Dance for me by JoaG

The moment the Sovereign and his consort left the dining hall, the formal atmosphere turned into a party. Daniel looked at his teammates in wonder as lights were dimmed and the unobtrusive background music turned into something prominent involving drums and cymbals with the promise of something exotic and exciting.

Many of the older people left right behind the ruler, as did the Council members, but SG-1 was quickly surrounded by Crown Prince Tidrani and his friends who tried to persuade them from leaving right away. Servants cleared the tables and carried them away, allowing people to mingle more easily. Heavy robes and gowns were discarded, skin was exposed and laughter and gyrating bodies soon filled the room.

"Um, this is a surprise," Daniel said as Tidrani pulled Daniel up by the arm as their table was carted away. Jack stood before anyone could grab him and gave Daniel a look that clearly said 'get us the hell out of here without insulting anyone'. "You have these parties often?"

Randra laughed as she slid a hand possessively across Tidrani's shoulder. "As often as we can. Our parents indulge us; sometimes they surprise us and join us."

A woman came up to Teal'c and began talking with him. Two men and a woman approached Sam and soon she was laughing and talking animatedly with them.

"But tonight is special." Tidrani let go of Daniel's arm once he'd led them to the edge of the room and pulled Randra closer to him. The chairs had all been removed, replaced by a few couches and pillows set alongside the walls. Lots and lots of pillows. "This is in celebration of our alliance. My father wishes you to enjoy yourselves; feel free to join in the festivities. If this is not to your liking and you'd prefer to return to your rooms, please, do not think twice about it. The palace is yours; if you prefer somewhere more quiet, simply ask and you will be guided there."

Daniel smiled at Tidrani and looked at Jack. "This is all very interesting. I'd love to stay a while and see a little more." He wagged his head towards the pillows. "How about it?" Daniel ignored Jack's grimace and pointed to Sam, who was being led onto the dance floor by one of the men who'd approached her earlier. "In any case, someone needs to play chaperone."

"Carter's a big girl," Jack groused. But still he kicked several pillows together and sat down with a grunt.

A servant stepped between them and placed candles in numerous sconces set along the wall. The moment the wicks were lit, a spicy scent rose into the air. Daniel had smelled a lot of incense in his travels both on Earth and all over the galaxy, but this was something totally different.

"That smells really nice," Jack said loudly over the rising music, surprising Daniel. Tidrani beckoned the servant over and spoke into his ear.

"Then there will be some shalith waiting for you in your rooms. Consider it a gift."

"Thank you, Tidrani." Jack took another deep sniff and smiled at the young man.

Daniel sat down beside Jack while Teal'c sat on Jack's other side. The pillows were fairly comfortable but the wooden wall behind his back would become tiring after a while.

Drinks were handed out. Daniel took one and sipped cautiously, but was relieved when he found it to be the usual water with a twist of citrus flavouring. He watched Sam dance next with one of Tidrani's friends, laughing as she tried to learn the steps.

The dance floor was couched in shadows; flickering strangely from the candlelight shining from the sconces and braziers set around the room along with several large chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling. It added to the atmosphere, and soon Daniel was tapping his fingers on his thighs to the beat of the drums.

He raised his glass to take a sip and was surprised to see it was empty. He was thirsty; it was hot in here. He shrugged his jacket off and although that helped a little, he realized his shirt was already damp with sweat.

Jack followed suit, dumping his jacket over Daniel's. The heat didn't seem to bother Teal'c or he had decided to brave it out because he remained fully dressed.

Sam had lost her jacket a while back. She'd changed partners and seemed to have caught the steps to the dance as she followed the congo-line movement around the floor. Daniel waved to her when she passed nearby and she flashed a smile at him.

Several persons left the dance line and settled nearby on pillows and the line scrambled to catch up. Daniel laughed, thinking it looked like fun.

Tidrani came out from amongst the dancers, his bare chest gleaming with sweat. He crouched down beside Daniel and Jack. Another man stood behind the king's son. "Would you like learn the steps, Daniel? Jack? They are very simple."

When Jack shook his head with a polite smile, Daniel made his decision. "Thanks, but I think I'll pass." As tempting as the offer was, and he knew Jack wouldn't mind, Daniel decided that since Jack was here on Daniel's sufferance, the least he could do was keep him company.

"But you must dance the Ilee Ber. It is an experience never to be forgotten. When the musicians play it later, Diwyn here will come and get you. Yes?"

Daniel shrugged. Just once dance. He could do that. "Sure." He shrugged at Jack, then watched Tidrani and his friend rejoin the line. As they found a spot and disappeared from view he turned to look at Jack, who was still watching the dancers. Then the sight of the couple sitting next to Teal'c, behind Jack, caught his eye.

They were kissing.

Two men.

Kissing.

Not that it shocked him. It wasn't that at all. He just hadn't realized how... hot... it looked. One of them pulled back and stared into his partner's eyes and raised a hand to gently stroke his cheek. The man licked his lips, murmured something to the other, and then they were going at it again.

God, did it just get hotter in here? Daniel brought a hand up to wipe the sweat pooling on his upper lip. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. Was that what he and Jack looked like when they kissed? He shifted and tried to make more room in his quickly filling pants.

He turned his gaze back to Jack, who was still watching the dancers. The music seemed louder, the drums more insistent. Daniel would have given anything at that moment to put a hand to Jack's cheek and gently turn his head so he was facing him, and then slowly move closer, until their lips almost touched.

He'd trace Jack's mouth with his tongue, tasting him before putting his lips to Jack's. He'd feel Jack's soft breath against his face. Jack would open his mouth and tease him with his tongue, flicking it forward in invitation, welcoming him home.

Daniel quickly looked back at the kissing couple who had slowly slid down along the cushions, one half lying on top of the other.

Daniel's breathing sped up as he knew he'd accept Jack's invitation. He'd thrust his tongue into Jack's hot mouth, moving in time of the drumbeat thrumming throughout his body. He'd press down against Jack's chest, lower him down to the pillows and—"

"Would you like to dance, Daniel?"
"What?" He looked up at Tidrani's friend Diwyn in confusion. The man was standing before him, his hand extended in invitation.

Daniel felt flushed and disoriented. He found that he was swaying to the insistence of the drum beats, his breathing fast and almost laboured.

"This is the Ilee Ber. Come."

As if in a trance, Daniel stood, hyper-aware of Jack watching him get up. He followed, his legs moving of their own volition. He stood a few feet away from Jack and watched as the blond man showed him the simple steps. Daniel moved his feet and his hips; somehow after several tries the movement came to him easily. Naturally.

The dance swirled him in a circle, every fifteen steps, he'd be facing Jack. He was dancing for Jack. He knew this. He wanted this. His body strained for this.

Sweat poured down his back, down his abdomen. The walls flickered in the odd light, the other dancers mere shadows around him except for Tidrani's friend, who swirled and stepped in counterpoint with him.

The only light in the room was Jack, who sat there staring at him with the oddest look on his face.

Daniel was the drums, he was the air, he was the dance. His body was at once lost in the music and straining for release. He could feel the song coming to a culmination, and he both wanted it to end and wanted it to go on forever. His erection strained against his pants and still he swiveled his hips, not caring who saw. This was all for Jack.

