It was late. Jack sat slumped at his desk with his head cradled on his arms. The main light was off, the only illumination coming from the desk lamp. Daniel hesitated in the doorway, wondering if his friend was asleep. It had been one hell of a week. Just as he was about to pull the door closed again, Jack sat bolt upright and fixed him with an alert, and piercing gaze.

"S'up?"

"Pardon?"

"What Is Up?"

Daniel sighed and stepped into the office, pulling the door closed behind him. He dropped into the only other chair and began fiddling with a pencil. Jack waited patiently, a look of mild amusement on his face. Daniel dropped the pencil tidily into the pencil holder and sighed again. Jack decided to take pity on him.

"This is about you handing in your resignation isn't it?"

Daniel jerked upright. The bemused and hesitant look on his face replaced with shock.

"How did you know about that?"

"This is the Air Force Daniel. There IS such a thing as a 'Chain of Command', which you, incidentally, bypassed by going right to Hammond. He assumed I already knew. Which - I didn't"

"I... I'm sorry about that Jack."

Jack leaned back in his chair assessing Daniel from narrowed eyes. He looked awful. There was a tiny furrow between his eyes that Jack had seen there all to often lately. He cleared his throat.

"So – he refused to accept it?"

Daniel got up and began pacing restlessly.

"I told him that I'm a civilian and that he can't force me to stay. We had this whole big debate about the knowledge I have being invaluable, then he asked me what YOU thought about it"

"And... "

Daniel braced his hands against the doorframe and leant his head against the cool metal surface.

"I said we hadn't discussed it yet so he TOLD me to come and talk to you"

This wasn't news to Jack either. He was angry that Daniel had gone above his head but angrier still that Hammond had to make the request to come see him an order.

"That was four hours ago. What - were you stuck in the elevator?"

"No I needed time to think about what I was going to say"

"And... ." Jack prompted again, becoming more irritated at what he saw as deliberate evasion.

"It's... complicated Jack"

"No it isn't. You want to leave the SGC and you didn't have the guts to come to me with it so you went over my head. That seems simple enough to me!"

Daniel turned slowly and forced himself to meet Jack's cold eyes.

"We need to talk... "

"Damn straight!"

"... but not here. Come round to my place tonight. Seven o'clock"

Jack got to his feet and came slowly round the desk. Daniel looked miserable. It had always been his intention to make him feel like shit about this resignation business but the truth was that he already looked like shit. Jack sighed and nodded slowly.

"So what do I expect? Beer and pizza or wine and make-overs?"

Daniel lifted an eyebrow enquiringly.

"Beer and Pizza is a guy thing. We eat pizza, watch a game on TV, get a little drunk and talk around the issue without actually resolving anything"

"I see – so wine and make-overs... ?"

"That's a chick thing. They get snozzled on cheap wine, watch a soppy movie, do each other's hair and talk about their feelings all night"

"Well then I guess we go for beer and make-overs"

Daniel quickly left before Jack could ask him to clarify that.

Daniel had cooked! The loft apartment was full of the smells of freshly prepared meat and vegetables, the lighting was low and relaxing, the music in the background was something classical. While Daniel dealt with Jack's coat, Jack prowled the kitchen, lifting the lids from the pots bubbling merrily on the stove and taking deep appreciative sniffs. Daniel leant on the worktop and smiled. While Jack hadn't exactly dressed for dinner, he had forgone his usual short-sleeved shirt and baggy jeans for Black jeans and a long sleeved black knit top, tucked rather than loose and he usually preferred. It looked good and the black set of the silver in his hair and the darkness of his eyes.

"Sorry – no pizza"

Daniel wondered if Jack would be disappointed. Jack let the lid he was holding drop back onto its pot and turned round to regard Daniel with renewed respect.

"You can COOK?"

"Sure, cant you?"

"Nope"

"I thought... .well you live on your own Jack. How the hell do you eat?"

"Microwave ready-meals mostly. Or the Chinese take away at the end of my road. I get invited to their Christmas staff night out now!"

Daniel shook his head reproachfully.

"Well I batch cook and freeze everything. I could let you have some... "

Jack smiled and went back to his investigation of the stove. Daniel went to the fridge and brought him a bottle of chilled Bud. Jack watched with mounting curiosity as Daniel poured himself a glass of red wine. So - we have beer but no pizza and wine but no offers of a quick trim and blow dry? Interesting.

