“Mail call,” came the bored voice of the mail boy as he tossed some letters into Jack’s in box. Nodding absently Jack O’Neill reached over to pluck the latest pile out of the bin. He sat back and began to sort through the letters when he spotted an odd-looking one. The color was of old parchment for one and only his name was typed on the top.
Colonel Jack O’Neill “ SG1
Tossing the other letters back into the inbox, Jack opened up the envelope to find the light blue piece of paper within. Thinking that this person really wanted his attention he snapped the letter open with one hand. Kicking his boots on top of the desk, he tilted back in his chair to read the letter.
Jack,
God this is so childish. I don’t know how else to say this. But here goes.
I love you. There I said it. God it’s even hard to write down. If I can stop shaking I’ll stick this in the inter office mail. Maybe this is a giant mistake.
Especially since I don’t even seem to exist for you most days. Besides you are undoubtedly straight. Maybe I seem that way too. But I’m dying inside each day that I see you risk your life and have to stand by watching. I’d do anything to be with you. Nothing in this long, lonely, horrific life would give me pleasure as much as you being a real part of my life. But I know this is just part of how things are. Just know Jack, someone cares.
Be careful out there, okay?
Jack frowned looking over the blue stationary for some sort of clue to the writer’s identity. Obviously, the writer was male. But who could it be? The base was filled with guys- but who was so insecure and used the word “horrific”? Just as his brain began to click with exactly who it HAD to be, whom his heart prayed it was, Teal’c appeared in the doorway while Jack was still high on the thought.
“O’Neill, you seem most pleased by something.” The Jaffa’s head was tilted to one side.
“Do I?” Jack knew he was grinning like an idiot. “Great day isn’t it?”
A lone eyebrow rose up on the Jaffa’s face. “Indeed?”
“Yup! Come on big guy I’ll buy you a cup of coffee,” Jack jumped from his chair with surprising agility tucking the letter into his back pocket with reverence.
“Is it not free?” the big man replied. “Coffee is still free on base is it not?”
“Java for the Jaffa?” Daniel came into sight as they headed down the corridor.
“Ah, Daniel come on and join us in a little celebration coffee,” Jack smiled happily.
“Celebration? What are we celebrating?” Daniel felt the smile that was on Jack’s face becoming contagious as he began to grin as well. His breath caught in his throat.
“Apparently today is a ‘great day’ Daniel Jackson,” Teal’c panned.
“Jack?” Daniel asked hopefully. Jack grinned, tossed an arm around their shoulders and walked them down to the cafeteria. Daniel’s grin now went from ear-to-ear as the man of his fantasies was so obviously happy and had his arm around him. It had been a long time coming to admit to himself he was so in love with his commanding officer but it was true. Finally after a long internal battle he’d put it into a letter hoping against hope it would get the older man out of his system. Even now he felt himself melting like a pool of ice water under Jack’s arm he realized it hadn’t helped one iota. He was still high on the strength of just being in love with the man.
The three men sat down together with the exuberant officer. Sam soon joined them and they all began to chatter about this and that. Daniel studied Jack over his cup of coffee. He was startled when Jack suddenly met his gaze, smiled and winked at him. Shaken Daniel put his cup down before it spilled all over his lap. When he looked back up Jack wasn’t looking his way at all. Had he imagined it? In an effort to recover he took off his glasses and cleaned them off. Placing them back on the bridge of his nose he was startled to see warm, brown eyes looking over a coffee cup at him. A dangerous look of amusement filled Jack’s eyes as he took out the blue piece of paper, which Daniel had agonized over. His heart went still with ice-cold fear.
“What’s that sir?” Sam asked curiously. It wasn’t often you saw any other color paper in a military base besides white.
Jack twirled the folded piece of paper in his fingers. “This is what makes it such a great day Carter.”
“I thought it was the weather,” Teal’c said now eyeing the paper. Daniel gulped.
“Nope, bet you’ll never guess what it says,” Jack grinned widely occasionally looking at Daniel with great delight.
Sam squirmed in her seat with great interest, her eyes lighting up with curiosity. “You won a trip?”
“Strike one Carter, care to try big guy?” Jack laughed. Teal’c looked challenged and thoughtful.
“An invitation to go fishing?” Teal’c offered knowing how O’Neill loved to fish.
“Strike two, but good one,” Jack playfully punched the big guy in the arm then shook out his hand as the Jaffa looked at his arm as if a fly had dared to land on him.
“It appears to be your turn to guess Doctor Jackson,” Teal’c said in amusement.
“A letter?” Daniel was feeling kind of sea sick. Was Jack going to broadcast his feelings for him to the base? Did he know?
