Confrontations
The snakehead came through the Stargate before they had a chance to close the iris. Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr. Daniel Jackson had only arrived milliseconds before. Major Paul Davis was also in the gate-room and had been for some time, anxiously waiting for Daniel's return. There was no one else in the gate-room.
The Goa'uld had already raised its staff and was pointing it directly between Paul and Jack.
"No!" Daniel jumped in front of Paul and the staff blast hit him instead. Daniel was dead before he hit the ground. Both O'Neill and Paul were in shock at the loss of the man they loved.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" Daniel asked the younger man resting on the doorframe outside his apartment.
"Erm, why do you think? I'm here to visit you, to drool over you. But if now's an inconvenient time I can always come back later."
"Oh no you don't Paul. Now is just perfect. Come in."
"Are you sure? Because I probably won't be able to leave in forever if I " Paul's protests were cut short by placing a brief, loving kiss upon his lips before dragging him inside.
"That's the plan." Daniel beamed. Daniel's smile was breathtaking and Paul just had to smile back. "I've missed you." Daniel added simply.
"Really? 'Cause I've been going nuts thinking about you." Daniel smiled but stopped as he realised Paul didn't look so good.
"Paul? What's wrong?" Concern for his lover filling his voice.
"Daniel, how long have we been together?"
"What, you want to break up with me already?"
"No! No! Hell no! I've been in love with you for two years now, I'm certainly not going to let you go that easily. These last few months have been excellent. I just can't believe that a genius like you would ever go out with a guy like me"
"I'm sorry, you've been in love with me for how long now?"
"Since I first saw you." Paul admitted rather sheepishly. "I'd already read your work, your mission files. They were amazing. I mean… everyone wishes for a Prince Charming to sweep them off their feet and live happily ever after. Someone smart, kind and so compassionate. You were that man for me. You're so clever and caring. I couldn't help but fall in love with you."
"Wow! Paul I that long?"
"I knew the best I could hope for was your friendship. And you gladly gave it to me. You're so generous, so friendly. You could do a heck of a lot better than me Daniel. When we started dating it was a dream come true. Now I'm just scared I'll wake up."
"Paul?" Paul brushed away the tears from his eyes.
"You could have anybody in the SGC Daniel. You could have anybody on the planet, in the galaxy! Why me? Why not… Colonel O'Neill for example?" Daniel began to see what this was all about.
"Paul, look at me. Look at me." Paul reluctantly did so. "I don't love Colonel O'Neill. It's true I used to, I admit that. But he pushed me away, he bullied me until I almost lost myself. He damaged me pretty bad. But you fixed me. You helped me find myself. Without you I would have died, maybe not physically but mentally I would have died. Paul, you gave me hope, you gave me friendship when I most needed it.
"Nobody has made me feel as wanted or as special as you have. You treat me as a person, not just a tool. Everybody I know has wanted something from me. My knowledge. My… body. Jack doesn't love me."
"He does. He told me"
"Jack doesn't love me. If he did he'd take me as I am. He wouldn't try to change me into a soldier. He wouldn't order me to do things I know are wrong. Jack doesn't love me. He says he wants to fuck me but that isn't love. And it really wouldn't matter if he did. Do you know why?"
"Daniel, I really want to believe you but"
"It doesn't matter because I love you." Daniel took advantage of Paul's shock and kissed him. Daniel put his soul into that kiss, as he did every kiss, letting Paul know how true his words were. "I love you Paul Davis. Don't you ever forget that."
"Why?" Paul asked. Daniel sighed.
"There are a million reasons. I can list them all now if you'd like." Paul didn't reply but Daniel could see the uncertainty in his eyes. "Alright. I love the way you treat me, like the most important thing in the world. You make me feel wanted, when I'm with you I feel I belong."
"I'm sure you feel like you belong in SG1"
"Really? 'Cause the team really isn't interested in anything I have to say. I'm not military and I don't want to blow everything up."
"I'm interested in what you have to say Daniel. You're so intelligent and you seem so grateful when people hear you out. Your eyes get this twinkle in them. I don't understand most of what you say but that's' because I'm so stupid compared to you. But you're happy to explain it to me. You're so patient."
"Paul, this is about you. Remember? Not me. I'm not the one who's insecure. And that's another thing you've done for me. You've made me feel secure. You make me feel safe. You give me the confidence to be who I am. You give me the strength to be myself.
"You're a good man Paul. Polite, upstanding. You listen. You laugh at my rubbish jokes. You make me happy. You are my Prince Charming. You don't sit back and accept things like the rest of the military does. You don't ignore your conscience"
"Okay! Okay Daniel! I get it. Enough with the flattery. I get that you like me."
"Paul I love you. I'm in love with you and I always will be." Paul laughed, yet still unwilling to trust his own ears.
