Title: Stargazing
Status: Complete
Flavor: Slash
Pairing: J/D
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Language, small amounts of Jack whumping, and destruction of
private property
Archive: yes, just ask
Thanks: Stacey for encouragement, Teal'c and the chainsaw, and for luring
me to the Slash side of the force.
Summary: Jack realizes a few things while watching Daniel climb around his
roof in cut-offs.
Disclaimer: They ain't mine. Please don't sue.
Not beta'd, just spell checked. Feed back is welcome, as always.
Stargazing By Sylvia
Negotiations had gone very well. The Rakufyr Allthing had voted unanimously to open trade with Earth, offering a limited supply of naqueda, and a little purple flower that Fraiser was going ga-ga over for it's pharmaceutical properties. No one had shot at his kids, no nasty Goa'uld's had reared their slimy snakeheads, and best of all, they were going home a bit early. The Orionid meteor shower would be most active this weekend, and he was looking forward to some quality star watching time. Yeah, all was right in the world of Colonel Jack O'Neill.
If he could just pry a certain archaeologist from a certain crumbling wall, they could all go home. "Daniel? You have rubbings of all of this, don't you?"
"Hmm?"
Granted the wall was very pretty, if you liked pictures of demons smiting the unworthy. Very vivid colors, nice use of texture. Ugly ass demons, though. "Daniel? We're ready to go. Home. Earth. Ringing any bells?"
"Sorry, Jack. Did you say something?" The man didn't look up from his notebook, except to look back up at the wall. Jack toyed with the idea of just leaving him there, but that would be a waste. Besides, General Hammond would insist on tons of paperwork to explain the civilian's absence.
"Time's up, Daniel. I'm sorry, but we've been here for two hours and we're going home now. Carter, Teal'c, head out. Daniel, it's been nice knowing you."
"What? Wait, Jack." Daniel gathered up his rubbings and rolled them up, tucking them into his pack as he scrambled after O'Neill. "Damn it, Jack, I wish you wouldn't do that." He sounded angry. Jack snuck a look: mouth tight, eyes narrow, walking with deliberate steps rather than his usual loose-kneed amble. Yep, one angry linguist.
"Do what, Daniel?" The ground was a little uneven here, climbing to the hill where the 'Gate was perched. Scrubby pines fought their way to survive in the thin, rocky soil, and the wind was picking up. Carter and Teal'c were well ahead, talking amiably about something that was making Carter laugh from time to time.
No answer from the man at his side. Jack snuck a longer look, then started walking backwards. "Daniel? Anything wrong?" He knew he was being a shit, knew what Daniel was angry about. He also knew that he would push the man until he talked. Daniel kept too much bottled away, in Jack's opinion, and it was Jack's solemn duty to ferret him out. Besides, it was amusing to see the man splutter, when he really let go.
This would not be a spluttering incident, though, much to O'Neill's disappointment. Daniel relented and said, "I hate it when you treat me like a kid, Jack. I've seen too many mothers use that trick on their children. 'Bye bye, see you later,' and start walking off. Get better materiel, O'Neill, or start treating me like an adult." Daniel picked up the pace, passing Jack, then Sam and Teal'c with long, angry strides.
Ouch. Ok, the man really was ticked. "Hey, Daniel!" he called. Jack broke into a run, his eyes on the stiff olive drab back rather than the trail. "Daniel!"
The ground shifted minutely under his booted feet; that was his only warning. Then, the loose shale skittered down the path, sending Jack into a tangled tumble as his feet were swept out from under him. He heard Carter's alarmed cry as he fell down the slope, crying out himself as he came to a stop, his leg twisted awkwardly beneath him. Pain shot up his leg from his ankle, and he rolled over off of it, freeing the throbbing limb.
The rest of the team was at his side in seconds, much more gracefully than he had arrived at the base of the hill. "Sir, are you hurt?" Carter crouched at his side, looking for injuries. Daniel hovered, not quite sure what to do with his hands.
"My ankle. Just a sprain." Felt like a sprain, anyway, rather than a break. "Help me up." Teal'c lifted him to his feet effortlessly, and then steadied him as he tried to put weight on his screaming foot. "Owowow.okay, not doing *that * again." He could feel the swelling already starting, and was glad of his boot, though Janet would probably have to cut it off when they got back. "Help me up the hill, kids. I knew this mission was going too smoothly."
Daniel took one side, Teal'c the other, and Sam ran ahead, avoiding the shale, to dial up Earth.
General Hammond was waiting on the other side of the wormhole, but his words of congratulations died when he saw his 2IC come hobbling through the shimmering 'Gate. "What happened to you? I thought there were no hostiles on P92101." Medics poured into the room, converging on the team and helping Jack onto a stretcher.
"We had an encounter with some enemy rocks, Sir," Jack said. "I was able to draw their fire while the rest of my team made a break to the Stargate. Much bravery was shown, lives were saved, and the crowd went wild."
Teal'c spoke up. "O'Neill slipped while we were going up a hill." Carter did not snicker, but it was a near thing by the look on her face.
"I see. Get yourself checked out, Colonel. Debriefing at 1500."
The rest of SG-1 was done with their usual post-mission physicals before Jack was out of the radiology department. He tried to look over Fraiser's shoulder as she examined the black and white pictures, but all he saw were some blurry bones. The Doc was hmming over them, though, and it sounded encouraging. "No breaks, Colonel. Just a nasty sprain. I'll let the General know, but you're on medically restricted duty for at least a week. I want you off of that foot, Colonel. Understood?"
Jack nodded, agreeing quickly. A full week to watch the Orionid fall, if he could figure out a way to get up to his star-watching deck. Just what the doctor ordered.
"Get someone to drive you home after the debriefing, Colonel. There were some pretty bad storms here the last few days, and some of the roads are out. Most of the downed power lines have been cleared, but there have been some mudslides, some flash flooding. I wouldn't want you to try it with that foot." She wrapped it with brisk efficiency, ignoring the winces and flinches from her patient. "Keep the ACE wrap on it. You know the drill. Ice, then heat, and no weight bearing. I'll tell Sadie to get you some crutches from the store room."
Daniel met him at the elevators after the brief debrief. "Need a lift?"
"Fraiser put you up to this?" Jack was feeling tired and irritable; the pain meds were wearing off and he just wanted to get home.
"Well, yes. She said you might need a ride." They rode up to the surface in companionable silence, Jack leaning against the wall. His hands were already sore from putting most of his weight on the barely padded handholds. He didn't want to think about how he'd feel after a few days of swinging around on the crutches. "So, we get a week off?"
"Looks like it."
Daniel nodded. "Good. I can use it to study the script from the wall on P92101. Fascinating mix of kanji script and futhark. It explains a lot about the Rakufyr culture, really. Kind of a Viking shogunate, with a heavy shamanic influence that suggests."
Jack never fully tuned Daniel out, but he didn't really listen too closely either. He let the soft words wash over him, through him, and found himself relaxing despite the ache in his ankle. The elevator stopped and they made their way past the various checkpoints, Daniel nattering almost non-stop until they reached the parking lot. It was late afternoon, 1600, and the air had that fresh-washed smell you get after a heavy rain. Even Daniel stopped to appreciate it, gazing up at the amazingly blue sky and inhaling deep breaths of pure air. "That sky is blue. I mean, the avatar of blueness. All blues gauged by that blue."
The security guard looked at Daniel like he was nuts. Jack glared at the young woman and tugged on Daniel's shirt. "Come on. I need a shower." He swung forward, toward Daniel's jeep, and clambered in, tucking his crutches in the back.
Janet had not been kidding about the storms' devastation. Trees were down everywhere and they had to detour several times before Daniel turned down the shaded lane that led to Jack's house. Here, too, were a few downed limbs, but no obstacles, thankfully. "Must have been some storm," Jack observed. Daniel had been very quiet since the drive started, his observations on the Rakufyr culture forgotten for the moment. "You still pissed at me, Daniel?" The younger man felt things deeply, Jack knew, and rarely spoke what he felt.
"Oh my god, Jack. Your tree." Daniel slowed to a halt, a little down the street from Jack's driveway, and pointed.
"My what?" Jack craned his neck, following Daniel's line of sight. The oak, the one shading the south side of his house, looked different. Lopsided. "What the.." They pulled in and Jack clambered out awkwardly, hobbling quickly around the corner to the backyard, his crutch tips sinking into the wet earth. Debris was scattered about, splintered two by fours, branches. He looked up and cursed softly. "Damn it. So much for the Orionid."
A huge branch had broken from the ancient oak and landed square on his observation deck, decimating it. Luckily, his roof was undamaged, from what he could see, but the deck was toast.
