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brainofckTitle: Fantasia
Author:muck_a_luck, posting in brainofck
Pairing: Daniel Jackson/Jack O'Neill
Rating: PG
Summary: Maybe I had a dream about planning a huge party with a friend of mine. Maybe I was anticipating the report coming this December (hurry up Senate, dammit, your messing up my timeline! Update: Excellent!). Maybe I am in the mood for a festive season and wish I were going to something white tie.
Content/warnings: Maybe I overdid the schmoop a bit. This is a Thomas Kinkade Christmas postcard of a fic. Just warning you in advance.
Words: 2,982
Disclaimer: If anybody is planning a script like this for SG-1, I'm certainly not going to claim any rights to it. However, I'd be delighted to work in a co-writing/consulting/first-reader/advisory-type capacity, with my fee to be negotiated at that time. :D
Archive rights: Absolutely none. My journals only.muck_a_luck and brainofck
The Matrix: Winter. The Matrix is located here.
Beta: None.
The invitation specified "white tie." Jack contemplated mess dress, then decided that he would go civilian to Daniel's shindig. It seemed a little odd, Daniel hosting some kind of holiday party, but Jack noted it was on the Solstice, despite the Solstice being on a Tuesday. He was going to have to give the entire base the day off tomorrow, with the infirmary doling out free hangover remedies to the skeleton shift on duty.
The crowd in the parking lot looked remarkably dapper. Men in trailing white silk scarves, women with long gowns showing under their workaday coats. In the lobby, Jack was surprised he recognized anyone. People he usually saw only in uniform, or maybe in jeans and a t-shirt at a summer barbeque, were near strangers to him here, dazzling, smiling people he was sure he should know, completely out of context.
Carter, though, he couldn't miss. She arrived on the arm of some new guy. He felt a slight twinge that she had an "and guest" and Jack did not. She was a vision in a sleek gold gown, with strap things that showed off her shoulders and arms. Her hair was done up, and she even had a delicate jeweled tiara-type arrangement to hold her hair in place – the gift of some besotted prince or other on PX-something-something.
Jack sidled over to her, nudging her arm with his elbow to get her attention.
"And you never thought you'd have a place to wear that thing," he said.
Carter laughed without looking at him. "Ask Reed," she said, smiling up at her date. "I always wear it when I'm working in the shop."
Jack also looked up at Reed. Reed was taller than Teal'c, and he was built like a mountain. Jack would pay money to see that wrestling match. Jack was tempted to ask if 'Reed' was his given name or his family name. Instead, he held out his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Reed. I'm Jack. Better treat her right." Reed gave him a friendly, but completely confident once-over in response to what seemed to be an implied threat. Jack leaned in and whispered dramatically, "Carter's level three advanced, and she's one bastard in a knife fight."
Carter glared at him. Reed just grinned.
"That's how we met," he said, with a waggle of his eyebrows, causing Carter to burst out laughing. He whisked her away toward the ballroom and Daniel's big party.
"Hey, I like that guy!" he yelled after them, and Carter threw him a huge smile over her shoulder.
He found his way to the ballroom himself. Daniel was near the door, shaking hands with his arriving guests, hugging people, chatting with them. He was smiling and happy and if Carter was dazzling in her dress and tiara, well… Jack hesitated to say his best male friend was aglow, but he really was. Happy was such a good look on Daniel.
Then it was Jack's turn. When Daniel saw him, the glow turned to radiance. He crushed Jack in a bear hug that their evening wear was probably never designed to accommodate. Not that Jack really minded. He returned the enthusiastic hug with some surprise.
"Nice to see you, too, Daniel," he chuckled. He could feel Daniel's smile against his ear.
"Save me a seat," Daniel murmured, sending goosebumps down Jack's arms.
"Can do," Jack replied a little breathlessly, as Daniel let him go, holding him at arm's length and smiling at him as if they hadn't seen each other in years. For a moment Jack wondered if maybe during his day off Daniel had been whisked away to a time loop or another dimension or something and in fact they hadn't seen each other in years, at least from Daniel's perspective. But no. Daniel had been planning this party since his brainwave on Halloween. It was just the excitement. At least, Jack was pretty sure that was all it was.
