A Precious Gift
                                     By
                                Diana Bloomfield
                                      And
                                Joanne Spizzirri
  
      Standing at the ramp to the Stargate, Jack and Daniel  found
themselves surrounded by a handful of alien beings. The Sularians had
once been a flourishing, prosperous, technologically advanced race
until the Goa'ulds had destroyed all that they had built. This once
proud, dignified race was then turned into nothing more than a race of
nomads. Now these aliens would no longer even have their homeworld left
because when Sam had sent a probe into Sularus, it was determined that
the atmosphere had deteriorated so badly that within a month, the
planet would be uninhabitable. 
        It was then decided that the last band of the Sularians
would be brought back to the compound and found a new home. Sam,
Daniel, Jack, and Teal'C set forth immediately to try and find
another host world that would take them in and welcome them. It had
been no easy task at first because many species that they had
encountered had been hostile and even the ones that weren't didn't
take kindly to intrusions by strangers. With time, some negotiations,
and calling in a few favors, the crew had found a most suitable home
for the Sularians on Tallis Prime, and now it was time for the band
of nomads to enter the gate and greet their new home. 
        The band was led by a male named Jorion. He was a fairly young
male and he had the build of an athlete, with long lean legs and a trim
body with olive color skin. His eyes were a deep, dark brown and his
hair was a rich chestnut. Daniel had often thought that he and his
people would pass for Human quite easily except for one small
quirk...their ears. Instead of the rounded Human shaped ears,
Sularians had an indention in the middle giving it a horseshoe figure
with fine points on each of the two tips and the flesh colored skin
was pigmented with large, bright purple spots. 
      His wife, Tasia, was shorter, but was similar in coloring, as
were all the Sularians. Tasia was a dark beauty, very small and
waifish in appearance, with fine ebony hair cut in a pixie style
that gave her the look of young innocence. Daniel and Jack both knew
that this look was misleading though, because over the last few days
they realized that this docile looking woman housed a quiet,
unyielding, strength within her slender frame. It had shown
through several times during the negotiations for a new home for
her tribe. 
        "I would like to thank you for all you and your people have
done to help my tribe," Jorion announced, looking directly at Jack
and Daniel both in turn.
        "I'm just glad you have found a new home for yourself. The
Tallogians should be very hospitable for you," O'Neill remarked.
        Jorion bowed his head slightly. "I am certain they will be
most suitable. Your assistance was greatly appreciated."
        "It wasn't anything we wouldn't do for anyone else," Daniel
commented.
        Tasia then spoke. "Regardless, you have given us a gift of a
new place to call home, and in return, I would like to give the two
of you a gift as well." She then bent her head towards  Jorion and
whispered something, to which Jorion seemed to nod his head in
agreement. 
        Daniel shifted uncomfortably on his feet. " Though we
appreciate the thought, it really isn't necessary." 
        "Yes, it's very generous to offer, but we don't expect
anything in return for helping you," O'Neill interrupted. 
        "Nonsense, it is the least we can offer in the way of payment
for your generosity in helping us," Tasia protested in a firm voice,
and then softer, she looked between the two men and added, "Besides, I
believe you will welcome the gift afterwards."
         Not knowing what to say, both men were surprised when Jorion
said, "Will you two please place the palms of your hands together?"
         Daniel gave O'Neill a curious look, not knowing what the
Colonel would do and was more than a little taken aback when the
officer simply shrugged and held his hands out. Daniel in turn held
his own out and placed his palms together with Jack. 
        Tasia  began chanting in a tongue that neither man were 
familiar with. Then, she clasped both of their hands with her own.
All of a sudden both men felt a jolt run through their bodies, an
unidentifiable rush of warmth that jarred them and rocked them to
their core. It was something that was strangely familiar, a thought?
A feeling? Yet, it was illusive as well and both men were swallowed
by the intensity of it as it crested and swelled, drifted and
cascaded. It filled and bathed every nervus and fiber in their
bodies. 
        Finally Tasia broke the connection that bound their hands 
together and stepped back. Both men let their hands fall back to
their sides as their chests were heaving and they fought for control
of their labored breathing.
         "Lady, just what 'was' that?" Jack asked when he found his
voice again.
         "I must apologize," Tasia began, "I should have prepared
both of you for that experience better than I had. You see, a few
Sularians are blessed with empathic abilities. I am one of such who
have that ability and on occasion, I am able to transmit the feelings
of one being to another and back again when both parties are
willing." 
         "So what you're saying is that you act as an emotional
 ...conductor?" Daniel asked quietly, his own heart still pounding
violently in his ears. 
         "For a lack of a more accurate account, yes," Tasia
conceded. "The stronger the emotion, the more intensely it is sent,"
she explained. 
         "To be granted such a gift of knowledge of another is seen as
 priceless on our world and should be treated with the utmost respect
and cherished," Jorion interrupted.
         "Please don't think that we're ungrateful," O'Neill said
hastily, not wanting to insult the woman or her husband.
        "Oh no, not at all, it just...caught us a little off guard is
all," Daniel interrupted.
        "You can say that again," Jack mumbled as he swallowed hard and
rubbed the back of his neck with his hand nervously.
         Tasia placed a slender hand on both men's shoulders.
"Please, as I have said, this was meant as a gift of thanks for you
both. I hope both of you are able to make use of this new knowledge
and are able to benefit from it. That was my sole wish for you."
         O'Neill looked Daniel in the eyes for only a split second
before turning away again. "Thank you, the only promise we can make
is that we'll try to use this gift as you wanted."
         Daniel nodded in agreement. "Yes, thank you," he said
solemnly and then coughed. "Now the Ambassador of Tallis Prime is
waiting for you, so we'd better...um..dial up and prepare to send you
across." 
         "Yes, we are now ready," Jorion acknowledged and gathered the
members of his assemblage together on the platform. 
         Daniel dialed up the coordinates and the gate came alive
with the familiar humming that could be heard throughout the entire
compound. Sparks of electric blue light criss crossed the opening in
an erratic pattern and then suddenly the familiar reflective blue
glow filled the entrance. One by one the band of the Sularians
stepped through the portal, leaving Tasia as one of the last ones to
enter. Before stepping through, the dark haired beauty looked to
O'Neill and Jackson and smiled with pleasure. 
         A little later on, Jack and Daniel were sitting in the
conference room that was often used for debriefing purposes. General
Hammond was at the head of the table and was listening patiently as
Carter was explaining the atmospheric readings that the probe had
registered. As she was talking, Sam noticed how Jack and Daniel
seemed to avoid each other's eyes and were not saying a word to each
other, not that they could if they chose to because somehow Teal'C
had managed to be placed between them at the table. Sam had no idea
why Daniel kept fidgeting in his seat while Jack was looking rather
distracted...seemingly not to be paying attention to a word she was
saying. When she was finished, she shot both of the men a annoyed
look and gave Teal'C his chance to speak. The Jaffa went on to tell
Hammond how they had arranged for the Sularians to be placed on
Tallis Prime and of the talks he and the rest of the team had with
the Ambassador and the delegation that voted on whether or not to let
the Sularians join them. 
         "Is there anything else? Any questions?" General Hammond
asked when neither Jack or Daniel offered any more information.
         "I think that about covers it," Jack said and was about to
get up before Sam spoke.
         "Actually, the only question I have is what happened with
Tasia before she left?"
         O'Neill's startled and looked for an instant at Jackson
before looking Sam in the eyes. Daniel pushed his glasses up higher
on the bridge of his nose and seemed to be studying the wall opposite
him. 
         "I'd like to know the answer to that myself," Hammond said.
"I was in the observation room and didn't hear everything that went
on, but what was it that she did with your hands?"
         Hammond waited for either O'Neill or Jackson to speak up. It
was Daniel who ended up being the first to speak. "She sorta tried
giving us a gift for all our help."
         "What kind of gift?" Hammond asked when neither went on to
explain further.
        "She was..well, a empath," O'Neill offered.
         "You mean she could pick up on emotions?" Sam asked and Jack
nodded.
         "Well what did she want with you and Jackson?" Hammond
questioned. 
        "Um, well, I uh...I guess she...it's kinda hard to explain,
General." Jack ran a hand through his disheveled hair.
         "Yeah," Daniel agreed. "It's kind of hard to put into
words... unless you ah...experienced it yourself. It's nothing that
can really be described."
         Hammond met Jack's and then Daniel's eyes in turn. "Well,
you boys had better try to put it into words because I'm expecting a
full report from all of you by tomorrow morning. Is that understood?"
        "Yes Sir," came the automatic response from the group.
        "Then you're dismissed," Hammond said before getting up and
leaving the group alone.
         Without a word spoken, Daniel pushed his chair back, got up
and left, followed closely by Teal'C. O'Neill stood up and felt Sam's
hand land on his shoulder and squeeze slightly.
        "What happen?" she pressed. Jack could see concern in her blue
eyes. 
         "Leave it alone Sam, it wasn't anything worth talking
about," Jack answered without looking at her and walked out the room
leaving her with more than a few unanswered questions.  
******
         Two hours later found O'Neill, sitting in his small cubical
of a room he occupied when he stayed on base, staring at the paper
containing his report and he found himself facing a problem. He had
an easy time with the full report until it came near the end. What on
Earth was he suppose to say? 'Yeah, General Hammond, Tasia was an
empath and after joining her hands with Daniel and me, I felt such a
surge of...attraction?, Desire?, for Daniel that it nearly left me
unable to walk afterwards.' Oh that would go over well! God, what had
happened to him? He couldn't believe it when it happened. It had hit
him like a tidal wave. He had been perfectly fine until Tasia touched
them; then he found himself staring into the endless blue of Daniel's
eyes...feeling the heat radiating from their joined hands, watching
that moist mouth and had the nearly uncontrollable urge to throw the
archaeologist down and take him right there on the ramp! The
intensity of it was nearly as strong as any sexual experience he'd
had and it surprised him when he realized that it was for Daniel. 
