Alone, Together

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=120 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="01078642egerdp.jpg"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=428 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="00f64643.jpg"> <div> <B>Alone, Together</B></div> <div>  <A NAME="alone_together"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> Cameron Mitchell stepped out into the damp night, the drizzle of the periodic storms misting the warm air around him.  His shirt clung to him in stubborn folds, the jacket creating too much heat on his back.  He couldn't get comfortable.  Inside, outside, didn't matter.  Nothing was working for him tonight.</div> <bR> <div> "Mitchell?"  Daniel stepped up beside him, making the close night feel all the closer.  "How about a ride home?"</div> <bR> <div> "Nah, I'm good."</div> <bR> <div> "No," Daniel said plainly, "you're not.  You threw back four beers in the last hour inside.  Nobody's 'good' after that.  Not even Jack."</div> <bR> <div> "Didn't say I was drivin', Jackson."</div> <bR> <div> "Right.  So.  How about a ride home?"</div> <bR> <div> Mitchell turned a weary gaze on the man.  "I noticed you tossin' back a few in there, too."</div> <bR> <div> "Didn't say I was drivin'," Daniel countered.  He half smiled when the other man frowned.  "I called a cab.  Your place is on the way to mine."</div> <bR> <div> "I would have thought-" Mitchell didn't finish the sentence.</div> <bR> <div> "Thought what?"</div> <bR> <div> "That O'Neill was dropping you off."</div> <bR> <div> "No, he's taking Teal'c back up to the Mountain."</div> <bR> <div> "And Sam?"</div> <bR> <div> "See you guys!" came Sam Carter's bright call from across the lot as she waved a hand in parting.</div> <bR> <div> Both men waved and then turned as O'Neill and Teal'c emerged from the bar.</div> <bR> <div> "Daniel," said Jack with a smile, "you make sure to get young Mr. Mitchell home safe and sound."</div> <bR> <div> "Yes, dad," Daniel chuckled as he held out his hand.</div> <bR> <div> Jack took it and gave it a slow shake.  "Stay out of trouble, huh?"</div> <bR> <div> "Who?  Me?"</div> <bR> <div> Jack rolled his eyes.  "Mitchell, you're doing one helluva job."</div> <bR> <div> "Thank you, sir," Mitchell said, shaking Jack's hand in turn.  "And thanks for dinner."</div> <bR> <div> "Any time."  He turned toward Teal'c.  "What'd'ya say, big guy, time to get you home before you turn into a pumpkin?"</div> <bR> <div> Teal'c's look of long suffering spoke volumes and Daniel felt the grin spread over his face as he watched his two friends walk away.  A cab pulled up and Mitchell stepped toward it.</div> <bR> <div> "We got it from here, buddy," he said, handing the man a twenty dollar bill.  "My friend and I are gonna walk home."</div> <bR> <div> "We are?" Daniel asked.</div> <bR> <div> "Yeah, we are."  Mitchell slapped the top of the cab twice and turned to walk across the far end of the lot.</div> <bR> <div> They had gone more than two blocks before Daniel finally sighed and stopped dead.  "Is there something you wanted to talk about?"</div> <bR> <div> "Yeah," Mitchell said quietly, "there is.  I need your word, Jackson, that what I'm about to say goes no farther than you and me."</div> <bR> <div> Daniel could sense that Mitchell wasn't fooling around and he nodded quickly.  "Sure."</div> <bR> <div> They began walking again before Mitchell finally spoke.  "I was watching the way you and O'Neill were during dinner."</div> <bR> <div> Daniel waited for more.  None was forth coming.  "And?"</div> <bR> <div> "You two are pretty tight.  Real close friends?"</div> <bR> <div> "Sure.  Jack and I went through the gate together that first time.  We've fought beside each other, died for each other."</div> <bR> <div> "Anything else?"</div> <bR> <div> "What?" Daniel asked.  His eyes went wide.  "What?!"</div> <bR> <div> "Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have said anything."</div> <bR> <div> "No, no, tell me what you think you saw.  Because I'll tell you right now, there's nothing . . . nothing . . . like that between Jack and me."</div> <bR> <div> "Ever wish there was?"</div> <bR> <div> Daniel grabbed Mitchell by the arm and yanked him around to face him.  "What are you saying?"</div> <bR> <div> Mitchell pulled his arm away and put his hands up.  "You're right.  Forget it.  I'm obviously too screwed up to think straight right now."</div> <bR> <div> "No, you're fishing around for something."</div> <bR> <div> Mitchell did a small half twirl, then started walking again.  "It's stupid.  It's unprofessional.  It's fuckin' insane is what it is."</div> <bR> <div> "Mitchell, will you tell me what the hell you're talking about?"</div> <bR> <div> Another long pause and then Mitchell asked, very quietly, "You ever have a really <I>bad</I> case of hero worship, Jackson?"</div> <bR> <div> Daniel dropped his head to hide the understanding smile.  "Yes, I have," he said, matching Mitchell's tone.</div> <bR> <div> "I swear to God, I never saw this coming," Mitchell said with a note of disbelief in his voice.  "We all heard the stories about SG-1, heard about O'Neill.  None of us believed the stuff.  I remember waking up in the hospital, after Antarctica, and seeing him standing over the bed, looking out the window.  This real . . . far away look in his eyes.  He wears the stars, he wears the uniform of a General, but that guy's just a regular enlisted man through and through.  Wears it like a badge of honor.  He looked at me when he sensed I was awake and it ......"</div> <bR> <div> Daniel nodded.  "Ah."</div> <bR> <div> "Ah?  Ah?  I drop the biggest damned bombshell of my life and all you've got to say is 'ah'?"  Mitchell stepped in front of Daniel, stopping his progress with a hand slapped in the middle of the chest.  "Oh, wait a second.  Wait.  A.  Second!"</div> <bR> <div> Daniel shrugged slightly.  "Takes one to know one?"</div> <bR> <div> The two men stood looking at each other before Mitchell burst out in laughter and continued on, staggering slightly as he went.  "Freakin' figures."