The drums sped up and Daniel was lost. The song ended, far too soon, far too late. Tidrani's friend clasped Daniel's shoulder, grinning. His face was beaded with sweat, his blond hair wild, his eyes shining and dark as he moved closer to Daniel.

And Daniel realized as the song came to an end that his dance partner should have been his lover. He stood there, panting and sweating, too drained and too turned on to return to his seat but unable to take his eyes off Jack, who he could see just behind the man who was mostly blocking his view of him.

Then there were people around him and Teal'c was there pulling him towards the cushions. Daniel strained to find Jack despite the sudden confusion of people. Tidrani and Sam, the man who Daniel had been dancing with and the guy Sam had been dancing with.

"They need fresh air," Tidrani was saying as Jack suddenly appeared beside him. Daniel was only aware of the heat and throbbing of his penis in his too tight pants, the damp clothes rubbing erotically against his body. His nipples threw twin sparks of pleasure as his damp tee shirt rubbed against them.

The drums were playing again, their sounds muted and dull compared to the vibrant song they'd beat to just a moment before. Daniel was aware of the music in the background as the percussion pulsed through his solar plexus, then faded as he was escorted outside through a melee of bodies deeper into the gardens.

The cool night air immediately caused goose bumps to erupt along his sweaty skin. After taking in a few breaths of the incense-free air, his head cleared. He was still highly excited and his cock strained for release, but then he caught sight of Sam leaning seductively against some stranger, nuzzling his neck, and he blinked. His brain was still fuzzy, his body's needs were still distracting but at least now he could think.

"Are you better now?" Teal'c asked and Daniel turned to his friend and was surprised at the look of concern on his face. He nodded distractedly, searching for Jack but to his dismay, his lover was staring at Sam, his face tight in disapproval.

"Carter." Jack's tone of voice was one that was usually reserved for Daniel when he did something not to Jack's liking. Sam pulled away and looked at Jack, her eyes heavy and drowsy.

Daniel swayed and Teal'c caught at his arm. "I'm fine," he mumbled as Sam took a few steps away from the guy she'd been kissing. On the other hand, the guy who'd showed Daniel the dance steps to the Ilee Ber moved in closer to him. Daniel could feel the man's hip and thigh resting against his leg and although he was desperate for physical release, the stranger's touch did nothing for him. He wanted Jack and no one else.

"I'm not going to stop you from enjoying yourself; I just want to make sure you've got protection."

"What?" Daniel echoed a split second behind Sam.

"Tidrani tells me there's some kind of drug in the candles, an aphrodisiac. You wanna go have fun, go; just make sure you're careful."

"Protection, sir?" She blinked several times and turned to gaze at both Daniel and Teal'c before returning her attention back to Jack.

"Condoms, Carter. I'd rather you didn't but I'm not going to pull you back to the room kicking and screaming."

"Drugs?" Sam still seemed dazed as she looked around the group.

"Aphrodisiac?" Daniel turned to look at Jack. His head understood the words but his body was straining for release. Feeling this way wasn't normal? Jack didn't say a word to him except to thrust his jacket into his hands.

Tidrani clapped Daniel lightly on the shoulder as Daniel kneaded the jacket material. The Crown Prince leaned close, gently pushing his friend away from Daniel. "I didn't realize that you'd react so strongly to the shalith. Of course it could be that you'd never been exposed to it before and you're not used to it. Its influence is heightened by movement and activity. Which is why we usually combine it with dance. You'd probably be okay with less shalith, I have to admit it gets pretty heady in there with so many candles lit at once." He cocked his head back towards the bright lights of the party shining through the open door. The sound of drums crescendo'd and then softened.

"The candles?" Daniel licked his lips and wondered if Jack was also affected by the drug.

"Yes, shalith is mixed with the wax and its effects given off as the wick burns." He turned to Sam and then smiled at Daniel. "I think it would be best if you both returned to your rooms now." He glared at Daniel's dance partner, who was trying to move closer again. "The shalith will wear off and you'll not have anything to regret in the morning."

Sam turned to look at her dance partner, biting her lip.

"Carter?"

She turned to Jack, and nodded. "I think I better go to bed." She sighed audibly. "Alone."

Jack smiled tenderly at Sam and despite the looks Daniel was aiming in Jack's direction, he felt completely ignored. Still feeling a little bewildered after the effects of the dance, Daniel shuffled behind his team as they followed Tidrani. His and Sam's dance partners disappeared and Daniel could only presume they returned to the party.

By the time they walked through the extensive gardens and reached another entrance into the palace, Daniel's breathing had slowed and the sweat on his body was beginning to dry. But he was still experiencing the effects of the shalith. Every step pushed his penis against his pants, causing him both discomfort and pleasure. His skin felt on fire every place his clothes rubbed, and his lips tingled at the remembered memory of the anticipated kiss he'd wanted to share with Jack.

The walk back was both short and endless. Daniel was still lost in the sensations coursing through him, imagining them to be caused by Jack's hands and lips, and at the same time Jack's refusal to even look at him was causing him worry.

He slowed his steps as they approached their rooms, clutching his jacket awkwardly in front of his groin to hide his erection. He couldn't help but notice that Jack was holding his own jacket in a similar manner. Maybe that was the problem; Jack was embarrassed about his own reaction to the shalith.

"You gonna be okay?" Jack asked as Sam opened the door to her assigned room. She nodded, glanced at everyone quickly and ran a shaking hand through her hair.

"Yes, sir. I think I just need to sleep this off. The fresh air helped a lot. And a cold shower would probably help even more." She took a step inside then stopped and turned towards Daniel. "Are you okay?"

"Me?" Daniel leaned casually against the wall, the feel of the dark wood cool beneath his still heated skin, causing little shivers to course up and down his spine. "I'm fine." He kept his gaze on Sam, somehow aware that Jack was looking at him. "I just hope we don't end up with a headache in the morning." He laughed self-consciously.

"You will feel groggy and out of sorts," Tidrani replied with laughter in his voice. "I'll make sure the servants have caffeine waiting for you when you wake."

Sam went in and shut the door behind her and Daniel turned towards Jack, almost afraid now to see his expression. But his lover's face was expressionless, his eyes dark and fathomless in the hallway's dim light.

"Well, see you all in the morning." Jack turned and entered his room, shutting the door behind him with a finality that caught Daniel by surprise. Somehow he hadn't thought this would end up this way; although he knew their private rule wasn't to indulge when offworld, he'd somehow expected that he and Jack would—

"Do you need assistance?" Daniel jumped, having forgotten that Teal'c and Tidrani were still in the hallway.

"No, I'm fine, Teal'c." He smiled at them both. "Thank you for the experience, Tidrani. It was very interesting."

Tidrani opened the door to Daniel's room, which was opposite Jack's. Pushing off the wall with his shoulder, Daniel turned and stepped inside.

"There are gifts amongst your belongings, Daniel. If you use the shalith sparingly, you'll find the effects just as pleasant and perhaps a little less overpowering."

"Thank you." He held onto the door. Visions of him dancing in front of Jack in the privacy of his home with candles burning around them excited him once again. He'd almost forgotten his erection, which had barely wilted all this time. Now his penis twitched once more as a reminder that it belonged to Jack.

"And perhaps when next you return, we can try this again."

