Situationally Flexible

Summary: Jack's being blackmailed. Daniel to the rescue. Thanks, as ever, to Joy for the beta

Daniel knocked on Jack's door, wondering if he was doing the right thing. After all tensions had been running a little high between them. However, the lost and afraid look that Jack had had on his face in the morning, just briefly but definitely there, had prompted the decision to come over - and knock. Now all he had to do was pluck up the courage to force Jack to talk.

The door opened. A worried-looking Jack stood in front of Daniel, beer in hand, wearing faded jeans and a tight T-shirt, the sort of clothing that had all too often appeared in Daniel's fantasies of the man. Inwardly cursing the arousal that seemed to hit him whenever he saw Jack like this, Daniel smiled. The smile was nervous, shy almost, but definitely an 'I'm your friend, Jack, please invite me in'-type smile.

"Daniel. What are you doing here?"

Well, at least Jack was speaking. It wasn't what Daniel wanted to hear, but hell, his first words hadn't been 'Fuck off, Daniel', so Daniel figured that he was onto a winner.

"Um, I think we need to talk, Jack," he finally said. "Can I come in?"

"It's not a good idea," Jack nearly growled.

'Did he have to do that?' Daniel's brain complained. Jeans, T and the growl? It was a bit much.

"Oh, have you got company?" Good, Daniel. Sound calm. Nice voice. Yeah.

Daniel shouted at the sarcastic tone in his head and told it to shut up.

"No, it's just..."

"Jack, please. It's important. I wouldn't have come here if it wasn't."

That's more like it, he thought. Sound firm, decisive. Strong. Demanding... Aargh.

Sighing, Jack stepped back and waved his arm in a 'come in and get on with it' manner. So, Daniel stepped in and got on with it.

"Something's wrong," he started.

"What?"

"What?"

"Daniel! That's what I want to know."

"Oh, good. So do I. So what is it?"

"Huh?"

They looked at each other in bewilderment, realised that they were once again having a Beavis and Butthead moment - or was that a Buttkiss and Beanhead moment? Whatever. Daniel started again.

"You looked lost at work today, Jack. Something's wrong. Now, I know you don't think of me as your friend anymore, but I am one. Whether you like me or not. I want to know what's wrong so that I can help."

Daniel watched Jack's face as a gamut of questions, confusion and emotion ran over it. It was quite a fascinating exercise in body language and the anthropologist was sure that he'd finally get his doctorate in the subject on Jack's face alone. That he could get a best selling series of books on the rest of his body was never in doubt. Somehow though, he didn't think he'd find an academic publisher willing to go to print on it. "Body Parts I Have Known," might sound like a post-mortem handbook rather than the X-rated work of non-fiction that Daniel wanted it to be. His rational brain sighed, turned, and smacked the crap out of his libido yet again, then turned back and concentrated on Jack.

"Nothing's wrong," Jack lied. Daniel was about to refute that when Jack carried on. "And since when do you think that we're not friends?"

Good. That was definitely good. Jack was on the defensive about the friendship thing. A little tweaking and Daniel would have him where he wanted him. Well, not where he really wanted him. In bed. On the couch. The floor... will you stop it brain?

"Um, since you stopped talking to me, Jack. Since the words I hear most frequently from you are 'Shut up, Daniel'. Since you seemed to decide that I was no longer worthy of listening to, of asking over, of confiding in. But it's okay..."

Daniel sighed and shrugged his shoulders, trying not to look as if he was observing Jack's reaction.

"I know I'm not what you'd want for a friend. I'm a geek. You said it yourself."

His voice was sad now, his body shrinking. He knew damned well that it was too. You didn't go through foster home after foster home without learning how to be a scheming, underhanded, manipulative bastard. How else would you get what you wanted?

Jack let out a pained squeak. He saw Daniel's face and how upset it looked. He knew that he was the one responsible for making him like that.

"Not true," he whispered. "Not true at all, Daniel." He straightened himself up. "Have you eaten?" he asked, his voice more positive.

"Er, no. Not hungry. Seem to have lost my appetite recently. It'll come back, it always does."

Shock registered on Jack's face. Lack of appetite was a sure sign of depression in his book. Daniel wouldn't meet his eyes either. Damn. He really did believe that he wasn't worthy of being Jack's friend. Jack grabbed Daniel and propelled him into the kitchen, sat him at the table and then pulled some food from the fridge. Cooked meats, cheeses, relishes, butter... some bread from the bread bin. A couple of plates and knives were placed on the table.

"Eat," he said. "I'm going to. It's rude to let someone eat on their own."

Without asking, he found a bottle of wine. One that had been in his cupboard since the last time he'd stocked up after Daniel had stayed over. He nearly cried out when he realised that he had to brush the dust off it. He placed it on the table, retrieved a glass and a corkscrew and gave them to him, then he got himself another beer and sat.

Shyly, Daniel smiled a thank you and opened the wine. It was one of his favourite vineyards too. He poured himself a glass, made himself a sandwich, then started to pick at the food.

"So, Jack, does this mean you're going to tell me what's upsetting you? Whatever it is, I want to help you, you know that."

Jack smiled a tight smile at him, but genuine nonetheless.

"I can't," he finally murmured.

Daniel didn't answer, he just raised his eyebrows quizzically.

"It's..." Jack started, then he slumped in his chair and let out a breath through his nose. "It's complicated and delicate, Daniel. I know you want to help, and to tell the truth, you're probably the only one I can tell. I could tell Teal'c, but I don't think he'd understand. But, to complicate matters, there are oh, so many reasons that I can't tell you."

Daniel bit into his sandwich and chewed on it, thinking about Jack's statement. There was something about it...

