Chapter Fourteen: Just Say 'I Do'
Daniel woke the next day to the overwhelming scent of roses and sat up to look around the bedroom to find rose petals strewn across the coverlet and three-dozen roses spread around the room. He smiled, reveling in Jack's ridiculous sappy gesture. It was something that he was pleasantly surprised about when he'd been with Jack for some time. He would have never guessed that about Jack when they were just friends and coworkers.
Now he just enjoyed the prospect, lifting some of the petals to his nose to inhale the scent and wondering where Jack was. Then as if God were answering a prayer, the door opened and Jack walked in with a tray before him, which he placed over Daniel's lap and kissed Daniel.
"Good morning love," Jack whispered against his lips. Daniel smiled against Jack's mouth and pulled him close for another kiss before he looked down at the tray holding pancakes with strawberry syrup and butter as well as a cup of milk and slices of melon.
"Jack, you didn't have to do this," Daniel grinned. Jack settled on the bed next to Daniel's legs and laid a gentle hand on Daniel's knee.
"I know we've gone through a lot in the past ten years and even more in the past ten days but I could never have asked for a more loving partner and parent to my children. I have loved you longer than I can even tell you and I am happy to continue doing so. I needed you to know that hasn't changed despite us being here instead of in the Vannas world."
Daniel smiled, annoyed now that the tray was in the way so he moved it aside and pulled Jack across his lap. His lover careful draped himself across Daniel's chest to take Jack's mouth in a deep kiss again. He felt the passion slip inside along with Jack's tongue as it slipped inside Daniel's mouth that the scientist caressed with his own. He wanted the blanket out of his way but couldn't accomplish that with Jack across his chest and stomach so he settled for sinking his hands into Jack's lower back under his shirt. He slid his hands up Jack's spine and brought the shirt upwards with the movement even as Jack kept kissing him. Too bad fooling around wasn't on the table, so to speak, for the morning because Jack chuckled and pulled away. He tugged Daniel's other hand out from his sweat pants and the other that was gripping at Jack's back.
"Danny, we have an appointment, Pop has got the kids but he's not going to keep them if we don't keep said appointment."
"What?" Daniel asked, confused and muddled by arousal.
"I am going to marry you today Danny," Jack said with a grin.
"We got married ten years ago Jack. Why does Ben have the kids if we aren't going to fool around?"
Jack laughed and swooped down to kiss Daniel one more time before he put Daniel's tray over his lap again and sat leaning against the bedpost. Daniel started eating, used to Jack's weird obsession with watching him eat. "Pop took the kids so we could get ready and he took them for breakfast and to play at a nearby park."
"Did you eat already?" Daniel asked around a mouthful of pancake.
Jack smiled, "I had a bowl of cereal but you know how much I love to spoil you with pancakes."
Daniel rolled his eyes, he didn't understand how 'spoiling Daniel' had become Jack's favorite pastime but he didn't find fault with it very often. Daniel ate quietly; watching Jack even while Jack returned the favor.
Daniel ate slowly, each bite making its way to Daniel's mouth slowly, as Daniel held Jack's gaze. He was still hoping for some hanky-panky before they left so Daniel did everything in his power to make the whole meal a sensual delight. He loved the taste of the buttery pancakes with the melon and sweet tart of the strawberries, he licked juice from his fingers, sucking them in and out of his mouth and watched Jack.
He moaned in appreciation every couple of bites and lapped extra food from the fork between each bite, all the while he kept his eyes on Jack. He noticed when Jack's breathing became erratic, he knew when Jack shuffled and moved around in his chair that Jack's cock must have been taking notice and all the while, the stubborn man sat in that chair and watched Daniel in return.
When Daniel had sufficiently cleaned his plate, Jack coughed a little and stood from his chair to pull the plate away and took it out to the front door then returned to tug Daniel from the warm and comfy bed. Daniel muttered about it but used the opportunity to press Jack up against the nearest wall. He twisted Jack's head towards him since Jack's front was pressed into the wall. Daniel took Jack's lips in a hot kiss and pressed his erection against Jack's ass. Jack pushed off of the wall and turned to take Daniel's lips in another kiss before Daniel heard the release of the door. When he backed up to see what Jack was doing he realized they had landed next to the bathroom door. With one more stolen kiss Jack shoved Daniel into the bathroom and closed the door with him on the other side of it.
"Seriously Jack!" Daniel hollered through the door.
He could hear Jack chuckling on the other side, "You can wait till later you lascivious man."
"You're not going to shower with me?"
"Nope," came the cheerful reply.
