[for dale]

[more_flexible]

He had a bed and his own room. He had the Doctor and House and Ace and everyone and didn't even really need it, but it was nice to go in and close the door and...and feel guilty for being alone in a place where everyone could really use something that he could give, whether it was a smile or conversation or sex or just a warm body. His own bed offered nothing like peace because it was too new and it was empty; it barely smelled like Jack, let alone anyone else.

With all that in mind, he left without a word. He just needed to get away. Get away from anyone he had to be on for. Anyone who needed Jack to be fine. He wasn't fine and chips and cracks were starting to appear.

As he sat on the beach watching the sunset, all he could think about was how much he wanted to just be able to leave. Go somewhere. Cuddy had asked him about home...only one place felt like that and he'd left that behind. Sure, he had an open invitation, but how weird would that be, he thought as he tossed pebbles into a tide pool just to watch the sparkle of apricot light dance on the ripples.

Comments

[dale-cooper-fbi.livejournal.com]

"You're a hard man to find," said Dale, watching him from nearby but keeping a bit of distance between them. Jack was sometimes skittish, and Dale didn't ever want to be something he was afraid of. "One day I'll learn to check the beach first whenever I'm looking for someone."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Another pebble broke the surface and he looked back over his shoulder at Dale. "It's the best place to be alone around here," he said before he smiled. "Except, you know...not. How've you been?"

[dale-cooper-fbi.livejournal.com]

"I've been about the same," said Dale, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Been quiet lately. If you want to be alone, Jack, I can just...." He looked back over his shoulder, the way he'd come. "Catch up with you another time."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Don't go," he said softly. "Really...please?"

He carefully set the few pebbles aside and hopped down from his rock. Dale was...good. He'd made it so very clear he didn't expect anything from Jack which just made everything easy. Uncomplicated.

"At least stay til dark."

[dale-cooper-fbi.livejournal.com]

"Happy to, Jack," said Dale, pulling a hand back out of his pocket to hold a freshly laundered shirt out towards him. "I was bringing this back to you, I found it under the bed and figured it was yours." He didn't mention the other shirt of Jack's he'd found, that he decided to keep in the hut. Just in case, he told himself. "Though you might want it."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Under the bed?" he asked, reaching out to take it. "Thanks...I didn't realize I'd left anything behind."

Which was an utter lie. He sort of wondered how long it would take Dale to find all the other bits and pieces he'd tucked away just to have reasons besides 'I missed you' to return to the hut.

"You want to have a seat? I was just, well, not doing much of anything for once."

[dale-cooper-fbi.livejournal.com]

Dale kicked off his shoes before sitting down, making himself comfortable at Jack's side. "How've you been doing?" he asked him. "I've missed catching up with you at night."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

He shrugged and collected the little rocks again, tossing in two. "I'm okay. It's...busy. Yeah, that's a good word for suddenly living with half a dozen people."

Then he rested his chin on his shoulder and really looked at him.

"I'm actually lying. It's not okay. Wilson's come back and Greg and I had a fight. Chase and I bicker like kids. I...I told Greg about the cave. What happened."

[dale-cooper-fbi.livejournal.com]

Dale knew he was lying long before he said it, though he hadn't been planning to call him on it. "How'd that go?" he asked him carefully. "How'd he take it? How'd you take it?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"He'd beat Faramir with his cane if he could get away with it," he said, huffing a small laugh. "And I haven't been sleeping well. At all. I haven't really been sleeping at all."

[dale-cooper-fbi.livejournal.com]

"Now that much I know. He's going to be a real challenge to deal with on the Council when we need to sit down and discuss Faramir's fate again; objectivity is not his strong suit. Not that I can really blame him." He slid a little closer and put a hand on the back of Jack's shoulder. "You need to sleep, Jack. Maybe you should... you sleep pretty well, up at the hut. All things considered."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"He's got good reasons...beyond me," he replied. It wasn't his story to tell, but Dale probably already had an idea that Greg wasn't that invested in Jack to justify being so upset.

He pressed back into the comforting warmth of the hand and wore a wan smile.

"Dale, it's been bad. I don't want to keep you up. I can handle it," he said, hoping that if he said it enough it would be true. "But...I do miss sleeping with you. Never thought I'd say that to anyone, but it's just so easy..."

[dale-cooper-fbi.livejournal.com]

Dale nodded his head and was silent for a few moments, just letting his hand settle on Jack's shoulder. "Come home, Jack," he said finally. "Maybe you can handle it, but so can I."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Jack closed his eyes, sort of wishing he wanted to protest. But that was a game he just didn't have to play with Dale, so instead...he nodded.

"Yeah. You're right," he said softly. "When?"

[dale-cooper-fbi.livejournal.com]

"Now. Later. Whenever you want," said Dale. "I don't mind a couple of sleepless nights, you know that."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I want to come home," he admitted. "You really don't mind?"

[dale-cooper-fbi.livejournal.com]

"I want you there, Jack," said Dale honestly. "We have good times together. I think I got used to having you around; it's been too quiet since you've been gone."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I took all the noise with me," he snorted. Jack tossed the last few pebbles in the tide pool and watched the diamond fire shimmer and then return to placid. "Let's go. We can...whatever."

[dale-cooper-fbi.livejournal.com]

"Yes, we can," said Dale, looking for his shoes so that he can stand up again. It's a bit of a hike back to the hut. "Whatever you want, Jack, I'm pretty easy."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Not as easy as me," he teased as he hopped off the rock and brushed his pants clean. "And hey, I even have a clean shirt to sleep in," he added as he offered Dale a hand up.

[dale-cooper-fbi.livejournal.com]

"That's a whole different kind of easy, Jack," said Dale, accepting the hand up and brushing sand off his pants. "And since when do you wear a shirt to bed?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Since I've been crashing with Ace. She has nightmares too, so I lay with her and it's...nice. Helping."

He brushed his own pants off and looked up.

"I don't do anything else with her," he added for clarification.

[dale-cooper-fbi.livejournal.com]

"I didn't think you had," said Dale, though it would have been a very easy assumption to make. He remembered Jack talking about Ace before. "Well, you know it won't bother me if you don't."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I know," he replied. "It's just gotten to be a sort of habit."

Jack walked on, hands shoved deep in his pockets. "You know this time of day is called the gloaming?" he asked.

[dale-cooper-fbi.livejournal.com]

"I did know that," said Dale with a smile. "The English language has a variety of wonderful words that aren't used nearly enough anymore."