So This Is Christmas....
by Nessessitee
As Jack stepped back off the ladder his hand reached behind for the next Christmas decoration. Sam leaned forward and placed another delicate glass bauble into his grasp. He gave her a quick smile then stepped back up to the top of the tree. The doorbell buzzed and Daniel hopped up to answer it.
"Hey, General Hammond!" Jack called to the man who had just entered his home and was now standing in his snow-covered jacket on the top step. It took Hammond a few moments to locate where the voice had come from but he soon found Jack, perched near the top of the nine foot tree that barely scraped the high ceiling in the colonel's sunken living room.
"Good God, Colonel! Could you get a bigger tree?" The round man laughed at the size of the gorgeous Fir taking pride of place beside the fireplace in the room. Daniel blushed then handed another glass bauble to Sam so she could pass it up to Jack.
"Oh, that's partly my fault," he admitted with a sheepish look towards the man up the ladder before returning his attention to the newest guest. "I bartered with the man and managed to score this tree for the price of a much smaller one."
Sam shoved him gently with her shoulder, "Gift of the Gab, Daniel?"
"I believe the term you used was 'ice to Eskimos', was it not, O'Neill?" Teal'c commented from the other side of the tree where he was hanging a golden orb.
*Sprung!*
Jack shot Daniel a quick grin then muttered, "Er, yeah, something like that Teal'c!"
Daniel acknowledged the gentle ribbing with a little roll of his eyes before he looked at the tree once more. "Well, it didn't look quite so big on the farm," he said in his own defence.
"We were in the middle of a vast field, Danny!" Jack then looked at the general with a laconic grin. "Go figure!"
Hammond laughed and shook his head. This was exactly the reason he had accepted Daniel's invitation to the small gathering. When he heard it was only going to be SG-1, Janet, Cassie, Catherine and Ernest he felt like he should go - they were all like family to him and he belonged with them on Christmas Eve.
"Well, it's going to look splendid!" Hammond smiled warmly at the man he'd almost come to regard as his own son. Daniel smiled back before he tilted his face up to grin at Jack. He had an 'I told you so' look on his face, to which Jack returned an 'I know' glare playfully. Lowering his head to look down into the box in his lap Daniel laughed softly to himself then handed out a shiny red globe to Sam.
Janet reached around the general for the bottle still in his hands. "Should I take that, Sir?"
"Oh!" He'd forgotten it as soon as he'd stepped into the living room, taken by the banter between the friends and the decorations already up. Evergreen garlands, threaded with gold tinsel, draped across the walls and gathered in the corners where more Evergreen hung down the walls. It looked wonderful. A stark contrast to the sombre Christmas Hammond recalled interrupting in this house the previous year. With the rest of the SG-1 team otherwise accounted for: Sam had gone to San Diego to be with her brother for the break, Teal'c had gone to the Land of Light to be with Drey'ak and Rya'c while Daniel took up an offer to visit a friend in Cascade, Washington, Jack was left alone for the entire Christmas break.
Calling in on him at the last minute, Hammond was not surprised, but disappointed, to see that the man had made no effort to celebrate the special day. He was found sitting in his chair, watching the television in a darkened room when Hammond had stopped by, unannounced, on his way through to a dinner being held by one of his Air Force friends down the road. He had tried to persuade the colonel into joining him, assuring him he'd be no burden on the feast, but Jack had refuse flatly, saying he had no desire to celebrate the day - not without his family.
Understanding the loneliness, Hammond simply handed him a small gift - a voucher for him to purchase anything he wanted from the local Mall. Jack had refused the gift at first, but then accepted it. Hammond apologized for the impersonal offering but Jack had argued that it was a good present. After all, they hardly knew each other well enough to purchase a more personal gift and the colonel appreciated the sentiment so thanked him wholeheartedly for the thoughtful gift before seeing him on his way.
It wasn't until a few months later that Hammond found out that Jack had been invited to Sara's for Christmas. It was then that the general realised which family Jack was missing the most.
This year it was different. After handing the bottle to Janet, Hammond went back to the front door and removed his heavy coat before he stopped to pick up the bag by the door.
"Where shall I place this?" He asked, holding up the bag filled with brightly wrapped presents.
"Over there-" Daniel pointed to the chair by the fireplace, almost overflowing with gifts already. "Until we're finished with the tree, then we'll put them under it."
Hammond nodded and proceeded to follow Daniel's directions while Sam went into the kitchen to see what was keeping her lover.
*
Janet smiled as she saw who entered the room and noted that she was careful in shutting the door behind herself. Turning back to where she was stirring the wine on the stove top, careful not to overheat it, Janet awaited her lover's touch.
"Hey, Sammy," she said, enjoying the feeling of the taller woman stepping in behind her and placing a small kiss on the tip of her left ear. Sam's hands caressed the diminutive woman within the tan velvet dress, moving in small circles down the curve of the front of her lover's body.
"How's it going?"
"Nearly boiling," Janet moaned softly as Sam's lips made their way down the rim of the ear and onto the extremely sensitive skin on Janet's neck.
"You?" Sam whispered and punctuated her words with more kisses- "Or the wine?"
Janet gave a low, throaty chuckle and tilted her head back. "A little of both, I think."
Sam smiled and kissed the tip of the upturned nose. The sound of the door opening behind them had the women pulling apart quickly, but it was only Daniel, hiding his eyes as he grabbed another drink from the fridge.
"You can look, Daniel." Sam smiled as she watched him fumble around, using only one hand to locate the bottle opener. He peered from behind his hand, two blue eyes shining in the harsh kitchen light.
"Oh," he said as he dropped his arm down again. Janet laughed and switched off the stovetop, carefully grabbing up the pot holders to lift the heavy pan off the stove.
"Ouch!" She hissed as she placed the pot onto a trivet. Sam was by her side immediately, checking out the red mark on the side of the doctor's hand.
"Did you burn yourself?" She asked. Janet grimaced then nodded, annoyed at her own clumsiness.
Jack, followed closely by Hammond, entered the room in time to see Sam kiss the side of Janet's hand.
"Ah," Jack said, turning slightly to look back over his shoulder at the general standing behind him. The older man blinked his little blue eyes then focused onto Janet.
"Are you alright, Doctor?" He asked.
She gave him a grateful smile. He knew about her and Sam and while they tried hard not to have any public display in front of him, sometimes they were caught out like this. Janet knew he was a little curious about them, but respected that they were professional women who didn't allow for antics at work. While they remained professional during work hours he knew they went back to the same address each night and that both women were now raising Cassandra as their own. The young alien girl was perfectly happy with her situation, and always referred to the women by their first names, but regarded them as her 'mothers'.
"I've got some aloe," Jack suggested. Janet nodded, a little embarrassed by the attention.
"I'll get it," Daniel said before heading out of the kitchen and down to Jack's bathroom. Hammond noted the way Daniel went, without instruction, straight off to get this bottle of Aloe but he made no comment.
*
As the young anthropologist smoothed the soothing balm on his friend's hand, he smiled and said, "I hope this wine's worth the effort."
Sam patted his back and nodded. "Believe me, Daniel, it is!" The two women exchanged grins then Janet watched as Daniel stopped applying the gel.
"That should do it," he said, smiling gently at her. She looked over his handy work then gave a soft, "Hmmpfft," before saying, "I guess spending all your time in the infirmary *has* taught you a thing or two!"
"Yeah, like which nurse elects to work the nights we go off on a mission just so that they can be there to tend to his wounds when we return!" Jack teased him from the other side of the room. Hammond watched, with renewed amusement, as the banter built between the two men once more.
"Come on, Jack. You know that's not true!"
"Not true? So, how come Nurse What's-her-name's always on the days we head out?"
