Trinity II

Joy

Jason paced back and forth in the small office he held as the leader of SG-2. He had paperwork to do, but he couldn't focus, couldn't concentrate. Turning angrily, he strode out the door and headed down to Jack's office. When he got there, he took a deep breath and knocked.

"Come," came the angry reply.

Jason entered and closed the door. Jack didn't look up at him at first. He was standing at his desk, staring down at a few things, his attention as distracted as Jason's. After a minute, Jack looked over and saw Jason standing there, nervously facing him.

Jason wanted to say something, but the emotions churning inside had him turning around to face the wall behind the door. He didn't know what the hell to say to Jack. Theirs was, after all, a new relationship, and he wasn't all that sure it was a loving one. Not on Jack's side of it anyway.

Jack looked at Jason's back, puzzled, wondering why Jason wasn't just saying what was on his mind. He did at other times. It then occurred to him that maybe it was himself. He knew why Jason was upset. His eyes narrowed suddenly when Jason adopted Daniel's self-hugging behavior and banged his forehead on the wall. Not hard, but enough to let Jack know he was upset and scared.

Jack walked over to him. "C'mere." He nudged, and pulled and finally had Jason in a loose, careful hug.  "He'll be okay. He's always okay. The man has more lives than a cat."

"But he's been missing for eight hours," Jason whispered behind his ear. "Eight hours."

Jack didn't like the uncertainty in Jason's voice and pushed him at arms length, staring hard into his eyes. "You listen to me. Don't you dare think he's not coming home. Don't you dare."

Jason nodded mutely but Jack caught the pain and worry, sharp as ever and he felt a tremendous urge to lessen it. It was really at that moment that he understood how much Jason loved Daniel. It wasn't that he hadn't known it beforehand, but he simply hadn't understood how deep it went. The feelings he himself had for Daniel very likely matched Jason's, though an irrational possessiveness had him thinking that they were probably deeper--more important--since he'd known Daniel longer.

As Jack read more in Jason's troubled eyes, the irrational feeling he held began to mix with guilt. His feelings for Daniel were different, not more important. He also had to reluctantly concede that his feelings for Jason were deepening, forcing the more charitable thoughts. Chief among them was that he didn't want the man to hurt, that he needed Jason to understand that no matter what, Daniel would be okay and he would be coming home.

Jack thought to reassure him, so he did the only thing that came to mind. It wasn't something he had expected of himself, but he suddenly thought of the time spent with the man, not just a week before when they'd had sex, but time spent alone as friends, separated from Daniel while he'd been offworld. Since then, there had been moments when Jack hadn't been able to get Jason out of his mind, thinking of words the man had spoken, at the sparkling challenge in his eyes whenever Jack teased him about something. Jack remembered the tingling warmth underneath his fingers whenever he'd touched Jason's arm or back. It had made him feel good when Jason had responded positively to his touch or his voice. It was that knowledge and recollection which prompted Jack's decision.

He placed his hands on either side of Jason's face, experiencing smug approval at the surprised arousal in Jason's eyes. He leaned in to kiss him, amazed and emboldened when Jason parted his lips readily, his eyes remaining open and watchful. Jack pressed more firmly and sought out his tongue, and when Jason closed his eyes and gave it to him, Jack closed his.

Jason's heart beat a million miles an hour, or so it felt. His hands instantly moved up Jack's strong back, sliding up to grip his shoulders. The kiss was long and sweet, and Jason couldn't help but allow his body to respond accordingly. The longer Jack kept their kiss going, the more Jason relaxed, forgetting his worry, thinking only of Jack and how the man's groin pressed against his own. He moaned and spread his legs, lifting one foot to curl around Jack's calf and hold him there. Even though the worry for Daniel was ever-present, Jason's lust rose. He wanted Jack. Right there, against the bulkhead door. Sometimes, there was nothing like desperate sex to make you forget...if only for a few minutes.

Jack was surprised by his own reaction. This thing happening between himself and Jason was completely different from his lust for Daniel. Jason was, after all, a new lover, with new desires, strange and addicting. Perhaps that was why he kept thinking of Jason. He knew that their relationship revolved around Daniel, but their desires no longer did. He couldn't help his growing...love...for Jason, which is what it really was under all the lust he tried to mask it with. What surprised Jack most was that he never thought that he'd need Jason's warm embrace as much as Jason appeared to need his.

Jack felt his arousal climbing very quickly and had to step away from it, as he had a few time before in that past few days. With Daniel gone, neither of them had...well, it didn't seem right. It was frustrating, too, especially with Jason's ability to wind him up almost as much as Daniel could. Who knew?

However much he wanted to respond, Jack slowly pulled back, taking in Jason's calmer appearance. He took a half step back but kept his hands on Jason's arms, thinking that maybe Jason needed the tactile reassurance. Or perhaps it was himself who needed it.

"Good?" he asked gruffly.

Jason brushed his thumb over Jack's lips, then pulled him in, off-balance, for another kiss. Jack couldn't help but return it, and found himself reluctant when the man let him go.

Jason cleared his throat and nodded, to himself, to Jack. "Yeah, for now, I'm good."

"He'll be okay," Jack told him without reservation.

And Daniel would be okay. There was nothing else possible.

Daniel woke up with the most excruciatingly painful headache he'd ever experienced. He opened his eyes and found himself upside-down, his ankle caught in a mass of twisted roots, knowing somehow that the roots had saved his life. If it hadn't been for them, he'd be dead at the bottom of the crevasse.

His pack still hung on his back, but it was balanced uncomfortably. He felt around his head and found the bump. Fortunately, the blood had stopped, as all he felt was now dried and caked on his hair. When he'd fallen, and his foot had inserted itself within the tangle of roots, he'd gone down head first, slamming it against the crevasse wall, losing his glasses and knocking himself out. Daniel wondered why he wasn't dead. The blood rushing to his head was probably part of the reason for the pounding in his head, and he knew it wasn't good.

He squinted up at his painful ankle, but couldn't see too clearly. Judging from the weird angle, it looked broken. He tried moving it, and his assumption was proved correct when a nerve-shattering pain lanced up his leg and over his spine. He howled, his body tensing from the pain, and in reaction to the movement, banged his head against the wall. Grey spots appeared before his eyes and a sharp wave of dizziness and nausea washed over him. Daniel forced himself still, one hand on his head, the other over his stomach, and waited for the vertigo that engulfed him to pass. It wouldn't do him any good to throw up.

He sighed and tried to look around for anything that he could grab a hold of to securely pull himself up. But there was nothing. Once he was sure that yelling wouldn't bring back the nausea, he called out, hoping that teams were out looking. "Help me! Somebody! I'm trapped!"

His voice cut off abruptly when his memory returned. Jaffa. Those Jaffa had been right behind him when he'd fallen. Had they left? If not, and there were too many of them, no one would be able to come get him. He wondered if he should keep calling for help, then decided that anything was better than continuing to hang upside-down. Readying himself for the thundering pain in his head, he began to yell again.

He really did not look forward to dying this way. Not at all. He figured that another death or three was waiting for him if he got out of this. When he got out this, he corrected. Jack and Jason were going to kill him for making them worry.

"Shit." He could imagine their faces. Whatever they chose to do to him, he found it preferable to dying here. He continued to shout his distress, hoping that no indigenous predators decided to show up first. The thought made him shudder so he focused instead on Jack and Jason as he continued to call for help.

.

Daniel's voice was getting hoarse from shouting. "Dammit! Somebody! Anybody! Get me out of here!"

He suddenly froze, his ears straining, as he thought he'd heard movement. Voices approached with the sounds of running. Daniel caught two things simultaneously: The Jaffa dialect and the clang of armor.

Fuck.

The voices were louder now, and a rope was thrown down. A Jaffa was lowered, and taking a look at Daniel, he called up to tell his fellow soldiers that they'd caught a Tau'ri. Daniel had a perverse desire to tell them that they hadn't caught anything, and they probably couldn't catch a cold if he'd sneezed on them. But his baiting thoughts were cut off and replaced with a dull scream as the Jaffa tied a second rope around both of Daniel's ankles. As he was hoisted out of the crevasse, Daniel tried to stifle the screams that left his throat, but he couldn't. The last thing he remembered thinking before passing out from the pain was that Jack and Jason were really going to kill him.

Jack's office phone rang, startling both himself and Jason. He answered it quickly.  "O'Neill...On our way, sir." He hung up and grabbed his jacket.  "Come on, Jason. The UAV missiles are ready to fly.  We are so out of here."

"'Bout fuckin' time," Jason muttered, following him to the gear up room.

.

In the control room, SG teams 1, 2, and 6, waited impatiently as the computer system of the UAV painted its targets. The blast doors already closed, missile one was launched, taking out the Jaffa contingent around the gate.  The seconds rolled past with annoying slowness as they waited for the telemetry. As Jack studied the monitor, the memories of the last three days flashed through his mind.

A week after his birthday, Daniel had convinced Jack to let him go on a dig with SG-11, a decision Jack wished he could take back now. Daniel had been separated from him and Jason for three days, and since SG-1 and SG-2 were each assigned short-term yet busy missions, the only thing that Jack had worried about was whether or not the MREs would be decent that time around.

Having already returned from their missions, Jack and Jason had disguised their impatience while going through their usual post-mission procedures, waiting to hear when Daniel had come home.

Then came the news that SG-11 was returning abortively, and Jack had run into Sam, Teal'c, and Jason just as he'd rounded the corner to the control room.

"It'd better not be an Unas," Jack had growled.

"It isn't, Colonel," Hammond had told him grimly.

They'd heard weapons fire, then the real thing had flashed through the wormhole, hitting the blast walls now fortified for just such an attack, as was the viewing window of the control room.

They'd learned that SG-11 had been under attack and were heading for the gate. Jack had sprinted out of the control room with his teammates and Jason right behind him. Hammond had ordered the defense team to keep their eyes on the gate, then had had to order his irresponsible officers (Teal'c included) to keep the hell out of the way.

By the time they'd reached the gateroom, however, SG-11 had been running down the ramp.

"Where's Daniel?" Jack had barked at SG-11's leader, Major Caruthers, who'd been the last down the ramp, staring over his shoulder at the gate, waiting for Daniel to appear. When he hadn't, and the gate had shut down, Jack had requested the control room to redial the planet. With Hammond's permission, they had. Meanwhile, Caruthers had been interrogated.

Between glances to Jack, Sam, Teal'c, and Jason, as well as to Hammond up in the control room, he'd explained that Jaffa gliders had come down upon their dig site, near the stargate, firing on them. Wherever the mothership had been stationed, it was obvious that the gliders had been sent to secure the gate. SG-11 and Daniel had already been in contact with the SGC, sending in their report, when the glider fire had started. The DHD was some fifty yards from the gate, a strange distance that Daniel hadn't even been able to figure out. They'd been forced to run like hell, leaving equipment behind. As Daniel had already been packed, preparing to return from his temporary assignment, he'd been wearing his field pack, and was therefore slower than SG-11, though not by much.

"I told him to drop the pack, sir, but he wouldn't leave it, said he could keep up. And he was, sir. He's trained very well."

Jack had wanted to hit Caruthers at that point, for sounding as if he hadn't expected Daniel to be in good physical shape. He was a member of SG-1. Hello? He had to be in top form.

Caruthers had gone on to explain that just as he'd reached the steps to the gate platform, glider fire had hit the ground behind him.

"I don't think he was hit, sir. I'd have heard him shout or call out."

Jack had agreed. Initial impacts usually garnered a shout of surprise.

Caruthers went on with the more disturbing news that between their dig site and the gate's location, deep, vertical fissures--created from long-dead volcanic activity--dotted the barren landscape. Daniel may have fallen in one, but guessing was a fool's errand. No one knew whether Daniel had fallen into one of the fissures or been cut off from the gate by the glider fire.

They did, however, know that he'd been alive just before the gate had shut down because his RDF signal had squelched, a signal that Daniel had been trying to contact them, but had failed. With no radio traffic, the gate had shut down. After redialing the planet, they'd tried to reestablish contact, but the sight of the Jaffa blasting the hell out of the MALP had forced them to desist in case the radio noise alerted the Jaffa to Daniel's position.

All of the information at hand told Jack three possible scenarios. Daniel was a) taken hostage; b) injured and unable to respond; or c) in hiding and unable to respond without alerting Jaffa. Daniel being dead wasn't an option he was allowing.

It had been eight hours since they'd lost contact with Daniel. During that time, they hadn't dared dial the gate, not without giving anything away to their enemy. They'd had to wait for the resupply of UAVs as well as the modified version designed for missile fire, and that was what what had now brought them to the control room. En masse.

Jack anxiously drummed his fingers on his crossed arms, while Jason stood behind him, tapping his own fingers on his P-90. Major Griff, now leader of SG-6, was about to tell Jason to knock it off when Sergeant Davis' voice cut through the room's tension.

"Second target painted, sir."

"Fire, Sergeant," Hammond instructed and the Sergeant pressed the signal button. The UAV fired, then followed the missile through the gate. The updated telemetry indicated that the missile was on a quick track to its next target and the UAV itself began to send back new data.

"One of these days I'd like to see the end result of that thing," Jack grumbled. The others nodded their fervent agreement and Jack looked over his shoulder, eyeing Jason for a brief second before returning his attention to the screen.

"Area appears to be secured, sir," Sam informed Hammond, "and the UAV is now on stealth recon."

"Very good, Major. You have a go. Locate Doctor Jackson's signal, if possible, and bring him home."

"Yes, sir," came the echoed reply. The teams gathered in the gateroom, and with SG-6 on point, they moved out.

Daniel was awake and mad as hell.

He lay on his back, four Jaffa standing over him. One of them had a hold of his foot and injured ankle, trying to get him to talk. It was bad enough that they'd pulled him up by his broken ankle, inadvertently saving his life, but now his head felt ready to explode. If they expected any sort of cooperation from him, they were in error.

The Jaffa who held his foot twisted it. Daniel screamed as fire shot through his body, followed by waves of nausea. If the Jaffa got any closer, he could throw up on their boots, but Daniel had the feeling that this nausea was the sort that never produced anything but nausea. No puking involved. After a moment, Daniel knew his head wouldn't tolerate the pain that could come should he vomit at all. He'd puke, then pass out.

"Fucking assholes," he spat through gritted teeth, then pain or not, he swung his uninjured leg up sharply, connecting the side of his foot with the thigh of the Jaffa holding him. It brought that Jaffa down on his ass and gave Daniel something else to scream about as his foot dropped to the ground with a heavy thud. Daniel rolled onto his side, trying to take the weight off his injured foot, all the while thanking Jason for teaching him that kick.

His thought evaporated as he was given a sharp kick in return--one straight to the ribs. His field vest protected him, but as Daniel doubled over and held his breath, he was seriously wondering if they hadn't broken a few. He lay very still, deciding that being healthy to fight later would be a better strategy. The Jaffa on his ass got up and told the other three to pick Daniel up and carry him to the ship. The Jaffa were speaking a slightly different Goa'uld dialect, so he wasn't sure he'd heard them correctly. He'd already deduced from the strange, unknown symbol on their foreheads that they served some snakehead that no one had run into yet. He had yet to know its name, other than "our god" and "our lord".

Shit, that got tiring.

His wrists were already bound, as they'd been tied while he'd been unconscious, arms wrapped tightly around his legs, hips, and chest. Secured, the Jaffa moved off. Daniel grit his teeth as the jostling motion sent fresh pain through is head. It was getting so bad, he knew that tears would start flowing soon.

Roughly one hundred yards from the gate, Daniel thought he heard the familiar whoosh of the gate's wormhole, but wasn't sure, what with all the blood pounding the crap out of his brain. Then he was sure when he heard another whooshing sound - only this one was mechanical and very familiar.

That sound could only be from one of those new missiles fired and tracked by a UAV. He'd had a chance in the past to see them test fired - something that Jack had dragged him to - and he was grateful for once for that experience (though he'd never in a million years admit that to Jack). He'd never thought it would be useful knowledge, though he really wasn't sure what use it was for him at this moment.

He craned his head around to see, looking upside-down unfortunately, and thought he saw a trail of smoke climbing into the sky. Uh oh. He hoped like hell that they were far enough away from the explosion that was going to take out that cannon.

"Uh, I think you guys had better run," Daniel said, speaking in the Goa'uld dialect he knew very well. The Jaffa blinked at him, partly in surprise at his use of the language, and partly wondering why this human was daring to speak to them. "Tau'ri missile," he further emphasized. They still didn't react - until the missile came down and took out the cannon at the gate. That large explosion did what Daniel's warning did not. They panicked.

