SquidgeWorld Archive

Jack's Bad Day
Orrymain with special guest author, Claudia!
marciastudley1@comcast.net
http://orrymain.com

~This is the life,~ Jack thought the moment he opened his eyes.  He smiled, happiness flowing through his veins.  There was nothing quite like waking up with a warm archaeologist in his arms.  ~This never gets old.~  He leaned down and gently kissed his husband.  Looking over at the clock, his smile turned into a full-fledged grin.  ~Oh, yeah.  We have time,~ he thought, deciding that they had time for some early morning lovin'.

The cunning colonel developed a plan.  He placed another kiss on Daniel's head, and then he raised up his lover's left hand.  He opened the palm, and kissed it softly.  Then he moved his lips an inch upward and kissed the inside of Daniel's hand again.  Then, finger by finger, Jack placed sweet, moist kisses on each tip.

"Hmm, love you, Jack," Daniel murmured as he began to wake up and respond.  The young man rolled over onto his back, and Jack gently laid atop him, placing soft kisses from Daniel's earlobe, to beneath his chin.  He went from shoulder to shoulder, and began to work his way downward.

"Mmm, Jack.  Want you so much," Daniel sighed contently, his hands caressing Jack's neck and back.

~This is going to be so nice.~  Jack continued with his plan, but just as the couple was getting into the throes of their early morning passion, the phone rang.  ~Why didn't I unplug that thing?~

Both men froze momentarily, until they decided to ignore the ringing phone.  If it was urgent business at the SGC, they would be paged.  Anyone else could leave a message.  Their kisses and fondling resumed until, less than a minute later, both Jack's and Daniel's pagers sounded.

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Jack exclaimed in frustration as he rolled off Daniel and looked at the ceiling.  "Crap, Danny.  This is gonna be one of those days," he whined as he headed for the bathroom.

Sulking at the interruption, Daniel just mumbled incoherently as he got up to retrieve his cell phone and return the page.

====

Less than fifteen minutes later, Jack was in the kitchen, making a quick breakfast.  Of course, 'making' meant emptying the cereal into a bowl.

"No!"  Jack cringed.  He picked up his box of Froot Loops, only to have a single loop fall into his bowl.  "This is going to be a bad day," he muttered as he got out the bread to make toast.

====

Jack pulled up to the security station, reached into his pocket, and whined, "Oh, for crying out loud.  It has to be here."

"Sir, your ID, please," the airman requested.

Digging through his jacket and pants, Jack just couldn't believe it.  He'd never, ever, forgotten his wallet before, but here he was, with no wallet and, more importantly, no ID to present.

"Airman ... Trujillo," Jack began, staring at the airman's nametag.  "I'm Colonel Jack O'Neill.  I work here.  Maybe you've heard of me."

"No, Sir.  Your ID, please."

Jack groaned as he thought, ~Crap, this is *really* gonna be a bad day.~  He sighed, "Contact General Hammond.  He can identify me."  He watched the guard go inside the small building to make the call.  ~I am *never* gonna live this down.~

A minute later, Daniel pulled up behind his lover and wondered what the delay was.

**Babe, something wrong?**

~Oh, crap!~ Jack whined, leaning his head back against the headrest.  ~This is *so* gonna be a bad day.~

====

"Carter, where's Daniel?"  Jack shouted.

Running to take cover behind a rock about six yards to the west of her commanding officer, Sam yelled in reply, "I'm not sure, Sir.  He was taking some photographs when the Tempuri attacked."

Jack fired off several rounds from his P-90, concern flooding through his body for his lover.

SG-1 was on P87-258 to study a strange complex of buildings that had been discovered by SG-2 a few days earlier.  The flagship team had arrived on the planet late that morning, immediately meeting with the locals.  Then they'd begun their work, or rather Daniel had, with Sam taking soil and energy readings. Jack and Teal'c spent most of the afternoon walking the perimeter, not really wanting danger, but also not wanting to be bored, which, to be honest, both were.

Suddenly, with Jack and Teal'c on the edge of their camp, a group of Tempuri fighters attacked without warning.

