Never Alone: The Morning After the Night Before
The hammer whacking the brains right out of his head didn't seem to want to stop. Daniel groaned loudly and turned over, falling on the floor with a thump. That woke him up with way more of a vengeance than he thought he deserved for the amount of alcohol he'd consumed with Jack the previous night.
'So not fair!' he thought, adjusting himself to his surroundings. The couch wasn't the best place to crash out when drunk. Ending up on the floor at a godforsaken hour was almost inevitable.
He lay there for a while trying to get his wits together and then realised that he desperately needed to pee, which is no doubt why he'd woken up in the first place. That damned hammer wasn't helping any either. Head spinning, Daniel eventually managed to sit upright without throwing up on Jack's carpet and then gingerly rose to his feet and staggered a little uncertainly to the john. Fishing through the bathroom cabinet, he found some painkillers and decided he needed water, lots of it, so ended up in the kitchen.
It was there that Jack and Sam found him next morning, soundly asleep with his head resting on the kitchen table. Jack smirked and quietly started to make coffee. They were all in desperate need of caffeine although he figured Daniel probably more than he and Sam.
It never ceased to amaze Jack how beautiful she looked even when hung over. That didn't seem right when he looked like he'd aged a million years overnight. Looked worse, felt healthier, was what he believed. Jack could hold his liquor better than either of his two visitors. Drunk he might have been but somehow he had a knack of making a quick recovery from such things, probably borne from years of practice. Both Daniel and Sam were mere novices.
Sam sat, head in hands, regretting that one final drink with Betsy that had pushed her over the edge. Or maybe it was that final three or four drinks that were to blame for her dry mouth and thrumming head. She'd had such a great night with her friend that she couldn't seriously regret it for too long but she did wonder why she had to suffer for enjoying herself so much. It seemed unfair.
Getting up to fetch both a glass of water and some orange juice, Sam took the opportunity peck her fiancée on the cheek and he grinned, pulling her into his arms for a hug. They said nothing, not wishing to awake Daniel too abruptly, but they didn't need to speak. All they needed was to hold each other for a while. Jack swayed her in his arms until she whispered that she was getting dizzy, so he led her back to the chair, passed her the glasses of water and juice and turned back to the coffee making.
A muffled moan rose from the heap that was Doctor Daniel Jackson, and he stirred.
"Coming back to the world of the living, Daniel?" Jack commented.
"Errrrm… argh…" Daniel mumbled in response.
"Coffee," Jack said, pouring one and placing it front of his friend.
"Keep it coming," Daniel managed to say, "excuse me!" he added, standing up quickly and dashing out of the room.
"I guess we need to do something today that will make us forget hangovers," Jack said to Sam.
"I don't think Daniel has ever been to Alexandria before."
"Walk with guided tour then?"
"Sure. If we can persuade him that it's good for his soul."
"He'll love all that history stuff."
"It's a bit too modern day for him," Sam answered with a grin.
"Well, maybe it's time to bring him into the 18th and 19th centuries." Jack sat down next to her with his coffee and took her hand. "How ya feelin'?"
"I've been worse. I blame Betsy entirely."
"Poured the booze down you did she?" Jack countered with a wicked leer.
"How about you?" she asked, pointedly ignoring his jibe.
"I look way worse than I feel."
"You're looking pretty great to me Mister Scarecrow," she said affectionately, leaning over to kiss his cheek.
"I am? You are such a flatterer, Dorothy."
"Would I lie to you?"
"You might if you thought it would make me feel better."
"I don't have to flatter you, Jack, you're gorgeous."
"Mmmm… thanks, beautiful. I guess it's good you think so."
Shifting his chair closer, he wrapped an arm around her and she laid her head on his shoulder. Daniel returned, faintly smiling when he saw them so close and cosy, and remembering the events of the night before. It didn't appear that Jack had any doubts about Sam and Martouf now. That was a good thing.
He did, however, fret a little about what he'd seen as he'd entered the house. Despite what Jack had said, he couldn't help but wonder. Jack loved Sam, he knew that, but if he was pissed with her about Martouf there was no knowing what he might have been getting up to. Jack could react in unpredictable ways.
