Jack slapped his baseball cap against his leg before placing it on his head once more and sighed as he straightened from his crouched position.

"Carter, one hour to go," he warned.

"Almost done, sir," she muttered as she continued gathering her samples. "I'll be ready."

"I'm heading back to the Gate," he said, but Carter ignored him, talking to herself under her breath.

He took a swig of water from his canteen as he walked up the small hill towards the Gate.

"Teal'c," he acknowledged the other man, "you want to keep an eye on Carter? She should be done in about fifteen minutes."

"I will assist her, O'Neill," Teal'c nodded. "DanielJackson reported that he will complete his duties on time also."

Jack gave a little wave as Teal'c headed down the hill and he continued on his path towards Daniel and the temple.

"So, Daniel, what do you want me to do?" Jack O'Neill stood beside Daniel.

"Hmm?" Daniel gave an absent-minded sound, continuing to brush lightly at the mosaic on the temple floor. 

"What. Do. You. Want. Me. To. Do." Jack squatted beside Daniel, waving a hand in front of Daniel's face.

Daniel put aside the small squirt bottle he was using to wash away dirt  and looked sideways at Jack. "I thought you were helping Sam with one of her experiments."

"Yeah." Jack's gaze slid away a moment before coming back to rest on Daniel's. "Well, let's just say, Carter's idea of help and mine differ on a few levels. Do you know what kind of samples she's collecting?"

Daniel hid a smile. "Didn't like the smell, huh, Jack?"

Jack made a face. "She said she preferred that I help you. Carter needs to learn how to be subordinate."

Daniel laughed out loud at that comment. "I'll just bet she did." He looked around the small temple. The mosaic was nearly uncovered, the result of three days of backbreaking work. He pushed himself up from the tiles and stretched. "I don't have much more left to do here, Jack."

"You know we only have an hour left," Jack warned. If he could have, he would have stayed on this planet a few more days; allow Daniel and Carter more time to do their stuff. Daniel's eyes had lit up like a kid's on Christmas morning when he discovered the mosaic the second day. The ruins of the temple had been largely unremarkable Daniel said, but somehow the archaeologist had spied the merest glimmer of blue glass under the dirt that covered the floor. Once he'd discovered that, Jack and the others had been lucky to get Daniel to eat and sleep. Luckily Carter's experiments had been time consuming giving Daniel an extra couple days to work on uncovering the mosaic.

Watching Daniel kneel on the floor once more, Jack's knees gave a twinge of sympathy. There were advantages of course, he wouldn't deny that. Daniel's aching knees meant Jack got to massage those long legs while liberally sprinkling them with kisses. And he'd discovered a few weeks ago that if he blew on the back of Daniel's left knee, Daniel would give a low throaty laugh that had incredible effects on Jack's libido. Not to mention that Daniel got really turned on by it too.

While the sight of Daniel's backside was a lovely one, Jack found his gaze drawn to his lover's hands. When Daniel worked on a dig, he did everything with a slow, careful, methodical pace that Jack found almost meditative.

Jack studied the back of Daniel's head. His hair was plastered to his head wet with sweat. As he watched, a trickle of perspiration wound its way down Daniel's grimy neck. Daniel brought his left hand to swipe it away and then attended to his painstaking work once more.

Checking his watch, he hoped Daniel had finished his task. He didn't really want to admit it to Daniel but he was looking forward to seeing the mosaic uncovered himself. It had been like watching a jigsaw puzzle being put together, except this time the box was missing and no one knew what the picture was going to show them.

"Thirty minutes, Danny," he spoke softly.

Daniel nodded and then rocked back onto his heels. "Good. I'll have time to take my photos and record it."

"It's done?" Jack straightened from his leaning position against a pillar and took a step towards the mosaic.

"No." Daniel was at Jack's side before he was able to take another step. "Close your eyes."

"What do you mean, close my eyes?" Jack tried to sidestep around Daniel but the other man wouldn't move.

"I mean, close your eyes," Daniel repeated and brought a hand up towards Jack's face.

Jack sighed and closed his eyes obediently. "You mean to tell me that I'm not going to get to see it?"

"Of course you're going to get to see it. I just want..." Daniel hesitated. Jack heard his breath coming just slightly faster. "See it through my eyes, Jack. Okay?"

Daniel knew that he respected his work. But Jack had never understood the excitement Daniel felt at the discovery of some obscure dialect or the thrill of uncovering some ancient pottery that was no more than bits and pieces. It made Daniel happy, Daniel loved it; that had been and was enough for Jack.

Daniel's hands rested lightly on Jack's shoulders, guiding him the few steps to the mosaic.

"Okay," Daniel whispered in Jack's ear sending a shiver down Jack's spine. "Open your eyes."