         Jack shifted in his seat, trying desperately hard to ignore
the twinge in his pants that the mental image was bringing forth.
Nervous energy made him start tapping the pen against the edge of the
desk. 'Knock it off O'Neill, you've got no reason to be having these
types of thoughts,' he told himself, but his body kept reminding him
of the feelings that had soared through him earlier. How was it
possible? Daniel was his friend ...nothing more. 'Christ sakes,
O'Neill, you've been married for years!' he told himself. 'Yeah and
that's over now isn't it, and just what does that prove anyway?' his
inner voice challenged. 
         It didn't make sense to him that he would all of a sudden
develop...whatever it was... for Daniel. 'Was it so sudden? You know
you've gotten pretty good at being amnesic when it comes to facing
things you don't want to. You push them so far back and bury them
until you forget they existed. Maybe this has been around for awhile
and you just wouldn't admit it,' his mind's other voice offered up.
No, that couldn't be it, it didn't make sense. And what about the
fact that Daniel was married? Daniel had loved Shar're when they had
been together. 'Yeah, but she's gone isn't she? He's as alone as you
are because you know very well that Shar're is probably dead," his
mind harped. But he then recalled the promise he had made to Daniel
about doing what he could to find her. Hell, she was the only reason
Daniel was even a member of the SG team. What was he driving himself
crazy for, O'Neill wondered? Both he and Daniel were heterosexual
men, to think of there being anything else to it was simply stupid.
"You're worrying over nothing O'Neill, now get this report written,"
he said aloud to himself and picked his pen back up and began
scribbling down a few brief notes on the report and simply made a
description of an electrical current and left it at that. 
****
         In his own room, Daniel was struggling with his own account
of the report. The incident with Tasia had all but floored him and he
still hadn't come to terms with it even hours afterwards. The charge
of desire he had felt had shocked him nearly speechless and his heart
still continued to beat faster when he just thought about it. The
heat, the longing, the raw need, had electrified every fiber in his
body and left him longing and aching for something more. To say he
had been surprised when he realized that Jack was the center of that
need would have been an understatement. Jack, his friend, had become
someone in a flash he had wanted desperately. While their hands had
been connected, Daniel had wanted nothing more than to take his
longtime friend and pull him to him and kiss Jack utterly senseless.
Afterwards when that realization seeped into his mind and he realized
the path his thoughts had been taking, he had been filled with
complete embarrassment. How could he possibly have 'that' type of
feeling for O'Neill? But he couldn't deny that his body still felt
the residual effects the experience had on him. His body had hummed
with an unanswered craving that had been so strong it had nearly
brought him to his knees. But O'Neill, his mind asked? O'Neill had
never treated him as anything other than a big brother, someone to
watch over and keep and eye on...an annoyance to be put up with. He
had pushed himself onto Jack, pressured the Colonel to let him be a
part of the team in order to find Shar're. Oh god, Shar're! What would
she think about this? They had promised themselves to each other and
yet, here he was thinking about 'those' type of feelings for someone
else. 'She isn't in your life anymore, she can't be,' his mind
answered. Yeah, Jackson thought, but that was no reason to simply
forget about her, he owed her..owed them ...more than that. 'Yeah,
but you know she loved you enough to want to see you happy,' his mind
reminded him. He admitted to himself that he wouldn't care for the
thought of her finding comfort in another, but he couldn't stand the
thought of her being miserable either...he only wanted the best for
her wherever she was. 'What are you going to do Danny? Spend the rest
of your life alone, living on nothing more than the hope that she's
still alive out there?' he asked himself and could find no answers. 
Daniel then thought about all the times Jack had touched him on
occasion for one reason or another. He hadn't thought of it before,
but when he thought on it now, he realized the little thrill that
would leap through him at every one of those chance encounters. Where
were all these thoughts coming from, Daniel wondered? 'Are you asking
for trouble or what?' he asked himself.  'The last thing you need is
that kind of trouble,' he admonished himself.  That was if Jack, on a
quirk of fate, would even 'consider' returning the attraction. 'He's
got no reason to want you,' his mind warned him. But what if he did?
Did he want to face those complications? Would it be too much to
endure, or would it be worth it in the end? 'Chances are, you're
never going to have the chance to find out, so why beat yourself up
over it?' his mind reasoned. Hastily he finished up the report the
best he could, leaving out details that Hammond had no right to
know. 
         Satisfied that would be enough, Daniel put the paper aside,
stripped down to his white briefs, turned out the lamp in the room,
and crawled into the cot that served as his bed when he stayed on the
base. Closing his eyes, he diligently pushed all thoughts of Tasia
and Jack out of his mind and slipped into a peaceful sleep. 
       He seemed to have just barely shut his eyes before a creaking
sound got his attention. Opening an eye, he startled when he realized
that Jack O'Neill had managed to get into his room and was standing by
his bed looking down on him.
        "Jack?" Daniel questioned in a groggy voice, still trying to
figure out why the Colonel had entered his room without knocking or
anything else. "What are you doing in here?"
        O'Neill reached down and silenced him with a finger placed on
his lips. The Colonel then took a seat at the edge of Daniel's bunk.
        "I think you know why I'm here Daniel," Jack answered
cryptically. "And you know what I want too," Jack said and took his
finger off of Daniel's lips only to bend down and seal them with his
own. The heat Daniel felt warmed his entire body. Slowly the soft
lips of Jack's slid over his, meshing them together, fusing with
heat, teasing his own in a gentle manipulation. A warm tongue gently
traced his own lips, probing, seeking, and Daniel pulled back
abruptly. 
        "What...why are you doing this?" he managed to asked in a weak
voice.
        In the darkness he managed to make out Jack's slight smile.
"You know why I'm doing this, you felt the same thing I did." 
        O'Neill's hand fell onto Daniel's bare chest and began
stroking and massaging the firm muscles there that were so often
hidden under clothes. Slowly, the pad of O'Neill's thumb rubbed over
one of Daniel's nipples. Daniel choked down a gasp and squeezed his
eyes shut. O'Neill leaned in again and began lightly running his
tongue over Daniel's exposed throat, gently nipping and licking as he
worked his way up to Daniel's ear. 
        "Are you going to deny you want it too?" Jack whispered
huskily. His hand dropped down onto Daniel's leg and ever so slowly,
he drew it up through the light dusting of hair, up until he reached
the inside of Daniel's thighs where the leg band of Daniel's briefs
halted his journey. His fingers then lightly moved under the fabric
until they brushed against Daniel's rapidly hardening member. 
        Jack's mouth was still near Daniel's ear and he lightly traced
the rim with his tongue before speaking. "And you can't lie either, not
about this." His fingers rubbed more insistently and Daniel let loose
the moan he could no longer hold back. 
        "That's right Daniel, I could make you feel so good if you'd
just let me," Jack whispered. "Will you let me?"
        Having seemed to loose the ability to speak, Daniel
answered him in the only way he could, he reached his arms up
and pulled the Colonel to him where his lips sought the
officer's. Daniel kissed him with all the hunger he had felt
earlier, letting his hands roam all over the older man's back
while his own body was being explored with gentle caresses.
        Daniel's hands came under Jack's T-shirt and he pulled it
off of the Colonel, exposing his lean, muscular chest. Daniel
caressed the flesh, teasing nipples into erect peaks and was
pleased when he heard the throaty groan coming from the older
man. Doing what he never dared to think of doing a day ago,
Daniel moved his head so that his tongue could taste the nubs as
Jack's hands ran through his dark hair. He then began sucking
the tender piece of flesh and must have gotten a little too
aggressive because he felt Jack pull back. 
        Jack's hand came up to stroke Daniel's soft cheek. "Easy,
easy, we've got all night so there's no need to rush."
        Did he say all night, Daniel wondered? All night to make love
to that strong body occupying his bed. He didn't know how this managed
to come about, but he certainly wasn't going to complain about it!
        Jack kissed him softly once more before pushing him gently
back to lay flat on the bed. Jack then worked his fingers into the
band of Daniel's briefs and began sliding them down over Daniel's
hips, slowly exposing the hard, aching proof of his rising passion.
O'Neill's hand slowly stroked the heated flesh, the moisture already
at the rosy tip was gently caressed all over the hard length until it
glistened. 
        Jack moved in-between Daniel's legs continuing to stroke his
aching, seeping member, occasionally reaching his fingers down to
fondle his testicles.
        "Do you want this?" O'Neill asked in a throaty whisper as he
continued to gently squeeze and work the hot, rigid flesh in his
hands. 
        Daniel swallowed hard and nodded his head.
        "I didn't hear you," Jack whispered, squeezing a little harder
as he did.
        "Ye...yes!!" Daniel managed to call out.
        "That's better," Jack said with a wicked smile. 
         Daniel saw stars when Jack then bent his head down and licked
the tip of the archaeologist's erection before drawing it into the hot
inferno of his mouth.
        Daniel leapt up in bed as the shrill noise from his alarm
jarred him awake. Reaching over, he slammed his hand down on the off
button. Oh god, it hurt to move! He was so incredibly hard that it
was down right painful. He closed his eyes and tried desperately to
ride out the pain. As he laid there quietly, he slowly waited until
the pain subsided enough that he could move somewhat comfortably.
Lord, it had all been a dream! 'Yeah, what 'else' did you expect?"
his mind chided. Gods, what a dream it had been too. Daniel couldn't
even remember the last time he'd had a dream that intense and erotic.
He could feel his cheeks burning in remembrance. Good God, how was he
suppose to face O'Neill today? He dragged a deep breath into his
lungs. 'Don't be stupid, Jack isn't going to be able to tell anything
from just looking at you. Play it cool and you won't have a problem,'
his mind told him. Oh yeah, play it cool. Sitting there in the same
room with him, watching that moist mouth moving as he talked,
remembering how it felt as it was around Daniel's...The archaeologist
shoved the thought down right then when another rush of blood caused
more than a twinge of pain. Oh yeah, play it cool Doc, right! 'Lord,
just let me make it through this morning!' his mind pleaded and he
slowly moved out of bed to dress. 