Daniel arched one brow. "Nurse *What's-her-name*? That narrows it down Jack."
Clicking his fingers, Jack tried to recall the name of the pretty red haired nurse.
"Are you referring to Nurse Hathoway?" Teal'c offered. Jack made a loud snap with his fingers and pointed at his Jaffa friend.
"That's her!"
"Halloway," Janet offered from the corner of the room as she continued to gently rub in the cream. All heads turned to the doctor and she looked up.
"Nicole Halloway," she said, shrugging slightly. "And, I'm afraid, Jack's right on that one, Daniel."
"Ah huh!" Jack nodded vigorously then looked at Daniel with a triumphant look in his eyes. Grinning like the Cheshire Cat, he settled a look on his friend that clearly told Daniel he wished he'd had money riding on that one.
Daniel turned a slight pink colour then mumbled, "you know I'm not interested in any other woman but Sha're, Jack!" He busied himself with packing the first aid kit away again then, tucking it under his arm, he turned to leave the room.
"Well you have to say that, don't you? After all, Hammond's here! Can't have the man kicking you off the team because you're not looking for your wife anymore!"
The two men looked at each other as Hammond laughed lightly in the background. "Somehow I think Dr. Jackson's earned his place on SG-1 now, Jack."
Slowly a smile crept into Jack's eyes once more and he winked at Daniel. The doorbell rang and broke the moment between the men. Daniel shoved the kit against Jack's chest as he brushed past him and headed out to open the door.
It was Catherine and Ernest, covered in snow.
"Oh, hello Daniel!" Catherine smiled as he greeted them at the door.
"I was expecting Jack to answer the door," Ernest said, shaking out his coat then hanging it up.
"Oh . he's busy in the kitchen." Daniel took Catherine's coat off her.
The surprised, if not slightly worried, woman turned to look at him with wide eyes. "Cooking?" She gasped fearfully.
"Being obnoxious," Daniel replied. The older couple smiled.
"Now, that I could imagine," Catherine said, accepting a hug from the tall anthropologist as Ernest hung her coat on the rack.
The rest of the group had filed out to the dining room to greet the new arrivals. It was the first time they had reunited since Catherine and Ernest were married on the first weekend of December. The group hugged and wished each other well, congratulated the happy couple then finally settled into the living room, where, once again. the size of the tree was commented on. Daniel wore the new batch of ribbing well.
Jack resumed his position on the top of the ladder while Teal'c and Cassandra remained filling the far side of the tree and Janet and Sam filled the front of the tree. Daniel was the one opening all the new boxes of decorations and handing them to whomever reached out for one. Hammond, Catherine and Ernest took their positions on the sofas, giving instruction on any *missed* spots and offering suggestions as to what color was needed to fill the gap. Softly in the background, a Christmas CD played on a loop, but no one really heard it.
Daniel's hand paused over a cardboard box. As he picked it up he looked up at Jack and called to him.
"Do you want this one up there, Jack?"
The colonel looked down, seeing the box in the younger man's hand. He gave a quick shake of the head and Daniel replied with a nod, knowing that Jack would grab that box when he was ready. He twisted and placed the box onto the coffee table and set about opening yet another carton of shiny Christmas baubles
Catherine sat forward in her seat and picked up the cardboard box, looking at the ornate blue ball inside. Her eyes shifted to catch Daniel's and the young man gave her a sad smile. She returned it and looked up at Jack, who was too busy to notice her watching him. She shifted back in her seat and showed the ball to Ernest. He kissed her temple when he saw the tears twinkle in the corner of her eyes.
Daniel smiled sadly still, looking down at his busy hands as he recalled shopping with Jack the day before.
*
It had taken him a while to convince his friend to even purchase a tree, let alone go and actually shop for its decorations. After staring at the bare tree for two days, Daniel sighed and grabbed his coat from the rack beside Jack's front door and went out to his car. He was sitting inside when Jack finally caught up to him, pounding on the window and making the hand actions for Daniel to unwind the window. Vapors poured from both men's mouths as they spoke.
"Where are you going? I thought you came over to watch the game with me?" Jack asked as he jiggled on the spot.
"I did, but I can't stand staring at that bare tree any longer. I'm going to go and buy you some damn decorations."
"Oh, come on! I got the tree you nagged me about for days!" The older man sighed, tossing his hand at the house.
"Yeah, and what about the decorations? House smells great Jack, but it kinda lacks a little something, don't you think?"
"Yeah I know *exactly* what it lacks," Jack said, jumping on the spot to keep himself warm, hardly dressed for the winter's day in just his jeans and flannelette shirt. He hugged his body to keep warm.
"Decorations," Daniel agreed.
"Well, yeah, them too!" He reneged with a shrug of his shoulders. Daniel nodded.
"Exactly. I'll be back in a short while," he said, starting the car's engine.
"Ohfercryingoutloud! Wait!" Jack said, before disappearing into the house and returning soon after with a cream cable knit sweater on and his long line black coat. Daniel smiled as he watched his friend, mouth mumbling something that he couldn't hear as he rounded the car and sat in the passengers seat.
…..
The two men weaved their way through the last-minute shoppers as they discussed the price of a sweater Daniel had liked a few stores down.
"If you like the damn thing, just buy it!"
"No, it was way over priced," Daniel said as he stopped to look over a display of animated Christmas decorations. Jack stepped up beside him, his hands in his pockets and he watched the snoring Santas, and the waving Santas, and all the other musical decorations alongside of his friend. Daniel seemed a little mesmerized by the animatronics and Jack found himself checking his watch a few times before hinting at the scientist to leave.
"You think we might get these baubles and dangly bits and head off home before the *whole* game is over?"
Daniel tore his eyes from the intricate carousel in front of him. He smiled at Jack and mumbled an apology before pointing towards the shelf of decorations a few aisles away. Jack was surprised by the far-away look in his friend's eyes but by the next time Daniel looked at him, his eyes were back to their sharp blue once more.
They purchased four boxes of shiny baubles, four lots of lights for the tree, some snow flakes and lots and lots of garland. Handing over his credit card, Jack looked at Daniel from the corner of his eyes as his friend placed a large door wreath on the pile of items.
"Spent enough of my money yet, have we?"
The cashier smiled as she scanned the decorations through.
"Well, excuse me for trying to bring some Christmas cheer into your life, Jack!" Daniel muttered as he scanned the latest edition of National Geographic. They had a feature on Egypt inside and Daniel became fascinated very quickly.
"Daniel, it's not a library you know," Jack said, pushing the book down and making the pre-occupied man look at him.
"Huh?" The blue eyes blinked slowly and the mouth opened slightly with surprise.
"Lady wants to know if you're buying that?" Jack nodded to the book. Daniel hesitated long enough for Jack to mutter, "fercryingoutloud", once more. He took the book from him and gave it to the girl to scan through as well. As soon as he handed the book back to the vague scientist, Daniel turned back to the page where the feature article was and continued to read as he wandered off in his own world. Jack exchanged smiles with the cashier again then sighed as he gathered up his bags.
"Sometimes I wonder why I bother," he commented. The girl laughed as she handed him back the card.
"I know. Sometimes it's easier to go shopping without them, huh? Have a good Christmas, won't you?"
Taken slightly aback by the connotations in that statement, Jack nodded and said a quiet goodbye to her before leaving. He fell into step along side Daniel as they made their way back through the crowd to the car.
As they neared the Mall's exit Jack stopped at a stall that sold personally decorated Christmas Balls. He hesitated as a blue one caught his eye. Daniel stopped and then saw that Jack was interested in the decoration so took the bags from him without having to even ask. The older man carefully picked up the large blue ball then turned it over in his hands. It was intricately etched with a picture of a little boy sitting down imaging things like a train, baseball mitt and an ice hockey stick. Jack wet his lips unconsciously as he looked at all the detail in the etching. Silently Daniel stepped closer and Jack could feel his friend right behind him. The older man blinked then looked up into blue eyes. With a sad look on his face, he placed the box down again and indicated to Daniel to move on.