Jack obeyed, unable to resist Daniel anymore here than in the bedroom. Centuries of dirt had been carefully washed away and the mosaic was now uncovered for whatever travelers came through the Gate. Bits of blue and green glass provided a background of color for the portrait of a young aristocratic looking woman. Jack knelt, ignoring the twinge in his knee as he did so. He reached out a hand to brush at her hair composed of bits of golden glass, run his fingertips across a pinkened cheek, over full lips and brown eyes, and found himself unable to speak.

Daniel crouched beside him, his own fingers trailing after Jack's.  Jack stopped and stole a glance at his lover. Daniel was once again focused on the mosaic; his eyes alight with the joy of his work. Daniel's hand bumped into Jack's and Daniel looked at him and smiled.

"She's beautiful, Daniel." Jack smiled back. "Any ideas about her?"

He shook his head. "Not much of anything, Jack. I haven't discovered any clues as to why this temple was built, who lived here, why they died out." He shrugged. "Maybe when we get back home I'll be able to make a few more educated guesses."

"Guess this mission was a bust for you then." Jack stood up and moved back as Daniel grabbed his pack and pulled out the digital camera. "At least Carter got what she came for."

Looking over his shoulder at his lover, Daniel's tone was incredulous. "A bust? Jack, I didn't expect to find anything at all here. And maybe we won't ever know who she was or anything about who was here, but we found her. She shouldn't be forgotten. whoever she was." Daniel turned back to his camera and began taking photographs.

"Carter and Teal'c would like to see this," Jack said softly.

Daniel lowered the camera. "Yeah, I know. Just..."

"Ten minutes long enough?"

Daniel nodded. "I'm being selfish, I guess. I just want to enjoy it a little more, you know?"

"I know Daniel and thanks for sharing it with me." Jack smiled and stepped back to Daniel's side. "Mind if I watch?"

Daniel gave him one of his slow smiles. "Just don't get your feet in any of my shots."

Jack grinned and went back to watching Daniel doing his job.

'Today put on perfection.' Why that quote came into his mind he had no idea. Sara had read the poem aloud to him once when they'd been on a picnic a few weeks before their wedding. He'd discovered Sara loved John Donne and had given her a book of his poetry, packing it in the picnic basket for her to discover when they'd arrived at the park.

He couldn't remember much more of the poem, although he knew it had something to do with marriage. But that one phrase had jumped out at him then and echoed in his mind now.

'Today put on perfection.' Warmth filled Jack as Daniel packed away the camera with small economical movements and the ease of long practice.

Daniel pulled the pack over his shoulder and stuck his boonie back on his head. "You want to call Sam and Teal'c?"

Jack nodded and stepped outside to radio them.

"Today put on perfection.' In less than ten minutes they'd be walking through the Gate. Daniel and he would go home and spend the rest of the day making slow lazy love in the bedroom. He'd prefer the carpet in front of the fireplace but sometimes it made his back ache and then Daniel complained because Jack was out of commission for a day. 



"See you on Monday, SG-1." General Hammond smiled at all of them as they stood to leave the briefing room.

"I'm going to see if I can start running some of my tests on those rock samples I brought back," Carter said as they waited for the elevator a few minutes later.

"Major Feretti has requested my assistance with training some new recruits in Jaffa weaponry," Teal'c nodded. "I will accompany you to breakfast, MajorCarter."

"Thanks, Teal'c." Carter smiled at him. "Sir, are you and Daniel going to join us?"

Jack gave a glance at Daniel who was leaning against the wall staring morosely into his coffee cup. Looked like his favorite linguist's batteries had just petered out. "I don't think so, Carter."

She looked at Daniel sympathetically. "Gate lag." It was something that all of them had been affected by at one time or another, gate lag their pet term for it; leaving a planet at dusk and coming back to the middle of an Earth day, or waking up in the middle of the night to step through the Gate into an unexplored planet's dawn. "I understand, sir. We'll see you on Monday."

The drive home had been silent. Silent except for Daniel's frequent yawns. Jack hadn't been able to resist sneaking glances at Daniel as he drove. At times he reminded Jack of a stubborn toddler. He knew that Daniel was exhausted, all the ceaseless work he'd done on the mission catching up with him. But like a child, Daniel was fighting sleep.

Daniel sat up straight as Jack swerved to avoid a truck pulling out from a side street.

"That gets the blood pumping," Daniel joked. "You should have let me drive."

"Uh huh," Jack nodded. "You're running on caffeine and fumes, Daniel. And don't forget I have superior reaction time to you; all those years in Special Ops."

"Oh yeah? How about we test those reaction times when we get home? Speaking of which..."

"Two blocks, Daniel. Superior reaction time and a much better sense of direction."

"I don't have my glasses on," Daniel reasoned.

