TITLE: A Good Night's Sleep

AUTHOR: Djinn

STATUS: Complete

CATEGORY: First Time, H/C

PAIRING: Jack/Daniel

SEASON: 3rd

SPOILERS: None

RATING: R

ARCHIVE: Sure FEEDBACK: Constructive criticism is always welcome

DISCLAIMER: Neither of them are mine (expletive deleted). They belong to MGM and other people who can afford lawyers. I don't make any money off this, but if the owners want to press it, lotsa luck. They can have my hamster's wheel. It squeaks.

I'd like to thank Kai for the challenge, the encouragement, the primary beta, and some really choice phrases. I would also like to express my thanks to Elaine for helping me with plot and character inconsistencies and for another good grammar beta which I required after going through and messing it up after Kai had beta'd for me the first time.

A Good Night's Sleep

by Djinn

"Ow!" Daniel missed the step up from Jack's foyer and almost sprawled on to the floor. He caught himself against the wall, closing his eyes for a moment. He felt like a walking bruise. He'd gone to sleep in the warm car on the drive from the mountain and getting out into the cool night air had not been enough to fully wake him. Taking off his jacket at the door had been a small torture in itself.

"Sorry, Daniel, I should have warned you about the step." Jack put a supportive hand under Daniel's right elbow to guide him toward the guest room and was dismayed to feel a slight tremor. "Daniel?"

"Jack, I think I need to, um, lie down." Daniel put his foot forward tentatively and nearly fell again. He leaned heavily against the wall and waited for the wave of dizziness to pass.

"Okay, big fella, we'll get ya there." Jack slipped his hand around the other man's waist and gripped, grimacing when he heard the swift intake of breath. "Sorry." Half walking, half carrying,he finally got his friend to the bed in the small guest room where Daniel had stayed after his return from Abydos.

Daniel collapsed on the bed, not moving for a moment, then made a few halfhearted attempts to toe his shoes off. Jack watched for a second then sat down on the bed and began to untie Daniel's shoes and slipped them off.

"Jack, you don't have to . . ." He broke off and yawned twice in succession. "That stuff of Janet's must be working." He put his hand up over his head and Jack saw the bruising on his forearms where those bastards had held him as they punched him. He had to swallow the swift rise of bile in his throat as he remembered how helpless he'd felt as Daniel had been punished for whatever trumped-up shit they had laid on him. They'd had their gear returned to them at the Stargate, along with a bruised and much subdued Daniel. It was only Daniel's state of pain and exhaustion that had kept Jack from collecting some payback. Daniel had spent twenty-four hours in the infirmary for observation before Frasier would release him and Jack was still choking on his rage.

"Daniel."

"Jack." A slight quirk of the lips ended the murmur of his name, and Jack had to wonder if Daniel was awake at all. Drugged to the gills, that was it. Rising, Jack went to the hall closet and grabbed a light blanket to spread over the sleeping man. He looked at him for a moment, then carefully pulled Daniel's glasses from his face and placed them on the bedside table. "Night, night, Dannyboy," he whispered and turned off the light.

******************

Crying woke Jack, but not his own. At first he wondered if he'd left the television on and then it registered that he could hear his own name in the sobbing. He lay for a moment, considering whether he should go in, but the sound was wrenching his gut and he rose from his bed and went to Daniel.

Daniel lay curled in a fetal position and the light from the hallway highlighted the tear tracks while the bruises gave his face a gaunt, shadowy look. The sight of his friend in such distress pierced Jack, awakening an old gnawing yearning that he thought he'd banished long ago.

Shuddering and sobbing, every now and then he would choke out Jack's name. Jack walked to the bed and knelt next to it. Reaching out, he gently shook Daniel's shoulder. "Wake up, Danny. It's a bad dream, just a bad dream."

Gasping, Daniel awoke and jerked away from Jack's hand. He blinked and focused on the face only a couple of feet from his own. "Jack!" Daniel propelled himself toward the other man and hugged him. "You're okay. They didn't hurt you."

