Jack's Immortal 10
Forgiveness
by Admiral Q O
Jack lay at home in his bed, sleeping alone, while all around him was peace and quiet, not so much as a cricket chirping to disturb the pre-dawn light. All was clear, the air crisp and clean, as the sun prepared to break over the eastern sky; all of nature displaying a promise of a beautiful day lying ahead. But there was no peace awaiting Jack, only another day of renewed pain as voices echoed from deep within his memory...
"I let her get close, Methos."
"How close?"
"Too close."
Jack woke with a start, the brief bit of dialogue between him and Methos from weeks earlier replaying vividly in his mind yet again. The look of comprehension and pain in Methos' eyes had made Jack want to curl up and die. After being gone for nearly four months, stranded on an alien planet due to a freak accident, Jack had returned home to Methos' waiting arms, but the guilt of his actions while away had been too overwhelming to allow him even a welcome home kiss before he'd confessed them.
After his confession, Jack had handed to Methos the journal he'd kept while away, thankful that Daniel had evacuated the planet in such a hurry that he'd left the mostly blank notebook behind, a pencil attached to it. For the next agonizing hour, Methos had been in the living room reading the journal, while Jack had gone out on the porch and nursed a double-bourbon while waiting. Once done reading, Methos had called Jack inside the house and Jack had feared the worst.
Methos had read the entry out loud, the words piercing Jack's heart and soul like a two-edged sword. Then Methos had flipped to near the end of the notebook and read Jack's final entry, once again out loud for Jack to hear and relive...
At that point, Jack had simply stared at Methos, tears streaming down both their cheeks. How could Jack have done such a thing? How could he have given up hope of getting home? Jack and Methos had been married less than a year, damn it, and he'd turned to another's arms? Methos had then taken a deep breath and turned to a loosened page at the rear of the book. Lara had found Jack's journal. She'd known about it all along, apparently, and she'd left a note in the back, addressed to Methos...
To Jack's Sweetheart...
How I envy you. Everyday while Jack has been on my world, his heart has been with you. He rises early in the morning and spends time thinking of you, speaking with you though you cannot hear him. And every night, you are with him in his dreams, his whispers of Sweetheart coming out as he sleeps on my floor. I had thought that with the passing of time he would let go of you, but he hasn't. Even last night when he finally accepted our world as his new home, you were there with him, the third person in the room when I took him into my bed. You are the part of him that he will never let go. He told me as much, but I didn't care. I kissed him and led him, but he had been drinking and fell asleep before anything of consequence occurred. I finished undressing him and lay with him, wishing for things that could never be, leading him to believe that we had been intimate. That is what really happened, but I am too ashamed to tell him to his face. One day, if you read this, or if he does...then the truth will be known. Jack loves you more than anything or anyone, more than life itself. I hope you will forgive him for his transgression. Hopefully one day you can both forgive me for mine.
Lara
Jack had been stunned. He'd had no idea that the note from Lara was there. He'd been so busy with Teal'c and the others, getting the Stargate up-righted so that he could then get home that he hadn't looked inside the journal since writing his last entry. He'd then opened his mouth to speak, but Methos had suddenly turned away from him and thrown the journal across the room.
After that Methos had left, saying he needed to clear his head before they could talk anymore about what had happened. He'd used his cell phone and laptop at the airport to clear his schedule then he'd sojourned to France where he'd spent time in quiet reflection, isolated at his chateau where he and Jack had spent their wedding night and a brief honeymoon together. Two weeks later, Methos had decided Jack's life span was too short to leave him waiting any longer; that it was time for them to move on.
In the end, Methos had accepted that Jack had never given him up completely, that he had truly spent the majority of his time while away thinking of Methos and being faithful to him. They had reconciled, but the strain of the affair on their marriage had given Jack pause and he still wasn't completely over it.
"Crap," Jack grumbled as he got out of bed, heeding the call of nature. Once done with that he padded off to the guest room and powered up his computer before he went out to the kitchen to make coffee. By the time he had his mug in hand and was back in front of his computer logging into their usual chat room, Methos was logged in and waiting for him.
OZ: Good morning, my love.
SCARECROW: Good morning, Doctor O'Neill. How are you and Little Jack doing today?
OZ: Fine...he's still keeping my ass company.
Jack and Methos then each laughed. It was there new running joke – Little Jack. During their make-up sex, Jack had discovered a small tattoo on Methos' right ass cheek, one that hadn't been there before Jack's ill-fated mission that had stranded him. As Methos had explained, Jack hadn't been the only fool during their time apart. Methos had gone on a drunkard shortly after he'd received the news of Jack being left behind with seemingly no way to retrieve him, and quite possibly dead from the meteor strike that had taken out the Stargate. Alone and in a stupor, Methos had staggered out of the final bar he'd landed in, onto the street, and then into a nearby tattoo parlor. When he'd seen the picture of a tiny devil holding its pitchforked tail and grinning, he'd thought instantly of Jack – his little imp. The next morning he'd woken with a sore ass to accompany his hangover and found the tattoo, which he'd named Little Jack.
OZ: How did you sleep?
SCARECROW: Slept good...woke up bad.
Methos stared at the screen and let out a heavy sigh. Even though they'd reconciled, Jack's nights were still haunted by the guilt that loomed over him like a dark grey cloud. Methos was at his wits' end as to what more he could do to help Jack get passed it. He'd forgiven Jack and they'd renewed their vows to one another quietly by the roaring fireplace in Jack's house. A week later, Methos had even gone so far as to reclaim Jack for his mate by means of an ancient ritual he had used when taking his first wife centuries earlier, Jack submitting in order to atone for his unfaithfulness. Methos had said that the ritual wasn't necessary for him and had reiterated his forgiveness for Jack's actions; but Jack had insisted that they go through with it anyway. And yet, afterwards, Jack still couldn't seem to forgive himself for what had happened. Jack would now have to come to terms with his guilt within himself – in his own way and in his own time. There was nothing more that Methos could do, or was there?
OZ: Maybe I should give up the university and my apartment in Denver...stay with you full time.
Jack sighed and felt a tear welling up in his right eye as he read the screen. The last thing he wanted was for Methos to give up his research, but he knew that he would in a heartbeat if that's what Jack wanted. The reminder was enough to make Jack feel even more the heel.
SCARECROW: No. You need the facilities for your research, speaking of which I have a surprise for you.
OZ: Oh?
Methos smiled as he could picture the playful grin on Jack's face in his mind.
SCARECROW: I arranged for Thor to pick you up in an hour or so. You'll be able to compare notes and brainstorm for a few days.
OZ: How? Wait...a few days?
SCARECROW: A week...ten days
OZ: Who else knows of this arrangement?
SCARECROW: Just the Asgard.
OZ: What do I tell Daniel?
SCARECROW: I'll cover you at the base. So far as anyone knows, you're on a special assignment until further notice. Besides, Daniel has a lot on his plate. He'll be too busy to miss having you around drinking up all his coffee.
Jack and Methos then shared another laugh as Methos' mind went into overdrive, trying to figure out what kind of arrangement was in place and what was going to be expected of him.
SCARECROW: I've got a quick memo drafted...puts you on loan to The Pentagon. No one will question it...trust me.
OZ: Okay.
SCARECROW: Thor will explain the rest. You should get ready. Got a big day ahead of you.
OZ: You, too.
SCARECROW: I guess. Thanks again for picking up my dress blues.
OZ: You're welcome. Have fun in your meeting.
SCARECROW: Sure...so long as Daniel doesn't put me to sleep.
OZ: I love you.
SCARECROW: I love you, too.
Jack and Methos both logged off then Jack headed for the shower and Methos phoned the university. By the time Thor was beaming into his apartment, Methos had his voice mail tended to, his appointments all canceled, not that there had been many, and was sitting casually on the sofa with his curtains drawn shut behind him, waiting for Thor to arrive.
"Greetings, Doctor O'Neill," Thor said in his typical diplomatic manner.
"Greetings, Thor," Methos replied with a bit of excitement in his voice. Getting the chance to share notes with Thor concerning the Aftershocks was an opportunity that Methos had never seriously expected to be presented with, and now that he was, he felt a touch giddy.
"Are you prepared to depart?" Thor asked while watching Methos stand, picking up a duffle bag from near his feet.
"One moment," Methos said as he took up his sheathed sword from the coffee table. He was highly unlikely to need it while in Thor's company, but an immortal traveling without his sword was being a fool. "Okay, now I am, how exactly..." Methos' question was abruptly stopped as he and Thor were transported onto Thor's vessel. Reflexively, Methos scanned his new surroundings and saw three control terminals, a large silver metallic chair, and nothing else other than the typical cold black and gray walls and floor. Sparse didn't begin to describe the Asgard's sense of dιcor.
"You may leave your belongings over there," Thor said, pointing toward the far side of the room then he moved to the center console and began operating the controls.
"Right, uh," Methos said as he placed his bag and sword where Thor had indicated then he turned toward Thor and froze as he felt his stomach nearly drop to his toes. "What the bloody hell?" he cried out.
"We have entered hyperspace," Thor stated calmly, as he pulled up a display showing their course.
"Hyperspace?" Methos asked then he looked over to the window and saw nothing but distorted streaks of light. "We're leaving Earth's orbit?" he asked the obvious, unable to stop himself. Methos had assumed that his time spent with Thor would be in orbit around the planet, not off in the far reaches of space.