"Let me recover from this time first." Daniel forced another smile and began shutting the door. "Good night." His last sight was of Teal'c bowing his head to him as the door latched softly.

He gasped, his body was on fire again the second the door closed. Daniel pressed his back against the door when the quiet of the room was broken by the persistent beat of the drum in his mind, which flowed over to the feel of his body as he danced for Jack, the tensing of muscles, the gasping of breath, the sweat pouring down his back. Even inside his room he could still smell the incense; it was in his clothes, on his skin, in his hair. He was hyper-aware of Jack being only a few dozen feet away in the chamber opposite his. He wanted so badly to open the door and sneak into Jack's room, but in the few weeks that they'd been lovers, the first rule they'd agreed upon had been to never indulge offworld.

Although he knew he loved Jack, he was still a little nervous about how Jack truly felt about him. So far everything had been wonderful but seeing the look on Jack's face earlier and then being summarily ignored, had hurt.

His heart was heavy, but his body cried out for release; for Jack's touch.

"Oh God," he moaned, unable to stand it any longer. He threw his jacket on the floor and quickly unbuttoned his pants, pushed down his boxers, ignoring the wet patch where he'd already begun leaking in anticipation. His breath caught in his throat as he took hold of himself and began stroking, picturing Jack doing this; his callused hands fondling and squeezing.

Still leaning against the door, his hips bucked wildly as pleasure mounted more quickly than he ever thought possible. It began low in his back and spread like wildfire, surging from the tip of his toes to the top of his head. Wet warmth gushed over his hand and he cried out involuntarily.

His climax went on and on, mounting in strength until for a moment the thought crossed the few brain cells that were still working that he could have a heart attack. Then his vision greyed and all he could hear was his harsh breathing, interspersed with soft moans as his body finally relented and brought him back to Earth.

Ever so slowly he became aware. He opened one eye and was surprised to see grey stone. It took him a long moment to realize he was lying on the floor. He had no recollection of getting there; just the memory of that incredible orgasm and... Jack.

Unbelieving, his penis twitched at the memory and began to harden.

He sighed, and pushed himself off the floor with strangely shaking arms. He managed to stand and stepped out of his BDUs and boxers, stumbled to the bathroom while wondering why his legs felt so weak.

His body was damp with sweat and he pulled his tee shirt off and threw it on the bathroom floor. He desperately wanted a shower but the room had only a working toilet and small sink; the communal baths were down the hall and he really didn't want to meet anyone in this state. He settled for washing himself with a wet cloth, soaping himself well and rinsing off with cold water.

He toweled off roughly then dropped the cloth on the floor. He left the bathroom and grabbed clean underwear from his pack and pulled them up, deciding to go to bed. But the feel of the cotton against his balls and penis had him suddenly fully aroused and halfway to the bed he dragged them off and threw them against the far wall in frustration.

He climbed into bed, the sheets cool against his fevered skin, his penis hardening and thickening despite his will. He turned onto his side, intent on keeping his hands away from himself. This wasn't happening, it couldn't be happening.

Daniel flipped over again, digging his hip into the mattress, and soon found that he was moving rhythmically, his penis rubbing against the soft material. "Please, no," he mumbled, burying his face into the pillow.

Again, the drums beat in his blood, his pulse dancing in his head. Already his sweat dampened the sheets, the shalith seemed to ooze out of every one of his pores. He fisted his hands tightly together in frustration, gripping the sweaty sheets in his curled fingers, unable to think straight.

He flopped onto his back, kicked off the blankets then jumped out of bed, quickly padding over to the door. He'd flung open the door and had almost taken a step out into the corridor when he realized he was naked and immediately shut the door, embarrassed and more than a tad grateful the hallway was empty.

Daniel creaked the door open and listened intently, trying to make out any sounds from Jack's room. He couldn't see if there was light beneath the doorjamb, and so far everything was quiet.

Then he heard it; that small cry Jack always made when he came. Daniel's mouth immediately turned dry and his breathing sped up while his cock jumped, throbbing in excitement. He listened even harder, but there was only the sound of his heart beating way too fast in his ears.

He could just as easily grab the blanket to cover himself and quickly cross, but then what if Jack turned him out and sent him back to his room? They weren't at home; he'd be breaking one of their rules. But damnit, he needed Jack so badly.

He closed the door with a sigh, and returned to the bed.

- - - - - -

"Come on, Daniel, up and at 'em."

Jack's voice and insisting poking at his shoulder finally roused Daniel. He opened his eyes, blinking hard to get rid of the sandy feeling; his mouth felt thick and pasty. The room was bright with sunshine, which meant the servant assigned to them had already been in and had pulled back the curtains. Strange that he hadn't heard her; he must have fallen into a very deep sleep.

Daniel groaned and turned over onto his back. He caught a whiff of shalith as his head moved over the pillow, but thankfully his body didn't respond to it because he'd had enough with battling his body's response to its effects for the majority of the night.

He squinted up at Jack, who moved away from him. Teal'c was standing by the door, waiting patiently.

"You gonna stay in bed all day? Carter's already hit the baths and she's just about ready."

"I'm up," Daniel groaned as he sat up.

Jack had already lost interest in him and walked over to his bathroom, poking his head inside.

Daniel flung his legs off the bed and remembered only at the last moment that he was naked, and hurriedly pulled the sheets up so they covered his groin; recalling his embarrassment of last night. Thankfully, nothing was happening down there despite the faint scent of shalith that surrounded the bed. He levered his elbows onto this knees, burying his face in his hands. His head was thick and fuzzy, his body heavy and lethargic. He raised his face and blinked at Jack. "What are you looking for?"

"Nothing," Jack answered as he skirted Daniel's underwear lying in the middle of the room and walked towards the door.

Daniel felt the heat rise in his face as he realized what his room looked like. His clothes were strewn everywhere, unlike his usual neat tendencies. It looked exactly like what did happen; that he'd had a love-fest. The only thing was that nobody would ever know that the party had only been between himself and his right hand. He hoped Jack hadn't been peeking into his bathroom to make sure he hadn't hidden a lover in there.

"Hurry up and get dressed. We're expected for breakfast in fifteen." Jack's order was curt and he left the room without a backwards glance.

"Caffeine has been provided for you." Teal'c pointed to the table near the bed. Daniel grabbed the mug just as Teal'c followed Jack and shut the door softly behind him.

He downed half the cup before rising with another groan. He grabbed the underwear from the floor and turned it around in strangely fumbling hands. He thrust a foot into the leg opening, hopping off-balance on his other foot, having to slam down the raised foot after a few seconds before he fell over. He stood and waited until he was sure of his footing and put the other foot in and pulled the cotton shorts up, only to realize he'd put them on backwards. He pulled them off and sat down heavily on the bed, this time taking care to put them on properly.

He glanced at his watch as he staggered to the bathroom and calculated he'd probably had less than two hours' sleep. He'd apparently fallen into a heavy slumber just as the sun was rising, either once the effects of the shalith had worn off or he'd just been too exhausted to keep fighting off his libido.

He splashed cold water onto his face, which helped to clear some of the cobwebs from his brain then rubbed his wet hands through his hair only to realize he smelled the shalith on him again.

Ruing the lack of showers, he turned the water on and stuck his head under the faucets. He rinsed his hair and then washed quickly, using the same wash cloth as last night. Fifteen minutes later he'd shaved, dressed and was as ready as he was ever going to be to greet the day.

