sir. After all, there aren't many people who know your body as well as I do," she smiled, with a hint of mischief.

"So, you guys want to do a quiz?" Jack enquired, "Or maybe you could write a book together? 'Colonels' Bodies I Have Known' by The Two Doctors."

Janet snorted, trying not to laugh. "You can get dressed now."

Jack began to pull on his shorts. "You're still a Napoleonic power-monger," he teased.

"I certainly am," she grinned. "And don't you ever forget it, Jack O'Neill. Seriously though, you two will have to be more careful. I can keep this to myself under the aegis of doctor/patient confidentiality. After all, it doesn't impair your fitness to command. When you and Daniel have your exams, I'll try to make sure it's me, but I can't always guarantee it. If anyone else finds out about this it could be...awkward."

"Understood, Doc."//

Sam refilled Janet's mug, passed it to her and drained her own.

"So, what do I do? I'm in love with someone who's gay."

"Bisexual," Janet corrected.

"Whatever. That someone doesn't know how I feel. That someone is in love with someone else, and that someone else is my ex-Commanding Officer. And to make matters worse, they're getting married. Getting married! I didn't even know that two guys could do that!"

"They can't. At least not legally, not in Colorado. Daniel booked a Humanist minister to conduct a commitment ceremony for them."

Sam sighed, "I still can't get my head around it. I could maybe - at a push - imagine Daniel as bisexual, but the Colonel? I would have bet my pension on him being straight."

Janet put her arm around her friend and squeezed. "Listen sweetie, I know it's difficult. You only just found out. I've had time to come to terms with it all. The fact is that they love each other, whether we like it or not. Somehow, the pieces fit. We may not see how, but they do, and that's all that really matters, isn't it? Jack retired. Quit the only job he's ever really known, to be with Daniel, to keep Daniel safe. That alone should tell you how serious he is. I know you probably feel like he's taking Daniel from you, but...well, I hate to say it Sam, but Daniel was never yours, was he? Not that way."

"I guess not," Sam replied forlornly.

"If anything, Daniel should be jealous of you."

"Me? Why?"

"There was a time not so long ago when we all thought there was something going on between you and Colonel O'Neill. Especially after what he said when Martouf..."

Sam shrugged, "He didn't mean what it sounded like."

"Well, to use one of his favourite phrases, 'Ya think?'"

Sam looked at her watch, "Oh God, look at the time! I have to go pick up Daniel and Blair. I said I'd go with them to the basketball."

"You've seen this mysterious Sandburg?" Janet raised her eyebrows.

"No, but I guess I will shortly. See you tomorrow, Janet. Give me a call if you and Cassie need any help."

"Will do. Thanks honey."

Sam picked up her jacket, kissed Janet lightly on the cheek and headed out the door.

At the loft, Daniel brought coffee into the bedroom for he and Blair, pausing for a minute in the doorway to look at his lover. Soon to be ex - lover. His eyes were half closed and his hair was splayed out along the pillow. The sheet was rumpled, covering his groin, but his hairy chest and legs were visible, the silver nipple ring glinting slightly in the shards of sunlight peeping through the small gap in the bedroom curtains, which Daniel had closed for privacy, even though they were high enough up not to be overlooked. Daniel appreciated the view and smiled a little sadly. Having them both was not an option. Loving them both wasn't a choice, he just did and always would.

They were so different, Blair and Jack, and yet there were similarities which he couldn't ignore. Certainly not physical similarities, but they both had a sarcastic sense of humour and were both a good deal brighter than they let on sometimes. Both stubborn, both level headed in a crisis and able to take tough decisions, both absolutely committed to what they thought was right, both adventurers and both sexy as all hell.

"Hey," Blair smiled sleepily at him.

"Hey."

"Must have dozed off. Sorry, man. Jet lag."

Daniel placed the coffee mug on the night stand next to Blair, and chuckled. "It was only a two hour flight. Jet lag, my ass."

"Or that," Blair grinned. "The soporific effect of a really good orgasm can never be understated, in my humble opinion."

Daniel joined him on the bed and snorted into his coffee, "Since when have you ever been humble, B.J.?"

Blair pouted, "Gee, Doctor Jackson, you know how to hurt a guy."

Unable to resist that full bottom lip, Daniel swooped in and kissed him.

"And you don't play fair, Sandburg," he murmured.

"Never said I did," Blair teased, before gently biting Daniel's bottom lip which Blair in turn found irresistible.

"Hmmm." Daniel pulled away.

"What?"

"Let me put my coffee down, at least. I'm likely to pour it all over the bed, or all over you."

Blair smiled wickedly, "But then you could always lick it off. Couldn't you?"

Daniel's cock began to twitch and thicken at the thought of licking Blair's body all over. He didn't really need or want any other flavour than Blair, but they'd had some fun in the past with various substances. Whipped cream, chocolate sauce, Maple syrup and one time, when they were both feeling particularly decadent, champagne.

"I'm going to miss you so much, Blair Jacob Sandburg," Daniel sighed.

The younger man drew Daniel into his arms, wrapping them and his legs around the other man's body. He kissed Daniel's forehead and sighed. "We'll always be friends, Danny. Nothing can ever change that. Not Jack or Jim. We can't be lovers anymore, but that's really only because the social structure we live in demands monogamy. We're anthropologists. We've both lived within cultures where monogamy isn't necessarily the norm, and we probably have a slightly different slant on relationships as a result. Unfortunately for us, our lovers - well, in my case I'm hoping - but, they don't have that advantage. If it is an advantage."

"Doesn't feel like much of one right about now," Daniel sighed, stroking the hair on Blair's chest. "What I want...what I want is to be able to love you both. To be able to see you both, sometimes. Have you both in my life. I want to make love to you both. In my fantasies, both at the same time. It's not just a physical thing, either. I want to show you both how much I love you. It's hopeless. Someone has to be hurt. Either me and you, because we're giving this up, or Jack. If I told him, he'd never be able to deal with it and there's no reason why he should have to. I couldn't do that to him and I won't. Can't have my cake and eat it too, can I?"

"Not in this life, babe." Blair said, quietly.

"No."

They lay together in silence for a minute or two, Blair stroking Daniel's hair, Daniel idly playing with Blair's nipple ring, their limbs entwined, both of them completely relaxed in a cocoon of intimacy and warmth. Finally, Daniel spoke.

"What time is it?"

"5."

"Sam'll be here soon."

"What time's jump off?"

"7.30. I thought we could grab something to eat first."

"We have time. C'mon Danny, I want to feel you inside me one last time."

Daniel kissed him, softly. "We have all night, babe. I don't want to rush it, and I can't risk us being caught. Sam's my best friend, next to you and Jack. She's like a sister to me. I couldn't put her in that position."

"And I don't want to risk you getting an attack of the guilts when you see Sam and not want to do it at all."

"Oh, Blair."

"I know, I know," he sighed, "I'm a self-centred sonovabitch. So, sue me. I love you, and I'm going to miss you more than you realise, no matter what happens with Jim. I wish we could be together too, but we both know we can't, don't we? That really would make us a couple of cheating bastards. I want our last time to be special."

"So, no pressure then?" Daniel smiled, and traced the outline of Blair's face with his fingertips. "Every time with you is special. It always was." He leaned in to give the younger man a deep kiss, and Blair responded by arching his body to rub against Daniel's. The older man could feel Blair's already hardening cock rubbing against his thigh.

Daniel pulled back, grinning. "Shower. Now. Or we'll end up in trouble. Sam will catch us in flagrante and then we'll both be royally screwed."

Blair grinned back at him, "Is that a threat or a promise, Your Majesty?"

"Just get in the shower will you?" Daniel slapped his ass playfully.

Blair saluted smartly and leapt out of bed, swinging his hips as he sashayed towards the bathroom.

"Bastard!" Daniel muttered under his breath as he fought the urge to join Sandburg under the water and make love to him until he begged for mercy. Daniel really would miss him. He just hoped that he loved Jack enough for it not to matter.

"I heard that!"

Daniel smiled and shook his head, "Ears like a bat. That Sentinel of yours been giving you lessons, Sandburg?!"

"No, baby, I'm just in tune to the sound of your voice!" Blair shouted from the bathroom.

"You're full of it!"

Daniel heard him laughing above the sound of the running water. "Not yet, but you keep promising!"

Daniel was wrapped in a towel when the doorbell rang, Blair was dressed, thankfully, but even though Sam had seen Daniel in a towel more than once, the tented effect was something he didn't think she needed to experience. Extracting his tongue from its exploration of Blair's tonsils, Daniel ducked back into the bedroom, hoping that this erection wasn't going to be one of those which just wouldn't go away without being dealt with.

Blair answered the door and smiled warmly at the attractive woman standing before him.

"You must be Blair," she smiled back, offering her hand.

"That's me. And you must be Sam. Hi." He shook her hand, but resisted the temptation to kiss it. She was beautiful and smart, if what Daniel had told him was anything to go by. He could just imagine the look on her face if he'd tried something that dumb.

"C'mon in, Daniel's just taking a shower. He shouldn't be long. Drink?"

"Diet coke, thanks."

"So," Sam called after Blair as he went to the kitchen to get their drinks, "you guys known each other long?"

"Since college," he replied, his head and shoulders obscured by the open refrigerator door. "We studied anthropology together."

The door banged shut as Blair clumsily closed it with his foot, carrying a bottle of Diet Coke in each hand.

"We were the brightest two there. I'd fast tracked and I was four years younger than him, but he was the only one who could understand me, and me, him, I think. We just kind of clicked. You know how it is sometimes."

Sam smiled, "Yeah. Daniel and I are a little like that. Kindred spirits in a way."

Blair's eyes brightened, "Exactly. He's really something, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is." Sam smiled, then took a long gulp of her Coke, enjoying the cool liquid sliding down her throat and taking away some of the city dust.

Blair Sandburg was cute. Very cute, in a Bohemian kind of way. Completely different to Daniel, even though they both seemed to have a disturbing affinity with plaid. Sam found herself wondering if they'd been more than friends at college, given Daniel's recent admission about his sexuality. She found herself beginning to like Blair, as they talked. He was funny, bright and there was something about him that immediately made you feel at ease. He was so animated, full of energy and enthusiasm. A little like Daniel when he was really excited about something, but Blair was obviously like this all the time. She could easily imagine Daniel and him together, they complemented each other perfectly.

Sam was finding it easier to relax. She was gradually coming to terms with Daniel's decision, and had to face the fact that even if he had known how she felt, it probably wouldn't have changed his choice. He and Jack had always had a bond which she couldn't quite define. They were team players - always - but hindsight being the perfect thing it is, she realised that there was something between them that was special. It had been there almost from the very beginning, probably before they even recognised it themselves.

As Blair talked about Daniel, it became more apparent how much the young man cared for him, and how much Daniel had told Blair about his relationship with Jack. She felt a little envious that Daniel hadn't been able to come to her and share how he felt about the Colonel, and how happy Jack made him, but she could hardly blame Daniel for that. The more she and Blair talked, the more she began to feel real happiness for Jack and Daniel.

She smiled as the lyrics from a Wilson/Phillips song began to drift through her mind.

You're in love, that's the way it should be, cause I want you to be happy You're in love, and I know that you're not in love with me It's enough for me to know that you're in love, I can let you go, cause I know that you're in love

Daniel leaned against the tiled wall of the shower, thanking the gods for the bolt on the door and stroking himself, trying to drag up the fantasy which would be likely to get him off quickest. Thinking about Harry Maybourne had - unusually - not alleviated his erection. His balls ached and his dick was sore. Something had to be done. Every time he tried to think about Harry, or Kasuf, or the General, Jack's face had become superimposed on whichever body he was thinking about and the hard on just refused to go away, or it would fade momentarily, then as soon as Jack appeared in his thoughts, up it would come again, which was worse than it not going away at all. Part of him was glad - the part being fairly obvious - because that meant it didn't matter how well or how badly Jack's body aged, Daniel would still want him.

He squeezed and stroked, sliding his soapy hand up and down more swiftly, as his mind wandered to Jack O'Neill, naked, willing and his. Jack's hot mouth around his cock, Jack's long fingers stroking his asshole, probing and fucking. Then Jack above him, Jack's cock buried deep inside him, thrusting hard, the muscles in Jack's arms and neck, tense and corded, his dark brown eyes filled with love and passion. Jack grunting out his name at the moment of truth, with the look on his face that never failed to make Daniel's heart soar... and suddenly Daniel was coming, spurting long and hard against the tiles, biting his lip to stop himself from crying out as the orgasm gripped him.

He relaxed with his forehead against the wall, panting and whispering, "Love you, Jack, oh God! Loveyouloveyouloveyousofuckingmuch. Never letting you go. Never."

Sam placed her empty bottle on the coffee table. "It sounds like you guys are really close."

Blair grinned, "You could say that. We, er...we were together. For a long time, off and on. I love him. Always will. Jack is one lucky guy."

Sam nodded, "Yes, he is. I don't know. What is it about Daniel that makes people fall in love with him?"

"Beats me. Although if we thought about it we could probably come up with a long list." Blair smiled when he recognised the look on her face. Sadness, regret, love. "You too?" he asked, quietly.

"Yeah," Sam lowered her eyes and blushed a little, "Go figure."

"Does he know?"

She shook her head. "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell him. You know what he's like when he feels guilty. I don't want to put him through that. Besides," she shrugged, "he's made his choice and it wasn't either of us. Not much we can do."

Daniel walked into the room, dressed, but still towelling off his spiky hair. "Not much you can do about what?"

"How long it takes you to get ready," snorted Blair. "Come on D.J., if we don't get going we'll have to grab a hotdog at the game."

"Yeah, come on Daniel, look at the time!"

Daniel frowned at them both, narrowing his eyes. "Hmm. Why do I get the feeling I'm being ganged up on here?"

Sam grabbed Daniel's jacket and slipped an arm around his waist, steering him towards the door. "Because you are. Let's move."

Time and traffic conspired against them, and Daniel's plan to eat before the game was abandoned. The upshot was that by the time the basketball game ended - and Blair had relieved them of the money they had bet him that the home team would win - they were all famished.

"Like taking candy from a baby," Blair giggled. "Or in this case, a couple of babies."

Daniel linked his arm with Sam's and huffed. "Guess you're paying for dinner then, Sandburg? Seeing as you're flush."

"Ah...well...um..." the other man spluttered.

Sam and Daniel guffawed.

"Okay, okay. Where d'you want to go?" Blair conceded.

Sam piped up, "O'Malley's?"

"D'you think they'd recognise us after all this time?" Daniel asked.

"I...doubt it," she replied, obviously not totally convinced.

Blair raised his eyebrows, "Sooo...what would be the problem in them recognising you at O'Malley's? You trying to tell me you guys caused trouble in there?"

"Kind of," Sam squirmed.

"Mmm. Sort of," Daniel agreed.

"There was a..."

"...fight."

"Yeah, and things got a little..."

"Broken."

"Mmm."

Blair threw back his head and laughed until his sides ached. Eventually, with tears rolling down his cheeks, he managed to speak.

"I thought I'd heard everything, man. Doctor Daniel Jackson involved in a bar-room brawl. That is beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. I'm proud of you, man. PROUD."

"Gee, thanks," Daniel sniffed, but he couldn't quite help breaking into a grin.

"It was pretty funny, looking back on it," Sam chuckled.

"Dare I ask what it was about?"

Sam's chuckling turned into full blown laughter. "Some guy called Daniel a geek."

"Oh God," Blair chortled.

"Yeah, Jack told me to let it go. And I wouldn't, so..."

"So the three of you busted the place up?"

"That's about the size of it," Daniel grinned, "Sam, how many guys did we put in the hospital?"

"Erm, there were the two guys Colonel O'Neill threw over the pool table, and that guy who really pissed me off..."

"Well, you had just won all his beer money. There was the one I threw over the bar, and the other one I battered with a pool cue..."

Blair held up his hands in defeat, "So not O'Malley's then?"

"Not O'Malley's!" Sam and Daniel chorused.

"So, what do we feel like?" Blair enquired.

"I'm so hungry I could eat a horse. I've had nothing since breakfast," Sam complained, rubbing her stomach.

"What about Charlie's Pit?" Daniel suggested.

Sam's eyes lit up, "Oooh, barbecue. I could go for that. Their ribs are good. Eat in or take out?"

Daniel shrugged, "We could make up our minds when we get there, there's one not far from here."

"We could take it back to your place and get a case or two of beer on the way home? You don't want to drink and drive D.J., and this is your bachelor party and you do want to be drinking. I'm the ring bearer. I have an obligation." Blair stated, puffing out his chest.

Daniel grinned, "Sounds like a plan. Let's do it."

Jack had dropped Teal'c off at the mountain and driven home. The jello wrestling had been fine, the company had been fine. Teal'c had seemed to enjoy himself, but with the best will in the world, he wasn't the world's - or rather the galaxy's - best conversationalist. Jack looked at the clock as he wearily dropped the truck keys onto the kitchen table. 1am. Stone cold sober. Going to bed almost the same day he'd got up. Not much like his last bachelor party.

It had been 5am when his buddies had poured him through the front door of his apartment, giggling and excited. He'd done the usual 'bachelor' bit, bars, a strip club, lap dancers. It had been fun. A riot, in fact, as the king sized hangover he'd sported the following morning had attested to. He still had the last vestiges of the headache when he'd gone to the church the day after, to marry Sara.

"You're gettin' old, Jack," he chided himself, "If Daniel could see you now, he'd slap you around, y'sappy moron."

He wanted to bring the ceremony forward, and cursed himself for letting Daniel persuade him to let them be apart for this amount of time. He yearned to hear Daniel's voice. Couldn't deal with not being with him any longer. He thought about getting back in the truck and high tailing it off to Daniel's place, but didn't want to spoil whatever Daniel had going over there. It was his bachelor party after all, but...

"One phone call. He can't get pissed at me for one phone call. I won't actually see him. What can it hurt?" he announced to the empty room as he picked up the receiver and dialled Daniel's number.

"Hello? Daniel Jackson's Den of Iniq...iniquity."

Sam's chirpy voice gave him a bit of a shock, and Jack suddenly felt very guilty about breaking up the party and forcing his melancholy on them.

"Hello?" Sam asked again.

"Hi."

"Colonel! Hi! How're you?" she giggled.

Jack heard Daniel's voice in the background.

"Colonel? Is that Jack?"

"Well, how many Colonels are you sleeping with, Dannyboy?" she enquired.

"Oh, ha fucking ha! What's he calling for? Gimme the phone, Sam. Hi, Jack!"

"Hey, Daniel. You drunk?"

Daniel snorted into the phone, "After this much wine I certainly fuckin' hope so! What's up?"

Jack smiled, "Ah, nothin'. Just...ah...just wanted to...nothing. I'll see you day after tomorrow. And don't you be late."

"I won't. I promise. Love you, Jack. Love you to pieces."

A muffled chorus of "aaahhhs" came down the phone line, followed by loud guffaws and "Ain't love grand?"

"You sound like you're having a good time. I'll let you get on with it."

"No, no, nonononononononononono, 's all right, Jack. You wanna come over? We got lotsa booze," he slurred.

Two drunken voices in the background chimed in, "Lotsnlotsa booze!!!"

"Yeah, we've got wine, and...beer, and...some JD and...what's this stuff B.J.?"

"Tequila!"

"Yeah, yeah, we got tequila too. And salt and limes and there's a fuckin' worm in it. Can you believe that? A fuckin' worm!"

Daniel collapsed into hysterical giggles.

"You comin'? We'd love to have you, but then I love to have you aaaallllllll the time!!!" followed by more giggling. "In fact, if you are coming, I can guarantee it...that you'll come...that is..."

"Eeeeewwww! Daniel," yelled Sam, "that's the COLONEL you're talking to. God, keep it in the bedroom will you?"

Jack chuckled when Daniel snorted with laughter, "Sorry, Sam."

"Go, Daniel. Enjoy."

"Aw no, Jack. Come on. I can't enjoy myself here when I know you're all at own on your home...I mean at home all on your...you know what I mean. Dammit, I can't even talk now, and I'm a fucking linguist!"

"You certainly are. Who knew?" Sam interjected.

"Sam!"

"Sorry."

"Sorry about that Jack, she can't hold her liquor."

"Only by the ears, baby!" she retorted.

