Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate. Even though I do bear a deep-seated hatred toward Mitchell on principle, I do not truly believe he would be as evil as this. I don't even know Mitchell, so don't hate on me for hating on him. Please? Just another outpouring of words with little plot in mind. R kthnxbye!

I kissed him.

I don't know what I was thinking, honestly. One minute we're talking and the next my lips are pressed against his, needing to feel him accept me, needing to feel that he loved me too. But he shoved me away with brutal force and stared at me with incredulous eyes. "Jackson, what the...?"

I stumbled and fell onto the floor. I just sat there, eyes wide. "Oh God, Cam- Mitchell- Colonel, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to, I'm sorry!" My excuses sounded lame in my own ears. How much worse must they sound to Cam?

The Colonel wiped his hand savagely across his lips. "What were you thinking? Kissing me!" He sounded disgusted and I thought I could hear my heart cracking from the pain his tone caused me. Mitchell's eyes took on a new look, a cold look, one that made me start to tremble.

"Please, I didn't mean anything by it, Cam, please!" I groveled on the floor in front of him. I was thankful that we were in a private and empty conference room instead of somewhere embarrassingly public like the 'Gate room. Then again, the privacy made it that much easier for Mitchell to punish my forward behaviour.

I knew he would, too. After working with this man for over a year I knew what he was capable of. While he had never laid hands on me, I'd seen him terrorize other members of the staff. Several feared him and they were right to. Perhaps that was what had drawn me to him, his raw power. But in the face of his anger, I discovered that it was not such an alluring thing after all.

Mitchell grabbed me by the arm and dragged me to my feet. My flinching away must have made him even angrier. He started to draw off his belt. "Strip!" he commanded me sharply. My stomach churned and I looked at the floor. "Strip!" he repeated louder, taking a step toward me threateningly. I twitched and did as he asked.

When all my clothes had fallen to the floor, I stood in front of him naked. My face was flushed hot with shame. I tried vainly to cover myself. No matter what Mitchell intended to do, I still had feelings for him and I hated to think of him seeing my body's imperfections. Maybe I'll get over it by the time we're through here. Maybe Cam will beat the crap out of me and erase my love for him. That would be kind of nice.

The Colonel snatched away my protecting hands and surveyed my body with a sneer on his face. Almost as an afterthought he took away my glasses and my world became a blur. That was better anyway, I didn't have to see the disapproval in his face then.

He came toward me and ran light fingers over my larger scars. Bullet holes and knife wounds, trophies of the trade. Normally I bore them as badges of honor, but this day tears gathered in my eyes at the thought of Cameron seeing my marred flesh. It was stupid, caring about his opinion when he was about to whip me for merely kissing him. But I couldn't help what I felt.

Cam's derisive little snicker brought me back from my ashamed musings. He gave me a little push towards the conference table. "Brace your hands on the table and lean forward. Spread your legs." I assumed the position he gave me without comment. I knew how to take orders, if anything. A hot tear splashed on the polished oak table top.

"Daniel, Daniel, Daniel," he chided as if lecturing a small child. "What am I going to do with you? Kissing a superior officer, and a male superior officer at that! What a bold mistake." The folded leather of his belt caressed my side softly and I trembled at the contact. "A mistake it was," he continued. "One for which you will be punished severely!"

Without warning he let fly with the belt. It cracked over my back and wrapped around my chest. It was like a stinging brand had been burned into my skin and I yelped in pain. "Cam, please," I whimpered. "I'm sorry, it was a mistake. Please don't beat me. CAM!"

The last word became a shriek as Mitchell hit me again. And again. He systematically whipped me over and over again until my entire back was a mass of reddened skin and welts. I knew better than to try and move from the position he'd placed me in. That would have made the whole thing worse. I prided myself on that much restraint even as I wailed and begged for the man I adored to stop strapping me.

He was forced to stop when my shaking legs gave way and sent me to the ground. I cracked my temple on the table's edge as I fell and stars exploded in front of my eyes. Dimly I could see Cameron crouching beside me. He stroked my hair, which I'd let grow back out at his behest, and laid a gentle hand on my abused back. I cringed and let out a high keen at the pain of his touch.

"I'm sorry I had to hurt you, Dan. But you gotta learn. And I'm the one that's gonna teach you." One finger lifted my chin and I looked up at the blur that was his face. He perched my glasses back onto my nose so I could see him properly. His face looked sympathetic, but his eyes were cold marble. "Go out of line like that again, and I'll make this seem like a warm-up."

I nodded my understanding frantically and he stood to his feet. "Get dressed and come on. We're being debriefed in six minutes."

We arrived at the debriefing with three minutes to spare. Sam noticed my eyes, red from crying, and the bruise on my head from striking the table corner. "Daniel, everything okay?" Cam gave her a big fake grin.

"Everything's fine, right, Danny?" he said, making a point to slap me on the back.