Working Things Out

by Alobear

After Sha're's death, Daniel takes some time off to visit an old friend in Cascade, Washington.

Working Things Out

by

Alobear

Category: Slash

Pairing: Jim/Blair, pre-slash for Jack/Daniel

Author's Notes: I wrote this in the mid-2000s - it was my first Stargate/Sentinel crossover, but it never really saw the light of day. Then, The Sentinel Nostalgia Big Bang came up and I decided I should write the sequel I'd always intended. So, I'm post this here now as a precursor to the sequel I'll (hopefully) be posting in early 2016!

XXXXX

It had been two days since SG-1 had returned home with successful reports of the rescue of the Abydonians. Of course, that victory had been greatly overshadowed by the tragic death of Sha're, and General Hammond wondered how that event was going to affect the future of his flagship team. The whole base seemed subdued as the news of their archaeologist's loss spread. It was incredible how many people had wanted to pass their condolences on to Daniel Jackson, and only the careful mother-henning of Colonel O'Neill had prevented the young man from being mobbed by well-wishers as he lay in the infirmary.

Hammond winced as he looked over Daniel's matter-of-fact account of what had happened on the mission. Doctor Fraiser had released him from the infirmary that morning, allowing him to go to Abydos for Sha're's funeral, and the report had been on Hammond's desk within an hour of his return. The typed pages represented the conclusion of a search that had been driving the young man relentlessly for the past two and a half years; paragraphs of carefully impersonal text that told nothing of the anguish and heartache that must be behind them.

Thinking back to his first meeting with Daniel, Hammond remembered how irritated he had been by the archaeologist's single-minded insistence that he be a part of the rescue mission. In the middle of a crisis, he had returned to Earth demanding privileges and dispensation he had not earned, instantly putting Hammond's back up. It had not been a good first impression, but Hammond had quickly come to realise that the situation had not brought out the best in Daniel. In the ensuing months and years, that same passion and determination had served the SGC on countless occasions, leading to the protection of the planet from alien threat, and Daniel had found a place in Hammond's affections, as he had in those of the majority of the personnel.

Now, things were uncertain. Hammond knew Daniel's presence at the SGC had initially been solely due to the search for his wife; would the end of that task herald the end of his time there? Hammond certainly hoped not, and in fact believed that Daniel would turn his desire to save Sha're outward to encompass all the humans that were at risk from the Goa'uld. He had demonstrated selfless altruism many times and Hammond did not think he would turn his back on the Stargate project just because his own personal quest was over.

But grief was unpredictable. Hammond knew only too well what it was like to lose a wife, but he could not imagine how the death of Sha're by Teal'c's hand after so long an enforced separation would affect the young man he had come to look upon with such fatherly regard.

A knock at the open door of his office brought Hammond out of his inner musings, and he looked up to see their subject standing just outside. Daniel looked tired and worn down; there seemed to be something missing from his persona and Hammond's heart constricted painfully when he realised it was hope.

"General, do you have a moment?" The tone was weary.

"Of course. Come on in, son," he replied warmly. "Take a seat."

Daniel entered the room slowly and sat down on the other side of the desk. There was still a faint red mark across his forehead, but Hammond had received Dr Frasier's assurances that there was no lasting damage from the burn. He waited patiently for Daniel to say what was on his mind, not wanting to pressure him in any way, though inwardly he feared he was about to receive the young man's resignation.

When Daniel spoke, it was with the same quiet lack of emotion that had permeated his mission report, which worried Hammond more than if he had been faced with open grief. He knew Daniel felt things very deeply, even though he seldom showed it, and he hoped that this apparent calm was not the sign of dangerous emotional suppression.

"I'd like to request some time off, if I may." The statement was not as final as Hammond had feared and he gladly acquiesced.

"Absolutely. Take as much time as you need."

This elicited an almost smile and a soft, "Thank you."

"Do you have any specific plans?" Hammond wanted to know.

"Actually, yes," came the reply, "and that's the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. I have a friend in Cascade, Washington – an anthropologist – and I'd like to approach him with a view to recruiting him for the SGC. I think he'd be a valuable addition to the project; he has far greater anthropological expertise than I do and I believe it would be beneficial for us to expand our personnel in that direction."

"You realise he would have to be fully vetted before he could be given security clearance, and that he couldn't be told about the Stargate until he'd agreed to take the position?" Hammond was intrigued by Daniel's request, but couldn't help wondering if bringing another civilian into the SGC was a good idea.

"Of course. This trip would simply be to ascertain if he'd be willing to make the move to Colorado. He's just finishing up on his doctoral thesis at the moment, so he'll be looking for a permanent position soon, but I don't know how strong his ties to Cascade are."

Hammond decided that any recommendation of Daniel's was worth investigating. "By all means, find out," he said. "We can deal with all the red tape if and when it becomes necessary."

"Thank you," Daniel said again, then rose to his feet. "With your permission, I'll make my travel arrangements. I'd like to leave today, if that's alright."

Hammond readily agreed, sensing Daniel's need to get away from the SGC for a while. He only hoped this friend would be able to offer some comfort to the bereaved young man. Perhaps, despite the secrecy of the events surrounding Sha're's death, someone completely unconnected to the Stargate project would be exactly the right person to help.