Jack couldn't help but laugh at that one. They'd all been out drinking countless times, but Jack had never known Sam get quite that vulgar before.

"SAM! Jesus Christ! Blair, can you get her under control?"

"Take a bigger man than me, D.J."

"Oh, I don't know..."

"Oh God, she's on his lap. She's going to kill him. I'm sorry Jack, I'll have to go and save the poor sap."

"I'm just fine, D.J.," Blair replied. "Don't you worry a bit. You carry on having phone sex with your flyboy there."

"One sec, Jack. Blair. Babe. This is Major SAM fucking CARTER. You have NO idea what you're dealing with."

Jack chuckled. "Danny, go and party. You know what it's like when someone turns up who's sober. I'd ruin everything. I'll see you at the wedding."

"Never! You could NEVER ruin ANYTHING for me, Jack. You're the best thing that ever happened to me. In my WHOLE fucking life. The. Fucking. BEST."

Jack could just imagine him flinging his arm wildly around, and grinned.

"I love you SO much Jonathan Fitzpatrick O'Neill. SOOOOOOO much. You really sure you won't come over? Come on, Jack. I wanna give you a big, wet, sloppy kiss and then fuck you til you can't stand it."

"DANIEL!" Sam and Blair chorused.

"So stop listening."

"So stop shouting!" Sam...shouted.

"Nah, I'll be okay," Jack reassured him. "You have fun. You're way too far gone to get it up now, babe. Love you too, by the way."

"I could so get it up," Daniel replied indignantly. "I think...Maybe not. You're right. I couldn't," he giggled. "Okay, babe. See you at the altar. You'll just have to have a sloppy kiss down the phone. Bye. Mmmmwwwah!"

Jack placed the receiver back on the hook and laughed. "Man, he is so wasted."

Sam put on her best schoolma'am face and pouted, "I don't think I've ever seen you this drunk before, Daniel Jackson. Who knew you were such a pottymouth? And so crude!"

"Fuck you," Daniel retorted, grinning at her and took another long swig from the bottle of Cote Du Rhone in his hand.

Part Six

"Aw fuck!"

A bleary Sandburg opened his eyes to the morning sunlight flooding into Daniel's living room. He closed them again quickly as the burning sensation registered in his alcohol addled nervous system, and then he tried to move. Not a good idea. The pygmy warrior inside his head upped the frenetic pace of his war dance, periodically spearing the left frontal lobe of Blair's brain, just above the eye.

Opening the other eye very gingerly, he noticed that the room looked a little different than he remembered from the previous night. He'd never really looked at Daniel's ceiling before, it was...white. His legs appeared to be resting over the back of the couch - what he could feel of them - and his head was resting on the floor.

As he tentatively explored his body, his hands drifted towards his lap, which was on the couch but pointing up instead of down, and appeared to have a round, heavy lump on it. His fingers caught in hair which was short, but not spiky. Not Daniel. Thank God Daniel hadn't blown him while he slept. It wouldn't have been the first time, but in fairness, he did usually wake up while it was going on. The guy had a talented tongue.

He looked up, as much as his protesting neck would allow, and saw a blonde head resting comfortably in his lap, with snorting, snuffling sounds emanating from it, and a slim body with a pair of very long legs stretched out along the rest of the couch. Sam was sleeping noisily, but peacefully and although Blair was loath to wake her, he really needed to pee, which was actually a distinct advantage, since even hung-over it was nice to have an attractive head on one's lap and could lead to all sorts of embarrassment.

"Sam."

"Nnnghghh"

"Sam!"

"Ugh...wha...wher..."

"Honey, if you don't move soon, your ear is going to get very damp."

Sam squinted at him. "Blair? Wha..."

"I need to pee, sweetheart."

"Oh, sorry."

Sam pushed herself up into a sitting position and ran her hands through her unruly hair.

"Oh. Ow. God. Even my hair hurts."

Blair smiled sympathetically as he extricated himself from the couch and padded off to the bathroom, one shoe off and one shoe on. He looked down at his feet and 'Diddle diddle dumpling, my son John' began to play in his mind. He kicked off the other shoe and paused as he passed Daniel's bedroom. The door was open, the light was on, but no-one was home.

He shrugged, mentally, and opened the bathroom door. He unzipped and began to pee, sighing softly with relief.

"Don't take all day," a voice came from out of nowhere.

Blair was lucky he didn't end up peeing all over the floor as his upper body snapped around.

"Daniel?"

"Yeah... I think. Although at this point I wouldn't put money on it."

"Where the hell are you?"

The shower curtain around the bathtub moved.

"How the fuck do I get out of this thing? Ah, there you are." Daniel finally managed to pull the curtain back and peered out.

Blair laughed and instantly regretted it.

"Ow! Jesus! You're...you're in the bathtub, man."

Daniel squinted at him and frowned. "Why, Blair, such powers of observation so early in the morning. Help me out, will you?"

"At least let me finish peeing, D.J." Blair flushed the toilet and held out his hand. Daniel clumsily pulled himself out of the tub and Blair sat on the edge while Daniel took care of business.

"Oh...ow...shit. I feel like I've been zatted," Daniel groaned, running his free hand through his hair.

"Been whatted?"

"Oh, nothing. Just an expression. How's Sam?"

"'bout the same."

"Mm."

"You guys done in there? There's a line forming here y'know."

Daniel looked at Blair. "Sam," they chorused.

"Sorry, Sam. We're done." Daniel answered.

Sam raised her eyebrows as they came out of the bathroom and passed her in the hallway.

"I thought it was only women who had to pee in twos? Whatcha been doing in there?" She raised her hands. "Second thought, I don't want to know."

"I was..." Daniel began.

"...asleep in the tub." Blair finished.

"Ah." Sam replied slightly suspiciously, and closed the door behind her, bolting it shut.

"Coffee?" Blair suggested.

"Bears. Woods." Daniel grunted.

"Mmm."

Daniel squinted, trying to focus. "Where are my glasses? I can't see a damned thing."

"Don't ask me, man. I can manage basic motor functions, but that's about it. I'll make the coffee."

"Mmm. You won't scald yourself, or pour my Blue Mountain all over the floor will you?" Daniel asked as he scoured the room for the elusive specs.

"Danny, I can make coffee in my sleep, man. You're not the only drop dead gorgeous guy I know who has to have his Java in the morning."

Daniel chuckled softly, shaking his head very, very carefully. "Me. Drop dead gorgeous. And I'm the one who wears glasses. Oh, actually I'm not. Sandburg wears them too, doesn't he?" he mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing. Don't mind me, you have important work to do there. If I don't have caffeine soon, I'll prolly shut down altogether."

"I think we should both just get a drip."

"You're right, I should get a grip. I'm getting married tomorrow, I've got stuff to do." Daniel muttered.

"Not a grip Daniel, a drip...for the caffeine."

"What?"

"Never mind. Let me help you." Blair smiled. Daniel and booze didn't really suit each other, although he'd obviously left the puking stage behind. They'd really tied one on last night, and if Jim had been there he would have been ready with the orange juice and the hangover cure. Jim didn't drink to excess any more, his Sentinel abilities just seemed to amplify the effects of the alcohol. Which made him a very cheap date, but really didn't do him any good.

"How the hell did they get there?" Daniel exclaimed as he pulled his arm out from behind the cushions on the back of the couch.

"Jeez, Sam and I didn't break them, did we?"

Daniel looked at them, then at Blair and raised his eyebrows, "No, but what would you and Sam have been doing on my couch to break my glasses, Blair?"

"Sleeping. Just sleeping, I swear! I was...well, kinda upside down and Sam was asleep on my lap."

"Really?" Daniel grinned.

"Not like that. Get your mind out of the gutter, man. I have no clue how we got there. Apart from anything else, I was way too wasted to be anything but a limp noodle last night."

"True, true. You and me both. Quite a night though, eh?"

Blair smiled, "Yeah. Got any Tylenol?"

"Bathroom cabinet, but I think Sam's still in there so you'll have to suffer for a while."

"Hmm, so will you. I really need a shower, man." Blair raised his arm and sniffed his armpit.

"Don't. Please. My stomach is on the edge as it is." Daniel replied, looking more than a little green around the gills. "And even though I spent the night in the bath, you're not on your own."

"Will I be... later?" Blair asked tentatively. As far as he was concerned this thing wasn't over until Daniel walked down the aisle. It was selfish, he was pushing, but Daniel wasn't the only one having problems letting go, as much in love as Blair was with Jim Ellison. There had been too much between him and Daniel to let their love affair go out with a whimper.

A part of him felt a little guilty. After all, Blair wasn't the one cheating, not really, and it was unlike him to be so self-centred and careless of another person's feelings, but this was Daniel Jackson. No-one other than Jim had affected him so profoundly. Not even Maya. Theirs was a love that transcended time and space. They would always be a part of each other. Always. And after Daniel's marriage they would never be intimate again. Blair needed closure and figured Daniel did too. They had to make the best of the time they had left together. They just had to.

Daniel peered over his glasses. "I don't know. I really don't, Blair. Let's just wait and see, shall we?"

Sam wandered into the kitchen and poured herself a coffee.

"Mmmm."

"Better?" Daniel enquired.

Sam nodded, "Hmm."

Blair returned from the bathroom clutching a small bottle. "Tylenol anyone?"

There was a chorus of affirmative groans from around the table, so Blair dished them out. Sam took hers and drained her mug.

"Listen guys, hate to love you and leave you, but I should really get home. I want to change and then get over to Janet's to help with the food for tomorrow."

"Okay, honey. I need to go to the jeweller and pick up the rings. I think that's all I need to do...but I'm not exactly working on all cylinders right now." Daniel looked at Sam questioningly. "Do I need to do anything else?"

Sam smiled and put her arms around him. "Just have a quiet day, Daniel. Tomorrow is a big day. The first day of the rest of your life. Enjoy the peace while you can."

Daniel chuckled, "Thanks Sam. And thanks for last night. It meant a lot to have you here." He kissed her softly.

"I love you, Daniel. I'll always be here," she whispered, stroking his face. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Daniel sat dumbstruck at the table, as Sam kissed Blair lightly on the cheek and picked up her jacket. "Nice meeting you, Blair. If you ever find you're tired of that cop of yours, give me a call, okay?"

"Okay, I'll do that. See you at the wedding," Blair grinned.

"Yeah, bye."

Daniel's jaw was still open as the door closed gently behind her.

"She meant that as a brother. Right?"

"What do you think, Daniel?"

"Not...as a brother?"

Blair shook his head. "Face it babe, you're loveable. There's something about you that we all fall for. Makes it damned hard to let you go, too."

"But...she knows I'm..."

Blair nodded.

"And you know I'm..."

"Better than anyone, D.J."

"Oh, God. It's bad enough to be hurting you. I don't want to hurt Sam too." Daniel put his head in his hands and groaned.

Blair moved behind him and nuzzled into his neck.

"We love you, Danny. We just want you to be happy. You've had so much pain in your life, you deserve it. Jack makes you happy. That's it. He loves you and you love him, that's obvious, you wouldn't be marrying him otherwise."

Daniel leaned back in his chair and rested his head on Blair's chest, closing his eyes. Blair stroked Daniel's cheek with the back of his fingers. "Relax, baby. It'll be fine. Tomorrow you're going to promise yourself to the man who will be your partner for life. For life, Daniel. But you have business to finish before you do. Sam wasn't going to tell you how she felt, she thought you'd feel guilty."

"I do."

"I know, but then I said, 'we always wait to tell people how we feel until it's too late. Tell him. Tell him you love him and tell him you'll always be there for him.' She will you know, if Jack ever hurts you she'll be at the head of the line to kick his ass. Shortly followed by me."

"I think you're right," Daniel smiled.

"Good. At last. You admit I'm right. Now, go. Take a shower and change. While I don't mind that kinda corn chip smell, and I have known you smell worse..."

"When?" Daniel asked indignantly, "When did I smell bad?"

"Try Egypt. That trip we took. Three days without a shower in the blistering heat, the sweat and the grime and I wouldn't say bad..."

Daniel began to smile lewdly, "But after that little excursion you insisted on fucking the ass off me...before I had a shower."

"Exactly." Blair leered, "They're called pheromones Daniel, and fuck the ass off you is exactly what I'm going to have to do if you don't get in there, now"

"Yessir."

"And Daniel?"

"Yessir?"

"Lock the door if you don't want company."

"And what if I do?" Daniel asked quietly.

Blair moved back to allow Daniel to get up off the chair and move away from the table. Daniel put his arms around the younger man and pulled him close for a soft kiss. He drew Blair's bottom lip into his mouth and sucked it gently, running his tongue over it inside his mouth. Blair moaned approvingly and turned his head slightly so that he could explore Daniel's mouth with his tongue.

Daniel ground his hips against the other man and grabbed a handful of hair at the back of his head, pulling him closer. Eventually they broke for air and Daniel gasped, "Clothes. Off. Now."

They stripped in record time, Daniel moaning as his hands roamed around Blair's hairy torso and thighs.

"Oh God, Blair."

"Bedroom?"

"No. I'm going to fuck you right here," he growled, making Blair groan in response. "You wanted me inside you, you're going to get it," Daniel hissed against his shoulder, biting it harshly, then sucking and licking to ease the sore spot.

"Fuuuuck. Daniel! How am I going to explain that?"

"Wear a turtleneck. I don't care. Mine, Sandburg. Never forget that. Part of you will always be mine. Get me the oil."

"Where?"

"Never mind. I'll get it later. Bend over the table."

'Master.' Daniel always turned Blair on more than he could imagine possible, and he was shaking as he leaned forward, bracing himself with his hands flat on the table and his ass presented to his lover.

Daniel's breath sucked in as his hungry eyes roamed over the young man's back. He stroked down from Blair's neck with both hands, across his shoulders, trailing his fingers lightly over the broad expanse of his back, then further, cupping his buttocks and kneading them sensuously.

"Beautiful. Beautiful." Daniel murmured. He leaned over Blair's body and whispered in his ear as his hands caressed Blair's soft skin.

"I've thought about you, you know, since I've been with Jack. Times when I've been alone here. I've imagined touching you, holding you, burying my face in your hair."

"Oh, Daniel."

"My dick would get so hard when I thought about you. I'd lie awake, close my eyes and you'd be there, in bed with me. Your hands stroking my body, like I'm stroking yours. I'd get the lube and stroke myself, imagining it was you. It would get me off in no time flat and I'd come so hard, my chest would be covered. God, Blair, you have no idea. NO idea."

Daniel began to kiss every inch of his lover's back, beginning at the nape of his neck and murmuring against the skin as his lips traced a path down and around, making Blair hiss and moan as Daniel's nipped and sucked all the places he remembered were sensitive. Parting Blair's buttocks, Daniel knelt behind him and swiped his tongue over Blair's sweaty and puckered hole, making the other man moan and jerk.

"Ooooh Christ!"

"You like that?" Daniel asked with a smile in his voice that was hard to ignore.

"Yessssss. You know I do, Danny. Please!"

Daniel inserted his tongue a little way inside Blair's ass and began to fuck him, twisting and sliding, occasionally withdrawing completely to tease and lick the outer rim, flicking down the perineum to Blair's balls which he sucked and laved. Then back up again, biting and nipping his buttocks, then tongue fucking him again to writhing delirium.

Blair was thrashing his head from side to side, babbling, his hair completely obscuring his face, his knuckles white against the table edge. Just when Blair didn't think he could take it any longer, Daniel removed his tongue and stood up. Blair moaned at the loss of it, and thrust his body back, craving the contact, the heat and the slickness.

"Patience, baby, patience. I'm still here," Daniel reassured him, his voice husky and thick with passion as his hand continued to make contact with the other man's skin.

"You're my addiction, B.J. My only temptation. The only one who could lead me astray. Your body drives me crazy. I can't get enough of it. I told you, didn't I? God, Blair, the nights I've brought myself off thinking about that big dick of yours buried deep in my ass, or imagining your face, the look in your beautiful eyes when you come for me and only for me."

Blair felt a drizzle of warm oil on the small of his back as Daniel spoke soothingly to him. He hissed as the oil dribbled down the crack of his ass and Daniel spread the viscous fluid around his buttocks and asshole. Tantalising the entrance with his fingertips, easing them in and working them around the softening pucker.

"So, so beautiful." Daniel whispered in awe.

"God, Daniel...Daniel...yes...more...now...PLEASE Daniel!"

One finger slid smoothly inside and Blair jerked back to get as much of it as he could.

"More!" he demanded.

A second finger slipped in as easily as the first and Blair ground his hips against it.

"MORE! You motherfucker. MORE!" Blair grunted through gritted teeth.

Daniel laughed, "You want it, Sandburg?"

"Yes."

"You want all of it?"

"YES! Goddamn you fucking sonovabitch, Jackson. Fuck me! NOW!" Blair yelled, turning his head and looking back over his shoulder at Daniel with such a wild and wanton expression on his face, Daniel almost came on the spot.

He grasped Blair's hips firmly with one hand and positioned himself with the other. In one smooth stroke his oiled dick was inside Blair to the hilt, his hips resting against the other man's round, firm buttocks. Blair cried out in triumph.

"YES! YES! You teasing bastard. YES! DO it, Daniel. Oh God, I love you so much!"

The older man lay across his back and rotated his hips, withdrawing slightly, then easing back in with a circular motion. Literally screwing Blair, slow and deep.

Daniel groaned, using every ounce of his control not to fuck the younger man into the table. "Oh Christ, so hot...so tight...been a long time, B.J.?"

"You were the last one in there. Two years. Oh, God help me, two years since I got fucked. How the hell have I stayed away from you so long? So good, Daniel, so right. Fuck me, baby, please. I can't stand it." Blair begged.

Daniel withdrew until only the head of his cock was inside, then slammed back in, his balls banging against the back of Blair's thighs. His fingers dug deep into the soft flesh as he anchored himself stroking long and deep, then pushing down on Blair's hips and angling his thrusts just so.

Blair cried out as the engorged head of Daniel's dick made contact with the hard nub inside him. He ground his hips against Daniel, pushing back to meet him, encouraging the other man to fuck him hard and fast.

"Yes Daniel, yes. Come on. You've got it, now. Oh God, baby YES!"

Daniel gritted his teeth and plunged into Blair's ass, ploughing it, ravaging it with such ferocity and passion it was almost frightening. His cockhead relentlessly stabbed Blair's prostate, the sweat ran in small rivulets down his chest, beads covered his brow and his face contorted in a rictus of pleasure. He held on tightly to the other man's bucking hips and groaned.

"Oh JESUS Blair, so good. So fucking good! You'll never forget this, Sandburg. Never forget me. Never!"

One oil slicked hand reached underneath to grab Blair's cock and stroke it, squeezing in time with his thrusts.

"Ah, Christ! Coming Daniel...coming!"

"Do it Blair. Come for me. Just for me. Come all over my hand, come on baby. I want to feel it. I want to feel everything."

Blair's body stilled for a split second and his cock jerked its first load of semen, which shot out of him with such force, he threw back his head and roared.

Daniel collapsed on Blair's back as the younger man's tight ass muscles clenched rhythmically around his dick, then slammed into him, yelling, as his own orgasm overtook him, his body jerking and writhing of its own accord. Blair bucked again as Daniel's come hit his gland and the two of them rode out their climaxes shuddering and bucking against each other, drawing out every last drop of essence and every last second of pleasure, Daniel holding onto Blair tightly and Blair resting his head on the table top, gripping the sides of the table for dear life.

Finally the aftershocks ceased and they relaxed, Blair onto the table and Daniel onto Blair. Daniel caught his breath and spoke first.

"God."

"Yeah," Blair replied, still a little shaky.

Daniel gently withdrew, while Blair was still on an endorphin high, and collapsed onto his knees on the kitchen floor.

"Wow." Daniel placed a small kiss on each of Blair's buttocks and hoped that would be enough to show the other man how he felt, because he realised that words of more than one syllable would not be an option for some minutes.

Blair's face was buried in his crossed arms, but his body was shaking. Daniel got up, put his arms around his lover and held him close, kissing his back and nuzzling his hair until the sobbing stopped.

"You okay, babe?" Daniel whispered.

Blair just nodded and sniffed. He pushed backward so that they were both standing and turned within Daniel's arms. Daniel brushed away the tears with his thumbs and kissed him softly.

"Your turn, hmm?"