"Morning," he said quietly, suppressing his thoughts for now.
"Hey, Danny boy, how you feeling?" Jack asked with a huge smile.
"Terrible, but the coffee will help."
"Aspirin?" Sam suggested.
"Got some, thanks."
"So how'd you end up sleeping at the kitchen table, for crying out loud?"
"Got up in the middle of the night, water and aspirin. I guess I…" Daniel smiled sheepishly and shrugged.
"Join the hangover club, Daniel," Sam said, trying to console him.
"You too, huh?"
"Yep."
"Jack?"
"Me? I'm feeling great!"
Sam and Daniel exchanged glances, rolling their eyes. "So not fair!" they exclaimed simultaneously.
They sat in amiable silence for a while, drinking coffee and reading the different daily papers Jack had delivered. Daniel couldn't help but be surprised that his friend got more than one paper on a regular basis. Clearly he liked to keep up with the news.
"Why more than one newspaper, Jack?" he asked eventually, breaking the silence.
"I like to keep abreast of things, Daniel. Surprised?"
"Um, not sure why you need more than one paper is all."
"More than one perspective."
"Ah!" Daniel exclaimed, still puzzled. Peering out from behind his Washington Post, Jack caught the look of bemusement on his friend's face and grinned.
"As I said, surprised?" he asked again.
"A little."
"Thought I only ever read the National Enquirer?" Jack arched his eyebrows enquiringly.
"Or Mad magazine," Daniel responded with a grin, "and I guess both of those provide a different and somewhat unique perspective."
"You betchya." A faint smile appeared on his face as he continued to regard his friend.
"Sometimes you are full of surprises, Jack," Daniel commented.
"And yet at other times I can be boringly predictable, eh?"
"I never said that," Daniel replied, hurriedly rushing to his own defence.
"I know, but it's true, isn't it?" Jack said, placing his paper down on the table and eyeballing Daniel with amusement. Sam squeezed his arm and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
"No, Jack, it's not true. Now will you boys stop already? I thought we were meant to be recovering from headaches, not giving ourselves new ones. More coffee required," she got up to make it. "I would offer you something to eat, Daniel, but it looks like Jack forgot to go shopping again."
"If you occasionally told me when you were coming I might get something in," Jack retorted.
"But I so love surprising you, Jack," Sam said with a big smile that Jack couldn't help but return in kind. She had more ability to make him grin than any person he'd met in a long time. Her smile was wonderfully infectious. Once again, Jack found himself realising how much he adored this woman: heart and soul. He was a lucky man.
"So far all your surprises have been great ones, so keep 'em coming." Jack replied with one of his quirky smirks.
"Was I a great surprise, Jack?" Daniel asked, pushing his glasses up his nose and staring at Jack.
"The best, Daniel, old friend."
Daniel grinned, taken aback by the comment. He'd expected a sharp O'Neill quip.
"I guess maybe I didn't dream that you asked me to be your best man, after all," he said.
"He did?" Sam beamed and leaned over to kiss Jack's hair.
"Let's hope I don't live to regret it," Jack said with mock surliness.
"Hey, I won't let you down!"
"I know that, Daniel. Think I would have asked if I thought you would?"
"You two thought much about when the day will come?" Daniel asked curiously.
"Not really," Jack responded. "Sam and Betsy seem to be planning it all without me so I guess she'll tell me when," he added with a chuckle.
"I suppose we need to talk about that sometime soon, Jack," Sam said.
"Yeah, but that's private stuff for now," Jack hinted, wanting that to be their conversation.
"Of course, Jack, I'm not trying to interfere where I'm not wanted," Daniel said defensively.
"What? You're gonna change the habit of a lifetime?" Jack joked although Daniel glared at him in response. "So, wanna go for a walk? We can get breakfast in town," Jack suggested, rapidly moving away from the jest that his friend appeared not to find so amusing.