Teal'c was shot, but continued to fight valiantly, while inwardly admitting, ~It is at times like this I regret the loss of ... Junior.~  That might have been the craziest thought he'd ever had.  ~Perhaps I have indulged in too much activity with O'Neill.~

Leaving his thoughts behind and grateful that his wound was minor, Teal'c fired his zat at a charging Tempuri warrior.

Sam had been on the opposite side of the camp, testing equipment when the attack began.  She quickly reached for her weapon and took cover to assess the situation.

Daniel was working on the translations within the complex, and no one had seen him since the fighting had begun.

Having fired off more rounds from his position several yards to the north of Teal'c, Jack communicated, **Daniel, where the blazes are you?**

**Ducking.**

**That's good, but where exactly?**

**By the third building, the one with the symbols of Ra on it.  Oops,** the younger man replied.

**Oops?  *Daniel*!  Danny, talk to me!**  Not hearing a response, Jack ordered, "Carter, cover me."

"Sir?"

Sam reacted in surprise as her commanding officer darted across an open field towards the building complex.  She fired repeatedly as Jack moved in serpentine fashion to try and avoid a predictable line of movement.  Once the colonel had safely ducked behind a column of the first building, Sam ceased her rapid fire.

**Danny?**

Jack worked his way toward the third building.  Shots of various kinds were flying all around him, and SG-1 was badly outnumbered.  He'd already counted at least ten of the Tempuri within his line of sight.

"Sir, we can't hold them," Sam stated over the radio.

"Get out of here, Carter.  Get reinforcements."

"Colonel ..."

"Go, Carter.  That's an order!" the colonel shouted as he searched for his lover.  He hadn't seen anyone in the area he was in, but moved with stealth regardless.  Approaching the third building, he mentally shouted, **Daniel, answer me, blast it!**

At last, Jack reached one of the large rooms.  There was an eight-foot slab in the middle that rose up about four feet off the floor.  Carefully, he maneuvered around it.  Suddenly, his heart stopped.  There, on the floor, was his lover, unconscious.  He hurried to Daniel, kneeling down by his side and carefully turning him over.

"Daniel!"

"Ow!" Daniel said as he came to.

"Danny, are you okay?" Jack questioned as he looked for injuries.

"Yes, I ... I fell, tripped over something."

"Over what?"

Daniel looked around and finally shrugged, answering, "I don't know -- my feet, I guess."

"Oh, for crying out loud," Jack groaned as he stood up.  "Let's get out of here.  The Tempuri shot Teal'c, and I've ordered them back through the Stargate.  We need to see what's going on out there."

Reaching for his colonel's outstretched hand, Daniel stood, grateful that he hadn't injured anything.

The pair headed out of the building, but then Daniel remembered he'd forgotten his camera and notes.  While Jack growled, the archaeologist ran back for his things, grabbing his backpack and placing them inside.

"Okay, I've ..." Daniel began.  "Jack, look out!"

The young man's face turned to horror as his pulse began to pound within his body for what he was witnessing.  A Tempuri warrior took aim at the Air Force officer and fired.  In a split second, Jack fell to the ground.

"JAAAAAAAACK!"

Letting out a string of curses, Daniel raced to his lover, bending over him and checking for injuries.  The weapons the Tempuri used were almost like laser guns.  It looked as if the laser beam had simply grazed Jack's temple.  Relief flowed through the archaeologist, who took a deep breath as his pulse began to return to a more normal rhythm.

"You, stand up," one of the Tempuri warriors shouted in his native tongue.

Daniel ignored the man.  He didn't know if the Tempuri knew that he understood their language, and he wasn't in the mood to enlighten them.  He stayed bent over Jack, murmuring reassurances in his lover's ear until he was abruptly wrenched away and dragged over to kneel before the warrior that looked to be the leader of the Tempuri.

"Who are you?" the Tempuri man questioned.

Daniel did his best to look blank, determined not to respond to the questioning.

The leader looked at archaeologist for a moment and then pointed towards Jack, ordering his men to, "Kill him."