Blair nodded, "I guess so. How am I going to do this, Daniel? Or rather how am I not going to do this?"

Daniel shrugged, "I don't know, but we have to. C'mon. Now we really need that shower."

Part Seven

"Looks like it's going to be a nice day, Danny."

Blair peeked out through the bedroom curtains at the blazing sun and the blue sky over the mountains.

Daniel turned over in bed to look and put his arm behind his head, not quite knowing whether to look at the sky or at Blair. Even without Daniel's glasses the young man was stunning, especially the way the sun picked up the red highlights in the riot of dark curls on his head. They cascaded down to his shoulders, almost like the hood of a cloak.

"Hmm."

Blair slipped back under the cover and leaned up on his arm to look at Daniel.

"How're you doin'?"

"I'm good." He slipped an arm behind Blair's shoulders and drew him closer. The younger man put his head on Daniel's chest and snuggled.

"This is it, B.J.," Daniel murmured.

Blair stroked Daniel's smooth skin with his fingertips." I know."

"I am doing the right thing, aren't I?"

Blair could visualise the frown of confusion on Daniel's face without even having to look.

"Put it this way D.J., when you imagine yourself getting old, who's the one you think of?"

"Jack," Daniel replied, without hesitation.

"So, you're doing the right thing. It was always this way with us, Danny. We spark off something in each other that we can't control. It's not healthy. Not in the long run. We'd wear each other out, physically and emotionally. Not to mention the fact that our partners would be unbelievably pissed, and throw us out on the street."

Daniel sighed, "I know. And I know I'm lucky to have found him. I just hope that Jim feels the same way about you."

"He does...I think. I guess he just hasn't realised it yet, although he did make kind of a weird comment before I left..."

Daniel chuckled, "What is it with these guys? Don't they know what they're getting?"

"Maybe they do. Maybe that's the problem," Blair smiled, lifting his head to look into Daniel's face.

Daniel twirled a lock of Blair's hair around his fingers and smiled back. "We really are something, aren't we?"

"We sure are. I told you before that we'll always be friends. I'll always love you and nothing can ever change that, but we're better off settling down with other people. Don't ask me how I know, man, I just do. You and me, we're..."

"A force of nature?"

"Yeah, something like that. Last night was..."

"Yeah." Daniel sighed. No other words were necessary, since words were completely inadequate to describe it, in any language.

"Daniel, I...I think I need a little time alone today. I have to get my head around the fact that I'm really losing you, before I actually see the man I'm losing you to. Is that okay?"

"Of course. I should really have some time to myself too."

"What time do we have to be there?"

"The ceremony starts at eleven."

"Okay. I'm gonna go out for a run, then I'll come back, shower, get changed and we can go."

Daniel held him tighter. "I don't want to let you go, B.J." he whispered.

Blair kissed him, deeply. "I know. Me either, but we have to. You know that."

Daniel loosed his grip. "Yeah. Go. Run," he smiled. "If you stay here, we both know what'll happen and that really isn't a good idea, is it?"

"Yeah. I mean, no. I mean...damn! It's impossible to answer that!"

"That's me. Poser of the unanswerable."

Blair stroked his face softly, "You're so much, Daniel. Too much."

"We're too much, and that's the problem," Daniel replied, as he picked up one of Blair's fingertips then suckled it gently.

"Agh! Stop! Dammit Daniel."

"Sorry, couldn't help it," Daniel grinned sheepishly. "You know, you'd be amazed at how many times Jack says that to me."

Blair laughed, "No, I wouldn't."

Jack looked out of the window and watched the airmen putting out the chairs and setting up the sound system for the ceremony and the party afterwards. Half a dozen of the guys had volunteered to help out, a couple of whom Jack already knew were gay, and they knew that he knew. It was a little secret society within the mountain. There weren't too many of them, and Jack didn't think he knew them all, but they were good men, all willing to die in the defence of their country and their planet. They'd all been happy for Jack and Daniel when they'd heard, but most of them were just a little envious that this would be denied them for as long as they stayed in the service and some of them were also a little envious that it was Jack getting inside Daniel's BDUs and not them.

Janet, Cassie and Sam were down in the kitchen laying out the marvellous spread they'd prepared. Jack had offered to help, but had been shooed away quickly by the Doc. With three women in the house, two of whom were Carter and Fraiser, you didn't argue. Jack drew in a lungful of the fresh mountain air and smiled. Beautiful weather, good friends, great food... and Daniel. Life just didn't get any better than this.

He finished knotting his tie and took a last look at himself. 'You always did look half decent in blue. Not bad, O'Neill,' he thought, 'not bad at all.'

"Good enough for a babe like Jackson?" he asked the mirror.

"Yeah. Good enough," he grinned at his reflection, and walked downstairs to whistles and catcalls from the girls.

"Ladies," he smiled.

"Damn, I'm jealous," Janet pouted, "Do you think there's a chance Daniel will chicken out? If you're jilted at the altar, Colonel, I just want you to know I'm available," she smiled, eyelashes fluttering.

"He'd better not. Besides, you know me way too intimately already," Jack grinned wickedly.

Cassie threw her arms around him and squeezed. "You look gorgeous, Jack."

Jack hugged her back, "Why, thank you, Miss."

"Daniel would be a fool to pass up on you."

Jack raised his eyebrows and looked at Janet and Sam. They both shrugged.

"Getting a taste for older men, are we? Danny got some competition here?" he teased.

Cassie blushed, "Jaaack. You know I don't love you and Daniel that way. Eeeew!"

Jack kissed the top of Cassie's head and smiled like the indulgent Dad he was. "Love you too, honey, and so does he. I'm going to check out the perimeter, back in a few. You sure there's nothing I can do?"

All three chorused, "NO!"

Jack threw up his hands in surrender, "Okay! I know where I'm not wanted. I usually ignore it, but I know." As he reached the stairs he put on his sunglasses and turned, "I ever tell you, you guys are the best?"

"You're welcome," Sam smiled.

Just as he was setting foot out of the door he heard Cassie whisper, "He is hot, Mom. You sure you couldn't take him away from Daniel?"

Janet replied, "Not a chance, sweetie. I wouldn't even try."

Jack chuckled softly as he sauntered around outside, not quite able to register what was going to be happening in a couple of hours. It truly was a good day to be Jack O'Neill and he couldn't stop a sappy smile from creeping over his face. He wondered how things were at the loft, and if Daniel was as happy and as nervous as he was. Some days Jack still had a hard time believing his luck. He'd spent a long time just loving Daniel from afar without having it returned, and now they were actually together and planning on spending the rest of their lives that way. He shook his head in wonder. Maybe the universe believed in paybacks after all. There had been so much pain and tragedy in both their lives, perhaps that had just been what they'd had to go through to deserve being this happy now.

One of the young airmen came over to him and saluted.

"Stand easy, airman. I'm not a Colonel any more, y'know." Jack smiled.

"Sorry, sir. Old habits," the young man grinned.

"It's okay. I want to thank you guys for coming over like this. It means a lot to both of us."

"You're welcome. It's just, well, we've all enjoyed serving with you both and this is kind of... it gives us hope, sir. We think it was a brave thing you did, Colonel."

Jack laughed, "Daniel's the brave one, he's taking me on! And call me, Jack, will you? 'Don't ask, don't tell' won't last forever, son, and one of these days someone will come along and just take your soul from you. Like he did to me. You have plenty of time, and I hope you won't have to skulk around like Daniel and I did. You never know, maybe we'll be coming to your wedding one day."

The young man held out his hand and beamed. "Thank you, sir...Jack. Consider yourselves invited."

"Well, thank you," Jack smiled. "You guys gonna stick around?"

"Ah, well, sir, we didn't expect to...we're not dressed for..." the young man spluttered.

"Hey, that doesn't matter. I'd like you all to stay. There's plenty of room and God knows there's plenty of food! Stay. All of you. Please. I want to share today with people who know us and are happy for us."

"That would be great. Thank you, sir."

"Now, go on. Finish what you're doin' and quit with the 'sir', for cryin' out loud!"

The young man grinned and ran back to the other airmen.

Daniel put down the phone and walked into the kitchen, preparing to fix the fourth pot of coffee of the day. He looked at his watch and listened to the muffled sounds of Blair padding around the bedroom. Daniel's mind was a jumble, his heart was in crisis and he didn't want to even think about how sore his dick and ass were after last night's activities, or dwell on tonight's activities, for that matter. Not right now.

He flipped on the CD player to distract himself, and smiled wryly when the music started. Talk about synchronicity.

' Swaying room as the music starts
Strangers making the most of the dark
Two by two their bodies become one

I see you through the smoky air
Can't you feel the weight of my stare?
We're so close but still a world away

What I'm dying to say, is that I'm crazy for you,
touch me once and you'll know it's true

I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new
You'll feel it in my kiss
I'm crazy for you...'

"I guess that's our song, huh D.J.?"

Daniel turned and his breath sucked in when he saw Blair. His long, dark hair was tied back in a ponytail, and he had on a collar-less white shirt, with a shimmering silk Chinese style suit in cerulean blue.

"Close your mouth, sweetheart," Blair smiled, his eyes twinkling incredibly blue, set off by the jacket he was wearing. "I scrub up pretty good when I want to. I don't always wear plaid and jeans y'know."

"God."

"Nope. Just me."

"You look..."

"You too. Dance with me?"

"Don't know if I dare." Daniel swallowed hard.

"C'mon D.J.," Blair appealed, "We're not going to get another chance, are we? You'll be smooching all night with Jack, and so you should."

Daniel opened his arms and welcomed Blair into them, bending his head and nuzzling into the younger man's neck, breathing in the smell of him. The herbal shampoo he always used, the wormwood and lemon balm soap, the faintest caress of cologne, and Blair. Just Blair.

Blair held him close, laying his head on Daniel's chest as they swayed to the music.

'Slowly now we begin to move
Every breath I'm deeper into you
Soon we two are standing still in time
If you read my mind, you'll see

I'm crazy for you...'

Daniel moved his hands around Blair's back, stroking his back and shoulders through the sensuous fabric, touching his hair, cataloguing every sensation in his own meticulous way, knowing more than ever now, that this was the end of their love affair. He kissed Blair's closed eyelids, his cheeks and then softly captured his lips, his tongue reverently tasting, registering every millimetre of Blair's mouth. Delicate, soothing, no hot passion, just sweet, sweet pleasure. A final goodbye. Tears fell freely from them both as the song ended and they reluctantly broke their embrace.

"We have to go." Blair gently reminded him.

"Yeah."

Dave Carson, the minister conducting the ceremony, was in conference with Jack when Daniel and Blair arrived. The chairs were around three quarters full, and a few other people were milling around, enjoying the sunshine before the ceremony began.

Daniel stopped at the entrance to the garden and took a deep breath. Blair took his hand.

"You okay?"

Daniel nodded. "Just a little nervous, that's all."

"Okay." Blair gave his hand a squeeze and led him discreetly into the garden. Jack looked up and his face broke out into a beaming smile when he caught sight of his partner. He all but ran over to Daniel, throwing his arms around him and catching him in a bear hug.

"Hey you," he whispered in Daniel's ear.

Daniel hugged him back and smiled, "Hey yourself."

"You okay?"

Daniel nodded. "You?"

"Fucking terrified," he laughed. "It's good to see you, Daniel. I've missed you."

"Oh Jack, you haven't met Blair yet. Blair Sandburg, Jack O'Neill. My fiance."

Jack and Blair shook hands. It wasn't awkward exactly, but Jack had a certain look about him. A little like when dogs first meet each other. The hackles weren't up, but there was a fair amount of suspicion.

"Hey Blair. How're you doing?"

"Good. Thanks. It's nice to meet you, finally. Daniel's told me a lot about you."

"Has he? I wish I could say the same about you." Jack smiled.

Daniel coughed, "So. Um. You got the rings B.J.?"

Blair checked his pocket to make sure he still had the rings. "Check."

"Er, good. That's good." Daniel replied.

"I'll go and find Sam. Leave you guys to it."

"We'll see you later, B.J."

"Absolutely."

With a small kiss to Daniel's cheek, Blair quietly took his leave.

"So, you wanna tell me about him?" Jack asked.

"Not right now, Jack. I'll tell you later. I promise." Daniel assured him.

As Blair entered the kitchen, Janet, Sam and Cassie were fussing with last minute preparations. The table was groaning with the weight of food.

"Whoa! This is some spread, Sam. You guys do all this?" Blair asked, extremely impressed.

"With our own fair hands," Sam smiled. "Janet, Cassie, this is Blair Sandburg."

Janet shook his hand and smiled, "Hi." Cassie's mouth dropped open and her eyes popped out on stalks when she saw him. She put out her hand, but wasn't able to speak. Blair grinned and kissed it. "Janet, Cassie, hi."

"Well, just look at you!" Sam exclaimed approvingly, looking him up and down.

"You like?"

"Boy, do I. You sure you're not free?" she whispered in his ear as they hugged. "Not even for the night?"

Blair chuckled, "Major!"

Sam sighed in disappointment. "Oh well, worth a try. You want to make yourself useful for a minute?"

"Hey, I would, but I'd better go and see where they want me to stand. I've never been to a gay wedding before, or a Humanist one for that matter. Just thought I'd check in and say 'Hi', and get out of Jack and Daniel's way," he smiled. "May I just say, you look beautiful, ladies."

Twirls and a chorus of 'thank yous' ensued.

"I'll see you later then. And Blair?"

"Hmm?"

"I want at least one good smooch out of you, later. Hear?"

"Yes, ma'am!" he saluted and went back out into the sun. The chairs were now full and the minister was standing at the front, waiting. Blair ducked back into the kitchen to alert the girls.

"I think they're about to start. We'd better get out there."

"Oh God!" Janet exclaimed, ripping off her apron and picking up her hat.

One of the airmen was at the sound system, Jack and Daniel were waiting at the back, and Blair went to the minister.

"Where do you want me?" he asked.

"Excuse me?" the minister asked, a little bemused.

Blair laughed. "Oh, I'm sorry. Blair Sandburg. I'm ring-bearer."

They shook hands and the minister laughed with him. "Ah, I see. If you just sit down there on the front row, when it comes to exchanging rings you can stand up and present them to the celebrants, then stand a little off to the side."

"I think I can handle that," he smiled and took his seat.

Jack shuffled nervously, holding Daniel's hand tightly as the final few guests took their places. As soon as everyone was seated, the music began and to the strains of Jefferson Starship's "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" Jack and Daniel walked slowly down the aisle between the seats, hand in hand, watched by their friends, all of whom were smiling broadly. They glanced around, acknowledging everyone with nods, occasionally looking at each other with small, shy smiles.

"The music your idea?" Daniel whispered.

Jack blushed, "Yeah. You know how big a sap I am. Guess everyone else does now, too."

"It's beautiful. I love you, Jack."

"Love you too, Daniel."

Blair watched his friend proudly. He'd thought it would be much harder to see Daniel and Jack together, but actually seeing them, Blair realised that they were made for each other and that made the parting far easier to bear.

The music stopped as they reached the minister

"Good morning everyone, and welcome, on this beautiful day, to the ceremony that will unite Jack and Daniel in marriage.

We gather here today to celebrate their union, and to honour their commitment to not just gazing at one another, but to looking outward together in the same direction. Today Jack and Daniel proclaim their love to the world, and we rejoice with and for them.

In marriage, we give ourselves freely and generously into the hands of the one we love, and in doing so, each of us receives the love and trust of the other as our most precious gift. But even as that gift is shared by two people who are in love, it also touches the friends and family members who in various ways support and contribute to the relationship. All of you are Jack and Daniel's community, and each of you has played some part in bringing them to this moment. This is why gathering as a community is such an important part of a wedding ceremony. Because Jack and Daniel are now taking a new form as a married couple, and in this form, they become part of their community in a new way."

"Both of the celebrants have chosen something special they wish to read to each other as part of their expression of love and commitment."

"Jack?"

Jack took the small piece of paper out of his pocket, cleared his throat and began to read.

"I'm not very good at saying how I feel,
But when I look at you my heart stands still.
This feeling I have is like
Playing in the rain on a hot, summer day...
Watching a child learn to ride a bike...
Just being in your arms makes me feel that way.
Jumping from a plane,
Rolling down a hill to a field of roses,
Going down the road in the wrong lane.
How else can anyone define this feeling?
There's no way, Babe,
Because I only have experienced this with you.

I love you, Daniel"

Daniel smiled and mouthed "love you too", his eyes bright with threatened tears as Jack put the paper back in his pocket.

"And Daniel?"

Daniel took out his own note, coughed, sniffed, and prepared to read.

"Have I told you lately just how much I love you,
or how your gentle smile melts my loving heart?

"Have I told you lately how your whispered words
can touch the inner parts of my very soul
and just the thought of you warms me when we're apart?

"Have I told you how I would feel without your arms
to hold me close and how empty my life would be
without you there to share it with me?

"Have I told you that it doesn't matter how we spend
our time as long as it is just the two of us together?

"Have I told you how I have watched your peaceful, restful
face when you are asleep and the tender fascination I feel?

"If I haven't told you, lately, it is because there are
no words to express a love this close, deep and real.

"With all my love today, tomorrow and every moment in
between-Jack, I love you so very much"

The minister smiled and continued as Daniel replaced his note, reluctant to look Jack in the eye. When he finally did, he saw that Jack's eyes were also shining and the smile on his face tugged at Daniel's heartstrings. "This is just right. I belong here, with him. Nothing else matters," he thought, barely aware of anyone else in the room.

"Jack and Daniel, we are here to remember and rejoice with you and to recount with one another that it is love that guides us on our path, and to celebrate as you begin this journey together It is in this spirit that you have come here to today to exchange these vows.

"Jack, repeat after me:

"I, Jack, take you, Daniel, to be my life partner,
I promise above all else to live in truth with you
and to communicate fully and fearlessly.
I give you my hand and my heart,
as a sanctuary of warmth and peace
and pledge my love, devotion, faith and honour
as I join my life to yours.

Daniel, repeat after me:

"I, Daniel take you Jack to be my life partner,
I promise above all else to live in truth with you
and to communicate fully and fearlessly.
I give you my hand and my heart,
as a sanctuary of warmth and peace
and pledge my love, devotion, faith and honour
as I join my life to yours."

Jack repeated the words after each line, his voice quiet but strong. Daniel did the same, his voice faltering slightly, wondering just how truthful he could afford to be without breaking Jack's heart into pieces.

"Could we have the rings, please?"

Blair stood next to Daniel and gave the rings to the minister, then stepped back from the proceedings. They were both plain gold bands, with an engraved inscription inside: "To the other half of myself, with everlasting love."

The minister continued.

"For thousands of years lovers have exchanged rings as a token of their vows. These simple gold bands are not of great value in themselves, but are made precious by our wearing of them. Your rings say that even in your uniqueness you have chosen to be bound together. Let these rings also be a sign that love has substance as well as soul, a present as well as a past, and that, despite its occasional sorrows, love is a circle of happiness, wonder, and delight.

"Jack, take Daniel's ring and put it on his finger, then repeat after me:

Just as this circle is without end, my love for you is eternal
Just as it is made of indestructible substance
my commitment to you will never fail
With this ring I take you to be my trusted confidante
and partner for life."

Jack took the ring and gently picked up Daniel's left hand, sliding the ring easily onto his finger. As he repeated the words, a silent tear ran down Daniel's cheek

"Daniel, put the ring on Jack's finger and repeat after me:

Just as this circle is without end, my love for you is eternal
Just as it is made of indestructible substance
my commitment to you will never fail
With this ring I take you to be my trusted confidante
and partner for life."

Daniel took Jack's hand and rubbed it with his thumb, then placed the ring on Jack's finger, sniffing slightly as he repeated the words.

The minister joined their hands together and held them as he made the pronouncement.

"Inasmuch as you have consented together in this ceremony to live in wedlock and have sealed your vows in the presence of this assembly and by the giving of these rings, it gives me great pleasure to pronounce that you are life partners. "

Jack cradled Daniel's face in his hand and smiled. "So, this is where I get to kiss the bride, huh?" he whispered. Daniel leaned forward and touched Jack's lips with his. His kiss was chaste, tender and full of love. Jack deepened the kiss as Daniel's arms wrapped around him.