XXXXX

Jack strolled down the corridor towards Daniel's office. He'd lost track of the other man after they'd got back from Abydos but, knowing Daniel as he did, his office was Jack's best bet. Even taking into account the events of the past few days, he expected to find Daniel back at work on some alien text or other. It was with surprise then, that he arrived in the doorway to find Daniel apparently packing. He stopped dead, an icy finger of fear piercing his heart at the thought that Daniel might be leaving for good. Common sense reasserted itself a moment later, though, as he noticed it was only an overnight bag Daniel was packing, and that the majority of the younger man's possessions remained in place.

Daniel looked up at his entrance. "Hey, Jack," he said casually. "Hang on a moment, will you?"

It was then that Jack realised Daniel was also in the process of making a phone call, the unit on loud speaker as he continued to gather items to put in the bag. The sound of ringing was interrupted by a sleepy male voice.

"'Lo?"

"Hey, Hairball – you awake?" Daniel's jovial call from the other side of the room took Jack rather by surprise, and evidently whoever was on the other end of the line too, since there was a moment's silence.

Then the voice spoke up again, sounding more alert. "Wacko? Is that you?"

Jack raised an eyebrow at that, but Daniel ignored him. Jack's curiosity was at fever pitch by now; who could Daniel be calling, who knew him well enough to get away with such a bizarre nickname?

"Yeah, it's me," Daniel was saying. "Look, I know this is a bit short notice, but I'm heading up to Cascade for a few days. Have you got some free time?"

"I'm all yours," came the response, then the voice took on a concerned note. "What's up?" This confirmed Jack's deduction that the owner of the voice was very familiar with his archaeologist; you had to know Daniel inside out to be able to tell he was hurting over the phone.

Daniel had sobered at the question and, when he spoke again, Jack ached at the simple desolation in his words. "Sha're's dead, Blair."

The voice – Blair, Jack now surmised, though he'd never heard Daniel mention the name before – immediately offered sincere condolences.

"Oh, Daniel. I'm so sorry. What time do you land?"

"About six, your time," Daniel informed Blair, quickly wrestling his emotions back under control. "Can you meet me at the airport?"

"Sure, man. Six o'clock. I'll be there."

"Thanks, Blair. I'll see you then." With that, Daniel reached over to cut the connection, then turned his attention back to his packing.

Jack waited a moment, then asked, "Uh, Wacko?"

"College nickname," Daniel grimaced. He seemed relieved that Jack had kept the topic light, and Jack was glad he'd read the situation correctly. "I developed my theories of cross-pollination when I was studying at Rainier and the other students used to call me Wacko Jacko." He glanced over at Jack and offered up a shy smile. "So I guess Spacemonkey is somewhat of an improvement. Anyway, Blair's the only person who still calls me Wacko, and he doesn't mean anything by it, so I don't really mind."

"And Blair is?" Jack was by now very intrigued by the mysterious man in Cascade, a friend of Daniel's he'd never heard of before.

"Blair Sandburg," Daniel revealed, and Jack filed the name away in his mind for future reference. "We studied Archaeology and Anthropology together at Rainier. I was on my second degree and Blair was on his first; then I went off to Chicago to pursue Arc, while he stuck with Anth in Cascade. We've kept in touch off and on over the years, and he's a good friend."

Jack's military side wanted to know just how much this Blair knew about Sha're, but he squashed it, sure that Daniel would not have compromised the SGC. Instead, he focused on Daniel's immediate plans. "How long are you going to be gone?"

"I'm not sure yet. General Hammond has given me as long as I want, but I don't think it will be more than a few days – a week at the most." Daniel fixed Jack with an earnest stare. "I just want to get away from here for a while, spend some time with someone who doesn't know anything about the Goa'uld, or the Stargate, or… anything. Can you understand that, Jack?"

"Sure, Daniel, I totally understand. Go, have a break. God knows you deserve it."

Daniel closed his now packed bag and headed for the door. He stopped just in front of Jack and the mixture of pain and gratitude in his eyes made Jack want to take him in his arms.

"Thanks, Jack. Can you say goodbye to Sam and Teal'c for me? I'm not sure I can handle too much more sympathy at the moment. I'll see you in a few days."

And then he was gone, leaving Jack alone in the empty office. Jack was glad Daniel had found someone to seek comfort from and open up to – he just couldn't help wishing it had been him.

XXXXX

In the loft in Cascade, Blair was checking his emails, whole Jim sat on the couch reading. Blair hadn't yet mentioned the phone call from Daniel, but would have to soon if he was going to get to the airport in time to meet his friend's flight. For some reason, though, he was reluctant to bring the subject up.

"Jim?" Blair suddenly had to swallow past the incredible dryness in his mouth. He couldn't figure out why he was so nervous. He hadn't done anything wrong and he wasn't *going* to do anything wrong, but his stomach was doing backflips at the prospect of the conversation he was about to have. Recent events had left his relationship with Jim slightly off-kilter and his usual ability to predict the other man's reactions was on the fritz.

"Mmm?" Jim didn't look up.

Blair forged ahead, inwardly berating himself for being pathetic. "Do you remember me telling you about my friend, Daniel Jackson?"

Still not giving Blair his full attention, Jim answered, "The archaeologist who works for the government?"

"Yeah, that's the one. Well, he's coming to Cascade for a few days."

Now Jim did look up, but Blair only saw polite interest in his eyes, and he relaxed a bit. "Business or pleasure?"

Blair grimaced, remembering the pain in Daniel's voice when they'd spoken on the phone. "Neither," he stated sadly. "I don't know if I told you before, but his wife disappeared nearly three years ago. He's been looking for her ever since, and he's just found out that she's dead."

