In The Company Of Men (Part 2/3)

by tejas

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/ast/tejas/company002.php
Summary: The NID 'failed' to destroy the quantum mirror. SG1 do a little research with it and learn what might have happened had Nirrti come in ships before the SGC got off the ground
Info: Lots of folks run screaming into the night at the mention of mpreg. From the feedback I've gotten elsewhere, even non-mpreg fans have enjoyed this one. I tried to avoid the clichés and according to my readers, it worked pretty well. The non-con isn't *really* non-con, though the 'perpetrator' thinks of it as such after the fact. There is one scene that might be seen as partner betrayal, but it isn't intentional.

CHAPTER 16

The pit was opening before him and his ghosts were out of their boxes, lining up to push him in. Jack stared out the car window. He wanted to thank Daniel for knowing he needed to get out of the mountain, but he was afraid to open his mouth. He couldn't even remember changing into his civvies. Jack was teetering on the edge and knew it wouldn't take much to send him over it. His mind ran in an endless loop through his pain, his failures, his dead future stretching out before him. He thought he should care but was unsurprised to find he didn't.

"Got anything to drink at your place?" Something in Daniel's voice cut through his fugue and Jack finally dragged his attention away from the passing scenery. His friend drove with uncharacteristic intensity. Daniel had looked like that just before jumping out of the plane over Siberia. He'd seen that look on countless missions. Jack imagined he'd had the same expression when he'd shot out that window on Kelowna. Daniel was heading into danger but nothing short of his death would deter him. He knows I need to forget. Jack felt the pit slide a little farther away. Daniel's in the same boat. He remembered his thoughts in the storeroom. If he made this about Daniel maybe he could get through it. Bury his own agony and concentrate on the man next to him. He could do that. He was good at that. He didn't used to be, which is why Sara left, but Jack had learned a lot in the past few years. He quickly replayed the sounds in his head and tried to make sense of what Daniel had said a moment ago. The man had asked him something.

"Yeah. I think so." Jack was rewarded with a surprised glance and a quick grin.

"Stronger than beer?" He shrugged. Jack really couldn't remember what was there. Daniel took his silence for his answer.

"We'll stop. Dinner? You, um, you hungry?" Daniel's as crap at this as I am. Jack found the thought oddly cheering. He supposed he should wish Daniel had a magic wand that would make it all go away, but their similarity was comforting. He decided they had a lot more in common than most people realized.

"He's going to try and kill himself." Jack blinked. His mouth was running off without him again. At this rate, they'd never let him through the gate again. He'd be spouting GDO codes before the Jaffa could say 'Kree!'

"I know." Daniel glanced over at him then continued in the same soft voice, "I told Janet. She's handling it." Jack nodded. He should have known Daniel would catch on. Jack's head thumped against the headrest. He used the impact to push his ghosts farther away. "Yeah. Dinner." They shared a more comfortable silence for a couple of miles. "Pizza?"

More silence as Daniel watched the traffic as they drove through an intersection. "Chinese?"

"Burgers." Jack considered, very briefly, firing up the grill when they got to his place. "Wendy's?"

"Works for me." Daniel checked the traffic on Jack's side of the car and moved over two lanes. The closest was a little out of the way, but worth it. Their fries sucked, but the burgers were good, if a little odd.

"Why are the patties square?"

"I have no idea." Jack let a small smile loose and shoved the waiting shades farther into the shadows. They were still there, still taunting him with their presence, but, for the moment, their power was diminished. Jack turned back to his window. He had reinforcements now and they couldn't fight both of them.

The litter from their meal decorated the coffee table. They'd cracked open the first bottle of scotch before unwrapping the four triple patty hamburgers. Jack leaned back in his corner of the sofa glass in hand. Daniel was sitting on the floor between the table and the sofa. Jack watched him as he built something with the rest of the now cold fries. Jack had a nice warm glow from slugging back a few shots before dinner. The alcohol dulled his mind and the company kept him focused on something outside himself. And the company was great. Get a couple of drinks into Daniel and he did stuff like this. Beer got him philosophical. Wine maudlin. Liquor, though, liquor was much more fun. At least for the rest of them.

"Whatcha doin'?" Daniel turned and looked up at him over his glasses. Given that they'd slipped down to the end of his nose, it wasn't difficult. Looking through them would have been nothing short of a miracle.

"I'm building a fence, Jack." He enunciated very carefully, not yet slurring his words. Only someone who knew him well would likely realize just how not sober he was. His expression, however, seemed to question Jack's powers of observation and quite likely his intelligence for not being able to see the obvious. He turned back to his self-appointed task.

"Of course you are." Now that he knew, Jack could kind of make out a sort of rail fence-like structure in the semi-circular stacks of French fries around the puddle of ketchup they'd been using earlier. "Afraid the ketchup might escape?"

Again the look like he was a defective three-year-old. "Not ketchup." Daniel paused to take a healthy swig from his glass. "It's that, um..." Daniel stopped, frowning in concentration. "That, umm, thing from," he waved vaguely, "from that planet." Apparently satisfied that he'd fully explained himself, he returned to his construction site. Scarily enough, Jack knew what he was talking about. They'd run into a creature of some kind that, now that he thought about it, did sort of resemble a puddle of ketchup. Only that 'puddle' dissolved anything organic it came into contact with and they'd had to run to get back to gate before they became its next meal. Not to mention all its sisters and its cousins and its aunts who showed up for dinner. Daniel drained his glass and reached for the bottle sitting in front of Jack.

"Whoa, there, Danny boy, don't you think you've had enough for now?" Their hands met around the neck of the bottle. The warmth of the other man's hand startled Jack when he'd been expecting nothing but cool glass. Daniel shifted his position to get more leverage on the scotch and leaned against Jack's leg. He was warm and heavy. Blue eyes stared into his. Jack started to make a joke about what he would and wouldn't do on a first date but it died before he could open his mouth. Daniel's expression was familiar. It was usually directed at a puzzle he'd just untangled. Jack couldn't remember it ever being directed at him before. Then it was gone. The strong warm hand under his flexed and Daniel retrieved the bottle with a jerk and settled back into his own space removing his glasses and tossing them on the table. Jack's hand and leg felt cold where Daniel had been touching him.

"Nope." Daniel sounded suddenly sober. "I can still think." He filled his glass and gestured to Jack's with the bottle. Jack nodded, his numbed mind trying to work out what had just happened. He couldn't shake the feeling that something about their friendship had changed in the past week. That it had changed even more just now.

Daniel leaned back over pressing heavily against his leg again as he filled the glass. Jack was warm again. It spread from his leg throughout the rest of his body, settling somewhere very unexpected. Jack took a long drink from his glass and watched as Daniel shifted over so he was sitting right next to Jack's leg. He brought his glass with him and downed half of it before setting it down a little unsteadily on the table. Jack reached down and clasped his friend's shoulder. Just a friendly hand on the shoulder. He had an urge to do more when Daniel let his head fall gently onto Jack's thigh with a contented sigh. He wanted to resist the urge, but his scotch-muddled brain couldn't find any reason to do so. He moved his hand to Daniel's neck and gently stroked the fine hair with his thumb. Daniel rubbed his cheek against Jack's thigh and placed one hand on Jack's knee while the other arm snaked around the leg he was leaning on. His hand wrapped gently around Jack's ankle where he mirrored Jack's motion.

"That feels good, Jack." Jack wanted to agree with him, but for once his mouth didn't respond. It did feel good. Maybe too good. But that didn't mean he wanted it to stop. Daniel's hair was soft and he was warm and Jack was enjoying the way his body was responding to the unexpected contact.

"What's happening to us, Danny?" He ventured a little further running the tip of his finger around the back of his friend's ear. The hand around his ankle slipped down to gently rub the top of his bare foot.

"Not sure." Daniel's voice was as quiet as Jack's had been. "Do you want it to stop?" His hand was still running over Jack's foot, so maybe this wasn't his way of offering an easy out to his friend. Jack continued his cautious exploration of the area around his hand, never moving far as if this particular place was the only spot he had permission to touch. Touching anywhere else might break the spell.

"No." He decided to risk something new and ran his hand a little up into Daniel's hair. So soft, so silky. "No, I'm good." No lightning bolt and the ground didn't open up and swallow him. He smoothed down the hair he'd mussed and in a bold move ran the tips of his fingers down the side of his friend's face. He couldn't see Daniel's face, but he thought he felt him smile. His cheek and jaw were rough with stubble. Jack realized he found the change in texture amazingly erotic. It had been a very long time since he'd allowed himself to think in those terms about another man. Even then, he hadn't done much more than this. Fear of being caught and tossed out of the Academy had put paid to that relationship before it got off the ground.

Jack wasn't a kid anymore. He'd hurt too much, died too often to let this scare him. Escape total annihilation a few times and something like this didn't faze him. After two snakes in his head, this was easy, so very easy and Jack thought he might just let himself fall.

"Yes, you are." Now he did feel Daniel grin. The hand on Jack's foot moved away and he started to object until he realized Daniel was shifting around to face him. His foot was warmed again by the inside of Daniel's lower thigh and his leg was now partially embraced by a muscular arm. Daniel rested his chin on the back of his own hand and stared up at Jack. "You're remarkably calm about this." Jack just nodded and with newfound confidence cupped Daniel's cheek in his hand.

"It's easy." Noting the raised eyebrow at that comment, Jack added, "This is easy. Us." He carded through Daniel's hair and was rewarded with half-closed blue eyes and a soft almost-moan. "After," he returned his hand to the handsome face of his friend, "everything," he wasn't quite sure how to put it.

"Pain, torture, death?" The soft smile on Daniel's face made the words seem ludicrous, but somehow it fit. Everything seemed to be slotting into place all the sudden.

"Yeah, that." He ran a finger over the smiling lips. They really were an awful lot alike. At least in the things that mattered most. "After that, us is easy." Daniel put his hand over the back of Jack's and placed a chaste kiss in the palm.

"Yeah." He breathed the word into Jack's palm. "Us is easy." His warm breath caressed the place his lips had been and Jack felt a tingle in the pit of his stomach and the warmth below grew. Daniel nuzzled into his hand for a moment, then pulled back enough to clasp Jack's hand in his own, palm-to-palm, resting on Jack's leg. They sat like that for a moment, gently smiling at each other, gazes steady as if seeing the other man for the first time.

Jack finally identified what he'd been feeling over the past few days and it made him smile. This wasn't the time, not when things were still so new and definitely not after as much scotch as they'd had. "I want," he'd experienced the feelings before, but wasn't sure how to say it. He'd had enough trouble getting his point across to Sara.

"Yeah." But this was Daniel. Jack's smile widened. Of course he didn't have to speak.

"But," Jack wanted to say they needed to do this right, whatever this was. He knew what he wanted it to be, but that came with time.

"Slow," came the expected response. Jack nodded. They were in the middle of something and they didn't need the distraction of work. Jack didn't want to be thinking about Lord Daniel and Jonathan when he should be thinking about them. Daniel shifted and heaved himself up off the floor. Somehow he managed to retain possession of Jack's hand. He tugged. Jack took the hint and stood up.

"Slow." Jack agreed. "After it's all," Jack couldn't have held onto a train of thought with a tractor beam. He just wanted to dive into those brilliant blue eyes and never come out. Daniel reestablished eye contact as he raised Jack's hand to his lips. Jack held his breath as Daniel kissed his knuckles before releasing him. Suddenly there were strong warm hands on his waist, pulling him close.

"After it's over." Daniel whispered into Jack's ear and wrapped his arms around the older man, holding him close, running his hands sensuously over Jack's lower back nuzzling his neck. Automatically, Jack returned the embrace, feeling a surge of desire that wasn't entirely due to the pressure of his erection against the other man. He moved against Daniel a little and found an answering hardness. Jack had rarely had a lover who took the initiative. Whenever they did it was incredible. The feeling that someone desired him enough, trusted him enough to ignore his often dominating personality was the most amazing turn on for him. He got tired of making all the moves, all the decisions. His decisions usually risked someone's life. He didn't want that following him into the bedroom.

"Yeah. After." At least he hoped that's what he said. Jack really wasn't certain since there wasn't much blood flow to his brain and what blood was there was at least eighty proof.

Daniel pulled back enough to place a hand on Jack's face and whisper, "Works for me." He moved his hand through Jack's hair until he could clasp the back of Jack's neck, then pulled him close and kissed him. Whatever still functional synapses Jack had left fried in that moment. He opened his mouth and let Daniel in. Whatever the other man wanted was his. He would have signed over whatever was left of his soul in that moment if Daniel had asked him for it. Jack curled his arms up around the other man's broad shoulders. The half-remembered, half-imagined embraces of his youth faded in the reality of the strong mature man in his arms, the well-muscled arms around him. The warmth he'd felt earlier flashed to volcanic heat. He returned the kiss tasting salt, scotch and the faint tang of ketchup. Underneath was a unique something that whispered 'Daniel'. It melded with the heady scent of sweat and musk and Jack feared he might come right then and there.

He was reluctant to break their kiss, but he needed to breathe. "Oh, god, Danny, you're good at that." He panted a little into his lover's neck, unconsciously rubbing against him. His hands gently kneaded Daniel's back and he had to restrain his desire to rip the other man's shirt off so he could feel all that warm skin directly instead of through a cotton barrier. Strong hands ghosted over Jack's ass, their touch becoming more sure with each pass. All their touches had been gentle so far. It was as if neither of them was quite certain how to deal with a partner so near their own size and strength. Jack thought about the leashed power under his hands and how it would feel to be on the receiving end of it. The resulting aroused groan was answered with a deep chuckle that was felt almost more than heard.

"Oh, god, Jack, I want you."

Jack almost couldn't recognize the deep husky voice whispering in his ear. Stubble scratched his face as soft lips trailed kisses soothingly along behind. A hand squeezed his ass, the other gently gripped his short hair. A fleeting thought that maybe he should let it grow a little faded when he gasped in pleasure as teeth closed on his earlobe. A gentle tug followed by tongue and lips nearly sent him over the edge. "Me, too." Slow was overrated.

They stumbled their way to his bedroom, clumsy less from drink than from their reluctance to stop touching. Once inside, Jack let go long enough to close the door only to find himself wrapped up in strong arms that pulled him back against his lover's solid body. "I want to touch you." Jack nodded. He didn't trust his voice. He wasn't really sure he'd be able to muster the dexterity required to work the buttons. Jack turned in his lover's arms and started to undo his shirt but Daniel's hands stopped him. "Let me. Please." Jack traded taking off his own shirt for running his hands over Daniel's shoulders. Jack figured he got the best end of the deal.

Clever fingers made short work of removing the offending cloth and then they were on him. Touching, caressing, mapping his chest, his back, skimming over his sides and down to his denim covered thighs and ass. Daniel's hands left trails of fire burning in their wake. Jack wanted to burn, wanted to be consumed. He couldn't remember wanting anything as much as he wanted this. Taking the tail of Daniel's t-shirt he started easing it up. Once he got the idea across, Daniel took just enough time from his exploration to jerk the shirt off over his head before his hands started driving Jack out of his mind again. Lips found his again and the gentle touches turned urgent, passionate. Jack backed up, pulling Daniel with him, until he found his bed. Hands on his shoulders urged him to sit then Daniel knelt on the floor between his legs.

"Jack," Daniel ran his hands over Jack's legs, kneading his thighs. "I want," Jack leaned down and captured that incredible mouth in a searing kiss. He was right. It does shut him up. Daniel surged up to meet him. Jack scooted back on his bed until he was lying flat with his lover's weight holding him down until they broke their kiss, panting into each other's necks. "I need to," Daniel lifted his head and looked into Jack's eyes. Jack thought he could lose himself in those lust-blackened eyes. "I need to talk to you, to tell you something."

Jack stroked his lover's face, cradling it his hand. Daniel leaned into the caress like a cat. "Tell me, Daniel. You can tell me anything." His comment earned him a dazed smile and another passionate kiss. Maybe shutting him up wasn't the best idea after all.

Daniel pulled back again just as Jack needed to breath. "I need to take care of you," he said in a rush. "To protect you." Jack hadn't expected that. It surprised him, but after a moment, he wasn't sure why it should. Daniel had a deep-seated need to protect anyone he cared about, even when they turned out to be destroyers of worlds. He'd apparently stayed quiet too long. The arousal in Daniel's face started to give way to anxiety. "I know you can take care of yourself, it's just," he licked his lips and seemed at a loss as to how to explain.

Jack smiled and his friend's, his lover's face lost the anxious look. "I get it, Daniel." Jack ran a hand into Daniel's hair and pulled him down for a brief kiss.

"I can't lose you!" Daniel settled more heavily on top of Jack, squeezing him tightly with arms and legs as if by holding him down he could keep anything from happening to him. "I won't lose you." Jack heard the unsaid 'too' and his heart broke for the pain he heard in his lover's voice, the pain so evident in his expression. Daniel usually kept his pain to himself, but he exposed all the raw agony in his heart with those words. Jack twisted his hips a little and rolled them to their sides, legs intertwined.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm too heavy." Jack shushed him and reassured him with his hands and mouth. Anything to remove the anguish from that beautiful face. He decided he was willing to spend a lifetime doing that if that's what it took.

"I love it, Danny, just needed to change positions for a bit." Jack loved the weight on him, but Daniel was heavy and it was easier to talk this way. "You'll never loose me, not if I have anything to say about it." He stroked the silky hair under his hand. "No one's ever wanted to take care of me, before." Another kiss, more touches, "I think I like it."

"I'll always take care of you, Jack." There was that look again, the one that spoke of discovery, of a puzzle solved. "I love you."

Jack finally understood the power this man had over him. He'd been so right. They were easy together. So very easy. "I love you, too, Danny." He closed the small space between them and kissed him with passion, with hunger, with love. As he lost himself in the sensations he felt his ghosts slinking back into their boxes, the locks snicking shut behind them. As long as he had this, they had no power over him. For the first time in what seemed like forever, Jack felt free.

CHAPTER 17

Daniel awoke to what he could only think of as a vicious assault. His head felt like a mule had kicked him, that damned banging coming from somewhere added a stuttering jackhammer into the mix and he was holding someone heavy who was drooling on his chest. He opened his eyes but it was dark wherever he was. Without his glasses he couldn't make out many details in the dim light coming in from what he guessed was a window. About the time he was trying to decide if he'd run across another ribbon happy System Lord and was a prisoner somewhere, several things slotted into place in his sleep-dulled brain. The banging was coming from outside and when he listened carefully he also heard the wind howling around the house. That means it must be tree branches hitting the side of the house. His headache had a definite hangover rather than ribbon device cast to it and it was Jack who was sprawled over him. Sprawled and drooling. He blinked at the silver head as other details registered. Details like the fact that they were both naked under the sheet. Another moment of confusion and the night before flooded back pushing his headache to the background.

A huge grin spread across his face. Jack. Jack said he loved him. Daniel thanked whatever god might be listening for scotch and tightened his arms a little around his lover. He didn't think he would have had the courage to seduce Jack without it. He certainly hadn't planned on seducing him last night, but when he'd leaned against him that time, something told him he wouldn't be rejected. They hadn't talked much about their previous experiences the night before. His grin widened. They hadn't talked much at all. He stifled the laugh bubbling inside. He didn't want to wake Jack. For this moment, Daniel felt completely happy. Almost giddy. He didn't want to do anything that might risk it, even waking the man responsible. A thread of doubt crept into his mind, but he refused to give credence to it. There would be problems ahead, given Jack's career, but Daniel felt certain they could deal with it. That had been all Jack with him last night. The scotch might have broken down their inhibitions enough to act on their burgeoning feelings, but the emotions, the desires had been real. By the time Jack woke him for a second round they were both sober.

"D'n'y?" Jack shifted against him and rubbed his cheek against Daniel's chest. He thought his heart might burst inside his chest. He felt like a kid again, like it was the first time he'd fallen in love. "Wz'at'nz?" Now Daniel did chuckle. He had no idea what Jack had asked him. In all the years he'd known him, all the years he'd shared tents and cells and space in the infirmary, this was the first time he'd ever known the man to not come immediately awake when there weren't drugs involved.

"Jack! You've been holding out on me!" One eye cracked open and stared at him. The other followed it then with a huge yawn his lover stretched exposing acres of skin just begging to be discovered. Rediscovered, he thought to himself. Daniel was certain there couldn't be an inch of Jack he hadn't touched or kissed or licked. He watched his lover waking up and felt his interest wake along with him. "Jack, you've got to teach me whatever language that was." He tried to sound serious, his academic interest peaked Oh, no lover, what I've got for you isn't academic. More laughter bubbled up at the thought. "I might need it one of these days and I know you won't want to," before Daniel could finish, hands that had given him unbelievable pleasure a few short hours ago attacked. Soon Daniel was rolling on the bed, laughing and struggling to redirect Jack's weapons of choice. Being ticklish was a pain.

"Laugh at me, rock boy? I'll give you something to laugh about." Daniel lay on his back, with Jack on top of him. The tickling stopped, but he couldn't stop stray bursts of giggles. He usually hated it when he giggled. It was undignified and people had a tendency to look down on men who giggled, but at the moment he couldn't see any reason to stop. Jack smiled down at him before closing the distance between them for a kiss. Unfortunately, Daniel was still feeling silly and giggled into the kiss. Jack rolled his eyes and plopped down next to him, leaning on his elbow with a mock scowl on his face. "Oh, so now I kiss funny?"

"Oh, no, love." Jack looked pleased with the endearment, which just made Daniel's smile grow. "Nothing funny about your kisses." He traced the line of his lover's jaw with his fingers. "I'm just happy."

"Good. You deserve to be happy." Jack lay down on his side and Daniel turned to face him. Daniel draped his arm across Jack's waist, his lover's arm wrapped around his shoulder as they moved toward each other. Daniel had been half-hard, but the tickling had deflated him. Now he was aroused again. He gave an experimental thrust of his hips and found Jack was with the program. Their lovemaking had been simple the night before. Neither seemed to want to try anything elaborate while they learned each other. Jack had jerked him off twice. He'd done Jack once and gone down on him the second time. It hadn't been as easy as he'd remembered. Daniel had done it a few times before, but that had been in college with his one and only boyfriend. They hadn't been together long but it had been enough to let Daniel know he could enjoy being with another man. He'd just never met any other men who attracted him enough to want to date. Eventually he'd chalked it up to a one off and moved on. Until Jack.

"Are you happy, Jack?" Daniel leaned in and kissed him when he smiled. He tightened his arms around his lover and felt strong arms encircling him. Daniel's hand drifted down to Jack's ass. He squeezed and Jack's cock jerked against him. He pulled Jack closer moaning at the thought of what it would be like to be inside him. Jack's moans joined his when their erections touched. Daniel latched onto Jack's mouth and kissed him deeply, his tongue fucked his lover's mouth as they ground their hips a little clumsily against each other. Daniel wasn't concerned with the lack of finesse. Jack's moans and clutching hands told him his lover didn't seem to mind, either. His need escalated and Daniel rolled them so he was on top of Jack. He looked down at the flushed face of his lover. His lover. His Jack.

Daniel had always felt protective of his lovers, but only with Shar'e had he ever before felt this overwhelming need to possess, to own. He closed his eyes at the thought of his beautiful lost Shar'e, then opened them to his beautiful Jack. He'd never thought he'd love again after she died, but he couldn't deny what he felt for this man. Daniel wanted to show him. He tried an experimental thrust into Jack's belly and was rewarded by a pleasured groan and hands on his hips urging him on. Another thrust and another, sweat slicked their bodies and aided his motion. Daniel tried to find the right angle and pressure to maintain contact with Jack's cock but it wasn't easy. He was beginning to get a little frustrated. Good sex was good sex, but he had to admit that sex with a woman was easier. He started to shift so he could support himself on just his knees and one hand when Jack reached between them and grasped their cocks, holding them loosely together. Daniel closed his eyes and gasped in pleasure at the sensation and redoubled his efforts. Both of them were leaking and Jack took advantage of what was available and slicked them both down. Finally finding a rhythm in the hot slick tunnel of Jack's hand Daniel opened his eyes and looked down into his lover's face. All thoughts of former loves fled and it was just the two of them. Jack lay red faced with his mouth open, his hips rising to meet Daniel, panting and gasping in pleasure. His lover's face betrayed his impending climax and that tipped Daniel over the edge. They came almost together, their cries mingling as they both soaked Jack's stomach and chest. Daniel dropped to his elbows, smearing the mess between their bodies and latched onto Jack's mouth with a passionate, breathless kiss. Shuddering as he thrust through the last waves of his orgasm.

"God, I love you, Danny." Daniel smiled and dropped a kiss on the tip of Jack's nose. He started to move off of Jack but arms held him in place. "Stay?"

"I'm too heavy, love." Jack shook his head.

"No, you're fine. I like it." Daniel settled a little more, letting his legs stretch out feeling Jack's legs on either side. He stayed propped on his elbows, though, not wanting to put his full weight on the other man.

"How's this?" He knew he outweighed Jack these days and much as he loved the position, he didn't want to impede his breathing. This was enough.

"I won't break, Danny." The slight chide in his voice was softened by his hands gently stroking Daniel's back.

"I know, I just," Daniel found it hard to shrug in his position, but he managed something close to it. In the fading glow of his arousal, he felt a little embarrassed by his possessiveness. He wasn't sure how to say it. Wasn't sure if he should say anything about it. At least not yet. In some ways it scared him more than any System Lord.

"It feels," Jack looked almost as embarrassed as Daniel felt, "safe. You make me feel safe." Daniel gazed into Jack's eyes, knowing he probably had a dopey grin on his face. Only one other person had ever said that to him. He'd failed her. He didn't want to fail Jack.

"I'm glad." He kissed him softly. "I want to keep you safe. I wish we could stay like this forever."

"Get no complaints from me." Jack did have a dopey grin on his face. Daniel didn't want to move at all, but he knew he couldn't stay.

"I can't Jack." Jack's dopey post-coital grin faded, replaced with a worried expression. "I'm losing the feeling in my hands." They erupted into laughter and Jack helped him move onto the bed then started to massage the muscles in his shoulders and arms.

"Better?" He moaned in response to the question. Jack was good at this. Daniel foresaw many hours of just letting Jack massage him.

"Have I told you this morning that I love you?" Daniel shifted to his back and ran the fingers of one hand over Jack's face. When he reached his lips, the other man kissed them, then nipped at them playfully before grabbing them and holding their hands against his sticky chest.

"No, as a matter of fact, and I was beginning to wonder if you only wanted my body." Jack's tone told Daniel he was joking, but there was a note of insecurity in his voice.

"Not saying that's not a huge incentive, but yes, I love you, Jack O'Neill with two ells and don't you ever forget it." Daniel tugged his lover down for another kiss and wondered how he'd ever get through another day, another hour, without this. When they broke, the playfulness was gone from Jack's face. He looked serious.

"We need to talk, Danny." Daniel's stomach clinched with fear.

"We can't do this." Daniel barely recognized his own voice. He knew Jack was going to say it was too risky, they'd get caught.

"What?" Jack jerked back and sat up. Daniel knew immediately that he'd screwed up. "What the fuck are you saying?" Jack escaped the bed and started digging through the clothes they'd taken off the night before.

"Jack!" Daniel looked at his lover in shock. He'd never seen him this angry when there hadn't been an alien involved.

"You got what you wanted and that's it? You're done? You don't want this?" Jack found his pants and started to put them on. Daniel followed him off the bed and lunged for him, catching him by the wrist.

"No! I mean yes! I'm sorry, I thought," Daniel was starting to panic. The best thing that had happened to him in almost a decade was about to walk away and it was his fault.

"So, which is it, yes or no?" Jack was still angry, but he hadn't left yet. Just stood there with his pants hanging from his hands. Daniel griped his arm like it was a lifeline. In all the ways that counted, it was.

"Yes!" Before Jack could come to the wrong conclusion about which question he was answering, Daniel continued, "I want this! I want us!" He paused trying to gauge his lover's response to his words. "I can't remember wanting anything as much as I want us." Jack was still angry, but he seemed to be cooling down. "I'm sorry, sorry. I'm just afraid. I love you and need you so badly, I can't believe you'd want me, too." Jack relaxed more and dropped his pants shaking Daniel's hand off of his arm. Daniel nodded to the bed and they sat leaning back against the headboard, but still not touching. "I thought," Daniel couldn't look at him anymore. He felt foolish. "I thought you'd decided it was too risky. That we'd get caught. I thought," Daniel fell silent and looked down over his crossed arms to study the tops of his raised knees. His eyes filled and he knew his voice would break if he said another word.

"You thought I was going to call it off." His calloused fingers touching Daniel's chin followed Jack's soft voice. Jack tilted his head so Daniel could see his lover's face. Jack's eyes were none too dry as he leaned toward Daniel and kissed first one eye and then the other. Resting his forehead on Daniel's he sighed. "Oh, Danny, we will have to be careful, but I'll retire before I give you up." Daniel had no resistance to that and a few tears finally escaped. Strong arms pulled him to his lover's body. He rested his head on Jack's shoulder and sighed in relief. He was exhausted.

"I love you, Jack." Daniel didn't care if his voice cracked now.

"And I love you. As far as I'm concerned," before he could finish, the phone rang. "Damn!" He turned loose of Daniel and grabbed the phone. Daniel straightened up, closed his eyes and rested his head back against the wall. He berated himself for his foolish insecurities and barely heard Jack's side of the conversation.

"We'll be there within the hour." Daniel looked at him and Jack shook his head. "Yes, sir. Daniel drove me home." It had to be the general. "Thank you, sir." Daniel glanced at the window and saw it was still dark out. They'd gotten to Jack's around mid afternoon, so there was no telling what time it was. He didn't have his glasses on, so he scooted over to the edge of the bed to peer at the clock. Four forty-eight in the morning. Daniel groaned. He knew he hadn't gotten much sleep and now his headache was back with a vengeance. He'd already had run of short nights. He was getting too old for this sort of thing. He needed coffee. Daniel flopped face down on the bed while Jack finished on the phone. Taking a deep breath, he smiled. With the scent of sex and the smell of Jack on the sheets he decided maybe he could do this sort of thing for the rest of his life. Jack's hand slapping his ass jolted him out of his pleasant reverie.

"Hey! What was that for!"

"Up and at 'em book boy, we've got to go to work." Daniel followed Jack into his bathroom, still rubbing the stinging spot on his ass. He suspected what was up, but it could be almost anything. Jack didn't sound like it was anything too terrible.

"What's up?" Jack waved Daniel toward the shower as he started preparing to shave. Jack stopped what he was doing, leaned heavily against the sink and just stared down into the running water.

"Doc says he's in labor." Daniel turned away from the shower and went to his lover. He put his arms around him from behind and held him. Daniel pressed a kiss between Jack's shoulder blades and then laid his head down on his shoulder.

"I don't know if I can do this, Daniel." Daniel hugged him tighter and kissed him again.

"You can." Daniel turned him in his arms. "You're the strongest man I know." He kissed him gently on the lips. "And I'll be there. We'll do this together, Jack." His lover put his arms around him and sagged into his embrace. Jack buried his face in Daniel neck. Jack's muffled voice cracked as he spoke.

"You'll stay with me?"

"Always, Jack." Daniel quickly calculated the time. "You know, we'll probably have to go through the mirror." Jack stiffed a little in his arms then pulled away enough to look at him.

"Why?" There was sudden hope in the baffled brown eyes staring at him.

"I suppose we could send them through, but I can't see Janet letting a man who's just had surgery out of her infirmary so quickly." Jack still looked confused. "Cascade tremors. They don't have many more hours here before they start."

"Oh. Oh!" He realized then that it was the actual birth that Jack was most freaked about. He'd told Daniel once that holding Charlie in those first moments was the most amazing thing he'd ever experienced. Seeing Jonathan with his newborn daughter would be a nightmare. Then and there Daniel resolved to make certain they weren't in the SGC when she was born.

