Rating: R/NC-17 for implied sexual situations. Jack/Daniel, Daniel/OMC. AU, drama, angst, romance, first time

Chapter Four: Encounters

Jack rapped sharply on the door. He shifted his arm just in time to keep the garment bag he was carrying from slithering to the floor. He waited, then knocked again and wondered what was taking Daniel so long to answer the door.

"I brought you something to wear," Jack announced when Daniel opened the door at last. Daniel stood there, his expression unreadable and for a moment Jack thought that Daniel might not let him in. Finally, he stepped aside to allow Jack to enter the apartment. Daniel closed the door behind them.

Jack turned his head to study the other man. Daniel looked wan and there were dark smudges under his eyes that spoke of lack of sleep. Daniel might have schooled his expression to neutrality, but Jack was adept at reading body language and if his stiff carriage and clenched hands were any indication, Daniel was not a happy camper. That was hardly surprising, given the circumstances. Jack continued to study Daniel. Daniel returned his study in kind.

"I wasn't sure if you had anything to wear to the reception, so I brought you something." Jack said at last.

Daniel stood in front of Jack, his arms crossed over his chest. "Oh?"

"It's important that you make the right first impression," Jack explained. "You know what they say, after all."

"You don't get a second chance to make a first impression," Daniel replied in a faintly mocking singsong. "Yes, I know. I've trawled a few bars in my day."

Jack raised an eyebrow at that remark, but didn't comment further.

 "So, what is the well dressed gigolo wearing this season?" Daniel asked blandly. Jack couldn't stop a scowl from spreading across his face as that particular barb hit home. Daniel smiled at him, apparently pleased at getting a rise out of Jack.

Jack thrust the clothing bag at him, with a tad more force than he had intended. "It should fit," Jack said gruffly. "I got your measurements."

Now it was Daniel's turn to react. "Was that in my file, too?"

Jack shrugged. "I checked your closet."

Daniel laughed at that. "Careful. If you get caught lurking in a fag's closet, people will start to talk."

Jack's expression hardened. Daniel smiled.

"Daniel..."

"Do I have time for a shower?" Daniel asked.

Jack nodded. "Sure. The reception doesn't start until 1830..."

Daniel blinked.

"Six-thirty," he clarified, "...so we've got a bit of time, though we should get there as early as possible on the off chance Stephanopoulus decides to breeze in and then back out again."

"I'll be quick. There's beer in the fridge if you want one," he offered, then walked into the bathroom, closing the door softly behind him.

Jack was standing near the window, a bottle of beer dangling casually between his long fingers as he gazed at the traffic below. He turned at the sound of Daniel's footfalls, muffled though they were by the rug in the hallway. Daniel stood in the middle of the living room, dressed in the shirt and crisp linen suit of charcoal gray that Jack had brought for him. The clothing fit him perfectly, as Jack was sure it would. Daniel had put aside his glasses in favor of a pair of contacts. That surprised Jack, knowing as he did that Daniel hated wearing them, and considered them a ridiculous concession to vanity.

Jack allowed his gaze to slide slowly down Daniel's body before traveling upwards again. He wondered if Daniel could read the appreciation in his eyes, if he could sense the flare of hunger that flashed through him, raw and fierce before he managed to quash it. Daniel remained very still throughout the entire scrutiny. He lifted his chin defiantly, as if refusing to give in to the urge to blush.

"So?" Daniel asked.

"You'll do," Jack remarked, the casual words doing little to defuse the unexpectedly charged moment. This time, Daniel blushed.

Jack walked towards Daniel, depositing the beer on the coffee table as he passed. He reached out to tug gently on the collar of Daniel's shirt, straightening it with sure fingers. One of his fingers lightly brushed Daniel's neck in passing and Daniel shivered at the touch. Jack's hands moved to Daniel's shoulders, lightly brushing, as if to remove a speck of lint before their warm, solid weight stilled there for a moment.

Daniel looked up into Jack's face, his confusion evident. For one breathless moment, Jack felt a powerful impulse to simply lean in and kiss Daniel. It would be so easy, and terribly wrong for so many reasons. Jack removed his hands and stepped back several paces until he could breathe again.

