Jack had waited for Carter and Daniel to leave the briefing room. He made out that he was checking something on a notice board as he hung around for Jonas.

Not that he was up for eating much after what he'd just heard. He never did have much of an appetite before suicide missions.

Jack didn't like this crazy plan that Carter had cooked up, though her success ratio on the crazy plan front was impressive. He supposed the part he had the biggest problem was the bit where his lover and his, newly descended, best friend went up onto the biggest, meanest looking ship in the history of archetypal bad-guy ships, with hundreds of Jaffa and a guy that made the Emperor from Star Wars look like a teddy-bear.

Nope… this mission was gonna suck.

"Colonel." Jonas said in surprise as he emerged from the briefing with an arm-full of books and a pen between his teeth.

Jack smiled, Damn but Jonas looks cute. "Do you need some help with that?"

"No." Jonas shuffled the books about. "No, I'm fine, thanks Colonel."

Colonel? "Ok…" Jack watched Jonas, nervously, side-step him. "Hey… you wanna catch lunch? It's not Mexican, but we could always take it back to my office and spice it up a little."

"No." Jonas bit back a little too quickly. He composed himself and tried to smile. "Thanks. But I need to do some work before Daniel and I board Annubis' ship"

"You got a week." Jack said, vaguely aware of how needy he was sounding. He reached out for the books. "C'mon, you need to eat, at least."

"No thank you, Colonel." Jonas backed up. "I'll see you at the next briefing."

Jack watched as Jonas disappeared down the corridor.

Colonel? There was definitely something wrong in this picture. The young Kelownan had been pleasant enough through the day, but there had been something that didn't sit right. And that use of Jacks rank went to prove it.

Jonas had been off with him ever since their return from not The Lost City.

But Jonas had been just as excited about finding Daniel as the rest of SG1. Ok, maybe not as excited as Jack. But it was Daniel. He hadn't seen the guy as an honest-to-God, flesh-and-blood human for over a year.

And Jonas had been fine. He even said he understood and encouraged Jack to guide Daniel and help him regain his memory.

So… what was wrong? Everything had been fine until… until the briefing yesterday.

Jonas had been running through their findings on the mission with his usual verve, when he suddenly fell silent. Daniel had entered the room. But it wasn't until Daniel said how he felt he belonged in the SG1 mission briefing that Jonas' smile dropped.

Jonas just nodded his head in agreement. Daniel should be there. Daniel belonged there. So, what was the big deal? Unless…

Damn! O'Neill you can be such an idiot!

The heart of the matter had been slapping Jack in the face since Daniel's return. And it was, after all, all about heart. Namely Jonas'. And how that heart was breaking.

Enough thought! Jack set off, down the corridor, after the Kelownan. He was preparing a speech about how it didn't matter that Daniel was back… about how Jonas was a part of the SGC, a part of SG1 and, damn it, part of Jacks life, when he rounded the corner-

Straight into Daniel.

"Jack." His friend looked startled.

"Daniel." Jack smiled, slapping him on the arm without thinking. "You ok?"

"Yeah." Daniel said, hugging his arms around himself and not meeting Jacks eyes. "Actually… do you have a minute?"

Jack fought to smile and glanced down the corridor. Damn, Jonas moved fast.

"Er…" he hesitated and looked at Daniel. His friend seemed so lost.

Jack was overwhelmed by a tearing sensation in his heart. Go after Jonas, or stay and help Daniel?

With one final look after the Kelownan, Jack sighed. "Sure." He figured he could always catch Jonas before he left base for the day.

Daniel glanced in the direction Jonas had fled. "Unless you're busy…"

"No." Jack answered a little too quickly. "What is it Daniel?" He asked, guiding the man down the corridor.

"I'm not sure, really." Daniel said, studying Jacks face closely. "Have you always been my friend?"

"Yeah." Jack answered, then thought about it, "Well, I mean, for about six years or so… but we've been through a lot… done a lot… together."