Sam was enthusiastic while Daniel groaned although, deep down, he knew he'd feel way better if they went out. So they drank more coffee and got ready.
Daniel liked the old town of Alexandria: the cobbled streets and quaint shops. It turned out he knew a lot more than Jack or Sam had suspected about the local history and Jack found himself activity discouraging a lecture, much to Daniel's vexation.
As he liked getting to know his local area, Jack had wandered around the place quite a lot since he'd moved in to Alexandria and knew a few good spots. They ate a gargantuan breakfast at a little place he'd been to before, also consuming vast vats of coffee and orange juice.
"Well, I'll be… Jack O'Neill! Darling, how are you?"
Jack looked up sharply and drew in a breath. From her intimate and gushing tone you'd have thought that Francine Butler had known Jack for a long time, and quite well. Jack was taken aback when she kissed his cheek and Sam blanched, eyes widening, while Daniel looked on with astonishment, his mind whirling with the same doubt that had been nagging him since he'd arrived at Jack's.
"You don't mind if I join you, Do you?" she asked, immediately sitting in the spare seat next to Daniel and answering her own question, "Of course not. We're good neighbours after all."
As she requested more coffee, Jack eyed Daniel with a "help!" expression on his face and his friend shrugged as if he didn't know how to. Francine turned back to face them and smiled flirtatiously.
"Daniel, wasn't it?" she beamed. Although they hadn't been introduced as such, she remembered Jack using that name, "we met briefly last night. And you must be Jack's girlfriend, Sam? Have I got the names right, Jack dear?"
Francine moved her hand across the table, placing it on Jack's arm, and he coughed awkwardly. He'd noticed Sam's raised eyebrows at the mention of last night and wondered what was going through her head. She didn't look too happy at the fact that Francine's hand rested on his arm and who could blame her? Crap! Hastily he moved the arm away.
"Not girlfriend, fiancée. I'm Jack's fiancée," Sam corrected possessively, regarding Francine through narrowed eyes. Jack was feeling decidedly discomforted.
"Sam, Daniel, this is Francine Butler. She lives on my street and came around to introduce herself to me last night," he said rapidly in the hopes of heading Francine off at the pass.
"We met," Daniel replied briefly.
"I'm so pleased to meet you both!" Francine said excitedly, as if she had been waiting for the moment the whole of her life.
"Likewise, I'm sure," Sam responded with what Jack detected was a hint of rancour, but Francine ignored that.
"I'm so pleased I've met up with you this morning, Jack, because I forgot to mention that I'm having a few neighbours over for a little get together later and I so wanted to invite you, and your friends, of course. Tell me you'll come!"
"Actually, we have plans!" Sam retorted quickly. She could see that this woman was the man eating type and there was no way she was letting her eat her man, not while she had something to say about the matter. It was pretty obvious that Francine Butler would do that very thing in the blink of an eye.
"We do?" Daniel interjected, enjoying Jack's disquiet, and Sam shot him a look. "Oh yes we do," he said, smiling and trying to pretend that Sam hadn't kicked him under the table.
"That's such a shame," Francine said, ignoring the palpable atmosphere she had created, "it would be a great way for you to meet some of your other neighbours, Jack."
"Yeah, a shame," Jack agreed, trying to be amiable but earning a sour look from Sam. Oy!
As she sipped at her coffee, Francine rattled on about the neighbours and her party for a while, seemingly oblivious that her three companions weren't joining in merrily. She was not, however, totally unaware of Sam's displeasure and she turned her attentions away from Jack to Daniel Jackson who, although a little stunned by it, was actually quite flattered in his own kind of way.
"Last night?" Sam asked quietly, through gritted teeth, and Jack moaned softly.
"She popped round to introduce herself and I offered her a drink. Then Daniel showed up and she left," he explained.
"I bet she came round to do more than introduce herself." Sam's tone told Jack to be wary.
"Probably, but I made it clear I'm already spoken for."
"Oh yeah?"
"Sam, for crying out loud… this is the woman I was thinking about for Daniel. As I told you, he needs to get laid."
"Her? She'll eat him alive, Jack."
