Summary: There are a lot of changes in store when Jack becomes a father again. To Teal'c, Daniel, and Sam.
Category: Action/Adventure/Humor
Season: Seven, minor spoilers for many episodes entire series.
Rating: PG
Warnings: Minor language
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author.
A/N: Ok, so I finally went and did it. For the longest time, I kept tossing about how I wanted to write one of those "SG-1 gets turned into children fics," but, well, I'd say, there's just so many out there... But finally SG1-Fanfic convinced me that the Stargate universe was big enough for yet another SG-1 kids fic, and an idea came to me, and I started writing, a scene that actually won't appear for quite a few more chapters. And SG1-Fanfic got roped into being my beta, and then I started wondering just what teeth would be missing out of the kids mouths, and other questions, and I remembered that Janissima was a 2nd grade teacher, and the next thing she knew, she was beta testing this story too, so special thanks to Ms. J and SG1-Fanfic, without whom this thing would probably still be sitting on my hard drive or in the deep dark recesses of my mind. So thanks! I hope you'll enjoy this story.
Growing Pains by iamdragonrider
Chapter 1: Eternal Life
"So, Carter, any idea what this thing does yet?" Colonel Jack O'Neill slipped off his sunglasses as he stepped into the room, surveying the work his two scientists were doing on or near the rather impressive looking device in the center of the cathedral like room. And cathedral was truly the word to describe the room, with its cavernous ceilings, stone arches, and openings that might once have held stained glass at one point in time. Tiles formed ancient and faded mosaics, long ago exposed to the hand of time. Jack sent a nod to Teal'c as he entered. The other man had taken up a position near the door, while Jack had gone to check on the perimeter again for lack of anything else to do.
"No sir," Major Samantha Carter answered the question, not even bothering to look up from what she was doing. This wasn't the first time her CO had asked her that question, starting with the original replay of MALP telemetry, which had given them their first look at the unusual artifact and all but guaranteed a trip to the planet. It had been a given that SG-1 would be the ones going.
"These writings seem to suggest this place holds the key to eternal life," Dr. Daniel Jackson, the team's archeologist, linguist and anthropologist speculated while pushing his glasses up on his nose. He squinted his blue eyes at the wall he was working near as if somehow squinting would make the translations make sense.
"Eternal life?" Jack repeated, head cocked to the side, his hands lightly on his weapon in a pose of casual indifference.
"Well, whatever it holds the secret to sir, this thing is still holding a power source." Sam's voice was slightly muffled, only the top of her blond head visible from where the Colonel stood on the other side of the device. Jack frowned, and exchanged a look with their fourth team member, the large, tall, dark alien Jaffa Teal'c, and walked around to where he could keep an eye on his occasionally overenthusiastic 2IC, as if to make sure she wasn't going to turn the thing on. Still...
"Carter, you aren't actually planning to start this thing up are you?" He couldn't keep the smirk off his face as his unexpected nearness made her jump, nearly whacking her head on the underside of the alien gizmo that she had just maneuvered herself partially under. She'd been so absorbed in her studies that she hadn't noticed his approach.
She straightened up and blinked, then looked at him, before she glanced back at her precious doohickey, as if wishing she could take it home. Sadly, it was just a mite too large to fit through the Stargate, at least whole. Of course, never let that stop a determined Carter, who had dismantled a rocket and sent it piece by piece through the Stargate. "Uh, no sir. At least not intentionally." She turned her attention back to the device, annoying CO already forgotten.
Jack narrowed his eyes at her. "Well that's reassuring." He frowned as she realized she wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to him anymore. "Uh, Carter?"
"Sir?" She blinked at him, clearly distracted. She'd thought the conversation was over.
"Don't," he said with a slight pause, "By any means," He made sure he had her undivided attention. "Turn that thing on. Got it Major? I so do not want to spend eternal life with a bum knee."
Her brow furrowed, and he could see her trying to decide if he was kidding or not. She must have decided not to push it, because she finally just nodded. "Yes sir, don't turn it on. Wouldn't want to spend all eternity with a grumpy Colonel with a trick knee. No, sir." She turned back to her work, and Jack nodded with satisfaction, and then her words hit him.
"Hey! I never said grumpy! Carter!" he grumbled, but she was back under the thing now, making a sound that sounded suspiciously like humming. There was a snicker behind him, and Jack whirled around. "I didn't ask you!" he told the archeologist.
Daniel just looked innocent, and indicated his notebook. Jack glared, and was about to say something else when there was a curse from the direction of the alien device. All joking instantly forgotten, Jack went on alert. "Carter, you ok?"
Sensing his worry, she hastened to assure him. "Sorry sir, I'm fine. I just forgot my EM scanner, and it was a little awkward getting in under here." Her voice was a little sheepish, and somewhat disembodied, since it was coming from under the device and he couldn't see her head, just the lower part of her legs. Jack couldn't help but grin; amazed she'd managed to squirm that far under there so quickly.
"Relax Carter, I'll get it, where did you leave it?" He walked over to the case that held her gear.
"Uh, should be in the box, it's got a yellow case, with a meter..." Carter went on to describe the device, and Jack scanned the tool chest.
"Carter, I don't see it in here," he said finally. He had checked twice. Teal'c came up and joined the search, shaking his head after several moments. "Teal'c doesn't see it either, Carter."
"What? It should be right there." There was a wiggle and some grunting and scuffling noises, and Carter slipped out, her hair standing up or sticking out in a few places, but she didn't seem to notice as she came to stand by the others, looking into her tool collection. "Oh, wait, drat. It's outside, by the FRED. I must have left it with the other supplies when I took the initial energy scans outside." She sighed and shook her head. "Sir, I just have to go out and get it, I'll be right back in a few minutes."
"Belay that Carter, I'll get it, I'm sure you have other things you can be running on this," he motioned vaguely, "whatever it is. And sooner you get done, sooner we can be done here."
Her face was indecisive for a moment, but then gratitude won over. "Yes sir, actually, there is another scan I can run. Thank you sir." She smiled, one of her rare Carter smiles, and Jack grinned back.
"You owe me one Carter!" he called, as he headed for the door.
"Yes sir!"
Teal'c caught Jack's arm before he'd gone more than a step or two. "O'Neill, if you wish, I could go retrieve the item for Major Carter. There would be no need for her to incur a debt."
Jack blinked, confused a moment before he realized Teal'c just didn't understand the expression he'd just used to be a joke. "Ah, no, I'm good Teal'c, we were just kidding about the owe me thing. You stay here, and keep the kids out of trouble and I'll be back in a flash."
An eyebrow raised, Teal'c nodded slowly and returned to keeping watch over their teammates as Jack headed for the door. Jack just grinned in response, whistling a bit off-key as he stepped outside the temple. So far, the mission had been quiet, and more than a bit dull for him and Teal'c, but that was ok. Their last mission had been harrowing enough, ending with them literally diving through the gate as energy blasts fired over their heads. Black singe marks on the sleeve of Carter's jacket told how close one blast had gotten, too close in Jack's opinion, but no one had been hurt, and that was all that mattered.
The temple was only about twenty minutes from the gate, built into a hillside. They'd had to leave the FRED parked partway down, even its all terrain treads having trouble dealing with the steep incline and stairways carved into the hill. Ten minutes later Jack had the doohickey that Carter wanted and was walking back up the path when he noticed a little opening in the path he hadn't noticed on the first trip.
Looking closer, he noticed an unusual shape concealed by thick foliage in what seemed to be a small, very overgrown clearing. Curiosity piqued, Jack pushed through the thick growth and pulled at the heavy vines and leaves. "Oh, look, a rock!" he muttered sarcastically, as his find was revealed. Whatever it was, it was square-ish, about three feet tall, and covered in the same raised squiggly markings that had practically sent Daniel into paroxysms of joy in the temple when he'd seen them all over the walls there. Jack scowled at the rock, realizing he'd have to tell Daniel about this thing too. He sighed, resolving to do so. After dinner.
Probably some sort of roadside marker he decided. Temple of Mystery this way. Answer to the Secret of the Universe found here. He snorted at his own joke. Letting the vines drop back onto the rock, his fingers lightly brushed the surface of the stone, feeling it dip. Had it moved? Puzzled, Jack lifted the vines again, and pressed on it. Nah. He shook his head, rolling his eyes, dropping the vines a second time. Solid as a... well, a rock.
Whistling, Jack started back up the pathway, jauntily tossing the scanner he carried lightly in the air from hand to hand a few times, before he thought about how much the thing probably cost. Abruptly, he stopped, casting a sheepish look around him before he remembered he was alone and Carter was inside, probably so absorbed in her doohickey she wouldn't even notice if he gave her a different tool until she tried to use it. Briefly he thought about trying that trick out. Grinning, Jack thought of different ways to bug Carter as he continued up the twisting path and was very nearly back to the temple when the screaming inside started.
Chapter 2: Something So Wrong
Jack dropped everything that wasn't a weapon and ran up the hill towards the temple and sounds of distress as fast as his legs could carry him. Abruptly, the screaming cut off, within only a minute or two of having started, but it still seemed like an eternity to Jack who was still too far away to aid his teammates. The sudden silence seemed unnaturally loud in the absence of sound, and his steps pounded into the loose stone and worn dirt path. He took the last few steps two at a time; not caring for his own safety, his weapon at the ready, every sense alert, but the only noise was the sound of his own harsh breathing.
Flattening against the outside wall, Jack pressed himself around the doorway, alert for any signs of danger or attack, but even as he dropped to one knee, his P-90 held at the ready with finger tight against the trigger and eyes scanning the area, he spied no one else in the room and nothing out of the ordinary. Rising cautiously to a half crouch, Jack made his way carefully into the temple, checking all the corners and looking above, but all he saw were three motionless green forms lying near the alien device. "Carter? Teal'c? Daniel?" he called softly, but they didn't stir.
His eyes flicked over to the machine that had been the center of their scrutiny earlier, and the main reason for their visit, but it was silent, not giving him any clues as to what had just occurred here. What had happened while he was outside, on Carter's errand? Had Carter disobeyed him, and activated the machine against his express orders? He didn't think so, but perhaps it had been unintentional. Or perhaps Daniel or Teal'c had inadvertently moved something. Or maybe his very leaving the room had caused something. Perhaps it was nothing any of them had done. Or maybe the machine had nothing to do with anything; it certainly looked harmless now, and didn't appear to be doing anything at the moment. Whatever the cause, Jack's mind was focused only on one problem, the well being of his team.
He continued to approach his fallen teammates, still scanning for hidden dangers, and his jaw hardened as he realized that Teal'c and Carter were clinging to each other, their arms wrapped around each other's body, and he knew that whatever had made the three of them scream minutes earlier would have had to have been intensely painful to incite such a reaction in such hardened warriors. His eyes fell on the prone form of Daniel Jackson, who was stretched out not all that far from the other two, one arm outstretched, as if he was reaching for his two companions. Carter had one arm flung out towards Daniel, as if she too were trying to reach the younger man as well, their fingers nearly meeting.
It was then, as he looked at the fingertips, that were nearly swallowed in the sleeves of the green uniforms that suddenly seemed too large, that Jack got his first clue, even from his position several feet away, that there was something drastically wrong, something so radical, so completely mind shattering it was enough to stop him in his tracks. He stared in amazement, jaw opened in shock, feet rooted to the spot unmoving. Because Jack O'Neill had just realized that the hands visible inside the uniform sleeves were not the familiar, strong, calloused hands he was used to seeing on his teammates, but instead were the small, soft, underdeveloped hands of children.
Chapter 3: Trust
Jack wasn't sure how long he stared down at the hands of Carter and Daniel. Eventually, his eyes roamed up first Daniel's arm, confirming that the uniform fit a lot looser, and that the man's face he was used to seeing had been replaced by a boy's face. The familiar glasses were barely hanging on, making the glass and wire frames appear abnormally large. The boy looked to be about nine or ten. His hair had a bit more blond in it, and was slightly curly, his face relaxed in sleep. Jack could see the boy's chest rose and fell easily in a steady rhythm, so turned his attention back to Carter.
Her uniform fit even looser than Daniel's. And now he was almost positive that these children were his team, they looked too much like his teammates. This little girl, who couldn't be older than seven, had Carter's soft blond hair, and he was sure if she smiled, she'd have her dimples too.
Turning his attention to the last, he saw that Teal'c hadn't been spared whatever transformation had occurred. Teal'c, however, appeared to be the oldest, perhaps about twelve, maybe younger. It was difficult to judge, because he was muscular, though still wiry, reminding him a lot of Rya'c. Thinking of Teal'c's son gave Jack an odd thought that now Teal'c appeared to be younger than his own son. That thought, of all things, finally spurred him into action. Jack moved forward, gently checking on his team, feeling pulses and checking breathing, and generally reassuring himself that they were alive, even if drastically altered in appearance.
None of them stirred at his touch, or showed any indication that they were aware he was there, even when he tried shaking them awake. Frowning in concern, Jack looked over at the device, and worried what might happen if it were to go off again. If it indeed was the cause of their current state, though Jack was fairly certain at this point that the thing had everything to do with the situation.
Making a decision, he gathered up each of his unconscious teammates and carried each one outside, wrapping them all in emergency blankets. He was able to keep most of the adult sized uniforms on each, but there was no way to keep the boots on Carter's now much smaller feet, and he doubted the pants would stay long once she woke up and started moving around. The belt didn't do much good even on the smallest notch, but he'd worry about that later.
Jack stood studying the prone forms of his teammates for a minute, and as the shock wore off he started to wonder just how deeply this transformation had gone. It suddenly hit him that what appeared to be a seven-year-old little girl had a M16 strapped to her vest. Moving among the unconscious childlike bodies of his team, he carefully disarmed each one, setting the weapons out of reach, and removed the GDO from Sam's arm, placing it on his own arm for safekeeping until he could ascertain what their mental states were. He then carried all of the gear outside of the temple, including the camera Daniel had been recording with, which he'd found turned on and not far from the archeologist. He didn't have time though to dwell on what might have been captured on the tape, because he had more important matters to attend to.
He studied the terrain between the temple and the Stargate, and realized there was just no way he could risk it carrying his unconscious teammates. He'd have to carry them one at a time, and there was no way he was going to decide which two to leave behind, since it would be a half hour round trip with each one. And since he had not idea yet what state they would be in when they woke up, it wouldn't be safe to leave them alone. He could only hope they remembered their adult selves, but what if they acted the way they looked? It could be disastrous if they woke up here, alone, and in the wilderness. No, it looked like they would all be waiting here until all three of them woke up, or they missed their check in time at the SGC. At least there were several hours more of daylight before the sunset, but even still it was getting chilly.
Plan decided on, Jack scoured the immediate area, which was plentiful in brush for a small fire, and boiled water from the canteen. He raided the MREs for cocoa packets for when his teammates woke up, deciding that hot chocolate would be safe no matter what mental state they were in, as well as being good for a quick sugar boost. The sweetened energy bars should be okay too he decided. Preparations ready, he settled down to watch and wait.
It was nearly an hour later before Teal'c first stirred, making a small sound somewhere between a grunt and a sigh. He was sleeping one moment and sitting bolt upright the next, his eyes open wide. Jack had been stirring the coals of the fire, and stopped, holding still. "Teal'c?" he said softly.
Teal'c's eyes met his across the fire, and Jack could see there was no recognition in them, but he was heartened when the boy didn't immediately bolt or make any threatening motions. "It's ok, I won't hurt you. I'm a friend." Jack kept his voice steady and calm, and remained where he was sitting, the fire between him and the young Jaffa. In a way, he was glad Teal'c had woken first, because this way there would be no distractions. He hoped he could get Teal'c trusting him before the other two woke.
"Who are you?" Teal'c watched him with narrowed eyes, and Jack could see that every muscle in the boy's young body was tense, ready to spring. Any hope Jack had held that Teal'c might remember him had been dashed as soon as he'd looked into the boy's eyes, merely confirmed as soon as the boy had spoken. Jack knew he'd have to carefully win this one's trust.
"I'm Colonel Jack O'Neill, of Earth." The boy just stared at him, and Jack, remembering the very first time they'd met, and how Daniel had drawn the symbol of Earth, used the stick he'd been poking the fire with the draw the Earth's symbol into the dirt. Teal'c stared at the symbol for a long time, before finally looking back up at Jack.
"The first world is a myth told to children. It is not real," he said.
Jack shrugged. "I feel pretty real." Just then, Daniel sighed. "If you'll excuse me." Teal'c nodded slightly, but his dark eyes never left the man as he moved the water back to the fire to warm again and made his presence known as the younger boy sat up, blinking in confusion and fear.
"Where are we?" Daniel said.
Kneeling down in front of the young boy so as to present a less imposing figure, Jack remained careful not to touch the boy so as not to startle him. "It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you Daniel. You're safe here." Daniel narrowed his eyes at him, and he could see the questions forming in the young boy's mind, but before he could ask them, the smallest shape, which Jack had lain out between the two boys, started to stir.
Disoriented, the little girl started to whimper. "Mommy?" she called plaintively, and Jack winced, wondering what to do, and not wanting to lie to her. Unfortunately, in his moment of indecision, she whimpered again, tears threatening. "Where's my mommy?" she asked a second time, sniffling and looking frightened. Daniel looked at him accusingly, while laying a hand on the little girl's knee.
Jack sighed, and turned his attention to the little girl. "Sam, I'm sorry, your mommy can't be here right now."
"Why not?" Of course she'd ask the one question he couldn't answer. He frowned.
"Look, Sam, we need to get home first, but I need you to try and be brave for me for a little bit, until we get home ok? Do you think you can do that?" He watched her as she tried to get her tears under control, and after a little bit she nodded. He wanted nothing more than to gather he in his arms but didn't know how she'd perceive such a movement coming from a total stranger so kept his peace. Luckily, she seemed to be receptive to Daniel and was sidling closer to the boy. He noticed Teal'c was watching the two younger children, and his own interactions with them, with wary interest.
"Y-yes sir." Jack winced at hearing the very familiar form of address coming out of her very young mouth. She must have had it ingrained at a very young age.
"Look, you guys, my name is Colonel Jack O'Neill, ok? And I'm going to make sure we all get home safe." He met each of their eyes, and willed them to trust him, relieved when they nodded.
"C-colonel Jack?" piped up Sam, with a last sniffle, and Jack couldn't help but smile. With her hair rumpled, and the overlarge T-shirt and jacket sliding off her shoulder, she was adorable, and Jack bet more than one person had been taken in by those big blue eyes of hers.
"When are we going?" asked Daniel, eyes still narrowed suspiciously.
"As soon as we have something to eat," Jack said evenly, dumping the instant hot chocolate packets into the pot and stirring it up. Daniel and Sam immediately recognized what the sweet drink was and cheered up at the prospect of the treat. Teal'c watched curiously as he poured the drink into four mugs, than passed around the energy bars, wondering how they'd go down.
As he'd expected, the kids all liked the hot chocolate much better than the energy bars, though they were all hungry enough to each eat at least some of the bar. Teal'c ate all of his, and Sam ate the least, making faces the entire time, but Jack decided not to push any of them. They wouldn't starve on the short trek back to the gate, and the chocolate from the drink would give them enough of an energy boost to get them there until he could find them something more palatable. He'd try the MRE packets, but he didn't think they would go down much better than the ration bars, which at least had a sweet coating.
As they ate, Jack began the tentative process of getting to know his teammates again. He found out Sam was seven, Daniel nine and Teal'c eleven. None of the children remembered how they had come to be in the temple, as far as they were concerned they had all gone to bed as usual, and woken up here. The revelation had again prompted a bit of suspicions on Teal'c's part, which in turn had nearly made Sam start to cry again, wanting her mother (apparently her father was overseas at this time in her life) and Daniel just didn't believe anything that was going on and seemed to think Jack had something to do with it. Somehow though, Jack was able to get all the kids calmed back down. For some reason, they seemed to trust him despite the fact they didn't know him, to the extent that they believed he wouldn't hurt them, and that he would lead them back to where they needed to be. They didn't know what was going on, and they didn't know him, and he could see the conflict on their faces, and yet they trusted him, so he wasn't going to argue with the results as long as it got them all back through the gate safely. They could figure the rest out later. Hopefully, along with the other more pressing problem, like how they had ended up this way.
When they had finished eating, he surveyed their clothing. As he'd thought, Sam's were a lost cause, although she had a kick trying on the too large boots and stomping around the small clearing until she tripped over her pants. After soothing away her tears and treating her skinned knees, he was finally able to convince her to leave the pants behind by promising her a piggyback ride. Taking the discarded pants and boots, Jack stuffed some cut up strips of cloth from Teal'c's pants into the boots and gave both items to Daniel. Daniel's pants and boots went to Teal'c; the swapped items all fitting a bit better. Sam's belt fit on Teal'c at the smallest notch, and he used a bit of rope for Daniel's. Despite the borrowed clothing, he still had to roll all the pant legs up.
Carrying Sam down the hillside presented a new problem though, and he worried about being able to defend the group as effectively while carrying the little girl. Even on his back, with her arms around his shoulders and her legs firmly wrapped around his waist, leaving both arms free to carry his weapon, he still didn't feel safe being the sole defender. And then he remembered Teal'c.
Teal'c looked surprised when the closed Zat came sailing towards him, but he reflexively caught it, and Jack nodded approvingly. "Know how to use one of those Teal'c?" Jack asked, one eyebrow raised, his hand still lightly on his P-90.
Teal'c looked down at the weapon in his hand, and pressed the button, arming the weapon, then nodded silently. "Good," was all Jack said, "I need for you to watch our backs," With that Jack turned back to packing up the supplies and clearing the camp. He planned to leave everything but what they must carry, intending to have a team come back to retrieve the supplies. He'd have his hands full with the kids.
Teal'c watched the older man, somewhat surprised that this stranger was giving him a weapon, treating him as an equal, and trusting him. And yet somehow, Teal'c felt himself drawn to this man, as well as these other two children, and knew that while a part of him said he should run, run far away from these people, there was another part that was saying to trust this man. He didn't understand it, but from what he could tell, he didn't really have any choice at this point, but at least now he had a weapon. And so Teal'c pocketed the weapon, and followed the man that called himself Colonel O'Neill and claimed to be from the first world. A man who appeared to be a hardened warrior, but carried the smallest child and led the younger boy from the camp they'd woken up in only a few short hours ago having no recollection of how they'd gotten there. The man showed surprising gentleness among the three children despite his hardened outward appearance, further reinforcing the vague feelings of trust.
Jack found that the climb down was a lot more of a challenge with the three children than it had been going up as four adults, especially considering he had a seven year old clinging to his back like a monkey, throwing his balance off. Teal'c and Daniel had each other to help down the hillside, forming a tentative sort of bond along the way, and they all had to trust Jack.
It took longer than the trip would have taken had they been adults, but Jack was taking it slow, he didn't want anyone to fall. Even still, they were standing in front of the gate in a little over twenty minutes. "Ok, everyone stand over here behind me," he said rather needlessly, because Teal'c was already pulling Daniel over to stand behind the DHD.
"What's that?" asked Sam in his ear, because he had decided not to put her down until they were on the other side of the gate. Besides being able to keep tabs on her, it wouldn't do for her to cut her bare foot on something just because he put her down one minute too soon.
"It's like a door, to get home," Jack explained, as he started to press the glyphs, causing the Stargate to spin. "When its ready, we're gonna go through it, and its gonna be like a wild roller coaster ride." He pressed the center globe, and the Stargate sprang to life.
"Whoa! Cool!" Sam crowed, as Daniel sprang back with a yelp, one hand holding onto his glasses and the other hanging onto his pants. Teal'c had seen the Stargate in action before and didn't move, which made Daniel step back to stand beside him again.
"Ok, I want everyone to hold hands, because I don't want to lose anyone, hold on tight to me Sam," Jack ordered. He felt Sam's arms and legs tighten around him, and he quickly sent the iris code, receiving confirmation. Adjusting his sleeve back over the device, he held his hands out to Teal'c and Daniel. Daniel took his hand first. A few moments later, Teal'c took his other hand, and together, they stepped through the gate.
Chapter 4: The Infirmary
They stepped out of the gate and onto the ramp, the gate shutting down a moment later. "Cool," whispered Sam, and Jack smiled, then felt her arms tighten as she noticed the room full of soldiers with guns pointing at them. Daniel and Teal'c pressed a little tighter on either side and he saw Teal'c was moving to arm the Zat he'd given him, and subtly shook his head at the boy, relieved when Teal'c stopped. Jack squeezed the boy's hand.
"Stand down," came the General's voice from the control room, and a moment later, the man himself appeared, turning the corner into the room. Sam wiggled, clearly wanting down, and Jack let her, mind on how to explain what had happened to his team, and not on the little girl with her arms wrapped around his waist. "Colonel O'Neill, SG-1 is back early... Colonel, where is the rest of SG-1?" The General stopped at the bottom of the ramp, staring up at him.
Suddenly, words failed him. He took several steps down the ramp, tugging the kids along with him. "Uh, you see General Hammond sir, this is..."
"Uncle George?" No longer hiding behind him, Sam had slipped out and covered the distance to the General, and was now tugging on his shirtsleeve, trying to get his attention.
George Hammond stared down into the young face before him, and recognition hit him like a brick wall. "Sammy?" he said, his voice tinged with awe.
"Uncle George," she said again, her chest rising and falling rapidly, and tears again threatening to fall, "Where's my mommy and daddy?"
The full impact of the situation sunk in, and even as he gathered the little girl in his arms, scooping her up off the floor and letting her lay her head on his shoulder, he turned to face Jack O'Neill. Without asking, Hammond knew without a doubt that the two young boys the other man held by the hand were Dr. Daniel Jackson and Teal'c.
"Infirmary?" Jack said, for the moment, no jokes forthcoming.
Hammond nodded. "I'll come with you."
Despite the uncertainty and seriousness of the situation however, as Jack led his two suddenly very young teammates out of the room, he couldn't help but smile when he heard Sam whisper softly to the General as she hesitantly patted his head, "Uncle George, where did all your hair go?"
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
Dr. Janet Fraiser looked up from the chart she was reading as General Hammond entered the infirmary carrying a small blond girl. That was unusual enough by itself, but Colonel O'Neill followed just behind him with two young boys, which he settled on a nearby bed. The boys looked apprehensive, and she noticed that one of them was wearing glasses much too large for his small face, while the other looked like he had a smaller, duller, version of a Jaffa's tattoo on his forehead. Both boys wore clothing way too large for their small frames. The General moved to place the small girl on the bed opposite to the boys, but she whimpered and clung to him and the two men exchanged a look. In the end, the General ended up sitting on the bed, with the girl curling into his side instead. Janet's eyebrows rose even further, wondering what would make the child so clingy to the General of all people. She set her clipboard down, and went to greet the group, only slightly surprised when the Colonel left the others and took her aside.
"Colonel?" Janet greeted him, her greeting conveying her question.
"Uh, yeah, Doc. SG-1 ran into some problems." Jack shifted, and sighed. "This is SG-1." He motioned to group of children, and Janet's eyes widened. Suddenly, she saw things she hadn't seen before. The girl was blond, the same familiar blue eyes. Daniel's hair had a bit more blonde to it, but he was clearly recognizable, especially with the glasses. And the last boy didn't just look like a Jaffa. He was a Jaffa!
"Oh my god!" she murmured.
Jack shrugged helplessly. "I have no idea what happened. I was only gone a couple minutes. Carter was supposed to be running some kinda scan or something on that... that alien whatsit over there, and next thing I know they were all screaming," He suppressed a shudder before continuing, "By the time I got there, they were like this. Doc, they don't remember anything." He stared at her pointedly while his words sunk in.
"Anything?" she repeated, slightly confused.
"Zero, zip, zilch, nadda. They don't know who I am, they don't know about the Stargate, Carter wants to know where her parents are for cryin' out loud." Jack ran his fingers through his hair in frustration and sighed. "She seems to know General Hammond, go figure. It was all I could do to get them to come back through the gate with me. Somehow they seemed to trust me at least a little though, so I didn't have to use any force to get them to come... " He trailed off, looking at the three young children seated on the bed, looking around at the infirmary, the curiosity on their faces warring with the nervousness.
Janet shook her head. Whatever the cause, it would have to wait. First came making sure they were all healthy. "Ok, let me get them checked out, and we need to confirm they are really SG-1. Then we can work on figuring out what happened." Jack nodded. He too would like incontrovertible proof that this was his team, although deep in his heart he could feel it. But he still didn't want any chance that his team was still sitting back on that planet and these were just clever imitations of some sort.
He led Dr. Fraiser over to the group. "Ok gang, this is Doctor Janet Fraiser, and she's going to check all of you out, and make sure your all ok."
"Will we have to get a shot?" Sam's worry was single minded. She knew one painful thing happened at the Doctor's office, and she didn't like it at all.
Janet exchanged a glance with the other adults. Sam was way to quick already. "There might be a shot, yes." Janet answered carefully, not wanting to lie.
"I don't like shots." Sam answered, her lower lip protruding in a perfect pout.
Before they could think of an appropriate answer, Daniel spoke up. "But I feel fine," he protested.
Janet sighed, and Jack took a stab at answering. "I know you do, but it's just a precaution. All of us have to do it when we go through the gate."
"Even you Colonel Jack, sir?" asked Sam, and Jack saw the General's and the Doctor's lips quirking at the address. He had to hide a sigh as he replied. Somehow, he knew this one would be all over the base by morning.
"Yep, Sam, even me," he assured her, and saw Teal'c raising his eyebrow, a gesture not missed by the other adults in the room.
"In fact, why don't we start with Colonel Jack right now?" said Janet, a little too cheerfully adopting Jack's new nickname, with a bit of a gleam in her eye that only confirmed Jack's suspicions as she gathered the tools of her trade together.
"D'oh," replied Jack, waggling his eyebrows playfully at the kids as he let himself get pushed down onto the bed next to Hammond and Sam. Sam and Daniel giggled at the sight of the little Doctor pushing the big Colonel around, and Jack was sure to ham it up for his small audience putting on the theatrics to the best of his abilities. Janet just shook her head in amusement, but played along, knowing he was getting the children relaxed.
And so the routine was established. First she took a full set of vitals on the Colonel. And then Daniel, Teal'c, then Sam, who wanted to play with her stethoscope. While Sam was busy listening to her own heart, and General Hammond's heart and lungs and stomach, Janet started to draw blood samples, starting with the Colonel's and working her way around the group again. Sam was more hesitant, but when she saw how the others had been, she tried to be brave, but still needed a little help holding still. It was over before she knew it though, and Janet was moving them on to a series of scans. This time it was Teal'c that needed the convincing, but when he saw even Sam, who had actually had x-rays at her young age and wasn't frightened by any sort of technology, go fearlessly into or near the devices, he went too.
Finally, it came time for the dreaded shots. Janet looked to Colonel O'Neill, checking the printout from the preliminary test results. "The early results so far are a match. Blood work matches, and get this, Sam's blood is showing presence of a protein marker and traces of a heavy metal."
Jack's eyebrow shot up. "Naquadah? From Jolinar?" he asked.
"Most likely. The definitive DNA testing will take several days, but this looks like our group," she said, "And so that means routine post missions for everyone, Colonels first."
Jack groaned, but in the spirit of keeping the kids cooperative he kept the stage show going, acting like he was marching off to his death, Dr. Fraiser the firing line. Janet just rolled her eyes and followed him to the next cubicle with the prepared syringe. The kids couldn't help but giggle even though they knew they were next. Sam and Daniel had had shots before, and it wasn't that bad, well maybe it was, but he was a grown up! Janet pulled the curtain, and the kids listened carefully for the sounds of a dying man, but they only heard the soft rustle of clothing, and a moment later the curtain opened and Jack walked out, albeit a little stiffly, making a great show of rubbing his bum much to the children's delight. "Ah, Doc, your touch is always gentle!" he said cheerfully with a wink.
"For you Colonel, doubly so," she replied, and crossed back to the tray, her hand hovering over it and surveyed her small patients. "Who's next?"
The three kids exchanged looks, none of them wanting to go. "I will go," said Teal'c, lifting his chin. Janet just smiled and nodded, motioning for the boy to go to the cubicle that Jack had just left. As Janet pulled the curtain, Jack saw Sam was pulling her knees up close to her chest and looking uncomfortable. General Hammond had been called away while the kids had been getting their scans. Sensing her fear, Jack sat down next to her and put his arm around her shoulder, amazed at just how small she was. She leaned into him trustingly.
The curtain opened again, and Teal'c walked out. Daniel stood up, determined to put on a brave face after the show Teal'c had just displayed. Sam pressed tighter against Jack. She had no interest in being brave; she just didn't want a shot!
"I don't want to get a shot," she whispered as the curtain opened again and Daniel walked out blinking rapidly, but determined not to wipe at his eyes where anyone could see it.
"I know," Jack told her, pulling her to her feet. "C'mon, I'll go with you."
The tears lasted a bit longer than the shot did, which wasn't long at all, and by the time they were nearly done, Janet had a suggestion that chased the last of them away. "You know what I think these guys need Colonel?"
"I don't know," Jack answered. He could think of a few things, but he played along.
"Cookies. I could smell they were making a fresh batch on my way in this morning." Jack grinned at the Doctor's words, his grin widening even more at the one that appeared on Sam's face.
"Cookies?" she asked hopefully. Even Daniel looked hopeful.
"That does sound good, do you have anything else she could wear though?" He gave a meaningful glance down at the t-shirt attired little girl. The shirt fell down to her knees, and her feet were bare, and he didn't really relish the idea of her running around base like that.
Janet frowned. "Let me look, we'll probably have to send someone out for something better." She disappeared into the closet, and came back a few moments later with some socks and a pair of sweatpants, which were still way too big, but were better than nothing. Janet took a piece of paper and made drawings of each child's feet, so that someone could go and get shoes from the BX on base and used a measuring tape to make guesses on sizes for clothing. "There, I'll have one of the nurses or an Airman pick up some sweat clothes and shoes and things. But I think they should be ok for a little trip to the commissary, I think they've earned it. I still want to keep them in overnight though for observation."
Jack nodded, and led his three new charges out of the room, noting the two airmen that trailed them as soon as they left the infirmary. He'd been expecting as much. The kids stuck close to him, as they studied their surroundings in open curiosity. Fortunately the commissary wasn't far, and as promised, there were freshly baked cookies. People looked at the group oddly, but Jack just gave them a look that told them not to ask questions as he led the kids up to the counter and had them pick out the cookies they wanted. Teal'c hesitated over the treat, until Sam and Daniel helped him decide before Jack could, somehow picking up on his hesitation. As an afterthought, Jack picked up some cookies for Doctor Fraiser and several cartons of milk, and decided to take the kids back to the infirmary to avoid all the curious stares. The kids didn't seem to mind one way or another now that they had their cookie packets.
Sam giggled as they settled on the beds, looking at the double packet of cookies Jack carried. "You have a lot of cookies Colonel Jack," she said impishly.
Jack just grinned. "These are for the Doctor, here, why don't you go give them to her." He pointed to where the Doctor was checking some equipment, and Sam nodded eagerly, leaving her own cookies and sliding off the bed, taking the packet of cookies and milk carton Jack handed her and heading over to where the doctor stood.
Sam tugged on Janet's lab coat. "Doctor Janet?" she asked, and Jack grinned at the Doctor's new nickname.
"Yes Sam?" Janet looked down at the little girl in the oversized clothing.
"Here," Sam thrust the packet of cookies and milk at the startled doctor.
Janet peeked inside the packet and smiled. "My favorite, thank you Sam."
Sam smiled back. "You're welcome Doctor Janet." Sam scampered back to the bed, climbing back up on it and opening her own cookies and milk. She liked Doctor Janet. Doctor Janet had let her play with her stethoscope, and was nice, even if she'd had to give her a shot.
Jack let the kids settle for a few minutes with their cookies, before he stood up and crossed to Janet. "I, uh, should probably go report in."
Janet just nodded; she'd been expecting it. "Go, I'll keep and eye on them."
He walked back to where the kids were waiting; they'd stopped eating when he'd stood up. This was going to be harder than he thought. "Look, guys, I need to go and talk to General Hammond for a little while, but I'm coming back ok? You'll be all right here, with Doctor Janet. Just stay here until I come back."
"But I don't want you to go," said Sam softly.
"When will you be back?" Daniel asked. Teal'c watched him silently.
He sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair. "I know, I'd rather stay here too, but this is important, and General Hammond needs to know what is going on too. I won't be long, promise, okay?"
Finally, they nodded reluctantly, and Jack left to go report to Hammond what he knew about how his team had suddenly mentally and physically regressed into children.
A/N: Line break created with lyrics from, "As Long As We Got Each Other," the theme from the mid 80's TV series, "Growing Pains." Lyrics by John Bettis, Music by Steve Dorff and the song was sung by B.J. Thomas and Jennifer Warnes.
Chapter 5: Briefings
Jack tapped his fingers against the wooden surface of the briefing room table and suppressed another groan of frustration. The briefing was not going well. Across the table, Dr. Fraiser, who had been relieved to come share her findings, gave him a sympathetic look. A video screen showed the curled up sleeping figure of Sam, the restless one of Daniel and the wary awake one of Teal'c, as he watched the physician, tech, and airman that where in the infirmary in Colonel O'Neill and Dr. Fraiser's absence. Several scientists, military experts, physicians, and archeologists were all in attendance, asked there by General Hammond in an effort to figure out what had happened to his premier team.
Unfortunately, the group of experts hadn't done much except argue and drive O'Neill crazy. All he wanted to do was get away from the room full of geeks and get back to his... well... kids. He frowned, and drummed his fingers some more.
So far, he hadn't been able to tell them much anyway. He honestly didn't really know anything. He'd brought back the videotape, which the group had immediately fallen upon like a pack of vultures, only to meet with bitter disappointment. Fast-forwarding through to the point immediately prior to the transformation had revealed that Daniel had merely been filming the runes. There had been a distinct humming sound notable on the tape just prior to the event, and then sounds of pain. The picture had jerked, as if the person holding the camera were moving suddenly, and then Daniel had dropped the camera. The angle the camera had fallen did not provide any useful footage, and the sudden screaming had made everyone in the room go pale until someone had muted the volume. One or two brave souls in the group had volunteered to take a closer look at the tape to see if other clues could be found, but somehow, Jack didn't think they'd find anything of use on it.
Hammond was reluctant to allow anyone to directly study the room until they could determine what had triggered the transformation in the first place, and while Jack didn't particularly like the answer; he saw the sense in it. Unfortunately, since Jack hadn't been in the room, he had no idea what might have caused the machine to go off. Of course, if he'd been there, they would have a considerably different problem on their hands. Jack's fingers changed tempo, causing Janet to cast him another glance, and with a supreme act of will he forced his fingers to lie still, until they gravitated to his pen on their own volition and started fiddling with it.
The arguments flew back and forth, and Jack didn't see much point to any of it. So far, the only thing he'd seen of any use to come out of the briefing was the concession by Hammond to an all-volunteer mission to retrieve the gear he'd been forced to leave behind outside the temple. Jack had even volunteered to go back to lead it, but Hammond had seen how the kids had become so attached to him and had said he would ask for another leader, but would keep him in mind if no one stepped forward. Jack nodded, accepting the decision.
Hammond let the scientists and experts drone on for another ten minutes before he finally called a halt to the meeting, much to Jack's relief, and gave duty assignments, assigning a team to continue studying the video, Dr. Jackson's notes, and any telemetry on the alien device, as well as the data that would be retrieved with Major Carter's equipment from the follow up mission the next day. Another group would be studying the effects on SG-1, and Jack frowned at the thought of his team being used like lab rats. Hammond must have caught his look, and tried to look reassuring. Jack knew it was necessary, if his team were ever to be returned to normal, but they looked so small, and so innocent, that it brought out every protective instinct he'd ever had.
The General dismissed the group, and Jack stood up, moving to follow everyone out when Hammond stopped him. "Could I talk to you a moment Colonel?" Jack frowned, his anxiety to return to his team warring with his respect for the General. Sensing his hesitation, Hammond spoke again. "This won't take long, Jack," he said, his informal use of Jack's fist name making Jack blink. Jack followed the other man into his office, pushing the door shut and waiting until Hammond had taken a seat, sitting down when the General indicated he do so as well.
Jack watched as Hammond folded his hands together, his brow creased as he studied his desk a moment before looking up, and meeting Jack eye to eye. "Colonel." He paused, and started again, "Jack, I'm not going to lie to you. I thought I could never be surprised by anything that walked through that gate, but today, you surprised me when you brought back something I hadn't seen in more than," he took a breath, "over twenty-five or so years at least. And we've seen quite a few things come through that gate. Jack, I'm at a loss, and the military doesn't exactly come equipped with a protocol to deal with this sort of thing." Jack blinked, he'd known the General was going to talk to him about his team, but he'd had no idea he was in for such an open conversation. General Hammond took another deep breath. "Look, Jack, I probably shouldn't even mention this, but I had to notify my superiors about what happened, and, well, lets say that some of them felt that SG-1 should be turned over to other entities for, let's just say, to evaluate the possibility of replicating a similar event." Hammond's voice held a note of disgust.
Jack's hands balled into fists and his face went red. "Absolutely not, I hope you told them exactly where to shove their proposition! Because if you didn't, I'll tell them to stick it where..." Hammond made a placating gesture and Jack realized he was halfway out of his seat.
"I have made it perfectly clear that we will do no such thing. As far as I am concerned they are still members of this command, and fall under my authority. Colonel, I will do everything, and I mean everything, in my power, to make sure that your team does not come to any harm while they are in their present state, do I make myself clear?" Hammond met Jack's still angry gaze, and Jack realized he was still half out of his seat and with a thump, he sat down, still angry but he pulled the anger in under the surface.
"Yes, sir," he ground out.
"Good. I wanted to let you know where things stood. I also intend to use all the resources at our disposal to find a way to return SG-1 to normal. That said, I have already sent messages to the Tok'ra and the Asgard." Jack nodded in satisfaction. "And now that leaves the last concern. Clearly, they don't seem to possess their adult memories. As you know, Dr. Fraiser said further testing would be needed to confirm just how much they recall. We should definitely question them at some point to see if they remember anything at all that may help us." Jack nodded, and Hammond continued. "So that leads me to ask Colonel, how involved would you like to be in this investigation?"
Jack looked at the General, almost surprised the man had to ask. "Sir, I, I want to be there for everything, as much as I can sir. They seem to trust me. Anything that I can do to help, they're my team, my family even, and, well, I'd do anything for them, sir." Jack raised his head and looked the General in the eye, jaw set, determined. He wanted Hammond to know where he stood. Hammond looked at him, and Jack met his gaze unblinking. After a moment, Hammond nodded, satisfied.
"Very well Colonel O'Neill, as of this moment I'm removing you from the mission roster. Consider it your current duty assignment to be special attachment to SG-1. Just remember you aren't alone, let me know if you need anything, anything at all. This has got to be a difficult time, Jack." Hammond's voice was surprisingly gentle as he switched back to the informal first name, his voice full of understanding, and Jack nodded.
"Thank you sir, I understand," Jack blinked suddenly a few times, not wanting to wreck his image of being the hardened Air Force Colonel. Things were happening so quickly. He'd never expected Hammond to be so accommodating, and suddenly he realized just how lucky he was to have such a CO.
"Well then, Colonel looks like you have some kids to go look in on." Hammond said, a twinkle in his eye.
Jack smiled, standing. "Yes sir," he answered, suddenly snapping off a perfect salute, which Hammond returned, just before Jack stepped out of the room, his steps light for the first time since coming back through the gate. With Hammond's support, a weight Jack hadn't even known had settled on his shoulders had been lifted off, because now he knew that the General would be looking out for his team, his kids, no matter what the coming days would bring.
The General shook his head as he watched O'Neill depart, again thinking over the day's events. Indeed, just when he thought he'd yet to be surprised by what came through that gate, something even more awe inspiring walked up and patted him on his baldhead. Hammond stroked his baldpate in remembrance, and then wondered just what had happened to his hair over the years.
Chapter 6: The More Things Change
Jack surveyed the small room critically. It was the same drab gray as the rest of the base; there were no windows, no bright colors. The utilitarian tubular metal frame bunk beds and cots with drab military green and gray issue linens didn't do much to liven the room. Someone had brought in a large standing fake plant, obviously lifted from one of the VIP suites. Jack smirked at the thought. The bright green leaves were the room's only source of color. Despite the room's lack though, it wasn't the infirmary, so that made it better.
It wasn't a terribly large room. It was one of the barracks style rooms, usually used to sleep six soldiers in bunk beds. It had its own small bathroom, and what made the room unique from the other similar rooms on the floor, a moderate sized storage closet. The small adjoining space currently held an extra bed for an officer since they had no reason to use the room for storage anymore. Jack had known about this particular set of rooms and quickly requisitioned it. They didn't really use the rooms too often anymore and most of the officers with any rank on base now had their own private quarters.
In short order, two of the bunk beds were removed and a single bed as well as a table and several chairs were brought in their place. He moved some of his own things from his quarters to the single room. He also brought a few of his things from his office and quarters and placed them in the main room, things like his X-box, Gameboy, spare yo-yo, some comic books, and a few other things. He had a TV brought in, and discovered that word of SG-1's plight had spread because several people brought him games, toys, and books as soon as they learned where SG-1 was going to be. It wasn't much, but it added to the room, making it a little more welcoming.
As soon as he had everything to his liking he went to the infirmary, a little bounce to his step. He spotted them right away. They were on two of the beds, Sam and Daniel on one, Teal'c on another, tucking into breakfast. Janet was nearby, going over paperwork. She looked up when he entered, smiling. "Morning Colonel," she greeted him.
Jack was about to reply, when a weight slammed into him, about mid-waist. He nearly went on the offensive when something made him look down, catching sight of blond hair and wide blue eyes. "Morning Colonel Jack!" Sam said cheerfully, her arms squeezing around him enthusiastically.
"Oomph!" Jack protested, and rumpled her hair as she disengaged and scampered back to her breakfast. He blinked, slightly surprised at the exuberant greeting. Apparently, young Sam was very open with her feelings. He nodded to the other two. "Morning Daniel, Teal'c." Daniel gave him a small hesitant smile, and Teal'c gave a small nod.
Moving to join Dr. Fraiser, the two studied the three children as they ate. "Quiet night?" he asked.
Janet nodded. "They all seem to be in perfect health for their ages. All of the preliminary tests have come back so far, and there are no foreign substances or anything of concern. And nothing to indicate what caused the change in form, or why they can't remember anything."
Jack nodded, relieved they were okay, but disappointed they'd found nothing to explain what had happened to his team. "So, can I take them out of here?" he asked hopefully. He hated the thought of leaving them in the infirmary. They were still his team, and he felt responsible for them, doubly so now.
The doctor looked at the little group assessing them for a few moments. Finally she nodded. "I can't clear them to leave the base yet, but I think it would be fine for them to leave the infirmary, provided you bring them back at the first sign of anything amiss," she warned.
"Of course," Jack assured her.
"Then you can go after breakfast," Janet moved and lifted up a few bags. "Here, I was able to have someone get a few things from the BX like we talked about last night. Just some sweats, t-shirts, under things, and shoes that will fit them hopefully better than what they have on now." Jack nodded, and together they sorted out the items into three small piles.
When the kids were done eating, Janet took Sam while Jack took Daniel and Teal'c to change. Jack waited outside the restroom for the boys. Daniel went first, emerging in slightly too large clothing, but it was much better than what he'd been wearing before, adult clothing rolled up to fit a child's frame. Teal'c went in next, and was in there so long that finally Jack knocked and entered when the boy didn't reply; because he was worried something had happened. He found Teal'c standing in front of the mirror; still in the oversized scrubs he'd been given to sleep in, staring at his reflection, running a hand over his baldhead.
"Teal'c?" Jack asked cautiously.
"I have been changed," answered Teal'c, his eyes still transfixed on his reflection, his fingers now tracing the golden tattoo on his forehead. "What has happened to me?"
At first, Jack thought Teal'c had just recovered his memories, but then as he watched the young boy study his reflection, he realized that Teal'c was only concerned with his head and tattoo and realized that Teal'c was referring to his hair, or rather lack of and the difference in the tattoo on his forehead. Likely, Teal'c had sported a similar haircut to Rya'c as well as the black ink tattoo that his young son had rather than the raised gold one he now had. Jack frowned, and moved to stand next to Teal'c, so that Teal'c could see his face in the mirror.
"I don't know what has happened Teal'c, that's what we're trying to figure out," he answered honestly. Teal'c tore his eyes away from the mirror and looked Jack in the eyes. Jack returned his gaze steadily.
"When can I return home?" Teal'c asked directly, changing the subject.
Jack just shrugged helplessly. "I don't know, we need to find out what happened first. Do you remember anything that happened on the planet? Anything about being in a temple, a machine maybe?" Jack turned the conversation around again.
Teal'c frowned. "No, I do not. I told you that I retired as usual, and woke up at your campfire with Samantha and Daniel. They too are involved in this, are they not?" he asked, his gaze narrowed.
The boy was sharp, even so young, and Jack had to give him credit. "Yeah, they are part of this too, you all are." Jack looked at the youngster thoughtfully. "Teal'c, three members of my team are missing, but I found you three instead. Anything you can tell me might be important. That's why we can't take you home yet, and we aren't even sure yet how you got there. I know it's a lot, but I'm going to have to ask you to keep trusting me a little bit longer, ok?"
Teal'c was silent for a long moment, studying him. Finally, he nodded. "I will do so Colonel O'Neill."
"Good," Jack clasped the boy on the shoulder briefly. "Now get changed, the others are waiting." Teal'c nodded, and Jack left him.
A few moments later Teal'c came out in clothing equally a bit too large for him. Sam was already on a nearby bed similarly attired, engaged with Daniel in building a small wall with a pile of tongue depressors that Dr. Fraiser had given them. As soon as Teal'c came out, Jack clapped his hands together. "Okay campers, who wants to get out of here?" he asked.
Sam looked excited, and jumped off the bed, shouting "Me!" Daniel just shrugged, but he got off the bed too. Teal'c looked slightly confused. Jack sighed and exchanged a look with Janet, who just smiled and rolled her eyes.
"C'mon, just follow me," he said, leading the way. He was only slightly surprised when Sam's small hand slipped into his. Daniel and Teal'c followed behind and he kept a discreet eye on them. They got more curious looks today as they traveled the halls, and more than one smile, especially since Sam took it upon herself to greet everyone with a cheerful wave and a smile, answering any direct questions with yes or no sir or ma'am, which of course brought a smile to everyone's lips. Daniel was withdrawn, only speaking if he was spoken to, and Teal'c watched everything like a hawk. Jack watched the kids, slowly getting to know their personalities.
He stopped outside their new room, and opened the door, leading the kids in. "Well, here we go, this is where we'll be staying for a little while, until things get straightened out."
"We?" asked Daniel, immediately picking up on the distinction.
"Yep," Jack answered, pushing open one of the room's two inside doors to reveal the second small room. "I'll be staying in here."
"What's this Colonel Jack?" Sam asked suddenly from in front of the TV. She was kneeling down in front of the X-box, studying it. Jack grinned.
"That," he said, moving to join her on the floor, and vowing to get some cushions or something because the cold concrete floor was no fun for his knees. "Is an X-box." He patted it lovingly.
"Oh," she said. "What does it do?"
His grin widened, and he noticed that Teal'c and Daniel were watching him as well. "You play with it."
Sam looked skeptical. "How?"
"It's simple, you need a game, and these," Jack picked up two controllers, keeping one and handing her the other, then put in a game. They spent the next several hours playing with the game system. Sam grew quickly in skill, soon rivaling him, and Daniel and Teal'c also took turns playing, the kids playing against him and each other as their interest in the game overrode their shyness around him and each other.
Eventually though, hunger surfaced, and the game was given up in favor of a trip to the commissary for fries and chicken. Teal'c found the fried potatoes interesting. They all had Jell-O for dessert and Jack smiled to see that Sam chose her blue while Daniel and Teal'c picked out red. Teal'c was also fascinated by the new treat, and Jack was again reminded that all of these things were new to the young boy.
They returned to the room after their meal, and the kids explored the other options for entertainment, looking over the books and games and other things that were there. Jack smiled to note that there were a few things that while new, had familiar looking titles on them, all things that had been popular in the mid to late 70's when Carter and Daniel had been growing up, and were now being re-released and sold to nostalgic parents. Sam and Daniel were just as enthusiastic about the familiar items as they were about the new things, and when they noticed that Teal'c was hanging back as they set up a board game, they invited him to play, explaining the rules of the game. Teal'c joined hesitantly, and grew more confident as his skills in the game grew.
And so the day progressed. Jack called and had someone bring something for dinner to their room, and they continued to get to know each other. They started to play with the game console and Gameboy again after dinner, and Jack let them, until they started to yawn more often than not. At that point, he coaxed them off to bed. Sam protested she wasn't tired, but since he was practically carrying her, he didn't believe her one bit. Their adult sized t-shirts served as perfect nightshirts, and Janet had foreseen the need for toothbrushes and kid friendly toothpaste on her shopping list the previous night.
After the kids settled in bed, Jack found he was unable to sleep, and slipped back into the other room. He brushed back Sam's hair, gently straightened Daniel's cover, and checked on Teal'c, who was sleeping quietly. For several long moments, he stood in the center of the room, and listened to the sounds of their breathing. In all the years he had spent sharing tents with these three individuals, he felt he'd learned to tell which was which just by the sound of their breathing. He closed his eyes.
It took longer than usual, but in the end, he picked out Teal'c's deep and even breathing, not as deep as he remembered, but it was deeper than the other two. Sam's was the next one, she always breathed a bit faster, and would shift in her sleep unconsciously, sometimes with a soft sigh. Daniel's breathing was relaxed and peaceful, holding the hint of a snore. For some reason, he seemed to be able to escape, at least for a few hours, into the peacefulness of slumber. Even grown up, he was his most relaxed, in his unguarded moments of sleep.
Jack studied his teammates, taking in the changes wrought on them by the alien device. In their small faces he could see traces of their adult selves, and not just their hair and facial features, but in their very being. As he'd spent time with them the past two days, he saw more and more of their personality emerge in their actions.
Sam was openly curious about everything, she asked questions, was unafraid to explore, and she showed the same spirit that he'd seen when he'd first met her. Daniel, while shy, never missed anything. Jack could see intelligence in the boy's blue eyes and suspected a lot of Daniel's shyness had to do with having moved around so much that he'd never really gotten comfortable around people yet. Teal'c was quiet too, but his silence was familiar. Teal'c spent a lot of time observing, assessing, considering. Jack doubted Teal'c missed much either.
A soft sigh escaped from Sam's lips and she turned over in her sleep, curling up in a little ball, making Jack smile at the little girl. He felt a sense of protectiveness welling up in him, as well as awe as he looked again around the room at his sleeping teammates. He shook his head, and marveled again at what had happened to his team, and wondered as he headed back to his own bed if he would be strong enough to do what was needed to watch over them as long as necessary, because he decided as he climbed into bed, there was no way he was letting anyone else do it.
Chapter 7: Lights Out
The next several days were much like the first, although starting on the next day, Hammond would send an Airman several times during the day to relieve Jack in order to attend meetings with the scientific and medical teams about their progress on SG-1's condition. Actually, it was more like lack of progress Jack quickly discovered, much to his frustration, and the meetings were little better than the first, usually degenerating into arguments or boring debates. Jack would quickly grow bored, and wish he were back with his team, it was much more fun with them. Hammond had allowed them to leave their quarters provided they were with him or their escort to explore the nearby section, and they had spent several hours playing games of Hide and Seek, Tag or Mother May I.
It was at another such meeting, on the fifth day since their return back through the wormhole, and Jack was ready to pull his hair out in frustration. Yesterday, he had grudgingly allowed the team of specialists to question the kids, to no avail. They'd only managed to confirm that the three children had no accessible memories after their biological ages, and only sketchy memories of going to bed and waking up with him around the campfire. None of them could recall an exact date, but they could all give a year, which corresponded with their remembered ages. Jack had ended the session when the kids had started to become frustrated with the incessant questions and had started to ask uncomfortable questions of their own. He'd had to spend quite a bit of time that night soothing them and reassuring them before they'd go to bed last night.
And now they sat here today, wanting another session, and this time suggesting hypnosis, and even drugs. Jack just scowled, his hands clenched into fists, not trusting himself to speak, for fear he'd say something to get himself kicked out of the meeting and then they'd do what they wanted anyway. He had the feeling the scientists were allowing him there out of humor to the General and that if it were up to them, they'd have the kids in a lab, and that was that, until they straightened it all out, no matter what it took.
Fortunately, Janet Fraiser spared him a reply. "I think drugs would be a little extreme this early in the case," she said smoothly, interrupting the lead scientist's latest spiel, "Perhaps if we had a better idea of what had happened to make the children the way the are, it would be a good idea, but until that point, I think hypnosis and medication especially should be our last resort. I'd really prefer to hear from our allies first before we took those steps, and learn their opinion of the memory blocks."
The scientist blinked, and opened his mouth to reply when the unscheduled gate activation alarm went off. General Hammond stood, excusing himself when the lights abruptly went out. Emergency lights came on a few moments later, casting a dim light over the room. The meeting promptly forgotten, Jack rose too, grateful for the interruption no matter the reason, and followed the General down the stairs. The gate continued to spin as the other world tried to establish a connection, a moment later, the wormhole opened with the familiar backsplash, and Jack noted with relief that the iris was operating, supplied by its own back up power source.
"Sergeant, report," barked the General.
"General Hammond, sir." The technician at the terminal spoke, not looking up as his fingers flew over the keyboard. "There was a power surge in the gate system, which knocked out main power. We're receiving SG-7's IDC now, sir."
"Open the iris," Hammond ordered, and all the soldiers in the gate room stood at the ready, weapons trained on the open wormhole. Moments later, SG-7 stepped through, looking surprised at the darkness and emergency lighting. Hammond ordered the troops to stand down, and another technician arrived with a report.
"General sir, it appears one of the main capacitors carrying power to the gate overloaded, sending a surge along the line back towards the generator. Sir, it may take several hours to get power back online." Hammond didn't look happy with the news and sent the tech on his way.
Jack shifted. "Sir, I should get back to the kids," he said worriedly, and Hammond nodded, dismissing him. Jack grabbed a flashlight and made his wake back to their quarters. On the way, he bumped into someone he didn't expect to find.
"Airman Jeffries? What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with the kids?" Jack's anger was held at bay only by worry, and the Airman visibly paled in the dim glow of the flashlight.
Nervously, the young man gulped. "Uh, Sir, when the power went off, I took the children back to quarters. I thought I would be needed at my regular duty post, so I left them with a flashlight and told them to stay there." He gulped again nervously, obviously having second thoughts about his decision.
Jack grabbed a fistful of the man's uniform front. "Your orders were to stay with those kids. You had better hope that nothing has happened to them when I get there, you understand me?"
"Y-yes sir!" Jack let go of the man's shirt and pushed past him, doubling his pace.
Arriving outside the room, his worry only grew when he discovered the door cracked open. He pushed it open further, calling out and shining his light into the room so as not to frighten them. "Daniel? Sam? Teal'c? It's me, Colonel Jack." He pushed the door open fully, and shined the light about, his heart dropping into his shoes as he realized the room was empty.
Chapter 8: Here There be Monsters
Teal'c followed Samantha and Daniel down the corridor, shining their single flashlight ahead with it's glow barely illuminating the long dimly lit hallway. The two smaller children pressed back against him, molding into his sides as they neared the intersecting corridor. Teal'c shook his head. He had advised against leaving their room, as Airman Jeffries had instructed them, but Daniel had been nervous in the darkness and Samantha wanted to locate Colonel O'Neill, and then Daniel had decided she couldn't go alone. At that point, nothing he had said had been able to prevent the two from going on their self-appointed quest. In fact, they had informed him of an Earth rule, something they called "two against one" that not only allowed them to go despite his being older and wiser, but would allow them to confiscate the room's lone flashlight. Since Teal'c had no desire to remain alone in the small, windowless room lit only by a solitary red emergency light, he was forced to accompany them. However, he used his larger size and superior speed to commandeer the flashlight, and hold it above the other two children's heads until they acquiesced that he did indeed have the right to control the light.
Which was now the reason why the three youngsters prowled along the hallways together, their one small light doing little to illuminate the area around them, which gave the unfamiliar maze of winding corridors an eerie feeling. Their footsteps seemed to echo unnaturally loudly and the darkness made the space seem larger and yet more confining at the same time.
"Which way do we go?" whispered Daniel, the younger boy's body pressed tightly against his. Teal'c felt Samantha worm her fingers into his free hand. She had firmly denied being frightened of the darkness, and yet she refused to venture away from the dim yet reassuring glow provided by their light source.
"Wh-what's that noise?" asked Samantha suddenly, a tremor to her voice. Teal'c listened and could hear heavy footsteps coming down one of the intersecting corridors, and other loud sounds, it sounded like a group of animals. Rather large animals. He frowned. They had not seen any animals in this compound since they had been here, but he had to admit Colonel O'Neill had not taken them everywhere, nor had he explained much about what was here. He pressed the other two back against the wall, pointing the light downwards in an effort to make them less visible.
In moments, the source of the noise was upon them, and they were monstrous. There were four of them, great and hulking. Teal'c couldn't identify what they were for he had never seen such creatures before, but even the smallest towered over him. They were vaguely man shaped, but all were misshapen. Their heads were overly large, enormous lumps protruding from their backs, and they seemed to have more appendages than a person would. And the sounds they made, more like howls! But that wasn't the worst. No. The worst was their faces. Their faces were a patchwork of multicolor; Teal'c had never seen anything like it.
And then one of them noticed the three children, it shoved the others, and abruptly the howling stopped as the first creature pointed them out. As one, the pack moved towards the children, one of them opened its mouth, stretching out one of its extremities towards them, but Samantha had had enough. With a terrified shriek, she let go of Teal'c's hand and took off down the hall, her scream startling Daniel into motion, and he also yelped and ran. Teal'c turned to follow, but was a shade too slow, he felt an iron-like hand clamp down on his shoulder, freezing his forward momentum and making him drop the precious flashlight. More hands joined the first and no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't free himself. He kept up his struggles anyway, keeping his captors occupied so that the smaller children might have a chance to escape. Over the sound of their fading footsteps, Teal'c smiled in satisfaction as he heard at least one of the creatures grunt as a kick landed, and then they fell upon him, holding him securely, but by then he was sure that Samantha and Daniel had gotten away.
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
Jack paced anxiously in the control room, carefully avoiding annoyed technicians and the overly tolerant General Hammond. He wanted to be down below, searching for his missing team, his kids. He snorted to himself at the thought of how his personal nickname for his team had suddenly come to have a more literal meaning. But the General felt he'd be of more use here in the center of things, coordinating the search effort. Jack had protested, but the General had overruled him, and so Jack waited, and let the rest of the base search.
As a result he'd gotten a ringside seat to the repair effort, and he'd also been there when less than ten minutes previously SG-3 had come back through the gate from a muddy reconnaissance mission, in full gear and body paint, guffawing about some joke or another. Not even the power failure had dampened the big burly Marines spirits as they'd hefted their gear off out of the gate room. Jack shook his head, the men were a mess, but they didn't seem to care.
"Sir, we're ready to restore main power." Sergeant Siler was in front of Hammond now, carrying a clipboard and an impressive looking wrench. Jack wondered if the thing was just for show or if he actually ever used the thing.
"Go ahead." Hammond gave the order, and a countdown started. On the mark, the generator hummed to life and the main lights came back on, flooding the room with light.
"Let there be light," Jack quipped, but everyone ignored him. Just then, the phone rang.
Picking it up, Hammond spoke into it. "Hammond." He listened a moment, then turned to Jack. "Colonel, you better get to the infirmary."
Jack didn't even wait for a dismissal, he just ran from the room, sure it had to do with the kids.
A/N2: Line break created with lyrics from, "As Long As We Got Each Other," the theme from the mid 80's TV series, "Growing Pains." Lyrics by John Bettis, Music by Steve Dorff and the song was sung by B.J. Thomas and Jennifer Warnes.
Chapter 9: Choices
When Jack got to the infirmary, he could hear the shouting before he even entered, and recognized the source of the disturbance immediately.
"You must let me go! You do not understand!"
"Now hold it right there, you wait just one minute partner..." Jack rounded the corner to see Teal'c on one of the beds, the Marines of SG-3 surrounding him and blocking his escape path. A pile of mud-splattered packs, helmets and other gear showed they had come straight here rather than stopping off at supply to leave their gear. Their faces had been wiped hastily clean, but still bore the telltale marks of body paint. Teal'c did not look happy being kept where he was. Dr. Fraiser stood nearby, and Jack couldn't tell if she looked amused or pissed off. One of the Marines noticed his entrance.
