Prompt 79.04

[lilyleia78]

Five people Jack kisses at his retirement party (after he's had a few).


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Subject-line spoiler warnings for late-season SGA eps and the SG-1 movies, thanks!


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Comments

No spoilers (Not intentionally, anyway)

[the-summoning-d.livejournal.com]

[*cough* Spot my OTP...]


1.

Vala.

No, actually, that's not strictly true. Vala kissed him, and it was a terrifying experience he never wants to repeat. He makes a mental note to buy Daniel a drink or several at an unspecfied later date - clearly the spacemonkey is a braver man than he.


2.

He kisses Sam - both of them still relatively sober at this point - just because he can. He's no longer her commanding officer, and it's something he's always rather fancied doing while not under some kind of alien influence.


3.

He plants one on Hammond too, purely for the amusement value. The looks on everyone's faces will keep him entertained for a long time to come.

(He's more than a little tipsy by this point)


4.

He's always been an affectionate drunk, although he tries to switch to water before he gets to the 'I love you, man' stage. Apparently he didn't stop quite in time on this occasion, but to his credit, Teal'c takes the sloppy kiss pressed against his cheek with characteristic composure.


5.

The fifth kiss of the night is very different from the others.

Even more thoroughly unexpected than Vala's; not a joke, or a gesture of friendship, or a 'just because we can'. This is a kiss with intent behind it.

The other difference is in where and when it happens. Not out in the garden in broad daylight, around the barbecue with beers in hand like all the others, but later - after nightfall, after everyone else has staggered away supported by their designated drivers or been poured into cabs. He's contemplating the mess that was once his back garden when senses honed by years of battle inform him that he's not alone.

He turns and find himself pulled into a highly unanticipated but extremely welcome kiss, the taste of fear and determination and too much alcohol. It's unexpected, but unlike his brain, his body catches on immediately. Maybe he's a little drunk - god, he must be if this seems like a good idea - but he's not the only one, and it doesn't seem to slow them down as they move things inside.

The next morning could have been awkward if they weren't so very, very hung-over. Coherent speech seems an impossible goal. In any case, nobody's going to ask, and nobody could tell even if they wanted to.

It doesn't matter. Words could only have gotten in the way.

(A tendency to open mouth and insert foot is only one of the many things he and John Sheppard have in common)

Re: No spoilers (Not intentionally, anyway)

[theeverdream.livejournal.com]

*flails*

Sheppard!!!!!


YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY.

<3

Re: No spoilers (Not intentionally, anyway)

[shinealightonme]

He makes a mental note to buy Daniel a drink or several at an unspecfied later date - clearly the spacemonkey is a braver man than he.

I want to marry this line. It's so perfect.

Re: No spoilers (Not intentionally, anyway)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_xanthia/]

Ahahahaha.... I did not see #5 coming. Zomg. But, just imagining Jack in the "I love you, man" stage cracks me up liek whoa, too.

Re: No spoilers (Not intentionally, anyway)

[sid]

Ooh, nifty reveal at the end! :-)

Ha, Jack had the exact opposite reaction to Vala's kiss in my list - he wanted to go back for more!

Re: No spoilers (Not intentionally, anyway)

[antares04a.livejournal.com]

He makes a mental note to buy Daniel a drink or several at an unspecfied later date - clearly the spacemonkey is a braver man than he.

A wonderful line!

And I like the surpring end also very much! Very nice twist.

Re: No spoilers (Not intentionally, anyway)

[cesy.livejournal.com]

Number 3 made me laugh out loud. And 4 is great, too.

Re: No spoilers (Not intentionally, anyway)

[esteefee]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

(in case the squeal doesn't do it)--LOVES. All five were perfect, but Teal'c and Sheppard made me :) :) :)

Re: No spoilers (Not intentionally, anyway)

[(Anonymous)]

*squee* I LOVE John/Jack and there is SO little out there with them together. Thanks for this. Completely awesome.

