Chapter Thirty: Closure
Jack watched as Daniel stood from his chair, walking to the front of the courtroom to slip into the witness stand. Jack had to force himself to stay in his seat when he so desperately wanted to stand between Henry's vicious gaze which was on Daniel. When they walked into the room a little earlier Daniel had not faltered but he took several deep breaths and then sat down in the proffered chair for him.
Now Daniel was calmly sitting in that chair and waiting for the questions to begin.
"State your name for the record," the lawyer asked.
"Doctor Daniel Jackson," he responded, his voice strong and self assured. Jack wanted to kiss him for being so brave in the face of his attacker.
"Please account the day of your attack," the lawyer demanded.
Daniel spoke clearly, detailing the attack and Jack forced himself not to react. Daniel had gone over his attack with Jack the night before so he wouldn't be shocked by the vivid imagery and violence of what happened to him in the courtroom.
"I see," the lawyer stated and continued "And the attempted murder."
Daniel spoke again, telling of Henry's strange reactions and then how he jumped on top of Daniel to suffocate him. He didn't leave anything out but it was concise and no extra please for empathy from the audience in the room.
"And what were you doing that day, where Mr. O'Neill attacked you?"
"I was getting married to Henry's brother, Jack," Daniel answered and Jack frowned. He didn't want this to turn into a poop-throwing contest about acceptance and hate crimes.
"And Jack O'Neill up till very recently was believed MIA by his family, correct?" the lawyer asked.
"We both were lost for a long time."
"And you brought him back different than when he left his family?"
Jack scoffed, this was stupid and it had nothing to do with the case. He wanted to stand but knew he needed to leave Daniel and the lawyer to fight his battles but it wasn't easy for Jack to wait.
"This court case is about the assault on my person and the attempted murder? Is it not? If this is about my character and the choices I have made of my own free will as well as Jack O'Neill's choices then I have nothing else to say."
Jack silently cheered Daniel's audacity.
The judge decided it might be a good time to speak up finally, "Doctor Jackson has a point, do you counselor?"
The lawyer sighed, "I am only trying to prove the point that Mr. O'Neill was not of sound mind when the Doctor gave him a reason to respond badly. I think this should prove that the accused needs to find help instead of being placed in jail."
"Is this a joke?" Jack finally called out, wincing when Daniel glared him down.
"Sir? Do not speak out of turn in my courtroom," the judge responded.
"I was there when Doctor Jackson was almost killed in his hospital bed," Jack stated.
The Judge nodded and Jack walked towards the stand and stood close to Daniel, "I am Henry's brother Jack O'Neill and despite that fact I am telling you that despite the possibility of his mental problems, he tried to kill a man after he tried to rape the same man without any reason. Doctor Jackson was kind to Mr. O'Neill despite his constant verbal assault on the Doctor's person and he searched out Doctor Jackson when no one was around to protect him and he molested him!"
"Thank you for that impassioned speech but you need to reclaim your seat now," the judge said and Jack reached out his hand to Daniel but he shook his head. Jack took his seat and stared down Henry and his lawyer who spoke, realizing he wasn't going to win the way he wanted to. "No more questions."
"Doctor Jackson you are free to go," the judge stated and Daniel left the stand and rejoined Jack at their front seats. Daniel reached over and took Jack's hand and he was glad Daniel didn't get mad about his interference. Jack squeezed Daniel's hand in return.
"Despite the tactics of the councilor, there is no getting around the attack on Doctor Jackson in the hospital, it was premeditated to go and try to kill him so the bail for Mr. O'Neill has been refused and please do not attempt these tactics during the sentencing."
Jack looked to Daniel, seeing the sadness in his eyes as he locked eyes on his husband. "I'm sorry Jack."
He leaned forward and touched his forehead to Daniel's and shook his head gently, "Nothing to be sorry for Danny. I thank god he wasn't able to kill you or do more harm than he did. I hope he gets help but I am not sorry he won't be free to attack you again."
Daniel nodded but the sadness was still there even as they got back into the van and drove slowly to Ben and Lauren's house where the kids were hanging out with their grandparents getting a new dose of love and spoiling. Jack reached over and took Daniel's hand in his, "Talk to me baby?" Jack requested gently.
"Don't baby me Jack," Daniel returned with a halfhearted glare. Jack grinned in response since Daniel was clearly not very serious.
"Are you afraid of Pop and Mom's reaction to the bail not being offered and Henry staying in jail?"
Daniel nodded a little, keeping his head down and looking at their joined hands.
"Don't be, they know Henry is where he belongs right now and whether he goes to some sort of rehabilitation program or stays in jail, they won't care as long as you can't get hurt again."
"Are you sure? I'm not family, Henry is."
Jack snorted, "You are family Daniel and one of these days you are going to stop questioning it."