Daniel cried out as he was immediately dropped. The Jaffa began shouting all around him and Daniel took advantage. He tried getting to his feet but another nasty wave of nausea hit him, blurring his vision. His ribs hurt but he could still breathe so they must only be bruised. He knew his ankle was severely broken - not just fractured as he'd hoped. He also hoped it could be set to heal. If he was very lucky, he wouldn't have a limp. He could just hear Janet now, ticking off the things he was lucky for. Daniel was way ahead of her.

The next missile came through the gate and Daniel tried to make out where the other cannon was stationed, but without his glasses and the addition of his headache, he couldn't. He rolled onto his stomach and wrapped his arms over his head and waited until the missile had taken out the other cannon. The shrapnel from the explosion shot out rocks, dirt and pieces of cannon everywhere. One smoking piece of metal landed near him and he held his breath, waiting for something else to come down.

Nothing did. He knew that one of the rescue teams would be his own and didn't want them coming in any further than necessary. After waiting another fifteen seconds or so, Daniel forced himself to low-crawl, using his arms and one knee, to the gate. Rubbing the hastily tied bonds, he was able to get his wrists freed, though the skin was now bruised and torn in a few places and it stung badly. The pain throughout his body was extreme but he pushed himself, trying to move faster. The Jaffa who had 'rescued' him from the crevasse appeared to have abandoned him, and Daniel counted himself lucky on that score as well.

He wasn't making fast enough progress, so he tried to force himself up on one knee so that he could crawl normally, but the position was awkward, the pain intolerable, and he was forced back down onto his belly. He would have to do this the hard way, and wasn't that just the story of his life? Absurdly, the thought made him laugh, because he thought instantly of Jason and Jack. The inappropriate thought lingered as he pushed with his knee, pulled with his arms. He hadn't gone fifteen feet and he was already tired, winded by the weakness in his body.

Yet he persevered, knowing that the only reason for the rescue teams was him. He couldn't believe that he was worth it, but grateful nonetheless.

As he closed within what he figured was 250 yards, he saw blurry figures running through the gate. Many figures. He lost count, unable to keep his head up. The radio crackled as soon as he heard the gate shut off.

"SG-One-Niner to Daniel Jackson, come in, over."

Jack's voice, irritated, desperate, and worried, never sounded so good to him. Daniel turned onto his back and keyed his radio. "I'm here, Jack." His own voice sounded dry and ragged and he tried to clear it. He needed water but his canteen was lost along with his glasses.

He rolled onto his side and held up his arm, trying to wave, hoping they would see him. The pain shot through his ribs and his head as a result and he was forced to take deep breaths against the nausea threatening to engulf him again. Gingerly, he rolled back onto his stomach and began to crawl as rapidly as he could. He thought he saw the hazy but familiar forms of Jack, Teal'c, and Sam, running toward his position. Someone flanked left, parallel to Teal'c and though Daniel's vision was getting worse, he recognized the running gait:  Jason.

He worried for him, for Jack, then laughed, the pain making him giddy. He thought the most stupid thing.  My boyfriends have come to rescue me.  He couldn't help but laugh even more and his movements were stalled. He suppressed the urge to laugh so he could breathe and crawl at the same time.

Teal'c, being the fastest of all of them, reached Daniel first.

"Are you injured?" Teal'c asked, getting down on one knee.

Daniel couldn't help it. He said, "Well, no shit, Teal'c. Why do you think I'm crawling?"

"That is why I have asked, as my assumption could have been in error."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "My leg's busted, my head hurts like a sonofabitch, and my ribs are bruised, but...but hell, other than that, I feel just fine. How're you?"

He should have known better than to be sarcastic.

"I am fine."

Daniel let out a weak laugh. "Well then, hoist away Teal'c and get us the hell out of here."

"That would seem wise," Teal'c said, his stone-faced determination as set as ever, with his eyes a mask of worry. He picked Daniel up and placed him over both shoulders. Daniel bit back his pain, literally biting his cheek so he'd have something else to worry about. He thought he saw Jack and Jason's faces, but he couldn't be sure as another wave of nausea hit him.

"Teal'c, I feel like I'm gonna throw up. Could we please get a move on?"

"I will endeavor to try to get a move on."

"Thanks, Teal'c."

Everything happened rather quickly after that, yet it seemed like an eternity. The pain in his leg was relegated to second place as the pounding in his head became the number one issue. He stomach roiled and he thought for sure that he'd throw up, but as the pain grew worse and combined with dizziness, Daniel was sure that he'd pass before they got to the gate. Perhaps it would be for the best, too, but he tried to fight it, concentrating on his breathing as Teal'c had taught him to do a few years ago.

As Teal'c caught up to Jack's position, Daniel's caught movement to Teal'c's left--the blurry image of a Jaffa getting up from the ground. One with a staff weapon readying to fire as they neared the gate. His distance was perhaps thirty yards away on their far left, but Daniel couldn't be sure.

"Teal'c!" Daniel yelled.

"I see him," Teal'c answered and hastily dropped to one knee, trying to let him down easily but Daniel still thudded to the ground with a gasp. "My apologies, Daniel Jackson."

"Not necessary," Daniel replied as Teal'c fired his zat. The energy weapon hit its target and the spasming grip on the staff weapon fired a shot over their heads. Another zat blast and the Jaffa was quickly dispatched, but more Jaffa were quickly arriving from the forest line behind their position. Gliders were coming in once again and though Daniel couldn't see them, he could hear them.

Explosions hit the ground nearby and Daniel yelled as rocks hit his foot, jarring his ankle. Teal'c grunted as he lifted him once more and ran for the gate. As they reached the DHD, Griff had already dialed home so Teal'c took him straight through. When they reached the other side, Teal'c had to drop low to evade incoming Jaffa fire. Daniel rolled off to one side of the ramp, trying to get out of the way, and it took him a second to realize that Jack and the others hadn't come through.

His heart was in his throat for ten seconds, then they were diving through, all unhurt for the most part. He let out a sigh of relief as Janet and her corpsmen reached him. He tried a smile. "Hi, Janet. Sorry about the mess."

"I can't leave you alone for a minute, can I?" she asked, taking his wrist for his pulse. "What hurts?"

"Oh, nothing much," he said, aware that his speech was beginning to slur. "Gotta nasty headache, a bump on the head, ribs ache, left ankle's fucking useless, and I wanna throw up really bad. Now, if...you'll...excuse..."

He never finished as the assortment of pains forced him to pass out.

Jack and Jason, standing nearby, started forward but Janet held her hand up to keep them away as Daniel was lifted onto a stretcher. She gave them a reassuring look as the stretcher was placed on a gurney at the end of the ramp.

"Well done, people," Hammond said as Jack walked over to him, brushing off the dusty debris from the ground explosions.

"Thank you, sir. We brought our boy home," Jack stated simply.

"When Doctor Jackson has regained consciousness and Doctor Fraiser's given her go-ahead, we'll need to debrief him. In the meantime, I'll need your informal report in an hour."

"Yes, sir."

Jason came up alongside Jack as they made their way to the infirmary. "Don't let Daniel hear you calling him 'boy' or you'll catch seven kinds of hell."

Jack nodded. "At least I'll be able to catch hell for it."

"At least," Jason said, allowing himself a sigh of relief.

Daniel opened his eyes slowly and found himself in traction, his left leg held up at the calf, his foot in a cushioned toeless boot. He looked around, trying to focus and also found that he'd warranted enough special treatment to get his own room. An IV was hooked up to his right arm and a restriction of movement forced him to bring a hand to his neck. He felt the cushioned collar around it and started to become alarmed. Movement on his right and his eyes came into focus better as Janet's face came into view.

"Well it's about time you woke up," she said with a kind smile.

"Janet, what's with the collar? I thought I'd only injured my leg?"

"Your neck is fine, Daniel, don't worry." She paused in that manner that told him that he had bad news coming. "You've got some swelling back here, but it's thankfully from the laceration, not the concussion," and she placed her hand gently on the back of his head.

"Concussion?"

"Yeah, I'm afraid so. You've also got some bruised ribs, and a severely broken ankle."

"Yeah, I figured all that."

"You're very lucky."

He grinned. "I figured that, too."

"What?"

"Nothing."  He closed his eyes. The pain in his head was lessened only slightly.

"Head hurt?"

"Yeah."

"Scale?"

With her, it was always, "Give me a number from 1 to 10, 10 being the worst."

Daniel answered, "25."

She pressed a button. "Should feel a little better soon."

He wanted to nod in thanks but couldn't. "Thanks."

A few moments of silence, then he heard Janet say, "You gave us quite a scare."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Not your fault."

"Still. How long am I gonna be out of commission?" he asked, dreading the answer.

"Six to eight weeks."

He opened his eyes slightly. "Shit. Jack's gonna be pissed."

She smiled tenderly at him. "He knows and he's fine. I gave him and the General a report on your injuries."

"Is the General going to send SG-1 out while I'm recuperating?"

She nodded and he groaned in response.

"I'm not gonna let him have anyone from my Geek Squad."

She smiled at Daniel's nickname for his Archaeology/Anthropology department. "He promised he wouldn't."

"Yeah, he promises, Janet, then does the opposite. I need to talk to the General. Jack can grab someone from the Air Force with good enough qualifications." He looked around the room, then gave an exasperated sigh. "When can I get out of here?"

She gave him a sympathetic look and he returned it with a puzzled one. "What?" he asked.

"When I'm satisfied that your concussion can be downgraded. Forty-eight hours, probably. And you're to go home, not to your office."

He grimaced and tried not to sound like the bad patient he was. "Could I have some water?"

She poured him some ice water from the plastic jug on the nearby table and he sighed with relief.

"Thankfully not ice chips."

"Thankfully," she grinned.

"If I don't have a neck problem, what's with the collar?"

"I don't want you putting any pressure on the back of your head, not until after the swelling goes down."

"Swelling. What's making me dizzy? The concussion?"

She frowned in concern. "Are you dizzy when you turn your head?"

He started to nod, then thought better of it, keeping his head still. "Yeah."

"Then..." she drawled, starting to smile.

"Don't do that," they both said, and he smiled. "Okay," he finished.

"Yes, Daniel, it's the concussion."

"So, nothing wrong with me on the inside, aside from the head, the ankle and the ribs?"

"Nope, everything else is fine."

They both grinned at each other.

"So, what about food?"

"Barely tolerable," she teased.

"Janet," he complained.

"Soft solids, which means jello, oatmeal, creamed stuff."

"Oh no," he lamented and suddenly moved his hand to his groin. He sighed in relief. No catheter. "Thank Christ."

"Yeah, no catheter, but you know what that means."

A desperate groan came from him. "Oh shit. No no no no no, Janet. Have some corpsmen come in and help me to the bathroom or I'll do it myself, I swear. I won't...not bed pans...No." The nurses who'd flirted with him in the past would get to wipe his ass for him? There was no way in hell. "I'll have to be in a coma first before I let them touch me there, Janet."

She stared at him very seriously. "If you promise to behave yourself, I'll leave you a walker to use. One without rollers on it. You'll have to call one of the nurses, or corpsmen, whomever's on duty, to help you with the IV. Only way. Understood?"

"Understood." He sighed. "Thanks for not putting in a catheter."

She grinned. "If you'd needed surgery, Daniel, you'd have had one. No choice."

"Is that a possibility?"

She nodded. "The swelling in your ankle is very bad because it was broken in two places and the tendons ripped. I'll be very surprised if you're healed in six weeks."

"I have to be."

"Why, other than the obvious."

"Jason's birthday is in six weeks. I had plans for him."

She grinned. "Hmmmm. Well, you've just reminded me, Daniel. You won't be doing that for a while, either."

"I kind of figured that out, Janet," he said sadly, then groaned at the intimacy he was unwittingly sharing. "Can I have visitors?"

"Yes," Janet answered and glanced at the doorway. "In fact, you have a horde out there waiting to see you."

"A horde?" he asked, his face full of surprise.

"Your teammates, General Hammond, and Major Coburn."

"Damn. My report. Can I see them after the General leaves?"

"Yes, but only for a short visit."

"Janet, c'mon," he complained again.

"I will allow you extended visits by two visitors, no more."

He sighed again, then reached to grasp her hand. "Thanks."

"It's my job, Daniel," she told him sternly, then softened her voice considerably. "And you have got to stop doing this to me. Making me worry," and she playfully squeezed his fingers.

"I'm sorry. If I'd known the planet was--"

"Aht! Not your fault."

"Jack will probably find a way to make me take the blame," he said sarcastically, and Janet glared at him.

"You're a bit snappy, aren't you? You know he won't blame you. Besides, I've a feeling he's already tried to lay the blame on SG-11."

"I know, but he always lashes out whenever he's scared or worried or both."

"Yes, he does do that, doesn't he?" She smiled at him, knowing that Daniel knew his team leader very well. Very well. Especially now.

"I'll let them in, but only for--"

"A short visit, I know. Um, Janet?"

"What, hon?"

Daniel looked at the two windows of his corner room. The blinds to the room were dropped down, but half-slatted. "Can you close the blinds, please? I feel like I'm in a zoo exhibit."

That was probably true, she mused, though it was more likely that he didn't want anyone seeing any overdone concern by Jack or Jason. Though everyone knew by now that the two were his closest friends, Daniel still couldn't be too careful.

Janet moved over and closed the blinds all the way. "Better?" she asked.

"Much, thanks."

She patted him on his good foot and left the room.

.

Janet came face to face with five worried faces.

"How's he doing, Doctor?" Hammond asked.

"He'll be fine, sir," she said, glancing quickly at Jack and the others. "He's got a little swelling on the back of his head from the laceration, and the concussion he sustained is mild and looking better. His ribs are bruised from the kicking he suffered at the hands of the Jaffa and that field vest was the only thing that saved his ribs from being broken. His left ankle, however, is broken in two places." She shook her head at the look of hope on his face. "I'm sorry, sir, but Daniel's going to be out of commission for 6 weeks, at least. If he's lucky."

The General didn't look happy. "I see. Could the Colonel and I see him? I need to get Doctor Jackson's statement for the mission report."

"Yes, sir. He's awake, if quite cranky." She turned to find anxious faces among the other four. "Daniel can have all of you in at once, but only for a short visit. I'll permit one or two visitors at a time for longer stays. Understood?" She received reluctant nods, then noted with concerned curiosity that Jason hovered behind SG-1 and Hammond, as if he thought he was intruding.

.

Janet moved to stand by the head of Daniel's bed, opposite the provided chairs. Her presence was supervisory, and she'd intervene in case Daniel became tired from the questioning.

When Jack locked eyes with Daniel, he experienced an urge to hold him and ordered himself to wait till Hammond left the room. Daniel's expression-filled eyes held gratitude, love, and not a bit of guilt. Jack sighed, knowing that Daniel would think that he would react as he always had, angry with him. But it hadn't sunk in Daniel's thick skull yet that those days were over. The fact that Jack could look into those amazing blue eyes was a literal blessing to him and he wasn't about to blame Daniel for things that weren't his fault.

"Hey," Jack said softly, sitting in the chair closest to the head of the bed.

"Hey, Jack. General."

"Doctor. How're you feeling?"

"Never better," Daniel said with light sarcasm.

"I hear you lost your glasses again," Jack said with a grin.

"Yeah. Another pair down the crevasse."

"Well, here," and Jack pulled out Daniel's spare pair from his pocket. Daniel took them with an appreciative smile.

"Thanks, Jack," he said, wiping them with the edge of the bed sheet.

Hammond sat down next to Jack and wasted no time. He proceeded to go over the busted mission, confirming SG-11's reports on the situation. Daniel told him that as soon as he was able to (and shifting a glance at Janet briefly), he would write up his findings about the dig, providing someone brought him his laptop.

"I'm glad you're doing better, Doctor Jackson," Hammond said, his face reflecting his words as he stood and moved to the door. "I'm afraid that SG-1 will be at a loss for a while."

"Thank you, sir," and he gave Jack a piercing stare. "If you use a replacement for me, sir, would you please use someone from the Air Force. I'd rather not subject my department to...Jack's sarcasm."

"Hey," Jack objected.

Hammond let a hint of a grin show. "Of course, Doctor."

He left the room with a silent laugh at Jack's expression, then made a mental note to have a stern talk with his 2IC about giving Daniel's department colleagues a hard time. Sam, Teal'c, and Jason watched him leave, curious expressions filling their faces as their commander walked down the hall. Exchanging glances, they waited somewhat impatiently for Janet to give them permission to enter. Meanwhile, Teal'c returned his gaze to Jason, having been watching him. While they had been waiting, Daniel's friend had been leaning against the wall, his arms folded, staring at his boots, turning them this way and that, examining them as if they needed cleaning.