"Colonel, sir!" The others snapped to attention, but continued to block the boy on the bed. Jack raised an eyebrow.
"Care to tell me what's going on here gentlemen?" Jack cast a quick look about the infirmary but did not see either Sam or Daniel, and he also gave Teal'c a quick look, but was relieved to see the boy looked unharmed.
"Sir! Yes Sir!" one of the men barked, and Jack almost rolled his eyes.
"At ease," Jack looked at the man; Henderson was his name he thought, one from the fairly new batch. "Corporal."
"Yes, sir!" The man relaxed marginally. Jack resisted the urge to roll his eyes again as the man launched into his report in a clipped military efficient tone. "We encountered this boy and two other children in the corridors, but when we attempted to detain them, they ran from us. This boy was the only one we could catch. He's been demanding to speak to you, sir."
"Thank you Henderson," Jack told the man, pleased to see he got the name right when the man nodded. Turning his attention to the bed, Jack saw that Teal'c was now sitting quietly, no longer trying to escape. "Well, Teal'c? What have you got to say for yourself? Half the base is out looking for you, and where are Sam and Daniel?" he addressed the boy.
Teal'c looked down. "I do not know where they are Colonel O'Neill. We were trying to locate you, however, when these men came upon us. We did not recognize them for whom they were. Samantha and Daniel became frightened and ran away, and I do not know where they are now." Teal'c refused to meet his eyes and Jack knew that Teal'c had also been frightened, but had not wanted to admit it. He cast a look over at the discarded equipment, and remembered how the Marines had looked and how noisy they'd been when they'd returned though the gate, and what they must have looked like, in full battle gear and helmets, hefting packs, howling with laughter as they made their way down the dimly lit corridor. Add the face paint and it was no wonder the children had bolted if they'd been wandering the dark, unfamiliar corridors alone.
"Corporal," Jack spun back around.
"Yes, sir!" The man snapped to attention again, and Jack just shook his head ruefully.
"Where were you when you found Teal'c and the others?" He jerked his thumb in the direction of the now subdued boy.
Henderson exchanged a look with his teammates, and told him. Picking up his radio, Jack quickly radioed the teams closest to where Teal'c had been found and told them what had happened. And then he dismissed the Marines. As the group turned to go, one of the others looked at him.
"Sir, you called the boy Teal'c, and mentioned the others, the boy and girl, where named Daniel and Sam... sir, do you mean to tell me that..." he started to say, but Jack cut him off.
"Yeah, its complicated, some stuff came up while you guys were out there. Look, Doc can fill you in, I gotta take Teal'c here up and talk to Hammond." The man nodded, his expression troubled as he studied the boy with this new information, and Jack noticed that he walked with a slight limp, and that all of them bore a few scratches. Jack held out his hand. "C'mon Teal'c." Teal'c hesitated, than got off the bed and followed him.
They went right up to General Hammond's office and Jack knocked, immediately receiving permission to enter. He pushed the door open and propelled Teal'c in with him. Hammond looked up and smiled at the boy, before turning his attention to Jack.
"I see you've found Teal'c, Colonel. I trust he's well. Any sign of Sam or Daniel?" Hammond asked, putting his pen down.
Jack shook his head no. "SG-3 found them, but they've never seen a Marine in full battle gear, let alone in the dark, and they panicked and ran before they could catch them. Teal'c put up a bit of a fight as it was." Jack gently squeezed the boy's shoulder to show him that he wasn't blaming him for fighting against the Marines when he hadn't recognized they were friendly.
"I see," Hammond frowned, and studied Teal'c, looking like he wanted to say something, but not in front of the boy. Sensing what he wanted, Jack squeezed Teal'c's shoulder again.
"Teal'c, why don't you wait just outside in the briefing room, I'll be right out, then maybe you can help me find Sam and Daniel ok?" Teal'c looked at Jack, and hesitated, obviously torn, but finally he nodded, and left quietly, closing the door behind him.
After Teal'c left the room, Hammond sighed again. Jack looked at him. "Sir?"
"Colonel, this is a military base, and not a place for children. I've been having second thoughts about keeping the children here. The events of the last few hours just confirm it." Hammond's brow was furrowed, his voice troubled.
Jack stiffened slightly. "What do you mean sir?"
"Colonel. Jack," his voice softened. "It's for their own good, they've been here almost a week, and no progress has been made. We need to start exploring other options for their care."
"Like what?" Jack asked, his voice low.
"Like finding a family or families with the proper clearance to take them in until a more permanent solution can be found." Hammond said gently.
"So you'd just send them away to complete strangers, even split them up?" Jack's eyes narrowed, and he started to pace.
"Jack, you know they can't stay here. They can't defend themselves, and imagine if this had been a real emergency, if SG-3 had been hostiles. They are children, and as such they don't belong here. I don't believe we have a choice, we have to send them away from here." Hammond's voice was firm, and Jack could tell he'd made up his mind.
Jack sighed, pacing over by the door before he stopped, and all his thoughts and feelings of being with the kids over the last few days came tumbling back to him. "What about me, sir?"
Hammond blinked. "What about you?"
"Well, I don't have much of a team right now, and I don't really relish the idea of picking out a new one. Besides, they trust me. And, well, I feel responsible for them," he finished, shoving his hands into his pockets and shifting uncomfortably.
The General studied him silently for a long moment, and then nodded. "I want you to think about this Jack. It's a big decision, and not one to be made lightly. Let's find Daniel and Sam, and talk to the kids, and then you let me know."
Jack nodded, but he had a feeling that his mind wouldn't change.
Chapter 10: The Way of the Warrior
Outside the door Teal'c waited. After having been told to leave, Teal'c had known they were going to discuss him, and even though he still trusted Colonel O'Neill and had some vague and confusing feelings of familiarity with many of the people he'd met here, he still felt he needed to hear what was being said inside. And so, instead of closing the door completely, he had left it open a crack and stayed nearby.
Often the voices had been low, but Teal'c clearly heard General Hammond tell Colonel O'Neill that he did not think he and the two younger children were capable of defending themselves, and that he proposed sending them away, and possibly splitting them up. And then he heard footsteps approaching the door and had to scramble back away hastily, but the door hadn't opened. Teal'c had been thinking about moving in closer to the door again when it opened, revealing Colonel O'Neill. The Colonel gave him a measuring look that Teal'c could not read, and he couldn't help but wonder what sort of decision had been reached in the room that he'd been unable to hear.
Colonel O'Neill was not forthcoming with information however, merely suggesting they go find the two smaller children, and Teal'c had no choice but to hasten his strides to keep up with the man's longer ones. As he followed the Colonel though, Teal'c came to a decision. He would just have to prove to Colonel O'Neill that he and the other children were capable of defending themselves, even if he had to teach them himself. Because Teal'c had no desire to leave the presence of Colonel O'Neill to be placed with a person he did not know.
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
It took them nearly an hour before they finally found Sam and Daniel, curled up asleep in an abandoned office on another level. The Airman that found them radioed their position, and Jack and Teal'c went to join the search party. They hadn't wanted to wake the children and have them run, a precaution that Jack decided was a good one taking in the two kids grimy clothes and tear streaked faces, and the way they were curled up together under the desk, as if they were hiding. Jack moved to wake the two kids, and by doing so, missed the frown that Teal'c directed at the sleeping children.
"Hey, Sam, Daniel, time to wake up," Jack said, the sound of his voice rousing Daniel, making the young boy's head pop up. Daniel's sudden movement jostled Sam, and two sets of wide blue eyes were suddenly staring at him.
"Colonel Jack!" cried two voices in unison, and Jack suddenly found his arms full of energetic little girl.
"Teal'c!" said Daniel, and Sam squirmed in his arms to look over his shoulder, letting out a gleeful shout that nearly deafened him.
"I thought the monsters got you!" she said, untangling her limbs to throw her arms around the startled older boy. Teal'c blinked a moment before returning the hug awkwardly.
"There were no monsters Samantha," he told her solemnly.
Sam looked confused as she let go of Teal'c. "There weren't?" answered Daniel for her.
Jack climbed to his feet and offered Daniel a hand up. "Nope," he told them, "Just a group of Marines carrying big packs and paint on their faces."
"They looked like monsters Colonel Jack," said Sam quietly. She'd moved to stand near him. Jack reached down to ruffle her hair.
"There's no monsters here Sam," he assured her.
"It was really dark," Daniel said.
"The power went out, but it's all fixed now. And the next time you guys are told to stay somewhere, I expect you all to stay there, am I being clear?" He looked at each of them in turn, receiving nods. "Good, let's go get you guys cleaned up, and I bet you three are probably hungry too." More nods, and he couldn't help but grin as he led them back to the room.
As the number of days the kids had been there on base grew, more donations had come in, and more trips to the BX had been necessary for clothing and things, so the kids had plenty of fresh clothing to change into after each of them took quick showers. Daniel had also been fitted for a pair of properly fitting glasses, ones that didn't fall of his face, and were the right prescription for his child's eyes. Jack had noticed the boy squinting and rubbing at his forehead the first day and had recognized the problem immediately.
He had someone bring food, deciding to let the kids settle down for the evening after all the excitement, and was about to sit down and join them when the phone rang. "O'Neill," he answered. He groaned, as the person on the other end of the line requested his immediate presence in the control room. He glanced at the kids, who were occupied with their meal.
"Look, you guys, I need to run upstairs for a few minutes. You need to stay here, if I can't come back, I'll send someone down. No wandering off this time, I mean it." They looked up and nodded at him silently, and Jack swore that it had better be a good reason he was being pulled away.
Teal'c watched Colonel O'Neill leave, and then turned to regard the other two, deciding to use the opportunity to start training the younger children. Samantha was young, just about the age where a young Jaffa would start to enter training to become a warrior. He would have to go lightly with her. No one would expect a child so young to be able to fight. But Daniel... Daniel should have been in training for some time now, especially as a male child. But everything he had seen of the boy indicated that he was clumsy, not very strong, and knew absolutely nothing about defending himself. In fact, he seemed to show no interest at all in doing anything to protect himself. So it was up to Teal'c to show him how important the skills of a warrior were.
Standing suddenly, Teal'c thumped both his hands flat against the table, making the dishes rattle and both the younger children jump startled, as they turned their wide eyes towards him. He laughed at their predictable reactions. "You are weak!" he told them. "No wonder Colonel O'Neill wishes to send us away, you must disgust him, cowering there like infants. A true warrior would meet me in challenge." He lifted his head.
"Wh-what do you mean?" Sam said, her chin starting to tremble.
"I have heard him speak of it myself. General Hammond agrees. He thinks we are defenseless, and do not belong here, and he plans to send us away. But I think differently. I wish to prove we are warriors, and can stand in battle. Therefore, I will show you how to be a warrior." With that, Teal'c moved to tower over Daniel, who had not moved from his seat. "Defend yourself!" he ordered, and then pushed at the boy, knocking him from his chair when Daniel continued to stare at him stupidly.
"Hey!" Daniel shouted, scrambling to his feet and backing away. Sam jumped out of her chair too, looking angry and frightened at the sudden change in Teal'c.
Teal'c just gave Daniel another push, which sent the smaller boy stumbling back a few steps. "Stop it!" Daniel yelled, and to Teal'c's frustration, didn't raise a hand to stop his advances.
"I will not! You will defend yourself. You are weak. Only a coward would not defend himself." Teal'c gave the boy another push to emphasize his point, this time, knocking the boy to the ground. They were up against the wall, and now Daniel would have nowhere else to evade him, he would be forced to defend himself.
"He said stop it!" Suddenly, another body was in front of him, giving him a shove, and he felt a sharp stinging pain in his shin, and another shove. "Leave him alone you big bully!"
"Daniel must learn to defend himself!" Teal'c protested, as he raised his arms to block a flurry of blows, furiously backpedaling to evade the small swinging arms and kicking feet.
"And I said leave him alone!" Sam yelled, landing another painful blow, and Teal'c was forced to retaliate, his anger growing. How dare this child interfere! Did she really think she could take on him?
"You do not understand!" he told her angrily, trying to grab a hold of her to subdue her with his larger bulk. "We will be sent away! Daniel must defend himself!"
"And I think you're just being a big mean bully, picking on him like that, so knock it off!" With those final words, Sam launched herself at him in a flying tackle, catching him completely unprepared and sending them both sailing backwards crashing into the table, knocking it over and sending the food on it flying. And then everything else was lost as they rolled and struggled, biting, kicking, and punching, and Teal'c realized belatedly that he had made a serious error in judgment by dismissing the fighting ability of Samantha simply because she was so young.
A/N: Line break created with lyrics from, "As Long As We Got Each Other," the theme from the mid 80's TV series, "Growing Pains." Lyrics by John Bettis, Music by Steve Dorff and the song was sung by B.J. Thomas and Jennifer Warnes.
A/N: This is where I originally started to write this story, the scene that started it all! I kinda got this picture of little spitfire Sam taking on much older and bigger Teal'c for some reason, and wrote out the following fight scene and the infirmary scene and talks after, and it wasn't until some time after that I wrote out the actual reason for the fight and the beginning of the fight, which actually turned out to be a lot of fun too! So now you can see where this story started, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Of course, there's still a lot of story after this!
Chapter 11: A Little Fight
He'd only left them alone for five minutes, but when he'd returned, the sounds issuing forth from the room had the unmistakable ring of a scuffle in full blown, no-holds-barred, fist flying glory. Jack wasted no time in slamming the door open. The scene stopped him in his tracks.
The room's single table was overturned; the food it had held was everywhere. The four chairs in the room had been scattered. And in the center of the room, one small, blond haired, pale skinned fury and one taller, lanky, dark skinned youth twisted and fought, kicking, biting, and landing blows on each other with furious abandon. He didn't see Daniel for a moment, then spotted him, cowering in the far corner, arms wrapped around skinny knees tucked under his chin, glasses askew, eyes locked on the struggling combatants. None of the children even noticed his noisy entrance.
Sucking in a deep lungful of air, and belting out in his best military command voice, the one that sent raw recruits tripping over themselves, he shouted, "And just what the hell is going on in here?!"
That got their attention. Three sets of eyes looked up at him, the two combatants locked in a pose that was almost comical. Teal'c had a handful of Sam's hair while Sam looked like she was prepared to take a bite out of Teal'c's free right hand. Jack surged forward, hauling both children roughly to their feet by their upper arms, putting his body in the middle, giving them a little shake. He ignored Daniel for now. He gave them each a glare, while assessing them for damage. "What is the meaning of this? I wasn't even gone five minutes, can't I even trust the three of you that long?" He punctuated his words with another little shake.
They squirmed, and started to talk at once, but he silenced them with a look. They were a mess. The food they had knocked all over now liberally covered their clothing for starters, and they had done quite a bit of damage to each other. Sam's left eye was already starting to swell spectacularly, and her nose was bleeding freely. But despite her small size, she'd managed to hold her own on the larger boy, since he noted Teal'c sported a split lip and bruised cheek of his own. He frowned in concern at Sam's bloody nose.
Letting go of their arms, he quickly righted two of the chairs, and placed them in opposite corners. He pushed Sam into one, and Teal'c into the other. "Stay there, and don't move until I tell you to, both of you." He gave them both one last glare before ducking into the small bathroom and grabbing two washcloths, which he ran under the coldest water he could get on the tap. Returning to the room, he was pleased to note the two had followed one of his orders at least, though he noted that Daniel had inched closer to Sam's position, giving him a hint about what the fight had been over.
He pushed one of the washcloths at Teal'c. The boy looked confused. "Put it on your lip." Teal'c blinked, and nodded, wincing slightly as the cold cloth came in contact with the open split, then returned to sitting stoically. Some things never changed.
He turned his attention back to Sam. She was seated defiantly, arms crossed. Somehow, he doubted he'd be getting any information out of the two of them anytime soon, so he settled for stemming blood loss. Before she could fend him off, he pressed the cold washcloth to her face, effectively pinching her nose, and bringing up his other hand to tilt her head and hold it still. As he'd expected, she protested, her startled yelp muffled under the cloth, but he was much bigger and stronger than she was now, and a lot angrier, so he easily deflected her small hands. "Shh, hold still," he told her, "We need to stop the bleeding." She mumbled something in reply, but he couldn't make out what she said under the cloth, but she stopped fighting him at least.
After a few minutes of steady pressure, he lifted the cloth away to note with satisfaction that the steady bleeding had slowed to the barest trickle. Now for the hard part. "Sam, I just have to touch your nose now, make sure its not broken ok, it might hurt some." Her eyes widened, but she nodded. She squirmed under his touch, his fingers gentle, and he frowned as his fingers encountered an area that might have a little bit of give. He sighed. "I think we need to go see Dr. Fraiser, I'm not sure if it's broken or not."
Across the room, Teal'c looked mortified. "I-I did not mean to hurt her." He was staring at the floor, and shifting awkwardly.
Jack's gaze softened. "We'll talk about this later. I'm still really disappointed in all of you. There's no excuse for fighting." Teal'c looked up and met his gaze, nodding, but his eyes were sad. Jack looked at Daniel's worried face, and Sam's scared one, gently squeezing her shoulder. "I need to take Sam to the infirmary. While we're gone, I expect the two of you to behave yourselves. And start cleaning this place up, you made this mess, don't expect someone else to clean it up for you." With that, he pulled Sam to her feet and steered the reluctant little girl from the room, leaving two just as reluctant young boys in the room behind him.
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
Arriving in the infirmary, Jack effortlessly lifted the little girl onto one of the beds, surprised when he heard her sniffling. She was staring down at her lap, refusing to meet his gaze. Gently, he tipped her chin up and looked at her face. Tears rolled down her bruised cheeks, and snot now mixed with the blood in her nose, making her quite a sight. "What's wrong Sam?"
"I'm s-sorry C-colonel Jack. I d-didn't mean t-to get in a f-fight with T-teal'c. It's just... just, he was p-picking on D-danny, he s-said Danny was w-weak and n-needed to d-defend himself, and s-started pushing him, and-and Danny didn't like it. S-so I s-said s-stop..." Her words tumbled out punctuated by sobs, and all he could do was stare at the little spitfire before him. "A-and I-I'm s-sorry C-colonel Jack, if-if you want t-to send me away, I, I understand."
Jack was momentarily struck speechless. Realization hit him like the blind side of a truck. Deftly, he caught her chin again, forcing her to look at him. "Did Teal'c tell you that?" Wordlessly, she nodded, and Jack sighed, resigning himself to a long and private talk with the young boy. "Sam, no matter what you do, you can never do anything to make me want to send you away. I care about you. You, and Danny, and even Teal'c. We're like family, all of us, and family takes care of each other. Do you understand?"
She stared at him, and he could see the emotions on her face, that she wanted to believe. She was thinking, hard. Frowning, she seemed to recall something. Briefly, she looked back down at her lap before meeting his gaze again. "Even if, even if I took apart your X-box?"
He blinked. "You took apart my X-box?" Noticing the fear on her face, he sighed, and hastily reassured her. "Even if you took apart my X-box. You're stuck with me kid." He reached out and ruffled her hair, grinning. She grinned back hesitantly, looking quite rakish with her black eye and swelling nose. Impulsively, he hugged her, smiling when he felt skinny arms circling around his neck.
"I'm sorry about your X-box Colonel Jack," she whispered, her words muffled into his chest.
"Yeah? Well, me too." He received a giggle in reply, and pulled away. "Okay, lets go see if we can find a doctor around here."
As if on cue, the curtain pulled back, and Janet Fraiser stepped into view. "I thought I heard voices! Oh my! What happened?"
"Doc! I was just about to come looking for you! I'd say you should see the other guy, but unfortunately, this one is the other guy." Jack cocked his head towards Sam, who was now staring at her hands and fidgeting again. Janet didn't waste any time in moving in on her small patient. "I can't tell if her nose is broken or not," Jack continued, "I thought I'd better let you check her out. Teal'c is fine, just a split lip and a few bruises."
Janet shot him a look, and turned back to her exploration of Sam's face, and Sam was squirming under her touch. "It's okay sweetie, I just need to check your nose. Try to hold still for me, okay?"
When she was done, she looked up at the Colonel. "I don't think it's broken, I'm more worried about her cheek, but I think we'll get an x-ray in either case just to be safe. I'll give her some Tylenol for any headache and pain and have her keep ice on it tonight for swelling, she's going to have quite a shiner."
Jack look relieved. "Thanks Doc. Listen, how much longer will this take? It's just that I left Danny and Teal'c alone, and well..." He trailed off with a significant look in Sam's direction.
Blinking, Janet understood immediately. "Probably about another half an hour, and I can keep an eye on her longer if you need it. Go. I'd rather not have to treat them too."
"Thanks a million Doc, you're a lifesaver." Jack beamed at her.
"Saving lives. That's what I do." Janet made a few notes in Sam's chart, hiding a smile over Jack's antics. Even at half size, SG-1 still seemed to manage to get in twice as much trouble as usual.
"Sam, you gonna be ok with Doctor Janet?" When Sam nodded, he ruffled her hair again. "You behave, and you do what the Doc tells you to do. And no taking apart anything else."
Raising her eyebrows at the last statement, Doctor Janet Fraiser watched Colonel Jack O'Neill leave, and turned to regard the small child sitting on her infirmary bed, clearly wondering if she should be worried or not.
A/N: Line break created with lyrics from, "As Long As We Got Each Other," the theme from the mid 80's TV series, "Growing Pains." Lyrics by John Bettis, Music by Steve Dorff and the song was sung by B.J. Thomas and Jennifer Warnes.
Chapter 12: Strength of Mind
Arriving outside the children's quarters, Jack was relieved to hear silence. Although he quickly realized that might not be a good thing, because it might just mean they were both either already dead or unconscious. Picking up his pace, he opened the door just in time to witness both boys working together to lift the table, placing it back where it belonged. The dishes and large food items had already been picked up off the floor, and they had done what they could lacking mops, brooms, and other cleaning supplies.
The two stopped what they were doing and looked up at his entrance. Their faces wore identical expressions of worry. Teal'c spoke first. "Where is Samantha? Is she well?"
"Doctor Fraiser doesn't think her nose is broken, but she wants to take an x-ray, a picture of the bones inside, just to be safe. It's going to take a little bit longer, so Sam is going to stay there until she is done." The worried looks turned to relieved ones. Jack decided it would be best to keep them distracted until Sam was back, and maybe get another talk out of the way. "Looks like you guys need some cleaning supplies. Teal'c, why don't you go and wash up, while Danny and I go get some mops and rags?"
Teal'c looked down at his food and blood encrusted clothing and frowned, and Jack had to hide a smile. Even at a young age, Teal'c preferred to remain impeccable. Wordlessly, Teal'c nodded, and went to gather another change of clothing. Daniel followed Jack silently out the door. His clothes were clean, as he'd steered clear of the fighting.
They walked in silence for several minutes, Jack passing by the nearest janitor supply closet in favor of going to one a little further away, in hopes of being able to draw the soft spoken boy out. He was wondering how to broach the subject, when Daniel broached it for him. "Colonel Jack, am I weak?"
Fortunately, his conversation with Sam had prepared him somewhat for the question. "What makes you say that?"
"Because I'm not very strong, and I need a little girl to fight for me, and I can't even see without my glasses, and my allergies make me stuffy and breathe funny. And I really don't like the sight of blood, it makes me feel dizzy when I see it." Daniel scuffed his feet along the floor, his eyes on his sneakers, one hand trailing along the wall. Jack stopped, and Daniel nearly bumped into him.
Kneeling down in front of the boy, Jack made Daniel look at him. "Daniel, how many languages do you know? Four? Five? And you're only nine years old?" At Daniel's confused and hesitant nod, Jack continued. "And how many does Teal'c know? I know for a fact he only knows two, and the one is only for ceremonies. The ones you know you speak fluently, and could talk to a native and be understood. And you can read and write in those languages if I'm not mistaken." Daniel's eyes widened as Jack let that little fact slip out. Jack just grinned. "You may not be strong in a physical sense, but your mind is strong."
Daniel was looking at Jack in surprise, and Jack moved in for the kill. "Now, think of this. You're in a room. The door is sealed; it's the only way out. It's too heavy for anyone to lift. There are words on it, it's a puzzle that tells you how to open the door, only it's in Egyptian. Now how many people do you know could translate that door to open it? All the muscles in the world couldn't open that door, but the strength needed to open that door is right here." Jack reached out a finger and tapped it gently on the side of Daniel's head. Wide blue eyes stared back at him in awe. Rising from his kneeling position, ignoring his protesting knees, Jack laid a hand on Danny's shoulder. "C'mon Danny, let's get some mops and get your room cleaned up. Looks like you'll be there for a little while, and we can't have it looking like a pig sty."
He was rewarded with the smallest of smiles, and they fell into step side by side. Tousled light-brown hair, blue eyes, and a gap toothed grin quickly melting the heart of one gray haired, trick kneed, cynical Air Force officer.
They found Teal'c in a fresh set of clothes, all traces of the fight gone from his body, placing the chairs under the table. Wordlessly, Jack passed out the cleaning supplies, and the three soon had the room in order again. As he was gathering up the supplies to take them back to the closet, Teal'c came to stand in front of him.
"Colonel O'Neill, I must apologize for my behavior. I will suffer any punishment you wish to mete out against me." Teal'c stood, back straight, head high, his hands behind his back, looking so much like the grown up version that again, Jack found himself momentarily speechless.
Jack regarded the youngster standing before him. At eleven years old, he was nowhere near his former impressive height. Thin, and wiry, but there was a hint of muscles, and a strength of character about the child he found endearing. As a child, Teal'c's emotions were much closer to the surface, and he was much more passionate about things. Over time, Jack knew, he would learn to control and hide the emotions, but for now, they more easily controlled his actions. Hence the argument and fight earlier. "Teal'c, we need to talk, but right now, I think we should go check on Sam, and get something to eat, because it looks like you guys didn't do much of that."
Teal'c looked confused, but nodded, reluctant to argue since he'd been the cause of the trouble.
Leaving the cleaning supplies for later, Jack grabbed a clean shirt and pants for Sam and led the two boys to the infirmary, where they found Sam sprawled on a bed, an ice pack pressed to her face and a lollipop in her mouth, giggling over something Doctor Fraiser was saying to her.
Janet turned around at their entrance and smiled. "Just in time, I just got the x-rays." She brandished a large manila folder and pulled the films out, snapping them into the light box behind the bed and switching it on. Sam sat up in interest.
"Is that me?" she asked, dropping her ice pack.
Janet laughed. "Yes, that's you."
"I look funny." Sam made a face.
"Well that's what your bones look like. And I'm pleased to say, no breaks." Janet smiled.
"Does that mean I can leave? Because I'm hungry." Sam looked plaintive.
Laughing, Janet rolled her eyes. "Yes, you can leave." She turned to face Jack. "She's fine, I gave her the Tylenol, and there are another couple doses over there on the counter she can have every four to six hours tonight. Try to have her keep ice on it overnight. See me in the morning if you have any concerns, but you know it will probably look worse before it looks better." Janet passed the ice pack over to the Colonel, as Sam had promptly forgotten it as soon as she'd gotten off the bed to go change.
"Thanks again Doc." Jack picked up the small brown bag as soon as Sam stepped back out in the fresh clothes, then watched as Sam stopped in front of Teal'c, the two regarding each other awkwardly.
"Samantha, I must apologize. I did not mean to harm you." Teal'c's voice was full of remorse as his eyes studied her bruised face, bruises he had caused.
For her part, Sam looked surprised as she looked up at the much larger boy, four years older than her. She broke eye contact, and studied the floor for a moment, scuffing one tennis shoe. Looking back up, she met his eyes with a determined set to her jaw. "Yeah, well I'm sorry for getting in a fight with you, but I'm not sorry I hit you. You can't go around picking on people smaller than you."
Teal'c blinked, surprised at her words. "Indeed."
She shrugged. "It's ok. Just don't do it again. Friends?" She held out her hand. Teal'c stared at it, then slowly, his hand met hers, and she grinned. A second smile slowly warmed Teal'c's features. Then, just as Jack thought the two had let bygones be bygones, Sam leaned in on her toes, up into Teal'c's face. "Just remember, you ever bother Danny again, I'll knock your block off."
Jack waded in before anything else could happen. "Ok, ok. Let's go get something to eat." Sighing, he ushered his three charges from the room, casting a desperate look over his shoulder at Janet, who only gave him a sympathetic smile.
Dinner went without incident, he ended up taking them to the commissary, and Sam's face garnered a bit of curious looks. In typical seven year old fashion, she didn't notice, too busy making masterpieces with her mashed potatoes and mac n' cheese. "Sam, eat your dinner," he admonished her. That succeeded in getting her to eat two more mouthfuls. He remembered Charlie at that age. Daniel was slightly better, but not by much. At least Teal'c felt that mealtime was for eating.
When he'd decided they'd all eaten enough "real" food, he left them for a few minutes, returning to the table against his better judgment, but really he couldn't help himself, with four bowls of soft serve ice cream.
The kids perked up at the sight, the remains of their meals forgotten. Even Teal'c looked interested. Obviously he didn't remember ice cream. He passed the bowls around, and enjoyed the happy silence as the kids enjoyed the treat.
Chapter 13: Finding Strength
Taking the children back to their room, Colonel O'Neill convinced an airman into staying with Daniel and Samantha (who was made to put her ice pack back on) while he took Teal'c for a little walk. Teal'c was worried, but tried to hide it under an impartial mask.
"Relax Teal'c, we're just going for a walk, I thought we'd go outside, see the stars," the man had said. Teal'c had been confused, but followed bravely; perhaps Colonel O'Neill did not wish to mete out his punishment in front of the smaller children. Whatever his coming punishment, he would face it with honor, as a warrior should. He didn't understand why he hadn't been immediately and severely punished for his behavior earlier. He'd been angry earlier, and afraid of being sent away, and had allowed Samantha to goad him into a fight. But he now realized that it was dishonorable to fight with her, she was so much smaller than he, and he could have seriously hurt her. He had been relieved to learn she was fine, because he wasn't sure what he would have done if she hadn't been. Ahead of him, Colonel O'Neill stopped in front of the elevator and pressed the button to summon the car.
"Colonel O'Neill, I feel I must apologize again for my earlier actions, I could have seriously harmed Samantha. That was not my intention." Teal'c tried to meet the man's gaze, but found he was unable to and looked at an area on the wall nearby instead as if studying it. He was startled to feel a strong hand under his chin, forcing his eyes up.
Warm brown eyes gazed deeply into his. "I know," The Colonel said softly, his words only serving to confuse Teal'c further. The elevator pinged, and the doors slid open. "C'mon." A hand on his shoulder pressed him towards the car, giving him no choice but to go. A few minutes later they were on the surface, the air slightly chilly. Teal'c followed the Colonel as he walked down a gravel pathway that eventually led into a small clearing. Plopping down into the grass, Colonel O'Neill leaned against a boulder, patting the ground next to him in open invitation. Never taking his eyes off the man beside him, Teal'c sat down too, somewhat warily, wondering why his punishment was being delayed again. He was used to his punishments being meted out quickly, whether he felt he deserved it or not mattered little, but at least the punishment would be over. He was not sure he liked this Earth method.
For several minutes, Jack looked up at the sky, taken in by the beauty. Teal'c found his eyes drawn to the sky as well. The stars were different than what he was used to. They had told him he was no longer on his world, and he had trusted in that feeling that the man beside him was someone he knew, someone to be trusted, but somehow seeing the sky made it more real.
"They decided to let me choose how much to tell all of you, and when. And I think out of all of you, you are ready for most of it Teal'c." Teal'c tore his eyes from the sky, and turned to find Jack O'Neill studying his face.
"What do you mean? What do you have to tell me?" Realization had started to sink in that this walk was not about punishment, and that Colonel O'Neill had no intention of punishing him. On the contrary, Teal'c had a feeling he was about to learn something profound.
"I know you didn't mean to hurt Sam, because I know what kind of man you were, what kind of man will be again one day." The man snorted at the confused look Teal'c gave him, and looked up at the sky again. "Yeah, I know. Crazy huh? But true. I can show you some pictures later, if you like. But for now, just know that I know you. The four of us, me, you, Carter and Daniel are a team. We explore other worlds through the stargate. There was an accident, and the three of you got changed back into children. We're still working on a way to reverse it. But that's how I know you Teal'c, how I know you didn't mean to hurt Sam, or Danny." He turned back to Teal'c, who was staring at him in shock. "It's a lot to take in isn't it?"
Teal'c blinked. "Indeed." Jack just grinned.
"I knew you'd say that too." He stood up, and held out his hand. "C'mon."
Accepting the hand warily, Teal'c followed the Colonel back into the mountain. Colonel O'Neill led the way to his usual quarters instead of to where the children had been staying. From his nightstand, O'Neill lifted up a framed photo and handed it to the boy. "There, that's SG-1."
Teal'c stared down at the smiling faces in the photo. He picked out Colonel O'Neill right away. A large dark, serious looking man holding a staff weapon stood next to the Colonel that bore a passing resemblance to his father, but Teal'c suddenly knew without a doubt that it had to be himself stood next to O'Neill. A golden tattoo was on the large man's forehead, and his head was bald. Teal'c reflexively touched his own head; his hand lightly traveling over the unfamiliar smooth surface and the raised mark on his forehead. He wasn't sure how he knew it was himself he was looking at, but somehow he knew it, and he again felt that overwhelming feeling of trust that he'd felt when he'd first woken up confused by Daniel and Samantha, Colonel O'Neill sitting across the fire from him and watching him with concern. The changes he'd noticed only confirmed and strengthened the feelings he felt.
On the other side of O'Neill, the man's arm casually strung about her shoulder, her face laughing at some joke, was a blond woman. Her blue eyes were happy. She could have been Samantha's mother, but since they hadn't seen her anywhere, Teal'c knew this likely also meant this woman was the adult version of Samantha, further supporting O'Neill's story. The last man, his arm also around the woman's shoulders from the other side, was clearly recognizable from the glasses he wore as Daniel. Teal'c was surprised to note that the man in the picture appeared strong and muscular. Not as muscular as he himself appeared, but clearly the man took steps to be sure he could defend himself. Teal'c suddenly found himself rethinking his earlier words to the young boy, if this was the man he would one day be. Had once already been, if Colonel O'Neill was telling the truth.
Looking up, Teal'c discovered Colonel O'Neill watching him. He handed the picture back, and watched as the man reverently placed it back on the small nightstand. "Is this what we will become one day?"
The Colonel only sighed, and sat down on the bed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know Teal'c. We were a team once, I don't know what will happen if we can't reverse the transformation. A lot of things had to happen to get us together, and frankly Teal'c, by the time you guys grow up again, I'll be too old for this sort of thing." Teal'c frowned, thinking about this new piece of information. Colonel O'Neill changed tracks. "So. Teal'c. I've heard Danny and Sam's side of the story. What about yours?"
Teal'c was silent for several moments before replying. "I overheard a conversation between you and General Hammond. You were discussing whether or not to send us away to other places because we could not defend ourselves, and I did not wish to be sent away. I attempted to show Daniel that he must learn to defend himself. I realize now I was in error, and I apologize again for my actions."
Staring in confusion, it took a minute for Jack to realize and remember what Teal'c was talking about. "Oh! Teal'c, that's not what we meant." Standing up and pacing a bit, Jack turned back to face Teal'c. "Teal'c, this is a military base. It's not a place for children, and not safe here. We could be attacked, and we can't have small children running around where they might get in the way, caught in the crossfire, or used against us. And no matter how strong you thought you were, you couldn't defend against everything. The General was talking about sending you guys off base to stay with a family, or several families if no one could take all three of you, someone with clearance, until the problem with your ages and memories can be sorted."
"And what decision was reached?" Teal'c tried to hide the nervousness in his voice, but some leaked out anyway. He had come to trust this man, whether instinctively, or something else, and he did not want to go away with someone he was unfamiliar with.
O'Neill smiled. "That I would take you guys to my place. That is, if you three agree." Jack grinned at the look on the boy's face. "What, you think I would let them split you guys up, send you to some stranger's house? No way. SG-1 was a family, and like I told Sam, a family takes care of each other. I'm counting on you Teal'c, you have to help me take care of Danny and Sam, until we can get this all sorted out, okay?"
At Teal'c's solemn nod, Jack thrust his hand out, grinning when the boy solemnly took it in the manner customary to his people, grasping Colonel O'Neill's wrist firmly. Jack reciprocated, familiar with the particular handshake. "Ok, we better get back to the others, and rescue Airman Micheals before it's too late. I think we've left the poor man alone with Danny and Sam long enough don't you think?"
Chapter 14: S'mores and Ghost Stories
Approaching the room, Jack was surprised to find the lights off, and it was only eight thirty. They couldn't be asleep already, could they? A giggle and muffled shriek quickly told him otherwise. Motioning for Teal'c to stay quiet, Jack approached the partially open door silently.
Without warning, he slammed the door wide, flipping on the light switch simultaneously while bellowing, "What's going on in here?!"
He was rewarded with two high pitched shrieks and one very deep yelp from Airman Micheals, as the man leapt out from under the blanket in the corner, revealing the room's three occupants. He scrambled to his feet, and Jack had to laugh at the sight. "Sir, Colonel, sir..." The man stammered in shock.
"At ease Airman. What is going on in here?" This time he repeated his question more softly as he was accosted by two flying bundles of energy.
"Colonel Jack! We've been telling Ghost Stories! And we had S'mores!" Too late, Jack noticed the sticky fingers and chocolate smeared faces as skinny little arms wound around his waist from both sides. Both kids bounced up and down in excitement, and Jack spied the half eaten plate of microwaved S'mores and sighed, realizing the sugar would probably keep them going for several more hours. "Colonel Jack, do you have any Ghost Stories you can tell us?"
Jack looked down into the hopeful faces and couldn't resist. They were too damn cute. "Oh, all right. Teal'c grab another blanket, I bet you've never had S'mores. Sam, where's your ice pack, go get it and come sit by me." He figured that way he could make sure she kept it on most of the time. She returned with it after retrieving it from under the bed. He didn't want to know how it got there. He was pleased to see that it was fairly fresh, despite a few smears of chocolate (it matched Sam's chocolate smeared face), looking like Micheals had at least got more ice to put in it while making a run on S'mores.
Airman Micheals excused himself to return to his other duties, but passed over the flashlight and doused the overhead lights on the way out. Jack pulled the blanket over their heads, and settled in for a night of storytelling, feeling the small body of little Sam Carter pressing up against him on one side, and young Danny on his other. Teal'c sat directly across from him, knees practically touching him, the boy's youthful eyes wide watching the shadows from the flashlight play across his face in fascination as the story unfolded.
Nearly two hours later, the weight against his side told him Sam had fallen asleep, and the yawns and pressure from the other side told him Danny wasn't far behind. Across from him, Teal'c had been caught yawning a few times, and when Jack found himself yawning at a critical point in the latest story, making Danny giggle and Teal'c smile, Jack decided it was time to call it a night. Standing, and stretching carefully so as not to jostle Sam too much, Jack looked down at the sleeping figure and remembered the bag of medicine. Danny still sat where he'd been left, blinking sleepily.
"C'mon Danny, time for bed." Jack prodded the boy into standing, relieved when Teal'c took over leading the younger boy towards the bathroom to get ready for bed. Fortunately, the two younger children had already been dressed in oversized t-shirts in preparation for bed before the start of the storytelling, so that was one less obstacle to deal with. Teal'c glanced back at Sam on the way to the bathroom, but Jack shook his head. "Leave her a minute, I just need to get something first."
Jack made a quick trip to the commissary, and came back with a glass of juice and some more ice for Sam. Then he stopped by the bathroom for another clean washcloth. Gently, he lifted the little girl off the floor, and settled her in her bed. She murmured sleepily, protesting when he sat her up, and used the washcloth for the dual purpose of cleaning her sticky face and hands and waking her up enough to take the Tylenol. "C'mon sleepyhead, you need to take some medicine." He carefully fished the correct dose out of the bag as blue eyes opened to regard him sleepily and somewhat crankily. He grinned at them, and held up the pills. "Here, take these, and you can have some juice and go back to sleep." Her brow furrowed in confusion, and for a moment, she reminded him so much of her grown up self it hurt. Obediently, she opened her mouth, and he popped the chew tabs in.
She made a face as she chewed them. "Yuck."
He just laughed, and held the juice glass to her lips. She drank a few sips, and then her eyes were closing. He gently laid her down and propped the ice pack up against her face where it could do the most good until she moved and knocked it off. He'd come back and check on her later. Then he pulled the blankets up, tucking them in while she snuggled under the covers, and brushed a kiss on her forehead before he realized what he was doing. "Night Sam," he murmured into her hair.
"Night Colonel Jack," came the sleepy reply, and his heart warmed, bringing a soft smile to his lips.
He turned to find Danny already in bed, and moved to remove the boy's glasses, gently ruffling his hair. "Night Danny." Daniel was already fast asleep, and didn't reply.
Straightening, he turned his attention to the top bunk. Teal'c was sitting cross-legged on it. "You ok Teal'c?"
"I am well Colonel O'Neill."
"You going to sleep?" He cocked his head to one side and studied the youngster's face.
"I will." Teal'c shifted on the bed and raised his chin slightly.
"If you need to talk about anything, anything at all, my door's open anytime." At the boy's confused look, Jack explained. "You can talk to me, anytime you need to." The confusion cleared, and Teal'c nodded. Jack reached up and patted Teal'c on the knee. "Try not to stay up all night, it's been a long day, and you need rest too. Remember what we talked about, watching over each other. I'm counting on you, and they're counting on you too, they just don't know it right now. But don't forget, you can always count on me, ok?" Teal'c nodded, and smiled. "Good night Teal'c."
"Good night Colonel O'Neill."
Jack left the kids' room then, entering his own adjoining room, but left the door cracked open, in case any of the kids needed anything. He lay awake staring at the ceiling for some time, wondering how he would manage if they couldn't get them back the way they were supposed to be. That, and he realized with a pang, how much he missed his teammates already.
Waking several times during the night, Jack was pleased to note that the children all slept. He refreshed Sam's ice pack, replacing it on her face each time, and waking her once more for more Tylenol. The bruising would be interesting, and he hoped it would have a chance to fade before the Tok'ra, and likely her father Jacob, chose to show up.
Chapter 15: Choosing Your Family
Morning greeted him with the sound of the television next door and he padded over to find Danny and Teal'c sitting on the floor watching the morning cartoons. Danny captivated, and Teal'c in open curiosity. Sam was still in bed, the covers drawn up over her head. Deciding the boys were absorbed in the television, he ducked into the bathroom for a quick wash and change, then after another quick peek to ensure the three kids hadn't moved, he went to the commissary for breakfast for all of them.
He was back in a few minutes carrying a tray with four bowls, spoons, several small cartons of milk and a choice of small boxes of cereals, ones that didn't have too much sugar in them. He'd even forgone his usual Fruit Loops. The last thing he needed was more fistfights.
Deciding there was no harm in letting them eat right there in front of the TV, he set the tray in front of them. They barely took their eyes off the screen as they helped themselves to the food. Jack shook his head, and turned his attention to the youngest.
Pulling the covers down to reveal her head, he called to her softly. "Hey Sam. C'mon sweetie, time to wake up, breakfast is ready. You don't want Teal'c and Danny to eat everything do you? Sam?" The pillow moved, only to be drawn over the seven year olds head. Jack grinned, sitting on the edge of the bed, and tugged at the covers, revealing the curled up ball that was the childish body of his 2IC. Some things never changed, and although as an adult she tended to sleep lighter, she still favored the curled up on her side position most of all. Apparently, it was a habit cultured since childhood. He pulled the pillow up and peered underneath, bouncing up and down on the bed at the same time. "S-a-a-a-a-m? Time to wakey wakey!" he called a bit more exuberantly.
She tugged the pillow back and tried to roll over, curling into a tighter ball, "G'way," he heard, although the words were muffled.
His grin widened, and he snatched the pillow away, keeping up his bouncing. She whined, her arms coming up in a stretch over her head, but not before he caught the traces of a faint smile under the bruises from the previous day. He realized that little Sam was difficult to wake up, but was also playing with him. This called for more drastic measures.
Jack stopped bouncing. "It's too bad Sam doesn't want to get up." He sighed dramatically. "Because now I'm going to have to tickle her!" Without warning, his hands snaked up under the T-shirt she was wearing, finding her ribs and stomach. Within seconds, she was squealing and giggling, writhing on the bed, her small hands vainly trying to push his away. He gave her no mercy, lightly tracing ribs, digging under her arms, going after her feet, trying behind her knees and neck, seeking out all the potential ticklish spots, and discovering that she had quite a few. Finally, he decided she'd had enough, but by that point she was nothing but a giggling, panting pile of mush half sprawled across his lap, clothes rumpled, hair tousled, cheeks rosy.
She smiled up at him, and abruptly sat up, her arms wrapping around his neck. Before he knew what she was doing she had planted a wet kiss on his cheek and scampered off the bed, plopping down between the two boys, and helping herself to the cereal. Jack sat staring at her, wondering what the hell had just happened and suddenly knowing he was in love. Not in a romantic sense, but truly in love with these kids. Without a doubt, he knew he'd die for them, and any doubts he'd had the day before about his decision had melted away. He would do whatever was necessary to make sure these three didn't get split up and sent away, because he'd be caring for them himself until such time a solution was found, no matter how long that took. And if a solution was never found, well, he'd deal with that too.
Jack stood up from the bed, and moved to join the kids in front of the TV, pouring his own bowl of cereal, sorely missing his Fruit Loops, but telling himself it was for the greater good. He'd have to remember to pay attention to the sugar content of things from now on, because he didn't think this little group needed a whole lot of sugar, and he knew they'd be exposed to plenty of occasions outside of his own control where they'd get it. But at least he could limit it in his own home. He sighed. There would be a lot of things changing.
At the next commercial break, Jack grabbed the remote and muted the set, catching the kids' attention. Three sets of eyes turned to look at him. He cleared his throat. "So. How would you guys like to come and stay with me for a little while?"
"All of us?" asked Daniel.
"All of you," confirmed Jack.
"What about my Mom?" Sam looked worried.
Closing his eyes briefly, Jack wished for a way to make it better. "I'm sorry Sam, your Mom still can't be here right now, and your Dad is still away on a mission."
"Okay," she answered, subdued. Danny moved a little closer to her, and Jack didn't miss the move.
"I would be most grateful to stay with you Colonel O'Neill," said Teal'c, nodding solemnly. At Teal'c's agreement, the others added their own affirmatives.
Jack smiled. "Ok, it's settled then. I'll tell General Hammond. It will be another day or two, because I haven't had kids at my place for a long time, and we're going to need a few things. We're going to have to do a little shopping ok?"
The kids all nodded and Danny piped up with a question, "Will we have our own rooms?"
"Well, I only have two extra bedrooms, so you and Teal'c will have to share the bigger room if that's ok, and Sam can have the smaller one." Mentally reviewing the furniture in the two rooms, he decided that the full sized bed in the smaller room would do fine, but the large queen sized bed would have to go in the other. He'd let the two boys pick out the beds they wanted. He was leaning on bunk beds that could be stacked or left separately. Since the boys were getting new furniture, he'd probably have to let Sam get something too, and since that room was rather sparse it wouldn't hurt to let her pick out a little desk or something. And they'd all need some bedding. He frowned. He'd have to see if there was a spending account for this sort of thing, he thought there was.
Danny and Teal'c had looked at each other at the mention they'd be sharing a room. The two had been wary around each other since the other day, but had seemed to reach some sort of unspoken agreement. Wordlessly, they looked at each other, and then back to him before nodding, and all three faces had perked up at the prospect of leaving the base to go shopping.
Several hours later the kids had all had showers and changed into clean sets of donated clothing. Jack had given his decision to General Hammond, and the General had started the paperwork, giving him leave to deal with the new family situation effective immediately. He'd also supplied Jack with a credit card to finance things absolutely necessary, since the children were technically "wards of the state," and secret ones at that. Paperwork was filed to initiate the process of granting Jack guardianship status and a cover story was created for the three children. They decided to make the story simple, and make all three kids foster kids, with Jack the foster parent. It would explain their different last names, and their different appearances, despite the fact that it wasn't typical for a single parent to be a foster care provider. If questioned too closely, he could say there were extenuating circumstances that prompted the children to be placed in his care.
Now he just had to explain it to the kids. Gathering them around, he sat on the bed, and Sam curled into his side, Danny sitting on the floor and Teal'c choosing to stand in front of him. Taking a deep breath, he started. "Ok, you guys remember that big ring? The one we all came through that was like a roller coaster ride?" The kids all nodded, eyes wide. "Well, it's called the Stargate, and it's a secret, and so is this place, not this base, but down here, where the Stargate is. You guys know what a secret is right?"
"That's when you know something, and you can't tell anybody else," said Sam.
"That's exactly right." Jack squeezed his arm around Sam's shoulders, and she smiled at him, pleased with the praise. "So," he continued, "The Stargate is our secret, and we can't tell anybody..."
"Why?" interrupted Daniel.
Jack blinked. It was a good question actually, and he really couldn't tell them the real answer, that the world wasn't ready to face the fear of possible alien invasion and being enslaved by false gods. Nope, that wouldn't fly. He'd have to think of a different reason. "Because," he said slowly, "They'd all want to ride on our Stargate, and it's really not big enough. Then we'd never be able to go on it." He watched in satisfaction as realization dawned on all their faces and they nodded. Sharing was something they all understood.
"But why don't you just build another Stargate?" asked Sam with the perfect logic of seven years old. She was too smart already.
Jack thought fast. "Because you need really big magnets to make one, and we only had enough to make one Stargate. That's why." Teal'c was staring at him skeptically, but the other two were nodding in understanding. He decided it was better to change the subject. "Ok, while we're on the subject of secrets, we have another secret we need to talk about. When people ask where you kids are from and why you are staying with me, Teal'c, people don't know about you, ok?" Teal'c nodded, and so did the other kids, who didn't understand what Jack was talking about. "Danny and Sam, you guys are easier to explain, and the story for why all three of you coming to live with me is that you are all in foster care, and I'm going to be your foster parent for a little while." He received nods from Sam and Teal'c and a vague shrug from Daniel. Foster care was nothing new to Daniel. Deciding they'd probably have to work on it a little over the next few days, he stood up, pulling Sam to her feet in the process. "Ok guys, we ready for some shopping?" At the exuberant cheers, he led the way off base.
Chapter 16: New Shoes
He'd planned ahead, and borrowed an SUV from base, deciding it would be better than cramming the kids all in his truck. While his truck had the jump seats in the back, he'd feel better with Sam and Daniel riding in full seats. Teal'c was old enough to ride in the front seat, and the young boy sat staring out the window, the baseball cap Jack had given him pulled low over his forehead, concealing his eyes. It was an odd sensation, having small feet occasionally kicking the back of his seat as he drove, and he kept catching glimpses of the tops of the blond and brown heads in the rearview mirror. It was rather disconcerting, to say the least, since he was generally used to two adult sized passengers back there, and a larger than adult sized one in the front.
Pulling up outside the mall, Jack made the first stop a discount children's shoe store, deciding that they had a lot of purchases to make and he might as well make the dollar stretch. They had received quite a few donations in the last few weeks as word of SG-1's predicament had gotten around the SGC. Toys, games, and clothing had filtered in. But most of it was second hand, although the shoes the kids were wearing had been bought new, having been sized off of paper cut outs. They were cheap thin-soled ones however, having been bought in a rush, so the kids would have something to wear that first day back. No one had bothered getting them anything else since. He'd noticed the night before that each child had a few red marks on their feet from where the shoes had been rubbing or pinching in the wrong places. He wanted to correct that first with properly fitting shoes before he had them trooping all over creation today.
Within a few minutes of entering the store, the three kids in tow, a sales lady approached them, smiling. "Can I help you?"
"Sneakers for all three of these." Jack motioned to his group with one hand, the other firmly attached to the back of Sam's shirt, to prevent her from running off and trying to examine a pair of light up tennis shoes. Obviously, they hadn't had those the first time she'd been a kid. Teal'c was rooted to the spot, staring in wide-eyed amazement at the displays of shoes. Obviously he'd never seen such a place. Daniel had plopped into the nearest chair, looking bored already. Steering Sam to a nearby chair, he picked up the shoe that had captivated her. "This one, in her size?" He handed Sam the shoe to distract her, then led Teal'c over to the display.
"Okay Teal'c, you see anything here that you like?" Teal'c studied the rows of shoes, and looked back at him.
"I do not understand how you can possibly choose from so many?" The boy's eyes were wide.
"Well, you can pick out a color you like, or a style. And of course, you may not like how it fits when you try it on, so pick out more than one in case it doesn't feel comfortable on your feet. You are going to have to wear them for a while, so it's very important that they feel good when you put them on." Jack reached out and picked up a white shoe with black highlights, hefting it slightly. The shoe was nicely contoured, and had an interesting tread design. "See, this one is lightweight, and feels like it has good support inside. Just pick them up, get a good look at them, and when you think you have one or two you would like to try on, let me or the saleslady know, and she can bring you a pair to try on, okay?" Teal'c nodded, accepting the shoe from Jack's hand, studying it, his eyes returning to the display rack. Jack left him to work on the last problem, noting absently that the saleswoman had finished measuring Sam's feet and had gone to get the shoe. Sam was sitting and playing, mesmerized by the light up shoe, so Jack decided she was safe for the moment.
Kneeling in front of Daniel, Jack placed a hand on his knee. "So, Danny, don't you want to pick out your new shoes?"
Daniel looked at him in confusion. "Aren't you just going to pick them out for me? That's what everyone else does." He scowled down at the ugly shoes he was wearing.
"Is that what usually happens?" Jack's eyebrows knitted together in concern at this lack of independence.
The little boy was silent a moment. "Well, no," he admitted finally. "Not all the families I was with. Some of them let me do stuff. The last place I liked a lot. Carrie and James were really nice. But they're gone now I guess, won't be going back there. But that's ok, I'm used to it now."
Jack's heart ached at that moment for the boy in front of him, who had likely been shuttled from foster home to foster home countless times in his short memory already, looking for a place to be loved. Jack wanted nothing more than to gather him into his arms for a hug, but Daniel had proved to be reluctant with physical affection and hugs, unlike Sam, who craved the contact. Instead, he contented himself with patting the boy's knee. "Well today Daniel, you get to pick out your own sneakers. Whatever you want. Within reason of course."
Danny's face brightened. "Really?" he asked hesitantly.
"Really. Why don't you go over there with Teal'c, and see if you like something." Jack grinned as the young boy jumped up and ran over to where Teal'c was still studying and comparing the shoes. Shaking his head, he watched as the two put their heads together, talking about something. Groaning he pulled himself off the floor and into the chair Daniel had just vacated, in time to witness the return of the sales clerk with two different sizes of the light up shoe for Sam, who was eagerly bouncing in her seat. Jack watched in amusement while the woman distracted Sam with stories and questions while she laced up the shoes, then somehow got the squirming child to hold still while she got the first pair on her feet. Sam jumped up, letting out a delighted squeal when the shoes twinkled, the red lights blinking as the pressure from her steps turned the lights off and on.
"Come over here Sam, let me see how they fit," ordered Jack, and Sam obeyed, with a little hop and a skip, eyes on the back of her heels to watch the lights. He shook his head, exchanging a grin with the sales clerk over Sam's shoulder as he leaned down, carefully feeling her toes. There was a bit of wiggle room, space for growing although he hoped she wouldn't need these shoes all that long to be growing in them. Still, it never hurt to plan for the worst-case scenario. "Sam, look at me." Reluctantly, the little girl tore her eyes off her new shoes. "Do they hurt or feel tight anywhere? Does it pinch you anyplace like the last ones? Any rubbing?" When Sam shook her head no to each question, Jack smiled, and ruffled her hair. "Ok, looks like you can keep them then." Sam cheered, and threw her arms around his neck, gifting him with another sloppy kiss, before bouncing off to play on the ramp set up in the store, stomping every other step to set off her little blinking lights. Jack rolled his eyes, wondering what he was getting into.
"One down," he told the clerk, and looked up to find Danny and Teal'c standing there, Daniel holding a single shoe. Teal'c was empty-handed. Jack raised an eyebrow.
"We want this one," Daniel's chin was lifted determinedly as he spoke for the two of them.
The eyebrow rose further. "Both of you?" The two boys nodded. Jack blinked. He hadn't expected that. Not that he minded, but still, it was rather unexpected given their performance the day before. "Ok." The two boys looked relieved. The clerk set about measuring their feet, and in no time, the two were decked out in identical pairs of shoes, wearing nearly identical grins, and Jack realized the two had found a brother in each other. Eyes suddenly moist, he blinked rapidly, covering his loss of composure in collecting Sam and getting their purchases rung up, their old shoes packed in the new shoe boxes, the kids wore their new shoes proudly out into the mall.
Chapter 17: Pizza and Potty Breaks
Deciding it had been a long time since breakfast, Jack spotted the food court up ahead. "So who's hungry for some lunch?"
"Pizza!" came the simultaneous cries from Sam and Daniel, who giggled and shared grins when they realized they had spoken together.
Teal'c looked confused. "What is pizza?"
"You don't know what pizza is? What, are you from another planet?" Sam was incredulous.
Jack stepped in before Teal'c could answer. Sam's question was a little too close to home. "I guess we'll just have to have pizza then won't we?"
"Yay!" Sam and Daniel had spotted the food court and had each grabbed one of his arms, pulling him along faster. Trusting Teal'c to follow, Jack went along. Spotting the pizza place, the two American born kids led the way, and Jack ordered them a large cheese pizza, deciding that it was probably the safest. He knew what they all liked as adults, but as kids, he didn't want to find out they were all picky eaters with extremely different tastes and eating habits. He ordered milk to drink, forgoing soda, wanting again to avoid the sugar and caffeine in the soft drinks since they had a long day, and they'd be cranky enough by the end of it without the addition of the chemicals.
As soon as they had their pie, Jack led them to an empty table, grabbing a big handful of napkins and several plates. Getting the kids to settle was a different story, but eventually he had them all sitting down, a piece of pizza in front of each one. And watching them eat, he was now glad he'd gone with the plain pizza.
Sam was dissecting her slice with scientific precision. She'd taken all of the cheese off, and put it in a little pile. Then she'd pulled the crust off, and moved it to the very edge of the plate. She was now licking the sauce off the remaining part, and getting a good bit of the sauce on her hands and face. Jack sighed, and turned his attention to Daniel.
Danny had done something similar, only the boy had eaten his cheese first, rather than leaving it in a pile on his plate. He was now nibbling through the pizza crust with the same attention his grown up self paid some of his artifacts. While he had some sauce on his face, due to the fact he was nibbling into the center of the slice, it was at least nowhere near the extent of the mess Sam was making.
Across from him sat Teal'c, staring in consternation at Sam and Daniel, clearly confused as to what to do with his own uneaten slice of pizza. Jack coughed, catching the boy's attention. Pointedly, Jack picked up his slice of pizza and bit into it the right way, nodding in satisfaction when Teal'c mimicked his actions and smiled after his first bite, clearly enjoying the taste and sensations of his first taste of pizza. At least the first bite that he could remember.
"More please." He looked up to find Sam holding up her plate, empty except for the very edge of the pizza crust, which she'd even nibbled out. She'd also eaten her cheese, although why she had to disassemble the poor slice first he had no clue, but then again, she seemed to like taking things apart.
"Me too please." Danny also held up his plate, he'd eaten his entire slice, crust and all.
Jack handed them napkins. "Wipe up first." They did as instructed. It helped some, although there was still an orange stain on faces and fingers. He took their plates and put another slice of pizza on each, watching in amusement as Sam disassembled hers again, and Daniel repeated his analysis process. Jack focused back on his own meal before there wouldn't be any more pizza left.
Before long, they were done, trash cleared away, and Jack had wet some napkins from the fountain to do a slightly better job and Sam and Danny's faces. They weren't happy with it, but he refused to go a step further until he had their faces and hands clean. After the clean up, Sam started squirming. "Colonel Jack, I have to go."
Jack was confused. "Go, go where? We have a lot of places to go."
Her squirming became more urgent. "No. Go. To the bathroom."
Realization dawned and his mouth opened in a small O. "Oh. The bathroom. Right. Yeah, ok." Rapidly, he tried to think, as he led her and the rest of the kids towards the sign that marked the public restrooms. Off world, as the only female member of the team it had never been a problem because he'd always known she could take care of herself. But now she was just a kid. He pulled her towards the rest room, surprised when she resisted.
"Colonel Jack, that's the boy's room, I can't go in there. I have to go in here." She pointed across to the ladies' room, still doing the urgent squirming potty dance inherent in all small children.
"I don't know if you're old enough to go by yourself Sam..." Jack frowned, still standing in front of the men's room. He was worried about letting her out of his sight, even for a minute. The stuff you heard on the news these days, about sexual predators and what not. And then there were all the other people that might be after his little group, like the NID for starters.
"I can do it. I really gotta go." By now, her legs were crossed and one of her hands had crept down lower. She was practically bouncing up and down in urgency.
Just then, a woman holding a baby in one arm and a toddler by the other hand walked up to him sensing his dilemma. "I'm just going in there myself, I can keep an eye on her if you like." She smiled, bouncing the baby in her arm.
"Please Colonel Jack, I gotta go now!"
"Well... Ok," he agreed reluctantly. "Don't forget to wash your hands!" he called after her as she ran into the room. The woman who had offered to keep an eye on his bundle of energy sent a knowing look over her shoulder before following Sam.
"Teal'c, why don't you take Danny and use the bathroom now? No telling when we might be able to stop again." Teal'c nodded, pulling the younger boy into the restroom. Jack trusted Teal'c to keep an eye on Danny, knowing that Teal'c was a lot more mature than an American child of the same age. Jack decided to forgo going to the bathroom himself, knowing if he limited his fluid intake, he could outlast this shopping expedition a lot longer than his now smaller counterparts.
As soon as the pit stop was over, he steered them off to the furniture store. Teal'c was absolutely fascinated by the mall, and Jack was amused by the open amazement on the young boy's face. As a full-grown man, Teal'c had shown wonderment at the many things on Earth, but it was nothing compared to the emotional display he was treated to now. Fortunately, Teal'c's amazement was taken for excitement and most people just smiled at the group as they passed by, especially since Sam was back to skipping or stomping every other step to set her new shoes off, grinning like a fool, and Daniel was still high over the thrill of being able to pick out something for himself rather than having it handed to him without choice.
Entering the store, Jack headed to the bedding displays, and showed the two boys the different choices that were available to them. Then before Sam had very long to pout that she wasn't getting a new bed too, he pulled her to the bedroom sets and told her to pick out a new desk and dresser. The kids occupied, Jack chose a location where he could make sure all three stayed out of trouble. A sales clerk approached just as the three kids came back to him indicating they'd all found things they wanted. He went with Sam first, seeing she'd picked out a plain white dresser that had a shooting yellow star painted on the top drawer and blue round knobs. The desk matched, with the same painted star on the top of the desk.
"Please Colonel Jack?" He checked the price tag and nodded, relieved that the sturdy little desk and dresser wouldn't cost too much; in fact, it was less than he'd intended to spend. He nodded to the clerk, and then followed the boys, who went to stand by their selection.
Jack checked the price tag first, and finding it reasonable, he checked their choice over. It was a nice looking set of beds. They'd gone for the bunk beds like he'd hoped, rather than two separate beds. The bottom bed stood at an angle to the top bunk, so that there was space for a bookshelf underneath. And under the bottom bed were two wheeled trays, for storing more things. It was made of solid pine; the ladder was sturdy and strong. The beds could be left stacked or put separately. It even came with two matching dressers. It looked like the boys had chosen well. He smiled at them. "Ok, we'll get it." The boys grinned, and the clerk left to fill out the sales slip and make delivery arrangements for the next day.
Chapter 18: I Saw Your Underwear
Leaving the furniture store, he decided he could pick out the mattresses himself later, without the kids. So he loaded the kids in the SUV and drove them to the last stop, Target. Grabbing a cart, he grabbed Sam by the back of the shirt again before she could run off, briefly wondering how she'd survived childhood, and headed into the store. First he hit the clothing department. The boys' section was first, and while they'd been donated lots of hand me downs, there was nothing like having at least a few new pairs of clothes that were all your very own. And so he made sure each boy had gotten a few pairs of pants, jeans, shirts, and t-shirts. Next, he added socks and underwear once he'd figured out what sizes they were wearing from the things they'd successfully tried on. Warm jackets were a must too, it was October and already the air was cold. He made sure they had one semi nice outfit apiece as well too, just in case.
The boys decked out with several brand new outfits each, Sam was next. She wrinkled her nose up at anything pink, frilly, or containing bows. She seemed to prefer blues or greens. Jeans and t-shirts were easy enough. Finding something less casual proved problematic however, as she wanted nothing to do with the dresses.
"Those are for girls," she told him, her voice laced with scorn.
