SquidgeWorld Archive

Beach Blanket Blond
Author: Orrymain
Author Email: marciastudley@comcast.net (Feedback welcome)
Author Website: http://orrymain.raikiri.net/fanfichome.html
Category: Slash, Humor, Romance, Established Relationship
Pairing: Jack/Daniel .... and it's all J/D
Rating: PG-13
Season: 2 - immediately before "The Fifth Race"
Spoilers: None
Size: 48kb
Written: December 16-19, 2003, January 9-10, 2004
Summary: Daniel wigs out over an unexpected event, and it's up to Jack to save the day once again!
Disclaimer: Usual disclaimers -- not mine, wish they were, especially Daniel, and Jack, too, but they aren't. This was a whim; all in fun. I don't have anything to do with them legally!
Notes:
1) See notes at the bottom (spoiler type stuff in them)
2) This piece stands alone, but it's a teeny bit of a follow up to my fic "Silver Linings."
3) Thanks to my betas who always make my fics better: Drdjlover, Suzanna who came up with the concept of the Seven Deadly Sins, Sheryl!

Beach Blanket Blond
by Orrymain

Daniel dragged himself through the door of Jack's country-style home.
He dropped his suitcase to the floor and let the shoulder bag and smaller totes slide off his arms. As if walking the last mile, the shaggy haired man laboriously walked over to Jack's favorite arm chair and fell into it.

Jack chuckled, carefully placing his own suitcase and accessories next to Daniel's in the entranceway. He walked to the sofa, and sat on the end closest to Daniel. He shook his head, seeing Daniel's forlorn look.

"I'm doomed," Daniel whined.

"I think it's adorable," Jack tried to say seriously.

"And I think you are out of your mind! WHY did you let this happen?"

"Me? I didn't tell you to lay out on the beach practically 24/7 all week!"

"You could have ... have ... nagged me ... do that possessive Mother Hen thing you usually do, but oh no, you HAD to sit there and let ...," Daniel looked upward, his right hand waving to his head, "THIS happen!"

"Daniel, I wasn't even there most of the time! I was locked up in what should have been a padded cell with a room of lunatics who think they know how to run a military operation. This was hardly a vacation, you know."

"Any other time you would have found a way!" Daniel pouted, his arms folded.

"You knew when we left that this was a business trip. You hood-winked Hammond into giving you time off under the guise of studying ancient sunny children or something ..."

"Children of the sun, and I didn't hood-wink anything. I studied plenty!"

"Yeah, I'm sure you did. Um, now just when did you do that? Was it before or after you developed that little tan line there ...?" Jack leaned over, reaching under his lover's blue shirt.

"Jaaaack! Stop it! This isn't funny. You HAVE to do something!"

"Such as?"

"I have no idea ... but you're the team leader so YOU think of something, and you'd better think of it soon or you'll be going on the next mission without me!"

"Danny, calm down. This isn't exactly a disaster."

"I still say you could have prevented it. You had to have noticed it changing ... the way you're always looking at me," Daniel had meant to frown, but all of a sudden the thought of his lover's gaze made him all warm and soft inside, a smile threatening to come out.

"But I didn't, Love. I swear I didn't. The little we were together we were usually ... in the dark."

Jack grinned at the memory. Daniel blushed knowing what Jack was grinning about. Jack's grin became larger because his lover was so shy about talking about love and sex and yet so bold and daring in their lovemaking, a conflict of character that fascinated the older man. Daniel rolled his eyes, wishing he could hide under a rock somewhere.

Daniel stood and paced the room with his arms folded tightly across his chest. He stopped when he saw his reflection in the patio door window.

"Oh gawd! I look like that horrid movie you made me watch last month."

"Which one?"

"That ... Flash Gordon thing ... that guy had the worst hair. Look at me, Jack! I look like that actor who played Flash Gordon!"

"Sam Jones, and I wasn't fond of how you looked at him, by the way."

"It was a movie, Jack. I'd never seen hair like that before and now, gawd, it's my hair!"

"You batted your eyelashes at the screen when he was on," Jack accused.

"IT WAS A FREAKIN' MOVIE! Oh for ...," Daniel was livid with frustration, jumping up and down in anger but having absolutely no words to express himself except for, "YOU HAVE TO FREAKIN' DO SOMETHING BECAUSE I LOOK LIKE SOME ... SOME ... FREEEEEEAK!"

"No, you don't," Jack tried to approach Daniel to kiss him, but the younger man swatted him away. "You're beautiful, absolutely beautiful," Jack spoke softly.

"I am not. I'm ... a surfer bum."

"A wha...what?" Jack roared?

"I feel like those guys in the sixties movies; those silly, unrealistic bingo bleach ... beach ... bingo ... blanket .. oh, whatever they are that you make me watch!"

Jack laughed again, "Ah, the Beach Blanket Bingo movies, and geez, Love, you make it sound like I nail you down to watch them."