"Major Coburn?" Teal'c finally asked.

Jason looked up. "Master Teal'c?"

"Are you well?"

Jason frowned, not understanding. "I'm fine, Teal'c. Why do you ask?"

"You do not appear well."

Jason unfolded his arms and rubbed his palms against his trousers. "I'm fine, Teal'c."

"I do not mean physically, Major Coburn. I mean here," and he pointed at his heart.

Jason started to say something but censored himself. "Really, I'm fine, Teal'c. Thanks."

Sam elbowed Teal'c gently and whispered, "It's because he's worried about Daniel, Teal'c."

"Of that I am sure," Teal'c answered her, giving her a sparing glance before returning his gaze to Jason. "I am, however, concerned because he has just used the phrase we so often hear Daniel Jackson use whenever he is clearly not fine."

Sam blinked, then looked at Jason and nodded. "He's right, Major. Anything you want to talk about while we're waiting?"

Jason shook his head quickly. "No, Major. I'd rather keep my feelings to myself, if that's okay."

Both Teal'c and Sam understood but remained worried anyway.

.

Jack gave Janet a long look and quickly discerned something from her tiny smile as the Doctor turned away to look at Daniel's chart.

She knew.

He eyed Daniel thoughtfully, wondering why on Earth Daniel had confided that big a secret to her. Daniel simply rolled his eyes in that 'choiceless' manner, and Jack realized that Janet must've guessed, rather than Daniel being the one to break the confidence. He rubbed Daniel's shoulder, silently telling him he was sorry for doubting. Before Daniel could respond with any sort of expression, Jack brought his hand up to his face and brushed the back of his fingers along his cheek. His eyes were loving yet showed a lot of strain in their deep brown hues.

Jack took a glance over his shoulder, then said, "You do that to me again, Daniel, and I'll shoot you myself."

"I'll try not to," Daniel sent back, leaning into his hand. He also sent a careful glance Janet's way, then reached up and pulled at the collar of Jack's fatigue shirt, gripping the lapels. "Before Sam and Teal'c come in here..."

Jack was wary at first, not wanting to do anything in front of Janet, but she discreetly turned her back to make her notes on Daniel's chart. Jack knew that it meant that she could truthfully say she saw nothing. He allowed Daniel to pull him down and was startled by the influx of emotion Daniel elicited in him when their lips touched. When Daniel parted his lips for a deeper kiss, Jack pulled back and straightened, his expression scolding.

Daniel groaned. "I'm in deep shit, aren't I?"

Janet grinned to herself and moved to the door, opening it for the three anxiously waiting visitors.

Jack shrugged. "For scaring the crap out of me? You bet. I'm just grateful you're here and not at the bottom of a fucking hole in the ground."

"I concur," Teal'c said as he entered.

"Me, too," came Sam's reply as she joined Teal'c at the right side of the bed, opposite Jack.

Jason didn't respond, however, and took up position against the wall across the foot of Daniel's bed. Daniel stared at him, sensing something was wrong, but decided to make nice with his teammates first and save Jason for last.

He sighed at Teal'c, and grasped his hand, careful of his IV.

"Thanks, Teal'c."

"You are most welcome, Daniel Jackson."

"Sam...thanks."

Sam shrugged. "For what? I didn't do anything. But you're welcome, anyway."

"You came and got me, so..."

She rolled her eyes at him. "What else was I going to do? My nails?" She got Daniel to smile at the silly image, then leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Don't make me do it again, okay?"

Daniel suddenly appeared guilt-ridden and couldn't look at them. He plucked at his blanket, staring at his foot. "I should have run faster."

"Daniel," said Jack and Sam in a long-suffering tone.

"It is not your fault, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said, practically glowering at him. "You need not immerse yourself in what the Tau'ri correctly refer to as a guilt-trip."

"What he said," Jack and Sam again said together, smirking at each other.

Daniel took a deep sigh and nodded, his eyes showing his appreciation for their concern. When he looked up at Jack, he finally noticed how tired the man was. Though there weren't the circles under the eyes, it was in the eyes themselves. "You need sleep. Dark circles are on the horizon."

Jack shrugged it off but Sam and Teal'c gave him their mutual conspiracy looks. "Fine, I'll take a nap. It's getting so I don't have control of my own team anymore."

"Well, it's not like you ever had complete control, Jack, not with two non-military teammates," Daniel teased.

"Yeah, yeah, very funny," Jack said, pretending to sulk.

At last, Daniel looked across the foot of his bed at Jason. The man had occasionally glanced at him before returning to study whatever was so fascinating on the floor. His body was screaming with tension, his arms tightly folded in the self-hugging manner he himself adopted on occasion. It was worrying to see Jason doing it because he was one of the most self-assured men he knew, next to Jack. Knowing Jason as well as he did, Daniel knew that there was definitely something wrong.

"Um, guys? I'm really glad that you're here..."

Sam and Teal'c looked over at Jason, as Daniel wasn't taking his eyes off of him for very long.

"...but would you mind coming back later?  Please?  I need to have a word alone with Jason."

Sam and Teal'c had a feeling this would happen, and that it was probably needed. They gave his hand a squeeze and left the room. Jack hovered by the door, letting it swing closed and latch. "You want me to go, too?"

"Jason, do you want Jack to stay?" Daniel asked.

Jason shrugged, relinquishing his self-hug only slightly in favor of cradling his own arms. He walked over to stand by the head of the bed where Sam and Teal'c had been standing. "It's okay with me," he said diffidently, his expression stoic and emotionless, appearing as if he had no care one way or the other. But his body language said otherwise.

As Jack looked over at him, he knew for sure that something was wrong. He'd sensed it out in the corridor as they'd waited for Janet's permission to see Daniel. In fact, Jason had slowly become emotionally distant since they'd changed in the infirmary. Jack knew what he was doing, of course. Jason's presence was also at odds with what he was trying to cut himself off from.

Jack came over to stand next to him, giving him a worried glance, then looked at Daniel with sudden comprehension. The two knew exactly what was going on. They'd seen it before in themselves and each other.

Daniel reached out and took Jason's right hand, forcing him to unfold his arms. Twining his fingers through Jason's, he pulled when Jason resisted.

"This is hard for you to handle, isn't it, Jace?"

Jason shook his head, trying to keep his eyes distant and cold. "I have been through tough times before, Daniel. It's just one more thing and no big deal." He pulled away and started to step away from the bed, his intention to leave very clear, but Jack stopped him with a hand at his back just as Daniel did with an iron-grip around his wrist.

"Don't play that shit, Jason," Jack told him. "We know better."

Again, Jason shook his head, a smidgen of his self-control faltering. "I can't...I can't stay. I have things to do."

"You're not going anywhere," Daniel said forcefully, then suddenly gasped, grimacing as if in severe pain, and tightened his grip on Jason's wrist even more.

"Jack, get Janet," Jason said, all composure leaving him at that moment.

"Not necessary," Daniel said, relaxing his grimace but not his hold. Jack had started to believe it, and though he was angry, he understood exactly why Daniel had just done that.

Jason did not and became instantly angry. "You were pretending, you sonofabitch? That's fucking mean."

Daniel scowled back and showed Jason that he was far more furious than Jason was. "No more mean than you trying to pull off this indifference. Why, Jason? Did you want me to believe you didn't care? Were you planning on walking away? Did you want me heartbroken?"

Jason stared in shock, not having thought the matter through. "No, I...I was just..."

"Shutting down," Jack said, and Daniel nodded agreement. "Been there, done that," Jack added.

"Answer me, Jace. This is new for you, isn't it?" Daniel asked him, taking Jason's hand in both of his and pressing them to his chest.

With a long sigh, Jason finally, reluctantly, nodded, not looking at either of the men, feeling very embarrassed and small. He stared down at the bed railing instead. "I know our jobs are dangerous and I've never had a problem with the dangerous aspect. But I've never had a loved one out there, risking his life, and you guys have grown used to it somewhat. It still hurts and you're still scared when it happens but what neither of you realize is that the two of you are used to this kind of high-charged emotional shit. I'm not. It hit me hard, Daniel, and I suddenly knew that I hadn't considered it, even though I went through it all when we were friends. As lovers, Daniel, it's completely different. And that's because..." He paused, unsure if he should say it.

"Because?" Daniel asked.

Jack had a feeling he knew what Jason would say. "Because you were his, finally allowing yourself to love him completely."

Jason stared at him. "As you well understand."

Jack nodded with certainty. "I tease Daniel that he's the source of my gray hair, although that started long before last week."

Daniel snorted. "Yeah, I'll say."

"Careful," Jack warned.

Jason felt a flush rise to his cheeks. Just under the surface, he stomped on the urge to show just how scared he'd been. Jack had seen some of it, but not the worst, not the stuff that could make Jason cry if he allowed it. He felt Daniel kiss his hand and looked up.

"Don't ever hide your feelings, Jace. Please?"

Jason slowly, hesitantly, nodded, but added, "Yet there's a time and a place for revealing them all, Daniel."

"Agreed," Daniel returned.

"Although Jack saw some of it," Jason said as he returned his gaze to Jack, his expression of love surprising Daniel and embarrassing Jack.

"What'd he see?"

"He was worried about you," Jack said hurriedly.

"I was sick about you is more like and Jack hated it. So he gave me a short lecture."

Daniel gave Jack an equal look of surprise. "You lectured him?"

"Noooo," Jack corrected and glared at Jason. "I told him not to dare think that you weren't coming home."

Jason allowed the corner of his mouth to tilt upward as he looked at Jack, then Daniel. "I wasn't listening."

"No?" Daniel asked, sensing something and let a smile begin when Jack started to look uncomfortable.

"No," Jack said, his look warning Jason, to no avail.

"So...he kissed me."

Daniel's smile grew as he looked over at Jack. "You kissed him?"

Jack's eyes promised punishment and it oddly aroused Jason. "Traitor."

"In his office," Jason expanded, then his face became a little more serious as he held Jack's gaze. "It helped."

Daniel wasn't so sure. "But did it completely?"

Jason only shrugged. "It did, in as much as it was supposed to get me out of the mood I was in."

"Well, this might help then," and he yanked Jason down, uncaring of the pain to his bruised ribs, and kissed him. This time, when he opened his mouth, Jason didn't hesitate like Jack had. He dove in, even as he was mindful of Daniel's neck brace and the brace he felt around Daniel's ribs.

When they parted, Daniel was more flushed than Jason had been, but for a different reason. "Know what I want?"

"What?" they asked.

"To pull you both in bed with me right now."

The looked at him in understand, then the room grew quiet for a few moments. Daniel looked from one man to the other and the comment from Jason, revealing a kiss as if that were some sort of taboo or some--

"Oh my god," he groaned.

They looked up at him, startled, misinterpreting. "What's wrong?" Jack asked.

"You two."

"What about us?" Jason asked.

"Besides the kiss, have you guys been together at all since I've been gone?"

They hemmed and hawed and Daniel knew they hadn't been. "Goddamnit."

"Well...it sort of feels like cheating..." Jack started to stay but Daniel's glare stopped him.

"Did it feel like cheating when you kissed?"

Jason swallowed. "No," he admitted, cautiously looking at Jack. "Just the opposite."

Jack took a slow breath. "No, I guess not."

Daniel sighed with frustration. Nothing he could say or do would make them fall in love but maybe he could push them into wanting each other. He knew Jason was already there, and that he probably held deep feelings for Jack as well. Daniel only needed to push Jack into accepting him. Jack already liked him anyway, so it wouldn't take much...

"We're a trio. I thought you guys got that."

They blinked at him, then nodded slowly, if hesitantly, and Daniel sighed, shaking his head. "I guess maybe you didn't." Their mouths opened, ready to argue, but he held up a hand, forestalling them. "I didn't mean two guys dating, or shall we say, fucking, the same guy." They both winced and Daniel was perversely pleased. "What I mean is a triad. Three guys in one loving relationship. We don't wait for permission to be with each other because the permission isn't necessary. It's a given. When one of us isn't there, the other two should have no problems being together. I expect the two of you to look to each other, or be together, whether I'm around or not."

He made a growling noise in his throat when they looked at him in surprise. They really hadn't gotten it till now had they? "Shit. I'm not going to be explaining this over and over, am I?"

They shook their heads quickly.

"I'm not having sex anytime soon, unfortunately, but you two sure as hell can. If you can't do anything together on your own, then how's this: It would make me feel a lot better knowing the two of you were, shall we say, loving each other."

Jack and Jason sighed and glanced at each other. Daniel had the right of it and there was no use arguing with him. They wouldn't necessarily follow his advice however. Jason felt keen disappointment over it, but he'd adjust. He planned on being near Daniel anyway, and would stay in his on-base quarters, just as he knew Jack would.

Daniel watched the two of them and guessed what they were thinking simply by their expressions. He didn't exactly know what was going on in their heads, but it was plain that they were going to humor him. "I'm fucking serious." He could see that they knew he was, but the relationship angle didn't seem to be getting through. So, perhaps the psychology angle would. "You need comforting and you need to calm down from the bad scare, and Jason, the way you feel right now is a perfect example so don't go saying you don't need it."

Jason rolled his eyes and started to turn away but Daniel reenforced his grip on Jason's hand. "Listen to me." He grabbed Jack's arm, slightly disturbing his IV line, and forced him to hold his hand. "Listen to me." When he had their full attention, he went on.  "I know how fucked up I feel whenever either of you are injured. As lame as it may sound, I need someone to hold me and tell me everything will be all right, but you know damn well that I'll never ask. And do you know why?" He paused for effect. "Because it's always here where I need that comfort and it's here where you'll never give me that."

It was the perfect bait (however it contradicted Jason's visit to him in the shower...and in his office). Jack and Jason objected strenuously. "Yes we will!" they both said, in stereo.

"I already have...sort of," Jason said, his voice fading because neither instance were occasions where someone had been in trouble. Physically anyway.

"Ahhh," Daniel said, squeezing their hands. "But you won't give it to each other? You won't share your feelings, your needs, your wants? You'll only give a kiss when someone's life is at stake...like mine was?"

"Um...it wasn't just a simple kiss," Jason said and Jack rolled his eyes. "Well, was it?" he asked, point blank.

Jack forced himself to face it and returned Jason's scrutinizing look. "No, it wasn't. It's just that I don't know how to handle my feelings for Daniel and my feelings for...you."

"Finally," Daniel muttered. Progress with Jack was like trying to drill for oil with a post hole digger. Eventually, you'd get to the good stuff but *fuck* if it didn't take forever.

"I love you two. You know that, don't you?"

Jason cleared his throat, several times.  He actually hated how much he loved Daniel, and hated even more that he could become emotional about it. The stress inside from nearly losing Daniel forced his eyes to water, but he held the threat of tears at bay because there was no way he was losing it in front of Jack. He did, however, have no problem with telling Daniel how he felt in front of his...other lover.

"I love you, too, Daniel.  I always have." He looked down, fingering the blanket on the bed, wondering why he'd added that last part, but realized that he'd said it more for Jack's sake, than Daniel's. A strong heat in his cheeks rose and he hoped that he hadn't just embarrassed Jack with that, too.

Daniel tightened his grip in Jason's fingers, letting him know that he loved him for what he'd said, then turned his gaze on Jack and found the man staring at Jason. He was suddenly hard to read. The look in his eyes was very intense. Did Jason's words bother him? No, that wasn't possible. But perhaps Jack was affected for a different reason. Perhaps it was that he cared a lot more than he wanted to. Daniel pulled Jack's hand to his chest, making him break his concentration and look down into his eyes. He gave Jack such a deep look of love that Jack almost forgot himself.

Jack cleared his throat. "I love you, too, Daniel, you know that. And...and just as Jason said, I always have." Jack glanced at Jason, then stared down at the bed.

Daniel watched them, the two looking like human bookends. He suddenly caught something, as they tried not to look at each other, and he suddenly smiled. They might not admit it, but they loved each other, too.

"Maybe it's not the right time to mention it," he said, purposely not looking at them, "but if you want my opinion, I think you guys care about each other more than you're willing to concede." Easy now, he told himself. "I would even go so far as to call it love."

They looked up sharply--at him, then at each other--and quickly looked away. Both were blushing! Daniel found it absolutely endearing and couldn't stop smiling. He couldn't help but tease, if only to push their worry over him further away, at least for the evening.

"Not gonna admit it, huh?"

No response.

"Come on," Daniel drawled in that cajoling voice. "I can see it," Daniel pushed, tugging on their hands. They began to fidget. "I saw it last week, you know." That got another startled response because neither wanted to admit it.