****
        Daniel entered the conference room, the folder with the report
in it in hand. He nervously took in the room. Hammond was sitting at
the head of the table, as usual, while Teal'C was seated next to Sam
at one side of the table, leaving O'Neill sitting with an empty chair
beside him. 'Oh lord, I would have to sit beside him this morning,'
Daniel's mind whimpered. 'Oh come on Jackson, you're a big boy, not
some preteen who can't control his hormones. It isn't going to kill
you to have to sit beside him,' his other mind's voice challenged.
Taking in a steadying breath, and bolstering his resolve, he strode
over and took the seat next to the Colonel without meeting his eyes.
        "Nice of you to decide to grace us with your presence Doctor
Jackson," Hammond said tersely before turning his attention on the
rest of the group. "Now that we're all here, may we get on with the
briefing?" He gave the crew a moment before continuing. "Okay, our
boys have sent in a probe to the planet P1J83294. We got the readings
back last night." 
        "And we're going on a scouting mission, right?" O'Neill
interrupted. 
        "Becoming empathic yourself, O'Neill?" Hammond asked and
noticed how a brief flash of uneasiness crossed the man's face. "As a
matter fact, yes, that's precisely what it's going to be. A simple
scouting mission where you're going to be checking it out for
life-forms, taking readings, the usual." 
        "Another day at the office, lovely," O'Neill remarked drolly.
        Daniel reached for one of the files sitting in the middle of
the table at the same time Jack did and their hands brushed against
each other. Daniel felt an immediate tingle jolt through his system
and he tried not to jerk his hand away like he had been burnt. 'God,
you're worse than a teenager! Keep it up and the next thing you know,
you'll be wanting to neck in a closet somewhere,' he admonished
himself. Yet, unbidden, images from the previous night's dream
started playing in his mind. As he gathered another file and shoved
his glasses up on his nose, he found that for some inexplicable
reason, he couldn't seem to drag his eyes away from O'Neill.
        "So what are we looking at here?" Sam asked, taking a folder
herself, and wondering briefly why Daniel's cheeks had turned a lovely
shade of crimson for a moment. She was obviously missing something,
that much she was sure of, but what? As she looked over at Teal'C, she
could sense that the Jaffa was also aware of the...tension?...in the
room. 
        "Well, all we know for certain is that the information off the
probe said that the planet had the climate similar to Earth's
rainforests," Hammond explained, then went on to explain what the boys
in the lab suggested 'might' be the different problems they might face.
The terrain was going to be rough going, the weather would be
unpredictable, and that the weather could in fact hinder their return
to the base. 
        Jack was finding it difficult not to notice how Daniel kept
looking at him. There was a difference in his eyes that Jack hadn't
noticed before. He had the urge to say something about it, but decided
against it. He didn't know why he had seemed to become the focus of
Daniel's rapt attention, but the recesses of his mind acknowledged it
and took pleasure in it. He shrugged the thought off and got back to
the matter at hand.
        "So what you're basically saying is that we'll be going into
this one blind?" Jack asked, looking down at the folder and trying
not to look at Daniel looking at him.
        "It's not going to be that bad, you're going to have all the
equipment you'll be needing," Hammond insisted.
        "I hope you don't mind me saying so General, but that offers
little comfort," Teal'C remarked. The Jaffa didn't mind much, but he
didn't care for Earth's thunder and lightning and if that's what he had
to look forward to...
       "Don't worry, you'll float," Sam quipped. At Teal'C's arched
 eyebrow, she added. "Human saying, don't worry about it."
        Hammond coughed, bringing attention back to him. "You should
be prepared to move out in an hour. Are there anymore questions?"
When no one said anything further, the general simply said. "Fine,
dismissed," and left the four of them alone.
        After he was gone, Teal'C moved to stand behind Daniel. "Dr.
Jackson, are you all right? You seem troubled," the dark man noted.
        "I'm fine...I ah, um...I didn't sleep very well last night,
that's all," Daniel stammered as he stood and pushed past the big man
and walked out the door purposefully. 
        Teal'C turned to O'Neill. "Was it something I said?"      
        "Jack, what's going on with Daniel? He hasn't seemed himself
recently," Sam observed. 
        "Quite, Dr. Jackson has been...distressed as of late. Do you
know the reason this might be?" Teal'C asked.
        "How the hell am I suppose to know?" Jack snapped. "Since when
have I become his keeper?" Jack then strode out the room and nearly
slammed the door behind him.
        Teal'C looked curiously at Carter. "Both Doctor Jackson and
the Colonel seem to be distressed now, what do you think the cause of
it is?" 
        Sam shrugged her shoulders. "Testosterone overload?" she
offered before walking out herself, and leaving a very confused Jaffa
behind.  
****
     When afternoon arrived, O'Neill, Jackson, Carter, and Teal'C were
all positioned on the ramp as the seven digit code was being entered.
The ground shook and electric hum was heard as the iris to the gate
began glow and turn iridescent. Out of the corner of his eye, Daniel
saw Jack giving him a brief look before he took the plunge in. Sam
followed, as did Teal'C, leaving him the last to enter the gate. When
he emerged on the other side, he appeared in a circle of a small
clearing. 
        Beyond the clearing, the forest was an overgrowth of a huge
canopy of green so thick that it nearly blocked out all sunlight. The
cool, moist air wrapped around him and had Daniel not been wearing
his usual army fatigues like the rest of the group, he was sure he
would have been chilled. The constant buzzing sound of the local bug
population filled his ears and he swatted at a huge winged insect
that zoomed in for his head. Somewhere in the distance came a call of
a fowl that flitted from one of the high branches of the copious
trees to another. 
        "It's actually beautiful here," Sam commented as she took in
the surroundings. The ground was covered in a virtual tapestry of
multicolor plant life in different stages of development, ranging
from those barely budding to those in full bloom. The sweet fragrant
air teased their senses. 
        "Yeah, if you don't have hay-fever," Daniel muttered. As
he spoke, he looked past Sam and had to squint his eyes to see
into the dark, gaping darkness of the dense flora. Nearly hidden
within the shadows, stood an ancient looking stone pillar that
started off as rectangular in formation but tapered off to a
pyramid shaped top. Daniel couldn't be sure, but he would bet
that the pillar contained writing. "Hey guys, I'm going to check
out the obelisk over there," he said as he pointed in the
pillar's general direction and started off towards it. 
        "Just don't get yourself lost, we don't know what to expect
here," Jack reminded him in warning. O'Neill then turned to Sam and
Teal'C. "You guys gather vegetation samples and see if there are any
signs of indigenous life," Jack ordered. Carter and Teal'C nodded in
agreement and moved out in opposite directions.
        Jack himself, then moved into the thick jungle terrain in the
direction not covered by the other three. He walked some distance
before encountering a large, circular rock formation. As he moved in
closer, he noticed that the rock had etchings running in an unfamiliar
pattern over it. The center of the rock was carved out and hollowed
to create a smooth flat surface on the inside. Sitting in the middle
of that surface was a circle of diamond shaped stones in every color
of the rainbow. What struck O'Neill the oddest about these stones was
that each was casting off a pale glow of light, as though powered by
some unknown energy source. He slowly eased forward to get a better
look at the glowing gems. Who would have something like this out here
in the middle of nowhere, Jack wondered? Maybe this was a leftover
from a civilization that had made its home here, he thought
curiously. It had the feel to him as some sort of a primitive altar
of some sort. Hesitantly, he reached out to touch one of the gems
that glowed bright orange. Suddenly, the stone rendered a sound that
seemed loud in the quiet of the forest. The sound startled Jack so
much that he jerked his hand back and reflexively took a step back.
It took a moment before it dawned on him that the sound was vaguely
familiar. Wanting to test a theory that came to mind, Jack moved
forward again and reached out to lightly touch a purple stone. The
sound came again, not catching O'Neill off guard this time, yet it
was in a slightly higher pitch than the tone that had come from the
orange gem. 'I was right,' O'Neill thought to himself and continued
to gently finger each of the stones in turn, finding out that all had
a different pitch. 
        "It's a type of musical device," O'Neill said aloud for no
one's benefit and continued to make different note patterns.
        Jack became so engrossed in the stones that he paid no
attention to the heavy, thick, ominous, gray clouds that had filled
the sky or the rumbling that could be heard in the distance. No
sooner had the first drop splattered upon him, than he was being
pelted by the large drops that within an instant turned into a
torrential downpour. Lightning crackled and sizzled as it set the sky
ablaze in an explosion of light. The booming thunder that shook the
ground let Jack know that the storm was a little too close for
comfort. 
        'Where was Daniel? Was he all right?' Jack wondered and felt a
strong urge to find the archaeologist. Without a second of hesitation,
he went off in the direction Daniel had last been. His legs worked on
their own accord as they carried him through the brush and shrubbery
along the trail he had taken, pausing only long enough to step over
large tree limbs and roots that seemed determined to take him down.
The wet moss that covered the ground provided a slick surface that
Jack had to be careful to keep his footing on and the once dry trail
had turned muddy. The rain blurred his way, but he kept going. Was he
even going in the right direction? It was far too easy to get turned
around in an unfamiliar forest. No sooner had the thought formed in
his mind, than he saw the familiar archway of the Stargate. Just as
he passed it, a sliver of lightning crackled and hit the controls of
the gate causing sparks to shoot from it.
        Jack paused for a brief moment, trying to catch his breath
when he thought he heard voices calling to him. With the force of the
storm having picked up, it was hard to know for sure whether he heard
anything at all, but when Jack shielded his eyes from the driving
rain, he saw Teal'C and Carter jogging towards him. 
        "Colonel, Teal'C and I managed to find a cave a little ways
off. We could wait the storm out there, Sir," Carter called out loud
enough to carry over the relentless rain.