Daniel shrugged as they pulled into the driveway and got out of the van and walked up to the door. Daniel had another couple of days off from work so they were going to stay in a hotel and let the kids and the grandparents have a few more days together before the O'Neill-Jackson family went home again.
Jack walked in without knocking to hear shouting and laughter coming from the backyard where the kids spent most of their time when they were here. Jack and Daniel followed the sounds of happiness and grinned as they took in the scene of tag while Ben and Lauren relaxed in their deck chairs. "It's getting kinda loud huh?" Jack called out and the children stopped mid play and raced over to get hugs and kisses before returning to their games. Daniel moved to lean against the railing and Jack followed since Daniel's arms were wrapped around his chest in a self-hug, which meant he was still worried.
"They denied Henry bail, stating that no matter what brought on the initial attack the murder attempt was premeditated."
Jack watched Daniel watching his parents as they heaved equal sighs of relief. Daniel frowned but waited for them to speak, "So glad to hear that, we were worried that lawyer was going to find a way to get him out."
"Yeah he tried," Daniel responded quietly, shuffling his feet.
"Daniel, we don't blame you for this," Lauren said gently as she reached out and took one of his hands.
"Thank you, seriously he's been making me crazy thinking that," Jack said laughing.
Ben sighed, "Daniel, we might have had a rough beginning but you're our son and we wouldn't want anyone to hurt you for no reason even if that meant our other son needs to get help behind bars."
Daniel shook his head, "So weird having family."
Jack wrapped a loving arm around Daniel's shoulder, "Get used to it love, because we're not going anywhere."
Daniel smiled and they went back to watching the kids play.
Daniel tucked the last kid into the bedroom at the hotel they were sleeping at for the next two nights. He rubbed gentle fingers through Zale's hair as his son slipped into sleep. He leaned down and kissed Zale before he moved to settle in next to Johnny. He kissed his little boy on the forehead before he started rubbing Johnny's chest, which was his favored method of going to sleep, and Daniel smiled thinking about these children of his. They were all amazing wonders to him, constantly bringing him joy and heartache all in one and so totally worth it. It didn't take long for the youngest to slip into sleep before Daniel rose to kiss Greer on the head and moved onto the girls who were already sleeping for the night having been helped along by Jack then he turned and found Jack's eyes on him from the living room.
Daniel grinned as he moved away from the children and towards their bedroom, slipping through the door with a quick and sultry look over his shoulder to Jack who was watching him breathlessly.
Inside the door to the bedroom, Daniel turned to face Jack as he slipped his shirt off over his head and dropped it off to the side. He flicked open the button on his jeans and slid the zipper down so slowly, all the while watching those brown eyes as they darkened in lust and the well built chest as it rose and fell in quick breaths.
Just as Daniel slipped his fingers inside his pants and boxers at the hip, Jack realized he wanted to be a part of the proceedings and jumped from the couch and slipped into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. "Whatcha doing Danny?" Jack asked breathlessly.
"Showing you what you want," Daniel husked, knowing what tonight would bring all the while knowing that Jack did not.
"Always Danny, I always want you." Jack whispered the words as his fingers slid along the skin of Daniel's hip next to his thumbs and pushed his pants down slowly, just as Jack knelt in front of Daniel. He let Jack do so for now, since Jack loved having his hands on Daniel and so did Daniel, whenever possible. When Daniel stood naked in front of Jack, the older sex-on-a-stick General leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss to Daniel's hipbone before sliding his tongue down to the center where his cock had already taken an extreme interest in the attentions of his husband.
Daniel, after a few more kisses from Jack, tugged his lover to stand in front of him. He started jerking at Jack's clothes, wanting to move along with his plans before he lost the nerve to do so. Jack, thankfully felt inclined to help with the undressing process. Within moments Jack was as naked and Daniel and he was laying Jack down on the mattress. Jack settled back to watch Daniel, thinking that Jack was going to bottom like they'd been doing ever since the attack but Daniel was going to show Jack that after today in that courtroom, Daniel released the hold Henry had on his mind and his body. Jack was the only man he'd ever loved, the only person he'd ever known better than he knew himself and he trusted Jack with every fiber of his being. There would no longer be fear and trauma between them; no Daniel insisted that tonight that final hurdle was about to be passed.
And it was going to be good.
"What're you grinning about?" Jack asked as he leaned on his elbow so he could run the tips of his fingers down Daniel's chest and Daniel slipped the lube from the bedside table and grabbed Jack's hand. He squirted some of the oil into Jack's palm and looked down at Jack with that look that set Jack's heart pounding, "Stroke yourself Jack," Daniel commanded gently.