Sort of. Physically, maybe. He wasn't sure if his brain wasn't still lying on his pillow, fast asleep.

He opened the door and saw Sam leaning against the wall, near the door to Jack's room and she looked almost as groggy as he felt.

"Hey," he said gently. Sam opened an eye and straightened with effort.

"Do I look as bad as you?" she asked.

"I don't know. How bad do I look?"

"Like you've had way too much fun last night."

"Well, at least the first half of the night was fun," Daniel mumbled as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and gave her a friendly hug.

"Yeah," she replied morosely. "Until I had to go to bed. But you know, just think of the advantages of that stuff if you're with someone you really care for." She straightened and began walking down the hall.

"I wouldn't know," Daniel sighed softly to himself as he hurried to catch up to her.

"I feel so embarrassed," Sam finally confided after they'd walked a while together in silence. "I can't believe I made a spectacle of myself. And I was so ready to jump into bed with a stranger."

"It wasn't just you." Sam turned to look at Daniel, her eyebrows raised. "Everyone in that room was feeling the effects of the drug," he quickly added.

"Yes, but we have an image to portray. We... I let you guys down."

"Sam." Daniel grabbed her arm, stopped her forward motion and turned her so she was facing him. "Tidrani knew what would happen. He gave us an out, remember? Everyone was enjoying themselves. It was expected. Neither you, nor me, did anything wrong. And if we truly were heading towards that little bit of embarrassment, Tidrani, bless his heart, stopped us before we got too far."

She stared at him a moment, and then smiled tremulously. "Thanks." She hugged him quickly and then hurried down the hall towards the stairs leading to the dining area.

- - - - - -

Daniel tucked his tee shirt into his pants and buttoned them up, glancing sideways at Jack. The locker room was noisy, with SG-3 just arriving and getting ready to go out on a mission. Jack slammed his locker door shut and left the room without even giving Daniel a second look.

He'd ignored Daniel during breakfast while being overly considerate towards Sam. He then insisted on leaving early and returning to Earth on the excuse that Sam hadn't recovered from the previous night, leaving Daniel to convey their thanks for everything and then scramble to get his gear organized for the short walk to the Stargate.

Jack was pissed at Daniel. It didn't take a Ph.D to figure that one out. What Daniel couldn't understand, though, was why. Why was he angry at him, but not at Sam? They'd both been carried away by the shalith, so Daniel didn't deserve this sort of treatment if Sam was just as innocent as he.

Was it because Daniel had chosen *not* to cross the corridor separating their rooms? Even after the second and third orgasm last night, he'd fought that impulse with all his might. But no, that couldn't be it, because, from what he could remember, Jack had been upset even before they'd gotten to their rooms.

He suppressed the urge to slam his locker door shut himself and give in to the frustration that coursed through him. Maybe it was the lack of sleep or residual vestiges of the drug, but he still felt sluggish and slightly hung over.

He closed the door softly and grabbed his jacket, threading his arms into it as he made his way between the joking team members. Out in the hallway, he turned towards the elevators, and his office.

"Daniel." He stopped and smiled as Sam hurried towards him. "Did Janet give you conditional freedom also?"

"Yeah." He started walking once she'd caught up. "I can work in my office until the test results come in saying I haven't been poisoned or suffering some long lasting effects."

"Me too." She glanced at her watch. "I hope it doesn't take too long. I'm kind of tired and wouldn't mind making an early night of it. And sleep in my own bed."

"So would I." The elevator doors opened as they arrived and he punched both 18 and 19. Actually, he thought he'd much prefer Jack's bed but at this point she was right. He needed sleep and either place would do just as well, as long as it was *with* Jack.

He waved to Sam as she got off, then continued on to his floor and went to his office. He entered and decided to get his mission report out of the way before tackling the pile of work in his in-tray. He grabbed his pack and began to empty it, searching for his notes.

Instead he found three small items wrapped up in crinkly paper. Curious, and knowing he hadn't put them in there, he unwrapped one. And found a small, fat yellow candle. He sniffed it and recognized the faint smell of shalith.

He pursed his lips, then remembered Tidrani saying he'd gift them to SG-1. He wondered if they'd all gotten some. Then he smiled. Maybe tonight... okay, he admitted after a yawn, maybe he was a little too tired to truly enjoy the gift, but there was always tomorrow.

He cradled the candle in his hand, rubbing at the soft wax with his thumb and he couldn't help grinning. The only thing missing was the music; he wished now that he'd thought to tape the songs but he had some African drum CDs that could work just as well. 'Necessity was the mother of invention', he realized as he carefully wrapped the candle up again and placed it aside with the other two.

He worked diligently for the rest of the afternoon, stopping only to grab a quick bite and to answer the phone call from Janet giving him the all clear. By quitting time, he powered down his computer, pocketed the candles and went to Jack's office.

"Knock knock." He rapped quickly on the door at the same time he announced his presence, then entered without being invited. He leaned against the doorjamb and watched a moment while Jack continued typing without pause.

"You about ready to head out?" he asked after a minute.

"Just about. Just need to..." He typed, hit the return button with a flourish, and shut his laptop. He then turned to look at Daniel. "Something you wanted?"

"Well, yeah." Daniel smiled. "I was wondering if you wanted me to pick up supper on the way home or—"

Jack stood and walked to Daniel, pushing him aside in order to shut the door. Daniel stood there and watched him silently as Jack returned to his desk.

"Look. Don't take this the wrong way, but I think I'd like to be alone tonight."

Daniel's stomach clenched and he was glad he hadn't had anything to eat since lunch. "Oh. Okay. I wanted to get to bed early, in any case."

"Fine. Sleep well."

"You too." Daniel pushed off the wall. "You get some of these?" He dug his hand into his pocket and came up with a gaily-wrapped candle.

Jack opened a desk drawer and showed Daniel a similar item. He tossed it back in wordlessly.

"Well," Daniel said, feeling awkward. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow." He turned and left, half expecting Jack to call him back. He even slowed his pace until he knew he was out of hearing range. Still he turned to look down the hall before turning the corner. It was devoid of Jack.

He made his way home, feeling lonelier than he'd had in a long time.

- - - - - -

Daniel yawned and took another sip of coffee, standing silently in the corner of the elevator, not making eye contact with anyone in particular. When the elevator door opened on 18, he excused himself and squeezed past, debating as he walked to his office whether he should sit down and work, or go talk to Jack since he'd noticed the Avalanche parked in its usual spot when he'd arrived.

He decided he needed to find out what was going on with Jack. The snub he'd gotten last night had bothered him; enough so that he'd worried most of the night and hadn't gotten much sleep despite his exhaustion.

Gulping the last of the coffee as he approached his office, he intended to step inside just long enough to toss the Starbuck's coffee cup into the garbage can and then head out to Jack's office. But the moment he walked through the door, the phone began to ring.

"Hello." He reached over to turn his computer on at the same time.

"Daniel. Meet us in the Gateroom. We're heading out in ten minutes."

He stood there staring at the telephone for a moment. "Good morning to you too, Jack," he mumbled before slamming the phone down and running for the elevators.

- - - - - -

"What's going on?" Daniel accepted his gun from an airman and quickly strapped it into its holster.