"You okay?" Daniel wished he could just drag Jack back to bed and hold him until this was all over.

"Not really, but I'll make it." Jack kissed him and gave him a lopsided smile before nodding to the shower and turning back to the sink. "We've got to hurry if we're going to get there before the shift change. I hate getting stuck in the traffic jam at security." Daniel smiled and ducked into the shower. Jack would get through this and Daniel would be there to make sure.

They managed to beat the shift change even after hitting a drive-through for coffee and something that purported to be breakfast. Daniel spent the entire journey through the mountain wishing for just one more cup, or another kiss, either would do but both would have to wait. They arrived at the general's office as he was hanging up the phone. He waved them in. "Have a seat, gentlemen."

"How's Jonathan, sir?" The sooner they got this part over with the sooner he could get to his lab, or Sam's lab. She usually had a pot going. Or even the commissary. Or maybe he could drag Jack into a storeroom. He didn't really want to fall asleep in the corridor.

"Doctor Frasier seems to think things are going well, but his doctor is concerned. Doctor Frasier thinks that may be because he's not in his own clinic."

"And our other guest?" Daniel wasn't sure if anyone else could see the tension in his lover, but he could. Jack's façade was good, but Daniel knew better. He looked up when the general chuckled.

"After Doctor Frasier threatened to sedate him, he apparently calmed right down and got out of their way." Daniel ducked his head and shifted in his seat. There was no reason for him to be embarrassed by his counterpart's behavior, but he couldn't help it. Daniel already wanted to hover over Jack when he was in the infirmary. He didn't think he'd be able to resist now. He darted a quick glance at Jack who was looking out into the briefing room. "Gentlemen, Doctor Frasier has another concern." Now Jack looked at the General and Daniel pulled his attention away from his lover.

"Cascade tremors." Jack's voice was under control. Daniel had seen him battening down his emotions throughout their drive in. The general nodded.

"Exactly, Colonel. Both doctors are certain that neither one of you are in any danger of contracting Nirrti's virus, but I'd like to wait until after the baby has been tested." General Hammond leaned back in his chair and looked from Jack to Daniel and back again. "I won't order either one of you to do this."

"We'd be happy to go for a visit, General. Delighted, even." Daniel was surprised that Jack had been the one to volunteer, but he wasn't sure why. They'd gone over this. It was the best solution. I wanted to do it for him. Daniel gave himself a mental kick. His protectiveness was already affecting him. He'd have to get a grip and fast. Jack might enjoy it, even want it in the bedroom, but in the SGC, Jack was in charge. This was going to be harder than Daniel figured.

"I thought that would be your decision. Major Carter will be here in a moment for the briefing." The general made eye contact with Daniel and smiled. "Doctor Jackson, why don't you see about getting yourself some coffee, son. You look like you could use it."

"Thank you, General. I could use it."

"Maybe we should ask doc if she'd set you up with a drip." The general chuckled as they rose and headed for the briefing room. Jack and Daniel proceeded on and Daniel bit back the wholly inappropriate comment that came to mind, I thought I did hook up with a drip. He shot Jack a cool glance and the message appeared to have been received because Jack headed straight to the coffee pot and poured two cups. He handed one to Daniel and winked, then headed over to his usual chair. The General was still outside the room speaking with one of the techs from the control room.

"Good morning, Carter!" Sam walked into the briefing room looking almost as tired as Daniel felt. Her BDUs were rumpled as if she'd slept in them.

"Hey, Sam." She greeted them both and made a beeline to the coffee pot herself.

"Carter, you didn't go home last night, did you?" Jack was in full Colonel Nag mode. "You've got to get yourself a life. Oh, wait, you did get yourself a life. You should try actually living it from time to time."

"Yes, sir." She sat in her customary chair and raised an eyebrow at Daniel. Fluent in Sam-speak, he just rolled his eyes and shook his head. Jack had spent years trying to get them both to give up the nights they spent in their respective labs. It rarely worked. Because Jack's time on base was spent marking time between missions he really couldn't understand that they both were doing jobs they loved. Daniel couldn't imagine giving up gate travel to spend all his time in his lab, but he loved the time he did spend working on translations and artifacts. It was fun. Sam felt the same about her reactors and, well, whatever it was she did. Most of the time, Daniel really didn't want to know. He slept better that way. He was about to comment about what astrophysicists did in the privacy of their own labs when the general joined them.

"Okay, people, let's get started."

"General, where's Teal'c?" Daniel looked out into the corridor, but didn't see their fourth teammate.

"Teal'c has gone off-world with SG3, Doctor. Captain Gruber had a family emergency and Teal'c volunteered to fill in."

"Going stir crazy, was he, sir?" Jack seemed a little put out to have been kept out of the loop. The general wisely stepped in to stop the expected tirade before it could get off the ground.

"Yes, Colonel. Consider this your official notice. Teal'c isn't needed for the current situation and he felt he could be of more use off world at the moment since you and Doctor Jackson are engaged in the present situation on base." Daniel couldn't help it. He was taking a drink from his cup when the general said "engaged". He choked and spit coffee onto the table in front of him. He coughed for a moment and waved Jack off when he started to slap him on the back.

"Sorry, sir, I, um, just swallowed wrong." He knew he was blushing and just hoped everyone would chalk it up to his coughing fit. Jack, of course, seemed to be preening. Daniel accidentally bumped Jack's head with his arm as he got up to get a towel to clean up his mess.

He half listened to Sam as she went over the current theories that dealt with the tremors. Went over them in way too much detail as far as Daniel was concerned. He was used to tuning out the stuff that didn't impact on his work or on their likelihood of returning from a mission with the same number of teammates they left with. They needed to tell her, he realized. They needed to tell Teal'c, too. Suddenly things seemed so much more complicated than they had in bed with Jack this morning. No matter how well they'd be able to hide their relationship from the rest of the world, Daniel didn't think they had a hope in hell of hiding it from their teammates. He had no idea how they'd react. He glanced at Sam who was still lecturing and really hoped she was as in love with Pete as she seemed. He knew she'd had a thing for Jack at one time. Jack's mine. Daniel swallowed hard. He had to get control of his, he was honest with himself, his jealousy quickly. Jack had told him about the kiss during the time loops and how that had pretty much ended any interest he'd had in her. Not that he still didn't care for her, but it just hadn't done anything for him.

"Doctor Jackson? Your thoughts?" The general was looking at him. For a brief moment Daniel was eleven years old again and his foster mother wanted an answer to her question. She would go on for ten or fifteen minutes and if he didn't listen carefully he'd miss the poorly phrased question buried in the verbal effluvia she always spoke in. It had been like finding a needle in a haystack. She'd been nice enough, but he really hadn't regretted moving on to the Amberson's when the time came. He sifted through the words he'd been hearing to find what he needed. He certainly had no intention of sharing his recent thoughts with anyone.

"Oh, right. Yes, Ian and Jose along with, um," Daniel searched his memory for the name, "Beecham. He's a servant," Daniel explained, "no, more of a family retainer of some kind. I feel confident they'll likely welcome us once we explain the situation."

"Let's just hope they don't use a shotgun again." Jack still hadn't chewed him out for that. Daniel hoped he'd do it in private. He had some wonderful ideas of how to distract him now. Kissing him senseless probably wouldn't be a good idea in the corridor. Daniel felt himself respond to the thought. No, no, not a good idea at all.

"Jack. Don't start. They were frightened and worried because Daniel was sick. They'll be fine." He turned back to the general. "We should be able to hide out in Daniel's and Jonathan's suite with no problem. We can't afford to be seen by the rest of the household since we don't look exactly like them. Us. The other us." Daniel had a thought. "General, it might be a good idea if Daniel were there when we go through. If they see that he's up and around and not under any duress it might make things easier." General Hammond nodded.

"If the doctors allow him out of the infirmary, I have no objections." He looked at each of them in turn. "Colonel, Doctor, you have a go when and if Doctor Frasier gives the all clear. Good luck, gentlemen."

CHAPTER 18

Daniel sat in his wheel chair and watched Jonathan pace the length of their room and back. He was still tired but his mind was clearer than it had been in what seemed like an age. It was a blessing and a curse. He reveled in being able to think clearly, but it was that ability that let him put the pieces together about what they'd done. What they'd all done. The directionless rage that had seemed to always simmer under the surface was gone, but a new rage took its place. Someone had done this to them. From the doctors told him, there was no way this could be accidental.

His eyes stung as he thought again about his daughters. He hadn't mentioned his suspicions that the extraneous chemicals Devon found in the bearing men's supplements might have killed Melbourne and Elias before they'd breathed their first breath. He didn't think he ever would. Bearing men suffered enough, if he had anything to say about it, that piece of information would never be made public. At least some aspects of the past few years were mercifully vague. He wasn't ready to feel their loss again. But he remembered how it felt to hold his baby daughters and then to watch them fight to live. Their funerals were all too clear. The only thing that kept him from falling apart completely was the hope that if they were one day blessed with another daughter, she would survive. Doctor Frasier had promised to provide them with untainted supplements and he would give her his entire fortune and anything else he could beg, borrow or steal if she asked. He would not loose another child to the monster who'd done this to them.

"Jonathan, please sit down. Just watching you is wearing me out." Daniel rolled his chair to the table that sat in the corner of their concrete room and picked at the remains of his last meal. Jonathan's sat almost untouched. Amid the two hospital beds and all the various pieces of medical equipment, someone had moved a table, chairs and a sofa in with them. He's wondered a little at the collection of equipment on a counter along the wall, but hadn't wanted to ask about it. He'd hated the wheel chair on sight, but after exhausting himself after a few steps, he grudgingly agreed that he wasn't ready to be fully mobile yet. Devon really wanted him in bed, but he couldn't just lie there twenty-four hours a day. Besides, getting in and out of it was exhausting. It was too high and took too much of his pitiful store of energy.

It was very late, or maybe very early, but as tired as he was, he wasn't sleepy any more. Not very sleepy anyway. He really wanted to go home, but Devon had talked him into staying a while longer. They still had quite a few hours before the negative effects of being in another universe with their counterparts became apparent. Daniel didn't like to think of what a cascade tremor might do to Jonathan and the baby. The description alone sounded horrible. These people had experience with this sort of thing and Doctor Frasier assured him they'd be sent home before their deadline.

"I'm sorry, love. I'm just," Jonathan's hands rubbed Daniel's shoulders, "restless, I guess. I can't really settle." Daniel turned his head and rested his cheek against Jonathan's belly. He smiled when he felt their child move inside his husband. Jonathan's restlessness triggered something, but it was part of the general vagueness in his memory and he couldn't be sure what it meant, if anything. Perhaps it would come back to him eventually. Doctor Frasier thought he might eventually remember almost everything.

"Maybe you should eat something. Devon told me you haven't been eating much." Another twinge of memory. Restless. Not eating. He'd been through this before with Jonathan, he just couldn't remember when. It was right there, but he couldn't quite break through the fog surrounding it.

"Not hungry, Daniel." Jonathan came around and sat gingerly in the chair next to him. Daniel missed his warmth at his back. "Daniel? You're thinking. Out with it." Daniel ducked his head, oddly amused at his husband's ability to read him. It was a nice break from the constant frustration he was experiencing as he came down off the drugs.

"Something I can't quite remember. It's nagging at me, but I can't get to it." He slammed his hand down on the arm of his chair. "It's something to do with you pacing." Daniel squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his forehead. This was going to drive him insane. Jonathan pacing. Restless. His eyes flew open and he stared at his husband in shock. Not just Jonathan. Jose walking the floor. Ian wandering endlessly through his studio. Daniel grinned as excitement ran through him. Jonathan stared back in confusion. "Love, are you in labor?" His husband's mouth closed, then opened again, then closed. His expression changed and Daniel's grin grew. He'd seen this same expression on all three of his husbands' faces when they were, as he thought of it, communing with their babies.

"Damn." Jonathan finally found his voice. "I am." Labor for a bearing man wasn't like it was for a woman. Not that Daniel had any experience with pregnant women, but he'd heard the tales endlessly in the past few years. Of all things to remember. I can't remember my wedding to Ian, but I remember the symptoms of labor in women. For men, the symptoms were much more subtle. There wasn't any assistance from their bodies to expel the child when it was time, which is why every pregnant man had a birthing kit in his home and why his doctor often showed up at his doorstep every day during the last weeks. Many were hospitalized during the last month of their first pregnancies since they couldn't always tell when it was time. Some seemed to never be able to figure it out and those either moved to more populated areas or at least checked into birthing centers for their last month or so. Now that Daniel had broken through to that particular memory, other related memories were becoming clear.

Daniel unlocked the wheel on his chair and started for the phone to call one of the nurses. "Jonathan, go lay down. I'll get Devon in here."

"Wait!" Jonathan had already gotten to his bed, but was leaning against it rather than laying in it. "I need to talk to you first." Daniel scowled at him, but turned his chair and rolled to him. His scowl apparently got his point across because Jonathan obediently hoisted himself onto the bed and lay on his side so he could face Daniel. "I'd planned to tell you sometime before," he rubbed his distended belly, "well, before, but then you were sick and Doctor Daniel showed up and," he trailed off, looking embarrassed. Daniel took note of the tension around his eyes and saw that even lying down he was holding himself stiffly. He looked afraid. There was only one thing Daniel could think of that could scare him right now.

"There's something wrong, isn't there." He levered himself out of his chair and took the step that brought him to his husband's side. He took Jonathan's hand and leaned down to kiss him. Not this. Not after everything they'd gone through. They couldn't lose this child. "Tell me, love. Whatever it is, I'll be here for you. I love you so much, Jonny." He had to be strong for Jonathan even though his heart was already breaking.

"No! Oh, god, no, love! The baby's fine." Jonathan smiled and squeezed his hand. "She's just fine, Danny." He felt as if he'd been punched in the gut. Forgetting his earlier hope, the memory of fear for his dead daughters nearly overwhelmed him. He clung to his husband and to the edge of the bed. He didn't trust his legs to hold him up. "Daniel," Jonathan's concerned voice cut through Daniel's whirling thoughts. "Please, hon, sit down before you fall down." Jonathan started to get up but Daniel shook his head and stepped backward until his legs hit the wheel chair.

"A girl?" The reality was sinking in. Jonathan's smile was growing again.

"Yes! A girl! And she's going to live, Daniel! We're going to have a daughter! A beautiful little girl! And she's going to live!"

"Oh, god, a girl." Daniel was laughing now, heedless of the tears also running down his face. He couldn't help it and didn't want to. It was too incredible. "Jonathan! We're going to have a daughter!" He felt drunk and slightly hysterical, but decided that was okay. In fact, he decided that everything was very okay. "Devon! I need to get Devon!" He turned his chair and was halfway to the door before he realized Jonathan was calling to him. He half turned and saw the other man grinning as he held something up and waggled it at him. Oh. Right. The beds both had call buttons on them. He just grinned at his own behavior and turned back to his husband. Before he got very far, one of the nurses came into the room.

"Good morning, gentlemen. Lord Cascadia, do you need help getting back into bed?" Jonathan had told him that Devon had read everyone the riot act about his title. He'd just rolled his eyes and ignored it when someone slipped and called him "Lord Daniel". It apparently bothered his doctor much more than it bothered him.

"No, I don't need to get back into bed. Jonathan's in labor. He needs Doctor Caruthers." He paused at her moment of confusion. "Our Doctor Caruthers." He didn't think he'd ever get used to that. He watched her approach Jonathan and speak to him but he wasn't paying attention to what she said. "We're having a girl!"

"Congratulations, gentlemen. I'll get the doctors."

The fear was gone. Daniel felt almost giddy. He wanted to shout it from the rooftops. He knew he was grinning like an idiot, but he couldn't help himself. This was the first time, the very first time since Jonathan's first pregnancy that he'd been this excited, this hopeful that everything would be perfect. They'd found the cause of their children's illnesses and they were in a place with more resources than he'd seen since the invasion. If he hadn't known for a fact that he'd fall on his face if he tried it, he'd be dancing through the room instead of sitting in a wheelchair. They were going to have a girl and she was going to live. He wouldn't allow anything less.

"Daniel, take it easy, it's going to be a little while. Don't wear yourself out." Jonathan laughed as he spoke. He looked almost as giddy as Daniel felt. Daniel rolled back to the bed and took Jonathan's hand in his. He kissed his knuckles and squeezed his hand, unwilling to let go for the moment.

"I am awake, right? Tell me I'm awake, Jonathan." His husband laughed again and tugged his hand out of Daniel's grip. Then he reached over and pinched his cheek. "Ow! What was that for?"

"Just making sure you're not dreaming." Daniel playfully swatted his husband's thigh and then sat back, content for the moment to just and bask in their shared happiness. "This is real." Jonathan spoke quietly as if by speaking too loudly it would break the spell. "It's really happening." His tears began to flow though his smile didn't dim. Daniel reached up and gently dried his husband's face with his hand.

"Yes, love, it's really happening. Hey, you get to carry her around now." Jonathan always teased him about wanting Daniel to carry the baby for a while, but he had a feeling Jonathan wasn't going to want to turn her loose for a while. Daniel would get to hold her right after she was born. After that, Jonathan could hold her as much as he wanted. Daniel would just hold them both.

"So, Jonathan, I hear you've made a liar out of me again. You keep doing this and Lord Cascadia will get a new doctor for the district." Devon breezed into the room with Doctor Frasier and a couple of male nurses in his wake.

"Not a chance, Devon. You're stuck with us. Us and our daughter." Daniel spared the doctor and his entourage a single glance and a grin before concentrating on his husband again. He knew what was coming, but there was no way he'd do it.

"Daniel, what are you doing out of bed?"

"How is it I'm "Lord Cascadia" when you're worried about your job and "Daniel" as soon as you want me to do something I have no intention of doing?" He tried to put his professional face on, but knew his excited expectant father face was spoiling the effect. It didn't matter, nothing would get him into bed. Nothing would budge him from Jonathan's side.

"Because sometimes you're the earl and sometimes you're my patient and god help me if I ever get the two confused." Devon eased Jonathan onto his back and the nurses started the process of prepping him for surgery. Devon checked Jonathan's pulse and listened to his heart before asking him the usual round of questions. They'd done this enough that it was fairly routine, but even Devon seemed excited by what was to come. In so many ways this was a first for them all. Finally the doctor turned back to Daniel. "You really should lie down for a while." He held his hand up to indicate silence on Daniel's part. Daniel squirmed in his seat and sighed. "It's going to be a little while before anything happens. You know this. I've got to make sure the baby's really ready before delivering her." Now it was Devon who couldn't stop grinning. "Please, Daniel, don't fight me on this. I know you're feeling pretty good right now, but you're still weak from being ill. Jonathan and the baby are going to need you rested."

Daniel's resolve was weakening. He was tired and didn't know how much stamina he had. It galled him to accept that Devon was right, but the thought of getting back into the damnable bed was too much.

"Daniel?" Doctor Frasier had been observing the activity around Jonathan's bed. Daniel had almost forgotten she was there. "I understand that you want to be there for Jonathan during the birth, but it really would be for the best if you could rest some first." All doctors must take a class in guilt before being sent out into the world to devil innocent people. Guilt 101. He glared at both of his personal devils as he tried to work out a way around this.

"Damn it, Daniel, would you go take a nap? Their nagging is starting to drive me nuts! They're worse than Ian!" Daniel sagged defeated in his chair. He couldn't fight all three of them. He had trouble refusing Jonathan anything at the best of times. In matters related to childbirth it was nearly impossible. Doctor Frasier, bless her, spoke up in the ensuing silence.

"Why don't you come over and just stretch out on the sofa for a while. I'm sure you'll find it easier to get in and out of the chair from there." It wasn't what he wanted, but it was better than struggling in and out of that bed.

"How did you know?" He spoke quietly as she pushed his chair toward the sofa in the corner.

"I know my Daniels." She chuckled as she parked the chair within easy reach of his new bed. He'd never admit it, but the idea of being able to stretch out and rest was getting more and more appealing. Not that he'd ever admit it out loud. She patted the soft cushion but he shook his head.

"The other end, I want to be able to see." She shook her head and muttered something about an overabundance of stubborn men in her life.

"I'll get you a pillow." She was back before he'd gotten completely settled. Lying down was heaven. He just wished he didn't feel so weak. He should be at Jonathan's side. Daniel submitted to her fussing with his pillow and glared at her when she proceeded to spread a blanket over him.

"I'm not going to sleep, you know." He fought back a yawn.

"Of course not, but you're going to be lying still for a bit and it's cool in here. I don't want you to get chilled." He waved her away with a grunt and she left with a last pat on his blanket-covered leg. He started to relax and watched the activity around Jonathan. His smile returned as he thought of what was about to happen. The yawn caught him by surprise and he snuggled down into his blanket. A little girl. They'd need to talk about names. Maybe Margaret. That had been Jonathan's mother's name. Daniel's face ached from smiling so much. He wondered if she'd be fair like Nicolas or dark-eyed and brown haired like little Patrick. The boys weren't going to know what to do. His grin widened as he imagined explaining girls to his sons. Daniel's eyes grew heavy and his last thoughts before sleep took him were of a little girl with Jonathan's eyes running through his vineyards after her brothers.

"Sir?" Someone was shaking him. "Sir? You need to wake up now." Daniel pried one eye open and squinted in the overly bright light. "Sir, Doctor Caruthers says it's time." Daniel managed to get his other eye open, but was having trouble focusing on the man waking him up. He looked around in confusion as the stranger helped him sit up. Concrete walls. Clarity returned and he looked for Jonathan. He was lying flat on an operating table, looking at Daniel. Knees bent, the surgical drape was already arranged over him.

"Help me up." The man Daniel now remembered was one of the nurses assisting Devon took his arm and helped him to his feet. His nap hadn't helped much. In fact he felt more tired than when he laid down. He cursed all doctors everywhere as he settled gratefully into the waiting wheelchair. "How long did I sleep?"

"A couple of hours, sir." The nurse pushed him to his waiting husband, helped Daniel onto the high stool sitting near Jonathan's head and returned to whatever he'd been doing before.

"Hey." Daniel leaned over so he could run his hand through his husband's hair. Jonathan's eyes were glazed letting him know that he'd already been lightly sedated. Daniel felt guilty for not being there when they'd medicated him.

"Hey, yourself." Jonathan ran a dry tongue over his lips. Daniel located the expected cup of ice chips and fed his husband some. "Thanks. Glad you could join me." He grinned drunkenly at Daniel. "You were almost out on your feet. Or would that be out on your seat?" He giggled at his comment and Daniel grinned at him. He got so silly under the influence of the sedation. "Has it started yet?" Daniel heard Devon talking with the nurses, but they kept their voices low. His job was to distract Jonathan.

"You tell me, love." Daniel held his hand and stroked his face and hair. Jonathan liked the contact. Jose would accept having his hand held, but was much more stoic during birth. Daniel suspected it was more about his upbringing than what he really wanted. Maybe one day he'd be able to accept more. Ian, on the other hand, almost always went right to sleep.

Jonathan was quiet for a moment as he concentrated on his body. "Yeah, I think so. There's something happening." He smiled his loopy smile. "Won't be much longer, I think." Daniel couldn't resist that smile so he leaned in and kissed his husband.

"I love you, Jonathan." He ran his lips over Jonathan's cheek. "I'm so proud of you. You give us such beautiful babies." He went on stroking his love and telling him how much he loved him and what a wonderful Papa he was. The words were less important than the contact. At times like this, he felt so sorry for the thousands of generations of women who'd gone through such agony to bring their children into the world. Jonathan would be in pain afterwards while the incision healed, but he'd have his daughter to ease it. This time he'd have her in his arms to make the pain more bearable. Maybe that's how women had gotten through the hours of agony. They knew their children would be worth it.

A sudden flurry of activity at the other end of the table drew his attention. Jonathan's hand tightened on his and he looked back into his husband's eyes. Daniel rested his free hand on Jonathan's chest and tried to remain calm. Time seemed to crawl as they waited for the cry that would tell them their daughter was alive and strong and wanting her fathers. An eternity later they heard it. Daniel thought that indignant squall was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard.

"I want to hold her! Daniel, please, bring her to me." Jonathan was almost frantic. Daniel knew if Jonathan wasn't numb from the waist down he would have been off the table and grabbing his crying baby away from the doctor.

"Shh, love, give Devon a moment to check her out. He'll bring her to us in a moment." He willed himself to stay with Jonathan when all he wanted to do was rush over and calm his crying child. With every birth his respect for all bearing men rose. For the millionth time Daniel was glad he wasn't the one giving birth. He would have been a wreck.

Finally, Devon emerged from behind the drape, a tiny bundle in his hands. "Jonathan, Daniel, there's someone here who'd like to meet you." He handed the tiny person to Daniel. He held her for just a moment, memorizing every feature of her face, loosening the cloth she was wrapped in so he could see all of her. Daniel always forgot how small a newborn was. He turned to Jonathan and held her up so his husband could see their daughter.

"Thank you, love. She's beautiful." Daniel wasn't sure his husband heard him. Jonathan stared at their daughter in wonder before finally lifting his hands to take her. Daniel helped him settle her on his chest and then helped Jonathan ease up a little bit to see her better. Jonathan supported her with one arm and they both touched her and murmured to each other and to her trying to soothe away her infant rage at the bright cold world she'd been thrust into.

"Jonathan, you and I have some unfinished business." Daniel nodded to Devon. Jonathan was still too wrapped up in their daughter to notice.

"You need to lie down again, love. Devon needs to take care of you." Daniel guided one of Jonathan's hands to hold the baby and he gently eased him back down on the table. "May I take her for a bit while you finish up?" Jonathan dragged his attention away from the child.

"What? Oh. Right." He stroked his infant daughter once more then covered her up again with the cloth. Daniel took that as his signal to take her so he finished wrapping her up and settled her in his arms. He wanted to rock her, but was suddenly reminded of his precarious position on the stool. The same nurse who'd helped him onto it was at his elbow.

"Sir, why don't we get you in your chair. You'll be more comfortable." Daniel nodded and carefully got one foot on the floor and then the other. Before he knew it, he was sitting securely in the wheelchair. He started to rock and she began to calm, though she still gave the occasional hiccupping cry. He looked into his husband's happy face. Jonathan smiled at him while wiping tears from his face with a shaking hand. The nurse returned carrying a bottle and a bright pink and white crocheted baby blanket. "If you'll allow me, sir, I'll take her and finish cleaning her up then maybe you'd like to see if she's interested in having something to eat." Daniel nodded. Then froze at the sight of the bottle. "It's okay, sir, it's just formula from the PX on base." He hugged his daughter in relief. The pain and guilt were still there, but holding her helped. She was still a mess, but he hated to turn her loose. The nurse, Daniel finally squinted at his nametag, Antonelli laid the items in Daniel's lap and then gently took the baby from him. His daughter fussed at the man who smiled at them both. "She certainly is an opinionated little lady, sir." He took her away to the other side of where Jonathan lay.

"Just like her dad." Not even Jonathan's sleepy teasing could ruin this for Daniel. He'd be proud if she grew up to be like him. He'd be prouder if she grew up to be like her Papa. Daniel fingered the blanket in his lap. It was soft and looked homemade.

"Who made this?" Jonathan was already sleeping, thanks to the increased sedation necessary for the post-partum repairs. Devon and both nurses were apparently concentrating on their tasks.

"My daughter made it." Daniel looked up to the observation area for the first time since he woke up and was surprised to see Doctor Frasier behind the glass. "I couldn't tell her who she was making it for, just that we had some visitors who were expecting a little girl. I thought you might appreciate something softer than military issue."

"Please extend our thanks to her. It's lovely. It was very kind of her to go to the effort, especially for people she doesn't know." He had to wonder if his own world would be this accommodating of strangers. But then they had good reason to fear. His daughter's continued fussing at the nurse seemed to underline the point.

"She's a good girl. When she does find out about you, though, her Uncle Jack and Uncle Daniel will never hear the end of it." She smiled.

"When? I thought the SGC was secret?" Now he was confused.

"Ah, yes, it is. SG-1 found her on another planet. Cassie was the only survivor of an attack. They brought her home and I adopted her." Daniel blinked. This woman, which was still strange enough to him, spoke so calmly about adopting a child born on another planet. "She has certain health issues that require her to come here for any medical treatment, so she hears things from time to time." Poor child. To have survived the death of her world. For the first time, Daniel realized things could have gone so much worse for them.

"I hope she's not seriously ill, Doctor Frasier." Now he was going to worry about a child he'd never met.

"Oh, no, nothing like that. Just some anomalies that can't be easily explained away." He got the feeling there was more to it than that, but didn't press her. It wasn't any of his business. There were plenty of things he'd just as soon not discuss.

"I'll be sure to tell our daughter about Cassie when," he swallowed hard, "when she's older."

"I think she'll be tickled to know that you're going to tell your daughter about her." A sharp cry from their baby brought his head around to see what was going on. Unfortunately, the nurse was blocked by Devon and the drape still covering Jonathan's lower body. He dragged his attention back to the woman in the booth.

"You and your people seem to make a habit of rescuing people."

"It's one of the best things about what we do." The pride in her voice was unmistakable. Daniel was beginning to understand why his counterpart was here.

"You're very good at it." His comment seemed to embarrass her a little. He couldn't help but smile. He didn't seem to be able to do anything else. "You've certainly saved us and I don't think there's anyway I can possibly express what you've done for us." Antonelli returned carrying a much cleaner, if angrier baby. Daniel spread the blanket on his lap before he took her. He expertly wrapped her up and settled her back in his arms. "Because of you, this little one has a chance." He kissed the little head softly. "Every little girl, every child on our world has a chance now." He couldn't think beyond the hope. Deep down he knew they still had to find out who was behind the tainted drugs and, what was even harder to consider, why they were doing it in the first place.

Daniel located the bottle that had slipped down between his thigh and the side of the chair. He offered it to his daughter who seemed insulted until he coaxed a drop out of the nipple and onto her tongue. The next time he offered her the nipple she latched onto it with gusto sucking noisily. Her tiny arms jerked from time to time as if she could pump her dinner in faster that way.

"You're very good at that, Daniel." He grinned.

"Let's just say I've had a great deal of experience getting fussy newborns to eat." He'd done this so many times. Even helped out sometimes when men from the estate or village gave birth. He remembered his mother visiting new mothers when he was a child. The babies had always fascinated him. He still did it. Partly because of his position, but at least partly in her memory. He frowned for a moment then looked up at the observation booth. "Doctor Frasier, I hope you didn't stay away," he nodded toward Jonathan, "because you thought we would object. After everything's that happened, you would have been welcome to assist Devon."

"Thank you, Daniel, but that's not why I'm up here." He didn't know her well enough to understand the expression on her face, but he knew he didn't like it.

"Doctor is there something you're not telling me?" He checked the level of the formula and pulled it away from his daughter who objected immediately. "Such a greedy little thing." He positioned her on his shoulder and gently rubbed her back. "You can have some more in a minute, sweetheart." He returned his attention to Doctor Frasier. Her long silence made him uneasy. "Doctor?"

"Sir," from "Daniel" to "sir". His unease grew. "You must remember that we deal with all sorts of threats to our world." He felt rather than heard his daughter's tiny burp and offered her the bottle again. He bit down on his emotions not wanting the baby to pick them up. They were amazingly perceptive even at less than an hour old.

"Doctor, I know a little something about what can happen to an unprotected planet." She was hiding something and he began to fear that he and Jonathan weren't going to like what she had to say. His mother used to tell him not to go borrowing trouble. She'd had to tell him that quite often.

"Of course." She paused as if choosing her words. "Daniel, one of the results of our experiences is that we've become, well, professional paranoids as Colonel O'Neill likes to call it." He answered her wry grin with one of his own. That sounded a great deal like something Jonathan would say. "Doctor Caruthers and I both feel confident that we've discovered the source of the virus on your world."