He was also curious about Daniels attire. He usually went for soft greys and earthy tones but tonight he wore tight white chinos and a white cable knit jersey that swung about his hips. It gave him a strangely angelic and innocent look especially with those big baby blues twinkling like Christmas tree lights! Then there was the remarkable fact that one had chosen black, the other white! What did that say about how different they were. Daniel opened the oven door and the aroma of rich red sauce wafted out as he placed two dinner plates on the bottom shelf to warm. Jack's mouth watered.

"Go grab a seat at the dining table Jack"

"Which one?"

Daniel was the only single man in the history of the planet that thought he needed TWO godammed dining tables! Daniel looked back over his shoulder as he stirred the boiling potatoes

"The one that has cutlery on it would be a safe bet!

Jack headed to the dining room and sure enough, there was the cutlery, and the linen napkins, and the candles? Candlelight dinner huh? Daniel obviously didn't get the chance to entertain NEARLY enough! Jack decided to ignore the candles and slipped into his seat.

Two hours later, they still sat at the table, lingering over coffee and talking about every subject under the sun except what Jack had come here to discuss; the little matter of Daniel wanting to leave the team. Not just the team, the whole Stargate Project. Finally Daniel got up and snagged his almost empty wine bottle in one hand and his glass in the other.

"Why don't we get comfortable?"

"Why Doctor Jackson, are you propositioning me?"

Jack wished he could take back the flippant joke when Daniel paled and stumbled, only Jack's reflexes and iron strong grip on his shoulders keeping him from falling. His eyes were huge and luminous in the subdued lighting and Jack began to feel the hairs at the back of his neck prick up. Oh there was something wrong here! Hammond had told Jack that Daniel would only say that his reasons for wanting to leave were personal. He looked horrified at the thought of being misunderstood in his intensions.

Had some guy at the base come on to him? Or worse, had some stupid, homophobe thought Daniel was coming on to HIM? That would certainly make things awkward.

Then another thought struck. SHIT what if it had been Daniel who had come on to some guy at the base. Jack had always assumed his friend was straight because he had been married, and over the past few years, any short-lived romantic flirtation he had shown had always been directed at women. Daniel was floundering, his mouth opening and closing but with nothing coming out. Jack hastily took the wine and glass from him nervous fingers and deliberately turned away shooting back over his shoulder in what he hoped was a casual tone,

"Jesus Danny, don't have a cow! I was only JOKING!"

Daniel followed mutely behind and stopped in front of the couch that Jack had flung himself down on. Jack poured him another glass of wine, finally draining the bottle and patted the seat next to him. Daniel dropped gracelessly into it and accepted the wine without comment. Jack stared, mouth hanging slightly open as Daniel drained the glass in one gulp. OK – definitely storing up the Dutch courage here. Daniel sighed and carefully placed the empty glass on the end table.

"Jack. We need to talk. I know you hate this but... well I just have to get it off my chest"

Jack turned in his seat so that Daniel had his full and undivided attention. The effect of having those intense velvet brown eyes focused on him was quite disconcerting and Daniel blinked a few times as if to clear his head. He blinked again when Jack's hand reached out and came to rest firmly on his shoulders

"Daniel, for future reference, there is NOTHING you cant tell me. I'm your CO but I'm also your friend. I know more that goes on at the base than you think and I want to help. Please let me. Tell me what's wrong and I'll fix it"

Daniel gasped and let his eyes flutter closed. Jack patiently waited, his fingers lightly massaging the muscles of Daniels neck and shoulder. Daniel kept his gaze averted and began talking in a rush.

"I have to leave the SGC Jack. The reasons are complicated and personal. I wasn't going to tell anyone but I've been thinking about it and I just cant leave you all without explaining. I'm hoping that you'll tell everyone when I'm gone cos I don't think I can do this more than once."

"Shoulda had a 'clearing the air party' Daniel. Coulda fixed you up with a loud speaker... "

"Please Jack. This is serious"

Jack's answer was to lift his other hand to Daniels other shoulder and begin massaging firmly. The sensations coursing through him were making speech more and more difficult but he could no more tell Jack to stop than command the tide! He cleared his throat and soldiered on.

"Things have never been the same since Shaur-ai died."