While Jason was afraid of what Jack would think, Jack wasn't. Instead, he thought that perhaps by saying so meant he loved Daniel a little less. As he'd told Daniel--and Jason--he didn't know how to have a relationship with two men. He didn't understand how to put them both in the same box in his mind.

Jack abruptly remembered Daniel's words to him about loving two children equally, if differently. He mulled that over, glancing at Jason as he did, and remembered with sudden intensity the kiss Jason had given back, in his office earlier that day. He remembered his desire, his feelings. As if a lightbulb had popped on in his head, Jack suddenly understood a little better. Maybe not completely, but a lot more than he did a minute ago.

Jason looked up and found Jack looking back at him again. Startled, he looked away. It was almost the same look Jack had given him after they'd kissed.

Daniel could see something was going on between them and decided to capitalize on it. "You know, it would make me feel a lot better if you two would spend some time together. If you won't do that for yourselves, then would you do it for me." Not exactly the way he wanted them to start acting independantly from him, but it was a push in the right direction. Or so he hoped.

Before they could answer, Janet interrupted.

"Time to go, sirs. You can come by and see him later. Much later. He needs his sleep."

Daniel squeezed their hands and let them go. Reluctantly, they went, without a word, though Jason blinked slowly at Daniel, and Daniel returned their secret code. He thought he'd have to develop something for himself and Jack, but when Jack gave him this impenetrable stare before leaving, Daniel realized he didn't have to.

After they left, Daniel gave Janet a look of annoyance. "Janet, we were getting somewhere. I really need to talk to them."

"In the morning. Right now, you get to have more blood work done, and bright and early in the morning, you get to have another picture taken of your glorious head."

"Oh rapture."

At least he'd had that moment with his lovers, and over the next few hours, he tried to devise ways for getting them together alone.

Around 9 pm, Jack stopped by, unable to sleep, and had begun to wish he hadn't. Daniel was annoying the crap out of him with the whole relationship issue but he finally gave in, as he knew he would.

"Fine! I promise I'll spend more time with him, okay? Satisfied?"

"Yes," Daniel said smugly, knowing from his tone that Jack meant what he said.

Jack started to regret promising him anything, but Daniel was bringing up feelings that Jack knew weren't a good idea, but allowed himself to feel anyway. Daniel lay there with his foot in a sling, and the neck brace collar had been removed only an hour before. There was bruising, but Jack had expected that. Daniel was very much in need of a shave and a shower, but even dirty, Jack thought he smelled good. He was argumentative and snarky one moment; persuasive and seductive, the next. In short, Daniel was sexy as fuck and Jack was annoyed because Daniel had no right to be, not laid up with a broken ankle.

Those last thoughts started to fade as Jack was suddenly overcome with a very naughty idea, one that was partly selfish, partly in need to make Daniel feel better about being laid up. Jack gazed at him with a different sort of look in his eyes, one that Daniel had seen the week before. He just hadn't expected to see it again under these conditions.

"Jack?" Daniel asked, needlessly pushing himself up by his fists, as if he were trying to sit up and push himself away. There was nowhere to go. He could either recline or lie flat. That was it.

"I'll make a deal with you," Jack said seductively, becoming aroused at his own idea as he sat down on the bed next to Daniel's right thigh. He set his warm hand on Daniel's knee and smiled possessively when Daniel flinched.

"A deal?" Daniel asked, trying to pretending to himself that he had no clue what was on Jack's mind.

"Let me give you something and I'll go see Jason."

Daniel eyed Jack suspiciously. "No deal making."

Jack couldn't help but grin having succeeded in yanking Daniel's chain. Sometimes, it was just too much fun. "I never promised when I'd spend time with him."

Daniel grabbed the nurse's button to his left and held it up, thumb poised, threatening to push it. "Jack, take back the offer or I call the nurse and have you thrown out right now."

"Go ahead, Daniel," Jack replied with a seductive smile. He returned Daniel's stare as he got up and proceeded to pull the privacy curtain around the bed, cutting off the view of the door. "I don't think you're gonna throw me out."

Daniel hated it when his bluff was called. He started to feel that certain heat churn deep in his belly when Jack disappeared behind the curtain. "Jack?" There were noises of several drawers opening and closing, the some water running. "What the hell are you up to?"

Jack returned to his place on the right side of the bed, and adjusted his position to give himself better access to Daniel. He showed Daniel the damp wash cloth and set it on the bed's railing, then slowly slipped his hands under the sheet and blanket. He pulled them down to expose Daniel's prone right leg, then slid his hands upward, pushing up his lover's hospital shirt, exposing skin that was just a bit bruised.

At first, Daniel thought he was going to wash him, but instead, he received a cleansing of kisses on his nipples. "Damn it," Daniel whispered, his fingers in Jack's hair, need conflicting with duty and safety. They could get caught!

"Don't tell me no," Jack whispered as he made his way down the tense abdomen. Daniel groaned at him instead, but there was no rejection. Smiling as he reached the waistband of the drawstring pants, Jack pulled the tie and loosened the pants. They were meant for comfort as well as hospital use so they were loosely made. Now open, Jack easily pulled down the front without having to take down the back. Daniel didn't have his briefs on and the feel of his cock against Jack's throat only spurred his lover on with his plan.

"Jack," Daniel whispered, his eyes darting in the direction of the door and the windows, which were still blinded.   "Someone will catch us."

"Your hoisted leg is able to hide a multitude of sins, Daniel," and without raising his head, he reached out and grabbed the washcloth, laying it under Daniel's slowly expanding dick. The cooling of the warm damp cloth made Daniel shiver, but he shivered more when Jack's right hand curled around his shaft and began to slowly caress him.

Daniel inhaled sharply and closed his eyes, biting his bottom lip, his unbalanced hips rocking in automatic rhythm. When he opened his eyes again, and took in the excitement in Jack's enlarged pupils, Daniel felt a rebellious thrill run through him and decided not to protest any more. Jack's touch tightened, then loosened, and in response, Daniel grabbed his shoulder with his right hand and his left clamped down on the railing. His foot ached a little bit from the motion of his hips and he was forced to still his movements.

"Lie still."  Jack stared into Daniel's eyes as he leaned forward, his mouth nearing Daniel's cock.

Daniel gasped in surprise, wondering what on Earth was wrong with him. He'd thought Jack only intended to jerk him off. "Oh my god, Jack, you wouldn't dare."

"You know," Jack teased, his voice low and seductive, "all I have to do is stick my tongue out and..."  The tip of it grazed over the head of Daniel's cock and Daniel inhaled very sharply, excited more than anything he'd experienced in a while.

"Yes," he whispered, drawing out the s. Jack's tongue felt so good. "Jack, you'll get caught..." and he inhaled again as Jack snaked his tongue out once more, taking a bolder swipe at the head of his dick.

"Caught? Then perhaps I should hurry up," and he took the head of Daniel's cock into his mouth, sucking and swiping the tongue around once, then pulling his mouth off.

"Fucking hell," Daniel croaked, his knuckles white with strain as he gripped the railing hard.

"Mmmmmm, you like it, don't you?" Jack groaned with pleasure, stroking Daniel's cock more firmly. He brought up his other hand and licked his fingers. Daniel's eyes widened when they disappeared from view. He jerked at their touch on his testes, a circling massage that ended up around his flexing anus. The heat within him rose significantly and sweat formed on his upper lip. "Don't you?" Jack asked again, pushing the tip of a finger inside, wiggling it in circles, moving wider and wider as his other hand stroked faster.

"Yes," Daniel gasped, his fingers tightening on Jack's shoulder. He wanted so much to pull Jack over him so he could circle his waist with his legs. But what Jack was doing was mesmerizing and he really didn't think he could stop him; he was locked into a battle of pleasure, succumbing quickly.

"Come for me," Jack whispered heatedly, then took Daniel's cock down his throat and shoved his finger deep inside.

Daniel held his breath until was sure he wouldn't moan or cry out, but he knew he was doomed. Jack was too good at this. He turned his head, stuffing the corner of the pillow into his mouth, moaning into it.

Jack hummed approval, sucking hard, his tongue rubbing circles just under the head and against the vein that was so sensitive. Daniel kept his mouth shut tightly, afraid he'd call out, so breathing through his nose became a series of harsh exhales. With a sharp intake of breath, however, he choked off a moan and came so hard he couldn't see. The pleasure was so much more intense, knowing that Jack held him down, no matter the protective reason. He shut his eyes tightly and tensed, concentrating on his cock as the orgasm overtook him. Jack sucked greedily, catching it all as he drank him down, milking him thoroughly. Small sounds escaped Daniel's throat as he finally relaxed, exhausted, spent, and sated.

Jack removed his hands when the last of the spasms subsided, and moved up to give Daniel a very tender, deep kiss. It was too short for their liking, but they better not press their luck.

"You okay?" Jack whispered as he carefully cleaned what little mess there was on his hands, then tied Daniel's pants back up, pulled down his shirt and covered him up once more with the bed covers.

"My God, Jack," Daniel whispered back, unable to think of any other response. "I love you."

"Love you back." He leaned in and kissed him again, nuzzling his face. Daniel was quickly drifting off, so he added, "G'night, Daniel."

"'Night, Jack," and before he fell into post-coital sleep, he asked, "Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"If you stop by to see Jason, say hello for me and tell him I'll see you both later."

A small grin of affection appeared, and was soon joined by a very intense look. Jack nodded, "Okay," and dropped the washcloth in the laundry bin on his way out of the room.

The closer Jack came to Jason's quarters, the less sure he was that he should do what Daniel had asked. He hadn't exactly promised, but it was implied, so he couldn't use that lame excuse. It wasn't that he didn't want Jason. He did. He'd been thinking of him anyway. He enjoyed being with him. But right now...it suddenly felt a bit like he was cheating on Daniel.

Except with Daniel's consent.

Which made no sense. Daniel had explained the three-way relationship twice now, and Jack still rankled at having any relationship explained to him. What was he, a teenager? He inwardly chastized himself, because he'd felt like one - sexually, anyway - ever since last week, when Daniel had finally accepted Jack as his lover...along with Jason. Jack hadn't said no to it then, nor did he feel like doing so now.

Being part of Daniel's life, sharing his bed, was the biggest gift the universe could ever give him and he knew very well that he was damned lucky. Having been with him earlier only reminded Jack how doomed he was. He couldn't refuse Daniel anything, no more than he could will the sun not to rise. It was only just becoming apparent to Jack that he probably couldn't refuse Jason, either.

But going to Jason's quarters, with the intent of having sex, still felt like cheating. But just as Daniel had pointed out, it hadn't felt like that earlier that day, had it? The kisses shared with Jason had been damn good. And no matter the reason for them, they were wrongly timed. Jack had wanted more.

And now, was he going to get more? He wanted to, he knew that. He was anxious about it, remembering how he'd felt when he'd been in bed with Jason a week ago. With Daniel. This time, Daniel wouldn't be there and aside from the feeling of cheating, there was this undercurrent of excitement. Was it wrong to want Jason?

Daniel had told them both that if they ever felt uncomfortable, with the relationship or with each other, that they were to back out. Jack wasn't uncomfortable and he didn't want to back out. But the feeling of cheating wouldn't disappear.

Irritated with his hedging, Jack only just realized that he was outside of Jason's quarters and had no idea how long he'd been standing there. Looking around and masking his embarrassment, he took a deep breath and ordered himself to find his wits, to dispense with his own rhetoric and evasions. It was time to put indecision to rest and find out if he and Jason could have the type of relationship that Daniel implied was already there.

.

Jason was on his stomach, arms around his pillow, trying to find sleep. He'd tossed and turned, and finally found a comfortable spot on his belly, yet he could get no further than a light doze. His mind was restless with thoughts of nearly losing Daniel just when he'd finally gotten him into his life. He loved Daniel more and more every day and it sometimes sickened him how sappy he could get when thinking about him. Jack would probably laugh if he knew.

Thoughts of what Jack would do or say became the focus of his mind, merging into the erotic. Jason absently rubbed himself into the bed as he thought about the relationship he was now in with the man. Not just sharing Daniel's love and affection, but hopefully sharing Jack's, too. Jason finally understood exactly what Daniel meant by triad. A trinity, hearts and souls meshed together in a committed relationship. Whether Jack ended up giving him his heart, Jason hoped to convince him that he could, in fact, love two people.

Erotic thoughts increased along with the swelling of his cock and he slowly rocked his hips, rubbing his cock firmly against the sheet. Jason imagined Jack storming into the room, falling on him, holding him down, tearing off his shorts and spreading his legs, following that action by ruthlessly filling his ass with his hard, hot cock. Jason began to whisper "Fuck me," and then something happened that was usually the fault of fatigue:  The fantasy's opening scene kept repeating itself until Jason, lulled by the comfort the feelings created, dropped into sleep.

.

Jack rapped twice on the door and when there was no response, he knocked twice again. This time, he heard movement. Jason opened the door and Jack stared. Sex on two legs, that was what Jack's mind screamed at him.

Jason wiped at his sleepy eyes as he stood there wearing nothing but grey shorts, a grey muscle shirt, and his dog tags. He ran his fingers through his hair and stepped back, inviting Jack inside without a word.

"Shit," he mumbled, making Jack grin at him. He turned round and headed for the bathroom, letting Jack close the door. Jason had intended to wake earlier and go see Daniel, but having finally fallen asleep, his body had taken over. He was still very tired, though Jack's proximity was waking him up quickly, just as Daniel's presence always did. "How's Daniel?" he called from the bathroom.

"Fine, but how'd you know I'd already been to see him?" Jack asked as he listened to Jason relieve himself.

"Jack, who do you think you're talking to? I knew you'd go see him, just as I was planning to before I fell asleep."

"Oh," he heard Jack respond, then looked to his left as Jack appeared and lounged in the bathroom doorway.

"Didn't mean to wake you," Jack said apologetically.

Jason sensed a tone in Jack's voice that contradicted his words. He was actually glad that he had woken him, wasn't he? The knowledge gave Jason a little tingling feeling. "It's okay. I can't sleep for very long anyway."

"I know what you mean."

Deciding that now was as good a time as any to go see Daniel, Jason turned on the faucet and bent over to wash his face. He cast a look to the right, finding the watch he'd set on the vanity counter before he'd laid down. It was 10:20 pm. Would Daniel be awake, even after Jack's visit?

"Think the nurses will mind if I drop in on him?"

"Probably not, but I left him asleep."

Jason looked over and caught something...mischievous. He narrowed his eyes. Something had been up because he realized that Jack looked positively smug. "Okay, what did you do?"

Jack pretended innocence, which didn't work by a mile. "What?"

"C'mon, Jack. That innocent look has never worked with me and you know it. You're more a wolf in sheep's clothing, and not even that is a good look for you. So...out with it."

Jack couldn't help it; his sheepish grin turned coy. "Oh, nothing."

"If Daniel's no longer awake, then he's sleeping, and you're implying that you're to blame." He then enunciated each word that followed. "What...did...you...do?"

Jack's thoughts weren't on the question, but more on what he had been doing not long before...and the reason he was in Jason's quarters. Absurdly, his mind went to his ego. He couldn't get over the fact that he was involved with two very different, but very gorgeous men. While he wasn't a modest man, he was, after all, 46 years old. He wasn't old by any stretch of the imagination, but he wasn't in his prime any longer. How could the man before him want him? And he did, didn't he? If last week and that morning were anything to go by. Daniel knew him and perhaps that added to his loving attraction, but Jack still didn't get Daniel's desire, either. All he thought of now as he looked at Jason was, how in the hell did he get so lucky?

And what the hell was he thinking? Getting involved with not one man under his command, but two? Jack knew his love of risk and unorthodox behavior would get him into trouble one day. Right now, considering what he'd been doing for nearly seven years, Jack suddenly realized that he no longer cared. He'd be careful, but he no longer gave a damn about worrying about being found out. It was his life and he'd wasted far too much of it worrying about what others would think...even as he went about doing what they didn't like. Well, they wouldn't like was he was doing now, that's for sure. The rebel in him warmed to that idea like opposite poles of a magnet.

He moved forward, watching Jason's eyes track him, and sat down on the covered toilet seat.

Jason regarded him impatiently.  "Well?"

"I gave him a sleeping pill."

Jason barked out a laugh. "Did you just say what I think you just said? Pill? As in...?"

Jack nodded slowly. "BJ."

Jason closed his eyes and dropped his forehead to the lip of the sink, beginning to laugh. He shook his head and then turned his eyes back on Jack. "Jesus. In his room?"

He wasn't jealous, Jack realized with relief. "I needed to, you know?"

