094. Make-up
Second Chances
R (sex talk and language)
1646 words
Stargate SG-1
Prompt (094) Make-up
Jack, Daniel
Jack tries to fix things.
Part 6 of the Betrayal Series
Jack stood in front of the door to Daniel’s office. He didn’t know how long he’d been staring at it. Long enough for the people who passed to be giving him odd looks. He figured that was enough time to be frozen like a coward.
He took a deep breath and knocked. He received no answer, so he knocked again. “Daniel?”
His answer was a click. He tried the knob. Locked. He knocked a third time. “Daniel, please open the door.”
No reply.
Frowning, Jack went back to his office. Daniel had never, ever locked Jack out of his office before. Jack picked up the phone and dialed the number for Daniel’s office. After a few minutes of listening to the steady beep of a busy phone, he hung up. Daniel must have taken the phone off its cradle.
He didn’t see either Carter or Daniel the rest of the day, but he was having trouble avoiding Teal’c and the one time he crossed paths with the General he was rewarded with a grim, unforgiving glare.
When he was leaving the mountain, he asked if Daniel had left yet. The airman said Daniel had signed out almost an hour ago.
Worry and apprehension and guilt swam in his stomach as he drove to Daniel’s apartment. He could only hope Daniel was home-and hope, somehow, that he could convince Daniel to give him a second chance. He didn’t know how he would survive if Daniel refused to listen to him, and the younger man had every right to.
The elevator wasn’t working again, so he took the stairs. The trek seemed to take longer than usual, giving his whirling mind a chance to reveal every morbid possibility and show them to him. Every step upwards convinced him that much more that no matter what he said or did, he’d lost Daniel forever.
Finally, after what seemed like eternity, he reached Daniel’s floor. Then he was standing in front of Daniel’s door. 8-3. Floor eight apartment three. Slowly, he knocked.
“C’min’!” shouted a slurred voice, and Jack heard curses and several thumps before Daniel dragged the door open. His hair was messed up and his clothes disheveled. He blinked at Jack before anger clouded his features and he tried to slam the door. Jack caught it and easily forced it back open. He stepped into the apartment. Daniel stumbled away from him, caught himself on the wall, and then staggered down the hall to the living room. Jack followed him.
He stopped before he got into the room. The couch was completely gutted, pieces of stuffing and cloth scattered among a couple bottles. They’d had sex on that couch.
Daniel collapsed onto the chair across from it, taking a drink from the bottle he was holding. He was staring at the floor.
“Daniel…”
“Go ‘way,” Daniel said sullenly. “Don’ like you.”
“Can I talk?” Jack asked, descending into the living room and stopping in front of Daniel.
“Talk?” Daniel repeated, staring at him. Then he laughed. It was bitter and ugly. “Jack wants t’talk! I don’ want Jack t’talk. I want Jack t’leave.”
“Please, just-”
“Y’got no right, no right, t’beg, C’r’nel,” Daniel snapped, drinking the last bit of the liquor in the bottle. He stood, pushed past Jack, and wove into his kitchen. Jack followed, feeling helpless. He had to stop again at the sight of the kitchen. Pieces of glass and ceramic and wood littered the floor.
“What happened?” he whispered.
Daniel was reaching back into his liquor cabinet. He snagged another bottle, and he stopped in front of Jack. “Tha’ was your chair, an’ tha’ was your mug, an’ tha’ was th’ dish y’used t’make dinner.”
He went back to the living room, and tripped over a bottle. Jack barely caught him. When Daniel was upright again, he shook off Jack. “Don’ need you. Don’ need you, n’v’r ‘gain.”
Jack fiercely pushed back tears and tried again. “I made a mistake.”
“Damn righ’ y’did,” Daniel slurred, frowning. “You bastard. Take m’ heart and make me think y’love me an’ then tear it out an’ trample it an’ chop it t’pieces f’r good measure.”
“I didn’t mean to,” Jack said softly.
“Didn’ mean t’love me an’ then dump me?” Daniel asked darkly.
“With Carter-I didn’t-”
“Shouldn’ it be Sam? You slep’ wi’her f’r God’s sake!” Daniel yelled, viciously twisting the cap off of the bottle and swallowing. Jack watched his adam’s apple bob before dragging himself back to the present.
“I know,” Jack said. “But I could never think of her as ‘Sam’ and you know it.”
