Flying High
Author: Orrymain
Author Email: (Feedback welcome)
Author Website:
Category: Slash, Mini-Angst, Drama, Romance, Established Relationship
Pairing: Jack/Daniel ... and it's all J/D
Rating: PG-13
Season: Beyond the Series
Spoilers: None
Size: 38kb
Written: July 1-3,5,8, 2004
Summary: Jack takes Daniel to an unofficial Air Force Academy reunion. Things don't go smoothly, but while there, Daniel makes a discovery and decides to act on it.
Disclaimer: Usual disclaimers -- not mine, wish they were, especially Daniel, and Jack, too, but they aren't. A gal can dream though!
Notes:
1) Sometimes, Jack and Daniel speak almost telepathically. Their "silent" words to each other are indicated by asterisks instead of quotes, such as Jack, we can't.
2) Silent, unspoken thoughts by various characters are indicated with in front and behind them, such as Where am I?
3) This fic stands alone, but it does reference my past fics, "A Matter of Choice" and "Ten Months"
4) Thanks to my betas who always make my fics better: QuinGem, Claudia, Drdjlover!
Flying High
by Orrymain
It was an usually warm day in Colorado Springs, and Daniel was enjoying the bright, sunny day as he ran various errands. When he arrived home, he noticed the mail had been delivered and took it from its slot, carrying it into the house.
Sorting through the various bills, letters, and publications, he stopped at a letter addressed to Jack. He recognized the name of the sender -- Dale Rancolini -- as one of Jack's Academy buddies. His husband had spoken highly of the man whenever they talked about those days.
Daniel walked upstairs and leaned against the door frame, smiling at the sight he beheld. Jack was resting on the bed, both Bijou and Katie on his abdomen and chest, sleeping soundly.
"What watchdogs," Daniel said softly. Bijou looked up, as if taking exception to the comment. The young man smiled. "Sorry. You knew I was here, right?"
She immediately jumped off the bed and ran to him. It was her version of "Of course."
Daniel knelt down and petted her, rubbing behind her floppy ears for a few moments.
"I'll take some of that!"
Daniel looked up at Jack and laughed.
"You can scratch behind your own ears."
"You love Bij more than me," Jack pouted.
"She's prettier."
"Woof!" came the loving 'thank you' from the beagle.
"I get no respect," Jack whined as he sat up, holding Katie in his arms. She licked his face in response. "Ah, ya mutt," Jack laughed, putting the youngest dog down. Bijou woofed again, getting Katie's attention, and the two ran downstairs. "Smartest dogs in the world," Jack said as he stood and walked over to Daniel in the doorway.
"I agree, but what makes you say that now?"
"They just left us alone," Jack spoke as he took his husband in his arms.
"Mmm, yeah. Smart dogs."
The two moved together for a passionate kiss. Daniel still held the letter in his right hand as they huddled close.
"Get everything done?"
"Just about. I couldn't decide on the lawn mower, though. I think you need to look at them."
"Hey, how can it be so hard to buy a mower?"
"These days, it's like buying a car. Come with me tomorrow, and I'll show you what I mean."
"Okay," Jack said, moving back a bit. He had intended to take hold of his lover's hands, and that's when he noticed the letter. "What's that?"
"Your mail, your highness."
"Funny."
"Yeah, wasn't it?" Daniel spoke with a smirk.
"I'll get you, Doctor Jackson."
Jack began to wrestle with Daniel, who spoke, "O'Neill," as they landed on the floor.
"What?"
"Jackson-O'Neill. Get the name right."
"Oh yeah!" Jack smiled with pride as he looked down at Daniel.
It wasn't legal yet, but their lawyer was in the process of submitting all the necessary paperwork that would officially change their names to Jackson-O'Neill, something they'd decided to do once they knew they wanted a family.
"Well, Doctor Jackson-O'Neill, we can continue this or ..."
Daniel sighed as he answered, "This is one of those times that I don't want the 'or', but we've got a lot to do today."
They kissed again, and stood up. Jack picked up the letter that had fallen from Daniel's hand. He walked to the corner of the bed, sat down, and opened it.
"Wonder what Dale wants. Haven't talked to him in years. Geez, I think the last time Sara and I were still married."
Daniel sat down next to Jack as the older man read the letter. He saw the smile appear on his husband's face, and there was a brightness his warm brown eyes. Whatever it was, Jack liked it.
"Danny, Dale retired, and he and his wife have moved to Denver. They're having a reunion -- ten of us from the Academy who hung out a lot together.
"Jack ..."
"No, not them. Different group of friends," Jack answered the unspoken question.
Daniel was remembering another group of Jack's old buddies. That had been an impromptu reunion years earlier that had near disastrous results for Jack and Daniel.
"Man, Kent Stevens, Sean Douglas, Kevin Spencer ..."
Jack listed some of the names Dale had mentioned he was inviting. His voice was light, cheery. Clearly, Jack liked these men and was intrigued by the possibility of seeing them again.
"When is it?"
"Saturday. He says there'll be a barbecue, and they have a pool if the weather holds up. Spouses invited."
"You should go, Jack."
"Me? You mean 'we'."
"Jack, these are your Air Force buddies."
"So? Look ... 'bring your spouse'. You're my spouse."
"Jack, they might not ... I mean, you don't know how they'll react."
"Daniel, I love you. I'm proud of you. This is not going to be like it was in Phoenix when I acted like the biggest jerk in the world."
"I know that. That's not what I meant."
"If you don't want to come ..."
"No, that's not what I meant either."
"I don't want you to be uncomfortable," Jack said, his eyes clearly dimming at the thought of Daniel not going with him.
"Jack, you idiot," Daniel said, reaching over to cup his husband's face, and then kiss him. "I'm not ashamed of us. I was only thinking that you could go, have a fun afternoon with your old buddies, and they wouldn't have to know."
"I want them to know, Daniel. This is who I am. General Jack Jackson-O'Neill, retired and happily married to the most wonderful man in the entire universe. I worked hard to get here, and there is no way in Netu, I'm turning my back on everything I love for one afternoon."
"Gawd, I love you."
Jack grinned. He'd won the battle, and he knew it.
"You're coming then?"
"Yes, but Jack, be prepared, okay? Sometimes ..."
"I know."
"You need to give them a chance. They won't be expecting this."
"I love you, Angel," Jack whispered, leaning forward and guiding Daniel backwards.
He'd just decided the 'or' could wait ... and it did.
====
Jack and Daniel walked up to the door of Dale's home in Denver. Jack held a six-pack of beer and Daniel a bottle of wine as gifts for their hosts. Jack rang the bell, and after a moment, a woman with stunning jet black hair opened the door, a smile on her face as she did so.
"Hi, I'm Jack Jackson-O'Neill and ..."
"Oh, yes. Colonel O'Neill, I've heard so much about you. I'm Nancy, Dale's wife."
"It's nice to meet you, Ma'am, but I wouldn't believe a word you've heard!"
She laughed, then assured her visitor, "I'm sure it's all true. Where's your wife?"
Nancy looked around the two men expectantly. Daniel fidgeted a little. They hadn't even gotten through the door, and it had already begun.
"Uh, this is Daniel Jackson-O'Neill."
Jack smiled as he looked at his husband.
"And this is for you, Mrs. Rancolini," Daniel said, holding out the wine.
"Oh, thank you. All the men have been bringing ... beer," she said, gulping as she noticed what Jack was holding. She smiled politely. "Thank you. Why don't you two come in."
The two walked in, and Nancy shut the door.
"So, Mister Jackson ..."
"Doctor. He's a doctor, Ma'am," Jack said boastfully. "Daniel has so many initials after his name now that the President is thinking about making the alphabet an endangered species."
"Jack," Daniel responded shyly, folding his arms, and bowing his head.
"He's a little shy about being a genius."
"Jack!" Daniel glared at his husband this time. "She doesn't need a list of my degrees."
"I can get you one, Ma'am, if you ..."
"Jack. Stop. Gawd, you're incorrigible."
Nancy couldn't help but laugh. She liked these two men. Her thoughts were cut off when another one of the wives entered the foyer of the house.
"Nancy, we can't find ... oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you had more guests out here."
"That's all right, Kay. This is Kay Spencer."
"Kev's wife?" Jack asked enthusiastically.
"Yes, that's right."
"Kay, this is Jack ..." Suddenly, Nancy realized the significance of the hyphenated name she'd been given. She paused, her eyes staring at the two as if she couldn't believe what was going through her mind. 'I'm sorry, Colonel. Did you say ... I mean, I'm sure I must be wrong, but I thought ..."
"You heard right," Jack said seriously. "The name is Jackson-O'Neill."