Daniel drew in a deep breath of his own. He rocked back on his heels and crossed his arms, his gaze challenging once more.

Jack released a heavy sigh. "You ready to go?"

Daniel swept his arm in front of him. "After you, Colonel."

* * *

The drive to the Hirshhorn was tense as Jack gave Daniel his last minute instructions.

"We've got people stationed at the museum and at Stephanopoulus' house keeping track of his movements. They'll page me as soon as he arrives at the reception and I'll let you know." Jack never took his eyes off the road. "Once he does arrive, give him a little time to mingle and relax. And remember, try to be casual. We don't want to tip our hand and rouse his suspicions."

Daniel's eyes narrowed. "Do you think he suspects that he's being watched?"

Jack shrugged. He turned the steering wheel with ease as they turned off Connecticut. "We've been monitoring both his telephone and his e-mail for some time and there's been no hint that he suspects, but that doesn't mean he isn't on to us. And we still don't know how the Intel is being passed on."

Daniel looked at Jack, clearly unnerved. "You can do that? I mean, monitor someone's personal e-mail? Just like that?"

Jack tossed him a fleeting grin. "We're the CIA, Daniel. We can do anything." At Daniel's frown, he hastened to explain. "We don't do this for kicks, Daniel. We don't up and spy on people and infringe upon their privacy on a whim. This is serious business. Treason is a capital offense and in this case it apparently involves people at the highest level of government. The gravity of the crime and the power of the participants require that we take these steps."

Daniel nodded. "I guess it just makes me nervous to think that people can do those sorts of things, is all. It's a little too Big Brother, if you know what I mean."

"Nervous?" Jack asked, pulling the car to a stop at an intersection. The red light glared balefully.

Daniel shrugged.

"I'll be nearby the entire time if you need backup," Jack reminded Daniel, pointing at the small, flesh colored piece of plastic in his right ear that. It was a high-powered miniature receiver that was tuned into the tiny microphone that Daniel wore on his lapel.

Jack had told Daniel about some of the toys they had at their disposal for this operation. He had underscored the fact that while high-powered gizmos could make some things easier, they couldn't take the place of field operatives. 'Believe me, Daniel. We never would have recruited a civilian if we could get the job done with technology. Wire tapping, parabolic mikes, profiling databases, all that can only get you so far. No matter how many advances we make technologically, nothing takes the place of the human component.'

Daniel had simply nodded at the time.

"When we arrive at the reception, just mingle, act natural. I'll keep an eye on you at all times and if things look dodgy I'll be there toot sweet."

"What if Dr. Stephanopoulus sees us together?"

"It doesn't really matter. I'm just a friend. We met on the plane from LA, struck up a conversation, and when you mentioned that you were coming to stay here for a while, I sorta took you under my wing. We hit it off, especially since you don't know anyone in town."

Daniel cocked an eyebrow at that. "I suppose it's plausible. So, I assume you don't want me to introduce you as my friend who works for the CIA."

"No, that would rather undermine that whole not raising suspicions thing," Jack replied. "I'm an operational concept analyst for Boeing."

"Boeing?" Daniel asked, unable to keep the incredulity out of his voice.

"Yes, Boeing. Air Force, remember? Trust me, I probably know almost as much about planes as some of the people who actually work for them." He paused, maneuvering the car around Dupont Circle and on to Massachusetts Avenue before continuing his recitation. "I've shown you around town a bit, we've seen some movies together. Typical buddy stuff."

Jack paused, tossing another glance over at Daniel. "That should be enough information. I honestly doubt Stephanopoulus will care less who I am. If he asks, just keep it simple and try as much as possible to deflect questions away from yourself and back to him."

"Yes, sir, Colonel." Daniel answered curtly.

Jack sighed, his own patience starting to fray. "Don't call me Colonel. That will blow both our covers but good. I'm Jack."

Daniel didn't answer him. He turned his gaze out the window to watch the buildings and cars whiz by as they turned on to Pennsylvania Avenue. The Capital appeared in the far distance.