Suddenly the hands froze on his shoulder. Oh here it comes! Jack knew that one day this would come back to bite him in the ass. Daniel had always said he was only on the team until he found his wife. Jack had promised him that they would. How many times over the years had they come close to her only to loose her? He remembered how he and Carter had gone to clear Daniel's apartment when they though he was dead and Carter had started reading out of his journal. Daniel had never doubted they would find his wife and that Jack would be the one to find her. He could hear the words echoing in his head:

'If any one can, he can'

He had watched the grief pass over his friend's face like a veil so many times and every time it hurt because he had promised to fix it. In the end she had died and he could never fix it. It tore his heart out that he'd failed Daniel so completely and the fact that he'd stayed on after that had amazed Jack. He never asked why, he just took one day at a time until he assumed that Daniel wanted to be exactly where he was, doing exactly what he was doing.

He wondered if Daniel stayed just to please HIM. He knew he wasn't deserving of such loyalty. He had failed yet still Daniel wanted to please him, make him happy, be with him? It made no sense to Jack. If the positions were reversed, he was sure he would have handed in his resignation there and then, and fuck them all! But not Daniel. He dragged his thoughts back to the soft, sad voice.

"You remember the message she sent me through the hand device? It was meant to teach like the dream Shifu gave me. In the space of a few moments, I lived for months inside my head. In the dream, I couldn't forgive Teal'c for killing her, I resigned, you all came to help me pack! It was... .. awful"

Now Jack understood. Daniel had played out the scenario in his head and then with the benefit of hindsight, he had made different choices. Shaur-ai had entrusted him with finding the boy, but Jack had always privately thought that there was far more to it. Daniel had found it a convenient reason to stay but Jack didn't buy it as his main agenda. Besides, Daniel loved his job and really didn't need to find excuses to stay.

"When she told me to find the child, my heart soared. I knew she was about to leave me but she had given me a reason to live"

Jack's hands dropped into his lap and his head drooped. It was worse than he thought! He'd never considered that fact that loosing his wife might effectively end Daniels life! He should have though! Christ, he'd been there himself less that five years ago when his son died!

"God Danny, I'm so sorry! I failed you completely didn't I?"

This time it was Daniels hands that grabbed Jacks shoulders.

"Oh no Jack – please don't misunderstand. This isn't about blame. God, I joined the team to find Shaur-ai but I stayed on the team because of YOU."

"Me?"

"Yes. You and I are connected Jack. From the beginning, from the very first moment, I knew that if anyone could help me find her, it was you. I knew you'd be there for me for as long as it took. You'd never abandon the search. I trusted you so completely that I never let myself give up hope of getting her back and that was wrong. I lost Shaur-ai on Abydos, I just never let myself believe it."

Jack forced himself to look into the glistening, open and achingly blue eyes.

"I'm still sorry," he whispered. Daniel reached up and pressed his trembling palm to Jack's cheek.

"No Jack. Don't you DARE be sorry! You have done more for me in the last four years that any single person in my entire life! Not even my own parents understood me the way you do. I can never hide from you Jack. You KNOW me! Never be sorry for that"

Jack reached up and covered Daniels hand with his own, pressing it harder against his burning face. This was hard! He didn't do emotions well. He didn't talk about stuff. Hated it, ever since the Air Force had insisted on him having counselling after Iraq. Didn't want to talk about that either but they made him! That or retire. Have to make sure they didn't screw up you head as well as your... well – enough said about that!

Daniel let his hand drop but curled his fingers around Jack's hand capturing it in a warm embrace.

"Do you remember Oma Desalla telling me that she was better suited to protect Shifu than I was? When we came home, I didn't know what to do. If I left the SGC, where else would I go? No friends left, no family. Then I realised that you are my family. You and Teal'c and Sam. My surrogate, disparate, dysfunctional family!"

Jack looked down at his hand lying in Daniel's lap and at the thumb gently caressing the flesh on his palm. Tiny shivers of delight whispered through him every time the thumb moved and he was hypnotised by it. Daniel caught his eye again.

"Jack, things haven't been too good between us lately. I think we lost something or perhaps we discovered something we couldn't handle?"

Jack drew in a sharp breath. This was getting way too close to deliberately uncharted territory for his comfort. Some things were best left unsaid, especially when they threatened the team dynamic. He pulled his hand free and got shakily to his feet, pacing back and forth while trying to think of something, ANYTHING to say. Daniel caught his hand on the way past and tugged him back down beside him.

"Don't shut me out Jack. I asked you here tonight because I had to tell you why I'm leaving. I owed it to you, but I also owed it to myself. I can't hide behind a veil of lies any longer"

Jack wanted to make him stop talking. If he carried on baring his soul like this, things were going to be said that could never, NEVER be taken back or ignored! Things would come to the surface that should have remained buried! Things that Jack would rather not admit to. On some deep instinctual level, Jack knew that this conversation was about to change things forever! His chest was rising and falling with short, shallow, panicky breaths as he tried to get his fuddled brain to focus on shutting Jackson up!

