Jack's Immortal 3
Happenstance
by Admiral Q O
Colorado Springs was rapidly becoming Methos' newest 'favorite city'. As he drove his rental from the airport, he rolled down the window, taking in the fresh, clean air, and purposefully passed through the heart of town. Along the way, he noted a couple of restaurants to try and a bookstore to peruse then he saw a pleasant-looking supermarket and pulled into the lot.
As of that morning when he'd boarded his flight from New York, Jack was off who knew where, doing who knew what for his country. That being the case, Methos figured it would be a good idea to get a few groceries before going to Jack's house. There was simply no way to know how stocked it might or might not be.
He strolled the aisles, noting prices, damn but they were high everywhere anymore, and filled his cart about halfway with a few essentials – bread, coffee, fresh produce, eggs, some packages of meat and cheese, milk, and a bottle of champagne. Last, but not least, he stopped at the floral counter for a lovely arrangement of red roses then he proceeded to check out.
A half hour later, Methos pulled into Jack's driveway, parking where normally Jack's truck would be. He scanned the area briefly and saw no peering eyes, so he took the bag with the milk in it first and leisurely made his way to the front door. He braced the bag against his arm, using it to block the view of his hands at the lock and picked it open in no time flat, casually slipping his little tool into his pocket as he crossed the threshold. The sight inside was a near nightmare. Obviously, Jack hadn't expected anyone to be dropping by.
Dust was everywhere and the hall was lined with assorted pairs of boxers and socks that Jack had seemingly taken off while making his way back to bed, leaving them to drop haphazardly to the floor. Methos went through the dining room; its table cluttered with mail and assorted papers, and let out a tiny sigh. Oh well, nobody was perfect. He entered the kitchen, relieved to find the sink empty with clean dishes in the drainer beside it, and sat the bag down on the counter before opening the refrigerator. It was a good thing he'd stopped at the store. Inside were three eggs, a case of beer and some very old Chinese take-out in wide-open containers with fungus growing within.
"Charming," Methos sighed with heavy sarcasm in his tone and emptied the contents of the bag, stowing the items in the refrigerator before returning to the car to retrieve the rest.
As before, he saw no one, and was relatively certain that no one had seen him, but there was always the outside chance that he'd been spotted. He considered the possibility while putting the remaining groceries in their proper places and formulated a contingency plan. If anyone had seen him and happened to come by before Jack returned, he'd say that he was the house sitter. Of course, that meant he'd be expected to have a key, so he finished with the groceries, placed the roses in water using the vase he found under the sink, and carried them back to the master bedroom before he set about searching the house, hoping that Jack kept a spare key tucked away somewhere.
~ ~ ~
Jack stood in front of his locker wearing nothing but a towel and stretched his neck before moving to get his clothes. SG-1 had successfully made contact with the Tok'ra and taken the first step to forming an alliance with them in their fight against the Goa'uld, however their initial meeting hadn't exactly gone smoothly. What else was new?
By the end of the encounter, the two groups had come to a guarded understanding after Jack had assisted in the capture of a spy within the Tok'ra's ranks and General Jacob Carter, Sam's father, had agreed to be liaison between them. He'd been near death from lymphoma and had accepted one of the Tok'ra symbiotes, Selmak, into his body, allowing himself to become the snake's host in exchange for being healed of the disease. The thought of it still gave Jack shivers no matter how many times he reminded himself that the Tok'ra were different from the Goa'uld.
The Tok'ra's philosophy meant that they had a truly symbiotic relationship with their human hosts. Unlike the Goa'uld, they didn't believe in taking one by force, and shared the host's body so that each could speak independently as desired. Jacob had assured them before he'd left with the Tok'ra that their new allies were 'good people'. From him, that was high praise, according to Sam, but Jack didn't completely trust them, and wasn't sure that he ever could. A snake was still a snake.
"You never cease to amaze me, Jack."
"Huh?" Jack uttered and glanced at Daniel, who was standing next to him in front of his own locker.
"Your reference to Faust that you made when we spoke with Garshaw; you know, how you accused her host of selling her soul for immortality," Daniel replied and dropped his towel, slipping into his boxers with one quick, fluid motion. "I had no idea you'd ever heard of him."
"Oh...that...yeah, well...he's one of the big ones, right? In all the books and that," Jack said shrugging off the comment while trading his towel for his boxers, immediately followed by his pants.
Jack had learned about Faust in high school and had recently read about him again while doing a little refresher reading of such things so that he could have more in-depth conversations with Methos during their online chats. He found his lover's insights to be fascinating at times, and there was nothing wrong with broadening his horizons a bit. It was good for the brain to keep it exercising regularly, learning new things. As a consequence, his comment referencing Faust had flowed naturally from his lips in the course of conversation. He hadn't given it a second thought, although, obviously, Daniel had.
"Right," Daniel drawled, raising his eyebrows. "So, you read up on European mythology as a hobby and just never bothered to mention it? How much time have I wasted giving you information that you already know?" he pressed as he continued dressing.
"So, I have interests outside of work. So, sue me," Jack stated and quickly threw on his shirt and fastened his pants. "Besides, it's your job as our resident ancient cultures expert to advise me of those things. Whether I've already heard or read about them somewhere else is irrelevant," he pointed out and took up the dagger Methos had given him before closing his locker. Ever since the fishing trip, he'd carried it with him every time they'd gone off world.
"Of course," Daniel said, rolling his eyes. "Taking that home for the weekend?"
"Yeah, it's a good, solid piece of craftsmanship," Jack said and placed it inside his jacket. "Not something you want to leave lying around for one of the Marines to borrow."
"I can understand that."
"Right. Good night, Daniel," Jack said as he walked over and opened the door.
"Good night, Jack," he replied and continued dressing as Jack disappeared through the door.
After a quick stop at the store, Jack made for home, ready to settle in with an icy cold beer and the latest episode of The Simpsons. As he came upon his house, he saw the car parked in his driveway and killed the engine on his truck, coasting to a stop as quietly as possible.
"What the hell?" Jack muttered and unbuckled his seatbelt then he took the gun from under his seat and checked it before exiting the truck, leaving his jacket and groceries on the passenger seat.
He made his way around to the deck and noticed his BBQ was set up; not lit, but definitely not stowed away as he'd left it before going in to work a few days earlier then he saw the sliding door open and eased cautiously toward it. He paused briefly just outside, gun raised, and tuned into the sounds within.
He heard music playing in the living room and it wasn't one of his CDs; that was for sure, not with banging drums and screeching electric guitar being the main instruments. Some teenager must have decided to break in and make himself at home; well, Jack was going to teach him a lesson. He carefully slipped inside and over to the entryway then rounded the corner, preparing to step down into the living room and came face to face with Methos, aiming with his gun in reflex before he recognized his lover and lowered it.