"Daniel, please tell me this isn't a dream." Paul found himself once again being kissed hungrily by his soul-mate. He soon relaxed into the kiss and started kissing Daniel back with such a hurried frenzy it intoxicated them both.
"Do you want to know the main reason I love you?" Daniel panted after they had to break for air. "You never wanted anything from me."
"I wouldn't say that." Paul whispered I a husky voice whilst nibbling on Daniel's neck and ear.
"I would. You only ever wanted me. You accepted me for who I am. You never made a move on me and I know that if I hadn't kissed you that day we would still just be friends. But now you are so much more. You accepted me for who I am Paul, and because of that I love you. You never asked anything of me and because of that you will get my heart, my body and my soul."
"I don't deserve you Daniel."
"Yes you do." And Daniel started to show Paul how much he loved him. They managed to stumble across to the couch, lips touching and hands exploring each other all the way.
Paul fell onto the couch and Daniel lay on top of him. Paul hands were rapidly unfastening the buttons on Daniel's shirt and Daniel's hands were also very bust, unfastening Paul's trousers.
Daniels' shirt soon fell to the floor revealing his tanned chest and stomach. Paul placed sloppy kisses all over the flesh whilst Daniel pulled down both Paul's trousers and boxer shorts, releasing his erection before Daniel put his warm, talented mouth around it.
That was when Jack stormed in, gun in his hand and another in his pocket.
"Don't stop on my account! Jack waved the gun around frantically. Paul pulled up his boxers and trousers, desperately battling with the zipper. Daniel had already picked up his shirt from off the floor and put it on and with more grace than his partner was able to fasten his shirt.
"Step away Daniel. I don't want to hurt you. But I am going to kill Major Davis." Daniel continued to stand in front of Paul."
"Jack, why are you doing this?"
"He'll be the death of you Daniel. I've seen it."
"Colonel O'Neill" Paul pleaded.
"It's not Jack. At least not the one we both know anyway."
"Daniel, what do you mean?" Paul was very confused and very, very scared.
"I think… this Jack is from an… alternate reality. A reality where I'm dead apparently."
"You always was clever Danny. But you'd still be alive if it wasn't for him. Perfect Paul! He'll get you killed, that's why I've got to kill him first."
"I won't let you do that Jack."
"Get out of my way Danny!" Jack pushed Daniel out of the way and he hit his head on one of his own bookcases. "It's for your own good."
"Daniel, you're bleeding!" Paul was so worried about the blood trickling down his lover's forehead that he even forgot the life-threatening situation he was in. For a second anyway.
"I'm fine. I'm more concerned that Jack's got a gun, he's gone crazy, and I'm absolutely terrified that he'll shoot you and there's nothing I can do about it."
"Christ Danny! You still think you love him! I tell you you're gonna die because of this worm and you still care about him! You always were a soft touch Danny."
"Er, I'm going to call the real Jack." Paul scoffed at Daniel.
"Have you got it on speed-dial? I always thought you were close!" Paul's jealousy got the better of him.
"I love you Paul. I don't want to see you get hurt. It would kill me to see you get hurt. It's just that I'm helpless here and who better to stop a psychopathic, gun-wielding Jack than Jack himself? If making you safe means calling him then of course I'm going to do it." Paul flashed Daniel an apologetic look before Daniel went into the other room in search of his cell phone.
"Alone at last!" Jack cocked the gun and gently applied pressure to the trigger, just enough pressure so it didn't go off but could at any second. He was toying with Paul and Paul knew it.
"If you're going to kill me why don't you just do it? Now! Whilst Daniel isn't here to see!" Paul spat out the words but Jack just laughed. A harsh, cold and painful sound.
"No! That would be too easy. I need to cause you pain. I need to hurt you. I need to make you feel as bad as I feel!"
"I don't understand! You're not making sense!" Paul cried out but stopped as he saw the pain, the anger, the madness in the other man's eyes.
"DANIEL IS DEAD! What don't you understand about that!" Tears were brimming in Jack's eyes and Paul caught a glimpse into the other man's world.
"You love him, don't you?" Before Jack could answer, Daniel came in and both Jack and Paul's thoughts were distracted. "Daniel you really should go to a hospital. You're bleeding really badly. It's all over your shirt. Head wounds can be serious."
"Paul, I am not leaving you. Jack is on his way, he'll be here as soon as he can."
"I'm sorry… about before. I just get scared about you two. I worry."
"There's no need Paul. I love you, you gotta know that by now." Paul nodded before Jack decided to break the moment by firing a gunshot in the air."
"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP DANNY!" Daniel was taken aback by Jack's sudden outburst, unaware of the reason behind it. Paul on the other hand was very aware.
"What happens now?" Paul asked the man who was holding him hostage.
"Now we wait."