"SG-3's run into a problem." Sam came to stand beside him as they waited for the dialing sequence to run its course. "The area where they set up camp collapsed due to recent heavy rains in the region."

"Casualties?"

"At least one wounded, as I understand." Daniel turned to see Janet enter the room, a large packsack full of medical supplies almost dwarfing the petite doctor. She smiled her thanks as Daniel took the bag from her and hefted it onto his shoulder, while Teal'c took the stretcher from an accompanying nurse.

"Bosco. He and Saunders are stuck on a ledge, which thankfully stopped them from falling to their deaths. Reynolds and Peterson are trying to get the FRED back onto solid ground so they can use the winch to bring them up, but so far it's a no go." Jack spoke quickly as he stepped up beside Daniel and Sam. "Saunders is hurt, but not seriously. Bosco's not responsive."

"So we bring them up ourselves?" Sam grabbed the rope Teal'c handed her and looped it over her shoulder as the wormhole erupted.

"That's the plan." Jack led the way up the ramp, with Sam following directly behind him. Daniel waited for Janet to go next, then took his place in line, followed by Teal'c.

Daniel could see the damage the camp had undergone the moment he stepped through the wormhole and onto the planet. SG-3 had set up operations close to the edge of a cliff; normally far enough away to be considered safe, but it looked like maybe the combined weight of the FRED with the soil erosion had caused a good portion of the earth to give way.

The remote expeditionary device had fallen nose first into a newly made fissure. Someone had tried to shore up the wheels by placing wood and stones underneath them but hadn't had any luck in getting the device to reverse. There was a line of rope leading from the FRED down to the cliff's edge. Peterson was lying on his stomach, looking over the edge right beside the rope while Reynolds had a hold on it and was pulling something, or someone up.

"Someone gimme a hand here," Reynolds yelled. Teal'c and Jack immediately went to help while Daniel and Janet joined Peterson.

"Bosco hasn't moved since he fell. Saunders is nearly up top." Peterson pointed to the taut rope to their right.

"Are you hurt?" Janet asked as she threw herself down beside Daniel.

Daniel instinctively placed a hand on Janet's arm as she leaned over to look at the injured man below.

"I'm fine. It's him I'm worried about."

Daniel peered down and saw that Bosco was lying crumpled on a ledge some ten feet below them, and from the way his leg was twisted, it was obvious that it was broken. Needless to say he had a concussion if he'd been unconscious since he'd fallen, and there were probably more injuries.

"He hasn't moved since he fell."

It looked like Saunders had fallen farther away from Bosco but he was slowly being pulled up after tying the rope around him that Reynolds had thrown down to him. He was now only a foot below them. Daniel and Peterson reached down and caught his jacket, helping him up as he was pulled to safety.

As Janet quickly checked out Saunders, Daniel leaned over again to look at Bosco. "Someone needs to go down there and put him into a stretcher," Daniel said to nobody in particular, then held his breath as Jack stepped close to him and carefully leaned over to peer over the edge.

"I need to go down first and assess him first." Janet pushed away and began digging through the bag of medical paraphernalia.

"I'll go down with you," Daniel offered.

"No, you stay." Jack took one of the coils of rope and began making a harness.

"Jack, I can—"

"Have you ever done this before?" He waved to towards the cliff. "Manhandled someone into a stretcher while hanging from a rope?"

"Well, no, but—"

"I have. Twice. I can do this faster and give the doc here less of a hassle."

"Okay. What would you like me to do?"

Even as he spoke, the whirr of the FRED's motors became audible. Daniel turned and watched as Peterson guided the remote expeditionary device while Reynolds and Teal'c pushed. In just a few seconds, the FRED was finally free and moving their way.

Sam sat with Saunders, who was quietly talking to her. Janet had immobilized his arm which she'd said was broken. He looked battered and bruised, but even as Daniel watched, he met his glance and nodded at Daniel.

"Make sure they keep that thing away from the edge." Jack finished with the harness and began guiding Janet into it, then began working on his own. "Get the stretcher tied to that rope and tie it to the FRED's winch. And make sure these are anchored solidly to the FRED." He handed the ends of both his and Janet's ropes while he helped grabbed some of the medical supplies and stuffed them into various pockets.

Daniel, with Teal'c and Reynolds' help, tied off the ropes and then watched as Jack and Janet slipped over the side of the cliff, lowering themselves with a carabiner. Daniel moved several feet over, out of the way of the taut ropes, while Teal'c fiddled with the ropes attached to the stretcher, waiting for the okay to send it down to the rescuers.

Daniel lay flat on his stomach again and watched his friends make their way down the cliff. The going was slow; there was loose debris under their feet and roots sticking out of the earth hampered their descent.

"He's alive," Janet called up to them. It seemed to take forever while she examined him, but she finally asked for the stretcher.

Seeing he'd be in the way, Daniel remained at his vigil while Teal'c and Peterson used the FRED's winch to lower the required item down in a controlled manner. As Daniel watched, he admitted that Jack had been right. It took him and Janet only a minute to get Bosco onto the stretcher and secured.

"Bring it up," Jack ordered into his radio. A moment later the whirr of the winch was heard, and the rope tightened, causing the stretcher to shift and bump into the cliff wall.

"Go up first," Daniel heard Jack tell Janet. "There won't be enough room for us to maneuver up top together."

Immediately Janet began working her equipment, climbing slowly behind the rising stretcher.

"Slow it down," Jack yelled when debris trickled onto him as the stretcher caught on some of the roots and loose stones before Janet could maneuver the stretcher away from it.

"Take it slower," Daniel yelled, turning to wave at Sam, who was manning the winch. "Janet needs to guide the stretcher. You're bringing it up too fast."

The winch stopped, then started up again, more slowly this time. Once Janet was halfway up, Jack began his own ascent.

Teal'c and Colonel Reynolds were there to haul the stretcher over the side while Peterson gave Janet a hand up.

Daniel, from his unique vantage point several feet away from the action, was the first one to notice the problem. The soil close to the edge seemed to fold up on itself from the combined weight of people, machinery and the sawing action of the ropes. He yelled out a warning just as the ground gave way.

Thankfully the people up top were already moving, carrying Bosco away to a relatively safer position. Jack, on the other hand, although securely attached to the FRED, dropped down a good two feet with a large portion of the cliff showering down on him.

Colonel Reynolds' first instinct was to back the FRED up, away from the crumbling edge. Unfortunately it caused more of it to break off while slamming Jack into the rock face before he landed hard on the ledge where Bosco had been.

Daniel felt the soil loosen beneath his chest and he scrambled back, then moved a few feet farther away and quickly peered over the edge again.

"Stop! Don't move the FRED!" Daniel yelled. "Jack! Jack, are you all right?" He stared intently at Jack's unmoving form.

A second later Teal'c was lying next to Daniel, his large head partly obstructing his sight of Jack. Then he saw Jack's leg move and heard him cough.

"O'Neill, do not attempt to move," Teal'c yelled out. Daniel keyed his radio and repeated the caution. Still, Jack shifted restlessly as he tried to dig out from the small mound of dirt that had fallen on top of him.

"I'm fine," Jack finally answered through the radio. To Daniel's relief Jack sat up, his legs dangling over the ledge. "Got banged up a bit, a mouthful of dirt, but nothing's broken."