"You're also half asleep, have a much slower reaction time than I do, and believe that you should ask for directions when you get lost." Jack smiled and reached out to pat Daniel's knee. "But don't worry, I love you anyway."

"You're so generous, Jack. And such a romantic too. How lucky can one guy be?"

"Since you have me, I'd say pretty damn lucky."

"Good thing you didn't stop at Starbuck's to get me that cup of coffee. I'd be choking to death on it. Did you add 'full of himself' to your list?"

"I'd rather be full of you," Jack said as he pulled in the driveway and squeezed his hand on Daniel's thigh.

Jack watched as his lover slowly unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and licked his lips. Teasing was definitely Daniel's forte. Daniel was out of the Avalanche as soon as Jack had shifted into park.

Jack leaned his head against the steering wheel a moment before stepping out into the beautiful spring morning.

Daniel wasn't waiting in the bedroom as Jack suspected he would be when he entered the house. No, Daniel was standing in the kitchen watching the coffee begin to drip into the pot.

Sneaking up behind him, Jack twined his arms around Daniel's waist, nipping at Daniel's neck.

"Coffee first," Daniel warned, the effect lost as he yawned at the end of it.

"This pot takes forever." A strategic kiss placed on Daniel's nape caused him to lean back into Jack.

"Not my fault; you insist we don't need a new one." Daniel turned in Jack's arms, licking the hollow of Jack's collarbone.

Jack shivered. "C'mon, Daniel. Bedroom." He didn't want to admit it but he was tired too. His body was telling him it was night despite the sunshine streaming into the kitchen. On P8Q-990 it was the middle of the night and, despite the fun he and Daniel had in the kitchen in the past, Jack really wanted nothing more than to stretch out on the king size mattress in the bedroom and cover Daniel's body with kisses.

Daniel gave a huge sigh and pushed away from the counter. "Maybe we should put a coffee maker in the bedroom," he commented as they made their way up the few steps and down the hall.

Jack snorted. A sudden image of him fucking Daniel while Daniel lounged in bed holding a coffee mug filled his mind. "How about we skip that idea?"

Daniel shrugged. He went to the window and opened it; one advantage Jack had discovered of living in his suburban neighborhood. The families were mostly two parent working households. During the week no one was home until three or later. If he and Daniel came back from a mission in the middle of the morning and wanted to lie in bed with the windows open they didn't have to worry about anyone overhearing them, although Daniel, despite his linguistic abilities, was unusually quiet during their lovemaking sessions.

Jack picked up Daniel's shoes, shirt, and pants from the floor as his lover went into the bathroom leaving the trail of clothes behind him. He took care of his own clothing as well and turned back the bed, telling himself he was only going to lie down for a moment or two, just until Daniel got back.

The bedroom was in partial shade due to the tree that grew right outside the room, but enough sunlight pervaded the room to make it warm. There was a particular spot in the middle of the bed that was especially warm. Jack moved into it, knowing that when Daniel came back he'd probably fight Jack for it.

The bliss of the sun-warmed sheet, the coolness of the pillow under his cheek, Jack stretched out in luxury. He closed his eyes, feeling the spring breeze skim over him. All he needed to make it perfect was...

The bed shifted slightly as Daniel crawled into bed, stretching out. One of his feet slid up Jack's calf and down again.

"Feels good," Daniel muttered and then yawned once more.

"Oh yeah." Jack reached out to pull Daniel slightly closer but gave up the effort. It just felt so good to stretch out and not move a muscle.

He turned his head, thinking maybe he would give Daniel a kiss. Daniel was facing him, his eyes closed.

"Hey, Jack?"

"Yeah, Daniel?" Jack turned onto his side, capturing Daniel's foot between his.

"I've been thinking that maybe testing reaction times should wait."

"I think that's a good idea," Jack agreed. "You know, just until we have a nap or something."

"Nap, nap is good." Daniel snuggled closer to Jack, bringing his arms up to rest between their chests.

"Just for awhile." Jack tugged the quilt up over their nude bodies, feeling Daniel shudder at the warmth.

"Uh huh, just awhile."

Jack lay watching Daniel breathing softly for a moment or two before closing his own eyes. The image of the mosaic Daniel had uncovered filled his mind. For a few moments on the planet he'd known that joy that Daniel felt in doing his job. Jack was a soldier. A mission well done and successful was just that; a mission completed and under the belt. But for a few seconds today he'd shared in Daniel's excitement and exhilaration of discovery. Daniel was right; the mission hadn't been a bust for him, or for Jack either. He'd caught a glimpse into his lover's soul, a pretty perfect ending to the day when it came down to it. Jack smiled and followed Daniel into his dreams.

FINIS

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babs, 2002.
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Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. These stories are for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. These stories may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author. Copyright on images remains with the above named rightsholders.
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