"Ah…" Daniel stopped Jack with a hand on his arm. "So, when you say 'a lot', you mean…"

"Life and death stuff." Jack shrugged. He angled his head over Daniel's shoulder. Jonas was long gone. "You know…"

"The missions." Daniel finished and frowned again. "Jonas has given me a few of the more… interesting files."

Jack's ears perked up. "Oh? When did you see Jonas?"

"Before the briefing yesterday. He stopped by to see how I was doing. I think he was feeling guilty…"

"He is." Jack said and found himself dwelling on the young scientist. "He's a good man, Daniel" Jack started down the corridor again. "A very good man."

"Right." Daniel frowned and steered the conversation away from the alien. "You never did tell me why you kept all my stuff, even though you thought I was dead."

Jack felt Daniels eyes on him. "Well, it was the least I could do. Anyway… I knew you'd come back to me." Jack lied, but what was he going to say? That he was a big, old, softie? Nah!

"To you?"

"Yeah. You were gonna come back to me. To all of us."

Noticing the absence of his friend, Jack turned to see Daniel had stopped in the corridor and was pinching the bridge of his nose. "You sure you're ok?"

"Look, I just… never mind." Daniel shook his head and hugged his arms tightly around his waist.

"C'mere." Jack motioned into the changing room and Daniel followed. "Ok, Danny, what's wrong-"

Closing the door behind them, Jack turned to come nose-to-nose with Daniel.

Blue eyes focused on him as Daniel spoke slowly. "I'm still very confused."

Jack swallowed hard, trying to dislodge his heart from his throat and get it back to where it should be. "I know you are." He whispered shakily.

Daniel frowned and pursed his lips. "But I feel better… more at ease… more at home, around you."

"Daniel…"

But the sentence was swallowed as Daniels lips covered his.

Jack was so shocked by the action, all he could do was gasp as Daniel pushed him back against the closed door. Unfortunately, this seemed to confirm something to Daniel, as the archaeologist moaned and pressed against Jack all the harder.

For some insane reason, Jack couldn't move away. His head was screaming that this was a majorly bad idea. Not only because Daniel was in a very vulnerable state… but Jonas...

"I had a dream the other night." Daniel whispered, his lips mere centimetres away from Jacks, his breath tickling Jacks mouth. "It was a memory."

Oh, crap.

"Danny -"

"I remember you Jack." He said, tracing a delicate finger over the Colonel's jaw. "I remember how strong you are. I remember how loyal you are. And I remember how passionate you are."

"It wasn't what you think-"

But Daniel's lips closed over his, Daniels hands knitted through Jacks hair and before he knew what he was doing, Jacks arms had found their way around Daniels waist.

His head was screaming at him by this point. He was an idiot for not listening.

Daniel traced his tongue over Jacks lips and Jack was a fool for letting him in even further. But the velvet of Daniels tongue in his mouth was bone melting.

He was happily lost in the moment when a pair of green eyes invaded his thoughts. How hurt they had been. How sad and lonely they suddenly seemed.

"Danny, Danny, stop…" Jack pushed Daniel to arms length, "Stop, stop, please."

"This isn't what you want?"

Jack did want this. He had wanted exactly this, at one point. He was closer to Daniel than any one he had ever known. They had shared tents, even held each other after late nights on the ale and shared memories of loss and pain. But they had never had this kind of relationship. Not the one Daniel thought they'd had.

There had been a time when they had been dammed close. But it had never happened that way. They fumbled around once or twice, were loyal to one another, but both agreed that their relationship was more a matter of soul.

"God, Danny." Jack shook his head, how was he going to explain this one? "It's not that I don't want to… not that I can't… it's that we never…"

He wasn't making sense. Daniel released the grip he had on Jacks T-shirt and stood straight.

"Daniel. I love you." There, he'd said it. Here came the tricky part. "But I'm not in love with you." He looked for signs of understanding in his friend. "And, I'm sure that you loved me…"

"But I wasn't in love with you?" Daniel questioned and backed up a pace, frowning. "Ok. I definitely feel like I love you."