"But you are a girl," he answered exasperated, holding up the latest in a long line of rejected dresses. She only looked at him with an expression that clearly said he didn't get it.
Desperately, Jack searched the rack for something, anything that Sam might consent to, his eyes finally coming to rest on a soft loose denim skirt that would look cute with any of the brightly colored t-shirts she'd picked out earlier, or a blouse or shirt for a dressier look. Grabbing it, he held it up, expecting her to say no.
"Ok." He started to put the thing back when he turned to face her in disbelief.
"You'll wear it?" The skirt hovered over the cart.
"Yeah. Can we go now?" Sam was busy trying to do a tightrope walker's impersonation on the grout lines in the tiles.
Tossing the skirt into the cart before she could change her mind, Jack dragged her to the underwear aisle, Danny protesting loudly that he couldn't go in there. Jack finally told him to stay by the cart with Teal'c, leaving it where he could see it. Sam rolled her eyes, and studied the underwear, selecting a packet of pink flowery panties. Jack frowned. "I thought you didn't like pink."
Sam shrugged. "I like flowers." She dropped her choice in the cart, elbowing Daniel when he started to singsong a little tune about seeing London, France and Sammy's underpants.
Sensing an imminent fight brewing, when Daniel opened his mouth to protest, Jack hastily moved in pushing the cart and interposing his body in between the two. With one hand he had a firm hold on the back of Sam's neck, propelling her towards the girls jackets. He really didn't think that Daniel needed a set of bruises to match the set on Sam's face, and he had no doubt who would win this battle.
A jacket picked out and in the cart, Jack spied something on a table that caught his interest. Picking it up, he grinned. Grabbing something from a nearby table, he held the two items up for the kids to see. "What do you think?" Blank stares met his. "Like what I wear at work?" Realization dawned, and exuberant nods were made. Jack found three pairs of the green cargo pants, and three black long sleeved t-shirts in the right sizes. And then he spotted another rack with long sleeved button down shirts in the right shade of olive drab green. He got three in the right sizes and added them. He really couldn't justify three sets of new shoes, but the kids new tennis shoes were all mostly black and white, although he doubted he could convince Sam to wear anything but her light up ones anyway. As he was leaving the clothing department he spotted one more thing, and added several green baseball and boonie style hats to the cart. He'd let the kids pick out which ones they preferred, since he remembered that Sam had worn both styles, while he'd never seen Daniel in the baseball kind, but as a child he might like a different sort.
Next, he took them to the bedding, and had them choose linens for their beds. Sam promptly fell in love with a star pattern, and refused to look at anything else. She also found a package of glow in the dark stars; the kind that sticks to the ceiling, and all but begged him for them. Sighing, he gave in. She was hard to resist.
Daniel and Teal'c picked out a set that had a reversible comforter, they explained it was so that they could change it if they got tired of it, or if one of them liked the one color more than the other, each could have their own. Jack couldn't argue with the choice, and the colors were a nice blue, red, and green plaid, which would work just fine with the off white color of the walls in the room just like Sam's so there was no problem. On impulse, Jack added the matching curtains and a few accessories for each of the sets without the kids noticing.
The essentials all taken care of, and the kids had been surprisingly well behaved, other than a few little squabbles. So Jack decided they deserved a little reward, and he also wanted them to have a few things they'd picked out for themselves. Besides, he felt entertainment was essential for a kid, and again, they'd been given a lot of hand me downs, but it was nicer to have brand new things that no one else had ever had before, things that you really wanted.
First, he took them up to the book department. He'd rather go to a real bookstore, but they didn't really have time for that today, so the small department would have to do. He told them to each pick out two books. Jack was mildly surprised to see them whispering and consulting over several books, showing each other things and putting others back. He wondered what they were up to, but it didn't look like trouble so he left them to it. Eventually, they came to him, each one carrying their selections. Jack checked them as they were placed in the cart, realizing what they'd been up to.
Each had one of the first three Harry Potter books; they'd obviously decided to share them. And then they had made an individual selection, which made Jack smile. Sam had chosen a book on astronomy and the planets. Daniel had a book about ancient Egypt. Teal'c had chosen a book about medieval history and weapons.
He led them to the movie section next. Sam immediately decided she had to have Lion King and Toy Story. Daniel wanted Pirates of the Caribbean and The Goonies. Teal'c couldn't decide, and Jack finally picked up Star Wars. "Here, I think you'll like these."
There was only one last stop. He gave the kids a price limit and let them loose in the toy department, hoping he wouldn't regret it. The kids wandered up and down the aisles, looking at the toys. He wondered what they made of it. Teal'c had never seen such things he was sure, and toys had changed in the years since he, Sam, and Daniel had been a child. He tried to remember what it had been like going to the toy store when he was small, but couldn't really remember, aside from things being a lot less electronic.
Curious, he watched as the three kids again congregated, their heads together. He wondered if he should be concerned about them working together so much. Although in a way, it was reassuring that they were working as a team, even though they didn't realize it anymore. It supported his growing feeling that their memories were all still there, just buried. And it helped explain why they trusted him so much. He'd have to suggest it to Dr. Fraiser and see what she thought. If their memories were there, then there might be a way to access them.
He dragged his mind back to the present situation, as the kids approached with three flat boxes, which Jack immediately recognized as Lego sets. He smiled again as he saw their selections. Sam had a space shuttle. Daniel had a pyramid. And Teal'c had some sort of fortress. Jack wondered if there were any more of the little bricks in the donated supplies. They hadn't had much time to sort through more than the essentials. He checked the price on the sets, and found them to be just under the mark he'd set. Pleased, he nodded his approval, and the kids grinned. "You should probably wait to play with those until we get to my house though, ok? Since you'd just have to take them all apart tomorrow night." The kids nodded reluctantly.
As they were leaving the toy department, Jack spotted the board games. Pausing, he picked up a few, grabbing Monopoly Jr., checkers, UNO, and a few puzzles. He had a chess set at home, and he wondered if Sam and Danny knew how to play yet. The kids just grinned, happy to be getting things they didn't have to ask for.
They checked out and loaded up the truck. Jack checked his watch. It was only 4 pm; they'd made good time, and gotten a lot done. The kids were still full of energy too, and he didn't really want to bring them back to the base yet, where they'd likely get cranky, confined to their rooms. So he decided to keep them out a bit longer. "Hey guys, want to go see a movie?"
Chapter 19: Let's Go to the Movies!
Sam and Danny cheered at the idea of going to a movie. Teal'c looked confused. "Did we not just purchase movies Colonel O'Neill?"
"We did, but this is different, you'll like this. Now, how about we call up Doctor Janet, she should be getting off work soon. She has a daughter that's a bit older than all of you that you haven't met yet. You'll like her, her name's Cassie. I bet they'd like to come too." The kids agreed, and Jack pulled out his cell phone, dialing Janet. He was eager to discuss his new theory of the kids' behavior, and besides, it wouldn't hurt for the kids to hang out with Cassie. Janet agreed readily to the outing and promised to prepare Cassie for the change in her friends, and to meet them at the movie theatre in a half an hour.
Heading back to the mall, Jack bought tickets for all of them, forgetting that now tickets would be cheaper. Of course, they were now seeing a Disney movie, rather than the latest testosterone blow up everything bodies everywhere flick he really wanted to see. But you couldn't have everything. Sam was standing on the bench and spotted Janet first.
"There she is, there's Doctor Janet! Doctor Janet! Over here!" Sam jumped off the bench before Jack could say anything or grab her and ran towards the door, disappearing from sight. Jack jumped to his feet, heart stopped in momentary panic that Sam had run off yet again, relieved to see her blond head not far away. The little girl had her arms wrapped around the waist of the short red head that had barely entered the theatre.
Sam was bouncing up and down excitedly as Janet spotted Jack's wave and started making her way across the lobby. "Look, Doctor Janet, I got new shoes, aren't they cool? And I got a new desk. It's got a star on it. And a dresser too. And Danny and Teal'c got a new bed. And we got new clothes. And Lego. And books. And we had pizza. And I have stars to put on the ceiling that glow in the dark. And Danny made fun of my underwear, but he had to get underwear too. And we're gonna go see a movie, are you gonna come see it with us? We bought movies too. Tomorrow we're going to Colonel Jack's house. I bet Colonel Jack's house is cool." Sam kept up a steady stream of chatter as Janet made her way over to where the Colonel was standing. Cassie followed, looking overwhelmed, but slightly charmed by the little girl. Little Sam was hard to resist.
"Colonel, what did you feed her today?" Janet raised her eyebrows and cocked her head at the little girl that was still bouncing and chattering when she finally reached Jack's side.
Jack shrugged, and handed her their tickets for the movie. "Just two slices of pizza and a carton of milk. Trust me, after that little tussle yesterday; I've been keeping all of them away from the sweets and caffeine."
Janet looked skeptical, then shrugged. "Hmph. Well, I guess she's just excited." She turned, and drew her adopted daughter forward. "Cassie, let me introduce you to Danny, Teal'c, and the little chatterbox there is Sam."
Cassie smiled shyly at the children, as each one greeted her in turn. Danny with a shy "Hi", Teal'c with a solemn bow of his head, and Sam, when she finally wound down and realized that Cassie was new, bounded over with a grin, shaking Cassie's hand.
"Hi, I'm Sam. I'm seven. I'm going to be an astronaut." Sam then turned her attention to Jack. "Colonel Jack, can we have popcorn, please?"
Jack laughed at Sam's wheedling tone, and found himself giving in. As he walked to the counter to buy popcorn, he heard Cassie whispering to Janet, "They're so cute!" and couldn't help but grin. They sure were cute! And damn expensive too!
They sat down for their movie, Sam insisting on sitting next to him, and Cassie ending up on Sam's other side. Sam didn't seem to mind. Janet sat next to Cassie, and Daniel sat on Jack's other side, with Teal'c on the end next to Daniel. The movie started, and nothing major happened during the show, although he occasionally heard Sam whisper things to Cassie, and Cassie whisper back, but since the theatre wasn't crowded, the whispers weren't bothering anyone, so he let it slide.
After the movie, Sam announced she had to use the restroom again, and Jack was relieved that both Janet and Cassie were there, Cassie immediately volunteering to take the little girl to the bathroom. Jack took Daniel and Teal'c, finally feeling the need to answer the call himself.
They met in the lobby, and the four youngsters congregated around some of the arcade machines after plying Jack for some loose change. Jack took the opportunity to explain his observations of the kids' behavior, and Janet looked thoughtful.
When the kids were out of change, they decided to go to a nearby Friendly's for dinner, which actually happened to be in the mall, so they walked over to it. The two youngest kids bounced ahead, and Jack had to call them back several times. The restaurant wasn't very busy on the weeknight, and so they got a table fairly quickly. He got two kids' menus and adult's menus for Teal'c and the rest of them.
Sam took forever to make up her mind over what she wanted, but fortunately, the waitress had more patience than he did. The waitress left paper placemats for the younger three and a basket of crayons after taking their orders and the kids started coloring. Jack reached across and doodled a figure on Sam's placemat, making her giggle. Not to be outdone, Janet drew something on Daniel's. Teal'c had been reluctant to color, but had started to do so at the adult's urging, and at the new game, Cassie leaned over and started drawing on Teal'c's placemat as well. When the waitress returned with their drinks, she smiled and came back with a few more placemats, since she'd only given them to the three younger children, and there weren't enough to go around. Soon everyone had their own masterpiece in the works, and there was a lot of giggling and sharing going on, most especially among the youngest, who often swapped and completed each other's drawings without speaking.
Jack caught Janet's eye, and she nodded, noticing too. She didn't know what to make of it yet, but it was definitely worth watching. Jack returned the nod, satisfied, and turned back to his creation of a large purple dog.
Dinner was uneventful, although their earlier eating habits continued. Sam disassembled her sandwich, eating each piece separately. Daniel was using a fork this time, but he still analyzed each bite as if he was studying it for secrets, and often preferred to dig into his food as if he was unearthing something. Teal'c ate his food with single-minded determination as if eating as much food as fast as possible would somehow make him grow faster. In fact, it was almost as if he were approaching his food as if it were an opponent on the battlefield. Jack frowned, and wondered if he should mention his observations on the kids' eating habits to Janet as well. Then he noticed the Doctor watching the kids eat, and realized she had noticed too. He turned his attention back to his own meal.
Since the kids hadn't had any sweets all day, he felt safe in letting them have dessert. They cheered over the prospect of ice cream. As soon as dessert was done, dinner paid for, and their goodbyes made, he loaded them up and drove back to the base. The trip back was mostly silent, and he realized as he approached the first security check in, that Sam had fallen asleep in the back seat, and Daniel was fighting it.
Parking, he left the packages in the truck, walking around to the back passenger side and cajoling a sleepy Daniel from the backseat. Teal'c let himself out. Sam didn't stir. With a sigh, he walked back around to the driver's side and opened the back door, thankful for his foresight in getting the SUV, because he didn't relish the idea of climbing in the backseat after sleeping children. Gently, he unbuckled the little girl, and lifted her up, feeling her sigh as her face burrowed into his neck, her arms and legs instinctively wrapping around him.
Teal'c walked ahead of him, opening the doors while Daniel trudged behind tiredly. It had been a long day. The security guards and Airmen he passed along the way met him with smiles when they saw his precious bundle and the tired troops trailing him. He didn't think he'd ever gotten through all the security checkpoints so fast before. If he hadn't been so tired, he might have complained about the lapse in security, but then again, somehow he doubted that the enemy would ever resort to the tactic of using a cute little sleeping kid as a cover to gain entrance to a top secret base. And most of these guards knew him anyway.
Hammond met him as he stepped off the elevator. Someone had obviously called ahead. "Sir?" Jack acknowledged the man, and moved down the corridor without stopping. Little Carter was getting heavy in his arms.
The General smiled at the sleeping figure, and the tired figures of the rest of SG-1 marching behind and fell into step beside the Colonel.
"Long day?" Hammond asked knowingly.
"Yes sir, but we got everything we needed. I just need to pick up mattresses tomorrow for the bunk beds. Everything should be delivered and I'll have to move some furniture around, but with any luck, they'll be in real beds instead of military cots tomorrow night." Jack shifted Sam slightly as they neared the door to the children's quarters, and Hammond moved out of the way as Teal'c opened the door and Daniel went in first, turning on the light and moving to turn down Sam's covers before heading to the bathroom with an enormous yawn, Teal'c following. Hammond raised his eyebrows at the display.
Jack walked to the bed and gently laid Sam on it. She mumbled, and turned on her side. Straightening, he turned to Hammond and shrugged at the unasked question. "I don't know sir, they've been doing it all day, working together like that. It's like they know they're a part of something, somewhere deep down inside." Jack grabbed an adult sized SGC T-shirt off the two-drawer file cabinet converted to a nightstand, and tugged off Sam's shoes and jeans. She protested sleepily when he sat her up and switched the shirt out, but settled back into sleep quickly. He smoothed her hair back and pulled the covers up and tucked her in.
"I suppose that's a good sign," General Hammond answered, watching Jack settle Sam in for the night. So many years ago, he'd watched Jacob perform much the same tasks. "We still haven't received any word from our allies."
"They'll be alright." Jack looked down at the sleeping girl as the two boys trooped back into the room from the bathroom, Teal'c swinging up into his bed and Daniel flopping onto his. "They have to be."
Chapter 20: Getting Ready for the Move
The next morning, Janet Fraiser arrived before the kids woke up. Jack was already showered and dressed, waiting for her. She'd agreed the night before to keep an eye on them today, it being her day off, and he'd done so many babysitting stints in the past on short notice for her that she felt she owed it to him. "Thanks Janet, you have no idea what this means to me."
"No problem. Besides, I probably owe you this much at least, for all the times you watched Cassie for me. And at least I have the entire base for backup." Janet smiled.
Jack grinned in reply, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Look, I got the kids a few games and books yesterday, let me just go and get them, so it will help you keep them occupied. They got Lego sets too, but I didn't think I should let them play with them until tomorrow since we're moving. They've probably got other stuff in the things people brought in, but I haven't had time to sort through it yet."
He found what he was looking for in the truck, and on impulse, grabbed the three sets of "uniforms", and brought the things down for the kids just as Daniel and Teal'c were stirring. He'd also stopped off at the commissary for breakfast, this time bringing muffins and fruit. "I brought them a change of clothes for today. Sam's hard to wake up," he warned Janet, as he set the bag of toys down on a chair and the tray on the table. "You boys be good, and do what Doctor Janet says, I need to go get the house ready for us to move ok?" The boys nodded, and Jack left, humming, a little bounce in his step.
His first stop was his own house, to offload the purchases from the day before. He did a quick survey of the two bedrooms, and climbed to the attic deciding there was room for the extra bed if he stored it on its side and disassembled the frame, leaving plenty of space for the furniture they wouldn't need. Since the day was still early, he set about cleaning the house. Since he wasn't home much and lived alone, it wasn't very messy, so he mostly just had to dust and vacuum, paying special attention to the kids' rooms. He remembered Daniel's allergies and made a mental note to buy one of those HEPA filter things for the air. The vacuum actually had one, he'd bought it not long after SG-1 had been made a team and team nights at his place had become a regular occurrence.
Next he checked the fridge and the pantry, deciding it was in sad state for a house soon to be filled with children. Beer, ketchup, and cereal were unfortunately not the stuff for healthy growing bodies. So back into the borrowed SUV he went to the grocery store to stock up. Soon, he had a full cart, and was headed back home.
Groceries stowed, he headed out to a nearby mattress supplier, and picked out a decent twin sized mattress, buying two for Teal'c and Danny's bunk beds. He was pleased when they said they could deliver that day. He stopped at a hardware store on the way back and bought the air purifier.
Pulling up again outside his house, he was surprised to see a military humvee parked at the curb. He got out, and five men piled out of the vehicle. "Ferretti! What are you doing here?"
Lou grinned. "We heard you had some furniture that needed moving, the Marines and me, thought we'd give you a hand."
"Yeah, especially since we scared them so badly the other day, it was the least we could do, sir," one of the Marines chimed in grinning, and Jack recognized him as Henderson, and the others as the group in the infirmary from the day of the power failure.
Jack blinked, then grinned, waving them inside after unlocking the door. "I'd love it, I wasn't looking forward to hauling that stuff up that attic ladder by myself! But why the Hummer?"
Lou's grin grew even wider. "Well, we sorted out that pile of stuff, and brought it over for you, figuring as the kids would be here soon."
Now Jack's mouth opened in shock. "You guys, you did that?"
Slapping Jack on the back, Lou smiled in sympathy. "Hey man, I can't imagine what it must be like. It's one thing to lose your team, but this, man, I thought I'd seen it all, going through that ring. I don't know if I could do what you're doing buddy. I just want you to know, all of us, we're here if you need us."
Swallowing hard, Jack had to blink several times, as Lou's words hit close to home. "Thanks," he managed to choke out.
"Ok, enough of that, where's the beer O'Neill?" called out one of the Marines, and everyone laughed, the mood lightened.
They started in on the boys' room, since that one needed all the furniture carried out of it and hauled into the attic. The men grunted and complained good-naturedly, but they had the bed wrestled up there, the furniture soon beside it. Next they tackled the extra furniture in Sam's new room, while one of the men ran the vacuum again in the boys' room, since moving the furniture had uncovered and disturbed more dust. Jack removed the curtains from both rooms while another man set about putting the new bedding in the washing machine. The rest of the men started to carry in the stuff from the Hummer. Jack couldn't help but smile at the sight of the big burly Marines doing homely tasks. He'd once seen a sign that said, "Ladies, marry a military man. He can cook, clean, make a bed, and wash his own clothes." At that moment he couldn't agree more.
As the men carried the boxes and bags in, Jack noticed that they'd all been neatly labeled with each child's name. Just as they'd carried in the last box, the delivery truck from the furniture store pulled up. As soon as the deliverymen left, the group of Marines and two Air Force officers fell on the furniture, puzzling over the assembly instructions. Fortunately, there weren't too many pieces, and all the furniture was soon put together and in the proper places.
Jack stood back, surveying Sam's room. The desk was adorable, and so was the little dresser. Lou appeared as if summoned, his arms loaded with the sheets and comforter and matching curtains, and the two men applied themselves to the bed and window. Standing back in the doorway, they surveyed their handiwork, and nodded in satisfaction. The bed set and desk were a perfect compliment to each other. The small desk lamp and throw pillows he'd bought without Sam noticing looked great. Jack suddenly remembered something. "Wait!" He ran down the stairs, rooting through the bags, coming back to the room with the package of glow in the dark stars and a step stool. Before long, they had the ceiling covered. "Now it's perfect." Lou nodded in agreement.
The doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of the boy's mattresses, and they rounded in on Teal'c and Danny's room as the men were finishing putting the two beds together. The beds were dressed with military precision, although Jack thought the military corners were a little over the top, still he wouldn't complain, and he doubted the kids would care. Nor would they notice whether or not you could bounce a quarter on the bed. The curtains were hung and Jack was glad he'd bought them, because they added color to the room, which had been fine before when it was a guest room, but now that it would be a kids' room, it should be bright and cheerful, and the curtains helped. Again, he was glad he'd added the touches of a floor lamp, pillows, and this time a little rug.
They took a break for a late lunch, ordering take out and joked around, some teasing Jack about his new guardianship and an end to his bachelorhood, but they sensed it was a sensitive topic, so mostly they talked about safe subjects, like sports, work, and other things.
Finished eating, they turned their attention to the boxes and bags the team had brought over with them, and Jack was surprised by the sheer volume and organization of things. They decided to do one room at a time so Jack could see what had been donated.
There were a lot of clothes for each child. Lou explained that he'd gotten the sizes from the new things he'd just bought. "Those new recruits of yours are a little on the small size you know Jack. They seem to be wearing children's clothes in fact." Jack frowned a moment before he realized Ferretti was referring to the mock uniforms he'd bought the day before. He laughed, and the rest joined in.
The rest of the stuff proved to be toys. There were a few new things, but most of it was used, though everything was in good shape. "We sorted out everything that was junk and got rid of it, though there wasn't much of that. People must have figured SG-1 would need pretty tough stuff." There was more laughter at Lou's statement.
Jack found a few electronic toys, including a remote control car, which he thought Sam would probably love, and Ferretti had obviously agreed with his thought, because it was in a box with her name on it. He also found a space shuttle model and an astronaut figure in there, as well as an assortment of puzzles and interesting looking games. "I couldn't find her a Major Matt Mason." Lou said apologetically.
He grinned, remembering. "Oh well, they probably don't make them anymore. Maybe she didn't have one yet. She told Cassie yesterday she wants to be an astronaut."
"It's weird, seeing them like this, like a little piece of history." Jack nodded at Ferretti's statement.
In the end, they had brought so many things for the kids, that Jack ran back to the Target and bought three large plastic storage bins in colors to coordinate with the bedroom sets for them to put all the toys in. He returned just as the men were unloading a last few things from the Hummer. "Hey, guys, what's that? I thought you'd brought in everything?"
Lou shrugged, a grin coming back. "Ah, well, some of the guys at the base, well, we took up a collection you see, cos every kid needs a bike." The men stepped back, and Jack felt his eyes misting once again, because on the driveway stood three brand new bikes and helmets.
"Aw, jeeze, you guys really shouldn't have. I, I don't know what to say..."
"Just shut up Jack, and take good care of those kids ok? Call us, you need anything. Anything at all. I mean it buddy." Lou climbed into the Hummer and they drove off, leaving Jack staring at the bikes, shaking his head in amazement.
The largest one was black, with a matching helmet. The next largest was green, and the smallest was blue. Ferretti had been careful, he'd obviously known that Sam probably wasn't your typical little girl and into frilly and pink. The blue was a good choice.
With a stupid grin on his face, he took the bikes into the garage, and went inside, putting the toys into the plastic bins; happy to discover more Lego blocks in each box. He also found a pair of roller skates and pads in Sam's box, a skateboard and new pads in Teal'c's box, and a scooter also with new pads in Danny's box. He took these items out to the garage deciding that it would be better if outdoor toys were kept there. He soon added several balls, a Frisbee, a baseball bat, and a glove. He placed the toys by the bikes, so the kids would know which toys belonged to whom. He made a mental note to buy several more totes to collect the loose outdoor toys and protective gear.
Finally, he was satisfied that his house was ready to be a home to his former teammates, now to be his legal charges until such time as their situation was either reversed, or it was deemed irreversible. And although he sincerely hoped that the latter never happened, he mentally prepared himself for the possibility of becoming a father again. He wasn't completely adverse to the idea, but who could have ever imagined becoming a parent to three people you had once known as adults and called friends? Could he really expect himself, trust himself even, to raise them to adulthood again? Would they be the same people the second time around? There was no way they could be. Already, so many things about their lives had been changed that were part of their fundamental character, so who would they be when they grew up again?
Jack forced himself to stop thinking about it as he climbed behind the wheel of his borrowed vehicle. His current line of thought would get him nowhere. He couldn't worry about their futures, with any luck, one of their allies that had yet to contact them would figure out the problem, or the scientists working on the problem would have a breakthrough. Right now he had to worry about keeping them safe and protected until that moment. He knew he'd never forgive himself if something happened to one of them, but he knew that had been true when they were adults and members of his team. But somehow it seemed even more so now that they were so small and helpless.
Chapter 21: Moving In
Jack pulled onto base, his thoughts still pensive as he parked and made his way through security and down the various levels of the mountain. As he walked down the corridor, turning the last bend towards the children's room, happy shouts pulled him from self introspection just in time to prevent being bowled over by a green and black blur. He caught the enthusiastic bundle midair, spinning her in a circle and making her shout in glee, before pulling her in tight for a hug. She returned it with gusto.
"Colonel Jack! Colonel Jack! You're back! Is it time to go to your house yet?" Her legs slipped around his waist like a monkey's and her arms around his neck as he shifted her to his hip, freeing a hand to ruffle Danny's hair and pull the boy in for a quick one-armed hug when he grinned shyly at Sam's antics.
"Oh, I don't know Sam, that all depends on what you've done with Doctor Janet. Did you tie her up and stuff her in a closet somewhere?" Sam giggled as Jack slung an arm around Teal'c's shoulders and led the kids down the hall towards their room. The kids were adorable in their SGC "uniforms".
"Tie me up I hardly think so. Run me ragged, definitely." Janet stood up from where she'd just retrieved a discarded sock that had somehow migrated under the bed, and tucked it into the duffle sitting on top of the bed. "There, they're all yours. Take them and go."
Jack raised his eyebrows, as Sam wiggled in his arms. Letting her down, she ran across the room, and tugged on Janet's hand until the woman leaned down. Then she threw her arms around the startled woman and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Thank you Doctor Janet. I love you." Sam turned and ran back to Jack, grabbing his hand. "Can we go to your house now?"
Janet was blinking in shock, taken in by the little charmer. Jack had to bite back his laugh. Daniel shyly approached the doctor, giving her a gentle hug too, mumbling his own thank you. Even Teal'c gave Janet a hug, bowing his head in thanks.
"Get your bags guys, lets go. Thanks Doctor Janet." Jack grinned impishly as Janet stared in surprise when the kids snapped to, grabbing their bags and filing out of the room. Still charmed, she just shook her head.
"Anytime."
Jack led his new charges out of the mountain, this time towards home, hopefully temporarily, though for how long he had no idea. The kids chattered excitedly, and Jack took the opportunity to start drilling them on his name, address, and phone number in case they got lost or separated for some reason. He'd work on getting them used to the neighborhood later.
Daniel had no trouble with the unfamiliar address; he seemed to have a system. Teal'c took a little longer, not used to such methods of distinguishing landmarks. Surprisingly, Sam was slightly more problematic. Although she picked up on the phone number right off the bat, she grew frustrated when the others got the address and she could only remember the number. She kept mixing the place words up with other places, no doubt places she'd been in the past. He'd have to check her father's record, and see how many times she'd moved by the time she was seven. He knew from experience that military families could move quite frequently. He called a halt to the impromptu lesson when she and Daniel started arguing about the name of the state, and Danny called her a stupid baby and she started to cry. He felt her feet kicking into the back of his seat in her frustration. It amazed him that one-minute they were looking out for each other, and the next minute they were squabbling like, well like children.
"Hey, look, we're almost there, see, there's the park, it's practically just down the street from where my house is." He started to point out landmarks to distract them from the argument, and the kicks in the back of his seat lessened.
And then they were pulling up outside his house, and the kids were all standing around him quietly, staring at the house like they'd never seen one. He unlocked the door, grabbed Sam, propelled Daniel in and trusted Teal'c to follow. They stopped in the living room uncertain.
"You want to see your rooms?" They nodded, so he led them up the stairs and down the hall. Teal'c and Daniel's room was first, so he opened the door, grinning as the boys immediately recognized the things they'd picked out. He was only mildly surprised when they didn't go in, choosing to follow him to where Sam's room was. The two boys nodded in satisfaction as Sam let out a shout of glee, before they headed back down the hall to finish checking out their own room. Jack left them to their explorations, calling out, "Come back downstairs when you're done seeing your rooms, and I'll show you the rest of the house."
Jack kept busy in the kitchen, making some soup and sandwiches, and he could hear the occasional thump of excited feet as one or more of the children made trips back and forth between the two bedrooms. They were obviously planning, comparing and consulting again. He really wished he knew what to make of it.
Eventually, the thump of footsteps could be heard on the stairs, and all three kids appeared in the kitchen, lured in by the smell of food. He took the soup off the backburner and divided it into four bowls, placing the plate of sandwiches on the table. The kids took seats, diving in, and babbling excitedly about the things they'd found in their rooms.
"So, I take it you like your new rooms?" The kids all nodded, grinning.
"Good, we'll have to make some sort of thank you card for all the people at the SGC that brought in all that stuff for you all. And for Major Ferretti and the Marines on SG-3. Think we can come up with something?" The kids all nodded again. Jack added craft supplies to his mental shopping list.
After they had finished eating, Jack took them around the house, making sure he went over with them what to do in case of a fire or emergency. By the time he was done, they knew not only where his bedroom, the bathroom and other major rooms of the house were, but knew where the phone was, how to use it, and how to get out of the house if they had to and where to meet at so he could find them.
Finally, he took them to the garage, saving the best for last. It was too bad they'd gotten home so late, since it was too dark to ride them. But still the looks on their faces were priceless as they saw the brand new bikes. Teal'c looked dubious about the prospect of actually riding one, but in the face of the younger two children's enthusiasm he promised to give in a try. Jack promised to let them ride if the weather was good tomorrow.
The kids trooped back to their rooms, playing with their new toys, and unpacking their things they'd had at base, including the things they'd newly bought. Eventually though, they could barely keep their eyes open and Jack announced it was time for bed. There were sleepy protests, but they went to bed. Before going to bed himself half an hour later, he checked in on them. Smiling tenderly, he adjusted a cover here, smoothed back a strand of hair there, gently laid his hand on another sleeping figure, before retreating from the room, leaving each door cracked, his own door cracked open as well. He left the hallway light on for good measure.
Chapter 22: Going Back to the Base
Thursday afternoon, nearly a week later, Jack stood on his front porch, grinning as he watched all three kids zooming up and down the street, laughing and giggling on their bikes. Even Teal'c, who to the casual observer, looked just as skilled as the other two, as if he'd been riding bikes for years, when in fact it had been just days ago he'd learned to ride.
Across the street elderly Mrs. Greene waved to him, and Jack waved back. He frowned, remembering their conversation earlier in the day. The kids had taken to the older woman like bees did to honey, falling all over themselves to do small tasks for her like walk her little dog, or tend her garden and carry in her groceries. She'd been instantly taken in by their charm. Naturally however, she'd started to wonder why they weren't in school like other children. Jack had given the cover story of the kids being in foster care and explaining that they'd needed time to adjust to their new home and his guardianship. She'd nodded knowingly, taking in the fading bruises on Teal'c and Sam's faces, making tsk tsk noises, and Jack had let her draw her own conclusions. However, that morning, the elderly widow had commented that the children seemed to be well adjusted, and inquired if they would be going back to school on Monday. Jack had made a noncommittal comment and had made excuses that he had to leave, citing a nonexistent appointment.
Now he contemplated the problem. If Mrs. Greene was curious about the appearance of three children at his house and their continued presence during the daytime when other children should be in school, the other neighbors were surely just as curious. If they didn't hear anything from their allies soon, or from the scientific team working on the solution soon, he'd have to address the issue of enrolling the kids in school. He was saved from his thoughts by the ringing of his cell phone.
Flipping the phone open, he saw it was the base. "O'Neill," he answered briskly.
"Colonel, this is General Hammond. We've just received word that our friends, one of whom is father to your youngest fosterling, will be arriving here early tomorrow morning at 0730 hours. I'd like to see you before they arrive if at all possible. Think you can be here?"
Jack's heart quickened. It could only be the Tok'ra. "Wouldn't miss it. I'll bring the kids, see you tomorrow sir."
Putting his phone away, he decided that the problem of school could wait a little bit longer.
The next morning arrived way too early, compounded by the fact that their dear neighbor had rediscovered the art of baking after years of doing it very little and made a very large batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies. Of which, the kids had polished off an entire plate full all by themselves late in the afternoon while visiting. She'd thoughtfully sent them home with a second heaping plate, and not realizing how many they'd already eaten, he let them have a few more. As soon as they started bouncing off the walls though, he hid them inside the microwave. The damage was done however, and the kids were up well into the night, full of boundless energy. Until they became cranky, irritable, and started picking fights for no reason. And yet they were still too jittery for at least an hour to fall asleep. It was nearly 1 am before he got them all into bed, literally falling into them in fact, to be woken up a mere four hours later.
Getting to the base early had unfortunately meant getting up at least 5 am. He showered in a record five minutes, and made the quick and easy muffin mix from the little boxes he'd bought at the grocery store. Then he proceeded to get the kids up. Teal'c and Daniel as usual were relatively easy. While grumpy from lack of sleep, they got up with prompting, brushed their teeth, got dressed and went downstairs to eat. Sam was another story and he eventually gave up on her after several long minutes when even tickling didn't work, dressed her himself in her rip off SGC uniform and left her lying in bed fully clothed. The world would have to deal with a Sam Carter bed head today and that was that. It was a good thing he'd bought them hats.
He went downstairs to put Sam's breakfast in a bag to take to work and discovered both boys with their heads down on the table, half eaten muffins in front of them. With a sigh, Jack filled another bag with Mrs. Greene's Famous Hyperactive Cookies, and added them to the pile to take the base. On an impulse, he grabbed a knapsack, and raided the pantry, grabbing a few of the packaged snacks he'd bought for the kids, tossed the muffins and cookies in, then ran upstairs into their rooms, grabbing a few toys, books, and games for each, putting together an impromptu survival pack for the day. He also grabbed a change of clothes for each child and large t-shirts for sleeping, in case they ended up spending the night.
Ready to go, he slung the sack over his shoulder and ducked back into Sam's room, lifting the sleeping girl up easily. She shifted and nestled into his embrace with a sigh. He carried her downstairs and roused Teal'c and Daniel, herding them out to the SUV, which was now on an extended lease to him. Making sure all the kids were belted in, he headed to the base, arriving there not long after 6:30am, which gave them plenty of time to get through all of the security checkpoints. He woke Teal'c and Daniel up again, grabbed the bag, and lifted Sam out, making his way down to the infirmary.
He found Dr. Fraiser in her office, much to his relief. She looked up surprised to see him toting the three sleepy children, and stood immediately, coming to place a hand on Sam's forehead. She watched in concern as Danny and Teal'c sacked out on the nearest bed together. "Colonel, is everything alright? She doesn't seem to have a fever."
"They're fine Doc. Just need you to keep an eye on these two for a little while if you don't mind. Hammond called yesterday, sounds like we heard from the Tok'ra. I was going to take Sam here up to see the General, in case it is Jacob coming through the gate in the next half hour or so." Janet nodded and Jack set Sam down partially on a raised table ledge so he could free an arm to root through the knapsack. "Here's a few things to keep them busy, and a few snacks. The cookies are for you and Cassie. I wouldn't give them anymore of them if I were you; it was the reason they were up until 1 am last night. They are really good though, neighbor made them. Don't know how many she fed them though." Janet cringed at his words looking at the sleeping figures on the bed, and the one in his arms and exchanged a sympathetic look.
"No problem we'll be fine down here, sounds like they'll probably be asleep for a few hours at least. Let me know if you need anything more." Janet retreated into her office, leaving the door open so she could keep an eye on the two sleeping boys, and Jack left carrying Sam.
Once outside the General's office, Jack freed an arm to knock on the door. "Come in," called the voice on the inside.
Jack pushed the door open and smiled at the grin that spread on the General's face as he saw what Jack was carrying. "Somehow sir, I think that smile is more for Sam."
"She is a lot cuter than you," Hammond replied with a wink.
Sam chose that moment to wake up. "Hi," she murmured sleepily.
"She would decide to wake up when we get to where we're going after I've been carrying her all over the place," Jack complained, rolling his eyes.
Hammond laughed, and Sam's attention was brought to the man. She brightened. "Hi Uncle George." She lifted her arms in his direction, and General Hammond rose from his desk with a chuckle, coming around the desk to take the little girl from Jack.
"Well hello Sammy, and how are you doing sleepyhead?" The General pressed his forehead against hers, and Sam giggled in reply.
"I'm fine. I had cookies. They were yummy. Colonel Jack said we couldn't have anymore because we were already bouncing off the walls enough already. He's funny." Sam squirmed, clearly wanting down. Hammond set her down and she walked over, tugging on Jack's sleeve. "Colonel Jack, I'm hungry. Where're Danny and Teal'c?"
Jack shrugged helplessly to the General's inquiring eyebrow, and dug into the knapsack for the other bag of muffins and handed them to her. "Danny and Teal'c are in the infirmary keeping Doctor Janet company. You can go down there later, but for now I thought we'd visit Uncle George. Right now, you can eat your breakfast and then I brought some of your coloring books for you to work on, because Uncle George and I have to talk about some things. Do you think you could wait in here and be really good and really quiet for a little while we talk just outside?"
Sam just nodded, plopping into one of the chairs, digging into the muffins, and Jack left the knapsack in the other chair. He and Hammond left the office, closing the door all the way but for a crack so they could hear in case she called out. Then they sat down at the briefing room table.
"So, General, is it the Tok'ra?" Jack started off.
Hammond nodded. "Yes, in fact they told us they were sending Jacob and Anise."
Jack scowled, not all that pleased to hear the second name. "Well at least her father is coming," was all he would say.
Unfortunately the General shared the same opinion, he just chose not to be as vocal. "Now, Jack, we need to discuss how much you've told the children."
Jack sighed. "Not much. Teal'c knows the most. He knows he used to be an adult, and he's seen pictures. He seems to understand and has accepted it. Sam and Danny don't know anything, and they don't seem to suspect anything yet. Thing is General, it was very easy to convince Teal'c of who he used to be, and all of them are very trusting of me and of each other. They work with each other like a team, and it has me and Dr. Fraiser believing that the memories are still there, just blocked."
"So perhaps the Tok'ra may be able to help after all." The General looked thoughtful. The Tok'ra had access to memory technology that the people of earth didn't, although thinking about some of that technology, he was reluctant to use it on children. Of course, if you looked at it another way, these really weren't children, but it was a callous way of looking at it if you asked him. They certainly looked and acted like children to him. "Ok, so we need to warn Jacob that his daughter doesn't remember that he has a Tok'ra symbiote inside him, so she can't see Selmak speaking. And we'll have to prepare him for what to expect as well." Hammond wasn't looking forward to this encounter.
Jack nodded in agreement. He wasn't looking forward to the encounter either. At least the bruises on Sam's face were barely noticeable, so that was one less thing they'd have to explain.
They were interrupted by the Gate activation alarms. Hammond checked his watch. 0730. Right on time. "Shall we go meet our guests?"
Jack ducked his head into the office to check on Sam, finding her engrossed in her coloring books, and followed. All too soon, two figures emerged from the open wormhole.
Hammond stepped forward. "Welcome to Earth Jacob/Selmak, Freya/Anise. As always, it's a pleasure."
"Greetings General Hammond," rang the dual tones of a symbiote speaking in Jacob's voice. "It is always a pleasure to travel to the world of the Tau'ri."
Jacob's head bowed. "George. Jack. Where's Sam? I thought she'd be here. Is everything ok?"
Anise spoke up, as usual, her symbiote speaking. "Your message spoke of a scientific problem, is Major Carter not your leading scientist?"
"Please, let me try to explain. Jacob, it's complicated, and a very long story. Let me start by saying your daughter is healthy, but for reasons we need to explain to you first, we can't let you see her, until you know what's going on. Please, let's go upstairs, and I'll try and see if we can make this long story as short as possible." Hammond stood back, and held his hand towards the stairway. Jacob stood on the end of the ramp for a long moment staring, as if contemplating taking roots until he heard what he wanted to hear, but finally he nodded, and headed towards the briefing room, Anise following. Jack and Hammond took up the rear positions.
Once they were settled around the table, Jack started to fiddle with his pen while Hammond started up the narrative, sure that somehow someone would blame him. Not that he didn't already blame himself. He listened with half an ear as Hammond detailed the events two weeks previous, paying attention when Jacob sat up and all but bellowed, "She's WHAT?"
"Jacob, calm down. Trust me, we're as upset as you are, and a team of scientists has been working nonstop on the problem since they came back from the planet. But this goes way beyond our ken." Hammond tried to calm the man, but his words only seemed to further agitate him.
"How old?" Jacob demanded.
Jack answered. "Seven. As far as we can tell, she's physically and mentally seven years old. Daniel is nine and Teal'c is eleven."
"What do you wish from us?" Anise asked.
"We're hoping that perhaps your technology may have better luck in accessing their memories, or discovering a way to reverse the transformation," said the General.
"We'd need to meet the children, and see what we're dealing with before we make any promises." Jacob's voice was cautious, but under control again.
"Jacob, Sam doesn't know anything about her adult self yet, and neither do Danny or Teal'c. So you'll have to keep the Tok'ra voice thing on the down low if you know what I mean," Jack warned
Jacob smiled. "I got it. What about the naquadah though? Are we just going to hope she doesn't notice what it is?"
Jack shrugged. "You got me. Carter never could really explain what that felt like. Hopefully without the memory of what it is, she won't react to the feeling."
Jacob nodded, and his head bowed, symbolizing control going to Selmak. "I would like to see the children now. We'd also like to see any headway you've made in studying the problem."
It was right about that moment that all hell broke loose.
Chapter 23: You're Not My Daddy
Sam had been in Uncle George's office coloring for some time. She liked to color. Sam decided to color a picture for Uncle George. She had climbed out of the chair long ago and was sprawled on the floor, crayons and coloring books spread in front of her. When she was done with the picture for Uncle George, she wrote his name on it and signed her name on the bottom, then put it on his desk where he'd see it. Then she made one for Colonel Jack. After that, she remembered that Teal'c and Danny were with Doctor Janet, so she made a colored picture for Doctor Janet too. Then she remembered the cookies she'd eaten last night, and made a thank you picture for Mrs. Greene. Colonel Jack said her Daddy was still on a mission, and Daddy always came back from missions, and he liked her pictures, so she made a picture for Daddy too. She made sure she wrote "I Love You" on Daddy's picture. She colored a few more pictures just because.
Eventually, Sam became conscious of voices outside the small room. Suddenly one of the voices shouted above the others, and her head shot up in surprise. That sounded like her father, and he sounded angry! Crayons and coloring books forgotten, Sam crept to the door, and cautiously tried to peek out the crack, but all she could see were the tops of heads and the backs of chairs. Disappointed, she put her ear to the door, but the voices were quieter again, and some of the voices were funny sounding.
Just then, she heard him again. It was her father! Excited, Sam prepared to run out of the room, straight into his arms, when she remembered the picture she had just colored. She ran back to the coloring book and grabbed the picture and headed back to the door, pushing the door open quietly. None of the adults had noticed her. Sam smiled, deciding she would sneak up on her Daddy, and surprise him with a hug from behind. He always liked surprise hugs. Whenever she surprised him with a hug, he would grab her and toss her in the air and hold her upside down until she laughed and begged to be put down.
The adults kept talking as she crept up behind them. At the same time she felt a funny tingling in her spine. And then, her father started talking, but it wasn't his voice. She took a step back. He was turning toward her now, and he looked different. She was used to him not always looking exactly the way she remembered when he came back from missions. Sometimes he was gone a long time, and often he commented that she had grown up while he was away, as if she had been the one that had changed! But this time, there was something else. She couldn't quite place it, she just knew this time he was different. Older.
"Sammy?" His voice was normal again. He took a step towards her, kneeling down, a hand stretched out. The feeling in her spine grew, and she knew that somehow this man was not her Daddy. She shook her head, backing away. "Sammy, it's me," the man said, but Sam knew it couldn't be, and panic overwhelmed her as he moved to come towards her.
"NO! STAY AWAY! YOU'RE NOT MY DADDY!" Screaming and sobbing hysterically, Sam stumbled backwards until she hit the wall. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Uncle George and Colonel Jack coming around the table, but she knew she had to get away from the man in front of her. "NO!" Sam bolted, ducking under the table, she made a dash for the exit, managing to stay out of reach of the startled Airman standing outside the door, she ran down the steps and past the gate room technicians.
She remembered that Danny and Teal'c were with Doctor Janet, and ran until she found an elevator. She knew the infirmary was on level 21, follow the green line. Colonel Jack had told all of them how to find it in case they were lost or hurt after the time they had been lost in the dark, and so even distraught and terrified, Sam found her way into the arms of her brothers.
Chapter 24: Telling the Truth
Jacob sat at the briefing room table, staring in shock at the picture in his hands, the achingly familiar childish scrawl. He couldn't believe it, even with the evidence before him; he still didn't want to believe it. His daughter, a little girl again. And he'd just sent her screaming from the room, probably to never have anything to do with him ever again. Selmak sent calming waves over his mind, but they had little effect over his agitated state. Janet had called up not long ago to report that Sam had shown up in the infirmary, inconsolable, and it was all Jacob could do to not go down there and pull her into his arms, because he knew it would only make things worse. George had tried to speak words of comfort, but they'd fallen on deaf ears. Eventually, he'd given up and excused himself to show Anise to where the team of scientist where working on a possible solution to the problem with SG-1.
Jack stayed behind and tried to make Jacob see reason. "Jacob, you can't blame yourself, if anyone is to blame it's me. I should have left her in the infirmary, but I thought she'd be fine in the General's office. Look, I'm gonna go down there, and see if I can set things right like I did with Teal'c. I have a feeling she'll believe it too. Just trust me, ok?"
Jacob finally tore his eyes from the picture and met Jack's. He nodded briefly, and Selmak spoke. "This is a most difficult situation for Jacob. We appreciate everything you have done for Samantha and the other children, and hope that you will be able to heal Samantha's fear of us."
Jack nodded, and left the room, heading to the infirmary, stopping by his quarters and SG-1's locker room to pick up a few things along the way first.
Stepping into the room, he could hear the sobs right away, and quickly spotted the three children, clustered together. He could make out occasional words, namely "funny feeling," "not my daddy," "scared," "funny voice," and "ran away," repeated over and over mixed in with sobs. He spotted Dr. Fraiser nearby and made his way over to her.
"How long she been doing this?" he asked.
"Long enough. If she doesn't stop soon, I'm going to sedate her before she makes herself sick. Do you think you can get her to stop? I've tried, but she won't listen to me." Janet shook her head, distressed.
Jack shrugged. "I don't know. It worked with Teal'c, but he wasn't as upset. I can try." Janet inclined her head, indicating her willingness to let him make the attempt, and Jack approached the bed, the two boys looking up with concerned faces, making room for him to sit down.
Taking the invitation, Jack set the small box he was carrying down and sat down on the bed next to it behind the curled up body of Sam and gently laid his hand on her trembling frame. He stayed that way for several minutes, letting her gradually get used to his presence. Gently, he shifted her so that she was in his lap, and he started to rock her, crooning to her softly. Slowly, her sobs lessened, fading into hiccups and sniffles.
"Want to talk about it?" he asked finally.
"He, he wasn't my D-daddy, was he?" She sniffled, her voice sounding uncertain.
"Well, yes and no." Jack kept his arms around her, one hand making soothing circles on her back.
"Wha-what do you mean?" Her brow was knit in confusion.
"It's a long story kiddo. Teal'c knows some of it. I brought a few things to help explain. Basically he's not the Dad you remember, but in a way, he is still your dad. Like I said, long story, but you're a smart kiddo, and I think you'll figure it out."
He turned to include Danny and Teal'c in the conversation. "Teal'c already kinda knows a little bit about what's going on." Teal'c nodded solemnly. Jack took a breath, and pulled the box over, lifting out a picture from the top, motioning Danny over. The boy came somewhat reluctantly, but nonetheless came and sat by his side. He held the picture so both Sam and Daniel could see it. It was the same photo he'd shown Teal'c last week.
"Who are those people Colonel Jack? They look nice." Sam snuggled into his embrace and looked up at him expectantly.
Jack smiled. "They are very nice, the nicest people I know. They happen to be you all in fact, look very closely, and tell me what you think."
Sam and Daniel looked at him skeptically at first, and then they peered closely at the picture. He watched as they looked at each other, silently conferring in the way they had so many times over the past week, looking over at their shoulders to Teal'c for silent confirmation. Teal'c nodded, showing his agreement, and they turned back to the picture.
Finally, Sam looked up at Jack. "What year is it?"
He'd expected the question coming, just not quite so quickly. "2003."
They were silent a moment. "I heard them say it on TV, but I didn't really think about it, I thought they were just making it up. And I know things looked different, funny. Now it makes sense. That means I'm, thirty- thirty..." Her face screwed up as she struggled with the math of working out her age.
He hugged her, and saved her the trouble. "Yes." He answered simply.
"Does that mean I can drink beer now?"
The question coming from her seven year old mouth so shocked him he nearly dropped her. Laughing, he shook his head. "No, absolutely not. No cigarettes either, and you are absolutely not dating or driving anything with a motor on it for at least another eight or nine years. Longer maybe for dating. Until you're thirty maybe."
She shrugged, not really concerned. "Boys are gross anyway. Can I still have ice cream even though I'm a grown up?"
"Yes, you can still have ice cream." He smiled into her hair.
"I'm really old, aren't I?" Jack cringed at the question, thinking of his own age.
"I don't think that's all that old," he replied defensively.
"Are you kidding, that's positively ancient!" piped up Daniel, who'd been watching silently and considering.
Jack sighed as the conversation degenerated into a debate on how old was ancient, and Jack decided not to share the tidbit on how old Teal'c really was. The boy shared a look with him, and Jack smiled back. Eventually the conversation wound back around to the subject of Sam's father.
"Colonel Jack? Is that really my Daddy up there?" she asked again, coming back to curl into his side. Her voice was quiet. The boys settled down from the boisterous debate and came to listen too. Anything that concerned Sam concerned them too.
"Yeah, he is, he's just different than you remember him being." Turning, he reached into the box again and pulled out another picture, this one of the older Sam and her father on a distant planet. It was one that Carter tended to keep in her locker. It had been taken on one of the Tok'ra bases, so he was wearing the now familiar Tok'ra garb. The two had their arms around each other's shoulders and were smiling at the camera. Jack remembered Daniel taking the picture.
Sam studied the picture. "He looks happy." She looked up at him, her face thoughtful. "When he talked sometimes, his voice sounded funny. Why is that Colonel Jack?"
Pulling her close, Jack tried to explain. "Well, you see sweetie, your Daddy was very sick once, so sick he almost died. But he was very lucky. You see, because we had the Stargate, we, your grown up selves and I, found a group of people named the Tok'ra, that need human bodies in order to live. In exchange for using our human bodies, they can make someone that is sick all better. So that's what happened, your Daddy now has a Tok'ra, called a symbiote, living with him in his head, and in return, it made him better."
"Does it hurt?" Sam was concerned.
"No, it doesn't hurt, the symbiote makes it better. Your Dad's symbiote has a name, it's Selmak. Your Dad can actually talk to Selmak inside his head, just like Selmak can talk to us using the funny voice you heard. That's how we know that it's Selmak talking, and not your Dad."
"Weird," she said, the one word summing up his feeling for the entire situation of Tok'ra exactly.
He smiled, and gave her a hug. "Yep. You think you're up to going back up there and meet him again? He'd really like to see you."
"Will you stay with me?" Her small hand wormed its way into his and clung desperately.
He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Definitely." He sent a look over to the two boys. "You ok with all this Danny?" The boy nodded, and Jack ruffled his hair. "You two wait down here. Sam and I will be back later."
They made their way to the briefing room, Sam clinging to his hand the entire way. As soon as they entered the room, she pressed against his legs, moving slightly behind him, her other hand moving to grip his arm. Jacob was still seated at the table and he looked up at their entry.
"Sammy?" he said, and started to rise, but stopped when she pressed even tighter to Jack's side. "I won't hurt you Sammy. It's really me, Daddy." Emotions played across Jacob's face. Hurt, sadness, fear of rejection, pain at the terror he'd caused in his small daughter, and worry over the changes wrought by her current state. Many others flitted across his face that Jack couldn't identify.
"Are you really my Daddy?" Sam's voice was soft, barely above a whisper.
"Yes sweetie, it's me. I'm still in here." Jacob did his best to put all the reassurance he could muster into his voice.
"And you really have a symbee a-a Simba inside your head?" Sam hesitated over the unfamiliar word, and then boldly pressed on. "Colonel Jack said you were sick and it made you all better." Doubt crept into her voice.
He smiled at her new name for the word symbiote. "Yes, her name is Selmak, and she saved my life, and now we stay together."
"You can talk to her? What do you do if you get mad at her?" Sam's curiosity was getting the better of her, and her death grip on Jack's hand was starting to loosen.
"Well that doesn't happen very often. Usually, we get along very well. In fact, Selmak has a great sense of humor." Jacob smiled at the little girl, amazement starting to play across his features. It had been so long since she'd been that small, and yet, she had never lost her wonder at the world. She'd just become a bit more tactful.
Sam perked up at that tidbit of information, finally letting go of Jack's hand and taking a few steps towards her father. "Really? Does Selmak know any good jokes?" All shyness and fear forgotten, she climbed up in the chair next to Jacob, making it spin slightly until she grabbed the table to stop it. She plopped down in the seat, her head and shoulders just cleared the table, and her legs stuck out straight in the chair. She faced her father expectantly, waiting for her question to be answered.
He looked at her, and grinned. "Jokes eh? Well, Selmak always liked this one." He took a breath. "So, what animal should you never play poker with?" At Sam's blank look, he replied, "A cheetah."
Sam giggled. "I have one! What planet is the most musical?" Her face was completely serious.
Jacob sent a blank look over to Jack, who was still standing by the doorway. Jack shrugged helplessly. "I don't know Sam." Jacob answered her finally. "Which one?"
"NepTUNE!" Sam shouted gleefully, giggling at their startled looks.
"That's a good one sweetheart." Jacob smiled affectionately at his daughter, and was possessed by the desire to hug her, but didn't want to startle her, not when things were going so well. Suddenly, Sam climbed to her knees in the chair and held her arms out, her invitation clear. Eyes moist, Jacob leaned forward and pulled her across the space and into his lap, surprised at how neatly she fit, just like he remembered.
She snuggled into his embrace, her head tucked under his chin. "I love you Daddy," he heard her whisper.
Gently, he brushed a kiss on her forehead, smoothing back her soft blonde hair. "I love you too baby, forever and always."
They stayed like that for some time, but eventually, she began to fidget and squirm, as if uncomfortable. Sensing something was wrong, Jacob looked down at her in concern. "Sam, what's wrong honey?"
"My back feels funny." She wriggled a bit more.
"Funny?" his brow furrowed, and then Selmak prompted him and he realized just what young Sam might be referring to. Looking over to Jack, he said, "Selmak thinks she means the naquadah."
Jack had been standing quietly in the doorway, reluctant to break the tender moment, but not wanting to leave in case things got tense again, so had stayed quietly out of the way in the doorway. "She doesn't know about Jolinar. It wasn't really an issue."
Jacob nodded. "Ok, I think I can explain it in a way she'll understand, you told her the rest more or less? About being a grown up, and me?" Jack nodded. "Okay." Jacob turned his attention to the little girl in his lap.
"Sammy, you know how I have Selmak inside my head?" Sam nodded. "Well, at one point, your grown up self had a symbiote too, her name was Jolinar. But there was an accident, and Jolinar had to go away. But because Jolinar had been inside of you, you can feel when there are other people around that have a symbiote inside of them like me. That's what that funny feeling in your back means. Understand?" Sam's face was thoughtful.
"Was I sad?" She leaned against her father's chest, arms wrapped around his.
"Yes." Jack answered, remembering the days after the incident. "But you got better. And then you took us to meet the people that introduced us to Selmak."
Sam took in this new bit of information, and turned around in her father's arms. "Can I meet Selmak? Colonel Jack says we can talk to Selmak, that when Selmak talks it makes your voice sound funny."
Jacob nodded, and bowed his head. "Hello Samantha, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am sorry I frightened you earlier." The dual tones made Sam blink, causing her to shift back in Jacob's lap slightly, and Selmak made sure that she felt she wasn't being held there if she didn't want to stay.
Sam looked curiously into her father's face, but other than the voice, she couldn't tell any difference. She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Doesn't it get dark in there when you aren't doing anything?"
Selmak smiled. "I can see and hear everything that is going on, even if I am not speaking, so no, it doesn't get dark."
"Oh. That's good." She frowned. "Thank you for making my Daddy all better when he was sick." Impulsively, Sam kneeled on her father's lap and hugged the Tok'ra, planting a kiss on his cheek. Selmak looked surprised at the display of affection. "Can I talk to my Daddy again please?"
With a bow of his head, Jacob's voice was again normal. "You doing ok sweetie?"
"Yes Daddy." She snuggled back into his embrace. "I'm hungry though."
Jacob laughed. "I guess we should go find lunch then."
"We left Teal'c and Danny in the infirmary," Jack spoke up.
"I'd like to meet them too, why don't we get them and George and Anise, and see about feeding this little one?" He stood up, taking Sam by the hand; relieved they'd mended her fears of him. He'd been so afraid she'd want nothing to do with him when he'd seen how terrified she'd been.
Chapter 25: A Proposed Mission
They found the General and Anise first, then swung by the infirmary and ended up taking Doctor Fraiser with them as well. After everyone had eaten, dessert included after the kids had insisted they needed Jell-O, and Jacob had supported them, the entire group headed to the briefing room. Jack settled the kids in the corner on the floor with a board game and some more coloring books as well as a box of Lego just in case, and the adults settled down to discuss what steps to take next.
Anise started. "I've reviewed the information your team of scientists have so far managed to learn about the alien device and the children's medical records, and unfortunately, I see very little the Tok'ra can do to help. Everything indicates that their memories are irretrievable."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Dr. Fraiser spoke up.
Anise raised an eyebrow, and Jack picked up the thread of conversation. "We've noticed that the kids seem to instinctively trust us and each other. And they work with each other like a team, like they know they're a part of something. They were also very easy to convince when we had to tell them about their grown up selves. It's like they know somehow. I don't know, I just get the feeling that the memories are still there, just blocked somehow. It's like the memories are a lot closer to the surface than we may think."
Anise looked thoughtful. "Then perhaps the Tok'ra can be of assistance."
"Yeah, well that's what we're hoping," Jack said.
The woman gave him a small nod and continued. "In that case, I'm going to need more data. Given your people's level of technology, there was very little information regarding the memory centers I found useful. I feel I would gain much more useful information if I were to take one of the children back to my lab for a short time and run a few tests..."
"Absolutely not!" Jack exclaimed at the same time Jacob said, "Do you really think that's necessary?"
"Gentlemen please!" Hammond called. Jack and Jacob quieted, and Hammond motioned for Anise to continue.
"As I was saying, I would only need a few hours. As you know we possess technology that can tell if the memory has been tampered with. We have other devices that can tell me if retrieving the memories is even an option. If we can access the buried memories, we might gain a better idea of what exactly happened in the chamber while the rest of SG-1 was alone." Anise folded her hands on the table and waited for the inevitable reactions.
"Why can't you just bring the stuff through the gate, and run the tests on them here?" Jack was straight to the point. No way he was letting any one of his kids out of his sight. He glanced at Jacob; secretly glad the Tok'ra weren't mind readers.
The woman frowned at the suggestion and shook her head slightly before explaining apologetically. "The equipment in my lab is highly sensitive. Also, I cannot anticipate every item I may need to bring. It would greatly simplify matters to simply bring one of the children through to the Tok'ra base. Colonel O'Neill, I assure you, I am not a barbarian, I will do nothing to harm the children. But we need more information if we are to find a way to change them back, and I cannot work with the information you have on hand." Anise met his gaze coolly, almost challengingly.
Jack scowled, and opened his mouth to reply, but Jacob beat him to the punch. "Which one?"
Anise opened her notebook, and turned to a page, referring to something. "Any of them would do, but it appears that Samantha retains the naquadah and protein marker from her experience with Jolinar, even in a child's body. We believe this may enhance the chance for success of the memory recall device."
"Whoa, wait just a minute here. You aren't planning on using that thing on her are you? She's a kid." Jack scowled. Jacob looked equally upset over the suggestion.
Anise turned to face the Colonel. "Only as a last resort, should less intrusive methods fail to reach the suppressed memories or discover anything useful. The device is safe, and we will be monitoring her bio signs at all times."
Jacob's head dipped, and Selmak spoke. "I believe Anise is correct. It may prove necessary to use the device in the end, but I too feel it will be safe as long as the subject is monitored closely." Jacob's head dipped, signaling a return of control to the host.
Jack spoke angrily. "It's not a subject, it's a child for cryin' out loud."
"I know Jack, we happen to be talking about my own daughter being the subject. Jack, I don't think we have much choice. For once, I agree with Selmak. It's that, or we wait around twenty or thirty years for them to grow up again, and frankly, I don't think I'm ready for that, are you?"
Jack blinked, Jacob's question hitting a little too close to home, for he had been pondering that exact same question during the last week while the kids had been staying with him. But no matter what his thoughts on the question were, he still owed it to them to at least try and give them their lives back.
Hammond saved him from a reply. "How long would you need?"
"Several hours. Half a day at most," Anise answered confidently.
Jacob looked over at Jack. "I'll be with her the entire time. She's my kid, I won't let anything happen to her."
"I know," Jack stared down at the table wishing there was some way he could say no.
Sensing their decision, Anise glanced at the General. "I should go back ahead. I will need a short time to prepare a few things, and I can let the council know what we are planning." She stood up, and Hammond nodded to her, rising as well and accompanying her from the room.
"It's for the best Jack," Jacob said finally.
"I know," Jack repeated, looking over to where the kids still played in the corner, oblivious to the conversation the adults were having. He pushed himself to his feet. "Look, I'm just going to put a few things together for Sam, why don't you spend some time with the kids for a little while? I'll be back in a few."
Chapter 26: Colonel Mom
After leaving the briefing room, Jack located the knapsack he'd packed that morning. He made sure there were several of the packages of the peanut butter and jelly cracker kits still in there that Sam liked. While she liked taking apart her food before she ate it, he'd also discovered she enjoyed the little kinds of things like Lunchables, where you got to assemble the meal first. Must be a Carter thing. He made sure her spare change of clothes was in the bag, as well as a few juice boxes, several coloring books, and crayons. The toys with smaller parts he left out. It was one thing to have the toys on base, where people here knew what to make of a bunch of toys. He didn't want too many odd things lying around on an alien planet somewhere, confusing people that didn't know what they were. Jack decided the coloring books would be enough, likely she'd be too busy to have much time for anything else.
Satisfied that he had one mini Sam survival pack, he headed back to the briefing room, only to find Jacob Carter on the floor with the kids in the corner in the middle of a game of Monopoly Jr. The man appeared to be losing rather spectacularly. Daniel seemed to have the largest pile of properties, with Teal'c in second place, while Sam was too busy playing with her marker to notice she was almost as bad off as her dad. Jack had walked in just in time to witness Jacob paying his last dollar bill to a gleeful Daniel, who seemed to own about half the board. Jacob's face was screwed up dramatically and he was behaving as if he'd be too broke to go back through the Stargate. The kids loved every minute of it and Jack sorely wished for a camera.
No sooner had he formed the thought, than he spied George Hammond standing by the door, holding the very object, a wide grin on his face and his eyes twinkling in amusement. "You should have seen them earlier," the General whispered quietly as Jack entered and paused beside him. "Daniel tried to put two ticket booths on his property and Sam nearly went ballistic citing the rules. I thought World War III was about to start. I don't know how you and they survived the last week Jack."
Jack just grinned, and moved further into the room. "Hey kids, having fun?"
"Hi Colonel Jack!" Sam jumped up and waved, accidentally upsetting the game board in the process and scattering pieces everywhere. The boys protested loudly. "Oops. Sorry," she muttered apologetically.