…..
"Is that it?" Daniel asked, making sure they had everything they needed as they neared the car.
"Yeah, I guess so," Jack said then hesitated. Daniel turned back to him.
"Jack?"
"I just," he looked back at the Mall. "I'll be right back."
Before Daniel could say a word Jack had disappeared into the Mall again. The younger man placed the bags into the car then got in and waited.
Jack returned, taking longer than Daniel thought he would. As he got into the car Daniel looked at him. Jack smiled and put his hand into the shopping bag.
"Some more tinsel stuff caught my eye," he said. Daniel could see the gold tinsel inside the bag then watched as Jack lifted a box out.
"And I decided to get this."
"I see," Daniel nodded. The older man looked at him and gave a little shrug, like he wasn't sure why he bought it, but just had to. Daniel hated seeing that sad look in Jack's eyes. It was usually there whenever his friend thought about his son, Charlie.
He watched as Jack's slightly shaky hand touched the lid of the box. With a small cough he tried to change the subject.
"Good, well, let's get back to your place and see if you can't salvage some of this hockey game."
Jack smiled then lifted his face to look at the driver. "Thanks Daniel," he said.
"Don't thank me," Daniel started the car's engine. "You've probably missed most of your game because of me."
Jack shook his head. "I meant for dragging me out to buy some decorations. You were right, the tree does need them."
Daniel smiled, it was nice to see Jack getting into the spirit of Christmas a little more. "Well, maybe we could invite Sam and Teal'c over to help put them up?"
Jack admired the way Daniel skilfully dodged the hectic traffic, getting them out of the long traffic jams and back to his house in record time.
"Perhaps we could really make a night of it?" Jack said as he placed the bags onto the coffee table. Daniel picked up the remote and switched the game on. Jack's team were losing.
"Awww, shoot!" The colonel whined. Daniel dropped the remote onto the sofa and sat down, putting his feet onto the coffee table.
"How?" he asked, tucking his hands behind his head as he tilted his face to look up at Jack.
"Well, Catherine and Ernest should be back from their Honeymoon by now, and you know that if we invite Sam that means Janet and Cassie will come too. That makes about eight people. Enough for a small gathering, don't you think?"
Daniel nodded. Jack wanted to give a party? That was unlike him and he wanted to encourage this. He knew how much Jack needed his friends around him, especially at a time like this. "Sounds good to me. What about Christmas Eve then?"
"You can bear looking at the empty tree until then?" Jack teased.
Daniel laughed as he sat forward, his elbows resting on his thighs. He reached out and picked up the cardboard box from the coffee table. Their eyes met and Jack gave him a slight nod, indicating that he could look inside. Prising the lid off carefully, Daniel looked in at the blue orb. Etched into its surface was one word. Charlie. Silently he replaced the lid and put the box down again.
"It's not like I live here, Jack," he said in a quiet voice as he got up and went to the kitchen to get them a cup of coffee. The colonel looked at the tree, then up towards the kitchen. He smiled to himself.
//Yeah,// he thought. //Not like that at all!//
"Who's for some mulled wine?" Sam announced loudly as she placed her last ball onto the tree then turned and headed towards the kitchen. Everyone put their hand up and Janet was pleased that her efforts were not going to go unrewarded. The group crowded around the fireplace as they sipped the delicious concoction, even Cassandra and Teal'c gave it a try, but both politely set theirs aside, opting to return to the non-alcoholic Egg Nog that Daniel had made earlier.
As they stood by the fire Sam grinned at her beautiful lover, winking at her over the rim of her glass as she sipped her wine. Janet gave a soft laugh and dipped her face, shooting a sideways glance at the general, but he wasn't looking. He was discussing a documentary he had watched a few day ago on the Discovery channel with Daniel, who had also watched it.
"No, wasn't that the Pharaoh's thingy?" Jack commented, cutting in on their conversation.
"Pharaoh's thingy, Jack? You mean the pharaoh's crypt?" Daniel asked, bordering on a smile.
"That's it!" Jack nodded.
"You saw the show as well then?" Hammond asked him.
Jack pointed to Daniel. "He was here watching it."
"Sometimes the reception's not so good where I live, especially if my neighbour decides to vacuum her floors at the same time. Creates havoc on my screen." Daniel adjusted his glasses as he explained, all the while aware that Jack had moved around him and picked up the special Christmas ball. Wetting his lips, the scientist looked at Hammond and they exchanged sad smiles. Putting the box down once more, Jack cleared his throat then looked around for Teal'c. He needed to see the Jaffa about a $10 bet they had riding on the game the other day. Despite playing badly in the first half, Jack's team had come in and now Teal'c owed him!
*
Daniel stood looking up at the finished tree. All the decorations were now in place in Jack's house, the living room encased in most of them. Catherine came to stand beside her dear friend and he immediately slipped his arm around her shoulders as she slipped hers around his waist. She smiled. She loved it when they did that. There was a part of her that almost wished he could be her son and especially at times like this, she wanted it more than anything.
"What are your plans for tomorrow?" She inquired.
"I'm having lunch with Jack. He wanted to do the whole kit and caboodle this year and didn't want to waste it just on himself."
With a twinkle in her eye, she smiled at him. "So you're not going to see your Blair this year?"
Daniel turned a slight pink color as he shot her a quick look before speaking.
"No, not this year. He's with someone this year."
"Oh," she said, sounding disappointed. "I thought you didn't go because you'd rather stay here and share it with Jack. I didn't realise it was because Blair was busy."
Daniel lifted the hand that held his glass up to his face and scratched lightly at his chin with his thumb. She watched him a moment then smiled, patting his hip as she looked at the tree once more.
"I see it was to stay here and share it with Jack."
"Catherine," Daniel said in a cautious whisper. She smiled and placed her finger over her lips, shushing him.
"It's not like that," he sighed, wishing she'd believe him. "Janet, Sam and Cassandra are all staying the night."
"Not Teal'c?"
"No. When he gets back to the SGC he's going through to spend Christmas with Drey'ak and Rya'c."
"That's nice for him," she said, nodding. He nodded too.
"That's what Christmas is all about," he added. She pulled a little face then smiled.
"It's about sharing it with the ones you love Daniel."
Again, the anthropologist rolled his eyes and sighed exasperatedly. For months she'd been hinting that there was more between the two friends than there really was. She said she saw between them what they were too blind to see. Daniel called her a romantic but even Ernest disagreed. He said he noticed it the first time they met. He sensed it between them then; a fierce bond that it seemed no one could break. Over the year that bond had been strengthened from one mission to the next. They had to be there for each other a lot and Catherine said that they seemed a lot closer as friends than some of the married people she knew.
Ernest joined them beside the tree.
"You've all done a wonderful job," he said. Catherine placed her other arm around her husband's waist and tilted her head to rest on his shoulder.
"Haven't they just?"
"Hey, Danny!"
The three people turned to see Jack standing on the top step leading into the living room. He had some mistletoe in his hand.
"Come help me here. I'm not sure where this should go," he said, shaking the little green twig towards his friend.
"Off you go Daniel. Help Jack with his mistletoe!" Catherine said very quietly so that only Daniel heard. He blushed slightly.
"Will you be quiet!" He admonished her playfully.
"Catherine, you've made the boy blush!" Ernest also teased.
"Oh, for crying out…" Daniel went across the room to where Jack, Hammond and Teal'c were arguing over the position of the mistletoe.