"But?" His heart was pounding and the only reason he wasn't shouting was the small child falling asleep in his arms.

"But General Hammond insisted we take precautions with Jonathan's delivery." She raised her hand as a request for silence. "Antonelli is testing her blood right now. I would lay money on her being clear of the virus, but we have to be sure." He busied himself with the bottle and his sleeping daughter. The general was wrong. He wasn't a doctor. He was soldier. What did a soldier know about these things. Both doctors thought she'd be fine. Soldiers only know fighting. Soldiers... protect. Daniel folded the corner of the pretty pink blanket over his daughter's head as she slept. He found himself feeling for her heartbeat and listening for her breath. Daniel nodded.

"You'd bet money, but you can't bet Cassie's life."

She shook her head as she replied. "No, I can't. And the general can't afford to bet the lives of his daughter and his granddaughters." The general had granddaughters. How many of the people he'd met here still had mothers and sisters and wives and daughters. No, he wouldn't have done anything less had he been in the general's position.

"I understand, Doctor Frasier. Thank you for being honest with me."

"I would have told you before, but," she raised an accusatory eyebrow at him, "our Daniel didn't want to tell you at all. As he put it, if she's clear, it doesn't matter. If she's not," she shrugged.

Daniel scowled. "The longer I'm here, the more I realize that my counterpart and I really are the same man underneath our experiences." He didn't like the idea that he might be capable of some of the violent adventures he'd heard about. He knew the man carried a weapon and his more muscular build hinted at other skills that Daniel shied away from thinking about. He'd always thought himself a pacifist through and through.

"Lord Cascadia, I haven't had any doubts about that for days." She looked away from him and he followed the line of her gaze. Antonelli had left his position and approached the observation window. Daniel lost his scowl when he saw the man's face.

"Report, Antonelli." Daniel kept forgetting that Doctor Frasier was a military doctor. Then she'd bark out an order and sound uncomfortably like his father.

"The blood sample was clear of the virus, Doctor." His smiled widened as he looked over his shoulder to Daniel. "She's perfect, sir. Just perfect."

Daniel studied his sleeping daughter's face. "Yes, yes she is. Absolutely perfect."

CHAPTER 19

"Jack, you don't have to do this." Daniel's quiet voice anchored him as much as the hand on his shoulder. They'd finished their pre-mission check and gone through all of Daniel's notes from what he'd learned about the other universe. Frasier had offered to bring Lord Daniel to the mirror, but Jack had vetoed that idea. He wasn't sure why. Now they stood outside the isolation room that housed their counterparts and their newborn daughter. "I can go in and get Daniel, there's no reason for you to go." Jack looked at his lover. He wished he could have more than the friendly touches they were allowed in public, but that was the price of living in the world they had. Daniel was trying to protect him again. Jack found himself both slightly amused and incredibly grateful. He'd once heard that SG-3 called Daniel the Geek King of the Mountain. Jack would have been pissed except it was right after SG-1 had gone in and pulled them out of a precarious situation where Daniel had managed to not only negotiate their release from a bunch of touchy natives but also opened up the possibility of a sweet naquadah deal. As it was, the nickname was given as a sign of respect. Took Daniel a while to work out just how being called a geek was a sign of respect, but he got there eventually. At least as long as he remembered the source. Some geek.

Jack got his pass card out of his pocket. The trepidation he'd felt since the moment Jonathan walked into the briefing room was mostly gone. He knew now that he wouldn't have to deal with the inevitable fallout alone. He wondered again if he could have made a go of it with Sara if he'd been more open to her after Charlie died. He fingered the card in his hand. He wasn't the same man today that he'd been then. So much had changed. He'd changed and for the better, he thought. He also realized beyond the shadow of a doubt that the man standing with him was the primary agent of that change. All these years Jack had always seen himself as taking care of Daniel. He finally understood that it had always been a two way street. "You coming?" The hand on his should squeezed once and then turned him loose.

"Right behind you." Jack caught the nod out of the corner of his eye. He swiped his card and went in, Daniel watching his six, as always.

The lights were low. As he stood in the doorway letting his eyes adjust he took in the layout of the room. Two hospital beds lay close together, both with the heads raised about halfway. A table, chairs and sofa sat in one corner adding an uncharacteristic air of domesticity to the otherwise sterile room. The pile of blankets implied that someone had been sleeping on it at some point. He wondered how the doc had felt about having the extraneous furniture in there when the isolation room turned into an impromptu operating room. Daniel stepped around him and quietly approached the beds. Jack followed.

Both men were sleeping. Lord Daniel lay on his side as close to the edge of his own bed as he could get without falling off. Even sound asleep he still looked like death warmed over. One arm bridged the narrow gap between the beds and his hand lay partially on Jonathan's arm and partially on the tiny infant wrapped in the brightest pink blanket he'd ever seen. Jonathan lay on his back, with the infant tucked into the bend of his elbow. Now that Jack's eyes had adapted to the dim light, the pink blanket stood out strongly against the overall drabness of the room. A blue blanket wouldn't have stood out that brightly against the men's blue scrubs. Daniel had told him he could do this and damned if the man wasn't right again.

Jack's father had once told him that the worst response to fear was not facing it. Once faced, the fear became something manageable. Something a person could do something about. He'd taken that advice with him on every mission. He'd relied on it through every torture. It had served him well, but he'd never applied it to his worst fears. Jack had never before fully identified his reluctance to be around Jonathan as fear. He knew he feared it opening up old wounds and freeing his ghosts. He feared that, but he felt that wasn't at the heart of it. That it was nothing more than collateral damage. It came to him while he looked down at the infant wrapped protectively in his alternate's arm. The moment of clarity was like a punch in the gut. For that brief moment, fear and guilt melted away and Jack felt light headed, almost drunk from release and revelation. The moment passed and he slammed back into himself. He tried to recapture the fleeting understanding, but it was gone like a spring breeze leaving one clear thought in its wake.

"It wasn't their fault." Even thought they'd need to wake Lord Daniel in a few minutes, Jack found himself whispering.

"No. It wasn't." He looked at his lover, not expecting to see blue eyes staring back at him out of a serious face. "I'm glad you can see that."

"Don't, Daniel. Don't go there." Jack's heart was pounding in his chest and he felt sweat forming despite the coolness of the room. Whatever it was, whatever he was afraid of was too big and Jack feared it would break him completely.

"No, you're right. This isn't the time." Jack nodded. Daniel wasn't backing down. Danny never backs down. He was proud of that, though he knew Daniel had likely been like that in the womb. He'd been on the receiving end of his friend's tenacity more often than not. It had made their friendship interesting, even difficult at times, but he'd always known it was worth the effort. As a result, Jack knew the discussion was merely tabled for now. If he had his way, it would stay tabled, but he doubted it was over yet. Daniel wanted to protect him, but he couldn't protect Jack from his own actions. It wasn't the same. Charlie's death was his fault and no amount of talking could change that. It was Jack's burden to bear. Jack knew his being able to stand relatively calmly in this room was solely due to the man standing with him. He might not be able to share all his burdens with him, but Daniel had certainly taken most of the weight of this one from him. It would be up to Jack to make sure his lover knew it and knew it was the best they could hope for.

"May I help you gentlemen?" They both turned to see Caruthers struggling out of the blankets on the sofa. The man had been completely hidden from sight. So that's who's been sleeping there. Daniel stepped away from the new parents and Jack followed.

"Jack, our Devon and I are going through to your reality." The doctor stopped fighting the blanket and just sat up on the sofa. He rubbed his face with both hands and then looked at them. Daniel perched on the arm of the sofa while Jack shoved his hands in his pockets. He glanced back over his shoulder to see if they'd awoken the sleeping men. Seeing no movement, he turned back. "We thought it might be a good idea for your Daniel to come to the mirror so Ian and Jose could see he was all right."

"No, he needs sleep. I won't have him disturbed unless it's absolutely necessary." Daniel glanced at Jack who shrugged. He didn't like the idea of dragging a guy from an infirmary bed for no reason. Frasier had said she didn't think a quick trip in a wheel chair would be a problem, but she had been adamant about him not being allowed through the mirror yet. Still, Jack liked the idea of being on the wrong end of a shotgun even less.

"So, Doc, how about you come with us. You can come through, explain everything and be back before they," Jack nodded toward Lord Daniel and Jonathan, "know you're gone." Caruthers leaned back on the sofa and looked behind Daniel to his patients. He looked back at Jack and then at Daniel, scratched his unshaven chin and seemed to come to a decision he wasn't particularly satisfied with.

"I have a better idea. Why don't I just go with you and leave your Devon here?"

"You want," Daniel looked as startled as Jack felt. "You want to come with us?"

"Is there some reason why I shouldn't?" Caruthers sounded suspicious. Daniel was quick to try and reassure him.

"Oh, no. No reason, I just," Daniel waved back at the two beds, "We figured you'd want to be here, that's all."

"Look, I won't deny that I'd rather stay with them. They're not just my patients, they're my friends, but I'm the only doctor in the district." He looked at them both and shook his head smiling a little. "It's still odd talking like this to the two of you." His smile faded. "Lord Cascadia's health is my responsibility and much as I hate to admit it, he's better off here for the time being. But I have other patients to tend to." He untangled the blanket from around his legs and stood up. "I'm convinced that your Doctor Frasier can deal with anything Jonathan will need from here on out and if she can't," he shrugged, "I'm as close as I'd be if he were at home."

"We'll have to clear it with the general." Jack held up his hand when Caruthers seemed about to protest. "I don't think he'll have a problem with it, but he's the man." The doctor relaxed and turned around to shift the blanket he'd been using so it wasn't dragging on the floor. Jack heard him muttering something, but couldn't make it out.

"Would you like us to send in Doctor Frasier? We should probably be going, um, through soon." Daniel stood as he spoke as if ready to bolt from the room.

"Oh, would you? Thanks. Yes, I'd like to go over Jonathan's care once more." He looked a little embarrassed. "I don't think she really needs me to, but," he just shrugged again.

"But you need to do it." Jack turned to Daniel. "Why don't you go get the doc and let our Caruthers know he's off the hook. I'm sure SG7 will be glad to know they get to keep him." Jack started sidling toward the door. "I'll just go talk to the general. We can meet up in the locker room in a few."

"Thank you, again. For everything." Caruthers was looking toward the sleeping men. Jack knew exactly what they were being thanked for.

"It was our pleasure, Devon." Daniel came close enough to whisper, "You okay, Jack?"

"Yeah." Jack led him into the corridor and stopped, looking back at the closed isolation room door, thinking. "Yeah, I am." A quick glance up and down the corridor proved that they were alone for the moment. "More okay than I've been in a long time." His lover smiled at him and made an abortive move toward him. Daniel blushed and looked down at his feet.

"Gotta watch that, I guess." He looked back up at Jack, gazing at him over his glasses. Jack sighed. They would have to watch it. He wished Daniel could have done what he'd started. Jack thought he could stand a hug and maybe a kiss or three.

"Yeah." He offered up a smile of his own. "At least on base." That earned him another small smile and a pair of raised eyebrows.

"I don't know what you mean, Colonel." Jack's smile morphed into a full-fledged grin as he started walking backward toward the elevator.

"Then I guess we'll have to discuss it later, Doctor Jackson. I know how tough it is for you civilians to grasp the military mind." Jack knew exactly what he wanted Daniel to grasp later and it didn't have anything to do with his mind. Unless blowing it counted. His mind, blowing his mind. He turned his back on the still grinning Daniel and wondered just how he was supposed to talk to the general while thinking of Daniel blowing things.

Talking to the general had started out easier than he'd expected. General Hammond seemed relieved to be able to put SG7 back into rotation. Jack thought he was more relieved at getting rid of at least one of their guests. As he started to leave to gear up, the general stopped him.

"Take a seat for minute, Jack." The last time the general had called him Jack he was sending him down to talk to Jonathan for the first time. Jack sat down and tried his best to look relaxed.

He was feeling better about things in general, mostly due to the unexpected, but not at all unwelcome change in his and Daniel's relationship. Even so, he still felt on edge from time to time for seemingly no reason. Jack suspected he'd adjust and once the men and their daughter returned home for good, things would get back to normal. The new normal. He really liked the new normal, even though it was going to be tough. He hadn't mentioned this to Daniel yet, but they'd probably need to tell Carter and Teal'c about them. He felt sure Teal'c would guess, that man missed nothing. Carter could be... interesting. He had no idea how she'd handle it. He'd toyed with the idea of not saying anything to her, but she was his second. She deserved to know the situation so she could make up her own mind. He had too much respect for her to take the choice away from her. He just hoped she could still work with them. If not, well, he was getting old to be in the field anyway.

"Jack, how are you and Doctor Jackson handling this?" Jack was startled out of his thoughts by the general's voice. For a split second he thought his CO was asking him about them as a couple.

"Oh, you know how it is, join the Air Force, "cross into the blue", see how you'd look pregnant." Jack had laughed the first time he saw that phrase after going through the gate.

"Doctor Jackson's not Air Force."

"No, sir, he's not. He's the guy who makes friends with the Unas who wants to have him for dinner." General Hammond's expression started to shift from concerned CO to slightly pissed off general. "He's managing." Jack squirmed a little in his chair. The general wanted more. "Okay, he's hovering. It's a Daniel thing." Jack shrugged and the general seemed to understand since he started looking more concerned again and less like he was about to explode.

"Doctor Frasier is concerned that you might both need to speak to someone when this is over." Gee, thanks, Doc.

"Oh, I don't think that's going to be necessary, sir." Jack ran a hand through his hair and tried to find the words to express what he wanted to say. "Look, this is one of the weirder things we've run across, but weird is what we do." Okay, that wasn't it. "If it's any help, we are talking, but just to each other." Better. "After all, I don't think you're going to find many shrinks with experience helping people through this sort of thing, sir." The general grinned and shook his head.

"You've got that right. We'll leave this for the time being. I'll speak to Doctor Frasier and we'll revisit it once this is over." He stood and Jack took that as his hint that it was time to go. "I do trust, Colonel, that you'll keep me appraised if the situation starts to affect your ability to do your job. Either of you." General Hammond's ability to move so gracefully from "George" to "the General" never ceased to impress Jack.

"Yes, sir." Jack opened the door.

"Colonel?" He turned back to face his CO praying he wasn't changing his mind already about the shrink.

"I understand you warned Doctor Jackson to 'hightail it back through the mirror' if the gate activated." Jack nodded. "See to it that you take your own advice."

"Yes, sir! Will there be anything else, general?" Jack so loved being able to be a smartass to his CO and get away with it. It's the little things in life that make it worth living. The general looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Yes, there is." He stopped and appeared to change his mind. "No, that can wait. I won't be able to see you off. Have Major Carter report to me once she's no longer needed on site." The red phone on the general's desk rang as he smiled and waved toward the door. "Just get out of my office, Colonel."

"Getting out, sir." Jack left the general's office, his mind already back to the mission. It wasn't their ordinary kind of mission, but he wasn't going to fool himself into thinking it was completely safe, either. This wasn't exactly what he would have chosen for his and Daniel's first mission after last night. A nice boring mineral survey on an empty planet somewhere would have been nice. There might be a snake on that other Earth and the gate was sitting in the backyard of the house where the mirror was located. Even though it had been inactive for years, he just knew all it would take was for the two of them to be there for more than an hour and an entire army would come pouring through. With that cheerful thought in mind, he decided to go to the locker room by way of the armory. That way he wouldn't have to argue with Daniel over the necessity of being prepared. He'd just hand him a zat and tell him to pack it. Besides, SG1's locker room was private. If Daniel wanted to bitch, Jack now had an excellent way to distract him.

They arrived in the mirror room, as everyone was calling it now, to find Caruthers waiting for them. Daniel had complained about Jack's need to be armed, but not as much as he'd feared he would. Jack got the impression his objections had been out of habit more than anything else. Jack had compromised by packing their zats in their packs. Just before they left the locker room, Daniel had taken him into his arms and held him for a long moment. Nothing was said, but the message was received. Jack had suddenly felt better about what they were about to do. After all, no one there would raise an eyebrow if they were caught in a hug. Couldn't go any further than that. This was a mission, after all. This was so not going to be easy.

Daniel wandered over to where Caruthers and Frasier were deep in conversation. Carter and Siler, who had a new bandage on one hand, stood near the mirror, which was laid out on the floor again. A couple of ordinary mirrors had been mounted in odd positions around it. A half dozen airmen were standing around apparently waiting to stand the mirror up again. The decontamination equipment had been moved out of the way, but sat waiting, a testament to Frasier's professional paranoia. The two SFs on duty in the room stood out of the way, alert, but not underfoot. Jack nodded his approval at them and headed over to his second. He needed a few moments out of Daniel's proximity to get himself under control. He'd needed that hug in the locker room. Maybe Daniel had, too. Unfortunately, it had brought down some of the Jack's barriers and they weren't going back up very easily. He really needed to be the colonel now, but he kept wanting to be just Jack. No, he kept wanting to be Daniel's Jack and that wouldn't fly on base.

"All set, Carter?" Jack dropped his pack near the table with all her doohickeys on it. Nothing like talking to Carter to bring the colonel to the surface.

"All set, sir." She dismissed Siler with a nod and then turned back to Jack. "Sir, as we covered in the briefing," Bless you, Carter. "we think you and Daniel will need to stay at least two days to allow Lord," she shot a quick glance at Caruthers, "Cascadia's and Jonathan's cells to regain their equilibrium."

"So, we go, visit for a couple of days then come home." He looked again at the new mirrors.

"About those, sir." He looked back at her, but decided to spare her the need to explain. He decided to spare himself her need to explain. The mirrors were arranged so the surface of the mirror could be monitored from a distance while it was flat on the floor.

"Good idea, Carter. The SFs will be able to monitor activity on the other side and still maintain security." The look on her face was worth the price of admission all by itself. "Your idea?" It really didn't have a Carterish feel to it, but he'd let her correct him.

"No," she was still looking at him like he'd grown a second head, "actually, it was Sergeant Siler's idea." Flustering Carter was the most fun he could legally have on base.

"Good plan, Siler." Jack smiled at his favorite sergeant. Carter and Daniel might be the big brains of the SGC, but, as always, when a man needed something more prosaic done, he went to a sergeant. Siler was the best.

"Thank you, sir." Siler took his praise with the same deadpan look he always had.

"Hurt your hand setting those up?"

"No, sir." Jack waited a second for further explanation, but the taciturn man had already turned back to his work crew. Jack faced Carter again who just shrugged and smiled way too brightly. A good officer didn't push a sergeant for no good reason. Carter was a very good officer.

"Get it set up, Carter. Let's get this show on the road." Jack wandered over to Daniel and the others. He wandered slowly so he could enjoy looking at his lover. Being the colonel is overrated. Daniel turned his head as if aware of Jack's regard. He raised his eyebrows briefly then excused himself from the group. They definitely needed some down time when this was over. Daniel approached and then nodded to an empty corner of the room.

"I think we should try to convince them to bury the gate while we're there." Daniel kept his voice low.

"I think we should ask the general for two weeks off when we get back." Daniel blinked at him in confusion. "C'mon, Daniel." Jack took a half step closer. Maybe he could get him to flutter instead of blink. He hadn't done that since things changed between them. Jack wanted to see how he'd like it given his new perspective. "You, me. The lubricant of your choice. We could go to the cabin. No one around for miles."

"Jack!" Daniel visibly struggled to keep his voice to a whisper. Jack figured he'd rather shout. "As flattering as that is, do you think you could possibly not do this at work?" Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "You have no idea how hard this is for me." Jack grinned at his lover's choice of words. Daniel rolled his eyes and dropped his chin to his chest in defeat.

"Sorry." Jack tried to at least look sorry, but he had to fight to keep from grinning.

"No you're not." Daniel looked at him over his glasses, but his scowl was about as convincing as Jack's attempt at looking contrite.

"Am, too." Jack's grin was definitely winning.

"Are not." Daniel's scowl wavered a little more.

"Am, too." Who was he kidding? Jack wasn't sorry at all.

"Are, too." Daniel's scowl was history.

"Am, not." Jack had been so intent on watching Daniel's face and thinking about two weeks alone that he'd lost the thread of their play argument. "Hey!"

"Yes, Jack? Something on your mind?" Daniel was openly smirking.

"You, you," For a man who didn't want to risk dragging an illegal relationship into the open on base, Daniel was walking that thin line Hammond always warned him about. At the moment, Jack wanted nothing more but to kiss that triumphant smirk off the handsome face in front of him.

"Why, yes I am, Jack. How good of you to notice."

"You must have cheated." He didn't usually lose these bouts.

"Ha! You're just mad because now you're going to have to pay up." Jack could think of several pleasant ways to 'pay up'.

"Pay up? I don't recall betting anything." A man did have his pride.

"The spoils, Jack. The spoils." Daniel was positively gloating now. Which ended up not being a problem at all since Jack discovered he had a new kink. Gloating Daniel was hot.

"What were we talking about before?" He'd have to wait to explore the full potential of gloating. God, this bites!

"Burying the gate."

"Oh, yeah." Damn. He'd really rather lose to Daniel again and see where it led. Jack decided he was never playing gin with the man again. "Do you really think they'll do it?" Daniel scowled at him. Jack didn't think his heart was in it. Standing together like this was so not a good idea. It seemed that scowling was hot, too.

A heavy thud was followed by Carter's voice. "Sir? We're ready for you."

"Get your stuff." Jack beckoned to Caruthers and got his own pack. "Carter, once we're through, report to General Hammond."

"Yes, sir. We'll leave the mirror up in case you need to come through quickly." He nodded as he settled his pack on his back, resisting the urge to check Daniel's. He hadn't needed to do that for years, but it was a hard habit to break. "Ready?" Both men nodded and they stepped up to the mirror. Jack motioned for Caruthers to take point, even though the other room was empty and put his hand on Caruthers' shoulder. Daniel stood on his other side and touched the man's arm.

"It's okay. Just touch the surface of the mirror and we'll all go through." Jack wanted to just shove him but let Daniel talk him through it instead. No sense in pissing the man off for no reason. Either man. Caruthers raised a tentative hand and Jack could feel him take a deep breath before he touched the mirror. One annoying jolt of electricity later and they were facing the SGC. Carter and Frasier stood side by side and Carter waved to them. He waved back and turned to look around the room. It did look like a Daniel sort of room, books and artifacts covered most surfaces. The gate standing outside the window seemed fitting.

"I just hope the door's not going to be locked again."

"Not to worry, Danny boy, I came prepared." Jack dug into one of his pockets and pulled out a set of lock picks.

"What's that for?" Caruthers stared at the two men before heading to the desk.

"When I was here before, I had to wait for someone to open the door from the outside."

Caruthers lifted the lamp on the desk and flourished the key he found underneath it. "Wouldn't this be easier?"

"Tell me that wasn't there before." Daniel looked at Jack and shrugged helplessly. Oh, this could be fun. Jack could tease him about this one for months. His face must have given him away because Daniel's half-embarrassed expression changed to a narrow eyed glare that promised... Shit. I am in deep shit. Even glaring Daniel was hot. Jack had to get a handle on this and soon. He couldn't go around wanting to jump or be jumped by his archeologist on every mission.

"Oh, no, no. Ian said he'd put it there for me." Caruthers calmly unlocked the door while Jack continued sneaking glances at Daniel to see if he was still ticked. That's when he remembered their 'audience'. Carter and Frasier were smiling way too much on the other side. "Give me a moment to make sure the corridor's clear. We really need to keep you out of sight." He ducked out quickly closing the door behind him.

Jack stood slightly behind the door so he wouldn't be seen by anyone on the other side when it opened again. Daniel prowled near the desk, looking over the papers there. They waited in silence and just when Jack was beginning to fidget, the door opened. He motioned to Daniel to stand away from it and then Caruthers stepped into the room. "The way is clear, gentlemen, if you'll follow me I'll show you to his lordship's suite."

Placing his finger over his mouth in a plea for silence, Caruthers led them out of the room. If the staircase and the front hall were anything to go by, this place was huge. The servants Jack had heard about were absent. They went up two flights and turned down a long hallway. Jack mentally placed them over the same corridor they'd entered when they left Lord Daniel's study. He really wished he had a layout of the place. He hated not knowing the lay of the land even if they were supposed to stay put for the duration. Caruthers finally stopped in front of the fourth door along the corridor. He knocked and entered without waiting for an answer. Jack and Daniel followed him, Jack still threat assessing and Daniel, no doubt, studying the architecture. Jack recognized the two younger men in the suite. Daniel had told him they were Ian and Jose, Lord Daniel's other consorts. Jose had been the one with the shotgun. Jack stared at him and noted him as the more dangerous of the two. Neither man was in as good shape as he or Daniel, but Jose carried himself like a soldier. The third man was older than Jack and he had the uncomfortable feeling he knew exactly who he was. A quick glance at Daniel's white face confirmed it.

"Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you. Colonel Jack O'Neill, Doctor Daniel Jackson, this is Lord Jackson, Head of the House of Jackson, Duke of the West and Lord Cascadia's father."

"What have you done with my son!"

CHAPTER 20

Daniel thought he'd prepared himself for this moment. In reality he realized he'd barely thought about it. Too much had happened in too short a period and his avoidance techniques had worked perfectly. He'd barely thought it through at all. That's not Dad. He's been dead for over thirty years. That's his father, not mine. His thoughts clamored for attention, but his aching heart told him otherwise. Human beings just weren't cut out for this sort of thing. Maybe some other species could assimilate the information better, but humans are such creatures of instinct and Daniel's instinct told him the man in front of him was the same man he'd known all those years ago. This man's hair was white, his face lined, but his dark eyes were the same. His hands were the same as the man Daniel remembered. The man who'd carefully taught him how to unearth an artifact, how to piece together the broken bits. The man who'd first shown him the wonders of Ancient Egypt and held him after the nightmares brought on from too many hours in dark scary tombs. Images of him laughing, giving orders to the diggers, dancing with his mother, countless other moments from their brief life together flashed through Daniel's mind like a manic Power Point presentation. Somewhere there were voices but he had no idea what they were saying. He couldn't hear them over the pounding of his heart and the rushing in his ears.

"What have you done with my son!" I'm here, Dad! Even his voice rang through Daniel's memories.

"I'm," God, no, don't! You're not who he's talking about! That thought was like a blow. For a single moment, Daniel hated his counterpart. He had almost everything Daniel wanted. He could live openly with his O'Neill, he had children. He had his father. "I'm sorry, he's, um,"

"Your Grace, no one has done anything with Lord Cascadia that isn't in his best interests. He's still on the other side of the mirror because that's where I determined he can receive the care he needs for the moment." Daniel heard Devon's words as he slowly started becoming aware of his surroundings again. Someone's arm was around Daniel's waist, which was good because he wasn't certain his legs would continue to hold him up. Jack. Jack was there. He looked at his lover.

"You okay?" Jack's whisper didn't carry far, didn't interrupt the argument going on in front of them.

"No. Not really." He wished he could smile to take some of the worry from the other man's face, but knew there was no way he could muster one. Jack's strong arms pulled him and Daniel let himself follow. He managed a few shaky steps then he was turned and urged to sit. He fell into something soft and realized it was the same sofa he'd sat on the last time he was here. That's when he realized someone, most likely Jack, had removed his pack. Get a grip. This is a mission. You can't fall apart. Daniel closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Drawing on lessons he'd learned meditating with Teal'c he calmed himself. Jonathan had told him Lord Jackson had been called, but the ramifications of that summons hadn't sunk in.

"Better?" Jack's concerned voice drew Daniel out of his contemplation. He nodded feeling suddenly embarrassed.

"Yeah." He looked up at the other men and let his eyes skim over Lord Jackson. He'd have to push past this, but maybe he could do it incrementally. "Sorry, um, for this. It's just," Okay, this is going well.

"A shock?" Devon sat on his other side and took his wrist while looking at his watch. Now Daniel found a weak smile. Why did doctors always ask a question just as they started doing something that prevented the patient from answering? Devon nodded as he finished and patted Daniel's shoulder. "Why don't you sit here for a moment while I fill the family in?"

"Thanks, Devon." Daniel sat back tried to shift into professional mode. This was a mission and he needed to be able to relate to these people. Jack settled in next to him and when Daniel glanced at him, he got a quick wink in response. Drawing strength from his lover's presence, he turned back to the others. Ian and Jose were sitting in adjacent chairs while Devon delivered his report to a pacing Lord Jackson. He began with Daniel's illness which, judging from the older man's expression, he'd already been told about. Ian and Jose sat quietly since they knew this part, but Lord Jackson's questions came thick and fast. Devon answered them as he segued into what they'd found. Now it was Lord Jackson's turn to be shocked. He finally sat and listened to the rest of Devon's tale in silence while Daniel stared at him wistfully. He was thirty years older than the father Daniel remembered, but his expressions were the same. Now that his initial shock was over, he found it easier to see him. Daniel fought down the desire to get to know the man. He'd likely have to spend some time with him, but this was only for a few days. This was a humanitarian mission and when it was over, they'd say their farewells to these men and go on with their lives.

Daniel took a mental step back from the situation and started analyzing what he was seeing. Forcing himself into professional discipline helped him control the emotional turmoil underneath. Ian was the caretaker of the group. That fit from hearing his counterpart's description of his position in the household. When Devon described his son's illness, Ian was the one who brought Lord Jackson brandy, offering the rest the same. Daniel declined and was presented with what turned out to be cranberry juice. He and his alternate shared the same tastes, apparently. He thought of the man beside him and snorted quietly. Jose kept himself between them and Lord Jackson. The protector, as he was when Daniel first met him. He'd apparently been in some sort of military or law enforcement position prior to his marriage. Frankly, Daniel had still been dealing with the idea of California being a nation when that had been mentioned. It was difficult to glean much about Lord Jackson's relationship with them under these circumstances. Daniel had gotten the impression that there was some friction between father and son. He bit down on his resentment at that thought. It wasn't any of his business, it didn't relate to him. He gave himself a mental shake and went back to his observations. Did the older man see himself as his son's consorts' father-in-law? How did he feel about his son's household? From things said, as well as things left unsaid, at the SGC, Daniel ran his household a little differently than other men in his position. Was that the source of the friction or was it something deeper? He apparently embraced his grandsons since they'd gone to visit him. Daniel wondered if the boys returned with him. If they were, this could become even more awkward. For all of them.

"Your thoughts, Doctor Jackson?" Jack whispered so as not to interrupt Devon. They'd used each other's titles more since becoming lovers than they had since they first met. Hearing Jack whisper "Doctor Jackson" did things to his body that weren't appropriate for the setting. Daniel wondered how he could manage to get him to call him that in bed.

"Just wondering about the relationships here." Daniel kept his voice equally quiet. "This would be a fascinating anthropological study. They've devised a completely unique social structure in a very short time. In some ways it's reminiscent of the bachelor groups we found on," Jack covered Daniel's mouth and nodded to their companions who were now watching them. Daniel felt his face flush. Not even getting laughed off the stage in Los Angeles had been this embarrassing. Jack released him, touching his arm for a moment.

"Uhm," he cleared his throat, "I'm terribly sorry, that was insensitive and," before he could finish Lord Jackson burst into laughter. Soon the others followed and Daniel wished he could disappear into the sofa. It didn't help when Jack joined them. "Jack!" He spit his lover's name out between clinched teeth.

"Daniel! Relax!" Jack calmed down enough to speak, which was better than the others were doing. "They know you!" He waved a hand, "The other you." He patted Daniel's knee and shook his head. "Just be glad Carter and Teal'c weren't here." The thought of their reactions to his inappropriate academic fervor forced a smile out of him and soon he chuckled along with the others.