"Jack, tell me this. Is it classified information? I mean, does it have something to do with your past?"

"Yes and no. Not classified as such, and yes, it's something to do with my past."

"Okay, it's personal?"

"Um, yeah." Jack actually blushed at the memory and Daniel had to do everything in his power to hide the shock on his own face. He'd seen Jack red-faced, but never blushing. Unfortunately, that thought reminded Daniel of a few more fantasies...

"Daniel?"

"Wwwwha?"

"You looked lost in thought there."

"Oh, yes, sorry. Jack, just tell me, okay? Unless we're really not friends. In which case I should go. But if we are friends, you have to know that there's no one you can trust more than me to keep a secret."

"We are friends, Daniel. And I'm sorry I've been a jerk. I had my reasons, ones I'm not going into right now, but they were genuine."

"I'm sure they were," Daniel agreed. "So? Are you going to trust me?"

A swig of beer was followed swiftly by another. Jack wanted to tell him, but what tenuous grip they had on their friendship at the moment could be lost if he did. He made the fatal mistake and looked into Daniel's eyes. Damn. It was all too easy to be lost in them.

"I'm being blackmailed," he whispered.

Daniel was shocked for the umpteenth time that evening. Blackmailed? Wow.

"By whom?"

"An ex-lover."

Daniel couldn't help it, but he let out a small chuckle. "Isn't that always the way?"

Despite himself, Jack smiled back and nodded.

"So, who is she?" Daniel asked, his wine glass in hand, his voice sounding a little more confident.

Jack blushed again.

"Wrong pronoun."

Ah. AH!

Daniel's lightening fast mind ran through memory after memory and... the bastard!

"You never said," he tried to keep his voice calm.

"You're angry with me," Jack picked up.

"Because you never trusted me!"

"My job, Daniel!"

"I'm a civilian."

"Don't I know it."

"I'm a gay civilian, you jerk!"

It took a while, but Jack finally started to feel his hands and his feet. The blood suddenly unfroze and started to circulate and he was able to move his mouth.

"YOU NEVER TOLD ME!" he screamed at Daniel.

"I THOUGHT YOU KNEW!"

"WHY SHOULD I?"

"IT'S GOT TO BE ON MY FILE!"

"I NEVER LOOKED THAT DEEP!"

"THAT'S NOT MY FAULT. AND WHY ARE WE SHOUTING?"

Jack did a double take, then he looked at Daniel and grinned. In a much quieter voice, he said, "I don't know, Danny. There's no need to shout, is there?"

"No, Jack, there isn't." He relaxed again, took a sip of wine and said, "So, you're what, bi?"

"I like to think of it as 'situationally flexible'."

"I like the imagery," Daniel sniggered.

Jack joined in the laughter, the level increasing between them by the moment till they were soon both helpless.

After they started to calm down, Jack stood up and put his hand out to Daniel, who in turn took it and also stood. Next thing he knew, he was engulfed in Jack's arms. He returned the hug.

"Is this why things have been so hard between us, Jack?" Daniel whispered.

"I'm sorry, Danny. Really I am."

"Hush. It's all over now. It's going to stop, isn't it?"

"Promise. Cross my heart and hope to..."

"Aht! Never say that, Jack, please. I couldn't take that."

They held onto each other for a little while longer, then sat back down, eating with a bit more gusto.

"What does this ex want, Jack?" Daniel finally asked.

"Um, well, it seems he's been posted to Peterson and got wind of something big happening at the mountain. He wants in on it. If I don't get him a position, he's going to report me for having had an affair with him in the past."

"Won't that get him into trouble too?"

"It would. But he says he'll retire first, then drop me in it. To be honest, I don't think he's a good enough officer for the SGC."

"And we don't want someone that's as situationally flexible in their choice of loyalties, either," Daniel added with a grin.

Jack raised his beer in salute.

"So, why don't we play along for a while, Jack?" Daniel said carefully.

"Daniel? You have a plan?"

"Hmm. Maybe. Tell me, did you keep any evidence of your affair with him?"

"Do I look stupid?"

Daniel shook his head and then said, "But he must have done, Jack. Mustn't he? Or else, who's going to believe him?"

"We need that evidence."

"That we do. Now all we have to do is think of a way to get it. With your special ops training, I'm sure that that will not be too much of a problem."

"He's ex-spec ops too, Daniel."

"Yeah, but you have a secret weapon."

"What's that?"

"Me."

Lieutenant-Colonel Elliot Kemp sat as his desk shuffling yet more paperwork. He had to get out of this posting and fast. It had taken some fancy talking on his part to even get posted to Peterson from his last one in Butthole, Nowheresville, but he hoped that all the hassle had been worth it. Rumours were flying that there was some seriously top secret stuff going on up at Cheyenne. High tech gadgetry, exciting missions... his mind drifted back to his spec ops days. He really missed the adrenaline rush of going in behind enemy lines. Things hadn't been the same since Jack O'Neill had left the team though. Not that he'd blamed him, not after what had happened. But still. He needed more of a challenge, something more dangerous than death by a thousand paper cuts.

His clerk, Corporal Pierce, knocked on the door.

"Colonel, there's a civilian to see you, Sir. Says his name's Doctor Jackson. He's from Cheyenne."

So, the ball was most definitely rolling. Surely they wouldn't send a civilian to check him out? But then, it was rumoured to be a strange set-up up there. He nodded and ordered the corporal to send him in. Kemp's mouth and stomach dropped in sync as Daniel walked in through the door. Jack had specifically chosen his clothing for this mission.

If you're going to do this, Danny, you have to look the part. Trust me. I know what gets this guy's brain in his pants faster than the speed of light.