"Oh, there you are!" Jack said, pushing the twig into Daniel's hand. "I figured you're the expert on this kind of thing,"
"Expert on Mistletoe, Jack?" The scientist queried sceptically, sensing Jack was just being lazy.
"Well, on decorations in general, space monkey!"
Rolling his eyes at that pet name, Daniel turned and looked around the room.
"I know the perfect place," he said, heading to the living room where Janet was standing beside the fireplace, looking at Cassandra asleep in the chair. Sam looked up and watched her friend go up to her lover. He held his hand above Janet's head and indicated for Sam to come over.
With a cheeky grin, Sam got up and went to Janet. The unsuspecting Doctor smiled as her girlfriend approached.
"Hey, Sam," she said then frowned as the tall captain scooped her up into her arms and planted the biggest kiss right on her lips. The group laughed, including the two men standing on the top step still, as Janet's arms flailed around a little before settling onto Sam's slender waist.
Hammond was aware of the occasional glances he was getting from the others in the room. He tilted his head slightly and said to Jack, "You think we should tell them about me?"
Jack laughed and dipped his face, shaking his head. "Um, I'd say 'no' to that, Sir."
Hammond laughed also. It was absolutely the last thing they were going to share with the rest of the group but it felt like the right thing to say at the time. The others, hearing Hammond's laugh from the other end of the room, relaxed a little more.
"Oh, come on!" Jack cupped his hands around his mouth and called to the girls when the kiss was taking too long. Daniel looked over at him and the two friends exchanged smiles.
Sam chose to ignore the sounds around her as her tongue gently explored Janet's mouth. They tousled and duelled together, both drinking in the juices of each other, both knowing the right amount of pressure to apply to send a shock of desire to their groins. Sam's hands moved up the firm back, then onto the shoulders, mindful that they were still in public and just kissing was bad enough. But being bad sometimes, Sam was deciding, was very, very good!
Finally the women broke apart and a very shocked Janet looked at Sam, who was grinning wildly.
"Sam!" Janet's brown eyes were wider than anyone had ever seen them. Sam simply pointed to Daniel, still holding the mistletoe over her head. Janet shot him a playfully dirty look then looked back at Sam.
"And you needed no encouragement!"
The captain laughed and cuddled her lover against her. "Absolutely not!" She kissed Janet's cheek lightly.
"Okay, so now that we have your attention, Janet," Daniel laughed and cringed when the doctor hit him lightly across the chest, "Where shall we hang this mistletoe?"
"By the door's a good thing. That way as everyone leaves, we each get a kiss," Catherine suggested. Daniel looked at Jack.
"Sound good to you?"
Jack grinned inwardly aware that Hammond was smirking right beside him.
"Sounds great," he said simply, shrugging and curtailing the laughter bubbling within him. Daniel headed back over to the front door, passing between Jack and Hammond as he went to get something to fasten the twig with. Hammond watched him go down the hall then looked squarely at Jack. They both wore sly grins.
"Well, now is definitely not a good time to tell them!" The colonel joked. Hammond gave a sharp laugh and patted Jack's shoulder.
*
"Hey Jack!" Sam called from the other side of the room where she and Janet were sitting side by side, discreetly holding hands on the sofa.
The colonel looked at her as he entered the room with a new drink for Catherine.
"Hey, what?"
"When do we open the presents?" Janet asked. He turned and looked at them then back at Hammond.
"Now's as good a time as any, I guess," he said, shrugging and getting the consensus of the room.
Kneeling before the tree, and growling as his knee clicked loudly on the exertion, the colonel reached under and pulled out the first present. It was for Hammond. No one was to know who bought for which person, but they were allowed to try to guess who did. Also it had to be something 'fun'. Those were the only orders Jack gave on the situation.
Hammond opened the present. It was a woollen cap. The group laughed as he put it on and it fitted perfectly. He drew a blank when trying to guess who gave it to him.
Sam got a small doctors kit, the grin on Jack's face clearly giving away who gave it to her. She looked at him and he shrugged and said, "so you don't get 'kit' envy." Janet was laughing so hard that Sam had to give her a light thump in the arm. The doctor put the little stethoscope to her ears and pressed the end to Sam's chest.
"Hey!' The captain snatched the toy from her lover. "This is mine. Get your own!"
Janet laughed. "Wait until we get home!" she teased quietly. Sam blushed then laughed.
Catherine got a small jar of honey-flavored lip balm, but the sender had inserted the word 'moon' on the label so that it read 'honey-moon' lip balm. She showed it to Ernest who asked to borrow it sometime. The room exploded into laughter.
Ernest opened his present to reveal another pot of lip balm. Again the room filled with laughter and all eyes went on to Sam and Janet, co-conspirators in the gifts.
Teal'c received a hat also, but his had fluffy flaps that came down and covered his ears. After months of grumbling that 'Chu'lak never got this cold, Teal'c really appreciated the gift.
Daniel opened his gift and blushed as he read the label on the bottle. Lifting his eyes he looked straight up into Catherine's smile. Jack tilted his face and frowned.
"Didn't know you drank Jack Daniels, Danny," he said.
Daniel wet his lips then looked at his friend quickly. "Er, well, no I don't, Jack."
"Oh," the officer shrugged and handed out the next gift. It was Janet's.
She received an inflatable pillow, 'for all the times you work too late and fall asleep on the job' is what the card said. She eyed the room but couldn't imagine who would send this to her.
Cassandra's present was put aside as the young girl was now in bed, fast asleep. Jack's was the last one to come out. He opened the wrapper and found a pair of toy hand-cuffs. Immediately his mind went south and his face burned with a blush.
"Uh?" He asked as he twirled them around his index finger. The others had all but choked on their drinks or food they had been consuming at the time. Janet and Sam now squealed with laughter as they collapsed together on the sofa. Jack looked around the room then straight at Daniel.
"It wasn't me! " he said indignantly. Jack shrugged and eyed the rest of the group.
"There's a note inside, Jack," Hammond said, having seen the small rectangle of paper in the box. "Maybe that will give you some insight into who would have done this."
Jack, still red, put the cuffs back then lifted out the note. A smile filled his face then he picked up the cuffs once more and twirled them while he read out; "For you. So that you may keep Daniel from running off on missions and greeting the indigenous life forms."
Janet squeaked and Sam snorted. Both women were totally gone by now. Jack, and now Daniel who was perturbed that someone considered he needed restraining on missions, looked around the room. No one looked like the guilty party to Jack tossed the cuffs into the box as he muttered, "If I don't use them on Danny, I'm sure I can find another use for them!" Everyone laughed then Jack decided to refill all the glasses with the mulled wine.
*
Ernest watched as Catherine hid a yawn behind her hand. He reached out and patted her knee.
"We should go, my dear," he said. She nodded and allowed him to help her to her feet. Everyone wished them a good night, Sam jumped up and hugged Catherine and Daniel got to his feet to see them out.
At the same time Hammond checked his watch as well. It was after eleven. He got up and indicated to Teal'c that they would be leaving. The large Jaffa stood and followed the general to the door. Hammond shrugged on his coat at the door, then stepped Jack aside to speak to him in private.
He lent close to the colonel and whispered, "I've left real presents for you and Daniel under the tree." Then winked at Jack. "Somehow I thought you might have persuaded him to spend Christmas day with you this year."
"Hate it disappoint you, 'George'," Jack whispered back, "but I've also got Sam, Janet and Cassie staying as well."
"Never mind then, Colonel. Maybe you'll get to use my gift another time."
Jack mistakenly thought he was referring to the one still under the tree so he nodded as he opened the door. Over on the other side of the hallway Daniel was dealing with Catherine and Ernest.
"Now I want you to share that bottle with Jack!" She said, her voice in a low whisper.
"Catherine!" Daniel cautioned her as he pursed his lips into a tight white line. She smiled and touched her hand to his cheek gently.