"It wasn't me they were whaling on, Daniel." Jack patted Daniel's back,willing him to relax. "Deep breaths, now. Take it easy."

Still shaking, Daniel released the death grip he had around Jack's neck. "Sorry, I just kept seeing them hit you."

"They didn't hit me." Jack frowned at Daniel, who was now scrubbing his eyes. "Daniel, why would you think that?"

"I saw them . . . they said . . . oh, I don't know." Daniel stretched out his legs and carefully shifted onto his back. "Maybe it's that stuff that Janet gave me."

"Ya think?" Jack brushed a hand over Daniel's hair. "Or it could be a bunch of assholes using you as a punching bag had something to do with it. You gonna be okay, now?"

"Oh, sure." Daniel's attempt at a smile wasn't convincing. He looked at Jack. "Sorry for waking you up."

"Don't worry about it. I brought you home to keep an eye on you." Jack tapped his index finger on Daniel's shoulder. "Well, an eye and an ear."

This time the smile had a little more voltage behind it and Jack felt himself relax. Daniel was going to be fine. He just needed some time to get this stuff behind him. Jack stood up, feeling his knees creak and groan in protest at the abuse. He put a hand to his lower back and eased it surreptitiously.

Daniel pulled the blanket off of himself and blinked. "I'm still dressed." He sat up slowly, levering himself by putting his hand on the bedside table.

"Well, you kinda passed out as soon as you hit the bed. I got your shoes off."

"Thanks." Daniel picked at his belt buckle, took a deep breath and tried to stand.

Jack reached out and steadied him. "Whoa, there. Maybe you should sit back down." As Daniel sank back down on the bed, Jack sat beside him. "You aren't steady enough to be jumping around yet."

"I hate sleeping in my clothes." Daniel plucked at the bottom of his t-shirt and fumbled at the waist of his slacks. He couldn't seem to focus enough on either one to accomplish the task.

Taking a deep breath, Jack moved Daniel's hands out of the way and pulled the shirt up and over the other man's head. He tossed the shirt at a chair and surveyed Daniel's bare torso. His breath was released in a low whistle. "They sure did a job on you, didn't they?"

"It's getting better." Daniel sounded unconvincing.

The yellows and lighter colors of the bruises weren't really visible, but the dark purples splotched on Daniel's back and sides could be seen even in the low level of light in the bedroom. "You look like a technicolor pinto." Jack ghosted his hand over a particularly virulent looking blotch over Daniel's right kidney. "Bastards."

"It doesn't really hurt that much anymore." Jack could feel Daniel watching him and forced his eyes up to meet the other man's gaze.

"It should have been me, Daniel, not you. I'm the team leader, I told you what to say . . ." His voice trailed off as he saw the tired smile on Daniel's face. "Okay, maybe not what to say, but I'm still the team leader." Jack saw the smile break into a grin and tried to add to it. "You know, the colonel, the head honcho, the big kahuna?" A chuckle rewarded his efforts and Jack grinned back. It suddenly felt amazingly good to be here with Daniel.

Daniel looked down at himself and began to tug at the end of his belt. After a slight hesitation, Jack repeated moving Daniel's hands out of the way and undid the buckle. As he unfastened the button that was beneath the belt he muttered, "Want you to know, Danny, that I wouldn't do this for just anybody."

A breathy laugh rewarded his lame joke and it made it easier to pull Daniel to a stand and ease his slacks down the slim hips.

"I don't think Teal'c would be too jealous, Jack." Daniel sat back down and lifted his legs slightly so that Jack could finish undressing him. "Although Sam might be." Biting his lip, Daniel wished back the last comment or at least that he had kept the snideness out of his tone.

Jack stood and straightened the slacks in his hands, walking over to the chair to lay them down. He didn't look at Daniel, just listened to the echo of that last sentence.

"Sorry, Jack. That was a dumb thing to say." Daniel desperately wished he could recapture the friendly atmosphere of a few moments ago. He'd promised himself never to bring up the subject with Jack again, and he blamed his slip on the meds.

"Yeah, it was." Jack turned and faced Daniel, his expression hidden in shadow. "So, why did you?"