"But didn't you say your name was ..." Nancy asked Daniel.
He nodded, and said softly, "Jackson-O'Neill."
"Oh my," Kay said.
There was a brief silence, a bit awkward, but then Nancy smiled.
"The men are in the backyard. Just go through the living room and follow the hallway. The patio door is on the left. You can't miss them."
"That's for sure. I'm not sure who is older ... Kevin or our youngest son," Kay laughed.
Jack nodded, and Daniel followed as they worked their way through the house according to Nancy's instructions.
Jack, maybe I ...
No. It'll be okay, Danny.
====
"JACK! You old dog!" Dale exclaimed, standing from the redwood chair he had been seated in.
"Dale, you're alive ... I think," Jack teased.
Dale called out to his guests who were scattered throughout his yard, "Guys, look who's decided to circulate with us peons."
"Peons?" Jack asked.
"Hey, Jack!" Kevin stepped forward, as did many others.
Daniel stayed a few steps behind, watching as Jack was greeted by Dale and the other guests. Apparently, they were the last to arrive, and he realized they had been thirty minutes late.
But Katie got scared after that transformer went out. It sounded like a bomb had gone off. She needed reassurance.
The young man smiled at the memory. He had suggested they take Bijou and Katie to their neighbor's house. The girls loved Mrs. Valissi, but Jack had insisted they stay, not caring if they were late or not. Daniel didn't really either, and it made him love Jack even more that he was willing to be late to a reunion just so they could comfort their youngest family member. Jack had held the beagle close for over twenty minutes, talking quietly to her, and refused to budge until he was positive she was calm and okay. Then, they did take the dogs to Mrs. Valissi's ... "just in case she gets scared again," Jack had said.
"Heard you made General, Jack," Dale said loudly.
"Someone at the Pentagon lost their mind. It was a fluke," Jack said nonchalantly.
"No, it wasn't. He earned that star," Daniel said adamantly.
"You're prejudiced."
Daniel shrugged, and at the same time, Sean asked, "Hey Bud, where's your wife?"
"Um, first, skip the Bud. That's not me. Never was. Second, she's with her husband. Great guy."
"Sorry, Jack," Dale said, regret in his voice.
Jack spoke enthusiastically, "I'm not." He reached out for Daniel who took his hand, moving in a few steps to stand beside his lover. "Guys, this is Daniel ... Jackson-O'Neill ... my husband."
Dead silence loomed over the backyard as nine stunned faces stared at Jack and Daniel. Some of their eyes were wide. A few looked surprised. A few seemed truly shocked. A couple had a look of complete acceptance. One pair of eyes, however, were very cold. They looked at Jack with hatred. Those were the eyes Daniel focused on with concern.
Then Dale laughed loudly.
"Oh, I get it. That's a good one! You were always great with a joke! Remember guys?"
"Yeah. You had me going there," Sean said.
"What a prankster," Kevin stated, adding, "I remember when you ..."
"I'm serious, Kevin," Jack said as he squeezed Daniel's hand. He looked at Dale. "Daniel and I are married. Do you want us to leave?"
Dale said nothing, still coming to terms with something he had never expected.
"Get out," Kent Stevens spoke up.
Daniel took a deep breath. The words came from the man with the cold eyes that were full of hate, a hate he could still see now.
"Calm down, Kent," Dale said, briefly looking back.
"CALM DOWN? He's a disgrace to the military, and he's a queer. He has no business being here with MEN."
"Kent ..." Kevin spoke, but before he could say anything more, Kent lunged at Jack, but Dale and others held him back.
"Jack, let's go," Daniel urged, not wanting to disturb the party any more than they had.
"No," Dale said again. He turned to Kent. "Kent, you're welcome to stay, but Jack here has been invited to this shindig, and I for one want to do a little catching up."
"With his kind?"
"Get out, Kent."
"HE'S A FREAK," Kent yelled, trying again to get to Jack.
Kevin, Sean, and Thomas Moreland held the angry man back. With a nod from Dale, they escorted the violent man inside the house. Dale turned back to Jack and Daniel.
"I'd like you to stay. We ... would like you to stay," Dale looked back at the others for an affirmation, and received it via nodding heads and a few smiles.
Jack nodded, but said again, "Are you sure?"
"Very. Jack O'Neill, married to another man. Who would have thought it?"
"Jackson-O'Neill," Jack corrected. "We've both changed our names."
It's not legal yet.
It will be, and I don't care if it's legal or not, Danny. It's who we are.
"How long have you ..." Brad White asked, his hand waving out in front of him.
"Married or together? We've been together almost eight years. Best friends before that."
"We still are," Daniel insisted.
"Yep. Daniel's right. Of course, he usually is. We've been married about eighteen months."
"He counts the days," Daniel teased.
"I do not." Seeing Daniel's stare, Jack shrugged, "What? So I'm glad we made it legal."
"Me, too ... at least, it's legal in some parts of the world," Daniel agreed, a smile on his face.
The three men who had escorted Kent out returned, hearing the last part of the conversation.
Kevin said, "You were a general and ... um ..."
"We don't like labels," Jack answered, "but yes. No one knew. Well, almost no one."
"How the heck did you manage to hide it, Jack?" Sean asked.
"By hiding in plain sight. As best friends, we did everything together anyway. Daniel was practically living at my house long before we got involved."
"I did live at your house, Jack."
"Our house."
"But it wasn't our house then."
"I always thought of it as ours."
"But it wasn't."
"Was, too, in all the ways that mattered."
Daniel smiled, stopping himself from continuing the banter, especially having seen Dale and the others watching them from the corner of his eye. Jack moved at that point, releasing Daniel's hand, and putting his arm around his waist, tugging him close.
"I just can't believe you got away with it," Thomas stated, shaking his head in disbelief.
"I didn't tell. They didn't ask. Yadda yadda."
"I guess it might have been different if you were military, Mister ..."
"It's Doctor ..."
"Jack, don't start," Daniel said, dreading the degree discussion again.
Jack laughed.
"You're a doctor?"
"Of archaeology."
"And ..."
"Jack!"
"Oops. I'm about to get in trouble." Daniel moved out of Jack's hold as he glared at him, then turned back to the others. As soon as he wasn't looking, Jack mouthed, "And of anthropology and heaven knows what else."
Daniel noticed the focus of the others and turned to Jack, who quickly closed his mouth and acted innocent. The young man turned back.
"Just call me Daniel."
Jack raised his left hand so that it was slightly above his husband's head and pointed down. He smiled and mouthed slowly and distinctly, "Certified genius."
"JACK!"
"What?"
"Stop!"
"I can't help it."
"Yes, you can. Use some self-control."
"Don't have any."
"You do, too."
"Do not."
"Do, too."
"Nope. Not any ... where you're concerned."
"Gawd," Daniel said, exasperated. "Next time I'm leaving you home with the girls." Suddenly, Daniel froze, realizing they had just put on one of their shows for Jack's old Academy buddies. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Why do I let you do this to me?"
"Because you love me," Jack beamed with pride.
Daniel shook his head, nervously looking at the others in the backyard.
"He has me there. I do ... love him."
The men laughed, and then gathered around the two, leading them to where several chairs were assembled. The awkwardness was over, and from that point on, the reunion went smoothly.
After a while, the wives joined their husbands. Nancy had already filled them in about Jack's and Daniel's relationship, and they had witnessed Kent's departure from the house, so they were already used to the idea of Jack and Daniel as a couple. The women, of course, flocked to Daniel, fussing over him for the remainder of the afternoon.
====
The party had been a great success and was still going strong as evening came. Two couples had left, but everyone else was still present, scattered into small groups. Daniel had been in the living room of the home, chatting with John Sierra and his wife about Egypt, the couple having been there several times. After a while, he excused himself to see what Jack was up to.
Four of the men -- Jack, Dale, Kevin, and Sean -- were seated near the outdoor grill. Each had a beer. Daniel ended up standing just out of their sight, next to a storage shed. The conversation had captured his attention.
"There's nothing like it," Dale said.
"Nothing in this world," Kevin agreed.
"I miss it," Jack commented, his voice low and full of regret.
"Don't you fly, Jack?" Dale asked.
"Sometimes. My, uh ... assignment over the last few years didn't give me much of a chance to fly jets. I had my moments, though."
"The real beauty is to own a plane."
"Barb and I have one," Sean said. "We go flying at least twice a month. Just follow the clouds."
"Geez, I'd like that."
"You sound like you really do miss it, Jack?"
"Yeah, I guess I do. Being up there is ... peaceful. Heck, you guys know how it is. There aren't any words for it."
