Cornucopia, J/D, rated PG-13

[sid]

Thanksgiving through the years...

CORNUCOPIA

 

I

“This is a bounteous feast, O’Neill, ” Teal’c said, deeply impressed.

 

“That’s the idea,” Jack said proudly.

 

“We’re giving thanks for the good things in our lives,” Daniel explained, “and the amount of food on the table symbolizes those.”

 

Teal’c thought of Sha’re and was silent.

 

“Dig in, kids,” Jack said.

 

~~

 

II

Sam’s face was flushed when she carried in the turkey.

 

“You should have let us do more, Carter,” Jack said.

 

“Teal’c helped,” she said, brushing back strands of hair from her damp forehead.

 

“You did?” Daniel asked in surprise, turning to Teal’c.

 

“I did,” Teal’c said placidly. “I prepared the stuffing and the gravy myself.”

 

“Box and a can?” Jack guessed.

 

“Indeed.”

 

~~

 

III

“Everything was really good, sir,” Sam said as she carried the leftover sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce into the kitchen.

 

Jack gave her a look. “The supermarket did it all. Nothing to do with me.”

 

Sam opened her mouth and closed it again. She sighed.

 

Teal’c finished scraping the plates into the trash can and carried them over to the sink. “It is a shame that DanielJackson did not join us.”

 

“Yeah,” Jack said quietly.

 

~~

 

IV

“I can’t move,” Daniel groaned.

 

“It was that second piece of pumpkin pie that did you in, Daniel,” Sam teased.

 

“Shoot me now.  Please.” Daniel sagged sideways on the couch, falling against Jack’s shoulder.

 

Teal’c appeared in the doorway to the living room. “MajorCarter, the dishwasher is making peculiar noises.”

 

“Oh, shit!”

 

~~

 

V

Daniel looked around the kitchen. “That’s everything, right?”

 

Jack wearily popped open a beer. “Food’s put away, dishwasher’s going, linens in the laundry basket, counters wiped down. That’s everything.”

 

Daniel dried his hands and hung up the towel neatly. “I guess that’s my cue to leave.”

 

“Stick around if you want,” Jack said nonchalantly. “There’s some of that last bottle of wine left.”

 

“Oh, well, in that case.”

 

Jack smiled and went to get a clean glass. “It went well, don’t you think?”

 

“Very nice,” Daniel said with a startled glance. Jack tilted his head, eyebrows raised. “Trout was an interesting choice.”

 

“I was feeling non-traditional,” Jack smirked.

 

Daniel wrinkled his brow. “Maybe next year I’ll finally have a try at it.”

 

“I think I’m offended,” Jack pouted.

 

Daniel opened his mouth to protest and then closed it with a snap. “Ass.”

 

Jack hoisted his bottle in a toast, smiling happily.

 

~~

 

VI

The restaurant was crowded and noisy with conversation and laughter.

 

A gloomy silence hung over the three people at table 12. The gray-haired man caught the waiter’s eye, raised his empty beer glass and tapped it.

 

“Hope he isn’t driving,” the waiter muttered as he headed for the bar.

 

~~

 

VII

Daniel stood in the kitchen of his new home, and watched his team members as they worked. There was a bemused expression on his face. “Shouldn’t I be doing something?”

 

All three faces turned towards him. “No,” they said as one.

 

Daniel blinked. “Am I that bad a cook?”

 

“Is he kidding?” Jack asked Sam. “I can never tell if he’s kidding any more.” She snickered.

 

“Have you not been preparing meals for yourself, DanielJackson? You have been in this home for nearly one month.”

 

“Um.” Daniel looked at Jack. “Actually, I…”

 

“Take-out,” Jack said hastily. “The whole bulletin board over there is covered with take-out menus.”

 

Sam frowned. “You need to take better care of yourself, Daniel.”

 

Daniel looked at the floor and smiled. “I will,” he promised.

 

~~

 

VIII

Jack turned the lock on the front door. “I thought they’d never leave.”

 

“Jack!” Daniel protested.

 

“Hey, I love them both to pieces; you know that.” Jack’s arm stole around Daniel’s waist. “I just want you all to myself.” He nuzzled Daniel’s neck noisily.

 

“Well, to tell you the truth…”

 

Jack raised his head. “Ah! Yes, tell the truth! You couldn’t wait for them to leave, either.”

 

“Well, it’s just that I didn’t have any room for dessert earlier, you know?” Jack’s face fell comically. “And I sort of have plans for the leftover Cool Whip.”

 

Daniel smiled and Jack flushed.

 

~~

 

IX

“Jackson going to be out there all night?” Cameron wondered as he looked out Sam’s back window. He turned his head to see Sam and Teal’c smiling at each other. “If we’re going to play poker, it’s better with four.”

 

“Have another beer, Cam,” Sam urged gently. “I’m sure he won’t be much longer.”