"Danny…" Jack moved to pat the man on the arm. "You haven't remembered everything yet."

"I remember enough." He told Jack, looking up at him through his eye lashes.

Jack shook his head. God Daniel! You pick your times. "No. You don't."

He saw a broken expression spread on Daniels face and immediately enveloped his friend in a fierce hug. "Hey. I do love you."

Daniel sobbed back a tear. "Yeah." He smoothed a hand over Jacks chest. "Damn Jack! I don't understand. This is so hard."

"I know. And I'll be here." Jack held his friend tighter still. "Right here Danny."

At that a flush sounded from the cubicles at the far end of the changing rooms.

Jack sprang away from Daniel in time to see Jonas emerge.

The Kelownan barely glanced up at the two men as he collected his bag from the floor.

"Colonel. Dr Jackson." He acknowledged as he rounded them and left.

Jack was on the edge of a crumbling world. No thoughts floated to the surface of swear words as Daniel wiped his nose along his sleeve and smiled.

"Well, that was embarrassing." Daniel smiled. "I hope he won't tell Teal'c. The guy will never look at me the same again."

Crap. Jonas had been there the whole time?! He never did see how far the Kelownan had gotten down the corridor. Crap! He'd seen Jack kissing Daniel back. Double crap! And heard him admit that he loved Daniel.

"Err… Jack? You ok?"

No! Jack turned to Daniel, who looked a little shocked by the expression on the Colonels face.

"When you said that you weren't in love with me…" Shit. Now Daniel's adding two and two. "Did that mean you were in love with someone else?"

Jack turned and went to leave, but was blocked by a hand holding the door shut. "Hey… I guess, since we both love each other, I'm here for you too."

He turned to Daniel with such emotion in his eyes, that it was the younger mans turn to hold him.

"God Daniel." he turned his nose into the mans hair. "When I lost you I thought that was it. I blamed Jonas for a long time, even though I didn't mean to. I gave him hell. I only put him on SG-1 because Carter and Teal'c had been bugging me… but he grew on me." Jack crumpled Daniels shirt beneath his hands. "I don't know when. I don't know how. I sure as hell didn't start anything… I mean, he's, what? In his twenties? He's a good man. And I nearly lost him. Like I lost you. And I realised that I couldn't bare that thought."

Daniel patted Jacks back, tried to offer comfort and let him continue. "But I don't love him like I love you. This is different. And I can't let it go." Jack looked up suddenly. "You can't tell him, Danny. Promise me."

"Are you in love with him Jack?"

There was a silence in Jacks mind, with a faint voice crying out louder and louder until. "Yes. I… I think so, anyway."

"Well, then…" Daniel said, standing Jack up, "You had better go and straighten this out with him."

()()()

Jonas felt like his insides were being eaten away. It wasn't really a sick feeling… more numb.

He had been in a cubicle when he heard Jack enter the changing rooms. In fact, he was about to step out and apologise for his behaviour in the hall, when Daniel's low, sultry tone sounded.

He couldn't believe it! Daniel was hitting on Jack! What was worse… Jack wasn't exactly pushing him away.

Jonas stayed in the cubicle, willing his lover to reject Daniel for him. It never happened. Instead, he heard Jack telling Daniel that he loved him.

That was when the crack that had appeared in Jonas Quinn's world had shattered completely. He's waited for the pair to fall silent and then left the room.

Jack had looked stunned. Daniel just smiled.

He had everything to smile about, after all. Everyone was happy to see him. Everyone wanted him back. And Jack loved him.

No one could deny Daniel Jackson belonged at the SGC. No one could refuse him his rightful place on SG-1. Not even Jonas.

The Kelownan looked around the office, once Daniels and now his.

There was nothing on this planet that he had that hadn't once been Dr. Jackson's.

Jonas went to the desk and leaned his head in his hands. Taking several deep breaths, he tried to calm himself.

Now he was starting to feel sick.