Dale agreed, then stated firmly, "You should fly."
"Oh. Daniel and I go sometimes. He surprised me a bunch of years ago with a rental plane. Went up to Bryce Canyon and watched the sunset. It was great."
Dale's face matched his words as he agreed with his friend -- "Flying is always fantastic."
"It is with Daniel," Jack said softly. He got lost in memories, then suddenly became aware he had drifted away from the conversation and gave his friends a apologetic grin. "I remember looking over at him that first time. He was looking out, studying the clouds. Daniel studies everything. He was absolutely beautiful. I wanted to freeze that moment."
"You are gone, aren't you, Jack?"
"Oh yeah, big time."
"Does Daniel like to fly?" Kevin asked.
"He says he does. I think he endures it for me."
"Well, my friend, you need to get a plane, start flying the skies, go to Oshkosh."
"Oshkosh. Now that's a blast," Sean acknowledged. "I've gone there for years. We pitch a tent under the wing and camp out."
"Of the plane?" Jack asked.
"It's the only way to do it, Jack," Dale added. "Nance and I have gone several times. There's so much to do there. It's grown a lot, but the true adventure is to fly in and camp out under your own plane."
"So you have a plane?" Jack asked his host.
"Sure do. Went into hock for it, but it's well worth it."
"What kind do you have?" Sean asked.
"Cessna 421C Golden Eagle. Love it. What do you have, Sean?"
"All I could afford -- a Lancair IV-P."
"You built it?"
"Yeah. Now that was an experience, but it's the only way we'd have ever been able to get a plane."
"Jack, ever thought about what kind of plane you'd like?"
"Something classic. I've thought about a Piper, I think I'd rather have a Meyers."
"There aren't many of those around, and I would have thought you'd want something feistier," Sean commented.
"No. I've had my fun with those. When I go flying now, it's with a different purpose. I've read about the Meyers 200. They have speed and are well-built."
"Why don't you buy a plane?" Dale asked.
"Too indulgent. That's a big expenditure just for me. We have other things we should put our money into ... like a new business we're trying to get off the ground. No. I can't see it."
From his hidden spot, Daniel thought, Right. Like getting me a fancy sports car, building me a den that's like a luxury suite ... we spend so much on me.
Jack continued, "It's a great dream, though. Have you seen the Meyers?"
Dale shook his head, but Sean nodded, and Kevin said, "I saw one last year. Cool aircraft."
"That's what I'd want -- a true classic, the 200A or B, I think. Blue. Has to be blue."
"Blue?" Sean asked.
"Yeah, blue."
From behind the shed, Daniel was glad that his lover didn't elaborate. Jack had a major blue fetish. He figured if he had a nickel for every time Jack said, did, bought, or thought about something "bringing out the blue in your eyes, Daniel" that he'd be a millionaire.
"Speaking of blue," Dale said, "Any of you guys want another Pabst?"
The group stood, deciding to stretch and walk to the cooler to pick up another beer. Jack decided to do a search for his lover, but he didn't have to go far. When he turned around, Daniel was standing there, smiling.
"Hey," Daniel said.
"Hey."
Dale laughed as he walked to them, handing each a brew.
"I'm getting used to it," he said quietly. "You know you could have warned us, Jack."
"Yes, but what would you have said?"
"I honestly don't know. I'm sorry about Kent."
"We've dealt with worse."
"A lot worse," Daniel added.
Another couple left, and finally, as 9 p.m. approached, Jack and Daniel decided they should leave.
"Ah, come on, Jack."
They were all having a great time, the living room where everyone was now congregated was full of jovial and laughing adults.
"We need to home and get the girls."
"Girls?" Dale asked.
"Beagles. They're great, and they're with a neighbor."
"Dogs. Just like children."
"Yeah, we know," Jack smiled. "And we'll find out soon enough."
Suddenly, the room was quiet, once again the guests staring at the two. Jack cleared his throat.
"We're having a family. Don't ask about the details, but soon."
"Wow," Dale said.
"You're a frickin' General," Sean shook his head. For a moment, Daniel thought it was derogatory, but then he saw the smile and the amazed expression. "Way to go, Jack!"
"It's been a pleasure meeting all of you," Daniel said, and then ten minutes later, he and Jack were finally on their way home.
All in all, they considered the evening a success, and they were glad they had decided to test the waters. Unlike the experience in Phoenix, this one had been positive, and in the process, Jack had been reacquainted with some old friends that he hoped he'd stay in touch with in the future.
====
Several weeks later, on a Saturday morning, Daniel stood in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on a picnic lunch. Jack was still upstairs dressing, full of curiosity about what was on the day's agenda. All he knew was that they had plans, and Daniel was handling all of it.
Dressed in his blue jeans, Jack walked into the kitchen just as Daniel was about to place a bag of potato chips into the basket. Jack had just pulled on his tan shirt so it was unbuttoned.
"Daniel, are you going to tell me where ..."
At that precise moment, Daniel turned to see his husband. Instantly, he dropped the chips, the bag dropping to the floor.
"Oh, gawd," he said, moving aggressively forward towards Jack.
"What?" Jack asked in complete surprise.
Daniel pushed his lover against the refrigerator as he devoured him with kiss after kiss.
"So sexy. You should be outlawed, O'Neill."
"Jackson-O'Neill," the older man corrected.
"Yeah, him, too," Daniel panted just before starting another deep kiss, his hands fondling Jack's chest wantonly.
"Danny, you keep doing this, and we're never going to get wherever the heck it is we're going. Of course, I'm fine with this," Jack said, then dived in to explore Daniel's mouth again.
"OH, SHIBATWRAY!" Daniel turned, continuing to curse in Abydonian and several other languages from what Jack could make out.
He was still muttering as he picked up the bag of chips and put it in the basket.
"Geez, what you do to me, Angel."
"I haven't done anything yet," Daniel moaned in regret. "But I will. You can count on that."
"So, are you going to tell me where ..."
"Jack."
"What?"
"Button your shirt. All the way ... including the top."
"Huh?"
Daniel glared as he spoke with irritation, "BUTTON YOUR FREAKIN' SHIRT, O'NEILL."
"Jackson-O'Neill," Jack grinned as he taunted his lover with sliding fingers down his chest as he reached for the buttons to do as requested.
"Yeah, him, too."
His shirt buttoned, Jack ambled over to stand behind his lover. He kissed his nape as his hands wrapped around Daniel's waist.
"You make me feel so young, Danny."
"You are young, Jack."
"I am when I'm with you. Where we are going, Love?"
"You'll see. Are you ready?"
"Yep."
"Get the girls."
"They're coming?"
"This is a family outing."
"Okay, I'll round 'em up and move 'em out."
"Jack, they're our girls, not cattle."
Jack laughed as he headed for the living room to get the harnesses and put them on Bijou and Katie.
====
"I'm driving," Daniel announced as they walked outside, "and we're taking the truck."
"Okay."
Jack could tell Daniel had a very definite plan. He had known something was up for a couple of weeks. Daniel had been inexplicably absent the night before for a couple of hours, and during the past few weeks, he'd been on the computer a bit more than normal, often lowering his laptop whenever Jack walked in. For a while, the older man figured it was his imagination, but now, he knew, whatever it was had been leading up to this family event.
"You're up to something, Danny," Jack said with a smile.
"No, really?" Daniel responded dryly, then smiling as he took his spot in the driver's seat.
Once the rest of the family was in place, Daniel began their commute.
====
"The Airport?" Jack looked around, finally knowing their destination. "Danny, why are we going to Meadow Lake Airport?"
Daniel said nothing as he ventured to the parking area for private planes. Getting out of the truck, Daniel said, "I'll take the girls. Jack, grab the picnic basket and that box in the back, okay?"
Jack took hold of the items, and Daniel locked the truck. The younger man began walking towards an area where a few of the planes sat in the open. Jack followed obediently, confused.
"Hey, look at this Cessna. It's the latest thing from what I've heard. Don't you think it's ..." Daniel realized he was standing alone with the girls. His lover had veered off to the right. "Jack?"
"Danny, look at this beauty. Do you know these planes were hand built. They're the Rolls Royce of aircraft."
"Are they?"
"Oh yeah," Jack said, lost in the wonder of the Meyers 200A he was gazing at. "They're made of 4130 Chrome moly tubing. This baby is strong and flexible. Hmm, I'd love to fly her."
"What makes it so great?"
"Like I said, it was literally put together, piece by piece, not on some assembly line. Easy entry to the cabin and baggage compartment, comfortable, roomy seats, and a pretty good view. They're better on later models, but still, the 200A is plenty good. See -- it has wraparound windows."
