** See Part 1 for full disclaimers and story details
PART 2 NOTES: Thank you all for the wonderful comments and continued interest in this series. I didn't realize until after posting that it was three days short of exactly two years since I released "And It Begins." Wow, are you dear readers patient! Enjoy Part 2! Hugs and thanks go to Lynette, the master beta. She keeps me honest and makes every story better for her attention. Any remaining mistakes are purely mine as I tend to fiddle up until the last possible moment. (g) As always, any and all feedback is appreciated.
Part Two
The uncharacteristic slamming of the front door was the first clue Jack was in a mood fit to be tied. The second was the fierce thump as each booted foot hit the floor. And the third? The just barely audible, snapped out bits of incomprehensible sentences Faith only heard with Slayer ears.
"Think I'm an idiot? An old fool ... bothered to take care ... damn him and his..."
The quiet tirade faded as Jack moved down the hall toward the bedroom. Setting the hand towel down on the counter, Faith sent a speculative glance toward the kitchen entry. It was rare for Jack not to find her for a welcome kiss if she happened to be in the house when he arrived home. Two more thumps from the bedroom made the decision for her.
She paused in the bedroom doorway, eyebrows shooting upward at the sight that greeted her. Jack had his shirt and pants off, where they seemed to have been crumpled into wads and hurled across the length of the bed. One boot lay at her feet, the other sat on its side against the half opened bathroom door. "You okay?" she asked, keeping her tone purposefully neutral. It wasn't like Jack to throw his clothes throughout his bedroom. The man was inordinately neat and tidy by both nature and training.
Without facing her, he dug through a drawer, hands making a mess of the once organized clothes. "Did you know you're a spy for a secret branch of the government? That you seduced me only for the information I can give you? Because apparently I'm too old and decrepit to possibly attract a woman as young and gorgeous as you."
Ah, that. She'd wondered how long it would take for someone to brave Jack's wrath and bring up their age difference. She was only surprised it had taken this long. Quickly crossing the short distance, she took his hands in hers and turned him to face her, ignoring when he tugged against her pull. "Jack, we knew this would happen. Is it really so much of a surprise?" The bit she hadn't anticipated was that she'd be the calm one in the discussion.
"I guess not." The words were calm, the tone was anything but. "I just didn't expect it to come from Daniel."
The words slapped into her with the force of a fist and her body reared back, away from the threat instinctively. "Daniel?" But he was their friend. He played board games and came over to the house for movie night and teased her about her ability to out eat Teal'c. All the things friends did to one another. Yet a friend would have said something long before this. Wouldn't he? A hard lump formed in her chest, forcing her to breathe slow and deep. It was a sensation she'd rarely felt before and one she'd never thought to feel again, not with Jack and his team in her life. Obviously she'd been wrong. "What did he say?"
"He went digging around and pulled up your record, thought someone was blackmailing you into a relationship with me. You know, sink the hooks in then weasel information out of me."
"Jack, it's okay. We know the truth. What anyone else thinks doesn't-"
"The hell it doesn't!"
Okay, he was more than pissed. She let him yank his hands away and prowl to the other side of the room dressed only in his boxers. And because she knew him, much better than he could have ever realized, she tucked her hands in her back pockets to keep from reaching for him and asked, "You argued with him then? Gave him a chance to see he had nothing to worry about?" If she hadn't been looking for it, the small flutter of guilt would have been missed entirely. He didn't answer her, however, merely stepped into the bathroom. The sound of water against tile and glass effectively cut off any more discussion.
She stared after him, torn between following and letting him work it out on his own. She hadn't asked the questions out of any loyalty to Daniel, but out of love for Jack. His friendship with the archaeologist was long, complicated and very important to him. The stories Jack had told her made that more than clear to her without coming right out and saying anything. She did not want to be a sticking point between them, but she wasn't going to just stand aside and let Daniel ruin what they had.
An uncomfortable tug pulled at her insides and she rubbed the spot low in her chest. She drew in a deep breath and forced it out harshly. It made no difference to her if Daniel disapproved of her or her relationship with Jack. Only Jack's opinion mattered. She sent one final glance toward the bathroom and the steam already curling out of it. No, it would be better to leave it alone and give Jack a little time to calm down. She picked up his discarded clothes, put his boots in their usual place and left the room. It was only as she turned into the kitchen did she realize tears had crept down her cheeks.
The water was almost bruising in its force as he stood under the heavy spray, head bowed, hands splayed on the wet tile.
God damn Daniel anyway. Who did he think he was? Jack's mother? Hell, even his mom wouldn't have sideswiped him this way. Wouldn't have reduced Faith to a mere tool, someone to be used and valued only for the information she could extract.