        "Yes, it's over the ridge and past that clearing," Teal'C
pointed in a northeast direction. 
        Jack's eyes scanned the landscape, but couldn't see much
through the storm. "Fine, you and Teal'C go ahead, I've got to get
Jackson," he ordered and before either of them could object, he was
off again. 
        O'Neill lost track of how far he had went, but it seemed to
take a painfully long time until he spotted the stone pillar and the
man that was still beside it. Jack released a breath he hadn't known
he had held when he made out Daniel's figure. The archaeologist,
apparently quite oblivious to the storm that was assailing them, was
still caught up in the hieroglyphics on the stone obelisk.
        "Jackson, come on, we got to get into some shelter before this
storm gets even worse," Jack ordered, taking hold of Daniel's arm.
        Daniel didn't take his eyes off the pillar. "Just give me a
couple of more minutes, I've almost got this deciphered.  This is
amazing, by my calculations, these hieroglyphics are about five
thousand years old and was created by a band of..."
        "Daniel!" Jack cut him off in a nonsense tone. It must have
gotten Jackson's attention because for the first time since the storm
hit, he looked Jack in the eyes. "Leave it for later, now come 'on',"
he said tersely and yanked the archaeologist's arm, leaving no room for
discussion. With one quick glance back, Daniel followed O'Neill.
        O'Neill noticed, though not knowing how it was possible, that
the storm was growing even more intense and violent. Off to his left,
Jack heard a cracking of thunder and the crashing of a tree and he set
off at a dead run and headed in the direction that Teal'C and Carter
had gone in. 
        Daniel fought to keep pace with the Colonel, his legs pumping
as he dodged downed branches and attempted to avoid the large puddles
of standing water. The rain was falling in sheets and as it hit his
glasses, Daniel's eyesight was distorted and blurred. Where was Jack?
He couldn't see more than a faint image of the man ahead of him.
Reaching up, Daniel removed his glasses, hoping he'd be able to see
better through the hammering downpour. He'd gotten them off, but in so
doing forgot to watch his footing. A root grabbed hold of his foot and
he was lurched forward, landing in the slick, cold, mud. 
         O'Neill looked over his shoulder to see Daniel sprawled out
on the ground and was able to see the root that still trapped the
archaeologist's foot. Turning back, O'Neill helped Daniel free his
foot and hauled the younger man up to stand. Quickly taking note that
Daniel hadn't sprained anything, O'Neill pulled Daniel over the
nearby ridge and saw the clearing that led to a large, gaping mouth
of a cave. 
        After both men were deep enough inside to be safe, Jack fought
to catch his breath and noticed that Daniel was taking in deep breaths
himself.
        "Sam? Teal'C?" the Colonel called out when he could manage,
but no answer was forthcoming.
        "Where are they?" Daniel asked, looking around the wide
expanse of the dark cave. It was a stark contrast to the lightning
that was sending brilliant flashes of light throughout the sky
outside. 
        Jack shrugged, and tossed down the knapsack that had been
hauled over his shoulder. "Looks like they found someplace else to
wait the storm out. There's probably more than one cave around here.
I'm sure we'll meet up with them after the storm breaks." 
        O'Neill took a minute to take in Daniel's appearance. The
younger man was muddy, wet, and shivering noticeably, and he was
going to end up getting sick unless Jack did something about it.
        "Go ahead and sit down, I'm going to see if I can find
something to make a fire with. Looks like we're not going to be
leaving anytime soon," Jack commented as he watched it continue to
pour down heavily and there seemed to be no signs of it letting up.
        Searching around the back of the cave, O'Neill was grateful to
discover that there was quite a bit of dry leaves and bark around that
would make for a warm fire. Bringing enough for a decent sized starter
fire, he built up a small pile within the circle of stones he'd
arranged and dug into his jacket pocket for his package of waterproof
matches. He struck one and held it to the small heap of wood  and used
his body to block some of the wind that still managed to whip through
the cave's entrance. Jack patiently waited for the simmering leaves to
glow as the flames grew larger and then threw on a bit more wood to
encourage it. Jack looked over at Daniel. The archaeologist's face was
streaked with mud, as was his clothing, and his hair laid on his head
in wet, stringy clumps, and his arms were wrapped around himself in an
attempt to get warm. Jack couldn't help smiling slightly. He had seen
mutts that looked better coming in from a storm than what Daniel did
that moment. The archaeologist definitely looked like the proverbial
drowned rat. 
        It wasn't too long at all until warmth started to seep through
the drafty cave. Daniel watched as he sat on the ground. Even with the
heat radiating off the fire, he was still shivering...and Jack noticed
it. 
        Coming over to kneel down next to him, Jack reached out took
the zipper of Daniel's overcoat in his fingers and started to pull it
down. Daniel allowed this until Jack then moved to reach for the
bottom of his soaked black turtleneck and started to pull it up.
Daniel stopped dead where he was. Jack looked up and noticed how
Daniel went rigid and his jaw clenched up for a moment.
        Jack dropped his hands to his side. "What's the matter,
Jackson? Are you wanting to catch pneumonia, because that's exactly
what's going to happen if you don't get out of those clothes of
yours. They're drenched." Jack moved to take off his own overcoat. He
was luckier than the younger man in that the downpour hadn't drenched
his own clothing nearly so much. 
        'Get a grip Danny, he's only trying to keep you from getting
sick, which you will unless you listen to him,' Daniel told himself.
The decision made, Daniel nodded and began to pull off his
turtleneck. Once that was over his head and discarded, Daniel stood
up, turned around, and went to unfasten the button of his pants and
then released the zipper. Pushing them down to his ankles, he stepped
out of them and kicked them over near his shirt. The archaeologist
was relieved to discover that his undershirt and briefs were still
fairly dry. 'Lucky for you, isn't it Doc? Could you imagine having to
be naked in front of O'Neill? You wouldn't be able to hide your
feelings at all would you?' his inner voice mocked him. 
        "Looks like my underclothes are dry enough to keep on," he
commented casually. 
        With his back being turned to the Colonel, Daniel missed the
brief flash of relief that crossed O'Neill's face and the small
release of breath from Jack's lungs. The thought of seeing Daniel
nude, brought forth feelings similar to those that had passed through
them when Daniel held his hands. He really didn't want to have to
think about the first flutters of longing that shot through him at
the thought. Pushing it out of his mind, O'Neill concentrated on
collecting more twigs for the fire.  When he returned, he noticed
that Daniel was still shivering even though he was sitting very close
to the fire now. Jack wasn't too sure what else he could do to help
warm Daniel up and then remembered his fairly dry T-shirt. Well, it
would be better than nothing, Jack thought to himself. 
        Daniel watched as O'Neill pulled his T-shirt off and  secured
it around his shoulders. Daniel smiled hesitantly up in unspoken thanks
at Jack as he pulled it tight around him. O'Neill took a seat next to
Daniel on the ground and started stirring the ash of the fire around
with a nearby stick. 
        Daniel was sitting next to the now bare-chested O'Neill. For
some reason beyond his control, Daniel kept getting flashes of the
dream he'd had the previous night. He studied Jack's agile hands as
they tended the fire and recalled vividly how those hands had felt
roaming over his bare body, the fingertips playing over his nipples
and down to stroke his hardness. Daniel gave himself a mental shake
and tried to pull his eyes off the lean, powerful, broad chest that
seemed to be etched with firm muscles. A powerful arm with the grace
of a jungle cat reached out to throw another piece of wood on top the
glowing fire.  Suddenly, Jack turned to look him and caught Daniel
staring at him. The archaeologist couldn't help it as his face flamed
up in embarrassment. Cursing himself internally, Daniel drew his eyes
away and looked down into the fire. 
        Even in the glow from the fire, O'Neill was able to notice the
blush that had crept up into Daniel's cheeks and smiled inwardly to
himself. From somewhere within the recesses of his mind, Jack wondered
why he felt such a silly thrill at the thought of the way Daniel had
stared at him. Had he seen a spark of attraction in Daniel's eyes for
just a moment before he had looked away? Out of the corner of his eye,
he noticed how Daniel was now looking into the depths of the fire with
a look of near guilt on his face. What had he been thinking? Was it
possible that Tasia's 'gift' had affected him as deeply as it had Jack?
If Daniel had felt the same thing he had, then it was no wonder Daniel
kept looking at him so curiously. Not for the first time, and probably
not for the last, O'Neill found himself wondering just what Daniel
'had' felt when they had joined hands. Well, he certainly wasn't about
to bring it up, he thought to himself and made himself change thoughts
as he wondered how Sam and Teal'C were fairing in the storm.
        Daniel discreetly looked at O'Neill out of the corner of his
eye and managed to catch the nearly tender look that flitted across
Jack's features. 'Gods, you just 'had' to stare at him didn't you?
Why stop at that? Why not just lean over and kiss him?' Daniel's mind
taunted him. Chancing another look, Daniel wondered if Jack knew of
his growing attraction. Maybe he was making too much of it, perhaps
it wasn't as obvious as he thought it was. Daniel then recalled
lately how Jack would get a sly smile on his face every time he
caught Daniel looking a little longer than necessary at him. Maybe he
does know, Daniel thought to himself, but if he does then why hadn't
he said anything about it? Daniel answered his own question almost
immediately when he remembered the fact that O'Neill hardly 'ever'
made mention of anything remotely personal, let alone on an emotional
level. O'Neill wasn't the type that would tip his emotional hand
without a lot of persuasion, and even then he was cautious as to who
he let get close to him. It was really no wonder considering all the
losses he'd had to face through his life. Daniel couldn't fight the
growing anxiety that was threatening to consume him though. This
state of limbo, of unspoken tension, was growing too much to
bear and he didn't know how much longer he could last before
doing something he regretted. What was he going to do about it
though? 'Why don't you just talk to him about it?' his inner
voice piped up. Oh yeah, great idea, then O'Neill could explain
to Sam and Teal'C why they found him pounded into a bloody pulp!