"Jonas Quinn." Teal'c beckoned from the door.

Jonas didn't move.

"Jonas Quinn. Are you unwell?" Teal'c asked, moving toward his fellow alien in concern.

"Fine." Jonas lied, straightening. "Just a headache."

Wrong move.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow. "Should you not consult with Doctor Fraiser?"

"I'm Fine."

"But it has not been six weeks since you recovered from your brain tumor."

Six weeks? It had been that short a time. Jack had made it feel like forever.

"Teal'c." Jonas said, raising his hands. "I'm fine. What can I do for you?"

Teal'c dropped the eyebrow and composed himself. "After the briefing I noticed your absence in the cafeteria."

"I'm not hungry." Jonas shrugged. "You go."

"I do not require sustenance at this time." Teal'c angled his head. "May I ask why you appear to be so agitated?"

"No." Jonas answered truthfully.

"Very well."

"Jonas." Jack called, before rounding the corner. The Colonel came to a dead stop. He glanced between the two team members before him, then, focusing on the Kelownan, he asked. "You got a minute?"

A minute?! Jonas raged. He glared at Jack. "Actually, Teal'c and I were going to the mess."

Teal'c raised a brow and looked at Jack.

"Oh." The Colonel faltered. "Right."

"Do you wish to join us O'Neill?"

For the second time in two days, Jack watched the smile fall from Jonas' face. He knew he was the cause of this young mans pain. He couldn't do this to him.

"Nah. I'm good. Thanks T."

Teal'c looked at Jack for a long time. Jonas knew the Jaffa wasn't stupid. He tried to hold fast as the ex-First Prime turned his gaze to him. Jonas gave Teal'c his best 'What?' shrug.

Teal'c didn't buy it. "Has something transpired between you that I should be made aware of?"

"No." Jonas and Jack shot back and glanced to each other, then away quickly.

Busted!

Jonas sighed deeply. "Why don't you tell me what you want to tell me after lunch?"

Jack seemed to know he was being addressed. "Sure."

Nodding, Jonas moved to the door. "Let's go, then."

Sam had saved them a table. Jonas noticed Daniel was already at her side. They had been laughing when the last few members of SG-1 entered the room. But as they approached the table, Jonas watched a deep flush creep over Daniels cheeks as his eyes fell on Jack.

They took their seats. Jonas on a spare chair that had been dragged to the corner of a four man table. If that didn't capture exactly how he felt about the current situation, he wasn't sure what else could… except if Daniel got up to leave and Jonas took his seat. The metaphor would be complete. And it still wouldn't be Jonas' chair.

Through the meal, the team talked and laughed about old missions as Daniel asked more questions, getting more and more details about how Jack would risk everything to save him or see him, or help him… Jonas wasn't missing the point.

Jack had occasionally turned to try and explain things to Jonas, but he figured he would have had to have been there to truly understand.

After a painfully long while, Sam asked Daniel to come to her lab and look over some old mission pictures.

"Jonas, do you wanna come?" Sam asked brightly.

"Jonas Quinn and I have planed a sparring match Major Carter."

Jonas' eye widened in surprise as his guardian angel swooped in to rescue him. Thank God for Jaffa survival technique.

"So, you're not coming either Teal'c?" Sam frowned.

"How about you Jack?" Daniel asked, hugging himself.

Jonas bristled a little as he waited for Jacks response.

"I'm going to grab some coffee and call it a night." Jack said, glancing at Jonas. "See where it goes from there."

"Fine." Sam said, slapping Daniel on the shoulder. "We know when we aren't wanted. C'mon Daniel."

The Major headed out of the mess with a dubious looking archaeologist in tow. Two down… two to go…Jonas thought.

Teal'c stood. Before he realised what he was doing, Jonas was on his feet, looking pleadingly at his saviour. "Where are you going?" He asked, a little panic stricken.

"I must take my leave Jonas Quinn. And, as O'Neill would say… you now owe me one." Teal'c inclined his head and left.

