Song Series - Angel Eyes
"So." Daniel walked along beside Jack as he made his way down the corridor toward the elevators. The cold of the planet Jack had returned from seemed to pour off him in damp waves. There was a hot shower in the soldier's very near future.
"So," Jack replied easily with a small smile at the corners of his mouth, "you're here late."
Daniel shrugged. "It's Christmas. Heard you were coming home early."
"Guess Cassie won't be disappointed after all," Jack said as he turned toward the elevators to head to the gear up room.
Daniel smiled and looked around them. "How about after you're done in the infirmary, I buy you a drink?" He slid his pass card through the reader and hit the call button.
"Murphy's should still be open," Jack nodded. "I could use a beer before I go home."
"Good ol' Murphy," Daniel said with a slight chuckle. "Buzz me in my office when you're done." The doors to the elevator slid open. Both men hit the buttons to their respective floors then leaned back against opposite walls. "Nyan was having a problem with a piece of a translation. I'll just look it over and leave him a few hints. Shouldn't take long."
"Sure," Jack responded jokingly. Daniel rolled his eyes and pulled off his coat. "I shouldn't be very long, either," Jack explained. "First mission in months where things haven't gone straight to hell."
"Christmas present from the universe?"
"One can only assume," Jack smiled.
Ten minutes later Jack was sitting quietly on one of the beds in the infirmary, waiting for a nurse to finish taking his vitals. She smiled up at him. "It's nice that you could make it home for Christmas, sir."
Jack graced her with one of his best boyish grins. "Got presents to open, Lieutenant. Couldn't be off world for that, now could I?"
"No, sir," she said, blushing at the attention.
"You off for the holiday?" he asked amicably.
"Yes, sir. Lieutenant Merriweather traded with me since she doesn't have family at home. This will be my little one's first Christmas."
"They just get better and better," Jack answered. "Enjoy them while you can."
"Oh yes, sir, I intend to do just that." She made some quick notes in his chart then looked up at him. "Dr. Morton should be with you in just a minute, sir. I'll go let him know you're ready."
"Thank you, Lieutenant." He patted her hand as she set the chart down on the bed. "You have a merry Christmas. That's an order."
She snapped off a smart salute. "Yes, sir! You, too, sir!" The effect was ruined by the giggle she let go as she turned to leave.
Jack chuckled as he watched her walk away. It was only a couple minutes before Dr. Morton walked into the exam room. Jack looked down immediately to hide his smile. The doctor never failed to remind him of a bloodhound; sort of droopy eyed and slow moving.
"Colonel O'Neill," greeted the doctor. "Anything exciting happen off world?"
"We marched. We got wet. We marched some more." Jack paused. "That about covers it."
"How's the knee?"
Jack raised his eyebrows. He hadn't complained to the nurse, didn't think he'd been limping - how did the doctor know? Must be some sort of M.D. telepathy. "Little sore."
Morton squeezed gently around Jack's knee and gave a grunt. "I'd like you to take some anti_inflammatories for that for a few days. Feels pretty swollen. Stay off it as much as you can for the next 48 hours, use ice to keep the swelling down." Morton scribbled rapidly in the medical chart. "My father used to raise horses," he said and took a pad from his pocket. "Said this stuff worked wonders. Seemed to work on the horses, too." He snickered at his own joke. He handed Jack a small scrap of paper. "This won't do anything for that popcorn you call cartilage in your knee, but it will help loosen up the muscles and tendons around it."
"Horse liniment?" Jack asked skeptically.
Morton nodded and closed the chart. "Best place to get that is a little farm just outside town. Aylers Arabian's. I think it's out by your place."
"Yeah, I know it," Jack said as he tucked the paper into his pocket.
"Tell them Pete sent you. Maybe they'll even give you a discount." Morton stepped close to Jack. "All right Colonel, let's get this exam over with so we can both go home."
The exam was rapid but thorough and Jack was soon on his way. He stopped at the gear up room to shower quickly and change into his civvies. Another few minutes and he was in his office gathering up a few of his things to take with him over his extended down time. The whole team was off until after New Year's. He picked up the phone and dialed Daniel.
"That was fast," Daniel said upon answering.
"How'd you know it was me?"
"Who else would be ringing my office at eight minutes after midnight on Christmas morning?"