"No!"  The word had left Daniel before he even realized it.  He cursed himself as he realized he'd fallen into one of those traps Jack had warned him about repeatedly over the years.  ~Sorry, Jack.~

"Who are you?"

"We're peaceful explorers from the planet Earth.  We came through the Chappa'ai," Daniel answered, giving his usual spiel and exerting all his self-control to keep from turning to check on Jack.  "Why did you attack us?" he asked, unable to suppress his natural curiosity.

The Tempuri warrior smiled, and Daniel shivered.  He knew now, even if he hadn't known before, that he and Jack were in trouble.

"Because you are the famous SG-1."

Daniel used all his concentration to keep his face masked.  Not only had the warrior spoken those words in English, but he knew who SG-1 was.

"You are the famous Doctor Daniel Jackson, and that," the leader pointed at Jack, "is the equally famous Colonel Jack O'Neill."

"Who are you?" Daniel asked.  When the leader smiled again, he cringed.  The man's eyes glowed.  ~This is not good.~

"I am Ihy, and you, you will make an excellent host," the Goa'uld said, running his eyes appreciatively over Daniel's body.

"Ihy?" Daniel repeated.  "Son of Hathor, the naked boy."

"You know my mother?  Where is she?" the Goa'uld questioned sharply as his facial expression tightened.

~Okay, he knows us, but not our history.  That's, uh ... interesting,~ Daniel opined while staring intently at his foe.  "She's dead.  We killed her," he answered a bit flippantly.

"My mother is the true goddess.  She cannot be killed," Ihy claimed.

"So you believe your own rhetoric?" Daniel challenged.

"Silence!"

"I was just asking a question," Daniel asked, his face innocent as he arched his eyebrows.  "If you're curious, she's an ice cube now."

"You will be silent!" the Goa'uld exclaimed angrily, slapping Daniel across the face.

"Ow," Daniel responded dryly as he brought his hand up to rub his cheek and chin.  "Wasn't that a bit primitive for you?" he asked sarcastically, referring to the physical blow instead of being punished by a Goa'uld weapon.

Ignoring the query and turning away from the archaeologist, Ihy looked across at Jack, his eyes examining the six-foot-two frame of the strong, military man.

"Yes.  He will do."

"Excuse me?" Daniel asked.

Looking back at Daniel, Ihy answered, "I have heard much about his skills as a warrior.  He will be my new First Prime."

~Like mother, like son.  Crap,~ Daniel lamented as he fought the urge to launch himself at the hated figure standing before him.

The Goa'uld smirked, "This will ensure my place with him."

"Who?" Daniel asked automatically.

"That is none of your concern," Ihy responded as he turned and beckoned his warriors.  "Bring them."

====

"You will kneel."

"I don't think so," Daniel argued, grimacing when he was forced to the hard floor by two Tempuri warriors.

The archaeologist struggled not to look at his lover.  Jack had trained him well, though.  He had messed up once, but he wouldn't do it again.

Ihy approached Daniel and put his hand under the man's chin, raising it slightly.

"I'd prefer you didn't do that," Daniel stated.

Ignoring the comment, Ihy proclaimed, "Yes, you will make a good host.  My mate will be pleased to have a specimen like you to ... play with."

"Your mate?" Daniel echoed, speaking distinctly and a bit slowly.

Ihy smiled, an expression Daniel was learning to hate, especially since the man's mouth was a bit crooked when he smiled.  Worse, there was something very evil and dark about it.  The archaeologist was also confused.  He wasn't sure if the self-professed god before him was intending to make him his host, or his mate's host, and he wasn't sure if that host was male or female.

~Gawd, this is a bad day.  This can't be real.~

Ihy walked over to the Tempuri warriors who were holding Jack up.  Again, he examined the colonel up close.

"Strong.  He will serve my purpose, and then we will gain his knowledge.  This will be good," Ihy stated.

Daniel yawned, making a loud, disinterested noise, which caused the Goa'uld to turn around, appalled by the action.