"Sounds great ... I guess," Daniel said with a shrug, not really knowing that much about airplanes.
"And that's just the aesthetics, Babe. The instruments are laid out great, all the primary instruments in front of the pilot, the radios center-stacked and easily accessible, and it's quiet. Some of these planes are so noisy, but this one is just a low rumble, kinda a throaty sound. Take off is supposed to be a breeze, and even the landing gear is unique because it can ..."
Jack stopped, looking at his soulmate.
"I was about to get very technical."
"That's okay. You like this better than that top-of-the-line modern plane right there?" he asked, motioning at the Cessna.
"It's just that it's such a well put together plane, Danny. It has a fantastic safety record, and these wonders are fast. Do you know they used to have stockplane races, and Meyers won all the time, beating Beech, Piper, and Cessna routinely? Boy, what I'd give to fly her ... just once."
"How about a kiss?"
"What?" Jack asked, turning to face his lover.
"Would you give a kiss, right here on the spot?" Jack stood confused. "Jack, kiss me."
A bit dazed, Jack kissed his lover soundly. A bit lower to the ground, Bijou yawned and Katie scratched her ears.
"Mmm," Daniel said, pleased with the kiss. "Since you kept your part of the bargain, I guess I'll just have to let you fly this bird."
Daniel reached into his pocket, revealing a key ring with a couple of keys on it. He dangled them in the air in front of Jack's face.
"Daniel?"
"Come on, Fly Boy. It's a perfect day for flying."
Daniel unlocked the doors to the plane, then tossed the keys to Jack, who was so stunned, he almost dropped the keys to the ground. He stood motionless as he watched Daniel get the two dogs settled into the plane.
"Hey, are you going to fly this thing, or am I?"
"Danny, what did you do?"
"Jack, take me flying."
Jack shook his head, trying to wake himself up from the dream he was having, but then he moved to the plane to check it out on the inside.
"We didn't bring all of this today ... did we?"
Jack looked at the plane. There was a nice-sized basket for the two beagles, a few toys for them to play with, a special water dispenser so they could get a drink as desired, and some treats. For the two lovers, there was the picnic basket, a couple of blankets, and other items.
"Jack, this is safe for the girls, isn't it? I mean, I checked it out, but ..."
"Oh yeah. It's definitely safe."
Finally snapping out of his daze, Jack began a detailed pre-flight check.
"Um, do we have an itinerary?"
"I have no clue what this stuff means, but I've been told it's everything you need to know."
Jack took the flight plan and reviewed it.
"Looks good."
====
"We aren't stealing this, are we?" Jack said with a smile just as he started their taxi to the runway.
"A little late to ask, Jack. Let's just ... fly, okay?"
"Wow, that's smooth," Jack said as the plane lifted off.
Daniel looked back at the beagles, both smiling, looking out the window.
"The girls seem okay."
"Flying is in their blood."
Daniel laughed, then turned to study his lover's face. He knew he'd done the right thing. His lover was happy. Sparkling eyes said all Daniel needed to know.
====
"This has really been nice, Danny," Jack said as he lay back on his husband's legs.
Daniel ran his hand through his lover's hair and leaned over for a kiss. The two beagles were lying down in front of Daniel, taking in the view of the new place.
The flight plan had taken the Jackson-O'Neills to Laramie, Wyoming. They parked the plane at the regional airport and then set off in a rental car to find a suitable picnic area, finally settling on their current location. It wasn't as private as they were used to, but they managed to find an area not too populated with visitors.
They had enjoyed their picnic lunch, and playtime with the girls, and now were relaxing. They'd have to leave soon to return to the airport and head back for Colorado Springs.
"We should do this more often," Daniel said.
"Anytime you want to rent a plane, I'm game," Jack said, his voice soft and full of delight.
Why didn't I do this sooner? Daniel thought.
"Jack, I didn't rent the plane."
Jack's eyes that had been closed in a peaceful rest flew open.
"Please don't tell me we stole the plane."
"No, Love, we didn't steal the plane."
Jack got lost in thought. He turned on his right side, leaning on his right elbow.
"Daniel, what did you do?"
"Do you like the plane?"
"I love the pla...ne," Jack stuttered, sitting up opposite his soulmate. "You bought it?"
"No, I wouldn't do that."
"Danny, I'm feeling like we're off-world and ..."
Daniel laughed and then surprised Jack by kissing him.
"I love you, Jack."
"And I love you. What does that have to do with the plane?"
"I didn't buy it, but I have a tentative agreement to buy, pending your trial run, which is ... well, what we're doing now."
"Do you know how much this would cost?"
"Oh yeah. One of the reasons I've been so secretive with my laptop lately is because I've been researching. I've spent a lot of time, Jack, going over our finances -- the things we like to do, our lifestyle, the children we're about to have ... all the things we want for our future. The truth is ... we may not be rich, but we're doing well. Jack, we don't owe anything ..."
"What about our business? That's going to take a chunk ..."
"I want this, Jack."
"Why?"
"A lot of reasons." Jack waited for Daniel to continue. "Because of all the things you've done for me. I couldn't list them all, Jack, if I tried. I wanted, for once, to do something really wild and crazy for you ... and because of how you looked when you were piloting her. I love that look; and because it will give us a freedom we're probably going to need when we have our children; and ... and because I love you, and I want you to have what you want. I ... I want to indulge you the same way you do me, like with the Silver Fox."
Jack blinked, something clicking in his mind.
"You heard."
Daniel smiled and nodded.
"Jack, you've given me everything I could ever want. Let me do this. We can afford it. Is it a luxury? Sure, but you're worth it, and it's not just for you." Daniel cupped his lover's face with his hands. "I love to fly with you. Being up there is incredible. There's no baggage up there. It's just ... us and the heavens. If we do this, it'll be for both of us ... and for our family."
Daniel kissed his husband tenderly, his fingers caressing Jack's face.
"You are so amazing. I can't believe I have you."
"Well, you do. Listen, I have all the specifics at the house. Neil -- he's the owner -- is willing to let us take another test run of your choice, and of course, we can have it checked out. He's a bit of a paper freak; he has all the documents and flight information since he bought it, and what he was given at the time. I don't know much about planes, but I tried to make sure this was the perfect one."
"It would be except for ..."
"I already checked that out, too. If we buy it, you can indulge your obsession."
"Yeah?" Jack asked perkily.
Daniel rolled his eyes and then spoke, "Can't have you blue-deprived!"
"Geez, I love you. We'll look it over together, go over everything, and make a decision, okay?"
"Okay. I love you, too, Jack; and one more thing. I thought we'd check out that Oshkosh event. It sounds like a lot of fun."
"Not sure if we could get there at this late date."
"Sure we can, at least for a weekend. We fly in, pitch the tent, and see what's happening."
"Have I mentioned that you're amazing, and I love you?"
"No. Tell me again."
... and Jack did, just before the two kissed under a shady tree in a secluded part of a Laramie park.
====
"Ten more minutes, Love, and we'll be landing. Danny, did you figure a storage hangar in those figures of yours?"
"Yes, I did. I didn't know, though, if you wanted to use Meadow Lake or the Springs airport."
"Not sure. We'll discuss it when we look at the figures."
Jack looked out over the distance, the thought of regularly going on small flights with his family warmed his heart. He found himself smiling, and then whistling.
"You're happy," Daniel said, a huge smile on his face.
"Danny, I've been happy since the first day you said you loved me. Right now, though, I feel like we're flying high, and nothing can touch us up here. It's like ..."
"Home," both said in unison, exchanging big smiles.
"It's crazy, Danny."
"We're crazy."
"I can't argue with that. She'll need a name."
"You name your planes?"
"Sure. Every plane has a personality."
Daniel thought, reviewing their day and all the changes happening in their lives.
"Jack, why don't we call it what you said. I mean, it's how we feel."
"Flying High?"
"Yeah, the Flying High, taking us to new heights and new adventures, together, as a family."
Jack grinned and nodded.
"Okay, the Flying High it is." After a minute, Jack added, "She needs a nickname. You know how I am about nicknames."
"Please don't remind me."
"I won't ... Space Monkey."
Daniel laughed in spite of himself, and then he suggested, "How about Jo?"
"Jo? J-O?"
"Yeah! It's the perfect name."
"Woof! Woof!" came two barks of agreement from their basket.
"It's unanimous," Jack said.
The final decision all but made, Jack, Daniel, Bijou, Katie ... and Jo returned home to Colorado Springs. It was yet another adjustment in their lives, but one that would soar with fun and adventure for the entire family as the days and weeks passed, and the Jackson-O'Neill family grew.
Finis - Finished - Done - The End - But is it ever Really?
