Chapter Twelve: Dinner From Hell

Daniel got tired from the running around with the kids after a while so he let Jack take over, though he mostly facilitated general chaos. Daniel kissed Jack on the way past and moved to sit down next to Ben who smiled at him gently.

"Thank you for letting us come and meet you, they have no family outside Jack and I, plus our team members who were stranded with us."

"And you? You have family?" Ben asked.

Daniel shrugged, "Jack and the kids."

"You don't have family?" Ben asked again.

"My parents died then I was in foster care until I went to college a couple years early. I had a grandfather but he didn't adopt me or take me in but he also kept me from being adopted."

Ben nodded, "Well I hope I am not speaking out of turn that you can have family here."

Daniel smiled, "Thank you but I wouldn't feel comfortable bringing the kids here while your wife does not want to accept us as a family. If she is only willing to see Zada and Johnny I would ask that none of them come here because our children have never been told that they belonged to one or the other. Zada and Johnny are my kids and the twins and Zale are Jack's, I would not have them hurt because they are being told that some of them belong to this family while the others are not welcome."

"Well I can understand your need to protect your children and yourself," Ben responded.

Daniel shrugged, "I don't care about myself, I just care about them getting hurt unintentionally by us and by Mrs. O'Neill."

Ben nodded, "I would be pleased to visit you when I can if I can't figure out what's going on with Lauren."

Daniel smiled, "I don't want to cause problems between you and your wife. Who knows how long Jack and I am going to be around. We never really know with our lives and I don't want to cause a rift."

"You are a self sacrificing man aren't you?" Ben questioned with a laugh.

"Yes he is and don't let him convince you otherwise," Jack shouted across the lawn since apparently he was listening in on their conversation.

"I thought so, no wonder Jack fell for you. You would be hard to ignore, no matter prior attraction."

Daniel smiled, "Thank you I think."

"As I have already said, I will not leave behind my son in judgment for finding love and someone to love. Jack didn't do this to hurt his mother and I so why should we deny him the love with have for him to you and your children. I understand that you saved our son, thank you Daniel."

Daniel smiled shyly, looking down at his hands again. He didn't know how to take on these feelings that Jack's father and mother were creating in him. Lauren's cruel words were nothing new to Daniel; he'd been spoken down to and badly of since his parents died. Ben on the other hand, sharing love and wise words with him wasn't expected. Especially since Ben's affection and kindness was instantaneous. Daniel's life was built on hard work to earn affection and respect; even Jack took some time to realize that Daniel's words could be of value to Jack. Sam had instant affection for him but her respect came with time as well as Teal'c. Ben though, he saw Jack and saw the love that was felt between them and there it was: acceptance.

"Dinner has been set out," Lauren said as she walked out the back door. All the children came running and Daniel moved passed Lauren, partially to keep the kids from touching her skin in anyway but also they would need to wash up.

"Bathroom?" Daniel asked Ben, still unsure if he should even speak to Jack's mother.

Ben turned towards him, "Down the hall, second door on the left."

Daniel nodded in gratitude and nodded to Lauren before walking in through the kitchen and stopped short when he caught sight of unexpected visitor, then directed all six children to the bathroom to wash up before he stood guard against the woman who would wish harm upon his head and that of his children.

"Daniel," she said.

"Sarah, surprised to see you here so far from the Springs," Daniel responded.

"I was invited to dinner by my mother-in-law."

Daniel rolled his eyes and refocused his attention on the kids who were having a hard time focusing on the task at hand, interested in all the knick-knacks around the room and all the lotions and things that were in the bathroom that they weren't used to because they didn't live with women. After they were sufficiently clean, he helped them dry their hands and walked back to sit them down at the table, Daniel sitting next to them and holding the chair next to Johnny for Jack who was now staring at Sarah in shock then to his mother.

Daniel wanted to walk out so desperately and take his children with him so they wouldn't be harmed by the politics and drama unfolding before them. This kind of manipulation had never really been highlighted in their life before this. Instead he sat down and they said a pray while Jack glared at his mother so Daniel served food to the children and talked to Ben for a little while before he jumped into a conversation with the kids in Spanish.

"Well that's just rude!" Sarah interrupted even as Ben watched the proceedings with a grin and Jack nodded to Daniel in love and acceptance. Learning to speak other languages was a part of their meal traditions.

"What's rude?" Daniel asked.

"Speaking in a different language where people cannot understand you," Sarah griped at him.

"We do it to Papa everyday," Zada said with a confused giggle.

Ben laughed, "Seriously?" he asked Jack.

He smiled though he clearly wanted to whoop some ass of his mother or Sarah as far as Daniel could see, "Pop, I don't really speak a whole lot of languages and Daniel has been teaching the kids different languages since they could speak. They usually discuss Daniel's work and whatever the kids were going to do that day or did. Daniel wanted them to know languages well enough to use them, it's a part of our breakfast and dinner tradition and its one we haven't been doing since we got back."

Daniel sighed but when Zada spoke again in Latin this time, he turned to his daughter. "Daddy, why doesn't she like us?"

Daniel shrugged and took his little girl's hand and replied in kind, "I don't know baby."

Zale spoke in Latin as well, "She wants Papa for herself and Papa's mother wants her to be with him instead of Daddy."