A cheer went up in the crowd and the happy couple turned to smile at the congregation. Sam and Janet were dabbing their eyes and Cassie and Teal'c were beaming. The music began again as the two men walked slowly back up the aisle shaking hands, accepting congratulations and hugging people as they went. Blair stood and nodded, acknowledging Daniel's look. It was a look that said 'goodbye'. It also said 'I love you'. He then began to applaud with the rest of the crowd. He turned to watch them go, sniffing away his own tears and suddenly his gut clenched as he saw a tall, powerfully built man standing at the back of the congregation.

Jim Ellison...

Part Eight

Jack and Daniel sat in the middle at the top table, Teal'c next to Jack and Sam next to Daniel. In front of them was a large white wedding cake, topped with two GI Joes. Jack made a mental note to throttle Carter later on, since he was sure that had to be her little touch.

They had no formal best man, so Carter, Teal'c and Blair had agreed to 'say a few words' and Jack would speak on behalf of himself and Daniel. Daniel had no desire to make a speech and given the heightened emotional state he was in, it was probably for the best. Teal'c's speech was short, but deep and meaningful. It talked about friendship and loyalty, but only alluding to their work over the previous five years in an abstract way. No mention could be made of the Stargate programme as there were non-SGC people present. Parts of it made Daniel want to disappear into a very large hole and he hid his head in shame more than once. Thankfully, anyone who noticed thought it was from modesty and embarrassment.

The whole 'loyalty' issue was very much up in the air given Daniel's recent behaviour. He was just glad that Jack didn't know and if they were both lucky, never would know that Daniel and Blair were not-so ancient-history. But they would never be together again. Daniel was where he belonged, married to the man he belonged with. The way things were looking, Blair soon would be too. The phone call Daniel had made to the Cascade PD had been pointless, Jim Ellison was already on his way to Colorado Springs when he'd made the call. There could only be one reason why Jim would come, why he'd made the effort to find out where Jack lived. Jim wanted Blair too. Perhaps if their indiscretion never saw the light of day, both Daniel and Blair could settle with the men of their dreams.

Looking at Jack, and then at Blair, Daniel wondered how he'd managed to snare two such extraordinary men. Daniel and Blair had an attraction to each other which was dangerous, Blair had been right. Daniel should never have suggested Blair stay with him at the loft, it was like throwing a lighted match into a barrel of gunpowder and there certainly had been fireworks. That was over though and Daniel could look forward to a hopefully, long and happy life with Jack O'Neill.

He smiled to himself, rather sadly. He hadn't felt this 'full-up' kind of happiness - albeit tinged with guilt right now - when he'd married Sha're. They'd hardly known each other, but if the gods had been kind, and he hadn't been such a schmuck, he could have still been with her back on Abydos. Living the simple life, perhaps even raising children with her. That wouldn't have been so bad. As he had spent more time with Sha're, Daniel had found himself being happy to stay on Abydos, rather than being resigned to it. It was nice to be loved. It hadn't happened that often in Daniel's life. He had been surrounded by it, burned by the passion of it, been part of a family and head of a household. Daniel had not only earned the love of his wife, but that of his whole community, something which had been obvious to Jack when he had returned. However, for Daniel the lure of Jack O'Neill and the Stargate proved to be too powerful to resist and eventually it all fell apart in a staff weapon blast fired by one of his closest friends.

Sam rose from her chair, a little unsteadily. She had been hitting the wine since she'd arrived and was already glowing nicely.

"These two guys are two of my best friends in the whole galaxy and they make an adorable couple dontcha think?"

A chorus of 'yeahs', 'you bets', and 'hear hears' echoed around the crowd.

"I have to tell you all though, I was pretty pissed when I found out they were together. I was hoping to seduce Daniel myself at some point," she grinned wickedly.

Daniel reddened, the gathered crowd giggled and Jack looked at her with a slightly shocked and bemused expression on his face. "Don't you even think about it! He is so mine."

"Sorry, Sir," she smiled. "Still, you did get the jump on me."

The giggles exploded into full blown laughter, drowning out Jack's reply of, "No Carter, I got the jump on him!".

Sam grinned, "And you're both obviously very happy, so what's a girl to do?"

"I'm sorry," Jack smiled smugly, "but this linguist is totally and completely mine. Cunning or not."

"Ahem. Yeah. I guess he is. Anyhow, I'm not very good at speeches..."

Jack snorted into his beer, "Imagine we're at a briefing, Sam. You'll do fine. Everyone will be asleep by the end of it, but..."

Sam mock-glared and continued, "...so, I've chosen a poem to read."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Oh God!"

Daniel punched his arm and told him to shut up. "Go on, Sam," Daniel smiled.

"I didn't write this, by the way and I've changed it just a little," Sam continued, "but here it is. To Dan.

Step me now a bridal measure,
Work give way to love and leisure,
Hearts be free and hearts be gay --
Doctor Dan doth wed to-day.

Excavation, cease your squalling --
Check that chisel's senseless bawling,
Put those ugly gloves away --
Doctor Dan doth wed to-day.

'Tis no time for things unsightly,
Life's the day and life goes lightly;
Science lays aside her sway--
Love rules Dr. Dan to-day.

Gather, gentlemen and ladies,
For the nuptial feast now made is,
Swing your garlands, chant your lay
For the pair who wed to-day.

Wish them happy days and many,
Troubles few and griefs not any,
Lift your brimming cups and say
God bless them who wed to-day.

Then a cup to Cupid daring,
Who for conquest ever faring,
With his arrows dares assail
E'en a doctor's coat of mail.

So with blithe and happy hymning
And with harmless goblets brimming,
Dance a step -- musicians play --
Doctor Dan doth wed to-day.

I thank you." Sam bowed with a flourish and sat down to cheers and applause.

Blair rose from his seat, his heart pounding in his ears. It had nothing to do with being a nervous speaker, this wasn't the first time he'd spoken in front of a crowd; teaching kind of necessitated that on a regular basis. The source of his discomfiture lounged in a chair at the back of the gathering smiling, looking good enough to eat and knowing, Blair was sure. Jim could easily pick out a racing heartbeat in a crowd, he'd done it more than once, and since that heartbeat was his Guide's... There was no way around it. If Blair hadn't been busted before, he was now.

Blair couldn't believe that Jim had turned up out of the blue like that. How did he even know where to go? Blair had told him he was going to Colorado Springs, but hadn't told him exactly where. He mentally slapped himself. "The guy's a cop. Ex-forces. What makes you think he couldn't find you if he wanted to?" and that begged another question. "Why?"

Blair cleared his throat and began to speak.

"Don't worry, I won't keep you from the booze and this fabulous spread for long." He grinned at Janet and Cassie, "Thank you, ladies." Cassie blushed down to the roots of her hair.

"I've known Daniel Jackson for a lot of years now and I can tell you that Jack O'Neill is a very lucky man. I know he's been in love with Jack for a long time, and was fully prepared to sit it out, just loving him from afar because of the Air Force's rules about gay relationships. We can only hope that will change over time. Jack finally bought a clue and they got together, but they had to be careful. Very careful. And I'm happy to say they managed it for some time without getting caught. The political situation being as it is right now, the only hope they had of being together properly, was if Jack retired. He did. I think that shows more than anything else how much he loves Daniel and how much they belong together. I've never seen Daniel this happy in all the time I've known him and it's convinced me of something. There's a word in Yiddish, 'beshert'. It means fated, but in the context of a relationship it means 'soul mate'."

He glanced over at Jim, who was still smiling broadly and proudly. The smile gave Blair hope and brought a lump to his throat. He coughed and continued, "I believe absolutely that Jack and Daniel are beshert. They're just meant to be together. Today we've shared with them a ceremony of commitment. They've pledged themselves to each other for life. They have proclaimed their love for each other in front of us and the universe at large, and I'm sure this is the beginning of a long and blissful marriage for them. I'm not ashamed to use a clich or two, so here goes, Today is the first day of the rest of your lives, guys. Be happy. Could you all raise your glasses please? A toast. To Jack and Daniel."

The crowd stood and echoed, "Jack and Daniel!"

To applause, clinking glasses and scattered groans, Jack rose from his seat. Holding up his hands, he reassured the crowd. "I won't be long, so don't sweat it. You know me and briefings. Short and sweet. On behalf of us both..." he looked at Daniel and beamed, "Damn, I like the sound of that!" He leaned down and kissed Daniel, accompanied by cheering.

"I'd just like to say thank you to everyone for coming. It means a lot to have you all here. It's been a beautiful day and I hope to see most if not all of you rollin' around drunk as skunks on the lawn later."

A ripple of laughter spread around the audience.

"And, I want to say a special 'thank you' to Janet, Cassie and Sam who've prepared this fantastic spread, which I expect to disappear rapidly. And that's an order."

General Hammond's voice piped up, "You're not a Colonel anymore, Jack!"

"Okay, okay. Call it my very last order. Girls, we have a little gift for each of you. Janet, Cassie, c'mon up here."

Blushing, the two made their way to the top table, where Daniel hugged them and Sam tightly in their turn and presented them with elaborately wrapped gifts. Janet wiped away a tear and they took their seats again so that Jack could continue.

"This guy has been a thorn in my side for a very long time. He's driven me crazy, pulled my ass out of the fire on many occasions and eventually, damn him, made me fall in love with him." He turned to face his lover. "Living with you for the rest of my life seems like a helluva good idea from where I'm standing right now. I'm an old broken down war horse Danny, but whatever I am and whatever I have is yours for good. Better or worse, richer or poorer, all that jazz and I love you more than you'll ever know."

Daniel blinked away tears, rose and put his arms around Jack, kissing him deeply.

"And I'm yours, Jack. Forever. Love you." he whispered.

Jack sniffed away his own tears, brushed a stray one of Daniel's away with his thumb and kissed him gently. He raised his glass and turned back to the gathering.

"Enough of this sap. There's beer to be drunk...and so am I. Let's party!"

With that, the gathering upped and dived onto the food like starving hyenas. Blair wandered over to Jim's table as nonchalantly as he could under the circumstances and stood next to him, looking over at the table which was groaning with food and surrounded by people jostling and piling their plates as high as they dare.

Blair chuckled, "This could be a Jewish wedding. The way those guys are scarfing down that food, man! It's compulsory at Jewish weddings to eat like you haven't for a week. Did you know that?"

"No, as a matter of fact, I didn't," Jim replied with a smile. "How're you doing, Chief?"

"I'm good, Jim. Just fine." Blair replied, looking at him for the first time and knowing that Jim would be able to see, hear, smell and feel how nervous and excited he was.

"Yeah?" Jim asked incredulously.

"Well, I have to ask. What are you doing here, man?"

Jim took off his sunglasses and looked into Blair's eyes.

"Taking my best shot."

Blair's mouth dropped open and Jim gently closed it for him, cupping his chin with one hand. Ellison wanted desperately to kiss the younger man and run his fingers through the hair he'd watched and smelled, but only fleetingly touched. He wanted to bury himself in it. To bury himself in Blair so deep no-one could ever get him out. Looking at the young man's shocked expression, it seemed very much like his Guide had zoned out on him. Jim couldn't help but smile at the irony.

"You okay, Sandburg?"

"Er, yeah. Yeah, I'm okay...I think. Did...did you just say what I thought you just said? Because I thought you just said that...and if that's what you want...I mean, I am so up for that...what I mean is we...I mean we should definitely give it a try and..." he spluttered.

"I love you, Blair." Jim smiled and reached up to stroke Blair's face with the back of his hand. "I've loved you for a long time, I just wasn't sure you'd feel the same and I couldn't risk screwing up our friendship. I mean, I need you for the Sentinel thing, but I realised I just plain need you. I can't imagine my life without you. I could deal with us not being lovers as long as we stayed partners and friends. Having said that though, I want to take this to another level...if you're willing."

Blair's face broke out into a beaming smile. "Willing? Are you deaf? Oh man, am I! C'mere."

Blair framed Jim's face and kissed him softly. It was something he'd been wanting to do for months and Jim tasted wonderful. Jim breathed deeply, using his heightened senses to drink in the other man's smell and the touch of his soft lips.

Blair broke away and grinned. "Wow. Now that was better than the fantasy!"

"You mean you've..."

Blair laughed, "Man, you just haven't a clue."

"Buy one later?" Jim smiled.

"Oh yeah. Definitely."

Daniel watched the two men smiling at each other and smiled himself. Maybe things would work out for them both after all. He looked around at their guests, some sitting at the tables, some standing in small groups. Jack was mingling, flitting from group to group and Daniel watched him proudly. "Mine," he thought. "All mine. And later I'm going to show him."

"Penny for them?"

Sam's voice gently jolted him out of his ogling.

"Hey Sam." He kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Cute poem."

"Thanks," she grinned. "You okay?"

Daniel nodded. "I'm great. I love him so much, Sam. I never imagined it would get to this. Never thought I could be this happy."

"It's good to see you like this, Daniel. I'm happy for you both."

"You mean it? I mean, after what you said yesterday I..."

Sam blushed and smiled. "Of course I mean it. You two are made for each other. I don't know how I didn't see it before. I do love you, but that doesn't mean I can't be happy that you and Jack have found each other. I could never mess with that. If he ever hurts you though, I'll kick his ass from here to the Asgard homeworld."

Daniel put his arms around her and hugged her close. "Thanks Sam. Love you too."

"So, have you told him about Blair yet?"

Daniel felt the panic rise in his stomach. "Told him what?"

"Well, Blair has been an important part of your life, hasn't he? Jack hasn't met him before, he's bound to want to know what's between you two. It's pretty obvious you were lovers."

"It is?"

Sam chuckled, "Oh yeah. The way you look at each other sometimes, the easy way you are with each other, all the touching. You don't touch, Daniel. Hardly ever. Yet with Blair you're always touching. Always in each other's space. Even if you haven't told him, I'd bet money that he already knows."

Daniel sighed. "I'll tell him. I will. I'll tell him."

"Make sure you do, honey. Otherwise it'll hang between you and turn bad."

"I promise." Daniel hugged and kissed her again. "I'm going to get another drink. You want one?"

Sam shook her head. "I'm going to slow down a little, otherwise someone will have to pour me out of here! You go ahead. Have fun."

Daniel strolled across the lawn to the kitchen, where Blair was a fixing drinks for himself and Jim with a smug smile on his face. Daniel put his arms around Blair and whispered in his ear.

"I think someone's gonna get laid tonight and I don't mean me."

"You bet. I am going to fuck Jim Ellison through the floor. Of course, he doesn't exactly know that yet..." Blair chuckled.

"Oh, he'll find out what you're like soon enough," Daniel smiled. "I just hope he's man enough to handle you."

Blair turned within Daniel's arms and brushed his lips across Daniel's.

"He's my beshert, Danny."

"I know, babe. I'm so happy for you."

Daniel leaned in and kissed him deeply, their tongues gently dancing around each other.

"Well, this is cosy."

They broke apart hurriedly and turned to see Jack standing in the doorway, tight lipped, his face tense.

"Jack. This isn't what you think it is." "Oh, and what do I think it is, Daniel? Please tell me, I'm dying to know. But go slow would you, Doctor? You know how dumb I am." Jack replied.

"If you'd come in here 5 seconds earlier you'd realise that this is 'goodbye'."

Jack's fists were clenched tightly at his sides. "Daniel, this is my...our wedding day and I find you in my kitchen sucking some other guy's face off. Goodbye, ciao, adios, sayonara, I don't really give a good goddamn what it is. You want to tell me what the FUCK is going on?!"

"Honestly Jack, it's nothing. We really were just saying goodbye." Blair explained.

Jack waved a hand to cut him off. "Was I asking you?" he glared. "Did you hear me say 'Blair, I'd really like to know what this is from your point of view? Would you mind enlightening me?' "

"I think I'd better go, D.J."

"Yeah. Smart move, Sandburg, because if you stay here much longer I won't be responsible for my actions. There's only the fact that we have company keeping me from shoving you through that fucking wall." Jack hissed. He turned to Daniel. "I think you and me better have a little talk. Don't you? Bedroom. Now."

Jack closed the door behind them, even though he felt like slamming it. He paced around the room never taking his eyes off Daniel, who was sitting on the bed, shame-faced. Daniel couldn't look at him and Jack didn't know where to start. He wanted to shout, scream, pick Daniel up by the scruff of his neck and shake him. Then he wanted to curl up into a ball in the corner and cry until the tears wouldn't come any more. Instead, he took a deep breath.

"Tell me, Daniel," he said, calmly and evenly. "All of it. What's between you and Sandburg?"

Daniel still kept his eyes fixed on the floor, his hands resting between his knees.

"We met at college. We were both studying anthropology and we were easily the brightest in the class. No-one else could touch us."

"So you touched each other, right?"

"Jack, please. I'm trying to explain."

"Go on," Jack grunted.

"We fell in love pretty quickly. I don't think I'd been in love before him, just the odd teenage crush. I knew I was interested in guys as well as girls, but I'd never had any experience with either. He was my first."

A stab of jealousy burned through Jack, even though he knew Daniel had had male lovers in between Blair Sandburg and himself. The thought of someone else being Daniel's first lover wracked the core of him, as ridiculous as it was.

Daniel continued, "We stayed together all through school, then I left to go to work for Doctor Jordan in Chicago. He stayed in Cascade and we kind of drifted apart. We were both ambitious, wanted to prove ourselves. We didn't have time for a relationship, but we stayed friends. When I got back from Abydos I wanted to see him again, so I looked him up. It wasn't something I wanted to share with anyone at the SGC for a lot of reasons. I never told you about Blair because it just wasn't relevant. When we got back together it was almost like the previous few years had never happened. The thing was, we had this...energy, this...this passion between us. It was so powerful neither of us could resist it. And he was there for me. For a lot of things."

Jack sat heavily into the chair in the corner of the room and sighed, "So, are you telling me you've been fucking this guy for all the time we've been together?" he said wearily.

Daniel looked at him for the first time. "NO! God no. Jack, I swear. I was only with you. I guess you don't believe me right now, but I love you, Jack."

Jack laughed mirthlessly, "Love. Yeah. Trust. Whatever happened to that? Loyalty. Jesus H. Christ Daniel, no wonder you had your head down throughout most of Teal'c's touching little speech. Must have been hard to take when you knew you'd had your dick in some other guy's ass not six hours before."

"Okay Jack, I admit it. I slept with Blair. I should never have invited him to stay, I should have known what would happen."

"I ought to go down there and knock his fucking head off."

"What good would that do?"

"It would make me feel better, Daniel, because I WANT to do that to you, but I can't because so help me I still love you, you bastard!" Jack yelled.

"Have you any idea how much..." Jack dropped his head into his hands. "Why? Just tell me that. And tell me it's never going to happen again. Right now I might even believe you, because the alternative would kill me. Fuck you for making me feel this way and fuck me for letting you do it."

Daniel moved over to the chair and knelt between Jack's open legs. He rested his hands on Jack's thighs.

"Look at me, babe." Daniel whispered.

Jack slowly lifted his head to look at him. Jack's eyes were bloodshot and brimming with moisture. His face was drawn and haggard, and he looked tired, in fact he looked every single one of his forty nine years. It was as if someone had come along and taken a part of his soul away. Daniel's heart almost broke right there. He couldn't think of a suitable punishment for himself to atone for doing that to the man he loved more than his own life.

"Oh Christ, Jack. What have I done? I'm sorry. I am so sorry. I needed closure and I was thinking with my dick. It's no excuse, but that's what happened. It was a case of being with him one last time, just so I could marry you and know I wouldn't be thinking about it. Thinking about him. He's been a part of my life for a long time, Jack, and I can't lie to you, part of me will always care about him, but I swear I never meant for you to be hurt. And I haven't lied, every single word I said at that ceremony I meant. Every one. I love you and no matter whether you decide to walk out on me now or not, I always will. You're the man I'm supposed to be with and no-one has ever made me this happy. I don't suppose you believe that either.

"It was 'goodbye', I promise. The big guy with the shades who arrived late is Jim Ellison. Blair has been in love with him for some time now and I think Jim just got a clue. I'm happy for Blair and he's happy for us. He really is. It's over. Finished. A last fling before we got married, that's all it was. I can't tell you how bad I feel that you've been hurt. You were never meant to know."

"That much I'd worked out."

"Do...do you think you'll ever be able to forgive me?" he asked, tentatively.

Jack paused.