The car stopped at another red light and Jack reached over and clasped his wrist. Daniel flinched at the touch of Jack's hand then stilled. Daniel turned his head to look at Jack.

"Are you OK?" Jack asked. "It's not too late to back out, Daniel. This is your last chance to call it off. Once you walk through the door, there's no going back. Do you understand?"

Daniel gave him a bruised little smile. "Of course. I might as well put my talents to good use, right, Jack?"

Jack frowned and turned to gaze out the windshield once more. Those were the last words they spoke.

* * *

Daniel waved aside the waiter carrying a tray of drinks and wound his way through the crowds, feeling strangely disconnected and a little lightheaded. He'd been at the reception for over an hour and there was still no sign of Dr. Stephanopoulus. The continuing delay was setting his nerves on edge. After three weeks of waiting another hour or two was hardly worth noting, but now that he'd accepted this mission all Daniel wanted was to be done with the whole mess as quickly as possible.

He made his way through the reception area. It was crowded and loud. People stood in small groups, talking, laughing, and drinking, while a jazz quartet played in a far corner of the hall. Occasionally, people would walk into the gallery to view the exhibition, but it was quite apparent that the majority of them were here simply to see and be seen and perhaps take advantage of the open bar. The art was irrelevant, nothing more than a bit of elegant décor, a colorful backdrop for the posturing and self-indulgent one-upsmanship that was the hallmark of society in the nation's capital.

Daniel was jostled by a heavyset man, red-faced and loud, who seemed oblivious to anyone outside his small circle of companions. Daniel moved on. He didn't know anyone and under normal circumstances that wouldn't have bothered him in the slightest. He would have simply enjoyed the opportunity to view the exhibition without the usual crowds, or perhaps he would have struck up a conversation with some of the guests. But tonight, he felt his isolation all the more keenly; he was acutely aware that he was an interloper, a fraud. A wolf in the fold.

That thought nearly made him laugh out loud. Somehow he couldn't see himself as the wolf in sheep's clothing; quite the opposite, in fact. He felt distinctly like the sheep trying to pass himself as the wolf and he wondered, not for the first time, if he was really up to this, if he could actually manage to pull off such an insane plan.

The room suddenly felt too close, the air too thick and hot. He needed to escape, to be by himself and breathe, at least for a couple of minutes. He spotted a doorway and made his way there as quickly as possible.

He found himself in one of the galleries of the museum where the permanent collection was installed. A guard stood in the doorway at the far end. He paused on the threshold, unsure whether he'd be allowed to enter or not. The guard gave him a brief nod of permission and Daniel entered the room.

The feeling of relief that washed over him was almost palpable. The room was empty apart from the guard and the works of art, and it was blissfully quiet and cool. He walked through the gallery, noting absently that it was filled with examples of early modernism: garishly colored Fauve paintings, austere monochromatic Cubist constructions, disturbing Expressionist works, all pallid faces and sharp angles.

He walked past the Derains and the Braques and the Picassos, his eyes drawn by a bronze sculpture standing on a plinth near the back wall. It was the sculpture of a standing woman, her back bowed as she rested her elbow upon a pedestal. He was mesmerized by the attenuated, undulating lines of her body, so sinuous and seductive yet vaguely disconcerting. He glanced at the label. 'Matisse,' he read, 'La Serpentine.' Yes, he could see that. He looked again at the sculpture, his eyes traveling down the elongated limbs and the unnatural arch of the spine, the figure so pulled and twisted and altered she bore little resemblance to what the model herself must have looked like. Two realities, the person and illusion, one real and the other nothing more than a fanciful creation designed to serve another's vision. Yes, he definitely could understand that.

Daniel looked back towards the guard who'd remained standing in the doorway leading to the next gallery and gave the man a brief smile of thanks before he made his way back towards the crowds and the noise and the call of duty.