"Danny, I appreciate you wanting to clear the air but I already know what happened between us. It was my own fault. I couldn't get that godammed wedding photo out of my head. I kept wondering what it would be like to be in love with Carter. Got a bit obsessed for a while and actually began believing I WAS in love with her! She was flattered enough to buy into it for a while too. I was worried that you or Teal'c might find out so I started to put up walls, to push you away. I'm sorry"

"You're not in love with Sam?" Daniel's voice sounded almost incredulous.

"Naw – we're too much alike to be in love Danny. Don't get me wrong, she's a dammed fine looking woman; she's had a staring role in a couple of my more outlandish fantasies, and I DO care for her more than I should. Do I love her? Sure I do. But I'm not IN love with her"

Daniel got up and began pacing. Jack remained seated, watching him as he hugged himself tight. He stopped in front of his friend and gazed steadily down at him.

"Does she know?"

Jack sighed. When he'd gotten all his memories back after that shitty mind-stamp thing, he'd asked Carter round one evening. They drank some beer, ate some pizza and decided it was time to talk off the record about their feelings. As he suspected, although Carter was attracted to him, and cared deeply for him, she cared more about her meteorically soaring career and simply wasn't prepared to put it into jeopardy over something as shallow as lust. He knew for sure then, that he felt the same way and it was actually a huge relief. He smiled wearily at Daniel

"Let's just say it didn't break her heart. But for a while there, I was a total shit to everyone in an attempt to hide my confusion. I pushed you away the hardest Danny because you know me so well. If anyone was gonna figure it out, it was you."

"I figured it out anyway Jack and the distance hurt like hell"

"I know. I'm sorry"

Daniel threw himself back down beside Jack and twisted round, tucking his feet up under him so that he was completely facing Jack.

"I know how hard it must have been for you living with that and not being able to act on it. And I understand why you pushed us away and I forgive you for hurting me. I just know that I couldn't do it. I can't do it. And that's why I'm leaving."

"What?"

"You tried to hide your feelings for another member of your team and in the process, you almost destroyed that team. I watched and learned from that. I'm not going to do the same so I'm leaving. The team will survive without me"

Jack looked confused. He tilted his head and regarded Daniel closely.

"I don't understand Daniel. What feelings are you trying to hide? Disappointment? Anger? Hatred?"

"Love"

Jack's mouth dropped open and he stared at Daniel for the longest time before he could form a sentence. Oh boy! Why had he not seen THIS coming? He hadn't just hurt Daniel by pushing him away, he'd actually entertained the notion that he was in love with the woman Daniel had fallen for! Oh it just keeps getting better and better!

Sam would no sooner have fucked up her career for Daniel than she would have for Jack, but that wouldn't have stopped Daniel from falling in love with her. God it must have killed him to see Jack looking at her like that. And yet he'd never said a thing. He'd stuck to the 'don't ask don't tell' philosophy more rigidly than Jack had!

And now he'd finally had enough. Rather that risk damaging the team, he was leaving the team. That took guts. More guts than Jack had shown.

"Come on Danny. Let's think this through. There has to be another way, other than you leaving. How long have you felt this way anyway?"

"From the beginning"

"Shit!"

That was a long time to hide such deep feelings. Jack knew just how hard that must have been.

" Look - if you've loved from afar for all these years, why the hell cant you just keep on doing it?"

"Because Jack, it fucking hurts. Do you have any idea what its like to be so close to the person you love on a daily basis yet not be able to touch them the way you dream of touching them? To know that every time they go off base, they might meet someone else, someone that would be free to touch them that way and then suddenly you don't even get to have your dreams anymore? I'm tired Jack. I can't do this any more"

The desolation in his voice tore at Jack's heart. He had some idea how that felt, yes. But what the hell was he supposed to do? If Daniel did leave, Jack would have to explain his motives to Carter and she would feel just shit that she was the reason they'd lost Daniel. It wasn't fucking fair. He hitched his knee up onto the sofa so that it was pressed into Daniel's leg and grabbed Daniel's shoulders shaking him gently.

"Don't do this Danny. Don't throw it all away cos you're tired. We can fix it"

"DON'T SAY THAT!!!!! You always say that and it isn't true Jack!!!"

Jack's eyes widened at the anger in the impassioned cry but kept his grip firm and unrelenting.