"Oh, there you are. I thought I'd heard someone," Methos stated and nonchalantly tossed the rag in his hand onto the coffee table.
"How'd you get in?" Jack asked, sounding like a father scolding his child.
"I picked the lock," Methos replied, either ignoring, or oblivious to Jack's tone. "It won't happen again...I found your hide-a-key off the deck," he said and shook his head as static started to come from the radio yet again. "Is your radio reception always so horrible? It took me nearly half an hour to find a decent station that would come in; maybe you need a new antenna?"
"I generally listen to CDs when I'm in the house," Jack answered, stunned that Methos was in his living room, carrying on a casual conversation as if his being there were an expected and routine occurrence.
"I saw them...nothing modern...all classical and opera. What is it with you young guys and opera? Duncan's gonna love your collection; it's quite impressive if that's your cup of tea..." he trailed off.
"Thanks...uh...Methos?"
"Yes, Jack?"
"You do realize that I could have shot you just now, right?" he asked, holding his gun out briefly before lying it down on the end table beside him.
"You wouldn't have hurt me...not seriously."
"That's not the point," Jack said, sounding a touch flustered.
"I know," Methos said and drew Jack in for a deep kiss, causing him to gasp for air as it ended. "I missed you."
"I missed you, too."
"I can tell," Methos smirked as he ran his fingers across the small bulge forming in Jack's pants. "Let me turn off the radio."
"Yeah...uh...I left my stuff in the truck. Be right back," Jack called back as he opened the front door.
"I'll be here."
A few minutes later, Jack had his jacket hung in the closet, his hot dogs placed in the refrigerator; and was strolling back into the living room, carrying two beers.
"So, I'm thinkin' we should get you your own key tomorrow? Put the hide-a-key back?" Jack asked handing over one of the bottles.
"That'd be great, thanks."
"Right," Jack said and took a drink of his beer before leveling his eyes at Methos. "So, what brings you here?"
"Do I need a reason?"
"For showing up unannounced? Damn right you do."
Methos gave Jack a boyish smile as the two came together in front of the fireplace and shook his head slightly. It was both a blessing and a curse to have a lover who could read him so well.
"I was going to tell you, but my plans got pushed forward and you weren't in town."
"What happened?
"A couple of young immortals are in New York...one chasing the other. I didn't want to get caught up in the middle of it, so I came out a week early...I'll be laying low for a while until things cool off."
"Sweet," Jack said with a grin. His timing couldn't have been more perfect. Daniel was going to be out of town for the next week; Teal'c was going to be off world visiting his wife and son; and Jack and Sam were scheduled to be at the base evaluating a group of new recruits. That meant Jack would be able to come home every night and having Methos around was going to be a real treat. "How long?"
"Not too long...a month or so."
"A month?" As good as that sounded, Jack wondered if that might be pushing things a bit too far. His neighbors might notice if Methos stayed for that length of time and start asking questions, but how was he to broach the subject without seeming rude?
"Don't worry. I won't be here the entire time. I plan to go to Denver during the week...be here on the weekends...if that will work for you."
"Sure," Jack said, sounding relieved. "I mean, you know you're welcome here anytime..."
"Discretion...I understand," Methos assured him.
"Right. So, what are you going to be doing in Denver?"
"Registering at the University for next semester...setting up an apartment. You can help me with that if you want," he hinted.
"Absolutely. What are you going to be taking at the University?"
"I've decided to get another Ph.D...Biophysics. I checked into it and they have a superior professorial staff, modern laboratories, everything I'll need, and I get to be near you as a bonus."
"Biophysics," Jack repeated. "The Aftershocks?"
"Exactly. You know me, my love. I can't simply ignore them. I have to at least try to figure out what causes them. Like I told you in our chats...I've exhausted all my resources, searched every last archive I can lay my hands on. Never in the recorded history of immortals has such a phenomena ever occurred."
"Not that anyone bothered to note."
"Trust me. The people who keep the records I scoured would have made at least a passing reference to something like this. I don't think it's ever happened before."
"Right...you know, I've been thinking about them a lot lately. You said that they remind you of that charge that flows through you when you take another immortal's head..."
"The Quickening, yes...but these are much smaller and definitely not draining," Methos said with a wink.
"Yeah," Jack sighed, smiling slightly as he thought of how worked up they both were immediately after one hit then he cleared his throat and pressed on, "At work...the doc mentioned something about the constant electric charge that flows through each of our bodies. Is it possible that immortals have a different kind of charge somehow from mortals?"
"I suppose. But, I've had other mortal lovers and there's never been any side effect before."
"I'm thinking that maybe I was exposed to something at work, which altered mine somehow so that it causes it to react with yours."
Jack had actually thought of several things – being hit by zat fire, being placed in a sarcophagus, travel through the Stargate itself, to name a few. He was relatively certain that none of Methos' former lovers had been exposed to any of them since Methos hadn't been anywhere near Ra's little kingdom on Earth all those centuries ago. During their chats, Jack had raised the topic of Ra as well as his mate, Hathor, and their son, Heru'ur. They were all myths so far as Methos was concerned. He'd heard about them when he'd lived in Sumer, and had studied about them much later, but that was all.
"Let me guess," Methos said, staring at Jack, considering the possibility, "this something you were exposed to would be classified."
"Yes...maybe I shouldn't have mentioned it." Jack knew that Methos didn't like not being able to know the details of his work, and he could hear the frustration apparent in his tone of voice.
"It's alright. I'm getting used to it," Methos said with a wink. "I'm glad you said something. In time, maybe there will be a way for you to tell me more. Until then, I'll keep you apprised of my research and you can let me know if I stray too far off base?"
"Sure. I've got a Bachelors degree in Chemistry...you might lose me on occasion, but I could always read up on things if you want."
"That would be grand," Methos said with a smile. "Maybe you could work on your Masters?"
"No way...three degrees is enough."
"Three? What are the other two?"
"Masters in Aeronautical Engineering and Bachelors in Astronomy."
"And I thought Astronomy was only a hobby for you," Methos cooed and drew Jack in for a warm embrace. "I'll have to settle for giving you a little personal tutoring in biochemistry then."
"Sure," Jack sighed and leaned into Methos' right shoulder, returning his affection and feeling as though a weight had been lifted off him.
The Aftershocks were a positive thing; he and Methos had agreed on that, but not knowing what caused them had Jack feeling a bit apprehensive. He'd been considering for days whether or not he should suggest to Methos that they ask Janet to look into the phenomena. As Jack's regular physician at the S.G.C., she certainly knew his body on a chemical level better than anyone, and he was sure that an arrangement could be made for discrete testing of Methos as well.
However, now that Methos was going to research them, there would be no need to involve a third party, which meant far fewer complications. Added to that, the fact that Methos wanted Jack to help him made the idea even more appealing. This would work, and they'd get to see each other more often. It was definitely a win-win all the way around.