Oh, and what would do that?

Um, you, actually. You breathing specifically, but just being you would do.

Daniel had fallen about laughing at that, loving the reaction his laughter got from Jack. The minute Jack had trusted Daniel enough to tell him about this problem, it had been as if a huge weight had been lifted from their shoulders. They'd laughed together, joked about, teased each other... touched each other. Nothing had happened apart from that, but their relationship had recovered far quicker than either could have imagined it would have been able to. They decided to have no more secrets from each other and talked late into the night about their pasts, their relationships with others and so on. Daniel had been surprised at the honesty with which Jack was speaking, but he'd hidden his shock and just embraced the renewed trust. He was particularly pleased with the amount of honesty Jack showed about his attraction to Daniel. Maybe one day, they'd be able to take things further. Daniel had, in turn, admitted his own feelings and Jack had seemed to have grown a couple of feet in stature at that. It gave him the confidence to tell Daniel everything he'd wanted to say. Daniel had stayed over that night, in the spare room. The next morning - that morning - they'd bickered and lightly fought in the kitchen as if the intervening years hadn't happened and they were back where they started. Then they'd gone to Daniel's apartment for him to get ready.

The conversation about Daniel's dress had continued when they'd arrived.

Wear that black suit, Daniel.

The black one?

Yeah. Um, you look stunning in it.

I do? Wow.

Wow's a good word, Danny Boy - trust me on this one. Kemp won't be able to resist you.

At those words, Daniel had started to get undressed, pretending to ignore the hard swallowing from his companion. Jack, for his part, had tried not to look.

Tell me what this Kemp is like, Jack. I need to know what I'm letting myself in for.

And Daniel had found out.

As he walked into the office, trying to look oblivious - his own defence mechanism, as Jack's professed lack of education was his - but studying the opposition. He was impressed. Jack had told him that Kemp was an 'all right-looking kinda guy'. He was more than that. Not as gorgeous as Jack, in Daniel's not so humble opinion, but hey, he'd do him without problems should the need arise. Kemp found his feet and stood up and Daniel got a better look at him. About five-eleven, making him a little smaller than himself, slender build but obviously strong. Neat hips that tapered to what Daniel assumed was a neat ass. All in all, with the freshly shaven smart face, not a bad package. Not someone Daniel would want to wake up to every morning for the rest of his life (that position was already taken, should Jack ever decide that he was worth the effort), but hell, one morning wouldn't be too much of a sacrifice.

He noticed that Kemp was giving him the eye. He tried to ignore it, wanting to come over as naïve or innocent for the moment, but smiled back at him. The smile caused Kemp to catch his breath.

"Doctor Jackson, I believe?" Kemp finally managed to get out.

"Yes. Lieutenant Colonel Kemp," Daniel said, his voice managing to sound as if he was reading from a script. "I believe that you have stated an interest in the work at Cheyenne?" Daniel deliberately kept the name of the SGC out of it. If he had to, NORAD would be brought in as the cover, as it usually was.

"I hear it's interesting work, Doctor."

Kemp motioned for Daniel to sit, then sat himself across the desk.

"Interesting? For me, a scientist, yes. But for you? Since when is an ex-special operations colonel interested in deep-space radar telemetry?"

Kemp's eyes gave the impression of confusion as Daniel revealed his knowledge of his past.

"Yes, Colonel. You don't honestly think that there's anything about you that we don't know?"

"Of course you'd run a check on my abilities," Kemp blustered.

"Among other things." This time, Daniel's face took on a knowing smile and Kemp was wondering just what Daniel did know.

"So? Why are you interested?" Daniel prompted.

"You're telling me that you only do scientific research there?" Kemp's voice was incredulous.

"Why else would we be in the bowels of a mountain, Colonel? It's not as if we're in the thick of the action there, is it?"

Kemp thought for a moment, then said, "But what about the injuries?"

"What injuries?"

"Word is that it's a dangerous place to be." His voice was quiet now, knowing.

"Science has a habit of blowing up in your face if you don't take it seriously," Daniel said, his own voice calm, secretive, letting Kemp know that there was more to it than met the eye.

"I'm interested," Kemp said suddenly. "If Jack O'Neill is there, there's got to be something going down. No way would he fly a desk."

"Why not? His knees are too bad, too unreliable for him to be out in the field."

"You know him?"

"I know him. It was he who asked me to come and visit you. Said he'd heard from an old teammate and would I come and talk to you about getting you transferred."

"So, you and he, er, friends, Doctor?" The inflection was unmistakable, but Daniel pretended to mishear or misinterpret it.

"We're on the same team. A research team," Daniel admitted. "His masters degree in astronomy comes in very handy when dealing with astrophysicists, you know."

"You're an astrophysicist?" Kemp leaned forward, his hands held together on the desktop, his face curious.

"No, I'm a linguist."

"What's a linguist doing at NORAD?"

Daniel didn't correct him, just smiled. "That, Colonel, is classified."

They batted information - or lack of it - in-between each other for a while, till Daniel stood up. "I don't really think that you'd be happy there, Colonel. If you're doing this because you're bored here, I can assure you, you'd be even more bored there. We sacrifice many, many trees for our mountain of paperwork."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Doctor," Kemp replied hurriedly. He knew that this was as much his libido talking as anything, but he wouldn't let it go. He really fancied this man and his testosterone was ruling his sense and his tongue. No matter how many times Daniel tried to warn him off, he wouldn't back down. In the end, Kemp said, "Doctor Jackson, please. Have dinner with me tonight. Let me persuade you that I would be of value to you."

Daniel said nothing for a moment, then he sighed. "Very well. Where would you suggest?"