He waded into the crowd. As a general, and also as everybody's boss, he had a certain amount of glad-handing to do himself.
At first Jack had thought Daniel had invited the entire SGC, but in fact it seemed to only be selected people who Daniel knew well. Most of the gate teams were represented, but only a few were attending in their entirety. He was pretty sure nearly the entire civilian staff was present. Speaking of… Thank God Harriman got to him before Felger did.
"This way, sir," the sergeant said, parting the crowd before them as he led Jack to where Carter was already sitting.
The table was laid out with ice-cold akevitt with crayfish and lutefisk. Daniel could be so weird sometimes. Jack was pretty sure he had never mentioned his secret love of akevitt and crayfish to Daniel – he didn't want to have to put up with the anthropological grilling that the revelation would have entailed. Jack did a snap and snatched up a crayfish before he even decided on a seat. He was glad no one told Daniel he had the wrong Solstice – akevitt and Scandinavian finger foods were really a mid-summer thing. Maybe Daniel knew and didn't care. Jack did note that there was chilled champagne as well, and more usual breads, veggies and cheeses on the tables. The guests were mingling, while a string quartet played in the background, alternating between Christmas songs and classical selections. Carter had a half-consumed glass in her hand and was leaning in very close to her date. Jack sat one seat away from Carter, planning to save the seat between them for their host.
He was starting to feel very alone – and ergo very exposed to another possible foray by Felger and Co. – when Teal'c materialized from the crowd, wearing no hat and looking very swank in his eveningwear. Ishta was on his arm, prompting both Jack and Reed to stand, as Teal'c chivalrously held her chair for her. She was elegant in white, silver to Carter's gold.
With Ishta on his left, Jack felt less at risk, and with another snap helping a couple more crayfish swim down to his stomach, he took in the beautifully decorated room. White lace tablecloths overlay Air Force blue linen. Little arrangements of votive candles and freesia decorated every place, with arrangements of white and blue pillar candles and orchids as centerpieces. The room was hung with glass snowflake and icicle decorations. Didn't anyone mention to Daniel that they lived in Colorado and Winter Wonderland might not be the best party theme? But it made Jack smile. Winter was his favorite season. Ice fishing was even better than summer fishing, after all.
"It's good to see you, Teal'c!" he commented, reaching for the liquor and downing a third snap. "Seems like you never get back to see us Tauri anymore."
Teal'c inclined his head.
"I regret that my endeavors have taken me so far from my friends," Teal'c stated. "And there is always one more issue that must be urgently addressed."
"I hear ya," Jack agreed with a sigh. "You gotta love peace in the galaxy, but the paperwork is a bear." As Jack lifted his glass, he saw Reed looking at him oddly over the centerpiece, and Carter and Teal'c lifting matching raised eyebrows. "And by 'galaxy' I mean 'Middle East,'" Jack amended, "and by 'paperwork' I mean 'paperwork.'" He shot back the snap.
"Riiight," Reed replied, lifting his own glass and doing a snap of his own.
"This is fun!" Daniel announced, as he dropped into the chair between Jack and Carter. He poured out a glass from the bottle by Carter and chugged the bubbly.
"Thirsty work?" Jack asked.
Daniel nodded.
"How's the lutefisk?" Daniel asked, separating off a piece from the platter in the middle of the table as Jack poured him a snap.
"I don't know, but I've been loving the crayfish."
Daniel drank the snap, blinking a little as it went down.
"Nice. Anise is not usually my thing, but it's good with the fish." Daniel looked around the room, a smile tugging the corners of his mouth. People were sitting down. Jack counted seventeen tables. So only about a hundred guests after all. Wait staff moved through, clearing the appetizers and tidying the tables for the dinner. Jack snagged the last crayfish as the plate was removed.
"So, gonna have a ten thousand dollar party every pagan holiday?" Jack asked.
"Twenty," Daniel corrected absent-mindedly. "One second."
He stood up and Carter started clinking her spoon on the side of her glass. Jack and the rest of the table joined in. Ishta seemed particularly delighted with the concept. Jack gently placed his hand over hers as the room quieted down. She put her spoon down with the mischievous look of a six-year-old at a wedding reception.
