From A Distance

by Bethany

URL: http://www.stargateslash.com/asb/bethany6/fromadis.php
Summary: When Daniel hears the words of a song he breaks down in Jack's arms on his first Christmas without Sha're
Info: Inspired by the song, From A Distance, sung by John Barrowman:

From a distance, the world looks blue and green
And the snow-capped mountains white.
From a distance, the ocean needs the stream
And the eagle takes to flight.

From a distance, there is harmony
And it echoes through the land
It's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace
It's the voice of every man.

From a distance, we all have enough
And no one is in need
And there are no guns, no bombs and no disease
No hungry mouths to feed.

From a distance, we are instruments
Marching in a common band
Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace
They're the songs of every man.

God is watching us
God is watching us
God is watching us
From a distance

From a distance, you look like my friend
Even though we are at war
From a distance, I just cannot comprehend
What all this fighting is for

From a distance, there is harmony
And it echoes through the land
And it's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves
It's the heart of every man.

God is watching us
God is watching us
God is watching us
From a distance

Ohh, God is watching us
God is watching us
God is watching us
From a distance

***
Daniel sat watching the TV, transfixed by the voice of the man singing on it.

"Daniel..?" Jack walked in to his own living room, seeing Daniel on the sofa. "Hey, Daniel..." He said, softly, as he gently touched Daniel's shoulder.

Daniel looked up. "No one realises how much crap this song is!" Daniel said. "From a distance, there are people... things! Things waiting to come get all of us! Like they got Sha're..." His voice trailed off.

Jack sat beside him.

"I told Sha're about most of the idea behind Christmas... She was naturally, mistrustful of the whole God thing. But I wanted her to know about the family side, the happy stuff, like I remember once upon a time... Now though, she never will, and it is all my fault, Jack..."

"No, Daniel is so is not!" Jack told him firmly. "It is not your fault... The hurt makes it seem that way, but it's not. It's just that Christmas is a pain in the ass for some of us, and this is your first without her."

"I know..." Daniel shed tears as he spoke.

"Sorry..." Jack said, hugging Daniel's shoulders, trying to help, and hoping to a God he wasn't sure he believed in, that he was doing the right thing...

Daniel rested on Jack's shoulder, and moved to look at his face...

Jack looked into Daniel's eyes.

And the next thing Daniel knew, though he didn't really know what he was doing, he kissed Jack's lips. Touched his face, held it, feeling the stubble, and everything about the structure of that face; he clung to it, to Jack...

Jack carefully broke the kiss. "Daniel, I aint no Abydonian beauty..." He mused.

Daniel was mortified. "I am so sorry, Jack... I just fucked everything up again, and betrayed Sha're yet again, too..."

"You did no such thing, Daniel... You just need some TLC is all. It's not like you ever had a tonne of it." Jack stated.

"Closest I got to it, and to giving it also, was in Sha're's arms... I don't want to go back to the Desert, not without her there, but I miss those nights... The desert air cooling in the evening, the simple robes, even the sand!" He half laughed. "And the love she gave me, and let me give to her... We were a family."

"I know you were..." Jack said.

"Jack, I'm sorry. What I did... I'm so sorry. It's just, you and me... I miss her, but I..." Daniel stammered.

"Daniel, I'm not going to get you thrown off my team. I need you around, and I don't care what your orientation might be, screw the Regs! I know I can trust you..." Jack assured him.

"There is a part of me that is Hetero, Jack... But then, it's not so clear cut..." Daniel answered his friend.

"I get it, Daniel... I do. I promise you..." Jack said truthfully.

"I've always been like it, even before my parents died... Not that you understand your inclinations at that age, but looking back, I know I was born this way... No matter what any Counsellor might say about why, me being all alone in the world..." Daniel explained.

"You're not alone, Daniel. Honestly..." Jack touched his friend's hand.

In that moment, it was understood.

"I can't let you feel as though you've betrayed her again, and I won't take advantage of what I now know, but I understand, Daniel..." Jack looked into those blue eyes. He brushed Daniel's face with his hand, and felt the other man lean into that hand.

They looked at one another again, and longed to touch lips, body and soul...

The End

Author's Note: I make no money, and mean to step on no one's toes at all,by writing my stories... Feedback welcome as long as it is always polite.