Daniel came around the corner, a mangled and twisted tube of metal in his arms. A mournful cry was wrenched from O'Neill's lips. "Not my telescope! All my bairns? Did it get the Meade?" Daniel just nodded, laying the ruined 'scope at Jack's feet. The smaller telescope must still be in the front yard. Jack reached down and brushed a bit of grime from the buckled and warped barrel. "Damn it. I just had it serviced." He'd been harboring the hope of watching the shower from his deck, if not from his roof. He looked up; the first stars were appearing in the indigo sky.
"I'm sorry, Jack. I know how much you were looking forward to tomorrow night." Daniel kicked a small branch out of Jack's path as he limped up to the house. "Do you need any help, you know, with your foot?"
"Nah. I'll be fine. See you Monday." Jack waved half-heartedly and unlocked his door, fumbling with the keys and the crutches and dropping both. "Damn it damn it damn it can this day not at least end right!?" He pounded the door with a frustrated fist.
The crutch nudged back under his arm. Jack looked up in surprise as Daniel scooped up his keys and unlocked the door, scooting inside and holding it open. Then, Daniel's strong hand was on his arm as he navigated the few steps down to his living room and eased into the couch. A pillow found its way between his foot and the coffee table, and then Daniel was in the kitchen, banging things.
"How old is this chicken, Jack?" Daniel called.
Chicken? "I don't think that's chicken, Daniel. I'd back away quietly if I were you. I haven't hit a grocery store in at least two weeks." The days leading up to the mission to P92101 were hectic, and none of SG-1 had been off base for more than a quick trip to O'Malley's or Chuy's for at least that long. "Don't worry about dinner. I'll nuke a bag of popcorn later. Go on home!"
"Okay." More banging from the kitchen, and then the sound of something sizzling. Appetizing smells wafted into the living room, and Jack swore he smelled ginger when Daniel appeared with a beer in one hand and Lortabs in the other. "I know, you're not supposed to mix alcohol and pain pills. I won't tell Janet if you won't." Jack smiled and downed the little white tabs with a gulp of warm German beer. The dosages were low enough, he didn't worry, and his foot was throbbing like the devil right now. Daniel disappeared back into the kitchen, an answering smile in his eyes.
The beer and the pain pills were making him feel mellow by the time Daniel emerged with plates in hand. "I thought I told you to go home, Daniel," Jack said sternly.
"I left about an hour ago." Daniel placed a pillow in Jack's lap and set his plate on top. Ginger chicken stir-fry steamed fragrantly up at him and Jack dug in with gusto. Daniel set his plate on the coffee table and sat on the floor, a glass of water beading condensation in his hand. "You really need to shop, Jack. You're almost out of beer."
"Where the hell did you find ginger? I know there wasn't any in the fridge."
"I brought over a root and left it in your freezer about a month ago. After you complained that Phoenix Empress didn't use enough in their Mu Shu Pork. Those things keep forever." Daniel speared a snow pea pod and gestured with it as he spoke.
They bantered comfortably as they ate, drifting into a companionable silence as Jack began to drift under the influence of mild narcotics and strong beer. Daniel collected the plates without comment and washed up as Jack dozed comfortably. Later, Jack found himself in his bed, his leg propped on pillows. Daniel had apparently helped him into his sweats at some point that Jack did not remember, and then tucked him in. Either that, or he had developed the ability to teleport himself over short distances without being conscious of the effort. Muzzily mulling over this unlikely possibility, he drew the quilt up to his chin and drifted off, warm and comfortable.
Morning arrived with a bang. Jack startled awake at the noise from above him, his head aching slightly and his foot throbbing, and tried to focus on the clock. Eleven am. He cursed and disentangled himself from the quilt, swinging his legs to the floor and standing. White-hot pain shot up his leg and he collapsed backward onto the bed with a yell. Oh yeah, he thought, I sprained my ankle yesterday.
Daniel appeared at his door, breathless and alarmed. "Jack? What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Just tried to stand up, that's all. What the hell are you doing here?" And where did you get those clothes? He'd never seen Daniel wearing anything like this. Faded cut-offs, ratty tennis shoes, a faded T- shirt with a picture of a wild-haired, wild-eyed Einstein, and a bandanna. The younger man handed him his crutches and Jack noticed his arms were scratched and peppered with sawdust and tiny wood chips. "What's going on, Daniel?" Jack asked suspiciously.
"Nothing," Daniel echoed Jack's earlier words. "Want some breakfast?" He seemed cheerful, chipper even as he led the way into the kitchen. The back door was open and a warm breeze wafted through the house, carrying the scents of fall. Dead leaves, late flowers, fresh lumber..
"Morning, Colonel!" Sam called cheerfully from the deck. She was dressed for working too, in jeans and a pale pink T-shirt, her hair pulled back into a tiny ponytail at the nape of her neck. "Daniel, the guys are here with the lumber and Teal'c won't let me use the chain saw. Will you talk to him or do I have to get mean?" She pulled work gloves from her back pocket and pulled them on, glaring at something on the roof.
Now O'Neill heard the low whine, saw branches flying down into the backyard, and hobbled out into the bright day. He looked up and saw Teal'c, straddling the roof ridge and attacking the fallen branch. "Kel sha, O'Neill! This is a most worthy weapon!" He brandished the buzzing chain saw, a gleam in his eye, and another branch hit the yard.
"Teal'c! My turn!" She scurried up a ladder and disappeared from view.
"Daniel," Jack turned to the younger man and hobbled back inside, "what the hell is going on?" A plate of scrambled eggs and toast was waiting for him at the table, and two little white pills rested next to the glass of orange juice. "What's up, Daniel?"
"Breakfast. Eat up; I have to go talk to the guys." He was out the door before Jack could say anything else.
Giving in to the inevitable, Jack sat and ate. The banging and buzzing continued overhead, and the pile of wood in his back yard grew. He watched out the back door as he ate; Teal'c had evidently given up control of the coveted chain saw, since he was now on stick toting duty. The larger branches had been cut up and he was now stacking them by the fence, continuing the cord of wood already stored there.
'The guys,' off duty personnel from base, unloaded a pile of lumber and supplies onto his deck, carefully moving his plants aside first. A few of them swarmed up the ladder, hammers in hand, and were soon casting down the wreckage of the observation deck, dismantled and ready to be hauled away. Teal'c and Daniel wrestled with the shattered lumber, loading it onto the truck for disposal. Jack finished his breakfast and moved onto the deck, well out of the way. He propped his foot up and watched, bemused and more than a little touched.
It was a glorious day, bright and warm with just enough cool breeze to keep it nice. The sky was still that amazing blue, with little scudding clouds dancing along on the wind. It was perfect stargazing weather.
"Daniel!" Sam called from the roof. "The foundation struts are intact! Can we use them?"
"Just a sec!" Daniel dropped the branch he was carrying and ran up to the deck. "Jack," he said, "this is where we need your input." He darted inside and came back with several awkward rolls of paper. Jack smiled at his juggling act as he looked for the right scroll. It reminded him of that briefing, so long ago, before the first mission to Abydos. Daniel telling all those Generals, "You'll have to share." Then that brilliant leap of intuition he had made. Jack had been amazed at the way the man's mind worked, and continued to be floored on an almost daily basis by his intellect. The problem was focusing that mind on the task at hand. Sometimes, Daniel was easily distracted by shiny objects.
"Here it is." Daniel selected one roll of paper from the others and laid it out on the table, holding it flat against the wind's playful tugging. It was a new deck, with stairs leading up the side of the house. There were benches, a lockable storage area, and good sturdy walls about waist high. "What do you think? Can we proceed?" Sam had outdone herself on the specs, Jack noted. She must have organized all of this last night after the briefing.
"You don't need to do this, Daniel. I told you to go home last night." Jack scooted the plans back to Daniel. "Did Carter put you all up to this?"
It was as if the sun had vanished behind a cloud. All the animation went out of Daniel's face and he rolled up the plans. "Can we go ahead? It's your house, Jack." Oops, said something wrong. Now that the light was gone, Jack was a little confused by how much he wanted it back.
"Um, sure. Go have fun, Daniel." He gestured vaguely about him, encompassing the tree, the lumber, and the scurrying people.
"Whatever." Daniel pulled off his bandana and rubbed his hands through his spiky, sweaty hair. He yelled up to Carter, "We have a go." Turning back to Jack, he said with a small smile, "Operation ThunderStorm." Then he was off again.
Daniel was everywhere that afternoon. He and Sam took turns on the radial saw, measuring and cutting the lumber for Teal'c and Sgt. Siler to haul up to the roof. A squad of non-coms took over the stacking of lumber and cleaning of the yard while the rest of SG-1 scurried up to the roof and banging began anew. Jack was forced into the cleared yard and his lawn chair at one point when the stair building got underway. Soon narrow stairs with a sturdy guardrail snaked up the side of his house, much nicer than the rickety ladder that Janet had condemned long ago as a health hazard.