"Probably. But it might take me a while to forget and don't expect me to ask the guy around for Thanksgiving, because you can both kiss my hairy ass. I'm unbelievably pissed at you. You may have guessed that by now. First of all, I'm pissed because you've been with me for two fucking years and you never told me about someone who'd been so important to you. It feels like you've shut me out of a whole section of your life and that fucking hurts, Daniel. Second of all, I'm pissed because you couldn't have the fucking decency to keep your hands off him...I'm sorry, your lips... off him on our wedding day in our fucking kitchen, and third of all I'm pissed because here I was, missing you like crazy, mooching around the place like I'd lost a fucking limb and there you were all snugged up in the loft doing whatever the hell you were doing with Sandburg none of which I ever want to know. But you want to know the worst thing? I feel like you've taken me for a fool."

"Oh, Jack." Daniel sighed and bowed his head.

"I thought you knew how I felt about you. I told you I'd never been in love with a man before. You were the last person in the universe I figured would let me down."

"I can only say I'm sorry and that it will never ever happen again. I really wasn't thinking clearly. I could try and rationalise it, but I don't think that would make much difference. I could tell you I was scared of making the commitment, scared of putting my heart out there again because it's been stamped on so many times, scared that I'm a jinx because everyone I've ever loved has been taken away from me. That would be too glib. And it wouldn't alter the fact that I cheated on you, would it?" "No. But it might help a little. It was a shock, Danny. I couldn't have been more shocked if Apophis had turned up with a gift wrapped toaster. And we fucking killed the guy twice...was it twice?"

Daniel smiled, "I can't remember."

Jack ran his fingers through Daniel's hair. "Ah Christ. What a fucking day. I still can't believe you didn't tell me about him."

"Yeah, I know. To say I'm mentally kicking myself would be a gross understatement. I think we can safely say that self flagellation also comes into the equation. Not to mention horse hair shirts, stale bread and gruel."

Jack smiled too, for the first time. "Try imagining that I'm mentally kicking your ass too, because I am."

"I really don't know why I didn't tell you. Maybe because I didn't want you to be jealous."

"Well that was real successful."

"Touche. I didn't want our relationship to be overshadowed by anything and I thought if you knew I'd been affected so deeply by someone else, it might scare you off. If you're my 'grand love affair' he was my 'grand passion' and he was my first. I guess you always keep a special place for the first one. Have you never had that kind of passion, Jack? The kind where you can't see straight and it's almost...primal?"

Jack leaned back in the chair and put his hands on top of Daniel's.

"When I was married, I wasn't a saint, Daniel. I would never have left Sara and Charlie, I loved them more than...well, you know how much I loved my son."

Daniel smiled and nodded.

"I'm a guy, I understand about thinking with your dick, and believe it or not I understand about 'fatal attraction' too. There was this Royal Marine Commando..."

"Go on."

"His name was Jeff Walsh, a sergeant. I was a lieutenant then and we were on manoeuvres in Norway. Godforsaken fucking frozen north. It was a joint exercise with NATO and we just hit it off. Never believed that a hairy assed green beret could be..."

Daniel grinned, "but he was?"

"We couldn't keep our hands off each other. Never felt anything like it before, not with a guy anyhow. He could brush past me, or even just... talk to me and I'd get hard. We were almost busted a couple of times, but we managed to bluff our way out."

"What happened?"

Jack shrugged, "Saw him a coupla times after that, on exercise. Then he came down to where I was stationed, just after Sara and I were married. I made the excuse to Sara that we were going fishing."

"And?" Daniel asked with a hint of mischief.

"And I didn't catch any fish." Jack grinned. "I couldn't call it love, but it was something neither of us seemed to have any control over. Hormones, I guess. When he turned up on my doorstep, the idea of not being together just wasn't an option. Married or not, I had to find a way. I can still remember how it felt, being with him, even after all this time. It was amazing, despite the fact that I also felt like the world's biggest shit for doing it. To tell you the honest truth, I don't know that I wouldn't still feel the same if he walked through that door now. Maybe if I think hard enough I can understand what it is between you and 'Cousin It' out there."

Daniel smiled. " 'Cousin It'? "

O'Neill smiled back and just shrugged, "So he's a little taller."

"Jack, are we going to be okay?"

Jack cupped Daniel's face. "I didn't give up my job to give up on you without a fight, Danny. Yeah. We'll be okay. I love you. Said so, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did."

"No more Sandburg."

"He'll always be my friend."

"I know, but your ass is mine, Jackson."

Daniel grinned, "Yours. Whenever. Wherever. Forever."

"Go lock the door. To come anywhere near making up for this, I expect your talented tongue to give me a religious experience. On a regular basis. Starting now."

Daniel grinned. "Oh, I think I can handle that," he replied softly, as he rose and walked towards the door, loosening his tie.

Part Nine

Daniel turned the key softly and walked back to where Jack was sitting, a predatory gleam in his eyes. He slowly pulled the tie from around his neck and threw it onto the bed, closely followed by his jacket.

Jack's dark eyes followed his every movement, his cock thickening inside his pants. He loosened his own collar, which had suddenly become a little tight, and swallowed. Jack loved Daniel like this, sultry and teasing. Daniel was doing a slow strip for him, a small smile on his lips. Lips that would soon be driving Jack out of his mind. Jack fleetingly wondered if he'd ever done this for Sandburg, but quickly decided that this particular tack probably really would send him insane - not in a good way – and put the self-destructive, green-eyed monster into a little cage at the back of his mind, locked the door and threw away the key.

Daniel's fingers deftly unbuttoned his still crisp white shirt, exposing more and more of his smooth skin. Before undoing each button, his index finger traced down his sternum, softly, making him shiver at the light contact of his own fingerpad.

Jack adjusted his cock which was becoming harder and making his pants uncomfortable. There was no way he couldn't forgive his young lover for his indiscretion. He could forgive Daniel anything. His gaze drifted to Daniel's groin, which was level with his face. He could see the outline of Daniel's own swollen member through the cloth of the younger man's suit pants. Jack wanted to reach out and touch it, trace the outline, squeeze it and stroke it, rubbing his thumb around the covered head. He wanted to watch Daniel roll back his head and moan, exposing his pale throat which Jack wanted to bite and mark Daniel as his and only his.

Almost as if he could read Jack's mind, Daniel said, "I'm yours, Jack. For what it's worth, I'm yours. Body and soul. Let me show you how much I need you." His voice was deep, husky and full of want.

"Jesus, Daniel. What you do to me," Jack whispered. "Get those pants off and let me see you. I know you're hard. Show me."

Daniel peeled off his pants, kicking off his shoes and removing his socks. He turned quickly to face away from Jack, opening his legs slightly and bending at the waist to allow his white boxers to stretch tightly across his round ass.

"Jesus Christ Almighty! You teasing little fuck," Jack hissed, as his fingers dug deep into the material covering the arm of the chair.

Daniel smiled over his shoulder. "I've been bad, Jack. What do you want to do to punish me?"

Jack's chest heaved as he shook shaky breaths. "Tan your fucking hide," he answered quietly.

Daniel shivered, his cock twitching within the confines of the cotton. He'd thought about asking Jack to do this more than once, but never imagined he'd go for it. He suspected this would be a one-off, but he wanted it. Badly. And Jack was willing. In fact, by his tone of voice, he wanted it just as much.

"Do it."

"Get over here."

Daniel turned and walked towards him, stopping with his cock just in front of Jack's face. Jack put out his hand and stroked Daniel's erection through the thin material feeling it jump under his gentle touch.

"So hard, baby. So hard for me…"

"God…" Daniel's hips jerked forward at the stimulation. Wanting more. Needing more.

Jack withdrew his hand. "Oh no, Dannyboy," he smiled wolfishly. "Not yet. Put your hands on the chair arm and bend over. I'm not going near your dick until I've shown you a little discipline." He slid his hand around Daniel's buttocks, stroking them sensuously.

Daniel moved around the chair and quickly did as he was told, resting his weight forwards onto his hands, with his body bent over Jack's legs.

Jack chuckled. "Damn! You really want this, don't you? You want me to spank your ass."

"Yesssss," Daniel hissed, arching his back. "Yes, I want it. Please, Jack."

Jack was somewhat taken aback at this new turn of events. He knew that Daniel had his little kinks, as did Jack, but Jack had never figured that this would be one of them. His cock throbbed almost painfully as he realised how much he was getting off on the prospect of slapping his lover's ass until it glowed. He hadn't decided what he would do after that.

Various scenarios played through Jack's mind as he made Daniel wait, his muscles taut in anticipation of the first blow. He thought about rimming him until Daniel's cock burned with the need to come, about sliding his cock inside and fucking Daniel through the back of the chair, about stroking those reddened buttocks and jerking himself off, shooting his come over the tender skin and massaging it in afterwards.

Jack squirmed in his seat and pulled the waistband of Daniel's underwear down, so that his buttocks were exposed and the boxers sat bunched just under the curve at the top of Daniel's thighs.

<SLAP>

Daniel jerked away reflexively at the first contact of Jack's hand.

<SLAP>

He squirmed, a small moan escaping from his lips.

<SLAP>

Jack could see the flesh begin to turn pink and it was turning him on more than he'd ever thought it could.

<SLAP>

Daniel groaned and leaned in to the source of his pleasure/pain.

<SLAP>

Jack followed up with a leisurely stroke of the tingling skin, then began to slap more swiftly, his own cock jerking with every contact. He brought his left hand up and fondled Daniel's weeping dick, as his right connected again and again with Daniel's ass.

Daniel began to mumble words of love and encouragement, thrusting back and forth between Jack's hands, the sting of each blow translating into a bolt of pleasure running through his throbbing cock. His moans grew louder as Jack's hand sped up, and the flesh of Daniel's buttocks became red and hot under Jack's touch.

"Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes…oooooooohhh Jesus JACK!"

Daniel's movements became frantic, Jack slapping faster and harder, squeezing and jerking Daniel's cock until the younger man stilled for a second and his hot come spurted out onto the arm of the chair, boiling out of him and coating Jack's hand. Jack ceased his spanking and coaxed Daniel through his orgasm, stroking gently with both hands, rubbing the tender skin with his right and teasing the last drops of come out of Daniel's softening cock with his left.

A warm, wet stain spread over Jack's suit pants, copious evidence of Daniel's explosive orgasm. The younger man gasped above Jack, his breathing slowly returning to normal. But this was far from over yet. Jack's cock strained against the pants' rough material, aching for release.

"Suck me off," he growled into Daniel's ear.

Daniel meekly and shakily moved off him and knelt between Jack's open legs. He quickly undid Jack's belt, fingering the leather lasciviously, then undid the clip and slid the zipper down.

"Lift up your ass a little so I can take your pants down, Jack."

"No, Daniel. Just get your mouth around my dick and suck me, damn it. Now." Jack demanded.

Daniel eased Jack's cock out of his underwear and engulfed it in one swift gulp, slurping and sucking as Jack carded his fingers through Daniel's hair. Jack's hips bucked up of their own volition, fucking Daniel's mouth, almost making the other man gag. Jack held Daniel's head tightly with both hands and thrust in and out of his lover's hot mouth, moaning loudly. Within seconds, white lights appeared behind Jack's eyelids and with a roar he came, his come shooting far down Daniel's throat, spurt after spurt, which Daniel swallowed gratefully.

As they both came down, they became aware of clapping and cheering. It was only when they peeked around the curtain to see the crowd below looking back at them that they realised the window had been wide open.

Daniel's mouth dropped open. "Oh shit!"

"Ya think?" Jack replied, in shock.

Daniel moved away from the window.

"How the hell are we ever going to…?" Daniel was shaking, his face as red as his ass.

"Calm down, Danny. We have to go down there sometime. We can't exactly stay here for the rest of our lives, for cryin' out loud," Jack said, pragmatic as ever. He took pity on his poor, sore archaeologist. This was probably punishment enough.

"C'mere babe."

Jack wrapped his long arms around his partner and nuzzled his neck. "This is going to be embarrassing, can't get away from it. We may never live this down, but they're our friends, we'll survive."

"Oh God! What a fucking day," Daniel moaned.

"What did I tell you about weddings, Daniel? They don't ever run smoothly. Hell, if they did folks wouldn't have half as many stories to tell their grandkids." Jack grinned.

Daniel looked at him, then buried his face into Jack's neck again with a moan, mental images passing through his mind of a large Christmas dinner many years hence, featuring the two of them, Sam, Janet, an adult Cassie, her husband and her two children and Sam saying ‘…and you'll never guess what happened when Jack and Daniel got married…'.

"Not helping, O'Neill. Absolutely not helping. General fucking Hammond is out there, Jack! Cassie is out there!"

"George is getting on, maybe his hearing isn't what it was…maybe everyone didn't hear…Cassie…oh fuck."

"Yeah, ‘oh fuck' is right. And don't forget I have to go back and work in the mountain."

"I need a drink."

Daniel smiled, "All the booze is in the kitchen, Jack. Don't you think you should change?"

"And you should get some clothes on, otherwise we might end up giving them another show."

"Christ, you're incorrigible!"

Jack grinned, "Who knew?"

Daniel began to relax a little. This wasn't going to be easy, and although the crowd below had been small, the news would have spread around the gathering like wildfire, especially seeing as tongues were lubricated with copious amounts of alcohol. Despite all that, Daniel could cope if Jack was with him. Daniel was strong enough to cope with anything, except losing Jack. He didn't regret what had happened with Blair, he'd be lying to himself if he said he did, but it really was a last fling and Daniel was where he was meant to be. Nothing was more certain.

Daniel watched Jack changing into his faded Levi 501s with the button fly – Daniel's personal favourites – and a pristine, white cotton tee. He topped off the ensemble with his desert boots and his battered leather jacket.

Daniel pondered the fact that Jack probably hadn't done this to purposely drive Daniel out of his tiny mind and was also awestruck at the fact that Jack could turn him into a gibbering mass of testosterone by the simple act of dressing himself in a few well chosen items of attire.

Jack caught him leering and smiled, "What?"

Daniel shook his head, "Christ Jack, you are drop dead fucking gorgeous. Do you know that? I am so lucky."

Jack strode across the room and kissed him hard. "Yes, you are. Damned lucky. I love you, Danny, but I swear to God, if you ever pull a stunt like that again, you won't see my ass for dust. I'm in this for the long haul, and I'd lay down my life for you, no question. But I won't be taken for a schmuck."

Daniel held him. "Never, Jack. You're no schmuck, I know that and I'll never hurt you again. I promise."

Jack looked into his eyes and smiled, kissing him lightly on the end of his nose. "Time to face the music, Mozart."

Daniel put his suit pants, socks, shoes and shirt back on, leaving the collar open and leaving his tie off. Despite the circumstances, Jack could feel his cock re-awakening at the sight of his slightly rumpled lover, hair sticking out in all directions, his glasses slightly askew and the tantalising triangle of skin visible through the open neck of his shirt. Jack wanted to lick all the way up from the topmost closed button, up his lover's bare chest and neck, over his Adam's apple, nipping it on his way by, and up to his slightly stubbly chin, grazing his teeth over the rough surface and making Daniel growl the way he knew it would.

Any remnants of jealousy evaporated in the rush of power Jack suddenly felt, as he realised what he could do to this man. He could make Daniel moan and beg and curse in at least half of the languages he spoke. Jack didn't speak many, but ‘Daniel Jackson' was a language he was proud to be completely fluent in. The first class plane tickets to Athens, Greece, along with the reservations at the Inverness in Denver, were safely in the inside pocket of his jacket - the one he'd known would make Daniel's tongue hang out like an exhausted sheepdog. It would be a nice surprise when Jack actually gave them to him, and it would provide a useful and legitimate ‘exit stage left' for the couple. They could get the hell out of Dodge, leaving their guests to party up a storm without them and enabling them to forget about this particular part of the day for three glorious weeks.

Jack ruffled Daniel's hair, "C'mon, spacemonkey."

Daniel shot him a look of disapproval. "If I wasn't in so much fucking trouble already, I'd…" he hissed through gritted teeth. Jack knew how much he hated that nickname, and only used it to piss him off. At this point however, Daniel figured he deserved it and if Jack wanted to piss him off deliberately, then so be it.

Jack raised his eyebrows, "Oh, but you are Dannyboy, aren't you?"

Daniel cursed under his breath and thought, "You're not going to be this smug later on, when I've got my tongue up your ass, O'Neill. How long are you going to make me pay? And where did I put those silk ties?"

Part Ten

Jim looked at Blair and grinned lewdly, as they stood together listening to the sounds of Jack and Daniel's lovemaking drifting over the garden.

"Somebody's having a good time."

"Hmm. So...I could er...give you a good time later. I mean...if you want me to," Blair asked hopefully.

Jim put his arm around the young man's waist and pulled him close. He nuzzled his face into Blair's neck and nibbled gently up to his earlobe which Jim sucked into his mouth and then whispered, "Oh yeah."

Blair shivered, turning in Jim's embrace and locked his lips onto Jim's, pushing his tongue tenderly between those sweet lips. Jim moaned against his mouth and held him tighter, allowing Blair to feel his erection rubbing against Blair's own. For a minute they made their explorations, tasting and sucking, their tongues wrapping around each other, getting acquainted.

Blair finally broke away when a slightly tipsy Sam giggled in his ear, "Why don't you guys just get a room?"

Jim smiled, a little sheepishly. "Sorry."

"So Blair," Sam smiled, "This your cop? You're right. He is gorgeous."

"Ahem. Yeah. Let me introduce you. Major Sam Carter, meet Jim Ellison."

Sam shook his hand, "Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you, Jim."

Jim looked at Blair, raising his eyebrows, "Really?"

"Oh yeah," Sam replied. "Let's just say, you have a little catching up to do."

She kissed Blair on the cheek and whispered, "Go get him, Tiger."

~

Jack squeezed Daniel's hand as they strolled down the stairs into the kitchen as nonchalantly as they could manage. Only a couple of people were there availing themselves of the abundant liquor supplies, which was a blessing, but there were suggestive grins and knowing smiles from those who did see them.

Jack smiled back, Daniel smiled too, although shyly rather than proudly. His ass and pride were sore and he silently wished for a very large hole to swallow him up. They wandered out into the sun and Jack slipped his arm around Daniel's shoulders, smiling warmly at him, then kissed his cheek.

"You know what, Daniel? I don't care. I don't give a flying fuck whether anyone heard us or not. We're in love. We just got married and frankly, I can't keep my hands off you. I'm damned if I'll be ashamed of that."

Daniel grinned, "Thanks, Jack."

There were sparse outbreaks of good-natured giggling amongst the more inebriated parts of the gathering as the couple wandered around the garden, but for the most part people just turned and smiled, some of them secretly jealous of what Jack and Daniel obviously had. Daniel scanned the crowd and couldn't see either Janet or Cassie, so hoped that they'd had to leave before the unfortunate incident. He could just about cope with General Hammond having heard he and Jack making love, but it wasn't something he really wanted Cassie to have been exposed to, even though he wasn't ashamed of their relationship either.

Jack looked over at Jim and Blair, who were unselfconsciously making out under the welcoming shade of a tree.

He nodded towards the couple. "Looks like we're not the only ones who can't keep their hands off each other."

Daniel smiled, "Yeah. I'm happy for them. It's about damn time. Er, Jack. Are...are you okay with it?"

"Okay with them being all over each other? Yahsurey'betcha."

"You know what I meant."

Jack sighed, "Yeah Daniel, I knew what you meant and no, I'm not exactly okay with it yet. Give me time. I will be."

Daniel felt in his pocket for the keys to the loft. He tossed them in his hand and said, "Well, I won't be needing these any more. I just thought of another home for them. In the short term at least, until I can get the place on the market. I'll just be a minute."

He kissed Jack lightly and strode off towards where Jim and Blair were kissing and stroking each other.

"Hey."

Blair looked up and smiled, "Hey, D.J. we were just..."

"Yeah, I can see that. We getting a contest going here?" he teased.

"No, no, we er..."

"Blair, the man's joking." Jim held out his hand, and Daniel shook it warmly.

"Good to finally meet you, Jim. Daniel Jackson."

"Hi. You know, it's weird how everyone around here seems to know about me."

"God Jim, not everyone." Blair spluttered. "Only D.J. and Sam. Nobody else here knows me let alone you."