"I didn't think. I, ah, guess I just thought that you and Sam were getting closer." Daniel blinked and felt the words 'And you and I were getting further apart,' whisper in his mind. Daniel straightened one leg of his dark blue boxers and fingered a scrape on his knee. He pressed his lips together and peered up at Jack.

"And you still think there is something romantic going on?" The words were bitten off and Jack saw Daniel shiver at the slight hint of menace in them. Jack remembered the offhand remark of Daniel's that had precipitated the argument between them months ago. Since then, any mention of Sam had been off limits between them. In fact, as Jack cast his mind back, so had any other topic. God, had it been that long since he and Daniel had split a six-pack and just talked?

"None of my business, Jack. Sorry." Daniel moved the blanket aside, preparing to go back to bed. His heart was beating very fast and he didn't feel easy about lying down with Jack standing there looking at him.

"For your information, there is nothing like that between Major Carter and myself. Not now, not ever. Why you could even think that -"

Jack turned slightly and Daniel could see the tightness of his mouth. He nodded, "Okay, Jack." He watched Jack move to the door and Daniel eased back down on the bed, feeling a hitch in his chest that had nothing to do with his injuries. This was an old pain, and familiar. He put the back of his hand over his eyes.

"Damnit, Danny." Three swift strides and Jack had returned to Daniel's side. He sat down and as Daniel removed his hand from his face, Jack leaned down and kissed him. It was the merest touch of lips, but it carried an electric charge that startled both men.

They stared at each other for a moment, chagrin warring with a dawning wonder.

Jack rose. "Good night, Daniel." He smiled briefly at the hand Daniel stretched out to keep him there and gently brushed the fingers with his own

"Wait -"

"Go to sleep, now," Jack ordered. He took a step then stopped again, not looking back. "We'll talk in the morning, if you want," he added reluctantly.

Daniel closed his eyes. "Good night, Jack. See you in the morning."

******

He'd been up at first light, dressing in jeans and a sweatshirt, padding in to check on Daniel and then just standing there in the doorway watching the other man sleep. He didn't try to put it into words, but he was surprised a little at the sense of possessiveness that having Daniel sleeping here in his house, under his care, brought out in him. It wasn't that Daniel looked like Sleeping Beauty or anything. In fact, it appeared that Daniel was a bit of a drooler. Jack considered that and waited for a slight wave of revulsion. Nope. Drooler, or not, he liked having Daniel in his bed. Well, a bed in his house, which technically made it his bed.

Daniel made a grunting noise and Jack took a step nearer to the bed but Daniel didn't wake. Feeling a little relief that they didn't have to have the conversation yet, Jack backed out of the room and headed toward the kitchen.

Coffee. Definitely had to make a full pot of that, and surely he had some of those frozen waffles left. Yep, and syrup and eggs and cereal . . .what did Daniel like for breakfast? Jack couldn't remember if he'd ever really known. Mostly Daniel mainlined coffee and picked up donuts or cookies at work. Jack opened the refrigerator door and frowned at the contents. It wasn't like there was something he could look up under"Archaeologists, Care and Feeding of" in the encyclopedia. Oh, hell, he'd seen Daniel eat lots of weird stuff, starting with the roasted lizard-thingy on their first trip to Abydos, so he probably wouldn't turn up his nose at waffles. He took the package out of the freezer compartment and read the instructions while waiting for the coffee maker to work its magic.When the pot finally filled up, he poured himself a mug and walked outside onto the deck.

The wood was cold to his bare feet but he stood there anyway, enjoying the cool air against his face in contrast with the swallow of hot coffee in his mouth. He looked up and above the trees in his back yard at the faint outline of the Rockies, deep purple against the light violet of the morning sky. A deep breath and he could smell the promise of snow in the air from the mountains. The weather was turning.

What was he going to say to Daniel?