Re: No spoilers (Not intentionally, anyway)

[dimac99.livejournal.com]

Ha ha! Stargate was my original online fandom so I couldn't not look at what you wrote and you made me laugh so the mission was a success. I'm just glad it wasn't Daniel because I think the overwhelming, can't-move-for-falling-over-it-because-it's-everywhere Jack/Daniel thing in Stargate fandom was what put me off slash originally. Seriously, I found it *SO* unbelievable that I wouldn't read anything with a slash tag on it between then and a couple of years ago!

5 kisses at Jack's retirement party

[wishfulaces.livejournal.com]

1. doesn't really count, since Vala kissed him, but then again, he didn't exactly hold back either.
2. Siler. Teal'c dared him to. Jack...doesn't exactly refuse dares.
3. Teal'c himself was #3 because then Daniel and Vala dared him to, and Jack figured he was already on a roll.
4. Sam. But that was later, much later, when the party was winding down and almost everyone--bar SG-1, of course--had left, and they were alone in a darkened corner. There were no dares this time.
5. Daniel's kiss was even later, technically after the party was over when they were back at Daniel's place, but considering Daniel was still stubbornly clinging to a last bottle of wine and Jack was still picking confetti out of his hair, he decided it counted.

Re: 5 kisses at Jack's retirement party

[http://users.livejournal.com/_xanthia/]

Dares are such a good reason do kiss. Shock factor, too. :D

Re: 5 kisses at Jack's retirement party

[sid]

LOL at #2!

I'm sure Teal'c didn't mind being kissed at all - otherwise Jack wouldn't have been in any shape for his next two kisses! And I think #4 is sweet as can be.

But #5's the best. :-)

Re: 5 kisses at Jack's retirement party

[cesy.livejournal.com]

2 is brilliant, as is the reasoning for 3.

Five people Jack kisses at his retirement party (after he's had a few)

[sid]

Aunt Mary. His father’s little sister. A nice long smack right on the corner of her smiling mouth. She’s always been a constant in his life, and he makes it a point to be a constant in hers.

Carter. Sam. Yeah, she’s had a few herself, and her giggle is entrancing. Jack could almost giggle himself, because he hasn’t felt this sense of freedom in decades. He strokes her cheek afterwards and they smile into each other’s eyes.

He nearly kissed Teal’c, but the look in Mitchell’s eyes told him ‘Hands off. Sir.’ So he kissed Mitchell instead, and discovered where all the hummus had been disappearing to.

Vala Mal Doran. He couldn’t have avoided it if he wanted to, and he didn’t want to. He’s pretty sure it isn’t French kissing if one of the parties comes from a planet without a France, but she’s damn good at it whatever you want to call it. The catcalls in the background just egg her on. Well, both of them, really. But he makes a mental note to get her alone for a few minutes.

Walter Harriman. Best PA a general ever had, no offense to Davis, and he looks like he expects it.

He’ll kiss Daniel later.

Re: Five people Jack kisses at his retirement party (after he's had a few)

[shinealightonme]

Hee, very amusing! Especially Walter, though Mitchell had me giggling too (that Jack, stirring up trouble).

Re: Five people Jack kisses at his retirement party (after he's had a few)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_xanthia/]

I bet Mitchell gets really hungry when watching You Don't Mess With the Zohan, then. Teehee.

Re: Five people Jack kisses at his retirement party (after he's had a few)

[rebeccavoy.livejournal.com]

So he kissed Mitchell instead, and discovered where all the hummus had been disappearing to.

Haha, I love it!

Re: Five people Jack kisses at his retirement party (after he's had a few)

[delphia2000.livejournal.com]

*giggles!* Of course Walter expects it. Job has to have some perks!

Part 1/2

[theeverdream.livejournal.com]

The multiverse sighed. It hated anomalies. Daniel Jackson was one of them, creating wrinkles and tears and smudges on the fabric of multiversal space-time. Normally an anomaly was easily dealt with and everything put to rights again, but because of Jackson’s connection with the Stargate, the damage was multiplied infinitely.