Jason nodded his head slightly as he wet his face again. "And? How'd he react?" He looked over, blinking rapidly. Jack was grinning.

"He was...amenable."

Jason laughed again, only this time with more heat filling his belly at the thought of Jack going down on him. "I'll just bet he was." He started rinsing the soap from his face, feeling a little better. If he wasn't going to see Daniel, he may as well get ready for bed, which is what he would have done at home anyway. When he finished and straightened, he found Jack staring, a peculiar look on his face. "Jack?"

Jack didn't respond as he watched the water droplets fall from Jason's lips and chin. A feeling of arousal came over him and he slowly stood, his eyes never leaving Jason's face.

Jason, meanwhile, felt a spike of heat run down his spine. Jack was unpredictable at the best of times and Jason knew that he had better learn to read him. This scrutiny was nice, but it was also unnerving. "Okay, you're staring at me, not talking. If you're gonna stand there, make yourself useful and pass me that hand towel." He held out his right arm expectantly.

Jack grabbed the right towel on the bar to his right, and took two steps forward. But instead of giving it to Jason to wipe his face with, he reached out and dabbed at his eyes.

Jason froze, a look of amusement in his eyes as he allowed the strange action. "Jack, what're you doing?"

Jack didn't answer the question. Instead, his voice was softer, deeper, seductive.  "Just what sort of look is good on me?" he asked, strangely going back to what Jason had said minutes before. He stuck his fingers under the still-running faucet and brought them, dripping wet, to Jason's lips, smoothing more water over them, watching the drops cascade down his chin.

Jason's eyes widened at the intensely erotic action and was further surprised when Jack threaded his wet fingers through his hair and held him tightly. "That one," Jason heard himself say as his cock lengthened considerably.

"What one?"

"That hungry wolf look," Jason whispered. He had sudden images of lying on his back on top of the small vanity, his ass hanging over the edge, legs over Jack's shoulders as he pounded into him...

His brief fantasy image cleared when he caught the look Jack gave him, one that could only be interpreted as feral.

"You have no idea how sexy the wet look is on you," Jack said, his seductive charm in full swing. He quickly leaned in just as he yanked Jason against him and found warm lips and tongue deliciously contrasting to the cool, wet feel of Jason's mouth. He persistently fed his passion, kissing Jason with such rough abandon that Jason felt the need to return it in exactly the same way.

He abruptly pulled out of the kiss and copied Jack's actions with the water. His fingers wet, he smoothed the water over Jack's mouth, wetting the skin already damp from the heated kiss. Jack heightened the eroticism by opening his mouth to lick at Jason's fingers. The taste of salty skin mixed with water set Jack off again and as he let out a hungry groan, he kissed Jason again. Harder. The air seemed charged, reflecting their increasing desire and need.

Jason heard the water shut off as he allowed himself to dive deep into Jack's mouth, his lust. It was good. He was good. He was about to run his hands down over Jack's body but Jack surprised him instead. Jack shoved him against the wall opposite the sink, his palms pressed against the wall, framing his head. Jason's arousal skyrocketed by the forceful action and reflexively, his fingers locked tightly in Jack's shirt.

"Jesus, Jack."

Jack's eyes were dark with intent. "You remember what Daniel asked of us?" he asked with a rough urgency to his voice.

"Yes," Jason replied quickly. Yes, he remembered. He'd also been waiting for an opportunity since that morning.

"I think we should start now," Jack said as he snuffled Jason's face, smelling him as if he really were a canine predator seeking out his prey.

"Are you sure?" Jason asked breathlessly, even though his base instincts, along with his body, were screaming, "Yes, here! Definitely here and right now!"

"No camera. No compromise," Jack told him. He had every intention of having sex with the man as he maneuvered Jason out of the bathroom, walking him backwards toward the bed. He pulled Jason's shirt off with a quick, easy flourish.

"Good point," Jason said, almost whispering the words. When his legs hit the bed, he fell backward, his landing cushioned by his elbows. With his knees bent, lower legs hanging over the foot of the bed, Jason looked up at Jack, watching him remove his clothes. Jack's eyes remained on him and the effect was even more erotic. When Jack unbuttoned his trousers and pushed them down with his briefs, exposing his hard cock, Jason swallowed. He didn't waste time, and shoved his shorts over his hips, freeing his erection, and kicked them to the floor. Goosebumps rose over his naked skin in reaction to the lust he felt looking at Jack's naked body.

He stared as Jack crawled over him, his dog tags hanging down from his neck. Jason's lay between his pecs and Jack stared at them before letting his eyes roam over his body. Jason shivered. This was possibly the sexiest he'd ever seen Jack O'Neill.

"Move up," Jack said.

Jason moved backward, inching up the bed, and he faltered when Jack teased him, bending to take a nipple between his teeth, worrying it as he sucked. A gasp from Jason and he hurried to the head of the bed, eager for more.

Jack was even more unpredictable as he grabbed Jason about the waist, and forced them to switch positions, with Jack now lying on his back and Jason falling forward onto his forearms. They kissed again, thrusting their hips, their heavy cocks brushing firmly together, the forming pre-come cooling as it swiped over the skin of their abdomens.

Jack reached up to take Jason's thick hair in his hands once more and wrapped his calves around Jason's, spreading both their legs. "We won't need any lube, Jason," he said.

"We won't?" Jason asked, disappointment rising as he looked down at him. He could feel his own mouth was already hot and swollen from kissing, but so was Jack's. It sent a dizzying signal straight to his cock. He bent down, biting over Jack's chin and jaw.

"No, let's save that for later. After we take Daniel home."

Jason answered that by bringing his hands up to caress Jack's chest, tweaking his nipples between thumbs and forefingers. Jack inhaled softly, then pulled Jason down into a fierce kiss, his tongue immediately plunging into Jason's eager mouth. He slid his hands down to Jason's sides and over his ass, massaging Jason's buttocks with firm, squeezing fingers. They moaned into the kiss, feeling the intensity of their want, their need, for each other, rise.

Panting, gasping, Jason's fingers slid under Jack's ass, fingertips teasingly close to his opening. Jack moaned and thrust his hips upward as if Jason were fucking him. He broke off the kiss, whispering to him as his mouth lightly grazed his lips.

"You want to fuck me, don't you, Jason?" he asked, nipping Jason's throat. "You need to fuck me?"

"Yes," Jason gasped, closing his eyes as he curled his right hand around Jack's cock, stroking in time to the man's rhythmic hips.

Jack grabbed his hair and whispered harshly directly into his ear.  "I want to feel you deep inside my ass." The words were followed with a groan from Jason as well as an obvious shuddering in his own body. Jack nipped at an earlobe, snaking his tongue out to lick behind and over his ear. "Your long hard cock filling me, and these hips thrusting, pounding, slamming into me!" He emphasized his words by taking Jason's hips in hand, pulling him down to imitate the rough movements.

"Jack, god," Jason cried out softly, nearly coming then. He was diverted from it, luckily, when Jack took his dick in hand and stroked him with his strong fingers. He squeezed, pulling upward, rubbing his thumb into the glans, spreading the liquid that dripped down. Jason hissed from the sensitivity and kissed Jack savagely, sucking his tongue inside his mouth and moaning louder. Jack wholeheartedly received him, encouraging Jason by raising his legs and wrapping them around Jason's thighs, pulling them further apart. It spiked the lust, the need, in his partner, and and Jason gasped and pulled up, staring down at him.

With a wicked idea, Jason let go of Jack's cock and stuck two fingers into his mouth, wetting them down. He slid them in and out of his mouth, teasing Jack, before he moved his hand between Jack's legs.

Jack groaned deeply as a finger pressed against his ass and pushed in without resistance.

"I want to fuck you so much," Jason whispered, working his finger back and forth. His eyes were bright as he moved down Jack's body, forcing his hand from his cock. His lips moved with delight over Jack's abdomen, tongue swirling, catching flavors he wanted to remember forever. He pushed his finger deeper, searching for the hard little gland, and when he found it, Jack let him know by grabbing his hair and the mattress at the same time.

"Fuck me," came the insistant whisper.

Jason smiled as he twisted his finger, rubbing the gland at each pass. When he moved over Jack's cock, he took the head into his mouth, sucking slowly before he took the entire length inside and achingly pulled up.

"Oh God, I want you to fuck me, Jace," Jack groaned, thrusting his hips faster, encouraging Jason to do the same with his finger.

Jason made sounds of agreement as he settled more resolutely between Jack's legs, his free arm pushing under Jack to take hold around his hips, riding Jack's thrusting body until the man was panting loudly, gripping the sheets with white-knuckled, sweating hands.

"Fuck, you're good at that," Jack said, trying to find his breath, his eyes squeezed shut, knowing he was very close. Just a little more...

Jason immersed himself, needing to feel the pulse of the hot, silky skin under his tongue. Then it was there, the tingle under his tongue, and he hummed approval, quickening the movement of his mouth, his finger.

Jack felt his balls tighten with the heat that spread quickly throughout his body, and gripped the sheet so tight in both fists that he nearly tore it. He used his forearms for leverage as he arched, pushing his hips up, feeling Jason drop his tongue and open his throat. With a long moan, Jack tensed his leg muscles and fucked Jason's mouth for all he was worth, mind and body intent on one solution to the exclusion of all else.

He came explosively, cursing in harsh whispers, aware of Jason's intermittent moaning, cut off each time he swallowed, drinking him down. Jack dropped his legs flat, panting through the receding pleasure, and blindly reached down, finding Jason's dog tags. He tugged, and tugged again, getting the man to move back up his body. When Jason reached him, a pleased look in his eyes, Jack grabbed him and turned them over, kissing him roughly. The taste of his semen in Jason's mouth urged him on, and without hesitation, he broke away and moved down Jason's body.

"Oh god," Jason whispered, not thinking that Jack would return the favor. He didn't know why, either. He gasped as his body jerked away from Jack's teeth biting below his navel. Then his cock was in Jack's mouth and the pleasure drove him insane. He gripped the pillow under his head, fingers clutching desperately as he tried not to thrust hard, eager to fuck his lover's wet, warm mouth.

Yes, he thought with an intense flood of emotion. My lover.

Jack's fingers deftly played with his balls, stroking his perineum, teasing the puckered skin around his hole. Jack's tongue expertly took him to the edge, keeping him there, hovering almost to the point of pain.

"Time to come, Jason," Jack said quickly, softly, pulling off Jason's cock to slick his fingers with spit before taking his cock back into his mouth. He bobbed up and down, faster and faster, while he pushed two fingers inside Jason's body.

It was Jason's turn to arch, pushing his hips off the bed just as Jack had done. Then he was being fucked by deft, encouraging fingers, his gland nudged repeatedly, while his cock was taken by a hot, hungry mouth.  Jason turned his head to bite his right bicep, muffling the keening cries he was only vaguely aware he was making. He seemed to come forever, his body wracked with spasm after spasm. Then Jack was over him, kissing him, holding him, and Jason returned the embrace desperately.

When the afterglow began to subside, they slowly pulled apart, feeling teeth marks inside the soft flesh of their mouths. Their eyes opened and took in the sated haze reflected in each other's face. Nothing was said. They closed their eyes once more and held each other, aware that things would now be much easier between them.

.

Very early the following morning, the two dressed and went to visit Daniel. When they entered his room, they found Daniel sleepy-eyed but awake. He smiled tenderly at them, then noticed something different in their combined body language.

"What are you guys up to? You hide Sam's chocolate again?"

"Better," Jack said, a wolfish grin spreading over his face.

The walked over to his bed, one on either side, and sat down.

"Well?" Daniel asked, eyeing them suspiciously. Jack and Jason looked at each other, then back at Daniel.

"Jack came to visit me."

Daniel's brows rose slightly as he shifted his gaze to Jack. "And?"

"I stayed for a while," Jack stated simply, then a smile pulled at his mouth as he heard Jason snort softly.

"And?" Daniel asked again.

"And we're just fine, Daniel," Jason said, and slowly slid his fingers over Daniel's chest, caressing, arousing. He moved his touch downward, meeting up with Jack's hand when they both cupped Daniel's groin.

"More than fine, actually," Jack added, his eyes on Jason's before turning to find a huge, adoring smile on Daniel's face.

Three days later....

~

Doctor Janet Fraiser was going to kill Doctor Daniel Jackson.  It was only a matter of when and where and how long it would take.

"Janet, please!"

"Daniel!"  He'd finally forced her to lose her patience. "That pneumatic cast has to be up to your thigh to allow the lower bones no movement! If you continue to complain, I can arrange a plaster cast. Would you prefer that?"

Daniel subsided his protests, and sheepishly realized that he was being an asshole. "I'm sorry," he said, reaching over to scratch the bottom of his left foot using the toes of his right. It was difficult as the clear plastic cast covered half of his foot, the toeless padded boot now worn over it. "It's driving me mad."

Her annoyance dwindling, she reached over and scratched the sole of his foot for him. He sighed indulgently as his itch was relieved. With the pneumatic cast covering most of his leg including half of his foot, there would be no way he could scratch. No way at all.

"Janet, I'm serious. I'm going to go insane."

She had a suddenly perverse need to tease. "Do you always bitch until your itch is scratched?"

He gave her a reprimanding glance. "So not funny, considering that that particular itch won't get scratched for a while."

She tried to give him a sympathetic look but it didn't work.

"Can I go home, Janet? Please?" he asked, trying on his charm.

"One more scan of that aggravating head of yours, then you can go home."

"How long will that take?"

"Half the day, Daniel. Several teams came home and you know they have priority over the scans."

Daniel sighed and leaned back against his reclining bed. "May I at least go take a shower. I feel disgusting."

"You sure you don't want a sponge bath instead?" she asked, using her own sweet, yet malicious, smile.

"Janet, I swear, if I have to endure one more moment with those..." He started to blush.

Janet stifled the urge to snicker.  "It's not their fault you developed a...reaction."

"No, it was Jack's, the fucking prick," he glowered, remembering. Yesterday, Jack had been touching his inner thigh, running a fingertip slowly toward his groin with the promise of something much, much better. But he hadn't been able to follow through because it had been mid-morning. Then the nurse on duty had come in and informed Daniel that it was time to change into fresh scrubs. Daniel had tried to get Jack to help him instead, including giving him the limited sponge bath that would precede the new scrubs, but the nurse, a Lieutenant Sheffer, wouldn't allow it. Daniel had been seething when Jack had beat a hasty retreat.  Truthfully, he still was. And he'd bide his time, too. He'd get back at Jack. And that damned nurse. It would serve her right if he came back from a mission covered in a noxious green mud that she would be required to help him wash off.

"It would be much easier if the female nurses knew I was gay," he told Janet in a hushed tone.

"I know," she answer softly, "But let them have their hopeless fantasies. You know it won't come to anything."

"I won't let them give me a bath, Janet."

She couldn't help the snigger that escaped.

"May I please...please...please...have a shower?  Pretty please?"

He was getting hopeless as well, she thought, and he had no damn right to look so gorgeous, even if he did need a shower more than a bed bath with sponge and towel.

"Okay," she drawled.

He smiled happily and slowly swung his legs off the bed and reached to grab his arm brace crutches.

"Aht!" she said, halting him.

"But--"

"You know damn well that you can't shower alone. I'll get someone to help you."

"Janet," he said, his tone suspiciously closing in on a whine.

"I'll get a few corpsmen to help, okay?" she offered.

Daniel found that idea strangely arousing, but dismissed it before he got himself into trouble. He gave her the look she dreaded. The I have an idea look. "What about Jack and Jason? They could help me...if they're not doing anything...right?"

"Daniel, no monkey business."

He held up his right hand. "I swear, on the threat of staying here two more weeks--"

"Three."

He cringed. "Three more weeks, that I won't get up to any monkey business. Besides, I'm not exactly a bona fide target for it anyway."

Janet let out a pig-snort.

"What?" he asked, knowing that sound was meant to be challenging but somehow sounded derogatory.

"Daniel, you could be covered in slime and you'd still be a bona fide target for wandering hands."

He couldn't help it and gave her a dirty look. "Female or male?"

She raised the paperwork in her hand and slapped him on the head with it. He ducked, too late of course, laughing. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry."

"You're not. But I believe you mean what you say. Will the Colonel and Jason be as cooperative?"

"They'll behave. I promise." He would make them or else.

She sighed.  "I'll call them down and have a chair brought."

"I can meet them in the--"

"No, Daniel. You'll use a wheelchair."

He grimaced.

"No choice. Chair or you go nowhere."

He reluctantly nodded.

"Now, after you're through in physical therapy, I need you back here asap."

"But I thought that wasn't for several hours."