Daniel grabbed a glass of wine and moved about the room feeling slightly detached, yet at the same time oddly attuned to stray details: the sound of a waiter dropping a glass, the broken shards tinkling merrily on the marble floor; a nearby woman wearing too much perfume, the scent nauseating and cloying, like the arms of an unwanted lover. 'Nerves,' he told himself, 'just nerves.' He took another sip of wine and moved through the crowd.

Suddenly, his elbow was jostled. He turned to look at the instigator but heaved a sigh of relief in lieu of a murmured apology.

Jack.

Jack leaned in close, his hand still resting on Daniel's elbow, his voice very soft. "I just received word. Stephanopoulus has just arrived. He's at the checkroom and should be here any minute."

Daniel nodded his understanding. He took another sip of wine to cover his nervousness.

"You'll do fine," Jack whispered, his lips so close Daniel could feel the warm breath on his neck.

"Thanks."

"I'll be nearby. Just...be yourself. That's all you need to do, Daniel."

Before he could think of an appropriate response, Jack was gone, his body swallowed up by the flow and ebb of the people around him.

Daniel moved around along the edges of the hall, keeping his eyes trained in the direction of the door. At last he saw Stephanopoulus. He hadn't changed since Daniel had last seen him in Berlin two years earlier. He was still every bit as dapper and suave as he remembered him to be, his suit stylish, his manner poised. Perhaps there were a few more gray hairs around the temples and shot through his beard; perhaps he was wearing different frames on his glasses. But the fundamental qualities were still the same.

Daniel watched as Stephanopoulus stopped occasionally to shake a hand or kiss the cheek of an acquaintance, or chat for a few minutes. Daniel moved a little closer, trying to get a better look, cautiously peering over the shoulders of other guests. He saw Dr. Stephanopoulus standing next to the bar near the entrance of the exhibition

For the first time since he arrived, Stephanopoulus appeared to be on his own. Daniel screwed up his courage and made his way over to the bar. He took another glass of wine, then stepped backwards to bump directly into Dr. Stephanopoulus.

"Sorry," he murmured contritely as he turned. Dr. Stephanopoulus was about to speak, presumably to acknowledge the apology, when his entire expression changed and a broad smile broke out on his face.

"Daniel? Daniel Jackson? Is that really you?" he asked, obviously surprised.

"Dr. Stephanopoulus? Yes, yes, of course it's me. It's good to see you again." He extended his hand to the other man, who engulfed it in his own. He pulled Daniel into a quick hug and thumped Daniel's back with his free hand.

"How are you? I did not know you were in DC. Are you here visiting someone?"

Daniel frowned. "Well..." he began then stopped short, unsure of how to continue. 'Be yourself.' That had been Jack's advice so he decided to follow it. Certainly it required no effort to play the aggrieved and ostracized academic. "Things have been less than wonderful of late, as you can well imagine."

Stephanopoulus gazed down at him sympathetically. "Yes, yes, I had heard." He shrugged, offering a faint smile. "We all heard."

Daniel couldn't help but wince at the painful reminder. Stephanopoulus reached over and placed a hand on Daniel's shoulder in a gesture of comfort and support. "I am sorry."

Daniel felt the weight and strength of that hand upon his shoulder as he shrugged. "Well, what's done is done."

The other man nodded, acknowledging the wisdom behind those words. "So what are you doing now?"

Daniel offered up a self-deprecating smile. "Not much of anything at the moment, I'm afraid. Taking a break, trying to find some direction. I still have a lot I need to sort out."

"You are right to take some time to think, to review your options. You are too talented not to be working in the field. It is a terrible loss."

Daniel was surprised at his comments, the first words of encouragement and support he'd received from anyone since the whole debacle began. "Thank you," he said, completely sincere. "That means a lot coming from you."

Dr. Stephanopoulus smiled. "I speak only the truth, Daniel. You were greatly wronged."

"Thank you." There didn't seem to be much more he could say beyond that.

Dr. Stephanopoulus looked quickly at his watch and frowned. "Listen, Daniel, I am dining out with some friends this evening and I am already running late. But I would like to talk with you some more, catch up on old times, discuss future plans. Will you meet me for dinner tomorrow night? Maxim, on F Street, at seven o'clock? You will still be in town, yes?"