Author: Orrymain
Author Email: (Feedback welcome)
Author Website:
Category: Slash, Mini-Angst, Drama, Romance, Established Relationship
Pairing: Jack/Daniel ... and it's all J/D
Rating: PG-13
Season: Beyond the Series
Spoilers: None
Size: 38kb
Written: July 1-3,5,8, 2004
Summary: Jack takes Daniel to an unofficial Air Force Academy reunion. Things don't go smoothly, but while there, Daniel makes a discovery and decides to act on it.
Disclaimer: Usual disclaimers -- not mine, wish they were, especially Daniel, and Jack, too, but they aren't. A gal can dream though!
Notes:
1) Sometimes, Jack and Daniel speak almost telepathically. Their "silent" words to each other are indicated by asterisks instead of quotes, such as Jack, we can't.
2) Silent, unspoken thoughts by various characters are indicated with in front and behind them, such as Where am I?
3) This fic stands alone, but it does reference my past fics, "A Matter of Choice" and "Ten Months"
4) Thanks to my betas who always make my fics better: QuinGem, Claudia, Drdjlover!
Flying High
by Orrymain
It was an usually warm day in Colorado Springs, and Daniel was enjoying the bright, sunny day as he ran various errands. When he arrived home, he noticed the mail had been delivered and took it from its slot, carrying it into the house.
Sorting through the various bills, letters, and publications, he stopped at a letter addressed to Jack. He recognized the name of the sender -- Dale Rancolini -- as one of Jack's Academy buddies. His husband had spoken highly of the man whenever they talked about those days.
Daniel walked upstairs and leaned against the door frame, smiling at the sight he beheld. Jack was resting on the bed, both Bijou and Katie on his abdomen and chest, sleeping soundly.
"What watchdogs," Daniel said softly. Bijou looked up, as if taking exception to the comment. The young man smiled. "Sorry. You knew I was here, right?"
She immediately jumped off the bed and ran to him. It was her version of "Of course."
Daniel knelt down and petted her, rubbing behind her floppy ears for a few moments.
"I'll take some of that!"
Daniel looked up at Jack and laughed.
"You can scratch behind your own ears."
"You love Bij more than me," Jack pouted.
"She's prettier."
"Woof!" came the loving 'thank you' from the beagle.
"I get no respect," Jack whined as he sat up, holding Katie in his arms. She licked his face in response. "Ah, ya mutt," Jack laughed, putting the youngest dog down. Bijou woofed again, getting Katie's attention, and the two ran downstairs. "Smartest dogs in the world," Jack said as he stood and walked over to Daniel in the doorway.
"I agree, but what makes you say that now?"
"They just left us alone," Jack spoke as he took his husband in his arms.
"Mmm, yeah. Smart dogs."
The two moved together for a passionate kiss. Daniel still held the letter in his right hand as they huddled close.
"Get everything done?"
"Just about. I couldn't decide on the lawn mower, though. I think you need to look at them."
"Hey, how can it be so hard to buy a mower?"
"These days, it's like buying a car. Come with me tomorrow, and I'll show you what I mean."
"Okay," Jack said, moving back a bit. He had intended to take hold of his lover's hands, and that's when he noticed the letter. "What's that?"
"Your mail, your highness."
"Funny."
"Yeah, wasn't it?" Daniel spoke with a smirk.
"I'll get you, Doctor Jackson."
Jack began to wrestle with Daniel, who spoke, "O'Neill," as they landed on the floor.
"What?"
"Jackson-O'Neill. Get the name right."
"Oh yeah!" Jack smiled with pride as he looked down at Daniel.
It wasn't legal yet, but their lawyer was in the process of submitting all the necessary paperwork that would officially change their names to Jackson-O'Neill, something they'd decided to do once they knew they wanted a family.
"Well, Doctor Jackson-O'Neill, we can continue this or ..."
Daniel sighed as he answered, "This is one of those times that I don't want the 'or', but we've got a lot to do today."
They kissed again, and stood up. Jack picked up the letter that had fallen from Daniel's hand. He walked to the corner of the bed, sat down, and opened it.
"Wonder what Dale wants. Haven't talked to him in years. Geez, I think the last time Sara and I were still married."
Daniel sat down next to Jack as the older man read the letter. He saw the smile appear on his husband's face, and there was a brightness his warm brown eyes. Whatever it was, Jack liked it.
"Danny, Dale retired, and he and his wife have moved to Denver. They're having a reunion -- ten of us from the Academy who hung out a lot together.
"Jack ..."
"No, not them. Different group of friends," Jack answered the unspoken question.
Daniel was remembering another group of Jack's old buddies. That had been an impromptu reunion years earlier that had near disastrous results for Jack and Daniel.
"Man, Kent Stevens, Sean Douglas, Kevin Spencer ..."
Jack listed some of the names Dale had mentioned he was inviting. His voice was light, cheery. Clearly, Jack liked these men and was intrigued by the possibility of seeing them again.
"When is it?"
"Saturday. He says there'll be a barbecue, and they have a pool if the weather holds up. Spouses invited."
"You should go, Jack."
"Me? You mean 'we'."
"Jack, these are your Air Force buddies."
"So? Look ... 'bring your spouse'. You're my spouse."
"Jack, they might not ... I mean, you don't know how they'll react."
"Daniel, I love you. I'm proud of you. This is not going to be like it was in Phoenix when I acted like the biggest jerk in the world."
"I know that. That's not what I meant."
"If you don't want to come ..."
"No, that's not what I meant either."
"I don't want you to be uncomfortable," Jack said, his eyes clearly dimming at the thought of Daniel not going with him.
"Jack, you idiot," Daniel said, reaching over to cup his husband's face, and then kiss him. "I'm not ashamed of us. I was only thinking that you could go, have a fun afternoon with your old buddies, and they wouldn't have to know."
"I want them to know, Daniel. This is who I am. General Jack Jackson-O'Neill, retired and happily married to the most wonderful man in the entire universe. I worked hard to get here, and there is no way in Netu, I'm turning my back on everything I love for one afternoon."
"Gawd, I love you."
Jack grinned. He'd won the battle, and he knew it.
"You're coming then?"
"Yes, but Jack, be prepared, okay? Sometimes ..."
"I know."
"You need to give them a chance. They won't be expecting this."
"I love you, Angel," Jack whispered, leaning forward and guiding Daniel backwards.
He'd just decided the 'or' could wait ... and it did.
====
Jack and Daniel walked up to the door of Dale's home in Denver. Jack held a six-pack of beer and Daniel a bottle of wine as gifts for their hosts. Jack rang the bell, and after a moment, a woman with stunning jet black hair opened the door, a smile on her face as she did so.
"Hi, I'm Jack Jackson-O'Neill and ..."
"Oh, yes. Colonel O'Neill, I've heard so much about you. I'm Nancy, Dale's wife."
"It's nice to meet you, Ma'am, but I wouldn't believe a word you've heard!"
She laughed, then assured her visitor, "I'm sure it's all true. Where's your wife?"
Nancy looked around the two men expectantly. Daniel fidgeted a little. They hadn't even gotten through the door, and it had already begun.
"Uh, this is Daniel Jackson-O'Neill."
Jack smiled as he looked at his husband.
"And this is for you, Mrs. Rancolini," Daniel said, holding out the wine.
"Oh, thank you. All the men have been bringing ... beer," she said, gulping as she noticed what Jack was holding. She smiled politely. "Thank you. Why don't you two come in."
The two walked in, and Nancy shut the door.
"So, Mister Jackson ..."
"Doctor. He's a doctor, Ma'am," Jack said boastfully. "Daniel has so many initials after his name now that the President is thinking about making the alphabet an endangered species."
"Jack," Daniel responded shyly, folding his arms, and bowing his head.
"He's a little shy about being a genius."
"Jack!" Daniel glared at his husband this time. "She doesn't need a list of my degrees."
"I can get you one, Ma'am, if you ..."
"Jack. Stop. Gawd, you're incorrigible."
Nancy couldn't help but laugh. She liked these two men. Her thoughts were cut off when another one of the wives entered the foyer of the house.
"Nancy, we can't find ... oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you had more guests out here."
"That's all right, Kay. This is Kay Spencer."
"Kev's wife?" Jack asked enthusiastically.
"Yes, that's right."
"Kay, this is Jack ..." Suddenly, Nancy realized the significance of the hyphenated name she'd been given. She paused, her eyes staring at the two as if she couldn't believe what was going through her mind. 'I'm sorry, Colonel. Did you say ... I mean, I'm sure I must be wrong, but I thought ..."
"You heard right," Jack said seriously. "The name is Jackson-O'Neill."