"It's so wonderful to have you all here," Daniel began. "Thank you so much for coming, even if it is Tuesday." There were chuckles around the room. "I could say a few words about the history and import of the Solstice and I'm sure you would all listen politely. So I won't." He laughed at the applause and hooting. "It's been really great to meet so many of your significant others. We just don't get enough opportunity for that." He smiled warmly at Reed, but also directed a grin to Capt. Sechinger a few tables over who was sitting, maybe a little self-consciously, with his boyfriend.
Jack had been pleased to see the evidence of the end of DADT in the room that night. Not only Capt. Sechinger, but Maj. Linda Maxwell was here with Martha Cameron, whom Maxwell had been brazenly introducing at parties for years as her "roommate," practically daring someone to ask.
"Anyway, I hope you like dinner, and afterwards, we'll clear the tables away so people can dance. Just let them know at the front desk if you need a ride home – all taxi fare is on me! So enjoy yourselves and the open bar!"
Daniel sat down to whistles and hearty applause, and more glass clinking from Ishta and Teal'c. He slumped down in his chair with the distinct look of a person who had just finished a hard job, who was now ready to just relax.
"So what's the occasion?" Reed asked.
Daniel seemed to revive. He resettled himself, reaching for the Reisling the waiter had just placed on the table.
"I just received a very large inheritance from a very dear, but distant relative," Daniel said. "I wanted to do something fun and something to remember him, too."
Carter looked dissatisfied with Daniel's answer. Jack wondered if she had thought the same thing Jack had – that Daniel was going to bring someone to this party. Jack felt bad for being glad Daniel came alone, but hey, if Jack couldn't have him, why should anybody else?
The food came, served family style. There were plates of sliced marinated beef, mashed potatoes, broccoli with cheese sauce. Nothing too fancy, and everything looked delicious. Even the couscous with roasted vegetables brought to every table for the vegetarians in the crowd smelled fantastic. Jack dug in.
Their table was strangely quiet as they ate. Carter and Reed were caught up in each other, whispering and giggling. Jack thought it must be a new love, or else Reed was the love of Carter's life. Hard to tell which yet. Carter tended to play her relationship cards pretty close to the vest. Maybe Daniel knew. There were whole bunches of interesting topics of conversation he could have raised with Teal'c and Ishta, but Jaffa nation-building wasn't open for discussion. Having so many folks around without security clearance certainly meant there would be no shop-talk to spoil Daniel's party.
Finally, a crew of four came to shoo them out of their chairs and carry their table back towards the wall of the room. They were clearing the dance floor.
The band kicked off with "Sing, Sing, Sing," and Jack had to grin. Sure enough, Ferretti and Mrs. Ferretti practically leaped onto the dance floor. They knew how to swing and they loved every chance they got to do it. A few other adventurous couples joined them, then the Ferrettis split off and grabbed partners from the crowd. Lou snagged Ishta, and Laura grabbed Daniel. Carter and Reed followed. Pretty soon practically everybody was out there, cutting the rug.
Jack leaned back in a pleasantly warm, akevitt-induced haze. The band played on: "Habanera" and "Lady Be Good." "Pennsylvania 6-5000" got everybody shouting and laughing. Daniel moved from partner to partner. Coombs cut in on Teal'c for a chance to dance with Ishta, leaving Teal'c free to cut in on Sechinger, whose handsome partner was clearly one of the best dancers in the room. Even sitting on the sidelines, Jack couldn't help grinning.
To Jack's delight, the band also had a singer, doing jazz standards. She grabbed a couple of women from the band and kicked off her set with "The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B" and then did a very up-tempo version of "It Don't Mean a Thing."
Finally, the band started something slower and the singer switched to Billie Holliday. The raucous crowd broke up, many dancers going for drinks or another visit to the dessert table. Daniel headed his way, a little breathless, tie and jacket long gone. He helped himself to a glass of water from the pitcher on the table, then poured a whole tumbler of champaign from the last bottle and threw that back with no more regard than if it had been another glass of water.
"It'll make a wine cooler in my stomach," Daniel commented as he dropped into a chair.
"More like three," Jack laughed. "Having fun?"
Daniel nodded.