"Poor guy." The sympathy in Jim's tone was sincere, and Blair felt a surge of affection for him, glad that Jim could so readily feel for a complete stranger. "Is he coming to stay here with us?"

The nervousness came back with a vengeance at this question, and Blair prayed he wasn't giving it away; though with Jim being a Sentinel, it was rather a hopeless prayer. "Uh, no," he said. "You see, Daniel's never been very good at opening up, and I thought he might feel more comfortable if he only has to see me, so I'm going to suggest he books into a hotel. I'm heading over to pick him up at the airport now."

If Jim noticed the tension in Blair's voice, he didn't show it, merely saying, "Okay, that makes sense. I'm sure the last thing he needs right now is to play house-guest to a total stranger."

Again, Jim's understanding warmed Blair, and gave him the confidence to reveal the last piece of information. "I don't want Daniel to feel as if he's keeping me from anything, so I, uh, thought I'd stay with him at the hotel tonight."

"No problem. I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

The total lack of reaction in Jim's response took Blair by surprise, and he blurted out, "You don't mind?"

Jim seemed suddenly to come alert at this, though there was still no suspicion in his body language. "Why would I mind?" Then his eyes narrowed slightly as an idea came to him. "When you were at college together, you and Daniel weren't, uh…"

Blair pounced on the implication like a cat with a piece of string. "Would it matter?"

Then he felt like a complete heel as Jim looked hurt. "Of course not. I trust you, Chief. I was just interested to know."

"Sorry, man," Blair replied, and meant it. "And no, we weren't. Daniel's not my type."

This elicited a raised eyebrow. "Oh, really? Why not?"

Blair ventured a sly grin, the tension of the moment before now completely gone, leaving only a faint stab of guilt at his unfairness to Jim. "Well, see, he's a science nerd, and he's kinda skinny, with long hair and glasses…"

Now it was Jim's turn to smile, as he teased back, "Aha! Now I understand! You're not secreting this guy in a hotel so you can have your wicked way with him without me knowing – you're really just trying to keep him away from me because you can't handle the competition!" Then he sobered again and said simply, "Go. Be there for your friend. He's lucky to have someone like you to turn to when he's hurting."

Blair rose from his seat at the table and crossed over to Jim, leaning down to give him a heartfelt kiss. "Thanks, Jim."

XXXXX

As he drove to the airport, Blair thought back over his friendship with Daniel Jackson. They had stayed in close contact after Daniel had left Rainier for the Oriental Institute in Chicago. The last time they had actually seen each other, though, had been almost four years ago, a few days before Daniel was due to give a lecture about his theories of cross-pollination. Blair remembered his friend had been very nervous about the lecture, saying that it had the potential to either make or break his career. Blair had wished him the best of luck and then – Daniel had disappeared as if from the face of the Earth. Blair had tried calling him to find out how the lecture had gone, but had been unable to reach him, even though he had tried all the places and people he could think of. At that point, Jim had entered his life, and the mystery of Daniel's whereabouts had been shunted to the back of Blair's mind, under the assumption that the other man had taken an impulsive trip abroad, which wasn't entirely out of character.

Then, just over a year later, Daniel had called Blair out of the blue to tell him he was back in the US, had been married for a year but his wife had been kidnapped and he was now devoting his time to searching for her, while at the same time taking on a consultancy position with the military. Blair had been stunned; it was too much bizarre information to take in all at once, but he was glad to be back in touch with his friend again, despite the sad circumstances. They had both been too busy with their jobs to meet up, but had exchanged sporadic emails and phone calls since, although their previous closeness had been hindered by the secrets they now had to keep from one another. Blair had told Daniel about his job at the Cascade PD, but not divulged the real reason for it, and it seemed Daniel was unable to share any of the details of his own job, or the actual circumstances surrounding his wife's disappearance.

Now, suddenly, Daniel was arriving in Cascade, and Blair found himself looking forward to having a real conversation with his friend after so long. Obviously, he wished Daniel's news had been better but still, it was nice to think that Daniel valued his friendship enough to call upon Blair in his time of need. It would also be a welcome break from dwelling on his own recent failures and uncertain future.

He almost missed Daniel entirely at the airport. He was waiting at the gate where Daniel's flight was due to arrive and scanning the crowd for his friend, without success. As the people gradually thinned out, Blair heard a familiar voice calling his name, and he turned to see a very unexpected sight. Daniel was walking towards him, bag in hand, but it wasn't a Daniel Blair recognised in the least. The man before him sported short brown hair, no glasses, and a physique that spoke of regular visits to the gym, the whole package encased in stylish, expensive clothes. He couldn't have been more different to the Daniel Blair remembered from their college days.

Daniel stopped just in front of him and smiled past the lines of sorrow that marred his handsome features. "Damn, it's good to see you, Blair," he said emphatically. "You haven't changed a bit."

Blair managed to swallow his surprise and find his voice. "The same can definitely *not* be said about you, man. Jim's going to kill me!"

Daniel's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why?"

"Because I told him you were a skinny, long-haired, bespectacled geek, and therefore not my type!" Blair explained, then suddenly realised how his words had sounded, and wondered if he'd put his foot in it already.

He was relieved when Daniel actually burst out laughing, although it was an odd, choked sort of laughter, as if Daniel's larynx was out of practice producing it.