From the yard, he had an excellent view of the builders. Sam shone in the afternoon sun, and Teal'c was a force of nature with a hammer. It was Daniel who captured Jack's attention, though. He had doffed his shirt at some point and was clambering around the roof in cutoffs and sneakers. Jack found himself wondering when he had gotten the idea that Daniel was clumsy. The man was a mountain goat, dancing along the roofline like someone born to it. He moved with strength and ease, setting the boards in place and trimming the rough edges with a hand saw.
A little alarmed at the direction his thoughts were going, Jack tried to watch something else. Sam, wielding her nail gun with deadly accuracy and a determined expression, Daniel a tanned, buff Adonis at her side.. Nonono. Um, Private Lissa Anders, of the red curls and the long legs, stretching to hand some cut lengths of plywood up to the builders. Daniel pulling them up to the platform, his sleek arms flexing as he.. Aaargh! Jack adjusted himself and wished for a glass of something cold. The day was suddenly far too warm.
He'd never really thought of Daniel in this way, and it was disturbing. Disturbing, hell; it was terrifying. It was comfortable, too, though. Known, and familiar. He knew that he loved Daniel, would give his life for the man, cared for him like a brother. They had been through hell together and knew each other backwards and forwards. Daniel was the only person he every really talked to about the bad shit. The stuff that wakes you up screaming at two a.m. and fumbling for a light to chase the demons away. He knew he had a wall around him, thick and high, and that Daniel had one even thicker. Somehow, though, they had each breached the others defenses and it was okay. For Daniel only, it was okay.
Was he really so surprised that physical attraction should follow? Jack had never been a homophobe, though he knew quite a few in the service. Don't ask, don't tell had come as a shock to them, but Jack had seen it as a copout. He knew quite a few men and women in the SGC who were quietly gay, and he had long ago decided it was none of his business. They were good soldiers all, and some of them had pulled SG-1's collective asses out of the fire a time or two. His opinion had always been it doesn't matter who you love, as long as you're honest about it. The world was a scary place, and love was too rare a gift to start worrying about the package in which it was wrapped.
So where did that leave him? Sitting in his backyard with a boner from watching his best friend prance around in cut offs and a do-rag. He turned the idea over in his head, working through the possibilities, and found himself growing harder. Okaaay, the libido has no problems with the idea whatsoever. Libido is jumping up and down saying, Yes! Finally! Danny au natural, alamode, with, heh, a cherry on top!
Enough. Time to go inside, if he could manage it.
Hoping his half crouched hobble was hiding his interest, he made it into the house without a stumble. He made it to the safety of his bedroom and collapsed on the bed, dropping his crutches and fumbling for himself. Daniel filled his mind, images of Daniel naked, hard, wanting. Daniel's strong hands stroking him, so beautiful, his mouth. Jack bucked into his hand, the climax hitting him hard. He bit back a cry as the warm come flooded out, drenching his lap in moments and leaving him loose limbed and relaxed. It had been a while, he thought ruefully. I came like a damn kid.
His next thought was, what if Daniel doesn't want me? Now that was a frightening thought. Daniel was, as far as he knew, straight. Actually, he was straight and celibate. With the exception of that Goa'uld bitch, Hathor, Daniel had been celibate for the past five years, to the best of Jack's knowledge. Since Shau're. How the hell could Jack stand up to the memory of Daniel's wife, his one true love? He couldn't, he answered himself bleakly. No way. Unrequited lust, here we come. He hadn't felt this way since Suzie McMasters in the eleventh grade; kinda adolescent, hopeless, and sticky.
He cleaned himself up and slipped into a pair of old jeans and a flannel shirt, rewrapping the ACE bandage. Was it worth the chance? The risk? He could tell Daniel and let the chips fall, or keep it to himself. Either decision was fraught. He could win everything or lose everything, just with one little question. No pressure.
The doorbell rang, startling him. He fumbled for his crutches and swung into the living room as Janet and Cassie came in through the back door, arms full of grocery bags. "I was wondering when you were going to show, Doc. Hi, Cassie. What's in the bags?"
"Fajitas," Janet answered. The counter was soon covered with bowls of salsa, beans, lettuce, cheese, and a steaming stack of tortillas. The bundles of tin foil were full of various types of grilled meat, warm and savory. "Daniel said your cupboards were bare, so Cassie and I thought we'd feed the slavering crowd out there." Jack just watched as the two women bustled about his kitchen, chopping and peeling various vegetables. "There's a cooler of ice in the car, Cassie. Get one of the guys to bring it in and then let them know soups on. What are you smiling at, Colonel?"
He hadn't realized he was smiling. "You just look very, um, domestic, Doc. Not how I usually picture you."
The tiny woman smiled up at him. "Would it help if I was wearing my lab coat?" Then she frowned, looking at his foot. "Ice! Heat! Elevation! Sit!" Grumbling about stubborn flyboys, she grabbed a bag of frozen peas from the freezer and pointed menacingly toward the living room. "I'll look at the ankle later, Jack, but prop it up for now." He let himself be directed and propped his leg back on the pillow from last night. The bag of peas draped chilling over his lower leg, numbing the ache that had been gnawing at him most of the morning. Janet propped her hands on her hips and glared, no longer at all domestic, then marched back into the kitchen.
This whole day was fucking surreal, and Jack couldn't stop grinning.
He dozed in his chair through the afternoon, waking sporadically when Janet changed from a cold pack to a hot pack on his leg. The Cowboys were playing Chicago, and most of the builders wandered through at some point to get the score and watch a play or two. Cassie kept him company after the game, beating him two games out of three in Scrabble. The alien child had grown into a very intelligent young woman who would be heading off to college in a couple of years. Sam and Janet had done a good job raising her, the little brush with Goa'uldy mental stuff notwithstanding. It felt so damn homey, with his kids, and his kids' kids around him. He felt a little like a clan patriarch, though that role more properly belonged to the General.
The banging stopped late afternoon, just as the sun was going down. Daniel knocked on the window and motioned Jack outside. "Hand me my crutches, Cass. Sounds like they're done." Time to see what kind of havoc had been wrecked on the roof. Most of the helpers from the base had trickled away as the sun set, returning to their duty stations or their homes, leaving just SG-1, Janet and Cassie behind.
Teal'c was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. "DoctorFraiser insists that I assist you up the stairs, O'Neill." The Jaffa looked almost smug, but did not crack a smile as he put a strong hand on Jack's elbow. A warm presence slipped behind him and Jack turned to see Daniel as he felt the younger man's big hands on his hips.
"Don't want you to fall, Jack. The stairs are pretty steep," Daniel said. His warm breath fanned across the nape of Jack's neck, making him shiver. "Up we go."
"I can make it okay." Actually, he probably could. The stairs were well built and not too steep, with a good solid handrail on the outside. Perfect for trailing climbing roses or star-jasmine, once spring hit.
The warm hands did not move from his waist. "Doctor's orders. No weight on that foot now." Daniel's warm body was pressed into Jack's back the whole way up, steadying him securely as he climbed. His scent, green lumber, sweat, and the ginger from last night, swirled around Jack in dizzying eddies. The scent went straight to Jack's hindbrain, and made him glad of the more constricting jeans he was now wearing. The heady aroma had him half-hard and aching before they were half way up the stairs. "Almost there. You okay, Jack?"
"Uh huh." He did not trust his mouth to say any more.
Then he got his first look at the deck, and he almost lost his footing. Teal'c and Daniel both grabbed, keeping him upright as he gazed at the platform. It was perfect. "Wow."
It was bigger than his old deck, for one thing. Hexagonal in shape, it had sturdy walls on all sides rather than the flimsy guardrails he had knocked together. Padded benches lined the walls, with sloped backs so one could recline comfortably and look up at the sky. There was a locked cupboard for storage, and the rest of the obscuring oak had been trimmed away, so that his southern view was improved. The thing felt solid, too. Built to last. The old platform had a tendency to sway in a high wind, throwing off his calculations by several degrees. Didn't feel too safe, either.
Sam and Janet were already up, and Cassie slipped up the stairs behind the three men. "So, Colonel," Sam asked at last, "what do you think? Is it okay?"
He sank onto one of the cushioned benches and leaned back against the wall, taking it all in. Slowly, a grin crept over his face and he nodded. "More than okay. It's perfect. Thank you, Carter."
The Major looked a bit confused, glancing at Daniel, then back at Jack. "Um, Sir, this wasn't my doing. Daniel arranged the whole thing. He called me at six a.m. and had me drawing up plans. I had no idea what happened to your deck until he told me."
Jack looked at Daniel, who was looking a little uncomfortable. "Daniel? You planned this?"
The younger man hugged himself, and then shrugged into his abandoned shirt. "It's getting a little cool. I'm going to borrow your shower, Jack." He vanished down the stairs before anyone could say anything else.