"Even serious archaeologists are allowed to enjoy themselves this time of the year," she said. He didn't give any response to that other than to reach down and kiss her cheek. She looked up at him as he straightened up, then she pointed her finger at him and gave him a stern look before breaking out into a smile and wink. He replied with a little nod of the head. Enough said, they turned to Jack while Daniel said good night to the General.
With the others gone, Jack returned to the living room while Daniel went down to the bathroom. Sam looked at Janet then with a gentle nudge of her shoulder, she got her lover's attention.
"Ready to go to bed?"
Janet nodded tiredly then they shared a soft peck before Sam helped her dopey lover to her feet. Jack showed them the way to his spare room.
While he was gone, Daniel started on tidying the mess. He collected the discarded wrapper from the floor in the living room and tossed out all the packaging left behind. When Jack came back, he helped him with the dishes and they rewarded themselves with a nice warm drink of Egg Nog. They went back into the dimly lit living room, the Christmas tree and fire place providing the only light in the room. Daniel shifted his bottle of drink from the seat and put it on the coffee table. Jack reached forward and picked up the bottle and Daniel watched him as he sipped his coffee.
"Okay, so what is this about? Do you know who gave it to you?" The colonel waved the bottle at his friend.
Putting his cup down, Daniel sat back and gave a small smile. "I believe it was Catherine."
"Catherine? What does she know about you that I don't?" He asked as he turned the drink over in his hand.
Daniel shrugged as he lied. "Dunno." Then he added, "You made up the rules remember. Joke gifts?"
Nodding as he turned his mouth down in a shrug, Jack said, "Well, I don't get it."
Wetting his lips, Daniel was grateful for that little fact. Suddenly Jack looked at the label.
"Hey, I just realised! That's our names. Jack. Daniel."
Trying to look surprised, Daniel tilted his face and read the label as he reached forward to put his cup down on the coffee table. "So it is."
"I never realised they went together so well," Jack said as he turned his face and looked squarely into Daniel's eyes. "Like that, I mean."
The anthropologist held the gaze then broke it with a long blink as he casually reached out and retrieved his drink again.
"What about your gift? Hand Cuffs?" Daniel snorted indignantly then went on to mutter, "Who thinks I need restraining on missions?"
"It's just a bit of fun, Danny, I wouldn't take it to heart..." Jack replied with a shrug, then his eyes went wide. Never mind then, Colonel. Maybe you'll get to use my gift another time. Suddenly he choked on his drink and started coughing hard. Daniel patted his back for him until Jack could breathe again.
"Are you okay?" The concerned friend asked.
Jack held his hand up in an 'okay' gesture as he wheezed, "Peachy!"
Daniel cupped his hand around the warm drink as he stared ahead at the Christmas tree. Jack sat a moment longer looking at his friend's profile then he eased himself out of his chair and picked up the cardboard box from the table. He turned and looked at the tree.
"Where should this go?" He wondered aloud and Daniel got up to stand beside him, looking over the tree for the best place.
"How about here?" He pointed to where a large gold ball hung, midway up the tree at their eye level. Jack nodded and Daniel removed the orb, giving Jack room to hang his son's memento.
The older man stepped back, his arms folded across his stomach. Daniel hung the other globe then stood slightly behind Jack's shoulder, looking at the little boy etched into the blue globe. Slowly Jack turned to look at him, the mist in his eyes catching the glint off the lights.
Daniel placed his hand onto his friend's shoulder. "Okay?"
After a hard swallow Jack nodded. Daniel's hand gently squeezed the shoulder then slipped off, falling to his side once more.
"Charlie would have loved this tree," the older man said in a soft voice. He took a few seconds to gather his thoughts then he went on, in a voice barely louder than a whisper, "I'm sorry Danny, I just.. times like this just make me miss him so much."
Daniel's arms ached to hold Jack, but he didn't think the colonel would allow that. He was surprised to hear the soft sniff from the otherwise stalwart man.
Abruptly, Jack swivelled on the spot and took a step away, apologizing under his breath for his behavior. Daniel rolled his eyes a little when he heard the absurd apology and he reached out to stop him before he could get too far away, grabbing him around the wrist.
Jack wrapped his arm around his own waist, dragging Daniel's arm across him and unintentionally forcing the man behind to take a step closer. With his front pressed lightly against Jack's back, Daniel lifted his other hand and squeezed his friend's right shoulder. He was surprised when he leant back against his chest.
After a few silent moments Jack looked back over his shoulder and said, "Must be the late hour. I must be more tired than I thought."
Daniel stepped back and allowed Jack to turn to face him now. "Will you stop apologizing for having emotions."
Blinking then looking down at his feet, Jack sighed heavily. It was unsaid but the words hung between them. Military men didn't have emotions, and if they did, they damn well never let them show!
"You know, Jack," Daniel said, pressing his glasses back into place as he sighed heavily with frustration. "In the real world, that exists way, way outside of the military mind, people are allowed to feel things. And when they feel sad, they are allowed to be sad."
Jack smiled then tilted his head back to look at his friend. "Why is it I only ever let myself feel sad around you?"
Daniel smiled slightly at the compliment, because that's what it was. He shrugged then looked down at his feet.
"Probably because you're my friend," Jack said, idly pushing Daniel's hair back from his eyes. The younger man looked up at the touch and stared directly into the dark eyes.
"Probably," he agreed. Jack looked at the glasses perched part way down Daniel's nose as he gave a little laugh, laughing at himself, then he shook his head.
"What?"
"It's nothing," Jack said, but knew by the squint in Daniel's eyes that he wasn't going to get away without revealing it. "It's just, you remind me so much of Sara sometimes."
The blue eyes went large behind the little round frames. "Oh?"
Jack laughed again, then shook his head at the silliness of the comparison now that he said it out loud. Daniel must have wondered about it too.
"It must be my light blond hair, my green eyes, and the fact that I'm secretly a woman…" the younger man mumbled as he looked around for his drink again, then shot Jack a quick 'you're kidding, huh?' look. Jack's shoulders started shaking then he threw his head back and laughed loudly.
"Well apart from the fact that you're the spitting image of my ex-wife," he chortled then shook his head as he licked at his lower lip. Daniel was at least amused by the strange comparison, Jack thought to himself.
"So, what is it then? Do I nag you like she did?" Daniel asked, putting his cup back down onto the table behind him.
"No," Jack said slowly then smiled. "No one nags quite like Sara used to!"
Daniel chuckled softly then shrugged, still awaiting the clarification.
All joking aside, and blinking quickly, Jack said, "I guess it's because you care about me," then he sighed softly, as if a little nervous, "a little like she did."
A gentle smile filled Daniel's face now, and reached up to his eyes. "Of course I care about you, Jack. You're my best friend."
Catching his breath in a huff, Jack shrugged as he scratched at his eyebrow. "I've never had a best friend, Daniel."
The younger man nodded.
"Until now."
Daniel's face lit with his smile once more. He looked over Jack's face in the dim light then turned around and picked up the bottle of drink.
"How about we give this a try. After all, it's got our names on it!"
Jack laughed as he nodded and reached for the bottle. "Why the hell not!"
*
Daniel shuddered violently as he sipped at the drink. Reaching forward, he put the glass down and shook his head.
"I can not drink that," he muttered, screwing his face up.
Jack laughed. "It's an acquired taste." He swirled the drink around in his tumbler.
"Well, I'm not really interested in acquiring it then." Daniel shook his head as he shuddered some more. He tucked a cushion beneath his head as he stared at the blinking lights on the tree again.