"Point taken," Jack said. "Ready to go?"
"I'll be fifteen minutes behind you," Daniel promised. "I had an airman bring your truck up when I heard you were coming home. It's up in the parking garage." He paused. "Jack, I promise - only fifteen minutes."
"Daniel."
"Jack. I didn't expect you to get done so fast, that's all. Fifteen minutes, I swear."
"I can wait."
"No, Jack, really, go on ahead. I'm just writing out a couple notes to help Nyan and then I'll be out the door." Daniel laughed when he heard the silence on the other end. "I swear!"
"Fifteen minutes, that's it. Any later than that and I'm going home."
"Drive carefully. We had a snow storm while you were gone. The roads are awful."
"Maybe I should wait - then we could take the truck."
"Jack, fer god's sake, I've got a Land Rover. I know how to drive in the snow. I'll be right there, I promise. And order me a beer."
"Alright," Jack said skeptically. "See ya in a few."
"Bye."
The phone clicked and Jack shrugged into his coat. Shaking his head he walked out of his office. He made a bet to himself that Daniel would be more than an hour late. He was grateful Daniel had the foresight to bring up his truck. He hated Daniel's driving on the best of days - in the snow it was even worse.
Murphy's was a small bar, dark, quiet and comfortable. It was always clean, the staff was always friendly, and they had nachos that were the best in the western U.S. As Jack entered the bar on a very blustery and snowy Christmas morning, he was greeted by the cheerful revelers that had made a custom of spending Christmas Eve night at the local tavern. The bar's name sake, a solid old man, greeted Jack from behind the bar.
"Jack O'Neill, ya old cuss! What are you doing here?"
"Just thought I'd enjoy a little Christmas cheer with ya, Murph," Jack said as he clasped the man's hand. "How about a Guinness?"
"Comin' up," Murphy smiled. "Bar?"
"Gonna grab a table," Jack said as he peeled off his coat. "And give me one of those horrid, European microbrews, would ya?"
"That doctor friend of yours must be coming along later," Murphy laughed.
Jack sat down at a back table near the jukebox. It was playing low, not overpowering the natural ambiance of the patrons and their laughter. Jack sank into the booth and let out a long-held breath. He shook his head and wondered when he'd gotten so old. A few of the waitresses stopped by to chat and tease back and forth with him and bring him the drinks he ordered. Eventually he was left in peace and his mind went immediately to the man who would be walking through the front door to the bar in a few minutes - presumably. He smiled and thought to barely an hour before when he'd looked up into the control room and seen Daniel there, like the answer to some badly muttered prayer. Even from that distance, Jack had seen the care and concern on the man's face, and the affection in his eyes.
Jack fought the goofy smile that threatened to break over his face at the mere thought of Daniel coming all the way to the mountain on a cold, snowy, icy Christmas Eve just to be with him. He felt hope boil up inside him until it nearly spilled over. He couldn't understand it, but damned if he wasn't going to give this . . . whatever it was . . . a chance. He shook his head. Daniel could do so much better than a broken down, sarcastic, cynical Air Force Colonel. Jack barely noticed when a song by The Jeff Healey band began to play.
Girl you're lookin' fine tonight
And every guy has got you in his sights
What you're doin' with a clown like me
Is surely one of life's little mysteries
So tonight I'll ask the stars above
How did I ever win your love?
What did I do?
What did I say?
To turn your angel eyes my way?
Jack fought back a laugh at the irony of the song. "Change a few 'she's' to 'he's' and they'd have it right," he muttered to himself as he took a drink of beer from the bottle. As he tilted his head up, he saw Daniel walk through the door, blue eyes sparkling as brightly as the Christmas lights that surrounded him.
++++
Fifteen minutes earlier
Daniel rapidly finished the note to Nyan and set it on the tablets he would be coming to get after Christmas. Just as he was finishing, a shy knock sounded at his door. There was Nyan, looking at him expectantly. "Daniel, I didn't think you'd be here."
"Hello, Nyan," Daniel said warmly. "I was just finishing a note for you."
"Oh, good. I've been so frustrated with this project . . . I'm just not getting the syntax down."
Daniel smiled. "It's not the easiest language to master, I'll give you that." He patted the tablet. "I just stopped in for a minute. I've got a da . . . an appointment I need to get to, so you'll understand if I don't have time to chat."