Because of this anomaly, where there were supposed to be an infinite number of Jack O’Neills with retirement parties in an infinite number of universes, there were only five.

*****

1) Many beers had been consumed all around, so Jack wasn’t above a little PDAing with the family. If the catcalls during his sexy dance with Sara were any indication, nobody minded. And he just knew that at some point he would have to embarrass Charlie with a kiss.

Late in the evening, the brightest light that Jack had ever known came to him and said, “Dad, I’m so proud of you.” Jack took his son’s face in his hands and kissed his cheek – loudly, messily, and with so much joy.


2) Jack fingered his wedding ring. He was too drunk at the moment to help his wife with the cleanup. But not too drunk to thank her. Jack walked up behind her. She was standing at the kitchen sink, and Jack put his arms around her and squeezed. She turned her head towards him and got a beer-scented kiss on the cheek.

“I love you, Sam.”

With a twinkle in her eye she teased, “Love you too, sir.”

Re: Part 1/2

[cesy.livejournal.com]

Awww at #1.

Part 2/2

[theeverdream.livejournal.com]

3) The party in Jack’s house was in full swing. There was good food and good cake and good beer. But it wasn’t good enough. Jack searched the house for Daniel. He found him on the back deck looking just the slightest bit tipsy. Jack grabbed his wrist, pulling him inside the house and down the hall towards the bedrooms. Daniel spluttered a little but allowed himself to be led.

When they got to the door of Jack’s room, Daniel finally managed to ask, “Jack, what’s going on?”

“I’ve waited years for this, Daniel. I can’t wait anymore.”

Daniel looked confused. “Wait, what?”

Jack blinked. What did he mean, what? Jack couldn’t speak; he just opened the door and pushed Daniel inside. He took a step towards Daniel, close enough to touch. Then he took another, smaller step – now he was close enough to make his intentions clear.

Daniel still looked confused. Maybe it was the alcohol; even Daniel couldn’t be this clueless.

At his best, Jack would have found talking about this difficult, but with the buzz in his head, he would just have to show Daniel what he meant.

His mind thought it would be a good idea to gently touch Daniel’s cheek, maybe whisper his name lovingly... but his body had different ideas. Jack pushed Daniel against the wall, pressing him with his hips and chest. His hands went to Daniel’s face to hold his head so Jack could kiss him. Daniel made a startled sound, but then he moaned a little and started kissing back.

It was a really great kiss.

It was over all too quickly, though, when Daniel pushed Jack and moved out from under him. Jack’s stomach clenched, and Daniel turned his back and took a step away. Jack somehow found the words to ask him what was going on.

Daniel didn’t answer – not with words, anyway.

Jack thought the way Daniel turned and smiled as he locked the bedroom door was all the answer he needed.


4) Jack sat alone in his living room, a collection of empty beer bottles on the table beside him. Two weeks ago, the mountain had exploded; the self-destruct had prevented the Wraith from taking over Earth. Jack couldn’t stand to do it anymore, couldn’t stand to go to meetings and fill out paperwork knowing that it really didn’t matter now. He had handed in his resignation today, two weeks later than everyone had expected.

Daniel was dead. Carter and Teal’c were dead. Mitchell and Vala and Landry. Harriman and Siler and that nurse who had always smiled at him, whose name he could never remember.

Jack threw a beer bottle across the room, and it shattered against the hearth.

When he had stopped sobbing, Jack went to collect the pieces of broken glass. As he walked to the fireplace, his eyes fell on a framed photo of SG-1. He picked it up and studied the faces. Sam looked so eager about life. Teal’c looked strong and sure, with protective arms around the shoulders of Sam and Daniel. And Daniel, his long hair shining in the sunlight, looked beautiful.

Jack quietly placed a kiss on three locations on the glass inside the frame. On the foreheads of his dead friends.

Then he started to collect the pieces.


5) It was towards the end of the huge celebration. The acquaintances had all gone; the remaining guests were all dear friends.