"But didn't you say your name was ..." Nancy asked Daniel.
He nodded, and said softly, "Jackson-O'Neill."
"Oh my," Kay said.
There was a brief silence, a bit awkward, but then Nancy smiled.
"The men are in the backyard. Just go through the living room and follow the hallway. The patio door is on the left. You can't miss them."
"That's for sure. I'm not sure who is older ... Kevin or our youngest son," Kay laughed.
Jack nodded, and Daniel followed as they worked their way through the house according to Nancy's instructions.
Jack, maybe I ...
No. It'll be okay, Danny.
====
"JACK! You old dog!" Dale exclaimed, standing from the redwood chair he had been seated in.
"Dale, you're alive ... I think," Jack teased.
Dale called out to his guests who were scattered throughout his yard, "Guys, look who's decided to circulate with us peons."
"Peons?" Jack asked.
"Hey, Jack!" Kevin stepped forward, as did many others.
Daniel stayed a few steps behind, watching as Jack was greeted by Dale and the other guests. Apparently, they were the last to arrive, and he realized they had been thirty minutes late.
But Katie got scared after that transformer went out. It sounded like a bomb had gone off. She needed reassurance.
The young man smiled at the memory. He had suggested they take Bijou and Katie to their neighbor's house. The girls loved Mrs. Valissi, but Jack had insisted they stay, not caring if they were late or not. Daniel didn't really either, and it made him love Jack even more that he was willing to be late to a reunion just so they could comfort their youngest family member. Jack had held the beagle close for over twenty minutes, talking quietly to her, and refused to budge until he was positive she was calm and okay. Then, they did take the dogs to Mrs. Valissi's ... "just in case she gets scared again," Jack had said.
"Heard you made General, Jack," Dale said loudly.
"Someone at the Pentagon lost their mind. It was a fluke," Jack said nonchalantly.
"No, it wasn't. He earned that star," Daniel said adamantly.
"You're prejudiced."
Daniel shrugged, and at the same time, Sean asked, "Hey Bud, where's your wife?"
"Um, first, skip the Bud. That's not me. Never was. Second, she's with her husband. Great guy."
"Sorry, Jack," Dale said, regret in his voice.
Jack spoke enthusiastically, "I'm not." He reached out for Daniel who took his hand, moving in a few steps to stand beside his lover. "Guys, this is Daniel ... Jackson-O'Neill ... my husband."
Dead silence loomed over the backyard as nine stunned faces stared at Jack and Daniel. Some of their eyes were wide. A few looked surprised. A few seemed truly shocked. A couple had a look of complete acceptance. One pair of eyes, however, were very cold. They looked at Jack with hatred. Those were the eyes Daniel focused on with concern.
Then Dale laughed loudly.
"Oh, I get it. That's a good one! You were always great with a joke! Remember guys?"
"Yeah. You had me going there," Sean said.
"What a prankster," Kevin stated, adding, "I remember when you ..."
"I'm serious, Kevin," Jack said as he squeezed Daniel's hand. He looked at Dale. "Daniel and I are married. Do you want us to leave?"
Dale said nothing, still coming to terms with something he had never expected.
"Get out," Kent Stevens spoke up.
Daniel took a deep breath. The words came from the man with the cold eyes that were full of hate, a hate he could still see now.
"Calm down, Kent," Dale said, briefly looking back.
"CALM DOWN? He's a disgrace to the military, and he's a queer. He has no business being here with MEN."
"Kent ..." Kevin spoke, but before he could say anything more, Kent lunged at Jack, but Dale and others held him back.
"Jack, let's go," Daniel urged, not wanting to disturb the party any more than they had.
"No," Dale said again. He turned to Kent. "Kent, you're welcome to stay, but Jack here has been invited to this shindig, and I for one want to do a little catching up."
"With his kind?"
"Get out, Kent."
"HE'S A FREAK," Kent yelled, trying again to get to Jack.
Kevin, Sean, and Thomas Moreland held the angry man back. With a nod from Dale, they escorted the violent man inside the house. Dale turned back to Jack and Daniel.
"I'd like you to stay. We ... would like you to stay," Dale looked back at the others for an affirmation, and received it via nodding heads and a few smiles.
Jack nodded, but said again, "Are you sure?"
"Very. Jack O'Neill, married to another man. Who would have thought it?"
"Jackson-O'Neill," Jack corrected. "We've both changed our names."
It's not legal yet.
It will be, and I don't care if it's legal or not, Danny. It's who we are.
"How long have you ..." Brad White asked, his hand waving out in front of him.
"Married or together? We've been together almost eight years. Best friends before that."
"We still are," Daniel insisted.
"Yep. Daniel's right. Of course, he usually is. We've been married about eighteen months."
"He counts the days," Daniel teased.
"I do not." Seeing Daniel's stare, Jack shrugged, "What? So I'm glad we made it legal."
"Me, too ... at least, it's legal in some parts of the world," Daniel agreed, a smile on his face.
The three men who had escorted Kent out returned, hearing the last part of the conversation.
Kevin said, "You were a general and ... um ..."
"We don't like labels," Jack answered, "but yes. No one knew. Well, almost no one."
"How the heck did you manage to hide it, Jack?" Sean asked.
"By hiding in plain sight. As best friends, we did everything together anyway. Daniel was practically living at my house long before we got involved."
"I did live at your house, Jack."
"Our house."
"But it wasn't our house then."
"I always thought of it as ours."
"But it wasn't."
"Was, too, in all the ways that mattered."
Daniel smiled, stopping himself from continuing the banter, especially having seen Dale and the others watching them from the corner of his eye. Jack moved at that point, releasing Daniel's hand, and putting his arm around his waist, tugging him close.
"I just can't believe you got away with it," Thomas stated, shaking his head in disbelief.
"I didn't tell. They didn't ask. Yadda yadda."
"I guess it might have been different if you were military, Mister ..."
"It's Doctor ..."
"Jack, don't start," Daniel said, dreading the degree discussion again.
Jack laughed.
"You're a doctor?"
"Of archaeology."
"And ..."
"Jack!"
"Oops. I'm about to get in trouble." Daniel moved out of Jack's hold as he glared at him, then turned back to the others. As soon as he wasn't looking, Jack mouthed, "And of anthropology and heaven knows what else."
Daniel noticed the focus of the others and turned to Jack, who quickly closed his mouth and acted innocent. The young man turned back.
"Just call me Daniel."
Jack raised his left hand so that it was slightly above his husband's head and pointed down. He smiled and mouthed slowly and distinctly, "Certified genius."
"JACK!"
"What?"
"Stop!"
"I can't help it."
"Yes, you can. Use some self-control."
"Don't have any."
"You do, too."
"Do not."
"Do, too."
"Nope. Not any ... where you're concerned."
"Gawd," Daniel said, exasperated. "Next time I'm leaving you home with the girls." Suddenly, Daniel froze, realizing they had just put on one of their shows for Jack's old Academy buddies. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Why do I let you do this to me?"
"Because you love me," Jack beamed with pride.
Daniel shook his head, nervously looking at the others in the backyard.
"He has me there. I do ... love him."
The men laughed, and then gathered around the two, leading them to where several chairs were assembled. The awkwardness was over, and from that point on, the reunion went smoothly.
After a while, the wives joined their husbands. Nancy had already filled them in about Jack's and Daniel's relationship, and they had witnessed Kent's departure from the house, so they were already used to the idea of Jack and Daniel as a couple. The women, of course, flocked to Daniel, fussing over him for the remainder of the afternoon.
====
The party had been a great success and was still going strong as evening came. Two couples had left, but everyone else was still present, scattered into small groups. Daniel had been in the living room of the home, chatting with John Sierra and his wife about Egypt, the couple having been there several times. After a while, he excused himself to see what Jack was up to.
Four of the men -- Jack, Dale, Kevin, and Sean -- were seated near the outdoor grill. Each had a beer. Daniel ended up standing just out of their sight, next to a storage shed. The conversation had captured his attention.
"There's nothing like it," Dale said.
"Nothing in this world," Kevin agreed.
"I miss it," Jack commented, his voice low and full of regret.
"Don't you fly, Jack?" Dale asked.
"Sometimes. My, uh ... assignment over the last few years didn't give me much of a chance to fly jets. I had my moments, though."
"The real beauty is to own a plane."
"Barb and I have one," Sean said. "We go flying at least twice a month. Just follow the clouds."
"Geez, I'd like that."
"You sound like you really do miss it, Jack?"
"Yeah, I guess I do. Being up there is ... peaceful. Heck, you guys know how it is. There aren't any words for it."