But Daniel couldn't stop thinking about that one little doubt in
his mind that made him wonder if what he had been feeling just
might not be mutual. Maybe Jack was waiting for him to say
something, he thought to himself. It made sense that Jack would
wait to find out where Daniel stood before ever letting on what
it could be he was feeling himself. Well, there it was, he
decided. If he was ever going to know for certain one way or
another what was going on between them, then he was going to
have to be the one to approach the issue first. That was if he
'really' wanted to know. What if Jack 'did' feel the same things
he did? Was he ready to handle all the implications that would
cause? Daniel couldn't suppress the shiver that ran through him
at the thought. 
        O'Neill looked up from the fire at Daniel once again when he
saw the deep shiver that caused the other man to tremble. Daniel then
sniffled a couple of times before he let out an uncontrollable sneeze
that took hold of him and shook him. Jack sighed inwardly.  Daniel was
obviously still chilled and there was only one thing left he hadn't
tried to warm him...body heat. He had been hesitant to do so before.
The thought of Daniel so warm and close was enough to make the anxious
heat in his stomach grow to be more than he could handle.  What other
choice did he have though? Jack then berated himself. If it had been
Sam or Teal'C he probably would have done it for them without waiting
nearly this long, so what was his problem when it came to Daniel? The
disquiet, edginess gnarled tight in his stomach reminded him exactly
as of what the problem was with Daniel. That wasn't enough to keep
Jack from doing what he had to do though, the Colonel decided. He
moved closer to the shivering archaeologist and put his arms around
him and pulled Daniel to rest against his chest. 
        The younger man was stilled from sheer astonishment. 
'Ohmygod, he's holding me!' his mind cried out in shock. 'Calm down
and remember to breathe, he's simply trying to get you warmed
up...and not in the way you're thinking either,' his inner voice
reasoned. He understood well enough that Jack was simply trying to
share some of his own warmth with him, but that didn't help the fact
that Daniel's heart was pounding so furiously in his chest that he
was certain O'Neill could hear it, or the fact that nerve endings he
didn't even know he had were tingling from the sheer closeness, or
even the fact that his stomach was doing a somersault or two inside
of him. Daniel again reminded himself to take slow, steady breaths. 
'The last thing he needs to know is how being this close to him is
affecting you,' his mind harped. In and out his chest worked, as the
heat radiating off of Jack seeped from him and into Daniel, melting
into him and bathing him in it. 
        Jack held the archaeologist tightly to him until he gradually
felt the younger man's body stop shivering and his muscles reluctantly
lose their stiffness as Daniel relaxed in his arms. Then he loosened
his grip slightly, but didn't let go completely. 
        Daniel felt surrounded by the warmth. He was leaning into
O'Neill so closely that he could feel Jack's heart against his back,
could feel the warm steady breathing coming in a steady stream
against his neck. A sense of peace floated around Daniel like a
cloud. It may have been storming outside, but the longer Daniel
allowed himself the luxury of Jack's embrace, he found himself
growing complacent. Some time passed and Daniel felt himself drift
off to some semi-conscious state and seemed unable to stop himself;
lulled by the warmth, the feel of strong arms around him, and Jack's
familiar musky scent that made him feel secure and safe from the
elements and so much more. Daniel's eyelids grew heavier and heavier,
his eyes burning from fighting the fatigue that had suddenly stole so
much of his energy. He was just so tired, tired of fighting his
thoughts, tired of fighting his emotions, and he finally gave in to
the weariness and slipped into a light sleep. 
        Feeling Daniel's muscles go completely limp where they once
had been tense and listening to the slow, shallow, regular puffs of
air as he breathed let Jack know that Daniel had fallen asleep in his
arms. Jack shifted the younger man in his arms slightly and when
there was no reaction, that did even more to prove to the Colonel
that Jackson was sound asleep. Jack was more than a little pleased
with the fact that Daniel had drifted off to sleep. It meant that he
himself could relax for the first time in several days. He had been
on guard whenever he was near Daniel, unwilling to let on the battles
his emotions had been under since Tasia's 'gift'. Why had she had to
do this to him? 
        Jack allowed himself to look into the sleeping archaeologist's
face. Daniel looked so peaceful, so carefree and he was so warm in
Jack's arms. Did Jack ever look that peaceful anymore, even in sleep?
He doubted it, too much of his past haunted him whether he was asleep
or awake, yet for the moment, he could almost feel Daniel's peace
reaching out like a tendril of energy and caress his nerves. Looking
into the handsome face of his friend, he could...almost...forget about
his past, his problems, his guilt. They seemed to dissolve in the
warmth emanating from the innocent man sleeping in his embrace. Jack
was glad Daniel was still nearly naive in many ways to the cruelty that
could claim life. Not that he hadn't been touched by tragedy of his
own, but Daniel hadn't been scarred so badly that he had lost that
certain...glow..that only came with those who were optimistic about
life. Jack thought his own glow had been extinguished when first he had
lost Charlie and then Sara, but Daniel served as a constant reminder
that it still existed and he shouldn't give up hope on it...that maybe
the glow was just dimmed and not gone for good.
        Without realizing he was doing it, Jack's hand stole up on its
own accord and his fingers brushed through Daniel's dark hair.  The
chestnut strands were surprisingly soft between his callused fingers.
Jack smiled slightly as Daniel turned slightly in his sleep and moved
to snuggle closer into him. When had Daniel become so important to him,
Jack wondered? He could recall a time when Daniel had been like a
little brother to him, but then something changed that somewhere along
the way. Over the last couple of days, Jack had come to the realization
that it had been something growing slowly and steadily for quite
sometime, he just hadn't realized it at the time.  Still gazing down at
Daniel's face, Jack couldn't fight the knowledge that Daniel was indeed
handsome, perhaps not with rugged good looks that some found so
enticing. No, Jack decided that Daniel's handsomeness came off subtly,
much like his gentleness. Jack's finger trailed over Daniel's brows,
tracing each soft arch. His finger then drifted over the bridge of
Daniel's nose, the bridge where his glasses were pushed up on so often.
Such soft skin, so smooth, Jack thought to himself as the back of his
fingers brushed over Daniel's cheek. Jack's hand followed the path down
Daniel's slackened jaw, around to the point of his chin and then as if
beckoned, up to trace ever so lightly over the archaeologist's full
bottom lip. 
        Daniel felt blissfully happy. He could feel familiar and
masculine hands caressing him and knew somehow in the back of his
mind he was being granted the opportunity revive that wonderful
and intense dream from the night before. It would only be a matter
of time before...Daniel stirred slightly.  Daniel wasn't quite in
the lucid state that came before awaking, but he knew he wasn't
quite asleep either and somewhere in the back of his mind it
registered the fact that meant he was 'not' dreaming. That thought
shocked him into consciousness a bit more. Hearing the storm still
beating down outside reminded Daniel of just where he was and who
he was with. A sense of panic started to overtake him as he
realized that O'Neill was very much real and caressing him instead
of the dream imagined illusion that had haunted him the previous
night. Daniel kept his eyes closed tightly and fought to control
his breathing as strong fingers glided over the expanse of his
throat, over his Adam's apple. A thumb gently stroked the hollow
at the base before drifting lower.
       Daniel didn't want to startle O'Neill, but knew that there was
no way in the world he was going to be able to pretend to be asleep if
Jack persisted at touching him, no way he could fight his natural
instincts that were already starting to come to the surface.  Slowly he
allowed his eyes to drift open to watch the intense, hazy look that had
strayed into Jack's dark brown eyes. Jack looked as though he were in a
trance, oblivious to Daniel's wakeful state. He was completely absorbed
as his gaze was fixated on his fingers caressing the top of Daniel's
chest that the archaeologist's loose fitting T-shirt had exposed.
        "Jack?" Daniel called out in a shaky voice. 
        Jack reflexively jerked back and let loose his hold on Daniel.
The archaeologist saw the hazy, tender look from a moment ago leave
O'Neill's eyes and a look of embarrassment dart across his face before
an unreadable mask closed over him. Standing up, O'Neill moved back
within the darkness of the cave and started to gather more wood and
leaves for the fire even though they hadn't used up the supply they
already had. 
        Daniel wasn't about to let O'Neill off so easily, not after
what he had been going through the last couple of days, so he stood
up and followed after the Colonel.
        "Jack," Daniel called out softly, "we need to talk." He
wasn't sure if he should be pressing the issue, but if he didn't
who was going to?
        Jack was picking up several large limbs and paused
momentarily. "There's nothing to talk about," Jack responded in a
strained voice. He stood and moved past Daniel, who had his arms
folded across his chest. 
        'Oh no, you don't, not this time,' Daniel thought to himself
and followed O'Neill back to the warmth of the fire. Daniel's steady
blue eyes sought and found Jack's brown eyes and held them. "If
there's nothing to talk about, then just what on Earth was that all
about?" he insisted in a voice that sounded more confident than he
felt. 
        "Let it go, Daniel," O'Neill warned.
        If Daniel had not known Jack as well as he did, he would have
missed the barely detectable catch in his voice. Daniel was so
frustrated that Jack wouldn't open up and talk to him about it when
it was so obvious that there 'was' something to talk about. Battling
with the frustration though, was the undeniable joy Daniel felt at
the knowledge that the other man did share his feelings. Jack wanted
him too, he couldn't deny it after the nearly intimate way he had
been touching Daniel. The archaeologist also couldn't discount the
look he had seen and recognized within Jack's deep brown eyes. Daniel
also remembered what he had told himself about having to be the first
one to let Jack know how he felt before the Colonel would open up to
him. Well, he decided, it was now or never. 
        Daniel took a deep, calming breath before speaking. "Okay,
since you won't talk, I will. Let me tell you what I felt when Tasia
joined our hands and minds." Daniel paused for a moment, offering up
a silent prayer to whatever deity that might be listening that Jack
would be quick when he killed him. 