"Can you make it back up?" Daniel asked, already planning on going down using the harness Janet had used.

"I said I was fine." The irritation was unmistakable in Jack's voice. "Just give me a second to catch my breath."

Daniel exchanged a look with Teal'c before passing a shaking hand over his face. He looked back at Janet, who was still with Bosco, although she glanced back at Daniel with a questioning expression on her face. Sam was already dialing the address for Earth and Daniel could hear the Stargate turning.

Daniel shrugged, then turned to watch as Jack carefully stood up and began climbing up once more. When he approached the top, Daniel and Teal'c quickly moved closer to him and still lying on their stomachs, reached out and caught the rope, helping Jack over the edge then dragging him back several feet to safety.

Bosco and Saunders had been transported through the Stargate but Janet had remained planet-side, waiting to assess Jack. Despite their protests, Jack stood and stepped out of his harness, then attempted to brush himself off. He was grey, covered from top to bottom with clods of earth, dust and small stones.

"I'm okay. Just a little bruised." He shook off Janet's attempt to examine him. There was a small cut on his temple which was bleeding freely. He limped heavily towards the Stargate. "I can make it back on my own."

"Jack, wait." Daniel grabbed Jack's arm, only to have it shaken off.

"I said I was fine." Jack glared at Daniel and continued limping towards the 'gate.

"Colonel, I'll decide whether or not you're fine. Now, sit." She pointed to the edge of the FRED, and Jack changed his direction with a grimace, sitting as ordered.

Seeing that Jack didn't look too badly hurt, Daniel made himself useful by gathering Janet's supplies and stuffing them back into the bag. By the time he'd finished, Colonel Reynolds was standing beside Jack. "Sir, request permission to stay here. We didn't lose that much equipment and Peterson and I can probably salvage the rest of the mission if General Hammond gives us an extra day or two."

"Sure." Jack nodded. "I'll speak to Hammond. He can maybe send another team to help and – ow," he complained loudly as Janet ran her fingers down his back and chest.

"You'll live," she said with a smile. "Let's get you home." She extended her smile to the rest of SG-1 who were standing beside Daniel, watching and waiting anxiously.

Jack stood with a groan and began limping towards the still active Stargate. Peterson was standing beside it with his hand in the puddle, holding it open for them.

As he stepped into the Gateroom and walked down the ramp, Daniel felt his legs go weak as the familiar sensation of an adrenaline-high left him. Things could have gone really bad for them in the space of a few seconds. They'd been lucky. Jack had been lucky. He stopped and handed over his equipment, his attention on the man limping out of the room, escorted by Janet.

General Hammond had rushed into the Gateroom only seconds after Jack left and looked towards Daniel, Teal'c and Sam for an explanation. Knowing Jack was going to be testy and probably off limits while he was examined and x-rayed, Daniel joined his teammates in helping to give the General a preliminary report of what had just occurred.

- - - - - -

Daniel looked around the infirmary and other than Jack's filthy jacket lying on a chair beside a rumpled bed, there was no sign of his lover. He turned to leave and came face to face with a nurse.

"Colonel O'Neill's been taken to X-ray. Doctor Fraiser doesn't think anything's broken, but she wanted to check his ribs." She shifted the box of supplies she held in her arms. "He shouldn't be too much longer if you want to wait."

Thinking of all the work that needed to be done and Jack's recent attitude towards him, he shook his head and smiled politely. "Thanks, but I've got work waiting for me. I'll come back after lunch. Would you tell Colonel O'Neill I was here?"

He returned to his office and sat down in his desk gratefully. He checked his watch. Even with the shower and change of clothes following their briefing with Hammond, he was surprised to see it wasn't even lunchtime yet. He felt like he'd done a full day's work, plus some.

He pulled out the latest piece of translation he'd been working on and tried to lose himself in his work for an hour or two.

- - - - - -

"Hey Jack."

Daniel stood near the infirmary bed and watched the man he loved pretend to sleep. He bit back a sigh and turned away. If Jack was going to studiously ignore him, then Daniel may as well allow him to indulge. He went seeking Janet instead.

"How's Bosco?"

Janet looked up from the computer screen and sighed. "He's in surgery. Broken leg, internal injuries, concussion. He'll pull through, but it's going to be a long rehab."

"And Jack?"

"Very lucky. Nothing broken, but his thigh and ribs are pretty badly bruised. He'll be stiff and sore for a few days, just enough to keep him in a bad mood."

Daniel winced. "Can he go home?"

She nodded. "I'm doing the paperwork now. He's not too badly off that he can't stay home alone, but the medication is going to make him sleepy so he'll need a ride home."

"You asking?"

"You offering?" she said with a sly smile.

Daniel blushed, but nodded. Of everyone at the SGC, she was the only one, so far, who knew of their budding relationship.

"Just keep the shenanigans at a bare minimum for a few days. He's not going to be feeling up to doing much."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, raising his eyebrows and hoping for an innocent mien.

"Uh huh. I'm sure you don't." She turned back to her computer, entered a few keyclicks and hit Enter. "There, you're all set. Are you going to leave now?"

"I just need to finalize it with General Hammond. I already asked for some time off should Jack need the help. I don't think he'll mind my taking the rest of the day, and tomorrow. I can do some of the work at home, in any case."

"Then you go ahead and speak to General Hammond and get your stuff together, and I'll get our patient up and dressed."

- - - - - -

Daniel watched Jack play with the soup he'd heated for him and ignore the sandwich he'd put together. Head throbbing from the tension of the day and the continued silence he'd been receiving from Jack since he'd driven him home earlier this afternoon, Daniel pushed his own half-eaten supper aside.

"Want me to make you something else instead?"

"I'm not hungry. I told you that before we sat down to eat."

"Yeah, you did." Daniel stood and began clearing the table. "How about I draw you a hot bath?"

"I'm fine."

"I know, but a bath might help with—"

"I don't want a bath and if and when I decide to take one, I can turn on my own faucets." Jack stood, the chair scraping noisily along the linoleum as he limped out of the kitchen.

Angrily, Daniel finished in the kitchen, slamming the door to the dishwasher shut, causing everything inside to clink loudly. He stomped into the living room, arriving there just as Jack made his way down the steps and was lowering himself carefully onto the couch.

"What *is* the matter with you? You've been like this ever since the party."

Jack gave Daniel an innocent look, but his eyes remained hard. "Like what?"

"I don't know – you've been ignoring me and I know you're mad at me about something. What did I do?"

"Like you need to ask." Jack raised his legs onto the coffee table, using his hand to lift his injured one, and then leaned back, giving a look of indifference.

"Oh, so we're going to play twenty questions? Fine, I'll bite." Daniel stood in front of the coffee table and took his glasses off, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his other hand. "It has to do with the shalith, doesn't it? I wanted to go to your room afterwards. Hell, I found myself in the hall buck naked before realizing where I was." His voice began to string the words together faster and faster. He was aware of this but his head was pounding and the few bites of supper that he'd eaten were churning sickeningly in his stomach. He put his glasses back on and began pacing.