Feeling more than a little foolish, Jack kicked himself mentally. Of course it was Daniel. How would Carter have known about the deck if he hadn't told her? Daniel must have been calling people all morning while Jack slept. He planned this, start to finish. Despite the cooling air, Jack felt a warm glow take up residence. He wanted to hug the stuffings out of Daniel, but he'd hared off for some reason.
"Oooh! Look!" Cassie was laying back on one of the benches, looking up. "A shooting star!" It was starting, and the light hadn't fully faded yet. It was going to be a wonderful show. Jack just wished Daniel would hurry back up, so he could watch too.
A car pulled in the driveway and a door opened and closed. "I will investigate, O'Neill." Teal'c moved swiftly and quietly down the stairs, a huge cat.
Sam watched with appreciative eyes, and then noticed that Jack was staring at her. "He moves very gracefully," she said. "I love to watch him when he goes into battle mode."
"Sam-mum, are you blushing?" Cassie teased. Sam threw a discarded hunk of two by four at her, bouncing it off of her stomach. "Ow! Mo-o-om! Sam's throwing wood at me."
"You shouldn't tease, then, Cassie. Not if you want us to leave Keith alone when he comes to pick you up for the prom." Janet ruffled her daughter's hair and then pointed up as another meteor blazed across the darkening sky.
Something heavy was coming up the stairs, rattling the wall Jack was leaning against. Sam hopped up and looked over the side. She grinned at what she saw and looked over her shoulder at Jack.
"What?" Jack craned his neck, but just saw Teal'c's back in the fading light. Sam shook her head and pinched her lips together. "Carter, you know how much I hate surprises. Do I have to order you to tell me what's going on?"
"I ordered her not to, Jack," General Hammond's voice drifted upwards. "Just have a little patience."
Sam shrugged. "Chain of command, Sir. Sorry." She didn't look sorry, though. She looked smug.
The Jaffa was carrying something heavy, or one end of something heavy. Daniel carried the other end of the bulky, canvas draped shape. "Put it in the middle of the deck," Hammond directed.
It was the right size, the right shape; Jack grabbed his crutches and slowly hobbled to the shrouded form. The three men stepped back as he drew off the canvas and caught his breath. "A Meade sixteen inch LX200. Where did.I didn't think these were available to the public yet." It was a beautiful telescope, sleek and precise, and would just fit in the locked cupboard with a little room to spare. The General slid a low chair in place under the eyepiece and Jack sat, adjusting the pitch to bring the alpha and delta to the appropriate location. The sky was full dark now, and he looked through the eyepiece toward the northern sky.
More oohing and aahing from the girls, and he was feeling a little in awe himself. He looked up and met Daniel's eyes and grinned. The full lips twitched and Daniel looked away, then back. "Come look, Daniel." Jack scooted back and motioned Daniel toward the 'scope.
Reluctantly, the younger man closed the distance, pushing his glasses up on his head, and looked into the eyepiece.
"The Orionid meteor shower is not nearly as spectacular as the Leonid, later this year," Jack said. "The epsilon-Geminid shower is in almost the same part of the sky, but it made a very poor showing this year. I've got the telescope aimed at the part of the sky where most of the meteors will be falling. Should be some interesting action around midnight." A little gasp from Daniel and Cassie's girlish "Neat!" told him another rock had blazed down. "I counted upwards of a hundred falls during the last Geminid shower."
Daniel stood and looked up at the sky. "There's Orion. That's where they're coming from, right?" Jack nodded. The first symbol Daniel had identified from the Stargate cartouche was Orion. That had led to the intuitive leap that had identified the rest of the symbols and set them on this journey. "The hunter, according to the Greeks." He surrendered the telescope to the General with a nod, and backed away from Jack, who had been hovering a bit. Sniffing.
Teal'c leaned back on one of the benches and Sam sat on the deck at his side, leaning her head back against him. "There's Gemini, and the Pegasus." She pointed up, connecting the dots. "The Big Dipper." The Jaffa looked down at her, a look of disbelief on his face, then he shrugged and resumed trailing his fingers through her hair. Hammond pretended not to notice, and Cassie restrained herself.
Janet and Cassie left around ten, yawning and collecting hugs all around. The General retired soon after. Sam was asleep, her head pillowed on Teal'c's hip. Jack had moved to a bench, his back to the wall and facing north. The telescope was great for watching stationary objects and gathering data, but to truly appreciate the shower it should be seen with the naked eye.
Speaking of seeing things, where was Daniel? The man had been very quiet all evening, and now he was missing altogether. He looked at his sleeping teammates and saw a moist gleam, telling him Teal'c was still awake. "You see where Daniel went, Teal'c?" Jack whispered. Soundlessly, the Jaffa pointed at the stairs.
A dark bulk in flannel, knees drawn up and leaning on the railing. Face in shadow, light from below glinting off of the glasses and hiding those beautiful blue eyes. Jack suddenly wanted very much to see what the expression was behind those glasses, and he was afraid he knew. Daniel was the eternal outsider, and here he was on the outskirts once again. It should never happen here, though, never with his family. "Danny?" Jack called softly. "C'mere."
He didn't move for a moment, just turned and looked at Jack from behind those concealing lenses. Then he stood and walked slowly over. "Yes?"
"Best view is right here. Wanna see?" He scooted back a little, his sore ankle propped up on the bench, and motioned for Daniel to sit. Come be with us, with me, Danny.
Reluctantly, Daniel sat.
Jack rubbed his face, wondering what to say to make it right again. "Thanks for putting this together, Daniel. It's the best present I've ever gotten." Daniel nodded, looking up at the sky. "What are you thinking about?"
The younger man looked at him like he had grown an extra head. Not the kind of question a guy asks another guy, and not Jack's usual line of sarcasm. It had just popped out and was now hanging there between them. Jack found, though, that he really wanted to know. He never knew what Daniel was thinking, unless Daniel told him. Their minds did not work the same. Not that Jack was stupid; he just thought differently.
"Um.I'm thinking about lots of things, really. The constellations and the stories behind them, wondering if I fed my fish today, how your ankle is doing, why you took off at a run this afternoon with a telephone pole in your sweats, and if there is any bottled water left in the 'fridge. Why do you ask?"
"Ah, just curious. I think I saw some water in the cooler Janet brought."
"Oh, good. Want anything while I'm down there?"
"Beer, if there's any left."
"Right."
He stepped nimbly over Sam and headed down the stairs at a trot. He knows, Jack thought. He saw. What does he think he saw, though? There was a reason guys never asked other guys what they were thinking. Sometimes it was dangerous to know.
Teal'c stirred then, sitting up and gently shaking Carter's shoulder. "It is time to awaken and depart, Samantha," he rumbled.
Carter stirred and woke, rubbing her eyes. "What time is it? Did I miss anything?"
"We can watch from the mountain, Samantha. There is a place I will show you. Are you sufficiently awake to drive?"
"Yes, I think so." She stood and smiled at Jack. "Great day, huh, Sir?" Jack nodded, a little bemused at the tact the Jaffa was showing and wondering just what his kids were up to. "See you Monday. Say good night to Daniel for us?"
"Will do. 'Night, kids. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
Teal'c looked over his shoulder from the stairs and said, "Indeed." He inclined his head, and then vanished down the stairs.
A few minutes later, Daniel came back up, bearing beer and bottled water. "Sam and Teal'c call it a night?" He handed over the beer and sat down where he had been sitting before, close to Jack. O'Neill felt Daniel's warmth soaking into his leg, driving the chill away.
"Yep. Decided to watch it from the mountain." Jack took a long swallow of the warm beer, relishing the grainy bitterness of it as it slid down his throat.
Daniel looked at him in surprise. "Really? Sam and Teal'c? You don't think.."
Jack shook his head. "Nah. They're just friends. Good friends." He took another swallow of beer before his mouth could betray him again. He wanted so badly to take the man into his arms, to feel his warmth and drown in his scent, and to chase away the doubts that had driven him to the outskirts of his family tonight. A foot of space stood between them.
Hell, Jack thought, I travel across galaxies on a daily basis. I can move a foot. He scooted forward and rested his forehead on Daniel's back, greatly daring. The back stiffened for a moment, then relaxed. "Good friends," Daniel murmured.
"Best friends." Jack drew his hand up Daniel's arm, brushing lightly over the flannel, and kissed the nape of Daniel's neck.
The younger man shivered, then leaned back, turning his head toward Jack. He brushed his head against Jack's cheek, nuzzling, and caught his caressing hand. "Does this have something to do with the telephone pole question?" He kissed the rough palm and brought it around him, leaning against Jack's chest as Jack leaned back against the wall.
"Ya think?" Jack kissed Daniel's silky head, reveling in the ability to touch, to smell, to engulf Daniel in his arms and hold tight. It was more than he'd hoped for, clearly more than Daniel had hoped for. He bent his head and met the younger man's lips, mint and ginger and cilantro and Danny. "Oh, god. More." Overhead, the sky rained stars; Jack could see the reflection in Daniel's eyes, sparkling glints of fire as he drew away for breath.