Jacob just started gathering up the scattered game pieces, and putting them away in the box. "It's ok sweetie, it's really time we got going anyway."
"Oh," she said, sounding disappointed. "Do we have to go Daddy? I'd rather stay and play."
"I know sweetheart, but we need to do this. Let's help Teal'c and Danny put the game away, and you can say goodbye, it's only for a little while, we'll be back in a few hours." He reached out gently rubbing her back until she nodded and started picking up pieces too. The boys had grown quiet, sensing the shift in moods.
After a short time, Sam spoke up. "Am I really going through the Stargate again?"
Jacob smiled, and Teal'c and Daniel looked mildly jealous. "Yep. That's how we get to where we're going. We'll let Anise take a look at you, and then we'll come home again before you know it."
Sam nodded, but she hadn't really brightened at the thought of her imminent gate travel. Instead she was thinking of something else. "The tests. Will they hurt?"
Jacob stopped what he was doing, noticing that the two boys had also stopped to listen as well, looking concerned. Suddenly, they weren't all that jealous of a trip through the wormhole anymore. Jack had also moved closer, and sat down at the end of the briefing room table at the seat closet to them. Jacob sent him a look, and Jack could clearly see the pain on the other man's face.
Gently, Jacob pulled Sam close to him. "Not all of them. Most of them you won't even notice. But one or two tests might hurt a little bit."
"Will you be there?" she leaned against him, feeling safe and protected.
"Are you kidding? I'll be stuck to you like glue kid. You won't be able to get rid of me." She giggled at the thought, and then sobered again.
"This is important isn't it? It might help with figuring out what Colonel Jack talked about earlier right?" She studied his face, and looked at Teal'c and Danny who were still watching quietly.
Jacob nodded, squeezing her gently. "Yes, this might help us figure out what happened, and maybe let us learn how to turn you back."
"If it doesn't work, will you still love me the way I am? Even though I used to be grown up and now I'm not?" Her voice was worried.
"Sammy, I will love you no matter what. Forever and always, remember?" He kissed her softly on the forehead.
"Ok Daddy, I'll do it. But can I have ice cream when we're all done? Please?" She got up on her knees, facing him, eyes wide and pleading, a big smile on her face.
Jacob laughed. "Rascal! We'll see about the ice cream. You need to behave yourself while you're with me, these people aren't used to little kids, so you are going to have to be on your best behavior young lady!"
"I will! I promise! Love you Daddy!" She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, then hopped up and helped the boys finish cleaning up the mess.
Jacob stood up from the floor with a groan. "Jack, I don't know how you did it last week, all alone with the three of them and no backup." Jack just shrugged.
Hammond appeared a few moments later. "We're ready to dial the gate Jacob."
The three men looked over at the three children and couldn't help but smile. The game put away, they were already working together on constructing something out of Lego. Jack had no idea what it was, but they were adorable with their heads together. He hated breaking them up, and judging by Jacob's sigh, the other man hated it even more. "Okay Sam, we gotta go, say goodbye to Danny and Teal'c."
There were groans, but Sam got up obediently and hugged first Daniel then Teal'c. She waved at them, calling "Good bye!" over her shoulder as she took her father's hand. A moment later, Jack felt her other small hand seek his out, and he smiled as they walked down the steps to the gate room.
At the bottom of the ramp, Jack stopped, and knelt down in front of Sam. He pulled the cap he'd grabbed earlier that morning out of his back pocket and placed it on her head, adjusting the brim. "This is where I say goodbye kiddo."
"You aren't coming with us?" Sam's eyes widened and she looked worried, anxiously looking back and forth between him and her father.
"No, I wish I was, but I need to stay with Danny and Teal'c, they'll be worried without you around. But you'll be ok, because you'll with your Dad the entire time." He reached out, straightening her shirt, then pulled her into a hug. A moment later her arms came around him. "You be good, and do what your Dad tells you. You'll be back here before you know it." She nodded against him and pulled away, moving to take her father's hand again.
Jack stood up, and faced Jacob, handing him the knapsack. "What's this?" the other man asked.
Shrugging, Jack replied, "Just a few things. Change of clothes, snacks, coloring books. She was up late last night and didn't get a lot of sleep; so don't be surprised if she starts to get cranky early. Oh, and make sure she sits down when she has her snack, otherwise she'll probably be leaving peanut butter and jelly all over the walls or something. Oh, and..." Jack trailed off as he realized that Jacob was grinning at him like an idiot. "What?"
"Yes mom." Jacob laughed at Jack's startled expression. "Jack, you do realize that I have done this before right?"
Jack blinked, and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Uh, right. Just checking. It's been awhile you know."
"Good, because I was starting to get worried you'd tell me to have her back by a midnight curfew. I was beginning to feel like you were actually her father and I was taking her out on a date." Jacob's smile showed his words were jest, and Jack laughed, running his fingers through his hair.
Sam chose that moment to remind them of her presence. "Colonel Jack says I can't date until I'm thirty."
Jacob smirked, sending Jack a knowing look. "Is there something you want to tell me, Jack?" he asked pointedly. "Perhaps we should have a little man to man talk when I get back?"
Sam continued as if she hadn't heard them. "I don't mind though. I don't like boys. Unless they're like Colonel Jack," she announced.
Jack choked. Jacob howled with laughter. Sam giggled, not knowing what she'd said that was so funny, but happy to be the center of it. Jack was saved from a reply as the gate started to spin, and Sam started to chatter excitedly, pointing and letting out a cheer when the wormhole engaged.
Just before Jacob started up the ramp, still holding onto Sam, he turned back to Jack and whispered out of earshot of Sam. "Don't worry Jack, I won't kill you." He grinned suddenly. "Yet."
They were gone before Jack could formulate a reply, and Jack was left staring at the empty space where they had been, and already feeling an empty place in his heart at the absence of one bubbly little girl. With a sigh of resignation, Jack's eyes traveled up to the briefing room window, catching sight of two small figures also staring forlornly at the now empty wormhole, and knew he wasn't the only one with an empty place in his heart tonight.
Chapter 27: Cross Examinations
Light-years away, Jacob Carter stepped out of the wormhole onto the latest Tok'ra planet, which looked just about like any other Tok'ra base they'd been on since he'd joined them. Basically, miles and miles of desert sand, dry and barren. He felt the small hand of his daughter clutch his own tighter, and sensed her small body pressing up against his as the wormhole behind them closed.
Gently, he pulled her along; the knapsack Jack had provided slung over one shoulder. He had to slow his steps to match Sam's much smaller ones, and again found himself marveling at the changes wrought in his daughter. It was as if she'd been lifted right out of a moment in time, some thirty years ago, perfectly preserved. If not for the naquadah, he'd have suspected a time ship like he'd read about in legends of the Ancients.
He felt the tingling in his spine moments before the scouts appeared from hiding, and so was prepared. Sam however drew up against him in fear when the group of men and women appeared out of nowhere and surrounded them, whimpering and burying her face in his sleeve. He placed his other hand on her head comfortingly.
"Identify yourselves," ordered the man in front.
"I am Jacob Carter, host to Selmak. This is my daughter, Samantha, former host of Jolinar." He wondered belatedly if they'd believe that this was Sam, since most of them knew Sam as an adult, and knew that it was exceedingly rare for a Tok'ra to take a child as a host. But he also knew he needed to explain the naquadah they'd be able to sense in her blood.
Fortunately, it seemed Anise had spread the word. "We know of the reasons for your coming. You may proceed, Jacob and Samantha Carter."
"Thank you." The guard fell back into a flanking position, and Jacob tried to pull Sam along but she was still shaken up and stood rooted to the spot, so he lifted her into his arms instead. They were escorted to the transport rings, and Jacob gave Sam a little bounce. "Watch this, you'll like this," he said cheerfully, hoping the rings wouldn't scare her.
She jumped as the rings flew up out of the sand. Before she could decide if she should scream or cry though, the light had engulfed them, and they were inside the tunnels. Sam stared at him in amazement. "Whoa!"
"Pretty cool huh?" She nodded, eyes wide, and he put her down, her hand automatically finding his again. At least he wouldn't have to worry about her wandering off for now. He led the way to Anise's lab. Sam stared around at the tunnels in amazement as they walked, arriving outside the lab a short time later. They found the Tok'ra bent over several instruments, leafing through her notebook on a table.
She looked up as they entered. "Ah, you are here. We can begin."
Jacob frowned. He really couldn't say much for Anise's bedside manner. He felt Sam pressing against him again. He tugged her over to the table. "Okay kid. Up you go." He lifted the little girl onto a clear space.
"Please don't touch anything, some of the equipment in here is very sensitive." Sam giggled as Jacob rolled his eyes over Anise's words. The scientist looked at them curiously having missed the expression and Jacob just looked innocent, which only made Sam giggle more. He felt Selmak chide him and told the symbiote to loosen up.
Anise decided to ignore it and approached, carrying a small device. "I will start with some baseline bio readings." She moved to place the device on Sam, frowning when Sam shrank back.
"This won't hurt Sam," Jacob reassured her, tugging at her t-shirt. Trustingly, Sam lifted her shirt and allowed Anise to place the reader on her chest, watching as the lights swirled then started to blink.
"Cool, it's like my shoes." Sam kicked her feet against the table leg, setting the little lights off in demonstration. Jacob hastily stilled her legs as the table jostled and Anise frowned again. Anise ignored them and made a few notes in her notebook from the readout on the screen that went with the biosensor.
She picked up another device. "I believe we should obtain a sample for blood analysis."
Sam smiled. "Does this one blink too?"
"No," Anise answered shortly.
Jacob sent the annoying woman a warning look, which no doubt went over her head. It was too bad that the Tok'ra's host was such a push over. Freya would probably have done much better dealing with Sam. "This one is going to hurt Sam, but only a little bit. You've had blood samples before. It's like a little needle, but not as bad. You'll just feel a little prick." The Tok'ra had at least perfected a slightly better method in procuring blood and tissue samples.
"Do I have to?" Sam looked at the device dubiously. Jacob nodded. "Ok." Sam agreed reluctantly and Jacob helped her take off her over shirt, and roll up her t-shirt sleeve. Then he held his arm around her like a hug, both hands holding her to help her hold still just in case.
"Ouch!" Anise was done quickly, and Sam couldn't believe there wasn't any blood, because she always needed to have a Band-Aid when she had blood drawn. "Do I get a sticker?" she asked hopefully.
Jacob smiled apologetically. "Sorry kid, I don't think Anise has any stickers, but maybe we can get you some when we get back." Sam nodded, her eyes locked on Anise as she busied herself with the sample at several pieces of equipment.
The next several tests were just various scans, and took up the next several hours. Some of them were interesting, as they had various blinking lights or made interesting sounds, or needed to be placed on various parts of Sam's body. Others were boring. Sam gradually grew restless and fidgety. Anise was irritated that her test subject refused to remain still during one procedure despite repeated promptings to do so and kept turning her head to track the progress of the scanner, and Jacob finally called a halt to the latest test.
"Look, I think we need a break. She probably just needs to stretch a little, get something to eat and work off a little excess energy. Can't you run some analysis or something for a little while? Just for half an hour."
Anise looked annoyed again, but her head bowed, and Freya spoke. "I apologize for Anise's impatience. You know how she is, she gets so focused on the problem she forgets sometimes what she is dealing with. Please forgive us Jacob, and take Samantha out for a break. We have enough data to be able to start some preliminary analysis by the time you come back refreshed."
Jacob smiled. He was relieved to have been spared an argument with the strong willed symbiote. Freya didn't show up very often, Anise's personality being so dominant, but when she did, it was usually with impeccable timing, and generally to apologize for her symbiote's behavior. He was glad that Selmak and he shared a much more even relationship, feeling stirrings of amusement and agreement from his own symbiote at his thoughts as he lifted Sam off the table and helped her put her over shirt back on.
He led Sam out of the lab into a nearby open chamber. There was a collection of water fountains, and Sam was mesmerized by the reflected colors for several minutes. While she was distracted, he dug open the knapsack, grinning at the choice of snacks Jack had provided. They hadn't had these sorts of prepackaged things when Sam and Mark had been growing up, but remembering her eating habits, he knew immediately that she probably got a kick out of the PB & J with crackers do it yourself kit. He waved the package in front of her face to get her attention, and she took it, turning around and plopping down on the crystal made bench. He speared a straw into one of the juice boxes and set that down next to her, watching while she very carefully applied peanut butter to one cracker, then jelly to another, before putting them together to eat happily. She was putting her meal together with the same attention she used to build a naquadah reactor. He found himself grinning at the thought. She put another together and offered it to him. He took it, deciding that Selmak had never had peanut butter and jelly before. They ended up needing to open a second packet of the cracker snacks, but it was ok, since Jack had packed several. Jacob wondered how long he'd thought they'd be there, and whether he'd thought they didn't have food here or something.
After they'd eaten, he took Sam to the Tok'ra equivalent of a bathroom, which for some reason Sam found highly amusing. He wasn't sure why, maybe it was just because it was different than what she was used to. He also used the opportunity to wash up sticky face and fingers. They returned to the chamber where'd they'd eaten and he let Sam walk around the room, exploring. She jumped up on the benches and peered into the various pools, and marveled over how cool her light up shoes looked in the Tok'ra tunnels. Jacob just spent the time marveling over her.
Chapter 28: Recalling Memory
Back on base, Jack tried to keep Teal'c and Danny distracted with games and such, but it was a difficult task given that his own thoughts kept wandering to what was happening light-years away, on some anonymous Tok'ra base. It was the first time Sam had been out of his sight since the event that had changed all their lives just a few short weeks ago. He tried to rationalize the child in his mind, that he pictured undergoing all sorts of unknown procedures, with the picture of the more familiar woman that he'd known over the last seven years.
He'd told himself that this trip was necessary, that the procedures his overactive imagination was visualizing enacted on Sam's small body were needed if they had any hope of returning her and Teal'c and Daniel to normal. And he knew, rationally, that there was no better person to watch out for Sam than her father. Jacob would not allow harm to befall his daughter even at the cost of his own life. Jack was confident of this, or he'd have never let her go. But even still, Jack felt helpless and powerless, and he wanted to be there.
Danny and Teal'c had sensed his mood; either that or they too missed Sam, because they had been unnaturally quiet, and very well behaved. It was definitely a good thing, because Jack wasn't sure he could concentrate on much else until Sam was home again safe and sound.
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
When he'd decided she'd relaxed enough, Jacob took Sam back to Anise. "Hi," Sam said cheerfully, not the least bit disturbed by Anise's lack of overt friendliness. Jacob noticed with a smirk that more of the items on the table had been removed in their absence.
Anise ignored Sam and looked at Jacob. "Are we ready to continue?"
Jacob sighed, and lifted Sam back onto the table, letting his fingers tickle her in the process as he let her go and making her giggle. "Yes, we're all ready."
Anise started by making sure the biosensor was still in place, Sam readily lifting up her shirt again. "I have only a few more scans."
The scans were completed in about a half hour. Anise looked at the final readout and made notes in her notebook. Jacob watched her expectantly; Sam colored in her book, legs swinging slightly. "Well?" Jacob prompted when Anise remained silent for several moments.
Anise looked up from her notebook, and closed it. "I think the memory recall device may prove beneficial."
Jacob looked at the little girl, blonde head bent over the coloring book, oblivious to the conversation. She looked so small. "Do your really think it's necessary?"
"I do. My tests of Samantha support Colonel O'Neill's supposition that SG-1's memories are blocked, and possibly close to the surface which would explain their high level of trust in each other and in such unbelievable circumstances. The memory recall device is the best chance at retrieving those memories if that is the case. I will continue to monitor your daughter's bio readings Jacob, I have no desire for her to come to harm, and every desire to discover a way to reverse what has happened to her." Anise looked at him, arms crossed over her closed notebook, holding it against her chest.
With another sigh, Jacob gave in. "Ok, but the first sign of trouble we take that thing off."
"Of course." Anise set her notebook down and opened a cabinet, lifting out several small items. Jacob turned to Sam.
Gently, he took the coloring book out of her hands, and set it to the side. "Hey Sammy, we're going to do one more thing."
Sam narrowed her eyes. "This one is going to hurt isn't it?"
He ducked his head, wincing at her perception. He looked back up. She was watching him. "Yeah, 'fraid so, but only for a little bit. But I'll be right here, remember?" She looked fearful, but nodded bravely. He ruffled the hair on the side of her head. They'd had to take the cap off long ago since so many of the scans and tests had centered on her head. "That's my girl," he told her, his voice full of pride.
Sam did try to be brave, and hold still, but she was still a little girl, and when Anise tried to place the device on her temple Sam squirmed away. In the end, Jacob climbed up on the table and pulled her into his lap, holding her head still, her small hands clinging onto his arms. She whimpered when Anise neared, and Jacob was only slightly prepared for the wailing that followed the implantation. Instinctively, he brought one hand up to protect the newly implanted device, and the other down to wrap securely around his daughter, crooning to her, gently rocking and soothing her until she stopped crying. "There, all done, it's all done, you did great. You were perfect, and it's all done now, it's in." Anise busied herself with the biosensor readout, and Jacob noted that even she looked slightly remorseful.
"We're going to hook you up to a TV now Sam," Jacob said, distracting her, when Sam had quieted, though was still clinging to him and hiccupping.
Anise was able to connect the small wire while Sam looked at him skeptically. "A TV? You can't hook me up to a TV."
He laughed, skillfully keeping her small hands from probing at the alien device attached to her temple and the small wire. "You'll see, we have to turn it on first."
"Oh, how do we turn it on? Where's the remote?" Sam had become fascinated with remotes. They'd had them back when she'd been growing up before, but not to the extent they had them now.
"Right there." Jacob motioned to the small cylindrical object in Anise's hand. Sam looked at it dubiously, and pulled away when Anise moved it towards Sam's head.
"Will it hurt?" she asked distrustfully.
"Nope." Jacob answered her confidently, and hugged her. She snuggled against him.
"Ok." All the same she leaned against him, and watched Anise's every move, still flinching slightly when the device was used. She looked at her father. "Now what?"
"Now we see what you remember kid." He decided to start with something safe and recent. "Let's think about how we were playing Monopoly with Teal'c and Danny before we left. You remember when I had to pay all my money to Danny?"
Sam giggled. "Of course I remember, silly Daddy! That just happened!" As she spoke the words, the screen in front of them formed, and an image appeared. Sam stared at it in amazement. "Hey! There you are, and Danny and Teal'c! But where am I?"
"Now who's being silly, these are you're memories, so we won't see you." Jacob smiled at the picture, the perspective from a seven year olds eye was rather different compared to the one he was used to. Everything looked a lot bigger, including himself. Sam looked at him as his words sunk in. The memory forgotten in her distraction, the picture dissolved, and Jacob realized they would have a hard time keeping the child's mind focused.
"Hey, where did the picture go?" she demanded, disappointed.
"The picture is only there while you are remembering something," he explained patiently. "Ready to try again?" She nodded eagerly, and he decided to try for something a little less recent, but equally safe.
"You remember your last birthday party? You remember what you got for it?" She nodded, and the screen came to life again, and he saw the world again through the eyes of a child, as small hands unwrapped a long thin box, containing a telescope. "You wanted to set it up right away, but it would only work in the dark."
"Mommy said I had to wait for the stars to come out." Summoned by the memory, the woman appeared on the screen, and Jacob felt his breath catch. The picture was so sharp and clear, that Jacob had to remind himself that to Sam, right now, her mother was still alive. She didn't know that her mother had died years and years ago, and the memory was as vivid and fresh as if she'd seen her yesterday. Jacob felt waves of comfort coming from Selmak as he fought to control his grief for the sake of his daughter. "We had a big cake, and I blew out all of my candles, that means my wish is going to come true." Sam continued, not noticing her father's distress. Anise sent him a look over Sam's head, understanding that he'd seen something emotional on the screen, though she didn't know what.
Regaining his composure finally, Jacob spoke again. "Well, your seventh birthday was great, but it was no where near as good as your eighth birthday."
Sam blinked up at him in confusion, the screen going blank as she lost the thread of memory. "But I'm only seven, not eight."
"Let's pretend, OK?" Jacob shared another look with Anise, who made a few notes in her book. The screen remained blank.
"Ok." Sam snuggled into Jacob's lap expectantly. "Did we have a party?"
"We sure did. But first, that morning, you woke up and came downstairs, Mommy was making breakfast, your favorite, blueberry pancakes. Your presents from Mommy and Daddy were on the table. Do you remember what you got?"
"No, what did I get?" Sam smiled excitedly; sure she was in for a secret now. The memory screen remained blank, she obviously didn't remember.
Jacob kept trying. "So you don't remember the microscope?"
"Really? Cool. I really want one of those. Can we get one? Please?" She was wriggling in his lap now tugging on his hand, but the screen remained blank. Jacob shrugged helplessly at Anise, getting to his feet and setting Sam down after gently disconnecting the wire for a little while so she didn't dislodge it by accident. She was now bouncing up and down excitedly jabbering about microscopes and just what she would look at if she had one. Leaving her to talk to herself for a moment, Jacob stood beside Anise.
"I don't understand it, she loved that thing, spent all day looking at slides. We had to practically peel her away from it so she could come eat birthday cake and open her other gifts, and then she went right back to it. Would talk about nothing else for weeks." Sam was still chattering to herself, totally wound up. Apparently, they'd had one at her last school, which is why her parents had ended up buying her one. Looking at the experience in retrospect, Jacob decided it had been a good investment.
"The memory blocks are strong, they have been placed using a technology far superior to ours." Anise looked thoughtful.
"So you're saying the memory device is a bust." Jacob sighed.
"I'm not ready to give up on the memory recall device just yet. However, I do not believe that it alone will be enough to penetrate the memory blocks that have been placed on Samantha's memories." Anise was writing in her notebook again.
Jacob's eyes narrowed. "So what are you suggesting?"
Chapter 29: Trying Something More
Anise looked up. "We have medications that can aid in removing the barriers to the subconscious mind. With the addition of these drugs, I think the device may be able to access the hidden memories."
Jacob ran a hand over his head. "I don't know about giving her any drugs. We have no idea how her body will react to things, she may not react like we would."
"I assure you, these medications are safe, and have been in use for hundreds of years. I will only use a small dose on Samantha, just enough to make her relax, and make her subconscious memories more accessible to the device. I only ask that we try. If you become uncomfortable at anytime, we can stop, and I will continue to monitor Samantha's bio readings during the procedure." Anise closed her notebook and waited for Jacob's answer.
"Sel?" He asked his symbiote.
"Unfortunately, I agree with Anise. I do not believe we will get any further with the memory device by itself. I know the drugs that Anise is speaking of, and know they have been safely used for generations," Selmak replied.
"On children though?"
"Of that, I am not aware, but I really do not believe we have a choice. It is that, or we wait for Samantha to grow up again or hope for better luck from our other allies. Are you prepared to raise your daughter again, or to allow someone else to raise her?" Selmak's question drove right to the heart of the matter, and unfortunately, his current job wasn't exactly one he could just walk away from, not even one he could easily take a vacation from.
He sighed internally. "I was afraid you'd say that."
Verbally, he announced. "Alright, but at the first sign that there's anything wrong, we're done, and I'm taking her home, so you had better be done with everything you plan on doing."
Anise nodded, and Jacob rounded Sam up, pulling her back into his lap and tickling her while Anise hooked the device back up and applied a new small triangular device just under the girl's collarbone. Sam barely noticed the tiny prick, and Jacob's distractions kept her giggling and squirming while his hands kept hers from pulling at anything important. Pressing a few buttons on a pad caused the medication to release, and in a few minutes, Sam started to feel sleepy and Jacob stopped his attack, letting her lay back against his chest. "Tell me another story Daddy," she requested drowsily.
So Jacob started to tell her about the time she was ten, and they'd gone camping in the mountains, and spent hours gazing at the stars. He'd told her how they'd seen a falling star and all made a wish. Sam smiled at the story, but the screen remained blank. Anise frowned, and made some adjustments, minutely increasing the medication.
Jacob told her about her high school graduation. He talked about various achievements she had made. Anise made several more adjustments and added another medication, and then another when that combination proved ineffective, but the screen stubbornly remained blank. Jacob kept telling stories, every happy event he could think of.
Eventually, Anise hesitantly suggested that the blocks might break under the stimulus of a painful memory, but Jacob balked. He knew of only one memory that would serve, the rest were only pets or relatives that Sam had no real attachment to at this age. He couldn't do it, not again. He felt Selmak's encouraging presence and knew that it was the right course of action, and if he didn't tell her now, then someone else would have to tell her. With a weary sigh, he told her the story of how he had come home so many years ago to find the teenaged Sam baking cookies and been forced to tell her that her mother, his wife, who they both loved so dear, was gone forever. At first, Sam didn't want to believe him but when she did, she cried, clinging to him. Finally, she looked up at him, understanding on her face.
"That's why Mommy never came to see me isn't it? That's why I had to go and stay with Colonel Jack right?" Her shoulders shook, threatening new tears, and through the entire time he'd relieved the memory of that fateful day, the screen remained blank.
Just to make sure, Jacob asked her. "You really don't remember me telling you about Mommy do you? The way I just told you?" She shook her head, more tears threatening to fall. Jacob looked at Anise.
The Tok'ra looked puzzled. "The device is functioning on its fullest level. The combination of drugs should only serve to enhance its power. I don't understand why it's not working."
Jacob reached up and disconnected the memory device from the screen, then pulled out the device itself. Next he reached under Sam's shirt and pulled off the infusion device and the biosensor, gently placing each item on the table. Wordlessly, he collected Sam's cap and coloring book, replacing them in the knapsack before he slung it over one shoulder and stood up, carefully cradling his groggy little girl. "Thank you Anise. If you learn anything useful from the data you have gathered, you know how to contact us."
Anise looked like she wanted to argue, but wisely did not. Instead she only nodded and turned back to her notes in silent dismissal. Jacob left the lab, carrying Sam through the tunnels of the Tok'ra base.
He was nearly to transport rings when Aldwin appeared from a doorway, looking anxious. "Jacob, Selmak! Thank goodness I caught you before you left! An urgent matter has come up that requires your attention."
Jacob scowled, shifting Sam's weight in his arms and making her whimper unhappily. "Can't it wait Aldwin? I'm a little busy right now."
"Please, Jacob. It will only take a few minutes, the council just needs to speak with you before you go back." Aldwin was persistent, if not downright irritating.
Sighing, Jacob followed the man, sensing he'd get Sam home a lot faster that way, but also getting the feeling he'd be saying goodbye to her a lot faster too when they got there. When they got to the doorway of the council chamber, Aldwin stopped them before they could go in, and Jacob glared at him in irritation. "What?"
"She can't go in, she's not a Tok'ra." Aldwin motioned to Sam.
"Well what am I supposed to do with her?" Jacob's impatience was growing, and he was close to just getting the hell out of there, high council or not.
"Can't she just stay here?" The man's naiveté was almost amusing if not for the fact they were discussing his daughter.
"What, do you think a seven year old is a security risk? I'm not leaving her out here alone, she's just a child." Jacob narrowed his eyes, realizing why Teal'c had punched the man that time several years ago.
"Jacob, you know the rules, it will only be a few minutes..." Seeing he was getting nowhere, he changed tracks. "What if someone comes out and sits with her? Will that do?"
Jacob sighed again, feeling Selmak nudge him, and remind him that as satisfying as it may be, punching the man was not an option. Besides, he needed both arms to hold Sam. "Fine, but someone comes out here as soon as we go in there or I take her back first." He set Sam down on one of the wide crystal benches, wincing as she whined in protest. "Sam, Daddy needs to go to a boring meeting for a couple minutes, can you be a really good girl and sit right here and don't move until I come back?"
"Why can't I come in with you?" Her hands were still holding to his jacket and he gently pried them loose, setting the knapsack down next to her.
"Because you need to stay here. Sammy, I need to go, just stay right here ok, I'll be right back. Don't wander off, I mean it. Your books are in the bag if you get bored." Jacob did his best to ignore her sulky whimpers as he turned away, wondering what had gotten into her to make her so cranky all of a sudden, because he didn't remember her getting like that even at her most tired. He pushed the thoughts aside as he hurried into the council chambers. The sooner the meeting was dealt with, the sooner he could take her home and put her to bed.
Chapter 30: Waiting
Sam sighed, kicking her heels against the surface of the bench in frustration where she lay sprawled since her father had left her to go to some stupid meeting. Even the little lights that normally cheered her did nothing to alleviate her current mood. She was tired, bored, and she wanted to go home.
Footsteps approached her position, and Sam lifted her head eagerly, only to be disappointed when she saw a tall dark haired woman she didn't know. She let her head flop down on the bench and continued kicking her heels. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump!
"Hello." Sam realized the woman had spoken to her, and at the same time became aware of a now familiar tingling sensation in her spine. The woman's voice was also funny sounding. Sam ignored the woman and continued kicking her feet.
"May I sit down?" The woman was looking down at her now, and had a funny fake smile on, the kind that Sam recognized as ones adults wore when they weren't used to being around children.
The woman had asked her a question, and Mommy had said it wasn't polite to ignore people when they were talking to you. Of course people ignored her all the time, so she really didn't understand that one. On the other hand... "My Daddy says I shouldn't talk to strangers."
"My name is Garshaw," the woman told her, and Sam's mind worked out the new dilemma of the fact that the woman had just told her name, so therefore did that mean she wasn't a stranger anymore?
"I'm Sam," she finally said figuring that was safe enough, and introductions were polite her Mommy said. Thinking of her Mommy made new tears threaten to fall, but Sam blinked them away, determined not to cry especially not in front of someone she didn't know.
"I know," the woman said, "Your father asked me to come sit out here with you while he was in the meeting. May I sit down?" she asked again, waiting patiently and still wearing that fake smile.
Sam scowled. "Well, why didn't you just say so in the first place?" she answered, her voice tinged with exasperation. This time the woman's smile was genuine as Sam grudgingly made room for the woman by scooting around on the bench so that her feet and legs rested up against the wall, and her head and back lay on the seat of the bench. Since the bench was wide and made to accommodate adult bodies, it was perfect for Sam's impromptu body arrangement. And if Sam's occasional kicks against the wall near the Tok'ra's head to set the little lights in shoes off annoyed the woman in any way, she was very good at not showing it. "I wanna go home," Sam announced plaintively when the woman had settled herself. After all, the woman had come from the meeting, so perhaps she could find a way to get her Daddy to come out faster.
"I know, I'm sorry we are keeping you and your father here longer than you wish, but this meeting is very important. We would not have kept you otherwise." Garshaw's tone was patient.
"Mommy says Daddy does very important work, and we should be proud of him. He has to go away a lot for a very long time, and we don't see him for months and months. I miss him a lot. Sometimes I wish his work wasn't so important and that he was like some of the other dads at school, and didn't have to go away all the time. He'll probably have to go away again soon. We never get to see him long. But this time... this time... Daddy said that Mommy is dead and gone away forever. I'll never get to see her again." And now the tears that had been threatening earlier did fall, she couldn't stop them if she tried. Sam brought her legs down, curling into a little ball to make herself as small as possible as she cried again, barely conscious of a gentle hand on her back. She didn't mean to cry. She was a big girl after all, and big girls didn't cry, especially in front of strangers. But the woman seemed nice, and very wise, and Sam felt so very sad and lonely and not like herself she couldn't help it. So she cried, and the woman didn't seem to mind at all, just sitting by her silently.
When she was done crying, the woman was still sitting there, and lifted her hand away. Sam studied her for a moment, the absence of Garshaw's touch reminding her of the funny tingling feeling in her spine. She narrowed her eyes, for the moment her curiosity overcoming all her other discomforts and pains. "Do you have a, um, a sym... cymbal in you too? Like my dad does?" Sam wiped away her tears and sniffled as she waited for the woman to reply.
Confusion crossed Garshaw's features as she tried to figure out what Sam was asking. After a moment, she realized what it was. "A symbiote?" When Sam nodded, she smiled. "Yes, I do."
Sam sat up on the bench, sitting cross-legged and tilted her head to one side. "Does your cymbal know any good jokes like Selmak does?" Sam's expression was hopeful.
Garshaw blinked, momentarily taken aback by the rapid mood shift and change of subject. "Jokes?"
"Yeah. Like, why was the lettuce blushing?" Sam giggled slightly, and brought up her small hands up to cover her mouth, hunching her shoulders a little.
Garshaw's brows knitted together in confusion. "Why was the lettuce blushing?"
"Because it saw the salad dressing," said a new, deeper voice from the doorway.
"Daddy!" Sam cried joyously, surging off the bench and into her father's arms. A slight whine returned to her voice as she laid her head on his shoulder. "Can we go home now? I'm tired."
"Yeah pumpkin, we can go home now. Thank you for watching her Garshaw. I wish these emergencies had better timing." He took the small black bag from Garshaw with a nod of thanks.
"It is we who are in your debt Jacob Carter, we should not be asking anything of you at this time." Garshaw spoke softly.
Jacob shifted his daughter. "Yeah, well, that's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. Let me get the kid home, then we'll talk."
Garshaw nodded, and watched the two of them walk away, a new insight into the host of Selmak and the former host of Jolinar. She sighed, and wished the war could spare them.
Chapter 31: Painful Separations
The gate alarms went off, signaling an unscheduled off-world activation, and Jack left Danny and Teal'c playing a card game in the infirmary and hurried to the gate room, just in time to hear the call that the Tok'ra IDC had been received. He watched in relief as the figure of Jacob Carter emerged, carrying the smaller figure of Sam. She had her arms and legs wrapped around his body and was leaning her head against his shoulder. Jack followed General Hammond down to the base of the ramp to meet them.
"Hi." Sam's tired voice greeted him, but she made no move to let go of her father. Jack wasn't the least bit jealous. He'd had her clinging to him all week, and judging by the grim look on Jacob's face, he had a feeling she'd be clinging to him again soon. Her face turned as she shifted positions and he noted with a frown the telltale marks from the memory recall device left in her temple. General Hammond noted them too and also frowned.
Recognizing what the frowns were, Jacob shifted Sam. "Let's go upstairs, and I'll make this brief. Something came up while I was over there." His eyes communicated the rest, confirming Jack's suspicions, and telling them that he hadn't told Sam the bad news yet.
Jacob carried Sam up the stairs, Jack and Hammond following, and Jack heard Sam ask with a bit of a whine, "Can we go home yet Daddy?"
"Not yet sweetheart, soon. Daddy needs to tell Colonel Jack and Uncle George a few things first." Jacob's tone was soft and soothing.
"I wanna go home," Sam's voice hinted at tears to come soon.
"I know sweetie, just be patient for a little more," Jacob soothed, and she whimpered again. Jack frowned again as he entered the room, meeting Jacob's eye. Jacob shrugged helplessly, taking a seat and cuddling Sam close. Sam continued to whimper softly, despite his comforting. Jack decided to ignore it and get on with the briefing so they could put Sam to bed; perhaps she just needed a good night's rest.
"So I take it the mission was a bust?" Jack got straight to the point, sensing Sam's mood and Jacob's worry.
Jacob sighed, and nodded. "Yeah, pretty much. Anise still has to analyze all the data, so something might still prove useful, but we got nothing with the device, even when we tried several medications to try and break the memory blocks."
Jack blinked, and was about to say something, when Hammond fortunately spoke for him before he could say something stupid. "Medications? In what way?"
"I know what you're probably thinking. But this is my kid we're talking about here, and the last thing I would do is anything to harm her. Selmak thought the drugs might help, and apparently they've been in use by the Tok'ra for generations. They just didn't do any good in this case." Sam whimpered again in his arms and he whispered soothingly to her, rubbing her back. "Sorry, it's been a long day for both of us. I, ah, had to tell her about her mother. We thought a painful memory might be enough to break through the block, but even that didn't do it."
They were all silent as they absorbed the implications of Jacob's statement except for the occasional whimper from Sam as she fussed. Finally Hammond broke the silence. "How long before Anise completes her analysis and we know if she was able to discover anything of use?"
Jacob sighed. "Some of it will be done in a few days, but there's a few things that could take weeks, even months. I know Anise, she tends to worry at a problem until she finds a solution, and this one intrigued her. If I hadn't called a stop to the tests, she probably would have kept going, so likely she'll keep going with the data that she has on hand until she runs out of ideas."
Jack nodded. It was something at least, even if he didn't like the woman that much. Sam whined again, and Jack frowned in concern. "What's up with her? She's usually not so cranky."
Shrugging, Jacob rubbed her back absently. "Beats me, she's been like this since I stopped the recall test. I just thought she was tired, but I don't think I've ever seen her this tired and irritable before."
Hammond looked concerned. "Do you think it's a side effect of the medication?"
Jacob frowned down at his daughter, he hadn't thought about that. "Selmak doesn't think so, but she's not sure. It could be. If it is, she's sure it will wear off given several hours and a good night's sleep. She's probably exhausted and it's compounding things. It's really been a long day, and she's practically had her world turned upside down. That's bound to make anyone a little cranky."
Hammond nodded, but Jack wasn't so sure. Still, he stood up when Jacob did, dreading what was coming next.
"Well, I hate to cut this short, but like I said, something came up when I was back there, and I'm needed elsewhere. I really wish I could stay though, especially now. But I really don't have any other choice. I can't even say when or if I can come back in the near future." His eyes were sad as he regarded his small daughter. He'd missed large parts of her childhood the first time because he was away trying to save his country and his planet. It wasn't everyday that one was presented the gift of having the chance at revisiting their childhood again, and he had to walk away from it in favor of saving the galaxy. How ironic. He jostled the little girl slightly to catch her attention. "Sammy?"
She buried her face in his chest, refusing to look at him. "You're going away again aren't you?"
He pressed his face into her hair; breathing in the scent he thought he'd never smell again, the smell that only small children possessed. "Yeah baby, I have to go, they need me."
Clinging tighter, she murmured, "Don't go Daddy, please, I need you more."
"I'm sorry Sammy, I have to go. I love you, remember that, forever and always." He started to unwind her fingers from his tunic, and she started to cry.
"No Daddy, don't go please, I love you too Daddy, please don't go, no, no, no, NO!" Jack moved to help as her cries increased and degenerated into wailing, and Jacob had tears of his own rolling down his face.
"Jeeze, Jack, she's never been like this," he said over Sam's sobbing, as Jack had to bodily restrain her from reaching out for him.
Hammond came over and gently pulled him towards the door. "C'mon Jacob, we should go." He led the man down the stairs and Sam continued to struggle and cry, Jack trying to console her in any way that he could. A moment later, the Stargate started up. Squirming out of his grasp, she ran to the window and watched as her father walked through the wormhole. Only when the wormhole disengaged, did she crumple to the ground and let Jack hold and comfort her, clinging to him like her heart was broken.
He held her until Hammond came back. "How is she?"
Jack just shook his head and sighed. Hammond sighed too. "You should probably get her to the infirmary, let Doctor Fraiser check her out, make sure it's just tiredness and not those drugs Jacob mentioned that are causing this."
He closed his eyes and nodded, briefly burying his face in her hair. As much as he would rather avoid further traumatizing Sam tonight, her behavior was so far from ordinary for the normally tough, bounce back from anything little girl he'd come to know, that he wouldn't feel better until the Doctor had checked her out. And child or not, there was still post mission protocols to follow. She had just traveled through the gate after all, to an alien world. Gently, he gathered her in his arms, but she barely seemed to notice, lost in her own misery.
He carried her to the infirmary, and their entrance was met by the stares of Teal'c, Danny, and Doctor Fraiser, who were all playing cards together. Doctor Fraiser stood up immediately in concern. The boys moved to follow, but he shook his head at them. They stayed where they were reluctantly.
"Colonel O'Neill, what's wrong?" She crossed over to him, gently brushing back the hair from Sam's tear streaked face, immediately finding the marks from the memory device. She looked up at him as he carried Sam to a bed and tried to lay her on it, but she refused to let go of him, her cries increasing in pitch until he tightened his arms again and gave up the idea, climbing up on the bed instead and holding her in his lap. Janet raised her eyebrows, but didn't protest, working around the impromptu arrangement.
"Her father had to leave, but I think there's more going on." Jack tried to explain. "Jacob said they had to give her some drugs while they were over there, and that she's been cranky and irritable ever since they took the memory device off. He also had to tell her about her mother." He frowned, his face a mask of worry as he looked down at the little girl in his arms who was still whimpering, her face buried in his t-shirt.
Janet was concerned too. "We should probably start with a blood sample then, so I can start a chemical analysis. That could take a few hours before we find anything though, if anything even shows up. We can't detect everything."
Jack nodded; he'd been expecting something like that. Janet called over a tech, and got her supplies together. Sam was decidedly unhappy about the procedure, and let everyone know at the top of her lungs. Fortunately, Janet got everything she needed on the first stick. Then she surprised them both by refusing not only a Band-aid, but a sticker too, instead she continued to cling to Jack and whimper. The two adults shared looks of concern. Sam never turned down a chance for a sticker, or even just a Band-aid.
Janet pressed on with her exam, but the rest of it was unremarkable, except for the tiny little punctures from the various Tok'ra devices. Finally she was done except for one last thing. "Colonel, I just have to give her the post mission inoculation."
Jack groaned, pausing in his efforts to get Sam's shirt back on while the little girl tried to keep both arms firmly wound around his neck. "Aw, Doc, do we have to? Can't we just skip it just this once? I won't tell anyone."
Janet sighed, and wished she could agree. "Afraid not. A child's immune system just isn't as good as yours or mine, so it's doubly important she get it."
He nodded, and Janet stepped out to prepare the injection. Jack would have prepared Sam, like he had every time they'd gone to the infirmary for more labs and studies, but he decided the sneak attack was the best approach. Obviously, Janet thought so too, because when she came back there was no needle in sight, as she'd placed it in her pocket.
"Hey Sam?" Jack said.
"What?" She sniffled.
"Sorry about this kiddo." Before she had time to process what was going on he had her flipped over and her backside neatly presented to Janet. He had to give the Doctor credit, the woman was fast, and the shot was over in seconds. Sam's indignant wails on the other hand were another matter entirely, he thought ruefully as he put her pants back in order and tried to comfort her.
"Can I take her home now?" he asked, standing up when her cries had faded to a less deafening volume.
"I think so. I'll call when I know anything. Likely she's just tired." Janet tried to sound reassuring.
"Yeah, hopefully. Thanks Janet." He carried his still snuffling cargo out of the cubicle, finding the two boys not far away. They had obviously heard Sam's wails. The whole base had probably heard. "C'mon guys, let's take Sam home." The boys nodded, their faces showing their concern.
Chapter 32: Frustration
Getting Sam to let go of him to put her in the backseat proved problematic, but there was no hope for it, and resulted in another several minutes of wailing. Daniel tried to help by reaching across from his own seat to comfort her, but she didn't want any of it. Jack finally just got in the front seat and started the truck. Her cries eventually lessened, but the tempo against the back of the seat beat a steady tattoo with her intermittent whines. Any hope he'd held that the car ride would lull her to sleep or at least calm her somewhat were in vain. When he pulled into the driveway, she was still just as wound up as when they had started.
He somehow got them all inside the house, and settled Sam on the couch, although she pitched another fit when he walked away again. He sighed. She was being clingy tonight, and it seemed like her legs were broken, at least to her, because she refused to go anywhere unless carried. He took the boys into the kitchen. They looked at him, faces identical masks of worry.
Jack tried to explain why Sam was acting so unusual. "Sam's dad had to go away. She also found out that her mommy is never coming back because she died a long time ago. And she had to have lots of tests that hurt today, she even had to get a shot, and she might have gotten some medicines that are making her feel really weird right now, that's why she's crying so much and feeling so cranky."
"Then we must stay with Samantha and remind her that we will not also go away," Teal'c said simply, in the logic that comes with the tender age of youth.
Jack smiled and cupped the side of the boy's face. "That's exactly right Teal'c. Look, I'm going to order a pizza, I'll be out in a minute, can you guys stay with Sam? Keep her company?" The boys nodded, and Jack picked up the phone.
Several minutes later, Jack walked out to find Sam curled up in a miserable ball on the couch, Teal'c on the floor at her feet, and Daniel sitting next to her, his arm around her. They'd put the TV on to her favorite show, but she didn't seem much interested. Jack sat down next to Sam on her other side, wrapping his arm around her, briefly rubbing Daniel's back in the process. Daniel looked at him with sad eyes, and Jack gave him a look of encouragement.
"Hey Sam, pizza's going to be here soon," he said, rubbing her back.
"Not hungry." Her head was buried into her knees, which were curled protectively up to her chest.
He sighed, and pulled her towards him. She came without resistance, her small body trembling with unshed tears. "Oh Sam, I'm so sorry."
"Why didn't you tell me? I thought she'd come get me You kept saying she couldn't be here. Why? I want her back, it's not fair, why my mom, why me? What did I do?" The questions tumbled out and her body heaved with sobs, and it was all Jack could do to hold her, as the tears rolled down his own face.
"Sam, oh, Sam, it's not your fault. It was never your fault. Nothing you ever did could ever have changed the way things turned out. I couldn't tell you, well because I couldn't hurt you, not when I hoped that we could change you back to the grown up you. Sam, you aren't alone here, ok? Even though your Daddy isn't here, he still loves you very much. And, well, I love you too, and you've got Danny, and Teal'c and Doctor Janet, and Uncle George too. We all love you, and I know it's not the same, but don't forget that everyone loves you very much." As he spoke, two small hands joined his in rubbing Sam's back, and gradually, her sobs lost the edge of desperation they'd held before, becoming less full of despair and more cleansing. Finally, they stopped altogether, and she just held onto him, breathing.
He thought for a little while that she'd fallen asleep, and debated what to do, but then she spoke quietly. "Colonel Jack?"
"Yeah Sam?" he answered softly.
"I love you too. And Danny and Teal'c. I still miss my Mommy and Daddy though." Her voice was sad.
He hugged her. "I know. That's ok. It's ok to miss people when they are gone."
She nodded. Just then, the doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of the pizza. Jack moved to answer it, and her hands tightened, grabbing a handful of his shirt. "Sam, I just need to get the door, I'll be right back."
"Noo. Don't gooo." Her voice was whiney in an instant, and tears threatened to fall again.
He bit back a groan, catching the glance the two boys shared as Daniel rolled his eyes. It seemed Daniel had limited patience in a nine year olds body, and even Jack's patience was starting to wear thin. He started to untangle the limbs, ignoring the cries that started up as predicted. "I'll be back in a sec." As he walked away, the cries built in intensity, and he sighed. He'd hoped with her healthy emotional release, that it had been the end. Obviously it hadn't. It looked like they were in for a long night.
The pizza guy looked at him curiously as he handed over the pizzas. Sam's wailing probably sounded like she was being murdered or something back there. Jack just handed the guy the money and shrugged helplessly.
He grabbed several plates and a couple paper towels from the kitchen and returned to the living room to discover that Daniel had moved off the couch and Teal'c was no longer sitting next to it. Both boys had moved over to the other side of the coffee table and were watching the couch and the small occupant warily as she kicked her feet against the cushions and rocked in frustration. They looked at him in surprise as he handed them plates of pizza. They never got to eat in the living room.
"Just be careful with it ok?" he warned them, and they nodded, still sending worried and slightly disgusted glances at the couch. Sam hadn't even lessened her tempo or shown any indication that she had noticed or cared that the pizza was here.
Jack placed a slice on a plate and stood near the couch, and decided that the food might help improve her temper and distract her. "Sam, pizza."
"Don't." Thump "Want." Thump "Any." Thump. She kicked the seat cushions with each word to punctuate her reply. So much for that idea.
Used to Carter when she was being stubborn, Jack decided on one more attempt with her younger version. "C'mon Sam, just try to eat a little bit, you like pizza. Just a little, you can do it." He moved the plate a little closer. Unfortunately, the move proved to be a mistake, but Jack hadn't been a military man for years and learned nothing. Reflexes honed and sharpened, he dodged the inexpertly aimed kick by centimeters. However, he was unprepared for his own surge of anger that followed.
As a child, Jack had been raised to always respect his parents and elders. Anytime he'd showed disrespect towards an adult the response had been immediate, usually painful, and often for far less than what Sam had just done. His nerves already frayed by the long past several hours of waiting, and the recent hours of near constant crying on Sam's part, and add the emotional stress, worrying, and fear over what had happened to her and the whole situation with the kids, it all came bubbling to the surface. His first instinct was to turn her over his knee and deliver a stinging swat or two to her bare bottom. It was no less than his parents would have done. In fact, he'd have considered himself lucky if that's the lightest they'd done for trying to strike one of them.
He'd even taken a step towards her, intent on just such an action, hand half raised, mind awash with anger for a moment. But the phone rang in the next, shattering his thoughts, and he realized what he was about to do and stopped, his other hand clenching the plate he still held so tightly the knuckles were bone white. He swore and stormed out of the room, briefly catching a glace of the looks of fear and worry on Teal'c and Danny's face. Sam's crying continued unabated, she had no idea how close he'd just come to losing control.
He snatched the phone off the cradle in the kitchen. "O'Neill!" he barked, thumping the plate onto the counter with a loud bang, almost surprised when it didn't break with the force of the impact.
"Colonel O'Neill, is everything alright?" said the concerned female voice on the other end.
"Doctor Fraiser, jeeze!" Jack took a deep calming breath, and counted to ten. Then he counted to ten again, before speaking. "I'm so sorry, it's just been a little hairy here is all."
"I understand, I was calling to see how things were going actually." Janet's voice was soothing, like a balm. Wordlessly, Jack held the receiver out towards the sound of screaming. "That bad huh?" she said when he placed the phone back to his ear.
"Yeah, she's been like that pretty much all night. I thought she was getting better after we talked about her mom, but as soon as I had to get up to go pay the delivery guy, she wigged out again. She won't eat; she won't stop crying if I leave the room. Doc, I don't know how much more of this I can take. I almost lost it and smacked her, if you hadn't called just now, I don't know what I would have done. She doesn't need that on top of everything else." Jack found his hands were again clenched into fists as he remembered how he'd nearly let his emotions control his actions.
"Colonel, this is a trying time for all of you. I'm surprised you're dealing as well as you are actually. The important thing is you didn't lose control. Now, I'm calling because I've gotten the results back from the blood tests we ran earlier on Sam, and we were able to identify several drugs in her system, and I think I have a fairly good idea what may be causing at least some of her current behavior. One of the chemicals as it's breaking down came back with somewhat similar properties to a class of stimulant drugs called amphetamines, which can cause irritability, loss of appetite, and trouble sleeping. With what you've told me about how tired Sam must have been before going over there, I think her exhaustion and the emotional events of the day have just compounded the reaction she's having now. Unfortunately, there isn't much we can do about it. The good news is, I think it will just take a little bit of time while her system clears the drugs, and she'll be back to normal." Janet tried to sound positive, as she could still hear the sounds of one frustrated little girl in the background.
"How. Long?" There was an edge of desperation to Jack's voice.
Sensing the worry, Janet tried to sound reassuring. "A child's systems aren't as mature as an adult's, and that's why I think Sam is having so much trouble dealing with the chemicals. That said, it's going to take a little bit longer for everything to clear out, and a little bit longer to return to normal, but I'm hoping she'll be feeling a lot better by morning."
Jack closed his eyes briefly. Morning. He might just be able to survive until than. That meant they would just have to make it through the night. "And there's nothing we can do for her? Not even something to help calm her down or go to sleep?"
"I'm sorry Colonel. I'm reluctant to give her any more drugs for fear how they'd react with the drugs already in her system; especially given her altered blood chemistry. Children are a whole different science onto themselves sometimes, and Major Carter was different after her experience with Jolinar... to have a child with the same sort of blood chemistry, well, let's just say I'd rather not have to unless we really needed to. Sam's truly one of a kind right now." Jack smiled at the thought as Janet continued. "As for getting her to relax, I'd suggest trying some soft music or a warm bath. The sooner you can get her to sleep, the better. Just keep being reassuring, she'll settle."
Jack sighed. It wasn't much, but... "Ok, I'll try that."
He heard her take a breath on the other end. "Look, if she gets worse, or you have any concerns, you know you can call me any time, you have all my numbers. I'll be home tonight with Cassie. And I should probably see her again tomorrow, so why don't you bring her by the infirmary in the morning..."
Hastily he interrupted, looking at the clock, the hour already late. "How about later, like in the afternoon? If she's doing ok that is. I just have a feeling we're going to be up kinda late, and it's been a long day, I would just rather let everybody sleep in, Sam especially, before I go bringing her back to the infirmary for more tests. If she's not doing any better by the morning," and he crossed his fingers, fervently hoping it would not be so, "I'll bring her in first thing. Promise."
There was a pause, and he could almost see the doctor considering. Finally, she spoke. "Ok, but I expect to see you and Sam in the infirmary by tomorrow afternoon at the latest or I will personally come looking for you." Jack smiled wryly, knowing the threat wasn't an idle one. "We will have to draw some more blood though." Jack's smile faded, and he couldn't hold back a groan.
"Yeah, I figured. Hopefully she'll be back to her old self though, and it won't bother her as much as long as you have some stickers and those Scooby Doo band-aids," he told her, trying to inject some confidence in his voice that he wasn't really feeling at the moment.
Janet laughed at the weak joke, glad that the Colonel was at least feeling hopeful now. "I'll make sure of it. Good luck tonight Colonel, I hope Sam feels better soon, and call me if you need it, I mean it."
"Thanks Doc. Have a good night."
"Good night Colonel." The line clicked as the other end disconnected, and Jack hung up his own phone, absently picking up the slice of pizza that Sam hadn't wanted and cramming it in his mouth.
He chewed on the slice, contemplating the things he'd been told. It sounded like getting Sam to bed would be the best deal for all of them, before he lost his patience again with her. He knew, rationally, that it wasn't completely her fault that she was feeling so irritable and out of sorts. She was just a little kid after all, and she'd just had her entire world turned on its side. That would have been difficult for her had she been reacting normally. But add in a few drugs making her irritable, well, he guessed he might whine a bit too. But still, the past few hours coming stacked on top of his own worries and fears had been very grating. He was exhausted, and he knew he wasn't the most patient man in the world to begin with. And he knew if he was exhausted, she had to be ready to drop over, and it was a shame she didn't because he sensed that all three of the kids were running on fumes.
Just then a rather high-pitched shriek came from the living room, and the resumption of a new level of screaming told him that something had just happened. Dropping the last bit of the pizza he'd been eating, he charged out into the living room to find Danny and Teal'c halfway across the room, looking a bit awestruck and slightly terrified, as they stared at their younger foster sibling and former teammate from what now felt like another life while she wailed in distress on the couch. Other than looking slightly more unhappy (if it was possible) than when he'd seen her last, she seemed unchanged, so he headed for the boys.
"What happened?" he asked, getting straight to the point.
The boys exchanged worried looks, and finally Teal'c spoke. "I attempted to teach Samantha Kelnorim, in an effort to calm her. I thought it would help her to find inner peace tonight." Teal'c's eyes were downcast as he spoke. Obviously, judging by the scream moments ago, his plan had backfired in a big way. Sam was apparently not in the mood for finding inner peace.
Mind made up that it was bedtime for everyone, the now half-hearted whimpers from the couch and the slightly unhappy looks from Daniel and Teal'c only backing up his decision. Jack tried to reassure Teal'c, his heart warmed over by the young boy's thoughtfulness. "That was a good thought Teal'c, I just don't think Sam is in the mood right now. Maybe you can try it again another day alright?" He waited until Teal'c looked up at him and nodded hesitantly. "Okay, Danny, Teal'c, why don't you guys go get ready for bed, Sam and I will be right behind you." He gave them a reassuring smile when they looked worried, obviously still thinking about how he'd stormed out of the room in anger earlier. The looks turned into relieved ones when he grinned at them as they passed, taking wide berths of the couch. He followed, rubbing their backs and giving them nudges towards the stairs. It was a measure of their relief to be going and turning over the full responsibility to him that they went without protest.
He picked up the pizza box and plates, and went out to the kitchen. By the time he was done putting everything away, he figured the boys were done with the bathroom, so he slipped upstairs, deciding he'd try at least one of Doctor Fraiser's suggestions. Ducking into the bathroom, he filled the tub with warm water. He didn't have any bubbles. Having been a single man for a long time, he didn't really go for bubble baths, but at this point he didn't think Sam would care if the bath had bubbles or not. All the kids had been taking showers until now anyway, so this would be different for her. He made sure there were soap, a washcloth, and a large fluffy towel ready.
Once everything was in readiness, he went back downstairs to get Sam. "C'mon Sam, time for a bath, then bed."
"Don't need one. Not sleepy." The whines started to build, and Jack felt his frustration growing again despite his resolve not to let his emotions get out of control. He counted to ten, and reminded himself that he was the adult.
"After today, you need one. We always take a bath after going through the gate, and you've been in those clothes all day. It's time for bed whether you like it or not, Teal'c and Danny have already gone and they're older than you are. So let's go." This time, he made sure to stay well out of range of any kicks or hits. However, if he was thinking his infallible logic would convince her to get up off her butt and walk up the stairs with him to the bathroom, he was mistaken. In the end, he had to haul her up there himself, and she let him know how much she disliked the idea.
He sat her down on the closed toilet seat, and she banged her feet against the porcelain bowl, feet still encased in her shoes. Her cries hadn't lessened and she showed no inclination in wanting to do anything on her own. With a sigh, he realized if he wanted her in the warm, soothing bath, he'd have to put her there himself.
"Ok Sam, let's get those shoes off." He said, working to keep his tone soothing and gentle, then moved in on the swinging feet, adroitly catching one ankle.
"Nooooo!" Came the predicted response as she struggled in his hold. Jack felt his patience growing thin again. He didn't want to discipline her, but if she didn't hold still, one of them would end up hurt, and he really didn't want to hurt her, especially now. And he knew, that even when a child was sick, you still had to make sure they understood there were limits to their behavior. Hopefully, she'd calm down with a verbal warning, because he wasn't sure if a time out would work, and he refused to do anything physical to her. She'd had enough painful things done today in his opinion, and it wouldn't do either of them any good.
"Sam, I'm warning you, you need to calm down, and we are doing this. So we can either do this my way, or your way, and trust me, my way is a whole lot easier than your way." Something in his tone must have finally penetrated the real and self imposed misery clouding her mind, because even though she continued to whine, she stopped struggling and held still, allowing Jack to undress her, much to his relief. It had always amazed him that no matter how miserable or angry a kid was, when you told him or her to do something and really meant it, they would do it, protesting the entire way of course, but they would still do it. He thought kids probably wasted a lot of energy protesting the things they ended up doing anyway. Of course, if they didn't waste the energy somewhere, kids would probably end up doing something else crazy with all that excess energy, like be able to fly or something, and that would be a whole lot worse.
As soon as he had her undressed, he lifted her into the tub. She whimpered at first and clung to him but he spoke to her quietly, using the soapy rag to rub at her back and body, gently soothing her as he spoke to her. Gradually, she started to relax, although she still whimpered now and again. The bath seemed to do the trick, and Jack decided to use the opportunity to attack the tangled mess that her hair had become. Not combing it that morning had been a bit of a mistake it seemed. Spending the rest of the day concealed under a hat hadn't helped. The crowning achievement was hours of Sam's head rolling around on the upholstery in tantrums. Add to that the fact that he just really didn't know what he was doing with a little girl's hair. He knew if he let her sleep in it tonight the way it was though, he'd probably have to shave it tomorrow, and she'd never forgive him. Well, maybe it wasn't that bad, but it did look like birds would like to nest there.
Things were going well, until Sam moved unexpectedly. The next thing he knew, she had two eyes full of shampoo suds, and the relaxing bath was anything but as the house was once again filled with howls. He gave up, pouring water over her head as best he could to rinse the suds out, getting scratched in the process as Sam accidentally caught the back of his hand while she was trying to rub at her stinging her eyes. By the time he got her out of the tub, her cries were such that she had to pause in between each one to suck in a lungful of air. His mind supplied a litany of curses that he couldn't say out loud but wished he could as he toweled the girl off then bodily carried her down the hall to her room. He discovered the boys had been there ahead of him, because someone had turned on the desk lamp and drawn the covers down on Sam's bed.
He set her down on the bed, towel and all, and grabbed a t-shirt and fresh pair of underwear from her dresser. Getting the underwear on her though, quickly proved to be a problem, because her legs were thrashing too much. He finally decided she could live without them, and tossed them on top of the dresser. Instead, he hauled her into a sitting position, momentarily startling her into silence. Using her surprise to his advantage, he slipped the t-shirt over her head. Taking one glance at her towel dried hair, he decided she wouldn't die if she went to bed with a damp head for one night, and he really didn't want to deal with blow-drying it right now. So he just pushed her down, pulled the covers up before she had time to figure out what he was doing, and pressed a kiss on her forehead.
"I love you Sam, good night." He ignored her as her crying started back up again, gently but firmly pulling the door partially closed, but leaving the lamp on in the room.
"Noooooo. Don't go! I don't wanna go to sleep! NO!" A particularly loud wail followed, then more muffled ones sounding like she'd turned into her pillow. It broke his heart to leave her alone, but so far, his presence had only stimulated her. He hoped that by de-stimulating her a little, and leaving her alone in the familiar surroundings of her room, she'd fall asleep. She certainly seemed exhausted enough. So far, it didn't seem to be working, but he hadn't thought it would right away. He sighed, hoping she'd fall asleep soon, going downstairs and tidying up, taking care of the few necessary things he'd neglected earlier in their haste to depart that morning and their eventful return much later that evening.
Thirty minutes later, he'd gotten ready for bed, checked all the doors and windows, started the dishwasher, sorted laundry for the next day, picked up downstairs, peeked in on the boys who were somehow sleeping, and Sam was still at it. And now there was a suspicious thumping coming from the room. He'd sat on the edge of his bed for several minutes earlier debating if he should go to her or not, and had decided to let her stay a little longer, hoping she'd wear herself out, worried going to her would just stimulate more tantrums like it had before. But now, now he regretted that decision as he pushed the door open to her room.
At first he didn't see her, and her bed was conspicuously empty. As soon as he moved into the room though, he spotted her on the other side of the bed, huddled on the floor in a tangle of her star covered blanket, feet and fists alternating thumping into the floor and wall, the source of the sound he'd heard. She was a picture of misery, and his heart went out to her.
Crossing the room in a few strides, he gathered her into his arms, blanket and all, and carried her down the hall to his own room. She struggled at first, her cries desperate, but as soon as she realized she wasn't being punished she stilled, startled when he set her on the bed in his own room.
She whimpered, trembling as he climbed into bed after her and pulled her close, rocking her gently in his arms, and whispering soothing words into her hair. The tears started again, but this time they weren't the body wracking sobs from earlier, but a cleansing release. He held tightly to her, but she held tighter.
Time passed, and he had no idea how long they held onto each other, but eventually her breathing evened out into the steady rhythm of sleep. He loathed disturbing her, but knew they'd both be more comfortable lying down. Gently, he laid her on the bed, relieved when she only sighed, curling into a ball, one hand still gripping his t-shirt. He didn't even try to release it, and instead, laid down facing her, pulling the covers over both of them. Sleep claimed him not long after.
Chapter 33: Under Where?
The light of day was poking around the drawn windows when Jack woke again, hours later, the warmth of a small body pressed into him. However, that wasn't the only unfamiliar thing in his bed. Experimentally, Jack cracked an eye and craned his neck around, confirming that the weight at his back under the covers was Danny and the one at his feet was Teal'c.
At his movements, two heads popped up and he was met with sheepish looks. Quickly, he grinned at the two boys to show them that he didn't really mind them joining him in the night, and they grinned back, and then sobered as they looked at the still sleeping figure of Sam. He caught the looks, and tried to look reassuring as he whispered, "Doctor Janet called last night, and she said she thinks Sam will be feeling better today."
The boys looked relieved. "Do you think Sam would like to go outside and play today?" Danny whispered hesitantly.
"I think she might, later. We can see how she feels after breakfast. How do pancakes sound? I think she'll be waking up soon." In fact, she had just stirred next to him and sighed. He suspected it wouldn't be long.
"Cool!" Daniel whispered back, and Teal'c looked cheered by the news and the prospect of pancakes, he'd come to like the breakfast food and found great enjoyment in seeing how many he could stack on a plate. It had become a bit of a competition among the kids, the only rule being they had to eat what they took, and Jack had compromised by making smaller silver dollar pancakes for the kids to have their game with.
"Ok, you two head downstairs, and get the stuff out, I'll be down in a few minutes." The boys nodded in agreement, sliding out of the bed. Jack stretched; feeling another stirring from the small warm body curled into his side, and looked down into a pair of wide blue eyes. "Hi sunshine."
She blinked at him sleepily, and her forehead creased. "Colonel Jack?"