"Yes, I'll be in town for a while." Daniel felt Stephanopoulus' hand grip his shoulder.

"Tomorrow night, seven o'clock, at Maxim. Do not forget."

"I won't."

"Goodnight, Daniel. It has been a pleasure seeing you again."

Daniel flashed him a quick smile. "The pleasure has been all mine," he assured. The hand squeezed his shoulder one last time and then it was gone as Dr. Stephanopoulus turned away. Daniel stood and watched as he wove his way through the crowd towards the exit. He could still feel the warmth and pressure of the other man's grip lingering long after he vanished from view.

* * *

Daniel idly ran his fingertip along the edge of his glass, moving it in slow half circles before he flicked his gaze at his watch once more. Seven twenty-six. Exactly three minutes since the last time he'd checked and exactly twenty-six minutes since Dr. Stephanopoulus was supposed to have met him. Daniel had a growing suspicion that he'd been stood up. He couldn't decide if he was annoyed or relieved at the development.

He took a small sip of his drink and watched the entrance once more. He was seated in a cozy corner booth at Maxim, tucked away beneath dark, burnished wood paneling and the warm glow of wall sconces. Apparently the good doctor was a regular here. The hostess' plump face had lit up at the mention of his name and she led him to 'Ari's' favorite table, making sure Daniel was settled in before taking his drink order.

Daniel drew the toothpick from the glass, tugging the remaining olive free with his teeth before chewing it slowly. He contemplated ordering another drink. Contemplated ordering a few more after that. Drummed his fingers lightly on the tabletop instead.

Jack had been pleased with the outcome of his initial encounter with Stephanopoulus. Daniel had still been standing there staring dumbly at the other man's empty wake, the sense memory of his large hand on Daniel's shoulder only just beginning to fade when Jack had come over to him and had once more rested his own hand on Daniel's elbow. Jack's hand was so different from Dr. Stephanopoulus' he'd mused distractedly, Jack's touch was lighter, surer. Gentle.

On the way back to his apartment, Daniel had filled Jack in about the entire, albeit brief exchange he'd had with Stephanopoulus. Jack had obviously noticed Daniel's distraction, and hadn't pushed and Daniel had been grateful for Jack's solicitude. It hadn't even occurred to Daniel until much later that Jack already knew every word that had passed between Daniel and the other man.

Daniel glanced at his wristwatch once more. Seven twenty-nine.

"Daniel!" Daniel looked up sharply, mildly embarrassed at having been caught checking his watch. It felt like bad manners, somehow. He stood as Dr. Stephanopoulus made his way to the booth, the hostess trailing behind him. Stephanopoulus reached out and shook his hand, once again using it to pull him into a warm embrace. Daniel smiled when he was released from his tight grip at last.

"I apologize for the delay, Daniel," Stephanopoulus explained as he seated himself on the leather banquette while Daniel did the same. "I had a doctoral defense to attend. I was one of the readers." He shook his head. "It never fails. Dr. Shatuck is always late for these things, but this time it was his own student defending. The poor girl looked positively green by the time he finally graced us with his presence."

"Did she pass?" Daniel asked, curious as to the fate of this woman he'd never met but with whom he shared the kinship of a painful, academic hurdle.

"Yes, yes. There was never any doubt, not really, but you know how it is. It is all part of the process. Trial by fire."

Daniel nodded. He knew precisely how it was. Some things remained universal and the flaming hoops of graduate school were one of them.

"In any case I am sorry. I will try to make it up to you."

"That's quite alright, Dr. Stephanopoulus. I understand."

"Daniel...we have known each other how many years, now?"

Daniel smiled. "Twenty-five years."

"Your father was a good friend of mine, as was your mother. Do you not think that after all this time, you could stop calling me Dr. Stephanopoulus and simply call me Ari? We are almost family, after all."

Daniel nodded. "I'll try to remember...Ari."

Ari beamed. "Excellent. So would you like another drink?"

"Yes please."

The other man waved the waiter over and ordered them both a round. They sat in comfortable silence until the waiter returned with their drinks.