"Of course its true. We can fix ANYTHING so long as we're honest and open about what's wrong. I wont tell Carter if that's what you want but she's going to find out eventually. We can work out some damage control and... ."

He finally registered that Daniel's eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging agape.

"What?"

"I'm not in love with SAM I'm in love with YOU"

Silence. It stretched like a bow and vibrated with heated tension for what seemed to Daniel like a thousand years but which was merely a heartbeat. Jack didn't move, didn't speak, didn't even breathe! Finally his hands slid slowly and achingly down Daniel's arms to capture his trembling hands.

"You love ME? Not Sam...!"

"Not Sam"

"Not Teal'c? He's got a fantastic body and..."

"Not Teal'c, not General Hammond, not Janet, not Major Davis, not Siler and not the guy who cleans the privies. YOU JACK. Just you"

Jack squeezed the hands tightly.

"You little shit! Why the fuck didn't you tell me this before?"

Daniel pulled his hands away and stared over Jack's shoulder at the balcony.

"I tried to once. Out there. I guess I couldn't find the words. Even on the brink of ending it all, I still couldn't bear to see the revulsion in your eyes"

"What revulsion?"

Daniel shifted his gaze back to Jack's face and was nonplussed to see no revulsion lurking there. Just acceptance. He knew of course that Jack was not homophobic. There was a gay couple in Daniel's building and Jack had never been anything other than pleasant to them even after their first meeting when the boys had assumed that Jack was Daniel's boyfriend, Jack had never even batted an eyelid!

But this was different. This was Daniel admitting that he had fallen in love with this Commanding Officer. Admitting that this had been going on for years and that he wanted to touch his CO in ways that could not be misinterpreted as manly stuff! And yet Jack was still not batting those eyelids! Daniel was balancing of a knife edge here. He cleared his throat and ploughed on with the rest of his carefully prepared speech.

"Ah... .right, well anyway, I can see that I've put you in an awkward position... "

"Yeah - I'm visualising it now. Yes very awkward. Would be easier if my knees weren't all shot to hell but I'll do my best!"

"Jack?"

That one single word managed to convey several warring emotions all at the same time; shock, excitement, disbelief, amazement and hope.

"Look Daniel, I'm a guy. I HATE to talk about shit so lets just cut straight to the chase here. I had no fucking idea you felt this way about me and if I did, I would have told you years ago how I felt about YOU. Right now I'm thinking that actions speak louder that words, but as a linguist, you'd probably want to argue about that so I'm not giving you the option... .. "

Jack leant forward and hauled Daniel into his arms. When Daniel gasped in shock, Jack claimed the parted lips with his own, hungry mouth and plundered the moist depths with his tongue. Daniel was shaking like a leaf. Jack smiled into his mouth knowing that he'd made Daniel do that. God he couldn't believe it. For years he'd been sublimating his desire for Daniel, forcing it back down and totally denying its existence. He hadn't managed to hide his love nearly as well as his desire but he'd gone for the fatherly excuse to cover his ass on that one.

Daniel was squirming in his arms so he released the pressure a bit so that Daniel could pull back and stare at him in disbelief

"Jack – you want me?"

"Oh yes"

"How... how long?"

"Never had any complaints on that score... "

"How long have you wanted me you bastard!"

"Oh right – From the beginning too. You looked so fucking beautiful in those desert robes with your hair catching the sun and that look of wonder on your face. I remember thinking – 'shit he's got to be the most perfect specimen of humanity I've ever seen.' During that mission you became the most 'irritating' specimen, the most 'intelligent' specimen and the 'bravest' specimen too. What did you think about me?"

"I thought you were a prick!"

"Oh"

Daniel fought to hide the laugher threatening to bubble up inside him at the look of boyish hurt on Jack's face.

"Then I got to know you better and I could see how badly you were hurting inside. It was like a big sucking wound in your chest. I wanted to help"

"And you did"

"I wasn't sure it had been enough until I saw you again a year later. When you sent through that Kleenex box I remember thinking 'thank God he didn't swallow a bullet after all.' Then I thought 'God I can't wait to see him again!'"

"And I pushed right past you to get to Skaara"

"I remember. It hurt a bit."