Jack sat quietly watching the way the lights illuminated Daniel's features and glinted off the frames of his glasses. It was a pity, Jack thought to himself, that Daniel didn't like alcohol. It was always instrumental in Jack's 'wooing' techniques in the past. He'd get the object of his desire tipsy - but not drunk - carefully drop subtle hints and gauge how he was being received. Sometimes it didn't work and it was always easy to dismiss it in the morning as too much alcohol. Sometimes it did work, like with Kawalsky, and two men who wouldn't ordinarily reveal such intimate details about themselves were able to embark on a very full on, physical relationship that lasted months. Jack caught his breath in a sad sigh as he twirled the liquid around in his glass some more.
"Catherine will be disappointed that you don't like her gift," he said quietly, hoping the disappointment wasn't that obvious.
"Not really. I think she got all her enjoyment out of giving it to me," Daniel mumbled. Jack frowned.
"Why is that?"
Sighing deeply, Daniel rolled his head back so that he could look at Jack. "It's.. it's a long and silly story. I'm not sure you'd really appreciate the joke, actually."
Sitting forward and putting his glass down, Jack smiled. "Come on. I love jokes!"
Daniel looked at him a long moment then lowered his eyes and shook his head. "Not this one, Jack. Maybe one day I'll tell you."
"I'll look forward to that day," Jack said quietly, lifting his glass and saluting to Daniel before taking a sip. "Oh, by the way, Hammond left us a present each."
Raising his brow, Daniel frowned. "Oh?"
"Apparently they're under the tree." Jack pointed.
Without moving his head, Daniel moved his eyes to the tree then back at Jack. He asked, "Should we open them now? I take it he didn't give to the others?"
"No, just you and me, baby!" Jack grinned and got up to pull the gifts from under the tree. He passed the one marked for Daniel to him.
"You go first," the younger man urged him as he laid his own in his lap. Jack shrugged and opened the box. It was a new shirt, blue and very expensive looking. Daniel moved to see the present better in the dim light.
"Wow!" He sighed as he pushed the glasses back into place on his nose.
"Wow's right!" Jack lifted the shirt from the box and held it up to the light spilling in from the hallway behind him. A note fell as Jack lifted it out. Daniel reached down and handed it to him. Hammond had written: Because I'd like to see you in something other than Khaki sometimes, Jack!
"Yeah, I bet you would," the colonel mumbled in amusement.
"Pardon?" Daniel had read the note and was curious about Jack's reaction. The older man looked at his friend. Now this was an opportunity that didn't often present itself, Jack realised. Daniel was curious about the note, the expensive present and, well, if Jack just told him the truth, then he'd be able to gauge the space monkey's reaction to 'that kind of thing'. On one hand it was a tempting thing for the colonel but, on the other hand, it did mean revealing a secret about Hammond that only he knew. But on the other hand, Daniel was his best friend and if he couldn't share this with his best friend, then who could he share it with. On the other hand… Jack started to wonder just how many hands he had!
"Daniel," he began cautiously, not really sure he was going to reveal it or not at this stage. His mind was racing to make the decision as the word left his lips.
"Jack," Daniel replied when the colonel didn't seem like he was going to say anything more. Jack looked at him and the two men gave each other a quirky smile. Daniel was dying to know obviously. And Jack was dying to know. It served two purposes.
"Have you ever wondered why Hammond took to the news about Sam and Janet so well?"
"No, not really. I just thought he was liberal minded."
With a little head nod, Jack said, "Well he is, only it's more specific than that."
Getting comfortable on the arm of Jack's chair, Daniel looked at him. "Oh?"
Wetting his bottom lip quickly, Jack said in a low voice. "When he was younger, in fact, it wasn't much later than the time we met him in '69," he said, flicking his eyes up to look into Daniel's curious stare. "He had an affair, only it wasn't with a woman."
Blinking quickly once the news had set in, Daniel brought his hand to his mouth. "Are you telling me..?"
"I'm not saying a word to you, Daniel."
Nodding because he understood, the shocked man blew out his breath in a long, loud huff. "My god!"
Jack shrugged his shoulder then squinted as he looked at his friend. "How does that make you feel?"
"Make me feel? I don't know really. Very surprised, he's always seemed so.."
"Manly?" Jack offered. Daniel rolled his eyes.
"No!" He said in a drawn out breath. "Straight, I guess."
Jack gave another half-hearted shrug. "It was brief, lasted a few months then he met his wife, married her, had his kids and according to him, never dipped his rod in that pond again."
Screwing his nose up, Daniel looked at Jack. "That wasn't his description, was it?"
Jack laughed. "No, it's mine!"
Shaking his head and laughing softly, Daniel said, "Somehow I couldn't imagine the general saying that more than I can't imagine him being bi-sexual."
"I'm not really sure you could class him as that, Daniel. I think it was the once then he met his wife. Since her death, he's never been interested in anyone else." He shot his friend a quick look and met the wide blue eyes. With a little shrug, he added, "Apparently."
"Wow, that's so…"
"Weird?" Jack offered again, to which he got another blank stare from his friend.
"I was going to say surprising!"
Jack shrugged. So Daniel didn't like his choice of words. They were silent a short while, both mulling over their thoughts. Jack turned to look up at his friend.
"Are you going to open your present now?"
Having forgotten the gift, Daniel was surprised when Jack reminded him. He went over to the sofa and sat down, opening the box in his hands.
"Oh God!" He sighed in astonishment as he lifted the leather bound journal from the box. Jack whistled quietly as he looked at the ornate book. Daniel opened it and saw that it was blank. There was a note on the front page.
"For recording your thoughts and wishes… G.H."
He ran his hand over the soft, smooth cover, inhaling the luxurious aroma of the fine grade leather.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Daniel said as he handed it over to Jack. The colonel smiled.
"It's very, very nice," he agreed, also smoothing his hand over the hide.
"It must have cost him a fortune!"
"He can afford it. He's a General," Jack said, dismissively. Daniel touched his hand to his glasses again as took the book back from Jack.
"How does it make you feel?" Jack asked. The younger man frowned.
"Getting an expensive gift from the General?"
Well that was a good question, Jack agreed. He wasn't sure how 'he' felt, but he figured the old guy had come to regard these two a little more closely than the others.
"Actually I was referring to you knowing about Hammond now?" Jack said, hoping he wasn't pushing the issue a bit, but he needed to know where Daniel stood on these matters - for his own sake.
"Oh." Daniel nodded. This was interesting. He actually would like to know how 'Jack' felt, and then he'd have some idea of where his friend stood on these sorts of relationships. He needed to be careful, he told himself.
"How should I feel?" He asked carefully and watched as Jack shrugged. Sitting forward on the sofa, the younger man tilted his head as he looked at his friend.
"Can I ask you something? How does it make you feel?"
Jack heard Daniel's passionate plea earlier: In the real world, that exists way, way outside of the military mind, people *are* allowed to feel things. He gave a sigh then shrugged. "It doesn't revolt me, if that's what you're thinking."
Daniel nodded then toyed with the book a little. Jack watched him a moment then repeated his question to him. "How does it make you feel?" Then he wet his bottom lip quickly and said, as casually as he could muster with his heart beating in his throat, "Does that kind of thing revolt you?"
Daniel's hand ceased moving on the hide. Slowly he looked up into Jack's dark eyes.
"We're friends, right Jack?" He asked honestly. Jack's stomach plummeted. Daniel was going to say that it did! Nonetheless, he responded with a slight nod of his head.
"Sure?" Daniel checked again.
Rolling his eyes slightly, Jack sighed exasperatedly. "Yes, Daniel. You can tell me anything and it won't bother me."
With a quick little humorless grin, Daniel nodded. "Well in that case, it doesn't revolt me. It 'can't' revolt me…"
Jack noted the hint in the voice and sat up a little straighter. "Why?"