"Vashezdorovie!" Ari offered, raising his glass in toast.

"Vashezdorovie", Daniel echoed, clinking their glasses together.

"So," Ari began as he set his drink down on the table, "what brings you to DC, Daniel?"

Daniel shrugged. "I'm not really sure, to tell you the truth. I just...I needed to get away from LA and from everything that was going on at the university."

Ari nodded. "Yes, I had heard about what happened. They had no right. The Dean overstepped his authority; that much is obvious. And the Board of Trustees? Bah," he said with a dismissive gesture. "They are terrified of lawsuits. Everyone is afraid of getting sued these days. Once you are tenured, things are a little better, but until then...well, there is not much respect for scholars these days, I am afraid."

 "No, there isn't."

"And so you came to DC."

"I wanted to get away from California and DC is about as far away as you can get without leaving the country."

"Well, that is true enough. Will you be staying long?" Ari asked, taking a sip of his martini.

"Honestly, I don't know," Daniel confessed. "I'm at a bit of a loose end at the moment."

"Yes," Ari acknowledged, "I can well imagine. I have to confess, Daniel, I was surprised to see you at the museum last night. I know the curator of the show quite well and I'm sure she would have told me if there was another archeologist in attendance. We are, after all, something of a breed apart."

"That we are," Daniel replied, with no small amount of irony. "Actually, I wasn't invited."

"Oh? Daniel, do not tell me you have taken to gate crashing?!" Ari said with mock horror, his grin softening the implied criticism. Daniel laughed.

"No, no. I was there with a friend."

"A friend?"

Daniel took a sip of his drink. "Ah yes, my friend Jack."

Ari frowned. "Is he an academic?"

Daniel nearly choked on his drink. "Jack? Dear God, no! He's an engineer, works for Boeing," he explained dabbing a bit of liquid from his chin with his napkin. "I met him on the plane coming in from LA. We started talking, and kind of hit it off. We've hung out a bit. Anyway, he knew I was interested in art, he had an invitation to the reception, so he asked if I wanted to come along as his guest, so I figured why not?"
 
"He sounds like he has been a good friend to you," Ari observed, nibbling one of the olives skewered on his toothpick.

Daniel shrugged, his gaze suddenly distant. "I suppose though it's really more to do with circumstance and convenience. I barely know the man, but he was the only person I knew in the city. Until now." He raised his glass in brief salute

Ari beamed. "Yes. Now you have an old friend as well as a new one."

"Yes, yes I do, Ari."

"Perhaps I can be of some assistance in that matter, Daniel."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I was invited to a dinner party tomorrow night. There will be a rather mixed crowd, a few politicians, some people from the embassies, but it should be an interesting evening. I would be honored if you would come as my guest."

Daniel blinked, surprised by the unexpected invitation. "I...thank you. It would be my pleasure."

"Excellent," Ari declared, reaching into his breast pocket to pull out a slim silver case and a matching pen. He flicked the case open and extracted a business card, flipping it over to scrawl something on the back before handing it to Daniel.

Daniel turned it over in his fingers, noting the neat copperplate print and the embossed seal of Georgetown University in the upper right hand corner. On the back was an address and telephone number.

"There will be drinks around seven and dinner at eight."

"I look forward to it," Daniel replied, slipping the card in his jacket pocket. When he looked up, the other man was staring rather intently at him. Daniel willed himself not to flush under the scrutiny. Finally Ari's gaze dropped and he spoke.

"I have been thinking, Daniel, about your current situation. You have been wronged by the archeological community, that much is obvious. You questioned certain long held beliefs, and ruffled more than a few feathers in the process. Of course, as scholars, is it not our job, indeed our obligation to question everything and assume nothing?"

Daniel nodded though he knew it was a rhetorical question. Ari continued. "You raised legitimate questions regarding the dating of the pyramids. You offered proof, much of it substantiated by irrefutable scientific evidence. Regrettably, your theories directly contradicted those of a number of prominent senior scholars and they were not happy about that."