Jack's breath hitched even as he grasped his own cock and started to move his hand up and down slowly. Daniel used his distraction to put some lube into his own hand even as he pressed up close and took Jack's mouth in an open kiss. Daniel used his own fingers to spread himself. He used one and imagined it was Jack's fingers instead, moaning into Jack's mouth who was groaning and gripping the side of Daniel's neck in desperate passion. Daniel used another finger and scissored them inside, then added another but he left his prostrate untouched, wanting Jack to find it as he always did when they were bound together through their bodies.
"Don't come yet," Daniel whispered into Jack's open mouth, his panting lover nodded in agreement and Daniel removed his hand from himself and sat up to move astride on Jack's chest. Jack looked up at him in confusion, "Jack, I want you inside me please?"
Jack looked at him, concern again written into his sharp features but this time when Daniel moved to line up Jack's cock and sank down Jack didn't argue. Daniel knew this wasn't about putting the past behind them; this was about love as it had always been with Jack.
Daniel pressed down until he was seated fully on Jack and took a second to become reacquainted with the burn that shifted to pleasure almost immediately because it meant that he was connected to Jack once more, they were one.
"You okay?" Jack asked in a strangled tone of voice.
Daniel looked down with a radiant smile before he lifted himself and pushed down almost immediately. Daniel set a slow and invigorating rhythm that brushed his prostrate every once in a while and he pressed his hands down against Jack's chest to feel the racing heartbeat underneath the surface. Jack's hands slipped from his knees and up his thighs to grip at his hip, encouraging Daniel to pick up the pace.
"I won't last long Danny," Jack whispered and Daniel leaned down to take Jack's lips in an intensely gratifying kiss. Jack's thrusts became erratic and as the older man rose up to press his chest against Daniel's in a full body hug he moaned at the feeling of Jack's hands in his hair and the other pressed down into the mattress to give them purchase. Daniel lifted his hands to wrap around Jack's cheeks, slipping back into his hair so when Jack kissed him again the feel of Jack's unshaven jaw was tickling his palms and the movement of his mouth and lips were felt by grasping fingers.
Then Jack reached down and gripped Daniel's leaking cock he pumped a few times, bring Daniel to completion only to deny him the same. Instead Jack flipped them, somehow his cock not slipping from Daniel's channel causing the younger man to sigh and gasp at the feeling. Daniel was suddenly pressed into the soft blanket and pillows and Jack was on his knees between Daniel's legs and kept thrusting, rolling his hips in a delicious way that had Daniel responding with moans of pleasure. Had it always been this good, he wondered. Daniel felt himself hardening once more, amazed sometimes at his recovery time, not that it ever happened outside his relationship with Jack.
"Come on Jack, give it up lover!" Daniel whispered into Jack's hair as he gripped the back of Jack's neck. Jack straightened and took Daniel's lips in another long kiss as his hips rolled into Daniel again and again. Daniel's sounds were pressed into Jack's mouth, trying to keep from waking slumbering children with their noises. Jack chuckled even as he winced in the effort it took to maintain his stroking within without emptying inside.
"I'm close Daniel, wait for me just another second."
Daniel wrapped his legs around Jack's hip and their movements became even more erratic and quick. Jack pressed his mouth against Daniel's throat and then as Daniel thought he would faint from the pleasure, Jack reached between them and brought Daniel to a second orgasm just as his filled Daniel's channel. They both groaned into the other, slipping slowly to settle next to each other as Jack slipped out of Daniel.
They lay there panting, side by side for a few seconds then Daniel laughed, a quiet one but still full of joy and relief. Jack turned his face and looked over at Daniel, "You think my lovemaking is funny? I am sure I should be offended."
Daniel twisted slowly onto his side, to face Jack. "No need to be offended my love, I an too happy not to laugh. I have had you inside me once more and there was nothing but you and me in this bed, no memories or flashbacks."
Jack smiled, "Well that is something to celebrate indeed."
Daniel leaned closer and slipped his mouth across Jack's once more, deepening the kiss but not making any attempt to restart the sex marathon, Daniel was glad. This wasn't just about sex and it never had been. This moment was about being in love with a man, being in love with Jack O'Neill and getting to feel that soul deep connection, only rivaled by the strength of a physical connection.
As Daniel continued to lazily kiss his spouse he knew once more that no matter the circumstances, no matter the challenges; as long as they were together Jack and Daniel could make it through anything presented to them.
Daniel pulled away just enough to whisper into Jack's lips, "I love you Colonel Jack."
"And I love you too my beautiful Danny even though I am General Jack now."
Daniel chuckled, leaning back in to kiss him once more, feeling the smile on his lips and the answering happiness on Jack's mouth as well.
Here is the end of this story, there is another story coming but please let me know what you think so far and what you might like to see from the kids as well as Jack and Daniel. What do you think? Are you hoping that they get home to the Vannas home? I hope you have enjoyed the tales so far.