Chapter Text
It’s four a.m. Jack is off duty, Jo is back on duty, and there is no way she is going to disturb him today. Jack was quite clear on that. Jo actually agreed with him this time.
It’s Nathan’s birthday. Now, to Jack’s knowledge, the last four years that Jack has known him, and certainly the last two, when they gave up on the fighting and finally admitted their real feelings to themselves and each other, Nathan’s birthdays have sucked.
Year one, Callister returned to Nathan, and then died. That Nathan had had so little time with the AI who was to all intents and purposes his son, was something that still caused Nathan to tense up at the mention of Callister’s name.
Year two. Fargo nearly died. Nathan lost his job. And yes, they saved Fargo, and yes, Nathan stayed in Eureka, and no, Jack and Nathan were not yet on the same page, so Jack didn’t really know the specifics, but he knew that it was hardly what one would call a celebration.
Year three, well Nathan nearly died in the time experiment that nearly destroyed the world, and then he and Allison broke up instead of marrying, and Nathan’s birthday had just come and gone without anyone even acknowledging it. Not even Nathan’s favourite dessert from Vincent with a sparkler in it to mark the occasion.
But Nathan and Jack were finally on the same page. They got together, and Jack had the chance to finally pierce the shell and gaze within. Intuitively, he had known that there was a lot more to Nathan than an angry scientist in an expensive suit. Although, it could be said that a good and expensive suit was definitely Nathan’s weakness.
Jack was a US Marshal. All that training and honed skill did not just dissipate when he became (reluctantly) Sheriff of Eureka. It was more like kidnapped, than a career move, but Eureka had been good for Jack and his relationship with his daughter, and, as it turned out, good for his romantic life too.
He never expected to fall for Nathan. Once he had, and they were in too deep to ever pull back, Jack knew he had to get past some of his own issues, and Nathan’s, if they were to go the distance. And Jack really wanted to go the distance.
So he did some digging, because he knew there were things that Nathan couldn’t or wouldn’t tell him. Nathan’s sad and lonely childhood nearly broke his heart. Suddenly, Jack understood the driving force behind Nathan’s snarky attitude and understood why Nathan and Allison had fallen apart.
Everything had led to this point, Jack sneaking into Global’s infirmary at four in the morning, because his husband’s previous experience with birthdays mostly sucked.
This was Eureka. Of course he was slinking into the infirmary, because someone, not Fargo for a change, had pushed a button, and somewhere in the resulting catastrophe, when Nathan and Jack were fighting to sort it out, Nathan had fallen fifteen feet down a shaft and broken his leg.
Even with Global’s superior medical technology, Allison insisted on him staying for two days. Which included Nathan’s birthday.
Jack had a plan.
He pushed open the door to Nathan’s room, it was quiet and dark, and for a moment Jack thought Nathan was asleep.
“Are you just going to stand there and watch me, because that’s not at all creepy.” Nathan’s gruff voice got Jack moving. Reaching Nathan’s bedside Jack leaned over to give his husband a kiss, which Nathan returned with enthusiasm. Quickly stripping down to his tee shirt and boxers, Jack helped Nathan move over, and slid in beside him. It took them a minute to arrange themselves, with Jack helping to move the pillow supporting Nathan’s heavily casted leg, and Nathan cuddling into his husband. Jack slid his arms around Nathan, and they kissed, just happy to be together.
Nathan’s strong, square hand held the back of Jack’s head, green eyes gazed deep into blue, as Nathan said “officially, best birthday ever.”
Jack grinned. “Just wait until you see the cake!”