"You haven't been dancing," Daniel accused. He poured out another glass of water and took a smaller sip. Couples were dancing cheek-to-cheek now, swaying gently to "I Thought About You."
"That kind of dancing is not for old guys with dicey knees," Jack objected.
"What about this kind of dancing?" Daniel asked. He smiled at Jack. Daniel was so handsome: tipsy, disheveled, flushed, happy. Here in the candle light, sitting together, romantic music in the background, Jack had a momentary lapse of sanity.
"This is dancing for lovers," Jack murmured, his eyes locked with Daniel's.
"Lovers?" Daniel replied. He didn't look away. Instead, he stood and held out his hand.
And Jack took it.
They came together, the fingers of Jack's left hand intertwined with the fingers of Daniel's right. Jack's arm slipped naturally around Daniel's shoulders. Daniel's arm wrapped around, palm resting warmly on the dip of Jack's spine, thumb rubbing gently in time to the music's pulse and the sway of their bodies together. Jack pulled their clasped hands to rest between their hearts.
Daniel laughed softly and rested his head against Jack's shoulder.
"I'm glad you came," he said, the words ghosting against Jack's skin.
"Tell me you didn't plan this whole thing just so you could ask me to dance." Jack turned his head to breathe in the scent of Daniel's hair.
"OK," Daniel sighed agreeably. "I didn't plan this whole thing just so I could ask you to dance."
"You're just telling me that because you think it's what I want to hear, aren't you?" Jack accused.
"Is it what you want to hear?" Daniel asked, raising his head to meet Jack's eyes again. So close. "Tell me you didn't fly all the way out here to spend a few hours watching me get drunk."
"No," Jack said. "I came all the way out here just because you asked me. And I want you to tell me you planned this all for me." Then he did the unthinkable and closed the tiny space between them, pressing their lips together.
The kiss was soft and hesitant, and a little awkward, because Daniel was smiling, Jack could feel it.
"I've wanted to do this for so many years," Daniel breathed in satisfaction.
"So why didn't you?" Jack asked, just because it felt so good, to feel Daniel's mouth against his – kissing, talking, breathing, it didn't matter what.
"How could I, when you couldn't?" Daniel challenged him, with just a tinge of bitterness. Jack felt the missed years, too. But he couldn't feel bitter. Not at this moment.
"There's a lunar eclipse tonight," Jack commented.
Daniel laughed at the non sequitur.
"How could I forget? You've been raving about it for weeks. I've got a patio set up on the roof of the hotel for all you stargazers to go to when it starts."
"It's the Solstice. The Solstice is a meaningful time. A long, long night, followed by the return of the sun," Jack continued.
Daniel hugged against him tighter.
"Are you going somewhere with this?" Daniel asked him. "Because we could be kissing right now." To punctuate his own point, Daniel kissed him again. This time it wasn't tentative at all, but it was long, and passionate and thorough.
As the deep kissed eased to gentle, exploratory presses and touches, Jack tried to remember what he had been planning to say.
"Yes, I do have a point," he stated, mock indignantly. He turned his head and whispered into Daniel's ear.
"Marry me, Daniel. Tonight."
Daniel jerked back to stare at him. Jack couldn't help smiling at the fish face.
"You're serious!" Daniel exclaimed.
"Never more," Jack replied. "Marry me. Teal'c's right there. I'm sure he can do the honors. A long night, followed by sunny days. It's us, Daniel."
Daniel whirled around, grabbing Jack by the hand.
"Teal'c!" he bellowed across the room.
When the brief ceremony was over, the band broke out into "Anything Goes," and Jack took Daniel out onto the dance floor and showed him some moves.
At 2325 they made a dash for the roof. They watched the eclipse from a shared pool lounger, wrapped in a thermal blanket, as the band packed up and the guests took away souvenir glass snowflakes and candles.
END
*FACEPALM*: Oops! Jack and Daniel went out to watch the eclipse 24 hours after it happened. Well, luckily, there were other things to do on the roof, and when everybody else realized there was no lunar eclipse, they decided to stay inside where it was warm, so they had plenty of privacy!
If you're interested, all my stories, in order, from one page. Also, my fiction recommendations.