"That's the point," he smirked, " come on, honey, you don't really think…" he placed an arm around her and leaned in to kiss her cheek, which caught Francine's attention.
"Sam, my dear, you are so lucky to have a man like Jack O'Neill. Oh that there were enough of them for all of us," Francine said with a sigh.
"Yes, very lucky," Sam agreed, cuddling up to Jack as if to say 'hands off, he's mine.'
"Oh, is that the time? I really must go and pick up my little Muttly from the parlour."
"Muttly?" Daniel asked.
"My dog."
"Wacky Races?" Jack enquired.
"Yes, of course Jack," she replied with a grin, "although actually she's an adorable miniature poodle bitch with one of those awfully long pedigree names."
It was all Jack could do to keep a straight face. Miniature poodle? How appropriate for Francine's kind of personality. He had visions of her carrying the poor little thing everywhere and fussing over her in that sickly way that some dog owners could: perhaps dressing her up in ridiculous doggy clothing. Ack! He wasn't a miniature poodle kind of man. Jack preferred 'real' dogs.
"It was so wonderful to have bumped into you," she said, pecking Daniel on the cheek as she got up, and then doing the same thing to Jack. "If you change your mind about my little shindig, it's an early start early finish kind of thing. People will be starting to arrive at around 5 O'clock. Perhaps I'll see you later." After she left, Daniel sighed loudly.
"Sh-she's a little overwhelming, isn't she?" he said, beginning to appreciate the position Jack might have been in when he arrived the previous night. "She gave me her number and asked me to call."
"Sweet!" Jack exclaimed.
"I'm not sure I want one of your cast-offs, Jack," Daniel opined and Sam gaped at him.
"Cast-offs? What the hell does that mean, Daniel?" she asked angrily, "What did I miss last night?"
"Nothing! I didn't mean anything by it," Daniel replied hurriedly, regretting his choice of words.
"Oy!" Jack exclaimed. "I can't believe you're jealous of that woman, Sam."
"I'm not!"
"You so are. Okay, so she was flirting with me, she even tried to kiss me. But nothing happened, I swear! If you think I would do anything to risk losing you, you're nuts. If I can believe that nothing happened between you and Martouf, why can't you believe me about Francine Butler? Jeez, she so isn't my type."
"Martouf's different. And I don't think men have types. They'll say yes to just about anyone."
"Oh yeah, right," Jack said argumentatively. "Thanks!"
"Hey, if you two want to pick a fight perhaps you should take it outside?" Daniel interrupted.
"Daniel…!"
"Look, I didn't want to cause trouble," Daniel hastened to add, "Me and my big mouth. Sam, I didn't mean to imply… this is Jack for god's sakes. We both know him better than that. I just meant, she was after him and now she's targeting me, is all. Sh-she's one of those types of women. Please don't argue about this and spoil our weekend. Although this is probably the last time I'll be invited…" he looked pained and Jack patted his arm.
"I can't recall inviting you this time, Danny boy," Jack grinned, "But we aren't going to fight, are we Sam?" Jack asked, capturing her eyes, but she pouted. "Baby… you're the only woman I want, right? So much for trust."
"Jack I trust you," Sam rushed to respond, horrified that she was being so accusatory. Of course she trusted him. This whole situation was ludicrous. "I guess I'm just being foolish. You're right, I was jealous. You felt the same about Martouf, right?"
"As you said, Marty was different."
"Jack, I didn't mean…"
"I know. Sheesh, I could happily strangle that Butler woman."
Jack smiled in his sweetest, most appealing crooked manner and Sam responded by kissing him briefly on the lips and then beaming back with a grin that could have powered the stargate for a month. Daniel breathed a sigh of relief. Crisis averted, or so it seemed.
He might have had doubts about Jack but now realised that he was totally out of line to even consider that his friend might have been messing around with Francine Butler, or any other woman come to that. Jack was so manifestly head over heels in love with Sam, and vice versa, that it thrilled him to see them together. Small spats were only natural between couples so he wasn't too worried about this one.