Dale agreed, then stated firmly, "You should fly."
"Oh. Daniel and I go sometimes. He surprised me a bunch of years ago with a rental plane. Went up to Bryce Canyon and watched the sunset. It was great."
Dale's face matched his words as he agreed with his friend -- "Flying is always fantastic."
"It is with Daniel," Jack said softly. He got lost in memories, then suddenly became aware he had drifted away from the conversation and gave his friends a apologetic grin. "I remember looking over at him that first time. He was looking out, studying the clouds. Daniel studies everything. He was absolutely beautiful. I wanted to freeze that moment."
"You are gone, aren't you, Jack?"
"Oh yeah, big time."
"Does Daniel like to fly?" Kevin asked.
"He says he does. I think he endures it for me."
"Well, my friend, you need to get a plane, start flying the skies, go to Oshkosh."
"Oshkosh. Now that's a blast," Sean acknowledged. "I've gone there for years. We pitch a tent under the wing and camp out."
"Of the plane?" Jack asked.
"It's the only way to do it, Jack," Dale added. "Nance and I have gone several times. There's so much to do there. It's grown a lot, but the true adventure is to fly in and camp out under your own plane."
"So you have a plane?" Jack asked his host.
"Sure do. Went into hock for it, but it's well worth it."
"What kind do you have?" Sean asked.
"Cessna 421C Golden Eagle. Love it. What do you have, Sean?"
"All I could afford -- a Lancair IV-P."
"You built it?"
"Yeah. Now that was an experience, but it's the only way we'd have ever been able to get a plane."
"Jack, ever thought about what kind of plane you'd like?"
"Something classic. I've thought about a Piper, I think I'd rather have a Meyers."
"There aren't many of those around, and I would have thought you'd want something feistier," Sean commented.
"No. I've had my fun with those. When I go flying now, it's with a different purpose. I've read about the Meyers 200. They have speed and are well-built."
"Why don't you buy a plane?" Dale asked.
"Too indulgent. That's a big expenditure just for me. We have other things we should put our money into ... like a new business we're trying to get off the ground. No. I can't see it."
From his hidden spot, Daniel thought, Right. Like getting me a fancy sports car, building me a den that's like a luxury suite ... we spend so much on me.
Jack continued, "It's a great dream, though. Have you seen the Meyers?"
Dale shook his head, but Sean nodded, and Kevin said, "I saw one last year. Cool aircraft."
"That's what I'd want -- a true classic, the 200A or B, I think. Blue. Has to be blue."
"Blue?" Sean asked.
"Yeah, blue."
From behind the shed, Daniel was glad that his lover didn't elaborate. Jack had a major blue fetish. He figured if he had a nickel for every time Jack said, did, bought, or thought about something "bringing out the blue in your eyes, Daniel" that he'd be a millionaire.
"Speaking of blue," Dale said, "Any of you guys want another Pabst?"
The group stood, deciding to stretch and walk to the cooler to pick up another beer. Jack decided to do a search for his lover, but he didn't have to go far. When he turned around, Daniel was standing there, smiling.
"Hey," Daniel said.
"Hey."
Dale laughed as he walked to them, handing each a brew.
"I'm getting used to it," he said quietly. "You know you could have warned us, Jack."
"Yes, but what would you have said?"
"I honestly don't know. I'm sorry about Kent."
"We've dealt with worse."
"A lot worse," Daniel added.
Another couple left, and finally, as 9 p.m. approached, Jack and Daniel decided they should leave.
"Ah, come on, Jack."
They were all having a great time, the living room where everyone was now congregated was full of jovial and laughing adults.
"We need to home and get the girls."
"Girls?" Dale asked.
"Beagles. They're great, and they're with a neighbor."
"Dogs. Just like children."
"Yeah, we know," Jack smiled. "And we'll find out soon enough."
Suddenly, the room was quiet, once again the guests staring at the two. Jack cleared his throat.
"We're having a family. Don't ask about the details, but soon."
"Wow," Dale said.
"You're a frickin' General," Sean shook his head. For a moment, Daniel thought it was derogatory, but then he saw the smile and the amazed expression. "Way to go, Jack!"
"It's been a pleasure meeting all of you," Daniel said, and then ten minutes later, he and Jack were finally on their way home.
All in all, they considered the evening a success, and they were glad they had decided to test the waters. Unlike the experience in Phoenix, this one had been positive, and in the process, Jack had been reacquainted with some old friends that he hoped he'd stay in touch with in the future.
====
Several weeks later, on a Saturday morning, Daniel stood in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on a picnic lunch. Jack was still upstairs dressing, full of curiosity about what was on the day's agenda. All he knew was that they had plans, and Daniel was handling all of it.
Dressed in his blue jeans, Jack walked into the kitchen just as Daniel was about to place a bag of potato chips into the basket. Jack had just pulled on his tan shirt so it was unbuttoned.
"Daniel, are you going to tell me where ..."
At that precise moment, Daniel turned to see his husband. Instantly, he dropped the chips, the bag dropping to the floor.
"Oh, gawd," he said, moving aggressively forward towards Jack.
"What?" Jack asked in complete surprise.
Daniel pushed his lover against the refrigerator as he devoured him with kiss after kiss.
"So sexy. You should be outlawed, O'Neill."
"Jackson-O'Neill," the older man corrected.
"Yeah, him, too," Daniel panted just before starting another deep kiss, his hands fondling Jack's chest wantonly.
"Danny, you keep doing this, and we're never going to get wherever the heck it is we're going. Of course, I'm fine with this," Jack said, then dived in to explore Daniel's mouth again.
"OH, SHIBATWRAY!" Daniel turned, continuing to curse in Abydonian and several other languages from what Jack could make out.
He was still muttering as he picked up the bag of chips and put it in the basket.
"Geez, what you do to me, Angel."
"I haven't done anything yet," Daniel moaned in regret. "But I will. You can count on that."
"So, are you going to tell me where ..."
"Jack."
"What?"
"Button your shirt. All the way ... including the top."
"Huh?"
Daniel glared as he spoke with irritation, "BUTTON YOUR FREAKIN' SHIRT, O'NEILL."
"Jackson-O'Neill," Jack grinned as he taunted his lover with sliding fingers down his chest as he reached for the buttons to do as requested.
"Yeah, him, too."
His shirt buttoned, Jack ambled over to stand behind his lover. He kissed his nape as his hands wrapped around Daniel's waist.
"You make me feel so young, Danny."
"You are young, Jack."
"I am when I'm with you. Where we are going, Love?"
"You'll see. Are you ready?"
"Yep."
"Get the girls."
"They're coming?"
"This is a family outing."
"Okay, I'll round 'em up and move 'em out."
"Jack, they're our girls, not cattle."
Jack laughed as he headed for the living room to get the harnesses and put them on Bijou and Katie.
====
"I'm driving," Daniel announced as they walked outside, "and we're taking the truck."
"Okay."
Jack could tell Daniel had a very definite plan. He had known something was up for a couple of weeks. Daniel had been inexplicably absent the night before for a couple of hours, and during the past few weeks, he'd been on the computer a bit more than normal, often lowering his laptop whenever Jack walked in. For a while, the older man figured it was his imagination, but now, he knew, whatever it was had been leading up to this family event.
"You're up to something, Danny," Jack said with a smile.
"No, really?" Daniel responded dryly, then smiling as he took his spot in the driver's seat.
Once the rest of the family was in place, Daniel began their commute.
====
"The Airport?" Jack looked around, finally knowing their destination. "Danny, why are we going to Meadow Lake Airport?"
Daniel said nothing as he ventured to the parking area for private planes. Getting out of the truck, Daniel said, "I'll take the girls. Jack, grab the picnic basket and that box in the back, okay?"
Jack took hold of the items, and Daniel locked the truck. The younger man began walking towards an area where a few of the planes sat in the open. Jack followed obediently, confused.
"Hey, look at this Cessna. It's the latest thing from what I've heard. Don't you think it's ..." Daniel realized he was standing alone with the girls. His lover had veered off to the right. "Jack?"
"Danny, look at this beauty. Do you know these planes were hand built. They're the Rolls Royce of aircraft."
"Are they?"
"Oh yeah," Jack said, lost in the wonder of the Meyers 200A he was gazing at. "They're made of 4130 Chrome moly tubing. This baby is strong and flexible. Hmm, I'd love to fly her."
"What makes it so great?"
"Like I said, it was literally put together, piece by piece, not on some assembly line. Easy entry to the cabin and baggage compartment, comfortable, roomy seats, and a pretty good view. They're better on later models, but still, the 200A is plenty good. See -- it has wraparound windows."