"We left orbit prior to entering hyperspace," Thor stated while keeping his focus on the console before him.
Methos looked at Thor, wondering if his tiny alien friend had lost his mind. After a long moment, Methos bit his lip and scrunched his nose as he walked to stand at Thor's right side.
"You appear disturbed, Doctor O'Neill," Thor said as he glanced up at him, and then slowly blinked.
"Bloody right I am," Methos said, sounding frustrated. "I don't mind being on a spaceship and in the company of aliens, but I cannot be taken off to another planet. Does Jack know you were planning to take me on this little field trip?"
"It was Colonel O'Neill's suggestion that you be the representative to the Lorig," Thor said calmly as he gave Methos a curious look. "The inertial dampeners will prevent you from feeling any motion that would result in sickness."
"I don't give a blast about motion sickness," Methos said then he gently took hold of Thor's shoulders. "I cannot be out in space...none of my kind can be allowed out here. If the Goa'uld were to ever take one of us as a host the results could be catastrophic." What the hell had Jack been thinking when he'd suggested any such thing? He damn well knew better.
"The Goa'uld are too preoccupied with their own internal struggles at the moment to be concerned with our mission. There is no risk of you being taken as a host."
"I hope to hell you're right," Methos said with a sigh as he let go of Thor. He could read Thor well enough to know that there was no way he would be able to talk him out of his plans, whatever they were. He wasn't going to waste his breath trying. "So, whom exactly am I representing?"
"You will represent the people of Earth in an exchange of information."
"What sort of information?"
"The Lorig home world is neither protected by the Asgard nor dominated by the Goa'uld. They have no Stargate, so they have, to a large degree, remained isolated from other cultures. However, they are human and welcome humans of other worlds for cultural exchanges. It is believed that there was a Stargate on their planet at one time, though our circumlocutory observations have been unable to confirm this."
"So, you've been spying on them and haven't talked with them directly?" Methos asked, making sure he understood the situation correctly.
"The Lorig are not sufficiently advanced for direct contact from the Asgard."
"Okay," Methos said with a nod. "And both Jack and General Hammond signed off on this?" he asked curiously.
"There is reason to believe that the Lorig culture may be linked in some manner to Kheb," Thor said, evading the question.
"I see," Methos said and pursed his lips, wondering why Thor hadn't answered his question. "So why send me? Why not send Daniel?" he asked curiously. After all, Methos was only a part-time consultant, while Daniel was the one who was typically first-string when it came to this kind of initial contact with an alien culture.
"He is not available," Thor said then brought up a different display above his console. "We have a limited amount of time prior to our arrival. We should avail ourselves of the time to discuss your research into the Aftershocks."
"Right," Methos said with another tiny nod. "I have my DNA mapping with me, a baseline for both mortal and immortal subjects," he said as he made to retrieve his disc from his duffle. "There are some anomalous items. I'm hoping you can help me make sense of them."
"Agreed," Thor said then prepared his computer to accept the data while Methos returned to his right side.
"Uh, Thor," Methos bit his lower lip, "how did you get permission from The High Council to discuss this so openly with me?"
"They have considered your species and deemed you sufficiently evolved for certain dialogue."
"So, you'll be more open now with the S.G.C.?" Methos asked as he handed over his disc.
"No, only you and other immortals who wish to dialogue within specified parameters," Thor said as he scanned the data from Methos' disc into his computer then he handed the disc back to him. "You have a considerable volume of material compiled," he said, sounding impressed. "It will require time for review. Perhaps you would care to sit."
"Good idea," Methos said then scanned the room again, and seeing no other seat, went over and sat down in the large metallic chair. It was every bit as hard, cold, and utterly uncomfortable as it looked, causing Methos to suddenly wish he'd brought along his pillow.
"Do not touch any of the buttons," Thor said, raising his right index finger in the air.
"Right," Methos said as he glanced at the panel on the left arm of the chair. It had about a dozen buttons, oval in shape, different colored crystals that most likely lit up when activated. He wondered for a long moment what they did then brought his hands together and cracked his knuckles before laying them on his lap, as he noticed Thor's finger was still in the air, his head turned slightly in Methos' direction. "Just looking," Methos said, feeling like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Thor then lowered his finger and turned his entire focus to Methos' data while Methos sat back and observed Thor's every move.
~ ~ ~
Jack arrived at home and dropped his duffle bag just inside the door before heading into the kitchen for a beer. It had been a long time since he'd cleared his locker and he was amazed at how much junk he'd accumulated inside it, especially since he spent so much of his on-duty time off world. First thing, he'd removed Daniel's spare apartment key and given it to Teal'c, asking him to keep it in his locker, and the two of them had traded a quiet glance, Teal'c, as ever, the strong silent type. Teal'c had already attempted earlier to speak with Jack concerning his behavior; there were no more words to be spoken by the time they'd hit the locker room.
Next, Jack had taken out all the miscellaneous papers that had piled up and tossed them into his bag without checking to see what they were. Most of it was probably trash, but he wasn't in the mood to sort through it all in the locker room with Teal'c watching his every move. Lastly, Jack had cleared the inside of the locker door. Taking down the picture of his ex-wife hadn't bothered him at all since he'd only kept it up for appearances, however taking down the one of his late son had trudged up painful memories that he would have rather not lived through again.
As Jack had paused and stared at Charlie's picture, Teal'c had taken a step closer to him. He'd meant well, Jack was sure, but Jack had quickly shoved Charlie's picture into his bag, and then zipped it shut, ignoring the gesture of friendship. The whole scene had become uncomfortable, so Jack had taken a deep breath and had stayed focused on getting the hell out of the locker room as quickly as possible. Thankfully, Sam and Daniel hadn't been there, or they might have tried to force him to talk about what was going on.
Jack had then traveled the corridor in silence with his head held high and his expression like one of an animal in the wild ready to pounce on its prey. It had worked like a charm, keeping all those that Jack passed from daring to speak to him. Siler had given him a salute, but otherwise he'd been left to walk the hall alone and undisturbed then he'd seen her. Sam had been hovering near the elevator, waiting for him. Jack had then taken another deep breath and walked right by her without a word between them, feeling a bit awkward as he rode up in the elevator alone afterwards. As his second-in-command, Sam had wanted an explanation for his behavior, but Jack hadn't been at liberty to speak with her about it.
"She'll be fine," Jack said out loud as he opened his beer and tossed the cap into the kitchen sink. Sam was an Air Force officer, her career more precious to her than anything else; she would get over it and move on.
Open beer in hand, Jack then set about his final sweep of the house, checking for anything that could possibly give away his relationship with Methos. Before leaving for the base he'd done a cursory check for anything left out in the open and had found nothing. Keeping incriminating evidence out of eyesight of others was second nature to both him and Methos, who had lived together as a married couple for some time now. Officially, Methos still lived in his house roughly a mile away with Duncan, and only spent the night at Jack's on occasion when he'd had too much to drink or was house sitting while Jack was off world. Only Duncan and their mutual friend Joe knew the truth of Jack and Methos' relationship, as they had from the very beginning, being that they were the closest that Methos had to family other than Jack.
Once he had the kitchen, dining room, and living room checked out, Jack made for the laundry. As usual, Methos had started their laundry before he'd gone back to Denver, leaving the clothes in the dryer for Jack to put away. Typically, Jack waited until the last moment, once he knew that Methos was actually heading home before he bothered to take care of them, but this was definitely not a typical day.
As Jack put Methos' clothes away, his mind drifted to a few months earlier when the S.G.C. had been infiltrated by aliens. That had happened on one of Methos' days off from the base and he should have been safely off in Denver for the duration of the incident, and he would have been if it hadn't been for Jack. The aliens had tapped into his mind and discovered that Methos' kind existed on Earth. Jack had put all immortals at risk now, given that the aliens had an interest in them for some unknown reason and that some had escaped through the Stargate before the others had self-destructed. They'd mentioned to Methos something about 'chronicles of his forefathers', which the aliens were apparently familiar with but had given no clue as to what they were or where they might be found. Perhaps immortals were some sort of human-alien crossbreed. It certainly would explain a lot.
Fortunately, the invading aliens hadn't accessed everything in Jack's mind, so they'd missed critical pieces of information such as Methos' true name and where they could find Duncan and Amanda. Jack was certain that given the two other immortals he knew had been in Colorado Springs at the time that the aliens would have lured them onto the base somehow for study and interrogation. It had been a close call – one that could have easily cost all three immortals their heads. Methos could have been killed if Sam hadn't arrived with backup in time and it would have been all Jack's fault.
"Janet knows about my immortal nature and they had access to her mind, too. You can't blame yourself."
Methos' words echoed in Jack's mind, comforting him though Methos wasn't there to do so in person. It was just like during Jack's first days stranded off world, when Methos' words and voice had rung in his ears so vividly that Jack had almost felt his presence beside him. Then, one morning he'd woken and went off to fish and there was nothing – no more voice inside him; only silence and pain. Jack's heart had broken in two that day – the day that he'd accepted he might well never see or touch Methos ever again.
"Focus, O'Neill," Jack ordered himself then he went to the hall closet and took out his gear for detecting surveillance equipment. He made sure the kit was complete then closed it and carried it out to the garage. He wouldn't need it for a while and he didn't want it seen inside the house. Once done with that, Jack made a sweep of the toiletries and personal items, being sure that Methos' things were neatly packed away in the guest room, as if simply left for when he crashed after drinking too much. Then, lastly, Jack cleared his nightstand of all lube and massage oils, stashing them in a small duffle bag along with the leather boxer shorts that he or Methos wore at times during sex.
