So Close

summary: With everything Cameron and Daniel have been through, separately and together, before the SGC and during...July 22, 2011 may just be one of the most profound days of their lives.

genre: Romance

rated: PG-13

content warnings: boy/boy love, kind of one big political statement lol

author note: I have been waiting to write this story for ages. Don't Ask Don't Tell is an embarrassment to our nation's history. I've been campaigning against it since I found out what it was in high school, even before I started pairing together fictional male characters lol So this story has been a long time coming. And the song just seemed to fit the idea of that so perfectly.

side note: i also posted this as part of my "It's Only You and Me" series for Daniel/Cameron. it felt like it should be a part of the series, but also a stand alone as well. the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell is just such an important issue and monumental piece of our history and I wanted that to be accessible to those who aren't interested in reading series.

disclaimer: All characters in this story belong to MGM and the creators of Stargate SG1. The characters are not mine, as much as i would like to keep them and play with them all day n the way I wish they would have them play with each other on the show ;)

"So close to reaching that famous happy ending, almost believing that this one's not pretend. Now you're beside me and look how far we've come."

"So Close" - Jon Mclaughlin

By any other standards, today was a day like any other. The team was gearing up for a standard recon mission. Nothing fancy, just a good ol' fashion exploration trip. There had been no tragedies, no life-on-the-line situations recently. Things at the SGC were running smoothly and they were all in good spirits.

Cameron and Daniel were in the gateroom getting their gear ready. Vala, as always, was no where to be found, no one expecting to see her until the gate was dialing up. Sam was upstairs in the control room, as per usual, looking over the MALP telemetry. Teal'c was up there too, chatting with General Landry and Jack O'Neill, who was in town for a few days.

Yes. Today was a day like any other. That is until Vala came bounding into the gateroom. She looked like she had something she wanted to burst out, but she kept a nonchalant manner about her, a glimmer of mischief in her eye.

"Boys, what does 'repeal' mean?" Vala asked, tying her hair back as she approached Daniel and Cameron.

"It means to remove or reverse a law when a law is no longer effective or the negative consequences are greater as a result of it from when it was created," Daniel supplied perfectly, cleaning his glasses on his sleeve. "Why do you ask?"

"Well I was watching your news and they said your handsome president has finally certified a repeal of that ridiculous 'don't ask, don't tell' policy you had told me about," she smiled.

"You're kidding?" a nearby female Airmen said, her tone surprised, a hint of hopeful relief causing her voice to shake slightly.

"They just announced it," Vala repeated, faint cheers and clapping could be heard around the base.

Cameron looked taken back and as if he was deep in thought suddenly. Daniel had a shocked smile on his face, looking up to the control room to see Jack winking at him before cheerfully explaining it to Teal'c. Sam gave Daniel a teary smile back. The magnitude of this news was not lost on everyone here.

Daniel quickly turned to face Cameron, but before he had a chance to say a word, Cameron grabbed him by the arm, pulled him to stand on the platform of the Stargate, and brought him into an embrace. With an arm around his waist and a hand at the base of his neck, Cameron pulled Daniel in for a kiss. Daniel didn't respond at first, fear at what they were doing and where they were, but soon it dawned on him. He grabbed Cam's arms as he dwelled in their new found freedom.

Cameron knew the repeal wouldn't take into effect for another sixty days, but after hiding for his entire military career, knowing that the end of it was near, he couldn't help but express his love for the man he vowed to commit his life to. He also knew that the two commanding officers present at the SGC wouldn't be discharging him for being a homosexual. Maybe a reprimand for a public display of affection while on duty, but it was worth it.

Cheers and whistles broke out from the control room. These military men and women were ready for the end of a ridiculous rule that prohibited those who sacrifice their lives for the good of the people to have to worry about acceptance. And in the SGC, where their jobs and lives were always on the line, the personnel here understood how precious life was. They knew the meaning of sacrifice better than anyone. To be able to find love through all the mess was something to be celebrated.

Daniel pulled away slowly from the kiss, a pink spreading across his cheeks at what just transpired between him and Cameron, smiling shyly. Cameron raised a hand to cup the side of Daniel's neck, tilting the other man's to face him. He leaned forward, his forehead touching Daniel's.

"I've spent my whole life hiding who I am, who I've loved. This changes my life, our life. Together," Cameron said, tears on the brim of his eyes as he smiled.

"I love you," Daniel smiled back, his own eyes stinging behind his glasses. "But is a display in the middle of the gateroom the best way to announce it?"

The two laughed as they both glanced around, only to see smiling faces back at them.

"Maybe a little much for work," Cameron smiled. "But I think we'll be okay."

"As long as we don't go skipping down the hallways holding hands, we'll be fine," Daniel teased as they stepped down from the gate ramp.

"I've never skipped in my life," Cameron jokingly scoffed. "But now we don't have to keep our relationship hidden. I don't have to worry about being discharged because of a part of who I am. We can show up to SGC barbecues together without fear of being found out. We can get married one day and not keep it hidden because of my career. I'm not saying let's flaunt it. I'm just saying we don't have to hide who we are."

Cameron couldn't help the tear that escaped down his cheek; the relief of having that shadow that had followed him around his entire service career now gone. He didn't know how many years he had left in his military career. With things slowing down at the SGC, he had hoped he and Daniel could retire someplace where they could be married for real. Maybe New York where Daniel grew up. Or Iowa which wasn't too far from Colorado or his home state of Kansas.

But as he looked into Daniel's blue eyes, the ones he wanted to stare into forever, he realized that all that talk of what comes later wasn't as important as what was happening now. This moment between them where they were able to not only tell of their love, but show it and shout it.