        "I think we both felt the...the attraction.  You can't deny
it, Jack, not after what just happened.  It was so strong, I had
never felt such a strong desire to be touched by anyone before.  All
I could think about was your arms around me, your hands touching me,
your..." 
        "All right, we agree about the...physical attraction," Jack
turned away again, but made no move to walk away.
        Daniel allowed himself a smile before continuing, "Afterwards,
I was confused.  I thought that she had planted these thoughts in my
head, and I couldn't figure out why she would do such a thing.  Then
when the general ordered us to write it up in a report, I was forced to
think about what really happened.  I kept going over and over it, until
I finally realized--she didn't place those thoughts in my mind, they
were already there.  All she did was make me face up to them."
        He flinched slightly as Jack turned back to face him.  Again,
the colonel did nothing, simply dropping to his knees to tend to the
glowing fire.  The archaeologist lowered himself to the cave floor,
kneeling near but not broaching on O'Neill's space.  When Jack said
nothing, Daniel took in another deep breath and continued.
        "You know, Jack, I always liked the-relationship we had.  I
kept thinking that you were the big brother I never had.  You always
seemed to be right there just when I needed you the most. 
When...when...Shar're was taken, you were there for me.  No one's ever
been that supportive of me before.  I started to watch you more and
more, I told myself it was because you were my friend, but I was just
kidding myself.  Soon, I found myself purposefully getting in your
way, just to have you touch me.  And you did, Jack.  There were all
those lingering pats on the back, you would hold onto my arm longer
than necessary whenever you pulled me out of your way, and that hug
when you found out I survived the attack on the Goa'uld ships, then
the way you..." 
        Jack shifted uneasily, "Daniel, just let it go, before we get
in too deep, okay!  You don't want to go where you're heading."
        "But I do, Jack!  I want to go there, don't you see?  I want
you, my God,  I even have dreams about you!"  Daniel stopped, eyes
wide and looked away.  'Uh oh, maybe I shouldn't have mentioned
that.' 
        "You have dreams about me?" Jack asked quietly.  He had turned
his head away also, but this time not in embarrassment.  For some
reason his heartbeat sped up with the thought that Daniel was having
dreams about him. 
        "Yeah, I do.  Jack, what I'm trying to say here, well...I
think..." Running his hands through his hair, Daniel gave an
exasperated sigh. "I-I-I'm not doing this right.  Jack, I...I...I
care about you, a lot!" Somehow, he didn't think Jack was ready to
hear the word 'love'. 
        It was O'Neill's turn to let out an exasperated sigh.  'Daniel
has no idea what he's doing to me,' Jack's mind ran through everything
Jackson had just said.  'The kid is right, I do have feelings for him
too, but do I really want to  face them right now?'
       In the ensuing silence Daniel grew more restless.  Had he
ruined everything?  Feeling the wet stinging forming in his eyes, he
quickly got up and paced about.  The unbidden tears would not go
away, and not wanting the colonel to see his weakness, Jackson faced
towards a cave wall, leaning forward, placing his head on his arms.  
       Watching his younger friend react so emotionally, O'Neill felt a 
tugging at his heart.  He rose from his position at the fire and walked
slowly back to the young man who was now shaking with silent
sobs.
         Even though Jack pretended not to be listening, every
word got through to him. Was it possible? Was Daniel standing there
telling him that he felt the same thing Jack did? It would be so easy
to let Daniel know how he felt, so easy that it scared him since he
wasn't use to feeling like that. Was it worth it? Did he want to risk
his friendship with Daniel for something different..something more?
Finally, looking up and meeting Daniel's eyes, Jack knew what he
wanted. 
        Jack stood up and with slow deliberate steps, walked over to
where Daniel was. The archaeologist had turned to face him when he
heard O'Neill approaching. He watched Daniel's throat move in a gulp
as he moved to put both of his arms on either side of Daniel's
shoulders, the stone cool and rough under his palms. He then leaned
in until his face was only a hair's-breadth away from Daniel's. Cool,
blue eyes widened and regarded him with anticipation. 
        "Well Daniel, I've never been one for words, just action,"
O'Neill whispered huskily and with that said, closed the distance
between them and claimed Daniel's lips with his own.
         Oh god, Daniel thought, he tasted even better than he had in
the dream. Jack's lips were so warm, so soft and pliable over his own.
They tenderly tasted his own, not aggressively, but gently and
hesitantly learning the feel and taste of him. Jack pulled back for a
moment and looked deeply into Daniel's eyes before leaning in again
claiming Daniel's full mouth once more, pressing the full length of
his body against Daniel. Daniel's hands came up around Jack's waist
and he pulled the Colonel even closer against him as his mouth slowly
opened up under the gentle pressure that O'Neill's tongue was
exuding. Once open to him, Jack's tongue invaded Daniel's willing
mouth, tasting and teasing while Daniel's dueled against his. They
slid and fought against each other, both trying to gain the access
into the other one's hot mouth. Jack's hand came up and he ran his
fingers through Daniel's hair before capturing the back of his head
and holding him still as he took all that Daniel had to offer and
more  so. 
        Daniel let out a soft moan as their bodies rubbed against one
another. His hips grinding against Jack's, longing to feel warm skin
pressed against his own. His hands slid up to caress O'Neill's bare
back, feeling the way the muscles rippled under his skin. Jack's free
hand traveled down and snaked underneath Daniel's T-shirt, stroking
against the soft skin of his back. Jack's fingers then came forward
to tease one of Daniel's nipples. Moaning softly into his mouth,
Daniel recalled so vividly his dream and how good Jack had made him
feel. Jack's hard need was rubbing against his own as their hips
dueled and ground against one another, and Daniel knew this was
better than any dream. Jack was real, there with him, and doing
things to his body that sent his head reeling. 
        Both of Jack's hands came down and around Daniel's waist and
moved inside the band of his briefs to massage and cup his firm rear.
Daniel's moans of pleasure escaped through his mouth that was still
being plundered by Jack's warm, capable tongue. Daniel trapped the
tongue and began sucking on it while his hands came down to cups
Jack's firm, taut rear through his pants. 
        When Jack had freed his tongue, he began kissing and licking
very slowly over Daniel's neck, nuzzling against the hollow where the
archaeologist's neck met his shoulder. When he bit at the tender
flesh, it sent a shiver through Daniel's body. Jack smiled as he knew
it wasn't from being cold either.
        O'Neill worked his tongue up Daniel's throat until he was by
the younger man's ear and drew an earlobe in between his teeth to
suck on it before letting it go. His hands moved to work Daniel's
T-shirt off and Daniel obliged by raising his hands above his head.
When the cotton shirt was off, Daniel's hands went to Jack's pants
and unfastened the button and unzipped them. Without braking contact
with his mouth, Daniel pushed the pants part way down and Jack
reached down to push them the rest of the way off. 
        Jack pulled himself away from Daniel's tantalizing mouth to
take their still damp jackets and spread them out on the ground near
the fire. He couldn't do much for Daniel in this environment. It
wasn't the big, soft, warm bed he wanted for them but at least it
would be a little more comfortable.
        Sitting down on the material, Jack held his hand out in a
beckon to Daniel. "Come here," he called softly.
        Daniel went to him and knelt down beside him. Jack pulled him
towards him and kissed him firmly again, letting his hands roam over
the bare skin within reach. Gently he urged Daniel to lie down on the
coats and Jack stretched his long, lean, body out beside him.
        Continuing to kiss Daniel, Jack let his hand explore the
archaeologist's bare chest. He let his fingers play over the erect
pink nubs and gently pinched them until he heard the faintest
whimpering from Daniel. Down his hand went, playing over Daniel's
ribcage, over his hipbone. Jack leaned down and lightly flicked one
of Daniel's nipples with his tongue before planting feather light
kisses over his chest and stomach. 
         Daniel's fingers strayed over O'Neill's broad back, taking
time to trace the muscles of his chest, and played over the flat,
tight, stomach, as the other hand ran through Jack's hair, holding him
close. Jack's hand slowly moved down until his hand hovered over
Daniel's aching need and his fingers brushed lightly against it,
gaining a moan. Emboldened by the vocal response, Jack pressed his
hand more firmly against Daniel's erection straining against his
briefs. The archaeologist's hips writhed against the knowing fingers
that were causing a delicious ache to  diffuse throughout his whole
body. 
        Daniel, remembering his dream, ran a shaky hand up Jack's
muscular leg and under the leg of his briefs. Jack's hard member was
hot to the touch and already moistened with a fine sheen that came
from anticipation. Involuntarily, Jack's hips bucked at the touch and
Daniel was pleased that Jack found pleasure in what he was doing.
They continued touching, and exploring with their hands while their
mouths trailed kisses over one another's neck and chest.
        "I want to feel all of you against me...gotta get rid of these
clothes," Jack panted in a raspy voice.
        O'Neill moved back only enough to work his briefs down over
his hips and off his legs, releasing the trapped, firm, heavily
veined member from within. Daniel worked his own briefs down while
his eyes took in Jack's nude body. The lean, hard, muscular body
moved with fluent grace to cover the archaeologist and Daniel groaned
when their erections were rubbed together.
        "Mmm, so hot," Daniel whispered as their bodies touched
everywhere. His fingers were running restlessly over the expanse of
Jack's back.
        "You are too, not cold anymore," Jack answered huskily. His
body moved over Daniel's, heat building between them as the friction
grew stronger. Daniel was gently kissing his neck, the soft lips
blazed a trail of fire through ever nerve ending they brushed
against. 
        "Not with you, you feel so good," Daniel murmured. His hips
were writhing, seeking the stimulation that only added fuel to the
raging inferno building in him. His hands moved down and cupped
Jack's tight rear and pulled him closer, tighter to him.
        "So do you," Jack whispered, his throat thick from want. He
then trailed his own tongue down Daniel's Adam apple, into the hollow
there and placed a kiss on the top of his chest. "You taste good
too." 