Jim grinned, enjoying his friend's embarrassment, "So, does he talk about me a lot?"

Daniel grinned too, relishing the game, "Oh yeah, a whole lot."

"Guys! Jesus!" Blair protested.

"Tell you why I came over here," Daniel began before Blair interrupted him.

"To ruin my day and embarrass me beyond words? Because you'd have some way to go before I caught up with you, after that little performance," he grinned.

"Ah, yeah. Touché." Daniel blushed.

"See, he's so cute when he does that!"

"B.J." Daniel warned.

"Sorry, babe. You were saying?"

"I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted, that if you guys would like some time alone, which you undoubtedly would, here are the keys to the loft. Use it for as long as you want. This is my home now and I plan to let that guy out of my sight as little as humanly possible." Daniel turned and smiled at Jack, who was keeping a discreet distance, but watching closely all the same.

"Wow, thanks man." Blair kissed Daniel on the cheek and hugged him.

"You're welcome. Now go. We've had enough explicit sex for one day...at least in public."

"Thanks Daniel. Like Sam said, we have some catching up to do," Jim smiled.

"You do. Go ahead. Throw him over your shoulder and take him to your cave, but be careful. He's pretty feisty."

Blair snorted, "You can talk. And anyway, I'm the bear in this relationship, his chest is as smooth as yours."

Jim interjected, "Relationship? We have a relationship?"

"Well, yeah, I thought..."

The bigger man held him tight. "Woohoo," he whispered.

"Yeah, well. I'll leave you guys to it. I have a husband to take care of. Have fun."

Jim smiled at Blair, the promise of the next few hours and if he was lucky the rest of his life, turning his blue eyes almost to black.

"Oh, don't you worry about that. We will," he replied, his voice husky.

Daniel smiled and nodded, turning to walk away.

"Take care, man and keep in touch." Blair called after him.

Daniel waved, making his way back to the man he loved.

"Y'okay babe?" Jack asked him.

Daniel nodded. "More than okay. I think finally we can both be happy. I hope it works out for them...and us."

Jack cupped Daniel's chin with his hand and looked into his eyes. "Hey, you can stop that right now. We'll be fine. More than fine. Peachy. Now. I have a little surprise for you."

"Really?"

"Mmm hmm. Here, take a look at these."

Jack removed the plane tickets from his jacket and placed them into Daniel's hand.

Daniel opened them up with the slightly puzzled expression which always made Jack want to kiss him stupid, read the tickets and grinned.

"I didn't think we were having a honeymoon."

"Well, I can always take 'em back if you don't wanna go."

"Jaaaack."

Jack grinned, "So, we can head off for The Inverness whenever you're ready."

"But I haven't packed anything."

"All taken care of."

"But Jack, you know I like to pack my own stuff, and besides..."

"Will you just get in the truck, already?"

"The Inverness, huh?"

"A suite."

"Hmm. My passport?"

"In the overnight bag. Along with a couple of changes of clothes, your shaving kit, because it's a bitch kissing you with five o'clock shadow, and..."

"And?"

Jack leaned close and whispered, "Lube. Lots."

"Flavoured?"

"Splash 'n' passion banana, your favourite."

"Ooookay, so what are we waiting for?"

Jack chuckled, "Thought that might pique your interest."

"You mean like Pike's Peak?" Daniel replied, grinning, reminding Jack of their first time making love in the open air, up in the Pike's Peak National Park.

"Why I oughta..."

"And later on you will, Colonel. You did say you'd brought lots of lube, didn't you?" Daniel looked over his glasses at Jack in a positively sultry manner. Jack swallowed hard and his lips tightened, not to mention his pants.

"You asking for another spanking, Doctor?"

"Not right now, no. But I do have a big boo-boo which needs some soothing. You busy later?"

Jack burst out laughing. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Daniel."

"Well, that was a panoply of Biblical figures."

"Just get in the damn truck. And you call me incorrigible! You got a fucking nerve, Jackson."

"I know," Daniel grinned.

"Hey everybody!" Jack yelled in his always subtle way, "We reckon we've given you guys enough entertainment for the day, so we're goin' off to make some of our own. Thanks for coming, enjoy the rest of the party!"

Daniel took Jack's hand and led him out to the waiting truck. Spinning him around, Daniel shoved him up against the side of the vehicle and kissed him, hard at first, then softening his lips to ride his lover's gently, dipping just the tip of his tongue inside rhythmically.

"Whoa! What was that for?" exclaimed Jack as they finally broke for air.

"Love you, Jack and I don't want you ever to forget it."

"You just keep kissing me like that. I'm getting old. Y'know, the brain starts to go, the memory and all that and...mmmmmmm. Yeah. Just like that. A lot," Jack smiled and opened the door for Daniel to get in.

Back in the garden Jim was downing the last of his iced tea.

"So, you ready?" he asked.

Blair frowned, "Ready?"

Jim rolled his eyes, "To go?" He took the keys to the loft and jangled them in front of Blair.

"Oh! Right. Ah, yeah. I'm ready when you are, Jim."

"I've been ready for months, Chief. I am going to fuck you out of your mind."

"Oh God," Blair gasped.

"Do we need to pick up anything on the way?"

"Like?"

"Jesus Sandburg, you're pretty dense today. Like lube and condoms."

Blair shook his head, "No need. I came prepared."

Jim's eyebrows rose.

"Well, put it like this. I was gonna get laid this weekend one way or another, so… I came prepared. And there's plenty of lube back at the loft," Blair continued.

"You're prepared, are you? And there's lube back at the loft? You would know this how, exactly?" Jim asked suspiciously.

Blair grabbed his hand and dragged him, "I'll tell you on the way."

They high tailed it out of the garden and got into Jim's rental car. As he started the engine he gave Blair a smouldering look. "I hope to God you know where we're going and that it's not too far, otherwise I'll just have to stop the car and fuck you over the hood."

Blair just grinned. "Not far, Big Guy, although we could try that some other time."

Jim growled and hit the gas.

~

Daniel flopped down onto the king sized bed at The Inverness and sighed happily as Jack uncorked the champagne.

"This is wonderful, thanks Jack," he smiled, putting his arms under his head and looking at his lover.

"Never let it be said that Jack O'Neill doesn't know how to give his special guy a good time."

Daniel's dick was already thickening, making a very noticeable bulge in his pants. His arms were still behind his head and he was making no effort to hide his desire. Wanton. Jack liked him wanton. Jack held the bottle with one hand and adjusted himself with the other. Much as he wanted to rip Daniel's pants off and fuck him through the bed, this was going to be slow and easy, sweet and loving. The initial shock and hurt of Daniel's infidelity was wearing off because no matter what hold Sandburg had over him, Daniel belonged to Jack now, and no-one and nothing was ever going to take him away.

Jack kicked off his shoes and walked over to the bed carrying two full glasses of sparkling champagne. He handed one to Daniel and joined him on the bed, being careful not to spill his drink. He raised his glass and said, "To us. Together, for good."

Daniel raised his own glass and clinked it against Jack's. "For good."

~

As Blair fumbled with the keys in his nervousness and excitement, Jim wasn't helping in the slightest by rubbing his hard length across the younger man's buttocks and lower back. Jim's face was buried in his hair and his hands were stroking around Blair's legs, brushing against his erection and up around his torso.

Jim was going not so silently out of his mind. His Sentinel dials had been junked and all his senses were in overdrive, the feel of the smooth silky material wrapped tightly around Blair's magnificent ass threatening to make him come way too soon.

The door burst open and Blair pulled Jim into the apartment, heading straight for the bedroom. If Jim hadn't been almost zoning on the smell of his Guide, he would have been stopped short, since the room was full of the smell of lovemaking and Daniel, but even though it registered, vaguely, his mind was concentrating on the fact that he was here, with Blair and they were finally going to make love.

Jim was about to pick up the younger man, throw him onto the bed and ravish him, but Blair put his hands to Jim's chest to push him away slightly.

"Whoa, Jim. Don't get all primal on me here."

"I want you," Jim growled.

"And I want you, believe me. So much." He traced his fingers over Jim's face tenderly.

"Hard and fast is great, don't get me wrong. I can do hard and fast and I love it, but this is our first time. I want to take it a little slow."

Jim smiled, breathing hard, "I'm not sure I can do slow right now, Chief. I've wanted you for so long, I want everything."

Blair smiled seductively, "Let me love you, Jim. I want to show you how good I can make you feel." Blair trailed his fingertips along Jim's throbbing length and Jim groaned, grabbing him hard and kissing him, his tongue forcing it's way into the younger man's mouth and mapping every inch of it as Blair returned the kiss with interest and palmed Jim's cock through his faded jeans.

"Mmmmm," Blair moaned, then broke the kiss and sank to his knees. He rubbed his face against Jim's covered bulge and breathed in deeply, taking in the scent of Jim's arousal, his own cock beginning to throb.

Jim stroked his lover's hair, removing the braid holding it in a pony-tail as Blair undid Jim's belt buckle and slowly popped the buttons on his fly. As the material parted, Jim's cock sprang out and Blair's eyebrows raised as he realised Jim had gone commando.

Blair pulled Jim's jeans down and the bigger man kicked off his shoes so that Blair could remove the pants completely. Jim looked down at the top of Blair's head, stroking the young man's long hair as Blair nuzzled into his pubes and stroked his muscular thighs.

"Suck it, lick it, do something Blair, for chrissakes. I'm dyin' here."

Blair smiled and Jim gasped as Blair took his cock firmly in hand and began to lick from base to tip, flicking of the pearl of pre-cum nestled in the slit of Jim's cockhead.

"Mmmm, you taste great, Jim. Beautiful."

He opened his mouth wide to accommodate Jim's thick cock and took the first half into his mouth, then slid it back out through tight lips. The next gulp was all the way down and Jim could feel Blair's nose nuzzle his pubic hair again as the top of Blair's head rested against his stomach.

Jim tightened his grip on Blair's head and began thrusting his hips to fuck the young man's mouth. Blair could sense that Jim was passing the point of no return, so instead of prolonging it, as he'd intended, he grabbed Jim's hips and sucked with the rhythm of the older man's thrusts.

As Jim began to grunt, his head thrown back and his hands gripping tighter, Blair slipped his hand around and between Jim's buttocks, resting the tip of his finger on Jim's anus, pressing slightly as Jim rocked backward. The gentle pressure on his ass and the hot sweetness of Blair's mouth took Jim skyward as he rocked back one last time, feeling the tip of Blair's finger slide inside. That pushed him over the edge and he yelled, his cock spasming between Blair's lips and his ass clenching around his lover's finger as it teased in and out.

Blair took everything he had and licked him clean when the aftershocks had died away. He rose, looking up into Jim's stunned face, grinning smugly.

"Wow."

"You like?"

Jim put his arms around Blair and held him close.

"Jesus, Chief. If I'd known you were that good at giving head, I'd have made my move a long time ago. Is my dick still intact? I mean, it didn't explode or anything?"

Blair smiled and stroked the soft, silky length gently.

"Nope, all there. Every last beautiful inch."

Jim looked down at Blair's erection which seemed about to bore a hole through the silk of his pants.

"Time we took care of that."

"Hmm."

He cupped Blair's chin softly and asked, "What do you want, Blair? You want me to go down on you, too?"

"I want to be inside you, Jim."

"God."

"Is it too soon? I don't want to..."

Jim placed a quieting finger to his lips. "Anything. Everything. I want you, Sandburg. All of you. Just take it slow, will you? It's been a very long time since anyone fucked me," he smiled, a little embarrassed.

"I can do slow. I'll drive you out of your mind, Ellison."

"I don't doubt it. You have too many clothes on, Chief."

"I do, don't I?" Blair grinned and began to unbutton his shirt.

"Let me?" Jim asked quietly.

"Go for it, man."

Jim placed small kisses on every patch of exposed hairy skin as he undid the buttons. He held himself back as much as he could, wanting to bring Sandburg to the edge. Jim had to admire the young man's control, he could feel how hard Blair was and was so looking forward to having that impressive cock inside him. He was also a little apprehensive, but knew that Blair would never hurt him and was eagerly anticipating a prolonged session of preparation.

Blair toed off his shoes as Jim pulled out the shirt tails and unhooked the waistband of his pants. He unzipped them slowly and carefully and discovered that he wasn't the only one not wearing shorts.

"You went commando too, huh?" he smiled.

"These pants are pretty tight, I didn't want a VPL."

"Gee Sandburg, who knew you were such a style victim."

Jim laughed and nuzzled into his groin, inhaling Blair's unique scent. He'd smelled it before, of course, though not so strong and not for him, at least as far as he'd known. Maybe it had been for him after all.

Blair grinned and said, "Shut up and lay on your stomach, Jim."

He looked up into Blair's beautiful face, the young man's sapphire eyes gleaming and his lips full and red. Jim was in love. If there had ever been doubts, they just melted away in the intense look of lust, love and passion in Blair's eyes. He lay on the bed with his legs open and tried to relax. Blair sensed his discomfort and moved to reassure him, caressing the smooth skin of his tense back in long, sweeping strokes.

"It's okay, babe, I'm not going to hurt you," he whispered, his voice as soft and soothing as the touch of his hands.

"I know, it's just..."

"I love you, Jim. I'm going to show you."

Blair flipped off the cap of the bottle of lube and poured a little into his hands, warming it slightly before he began to massage the tight muscles, kneading them into relaxation. Slowly but surely, Jim relaxed, muscle by muscle.

"You're very good at this," he murmured.

"Thank you, but if you go to sleep on me, there'll be trouble." Blair smiled. "I want you relaxed, not comatose."

Jim snorted into the pillow and Blair moved down the bed to kneel between Jim's legs. After placing a belt of kisses over the base of Jim's spine, Blair parted Jim's buttocks and nuzzled between them, snaking out his tongue to swipe his lover's opening.

"Aaah..." Jim gasped as Blair's teasing tongue eased itself inside, flicking and sliding in, out and around. Jim could feel his cock beginning to harden again as Blair rimmed him with consummate skill, stiffening his tongue to fuck him, then relaxing it to lick around his swollen balls and perineum. Jim could never remember having been rimmed so well or so thoroughly. Blair was making good on his promise to take it slow, but Jim wasn't sure how much more of this teasing he could take.

Although Blair would have been happy to continue this worship of Jim's gorgeous ass all day, his own cock was becoming more demanding, as was his supine lover. He poured a little more lube onto his hands and rubbed it around Jim's buttocks, sliding his fingers between the cheeks, working the lube in with his fingertips and stretching the loosening pucker in readiness. One finger slid inside, followed by another and a strangled gasp from Jim as Blair crooked his finger to rub against Jim's prostate.

"Blair! Goddammit Blair, please. Fuck me, will you?" Jim begged.

The younger man knelt between Jim's thighs and rubbed his swollen cockhead across Jim's asshole, then stroked himself, lubing up his length in readiness. Blair pressed his cock against Jim's entrance and pushed slowly but steadily. Jim's ass burned a little as the muscle stretched to accommodate Blair's big cock and he struggled to relax.

"Easy baby, easy," Blair soothed, stilling so that Jim could become accustomed.

"So big, Blair, you're so big. God." Jim panted.

"I'll take my time, I won't hurt you, I promise.

"I know, I know. I'm okay. Been a long time is all. I'll be fine."

When Blair felt his lover's ass open up and make him welcome, he slid inside smoothly then rested his body over Jim's back, murmuring into his lover's ear.

"You're so tight, Jim. And hot. Oh God, I don't know how long I can last."

"It's okay, babe, just do it, huh?"

"Hmmmm."

Blair began shallow strokes in and out, rolling his hips gently. His hands gripped the sheets tightly with the effort of holding back, but he wouldn't hurt Jim, who was moaning and rocking his hips up to meet Blair's thrusts. His movements became quicker and deeper as his lover urged him on, gasping and grunting as Blair's cock nailed his prostate. Suddenly, Blair stopped.

Jim turned to look at him, "What's wrong?"

Blair withdrew, panting. "Nothing, turn over. I want to see your face when I come, and it's not going to be too long now."

Jim turned and opened his legs which Blair rested over his own thighs. He entered Jim again and the bigger man hissed as his ass was filled for a second time. Actually seeing the effect he was having on Jim was an incredible turn on for Blair. Jim's eyes were tightly closed and his skin was covered in a thin sheen of sweat. The man was beautiful, even more beautiful than Blair had imagined. He rocked his hips, fucking Jim deeply, watching his lover's head rolling from side to side on the pillow, mumbling how good it was, how right, how much he loved Blair, needed him.

Blair knelt up and pushed Jim's thighs forward so he could capture Jim's lips in a sweet kiss as he fucked him faster. Jim's hands grabbed Blair's head and he kissed him back hard, his tongue thrusting in time with Blair's cock. Jim broke away and panted, looking deeply into his lover's eyes.

"Love you, Blair. God, I love you so much!"

Blair's breath caught and he threw back his head, thrusting and bucking as his orgasm approached. Jim took his own weeping cock in hand and stroked it as he watched his lover hurtling towards the cliff. Blair opened his eyes, shouted Jim's name and sank himself deep inside his lover, pumping his come into Jim's ass. Jim came a split second later with a loud, deep grunt, pearly semen spattering against his chest and oozing down his cock to coat his pubic hair as he squeezed and pulled every last drop and sensation out of his pulsing member.

Blair flopped down onto Jim's chest, trying to get his breath back.

"Jesus Christ."

Jim stroked Blair's sweaty back and kissed him softly.

"Yeah."

Blair withdrew and rolled onto his side. Snuggling into Jim's warm body.

Jim ran his fingers through Blair's unruly hair and whispered, "I meant what I said, Chief. I really do love you. Can you handle it?"

Blair laughed softly, "Can I handle it? Man, it's what I've been praying for. I meant what I said too. Love you, Jim."

Jim just smiled and held him closer. He reached over with his free arm to the night stand and grabbed a handful of Kleenex, cleaning the sticky come off his chest and cock.

"You want some?"

Blair took a few from him. "Yeah, thanks. I know we should shower, but I'm wasted, don't know about you."

Jim chuckled, "Yeah. Besides, I've got you in my arms and I know I'm a sap, but I don't want to ever let you go."

"Mmmm. I can do sappy. In fact, I'm going to do sappy now, so don't hold it against me later."

"Scout's honour."

"I've loved you for so long I can't even remember when I fell. I just...I just want you. The hell with the diss, the hell with your sentinel abilities, I just want James Joseph Ellison and that's all I want.. You think you can handle that?" Blair asked, throwing Jim's own question back at him.

"Yeah, Chief," Jim grinned. "I think I can handle that."

Part Eleven

The sun shone down joyfully, as Jack and Daniel sauntered around the Plaka hand in hand. As usual the place was bustling, and there was a breeze blowing in off the sea which had displaced the smog which so often hung around the centre of Athens. It was a warm, bright, beautiful day and Jack felt more relaxed than he had in a very long time. To be able to hold Daniel's hand as they walked, to put his arm around his partner and even to kiss him in public, without so much as a second glance from anyone else, was incredible. It shouldn't really have surprised him though, homosexuality was often referred to as the Greek persuasion or even the Greek disease. If this was a disease, Jack never wanted to get well.

The gay culture was something Jack had never really been exposed to before and it was still somewhat strange. The secrecy which had surrounded his gay desires and his relationship with Daniel was not an easy thing for him to cast aside, and even though they were surrounded by couples; straight and gay, young and old, all displaying their affection openly and comfortably, it had taken Jack a few days of gentle cajoling from his lover to relax and open up a little. Jack looked down at their linked hands and smiled. The first time Daniel had taken his hand in public, Jack had snatched it away and glared. Daniel - being Daniel - hadn't been hurt, he'd just smiled and reassured his older lover. Now, the best part of a week later, Jack was more than okay with it.

The slow, easy lifestyle of the Greeks suited him and it reinforced the fact that Jack leaving the Air Force was the right choice, for both of them. Jack found that he didn't miss Colorado one bit, didn't miss the Air Force or the Stargate. He missed the companionship of Sam and Teal'c a little, but not enough to take the edge off the deep down happiness he was feeling, being with Daniel, loving Daniel and not being furtive or ashamed. He had spent so long fighting and risking both his own life and others' lives, he figured it was time he passed on the baton - and the responsibility - to someone else. George would make the right choice about what to do with SG1. Carter would continue to make a significant contribution in the struggle against the Goa'uld, as she always had, and Teal'c would fight to his dying breath. Daniel would still be able to lend his knowledge (from a safe distance. No more gate travel for Doctor Jackson if either of them could help it) and Jack would sit back and enjoy the peace for a change.