"Sounds great ... I guess," Daniel said with a shrug, not really knowing that much about airplanes.
"And that's just the aesthetics, Babe. The instruments are laid out great, all the primary instruments in front of the pilot, the radios center-stacked and easily accessible, and it's quiet. Some of these planes are so noisy, but this one is just a low rumble, kinda a throaty sound. Take off is supposed to be a breeze, and even the landing gear is unique because it can ..."
Jack stopped, looking at his soulmate.
"I was about to get very technical."
"That's okay. You like this better than that top-of-the-line modern plane right there?" he asked, motioning at the Cessna.
"It's just that it's such a well put together plane, Danny. It has a fantastic safety record, and these wonders are fast. Do you know they used to have stockplane races, and Meyers won all the time, beating Beech, Piper, and Cessna routinely? Boy, what I'd give to fly her ... just once."
"How about a kiss?"
"What?" Jack asked, turning to face his lover.
"Would you give a kiss, right here on the spot?" Jack stood confused. "Jack, kiss me."
A bit dazed, Jack kissed his lover soundly. A bit lower to the ground, Bijou yawned and Katie scratched her ears.
"Mmm," Daniel said, pleased with the kiss. "Since you kept your part of the bargain, I guess I'll just have to let you fly this bird."
Daniel reached into his pocket, revealing a key ring with a couple of keys on it. He dangled them in the air in front of Jack's face.
"Daniel?"
"Come on, Fly Boy. It's a perfect day for flying."
Daniel unlocked the doors to the plane, then tossed the keys to Jack, who was so stunned, he almost dropped the keys to the ground. He stood motionless as he watched Daniel get the two dogs settled into the plane.
"Hey, are you going to fly this thing, or am I?"
"Danny, what did you do?"
"Jack, take me flying."
Jack shook his head, trying to wake himself up from the dream he was having, but then he moved to the plane to check it out on the inside.
"We didn't bring all of this today ... did we?"
Jack looked at the plane. There was a nice-sized basket for the two beagles, a few toys for them to play with, a special water dispenser so they could get a drink as desired, and some treats. For the two lovers, there was the picnic basket, a couple of blankets, and other items.
"Jack, this is safe for the girls, isn't it? I mean, I checked it out, but ..."
"Oh yeah. It's definitely safe."
Finally snapping out of his daze, Jack began a detailed pre-flight check.
"Um, do we have an itinerary?"
"I have no clue what this stuff means, but I've been told it's everything you need to know."
Jack took the flight plan and reviewed it.
"Looks good."
====
"We aren't stealing this, are we?" Jack said with a smile just as he started their taxi to the runway.
"A little late to ask, Jack. Let's just ... fly, okay?"
"Wow, that's smooth," Jack said as the plane lifted off.
Daniel looked back at the beagles, both smiling, looking out the window.
"The girls seem okay."
"Flying is in their blood."
Daniel laughed, then turned to study his lover's face. He knew he'd done the right thing. His lover was happy. Sparkling eyes said all Daniel needed to know.
====
"This has really been nice, Danny," Jack said as he lay back on his husband's legs.
Daniel ran his hand through his lover's hair and leaned over for a kiss. The two beagles were lying down in front of Daniel, taking in the view of the new place.
The flight plan had taken the Jackson-O'Neills to Laramie, Wyoming. They parked the plane at the regional airport and then set off in a rental car to find a suitable picnic area, finally settling on their current location. It wasn't as private as they were used to, but they managed to find an area not too populated with visitors.
They had enjoyed their picnic lunch, and playtime with the girls, and now were relaxing. They'd have to leave soon to return to the airport and head back for Colorado Springs.
"We should do this more often," Daniel said.
"Anytime you want to rent a plane, I'm game," Jack said, his voice soft and full of delight.
Why didn't I do this sooner? Daniel thought.
"Jack, I didn't rent the plane."
Jack's eyes that had been closed in a peaceful rest flew open.
"Please don't tell me we stole the plane."
"No, Love, we didn't steal the plane."
Jack got lost in thought. He turned on his right side, leaning on his right elbow.
"Daniel, what did you do?"
"Do you like the plane?"
"I love the pla...ne," Jack stuttered, sitting up opposite his soulmate. "You bought it?"
"No, I wouldn't do that."
"Danny, I'm feeling like we're off-world and ..."
Daniel laughed and then surprised Jack by kissing him.
"I love you, Jack."
"And I love you. What does that have to do with the plane?"
"I didn't buy it, but I have a tentative agreement to buy, pending your trial run, which is ... well, what we're doing now."
"Do you know how much this would cost?"
"Oh yeah. One of the reasons I've been so secretive with my laptop lately is because I've been researching. I've spent a lot of time, Jack, going over our finances -- the things we like to do, our lifestyle, the children we're about to have ... all the things we want for our future. The truth is ... we may not be rich, but we're doing well. Jack, we don't owe anything ..."
"What about our business? That's going to take a chunk ..."
"I want this, Jack."
"Why?"
"A lot of reasons." Jack waited for Daniel to continue. "Because of all the things you've done for me. I couldn't list them all, Jack, if I tried. I wanted, for once, to do something really wild and crazy for you ... and because of how you looked when you were piloting her. I love that look; and because it will give us a freedom we're probably going to need when we have our children; and ... and because I love you, and I want you to have what you want. I ... I want to indulge you the same way you do me, like with the Silver Fox."
Jack blinked, something clicking in his mind.
"You heard."
Daniel smiled and nodded.
"Jack, you've given me everything I could ever want. Let me do this. We can afford it. Is it a luxury? Sure, but you're worth it, and it's not just for you." Daniel cupped his lover's face with his hands. "I love to fly with you. Being up there is incredible. There's no baggage up there. It's just ... us and the heavens. If we do this, it'll be for both of us ... and for our family."
Daniel kissed his husband tenderly, his fingers caressing Jack's face.
"You are so amazing. I can't believe I have you."
"Well, you do. Listen, I have all the specifics at the house. Neil -- he's the owner -- is willing to let us take another test run of your choice, and of course, we can have it checked out. He's a bit of a paper freak; he has all the documents and flight information since he bought it, and what he was given at the time. I don't know much about planes, but I tried to make sure this was the perfect one."
"It would be except for ..."
"I already checked that out, too. If we buy it, you can indulge your obsession."
"Yeah?" Jack asked perkily.
Daniel rolled his eyes and then spoke, "Can't have you blue-deprived!"
"Geez, I love you. We'll look it over together, go over everything, and make a decision, okay?"
"Okay. I love you, too, Jack; and one more thing. I thought we'd check out that Oshkosh event. It sounds like a lot of fun."
"Not sure if we could get there at this late date."
"Sure we can, at least for a weekend. We fly in, pitch the tent, and see what's happening."
"Have I mentioned that you're amazing, and I love you?"
"No. Tell me again."
... and Jack did, just before the two kissed under a shady tree in a secluded part of a Laramie park.
====
"Ten more minutes, Love, and we'll be landing. Danny, did you figure a storage hangar in those figures of yours?"
"Yes, I did. I didn't know, though, if you wanted to use Meadow Lake or the Springs airport."
"Not sure. We'll discuss it when we look at the figures."
Jack looked out over the distance, the thought of regularly going on small flights with his family warmed his heart. He found himself smiling, and then whistling.
"You're happy," Daniel said, a huge smile on his face.
"Danny, I've been happy since the first day you said you loved me. Right now, though, I feel like we're flying high, and nothing can touch us up here. It's like ..."
"Home," both said in unison, exchanging big smiles.
"It's crazy, Danny."
"We're crazy."
"I can't argue with that. She'll need a name."
"You name your planes?"
"Sure. Every plane has a personality."
Daniel thought, reviewing their day and all the changes happening in their lives.
"Jack, why don't we call it what you said. I mean, it's how we feel."
"Flying High?"
"Yeah, the Flying High, taking us to new heights and new adventures, together, as a family."
Jack grinned and nodded.
"Okay, the Flying High it is." After a minute, Jack added, "She needs a nickname. You know how I am about nicknames."
"Please don't remind me."
"I won't ... Space Monkey."
Daniel laughed in spite of himself, and then he suggested, "How about Jo?"
"Jo? J-O?"
"Yeah! It's the perfect name."
"Woof! Woof!" came two barks of agreement from their basket.
"It's unanimous," Jack said.
The final decision all but made, Jack, Daniel, Bijou, Katie ... and Jo returned home to Colorado Springs. It was yet another adjustment in their lives, but one that would soar with fun and adventure for the entire family as the days and weeks passed, and the Jackson-O'Neill family grew.
Finis - Finished - Done - The End - But is it ever Really?