They left the café and walked around town, popping into shops to browse and then strolling by the river. Daniel was wishing that Teal'c were there because, however much he loved spending time with his friends, he felt a bit like the spare man at a wedding. Sensing his unease, Sam stood in between the two men, linking arms with both to ensure Daniel was included, and they made as much of a striking trio as Jack and Sam did as a couple.
*****************************
Much to Jack's surprise, it was Sam who suggested that they go to the party. It was later, when they got back to Jack's, that she managed to catch him alone and tackle his notion of pairing Francine Butler and their friend.
"Jack, you can't seriously expect Daniel and Francine would make a good couple, can you?"
"I'm only thinking that they might have a bit of fun together, not that they'll settle down and get married! Daniel deserves a little fun, doesn't he?"
"With Francine Butler? She's just so not his type."
"I know that."
"I think Daniel had some hopes of rekindling the flame with Sarah."
"Really? Isn't that a bit odd after everything? She did try to kill him, after all."
"But that wasn't Sarah, that was the Goa'uld. Although I guess that's probably why nothing ever happened. Too much history."
"So he needs to get laid, right?"
"For all we know he gets laid on a regular basis," Sam said with a smile, allowing Jack to capture her in his arms and give her a cuddle.
"Daniel would never been able to hide something like that," Jack whispered. "Talking of getting laid…" he added, hands starting to roam over her suggestively. "I would give almost anything to make love to you right now."
"We have a guest!"
"Not in front of the children?" Jack said with a chortle.
"It's a bit… no, we can't!"
"In that case, it's all the more reason we push him onto Francine Butler."
"Jack! You are outrageous."
"Yeah, but don't you just love it?" he smiled broadly.
"As it happens, Mr Scarecrow…" she said, nipping him playfully in a sensitive spot.
"Ack! I am so gonna get you for that."
"I'll be waiting."
"Mmmm… sounds good."
He pulled her close, kissing her fervently and cursing Daniel Jackson inside his head. Jack so wanted to get down and dirty with Sam. It wasn't that Jack didn't enjoy Daniel's company, just that he wanted some intimate alone time with his fiancée. The previous night, both of them had drunk too much for anything more than a quick cuddle and grope.
"I figure we ought to go to Francine's little get together," Sam said out of the blue, surprising Jack.
"You do?" he queried.
"We'll get Daniel laid and then we can get laid too."
"Right. You women are so devious. Okay, we'll go, but don't drink too much because, later on, you are mine!" he teased, faking a wicked laugh while twirling a non-existent moustache.
"Oh no! Please, sir, be gentle, I'm a virgin!" Sam joked, feigning the part of the wide-eyed and innocent damsel in distress.
"Grrrrr… can we pretend?" Jack asked with a lecherous smirk, warming to the idea of seducing her as if she were an innocent.
"There's no keeping you down, is there?" she smiled.
"I hope not," his smirk growing even smirkier.
"You are a wicked man, Jack O'Neill. I so love that about you."
*
Daniel was taken aback when Sam said she'd changed her mind about the party but was happy to fit in with their plans, and Francine was thrilled when the threesome arrived on her doorstep.
"I swear that if there is anything untoward going on at this party…" Jack whispered to Sam.
"Untoward? What kind of thing did you have in mind, Jack?"
"You hear stories about what goes on in the suburbs, right?" he said with a cheeky grin and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"Pissed off that you don't normally get invited?" she joked and he laughed.
"You got that right," he said with a lustful leer. "But, frankly, I can't wait to get back home and remove that outfit, Sam. You look so hot." His hand wandering briefly to her thigh, a small moan escaped his mouth. "You're wearing stockings," he declared with a hint of excitement in his voice.
"Jack, hands off until later. Let's go meet your neighbours."
Francine immediately latched onto Daniel, although not in the voracious way they had anticipated. Instead she did the perfect hostess thing and ensured that Jack and Sam were introduced to everyone. She was a surprising woman; seemingly totally unlike the overly flirtatious person they had previously met. That flirtatiousness was severely toned down and, while she remained slightly mischievous, she was gracious and friendly but not over the top.