"You do!"

"Do not!"

"Do, too!"

"When?"

"All the time!"

"I don't force you!"

"YES, YOU DO!"

"NOT! Daniel, tell me ... HOW?"

"You hold my hand ... and ... nibble on my ear ... and ... and your hands ... IT'S BLACKMAIL!"

Jack shook his head at his wonderfully irrational lover, "Okay, Tab Jackson, or would you prefer Troy?"

"What I'd prefer," Daniel said walking over and pickup up his luggage, "is to be left alone."

"Whoa there, Blondie!" Jack ran to Daniel, taking the suitcases from him, "Just where do you think you're going?"

"Blondie? BLONNNNDIE? You are so NOT ... let me repeat this ... NOT getting any until my hair is back to normal, and from the looks of it, Colonel O'Neill, that could be ... A ... VERY ... LONG ... time!"

"Come on, Danny. It's not that bad."

"I'M BLOND, Jack! ARE YOU FRIGGIN' BLIND or something?"

Putting his hands on Daniel's upper arms and rubbing gently, Jack tried to calm his love, "You're beautiful, Babe. Don't you think you're overreacting just a tad?"

"I'm WHAT? Aren't you the one who went ballistic only a couple of weeks ago over a teeny tiny bit of," Daniel sighed at his thoughts, "silver-gray hair that," Daniel's eyes softened, his lashes batting, his breath hitching, "makes you look so dang sexy. Gawd, I love your silver hair ... and ... oh gawd, in dress blues. Gawd, I want you," Daniel lunged at Jack, his lips pressing hard against Jack's, his tongue demanding entrance into Jack's mouth, dueling with Jack's.

Daniel had gone from anger to lust in all the time it had taken him to think "silver-gray hair" and his kisses were immediately full of need and raw lust.

"Love you, Danny. You're so beautiful," Jack gasped between kisses.

"I hate you," Daniel moaned, frustrated that he was so enthralled in his lover that he didn't care anymore about his hair.

"I love you," Jack repeated.

"I hate you," Daniel insisted, refusing to lose ground in spite of his lustful tongue, not to mention his hands that were fondling Jack ... or the lower part of body, his pants suddenly bulging from a body part demanding immediate attention.

"Love you," Jack said yet again.

"Gawd, I love you, too. Love you so much," Daniel admitted.

Jack slowly moved the kissing duo to the sofa. Daniel took the bottom position as their make-out session continued. Their lip-lock had gone on for several minutes. Jack had just nibbled that spot right above Daniel's right ear that always sent his lover to another plane of existence, but it was his misfortune to have a strand of the now-blond shaggy hair fall on his nose. Jack laughed, and just that quick, Daniel's plane crashed to the ground.

"STOP! You're laughing at my hair!"

"Love you," Jack tried to ignore his mistake.

"STOP TRYING TO DISTRACT ME YOU ... YOU ..."

"Charming, adorable, sexy ..."

"Grrrrrr," Daniel grunted, "You're trying to keep me from being angry!"

"Sure, and why shouldn't I? It's working, isn't it?"

"Gawd, yes. Come here," Daniel pulled Jack back down to him, their tongues again dancing together in a waltz where each fought to take the lead.

"Jack," Daniel said softly in more of a whine than a normal tone, "I can't go to the SGC like this. I'll be even more of a laughing stock than I normally am."

"Daniel, you're not a laughing anything," Jack responded seriously.

Daniel rolled out from under his partner and stood in front of the kitchen, his arms folded.

Jack sat up, "Danny, you know better ... so does Hammond ... and your teammates .... and so do I."

"Yeah, that's why you listen so well when I'm leading a briefing."

"Danny, come on. Science ... it's not my thing. You know that ... but I do listen!"

"Fine. Then tell me what I was talking about during the last briefing, just before the trip."

"That was ten days ago, and I could ask you the same thing. What was my concern before ... before our trip to P9S-RR2?"

Daniel faced Jack, his face stern, "You were concerned about our tactical position, about going in so open. You said something about the inhabitants moving too stealthily, that they seemed to learn how to handle the rifles a bit too quickly for a group that was supposed to be as primitive as they had led us to believe. You mentioned something about wishing we had air cover because there was so much open land. You said ..."

"Okay. Okay! You were listening."

"Yes, I was. Were you?"

Jack sighed. He hated this. He hated science, but how he loved to hear his lover talk, to listen to the voice that sounded like music to his soul!

"You rambled on about," Jack coughed, "their being like Assyria, with all the symbolism to kings and dictators or something." Jack avoided Daniel's stare. He really felt very uncomfortable. "It was some crazy place not that far from Babylon, got its name from some ... god named Ashur. It was a place that focused on warriors. You said it had connections to Chulak and the Jaffa. You even made a joke about Worf and Klingons which just about had Hammond on the floor in shock."