"But we decided we wouldn't do anything sexual together when we were on a mission. You insisted and I agreed. So why the hell are you angry because I didn't follow through with those impulses?" And then Daniel remembered again the awful urge to go to Jack, never until this moment had it occurred to him that Jack could just as easily have slipped across the hallway and come to him. He stopped, mid-pace. "You could just as easily have come to me, you know."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"What?"

"You think I'd have come to you after what you did back at the hall?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't know if you were trying to make me jealous, but let me assure you I don't work that way."

"Jealous?" Daniel shook his head. "I wasn't... you know, this would be so much easier if you just came out and told me what's bothering you."

"Fine." Jack shifted and made as if he were going to sit up straighter, but he grimaced and sank back against the couch. "After the way you flirted with that guy you were dancing with—" "What? I was not flirting. How could you—"

"You can't expect me to believe that. That little exhibition—"

"Was all for you." Daniel felt the blood flow from his face. How could Jack not know? There was a buzzing in his ears and he struggled for the words to convince Jack that he was wrong.

"Ha. That's not what it looked like where I was sitting. You were more than enjoying giving Blondie your all. I didn't think blonds were your type."

"Blondie? I don't even remember what he looked like, Jack. I don't care about anyone else, just you. You know that, don't you?"

"How couldn't you know what he looked like? He was right in your face."

"Yeah, he was. And hiding my view of you the whole time. That exhibition, Jack, was meant for you and nobody else." His voice rose despite his need to keep calm. "You were the only thing on my mind, and yeah, I might have been doped up to the gills, but it was the thought of you, your body, your touch, that was turning me on."

"Carter was attracted to a stranger. How can you say that—"

"Because she doesn't love you!" Daniel was yelling now. "I do!" And with that, Daniel turned on his heel, stomped up the stairs and slammed out of the house.

The cool autumn air quickly chilled his heated body and temper, but he walked on, needing to rid himself of the anger and frustrations of the past twenty-four hours.

How could Jack think he was flirting with that guy? He couldn't even remember his name. A lot of that was a blur, the clearest portion of the dance were the drums, the movement, the feel of his body, and Jack leaning back against the cushions, watching Daniel dance. Tidrani's friend was a shadow in his memory, someone necessary to show him the steps. Nothing more.

Okay, Sam had had a slightly different experience than Daniel, it seemed. She'd been attracted to her dance partner, but then she'd been dancing longer than Daniel had and Tidrani had said that movement exacerbated the effects of the drug.

He replayed the whole scenario in his mind, trying to see it from Jack's point of view. At first he couldn't believe how blind Jack had been, until, when he finally calmed down and found himself walking a little more slowly, he realized that maybe Jack had been right.

Not that Daniel had been flirting, but that things, from Jack's viewpoint, might have been different than Daniel's.

From where Jack had been sitting, whenever Daniel had turned to face Jack, it would have looked as if he were staring at his dance partner. Blondie. But Daniel remembered the need to lean slightly to the side each time he faced Jack to see beyond the shadow form of his partner, to seek Jack amongst the cushions, to know that he was watching, and the craving to have him there dancing with him.

Finally he stopped and leaned his shoulder against a tree. His exertions had kept him warm and he felt the slight breeze immediately. He ran a hand across his face, then looked around to get his bearings. He figured out where he was and turned around, heading for Jack's home.

Having figured this out, he relaxed a little. Some of the hurt eased off, not exactly going away, but simply shifting to another spot in his aching heart. That Jack hadn't trusted him was painful, but he had to admit to himself that part of the confusion could have been caused by the effects of the shalith.

He walked hesitantly, thinking this was could be the end of their relationship. And quite possibly the end of him being on the team. Daniel could take Jack's anger, but not his disappointment towards him. And if Jack wouldn't believe him after Daniel tried speaking to him again, then Jack's anger would eventually turn to disappointment.

He approached the house with trepidation, thinking that the best thing might be to call a cab, considering his Thunderbird was still at the SGC since he'd driven Jack home in the Avalanche. He didn't want another confrontation, but he didn't want to leave Jack alone either. He needed to make Jack understand, and he wasn't sure if Jack was willing to listen. Maybe the foundation to this relationship wasn't quite as solid as Daniel had thought.

To his surprise, he could see Jack's silhouette in the window, watching him approach. As Daniel neared the door, Jack moved away and was waiting for him inside the hallway.

"I've been an idiot, haven't I?"

Jack's words were like balm over a burn and Daniel felt even more tension run from him as he shut the door behind him. He smiled. "I guess you could have gotten a bad impression from where you were sitting. I didn't stop to think—"

"Too busy dancing."

"Too busy wanting to fuck."

"Fuck me?"

"Yeah. Fuck you." Daniel reached over and caressed Jack's face, careful of the bruise on his temple and cheekbone.

"That bath you mentioned earlier sounds mighty tempting."

"Oh, okay." Daniel turned towards the bedroom and Jack limped beside him.

"Of course the ceramic's a little hard on the ol' body. I could use a bit of pampering, you know, an archaeological cushion might help a bit."

"I hope that's not a hint saying I need to bathe," Daniel said over his shoulder as he entered the bathroom and set to filling the tub with hot water.

"Nope. It's purely selfishness on my part."

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that." Daniel added some Epsom Salts to the water, then dipped his hand in the bath to test the temperature. He wiped his hand on his pants and then reached for Jack's shirt. "Need some help?" Without waiting for an answer, he began unbuttoning the shirt.

"Some." Jack allowed Daniel to slip the sleeves from his arms, and unbuckle his belt. As the pants were slipped past his hips, Daniel heard Jack swallow audibly.

"Janet said no hanky panky for a few days," Daniel stated sadly. He drew his own sweater up over his head, watching as Jack sat on the toilet and removed first his socks, then his underwear. They were both naked by the time the tub was full and they stepped carefully into it.

They settled into the tub, with Jack cradled between Daniel's legs, his head tucked up onto his chest. Daniel could see the red and black mottling on Jack's body, and knew from his own experiences how painful the bruises could be.

"This is nice," Jack sighed.

Daniel answered by rubbing his cheek against the top of Jack's head. For a little while tonight he thought he'd never experience this again. He could feel Jack relaxing against him, his body getting heavier as both the hot water and the medication he'd taken worked their magic.

"So, that... dance... that was all for me?"

"Every single step, every single motion." Daniel felt his dick begin to react to the memories of the dance, and having Jack's butt so close to it wasn't helping much.

"Niiiice." Jack turned and gave Daniel's neck a sloppy kiss. "You still have those candles?"

"Yeees?" His dick twitched again at where he hoped this conversation was heading.

"Will you dance for me again?"

Daniel closed his eyes and felt any and all tension leave his body. "Only if you'll dance with me," he whispered in Jack's ear.

"Won't be tonight."

"Or tomorrow. But we'll have that dance. Soon. I promise."

"Good." Jack sighed deeply and Daniel raised his head to kiss the bit of unmarked skin near his jaw.

- - - - - -

His hand shaking with excitement, Daniel held a lit match to the third candle and watched as the wick caught fire. The sound of drumbeats filled the small den as Jack raised the volume of the stereo. Together they picked up the coffee table and moved it to the side, leaving enough room in the center of the den for them to move easily.

Daniel took a look around, making sure the curtains were tightly closed and the door was shut. The house was locked and bolted, nobody would disturb them. Blankets and pillows and other necessities were close at hand. Satisfied that all was ready, he turned to look at Jack, and smiled.