"More," Daniel echoed, and they fell into each other again, the glittering sky forgotten for the moment.
END
Stargazing By Sylvia
Negotiations had gone very well. The Rakufyr Allthing had voted unanimously to open trade with Earth, offering a limited supply of naqueda, and a little purple flower that Fraiser was going ga-ga over for it's pharmaceutical properties. No one had shot at his kids, no nasty Goa'uld's had reared their slimy snakeheads, and best of all, they were going home a bit early. The Orionid meteor shower would be most active this weekend, and he was looking forward to some quality star watching time. Yeah, all was right in the world of Colonel Jack O'Neill.
If he could just pry a certain archaeologist from a certain crumbling wall, they could all go home. "Daniel? You have rubbings of all of this, don't you?"
"Hmm?"
Granted the wall was very pretty, if you liked pictures of demons smiting the unworthy. Very vivid colors, nice use of texture. Ugly ass demons, though. "Daniel? We're ready to go. Home. Earth. Ringing any bells?"
"Sorry, Jack. Did you say something?" The man didn't look up from his notebook, except to look back up at the wall. Jack toyed with the idea of just leaving him there, but that would be a waste. Besides, General Hammond would insist on tons of paperwork to explain the civilian's absence.
"Time's up, Daniel. I'm sorry, but we've been here for two hours and we're going home now. Carter, Teal'c, head out. Daniel, it's been nice knowing you."
"What? Wait, Jack." Daniel gathered up his rubbings and rolled them up, tucking them into his pack as he scrambled after O'Neill. "Damn it, Jack, I wish you wouldn't do that." He sounded angry. Jack snuck a look: mouth tight, eyes narrow, walking with deliberate steps rather than his usual loose-kneed amble. Yep, one angry linguist.
"Do what, Daniel?" The ground was a little uneven here, climbing to the hill where the 'Gate was perched. Scrubby pines fought their way to survive in the thin, rocky soil, and the wind was picking up. Carter and Teal'c were well ahead, talking amiably about something that was making Carter laugh from time to time.
No answer from the man at his side. Jack snuck a longer look, then started walking backwards. "Daniel? Anything wrong?" He knew he was being a shit, knew what Daniel was angry about. He also knew that he would push the man until he talked. Daniel kept too much bottled away, in Jack's opinion, and it was Jack's solemn duty to ferret him out. Besides, it was amusing to see the man splutter, when he really let go.
This would not be a spluttering incident, though, much to O'Neill's disappointment. Daniel relented and said, "I hate it when you treat me like a kid, Jack. I've seen too many mothers use that trick on their children. 'Bye bye, see you later,' and start walking off. Get better materiel, O'Neill, or start treating me like an adult." Daniel picked up the pace, passing Jack, then Sam and Teal'c with long, angry strides.
Ouch. Ok, the man really was ticked. "Hey, Daniel!" he called. Jack broke into a run, his eyes on the stiff olive drab back rather than the trail. "Daniel!"
The ground shifted minutely under his booted feet; that was his only warning. Then, the loose shale skittered down the path, sending Jack into a tangled tumble as his feet were swept out from under him. He heard Carter's alarmed cry as he fell down the slope, crying out himself as he came to a stop, his leg twisted awkwardly beneath him. Pain shot up his leg from his ankle, and he rolled over off of it, freeing the throbbing limb.
The rest of the team was at his side in seconds, much more gracefully than he had arrived at the base of the hill. "Sir, are you hurt?" Carter crouched at his side, looking for injuries. Daniel hovered, not quite sure what to do with his hands.
"My ankle. Just a sprain." Felt like a sprain, anyway, rather than a break. "Help me up." Teal'c lifted him to his feet effortlessly, and then steadied him as he tried to put weight on his screaming foot. "Owowow.okay, not doing *that * again." He could feel the swelling already starting, and was glad of his boot, though Janet would probably have to cut it off when they got back. "Help me up the hill, kids. I knew this mission was going too smoothly."
Daniel took one side, Teal'c the other, and Sam ran ahead, avoiding the shale, to dial up Earth.
General Hammond was waiting on the other side of the wormhole, but his words of congratulations died when he saw his 2IC come hobbling through the shimmering 'Gate. "What happened to you? I thought there were no hostiles on P92101." Medics poured into the room, converging on the team and helping Jack onto a stretcher.
"We had an encounter with some enemy rocks, Sir," Jack said. "I was able to draw their fire while the rest of my team made a break to the Stargate. Much bravery was shown, lives were saved, and the crowd went wild."
Teal'c spoke up. "O'Neill slipped while we were going up a hill." Carter did not snicker, but it was a near thing by the look on her face.
"I see. Get yourself checked out, Colonel. Debriefing at 1500."
The rest of SG-1 was done with their usual post-mission physicals before Jack was out of the radiology department. He tried to look over Fraiser's shoulder as she examined the black and white pictures, but all he saw were some blurry bones. The Doc was hmming over them, though, and it sounded encouraging. "No breaks, Colonel. Just a nasty sprain. I'll let the General know, but you're on medically restricted duty for at least a week. I want you off of that foot, Colonel. Understood?"
Jack nodded, agreeing quickly. A full week to watch the Orionid fall, if he could figure out a way to get up to his star-watching deck. Just what the doctor ordered.
"Get someone to drive you home after the debriefing, Colonel. There were some pretty bad storms here the last few days, and some of the roads are out. Most of the downed power lines have been cleared, but there have been some mudslides, some flash flooding. I wouldn't want you to try it with that foot." She wrapped it with brisk efficiency, ignoring the winces and flinches from her patient. "Keep the ACE wrap on it. You know the drill. Ice, then heat, and no weight bearing. I'll tell Sadie to get you some crutches from the store room."
Daniel met him at the elevators after the brief debrief. "Need a lift?"
"Fraiser put you up to this?" Jack was feeling tired and irritable; the pain meds were wearing off and he just wanted to get home.
"Well, yes. She said you might need a ride." They rode up to the surface in companionable silence, Jack leaning against the wall. His hands were already sore from putting most of his weight on the barely padded handholds. He didn't want to think about how he'd feel after a few days of swinging around on the crutches. "So, we get a week off?"
"Looks like it."
Daniel nodded. "Good. I can use it to study the script from the wall on P92101. Fascinating mix of kanji script and futhark. It explains a lot about the Rakufyr culture, really. Kind of a Viking shogunate, with a heavy shamanic influence that suggests."
Jack never fully tuned Daniel out, but he didn't really listen too closely either. He let the soft words wash over him, through him, and found himself relaxing despite the ache in his ankle. The elevator stopped and they made their way past the various checkpoints, Daniel nattering almost non-stop until they reached the parking lot. It was late afternoon, 1600, and the air had that fresh-washed smell you get after a heavy rain. Even Daniel stopped to appreciate it, gazing up at the amazingly blue sky and inhaling deep breaths of pure air. "That sky is blue. I mean, the avatar of blueness. All blues gauged by that blue."
The security guard looked at Daniel like he was nuts. Jack glared at the young woman and tugged on Daniel's shirt. "Come on. I need a shower." He swung forward, toward Daniel's jeep, and clambered in, tucking his crutches in the back.
Janet had not been kidding about the storms' devastation. Trees were down everywhere and they had to detour several times before Daniel turned down the shaded lane that led to Jack's house. Here, too, were a few downed limbs, but no obstacles, thankfully. "Must have been some storm," Jack observed. Daniel had been very quiet since the drive started, his observations on the Rakufyr culture forgotten for the moment. "You still pissed at me, Daniel?" The younger man felt things deeply, Jack knew, and rarely spoke what he felt.
"Oh my god, Jack. Your tree." Daniel slowed to a halt, a little down the street from Jack's driveway, and pointed.
"My what?" Jack craned his neck, following Daniel's line of sight. The oak, the one shading the south side of his house, looked different. Lopsided. "What the.." They pulled in and Jack clambered out awkwardly, hobbling quickly around the corner to the backyard, his crutch tips sinking into the wet earth. Debris was scattered about, splintered two by fours, branches. He looked up and cursed softly. "Damn it. So much for the Orionid."
A huge branch had broken from the ancient oak and landed square on his observation deck, decimating it. Luckily, his roof was undamaged, from what he could see, but the deck was toast.
Daniel came around the corner, a mangled and twisted tube of metal in his arms. A mournful cry was wrenched from O'Neill's lips. "Not my telescope! All my bairns? Did it get the Meade?" Daniel just nodded, laying the ruined 'scope at Jack's feet. The smaller telescope must still be in the front yard. Jack reached down and brushed a bit of grime from the buckled and warped barrel. "Damn it. I just had it serviced." He'd been harboring the hope of watching the shower from his deck, if not from his roof. He looked up; the first stars were appearing in the indigo sky.