Ari leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table and gaze intently into Daniel's eyes. "I've heard the insinuations, the snide remarks about aliens and men from Atlantis, the accusations that you've put forth such ideas, though I know you have not. Unfortunately, rumors started to spread, and many so-called scholars gladly accepted hearsay and gossip over fact."

He shook his head angrily. "I am ashamed, Daniel, ashamed of my peers with their petty agendas and narrow minds. But I am also ashamed of myself that I did nothing. When I heard the first murmurings, I simply dismissed them as idle gossip, certain that no one would ever believe any of it. Then I left for Egypt. By the time I returned the damage had been done and your career was in tatters. I am sorry, Daniel, so very sorry."

Ari reached over and laid his large hand gently over top of Daniel's smaller one, covering it completely. Daniel gazed down at the other man's hand, bemused. If Ari really did support him, why hadn't he spoken up on his behalf? Surely people would have listened to a scholar of his standing. And yet, it had all happened so fast. The entire debacle had played out in the space of months and Daniel had been left in the ruins of his career. Daniel looked up into the other man's eyes.

"There is nothing I can do to remedy the past, Daniel. I cannot restore your reputation, but perhaps I can help you to build a new one. I will be taking a sabbatical to undertake a year-long dig at Deir el Bahari starting in July. I would like you to come along with me and assist with the excavation."

Daniel gaped at the man, stunned at the offer. Ari squeezed his hand gently. "I know you are a good archeologist, Daniel, and you are one of the best linguists I have ever encountered. You have considerable talents you could bring to this expedition and we would...I would greatly benefit from having you there. But perhaps more importantly, this could provide an opportunity for you to begin to rebuild your reputation. It will not be easy to do and it won't happen quickly, but it would be a place to start, no?"

Daniel stared at the other man for a moment. He opened his mouth to speak, but Ari cut him off with a wave of his hand. "Do not answer me yet, Daniel. This is an important decision and you should think about it carefully. I do not want to be accused of pressuring you into this. Make up your own mind, in your own time," he finished with a warm smile. He gave Daniel's hand a final squeeze before removing it completely.

"Now, I do not know about you, but I am starving and the food here is marvelous," Ari commented, picking up the menu and scanning its contents, mulling over the possibilities. "Perhaps we could start with some pirozshki, or perhaps the calamari. Oh, and you must try the sturgeon with caviar. The owner has it imported fresh. You will never find its like this side of the Baltic..."

Daniel let the sound of the other man's enthusiastic words wash over him as he let the implications and the possibilities of Ari's offer sink in. Ari made it all sound so easy. Perhaps it wasn't all over, perhaps he still had a chance to rebuild his career, just as Ari claimed. But as enticing as the proposal might be, Daniel's response was tempered by the cold reality of why he was there in the first place and what it was he was expected to do. This golden opportunity was just so much dross and worst of all, it came with a very high price tag attached to it.

"Daniel?" Ari's solicitous voice cut through his somber musings. "Are you alright?"

Daniel gave him his brightest smile and hoped that his face didn't crack in half. He realized the waiter was standing beside their table, his pen poised expectantly to take their orders.

He could do this. He had to.

"I'll have the sturgeon."

* * *

Daniel jiggled the key in the lock to his apartment door. It was stuck. He jiggled it again. Finally, he heard the tumblers shift and he wrested the door open. He didn't bother turning on the light.

He made his way into the living room on autopilot, exhausted and wound up in equal measure, the tension overlaid with the pleasant vodka-induced warmth that softened the edges but left him feeling a bit muzzy. All he wanted was to strip down and crash out on his bed. As he moved towards the bedroom, he caught a faint hint of movement out of the corner of his eye. The fuzziness was gone, washed away in a jolt of adrenalin at the realization that there was an intruder in his apartment. His body coiled, ready for action.

Shit. What to do? Before he had a chance to make up his mind, the shadowy figure reached out and flicked on a table lamp. A wave of relief flowed over him, quickly replaced by annoyance.

"Jesus, Jack!" he swore, more than a little irate. "You scared the hell out of me! What the fuck are you doing here?"