"Sorry, but I'm ... bored.  You know, you guys really need a new act.  This is getting very old," Daniel sighed, looking nonchalantly around the room.

"Silence!"

"Yeah, yeah.  Yadda, yadda!  I know.  You don't like my impudence.  How dare I, but I have to do something to stay awake.  I mean, uh, you're just as boring as your mother was," Daniel snarked and then yawned again for effect.

"You will be silent!" the Goa'uld ordered, his eyes glowing in anger as he raised his hand, which was draped with the ribbon device.

"Wow!" Daniel droned as he saw the alien weapon.  "Do you know it's been ... hmmm, let me think ... maybe two months since someone used one of those things on me.  It's really quite stimulating.  You should try it some time.  I really like it.  No one can tell when I'm blushing."

"You *will* be silent," the Goa'uld demanded, pointing the ribbon device at Daniel.

~Yep, definitely one of Jack's bad days,~ the archaeologist thought.  "Uh, excuse me, but I think we've been through this already.  No, I won't be silent, so just get on with it, and ribbon me already."

"Very well," Ihy replied as he activated the device.

Daniel was consumed by agony as he winced from the device's effects.

After a minute or so, Ihy shut off the device, staring down at the sprawled man on the floor.

Daniel raised his hands to his head.  He ached all over and had a splitting headache, which was the usual effect after having been the victim of the device. Mustering all of his energy and self-control, he stretched out, his arms above his head and wiggled his feet as though he'd just woken up from a long nap.

"Better than a massage," Daniel quipped.

**Danny, stop teasing the Goa'uld.**

**Jack!**  Daniel was proud of himself this time.  He successfully managed to stop himself from glancing over at his soulmate.  **Are you okay?**

**I'm fine, Love, and I'll stay that way as long as you don't get yourself killed,** Jack replied, still pretending to be unconscious.

**Sorry.  I'll be good.**  Daniel heard Jack's mental snort of disbelief and smiled, realizing that his lover really was all right if he could engage in light banter like they were doing.  ~We need to get out of here.~

Unfortunately, Daniel's unexplained smile simply enraged Ihy further.  Within seconds, the Goa'uld had reactivated the ribbon device.  When he turned it off, Daniel ignored his personal distress and simply shook his head and gave Ihy the same look that a parent would give a child who had just profoundly disappointed them.

**Daniel, so help me, if you don't stop snake baiting, I'll start,** Jack warned sternly.

**Sorry, Love.**

~Better.~  Sensing his soulmate's sincerity, Jack relaxed a little.  He knew that his threat of trying to draw attention to himself would curb Daniel's natural impulse to goad the snakeheads.  **Status report!**

**The Tempuri leader is a Goa'uld named Ihy,** Daniel answered.

**Don't know him,** Jack responded.

**But you knew Mom.**

**Mom?**

**Hathor,** Daniel explained.

**Peachy,** Jack sighed.  **What's this Ivy's gimmick?**

**Ihy, and he's usually depicted as a naked boy, wearing a menet necklace and carrying a sistrum; that's a musical instrument usually used in the celebration of Hathor's ... parties, especially where the erotic and fertile are concerned.**

**Great.  He likes orgies.  Daniel, we're on the clock here,** Jack replied anxiously.

**Sorry.  In the Book of the Dead, he's referred to as the 'lord of bread' and is 'in charge of beer'.**

**Beer?** Jack laughed mentally.  **So, like Mom, sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll?**

**Basically, though music and dance are really his niche,** the Egyptologist confirmed.  **By the way, he wants me for a host and you to be First Prime.**

**Sweet,** Jack snarked.

**He knows who we are; called us by name,** Daniel reported, still lying on the floor, waiting to see what the Goa'uld would do next.

**Hasn't our fifteen minutes of fame stopped yet?**

**Apparently not,** the younger man replied.

**Does he know we killed Mom?** the older man queried.

**I told him; he doesn't seem to want to believe me,** Daniel answered.

Seconds later, the couple's attention was diverted from their non-verbal conversation when Ihy commanded, "Prepare them!"