"Yeah sweetie?" he answered.
"Where's my room?" she asked, her tone puzzled as she looked around her in obvious confusion.
He laughed, and kissed the top of her head. "You're in my room silly."
"Oh."
Gently, he rubbed her back and smiled down at her. "How are you feeling Sam?"
Her forehead creased again, and for a moment, he was worried more tears were to come, but she only spoke when she answered. "My head hurts and it feels stuffy. And I feel all achy. And I still feel sad." Her face was so downcast, that he instinctively tugged her to him, enfolding her into his arms.
After a few minutes, he heard her whisper into his chest, "I love you Colonel Jack."
"I love you too Sam," he returned with feeling, and another warm hug. Pulling back a ways, he looked at her. "So, what do you think about pancakes?"
"Yay!"
He grinned at her cheer, relieved that the worst seemed to be over. Hopefully her leftover headache and aches wouldn't linger, and were maybe just side effects from skipping dinner. "Ok kiddo, let's go. Danny and Teal'c are downstairs getting things out, you wanna help?" She nodded, and he grinned.
Jack got out of bed, heading out of the room. He turned back a moment later when he didn't hear the telltale patter of bare feet hitting the floor behind him, telling him that Sam had followed. Stopping in the doorway, he looked back at the bed. Sure enough, she was still sitting on the bed, squirming oddly, a puzzled expression on her face.
"Sam?" he questioned, suddenly worried he was in for a repeat of last night's behavior where she couldn't walk anywhere without assistance, and he'd have to spend the next several minutes convincing her that her legs weren't actually broken because he didn't think his back (or his knees) could handle carrying even her smaller seven year old body around all day.
"I can't," she replied, squirming again in that odd way.
He sighed, and walked back to the bed, prepared for an explanation of why she could. "Why not?" he started off.
"Because," her head ducked down and she refused to meet his eyes, her cheeks turning a faint shade of crimson, "I don't have any underwear on." The last part was said with her voice barely above a whisper, and Jack had to strain to hear it. When he did, he had to fight to keep from smiling and fight even harder not to laugh out loud because he knew if he did, she'd never forgive him. Out of all the explanations, this was the one he'd never expected to hear.
"Well," he said instead when he could speak with a straight and mostly serious face, "We'll just have to fix that, I'll go get you some. You wait right here."
At that, her head popped up. "But you can't! You're a boy!" He stared at her, and she explained as if he were an idiot. "You can't touch my underwear, boys aren't s'posed to touch girls' underpants. It's not right." Her lecture was delivered in a very matter of fact tone, and he wondered where she had gotten her information. He also decided that now was not the time to inform her that by doing the laundry, he by default saw and touched her underwear on a regular basis. In fact, he'd touched several pairs last night.
Instead, he merely suggested, "I think it will be ok, just this once."
She thought about it, drawing her knees up and pulling the T-shirt over them so that the material stretched slightly. "Ok," she agreed, then whispered conspiratorially, "Just don't tell Danny and Teal'c ok?"
Jack shook his head solemnly, and held up his hand. "Scouts honor." Ducking out of the room, he grabbed the pair of underwear he'd discarded the night before as too much of an occupational hazard to put on her, and returned quickly with them. She grabbed them, and pushed them under the covers as if they were something secret, staring pointedly at the door, clearly waiting for him to leave. He decided now was also not the time impart to her the knowledge that he'd seen a lot more of her than her in her underwear. Instead, he just pulled the door, and tried not to laugh where she could hear him, but he did have a big-ass grin on his face as soon as she couldn't see it.
As he walked away from the room though, one thought struck him that stopped him in his tracks. A thought that he would never reveal to anyone, even under threat of death or torture, and not even if he was left locked in a room for hours on end with a crying, irritable, miniature version of Sam Carter. A form of torture he had actually decided was nowhere close to anything the Goa'uld had ever done to him. No, he would not reveal the thought he'd just had, because it had suddenly occurred to him that Sam Carter was in his bed, with no underwear on, although somehow, he had never quite imagined it occurring in this way. It seemed, Jack thought to himself, as he made his way to the kitchen to start breakfast, that the fates rather enjoyed toying with the life of one Jack O'Neill.
Chapter 34: Of Bikes and Roller Skates
Breakfast was slightly more subdued than usual, but Sam ate well, even if she didn't pack away as much as usual. The boys more than made up for her lack of appetite, striving to out perform each other in the usual pancake stack contest, their antics making the little girl giggle and laugh, at one point, even snorting on her orange juice which resulted in a round of teasing from all the males, although Teal'c wasn't sure why orange juice coming out someone's nose was so funny.
When breakfast was done, Jack sent them out to watch Saturday morning cartoons, and cleaned up the kitchen, joining them a little while later. Sam immediately curled up next to him, and he tucked his arm around her, and Daniel moved in on his other side a few minutes later. Teal'c took a few minutes longer, but Jack eventually felt the solid presence of the boy's back leaning against his legs and smiled.
An hour later, the bright midday sun was shining, promising an unseasonably warm October day, and Daniel looked at him hopefully. "Colonel Jack, can we go outside and ride our bikes? Please?"
Two more hopeful faces looked up at him, but Jack looked at Sam, who had been unnaturally quiet this morning. "Why don't you guys ride your skates and scooters and things today? I just don't think Sam should be on a bike yet." He rubbed Sam's back and gave her a hug to take the edge off the restriction, but she still looked downcast at any limitation to her normal activity. She knew it was getting colder, and warm days like this would soon be over, meaning no more bikes.
"Awww, please Colonel Jack?" Her eyes pleaded, and her voice held the slightest hint of a whine, but this time, it was as a kid begging for something, and had nothing to do with the night before. Still, Jack held firm. He'd rather she not go riding until Janet checked her out later.
"I'm sorry Sam, maybe later ok? Now I've got some things to do outside, so you guys go get your things." Sam sighed, and trudged off to the garage, following Teal'c and Danny, who didn't seem to care whether they got to ride bikes or scooters or whatever. Of course, they could ride whatever they wanted to, it was only her that wasn't allowed to ride her bike. It just wasn't fair.
Jack watched her go and shook his head, hoping she'd shake herself out of it once she got into the sun. She normally loved roller-skating and was probably just being difficult because he told her she couldn't have her bike today. He followed the kids out to the garage and grabbed his gloves and a rake, a few tools and things, intending to set about raking, cleaning the gutters and pruning today, and generally getting the yard ready for winter while being nearby to keep an eye on the kids while they played.
The kids zoomed up and down the street on their various wheeled contraptions, and seemed to be relaxing and enjoying themselves, and Jack gradually relaxed too. The physical exertion and sunshine was good for them, and for him too. A few other neighborhood kids had also shown up, these were on bikes, and they stopped and talked to his group. He didn't interfere, as they seemed to be doing ok.
Later, he noticed that Danny and Teal'c had traded their scooter and skateboard in for their own bikes, although Sam was still on her skates. She seemed distinctly unhappy though, and Jack watched her skating up and down the driveway, watching the two boys with the new kids as he carried a particularly large bundle of branches towards the back yard. He decided to go over to her and try and cheer her up a little bit on his next pass around to the front yard, as soon as he dropped off his load, but the next door neighbor came out as soon as he dropped the bundle of branches and called him over, asking for help with his mower engine.
By the time Jack finished helping the neighbor, more than fifteen minutes had passed, and when he went back out to the front yard, remembering his intention to find Sam, he didn't see her. Looking up and down the street, he started to worry when he didn't immediately spot her. For that matter, he didn't see Danny, Teal'c, or any of the other neighborhood kids that had been there not long before. Looking both ways up and down the street, his worry started to grow. Jack wondered where he should start to look first because he had no idea which way they would have gone.
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
It had taken a while for Sam to shake off her bad mood. She still thought it was really unfair that she couldn't ride her bike, but since Danny and Teal'c were playing on their skateboard and scooter, she didn't mind so much anymore. And it was nice outside, the sun was warm, and she was skating really, really fast, even though her head still hurt a little bit, and she still felt a little bit yucky. Right now, the three of them were having races down the driveway to see whether a skateboard, scooter, or roller skates were faster.
It was all going great until the other kids had showed up. They were older than she was, three boys, around Teal'c and Danny's ages, all riding bikes. They stopped nearby, and talked among themselves for a minute before one of the boys approached them. "Hey, you new here?"
Sam, Teal'c and Danny looked at each other. Teal'c spoke for the three of them. "We have arrived here just last week."
The other boy nodded, and seemed to think a minute, before glancing back at his companions. "You guys got bikes?" At their nods, he continued. "If you want, the three of us," and he gestured at his companions, "Were going up to the creek by the playground. You can come if you want to, but you'll have to ride your bikes, those things won't go there."
"But Sam can't ride her bike today, she's not allowed because she was sick yesterday," Daniel looked worried about not being able to include Sam.
The boy just shrugged, unconcerned. "Then she can't come, she's just a girl anyway, and girls don't like creeks."
"Hey! I wanna come! I do so like creeks! They have frogs in them, and frogs are cool." Sam protested, but the boy just ignored her as unimportant, and continued speaking.
"Anyway, meet us by the big tree, next to the slide, if you want to. The playground is just over that hill." The boy waved as he rejoined his friends, and the three kids went off on their bikes.
Sam glared after them. "Who wants to see a crummy old creek anyway, I hope they fall in and get covered in slime," she declared vehemently, kicking out with a skate at a small rock and nearly losing her balance in the process.
"I do," said Daniel wistfully looking after them, and then with a sudden determination and set to his jaw, he turned his scooter towards the garage. "I'm going with them, you can stay here if you want to Teal'c, but no one ever invited me anywhere before and I'm going with them and you can't stop me."
They followed Daniel into the garage, and watched him strip off his pads, leaving his helmet on. Teal'c frowned. "Should we not tell Colonel O'Neill where you are going Daniel?" Teal'c asked.
Daniel shook his head. "I don't want them to leave without me. Besides, it's just over the hill, and Colonel Jack showed us where the playground was. I won't get lost. I won't even stay long; he'll never even know I'm gone because I'll be back before he knows I'm not here. Promise." Danny climbed onto his bike, and glared at them defiantly.
Teal'c looked thoughtful, and then started to remove his own pads. "I believe I should accompany you Daniel." Daniel grinned.
"Hey, what about me?" Sam protested angrily, arms crossed.
Daniel's grin faded and his forehead creased while he considered her. "You stay here. We'll come back, maybe we'll bring you something," Daniel told her, and Sam looked like she was ready to protest that it wasn't the same, but the boys were now ignoring her, walking their bikes out of the garage with their heads together.
Staring after them, Sam thought furiously. It just wasn't fair. Why did she get stuck home, while they got to look at a creek, just because she couldn't ride her bike? What if she could? Briefly, she thought about asking Colonel Jack again, but realized that not only would he probably tell her no again, he'd want to know why she was asking. She'd only get the boys in trouble, and she wasn't ready to do that yet, even if they were going off and leaving her behind.
Feeling her skates under her feet, Sam looked over at her bike, and an idea occurred to her. What if she wasn't really riding it? You rode a bike by putting your feet on the pedals and pushing with them, and if she didn't do that, and kept her skates on, well she'd technically still be roller skating right? And Colonel Jack hadn't actually said she couldn't ride her bike anyway...
Mind made up, she grabbed her bike and skated beside it after Danny and Teal'c, discovering they hadn't gotten too far ahead fortunately.
"Hey wait up!" she called. The two boys turned around stared at her, then looked at each other.
Daniel spoke. "Sam, didn't Colonel Jack say you couldn't ride your bike yet?"
She caught up with them and glared defiantly. "He said maybe later. And I'm not riding it am I?"
The boys exchanged another look. Teal'c tried another approach. "Maybe is not an affirmative."
Sam's brow creased as she puzzled out Teal'c's meaning. "He didn't say no, either. I'm still coming with you."
Daniel looked hesitant and worried. "Sam, I don't know if this is such a good idea. Maybe we can go another time."
"What, are you chicken? It'll be fine. And I won't really be riding. See? My feet will be on the ground the whole time." She mounted the seat, demonstrating, one skated foot set to either side of the bike. "This will be so cool, you'll see."
"I do not believe this course of action to be wise Samantha," Teal'c said doubtfully.
Sam rolled her eyes. "You guys are such sissies. It's just over the hill, and we'll be back before Colonel Jack even misses us, just like you said Danny. C'mon, it'll be cool." She grinned.
Daniel sighed, and looked at Teal'c who raised an eyebrow. "Okay, fine," he decided, "You can come." He really hadn't liked leaving her behind anyway.
Sam smiled in relief, and followed the other two, who had to slow their speed for her. It was a bit awkward skating uphill on a bike, but somehow, she managed it. They crested the top of the low hill, and the park was immediately visible. "Look, there's the tree!" Sam said, pointing.
Daniel stood up in his seat, "I see them," he waved at three figures under a tree at the bottom of the hill. "Let's go," he told the others.
The hill was fun. It had just the right amount of incline for a bit of speed but not too fast to be overly dangerous. They laughed as they coasted down, and Sam reveled in the unusual feeling of having wheels under feet while riding on her bike. She felt like she was flying!
Just then, a white car pulled out from the side street ahead of them, and Teal'c and Danny stopped, knowing it was too close. With her feet off the pedals and lacking hand brakes, Sam pressed her feet down instinctively, realizing too late that the wheels on her feet did nothing to stop her forward momentum. Behind her, she heard Danny and Teal'c shouting for her to stop, and wished she could. Too late, the driver of the car saw her coming and slammed on the brakes.
Eyes wide, Sam hurtled towards the stopped vehicle. "Help!" she cried, throwing her arms up in front of her head, just before her bike slammed into the front side of the car.
Chapter 35: A Little Accident
Jack had just made up his mind to head downhill when excited shouts caused him to turn back around. He made out two figures on bikes racing his way, and his heart sank as he realized it was Danny and Teal'c, Sam nowhere in sight. The boys didn't sound happy. He picked up his pace, but the boys were faster, making it to him before he'd even made it to the edge of his property.
"Colonel Jack! Colonel Jack! Come quick! You have to come quick!" They cried as soon as they were in range. Teal'c looked uncharacteristically worried, and Daniel looked near tears.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down, what's wrong?" He had to calm them down, and find out what was wrong. Both boys were breathing heavily, obviously having raced back from wherever they'd been.
"Sam's hurt," Daniel gasped, "We were on our bikes," the boy leaned over his handlebars too winded to continue. Teal'c took up the thread of the story. "Samantha was unable to stop when the vehicle pulled out in front of us. You must come at once Colonel O'Neill, the police officers require your assistance."
Jack blinked, his mind momentarily overloaded with the information. First and foremost that Sam was hurt. Secondly, what the hell was she doing on her bike when he'd expressly told her she wasn't allowed on it, and thirdly, the police? He'd only been in the backyard for a few minutes for cryin' out loud! But he asked none of those questions, because the questions could wait. Instead, he asked, "Where?"
Daniel pointed, still trying to catch his breath. "That way, near the park, there's police everywhere, you can't miss it."
Jack narrowed his eyes, wondering what the hell they'd done. Whatever, it was though, it could wait. Running back into the house, he called over his shoulder, "You boys put your bikes away and meet me back there, make sure you close up the garage." He didn't wait for them to reply, and grabbed his cell, wallet, and keys off the table, hastily locking the door and taking off down the street at a run.
As soon as he crested the hill, he saw what the boys were talking about. At least three police cars, lights flashing, were parked around an intersection. Various other cars were parked nearby, with curious adults and children standing around looking on. In the far distance, he could make out an ambulance on its way, its lights flashing. In the middle of the chaos, terrified wails could be heard, and Jack made a beeline towards them, pushing his way past the police officers keeping the well-intentioned onlookers back. "Hey!" one of them protested. "You can't come over here."
"It's ok, I know her," he said, gently pushing aside the officer that was doing his best to hold Sam's neck and head stabilized, despite the youngster's frantic movements, and took over. "Hey Sam, it's ok, I'm here now, it's ok, hold still, can you do that?" He kept talking to her until she calmed down, almost immediately as soon as he started and the other officers looked at him gratefully. He looked up. "What happened? I'm Colonel Jack O'Neill, her guardian."
One of the officers stepped forward. "I'm sorry sir, I just didn't see her coming, I tried to stop, but..."
Jack felt anger bubbling up inside of him, of all the... "You hit her? Aren't you guys supposed to be watching out for things like that?"
"Sir," a second officer interrupted, "Actually, she hit us." He looked apologetic, and his eyes strayed towards Sam's feet, before darting towards the mangled remains of a bike. It was then that Jack realized that Sam was wearing her roller skates, and a horrible thought occurred to him.
"Sam, you weren't wearing your roller skates, and riding your bike at the same time were you? After I told you that you weren't supposed to be riding your bike?" He looked down at the little girl, whose face was streaked with tears.
She sniffled. "I wasn't riding my bike," she said.
"Sam," he said.
She started to cry again. "I'm sorry Colonel J-jack, I wasn't really riding it, I-I was skating with my bike, really." She squirmed under his stern gaze.
"Hold still Sam." He sighed. "We'll talk about this later." Jack cast another look around the intersection, realizing that the reason for all the police was because she'd hit a police car. He shook his head, of all the things.
"It's my fault." He looked up to see Danny and Teal'c standing there, looking sheepish. Danny was the one who had spoken.
"It is also my fault." Teal'c also looked repentant.
"My arm hurts." Sam whimpered. Jack looked down and noticed for the first time that her arm was bent oddly.
"We think she broke her arm," explained the officer that had apologized earlier for not being able to stop in time to avoid the accident. He looked curiously at the three children, all of them trying to take blame for the misdoings. Jack just shrugged in reply, and kept trying to focus on Sam.
"We'll talk about this later," he told the boys the same thing he'd told Sam, just as the ambulance finally made it to the scene.
Sam seemed to be ok, despite the broken arm, but the medics were taking it safe, placing a c-collar on her neck, and strapping her to a backboard, especially after she complained of a headache. Jack told them she'd had one that morning, but they all decided it was better to be safe than sorry, and Jack agreed, especially when they handed over her helmet and he saw the large crack in it. The police officers said she'd never lost consciousness though, so the helmet had definitely been worth its salt.
They started an IV in her arm, which Sam wasn't very happy about, but compared to the stuff she'd put up with the day before, she did really well. When it was in, and a bag of fluid dripping into it, she asked, "Do I get a sticker?"
The medic looked down at her, and shook his head apologetically. "I'm sorry, we don't have stickers out here." Sam's face fell, but the medic wasn't done yet. He motioned to his partner, who was holding something behind his back. "We have something better."
Sam's face lit up as the medic produced a small, soft, brown teddy bear, and nestled it up next to her shoulder, since she now had a broken arm and an IV in the other and couldn't really hold it. Even though the collar and backboard wouldn't let her move, she still grinned, tears and pain momentarily forgotten. "Wow! For me?"
"Yep, for you," the medic laughed as he finished taping down the IV to an arm board.
"What do you say Sam?" Jack reminded her.
"Thank you!"
They laughed as they loaded her into the ambulance, Jack climbing into the back with them. The police had promised to follow with Daniel and Teal'c. It had taken a bit of convincing on his part to get them to take Sam to Cheyenne Mountain instead of the nearest pediatric trauma center like they were inclined to do, but he managed it. The last thing he wanted was another group of doctors trying to treat her, what with the Jolinar thing, and especially with the possibility of unknown alien chemicals floating around in her bloodstream, when Janet hadn't even checked her out again yet.
Now he was on his cell phone alerting the base to allow the ambulance and police car through, and to have the team of medics waiting for them to take over from the ambulance team. Hammond transferred him down to the infirmary and Janet asked to speak with the medics. Jack willingly passed the phone over to one of them, while he and the other man kept Sam amused by guessing the numbers on the monitor screen that watched her vital signs. Jack listened idly while the second medic talked to Janet on the phone.
"Seven year old female, bike versus car. Awake and alert at the scene, no LOC, complaining of a headache, but neuro checks are normal with a GCS of 15. Last BP was 97 over 42, pulse 108, respiration 26, sats 98 percent on room air and no distress. Left forearm appears to have a closed fracture, good circ checks. We've immobilized her and initiated routine c-spine precautions, but she's got good sensation and movement to all extremities. We started a 22 gauge in her right arm and a 500cc normal saline bolus. ETA 5 minutes." Jack understood only about one word in about ten of what the man said. His confusion must have shown, because the man's partner looked up and grinned.
"He said she's doing fine, we'll be there soon," he explained, and Jack sighed in relief. Sam certainly looked fine, unless she tried to move her arm, which was splinted, then her face would scrunch all up for a few moments.
They arrived at the base and were escorted by the MP's right up to the main entrance. The two medics lifted Sam gently out the back, and Jack jumped down, walking alongside, but had to step back and make room as Dr. Fraiser and her team swarmed over them. Medical jargon flew back and forth and Sam was neatly transferred to a new gurney, and they started to move her down the hall while the medics and police left, wishing them all good luck. Jack collected Danny and Teal'c, who had arrived shortly after, and started to follow, feeling a bit lost and forgotten.
Ahead of them, Janet detached herself from the group surrounding Sam and fell back to their level. She smiled at all three of them reassuringly. "Sam looks ok, we're going to do a few scans to make sure everything really is ok, and an x-ray of her arm which is probably broken, but that should be easy enough to fix. I think she'll be fine though." She turned her full attention to Jack. "Now Colonel, when I said to bring her in this afternoon, I was expecting something a bit less dramatic."
Jack winced. "Sorry Doc."
"Don't worry Colonel, we'll take good care of her. Oh, and the good news is, with that IV in, she won't need another needle to get that lab test now after all." With that, Janet hurried to catch up with the team as they got on the elevator, squeezing on just before the doors shut, and Jack pressed the button for another car, herding the two boys into it as soon as it arrived.
It took about half an hour or a couple games of Go Fish with the boys, before Janet brought them back into the infirmary. "She's fine, aside from the broken arm. The scans of Sam's head and neck both came back clear and I've ordered the collar taken off. I've put a rush in on the blood work, because until I know that the drugs from yesterday are out of her system, I really don't want to give her anything to set her arm and put a cast on, and it will hurt too much to do it without pain medicine."
"How bad is the break?" Jack asked, relief over the fact that she had no serious injuries, and worry that she still did have one. Even a broken arm could mean surgery.
"It's not bad either." Janet picked up an x-ray and put it in the light box. "Just a simple incomplete greenstick fracture, should probably heal in a few weeks all on it's own. Very common in this age group, since the bones are very soft, they tend to bend and splinter more like a young new branch would rather than snap like an old stick, hence the name." Jack studied the picture and nodded. It made sense.
Janet glanced down at his arms. "Is that her helmet?" Jack nodded and the doctor shook her head. "She's lucky she had it on, looking at that crack, and judging by this break she must have gone over the handlebars head and arms first. If she hadn't been wearing this, we might be having a very different conversation right now."
Jack felt his heart constrict, as he remembered the heart stopping terror he'd felt earlier as he'd ran to the scene of the accident, not knowing what he'd find when he got there. He reminded himself that Sam was ok. "Can we see her?" he asked, knowing the boys would want to come too.
Janet nodded knowingly. "She's right over there. Try not to get her too excited, since I can't give her anything for the pain yet she's feeling a little uncomfortable when she moves around. Just try to keep her still and her mind occupied for a little while, and hopefully the tests will be back in about a half an hour since we know what we're looking for this time."
"Thanks Doc," Janet smiled, and Jack turned to Danny and Teal'c, "C'mon you guys, you heard the lady, Sam needs us."
They found Sam propped up in bed with pillows, her arm cradled gingerly. It was splinted and in a sling, and propped on more pillows, but she didn't look happy with the arrangement. Her new teddy bear was next to her, and he noted with amusement that someone had given the bear an IV, bandage cast, and makeshift sling all in places where Sam had things.
"Colonel Jack!" she cried as soon as she saw him, struggling to sit up, and wincing as the movement jarred her arm. Hastily, he moved to press her back down, holding her still.
"Shhh, hold still. We're all right here, but you can't move around much until Doctor Janet can fix your arm, ok?" He brushed the hair back on her head, and she settled.
"It hurts," she sniffled slightly, and squirmed.
"I know sweetie, you just have to be patient a little bit longer. We have to make sure the medicine to make you feel better won't make you feel sick like it did yesterday ok?" She nodded, and lay back at his words, but fidgeted a little bit, still uncomfortable. Jack tried to think of something to do to take her mind off things, but in his haste to get to her, he hadn't bothered to grab anything to keep the kids busy. Though with the IV in one arm and the sling on the other he highly doubted she'd be up for coloring or any other activities.
"Sam, I'm sorry," Daniel said suddenly. The boy had climbed up onto the foot of Sam's bed, and was staring at the blanket.
"I am also sorry. I did not believe the course of action to be wise and should have insisted we not continue." Teal'c was also staring down.
"No, its my fault, it was my idea to come anyway." And now Sam was looking down, her discomfort momentarily forgotten as she picked at the blanket with her good hand.
Well... it wasn't the distraction he'd have planned, but if it worked. "Just what were you guys doing anyway?"
The three exchanged glances, and returned to staring down. Finally Daniel spoke up hesitantly. "We met these kids, they said we could come with them to a creek by the playground and I, well, I just never get invited anywhere, and I really wanted to go."
Teal'c continued where Daniel left off. "In order to get to the creek, it was necessary that we use our bicycles to get there."
"But Sam wasn't supposed to be riding her bike, were you?" Jack turned his gaze to the little girl in the bed, and spoke with a stern tone. She sank down in the bed and refused to meet his eyes.
"I wasn't riding it, not really," she said softly, repeating her statement from earlier.
"Sam," he said warningly. The one thing he didn't tolerate from them was lying, and he had made sure they knew it.
"I was roller-skating," she explained, "On my bike." She bit her lip and concentrated on picking lint off the blanket with the same attention she gave complex math equations as her grown up self.
He blinked. "Roller-skating. On your bike." He repeated and she paused in her lint picking. "Let me guess, that would be why you couldn't stop when you needed to?" She nodded, and then winced when the movement jarred her arm, but didn't complain, sensing she'd get no sympathy this time.
He looked at the three downcast faces, and shook his head slightly. Who would have thought they'd be so clever in coming up with ways to circumvent the rules? He should have known better. Tell Sam Carter she couldn't do something, and she'd figure a way around the problem. And then add one Daniel Jackson and a younger version of Teal'c... three fourths of SG-1, who had never let a little thing like orders get in their way. But still, this situation was different. He looked at them curiously again. "Guys, why didn't you just tell me that you wanted to go somewhere? I probably would have let you. Heck, I might even have come along. And you all knew you weren't supposed to leave the street without telling me where you were going either." He kept his voice stern, doing his best to keep any anger he felt at how they'd disobeyed his one simple rule out of it.
Their eyes remained downcast and they shifted uncomfortably. Daniel spoke first, his reply soft. "I didn't want the other kids to leave without me."
"We believed we would be back momentarily and that you would not miss our absence," came from Teal'c.
"I thought you'd probably say no, and I didn't want to get Danny and Teal'c in trouble for leaving," said Sam, her voice barely above a whisper.
Jack sighed, looking at his three energetic, imaginative, and overly bright young charges. They were too much like their grown up selves, and trouble seemed to find them just as much, if not more so now. Well, there was still no doubt about it, they'd disobeyed him, and he'd have to punish them. Looking at Sam's arm, a suitable punishment came to mind. "I'm disappointed in you. You had only one rule to remember, and that was to stay on our street with your bikes. But you couldn't do that. And that means that I can't trust you guys to be responsible when you're riding. So, while Sam has a cast on her arm, none of you are to be riding any bikes at all, for any reason. And no scooters, skates, or skateboards for at least a week. Sam, unfortunately, you can't ride anything until your cast comes off, and if I catch you on anything with wheels before it does, you'll wish I hadn't, do I make myself clear?" All three of them squirmed under the dire threats in his tone, surprised at the punishment, but they all nodded with a feeling like they'd gotten off easy somehow. They'd never seen him angry in this way, directed at them like this. The other night had been different, and they were all left feeling very ashamed of what they had done.
"I'm sorry Colonel Jack," Sam sniffled, tears threatening to fall. "I won't do it again."
"Me either. I'm sorry too Colonel Jack," chimed in Daniel.
"I am sorry as well Colonel O'Neill, and will strive harder to follow your instructions in the future," said Teal'c.
"C'mere you three." Jack opened his arms, carefully folding Sam into one so as not to jar her arm, and Daniel into the other. Teal'c climbed into the bed after a moment of hesitation, and Jack pulled him close too. "No matter what you guys do, remember I still love you, just remember that even though you may not like my rules, they are there for a reason, usually so that you don't get hurt or have something happen to you. Understand?" They looked at him, and looked at Sam's arm, and nodded in understanding. "Good, because I don't want a repeat of this ever again, because the next time you might lose a bit more than bike riding privileges." They nodded, eyes wide, wondering what was worse than losing the thrill of riding their bikes, and vowed to never find out.
Just then, Janet arrived, pulling the curtain back. She looked at them curiously, but shrugged off the unusual bed arrangement. "The tests have come back clean, so we can get started with setting Sam's arm now."
Jack shooed the boys off the bed, but Sam clung to him worriedly, so he stayed when Janet nodded her ok. First, she put some medicine in Sam's IV. "Sam, this medicine is going to make your arm feel better, and will make you sleepy while we fix it, ok?" Sam nodded, eyelids already blinking heavily as she fought to stay awake. Jack shared a smile with the doctor.
Sam did really well with the procedure, and only cried a little bit when her arm was straightened, Jack easily comforting her. She watched in fascination as Janet applied a bright blue wrapping to her arm, which began to stiffen within minutes. "You're in luck Colonel," Janet explained with a wink, "I happened to have some of the waterproof stuff on hand, so you won't have to worry about it getting wet. She could even go swimming with it on." Jack shook his head ruefully, realizing with their track record and the number of unexpected trips they'd already made to the infirmary in just two weeks, it was probably a good thing he didn't need to worry about Sam getting water on her cast.
When the cast was finished, Janet showed Jack how to check Sam's fingers to make sure they were warm and pink, and free of swelling, and made Sam wiggle them and tell her if she had any tingling or numbness. Sam shook her head no and asked if it was time to go home yet. Janet laughed. "Not yet, but soon." She further admonished Sam not to put anything at all down in her cast no matter how itchy it got, and told Jack to check it several times that night and the next day to make sure any swelling in the arm didn't cause the cast to become too tight. Lastly she applied the sling, and turned to Jack. "Ok, I'd like to keep an eye on her for another few hours and make sure she's doing ok, and have her eat a little something too before I let you take her home, just to make sure she can take the pain medicines ok. I also want to make sure we get the doses right with her new size; we always had a little trouble before with her resistance. She should be pretty comfortable now though, now that it's set."
Jack agreed readily to the conditions, and Janet watched the kids while he went to the commissary to pick out some food for them, settling on chicken strips, French fries and milk as being foods easy to pick up with one hand, as well as being something they all liked to eat. He returned with the tray, popping one of the strips in his mouth and begged Janet watch the kids for another few minutes. "I just need to go see Hammond about something, I'll be right back." Janet agreed again, and Jack grabbed some fries and ducked out. He'd decided after this little incident that it was time the kids had something to do besides think of ways to get into trouble.
Knocking on the General's office door, Jack entered as soon as the man inside said to come in. He pushed the door open to find the older man buried in stacks of folders. "Colonel! I was just going to come down to the infirmary to see how things were, I'm sorry I couldn't get down there sooner, but I had to finish SG-12's debriefing. Is everything alright?" Hammond's voice was filled with concern.
Jack smiled. "Sam's fine, broken arm. Doc says it will heal on its own in a few weeks. She hit a car while trying to roller skate on her bike. A police car." He shook his head ruefully as Hammond's eyebrows shot up.
"Sir," Jack continued, "I've been thinking, the kids have a lot of time on their hands, and people have been getting curious as to why they are around all day. Well, I was thinking maybe we should put them in school." Jack picked up a pen from Hammond's desk and started fiddling with it. Hammond looked at him thoughtfully.
"There's more to it than that isn't there Jack?" Hammond's use of his first name made him look up and Jack narrowed his eyes, then nodded, slipping the pen in and out of his fingers.
"We don't know how long they'll be like this, and I think it will be good for them, let them be around other kids. That's part of what happened today, Danny wanted to go off with some other kids. And, well, when I saw Sam laying there like that, all those people all standing around and I didn't know how bad she was hurt, well, maybe it will help if we could keep them busy enough that they don't have time to go running off and getting into trouble." Jack shrugged, and set the pen down, as if just realizing who's pen he'd been playing with.
The General looked thoughtful. "I agree, do you have an idea where you'd like them to go?"
Jack looked relieved that General Hammond had agreed so easily. "The school we sent Cassie too, and where I took Merrim for that day. We've worked with them before, and they seem like a good place. I can call them tomorrow, some of the teachers that worked with Cassie know me."
Hammond nodded in agreement, he'd thought of the same place. "I'll take care of getting together some sort of records for them for tomorrow. Sam and Daniel already have something to work with that we'll have to track down, but we'll have to create something for Teal'c like we did for Cassie. Fortunately, I already have a contact that can take care of things. Dr. Fraiser should be able to provide you with immunization records."
Jack blinked, he hadn't thought about records. "Thank you sir."
The other man just smiled, and continued with another train of thought. "And when the kids are in school, we can talk about you picking up some more hours here, to fit in with the children's schedule. In fact, there are some training programs that just might need your attention, as well as a good bit of paperwork that seems to be backlogged with your name on it."
Jack groaned and Hammond laughed. "Thank you sir." Jack told him sincerely, the relief like a weight being lifted from his shoulders helping to counteract the thought of all the paper pushing he'd be doing in the near future. He turned to go, then paused as he remembered something. "Oh, sir, I'm going to need a ride home, we got brought in by the ambulance and police..."
"Don't worry Colonel, I'll make sure you get home." He winked, and Jack thanked him again before heading back to the infirmary.
Several hours later, Jack sat in the back of the General's car, his arm around Sam as she dozed against him, his arm carefully cradling her casted arm. Daniel leaned on his other side and Teal'c rode in the front seat. "You know General, you really didn't have to do this, I'm sure I could have found an Airman to take us home..."
"Jack, relax, it's the least I could do, and it gives me an excuse to get away from that paperwork for awhile." Jack grinned.
It ended up being an early night for all of them, the kids practically falling into bed not long after the General dropped them off, at the early hour of eight pm. He couldn't believe how late in the evening it had gotten, it had been sunny and warm when they'd been whipped away by the ambulance. Jack tidied up downstairs, and looked down at his own clothes in disgust, realizing he was covered in dirt from the yard work he'd left half finished today. Deciding a quick shower was in order, he peeked in on the kids, noticing their rooms needed straightening too, so he'd have to make sure they did that tomorrow too. Danny and Teal'c were burrowed under their covers, and Sam looked slightly unhappy in her sleep, the cast and sling making her customary curled up ball position difficult. The teddy bear from earlier was tucked under her good arm. Its IV, like Sam's, had been removed, but it still had the mock cast and sling. He adjusted her sling, and propped some pillows around her to prevent her moving around too much, hoping it would help her be more comfortable, then headed for the shower.
He set his alarm for a few hours, so he could wake himself up to go give Sam some medicine, then fell into bed himself.
Chapter 36: Glitter is Evil
Morning came without incident. He peeked in first on Sam, finding her sleeping peacefully, the pillow nest he'd made for her seeming to do the trick. He'd had to readjust it last night when he'd given her the medicine, but she seemed to have slept ok otherwise. Teal'c and Daniel were still sleeping, which was unusual given the early hour they'd gone to bed, but he wasn't complaining. He hadn't had a lot of alone time since the kids had come to stay. Not that he minded. In fact, he wouldn't change anything, and certainly didn't regret his decision in the slightest. But he'd been single for a long time, and suddenly having a house full of children meant a total lack of privacy, so it was only in the moments late at night or early in the morning while the kids slept that he felt he had the house to himself, even if it wouldn't last long.
Jack set about making breakfast. He went all out, making a "big breakfast" with sausage, eggs, toast, juice, and hash browns, the works. The boys showed up first, blinking sleepily. Jack grinned at them as they took their seats, waiting for the food to be done. The third figure didn't show up until the food was almost done, making Jack start to think he'd have to go fetch her. Her hair was sticking out in all directions, and her face was wearing its characteristic "I hate mornings" look. Sam was most definitely not a morning person, even at seven years old. Jack just placed plates of food in front of each child, and one for himself, watching in amusement as each child dealt with the problems of waking up, though poor Sam was having more problems then normal with her cast. Luckily, she'd broken her non-dominant arm.
They spent the day mostly indoors, Jack keeping them involved in quiet activities. He also finally got them around to the neglected thank you cards for the SGC, because he'd finally remembered to purchase a variety of crafts supplies a few days ago but with all the things going on the last few days hadn't had a chance to get the kids into the activity. The kids spent the next few hours designing and creating an enormous card using loads of construction paper, glue, glitter, crayons and marker. Daniel drew things, Teal'c cut them out, and Sam colored things in. Jack was pretty impressed with the end result. Daniel had somehow reproduced the symbol for Earth from the gate address, and managed to make it so that it popped up when the card opened. After Teal'c had cut it out, Sam had colored it, and applied glitter, and lots of it, making it very sparkly. Daniel had also drawn a number of stars that Teal'c had cut out and Sam had colored and glittered a variety of colors (of which, she now had a variety of glitter on her cast, and likely down inside too, he wondered if the cast was glitter proof). Speaking of glitter, there was also a lot of glitter on Sam's clothes, the table, the floor, her teddy bear, her hair... was that glitter on the wall? Jack sighed. Maybe buying glitter wasn't such a good idea after all.
Admiring the card most vocally, Jack carefully set the card on the counter so that it could dry and not spread anymore glitter anywhere, then sent Sam up for a bath despite her protests that she didn't need one, that it was the middle of the day, that Teal'c and Daniel didn't have to take one, etc, etc. He sent the boys off to play a board game, and cleaned up the kitchen. When he discovered a trail of glitter following the path Sam had taken, the glitter "accidentally" fell in the garbage, and Jack discovered that it was next to impossible to remove every speck of glitter from every surface. No matter what he did, more kept appearing, and he was even starting to find it on his own body now. Eventually, he gave up and hoped the stuff would biodegrade or something.
When Sam came back downstairs, her damp hair and fresh clothes testified that she'd followed the instructions and bathed, but when Jack looked at her closely, he could still see specks of glitter on her face and glinting off her cast and other places. Daniel and Teal'c had a few sparkles too, and Jack silently cursed the inventor of the stuff.
After the kids beat him ridiculously at Monopoly Jr. (he'd swear the game was rigged against adults if anyone ever asked) they watched movies, and then built an enormous tower out of Lego using all of their bricks. They knocked it down using Sam's remote control car, the bricks flying everywhere much to the kids enjoyment. After that, Jack had them straighten up their rooms, which Daniel and Sam whined about until they saw Teal'c readily doing it, and so they stopped complaining. Teal'c and Daniel finished their room first, and Jack was only mildly surprised to find them helping Sam, who was struggling slightly with her broken arm and messy childish habits.
Things grew quiet, and he went to check on them again later, to find them all tucked into Teal'c and Daniel's room, all curled up with a book. Sam and Daniel were sharing the bottom bunk, a variety of pillows in use to prop up Sam and her arm. Daniel was lying on his back, book held up above him. Teal'c was seated on the top bunk, quietly reading his own selection propped open in his lap. Jack grinned, and left them in peace; glad they'd found something to unwind with.
There were sleepy protests when bedtime came, but the kids went, each giving him a warm hug and expression of love that made it all worth while.
Chapter 37: School Appointments
The next morning was a repeat of the same, since Jack made sure to wake up before the kids did. This morning, he wanted to make a few phone calls. As pleasant and relaxing as the previous day had been, Jack knew quiet days indoors would not hold the kids interest for very long. And so he picked up the phone book, and made a call. Ten minutes later, he had an appointment for that afternoon for all three kids at the school. Humming, he set about making waffles.
When the kids were all downstairs, making their way through plates of food, Jack made his announcement. "Today, we're going to see about getting you kids in school."
"But why?" Daniel demanded, his mouth full of waffles.
"I don't wanna go to school! I don't like school, I like it here," Sam protested.
"Have we offended you in some way that you wish to send us away Colonel O'Neill?" Teal'c's pronouncement prompted a new wave of protests from Sam and Daniel, both of them promising to behave and be good if he just wouldn't send them to school. Jack found it hard to keep a straight face. Imagine! Samantha Carter and Daniel Jackson not liking school! It was like having them say they didn't want to go visit another alien world because artifacts and alien devices were boring to look at!
"Whoa, hang on!" He waited until they quieted. "First of all, you aren't being sent to school because you did something wrong. Kids have to go to school; it's a rule. Every kid has to go until they are eighteen. Just like I have to go to work. In fact, while you kids are at school, I'm going to be at work. And besides, you'll get to meet other kids, and do other things now during the day."
"Do we really have to?" Sam asked pushing her half finished waffle around her plate.
He ducked his head to hide his smile. "Yes, you really have to, but I think you'll like it too, just as much as you like it here, you'll see."
There were reluctant nods, and breakfast was finished in silence.
The kids were subdued that morning, as if hoping their good behavior would somehow convince him to let them out of going to school, but Jack had to only look at Sam's broken arm to convince himself he was doing the right thing.
He made sandwiches for lunch, watching in amusement as Sam ate hers piece by piece, and Daniel nibbled his from the inside out. Teal'c ate his quickly and asked for a second. The kids lingered over lunch, trying to delay the inevitable, but Jack wouldn't let them stall and soon had them bundled into the SUV, hoping the teachers wouldn't notice that Sam still had a fair amount of glitter on various parts of her despite his attempts to get it off of her. He'd even considered using the vacuum cleaner on her, but decided with their recent luck not to go anywhere near the child with a machine.
He stopped at the base on the way, and Hammond had everything ready for him, three neat folders with each child's name neatly written on them, containing the falsified transcripts and immunization reports. "Unfortunately, these are incomplete due to the uh," Hammond coughed discretely, "Nature of their individual circumstances, so we thought it would look too suspicious if we made them complete and the children weren't able to perform at grade level. In fact, we had to remove a few parts out of Major Carter's and Dr. Jackson's to cover the time gaps. We think their cover stories should cover the gaps and explain any inconsistencies in their education."
Jack nodded, taking the folder and thanked General Hammond before herding the kids back out, the kids smiling and waving, making the General laugh. He'd been thinking much the same thing as Hammond, and was glad that the other man had gone with the incomplete records. Sam and Daniel's education was now nearly twenty or more years out of date. While some things never changed, there were bound to be some differences. And Teal'c would have a lot of adjusting to do; hopefully his foreignness could be explained away as easily as Cassie's had.
Arriving at the school, Jack led the kids in, and stopped at the principal's office. He'd only met the woman once, but she'd seemed friendly enough, and smiled at each of the children, asking politely about their names and ages before leading them into her office.
"Well, Colonel O'Neill, it's been a long time since we've seen you around here." The woman motioned for Jack to take a seat, sitting down behind her desk. Jack settled the kids with a few coloring books and sat down too, returning the woman's smile.
"Yes Mrs. Parker, it has been a long time. Cassie really misses this place, it seems like only yesterday she was starting her first day here." Jack smiled at the memory of SG-1 escorting Janet and Cassie Fraiser to the school.
"Oh yes, Cassie was such a wonderful, bright young girl. How is the rest of your team by the way? Cassie always seemed so fond of all of you." Mrs. Parker smiled.
Jack squirmed slightly and very carefully avoided looking at any of the kids. "Oh, they're doing great, busy with work or they'd be here too," he lied blithely, hoping the woman didn't recall enough about Cassie's favorite honorary aunt and uncles to recognize the names and similar characteristics in the group in front of them.
Fortunately, his answer seemed to placate the woman, because she nodded and continued, dropping the subject. "Well, enough about the past, you have three more special cases for us, or so you tell me." Mrs. Parker leaned forward with another small smile. It was one thing he'd found endearing about her. Other educators might cringe away from the kids that might need a little bit of special care and assistance, but not Mrs. Parker. She embraced them, and looked for ways to make them thrive, which is why Jack was willing to take the small risk that someone might find the names and appearances of the three children familiar and question it, those that knew Cassandra Fraiser well. Luckily, SG-1 hadn't spent a lot of time at the school though, so Jack really doubted anyone would link the kids with the adults that were only seen occasionally at the school.
Jack pulled out the folders and passed them over, then became immediately bored and had to try very hard not to fiddle with anything while Mrs. Parker quietly looked over the information he'd just provided her with. He knew that the school was generally accepting of most kids, but he worried that maybe the records would be too incomplete, or that his three wouldn't be able to get in. He squirmed as the silence lengthened. The kids were behaving better than he was! Too bad it wouldn't have looked very good for him to have brought his game boy. Jack frowned, wondering if there might have been a way for him to smuggle the small device in. Perhaps he could have brought it under cover as something to amuse the kids? He spent the next several minutes devising various strategies and legitimate excuses for why he would have needed the toy.
Finally, Mrs. Parker set the last folder down bringing Jack out of his reverie, and then crossed her arms on the desk. Jack rearranged his features and looked at her attentively. She took a small breath before beginning, either not noticing Jack's preoccupation or choosing to ignore it. "You do realize these records are missing a lot of information?" she asked, tapping the neat stack of folders with a finger.
Jack sighed, and nodded. "I'm sorry about that. It was the best I could do on short notice. The kids have only recently come into my care, and well, they haven't come from the most stable of environments if you get my meaning. Sam has moved a lot, as has Daniel. Daniel in fact, spent most of his earlier childhood out of this country. Likewise, Teal'c wasn't born in this country at all, but moved here. So as you can see, it's a bit hard to get complete records for them."
She looked thoughtful and was silent a long moment before speaking again. "Yes, I can see that. I can see from what little there is in here that they seem bright, and their immunizations are at least up to date, so I'm prepared to allow them in on a trial basis, but it means that you will have to be willing to help with a bit of tutoring too until they are caught up with the rest of the class."
He was already nodding emphatically; in fact he'd planned on it. She smiled at his response, and continued. "Ok, well if that won't be a problem, I think what we'll do is place each of them in the classes that are appropriate for their ages, and then after giving them a few weeks to adjust, we can reevaluate and see if they need to be placed in another grade level or not."
Jack knew she was thinking the kids might have to be held back, given the lack of information in their folders. But he happened to know these kids, or at least what they would someday be, and had a feeling they'd do just fine. In fact, in Sam's case at least, he had a feeling she'd do better than fine because he had a niggling memory of her saying something in the past about skipping an elementary school grade or two, possibly something about never having been in the second grade when they'd been talking about school once. When he'd questioned her, she'd sheepishly told him she'd skipped the second grade. He thought Daniel would do equally well, as would Teal'c once he adjusted to the routine. And so he agreed to the stipulation and hoped that Mrs. Parker would be pleasantly surprised.
Rising up from her seat, Mrs. Parker smiled again, and Jack rose as well, reaching across to take her proffered hand. "Ok, it's settled then. You can bring them by for the first day tomorrow morning. Would you like to bring them around for a little tour now? I can show you the classrooms and main areas."
Jack accepted the invitation, and called the kids, who looked at him with mixed emotions of trepidation and excitement. The school day had just finished while they were meeting, and so the halls were mostly deserted of students as the group made their way around to the various classrooms, and he, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c were shown around the school.
Once the tour was over, Jack again thanked Mrs. Parker, and then hustled the kids off into the SUV. A little back to school shopping was in order.
Chapter 38: First Day of School
They didn't have a list of supplies, but Jack knew there were certain things that every kid needed for going to school, and so he concentrated on getting those things first. Unfortunately, since they were so late in the season, it was a bit harder finding things, but you always needed school supplies. After hitting up Target and an office supply super store, he had the kids decked out with new backpacks, pens, pencils, paper, notebooks, crayons, markers, lunchboxes, and a variety of other miscellaneous gizmos, including a few small nonessential things the kids had begged him for like fun shaped erasers, colorful folders, and color changing markers.
After the school shopping, it was off to McDonald's, where he let them wear themselves out in the ball pit. Getting Sam and Daniel in there was easy enough, in fact he had to threaten to leave without letting them go in there if they didn't eat, especially Sam (who had disassembled her cheeseburger) because they were so busy looking at the other kids in the pit and wanting to be there themselves. Teal'c took a bit more encouraging, but once he was in there, he ended up in a pitched battle with another older boy, and proved just as difficult to extricate when it was time to go home.
Despite the physical exertion, and the kids' obvious fatigue, he had a harder than usual time getting them to bed. It seemed they knew it was their last night of freedom, and so they used every stall and delay tactic in the book. They took forever with their baths and showers. They dragged their feet and complained they weren't tired. None of them could find their pajamas, even though they were in the same place they always were. They kept traipsing back and forth to each other's room to ask questions or borrow and return things. Jack was ready to pull his hair out and station himself in the hallway.
Finally though, they went to bed, a little bit later than he'd hoped they'd go, but not too bad. They might be a little cranky in the morning, especially Sam, but they'd get over it, and be all the more likely to go to bed on time the next night. With a sigh of relief, Jack took care of his late night tasks, and went to bed himself.
The morning started out bright and early. Well, maybe not too bright. The sun wasn't up yet, though it would be soon when Jack headed down the hall to Sam's room to start the slow process of waking the little girl up. With breakfast preparations to make and three kids to get ready for school he decided he didn't have time for the gentle wake-ups he usually did with her, and decided to try the "shock and awe" approach.
Opening the door, he flipped on the lights and studied her. The lights hadn't caused any sort of reaction. She was sprawled on her stomach, broken arm on the pillow by her head, the extra pillows he'd propped her with the night before scattered on the floor. It looked like she didn't need them any more and had found a new sleeping position until her arm healed.
"Sam?" No response. He didn't really expect one. Striding quickly to the bed, he yanked the covers off and dropped them on the floor, grinning as she let out a little whine, the first indication that she was waking up. "Up and at 'em Sam." He frowned when she just curled up around her pillow, so he stole it from her, also dropping it on the floor. She just whined again and curled around her bear, clutching it under her cast, and he wasn't mean enough to steal that away too, so he left her for a snooze and went to wake the boys up. He'd come back to continue with the shock and awe, if the lack of covers and pillow didn't drive her out of the bed.
Daniel and Teal'c just needed the light on and a gentle call, their heads popping up to peer at him drowsily. He went down and started some muffins baking, then returned to Sam, to discover she wasn't in bed. He frowned, wondering if she'd slipped past him, when he heard a little sigh that made him look down. There, on the floor, he spotted her, curled up where he'd dropped the blankets and pillow from her bed. His frown deepened. This called for drastic measures. Dare he use his best command voice? Why not?
"SAMANTA CARTER! GET UP OUT OF BED RIGHT THIS INSTANT! THAT'S AN ORDER!"
He waited, but she didn't even stir. He blinked in surprise. His command voice always worked. Of course, little Sam wasn't in the military yet, so that might be why, but still.
"Colonel Jack, why are you yelling?" Daniel was standing in the hallway, blinking sleepily. Teal'c was standing just behind him.
Jack flushed, instantly embarrassed. Barking orders at children! "Uh, sorry, just trying to get Sam to wake up. I don't want us to be late."
"Oh." Daniel shouldered past Jack and knelt down next to Sam. Gently, he touched her shoulder. "Sam, time to wake up. We have to go to school today," he said softly.
Sam stirred, and her head lifted up. She blinked, rubbing sleep from her eyes with her good hand, looking a bit like a bizarre Munchkinland baby. "Is it morning already?"
"How'd you do that?" Jack demanded, dumbstruck, as Daniel walked past him, heading out of the room. Daniel just shrugged noncommittally.
Before long, breakfast was done, lunches packed, backpacks checked, and everyone was loaded into the truck. He parked at the school, and led the kids in, the kids sticking close to him now, with all the unfamiliar faces of the other kids going in that morning, who all knew where to go and what to do. Sam and Daniel were a bit more at ease than Teal'c, both of them had been in several different schools so knew all about starting at a new school and being the new kid, but it was still hard the first day.
He led them to Mrs. Parker's office again, and she met them all with a smile. "Good morning," she said, rising from her seat. "I thought we could start by taking the children to their classes, and then I could have you fill out some paperwork." Jack nodded, and the kids looked slightly apprehensive. At their worried looks, Mrs. Parker smiled reassuringly, gently laying a hand on Daniel and Sam's shoulders and leading them down the hall towards the classrooms.
They arrived at the second grade classrooms first. Sam hung back, and Jack laid his hand on her shoulder as Mrs. Parker went to the doorway and caught the attention of the teacher, who came out into the hall. It was still early and students were just starting to arrive.
"Sam, this is Ms. Janissima, she's going to be your teacher." The new woman smiled softly at Sam, but Sam pulled back against Jack, not wanting to be separated.
Kneeling down by Sam and turning her to face him, Jack squeezed her arms. "Go with Ms. Janissima, and be good, I'll pick you up after school and you can tell me everything you did today."
The woman, who looked to be in her mid thirties, didn't seem upset that Sam was reluctant to trust her. Her gentle smile made her warm brown eyes twinkle, and her manner suggested that she was used to dealing with children. "Ms. Janissima is such a big name isn't it? My students usually call me Ms. J. Today, we're going to be learning about the solar system and drawing pictures of what our planet might look like from outer space," Ms. Janissima spoke encouragingly, with a gentle voice.
Sam twisted in Jack's arms. "Really?" she asked skeptically, but there was a hint of interest peeking out under the skepticism.
Ms. Janissima smiled, realizing she'd caught the little girls interest. "Yes, really, would you like to come in? We could get you started right away."
"OK!" Sam started to skip into the room. Suddenly she stopped, and turned around, throwing herself into Jack's arms, practically whacking him with her casted arm. "Goodbye Colonel Jack! I love you!"
He laughed at the display, and returned the hug quickly before she could escape again. "I love you too, behave yourself! Have fun with Ms. J!"
"I will!" she called over her shoulder, disappearing into the room, Ms. Janissima on her heels, sending a reassuring smile over her shoulder at Jack. Jack smiled back; he knew Sam would be in good hands.
The fourth grade classes were a few rooms further down the hall. Now it was Daniel's turn to look reluctant while Mrs. Parker summoned the teacher. Still, he did his best to put on a brave face, and Jack reached out to ruffle his hair, which only made the boy scowl and hastily try to straighten it out before the principal came back.
Mrs. Parker stepped back into the hall with the teacher. "This must be Danny," the new woman said.
"I'm Daniel," Danny's scowl deepened and Jack rolled his eyes. He'd had no problem being called Danny before now.
"I'm sorry Daniel. I'm Miss Ruth. I teach the fourth grade here and you'll be in my class, I hope we'll get to know each other soon." She smiled, but Daniel just shrugged and looked down at his shoes. Miss Ruth looked up at Jack, and Jack raised a shoulder apologetically, he wasn't sure what had gotten into Daniel, usually he was more polite.
Miss Ruth tried another tactic, similar to what Ms. J had used earlier on Sam. "Well, Daniel, we have a busy day today. First, we have math class. After that, you'll have some time for some independent reading in the library. Next is science studies, then lunch and recess where you'll be able to find your foster siblings again I'm sure," Daniel perked up a bit at that news, than returned to staring at his shoes as Miss Ruth continued to list the schedule. "After lunch is art class," Daniel looked vaguely bored, "And then history. Today we're learning about ancient history in China." At the last, Daniel finally looked up.
"Well, I guess I can give it a try," he said, trying to sound uninterested, and Jack had to hide a smirk over the sudden gleam that had appeared in the boy's eye at the mention of the history class. It seemed Daniel had a passion for ancient history at an early age. Miss Ruth hadn't missed it either, and he could almost see the gears turning in the woman's head on just how to use the new information.
"Have a good day Danny, and listen to your teacher," Jack said, deliberately using Daniel's nickname. Danny scowled, ducking the hand Jack put out to ruffle the boy's hair again, but Jack just grinned, especially when Danny ducked under the hand, hesitantly wrapping his arms tightly around his waist.
"Love you Colonel Jack," he said, his voice muffled against his abdomen.
"Love you too Danny," Jack said, quickly returning the embrace, and Daniel squirmed out of his arms a moment later as if embarrassed to be seen hugging someone that could be construed to be his father. He was after all nine years old, and therefore way to old for such things. Jack just grinned and watched Daniel follow Miss Ruth into the classroom. He laid a hand on Teal'c's back, and nodded at the boy. Teal'c looked a little nervous despite the brave face, and Jack smiled reassuringly.
The sixth grade classrooms were upstairs. When they stopped outside the right room, Jack could see a youngish man seated at a desk. He stood up when he saw them in the hall and came out to meet them. Mrs. Parker spoke. "Teal'c, I would like you to meet Mr. Lee, he'll be teaching your class."
Teal'c stepped forward and held out his hand. When Mr. Lee took it, Teal'c returned the handshake in the warrior grip, wrist-to-wrist, as customary to his people. Mr. Lee looked vaguely surprised by the slightly out of the ordinary handclasp, and even more surprised at Teal'c's greeting. "It is an honor to meet you Mr. Lee. I look forward to learning much under your tutelage." Jack hid a wince at the surprised looks on Mr. Lee and Mrs. Parker's faces at the extremely polite young boy standing in front of them. Trust the Jaffa to instill respect at an early age. He hadn't really shouldn't have expected anything less.
At their curious looks, Jack just shrugged. "Teal'c was, uh, born in Africa."
Mr. Lee's eyebrows rose. "How interesting, perhaps he can tell us about some of his culture..."
Jack hastily interrupted, "He came here at a very early age."
The other man looked disappointed. "Ah, well, then I suppose you don't remember much?" He had directed his question at Teal'c.
Teal'c looked questioningly at Jack, remembering their conversation the previous week about how the Stargate was a secret and that people didn't know he was from another planet. While he disliked lying, he'd also promised Colonel O'Neill not to reveal the existence of the Chappa'ai. (need to find spelling) "No," he answered simply. Let them figure that out.
"Ah, well," Mr. Lee said again, "No matter. I'm sure you'll fit in just fine." He smiled and motioned towards the classroom.
Teal'c turned to Jack, and held out his hand again. Jack smiled, and solemnly took the hand, returning the handshake. He'd have to show the boy how they did things here, but later. Teal'c inclined his head and turned, entering the classroom. Jack stood in the hall for a moment after the door had closed, before following Mrs. Parker back to her office.
An hour later, he'd filled out all the forms, emergency cards, and other details needed to enroll the three children in school. He thanked Mrs. Parker again, and drove off to Cheyenne, to see what Hammond had in store for him, wondering how the kids were doing, and missing them already.
Chapter 39: Homework
The day passed slowly for Jack, tied up in seemingly endless meetings and paperwork that seemed to have multiplied in the few weeks he'd been occupied with the changes wrought to his team. Finally though, the hour came when Jack could climb behind the wheel of the SUV that he no longer minded driving because it meant he could be closer to his teammates. He drove to the school and parked, then joined all the other parents outside the door waiting to pick up their own children.
The bell rang and a few moments later children started pouring out the front doors, climbing onto the waiting school buses, into cars or reuniting with their parents. Jack searched for his three, wondering where they were. It seemed like every other kid was going to come out of the school before he caught a glimpse of blond hair and blue t-shirt, moments before the skinny little arms wrapped firmly around his middle. Daniel and Teal'c were just behind her, at a slightly more controlled pace.
"Colonel Jack! Colonel Jack! Look, I drew a picture!" Sam proudly displayed a slightly rumpled piece of paper that had something vaguely round blue and greenish on a colored black star strewn background, and waved it excitedly, while disengaging from him and dancing about excitedly.
Jack grinned at her, and turned his attention to Daniel. Daniel noticed his scrutiny and shrugged, trying to act uninterested, but Jack noticed the gleam in the boy's eye while he glanced quickly about to make sure no one was close enough to hear him. "I like the library. They have a lot of books I've never read. And history was ok." He shrugged again, and this time wasn't fast enough to duck as Jack ruffled his hair. "Hey!" he protested, quickly combing it with his fingers. Jack just smiled, and looked at Teal'c.
Teal'c straightened, and nodded. "There will much for me to learn here. Mr. Lee has been most gracious. I believe the time I spend here will be most interesting indeed."
Clasping the older boy's shoulder, Jack led the three kids to the car, pleased that the kids had done well in their own ways.
The ride home was filled with excited chatter, as even Teal'c opened up a little and shared moments of the first day of school. When they got home, Jack gave them all a quick snack, and let them relax a little, before he discovered to his dismay that they already had homework, along with notes from their various teachers explaining that the light assignments were geared at helping catch the kids up with the rest of the class. Jack also frowned when he discovered the second note tucked into Sam's folder. He skimmed it quickly, and then called the little girl over. She scowled when she saw what he had in his hand, and stared at her feet, kicking at the carpet with one shoe.
"So what's this about your math work Sam?" he asked, still slightly surprised to be getting a letter warning of a problem with Sam and math on the very first day of all things. Especially concerning a problem with Sam and math. It was unthinkable.
Sam scowl deepened and she refused to look at him. "They do it wrong here," she mumbled to the floor. Then she looked up, brow creased. "Why am I in the second grade? At my last school I was in the third grade."
Jack blinked, and somehow kept the pleased smile off his face. He'd known she was smart, especially with the way she was changing the subject on him. "One thing at a time Sam. Now what do you mean by wrong?"
She sighed, and rolled her eyes, foiled. "It's different. I did mine, and I got all the right answers, but Ms. J said I did it the wrong way, but I don't like how they do it here, and I don't see why I can't do it the way I did it at my last school!" Sam's tone had taken on a tinge of exasperation.
He wondered how best to approach this one. Obviously, Ms. Janissima hadn't had much luck, or she wouldn't have sent the note home. "Look, Sam, you need to set up the problems like the other kids are doing them, or when you start to do new math problems, it will be harder to understand."
"But the new way is stupid," she insisted stubbornly. Jack just narrowed his eyes at her. She sighed again, and wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Fine. I guess I can try it the new way, but I still think it's dumb."
Jack smiled sympathetically, before he approached the other subject. "Ok, now that we have that figured out, what's this about the third grade?"
Sam's scowl quickly returned and she treated the carpet to another scuff from her tennis shoe. "I'm not s'posed to be in the second grade. I skipped it this year."
"Okay," Jack said slowly, trying to find safe ground, "What did Ms. J say?"
Sam continued to glare down at her shoes, kicking at his poor defenseless carpet. "She said she'd see after a week or two, if I could do the work. She doesn't understand. I'm not dumb you know." Her chin lifted and she met his eyes finally, almost defiantly, her small mouth set in a thin determined line. At that moment, she looked quite a lot like her grown up version.
Jack swallowed, fighting down the pang that welled up as the child before him reminded him of what he missed. He decided to avoid the last statement, instead, getting her to focus on something else. "Well, how does the work seem?" Jack had already known Sam was going to be in the second grade, but he wanted to see how she was doing before he rushed in demanding she be advanced. After all, a lot of time had passed since Sam had been in the second grade, even if she didn't feel like it had. To her, she'd only been in school a few weeks ago. Things were taught differently now. Math, obviously for one. But maybe she was right. Heck, for all he knew, maybe she really belonged in the fourth grade. He hid a snort at that thought. That was all they'd need, to be raising a child prodigy this time around.
She was quiet for a moment, her brow furrowed in concentration, before she finally answered him. "Well, I know a lot of the stuff, but some of it is different, they teach it weird, like math. I don't like it, I like my old school better." Her voice held the hint of a pout.
"I know Sam, but we can't exactly send you back to your old school. Things are different now. I think what Ms. J said was fair, and if in a week or two, you work really hard, maybe you can be in the third grade again." Jack pulled her close as her face fell. "It's not all bad is it?" he asked, trying to take her mind off the negative aspects. He was relieved when she shook her head.
"No Colonel Jack, I liked science class, we get to do more fun things here. Oh, and they have computers. We never had those. They are really cool and do all sorts of neat things. And they have more TV's and other cool stuff that my old school didn't have." Jack grinned at her enthusiasm for the high tech. Hopefully, she wouldn't be tempted to take anything apart. He wondered if he should have a word with the teachers, and give them a warning, remembering what had happened to his ill-fated X-box.
"Okay kiddo, why don't you go start on your homework, and I'll come help in a few minutes?" Sam nodded reluctantly. Homework was still homework and she'd much rather be outside playing.
Jack went over to Daniel, who was sitting at the kitchen table, several books spread open before him. "Whatcha up to Danny?"
Daniel looked up, pushing his glasses up on his nose in a very familiar gesture. "I'm deciding whether I want to write a report about the ancient Egyptian sun god Ra, or if I want to write one about Yu."
"Me?" Jack frowned at the topics Daniel had mentioned, and got confused.