"Ready?" He breathed in deeply, smelling the shalith begin to waft through the room.

Jack looked nervous, but he nodded. Daniel took a step and moved in closer, giving Jack an encouraging kiss.

"Are you really okay with this?" Daniel asked as he pulled away. "I know you don't like losing control, but this is sort of a controlled lack of control, if that makes sense."

"Maybe we should have Carter or Teal'c come and check on us in a couple of hours, just in case." When Daniel raised his eyebrows, Jack laughed again. "Okay, maybe not."

Daniel could feel the shalith begin to affect him as the room, only lit by candles and one dimmed lamp in the corner, began to lose its sharpness.

"Is it getting hot in here?" Jack flapped his tee shirt, then pulled it over his head. Daniel followed his movement seconds later and tossed the shirt into a corner. He was already sweating freely and could smell both his sweat and Jack's.

Jack's face seemed to jump out at him and Daniel raised a hand to gently trace the scar bisecting Jack's eyebrow. Jack kept his eyes on Daniel, only to slowly close them at Daniel's touch. His fingertips seemed alive, sensitive to the heat and dampness of Jack's face, the roughness and smoothness, the glide of skin against skin.

He traced Jack's lips with his fingers and felt the warm, wet tongue as Jack caught them gently between his teeth. Jack opened his eyes; they were dark, sultry, loving. Daniel's cock swelled and he was grateful for having taken the precaution of wearing a loose pair of sweats. He couldn't help but glance down and saw Jack's answering bulge beneath his sweatpants.

The drumbeats swelled as the music crescendo'd, bringing Daniel back to thoughts of the dance. He pulled away and began to perform the simple steps that had been seared into his memory, his eyes held frozen to Jack's. His bare feet moved on the carpet easily, his hips swayed, his shoulders rolled as he shifted his weight.

Soon Jack was moving with him, gracefully executing the steps in tandem with him. Daniel moved closer so that their bodies moved as one. Jack placed a hand on his lower back, inching him even closer. They moved throughout the small den, the room swaying and turning as the candles dipped and swelled with their passage.

Daniel raised one hand to hold Jack's damp shoulder. Time seemed to slow for him, the music playing at a normal speed but the feel and sight of Jack before him infusing his senses in such a way that he felt outside of himself. He was pure sensation, pure emotion, his energy fusing with Jack's to create one being out of the two of them.

They danced for a heartbeat. They danced for an eternity. Slowly he became aware of his body again, his breathing speeding up until he was gasping, his erection growing until it felt like his whole body was on fire.

Jack stumbled slightly and Daniel stopped dancing, plastering his erection against Jack while he ravaged Jack's mouth. They were both gasping for breath and were unable to hold the kiss. His body straining now for release, Daniel pushed Jack towards the pile of blankets he'd placed on the couch and with one hand, swept them onto the floor.
Jack needed no urging and dropped to the floor, pulling Daniel with him. They rolled on the carpet, each trying to get the upper hand, their mouths fighting for dominance. Jack grasped his biceps, then moved to stroke his back, sending tendrils of fire throughout Daniel's body to culminate in his groin.

Finally they stopped, both of them lying on their sides, legs intertwined. Daniel forced his attention from Jack for a moment and thrust a hand beneath the couch cushions for the lube he'd inserted there earlier. His fingers found the tube and he dragged it close, squirted some of the contents onto his hand and quickly spread it over himself.

"Now. Please, Jack, now." Jack needed no more prompting. He turned onto his stomach, offering himself. Panting with desperation, needing release, his whole body thrumming on a high he'd never experienced before, Daniel pushed Jack's legs farther apart and positioned himself, and with more control than he'd thought possible, entered Jack.

There was no resistance. Jack's body was so relaxed as opposed to Daniel's tension that Daniel slid right in.

"Move." Jack's voice was strained and he clenched his ass to give meaning to his order.

Despite the fact that they'd only done the penetration act a few times and neither had been too comfortable with it up until now, this, at the moment, felt like the most natural thing in the world. Daniel pulled out then plunged back inside Jack's body. He felt Jack shudder and moan, and with the next thrust, Jack raised his butt and pushed back, eagerly meeting Daniel's thrusts.

Balancing himself with one hand, he reached down and grasped Jack's penis. Jack gasped and mumbled something incoherent. Daniel moved, his body fueled by instincts, the pleasure primal. Jack matched him, their bodies moving in sync as when they had in the dance.

Then Daniel felt the pleasure begin at the tip of his toes and start moving up his legs. He sped up his thrusts. Jack gasped and his movements become more frantic.

Daniel's vision clouded, leaving only a small tunnel of clarity which was focused on the back of Jack's neck. The music faded, and his and Jack's pants and moans thrummed in his ears. The smell of Jack's sweat-dampened body beneath his infused his sinuses.

Then the tingling culminated into his lower back and spread into his chest. It swirled around a moment then rushed into his groin. His body bucked helplessly as he arched back, crying out his pleasure.

He was no longer aware of his body except for the force of his orgasm which engulfed him, leaving him deaf, blind, and at the mercy of the shalith. Jack's ass was clenching around him, pulling more pleasure from him as waves upon waves of bliss caught him, threatening to drown him in sensations.

Then he was gone, floating in ecstasy, the smell and feel of Jack close by heightening and prolonging his return back to reality. It came back in increments. The thud of his heartbeat in his ears, the warmth of Jack's back against his chest, the smell of shalith in the room, the chill of the room against his naked back, the bunched up blankets beneath his hip.

He sighed and rubbed Jack's arm. His senses were still heightened as his fingertips felt the hair and the warm, drying skin. He pulled out reluctantly and tried to straighten one of the blankets. The candles flickered, and he sighed again.

"What is it?" Jack turned around lazily to face him and stretched.

"I think we need to be a little frugal with these things." Daniel stood on somewhat shaky legs and walked to each candle to blow them out.

"I don't think I can do this every night. You'll put me in an early grave." Jack shook one of the blankets and opened it up invitingly. Daniel grabbed the pillows from where they lay strewn on the floor, then lay down and Jack spread the blanket over both of them.

"It's too intense to do very often." Daniel adjusted the pillow and squirmed around until he was comfortable.

"But on special occasions... we can do special occasions, right?"

"Sure." Jack shifted closer to Daniel and edged his leg between Daniel's knees. "What do you consider special?"

"I dunno, next weekend, maybe?" Jack's hand moved until it lay against Daniel's chest, his fingers rubbing gently against his sternum.

Daniel laughed softly. "Sounds pretty special to me, Jack." He took a deep breath, feeling Jack's hands move up and down.

"So, you think Carter got some of these also?" Jack's hand moved and tweaked Daniel's nipple. Immediately his cock twitched in reaction. He gasped softly in surprise, then relaxed as Jack's mouth latched onto him.

"I don't know, probably." He raised a hand to grasp Jack's ass cheek, squeezing as Jack's growing erection lay warmly against his thigh. His own thickened and grew in response. "Can you imagine if she should get married one day and she digs these out of her hope chest on her honeymoon? What a great wedding gift to give to someone."

"Forget hope chests, Daniel," Jack growled as he alternated between one nipple and another. "We need to figure out how to convince her to give us her share."  

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