"Fine!" Daniel returned and turned to shower quickly. He jumped in before realizing he didn't bring clothes into the bathroom but then again maybe if he pranced around in front of Jack with no clothes on, maybe he would choose to fool around after all. With plan in mind Daniel scrubbed himself clean and shampooed his hair, which had recently trimmed and styled before they came to visit Jack's family. It was a little longer than it had been when Jack and Daniel first met all those years ago under Cheyenne Mountain. Daniel kept it long partially because Jack loved to fist his fingers gently in the length and Daniel loved being able to pull it into a ponytail at the back of his neck.
When he was finished, Daniel swooped the shower curtain back to find a clean fluffy towel which he used to dry himself quickly and fluff the extra moisture from his hair before he dropped the towel on the floor next to the tub and flung open the door to find the room absent of his stubborn husband.
"Jack?" Daniel called out then caught sight of his best dark blue suit with a matching tie and white button shirt. There were also shoes, socks and underwear with a note pinned to the lapel of the jacket so Daniel sighed and walked across the room to read the message left instead of Jack's preferred presence.
It read: Danny, I knew you were going to keep trying to tempt me so here is your wedding finery, a car is waiting outside the lobby for you and the driver already knows where he's going so you just climb in and enjoy the ride love.
Daniel was so caught up in the sweet romance of it; he forgot to be annoyed for about a minute. Then he just smiled and donned his suit before grabbing his wallet and room key and walking down to the lobby. He gasped in surprise when the limo pulled up to him and the back door opened to show, "Sam? What are you doing here?"
Sam slipped out of the car, gripping a handful of her royal purple dress up as she stood to hug Daniel, "Where else would I be silly, I was your best 'man' at your first wedding so why wouldn't I be here?"
"Because you and Teal'c were still in the Springs?" Daniel asked.
Sam shook her head, waving her blond waves of hair around her shoulder. She rarely wore it loose around her face and Daniel found it to be very becoming on her. "Jack told us when to be here so we came, the kids are with your babies as well. But before I say anything else, we need to get going. The Colonel has a very tight schedule for today."
Daniel chuckled and got into the back seat of the limo. When the door was closed and they were belted in, the driver took off to parts unknown and Daniel was left to watch his friend and try not to think about the fact that he'd said yes to Jack again. This time, if anyone found out Jack could be kicked out of the Air Force and yet the stubborn old man wouldn't let Daniel go and Daniel couldn't let go of Jack. Not even for the good of the world. It was probably because his world was so much smaller now, its spotlight focused on the kids and Jack.
When the car stopped, Sam stepped out first and Daniel followed to find himself in front of a little church confusing him since Jack had said something about a Justice of the Peace, courthouse-type wedding, this is quite a bit different.
He followed Sam into the building at her insistence and found the doors closed to the main room of the church with Ben waiting on this side of it, Zada and Zale dressed in matching blue outfits fit for royalty. Daniel smiled to them even as they smiled and waved at him before Sam took her place before Ben and Jack's father turned to hold out his arm to Daniel.
"Ben? What's going on?" he hissed even as he moved to stand next to his father-in-law who was preening excitedly.
"You are getting married, not just a legal document but the words and vows and everything. Jack wanted it this way, for you."
Daniel found his eyes watering at the thought of all this put together for him. He never imagined this being okay here in their time and Jack was making it happen for them anyway. The doors to the main hall opened and Daniel could hear the wedding march which set the twins into motion, soon followed by Sam who apparently had been hiding her bouquet somewhere down her dress because she was holding it now. Then Ben took Daniel's elbow into his palm and started leading Daniel woodenly down the aisle. Ben stood straight and Daniel couldn't imagine anyone having the guts to think this man, either of them, weren't manly men just because one's son was going to marry the other.
Daniel looked around, seeing a sea of faces. He couldn't seem to distinguish any features in the wake of this loving care that Jack seemed unable to stop showering on Daniel's head, a balm to his hurting soul. Then he looked towards the front of the room, saw Jack's grinning face and dressed in his Class A's and didn't even care who was in the room anymore. Daniel walked towards Jack with purpose and ease and then Ben was releasing Daniel's hand into Jack's and they were facing each other.
Some pastor type person started talking but Daniel didn't really hear anything past the thudding in his chest, and the shinning light of Jack's smile blinded him to anyone or anything in the room.
"And so, Jack and Daniel would choose to share some vows to one another. They wish to renew the bond they have shared for ten years here before us. Jack if you please?" The pastor said and Daniel focused on those lips, which were going to vow himself to Daniel once again, much to the scientist's surprise some days.