Jack finally looked at Daniel, who was gaping at him in total surprise. Jack continued, "You said the presence of limestone had something to do with it. Their art featured those limey slabs ... or something. Danny, do I have keep mumbling on about this ... stuff?"

"No. Who knew you listened to me? Usually, I'm just ignored ... or ... worse."

"I do it all the time, Love. I just ... don't like to admit it," Jack smiled. "Look, Daniel, I always try to listen to you. We all do ... even if sometimes it seems like we ... don't quite believe you."

Jack suddenly felt drained, the joke about Daniel's hair having led to a subject he hadn't anticipated or wanted. Silently, Jack went to their suitcases, carrying as many as he could up the stairs.

Daniel had called out to him, but Jack didn't respond. Daniel grabbed the remaining bags and joined Jack in the bedroom. Jack had opened the suitcases and was unpacking.

"I'm sorry," Daniel said with regret, "Sometimes it feels like no one cares what I say. I'm always having to prove myself, even to you."

Jack tossed a shirt into a drawer, "You have nothing to prove to me."

"Don't I?"

Jack faced Daniel, "You don't really believe that, do you, Danny?"

"You didn't believe me about the quantum mirror. I was wounded. I had a freakin' staff blast in my arm, Jack. How the heck did I get that if I hadn't been telling the truth? What were you thinking? That Teal'c had cloned himself and shot me?"

Jack sighed, sitting down at the foot of the bed, "I'm sorry, Danny. It just seemed so surreal."

"With all that we'd already seen? I guess that's what I don't understand ... that it was easier to think I was crazy than to believe there was something like the quantum mirror in existence, even though I had the injury to prove it."

"We ... I ... never thought you were crazy."

"What did you think?"

"Actually, I tried not to think about it, but ... I believed you in the end, even if it wasn't soon enough."

Jack's voice was low; his expression had turned solemn. He hunched forward, clasping his hands together as he sat quietly, almost whispering his next words "I just couldn't make any sense of what you had said. I'm sorry."

As Daniel moved to sit next to his lover, he realized that Jack had traveled somewhere else ... to the mother ship.

He knew Jack believed in him ... well, he was trying to get used to the idea of Jack believing in him, anyway. It was still a bit foreign to the younger man, with his particular history of uncaring and unbelieving people that had surrounded him.

Daniel had been ignored for too many decades to believe in acceptance easily. Daniel also knew that his lover was a man trained not to question but to deal only with facts and orders. But he was learning.

Daniel had to admit that Jack wasn't so quick to act without looking at all the options as he had once been. There was still room for a ton of improvement, but he was better. And, Jack had proven he did listen to Daniel, even while pretending not to.

Now, watching Jack, Daniel's heart ached, because he knew where Jack's mind had gone. He took Jack's hand with his right one, and with his left, he reached around to turn Jack's face towards him, "Hey, I'm right here, Love. We're both alive, and together. Get off that ship, Jack. It's old news."

"Space Monkey," Jack said softly.

This time, Daniel decided, he wouldn't argue, "Yeah, that's me, and I'm here."

"I'm so in love with you, Danny, and I'm so sorry I doubted you."

"Just don't do it again," Daniel smiled, leaning in for a kiss.

Jack brought Daniel's hand to his mouth and kissed it, gently rubbing it against his cheek for a second. Then he stood and continued to unpack. A minute later, Jack spoke again.

"I may not always believe you, but I always believe in you, and I'll keep reminding you of that every time you start to think that you don't matter, or that you aren't valuable, not just to me, but to the SGC. Belief, Danny, it's not always easy. I can believe a lot of things in life, but I don't believe in many people. I do, however, believe in you, and always will."

"I know, Jack. I come up with some off-the-wall theories sometimes."

"You're always right, though."

"Jack, I'm sorry I got so ...," Daniel shrugged, not knowing how to describe his behavior, "... it's just ... this hair. I really hate it. Jack, what am I going to do?"

Jack approached Daniel and pulled him into his arms, "I love you, no matter what color your hair is!"

"I'm not worried about you, but Jack, the Marines ... gawd ..."

"I'll be back in a few minutes. Finish unpacking, okay, Love?" Jack said as he walked out the bedroom door.

"Wait ... where are you going?"

"I'm going to do what I always do!"

Daniel smiled, "Fix it?"

"Yeahsureyoubetcha!" Jack called out as he went hurriedly down the stairs.

"Gawd, I hope so," Daniel sighed as he turned to continue unpacking, nearly shrieking when he caught an image of the platinum-blond stranger in the mirror as he turned.

====

"Danny, Love, I found the solution!"

"Great, but we have to go."

"Go? Go where? Why?" Jack placed the brown bag down onto the sofa.

"General Hammond called," Daniel lamented, his arms folded, as he sat against the arm of the sofa, looking over his shoulder at the bag Jack had tossed onto the couch, his curiosity aroused about its contents.

"We just got home. Geez, we've only been back a couple of hours."