**This is so not good,** Jack whined.

**We're just having a bad day, Jack.**

**You keep stealing my lines,** the colonel spat playfully.

**It's what you get for hanging around me so much,** Daniel replied as the Tempuri began to drag him away.

As Jack, too, was dragged away, he pretended to rouse, no longer believing he needed to pretend to be unconscious.  Besides, his knees were being banged against the floor, and he didn't want to risk them being hurt in case he and Daniel needed to make a run for it.

====

Jack and Daniel were forced onto tables, each restrained by Tempuri warriors who held their shoulders down.  They had a view of the bland ceiling above them and the guards that continued to aim weapons at them.  Being outnumbered, the lovers could only settle in and wait for an opportunity to fight back.

**I love you,** both men silently communicated at the same time.

Helplessly, the two watched as other Tempuri entered the room.  They feared their lives were about to change for the worse.  Now, Daniel couldn't help himself.  He looked at his lover, and saw Jack was already looking at him.  Whatever happened, they'd go through it together.

**Jack, I don't want to be snaked.**

**We need a plan,** Jack responded.  **We could ...**

**... make a run for it and just not stop, no matter what,** Daniel spoke, completing his lover's thought, his eyes relaying the depth of his desire.

Jack saw the deep emotion in his lover's blue eyes that always conveyed what was in his soul.  Being snaked just wasn't acceptable, no matter what the cost would be in preventing it.  He felt the same way.
 
**No matter what.  It could be very unpleasant, Angel.**

"Ah, my mate," Ihy stated as his partner entered the room.  "We are ready for the implantations."

The lovers were running out of time, and they both knew it.

**Jack, I think I left the lights on at home.  We need to go, or we'll have a horrible bill next month,** Daniel stated mentally.

**It's coming out of your salary,** Jack responded.

**Stingy.**

**You're the light-happy person,** Jack replied.  Growing serious, he added, **Danny, we can't stop, not for anything.  If we let up, they'll make it worse.**

**Once we start, we keep going until ...**

**Until,** Jack completed with a very slight nod.  ~Until we get out of here, or our forever begins in another phase, whatever that may be.~

**I love you, Jack.**

**Forever and always, Angel.  Ready?**

**Ready!**

***Go!**
 
As one, the two leaped upwards, their flailing limbs kicking and pushing away the guards nearest to them.

Jack was closest to Ihy and had the distinct advantage of surprise.  The Goa'uld had hesitated, apparently stunned at the audacity of his captives.  Even as the Tempuri began to fire on them, Jack launched himself at the alien leader and managed to snap his neck.  Looking up, he saw Daniel caught in the throes of the ribbon device held by Ihy's mate.

"No!" Jack shouted, drawing the Goa'uld's attention.  A second later, he was on the receiving end of the ribbon device.  ~Oh, this is just swell.~

**Jack!** Daniel exclaimed as he struggled to sit up.

Daniel looked at the Tempuri, who were gazing at Jack and the Goa'uld.  They seemed dazed and uncertain as to what they should do.  Seeing that one of them was standing just a few feet away and without stopping to think, he stumbled over and grabbed the weapon from the warrior.  He took a breath, aimed for the head of the Goa'uld, and fired, downing the Goa'uld host.

The agony surrounding the colonel ceased, and Jack's sole thought was for his lover.  Then he quickly lost consciousness.

**Jack,** Daniel called out as he stumbled over towards his lover and cradled the limp body in his arms.  "Jack.  Come on, Babe, look at me," he spoke aloud.

Carefully, Daniel examined his lover's body, his breath hitching when he discovered that Jack had been shot in the shoulder.  Fortunately, it didn't look too bad.

"Daniel!"

Surprised to hear his name, Daniel looked up to see Sam and Teal'c running towards him, followed by members of both SG-2 and SG-3.

"He's been shot ... and ribboned," Daniel explained.

"As have you, DanielJackson," Teal'c stated, seeing the burn mark on his teammate's forehead where the ribbon device had been aimed and also the injury on Daniel's left arm where he'd been grazed by a laser beam.