Jack spotted Jacob Carter, who he really hadn’t gotten to talk to all evening, and called out to him.

“Hey, Jacob, commere.”

Jacob made his way across the living room and stood near Jack with a smile on his face. “Yes, Jack?”

“So, now that we’re both out of the military....”

During his last sentence Jack had gotten a bit grabby, clutching at Jacob’s arms. He was even maybe swaying a little.

Jacob’s eyes had gone a bit wide, and he hissed “yeah, but not heeeremmmfph! –" and then Jack cut off not only Jacob’s words but all thought processes with a kiss. An enthusiastic, passionate, toe-curling, we’ve-wanted-to-do-this-forever type of a kiss that went on, and on, and on, to the cheers of the people around them.

*****

The multiverse shook its head. With infinite possibilities, there was never “better” – just “different”. But with so few, it definitely had an opinion on which Jack had it best.

Re: Part 2/2

[http://users.livejournal.com/_xanthia/]

Ach. You need the hilarity of #5 to cancel out the angst of #4, don't you? Because, yeah, #4 is too sad to contemplate. :P

[http://users.livejournal.com/_xanthia/]

1.) Cassie. It was only on the cheek, but it may have included loud smoochy noises just to make her giggle and yell, "Uncle Jack! Stop it!" Because who can resist embarrassing youngsters, anyway?

2.) Sara. Again it was only on the cheek, and she didn't stay long, but... she was his ex-wife. She congratulated him on making it as far as he had, and he congratulated her on having remarried and being a good step-mom.

3.) Daniel. Because Jack was pretty tipsy at this point, and he wanted to see if it was still possible to make the man blush and stutter.

4.) Vala. Because she wanted anything Daniel was getting. She may have got more tongue action, however. And she certainly didn't blush.

5.) Teal'c. According to the former First Prime, a Jaffa warrior that survived to retire like Jack was, was accorded six brotherly kisses (three on each cheek) and one big one on the lips, to show respect for the retiring fighter. But the twinkle in Sam and Cam's eyes suggested they may have simply put their friend up to it.

[rebeccavoy.livejournal.com]

Nice choices for all! I love Vala wanting whatever Daniel gets lol. #5 was my favourite though, because Sam and Cam would definately do that - and Teal'c would definately go along!

Five people Jack kisses at his retirement party

[chocolatekettle.livejournal.com]

1. The best thing about retirement parties, Jack had decided, was that everyone in the room seemed determined to buy him a drink. Carter came over with his second beer and a smile, a real, happy, trademark Carter grin, and he grasped her hand instead of the bottle and tugged her close and kissed her, because she was beautiful and he loved her and he could, now. There was a moment of bliss when his free hand curved round her hip and hers slid up to the back of his head and the whole front of her came flush against him, a moment of heartfelt passion. They drew back from each other at the same second and Jack said, "Huh. That was..." Carter nodded, gave him the same bright smile, raised her beer in salute and wandered away. He watched her go, a little wistful for what could have been, had they both been different, and mostly glad that they weren't.

2. He went to the bar to get another beer, his fourth, now, and found himself standing beside Carolyn Lam. She turned when he came up beside her, smiled at him and congratulated him, and it was a little too formal and serious and she wasn't who he wanted to be saying it, and he'd never really gotten to know her anyway. But she'd kept his team alive for the three years she'd had them in her care and that counted for a lot, so he kissed her cheek and thanked her and bought her a drink.

3. Sometime between Jack's first whiskey and fifth beer, Teal'c came and stood in front of him, with the smile that still caught Jack a little off guard, and Jack put out his hand. Teal'c clasped his forearm in the familiar gesture and dipped his head briefly.

"I thought once that we would fall in battle side by side, O'Neill. It is better to retire together, having won our fight. It ends well, my brother."

The big guy's rare, eloquent speeches had always left Jack lost for words and this was no exception. He nodded, put his hand up to Teal'c's face and then, when the moment stretched out too long even for Jack's slightly maudlin mood, he leaned in and kissed Teal'c firmly. When he stepped back the smile was gone and the eyebrow was up and the moment was over.

