Daniel caught up with Teal'c in the corridor, where his teammate had apparently waited for him. "You hear that?"
"Indeed." They headed to the elevator, getting the usual curious glances at their blood soaked uniforms.
Daniel shook his head. "I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't."
"Do not concern yourself with General Berger's comments. You are a formidable warrior and a great asset to your people." Teal'c stepped aside as several people exited the elevator.
Daniel sighed as they entered after the car emptied. "I think that's the problem, Teal'c. I finally met someone from the Pentagon who doesn't think I'm civilian enough." Silence was Teal'c's only response and Daniel jabbed the button for the infirmary's level a little harder than necessary. He didn't feel much like a civilian on days like this. He closed his eyes and leaned wearily against the wall of the car. It was never enough.
5. Daniel lay on his side with his flushed cheek on Jack's sweaty back. His arms wrapped protectively around his lover, one thumb lazily stroking Jack's chest as he drifted, warm and boneless and sated. Their legs were tangled together and if he never moved again, that would be just fine. The body in his arms shifted and began to turn to face him.
"Scoot up here, Daniel." Daniel smiled as he found his face against Jack's chest.
"You come down here." He felt Jack's chuckle and knew his lover was as relaxed as he was and there was no way he could drag him where Daniel didn't want to go.
"But the pillow's up here." Daniel groaned and tipped his head back to see the pout on Jack's face.
"Why do Ihave to do all the work?" His complaint didn't carry much weight as he half wiggled, half crawled up to meet Jack on the lone pillow at the head of the bed. No telling where the others had gotten to.
"Because you're so damned good at it." Jack's smile was as lazy as the kiss they shared. The lovers settled back into each others' arms, nuzzling and dozing and soaking up the peace of simply being alone together. Whispers for the other's ears only passed between them; lover's words meant only for the depth of night, accompanying touches meant only for fleeting, stolen moments.
"You scared me, Daniel. I wish you'd stop doing that." Jack ran his hand through Daniel's hair, now back to its familiar brown with only the odd, ordinary silver hair peaking through.
"I know." Daniel kissed Jack's eyes and pulled him closer. "How much trouble am I going to have from the IOA after this?"
Jack sighed and rolled to his back, pulling Daniel's head down to lay against his shoulder. "You certainly put the fear of god into Woolsey, but Hank and I played the 'alien possession' card and they seemed to buy it. I think they're too scared not to. They don't want to think about it any more than they have to." They lay together watching the blinds lighten with the dawn.
"Adria ascended, Jack. Even if we killed the Ori, she's still out there." All the peace Daniel had felt in Jack's arms faded to be replaced by his ever present guilt regarding Adria. "I should have killed her back when I had the chance."
"Coulda, woulda, shoulda, Daniel. Don't go there." Jack rolled back to his side and held Daniel close, nuzzling his face and probably leaving whisker burn. "You were in enemy territory, faced with overwhelming odds and you got yourself and Vala out with necessary intel. Things happen, decisions are made and no one can afford to second guess too much."
"The military second guesses all the time, Jack. That's why our briefings are recorded and reviewed."
"Daniel. In case you've forgotten, you're a civilian." Daniel smiled a little and kissed Jack deeply before he could continue that train of thought.
"Actually," he petted Jack's back as he spoke, "I do forget that from time to time."
"Trust me. I never do." Jack's hands strayed over Daniel's body and once again, Daniel wished he'd met his lover twenty years ago when they wouldn't have had to wait a few more hours before having sex again. "But let's talk about more pleasant things than our jobs for now."
Four times Daniel remembered he's a civilian and one time Jack reminded him. Pt. 3
"Indeed." They headed to the elevator, getting the usual curious glances at their blood soaked uniforms.
Daniel shook his head. "I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't."
"Do not concern yourself with General Berger's comments. You are a formidable warrior and a great asset to your people." Teal'c stepped aside as several people exited the elevator.
Daniel sighed as they entered after the car emptied. "I think that's the problem, Teal'c. I finally met someone from the Pentagon who doesn't think I'm civilian enough." Silence was Teal'c's only response and Daniel jabbed the button for the infirmary's level a little harder than necessary. He didn't feel much like a civilian on days like this. He closed his eyes and leaned wearily against the wall of the car. It was never enough.
5. Daniel lay on his side with his flushed cheek on Jack's sweaty back. His arms wrapped protectively around his lover, one thumb lazily stroking Jack's chest as he drifted, warm and boneless and sated. Their legs were tangled together and if he never moved again, that would be just fine. The body in his arms shifted and began to turn to face him.
"Scoot up here, Daniel." Daniel smiled as he found his face against Jack's chest.
"You come down here." He felt Jack's chuckle and knew his lover was as relaxed as he was and there was no way he could drag him where Daniel didn't want to go.
"But the pillow's up here." Daniel groaned and tipped his head back to see the pout on Jack's face.
"Why do Ihave to do all the work?" His complaint didn't carry much weight as he half wiggled, half crawled up to meet Jack on the lone pillow at the head of the bed. No telling where the others had gotten to.
"Because you're so damned good at it." Jack's smile was as lazy as the kiss they shared. The lovers settled back into each others' arms, nuzzling and dozing and soaking up the peace of simply being alone together. Whispers for the other's ears only passed between them; lover's words meant only for the depth of night, accompanying touches meant only for fleeting, stolen moments.
"You scared me, Daniel. I wish you'd stop doing that." Jack ran his hand through Daniel's hair, now back to its familiar brown with only the odd, ordinary silver hair peaking through.
"I know." Daniel kissed Jack's eyes and pulled him closer. "How much trouble am I going to have from the IOA after this?"
Jack sighed and rolled to his back, pulling Daniel's head down to lay against his shoulder. "You certainly put the fear of god into Woolsey, but Hank and I played the 'alien possession' card and they seemed to buy it. I think they're too scared not to. They don't want to think about it any more than they have to." They lay together watching the blinds lighten with the dawn.
"Adria ascended, Jack. Even if we killed the Ori, she's still out there." All the peace Daniel had felt in Jack's arms faded to be replaced by his ever present guilt regarding Adria. "I should have killed her back when I had the chance."
"Coulda, woulda, shoulda, Daniel. Don't go there." Jack rolled back to his side and held Daniel close, nuzzling his face and probably leaving whisker burn. "You were in enemy territory, faced with overwhelming odds and you got yourself and Vala out with necessary intel. Things happen, decisions are made and no one can afford to second guess too much."
"The military second guesses all the time, Jack. That's why our briefings are recorded and reviewed."
"Daniel. In case you've forgotten, you're a civilian." Daniel smiled a little and kissed Jack deeply before he could continue that train of thought.
"Actually," he petted Jack's back as he spoke, "I do forget that from time to time."
"Trust me. I never do." Jack's hands strayed over Daniel's body and once again, Daniel wished he'd met his lover twenty years ago when they wouldn't have had to wait a few more hours before having sex again. "But let's talk about more pleasant things than our jobs for now."
tbc