"No, Doctor, I'm the one who should apologize." Lord Jackson leaned forward in his chair, arms resting on his thighs, hands dangling between his legs. Daniel's heart clinched at half-remembered position. "They," his counterpart's father nodded to Jose and Ian, "told me how similar you are and now that I see it for myself. I'm sorry for laughing, that was rude." He grinned now, shaking his head. "Not only do you share my son's interests," he darted a glance at Jack, "but you have his passion as well. Tell me, what is your doctorate in?"

"Archeology." Daniel had an idea and decided to run with it. "My parents were archeologists. I never wanted to be anything else." Maybe if he could keep reminding himself of his own father, this familiar stranger in front of him would stop reminding him of what he'd lost. He needed to keep in mind what he'd had.

"And one in linguistics. Can't forget that Mr. I Speak More Than Twenty-Three Languages." Jack spoke with pride. He'd always seemed proud of Daniel's achievements, which had never made any sense to Daniel. It reminded him of Lord Daniel telling them about Jonathan's power plant designs.

"More than twenty-three? That's quite impressive." Daniel couldn't help the warmth that spread through him at Lord Jackson's praise.

"It was twenty-three when we met. He's picked up a few since then." Doting Jack was getting a little embarrassing. Hot, but embarrassing.

"Jack. I don't think we need to go into that." Daniel scowled at his lover and got confirmation of his earlier suspicion, Jack liked it when he scowled at him. Damn, why didn't we figure this out years ago?

"Not anthropology?" Lord Jackson's eyes twinkled as he teased.

"Um, well, yes, that, too." Daniel could do this. If there was one thing he'd never been self-conscious about it was his academic achievements. He'd worked hard for his degrees and done it almost completely on his own. The only person who'd been there was Mrs. Greenleaf, his social worker who'd helped him claw his way through the system to get into college at fifteen as an emancipated minor. Even then the court only granted it provisionally until he was sixteen and had proven himself capable of taking care of himself in the supportive world of higher education. UCLA wasn't generally known as taking in loco parentis to heart, especially not when he was there, but they did well by him. Better than many of the foster homes he'd been in. At least at school he hadn't had to deal with mercurial foster parents and often-cruel foster siblings.

"I've always wondered why you rarely mention that one." Jack could be subtle, but rarely bothered. Daniel shrugged.

"Habit. Doctor Jordan offered me the position in Chicago right after I did my orals and, um, I took it. Until the SGC, I never really used it." Doctor Jordan's death still grieved him. Daniel had wanted to tell these men about the Goa'uld they'd found still present on their Earth, but he'd been vetoed. The rationale was that their universe was different enough that those snakes might not be here. He'd had to admit that they were only guessing that the early death of George III was the event that caused their universes to diverge. The final argument was that if Nirrti was there, she might seek them out as allies and they didn't want to risk the information getting into the wrong hands. Maybe they could tell them later, if they ever found out what happened to Nirrti for certain. The last thing these people needed were more snakes.

Lord Jackson was openly staring at him. Daniel wished Devon would pick up the thread of his story.

"Dan, I'm sorry, Doctor Jackson," Daniel started to correct him, but didn't, no matter how much he wanted to hear his name from the other man. Keep it formal. It still hurt. "I assume your father is deceased?"

"Yes, sir." With a sinking feeling, he realized he'd have to give a little more or be rude. "My parents died in an accident." He crossed his arms and looked down for a moment. "It was a long time ago. Seeing you was a bit of a shock." He smiled to hide the pain, but wasn't sure anyone bought it.

"They died together." Lord Jackson's voice echoed Daniel's own envy of his other self. Daniel nodded in empathy. His decades old grief was replaced by his more recent loss in the wake of the older man's distress. Even though he'd found love again, there was a hole in his heart where his Shaur'e had been. Nothing would ever fill it. Ian got up and poured a little more brandy into Lord Jackson's snifter.

"Mel, why don't we take a break?" Ian laid his hand on his father-in-law's shoulder. "You've traveled most of the day and I doubt you've eaten recently. Plus you've had our hellions for a couple of weeks. That's enough to wear anyone out. Daniel will kill me if I don't see to it that you take care of yourself." He smiled and the older man nodded. Probably just as well. They'd just handed the old man a series of shocks. Taking a little time to assimilate it would be good. From what Daniel's counterpart had told him, his father was a member of the Grand Council. It was quite likely that he knew the men responsible for this. Possible that he knew the host Nirrti was hiding in, though they hadn't told any of them their suspicions about her, yet. They also hadn't told him yet about his new granddaughter, just that Daniel was recovering and he'd apparently assumed that Jonathan would insist on staying with his husband.

"My son has taught you some very bad habits, Ian." There was more tease than accusation in his words, causing Daniel to refine his assumptions on the men's relationships. Whatever the friction between Lord Jackson and his son, there seemed to be genuine affection between these men.

"I beg to differ, sir. I think he's taught me quite a few very good habits." Ian smiled and the older man shook his head ruefully.

"I think I've been spending too much time with Nick. I'm beginning to sound like him." The few memories Daniel had of Nick before his parents died consisted mostly of the old man's constant dismissive remarks about his father. He hadn't thought Melbourne Jackson good enough for his daughter and never let either of them forget it. Daniel had been torn between loyalty to his beloved father and wanting to do anything to gain his grandfather's respect and affection. It had hurt when Nick hadn't wanted him, but at some level he'd been almost glad to not have to live with him. Even as a child, he suspected he'd never have been quick enough, smart enough, good enough to overcome Nick's prejudice against his father.

"How is Nick, sir?" Jose spoke for the first time.

"He has good days and bad days." Lord Jackson addressed Daniel and Jack as he explained. "He was very sick for a long time with Compton's and Anika's death hit him hard." Daniel's mind reeled. His grandmother had died when his mother was very young. She'd told him she didn't remember her at all. He wasn't completely certain of the cause, but he thought it might have been in childbirth. Nick had never spoken of his wife at all in Daniel's presence. Just one more difference. Just one more thing he'd lost that this Daniel hadn't. "I'm sorry, Doctor Jackson, I'm upsetting you." Daniel was startled out of his thoughts. He hadn't realized he'd let anything show. His usual barriers were well and truly down.

"No, no, it's all right, sir." He tried to reassure the other man, tried to turn attention away from him. He didn't need anyone's pity. "It's just," he closed his eyes and took a steadying breath, grateful for the hand Jack kept on his arm. It helped keep him grounded. "It's one thing to see the, the big differences here. It's surprisingly more difficult to see," he searched for the words that would express what he wanted without sounding self-pitying.

"See the stuff that only applies to you?" Jack squeezed his arm. "Daniel, the stuff that applies to us is always big stuff." So much for keeping this impersonal and professional. For the millionth time Daniel wondered why the universe seemed determined to make his private life the stuff of mission reports. Make that universes.

"Yeah." He let the word out slowly and shifted mental gears again. He slapped his thighs and stood up quickly, preferring to be in motion while he did this, if he had to do it at all and it seemed there was no good way to avoid it. "Look, lets get this part over with, shall we?" Noting the slightly surprised, but mostly amused expressions on his audience's faces he dove into his recitation with forced lightness. "My paternal grandparents died before I was born." Lord Jackson just nodded, which indicated to Daniel that this was probably at least roughly the same in both universes. "My maternal grandmother died, I think in childbirth, years and years before I was born, but since my mother didn't remember her, she never talked about her at all. Nick never did either. They died, Nick walked, I grew up, went to school, got myself laughed out of my profession because I had the audacity to be right and now I'm here."

He stopped pacing and looked around at everyone. With grim satisfaction Daniel noticed a distinct lack of amusement now. He was angry, hating every single one of them for forcing this out of him. Might as well give them all of it. "Oh, wait, I forgot. Went on the first mission through the gate, got married, left her to get taken by a snake and then one of my best friends had to kill her when her snake was trying to kill me. You really should be taking notes, you know. There might be a quiz later."

"Daniel!" Jack barked his name. Daniel knew that tone but didn't really care at the moment. He was unraveling, but didn't know how to stop it or even if he wanted to.

"Jack? Did I leave anything out? Oh, of course, silly of me." He started his pacing again, "Let's see, sarcophagus addiction, and I really don't recommend that, by the way. Tossed in a padded cell with one of Machello's little gizmos in me, nearly tossed in a padded cell with twelve alien personalities downloaded into my head, almost fell for someone with the adorable nickname of "Destroyer of Worlds", ran into an old girlfriend with a snake in her head, died a bunch of times." As he talked, he strode to the sideboard and poured himself a glass of something out of a cut crystal decanter. Daniel felt manic and needed something to that would calm him down. He wanted to stop, to apologize, but couldn't. He really wanted to just grab Jack and go home. Tell them they couldn't do this, that the others had to leave. For once, he wanted to be selfish and do something for him. Instead, Daniel tossed back his drink relishing the fiery path it traced to his stomach and poured again. He grinned despite the horror in his mind and the tears he felt forming. "If any of you ever think about suicide, I suggest you avoid radiation sickness, it's not nearly as fun as say a staff blast. But hey, I got to ascend to a higher plane of existence," he used one hand to illustrate his ascension treating it as the meaningless exercise in futility it had been, "where I achieved absolutely nothing but the destruction of an entire planet and got my memories wiped as a consolation prize." He tossed back the second drink and addressed his "class" as he'd started thinking of them. Daniel Jackson 101. "Any questions?" He felt the alcohol begin to work its way into his system. He wanted to be numb, but didn't think there was enough liquor in both universes to achieve that now. Daniel headed back to the sideboard, poured again and stood there staring into his refilled glass. This was a mission. Shame flooded through him. He couldn't do this.

"Danny." He choked back the sob that rose at that voice saying his name. He hadn't felt that hand on his shoulder outside his dreams in more than thirty years. No. Not his father. He clutched at the faded remnants of his anger.

"No!" Daniel whirled and staggered away from Lord Cascadia's father. "No! You don't get to call me that!" He heard his glass shatter against the far wall before he even realized he'd thrown it. "You're not him! You're not my father! He's dead!" Daniel turned and bumped into the dining table. He leaned against it, head down, futility trying to stop the tears streaming down his face.

"Daniel." Lord Jackson's voice was softer this time, but just as close. "I listened to you. Please, hear me now." Strong gentle hands rubbed his back. Insistent pressure around his shoulders turned him as his father's counterpart pulled him into an embrace. Daniel's resistance melted along with the last of his control. He buried his face in this stranger's neck his familiar scent blasting through Daniel's brain which told him again that this was the same man he'd loved and lost so long ago. Finally Daniel let go and sobbed out his untouched grief of thirty years. The man's hand stroked Daniel's hair while the other held him securely. Soft words of comfort whispered in his ear and slowly the storm eased.

"Sorry." Daniel's voice was muffled and choked, but he didn't want to move. Didn't want to leave this because he knew he'd never have it again. He understood now why Jack had kissed Samantha O'Neill. It had been a gift, nothing more. A goodbye he could give her that her husband hadn't been able to.

"Shhh, there's nothing to be sorry for." Daniel nodded against his almost father's neck and gripped the back of the man's shirt more tightly. "Better?" Daniel nodded again and couldn't help smiling through his tears. His Dad had always asked him that after holding him through whatever upset sent him into his arms. He wasn't surprised to feel a kiss pressed into his hair. That, too, was old and familiar. "Good. I need to say something and I want you to listen." Daniel nodded again, he was too exhausted to speak. "When I see you, I see how like my son you are. Not even my twin grandsons are as similar as the two of you. You really are the same person." Daniel squeezed his eyes more tightly shut, wanting to stifle more tears, but it didn't work. "My sons-in-law told me about that when I got here, but I didn't really believe them until now." Daniel giggled. He felt drunk, but not entirely from alcohol. All he could think at the moment was that he could check how Lord Jackson felt about his son's consorts off his list of unanswered questions.

"Daniel?"

"N-nothing." He was amazed he could get the word out. He fought down the laughter. "I'll, I'll tell you later." His father's counterpart, he couldn't think of him as "Lord Jackson" any more, hugged him tighter for a moment.

"Okay, when you're ready." Another kiss was pressed into his hair. "I can only assume that I, well, your father and I would have been the same had we ever met." Daniel's heart started to pound in time with his throbbing head. "I can't fully speak for him, but if it were my son in your position, I'd want him to know" the older man pulled back a little and turned Daniel's head so they were looking into each other's eyes the man's hand cupping Daniel's cheek. His eyes were almost as red and puffy as Daniel imagined his to be and his face was wet with his own tears. Daniel held his breath. "I'd want him to know that his father loves him, no matter which universe he was born in."

With a fresh flood of tears, Daniel pulled the beloved stranger into a hug of his own. He struggled for enough control to force words out. "I think," he puffed, his sinuses too swollen with tears to let him breathe properly, "I think you're probably right." Daniel pulled back to look at the man again. His smile was genuine this time as he memorized every line, every wrinkle. "He usually was, so why would you be any different?" His almost father smiled back.

"And since we now both know I'm usually right, why don't you and your friend" he raised his eyebrow in question as he said the word and Daniel looked down, blushing, "go and rest for a while before dinner." Daniel looked up and nodded, his fading blush still in evidence. The old man cradled Daniel's face in his palms and gently kissed his forehead making Daniel want to weep again for the painful familiarity of it all.

"Yes, sir." Then Jack was there, his arm around Daniel's shoulders and he decided he'd had enough and he leaned into his lover's embrace.

"Then, perhaps, we can hear about the rest of what you've been doing all these years." Daniel wondered again there was never an attack when he really needed one. "I got the impression that there were a few things left out."

"Oh, yeah. You should read his mission reports." Jack shuddered, but his hand on Daniel's shoulder continued to stroke gently. "All the good stuff is buried behind tons of crap nobody outside his department understands."

"Gee, thanks, Jack. How about next time I give it to you in Power Point? That way you can sleep through it without drooling on the paper." God, he loved this man. As long as he was irritating him, Daniel could get a handle on his emotions just so he could focus on making Jack equally miserable.

"Oh, would you?" Jack beamed at Melbourne Jackson who smiled back. "What a guy!"

"I couldn't agree more, Jon, I'm sorry, I keep doing this. Colonel."

"No need to be so formal. Jack's fine." Yes, Daniel thought, Jack certainly is fine.

"Jack it is, then." He squeezed Daniel's shoulder once more and gave him a gentle smile that Daniel returned. "Until later, then." He released Daniel's shoulder and left the room, gesturing to Devon to join him.

Devon had been on the far side of the room with Ian and Jose apparently not seeing or hearing anything. He said his goodbyes to them all and followed with a quiet, "Yes, Your Grace" shutting the door behind him.

"So, you heard the man. We should rest before dinner. Sounds like an excellent idea, don't you agree Doctor Jackson?" Daniel laid his head against Jack and nodded. Earlier he'd wanted to be numb and it seemed he'd finally achieved his goal, except for his headache courtesy of his crying jag. He was numb and exhausted. Somewhere deep down he thought he might be a little happy, but he couldn't really feel it through his bone numbing fatigue.

"Gentlemen," Ian was playing host again it seemed, "Please, Daniel and Jonathan would want you to use their room." He let Jack lead him to the doorway. "We need to keep up the illusion that they're still here anyway." Ian shrugged and led them into the bedroom.

Daniel half-listened to Jack and Ian discussing something, but all Daniel could think of was how comfortable that big bed looked. He sat down on it and flopped back, feeling his body relaxing into its soft grip. His head was pounding and he couldn't breathe through his nose, but even those discomforts were minor compared to the rest his body clamored for. Daniel dimly registered the door closing, but didn't want to think about it. He was on the cusp of sleep when something tugging at his feet roused him enough to remember he was still fully dressed and only half on the bed. He raised himself onto his elbows enough to see Jack had begun to undress him. Worn out as he was, the idea of Jack undressing him got him half hard but he figured that's as far as he'd be able to go without some sleep.

"Hey, Danny Boy, still with me?" That was his lover's voice, not his team leader's. Definitely a case of the spirit being willing but the flesh being all but comatose.

"Sorta." A jaw-cracking yawn underlined his response.

"C'mon, big guy, lets get you ready for bed, hum?" Jack grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. Daniel's arms went around him automatically and he snuggled sleepily into his lover. "Let's go, love. Clothes, bathroom, bed."

Daniel nodded, smiling. "You, too?"

"Just try to keep me away, but just to sleep for now. You're dead on your feet." Daniel yawned again and straightened up so he could undress. He wandered through the room toward the bathroom, dropping clothes as he went. He stopped when he noticed a large grouping of pictures on the wall. He stepped toward them and gently brushed his fingers over the faces of this other Daniel's family. Jack's arms wrapped around his waist and Daniel felt him rest his chin on his shoulder.

"Do you think he knows, Jack?" Jack snorted in his ear.

"About us? I don't think we were hiding it very well out there." Daniel smiled and playfully slapped his lover's thigh.

"Wrong he. Wrong question."

"Oh! I can figure out the he, but what's the right question?" Jack kissed Daniel's neck.

"Does he know how lucky he is?" Jack moved his arms to more fully embrace Daniel and Daniel leaned a little on his lover.

"I don't know, love." Jack moved around until he was facing Daniel. "Sometimes what you've got is hidden by all the stuff you've lost."

"Maybe I'll tell him." He'd have to make sure he had a chance to sit down with his fortunate alternate self and tell him.

"Maybe you should." Jack leaned in and kissed Daniel's forehead in odd mimicry of the old man's gesture of affection and then kissed him with a lover's gentle passion. Wishing he wasn't so tired, that he hadn't had so much whiskey, that this rollercoaster ride was over, that they were home, Daniel kissed him back.

"Then I think I'll tell him how lucky I am." All the wonders he'd left out of his tirade flooded through his mind. Places he'd been. People he'd loved. People who'd loved him back. The man in his arms.

"Is that how you really feel, Daniel?" He heard the doubt in Jack's voice, but there was no doubt left in Daniel's heart.

"Yeah, it is." He'd been alone for so long, but now he realized for the first time that he hadn't been really alone for a long time. Not long ago he'd told Teal'c that he finally knew where home was, but it wasn't until this moment that he understood what that truly meant. He traced the lines of his lover's face and kissed him again. When they both needed to breathe he whispered, "I'm a very lucky man."

CHAPTER 21

Jack listened to Daniel snoring lightly against his neck. He'd been asleep almost before his head hit the pillow. Short nights, emotional turmoil and way too much whiskey on an empty stomach had worn him out. Jack was wide-awake. All he could hear was Daniel and a clock ticking off the time. Ian and Jose had left them alone to join their father-in-law and Caruthers. There was no direct, obvious threat here, but his instincts had him on alert, which was why there was a zat under their pillow and one inches from Jack's hand under the covers. This whole situation had been a mind fuck from the outset. As if the whole Lord Daniel/Jonathan/pregnant thing wasn't bad enough, now Daniel had to face meeting up with his dead father. They so did not cover this in leadership school. Time to take it back to basics. Toss out all the speculation from the past week or so and look at it fresh. This was the first quiet time he'd really had since this started. What did they have and what did they need?

They had an Earth attacked and then subsequently abandoned by Niriti's forces upon her supposed death. An engineered plague designed to kill females and sterilize most males. Medical technology far in advance of what they should have had appeared to allow the species to continue to reproduce. Then they had the dark side, which included tainted drugs that compromised the few men still able to reproduce and spread the virus to every newborn. That the children's parents were unknowingly delivering the virus was a particularly vicious twist worthy of a System Lord. Particularly Niriti. It was possible that she really was dead, but all the evidence pointed to a snake behind the tainted drugs. It just had that Gooldish feel to it. A human bent on world domination would have taken more direct action in the wake of the disaster.

The woman killing plague idea never had sat well with Jack. It made no military sense. Snakes wanted slaves and hosts. In order to have that they needed breeding humans. The snakes were arrogant, egotistical, narcissistic, paranoid and pathologically incapable of believing they could fail. That last was their biggest flaw and the SGC's greatest weapon. Unfortunately, they were also smart, ruthless, outrageously experienced and had fanatically devoted followers willing to throw themselves into the breach at the whim of their "gods".

The Niriti he knew and hated had been working on developing an advanced host for millennia. None of them had been surprised that she'd used a virus here to do her dirty work of bringing the population down to a more manageable level. Jack would bet his pension that her virus had been designed to leave fertile men who had particularly desirable genes for her purposes. The big question was why kill the women? Why not kill off the men? Surely it would have been easier to breed from an all female population. If nothing else, a woman's body would require no intervention aside from conception and that was theoretically possible on his planet. That's assuming she'd actively tried to take out one gender at all. Why not just target those with undesirable genes and leave the others sterile without her direct intervention. He didn't know squat about the kind of genetic engineering that would be required, but he didn't doubt Niriti was capable of it. That would have allowed her to pick and choose who bred with whom and still achieve her goals with fewer resources devoted just to her experiment. A slave population that had to devote everything to reproduction wouldn't generally satisfy a snake, especially on a planet with a population as large as this one had been. Why wouldn't she have planned to start transporting slaves to another of her planets to build ships or something? Teal'c had told them time and again that a System Lord's position was based, in part, on how many slaves he or she had under their control.

So far, so good. This was all stuff they'd batted around back at the SGC. Everyone had been so intent on the mechanics of the current situation and how to resolve it that they'd never really gone farther. Except for Teal'c. He'd suggested to Jack that someone in Niriti's own power structure could have deliberately sabotaged her virus to target Niriti's host in order to make her vulnerable. He'd reminded Jack that System Lords feared their own lieutenants more than their overt rivals. Assassination and usurpation was a traditional method of advancement into the ranks of the System Lords.

That scenario made a great deal of sense. A subordinate snake in the right position sabotaged the virus, took out Niriti and was now making the most of the situation at hand. The only problem with that was the apparent lack of snakoid presence on the planet. Why would the victor be in hiding? Why would they have gone and left an entire highly populated planet untended? Why was the gate, or the mirror, for that matter, allowed to be in human hands? Jack didn't think they had the second gate, either, since this one would be reacting every time the other one was used. The Russians had had to be very careful about using theirs to keep the SGC from discovering their competing project. Someone would have noticed something. So, no gate in use. Even under the circumstances on this world, a Jaffa army would be hard to hide. It was looking less and less like a power play by an ambitious snake in Niriti's organization. Which left only one logical option. The goddamned Tok'ra.

This had their slimy fingerprints all over it. They were always ready to fight to the last drop of their allies' blood in pursuit of their goals. Killing more than half the population of a planet to get a single snake would be just their style. Jack could hear it now, oddly enough in Anise's voice, "The losses were considered acceptable. Once Niriti had been neutralized we did remain long enough to ensure the continuing survival of the population. In time they will be able to return to normal methods of procreation. I don't know why you're upset, Colonel. It is better than what Niriti had planned for them." Jack ground his teeth in anger and he gripped Daniel hard enough to rouse him.

"J'ck?" Daniel rubbed his face against Jack's shoulder apparently not wanting to wake up.

"Shh, Danny, go back to sleep." Jack forced himself to relax and stroked his lover's back until Daniel settled again. He was still a little amazed at how easily they'd slipped into their new relationship. They'd only spent one night together and yet holding Daniel while he slept felt so very right. Yes, they'd huddled together for warmth on missions, but that had been very different. Jack resisted returning to his analysis until Daniel's snores told him the exhausted man was deeply asleep again.

The Tok'ra sabotaged the virus. The more Jack thought about it, the more certain he became that he was on the right track. But that didn't answer the question of who was tampering with the drugs. No matter how he felt about the Tok'ra's methods even he couldn't believe they would knowingly murder children in this way. There was nothing they could reasonably gain. The Tok'ra were remarkably single-minded in their hatred for their cousins. It would be completely out of character for them, assuming they were the same here as they were back home. That thought reminded him that he was working with way too many unknown variables. Jack frowned, but decided to go with what he knew until he had evidence to the contrary. For the time being, he'd assume that the Tok'ra were more or less the same in both universes. The saboteur was Tok'ra, or someone similar, but the tainted drugs had to be the other kind of snake and Jack would lay dollars to doughnuts it was Niriti.

Now, what did they need? They needed to know what the hell was going on. Was the Tok'ra agent still around? Logic said he'd stuck around long enough to get the male breeding program set up. Jack wasn't really sure Niriti would have bothered. She'd most likely have picked up stakes and moved on, leaving the population to its own devices when her initial plan cratered. Assuming she could have left. Perhaps the Tok'ra had been behind the desertion of her armies. Jack mused on this for a bit. Niriti had to know where the gate was. She, or would that be "he" now, surely knew the whereabouts of at least one of them. She would have identified their locations from space. They'd have been the only significant naquadah readings on the planet. Most likely she would have bailed and gone to another of her planets to start again. This operation was too fucked for even her ego. No, if she's still around it's because she couldn't leave for some reason. Maybe she doesn't have anywhere to go. Jack didn't think so. She'd had ships, multiple. That implied a power base larger than she'd had in his universe. For a System Lord that meant planets, plural. He really wished he could talk to Daniel about this, but the man needed his sleep. Jack would present him with his conclusions later. If the gate in the yard was the one from Giza, that meant the other gate was pretty much inaccessible to Niriti at the moment. Daniel had told him that the gate had been sent to Lord Daniel by his father along with the mirror and everything else of Niriti's that he could lay hands on. Lord Daniel was trying to decipher it, but that wasn't widely known. Even if she had a small ship secreted away, getting to the free gate and getting away would be risky and he wasn't sure she would have been able to determine if the Antarctic DHD was working from orbit. Daniel might be able to help him with that one. He knew this kind of stuff. If it came to it, he'd toss a note through to Carter and ask her.

Why would she be hiding? Because the Tok'ra agent was still around and she couldn't get to him to get rid of him. She had to be hiding in a fairly high placed host or at least one with direct access to the drugs. That put her either on the Grand Council or, more likely, the, Jack wracked his brain trying to remember what Daniel had called the other group. The Reproductive Council. They were the ones in charge of, well, reproduction. Or she could be in one of the scientists working directly with the various drugs. A scientist would be the most logical choice, but would she have stayed there? Jack put himself into his opponent's position. He was a snake able to change hosts, if not at will, at least from time to time. A human would be at great risk trying to move from one position to another, but a snake could pick and choose. Take over this scientist, do her work and then jump to a policy maker to make sure no one changed things. He needed to talk to Frasier. Could the drugs be rigged through some kind of division of labor so no one scientist knew what was happening? If he'd been the one planning it, he would have wanted to have someone working the drugs and someone else, probably himself, orchestrating policy. Given what must have happened to Niriti, he doubted she was in a trusting mood. No, she'd be doing it all herself, somehow. She was jumping hosts.

Keeping all the drugs coming from a single source made some sense for now but eventually things should recover to the point where they could afford to have additional manufacturing sites. As it stood, a single natural disaster could wipe out their ability to reproduce at all. Someone somewhere was sweating bullets over that one. Niriti wouldn't want to give up control, though. The more people handling the goods, the greater the risk of someone figuring it out. He'd love to know if there'd been any mysterious deaths in key positions. Snakes had a way of leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. If he were going to investigate this, that's where he'd start looking. Follow the bodies and see where they led.

Jack yawned. He'd gone as far as he reasonably could with his analysis without additional information. Some he could get from Daniel, but the rest would need to come from someone here. He glanced at the clock on the mantel and did a double take. He'd seen it when they first came in, but had been too concerned about Daniel to look closely. His grandmother had had a clock just like that, but it had been destroyed in a fire when he was a kid. He smiled remembering his fascination with it and how Grandma had promised he could have it when he was grown. At the time he hadn't thought about her meaning, but after she died the clock was mentioned in her will even though it had been gone for years. She'd left it to him.

Jonathan's clock, and he just knew it was his, told him they had another four hours before they needed to get ready for dinner with the elder Jackson and wasn't that a kick in the head. He hoped Daniel would be ready for that. Jack really wanted to just grab him and take him back through the mirror, but he couldn't abort a mission just because a member of his team was having a tough time with the natives. He reminded himself they weren't in any danger, for the moment. His instincts were still yelling for him to watch out, but he acknowledged that he might not be as objective as he should be. God, they needed to get a handle on this whole thing and do it quickly. He couldn't in good conscience continue to lead his team if he couldn't maintain his objectivity. Yes, he'd always been closer to SG1 than he had any right to be, but it worked for them and consequently it worked for the SGC and the whole damn planet. He'd also always watched out for Daniel more than the others, mainly because Daniel had needed it back in the beginning. Now it was more habit than anything else. Daniel was perfectly capable of taking care of himself in the field, but he was Daniel. They couldn't afford to lose him no matter what. Not again. The year he'd been gone had been horrible. Even then, though, he wasn't really gone. He'd still been watching their backs.

Somehow Jack was going to have to find a way to compartmentalize his lover and his teammate without alienating either one. That was the reason behind the frat rules. He'd always thought who a man or woman slept with was nobody's business and even if "don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue, don't harass" was a step in the right direction, it wasn't nearly enough. Back at the academy his ethics class had been assigned the task of writing a paper refuting an Air Force policy. He and several of his classmates had chosen the same-sex relationship proscription. He'd argued that the rationale that having a same-sex relationship made an officer ripe for blackmail was self-defeating since all the Air Force had to do was make such relationships legal to avoid the risk. He'd gotten an "A" for his reasoning, though his instructor had taken him aside and suggested he keep his argument to himself. He'd proven that he could think for himself, which was the object of the exercise, but he didn't want to raise any suspicion. That's what had killed his burgeoning relationship with Thomas.

Jack wasn't that kid any more. He'd been there, shot that and he decided if he couldn't compartmentalize, well, his knees and his back frequently reminded him just how much of a kid he wasn't. He closed his eyes, set his own internal clock and prepared to join his lover in sleep. As he was drifting off he remembered something he'd started to tell Daniel way too early that morning before the phone rang. As far as Jack was concerned, he'd pick Daniel over the Air Force any day of the week.

Jack's eyes flew open. He checked the clock, Right on time. He took a moment to assess the current situation then gingerly nudged Daniel off his chest and sat up. He'd take care of his needs first and leave Daniel to sleep for a little while longer. Jack grabbed the zat under the sheet but before he could tuck it into his belt there was a knock at the door. He stood, keeping the weapon behind him and out of sight as the door opened. An old man, probably a servant, entered carrying what looked and smelled like coffee on a silver tray. This was probably the man Daniel had told him about. Becker or Beckett or something starting with a "B".

"Good evening, sir." Bender kept his voice low, apparently not wanting to disturb Daniel, either. "Lord Jackson suggested you and," he paused in a way what was becoming much too familiar, "Doctor Jackson might enjoy a cup of coffee before dinner." He set the tray down on the small table near the window then turned back to address Jack. "My name is Beecham. I will be attending to your needs while you are here. Is there anything else you require?"

"Thank you, Beecham, I think we're good here." Beecham kept shooting glances between Jack and Daniel. Jack was getting a little tired of the constant gawking, but he supposed the two of them looked different enough from the counterparts to warrant it. Lord Daniel was still the somewhat reedy academic Daniel had been way back when. He was in decent physical shape, but hadn't been dodging staff blasts for almost ten years. Daniel's well-developed chest and arms were all too evident as he lay sleeping on his back with the sheet bunched at his waist. Jack, on the other hand, was in much the same shape, knees and back aside, that he'd been in for years. Jonathan was beefier even without the obvious complication of being recently pregnant.

"Sir, Lord Jackson suggested that if you so desired, Lord Cascadia and his gentleman wouldn't mind if you borrowed some of their clothing." Jack had the distinct impression that their BDUs wouldn't be welcome at the dinner table. Jack looked again at his sleeping lover. The clothing here was very similar to what was worn at home, if a lot less casual. Going native always left him feeling vulnerable. At least here he'd be in fairly ordinary clothes. It was the feathers and mud that really annoyed him. He weighed the options. He could insist they go as they were and possibly insult their host. It was also virtually impossible to hide a zat in BDUs. On the other hand, the jackets they'd be wearing if they borrowed clothes would allow for both of them to be armed without alerting anyone to that fact. Assuming they could find anything that fit.