"It was necessary. All I wanted to do was take you in my arms and kiss the shit out of you, but Shaur-ai had the monopoly on that so I threw up a wall and cowered behind it"

"Jesus Jack – we've wasted so much time"

"Not wasted. I think we needed this time to become friends first, to gain each other's trust. I'm assuming that you've never been with a man before Daniel. If we'd acted on this back then, I think it would have freaked us out too much to have lasted. At least now I'm SURE I both love you, and want to MAKE love with you. Badly by the way"

"Badly as in 'not very well' or badly and in 'right now'"

"Now is good"

Jack's voice had become deep and husky and it sent shivers right down Daniels spine. Jack was right about Daniel never having been with another man. He had no idea what he was supposed to do. What he could touch and what he shouldn't! He'd had dreams, oh GOD how he'd dreamed. But he always woke up drenched in sweat with his dick in his hand and nothing but the fading image of Jack's body arched backwards, exposing his neck and the sound of Jack hoarsely crying out his name. There weren't any specifics!

It seemed that Jack's own fantasies had been a little more generous on the details. He stood up and pulled Daniel to his feet, leading him by the hand towards the bedroom. Once at the bottom of the steps he turned and gathered Daniel into a fierce hug.

"I've wanted to do this forever but I totally understand if it's going to fast for you. We don't have to do anything you're uncomfortable with. "

"I'm OK - just shut up and kiss me"

Jack smiled, letting his lips draw back over his teeth then bent forward and kissed Daniel. It was the most wonderful, gentle, loving kiss Daniel had ever experienced and it turned his legs to jelly. He threw both arms around Jack's neck and held on tightly. Jack let his hands slip around Daniel's waist then gradually slide down to cup his ass. At the same instant, he deepened the kiss, no longer tentative and exploring, now raw and hungry. Daniel arched into the hard body and gasped as his belly made contact with Jack's thrusting erection! The gasp seemed to galvanise Jack further and he rocked his hips against Daniel. He dragged his lips away and growled

"Daniel, I need you. Never leave me"

"Never"

He was rewarded with another searing kiss, which ended with them both panting and writhing against each other. Jack's pupils were so large now that his eyes seemed to glitter like black onyx. His lids were heavy with passion and his long dark lashes fluttered against his cheeks when he blinked. Daniel could feel his own need shaking off the disbelief and finally getting with the program. He pressed closer to Jack and their erections rubbed together. Both men hissed. It was like nothing they had ever experienced before and it felt good.

"Jack – what...

"Hmmm?"

"What do you want to do?"

Jack pulled back slightly and looked down at Daniel. He wanted to make love but he now realised that he was a little vague on what that meant for two guys who cared about each other. His own expertise in these matters was limited to the gut wrenching memory of intense pain and a feeling of helplessness. Still there were plenty of other options to exhaust before either of them had to face the prospect of full penetrative sex. He decided to spell it out.

"Well first I want to kiss you again. Then I'm definitely going to peel this sweater off you inch by inch. Then I'm going to kiss your neck and shoulder... "

Not wishing to get too far ahead of himself, Jack pressed closer and took Daniel's moist lips in a fiery kiss that left them both stunned. Then looking into the infinite depths of blue eyes, he slowly began to slide the hem of Daniels white sweater up his body using the pressure of his palms. Daniel closed his eyes and lifted his arms high to allow Jack to pull the sweater right off. As Jack expected, he was now bare-chested and so god-dammed gorgeous that Jack thought his head might explode!

Jack slid his hands around the firm muscular back and pulled Daniel in close, burying his mouth into the juncture of throat and shoulder. Daniel's head lolled backwards and his grip on Jacks shoulders tightened. As Jack let his lips trail across to the bare shoulder, he outlined his next move and was rewarded by an anticipatory gasp.

"... .. then I'm going to undo your belt and slide these pants right off... "

Daniel kicked off his shoes to make this request easier and closed his eyes and Jack's hands slid round to his buckle. A moment later he heard his zipper sliding and felt the slight pressure of its movement against his aching erection.

"Jack... " He whispered longingly. Jack's hands crept inside the fabric of Daniels chinos and eased their way round to cup his boxer-clad ass.

"... or maybe I'll just wait for you to get me all caught up"

Daniel altered his stance so that he wasn't relying on Jack to hold him up and let his hands drift down over the hard, muscled chest to the belt buckle. He quickly undid Jack's trousers then pushed his hands up under the fabric of the black shirt to rub over both nipples simultaneously. Jack groaned and rammed himself against Daniel's straining groin in mindless pleasure. Daniel's hands were shaking so much now he was glad that there were no shirt buttons to contend with. He quickly hauled the shirt up and off and then they were staring at each other hungrily. Daniel licked dry lips and reached forward to kiss the hollow at the base of Jack's throat.

