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

[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.

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel wasn't sure what to think about actually being carried but as long as his husband didn't stop kissing or touching him, he'd leave it alone. Maybe he'd liked it before he'd... died? He'd have to ask... later though. his hands slid down across Methos' back, trying to pull him closer.

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

Methos was just in a mood, and had gotten the urge to do so. And the weight in his arms proved to him that he was really there.

He found the bedroom and laid his husband down and crawled atop him to claim his mouth, his hands roaming his chest.

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel gave a soft groan, pushing up against his husband as he gave over to that kiss, his own hands working to unbutton the shirt Methos wore.

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

He helped tug off his shirt then went to work on his husband's clothes. Methos couldn't fully express the happiness he was feeling in this moment. This was the first time anyone he'd lost had ever come back to him.

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel shucked off the rest of his clothes and, for some reason, suddenly felt a little more shy. He knew he was almost fifteen years younger physically than when he'd died. He wasn't sure how much different he looked, though, and for some reason it bothered him a little.

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

Methos hadn't paid much mind to how much younger Daniel was, other than the fact that it meant they had more time with one another (and that now Daniel looked far younger than he did). His hands went to the sides of Daniel's face when he saw the worried expression cross his husband's face, "What's wrong, love?"

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

On significant difference would be that there was no longer any scarring from his previous injuries that were there when he'd first met Methos back in Colorado. He chewed on his bottom lip for a moment before answering.

"I guess I'm worried about... looking different than I did when you last saw me," he said softly.

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

"Daniel..." he pressed his lips against his head in a soothing gesture, "I didn't marry you because of how you looked, you could be 20 years older or 20 years younger, and I wouldn't love you any different. If anything..." his hand ran along Daniel's now scarrless chest, "This might be better for you. Old wounds are washed away, perhaps that will make it easier to wash them away from your soul...?"

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel looked up slowly to meet his husband's gaze. He honestly hadn't thought of it that way.

"You'll help me with that?" he asked softly, his hand now resting over Methos' against his chest.

[really-oldguy.livejournal.com]

"You couldn't stop me." he smiled in response, then leaned down to peck him on the lips.

[dr-dmjacksonsg1.livejournal.com]

Daniel smiled back at him, leaning in closer to kiss him a little more fully.