"No, not you, Yu, the Yellow Dragon, from ancient Chinese mythology," Daniel explained, flipping to a page in a book, and showing him a picture of a golden dragon.
"Oh. That Yu." Jack however was thinking of a different Yu. He hadn't been aware there'd been a dragon Yu. That just made things even more confusing. He frowned.
Not noticing Jack's preoccupation, Daniel continued with his explanation. "They are both really interesting. It's hard to decide. Maybe if I had some more books, the library at school didn't have any more on China or Egypt though. Do you think we could go to the public library Colonel Jack?" Daniel looked up hopeful, the all-to-familiar puppy dog expression not missed by Jack. Jack glanced at the rather impressive pile of books that Daniel had somehow crammed into his backpack, and knew the boy had more than enough information. But he also knew Daniel's love for the printed word, and was pleased to see the youngster finally starting to slowly open up to him, he'd been so quiet and shy so far.
"Tell ya what Daniel, you figure out what you want to write a report on by Friday, and Saturday I'll take you kids up to the Library okay?" Jack settled on a compromise. They'd have to go out later and pick up a few more school supplies according to the notes sent home with the kids, and he didn't think they'd have time today. He really wanted the kids to devote most of their time this week to settling in to the new school routine and do as little running around as possible. He watched Daniel's eyes narrow as the boy considered the offer.
Finally, Daniel nodded, and smiled. "Ok."
Jack tapped the pile of books. "I'm sure no matter what you decide on, it will be really cool."
Daniel grinned, and turned his attention back to his books. Jack moved on to Teal'c who had taken over the coffee table. The older boy was staring down at an open text, a perplexed look on his face. His binder sat open beside the text, the note page blank. "So what are you working on Teal'c?" Jack sat down behind the boy.
Teal'c turned to regard him, a frown creasing his young features. "Colonel O'Neill, I do not understand this assignment."
Jack raised his eyebrows. Returning Teal'c's look, Jack replied. "Well, try me."
Teal'c turned back to his text and stared at it as if willing the book to make sense to him. "I am to explain and demonstrate to the class how a volcano works. But I do not see how I am to carry out such a task, when a volcano seems so hot."
"Ah," Jack said. He remembered volcano models. He wasn't surprised they still did them in school. "Actually, Teal'c, I have a good idea what you are supposed to do for the demonstration part. When is your project due?"
"Next Friday," Teal'c replied, still frowning at the book.
"That's plenty of time. We can work on it this weekend after we take Daniel to the library." Teal'c nodded, although he still looked dubious. Jack was already trying to think about what supplies they would need, he could pick up some of them tonight when they went out to grab the rest of the school supplies.
The kids all worked quietly on their homework for the next hour, Jack helping where he could, though he was already starting to wonder if he'd gotten in over his head. This "new math" that Sam was complaining about seemed like a needlessly annoying way of doing things he'd learned to do years ago. And quite a few of the kids homework questions set his fingers itching, wishing he had at least one of their grown up selves to call to ask for help. He wondered how other parents dealt with all this stuff.
After they got done with their homework, they ran back out to Target, and picked up the new school supplies and a few craft supplies he thought he would need for Teal'c's weekend project. He'd stop at a craft store later in the week for the rest. He grabbed a carry out dinner again, promising himself that he'd make the kids a real home cooked meal tomorrow. They'd been eating entirely too much fast food the last week with all the running around they'd been doing.
He had a hard time getting the kids in bed again, but this time it was because they were excited about their first day, and anticipating what they would be doing the next day. Eventually they went to bed though, and Jack gratefully went to bed not long after.
Chapter 40: Bullies
The next day started off a lot like the previous day had, only this time when he dropped the kids off, he didn't need to go in. The kids willingly left the car, cheerfully calling their goodbyes over their shoulder in Sam and Daniel's case as they ran into the school, and more solemnly in Teal'c's case, who followed the younger two at a more sedate pace. Jack watched them go with a now familiar feeling of emptiness, as he turned the vehicle towards work. He hoped they would settle in ok, and start to meet other kids. Little did he know, his wish would come true in unexpected ways.
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
Daniel dropped his trash into the trashcan, and followed the rest of the fourth graders out of the cafeteria to the playground, his eyes searching the space until he spotted what he was looking for. He walked over, and joined Teal'c, who was standing on the edge of the playground, watching a group of younger children kick a ball. Some of Daniel's classmates eyed him curiously, but Daniel ignored them. Let them wonder what he was doing with the older boy.
"I do not see Samantha," Teal'c said by way of greeting. Daniel frowned. He'd learned the first day that the little kids started eating first and came out to play first, so Sam should be outside already. He scanned the playground looking for their younger foster sister, trying to spot the familiar swatch of blonde hair. He even searched the playground equipment, in case she'd decided to climb on something even with her broken arm. But he didn't see her, and said so.
"I don't see her either Teal'c. She must be here somewhere." Just then there was the sound of a commotion over in the distant corner of the playground, where there was a group of kids just starting to gather around something. None of the teachers had seemed to notice anything amiss yet, because they were busy clustered in a group around a small child that had just fallen off the jungle gym. Daniel's heart sank, and suddenly he realized that Sam would be over there, probably in the center of the new disturbance. He looked at Teal'c, and knew the older boy was thinking the same thing. Together, they took off running.
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
Sam was bored. It was only her second day at the new school, and she knew it took time to make friends, but she still hated being the new kid. And recess was even more boring, because she couldn't do anything with the stupid cast on her arm. At least at other schools she could usually play on the swings or monkey bars if there was no one else she could play with. But she couldn't, so she was just standing by herself, under the trees, kicking rocks. And since the younger kids went out first, she didn't even have Teal'c and Daniel to talk to. She kicked another rock. The rock flew, and Sam grinned at the distance she achieved, she couldn't even see where it had landed! She was just about to kick another one, when she was startled by the sound of crying. Guilt struck her. She hadn't meant to hit anyone! But a moment later, a second voice, also a child, was speaking, it sounded like an older boy. Sam crept closer to hear.
"Stupid crybaby, why don't you go run home to your mommy? Awww, did I make you cry harder?" There was a sound like someone shoving another person, and the crying grew louder. Sam peeked around her tree and scowled when she saw a much older boy standing over a boy that was a little bit younger than her. The younger boy was the one doing the crying. She grew angrier as the older boy kicked dirt towards the little boy, making him cry even more. Before she knew what she was doing, she was marching out from behind her tree.
"Leave him alone you big bully!" she demanded, chest puffed out and chin jutting defiantly.
The older boy turned away from the cowering shape on the ground and turned to face her, his eyes lighting up in glee. "And who's going to stop me pipsqueak, you?" He laughed.
Sam faltered slightly, looking up into the boy's face. He looked a LOT taller closer up. And bigger. And stronger. More so than Teal'c even. But she couldn't back down now. "If I have to!" she replied defiantly, hoping the big boy wouldn't notice the slight tremor in her voice.
But the boy just laughed and before she knew it, he had a double fistful of her T-shirt and was hauling her up so that her feet almost left the ground. Sam tried to swing her fist and belatedly remembered her broken arm. Her struggles made the boy laugh harder. Sam realized she was in trouble. "Oops," she said, and the boy laughed again.
"You're nothing but a baby too," he sneered. With that, he gave her a shove that sent her tumbling backwards, landing painfully on her backside.
The boy towered threateningly over her, and she sent a glance over at the younger boy who she'd come to rescue. He was curled in a ball and sobbing. Sam decided he had the right idea, and did the only thing she could think of when outmaneuvered and out powered. She opened up her mouth and let out a wail, not too proud to call for help.
Suddenly, there was another shape in between her and the bully, a familiar shape. "You will leave Samantha and this other child alone!" Teal'c demanded in a steady voice. At the same time, she felt small arms wrapping comfortingly around her, and tried to stifle her sobs, but it was hard to stop the boulder once it was rolling. Daniel just patted her on the back, and didn't make fun of her for crying.
"You stay out of this," the bully said angrily trying to step around Teal'c, but Teal'c neatly sidestepped the boy, blocking his path.
"There is no honor in causing harm to those smaller and weaker to you," Teal'c said calmly.
"Yeah, well would you rather I take on you instead?" The boy bristled at having been deprived of his easy pickings.
"If you must. I will stop you however." Teal'c's voice held a note of warning, mixed with pride and confidence.
The boy just laughed, and lunged at Teal'c. It was over in seconds. Teal'c barely moved, and the boy was laying flat on the ground staring up at the sky and wondering how he'd gotten there. He hadn't even tried to gain his feet before the teachers finally arrived, pushing into the center of the crowd that had formed around them.
Mr. Lee was the first on the scene, and took in the sight of his new student Teal'c standing over the prone form of James Ferrel, who had been in trouble several times before for bullying. He also quickly noted the two crying younger children, a boy and a girl, the girl being held by another boy. "What is going on here?" he demanded, a suspicion of events already forming in his mind.
His question had been directed at Teal'c, but it was James that answered. "He pushed me!" the boy yelled, pointing at Teal'c, hoping to get the other boy in trouble.
"Well he pushed me!" came from the little girl, who was pointing at James. Sam was determined that Teal'c wouldn't get in trouble because of something she'd done. Teal'c had only been trying to protect her, and the big boy was the real bully!
"And he pushed me too!" chimed in the other little boy also pointing at James. The little first grader had stopped sobbing enough to speak, now that his teacher had claimed him.
Ms. Janissima appeared out of the crowd, and swooped on the little girl. "Sam, are you ok? What's going on?"
"That boy is a big meanie! He was picking on that little boy, and when I told him to stop, he pushed me down too. Then Teal'c came, and pushed him down instead! But my butt hurts, I don't like recess, there's nothing to do, and I wanna go home!" Sam started to cry again, knowing the benefit of waterworks in a tight situation, and not too old to be ashamed to use them. With a frown, Ms. Janissima put her arm around Sam.
"I wanna go home too!" wailed the other little boy, his tears starting up anew.
It took several minutes on the various teachers' part to get all the children sorted out. Unfortunately, despite the fact that Sam was only defending the little boy, and Teal'c claimed to have been defending the smaller children from the known bully, fighting was frowned on, so all of the children would have to go to the Principal's office. Although with all the fuss Sam and the little boy were making, they ended up getting a trip to the nurse's office too. They joined the boys waiting outside the office, clutching makeshift ice packs to their sore bottoms like badges of honor. Everything was better with an ice pack when you were six and seven after all. Surprisingly, Daniel was also waiting outside the office, having refused to return to class, despite the teachers' assurance that he'd done nothing wrong. But Daniel had insisted on accompanying his "brother and sister" stating that he was a "witness" and had made such a fuss, that they'd eventually thrown up their hands in defeat and let him go too.
After several more minutes of waiting, in which James squirmed uncomfortably under the combined glares of the four other children (he'd never had anyone fight back before), Mrs. Parker finally called them all in.
It took some more time to sort all the stories out, and they kept interrupting each other, but Mrs. Parker was a patient woman. She asked the right questions, and admonished them gently when necessary. In the end, she looked at all of them for a short time before speaking.
"I'm disappointed in all of you, fighting isn't right for any reason, it doesn't solve anything, and all of you are lucky no one got hurt. As for you James, I know you started this. You have been warned to leave the younger children alone. Since I can't trust you to do that, you won't be allowed on the playground for one week. I want you to think about what you've done, when you see everyone else outside and I will be calling your parents again." James looked down a moment at her words, only slightly repentant. He didn't like having his recess privileges revoked! "Now, go back to class James." James looked up and narrowed his eyes at the others. He'd wanted to hear what would happen to the rest! But Mrs. Parker only met his gaze coolly, and seething, James slunk out, knowing when he was defeated.
"As for the rest of you, I'll be calling the rest of your parents as well. I'm hoping this will be the last time I see any of you in here for fighting, do I make myself clear?" She looked at each child, receiving nods all around. "Ok, back to class, all of you." She smiled as the kids eagerly rushed out of her office, never once looking back. She loved her job, even though sometimes, she had to be the mean one and dole out the discipline. She turned in her desk chair, pulling open the file drawer. She had some phone calls to make.
Chapter 41: School Daze
Jack sighed as he hung up the phone, briefly putting his head in his hands. Only the second day of school, and already they'd gotten into a fight. At least it hadn't been their fault. He ran his fingers through his hair. Sam, taking on a seventh grader, with her broken arm no less, to defend a first grader. He'd known from that first time she'd defended Danny against Teal'c that she had a lot of spunk, all thirty-nine inches, forty-eight pounds and seven years of her.
When he picked the kids up a few hours later they were subdued, and wouldn't meet his eyes as they piled into the truck. The chatter that had filled the vehicle the day before was conspicuously absent. Obviously they thought he'd be punishing them for getting into another fight. And he was mad, what Sam had done was stupid, she could have gotten hurt, and Teal'c was lucky, from what Mrs. Parker had said, this James Ferrel was nothing but a bully, that got his kicks from picking on those too young or weak to defend themselves. He'd never faced a young Jaffa warrior child in training. Jack didn't know what sort of training Teal'c had received so far in his young life, but he knew every man, woman, and child was taught how to defend themselves starting from the time they could walk. James didn't stand a chance, and so he was equally lucky that Teal'c had restrained himself to only pushing the other boy. They all were.
He waited until they got home, unlocked the door and the kids followed him silently into the house. He sat down on the chair in the living room and motioned for the kids to come stand around him. They shifted uncomfortably as he studied them for a moment. Finally, he spoke. "So?"
They exchanged glances. Sam and Daniel returned to staring at their feet, and Teal'c stared straight ahead of him in a very familiar posture. Sam eventually broke the silence. "Sorry?" she mumbled, still staring at her feet, her good hand plucking at her cast.
Daniel had crossed his arms over his chest and was staring at the ground. Jack wasn't sure what was so fascinating about his carpet, but the kids all seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time looking at it. "I'm sorry too," Daniel said softly
Jack's eyebrows rose. According to Mrs. Parker, Daniel hadn't done anything, despite his insistence on going to the principal's office too. Before he could say anything however, Teal'c spoke up.
"I must apologize as well, Colonel O'Neill." Teal'c continued to stare at a space just past his left shoulder and Jack resisted the urge to turn around.
Instead, he scrubbed his hands over his face, sighed, and cleared his throat. "Well, from what Mrs. Parker tells me, none of you kids started any of this." He looked at them, and got several silent head nods in confirmation. "That still doesn't excuse that fact that I've told you that I don't condone fighting for any reason."
"But..." Sam started to say, lifting up her head.
"No, Sam. I understand why you did what you did. It was very brave, standing up to that bully, but you could have been hurt." She hung her head again, and he continued. "If Teal'c hadn't been there, he could have hurt you, and you wouldn't have been able to stop him."
Jack paused; letting his words sink in, before taking a deep breath and continuing his lecture. "No, there was something else you should have done instead, and it would have had the same result but no one would have gotten hurt, not you and not Teal'c, and not that boy either. Can you tell me what Sam?" She looked up at him and he was pleased to see her thinking.
"I, I should have gone and got a teacher?" she said softly.
He smiled. "Yes, that's right Sam. You don't have to take all the bullies on by yourself. All you had to do was tell the teacher what was happening, that's why they are out there." Sam nodded, her cheeks flushing.
"I'm sorry Colonel Jack, I just got mad when I saw him making that little boy cry, and I wanted to make him stop." She was staring at the carpet again.
"I know Sam, just try to remember ok?" She nodded, and he turned his attention to Daniel and Teal'c. "And the same goes for you two as well. Next time, and I hope there is no next time, find a teacher." Both boys nodded solemnly and he shook his head. "Go, your snacks are in the fridge, don't eat too much. I'm making hamburgers on the grill tonight." He laughed as the kids cheered and scampered off to the kitchen, their good moods returning as soon as they'd realized they were only getting a lecture and no punishment for the fight today. He watched them go, thinking about his brave, noble, and somewhat foolhardy young charges, but really, they were no different than their older selves, risking themselves to help strangers and each other when the need arose. It was ironic how he was lecturing Sam and Teal'c against fighting when the two routinely carried and used a weapon in what felt like another life. They were military, so they fought for a living, career soldiers like himself. And Daniel was always the first to speak against any injustices, and remind them of who they were. More often than not in the field, they found themselves raising weapons to fight in order to protect someone or something at Daniel's insistence. Of course, a schoolyard scuffle and fighting for freedom or to protect the Earth from slavery from false gods were completely different matters, but still.
He let the kids play outside, working off excess energy for an hour or so, before calling them back inside, where they worked on their homework until dinnertime. After dinner, he put in a movie and they all curled up around him, Sam and Daniel on either side on the sofa, and Teal'c on the floor at his feet. The movie did the trick in winding the kids down, and he had no trouble in getting them to bed for a welcome change. In fact, Sam practically had to be carried, and he decided if she kept this up in the coming nights, she'd have to start going to be a half hour earlier than the boys, protests or not. His back and knees were just not up to hauling her around every night.
The next two days were without incident. No calls, no letters, and the kids seemed to be adjusting well, despite a few complaints about certain things that were different in the new school from their old school, or in Teal'c's case, bafflement about why he was expected to do certain things.
Despite the fact that the end of the week had settled down, it was still quite busy with getting the kids off to school each day, and getting to work, especially with the new training program he was literally building from scratch. So it was with weary relief that Jack tucked the kids into bed Friday night, and fell into his own, blissfully looking forward to being able to sleep in late on Saturday morning for a change.
Chapter 42: Saturday Morning
Jack rolled over and groaned, but for some reason, his bed kept moving up and down, making him feel like a seasick otter. And where did the seagull that was screeching his name in a singsong voice come from, better yet, how did it get in here? And since when did seagulls talk?
"Colonel Jack? Col-o-nel Ja-ack! Are you awake yet?" cooed the singing seagull, and Jack groggily realized it wasn't a bird, but a little girl. Cracking one eye open confirmed his fears, as he caught a glimpse of rumpled blond hair and sparkling blue eyes. She was sure damn cute.
When she wasn't bouncing that was.
On his bed. At... his brief look caught a view of the clock, confirming his guess of the obscene early hour that no respectable person should be up at on a Saturday unless they had a damn good reason. Well, obscene when you were intending to sleep through it that is. He hadn't intended to wake any earlier than at least ten or better yet noon but the clock was glowing a steady 0615. He groaned again.
"Colonel Jack?" Came the chirpy voice again, as the bouncing started up anew. Of course, any other day of the week, she slept like the dead and was impossible to rouse, but on the one lousy day he wanted to sleep in she was up at the butt crack of dawn, bouncy and bubbly.
"Sam." The bouncing stopped.
"Colonel Jack?"
"Is the house burning down?" he muttered into his pillow.
"No." She sounded slightly confused. But at least she'd stopped bouncing.
"Did somebody cut their fingers off?" There had to be a good reason for the early wakeup call.
A slight giggle. "No."
"Is it Christmas?"
More giggling. "No silly!" The bouncing started again, and he groaned, and ground his fists into his eyes.
"Sam!" The bouncing stopped again.
"Colonel Jack?" Her voice was slightly hesitant, and close by. He knew if he opened his eyes, he'd probably be staring right into hers, but that would be admitting he was awake, and he refused to admit he was awake.
"Go back to bed." He felt a slight shifting, that told him she'd moved, but didn't feel the telltale dip of her getting out of his bed.
"I can't sleep." She shifted in the bed again, now flopping against his legs, her cast inadvertently slapping into an area that made him grateful his was lying on his stomach, and not the other way around. As it was, it wasn't particularly comfortable.
Jack suppressed a groan of frustration as she moved again, her body putting just the right amount of pressure on his bad knee to ensure he couldn't just drop off back to sleep. "Well, why don't you go watch cartoons or something for a little while?" he suggested, his tone full of all the subtle nuances and suggestions that going to watch cartoons and leaving Jack alone in his bed was a very good thing for little girls to do early on Saturday mornings.
The subtlety was lost on Sam unfortunately. Her underdeveloped genius mind obviously couldn't cope with such things yet. "Because Daniel and Teal'c are watching them and I don't like what they're watching. Besides, we're going to the library today." Sam explained patiently. She moved off his knees thankfully, but was now sprawled on his back. "Can we go yet?" Her voice was now next to his ear, her breath hot on his neck, and he again resisted the urge to open his eyes and confirm his suspicions about her location.
"Uh, Sam, the library isn't open yet." Maybe she'll go back to bed now he hoped.
"Oh," she said her voice full of disappointment. His hopes were shattered in the next breath. "I'm hungry."
His mind supplied a litany of inappropriate curses that he couldn't say in the presence of Sam's young ears, words that would make a Marine's toes curl. Instead he just sighed. "Ok, fine. Just gimme a minute ok?"
He wasn't prepared for the small arm that snaked around him from behind him, nor the wet kiss that graced his cheek. "Thank you Colonel Jack, love you!" And then she was gone, bounding from the room, leaving Jack's head spinning over the loss of the freedom of being able to sleep whenever and however long he chose, and over how much more he'd gained in exchange. He was still grumpy and tired as he dragged himself from bed fifteen minutes later, but there was a smile on his face as he headed to the kitchen, spying the three small bodies curled up in front of the TV.
After breakfast, he told the kids he'd play some games with them but first they had to straighten up their rooms. A week spent in school meant their rooms were looking worse for wear. They groaned and protested, but like last time, they started to tidy up, and help each other unlike typical children. Jack felt it had to do with the fact that a part of them on some deeper level remembered working together. They still had disagreements, but all in all, they looked out for each other.
And so, when it grew quiet upstairs, while Jack took the opportunity to straighten up a bit downstairs, he didn't think anything of it, figuring the kids had likely found something quiet to do like they had last time. However, when the silence stretched, his long dormant sixth sense, the instinctive trouble radar that all adults develop when in close proximity to children for any length of time, started to send him warning signs. And so he headed upstairs, checking first on Sam's room. He found the room neat and tidy, the bed made, toys put away, her schoolbooks on her desk. One or two things poked out of the closet or from under the bed or drawer telling him it was less than perfect, but he didn't expect it to be, she was only seven. The room was however missing one thing, and that was a blond haired, blue eyed little girl.
He headed down the hall, eyes narrowing in suspicion when he noticed the door to the boys' room was closed, the room dark despite the fact it was daytime. As he stood outside the door, hand poised over the doorknob, his suspicions only rose when he heard what sounded like a quickly muffled giggle. Quietly he pushed the door open, then stared in shock at the transformation the room had undergone.
They must have raided the linen closet for all the spare linen he had on hand, and he wondered where they had found the rope, probably in the garage, but somehow they'd transformed the bunk beds and bedroom into a tent fortress. There was just barely room for the door to open, because they'd draped the linens over every piece of furniture in the room, not just the beds, using the rope tied between the heavier pieces to create rooms and supports. He was impressed. And somewhere in the center, came the glow of a flashlight and the whisper of three young voices. It sounded like they were trying to retell one of the ghost stories from one of their last nights on base. Jack got a sudden sneaky idea.
Glancing quickly about, he spotted the opening, not far from the doorway. Using all his skill in special ops, he slipped into the tent, having to twist and crawl, but he'd been in tighter spaces. His guess from the outside had proved correct; they had hung sheets and blankets down from the inside, creating "walls" and "rooms", therefore making the perfect cover. He crept closer to the voices, timing his entrance.
He could see them now, Daniel was telling the story, his back to Jack. The flashlight made his brownish blond hair glow softly, eerily, as he told the tale. And the tale was a perfect one, about how a group of kids were out camping in the night, and a man came up and carried them away out of the tent. At the right moment, the storyteller would leap at the others...
Jack lunged with a roar, and was rewarded with three shrieks, that quickly turned into laughter as they realized who their "attacker" was. Sam jumped on him, knocking him into the blanket wall, and sent them tumbling into the next "room". "That was mean!" she shouted, but she was giggling as she pushed him.
"Oh yeah? Well maybe I'm not Colonel Jack, maybe I'm really the mean bad tickle monster!" With that, he flipped her over, careful of her still healing arm, and straddled her, arms poised.
"No!" she shrieked, realizing instantly her predicament, "Help! Danny! Teal'c! He's got me! Help!" But Jack only laughed an evil villainous laugh, and his hands descended slowly towards the squirming little girl as she laughed and squealed and tried to get away. But he held on, tickling her mercilessly, even when Daniel and Teal'c came to her rescue, wielding pillows and trying to fight off the "evil monster". But Jack just twisted up his face in a mock snarl, and pretended to snap at them as the pillows thwapped him harmlessly, and his hands roamed along Sam's ticklish spots making her shriek and gasp.
They were all laughing when part of the fortress collapsed on top of them, putting an end to the pillow fight. It took several more minutes for the giggling and gasping group to extract themselves from the pile of rope and linens, hair rumpled and cheeks flushed. Sam had more trouble getting out than the rest of them though. "Guys! Help! I'm stuck!" One of the blanket mounds was moving.
Jack got another gleam in his eye. "Did you guys hear something?" he asked innocently.
Daniel picked up on the new game right away. "No, I didn't hear anything." Teal'c looked confused until Daniel elbowed him and gave him a wink. Teal'c nodded, and Daniel grinned, smothering a laugh with his hand as Sam called for assistance again.
"Well, if you guys didn't hear anything, we should probably make your bed," he said loudly over the noise of a small girl saying she was there and to please get her out. Jack walked over to the wiggling mound, which happened to be one of the comforters, and picked up the whole thing. "Wow, these things are heavy!" he said, dropping it carefully on the bottom bed, he started to tuck in the edges before the occupant could escape.
Daniel came to help immediately, and Teal'c a moment later as soon as he knew what they were doing. Both boys were grinning.
"Make sure you tuck it in nice and tight, don't want it coming loose!" Jack told them loudly and cheerfully, as his hands strayed to the lump in the middle, poking it where its sides were. Daniel laughed, and Teal'c's grin grew broader as he finished tucking in his section of the bed.
"Hey!" (Giggle) "I'm not a bed!" (Giggle, giggle) "Let me out!" (More giggling)
"Colonel O'Neill, this bed seems most lumpy," Teal'c said innocently.
Jack stood back, studying the bed, ignoring the voice that called "That's because I'm under here!"
"You know, you're right Teal'c," Jack said, still staring at the bed. "Let's put some pillows on there, gently now."
"Hey!" The bed protested again as the three males cheerfully loaded all the pillows they could find onto the bed.
"Well, that's better," Jack announced. The boys agreed. "You know, I wonder where Sam is."
"I'm right he-ere!"
Jack winked at Daniel and Teal'c, who grinned back. "Funny, I think I keep hearing her. You know, I think I'll just sit down right here, and rest a bit, and we can look for her." Jack sat down on the bed, and started to bounce up and down. Sam giggled. Jack stopped. "Did you two hear that?" he asked, and they shrugged. He started to bounce again, and the giggling started again. Daniel joined Jack in bouncing and Teal'c watched amused.
Finally, Sam had enough, and with a mighty shove she pushed the blanket away and surged up, sending pillows flying and Daniel ducking for cover. "I'm right here!"
Jack feigned surprise. "Sam! What are you doing lying around in bed when there's work to be done?"
Sam made a face of mock anger, and planted her hands on her hips, which was a difficult maneuver considering her cast. Jack laughed. "C'mere!" he ordered, catching her as she lunged into his arms and hugged her tightly, then held out his other arm for Daniel, who came a bit more reluctantly, but no less enthusiastically. "You too Teal'c," he told the boy, who was still standing and watching the other three with a small smile. Teal'c stood still for a moment, then joined the rest on a bed for an O'Neill family group hug.
Chapter 43: Libraries and Projects
When the hug was over, Jack stood up and surveyed the disaster that was the boys' room, shaking his head. "Ok you guys, lets put this room to rights, we have a library to visit today!" It only took them about twenty minutes to fold up the various blankets and sheets that had been part of the blanket fortress, and put away the ropes. Jack helped them shift the furniture back into position, wondering how they'd moved some of it in the first place. Smoothing the last wrinkle out of Daniel's bed, Jack surveyed the room; he could vacuum it when they got back. The vacuuming was one thing he didn't let Danny do, noticing that anything that stirred up dust made the boy sneeze even more, in fact, sometimes his breathing seemed to have a faint wheeze to it, but so far it had only happened now and again. Jack had meant to say something to Janet before their next checkup in a week or two, but things had been so busy, and Daniel seemed healthy otherwise. So he just made sure Daniel stayed away from dust and pollen and things like that.
He fed them all lunch, and then it was off to the library. Daniel and Sam wanted to run right off to the books, but he held them back. Even Teal'c looked overwhelmed by the sheer volume of books, and Jack knew this was a small local library. But first things were first, he wanted them to have a little bit of responsibility too, so he took them to the main desk, and got them all library cards. Daniel's eyes nearly bugged out when he saw the one with his name on it; obviously he'd never had one of his very own before. His next words confirmed it.
"You mean I can check books out on my own card now?" Daniel asked quietly.
"Sure can kiddo," Jack told him, handing over the card, grinning as Daniel stared at it.
"I always just had to look at the books at the library or get my foster parents to check things out for me." There was a tinge of awe in his voice, and Jack was again amazed at how such small things had such an impact on the young boy. He wished he could have been there, all those years ago. But if he had, then the Daniel Jackson he knew today would be an entirely different person.
Jack passed Teal'c's card over to the other boy, "I'll explain how that works, just don't lose it ok?" he said in answer to the boy's questioning look. Teal'c nodded, and placed the card in his pocket. Daniel was still staring at his. Sam had wandered to a small table set with brightly colored children's books and didn't seem interested in her own card, which was just as well since Jack didn't really trust her with it yet. He placed it in his wallet and looked at the two boys. "Ok, what's first?"
Daniel tore his gaze from the library card. "I need to look up books for my report on Ra."
Jack reminded himself that Ra was dead, and this Daniel didn't know that. "Ok, well, since Teal'c hasn't been to a library before, how about he goes with you?" Both boys nodded. "Good, I'm going to take Sam over to the kids section. If we haven't found you guys first, come find us over there ok?" The two sections were relatively close by, and the shelves were fairly low in the children's section so he'd be able to keep an eye on what went on in the non-fiction section.
An hour later, the kids were loaded down with books, and even Jack had a few fishing magazines to look at. The librarian looked mildly surprised as she checked out some of the kid's choices, and Jack had to admit he was mildly surprised himself. Initially, he'd steered Sam towards the second and third graders section, and she'd poked about among the selections for a little while, peeking at this or that book, and he'd ended up chatting with a librarian about kids when she'd come over asking if they needed anything. When the librarian had gone to assist someone else he'd found Sam in the fourth graders section, sprawled in a beanbag chair with a big chapter book open in front of her, content. He suddenly realized it was Sam's way of telling him that she was way beyond the picture books arrayed out in her age groups' section. And while she loved the pictures and silly stories of the little books, she wanted something meatier.
Daniel and Teal'c were no less surprising. Both boys had chosen a variety of historical books, from history and culture in Daniel's case, to ancient weaponry and war craft in Teal'c's case, quite a few on castles, knights, and medieval weapons, but he hid a smile when he saw a book or two about the history of the Air Force peeking out of the pile. Both boys also moved readily into the fiction section, selecting several books from there as well. Daniel, like Sam, chose from books above his reading level. Teal'c wandered the section for some time until the librarian came back, just as Jack was about to approach him. Noticing how the woman first glanced down at the books Teal'c was carrying before asking him a few questions, Jack decided to let the woman handle it. After a while, she led Teal'c over to the shelf, and handed him two books. When Teal'c came back, Jack glanced down, and smiled at the selection. "Johnny Tremain" and "Where the Red Fern Grows" sounded like good choices for the young boy.
After they left the library, Jack stopped at the local craft supply store, to buy some tempera paint, colored sand, and some other things he thought they could use to make a really cool volcano model for Teal'c's class project. He resisted the multitude of requests from Sam, and a few from Daniel, to buy all sorts of overpriced kits for everything from stamps to stickers to bugs. He most especially was not buying Sam a bug kit. He shuddered at the thought of her forgetting to cap something and something escaping. Besides, he had plenty of craft supplies at home and those kits barely came with anything useful in them. The kids were disappointed; they could usually get him to buy at least one thing!
On the way out however, his eye caught a display, and suddenly, he knew he had to have the kits, so that the kids could do them. They would do the volcano, and as soon as the volcano was out of the way, he'd have them do this. He checked the instructions, and bought one kit and more than enough refills to make several in case they messed up the first ones. The kids stared at the things he was putting in the cart. It didn't look like a lot of fun to them, but he knew it would be. Especially when they got to paint the finished product he thought, as he put the paint for the volcano project on the register counter, the paint now having a dual purpose.
When they got home, Jack cleared off the kitchen table and spread out some newspapers. He spent the next hour experimenting with various parts of water and flour trying to come up with the right consistency of paper mache paste. He failed miserably, much to Sam and Daniel's amusement and Teal'c's confusion as to what the flour and water mess had to do with demonstrating the deadly destructive nature of a volcano. Unless of course he was supposed to take a picture of the kitchen when they were done, to show what an eruption looked like.
Finally, after a desperate call to Janet Fraiser, and an even more desperate call to General Hammond, followed by General Hammond calling one of his own children and then returning a call to Jack, Jack finally had a workable recipe for paper mache paste. He was so excited, he called the General right back to thank him, forgetting that he had flour paste all over his hands, the giggles his only clue until it was too late telling him that the mixture was now all over the phone and his hair. He could only laugh helplessly at himself.
He set Sam and Daniel the task of tearing strips of newspaper, while he and Teal'c cut up a large cardboard box, creating a platform, which Jack explained to the boy would be the base of their model. He had finally explained that they would be creating a simulation of a volcano, one that looked and behaved like a real volcano, but without the heat or danger. Jack told him he expected Teal'c to provide input in how he wanted his volcano to look, since he had been studying them, and Teal'c nodded.
They put a juice can in the middle of their model and packed wadded up newspaper around it. Meanwhile, Sam and Daniel had finished with tearing strips, and Jack showed Teal'c how to dip the strips into the paste and use his fingers like a squeegee and how to wrap them around the newspaper wads to create slopes and such. It was inevitable that Sam and Daniel would want to help. It was equally inevitable that later as the slightly lopsided, but no less perfect in Teal'c's eyes, volcano model sat drying and Jack scratched at dried flour in his hair and started to clean up some of the mess, that he found a number of small white hand and finger prints around the kitchen. And somehow, he knew without a doubt, since Sam, Teal'c, and Daniel had all made at least one trip to the bathroom during the project, that he would find more small handprints around the house. He shook his head ruefully as he grabbed the washcloth off the sink and attacked the nearest, glad it was only flour.
As he wiped away the handprints, he smiled, and thought about the bag sitting on the counter. The hour was late now, and the kids would be in bed soon, but tomorrow, after they finished the volcano, he'd bring out the other project. And unlike the small handprints on his walls, doors, furniture, and yes, somehow, even the floor, this time, he'd have something to remember this time by, no matter what tomorrow may bring.
Chapter 44: Volcanoes and Memories
The next day, the volcano was stiff and hard, and Jack helped Teal'c use spray glue all over it so that the boy could put the colored green and brown sand they'd bought on the mountain's slopes to give it a textured look and feel. Jack encouraged Teal'c to paint in trees, streams, even a railroad, while he pulled out paper, cardboard, and modeling clay and put himself, Sam, and Daniel to work making small buildings and people for towns and farms to put in the pathway of the lava flows. As the objects were completed, Teal'c placed each one carefully on the model, much to the delight of his younger siblings, especially Sam, who's items sometimes weren't completely identifiable as what they were supposed to be. That was until Daniel suggested she make haystacks, and Jack told her it was the most beautiful haystack he'd ever seen. After that, the model had quite a few haystacks, in traditional yellow, but also blue, green, purple, and fluorescent pink.
Finally, the model was done. "Colonel O'Neill, how do I simulate an eruption?" Teal'c surveyed his model critically, pleased with the results. His family had helped him make it, and he was sure it would be the best model in the class.
"Ah, now that's the easy part." Jack stood up and went to the cupboard, withdrawing several Tupperware containers. Going to another cabinet, he pulled out a small yellow box of baking soda, and poured some into one of the containers and closed the lid. Next he pulled out some vinegar, and added a measure to a second container, and then put in a few drops of red food coloring before he closed the lid on that one. "Here, when it's time, just put the powder in, then put the vinegar in, and it will come out looking like lava."
Teal'c nodded, placing the two containers with the model, but Daniel and Sam looked disappointed. "Shouldn't we test it?" Daniel asked hopefully.
Jack laughed and ruffled Daniel's hair. "Sorry Daniel that will ruin Teal'c's model before he can show it to Mr. Lee. But I'm sure Teal'c can give us a demonstration when he brings it home, right T?" Teal'c smiled and nodded and the two younger kids cheered considerably. Seeing it a second time wasn't quite as good but they understood.
Looking at the kids, Jack grinned. Time for the next project! "Ok you kids, time for my project!" He picked up the model and moved it carefully out of the way, then set his bag down in its place, removing the things from it as the kids watched him curiously. He grinned. He'd read the instructions the night before, and the kits were easy and quick. The molds and plaster casts both set up in minutes, making the results nearly instant, which was a good thing, particularly in Sam's case, since he'd learned it was hard to keep the little girl's interest for long! He wondered how as a grown woman she could stay focused for hours on one thing, but as a child she could barely stay on one task for five minutes.
He put some of the powder for the mold into a ziplock bag and added the right amount of water, making the stuff inside turn pink and thick. He kneaded it together for a minute like the directions had called for, wrinkling his nose at the sweet smell the concoction gave off. The kids watched in fascination as he dumped the stuff into a tray. He surveyed the group of victims, and decided to get the most difficult out of the way first. "Okay Sam, c'mere, you first."
Reaching out, he grabbed the little girl's good hand, and pulled her forward when she hesitated. "C'mon, we're doing something really cool, we just need to put your hand in this stuff." He kept his voice light and cheerful as she resisted slightly, not wanting to put her hand somewhere she didn't know it was going (unless of course it was a pond full of slime, but that was different) but Jack was bigger, and he of course won.
"Eww!" Sam's face was all scrunched up, and she tried to tug out of his grasp.
"Hold still, or we'll have to do it again, besides, when you're done, you can help do Daniel's." The promise was enough to make her hold still, but the grossed out look didn't leave her face as she peeked down at her hand, trying to get her free hand around to poke at it. Fortunately though, the cast prevented her from reaching it. Jack grinned at her face, it was priceless, and he wished he could let go of her long enough to reach the camera that was on the table behind them, from taking pictures of the volcano project earlier.
Just then, the camera flashed, and Jack turned at the sound of young male giggling to find Daniel wielding the camera. He grinned at the boy, and Daniel snapped another picture. Sam remained oblivious, still fascinated with what was going on with her hand. Jack sent Daniel a mock glare, which only made the boy giggle again.
Jack touched the paste encasing the little girl's hand, and decided it had hardened enough, and set to peeling it off of Sam's hand. "Cool!" she said. Cool indeed, though Jack, as he placed the mold in the raised dish and mixed up a batch of the quickset plaster.
Several minutes later, a perfect cast of Sam's small right hand sat on the table. "Cool!" chimed all three children. Jack couldn't agree more. Before long, they had one for Daniel and one for Teal'c. While the plaster set, Jack fixed the kids lunch, then went ahead and made a second one of Sam's for her Dad. He didn't know when they'd see Jacob again, but he thought the older Carter would appreciate having a memento too. Thinking about it, he also had a few drawings and things he could put together, as well as start a photo album, which he could just keep adding to until the saw the man again. In fact, he'd seen a memory book that had binder rings, which gave Jack the idea of just doing things on pages and turning over the pages for Jacob whenever Jacob could come. He could get Sam to help, and they could keep a color copy of the book at the SGC in case Jacob lost his.
Jack tried to think about what it must be like for Jacob, to have turned over his only daughter to be raised, again, by someone else, when he probably would have wanted that position for himself despite everything. He simply couldn't imagine being able to do that for his own son, and his respect for the man rose up a notch higher. He was glad that Jacob trusted him with Sam, and hadn't raised a fuss or insisted that Sam be fostered with someone else, someone with two parents.
When the kids finished eating, he had them paint their hand models, grinning at the results. Sam had approached hers like her older self approached a scientific dilemma, her brow furrowed with concentration. She had carefully selected her tools, and chosen her paints. In the end, each finger was a different color, and the hand was rainbow striped. She had painted the base blue and gotten Daniel to help her put stars on it.
Daniel had decided that his needed to be a solid color and made the hand one solid blue, and the base black, and solemnly placed his name and date across the bottom.
Teal'c had gone for the lifelike approach, and had mixed paints together until he'd gotten the right skin tone, and spent quite a bit of time painting in the small lines and fingernails. Jack was fairly impressed with the result, especially when he painted the base gold.
After each child had pronounced their work of art finished, Jack carefully carried each creation over to the fireplace mantle and set them just so on it, in a place of pride. The kids grinned, and he had to work to fight back a tear, blaming it on congestion. These kids were a special gift, and while everyday he missed their adult counterparts, he was thankful for everyday he got to spend with them.
Chapter 45: Trick-Or-Treat!
Monday came and it was back to school for the kids and back to work for Jack. The kids threw themselves into their schoolwork, their two days off having given them a fresh start, and Jack threw himself into the new training program, surprising even Hammond. Jack had been busy these last few weeks, with so many changes and things happening, that he hadn't really been paying attention to the passage of time. And so it was with a bit of a start on Tuesday afternoon he looked at the calendar and realized with a shock that it was nearly Halloween.
In the past, he hadn't really paid attention the passing of Halloween. He wasn't really into the party scene himself, and since he didn't have children, there really wasn't any need for him to celebrate. So other than the fact that there was a lot of candy on sale in the stores, and that if he was lucky, he had something other than crackers to hand out if he actually was on Earth for the festive event, he really never paid any attention to when Halloween fell. But now, as he looked at his calendar, he realized he had three very good reasons to celebrate it this year and with it being tomorrow, it didn't leave them a lot of time to prepare!
Jack's hard work the last day and a half paid off, because Hammond was quite agreeable when Jack sheepishly explained why he wanted to go home two hours early. And so he was able to scope out the local Target for a variety of decorations. Not too many, he wasn't suddenly going to become the guy with the creepy house and the spooky sound effects, the one the kids were scared of but loved to go to all the same. But he still decided some door decorations, fake gravestones, lots and lots of cobwebs with spiders and bats, and even a ghost hanging from the front tree were all essential when you had kids.
He picked up the kids and instead of taking them home drove back to Target. It was still early, and they were beating the crowd of last minute holiday shoppers thankfully. The kids had no clue. Halloween hadn't been such a big deal when Sam and Daniel were younger the first time. Jack remembered the store bought costumes that looked like they were printed on garbage bags and the masks that could make kids trip and get hit by cars because they couldn't see out of them, and he wondered how all of them, including himself, grew up the first time.
"Ok, so what do you guys want to be for Halloween?" He grinned as Sam and Daniel realized what was going on. Teal'c looked confused, but he hadn't expected anything less. What did surprise him however, was when Daniel buried his own excitement to explain the holiday to his older brother.
"Teal'c this is so cool, you get to pick out a costume, and be whatever you want, like oh, a pirate, or a cartoon character, and then you go around and knock on people's doors, and they give you candy!" Daniel was grinning from ear to ear.
"Lots of candy!" chimed in Sam, bouncing. "Can I be a trash man Colonel Jack?"
Jack was just about to say sure, when Sam's question sank in. "A what?" he asked, just to be positive he'd heard correctly.
"A trash man. It's what I want to be when I grow up." Sam was spinning in a circle in the center aisle; fortunately, no one was coming because Jack was too flabbergasted to pull her to the side at the moment.
"You want to be a what? I mean, uh, what happened to being an astronaut? In fact, I'm sure we can find you an astronaut costume here." Jack's mind was spinning with the possibilities. How the hell was he going to explain to General Hammond, the President of the United States, the Joint Chiefs, hell, her father, that Samantha Carter, astrophysicist, leading expert on the stargate, and a certified genius, wanted to collect trash when she grew up again?
"Oh," she said dismissively, "You have to know math, and I don't like math anymore. Trash is much more fun. You get to ride on the back of the truck, and hang on with one arm. And every so often, this big smoosher thing, it comes down, and it smooshes all the trash in the truck, like this," Sam waved her arms together, making appropriate sound effects. "Squish, all flat, very cool. And that's not all, Jeremy Setman, he says he and his dad go to the dump all the time, and he says you wouldn't believe all the stuff that people throw away. We should go sometime, he said I could come with them, but I said I'd have to ask you."
Jack blinked, his mind still reeling with the revelation that Sam wanted to be a trash collector, and that she apparently didn't like math, to even try and process the information that a boy in her class had invited her to go to the dump with him. And then his heart nearly stopped as Teal'c made another announcement.
"I wish to also be a sanitation worker. Samantha and I will be on the same team," Teal'c said so solemnly that Jack knew the boy was not joking and that they had been discussing this, obviously for some time. His eyes narrowed, and he suddenly became suspicious, his suspicions confirmed a moment later as Daniel spoke up.
"Me too, I'm going to be the driver. I always wanted to drive the trash truck." Daniel's voice was wistful, and Jack wished a hole would open up and swallow him right there. Daniel failed to notice his dismay and plowed right on. "Hey, I know, we can all be trash men for Halloween!"
None of them noticed his frantic motions that this wasn't a good idea, and their cheerful acceptance was the reason why an hour later they left the store with bags containing three small pairs of coveralls, three knit hats, and three small metal novelty trash cans they'd found in the stationary department that would double as their loot bags. Jack planned to carry a second bag for Sam's "loot" because he doubted the little girl would be able to carry much of a load compared to the two boys. He also bought a few glow sticks, and planned to outfit the kids with reflective web belts, he had several that the military issued as part of the PT uniform for visibility while jogging on base. Now he just had to hope he didn't run into anyone that knew him from work, and maybe he wouldn't have to explain about why the SGC's chief astrophysicist, anthropologist/linguist, and only Jaffa warrior wanted to be a team of sanitation workers when they grew up again rather than the kick butt Goa'uld fighters they were supposed to be. Maybe he could come up with something convincing, involving garbage and that trash smooshing thing Sam that been talking about.
The kids were impressed with the transformation of the front yard, and Jack was able to temporarily forget that his life would be over the moment anyone found out what they wanted to be as he watched them run around and check things out. All too soon though, they reminded him again of their chosen career change, because they would talk of nothing else. Jack sighed as he unloaded the dishwasher, wondering how he could convince the kids that math really was fun. Somehow he suspected the "new math" that Sam was being forced to conform to was the culprit of Sam's sudden disinterest in math.
He really didn't see what the big deal of it was anyway, except to confuse parents maybe. Maybe it was supposed to give the kids an ego boost when they saw they were smarter than old mom and dad or something. Jack scowled at the peas over dinner, as he doled them out on the various plates, careful not to allow the vegetables to come into contact with any other food item. He'd learned the hard way the first night, that apparently the vegetables coming into contact with anything else would ruin anything they touch, and all his arguments that it was all going to the same place simply had no effect. Unless of course the child in question mixed said food items together on his or her own. He'd noticed that Sam had a tendency to experiment, and he didn't care what she did, so long as she ate it eventually, and if that meant she ate corn and mashed potatoes mixed together, then that's what she did. Even knowing these three as adults he was still never prepared for the multitude of quirks that emerged at seven, nine, and eleven. Like wanting to become trash men. Jack's scowl deepened.
Fortunately, none of the kids seemed to notice his mood, which was good, since it continued into the next day. All day long he made airmen scatter, and no one bothered him much. He managed to avoid General Hammond, and any awkward questions about what the kids were going as for trick-or-treating tonight.
Some of his normal good cheer returned when he picked up the kids. How could it not, you'd have to be a miser not to smile when they piled in the SUV, loaded down with painted pumpkins, cupcakes and candy from classroom parties.
They put the pumpkins on the front porch when they got home, and Sam wanted to go out trick-or-treating right away, but it was a little bit early, so Jack made them come in for a snack and made them work on their homework. They understandably had trouble concentrating on the assignments but the teachers knew this would happen too, so assignments were light. Jack knew if they didn't get it done now they'd be too tired later; so he threatened and cajoled them, and then corrected the homework and made them fix it. By then, it was time for a light and early dinner, which he'd never seen them eat so fast. Laughing, he sent them upstairs to put their costumes on.
When they came down, he couldn't help but smile. While it wasn't his choice of careers for them and he sorely hoped they would change their minds, and soon, they did look cute. Late last night he'd found some stencils and a fabric pen and written "Colorado Springs Sanitation Dept." across the back of each set of coveralls. He had the kids pose with their small trashcans, then put the belts on each kid. The SGC had handed out glowing necklaces, like the glow sticks, and Jack had taken several of each as well as the pamphlet on safety, so now he was convinced his little group was as visible as possible. He wore his own set of reflective and glowing gear as well. The pamphlet hadn't told him anything he didn't know.
It was still daylight, almost an hour before sunset, and Jack knew they had plenty of time to see most of their neighbors. In fact, he could see a few adults out already, escorting their excited trick-or-treaters. He'd lived here for years, and knew most of the people on this street, though most of them didn't know he had kids living with him. He was glad in a way for the coverall costumes, since it let the kids have sweats on underneath, because despite the fact that the sun was still out, it was chilly already.
They started with elderly Mrs. Greene across the street, who crowed with delight over the sight of the children. "And just what might you dearies be?" she asked, as she dug in her bowl of candy, doling out an extra helping for her little helpers as she liked to call them.
"We're trash men!" Sam announced with pride.
"I'm the driver!" said Daniel, not to be outdone.
"Samantha and I ride on the back of the truck." Teal'c said, bowing his head in thanks as Mrs. Greene dropped candy in his trashcan.
"Where the smoosher is! We're all gonna be trash men when we grow up." said Sam cheerfully.
"Well goodness gracious!" Mrs. Greene blinked, shaking her head. Jack just grunted, as the kids waved and thanked the woman, running to the next house.
Jack followed, and the night progressed much the same. Some people guessed right away, with the trashcan props the kids carried, or caught glimpses of the backs of the coveralls. Usually though, Sam or Daniel, or occasionally Teal'c would just announce what they were. There was a lot of laughter, and the kids quickly discovered that cheerful adults gave out more candy! Jack just grunted, and scowled, and followed, making sure no one got run over in the street. Bad enough the SGC's premier team would be spending their second lives picking up garbage, but he'd really be dead if he let one of them get run over while trick-or-treating.
Eventually, Sam was dragging her feet and could barely carry her nearly empty trash bucket, which Jack had kept emptied into the backpack that now bulged satisfyingly over his shoulder. Daniel was starting to complain about his feet hurting, and even Teal'c looked tired. The temperature had dropped as soon as the sun had disappeared so Jack headed them home. They still had to sort out their candy anyway, as Jack refused to let them eat any of it until he had been able to give it a thorough look over.
When they got back, he let them each pick out several pieces, and after checking that the candy looked okay, he let them have it. After the kids went to bed, he'd check the rest. For the most part, it looked okay, but he'd spied at least one package of something that looked homemade, and since the only thing he remembered being given was in his pocket, neatly labeled and from the neighbor next door, that meant the other thing was from someone he didn't remember. But he'd wait to throw anything away until the kids were in bed, because likely they'd protest any of their "loot" getting thrown away, no matter the reason.
Later, once the kids were all tucked into bed, and the candy all sorted, back in its bins with each kids name on them, Jack peeked in on each kid. He watched them as they slept, each of them breathing softly. Again, he marveled at the gift he had been given, and he decided as he watched them, that if they wanted to be trash men, then to hell with the world, he would help them be the best damn trash men they could be. Still, though, as he watched them, he still kinda hoped they would change their minds and want to be an astrophysicist, an archeologist, and a warrior again.
Chapter 46: Conference
The kids were tired the next morning, but they still managed to be grumpy when he told them that no, they couldn't have candy for breakfast. He did tell them they could pick out several more pieces to have in their lunches and they grudgingly complied, getting excited when they found the various non-candy things he'd left on top of each child's trashcan. Things like small rolls of pennies, toys, and coupons or stickers. It was all he could do to get them to finish breakfast and go to school on time.
Jack was wading through some reports later in his office when his phone rang. "O'Neill," he answered briskly.
"Is this Colonel O'Neill?" a female voice spoke on the other end. The voice was vaguely familiar.
"Yes it is," he answered, trying to place the voice while he kept flipping through papers on his desk.
"This is Ms. Janissima, Sam's teacher," the woman said, and Jack could almost hear her smile. Whatever the reason for the call, it couldn't be bad. Just to be safe though...
"Sam's not in trouble again is she Ms. Janissima?" he asked, trying to keep the trepidation out of his voice, the reports he'd been working on now forgotten.
The warm laugh that answered him immediately put his worries to rest, before she even spoke her next words. "Oh, no Colonel O'Neill, nothing like that. I was just hoping to be able to meet with you. If that's possible, I know you are very busy..."
"Oh, no, no. That would be quite all right. In fact, I'm sure the General will let me go a little bit early tomorrow if you like, and we can meet when I pick the kids up from school. Would that be ok with you?" Jack wondered what Ms. Janissima could want to meet with him about, and his thoughts drifted back to his conversation two days ago with Sam and her new dislike of math. He hoped Sam wasn't still avoiding doing her math work.
"That would be wonderful Colonel, I look forward to seeing you then!" They said their goodbyes and hung up, Jack still wondering just what sort of talk he'd be having the next day.
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
Jack led the kids into Ms. Janissima's second grade classroom, causing the woman to look up from her paperwork with a smile. She gave a nod towards the back of the classroom, indicating Jack could settle the kids there. Jack took the hint, getting the kids set up with their homework and assignments from the day before heading up to the front of the class and taking the seat next to the desk that Ms. J indicated.
"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice Colonel O'Neill, I know your schedule must be very busy," she started off by saying, shuffling some papers on her desk.
He shrugged. "They come first," he replied simply.
Ms. J raised one eyebrow, but a pleased smile was tugging at the corners of her lips. The Colonel's attitude brought about a most refreshing change from that of many of her parents. Not that most of her parents weren't concerned about their children, just not many were willing to rearrange their schedules to fit in unexpected meetings without at least some complaint. "Very well, I'm sure you are wondering why I've asked you here?"
Another shrug. "I'm wondering what she did this time."
The other eyebrow joined the first and the lips quirked again. Another surprise. She knew the Colonel was fostering Samantha, but he still seemed to treat her and the other two as if they were his own children, accepting their strengths, and their weaknesses it seemed, in stride. Again, a refreshing change from those parents that chose only to see their children as perfect. Still... "As I assured you Colonel, Sam has done nothing wrong, in fact, she's doing extremely well." And now he looked positively smug. She fought the smile down again.
"Ah, I see," he said. "No more problems with the New Age Math?"
Ms. J had to duck her head a moment to hide her smile at that one. Lifting her head again she was all business. "For the most part," she assured him, "Sam seems comfortable setting up her formulas using the New Math, although she still does occasionally protest that we do things 'wrong' or differently than she is used to. But she spends less time arguing and more time getting things done." Jack nodded, satisfied, ignoring the correction in terminology as she suspected he would, and she continued. "All that aside, I feel that Sam has adjusted rather well, and she continues to protest that she belongs in the third grade, and not the second." She paused, and looked at Jack.
"And?" Jack looked back coolly, rising to the bait.
"And, judging by her work, I'm in agreement with her. Other than a few small adjustment issues, Sam is completing her work before the other students and asking for more. For now, I've managed to keep her stimulated and interested in the material on hand, but my instincts tell me that if this keeps up she'll grow bored and unhappy."
Jack leaned back in his chair casually, and crossed his arms. "So?" he asked, the single word conveying his question for the next step. His eyebrows arched up, his face passive, open and waiting.
"I've spoken to Mrs. Parker, and Ms. B," Ms J started to explain.
"Ms. B?" Jack interrupted curiously.
"Yes, Ms. B is the third grade teacher," Ms. J replied.
Jack frowned, confused. "Does everyone go by a letter designation here?" he asked, suddenly thinking in codes and security clearances.
Ms. J only laughed. "Ms. B is short for Ms. Byerly."
"Ms. Barley?" Jack repeated.
Another chuckle. "Ms. Byerly," she tried again.
"Beerly?"
"Buy-er-lee."
"So, the Ms. B person?" Jack asked pointedly, trying not to scowl.
For her part, Ms. J tried not to smile as she took up her explanation again. "Ms. B," she said, with slight emphasis on the B, "The third grade teacher, and Mrs. Parker both agree with my assessments. Ms. B has agreed to allow Sam in her class on a trial basis," Ms. J said evenly.
"Therefore?" Jack frowned, leaning forward slightly.
Now Ms. J smiled, wondering if the man was always this cautious. "Sam will be in the third grade. We could even start Monday. However..."
"But..." Jack muttered, and Ms. J looked at him, surprised to note that he seemed almost pleased to have unearthed a contingency. She blinked, and continued on after taking a breath.
"As I mentioned, this will be a trial basis, given the adjustment issues I mentioned before, we'll have to see how she'll do in the new environment, and whether she'll be able to continue to perform at grade level. I assume you've been helping with homework and the extra assignments?" At Jack's nod, she continued. "Good, Ms. B will continue with those, but if Sam's performance starts to slip, we may have to reevaluate Sam's placement. What you have to realize, Colonel, is that if it should prove necessary to move Sam back to the second grade, it may be more detrimental than if we simply kept her here in the first place." She gave a moment for her words to sink in, and was pleased to see the man thinking, his dark eyes unreadable. She knew he was weighing all the options carefully, just like she had before presenting them.
Jack considered everything he'd been told. On one hand, it might be safer to keep Sam in the second grade, but like Ms. J had said, they ran the risk of letting her brilliant mind go stagnant, a mind that Jack had the advantage of knowing just how brilliant it was. On the other hand, if she didn't fit in well with the school system of today, and was unable to adjust, they would be forced to move her back to the second grade again. For the second time in what would seem like such a short period of subjective time to her memory, the damage such a move might be even worse. But this was Carter. Albeit, a thirty-nine inch, forty-eight pound rip off seven year old version of her. But she was still Carter through and through, he'd seen that same determination and intelligence shining through on more than one occasion in the last few weeks. He knew she'd rise to this new challenge, just like her adult version rose to every challenge he'd ever seen her presented with.
"Let's do it," he told Ms. J, his voice confident, without the slightest bit of hesitation.
Ms. J finally allowed the smile that had been lurking full freedom, and it bloomed across her face. "I'll make the arrangements. I must tell you, Colonel O'Neill, that it has been most wonderful having Sam in my class, as short a time as it has been." Jack grinned at the praise. "She's been a pleasure and a joy, and I wish you luck with her," she told him sincerely, knowing she'd miss the bright little girl. There was something special about her, something wise beyond her young years.
Jack smiled again and patted his hands on his thighs, shifting in his seat. "Well, now that that problem is out of the way," he said, leaning forward after casting a surreptitious glace over his shoulder as if to make sure the kids were still occupied in their activities. He lowered his voice conspiratorially. "What do you know about training bras?"
Ms. Janissima only stared at him.
Chapter 47: Chicken Soup
Jack herded the kids ahead of him, cheeks aflame and his neck uncomfortably hot. He had no idea what had possessed him to spring the question about training bras on the poor unsuspecting Ms. J. To the teacher's credit, after her initial surprise, she'd answered him, perhaps with a bit more information than he'd hoped for. He could only think that his relief that there was nothing to worry about with Sam had caused him to blurt out his question, combined with the fact that the little girl had sprung the problem on him that very morning, when she'd talked about a classmate's older sister having one and asking if she could also get one. At least now Jack was fairly confident it would be at least another year before Sam would need one, hopefully longer. He really, really, really didn't want to have to think about bra shopping!
Thoughts of training bras led to thoughts about other discussions that he might have to have with the young girl, who looked so young and innocent right now that he simply couldn't imagine having such grown up discussions with her. Especially when he superimposed the image of the woman he knew the little girl had once been, might one day become again! Now wasn't that confusing? Somehow, it all seemed terribly wrong for him to even consider talking to Sam, who in his mind was still even a little bit, Major Carter, his 2IC, about boys, and all the things that came along with boys. Not to mention all the changes her body might undergo over time if things didn't sort themselves out.
He gulped, and tried to think of something else, but unfortunately, his thoughts led in turn to thoughts of similar discussions he might have to have with Daniel and Teal'c, who were older than Sam, and his mind latched onto the dilemma like a dog chasing its tail, running in little circles and keeping him preoccupied all through the drive home and their usual afternoon and evening rituals. So preoccupied were his thoughts, that he didn't notice how quiet the kids were until dinnertime came and he noticed Sam and Daniel picking at their plates. Teal'c was eating with his usual gusto.
"Sam? Daniel? Something wrong with dinner?" He'd gotten a pretty good grasp of the foods that each child liked and didn't like, and always made sure to have at least one thing that each kid liked for every meal and expected all of them to try a small sample of anything new. Even still, he sometimes ran into the occasional mistakes where he forgot or cooked something incorrectly. Rarely though did more than one kid not find at least one thing to eat happily.
Two silent headshakes met his question as the two continued to pick at their meals. His eyebrows shot up at the response.
"Well, if that's so," he prompted, "Than why aren't you eating it?"
Identical shrugs, and Daniel spoke to his plate, neatly avoiding the question with a non-response. "I finished my potatoes, may I go read a book? I'm tired."
"And I'm all done my milk, can I watch TV, Colonel Jack?" Sam asked, she'd given up nudging her vegetables around on her plate and was looking at him earnestly.
Jack regarded the two children carefully, noting that other than appearing slightly tired, they both looked fine. And as they had said, Daniel had finished his potatoes, and Sam had drained her milk glass, and they had both picked at other parts of their dinner, though left it mostly untouched. Grudgingly, he gave them permission, but decided to check on them in a few minutes as soon as he'd cleared away the table. His paternal instincts told him something was up, and the puzzled and slightly worried looks Teal'c was sending his way told him the older boy was out of the loop on this one.
Putting away the leftovers and loading the dishwasher up, Jack poked his head into the living room to have a little talk with Sam, figuring the normally bubbly little girl would be easier to crack. He changed his mind however when he discovered her asleep on the couch, the TV on some news program she hadn't bothered to change. His instincts kicking up a notch, he retrieved the ear thermometer, and went to her side, kneeling down next to the couch so that his knees protested the arrangement with a pop. She stirred only slightly as he inserted the probe, but he soothed her gently back to sleep. The thermometer beeped, and he pulled it out, reading the results at 99.3. Not quite a fever, but still a little warm, and probably a good clue as to why Sam and Daniel were acting off color.
He pulled the throw blanket off the back of the sofa and covered the little girl with it, deciding to come back for her later, and went upstairs to check on Daniel. Finding the boy on his bunk, laying back with a book like he'd said, Jack sat down on the edge of the bed. "Hey," he said.
"Hey," Daniel answered, putting his book down.
"Feeling ok?" Jack asked, watching the boy carefully.
Daniel lifted one shoulder. "I'm okay, just tired."
Jack reached out and gently brushed Daniel's forehead. "You don't feel hot, all the same, I'd like to check it." He held up the thermometer. "You might be coming down with something."
Daniel eyed the thermometer warily a moment, and then nodded, turning his head away for Jack to insert the probe. A moment later, they had the results.
"Well, you don't have a fever, at least not right now. All the same, you should probably take it easy."
Brandishing his book with a crooked smile, Daniel just nodded, and Jack patted him on the shoulder, leaving him in peace.
To be safe, Jack checked on Teal'c, who he found in the living room quietly playing a video game. He was seated on the couch, where Sam still slept, only now she sprawled so that her head and one arm were in Teal'c's lap. Teal'c didn't seem to mind the arrangement however, merely holding his controller so that his movements didn't disturb the younger child, and the volume was turned down low so as not to wake her.
Teal'c looked up with a small nod when Jack entered, and allowed his temperature to be checked. Jack was relieved to find it normal, and equally relieved to hear Teal'c deny any feelings of fatigue or anything else unusual.
Jack joined Teal'c for several games, sitting on the chair next to the two kids, and was debating when to call it a night when Sam sighed and stirred. Both males looked down at the little girl, and then exchanged glances. Jack smiled at Teal'c's unsure look, and knew the boy likely was ready to get up and move around, but was loathe to disturb Sam. Taking the decision out of the boy's hands, Jack stood and stretched, and then gently lifted Sam into his arms. The little girl sighed again and shifted at the movement, but then instinctively snuggled into his embrace. Teal'c nodded gratefully, and moved off to the bathroom to perform his nightly rituals, while Jack took Sam to bed, settling her in with practiced ease.