“Do I?” Daniel asked quietly, looking at the bottle. “You slept with her, Jack.” Daniel didn’t sound so drunk any more. “You said it was only me. Were you lying when you said that too? How many-” Daniel swallowed, “How many times have you cheated on me?”
“Never, Daniel,” Jack replied. “That was the first time.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Daniel asked, glancing at him before fixing his eyes on the bottle again. He took a drink. Jack bit his lip. “How do I even know I can believe you?”
Jack was a man of action. Words were not his strong suit. So he acted, and kissed Daniel. Daniel sat motionless, and then pushed him roughly away. His fingers clenched around the neck of the bottle, and for a split second Jack was frightened that Daniel was going to hit him with it. Instead Daniel stood, whirled, and hurled the bottle at the wall. It shattered in a cascade of hissing liquid and tinkling glass.
“You think a kiss can make it better?” Daniel seethed, shoulders shaking. He turned back to stare Jack in the eyes. “You think you can kiss me and suddenly I’ll forget that you fucked Sam?”
“Daniel, you have to understand, I was drunk and she was practically throwing herself at me,” Jack said desperately. He knew he’d said the wrong thing when rage flared in Daniel’s eyes.
“So I’m just supposed to let you fuck me until the next pretty woman comes along and plies you with drink?” Daniel snarled.
“That’s not what I meant,” Jack replied, frustrated with his inability to say what he meant.
“Well, then, what did you mean?” Daniel demanded.
Jack didn’t know what to say, because what he’d said was true. He’d been drunk, she had offered, and then they’d had sex. Daniel growled in disgust. He stomped to his room, still a little unsteady, and was about to slam the door when Jack stopped him.
“Please,” Jack begged, “I love you.”
Daniel wrenched his arm from Jack’s grip and shut the door. Jack heard the lock click into place. Jack literally felt his heart splinter into a million tiny pieces. His forehead thumped against the door, and then he turned and slid down to the floor.
Then he did the only thing he could think of to do: he started talking. “Do you remember the first time we kissed? Of course you do. You were so pissed. You started yelling at me. How could I expect you to blow me up? Paul wouldn’t order the ship to fire on me and Teal’c until you had given the go-ahead. You threw the wine glass at me, you remember? Full of wine. You put a picture over the stain later. Then you started yelling at me about how it was my fault that you’d have a big red stain on your wall. Then I don’t even remember what you said, but I remember walking over to you, grabbing your shoulders and kissing you. And you were so shocked you didn’t even kiss me back. I was so certain that I had ruined our friendship. By the time you reacted I was almost out the door. I remember how you grabbed me, and spun me around. I didn’t think you were that strong; and then you kissed me and I was so happy…we made love that night, too. That-that, Daniel, was beautiful. You with dark eyes, laid out on your bed under me, moaning and begging in languages I can’t even begin to name. Touching you, everywhere, I loved it. I loved how you reacted to me. You’re so sensitive, Daniel. And the way you kissed me, all tongue and passion…” Jack leaned his head back against the door. “That was art and beauty; that was perfection. Everywhere everyone’s looking for perfect, and there I had it, right under my hands.
“Daniel, I…I screwed up monumentally. I can’t even begin to describe. You know I’m not good with words, and I’m not asking for you to forgive me. I just want another chance. One more chance to love you. Because I do, so much.
“I love you, Daniel. Please, let me have one more chance,” Jack finished. It wasn’t until something wet soaked into his shirt that he realized he was crying.
There was silence in the apartment. Jack smiled bitterly. Of course, when he decided to pour out his heart, nobody would be listening. It had to be like that.
Then he heard the click of the lock.
Jack stood and turned, watching the bedroom door inch open. Daniel stood, lit by the living room lamp. His eyes were reddening, and there were tear tracks on his cheeks. He sniffled. Jack opened his arms, hoping against hope that Daniel would accept his apology. Daniel did. He lunged into Jack’s arms, burying his face into the crook of Jack’s neck, and began crying again. Jack wrapped Daniel in his arms, holding his shaking form, letting his own tears spill down his cheeks, and vowed he’d never hurt Daniel like this again.
They’d have a serious talk later. Right now, they just held each other.
Jack had a feeling they’d be okay.