"You cleaned?" Jack asked, as he noticed the furniture polish setting out on the coffee table.
"Just a little. It was so dusty in here," Methos shuddered and stepped toward the mantle. "By the way, I notice you got a new medal that you didn't bother to tell me about," he teased, picking it up.
"Didn't I?"
"No."
"I thought for sure I did...it's why I went to D.C."
"Oh," Methos said with a nod and eased into Jack's embrace as he felt him leaning in from behind, resting his head down onto his shoulder. "You said something about a ceremony, but you didn't mention getting the Air Medal."
Jack ran his hand along Methos' hips as he recalled the ceremony that had never happened. A reporter had approached him concerning the Stargate Program prior to its scheduled commencement and had subsequently been killed by a passing car. For security reasons, The President had been kept away and the ceremony had been cancelled. Jack and Sam had received their medals from General Hammond at the S.G.C. instead with only the three of them in the room.
"Ah, well, Carter got it, too," Jack said, downplaying the medal's significance.
"For the same thing?"
"Yes. We were on the same assignment."
"Right...uhm..."
"What?"
"Your work is analyzing deep space radar telemetry."
"Yes," Jack readily confirmed. That was their 'official' job description and as with any cover story, Jack had it so ingrained within him that he was comfortable discussing the matter as if it were actually true.
"Yes...well, they give this medal for acts of heroism while participating in aerial flight, correct?"
"Yes. That's why they call it the Air Medal, not the Sea Medal," Jack quipped, purposely keeping the tone of the conversation light.
"Right," Methos chuckled slightly and pursed his lips. "Can I ask what you got it for?"
"Saving the planet from certain destruction," Jack said jokingly, figuring that Methos would never believe him.
Methos laughed and Jack joined him then a serious expression crossed Methos' face as Jack's words connected with something he'd recently heard.
"What?" Jack asked, hearing Methos make that tiny snorting sound that meant he was holding his tongue.
"Nothing...or at least I thought it was nothing. Now, I'm not so sure."
"Tell me."
"I heard a rumor a couple of weeks ago. Normally, I don't listen to them...I only paid attention because Cheyenne Mountain was mentioned..."
"What kind of rumor?"
"A few months back there were a couple of bright flashes in the night sky that spawned a virtual frenzy of conspiracy theories. Did you hear about it?"
"Yeah, I think so," Jack answered taking on his best poker face. That was the incident that the now-dead reporter had approached him about.
"Yes...well...the rumor I heard said that the conspiracy theories are bunk and that the true story is that an elite team from Cheyenne Mountain blew up a couple of space ships in Earth's orbit."
"Really?" Jack asked, feigning disbelief. Damn. It was the same story, more or less, that the reporter had heard. The leak was even worse than he'd thought.
"Jack, if I were to ask you if you were involved in that incident, would you be able to answer me honestly about it?"
Talk about a loaded question. If Jack said yes, he'd be lying and Methos would know it. If he said no, he was as much as admitting that he'd been involved. Of course, the fact that he hadn't responded instantly had already given Methos his answer. For once, Jack wasn't quite sure what to say, so he closed his eyes and nuzzled Methos' neck as he recalled Hammond's words as he'd pinned the medals onto their uniforms...
'Colonel Jack O'Neill, Captain Samantha Carter, you have distinguished yourself by heroism involving voluntary risk of life. Against impossible odds, with only the help of your team members, Teal'c and Doctor Daniel Jackson, you destroyed both Goa'uld spacecraft that were poised to attack this world. Your exemplary courage and heroism reflect great credit upon yourself and the United States Air Force.'
"I won't ask," Methos said, breaking the silence and turned in Jack's arms and caressed his cheek. "I'm very proud of you, my love. If even a portion of what I've heard is true, you deserve far more than this medal."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome. So, what are you doing to plug your leak? Or can't you say?"
Jack let out a tiny laugh and gently kissed Methos' forehead.
"Plugging leaks isn't my department."
"Pity...I was hoping I could give my information to you."
"What information?"
"The rumor I heard came out of the mouth of a drunken bureaucrat, who was trying to impress some woman in a nightclub. As soon as I heard Cheyenne Mountain, I got her away from him and kept him occupied for the rest of the evening, getting what I could out of him. I reasoned that if any part of what he said was true that it might put you in danger."
"What else did he tell you?"
"That underneath N.O.R.A.D. is another facility known as the S.G.C.. He didn't say what the letters stood for, but he cited it as the source of this elite team that saved the planet. He claimed to be a staffer for one of the Senators on the Appropriations Committee."
"Did he say which one?" Jack asked, relatively certain of the answer.
"Yes, Kinsey," Methos replied and saw an instant note of recognition in Jack's eyes. There was a story there. "You know him?"
"Yes," Jack stated, practically sneering. As Head of the Committee, Kinsey had cut off funding for the S.G.C., shutting it down for a period of time even though Daniel had warned everyone that the Goa'uld were headed to destroy Earth. SG-1 had gone against orders and used the Stargate anyway to intercept them if at all possible. It's a damn good thing that they had, too, or the planet would be nothing but a memory.
"I haven't said a word to anyone about this, Jack...only you. Like I said, I didn't take him seriously at the time."
"I know. This puts me in a hell of a spot, you know?"
"Yes...I generally avoid getting involved with the politics of any country specifically to avoid moments like this. What do we do?"
"Do you know the guy's name?"
"I know the one he gave me; I don't think he lied about it. If you can get a picture, I'd be able to identify him to be certain that he didn't."
"Good. We'll do that next weekend...give me time to get the photo without drawing attention," Jack thought out loud, "then we'll jot down everything he said, no matter how trivial or bizarre and get it to someone who can shut him up."
"Alright...this would be someone you know and trust? I mean, I want to help, but obviously, I don't want my name attached."
"Neither of our names will be attached."
"Even better, but just how do you propose to manage that?"
"The Pentagon email system is easy to hack into if you know the right angle to approach it from. We'll send the information to the person from his own email address."
"Very good...I can make sure they don't trace us back to here," Methos offered.
"So can I." If only Sam knew...
"We'll compare systems and see which is better."
"Okay," Jack agreed and pursed his lips. "The tricky part will be figuring out whom to send it to."
"Yes...well, that's your expertise, my love. Steaks for dinner?"
"Sure," Jack said, his mind clearly focused elsewhere.
"Good. I'll leave you to think while I start up the grill," Methos said and gave Jack a peck on the cheek before heading for the deck.
~ ~ ~
Jack sat on his observation deck with Methos sitting between his legs and leaning back on him as they watched the night sky together. It was nearly heaven; it felt so good. They'd looked through the telescope when they'd first come up and had viewed some magnificent displays then they'd gradually moved off their chairs and settled in, snuggling together as a comfortable silence had come upon. Jack couldn't have been happier.