"Oh, of course. I was just coming down to borrow a reference book on the Peloponnesian language."
Daniel stacked a few folders on his desk then grabbed his coat. "Second shelf, I think," Daniel said distractedly as he tugged on his coat. "Do you have plans for tomorrow, Nyan?"
"Oh, yes. Leslie has invited me to have Christmas with her family. She says her children are very excited to have a guest for the holidays."
"Doctor Sims? Nyan, that's . . . that's wonderful. I'm glad you'll get to enjoy a little Earth culture." Daniel was nearly to the door.
"So am I. Everyone has been so excited about Christmas this year." He smiled shyly. "I'm looking forward to the gift exchange. I bought Leslie and her husband a small statuary. I hope they'll like it."
"I'm sure they will," Daniel said, backing toward the door. "Have a good night and a very Merry Christmas, Nyan."
"You, too, Daniel. Merry Christmas."
Daniel escaped down the hall and to the elevators. He was veritably bouncing in place as he stood waiting for the doors to open so he could meet Jack at Murphy's. Thankfully, once he did get in the car, it went straight to the eleventh floor where he made his transfer, continued on to the checkpoint and then out of the mountain. He was practically running when he hit the parking lot and hustled to his waiting Land Rover. After clearing the ice from the doorhandle and lock, he jumped in, started up the engine and turned the heat up all the way. It was an absolutely frigid night outside and his vintage vehicle didn't have the world's best heater. He waited until he'd turned onto the main road before flipping on a radio station that wasn't playing Christmas carols. He smiled as a familiar tune filled the air.
Well I'm the guy who never learned to dance
Who never even got one second glance
Across a crowded room was close enough
I could look but I could never touch
So tonight I'll ask the stars above
How did I ever win your love?
What did I do?
What did I say?
To turn your angel eyes my way?
Daniel chuckled to himself as the song played. Flashes of memory from high school came back to him. Perhaps not so much when Jack had met him, but earlier in his life Daniel had been the epitome of geekiness in high school. His foster family, who had loved him beyond all expectation, saw to it that he had a perfect teeth, and exactly the correct prescription glasses - however, wearing full braces and coke-bottle glasses did absolutely nothing for his social standing. He remembered the first time he'd gotten a crush on someone who was so completely out of his league that she'd practically been on another plane of existence altogether. And that was just the first. He'd become well acquainted with worshiping from afar.
But this thing with Jack - this was entirely different. This was real and possible, and so totally unexpected that he didn't dare turn away from it for fear that something this wonderful would never come his way again. One look from Jack - one look from those amazing brown eyes that could convey so much with a single glance, and he felt as though he was transported outside himself to the realm of the impossible. It made him giddy, like back in high school, but it was tempered, and somehow sweetened, with the adult experiences and life and death decisions that went with his life on a day to day basis.
Through the mist and snow Daniel saw the red neon sign for Murphy's. He pulled into the parking lot beside Jack's pickup and gave himself a little pat on the back. Good thinking - having Jack's truck waiting for him. Hopefully the gesture wouldn't go unnoticed - or unrewarded.
++++
Don't anyone wake me
If it's just a dream
Aw she's the best thing
Ever happened to me
All you fellows
You can look all you like
But this girl you see
Is leaving here
With me tonight
Daniel stepped through the door and was instantly hailed by Murphy. After a handshake and a chorus of hellos from the waitresses, Daniel took one glance around the bar. His eyes locked on Jack's and his heart sped up as he saw the smile break out on his friend's face. In that one moment Daniel knew that everything he'd dare hope for was there waiting for him. He just had to reach out. Giving a distracted smile and a 'no thank you' to a pretty blonde who asked him for a dance, he simply walked directly over to the booth where Jack was seated. The woman, obviously feeling scorned, turned sharply and walked into the ladies room to check her makeup.
Jack checked his watch as Daniel seated himself across the table. "Seventeen minutes. That's almost a record for you."
"I would have been here in fourteen, but I had to let the car heat up," Daniel said playfully. He accepted his beer from Jack and looked at the label. His eyebrows went up. "And who chose the beer?"
"I just asked for a microbrew," Jack said.