"Zale, don't speak about them like that, its what she is mad about."

"Daddy, Jack's mother touched me and her feelings were clear to me. We are not welcome here, only Zada and Johnny with Papa."

"We're going to eat and go home, I promise."

Jack's eyes were on Daniel through out the whole process, who shrugged before they jumped back to Spanish so Janet and Claire could join in. He got them started on some topics before he turned to Ben who was smiling at him.

"You speak any other languages?" Ben asked.

"Yes," Daniel said simply.

"Danny, don't be modest," Jack admonished, "He speaks like twenty languages, and knows the writing for several of them as well including dead languages."

Daniel smiled shyly, "Yeah something like that."

"You must be very smart to remember and learn such a volume of languages."

"He's a genius and don't let him tell you different," Jack said with a smile.

"Can we stop talking about me, please?" Daniel asked pleasantly, fiddling with his food.

"Please," Sarah responded.

"Ok, both of you knock it off or I am going to take my kids and my husband and never come back here! Is that what you want Mama?" Jack asked, frustration making it impossible for him to stay silent. Daniel had been letting everything roll over him but Jack couldn't handle it as well, he was always protective of Daniel.

"We don't want you to go," Ben responded strongly, "Right Lauren?"

Jack's mother crossed her arms and refused to say anything, Sarah was mulishly silent as well.

"I'm serious, this is the love of my life and the Daddy of my children so knock it off."

With that, the dinner continued but the conversation was stilted at best. Jack spoke to his mother; Daniel spoke to Ben and the kids talked to each other and their fathers. Sarah spoke to Jack but he was civil at best, Daniel loved Jack's dad but the rest of the family wasn't too forgiving so far and it was getting to be too much for Colonel Jack.

Then it got worse.

The front door opened and in strode two men who were clearly Jack's brothers. Daniel watched as his partner stood and stared at them as they walked in. They were both around Jack's height but one seemed to be a little huskier than his very fit brothers. They all had light brown hair. "Henry," Jack said to the thinner of the two and "Marcus," he said to the huskier brother.

"Jack?" they both asked in unison.

"Hey," Jack said.

"Mama called and said you were here with your new love interest and your family but that just looks like Sarah."

"I'm not with Sarah," Jack stepped over to Daniel and placed a gentle hand on Daniel's shoulder. "This is my partner Daniel Jackson."

"What! You've got to be kidding with this shit!" Henry shouted.

"Seriously, the black sheep has returned!" Marcus said but he did it with a laugh.

Daniel could see the anger in Henry and though Marcus didn't seem like he cared one way or another. Daniel reached up and took Jack's hand and gave him a look. Jack nodded, and looked to his family. "Well I am done with subjecting my children to this kind of judgmental bullshit from family, the manipulation that I've seen from the people I loved my whole life, I don't want them to think its okay. Our kids have grown up without most of those selfish actions being a part of their family and I won't start it now. I am taking Daniel and the kids out of here and I will come back to discuss anything you want."

"No Jack, I will drive Daniel and your kids back to the hotel and stay with him until you are done here." Ben offered and Daniel smiled at the older man.

"Are you seriously going to pick the little fag over your own family?" Henry demanded harshly.

"What's fag?" Zale asked innocently.

"And I'm done," Daniel said, tossing his napkin to the table and gathering the kids around him to leave the house. Ben was left arguing with Lauren while Sarah yelled and cursed for Jack's attention. Henry was demanding answers and Marcus was laughing all the while.

Jack walked Daniel out to the van and buckled them all in, standing with Daniel next to the passenger door, "Danny, we won't come back here. I can't subject to the children to this kind of confusion, they don't know that what we have is special or wrong."

"I love your dad," Daniel told Jack with a smile.

"I know Danny and he would be welcome in our home whenever he wishes to visit but while my mother hopes for reconciliation between Sarah and I, I can't have you and the kids near her. Sarah is intentionally hurtful towards you and I don't know if my brothers will ever accept this love we share."

"I'll be okay Jack, don't worry about me," Daniel responded.

"Daniel, you deserve to be accepted and loved just for being you. I'm sorry that rejection and judgment were so much a part of your life that you are okay with this treatment. I love you, I just need you to know that."

Daniel smiled, "Jack you have more than proven your proclamations of love since coming home to the strangest of circumstances. Please don't worry about me."

"But it's my job, and one I take very seriously."

Daniel rolled his eyes at that, knowing it to be very true. He leaned in close to hug Jack, afraid of what kissing might cause to the shouting family within the house. Jack didn't seem too concerned about it since he tucked a hand against Daniel's neck and pulled him close to kiss him gently but assuredly.

"Yeah okay break it up," Ben harped as he walked up to the couple. Daniel laughed and got into the front seat and waited for Ben to take the driver seat, he never questioned that Ben would want to drive. Daniel liked driving but he also felt a little unbalanced after the strange dinner scene played out in front of him.

All the doors closed and Daniel watched as Jack waved then walked back inside. To face his family and the opinions they all had about the love affair that ruined the prodigal son: Jonathan 'Jack' O'Neill.

"He can handle this and then he's going to come back to you," Ben said.

Daniel smiled as he looked at Ben, "I know that. I hate sending him in there to stand alone but I have to protect my children."

"As is your right," Ben said and they drove in contented silence.