The three friends found themselves warming to her slightly and started to enjoy themselves. It seemed that Jack had some very interesting neighbours, from NASA scientists to military and businessmen. Sam got on splendidly with "the geek brigade", as Jack dubbed the scientists, and Jack met a couple of people who might be useful contacts at the Pentagon.
As the numbers thinned out, Jack and Sam thought it was probably time to leave. Francine expressed disappointment, but it was clear that she now considered Doctor Daniel Jackson to be the main prize.
"But that doesn't mean you have to leave, does it Daniel?" she asked.
"Um…" Daniel looked towards his friends.
"If you want to stay longer, Daniel, go for it," Jack said, trying his best not to titter.
"Um… are you sure you two don't mind?"
"We'll manage without you," Jack replied, smiling at Sam in a 'can't wait to get you home' sort of way. "You'll need these," he added, handing over a set of keys.
"I… um… thanks," Daniel said looking faintly embarrassed. Jack figured he so knew he was going to get laid.
"No need to rush home, Cinderella, I doubt you'll turn into a pumpkin." Jack winked at Daniel, smiled and nodded at Francine, and then took Sam's arm and led her away.
It was at this point that Francine turned her 'in the face' seductive flirtation back on. Daniel Jackson never stood a chance, even if he'd wanted to.
Meanwhile, as they crossed the street, Jack's hand strayed to Sam's butt and then down her thigh. Without a word, as they entered the house, he swept her into his arms, backing her up against the front door. This time, his hand wandered under her dress to the bare section of her thigh between the stocking tops and her pants. He kneaded and caressed that naked flesh with an air of desperation.
"Gonna do it right here, Jack?" Sam asked breathlessly, clearly wanting sex just as much as he did.
"If you want to do it here, babe, just say the word. I'd do it almost anywhere with you," he responded with a downright leer and, when she answered in the affirmative, they had fast and furious sex right up against his front door.
Despite a deep sense of satisfaction Jack wanted more than just that, so coaxed her into the bedroom and proceeded to seduce her slowly but surely until both of them were worked up sufficiently again. It wasn't long before Sam turned the tables and started to seduce him right back, her hands softly tracing her fingers over his face, down his neck and shoulders and around his chest
At the touch of her fingers, Jack opened his eyes to look at her, his mouth contorting into a lopsided smile, and Sam grinned because it was hard not to when he smiled like that. It had always seemed that this was a smile especially intended for her alone and she loved the way it made her feel. It represented so much of the Jack O'Neill that she had grown to love so deeply over the years they had worked together, and with increasing intensity since they had started this relationship all those months before.
She loved this man with a wholehearted passion and hoped it would ever be thus. Sam didn't believe in happy ever after, no relationship could be full of ups without any downs, but she fervently wished that any downs they faced would make the ups all the sweeter. It couldn't be as good as this forever; if it were she'd die from too much of that wonderfully fine thing that was Jack O'Neill.
Sam burned this perfect moment into her memory to draw upon in those bad times that would inevitably come one day. When Jack was being a pain in the ass, which she knew he could and would be at times, she would try to remember it, along with so many other perfect moments she recalled from their long journey together.
Rolling around the bed, they playfully tussled for control of the sexual act and, afterwards, Jack kissed her hair and cheek and then wrapped an arm around her and stared at her with a huge grin on his face.
"Sweet!" he exclaimed with satisfaction.
"Sweet?" Sam queried light-heartedly.
"You know what I mean."
"I so do not. Mind-blowing, maybe?" she arched her eyebrows questioningly, a look of amusement in her eyes.
"Well, of course that," he agreed.
"Fantastic?"
"That too."
"Orgasmic?" She smiled and winked.
"Definitely that," he chuckled, tickling her mischievously.
"Hey, stop it!"
"Told ya I'd get ya later."
"Jack!"
"You really want me to stop?"
"I wanna cuddle, Mr Scarecrow," she replied with a girlish voice, pouting her lips.