"I'm sorry, Jack. I know how much you were looking forward to tomorrow night." Daniel kicked a small branch out of Jack's path as he limped up to the house. "Do you need any help, you know, with your foot?"
"Nah. I'll be fine. See you Monday." Jack waved half-heartedly and unlocked his door, fumbling with the keys and the crutches and dropping both. "Damn it damn it damn it can this day not at least end right!?" He pounded the door with a frustrated fist.
The crutch nudged back under his arm. Jack looked up in surprise as Daniel scooped up his keys and unlocked the door, scooting inside and holding it open. Then, Daniel's strong hand was on his arm as he navigated the few steps down to his living room and eased into the couch. A pillow found its way between his foot and the coffee table, and then Daniel was in the kitchen, banging things.
"How old is this chicken, Jack?" Daniel called.
Chicken? "I don't think that's chicken, Daniel. I'd back away quietly if I were you. I haven't hit a grocery store in at least two weeks." The days leading up to the mission to P92101 were hectic, and none of SG-1 had been off base for more than a quick trip to O'Malley's or Chuy's for at least that long. "Don't worry about dinner. I'll nuke a bag of popcorn later. Go on home!"
"Okay." More banging from the kitchen, and then the sound of something sizzling. Appetizing smells wafted into the living room, and Jack swore he smelled ginger when Daniel appeared with a beer in one hand and Lortabs in the other. "I know, you're not supposed to mix alcohol and pain pills. I won't tell Janet if you won't." Jack smiled and downed the little white tabs with a gulp of warm German beer. The dosages were low enough, he didn't worry, and his foot was throbbing like the devil right now. Daniel disappeared back into the kitchen, an answering smile in his eyes.
The beer and the pain pills were making him feel mellow by the time Daniel emerged with plates in hand. "I thought I told you to go home, Daniel," Jack said sternly.
"I left about an hour ago." Daniel placed a pillow in Jack's lap and set his plate on top. Ginger chicken stir-fry steamed fragrantly up at him and Jack dug in with gusto. Daniel set his plate on the coffee table and sat on the floor, a glass of water beading condensation in his hand. "You really need to shop, Jack. You're almost out of beer."
"Where the hell did you find ginger? I know there wasn't any in the fridge."
"I brought over a root and left it in your freezer about a month ago. After you complained that Phoenix Empress didn't use enough in their Mu Shu Pork. Those things keep forever." Daniel speared a snow pea pod and gestured with it as he spoke.
They bantered comfortably as they ate, drifting into a companionable silence as Jack began to drift under the influence of mild narcotics and strong beer. Daniel collected the plates without comment and washed up as Jack dozed comfortably. Later, Jack found himself in his bed, his leg propped on pillows. Daniel had apparently helped him into his sweats at some point that Jack did not remember, and then tucked him in. Either that, or he had developed the ability to teleport himself over short distances without being conscious of the effort. Muzzily mulling over this unlikely possibility, he drew the quilt up to his chin and drifted off, warm and comfortable.
Morning arrived with a bang. Jack startled awake at the noise from above him, his head aching slightly and his foot throbbing, and tried to focus on the clock. Eleven am. He cursed and disentangled himself from the quilt, swinging his legs to the floor and standing. White-hot pain shot up his leg and he collapsed backward onto the bed with a yell. Oh yeah, he thought, I sprained my ankle yesterday.
Daniel appeared at his door, breathless and alarmed. "Jack? What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Just tried to stand up, that's all. What the hell are you doing here?" And where did you get those clothes? He'd never seen Daniel wearing anything like this. Faded cut-offs, ratty tennis shoes, a faded T- shirt with a picture of a wild-haired, wild-eyed Einstein, and a bandanna. The younger man handed him his crutches and Jack noticed his arms were scratched and peppered with sawdust and tiny wood chips. "What's going on, Daniel?" Jack asked suspiciously.
"Nothing," Daniel echoed Jack's earlier words. "Want some breakfast?" He seemed cheerful, chipper even as he led the way into the kitchen. The back door was open and a warm breeze wafted through the house, carrying the scents of fall. Dead leaves, late flowers, fresh lumber..
"Morning, Colonel!" Sam called cheerfully from the deck. She was dressed for working too, in jeans and a pale pink T-shirt, her hair pulled back into a tiny ponytail at the nape of her neck. "Daniel, the guys are here with the lumber and Teal'c won't let me use the chain saw. Will you talk to him or do I have to get mean?" She pulled work gloves from her back pocket and pulled them on, glaring at something on the roof.
Now O'Neill heard the low whine, saw branches flying down into the backyard, and hobbled out into the bright day. He looked up and saw Teal'c, straddling the roof ridge and attacking the fallen branch. "Kel sha, O'Neill! This is a most worthy weapon!" He brandished the buzzing chain saw, a gleam in his eye, and another branch hit the yard.
"Teal'c! My turn!" She scurried up a ladder and disappeared from view.
"Daniel," Jack turned to the younger man and hobbled back inside, "what the hell is going on?" A plate of scrambled eggs and toast was waiting for him at the table, and two little white pills rested next to the glass of orange juice. "What's up, Daniel?"
"Breakfast. Eat up; I have to go talk to the guys." He was out the door before Jack could say anything else.
Giving in to the inevitable, Jack sat and ate. The banging and buzzing continued overhead, and the pile of wood in his back yard grew. He watched out the back door as he ate; Teal'c had evidently given up control of the coveted chain saw, since he was now on stick toting duty. The larger branches had been cut up and he was now stacking them by the fence, continuing the cord of wood already stored there.
'The guys,' off duty personnel from base, unloaded a pile of lumber and supplies onto his deck, carefully moving his plants aside first. A few of them swarmed up the ladder, hammers in hand, and were soon casting down the wreckage of the observation deck, dismantled and ready to be hauled away. Teal'c and Daniel wrestled with the shattered lumber, loading it onto the truck for disposal. Jack finished his breakfast and moved onto the deck, well out of the way. He propped his foot up and watched, bemused and more than a little touched.
It was a glorious day, bright and warm with just enough cool breeze to keep it nice. The sky was still that amazing blue, with little scudding clouds dancing along on the wind. It was perfect stargazing weather.
"Daniel!" Sam called from the roof. "The foundation struts are intact! Can we use them?"
"Just a sec!" Daniel dropped the branch he was carrying and ran up to the deck. "Jack," he said, "this is where we need your input." He darted inside and came back with several awkward rolls of paper. Jack smiled at his juggling act as he looked for the right scroll. It reminded him of that briefing, so long ago, before the first mission to Abydos. Daniel telling all those Generals, "You'll have to share." Then that brilliant leap of intuition he had made. Jack had been amazed at the way the man's mind worked, and continued to be floored on an almost daily basis by his intellect. The problem was focusing that mind on the task at hand. Sometimes, Daniel was easily distracted by shiny objects.
"Here it is." Daniel selected one roll of paper from the others and laid it out on the table, holding it flat against the wind's playful tugging. It was a new deck, with stairs leading up the side of the house. There were benches, a lockable storage area, and good sturdy walls about waist high. "What do you think? Can we proceed?" Sam had outdone herself on the specs, Jack noted. She must have organized all of this last night after the briefing.
"You don't need to do this, Daniel. I told you to go home last night." Jack scooted the plans back to Daniel. "Did Carter put you all up to this?"
It was as if the sun had vanished behind a cloud. All the animation went out of Daniel's face and he rolled up the plans. "Can we go ahead? It's your house, Jack." Oops, said something wrong. Now that the light was gone, Jack was a little confused by how much he wanted it back.
"Um, sure. Go have fun, Daniel." He gestured vaguely about him, encompassing the tree, the lumber, and the scurrying people.
"Whatever." Daniel pulled off his bandana and rubbed his hands through his spiky, sweaty hair. He yelled up to Carter, "We have a go." Turning back to Jack, he said with a small smile, "Operation ThunderStorm." Then he was off again.
Daniel was everywhere that afternoon. He and Sam took turns on the radial saw, measuring and cutting the lumber for Teal'c and Sgt. Siler to haul up to the roof. A squad of non-coms took over the stacking of lumber and cleaning of the yard while the rest of SG-1 scurried up to the roof and banging began anew. Jack was forced into the cleared yard and his lawn chair at one point when the stair building got underway. Soon narrow stairs with a sturdy guardrail snaked up the side of his house, much nicer than the rickety ladder that Janet had condemned long ago as a health hazard.
From the yard, he had an excellent view of the builders. Sam shone in the afternoon sun, and Teal'c was a force of nature with a hammer. It was Daniel who captured Jack's attention, though. He had doffed his shirt at some point and was clambering around the roof in cutoffs and sneakers. Jack found himself wondering when he had gotten the idea that Daniel was clumsy. The man was a mountain goat, dancing along the roofline like someone born to it. He moved with strength and ease, setting the boards in place and trimming the rough edges with a hand saw.
