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It’d been a hell of a mission. SG-1 had spent far too long on a planet they probably shouldn’t have stayed on once they realized that the indigenous population was primitive. But the people had needed help and honestly, Daniel couldn’t even blame anyone but himself for them staying. Rules be damned, he wasn’t going to let an entire race of people go extinct over something they had the power to fix. The problem was, once they had fixed things, the primitive people hadn’t wanted them to leave; they believed SG-1 to be gods and became reliant on them for even the simplest of things at an alarming rate.
“What did I say about meddling Daniel?” Jack asked over the MALP video feed, frustrated by the situation, as if he hadn’t meddled himself hundreds of times before.
“Don’t pretend like you wouldn’t have done the exact same thing if you were here,” Daniel replied with an exasperated sigh. “I know you too well for that.”
“Just… fix it and get your ass back here, that’s an order,” Jack said, blatantly skirting the subject. “O’Neill out!”
Things were finally fixed and as Sam dialed home on the DHD, Daniel couldn’t remember anything that sounded as good as those chevrons locking into place. He sighed in relief before he’d even passed through the event horizon, happy in knowing that home was only a few seconds away.
Jack was waiting for him at the base of the ramp, smiling like he knew some sort of secret. “Well dad, how’s the kids?” he quipped, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
Daniel gave him a look that clearly said he was in no mood for such jokes. Nevertheless, he replied, “Tucked into bed. Now it’s time for daddy to have a beer and a bath.”
Sam grinned, amused by their usual banter.
Jack frowned. “Why does that sound so weird coming from you.”
Daniel considered it for a moment. “I don’t know. It sounded much better in my head.”
Jack’s smiled returned and he wrapped an arm around Daniel’s shoulders, leading him out of the Gate room and towards the locker rooms. “Welcome home.”
“Good to be home,” Daniel said, his voice sounding much more tired than he actually felt. “You have no idea how good it feels to be back on Earth.”
“’Bout as good as it feels to have you back on Earth I’d reckon,” Jack replied, just loud enough for Daniel to hear him, “I’ve slept alone for a month… no one is more happy that you’re back than I am, not even you.”
Daniel smiled. “You missed me that much?”
“You’ll never know just how much I missed you,” Jack said as they stopped in front of the locker room doors. “Never.”
Daniel arched an eyebrow, both surprised and curious. “Should I be worried?”
Jack rested his hands on his hips and tried to look nonchalant. “That I bought a body pillow and dressed like you and drew a face on it? Nah, that’s completely normal… nothing to be worried about.”
Daniel eyed him for a moment, unsure whether Jack was joking or not. “I… I honestly don’t know how to respond to that Jack.”
“I'd be surprised if you did.” Jack looked at his watch. “Go get a shower and change. If we hurry, we can pick up Chinese from that place you like on the way home. And then, after dinner, I’ll show you exactly how much I missed you.”
“Will the pillow be joining us?”
Jack gave him annoyed look. “If you don’t hurry up, you’ll be joining me and pillow-Daniel.”
Daniel stared at Jack for a moment, eyes narrowed. “I can’t believe I’m slightly jealous of a pillow.”
Jack looked up and down the hallway to make sure it was clear before wrapping his arms around Daniel’s waist and pulling him close. “That pillow ain’t got nothing on you,” he said, pressing his lips to Daniel’s in a hungry kiss that he’d been waiting far too long to give to his boyfriend.
Daniel pressed his forehead against Jack’s and grinned. “I missed you,” he whispered.
“I’ve missed you too. Now, go,” Jack said, pulling away and turning Daniel toward the locker room door before slapping him on the ass. “Hurry up so we can go home.”