"Anything for you, Dorothy," he agreed, taking her into his arms and squeezing her gently. They lay silently entwined, listening to the steady sound of each other's breathing and dozing on and off. Jack jumped slightly when Sam spoke.
"I wonder how Daniel's getting along?"
"Getting laid I'll bet."
"I hope it's as good for him as it was for us."
"That simply is not possible," Jack stated with a smile, kissing Sam briefly on the lips.
"Flatterer," Sam joked.
"That's the truth. Not possible."
If she could have snuggled up closer to Jack she would have but that wasn't possible either, so she softly brushed her fingers over his back instead.
"Thank you Jack."
"For what?"
"For thinking I'm the best. For loving me so much. For being you. For everything."
"You don't need to thank me for any of that."
"Yes I do."
"Don't"
"Do."
"Don't." They both chuckled. "Too much Daniel Jackson. He's a bad influence." Jack added.
"Ack! Daniel's the bad influence?"
"What are you implying, woman?" Jack replied with mock annoyance. "I surely don't know what you mean."
"Oh, shut up General O'Neill and go to sleep."
"You wanna sleep snookums?"
"Snookums? Eek!"
"You don't like snookums?" he grinned into her hair.
"I hate snookums."
"Sorry my little sunflower."
"Jack!"
"Petal? Love bundle? Sweet pea?" he teased.
"Ack! You're incorrigible, asshole!"
"Asshole? Is that the best you can do?"
She turned around in his arms and he spooned against her, arms enclosing her lovingly, and they bantered on playfully for a while before finally falling into a long deep sleep full of good dreams.
*****************************
When Daniel awoke with black hair sticking in his face it took a moment for him to regain his senses and remember where he was and who with. Francine Butler! Jeez, what had he done? Had he really been so desperate? He had to admit that it had been quite a night and he had enjoyed their sexual games, and Francine had been different to what he'd anticipated. Nevertheless he felt a little ashamed because he had used her for sex when he wasn't even sure he liked her. That wasn't really like him.
On the other hand, she had wanted it and had been determined to get it so who was he to argue? She wanted to be used, was asking for it. It had taken a while for the penny to drop and to realise that Jack had set him up. Sam's complicity surprised him, though not Jack's. Damn! What to do now?
Daniel disentangled himself without waking her and started to get dressed. He so had to get out of there! Then she woke up. No escape without… without what? Daniel felt a profound sense of guilt.
"You're leaving?" she asked. "No goodbyes, is that it?" Daniel stopped dressing and met her eyes.
"Look, Francine, what we did last night…" he tailed off, uncertain of what to say.
"You don't think you want to do it again, do you?"
"I… erm… I…"
"Wham, bam thank you ma'am, huh?" she said and Daniel felt his shame deepen. "Daniel, I know I can be too forward and come over like… like a slut I guess, but…" she sighed, looking slightly sad, "but I'm a lot nicer than I can appear on the surface."
"Come on, Francine! You tried to get Jack into bed before you tried me."
"Yet you slept with me anyway so what does that make you Daniel Jackson?" she argued and Daniel was embarrassed, knowing she was right. He had wanted sex, gone for it because it was available and now he wanted to back off. He was acting like a bastard and that wasn't him. Francine continued, "Look, he's a very attractive man. But so are you. I think you're… probably way nicer than he is."
Daniel laughed at that because he had to admit that Jack wasn't the type he would describe as nice. On the other hand, he was a good man, with a big heart, and Daniel respected and admired him a lot. They were so different, but maybe that was why they seemed to gel in such an oddball kind of way.
"You're probably way too nice for the Francine Butler most people see," she added.
"I'm not being particularly nice now, though, am I?" he admitted and she shook her head sorrowfully in response. Daniel sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, regarding her curiously. "If it's a front, Francine, then why?"
"Don't we all put on a front?"
"Some more than others."
"I know I can be too overbearing. It puts men off. I don't know why I do that."
"Y-you can be pretty overbearing, yes. Defence mechanism, maybe?"
"I thought you were an archaeologist, not a psychologist."