"Daniel, what happened?"  Sam looked around at the Tempuri warriors who had slumped to the floor once Ihy and his mate were killed.  She walked over and examined the nearest one.  "He's alive."

"Maybe they were under some sort of mind control," Daniel stated.  "They, uh, they appeared ... dazed after Ihy was killed."

"It is possible the Goa'uld used one of the mind control substances they have at their disposal," Teal'c stated, looking at Daniel and silently asking permission to take Jack and carry him back to the Stargate.

With a nod, Daniel stood.

"Secure this area, and check on the rest of the Tempuri," Sam ordered the other SG teams.

Leaning on Sam for support, Daniel and the team headed for the Stargate.

====

"Daniel, he'll be fine.  It's a small wound.  Get some rest," Janet urged early that evening after operating on the colonel's shoulder.

"I'm fine, Janet.  He'd stay for me," Daniel replied.

Janet knew that was true and wondered why she had even tried.  After all, she had been at the lovers' wedding and knew first hand about their devotion to each other.  Even before that, she'd learned years ago that the two couldn't be separated, especially when one was injured.

Now, the physician had done what she could, giving the two some privacy by putting Jack in 'Daniel's bed', the one he normally used when injured and giving the archaeologist 'Jack's chair', the most comfortable chair they had in the infirmary, second only to her desk chair.

A couple of hours had passed since that conversation.  Janet walked over again, did a quick check on the colonel, and then began to close the curtains, knowing the injured man would wake soon.  She'd also been continually checking on Daniel, bringing him food and coffee to keep him going during his vigil.

"Any time," the physician whispered to Daniel, patting him on the shoulder and then making sure the curtain securely protected the lovers from the view of the cameras and other prying eyes.

A brief a few minutes later, Daniel heard a groan.  Instantly, he leaned forward, looking for confirmation that he had really heard the sound.  He got it just seconds later when his husband slowly moved his head from side to side.

"Jack, it's okay," Daniel spoke softly as he stood and moved to sit on the side of the bed, using his left hand to caress his soulmate's cheek.

"Danny?"

"Right here."

"Oh for ... geez.  Crap, that hurts," Jack moaned as he tried to sit up.

"You can't do that yet, but Janet said it's a minor injury."

"Oh good."  Jack focused on Daniel for the first time, the fog beginning to clear from his mind.  "What happened with that Goa'uld?"

"You killed Ihy, and I managed to get his mate," Daniel answered.  "Uh, Sam and Teal'c arrived with the troops just in time, too."

"What about the Tampon people?"

Daniel chuckled, knowing his lover was truly on the road to recovery now that Jack was butchering their names.

"Apparently, they were under the influence of some hypnotic spell.  Janet found a drug that would make them susceptible to outside influence.  When you killed Ihy, they wavered, and after the mate died, they collapsed."

"How 'Star Trek'," Jack quipped and then groaned.  Seeing his lover's concern, he smiled and said, "No worries.  I just moved."

"No moving," Daniel ordered teasingly.

"Right.  Are we sure about the drug?"

"I think so.  SG-9 is doing a recon of the planet, and SG-2 and 3 are still there interviewing them, but I saw them, Jack.  They looked lost after Ihy died.  I, uh ... I think they were victims," Daniel opined.

Jack smiled, but then grew serious as he observed, "You have a sunburn, Danny."

"It'll go away."

"You did good."

"We did well, Jack.  One way or the other, we were ..."

"Always, Love."

Daniel leaned down for a sweet kiss and then, his lips just barely apart from his lover's, declared, "I love you so much."

Pain or no pain, Jack needed to feel his husband, so he slowly reached up touch his lover's face and caress his cheeks.

"Geez, what you do to me," Jack replied before they shared another kiss.

After chatting for a few more minutes, Daniel stated, "I'd better tell Janet it's okay now."

"She'll want to know I'm awake so she can poke needles in me," Jack groaned.

"She knows you're awake, Jack," Daniel chuckled.  "She's the one who closed the curtains."