4. Jack had enjoyed another fine whiskey by the time Daniel started telling him about Ernest's planet and the plans to dig out the meaning of life stuff. Jack listened until Daniel digressed into the importance of proper excavation techniques and then, having exhausted all the usual methods of Getting Daniel To Shut The Hell Up with no noticeable effect, he leaned forward, grabbed Daniel by the collar and planted one on him. When he let go and drew back, Daniel blinked at him, twitched his eyebrows, and said, "Uuuhh. Jack?" And the reaction was so quintessentially Daniel-like that Jack reached out again and hauled Daniel into a hug. After a second Daniel's arms came up and hugged him back and they stood there for a while leaning on each other and Jack buried his face in Daniel's shoulder and thought that retirement might be ok as long as he didn't lose his team.

5. A few hours and many drinks later, Mitchell kissed him. Jack extricated himself, glared wild-eyed at the smug grins of Teal'c and Daniel, and went home.

Re: Five people Jack kisses at his retirement party

[theeverdream.livejournal.com]

...and thought that retirement might be ok as long as he didn't lose his team.

Aww. I absolutely love this.

Sweeter Than Wine 1/2

[chattycatsmeow.livejournal.com]

The retirement party thrown by his colleagues at the Pentagon had been fine. The attendees had been polite and congratulatory and the whole affair was very low key. Jack worked with some good people there. People he respected. People he trusted to run the program as it should be run.

A few years back, after the last remnant of Kinsey's insidious Trust had been hunted down and booted out, Jack had had the privilege of presiding at Major Davis' long-overdue promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. Apparently the Trust, recognizing Major Davis as a man of honor firmly entrenched in the Hammond/O'Neill camp, had been blocking him at every turn. Once the Trust was out of the way, Davis' rise had been steady.

Last week, the day of his first retirement party in fact, as one of his final official duties, Jack had bumped him up yet again to Brigadier General. Davis would oversee all Earth-based activity of the Homeworld Security Department while Major General Samantha Carter would handle all off-world duties. Together, Carter and Davis would make one hell of team letting Jack retire with confidence.

The Pentagon party, as fine as it had been with its banquet hall, five-star food, linen table cloths, crystal stemware, and floral centerpieces for every table, didn't hold a candle to this. Carter's house in Colorado Springs was packed wall to wall with what seemed like every person who had ever worked at the Mountain. Every counter in the kitchen was weighted down with covered dishes of all size, shape, and cuisine. The dining table held the paper plates and napkins, plastic utensils and cups and a huge variety of beverages. The stereo blared out something with a fast beat and a melody that was hard to hear clearly over the raucous crowd.

As the night went on, Jack's beverage changed from soda to rum and cola to neat whiskey. His mood grew more expansive and nostalgic. These folks had been with him for some of the worst and some of the best times of his life. They worked hard, risked their asses, had fought with him and for him and did it all in obscurity. They were a damn fine group of people, damn fine, and he loved, dammit. He loved them all.

He finished the slice of pie he was eating and thought about the woman who had brought it. Marge Jensen still ruled the kitchens in the Mountain with a firm yet kindly grip and her soft spot for SG-1 was legendary. They could always count on her have comfort food when comfort was needed: a piece of pie for Jack, blue Jell-O for Carter, chocolate cake for Daniel, and that weird salad of fruit, whipped cream, and cottage cheese for Teal'c. Spying her by the kitchen door, Jack threaded his way through the other revelers and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Thank you," he said, "for keeping us going."

Laughing, she hugged him and said, "There's Dutch apple pie in there with your name on it."

He winked at her. "I've already had two pieces and wrapped up a third for later."

They reminisced for a bit--she'd never let SG-1 live down the Urgo-incited dessert fest--until her husband came to fetch her for a dance on the back patio.