        Daniel closed his eyes against the waves of desire that kept
coursing through him with every  grinding movement that he arched up
to meet. "God, wanted this for so long, wanted you so much," he
panted, his fingers digging into the tender flesh of Jack's behind. 
        Suddenly Daniel's mouth was taken in a hard, unrelenting kiss
that left him dizzy and fighting to catch his breath.
        "I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere," Jack whispered
when the kiss was broken.
        Daniel's hazy blue eyes locked onto intense brown ones.
"Better than any dream," he whispered so quietly that it was almost
missed...almost.
        With effort, Jack halted his movement over Daniel. "Tell me
about the dream," he requested in a dazed voice. 
        A red flush crept up over his cheeks. "Last night I had a
dream about...you...us...and..." he let his voice trail off.
        Jack rolled off him slightly, but leaned in to kiss the
younger man again while his hand continued to rub over his chest and
hip. With a half smile, O'Neill asked, "What happened in the dream?"
When Daniel continued to be silent, Jack persisted, "Come on, tell
me." 
        The kiss on Daniel's chest and the fingers playing over him,
lowered Daniel's resistance.
        "Well, I was sleeping on the base," he began softly, "and you
came into my room in the middle of the night."
        "Mmm hmm," Jack murmured as he gently tongued one of Daniel's
erect nipples. 
        Daniel moaned softly before continuing. "Asked you what
you...were doing there...you said I knew why, said I felt it too and
you started ...mmm, kissing me."
        Jack kissed his way back up Daniel's chest, up the slender
neck, until he reached Daniel's supple lips. He trailed his tongue
over the bottom lip before thrusting it back inside the warmth of
Daniel's mouth while his hand brushed back and forth over Daniel's
stomach. 
        "Like that?" he whispered when he broke the kiss. Daniel
nodded. "What else?"
        "Hands touching me everywhere, said I couldn't lie about
wanting you too, said you'd make me feel good, if I let you, started
rubbing between my legs," Daniel gasped out while Jack kissed down
the trail his fingers had been. Jack's hand ran up his leg and
stroked the soft skin of his thigh before taking his aching, rosy
hued erection into his strong, capable fingers and began a gentle
manipulation. 
        He worked the rigid column of flesh in a steady rhythm. He
gently stroked Daniel, watching the desire rising in the blue depths
of his eyes, turning them a stormy dark blue. Daniel's head tossed
back and forth against the ground, the beautiful full mouth was
opened part way so invitingly. How had Jack waited for so long before
acknowledging what was between them, he never knew. He felt every
kind of fool for waiting as long as they had, thinking about all the
missed time they could have been sharing this together. 
        "What else?" Jack urged, his fingers gliding over Daniel,
covered in a fine sheen of natural moisture. Daniel just squeezed his
eyes shut and thrashed, thrusting his hips up to meet Jack's steady
hand. "Daniel, what else did I do to you?" he asked again, his own
aching need painfully erect and hot as he watched Daniel writhing
against him. 
        "..took me in your mouth.." Daniel managed to choke out as
another loud groan escaped his throat.
        "Like this?" Jack asked in a sultry, thick voice and moved in
between the younger man's legs. With unhurried movement, he bent his
head over the weeping, firm, member and licked the thick, throbbing,
head before licking his way up and down the shaft while his hand
gently cupped and fondled his testicles.
        "Oh god, yes!" Daniel cried when Jack then took his length the
rest of the way into his mouth. 
        Daniel squirmed and moved under the intense heat...so
hot, so wet... and so achingly real! Jack's tongue bathed him in
heat, stroking him with such a gentleness that he hadn't know
Jack was capable of. Jack savored the tangy, tart taste of
Daniel as he used his tongue, cheeks, and lips to drive all
thought out of the archaeologist's mind. Gentle sucking and
licking grew harder and more intense. Jack loved seeing the
uninhibited way Daniel thrashed under him, knowing that the
younger man ached for all he was doing to him and craving even
more. 
        White-hot strands of longing and want blazed through Daniel's
being. He felt like wave after wave of sensations were rolling through
him, crashing, receding only to crash again, threatening to take him
under and consume him whole until there was nothing left but a shell of
quivering, unanswered desire. So right, this felt so incredibly right,
Jack caressing him, loving him, driving him higher and higher. Heat,
searing through him, soaring higher and higher.  More, harder, faster,
it wasn't enough, he wanted all of Jack but that insanely torturous
mouth wouldn't relent. Daniel's fingers threaded through Jack's hair
and rested there while the talented mouth continued to torment him,
driving him on and on endlessly. So good but not enough, needed
more...so close! 
        Jack felt Daniel's muscles tighten under the hands that were
caressing him ceaselessly, stroking the shivering, writhing body and
knew it wouldn't be long before he reached the summit. He quickened
his movements, taking Daniel in deeper and faster.
        "Oh god...oh please...oh please," Daniel begged over and
over again as Jack steadily drew him to the border, teetering on the
edge where soul and body met and collided. Sent hurdling over the
edge headlong into the all encompassing abyss, Daniel's strangled
cries of completion rang out, filling the  cave with the echo. Jack's
name was on his lips as Daniel's fluid, pearly, essence surged forth
and filled Jack's mouth, which he swallowed eagerly. O'Neill held the
younger man steady as he gently lapped up the remnants of the
hot, salty, viscous liquid as Daniel's body quivered under him. 
        Moving up, O'Neill wrapped his arms around Daniel and held
tightly on to him. Slowly the hazy cloud of pleasured bliss
dissipated, leaving Daniel feeling so warm and utterly content. Jack
leaned over and kissed the younger man slowly and thoroughly. Daniel
shuttered with delight when he tasted himself on Jack's tongue.
Daniel was so incredibly happy that it almost made him lightheaded.
There was only one thing that would make it perfect for him. Daniel's
hand drifted down over Jack's chest, his fingers over the smooth
skin, down over the hard muscles of his stomach, down even lower to
stroke the throbbing, inflamed, length of Jack's prominent and
painful erection. Jack let out a frustrated groan. 
        "I want all of you inside of me," Daniel whispered, his voice
sounding surprisingly sure of itself.
        Jack tore his gaze away from Daniel's, his hand reached down
to stop Daniel's wandering fingers. "I don't think I can, I've
not...before..." Daniel couldn't believe it, the cocky, sure colonel
was at a loss for words. 
        Daniel reached up with his other hand and stroked Jack's
smooth cheek. "Neither have I, but I still want it...badly," he
admitted and in a quieter voice added, "We could figure it out
together." 
        How could Daniel explain the need he felt to feel all of Jack
in him, to become a part of him, to share with Jack what he had shared
with no other? He longed for that connection, to show Jack without
words how much he trusted him...needed him. He had felt such a
connection...a bond...when Tasia had joined them and he longed to have
that back. Words failed the educated archaeologist. 
        Jack studied the swirling, whirlwind of emotions storming
within the depths of Daniel's blue eyes. He saw such an aching need,
a raw hunger, a unnamed yearning in the dark sapphire orbs. When Jack
hesitated too long in his response, he saw a flicker of
disappointment and pain surface upon the younger man's face and it
tugged at something somewhere deep inside of O'Neill. Somehow he knew
he couldn't refuse Daniel anything. He had to erase that look of
hurt, of emptiness, from Daniel's face for good. Leaning over, he
brushed his lips firmly against the younger man's mouth. 
        "Together," he whispered and was rewarded with a brilliant
smile that warmed him to the core. 
        Jack mentally ran through the list of supplies he'd packed in
his pack before coming on the mission. Surely there had to be
something in it that they could use to make this easier for him.
Finally, he recalled something. Reaching over for the satchel, he
searched through it until his fingers went around what he was
seeking. He pulled out a bottle of sunscreen lotion.
        O'Neill looked Daniel in the eyes. "Are you sure you want
this?" he asked, having to know the answer.
        In answer, Daniel's hand slipped back down to stroke Jack's
erection again. The hot, ruddy, head was seeping with need. Daniel
moved his head and gently drew his tongue against the tip, drawing in
the unique flavor of Jack before swabbing the length with his tongue
until Jack was moaning and thrusting his hips lightly forward. Daniel
continued teasing Jack with his agile tongue, only offering enough to
make O'Neill want more, but not enough to satisfy him. Daniel pulled
back and looked at Jack's face. The colonel's eyes were squeezed
shut, muscles taut from fighting his control, ragged, uneven breaths
were drawn in and out of his lungs. 
        "I'm positive I want this," Daniel assured him and smoky,
dark eyes filled with need snapped open.
        Jack opened the lid of the lotion and poured some into the
palm of his hand. Reaching down, he thoroughly coated his raging
erection with the slippery, tropical smelling lotion. Daniel watched
him intently, anticipation already beginning to grow inside him.
Daniel's tongue darted across his dry lips. Jack poured another
liberal amount of the lotion into his palm again, then moved his
fingers in between Daniel's legs, seeking the small, muscular ring of
the entrance to Daniel's body. A slickened finger teased the dark
ring before pushing forward into the heat of his body. Daniel moaned
as the finger worked in and out steadily, slowly, patiently, before
another was added. Gently, diligently, he was worked, stretched, with
tender care before a third digit was introduced. 
        Daniel gasped at the sensations, so unlike anything he'd
known, but still so invited. He craved this intimacy more than even
he had realized. The need for more was growing so, so, strong.
        "Please Jack," Daniel pleaded, moving against the steady
pressure of his fingers, opening his legs wider to allow easier
access. 
       Suddenly the fingers were gone, but before Daniel could mourn
the loss, he felt the tip of O'Neill's member pressed against his
opening. Opening his eyes, Daniel could tell Jack was trying to
determine if he was ready or not. To give him his answer, Daniel
reached up and pulled O'Neill forward. Jack shifted his weight and
slowly pressed forward until he felt the tip breech the muscular
ring. Daniel cried out and Jack froze. 
        "Are you all right?" Jack asked with concern.
        "Yes," Daniel hissed, "Don't stop," he pleaded. 