A little alarmed at the direction his thoughts were going, Jack tried to watch something else. Sam, wielding her nail gun with deadly accuracy and a determined expression, Daniel a tanned, buff Adonis at her side.. Nonono. Um, Private Lissa Anders, of the red curls and the long legs, stretching to hand some cut lengths of plywood up to the builders. Daniel pulling them up to the platform, his sleek arms flexing as he.. Aaargh! Jack adjusted himself and wished for a glass of something cold. The day was suddenly far too warm.
He'd never really thought of Daniel in this way, and it was disturbing. Disturbing, hell; it was terrifying. It was comfortable, too, though. Known, and familiar. He knew that he loved Daniel, would give his life for the man, cared for him like a brother. They had been through hell together and knew each other backwards and forwards. Daniel was the only person he every really talked to about the bad shit. The stuff that wakes you up screaming at two a.m. and fumbling for a light to chase the demons away. He knew he had a wall around him, thick and high, and that Daniel had one even thicker. Somehow, though, they had each breached the others defenses and it was okay. For Daniel only, it was okay.
Was he really so surprised that physical attraction should follow? Jack had never been a homophobe, though he knew quite a few in the service. Don't ask, don't tell had come as a shock to them, but Jack had seen it as a copout. He knew quite a few men and women in the SGC who were quietly gay, and he had long ago decided it was none of his business. They were good soldiers all, and some of them had pulled SG-1's collective asses out of the fire a time or two. His opinion had always been it doesn't matter who you love, as long as you're honest about it. The world was a scary place, and love was too rare a gift to start worrying about the package in which it was wrapped.
So where did that leave him? Sitting in his backyard with a boner from watching his best friend prance around in cut offs and a do-rag. He turned the idea over in his head, working through the possibilities, and found himself growing harder. Okaaay, the libido has no problems with the idea whatsoever. Libido is jumping up and down saying, Yes! Finally! Danny au natural, alamode, with, heh, a cherry on top!
Enough. Time to go inside, if he could manage it.
Hoping his half crouched hobble was hiding his interest, he made it into the house without a stumble. He made it to the safety of his bedroom and collapsed on the bed, dropping his crutches and fumbling for himself. Daniel filled his mind, images of Daniel naked, hard, wanting. Daniel's strong hands stroking him, so beautiful, his mouth. Jack bucked into his hand, the climax hitting him hard. He bit back a cry as the warm come flooded out, drenching his lap in moments and leaving him loose limbed and relaxed. It had been a while, he thought ruefully. I came like a damn kid.
His next thought was, what if Daniel doesn't want me? Now that was a frightening thought. Daniel was, as far as he knew, straight. Actually, he was straight and celibate. With the exception of that Goa'uld bitch, Hathor, Daniel had been celibate for the past five years, to the best of Jack's knowledge. Since Shau're. How the hell could Jack stand up to the memory of Daniel's wife, his one true love? He couldn't, he answered himself bleakly. No way. Unrequited lust, here we come. He hadn't felt this way since Suzie McMasters in the eleventh grade; kinda adolescent, hopeless, and sticky.
He cleaned himself up and slipped into a pair of old jeans and a flannel shirt, rewrapping the ACE bandage. Was it worth the chance? The risk? He could tell Daniel and let the chips fall, or keep it to himself. Either decision was fraught. He could win everything or lose everything, just with one little question. No pressure.
The doorbell rang, startling him. He fumbled for his crutches and swung into the living room as Janet and Cassie came in through the back door, arms full of grocery bags. "I was wondering when you were going to show, Doc. Hi, Cassie. What's in the bags?"
"Fajitas," Janet answered. The counter was soon covered with bowls of salsa, beans, lettuce, cheese, and a steaming stack of tortillas. The bundles of tin foil were full of various types of grilled meat, warm and savory. "Daniel said your cupboards were bare, so Cassie and I thought we'd feed the slavering crowd out there." Jack just watched as the two women bustled about his kitchen, chopping and peeling various vegetables. "There's a cooler of ice in the car, Cassie. Get one of the guys to bring it in and then let them know soups on. What are you smiling at, Colonel?"
He hadn't realized he was smiling. "You just look very, um, domestic, Doc. Not how I usually picture you."
The tiny woman smiled up at him. "Would it help if I was wearing my lab coat?" Then she frowned, looking at his foot. "Ice! Heat! Elevation! Sit!" Grumbling about stubborn flyboys, she grabbed a bag of frozen peas from the freezer and pointed menacingly toward the living room. "I'll look at the ankle later, Jack, but prop it up for now." He let himself be directed and propped his leg back on the pillow from last night. The bag of peas draped chilling over his lower leg, numbing the ache that had been gnawing at him most of the morning. Janet propped her hands on her hips and glared, no longer at all domestic, then marched back into the kitchen.
This whole day was fucking surreal, and Jack couldn't stop grinning.
He dozed in his chair through the afternoon, waking sporadically when Janet changed from a cold pack to a hot pack on his leg. The Cowboys were playing Chicago, and most of the builders wandered through at some point to get the score and watch a play or two. Cassie kept him company after the game, beating him two games out of three in Scrabble. The alien child had grown into a very intelligent young woman who would be heading off to college in a couple of years. Sam and Janet had done a good job raising her, the little brush with Goa'uldy mental stuff notwithstanding. It felt so damn homey, with his kids, and his kids' kids around him. He felt a little like a clan patriarch, though that role more properly belonged to the General.
The banging stopped late afternoon, just as the sun was going down. Daniel knocked on the window and motioned Jack outside. "Hand me my crutches, Cass. Sounds like they're done." Time to see what kind of havoc had been wrecked on the roof. Most of the helpers from the base had trickled away as the sun set, returning to their duty stations or their homes, leaving just SG-1, Janet and Cassie behind.
Teal'c was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. "DoctorFraiser insists that I assist you up the stairs, O'Neill." The Jaffa looked almost smug, but did not crack a smile as he put a strong hand on Jack's elbow. A warm presence slipped behind him and Jack turned to see Daniel as he felt the younger man's big hands on his hips.
"Don't want you to fall, Jack. The stairs are pretty steep," Daniel said. His warm breath fanned across the nape of Jack's neck, making him shiver. "Up we go."
"I can make it okay." Actually, he probably could. The stairs were well built and not too steep, with a good solid handrail on the outside. Perfect for trailing climbing roses or star-jasmine, once spring hit.
The warm hands did not move from his waist. "Doctor's orders. No weight on that foot now." Daniel's warm body was pressed into Jack's back the whole way up, steadying him securely as he climbed. His scent, green lumber, sweat, and the ginger from last night, swirled around Jack in dizzying eddies. The scent went straight to Jack's hindbrain, and made him glad of the more constricting jeans he was now wearing. The heady aroma had him half-hard and aching before they were half way up the stairs. "Almost there. You okay, Jack?"
"Uh huh." He did not trust his mouth to say any more.
Then he got his first look at the deck, and he almost lost his footing. Teal'c and Daniel both grabbed, keeping him upright as he gazed at the platform. It was perfect. "Wow."
It was bigger than his old deck, for one thing. Hexagonal in shape, it had sturdy walls on all sides rather than the flimsy guardrails he had knocked together. Padded benches lined the walls, with sloped backs so one could recline comfortably and look up at the sky. There was a locked cupboard for storage, and the rest of the obscuring oak had been trimmed away, so that his southern view was improved. The thing felt solid, too. Built to last. The old platform had a tendency to sway in a high wind, throwing off his calculations by several degrees. Didn't feel too safe, either.
Sam and Janet were already up, and Cassie slipped up the stairs behind the three men. "So, Colonel," Sam asked at last, "what do you think? Is it okay?"
He sank onto one of the cushioned benches and leaned back against the wall, taking it all in. Slowly, a grin crept over his face and he nodded. "More than okay. It's perfect. Thank you, Carter."
The Major looked a bit confused, glancing at Daniel, then back at Jack. "Um, Sir, this wasn't my doing. Daniel arranged the whole thing. He called me at six a.m. and had me drawing up plans. I had no idea what happened to your deck until he told me."
Jack looked at Daniel, who was looking a little uncomfortable. "Daniel? You planned this?"
The younger man hugged himself, and then shrugged into his abandoned shirt. "It's getting a little cool. I'm going to borrow your shower, Jack." He vanished down the stairs before anyone could say anything else.
Feeling more than a little foolish, Jack kicked himself mentally. Of course it was Daniel. How would Carter have known about the deck if he hadn't told her? Daniel must have been calling people all morning while Jack slept. He planned this, start to finish. Despite the cooling air, Jack felt a warm glow take up residence. He wanted to hug the stuffings out of Daniel, but he'd hared off for some reason.