"Tell me what you're going to do now Jack" he whispered breathlessly against the hot skin of Jacks neck. Jack wasn't sure how long speech would be an option but he could see that Daniel was getting very turned on by hearing about his intensions.

"Gonna kiss the shit out of you Spacemoneky!"

Daniel laughed into the hot, hungry mouth as it claimed his but then all his synapses shut down except the one that connected his lips to his groin and he moaned. Jack gently urged him up the three stairs to the foot of Daniel's bed. Once there, he once again slipped his hand into Daniels' trousers but this time he began to slowly ease them over the trembling hips along with the silky boxer shorts.

When Daniel's dick sprang out and poked into his belly, Jack felt a slight pang of trepidation, which he instantly ignored. He let the trousers fall from his hands and reached round to take the velvet smooth erection in loving fingers. Daniel quivered and let his head fall forward onto Jack's chest. He was murmuring softly

"Oh God Jack that feels so good"

This he could do. No problems here. The needy breathless noises coming from Daniel reinforced the feelings of love and mutual consent to the point where he knew he would do anything Daniel asked for as long as he asked for it. He ran his other hand slowly up Daniel's spine using his short fingernails to make him arch right into Jack's squeezing hand. Daniel's head shot back and he immediately kissed the parted lips and inhaled the softly murmured plea.

"please... .. make love to me Jack"

"Oh God" Jack groaned as he surged against Daniel, his weight throwing them both heavily onto the bed.

Daniel clamped his hands onto the firm buttocks and squirmed his hips against Jack's. All breath left the Colonel's body and he suddenly remembered that he was still wearing his trousers. He quickly got up and dealt with his remaining clothing. Daniel watched hungrily through hooded eyes.

For a moment he hesitated, standing over a completely naked and undeniably aroused Daniel, an image that had brought him to shattering self inflicted orgasm on many an occasion over the years, seemed somehow unreal. It couldn't really, finally be happening. Daniel sat up with his legs dangling off the bed and pulled Jack towards him. The Colonel gasped as he felt the hot breath on his belly and then, as his erection pressed against Daniels cheek, he sunk his fingers into the soft hair and desperately tried to pull back. But Daniel had other ideas. He held Jacks hips in strong sure fingers and pushed his tongue into Jack's belly button.

"Ah Christ"

Jack's hips bucked violently and Daniel let his lips trail hot fiery kisses across his stomach to the protruding bone of his hip then back to lick a molten trail of desire up the pulsating and weeping shaft. Before Jack could muster the strength to escape, Daniel opened his mouth and enveloped Jack in a sheath of moist, trembling heat.

It felt strange at first to be doing this but Daniel was finding it very enjoyable. Jack tasted so good; salty and slightly bitter. He tried sucking and Jack bucked his hips, nearly choking him, but pulling back at the last moment apologising. Daniel SO didn't want Jack capable of speech right now so he sucked again, but harder this time, clamping his fingers firmly around Jack's waist.

"D... .. Danny ... .. STOP"

Daniel jerked back and peered up at Jack. His head was thrown back and his whole body was taught with barely controlled desire.

"I'm sorry Jack... .. I didn't mean... .. "

Suddenly Jack sunk onto his knees between Daniels legs and took his face in trembling hands

"I never expected... .. I didn't think you would do that for me. I wouldn't have lasted another second Danny!"

"Did you like it?"

"Jesus Danny, would I be having a fucking coronary if I didn't like it?"

Daniel lifted his legs and wrapped them around Jack, crossing his ankles under Jack's ass. The pressure pulled them together and this time their cocks slid over each other. Daniel gasped and tightened his legs and Jack fought down the desire to push him back on the bed and burry himself to the root in his ass! The image was so erotic that his heart began to thump and he could hear his blood pounding in his ears.

"Easy Danny... .. .You're killing me here"

Daniel's answer was to arch backwards against the bed pulling Jack perilously close to the position he was fantasising about. But the memory of the pain held him back. He wouldn't do that to Daniel. There were ways to minimise the pain but he had never been afforded that kindness in the Iraqi prison. It was perhaps fortunate that his jailer preferred oral sex and his memories of being held down and sodemised were relatively few. However his experience of giving blowjobs was vast.

He let Daniel settle back against the sheets then slid downwards, training his tongue like a heat seeking missile. Then he was sucking Danny in deep; deeper than even he thought was possible. He had long ago lost the gag reflex; he could take Daniel right into his throat and absorb the bucking and arching easily.