"I don't need to be a psychologist to figure that one out, Francine. You were different last night. Once we were alone together and relaxed… very… different. I don't know what to make of you."
"I'm just a stupid, lonely woman who makes an ass of herself to try and get a man to keep her company for a while. I just want what everybody else seems to have. I guess I try too hard." Daniel noticed her eyes glisten with tears that she tried to hold back. His heart went out to her and he lay on the bed and took her into his arms.
"I'm sorry," he said, "I guess I didn't think you cared if was a total bastard, but you do." He soothed her affectionately as she sobbed quietly in his arms, his guilt even worse than before.
When he arrived back at Jack's place later that day, Daniel was whistling merrily as he waltzed into their living room and Jack smirked.
"Have a good night, Daniel?"
"Yes, I did actually. You two set me up, didn't you? I'm surprised at you, Sam," he said accusingly and Sam bit her bottom lip, glancing at Jack and then returning her gaze to Daniel.
"But you're not surprised at me?" Jack responded, trying to look the picture of innocence. "We thought we were doing you a favour."
"Well you did."
"You needed to get yourself laid," Jack said and Daniel looked embarrassed. "I can only imagine that you did given that's it's almost afternoon now."
"We've been talking."
"All night and all morning?"
"Well… it's really none of your business what I get up to, is it Jack?"
"At last, he appreciates how I feel," Jack joked and Daniel grinned.
"Are you saying I'm too nosey sometimes?"
"Might be. So, how'd it go? You're looking, um, slightly befuddled," Jack pressed just as he suspected Daniel probably would if this situation were reversed.
"Well, right at the moment I'm feeling a little like Odysseus held captive by Calypso, okay?" Daniel said dreamily.
"What the hell… and I always I thought Calypso was a moon of Saturn."
"Titan's daughter," Daniel replied by way of explanation, "She was a nymph who fell in love with Odysseus, seduced him and then kept him captive on her island for seven years."
"Oh my. If I didn't know better I'd think Danny boy here was in love," Jack commented to Sam. "With Francine Butler, for crying out loud? So not your type, Daniel." Daniel's reply surprised both Jack and Sam.
"What would you know? And don't insult Francine. She's a very nice lady."
"Wha…?" Jack was taken aback.
"And I'm seeing her again later, so back off, okay. I'm gonna hit the shower." With that comment, Daniel left the room and Jack looked at Sam with eyebrows arched in surprise.
"Crap! Have we created a monster?" Jack asked.
"Don't knock it if he's happy, Jack. Maybe she isn't what she seems. Face it; she wasn't the same Francine at her party as I met earlier in the day. You should know more than most about hiding behind a mask."
"Little old me?" he kidded with a grin. "Sheesh, who am I to argue if Daniel's happy? And the situation has its bonuses. I get to spend more time alone with you."
"You won't find me arguing with that."
"Mmmm… C'mere," Jack said, placing an arm around her shoulders and pulling her towards him. "I'm already making plans for later," he added with an eyebrow waggle.
"Really? Me too."
Sam smiled and Jack pushed his lips against hers, both thinking about what they might get up to when they were alone. The Daniel/Francine thing was a turn up for the book but it seemed they could end up on a really interesting page.
***************
End
Story Notes: Never Alone: Sequel/Series Info: Sequel to Never Alone Part 21: Visitations
Status: Series
Author’s Note: This story was written is response to the feedback I got for the previous part. Thanks to all. It is also a very slowly written response to a fic challenge on the As The Stargate Turns Yahoo Group (Challenge 29 set on 5th March) to include the line 'What we did last night' and/or the word 'calypso'. The story contains both and has not been beta read so I hope it reads okay in the circumstances.
Status: Series
Author’s Note: This story was written is response to the feedback I got for the previous part. Thanks to all. It is also a very slowly written response to a fic challenge on the As The Stargate Turns Yahoo Group (Challenge 29 set on 5th March) to include the line 'What we did last night' and/or the word 'calypso'. The story contains both and has not been beta read so I hope it reads okay in the circumstances.
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]