"Well, he knew when we were due back."

"Um, was he expecting you to be here?"

"No, cell phone. I heard the message left for you, and then my phone rang. I ... shouldn't have turned it on. Gawd, Jack. I'm doomed."

Daniel looked like he had just lost his best friend and his dog ... except Jack knew that he was Daniel's best friend and that would never change, and Daniel didn't have a dog.

Jack moved the two feet necessary to stand near his lover. He hunched over and kissed him, his hands cupping Daniel's face.

"You're beautiful, Danny."

"Jack, you're prejudiced ... and you aren't the one looking like a male Marilyn Monroe."

"Whoa? Marilyn? I hope not. You aren't hiding anything," Jack backed away, looking suspiciously at his lover.

Daniel stood, and swatted Jack with his right hand, "You ... geez, stop that, Jack," Daniel couldn't help but laugh, soon leaning into Jack's tender embrace.

"So ... what's the crisis?"

"Military Nincompoops."

"Be more specific."

"I don't know. General Hammond said it had something to do with the NID putting on pressure to gain more control of our missions and anything we bring back. Kinsey is involved, I think."

"You're right. Nincompoop!"

"Anyway, there's a big meeting of the Brass and we both have to go. Gawd, Jack. Look at me!"

"I love looking at you."

"But ..."

"Danny, no one will notice."

"You said you were going to fix it!"

Jack felt like a king again. Daniel was looking at him with those cerulean blue eyes full of hope, trust and faith. Daniel never looked at anyone else that way. Of course, that kept Jack on his toes. It wasn't easy being Daniel's personal Mr. Fix-it, but the older man was definitely not complaining.

"And I can ... but how long do we have before Hammond wants us at the Mountain?"

Daniel sighed, and Jack knew the answer.

"I guess we'd better go," Jack said softly, planting a kiss on Daniel's forehead as they pushed away slightly from each other. "Danny, no one will notice, and if they do, so what? You are gorgeous and sexy ... and mine. You just remember that!"

"Geez, Jack, you make it sound like ..."

"Like what? Like you look good enough to eat? Which ... you do, and which, for the record, I plan on doing as soon as we get home!"

Daniel looked downward shyly. Jack raised his lover's chin with his right hand and leaned in for another kiss, "I love how you look. In fact, you might even think about keeping the color for a while."

"You've lost your mind," Daniel said quietly.

"Again? That makes two just today!"

"Jack! Let's go," Daniel took a breath and walked towards the door.

====

"Danny, you have to get out of the truck."

"I know. Maybe ... maybe there's a secret entrance."

Jack laughed as he got out of the truck and walked to the passenger side, opening the door.

"Danny, people are going to talk. I just opened your door for you."

"Oh gawd," Daniel moved to exit the black truck quickly.

"Just ... grin and bear it, Daniel" Jack said, converting to a more formal tone since they were about to enter the SGC hallways.

Daniel decided to pretend he was back in school. He walked staring at the ground, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone. The two were heading for the locker room to change when Jack noticed the looks his lover was getting.

There were a lot of double takes which Jack had anticipated, people wondering what was different about the leader of the Archaeology Department or if they were seeing correctly, but what Jack hadn't foreseen were the looks of approval.

As they passed by two female civilians, Jack sneaked a glance back over his shoulder. The two were giggling, not in a negative way, but in an aggressive manner. He saw one of them waving their hand to the other as if saying, "wow - now that's hot!"

Entering the locker room, the two changed quietly. Again, Jack witnessed the looks of surprise, but it was the gleam in the eye of John Carpenter that set Jack on edge. The civilian was exiting the shower area, only a towel wrapped around his waist, and Jack couldn't help but notice the reaction of the man's lower half when he caught a glimpse of Jack's archaeologist.

Buttoning the last of his shirt buttons, Jack was about to make Carpenter regret having his eyes popping out of his head, which they definitely were, when Daniel, totally unaware of the other man, casually walked to Jack and asked, "Ready?"

"What? Oh, yeah. Let's go."

Still trying to get his body part in check, John Carpenter couldn't ignore the death stare Jack had given him, but he also couldn't help but smile at the sight of a blond-haired Daniel Jackson either!

====

"People, we have a problem and we need to ...," the General paused seeing Jack and Daniel enter, "Welcome back, Colonel ... Docccctor Jackson? That is you, isn't it, Son?"

"Yes, General. Please don't ask," Daniel said, sliding down in his seat, feeling like the child made to wear the dunce cap in front of the class.

Everyone in the room was staring at him, and Daniel hadn't felt so self-conscious in ... well, since Jack had gotten him to admit on Abydos (the first time) that he didn't know how to get them home.

"Daniel, what ... ouch!" Sam reacted with surprise when she felt her knee get a tap on the shin, courtesy of her CO in a covert operation that fooled ... well, everyone except Sam and Daniel.