Next: rabbit pulled OR to not forgive - an alternate ending
R (sex talk and language)
1646 words
Stargate SG-1
Prompt (094) Make-up
Jack, Daniel
Jack tries to fix things.
Part 6 of the Betrayal Series
Jack stood in front of the door to Daniel’s office. He didn’t know how long he’d been staring at it. Long enough for the people who passed to be giving him odd looks. He figured that was enough time to be frozen like a coward.
He took a deep breath and knocked. He received no answer, so he knocked again. “Daniel?”
His answer was a click. He tried the knob. Locked. He knocked a third time. “Daniel, please open the door.”
No reply.
Frowning, Jack went back to his office. Daniel had never, ever locked Jack out of his office before. Jack picked up the phone and dialed the number for Daniel’s office. After a few minutes of listening to the steady beep of a busy phone, he hung up. Daniel must have taken the phone off its cradle.
He didn’t see either Carter or Daniel the rest of the day, but he was having trouble avoiding Teal’c and the one time he crossed paths with the General he was rewarded with a grim, unforgiving glare.
When he was leaving the mountain, he asked if Daniel had left yet. The airman said Daniel had signed out almost an hour ago.
Worry and apprehension and guilt swam in his stomach as he drove to Daniel’s apartment. He could only hope Daniel was home-and hope, somehow, that he could convince Daniel to give him a second chance. He didn’t know how he would survive if Daniel refused to listen to him, and the younger man had every right to.
The elevator wasn’t working again, so he took the stairs. The trek seemed to take longer than usual, giving his whirling mind a chance to reveal every morbid possibility and show them to him. Every step upwards convinced him that much more that no matter what he said or did, he’d lost Daniel forever.
Finally, after what seemed like eternity, he reached Daniel’s floor. Then he was standing in front of Daniel’s door. 8-3. Floor eight apartment three. Slowly, he knocked.
“C’min’!” shouted a slurred voice, and Jack heard curses and several thumps before Daniel dragged the door open. His hair was messed up and his clothes disheveled. He blinked at Jack before anger clouded his features and he tried to slam the door. Jack caught it and easily forced it back open. He stepped into the apartment. Daniel stumbled away from him, caught himself on the wall, and then staggered down the hall to the living room. Jack followed him.
He stopped before he got into the room. The couch was completely gutted, pieces of stuffing and cloth scattered among a couple bottles. They’d had sex on that couch.
Daniel collapsed onto the chair across from it, taking a drink from the bottle he was holding. He was staring at the floor.
“Daniel…”
“Go ‘way,” Daniel said sullenly. “Don’ like you.”
“Can I talk?” Jack asked, descending into the living room and stopping in front of Daniel.
“Talk?” Daniel repeated, staring at him. Then he laughed. It was bitter and ugly. “Jack wants t’talk! I don’ want Jack t’talk. I want Jack t’leave.”
“Please, just-”
“Y’got no right, no right, t’beg, C’r’nel,” Daniel snapped, drinking the last bit of the liquor in the bottle. He stood, pushed past Jack, and wove into his kitchen. Jack followed, feeling helpless. He had to stop again at the sight of the kitchen. Pieces of glass and ceramic and wood littered the floor.
“What happened?” he whispered.
Daniel was reaching back into his liquor cabinet. He snagged another bottle, and he stopped in front of Jack. “Tha’ was your chair, an’ tha’ was your mug, an’ tha’ was th’ dish y’used t’make dinner.”
He went back to the living room, and tripped over a bottle. Jack barely caught him. When Daniel was upright again, he shook off Jack. “Don’ need you. Don’ need you, n’v’r ‘gain.”
Jack fiercely pushed back tears and tried again. “I made a mistake.”
“Damn righ’ y’did,” Daniel slurred, frowning. “You bastard. Take m’ heart and make me think y’love me an’ then tear it out an’ trample it an’ chop it t’pieces f’r good measure.”
“I didn’t mean to,” Jack said softly.
“Didn’ mean t’love me an’ then dump me?” Daniel asked darkly.
“With Carter-I didn’t-”
“Shouldn’ it be Sam? You slep’ wi’her f’r God’s sake!” Daniel yelled, viciously twisting the cap off of the bottle and swallowing. Jack watched his adam’s apple bob before dragging himself back to the present.
“I know,” Jack said. “But I could never think of her as ‘Sam’ and you know it.”