Daniel was sobbing his name as he devoured him, kneading his balls gently as he slowly and expertly brought him right to the brink. The just as Daniel's ass muscles tightened, Jack withdrew a little and pressed strong fingers tightly to the base of Daniels cock halting the orgasm but keeping the gasping archaeologist teetering on the edge.

"Shit Jack... .. .. OH SHIT"

Daniel's head thrashed wildly back and forth on the bed and Jack took mercy on him. Without releasing his hold, he slowly took Daniel in again sucking really hard until he had swallowed him whole again along with his own index finger. Once the finger was moist and slick, he slid it over the tight balls and slipped it smoothly into Daniels tight ass.

"Oh... . GOD!"

He wasn't sure if Daniel was loving this or hating this until he felt his finger being clenched then released rapidly by the contracting muscles as Daniel panted and writhed and moaned Jack's name in a voice so deep and sultry that it just didn't sound like Daniel anymore

"JACK... .oh God Jack... YES!"

Daniel's whole body left the bed except for the soles of his feet and the top of his head. How he had the strength to lift them both like this was a mystery to Jack but he was way beyond caring right now. He drank in the taste of Daniel as he came explosively in wave after wave of incredible ecstasy, sobbing and begging all the time.

Then he gathered the trembling mass of boneless jelly tightly in his arms and rocked him gently, whispering,

"Its ok Danny, I'm here. You're not gonna fall so long as I'm here to catch you"

"Too late Jack," Daniel whispered into his neck, "already fell. Hard and fast. In love with YOU"

Jack reached down and drew Daniel's chin up so that he could gaze into the shimmering blue eyes.

"Well that's Ok cos it just so happens that I love you too."

"Really?"

"Sure, but I'm also IN love with you Daniel Jackson and I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much"

"Could you start by teaching me how to do that"

"What?"

"That thing you just did. I really want to do that to YOU"

Jack gulped. He knew he was a master at giving blow jobs but wasn't sure he could teach Daniel because his teacher had been six foot three of fat perspiring Arab with a leather belt and metal buckle and a sadistic streak a mile wide. If you gagged you got it up the ass instead so you learned not to gag real quick! Not the sort of lesson he ever wanted Daniel to learn.

He shifted uncomfortable as his still very hard cock trapped itself between his thigh and Daniel's hip, and the sleepy archaeologist suddenly remembered his manners. Reaching down, he took Jack in his hand and began a slow sliding sweep down to the root and back up with a little shimmy at the top which had his thumb pressing against the oh so sensitive head.

"You don't have to... ."

"I WANT to"

The same manoeuvre, slightly less hesitant, gaining in confidence. Jack sighed and relaxed into the easy rhythm. It had been too long since he's given himself completely over to the needs of his body. Daniel's hand tightened again and now he was more sure, rougher and more assertive. Yeah Danny that's the way! Jack's breath came out in short pants of need and he moaned as he surrendered to the rising tide of passion. Daniel stared intently into his glittering black eyes, unfocused now and half closed with raw aching desire.

"Let go for me Jack"

"Daaaany"

Jack felt the orgasm build in the pit of his stomach and surge upwards lifting his ass off the bed, making his muscles clench, then suddenly he felt a sharp stab of pain followed by incredible mind blowing pleasure as Daniel's finger slid into his tight ass and rubbed over his prostrate.

The Orgasm exploded out of him endlessly and his vision dimmed to twin pinpricks of light. His chest heaved so much he thought his lungs had collapsed and his throat was hoarse from screaming Daniels name.

Finally he came back into himself and opened his eyes to see the object of his desire gazing down at him with concern.

"You OK?"

"Hmmgn?"

"I said are you OK?"

"Lemmnesd"

"What? Did Thor just download the knowledge of the Ancients into your brain again? Talk English man"

"I said – what planet is this and take me to your leader"

"You're still on Earth Jack"

"No way – definitely achieved orbit on that one."

"That's very flattering"

"No flattery intended smart-arse! What was that with the finger at the last minute?"

"Well you did that to me and I liked it so... "

"Yes Daniel but I made sure the fucking finger was lubricated!"

"Oh. OH God! Did I hurt you?"

"Not much but I can see we're going to have to get some reference books out sometime soon"

Daniel snuggled close and laid his head on Jacks still heaving chest.

"And possibly an oxygen mask?"

"Prick!"

"Goodnight Jack."

"Sleep tight Daniel"

"Oh I intend to!"

"Lord help me!"