Chapter Twenty-Seven: Return to Rightful Path

Jack stretched slowly as he woke up to the sound of their alarm on the bedside table and he smiled as Daniel grumbled and hid himself under the covers, just like old times. Not that Jack had ever really seen Daniel with a real alarm clock but it didn't matter how they were waking up in the morning, Jack was the morning person and Daniel was a grouch with everyone but the kids before his first cup of coffee unless Jack chose to wake him with kisses.

That one grumbling sound from Danny more than anything, even the intensely satisfying love session of the night before proved that the scientist was returning to Jack, not allowing this trauma to continue to control him. Despite their afternoon delight when Daniel and Jack retired for the evening they started in earnest and Jack was deliciously sore from Daniel's sweet loving. So Jack moved his hands under the blanket and across Daniel's stomach, moving lower to rub the heel of his hand across Daniel's morning wood. The grumble turned groan just as Jack slipped his mouth across Daniel's pulling him into a kiss and their tongues tangled even before Daniel was awake enough to realize what was happening. Jack wondered for a moment if Daniel was going to revert to the fear but he didn't, thank god. Jack pulled away a little as he kept working Daniel over, feeling the archeologist's erection grow under his ministrations.

"Good morning Danny," Jack mumbled into Daniel's mouth.

"Why the special wake up call? Someone throw up?" Daniel hissed as Jack gripped a little tighter. Daniel's hips started thrusting a little with Jack's movements.

Jack chuckled, "Nope, just enjoying the fact that I can touch you. You really are too hot for me to ignore."

Daniel hissed a little before Jack leaned down and kissed Daniel again. He moved closer, throwing back their blankets so he could lead his other hand down across Daniel's chest and then with his mouth. He moved his lips across the tip before pulling Daniel's erection into his mouth. He went to work, pulling the sounds of passion from Daniel's lips as he slipped his hand down to rub at Daniel's hole and before he could even insert the digit, Daniel was moaning his release. Jack pulled away and grinned up at his husband before pulling himself up from the bed and dragged the lethargic man from the mattress across the room and into the bathroom. Jack dropped Daniel unceremoniously on the closed toilet and started the shower. When he turned to help Daniel again, the younger man chuckled and pushed Jack away, "I don't need you babying me."

Jack laughed, "Daniel I just want to take a hot shower with you before we tackle big life decisions and the kids."

"Breakfast for the kids should come first," Daniel argued half-heartedly.

Jack grinned lasciviously, "Zada and Zale know how to get things started, and we won't be long."

"Sure, you say that now," Daniel muttered as Jack pushed Daniel into the stall and followed close behind. He nudged Daniel into the warm spray of the shower and grabbed a soap bar and started rubbing slippery fingers and palm across Daniel's toned shoulder and down his back and to his lower back and across his butt. Daniel turned in his arms and Jack started on his chest when Daniel kissed Jack and took the soap so he could return the favor. Jack grabbed the shampoo and started lathering Daniel's shoulder length hair when Daniel's hands on his body stilled.

"What is it?" Jack asked.

"Jack, will you cut my hair for me?" Daniel asked and Jack frowned at him.

"What? Danny, I love your hair!" Jack gasped. He'd learned over the years that Daniel having longer hair that he can grip during lovemaking or anytime he wanted to slip his fingers through the silky strands when he was holding Daniel close or hugging him was pleasantly erotic for Jack.

"Jack I love when your hands are in it, I love when they grip the back of my neck but its becoming a weapon against me. Henry used the long hair to hold me and slam me against the wall. Please Jack, I need to see it gone for a while."

Jack sighed, it was one of the few times Daniel had ever told him anything about the attack, "Close your eyes." He whispered to Daniel who complied immediately and Jack rinsed Daniel's hair and just kept slipping his fingers through the strands and then he let Daniel wash his hair as well before they got out of the shower, dried off and wandered back to their bedroom.

"Now?" Jack asked Daniel who magically made a haircutting kit appear and put it on the bed.

"Might as well, let me go check on the kids first."

