Getting Caught

[dr_daniel_jackson]

Daniel had left Colorado feeling both content and torn. He missed Methos and he knew the older man would laugh at him for being so sentimental. He carried the glock everywhere he went, keeping it well hidden on himself. Even in the museum he kept it in a shoulder holster for fear that his teammates or someone worse might come looking for him.

He'd been in New York for almost two weeks when he started packing up to get ready to leave for Egypt. He'd already sent several boxes ahead and they'd be at his home there by the time he arrived. He packed up the last of Methos' journals in a duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder as he headed out of the museum and headed for the hotel where he'd been staying. He wasn't paying a whole lot of attention to his surroundings and therefore didn't realize he was being followed. He entered the Plaza hotel and made for the elevator which took him to the tenth floor. Stepping out of the elevator, he headed three doors down to his suite and swiped the card to unlock the door. Inside, he set the bag to one side, closed the door behind him and headed further into the room. He had just turned towards the mini-bar when pain exploded in his head and he was out cold.


When he woke, it was dark in the room except for a couple of low lights that weren't clsoe to him. He tried to move and realized he was bound to the bed. What the hell...

"Hello?"

"You know, it's taken me a while to figure out where the hell you disappeared to," came a familiar voice. "I don't like having to track you down, Daniel. You know I'm not a patient man."

"Screw you, Jack," Daniel growled out angrily. "I don't work for you or your government anymore. Now let me go and get the hell out of here before I forget we every had a friendship and I just kill you myself."

"Why Daniel... I think you're angry. Look, just... tell me what I want to know and all of this can stop. You have my word..."

Daniel shook his head. He didn't believe that for a moment. He should have just gone straight to the airport. For a brief moment, he wondered where Methos might be... or what he might do if he found Daniel like this...

Comments

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel lowered his gaze at that question but nodded his head slowly.

"If you don't mind," he said softly. He wanted to tell Methos how much he'd missed the elder's touch but he was afraid it would drive the immortal away again.

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

"Alright." he nodded, helping to ease Daniel down into the tub, and turned on the water.

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel sat down and winced slightly before leaning back and letting his head settle against the tiled wall. His eyes closed as he felt a new set of tears form behind his eyes.

"Thank you... for coming when...when you did," he choked out between the tears. "He had a gun and he was .... he said I'd tell him... everything he wanted to know or else..."

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

Methos reached a hand out to cup his cheek, tenderly, his thumb rubbing away some of the tears, "You're welcome, Daniel."

He hated seeing him this way. He wanted to make it better, but it was a hard to heal such things. Some wounds stayed with you, no matter what.

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

He stayed quiet again until the tub was pretty much filled and then he shifted down into it a little more. After another moment, he turned and looked over at Methos.

"You had a lot of fun living in Russia in the 1800s..."

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

"Did I?" he smirked, "I much preferred my time spent with Lord Byron in Switzerland. And our time partying with the Shelleys."

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

"Yes... I read about that too," he said with a soft smile. "I'm curious. What happened to Byron? You said in your journals that there was a falling out and you and Byron went your separate ways. Have you seen him again?"

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

"He's dead." Methos frowned, "His wild careless ways got the better of him."

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry," Daniel said softly, reaching out to brush his fingers down the side of Methos' face. "From what you wrote about him, his loss must have hurt terribly."

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

"Yes. And it was at the hands of another friend." he looked down, averting his eyes, "You'd think after this many years. Loss would sting less. I've had 68 wives... and so many lovers. All of them dead now. And each is like a knife in my own gut."

Which was why he was so angry at Daniel for being so careless with his own life. He was going to get himself killed. And the man only had so much time to live anyhow.

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel shifted so that he could frame the older man's face in his hands before he leaned in and kissed him softly.

"I didn't understand," he said softly, "but now it all makes sense. You've lost so much in life, that living for so long almost seems like a curse. I, on the other hand, see death as an adventure and I suppose it's why I've stopped being so careful about my life because I'm arrogant enough to think I'll always come back..."

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

"One of these days you won't..." he kissed Daniel back.

"I don't view my Immortality as a curse. It's the mortality of the things I care for that's the curse. I plan to live forever. Like I told Byron, I don't want a tombstone."

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

"I've never told anyone but... I want to be buried in Egypt when the day comes that I die for real... and I want to be buried under the right of Isis and Osiris. There aren't too many who know the old Egyptian burial rites. I'll have to hope I can find someone in Cairo who will know..." He shook his head and leaned back into the heated water.

"The man who did this to me," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper as he spoke, "he was my commanding officer... and for a while he was also my lover."

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

"I know the rights Daniel. I could do it for you." Methos said, solemnly. He ran his fingers through Daniel's hair, avoiding the stitches.

He should have killed that man. He was regretting his choice not to.

"You've read my journals about the Bronze Age. You know of Kronos. We were closer than I've ever been with anyone. And it lasted centuries. But near the end... he may as well have been my jailer."

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel leaned into that touch and nodded as he listened to Methos speak of Kronos.

"That's how I've felt the last couple of years, that I was being restrained and held back and that I'd never truly be free again." He turned his head to meet Methos' gaze. "When you finally left him... did you ever see him again?"

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

"Yes. I saw all my brothers again. A few years ago. Kronos tracked me down." Methos sighed through his nose.

"I played along with him. For if I didn't he would kill me. But when the moment presented itself, I betrayed him. I killed Silas. And another friend of mind... killed Caspian and then Kronos." his face hardened, in pain.

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry," Daniel whispered again, kissing Methos' cheek softly before pressing his forehead against the other man's.

"That had to have been hard for you," he said quietly. "This friend of yours... are you still in contact with him?"

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

"We still speak occasionally, and relatively genially. But, he's a man of honor. Bordering on obsessive about it. When he'd found out about the Horsemen... he informed me that we were no longer friends." he sighed, Methos' hand pressed Daniel's head closer to his own, seeking comfort in the intimacy of it.

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

"Then he's a fool," Daniel whispered softly. He pulled back for a moment and sighed softly. "And the water has cooled so... think I need help getting out...'

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

"He may be a fool about certain things, but a better man, I have yet to meet." Methos stood up, holding out his hand to help Daniel to his feet.

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel took Methos' hand and pulled himself up, still wincing slightly as he did so even as he reached for a nearby towel.

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

He held onto Daniel, as he stepped out of the tub, to be sure he wouldn't slip, "We shouldn't stay here long. There's a chance we might have been spotted. You can rest if you like, but... only for a few hours."

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel nodded and dried himself off, wrapping the towel around his waist as he did so.

"We can leave once I'm dressed if you think it the safer thing to do."

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

"I do." Methos confirmed, watching him carefully, "How's your head?"

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

"It hurts, but I'll live," Daniel answered softly. "Let me get dressed and then we can go... to wherever it is we're going."