"Carter, we're here for a briefing ... right, General?"

"Yes, and we need to get down to business. Colonel Maybourne and the NID are about to make our lives a little more chaotic around here if we don't come up with a darn good argument, and game plan, to keep the NID out of this facility and out of our ...," the General looked at Daniel and shook his head, "hair."

Daniel sank a little lower in his seat as Hammond continued to fill in his lead team members about the situation. They spent 45 minutes doing an initial review and then dividing themselves up to brainstorm and research ideas with any other necessary personnel. When they separated, Daniel hurried to his office, pretending not to hear Sam's call to him.

"Carter, you want some advice?"

"Sure."

"Don't ask!"

Jack smiled, and walked to discuss the situation more quietly with Hammond and a few others in Hammond's office.

====

"Doctor Jackson, would you like me to help you with that?" Joanie Campbell asked.

"Um, sure. Here," Daniel handed her a few papers, pointing to a reference source, "check this out and see if you can find out any information online about any of these names."

"No problem. I'll get right on it, Doctor Jackson," the young blonde headed woman smiled.

In fact, she kept smiling, holding the papers. Daniel looked nervous, dropping his pen to the desk from her intense smile.

"Did ... you have a question, Joanie?"

"Oh ... no ... just wondered if I could do anything else ... for you?"

Daniel's eyes darted around the room, "Um, just that research would be good."

"Can I use your computer, Doctor Jackson? I mean ... this one, right here?" Joanie reached her hand out, accidentally on purpose sliding against Daniel's long currently-blond hair.

"Okay. Fine. I'll," Daniel moved to the other part of his office, "be over here looking up some information if you have any questions."

"Yes, Doctor Jackson," the blonde said seductively, "Anything you say."

Daniel nodded and tried to focus on his work. He was trying to gather support for his view that having relics returned from planets being turned over to the NID right away or taken directly to Area 51 would prove ineffectual in their pursuit of weaponry.

Daniel knew they weren't interested in the cultural aspects, so as he reviewed his list of items brought back through the Stargate over the past months, he concentrated only on those that had proved to be some type of weapon or material conducive to producing a weapon, or was found to be an energy source.

Sliding up as close as she thought she could, Joanie put the results of her efforts on the desk, "This is all I could find, Doctor Jackson."

Daniel moved away slightly, ostensibly to pick up a file folder, "Thanks, Joanie. That'll be all for now."

"Oh, but isn't there anything ... else ... I can do ... for ... you," the sultry civilian asked, again broaching Daniel's personal space.

"No, that's all ... thank you."

Joanie reluctantly left the office, leaving Daniel grateful she was gone. He was sure she was just trying to make him feel better. He felt so conspicuous with his hair the way it was, but he didn't have time to think about it as he was due to meet with Sam and some others so Daniel grabbed a few files that he thought he'd need and headed for Sam's office where the meeting would take place.

"Good idea, Carter," Jack said as he headed for the door.

"Hi, Jack," Daniel smiled, not expecting to see his lover.

"Hi, Daniel," Jack returned the smile, for a moment both locked onto the other, almost forgetting where they were until Jack coughed to break the spell.

"Carter has a good idea about how to roadblock Maybourne."

"Oh? What's that?"

"Techno-babble him to death! He wouldn't last 30 minutes in a full scale doohickey doodad meeting!"

Sam shook her head at her CO, a small smile on her face.

"Right, Jack," Daniel moved to a spot near Sam.

Just then, five others of the relatively small SGC scientific community walked in, including John Carpenter who immediately pushed his way in next to Daniel and was positively leering at him. Daniel was, as always, totally clueless, but not Jack, who postponed his exit for a few minutes under the guise of listening in so he could give Hammond a status update.

Jack was so focused on Carpenter that he didn't notice Cliff Johnson's focus on Daniel ... not until the man hunched over to point out a reference on some papers, his hand brushing against Daniel's and lingering there until Daniel backed his hand away, not even aware of the contact. Jack's eyes widened and he suddenly stood up straight. He wasn't liking the way this day was going at all.

When Carpenter began to lean against Daniel slightly as they continued to study their notes, Jack intervened, "Daniel, a moment of your time, please."

Daniel, not sensing any alarm, excused himself and followed Jack out of the room.

"What?"

"You're totally clueless, aren't you?"

"About what?"

"Nothing. Listen, I have to meet with Hammond. How long is this little shindig supposed to go on?"

"Probably an hour. Why?"

"Meet you in the Commissary after. I'm starved. We haven't eaten all day, in case you've forgotten."

Daniel just stared.

"Daniel, sheez. How you ever survived before me I'll never know."

"Me, either," the young man smiled and then returned to his meeting.

====

Some time later, Daniel walked into the Commissary, which was busting with activity. Sam and Teal'c were seated at SG-1's favorite table. Sam smiled and waved him over. Daniel acknowledged her, but headed for the counter first to grab a coffee and a pastry.