"Oooh! Look!" Cassie was laying back on one of the benches, looking up. "A shooting star!" It was starting, and the light hadn't fully faded yet. It was going to be a wonderful show. Jack just wished Daniel would hurry back up, so he could watch too.
A car pulled in the driveway and a door opened and closed. "I will investigate, O'Neill." Teal'c moved swiftly and quietly down the stairs, a huge cat.
Sam watched with appreciative eyes, and then noticed that Jack was staring at her. "He moves very gracefully," she said. "I love to watch him when he goes into battle mode."
"Sam-mum, are you blushing?" Cassie teased. Sam threw a discarded hunk of two by four at her, bouncing it off of her stomach. "Ow! Mo-o-om! Sam's throwing wood at me."
"You shouldn't tease, then, Cassie. Not if you want us to leave Keith alone when he comes to pick you up for the prom." Janet ruffled her daughter's hair and then pointed up as another meteor blazed across the darkening sky.
Something heavy was coming up the stairs, rattling the wall Jack was leaning against. Sam hopped up and looked over the side. She grinned at what she saw and looked over her shoulder at Jack.
"What?" Jack craned his neck, but just saw Teal'c's back in the fading light. Sam shook her head and pinched her lips together. "Carter, you know how much I hate surprises. Do I have to order you to tell me what's going on?"
"I ordered her not to, Jack," General Hammond's voice drifted upwards. "Just have a little patience."
Sam shrugged. "Chain of command, Sir. Sorry." She didn't look sorry, though. She looked smug.
The Jaffa was carrying something heavy, or one end of something heavy. Daniel carried the other end of the bulky, canvas draped shape. "Put it in the middle of the deck," Hammond directed.
It was the right size, the right shape; Jack grabbed his crutches and slowly hobbled to the shrouded form. The three men stepped back as he drew off the canvas and caught his breath. "A Meade sixteen inch LX200. Where did.I didn't think these were available to the public yet." It was a beautiful telescope, sleek and precise, and would just fit in the locked cupboard with a little room to spare. The General slid a low chair in place under the eyepiece and Jack sat, adjusting the pitch to bring the alpha and delta to the appropriate location. The sky was full dark now, and he looked through the eyepiece toward the northern sky.
More oohing and aahing from the girls, and he was feeling a little in awe himself. He looked up and met Daniel's eyes and grinned. The full lips twitched and Daniel looked away, then back. "Come look, Daniel." Jack scooted back and motioned Daniel toward the 'scope.
Reluctantly, the younger man closed the distance, pushing his glasses up on his head, and looked into the eyepiece.
"The Orionid meteor shower is not nearly as spectacular as the Leonid, later this year," Jack said. "The epsilon-Geminid shower is in almost the same part of the sky, but it made a very poor showing this year. I've got the telescope aimed at the part of the sky where most of the meteors will be falling. Should be some interesting action around midnight." A little gasp from Daniel and Cassie's girlish "Neat!" told him another rock had blazed down. "I counted upwards of a hundred falls during the last Geminid shower."
Daniel stood and looked up at the sky. "There's Orion. That's where they're coming from, right?" Jack nodded. The first symbol Daniel had identified from the Stargate cartouche was Orion. That had led to the intuitive leap that had identified the rest of the symbols and set them on this journey. "The hunter, according to the Greeks." He surrendered the telescope to the General with a nod, and backed away from Jack, who had been hovering a bit. Sniffing.
Teal'c leaned back on one of the benches and Sam sat on the deck at his side, leaning her head back against him. "There's Gemini, and the Pegasus." She pointed up, connecting the dots. "The Big Dipper." The Jaffa looked down at her, a look of disbelief on his face, then he shrugged and resumed trailing his fingers through her hair. Hammond pretended not to notice, and Cassie restrained herself.
Janet and Cassie left around ten, yawning and collecting hugs all around. The General retired soon after. Sam was asleep, her head pillowed on Teal'c's hip. Jack had moved to a bench, his back to the wall and facing north. The telescope was great for watching stationary objects and gathering data, but to truly appreciate the shower it should be seen with the naked eye.
Speaking of seeing things, where was Daniel? The man had been very quiet all evening, and now he was missing altogether. He looked at his sleeping teammates and saw a moist gleam, telling him Teal'c was still awake. "You see where Daniel went, Teal'c?" Jack whispered. Soundlessly, the Jaffa pointed at the stairs.
A dark bulk in flannel, knees drawn up and leaning on the railing. Face in shadow, light from below glinting off of the glasses and hiding those beautiful blue eyes. Jack suddenly wanted very much to see what the expression was behind those glasses, and he was afraid he knew. Daniel was the eternal outsider, and here he was on the outskirts once again. It should never happen here, though, never with his family. "Danny?" Jack called softly. "C'mere."
He didn't move for a moment, just turned and looked at Jack from behind those concealing lenses. Then he stood and walked slowly over. "Yes?"
"Best view is right here. Wanna see?" He scooted back a little, his sore ankle propped up on the bench, and motioned for Daniel to sit. Come be with us, with me, Danny.
Reluctantly, Daniel sat.
Jack rubbed his face, wondering what to say to make it right again. "Thanks for putting this together, Daniel. It's the best present I've ever gotten." Daniel nodded, looking up at the sky. "What are you thinking about?"
The younger man looked at him like he had grown an extra head. Not the kind of question a guy asks another guy, and not Jack's usual line of sarcasm. It had just popped out and was now hanging there between them. Jack found, though, that he really wanted to know. He never knew what Daniel was thinking, unless Daniel told him. Their minds did not work the same. Not that Jack was stupid; he just thought differently.
"Um.I'm thinking about lots of things, really. The constellations and the stories behind them, wondering if I fed my fish today, how your ankle is doing, why you took off at a run this afternoon with a telephone pole in your sweats, and if there is any bottled water left in the 'fridge. Why do you ask?"
"Ah, just curious. I think I saw some water in the cooler Janet brought."
"Oh, good. Want anything while I'm down there?"
"Beer, if there's any left."
"Right."
He stepped nimbly over Sam and headed down the stairs at a trot. He knows, Jack thought. He saw. What does he think he saw, though? There was a reason guys never asked other guys what they were thinking. Sometimes it was dangerous to know.
Teal'c stirred then, sitting up and gently shaking Carter's shoulder. "It is time to awaken and depart, Samantha," he rumbled.
Carter stirred and woke, rubbing her eyes. "What time is it? Did I miss anything?"
"We can watch from the mountain, Samantha. There is a place I will show you. Are you sufficiently awake to drive?"
"Yes, I think so." She stood and smiled at Jack. "Great day, huh, Sir?" Jack nodded, a little bemused at the tact the Jaffa was showing and wondering just what his kids were up to. "See you Monday. Say good night to Daniel for us?"
"Will do. 'Night, kids. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
Teal'c looked over his shoulder from the stairs and said, "Indeed." He inclined his head, and then vanished down the stairs.
A few minutes later, Daniel came back up, bearing beer and bottled water. "Sam and Teal'c call it a night?" He handed over the beer and sat down where he had been sitting before, close to Jack. O'Neill felt Daniel's warmth soaking into his leg, driving the chill away.
"Yep. Decided to watch it from the mountain." Jack took a long swallow of the warm beer, relishing the grainy bitterness of it as it slid down his throat.
Daniel looked at him in surprise. "Really? Sam and Teal'c? You don't think.."
Jack shook his head. "Nah. They're just friends. Good friends." He took another swallow of beer before his mouth could betray him again. He wanted so badly to take the man into his arms, to feel his warmth and drown in his scent, and to chase away the doubts that had driven him to the outskirts of his family tonight. A foot of space stood between them.
Hell, Jack thought, I travel across galaxies on a daily basis. I can move a foot. He scooted forward and rested his forehead on Daniel's back, greatly daring. The back stiffened for a moment, then relaxed. "Good friends," Daniel murmured.
"Best friends." Jack drew his hand up Daniel's arm, brushing lightly over the flannel, and kissed the nape of Daniel's neck.
The younger man shivered, then leaned back, turning his head toward Jack. He brushed his head against Jack's cheek, nuzzling, and caught his caressing hand. "Does this have something to do with the telephone pole question?" He kissed the rough palm and brought it around him, leaning against Jack's chest as Jack leaned back against the wall.
"Ya think?" Jack kissed Daniel's silky head, reveling in the ability to touch, to smell, to engulf Daniel in his arms and hold tight. It was more than he'd hoped for, clearly more than Daniel had hoped for. He bent his head and met the younger man's lips, mint and ginger and cilantro and Danny. "Oh, god. More." Overhead, the sky rained stars; Jack could see the reflection in Daniel's eyes, sparkling glints of fire as he drew away for breath.
"More," Daniel echoed, and they fell into each other again, the glittering sky forgotten for the moment.
END