Author:
muck_a_luck, posting in brainofckPairing: Daniel Jackson/Jack O'Neill
Rating: PG
Summary: Maybe I had a dream about planning a huge party with a friend of mine. Maybe I was anticipating the report coming this December (hurry up Senate, dammit, your messing up my timeline! Update: Excellent!). Maybe I am in the mood for a festive season and wish I were going to something white tie.
Content/warnings: Maybe I overdid the schmoop a bit. This is a Thomas Kinkade Christmas postcard of a fic. Just warning you in advance.
Words: 2,982
Disclaimer: If anybody is planning a script like this for SG-1, I'm certainly not going to claim any rights to it. However, I'd be delighted to work in a co-writing/consulting/first-reader/advisory-type capacity, with my fee to be negotiated at that time. :D
Archive rights: Absolutely none. My journals only.
muck_a_luck and brainofckThe Matrix: Winter. The Matrix is located here.
Beta: None.
The invitation specified "white tie." Jack contemplated mess dress, then decided that he would go civilian to Daniel's shindig. It seemed a little odd, Daniel hosting some kind of holiday party, but Jack noted it was on the Solstice, despite the Solstice being on a Tuesday. He was going to have to give the entire base the day off tomorrow, with the infirmary doling out free hangover remedies to the skeleton shift on duty.
The crowd in the parking lot looked remarkably dapper. Men in trailing white silk scarves, women with long gowns showing under their workaday coats. In the lobby, Jack was surprised he recognized anyone. People he usually saw only in uniform, or maybe in jeans and a t-shirt at a summer barbeque, were near strangers to him here, dazzling, smiling people he was sure he should know, completely out of context.
Carter, though, he couldn't miss. She arrived on the arm of some new guy. He felt a slight twinge that she had an "and guest" and Jack did not. She was a vision in a sleek gold gown, with strap things that showed off her shoulders and arms. Her hair was done up, and she even had a delicate jeweled tiara-type arrangement to hold her hair in place – the gift of some besotted prince or other on PX-something-something.
Jack sidled over to her, nudging her arm with his elbow to get her attention.
"And you never thought you'd have a place to wear that thing," he said.
Carter laughed without looking at him. "Ask Reed," she said, smiling up at her date. "I always wear it when I'm working in the shop."
Jack also looked up at Reed. Reed was taller than Teal'c, and he was built like a mountain. Jack would pay money to see that wrestling match. Jack was tempted to ask if 'Reed' was his given name or his family name. Instead, he held out his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Reed. I'm Jack. Better treat her right." Reed gave him a friendly, but completely confident once-over in response to what seemed to be an implied threat. Jack leaned in and whispered dramatically, "Carter's level three advanced, and she's one bastard in a knife fight."
Carter glared at him. Reed just grinned.
"That's how we met," he said, with a waggle of his eyebrows, causing Carter to burst out laughing. He whisked her away toward the ballroom and Daniel's big party.
"Hey, I like that guy!" he yelled after them, and Carter threw him a huge smile over her shoulder.
He found his way to the ballroom himself. Daniel was near the door, shaking hands with his arriving guests, hugging people, chatting with them. He was smiling and happy and if Carter was dazzling in her dress and tiara, well… Jack hesitated to say his best male friend was aglow, but he really was. Happy was such a good look on Daniel.
Then it was Jack's turn. When Daniel saw him, the glow turned to radiance. He crushed Jack in a bear hug that their evening wear was probably never designed to accommodate. Not that Jack really minded. He returned the enthusiastic hug with some surprise.
"Nice to see you, too, Daniel," he chuckled. He could feel Daniel's smile against his ear.
"Save me a seat," Daniel murmured, sending goosebumps down Jack's arms.
"Can do," Jack replied a little breathlessly, as Daniel let him go, holding him at arm's length and smiling at him as if they hadn't seen each other in years. For a moment Jack wondered if maybe during his day off Daniel had been whisked away to a time loop or another dimension or something and in fact they hadn't seen each other in years, at least from Daniel's perspective. But no. Daniel had been planning this party since his brainwave on Halloween. It was just the excitement. At least, Jack was pretty sure that was all it was.