"Hey Danny. It's me, Jack. Let me in." Daniel buzzed him in and Jack at the door, letting himself in. "What's the emergenc Woah!" Jack stopped in is tracks. "Why am I already in you house, holding Major Davis hostage with a big, meat-ass gun?"
"Erm. Jack, I think this Jack is from an alternate reality. A reality where I die apparently and he seems to think that it's Paul's fault."
"Oh." pause. "You should really get that checked out." Jack remarked, pointing to the still-bleeding gash on Daniel's forehead.
"I'm fine. Jack, there's something I need to tell you. Paul and I "
"I know Danny." Paul could see the pain in Colonel O'Neill's eyes as he said this. Maybe him being here wasn't such a good idea after all.
"Please don't let Paul get hurt. Please." Daniel was pleading with Jack and he reluctantly nodded, unable to accept the fear in Daniel's eyes.
"Hey Paul, how are you doing?" Jack asked and in response the gun-wielding Jack got out another gun and pointed it directly at him. Neither Jacks flinched. "Paul?"
"I'm doing okay. Better than Daniel by the looks of it. He really needs to get to a hospital. The bleeding has only stopped and that was from about, an hour ago. The cut must be really deep."
"Paul." Daniel was really insistent. "I am not leaving you. I love you and I'm not leaving you here."
"SHUT UP!" Jack shot Paul.
"What the hell did you do that for!" Sane Jack protested, seeing a tear rolling down Daniel's cheek.
"It's not as if he's dead. No. That would be too easy. I've only shot him in the leg. I haven't even started yet."
"You're crazy!"
"You're only starting to realize that?" Jack cocked both guns, pointed one at Paul's shoulder and the other at Jack's heart.
"What happened? To cause you to do this? Even I wouldn't stoop that low!" Sane Jack pleaded, feeling helpless.
"Daniel died! It was Paul's fault!"
"Why? What happened."
"I… I don't… It was Paul's fault!"
"You don't remember, do you? Then how do you know it was Paul's fault?"
"I… There was a Goa'uld. In the Gateroom. I was about to shoot Paul. He made it shoot Daniel instead. It shouldn't have shot Daniel! It should have shot me Paul! It should have shot Paul!"
"How come the snakehead didn't shoot you? How come you're still alive?"
"Teal'c. Shot it. But it was too late. Daniel was dead. And for that Paul had to pay. He has to pay!"
"You killed him, didn't you? You had your revenge. But then again… I don't think you're telling me the truth. I think the Goa'uld was going to shoot Paul but Danny took the shot instead. To save the man he loved. That's why you're so pissed! Because Daniel chose Paul over you!"
"NO!" Jack pointed both guns at sane Jack before re-pointing one of Paul."
"Daniel would have given his life to save a stranger. You know that!" Paul had found his voice but all it earned him was a whack in the face with a hard metal gun.
"SHUT! UP!"
"Paul isn't a bad man." Jack told the gun-wielding Jack who was almost crying. "He's done a helluva lot for Daniel and what have you done? All you've done is push him away. It's no surprise he chose Paul."
"NO! Danny can't love anybody but me! I won't let it!" Jack pointed both guns at Paul. Gunshots were fired. Blood was everywhere.
"Are you okay Paul?" Sane Jack asked, looking at the dead Jack on the floor. The dead Jack still had guns in both hands, lying in a river of blood.
"Why did you kill him?" Paul asked in shock.
"He was about to kill you!" Jack put the gun he had shot dead jack with back in his trouser pocket.
"No, thank you Jack. You did good." Daniel's voice was weak and distracted. "I'm sorry, if I had known I'd never have called you here. I should have sorted it out myself."
"No Daniel." Paul protested. "I don't want you to become a soldier. You're so much more than that."
" I agree. Don't end up like me. You're a good man. Don't change." Jack's outburst made Paul realise just how much Jack loved Daniel. Almost as much as he did.
"Are you going to be okay with this Jack?" Paul asked.
"Danny loves you. You make him happy. That's all I ask." Daniel was still oblivious and nursing his head wound. "Come on Danny, we need to get you to a hospital. You too Paul. We'll go in my car."
"Wait a second." Daniel took a Zat gun from his hiding place and shot the body of dead Jack three times so it dissolved. "I'll need a new carpet." He said as he was putting the Zat gun away again.
"Perhaps we should go to the SGC rather than the hospital."
"Sure, we still need to think of a cover story."
"How about the truth?" Daniel naively suggested.
"Erm… it all started in an alternate reality where Dr. Jackson died saving his lover, Major Paul Davis. Colonel Jack O'Neill then went insane, killed Paul then came to this reality to try to kill the Paul here. Just as he was about to Colonel O'Neill shot Colonel O'Neill."
"I think we need a cover story."
"Sure. We can make one up on our way to the SGC. Just don't bleed on my car…"