Jack gazed at him, his expression neutral. "It's after midnight," he remarked, as if somehow that explained his presence in Daniel's home uninvited.

Daniel glanced at his watch. "Well, look at that. So it is. Thank you so much for coming all the way here so we could synchronize our watches, Colonel, though I think it would have been easier for me to just check the VCR over there."

Jack's eyes remained hooded. "It's after midnight," he repeated. "Your dinner was at seven. You hadn't reported in."

'And I was worried.' Jack didn't say the words, but Daniel could sense the rider. He almost regretted his waspishness, until he remembered that Jack had just broken into his apartment. It would explain why the lock had stuck; the SOB had probably picked it.

Daniel crossed his arms and tried to regain a semblance of control but his head was starting to pound. Shit. He'd hoped he wouldn't have to cope with a hangover until the morning, but Jack's presence seemed to have given it a jumpstart.

He reached up to rub one throbbing temple. "So, tell me, what would you have done if I'd invited Dr. Stephanopoulus up for a nightcap?"

"I'd have hidden in the closet," Jack replied without missing a beat.

Daniel snorted. "And we're back to my closet again, are we? Careful, Jack. Getting into the closet is easy; coming out is the really hard part."

Jack's expression turned stony. "From now on, you will report ASAP. Do you understand?"

Daniel's own face hardened. "Yes."

They stared at each other for a long, heated moment before Jack broke the stand-off. "So," Jack began, "what did the good doctor have to say?"

Daniel rubbed his temple again as he made his way to the sofa. "Oh, lots of things," he begun, thrown a bit off balance when Jack suddenly turned and left the room without a word. 'What the...?' His unspoken question was answered when Jack emerged from his bathroom a moment later, a glass of water and a pair of Tylenol in hand. Daniel looked at the offerings and gave a gruff but sincere, "Thanks," before downing the pills and a swallow of water.

"So?" Jack prompted sitting down on the other sofa. This time Jack had placed a good foot or so between them.

"Well, he offered me a job of sorts."

"Oh?"

Daniel nodded. "He's going on a dig to Deir el Bahari, and he invited me along as part of the excavation team."

Jack leaned forward. "When is he leaving?"

Daniel blinked, surprised by the other man's sudden fervor. "July."

"Did he say how long he planned to be gone?"

"A year, perhaps even longer if he can manage to make enough progress to get a renewal of his grant."

"Shit!" Jack swore, jumping to his feet.

"Jack?" Daniel queried, clearly puzzled. "What's wrong?"

"If Stephanopoulus is gone for a year or more, our mystery spy may have to find another courier. If he does, we'll lose the one and only lead we have to tracking him down. Shit," he swore again, more softly this time. Daniel watched as Jack took a deep breath and sat back down on the sofa again, closer to Daniel this time. "OK, what else did he say?"

"About the dig? Not much, just that he was going to Deir el Bahari to excavate a site and that he wanted me to come along." Daniel shrugged. "He said he thought it might help me to get my career back on track."

"Anything else?"

"Yes. He's invited me to a dinner party tomorrow night that one of his friends is having. He said there were going to be a bunch of people there. Not colleagues, but rather Washington types: politicians, embassy people, those kinds."

Jack's expression cleared. "That could be the break we're looking for. There's a very good chance that one or more of the people who show up tomorrow night are involved in this little espionage ring." Jack looked Daniel directly in the eye, his gaze fierce and compelling. "Daniel, I want you to go to that dinner tomorrow night and pay close attention to everyone you meet. This is very important. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

Jack stood, his entire body taut and fairly vibrating with nervous energy. "All right. You try and get some rest. I'll come back tomorrow to brief you before you leave. What time is dinner?"

"He said to be there at seven."

The other man nodded. "I'll be here no later than five," he said then made his way to the door. When he reached it he paused and looked back at Daniel.

"Goodnight, Daniel," he said softly.

"Goodnight, Jack," Daniel said to the empty room. It was going to be another long and restless night. He stood up and turned off the lamp and made his way to the bedroom in the hushed darkness.