He waded into the crowd. As a general, and also as everybody's boss, he had a certain amount of glad-handing to do himself.
At first Jack had thought Daniel had invited the entire SGC, but in fact it seemed to only be selected people who Daniel knew well. Most of the gate teams were represented, but only a few were attending in their entirety. He was pretty sure nearly the entire civilian staff was present. Speaking of… Thank God Harriman got to him before Felger did.
"This way, sir," the sergeant said, parting the crowd before them as he led Jack to where Carter was already sitting.
The table was laid out with ice-cold akevitt with crayfish and lutefisk. Daniel could be so weird sometimes. Jack was pretty sure he had never mentioned his secret love of akevitt and crayfish to Daniel – he didn't want to have to put up with the anthropological grilling that the revelation would have entailed. Jack did a snap and snatched up a crayfish before he even decided on a seat. He was glad no one told Daniel he had the wrong Solstice – akevitt and Scandinavian finger foods were really a mid-summer thing. Maybe Daniel knew and didn't care. Jack did note that there was chilled champagne as well, and more usual breads, veggies and cheeses on the tables. The guests were mingling, while a string quartet played in the background, alternating between Christmas songs and classical selections. Carter had a half-consumed glass in her hand and was leaning in very close to her date. Jack sat one seat away from Carter, planning to save the seat between them for their host.
He was starting to feel very alone – and ergo very exposed to another possible foray by Felger and Co. – when Teal'c materialized from the crowd, wearing no hat and looking very swank in his eveningwear. Ishta was on his arm, prompting both Jack and Reed to stand, as Teal'c chivalrously held her chair for her. She was elegant in white, silver to Carter's gold.
With Ishta on his left, Jack felt less at risk, and with another snap helping a couple more crayfish swim down to his stomach, he took in the beautifully decorated room. White lace tablecloths overlay Air Force blue linen. Little arrangements of votive candles and freesia decorated every place, with arrangements of white and blue pillar candles and orchids as centerpieces. The room was hung with glass snowflake and icicle decorations. Didn't anyone mention to Daniel that they lived in Colorado and Winter Wonderland might not be the best party theme? But it made Jack smile. Winter was his favorite season. Ice fishing was even better than summer fishing, after all.
"It's good to see you, Teal'c!" he commented, reaching for the liquor and downing a third snap. "Seems like you never get back to see us Tauri anymore."
Teal'c inclined his head.
"I regret that my endeavors have taken me so far from my friends," Teal'c stated. "And there is always one more issue that must be urgently addressed."
"I hear ya," Jack agreed with a sigh. "You gotta love peace in the galaxy, but the paperwork is a bear." As Jack lifted his glass, he saw Reed looking at him oddly over the centerpiece, and Carter and Teal'c lifting matching raised eyebrows. "And by 'galaxy' I mean 'Middle East,'" Jack amended, "and by 'paperwork' I mean 'paperwork.'" He shot back the snap.
"Riiight," Reed replied, lifting his own glass and doing a snap of his own.
"This is fun!" Daniel announced, as he dropped into the chair between Jack and Carter. He poured out a glass from the bottle by Carter and chugged the bubbly.
"Thirsty work?" Jack asked.
Daniel nodded.
"How's the lutefisk?" Daniel asked, separating off a piece from the platter in the middle of the table as Jack poured him a snap.
"I don't know, but I've been loving the crayfish."
Daniel drank the snap, blinking a little as it went down.
"Nice. Anise is not usually my thing, but it's good with the fish." Daniel looked around the room, a smile tugging the corners of his mouth. People were sitting down. Jack counted seventeen tables. So only about a hundred guests after all. Wait staff moved through, clearing the appetizers and tidying the tables for the dinner. Jack snagged the last crayfish as the plate was removed.
"So, gonna have a ten thousand dollar party every pagan holiday?" Jack asked.
"Twenty," Daniel corrected absent-mindedly. "One second."
He stood up and Carter started clinking her spoon on the side of her glass. Jack and the rest of the table joined in. Ishta seemed particularly delighted with the concept. Jack gently placed his hand over hers as the room quieted down. She put her spoon down with the mischievous look of a six-year-old at a wedding reception.