Kemp thought, then said, "La Trattoria. It's very casual and there's usually a spare table on a weekday evening. Eight o'clock?"

"Eight o'clock," Daniel agreed. He offered his hand to Kemp, who took it, shook it, held it a little longer than normal, then let go. Daniel said no more but he turned and left.

Back at Jack's place, he went to knock on the door but it opened before he could strike it even once.

"You heard?" Daniel said, removing the little transmitter from his tie. He hadn't asked where Jack had got the tie pin from, just accepted that there were some things that Jack did that he didn't want to know about.

"I heard. You played him like Rubenstein with a Steinway. While you're leading him by the dick tonight, I'll get into his house and find the evidence. It's got to be there."

"How about getting some covering, er, information for yourself?" Daniel suggested as he removed his jacket and tie and accepting the coffee that Jack had already poured for him, knowing that he was going to be there at that moment.

"Whatd'ya mean?"

"Well, it would seem that Kemp is interested in me," Daniel said carefully.

"Who isn't?" Jack snarled.

Daniel laughed, then said, "Lots of people, Jack. C'mon, he's a nice-looking guy. I could fuck him without worries. Get some pictures of him with a dick up his ass and he's history. Just threaten to use them if he starts on you. I'll put him off working at the mountain tonight, but I'll appear interested in him for his own sake."

"I can see a problem with that scenario, Daniel," Jack said, his voice serious. "I know him. His libido rules his head. If he thinks he's gonna get laid by you, he may push harder for a permanent position up there, you know, make it a more regular feature."

"Ah, I see. Okay, we need to think of a different strategy. Make it clearer that he doesn't threaten you without consequences to himself. How long do you think you'll need? And why did you want the house clear tonight and not go in today while he's at work?"

"Cover of darkness. I can get into his house without being seen at night a lot easier than in the daytime. Besides, if you're with him and you have the transmitter on you, I can listen in to where you are. If you make sure that I have plenty of time to get out of the house before he gets back, I'll be safe. If you're just outside and watching the street, I'd only have a couple of minutes."

"I could take him back to the loft for the night."

"Sheesh, Daniel. Are you desperate to fuck him or something?" Jack's voice was exasperated and it made Daniel laugh.

"No, not him, Jack," he finally said, his voice now husky and seductive. He ran a finger down Jack's chest. "I have someone else in mind as the one I'm desperate to fuck. Or be fucked by. I'm not fussed. But he doesn't want me, so I'm going to have to make do."

"He does want you," Jack croaked. "Desperately. But he can't. For oh, so many reasons. Biggest one is Kemp at the moment. If he were to find out that there was something going on..."

"I understand. You leave Kemp to me, Jack. I'll leave the evidence gathering to you. Without it, he's dead in the water. Are you going to think less of me if I do sleep with him?"

"What? Why?"

"Oh, I don't know. Just want to make sure, I guess."

"Daniel, you're prepared to sleep with the guy to get him off my back. Don't you think that my respect for you - which I can assure you is already sky high - would go up?"

"It's a pretty cheap and sleazy thing to do," Daniel shrugged.

"Pfeh!" Jack said. "You really don't want to know the cheap and sleazy things I've done - mostly in the name of this country."

"Sounds like an interesting bedtime story," Daniel purred.

"ACK. Don't do that, Daniel. It's not fair."

"I know." Daniel's face lit up as he said that, then his eyes twinkled with laughter. Jack cracked up and put his hands out to his friend, they were both still standing at that moment. Daniel put his coffee down and then let Jack engulf him in a hug.

"I love you, Daniel," Jack whispered. "And I'm truly grateful that you're prepared to help me out like this."

"Jack," came the almost moaned reply. "It's not as if it's life-threatening. It's been months since I got laid. Trust me, it's no hardship."

Jack laughed again, loving it when Daniel turned his face towards Jack's own. He gasped when he felt Daniel's lips right by his ear.

"Hurry up and retire, Jack O'Neill. I want you."

Then he broke the hug, grabbed his jacket and tie, winked at Jack and said, "I'll come over about half past six. It'll give you time to give me, er, last minute instructions."

With that he exited the house, leaving a stunned and very hard Jack O'Neill in his wake.

If Kemp was taken in by Daniel's innocent look when he was in his office, he was certainly taken aback when Daniel turned up, five minutes late, at the restaurant. His glasses had been forsaken for his contacts, his neatly brushed hair was slicked back, his suit exchanged for figure-hugging black denim jeans, a tight as hell dove-grey T-shirt and an old denim jacket. The whole look was very 'James Dean', but with Daniel's own twist. Kemp was stunned, losing all feeling in his body, his groin being the only bit of his anatomy which still had any hot blood in it.

"Colonel," Daniel drawled. "I'm sorry I'm late. You know how the traffic can get from time to time."

"Please, call me Elliot," Kemp stammered.

"Daniel," Daniel replied, as cool as a cucumber.

Jack had warned Daniel that he'd stun Kemp if he wore those clothes. Daniel had replied that that was the point. Then Jack had launched into a long tirade about Daniel being careful, that Kemp was a shark and so on. Daniel shut him up by kissing him. With another warning to be careful ringing in his ears, Daniel had left Jack floundering like a landed haddock.

All through the evening, Daniel played Kemp well. Turning hot and cold from one minute to the next, he had the man on the ropes. Daniel had managed to stick to the 'you'll be bored at Cheyenne' story, but Kemp wasn't buying it. It would obviously be up to Daniel to persuade him more vigorously.