Jonas slowly turned back to the only remaining member of SG-1.

Jacks eyes held him, fast and warm. "Then there were two." The Colonel muttered.

"Two?" Jonas queried. "From the look of things before, there's three to me."

Jonas took his seat and looked around the room. He hadn't noticed anyone leaving, yet he and Jack were the only people there.

"Jonas…"

Here it comes. Jonas was starting to feel sick again.

"It's not how it seems."

"Colonel," the Kelownan cut him short, "I pride myself on my observations…"

"Jonas…"

"And from what I observed, things are very much how they appear."

"It's not what you think."

"Really?" Jonas asked, half laughing and yet close to tears. "Because I am not sure what I should think when Dr Jackson is shoving his tongue in your mouth."

"Jonas -"

A cleaner chose that exact moment to amble into the room. Jonas took the opportunity to stand. "Goodnight Colonel." He began to leave, hearing Jack follow.

"Oh no you don't." Jack said, catching him up. "What about all the stuff you left at mine? If you're so intent on leaving, you can come back with me tonight and pick it up."

"I'm sure I won't miss a toothbrush, some slippers and a tub of hair gel." Jonas picked up pace and rounded the corner.

"Don't you dare do this Quinn." Jack began to anger as he flew after the Kelownan.

Jonas ran straight into his office, but was too late to shut the door as the Earther barged in. "Don't you dare act as if we meant nothing."

Jonas slammed his fists down on the desk. "I don't want to talk about it." He warned, anger building. "Get out."

Jack was a little surprised, but he wasn't prepared to just let this go. "Damn it Jonas!"

The Kelownan rounded the desk and stood firm in front of the Colonel. "I asked you to leave."

Jack took a long look into the young mans hurt, hard eyes and held up his hands. "Fine." He said, backing away. "Fine."

The Earther left without another word.

()()()()

Two days had passed in a blur of meetings and paperwork before Friday finally ended. Jack and Jonas hardly spoke at all. Jack found his house feeling increasingly lonely… until Carter planned an impromptu pre-suicidal mission barbeque for Saturday.

Jack frowned as he looked around his home, now swarming with SGC members… ok, that might have been an exaggeration. But what wasn't an exaggeration was that Jack was in a BAD mood.

He had spent the first hour of the party in the farthest corner of the garden, until Daniel dragged him into the house. His friend had rushed around the living room, picking out certain items he remembered. Some items Daniel had given to Jack from various digs. Jack was more than aware of the glares he was earning from Jonas.

Teal'c distracted the Kelownan with the snack bar, but not for long. Daniel dragged Jack into the kitchen to continue the tour. Jonas stiffened.

"Jack, this place is so familiar." Daniel said absently, rushing to a painting on the wall. "I must have spent a lot of time here."

"And I thought I was the only one interested in food." Jonas said to the room.

Teal'c inclined his head. Daniel turned to Jonas. Jack gulped, audibly.

"Oh, I meant in this house, not just in the kitchen." Daniel corrected.

Jack wanted to put his head through the nearest wall. "C'mon Danny. Let's go see the study."

Daniel smiled sweetly. "I'd rather stay here. I'm feeling a little hungry myself."

Jack watched Daniel take a plate and stand next to Jonas. The Kelownan bristled, but stood firm.

"If you will excuse me." Teal'c said, exiting. Damned coward!

If Daniel hadn't noticed the death-looks Jonas was directing at Jack, he was a damned fine actor. He placed himself beside the Kelownan and placed an arm around him.

"So, Jonas. What's our story?" Daniel asked, tossing a hand of peanuts in his mouth.

Jonas startled. "I beg your pardon?"

"You and me," Daniel clarified between snacking, "How did we get to know each other?

"Right," Jonas looked straight at Jack for the answer. "I killed you."

Daniels jaw slacked at the comment, before crunching again, "Guess I got over it."

"Didn't you just," Jonas murmured, lifting his drink to his lips.

"Danny," Jack pleaded, "you still have a bunch of artefacts to drool over."