His smile broadened as he looked at Daniel, who was window shopping. Jack squeezed Daniel's hand and sighed. Daniel looked back at him, beaming.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Mmm hmm. Just thinking."

"Now don't strain yourself, Jack," he warned, playfully. "We're on vacation."

"Funny. You're funny, Daniel." Jack replied and bumped into him, setting Daniel a little off-balance. "We shoulda done this before, y'know. A long time ago."

Daniel snuggled into him as they walked. "We never had the time, did we? Even when we did get a minute's peace we were always having to hide. Not to mention waiting for the phone to ring or our beepers to go off and shatter it all."

"Hmm. Don't have to worry about that anymore. You want a drink?"

"Sure. How about De Profundis? Since it's fast becoming our 'regular'?"

"Okay."

Jack put his arm around his lover and held him close as they walked, Daniel's arm resting lazily around Jack's waist. "Love this, Daniel. Love you, too," Jack said, quietly.

"Back atcha, Jack," Daniel replied contentedly, resting his head on Jack's shoulder.

They wandered into the busy coffee shop and smiled at some of the by now familiar faces. They'd found this place the first day they'd arrived, thanks to Daniel doing some research on 'gay Athens' in the hotel internet café. The guy just couldn't help himself.

The man behind the counter greeted them warmly. "Jack! Daniel! Yasu! How are you today?"

"Yasu Andrea," Daniel replied. " Good. You?"

"The sun is shining, my shop is busy. Why wouldn't I be happy?" he beamed. "Come. Sit. You want Greek coffee?"

"Evharisto poli."

"Jack?"

"Ena bira, parakalo," Jack smiled.

Andrea smiled, "You're learning already, eh Jack?"

"I'm in love with the world's greatest linguist. It's a given," he shrugged.

Andrea laughed and returned to the bar to fix their drinks.

Jack leaned back in his chair, put his hands behind his head and looked out of the window at the happy crowds milling around the shopping district.

"Y'know Daniel, I could really get used to this."

"Hmm," Daniel smiled. "I came to Athens for the first time when I was studying archaeology. I spent a semester at the University and I worked for a little while in the Government Department of Antiquities. It was fascinating. The Greek people are wonderful, so warm and friendly. They have such respect for each other and they welcome strangers. It was a lovely experience. I've always wanted to come back."

"Why didn't you?"

Daniel shrugged, "Never seemed to be the right time. When I met you I used to fantasise about bringing you here, showing you all the wonderful sites, sharing the things I love, with the man I loved." He smiled, blushing. "Never thought it would actually happen, though. How did you know?"

"I know you. It was an educated guess." Jack replied. "I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy, trying to make up for all the lousy things you've had to go through. Some of which I've done," he added.

Daniel shook his head in wonder. After all that had happened in the past couple of weeks, how Daniel had betrayed him and slept with another man, Jack still loved him that much. Daniel hardly dared believe it. "God help me, I do love you," he said. "Or should that be 'God help you'?"

Jack smiled, "Yeah, back atcha. Now, I need to know. Are we gonna get sappy here? Because if we are, I'll need that beer."

Daniel held up his hands. "No, no. No sap in public. I'll save that for when we get back to the hotel and I'm making slow, sweet love to you," he grinned.

"Jeez, Daniel. Tighten a guy's shorts, why don't you?" Jack retorted.

The young man laughed, softly.

"It still amazes me that you can do that to me after all this time," said his lover incredulously.

"The feeling's mutual, when the feeling's mutual, Jack." Daniel replied, a smug smile on his face.

"There will be no mutual feeling in here, Daniel. I don't mind holding hands, but..."

"I hope it doesn't rain tonight," Daniel interrupted.

"Don't change the subject," Jack admonished.

"Oh, I'm not. The park is really nice in the moonlight."

"Daaaaaniel..."

Jack's lover leaned in close and whispered in his ear, "Then I could give you a PDA you wouldn't forget in a hurry."

"Dammit Daniel!" Jack hissed, "Stop that! Where's that damn beer?"

Daniel sat back in his chair grinning like the Cheshire Cat and gave his bottom lip a swipe with his long tongue, which elicited exactly the desired effect from his lover, who squirmed in his seat and shook his head.

"Sonovabitch!"

Andrea returned with their drinks and a plateful of delicious-looking baklava and deposited them on the table. "On the house for my American friends," he announced with a flourish.

"Andrea, we can't," Daniel protested.

"If you do not accept, I am insulted. Enjoy." The big man smiled and returned to his backgammon game.

"Thank you Andrea. Evharisto poli." Daniel replied, giving in gracefully.

Jack bit into a slice of the sweet dessert, closed his eyes and moaned. "Mmmm, this stuff is good."

"A minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips, Jack," Daniel warned.

"Spoilsport," Jack grumbled. "Anyway, what about you and ice cream? Oh pot? Have you met kettle?"

"I'm younger than you," Daniel smiled wickedly.

Jack glared, "Bastard."

His lover chuckled. The truth was that Jack could grow a gut the size of the Acropolis and Daniel would still want to make love to him. He guessed size really didn't matter after all. Besides which, Jack could soon burn it off with the right inducement. Jack seemed surprised at the strength of Daniel's libido even now. Daniel suspected that his looks were deceiving and couldn't really blame Jack for that. No-one expects an allergy blowing geek to be semi-hard a lot of the time. Jack didn't seem to realise though that it was him - Jack O'Neill - who had that effect on him. He hadn't been this way with Sha're, or anyone else he'd been involved with, with the possible exception of Blair. He seemed physically incapable of keeping his hands off either of them.

He shifted in his seat as he watched Jack happily eating, sucking the syrup from his fingers. Jack was oblivious to the effect he was having on Daniel, which was probably a good thing. If Jack had known what it was doing to the younger man; watching Jack curl his tongue around each finger, licking off the gooey sweetness, then sucking the fingers into his mouth one at a time to make sure he'd got all of it, then withdrawing the fingers which now shined wet from his saliva, Jack would have been in his element and would have made even more of a meal of them, just to wind Daniel up.

"Daniel?" Jack asked, with a hint of mischief in his voice. Jack had obviously seen the look on Daniel's face, his eyes fixed on Jack's slippery fingers, his mouth slightly open and a slight flush appearing on his face and neck.

"Does this bother you at all?" Jack grinned, completely onto it and drawing his index finger into his mouth again. "Oh man, this stuff is so sticky. It keeps running down my fingers and...are you sure this isn't bothering you?"

Daniel gulped and drank down the remainder of his coffee, trying to compose himself.

"Bothering me? In what sense?" he asked, hoping that his voice sounded steadier to Jack than it did to him.

"Oh, I don't know, is it getting you...hot at all?" Jack whispered, thoroughly enjoying getting his own back.

"Er, in that sense. Well, as you mention it, er, as a matter of fact... Jack, my...um...my dick is knocking on the underside of the table. If you're really that interested," he stammered, quietly.

Jack raised his eyebrows, his eyes shining. "Really?"

"Mmm. Really." Daniel panted.

"Well, in that case I'd better stop. Wouldn't want you to blow your top...or anything. Would you like a little help with it?"

"Jack, there is no way I can walk back to the hotel in this condition. No way at all. Apart from the obvious embarrassment, all the blood in my brain has flown south and my motor functions are screwed."

"Interesting choice of words there, Daniel," Jack teased.

His lover glared. "Either you stop, or you'll have to blow me under the table or something, because this... Goddammit Jack!" Daniel hissed as Jack's hand snaked under the table and discreetly massaged his aching length.

"Oh, it is so nice to know I can wind you into knots, Jackson," Jack grinned evilly. "Payback's a bitch, ain't it?"

"Humph. Glad the experiment worked." Daniel pouted.

"Damn! I love it when you do that. Come on, beautiful. We have an appointment."

Daniel looked quizzically at him. "Appointment?"

Jack leaned in close, "See this finger here? And this one? And maybe even this one? They have an urgent appointment with your prostate, Doctor Jackson."

"Oh God!" Daniel moaned, as Jack took his hand and dragged him out of the coffee shop.

They managed the short walk to their hotel in record time and Jack almost shoved Daniel into the elevator, slamming him against the back wall with his body. Jack's hands roamed over Daniel's torso, pulling out the tee shirt from his shorts and moaning into his lover's mouth as his fingertips glided over bare sweating flesh.

Jack's tongue plundered Daniel's mouth and fought with the young man's tongue for dominance as they kissed, rubbing their erections against one another. Daniel cried out as Jack bit his neck. The older man was in alpha mode, wanting to completely possess him and Daniel was more than happy to be marked as Jack's and only Jack's.

They paused as the elevator opened at their floor and almost ran to the room. Jack fumbled with the card key, then the door flew open and the lovers wrapped their arms around each other again, shuffling clumsily over to the bed and falling onto it, giggling.

The laughing soon stopped as Jack rolled Daniel onto his back and pushed up on his arms to look down at the panting young man.

"God Daniel, you are so hot. You turn me on so much."

Daniel looked up into Jack's dark eyes, full of heat and passion. His cock swelled even more inside his shorts. "I'm not exactly lagging behind myself here, babe."

Jack growled, grinding his cock against Daniel one last time before sitting up on his haunches. He crossed his arms and removed his black tee shirt in one swift move, exposing his hairy chest to his lover's eyes. Daniel reached up his hand and stroked the soft greying curls, murmuring, "Jack, oh Christ, Jack..."

Jack gently removed Daniel's glasses and placed them on the bedside cabinet, next to the omnipresent Gideon Bible which neither of them had been bothered to move.

Daniel's hands explored Jack's chest and swept over his flat stomach to undo the button at the top of the older man's shorts. The fly slid down slowly to reveal Jack's black briefs, the material stretched tight over his cock. Jack hissed as the tip of Daniel's thumb rubbed the very tip, bursting the pearl of moisture and making a darker patch spread over the cotton. His fingers continued to tease, rubbing the hard shaft and tenderly stroking the tip alternately. Jack's head rolled back and his hips jerked forward, needing more substantial contact.

"Danny...Danny...Danny," he whispered, as the young man worked him with consummate skill.

"Fuck! I have to get these off you, Jack. Get off me one minute and lay back."

Jack lay back on the bed, his head at the other man's feet as Daniel wrenched his shorts and underwear down his legs and off. Daniel looked up and down his lover's body and smiled, "Oh yes. Much better."

"Oh yeah, Daniel, so right." Jack sighed as the cool, conditioned air floated over his burning flesh. "You make me so hard, you know that? No-one has ever made me this hard before. Suck me. Please."

Daniel leaned down and snaked out his tongue to lap at the head of his lover's cock. Jack moaned and gripped the sheets tightly as Daniel's talented mouth fellated him. The younger man's tongue swiped around the mushroomed head, which was leaking pre-come constantly, then he dove forward taking Jack as far into his throat as he could. One saliva slicked hand fondled Jack's balls and perineum, the index finger creeping backward to rest at Jack's anal opening.

"Ah Christ, Daniel...you're so damned good at this. Oh yeah..."

Daniel could see it wouldn't be long before Jack came and Daniel wanted him to. He wanted to take Jack to the edge and over it, thinking only about himself. Daniel wanted Jack to hand himself over to his own pleasure with complete abandon and there was only one way he'd found so far to make this happen.

"Jack, turn over."

His lover did as asked and at the wordless urging of Daniel's hands, edged upwards so that his ass was in Daniel's face. Daniel moaned and spread the cheeks of Jack's butt apart, biting and kissing them as the older man squirmed beneath him. His tongue lapped at Jack's pucker, laving the sensitive skin, then he turned his attention to the fleshy buttocks, slapping them gently and sucking the flesh into his mouth.

Jack couldn't take much more without stroking himself. Jack leaned forwards onto one arm, bringing one leg upward towards his chest so that he could remain relaxed on the bed while Daniel had complete access to his ass and he was still able to stroke his cock with his right hand. He gripped himself firmly, fingertips settling into their familiar spots, then closed his eyes and focused totally on the sweet sensations Daniel was giving him. The young man's tongue eased its way inside, thrusting then laving, then thrusting again until the head of Jack's dick threatened to explode. His hand moved rapidly up and down his cock, then suddenly Jack stilled, cried out hoarsely and came all over the bed sheets.

Daniel's tongue gently continued its work, as his hands massaged Jack's ass cheeks and the older man came down from the orgasm.

Jack collapsed onto the bed, panting and muttering into the mattress, "Danny, oh God, Danny..."

Daniel moved to be at his side, stroking his back. "You okay, babe?"

Jack managed a nod. "You?"

Daniel chuckled, "You want to see what you do to me, Colonel?"

Jack turned his head as Daniel unzipped his shorts to reveal a sticky mess.

"Jesus. You came in your pants, Daniel."

"No shit, Sherlock," Daniel smiled. He cradled Jack's face in his hand and whispered, "Now do you see?"

Jack kissed him deeply. "Love you. I so fucking love you. I don't care anymore what happened with Sandburg. You are so mine and I never intend to let you go."

"Don't worry Jack, you're stuck with me. I'm not going anywhere." Daniel smiled and ran his fingers through Jack's hair. "I love you and I want to be with you, forever. That's it. My old life is over, my new life is with you. Don't ever think that I'm wondering what it could have been like with Blair, because as far as us being lovers is concerned, that's well and truly over. I know where I belong."

"Damn straight, Doc. We'd better take a shower. Don't know about you, but I'm awful sticky."

"Together? Is that wise?" Daniel grinned.

Jack snorted, "Laugh it up, Bookboy. You're getting nothing out of me now for at least another hour. I'm an old man. You gotta give me a little time to rev up for the return serve."

It turned out he was wrong.

~

Jim opened one bleary eye and glanced around the unfamiliar room. For second he almost panicked, then saw Blair next to him and remembered. The young man was still sound asleep, with his hair splayed out along the pillow and framing his face.

"Guess I wasn't dreaming this time," Jim whispered to himself as he edged in closer to Blair's body. Blair stirred, a half smile appearing on his lips and he rolled onto his side to face his lover. His eyes opened and the half smile became a happy grin.

"Morning Chief," Jim said and kissed him, softly.

"Mmmm, morning."

"How're you doing?"

"Me? Oh, I'm fine, Big Guy. Just fine. You?"

Jim chuckled, "Parts of me that hadn't been used in a while are protesting a little..."

"Oh man, I'm so sorry. I should have been more gentle. I didn't mean to..." Blair apologised.

"Is this the face of concern?" Jim interjected.

Blair relaxed and stroked Jim's chest, "Well, no...I guess I don't have to ask 'how was it for you?'"

Jim reached up and carded his fingers through Blair's flowing locks, "No Chief, I guess you don't. God, your hair is amazing. I could zone out on it. The way it feels and the way it smells, it's just you. It's so soft...and warm...and..."

Blair decided to kiss him before he did zone, and pressed his hard-on against Jim's, rocking his hips gently.

Jim broke the kiss and nuzzled into the young man's neck, his own hips matching the other man's movements. Jim murmured into his skin, "Christ, Blair..." and he bit down on the soft flesh, working it with his tongue and suckling as the younger man moaned.

Leaning back to look at the red mark he'd left, he caught sight of another love bite on Sandburg's neck. He stiffened slightly and Blair opened his eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Was that Daniel?" Jim asked, pointing at the bruise and unable to keep the barb of jealousy out of his voice.

Blair hung his head. "Yes."

"You were lovers?"

Blair nodded.

"Recently?"

"Yes. Does it matter?"

Jim smiled and shook his head. "No. It doesn't matter."

Blair looked relieved. "I'll tell you about him, but not right now, okay? I have other things on my mind."

"Like?"

"Like having you inside me, Jim. I want to start my day with your dick in my ass, fucking me til I scream. You up for that?" he smiled.

Jim looked down at his throbbing dick and growled, "You're a bright guy. What do you think?" before flipping Blair over onto his back and kissing him senseless.

Part Twelve

Jack sat up in bed and looked over to the window where Daniel was staring out at the sea. Even after this long and even after Daniel had become his life-partner Jack still had difficulty some days believing that Daniel was really there, and really his. He absentmindedly twirled the gold ring on his finger. It had been a long time since Jack had worn a wedding ring.

Daniel turned around and flashed Jack one of his patented 'Jack O'Neill melting' mega-watt smiles. "Hey Jack! Good morning."

"Morning."

"Sleep well?" Daniel asked, his voice laced with mischief.

"You know damned fine I slept the sleep of the well and truly fucked, Doctor Jackson. So yeah, I did sleep well. Thanks for asking," Jack admonished him, smiling.

Daniel chuckled, took off his robe and slipped under the cover to lie beside him. Jack took him into his arms and sighed, "God, I hope this feeling never goes away."

"Hmm?"

"You know, the 'I'm with someone I love, I can't get enough of them and I feel all warm and snuggly inside' feeling," he answered, feeling a little embarrassed at being such a sap so early in the morning.

"Oh, that one," Daniel grinned and nuzzled further into Jack's embrace. "Me too. I'm so sorry about what happened with..."

Jack put a finger to Daniel's lips. "Ssshh. Ancient history. Water under the bridge. No use crying over spilt milk. What's done is done. Let bygones be bygones."

"You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours."

"What?"

"Sorry, Jack. I thought we were having another 'Battle of the Clichés' kind of a thing going on. I still haven't forgotten the whole 'never run with scissors' incident."

Jack laughed and hugged him closer, snuggling back down into the bed. "It's a good thing you make me laugh, Daniel. Otherwise, I'd have to kill you."

"That's so charming. Still, at least I'm good for something," he grinned.

Jack swiped him across the head, playfully.

"Ow!"

"You know, all these years, you were the only one. The only guy I ever worked with who could make me really laugh. Thank you." He placed a soft kiss on Daniel's head.

"You're welcome. Have I told you how much I love you?" Daniel asked, looking up at him.

Jack picked up his watch from the bedside table and looked at it. "Not for about five hours, no."

Daniel moved over him, covering Jack's body with his own and looking into his eyes. "I love you, Jack"

"God, Danny," Jack whispered, his eyes locked with Daniel's, running his fingers through his lover's hair. "Love you, too." Jack leaned up towards him, covering the tiny distance between them and kissed the younger man softly. Their mouths opened up as they kissed, sucking each other's lips and tongues gently. Daniel broke the kiss to move his lips around Jack's face, planting small delicate kisses all over it, and then moving downwards to kiss and lick his neck and shoulder. Jack closed his eyes and arched into his lover's caresses, feeling Daniel's hips rocking slowly as their erections grew and rubbed against each other.

Their breathing became deeper as they both became more aroused and Jack murmured and moaned quietly while Daniel's lips and tongue stoked the fire inside him.

"Need you so much...can't believe how much you turn me on...can't leave you alone, even after all this time...never used to get it up this much when I was twenty!"

Daniel smiled, raising himself up and reaching for the bottle at the side of the bed; then he shifted upwards so that he could straddle Jack's legs, hooking his calves underneath them. Jack sat up against the pillows and put his arms around Daniel's body, pulling him into a close embrace and nuzzling his neck, then took the bottle away from him.

"Let me?"

Daniel nodded and moved up onto his knees as Jack warmed some of the lubricant in his hand. Jack reached around and slid his fingers into the crack between Daniel's buttocks, working the lube around Daniel's entrance as the younger man closed his eyes tight and hissed with delight, rocking his hips backward to welcome Jack's touch.

Jack slid one finger inside him, kissing Daniel's chest and licking his nipples as his talented fingers coaxed the muscle open and Daniel leaned forward a little. Daniel's eyes remained closed as he focused on relaxing and concentrated on enjoying the pleasure Jack was bringing him. Knowing Daniel's body well and being satisfied that his lover was ready, Jack removed his fingers and placed his hands on Daniel's hips, urging his lover to take his cock inside.

Daniel reached around behind him and placed the head of Jack's cock at the entrance to his body then eased himself slowly onto it. Jack marvelled at the sight and sensation. Daniel's eyes were tightly closed and his brow was furrowed in concentration, then his head fell forwards onto Jack's shoulder and he exhaled against his lover's warm skin as he allowed Jack to sink inside him inch by inch. Despite all the times they'd made love in the past few weeks, Daniel was still tight and it took much of Jack's self-restraint not to just grab him by the hips and start pounding, but he knew that if he let Daniel take control, when he finally came it would be the sweetest thing he'd ever felt.