She nodded. "It isn't. But I have a mission briefing to attend that requires the Colonel's presence as well. Don't make him late."

"For?" He hated being kept out of the loop.

"A basic mineral survey."

"If it's so basic, why are you going to the briefing?"

"Because scans showed a strange energy reading. Sam was supposed to get more scans so I could determine if they were biological readings. She said they didn't look anything like the energy signatures she's used to finding."

"Oh." He started to worry. "Tell them to be careful."

"They're only going for a few hours, Daniel, and that's not until the day after tomorrow."

"Right."

She picked up a navy blue drawstring bag that sat on one of the chairs in the corner behind the door. "This bag has your showering supplies for when you get home. It has the Phisoderm soap for cleaning around the cast. You'll clean your leg only in my infirmary or when I'm able to stop by for a visit. Understood?"

He nodded and gingerly sat back on the bed, the left leg jutting out stiffly from the cast. It took a bit of effort to adjust the blue hospital scrubs he wore.

"Remember, it's okay to get that cast wet. It's waterproof."

"Is this a brace underneath?" he asked, pointing to 14-inch rods on either side of his foot and halfway up to his calf. Wrapped cuffs held them to his leg in three places.

"That's the safety brace, to keep your foot and ankle from moving when the cast is removed for examinations and cleaning. It's also a safety measure in case the cast should ever become unstable and loose air pressure."

He suddenly grimaced and she became worried. "It's nothing, Janet. I'm sorry I'm such a pain in the ass."

She gave him a hug then, careful of his leg. "Don't worry.  I'll be by the house every other day, and Sam will be by - except when SG-1 is out on a mission - to bring you your schoolwork."

"Funny, Janet."

"Sorry. She'll bring you stuff to do so you won't get bored out of your skull."  She kissed the top of his head, then turned and left the room. She was surprised to find Jack and Jason heading toward her. "Colonel, Major, I was just coming to see you." They gave her anxious looks and she held up her hand. "No, nothing's wrong. One more scan and then he can go home..."

They looked relieved.

"But," she began, enjoying a perverse need to make them worry just a little. "He wants a shower."

"Oh, for cryin' out loud," Jack complained.

"Colonel, he could use it and it'll make him feel better. And it's better than sitting around waiting for the next available time for the scanner."

"He giving you a hard time?"

"No more than usual when he's locked up. Take him to get clean and smell nice. He does need it, and although he could wait till he gets home, I'm inclined to give him what he wants just so I can see him smile."

Both men smirked. "Pushover," Jack said.

"And we're not?" Jason asked, laughing.

"Use the physical therapy shower. It has plenty of grab bars," then she lowered her voice. "And gentlemen, no funny business. Capiche?"

"Gotcha," they both said. She nodded, satisfied, and then opened the door to Daniel's room to find him already on his crutches, having heard their voices.

"What the hell are you doing?" she scolded.

"What?" he asked, then remembered the chair. He leaned against the bed. "Fuck."

"I'll be right back," Janet said and briskly exited the room.

"Yeah, famous last words," Daniel grumbled, throwing his crutches on the bed.

Jason was alarmed. "Daniel, what's up?"

"I can't walk anywhere. I have to use the stupid wheelchair."

His lovers exchanged glances of weathered patience.

"You know why, right?" Jason told him.

"Yeah," Daniel drawled sulkily. "Still hate the things."

"Don't blame you a bit," Jack told him, "but fighting it is a waste of energy."

Janet quickly returned, opening the door and showing the men the folded up chair. "Here you go, gentlemen. Don't abuse my patient, either."

Daniel snorted as he grabbed his crutches and went quickly through the door, moving much faster than either Jack or Jason expected.

.

"Jesus, Daniel. I can see now why she wants you out of the infirmary," Jack teased, having listened to Daniel bitch the entire way to the physical therapy room two corridors down.

Jason touched Jack's arm and gave him a look that Jack was beginning to know well.  Don't go too far.  Jack nodded once, letting Jason know he wouldn't.

Locking the shower door behind them, they each stripped down completely. Getting their clothes wet wasn't something they wanted so it was better to risk getting seen nude. Eager to get in the shower, Daniel had already removed his shirt so they helped him remove his hospital pants, slit up the left leg to accommodate the bubble cast. Jason grabbed one arm and placed it over his shoulder and Jack grabbed the other. They helped him over to grab hold of the shower bars, then went back for the soap and shampoo. When they returned, they got a good look at Daniel's backside.

Normally, this would have been a very good thing, but this time, their normal excitement at seeing him naked was colored with concern.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph," Jack swore harshly. Jason echoed his sentiments.

Daniel turned his head sharply and scowled. "What? I didn't do anything...yet!" he complained, adding a threat in there.

"You're black and blue, Daniel."

Daniel rolled his eyes as his lovers came over and inspected him, touching him everywhere. He had large splotchy bruises on a good portion of his body except for his shoulders, arms, and some of his hip area above the buttocks.

"Jesus," Jason whispered. It tore him up to see Daniel so hurt.  A broken ankle could be more easily swallowed than the myriad of bruises Daniel sported. They were so...ugly. Combined, the bruises and his broken ankle served to remind them that Daniel could have died. It was ironic that he'd been spared death by Jaffa who just might have killed him later on.

Jack and Jason didn't know that in their efforts to console themselves, their touches were becoming highly distracting. Daniel cleared his throat and reached out with one hand, stilling their hands. "Guys, stop." They gave him puzzled looks, until they realized what they'd been doing. They had the presence of mind to look guilty.

"Sorry," they both echoed.

"Most of the bruises only ache a little," Daniel told them in an effort to reassure. "Only the ones around my ribs hurt a little more.  They were bad, but they're better now."

"Ah huh," Jason said, reading Daniel better than that, as did Jack. They knew he hurt a lot more than he said, which was annoyingly typical in Daniel's case. Hell, they all did that.

Without comment, Jack turned on the shower and ushered Daniel inside, making sure he had a hold of the main grab bar.

Once the water hit him, Daniel sighed with immense relief as the water cascaded over his head and shoulders, flowing down his body like an eager wave on a beach. Jack helped him wash his body while Jason took to his hair, his fingers massaging the scalp and neck so expertly that Daniel's moan sounded erotic.

"I feel so fucking useless," he suddenly complained, breaking the mood.

Both men understood the feeling. They'd each been in similar circumstances several times.

"Daniel, you're not useless, just incapacitated," Jack told him. "You'll be right as rain in no time and wishing for the time off you're about to get."

"Right, time off that'll be spent hobbling about under medical scrutiny."

"Better that than dead, Daniel," Jason abruptly countered in a very serious tone.

Daniel nodded silently, not wanting to respond to that. What was there to say? Instead, he focused on rinsing, finding himself distracted and momentarily comforted by his lovers' careful handling of him. When they began to help him out of the shower, Daniel caught Jack eyeing Jason, a small grin on his face. Jason looked perplexed for a second, until a tiny smile curved at the corners of his mouth. Jack reached out and caught a drop of water from Jason's chin, then licked it off his finger. They both smiled.

Daniel knew they were teasing each other, and though only a little annoyed that he had no clue what it was about, he felt his heart gladden for the intimacy he witnessed. They were becoming close, and perhaps it was due in part to his pushing them, but he had a feeling that they would have come around on their own. Eventually. He had known they would be good together, and whether that was from his own sharp instincts, he didn't know. Nor did he care to examine it.

Jason suddenly made a growling noise when Jack wouldn't quit teasing him with his intense stare. It made Daniel smile, but when he watched them further, he felt his body respond. He cleared his throat. Loudly.

"Guys, get me out of here before I do something stupid." They didn't look the least bit repentant as they helped him to the dressing room. "I'm going to ask what that was all about when we get home."

"Why wait till then?" Jack asked as he and Jason helped him with his briefs and pants.

Daniel gave him a warning look which only made Jack grin. Jack was now teasing him. "I'd like it explained in detail, Jack. Comprende?"

"Gotcha," Jack replied with that unending smirk.

Jason didn't bother to comment as he was busy squashing the memories from two nights before. While last night was spent alone in much needed sleep, his night with Jack returned to his mind periodically, comforting him, and on occasion, bringing up startling emotions. As it was now. The flush that now colored his cheeks didn't go unnoticed by either Jack or Daniel.

Daniel reached out and tweaked a strand of hair out of Jason's eyes. "With me?"

"Always," Jason nodded, clearing his throat, giving Jack a quick glance which was met with a bigger grin from the man.

As they helped to get his shirt on, Daniel mumbled through the material that covered his face. "I wish Sam could use that healing device on me."

"Except you know what that will do, Daniel," Jack started to tell him.

"I know," Daniel drawled in irritation. "That addiction to the sarcophagus made me overly sensitive to Goa'uld technology, and that adrenalin chemical made it worse."

"And almost killed you," Jack said emphatically.

Daniel sighed deeply as he gave Jack a repentant look. "I know."

They helped him sit down, and as his lovers got dressed, Daniel wished for the thousandth time that he'd been somehow faster and not gotten himself trapped down a hole in the ground. His self-recriminations slowly ebbed away as he focused on his two favorite men, thanking the Fates for putting them in his life. He made a pleased sigh and Jack and Jason turned to look at him, recognizing the light in his eyes.

"I really can't wait till you get home," Jack said quietly, not needing to explain.

They made their way back to his room just in time to run into Janet again. "Guess what, Daniel? There's an opening and you're in luck."

"Then we can spring him from this joint soon?" Jason asked.

She nodded, taking hold Daniel's wheelchair handlebars from him. The two men began to follow when Janet stopped and turned around, making a shooing motion with one hand.  "I'll call you."

Daniel had to grin to himself. Their possessive expressions were as if Janet had taken away their favorite toy.

.

A few hours later, Daniel was going insane with impatience. He hated lying around with nothing to do, and all of his books were either in his office or packed. And where the hell were Jack or Jason? He hadn't seen them since his MRI and while he understood that they had duties and couldn't be there for him 24/7, their absence was darkening his mood. The prospect of maneuvering around his home with a broken leg didn't look too appealing at the moment. But he hated waiting even more. Trying to still his mind, he closed his eyes for a nap.

An hour later, he was startled from his nap.

"Daniel?" Sam asked as she came into his room.

He opened his eyes and looked at her, frowning when he didn't see Jack or Jason. "Hey, Sam."

"I get to take you home. Janet says you're ready to go."

"Oh."

She frowned. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing. Just tired of waiting."

"Well, the wait is over," Sam said and gave his right thigh a pat, not letting him know that she knew who he'd rather have taking him home. After helping him into the chair, she grabbed the bag by the door and set it on his lap. "Ready to go?"

"Where are--"

"The Colonel is with General Hammond and Jason's doing something else, I don't know what."

"Oh," he said, unable to mask his disappointment.

Janet came in and one look at Daniel told her what sort of mood he was in. Her glance at Sam informed her that Sam was well aware, too.

"I'll be by tomorrow to check on you," Janet went on. "Sam's got your medicines, including your pain meds, that you have to take to prevent bone infections."

Despite the fact that his mood was darkening even more, he thanked her before they left for the elevator.  Along the way, people were wishing him well, and he'd smile at them and give them the appropriate replies, but without Jason or Jack by his side, he felt as if he'd been abandoned. It wasn't rational, he knew, but he felt it nonetheless.

.

They were halfway home, with Sam driving his Jeep. Throughout the drive, Daniel had been silently brooding, not in the mood to talk. He knew he wasn't just disappointed that neither Jack or Jason were taking him home, he was becoming downright sulky about it. Sam had sensed it perhaps because she didn't try to engage him in small talk as she would have done at other times.

Daniel wondered if his mood weren't exacerbated by the pain throbbing in his ankle, but he doubted it. He'd handled bone breaks before without becoming moody...hadn't he? The more he thought about it, however, the more he realized that he hadn't ever noticed his moods, too used to masking his real feelings. Did that mean he was quietly broody whenever injured? He didn't know. He knew his frequently recited, "I'm fine," annoyed his friends.

He didn't really blame them, he supposed. He hated it when Jack became dismissive about his own ills or injuries--like his knees--so he could understand Jack being angry over his own dismissals. Lying his teeth off was certainly par for the course, however, as Daniel had learned a long time ago that no one ever really wanted to know how you were doing. It was just a habitual courtesy to ask, even if you were sick or injured. That is, until he'd met Jack, Jason, Sam, Teal'c, and others at the SGC. Janet was a doctor and supposed to ask, so she didn't count. The thought made him grin, though his face gave no sign.

Sam's voice abruptly startled him from his deep thoughts.

"You're thinking awfully hard."

He blinked and cleared his throat. "I guess so."

"Daniel?"

"What?"

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Ask away."

"It's a very personal question."

"Sam, just ask," he said, waving his hand.

"Well," she began, biting at her lip. "First, I never got a chance to say this so I'm saying it now. I'm really glad that you and the Colonel have mended fences and gotten your friendship back on track. Teal'c is just as relieved and we're both very happy for you guys."

That managed a tiny frown, and he wondered where she was going with this. He didn't doubt the sincerity but knew there was more from the tone.

"Anyway. You know that the Colonel hates the infirmary and won't step a foot in there unless he needs to know we're okay, then he's out of there like a shot." She paused, carefully watching his reaction. Daniel gestured with a 'give me' motion, so similar to Jack's it was a little unnerving. "Given that, it was surprising to find him visiting you all the time. So, um, I was wondering...Teal'c and I both were wondering...well, actually, it's really rather funny, because Teal'c thinks..." She grimaced, hating herself. "Crap."

Daniel was a bit amused, but he was more worried than anything. If his two teammates noticed something different in Jack's behavior, did anyone else?

"Just ask it, Sam?"

"Um, is something more going on between you two." She abruptly blushed and blew out a breath. "If I've offended you--"

"No, I'm not offended. What do you think is going on, Sam? Be honest, please."

She took a deep breath, nervously glancing at him as she focused on the road. "Are you...involved?" She blushed beet red afterward.

"Aren't you compromising your oath, Sam?"

Her mouth dropped and a different sort of blush suffused her cheeks. "Excuse me?"

Daniel suddenly sensed that he'd somehow screwed up. She was angry with him.

"After what I've gone through in the last six years, Daniel..." She paused, sucking in a breath. "Rules that apply everywhere else don't apply to the SGC, just as running the SGC requires special people."

"But some people don't change, Sam. There are still narrow-minded bigots working at the SGC.  If, and I stress if, Jack were involved in gay relationship, how do you think that knowledge would be received if he were found out? You have gay friends aside from me and Jason, serving in the Air Force or working as Civilian Consultants, so you know what happens. If you were forced to testify--"

"No one can force me to testify against you, the Colonel, anyone. I will not protect a bunch of homophobes, no matter what."

Daniel felt a huge relief wash over him. "Okay, but professionally, what about his authority?"

"I don't get what you mean."

"Saying it is one thing, putting words to action is another. Could you be around him and another guy and be comfortable?"  She blushed a little and Daniel wondered if the image of Jack and another man excited her...or simply confused her. "Let me rephrase that--"

"No, no, it's okay. It doesn't bother me, but it's just that I'm embarrassed around public displays of affection. You know that."

He smiled in remembrance. "Yeah, you were that way in front of Shau're and me."

She tossed up her hand. "There you go."

"But where Jack's concerned, well, you had feelings for him." When she looked away, her eyes fervently on the road as the blush in her cheeks spread, Daniel reached out and took one of her hands from the steering wheel. "Are you still in love with him?"

She turned sharply, staring at him, then stared back at the road in a panic, as if she were in danger of getting into an accident.

"I don't think I've ever been in love with the Colonel, Daniel."

"But you're not sure?"

She paused, chewing at her lip again. "Until this year, I thought I had been, but after a while, I realized that I wasn't. I love him, yes. And wouldn't have minded a relationship with him. But it's different now. Because of you."

"Me?"

"Watching how he treated you when we came back from that tropical planet where we took Thor. Then how he behaved toward me while we were there..."

She was referring to the overt flirting. Jack was bisexual, and sometimes, it was easy to ignore one side in favor of the other. Daniel knew that first hand. Jack was a natural flirt anyway, but what he'd done with Sam had been beyond professional behavior, even if Daniel now knew why.

"Has he ever explained himself to you?" Daniel had to ask.

"No. Pisses me off, not knowing what the hell I did to start it off and then what I did to end it."

"You didn't do anything, Sam. Jack was...lonely, fed up, confused."

"Doesn't excuse it."

"No."

"Remember what happened on that ice planet?"

Uh oh. She really was wanting to vent, wasn't she? Daniel really couldn't blame her, nor her wanting to talk about what happened on that planet. Daniel wished he could forget, even if bits of it frequented his dark fantasies.