Checking her temperature once more, he found it more or less unchanged. Frowning and still concerned, Jack tucked the little girl in, and left the bedside lamp on, even though Sam had proven she didn't really need a night light. Except for the fact she refused to go to sleep unless the closet door was closed. Worry momentarily lost out to amusement, as he double-checked the closed door, lips quirking up at one end. He distinctly recalled a certain then Captain telling him in no uncertain terms that she'd had no fear of the dark as a child. And it was true, as long as the closet door was firmly shut. After the first week he'd made sure to check the door, when she'd ended up in his room terrified something had escaped and refused to go back to bed until he'd checked every crack and crevice of her room (and he meant every crack and crevice) before consenting to go back to bed.
Leaving Sam's room and moving down the hall, Jack entered the boy's room, and found Daniel asleep on his bunk, the lights still on. He couldn't resist a small smile at the sight of the youngster, hair rumpled, cheeks pink, glasses on and book open in his lap. The smile however, was replaced by a frown, as he reminded himself that tonight, this sleep wasn't the normal fall asleep while reading he was so used to seeing in Daniel's older self, and even a few times in his younger self. No, this sleep was different, and Jack checked Daniel's temperature, finding it slightly higher than it was earlier, but like Sam's, not a fever.
All the same, he still felt a niggling sense of concern as her tenderly removed Daniel's glasses and closed the book, carefully marking the place in the weighty text, a text on some ancient civilization that looked way to intense for someone so young. Gently, he drew the covers up around the sleeping figure.
Teal'c entered the room not long after, meeting Jack's worried frown with a questioning look. A look to which Jack could only shrug one shoulder to. Teal'c merely nodded almost imperceptibly, and swung up into his bunk, looking at Jack with a face that told him the older boy would be looking out for the younger one tonight, more so than he usually did. Jack smiled softly, and returned the nod with the same trust that had made him give the preteen a Zat, the day when their lives had changed. Turning out the lights, Jack pulled the door, and left the boys in peace, going about his own nighttime rituals.
He checked on the kids again before going to bed, to find them much the same, all asleep. And he woke once during the night, finding things quiet and unchanged, although he was concerned to hear the faint sounds of a cough from Daniel's room, and a slight whimper from Sam as she tossed in her sleep, dislodging covers.
In the morning, Teal'c was the only one to wake up on his own, Sam and Daniel still slept, though both now moved restlessly. It didn't take him much time to confirm his suspicions from the night before. Sam and Daniel at least were sick, though for now, given their lack of a full-fledged fever, it seemed like just a cold.
After checking on Daniel, Teal'c got out of bed and followed him to the kitchen, looking worried, and Jack tried to look reassuring as he checked his supply of soup, crackers, and juice. Sensing the boy's concern, Jack sat him down at the breakfast bar with a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice. He let Teal'c form his question in his own time, having discovered that the young Teal'c preferred to quietly observe and puzzle over problems before voicing questions, much in the way his older self did.
Sure enough, Teal'c set his spoon down and looked across to Jack who was eating his own bowl of cereal. "Colonel O'Neill, what is wrong with Daniel and Samantha, are they not well?"
Jack also put his spoon down, giving Teal'c his full attention. "It looks like they have a cold, Teal'c. They'll probably feel pretty crummy for a day or so, but should be feeling better before ya know it."
Teal'c pondered the odd vocabulary for a moment, and then replied, "If they are cold, should we not endeavor to keep them warm?"
Ducking his head to hide the smile, Jack thought about how best to answer. "No, they aren't cold, they have a cold, a type of mild illness that makes them feel badly for a short time."
The boy frowned. "Jaffa do no become ill in this fashion," he stated. "Is there nothing we can do to make Samantha and Daniel overcome this... cold?"
Jack just shrugged, picking up his spoon. "Not really, it will go away on it's own like I said, in the meantime we just make sure they get plenty of rest, and enough to drink." Quietly, Jack was relieved that Teal'c found the idea of a cold foreign. It meant that he was less likely to pick up whatever it was that Sam and Daniel had. He'd still watch the older boy like a hawk though, just in case Jaffa youth could pick up Tauri illnesses.
The day progressed, and the youngest two definitely had a cold, as they woke up stuffy and hoarse, complaining of sore throats and feeling achy, or in Sam's case, "yucky." He just kept them plied with cool drinks, and even coaxed a little bit of warm soup into each. Both came down for a short while in the afternoon, padding down the stairs in socks and Pj's, dragging blankets with them.
Towards night, both developed the chest rattling cough that told Jack that the stuffiness was already starting to loosen a bit, and making him relieved that hopefully the kids would feel a bit better the next day. Once or twice, he'd thought about calling Janet, but none of the kids had fevers, and were both taking in good fluids, so he was loathe to disturb the good doctor since he knew she was enjoying a rare weekend off with Cassie for what looked like just a cold.
Teal'c spent the day helping where he could, spending much of his time making excuses and finding quiet activities he could do with or near Sam or Daniel. Jack still caught him frowning and looking worried on occasion and did his best to look reassuring as he took on the task of handing two sick kids. Teal'c readily followed his lead.
The next day, the two seemed to be feeling better, taking juice and toast for breakfast, soup and crackers for lunch, and eating most of a plate each of regular food for dinner. They also spent several hours at a time awake, and most of the afternoon downstairs. While they weren't anywhere near as active as normal, and Sam in particular was more than a little cranky more than once, they were close enough to normal that Jack was fairly confident they'd be able to go back to school the next day. Especially considering that it would be Sam's first day of third grade, and she was nearly beside herself with excitement. But it looked like this pit stop would only affect their weekend. Somehow, they'd managed to pick up their first cold just in time for the weekend, much to the kids' dismay.
Jack could only grin in amusement, where the kids couldn't see him. While his concern had kept him going the first day, by the end of the second day he was more than ready to send them back to school, secretly relieved he'd not need to take a day off work to spend a third day catering to their every whim and dealing with irritable whining.
And so Jack was quite pleased when the house became quiet, except for the occasional cough. Not only were the kids feeling better, because he really did hate to see them sick, but in an odd way, he was glad they'd be back to school. He was quite familiar with the conflicting emotions, of wanting to spend as much time as possible with the kids while they were like this, but on the other hand, he was equally glad to have a bit of time to interact with adults, and have adult conversations, rather than spending his days locating lost sneakers, settling disputes over who owned what book, who got to pick the channel last, and trying to convince them that broccoli was not poisonous.
It looked like they had gotten over the worst of it. Or at least that's what Jack thought.
(Should I get Jack sick the next weekend after the kids recover? He can be lying in bed and wishing he didn't have to get out and the kids bring him breakfast in bed, something like they wanted to make pancakes but none of them knew how so brought him cereal instead. There's cereal and milk and juice all over the tray and a glass with a scraggly weed in it. Jack's touched, but wonders how bad the kitchen looks, because it looks like they let Sam pour everything, and Daniel wasn't all that graceful carrying in the tray either.)
Chapter 48: Wheezes
The day dawned bright and early, looking like a clear crisp cloudless autumn day when Jack dropped the kids off at school, only an occasional sniffle or cough from Sam and Daniel to show how the two had spent their weekend. Jack spent the day at work shuffling through the usual Monday paperwork, and sent a batch of recruits through a series of training exercises that would leave them either cursing his name behind his back, or thanking him one day when they ran into similar scenarios.
He picked the kids up right on time, grinning as Sam skipped towards him, almost at her normal energetic level. Teal'c came not long after at his usual controlled pace, talking with a group of boys his age who waved at him before heading in a different direction. Jack couldn't resist a smile at the evidence that suggested Teal'c was making friends.
Jack wondered where Daniel was, when he finally spotted the boy, near the end of the rush of students, tiredly trudging his way towards them. He shrugged in response to Jack's greeting, not even protesting when Jack messed up his hair like he usually did. Jack frowned as the boy wordlessly plopped into the back seat of the SUV, smothering a cough.
The ride was quieter than normal, as Sam and Teal'c picked up on his concern, and Daniel's silence was interrupted by an occasional deep cough. Sam coughed some too, and was a little on the subdued side, but her behavior seemed more natural. There was something more concerning about Daniel, but Jack just didn't know what, so decided to watch the boy closely tonight and see if maybe he just needed a little nap or some quiet time to come around.
But Daniel didn't perk up. He came in and dropped onto the couch looking exhausted, and shunned the offered snack, which both Sam and Teal'c ate. He had dark circles under his eyes and his skin was paler than normal. He still coughed, but wasn't running a fever, so Jack didn't think he had a secondary infection, at least not yet. But other than the paleness and tiredness, Jack didn't really have anything more to go on. He made up his mind to call Janet in the morning if Daniel didn't show any signs of improvement, and was unsurprised when Daniel headed to bed early after picking at most of his dinner.
Sam went to bed not too long after Daniel, looking tired, but not exhausted in the way Daniel had. He was fairly certain she'd be right as rain in the morning. Teal'c hesitated before heading to bed himself, pausing in the doorway. "Colonel O'Neill," he started, "Is this more of the same cold that plagued Daniel and Samantha the last two days?" His carefully schooled features showed a hint of worry.
Jack sighed. "I'm not sure Teal'c, we'll just have to keep an eye on him tonight ok? If he doesn't get better we'll go see what Doctor Janet thinks." Jack knew immediately that Teal'c's concern, like his own, was for Daniel now.
Teal'c nodded, accepting the response. "I will be most vigilant tonight, Colonel O'Neill."
Jack smiled, and patted the youngster on his shoulder, and headed off to check the doors were locked while Teal'c went to bed.
Half an hour later, Jack headed to bed, checking on the kids, finding Sam and Teal'c fast asleep. Daniel too was sleeping, but he was uncharacteristically curled up around his pillow. Even in sleep, he still looked exhausted, and there was a slight sound to the child's breathing, almost a wheeze, and Jack thought it might be from the congestion. He thought about giving the boy some decongestant, but decided against it, not wanting to wake the boy since he was finally sleeping.
Still, that little sound nagged at him, and he slept fitfully and lightly. Therefore, he was instantly awake when a small, strong hand shook him, and a young voice called to him urgently. "Colonel O'Neill, you must awaken and come quickly, Daniel is having difficulty breathing."
Chapter 49: Emergency
Jack was out of bed in an instant and halfway down the hallway, barely sparing a glance for Teal'c. He could hear the strangled breaths before he even entered the room, throwing the light on as he entered and crossing the space from the door to Danny's bed in two strides. The boy was sitting up on his bunk, knees to his chest and skinny arms wrapped around them. Wide, scared blue eyes locked on his face and Jack could see that the boy was using everything in his power to suck in breath. There was an alarming grayish cast to the boy's skin, and his nostrils flared in and out. He could see the muscles in Daniel's neck pulling with each breath, and the boy's breaths wheezed with each one.
"Daniel, it's ok, I'm here now," Jack said even as alarm set in. He tried to stay calm, but he wasn't sure what to do first. His first instinct was to call 911, but suddenly he realized that perhaps that wouldn't be the best thing to do in this case. What if these symptoms were something to do with the alien device or the process that had changed them, and they were only now seeing first signs? "I think we need to go see Doctor Janet," he said, as much to himself as to Daniel. The Doc would know what to do.
A shape moved behind him, and Jack realized Teal'c had followed him in. "I will retrieve Samantha," Teal'c said quietly, leaving the room immediately. Jack blinked, realizing he'd forgotten all about the little girl. In his current state, he'd probably have left her behind. Good thing Teal'c was so quick thinking.
Forcing himself to calm down, Jack knew that he would need his keys and ID. Squeezing Daniel's arm, Jack kept his voice even. "Daniel, I'm just going to go get my car keys, then we'll go see Doctor Janet and she'll make you all better." Daniel only nodded, too focused on trying to breath to speak.
Jack charged down the stairs, taking them two or three at a time to return with his cell, wallet, and keys, only to meet Teal'c in the hallway, a sleepy Sam in tow. The little girl had her shoes on, and had a blanket wrapped around her Pj's. Jack was again grateful for the boy's maturity and forethought. He didn't think he'd be able to handle both waking up Sam and getting Daniel together. Then Teal'c surprised him further by passing over his jeans and shoes, and Jack realized he hadn't even thought about them. With mumbled thanks, Jack pulled on the pants over his shorts and stepped into the shoes, not bothering to tie them before he swooped back into the boys' room and gathered Daniel into his arms. Teal'c followed, pulling Sam with him by the hand, who now was wide-eyed and worried looking.
The cool, crisp air seemed to ease Daniel's breathing slightly, as he rapidly carried the boy to the car, and settled him in his usual seat. As Jack moved to close the door, Daniel caught his eye. "Scared," he whispered, his voice barely above a whisper and Jack's heart constricted.
"I know," he said, cupping the boy's cheek. "Doctor Janet will know what to do."
While he had secured Daniel, Teal'c had settled Sam and was now strapping himself in the front seat. Jack wasted no time hurrying around to slide behind the driver's seat.
He might have broken a few traffic laws on the way, but fortunately, the hour was late and there were few drivers on the road. Sam had reached across the back seat to take one of Daniel's hands, and the boy was clutching it like a lifeline while his every breath wheezed. Jack made use of his cell phone to call ahead to the mountain, relieved to learn that Janet had been on-call that night, and was already at the mountain wrapping up a minor emergency that had needed her presence. Preparing to leave, she changed plans immediately on receiving Jack's call and had promised a full pediatric medical team to be standing by.
Jack was prepared to use his rank to it's full power at the gate, but the lieutenant on gate duty took one look at his backseat passenger and sent his subordinate to escort them right to the entrance, skipping the rest of the checks.
Stopping at the doors, Jack barely pulled the SUV out of the driving lane and ran around the other side, nearly not remembering to turn off the engine and take his keys out. He'd no sooner gathered Danny into his arms and turned around then Janet and her medical team met them.
The doctors and nurses practically snatched the small boy from his arms; the last he saw of him was wide scared blue eyes and a pajama-clad arm reaching out towards him beseechingly.
Vitals were called out, and he heard one of the doctors, it might have been Janet, demand, "Start him on a 2.5 mg albuterol neb with oxygen and prepare a Mag drip. After this neb, I want to start an atrovent net stat, then another albuterol neb. And lets get Solu-medrol, IV..." The words trailed off as the mass of bodies moved down the hall and Daniel was lost quickly from sight, but Jack had caught one more glimpse of him when the crowd parted as someone settled a mask over his face that was giving off a white mist. Then the bodies closed back in as they loaded him onto the elevator. The doors closed with a sort of finality, leaving Jack standing in the hall.
Teal'c moved up behind him, and he felt Sam tugging at his T-shirt. "Colonel Jack," she whispered, as if afraid to disturb the sudden silence that had fallen when the elevator doors had slid shut, "Will Danny be ok?"
But this time, Jack had no answer, and he only pulled the kids along, summoning an elevator for them all.
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
They didn't have to wait long outside the infirmary before Janet appeared. Sam popped off the bench where she was curled into his side and dropped her blanket before wrapping her arms securely around Janet's waist. Janet returned the embrace and looked over the little girl's head, taking in the worried expressions on Teal'c and Jack's faces.
"He's responding well to the treatments, Colonel. It's good that you brought him in when you did." Janet was quick to reassure him. "We're going to keep him on continuous nebulizers for a little while, then see if we can start spacing them."
Jack only stared at her blankly. At his obvious confusion, Janet took a mental step back. "Daniel is having an asthma attack. A pretty bad one, but we are giving him medications that are already starting to help."
He blinked. "An asthma attack? That's all this is? Isn't asthma something that geeks get, and they walk around puffing on those little inhaler things all the time?" Jack's mind latched onto his vision of a stereotypical asthmatic, and tried to reconcile it with what he'd seen tonight. He'd never thought about asthma being the cause of Daniel's breathing difficulties, which had been so sudden and severe he had been thinking there was something wrong with the process that changed his team into children or even something else like the recent cold, but definitely not asthma.
Janet seemed to sense his internal dilemma. "Yes, it's an asthma attack, and no, it's not like the movies where they walk around taking a puff of medicine every other sentence. It can be very scary when it gets this bad, and it looks like Daniel may have had asthma more severely as a child. Fortunately, he grew out of it. But it looks like we're going to have to deal with this now."
Jack just nodded, relieved and worried all at the same time, and he had so many questions he didn't know where to begin. Dr. Fraiser gave him a knowing look. "Don't worry, we'll be doing some teaching with you, so hopefully this won't happen again. For now though, I think you'd all like to spend some time with each other. In fact, I think that would be best for Daniel to have you all nearby." Not waiting for a reply, Janet took Sam by the hand and led the way into the infirmary.
Standing in the hall outside, Jack shook his head, bewildered. "This could happen again?" he said to no one in particular. Teal'c merely pulled on his wrist and Jack's feet moved on their own accord.
The hiss of the oxygen mask was audible before they even spotted Daniel's cubicle, and Jack could see immediately that Daniel looked much better. While still scared and wide eyed, his skin was pink, and he was definitely breathing easier. Daniel looked up as they entered and immediately his posture relaxed somewhat. He reached out a hand, one finger encased in the small red oxygen probe, and Jack wasted no time in taking it, the child seemed so small and frail in the large bed.
"Hey kiddo, Doc says you'll be good as new before long," Jack told him as he plopped into the familiar plastic infirmary chair, the one that was great for posture. Sam moved around the other side of the bed and climbed up into it, laying her head on Daniel's shoulder. Teal'c stood beside him.
Daniel gave him a half grin, lost in the foggy mask. "Feeling... better..." he answered, in between breaths. Jack grinned, and squeezed Daniel's hand.
Over the next few hours, Daniel's breathing eased, and the kids dozed. Teal'c in the next bed, Sam in the same spot she'd climbed up into, and Daniel with his head on top of hers. Even Jack caught himself dozing a few times, much to the protest of his neck and back. Gradually, the nebs were spaced as promised, going an hour, than two in between each treatment, and they could no longer hear the wheezing without a stethoscope. At that point, Janet pointed at the bed on the other side of Daniel's, and arched an eyebrow, her intention clear. Knowing there was no point in arguing with the woman who wielded big and honkin' needles, Jack acquiesced, reluctantly removing Daniel's hand from his.
On the way to the next bed, Jack noticed that someone had removed Teal'c and Sam's shoes, and tucked all three children in under the covers. No one seemed to mind that Sam and Daniel were in the same bed, and had even pulled the rails up, so Jack decided not to be concerned with the impromptu sleeping arrangement either. Gratefully, he fell into the provided bed, pleased that he was allowed, even encouraged, to remain nearby, able to keep watch over his young charges. He'd been somewhat worried that he'd be chased away and that Daniel would wake up frightened. Obviously, the medical staff agreed, and Jack dozed off.
Chapter 50: Cockroach Eggs!
By morning, Daniel was ready to be tried on going three hours between breathing treatments, and they were also using a variety of gadgets to encourage the boy to take deep breaths and cough, in order, explained the nurses, to loosen up the thick mucus that was clogging his lungs. The kids all slept past their normal time for a school day, and Jack let them, deciding to keep all of them out of school that day since it had been a long night and they were all exhausted from it.
After breakfast, Janet appeared, a young, brown haired woman in tow. Janet introduced the young lieutenant, and explained that the nurse had previously worked in a pediatric ward before joining up with the Air Force. The doctor further went on to explain that while they didn't have any formal teaching on hand, Lieutenant Skinner had done a little research that morning and pulled together some learning materials similar to what she'd used in the past.
And so began their education into what asthma was, what triggered the attacks, and how to prevent it. Daniel was fascinated by the drawings representing of the insides of lungs and the terminology, like bronchioles and alveoli. "They look like grapes," explained Lieutenant Skinner, and they learned that those tiny airways where oxygen exchange took place could become closed off by inflammation, thick cloying mucus, and spasms.
They moved on to discussing asthma triggers, things that would cause an attack, like pollen, dust, changes in temperature, or having a cold, which evidently was why Daniel had had his. Then the Lieutenant mentioned something that had Sam and Daniel both exclaiming "Eeewww! Gross!" simultaneously.
Jack had to force himself to remain seated. "I do not," he said with emphasis, "Have roaches in my house!" He was vehement, and scowled to further send his message across.
Skinner's eyes twinkled behind her glasses. "Well, you see sir, we have to include that one because some people have," she coughed, "that particular problem, and you see, the eggs can actually be laid inside the neb chamber and be nebulized. Which is why it's important to keep the equipment clean."
At that explanation, Daniel started making immature gagging noises and Sam pretended to examine Daniel's mask for bugs. Teal'c looked slightly disturbed by the prospect, since he had been watching all the teaching with interest.
They had to take a break for a while until the kids settled again, but that was fine with Jack, who took the opportunity to wash up and change into fatigues, having left his clothes behind in his haste to get Daniel to the base. He'd wondered what to do about the kid's, when Janet had showed up that morning with a bag containing clothes for all three. She'd taken the liberty of using the spare key he'd given her and picked them up that morning on her way in. She'd even brought Sam's teddy bear and a few things to keep the kids amused.
Hammond stopped in around lunchtime, looking relieved to see that Daniel was much improved, even spending time out of bed playing a board game with Sam and Teal'c. The General was even coaxed into a game of Monopoly Jr., and Jack secretly smirked when the man lost spectacularly to the kids. After lunch, they continued in their education and learned about the signs of asthma, and Jack realized Daniel had been showing mild signs of attacks off and on for the last week or so. The teaching also included what to do, and an explanation of the various medications that Daniel might be placed on. Jack's mind boggled over the list, but the Lieutenant assured him that she'd be there tomorrow, and would help draw up a list of which medications Daniel would be on and when to take them. Jack was relieved; he'd gotten to like the nurse.
It was decided to space Daniel to treatments every four hours and to keep him overnight. If he did well, they would switch him over to the little inhalers that Jack was more familiar with and send him home. Jack was now stuck in a dilemma, and wasn't sure what to do. The infirmary staff had graciously allowed him and all the kids to stay the previous night during the emergency, but now that Danny was doing much better he doubted they'd be so accommodating. And their old on-base quarters had been reconverted into a bit of a lounge, so they couldn't stay on base nearby. So that left him torn between taking Sam and Teal'c home, and leaving Daniel on his own.
So it was with immense relief, that Janet appeared, and volunteered to take Sam and Teal'c home with her, allowing Jack to spend the night again. Jack gratefully accepted and the doctor promised to swing by his house and gather the kid's backpacks and lunches, and make sure they got to school the next day. Jack scrawled out quick excuse notes for Teal'c and Sam explaining their absence from school and made another for Teal'c to bring in for Daniel, and started to list out some instructions and advice for Janet. He stopped when he realized that Janet was smiling at him indulgently. She had, after all, acted much in the same overprotective manner on more than one occasion with Cassie after all!
Daniel watched his psuedo-siblings leave wistfully, Sam's teddy bear left behind and in his care for the night. The bear now sported an oxygen mask and bits of tape and gauze to simulate the various monitor probes, as well as the now battered bandage cast. The little bear was starting to look careworn since it was going on all sorts of adventures, and looked as tired as Jack felt. Still, Jack could only grin, and ruffled the boy's hair. "So, Danny-boy, it's time I told you about a few things guaranteed to keep you occupied while stuck in the infirmary," he started, while Daniel looked on wide-eyed.
Divider
They went home the next day, toting a long list of instructions, several charts he was told to fill out everyday, various medications, a few new gadgets, and the warning to call if Daniel should start to feel worse again. Jack carefully avoided meeting the gaze of one of the nurses, who had obviously been told the story of the monitor prank. Maybe he shouldn't have told Daniel that one, but it had seemed so innocent. How was he to know he'd send every nurse running and a doctor too when Daniel had moved the oxygen sensor and pulled off the particular lead that measured his breathing, making them all think he'd stopped?
Jack kept Daniel home from school the next day as well, despite the boy's protests. (Apparently they were studying something really interesting in History that week.) Daniel was only slightly appeased when Teal'c came home bearing his assignments for the days he'd missed. At least he could keep up with class work. That is the class work that interested him. He'd discovered that Daniel needed a lot of coaxing to work on the subjects that didn't interest him, while he took off in those that did, proving that there was a deep intelligence under the shy and sometimes bitter exterior. Jack suspected that if Daniel were to only apply himself with the same enthusiasm he held for certain subjects across the board, than there'd be no holding the boy back.
The rest of the week went quietly, and Daniel's asthma was worked into their daily routine. He had a special inhaler called a controller that he took in the morning and before bed, and the other one, the Albuterol, was called the quick reliever. After the first few days of using it around the clock every six hours, they had been told to use it only as needed. He had an extra one to send to school, as well as an extra of the clear plastic tube called a spacer, that let Daniel take his inhaled medications at his own pace without losing any. In the morning, Daniel also took some steroids with breakfast, but the dose went down every few days and soon he'd be off it completely. He was also put on a medicine for allergies and asthma that he took at bedtime.
Daniel did great with the new regime, taking his medicines every day, and Jack was pleased he was so cooperative. In fact, sometimes Daniel seemed to know more about his medications than Jack did! Jack also had a meeting with the school nurse about Daniel's asthma, and she assured him that she was more than familiar with the condition, and promised to let him know if Daniel ever needed to come in and use his inhaler. She also promised to speak with Daniel's teachers and let them know what to watch out for, but Daniel wasn't the first kid at the school with asthma, and likely wouldn't be the last.
Chapter 51: Bologna
The following weekend, Jack had the pleasure of coming down with the kids' cold. As he lay in bed Saturday morning, wishing he could stay there, he decided that he needed to be more specific when he encouraged the kids to share. He'd just about gotten up the energy needed to drag his sorry butt out of bed, when there was a soft rap on the door.
"Colonel Jack?" came Daniel's quiet voice.
"Come in," he rasped, and then coughed.
The door swung open slowly and Daniel walked in, followed by Sam who looked entirely too excited for how he felt. The little girl hopped up on his bed making him groan and greeting him with a cheerful "Hi Colonel Jack!"
Fortunately, before Jack could growl at her, Teal'c walked in carefully bearing a tray. Jack's eyebrows rose as he realized what the tray contained. "Is that what I think it is?" he asked, pulling himself to a sitting position.
"We made you breakfast!" Sam crowed.
"We wanted to make you pancakes, but none of us knew how," Daniel admitted sheepishly while Teal'c inclined his head towards him and balanced the tray across Jack's legs.
Jack blinked again in surprise, and decided as he surveyed the tray that he was glad none of them could because the tray was quite something. For starters, it looked like they'd let Sam pour everything, since there were extra cereal flakes floating in puddles of milk on the tray mingling with the juice that had slopped out of the overfull glass. In addition to the overflowing cereal and juice where half a dozen well buttered slices of toast, crackers, and cookies. Narrowing his eyes he spotted the telltale evidence of chocolate on Sam's face, and several crumbs on Daniel's shirt. Teal'c as always, was immaculate, though Jack had now idea how since he'd carried the tray up and Jack could feel something wet seeping onto his leg through the covers from it. The tray was complete with a small glass holding water and a scraggly looking weed that looked like it had been plucked from the back yard.
He had no idea how he was supposed to eat the food, but he knew he had to eat it all, or at least most of it, or the kids would be disappointed. He plastered a smile on his face. "This looks delicious!" He took a bite of soggy cereal. "This is the best cereal I've ever eaten!"
The kids all grinned, pleased with themselves, and somehow Jack managed to force himself to eat. Luckily, it seemed the kids had only had a few cookies, as they were more than happy to help him eat some of the toast and more cookies from the tray.
The next morning, Jack made sure to be up well before the kids were in order to prevent a recurrence of breakfast in bed. Something he made doubly sure of after witnessing the kitchen in the aftermath of preparations. And he'd thought the tray looked bad!
Otherwise, life proceeded quietly into the next week, much to Jack's relief. Every new week, sometimes every day, seemed to bring new adventures or near catastrophes. Sam's broken arm and Daniel's asthma attack were more than enough, he was sure, to make a few more gray hairs sprout.
They had their quiet moments of course, but it couldn't go quietly all the time. This was SG-1, or the future of them after all. Fortunately, Sam managed not to kill herself, or even injure herself more than a few bumps and scrapes when she fell out of a tree she had climbed, broken arm and all, trying to retrieve a poorly-thrown ball. Tree climbing was added to the growing list of things that Sam wasn't allowed to do while her arm was in a cast. As was climbing anything, which Jack decided to add as an afterthought, studying the scowling little girl.
And then there was the time she'd dismantled the old spare TV. He didn't use it much, but the kids were all watching a movie. (Jack had been shocked to learn that none of the kids had seen The Wizard of Oz at this stage in their development but had no particular desire to see it again and there was a game on to boot.) So he'd gone to dig it out of the closet only to find it rattle suspiciously when he lifted it, the insides in a million pieces when he'd looked. He'd known immediately who the culprit was, and her guilty look on seeing the evidence had only confirmed it. Needless to say, she'd not been allowed to watch the rest of her movie, and Jack found an ironic sort of justice in it. If he couldn't watch what he wanted, than neither could she being as she was the cause. Young and undeveloped mind or not, he couldn't just have her dismantling expensive electronics. Who knew what might fall victim to her curiosity next? Or what she might forget to unplug before engaging in her curious nature. The punishment over, Jack sat down with her, confirming she'd merely wanted to know what was inside the small set, but then had been unable to put it back together. After letting her settle for a few days on the impulse to leave things in one piece, he took her to the local goodwill store and together they bought a few old or broken electronics like clocks and a beat up old stereo, along with some used tools. Over the next few days, Sam spent quite a bit of spare time over her new "workshop" dismantling and reassembling things. And then she surprised them both by actually getting one of the clock radios to work again.
Unfortunately, Sam's newfound outlet couldn't occupy her all the time, and she still sometimes got into trouble. Like when she'd tried to re-warm something in the microwave, and had set it for a ridiculous amount of time. Fortunately Jack had sleepily heard the muted beeps of the machine and realization kicked in about how little these kids actually knew about the thing. Those impulses sent him out of bed and into the kitchen just in time to see the food item in question start to smolder and char.
Sam wasn't the only instigator. One time, Daniel had dug up part of the flowerbeds and yard, looking for "artifacts" the boy had explained, a streak of dirt on his nose making Jack's fingers itch for the camera. Daniel had been reading books on the local history, rich with stories about the ancient Indians that had lived in the area prior to the gold rush of the late 1800's. It was unfortunate that Daniel's fledgling attempt at archaeology was not only in his backyard, but also just after a rainstorm where the ground was the softest and muddiest. And of course Sam and Teal'c had helped with the project. He wasn't sure which of the three had the most mud on them, and he again thanked Janet in her foresight for applying the waterproof cast on Sam, though somehow he doubted they'd ever get all the mud out of it. At least the mud covered most of the glitter that was still on it.
And then there was the time the other two kids had convinced Teal'c of what fun it would be to roll up the rug and slide down the long downstairs hall in their socks across the newly polished wood floor. New to the sport, and not expecting the lack of control in such a slide, Teal'c had slid right into one of the end tables. Another visit to the infirmary and seven stitches took care of the gash on Teal'c's head. The boy thankfully didn't have a concussion, and Jack was experienced enough to not be freaked out about the amount of blood coming from a head wound although Sam had been wide-eyed and tearful and Daniel was looking a little peaked before they'd slowed the bleeding down enough to travel.
Despite a few instances though, Daniel was rather bookish and quiet, and Teal'c serious and protective of the younger two. Where one child was, the others weren't generally far and more often than not involved in some way. Sam was the adventurous one of the lot, and seemed to be getting into the most scrapes of the three.
His heart had plummeted to his stomach when the school nurse had called him, not for the first time, to report that Sam was again in her office. The adventurous little girl wasn't necessarily accident prone, but when one tried to think of new and creative ways to use a see-saw or swing set or swing at a t-ball or reach something on the top shelf while having a cast on one's arm, things tended to happen. He'd even started a list, almost as long, of things that Sam was absolutely forbidden to do even after getting her cast off. He was really starting to wonder more than ever how she'd survived childhood the first time.
And despite the growing number of days the kids had been with him, now approaching a month, he was learning more and more about their early personalities, and more about their particular likes and dislikes, even as children.
One afternoon was more memorable than the others.
The kids settled at the table and Jack set plates containing their after school snacks in front of each child. Today it was crackers and cheese. The kids chattered animatedly about their day. Actually, Danny and Teal'c chattered, Sam ate with single-minded determination, polishing off her snack faster than anyone else. She looked up when she finished, rising up on her knees in her chair and holding up her plate. "More please?"
Jack raised his eyebrows. Danny and Teal'c had barely eaten half of their snacks. "I don't know Sam, we're going to have dinner in a few hours."
"Please Colonel Jack, I'm really hungry." She continued to hold her plate up.
His eyebrows rose further. "Why so hungry, didn't you have lunch today?" And now he suspected something was up by the way she suddenly looked down, not meeting his eyes.
Daniel confirmed it a moment later. "She wouldn't eat her lunch," he tattled, his mouth full of cracker.
Sam dropped her plate and gave Daniel a light shove. "Shut up Danny!"
Jack came around and grabbed Sam's shoulder, giving Daniel a warning look before he could retaliate. "Hey! Sam, what have I said about fighting? And don't talk with your mouth full Daniel." Rebuked, Daniel glared at his plate, and Sam thumped down into her seat in a similar posture, arms crossed. He turned his attention back to her. "Now. Why didn't you eat your lunch?"
"Wasn't hungry," she mumbled.
Immediately concerned, he touched his hand to her forehead, brushing back a few strands of hair. "You don't seem feverish. Are you feeling alright?"
Silent until now, Teal'c spoke up. "Samantha did not like her bologna sandwich."
"Teal'c!" Sam protested, wiggling to kick at Teal'c under the table for betraying her. Teal'c merely raised an eyebrow and Jack's hand clapped down on her shoulder again, holding her in place.
"Unless you want a one way trip to your room until dinner young lady, I suggest you knock it off right now." Jack's tone was warning. He hadn't had to punish them very much, but when he had, they generally deserved it, had received fair warning, and they all knew it.
Sam stilled, staring down at her plate, poking at her cracker crumbs with one finger. "Sorry," she mumbled, only slightly repentant, and stinging at the double betrayal.
Jack sighed. Sometimes dealing with them was like pulling teeth. "Ok, so you don't like bologna. But the bread was ok right? Right?" he repeated when she didn't answer at first. Finally, he received a slight shaking of her head as she continued to stare at her plate, poking at the crumbs. The two boys were suddenly equally as interested in their plates. Obviously their role as traitors only went so far. Resisting the urge to pull out his hair in frustration, he tried again. "Ok, fine. So no sandwich at all. But there was other stuff in there you could have had, so you shouldn't have had to go hungry..." But she was still staring at her plate, not making a sound. "Sam, tell me you ate the other stuff in your lunch box?" He waited, but no reply was forthcoming.
Leaving the kids at the table, Jack walked over to the counter and picked up Sam's lunch box, the one with the space shuttle on it. It was suspiciously heavy. He sighed as he opened it to reveal everything inside almost exactly as he'd packed it this morning. Turning back to the table, he looked at Sam. "Alright Sam, why couldn't you eat anything else? And nobody else answer, I want to hear it from Sam." This one should be good he thought.
She was silent for a long time, fidgeting slightly in her seat as she continued to poke at her discarded crumbs. Finally she sighed, and looked up. "I couldn't eat anything because it was all con... con... contam... contaminated." Her face screwed up over the big, unfamiliar word, but eventually she got it out.
Jack blinked, her response a bit unexpected. "I guess you really don't like bologna sandwiches." She shook her head, staring at the table again. "And I guess you couldn't have anything from Teal'c and Danny because they also had bologna sandwiches." She nodded. He made a decision. "Ok, from now on, the night before, we all pack our lunches together, that way we make sure everybody has lunches they like to eat. Sound good?" Nods all around. "And, just in case we make anymore mistakes, and somebody's lunch gets contaminated," he smiled at the idea, "you tell a teacher. I highly doubt the teachers will let you go hungry, and I pretty much know everyone there already." Jack thought about all the meetings he'd already been to with the nurse, the principal, and various teachers and councilors, and he was fairly sure that any one of the teachers wouldn't have a problem making sure the kids had something to eat in the event of another contamination. For that matter, there was always the occasional mishap of a spill or forgotten lunch. Maybe he should call tomorrow and see about sending in some just in case lunch money or something.
He picked up the box of crackers and placed a few more on Sam's plate, adding a slice of cheese. He smiled as he put the box away, wondering how a kid could develop such an aversion to bologna.
A/N: This little chapter was written especially for Janissima, in honor of her wonderful fic "A Father's Determination." Ms. J kept putting up with me continually making fun of her evil OC, Bologna... err... Beroni! And so I just had to do a little something to honor it, especially since she was beta reading my story while I was poking fun at hers! So thanks Ms. J! (If you haven't read Janissima's prizewinning "A Mother's Love" or the sequel, "A Father's Determination" you really should, JJ is just the cutest thing ever!)
I later added in a few more adventures of mini SG-1 from your suggestions. Thanks so much, you all were an adventurous lot and I feel like my childhood was pretty mild in comparison. Some suggestions where submitted more or less by multiple individuals, others got my brain going so thanks. And I have to remark that you all are a precognitive bunch because you've often suggested things I've already written or were planning to write! (Like getting the kids sick, though I hope I surprised you with my variation!)
Chapter 52:
Jack was cheerfully hanging the latest drawings and art projects from the kids in his office the next week, when the phone rang. He was busy making sure Sam's macaroni and dried beans creation hung just so. The small objects had been arranged to spell "Sam C" and Jack intended to keep the creation hanging if and when the kids were ever changed back. The same went for Daniel's drawing, a rather detailed depiction of the Golden Dragon, Yu. Daniel had applied glitter to the creature, making the scales sparkle. Despite his new aversion to glitter, the effect was impressive, and Jack decided he could live with glitter as long as it stayed out of his house. On his desk, he placed a thick, heavy, and slightly misshapen mug that Teal'c had made in his art class. Jack wasn't sure if it would actually hold fluid and decided not to test it, filling it with the numerous stray pens and pencils he seemed to collect on his desk. Likely his kleptomaniacal tendencies to fiddle with things, but Jack liked to pretend the pens just did what pens do best... multiply of course. Unless you needed one. Then you couldn't find one to save your life.
The phone rang a second time, and Jack snatched it off its cradle. "O'Neill," he answered brusquely, while turning the mug just so. After a pause, he spoke again. "Yes sir, I can be right up." Jack placed the phone back on the hook and headed out of his office, wondering why Hammond would summon him. He'd just spoken with the General this morning. Whatever the reason, you didn't tell the General no he thought wryly, stabbing the button to bring the elevator.
Within minutes, he was standing outside the General's open door, and knocked perfunctorily on the doorframe to catch the man's attention. Hammond looked up, and gestured to the chair in front of the desk. "Jack, come in," he said warmly, his tone and address telling Jack that whatever the reason for the summons, it wasn't necessarily work related.
Jack took a seat, and waited. Hammond didn't keep him waiting long. "Jack, it's come to my attention that Major Carter and Dr. Jackson's neighbors are starting to wonder about their long absence." Jack blinked at the news before he realized that the General was speaking about the grown-ups, not the kid versions. As the information sunk in, Hammond continued. "I received a call not long ago, from a Mrs. Witherspoon. She told me that in the event of her extended absence, Major Carter had left instructions to contact the base. It seems Mrs. Witherspoon has been looking after Major Carter's property."
It took a minute for Jack to place the name before he remembered the older woman next door to Carter's house, the one with the cats. Name placed with memory, Jack shifted, crossing his arms on his chest. "If I may ask, sir, what's this got to do with me?"
Hammond merely gave him a small smile. "You are listed as Major Carter's contact in her file."
Jack blinked. Oh. "Oh-kay," Jack said slowly.
The smile returned and Hammond studied the papers on his desk. "It looks like, Jack," Hammond said when he lifted his gaze again, "That you need to pay a visit to Major Carter's home." He closed the folder and passed it across to him, then tapped his fingers on the desk. "If I were you, I'd also pay a visit to Dr. Jackson's residence, and make sure things are in order there." The statement was framed as a request, but the connotations were that of an order.
Jack reached for the folder. "Yes sir, I'll go over as soon as I pick the kids up from school." Jack had gotten the feeling that he should attend the matter as soon as possible.
"One more thing Jack." All traces of the smile had disappeared, to be replaced by a faint frown. Jack sensed that whatever the General was about to say, he wouldn't like it much.
"Sir?" he prompted.
"Major Carter, Dr. Jackson, and Teal'c have been in their present states for over a month now. You know their cover stories," Jack nodded. The three were on an extended mission, overseas, for an unknown length of time. Hammond continued at Jack's nod. "There has been no remarkable progress so far by the scientists working on the problem, nor any word from the Tok'ra." No surprise there. "The Asgard have yet to check in."
Jack nodded; none of this was new to him.
Hammond's frown deepened, making the lines on his forehand stand out. "As you know, Daniel Jackson and Teal'c have no family to speak of here on Earth," and now Jack frowned, as Hammond continued, "However, Major Carter has a brother."
"I don't see what this has got to do with..."
Holding up a hand, Hammond interrupted him. "There has been some grumbling from my superiors that if the Asgard should not pull through on this one, that Mark Carter and his wife should be granted clearance and the opportunity to take custody of Sam."
"That's preposterous! We're doing just fine now..." Jack was incensed.
Hammond interrupted again. "I know Jack, I know. I've tried to talk them out of it, but they seem to feel that Mr. Carter is a blood relative, as well as having a wife and children already. They feel that his home would be more stable, a true family."
"She has a family now," Jack protested. He thought about what taking Sam away would do to the young girl. She was finally settling in, and adjusting to idea of living in another time, one where she'd never see her mother and rarely see her father. One where aliens lived inside of people and you could take a ride to another planet. Despite all the changes, she was secure with him, and her former teammates. The bond the three kids shared only seemed to grow stronger the more they were together. Tearing her away from that would devastate her, not to mention what it might do to Daniel and Teal'c. Daniel was starting to open up more; confident that he wouldn't be taken away, that he was finally part of a family again and truly wanted for who he was. To have what to him was a younger sister taken away would probably knock him back to square one again, shaking the very foundations of trust they'd worked so hard to construct. And Teal'c was growing comfortable in Earth customs, and showed a fierce protectiveness over the younger children. In fact, Jack thought the only reason Teal'c was so accepting of his situation beyond that indescribable trust, was his bond and sense of responsibility to Sam and Daniel. Jack had no idea how Teal'c might react to having the group split up.
"We have to hope that the Asgard will be able to help us," Hammond said, and Jack scowled, as the realization that the only way to keep them together would be to find a way to turn them back.
"Yes sir," Jack agreed. "I'll stop by Carter's and Daniel's places as soon as possible. If that would be all?" Jack was eager to be away and alone with his thoughts for a while.
"Very well, dismissed." Hammond turned back to his paperwork, and Jack left, absently leafing through the folder in his hands. In it was a letter listing Major Carter's contacts and those she'd want taking care of her effects. His name was the first, followed by her father, Daniel and Teal'c, Janet and her brother. She seemed to know that the sensitive nature of her work would require someone with the clearance to go through her estate before allowing those that didn't have clearance access to anything. She also seemed to know that all of SG-1 might be lost together which is why she'd listed several outside of SG-1. Jack knew over the years that they'd all provided that service for each other, when one or more of them had seemingly been lost, even killed a few times. Odd, this job sometimes.
Jack didn't even have to open Daniel's folder to know that it contained much the same. In fact, he'd held the same folder in his hands a time or two.
As he walked down the hall, his mind slid back into ruminations of what he'd do if they decided to split the kids up and give Sam to her brother. What about Jacob? What might he say? While it was well known that Jacob and his son didn't always see eye to eye, was it fair to make Jacob choose between his son and him? Even if it might seem to be in the best interests of Sam at the time, Jack knew moving her would shatter her, and forever split up SG-1. And then there were the personal ramifications of the fragile relationship between Jacob and his son.
While Jack knew Sam was best off with him and with her former teammates, on paper, a man with a safe, stable job, a wife, and two children looked much better than a single military man with a questionable past. And then there was Charlie. Jack knew if he raised a fuss about Sam's custodianship, his history with Charlie, willingness to take what was for all intents and purposes a suicide mission, and his subsequent divorce with Sara upon return from said mission wouldn't make him look like the ideal parent. In fact, his past coming to light might cast shadows on his dubious right to keep custody of Teal'c and Daniel. And Jack wasn't quite ready to have Charlie's memory dragged through the dirt, but for Sam's case, he would do everything he could to keep SG-1 together. He had to.
What it all came down to was exactly as Hammond said. They would just have to hope that the Asgard would come through. Not only that, but that the powers that be wouldn't decide that the Asgard had been given enough time already and decide to split them up sooner. Hammond hadn't said it was a possibility, but Jack knew it was.
Back in his office, Jack found he couldn't work. Checking the clock, he decided he'd put in enough time for the day, grabbed his keys, and headed topside, intending to head to the school and brood, while waiting for class to let out.
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
The school was quiet when he got there, the students immersed in the last class of the day. No doubt some stared out the windows at the clouds lazily drifting in the sky, while others applied themselves to their work diligently. Jack wondered what his three were doing, as his eyes followed the cloud formations, and drifted from thought to thought. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel.
Outside the car, other parents started to arrive, and finally the last bell of the day rang. A moment later students started to pour out of the building, and Jack slipped out of the vehicle, walking around to meet the kids. It wasn't long before his three appeared, and they were like a balm on his weary soul.
It didn't take the kids long to notice that he wasn't heading home. "Where are we going?" piped up Daniel from the back seat. He'd come to know the route home the quickest of the three, and the first to notice when they weren't following it.
"We're going to Sam's house." Jack smirked as the kids reacted as he'd predicted they'd would.
"My house?" Sam drew her attention to the front seat.
"Sam has a house?" Daniel frowned, taking in this new revelation. Teal'c only raised an eyebrow curiously in an all too familiar gesture.
Jack's grin merely widened. "Yup," he replied unhelpfully, and cheerfully ignored all further requests for information.
When they pulled up outside the house, Jack cut the engine and turned around before the kids could tumble out. Sensing he was about to say something, they remained in their seats. "Ok, so we all know kids can't own houses," he started to nods all around. "And everyone here thinks this place belongs to grown-up Sam, and they don't know about you guys. Well, we have to keep it that way." The blank looks he received in response he'd expected, but he was prepared. "So. If we see anyone, I'm taking care of this house for a friend of mine, grown-up Sam, who is out of town. You guys are with me." He gave it a minute watching confusion turn to understanding. Daniel got it first he could tell by the look on the child's face. Testing it, Jack asked, "So what do you say if someone asks what we're all doing here?"
"We're with you, helping you take care of a friend's place," Daniel said confidently, and he saw Teal'c nod knowingly at his words. Of the three, Sam still looked slightly confused; obviously still overwhelmed at the idea that she owned a house, but not really.
Throwing a grin to Daniel and Teal'c, Jack prodded Sam a bit more. "So, if anyone asks who's house this is Sam?"
Sam frowned a minute thinking, before finally replying, "Grown-up Sam's?"
Jack smiled slightly at her phrasing. "Yeah, but we can't say that."
Her frown deepening, Sam sent a look toward Daniel. "A friend of yours?" She smiled when Jack grinned, signaling she'd gotten it right. But Sam wasn't done. "Colonel Jack, are you and grown-up Sam friends really?" Her voice was laced with concern.
Jack blinked in surprise, and was silent a moment, considering. "Yeah, Sam, yeah we're friends."
Sam nodded satisfied. "Good, I'm glad grown-up Sam has a friend like you."
Jack could only smile, reaching out an arm to give her a quick one-arm hug as they left the vehicle, his heart just a bit warmer now.
Going through Sam's house didn't take nearly as long as he thought it would. He picked up the overly large stack of mail from where the neighbor had left it on the table, and decided to hunt through it later. It was mostly junk and bills as well as a few science journals of which Sam and Daniel immediately proclaimed boring. He guessed that while the kids were smart, thick journals filled with pages of text and nearly incomprehensible words wouldn't hold their interest long. He hid a smile at the thought that he was at least as smart as they were right now.
The fridge he decided to leave until he could come back with some cleaning gloves and a large garbage bag. Maybe even a gas mask. The kids were equally appalled and thrilled at what they caught glimpses of when the door had been opened briefly. The door remained firmly shut despite the kids' repeated requests to take another look.
Sam had made a beeline over to the poor potted plants, immediately striking up a conversation with them and clucking over their pathetic state. It was invariable that any of the plants still clinging to life found their way into the back of the SUV as well at that point. Jack was quite relived Sam didn't have any pets, after taking in the state of the plants. It seemed Mrs. Witherspoon was reliable only to a point.
Once finished checking to make sure the rest of Sam's place was in order and taking the time to shut off the incoming water to prevent any sort of flood disaster or burst pipes, they headed to Daniel's apartment. Daniel was just as pleased and surprised to find out he had a place too. Daniel's mailbox was packed full, and contained a note informing them that more mail waited at the post office. The note was dated from a few weeks previous.
The kids were impressed with the view from Daniel's balcony, and the two younger kids nearly gave him a heart attack when they climbed the railing and leaned over to look down at the street. He hauled both of them in by the backs of their shirts and firmly locked the door much to the kids' disappointment.
Daniel didn't have any plants or pets, though his fridge, if possible, was worse than Sam's. Perhaps he had a pet after all, and kept it in the refrigerator? Nah. He was definitely checking out a gas mask. Or maybe he could claim the two fridges broke down and have them hauled away, contents and all. He dismissed the idea, as neither of his two scientists would ever believe that both their fridges had suffered irreparable harm. They were both so gonna owe him, but he had blackmail.
Daniel's place in order, they headed home. Sam spent the time until dinner settling her plants in and giving them words of encouragement while Daniel and Teal'c took it upon themselves to sort the mail into piles. Catalogs and magazines in one pile, bills in another, circulars and the like together and a separate pile for personal correspondence. Jack gave the boys a grateful smile. That was one less task to tackle, since he knew he'd be spending the evening sifting through both his teammate's finances tonight, and setting up things to keep their utilities from being shut off or their residences lost.
Thinking about managing the payments led to thoughts about how long to keep the individual places going. Which in turn led him back to his earlier conversation with the General. What if the Asgard couldn't help? There would really be little point in keeping three separate living spaces. But he really didn't want to end Daniel's lease or put Sam's house on the market. There was such finality involved. Jack decided for the moment he wouldn't think about it. He'd set up some payment plans from the military pensions he'd managed to convince the higher ups to keep funding into trust funds so that when, not if, his teammates returned to normal, they would have homes to return to.
Anything else just didn't bear thinking about.
Chapter 53: It Followed Us Home
"Are you sure about this?" Daniels's voice held an edge of worry, as he watched his younger foster sister putter about her room.
Sam just rolled her eyes, and ducked back into the closet, where she was carefully rearranging things. "Don't worry Danny, he'll never notice. And we can't keep him out there by the shed where we found him, it's too cold." It was nearing the end of November after all, and Sam's voice was decided as she made her pronouncement.
"I don't know," Daniel spoke again, his voice still hesitant and unsure.
Sam whirled around to face him, planting her small hands on her hips and making Daniel take a step back. "Look. You're the one who said we couldn't leave him out there, all by himself. What are you so worried about now?"
Daniel hesitated, scuffing one sneaker along the carpet before he shrugged. "I just don't want to get in trouble and not be allowed to keep him is all."
"We won't get in trouble. Colonel Jack will be so proud of us, he'll just have to let us keep him, you'll see," said Sam with the confidence that came with being seven.
Daniel frowned, perching on the edge of the bed and studying his lap, considering, but he looked up as Teal'c entered the room, softly closing the door behind him.
"Samantha, I have procured the box and other items you have requested. I was not seen," Teal'c said solemnly, holding the proffered items out.
Sam beamed and stood up from out of her closet. "Those are perfect Teal'c!" She quickly upended the box on her bed, while Daniel kept a wary eye on her closet. Sorting through the various objects, Sam soon had the box lined with the old soft blanket Teal'c had found, and then crumbled some cookies into a bowl. Next, she poured water from a bottle into the other bowl. She put both bowls into the closet.
Daniel looked at the food offering dubiously. "Are you sure he'll eat that?" He really didn't know much about pets and what they ate since he'd never had one, but he was fairly certain he'd never seen any of them eat cookies.
"I like cookies, don't you?" Sam demanded. Daniel nodded wordlessly, still looking skeptical. "Well," she said as if that proved her point, "Then of course he'll like them too." Sam headed back into the closet, and Daniel sent a sideways glance at Teal'c, but the older boy only shrugged helplessly. Teal'c had even less an idea than he did. It seemed they would have to defer to the younger girl in this matter, because Sam had the most experience out of all of them with pets since she'd once had a goldfish and the third grade classroom had a pair of hamsters.
Inside the closet, Sam could again be heard shifting things, but now she was talking to something. "It's ok little guy, I won't hurt you. See, here's your nice warm bed, and some yummy cookies and a nice drink." A soft squeaking noise was heard, and Sam replied to it. "No! Shhhh! You have to stay quiet or he'll hear you and you won't be able to stay. Now I'm just gonna tuck you in, and you be a good boy while I'm gone!"
"Should we not tell Colonel O'Neill about what we have found? Would he not assist us?" Teal'c asked when Sam reemerged from the closet, closing the door gently. Daniel looked at the older boy, startled. Teal'c had voiced his concerns exactly.
Sam frowned, and looked from one boy to the other, her forehead creased in thought. "We'll tell him Teal'c," she said finally, "Just not right away. We have to prove we can take care of him and that he won't be any trouble at all. Then he'll have to let us keep him!" Sam lifted her chin in determination.
Teal'c and Daniel shared a glance, Daniel sighing and shrugging reluctantly and Teal'c finally nodding. Daniel had rarely seen Sam so determined and sure about something before. It seemed Teal'c agreed. "Very well Samantha, we shall do what we can to aid you, and will speak nothing of it until such time as you deem it needed."
A wide grin broke out on the little girl's face. "We won't have any trouble at all, you'll see! C'mon, let's go pick out a name." With that, Sam left the room, Teal'c and Daniel following somewhat dubiously.
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
Jack made his rounds of the kids' rooms before starting up the washer. The kids were downstairs doing their homework. While they were all fairly good about putting their dirty clothes into the hamper, they still had lapses. Sam a bit more so than the older boys. Teal'c seemed to be just as neat and tidy as the grown up that Jack knew, and sharing a room seemed to make Daniel that much more conscientious of his own neatness. Sam just tended to leave things wherever unless constantly reminded, quite a contrast from her organized adult self. He found it amusing to see her messy childish habits, but then again, she was only seven. Which meant it was his job to ensure all the clothes got washed, and he grumbled to himself about the increased number of loads he now did with the kids here. Not that he really minded.
Sweeping the boys' room with his gaze he quickly grabbed the shirt left draped over the back of the chair, and headed down the hall to Sam's room. He picked up the forgotten pajama bottoms and few other articles scattered here and there before spying a sock peeking out from under the bed. With a grimace, he bent his knees to peer under the bed for any more misplaced garments, his knee squeaking in protest. It wasn't until he straightened up with his prize in hand that he realized that the squeak hadn't come from his knee, but in fact from elsewhere.
Especially when it squeaked again and he wasn't moving.
Yep, definitely elsewhere, he decided, as the noise became more insistent, accompanied by a slight scratching sound. Jack placed the laundry basket on Sam's bed and took several quick strides to Sam's closet. He yanked the door open expecting to find a mouse or some other creature. Jack wasn't quite sure what he'd do with a mouse, his hands empty, but all he could think was he had to deal with it before it ran off and invited more of its mouse friends over. The last thing he was expecting was the vaguely rat shaped creature to come falling out of the closet.
Well, at least it was sorta rat shaped. If you had vision problems that is. And thought rats were orange and striped.
The decidedly non-rat creature sorted its legs and looked up at him, crying plaintively. Jack stared back, and it took the opportunity to start exploring... by climbing up his pant leg.
Dumbstruck, Jack reached down and unfastened the little cling-on, and held it up by the scruff of its neck, examining it at eye level.
The little beast stared back.
"What were you doing in there?" he asked, as if expecting an answer.
"Mew?" said the critter, starting to squirm a bit.
Jack sighed, and tucked the little thing in closer. The last thing he needed right now was a pet. Peeking into the closet confirmed his suspicions that the furball had had help getting into the closet. Wrinkling his nose, he also realized that no one had provided bathroom facilities for the poor thing. He frowned as he spied what looked like an untouched pile of cookie crumbs next to a bowl of water. With another sigh, he headed downstairs, the freeloader tucked under his arm.
This one should be interesting.
Chapter 54: Strays
"So..." Jack cleared his throat. "Anyone want to tell me what this is?" He held up Exhibit A, which let out an annoyed mew, making the kids look up from their homework. Sam and Daniel had the grace to look guilty, while Teal'c did a fair impression of appearing impassive.
"I believe it is an undeveloped feline Colonel O'Neill," Teal'c said.
Jack blinked. Had that smart-ass comment really come from Teal'c? Looking at the boy, Jack realized Teal'c had not meant anything other than a literal answer to his poorly phrased question. He coughed. "Uh, yeah, I know it's a kitten. Anyone care to tell me what it was doing in a closet? Sam?" he prompted the little girl who was staring at her lap and refusing to meet his gaze.
Sam squirmed, biting her lip. Surprisingly, it was Daniel that answered. "It was outside, all alone and no one wanted it. We had to help it," Daniel stated, almost defiantly.
"We were gonna tell you, honest Colonel Jack," Sam said, meekly. Teal'c watched him silently.
Jack looked at the three before him and sighed. He didn't know anything about cats, and he couldn't just tell the kids that any animal they dragged into the house they could keep. At least not without letting them stew over their actions a bit. "And I suppose you want me to tell you it's ok to keep him?"
This time it was Sam who answered, staring at the table. "Yes sir." Her voice was barely above a whisper. Daniel nodded in agreement and Teal'c lifted his chin to meet his hard gaze.
"Well I can't do that right now. A kitten, any pet, is a big responsibility. You have to feed it, play with it, clean up after it," he told them. "Who's going to do all that?"
The kids clamored all over themselves, swearing up and down that they would do all those things, but Jack silenced them all with a look. "And what about the vet? Vets cost money. And so do food, toys, other things. All those things cost money, who's going to pay for it all?"
"I... I have fifty cents," Sam offered.
"And I have two dollars," Daniel chimed in, chin raised with pride. He'd worked hard raking leaves for the next-door neighbor to get those two dollars.
"I believe I can obtain money by clearing sidewalks of snow. My classmate Brian Cadderly often boasts of the money he earns by partaking in such an activity," added Teal'c solemnly.
Jack blinked. He almost changed his mind right then and there, and told them they could keep the kitten. But he knew that he had to make it clear to the kids that it wasn't that easy. He worried if he didn't, they'd be bringing home the next thing they found sure as the sun rises. And of course, adding a kitten to the household would be just one more thing he had to keep track of and care for. So instead of telling them he'd been nearly swayed to let them have it, he shook his head, ignoring the crestfallen looks. "You'll need a lot more money than that. I need to think about this. This is a very important decision, do you understand?" They nodded slowly.
With one more stern look, Jack deposited the kitten into Sam's arms. "We'll talk about what to do with it after dinner. For now, why don't you take the little furball upstairs while Teal'c and Danny and I get a few things for it?"
"His name is Bill. Bill Nye," Sam said, cuddling the kitten close.
Jack closed his eyes a second. Great, they'd given the thing a name. And a name from that stupid science show the kids were obsessed with. At least they hadn't blown up the house mimicking the experiments. Yet. Although they'd come close to flooding out the bathroom that one time. "Fine, take Bill upstairs, will you?"
"Yes sir," Sam replied softly, before heading toward the stairs. Pausing before leaving the room, she looked up at him. "Colonel Jack? Please let us keep him. Please?"
Realizing all three kids were watching him, waiting for his answer, Jack hesitated. It was on the tip of his tongue, but he really didn't want to become the local zookeeper for every stray and unwanted animal the kids could find. He really needed some time alone to think about it. "We'll discuss it later I said," he told her gruffly instead.
Slightly worried looking, but realizing she was already on thin ice and wisely choosing to avoid pushing the issue at the moment, Sam nodded and clutched the kitten a little tighter before leaving the room. Feeling the silent gazes of Daniel and Teal'c on him, Jack ignored them for a moment and headed to the kitchen.
Wondering what kittens ate, he decided lunchmeats were likely safe enough, and chopped some turkey and ham into little bits, dropping it onto a dish and handing it to Daniel. Next, he stopped by the garage, and filled a shallow pan he'd found under the sink with some of the kitty litter he kept for snow traction and oil spills. This he handed to Teal'c. "There, now take that up to Sam. I'll call you when dinner is ready," he dismissed them.
The boys didn't say anything but he could sense their gazes before they turned and did as told. Jack closed his eyes again with a deep breath and hoped he was handling this correctly.
Upstairs, Teal'c and Daniel knocked on Sam's door, entering at her call. They found her on her bed, tantalizing Bill with a shoelace. The little kitten leapt and jumped for the dangling string, and Sam was smiling. At the boys' entrance, Sam's smile faded slightly and she stood up. "Do you think he'll let us keep him?" she asked worriedly.
"I do not know, Samantha," Teal'c answered honestly, setting the makeshift litter pan on the floor, deciding on a clear spot near Sam's desk. Daniel set the plate of lunchmeat down on the bed. The kitten didn't take long to notice it, and even less time to devour the food.
"Guess he didn't like cookies much," commented Daniel, watching the kitten lick the plate clean.
Sam didn't reply, looking down at the furry little thing in concern. "What if Colonel Jack doesn't let us keep him?" Sam asked, her brow creased with worry.
"Then we'll just have to make sure he lets us," Daniel replied with conviction.
Sam was silent watching Bill play. But even distracted as she was over the kitten's fate, she couldn't help but giggle over the kitten's antics. Finished with its meal, Bill now stalked Teal'c, who was unaware he'd become kitten prey. That is at least until the little thing pounced. Gently reaching down, Teal'c carefully lifted it, giving it a mock stern glance before setting it on the bed and letting it chase his fingers under the covers. Over the next hour the kids happily played with the kitten. Eventually, the kitten wound down and ended up curled in Daniel's lap. The boy gazed down at the small sleeping mound of fur and smiled fondly.
Sam stood up from where she'd sprawled on her bed. "I'm going to talk to Colonel Jack," she announced decisively. It wasn't long before dinner would likely be ready. "He has to let us keep Bill. He just has to."
The two boys exchanged a look, and nod silently in agreement. They'd already discovered that Colonel Jack had a hard time saying no to Sam. He had a hard time saying no to any of them really, but Sam seemed to possess the ability the strongest. Maybe it was because she was the youngest, or maybe because she was oblivious to the effect she had on adults. In either case, it seemed she had the best chance of convincing Colonel Jack. And so Sam summoned her courage and determination, left the kitten in the care of her brothers, and headed downstairs.
Stepping lightly with trepidation over what Colonel Jack might say, she heads towards the kitchen where she can hear Colonel Jack moving around with dinner preparations. As she nears the kitchen, Sam can hear him talking and realizes he is on the phone so she stops just outside the door.
Hovering, Sam wonders if she should interrupt since she'd always been told it wasn't polite to interrupt someone that was on the phone, when she hears something she never wanted to hear.
Chapter 55: A Plan
After sending the kids upstairs with their stray, Jack busied himself with the dinner preparations. He really didn't know much about cats, but with what the kids had said, his fate was practically sealed. Daniel had all but compared the cat to himself as being unwanted, and he could see how much Sam had already fallen in love with the little thing just by the look in her eyes. Even Teal'c had seemed quite fascinated by the kitten. The best he could hope for was that by stalling on a decision, he could prevent the kids ever bringing something else home. But no matter his rationale, it still didn't help with the problem that he knew very little about keeping cats happy.
Deciding to gather some information, Jack dialed the only person he could think of that might be able to help him. "Hello, Doc?" he said when Janet picked up. Quickly, he explained his problem to the woman on the other end, frowning when she erupted into laughter. Vaguely he could make out something about "payback" in between peals of laughter.
Scowling, Jack tried to regain control of the conversation. "I guess this means you don't want a cat?"
Somehow, Janet Fraiser managed to stop laughing long enough to firmly state that she didn't want a cat. One dog was more than enough for her, thank you very much.
Jack sighed. He probably deserved it at any rate, dumping that dog on young Cassie Fraiser all that time ago. "I had to try. It would be easier to just get rid of it after all."
Janet commiserated, and in the end she did suggest he try the local pet store. Thanking her, he told her he'd take care of it after dinner, then hung up and went back to making the meal. He'd take them all out after they ate to get supplies they might need.
So busy with thinking over his mental list of supplies and finishing dinner, Jack never heard the light patter of feet retreating rapidly away from the room and upstairs.
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
Sam burst into the room, shutting the door behind her and barely able to contain her tears. Gathering Bill in her arms she flung herself onto the bed and buried her face in the kitten's soft fur. The kitten, who had little interest in getting wet, quickly extricated itself from Sam's embrace and started to stalk her untied shoe instead. Sam was too distraught to be cheered by Bill's antics.