"That can wait." Daniel said happily, giving Jonas a quick squeeze. "How did you kill me then?"

Jonas glared at Jack, "Through my damned science."

If the words were bullets, Jack would never have survived the assault as Jonas recalled all the arguments they had about the science programme that dosed Daniel with lethal levels of radiation.

"Ha!" Daniel huffed, intrigued. "Got in over my head, did I?"

Jonas smiled bitterly, "Something like that." He looked at Daniel. "You saved my country from a deadly nuclear explosion. And I repaid your sacrifice by allowing them to frame you as a saboteur."

"Wow, look at that Danny... you're outta nuts!" Jack cried out. He was distracting no one.

"Jack showed me the error of my ways, of course. I abandoned my world, bringing Earth what you needed for shielding against alien attack. But it didn't save your life. It didn't make my betrayal any lighter."

There was a long silence as Jonas' words sank into the air.

Then Danny took a swig of his beer. "That sounds like one hell of a story." He admitted. "Shame I don't remember a scrap of it! Guess we're just going to have to start from a clean slate." He removed his arm from Jonas' shoulder and offered the young man his hand. "Deal?"

Jonas blinked, shooting a glance at a dumbfounded Jack.

"No harm, no foul." Daniel insisted, wiggling his fingers at the Kelownan.

Jonas took his hand. "Okay." He said slowly, making each syllable distinct.

Daniel smiled happily, retuning his gaze to Jack. "What was that you said about nuts?"

Jack gritted his teeth in an awkward smile and went about searching for the snacks at the back of his drawer. When he pulled himself clear, he was stunned by the look he noted on both the good doctor and the young scientist's faces.

The younger men blinked, both fighting off the rose rising on their blushing faces.

"What?" Jack asked, swiping his spare hand over his butt, "Do I have something on my pants?"

"No! No…" Both Daniel and Jonas confirmed, growing agitated.

Jack watched them closely as they both squirmed, before Daniel finished his drink and stuttered, "Well… I believe I have some drooling to do." Jonas gaped at him, before Daniel qualified, "At artifacts…"

With awkward movements, Daniel moved to the door, "You guys clearly have a few… issues to deal with. If you both want me," he suggested, caressing the word 'want', "just call."

Then there was only Jonas and Jack.

"I…" Jonas stuttered, clearing his throat and finishing his drink, "I should get back to the base. It's getting late."

"Wait." Jack said, blocking his path, "you don't have to go… the party's winding down… and I have a spare room."

Cautiously, Jonas met Jacks eyes… "I don't know…"

"Jonas," Jack sighed, wishing above all that he didn't feel so helpless… so heavy… so old, "just stay…"

()()()()

The party was closing; most of the guests had taken-off… Carter hesitated at the door, her taxi beeping impatiently…

"I just wanted to say sir…." she slurred, "you throw one-hell of a shindig."

"It's my specialty." Jack smiled, delivering a kiss to her forehead. "Make sure he takes care of you!" He added, throwing a stern glare at her driver.

"Oh trust me," she smiled widely, "he will."

Jack waited as she staggered her way down his drive and entered the car. The driver took care to buckle her in before setting off, so Jack was content.

Now he had his own troubles to tend to.

In his living room; Jonas sat, nervous eyes focused on Daniel as the archeologist perused the items on Jacks mantelpiece.

"So… Jonas." Daniel began, "Where do you normally sleep?"

Jack checked the look on the young aliens face – knowing it would mirror the expression on his own.

"What?" Jonas asked after a moment… "I mean, I usually…" he stuttered, panicked eyes meeting Jacks. "I usually take the spare."

Daniel snorted. "Sure. Like I haven't seen the way you two have been looking at each other since I arrived."

Jonas shifted, "I don't know what-"

"Boring!" Daniel shouted at the top of his voice. "Jack. You always cut to the chase... or, at least, I think you always did. Why don't you cut the chicken-shit and tell me how long you guys have been screwing."