“Very good Daniel, but what kind of letter?” Jack grinned as Daniel turned a shade of gray even as he knew he was flushing brightly.
“NO!” Sam grinned widely. She had evidently come to some conclusion. Teal’c frowned and Daniel stared into his coffee wondering what had possessed him to send that stupid letter.
“What is it little girl?” O’Neill urged Sam. “Have the courage to hazard another guess as to what kind of letter?”
Daniel tried to act interested as he gripped the table legs in a desperate act to not flee. The feeling of seasickness had returned full force.
“Doctor Jackson, you are not well?” Teal’c asked looking at the pale doctor who was holding onto the table for dear life.
“Daniel?” Sam asked. But Jack’s smile just grew by leaps and bounds.
“Maybe I should drive you home?” Jack asked sounding gracious and not at all sly, ruthless and cunning in his slow, deliberate torture of his teammate. “Up to a ride?”
Daniel began to cough at the innuendo. Sam patted his back with concern. “You can tell us about the letter later Colonel. I better go tell the General that you are taking Daniel home.” Teal’c insisted on walking alongside Daniel all the way out to the Colonel’s truck. Daniel was positively green now wondering what Jack was about to say to him on the way home. He wished for the hundredth time that he hadn’t sent the damn letter. Trust Jack to handle it so immaturely.
Surprisingly Jack didn’t say a single word as he drove Daniel home. Daniels anger grew at the way Jack had handled the whole situation. He’d hoped that Jack would just read it, accept it’s meaning and not give it another thought. If he was really lucky maybe Jack would figure out who the writer was and reciprocate his feelings but instead he’d made a joke out of his feelings. Part of his mind fumed with anger but at the same time his heart was screaming in pain. He looked away from Jack and hoped he wouldn’t cry.
They pulled out up in front of Daniel’s apartment and the archeologist practically ran from the car in his anger, slamming open the door to the apartment. He picked up the nearest book and threw it at the far wall in anger and frustration.
“Easy there Danny boy,” Jack said entering the apartment slowly taking in the door that was now hanging oddly on its hinges.
“How could you do that!?” Daniel roared spinning on his heels. “You know… I don’t care anymore…just get out!”
“Come on Danny you don’t mean that,” Jack put a light hand on Daniel’s shoulder. Despite all his protests Daniel felt the familiar warmth of that touch and could only turn away. “Look, I’m sorry it just made me so…happy…I felt like a little kid. Guess I started to act like it too.”
Daniel turned around to see Jack had taken off his hat and was rubbing his hand through his hair, looking like he actually meant what he had said. But one word had found its way to his heart. “Happy?”
Jack shook as he laughed. “Of course happy! What the hell else would you expect?”
“Um, so let me get this right. You weren’t trying to torture me or expose my feelings to the whole base?” Daniel frowned at Jack as he talked with his hands, gesturing wildly between them.
“Geez Danny, paranoid much?” Jack stepped closer to Daniel seeing the confusion echo through his teammates blue eyes. “As cute as these are they might get in the way.” Jack reached over and took off Daniel’s glasses with one hand placing them reverently in his top jacket pocket. Like a child longing to be held Daniel looked into Jack’s brown eyes. “It amazes me that you got through my walls Danny. Tell me again.”
Daniel gulped as Jack stepped up to him putting his hands on Daniels shoulders. Searching in the warm brown eyes he saw the love he so desperately needed to see.
“I love you Jack.”
Smiling wildly Jack pulled Daniel in for a bone crushing hug then released him to kiss him passionately, claming him forever more as he held on tightly. Gasping for air they parted reluctantly.
“I could get used to that Danny,” Jack breathed heavily as their foreheads leaned against each other. “Just for the record,” the Colonel pulled away just a bit so Daniel could see the truth in his eyes. “I’ve loved you for a long time. Just never knew you felt the same.”
“Jack,” Daniel whispered before pulling Jack to him by his neck. Lips slid lazily over each other in a slow dance burning a hot trail of passion as they did. As one their mouths opened allowing for mutual exploration. Their tongues mapped out each other’s mouths as the kiss deepened while they instinctively moved across the room. Wicked smiles filled their faces as they both felt the bedroom door at Daniel’s back. “Used to be this was a dream,” Daniel gasped as they parted once more.
“It will remain just that if you don’t open the damn door,” Jack growled in frustration as he licked a hot, wet trail down Daniel’s neck. “Now let me in so I can take your temperature Doctor.” A happy little moan was Jack’s answer as Daniel opened up the door. And as he closed the door after them Daniel realized it really was a dream “ one that had come true.
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