"Should we pop open the champagne, my love?" Methos suggested.
"Hmmm," Jack purred, nuzzling his lover's neck. "Tempting, but you'll get lucky without it, you know."
"Then I'll save it," Methos playfully replied and let out a tiny sigh as Jack nibbled on his neck. "I'd rather get lucky inside, though, if you don't mind," he said as a cool breeze hit them, putting a damper on the romantic air.
Jack nodded his agreement and led Methos down and inside the house then paused in the entryway to give him a deep, passionate kiss.
"I've got some massage oil...meet you in the bedroom," Jack whispered in a seductive tone and gave Methos another kiss before heading down the hall.
Methos remained still for a long moment, watching Jack sashay to the rear of the house, his hips swinging subtly, and thought back to their first night together. His stride was the same as it had been then – the 'Jack O'Neill, I'm gonna get laid' strut. He'd done the same at the cabin when they'd vacationed together. One thing was for sure; it was easy to tell when he was in the mood.
"Scrumptious," Methos whispered as he thought of how Jack's ass was going to be his before the night was through. He made a trip to the hall bathroom then he went to the master bedroom and found the bed turned down with Jack laying on top of it, completely naked with his cock half-hardened already, just waiting for him.
"Close the door and dim the light," Jack instructed as he heard Methos' footsteps.
"Yes, sir," Methos drawled and did as he was told then he dropped his clothes to the floor, arriving at the foot of the bed, totally stripped. "Where do I start?" he mused as he crawled across the mattress, scanning the length of his lover's body then he placed his hands on Jack's shoulders and began kneading, pressing in with his palm and moving upward.
"Gentle," Jack said with a touch of warning in his voice and flinched, drawing back his left shoulder. The upward motion of Methos' hand had triggered a flashback.
Not that long ago, Jack had been pinned to the wall of the gate-room by an alien device that had shot a spear right through his left shoulder, cutting in with an upward motion that had lifted him several feet above the floor. It had held him in place for hours before a solution had finally been found and had hurt like hell; he'd nearly died. Fortunately, the device had cauterized the wound at the time, so there'd been no loss of blood, and there was no discernable scar, but deep down, Jack was still dealing with getting past the incident.
"What happened, my love?" Methos asked. He examined the spot, and not seeing any evidence of injury, his curiosity went into overdrive. He'd touched Jack's shoulders earlier without any problem, but that had been from behind...this time it was from the front. Something was wrong. "Jack?"
"There was an incident at work...I got hit hard in the shoulder...it was all a misunderstanding, but I guess I'm still a bit shaken over the whole thing."
"I understand," Methos whispered and snuggled into Jack's side. His lover was a strong man, and he knew that a mere hit to the shoulder, no matter how hard it might have been wouldn't have affected him this seriously; but he also knew that not all scars were physical. Methos carried more than his own share of emotional pain. Given time, most did heal; but some simply never did. "We can skip the massage if you want," he offered.
"No," Jack said, looking him in the eyes. "You're not getting out of it that easy. I expect to be pampered and thoroughly spoiled before you fuck me," he smirked.
"Fuck you? Is that what you think I'm going to do?" Methos asked teasingly as he lifted up and hovered over him.
"That was the plan."
"Your plan...."
"You want me to beg?" Jack asked with a tiny pout and gave Methos his best puppy-dog eyes.
"No...although, you are adorable when you do," Methos cooed and leaned in, purposely kissing Jack's left shoulder where he'd touched it. "Better?"
"Yeah," Jack sighed and eased into the pillow. "Massage first," he hinted.
Methos continued his nibbling, working his way up to Jack's neck as he reached down and began massaging Jack's inner thigh.
"How's that?"
"You forgot the oil," Jack whispered then he let out a tiny moan as Methos abruptly dropped his hand and teased his entrance with his fingertips.
"Is the oil warmed?"
"Yeah...nightstand."
Methos brushed Jack's entrance once again then he lifted up and leaned over, dangling his erection in front of Jack's face as he reached for the nightstand. The oil was ready and waiting, wrapped in a warm, damp towel, but Methos took his time 'finding' it so that he could taunt Jack.
"You're cheating," Jack said, taking in his lover's scent. Methos knew he wouldn't be able to resist; it simply wasn't fair. After a long moment, he gave in and ran his tongue along the length of Methos' arousal.
"It's not my fault that the feel of your mouth on my hot cock is so alluring," Methos teased and glanced back at Jack with a mischievous grin. "Should I hold off on the oil?"
"Fine. You win," Jack replied and took hold of Methos' erection, drawing him back a bit. "You can massage me later."
"Deal," Methos smirked then he let out a tiny gasp as Jack took him into his mouth with one fluid motion.
Jack smiled and carefully ran his teeth across the length as he pulled his mouth away then he guided Methos back even further until he was kneeling with his buttocks resting on his heels. Jack then lifted up slightly and teased Methos' navel with his tongue before returning to his cock, sliding his mouth up and down, sucking and teasing the tip with each pass until he felt his lover begin to tremble. Jack intensified his attentions in response and a moment later, Methos cried out.
"Jack...damn...."
"Hmmm...." Jack purred and swallowed his release before letting Methos slip out past his lips. "No Aftershock," he observed.
"Not yet," Methos winked and pressed Jack down onto the mattress as he leaned over and retrieved the oil.
"Massage now?" Jack was more than ready to have his lover's hands caressing his body.
"Later...I promise. First, I want to make love to you...watch you come all over your belly then lick it clean," Methos said then he teased Jack's nipples with his tongue as he slicked his fingers and probed in to prepare him.
"Ah...but you just..."
"Quick recovery time."
"Right," Jack sighed and let out a deep moan as Methos hit his sweet spot.
"Besides, we'll both enjoy the massage even more when we're all horny from the Aftershock."
"Good point," Jack replied. He thought briefly of how incredible Methos' touch was going to feel then his mind went blank as Methos possessed his mouth and continued his preparations.
~ ~ ~
Methos arrived at the University on Monday morning after suffering through a roughly two-hour drive from Jack's house. In the future, he was going to have to time things better so that he didn't get stuck in the stop-and-go of commuter traffic. It had nearly doubled his time on the road. He parked his rental at the south end of the campus and proceeded to stroll through the grounds, becoming familiar with various landmarks that until then had been nothing more than marks on a map that he'd downloaded from the Internet.
The observatory was the first thing he noticed and was impressed with the beautiful park surrounding it. He'd have to see if he could make arrangements for Jack to visit it sometime – he'd love it. Continuing north, he noted the locations of the library, the administrative offices, and the chapel where he paused for a closer look.
It was a simple brick building, centrally located, and readily accessible from most of the buildings that Methos anticipated spending time in. That was good. Should the need arise; it would be his fallback position to stave off any potential challenger. One of the rules immortals abided by, for the most part anyway, was that no fighting was allowed on holy ground. Generally, he was able to avoid confrontation with those of his kind by disappearing as soon as he sensed one, but it was wise to have a Plan B.