Daniel moved slowly and easily up and down as Jack stroked his cock tenderly. Gentle caresses, soft moans and heavy breathing punctuated their movements. When their orgasms finally overtook them, the feeling spread through both their bodies like a warm, gentle radiance they could almost see, and the emotional and physical intensity of it left them both speechless. Their afterglow, however, was cruelly curtailed by the shrill ringing of the telephone. Daniel eased himself carefully off his lover and picked up the receiver.

"Yasu? Ieuan!"

Jack's eyebrows raised and he mouthed, "Ewan?" as Daniel waved him off.

 "Shwmae? Da iawn, diolch yn fawr. Nawr 'te..."

While Daniel was obviously busy, Jack took the opportunity to take a shower; comfortable in the knowledge that even if Daniel did disturb him, there was no way he'd be getting it up again so soon.

As he showered, Jack couldn't stop a goofy grin from spreading across his face. He was happy. Sappy happy. He still smarted just a little from Daniel's betrayal, but the more he thought about it, the less it mattered.

"Fuck you, Sandburg. His ass is mine," he whispered to himself, grinning and then exited the bathroom, towelling himself off and whistling as Daniel ended his call.

"OK Ieuan, hwyl am rwan." Daniel replaced the receiver, looking a little stunned.

"So, who's Ewan , and what the hell language were you speaking?"

Daniel watched his naked lover approvingly as he dried off and smiled as he explained. "Ewan, is Professor Ieuan Madoc, Head of Celtic Studies at the University of Wales in Aberystwyth and the language, as you might realise now, was Welsh. He wants me to go over there to talk about a job."

"A job? In academia? Wow. What d'you think?" Jack asked as he slipped back into bed.

Daniel put on his glasses and pursed his lips. "I...I don't know. It would mean leaving the SGC. Not only that, it would mean leaving the US. I wouldn't go without you, so...how would you feel about it?"

Jack drew Daniel into a soft embrace. "Babe, where you go, I go. Whether that's back to the Springs or to Timbuktu...where the hell is Timbuktu anyway?"

Daniel smiled indulgently, "Mali, but I get the drift."

"Jesus, when did I turn into the 'Sapmeister'? Anyway. Y'know what I think? I think you should seriously consider it."

Daniel drew back with a surprised expression. "Really?"

"Yeah, why not? What does he have in mind? Did he say?"

"There's a major dig starting up on the Isle of Man. That's out in the Irish Sea, between Ireland and the British mainland."

"Okay, I know where the Isle of Man is. I do have Irish relatives y'know," Jack huffed.

"They think they may have found another settlement where Celts and Vikings lived together, near to The Braaid."

"Losin' me now, Daniel."

 "Sorry, Jack. Long story short, he knows I have a lot of experience in both areas and wants me on the team."

"You mean... he doesn't think you're crazy?" Jack asked, bluntly.

Daniel frowned, "Not everyone thought I was a freak. Wales has had more than its share of UFO activity. He's pretty open to the whole concept actually, although he'd never dare say it publicly. I did have some personal support from a couple of people who didn't think my theory about the pyramids was so far off the wall, it's just that they couldn't afford to support me openly."

"Cowards," Jack spat.

"Realists, Jack. With families and mortgage payments and research grants. I couldn't blame them. I probably was crazy to come out with my theory to the academic community. I should have known what would happen."

"But you were right!" Jack protested, bristling. Daniel kissed him softly. He loved it when Jack became indignant on his behalf.

"Yes, baby, I was. But...I want to get back to archaeology again. It seems that the SGC is gradually taking a different turn and although I love doing translations and I love languages, I want to get my hands dirty again, Jack. I want to make those discoveries again and I'm not sure how much opportunity I'm going to get back there. Not the way things are going. Besides, to tell you the truth I can't stand the politicking anymore. I don't know how George and Paul put up with it, dealing with those slimy bastards in Washington. The more I'm thinking about it, the more inclined I am to cut it loose."

"The General won't be happy. Not losing both of us at the same time."

"George will be fine about it. He cares about us, Jack. Us. We've done our bit for the planet and I can still be available to do translations if he wants me. Not that he probably will, I have a good team back there. I'll recommend Tony Pacynko to take over and he can liaise with me if he needs to. I...I need to at least look into this a bit further."

"So, let's go to Abercrombie then!" Jack grinned.

"Aberystwyth, Jack."

"I knew that."

"Jaack..."

"I did. I was just playin' with you."

Daniel looked at him wolfishly. "You want to play with me?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Jesus Danny, you're gonna fuckin' kill me!"

Daniel snaked his hand down Jack's body towards his groin. "Ah, but what a way to go..."

Birmingham was cold and grey when their plane landed rather roughly on the tarmac and Jack shivered as he walked out of the airport building towards the taxi rank.

"Jesus Daniel, it's July! Tell me it's not always like this?"

Daniel grimaced, "Not always, but mostly. Birmingham isn't the most attractive part of Britain, Jack. You'll like Wales, the Brecon Beacons are stunning."

"Hmmph. I doubt they'll match the Rockies. Do they play hockey here?"

Daniel chuckled at his tired and grumpy lover. "Not so's you'd notice. Come on."

The train journey to Aberystwyth took just under three hours and took them around some spectacular scenery, which Jack slept all the way through, snoring softly. Daniel felt another pang of guilt, but a good one this time. He'd obviously worn his Colonel out during the past couple of weeks, but they had been memorable weeks and the first joint holiday of what Daniel hoped would be many happy times together. He resisted the urge to nestle his head on Jack's shoulder and have forty winks himself, as tempted and tired as he was. He sighed quietly; it made him a little sad that public displays of affection were not as acceptable in Britain as they had been in the more easy-going atmosphere of Athens. The prospect of working as an archaeologist again excited him though and he was looking forward to seeing Ieuan again. It had been a lot of years since they had worked together on the Holyhead Mountain Hut Group find on Anglesey.

Their room at the Conrah Hotel in Aberystwyth was large and comfortable, with two double beds - one of which they had no intention of using. As Jack flopped onto the bed they had chosen, nearest to the window, Daniel picked up the phone and called Ieuan to let him know that they'd arrived.


Back in Colorado Springs, Blair and Jim had spent the best part of two weeks getting reacquainted with each other in their new status as lovers. They had spent the days exploring the local area, spending much of their time in Pike's Peak National Park.

Blair had still been asleep when Jim had awoken. Military training ran deep and like Jack, he always woke up early. After he'd showered and shaved, Jim wandered around Daniel's apartment, trying to get the measure of this man who had obviously captured his lover's heart. The place was filled with books and ancient artefacts: Jim wondered if this was the kind of place that Blair would like to turn their own loft into. There were a couple of pictures on the mantle-shelf, including one of Daniel on a camel in front of the Great Pyramid in Giza and one of Jack and Daniel together, but none of Daniel and Blair. Jim knew. He'd looked.

Jim felt a certain pang of jealousy that Daniel had such a connection with Blair and resolved to ask his lover about how they'd met. Up to now, Blair hadn't been ready to tell him and for a while he was content to give the young man time, but Jim had been in love with Blair for quite a while and in the days they had spent in Colorado Springs since Jack and Daniel's commitment ceremony, Jim's feelings had moved into a higher gear and he needed to know.

It was a bright, beautiful summer's day and while Blair slept on, Jim prepared a delicious picnic for them to take up to the Peak with them. As he packed it, he felt Blair's arms snake around his waist and had to dial down his sense of touch so that he wouldn't immediately get hard again.

"Morning," Blair mumbled into his back.

Jim smiled, "Morning Chief, sleep well?"

"Ooh yeah," Blair smiled, stretching and scratching his sides. "What's for breakfast?" he asked, peering around Jim's arm.

"I'll make you some eggs in a minute, babe. This is for later."

"Looks good. How're you doing?"

Jim put down the food packages and turned to embrace his lover, nuzzling into his neck. "Good," he replied, as his sense of smell took over and he began to nibble Blair's neck then moved his lips over the young man's face, finally reaching his slightly open mouth with its full, moist and unbelievably kissable lips. He covered Blair's mouth with his own and began to kiss him gently, licking Blair's bottom lip, and then sliding his tongue inside. Blair moaned softly and relaxed into his lover's caresses, his own tongue dancing with Jim's between their open mouths.

Jim decided to junk the dials and just experience, as he felt Blair's cock becoming hard against his own through their shorts. Jim pushed his hands up underneath Blair's undershirt and ghosted his fingertips all over the young man's warm skin, moving around to the front to card them through his lover's chest hair and up to rub a thumb over one of Blair's nipples. Blair groaned into Jim's mouth and slid his hand downwards to stroke Jim's cock through the cotton.

Jim's breath caught and he broke the kiss, rolling back his head and closing his eyes. His hips bucked forwards into Blair's hand as it grasped him firmly and he growled as Blair rubbed his thumb over the sensitive head.

"Sandbuuurg..."

Blair looked up at him in wonder. "God, Jim. I never thought I'd ever see you look this way. You're so beautiful, man," he murmured, as he continued to stroke and caress his lover's erection, slipping Jim's shorts down to his knees and licking his lips at the prospect of sucking him off.

Blair didn't think he could get enough of his new lover. Jim elicited the same primal feelings in him that Daniel did. As he nuzzled his face into Jim's pubic hair, he breathed deeply of the clean, masculine scent between his lover's open legs and decided that later, he would tell Jim everything about himself and Daniel. They would be returning to Cascade in a couple of days and before they got home Blair knew that this had to be resolved. There was really no need for Jim to be jealous, but Blair had to make him understand that they were together now, as lovers, not just sentinel and guide. As intimate as that relationship was, Jim needed to know that Blair was his. Unconditionally. No unfinished business.

Jim gasped as Blair flicked his tongue around the swollen cock-head, lapping up the first bead of pre-come seeping from it, then Jim growled again - a sound Blair never imagined becoming tired of hearing - as Blair took his big cock deep into his throat. Jim's hands gripped tightly onto Blair's shoulders as the younger man fellated him with great skill and tenderness.

"Oh God, Chief, you're so good at that," Jim panted. "I never thought...never knew...aah Blair...so good...so good...want you...I want you to fuck me, baby...stop...stop, please!"

Blair gripped the base of Jim's penis tightly to stave off his orgasm and rose from his knees. He stroked Jim's chest and kissed him all the way up the line of hair on Jim's belly up the smooth skin sheened with sweat, to lick one of the taut, rosy nipples, before worrying at it a little with his teeth.

"You want me inside you, Jim?" Blair asked.

Jim nodded sharply as Blair's hands continued to stroke his body.

"Dial it down, baby. Dial your sense of touch down and concentrate on my voice," Blair said quietly, the rich tones floating over Jim's sense of hearing like a warm, summer breeze. "Just listen, Jim. Dial it down and I'll be back in a second. Wait for me. Don't touch yourself. Anywhere." The pitch of his voice had changed. It was still warm and loving but had a hint of command in it that Jim had never heard before and his cock twitched at the unaccustomed stimulation.

Jim's hands gripped the kitchen counter as Blair pulled off his undershirt, then kicked off his own shorts and padded back to the bedroom to find the lube. Jim concentrated on his breathing, dialling down his senses and trying to relax even as the anticipation wound him into knots. His cock throbbed painfully and the temptation to touch himself, to bring his swollen flesh some kind of relief was almost overwhelming, but it fought unsuccessfully with the sound of Blair's voice in his head, demanding he leave himself alone. The promise of what was to come was too great a prize for him to ruin it by disobeying.

After what seemed like an hour, but in reality was probably less than a minute, Blair returned smiling broadly, the bottle of lube in his hand but no condom.

"You ready to go bareback, Jim?"

Jim swallowed, "Yeah, I'm ready. I know we're both clean. I want you, Blair. No barriers. Nothing. Nothing. Just you," he panted.

Blair put his hand around Jim's head and pulled him forward for a deep kiss, grinding his own throbbing cock against Jim's. He pulled away and whispered, "Turn around, baby."

That commanding tone was there in Blair's voice again and Jim happily complied, leaning forwards with his hands braced on the counter top. Blair knelt behind him and parted Jim's buttocks. Jim cried out softly as Blair's tongue touched him, and then thrust his ass back while Blair licked around the tight hole. Slowly the muscle began to relax and Blair inserted the tip of his tongue, drew back, and then thrust back in again. Every thrust opened Jim up just that tiny bit further, so that soon Blair was enthusiastically tongue fucking the bigger man, as Jim writhed and moaned.

Blair removed his tongue completely and Jim groaned at the loss, then hissed with pleasure as he felt the wet tip of Blair's cock resting against his ass-hole. Blair leaned over to cover Jim's back with his body, resting his head on Jim's shoulder blade.

"Just relax. Relax and let me in," he whispered as he pushed slowly against Jim's sphincter. Blair rocked his hips gently, coaxing his lover's body to open up and allow him entrance, edging himself inside little by little. "Come on baby, that's it, let me inside you. Oh God, Jim...Love you so much..."

"Sandburg...Sandburg..." Jim murmured as Blair's thick cock gradually slid inside him, almost overwhelming him with sensation. Eventually Blair was all the way in him. Jim could feel Blair's balls resting against his buttocks and he could hear Blair panting with desire. Blair stopped for a moment to allow Jim to become accustomed to him. He knew from experience that he was well endowed and although he just wanted to plough Jim's ass and make him scream, he didn't want to hurt him. His lover was relatively new to bottoming and still needed a little time and patience.

"C'mon Blair. Do it!" Jim grunted and thrust his body back, clenching his anal muscles as he did so which made Blair cry out.

"Aah God, Jim! Don't push me too far, I don't want to hurt you."

Jim thrust back again.

"For chrissakes, man! You want me to fuck you hard? Is that it?"

"Yes!" Jim demanded through gritted teeth. "Fuck. Me. Hard. I want everything you gave him! Everything!"

So, that was the crux of the matter. Jim didn't need to be told that he was the only one, he needed to be shown. Blair gritted his own teeth and grabbed hold of Jim's shoulders tightly.

"You want to be fucked, Ellison? You want me to fucking show you? I'll fucking show you. I'll fuck you into oblivion you stupid, stubborn, jealous, sonova...bitch!" he punctuated his words with deep, hard thrusts.

"Oh God, Blair. Yes! Show me, dammit. Show me!" Jim begged.

Blair set up a deep, fast rhythm, grasping Jim so tightly that his fingertips left marks on his lover's skin. He fucked Jim furiously, with passion, love, anger and frustration all mixed into a heady cocktail of desire and need. Blair angled his cock as he fucked so that the head relentlessly stabbed at Jim's prostate, making the other man jerk and writhe against him. Blair held his lover tightly, and both men became mere creatures of feeling and sensation, emitting only feral groans and grunts: it was almost as if their animal spirits were fucking and not them.

Blair pounded into Jim even faster as his orgasm approached and he reached around Jim's body to roughly pull on the bigger man's cock, dragging Jim along with him to their climax. Suddenly Jim roared and a second later he came, hot semen spewing out of him, splashing onto the counter, then dripping onto the floor and finally boiling over Blair's fingers. A few seconds after, Jim cried out again as Blair sank his teeth into the tight skin of Jim's back thrusting so deep as he came, that Jim thought it might split him in two.

Blair held him gently through the aftershocks, lapping at the bite on his lover's back as they came down.

"Jesus, James," Blair whispered as his lover sobbed quietly. He turned Jim around and stroked his lover's face, rubbing the tears away with his thumbs.

 "Do you see? Hmm? Do you understand? I love you. You got it? I. Love. You. Do you believe me, now?"

Jim nodded, sniffing.

"Nothing is going to get between you and me, Jim. Nothing and no-one, past, present or future. I need you to really know that, otherwise...otherwise it's all a waste of time, man."

"God, Blair," Jim whispered. "God..."

"C'mon babe. Let's get cleaned up. I need coffee and we need to talk."

After they'd showered together, silently cleaning each other gently and tenderly, they sat at the kitchen table, neither of them knowing where to start.

"Blair...I..." Jim began, suddenly feeling very foolish for doubting his lover and for allowing his jealousy of Daniel Jackson to surface.

Blair raised a hand to stop him. "It's my fault. I should have told you. I should have explained. I'm not surprised you felt the way you did."

"No. I had no right. We hadn't even met when the two of you were together. It's none of my business. If you don't want to tell me, then that's fine."

"Jim..."

"Really. I'm okay with it, Chief. It's in the past."

Blair didn't believe him for a second and took a sip of coffee. He sighed heavily and looked into the cup as he began.

"DJ and me... we clicked from the start, y'know? He's brilliant. When we were in the same class at college, I was amazed. I'd never met a mind like his before. I'd always been told I was bright, but Daniel... I just fell for him. You could call it 'love at first sight' I guess. He was the only one I was studying with who had any idea of where I was coming from."

"There's a shocker," Jim grinned.

"Hmmph. We became friends at first. He was real shy and quiet, but I always knew there was more to him than met the eye. He looked like your average geek, but there's nothing whatsoever average about Daniel Jackson."

"There are things I don't need to know, Sandburg."

"Jesus, Jim. I didn't mean that... although... "

"Sandburg."

"Yeah, right, right. So I was attracted to him, but I had no idea how he felt about me, so I... seduced him." Blair muttered.

Jim smiled, "You... seduced him?"

"Er, yeah," Blair answered, his face colouring with embarrassment, both at the confession and the memory.

"God, Chief, what were you? Sixteen?"

"Eighteen."

"And how old was Daniel?"

"Twenty two."

Jim chuckled and shook his head. "You amaze me, Chief. You really do."

"C'mon, man. I've always been ahead of my time," Blair grinned.

"I think the word you're looking for is 'precocious'."

"Well, maybe, but if I hadn't forced the issue we'd never have gotten together. Either him and me or you and me, so don't knock it, Big Guy."

"This is true," Jim conceded. "You were lovers, then?"

"Oh yeah, we were. It was intense; for both of us, then he got the opportunity to study in Chicago and I had to stay where I was. We kinda lost touch for a while, and then we found each other again when he started working for the Air Force. He never told me exactly what he was doing, and I never asked. We just got together when our schedules matched and took up where we left off. It was amazing that we just clicked back into it every time, as if we'd only been apart a few hours instead of a few weeks, or sometimes months."

"And when did it end?"

Blair sighed, "When Daniel met Jack, or at least when they finally got together. Jack was kinda like you."

"Tall, powerful, handsome, irresistible?"

Blair slapped him and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, all that 'Mr Adonis', but what I actually meant was uptight, withdrawn and in denial."

"Thanks for those few kind words, Sandburg," Jim huffed.

"You're welcome. DJ fell head over heels for Jack, and even though Jack wasn't bright enough to see it at the beginning, they were made for each other. Eventually I guess Daniel persuaded him to see what was under his nose. We stopped sleeping together when they started their relationship. As much as it nearly fucking killed me, we were just friends from that point on."

"So, what's with the hickey?" Jim couldn't help himself.

"We... we had one last fling. He couldn't help it; and I sure as hell couldn't help it. You were ignoring what was happening between us, I hadn't been with a guy in a very long time and it... just... happened. He needed some closure."

Jim snorted with derision.

"He did!"

"And you needed a good fucking; right Chief?"

Blair bristled. "Yeah, as a matter of fact I did. And I got one. More than one if you want to know."

"I don't."

"Look, why are you giving me a hard time about this? Daniel and I have meant a helluva lot to each other over the years, but that doesn't change you and me. I love you, Jim. I've loved you for so long it hurt, man. It isn't my fault your timing sucks."

Jim looked into his eyes. "And if we had been together, can you honestly say it wouldn't have happened anyway?"

Blair looked away. Jim caught his chin and forced him to look into Jim's face.

"Tell me, Chief. Can you? It doesn't matter, I just need you to be honest with me; and with yourself."

"No," Blair whispered. "I can't. But I do love you, Jim. You have to believe that."

"It's okay, Blair. I do believe it; but I needed you to admit how much he still means to you, just like I needed you to show me how you felt about me. It's okay." Jim stroked his lover's hair and leaned over the table to kiss him. "It's okay."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure. I love you, Blair."

tbc

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