"Jack's behavior was stamped to purposely reflect heterosexual behavior, Sam. Any feelings he would have had toward me or any other men would have been blocked."  He knew he was lying, just a little. Jack's secret feelings for him weren't ever acted on and in an attempt to forget them, he'd unerringly gone to her, just as the stamp had been programmed to make him do. It still did not explain his behavior after they got home, even if Daniel understood it now. And he couldn't help but ask.  "Did you and Jack ever...?"

Sam's eyes became as round as an owl's and she blushed beet red again. "No."

"Why not?" Daniel asked, needing to know, if she'd had such deep feelings for him.

She started to stammer with embarrassment, but managed to control it quickly. She really needed to say this to Daniel.  "I didn't know him and something kept telling me that it was wrong, no matter what I wanted to do. If we'd stayed down there much longer, however, I'm quite sure that we...would have." She cleared her throat. "Those feelings, and the Colonel's, were what confused me later. I didn't know what was part of Jonah or the real Colonel O'Neill."

"Yeah, I can see how you'd have been confused."

"I'm sorry."

He frowned, staring at her. "Why? For having feelings for someone? Don't be sorry, Sam. Ever."

She felt the tension inside her ebb away. "It took me a while, Daniel, but over time, my romantic feelings for him went away, and part of it was because of his treatment of you. I was so mad." She suddenly blushed again, deeper than before, and abruptly swallowed nervously.

Her reaction confused him. Why would she be embarrassed about being angry at Jack? "There's nothing wrong with being angry at him, Sam.  I was.  For a long time."

"I know, but I care about you and I didn't like what he was doing."

Daniel tried to smile but it unnerved him a little. She seemed to be saying more but he couldn't get it.

"I have to ask you another question, Daniel," she asked suddenly, and Daniel felt it was a deflection. That was okay. There were things he'd rather not talk about, either.

"Go ahead."

She considered her words for a moment. "What made him change back? What caused the turn around in his feelings?"

"Jason," Daniel said simply.

"What?" she asked, startled.

"Well, me and Jason. He saw Jason and I having dinner in that Chinese restaurant I go to and he said he saw me laughing. He couldn't remember ever seeing me laugh like that, even when we were friends. It, um, made him jealous, friendship-wise. So afterward, he came over and we talked, sorted things out."

"Just like that?"

"No, not just like that. But he tried, Sam, and so did I. I really do love him for that."

"Does he know about Jason?"

"About me and Jason?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, he knows."

"And? Is he...jealous? You've never answered the question about whether or not you're involved."

"Um, well, see, I can't really..."

He hesitated to explain further but a sharp throbbing distracted him and he winced.

"You okay?" she asked, looking at her watch before taking a right onto another road.

"I'm okay, Sam. Just the pain pills wearing off. Are we late for something?" he asked.

"No, why?"

"You've been looking at your watch all the way home."

"Nervous, I guess."

"Why, got a hot date?" he asked, kidding.

"Um, Janet's trying to set me up but I'm not all that interested. I hate blind dates."

Daniel really had been kidding, and felt Sam knew it, too, so her answer was a surprise. He also knew she was lying, although 'lying' was too harsh a word. Covering was more like it. But covering for what? She definitely sounded rehearsed.

As she drove down the road and took the turn to his house, it suddenly occurred to him that Sam wasn't driving very fast, yet she was acting as if she were in a hurry. Normally, she drove like a bat out of hell, especially when she was on her bike. There were times where she'd driven in home in less time than he'd ever made it himself, and that included time on the back of her bike--which he wasn't too keen on experiencing again. She took turns practically on her side. He was about to ask her what was up when his house came within view. Vehicles were parked out front, one of them hers. The other two however...

The feeling of betrayal rose as he glared at her. "You lied to me."

"Only for a good cause, Daniel," she answered defensively.

As she parked the Jeep in the driveway, he went silent, his brooding mood surfacing again, but now from being lied to. Rationally, it was more a matter of being misled, but at the moment, he couldn't appreciate the distinction.

"They wanted it to be a surprise, Daniel," she said, trying to mollify him.

Still, he said nothing, his eyes on the two trucks next to hers. Jack's and Jason's. He suddenly wondered who had driven her small, silver-blue sportscar?

Sam nervously got out and moved around, shooting him an apologetic look as she opened his door. After helping him to stand, on one foot, she handed him his crutches. He winced when he took a step.

"It's time for the pain pill, isn't it?" she asked worriedly.

"Stop hovering."

"I'm sorry, Daniel." He knew she didn't mean about the hovering and his anger diminished. He gave her a fond look, even if it still registered annoyance.

"Me too. I'm sorry for snapping. I just..."

"Miss them. I know."

"Yeah," he admitted. "Sad, isn't it?"

"No, it's normal. Now, let's get inside and I'll give you your meds."

"Where're Jack and Jason?"

"Inside, with Teal'c."

"Oh, is that who drove your car?"

She nodded.

"Went to a lot of trouble to do whatever it is you guys have been up to."

She gave him a long look. "We care, Daniel. Don't you get that?"

"I know. So exactly why was I kept in the dark?"

"Well..." she began, cautiously, "they've been redecorating."

"God," he groaned. "Grab bars, right? What else?"

"Oh, moving furniture around."

He stared at her, aggrieved.  "What the hell good will that do if I'm here by myself?"

"Because you're not going to be by yourself, Daniel," Jack said from the door.

Daniel shot Jack a sour look, though he inwardly felt deep relief. He was so glad to see the man. "What's that mean?" he asked as he carted himself to the door, to Jack.

"Well, come in and see, why don'tcha?"

"Thanks so much, Jack. It is my house, last time I checked."

"Don't be such a sourpuss."

"Me?"

"You."

"Can't help it, what with all the ly--"

He didn't finish his sentence as he crossed the threshold.  Inside, he found his furniture had been rearranged to accommodate wide spaces, and a larger, wider sofa was in place of his old one.

"Where's my sofa?"

"I took it to the dump," Jack answered straight-faced.

Daniel scowled at him. "You did not."

"I did."

"Did not."

"Did so."

"Jack."

Jack gave him a lop-sided, sarcastic grin. "It's in storage, Daniel, unless you decide you want the other one back after your ankle's healed. Frankly, I like this one better. Yours was getting ratty."

Daniel scowled mockingly at him. "It was not. You just wanted an excuse to buy a new one." Jack gave him another lop-sided grin and decided not to answer that because it was partly true.

Daniel made his way over to the new couch and gave a look of surprise when Jack helped, propping his legs up on the sofa cushions and pushing him lay back on the pillows that were resting against the arm. The sofa was a burgundy-brown sort of color, with thick, plush cushions, much softer than his old ones. He reluctantly conceded that for once, Jack had made a good choice in buying furniture for him that he actually liked. The comfort, however, was forgotten when his ankle sent out a rather painful complaint. Daniel suddenly wasn't so concerned with decorating issues any more.

"Sam?" he called out, grimacing.

"Daniel?" Jack asked, his eyes widening.

Daniel held up his hand to stall him. "Sam?" he repeated.

"Hang on, Daniel," Sam called from the kitchen. Jack looked over and watched her return with a glass of water. She opened her purse and fished out the bottles, taking out two anti-inflammatories, along with two pain pills. Handing her purse and the med bottles to Jack, she sat down on the edge of the sofa.

"Here," she said softly.

He had taken his glasses off, a hand over his eyes. Groaning, he pushed himself up and she handed him the pills. He tossed them in his mouth, then took the water and drank the whole thing down. He laid back down as he handed back the empty glass.

"Thanks, Sam."

"Your welcome," and smiled at him. She touched his cheek and got up. He reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Thanks, really."

"You're welcome. Really."

Jack stood by silently, feeling left out as he held Sam's purse. She retrieved it and took out the other medications and handed them all to Jack. For a moment, she gave him a long, searching look and it made him frown.

"What?"

"Nothing."

He looked worriedly at Daniel, who had his eyes covered again. "Why didn't you let me do this?" he asked, referring to the pills.

"Because Sam's my friend, too, and you're already going to be mothering me."

Sam sniggered and Jack shot her a warning look which didn't faze her one bit. They regarded Daniel together, looking him over, checking his pillows and the cushions--

"Stop it," Daniel said, though he couldn't see him with his eyes still closed.

"What?" they both said.

"Hovering."

"Well, Jack, that's all done--" Jason said, interrupting, as he and Teal'c came down the hallway. Spying Sam, he assumed the barely visible figure on the couch was Daniel. The light in his eyes became brighter as he slapped Teal'c on the shoulder and swiftly crossed to the living room. He braced one arm on the back of the sofa and bounded over, landing just in front of Daniel. He sat down and took Daniel's hand from his eyes.

"Hey there."

Daniel couldn't help but smile at him.  "Hey. Still working out, I see."

"Yeah, the fitness instructor's a kangaroo," Jack quipped.

"Hey, just be glad I don't fuck--" Jason started, his eyes full of mischief, but Daniel's hand clamped over his mouth, too late in stopping what he was obviously going to say. He looked up, saw Sam grinning like an idiot, and cleared his throat. "Um..."

"Hi, Jason," she drawled. "What was the Colonel saying about a kangaroo?"

The slightly embarrassed look on Jason's face made Daniel smile, but inside his mind, he kept envisioning the pistoning speed of a kangaroo and despite the pain, his cock twitched. "Kangaroo lessons, Jason? That I've got to see. But in the meantime..." He grasped his lover's shirt collar and pulled him down for a much-needed deep kiss.

Jason started to pull away, surprised by the intensity, but Daniel gripped him securely by his thick hair, a handling that Jason loved. With his lover's tongue tantalizing his own, Jason quickly forgot why he was resisting and melted into him, returning the embrace.

Sam had never seen Daniel kiss Jason like that, or vice-versa, or guy-to-guy, for that matter. Well, not in person, anyway. She felt hot and a little embarrassed while specific places in her body reacted instantly. Her wide-eyed stare made Teal'c and Jack grin at her, and when she noticed, she passed her hand over her face, blew out a breath, and turned around.

Unlike Sam, Teal'c wasn't at all embarrassed. He moved forward and stood at the back of the couch and regarded them with interest as if seeing them kiss were an every day occurence.

"I am glad that you are home at last, Daniel Jackson."

His voice roused Daniel and he broke the kiss, giving Jason an apologetic smile, and looked up into his large friend's face.

"Teal'c." The large man bowed his head once. Daniel reached up and took his hand. "Thanks."

"For what, my friend?"

"For helping, for everything."

"There is no need," Teal'c said firmly.

Jack cleared his throat and rapidly thought through ways to make his teammates leave so he could get his own...'welcome home'. The possessive selfishness made him laugh out loud.

Daniel looked up over his shoulder. "What's so funny?"

"Nothin'," Jack replied, then stared at the bottles in his hand. "So, Carter, I take it these are the special concoctions the Doc brewed up?"

She smirked. "Over her large cauldron, yes, sir."

"Damn pills will make me sleep my recovery away," Daniel complained, groaning soon after and resting his hand on the top part of his cast. Jason's slid over it, saying nothing but his eyes were filled with emotion.

Teal'c took Daniel's words and Jason's manner as a cue to leave. "Major Carter, I believe that we should depart and let Daniel Jackson rest."

"Okay," she said doubtfully, staring hard at Jason, then Jack. "Providing they let him get some rest."

"Don't worry, Sam," Jason assured her. "He'll get his rest."

"If you need anything, Daniel Jackson, please let me know."

"I will, Teal'c, thanks." Daniel gave his teammate his forearm for a warm embrace.

"He'll be just fine," Jack told them in too happy a tone as he handed the drugs to Jason. He moved to the front door and held it open, his meaning obvious.

Sam looked at Jack blandly. "Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out, sir?"

"Something like that, Carter. No offense."

"Don't take it personally, Sam," Jason said drolly. "Jack doesn't have a good bedside manner."

Jack cast him a sidelong look. "I'll have you know I'm good with people."

Jason set the drugs on the coffee table and got up, moving over to Jack. He casually felt Jack's forehead. "Nope, no fever. You sure you're feeling okay?"

Jack slapped his hand away, making Jason grin mischievously at him.

As Sam watched them, she realized that Daniel had never answered her questions directly. Jack and Jason were a lot more friendlier than she ever remembered them being toward each other. Daniel was the initial reason, she knew, but the way the two men behaved, it was obvious that they were truly friends now. So, if Daniel was involved with Jack, just as he was with Jason, was Jason now involved with Jack? A threesome? She'd never heard of one. Lovers triangles, yes. Threesomes, no. Knowing Jack as much as she did, she never would have thought him accepting of such a relationship. But then, she never thought he was gay. Bisexual. Whatever.  She sent Daniel a long look, wanting to ask, but Jack's impatience made it awkward. She'd wait.

She moved over to Daniel, despite Jack's annoying look, and bent down to kiss his forehead. "Call me if you need anything. Like maybe a referee."

"Indeed," Teal'c echoed.

The two left, casting curious glances at Jack and Jason before Jack closed the door. He and Jason returned to the couch, but Jack had his eyes on Jason, not Daniel. There was a dangerous glint there.

"What?" Jason asked.

"'Doesn't have a good bedside manner'?"

The sexual reference wasn't lost on Jason. At all. "Oh, that, well..."

"Oh that. And 'fuck like a kangaroo'?"

A filthy grin slowly spread over Jason's face. "Care for a demonstration?"

Jack didn't expect that answer, but he met Jason's grin with one of his own, daring him. "Actually, yeah."

Jason swallowed and looked away, not prepared for Jack to take him up on an offer he'd only been half-kidding about.

Daniel stared back and forth between the two, grinning, but a thought entered his mind and he abruptly swore. "Fuck."

They turned their attention on him. "Daniel, what's wrong?" Jason asked, getting on his knees in front of the couch, his hand going to Daniel's forehead this time, looking for a real fever. Daniel slapped at him, harder than Jack had.

"It's not fair. You guys get to. I don't."

They didn't need to ask what he meant. Jack sat down on the edge of the couch rather than abuse his knees. "Daniel, you can have sex. But for the time being, you just can't engage in any...fucking. Besides, your ass is black and blue. Not exactly an inviting target."

"Jack!" Jason exclaimed. "That's an attractive thing to say."

Jack gave Daniel an apologetic look. "Sorry."

Daniel shook his head. "Honest, at least."

"Daniel," Jason started, glaring now at Jack. "Janet said we had to be careful for a while."

Daniel's eyes were shocked wide. "You talked to her about having sex with me?"  He covered his face with his hands. "God."

Jason pulled his hands free from his face. "Daniel, she was talking about exercise. Jack and I just figured she also meant sex."

Daniel began to relax, then felt a giddy need to laugh. "Am I touchy or what?"

"Just a little," Jack replied, indicating the measure with thumb and forefinger.

"Damn. So no sex. That means no rough stuff, right?"

"Daniel..." Jack said, laughing a warning.

Daniel started to laugh but it was abruptly cut off by a yawn. "Shit."

"Time for bed," Jason informed him. "You'll be out like a light within the hour, or so Janet warned us, so we'd better get you to bed now before we have to carry you."

Daniel complained all the way to the bedroom but when he got there, he went dead silent as Jason and Jack helped him off with his clothes.

"Um, where's my bed?" and before Jack could answer, he said, "Don't tell me.  Storage?" Jack nodded. Daniel took another look, with one of appreciation. "Well, it's...fucking huge."

"Definitely fits three," Jason remarked, and caught Jack eyeing him cryptically. He looked away, a small grin appearing, hoping he'd find out what that look meant later on.

After turning down the covers, Daniel's lovers helped him to lie down in the center of the bed, and to Daniel's surprise, they stripped naked and joined him, framing his body like bookends. He relaxed, luxuriating in the heat from their bodies. After a moment, he remembered that it was only late afternoon.

"Aren't you guys due back at the mountain?"

"Nope," Jack replied, sighing contentedly.

"Why?" Daniel asked slowly.

"We talked with Hammond," Jack replied, pushing up on an elbow just as Jason did the same. "Jason and I get to keep you company. We thought that one of us, by ourselves, would look suspicious, so we convinced Hammond that two of us would be needed to help you since we're usually offworld at different times. Now, the larger sofa is for your comfort, but I bought it also for show, because it's obviously big enough for one of us to sleep on. The other bed has been set up in your office study."  Daniel started to object but Jack put a finger over his lips.  "There's more than enough room in there, Daniel, and after all, it's just for show."

"So, you two get to live with me, I suppose?" He hadn't meant it, of course, but when they nodded, his mouth dropped open. "Are you serious?" His lovers nodded.