"It's so wonderful to have you all here," Daniel began. "Thank you so much for coming, even if it is Tuesday." There were chuckles around the room. "I could say a few words about the history and import of the Solstice and I'm sure you would all listen politely. So I won't." He laughed at the applause and hooting. "It's been really great to meet so many of your significant others. We just don't get enough opportunity for that." He smiled warmly at Reed, but also directed a grin to Capt. Sechinger a few tables over who was sitting, maybe a little self-consciously, with his boyfriend.
Jack had been pleased to see the evidence of the end of DADT in the room that night. Not only Capt. Sechinger, but Maj. Linda Maxwell was here with Martha Cameron, whom Maxwell had been brazenly introducing at parties for years as her "roommate," practically daring someone to ask.
"Anyway, I hope you like dinner, and afterwards, we'll clear the tables away so people can dance. Just let them know at the front desk if you need a ride home – all taxi fare is on me! So enjoy yourselves and the open bar!"
Daniel sat down to whistles and hearty applause, and more glass clinking from Ishta and Teal'c. He slumped down in his chair with the distinct look of a person who had just finished a hard job, who was now ready to just relax.
"So what's the occasion?" Reed asked.
Daniel seemed to revive. He resettled himself, reaching for the Reisling the waiter had just placed on the table.
"I just received a very large inheritance from a very dear, but distant relative," Daniel said. "I wanted to do something fun and something to remember him, too."
Carter looked dissatisfied with Daniel's answer. Jack wondered if she had thought the same thing Jack had – that Daniel was going to bring someone to this party. Jack felt bad for being glad Daniel came alone, but hey, if Jack couldn't have him, why should anybody else?
The food came, served family style. There were plates of sliced marinated beef, mashed potatoes, broccoli with cheese sauce. Nothing too fancy, and everything looked delicious. Even the couscous with roasted vegetables brought to every table for the vegetarians in the crowd smelled fantastic. Jack dug in.
Their table was strangely quiet as they ate. Carter and Reed were caught up in each other, whispering and giggling. Jack thought it must be a new love, or else Reed was the love of Carter's life. Hard to tell which yet. Carter tended to play her relationship cards pretty close to the vest. Maybe Daniel knew. There were whole bunches of interesting topics of conversation he could have raised with Teal'c and Ishta, but Jaffa nation-building wasn't open for discussion. Having so many folks around without security clearance certainly meant there would be no shop-talk to spoil Daniel's party.
Finally, a crew of four came to shoo them out of their chairs and carry their table back towards the wall of the room. They were clearing the dance floor.
The band kicked off with "Sing, Sing, Sing," and Jack had to grin. Sure enough, Ferretti and Mrs. Ferretti practically leaped onto the dance floor. They knew how to swing and they loved every chance they got to do it. A few other adventurous couples joined them, then the Ferrettis split off and grabbed partners from the crowd. Lou snagged Ishta, and Laura grabbed Daniel. Carter and Reed followed. Pretty soon practically everybody was out there, cutting the rug.
Jack leaned back in a pleasantly warm, akevitt-induced haze. The band played on: "Habanera" and "Lady Be Good." "Pennsylvania 6-5000" got everybody shouting and laughing. Daniel moved from partner to partner. Coombs cut in on Teal'c for a chance to dance with Ishta, leaving Teal'c free to cut in on Sechinger, whose handsome partner was clearly one of the best dancers in the room. Even sitting on the sidelines, Jack couldn't help grinning.
To Jack's delight, the band also had a singer, doing jazz standards. She grabbed a couple of women from the band and kicked off her set with "The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B" and then did a very up-tempo version of "It Don't Mean a Thing."
Finally, the band started something slower and the singer switched to Billie Holliday. The raucous crowd broke up, many dancers going for drinks or another visit to the dessert table. Daniel headed his way, a little breathless, tie and jacket long gone. He helped himself to a glass of water from the pitcher on the table, then poured a whole tumbler of champaign from the last bottle and threw that back with no more regard than if it had been another glass of water.
"It'll make a wine cooler in my stomach," Daniel commented as he dropped into a chair.
"More like three," Jack laughed. "Having fun?"
Daniel nodded.