"Daniel Jackson, you are the smartest, most compassionate beautiful man I have every known. You have made me fight for what I believe, fight for what you believe and desperately made me want to be a better man. I have found myself falling deeper in love with you as the years passed, you are no longer the beloved of my heart but now also the Daddy of our children, the loving professor even though sometimes you are the absent professor," A few laughs scatted from about the room at this, "You continue to prove to me every day that time together is the best thing I could ever ask for. I don't need my career to be a man, I don't need the planes to live excitedly and I don't need the Gate anymore. I just need you, I love you Daniel."
Daniel sniffed, trying to keep from crying at the beautiful vows given to him by this man he so treasured above all others.
"Daniel, your vows?" the pastor requested.
"Jack, I honestly hope someone is recording this because I would hate to never see this moment again," there were several ladies making noises of happiness but Daniel didn't take his eyes off of Jack. "You have changed my life, in the beginning you gave me the chance to prove my theories correct then you gave me freedom with Shau'ri but couldn't leave well enough along, thank god. You have continued to be a pain in my ass on a daily basis but there is no one I could ever love as deeply as I love you. I love that you have to act the mother hen when I am injured, and I have loved to watch you let go of that when I'm not. I watched you struggle through the sadness of past losses but watched also when you decided those losses would not harm the family you have now. You are a brilliant man Jack, despite your arguments to the contrary. You are loving, morally just and opinionated. After all these years, I realize as well that all I have accomplished in that time was to fall more deeply in love with you. And I can't wait to spend another ten years together, no matter where we are and no matter what we must survive. We will do it together."
Jack's smile should have split his face it was so wide.
"The rings?" the pastor asked and Jack reached out and took a little box from Zale. He opened it and took out one ring and handed it to Daniel before putting the other ring in his own palm.
Daniel looked down at the ring, the inside had an engraving within, 'For all time, Jack&Daniel.'
"With these words you speak, slip the ring on your partner's left ring finger." Daniel repeated the prompt he was given and pulled Jack's left hand forward and slipped the ring into place, catching momentarily on Jack's knuckle before settling against his skin, glimmering silver. Jack repeated the words and pulled Daniel's hand forward to repeat the action and then they were married—again.
"You may kiss to seal your bond," the pastor said with a smile.
Jack pulled Daniel close slowly, slower than Daniel would have liked but the emotion in Jack's eyes were hard to ignore and let go enough to kiss his reminted spouse. When Jack's eyes locked on Daniel's there was passion as there had always been but there was also a high dose of affection and love paired with need and that protective instinct that made Jack the best CO Daniel had ever had the pleasure of working with. Finally their lips met and it was innocent and closed mouth but no less passionate than one of their marathon make out sessions. Daniel pushed a little at the barrier of Jack's lips with his tongue and with a quiet grunt Jack opened to him and shared a more searing kiss that ignited them both. Then the raucous cheers and applause woke Daniel to the fact that they were indeed in the midst of people, getting married and not in a private ceremony which Daniel had completely forgotten the second his gaze locked on Jack's chocolate brown eyes.
Jack pulled away, giving Daniel one final peck on his lips before they turned from the pastor and towards the audience and Daniel did a double take. Not only were Sam and Teal'c there but many of the people from his teams, as well as more than a few military personnel from the base including Janet and Cassie. General Hammond himself was sitting in the front row with his granddaughters and Daniel and Jack's kids surrounding him. Hammond looked the proud papa, even though Ben was there on the other side of the room giving the exact same look of pride towards his son and Daniel.
Also surprising was that next to Ben was Lauren then Henry and Marcus with a young woman standing next to him, probably his wife with two young children standing close to them and the wife was holding a very young baby. Sarah was also sitting in the next seat back and there were quite a few faces that Daniel didn't recognize, though he did take note of the anger on Henry's face and Lauren's stubborn features. They were here but not really. They still didn't agree with Jack's love for Daniel. He sighed and wondered if they were here at the request of Ben or if they were here to see if they could force Jack away from Daniel as they'd been trying to do for several days now.
When Daniel turned to look at Jack in surprise and also sympathy he shrugged, kissing the side of Daniel's head before they walked off the raised dais and towards family and friends. Daniel thanked whatever deity was listening that they were still together despite the fights, the intense emotions and crazy families. Personally he was extremely grateful for Ben who had already done so much for them both and now he'd given Daniel away to his son.
It may not have been a perfect homecoming for any of them for various reasons but for the first time since they appeared in the Gate room, Daniel truly felt like he was home.