Jack then pursed his lips, wondering where to put the bag. He couldn't take it to Methos' house in case someone followed him, and he definitely couldn't leave it with Daniel, so where was he to go? Ten minutes later, Jack was changed into his dark navy sweatpants and a grey Air Force t-shirt and heading out the door, jogging with the small bag in hand. He would leave it with Joe, who would hold onto it without question for a few days. When Jack went back to retrieve it, then Joe would ask him questions, but for now, he would take it and that would be that. Joe could be trusted to look after the bag, and since he was a friend of Jack as well as Methos, a visit to his place wouldn't rouse suspicion, or necessarily connect the bag to Methos.
As Jack rounded the corner, he saw an unmarked, black sedan inching its way up his block and smiled. "The bastards don't waste any time," he said with a chuckle and shook his head as he continued toward Joe's. Everything was now covered. Soon, Joe would have care of the last of Jack's personal items he wished to stash away, and Methos was safely off in Thor's protective care. Jack then let out a tiny laugh as he thought of Methos and Thor traveling across the galaxy together and wondered how Methos was taking to the experience.
~ ~ ~
Space travel was definitely not anywhere near as exhilarating as it was made out to be in the movies. Perhaps once they reached their destination circumstances would be different, but then they would no longer be traveling through space. Methos glanced once again at the streaks of light outside the window and longed for a pleasant drive across country. Once he got home, he was going to suggest to Jack that they do just that – take a long weekend and go to Jack's cabin in Minnesota. That would be a trip where the traveling portion was interesting, unlike the boring journey he was on at the moment. Initially, he'd been excited by the newness of the experience, but it had grown old very quickly as Methos had simply sat and watched Thor analyze his data.
"Not much scenery, I see," Methos said dryly as he could no longer keep his thoughts contained.
"Scenery?" Thor asked as he turned to face Methos.
"Never mind," Methos said with a wave of his right hand as he rose to his feet. "How are things progressing?" he asked as Thor turned back toward the display while Methos moved to stand at his right side.
"Slowly," Thor said then blinked. "However, I do notice one commonality between your DNA and Colonel O'Neill's, which is not present in any of your other samples."
"Oh? What's that?" Methos asked then wetted his lips as he studied the diagrams more closely.
"You each have a genetic marker," Thor stated then pursed his lips. "You have been an object of study at some time in your past."
"I have?" Methos asked in surprise, anger welling up inside since any such study had been done without his consent. "I have only ever allowed you to study me." For a brief moment, Methos wondered if the marker could have been placed by the aliens who had established a foothold inside the S.G.C., but he quickly dismissed the thought as impossible. He had completed the mapping of his DNA before that incident had occurred, and that was the source material for Thor's current analysis. "Wait, how long have you known about this?" he asked suspiciously, sensing something odd about the tone of Thor's voice.
"Since my first detailed scan of you," Thor said and raised his right index finger to keep Methos from speaking out. "I was unable to disclose it to you based on my data; that you must interpret on your own. However, we are now examining your data...."
"So, discussion is allowed," Methos said with a nod. That was Thor for you, willing to exploit a loophole if one presented itself. Methos loved that about his tiny alien friend. "What can you tell me about it?"
"There is degradation present," Thor said while pointing it out on the display, "it has been there for an extended period of time, and from the location," he paused while blinking yet again, "I believe that it was placed there while you were in your embryonic state."
"What?" Methos said, his eyes widening. "Placed there before I was born? How can you tell?"
"We do not have sufficient time for me to explain my reasoning prior to our arrival at the planet."
"Okay, but another time you can explain it to me."
"Once your understanding of genetics is greatly increased," Thor said matter-of-factly.
"Right," Methos said, letting the underhanded insult slide by. Now was not the time to get drawn off on a tangent. "What can you tell me about Jack's marker?"
"It was placed there by the Asgard scientists who studied him on the planet Othala," Thor said, once again pointing at the display, this time to indicate where Jack's marker was located.
"Othala...in the Ida Galaxy," Methos said, recognizing the name. He'd made a point of reading all of Jack's mission reports, dedicating certain highlights to memory. "That's where he went when he had the Ancient repository downloaded into his brain."
"Yes."
"Funny, he never mentioned that he had a genetic marker placed inside him whilst away," Methos said with his eyes narrowing.
"He was not informed of its existence."
"Thought not," Methos sighed then pursed his lips. "Is it common practice for the Asgard to place genetic markers in test subjects without their consent?" he asked, remaining calm although his anger was stirred at the thought of his husband having been violated in such a manner. True, Methos and Jack had only been dating at that time with Methos living in New York, but still....
"He requested assistance from the Asgard without which he would have most certainly died," Thor stated. "We were under no obligation to disclose the marker."
"I suppose not," Methos said reluctantly, having to agree with Thor as his logical side drew the same conclusion. "So, you said our genetic markers are similar, but not the same," he said with a nudge in his voice.
"Correct. Yours was not placed by the Asgard. We would have a record of your species if that were the case," Thor said then blinked again.
"Then who placed it there?" Methos asked while raising his eyebrows.
"That is not clearly evident," Thor said thoughtfully. "What is your precise age?"
"I don't know," Methos said automatically then shrugged as Thor gave him an incredulous look. "Honestly, I don't remember that far back," he said with a sigh as Thor continued to stare at him. "Okay, I can recall taking my first head approximately 5,000 years ago, but before that," he shrugged again, "my mind's a complete blank."
"That is unfortunate," Thor said calmly then he blinked once again. "I am unfamiliar with which alien species were both present on Earth at that time and capable of performing such a procedure."
"You don't think the Goa'uld did it, do you?" Methos asked cautiously, his stomach turning at the thought. "I was nowhere near Ra's little kingdom when he was dominating Ancient Egypt. I would remember something like that."
"The Goa'uld do not possess such technology even now. They would not have been capable of the procedure during the era that we are considering."
"Good," Methos said in relief. "So, who else was on Earth back then?" he asked then his eyes opened wide once more. "The Ancients, perhaps? Can't you run some test to determine who created the marker? Surely, whoever placed it there had to leave some clue behind as to their identity," he said, his Welch accent coming out more heavily as frustration crept into his voice. The revelation that he had been studied previously, in the womb, nonetheless, was in itself disturbing enough, but not knowing who might have conducted the study was even more unnerving.
"I will request our archivists to research which race may have been on Earth conducting experiments prior to Ra's appearance on the planet," Thor said then he cleared the display and brought up a picture of a planet. "This is the Lorig home world," he began, but was quickly cut off once again by Methos.
"Wait a minute. That's it? Can't we conduct the research here, now?" Methos asked, not believing that Thor could change subjects so abruptly on him.
"The records are inaccessible at this moment," Thor said then pointed his right index finger toward the display. "I will transport you into the meeting hall. It is where the Lorig will expect an ambassador to arrive."
"When will the records be accessible?" Methos asked, not wanting to drop the matter. When he was met with a silent stare, he took a deep breath and tried again, using a gentler tone of voice. "Thor, this is important, I know," he said with a nod toward the display, "but the origin of that genetic marker is even more important from my perspective. You can understand that, can't you?" Methos had so many puzzles and unanswered questions floating around in his mind already that he was about to burst if he added yet another.
"Yes," Thor said as he looked Methos in the eyes. "And you must understand that the Asgard have more important matters to address first."
Methos saw the fear in Thor's eyes, just as he and Jack had seen the last time the small alien had visited them on Earth a few months prior. "What is it?" Methos asked, his concern suddenly shifting to his friend's well-being. "What scares you?"
"I am not at liberty to discuss the matter with outsiders," Thor said, wishing it wasn't true. He genuinely liked both O'Neills and trusted them instinctively in a way that he couldn't quite explain.
"But Jack and I are of the house of Thor," Methos said in protest. "Surely, we aren't considered outsiders."
"I am sorry, Doctor O'Neill," Thor said with such sincerity in his voice that Methos felt a tiny welling of tears threatening. "We must prepare you for your meeting with the Lorig," he said then returned his focus to the display and resumed his briefing. In the future, he was going to need to avoid prolonged eye contact with Methos. He could read him far too easily.
Methos watched and listened attentively, taking in all Thor had to convey to him, interrupting periodically with a question, as he focused his attention on the Lorig and his assignment. First things first – he would do this little diplomatic stint then he would press Thor again concerning his genetic marker once they were on their way back to Earth. Thor was stubborn, and apparently accustomed to having the final say on any given matter, but so was Methos.
~ ~ ~
Jack finished off his beer, tossed the bottle in the trash, and then headed back to the master bedroom, suddenly feeling a need to shower. He hadn't anticipated Daniel's visit; he'd been taken by surprise. True, Jack considered Daniel to be his best friend, but he hadn't expected the younger man to come to his home unannounced like he had. After the scene Jack had made at the base, he'd thought that his team would have left him alone, that they would give him some space. But, apparently, he'd underestimated Daniel.