"Daniel, is that you?" grinned Ferretti, who was standing nearby with a group of Marines.

"Nah, I'm just a figment of your imagination," laughed Daniel, trying to shrug off any discomforting reminder of his change of hair color.

"Come over here and let me introduce you to a friend of mine. Casey Hemmings, Doctor Daniel Jackson, our resident genius."

"Lou, you're beginning to sound too much like Jack," Daniel said shyly before turning to the friend. "Casey," smiled Daniel, reaching out his arm to shake the man's hand, "I hope Lou isn't filling your head with too many misconceptions."

"Hello, Doctor Jackson, I've heard a lot about you. You're quite the legend around here. I doubt Lou could exaggerate too much, from what I've heard."

"Don't listen to anything they say," Daniel grinned, "It's probably all in their minds."

"Hey, I speak as I see it, Doc," laughed Ferretti, "and on that note, I have to get back. See ya later, Casey. You, too, Doc!"

Ferretti walked out of the room, leaving Daniel and Hemmings alone together. Daniel wanted to go over and speak to Sam and Teal'c. but didn't want to appear rude since Lou's friend seemed to want to chat.

"So Doctor Jackson," Hemmings said. "I must say it's much nicer meeting you in the flesh. The stories don't do you justice."

"Stories?" murmured Daniel in surprise.

"Well, quite a few of the nurses here seem to have a crush on you. I can see why," Hemmings' eyes stared intently at Daniel, "That's a nice tan. Is there a beach around here I don't know about?"

"Um, no. I had a ... business trip recently, but I did manage to catch some sun while I was there." Daniel wanted to change the subject so he quickly continued to speak, "Welcome to the SGC by the way ... and how do you know Lou?"

"I'm a nurse and I've known Lou for years now. We used to hang around together when we were younger."

Hemmings had slowly moved closer to Daniel, threatening to enter his personal space, and in fact, he had his hand on Daniel's arm as they talked.

Daniel liked the man and felt he had a genuine air of friendliness about him. He enjoyed their conversation as they visited for a while.

====

Jack had just been to Daniel's office to look for him and having no luck there, he wandered down to the Commissary. As he entered, he waved at Sam and Teal'c and then glanced around the room. He caught sight of Daniel, who was in conversation with a man he didn't recognize. The man was tall and dark with an air of confidence about him. What he also noticed was that the man had his hand on Daniel's arm, a big no no in Jack's book.

Jack had his own version of The Seven Deadly Sins, honed from ... months ... of experience, beginning with their relationship as "best friends" and now as lovers! Each had been culled from some event, from someone else's "advances" on Daniel. If people knew what was good for them, they'd pay heed to the Jack O'Neill version of the sins:

Thou shalt not be tall, dark, and handsome ... period!
Thou shalt not laugh too hard at my beloved's jokes!
Thou shalt not let thy gaze linger for too long on my beloved!
Thou shalt not stand too close to my beloved!
Thou shalt not harbor secret lustful thoughts about my beloved!
Thou shalt not touch my beloved in any way without prior permission!
Thou shalt not make a move into MY territory!

Jack reviewed his list. While he might not be able to control the tall, dark and handsome factor, he could control those who sought to invade his lover's personal space, space that had only one name on it: Jack's!

Jack swept over to the two men with a smile on his face and a gleam in his eye. He walked up to Daniel and grasping his other arm, he swung Daniel around.

"Hey Daniel, I've been looking for you."

If Jack could have done it, he would have patted himself on the back for a job well done. Not only had he pulled Daniel from the touch of the infiltrator, but he'd done it without Daniel knowing his motivation or making a scene and yet, looking at the young man, Jack noted the message had been received.

"Well, you've found me," Daniel smiled.

They'd only been apart for a short while, but he'd missed Jack.

"So are you going to introduce me?" Jack inquired.

"I'm sorry. Jack, this is Casey Hemmings, a friend of Lou's. Casey, Colonel Jack O'Neill."

"Nice to meet you, Colonel," smiled Casey, shaking Jack's hand.

"Nice to meet you to, ah, Hemmings."

"Casey will do just fine."

"Well, Hemmings, Daniel and I have some stuff we have to go over with the team. You know, doohickeys and squiggly lines, et cetera. It was nice meeting you. Come on, Daniel."

"We do? Oh, okay. I'll see you later, Casey," he said as he half walked and was half dragged over to the table.

"Count on it," mumbled Casey under his breath, deciding to ignore the warning glance he thought he had gotten from the Colonel.

"He's a Colonel. I must be misreading," Casey thought to himself as he watched Jack and Daniel walk away. "That Daniel is a looker, and I love that hair. Watch out ... Doc ... Casey has come to town!"

Jack and Daniel took their spots at the table. Jack was across from Daniel, next to Teal'c, while Daniel was next to Sam.