 

Cam looked back out the window to where Daniel was standing, cell phone pressed to his ear. “Yeah,” he sighed. “It’s been forty-five minutes. How much longer could it be?”

 

“Your beer, ColonelMitchell.”

 

“Thanks, Teal’c.” Cam rolled his eyes and smiled lopsidedly.

 

~~

 

X

“It’s never been just the two of us before,” Daniel said, rubbing Jack’s chest.

 

“In bed?”

 

“Idiot.” Daniel flicked at a nipple with his tongue. “For Thanksgiving.”

 

“It’s kind of nice, don’t you think?” Jack said softly. His hand curved around the back of Daniel’s neck as Daniel lapped at his nipple.

 

“Mmm,” Daniel agreed. His hand slid down over Jack’s body. He raised his head and looked down at him through half closed eyelids. “Looks like somebody’s ready for second helpings.”

 

Jack’s back arched and he bit his lip. “Oh, yeah, and I’m saving some room for dessert, too.”

 

“I love a man with a healthy appetite,” Daniel murmured, smiling.

 

NOT THE END

Comments

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Awww. I think this was my fave, it's just so sweet and understated:

Daniel looked at the floor and smiled. “I will,” he promised.

Thanks for the progressive celebration ... or not!

Hugs,
H.

[sid]

:-) I'm glad you enjoyed it! Just a little something to help the turkey digest.

[taselby.livejournal.com]

Awwww!!!! {{{hugs}}}

Thank you!

[sid]

You're very welcome!

[delphia2000.livejournal.com]

Great idea and nicely done! I think I liked the part about Sam's dishwasher making noises the best tho LOL! And VI was very touching.

[sid]

I think the way things progressed that night was this: Sam in the kitchen dismantling her dishwasher, Teal'c watching with fascination, Daniel snoozing on Jack's shoulder. :-)

Thank you, delph!

[gaidheil1974.livejournal.com]

Very nice and sweet. :) Loved the progression.

[sid]

Thanks, I'm really glad it worked for you! It was all thrown together really quickly - as soon as Teal'c's first line popped into my head!

[janedavitt.livejournal.com]

They were wonderful; sad to funny to hot. They really do all belong together...

[sid]

Thank you! They do all have a common theme that goes beyond a date on the calendar, don't they? :-)

[damietta.livejournal.com]

These were wonderful. Some light and happy, some dark, some sad. Of course, the last one (yes!)

Pardon my stupidity, but Daniel is missing twice. I think the one in the restaurant is after "Meridian", but what is the first one where Teal'c mentions "it's a shame DanielJackson did not join us."?

[sid]

I'm glad you enjoyed them (especially the last one *g*)

The first time Daniel is missing is after Sha're died. I guess he just wanted to be alone, and nobody could talk him out of it.

[xsacrifice.livejournal.com]

“It’s never been just the two of us before,” Daniel said, rubbing Jack’s chest.

“In bed?”

My favourite lines XD. I loved Teal'c in II as well, with the stuffing and gravy. Also thought VI was very sweet. Great work =)

[sid]

*giggles* That Jack, he's such a kidder.

This could very easily have been a Teal'c story, if I weren't such a J/D kind of gal.

Thanks much! :-)

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

Lovely lovely lovely! Though III and VI are ouch!

“Take-out,” Jack said hastily.

Bwah!

[sid]

Jack just doesn't do well without his Spacemonkey, does he?

Yes. Take-out. Nothing to see here, move along, move along. Hee!

Thank you. :-)

[msbeata.livejournal.com]

Way cool. It was fun watching the years roll by.

[sid]

Glad you liked it! It was such fun to write, too. :-)

[autumnxchild.livejournal.com]

“Very nice,” Daniel said with a startled glance. Jack tilted his head, eyebrows raised. “Trout was an interesting choice.”

“I was feeling non-traditional,” Jack smirked.

I'm glad we're not the only ones! We did slow cooked ribs this year :)

Very cool group of ficlets XD

[sid]

Yay! Glad you liked!

We had fish a few years ago, and it was delicious. It doesn't hurt anything to bend the culinary rules once in a while.

We had a rib joint smoke our turkey this year. Yum!

[paian]

Aw, that's lovely! And 'not the end' hit me just right. :-)

[sid]

Thank you! :-)

I'm one of those people who always puts The End, except on drabbles, where I decided it just looks silly. *g*

But I COULD NOT DO IT this time. It would have been like pouring a bucket of cold water over the poor reader's head!

[amnellwyvern.livejournal.com]

*sappy sigh* Great job Sid.

[sid]

Thank you, Nell! I should have named it "Sappy Thanksgiving" I suppose.

:-)

[yakkorat-fics.livejournal.com]

Aww...

Cam looked back out the window to where Daniel was standing, cell phone pressed to his ear. “Yeah,” he sighed. “It’s been forty-five minutes. How much longer could it be?”

I can just see it... Daniel pacing on the porch, the phone to his ear, that soft smile on his face, blushing even though there was no one there to see it.