</div> <bR> <div> "Yeah, well, I've known him for over ten years and I haven't made any progress."</div> <bR> <div> "You've tried?"</div> <bR> <div> Daniel let out a half groan and pushed passed Mitchell.  "It's - complicated."</div> <bR> <div> "You're preaching to the choir on that one."</div> <bR> <div> "Sort of knocks you for a loop when it happens though, doesn't it?"</div> <bR> <div> "I've served with the best general's in this man's Air Force, but Jack O'Neill is . . . is . . ."</div> <bR> <div> "Jack O'Neill."  Daniel laughed softly and pushed his hands into his pants pockets.  "He's completely blind to it."</div> <bR> <div> "How?" Mitchell demanded.  "How can you walk through life causing that much - comotion - and not see it?"</div> <bR> <div> "I don't really think it matters to him.  Figures it's the uniform or something."</div> <bR> <div> "Well this whole thing is about to drive me bug fuck.  See the thing is, Jackson - I like girls.  I really do.  I like the way they smell, I like the way they walk, I <I>love</I> the way they taste."</div> <bR> <div> Daniel gave the other man a smirk and a nod of agreement.  "I know.  Me too."</div> <bR> <div> "And then there's . . . him."</div> <bR> <div> "I know."</div> <bR> <div> "Every time the man walks in the room I just about piss myself.  I feel like my brain gets all full of cotton or something."</div> <bR> <div> "You get that fuzzy feeling in your ears?"</div> <bR> <div> "No."</div> <bR> <div> "Oh.  Must just be me, then," Daniel said behind a small cough.  "Look, the fact is, Jack's straight.  He's more than straight, and if he <I>does</I> see anything, which I really doubt, then he has the good grace not to acknowledge it and make those of us who suffer from this malady . . ."</div> <bR> <div> Mitchell gave a snuff of laughter.</div> <bR> <div> ". . . . feel like complete and total idiots.  Jack's always been my friend, a very good and steadfast friend.  I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that, even if I had the chance."</div> <bR> <div> "Ya know," Mitchell said as they turned down another street, "I don't really know if this little talk has made me feel any better or not."</div> <bR> <div> ++++</div> <bR> <div> Daniel walked through his front door and threw his keys in the general direction of his briefcase.  The jangling of the phone caused him to start.  He stepped toward it and looked at caller ID.  He picked up the hand set and pushed 'talk.'</div> <bR> <div> "Hel-lo?"</div> <bR> <div> "Daniel, you're home."</div> <bR> <div> "You don't say."</div> <bR> <div> "Funny," Jack drawled.  "So, you and Mitchell have a nice walk?"</div> <bR> <div> "Yeah, it wasn't too bad."</div> <bR> <div> "Hey, look, I was wondering if you had a few minutes.  I'd like to come over and talk to you about something."</div> <bR> <div> Daniel checked his watch and noticed the hour.  He shrugged.  Wouldn't be the first time he'd gone into work on very little sleep.  "Sure.  What's up?"</div> <bR> <div> "Nothing, really.  Just - wanted to talk."</div> <bR> <div> "Jack, if <I>you</I> want to talk, then the end of the world could well be nigh."</div> <bR> <div> "Again with the humor.  Mitchell's having quite an influence."</div> <bR> <div> "You on your way over?" Daniel asked, moving to the kitchen to see if he had enough beer.</div> <bR> <div> "I'll be there in about twenty."</div> <bR> <div> "Okay, well.  I'll be up.  Just come on in."</div> <bR> <div> "Right.  See ya."</div> <bR> <div> Daniel hung up, frowned, rubbed his eyes and headed toward the bathroom.  He wondered if someone had let loose some sort of hormone bomb that had all the men in Colorado Springs in a fit and needing to "bond" and "talk."</div> <bR> <div> ++++</div> <bR> <div> "You will not regret this decision, O'Neill," Teal'c said quietly.</div> <bR> <div> Jack turned and looked at the large man he'd gone through so much with, whose counsel and advice he trust more than just about anyone else's.  "I hope you're right, T.  The last thing I want is to ruin my friendship with Daniel."</div> <bR> <div> Teal'c smiled one of his enigmatic smiles and slid from the car seat.  "I am not incorrect on this matter, O'Neill, as you will see when you speak your heart to DanielJackson.  I hope your quest is successful."</div> <bR> <div> Jack gave the man a weak smile, waited for him to step away from the vehicle, then pulled out into the night.  "Yeah, me too."</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ~finis~</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto:claforce@plotexpo.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:claforce@plotexpo.com"><U>Give the author's ego a marshmallow . . . please feed the bear.</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3_sg1_slash.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Stargate SG1 Slash Fiction"><U>Back to Fic List</U></A>     <A HREF="id2_directory.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Directory Listing"><U>Back to Directory</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=120 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="01178643.jpg"> <bR> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=52 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="00f64643.jpg"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="161" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 45 ><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="39" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="29"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Plotexpo.com"><U><IMG SRC="0181d270.jpg" border=0 width="29" height="39" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="15"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="45" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="15" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id196.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hot Summer Nights"><U><IMG SRC="017271d0.jpg" border=0 width="39" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id199.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Now You See Him...."><U><IMG SRC="016271d0.jpg" border=0 width="39" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>