Daniel had just sat there on the couch, trying to make some sense of Jack's behavior, while Jack had maintained his faηade of the Air Force officer scorned. So far as Daniel and the rest were concerned, Jack was through with the S.G.C., sick and tired of all the diplomatic tip-toeing they had to endure. Daniel, to his credit, hadn't fully believed Jack's act at the base, but by the time they'd ended their chat in Jack's living room, Daniel seemed to be convinced that Jack wasn't the friend he'd thought him to be. For Jack's plan to work, Daniel had to show to the world that he bought Jack's story, no matter how much it hurt Jack to see his best friend walk out on him without so much as a 'good-bye'. Once things were over, Jack would apologize and take back his words. Daniel would understand and that would be that, but for now, Jack felt plain dirty for having behaved so rudely toward him.
Once in the shower, Jack stood under the hot stream and let out a sigh as it washed over him. There were few things he enjoyed more than a steaming hot shower and this one hit the spot beautifully. The only thing that would make it better was having Methos there to share it with him, but he wasn't; he couldn't be. The house was bugged, of that Jack was certain, even without his detection equipment. Those watching him from the car down the street wore earpieces; they were listening to something, most likely every movement and word that was occurring in Jack's house.
Presuming that was the case, Jack had risked letting on that he was aware of their presence, and had set up his portable stereo to play music at night in his bedroom, just in case he talked in his sleep. With as troubling as his dreams had been lately, he felt the music was a necessary precaution. The last thing he needed was to be heard crying out Methos' name or something equally inappropriate. His subconscious was still wrestling with what had happened with Lara. Hell, he'd gone so far as to ask her to come back to Earth with him, just in case she was pregnant with his child, thinking at the time that it was a real possibility. Now, he knew better, but the tangled up emotions left inside of him were still sorting themselves out.
Jack let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. Maybe he was having his mid-life crisis. That would explain a lot, at the very least why he'd been having so many erotic daydreams about Mary Steenbergen. He'd felt utterly embarrassed when that little secret had come out into the open a few months back. Damn Urgo. He'd been curious and asked who she was after seeing in Jack's mind that he was having one of his daydreams about her. Thankfully, Urgo hadn't asked why she'd been dressed in black leather and carrying a whip.
Urgo – the thought of the invasive interactive program caused Jack to shudder as he ended his shower and grabbed his towel to dry off. Talk about your close calls...and a damn annoying one at that. At first, when SG-1 had returned from their mission without a memory of what had happened during the time they'd been away, Jack had gone into secure mode, keeping his mind on the missing time and nothing else, thankfully. Then once he'd found out that a device had been implanted in his brain, Jack had gone into full evasion mode, keeping his mind focused on anything and everything to keep his surface thoughts from being classified in nature. And then Urgo had made himself known.
That's when the real fun had begun. Urgo had kept after Jack, trying to learn all he could from him and about him with an endless diatribe of questions. In return, Jack had played video games and shut Urgo out, doing his best to ignore him, since Urgo had only been able to read Jack's surface thoughts, nothing deeper. God only knew what Urgo had discovered when fatigue had overtaken Jack and he'd slept, but in the end, Jack had successfully kept any of his teammates from finding out about his relationship with Methos or anything else that would have been detrimental.
"This is boring, Jack."
"Tough."
"I know what we can do. Let's go eat more of that delicious pie."
"No, Urgo."
"Fine, then play a different game. You're not very good at this one. It's no fun."
"You're so damn bored then go play with Daniel and leave me the fuck alone!"
Jack shook his head, pushing down the memory of Urgo's grating, whining voice that was replaying in his mind. "Ow! Damn! Son of a..." Jack grumbled as he stubbed his big toe on the base of the cabinet under the bathroom sink. Even with Urgo removed from his brain the little asshole was still causing Jack grief. He shook his left foot, bending the toe to be sure it wasn't broken, and silently cursed himself for not being more careful. Then he heard his cell phone ringing and walked out to get it while wrapping the towel around his waist.
As he picked up the phone, he saw on the caller ID that it was Duncan phoning him and took a quick breath before he answered. Although his phone was protected from having others listen in, his side of the conversation was most certainly going to be heard by his babysitters in the sedan down the block.
"O'Neill," Jack said casually.
"Jack, how are you?" Duncan asked courteously.
"Good, you?" Jack asked automatically.
"Fine, uh, is Methos there?" Duncan asked casually, knowing that they were speaking on a secure line. He was phoning on his cell phone, which had been a present from Jack and was equipped with all sorts of lovely gadgets, including a scrambler.
"No, Adam's not hanging out over here today," Jack said without missing a beat.
"Oh," Duncan said cautiously, as he noted Jack's use of Methos' pseudonym. "I just had a phone call from Daniel. He was looking for him."
"Ah, did he say why?" Jack asked, keeping his voice even though he was really quite curious.
"Something about some misplaced notes," Duncan said then licked his lips. What was going on? Please don't tell him that Jack and Methos had gotten into another fight. They'd just made up not that long ago. "Is something wrong?"
"No," Jack said with a tiny chuckle, wanting to calm Duncan, as he could hear the concern in his voice. "He mentioned going out of town for a few days."
"Again?" Duncan asked in surprise. "How does he manage to get away on such short notice all the time?" he asked rhetorically, letting out a bit of pent up frustration.
"He has his ways," Jack said, chuckling once again. "The advantage of being an outside consultant, I suppose..."
"And his university schedule is of his own choosing," Duncan said with a nod. As a doctoral candidate, Methos had incredible flexibility, sort of a study on his own time arrangement.
"Yeah, some guys know how to live, huh?" Jack said teasingly.
"Yeah, so what's with calling him Adam?" Duncan asked since it wasn't typical for Jack to do so when they spoke – then it hit him. "Wait, don't tell me. You've got company?" he asked, the obvious deduction finally coming to mind. That had to be it.
"Yes," Jack said, keeping his voice steady while a welcome sense of relief swept over him.
"Sorry, I'll let you go then."
"Okay. Catch ya later," Jack said, keeping his tone jovial.
"Later," Duncan said then hung up the phone and let out a tiny laugh, feeling stupid for not having caught on sooner, as his mind raced through the long list of friends, who might have been visiting Jack. After a moment, he shook his head. "Not your business, MacLeod," he told himself then he turned the TV back on and settled in to finish watching the movie he'd started before Daniel had rung his phone.
Jack closed his eyes as he heard Duncan get off the line and said a silent prayer of thanks then he checked the time on his cell phone and let out a tiny sigh. Hopefully, he'd get the call he was waiting for soon. Until then, he was going to have to be patient and wait and hope to hell that no one else came by to check in on him. If they did, he'd deal with it, but to be honest he wasn't really up for this covert bullshit at the moment – not with all he had on his mind.
"Coming, Homer," Jack said out loud as he decided to go watch the latest episode of The Simpsons again. The guys outside watching him were probably wondering if he was a little nuts but Jack didn't care, as it would fit in perfectly with his cover story. A few minutes later, he was dressed in nothing but a pair of Methos' sweatpants, relaxing on the couch with a fresh beer and watching the show while he pondered whether he was going to order pizza for dinner that night or Chinese food again.
~ ~ ~
Methos sat at the table he'd taken over in the Lorig library and continued to make his notes on their society in one journal while making notes for the Lorig about Earth culture in a second one, providing a type of compare-contrast analysis of their two worlds, their similarities, their differences. Apparently, this was what constituted a cultural exchange for the Lorig because there was a section of the library dedicated to such texts, all handwritten by visitors to their world over the generations. Methos had read through a couple on his first day to get a feel for the idiosyncrasies in common then on his second day he'd begun his own text, which would be added to the library upon his departure and provide a record of Earth for future generations to study. Given his time constraints, it would be understandably short and limited in scope, but the village leader, Sobel, had made it clear that once the text was started that it could be added to upon subsequent visits.
The time had passed quickly as Methos had been swept up by his studies of Lorig history and his observations of the people, who lived in the main village where he was staying. They were a truly fascinating race, mostly light cocoa in complexion with some variation both darker and lighter, possibly from a limited gene pool on which to draw. Despite that limitation, they were incredibly rich in culture – literature, poetry, plays, artwork in various medium, and were very philosophical and wise with a relative air of peace on their planet, the last major battle having taken place some three generations earlier, sparked by a dispute over water rights. They spoke a slight variation of English, dressed as people from medieval Europe, and were mostly farmers, though several craftsmen were in the village – blacksmith, carpenter, baker, and such. They lived in simple houses made predominantly of wood with a building at one end of town that functioned as both a meeting hall and a temple, the basement of which was the village library in which Methos had spent the greater part of his time since arriving on the planet three days before.
Soon his visit would end and tonight Methos would once again be subjected to the hard, slanted monstrosity that served as an Asgard bed. While visiting the planet he'd slept at Sobel's house on a lumpy mattress made of hides and stuffed with straw, which wasn't the best for his back, but it had been a damn sight more comfortable than sleeping on Thor's ship. Once he got home, he was going to sit in the tub with steaming hot water until Jack got off work and joined him then he was going to have Jack work his back over with his large firm hands. For now, though, Methos had to settle for stretching his back by taking a periodic yoga break during the course of his research.
Deciding it was a good time for another such break; Methos pushed away from the table and slowly rose to his feet, curving his spine, rolling through it as he lifted his body to an upright position. He then raised his hands over head and reached up as high as he could, stretching while he took deep, relaxing breaths. He tilted his head to one side then the other, stretching his neck then he sat down in the Lotus position on the floor behind his chair. After another deep breath Methos closed his eyes then systematically focused in on his body, flexing then relaxing each muscle in turn.