"I knew coming to see you was the right thing to do," Daniel said warmly when he'd recovered his composure, and Blair smiled back at him, pleased by the compliment.

"Do we need to head to baggage claim?" Blair asked, but Daniel shook his head.

"I packed light," he said, indicating the holdall in his hand, "so we're free to go."

Blair led Daniel out to the parking lot and over to his green Volvo, which luckily was behaving itself that day. As he pulled out onto the freeway, he said directly, "I figured right now probably wouldn't be the best time for you to meet Jim, so the next question is – how much do you want to spend on a hotel?"

Daniel leaned his head against the back of the passenger seat and closed his eyes with evident relief. "You're a genius," he said. "I wasn't going to say anything, but I'm really not up to being sociable at the moment. As to price, I've been earning a ridiculous salary for the past two and a half years and not spending any of it, so I think I'll indulge myself for once and say money is no object."

Blair grinned at that and mentally altered the plan he'd been formulating. He drove to Cascade's best hotel and asked for one of their suites, amazed when Daniel simply handed over a credit card without even blinking at the price. Working for the military as whatever kind of consultant Daniel was must be quite lucrative. When they reached the luxurious room, Daniel simply dumped his bag on the floor, kicked off his shoes and collapsed onto the couch with a sigh.

"You have no idea how good it feels being out of Colorado."

"That bad, huh?" Blair was even more curious about all the things Daniel couldn't tell him than usual, but he knew this was not the time to fish for clues. He would be there for Daniel in whatever way was needed, but he had enough experience of his friend to recognise that asking for information would only push the other man away.

Daniel only grimaced in response to his question, which told Blair he wasn't yet ready to talk, so Blair quickly deflected the subject to something else.

"You hungry yet? I've heard they've got a great restaurant here, or we can get something brought up."

"Room service sounds great," Daniel decided with a tired smile that showed how much he appreciated Blair's tacit support.

They spent some time perusing the menu and then talked about nothing while they ate. It was when the plates had been cleared away and they were just starting on the second bottle of wine that Blair decided it was time to strike.

He leaned back in the armchair he'd selected and fixed Daniel with an earnest stare. "I know a lot of it's classified and all that, but what can you tell me about it?"

Daniel seemed neither surprised by the question nor confused by the oblique reference. He merely set down his wine glass with infinite care, took a deep breath and began in a soft tone.

"We were trying to free some other people, and it turned out Sha're was with them. There was a battle and she got caught in the crossfire. It was actually one of my team who killed her."

"Oh, god. Daniel – that's awful." Blair didn't know what else to say. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like for Daniel to find his wife after so long, only to lose her again irrevocably, and in such terrible circumstances.

Daniel continued, focusing somewhere over Blair's shoulder, his eyes haunted as if he was picturing what had happened. "Everyone keeps offering me their sympathy, but Sha're's the one who deserves it, not me. All this time I've had support from my friends and colleagues, but she was all alone. I can't imagine the strength it must have taken to survive what she suffered, but she was still fighting, right to the end. She – " Daniel paused and cleared his throat as if he was having difficulty saying the words. "She had a baby last year and, just before she died, she made me promise to find him." Daniel's voice grew determined. "And I will – no matter what it takes. I'll find him and I'll make sure he knows what an amazing woman his mother was, and how much she loved him."

Now Daniel turned his gaze on Blair, and Blair could see the unshed tears shining in his eyes. "I failed her so badly, Blair."

"I know that's not true,"Blair argued quietly. "You devoted every resource at your disposal to finding her. What happened was a tragedy, but it's not your fault, Daniel. You did everything you could for her."

If anything, the despair in Daniel's face intensified, and the next words he spoke were full of emotion.

"No, you don't understand. She was all alone, suffering unspeakable things at the hands of the most evil creatures I've ever come across. She survived it all, waiting for me to find her and bring her home. And I – god, Blair, it was so long, and it seemed so hopeless, every day the hope I had of ever finding her got less and less, and every day she seemed further and further away from me." He broke off and looked down at his hands, which were clasped in front of him, his breathing ragged.

"What is it, Daniel?" Blair interjected into the emotionally charged silence.

There was another brief pause, then Daniel said so quietly that Blair had to strain to make out the words, "I fell in love with someone else." He looked up again. "I fell in love with Jack."

Blair looked into Daniel's stricken face, and wondered which gods the other man had pissed off so royally that they'd rewarded him with such an unending list of woes. He'd been wondering for some time if Daniel was ever going to have the chance to start again with someone new, having long ago come to the conclusion that the chances of him finding Sha're were slim at best. Now, it seemed Daniel had found someone else but, if Blair knew anything about him, guilt would destroy any hope of a relationship at this point. He tried to think of something – anything – that might make Daniel feel better.

"How long have you been in love with Jack?" he asked, figuring it was always best to obtain as much information as possible before formulating any kind of a solution.

"I don't know," came the subdued reply. "I realised how I felt a few months ago but I think the feelings have been there a lot longer – years, maybe. It's possible they actually predate me even meeting Sha're."

"And have they affected your search for Sha're in any way?"

"No!" Daniel was adamant on that point. "I've never wavered in my determination to find her, and I would have done everything in my power to help her get her life back if I'd been able to bring her home."

"Well then, you have nothing to feel guilty about," Blair stated firmly. "You're a human being, Daniel, you can't help how you feel. You've dedicated the last three years of your life to Sha're, but that's over now. There's no reason for you to ruin your future out of some misguided respect for her memory. In fact, I think you owe it to her to build a new life – don't you think she'd want you to be happy?"