"You haven't been dancing," Daniel accused. He poured out another glass of water and took a smaller sip. Couples were dancing cheek-to-cheek now, swaying gently to "I Thought About You."
"That kind of dancing is not for old guys with dicey knees," Jack objected.
"What about this kind of dancing?" Daniel asked. He smiled at Jack. Daniel was so handsome: tipsy, disheveled, flushed, happy. Here in the candle light, sitting together, romantic music in the background, Jack had a momentary lapse of sanity.
"This is dancing for lovers," Jack murmured, his eyes locked with Daniel's.
"Lovers?" Daniel replied. He didn't look away. Instead, he stood and held out his hand.
And Jack took it.
They came together, the fingers of Jack's left hand intertwined with the fingers of Daniel's right. Jack's arm slipped naturally around Daniel's shoulders. Daniel's arm wrapped around, palm resting warmly on the dip of Jack's spine, thumb rubbing gently in time to the music's pulse and the sway of their bodies together. Jack pulled their clasped hands to rest between their hearts.
Daniel laughed softly and rested his head against Jack's shoulder.
"I'm glad you came," he said, the words ghosting against Jack's skin.
"Tell me you didn't plan this whole thing just so you could ask me to dance." Jack turned his head to breathe in the scent of Daniel's hair.
"OK," Daniel sighed agreeably. "I didn't plan this whole thing just so I could ask you to dance."
"You're just telling me that because you think it's what I want to hear, aren't you?" Jack accused.
"Is it what you want to hear?" Daniel asked, raising his head to meet Jack's eyes again. So close. "Tell me you didn't fly all the way out here to spend a few hours watching me get drunk."
"No," Jack said. "I came all the way out here just because you asked me. And I want you to tell me you planned this all for me." Then he did the unthinkable and closed the tiny space between them, pressing their lips together.
The kiss was soft and hesitant, and a little awkward, because Daniel was smiling, Jack could feel it.
"I've wanted to do this for so many years," Daniel breathed in satisfaction.
"So why didn't you?" Jack asked, just because it felt so good, to feel Daniel's mouth against his – kissing, talking, breathing, it didn't matter what.
"How could I, when you couldn't?" Daniel challenged him, with just a tinge of bitterness. Jack felt the missed years, too. But he couldn't feel bitter. Not at this moment.
"There's a lunar eclipse tonight," Jack commented.
Daniel laughed at the non sequitur.
"How could I forget? You've been raving about it for weeks. I've got a patio set up on the roof of the hotel for all you stargazers to go to when it starts."
"It's the Solstice. The Solstice is a meaningful time. A long, long night, followed by the return of the sun," Jack continued.
Daniel hugged against him tighter.
"Are you going somewhere with this?" Daniel asked him. "Because we could be kissing right now." To punctuate his own point, Daniel kissed him again. This time it wasn't tentative at all, but it was long, and passionate and thorough.
As the deep kissed eased to gentle, exploratory presses and touches, Jack tried to remember what he had been planning to say.
"Yes, I do have a point," he stated, mock indignantly. He turned his head and whispered into Daniel's ear.
"Marry me, Daniel. Tonight."
Daniel jerked back to stare at him. Jack couldn't help smiling at the fish face.
"You're serious!" Daniel exclaimed.
"Never more," Jack replied. "Marry me. Teal'c's right there. I'm sure he can do the honors. A long night, followed by sunny days. It's us, Daniel."
Daniel whirled around, grabbing Jack by the hand.
"Teal'c!" he bellowed across the room.
When the brief ceremony was over, the band broke out into "Anything Goes," and Jack took Daniel out onto the dance floor and showed him some moves.
At 2325 they made a dash for the roof. They watched the eclipse from a shared pool lounger, wrapped in a thermal blanket, as the band packed up and the guests took away souvenir glass snowflakes and candles.
END
*FACEPALM*: Oops! Jack and Daniel went out to watch the eclipse 24 hours after it happened. Well, luckily, there were other things to do on the roof, and when everybody else realized there was no lunar eclipse, they decided to stay inside where it was warm, so they had plenty of privacy!
If you're interested, all my stories, in order, from one page. Also, my fiction recommendations.
This was so lovely
Date: 2011-02-09 11:23 pm (UTC)