Looking away shyly now, Daniel shrugged. Jack's eyes lolled shut. Daniel was confessing something here and he needed to know exactly what that was. "Danny?"
Tilting his head back in the other direction, Daniel sucked back a deep breath. "I've had male lovers, Jack."
The room fell deadly silent, the only sound was the ticking of the clock in the background. Daniel broke the silence by looking at the remnants of the wine in his cup as he muttered, "I think this has gone to my head!" He rolled his eyes then looked away again.
"How many?" Was the only question Jack asked him- after some time. It wasn't the question Daniel was expecting, but it did break the impasse.
Surprised by the question, Daniel stared at his glass as he answered him nonetheless, "I think I've had about four.."
Jack frowned then shook his head, "Not drinks - Men! How many have you had..?"
"Why's that important? If I only have one, does that mean I'm not 'seriously' gay?" He realised his voice rose slightly with the challenge.
Frowning, Jack looked at his friend. "You're not gay, Daniel?" It was partly a question, partly a disbelieving statement. "You can't be!"
Daniel thought the idea disgusted his friend. "What if I was?"
"What about Sha're? What about Shyla? Hathor..? God! You name it, and if it's female, it fell for you!"
Daniel lowered his eyes. "Shyla took advantage of me while I was addicted. She used me and abused you." He lifted his eyes to look at his friend.
"We survived."
Daniel nodded and looked down again. "Hathor raped me, Jack. She drugged me then raped me."
Looking down, Jack regretted mentioning that name, but then there was Sha're. The only real obstacle that he saw in his way now.
"And Sha're?"
Biting his lip, Daniel went to speak then stopped himself before attempting it again. "She's a whole different thing altogether. I'll be honest when I tell you that I used her at first," he sighed, not happy with himself at that truth.
"You used her? How?"
"I didn't think we'd ever get off Abydos. But we'd also just had that huge raid and I was feeling a little high. You were near hysterical.." He faltered when he saw Jack turn his head slightly. Holding his hand out to placate slightly, Daniel continued, "I just, she was offering herself to me and I thought," he gave a non-humorous laugh, "I thought we were going to die."
"So, you took the opportunity when it presented itself?"
Sighing at the ugliness that implied, Daniel nodded. "By the time you left, I thought I wanted to give it a real try though. You have to remember Jack, growing up wasn't easy for me. I was lonely so often. No family, no friends. I lived in the orphanage for years before being placed in a foster home. I didn't really know what a family was like. The parents I got were nice enough, but they were older, and not very demonstrative with their feelings. I learnt to keep everything deep down." He fisted his hand and pressed it to his chest. "Sha're, Skaara and Kasuf offered me a family," he said, realising that nothing he said now would restore him in Jack's eyes.
"So Abydos gave you a family and it tore mine apart," Jack muttered. Daniel lowered his eyes to the floor.
"I guess so," he said quietly. They sat in silence a while longer before Jack reached forward and put the drink onto the table.
"I suppose if we're going to have an early start, we should get some sleep."
Daniel looked up as Jack stood. "Do you have some bedding?"
The colonel nodded and went to the hall cupboard to grab a blanket then he pulled a pillow off his bed and returned to the living room. He past them to Daniel then tried to offer him a smile, but the younger man looked down, avoiding his friend's gaze.
"Night, Daniel," Jack said as he left the room.
"Night, Jack," Daniel responded quietly, unfastening the buckle on his belt. He slipped his pyjamas on then climbed into the makeshift bed. Rolling onto his side, he was soon asleep.
*
Jack, however, laid staring up at his ceiling for a good while longer. It was wrong of him to say that about Abydos. It had been Daniel's home and he should have respected his friend's feelings for the place more, but his jealousy won over.
Rolling onto his side, he stared at the partly opened curtains, watching the head lights of cars passing move across the walls of his bedroom. Besides, he told himself, it wasn't Abydos' fault that the man he'd come to love wanted to remain there. Kicking himself, yet again, Jack wondered how he came to fall in love with Daniel so quickly on Abydos. But he had. And coming home to Sara, discovering that she was moving out, didn't seem to hurt him as much as the months that followed without Daniel.
When he was called back again, he half imagined to find Daniel surrounded by a family. As unrealistic as that image was, given the fact that he was only really gone a year and would have had time for one child at the most, Jack still thought that Daniel would be the father to a brood of children. After all, who could resist making love to the guy? Night after night after night… Jack groaned quietly to himself as he flung himself onto his back once amore and stared up at the ceiling.
It surprised him that Sha're wasn't even pregnant, but it did give him some hope that perhaps things weren't as good here as he first thought and that he might actually want to leave. After that kiss, however, Jack's hopes were pushed down again.
With a frustrated sigh, Jack tossed the covers off his legs and got out of bed. He shuffled to the kitchen and made himself a hot cocoa. Cupping the drink in his hands he headed to the living room on the pretence to check the fire. But Daniel was asleep and didn't even know he was there. Jack stood above him, watching the peaceful man slumber. Putting his cup down quietly he sat on the edge of the sofa and watched as Daniel's mouth moved wordlessly in his sleep. He noted the way one of Daniel's arm was flung over his head, the other resting slightly curled on his chest. His face was pressed against the raised arm and his hair fanned out over the light-colored pillow. He looked peaceful. Catching his breath, Jack realised he hadn't watched anyone like this since Sara.
Daniel shifted then his blue eyes gradually opened, unable to make out the blurry blob before him in the dimness. "Huh?"
Jack smiled at him. "It's me, Danny."
Sleepily he rolled onto his back and stared up at Jack sitting over him.
"What are you doing?"
The older man swallowed. "I'm watching you sleep."
Daniel looked around then at Jack. "Why?"
A smile creased the colonel's face now. "Just because."
Daniel stared at him then asked, "so our friendship isn't ruined because I told you the truth?"
Jack shook his head slowly. "No, Danny. Our friendship is just fine."
A sleepy smile filled the younger man's face. "Good, because I really care about you Jack and I'd hate anything to ruin what we have."
The older man opened his mouth to comment but thought better of it. This wasn't the time nor place to be discussing this, not with three other people in the house. Daniel saw the mouth snap shut and realised he'd embarrassed his friend Abruptly he said, "Anyway, you said we had an early start tomorrow." He pulled the blanket up over his shoulder as he snuggled into the pillow, turning away from Jack once more.
Without a reason to stay, Jack stood. "Night Danny."
Daniel garbled a response then laid listening to Jack leave the room. Sighing to himself, he told himself that at least he now had his answer.
*
Jack was asleep when a body jump on him. Followed by another body then yet another body. Groaning and protesting the intrusion into his sleep, the grumpy man rolled onto his stomach and tried to ignore the three women giggling and fidgeting on the bed with him.
"Oh for crying out loud!" He yelled as he sat up in bed, throwing his quilt off him. Sam, Janet and Cassandra all laughed at his dishevelled state, especially when he tried to open his eyes.
"Merry Christmas, Jack," they chimed together.
"Christ! What is the time?" He groused, reaching for his clock.
"Jack you really shouldn't be swearing in front of Cassie," Janet playfully reprimanded him. He arched one brow at her.
"Excuse me? Now what would Christ mean to her?" He said, thrusting his hand in the direction of the young alien girl.
"Exactly," Cassandra laughed and shrugged her shoulders.
"See!" he said, reaching out and grabbing her, engulfing her in a bear hug.
"Oh, so this is where the action is," Daniel said, scuffling into the room, scratching at the back of his head as he yawned loudly. All four faces turned to look at the rumpled looking man making his way across the room in a pair of brand-new purple pyjamas.
The three females yelled out "Merry Christmas!" to him and he covered his ears against the volume. Cassandra laughed and Daniel looked down at his pyjamas.
"What?"