Daniel managed a bittersweet smile. "If she were here now, she'd probably hit me over the head with something heavy and tell me to stop being an idiot. She never would put up with any nonsense."

Blair smiled back, glad to see that Daniel could look past his grief and guilt to speak of Sha're with humour and tenderness. He knew that developing the ability to remember the good times with those loved ones who had passed on rather than fixating on their loss was an important step.

"Tell me more about Sha're," he asked softly. "She sounds as though she was a wonderful person."

"Oh, she was," Daniel agreed, his voice taking on a wistful note. "One of the best."

They talked long into the night, Daniel relating tales of the year he spent with Sha're, but always leaving out the tantalising details of location and background. Eventually, they both succumbed to fatigue and went to their rooms, Blair feeling as if he had at least helped his friend a little. Daniel had a long way to go before he would get over Sha're's death, if he ever did, but, with Blair's guidance, he had set his foot upon the path that night.

XXXXX

The next morning, both men slept late, and met again over breakfast in the main part of the suite. Blair thought Daniel looked a little less drawn, and decided the trip to Cascade was already doing him good. He certainly tucked into his meal with enthusiasm, which was an encouraging sign.

When they'd demolished all the food, Daniel glanced at his watch and started guiltily. "I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?" he asked.

Blair shook his head. "Nope. I haven't got anything to do today. In fact, I haven't got anything to do for the foreseeable future, so I'm all yours as long as you want to stay." He went for cheerful, but thought he might have missed it by several levels, an opinion that was confirmed when Daniel looked at him sharply.

"What about your dissertation and your work at the PD?"

Blair should have known Daniel would pick up on that, and he cursed his insensitivity at saying more than he should.

"Forget it, man," he said, trying to backpedal his way out of the conversation. "The last thing you want is to hear about my problems."

But Daniel wouldn't be deterred now that he knew something was wrong. "No, Blair, tell me, " he insisted. "What's going on?"

And so Blair told Daniel the tale – or rather an edited version of the tale, much like Daniel's own talk of Sha're the night before – of his dissertation; how Naomi had unwittingly brought it to the attention of the press and how he had denounced it as a fraud, getting himself drummed out of academia in the process. Even a month after the event, it was still difficult for Blair to talk about the press conference, and the fact that Daniel was such a close and trusted friend only made it harder. He hated giving the impression that he had made a mockery of all his hard work by fabricating research.

When he came to the end of his story, Blair waited with apprehension while Daniel sat and stared at him for a long moment. He needn't have worried, though, as the other man gave him a slow smile.

"So, you finally found your Sentinel," he said with satisfaction, as if something that had been puzzling him suddenly made sense.

Blair felt his mouth drop open and heard spluttering noises coming from it as his brain windmilled madly. Daniel just laughed.

"Oh, come on! You don't honestly expect me to believe that you'd write a fraudulent thesis, do you?" He grinned over at Blair, a teasing note in his voice. "Putting Jim's name all over it, and not considering what would happen when it was published – that I can believe, but presenting false research? No way!"

Blair still couldn't find his voice, but it seemed Daniel didn't need confirmation to continue his thought processes. "Drummed out of academia for wild theories – I know how that feels. But, wow – you actually found a real, live Sentinel. That must be pretty exciting, huh?"

"You have no idea," Blair enthused, finally forcing his brain out of its panicked numbness. "It kinda blows that I can't get my doctorate any more, but Jim's worth it, without a doubt."

"But what are you going to do now?" Daniel wanted to know, unknowingly hitting upon the question that had been plaguing Blair for weeks. "I always imagined you taking up a teaching position at Rainier when you finally finished your thesis, but I guess that's not possible now."

Blair sighed. "Jim and Simon suggested I become a cop so I can work with Jim full time, but I'm not sure if that's really what I want. I mean, I know that's pretty much what I've been doing the last four years anyway, but it's one thing to tag along as an observer; it's totally something else to put on a badge and do it for real. Besides, anthropology has been my life for as long as I can remember, and I don't want to give it up for good. Guess I don't have much of a choice, though."

"Maybe you do," Daniel said unexpectedly, "which brings me rather neatly to the other reason I came here to see you."

Blair was confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Daniel replied, the smile back in full force, "how would you feel about coming to work with me in Colorado?"

XXXXX

The first Jim knew of Blair's return to the loft was when the Volvo drew up outside the apartment building. His senses had become attuned to his Guide and lover over the years they had known one another so that now, even when he had them all at normal settings, he was immediately alerted to Blair's presence nearby.

He focused his hearing on the lobby downstairs and discovered that Blair was not alone. There was another man with him, a man Jim assumed must be Daniel Jackson, the friend Blair had told him about the day before. Jim thought back on the conversation, remembering how Blair had been unsure of his reaction, and feeling a little sad that Blair should be uncertain of their bond.

He realised that the events of the past six months had damaged their relationship and it would be up to Jim, as the main transgressor, to reassure Blair that he was loved and trusted. As far as Jim was concerned, if Blair could stick with him after the Alex Incident and the Press Conference, he had more than earned the right to be trusted. Jim was still in awe of the fact that Blair had given up all his dreams to protect the secret of his abilities, ruining all chance of obtaining his doctorate and losing the respect of his academic peers in the process.