Jack sighed and sat down, looking at the kit, finding scissors and an electric hair cutter, which might work if Daniel wanted a buzz cut that Jack sported most days. Jack kind of hoped that Daniel wasn't going that short. Daniel walked back into the room, just wearing the jeans he slipped on before he left and a tank top. Jack used Daniel's absence to slip into jeans and a shirt as well. Daniel grabbed a chair from his desk in the corner and grabbed the towel to wrap around his neck. He looked up at Jack, "Please Jack."

He nodded, "What do you want?"

"Short, like yours."

Jack cursed, "Dammit Daniel, you are not military and I don't want you to be. I don't want you to feel like you have to pretend to be one of them. You're you as it should be."

Daniel sighed, "A little longer then but not much. I don't want it to be so easy to grab."

Jack nodded and grabbed the comb and scissors. He took a deep breath and proceeded to do something he hadn't done for anyone since his first son died. Cutting Charlie's hair had been a constant thing for Jack when he was home. He combed out Daniel's hair and started snipping it at the back. He took it all off, up to Daniel's nape then worked to trim all over, giving Daniel a haircut a little shorter than what he started with all those years ago, sneezing himself into Jack's life. He worked slowly and diligently till Daniel's layers were shaggy but nice and he cleaned up around his husband's ears and the bangs. Jack watched Daniel's face, the serenity in his features and the sighs as Jack ran his hands through Daniel's hair to make sure the cut wouldn't look awful for him at work. Jack didn't know why or how but this one intimate event in their life was even more important to Jack and Daniel then the lovemaking and the kissing and the talking. Daniel trusted Jack to do what he asked and Jack trusted Daniel with everything else. Jack finished and cleaned up Daniel's nape before he nudged his lover out of the chair and they both walked into the well-lit bathroom. Jack smiled into the bathroom mirror where Daniel's smile met his. The new haircut was shorter but not as short as the military would request. His bangs were swept to the side and his hair ended at the nape of his neck. It had always retained that dark brown tint but it seemed in the light of the bathroom, the blond streaks that were leftover from the summer in the Vannas land and Jack pressed his hand against the side of Daniel's visible neck. He stepped closer and pressed his lips there, "Is it okay Danny?"

"Yes of course Jack, I forgot what I looked like with shorter hair."

"Well in case you were wondering, I love you no matter what length of hair you have."

Daniel smiled and watched Jack in the mirror as he worried Daniel's skin with his lips for a few seconds before he pulled back. Daniel chuckled, "I hadn't noticed especially since your mouth seems to be constantly on me these days."

"Because you'll let me," Jack said with a grin.

Daniel turned in Jack's arms, "I have never not wanted your touch Jack, I just wish that it hadn't been tarnished by what happened."

"Well its not going to continue to hurt us, right?" Jack asked, jiggling Daniel in his arms. Daniel laughed at the purely Jack move and nodded.

"Let's go see to our babies," Daniel said and leaned up to take Jack's lips once more in a slow burn of a kiss. When Daniel stepped back, Jack grinned down at Daniel and they walked out of the bathroom hand in hand and walked down the stairs to find all six of the children in the kitchen eating buttered toast and fruit. Daniel immediately walked over to the stove so he could cook some eggs and bacon as well and added servings to whomever wanted it. Jack settled into his seat at the table with a plate delivered to him by Daniel and listened as Daniel started speaking in Spanish as they did any other day.

Daniel handed out the last bit of meat and eggs before he settled into his chair as well and Jack heard his name among Spanish words and giggles. "Danny!" he barked and everyone laughed.

The scientist chuckled; leaning close to kiss Jack on the cheek before he continued drinking his coffee. Despite objections to the contrary Jack was glad about the health food kick Daniel had been on with the kids since they started eating food. It kept the kids slim and healthy in the face of an obese society and it kept Jack and Daniel from impending heart attacks and loss of sculpted bodies that were thoroughly enjoyed by their partner.

Jack watched Daniel move much easier and laughing freely and Jack couldn't help but be thankful at the sight.