“Do I?” Daniel asked quietly, looking at the bottle. “You slept with her, Jack.” Daniel didn’t sound so drunk any more. “You said it was only me. Were you lying when you said that too? How many-” Daniel swallowed, “How many times have you cheated on me?”
“Never, Daniel,” Jack replied. “That was the first time.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Daniel asked, glancing at him before fixing his eyes on the bottle again. He took a drink. Jack bit his lip. “How do I even know I can believe you?”
Jack was a man of action. Words were not his strong suit. So he acted, and kissed Daniel. Daniel sat motionless, and then pushed him roughly away. His fingers clenched around the neck of the bottle, and for a split second Jack was frightened that Daniel was going to hit him with it. Instead Daniel stood, whirled, and hurled the bottle at the wall. It shattered in a cascade of hissing liquid and tinkling glass.
“You think a kiss can make it better?” Daniel seethed, shoulders shaking. He turned back to stare Jack in the eyes. “You think you can kiss me and suddenly I’ll forget that you fucked Sam?”
“Daniel, you have to understand, I was drunk and she was practically throwing herself at me,” Jack said desperately. He knew he’d said the wrong thing when rage flared in Daniel’s eyes.
“So I’m just supposed to let you fuck me until the next pretty woman comes along and plies you with drink?” Daniel snarled.
“That’s not what I meant,” Jack replied, frustrated with his inability to say what he meant.
“Well, then, what did you mean?” Daniel demanded.
Jack didn’t know what to say, because what he’d said was true. He’d been drunk, she had offered, and then they’d had sex. Daniel growled in disgust. He stomped to his room, still a little unsteady, and was about to slam the door when Jack stopped him.
“Please,” Jack begged, “I love you.”
Daniel wrenched his arm from Jack’s grip and shut the door. Jack heard the lock click into place. Jack literally felt his heart splinter into a million tiny pieces. His forehead thumped against the door, and then he turned and slid down to the floor.
Then he did the only thing he could think of to do: he started talking. “Do you remember the first time we kissed? Of course you do. You were so pissed. You started yelling at me. How could I expect you to blow me up? Paul wouldn’t order the ship to fire on me and Teal’c until you had given the go-ahead. You threw the wine glass at me, you remember? Full of wine. You put a picture over the stain later. Then you started yelling at me about how it was my fault that you’d have a big red stain on your wall. Then I don’t even remember what you said, but I remember walking over to you, grabbing your shoulders and kissing you. And you were so shocked you didn’t even kiss me back. I was so certain that I had ruined our friendship. By the time you reacted I was almost out the door. I remember how you grabbed me, and spun me around. I didn’t think you were that strong; and then you kissed me and I was so happy…we made love that night, too. That-that, Daniel, was beautiful. You with dark eyes, laid out on your bed under me, moaning and begging in languages I can’t even begin to name. Touching you, everywhere, I loved it. I loved how you reacted to me. You’re so sensitive, Daniel. And the way you kissed me, all tongue and passion…” Jack leaned his head back against the door. “That was art and beauty; that was perfection. Everywhere everyone’s looking for perfect, and there I had it, right under my hands.
“Daniel, I…I screwed up monumentally. I can’t even begin to describe. You know I’m not good with words, and I’m not asking for you to forgive me. I just want another chance. One more chance to love you. Because I do, so much.
“I love you, Daniel. Please, let me have one more chance,” Jack finished. It wasn’t until something wet soaked into his shirt that he realized he was crying.
There was silence in the apartment. Jack smiled bitterly. Of course, when he decided to pour out his heart, nobody would be listening. It had to be like that.
Then he heard the click of the lock.
Jack stood and turned, watching the bedroom door inch open. Daniel stood, lit by the living room lamp. His eyes were reddening, and there were tear tracks on his cheeks. He sniffled. Jack opened his arms, hoping against hope that Daniel would accept his apology. Daniel did. He lunged into Jack’s arms, burying his face into the crook of Jack’s neck, and began crying again. Jack wrapped Daniel in his arms, holding his shaking form, letting his own tears spill down his cheeks, and vowed he’d never hurt Daniel like this again.
They’d have a serious talk later. Right now, they just held each other.
Jack had a feeling they’d be okay.
Next: rabbit pulled OR to not forgive - an alternate ending