He then completed his tour, taking in the remarkable sports complex at the northern end of the campus before circling back to the domed hall wherein laid the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, DCB for short. After a few inquiries, he was seated in a small room with three of the key department heads, discretely interviewing them as they, in turn, interviewed him as a potential doctorate candidate. Unfortunately, one professor had a supremely shitty attitude and was doing his best to get Methos rejected.
He endured the man's condescension, resisting the urge to smack him senseless on more than one occasion then the professor put forth an impossible question, and Methos turned the tables. He pointed out that there was no answer given that the premise behind it was flawed, and explained in detail why it was, even providing a solution to salvage the question into one that was valid and gave the answer to that instead. Faced with the stifled chuckles of his peers, the professor backed down and was far more cooperative going forward.
By the time he finished speaking with them, Methos had his foot in the door, and all he needed was to tidy up the loose ends paper-wise so that he could be scheduled to take the entrance exam. He revisited the delightful secretarial staff and with their guidance determined a source for a couple of sample tests, which he picked up and perused as he grabbed a bite of lunch. Once done eating, he dropped the tests off in his car, enjoying the brisk walk then he headed for the Registrar's Office, fully expecting them to have his application processed. Instead, he was informed that it was still 'pending' and that he would have to wait while they worked through their current backlog.
Two days later, Methos was still waiting. He exited the Registrar's Office after making his daily check on its status and headed outside then he sat down on the first empty bench he could find and let out a deep breath. The week prior, he'd put the proper paperwork in order, creating the appropriate transcript, and had sent it along with his application via overnight courier. Finally, ten days later, it was being processed, but the computer wouldn't update the records until midnight, which meant he was going to have to kill yet another day before he could schedule his exam.
As Methos pondered what he might possibly do for the day, he watched the people walking by and noticed several headed for one of the lecture halls, so he went to see what was going on. He checked the listing of events posted on the outside of the building and found that the only thing scheduled that morning was a symposium on recent developments and research concerning the archaeology of Ancient Egypt. Good. He could catch up on the latest.
Upon entering the building, Methos saw the stairs leading to the balcony were roped off and decided that he would sneak up there in order to keep a low profile. He paused long enough to get a program then he monitored the lobby and as soon as no one was looking, he darted up the stairs. Once there, he found that someone else had beaten him to it.
Seated at one end of the front row was a man who looked to be in his early thirties, about Methos' height, with sandy blonde hair, wearing glasses and a casual suit. From his appearance, he seemed to be a graduate student, or possibly a professor. Whoever he was, he wasn't an immortal, and didn't seem dangerous, so Methos strolled down the aisle to take a seat in the front.
"Uhm...the balcony is closed," the man said while adjusting his glasses.
"Yes...well, I won't say anything if you don't," Methos replied and casually sat at the opposite end of the row and began leafing through his program.
"Sure," the man said and fidgeted slightly in his seat before opening his own program. He then discretely checked Methos out a bit, noting his lean build, brown hair, and casual dress that was similar to his own. Satisfied that he wasn't a threat, the younger man eased back in his seat and closed his program. He hadn't been reading it anyway.
They sat amicably together in silence until the featured speaker was at the lectern. Five minutes into his speech, both men let out a tiny groan then they glanced curiously at each other.
"I wish people would stop citing Vyse's supposed discovery of Khufu's name," the blonde grumbled.
"Agreed. If this guy is basing his research on a faulty premise..."
"Then listening to him is a waste of time," the man finished Methos' thought and rose to his feet.
Methos stood in response and walked toward the door as well, allowing the other man to reach it first.
"I don't suppose you'd know a place nearby where one could get a decent cup of coffee?" Methos asked. "I've only been in town a few days and so far what I've found hasn't been much better than pigswill," he added as the man turned back to face him.
The man let out a tiny laugh as he adjusted his glasses once again and shook his head.
"I know what you mean. I haven't been here in a while, but if I remember right, there's a place a couple of miles east. I can show you if you like."
"That would be grand," Methos said with a smile and approached with his right hand outstretched. "My name is Adam."
"Daniel," the blonde replied, shaking his hand, and felt a sense of relief that the man seemingly wanted to use first names only. That suited him just fine since the name Doctor Daniel Jackson still caused a stir in the halls of academia where his fellow scholars had notoriously long memories. His controversial theories concerning the Pyramids at Giza were still scoffed at. Although Daniel knew most to be true, it was only because of the Stargate and all that was classified, so his name remained tarnished. That's why he'd arrived early and sneaked into the balcony; just on the outside chance that someone might recognize him. Fortunately, Adam didn't seem to.
"It's nice to meet you. Now, I have a friendly face to look for in the crowd."
"Yes, well, I won't be around too often."
"Oh? You don't live here in Denver?"
"No, Colorado Springs," Daniel said as they started down the staircase.
"Excuse me, sirs," a young usher called out from below. "The balcony is closed."
"Yes. I believe it is," Methos said as he moved down the stairs and past the young man.
"We were just leaving," Daniel added as he walked by the usher then he met up with Adam outside. "Where are you parked?"
"Near the south end of the campus. You?"
"Over there," Daniel said with a wave. "Come on, I'll give you a ride to your car then you can follow me to the coffee shop."
"Okay," Methos agreed and walked with Daniel the short distance to his vehicle. As they approached it, he noted the parking sticker on the rear bumper and a connection formed in his mind. It looked almost identical to the one on Jack's truck.
"Is something wrong?" Daniel asked curiously, seeing the odd expression on Methos' face.
"No, just admiring your jeep."
"Yeah, right," Daniel snorted and unlocked the doors. His jeep wasn't much to look at, but it was paid for and he liked it, so that's all he cared about. The two men shared a tiny laugh as they took their seats then Daniel backed out and headed south.
~ ~ ~
Jack slammed his fist down on the alarm clock, nearly sending it to the floor as he grumbled his displeasure with the annoying device. It couldn't possibly be 05:00 again already, could it? He squinted at the display, confirming the sad truth of the matter then he slid out of bed and ducked into the guest room to hit the power button on his PC before padding off to the bathroom.
Once done with his initial morning routine, Jack went to the kitchen for a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Automatic brewing was a feature that he greatly treasured in his coffee maker; he wouldn't own one without it. He took in the aroma of the heavenly beverage and yawned a bit as he adjusted his boxers then he headed to the PC, which was warmed up and waiting for him.
A few moments later, Jack was logged in at the special site he and Methos used and confirmed that his lover was online as well then he opened the window for their morning chat.
Scarecrow: Good morning, Gorgeous.
Oz: Good morning, Handsome.
Scarecrow: How ya' doin'?
Oz: Good...you?
Scarecrow: Good. Did your paperwork get done?
