Two years later...

[dr_daniel_jackson]

He woke to the feel of something hot and rough beneath his skin and a burning wind across the rest of his body. When he opened his eyes, he quickly closed them again when something stinging blew into them. He shivered and burned at the same time as he lay there. It grew hotter and the wind died down. He worked to open his eyes again and found it didn't hurt quite so much.

"Daniel..." a voice whispered nearby. Daniel. Who was that? Was that him? He didn't know. He looked around but didn't see where the voice was coming from. "Daniel... come... we are losing day light and we must hurry." He shook his head and sat up slowly, still looking to find the owner of that voice. It was soft, inviting, a feminine. As he pushed to his feet he felt something wrap around him and he blinked as he saw a woman standing before him. "Well, you're younger than I'd planned but no matter. You're healthy and whole once more. Your memory will return slowly but I know the old one will take care of you no matter what. He has grieved for your loss these two years. But he waits for you at your homestead. But we must hurry. Once the sun leaves the sky the temperature drops rapidly and you are not well dressed for such an environment."

"You called me Daniel. Is that my name?" The woman nodded as they began to walk through the desert sand. "Where are we?"

"I believe you call this place Egypt, Daniel. And we are going to your home where your husband is waiting for you."

"My... " he trailed off and frowned as if trying to remember who his husband was and how he'd come to have one. "I feel strange."

"It took me longer than I'd hoped to bring you back and I seemed to have somehow made you younger than you were when you last ascended. You still look the same for the most part but your body is almost fifteen years younger than it was when you came to us."

Daniel didn't say anything further to that, following the woman through the desert until they approached a rock wall with a gate. She led him through the gate and up the walkway towards a beautiful house.

"I live here?" he asked softly. The woman nodded as they reached the door. She knocked quietly then turned to Daniel.

"Be patient now, Daniel. He is coming... and he has missed you terribly..."

Comments

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

Most years for Methos seemed to pass so quickly. But the past two had been torture. Everyday he'd wonder if today might be the day or if it had all been a lie. Daniel had seemed so sure that he'd return and had trusted this Oma.

But Methos had been alive so long, he'd learned that hope tended to end poorly.

He'd spent the past two years in Cairo, as promised. He hadn't wanted to stay in Daniel's estate, but knew that if he did... perhaps he would see Daniel again more quickly. But ever day served as a constant reminder of his absence. This home every piece in it. The occasional writing and translation. Each reminder ate at his soul. Methos didn't work anywhere in town. He barely left the house, but for food.

The only outlet he had was his sword work. He'd spend hour just going through kata after kata until he was so tired that he had to pass out. It was the only thing that took his mind off the pain.

He was taking a midday nap on the couch after one such exhausting workout session when he heard the knock. Methos blinked. No one came here. No one visited.

Methos' hand went for his sword. He didn't feel any Quickening. He cracked open the door to see who it was. His sword clattered to the floor and he let the door swing open. His eyes were only for Daniel and not his Ancient companion.

"Daniel..."

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel looked at the man curiously fora moment before reaching out and tracing his fingers along the contours of Methos' face. As he'd did so, he felt as if things slowly began to slip back into place, enough so that, after a few moments, he gave a choked sob and wrapped his arms around his husband's neck and buried his face into Methos' neck.

"You're still here... I can't remember everything but... You're still here..."

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

He let out a sob of his own. He hadn't dared hope. Methos' pulled him close, Breathing him in, the tears started to fall. He'd missed him so. And best of all Daniel remembered... not everything, but he knew him. Knew that Methos loved him and that was the most important thing.

"Of course I'm still here, my love..." he kissed the top of his head, unwilling to break his hold on him, still trying to convince himself that Daniel was really there and this wasn't some trick.

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Oma smiled softly.

"It will take awhile before he has all of his memories back and somehow, in bringing him back to a corporeal form, I seem to have made him fifteen years younger. Either way, I promised to bring him back to you and Joe that I have done so, it's time for me to go. Take care of him." she disappeared in a golden light. Daniel didn't even notice, to wrapped up in his husband to care about anything except that his husband had waited for him as he'd promised.

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

Methos hadn't even noticed how much younger Daniel was, in his unbridled joy. He gave a small nod when Oma left, his attention fully on Daniel now. He plastered his husband's face with kisses, "I love you-- missed you--" he said in between his crying.

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel clung to him tightly returning each kiss with unbridled passion and happiness as well.

"There's so much I can't remember but I could never forget you... my love... always and forever...."

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

His heart clenched at the words, "Yes, Daniel. Always and forever... I'm glad you never forgot that."

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

"I don't think I could ever forget that," he answered pulling back just a little. "I...I seem to have lost my ring, though..."

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

Methos kissed his lips, and then reached for a chain on his neck, pulling it out of his shirt. At the end of it was Daniel's ring.

"I buried you, like I promised... but I kept this..." he said, "For when you came back.."

Or as a keepsake if he never returned as he'd started to believe might happen.

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Danios looked at his ring on the chain and leaned in to kiss Methos softly. "I'm glad you waited... She didn't tell me but, how long was I gone? I don't remember being sick or a y of it..."

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

"Two years." he said, "Almost no time at all for me, usually. But everyday felt like a year..."

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel nodded slowly, fingers moving to trace along the side of his husband's face.

"I'm here now, though," he said softly. "Help me remember what it was like... before I became sick... help me remember what we were like..."

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

Methos smiled taking Daniel's hand in his own so that he could turn over his palm and kiss it.

"I would like to do nothing more..."

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel shivered a little at the press of his husband's lips to his palm. He reached out to finger the ring on the chain before meeting Methos' eyes.

"Perhaps you should... put that back where it goes?" he said softly.

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

He glanced down at it, then back to Daniel. He smiled, taking the chain off his neck, opening it to slide the ring off as he got to his knees and took his husband's hand.

Methos gazed into Daniel's eyes as he slipped on the ring, "Forever and always."

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel smiled softly, wishing he could remember the day they'd gotten married. He hoped that in time he would. He leaned down and kissed Methos softly.

"Forever and always," he repeated back.

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

He stood slowly, holding Daniel's hands drawing him to his feet as well.

"I was... scared that you might not come back. I was scared to hope."

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel stepped in closer and wrapped his arms around Methos tightly.

"I'm glad you stayed and waited," he said quietly. "I don't know what I would have done if I'd been here all alone..."

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

He ran his hand through Daniel's hair, "I had to wait. Just to see. I would have waited hundreds of years, just to see..."

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel smiles softly at that. "Am I really worth such a long wait?" he asks quietly. "Would you have really waited so long, my love?"

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

He kissed his forehead, "Don't doubt that I wouldn't for a second. I love you and if there was a chance that I might see you again, I would have waited lifetimes."

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel hugged him tightly, burying his face into Methos' neck.

"Thank you," he whispered softly, his voice thick with emotion when he spoke.

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

Methos hefted Daniel up suddenly, in order to carry him inside. He kissed him passionately as they crossed the threshold, "You're welcome, my love."

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel returned that kissed and whined a little when Methos pulled back to speak. "Please, dont stop... I'd like to feel you..."

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

He smiled, and in answer returned to kissing him, kicking the door closed behind them as he carried his husband toward the bedroom.