"He was getting ready to assign you a home care nurse, you know, but we stopped him in time," Jason informed him.

Daniel squeezed his eyes shut for a few moments at the horror that was averted. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes.  "So how in the hell did you manage to get him to agree?"

"Well," Jack began again, "we told him that since we're your closest friends..."

"...and that I've already been taking the field medical course," Jason added.

"That we would be better for your mental health, such as it is." Daniel smacked Jack on the arm and his lover grabbed his hand.

"So, since we usually have different mission schedules, one of us will be able to be here."

"Hammond can't be giving you all that time off between missions," Daniel said disbelievingly.

"He's not. We're getting the hook-up to the mountain, plus anything that has to be done there will be done in the first half of the day and all other considerations, like paperwork," Jason went on, smirking at Jack, "can be brought home and done here. Janet will be coming by every other day or so, depending on her duties. If neither of us," and Jason motioned between himself and Jack, "are able to be here, then Janet will send a corpsman over to check on you."

Daniel groaned at the sound of that, but it was better than being carted to the mountain. "And the living together part?"

"We told Hammond that it was more feasible than running back and forth between our homes," Jack said smugly pleased with their solution.

"You guys did this for me," Daniel said softly, awed and humbled by it. "Thanks..."

"Medicine's taking effect," Jack whispered in exaggeration.

"Jack..." Jack said nothing, but gave Daniel that disarming smile that almost always turned Daniel's spine to jelly.  Since Jack hadn't been greeted properly yet, Daniel decided it was past time. He laced his fingers through Jack's short hair, grabbing as he had with Jason, and pulled. "Come here," he requested softly. Jack leaned over and was abruptly taken over by the same kiss Daniel had given Jason, except this time, there wasn't anyone to interrupt.  Daniel, therefore, refused to let go.

Jack had to control himself, especially as he was on Daniel's injured side. He pulled out of the kiss with a groan.

Daniel groaned with sympathy. "Damn injury. But even though I won't be able to have sex--" but he was halted by Jack's finger over his lips.

"Jason and I decided that if you can't..."

"Then we should probably wait, too--"

"No, dammit!" Daniel said in that tone that brokered no argument. He was obviously upset with his lovers and they looked more embarrassed than surprised by his reaction. "I know you've said that before, but listen, it's not fair on either of you. Nor on me, because it makes me feel guilty."

Jack and Jason started to argue that with obvious apologies and explanations but Daniel cut off all of them. "If you do this, I'll be hurt."

"Daniel, I'm sorry. But Jack proved to me a few nights ago that we can do without anal sex for a while," Jason told him.

Daniel gave them both his stubborn look. "What if I said I wanted you to?"  His persistence was intractable but they were still reluctant.  He could see it.  What had happened between them in the last week was more than he could have hoped for, especially the night they'd shared.  They only needed just a little...manipulating.  And he wouldn't be lying, so he added, "Okay, then what if I said that it would turn me on to watch you?"

They stared down at him, then at each other, their mouths open at the shock of arousal that hit them.

"That's not fair," Jason told him, leaning down to nuzzle Daniel's cheek.

"Neither is punishing each other because I'm injured."

"Punishing?" Jack asked.

"Punishing," Daniel said flatly.

Jack and Jason regarded each other, obviously neither of them thought of it in that way. As they regarded each other and thought about it, they realized that Daniel was right. They were punishing each other. They promptly stopped arguing.

"Fine," they said nearly together.

Daniel grinned, unable to contain the smug look as his lovers eyed each other with obvious want.  "Guys? I hate to hurry the plans along, but I'm probably going to be out like a light in a half hour or so..."  He boldly took their nearest hands and placed them between his legs, rubbing their palms against his groin. "I want you."

Daniel was answered by a passionate kiss from Jason that made him moan with quiet desperation as they started their caresses again. Two separate hands rubbed his cock, his balls, his inner thighs. Jack leaned in and licked under his earlobe, just where he knew Daniel liked, and felt Daniel's gasp of breath against his face as well as the swell of his cock under his fingers.

"I've missed you," Jack said, exhibiting a rare display of vulnerable affection that surprised, but warmed, both his lovers. Then, as if embarrassed by it, he added a bit more forcefully, "If you make me worry like that again--"

His words were cut off by another kiss, this one much more ardent and demanding, with Daniel's hand covering his own over his groin. It sent a message of lust straight to Jack's cock and he groaned, reluctantly breaking away.

"If we cause any amount of pain, you have to tell us. Promise me."

"I promise," Daniel said, kissing along Jack's jaw.

"We're serious," Jason said, echoing Jack's concern as he pulled Daniel's face toward him. "And what he said, goes for me, too. I missed you like crazy." His eyes filled with emotion once more, and he kissed Daniel, hard, pressing his head deep into the pillow. Daniel moaned loudly, his hands searching for places to touch and inevitably settled on the two erections neatly within reach. His lovers groaned, and Daniel broke off, panting. "I want you," he said again, his eyes closed, his face lost in concentration as he tried to jerk them off.

But his lovers wouldn't have it. They moved down, each having his own side to caress. Jason's lips moved to Daniel's chin and down his throat to lick at the hollow. When Jack's lips found his collarbone, their heads brushed, and without thought, the two raised their eyes from their tasks and leaned toward each other.

"Yes," Daniel whispered, watching them kiss, groaning with desire when two hands felt for his cock and encircled it, lovingly stroking. Breaking apart, they smiled, almost conspiratorially, and bent back down to Daniel's body. Jason made for one nipple, Jack for the other, and Daniel panted faster as his hands sought to tangle with their hair. "Yes."

His lovers' mouths caressed him thoroughly, finding new areas of exploration, including kissing every bruise along his body. Jack wanted to turn him over, but didn't dare. Right now, they would have to be careful. But not...too careful.

"Hold still, Daniel," Jack warned, and his lovers descended on his cock.

Daniel cried out in surprise, valiantly restraining his body from moving, letting his hands find purchase, roughly clutching at any part of them he could find and hold onto.

"Please," he whispered. "Suck me." Two mouths licked and kissed and drew out Daniel's want and need, but they did not suck, not yet. Hands reached up to tweak his nipples, rub his abdomen, and gently massage his balls, and Daniel's fingers settled on their shoulders, tightening when he forced himself to resist the urge to thrust. "God."

"Don't move," Jack reminded him as his mouth opened and wrapped over the base of the shaft just as Jason took the head into his mouth.

"Oh god, Jace," Daniel gasped as he went rigid with need. He subconsciously began to writhe, but his lovers were prepared for it and held him down by his hips, with Jason securing Daniel's uninjured leg between his thighs. They pleasured him, finding all the tiny zones that made him shudder until he began shouting for release.

"Oh God, please...please..."  His gasps were hoarse now and his lovers took their cue, turning him onto his right side.

Sliding his tongue between the buttocks, Jack aimed straight for the puckered entrance.

"Oh shit," Daniel replied, reacting with tension in his muscles, trying to keep himself still. "Jack, it's not fair." Jack only made a moaning sound as he stuck his tongue inside. Daniel sounded almost like he was whimpering when Jack slipped two saliva-slick fingers slowly inside him just as Jason took Daniel's cock down his throat. A harsh gasp let Jack know that it was precisely what Daniel wanted. He shoved his fingers deep, pleased by the sounds Daniel made, and when his fingertips found the hard little gland, Daniel's body shuddered and convulsed.

"Jesus, that's it," Daniel croaked, one hand reaching back to encourage Jack's fingers while his other fingers tightened painfully in Jason's hair.

Jason moaned and reached down to take hold of his balls, rolling them in his palm. He wanted to pay attention to them, but it was too late and he dared not move from his current love of Daniel's cock. He felt the familiar sensation just under his tongue that told him Daniel was about to come, and hummed encouragement, sucking harder as he moved his mouth rapidly back and forth over his lover's straining cock.

"Yes! Ohgodohgodohgod!" Daniel cried out, clutching wildly at them as they forced the hard orgasm from his body, his cock spasming repeatedly.

Coaxing out more and more from their lover, Jack and Jason watched as his entire body trembled with his release. They continued long after he'd stopped spurting into Jason's mouth, but their movements were gentle and slowed down.  They moved up alongside him, taking turns to kiss him and bring him down from his orbit.

After a while, Daniel rolled gently onto his back, curving his arms around his flat pillow.

"I want to watch you," he murmured to them, his eyes half-closed in post-coital lethargy.

Jack kissed him between the pecs and gave Jason a filthy look. "I believe there's something you wanted to show me..."

Jason felt the heat in his belly rise suddenly. "I was kidding about the kangaroo--"

"You wanted to fuck me, didn't you, Jason?" Jack asked in an unbelievably deep, sexy voice.

How did Jack do that? Jason wondered. The voice seemed to have had an effect on Daniel, too, because goosebumps appeared on his skin. He tried to open his eyes, to focus on watching them, and he partially succeeded, though it was through a drug-induced haze. "Mmmm," was all he could manage, but it produced grins on his lovers faces as they kissed the cooling skin of his chest.

Jason rolled over onto his belly, stretching out to open the drawer containing the lube.

As he did, Jack leaned over and gave Daniel a soft, lazy kiss. "How can you watch us, if you're eyes are closed?" he teased.

Daniel answered him by pulling and pushing him toward Jason, the maneuver failing to succeed with his lack of strength. But it did force Jack to move and he carefully crawled over him, kissing him once more before he settled himself over Jason's back, rubbing his dick against his ass.

Having found the lube, Jason tensed, groaning, relishing Jack's touch and unwilling to move at that moment.  "Keep that up and you won't be the one getting fucked, Jack." He pointedly pushed back, grinding his ass against Jack's groin.

"I intend to keep it up, Jason," Jack growled in reply, and thrust once before rolling off.

Jason let out a snort and pushed up on his knees, watching with a hitch in his throat as Jack settled onto his back, practically laid out before him. Without a word, his lover spread his legs and roamed his hands over his inner thighs, seductively taunting him.

Jason hastily squeezed lube onto his fingers and began to coat his cock, stroking the shaft in an almost arrogant pose. "This what you want?" he asked quietly, trying to keep his hand from increasing speed. Jerking off for Jack was a fantasy he'd love to fulfill.

Jack sucked at his bottom lip. "Yes. But stroke yourself for bit first," he said thickly.

Jason let out a shaky breath, and with his eyes locked on Jack's, pumped his fist slowly over his cock, wincing with pleasure when Jack's hand joined in. When Jason's body jerked through a shudder, their hands ceased the tease.

Before reapplying lube to his fingers, Jason placed his hands on the back of Jack's thighs and pushed up until his lover's knees were nearly against his chest. He settled down between them, his tongue licking down the shaft and unerringly toward his hole. Jack inhaled sharply, and puffed out through his nose as Jason's warm, wet tongue circled his entrance. When he thrust inside, it was Jack's turn to tense and shudder.

"God," he whispered, and whispered it again when a finger joined Jason's tongue. Then two. Soon, Jason removed his tongue in favor of his fingers and applied a generous amount of lube as he worked Jack open. When his fingers began to pump, Jack unconsciously thrust his hips in time.

Jason took in Jack's flushed face, his closed eyes, his sweating skin, his hard cock and swollen balls, and couldn't take being apart any longer. "Want me?"

"Now, Jason," Jack said, opening his eyes, the level of want and need bright in his eyes.

Kneeling before his lover's buttocks, Jason stared hard into Jack's eyes as he placed the head against the opening and with his hands on the back of Jack's thighs, he pushed. Jason nearly bit his lip too hard as he told himself over and over not to come. Jack's body was so hot, so inviting, so...his.

Jack breathed slowly, concentrating on feeling everything as Jason eased inside him for the first time in one long, slow thrust. His lover closed his eyes, his expression flushed with desire, and Jack couldn't believe how fucking good he looked. He grabbed Jason behind the neck, getting him to open his eyes in surprise, and pulled him down into a fierce kiss.

"God, Jack, you're so..." Jason whispered, unable to complete his sentence, as he rocked his hips into Jack, forcing his cock deeper to catch Jack's gland.

Jack flushed with excitement and ran his hands up Jason's back. Turned on by the expanse of muscle, Jack slid his hands back down, firmly, over the muscle--using his fingernails to lightly claw. Jason responded with a surprised gasp and damn near came. He pulled his hips back and abruptly stopped, fully expecting Jack to shout at him. But Jack didn't. He scratched his back harder, smiling at the shudders and goosebumps that formed over Jason's skin.

"Jack, you'll make me come. Stop."

"You like it," Jack said, a slow, threatening smile on his face.

"Fuck, yes," Jason panted, closing his eyes tight, telling himself not to come. Breathing slowly, he pushed up to a kneeling position and held Jack's thighs in the crooks of his arms.  "You don't play fair."

"No," Jack said, smiling seductively.

"Me, neither. It's time, Jack."

"For?"

"For me to let you know how well I'm going to fuck you."

Jack reacted to that by scratching once more, but this time Jason's response had Jack gasping for breath. He gripped Jack's thighs tightly, and with his eyes locked on Jack's, he thrust balls deep, twisting his hips. When Jack shuddered violently, Jason closed his eyes and began to piston, using short, rapid thrusts.

Jack's hands moved to Jason's ass, fingernails clawing deep without breaking the skin. He was silently demanding, through demonstrative action, that Jason fuck him harder. Jason smiled, pausing on the out-stroke, not moving.

"Damn it, Jason," Jack began to complain. "Give it to me, give it to--"

His breath was forced from him again as Jason slammed his hips down. Jack dropped his head back, once more closing his eyes. "Yes, Jace. Like that. Please."

One slamming thrust after another brought the two of them toward release. It was intense and mind blowing, and Jason leaned over his lover and took Jack's hands in his, locking their fingers together beside of Jack's head. He brought his mouth to Jack's, his tongue sliding in, probing and searching, and after adjusting his angle one last time, plunged inside again and again and again and again...

The two men moaned loudly, unwilling to break the kiss as their bodies plummeted toward release. From the noise they made, Daniel roused from nap that had claimed him for a short time, and opened his eyes halfway. He found himself entranced, watching, and slid his hand, palm up, under Jack's, clasping both his and Jason's fingers.

The feel of his fingers and the sight of him watching almost sent Jack over the edge. "Jason, now would be a good--"

"Yes," Jason interrupted and changed his thrusts, moving from right to left, deep and sure and blissfully hard.

Jack hissed loudly, in shock, the moment Daniel rolled and slid his free hand between them, wrapping long fingers tightly around his cock. In seconds, his stroking became a blur and that was it.

"Yes!" Jack cried out in strangled, open-mouthed gasps as his body bucked against the double assault, come pouring over Daniel's fingers and onto his belly.

"Yes!" Jason repeated and came explosively, his hot fluid flowing inside, making Jack clench his jaws tightly as another strong wave of pleasure rippled through him.

Daniel concentrated on milking Jack's cock, slowing his strokes, pulling to a tight stop under the mushroomed head. His thumb rubbed the pearled liquid, making Jack's body jerk in response, forcing Jack to still his touch.

Jason eased Jack's legs down, rubbing the muscles he knew were sore. When he leaned down for a long, slow kiss, Jack pulled him down on top of him, incidentally trapping Daniel's hand.

Daniel smiled, listening to their breathing, not caring where his hand was, and a minute later, was drifting off to sleep.

Jack willed his heart rate to slow, all the while amazed at how good he felt...and how exhausted. He looked over at Daniel as he removed his hand and smiled, nudging Jason to look. They recognized the sated look on their lover's face, and Jason reached over, threading his fingers through Daniel's hair. Jack caught him by surprise then as he rolled them away, his own back to Daniel.

Jason opened his mouth to protest but Jack's lips descended over his, kissing him soundly. Jason welcomed the interruption, then snuggled against him, burrowing his face in Jack's neck, inhaling the smell of sex like a treasured fragrance. His arm draped over his lover's waist and he kissed the spot behind Jack's ear, whispering, "I love you, Jack." He settled into the man and let himself drift off, feeling sated and stupidly happy.

Jack was shocked by the words, but shocked more by the fact that he felt the same. He didn't respond quickly enough for Jason to hear, but he murmured softly into the thick silky hair. "Me too, Jace."

Daniel, in the meantime, hadn't been completely asleep and roused at the words. Scooting over, careful of his leg, he pressed against Jack, his nose snuffling between Jack's neck and the pillow.

"I knew you'd come around," he mumbled and fell deeply asleep, not caring if Jack heard him.

Jack smiled to himself and as he joined his lovers in sleep, he wondered why he had ever thought that loving two people would be so difficult.

On to 'Trinity III'

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