His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Blair and his companion outside the door. It opened and Blair bounced in, looking happier than Jim had seen him in quite a while.

"Hey, man!" he said brightly in greeting, then stepped aside to allow his companion entrance. "This is Daniel Jackson, my old college friend. Daniel, this is Jim."

The man who entered the loft behind Blair was not what Jim had expected from Blair's description. Jim raised a surprised eyebrow in Blair's direction, but Blair merely shrugged with an innocent grin on his face. It was Daniel who responded to the silent byplay by stepping forward and extending his hand, his expression amused.

"In Blair's defence," he said as Jim shook his hand in a firm handshake, "I have changed quite a lot since last Blair and I saw each other. The military tends to have that effect on people." The tone was light, but Jim sensed the underlying sorrow behind the words. "It's good to meet you, Jim. I've heard a great deal about you."

"Likewise," Jim replied with an answering smile of his own, "though some of it not entirely accurate, it seems. Welcome to Cascade."

Throughout the introductions, Blair had been practically vibrating with nervous excitement, and Jim wondered what exactly was going on. Evidently, Blair had some news, and it seemed likely that it was something to do with Daniel.

And once again, it was Daniel who moved the conversation in the direction of Jim's thoughts. "Well," he said, then looked down at the floor in a self-deprecating gesture that told Jim a lot about his character, "you may not be so welcoming when Blair stops bouncing and tells you why we're both here."

"Coffee!" Blair interjected before he could carry on. "We need coffee. I'll make some." He bustled over to the kitchen and started banging mugs about, leaving Jim and Daniel still standing in front of the door.

Jim managed an awkward smile, though he was beginning to get slightly worried by Blair's behaviour. He gestured to the couch and Daniel preceded him into the living room area to sit down.

"How long are you going to be in Cascade, Mr Jackson?" Jim asked, inwardly wincing at the inane question. Small talk had never been his strong point.

"Please call me Daniel," the other man replied. "There are far too few people who do. And how long I stay really depends on your response to why I'm here."

"Oh?" Jim's curiosity rose another notch.

"Blair has told me all about Naomi's mistake with his thesis, and what happened afterwards. I swear, I have never met anyone who can create disasters quite like Naomi, especially when she's trying to do the right thing." Daniel grimaced slightly, suggesting to Jim that he'd had more than one chaotic run-in with Blair's mother in the past. He was about to agree with Daniel's assessment of her, when the other man continued, putting all thought of Naomi straight out of Jim's mind. "It must be hard for you to hide your Sentinel abilities in your line of work."

Jim started in shock, and whipped round to find Blair standing just behind the couch. Before he could voice an accusation, Blair forestalled him.

"I didn't tell him, Jim – he guessed."

"Believe me," Daniel said soothingly, further preventing Jim from speaking. "I have no intention of exposing you. In fact, I have a proposition for you that would enable you to act as a Sentinel in service of your country, without risk of discovery. But I'm getting ahead of myself."

As Daniel collected his thoughts, Blair came round the couch and sat down next to Jim, his earlier obsession with coffee apparently forgotten. Jim could feel the tension in the younger man's body as he waited for their visitor to continue. Eventually, Daniel fixed him with an intense stare, took a deep breath and began again.

"I work as a civilian consultant on the military base under Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado," he explained. "As far as most people are concerned, we study deep space radar telemetry and, if you end up refusing my offer, that's all you'll ever be able to find out about what we do."

Jim was starting to feel a faint prickle of apprehension at where the conversation was going, but he waited patiently as Daniel carried on.

"In reality, the two of you are exactly the kind of people we're looking to recruit for the project. My department is crying out for people with Blair's expertise, and someone with Sentinel abilities would be an invaluable addition to the military side of things. Now, I know Blair's in an awkward position as far as employment prospects go so, basically, I'm offering you both a job where your skills will be put to good use and you will be contributing to the security of the country. I won't mislead you; it's not an easy job, and there's a fair amount of danger involved, but you'll experience things you can't even imagine and you'll be a part of something extremely important. I'm sorry I can't tell you any more; you'll have to come to Colorado and meet General Hammond if you want more information. Anyway," Daniel rose, "I'm sure you've got a lot to talk about, and I'd only be in the way, so I'll leave you to discuss things. You know where I am when you reach a decision, Blair. There's no time limit on this offer, so you can think about it as long as you like."

With that, he took himself out of the loft, leaving a rather stunned Jim and a definitely apprehensive Blair behind.

Silence reigned for a long moment before Jim decided to take pity on Blair and start the inevitable conversation.

"I gather you're quite keen to do this," he said, keeping his tone carefully neutral.

Blair shifted round on the end of the couch so that he was facing Jim, his expression serious, but excitement shining from his eyes.

"Not necessarily, but I do want to find out more. I mean, I've been dying to find out what Daniel does – and you can't tell me you're not curious."

This was what Jim had been most worried about, and he wasn't surprised that Blair hadn't grasped the intricacies of the situation. "Of course I'm curious," he said gently, "but you have to realise something about the military, Chief. They're not going to tell you all their secrets and then just let you walk away. If this project is so secret and so important, you won't find out what it's all about until you're so far embroiled in it that you can't get out. Believe me, I've had experience with this kind of thing – they'll make sure they own you before they'll tell you anything. I have to admit I hadn't ever planned to get back into the military, and I'm not wild about the thought of you getting involved either."