"I don't know if that would work, Beecham." He wanted to say that there was no way Daniel could squeeze into any of Lord Daniel's shirts without ripping them. I so did not need that image. Jack chewed out his libido and continued, "And I'm afraid, Jonathan's clothes, well." He was pretty pleased with himself. He didn't want to insult anyone here. He could do diplomatic when he had to. At least if he didn't have to do it for very long. That was Daniel's job.

"Perhaps, sir," Beecham looked assessingly at each of them. "If I may suggest, you might be able to wear something of his lordship's while," again, he seemed to mentally stumble over what to call Daniel, "your companion could try something of his lordship's gentleman's." Beecham kept calling Jonathan "his lordship's gentleman". The odd construction nagged at Jack. He preferred plain speaking whenever possible. Jack guessed the old guy had some serious issues with the whole situation. Who doesn't? Language aside, he had a point about the clothes. That might just work.

"I don't suppose you could make some suggestions." Jack smiled his most charming smile. "Me, I'm just a soldier. I don't know much about this sort of thing but Daniel would kill me if I did anything to insult our host. He usually takes care of this stuff, but," he waved his hand at the sleeping man and let that complete his thought. Beecham seemed to accept that and nodded before moving silently to the closet in the dressing room off the bathroom. Jack took the opportunity to stash the zat back under the covers before following the old man. Beecham wasn't a threat, but he could be an invaluable source of information. He doubted the servant could tell him who the snake was, but he needed more general intel, too. The overt familiarity could prove fatal. He had to know where to draw the lines between here and home. Over the years, Jack had gotten almost more dirt from having a beer with the gardener or mechanic than he had from listening devices. Some of these guys loved to talk about their households.

"Sir? Would you prefer to make your own selections?" Ah, apparently a "gentleman" didn't follow a servant into the closet. Jack bit back on the obvious joke and once again thanked whoever might be listening that Carter and Teal'c weren't around this time out. Normally, he'd have preferred to have his entire team with him, but he could do without the teasing that would have resulted.

"Me? Oh, no, I trust you to find something appropriate. Your Daniel and Jonathan spoke highly of you and that's good enough for me." Jack beamed at the man whose professional face seemed to be cracking just a bit. He cranked up the charm and dove in. "So, Beecham, I guess you've been with," Get it right, Jack! "Lord Cascadia for a while now, right?" Beecham nodded as he sorted through what looked like an endless amount of clothes. Jack didn't think he'd owned that many shirts in his entire life let alone at one time. Then there were the pants in their own section of the closet. Suits hung farther on, then there was the floor to ceiling wall of cubby holes and racks containing sweaters, scarves, ties, gloves, shoes and god knows what else. Lots of blues, bright reds, blacks, whites and yes, the ever-present plaids. It reminded him of an agoraphobic tailor's shop or maybe his Daniel's closet on steroids. Jack couldn't stand it. "When do they find time to wear all this stuff?" Beecham actually smiled at him then.

"Sir, this is Lord Cascadia's closet. His gentleman's closet is on the other side of the dressing room." Jack held up one finger in a "be right back" gesture then turned to cross the room. He opened the door and the "closet" lit as he walked in. He knew his mouth was hanging open, but thought he had good cause. This room was even bigger than Lord Daniel's. He really couldn't bring himself to call it a closet. Jack had always been a bit of a clotheshorse. He liked his comfortable stuff that he lazed around in, but he liked to look sharp, too. Most likely a natural tendency reinforced by all the years spent in and out of dress uniform. Sara had teased him about it a time or two saying she hated to go shopping without him because he had a better eye than she did. He put up with it but had always been pleased to be able to do something nice for her. He'd never had to worry about getting her the wrong color blouse or scarf for her birthday. But this was incredible. Rows and rows of shirts, pants, jackets, suits, any and everything under the sun, including what looked like a number of some sort of gown or caftan. A flash of Sara's side of their closet hit him. Pregnant clothes. Except these were men's clothes and in colors Jack tended to favor. Jonathan had to not only maintain a certain level of dress demanded by his position, but he had to be able to do so throughout every stage of pregnancy as well. He had easily three times the clothes in Lord Daniel's closet.

Jack closed his eyes and sagged against the doorframe. Just when he'd thought he'd gotten a grip on some piece of this weird ass situation, it just slapped him in the face again. He'd seen the man waddling along like an overfed whale, seen him lying with his newborn daughter sleeping in his arms, but no, it was seeing his damned closet that really brought it home to him. In the familiar world of the SGC, it was easy enough to toss Jonathan into the convenient catchall "weird shit at work" box. Just toss him in and lock him up. Nice, neat, out of sight, out of mind. But not here. This was Jonathan's turf. This was the home of a living breathing man who had given birth who knows how many times. He had a closet bigger than Jack's first apartment jammed with clothes he could wear no matter how swollen he was with pregnancy. This wasn't waking Jack's ghosts, but it was finally making him think about what Jonathan's life must be like.

Jack slowly walked into the room and started noticing little details like a silver brush with the initials "JOJ" engraved on the back. A single cuff link sat next to the brush with a scribbled note "J, found this in my box, didn't see the other one, ask Beecham. Love, D". He guessed he'd never gotten around to asking Beecham. Little domestic touches that made the difference between a theoretical construct and someone's home. A picture in a silver frame of Lord Daniel and Jonathan sat behind the brush. They were both much younger and Jack wondered if it was from before the invasion. A double silver frame sat next to it. One side held the photograph of a new baby. The other side a lock of hair framed in lace. Jack sank onto the bench in front of the tiny counter. He reached out a shaking hand and picked up the double frame. He kept telling himself that this wasn't his business, that he was prying into another man's pain, but he brought the frame into the light just the same. He ran his finger over the tiny features and traced the glass over the lock of golden hair. Slight smudges on the glass told him his wasn't the first finger to follow that path. A sound drew his attention and he found Beecham watching him.

"Her name was Claire." The old man gently reached for the frame and Jack handed it to him carefully. Beecham pulled a cloth from his pocket and polished the frame, he didn't touch the glass itself. He replaced the frame on the counter and adjusted it until it was just right. "There are two frames like this in his lordship's closet."

Lord Daniel's words echoed through Jack's memory. Two beautiful, perfect daughters. Jack swallowed. "What was her name, Beecham?"

"Maria, sir. She was," Jack managed a weak grin at Beecham's discomfort. His verbal evasions made talking about a specific consort difficult, it seemed. Jack took pity on him and made a guess.

"Jose's daughter?" Beecham nodded gratefully.

"Yes, sir." Beecham stared hard at Jack. "This is difficult for you, too, isn't it, sir." There was no question there. Beecham knew. Jack sighed and looked back at Claire's picture.

"You have no idea." Jack looked back at Beecham. "Or maybe you do." As the words left his mouth he realized just how much he sounded like Daniel. If Daniel said "for crying out loud" any time soon, Jack might just wig out completely.

"If I may be so bold, sir, do you have any children?" Beecham looked like he knew he'd just walked out on very thin ice.

"I did. He died." Not going there. He hoped his potential source didn't want any more from him because he didn't want to shut him down, but he didn't want to go into it. "Look, I don't mean to pry, well, yes I do," Jack hurried to continue at the other man's offended frown, "but only because I want to understand." The old man grimaced, but nodded. "If it's too personal, I won't be offended if you don't answer. Just say the word and we can change the subject." Jack needed to not get on this man's bad side, but he had to ask. He wished Daniel were awake, he'd be able to do this more delicately, but Jack and Beecham seemed to have just shared a moment. Maybe he could get it out without insulting the man. "You seem to have some, difficulty referring to Jonathan and the others." Ok, Beecham didn't look too offended yet, maybe a touch embarrassed, though. "Is there some taboo or something that we should be aware of?" There, that wasn't too bad. The old man's face cleared some, he apparently wasn't offended, but still looked a touch embarrassed. Maybe this was just a problem for him. Beecham paused a moment then seemed to come to a decision.

"I came into service when Lady Claire was born. When she married, I came with her as part of her personal retinue." Whoa, Jack hadn't really thought about this stuff. He tried to picture the woman he'd seen in the few pictures Daniel had shown him over the years with a "retinue" but failed. In all but one of the pictures, she'd been dressed in work clothes and frankly looked kind of grimy and windblown from working on digs. She'd always looked happy, though. He wondered if Lady Claire Jackson had been as happy as Doctor Claire Jackson. He hoped so. "When his lordship was born, she turned most of his care over to me when she was busy on the estate or in the village." Now the old man smiled the first genuine smile Jack had seen on his face. "Master Daniel was quite a handful, if I may be so bold."

"Go for it. Doctor Daniel is still a handful." Jack didn't know a great deal about Daniel's childhood. He never talked about it aside from a few comments about his time in Egypt before his parents died. He'd seen his file when he first joined the SGC, but the official report told only the number of foster homes and the fact that he had no further contact with anyone from them. At the time, the lack of contact was all Jack had been concerned with, too. No one from his childhood needed to be investigated further. Since then he'd wondered from time to time, but even when Nick did his revolving door act through Daniel's life again, Daniel had remained silent on the subject. After the mission with the Keeper, neither of them had been in any mood to talk about it. The hangover had lasted a whole day, though.

"Lord Cascadia has always gone his own way." Apparently, there would be nothing further about this Daniel's childhood. "Before the plague, his lordship refused to marry." Beecham was starting to look uncomfortable.

"Please go on. I need to know this stuff." Inspiration hit. "You've heard about my Daniel? What his life has been like?" Beecham nodded, what these men knew about Daniel's story had apparently gotten to him. Jack hoped it wasn't common knowledge throughout the household. Daniel hated being pitied.

"His lordship's gentlemen told me that Lord Jackson accepted him." Okay, maybe he could use this. Daniel's lover hated doing it, but the Colonel needed the intel.

"Yes, he did and I can't tell you how much I appreciated that. Daniel knows Lord Jackson isn't his father, but," how could he say this?

"I understand, sir. The mind says one thing, but the heart says another." That was as good a way to look at it as any.

"Exactly. I need to be able to help him through all this, but, well, this isn't really something I'm very good at. The more I understand the more use I can be." Appealing to the old man's protective streak where Daniel was concerned seemed to be doing the trick.

"When his lordship turned down the first young lady Lord Jackson found for him, there were," Beecham was having trouble with this. Jack had run into these guys before. They'd rarely been of any use to him, though. They were fiercely loyal to the households they served. Still, he had something of an in with Beecham. "There were words between them." Jack bet there were words. In a society with a hereditary power structure marriages made alliances and produced heirs. He didn't have to be an anthropologist to know that. An heir with no apparent interest in women, which seemed to be what Beecham was hinting at, would be a nightmare. "Then, his lordship met," again the pause.

"Jonathan?" Jack must have guessed right because Beecham looked grateful and continued.

"Yes. When they met, Lord Jackson became quite angry." He looked nervous again. All his training and loyalty to his house warred with his loyalty to his late beloved mistress's only son. "They barely spoke for several years despite Lady Claire's insistence." That answered that. Beecham looked a little put out that anyone would have denied his mistress anything she wanted. Must have been quite a lady. Jack wondered if Daniel already knew any of this stuff. He somehow doubted it. Daniel had probably avoided as much personal information as he could in that initial debrief. "Then came the plague and everything changed." Jack glanced over at the rather large gown things and nodded. "Changed" was one way to put it. Beecham paused again. What was the deal with him?

"Beecham, please, for both our sakes, just say 'Jonathan'. You won't insult me and I won't tell. I promise! I'm a first name kind of guy anyway." A smaller, but no less genuine smile graced the old man's face.

"You're very like him, sir. It feels odd telling you these things. It's like you should already know." Beecham shook his head. Jack understood the feeling.

"Trust me, I know exactly what you mean. I've bumped into a couple of alternate members of my team before. It's freaky." Doctor Carter was somewhere he really never wanted to go again.

"Have you ever met yourself before?" The man was human after all.

"Daniel did, I wasn't there. This is the first alternate me or Daniel I've met."

"Was he in the military like you?"

"Yep. A general actually. But then he was dead so I don't feel so bad about my career." The man actually chuckled. At this rate, Jack might have the keys to the wine cellar before dinner.

"I can see how that would provide some consolation." Beecham composed himself and continued his story. "After we buried my lady," Jack noted the change in how he referred to Lady Claire. From the look of sorrow on his face, he'd been very close to her. "His lordship and his father began to slowly rebuild their relationship. It didn't happen overnight. Too many hard words had been shared for that." Jack thought of his own father and the arguments they'd had after Charlie died. Sometimes shared grief brought people together. Sometimes it drove them apart. "His lordship had already brought," Beecham paused, took a deep breath and then took the plunge, "Jonathan home to live with him." Jack smiled encouragingly. That had obviously been hard for the old man. He seemed to sink into himself remembering what must have been a terrible time. Jack had an idea.

"Here, sit down for crying out loud." Jack scooted to the end of the bench and patted the end closest to Beecham. "I'm getting a crick in my neck." The objection to sitting with 'his betters' was plain in the old servant's face. Jack raised one finger to get his attention. "Not Jonathan. I'm Jack. Just a guy talking to another guy. Sit. Take a load off. Take it easy." Something seemed to thaw in the old man and he gratefully sat. Jack winced in sympathy when his knees creaked. "Knees, huh? Mine, too." Another thought crossed his mind. "Beecham, what's your first name anyway?"

"I always know when it's going to rain." Seeming to ignore his last question, Beecham leaned a little toward Jack and whispered, "Master Daniel used to think I knew weather magic. He used to call me Chac after some god or other in New Spain." His smile from the pleasant memory faded. "When the worst of the plague had run its course, we were all devastated. We not only lost our lady, but all of us lost someone. Sisters, mothers, daughters," he swallowed and Jack could have sworn there were tears in his eyes, "wives." He looked Jack in the eye and added, "My name is Karl, sir." Jack nodded understanding that he was being given a gift of sorts. "Since my Anna died, there's been no one who called me by my first name."

"I'm honored, Karl." Jack decided he and Jonathan needed to have a little talk when this was over.

"Soon word came down from the Grand Council that they might have a way to help us have children. No one really believed them, but we were all so desperate we were willing to believe almost anything." Jack nodded. He couldn't grasp it on the scale they'd endured, but he understood desperation and the things it drove a man to. Even to believing the impossible. "Eventually, the testing began. Most of us were sterile, not that it mattered much to me. My Anna and I had never been able to have children. We doted on Lady Claire and Lord Marten," seeing Jack's surprise he explained, "Lord Marten is Lady Claire's younger brother. Their poor mother died giving birth to him. My Anna always thought that's why his lordship never had a brother or sister, Lady Claire feared the same would happen to her. His lordship's birth was hard on her, I fear." Great. Lord Daniel has an uncle, too.

"Are there any pictures of your Daniel's uncle around here?" Karl started to stand, but Jack put his hand on his arm and urged him to stay put. "I just want to let Daniel know before we go to dinner. Let him find out in private." Karl nodded.

"There are two on the wall in the bedroom. I'll show them to you." Jack thanked him and let him get on with it. They probably didn't have much time left. "When the results of the initial testing were made public, there was," he seemed to search for the right word.

"Panic?" That's pretty much how Jack thought he would have felt. Judging from Jonathan's original outburst in the briefing room, he hadn't been impressed, either.

"Panic. Rage." Karl clasped his hands in his lap. "Hope. I think the hope was the hardest to deal with. When we found out that his lordship and," he smiled his little smile at Jack, "Jonathan might be able to have children, several of the men in the household walked out and never returned." His normally benign face became hard. "We didn't need them here." Now he looked defiant. Jack suddenly realized why Lady Claire had entrusted her only son to this man. He must have been a force to be reckoned with in his younger days. "We managed just fine without them."

"I bet you did, Karl. I bet you did just fine."

"The process was, difficult to say the least. Jonathan understood what was expected of him, but the change took time." Karl started to look a little guilty again.

"I bet it did. I don't know if I have that kind of courage." Jack's support of Jonathan seemed to be what Karl needed. Jack also realized this wasn't just a way to keep the old man talking. He really didn't know if he'd have what it took to do what Jonathan had.

"You're him, sir. You would have been able to. You understand duty." Jack nodded trying to accept the man's assessment. Given the choice between killing and giving life, which was really the harder choice?

"I'll take your word for it. To be honest, I hope it's not a situation I ever have to face." Have Daniel's baby. His mind just couldn't go there. Jonathan's had had to go there. Jack hadn't looked closely at any of the pictures on the wall in the bedroom. He'd been focused on Daniel. He wondered if he should look later or not.

"I hope you don't either, sir. No one should have to face what we have." A deep breath and Jack figured Karl was in the homestretch. "As soon as the procedure was proven to be successful, the laws were changed allowing men to marry." Suddenly Karl started to laugh. "Of all the things we had trouble with, figuring out what to call a man's husband turned out to be one of the hardest." He continued to chuckle and shook his head. "Many of the sterile men who were unsuitable for the change became hostile and belligerent. Terrible insults arose almost overnight. Horses are now referred to merely as 'male' and 'female'. It is always the way that the words themselves are meaningless, it's the venom with which they are hurled that cause the pain. Bearing men would be taunted with 'Mistress'. The end result is that 'Mister' is no longer used." He shrugged. The longer they sat and talked, the more the man emerged from the oh, so correct servant. All they needed was a couple of beers and a dartboard.

"What should they be called officially?" Lord Daniel had introduced Jonathan as "First Consort". Karl here seemed to have a problem with the term.

"When I was a young man, there was a word used to describe a woman who carried on with a rich married man." Jack could think of a few words himself. He could think of a few for the man in that situation, too. None of them were fit for polite company, though. "She was called his 'consort' when they were seen in public. Supposedly she was merely a friend, but everyone knew differently." Jack was beginning to understand the problem. His estimation of the other man grew, not that it had been low before, but he'd wondered about his difficulty. "Over the years, the term began to be used in a more acceptable manner to simply refer to a woman or man of lower rank in the company of a member of the nobility, but I," Karl shrugged. He seemed to understand his bias, but it didn't make it any easier. "I can't bring myself to refer to his lordship's gentlemen with that word. It would feel disrespectful."

"How does your Daniel feel about it?" Karl smiled.

"His lordship began calling Jonathan," his hesitation with the name had all but disappeared, "his husband from the moment of their marriage." Karl laughed out loud. "It was something of a minor scandal among his peers." Jack smiled. That sounded like Daniel. "'Husband' was supposed to be reserved only for fertile men of the nobility. Some of the silly gits were apparently under the impression that only noblemen had remained fertile." He composed himself and shook his head. "His lordship has never had any patience for 'that sort of nonsense' as he calls it." He sighed. "He does still refer to his other gentlemen as his consorts, though. I know he has come to love them, but I think he feels he would be betraying Jonathan to accord them the honor of 'husband'."

"My Daniel can guilt himself into a migraine over the silliest things." Jack figured he had everything Karl could tell him, but he was enjoying the opportunity to talk about his lover, even if it were mostly about his lover's double. Everything Karl said about his Daniel resonated with Jack.

"Oh, my, yes, the headaches. The boy has always had trouble with them. He's always been so worried about doing the right thing while having no qualms about doing exactly what he wants." Jack nodded and sighed. So much the same. Were he and Jonathan really that much alike? He glanced around the 'closet' they sat in. He still couldn't get his mind to go there. "Sir? Doctor Caruthers told me that they were getting better, but doctors never tell you what they don't want you to know." Ah. Jack nodded.

"Karl, they're doing great. Caruthers is just being careful by having them stay in our infirmary for a few more days. Our Doctor Frasier is an excellent doctor and she's watching them like a hawk. Good doctor but very scary. Short, too. They won't know what hit them until they're back on their feet and wondering how she did it." Karl nodded then rose stiffly to his feet. Jack figured their talk was over.

"Thank you, sir, you've relieved my mind a great deal. Now, let me lay out some clothes for you both. It wouldn't do to be late for dinner." With that the old man began rummaging through Jonathan's closet, searching for something that would fit Daniel without, no doubt, clashing with his eyes. Jack went to wake his lover and prepare him for what would surely be a difficult evening. He just hoped they'd both get through it in once piece. As he stepped into the bedroom, Jack realized he still didn't know how Karl managed to talk about one specific "gentleman" without resorting to using their name or the dreaded "consort". That was going to bug him to no end.

CHAPTER 22

Daniel drifted. He knew he was asleep. A commonplace paradox. If he was aware enough to know he slept, he was actually waking up. He clung to the soft warmth of the ragged ends of sleep but it slowly drifted away. He turned onto his side and hugged the pillow to him. Maybe he'd be able to drift off again. He heard voices and wondered dimly if he'd left the television on again. Daniel was still tired and a headache was making itself known behind his eyes. Sleep sounded like a good plan. Maybe his dreams would be easier this time out. The sheets were warm and soft. He breathed in their scent, a little puzzled because it didn't smell like the fabric softener he used. They smelled like coffee and Jack's aftershave. Daniel's eyes shot open. Finally wide-awake, recent events crowded into Daniel's mind.

Daniel rolled back onto his back and raised his head to squint at the room he was in. He let his head drop back to the pillow and groaned when his headache objected. Right. Not at home. Daniel sighed. For a moment he'd hoped it had been a dream. Well, he'd hoped the bad stuff had been a dream. A faint wisp of Jack's after shave teased him and he allowed a small contented smile. That wasn't a dream. He still had trouble believing it and they still had a long talk coming. Jack had mentioned taking off for a couple of week and going to his cabin. No one around for miles. Daniel's smile grew and he felt himself getting hard. This is not good, I can't go out there like this. He could still hear the voices and the occasional laugh. He finally identified one as Jack's. He couldn't make out what they were saying, but Jack's tone told him his lover was relaxed. The lubricant of your choice. Did Jack have any idea what that comment had done to Daniel? He really needed to find out how much experience Jack had. Daniel didn't know for certain if his lover had any clue just how much he wanted to put that lube to good use. Daniel groaned again. Coffee first and then maybe he had time for a shower. A very cold shower.

Daniel rolled over to the edge of the bed and swung his feet to the floor. He'd stripped down to his boxers and t-shirt, which he probably shouldn't have since this was a mission. He took a moment and rested his aching head in his hands. The colonel should tear a strip off of him for how he'd behaved so far. He wasn't sure that Jack would. That was another thing they needed to talk about. Daniel figured this was exactly why the military had the no frat rules. He didn't want to transfer to another team or, worse, stay on the base. But there was time to deal with his private life after they got home. He had to come to grips with this new Melbourne Jackson and do it before dinner. God, talk about taking your job home with you. Except his home life seemed to just keep slapping him in the face at work. It's not like he asked for this. Asked for or not, though, there it was and he had to get through the next couple of days without falling completely apart. It was just another mission. Right. Tell yourself another one.

"Hey." Daniel looked up and squinted toward the bathroom, dressing room, whatever. Where were his glasses? He really should consider trying the long wear contacts again.

"Hey." Jack detoured to the table and picked something up before joining Daniel on the edge of the bed.

"Thought you might appreciate these." He unfolded Daniel's glasses and gently placed them on his face. His fingers lingered as he smoothed down the earpieces. Daniel tingled where Jack touched him and he frantically started mentally conjugating Ancient verbs in a vain attempt to distract his libido. Jack was so close, Daniel could smell his aftershave and it was so much better on Jack than second-hand on the sheets. All he had to do was lean just a little. The kiss was almost as much a surprise to Daniel as it was to Jack.

"Sorry." Daniel ran his hand through his hair and tried to ignore the taste of Jack on his tongue or the dazed look in his lover's eyes. He really wished he were wearing his pants. Boxers didn't hide much.

"We're so screwed."

"Not yet." I can't believe I said that. Daniel closed his eyes and dropped his chin to his chest. His head hurt. Maybe he could go back to sleep and start over.

"Looking forward to it, actually." He opened one eye and peered at Jack who was sporting a silly grin. Had he ever been with a man before? He certainly hadn't shown any hesitation last night.

"Not," Daniel stood up. Maybe putting a little distance between them would help.

"Not?" Jack looked worried.

"Here, Jack. We can't," he waggled his head from side to side not wanting to voice the crude words that popped into his head. Daniel wanted their first time going all the way to be special. He shook his head and went for the coffee. He felt like a teenager and he'd hated being a teenager.

"Oh. Right." Jack sounded relieved. "Not here."

"Right." Daniel poured coffee into two of the fine china cups and added honey from the small pot on the tray then some cream. There wasn't any sugar. "Mission."

"Of course. Later." Daniel took a sip and nearly choked as he started to laugh.

"God, Jack, we sound like a couple of teenagers." The coffee wasn't as good as what he was used to getting at home. It had the bitterness of poor quality beans and might be a little on the old side. An odd contrast with the wealth represented by the china and the room they were in. Daniel added a bit more honey.

"Yeah," Jack touched his back and then after a little hesitation, squeezed his shoulder before picking up his own cup. "But it's kinda nice." Daniel looked at him and smiled over his cup. Suddenly the bad coffee didn't matter so much.

"This is," Jack looked at his cup like he'd been poisoned.

"Yeah, not Starbucks. It must be hard to get the beans at all. Shipping's probably very expensive. Coffee," he offered Jack the honey, "sugar, many common fruits, probably a lot of things we take for granted are on short rations here. On the other hand, the wines are probably excellent." He blotted up a blob of honey from the tabletop and tasted it. "Most of the honey we get at home is clover honey from the south. I bet these bees feed on grape flowers for part of the year. I wonder if they make mead." Daniel vowed to keep his mind on his job and off of his dick.

"Yes, sir. His lordship's cellars have a fine collection of meads." Daniel whipped around and found Beecham coming out of the dressing area, his arms laden with clothing. As soon as Daniel saw him, he turned quickly putting his back to the servant. He was used to the communal locker rooms on base, but there was something very unnerving about standing in his underwear in front of the old man. At least he knew whom Jack had been talking to. He'd been so wrapped up in his thoughts he hadn't considered it. "I can recommend several fine brews if you'd care to sample some." Beecham carried on while Daniel tried to ignore his underdressed state.

"Um, thank you, Beecham, I, I might take you up on it, um, later." Next to him, Jack started to cough and Daniel glared at him. The reaction was instantaneous. Jack quickly looked away and Daniel smiled to himself. This could be quite useful, not that Daniel would ever play such a dirty trick on his best friend, lover and personal pain in the ass. Nope, he'd never do that. His smile widened for a moment, then he drained his cup and poured another one.

"Karl," Karl? Who's Karl? "found us some more appropriate clothes to wear to dinner." Ah, Beecham. Leave it to Jack to be on a first name basis. Daniel wondered how much information he'd gotten out of the servant. Jack could be very charming when he wanted to be. Usually when he wanted something.

"Oh, right. Thank you," Daniel wondered if he should use the man's first name, then decided not to, "Beecham." He hadn't yet been given permission. His experience with servants tended more toward the slaves they met on missions. He didn't want to push it. Another thought hit him when he realized whose clothes they must be. "Um," he had to turn around now, he couldn't keep talking to the wall, "I don't mean to be rude, but are you sure they're going to fit?"

"Colonel O'Neill and I discussed the matter and I believe these will serve." If he'd insulted the man, it didn't show.

"You'll be wearing Jonathan's," Jack held up a moss green shirt and a charcoal jacket, "and I'll get something of their Daniel's." He put down the green shirt and held up a white shirt that looked like it must be silk.

"Oh, that should probably work." A black jacket had been laid out with the white shirt and all of Daniel's work on getting his libido settled down was undone. Jack was going to look incredible in that.

"I fear the colors aren't the best for you, Doctor Jackson, but," Daniel held up one hand and shook his head.

"No, no, don't apologize, it's fine. We really should have thought about this and brought appropriate attire from home." He set down his cup and went to inspect the clothes laid out for him. He was vaguely aware of Jack and Beecham speaking quietly behind him. The clothes were obviously quite expensive but as he ran his hand over the shirt, which turned out to be silk as well, he could see the wear beginning to show. This was probably something Jonathan had been wearing for a decade. Something told him that these men could probably have had new clothes made whenever they chose, but except for necessities like maternity clothes for the bearing men, he bet they hadn't. Cloth was probably rationed. He had no idea what their manufacturing capabilities were, but he'd bet silk wasn't high on the list in this part of the world.

Daniel met Beecham's eyes and detected a hint of sorrow and a little embarrassment. The old man didn't like having to offer something that might not show his household in the best light and he'd seen Daniel inspecting the shirt. "It's beautiful, Beecham," he floundered for a moment for a way to ease the moment. "I've never been able to afford to wear silk, thank you. This will be a treat." Okay, it was a small lie. He did have a silk shirt at home, but it wasn't until after he'd descended that he'd ever indulged himself. He'd been able to afford it from the time he'd come back from Abydos, but it took years before he truly believed it. The year's worth of back pay he'd gotten had finally broken him of feeling like a penniless student. He tried not to think about the times when he had been penniless after college. He still couldn't believe Jack had arranged to put his savings and investments in trust for him. He was, he supposed, comfortably well off these days.

"Very good, sir." His lie apparently had the intended effect because Beecham's subtle unease vanished . "If there's nothing else you require, I'll leave you both to bathe and dress. Please avail yourself of anything you need. His lordship would insist. If you require anything further or if the clothing doesn't suit, please call" he pointed to a button on the wall next to the bed, "and I'll return and find something more appropriate. Dinner will be served in just under an hour."

"It'll be fine, Karl." Jack draped his arm over the man's shoulders in what Daniel thought was an overly friendly fashion and walked with him to the door. Damnit! It looked like green was going to be the right choice for him after all. Daniel shook his head, picked up his borrowed clothes and stalked to the bathroom. He knew he was being silly, but he was having trouble controlling his possessiveness. Shower, he ran his hand over his chin, shave, dress and avoid Jack at all costs. They didn't have the time for anything else.

Finally, Daniel stood in front of the mirror adjusting his tie. His headache was just about gone, courtesy of the Tylenol in his pack. He and Jack had managed to get ready with a minimum of interruption. It was a good thing the bathroom had two showers or else they'd never have gotten dressed. The shirt and jacket were a little roomy in places, having been tailored for Jonathan, but not too bad. They fit across his shoulders and chest, with the shirt bunching a little at his waist. The jacket hid the slightly too long sleeves and if it came down to it, he'd undo the cuffs and roll them up a little when dinner was over. Ah, no he wouldn't. He'd have a zat hidden under his jacket, so the sleeves would have to do as is. His counterpart's pants fit reasonably well, though he suspected they weren't supposed to fit so tightly over his thighs. He tended to favor loose slacks so maybe this Daniel did, too. Beecham had laid out a pair of briefs for him, so at least he didn't have to worry about the legs of his boxers cutting into him when he sat. The shoes felt perfect. He'd avoided looking at Jack as much as possible.

The white shirt, black jacket and pants might look ordinary on most men, but the combination did things for his lover that took Daniel's thoughts places they had no right to be on a mission. That had become his mantra over the past hour. This was a mission. A mission. The quiet domesticity of preparing for dinner was deceptively normal. They weren't at home and nothing could happen. He wondered if maybe he should sleep on the sofa in the main room tonight.

"Jacket's a bit big," Jack's face appeared over his shoulder in the mirror, "but overall, you look very nice this evening, Danny." Arms wrapped around his waist and Jack rested his chin on Daniel's shoulder. He liked this position, liked the feeling of Jack's body against his. His lover was just the right height to make it relatively easy for him, too. "You're quiet. Not looking forward to dinner, are you." Daniel blinked at Jack's reflection for a moment. Oh. Right. He'd been so focused on not getting hard and naked with Jack that he'd managed to forget. Avoidance technique number three. Too bad it doesn't work on my dick.

