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CHAPTER EIGHT: Promise?

-Daniel's POV-

"Checkmate."

We're in Jack's living room now, and I've just beaten him three out of three in Chess. Neither of us is really surprised by it though, considering it's usually me that wins.

I sit back as he resets his side of the board for another game. When realizing I'm not doing the same, he looks up and says, "What?"

"You're right."

"I am? Of course I am. What about?"

"About us, we can't go on ignoring what we have between us. I don't want to go on living in what ifs and regrets because I was too scared. Look when I die – let me finish – when I die for good, hopefully it'll be of old age, I don't want to have to wonder what it would've been like between us. I'm more scared of not being with you than with. I'll probably never be ready. But if I don't…"

"Danny…"

I move so I can sit next to him. "I love you, Jack." Before he can reply, I'm kissing him senseless.

-Jack's POV-

It's about 0230 hours and Danny's in my arms asleep. The excitement of what's happened the past few hours is keeping me up.

We're together now… I can't believe it.

Jeez, look at him. He's so peaceful.

It's than that it hits me. Don't get me wrong, I'm beyond happy that he's with me now but I can't help the fact that it's also got me feeling guilty.

Shit…

-Daniel's POV-

I'm not sure what woke me up but the first thing to enter my head is the fact that Jack's not in bed holding me. After putting on my clothes, I find him sitting in one of the chairs that he's got in front of his telescope on the roof deck. He's got the Kleenex box in his hands, which makes me smile.

"Jack? What's this?" I pick up the box and turn it over to read 'Thanks – Please Send More' in my handwriting.

Taking it in his hands he shrugs and says, "Um… Yeah. I kind of… They were probably going to throw it out, and I couldn't let that happen."

"I didn't know you were so sentimental." Wow… I think I've just fallen deeper in love with him.

"Yeah, well…"

I run my fingers through his hair and gently kiss his lips. "You want to know something? So am I."

Seeing his confused look I give the lettering a small tap. "You know the marker that I wrote that with? I still have it. It's in a little bag right now taped right above the door inside my closet."

I sit down on the empty chair next to him, breaking his train of thought. "Hey. I got cold without you holding me."

"Sorry."

There's a moment of silence. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"I don't deserve you."

"Jack…"

"No, listen. It's the truth. You should be in Egypt somewhere digging for those rocks you love so much. You shouldn't have had to suffer the way you did. You're too brilliant and caring. You should have everything and anything that makes you happy. Your past, this life right now… God Danny, you shouldn't have to go around having those barriers around you." Nodding towards the stars, he continues. "There's a war out there that we shouldn't be a part of and you're in it. You don't belong out there, it's not you. This is turning you into something you're not! For fuck's sake look what it's done to you! They've put a gun in your hands to fight something that shouldn't even exist! You're an archeologist, linguist, and whole load of other things to make you a brilliant genius! Someone so caring and gentle shouldn't have to go around killing. You deserve to be happy, with someone so much better."

He starts to get up to leave but I stop him.

"So, what? Okay, so maybe I didn't deserve to have my parents crushed to death in front of my eyes when I was just a kid. Maybe I didn't deserve to be shoved from one foster family to another all my life. Maybe I didn't deserve to be beat down everywhere I went because I'm some weak four-eyed geek. Maybe I didn't deserve to be laughed down on by the Academia. For Christ's sake, don't you think I know that this isn't my war to fight? But I'm fighting for Sha're, Skaara, and every other Abydonian. I'm fighting so people shouldn't have to suffer under the hands of the Goa'uld!"

"Danny…"

"Shut up Jack. God only knows why but in case you haven't noticed, I happen to be in love with a certain Colonel that isn't as dumb as he appears to be. For Christ's sake, you were ready to bomb yourself with Ra to ensure the safety of Earth that first mission we went too! You were psychotic than, still are by the way, and so am I for falling for you. But you know what? If I deserve to be happy, than damn it, it's going to be with you in my life!" I'm practically yelling by the end of my rant, too fueled by emotion to really care that it's the middle of the night and I may wake up the neighbors.

When I finish, I'm pushing past Jack, going back inside to gather my things so I can leave. Before I can grab my coat though, I'm being pulled into Jack's arms. It's than I end up just breaking down. I usually don't break down crying in front of anyone, I don't like to. Only this isn't just anyone. This is Jack… With him I know I'm safe.

"It's going to be okay. I love you; I just want you to be happy…"

"I know… I love you too."

After I calm down enough, Jack pulls away just enough to look at me and smiles in a way that makes me go red.

"My Space Monkey."

I laugh at the nickname. God, that makes no sense at all. Where did he even come up with that?

"Don't stop."

"Don't stop what?"

"Loving me… and calling me that, no matter how ridiculous it sounds."

He pulls me back into his arms, holding me tighter. "Never."

"Promise?"

His lips are suddenly on mine, kissing me in a way that I have to lean against him because my knees have suddenly lost their momentum.

"Wow… I'll take that as a yes…"

"Definitely."

It's than that I try to fight a yawn, which I fail horribly at. With a chuckle, Jack's telling me it's time to go back to bed. I don't fight him leading me back where I undress to my boxers like before.

As we're about to go under the covers, Jack suddenly jumps towards the door. "Where are you going?"

"Be right back."

I'm just finishing getting comfortable against the headboard to wait for him when Jack comes back in holding the Kleenex box. With a proud smile, he sets it on the dresser and joins me.

"My sentimental not-so-tough Colonel."

"That's me. You won't let it out at the SGC will you?"

"Only if you never let go of me."

"That's a promise I'm all too willing to keep."

"That's good, because I intend to keep my sexy Teddy Bear." It's cheesy, I know, but it's all I can come up with on short notice. Besides, Jack's always been the one with the nicknames, not me.

"Teddy Bear?"

"Complaining?"

"What's there to complain about when I've got the best thing the universe has ever created here in my arms?"

"Exactly."

My Teddy Bear lets out a warm chuckle and kisses my hair. "Go to sleep, Space Monkey."

-F I N-