Dessert over, Daniel excused himself and went to the toilets, quickly dialling Jack on his cellphone. He found that Jack was rather busy, collating some interesting information that could be used against Kemp, so Daniel said he'd take him back to the loft. Fond 'yaddas' had been given to Jack's warnings, but at least this would give Jack more time.

Flipping his phone shut, Daniel popped it into his pocket and marched out of the men's room and straight to Kemp, who was paying for the meal. Daniel raised an eyebrow in query.

"I asked you out, Daniel," Kemp said quietly.

"Do you have your car with you?" Daniel asked him, equally quietly.

"I do."

"Good. Follow me."

"Where are we going?"

"My place. I take it I haven't read you wrong?"

Kemp swallowed hard, his dick starting to thicken yet again. Daniel's 'come catch me, go away' routine had worked a treat. In fishing parlance, Daniel had landed himself a whopper. Kemp was caught; hook, line and sinker. Daniel turned to walk out of the restaurant, stopped, threw a smouldering look over his shoulder, and Kemp was reeled in.

Daniel drove carefully back to his loft, knowing just what he'd planned for that evening should things have worked out the way they did. He had everything he needed set up and ready in his bedroom. All he had to do now, was get Kemp in there. Somehow, he didn't think that that would be a problem.

He parked his car, waited for Kemp, praying that the guy wouldn't chicken out. He didn't. Testosterone ruled the day and the man wasn't going to let a chance like this slip through his fingers. After all, it wasn't every day that a guy got to have sex with a god.

Daniel said nothing as he entered his apartment block, apart from acknowledging the concierge. He said nothing in the lift on the way up. He said nothing as he entered the loft, Kemp on his heels, but he did turn around, lock the door, pin Kemp to it and stick his tongue down Kemp's throat. Kemp figured that talking was overrated anyway.

Breaking apart, Daniel's mouth was slightly open, a soft pant of breath from him gently brushing over Kemp's lips. All his partner for the night could do was agree to whatever Daniel demanded, because he knew that as sure as eggs were eggs, he'd not be in a position to stop him.

"This is a one-off," Daniel said before they went any further. "I fuck you. If you don't agree to those terms, you get out now."

Kemp nodded, accepting that as it was better than missing out.

"Good. Bedroom's over here."

Daniel turned and slinked into the bedroom, feeling vaguely foolish, but his sex-god persona was getting a workout that night and he had to try to keep it up. He wondered if it would work on Jack.

Like a puppy, Kemp followed him in.

"Strip," Daniel said. "I want to watch you."

He told Kemp to stay in the middle of the floor, saying that the light was better there. It was. It was the perfect light for the small, digital video camera Daniel set off when he casually sauntered across the room, ostensibly to watch. Out of range of the video's lens, Daniel slowly stripped, removing his clothes as sensually as he could. He hoped that his camera was getting a good look at the raging hard-on currently sported by the opposition.

Kemp was naked in the time it took Daniel to get his T-shirt off. He couldn't take his eyes off the man. For a while, he wondered again if O'Neill was having any sort of relationship with Daniel, then he dismissed it. Jack was possessive. No way would he let Daniel loose if they were together.

"Are you sure about this one-time only offer?" Kemp asked, hoping that Daniel could be persuaded to change his mind.

"Absolutely. You may stay till the morning, I fuck you. I never bottom, okay? Then you go. If you're angling for more, get out now."

Daniel had, by now, dropped his pants and Kemp let out an involuntary groan when he realised that Daniel had been without underwear all night.

"No, no, it's fine by me," he gasped.

"Good," Daniel's voice was cool and commanding. "Get on the bed. All fours, I think. I want to see you like that."

He smiled wickedly and Kemp quickly followed orders. There was something about Daniel's tone of voice that was incredibly erotic. He'd had anonymous fucks by the score, most of which were itches to be scratched and nothing more, but this was something else. He saw Daniel fiddling with something on the side table, then saw him coming to him with a few things in his hands.

"Had to get the supplies," Daniel said with a grin, throwing a tube of lube and a condom onto the bed next to Kemp. "Here, you'd better get me going." Daniel held his still soft cock in his hand and started to stroke it, moving right next to Kemp's face as he did. Taking the hint, Kemp took him in his mouth and started to work him. For a moment, Daniel was considering dropping the 'only one night' rule. This guy was good. But it was only for a moment. This was to protect Jack. Like a dog begging for a choc drop, his dick suddenly started to swell as he thought of Jack. To hurry things along, Daniel pictured Jack in his mind, naked and showering as Daniel had seen him on many occasions. He was at full mast in no time.

He pulled back.

"Hmm, you're good at that. Suck many cocks do you?" Daniel teased.

"The ones that get me where I want to be," Kemp admitted. Then he hurriedly added, "Not that I'm..."

"No, of course not," Daniel soothed. He moved behind Kemp and knelt in-between his legs, put the condom on, greased them both up and slowly pushed inside. When he was balls deep, he added, "I'm not the one you want to put out for if you want a post up at Cheyenne. I'm the chief civilian." He pulled back and then slammed in again, angling so that he hit Kemp's gland on the first go. He got a hole in one, so to speak, knowing it too as Kemp let out a pleasured howl. "It's Jack's dick you want to suck if you want a job up there, but I know he doesn't go in for that."

Before Kemp could answer, he sat back on his haunches, pulling Kemp with him so that they felt skin on skin. It was Daniel's turn to moan, it had been quite a while since he'd felt bare skin on his own and he missed it. Feeling only a little lousy, but enough to give him a bit of a guilty conscience, he at least determined to make Kemp's impending let-down a little less painful. The guy was putting out for him after all. He trailed kisses down the back of Kemp's neck and over his shoulder, licking gently, nibbling his ear lobe. All the while he was rocking back and forth, making Kemp move too, so that they kept up the fuck. Daniel reached around and started to jerk him off, grinning to himself as the officer gasped with pleasure.