The taste of beer shooting through Jack's nose wasn't a pleasant one, but he swiped the remaining liquid away and stared hard at Danny. "How can you? When did you..?"

"Please." Daniel waved, "I'm an EXPERT in communication. That's verbal or otherwise. You guys speak so much with your bodies... which is HOT, by the way."

Jonas tried to shut his gaping mouth, but kept on staring at Daniel. "I... I... I..." He was muttering, like a crashing computer.

"I'm just thinking..." Danny continued, "suicide mission. Lots of tension. Three hot guys and lots of beer. What d'ya say?"

Jack was struck dumb... literally! He could not find the words.

"Don't tell me neither of you have thought about it." Daniel continued, running his hands over his body. "Jack... how we bunked together off world, all those intimate nights... all that close work... all that sweat..."

Jack felt his throat dry...

"And Jonas," Daniel shifted, "working late into the night, debating and conjugating... working with our minds, mating with our tongues and imagining our bodies crashing together..."

Jonas was shaking his head as he rose to his feet, blue eyes close to bugging out. The kid was next to melt-down.

"Unless," Daniel considered, "you guys are telling me that you're exclusive."

Jonas goggled and looked straight to Jack who did exactly the same. After all, the words had never, truly, been said. Jack assumed it was a given... perhaps he was old fashioned that way.

Jack found himself shrugging, wringing his hands mutely.

Something about this angered Jonas, his fists tightened.

"No," the alien admitted, burning his look into the colonel, "I guess we aren't exclusive."

For crying out loud! What have I done now?

Daniel sensed the hostility emanating from Jonas and, like any good negotiator, went for the weaker target.

Moving slowly, Danny dipped his head to look Jonas in the eye, "While I was... away... the nomad culture that took me in taught me new levels of interpersonal discourse..."

Jack bit his lip; his friend was using words to distract his lover.

Jonas locked eyes with the archaeologist.

"They were only a small tribe, but they had all the beliefs of a commune." Daniel took a step further. "As long as there were no blood ties and the adults were consenting... love should be free."

"You're not talking about love," Jonas answered with an edge of hostility, "You're talking about sex."

"Semantics," Daniel shrugged, getting closer.

"Ethics," Jonas countered, stepping back and hitting the wall.

Jack watched the scene as Daniel drew closer still to the resisting Kelownan. He was unable to move, too curious to see how this scenario would play out and also afraid that his friend might turn the over seductive charm on him and, thanks to a great deal of alcohol, he would not have the will to resist.

"So, are you saying that another culture or belief system is unethical simply because they do not tally with your views on relationships?"

Jonas went rigid, "That wouldn't make me much of a scientist, would it?"

Daniel moved closer again, practically inches away from the younger man, "So, you are a scientist?"

"Yes," Jonas hissed through clenched teeth.

"Let's try a little experiment," Daniel moved for the kill, extending his neck and catching Jonas lips with his own.

Jonas kept his eyes open, looking over to Jack to find the colonel still had not moved from the doorway. Something sealed in him then, his hands moved up to clasp Daniels shoulders closer as the archaeologist snaked a hand around the aliens back and crashed their bodies together.

A moan ensued, from both of them and they devoured each other's mouths and Jack felt the bottom fall out of his heart.

Daniel pulled away first, gasping for breath. "Wow. You don't do things by halves."

Jonas liked his lips and looked to Jack, "Tell me about it."

The colonel suddenly found use of his feet and made a line toward the hall, "If you two will excuse me..."

"Jack," Daniel called, "where are you going?"

As the older man turned back, his best friend pulled his shirt up and off his body to reveal his tanned, toned skin, "This was just getting interesting and I thought you would want to be a part of it."

Then Daniels hands were on Jonas, pressing long fingers under his jumper and rumpling it up his body.

Jack couldn't breathe as Daniel disrobed the young man and they stood before him, displaying their muscular chests and concave abdomens. The humans hands ran up and into the Kelownans hair, pulling him into another kiss before breaking and turning back to Jack, almost in invitation...