About halfway through his routine, Methos heard someone enter the room and shifted his focus to the footsteps that were coming toward him. They were clumsy, tiny, a child? Methos opened his eyes and saw a young boy, perhaps six years of age, wearing a simple brown cloth outfit, matching pants and tunic, which was typical for the children from what Methos had seen.
"Don't be afraid," Methos said as the boy froze in his tracks and stared at Methos' sword, which lay sheathed on the table beside his notebooks. "My name is Adam. What are you called?"
"Markham," the boy said quietly then he stepped toward Methos. "What are you doing?" he asked, pointing at Methos' legs, which were crossed over on each other, both his feet resting on his knees.
"It's called the Lotus position," Methos said with a tiny smile. "Sit down, I'll help you do it," he said with a nod toward the floor beside him and to his left.
Markham did as told then followed Methos' instructions and with a tiny bit of effort was soon seated in a Lotus position. "Why?" he asked.
"Why what exactly?" Methos asked, unclear as to his meaning.
"Why do you sit like this?" Markham asked as he squirmed a bit.
"To relax the body and mind," Methos said with a smile then he proceeded to explain about meditation and yoga to the young boy, who to his credit showed remarkable restraint for his age. It was a whole five minutes before he could no longer sit still and listen.
"Is this fun in your village?" Markham asked.
"Only for some," Methos said with a slight chuckle and undid his legs, taking on a more relaxed posture, stretching out onto his side and leaning on his left elbow, Markham predictably mimicking his every move. "What is fun in your village?" he asked to make conversation. He'd already observed the children at play – crude balls for catch, tag, hide-and-seek, and a kind of war game where they formed teams and hunted each other down then tickled the captured until they surrendered.
"I like to read," Markham said quietly. "I don't run so well."
"I see," Methos said thoughtfully. Given Markham was so young, his legs most likely weren't developed to the point that he could compete with many of the other children. "In time you will learn. Running is not something we are given at birth. We must practice it if we are to be any good at it."
"Practice?" Markham asked curiously.
"Repetition, do it again and again until you are better," Methos explained.
"Like my numbers?" Markham asked while scrunching his nose.
"Yes," Methos said with a smile, "but running practice is more fun than numbers."
"I will try it," Markham said with a decisive nod, "after my reading for the day."
"You read every day?" Methos asked curiously. From his observations, children didn't have an organized school, only what they were taught in their individual homes.
"Yes. My sister plays with numbers," Markham said with a frown. "I don't like them. I like letters."
"I can understand that," Methos said with a slight chuckle and made a mental note to add that observation to his journal. It seemed that among the Lorig, as among Earth children, there were those who were drawn to reading and those who were drawn to math. Typically, such indicated who among the children would grow up and pursue the arts, and who would pursue the sciences.
"Do the Light People visit your village?" Markham asked, abruptly shifting subjects as children his age so often did.
"Light People?" Methos asked, not knowing whom Markham was referring to. He hadn't seen any mention of such in his readings on the Lorig.
"They used to live like us a long time ago," Markham said with a shrug. "My mamma says they visit villages sometimes."
"Have they visited here?" Methos asked, his curiosity peaking.
"I don't know," Markham said with another shrug. "I ask my mamma," he said then bounced to his feet and ran out of the room.
Methos pursed his lips as he watched Markham run off then he rose to his feet and walked over to the section where the visitors' texts were kept and began searching them book by book, scanning them quickly to see if any had a reference to 'Light People'. He was going through his fifth book when Markham returned, holding a twenty-something woman by the hand.
"Here, Mamma," Markham said as he drug her to just in front of Methos.
"Good day," Methos said, using the customary Lorig greeting between adults, as he'd observed others doing. "My name is Adam."
"My apologies for Markham; I will keep him from bothering you any more," the woman said as she turned to leave.
"No, wait," Methos said and briefly touched the woman's shoulder so that she would stop and turn around. "He's no bother. He was assisting me with my research."
"I came here to read," Markham said sheepishly.
The woman took a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly then opened them again and looked at Methos. "He loves his letters," she said with a smile, "but he needs to spend time outside."
"Agreed," Methos said with a tiny glance at Markham then he made eye contact with the woman. "We discussed that. He told me he plans to go running after his daily reading."
"Yes, Mamma," Markham said with a hopeful look on his face as he squeezed her hand.
"Then I owe you my thanks," the woman said as she gave Methos a warm smile. "I am Tanya. Go outside with the other children, Markham. You can read later."
"Yes, Mamma," Markham said and gave a tiny wave to Methos before he went bounding outside.
"A pleasure to meet you, Tanya," Methos said with a tiny nod. "Markham was telling me a little bit ago about the Light People. I was just trying to find a reference...."
"The Light People have not been to our village since the time of my grandmother's grandmother," Tanya said and waved her hand toward the shelves of books. "You will not find them written of in here."
"Who are they? Markham said they used to live like you?"
"Yes, then one day they chose to live among the gods. They now only appear to us as bright lights floating in the air."
"And there is no record of them written anywhere?" Methos asked incredulously. They sounded like the Lorig version of angels and there was an entire section of the library devoted to religious texts – ceremonies, rituals, prayers, hymns and the like.
"They are nothing more than a story to most," Tanya said with a smile. "We tell our children of them, but that is all. They did not leave a chronicle here when they visited us, so many do not believe they ever did. By your leave...I must go tend to my house," she said glancing over her shoulder at the door.
"Yes, of course," Methos said with a nod then he returned to his notes and began documenting his conversations with both Markham and Tanya while they were still fresh in his mind.
~ ~ ~
Maybourne – somehow Jack hadn't been surprised to see him of all people turn up on his doorstep a week earlier, offering him a chance to get back into the action. Methos had had him pegged from the moment he'd laid eyes on him. Maybourne may have meant well, but his 'ends justify the means' approach to things meant that ethics quite often got tossed out the window. For that reason alone, neither Jack nor Methos trusted Maybourne, even though he did prove useful at times. After all, he had been the one to provide the back up that they'd needed during the foothold situation at the S.G.C.
Now, Jack sat on his porch, listening to opera and reading through a magazine while he waited for Maybourne to get his slimy ass back to his house. Jack had called him hours ago, but still he waited. It figured. Maybourne would probably be late to his own funeral when the time came, make all the mourners wait around for his grand entrance.
"Damn," Jack grumbled then reached for his beer and took a sip to keep his hand from reaching behind his right ear and scratching. The tracking device that Thor had placed there was really starting to annoy the hell out of him, as his body seemed to be rejecting it. Fortunately, it was only there temporarily, so in the meantime, Jack would simply need to grin and bear it. The Asgard had to have a way of tracking him that was undetectable and the sub-dermal implant had been the most efficient option available, one that neither Earth technology nor any of the stolen alien technology could detect. Or at least Jack hoped that Maybourne and his rogue band hadn't stolen something that would detect it.
As he put his beer down, Jack once again mentally ran through the conversation he'd had with Hammond, Thor, and High Chancellor Travell of the Tollan prior to undertaking his current assignment. He now had a name, a contact person to give to the Tollan, but that wasn't going to be enough for them and Jack knew it. He had to infiltrate the organization and haul the lot of them in for prosecution, and most importantly he had to identify the mole they were certain was working within the S.G.C. There was no way that certain of the thefts could have occurred without someone on the inside.
Jack's mind then drifted to Tollana and how Teal'c had saved the planet by disobeying Jack's orders. If Teal'c hadn't acted, the planet would have been completely vulnerable after the initial attack by the Goa'uld, and Jack along with the rest of his team could have easily been killed along with countless Tollans. Thankfully, Teal'c had acted as he'd felt best and they'd been saved. Was Maybourne so different? Yes. There was a fine line between 'savior of the world' and 'traitor to mankind' and Maybourne had seemingly crossed it. Soon, Jack would know it for a fact, but his gut already told him that it was so.
"Focus, O'Neill," Jack ordered himself yet again. His mind was still such a jumble, his emotions too near the surface after spending an entire week alone at home with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company. All the mental kicking of himself over Lara; he needed to get past it, part of him knew that, but a larger part kept telling him that he deserved the pain after the heartache he'd caused Methos to suffer through.
Jack closed his eyes as he put his beer bottle back on the table and let the opera sweep over him to soothe him. Damn, he'd missed this music while he'd been stranded off world with Lara. He hadn't realized how much until he'd gotten home and had played the CD after Methos had walked out on him. During the two weeks that Methos had stayed away, Jack had played the CD every morning as he'd checked their chat room, hoping that Methos would be logged in, but he hadn't been, not even once. Then once Methos had returned and they had exchanged their vows once more, renewing their commitment to one another, Jack had played the CD while they'd made love. Forever more this opera would be special to Jack, a way of having Methos with him no matter how far away he might be.
And so very far away Jack was at times, once or twice a week, stepping through the Stargate, going to some planet light years from Earth, taking the calculated risk that he would return home to Methos' waiting arms. Was it worth it? Jack wasn't so sure anymore. Methos meant so very much to him. Lara had been right about that. Jack did love Methos more than life itself. Never had he loved anyone so deeply, not even his ex-wife, Sarah, who still held a special place in his heart even today. Perhaps it was time to take the early retirement from The Air Force, move to the chateau in France with Methos and live the rest of his days with the man he loved. The option was tempting. Hell, the paperwork had already been typed up as part of his cover story. Maybe Jack should just have Hammond send it on in to The Pentagon once this current assignment was through.