So very sweet.

Love,
Julie-Rae

[sid]

Blushing because Jack's telling him, in great detail, everything he wishes he were doing to him? You betcha!

I'm very glad you liked it. :-)

[nangi-akki.livejournal.com]

These were so sweet. Liked the nod to Share's death.
And of course creative uses for leftover Cool Whip are always appreciated :)

[sid]

creative uses for leftover Cool Whip

It's either the title of a new show on The Food Network, or pay-per-view porn!

[tigerlilly2063.livejournal.com]

Awww... This makes me all warm and happy. :)

Thanks for sharing.

[sid]

I had a nice Thanksgiving, and I got inspired! Glad to share the happiness. :-)

[wraith816.livejournal.com]

I had a nice comment, then LJ ate it. Grrr. So I am reduced to just 'awwww' for now.

[sid]

Awwww is acceptable. :-) And LJ is acting like it's on its last legs today. *frowns*

[starting-gate.livejournal.com]

Due to holiday travel, my turkey day is on Friday. I discovered I had decent dial-up and a lovely holiday fic by you, for dessert.

10 was my favorite-and 'not the end'-was the whipped cream on my dessert! ;)

[sid]

It is SO not the end for our boys!

I'm glad you found it tasty - that's what I like to hear!

[whimsicalwhims.livejournal.com]

Very enjoyable. I liked the way you highlighted each season, giving us a glimpse into what is going on in their lives at that time.

[sid]

I had to consult my handy-dandy episode list a few times! I had fun writing this, glad you enjoyed it. :-)

[brandinsbabe.livejournal.com]

awww god that brought tears so my eyes. so lovely!

[sid]

Oh, thank you! *hands you a dainty hankie with tasteful embroidery*

[jd-junkie.livejournal.com]

You know, one of the good things about being a relative lj newbie is catching up with stuff like this.
It was great. "I just want you all to myself" sums it up for Jack really.
This was a cool idea with a great progression.
Happy Thanksgiving sid. :-))

[sid]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I was sure there had to be some folks who hadn't read this yet. :-)

[avidrosette.livejournal.com]

This was terrific. I like the way you've got the whole arc of the series hovering behind it, and the way that background is suggested just to the right extent (with a minimum of exposition). I especially liked #III, how we're as startled as Sam by Jack's snappish comment until we learn, obliquely, the reason for it. I also loved #IX, with Daniel glued to the cell phone - something so poignant about your description there - and Sam understanding. I like how III and IX echo each other, with a different member of the pair absent in each. #VI was really painful and just right. I loved the intense emotional ups and downs of this piece, and the way so much of the emotional development is seen from the outside, and therefore only suggested (right up to the very end); that distance, and the restraint it imposed on what could be expressed, made the whole thing especially subtle and piercing, imo.

[sid]

Thanks for the marvellous feedback! :-)

I'd never thought about III and IX having that similarity. At least IX is happier, if full of yearning. Of course, part of that yearning is Cam's desire to get that poker game started!

I think VII is my favorite as far as subtlety goes. Even I'm not sure exactly how far J/D's relationship has gone at this point. All I know is that Daniel isn't eating alone and that they obviously have some sort of "understanding", which is, OMG, so sweet. *g* But it may still be in the courtship phase.

Or, they could be boffing like bunnies. Either way makes me terribly happy. :-)

[ctheinvisible17.livejournal.com]

Loved this! :)

I really love the idea of going through all the years in their relationship. And I really liked the tone you set in each one. I think I liked 6 and 10 the most. In S6 I always felt like we never really saw the team mourn Daniel. Maybe that was just because they did it so many times. But I could see this scene in one of the episodes. And of course I liked 10 because it's so them. ♥

And I agree with jd_junkie, I'm also glad that I'm sorta new to Lj. It's always nice to read something long after it was written, just makes it all the more special.

So yeah, all in all these were really great! Sorry for the rambling. And hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving! :)

[sid]

I had an excellent Thanksgiving, and now some nice feedback to make me happy as I get ready for bed. :-)

I'm glad I reposted, and I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[brandinsbabe.livejournal.com]

aww i remember this from last year and how much i loved it! thanks for linking to it again! totally made my day even better! :D

hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving!

[sid]

Yes, thank you, I had a lovely holiday. Just finished up with a brunch featuring pumpkin pancakes. :-)

I thought people might enjoy reading this again! Glad it brightened your day even more.

[shadowgardens.livejournal.com]

Oh that was cute and cheerful. Just what I needed thanks.

[sid]

Oh, your icon makes me giggle! :-D

I'm glad my story cheered your day. Yay!

[morgan-idril.livejournal.com]

O! What a lovely vision of the team thru out the years. And what a gem to find, I have been a fan of Jack/Daniel for a number of years and keep finding new gems. Thank you.

[sid]

I'm so glad you found this story and think it's a gem! *beams proudly* Thank you!