Turning, Jack nearly ran into Cassie who had managed to pull her drink away from the collision before it spilled. Jack frowned.

"I hope that's not a margarita," he warned. He couldn't look at her without seeing the eleven year old orphan that his team had had helped raise.

Cassie rolled her eyes but grinned at him. "I'm way past legal drinking age."

"Maybe, but you'll always be our little girl." He kissed on the forehead. "Love you, squirt."

"Love you too, Uncle Jack." She kissed him on the cheek then continued going wherever it was she'd been headed.

(continued below)

Re: Sweeter Than Wine 1/2

[cesy.livejournal.com]

Marge is cool. And yay for Davis finally getting promoted.

Sweeter Than Wine 2/2

[chattycatsmeow.livejournal.com]

(continued from above)

Jack wandered toward the living room, greeting people along the way. He passed Walter Harriman and Sergeant Siler in a heated conversation about British comedy. Apparently Harriman couldn't believe that Siler had never seen The Benny Hill Show and was trying to spark some recognition from Siler.

"Sketch comedy? Had a little bald guy for a sidekick? Benny used to pat him on the head?" Harriman gestured emphatically, slopping his drink over the edge of the cup, but Siler kept shaking his head no.

Jack tossed back the last of the whiskey and decided to help out. "Like this, Siler!" Jack patted the top of Harriman's bald head rapidly three times then leaned down and gave it a loud smacking kiss.

"Oh, that guy!" said Siler.

"Yes!" With a nod to Jack, Harriman said "Thank you, sir!"

He went back to his conversation with Siler and Jack resumed his forward progress. The living room was, if anything, more crowded than the rest of the house. Teal'c, Mitchell and Vala were over in one corner talking energetically. While Sam had opened her house for the party, it had been Vala that had gotten everything organized.

The friendship between the women had surprised Jack at first since the two seemed so very different. But over the years, Vala's effusiveness had encouraged Carter to loosen up and enjoy herself more, while Carter's staid nature had helped rein Vala in. As odd as it looked from the outside, it worked. The same could be said of him and Daniel, though he didn't think Carter and Vala would ever move beyond friendship, especially given the way they both looked at Mitchell.

"Enjoying the party, sir?" Carter brought his attention back to the two people in front of him.

"Very much, Carter."

He handed Daniel his empty cup, took Carter's half-full one out of her grip and gave that to Daniel too, then pulled her in for a big hug.

As she relaxed into his arms, he whispered, "Thank you for my party. Thank you for being one of the best colleagues and friends I ever had. I love you, you know that, right?" He moved his head back to look at her. "I'm a maudlin old fool, but I just want to make sure you know."

She looked a bit misty eyed as she smiled back at him. "I know, sir. Same here."

"Good." Jack kissed her on the cheek and let her go.

Daniel handed back their cups, then kissed Carter on the cheek too.

"Same goes for me, Sam." Daniel squeezed her shoulder affectionately.

Carter glanced at Jack for a moment and he knew exactly what she was thinking. In unison, he and Carter leaned forward. Carter planted a kiss on Daniel's right cheek while Jack did the same on the left. Daniel blushed but looked pleased.

Jack would love kiss Daniel properly, but this was neither the time nor the place since retirement alone was not enough to appease the monster that was Don't Ask Don't Tell. Jack would have had to resign his commission entirely, thereby giving up every bit of his pension, all of his medical benefits, and every other benefit that should have been his by right. Besides, Jack had kissed Daniel very soundly last night. In several places besides his lips. And that had just been for starters. Another year, maybe two at the most, and Daniel would retire as well and join him at the cabin. That's when the best part of his life would begin.

For now, though, Jack was surrounded by family and friends all happily celebrating his new status as gentleman of leisure and really, what more could a man want?

Finis

Re: Sweeter Than Wine 2/2

[http://users.livejournal.com/_xanthia/]

I like the definite feel to this, as if we're following Jack as he wanders around. Quite awesome visuals, really.

(And giving Davis promotions, weeee! We all love Major Davis, don't we?)