"My heart is always with you, Jack; no matter what."
"Me too," Jack whispered then he heard a car door slam shut out front of his house. It was show time. He pressed down his thoughts of Methos, his words, which were once more echoing in his mind then he took a deep breath and focused on his magazine, as he waited for Maybourne to turn the corner and step onto his porch.
~ ~ ~
Methos sat in the large metallic chair in the main control room on Thor's ship, thankful for the small pillow he'd been given while visiting the Lorig. It had been meant as a ceremonial gesture, but for now, it was serving the very practical function of cushioning the cold, hard seat under Methos' rear. He glanced over at the window, briefly noted the seemingly ever present streaks of light, and then returned to reviewing his notes on the Lorig, wishing he'd known ahead of time so that he could have brought his laptop along for the journey. He couldn't have used it on the planet, since it was technologically advanced relative to the Lorig, but he could have used it now to start writing his report for General Hammond.
This was the tedious, frustrating part of his job with the S.G.C., attempting to condense a wealth of experience, albeit only a few days, into a brief that was suited to the military mind. Basically, there were two questions that needed to be addressed – Did the planet have any resources that could be used in defending Earth against the Goa'uld? Were the people technologically advanced enough to enter into an alliance with? The answer to both questions so far as the Lorig were concerned was no, but to state that and nothing more would be unfair to their fascinating civilization.
Fortunately, Thor, whether intentionally or not, had provided Methos with the angle he needed for his report – any possible ties between the Lorig and Kheb where they believed the Harcesis child to be and within him all the knowledge of the Goa'uld. Aside from a reference to Seti, who was also known as Seth, Methos had found nothing that could tie the two worlds together. And that reference, he'd only seen in passing in one of the visitor's chronicles, written by someone who had listed Seti as one of their ancient gods. It wasn't much to go on, but it would justify writing the report. If no one other than Daniel bothered to read the rest of his report, that wasn't Methos' problem. He had agreed to relay his knowledge of the Lorig to the people of Earth and that's what he was going to do.
Suddenly, one of the oval stones on the central control console began to flash, catching Methos' attention. He put down his notebook and walked toward it, wondering if he should wake Thor from his sleep cycle then the image of another Asgard suddenly appeared on the display above the console, seemingly triggered by Methos' proximity.
"Who are you?"
"Doctor Adam Pierson of Earth," Methos said introducing himself. Even though he was known under Asgard Law as Methos O'Neill of the House of Thor, he couldn't be certain who among the Asgard understood that his real name wasn't to be used elsewhere. It was best to play it safe.
"Who?" the Asgard said with a distinct tone of disapproval.
"Adam Pierson, I work with Doctor Daniel Jackson, SG-1..." Methos let his voice trail off as the Asgard's focus was shifting to elsewhere in the room.
"I would speak with Thor."
"I am here, Aesir," Thor said as he stepped to just in front of Methos. He had been automatically awakened when the communication controls had been activated, before Methos had stepped closely enough to trigger the display, but it had taken a few moments for him to walk the distance from the sleeping chamber.
"Why is this one with you?" Aesir asked, still sounding annoyed. "Only Colonel O'Neill was to be involved."
"I was asked here for a special assignment," Methos said, remaining calm although he couldn't for the life of him keep quiet. He'd never met Aesir, never even heard of him. In Norse legend, Aesir was the name given to the race of gods, not any particular individual.
"What is the purpose of your communication?" Thor asked, taking control of the conversation.
"The tracking device for Colonel O'Neill has ceased to function. We will need to monitor SG-1 and wait for their paths to cross."
"Understood. You have ascertained their schedule?"
"It is being transmitted to you presently. Their next mission takes them to a planet closest to my current location. I request O'Neill's bio-signature from your archives."
"Transmitting," Thor said and raised his right index finger to silence Methos as he could hear him about to speak. "We will stand ready to assist."
"Received," Aesir said then ended their communication without another word.
Thor finished processing the data received from Aesir, filing it appropriately within his computer records then he turned around and came face to face with Methos, who had his arms crossed over in front of him and looked rather upset.
"Mind telling me what's going on?" Methos asked while raising his eyebrows. "Is Jack in some sort of trouble?"
"Recently, both the Asgard and the Tollan have contacted Stargate Command in order to sever our diplomatic relations with Earth."
"What? Why?" Methos asked, taken by surprise. "I haven't heard anything..."
"No one other than General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill were aware of the matter. There has been a series of thefts; random pieces of technology have suddenly gone missing. Our investigation led us to the conclusion that these thefts were being executed by people from Earth and that Stargate Command was most certainly involved."
"That's preposterous," Methos said automatically. "Why would we violate our treaties with you and the Tollan for mere trinkets?"
"Colonel O'Neill and General Hammond reacted in much the same way," Thor said thoughtfully, as he recalled their conversation. Methos' choice of words was different, but the expression on his face was nearly identical to the one that Jack had shown when presented with the news. "They convinced us to wait, to allow them time to discover the true violators. The Tollan stated most emphatically that the Tau'ri were to do so on their own, without access to our technology such as sensors, and the Asgard High Council insisted that only Colonel O'Neill carry out the assignment."
"So, you placed the tracking device on him, despite the Tollan's wishes?" Methos asked curiously.
"The Tollan agreed concerning its placement since only an Asgard ship can detect and read the signal that it emits."
"Emitted, you mean," Methos said, recalling Aesir's message. "So, Jack's been on this assignment for how long?"
"Since SG-1 had their meeting on Tollana. Colonel O'Neill stole a piece of their technology while there and consequently was forced to take early retirement in order to avoid prosecution. Doctor Jackson has spent the time since then in negotiations with the Tollan..."
"To make it look convincing," Methos said, interrupting him.
"...and to allow the Tollan to observe the operation from Earth," Thor added.
"Right," Methos said with a nod, understanding the situation. "So, how's the sting coming along? Do you think they discovered Jack's tracking device and disabled it? Should we be going in to rescue him?"
"No," Thor said automatically. "Most likely his physiology has rejected it given that it was not designed for use in humans."
"What was it designed for?" Methos asked. His inner scientist simply had to know.
"Bovinus, however I was able to adapt it to function inside Colonel O'Neill for several Earth days," Thor said with a touch of pride in his voice.
"Cows?" Methos asked in disbelief. "Why on Earth would the Asgard be tracking cows?"
"Oxen," Thor said while raising his right finger. "I am not at liberty to discuss the matter."
"Fine," Methos said with a tiny chuckle. "How do I fit into all of this? And don't try to tell me that this little field trip to the Lorig was mere coincidence. The timing is far too convenient." Thor had taken Methos onboard his ship the very morning that SG-1 had gone to Tollana for their meeting.
"One of the members of the High Council was not willing to trust Colonel O'Neill. He was prepared to veto the proposed plan and sever relations with Earth immediately. I convinced him that sufficient collateral was available to insure that Colonel O'Neill's actions in the matter would be honorable."
"Me," Methos said quietly, not certain how he felt about being referred to as collateral.
"Yes," Thor said then briefly pursed his lips. "The mission to the Lorig was Colonel O'Neill's idea, in part. He and I discussed your involvement while I was implanting the tracking device and agreed that to simply take you aboard unconscious and maintain you in that state for the duration of his mission would be a waste of resources."
"Thanks?" Methos said then laughed as the entire situation struck him as funny. "So what now?"
"We wait. Once Colonel O'Neill has completed his mission, I will return you to your home."
"And you're certain that we shouldn't go assist him?" Methos said with a nudge in his voice.
"He is most resourceful. I have every confidence in his abilities to fulfill the task at hand."
"Quite," Methos said with a tiny sigh then pursed his lips as he saw an opening to pursue another matter. "Perhaps we could use the time whilst we wait to research the question of my genetic marker?" he asked, not willing to let that matter go un-addressed any longer.
"As I stated before, the archives required for such research are not available," Thor said then blinked at Methos and almost smiled. "I can, however, conduct some minimally intrusive tests if you wish."
"Agreed," Methos said with a beaming smile. Now, he was getting somewhere, or at least he had hope of doing so. If nothing else, Thor's tests would keep Methos busy while they waited and thus he would be less likely to worry excessively about Jack.
~ ~ ~
Jack stood in the corridor outside the gateroom, staring after his teammates with an incredulous look on his face. He'd made a point of taking them aside at the very first opportunity and had apologized to Daniel for his obnoxious behavior toward him when he'd come to check in on Jack at his house, and then Daniel had nearly floored him. According to Daniel, he, Sam and Teal'c had drawn straws, the loser, Daniel, being sent to Jack's house to check on him? No. Jack wouldn't believe it, couldn't believe it. Okay, maybe they had drawn straws, but even so, Daniel would have come of his own accord to Jack's house. After all, they were best friends, right?
"Colonel," Walter said as he cautiously approached Jack's side with a duffle bag in hand.
"Yeah, Walter," Jack said indifferently, his mind still dwelling on Daniel and the others.
"Since you cleared your locker, I've taken the liberty of putting together a small kit for you," Walter said, handing over the duffle, "BDUs, underwear, toiletries..."
"Thank you, Walter," Jack said as he took the bag. "It's nice to know that someone cares around here."