"Both of us?" Jack heard himself gasp...

"All of us." Daniel corrected.

"For crying out loud, Danny!" Jack exploded. "What do you want from me? I can't give you the answers you need!"

Daniel's hands dropped from Jonas as the two men leant away from each other, looking like chastised toddlers rather than fully grown, hot, semi-naked men.

"You want me to say I love you?" Jack continued, his swirling emotions finally finding release, "I do! But you want to mess with me and Joe like this..." He turned to the young alien, "I love you, ok. Not like Danny... he's my best friend, for crying out loud. But I love you for you and what you have brought to me. And I don't want you over him or him over you and I can't handle a one-night free-for-all and then we all go off and one of us pops it and the others patch things up."

"You love me?" Jonas and Daniel questioned as one.

"Yes!" O'Neill practically screamed. "It's enough that you are both guys... cause I'm military... I'm old school... I can just about handle the gay thing. But the pair of you? I'm not a god-damn hippy!"

"Except for that one time..." Daniel added.

"There was NO time."

"No… I meant that time when you were a hippy..."

"Oh, right."

"Jack," Jonas countered, taking a step in his direction. "You love me."

Jack gaped at him, "Wouldn't do it if I didn't feel it, kid."

"He's old school," Daniel explained, slapping Jonas on the arm, "weren't you there for the rant?"

"Kinda tuned out after the 'love' bit, actually." The younger man admitted, blushing slightly.

Jack felt like banging his head against the nearest wall.

Then Jonas' expression changed from sweet to predatory and he moved on Jack with astonishing speed, locking their lips and sucking the older mans tongue into his mouth.

Jonas pressed himself against Jack as the older man leaned into the embrace, gathering all of the other up in his arms and squeezing him closer.

It took a moment to register the words as the younger man breathed, "I love you," after each kiss he showered over the earthers face.

"Guess I should be leaving then," Daniel suggested as he watched the pair brake away from each other.

"Daniel," Jonas called, "wait..."

Jacks look questioned the younger man as the alien approached Daniel.

"Stay." Jonas offered.

Daniels eyes flickered to his eldest friend.

Jack was torn. He had never wanted to hurt Danny, but neither could he give up Jonas for him. Something had to give.

But here was Jonas... showing nothing had to give at all, as he motioned Daniel into the living room and showed his acceptance as he took the jacket from Daniels hand and placed it down.

Jonas took Daniels hand, placing it on his shoulder and looking into the other mans eyes. "Jack," he said to the onlooker, "what do you want me to do?"

The colonel found it hard to answer, "I don't..."

"Just tell me..."

Jack felt a rush of panic grip him as something disengaged. "I want you to hold him, Jonas."

The younger man motioned toward Daniel, placing his hand on the earthers hip and drawing him closer.

"Can you feel that, Danny?" Jack asked, watching his friend shift slightly in confirmation, "Now I want you to kiss him."

Daniel gulped, then extended his neck toward Jonas. The alien jerked back for a moment, stopping Daniel in his tracks.

It took a moment for the pair to recover... as Daniel made his second move and caught Jonas' lips, quite gently.

"I want you to caress him, Daniel..." Jack continued, watching as his friend moved his body closer to his partner. "I want you to see the smooth, tanned skin… let your fingers take in every contour…"

Daniel took care to move his touch over Jonas' muscles.

"And…" the younger man stammered, "what do you want me to do… Jack?"

The way Jonas held Jacks name in his mouth caused a surge of attraction to flow through his body. "I want you…" he faltered, "I want you to pretend that he is me…"

Jonas reacted as if electrified, his body jerking into action; yanking Daniel toward him and dipping to run a hot tongue from the other mans naval up and past his adams apple.

The motion was quick and turned the two older mens legs to jelly.

Fuck! That kid has moves... Jack thought to himself, suddenly wishing he hadn't started this as Daniel braced himself and groaned, growing hard and almost whimpering as Jonas moved away.

This was going to be a long night!