"It's nothing," she giggled. Daniel frowned then touched his hand to his stomach as he looked up.
"She's just never seen you in pyjamas before, I guess," Janet said. Daniel looked at the three laughing females.
"Oh? And it's that funny is it?" He said, putting his hands on his hips.
Sam shrugged then chuckled. "It's certainly a different look for you Daniel. Purple is really your color!"
"These are my best pair, I'll have you know!" He protested as he sat on the edge of Jack's bed.
"I'm not surprised, you probably don't wear them too often." Janet teased him mercilessly.
Ignoring the point she was making he replied, "Well, actually no. At home I don't wear anything to bed!"
Jack inhaled softly, unnoticed by the others, as he imagined Daniel's body parts slipping over soft sheets.
"Though I thought that that might be a little inappropriate here!" Daniel concluded.
//Nope, that's fine by me!// Jack thought to himself.
"Well, I guess we'd have had something else to laugh at then!" Sam shot him a wicked grin. Daniel's mouth dropped open and he stared at her.
"Samantha Carter!" He said, shock filling his voice. The two adult women laughed and Cassandra joined in, not really sure what she was laughing at but it was contagious. Daniel turned to look to his friend for help.
"Jack, are you going to help me here?" He asked, his blue eyes shining in the morning light.
"Huh? Oh, um, to the kitchen with you women!" Jack waved his hands in the air, indicating that everyone needed to leave his room.
"Yes!" Janet clapped her hands together gleefully. "Who's for some breakfast?"
"How about some presents?" Sam asked, climbing off the bed and slipping her arm across Cassandra's shoulders. Janet got off the bed and did the same and the three of them left the room, discussing what was going to happen first. Breakfast or Presents.
Daniel yawned then looked over his shoulder at Jack. "Merry Christmas," he mumbled as he scratched at his eye.
Jack's smile filled his face. "Merry Christmas, Danny."
Absently the younger man reached back and patted Jack's legs through the blanket. "We'd better go and see if they've raided the presents yet," he said, getting up again.
Jack grabbed his friend's wrist, stopping him but when the younger man turned to look at him, Jack lost his nerve again.
"What?" Daniel asked, wondering why Jack was still holding his wrist.
"I've got a Christmas gift for you. If you like it, I'm kinda hoping you'll return it. If you don't, well, then I'll cope with that."
The younger man frowned. "If I like it, I should return it? What sort of gift is it?"
Jack smiled. He loved it when Daniel got that bewildered look on his face. The one that made his mouth hang open ever so slightly.
"One that I hope you'll like."
"You're going to give it to me now? You don't want to wait until later when we unwrap the others?"
Jack grinned to himself. "Oh, no, I don't think so."
Daniel shrugged. "O-kay."
He felt Jack's hand slip up his arm, and frowned as it reached his shoulder. His eyes darted to the side as the hand crept up towards his face then, as it cupped his cheek, he looked squarely at Jack.
"Err, Jack?"
With a gentle smile on his face, Jack looked from Daniel's mouth up into his curious eyes. His thumb stroked over the stubble covered cheek lightly.
"Um, did you sleep alright last night? Because I'm a little concerned that you haven't fully woken up…" Daniel was silenced by Jack's lips as they covered his own lightly. The kiss was soft, non-invasive as the mouths pressed together gently.
Pulling back slightly, Jack whispered, "Actually, thanks to your confession I didn't get a wink of sleep."
"My confes..?" Daniel was silenced once more as Jack's mouth pressed against his, more firmly this time. He felt the tingle as Jack's hand moved ever so slightly against his cheek and jaw, the thumb stroking his stubble once more. Again, Jack pulled back slowly, this time far enough back so that he could look into Daniel's eyes.
"So I figured I should come clean with a confession of my own," the colonel smiled as he looked at the hooded blue eyes.
"Oh?" Daniel smiled dopily giving Jack exactly the kind of response he needed to see.
"I'm crazy about you, Daniel Jackson."
"Crazy?" Daniel repeated then suddenly woke from his lust haze. "Sorry?" His eyes went wide.
"You!" Jack laughed softly. "I'm crazy about you and I have been for a very long time."
With a sceptical frown Daniel brushed his thumb across his bottom lip. "Since when?"
Rolling his eyes a little, Jack just said, "For a long time. Let's leave it at that, shall we?"
Daniel's eyes fluttered as he tilted his head back while Jack's hand shifted to cup his throat. The colonel's thumb stroked lightly down the front over Daniel's Adams Apple and rested in the hollow at the base of his throat. He looked up into the dewy blue eyes again.
"A very long time," he whispered as he tightened his grip around Daniel's throat and pulled him closer for another kiss. As soon as the mouths met, Jack's hand slipped around to the back of the younger man's neck, gently cupping his head. Their lips met softly, almost timidly, then Jack pressed Daniel's mouth open with his own, allowing his tongue to finally slip inside the warm cavern.
Daniel's body filled with tingles as he felt Jack's tongue breech his lips and press inside his mouth. He gave a soft grunt as he shifted his feet on the floor, trying to get a little closer to the man holding him against his body. Slowly he allowed his tongue to dance over Jack's, to feel its rough surface and smooth sides, to taste him and swallow his juices.
This felt so right! Being here in Jack's arms felt so god damn right! He didn't object when the older man tilted him and pressed him back onto the bed. He enjoyed the feeling of Jack's body pressing him into the hard mattress, squirming over him until their legs entwined together.
"Jack," Daniel whispered breathlessly as the older man's mouth finally released him and moved to suckle on his throat.
"You'd better not be telling me to stop," Jack mumbled, his lips barely leaving the surface of the salty skin.
"I'm thinking about the others," he said. Jack growled then lifted his head back and looked down into Daniel's eyes.
"The door's open as well," Daniel added, shooting a quick glance at the door. Jack sighed as he pushed himself up and went over to the door. Daniel got to his feet and followed him. As they reached the door, Jack closed it then turned to face his friend.
Daniel frowned then titled his face to give Jack a breath-taking smile. "Yes?"
Jack's fingers teased at the buttons on Daniel' pyjamas. "I was wondering if I get to open my Christmas present later?"
With a shy smile Daniel gave a shrug. "I guess."
Jack wet his bottom lip slowly. "Will you do me a favor?" He asked, as he nudged his face against Daniel's neck, his lips brushing the stubble lightly. The younger man sucked back a deep breath.
"Uh, yeah, anything…" he muttered softly.
"Will you wrap it in this purple number again?"
Daniel screwed his eyes shut tightly as Jack's tongue licked up the entire length of his throat. "Oh.. G.. gods.. yeah, sure.." he stammered slightly as he felt a hand slip across his stomach lightly. All too soon the hand was gone and he opened his eyes to see Jack smiling at him.
"Then there really is a Santa Claus," he said. Daniel gave a soft laugh then nodded.
"Hey, I didn't sit on Hammond's lap at the SGC's Christmas party for nothing," Daniel said as they started to leave the room. Suddenly he stopped and turned around to face Jack, his eyes wide. The colonel broke up into laughter as Daniel realised what he'd just said.
"Oh, Jack!"
Still laughing, Jack threw his arm across Daniel's shoulders as they went into the kitchen. "You made his Christmas, Danny."
Screwing his nose up, Daniel placed his arm around Jack's waist and grimaced, "Oh, please don't tell me that's true!"
Jack put his hand on the door of the kitchen then quickly kissed Daniel's lips.
"You've made mine too. Merry Christmas, Space Monkey."
Daniel's other hand touched Jack's lips lightly. "Merry Christmas, Jack."
They pulled together in a tender kiss, lost in the exploration of each other's mouth once more. Both were totally oblivious to the kitchen door opening and the sound of two women squealing, "oh my God!"
- THE END -