Oz: They assured me it would get into the system yesterday...I need to recheck this morning.
Scarecrow: Took them long enough.
Oz: Don't get me started. Did you confirm your schedule? Should I head down there this weekend?
Scarecrow: Yes. I have the weekend off and I have that picture for you to look at then we can send off the email.
Oz: Sounds good. There's a restaurant in town I want to take you to on Saturday night. Should I make reservations?
Scarecrow: Sure. Can you come down tomorrow afternoon? Andy's having a poker night.
Oz: You want me to go with you?
Scarecrow: I wouldn't have asked if I didn't. I figure since you're gonna be moving out this way that it's time you meet a few of my friends in the area.
Methos stared at the screen for a long moment, touched by Jack's words.
Oz: I'd love to.
Scarecrow: Good.
Oz: Speaking of meeting friends...I think I met your friend, Daniel, yesterday at a lecture on Ancient Egypt. He seems very nice.
Scarecrow: You did?
Daniel had mentioned going to a few lectures this week, but Jack hadn't considered that they might be at the same university that Methos was going to be attending. Go figure.
Oz: Well, your name didn't come up, but I could swear that I saw his picture at your house. He was out on the deck with you and Captain Carter and some tall black guy wearing a large hat. We didn't exchange last names, though...I suppose I could be mistaken...
Scarecrow: 6 feet tall, messy blonde hair, glasses, drives a red-orange jeep?
Oz: Yes.
Scarecrow: That would be the same Daniel then. What name did you give him?
Oz: Adam. We had coffee together...chatted about Egypt.
Scarecrow: Ah.
Oz: He has a parking sticker on his car that looks similar to yours. Does he work with you?
Jack took a sip of coffee before answering. Did Methos ever miss anything? It was no secret that a lot of civilians working at Cheyenne Mountain in addition to the military personnel, so there was no need to lie about it. Besides, Jack had been wishing more and more lately that he could tell him about the people he worked with, and this was a golden opportunity.
Scarecrow: Yes.
Oz: I thought so. I wouldn't mind seeing him again. Maybe the three of us can get together some time?
Scarecrow: I'm sure we can work something out.
Oz: Good. I look forward to it. I'm going to let you hit the shower...I want to squeeze in some laps at the hotel pool before I head out for the day.
Scarecrow: Okay...I love you.
Oz: I love you, too.
Jack logged off the site and shut down his PC with a broad smile crossing his face. Andy's poker night was a perfect way for Jack to include Methos in his life outside of work, and, now, Daniel had made it possible for him to share a piece of his professional life as well. He still couldn't tell Methos as much as he wanted, but at least it was a start, and in time maybe other opportunities would come along that would allow him to share even more.
~ ~ ~
Methos parked out at the sidewalk in front of Jack's house and made it halfway to the front door before Jack came out to meet him.
"Climb in the truck," Jack ordered and used his remote to unlock the doors then he quickly locked up the house and headed to join him.
"Hello. It's nice to see you, too," Methos said once Jack was in the driver's seat.
"Hi," Jack replied and briefly patted Methos' knee. "Sorry, but we need to stop at the store on the way. Andy said for us to bring the beer. How much cash do you have on you?"
"A couple hundred."
"We'll need to swing by the bank then, too," Jack said and took them out of the driveway.
"I can get cash back at the store."
"Right...we'll do that."
"How much more do I need to get?"
"Another hundred should do."
Methos gawked at Jack as if he'd lost his mind.
"How high are the stakes at this game?"
"Quarter ante; five dollar max."
"Then why do I need so much money?"
"The newbie buys dinner."
"In that case, you can pay for the beer."
"Then how will you get cash back?"
"Go to the supermarket and I'll use the ATM."
"You'll get charged a fee."
"So?"
"You don't want to pay a fee."
"Geesh...I'm dating a tight-wad," Methos harrumphed. "I've saved enough over the centuries that I can easily afford to pay the fee."
"Then you can afford to pay for the beer, too," Jack said with triumph in his voice. When Methos didn't instantly respond, he knew he'd won. "Better get a case so we can leave some for Andy to have later."
"As you say, my love," Methos sighed and stared out the passenger side window the rest of the way to the store.
Jack knew the layout of the market by heart and guided Methos rapidly through it, getting them back in the truck within a few minutes then he took the back streets to avoid traffic and had them in front of Andy's house before the others could arrive. Consequently, Jack was able to park his truck next to Andy's in the driveway, avoiding the hassle of finding a parking spot. Andy's neighborhood wasn't exactly crowded, but his closest neighbors had the habit of using their garages for storage units, which meant that they parked on the street. Parking a block away wasn't a problem when you got there, but depending on how tired you were by the time you left, getting back to your car could be an annoying pain in the ass.
Methos took in the outside of the large, two-story structure as he grabbed the beer and let out a low whistle. Sheriffs were making good money if Andy could afford a house that size. He strolled around to Jack then the two went up to the front door and began the process of introductions.
A half hour later, Andy's wife was gone with the children to have a 'play date', and the five men were finally taking their seats in the family room around a large oval table. As they settled in, Andy passed out the chips and Methos got down to the business of learning his opponents by watching how they stacked them.
He began to his right with Magistrate Judge William Rutherford of the U.S. District Court, Bill to his circle of friends, which now included Adam Pierson as he and Methos had instantly established a comfortable bond. As Bill got his chips, he kept the three colors separated, not allowing them to touch even the slightest bit and stacked them methodically with each stack tightly packed; a sign of a conservative player.
Moving counter-clockwise, Methos next checked the table's only politician, Maxwell P. McAlvany, whose personality was more like that of a used-car salesman than a seasoned official. How Max, as he preferred to be called, had ever been elected to the City Council was beyond Methos' imagination. As befitting his personality, Max kept his chips loosely stacked, not quite sloppy. If his poker play was along similar lines, Methos was going to be able to clean him out. Good.
Of course, technically, one could say that their host was a politician as well. After all, he had been elected to his job as Sheriff, but there was no way in hell Methos would classify him as such. He was a straightforward, no-nonsense, law enforcement officer, if Methos had ever met one; and he'd met several hundred in his time. Given it was his house, Andy was seated in the center of the group and waited until he had passed out every one else's chips before taking his own, which he stacked in an orderly fashion. Following general guidelines, that meant that he was a more conservative player, but it could just mean that he played according to his habits rather than a set strategy. Only time would reveal which was the case.
Methos then went about stacking his chips, purposely mirroring Andy's method so as to not give anything away and glanced briefly to his left for a peek at Jack's chips and nearly laughed.
"You're not going to stack them?" Methos asked curiously.
"Jack never stacks his chips," Andy answered. "He thinks by leaving them piled that he can accidentally mix some of mine in...hasn't worked yet, but he keeps tryin'," he chuckled.