"Horrid European microbrew, I believe were the exact words," Murphy said as he laid a heaping platter of cheese-covered nachos on the table. Murphy stopped Jack from handing over any money. "On the house tonight boys. Merry Christmas."
"Thank you," Daniel said as he dove into the enormous pile of meat, cheese, beans, black olives, tomatoes, onions, guacamole, and sour cream. "These are the best." He shoveled a mouthful of food between his lips and grunted in appreciation.
"You'd swear he never eats," Jack said, shaking his head. "Thanks, Murph. Merry Christmas to you, too."
++++
There's just one more thing I need to know
If this love why does it scare me so?
Must be something only you can see
Cause girl I feel it when you look at me
"You know," Daniel said with a small chuckle, "this song was on in the car as I was driving here." He leveled his eyes with Jack's. "Made me think about some things."
"I've been sitting here thinking about a few things myself," Jack admitted as he nibbled on a corn chip. "I must admit, it's not the usual sort of thing I'm used to thinking about."
Daniel turned dead serious and leaned forward, putting one hand on Jack's forearm and squeezing slightly. "Don't think. For once, let's both just - take what's been given to us and go with it. I know you feel it - I know you do. It's the same thing that brought me up to the mountain tonight - and brought you home early."
Jack's heart was racing. What he was contemplating was crazy - more than crazy. But the look in Daniel's eyes was unmistakable, the desire in his voice evident. Jack nodded and was rewarded with a dazzling smile from Daniel. "This scares me to death, Daniel. I haven't felt this . . ." Jack motioned between them, "in a very, very long time. And quite honestly, I don't think you're getting the better end of the deal here."
"That's where you're wrong, Jack." Daniel's eyes were so pure blue at that moment that Jack had to look away. He didn't deserve the unconditional devotion he saw looking at him from across the table. "I couldn't have asked for better."
So tonight I'll ask the stars above
How did I ever win your love?
What did I do?
What did I say?
To turn your angel eyes my way?
They both smiled as the last chorus of the song faded away. Daniel turned toward the bar. "Hey, Murphy, could we get a to-go box? Jack and I have got to get going." He turned back to Jack and smiled. "Sam, Janet and Cassie aren't coming over until around ten o'clock. We can still get a full night's sleep."
Jack's eyes smoldered darkly. "Ever since I was a kid I was always way too excited to sleep on Christmas Eve. Looks like some things just never change."
Daniel licked his lips and pushed himself up from the table. "We can always take a nap." He turned as Murphy approached and took the box from his hands. "Got a teenager coming over tomorrow, Murph."
"Well you boys best get home and get to bed." The old man slapped both men's shoulders before he was dragged out onto the dance floor by one of the patrons.
"That's just what I was sayin'," Jack said. Daniel chuckled in response. He helped Daniel scoop the nachos into the box, grabbed his coat and headed out the door. The cold air slapped him in the face and he sniffed in the freezing night. His eyes went upward and he was surprised to see a wide break in the clouds and the stars dancing in the inky blackness. "Don't know who's up there listening - but thanks for giving this old man one more shot."
"You coming, Jack?" Daniel asked when he noticed his friend had stopped just outside the door.
Instead of answering, Jack merely held Daniel's gaze and let a slow, sexy smile spread over his face. "Oh yeah!" Daniel laughed as he hopped into his vehicle. Jack snickered and trotted to his truck. This was going to be a legendary holiday.
- finis -
Angel Eyes
Girl you're lookin' fine tonight
And every guy has got you in his sights
What you're doin' with a clown like me
Is surely one of life's little mysteries
(Chorus)
So tonight I'll ask the stars above
How did I ever win your love?
What did I do?
What did I say?
To turn your angel eyes my way?
Well I'm the guy who never learned to dance
Who never even got one second glance
Across a crowded room was close enough
I could look but I could never touch
CHORUS
Don't anyone wake me
If it's just a dream
Aw she's the best thing
Ever happened to me
All you fellows
You can look all you like
But this girl you see
Is leaving here
With me tonight
There's just one more thing I need to know
If this love why does it scare me so?
Must be something only you can see
Cause girl I feel it when you look at me
So tonight I'll ask the stars above
How did I ever win your love?
What did I do?
What did I say?
To turn your angel eyes my way?
Performed by The Jeff Healey Band