Blair's eyes flashed a challenge and he drew back slightly. "So, you're not going to let me follow this up?"

"I didn't say that." Recent experience had taught Jim some control over his emotional responses and he fought now to avoid rising to the argument. "If you want to go to Colorado and meet this general, I'll come with you. I'm just trying to point out that we should be careful about what we're getting into."

Blair relaxed an iota. "No argument there, man. Don't worry, I'm not going to jump into anything with my eyes closed. But what if I want to take the job?"

Jim reached out and took Blair's hands in his own. "Then we'll figure out what our options are, and make a decision about what we're going to do." He rubbed his thumbs over Blair's palms. "I'm not prepared to lose you to some mountain. If it comes to it, I'll re-enlist just so I can come along and watch your back."

"I won't ask you to give up your whole life for me, Jim," Blair said earnestly, and Jim once more marvelled at how selfless his lover was. He could tell Daniel's offer had Blair really excited, but he knew without a doubt that Blair would not pursue it if Jim didn't want him to do so.

"But you've already given up yours for me," he pointed out. "It's about time I gave something back."

At that, Blair moved round until he was straddling Jim's thighs, his hair falling around Jim's face as he leaned forwards. "You love me," he said simply. "That's all I ever need from you."

Jim's heart filled, and his arms came up to embrace Blair tightly, as he sealed his words with a kiss.

XXXXX

Two months later, Jim found himself in a locker room deep underground, preparing for the most bizarre mission he'd ever been assigned. As he thought back over the past few weeks, he decided he should have realised this outcome had been inevitable from the moment Daniel Jackson had got off the plane in Cascade.

Jim hadn't seen Blair so excited about anything since the day he'd walked into the young anthropologist's office to get help with his senses. If he was honest with himself, Jim would have to admit he was pretty excited too; he'd always known his association with Blair would take him in new and interesting directions, but he never would have imagined anything like the SGC.

Blair had accepted the existence of the Stargate and all its ramifications as if it was the most natural thing in the world; in fact, he had told Jim later that his immediate reaction had been delight that Daniel's theories had been proved correct.

The similarities between the two scientists were marked; both had had unorthodox childhoods that involved a lot of travelling, both had achieved high academic standards in similar fields of study, both had subsequently been cast out of the academic community because they were unable to reveal the truth of their strange theories, both had died and been brought back to life, both were incredibly passionate about what they did, and both had a tendency to talk at high speed and stutter when they were nervous or excited. Watching then enthuse together about some alien text or other was at once exhausting and heartwarming, and it was Blair's interaction with Daniel that told Jim the move to Colorado had been the right decision. The debacle over the dissertation had cost Blair not only his job and his dreams, but also most of his academic acquaintances, who had turned away from him when he had claimed his thesis was fraudulent. Now he had new and exciting opportunities to put his anthropological skills to use, and he had also found a kindred spirit from whom he need have no secrets.

As for Jim, it had taken him a while longer to get over the shock of the Stargate, but he now saw the project for the important endeavour it was, and he was looking forward to extending his 'tribe' to include the entire planet. He had found it surprisingly easy to slot back into the military and the prospect of being able to use his senses openly had proved to be a profound relief. He had also discovered two good friends in Jack O'Neill and the Jaffa, Teal'c, both of whom had welcomed him as a fellow brother in arms.

All in all, Jim thought, it had been a remarkably good fit for both himself and Blair. The biggest test was yet to come, however, as they geared up for their very first mission through the Stargate. Much to his surprise and gratification, Jim, newly reinstated with the rank of Captain, had been given command of his own unit, designated SG-19.

He had yet to meet the other two members of his team, as this first mission would be a training run for himself and Blair, with Jack and Daniel accompanying them to show them the ropes. After that, SG-19 would get their own mission roster and Jim would lead them through the Stargate on a regular basis. The prospect was more than a little exhilarating.

The sound of laughter broke Jim from his reverie and drew his attention to the other side of the room, where Daniel and Blair were making their own preparations. He resisted the impulse to listen in; respect of privacy was paramount to his principles as a Sentinel and to his values as a man, particularly where his relationship with Blair was concerned. It didn't stop him being curious, though.

XXXXX

"So, you excited?" Daniel asked.

In answer, Blair grinned inanely and bounced up and down on the balls of his feet. "You bet, man! This is gonna be so cool!"

He saw Daniel smile in reaction to his elation and was glad his friend was in a good mood. He poked Daniel in the arm.

"But hey, what's going on with you?" he demanded, unable to pass up the opportunity for a brief interrogation, despite the impending activity. "It's been two months – why haven't you made your move?"

Blair couldn't help but chuckle inwardly as Daniel turned an adorable shade of pink and actually shuffled his feet.

"What?" he spluttered, obviously caught off guard by the unexpected question, which was how Blair had planned it. "I, uh, well – oh, I don't know, Blair. What if he's not interested? What if he doesn't want me that way?"

"Oh, well, let's see," Blair mused, then continued in a high-pitched impression of a teenage girl. "Hey, I know! Jack's friends with my boyfriend, right? Well, why don't I, like, get my boyfriend to ask him out for you, huh?"

He grinned again as Daniel snorted and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "Okay, okay, you're right – I *am* acting a bit like an adolescent girl over this, aren't I?"