For a moment he considered claiming that it was a mistake, a misunderstanding. The low-grade panic he'd been feeling in waves hit him full force. He couldn't just let things stand, he'd have to think of an excuse. Those drugs must have made Daniel loopy, why would he think that Jack could just lean down and kiss him? Yeah, that might work. Jack became painfully aware that his feet were freezing and hustled inside. Carrying the mug with him he hurried into his bedroom and rummaged one-handed in his chest of drawers for a pair of thick socks. He splashed out a little coffee which landed inside the open drawer.

"Shit!" Jack set the mug down and froze, listening for any sign that he'd awakened Daniel. Nothing. He sat on the bed and tugged the socks on, sighing softly as his feet warmed. Picking up the mug he surveyed the coffee stain on a pair of navy dress socks. Oh well, no one would ever see it. He left the socks and gently kneed the drawer shut.

He checked on Daniel again and found that the man hadn't stirred at all. With effort, Jack resisted an impulse to wave the mug in front of Daniel's face to let the smell of coffee rouse him. Let the guy sleep a while yet. He wandered into the living room and sat down on the couch. Picking up the remote, he powered on the television, quickly hitting the mute button before the sound began. Flicking back and forth between CNN and ESPN, he tried to catch upon the news and sports since he'd been off world.

What was Daniel going to say to him? Was he going to be angry? Disgusted? He didn't dare think 'happy'. Then again, Daniel hadn't appeared upset last night.Jack thought back to the brief look he'd had of Daniel's face. He'd looked...... Jack searched for the right word, sighing heavily when he found it. Confused. Daniel had definitely looked confused. "Well how did you expect him to look, dumb shit," Jack quietly berated himself.

What if Daniel didn't remember anything? Was that what he really wanted? A rewind courtesy of Frasier's pain meds might be the best thing for them both. Then things could just stay the same and he wouldn't have to tell Daniel just how much he wanted to kiss him again. What if that kiss had truly been a shock to Daniel? What if Daniel didn't want him? Damnit to hell, he really didn't want to listen to Daniel um and ah around a "let's just be friends" speech.

He was going to tell Daniel the truth. He would wind it up and just tell him that he lo-, no, wanted him. Wanted to be with him. Then it would be up to Daniel to choose what to do about it. Even if he didn't want to go any further, their friendship should still be okay. That was the important thing. Jack waited for the panic to die down but instead it changed into a kind of numb dread. He sat and looked out the window and his coffee grew cold.

**************

Daniel gradually wakened to a dull ache all over his body. It wasn't that his cracked ribs hurt more than his bruised kidneys; it was that every bruise and scrape worked together to produce an entire throbbing experience. Combining with the mental fog that was the residue of the pain medication, the overall effect was not as bad as it could have been. Lying there, Daniel tried to remember what it was like to feel good and completely pain-free. The self-pity was a nice addition; he thought wryly and grimaced.

So, the current situation was that he hurt everywhere, he couldn't think, his mouth tasted like an Unas' armpit, everything looked blurry and he smelled coffee. Daniel groaned as he pulled himself into a sitting position. Running a hand through his short hair, he wondered how hard it would be to stumble into the kitchen to get a dose of his favorite form of caffeine, or just maybe a little more noise on his part would bring Jack to him with a nice hot cup . . . Jack had kissed him last night. The sudden consciousness of that fact wiped every other thought from his mind.

He'd made a crack about Sam and Jack had been pissed off and then Jack had come over and kissed him. Daniel rubbed his lips, thinking. Could it have meant anything else but a kiss? Daniel considered notions of pity, friendship, and temporary insanity and dismissed them all. Jack had kissed him on the lips and there was only one reason why he would do that. Jack cared for him. Maybe not love, maybe not anything more than like, but it had to be more of a like than just being good buddies or comrades in arms.

"Hey." Jack stood in the doorway holding a mug of coffee with a guarded, neutral expression on his face. "How do you feel?"

"Good." At the swift elevation of Jack's eyebrows, Daniel amended,"Better than I did. Is that coffee for me?"

"Oh, yeah." Jack closed the distance between them and gave Daniel the mug, both men very aware that their hands touched for a second. "Daniel?"

"Jack?"