"Um." Tell him the truth or give him a comfortable lie. No, if they were going to do this, going to be together, it had to be the truth. "Actually, I'd forgotten all about, about that. Him." Daniel chewed his lower lip and watched Jack's face. He was in deep shit when they got back to the base. "I, uh, I've actually been concentrating on, well," he sighed in defeat and muttered, "on you, you bastard."

"What was that, Daniel? I didn't quite catch that." Cat, meet canary. Jack looked like he should have feathers hanging out of his mouth.

"I said I've been concentrating on not ripping your clothes off and dragging you back to bed, you bastard." Preening. Jack was preening.

"You were jealous earlier, weren't you." Could the man get any more smug? Right. Daniel turned around and grabbed him by the lapels and pulled him into a hard, demanding kiss. Jack's arms went around him and he gave as good as he got. They shouldn't be doing this. They couldn't be doing this. If Daniel wasn't careful, he was going to lose it and as good as it would feel right now to show Jack just how much he belonged to Daniel they'd both regret it. Not the time, not the place. He pulled away, panting.

"God, yes, I was and, and it's stupid, I know!" This was a mess. Why did they have to find each other in the middle of all this?

"Hey, it's okay, really." Jack clasped the back of his neck in the same way he'd done hundreds of times throughout their friendship. His hand on Daniel's cheek was more rare but no less familiar. "It's kinda nice." He looked thoughtful, "I really like it when you get all grabby and possessive," the hand left his cheek and Daniel missed it immediately, "but I'm not sure Ferretti would understand you taking him outside and beating the shit out of him every time I slap him on the back." The image made Daniel laugh and he looked down in embarrassment. He released Jack's lapels and gently smoothed out the wrinkles.

"I think I wrinkled you." He cocked his head, and looked into Jack's face.

"Mussed. The term you're looking for is 'mussed'."

"Ah. Silly me. I think I mussed you."

"Think nothing of it. You can muss me any time." Daniel straightened and ran a hand over the side of Jack's head.

"I'm sorry, love, I'm not handling this very well." He wanted to kiss him again, but resisted the urge. They had to go out there in a few minutes.

"Daniel, I'd be surprised as hell if you were." That startled Daniel. "No one with a beating heart would be able to handle this well. Over all, I think you're doing just fine." Daniel shook his head and started to deny it. "Don't. Don't run yourself down. I hate it when you do that. You're one of the strongest men I've ever known." Daniel's mouth was hanging open in surprise. Jack just didn't say this stuff. "You've been through so much crap in your life and you're still, still you!" Daniel blinked. He didn't know what to say to that. Hearing Jack say he loved him was surprising enough, but this was even more somehow.

"I don't know what to say, that's, that's the most incredible thing anyone's ever said to me."

"You're welcome." Okay, maybe a thank you might have been in order, but Jack heard it anyway. "Now, before we get wound up again, there's something I need to tell you before we," he nodded his head at the door, "go." He put his arm around Daniel's waist and led him to the wall of pictures. Daniel steeled himself and faced the wall.

He knew many of the faces. Daniel and his husbands. His parents, not Daniel's parents. He held that thought firmly. The children, obviously, weren't known. Though the picture of the oldest could have been a picture of Daniel at that age. If it hadn't been grouped with the other children, he might have missed it being Lord Daniel's and Jonathan's son. Two side by side must be the twins that were mentioned earlier. Daniel's and Jose's sons. The other boys could have been any of the bearing men's sons, but they all had the same chin, the same nose and a likeness around the eyes. They all looked like Daniel. Some of the other adults' pictures looked familiar, but he didn't know them. He guessed they were relatives, but none that he'd known in his life. The pang of loss hit him unexpectedly. He shouldn't feel it about people who may have never even existed in his universe. Jack pointed to a man Daniel didn't think he'd ever met, but the resemblance was too strong to deny.

"That," Jack tapped the frame lightly, "is Lord Jackson's brother-in-law, Marten Ballard." His lover didn't say anything else but Daniel appreciated being pulled a little closer and really appreciated the light kiss on his cheek. "I didn't want you going out there tonight without seeing this, first." Daniel nodded, unwilling to speak for the moment. "He lives with the old man and Nick." Daniel took a deep breath, he'd been doing a lot of that. He nodded.

"Thanks, Jack. It's good to know this stuff up front, I think." Jack led him away from the pictures to the table. He gestured for Daniel to sit and Jack hiked one hip up onto the table.

"I did some thinking earlier and I think I know what's going on here. I want your take on my conclusions. I also learned a few things from Beecham, so why don't I give you the rundown before we face the locals." Daniel smiled. Jack got it. Keep treating it like a mission and maybe he could get through this with his sanity intact. He sat and listened and tried as hard as possible to remember that these were the other Daniel's family. He had Jack and Sam and Teal'c and Janet and Cassie and all the others. Daniel returned to the most important point. He had Jack. That was enough.

Dinner had been excellent. Daniel noted that almost all of it had been made from locally available ingredients. He and, with a little prompting, Jack had made appropriately impressed noises over the dessert, which consisted of lightly fried bananas and caramel sauce topped with ice cream. Apparently, Jose's family sent them boxes of fruit from time to time. With their short shelf life, bananas must be fairly rare in this Pacific Northwest. They both drank wine sparingly. Daniel had considered begging off completely, but feared it would be insulting. He'd been right earlier, though, the wines were incredible.

Throughout the meal conversation had been kept to discussions of the adjustments the society had made in the wake of the invasion and plague. The estate's vineyards that had been little more than a point of pride before, never bringing in much income, were now a source of wealth. Daniel surprised himself by thoroughly enjoying Lord Jackson's descriptions of farming in the region. He'd told them about the various small industries starting up to supply the population with locally made goods where possible. The university in Portland, Cascadia's capitol, had just reopened its medical school, a new agricultural college and, oddly a college of architecture. It seemed that while Lord Jackson had taken a fairly traditional path for men in his class, politics, finance, apparently his passion was architecture. Daniel found himself laughing at his stories and the man across the table slowly began to separate from the man Daniel knew from his childhood. He couldn't imagine his father getting that excited about any building that wasn't at least five thousand years old and in ruins.

"Thank you, sir." Daniel accepted the snifter of brandy from his host and settled back into his chair by the fire. The zat tucked into the back of his belt poked him a little, but he'd gotten used to carrying weapons and dismissed the minor discomfort. Lord Jackson sat in the chair next to him with his own glass and Jack sat across from them pretending he wasn't dozing off. They sipped in comfortable silence for a time. Ian and Jose had excused themselves right after dessert. Marten was bringing the children home in a few days and they were resting up. Devon had already started them on the regime he and Janet had designed to rid their bodies of the extra chemicals found in the bearing men's supplements. Rest was what they both needed right now.

The additives to their supplements were even more of a mystery than the others. The children's supplements were fairly straightforward, if the goal was to continue 'culling' the population. The fertile men were being kept off balance and focused wholly on breeding. It was only Lord Daniel's insistence on not taking them all the time that had allowed him to maintain a measure of control. It had been Jack who'd pointed out that in a society like this, especially after Beecham's revelations, a fertile man would be in an excellent position to gather a rather large powerbase. That made sense, if Jack's analysis was correct and Daniel thought it sounded just about right. The effects on the bearing men were apparently much more subtle. Daniel hoped they'd be able to find out one day, it was going to bug him until he knew.

"You're very quiet this evening, Daniel." He started at Lord Jackson's voice.

"Sorry," He been caught woolgathering. He knew he sometimes spent way too much time inside his own head for some people, but it was comfortable for him. "I was just wondering about the tainted supplements for the bearing men and what they did." He knew Devon had briefed the older man, but such things apparently weren't considered polite dinner conversation.

"I guess we'll find out soon enough." Lord Jackson put his snifter down and leaned forward in his chair, twisting a little toward Daniel. "I don't know if I can ever thank you and your people enough for what you've done, not only for my family, but for all of us." His hands clasped together and Daniel's stomach lurched. He was making headway in keeping this man at arm's length emotionally, but every once in a while a familiar turn of phrase or gesture would bring it all back again. Lord Jackson reached out and grasped Daniel's free hand, staring into his eyes. "You saved my son and for that I owe you more than I can ever repay." There was raw pain in the old man's eyes and for once he looked older than his years.

"You don't owe me anything, sir," he had to figure out what to call this man, "I, we, didn't do anything anyone else wouldn't have." Daniel didn't know how to get out of this. Awkward didn't begin to describe how he felt. He knew what he wanted to do, but while the hug might do the other man some good, it would take Daniel one more step down a path he couldn't afford to follow.

"Say thank you, Daniel." Jack's dry voice broke the silence. Lord Jackson laughed and Daniel alternated between a shy smile for his host and a glare directed at Jack.

"Thank you, sir." The old man squeezed his hand and then released him. He took a moment to rub his eyes then reached for both their snifters.

"Let me top off our drinks." He rose and waved Beecham away. Daniel figured he needed a moment to collect himself. "Colonel, since you're obviously not asleep, would you care for a brandy?" The tease in his voice was unmistakable.

"Maybe a small one. After that wonderful dinner, I'm afraid too much would just put me right to sleep." Now Daniel felt guilty. He knew his desire to get used to being around Lord Jackson was the only reason they hadn't called it a night yet. The hours Daniel had slept earlier hadn't made up for the short nights or the emotional upheaval, but this opportunity was too good to pass up. He was lightly buzzed from the wine at dinner and the brandy was sitting warmly in his stomach. A little liquid fortification was making the situation a great deal easier to handle than it would have otherwise.

"Jack, if you're tired, you could go on and go to bed. We probably won't be talking too much longer." Fortification aside, Daniel half hoped Jack would refuse. Even just sitting in his line of sight, Jack brought much needed comfort.

"Nah, I'm way too comfortable here to even consider moving." Jack opened his eyes and winked at Daniel before settling back into his pseudo-nap. I got it, Jack. Daniel smiled at his lover. Jack wasn't going to leave him to do this alone, but he was going to give him the space to do it. Daniel could feel himself falling in love with the man all over again.

"Beecham, why don't you finish what you're doing tomorrow. You've been on your feet since I got here and knowing you, probably since dawn. Go to bed." Lord Jackson returned with their drinks and after handing Daniel's his, he remained standing, staring down the old servant. Beecham looked like he wanted to find a way to argue, without arguing, of course, but finally seemed to give in.

"Very good sir, thank you." He approached Daniel on his way out of the room. "Doctor Jackson, if you or Colonel O'Neill require anything in the night, just ring and," he glanced at Lord Jackson, "Parker will see to your needs. Good night, my lord, gentlemen." Protocol satisfied, he left, closing the door silently behind him.

"The old fool is going to work himself into the grave and then Nick will strangle whoever he deems responsible." He sat in his chair and took a drink. "Knowing him, he'll blame me and then Daniel will hate me because he'll have to take over my duties when he'd much rather just keep doing what he's doing now." Lord Jackson smiled at the thought of his son and Daniel wondered if this is what it would have been like had his parents lived. Would they have worried about him like this? Maybe it was just as well they weren't around. His current life would have put them through hell.

"Drink up, boys." He leaned closer to Daniel, "I think your friend is subtly telling us it's time for bed." He looked between Daniel and Jack. Running his hand through his white hair, he seemed to be loosing an argument with himself. "I know this is none of my business, but trust me when I say I have a reason for asking." Daniel knew what was coming. He glanced at Jack out of the corner of his eye and saw he was watching them. An almost imperceptible shrug gave Daniel his permission to answer or not as he chose.

"Then ask. I can't guarantee I'll be able to answer it, but I won't think less of you for asking." Daniel hoped he managed to sound unconcerned. He really wasn't sure where this might lead.

"Jose told me that you two were friends. Good friends, but just friends." He caught Daniel's eye before continuing, "I've gotten the impression all evening that there's more to your relationship than that." Daniel knew this trick. His own father had used it mercilessly when he suspected Daniel had gotten into something he wasn't supposed to. Some of his foster parents had been good at it, too. Make a few pointed statements and then let the kid hang himself out of guilt. He smiled. It had taken him years to come up with a defense for that one.

"I was just thinking of all the things I've confessed to over the years whenever someone used that tactic on me." Lord Jackson returned his smile. Daniel leaned a little closer and lowered his voice, no need for Jack to hear this. "Half the time I'd confess to things they never suspected me of in the first place."

"My wife, my Claire, was especially good at it. Between the two of us our son never had a chance." Lord Jackson drained his snifter and sighed. "I still miss her."

"My sorrow for your loss, sir." The old man nodded, accepting his condolences. "I miss my wife, too. My Shaur'e. She was so beautiful, so strong." Daniel drained his own snifter, it seemed appropriate. A private toast to his lost love.

"My sorrow for yours, Daniel." Daniel nodded. "My Claire was beautiful as well. And strong."

"I know." Daniel figured all sons thought their mothers were beautiful, but that didn't make it any less true. He'd had people tell him enough times over the years to let him know it was more than just a son seeing through the eyes of love. He sighed and looked up at Jack who was watching him. Daniel smiled. He wasn't alone anymore. He hadn't thought he'd ever find anyone he could love as much as his beautiful, passionate wife, but there he was. The most unlikely lover he could think of and yet the best match he could have made. "As to your non-question, sir," Lord Jackson looked a little abashed at having been caught in parental manipulation. "When I told Jose and Ian about our relationship it was the truth," he cocked his head a little, "at the time." Jack's head was propped up on his fist, elbow on the arm of his chair a sexy smile on his face toying with his empty glass. He looked edible at that moment. "But things changed very recently." He looked back at Lord Jackson not caring that he sat there hard as nails in front of this man. Jack was his and at that moment, he didn't really care who knew it. "I think we have your son and Jonathan to thank, actually. Had we not seen them together, I'm not sure we'd have ever gotten a clue." He smiled at Lord Daniel's father, but his thoughts kept drifting back to the taste of Jack's skin.

"I'm glad." The old man looked oddly relieved. "I'm an old-fashioned man, Daniel. When my son told me who he'd fallen in love with, I was angry and hurt." His confession seemed to be difficult for him, but Daniel let him continue. He'd seen enough now to know that things had changed for him. "It was Claire who reminded me that Daniel was still our son, still the same young man he'd always been. She also pointed out that I wasn't disgusted or repulsed, just disappointed." Daniel knew he was glowering at his host. "For some reason, knowing you two are together makes it seem, inevitable. The irony of it all is that the biggest problem was the thought of not having grandchildren." He shook his head and chuckled. "I'm not saying this very well." When it was obvious Daniel wasn't going to speak, Jack did.

"I think you're saying it just fine, Lord Jackson." Daniel couldn't help but wonder if this would have been his own father's reaction. "Don't get me wrong. Jonathan is a wonderful man and he's so very good for Daniel." He glanced at Jack and then back to Daniel. "Jonathan brings my son out of himself. He spends too much time with his books and his studies," he raised a hand to silence Daniel before he'd done more than open his mouth in protest. "I don't really have a problem with my son's passions, I just wanted him to spend some time in this century." He smiled. "I bet your Jack does the same for you." Daniel hung his head. Bingo.

"You have no idea, Lord Jackson. It's like pulling teeth to get him out of his office and away from those dusty rocks of his."

"Artifacts, Jack." His correction was automatic. Jack was just getting warmed up. He sat up a little straighter and Daniel enjoyed watching the way his body moved under the white silk. He knew how he'd like to warm Jack up.

"When all this is over, I'm dragging him to my cabin for two weeks of wonderful fishing in the wilds of Minnesota. Just us, the loons and the elusive crappy." Lord Jackson looked surprised.

"You fish, Daniel?"

"Uh, no, actually, I don't. I plan on taking books." Daniel decided to try something so he scowled at Jack. "Lots and lots of books." Yes, he had Jack's full attention now, which was how it should be. Maybe if he faked a yawn, the old man would take the hint and leave. Daniel didn't feel at all tired any more, but he did want to feel Jack.

"Don't let him, do it, Colonel. Make him fish. It'll be good for him."

"Did you ever get your son to fish? I may need pointers." Will they never stop? Daniel was getting restless.

"No. No, never could get him interested." Daniel yawned and wonder of wonders, their host got the message. "I should go. I'm keeping you both from your bed." He stood and they both joined him, walking him to the door. Daniel kept himself between Jack and Lord Daniel. To hell with it, Jack liked him grabby and possessive. He'd show him just how grabby and possessive he could be as soon as they were alone. Daniel was done with waiting. Lord Jackson paused with his hand on the doorknob. "Thank you, again. For everything."

He suddenly turned and engulfed Daniel in a bear hug. Daniel hugged him back and for a moment it was as if time rolled back and this was his father. He couldn't help noticing that for a man of his age, he was in remarkably good shape. It made the illusion all the stronger. Then Lord Jackson released him, and the moment passed. He patted Daniel on the shoulder and then stepped to Jack and hugged him as well. Daniel's jealousy flared. No one touched his Jack. He caught himself before he physically separated the two men. He was overreacting, but he could barely control it. With a slight wave and a nod, Lord Jackson strode through the door, closing it behind him.

Before Jack could say a word, Daniel grabbed him by the shoulders and jerked him into his arms. He dove into his lover's mouth and crushed his body to him. He'd never been harder in his life, never felt such a need to possess someone before. Jack was his and he was going to prove it to him. Jack sank into the kiss with the same passion as before. Daniel's hands stroked everywhere he could reach. He growled as he squeezed Jack's firm ass and nearly came on the spot. He only broke the kiss when he had to breathe. "Bed. Now." Jack's eyes were black with arousal, his lips swollen from Daniel's harsh kiss. Marked. Daniel hadn't thought he could get any harder. The thought of marking Jack, showing the world he belonged to Daniel nearly drove him into a frenzy. Jack started to speak, but Daniel dove into his mouth again, effectively shutting down any protest his lover might have made.

Daniel walked Jack backward toward the bedroom, ruthlessly stripping him as they went. He ripped the zat out of Jack's belt and tossed it somewhere onto the floor. Daniel managed to retain enough presence of mind to try and not rip the borrowed clothes, until he got to the buttons on the shirt. He got them through the bedroom door and closed it, then returned to his task. To hell with the fucking shirt. He grabbed the shirt in both hands and ripping it open, he pulled it down so it trapped Jack's arms behind him. "Mine! You're mine, Jack, no one else gets to have you. I'll kill the next person who so much as touches you!" A small voice in the back of Daniel's mind asked him what the hell he thought he was doing. This was wrong. He should be gentle and loving, not all but attacking him. Daniel shut it down and locked it away. Jack was his and he'd do what he pleased.

"Daniel," Jack panted, obviously enjoying what Daniel was doing to him. "We should wait." The last word was moaned more than spoken as Daniel bit his shoulder and rubbed himself against his lover's hard body. If it weren't for the material between them, he thought they both might have come right then.

"Fuck waiting, Jack!" Daniel's hands were busy at Jack's waist, fumbling in his haste to get Jack out of his pants. "I feel like I've been waiting for this for years. I'm not waiting any more!" Success. He shoved Jack's pants down and held him, kissing and nipping at his face and neck while Jack stepped out of the clothes pooled around his ankles.

"Daniel, love, wait a moment. Shirt." Jack panted and Daniel reached around him and freed his arms by the expedient method of ripping the shirt off. The cuffs remained along with parts of the sleeves. Jack's arms came up around Daniel and held onto him as if he were the only thing keeping him upright. Daniel reciprocated, holding his lover tightly, supporting him. "I need you to slow down, I've never," he rested his forehead against Daniel's, "I've never done this before." Daniel ran his hands over all the bare flesh he could reach. God, this was incredible. He'd wondered how much experience Jack had had, but hadn't really thought that he might be a virgin. It was a gift. He could do this. He could do this for his Jack.

"Oh, love, I'll be careful. I'll make it so good for you, baby." He restrained his need, banking the raging fire for the moment. He had to do this right because otherwise he might hurt him. Nothing would make him hurt his Jack. "Lay down, baby," his lust drenched mind screamed to just take what was his, but managed to keep his voice gentle and controlled, "I need to find something we can use." His lover smiled that sexy smile at him. He looked a little nervous, but trusting. Daniel would die before he betrayed that trust. He rummaged through the top drawer of the nightstand. There it was, a bottle of something that turned out to be exactly what he was looking for. He thought about telling Jack to pick it up and prepare himself for him, but decided that would have to wait for another time. Daniel closed his eyes at the image of Jack readying himself for Daniel. That was hot, the very idea was such a rush. He opened his eyes and saw his Jack stretched out on the bed, waiting for him. The remains of his shirt still clinging to his arms.

Slowly, Daniel started stripping off his own clothes. Jack's eyes were black with lust and his cock was already dripping. Daniel tossed his jacket and shirt onto the floor, followed by the zat. Jack's cock jerked with need and he reached for it. "No, don't touch yourself! That's mine, baby." He stripped faster and when he was done, he took a moment to remove Jack's socks, running his fingers over his lover's feet before slowly crawling onto the bed and up his Jack's body. He stopped to kiss and lick those strong, scarred legs, gently nudging them apart, shaking with his own barely restrained need. He kneeled between the lean, muscled thighs and stroked them, murmuring nonsense words of reassurance to his virgin lover. Bypassing Jack's jutting cock completely, Daniel stroked and licked and bit his way up his lover's writhing body, his own dripping cock leaving a trail to mark his passage. Daniel chuckled at how responsive Jack was. So good, so strong, so beautifully male. So his.

"God, Daniel, please." Daniel chuckled at Jack's pleas. He knew his lover would like this. Now that he had Jack splayed out underneath him, he found it much easier to control himself. But not for much longer.

"Soon, baby, soon." Daniel's teeth closed over one nipple for a gentle nip. Jack yelled and his cock bounced against Daniel. He released the now tender nub and blew on it, before running his tongue around the areole, leaving the hard nub in the center untouched. Moaning told him how good this was for his love. He shifted over and gave the same loving attention to the other side. More moans and gasps greeted his efforts. Jack's hands dug into Daniel's hair, tugging it a little. It drove Daniel wild. He lunged up to Jack's face and pressed him into the mattress with a searing kiss grinding his cock into Jack's. Jack thrust his hips upward and Daniel pulled back. "No, baby, not yet. I want you to come when I'm inside you." Jack closed his eyes and obeyed.

"Please, Danny, I need to come." Daniel groaned low in his throat. This was such an incredible turn on. His lover was so responsive, so pliant. Jack made him feel powerful and alive like he'd never felt before, he wanted to feel like this all the time. He wished he still had their ties handy, the slats on the headboard were all but taunting him.

Daniel groped for the lube he'd tossed onto the bed, not wanting to look away from his lover's gorgeous face. He finally found it and after one more breath stealing kiss, he slid to the bed at his lover's side, put his lips to Jack's ear and growled, "Roll onto your side, baby, I need to get you ready for me." Jack obeyed with a shudder and Daniel took a moment to feast on his shoulders and neck. He couldn't wait much longer, his skin was on fire, his balls ached, he'd never felt like this before with anyone. Daniel poured oil into his hand and slicked it over his fingers. He pushed Jack's leg out of the way and began easing one finger into him. His lover tightened at the intrusion and Daniel felt close to rage at the implied denial. "Relax!" His soft tone was gone. Somehow he thought he should be asking, not ordering, but dismissed the thought impatiently. The pressure around his fingertip eased and he pushed inside. "Good, that's good, Jack." His lover's capitulation calmed his anger, but it was simmering just below the surface. Jack would learn. "So tight, so hot, I can't wait to be inside you, baby." He thrust his finger a few times and as his lover's opening relaxed more, he added oil to his fingers and pushed in with two. He fucked Jack with his fingers, getting as much of the oil inside him as he could. He moved his fingers around until Jack shuddered and moaned with pleasure when he rubbed against his prostate. Daniel's smile was feral. He couldn't wait any more, didn't have to. His body demanded release. "Get up on your knees, baby."

"Daniel, I don't think," Daniel grabbed his hair and jerked his head back viciously.

"Don't think, Jack! Just do as you're told!" He should have gone for their ties. If Jack wanted to be difficult, Daniel would have to teach him otherwise. "God, you're so beautiful, I need you now!" Daniel bit down on the tantalizing neck, sucking hard for a moment, marking his lover intentionally. He admired his work then released Jack's hair and slapped his ass to get him moving. Jack's obedience calmed him some, his lover was new at this, in time he'd understand.

Daniel oiled up his aching cock, squeezing the base a little to delay his orgasm, then kneeled between Jack's legs. He was pleased that he hadn't had to tell him to spread for him. His love was much smarter than anyone else gave him credit for. A tiny voice of reason told him there was something wrong about what was happening, that it shouldn't be like this, but then a haze of lust settled over him and reason was lost. Daniel positioned himself and in a single thrust buried himself in his lover's body, his triumphant roar drowning out Jack's cry of pleasure. He thrust into the pliant body in front of him, pounding him, owning him. Daniel grabbed Jack's shoulders, growling in frustration when his oily hand slid off. He angrily wiped it on the sheet as best he could then finally gave up and wrapped that arm around his lover's body. It didn't matter, he wasn't going to last. He changed the angle of his thrusts finally locating the right spot. He hit it again and again until Jack arched, threw his head back and howled his release. Daniel felt his orgasm as his lover's muscles squeezed his cock and he emptied all his need and desire into Jack's trembling body. Daniel held them both up for a moment then gently eased his lover down to the bed. Jack collapsed, still gasping from his orgasm. Daniel tried to keep his cock buried in his ass, but the motion caused him to pull out. There was something red on the sheets, but Daniel was too caught up in his lover to pay it much attention. He lay down on Jack's back, licking and kissing the sweat from his back, rubbing his face across his shoulders.

"God, Daniel," Jack twisted his head as if trying to see Daniel's face. "That was incredible. God, I love you." He gave up trying to see and his head plopped down to the pillow.

"You were incredible, love. Gonna be even better next time." Daniel moved them both so they lay on their sides with Jack wrapped up in his arms. His lust sated for the moment, Daniel indulged in gentle kisses over Jack's face and shoulders. He took a moment to help Jack out of the pieces of his shirtsleeves then let his hands roam the beloved body in his arms and felt himself growing hard again. "Look what you do to me, baby." He put Jack's hand on his half hard cock and rolled his lover to his back.

"Damn, Daniel, that's impressive." Leaning up on his arm, he devoured Jack's lips while his lover's hand gently stroked him fully erect. Daniel pulled back for a moment, staring into Jack's eyes.

"Gonna make love to you all night long, baby. Gonna make you so happy you'll never want anyone else. Gonna make sure you never forget you're mine." He leaned in and claimed his love's mouth while he groped again for the oil; he had to have him again. Jack would stay with him, Daniel would make sure. His lover. His Jack. He'd kill anyone who tried to come between them.

CHAPTER 23

Jack awoke instantly at the sound of his name. He grasped the hand covering his mouth and saw Ian leaning over him, a finger pressed to his lips. Jack blinked trying to figure out what was going on. He felt foggy and hung over and only the screaming pain in his ass let him know that he hadn't been dreaming last night. Jack ached like he'd gone ten rounds with a pain stick. He shouldn't even have been able to do some of the things he thought he'd managed the night before, let alone enjoyed them. Daniel had been on fire and Jack had wanted nothing more but to be consumed in the conflagration. He liked aggressive lovers, but that had been beyond anything he'd ever dreamed. In the cold light of day, he was ashamed at his own behavior. He'd never been so passive in bed before. He didn't like how it made him feel. Jack decided he was just going to have to get over that. No way was he giving up Daniel. He'd come four times during the night. At his age, he hadn't thought that even possible. What they did in their bed was nobody else's business. Maybe if he kept telling himself that he'd be able to look at himself in the mirror.

Ian beckoned for him to get up and released his hold on Jack's mouth. Jack gently moved out from underneath Daniel who'd been sprawled on him. From the look on Ian's face, he wanted to talk without Daniel hearing, so Jack was careful not to wake his lover. He was drowning in his confusion. Maybe talking to the other man would give him some space to figure out what the hell was happening to him and why he wanted nothing more but to crawl back into bed with Daniel and beg him to do it all over again.

Jack sat gingerly on the side of the bed and looked back at his sleeping lover. Daniel had rolled to his stomach, the sheet just barely covering his ass. Jack noticed scratches on his back and a scattering of fingerprint sized bruises. He wasn't sure he wanted to see himself in the mirror. No, he knew he didn't want to. There was blood on the sheets and Jack realized it was probably his. He closed his eyes and tried to clear the fog from his mind. His career was so over. He'd already made his decision to leave the Air Force if that's what it took to be with Daniel, but he'd wanted it to be his choice. Not having to run to avoid prison. Hammond would let him retire, Jack was sure of that. Jack was almost sure of that.

He thought back to their first night together. It had been so different. Jack scrubbed his face roughly as if he could scrub away the fog in his mind. Their passion had been tender and gentle. Daniel had treated him carefully as if he'd feared Jack would shatter. His acceptance of that had surprised him, at first, until he realized he didn't have anything to prove to his friend, his lover. Daniel knew him inside and out. He'd been at his side through all the crap the universe had thrown at them for years. They'd been to hell and back, literally. After all the "pain, torture, death", the 'us' part was easy. What happened last night was different. It hadn't felt wrong at the time. Jack had welcomed every single touch, no matter how rough. He'd damn near come the first time Daniel bit him hard enough to draw blood. He'd wanted to be marked. It was one thing he remembered with startling clarity. Jack shivered. He closed his eyes feeling his face flush. He was sitting naked on a bed in front of a virtual stranger and he was getting hard under the corner of the sheet he'd pulled over his groin.

Jack looked up to see Jose standing at the foot of the bed, watching the three of them with a zat in his hands. Jack's worry over his career and his shame at what was arguably the best sex he'd ever had in his life vanished. He cursed himself for letting his guard down. They'd done this to them, drugged them somehow. Had to have been something like that. He'd been lulled into believing he could trust these men because of their relationship with his and Daniel's counterparts. He'd been a fool. Maybe it was just as well this was his last mission. Whatever had made him a good leader in the past was obviously gone. He stifled the thought that maybe this was why gays weren't allowed to serve. That was ridiculous, his mind was still muddled by whatever they'd done to him and to Daniel. He was the same man he'd always been. He'd had these desires before; he just hadn't acted on them since his scare at the academy. Fear was a strong motivator, but his father had taught him well. It was a poor foundation to build a life on.

Jack sized up his opponents. He could take Ian, easily. The man was smaller than any of them, but he was young and seemed strong. Jack doubted he'd ever been trained to fight, though. Jose was a different story. Almost as tall as Jack, he was heavier and not just with the added fat all the bearing men seemed to carry. He held himself like a soldier, indicating at least some training and probably some skill at hand to hand. He'd also kept himself out of reach, which implied experience. From what little Jack knew of his life over the past decade, he figured he was a little out of practice, but he couldn't discount Jose completely. He was the dangerous one. At the moment he had a zat pointed at Daniel and Jack figured he had the will to use it. Jack couldn't remember what had happened to their weapons last night. Things had started to get hazy after dinner. Some things stood out clearly, but the whereabouts of their weapons wasn't one of them. He'd always chewed Daniel out in the early days when he'd wander off from camp without his weapon and here he was in 'camp' without his.

"It's not what you think, Jack." Ian kept his voice low but there was a sense of urgency in it that didn't jibe with their apparent control of the situation.

"Not convincing me here." Jack jabbed two fingers at Jose. Ian had kept his voice quiet, but Jack didn't. He wanted to wake Daniel as fast as he could. He needed the backup. Daniel will protect me. The thought shocked Jack. He relied on Daniel to watch his six in the field, but they all relied on each other for that. This was different. It was wrong. He reached a hand out to touch his lover. The need to touch him, be held by him, be protected by him was overwhelming.

"Don't touch him!" Jose shifted his zat to point at Jack.