"Jack does do this," Kemp finally panted, "he'd do you given half a chance. I know him."

"Not as well as you think, then. He's never done me. Won't do me. I've given him that half a chance. He's not into guys at all."

"He's lying. He spent ages fucking me when we were in special ops."

"I didn't say he didn't do it in the past, did I? I just said that he doesn't do it. You were a distraction, Kemp. It's not like that is so unusual, is it?"

"He told you?"

"He tells me everything."

Daniel pushed Kemp back onto his hands and knees and started riding him hard. Kemp came soon after, taking Daniel with him.

"What else did he tell you?" Kemp asked, more worried now.

"That you're blackmailing him. Trying to get a job where you're not wanted. It's not going to work, Kemp."

Daniel got off the bed, cleaning up and throwing the dry cloth he'd brought out for himself beforehand over the camera. He threw a separate one to Kemp.

"It will. I have the evidence."

"Cut off your own nose to spite your face, will you? Be forced into an early retirement just to satisfy a need for what, revenge?"

"No, I want a post up at Cheyenne."

"The only post you'd get would be on guard duty. We don't have people up there whose loyalties are flexible. Your acts of blackmail have proved you can't be trusted. Of course, we could accept you up there and then get rid of you. Believe me, we have plenty of room to store the bodies of our enemies."

Daniel had quickly got his jeans on and thrown Kemp his own clothes. "I think you'd better go."

Kemp said nothing more, he just threw his clothes on and then left. As soon as he heard the door shut, Daniel got on the cellphone. "He's on the way, Jack. Let's just say that I wasn't able to hold him as long as I'd hoped."

"Not a problem, Daniel. I've set everything up, removed any incriminating evidence about me, oh, and plenty of others too. If, by some chance, he has more copies of this stuff, my ass is covered."

"Good. Why don't you get that ass over here and we uncover it?"

Daniel only heard a groan and then the line went dead.

Half an hour later, making sure that he wasn't being followed, Jack rapped on Daniel's door. It was quickly opened.

"You could have used your key, you know," Daniel said with a smile, though he was looking a little flushed.

"Daniel? What's up?"

"Bad question, Jack," Daniel answered as he adjusted himself, hand in his deep pocket.

"Daniel?"

"Okay, let's just say I was getting some blackmail material of my own and I was just looking at it."

"What?"

"You don't want to know, okay?"

"Yes I do."

"Jack, unless you intend staying all night with me, you don't."

"Ah. I take it you..."

"Yes, we did. I have some interesting footage. Managed to get his face and only my body. Not bad," Daniel said with a smirk. Then he realised that he only had his jeans on and Jack was looking at said body.

"No, not bad," Jack growled.

"JACK!" Jack snapped his attention back to the subject in hand. Hands on that body, gliding softly over the muscular arms, lips trailing...

"Jack, we're supposed to be talking about Kemp?" Daniel said, this time more gently and with a great deal of amusement in his voice.

"Oh, yes, Kemp. I have all the stuff here. Look, can you go and put a shirt on. Preferably something that covers you up. It's hard to concentrate."

Laughing quietly to himself, Daniel made his way to the bedroom.

"Who else is on his hit list, Jack?" he called out from the bedroom.

"No one you know, but a few that I do. The bastard had filmed virtually every officer he'd ever fucked."

"He fucked?" Daniel came out of the room, a shirt on but undone.

"Yeah, he'd put out, but for the most part he topped. Why?"

"Oh, nothing," Daniel said almost innocently.

"Daniel?"

With a filthy smirk, he said, "I fucked him. I didn't do anything more for him than jerk him off, Jack. He's got a nice, tight ass. I was thinking of keeping him for a while, but then he started to talk about you."

"While you were...?"

"Yes, Jack. It was really hard for me not to come. Just thinking your name when my dick was up his ass, I damn near came, you know?"

Jack squeaked.

"So, how did you get evidence?" Jack finally asked.

"Why don't we leave that till later, Jack? Show me what you've got."

"Huh?"

"The blackmail material."

"Oh, yeah. Um, can I have a drink?"

"Jack, just make yourself at home, you know where I keep everything, don't you? Besides, I bought some beers this afternoon, they're in the fridge. Have one if you want, or whatever you want."

"Whatever I want?" Jack's voice was slightly higher than normal and Daniel realised that a lot of what he was saying could be taken in a number of different ways. This could be fun.

"Whatever you want, Jack. To drink? If you want something to eat, feel free. I have some sausage..."

"Eep."

"...in the fridge too," Daniel continued. "A nice, juicy salami."

Jack beat a hasty retreat into the kitchen as Daniel fought down a snigger. He sat down, calling out to Jack to bring him a beer too, and started to look at what was in Jack's bag. There was a lot of stuff there, videos, still photos, letters...it was a blackmailer's gold mine.

Jack returned, two open beer bottles in hand.

"What are we going to do with this?" Daniel asked seriously. "If this ever gets out, a lot of careers will be ruined."

"I want to burn the fucking lot, Daniel," Jack admitted. "However, there are one or two I'll keep. I have a few safe places that no one will find. This one," he pulled out a tape and showed it to Daniel, "I think I'll use to get at Kemp."

"Why? Who is it?"

"Oh, just the person to get him transferred. It looks recent, so I'm guessing that it's what he used to get the transfer out here in the first place."

"How will you do this?"

"I'll need a phone number. It's late though."

"Don't worry, I have someone that could get it."

Jack told him the name of the officer concerned, and Daniel went into the bedroom. It wasn't that he didn't want Jack to know, it was just better that he didn't.