"What was that all about Jack? I didn't know there were any translations outstanding. Besides, aren't we supposed to be working on the NID thing?"

"There aren't," muttered Jack. "I just thought it would be nice for the whole team to sit down together for once. We've all been busy doing our own stuff for ages. Time to catch up."

"Hi, Sam," Daniel said, "anything interesting been happening while we were gone?"

"Nothing to write home about. It's been pretty quiet actually. We missed you both though; it wasn't the same here without you."

"Shucks, Carter, who knew you could be so sappy," laughed Jack.

Jack leaned back in his chair and observed Daniel. The man was like a god -- bronzed, with rippling muscles. The blond hair just set it all off. Jack realized his "eye candy" thoughts were affecting his lower body. Quickly, he reeled in his silent ramblings, but he hoped he and Daniel didn't have to be at the SGC for much longer. He wasn't sure he would last if the day didn't end soon.

As he looked closer, Jack noticed that Sam had her hand on Daniel's neck and was twiddling with the hair at the nape of his neck absentmindedly. The older man fidgeted, almost reaching across to stop the action, but he decided against it. His lower body was still a bit too ... involved ... for movement as yet.

"Geez! Has everybody got the 'I need to touch Daniel' virus today?" Jack wondered silently.

Thirty minutes later, Teal'c excused himself to get back to his assigned task.

"We probably should get back to work," Sam admitted, staring at Daniel. "You know, I really like it, Daniel."

"Gawd, Sam, don't even talk about it. I hate it."

"Yeah, but it's different," Sam took her hand and ran her fingers through the shaggy hair, "and I love how it feels. And besides, it brings out your eyes more."

Jack was on the edge of his seat. Sam's fingers were on Daniel's forehead, still walking through the hair, playing with it, pushing it to one side, and then the other, all on the pretense (in Jack's mind) of touching the silky strands.

"Carter, don't you have SOMETHING to do somewhere ELSE?"

"Jack? What's wrong with you?" Daniel asked, still clueless about the lure of the blond hair.

"Nothing, Daniel," Jack whispered, "I just love to watch my 2IC being intimate with my lover."

Sam spit out the coffee she had just imbibed, and Daniel shouted, "WHAT?"

The entire personnel in the room turned and looked.

"What? What?" Jack shrugged his shoulders, seeing the two incredulous looks.

"Jack, get a grip and remember where we are!"

"I know exactly where we are. Do you ... Captain?"

"Yes, Sir. Sorry ... what was I doing?"

"You were being ..."

"Jack," Daniel warned, his piercing eyes saying more than words could.

"Just ... keep your fingers to yourself, Captain. We need to get back to the reason we're here, and it's not so you can ...," Jack stopped just in time, and redirected his comments, "spend the day in the Commissary. Let's go!"

Daniel rolled his eyes and exchanged shrugs with Sam as the trio went about their business.

====

Jack had just come from the General's office. They had one more hour and then everyone would gather for a final briefing to see what their plan of attack would be. As he made the way down the hallway, towards the infirmary, Jack saw a large group huddled together. There was a lot of laughter and commotion.

As he advanced, he saw his 2IC on the fringe of the small crowd of eight or nine.

"Carter, what the blazes is going on?"

"Oh, hi, Sir. Daniel had a little problem the soda machine."

"Huh?"

"Take a look, Colonel."

Jack moved closer, walking through the group, "DANIEL! What the heck did you do now?"

Daniel sighed. This was definitely not one of his brighter moments. He had tried to laugh it off with those gathered around, to joke and tease and act like it was nothing, but what he didn't need was Jack's criticism at the moment.

"I was trying to get the can out of the machine. It got stuck."

"So you reached in to get it?"

Daniel nodded.

"Give him a break, Jack," Lou jostled, returning to the group with some tools, "We'll have the Doc freed in a jiffy."

This particular machine was located just outside the infirmary, and Daniel had come down to ask Janet about her involvement with one of the relics they had brought back last year, one that had ended up emitting a radiation that had caused several SGC workers to become sick for a time. He decided to get a drink, inserted his money, but when the can didn't eject all the way, he had reached his right hand inside. He took hold of the can only to discover he couldn't remove his hand. It hadn't taken long for passersby to stop.

"Don't worry, Daniel, it'll only take a minute," Casey Hemmings said.

Jack's feathers ruffled as Hemmings touched Daniel on the shoulder.

"That'll be all, Hemmings," Jack moved forward, his Colonel wings demanding attention!

"But, Sir ..."

Jack glared, blood pressure having risen tremendously during the course of the day at the SGC, "DISMISSED!"

Hemmings practically jumped, dropping the tool he held and fled in fear. Jack turned, his Special Ops self on the surface. One look to each of the assembled personnel had them scattering within seconds. Sam flinched, but held her ground even after Jack gave her an extra long glare.

"Jack, you going to help here, or what?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry," Jack said, bending over to retrieve the instrument.