"Why the hell not?" Jack raised his voice a little louder. He couldn't figure out how Daniel was still sleeping through this. He was known to crash and crash hard, but never when he was on duty. If anything, it was hard to get him to slow down enough to sleep at all when he was working. Sure worked me over last night.

"Shhh, don't wake him. Jose's here as a precaution, but I need to talk to you now." Ian urged him to his feet and handed him a robe. Jack jerked the robe on, wincing as sore muscles protested. The soft robe rubbed his torn and abraded skin. Just what the hell had Daniel done to him last night. Pain aside, he was glad for the robe. Pants would be better, but at least he wasn't naked. It was hard to be intimidating naked. And now he was standing. It wasn't impossible to take someone out sitting naked on a bed, but clothed and standing was better. He just wished he didn't feel so out of it.

"You need a zat to talk? What the hell is going on?"

"Unless you can tell me that this," Ian gestured to the bruises and bites not covered by the robe, "is normal. We're all in a great deal of danger at the moment." Daniel moaned and murmured in his sleep and they all turned to look at him.

"For crying out loud, you think we're in danger from Daniel?" Jack couldn't believe these two. So far as he'd been able to see, their Daniel and his Daniel were almost identical. Yes, they'd had different experiences, but at the core, they were the same man. The same good, thoughtful, gentle man who'd held him down and fucked him to within an inch of his life last night. Ian grabbed Jack's hand and held it out, pointing to the bruises around his wrist.

"He held you down, didn't he." Ian's forceful whisper cut through the silence. "He was selfish and demanding and brutal and you wanted it, didn't you." Jack felt his face flush with shame yet again. What the hell was wrong with him? "Jack, don't. It's not what you think. C'mon."

"No! I'm not leaving him," he jabbed at Jose again, "alone with Daniel, especially when Daniel's not awake to protect himself." Jack was beginning to think it would take an earthquake to wake his teammate. "As for what I think I'm thinkin' you drugged us with something last night." He shifted his eyes back and forth between the two of them, but kept close enough to Ian to grab him. Jose had moved when Ian did, keeping him out of the zat's range. If he grabbed Ian, he might have some leverage with Jose.

"It wasn't us!" Ian's denial sounded sincere, but the zat made it difficult for Jack to believe him. "It would be dangerous for you, for all of us, if Daniel wakes up right now. We have to talk." Ian's voice rose and Jose shushed him quietly.

"We'll talk here. Now. I'm not leaving this room without Daniel." A look passed between his captors and Jose nodded.

"Fine. But come over here at least and keep your voice down." Now Jack was really confused. He walked to the table, keeping both men in sight. The space where the coffee tray had been yesterday was clear, but the other side of the table still had a few envelopes and papers stacked haphazardly. It looked like someone had been going through his mail. A couple of pens and a letter opener sat near the unopened envelopes. Jack selected the chair nearest the papers and as he sat down rested his arm on the table and covered the six-inch tool with the sleeve of his robe. Ian gestured for him to wait and disappeared into the dressing room. Jose now split his attention between Jack and Daniel. Daniel took that moment to roll to his side, muttering in his sleep. While Jose was focused on him, Jack slipped the letter opener into his sleeve, the tip resting in his hand. He could drop it and grasp the handle in moments. Being armed worked wonders for his confidence.

"So, now what?" If Jack could get Jose to come close enough to shut him up, maybe he could get the zat away from him. His estimation of them as captors had taken a nosedive when Ian and taken off for the bathroom. Hell of a time to decide to take a potty break.

"Shut up, Jack, and listen." Ian was back. He set the first aid kit he'd apparently gone after on the table. Things were getting weirder, which was saying something given how Jack had lived since he first started going through gate.

"Listening, here, but no one's talking!" Daniel shifted in his sleep again. Jack willed his lover to wake, but he settled and started to snore.

"We agree with you, by the way. We think you were drugged last night." Jack was beginning to think that maybe they hadn't had anything to do with it. He put them cautiously into his 'potential allies' box, but didn't take them out of the 'captors' box just yet. "Devon's on his way to test for them. Jose's locked down the suite until we know more." Ian opened the kit and started pulling out a variety of creams and bandages. "Being married to a cop has its uses." He shot a fond smile at Jose. Jose rolled his eyes and shook his head, but didn't take the zat off of Jack. With Daniel snoring away, it was a smart move. Jack kept the tip of his letter opener in his palm.

"So, what was it and is there an antidote?" Jack thought back to what he could remember from the night before. He remembered blazing blue eyes boring into his. He remembered the excitement of Daniel ordering him into position. The feeling of being pounded into the mattress. The incredible feeling of coming with his lover buried to the hilt in his body. He remembered begging Daniel to touch him, to take him. He remembered feeling desired, loved. He remembered feeling owned and loving every moment of it. Jack was getting aroused just thinking about it. And none of it was real. His rising anger, however, was very real. He had a nasty suspicion about who'd drugged them, but he wasn't going to say a word until he knew more. He still wasn't sure these two weren't in on it, even though their current actions seemed to belie that particular scenario.

"Take your robe off, Jack, I need to see how badly he hurt you." That wouldn't be good. Jack needed his robe to hide his only advantage.

"You can keep the letter opener, if it makes you feel better." Ian's calm whisper made Jack reassess the situation again. Ian may not be a soldier, but he apparently missed nothing. A pint-sized Teal'c. He could do with having Teal'c here right now. Not to mention Carter. He was going to miss them.

"Jack, I know it doesn't look like it, but we're no danger to you." Jose followed Jack's pointed glance at Daniel. "To either of you. We know what must have happened last night. Trust us on this. He is dangerous right now." Jose's words went straight to Jack's balls. The idea of Daniel being dangerous was turning him on, big time. But then, he'd known since the first mission that Daniel was potentially the most dangerous man he'd ever known. He always tried to find the peaceful solution even if he had to manufacture it himself, but once he decided to fight, there was no holding him back. Jack dragged his mind back to the man with the zat. Maybe they were right. He really hated when this happened. Damned universe's full of pushers. All of them. It's not like it would have been the first time. An image of Kynthia flashed into his mind.

"I'm not going to start getting really old or anything am I?" Ian stopped what he was doing, looking at Jack in confusion. "I'm just sayin'. I mean younger would be cool." Since it looked like Daniel was down for the count, he'd lowered his voice. Let them think he was going along until he could get the upper hand. He was starting to believe them, but he didn't trust easily. That's why he was still alive. "Well, a little younger. Y'know, if it would fix the knees and all. I could live with that."

"What are you talking about?" Ian shared a confused look with Jose who just shrugged.

"Ancient history." Nobody ever understood his sense of humor.

"You and Jonathan are so much alike." Ian tugged at the left shoulder of Jack's robe. As he had his weapon in his right hand, he let Ian slip it down over a bite. Jack watched as Ian gently cleaned away the dried blood and loosened the forming scab. He winced when the antiseptic stung the now open wound.

"What the hell is that, acid?" He shrugged his shoulder out of the way, but Ian just grabbed him and continued treating the bite.

"Bites are highly prone to infection. Now hold still. For a soldier, you're not very good at handling pain." A soothing cream followed the burning and then Ian taped a small bandage over the wound. Jack glared at him as he pulled his robe down a little farther started cleaning the next wound. "When a fertile man begins taking the drugs, they start in very small doses." What the hell was he talking about? "They slowly ramp them up until the first conception." Ian kept working as he spoke and Jack finally started to understand just how widespread the damage was. With a mental shrug he slipped his arms out of the robe, but retained the letter opener. They already knew he had it, so surprise wasn't an issue. Let them treat his wounds. When he'd first gotten out of bed, his body had been one great big ache. Now he was starting to feel the individual wounds and there seemed to be a lot of them. "It's during that ramping up period that the men learn to control themselves with their partners. It's not easy and it sometimes gets worse over time." He dabbed at a particularly painful spot on Jack's lower back. "I don't think this needs stitches, but we'll have Devon look at it when he gets here." Someone, and Jack was beginning to believe these two weren't involved, doped them up with fertility drugs? Since there was no way Jack could get pregnant, that someone must have wanted them out of the way and off kilter. Off kilter certainly described how Jack felt right about then.

"You called Caruthers?" Jack wasn't sure if he liked the idea of anyone else seeing him. He realized he was still embarrassed, even with the all but confirmation that they'd been drugged and not responsible for their actions. He pushed the shame aside again. Locked it in with his ghosts. He didn't have time for that now.

"He's our doctor, Jack. We need him here before Daniel wakes up. He understands what's going on with this."

"I wish I did." Jack wished they would just get on with it, but he realized he was going to get his answers in their sweet time.

"A constable arrived from the capitol this morning to talk to Lord Jackson." Jack looked at Jose who'd leaned against the wall. He'd relaxed his posture, but his zat was still up and ready. Jack couldn't help but approve. "They wanted to talk to him about a murder in the capitol."

"Daniel's, your Daniel's father killed someone? Who?" So, he didn't know Melbourne Jackson from Adam, but that just didn't sit right.

"No!" Ian seemed insulted by the thought. He glared at Jose. "Mel's not a killer." Ian looked to be lost in thought and he fumbled with the bandage he was trying to open. Jack got the impression he wasn't as certain as he wanted to be.

"Mel's perfectly capable of killing if necessary, Ian." Jack looked at Jose. He really didn't want the man patching him up to be distracted. Distracting the man with the zat was an excellent idea, though. "Mel fought the invaders. We don't know the details because he never talks about it. None of them do." They didn't have much information about the invasion itself, and Jack hoped these men could tell him something. It might help him connect some of the dots.

"Were your Daniel and Jonathan involved in it?" Get them talking about the people closest to them and maybe they'd let something slip. While his instincts were telling him they were no longer a threat, Jose was still holding a zat. Jack hated that.

"No," Ian shook his head, "They were vacationing in New Spain. Took them a while to get back here after the plague started." Jose ran a hand through his hair.

"Jonathan was already sick when they showed up in San Mateo." Jose said the name with a Spanish inflection, which sounded odd to Jack. He was used to the more Anglo pronunciation. Alternate universes were a pain the ass. He shifted a little in his chair. Sometimes literally. "At the time I was head of security for my great uncle's palace."

"Palace?" A palace in California? "Did it have a drawbridge?" Jack wanted to go home and he wanted to go home now.

"Jose's great-uncle is the Don of California." Ian sounded quite proud of that fact, but Jose just shrugged. Both of them ignored the drawbridge question. Jack really didn't blame them. Everybody knew castles had drawbridges. Palaces need princesses and even Jack wasn't that insensitive.

"Anyway, when I got sick, I was put in the same ward with Jonathan. Daniel hadn't been sick long and, like anyone else who could be spared, was helping to care for the plague victims. He looked after me along with Jonathan a few others. Some died, and sick as I was, I could see how badly that affected him, but he never stopped. He worked until he collapsed on a pallet next to Jonathan's. When he woke up he'd still be exhausted but he'd do it all over again. He never quit, never complained and never made us feel like he wanted to be anywhere else." That sounded like Daniel. He looked over at his sleeping lover and thought about all the times he'd put himself at risk for others.

"You fell in love, got married and lived happily ever after." Jack ignored the other men's irritation at his sarcasm. "Daniel would love hearing this stuff. I know! Why don't we wake him up so you can tell him. Might have to pour a bucket of water over him, but he'll get over it." Jose snorted at Jack's admittedly pathetic suggestion.

"A fire hose would be more appropriate, I think." Now it was Jack's turn to glower at the other men. He really didn't like what was being implied.

"I don't know what you think went on here last night," Jose cut Jack off.

"We know exactly what went on, Jack, that's what we're trying to get through to you." He pushed away from the wall. "I don't have to see test results to know that Daniel was given an overdose of fertility drugs and since neither of you are dead, you must have been drugged with our supplements!" Jose strode across the room toward the table and Jack stood, his robe falling away. He grabbed Jack and shoved him hard against the wall, his arm across Jack's throat. Jack's hands were free and he'd kept hold of his weapon. This was his chance, but something held him back. "What's wrong, Jack? Why aren't you fighting me? We both know you could take me if you wanted to. You've been a soldier all your life. I've spent the past five years having babies. You've been fighting Niriti's kind almost as long as we've been picking up the pieces. Why haven't you killed me, yet, Jack?" He pressed his arm a little harder against Jack's throat as if to emphasize his point.

Jack's mind raced. It would be so easy. The letter opener wasn't sharp, but it didn't need to be. A quick thrust and Jack could bury it between Jose's ribs. Right into the heart. He'd be dead in moments. Jack could think of a dozen ways to easily get out of the younger man's hold. But he didn't. He stood there looking into intense brown eyes, felt the pressure on his throat. He could smell Jose's sweat and he got hard. Jack knew if he touched him, it wouldn't be to hurt him. He was panting, but he couldn't tell if it was arousal or panic at what was happening. Jack licked his lips, why didn't Jose do something? Jack shook his head, denying what he was feeling. This wasn't right. This wasn't him.

"You can't, can you." Jose almost purred, his voice gentle, edging over to sexy. "You like this, don't you." He wanted this man to take him. He realized in that moment that if Jose wanted him, Jack would do anything he asked, anything the powerful man in front of him ordered him to do. As if reading his mind, Jose taunted him, "If I told you to suck me off right now, you'd drop to your knees without a thought, wouldn't you, Colonel?"

"No!" Jack forced the denial out when all he wanted to do was beg Jose to do it. Tell him to suck him off, tell him to turn around and spread his legs. He shook his head as well as he could and Jose released the hold he had on his throat.

"No," Jose gentled his voice and put a hand on his shoulder, "you don't want to, but you would because you can't help yourself." Jack hated that he wanted to nod in agreement. Jose backed away and let Ian hand Jack his forgotten robe. Jack put it on, face flushed with shame, hating himself in that moment. "I'm sorry to put you through that, Jack, but I had to get through to you. A lot of what you're feeling isn't real. Maybe none of it is. A single dose, no matter how strong, won't change you, but until you come down off of it, you're in danger from any man who wants to take advantage of you." Jack's awareness of Jose faded, either due to the distance the other man put between them or the change in his manner. The aggression was gone.

"Daniel didn't take advantage of me!" Despite his denial, he knew that wasn't exactly true. Daniel, in his right mind, wouldn't have treated him like that and had Jack been in his right mind, he'd never have let him. Never have begged him for it. Jack was going to have to deal with this. They'd both deal with it.

"So, this is how you normally look in the mornings?" Ian sounded skeptical.

"No! We haven't," Jack stopped. What he and Daniel did together was none of their business. He wasn't going to have his love life, his brand new love life discussed at the point of a zat. The look on their faces told him it was too late.

"Madre de Dios." Jose sank down in the chair Jack had been sitting in and slapped the zat down on the table, the stack of paper muted the resulting thud. "You mean you aren't lovers?"

"Yes! We are, but, it's, um," Jack struggled with how to tell them without, well, telling them, "recent." Not quite what he'd been striving for, but it would have to do.

"Jose, if they'd never been together before, that could explain a lot. Maybe Daniel isn't as badly overdosed as it looks." Ian looked back at the sleeping man, a hopeful look on his face.

"What does that mean?"

"Most couples feel a little insecure in new relationships. Jonathan told us early on that Daniel's always been protective of him and he is with us, too. Given what little we know about how your Daniel's life differs from our Daniel's life, I'd be shocked as hell if he weren't completely terrified of losing you." Jack rubbed his head. His thoughts were clearing some and he couldn't deny Ian's logic. He vaguely remembered how he'd felt when he'd caught the Touched virus. He'd started thinking of his team as truly his. He hadn't wanted Daniel and Carter anywhere near each other. He'd wanted to prove to Daniel who was in charge. Just like Daniel had done last night.

"But this is a good thing?" He was still trying to work out how any of this was good when Ian spoke.

"It could be, Jack. If Daniel already felt the need to tie you to him to keep from losing you, it wouldn't take nearly as large a dose to produce this level of," he gestured to Jack, "damage as it would if it were our Daniel. Not only has our Daniel trained himself to control his urges out of necessity, but we are tied to him, both emotionally and legally." Jack nodded. That did make sense to him. "And your Daniel's a lot stronger than our Daniel."

"I'd noticed." Jack bristled at Jose's comment.

"Well, you can just stop noticing! You've got your own, that one's mine!" This was, bar none, the most screwed up mission he'd ever been on.

"Jack, we're not in competition with you. You two chose each other, just like our Daniel and Jonathan did." Ian glanced at Jose. "Did Jonathan ever say anything to you about what things were like for them after his procedure?" Jose looked thoughtful.

"Not really, but he did seem surprised that I was having problems at first. I think it must have been an easier adjustment for them." Ian turned back to Jack.

"Look, when Daniel married me, and when he married Jose, it was because he had to." Jack resisted the urge to joke about shotgun weddings and big seven-month babies. "The new laws require that a fertile man marry as many bearing men as he could support." Whoa, that was harsh.

"You mean you were forced into this?" Ian nodded, then shook his head. Jose just shrugged. He was back to watching Daniel again, his hand on the zat.

"Yes and no. It's not as bad as it seems. For me, well, I'd know Daniel for a few years. He'd been buying my art for years." Jack had forgotten Ian was an artist. "He's also not the first lover I'd ever had. The Repro Council was pressuring him to take another consort. He and Jonathan had been together for several years and they married as soon as it was legal. Jose's marriage was primarily political, though the Repro had a hand in it as well. Daniel told me he was relieved to see my name on the list they sent him. I suspect I was the only one on it he knew, but he's never said that and never given me any reason to regret saying yes." Ian sighed, this didn't seem to be easy for him. Jose just sat and watched over Daniel. Jack realized that's exactly what he was doing. Not watching him, but watching over him. "Even if it hadn't been Daniel, being married is better than the alternative. By rights, he should have at least three more consorts." Six? Jack had had enough trouble being married to one woman. He knew he was going to have his hands full being in a relationship with Daniel. He couldn't imagine having six spouses of either gender.

"Whoa, how'd he get out of that?" Jack had no doubt that their Daniel had come up with an alternative that he'd somehow worked out would be better. Knowing his Daniel as he did, he doubted Lord Daniel had been thinking of himself in that equation.

"Every month, Repro sends Daniel a schedule of bearing men who don't have fertile husbands." God. "So, every month, except when one of us is ready to conceive, Daniel takes the fertility drugs and spends most of a day," he paused seeming uncomfortable with discussing this at all, "impregnating them." Ian shivered. "He works so hard to be gentle with them, to treat them with respect and kindness. Some fertile men aren't so,"

"Daniel-like?" Jack offered. Ian smiled and nodded.

"That about sums it up. But it tears Daniel apart." Jack remembered something that had happened at the SGC.

"Do you know the men?" Ian nodded, looking curious.

"Sort of. I schedule all of Daniel's appointments. He didn't realize anyone here was involved with this until recently."

"He didn't want to know, mi Corazon." My heart Jack translated the endearment. He rubbed his neck and wondered just what the relationships were here.

"I know, but he didn't. Anyway, I talk to them before they see him and then when they're ready to go." He looked at Jack. "All these men have heard the stories. I try to prepare them for what's going to happen, especially the virgins. And afterward, I try to make sure they're okay."

"Does the name Jeff Howe mean anything to you?" Jonathan had gone off his nut when he'd seen him in the infirmary with the rest of SG4.

"Yeah, Jeffery was here just before all this started." Ian cocked his head in a very Daniel-like manner. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, nothing. Just that Jonathan saw him in the infirmary and nearly went ballistic at the thought that your Daniel might run into him. He said something about Daniel feeling guilty about something he'd done." Ian nodded in understanding.

"Daniel always feels guilty. He sees the whole thing as institutionalized rape. But he does his duty." Jack wanted to take issue with the idea of rape as a duty, but Jose spoke up first.

"We all have our duties to perform, Jack." Jose looked up at Jack, his face blank. "Unlike the others, I'd never been attracted to men." Jose rubbed his forehead. Jack really didn't want to be hearing this. "Are there Catholics in your universe?"

"Former alter boy, recovering Catholic, here."

"I hope your confessor is a reasonable man." Jose looked much too amused.

"Buddy, there aren't enough Hail Marys in both universes for me." Even if he were still practicing, the base chaplain was Baptist.

"When I was chosen for the procedure, I was horrified." Ian moved so he was standing behind Jose, his hand resting on his husband's, or would that be co-husband's, shoulder. Jose reached up, patted Ian's hand and smiled gratefully at him. "We don't have the resources for widespread artificial insemination. That's been reserved for areas where there simply aren't enough fertile men to service the local population." Jack reeled at the implication that a fertile man might have to 'service' any man in his area. Not that being sent a 'schedule' in the mail was much better. Jonathan and Karl had both made disparaging references to horses. Now it was clear precisely what they were referring to. "It wasn't until my father pointed out to me that our family would die out completely if I didn't do my duty that I began to accept it. There were only two bearing men in our family and no fertile men. My cousin is my great-uncle's heir. He had to stay, but I was," Jose shrugged, "available for a good marriage."

"And Daniel fit the bill?" Jack certainly thought Daniel would be a good marriage, but what did he know about this stuff?

"Very much so, both politically and personally. I'll give my great-uncle credit. He knew about the Cascadian noble who'd nursed me and Daniel's status was the first thing he checked on when the time came to look for a consort for my cousin and a husband for me." The difference between a consort and a husband was still a little unclear, but Jack decided he really didn't care. "When all the negotiations were done, Rico married Alex Ballard and I married Daniel."

"And Daniel got the Californian horses he'd been wanting." Ian laughed as he teased Jose. Jack just looked confused. He thought horses were a forbidden subject for these guys.

"You weren't even with us, yet, Ian." Jose groused, then continued for Jack's benefit. "Daniel had been trying to import horses for farming, but was having a devil of a time. Horses have become important as we've moved away from fossil fuels. He demanded fifty horses, both saddle and draft, for my dowry." Jose grinned. "My family's very traditional. I was being given to another family, I had to have a dowry." He laughed. "I remember sitting in on the negotiations. Uncle Jesus wanted to give him currency, but Daniel said, "'I have currency, what I need are horses!' He winked at me then, as I recall. Anyway, Uncle Jesus grumbled and whined and yelled, but eventually agreed to forty horses." Now Jose's eyes twinkled with mischief. "What my uncle never knew is that he would have settled for twenty-five."

"If only you knew the things my Daniel has talked me into over the years." Jack thought briefly of General O'Neill from that first alternate universe. Daniel had only known him for a few hours, but still managed to talk him into sacrificing his life in an attempt to save Earth in their universe. Why had he never realized that Daniel had had him by the balls from the moment they met?

"We can imagine." Ian nudged Jose and they shared a look, apparently remembering an incident they weren't going to share. "Tell him the rest of it, Jose." He looked at Jack. "It gets better."

"Those bananas we had last night?" Jack nodded. They'd been excellent. "Daniel gave up ten of the horses he asked for in exchange for bushels of seasonal fruits and vegetables from a list he provided to be sent here, every month, for as long as we're married." Jose's expression turned tender. "During our talks, Daniel had asked me what I'd miss most about leaving home. I told him about the foods I loved that Cascadia couldn't provide." He wiped moisture from his eyes. "He bartered for almost everything I'd mentioned to him."

Ian wrapped his arms around Jose and kissed the top of his head. "We're very lucky, Jose." What would be lucky would be for Caruthers to show up so they could get on with things. Jack curbed his impatience with difficulty. At least his mind was becoming more and more clear. Maybe the affect of whatever he'd been given was wearing off.

"Daniel courted me. That's the only word I can think of. We spent hours just talking, getting to know each other beyond our time in the hospital." Jose twisted the wedding ring on his finger as he talked. "I still wasn't attracted to him as a lover, but he let me know that except for the necessities of conception, he'd never touch me if I didn't want him to." Jack nodded, oh, yeah, that was Daniel. "I wasn't completely sure I believed him, but even after my illness and the procedure, I was still bigger, stronger and had training that would prevent him from ever taking advantage of me." Jose looked hard at Jack and he feared this was about to veer back to him. "There was only one exception. He insisted that we make love a few times before he would come to me under the influence of the drugs. I objected, but he sat me down and explained exactly why he insisted on it."

"Jose, did you bring the letter?"

"What letter?"

"Daniel asked Jonathan to write to me and no, Ian, I left in our suite. He and I had gotten to be friends during our recovery. His letter was what finally convinced me. He went into excruciating detail, details Daniel couldn't bring himself to discuss at all, about why Daniel insisted on it. The last sentence was 'for cryin' out loud, say yes and let him bring you home'." Jack remembered how he'd fumbled through his proposal to Sara.

"As different as our worlds are would it surprise you that those are almost the exact words I said when I proposed to my ex-wife?"

"Not at all, Jack." Ian sounded certain on that point. "So far, you two are remarkably like our Daniel and Jonathan. I don't pretend to understand how all this works, but it seems given half a chance, the people remain fairly constant."

"So, you and Daniel don't," Jack couldn't think of a polite word for it that didn't sound silly when talking about someone else. "You know." What had Daniel said about feeling like a teenager?

"Ah, yeah, that was the point of all this wasn't it. Yes, Jack, we do. Now." Jose chewed his lip. Another of Daniel's mannerisms these men seemed to share. "For years now, I've been thinking that I'd just been in denial all my life. How could I embrace sex with a man so easily unless I really was homosexual?" Jack nodded, closets were one thing he understood all too well. Denial was another one he was good at.

"There's a but. I can hear a but." It was like pulling teeth to get these guys to actually get to the point.

"Remember the stuff they found in our supplements?" Ian gestured to himself and Jose. Jack nodded. He really wasn't sure he was ready for this part.

"We've been beating our heads against the wall for days trying to figure out what they might be doing to us. When we saw the zat on the floor of the sitting room and the clothes scattered out there we suspected you'd been drugged. Finding your shirt ripped to shreds and your condition, kinda confirmed that. Jose got the zat and we called Devon. Then, when we were both standing by the bed, we both, well, responded to Daniel." Jack looked at his lover who'd continued to sleep through everything. He was now sprawled on his back, his strong arms, well-muscled chest and one long leg uncovered. Jack smirked and looked back to the other two.

"And, so, therefore?" Who wouldn't respond to that?

"Jack, you're not getting this. Neither of us have had any physical reaction to a man outside the four of us for years!" Ian looked a little insulted by the fact. Jack reminded himself that he'd been gay before this. Even when Jack was married, he'd still responded to an attractive woman, he just didn't do anything about it. Well, until he got home and then Sara reaped the benefits of his jump-started libido. As she'd put it, if looking would get him going like that, she was okay with it, as long as he came straight home and let her help him out of his difficulty.

"We've been around other men, even other fertile men, Jack. It's hard to avoid given Daniel's class. A certain amount of socializing is expected. Some of the men stay on the drugs all the time, it's easier for some of them." Jose leaned forward in his chair. "Some like to flaunt their," a look of distaste crossed his face, "their, natures. Especially to a pregnant man. I have no idea what they think they're doing, but they flirt and try to touch and generally make asses of themselves. Some are much more charming about it and for them, it's a harmless way to pass the time at some boring function or other. They can be very sweet, actually." He smiled at Ian. "Remember Joe, Joe somebody at Lord Westridge's wedding?"

"Faxon. Joe Faxon. Nice guy." Ian blushed a little.

"You should know, you danced with him enough." Jose poked Ian's arm.

"What did you expect? You and Jonathan were both huge and Daniel wouldn't leave your sides. I had to do something or I'd've died of boredom." This was all becoming too normal for Jack. He was going to have culture shock from going home.

"The point is, though, you didn't react to him, did you." Ian shook his head.

"No, and I should have. I mean, he's handsome, charming and a good dancer. I was a couple of months gone at the time. I thought the hormones were just messing with me." Ian shrugged. "We both realized it when we reacted to Daniel this morning. See, we didn't react to him at all last night." Jack started to say something, but closed his mouth. He tried again.

"If I wanted cryptic I'd talk to my team. I never know what they're talking about." Jose rolled his eyes, but Ian tried to explain.

"We think the supplements somehow cause bearing men to, well, bond with the fertile man they're closest to."

"Still not getting it."

"If it was just that we reacted to Daniel, we should have reacted to your Daniel yesterday. It wasn't until the fertility drugs were in his body that whatever's been done to us triggered the response. If Daniel were awake right now, he'd have an inordinate amount of influence on all of us. We need Devon here to intercede for us. If it comes to it, he can sedate him, but it would be best if Daniel woke up in control of himself. We need your help with whatever's going on."

"The murder thing, right?"

"That and something we'd like him to identify, if he can." Ian pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it on the table. Jack glanced at it, but Ian's drawing was plain.

"It's a DHD." Jack stuck his hands in the pockets of his robe but since that made it gap, he resisted the impulse to rock back and forth on his heels.

"Oh." Ian sounded disappointed. Jack guessed he was expecting a more exotic name. "What's a DHD."

"Dial home device." Daniel's voice startled all of them. Ian backed away, while Jose grabbed the zat and prepared to fire.

"Wait. Jose, just wait. Let's see what's up, then you can zat him if you need to." Jack hurried over to the bed. Daniel held onto his head like he thought it would fall off. His eyes were shuttered against the light. Jack sat next to him and rubbed his forehead.

"Zat, Jack? Did you just give someone permission to zat me?" Daniel squirmed around until he could put his head in Jack's lap. He sighed. "Jack? Zat?"

"Don't worry about that right now. I'll explain everything." Daniel grunted at him and Jack wondered if he was going back to sleep. "Hey, don't fall asleep on me, we've got stuff to do."

Daniel peered at him through one eye, "Stuff." His eye sagged shut and then both flew open. "Jack, where are we and why," he raised his head enough to look at himself, raised the sheet and looked under it then pulled it up to his neck, "why am I naked?"

"Before we get into that," Jack ran his hand through Daniel's hair and down his face. He slid down onto the bed so he could lay on top of the sheet next to his lover. "I want to do this." He took Daniel's face in his hands and kissed him. Daniel responded, but with only the slightest trace of the frenzy from the night before. "Have I told you this morning that I love you?" Jack echoed Daniel's words from their first morning.

"No, as a matter of fact, and I was beginning to wonder if you only wanted my body." They both laughed, but Daniel's turned quickly to a moan of pain and he rubbed his temple.

"I love you, Danny, never forget that." Daniel started to look worried. "Do you trust me, love?"

"With my soul, Jack." Daniel's fingers traced the lines of Jack's face and rubbed lightly over his lips. "With my soul." Jack kissed his lover's fingers and took his hand. This was his Daniel.

"I'm going to ask you to do something and you have to promise to do it no matter what."

"Jack? What's going on?" He was started to get agitated and that was the last thing Jack could afford for him to do.

"I need to you to stay calm. That's all, just stay calm no matter what. If you don't stay calm, then Jose's going to have to zat you. Can you do that?" Daniel nodded slowly beginning to look at Jack like he was nuts.

"Okay, Jack, I can stay calm, but it would be easier if I had a clue what was going on. And why would Jose," he squinted at the other two men, "um, hello." He turned back to Jack, glancing across the room from time to time. "Why would Jose zat me if I don't stay calm?"

"I'm getting to that. First," telling him what happened was going to be hard. Daniel didn't seem to remember the previous night at all. "How much do you remember about last night?" Daniel frowned.

"Dinner. I remember that." Jack nodded and rubbed the back of Daniel's neck. That often helped his headaches. They should have worked this out years ago. How many guys know how to ease another guy's headache? Daniel gestured to the other men, "They left right after dinner and we talked with Lord Jackson for a bit." Daniel chewed his bottom lip as he thought. "I remember he poured us some brandy and I kept wanting him to leave." All the blood drained from Daniel's face. "Jack?"

"Shh, love, it's not nearly as bad as you remember. Trust me." Daniel's eyes strayed from Jack's face and stopped on a spectacular bruise on Jack's neck. He raised up on his elbow and gently traced the edges of the bruise. Jack winced at the touch.