"Then I guess she can prod a little."

Daniel drew back the white curtain and got Janet's attention.  She immediately came over, a broad smile accentuating her petite frame.

"Had a little accident, did we, Colonel?"

"Just having a bad day, that's all," Jack replied, wincing after he made the mistake of moving his shoulder.  Then he looked at Daniel, though, and smiled.  "Actually, Doc, it hasn't been such a bad day."  He smiled as he looked over at his soulmate.  ~Look at him, My Angel.  How can any day that I have him in my life be a bad day?  Geez, I love him.~

====

"Please, can I go home?  Janet, please."

The whimpering was expected, yet somehow still effective.  The Chief of Medicine particularly thought the colonel's use of her name was a nice touch.  She'd known all along that she was going to give in.  As a diminutive woman in a large man's military, she just had to maintain a semblance of ‘Napoleonic' despot.  She would never get any of her orders followed, if she slipped.

Jack was begging Janet, trying the whine tactic, sweetening it with the use of the doctor's given name.  Saying 'please' had never been his forte, but he thought it might melt her defenses.  He looked at Daniel for additional help, and when Daniel turned his eyes on the diminutive doctor, he knew he'd won.

It was almost midnight, and the physician was herself about to call it a day, a very, very long day.  Jack's surgery had been minor, and the outpatient method of treatment was being used for much more severe situations than that these days.  Besides, she had a hunch that the couple would be driving the night shift personnel crazy if she didn't give in and let them go home.  After all, the twosome had dealt with much worse than this before.  This was, Janet mused, one of the colonel's pieces of cake.

Janet could easily give in on this one, without losing her commanding presence.  Plus, her patient would think that he and Daniel had put one over on her, allowing her to put her metaphorical foot down when necessary and with little argument from her two most frequent infirmary guests.

"Fine.  Daniel, you need to keep him quiet, and I mean quiet, no physical activity whatsoever, for the next twenty-four hours."  Janet tried not to laugh.  ~Like that's going to happen, but I have to at least pretend to believe they'll behave.~

Both men tried and failed to look innocent.  Janet shook her head, knowing exactly what they'd be up to when they got home, no matter how many times she warned them against it.

"You'll have to keep that shoulder dry for at least three days, Colonel, and I want to see you back here the day after tomorrow."  As the two men nodded enthusiastically, she laughed.  "Go on.  Get out of here."

====

Daniel left Jack's truck at the SGC and drove them home in his sporty silver car, arriving sometime after 1 a.m.  With care, he helped his husband inside the house.  Once behind the closed door, they fell into each other's arms.

"Gawd, that was too close," Daniel sighed as he held his husband in his arms, his hold tight, but still mindful of his soulmate's injury.

"But we're here, Angel, and all's well that ends well," the older man sing-songed lightly.

"I need you, Jack."

"Need you too, Love," Jack replied.  "Let's just say a quick hello to the girls and then go upstairs."

After making sure his soulmate was seated comfortably on the sofa, Daniel let their precious beagles inside.  Immediately, Bijou and Katie leaped all over Daniel, giving him lots of loving kisses.  Then they ran over to greet Jack.  Somehow, they sensed his condition, both dogs being very careful and not jumping on him frantically, as they'd done with Daniel.

"They're smart," Daniel said with a smile as he watched.

"Bij, we're fine, but we've had a long hard day, and we really need some private time, so how bout you and Katie wait here for us?  We'll leave you a new treat," Jack suggested, nodding at his lover, who went to the kitchen and returned with two new bones for the girls to enjoy.

The beagles happily took possession of their bones and hurried over to their beanbag.

"Sounds like they agree," Daniel chuckled.  Helping his lover up, he warned, "Jack, you have to let me do all the work."

"Okay," the older man agreed.  ~I'll just watch your sexy body being all sweaty and ... sexy.~

====

Upstairs in their bedroom, Daniel helped Jack to strip and climb into bed.  Jack watched Daniel undress, his eyes never leaving his lover's body.  It had been too close today, and they both needed to ground themselves in each other, to reassure themselves that they were still in one piece.