"Do you, do you, ah, like waffles?" Jack had stepped back from Daniel and picked up his glasses from the bedside table. He risked a look at Daniel who was staring at him with his mouth slightly open, then looked away. "You know, with butter and syrup. Waffles?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess."

"Or I have eggs. I could scramble some eggs, but I don't have any bread for toast or bacon or anything. I have cereal, though." He pushed the glasses at Daniel and felt rather than saw him take them from his hand. "I guess I need to go grocery shopping." There was a small hole near the big toe of his right sock and Jack stared at it as if it had just magically appeared there.

"Waffles are fine." Daniel put the mug of coffee down on the bedside table and slipped his glasses on. "Jack, about last night, when you, um, kissed me?"

As Jack lifted his eyes and looked directly at Daniel he became absolutely still. "Yeah?"

"I liked it."

Jack let out his breath and smiled. "Good."

********

Daniel had made a genuine effort to do justice to the breakfast Jack had prepared, but his appetite was still not recovered. He leaned back from the table and sipped at his second cup of coffee and smiled. "That was good. I haven't had waffles since - I don't know when I last had them."

"It's the syrup. Ya gotta have enough syrup and butter or you might as well be eating styrofoam." Jack moved the bottle around a little and dabbed at a drip on the side with his forefinger. He put it to his mouth and caught Daniel's eyes on him. On impulse, he scooted his chair next to Daniel's, leaned over and brushed their lips together. He pulled away slightly and heard the mug click on the table as Daniel set it down.

"Jack." The way Daniel said it in the merest exhalation of his breath told Jack all he needed to know at that moment. And if he was in any doubt, Daniel laid his palm against the back of Jack's neck, tilted his head slightly, and drew him back for another kiss. This time the taste of coffee mixed with the taste of syrup and it was really, really nice.

"Daniel?" Jack gently traced Daniel's stubbled jaw line. "Is this okay?"

Quashing all his questions about what this is, what they were doing, what Jack's intentions could be, and his own motivations, Daniel nodded. "Yes."

Jack held out his hand. "C'mon." He smiled as Daniel took it, briefly kissed him again as they both stood.

Daniel didn't know if he was feeling more exultation than trepidation as they walked from the dining room. He was making an effort not to think about it. He was also deliberately trying not to talk about it.

They didn't stop at Jack's bedroom door, although Daniel might have hesitated. They walked in, stopped by the bed and faced each other.

"Well, here we are." Jack winced at his own words. Stupid, stupid.

Daniel smiled and moved closer to Jack so that their faces were only inches away. Not talking, not thinking about it, he reached up and put his mouth to Jack's. A slight pressure with his lips and Jack's mouth opened and Daniel forgot to breathe for a moment. The incredible feeling of Jack's tongue in his mouth touching his own, then as Jack's head tilted more and the kiss deepened, Jack's tongue traced the roof of Daniel's mouth. Daniel pressed his body against Jack's and a slight whimper of need escaped him as strong arms encircled him.

"Daniel? Did I hurt you?"

Grunting a negative, Daniel put both of his hands on Jack's head and brought them together for another kiss. He could feel Jack laugh into his mouth and that was good. Moving his own head, Daniel nibbled on Jack's jaw and down his neck. The smoothness of his skin and the citrus tang of aftershave told Daniel that Jack hadn't just rolled out of bed and thought 'waffles'. A rush of lust fueled by the implied compliment was the impetus Daniel needed to tumble both of them on the bed.

Mistake. He'd been on such a high from the kissing that he'd forgotten about his injuries and he couldn't quite choke down a cry of pain. Jack drew back from him immediately and asked again if he was okay.

"Ribs." Tersely whispered, and Daniel rolled on to his back with his forearms cradling his sides.

Jack propped himself up beside his friend rubbing Daniel's right shoulder gently, feeling helpless. "God, I'm sorry, Daniel. How bad is it?"

"Pretty bad." Jack could tell Daniel's teeth were still clenched.

Daniel felt the slight jar to the mattress as Jack propelled himself up and off the bed, but he didn't think about it. He was waiting for the pain to fade and it had begun to when Jack suddenly reappeared next to him.