"Hello?" A tired voice spoke.

"Hey, it's me."

"Hello you. Why are you calling me at this godforsaken hour?"

"I need a favour, it's kind of urgent."

"Dan, tell me what's up."

Daniel smiled warmly at the concern in Paul's voice.

"Okay, there's this guy who's been blackmailing others. Basically we have his evidence and we want to let some of them know. Just one for now, though. Can you get me his home phone number?"

"Sure." Paul's voice sounded intrigued. "Can you tell me what this is about?" he asked as he scrambled for a pen and a piece of paper.

"I can't tell you anything, Paul," Daniel said, knowing that Paul would get the message straight away.

"Gotcha. Who is it?"

Daniel told him the name, then chuckled when he heard a strangled cry of recognition from his friend.

"Hang on, I'll get the information. I'll call you back as soon as I can, okay?"

"Thanks, Paul, you're a pal."

"Don't I know it. When we meet up next, though, I want some details."

"Ah. I'm hoping that when we meet up, there may be details of a different kind for you."

It took Paul a moment, but the tone of Daniel's voice told him a lot.

"Dan?"

"Not yet, Paul, but I'm hoping. Anyway, I can't talk now. Do this and I'll take you to dinner when you're down next, all right?"

"You're on."

They said their goodbyes and Daniel went back into the living room. Jack had the television on.

"I figured it might be a good idea to actually see the evidence before we use it," he said with a slight blush.

"Good thinking. My friend will get back to us as soon as the information is to hand," Daniel added.

"Who's the friend, Daniel? Anyone I know?"

"Um, yeah. You do," Daniel said evasively. It wasn't as if Jack would say anything, but he may put two and two together and come up with five. Much as Paul and Daniel knew about each other and loved each other as friends, they never did anything because of where Paul lived. A relationship would be difficult and they cared too much about each other to have less than that.

"Daniel?"

"He's just a friend, Jack, okay? Not anything else."

Daniel couldn't be sure, but he thought he heard Jack mutter 'good'.

The screen flickered and on came the tape. It wasn't brilliant quality, but it had been set up so that the guy on the receiving end was seen a lot more than the guy doing the fucking. It wasn't even overly hot, Daniel considered. Just a quick fuck and nothing more. This poor guy could be ruined for something that wasn't worth it.

By the time it had finished, the phone rang. Daniel answered it quickly, being deliberately circumspect as he was in the living room with Jack. Paul picked up on the subtext and assumed his businesslike manner, though he reminded Daniel that he owed him dinner.

"Promise. I know this nice little Italian place," Daniel said with a grin, knowing that Jack was listening in.

When he put the phone down, Daniel handed the telephone to Jack along with the number. Jack dialled, realising that the man would likely be woken up by him, if he was there, of course.

Daniel only heard Jack's side of the conversation, Jack introducing himself as someone that had something in common with the officer, then mentioning Kemp's name.

"He taped you, did you know that?... Yeah, he did it to me too... Look, I have absolutely no interest in what you do, okay? I'm not bothered at all. In fact, I was wondering if you wanted to get your own back, so to speak."

After a moment's pause, Jack explained the plan and what he'd done. Daniel heard a chuckle that was so loud it was audible from the other side of the sofa. Obviously, this man wasn't above getting a bit of revenge.

"I'll burn the tape," Jack promised. "I would send it to you, but just in case it got lost in the post, you know? It could cause you a lot of problems. There are others and I'm going to burn them too... I know it's you taking my word for this, but I honestly have no interest in blackmailing you. Why should I? Besides, if I were to try that, it would be to my own detriment, after all, why would I have the stuff?... Yeah, I thought you'd see that... You have my word... Whether you arrange this or not, the tape will be burnt... You do that... Nice doing business with you."

Jack hung up.

"When Kemp finds out that all of his evidence is gone, he's going to have a shock," Jack said with a grin. "And when he gets his next posting..."

Daniel laughed out loud.

"Seeing as Kemp's out of the way," Daniel said, "would you like to see the evidence I've got on him?"

Jack swallowed hard and nodded, afraid to speak.

Daniel stood up and almost sashayed into the bedroom. It had worked on Kemp, after all. When he got to the door, he turned and smouldered at Jack. "Coming, Jack?"

Jack was behind him in moments.

Daniel deliberately sat on the bed, camera in hand. He'd already viewed it and he was hoping that it would be enough to push Jack over the edge. He patted the bed next to him, Jack sitting down as close as he could get. Well, the camera only had a small view screen, didn't it?

"This is too small," Jack complained after a moment.

"Here, hang on, I'll get the laptop."

Daniel grabbed his computer and powered it up quickly, plugging the camera into it and opening up the program to view it. It seemed to take an age to show it, but finally, it was there. Kemp stripping, Daniel's naked ass in front of the camera, then turned to the side a bit so that Jack could see Kemp taking Daniel's dick in his mouth. Frame by frame Jack absorbed the action, after a while substituting Kemp with an image of himself in that position.

Daniel watched Jack and not the screen, knowing that he had the man where he wanted him - finally.

"I can do that for you, Jack," he whispered as he moved in close. "I wouldn't let him fuck me, but you can have my ass anytime you want. I'll give you whatever you want. Do whatever you want. If you want me to suck you off, fuck you, let you suck me or fuck me, you can do it. You can tie me up, blindfold me, bite me, lick me. However, wherever, whenever you want, Jack. I'm yours. Only yours."

Jack had forgotten how to breathe, only short pants came from him now. He was painfully hard. Daniel reached down and undid his flies with one hand, manoeuvring the laptop till it sat on the bed, he knelt in front of Jack. He threw off his shirt, tugged on Jack's pants till they came down his hips, then engulfed Jack's cock in his mouth.