Jack and Daniel had always been like this.  Somehow, their physical union made them feel safe, convincing them everything was okay, that they had survived the trauma of the day.  Even if one of them was injured, they needed the contact.

Daniel took the lead, and the two men made slow and tender love, reassuring each other of their nation of two.  In their aftermath, they continued to touch and fondle, caresses of love and safety continuing to be exchanged between them.

====

Close to 4 a.m., Daniel went downstairs to make a snack.  He saw the beagles and smiled.  He loved them both so much.  Pausing, he kneeled down to pat them for a couple of minutes.  He was still smiling as he proceeded into the kitchen to prepare the desired snacks.

Once the goodies were ready, Daniel walked towards the stairs, stopping before going up them.

"Girls, if you want to come up and snuggle now, it's ... safe."  Daniel chuckled, seeing the wagging tails as the girls stretched, obviously intending to take him up on his offer.  ~They're so cute.~

--

Jack smiled when he saw Daniel return with his comfort food -- a bowl of Froot Loops.

"Hey, I thought we were all out of the Loops!"

"I have a secret stash, just for special occasions," the archaeologist admitted.

"You stash my Loops!" Jack asked incredulously.

"Sometimes," Daniel affirmed with a grin, handing Jack the bowl full of his favorite treat.

Jack would never be out of his favorite cereal, just as Daniel knew his Silver Fox would always make sure his favorite St. Julien wine was in the house.

"Uh, it's probably not a good idea to eat lying down," the younger man pointed out.

"Nah.  We're just snacking," Jack refuted, popping a single Froot Loop into his mouth.  Hearing the patter of little paws, he looked up and grinned, seeing Bijou and Katie peeking in.  "Get up here, you mutts!" he ordered.

"What took you so long?" Daniel chuckled as the dogs wagged their tails wildly.

The beagles eagerly ran in and jumped onto the bed.  Katie put a paw on Jack's abdomen, her eyes asking a question.

"Come here," Jack said, putting his beloved cereal on the nightstand so that the dog would have plenty of room.  ~Froot Loops are great, but our girls are the best.~

Gingerly, the youngest beagle assumed her favorite position, which was also Daniel's, resting her head against Jack's chest, listening to the heartbeat that meant life was good, and they were all safe.

Bijou didn't wait for permission, cuddling up atop Daniel's chest just as soon as he put his cheese and crackers on his nightstand.

"So much for our snacks," Daniel chuckled.

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Jack replied, making a funny face at the youngest beagle.

"Not ever," Daniel agreed as he rubbed Bijou's floppy ears.

The two men chuckled as the Jackson-O'Neill's cuddled together, making jokes and plans for the next day, which probably wouldn't 'start' until the afternoon, considering the current hour.

====

When the lovers finally settled in to get some sleep, it wasn't until almost 5:30 a.m.  They were exhausted, but they were together, which meant they were happy.  Suddenly, just as he had been about to drift off to sleep, Jack let out a chuckle, realizing they were about to go to sleep at about the same time they had awoken the 'day' before.

"You know what, Angel?"

"What?" Daniel asked, letting out a yawn afterwards.

"I was wrong."

"That's a first," Daniel teased.

"Hush.  I'm trying to be serious here."

"Sorry.  Wrong about what?" Daniel questioned.

"The last twenty-four hours wasn't a bad day at all.  How could it be, when we're like this now: you, me, and our girls together.  It was a good day, Danny, a darn good day."

Daniel nodded as the two gazed into each other's eyes.

"I love you," both men said at the same time.

"Woof!" both Bijou and Katie added softly, earning tiny chuckles from their humans.

Daniel gently kissed his husband, his last thoughts of the night not of all that had gone wrong in the last twenty-four hours, but rather of all that had gone right.

~Geez I love this.  Being here, like this, together, makes everything worthwhile.  Family.  My family.~

Happy and content, the Jackson-O'Neills all went to sleep, safe and sound in each other's arms, and paws.

~~Finis - Finished - Done - The End - But is it ever Really?~~