With his eyes closed all he could see was her face, blanched with hurt before that mask of calm acceptance had taken over. That actually hurt worse than Daniel's betrayal. Faith had blossomed in the months they'd been together. While confident in what she wanted when they met, her belief of her lack of personal value had shaken him to his core. What little she'd revealed about her family had only emphasized Jack's anger toward them. The only people Faith had ever spoken of with any positive regularity were a set of friends who now lived in Cleveland.
SG-1's acceptance of her over the past couple of months had seemed genuine, warm, and Faith had taken to them like a duck to water. Jack could only hope Daniel's stupidity wouldn't destroy what Faith was building with the other two members of his team.
Well, hiding in here is really helping, isn't it, Jack? The voice wasn't little and it certainly wasn't quiet. More like a ringing bell, it had his hands reaching for the knobs so quickly his old drill instructor would have sobbed in pride. Less than three minutes had him walking into the kitchen where Faith was standing at the sink, her figure carefully still. Not waiting to see if she'd turn around, he crossed the short distance and enfolded her in his arms. She shuddered slightly then leaned back into him, hands coming up to rest on his arms.
"I'm sorry." He whispered against her hair, inhaling the fragrance that was underneath her shampoo, that unique scent that said simply Faith. "I'm sorry Daniel had to go and stick his nose where it's not wanted. I'm sorry I took it out on you."
"It's okay." The small catch in her voice nearly took him to his knees. His wonderfully strong, kick-ass Faith was crying.
Turning her in his arms, he pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss. "No, it's not okay." He touched his forehead to hers, hands soothing up and down her back. "Nothing about it's okay, but we'll make it better." After returning the smile he knew she'd forced out just for his sake, he kissed her again, mouth lingering. When she responded, almost tentatively as if she thought he believed a word of the crap Daniel shoveled at him, he tugged her closer, pressed his body up against hers. If he could reassure her in no other way than physically, then that's what he'd do. Her tongue fluttered over his lips leaving fire in their wake. Gentleness disappeared with a growl as heat flared low, tightening his body in a rush. Their tongues mated, warm, wet flesh imitating a far more intimate act.
With a gasping breath, Jack pulled away from the kiss, senses heightened to a fever pitch. God, was it always going to be like this between them?
"I certainly hope so," Faith answered, the awful hurt muted in her brown eyes but still present.
"Was that my outside voice?" Feeling a flush creep up his neck, Jack couldn't help but smile as another touch of darkness left her eyes at the question. He'd embarrass himself for a year if it would banish that look forever. "I guess it never has been a secret how much you affect me."
"You're not the only one here, grumpy," she replied, her own voice not quite steady.
He kissed her again, unable to stop himself and not even wanting to try. He felt a smile tease her lips up against the press of his mouth and the last vestiges of anger melted back to wait for the true target. "So what have you got ready to eat, woman?"
Snorting inelegantly, Faith smacked him on the butt and left the circle of his arms. "For that I'm thinking you can make your own dinner. This is all mine."
Absurdly pleased she was teasing him out of his meal, he followed her as she made her way to the cabinet. He had no illusions that the repercussions from Daniel's attack were over, but it was unnecessary to dwell on them. He'd give Faith some room to process things on her own. She'd tell him if and when she was ready to talk about it. Just then, all Jack wanted was a boring evening alone with his Faith. "But I worked all day. I'm hungry."
She shot a withering look over her shoulder, taking a single plate down from the cupboard. "So did I. No chance."
Heat filled him once again at the look. Damn, but he was a goner when a glare could make him react. Food was suddenly the last thing on his mind. Before Faith could leave the counter, he set one hand to either side, trapping her between them. He leaned in against her back, feeling her shiver all the way down to his toes. Shifting her hair out of the way, he murmured in her ear, "You sure I can't persuade you?" He bit back a groan when she pressed back into him, his body responding as urgently as the first time he'd held her up on his rooftop.
"There is a slim possibility I could be convinced to share." It was barely above a whisper and stroked over him as did the hand she ran down his thigh.
Bending slightly lower, he ran his lips lightly down the column of her neck, letting his chin push the thick fall of her hair aside. He set his teeth gently into the side of her throat with a growing sense of anticipation. It was one of his favorite spots, the sweetly responsive flesh now burning hot between his lips. And she responded as beautifully as the first time he'd discovered it, her knees buckling as she moaned out his name.
Gathering her tight against his chest, awe filled him. He didn't care what Daniel thought he'd found. Faith was his and he wasn't letting go. Jack lifted her easily with one arm beneath her knees, the other curled around her back. "Well, since I don't feel like cooking, I'd better be damn persuasive."
Dinner was stone cold by the time they got around to eating.
cont.