"Yup! Look, Daniel, I know it's cliché, but nothing ventured, nothing gained, man. Take the bull by the horns, risk it all for love, okay?" Blair gripped Daniel's forearm and captured his gaze. "Anything you have with Jack will be a relationship of equals so, whatever you do, *please* don't turn into the stereotypical, submissive science nerd. It's beneath you. Let him know you mean business!"

Daniel looked somewhat apprehensive. "Okay, I'll think about it…"

With a groan, Blair countered, "No, don't think – act! Thinking is always your downfall. This is not a situation that calls for brains, my friend – it's balls you need for this one." He smirked. "And believe me, they'll get their reward!"

And Blair got his reward as Daniel nearly choked.

"Don't look so worried, man," he concluded, clapping Daniel on the shoulder. "This situation will get resolved in no time, now that I'm on the case!"

"You interfering with my love life is exactly what has me worried," Daniel replied ruefully, turning away to pick up his pack.

XXXXX

Jack watched Daniel and Blair's animated conversation with a touch of envy, wishing he could be in on whatever joke they were sharing. He had filled the role of Daniel's oldest friend for years, and now Sandburg had arrived to usurp his position with ease. Not that Jack begrudged Blair that right; on the contrary, he was delighted to see Daniel so happy, it was just that he didn't quite know where he stood with him any more.

It was impossible not to like Sandburg, though. He'd taken the SGC by storm with his easy charm and natural friendliness. He had all the women on the base eating out of his hand, and no few of the men, General Hammond included. Even Teal'c had fallen prey to what Jim referred to as The Sandburg Zone, extending the protectiveness he had previously reserved for Daniel to include the diminutive anthropologist.

Jack considered Jim to be a valuable addition to the project, too. The former detective was a good, solid man, a respected commander by all reports, and his Sentinel abilities would certainly be an asset on missions. Altogether, Jack heartily approved of the results of Daniel's recruitment trip to Cascade, and he was looking forward to the upcoming mission. That is, if he could separate the Anthropology Twins long enough for them to get any work done.

He caught Jim's eye and motioned him over.

"So, Captain Ellison, you ready for your first mission?"

"I believe so, sir, but I don't think that's the question you really wanted to ask me."

Damn, the man was perceptive! Jack cleared his throat to cover his confusion before deciding he might as well take the plunge since Jim had made the opening. He jerked his head to where Daniel and Blair were practically giggling together over something, and asked, "Doesn't that make you jealous?"

Jim regarded him steadily. "No," he replied calmly. "In actual fact, I think it's great. Not to sound egotistical, but Sandburg hasn't had much of a life outside of me for quite a while. We've lived together, worked together and hung out together for the better part of four years now, and I think any time we spend apart on separate interests or with other friends can only be a good thing. Besides," he added, tapping the side of his nose and smiling wryly, "if Sandburg ever cheated on me, believe me, I'd know!" The he sobered again and pinned Jack with an intense look. "There's no reason for their friendship to make you jealous either, you know."

Jack stared back at Jim, his mouth working but no sound coming out of it. After far too long a moment, he managed to splutter, "Of course not! Why on earth would I be jealous?"

Jim responded with a tight smile. "Blair and Daniel have been friends for fifteen years," he reminded Jack. "You'd be very unwise to try and come between them. But, having said that, in all that time they've never been anything more than friends. How you make use of that information is up to you, but I can tell you for certain that Daniel isn't interested in *Blair* that way – never has been and never will be."

With that, Jim gave Jack's shoulder a brief squeeze and then turned to collect his pack and head for the Gate Room.

Jack was left completely stunned by the conversation. The implications of what Jim had said sent his brain reeling. Was it possible that Jim had been suggesting Daniel might be interested in *him*? The context of their dialogue, and Jim's emphasis on Blair not being the object of Daniel's affections could certainly be construed that way. Jack had wanted to get closer to Daniel for a long time but had been afraid to test the waters because of the whole situation with Sha're. The last thing he wanted to do was lose Daniel because his hormones got in the way of his sensitivity.

Even Sha're's death hadn't created an opportunity, in fact serving to push Jack and Daniel further apart. Jack had desperately wanted to offer Daniel comfort but had been worried that he would be unable to give his friend the support he needed without his deeper feelings causing unwarranted complications in the situation. Daniel had found comfort elsewhere, in the company of Sandburg, and Jack's role in Daniel's life had become less certain. They were still friends – nothing had really changed – it was just that Sandburg's arrival on the scene had altered the group dynamic.

Now, though, Jim seemed to be suggesting that, while the position of Daniel's best friend might already be taken, there was an opening for Jack to take up the role in Daniel's life that he had wanted for so long – that of lover and partner.

Jack decided to take the plunge while the prospect was fresh in his mind, and before he had a chance to wimp out. As Daniel and Blair preceded him out of the room, he caught hold of Daniel's sleeve and held him back.

"Hey, Daniel," he said, his heart in his mouth. "How about dinner at my place when we get back from the mission."

Daniel momentarily looked as if someone had hit him in the back of the head with something heavy, then a smile spread across his face. "Sure, Jack, that would be great!"

A couple of strides ahead of them, Blair spun round to face them and waggled his eyebrows suggestively, grinning widely. "Looks like you don't need my help, after all," he chuckled, then jogged off to catch up with Jim.

"I thought it was Jim who had the super senses," Jack grumbled, but noticed that Daniel was still smiling.

"Oh, I don't think we'll be able to keep anything a secret from either of them," he mused. "Come on, we don't want to keep them waiting."

With that, they headed to the Gate Room, side by side.

THE END