That got Jack's attention.

"Daniel! Oh God, Daniel. We can't. We shouldn't. Stop. Don't stop. Oh God, please. So good, so fucking good. Knew you'd be like this. Aw fuck, Daniel, this is wrong, we shouldn't. I want you so much, so fucking much."

Daniel didn't let up. He couldn't. He'd fantasised about this time after time, wanted to be in this position, or any position really. Just wanted Jack.

Keeping his mouth where it was, Daniel reached down and yanked off Jack's shoes, sending them flying behind him. Then he fiercely pulled Jack's trousers and boxers all the way down, Jack reflexively kicking to get them off. When Daniel got his hands on Jack's bare thighs he moaned long and low. That was it for Jack and he came, pouring down Daniel's throat and spilling out of his mouth.

When Jack had got his breath back, he sat back up, having collapsed backwards onto the bed when he came.

"Get those off," he growled at Daniel, tugging at his jeans. Daniel had them off in moments. "C'mere."

Jack sighed loudly, as much a groan as a sigh, but a happy sound nonetheless, when he put his hands on Daniel's ass and pulled him close. He dipped his head and his tongue darted out, licking the head of Daniel's already leaking cock. Daniel gasped with pleasure.

"Please Jack, don't care what you do, just make me come, please Jack, don't stop, please," Daniel begged over and over again.

Jack did the only thing he could do; he swallowed him whole.

Fingers roamed over Daniel's ass, his back, his thighs. Jack's hands pulled Daniel as close as he could get, his mouth all the while working him. Sucking, licking, teasing. He pulled back, bent down, his back complaining as he mouthed at Daniel's balls. Then he went back up, licking a trail up Daniel's shaft till he took him, inch by careful inch back down his throat. Jack put a finger in his mouth and wet it, a mixture of spit and pre-come coating it, sliding the slick finger inside Daniel's ass. Daniel moaned hungrily, pushing down on him, wanting it all. Jack's finger searched for his target, homing in on it like a heat-seeking missile, and finding it, he stroked.

Daniel came, giving Jack as much as he'd been given earlier. He collapsed forward, holding onto Jack's shoulders, loving it when Jack's arms wrapped around him.

"I love you," Daniel panted. Then he pulled back and grinned. "Damn, Jack, you are good at that."

"Thanks," Jack replied with a smug smirk. "You're pretty capable in that department too."

They started to giggle, then their laughter grew. Finally they stopped, Daniel pulled Jack to stand up and they kissed properly for the first time.

"Love ya," Jack said with a smile when they broke for air. "I don't know how I'm going to manage this, Daniel, but I want this. I want you. I can't hold on anymore, not now I know what I'd miss out on."

"You only want me for the sex?"

Jack finally got around to ditching his shirt. His stomach and chest met Daniel's and they could have sworn that sparks flew on contact. Maybe Daniel shouldn't have bought that nylon carpet. It didn't matter, it was enough that they felt it.

"This is what I want, Danny. Contact. You, me, together. I don't care about the sex, it's good. It's better than good. I certainly want more of it. But it doesn't matter. I love you."

Daniel kissed him again, returned the sentiment, then went to kiss him yet again, but Jack stopped him.

"How about we tidy things up and get ready for bed. We have a job to do tomorrow."

"That's one of the things I love about you, Jack. You have such good ideas."

Kemp, meanwhile, had arrived home. Even though nothing had moved, he knew that someone had been there. He wondered what had happened, then he remembered Daniel's words about the blackmail. He ran to his basement and opened his safe. It was empty. All except for a note.

"You'll be getting new orders tomorrow, Elliot. I suggest you follow them quietly. All of the victims of your blackmail will be notified. I'd watch my back if I were you."

There was no signature, but it wasn't necessary. Cursing, he threw the note in the bin and went upstairs to start packing.

The next day, Jack and Daniel were in a part of the forest that even the rangers didn't visit often. They had a little camp fire going. All but a few tapes were being thrown onto it. As Jack said, he never knew when having that sort of material would come in handy. Not that he intended using it for personal reasons, but the SGC could do with all the support it could get. Everyone else, especially the officer to whom he had spoken, could sleep safe at night. Jack had made a list of all the names. He'd quietly find out their details, let them know just what Kemp had done, then assure them that the evidence was destroyed. They could just do with a heads up for future reference.

"How are we going to play this at work, Jack? I mean, I know we're going to have to keep it quiet, and I will, I promise. I won't hurt you. But Sam? Teal'c? Should we tell them?"

"Why don't we play that one by ear, Daniel? I doubt they'd drop us in it, but Sam won't want to know and Teal'c may not want to know. They'll likely guess. If they come to us, we won't deny it, how about that?"

"Fair enough. Do you think he's gone? Is he out of our lives now?"

"Oh, I'd say so, Daniel. He's smart enough to know when he's lost a battle."

"But what about the war, Jack? Losing a battle doesn't mean he's lost the war."

"Maybe not. But this time, if he does, he won't go back to anyone he was with before. He's not stupid. Driven by his dick, yes; stupid, no. And what that means is, he won't be back here."

"Good. I don't want someone like him at the SGC. He'd be with Area 51 before we knew what was going on."

Jack agreed with him, then looked around. Assured that no one was there, he leaned closer to Daniel.

"Daniel?"

"Jack?"

"I have to ask you something."

"Go ahead."

"How do you feel about sex in the great outdoors?"

"Very flexible on that subject, Jack. Just how flexible do you want me to be?"

Jack just grinned and kissed him.