"I did that." Daniel's face was a shade or two off the color of the white sheets on the bed. "Oh, god, Jack, I hurt you." Daniel backed away from Jack.

"Daniel!" Jack stopped and calmed himself. "Daniel, you need to calm down. We were drugged. What happened last night," his lover looked panicked, and aroused. His eyes were almost black. "Love, please, listen to me. What happened, what we did was us! All the drugs did was make it more," Jack needed the right word, but it wasn't coming.

"Intense." Ian had approached the bed behind Jack. He was staring at Daniel. "Please, you've got to do as Jack says. You're affecting all of us like this and we have other problems to deal with right now." Ian's eyes and the flush of his skin indicated his own arousal. "Our Daniel has learned to control it. You can do it, too. I know you can." Daniel stared at Ian. He swallowed hard and closed his eyes taking several deep breaths.

"How does this work, guys?" Jack spoke to Ian and Jose, but never took his eyes off Daniel. "I mean, you felt the effects of the drug on Daniel for cryin' out loud. How did that happen?"

"I have no idea, it just did." Jose sounded closer, but Jack didn't look away. He was drawn to his lover, but for once in this godforsaken mission, his training was working for him.

"Pheromones." Daniel's voice showed the strain he was under, but he spoke quietly. "Janet was still going over all the test results when Jonathan went into labor. I don't know if she tested for that or not, but I bet the drugs stimulated pheromone production." Ian nodded.

"That makes sense. We're responding to Daniel because we're, for want of a better word, addicted to our Daniel's pheromones." Ian paused. "What I don't understand is why? Why would anyone want to force this? Men were willing to do their duty without anyone needing to resort to such lengths. Why are any of the drugs tainted?"

"Ask them. I think they know." Jose sounded lost. Jack turned his head enough to see him. The strong soldier Jack had seen earlier was gone. Ian went to him and gathered him in his arms. The two men clung to each other, speaking quietly. That's right. Jose lost a daughter at some point. Talking about the tainted drugs probably reopened the wound. Jack knew more about that than he cared to think about. He looked down, refusing to invade the men's grief any longer. Jack looked back at Daniel and saw that he'd pulled the sheet up around him so he was covered. He sat up against the headboard with his arms around his legs and his forehead resting on his knees.

"We suspect we know who's doing it, we don't know anything for certain." Jack sighed.

"Tell them, Jack. Just tell them. They deserve to know." Daniel sounded wrung out despite his long sleep. "And Jack?"

"Danny?"

"Please get off the bed. I can't, um, focus when you're so close." He turned his head, still resting it on his knees and smiled a sad, tired smile. Jack returned his smile and nodded.

"Yeah, you're kinda putting me off my game right now, too. Hey, why don't you go in and clean up while we talk." Daniel's smile widened a little then he turned his head back to hide his face.

"That's a good idea, Jack. Might decrease the effect, too." His voice was muffled and Jack realized he didn't want to get out from under the cover of the sheet. "I can smell you on me and it's making it very difficult to stay this far away from you." Jack swallowed hard. He knew exactly what Daniel meant. He'd need to go clean up, too, but figured he'd wait until Caruthers had a chance to give him a once over. He didn't like the idea, but it was necessary.

"Hey, Ian, is there another robe in there for Daniel? He's going to go grab a shower and get some clothes on." Ian gave Jose a final hug and then disappeared into the dressing room. He returned with one of Jonathan's caftan things and handed it to Jack to give to Daniel. Ian couldn't have picked one that would look worse on Daniel if he'd tried. The hunter green was going to make Daniel look like he was at death's door. Maybe that was the point. Jack hesitated, should he help him dress? Help him get up? Daniel didn't look like he was firing on all cylinders at the moment.

"I'll take it, Jack. You should move away." His eyes were dilated even more than usual and his face was flushed. Jack got the message. He handed over the garment and retreated to the table. "Jack do you know where my pack is?" Daniel stood on the far side of the bed wearing the shapeless caftan and looking as sallow as Jack had imagined.

"They're in the dressing room, Daniel. Yours is, I imagine, on the left side with Daniel's things." Ian was looking anywhere but at Daniel. This must be difficult for them on a whole lot of levels. Jack watched his lover until he disappeared into the dressing room closing the door behind him.

The three men sat at the table and as quickly as he could, Jack gave them a rundown of his analysis. He didn't go into the nature of the Tok'ra, just that they were a group who opposed the Goa'uld. He didn't think they were up to the task of appreciating the differences. Jack certainly didn't half the time. Both men were horrified at the thought that Niriti might still be around, messing up their world. When he finished, they sat in stunned silence.

"Tell them the rest of it, Jack." Jack looked at his lover standing in the doorway of the dressing room. He was in BDUs and his hair was still wet from his shower. The shower seemed to have helped. Jack didn't feel the same overwhelming need to go to him. He still wanted to, but decided that was him not the drugs.

"What rest of it?" Jack watched as Daniel walked to the heavy curtains covering the windows. He touched them, but didn't move them aside.

"Jack, don't play dumb." He didn't even scowl at him. He was taking their injunction to stay calm seriously.

"Not playing. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Things started to get weird for me after the second brandy. How about you?" Daniel wandered over to lean against a bookshelf.

"Oh. That rest of it." Jack decided they'd need a much longer vacation when this was over.

"Jack. Don't. You don't have to tiptoe around it for my sake. He's not my father." No, Danny, but you wish he was, don't you.

"What's he talking about?" Jack didn't want to answer Ian. He didn't want to think about what this was going to do to Daniel. Either of them.

"He," Daniel said, "is talking about who drugged us."

"You think Beecham drugged you? That's absurd." Ian didn't voice didn't match the certainty of his words. Someone had done it and very few had had the opportunity.

"No, Ian. Remember, Beecham didn't pour the last brandy." Daniel sounded like he was already in mourning. Again. "I think Niriti drugged us." He swallowed hard and stared at the men sitting with Jack. "Have there been any sudden deaths or disappearances in the capitol?"

"A constable is here right now talking with Mel about Lord Trenton's murder. He was killed just a few days ago. But Daniel, Niriti's dead. They found her body." Ian sounded tired. Jack could see neither of these men had any idea what was going on. Even though they were living proof of Niriti's invasion, they hadn't seen what Jack and Daniel had seen. Jack began to wonder if they had any idea of just what the snakes were. He was going to have to have a talk with his counterpart about sharing necessary information. The protection thing these four had going on was going to get them all killed at this rate.

"What did he do in the capitol?" Jack made a private bet with himself.

"He was head of the Repro Council." Pay the winners.

"Of course he was." Daniel spoke again. "I bet they found an odd wound in the back of his throat or neck, right?"

"How did you know that?" Jose spoke finally. He'd been sitting quietly, still processing everything that led to the death of his daughter. Jack cocked an eyebrow at him. "I spoke to the constable when they showed up earlier." He shrugged. "Professional courtesy." Jack nodded. He would have asked, too.

"He was Niriti's last host. The body your people found the first time was just that. A body. Her host. When a Goa'uld leaves a host, they rip," Daniel's voice broke. Jack was out of his chair before anyone could say anything. Drugs and pherywhatzits be damned, he'd made a promise to Daniel back in that storeroom and he'd be damned if he reneged on it now. Daniel shook his head and waved Jack away. "They rip a hole in the tissue of the throat and exit through the mouth. The host doesn't survive." Jack started to move to Daniel's side again, when the bedroom door opened.

"What does it matter, Doctor Jackson? It's just a vessel." Lord Jackson walked in and surveyed the room. Then his eyes flashed. "Nothing of the host survives."

CHAPTER 24

"That's a good idea, Jack. Might decrease the effect, too." Daniel was hard as nails. He gripped his legs harder and fought the hysteria he could feel beginning. Decrease the effect. That particular horse was long gone from the barn. Oh, god, he'd hurt Jack. He'd wanted their first time together to be so beautiful, so loving and instead he'd raped him. Daniel didn't remember much about the night before, but he remembered biting his lover hard enough to draw blood. He'd nearly come from the taste of his blood. Lover? That was over. How could they ever be together again? How could Jack ever trust him again? One night. They'd had one beautiful night. Jack asked him to be calm. It was the least Daniel could do for the man he'd wronged so horribly. He took a deep breath to calm himself. Jack, Jack's scent on his skin. His sweat, his cum, his blood covered Daniel. "I can smell you on me and it's making it very difficult to stay this far away from you." Jack! Oh, god, Jack! I'll never be able to hold you again. He'd have to leave the team, maybe the SGC. Daniel would leave before he'd hurt Jack again and he couldn't believe Jack would ever want to see him again, much less work with him. He wondered what he would do. It didn't matter. He'd lost Jack. Nothing mattered anymore.

"Hey, Ian, is there another robe in there for Daniel? He's going to go grab a shower and get some clothes on." Of course. Jack wouldn't feel safe with Daniel nude. He'd never feel safe with him again. Daniel kept his head down and let the sheet absorb his tears. He'd told Jack he wanted to protect him, keep him safe. Hysterical laughter threatened again. He grabbed at whatever self-control he had left and held it in. He had to be in control. Get out of the room, get dressed and keep as much distance between himself and Jack as he could. He'd never be able to regain the trust he'd violated, but he could do damage control. Try to help the man he would always love by staying away.

Cloth rubbed against his arm. Daniel peered out from the safety of his knees and saw Jack holding a bundle of dark green cloth at arm's length. That's the way it would be for the little time they had left. Arm's length. Daniel took the garment. Jack's expression showed how uncomfortable he was at the moment. It broke Daniel's heart to see it and know that he'd done this to Jack. Shifu's dream had been so right. No matter how much Daniel wanted to do the right thing, he was a monster underneath it all. That's why the Ascended ones had thrown him out. They must have finally seen he was no better than Anubis, just not as strong.

"I'll take it, Jack. You should move away." Please, Jack, don't come near me. Don't let me hurt you again. I need you so badly right now. As soon as Jack turned his back, Daniel slipped what turned out to be a large caftan over his head. Of course. It would slow him down if he tried anything. It was so long, he'd have to hold it up to keep from tripping over it. A robe would leave Jack at more risk. Daniel suddenly noticed that Jack wasn't really dressed. Just a robe. He swallowed hard as he stood, pulling the bulky garment down as he slid out from under the cover of the sheet. Jack must be too injured to put on pants. "Jack, do you know where my pack is?"

"They're in the dressing room, Daniel. Yours is, I imagine, on the left side with Daniel's things." God help him, Jack wouldn't even speak to him anymore, letting Ian answer instead. Neither of the bearing men would even look at him as he passed the table on his way to the dressing room. Daniel started to hyperventilate. Was this was their life was like? Oh, god! Did his counterpart do this to them? Daniel closed the door firmly behind him and leaned against it trying to breathe normally. Addicted to him. Ian said they were addicted to him. Daniel shuddered. He wondered if they were drawn to their Daniel like he'd been to the sarcophagus. Wanting it, needing it but still knowing, somewhere, that it was changing him, warping his soul but not being able to refuse the pleasure it offered. Not wanting to refuse it. He'd been able to throw off his addiction, but these men had to carry the product of the rapes they were unwittingly complicit in and then... Daniel swallowed convulsively, the children. They had children they had to protect from the monster that had fathered them. Daniel staggered from the doorway tasting bile. He somehow managed to make it to the bathroom before his nausea got the better of him.

He got into the shower on automatic. With the water as hot as he could stand it, he tried to scrub away his sin. Daniel tried not to think, not to remember, but flashes keep coming at him. Jack on his knees, his back and shoulders torn and bloody. Jack screaming as Daniel entered him. Jack begging him and Daniel doing just as he pleased. He'd stopped being Daniel's lover and become his property. Daniel scrubbed harder until the water going down the drain was tinted with his blood. Jack's blood on his skin. The thought snapped Daniel out of his fugue and he hurried to shut it off. He had to get away from Jack's blood. Nearly slipping, he staggered out of the shower and dried himself harshly, punishing himself, but it could never be enough.

Daniel frantically dug through his pack, throwing the contents onto the floor as he scrabbled for clothes. As he pulled a shirt out, something tumbled back into the bottom of the pack. He reached in for it and pulled it out. His field knife. Daniel sat back on his heels and held it in his hands, his agitation gone. Slowly, he pulled the blade out of its scabbard. So easy. It would be so easy. He remembered one of the parade of foster brothers he'd had. Daniel had been about twelve. Allan, a couple of years older. He'd been bounced through the system as long as Daniel had and they'd bonded as much as he'd ever bonded with anyone in those years. They didn't talk much, but spent hours in companionable silence, reading or, in Allan's case, drawing. He never showed anyone his art. Allan had always worn long sleeved shirts and finally Daniel had asked him why. He'd learned early on in foster care to avoid asking people questions, but sometimes he couldn't help himself. Allan had looked at him and without a word, unbuttoned his cuff and rolled it up a few inches. A long scar bisected the older boy's wrist. Daniel hadn't said a word, just looked at his friend's wrist and then back up at his face. "If you're ever going to do it," the older boy had explained calmly, "you need to cut up your arm, not across." Allan had shrugged then. "I screwed it up." He'd rolled his sleeve back down, buttoned the cuff and nothing was ever said about it again. Daniel had been moved to another home a few weeks later. It was three months before he finally found out that Allan learned from his mistakes.

"I remember Allan. I won't screw it up." Daniel ran his finger down the flat of the blade before sliding it back into the scabbard. Then he placed the knife carefully back in his pack feeling wonderfully at peace. When all this was over. When the mission was over and Jack was safe at home. Until then, he had one task. Keep Jack safe. He could do that. Somewhere in the back of his mind, the man Daniel used to be screamed.

Finally dressed, he quietly opened the door of the dressing room and listened to Jack telling the others what he'd told Daniel the day before. His body yearned for them all. He shoved that away and pushed it along the tenuous connection running from him to the screaming in his mind. Danny. Of course, Danny was the one screaming. He'd give Danny his love and desire to care for. It was too dangerous for Daniel. If Danny had it, it could never be used as a weapon. Daniel felt a moment's regret that his punishment would hurt Danny, but there was no way around it. I'm sorry, Danny, but there's no other way. Try to go to sleep and it'll all be over soon. I'll make sure Jack gets home okay. I know I hurt him, but if you help me, I'll take care of him for you. Danny's screams grew fainter and Daniel relaxed a bit as the connection between them narrowed, hardened and then shattered. That was better. Now he could focus. Jack had finished telling the others, but he'd left something out. Daniel shook his head.

"Tell them the rest of it, Jack." He never had understood why Jack did this. Jack was far too emotional sometimes.

"What rest of it?" Daniel walked over to the windows, but decided there was no reason to look outside. What difference did it make what kind of view these poor men had?

"Jack, don't play dumb." Daniel hoped that Jack would stop doing that one day.

"Not playing. I have no idea what you're talking about." Yes you do! Why are you fighting me? Daniel could feel his other self squirming under his control. Wanting out. Wanting Jack.

"Things started to get weird for me after the second brandy. How about you?" He wandered to the bookcase and let it support him. Books were safe. A refuge. They didn't bleed if you creased a page accidentally.

"Oh. That rest of it."

"Jack. Don't. You don't have to tiptoe around it for my sake. He's not my father." Danny's parents were lucky. They didn't live to see the monster lurking within.

"What's he talking about?" Poor gentle Ian. How much pain had his other self inflicted on this man?

"He," Daniel said, "is talking about who drugged us."

"You think Beecham drugged you? That's absurd." God, you stupid little man! No wonder you were selected for breeding, you're not smart enough for anything else!

"No, Ian. Remember, Beecham didn't pour the last brandy." Daniel decided he shouldn't be so hard on him. Who knows how much damage had been done to him over the years. He's been abused for years and made to want it. "I think Nirrti drugged us." Goddamn bitch! They were no better than he was. All the damned snakes deserved to die and their poor hosts with them. How could anyone be expected to live with that kind of trauma; that kind of guilt. He knew he'd have to go see Sarah before he allowed himself to rest. She shouldn't be forced to live with such pain any longer. He'd been cruel to her when they were together. Ignored her. He couldn't remember ever abusing her, but he must have. That's what monsters did. He could give her a final kindness. Daniel swallowed hard as he realized he couldn't allow his alternate to return here. He couldn't put these men back in his hands. Nirrti came first. He had to be sure, though, before he killed her. Had to make absolutely certain he had the right person. He wouldn't hurt another innocent. "Have there been any sudden deaths or disappearances in the capitol?"

"A constable is here right now talking with Mel about Lord Trenton's murder. He was killed just a few days ago. But Daniel, Nirrti's dead. They found her body." Poor Ian was so tired. Daniel wondered if it was right to make him go through the rest of his life with what he'd endured, either one of them. Their children would be cared for. Children were treasured here, if they had parents or not.

"What did he do in the capitol?" Good Jack. You know he won't want to talk to me.

"He was head of the Repro Council." Perfect place for that bitch to screw things up even more.

"Of course he was." Daniel continued to lead them to the answer. "I bet they found an odd wound in the back of his throat or neck, right?"

"How did you know that?" I can give you the peace your monster never granted you, Jose. "I spoke to the constable when they showed up earlier." Jose shrugged. "Professional courtesy." Jack nodded. Do you want peace, too, Jack? I took your chance away from you once. Now, now, I know I was wrong. I can help you, too, if you want. Danny struggled against his captor.

"He was Nirrti's last host. The body your people found the first time was just that. A body. Her host. When a Goa'uld leaves a host, they rip," Danny pushed, trying to take back control, but Daniel forced him back into the darkness. Rest, Danny, it won't be too much longer now. Just a few more things to take care of. Jack was coming towards him, but Daniel couldn't allow that. Couldn't allow Jack to touch him. He'd be contaminated. Daniel shook his head and waved Jack away. Soon, Jack. I'll let you do what you want to me, then I'll give you the peace you've wanted for so long. "They rip a hole in the tissue of the throat and exit through the mouth. The host doesn't survive." Jack was coming towards him again but someone interrupted.

"What does it matter, Doctor Jackson? It's just a vessel." The other monster's father entered the room. Daniel calmly watched him approach. Another damaged innocent. He'd had to watch his son grow into Daniel's twin. Then as Lord Jackson closed the door behind him, his eyes flashed. "Nothing of the host survives." Daniel stepped closer to Nirrti/Lord Jackson. He positioned himself between the Goa'uld and the three men behind him.

"Lord Jackson, I know you can hear me. I need you to hang on. I won't let you suffer much longer." Nirrti's eyes flashed again. They always hated it when he spoke to their host. Daniel had to keep the Goa'uld's attention on him.

"My host cannot hear you, Doctor Jackson." The bitch sounded irritated. "He has been quite forthcoming with information, though. When I took him I had no idea he was the one who stole the chappa'ai and the interdimensional portal. What does surprise me is that his son learned how to use it." Nirrti glanced behind him and raised the hand bearing a hand device. "Now, you will tell me how you altered my virus. I thought it was the Tok'ra, but seeing you here tells me otherwise." The jewel in the center of his palm began to glow.

"If you're trying to scare me, Nirrti, you're going to have to do better than that. I've killed bigger snakes than you could ever be." He paused a moment. Danny was quiet, letting Daniel handle this without interruption. He spared a grateful thought for that part of him. Danny had all the memories of being under the device, but intellectually, Daniel understood it was painful and debilitating. He raised one finger in a silent request for Nirrti to wait. He hoped Jack wasn't too traumatized that he forgot there was a zat on the table. He assumed it was hidden from the Goa'uld since Nirrti hadn't demanded it be turned over. "Is Ra alive?" He raised his eyebrows at his opponent, satisfied with the angry look on the host's face.

"Ra lives!" He growled.

"Ah. Does he know you're poaching on one of his planets?" Daniel watched calmly as the Goa'uld stiffened and pointed the hand device at Daniel's head. When the beam hit him, he heard Danny scream in warning. Daniel fell to his knees, the pain was unendurable. It sapped his strength and made it difficult to breathe. He wanted to scream, but no sound came from his open mouth. Daniel felt Danny wrap him in warmth, supporting his mind, comforting him. Daniel struggled to move in spite of the pain. He reached up and managed to grab the wrist behind the weapon but couldn't summon the strength to do more. "Jack!" He gasped, "Do it!" Danny whispered to him, telling him Jack would be there, Jack would help, Jack loved them. Daniel couldn't spare the energy to argue. He had to stay conscious, had to be awake to protect Jack, to save the others from their monster. So much left to do before he could rest.

The light was gone. Daniel gasped, he fell to the floor pulling air into his starved lungs. He could hear Jack calling for Jose and then there were arms wrapping around him, pulling him close. Daniel shuddered, trying to regain control of himself. His eyes opened and it was Jack holding him, rocking him telling Daniel he loved him. Daniel wanted to pull away, to apologize again, but he had no control over his body. Danny? Danny? What are you doing? You need to rest, you need to hide, you could hurt him! "Jack!" Danny had switched places with him. Daniel watched and listened, unable to interfere. He was so cold. "Jack! You've got to help me, help us! He wants to kill us!" Danny sounded frantic.

"Shh, love, it's over. Jose's got him tied up. Not even a goold's gonna get out of that." Jack continued to rock them. Running his hand through their hair. Danny relaxed into the gentle touch and Daniel struggled to grab him and shove him back into the cold and the dark. He didn't like the dark. There were things there, little scrabbling things with sharp teeth and hooked claws and they wanted him.

"No, Jack, please, you've got to listen! I don't know how much longer I can hold out. He's pushing me." Daniel felt their panting breaths, felt their heart pounding. A bolt of fear shot through Danny. "Oh, god, Jack, am I a host? Is that what this is? He does things, says things and I can't stop him!"

"No! No, you're not a host! Daniel! You're not making any sense! Who's pushing you?"

"Daniel is!" Tremors ran through their body. "He's going to kill us! He's going to kill the other Daniel, too. He doesn't want the other monster to hurt them anymore. Don't let him kill you, Jack, please." Danny's voice was growing weaker. Daniel fought for control, grabbing at Danny, pulling him out of the light Daniel craved and shoving him into the cold darkness where monsters lurked and fed.

Danny, you're hurting him. Look at his face! He's touching us! We have to get away from him! Let me protect him!

"You don't want to protect him, Daniel, you want to kill him."

"Who does he want to kill, Danny?" Jack looked so scared.

"You, Jack, he says it's the only way to give you peace after," Danny sobbed, "after we raped you." Danny clung to Jack's robe and sobbed. I know you're tired Danny, why don't you sleep for a while. Rest. I'll let you talk to Jack again when you wake up. Daniel crooned to Danny, lulling him toward sleep.

"So tired. You'll let me talk to Jack again?"

"What?" Daniel couldn't spare any time for Jack's confusion.

Of course, but you need to sleep now. Do you remember how nice it is to be in Jack's house? In Jack's bed? It's right there. Go and rest now.

"I like Jack's house. Feel safe there." Danny's voice drifted as he slid toward sleep. "It was a beautiful night, wasn't it Jack? At least we had that." Daniel led Danny to the bed in their mind and gently tucked him under the covers. I'll take care of things for you and when you wake up you can talk to Jack again, okay? Danny nodded and turned over, hugging Jack's pillow to him. Daniel smiled and opened his eyes.

"It's okay now, Jack. He's sleeping. You don't have to touch us anymore." Daniel gently disentangled himself from Jack and scooted back until he was leaning against the foot of the bed. Jack watched him, his expression blank. Daniel put his hand on the floor to shift into a more comfortable position and felt something hard under cloth. Glancing down he saw the clothes they'd been wearing the night before. That's where my zat is. He left it there for the moment. Nirrti glared at them all through Lord Jackson's eyes. He was lying on the floor a few feet from Daniel, tied hand and foot with leather straps that looked like they might be belts securing his arms to his sides. A gag made out of what looked like part of Jack's shirt and Daniel's tie kept the snake from speaking. Daniel nodded to himself noting that even a Goa'uld would have trouble breaking out of that. Jose stood over them all with Jack's zat in his hands.

"Devon should be here soon, Jack." Ian laid his hand on Jack's arm. "It's going to be okay, Jack, he's going to be okay." Jack nodded, not taking his eyes off Daniel.

"Ian, I'm sorry, so sorry for what you've been through. You should never have been put in this position." Ian approached and kneeled down next to him, too close.

"Daniel, I don't understand what's happening to you right now, but you've got to fight it. You've done so much for us, we'll find a way to help you." Ian was being so very brave to be this close to him. "I think the drugs are doing this to you, somehow. But they're wearing off, I don't," he paused as if trying to make sense of something, "I don't feel them in you anymore." He glanced back at Jose and Jack? "Are either of you getting anything?" Both shook their heads, Jose barely taking his eyes off of Nirrti who still struggled vainly in his bonds. Ian turned back to Daniel. "See? When Devon gets here, you'll see. He's dealt with all sorts of reactions to the fertility drugs. He'll be able to help you." Daniel smiled at Ian's sincerity.

"Ian, no one can help us. What we've done, what we are isn't anything Devon can treat."

"Stop it, Daniel! Just stop it! Stop talking about yourself that way!" Jack looked angry. He ran his hand through his hair and paced. He finally stopped and looked into Daniel's eyes. Daniel allowed it. Whatever Jack wanted he'd give him. "Earlier you, you said you'd," he gritted his teeth and ground the words out, "said you raped me." Daniel nodded. Danny had said it actually, but he didn't think Jack was in any mood to be corrected. "God." Clinching his fists Jack staggered toward him. Go ahead, Jack, hit me. I deserve it. I deserve so much worse. Jack stopped next to Ian and gestured for the younger man to move away. Once Ian was gone, Jack sank down in his place. "Danny." At Daniel frowned and Jack corrected himself, "Daniel. Sorry."

"It's okay, Jack."

"Danny, you didn't rape me last night." Daniel sighed. Jack wasn't facing this very well. The pain in his voice told Daniel the truth behind the lies Jack was telling himself. "I wanted everything that happened. I loved everything that happened." Daniel felt Danny roll over in his sleep and murmur Jack's name. It made Daniel smile sadly.

"He's dreaming of you right now. Danny loves you so much, Jack." Daniel hated to ask this of him, but he owed Danny, too. "I know you can never love us after we hurt you, but," he raised a hand to keep Jack from interrupting him, "I know I have no right to you for anything, but when you talk to Danny again, could you at least tell him you forgive him? It would mean so much. He thinks you still love us. You and I would know it wasn't real and that's fine, I'd never let him know. But it would mean so much to him." Jack reached out and stroked Daniel's face. He jerked away from his hand.

"Don't touch me! Jack, please, I don't want to contaminate you any more than I have. You don't deserve it."

"I want to touch you, love. Don't you get it? You, um, Danny's right. I still love you. I'll always love you." Daniel's conviction began to waver in the face of Jack's sincerity.

"You can't, Jack. You're just confused right now. I'll fix it, don't worry." Jack was confused and why wouldn't he be? Before Daniel could explain what was he had to do, the bedroom door flew open and Devon strode into the room, his bag in hand. He faltered to a stop, looking at the bizarre tableau before him.

"What the hell is going on? What have you done to Lord Jackson!"

"Caruthers! Get over here!" Devon joined them at the foot of the bed and Daniel moved the clothes covered zat out of his way, but kept it at hand. He might need it.

"He's not Lord Jackson anymore, Devon." Jose spared a quick glance for his doctor. "He's been taken over by Nirrti." Nirrti shook his head, denying the accusation.

"She's dead, Jose!"

"No, we saw his eyes glow. He used that weapon," Jose nodded to the discarded hand device that had been tossed onto the bed, "on Daniel. We shot him with this and then tied him up."

"Devon," Daniel drew the doctor's attention away from Jose and the Goa'uld. That wasn't important now. "Jack needs you." Daniel stared calmly at the doctor, then lowered his voice causing Devon to lean in to hear him. "I raped him last night and he's not dealing with it very well." Devon's face went white and Daniel nodded solemnly. "Please help him."

"I don't need help! I'm fine!" Jack cut Daniel off before he could interrupt, "Doc, there's something wrong with Daniel. We were drugged last night, things got a little intense." Daniel frowned at Jack. He shouldn't be covering for him. "Now, he's, he's not, not himself."

"I see." Devon glanced back around at the man on the floor who was watching them.

"Devon, don't waste your time on me. I'm fine. Jack's the one who needs you." Why couldn't he make them understand? Daniel's head started to ache.

"Jack?" Devon pulled his stethoscope out of his bag and placed the ear pieces around his neck.

"I'm fine!" He looked at the skeptical faces around him. "Ok, not completely fine, but fine enough. Check Daniel out first." Daniel knew that expression. Jack was determined to be difficult.

"Daniel? Do you mind if I examine you? If you were given fertility drugs last night, I really should check you out." He held the bell of his 'scope in his hands to warm it. "It's standard procedure whenever a man starts taking them." Daniel allowed a small smile. Devon was humoring Jack. If that's what it took to get Jack to accept treatment, then Daniel could go along. He nodded and let Devon look him over. Heart, lungs, the usual checks he was used to at the SGC. Devon frequently glanced at the other men around them, frowning. "Ok, not too bad. I need to get a blood sample now, is that okay?" Daniel shrugged and pushed his sleeve up, out of the way. Devon put a tourniquet on his arm and had him squeeze his fist a few times. Daniel watched the veins in his arm begin to stand out. He was dimly aware of Devon swabbing down the inside of his elbow. The doctor asked him something, but he couldn't pull his attention from the lines of blue running from his hand up his forearm. The needle prick came and went and Daniel stared, mesmerized by the sight. He felt Danny stir. He was awake again.

Daniel? Please, don't do this. Danny sat on Jack's bed, illuminated in a pool of light that kept the little scrabbly things away. Daniel could still hear them in the shadows. He knew they were still there, waiting.

"It's ok, Danny. Remember? Remember what Allan told us that time? I won't screw it up." Daniel touched his wrist and traced the line of his vein as far as he could up his arm. You need to cut up your arm, not across. Can you hear Allan, Danny? Is he there with you? Allan? Did it hurt?" Daniel started to rock slowly back and forth. "I don't want to hurt anymore."

I don't want to hurt any more, either, Daniel. Please don't hurt us.

"I don't know what else to do, Danny. We hurt Jack and that's not allowed."

Jack forgives us. He loves us, Daniel. Jack can make it stop hurting. Danny patted the side of the bed and Daniel sat down next to him. He hunched over, darting quick looks over his shoulder whenever the skittering sounds from the shadows came too close. Danny put his am around Daniel and held him, rocking him in time with their body. It's going to be hard, Daniel, but we need to let Jack help. Look at his face. They shared the use of their eyes long enough to see Jack's shuttered expression. He's hurting, Daniel. Not because of what we did to him, but because of what we're doing to ourselves. We need to let him help. He needs us to need his help. Please Daniel.

"I can't, Danny. It's too hard. It hurts too much." Danny held him tight and it almost felt as if he were holding him in the flesh and not just in their mind. "Danny?" Daniel was losing sight of where he was. "Danny? What's going to happen to me?" A hand stroked their hair. Someone whispered softly to them, but Daniel couldn't make it out. "Am I going to have to go be in the dark?" Daniel huddled as close to Danny as he could. "You know what happens in the dark. Don't make me go back. I'll be good."

Shh, Daniel, it's okay. You don't ever have to stay in the dark. I'd never do that to you. He patted the bed. See? It's light here. You can rest for a while. I'll let Jack know you're okay. Daniel nodded and let his other self guide him under the covers.

It's not going to get dark? You promise, Danny?

"I promise, Daniel. It won't be dark. Sleep now." Daniel heard Danny's voice murmur to him. He felt Danny share the sensation of being held in Jack's arms.

Maybe Jack doesn't hate us after all. Daniel slipped into slumber and dreamed of sun sparkling off water and Jack smiling by his side and the shadows that stalked him slunk back to where they came from.

Next: Part 3