"They're sorted by color," Jack countered and settled back in his seat, taking a long draught from his beer. Poker night was for relaxation, not organization. He spent enough time keeping his office from turning into a chaotic mess between missions; the last thing he needed was to make work out of something that was supposed to be fun.
Methos laughed along with the others and tossed in a blue chip for his quarter ante then he relaxed into his seat as well. It was time to watch and learn. After roughly forty-five minutes, the pizzas and Buffalo wings had arrived and everyone had won a hand except for Methos. After their break to get fresh beers and a bit of food, Methos decided that he'd gleaned enough to go on the offensive.
"Your deal, Adam," Bill said handing over the deck.
"Thanks. How about we change it up and go with five-card draw this time?" Methos asked and was met with a shudder from Max. "What?"
"We only play seven-card stud," Andy said. "Jack didn't tell you?"
"No."
"Jack, you should have told him," Max sighed, shaking his head.
"May I ask why?" Methos inquired as he shuffled the cards.
"Here we go," Bill muttered.
Jack sat back and stifled the urge to laugh as Andy launched into his standard lecture on how seven-card stud was the only 'true' form of poker. Maybe it was a bit cruel, but he'd purposely not warned Methos, just so he could get Andy provoked, and it had worked like a charm. When Andy got worked up, his playing suffered for it and by the time they finished the hand, Andy was finally done and Jack was collecting his winnings. He might not win any more hands, but the entertainment from this one alone had made the night worth the trip across town.
The remainder of the evening flew by, filled with jokes and stories as Methos and Bill took turns relieving Max of his money while Jack and Andy won an occasional hand, basically coming out just slightly ahead for the night. Before they knew it, Andy's wife was returning and giving him the dagger eyes that meant 'the boys' needed to go home. Automatically, Andy began cashing out everyone's chips, which was enough to get her to leave them alone while she put the children to bed.
"Well, it's been fun, as usual, guys," Andy said, rising to his feet once done dishing out the money. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Adam. There's a seat for you anytime you're in town."
"Thanks, I look forward to it," Methos said with a smile and shook Andy's hand then he shared similar farewells with Bill and Max before heading out the front door with Jack following soon behind once he'd said his good-byes as well.
"Glad you took it easy on them," Jack quipped as they got into the truck.
"Well, it was only my first time here...I didn't want to be banished after only one night."
"Yes, well, you showed remarkable restraint."
"Thanks."
"In fact, I think your kindness needs to be rewarded."
"What did you have in mind?" Methos asked as they got under way.
"Popping open the champagne...staying in bed until it's time to go to dinner tomorrow," Jack said with a sly grin.
"Sounds good," Methos sighed. "But what about the email?"
"We'll take care of it first."
"Okay," Methos chuckled.
"What?"
"You keep dragging me into bed like a teenager...it's amusing."
"Well, I only have you for the weekend...then you'll be back in Denver and I'll be going out of town for a few days."
"Ah, so that's what stirred up your hormones?" Methos smirked.
"This time, anyway," Jack teased and ran his hand along Methos' thigh. "My turn to rub you down tonight, Gorgeous."
"Splendid," Methos said with a smile and took hold of Jack's hand for the rest of the ride.
~ ~ ~
The start of another workweek filled the halls of the Pentagon with all the usual chaos of people hustling to meet their deadlines. As with many people, the personnel of the Department of Defense tended to defer actually getting anything done until the last possible moment. That was the first thing the young captain had noticed when he'd been assigned to the Joint Chiefs three years prior. And he'd thought members of academia were notorious for procrastination. Hah! They were early birds compared to the United States Government.
After waiting in line for what seemed an eternity to get his double cappuccino, the captain walked with an air of purpose through the corridors toward his waiting desk. Things were buzzing in that area these days because of the investigation his office was conducting concerning an apparent leak having to do with the Stargate Program. He wasn't the one in charge of the inquiry, but he was involved with it given his familiarity with the project as well as his talent for dealing with the press, who were making their own inquiries.
Studying the Stargate had been his first assignment at the Pentagon and given his analytical and computer skills, he'd had the privilege of working with Captain Samantha Carter for a few months before the Stargate had become operational and she'd been reassigned to the flagship team. She was as brilliant as she was beautiful and he still missed her at times, although she probably didn't remember who the hell he was. To her, he was just another analyst providing data during her last days in Washington. Oh well, at least he could read her mission reports.
That's what he did most days; read through the boxes of mission reports sent to Washington regularly from the S.G.C. Maybe one day he'd get to see her again and meet some of the other personnel assigned there. Scuttlebutt was that the spot of Pentagon liaison to the S.G.C. was opening up within a year with the pending retirement of Lieutenant Colonel Samuels, but to get that job, the captain would first have to make himself visible on the Joint Chiefs' radar.
He let out a tiny sigh and nodded to some of his peers as they passed his cubicle then he began his morning routine of powering up and checking his messages from the weekend. Once done with his voice mail, he took another healthy drink of his coffee and settled back in his seat to watch his incoming email. One message jumped out at him immediately:
Paul glanced around to be sure no prying eyes were nearby then he opened the email and his eyes grew wide as he read the text. This was just the sort of opportunity he'd been waiting for, and if he ever found out who had gifted him with the anonymous tip, he was going to buy him (or her) the biggest steak he could eat.
~ ~ ~
Jack sat in the conference room as SG-1 concluded their debriefing concerning planet P3X-412. It had been a pleasant encounter for the team. Sam had conducted her mineralogical survey, she lived for those it seemed; Daniel had made nice with the locals, who'd shown him some cave drawings for him to videotape for later study; and Jack and Teal'c had been able to establish favorable relations with the tribal leaders.
If Sam's readings were correct, and since when weren't they, there was a lot of naquadah to be had on the planet. By the time they'd left, Jack had a good understanding in place with the leaders that would allow for the negotiation of mining rights. All in all, it had been a successful mission with none of them suffering any injury. If only all missions could be like that.
"Good job, people. Dismissed," Hammond said and rose to his feet then made eye contact with Jack. "Colonel, my office."
Jack exchanged a puzzled look with his teammates then he dutifully followed Hammond to the adjoining room and waited silently while the older man settled in behind his desk.
"I got word from the Joint Chiefs yesterday that they've made a breakthrough in their investigation of that leak we had a few months back."
"Oh?" Jack asked, sounding surprised. In a way, he actually was. Davis had moved even more quickly than he'd expected. Jack had chosen him mainly because of the excellent review Sam had given him before leaving the Pentagon. Seemingly, her comments had been right on the mark. The young officer truly was 'reliable, quick and efficient'.
"Apparently, your instinct was right. One of Kinsey's people has been blabbing about the S.G.C. and other classified matters while barhopping. One of the women he spoke with got angry and turned him in. She did so anonymously, of course, but from the tone of the tip; he cheated on her," Hammond said and let out a tiny laugh. "She fixed him."