        Jack let one hand come down to stroke and massage Daniel's
muscles of his chest and stomach, not moving again until he felt
Daniel relax around him. Slowly, he inched in a little further,
feeling a slow give within Daniel's body.
        "Oh god, Jack," Daniel encouraged, moving himself around under
him, trying to find a comfortable position, trying desperately to get
accustomed to the burning sensation taking over his body. 
        Jack felt resistance within Daniel. Instinctively he knew this
could cause Daniel either pain or pleasure depending on what he did
and he'd be damned if he was going to be responsible for causing
Daniel pain. He leaned in kissed Daniel hard, thrusting his tongue
into his hot mouth. Daniel gasped and kissed him back with force, his
nails digging hard into Jack's back. While he continued kissing
Daniel, Jack's hand continued stroking, massaging, kneading Daniel's
muscles. Daniel gave himself up to the kiss as his body relaxed even
more. Jack urged himself forward ever so slightly until he finally
passed the resistance and found himself encased in Daniel's hot,
tight, body completely. 
        Daniel and Jack both moaned into each other's mouths when they
felt the final give. Daniel sighed happily, feeling filled and
stretched to capacity, connected at last with Jack.
        Jack was still for a few minutes, continuing to kiss Daniel's
soft pliable lips, letting him get acclimated to his entire rigid,
length inside of him. Jack had never been surrounded by such
scalding, torrid, warmth, or squeezed with such a tightness that he
felt his breath robbed from him. His heart thundered in his chest in
sync with the thunder still booming outside. With great care, Jack
began to move himself inside the fiery cavern of Daniel's body. 
        Daniel gasped, waves of new sensations flooding and
overloading his senses. Pain battled with pleasure, aching need
battled with caution, until pleasure and need won out. Daniel's legs
wound around Jack's waist, holding him close, while his hands went to
Jack's hips. 
        Jack's slow movements, scant inches, slowly increased in depth
and speed. O'Neill tried valiantly to control his instincts that
screamed at him to thrust harder, but the sound of Daniel's
encouraging moaning, the constant wanton movement under him, and the
feeling of Daniel's hot body wrapped around him wore down his
resolve. Slowly he began moving deeper and faster within the
archaeologist. Daniel groaned his delight and started arching up to
meet each driving thrust, clutching restlessly at Jack's shoulders
and back, urging him on even faster and deeper. Jack was staring into
Daniel's eyes the whole time, keeping contact with the blue orbs as
he drove into him. Daniel's azure eyes grew large and a cry broke
loose from his throat as Jack found a particularly pleasurable spot. 
        Encouraged by the reaction, Jack repeated the movement over
and over again until Daniel was thrashing uncontrollably under him.
Feeling a hardness pressed into his belly, Jack knew that Daniel's
arousal had been rekindled.
        Steadily Jack moved in and out of the fervid depths, driving
on and on relentlessly. Blinding, all consuming, raging, passion
stormed through him, sweeping him higher towards the peak that was
so, so close. 
        Moving as one, in perfect harmony, they drove each other on.
Daniel arched into every thrust, meeting it readily, pushing, urging,
Jack on for more. Jack sunk into him deeply and held himself there,
thrusting hard, the need reaching frenzied heights. Jack's hand went
in-between their bodies and sought Daniel's trapped sex. Taking it in
hand, he pumped mercilessly, unrelentingly, in sync with his thrusts.
He felt the tension that filled Daniel's body and knew it would only
be a moment before he reached the vortex and Jack was just as
painfully close. 
        On and on Jack urged, not stopping even when he felt Daniel
trembling around him. Daniel threw his head back and a guttural wail
left his mouth and his copious, warm, seed flowed hot and freely over
Jack's fingers. Feeling the body under him tighten and shudder, mixed
with the rich sound of Daniel's voice, sent him surging recklessly
over the acme just moments afterwards. He was submerged, drowned in
pulsing, rippling, surf of rapture as his own molten, pearly, seed
poured into the cavern of Daniel's body. 
        The waves slowly subsided and Jack's throbbing, trembling,
sweaty body slowly relaxed and he managed to catch his breath. With
the tenderest of care, he gradually worked himself free from Daniel's
body and collapsed by his side. When some energy seeped back into his
muscles, he gathered the younger man to him and held him tightly to
his chest. Daniel wrapped his arms around Jack and he hugged the
older man to him. Neither man said a word, as none were necessary.
Each was comfortable and content in the other man's embrace. 
        Daniel felt a well-satisfied weariness seep into him. It was
intensified as he allowed himself to become lulled by the steady
beating of the rain and the steady rhythm of Jack's heart. Nothing
was ever going to be the same between them, Daniel knew and he didn't
regret any of it either. Time to worry about the consequences would
come soon enough, he wanted to enjoy his happiness. Nope, nothing
would be the same, even their missions would be different from now
on, Daniel thought to himself. Missions with Teal'C and Sam...and
Sam!!!! 
        Daniel sat bolt upright as a sense of panic started to  knot
up within him. Jack, jarred from his own grogginess looked at Daniel
with concern.
        "What's wrong?" he asked, his eyes searching Daniel's.
        "Sam," Daniel responded.
        "What about her?" Jack asked guardedly.
        Daniel felt the heat rising in his cheeks again. "She's going
to know something happened between us. She's going to be able to figure
it out," Daniel explained.
        Jack knew Daniel was probably right. He knew just how aware
Carter could be sometimes. Gently, he pulled Daniel back down into his
arms. "So what?" he asked. "Who cares if she figures it out, I don't,"
Jack assured him. 
        "But..." Daniel started to protest, but Jack cut him off.
        "Do you regret what happened between us just now?" O'Neill
asked, his hand running up and down Daniel's spine.
        "No," came the soft reply.
        Jack smiled at him. "Neither do I, and I don't care who knows
it either." He tightened his embrace slightly.
        "I just don't want anything coming back on you for it," Daniel
said. He could well imagine the complications Jack could face in his
career if word got out about the two of them. For all it's talk about
being free from prejudice, Daniel knew that the government and
the air force in particular was a far cry from actually living up
to its promises. 
        Jack sensed what Daniel was thinking. "Well, do you want to
keep this just between us for now then? It doesn't matter to me one
way or another," Jack stressed, letting Daniel know what was
important to him. 
        Daniel's cheeks were flaming up again. "Umm, I don't know. I
don't think I can keep this to myself," Daniel looked past Jack to the
wall of the cave. "I couldn't keep my eyes off you this morning after
just a dream, it'd take a miracle for me to be able to pretend this
didn't happen." 
        Jack grinned at him. "I don't know, I kind of liked you not
being able to take your eyes off me." O'Neill then leaned over to
claim Daniel's mouth once more in a lazy assault. When he broke the
kiss, Jack continued. "Okay then, why don't we let Sam and Teal'C
know, since they're part of the team, but as far as Hammond and the
rest of them are concerned, we'll still just be close friends as
usual. How does that sound?" 
        Daniel ran his fingers over Jack's chest. "Like a workable
plan to me." His lips were claimed again for another slow, sensual
kiss. 
        "You know what?" Jack asked once the kiss was ended.
        "What?" Daniel asked.
        "We're going to have to visit Tallis Prime sometime soon and
thank Tasia properly for her 'gift'," Jack said with all seriousness.
        "Yeah, we are," Daniel agreed and snuggled up against Jack's
chest. 
        They stayed wrapped in each other's arms as they listened to
the storm ease up, getting lighter and lighter until only a trickling
of rain was still coming down. The sun broke through the clouds
outside and the sound of birds and other wild life began moving
about, able to roam about freely again.
        Jack and Daniel were both roused when they heard voices
calling out to them.
        "Dr, Jackson!! Colonel O'Neill!!!"
        "Jack!! Daniel!! Where are you??"
        It was Sam and Teal'C, obviously coming to look for them after
the storm. Daniel and Jack both bolted up and scurried around to get
their clothing back on. Jack managed to get the fire put out just
before they heard Carter and Teal'C at the mouth of the cave.
        "Jack? Daniel? Are you in here?" Sam called.
        "Yeah, we're here," Jack answered back, giving Daniel a
regretful smile. The archaeologist looked so anxious that O'Neill
pulled him into his arms and gave him a quick kiss to calm him before
following him out of the cave.
         "You guys okay?" Sam asked as soon as they stepped out into
the humid, muggy, daylight.
        "Yeah, we were fine. Guess we found the wrong cave," Jack
replied. 
        Sam looked curiously between the two men. They looked
different somehow. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it
nagged at her. "Did we miss something?" she asked curiously.
        Teal'C noticed the deep blush that rose in Jackson's cheeks
and how O'Neill was avoiding his eyes. Perhaps Carter was right,
maybe there had been an exchange of some kind between the Colonel and
Dr. Jackson that they were not aware of.
        "What makes you ask that?" Jack replied with a half smile and
eyes that shone brightly.
        Sam looked once more at Jack and then at Daniel. Tilting her
head, she tried to piece together what she was picking up. Both Jack
and Daniel had a certain gleaming quality in their eyes. Sam
remembered seeing that look in a man's eye before, but she had only
seen it after she and they had...Oh boy!
        Jack saw the dawning of realization come to light in Carter's
blue eyes and smiled. Sliding his arm around possessively around
Daniel's waist he said, "Don't worry, we'll all have a long talk
later and you'll both get filled in." 
        O'Neill then led Daniel towards the path to the Stargate,
leaving the other two to trail behind.
        The Jaffa turned to Carter. "I wondered how long it would take
before they would come to their senses and realized they belonged
together." 
        Sam shot him a beautiful, sly smile. "Yeah, and it's about
time too," she agreed, her mind already active with questions but
knowing unfortunately she wouldn't get all the juicy details.
        As the group of four made their way back to the gate that
would lead them home, two wondered just where the future would take
them, while the other two were happy in the contented knowledge that
no matter what journeys they would take, the two men in front of them
would finally be traveling them together.

The end.