"Okay, Danny, ease up a little." He carefully slid an arm under Daniel's shoulders and helped him sit up on the bed. "Open your mouth."

Blinking at him, Daniel opened his mouth to ask why and Jack popped in a pill. He then held up a glass of water to Daniel's lips. "Sip this."

Sputtering slightly, Daniel took a swallow of water. "What?"

"One of Frasier's magic pills. It'll fix you up."

"It'll knock me out, Jack." The slight whine in Daniel's voice made Jack smile. He reached across Daniel to set the glass on the bedside table but kept his arm in place around Daniel's shoulders.

"Not right away." Cupping Daniel's jaw in his hand Jack kissed him again, taking a long time with it. Coming up for air, he studied Daniel's face. He was satisfied to see a dreamy flushed look without a trace of the earlier pain. Very gently, Jack maneuvered them so he was propped up with the pillows against the headboard and Daniel was beside him.

"Mmm. Feeling better already."

"That's the idea, Dannyboy." Jack kissed the hollow of Daniel's throat then grasped the waist of his t-shirt, carefully pulling it up and over Daniel's head. Feeling a similar tug on his own sweatshirt, Jack obediently yanked it off and tossed it with Daniel's to the floor. He watched for a moment as Daniel tried to push down the waistband of his sweat pants. Replacing Daniel's hands with his own he tugged them off along with the boxers while Daniel lifted his hips slightly. Dropping these to the floor as well, Jack looked Daniel over very carefully. The bruises really looked bad, but his cock, which seemed to be taking a decided interest in the proceedings, reflected the desire in Daniel's face.

Jack slipped off the bed and quickly shucked the rest of his clothes. "Now, we're all set." He turned to Daniel with an exaggerated leer.

"Oh, don't make me laugh, Jack. My ribs can't take it."

"Well, I guess I won't be tickling you. How about a kiss, instead?" Daniel barely had time to nod before Jack captured his mouth.

He could feel Jack's hand lightly caressing his side, his hip, and then his groin, cupping and rubbing and he moaned into Jack's mouth. His own hands began a quest of their own for Jack's erotic zones and the knowledge that the pill was going to take effect very soon combined with his long time yearning fort his man. "C'mon, Jack," he urged. "C'mon."

"Easy, Danny, I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't." Daniel assured him and pushed up against Jack seeking even more contact.

As good as this felt and as much as Jack wanted to make this last, he knew that they needed to make this short and sweet. He fastened his mouth to Daniel's, his tongue plunging in and out of the other man's mouth in time to the stroking and pulling of his hand on Daniel's cock. Daniel was returning the favor and Jack honestly didn't know if the whimpers and moans were coming from Daniel or himself. A fine sheen of sweat covered both their bodies and Jack moved his head to lick Daniel's neck, tasting salt.

"Jack!" Shuddering from his bones outward, Daniel came and the smell and feel of Daniel's orgasm brought Jack over the edge as well and for a moment he forgot Daniel's bruises and clutched the other man to himself. Daniel clamped a leg around Jack's thighs as he trembled slightly.

Jack tried to extricate himself without hurting Daniel after their breathing had settled down, but Daniel didn't want to let him go. Instead he snuggled into Jack, pushing his face into Jack's neck. He could feel the pill blunting the edge of his consciousness.

"Danny, I'm afraid I'm gonna hurt you," Jack said, although he didn't try to shift his position.

"Then don't move." Daniel was barely intelligible with his mouth pressed to the pulse point in Jack's neck.

"We never did talk about this."

"We will." Daniel's voice was blurrier now.

Jack listened as Daniel's breathing became slower and sleep claimed him. He edged the sheet under Daniel's face, sighed deeply and closed his eyes. What was he doing? It felt almost surreal; Daniel naked and asleep in his arms. A flutter of his earlier panic touched him, quickening his heartbeat and constricting his breathing. Any chance either of them had with plausible deniability was long gone. Jack lay thinking of repercussions until he gradually became boneless, his only sensations the warm places where Daniel's body touched his.

=30=