"Yes, sir," Walter said cautiously, while giving Jack a puzzled look. Everyone on base 'cared' about the members of SG-1, as the flagship team they had earned the respect of all personnel, not just at the S.G.C., but elsewhere as well. "Sergeant Siler has a team standing by to accompany you home and remove the bugs from your house, uh, catalogue them as evidence."
"Tell him to head on without me. I'm gonna hit the shower," Jack said and stepped away, leaving Walter standing alone in the middle of the hall.
"But, sir, he'll need a key to get in," Walter called out after him.
"Door's unlocked," Jack shouted back then he made for the stairs, opting to stretch his legs rather than riding in the elevator.
Once alone in the stairwell, Jack stopped and leaned with his back against the wall. With his mission over, it was now time to make his decision. If he was going to have Hammond submit his resignation for real, this was the time to drop by his office and tell him. But that was far from easy for Jack. He was a military man, always had been. There was nothing that had come before his career. Could he truly give it all up for Methos? At that moment, the answer was yes. But should he actually do it? Would he end up regretting it at some point, end up resenting Methos for having walked away from it all?
"I let her get close, Methos."
"How close?"
"Too close."
The cursed flashback overtook Jack so quickly that tears streamed down his cheeks; the pain of Methos' face at that moment fresh in his mind yet again, causing his heart to feel heavy, nearly to the breaking point. Jack never wanted to come home and see that look in Methos' eyes ever again. He had never wanted to hurt Methos so deeply in the first place – then it hit him, clear as day. By not letting go of what had happened, by not forgiving himself, Jack was reliving his indiscretion with Lara over and over again; and each time, Methos was living through it with him. He hadn't said so, but Jack could tell, now that he thought about it – the way that Methos' touch was more consoling lately, less passionate. Jack had to move on, the affair with Lara had to be put behind him, and that's exactly what he was going to do.
"Learn, grow stronger," Jack whispered, echoing one of Methos' mottos. Jack was going to learn from his experience of being stranded off world, not forget it completely for he knew he never could, but he could forgive himself and move on with his life rather than drag himself through the muck and Methos right along with him. With that decided, Jack felt a weight lift off of him that had been heavy on his back for weeks.
Jack smiled for a brief moment as he felt a welcome sense of relief then he closed his eyes and let out a deep breath as he considered once more if he would now go to Hammond's office and resign or head for the locker room and then home. Then, at just the right moment, Methos' words spoken one evening shortly after they'd gotten married sprang up from the depths of Jack's memory...
"There are times I positively loathe your job, want to tell The Air Force to bugger off and get someone else, but then I wonder who would take your place and cannot think of a solitary soul I would trust to do so. I am so proud of you, my love, all the times you've saved us all from unknown danger..."
The look in Methos' eyes at that moment had been one of deep love and pride, a look that Jack positively adored; that warmed him to his very core, and that he could easily come home to for the rest of his life. "Thanks," Jack whispered into the air, finally knowing what to do and feeling a genuine peace about it. He took another deep breath then took a step forward, heading for the locker room and then home. Hopefully, Thor would have Methos returned by the time he got there so he could spend some quality husband-to-husband time with him – alone.
~ ~ ~
Jack arrived at home, just as Siler, along with his team, was wrapping up their sweep of his house. They'd cleared out five bugs in total – living room, dining room, kitchen, and both bedrooms. Maybourne's lackeys had been thorough and efficient. Jack thanked Siler for his quick work and offered him a beer, not at all disappointed when Siler politely turned him down. He smiled courteously in response and saw Siler out the door then he closed and locked it, while letting out a tiny sigh.
"You can come home now," Jack said, glancing up to the ceiling. He stared for a long moment then shook his head, feeling rather stupid. He had no way of contacting Thor's ship. There was no way that Methos could hear him calling out. He chuckled at himself then headed for the kitchen and an icy, cold beer, but as he reached the refrigerator, he saw a bright light surrounding him and the next thing he knew, he was onboard Thor's ship.
"Greetings, Colonel O'Neill," Thor said as he stepped from behind the control console. "I apologize for the delay in bringing you onboard. It was necessary to wait for your life sign to be isolated before doing so."
"No problem," Jack said then looked around the room behind Thor. "Where's Methos?"
"Here," Methos said as he entered the room from a door off to Jack's right.
Jack looked and saw the gleam in Methos' eyes, his love shining out to him and had to catch his breath. "Come, here," he said with a beaming smile then he stepped just in front of Methos and cradled his cheeks, drawing him in for a deep, passionate kiss.
Thor tilted his head to one side and watched as Jack and Methos kissed...and kissed...and kissed. Certainly they would need to stop for a breath of air at some point. Thor then blinked slowly and tilted his head to the other side, wondering if he should speak up. He didn't have much time before his schedule demanded that he break Earth orbit and he needed to remove the tracking device from Jack before he transported him back to his home.
"I missed you," Jack whispered as he finally ended their kiss.
"And I you," Methos said, giving Jack a curious look. "What's wrong?" he asked, wondering why Jack had kissed him with such a sense of urgency, almost as if he expected to never be kissing Methos again.
"Nothing," Jack lowered his left hand while gently caressing Methos' chin with his right. "Things couldn't be more wonderful."
"Colonel O'Neill," Thor said with an authoritative tone.
"Yeah?" Jack said while keeping his eyes locked with Methos'. Damn, but he loved him so very, very much.
"It is time to remove the tracking device," Thor said, taking a few steps toward them and holding a small instrument in each hand.
"Right," Jack said as he reluctantly let go of Methos then he pivoted slightly and squatted, lowering his body until he was eye level with Thor.
"Remain still," Thor said then pressed one end of a slender, cylindrical device against the side of Jack's head, just behind his ear and moved it slowly until they heard a tiny beep. Thor then pressed a tiny button and Jack flinched as the instrument removed the tracking device through his skin then instantly cauterized the tiny opening in his skin, which was no larger than the head of a pin. With that done, Thor then raised his other hand and began to scan Jack's body.
"What's that?" Jack asked curiously, looking at the second device. He didn't mean to be uncooperative, but staying in his current position for too long was going to be murder on his knees.
"Thor's checking out something...testing a theory," Methos said then he took hold of Jack's right arm and helped him to stand up once Thor's scan was complete.
"A theory?" Jack asked in confusion. "Why do I suddenly feel like a lab rat again?" he asked, sounding frustrated. As much as he loved Methos, there were times when the scientist within him nearly drove Jack insane. Jack had always had a problem with scientists; it figured he'd end up married to one.
"Thor pointed out while reviewing my data that we each have a genetic marker. He ran a test on mine and it's emitting a very low frequency energy wave...one that our technology isn't advanced enough to detect," Methos said while taking hold of Jack's right hand and leading him over to stand by Thor so they could see the display.
"Energy wave?" Jack asked and squeezed Methos' hand so that he would look at him. "It's not dangerous is it?"
"No," Methos said while shaking his head and pursing his lips. "Thor is checking to see if yours is emitting the same energy wave, if maybe it's a side effect of the Aftershocks."
"Oh," Jack said with a nod then his eyes grew wide. "Mine? Wait a minute. Since when do I have a, uh..."
"Genetic marker," Methos said while gently squeezing Jack's hand. "Don't worry. The Asgard placed it when they downloaded the Ancient knowledge from your brain. It's there for your protection."
"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" Jack asked while looking at Methos as though he'd lost his mind.
"It is common practice for scientists of their caliber to mark their subjects in order to prevent any genetic manipulation by others," Methos said calmly while gently caressing Jack's cheek. "They did save your life that day, my love," he added with a tiny nudge in his voice.
"Yeah," Jack sighed, knowing it was pointless to press the matter. If this genetic marker was for his protection and had already been inside him for over a year, what was the point of dickering about it now?
"Well?" Methos asked, as he saw Thor pursing his lips.
"Our hypothesis was incorrect. Colonel O'Neill's marker is registering precisely within expected parameters."
"So, there's no low-level energy wave running through my body?" Jack asked, looking at Thor.
"None other than what is common for your species," Thor answered then slowly blinked. "We must continue this vein of research another time, Doctor O'Neill," he said as he shifted his gaze to Methos.
"Of course," Methos said and squeezed Jack's hand before letting go of it. "Be ready in just a moment; left my belongings in the other room," he said then headed out the door at the far right side of the room with a determined stride, not wanting to keep Thor waiting.
"Thor," Jack whispered as he leaned his face in closer to his friend. "This marker inside Methos...it won't hurt him, right?" he asked, his concern for his husband's well being rearing up full force.
"It will not. The energy being emitted may be part of its normal function," Thor said quietly.
"You don't know?" Jack asked in surprise.
"It is not an Asgard marker."
"What?" Jack asked as his eyes widened.
"Ready," Methos said as he rejoined them, his duffle bag in one hand and his sword in the other. He took one look at Jack's face and frowned. "Did I miss something?"
"Just chatting," Jack said before Thor could say a word. "So, Thor, you gonna stick around for a while? You can get some Aftershock readings tonight if all goes according to plan," he said while giving Methos a mischievous grin.
"I must be going, another time. Be well, O'Neills," Thor said then he activated the transport system, placing Jack and Methos in the living room of Jack's house.
"Not much for long good-byes, that one," Methos said with a tiny chuckle as he and Jack stood by the fireplace, adjusting to their surroundings.
"No, he's not," Jack said, shaking his head then he placed one hand on Methos' left shoulder to keep him from moving away. "Tell me about the marker Thor found inside you."