"Well, sir, hell hath no fury...."
"Yes, well he's learned the hard way."
"So, is that it then? They're satisfied there's no other leaks?" Jack asked with a nudge in his voice.
"For now, although I'm sure they'll be watching things more closely in the future. I'll see that you get a copy of the report when it gets here."
"Thank you, sir," Jack said and exchanged another tiny smile with his C.O. before leaving to go to his own office. Excellent, now that he had that little matter behind him, he could focus solely on putting his desk in order. He had a three-day backlog waiting for him, but he was going to stay late today and tomorrow if need be to deal with it. He was determined that short of an emergency situation; he was going to have the weekend off so he could spend it with his man.
~ ~ ~
Jack woke up early and made the drive to Denver in good time, arriving at Methos' hotel ahead of schedule, and was surprised to find him waiting in the lobby with his luggage rather than upstairs in his room. They were supposed to be apartment hunting then having dinner in town, and Jack had brought his overnight bag, thinking that they'd be staying at the hotel that night, but evidently things had changed.
"You're checking out?" Jack asked curiously as he came to stand next to his lover.
"Yes. They have a convention in town this weekend and offered to give me the last night gratis if I'd check out a day earlier than planned."
"Ah," Jack said with a nod. "I thought it was odd...so many people out and about so early on a Saturday. What kind of convention?"
"Some sci-fi and comic book event...they wanted my suite for one of the actors or some such thing."
"Oh...well, at least you got a free night out of it," Jack said with a grin and turned back to the front door and held it open while Methos wheeled his suitcase outside.
"Did you eat breakfast yet?" Jack asked as he drove them out of the lot and started them down the street.
"No, you?"
"No. Any good places around here?"
"Down three blocks and hang a left. There's a café where I've seen a lot of policemen eating; should be decent enough."
"Sounds good."
"I've got three possibilities we can visit today. We can start with the one farthest from the campus and work our way from there."
"That'll work," Jack agreed and finished the short drive to the café, getting them there just before the morning rush.
An hour later, they were parking in front of the first building on Methos' list. The apartment was on the third floor with a gorgeous view of rolling hills in the distance and Jack was satisfied that the proper precautions could be taken to make it secure, so Methos was seriously considering it until they paced off the master bedroom. It wasn't going to accommodate anything bigger than a queen-sized bed and Methos refused to get an apartment that wouldn't allow for a king-sized one.
The second place was very nice and the best price of the three, but it was on the first floor, which meant no view like Methos wanted, and Jack rejected it as being tactically unacceptable since it would be too easy for someone to access and too difficult to defend. As they went back to the truck, Methos sported a beaming smile and made a mental note to record the apartment search in his journal. It had been a long time since he'd had a lover who looked out for his security to this degree. If he didn't know better, he'd think that Jack was an immortal as well with his eye for such details.
Finally, they arrived at the last of Methos' preliminary choices and found that the apartment was no longer available, but the manager advised that he had one available for a slightly higher price that hadn't been advertised. Methos smelled a bait-and-switch scheme in play, but they were already there, so he agreed to look at it.
As soon as they walked in, Methos saw the mountain-view from the breakfast nook and fell in love. Jack smiled as he saw his lover's eyes brighten and went off to check the master bedroom, leaving him to gawk a while. The room was actually a master suite with enough room for both a large bed and a small sitting area – so far, so good. Jack noted that the unit was on the seventh floor of the eight-story building and mentally pictured where to put the proper security measures then he joined Methos in the guest room.
"This one looks like a winner," Jack said.
"Yes," Methos nodded and leaned in close. "Adam may need a co-signer for the lease, though...need to keep appearances concerning his income."
"As long as I get a key."
"Of course...we'll make one as soon as we leave. It won't be a problem, right?"
"Nope. You're a friend. Besides, I co-signed on Daniel's place, too."
"You did?"
"Yeah...he'd been out of town for a while when he got it and they wanted someone with a stable, local residency history as a condition for approving his application."
"Ah," Methos said with a nod. "So, you two are pretty close then?"
"You could say that," Jack said and stepped back from Methos as the manager approached.
Once done with all the paperwork, Jack and Methos left the building with two keys to the apartment and headed off to the nearby mall to get a couple more copies made. As they entered the complex, they noticed there were numerous sales going on and decided that it was a good time to start shopping for the apartment. After a four-hour marathon, hitting every store with electronics and furniture on sale, they stopped at a deli and picked up dinner then returned to the apartment and settled in on the floor of the breakfast nook to eat.
"So, what time are they delivering the bed?" Jack asked.
"Sometime in the next hour."
"Good. My knees won't take sleeping on the floor tonight."
"True," Methos replied and took a bite of his sandwich, chasing it with a good swig of beer. "The refrigerator and living room furniture will be here tomorrow afternoon. You want to stay until it's all here, or do you need to be in early on Monday?"
"I don't go in until late morning. I can stay. I'll set up your stereo and stuff tonight if you want."
"No...it can wait. As long as I have you here to keep me company, I don't need any of that."
"Thanks," Jack said with a grin and gave Methos a tender kiss before getting serious about eating his food.
~ ~ ~
Sunday night crept up on Jack and Methos like a rude neighbor, who invites himself to dinner whenever he smells the BBQ light up. They'd had a full and busy day with all the deliveries, placing the furniture and appliances in their new homes and getting the entertainment center up and tested. As the moonlight streamed into the breakfast nook, they were finally finished for the day with Jack standing behind Methos, arms wrapped around his waist, nuzzling his neck, as they stared out the window into the distance.
"Thank you," Methos whispered.
"You're welcome."
"With the place set up, I should head back to New York tomorrow and put things in order there."
"You're all set at the university? I thought you had to take a class or something."
"I need to take an English course, but any elective will do, so I can do it online. They have those condensed ones that only take a month...where you login everyday for a couple of hours then read on your own time. I'll need to come back for the final in about six weeks or so."
"What about those young immortals?" Jack asked and placed a tender kiss on Methos' neck. "I don't want you going back if they're still around."
Methos turned in Jack's arms and gently caressed his cheek.
"I checked...the one caught the other and has moved on...to his next target, probably."
"That's good," Jack said and pulled Methos in tightly to his shoulder. "I wish you didn't have to leave so soon."
"Me, too, but you have work and I have things I need to do," Methos said and pulled away slightly. "I've spoiled you, I think," he teased.
"Maybe a little," Jack admitted. "It just feels so good and so right when we're together like this."
"It's perfect," Methos whispered and drew Jack in for a deep, passionate kiss.
They were in love and the more time they spent together, the stronger that love grew. They both recognized it, and cherished each moment shared with one another that much more. When Methos felt Jack needing to get air, he released his lips and led him off to the bedroom for one more massage. He was going to be sure that Jack was thoroughly pampered and grinning from ear to ear before he left.
FIN
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