Within minutes, Daniel was free of the hand-eating soda machine. Janet checked out his hand.

"Nothing's injured, Daniel."

"Except for my pride," Daniel said sadly.

"It can't be that bad," Janet chuckled.

"Have you looked at me today?"

"I think you look adorable."

"I don't want to be adorable!"

Janet laughed as she jotted down a few notes on the chart.

"How's he doing, Doc?" Jack entered, having returned from a phone call that required his immediate attention.

"He's just fine except ..."

"... For my pride," Daniel whined, not caring that Janet heard him. "You know what's even worse?"

"What?" Jack and Janet asked within seconds of each other.

"I still didn't get my Pepsi!"

Jack and Janet shook their heads.

"I'll get you one upstairs."

"No, I'm not thirsty any more. Gawd, I hate this day."

"Sir, time for the briefing," Sam said, entering the infirmary. "Hand okay?"

Daniel nodded and the three began to walk towards the Briefing Room.

"So, Daniel, you going to leave your hair ..."

"Maybe ..." Daniel said.

"No, he's not," Jack said at the same time as Daniel spoke, causing Daniel to turn and stare.

"I thought you said ..."

"I changed my mind."

"But I don't know ... you like it so I thought I'd ..."

"No, never ... no way. I want you back the way I found you."

"Penniless?"

"Very funny, Daniel."

"Actually, that was Catherine. Then again, I never did get paid until we came back from Abydos."

"Must have been some paycheck, Daniel," Sam laughed.

Daniel shrugged.

"I think you should keep it this way."

"So Carter, bags all packed?"

"Sir?"

"Elmendorf. I'll have the orders ready by the end of the day!"

Sam gulped, "On second thought, Daniel. Don't keep it this way."

Daniel groaned. He was truly miserable. He hated the hair and yet for some reason he had turned into Mr. Popularity during the day. Everyone had wanted to be around him. Then again, maybe they were just laughing at him.

"Yeah, actually Sam, I think I've had about all I want of this experiment."

"Experiment?"

"Yeah -- that blonds have more fun thing. From my experience, it's a false theory!"

Sam laughed as the three entered the room for the briefing. Jack was glad the day was almost over.

====

"Daniel, let's go."

"I'm not arguing, Jack, but Joanie ask if I'd help her with her figures."

"No way, Doctor Jackson. I've seen her figure and she doesn't need any help from you!"

"Jack! That's not what she means, and you know it!"

"Danny, it may not be what you mean, but trust me, it's exactly what she means!"

"Jack, you're kidding me, right? No one in their right mind would want me looking like some platinum ... lunatic."

"I want you."

"I rest my case," Daniel said with a smile.

"Oh you think you're cute, don't you?"

"Not today, no."

"Well, I do, Love and so does everyone we've come into contact with today. We're getting out of here now, and I'm going to fix this little problem!"

"I thought you wanted me to keep like this a while?"

"I've changed my mind."

"Why?"

"Because otherwise I'm liable to commit murder. You wouldn't want that, would you?"

"Jack ... let's go. And you never told me your solution for the problem, not that it matters much about this fiasco of a day."

"You'll see!" Jack chirped as they headed for his truck to go home.

====

"Jack, I'm not so sure this is a good idea. Have you ever done this before?"

"It's this or Flash Jackson!"

"Gawd. Go on. Get it over with!"

Jack laughed as he applied the rich gel to Daniel's hair.

"Count your blessings, Love. At least it's not Grecian Formula."

"Somehow, Jack, knowing it's Clairol doesn't make me feel any better!"

====

"See, it's ... better."

Daniel glared, "Gawd. What a nightmare."

"Danny, it's better than it was, and in a few days, your hair will be back to its lovely brown shaggy self."

"Yeah, but in the meantime, I look like I've streaked it ... or bleached it or something."

"It was that or ..."

"Flash Jackson" both said in unison.

Jack laughed, and finally Daniel did, too. Daniel fell into Jack's waiting arms as their laughter continued. It had been a long few weeks, with Jack's aging paranoia and now Daniel's reaction to the accidental bleaching of his hair, caused by staying out in the sun so much while Jack had been in meetings for a week.

"Jack?"

"Yes, Babe?"

"The next time we go somewhere for any reason, don't let me go out in the sun! Keep me locked up in the dark."

"Now that I can promise," Jack said, as he began to ravish his lover.

Within seconds, any thoughts of aging, hair color, or the sun had long gone. Now, the two lovers cared only about the entwining of their bodies in a joyful bliss that would give both the strength to endure any and all obstacles that may appear, no matter how big or small!

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

Notes: For those unaware, the references to Tab and Troy refer to Tab Hunter and Troy Donahue, two of the most well known fifties and sixties heart throbs who were very blond. Also, in case you missed it, Sam Jones who played "Flash Gordon" is the same Sam Jones who played "Aris Boch" in the SG-1 episode, "Deadman's Switch."