"Not much to tell," Methos said with a sigh, as he laid down his sword and duffle bag on the sofa. "Apparently, from the placement, it was put there when I was in the womb. Thor couldn't tell me anymore than that from my data. He only ran a test and discovered the energy being emitted from the blasted thing because I pressured him."
"Come here," Jack said gently and pulled Methos to his shoulder for a warm, lingering embrace. Even though he had been through a lot during his incredibly long lifetime, Jack could tell that this new revelation had left Methos a bit rattled. "We'll press him more the next time he drops by...get to the bottom of this," Jack promised while giving Methos a tiny squeeze.
"Right," Methos said with a sigh then he lifted his head from Jack's shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "On the bright side, I told Thor about your momentary ability to sense immortals after consecutive Aftershocks...."
"And?" Jack asked, a gleam coming to his eye, reflecting the one in Methos'.
"He concurs with my analysis that when we share an Aftershock, we also share our very essence. For that brief moment, the two of us are one being, if that makes sense," Methos said, hoping that Jack's eyes wouldn't start glazing over. As intelligent as Jack was with his Masters in Aeronautical Engineering and Bachelors degrees in Astronomy and Chemistry, he was not a scientist at his core and was easily lost in more complex scientific discussions.
"Kind of," Jack said as he pondered the matter briefly. "That's why we showed up as one color then the other on Thor's screen that time when he monitored us making love?"
"Precisely," Methos said with a beaming smile. "For a brief moment we were both immortal then both mortal then by the time he had us transported onto the ship we'd returned to normal."
"Yeah, and naked," Jack said with a tiny snort, as he recalled the awkward moment on what then became their wedding night.
"Yes," Methos said with a tiny sigh as the image of Jack naked came to his mind. "So, things went well with you, I hear."
"Yeah, got the bad guys, kept my job," Jack said then he led Methos across the room and stopped so that they were looking at Jack's picture taken with Sarah and their son, Charlie, before he'd died. "I nearly didn't though."
"What?" Methos said, giving Jack a look of concern.
"When Charlie died after getting his hands on my gun," Jack said with a wave of his hand toward the picture, "Sarah forgave me in time, but she never forgot, she lives with it everyday. Me, I've never forgiven myself, never will, I don't think, but at times I can forget the pain."
"Jack..." Methos said, hearing the pain in Jack's voice as he brought up the dreadful subject. No one should ever have to bury his child. "You've already explained the picture; it's not a problem," he said gently, understanding why Jack left it out in the house despite being remarried.
"I know," Jack said and squeezed Methos' shoulders from behind, nestling into him. "Let me finish," he said and waited for Methos to nod before he continued. "This past week I've been considering resignation, thinking that the job is too much of a strain on our marriage, but then I realized this afternoon that it wasn't the problem, that I am. I need to leave Lara behind, stop punishing myself over what happened. You've forgiven me, now I need to forgive myself." Jack then turned Methos to face him and gave him a tender smile. "I've been an asshole the past few weeks since you've come back to me, but that ends right now. You deserve better than what I've been giving you lately...I love you so much..."
"Welcome home, my love," Methos said then leaned in and pressed their lips together for a tender kiss before Jack could utter another word.
"Hmm," Jack purred as Methos ended their kiss. "So, tell me about your trip," he said with a tiny grin. "Did Thor snore while sleeping?" he asked jokingly, letting humor lighten the air in the room.
"I wouldn't know," Methos said with a tiny chuckle. "We slept in separate rooms."
"Ah," Jack said with a nod and a gleam in his eye. "Tell me over dinner. We'll order in Chinese."
"Alright, order my usual," Methos said then went to unpack his duffle bag with a beaming smile on his face and a renewed warmth of love in his heart, while Jack found the menu for the restaurant and made the call, feeling much the same.
Jack and Methos then fell into their 'evening together' routine. They changed into comfortable clothes, watched an episode of The Simpsons, and then ate dinner in the dining room, tonight by candlelight since Jack was in a romantic mood. And by the way Methos played with his knee under the table as they sat and talked about the Lorig, it was obvious that he was in a romantic mood as well. It was precisely what Jack had needed after all the crap he'd been through as of late.
After dinner, they moved to the living room and sat on the couch with Methos snuggled against Jack's shoulder and listened to opera together. As it finished, Jack opened his eyes and kissed Methos on the forehead. "That kept me company while you were away," Jack whispered, "played it every morning while I waited for you to log in to chat."
"Jack..." Methos began with concern in his voice, but Jack placed two fingers on his mouth to silence him.
"I'm not going back," Jack said and kissed Methos once more on the forehead. "I just wanted you to know why it's become so special to me."
"Okay," Methos said then he lifted his head and pressed in for tiny kiss. "Work tomorrow?"
"Yeah" Jack said with a sigh before they kissed again.
"Pity," Methos said as he broke their kiss long enough to straddle Jack's lap. "I was going to suggest you come to Denver with me in the morning, watch pay-per-view at the apartment while I work at the university then make made passionate love to me all night," he said with a sly grin.
"Sounds wonderful, another time," Jack said with a toothy grin. "For tonight, you'll have to settle for a two-round limit," he said with a smirk then he drew Methos in for another kiss.
"You're sure you can handle that?" Methos asked suspiciously.
"I don't report in until 13:00," Jack said with a smile, receiving one from Methos in return then he let out a tiny sigh as Methos pressed their growing arousals together through their sweatpants. "Damn."
"What?" Methos asked, pausing his movement.
"I took all the lube and oils to Joe's," Jack said, sounding disappointed.
"Not a problem," Methos said, deciding it was best not to ask why Jack had done so. "We've got coconut oil in the kitchen."
"Coconut oil?" Jack asked in disbelief.
"It makes for an excellent organic lubricant."
"I don't want to end up smelling like popcorn," Jack said cautiously.
"We'll try it another time," Methos said, not wanting to waste time debating the matter. "Let's go get these clothes out of the way, shall we?" he asked as he rose to his feet and held out his left hand.
"Lead on," Jack said while taking hold of Methos' hand and standing up then he fondled Methos' ass all the way down the hall and into the master bedroom.
"Feisty," Methos said with a playful growl as he quickly stripped off his shirt and sweat pants.
"Definitely," Jack said while doing the same then he gently tackled Methos down onto the bed. "Who gets to feast first?" he asked as he lunged in and began nibbling on Methos' left shoulder.
"Why take turns?" Methos asked then lunged up toward Jack's left shoulder for some nibbling of his own.
"Hmm," Jack purred then he took hold of Methos' arms and pinned him to the bed. "First one to come cleans the bathroom," he said playfully.
"Deal," Methos said with a mischievous grin then they both chuckled slightly as they rolled onto their sides, facing each other.
"Howdy, Little Jack," Jack said teasingly as he turned so his head was toward the foot of the bed. He took a moment to place a tiny kiss on Methos' ass cheek atop the tiny tattoo then he let out a tiny sigh as he felt Methos' tongue against his hardened cock. "Let me get settled first," he said, feigning annoyance.
"Hurry up," Methos said, mimicking Jack's tone then he waited until he felt Jack's breath on his cock before resuming his feasting on Jack's.
Jack and Methos each then focused on each another's cock – licking, sucking, sighing and moaning. Pass after pass, using only their mouths, understanding that no hands were allowed, they drew one another closer and closer to the edge, competing as they had so many times before – boys being boys while pleasuring one another. Win or lose they always thoroughly enjoyed the game.
After a while, Methos felt his control slipping slightly and doubled his efforts on Jack, teasing the tip of his cock with his tongue, trying to force him along faster, but it was no use. Jack was going to win this time, the little imp. Four more passes then Methos stilled his mouth, keeping Jack's cock nestled inside, all nice and warm, while he felt the last of his control leave him.
Jack tasted the pre-cum in his mouth and smiled then he felt Methos' cock jerk, spewing a bit more and he sucked all the harder. Two more passes and that was it – Methos was coming inside his mouth and Jack relaxed his throat to take his release without gagging. Once Methos was nearly spent, he resumed sucking on the tip of Jack's cock and Jack let go, allowing Methos to rapidly take him over the edge. As he jerked into Methos' mouth, Jack reached around with his right hand and squeezed Methos' ass then once done, he stilled and held Methos tight while the Aftershock hit them, giving them the rush that made them horny and eager for more.
"That never gets old," Jack said as he caught his breath. "You always taste so damn good," he whispered as he turned around so he could face Methos, eye-to-eye.
"You, too," Methos said with a sly grin then he licked his lips as he ran his fingers through Jack's chest hairs. "Double or nothing...we go again and the loser cleans the bathroom this week and next?"
"You're on, just as soon as I recover," Jack said without hesitation then shared another laugh as they shifted toward the pillows, Methos landing on his back and Jack falling into his shoulder. "I love you so much, Doctor O'Neill," he whispered, wanting to hear the words again.
"And I love you," Methos whispered in return then he drew Jack in for a deep, lingering kiss, savoring the taste of their cum blending together as their tongues battled for supremacy. "Covers?" he asked with a nudge in his voice as he finally let go of Jack's lips.
"Got it," Jack said as he lifted up so he could reach the blankets then he nestled back into Methos' shoulder as he covered them over, creating a warm cocoon, and let out a contented sigh. He was lying in bed snuggled with the man that he loved, basking in the afterglow of their love making, more promised for later that night. All was right with Jack's world once again, at long last, and pity anyone who tried to ruin it for him.
FIN
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