"Sam, what's wrong?" Daniel asked worried, getting up from where he and Teal'c had been rolling a small ball back and forth between them for the kitten to chase. Teal'c stood beside him looking just as concerned.
In between sobs, Sam managed to get out what she'd overheard. "He's going to take Bill away!"
Daniel and Teal'c exchanged a look, and Daniel sat down on the bed, putting an arm around her. "Is that what he told you when you asked?"
Sam shook her head. "No. I heard him on the phone talking to someone. He said he was going to get rid of Bill, after dinner! Oh Danny, we can't let him take Bill away, we just can't!"
Daniel looked at his distraught sister, and the little unwanted kitten, lost in thought. Abruptly, he straightened. "Then we won't let him!"
Momentarily surprised, Sam stopped sobbing long enough to look at her brothers. "H-how?" Teal'c cocked his head to the side looking curious.
Lifting his chin in determination, Daniel stared at his foster siblings in challenge. "We'll just have to take Bill away first!"
"What do you mean?" Sam asked dubiously, gathering the errant kitten to her again.
"I mean we take Bill someplace safe, where Colonel Jack won't be able to find him," Daniel answered, growing surer of his plan by the moment.
"Where would we go Daniel?" Teal'c asked, speaking up for the first time.
Daniel paused, thinking furiously, his brow furrowed. It was Sam that answered. "I know, Uncle George will know what to do!" she crowed triumphantly. She grinned when the two boys looked at her questioningly. "And Uncle George outranks Colonel Jack. He could order Colonel Jack to let us keep Bill! My Daddy says Colonels have to listen to what Generals tell them to do." Sam was smug.
The two boys looked somewhat doubtful, but Daniel nodded slowly after a moment. "We don't know where he lives though," he pointed out.
Sam's face fell, but Teal'c broke in. "General Hammond often works late, does he not?"
Daniel's face lit up. "Yeah! I bet he's still there, and I know just how to get there!"
"Now what?" Sam asked, just a little bit lost by the rapid turn of events. She hadn't thought much beyond knowing Uncle George would help, and had been quickly disappointed when she realized they couldn't get to him. But to go to where Colonel Jack and Uncle George worked, all by themselves? It was exciting and scary at the same time.
"Now we need some supplies," Daniel replied with sureness.
"And we must act with haste," cautioned Teal'c, "We shall likely be called to dinner soon."
Daniel nodded, standing up from where he'd sat on the bed next to Sam. "Sam, get some things together for you and Bill. Teal'c and me will be right back," he promised, and the two boys quickly left the room, heads together.
Heart racing, but fully trusting in Daniel, Sam found her schoolbag and emptied out her schoolbooks. She couldn't believe she was thinking of leaving Colonel Jack, but she had to help keep Bill safe. Besides, they were going to find Uncle George. Surely Colonel Jack wouldn't mind if they were with Uncle George?
Quickly, Sam packed the package of cookies and the now half-full water bottle. They might need it after all. Then she dug through her toy chest and found the flashlight, compass, and binoculars from the camping set she'd been given, placing them in the outside pocket. She didn't really know how to use the compass, but maybe Daniel did. Next she added a blanket, her teddy bear, and the last of her Halloween candy. Ready, she carefully placed Bill in the backpack on top of the blanket and closed it up, leaving a hole just large enough that Bill could poke his nose out. Or his paw, which Bill promptly pushed through and stretched about. Bill protested being closed in the bag, but Sam shushed him. Or tried to at any rate.
Just as she was finishing with her pack, the boys knocked on the door, entering quickly. Both boys were wearing their jackets and Daniel carried hers, having sneaked down the stairs to grab them from the hall closet. Fortunately the closet was out of sight from the kitchen, so Jack hadn't noticed or he'd surely have asked what they wanted with their jackets.
Now there was just one problem. "How are we going to get outside without Colonel Jack noticing?" Daniel asked worriedly.
"I have an idea," Teal'c said, and moved to the window. Pushing it open, Teal'c lifted the lid on the box for the fire escape ladder. Sam and Daniel's eyes widened as they realized what Teal'c was up to. "It would be best if I go this way alone," Teal'c told them as he let the ladder unroll out the window. "Especially Samantha. When you hear the doorbell ring, go quietly down the stairs and I will meet you in the kitchen." Daniel nodded in understanding. It would be hard for Sam to climb the ladder with the cast on her arm. Plus she had Bill, who was wiggling about in the backpack. Sam just looked slightly overwhelmed, and Daniel gave her a reassuring smile as Teal'c swung over the window ledge and started down the ladder, Daniel steadying it. When Teal'c had reached the bottom, he waved, and Daniel pulled it back inside, neatly stowing it in the box and closing the window. Nervously, the two younger children waited for their signal.
All too soon, the doorbell rang, and then rang a second time in rapid succession. Daniel grabbed Sam's good hand and pulled her to the door, motioning for her to be silent. The doorbell rang a third time as the children crouched on the landing. They could hear Colonel Jack grumbling from the direction of the kitchen. "Alright already, hold your horses, I'm coming!" The grumbling made its way to the front part of the house, and wasting no time, the two kids scurried down the stairs and ducked into the kitchen. Teal'c was already there, holding the door and the three made a quick exit, quietly closing the door behind them.
And just like that, they were gone.
Chapter 56: Wanderings
Once outside, Daniel quickly took the lead. Using their bikes would have been quicker, but since Sam didn't have one anymore it wasn't really an option. And after a hasty whispered conference they decided against using their skates and scooters since Sam had been forbidden to use any of them until the cast came off her arm. After all, none of them wanted to get Sam in trouble for disobeying Colonel Jack!
The late autumn temperatures were starting to give way to winter chill as evening rapidly approached, the shadows already lengthening as the three children set out on their quest. But there were more important things at stake, so they all ignored their discomforts and got moving.
Daniel led them to the back street and past several of the neighbor's houses before turning back to the street that ran in front of their house. They quickly came to the main road, and Daniel hesitated a minute before choosing a direction.
Before long they were further away from the house than any of them had ventured on his or her own. Still, they'd only gone a few more blocks in the right direction when they spotted flashing lights ahead. Daniel ducked behind a mailbox, pulling the other two with him. Peeking out, Daniel frowned at the two police cars parked in front of the small convenience store, trying to get an idea of what they were doing. Sam passed him her binoculars.
"We should go around them, we don't want them to see us," Daniel announced, after studying the scene.
"But aren't police officers the good guys?" Sam asked, confused. They had certainly been very nice when she'd had her accident.
Daniel frowned. "Well, yeah, but they'll wonder what us three kids are doing out here all alone."
Sam's eyes widened slightly. "You mean they'll make us go home?"
"Worse, they'll probably take us home themselves and tell Colonel Jack. We'd have to ride in the back of the car, and if we don't go they'll probably arrest us," Daniel said, a note of authority in his voice.
"Police don't arrest kids," Sam protested, and Teal'c looked alarmed at the prospect.
"Uh huh they do. They arrested my foster brother and he was only fourteen," Daniel told her. "Now c'mon, before they see us." Daniel grabbed her hand before she could think of anything else to say and pulled her down a nearby side street, trusting in Teal'c to follow and make sure the cops hadn't seen them.
Daniel led them a ways down the side street, then turned at the next intersection to follow the street parallel to the main road. He continued along that new street for another few blocks. Once he was sure they would have passed by where the police would be, he started to look for another street to take them back to the main road. Only the street they were on seemed to be winding away. Undaunted, Daniel kept going, unaware that Teal'c had fallen behind to keep pace with Sam, who's steps were starting to falter.
Finally, another intersection appeared, and Daniel confidently turned onto it, leading his unlikely band of heroes behind him. His confidence quickly wavered as the street gently curved around, and the road they were looking for didn't appear. Hesitating briefly, Daniel chose another street that branched off the one they were on and headed down that one. However, it soon became clear that this street did not lead where they wanted to go, nor did the next one. It didn't help that the sun had finally set either, bathing the world in darkness except for the few welcoming pools of light from street lamps. He had to fight the growing urge to return home, as it had always been made clear to him just about anywhere he'd lived that he had to be home when the streetlamps came on. And, well, home now was a lot more welcoming than wandering the streets at night he decided. Suppressing a worried shiver, Daniel took comfort in the trust his foster siblings placed in him. At least he wasn't alone. He pressed on.
Finally though, Daniel's steps slowed, and then stopped altogether, as he stared around the third unfamiliar intersection they'd come across. Teal'c and Sam came up behind him, Sam plopping unceremoniously on the curb. "My feet hurt, and I'm hungry," she complained, the pack on her back mewing as if in agreement.
Daniel glanced at her, then at Teal'c. He was hungry, cold and tired too, but he wasn't going to admit it. "I don't understand, it should be right here," he said instead.
"Perhaps we should attempt to backtrack to a more familiar location," suggested Teal'c. Then after a pause and a glance at Sam, "Once we have refreshed ourselves."
Daniel could barely hide his relief at Teal'c's suggestion for a break. He hadn't wanted to be the one to suggest it, but coming from Teal'c, it sounded so reasonable. "We should go back to those woods we saw, then no one can see us," he suggested. Teal'c merely nodded and pulled Sam to her feet.
Less than a block away, the woods were little more than a copse of scraggly trees, but to three children it was an immense forest. They found seats on the leaf-strewn ground, and Sam shared out the cookies and candy she'd brought, careful to keep Bill inside. The boys had somehow managed to smuggle some Pop Tarts. Bill was quite unhappy with being left in the backpack and made sure they all knew it. Not even pieces of Pop Tart seemed to make the little kitten happy. By the light of Sam's flashlight, the three finished off the cookies and pastries and passed around the water bottle. Sagging energy reserves replenished by large amounts of sugar, they now felt like they could face anything. A new determination clear in the set of his jaw, Daniel rose to his feet, the others following.
Leading the way again, Daniel started back the way they had come. Sam had given him her compass now too, but he refused to admit he also didn't know how to use it either. Still, he tucked it into his pocket. When they got to the second intersection, Daniel hesitated, before making a right. Teal'c caught his arm. "I believe we came from this direction," Teal'c said, pointing to the left.
Daniel looked both ways, than shook his head. "No, we came this way, I'm sure of it." Actually, he wasn't, not completely. It was so dark despite the glow from the streetlamps that it was hard to see anything familiar. He'd never been out past the sunset before, at least not without an adult. But Teal'c and Sam were counting on him to lead the way to General Hammond, and he refused to let them down. He was sure if he kept going, he would find something familiar.
Teal'c frowned. "Very well." They kept on, Daniel choosing directions each time they came to an intersection.
At the next one, Teal'c held up his hand. "I believe we have passed this location previously," he said.
Daniel simply shook his head, and headed them down another street. Half an hour later, he couldn't deny it anymore.
They were well and truly lost.
Chapter 57: Lost and Found
Jack drove around the block slowly, peering into the twilight gloom. He'd been at this for almost the last two hours, and despite calling in backup from the SGC, they were no closer to locating the missing children than when they had started. As the minutes stretched into hours, he couldn't help but worry, thinking of the last time he'd misplaced them that had ended in an emergency trip to the infirmary. They hadn't been missing for long that time, but it was long enough for an accident to happen. His mind was filled with all sorts of images of what could happen to three young children out after dark all alone.
Earlier, when he'd called the kids to dinner, he hadn't thought much of it when they didn't immediately come downstairs. They often got involved in activities and didn't always hear him. However, when he'd mounted the stairs to the second floor and found both bedrooms suspiciously empty, a niggling worry started in the back of his mind. A quick room-to-room search revealed the rest of the house empty, including the basement, attic, and garage. Another peek into the kid's rooms gave him a few clues when he found abandoned piles of schoolbooks and evidence the closets had been raided. Their jackets were missing from the hall closet. Bill was also conspicuously absent.
He had moved his search outside, rounding the block twice and checking with any of the neighbors the kids could have gone to. When he had come back empty handed, he'd picked up the phone and a local map, and started to call everyone he knew. While he'd waited for the reinforcements to show up, he'd busied himself with dividing up the local area on the map into easily manageable sections.
It came as a pleasant surprise when two full military hummers pulled up outside, quickly followed by half a dozen different civilian vehicles, some of which he recognized as belonging to base personnel. Most of the cars held more than one person. It seemed as if word of his problem had spread, and the people of the SGC were responding in force. Jack was quite relieved and more than welcoming of the larger than expected number of people to join in the search.
Sparing a glance over at Walter Harriman in the passenger seat, Jack again was thankful that so many people wanted to help. Because there had been more people than vehicles, he'd quickly organized some into foot patrols, while partnering the rest with drivers of the other vehicles. This allowed two adults to be looking in two different directions in each car. And what a varied group had come at the call. There were Marines, Air Force personnel, civilian scientists, and even General Hammond. In fact, he suspected the General himself was responsible for corralling some of those volunteers, many of whom had just been going off duty. And perhaps a few that likely should have been back on base.
Each pair had been given a radio and a map with detailed locations to search. The extra maps and radios had been another thing he was grateful the search group from the SGC had brought. But even with all the people and equipment, two hours had passed with no sign of the kids. He had no idea where they had intended to go, or how far they might have gotten. He was giving it another half hour and if his group hadn't found the children, he planned to contact the local authorities. Perhaps he should have called them first thing, but it would have caused too many questions. Questions he might not have been able to answer without raising suspicions. But it was beginning to look like they might need the manpower the local police could offer, and fortunately General Hammond had agreed with the necessity.
Jack continued to slowly drive the streets in an ever-widening search grid as the deadline approached. His mind continued to supply a variety of scenarios that could have happened to the kids in the time they'd been gone. Everything from falling down a hole to getting run over, and even being kidnapped. He was just about ready to give up and head back to his home, now the base of operations, and place the call to the police questions be damned, when the radio crackled to life.
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
"I-I'm sorry. I don't know where we are anymore," Daniel finally admitted, staring down at his shoes. Teal'c placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm scared," Sam said softly, reaching for Daniel's hand. Daniel took it and gave it a squeeze, as much to reassure himself, as it was to reassure Sam.
"What should we do?" asked Daniel, a hint of worry in his young voice. He really had thought he'd be able to find the way if he kept going, and had never meant to get them lost.
Teal'c studied the area around them. Neat little houses with well manicured lawns on both sides of the street as far as they could see in both directions, and nothing to make one stand out more so than the others. "Perhaps we could obtain aid at one of these dwellings," he suggested.
"But we're not s'posed to talk to strangers," Sam protested, making the other two frown as they mulled that particular problem over. They too had been warned against talking to or going with strangers.
"If only I could find one of those stores we passed," Daniel said, "Then we could use their phone." He paused, thinking. "We're going to be in big trouble aren't we?"
"I don't care, I want to go home," announced Sam. She'd had quite enough of walking around, it felt like they'd been doing it forever. Now she was tired and cold. "I don't even care if I have to eat brussel sprouts every day," she said, thinking of perhaps one of the worst things that she might have to do when they got back.
"What about Bill?" Daniel asked. Bill was after all, the reason for their being out on their own, and right now it felt like they had failed the little kitten.
Sam's face scrunched up. "I don't know," she admitted.
"Perhaps we can find a more suitable location to conceal Bill Nye," Teal'c mused aloud.
Daniel frowned. "Like where?" he asked.
"What about the garage?" piped up Sam.
The two boys shook their heads. "Colonel Jack will look there," Daniel said. "Maybe the attic? No one goes up there."
"The access to the attic would be too noticeable," Teal'c pointed out, and Daniel's face fell. Sam plopped down to the sidewalk looking defeated.
The children continued to debate the pros and cons of different hiding places, seeming to forget the main problem of how to find their way home. They were so intent on their discussion that they failed to notice the car pull to a stop across the street and two people get out. At least until they heard their names being called, that is.
"Doctor Janet! Uncle George!" Sam cried in recognition, surging to her feet with new energy. She flung herself towards the two adults, George Hammond managing to catch the little girl practically in mid air just before she barreled into him. He swung her up into his arms with a grunt, settling her on a hip. "Uncle George," Sam said, leaning her head on his shoulder, "We've been looking all over for you!" She smiled, turning to look at Daniel. "You found him Danny, you found him!"
Hammond looked over the top of Sam's head to share a glance with Janet. The doctor looked like he felt; amused, worried, and a little angry with the children for worrying them so. For the moment though, relief won out as she raked both boys over with a practiced medical eye, scanning them for injuries before gathering each one in for a fierce hug. "Everyone has been so worried about you three, where have you been?" she admonished them, holding each boy out at arms length for another look, and then gathering them back close, an arm around each boy's shoulder as if to keep track of them. Sam remained in General Hammond's arms. While appearing tired, none of the children looked to be any worse for wear, for which both adults were supremely grateful.
"We were looking for you Uncle George," Sam told Hammond, her head still leaning on his shoulder and one hand fisted in his shirtfront. "And now we found you," she declared with a satisfied smile.
Again, Hammond blinked in surprise. "You found me, hmm?" he said mildly. Like Dr. Fraiser, Hammond had also scanned the children for signs of injury, equally relieved to find none. "And just why were you trying to find me young lady?" he said sternly, looking down at her with an unwavering gaze.
Sam squirmed slightly in Hammond's arms, as if sensing the trouble she would soon find herself in. George Hammond did not loosen his hold or lessen his gaze one bit though. "We need your help, Uncle George," Sam told him finally.
Hammond exchanged a surprised look with Janet Fraiser who was still holding onto the boys. "My help? Why?" he asked, looking back down at the young girl.
"We required your assistance in convincing Colonel O'Neill that we can properly care for Bill Nye," Teal'c spoke up, drawing the General's attention.
"Colonel Jack was going to take him away," added Daniel. "It's not Bill's fault that nobody wanted him." Daniel's voice held a note of defiance. General Hammond's brow furrowed in confusion. Janet looked just as confused.
Sam lifted her head from the General's shoulder, looking up at his face earnestly. "You can order Colonel Jack to let us keep Bill," she stated as if it made perfect sense. Just then, her backpack rustled slightly and a soft but insistent mew could be heard.
Comprehension dawned on Janet Fraiser's face, while the General looked startled. "Sam, you don't by any chance have Bill with you right now?" Janet narrowed her eyes at the little girl, and her tone was no-nonsense.
Sam buried her face against General Hammond's neck, squirming again. "Yes ma'am," she answered, her voice muffled. The pack mewed again, and the General's eyebrows rose.
"Please General Hammond sir, you have to help us," pleaded Daniel, his eyes wide. Teal'c nodded in agreement and Sam added her own please, tightening her arms around him slightly.
The General looked at each child, hiding his bemusement well before answering. "I can't make any promises, but I'll see what I can do," he said. Some of the worry left the three faces, although Daniel's look of relief was spoiled by a large yawn.
As if that were a cue, Janet moved her hands down to the boys' backs and gave them both a little push towards the waiting car. "I think it well past time you three were home in bed," she announced.
Hammond couldn't agree more. Besides, Sam was getting heavy. "And we can call the search off now," he said significantly. So relieved they had been to find the children, they'd left the radio in the car.
In short order, Teal'c and Daniel's backpacks were stowed in the trunk and all three kids were buckled into the backseat. Sam's pack now balanced carefully on Teal'c's knees, the boy seated in between the other two.
The trip home took more than several minutes; the children had managed to wander quite a ways on foot. By the time they pulled up outside Jack's house, Sam had nearly fallen asleep with her head on Teal'c's shoulder and Daniel was fighting a losing battle to stay awake. Even Teal'c had been caught yawning a time or two.
The kids, who just a short time before had been eager to get home to safe warm beds, now looked hesitant, their faces filled with trepidation. Perhaps it might have been better to stay lost? The doctor and the general gave the kids little choice in the matter. The two adults promptly got out of the car, opening the back doors on each side. Janet again placed a hand on each boy, steering them towards the house with a hand on their shoulders, and General Hammond followed with a sleepy Sam, her little hand held securely in his large one. They paused only long enough to retrieve the boys' backpacks from the trunk.
Jack met them at the door, his face a mixture of anxiety and relief. Like Janet had done earlier, he pulled each child to him for a crushing hug before holding him or her at arm's length and looking for signs of injury.
"Do you realize how many people were out looking for you three?" he told them gruffly. Heads hung. They really hadn't meant to make anyone worry!
"We were looking for Uncle George, and we found him," Sam explained softly. Jack blinked in surprise, but before he could ask why they were out on their own looking for General Hammond, Daniel spoke up.
"We couldn't let you take Bill away Colonel Jack, we just couldn't," Daniel pushed his glasses up on his nose and crossed his arms in an overly familiar gesture.
"We are most sorry that our actions have caused you worry Colonel O'Neill," Teal'c added. "We only wished to provide for Bill Nye."
"Damn right you're sorry," Jack growled under his breath, shaking his head. Sam pressed into General Hammond's side, tightening her arms around his waist. Daniel edged a step closer to Janet and even Teal'c looked worried. All the anxiety over the past few hours was giving way to anger. As if sensing he was scaring the children, Jack took a deep breath. "Why did you think I was taking Bill away?"
The three kids shared a look, and Sam spoke up. "I heard you," she said. "On the telephone."
Jack looked surprised and confused, and looked at Janet and Hammond for clues. Janet raised an eyebrow and cocked her head with a significant look, and realization hit him like the broad side of a truck.
Crouching down, Jack addressed Sam. "And what have I told you about listening to other people's conversations?"
Sam's brow furrowed as she concentrated. "That I shouldn't do it, because it's not polite?"
Jack nodded. "And?" he prompted. After the time Teal'c had overheard him and General Hammond speaking, he'd had a little talk with all three about eavesdropping. Obviously, they needed some reinforcement.
She bit her lip in concentration, brow furrowed. "And it's easy to get things wrong when you only hear part of something?"
"Right," he told her. "So do you think you might have gotten something wrong when you heard me on the phone?"
"I did?" Sam blinked in confusion and exhaustion.
A bit more awake, Daniel put the pieces together and made the connection. "You mean you aren't getting rid of Bill?" Sam's eyes widened and Teal'c straightened.
Jack sighed. "No. What Sam heard me talking about was planning a trip to the pet store. We don't really have anything here to make a kitten happy."
"Really? We can keep Bill?" Sam asked, dubiously, her death grip on Hammond's waist loosening slightly, much to the General's relief.
"Really," confirmed Jack. He was only slightly prepared for Sam throwing herself at him. It was now his turn to have skinny little arms wound around his waist.
"Thank you Colonel Jack!" came her muffled exclamation. Daniel had molded into his side for his own hug of thanks, and Teal'c hovered on his other side, still holding the backpack carefully. An annoyed mew came from inside the pack; as if Bill was reminding them all that he'd very much like to get out of the bag please.
Jack narrowed his eyes at the pack. "Maybe you three should head upstairs and let Bill out. It's well past time for you kids to be in bed anyway," he added as a tremendous yawn split Daniel's face. Just before the kids turned to go, wide smiles on their faces, he held up a hand. The kids sobered at his serious expression. "This isn't over yet," he admonished them. "We will be having a discussion in the morning about what you have done." Heads dropped. They should have known there'd be no escaping a punishment. But still, thoughts of punishment were outweighed by the excitement of a new pet, and the kids trooped upstairs, clustered around Teal'c and the bag he carried.
Jack sighed again as he watched them go, giving an imploring look to Doctor Fraiser and the General. The two only shook their heads an amusement. They were glad they weren't responsible for miniature SG-1!
Thanking Hammond and Fraiser, Jack led them to the door and bade them both a good night. "Try not to be too hard on them son," Hammond said before leaving, and Jack grinned wryly. Janet gave him a knowing smile.
Alone again, Jack detoured to the kitchen and prepared another plate for Bill. Somehow, he doubted the kids had thought to bring something a kitten would actually eat. This time it was crumbled hamburger from the night's dinner. Someone might as well enjoy it. He'd check and see if the kids were hungry too, since they'd missed dinner.
Plate in hand, he headed upstairs to check on the kids and the new family member. Seemed Bill was already fitting in with his group by causing trouble. Jack snorted to himself. Surprisingly, the boys' room was empty, but Jack had half suspected it would be. Pushing the door to Sam's room open, Jack smiled to find the two boys in there, dressed for bed. Daniel was sprawled on Sam's bed and Teal'c had his head pillowed in his arms at her desk. Sam hadn't even managed to change and was lying on her bed next to Daniel fully clothed. The two children had their heads together as if they'd fallen asleep whispering new plans and schemes. Between them, the kitten was curled in a little ball and it looked up at his entrance.
He placed the plate on the floor and the kitten wasted no time in pouncing on it, practically inhaling the burger meat. He studied the sleeping children, allowing the tension in his neck and shoulders to finally release. They were home, safe and sound. He closed his eyes briefly, with a whispered word of thanks to whoever it was that seemed to be watching out for these three.
Opening his eyes again, he considered the way the kids had just crashed where they were, as if someone had flipped a switch and turned them off. He was actually slightly surprised they'd gone down so quickly, considering they'd missed dinner. His eye caught the three backpacks left in a pile near Sam's door. Curious, he picked one up, wondering what they might have considered important enough to pack when running away.
A half grin appeared on his face as he discovered an empty cookie package, wrappers from pop tarts and a few bits of leftover candy in the bags. No wonder they'd crashed. They'd probably had enough sugar to make them be able to climb the Empire State Building. Once the sugar high had worn off, they'd gone down and gone down hard. Given their active day and late bedtime, they'd probably sleep at least halfway to noon. Good thing it was a Friday night!
Shaking his head ruefully, he cajoled the two boys up and off to their own room. As cute as they were now, they'd all be stiff the next morning. The boys in their own beds, Jack wrestled Sam out of her clothes and into an oversized t-shirt. While she had pajamas now, the t-shirt was the easiest to get on a sleeping child. She barely stirred even as he settled her under the covers.
Finished with its meal, the kitten had settled at the foot of Sam's bed, engrossed in a thorough washing. Jack gave it a glare. He was not happy to have his world turned upside down for a cat! As if sensing his thoughts, the kitten slowly and almost deliberately lifted one hind leg and washed a certain area with particular attention to detail. Jack scowled and left the room. A kitten with an attitude!
Just what he needed.
Chapter 58: Punishments
Saturday morning saw Jack's predictions proven true. Despite sleeping later than normal himself, he was still up well before the kids had even started to stir. He used the time wisely in planning the day, as well as deciding on a suitable punishment for the kids taking off on their own. While he understood their reasons for going off trying to find General Hammond (he snickered at the kid's reasoning, which Hammond had revealed just before leaving last night) he needed to show them he would not tolerate such behavior again. What they had done could have proven very dangerous, and he wanted to impart that their actions had held farther-reaching consequences than just their selves. They had, after all, inconvenienced a lot of people with their little stunt.
For a moment, Jack was struck by the irony of needing to punish his teammates. It was starting to get easy to think in the terms of correcting them as children, and that thought should probably scare him more than it did. As time passed, and little to no progress was made by the science and linguistics team working on a solution, it became increasingly difficult to connect the children he saw on a day to day basis with the adults he had known. That he hoped he would one day see again. There didn't seem much he could do about it though, except continue on as he had been and do his best to keep them safe. And teach them right from wrong when necessary.
About an hour after he'd gotten up, three sleepy children made their way downstairs, lured in by the smell of the hearty breakfast he'd prepared. He'd known they'd be hungry after having only eaten cookies and other junk the night before. They were lucky they all didn't wake up with stomachaches. Jack placed full plates in front of each child, and another plate of hamburger on the floor for Bill, who had followed the kids downstairs.
Jack allowed the kids to fill their stomachs, the normal morning chatter replaced by a contemplative silence as the kids ate with single-minded determination. Finally though, their pace slowed showing they were getting full. Clearing his throat, he was granted their sudden and undivided attention. Faces looked at him with an air of expectant dread.
"I'm very disappointed in all of you," he started off. The kids all looked down at their mostly empty plates, food suddenly not as appealing anymore. "What you did could have been very dangerous, not to mention how many people you all inconvenienced with your little trip." He paused, and heads remained bowed, small bodies fidgeting in their seats as they waited for the other shoe to drop. Teal'c was the only one sitting still with his head raised, gaze locked on something nonexistent past his shoulder in an overly familiar pose. He must have had that military stand-at-attention look drilled into him from an early age.
"I understand why you did what you did, but it doesn't change the facts," he continued. "You should have come to me first, and all of this might have been prevented. But you decided all by yourselves to take matters into your own hands. You left here without permission, without letting me know where you were going. I expect it to never happen again, do you understand me?" His tone was no-nonsense as he looked at them; receiving nods and whispered yes sirs in reply.
"Now, I understand why you did what you did, but all the people that changed their plans last night to come and look for you may not. Therefore, I expect all of you to write out a letter of apology and thanks to each person that was here last night. And I want you to say in each letter that you will never do anything like that again." The kids all shared glances as if trying to puzzle out just how many letters that would be. But Jack wasn't finished.
"And furthermore, there will be no TV and no videogames for a week. And none of your are to venture outside without me or my express permission, do I make myself clear?" More nods and yeses followed. "Good. I expect you to get started on those letters right away. And we have an appointment this afternoon to take Bill to the vet for a check up." Faces brightened somewhat at the mention of Bill.
"Do we really get to keep Bill?" Daniel asked hesitantly.
"Yes, you can keep Bill," Jack answered, holding up a hand to forestall the eager cries. "I'm going to remind you that a kitten is a big responsibility." Faces sobered and every eye was now watching him intently. "He is going to need food and water and cleaning up after every day, whether you feel like it or not. You'll have to keep him from getting into things, and he may do things you don't like because he doesn't know any better. He's yours now, and your responsibility. Pets are not just something you can forget about or get rid of when it gets too hard to take care of them. If you care for him properly, he can be your friend for a very long time. But if I feel like you can't take care of him the right way, I'll be forced to find someone who will. Are you sure you can handle it? This is a big responsibility."
The kids all shared a look, leaning in to whisper among themselves. Finally they straightened up, and Daniel spoke, his shoulders square. "We can do it, please let us keep Bill." Nods from the other two confirmed the boy's statement.
Jack smiled for the first time that morning. They were good kids, but he should have known that, knowing what they were like as adults after all. Retrieving Bill from under one of the chairs, he placed the curious kitten in Teal'c's arms. Promising to help the kids learn how to take care of their new pet, he cleared the dishes with Daniel and Sam's help, and then brought out paper and craft supplies on the table. He'd written down all the names of the people that had come to aid the search and gave the list to the kids, leaving them to work out what they wanted to do with the letters. The kids got right down to business, putting their heads together in that way they had. There were no complaints about the other part of their punishment, despite the fact they were missing the favored Saturday morning cartoons. They seemed to take the punishment in stride. He shouldn't have been surprised about that either.
Checking on them a short while later, he found all three engaged in an assembly line of sorts. They had decided to put their notes into cards. Daniel folded each piece of paper into a card shape, and carefully drew pictures on them. When he was done, he passed the card to Sam who colored the pictures in. The colored card then went to Teal'c, who wrote out careful notes to each recipient inside. The finished card got passed around again for signatures. Bill helped by swatting at the pencils and crayons the kids were using, and diving at the crumpled bits of paper that were the rejects.
Glancing over shoulders, Jack had a hard time holding back a chuckle over the contents of the cards. They were keepers all right. He thought about saving the master draft, which Teal'c was now copying meticulously, minus the scratch outs.
"Dear Sir, (or Madam depending on the recipient)
Thank you for help-
ing us get un-lost.
We were very scared.
We are sorry we ran
away. We promise to
never ever run away
without telling some-
body ever again.
Signed,
Daniel, Sam, Teal'c, Bill"
The addition of Bill's name to the signed names nearly sent him over the edge. Not only would most of the recipients not have a clue who or what Bill was, but the provisional promise at the end was priceless. He wondered who had contributed the word, "un-lost." Jack decided to leave the kids to it, they were doing well enough it seemed.
Walking away from the table, Jack couldn't help but shake his head. His team seemed more than capable of getting themselves into (and out of) trouble just as much, if not more so, than when they were adults. All despite the fact they were children, or perhaps because of. Now the real question was, how much more trouble could he expect from them before they grew up again?
Chapter 59: Of Dogs and Cats
The week proceeded quietly for a change, despite the new family member. Perhaps the kids were on extra good behavior because they realized their punishment could have been a lot worse. Or maybe they were afraid he'd take Bill away like he'd threatened if they weren't taking care of him. Jack really had no intention of doing so though, unless he felt the kids were doing something to harm the kitten, and he'd knew they never intentionally hurt the little thing. Unintentionally was another matter entirely, and Jack was doing everything he could to help the kids, and himself, take care of the little moocher. He knew that the ultimate responsibility lay with him, as the adult, no matter what he let the kids think.
As for Bill, well there was another surprise. Or perhaps he should say Billie? The kids hadn't really decided yet. The vet had quickly pointed out that Bill was most definitely female. She'd also been very helpful in giving all of them a crash course in New Kitten 101. Sam had actually stood still in one spot for the entire lecture, and Daniel had looked like he wanted to take notes. Teal'c had given the matter his most studious attention. Jack on the other hand, was glad the vet had the foresight to hand them several pamphlets on the care of kittens and cats, because he was sure his eyes had glazed over somewhere between the mention of further visits for health and vaccines, and the necessity of spaying the poor defenseless thing. Which would no doubt cost even more money.
After the vet visit, Jack had wondered if he would need to consider going back on hazard pay, when he saw the bill and the total for all the purchases he had to make. After all, a cat needed a bed, a litter box, scratching post, food, bowls, toys...
Why couldn't they have found a puppy instead? The rebellious thought had crossed his mind on more than one occasion, as he'd rearranged his house to contain all the necessary apparatus. Dogs were so much less complicated, and they needed a lot less stuff. Well, maybe not, he admitted ruefully, the dog section at the store had been at least as big, if not bigger than the cat section. It's just that cats, well cats stared at you. And dogs, well dogs would chase a ball if you threw it. Cats? Cats slept a lot. And dogs almost always looked happy. How could you not grin back at a doggie grin? Cats? Cats stared at you. Jack suppressed a shudder.
Somehow, though, despite his innate preference for canines, he could kinda see why the kids thought the kitten was wonderful. After all, it was sorta cute. Although if anyone ever found out he'd thought that, he'd have to kill them.
Needless to say though, it took some adjustment on his part. Then again, a lot of new adjustments had to be made when a new pet entered a home. But despite all the upheaval in the O'Neill household, Jack wouldn't let anything spoil his plans for that week. Everything was all set to go. For Thursday was Thanksgiving, and Jack planned to make it a very special Thanksgiving.
Chapter 60: Lumpy Turkey and Mashed Gravy
The morning of Thanksgiving, Jack rose with the sun. He wanted time to finish preparations before the kids got up. Otherwise, he knew he'd get nothing else done between the time the kids woke and when they all piled into the SUV and headed off to General Hammond's. He'd made the mistake of telling them the plan last night, and with their excitement at being able to see so many of their favorite people (Janet and Cassie had been invited as well) it was all he could do to get them in bed. On the other hand, they'd been up so late the night before, he knew he'd have plenty of time to finish what he'd started before going to bed.
Jack scowled at the pot of boiled potatoes that were to be part of the dish he had suckered himself into bringing to the dinner. He really needed to learn to keep his mouth shut. But no, he had to go and jokingly tell General Hammond to make sure the mashed potatoes were lumpy, but not too lumpy. But he hadn't stopped there. No, he'd signed his sentence by going on in great lengths how to prepare them. So much so, that Hammond had quite pleasantly suggested that Jack bring the mashed potatoes. After all, Jack had made it sound like he possessed the ultimate secret recipe for homemade mashed potatoes. The General's tone had further suggested that there would be no homemade mashed potatoes (with or without sufficient lumps) if Jack didn't bring them.
Savagely, Jack attacked the potatoes, first peeling them, and then going after the things with the hand masher. After all, doing it by hand was the only way to properly ensure the right amount of lumps. And if he was mashing them a bit more enthusiastically than absolutely necessary, all the better.
By the time the kids woke up, the potatoes were in a covered bowl ready to be warmed up when they got to the General's for dinner.
Jack smiled softly as he watched the kids eating. Sam was having a bit of difficulty because she kept forgetting that her cast was now gone, removed yesterday by Janet. The removal had gone surprisingly well. There had only been a minimum of screaming, drowned out by the whine of the cast saw. Despite the Doctor's reassurance that it wouldn't cut her, it had still looked sharp and scary, especially when it was turned on. She'd held still though, held securely in Jack's arms with eyes squeezed shut. Teal'c and Daniel had watched from the next bed, a nurse with a hand on their shoulders when they'd jumped up at Sam's cries, as if ready to come to her defense.
Cast removed, all three children had stared in amazement at Sam's intact skin. Janet had raised her eyebrows though at the Lego piece that had fallen out, the clump of mud, and the penny. Jack had scowled at the glitter. Sam had looked innocent. After Sam had been sent to wash up with a bit of assistance, Doctor Fraiser had let all three children try out the cast saw on the old cast pieces, a guiding hand over each child's. Any trace of lingering fear over the cutter had evaporated at the chance to actually play with it.
The cast removed, and some instructions for a few mild PT exercises for Jack to help the little girl with to regain any lost muscle strength, they'd headed off for the local Hair Cuttery to get haircuts for the kids. Well, Daniel and Sam at least. Teal'c had allowed hair to grow out and cover his head, but seemed to prefer it short. He'd asked for help and Jack had been more than willing to oblige with the electric home cutting kit he had. Military cuts were a piece of cake. Number one all over, and Teal'c's head looked neatly trimmed, the boy quite satisfied with the result.
Daniel however, flat out refused to let Jack anywhere near his head, shaking the mop of brownish blond wavy hair and vehemently shoving the too long bangs off his forehead. And Sam looked downright shaggy. The haircut that had looked stylish on a grown woman simply looked messy on a little girl. The inch or two it had grown didn't help matters either. Jack knew better than to even think about coming anywhere near a little girl's head with a pair of scissors. (The time she'd gotten gum in it hadn't counted.)
And so Jack had taken the kids in for haircuts, getting himself a trim too while he was at it. The kids looked good when they were done, and Jack couldn't help but silently hope that none of them would mind the children's haircuts they were sporting if a way was discovered in the near future to change them back to adults.
Jack smiled to himself as he surveyed the kids picking over breakfast. The haircut had been a good idea. And long sleeves neatly covered Sam's arm, making the evidence the cast had left behind a lot less noticeable. Jack had every reason to make Sam look as hearty and healthy as possible before evidence of her injury was discovered.
The breakfast dishes cleared away and a double check to make sure Billie had enough food and water to last the day, and the kids were loaded into the SUV. Fortunately, the vehicle had a fold down third seat, which they would need today since they were picking up Janet and Cassie on the way to the General's.
The kids greeted the Doctor like they hadn't just seen her the day before, and Cassie no less enthusiastically. The older teen seemed quite happy to slip into the middle seat with Teal'c, Daniel and Sam taking the third seat and Janet the front passenger seat. There was room enough for one more, despite the extra people, which left plenty of room for the mashed potatoes and things the kids were bringing to keep themselves occupied and out of trouble until dinner was ready.
Mercifully for the adults, the trip to the General's was only about thirty minutes. That meant that the younger passengers had only managed to get to about seventy or so bottles of non-alcoholic beverage on the wall. The enthusiastic singing had blessedly turned to cheers upon arrival at their destination.
Poor George Hammond was nearly bowled over by the kids excited greetings. Smiling over their heads indulgently, Janet and Jack trailed behind, carrying the items forgotten by the children in their haste to reach Hammond. Hammond quickly took second stage however, when Sam noticed who was standing behind the General.
"Daddy!" she shrieked, taking a running leap at the man. Somehow, Jacob deftly caught the girl, swinging her up into his arms and staggering back a step to keep his balance. Jack wasn't sure who was hugging who the tighter. Jacob managed to cast a grateful smile over Sam's shoulder as the little girl launched into a high speed retelling of just about everything that had happened since she'd seen him last. Jack smiled back, glad that Jacob had been able to get away from the Tok'ra for a visit. He'd invited the man several weeks ago, but they'd only found out the day before that he could come for sure. Teal'c, Daniel and Cassie had quieted some in curiosity at Sam's happy cry, but all now wore grins. Jack patted the scrapbook he'd smuggled along as Hammond ushered the group out of the foyer and into the living room. Smells of the turkey and a few other things already filled the house.
The three youngest monopolized everyone's attention for a while, though Cassie hung back at first, torn between the excited chatter of the kids and the more reserved atmosphere the adults exhibited. Soon, the kid's enthusiasm won her over though. It was hard to resist the kids after all. They swung back and forth between the various adults. When they wound down, Jack brought out the scrapbook, and everyone needed to take a look, including the kids, who were the object of the creation.
There had been no way of hiding Sam's broken arm from her father. After all, most of the pictures had been taken while she'd had the cast on. Somehow though, the cast and the story of how she'd gotten it hadn't even fazed Jacob, and he'd surprised Jack by launching into stories of a few of Sam's better scrapes, some of which Sam remembered and added to, and others she didn't since they had occurred beyond seven years. More ammunition for when she was an adult again to Jack's thinking. Not many people could claim a second childhood after all, and he might as well milk it for all it was worth.
Eventually, the children settled down to a less intense level and Hammond excused himself to tend to the meal preparations. Janet went with him. She'd offered to bring dessert, and had a few things she needed to do. After making sure Jacob was ok on his own with the four young people, Jack headed to the kitchen himself. He figured he could help out some, as well as make sure no one touched the potatoes. He didn't feel guilty over abandoning the man; he seemed to have things well in hand. Sam was snuggled securely into his side, and Teal'c and Daniel had seemed to adopt him as a long lost relative. Even Cassie looked relaxed, despite her earlier misgivings around the Tok'ra.
Jacob couldn't stay away from the kitchen though. After a time, he'd showed up, offering to lend a hand. It seemed Selmak had a thing for food preparation, and Jacob missed more than just the eating of Earth cuisine. The problem came when the kids gave up on amusing themselves, and joined the crowd in the kitchen. While generous in size, General Hammond's kitchen simply wasn't big enough for four adults, one teen and three overly helpful children, as well as a turkey and all the trimmings.
As much to get the kids out from underfoot, as to escape having to slice or peel any more vegetables, Jack offered to take the kids outside in order to run around and burn off a little energy. Cassie came with them, and Jacob followed a bit later having run out of things to help with. Jack had found a football in Hammond's hall closet with the kid's jackets, and Jacob's eyes lit up when he saw Jack tossing the ball around, and trying to teach the youngsters how to throw it. There was more to Thanksgiving than just eating after all. Jacob jumped right in with the lessons, quickly proving that his time among aliens had not affected his throwing arm in the slightest.
Between the two men, all the kids including Sam were soon able to make at least a halfway decent pass, and it was quickly decided to organize an impromptu touch football game. Jack ended up with Cassie and Daniel, while Teal'c and Sam were on Jacob's team. Everyone was careful of Sam's recently healed arm. The last thing anyone wanted was for the little girl to end up back in a cast so soon.
Despite the disparate ages, backgrounds, and sizes, both sides were fairly even in skill. Some shrubs marked one goal, and a clothesline the other. The battle began, both seasoned military men deploying the small troops about the field. By the time Janet and Hammond came out to watch (and take pictures) the score was evenly matched. Sam was in possession of the ball and was running as fast as she could towards the goal. She'd dodged Daniel's outstretched arm and avoided Cassie, but she was too far from the goal to make it before Jack would intercept her on the way, even though she was running for all she was worth.
Suddenly, Jacob was there, and scooped his daughter up ball and all. Tucking her under his arm like she was the football, Jacob put on a burst of speed. Startled by the surprise maneuver, Jack's steps faltered, and it was enough for the other man to get past him and under the clothesline. For a moment, Jacob pretended he was going to spike Sam on the ground like a ball, but then set the giggling little girl down instead. Sam performed the honor, and Teal'c joined them in the makeshift end zone, even joining in the obligatory "victory dance" after urging from the other two. The silly cavorting soon degenerated into a spur of the moment contest, with both sides participating. They even got Janet to show some moves. Jack suspected there would be more than a few goofy pictures of them, but at the moment he wasn't worried about it. After all, he had way more goofy pictures of the kids if they ever tried to use them against him.
They trooped back inside, everyone rosy cheeked and laughing. After they had relaxed and freshened up a bit, the dinner started coming out of the oven. The kids were given the task of setting the table under Cassie's supervision, and the finished dishes made their way to the dining room. The table had been decorated with creations the kids had done at school and brought along for the special occasion. Paper tube pilgrims and construction paper turkeys mingled with sweet potatoes, vegetables, and cranberry sauce.
The turkey was brought out at last, golden brown and juicy. George Hammond possessed a large oval table with drop in leaves, so there was more than ample room for everyone to sit. The kids ended up interspaced between the adults.
Hammond stood and cleared his throat, catching everyone's attention. "I would like to thank all of you for coming today. I had thought that I would just be having a quiet dinner today, with just myself seeing as my own daughters wanted to spend Thanksgiving with their husband's families. But having you all here today has shown me something else. And so, I would like to give thanks for families of all sorts, because I have realized that families come in all shapes and sizes, and I am with family today."
There were smiles and appreciative murmurs as Hammond sat down. Janet stood when the murmurs died down. "While I am also thankful for families, I would just like to say I'm especially thankful for daughters." Cassie smiled up her adoptive mother from her seat next to the doctor, and Janet laid her hand on the teen's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.
As Janet sat, Jacob stood, with a nod of appreciation at Janet for her words. "I am thankful for second chances," he said simply, with a look at Sam, but the other adults knew he meant more than just with his daughter, he meant with life too.
"I'm thankful for pumpkin pie," Daniel contributed into the silence that fell after Jacob's announcement, and amused titters came in response to the boy's declaration.
"Me too," announced Sam from her seat across from Daniel. There were a few more chuckles. Daniel made a silly face at her and in response Sam stretched her eyes and mouth with her fingers. Daniel moved to respond in kind when Jacob gave both of them a look.
"I'm thankful for moms," Cassie said having missed the silent exchange among the younger two, and looked at Janet with a small smile. Janet smiled back, and patted the girl's leg gently.
Teal'c stood up. "I am thankful that Billie Nye may stay with us." Jack tried not to scowl, while the other adults sent a few smiles his way. Cassie looked confused.
Before Cassie could voice her question though, and start another discussion about the darn cat, Jack made his own contribution. "Uh..." He coughed as if clearing his throat. "You all know I'm not one for speeches, so I'll make this simple. I'm thankful Jacob hasn't tried to kill me." Jack sat back down to amused laughter.
"Yet," Jacob said dryly, only the twinkle in his eye and twitching at the corners of his mouth gave away the fact he was joking. More amused laughter followed and Jack pretended to edge his chair away.
Hammond coughed discreetly as the laughter and teasing died down. When everyone was looking his way, he lifted the carving knife and gestured at the golden brown bird significantly. "Shall we eat?"
The affirmative responses were hearty and enthusiastic, and Hammond sliced into the bird to a round of appreciative murmurs. Plates bearing hot sliced turkey made their way down the table and for the next several minutes the only thing to be heard was an occasional request to pass a certain dish. The adults all made sure that children received portions of the good things as well as the good for them things, although the kids didn't seem to mind very much what with all the different things to try on their plates. As the plates filled, the adults settled into an easygoing conversation that mostly went over the kids' heads. For their part, the kids applied themselves to eating and sampling all the various offerings.
Sam took a bite of Jack's mashed potatoes, and a puzzled look crossed her face. For several long moments, she worked the mouthful around, head tilting from side to side, and face twisting into the one Jack recognized as her thinking face. The one she wore when presented with a problem. Her dilemma drew the attention of most of the adults at the table.
"Something wrong with your potatoes Sam?" her father asked. His question brought the attention of everyone else, including Daniel and Teal'c.
The little girl blinked, and hastily swallowed rather than risk an admonishment not to talk with her mouth full, even though she wasn't quite sure yet if she actually wanted to eat the potatoes. "They have lumps in them," she explained, before gazing down at the potatoes on her plate with narrowed eyes and poking them with her fork.
Jack chuckled, and there were a few smiles from the adults. Daniel and Teal'c looked curious, pausing in their own eating. Neither of them had sampled the potatoes yet. "They're supposed to have lumps," Jack told her.
The confusion on Sam's face didn't clear. She now studied the potatoes on her plate as if she could see the lumps. "The potatoes we usually have don't have lumps," she pointed out.
Jack bit his lip, and he could see more amused grins. "That's because... uh, well, those aren't real mashed potatoes," he tried to explain. "These are real mashed potatoes."
"If the other potatoes aren't real, than what are they?" This time Daniel beat Sam to the question. His face looked genuinely concerned. What exactly had Jack been feeding them if it wasn't real food? Teal'c looked vaguely alarmed.
No one seemed inclined to help the colonel out. Jack tried not to scowl. Didn't they know that even as children, they were still smarter than him? Likely they did, and were waiting to see how he'd bail himself out of this one. Not wanting to become the dinnertime entertainment, Jack invoked his authority as the parent figure. "They're just different. Now eat your dinner before it gets cold, all of you," He directed the parental command at all three children, ignoring the smirks and snorts from the grown ups. Jack scooped a big mouthful of potatoes into his mouth with an air of defiance. He liked lumps.
The kids exchanged a look, as the adults turned to other matters of discussion. Bravely, Teal'c took a large bite of the potatoes, the other two watching him. When Teal'c's face showed a look of pleasure, followed by a second bite, Daniel took his own scoop of potatoes. Daniel's face showed a bit less confusion and surprise than Sam's had. It looked like he was reserving judgment, at least until he'd had a few more samples. Sam on the other hand took a bite of turkey instead before she poked at the potatoes with her fork again, as if testing to see if they would somehow respond to the prodding.
Conversation proceeded to the usual topics of grown up discussions like politics, sports and the weather, and the kids were left pretty much to their own devices. That is until Jacob spotted that his daughter was too busy building a mashed potato tower to actually spend any time eating. It seemed that she had discovered that real mashed potatoes were much thicker and stiffer than instant mashed potatoes, making them uniquely suited to the task.
Keeping half of his attention on the debate about some new policies the Air Force was instituting, Jacob deftly captured Sam's spoon (she'd abandoned the fork in favor of the other tool) and squashed the tower to his daughter's dismay. Still, she watched in fascination as he neatly formed a crater inside the pile, and carefully filled it with gravy while adding his own opinion to the conversation. Filling the spoon with potatoes from the outside of the makeshift gravy bowl, Jacob dipped the spoonful into the gravy and presented it to the little girl. "Stop playing with it and eat, or you'll miss the pie later," he told her before giving his full attention back to the other adults.
Without a choice Sam took the filled spoon and put it in her mouth, sinking into her chair sullenly. Her face clearly said that lukewarm lumpy potatoes, even with gravy on them, were not very good. They were much more suited to constructing things. Across from her, Daniel gave her a little smirk; his plate was nearly empty. Nearly empty except for the carrots he had painstakingly separated from his peas to create what looked like the base of a miniature pyramid. Sam stuck her tongue out at him. In reply, Daniel tried to hold his spoon on the end of his nose, making her giggle. Seated next to Daniel, Janet noticed the boy's attention wasn't on his meal, and gave him a nudge and a discreet cough. Startled, Daniel lost the spoon, which fell with a clatter onto his plate, demolishing the carrot pyramid. Sam giggled again, earning a stern look from her father. Jack gave both children a pointed glance. Sufficiently chastened, the two children reapplied themselves to eating, although Sam spent an inordinate amount of time removing the peas from her vegetables. She didn't like peas. Curiously, Teal'c looked at the younger children, wondering what they were up to. He was nearly through a second portion of everything on his plate, and looked likely to ask for thirds. At least of the things he preferred best, which was just about everything.
Eventually though, even Sam's plate was clean enough for the satisfaction of the adults at the table. Her trick of trying to mash things into the plate and squish them around to make it look like she'd eaten more than she had failed. All of the adults were wise to that little disguise. The kids slipped away while the adults lingered over the meal. They gravitated back to the table predictably enough though, when the coffee and pie appeared. Fresh glasses of milk were served to the children in lieu of coffee. The whipped topping applied generously to each slice brought grins to the kid's faces. None of them needed any reminding to eat their dessert. Daniel wheedled a second serving.
As soon as everyone had eaten as much as they could hold, the table was cleared, the leftovers put away or placed on plates for the guests to take home. The dishwasher was loaded up and everyone migrated to the living room. Jacob put on the requisite football game and Jack allowed the kids to watch with him despite the no TV for a week restriction. After all, they weren't so much interested in the game as they were in snuggling up near Jacob and the others they didn't usually spend time with. Mention of the restriction caught Jacob's interest though, and so the other adults filled him in on the kids little adventure in between plays. Jacob had been just as amused about the kid's rationale for leaving as well as their insistence that they had been the ones to find General Hammond and not the other way around.
When the game finished, Jack stood and lazily stretched, taking in the appearance of the half asleep kids sprawled around the room. Even Janet and Cassie looked ready to sack out. It was time to head home.
Sam was reluctant to leave until she realized that Jacob was coming home with them. It seemed he had been given leave to take the entire weekend. As soon as she learned that, she all but dragged the poor man to the truck. The others followed in amusement, everyone giving their thanks to the General for his invitation. General Hammond followed them to the door, and the kids waved until they turned the corner and the house disappeared from sight.
The vehicle was a bit more crowded with the addition of Jacob, but they managed it with Jacob taking the front seat and Janet slipping between Teal'c and Cassie. By the time they got to Janet's home, Teal'c and Cassie both had their heads on Janet's shoulders, and Sam and Daniel were fast asleep in the very back leaning against each other. Teal'c shifted slightly when Janet slipped out, leaning against the window instead.
Teal'c roused when they pulled up and parked in front of the house, the cessation of engine noise waking him. Daniel woke at a gentle call. Sam was dead to the world, even after losing the support of Daniel's shoulder. Fortunately for Jack, Jacob voluntarily contorted himself to reach into the back and retrieve the little girl, leaving Jack to carry in the things. Luckily, Teal'c was awake enough, just barely, to assist and Daniel barely noticed when Jack slipped the strap of a lightweight bag over the boy's shoulder and pointed him in the right direction.
Leading the way, Jack unlocked the door and went inside, dropping a bag to reach for the light switch, and then suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. Daniel pushed around him to gain entry and stopped too as soon as he saw what had brought Jack up short.
"Whoa," Daniel muttered, his tone half tinged with awe, and half with sleep.
"Uh, you know, it's a little cold out here, I was wondering if we could come inside?" Jacob's voice sounded slightly impatient, and with a start, Jack moved out of the way.
Jacob entered, bearing his sleeping daughter and Teal'c followed behind them. Busy watching where he stepped to get inside, it took a moment for Jacob to notice what had caught Jack's attention. Blinking, the man took in the transformed room in front of him. Of course, he'd never been to Jack's house, so maybe this was the way it always looked. He coughed, pulling Jack out of his reverie. "Uh, Jack, someone not like you?" he asked, shifting Sam a bit in his arms.
Wordlessly, Jack shook his head, and then seemed to shake himself from his preoccupation. "Sam's room is upstairs, this way," he said. Teal'c and Daniel had already started to pick their way gingerly to the stairs, and Jack followed, taking another look around. It was hard to believe one little kitten could have done it all, but it had to have been Bill because Jack could not think of a single person that would break into his house to distribute a roll of toilet paper all over the furniture and floor.
And surely it looked like the whole roll, which Jack remembered changing it this very morning. Reaching the stairs, he saw that the trail led upstairs, confirming his suspicions. Before he started up, he cast one more look around the downstairs areas he could see. He was too tired to investigate much further, and what he saw was impressive enough. It looked like someone had TP'd his house on the inside, for toilet paper wound around chair legs and over top or under furniture all over the rooms he could see, crisscrossing back and forth on the floor, with a few shredded bits here and there.
Following the trail of thin tissue, Jack absently noticed it ended just outside the bathroom, the last sheet separated from the roll. Looked like the cat had only gone downstairs with it. Shaking his head, Jack waved Jacob toward Sam's room, ushering the boys toward the bathroom. The boys heading in the right direction, he ducked into Sam's room as Jacob was laying her on the bed. Opening a drawer, Jack pulled out a nightshirt and passed it to Jacob, receiving a thankful nod in reply. He didn't need to ask if Jacob was ok tucking Sam in, and left to get the boys settled.
By the time Jack had Daniel and Teal'c in bed, Jacob was done and had already headed downstairs. Jack paused to grab some things from the linen closet before following and locating the other man in the middle of the living room. Jacob was turning a slow circle and his face held a mix between speculation and awe. "You know Jack," he said, "I really can't say much for your choice of décor."
Jack snorted. "Want a cat Jacob?"
Jacob laughed, shaking his head ruefully. "I think the kids will notice. So... Couch?"
"Sorry, my guest rooms are all in use. But if you want, I really don't mind taking..."
"Nonsense," Jacob interrupted. "I wouldn't hear of it. Besides, I don't really need much sleep and you've seen Tok'ra beds. This will be like a featherbed in comparison."
"You mean that big shelf is really a bed?" Jack joked, pulling a few strands of toilet paper off the sofa with one hand. He'd get the rest later.
Jacob reached out and took the linens. "Goodnight Jack," he said, but his tone was full of amusement.
Gracing the man with a wry grin, Jack turned. "You too Jacob, see you in the morning," he said over his shoulder as he made his way out of the room, trying valiantly not to get paper attached to his foot.
Entering his bedroom, Jack realized he hadn't seen hide nor hair of the little hooligan since they'd gotten back. Hesitating, he wondered if he should look for the thing, when he heard something stir in his room. Flipping on the light, he realized there would be no need to look. Billie had found the perfect spot, smack dab in the middle of his bed. Innocently, she lifted her head and blinked her eyes at him as if to say 'What? I didn't do anything. I've been here sleeping all day.'
Jack scowled, grumbling under his breath a variety of uncomplimentary things about felines in general. He glared at the beast, as if ordering it to move, but the kitten just rolled over, looking at him upside down. Grumbling a bit more, he dressed for bed and slid under the covers, pushing the cat to make it move and hopefully leave, but only succeeded in making her roll to her other side, where she stretched out next to him purring. Still scowling, Jack turned over so that his back was to the kitten. She didn't seem able to take a hint though, as he could still feel her purring through the covers. And that was how he fell asleep, clinging to the edge of a queen sized mattress with a kitten curled up and pressing against his back.
Chapter 61: Snow Day
Jack groaned as the alarm went off, quickly slapping a hand down on the snooze button. Time to get the kids up, but he really didn't want to get up himself. The weekend had been a long one, and while it had been quite nice, it had been far from relaxing. With Jacob there a second adult, one might have thought that order would prevail, but it had been anything but. In fact, Jacob seemed to encourage the kids to new levels of childish excitement.
He really couldn't hold it against the man though, who was reveling not just in his chance at a second fatherhood with his own daughter, but almost as a pseudo grandfather of sorts with Danny and Teal'c. Jack knew his own feelings of wonder over the three young marvels, and couldn't begrudge Jacob his chance to bask in their light, even if had meant a rather more active than usual weekend. But today would take Jacob back to the stargate and away for an untold length of time, as well as bringing a return to normalcy with the kids back to school after the four-day weekend.
The night before had been a bit subdued, the kids reluctant to go to bed as though they realized Jacob would likely depart and the fun and frolicking of the weekend was past. They'd stayed up late and neither man had had the heart to send the kids to bed until they'd all but needed to be carried.
So it was no little surprise when his bedroom door burst open and a skinny brown haired, blue-eyed nine-year-old bundle of energy launched himself into his bed. Jack groaned, wondering how children could be raring to go on just about any amount of sleep.
Daniel bounced once or twice, his eyes bright, cheeks rosy from sleep or excitement, and his short hair mussed and sticking up in places. "We don't have to go to school today, and Sam's dad can stay another day, they called!" the young boy announced cheerily, squirming with excitement, and a smile splitting his face from ear to ear.
Jack blinked sleepily, unsuccessfully trying to process the information, his brow furrowed in confusion. After all, Monday was a school day. He'd checked the night before. "Uh, what?"
Daniel's smile grew wider, and he bounced himself off the bed. "It's a snow day!" With that, he ran out of the room, leaving the door open. Through the open door, Jack could make out the faint sound of voices from the kitchen. Sam's high pitched one and Teal'c's lower one, interspersed with the deeper adult voice Jack recognized as Jacob. The babble of what sounded like the radio played in the background. He also heard the sounds of things being rattled in the cupboards and the welcoming smell of bacon and other things wafted in the air. Even more welcoming was the smell of coffee. It seemed Jacob had taken him quite to heart when he'd told the man to make himself at home and was indulging his culinary skills in preparing breakfast.
With a groan, Jack hauled himself out of bed and over to the window. Pulling back the blinds he blinked in dazed amazement at the transformation the world had gone under overnight. Everything was coated in a thick blanket of white, and the sky was thick with heavy gray clouds, more snow falling as he watched. The street didn't look as if a plow had come anywhere near it yet. The little flurries and scattered flakes from last night that didn't seem they would amount to much must have called in reinforcements. He should have checked the weather report.
Letting go of the blinds, Jack glanced down at his wrinkled t-shirt and boxers. With a groan, he located the jeans he'd tossed over the back of a chair last night and pulled them on. Running a hand through his rumpled hair in a weak attempt to tame it he padded barefoot down the stairs toward the kitchen.
Making a direct for the coffee pot and the liquid gold it contained, he barely grunted a hello to the occupants of the kitchen. Jacob gave him a cheerful grin in reply, somehow managing to look like he'd been up for hours. Hands wrapped around the warm mug and inhaling the aroma of the fresh hot beverage, Jack took a moment to survey the bustle in the kitchen.
It was the radio he'd heard, repeating long lists of closings, cancellations, and delays. Everything seemed to be closed, including the base except to essential personnel, of which Jack was not currently. At the stove, Teal'c stood carefully stirring the eggs with a determined and serious expression on his face. Nearby, Jacob stood keeping an eye on the boy and the bacon while also assisting his daughter, who was standing in front of him and spreading butter on toast with a concentration not too dissimilar to what he remembered from the adult version while she worked on something explosive.
Unaware of the goofy look he now wore on his face, Jack was slightly startled when Daniel squeezed by with a stack of plates for the table. Moving out of the way, Jack caught Jacob looking at him with a shared look of understanding. Acknowledging the look, Jack held up the coffee and inclined his head in thanks before setting the cup down and getting out the juice and milk from the fridge to add to the table. The eggs were nearly done.
Before long, everyone was settled around the table making their way through full plates of food. Although today, even Teal'c needed the occasional reminder to stop looking out the window at the snow and to eat. It took quite a bit to divert the youngster away from eating so Jack figured that snow was likely a rarity to the boy. Still, he managed to pack away at least two helpings of everything, though where it all went Jack had no idea seeing as Teal'c didn't seem to have a spare pound anywhere on his frame even with the slight hardness of barely developing muscle. It was hard to believe the wiry preteen would one day grow into the hulk of a man he had come to know.
It was inevitable that as soon as the adult's forks left their hands that three more forks clattered to more or less empty plates and three sets of eager eyes wavered between the two grown men. Exchanging a wry grin with Jacob over three small heads, Jack made his way to the closet and started digging out the boots, hats, gloves, snow pants and jackets that had been donated or purchased over the past two months for the children. Behind him he could hear laughter as the kids dragged Jacob into the living room. Luckily, Jack had enough winter weather gear to outfit the other man as well, because somehow he doubted the kids would allow him to be left behind whether or not he was clothed appropriately for the outdoor excursion.
Once outside, Jack felt the cold impact of something semi solid and frozen against the back of his head as he wandered toward the street to check the road conditions. Whipping around, he found the kids all with various looks of amusement on their faces. Jacob however wore an all too innocent expression, and Jack narrowed his eyes at the man. Stooping, he gathered his own handful of snow, his intentions clear. Jacob's eyes widened with mock horror, and with no scruples at all he gathered a giggling little girl into his arms and unashamedly used her as a shield. Making a show of looking for a target, Jack danced around with his snowball. Meanwhile, Daniel tugged on Teal'c's sleeve to catch the other boy's attention and Jack grinned as their plan became clear, keeping up his antics to hide their activity. However, he couldn't hide his grin and seeing it, Jacob turned to follow Jack's gaze only to whirl about again as Jack's projectile caught him off guard, nearly making him drop Sam into the snow. In the next moment, he did drop her into a soft drift as two more missiles collided with him from either side. Daniel crowed in delight and waved enthusiastically at Teal'c who grinned back. While Jacob had been distracted, the two boys had flanked the older man.
The impromptu snowball fight quickly became serious, as the two military men ordered their small troops they way they had a few days before, setting them to work building barriers for snow forts and stockpiling snowballs. Of course, with the two boys on his team, Jacob and little Sam were outnumbered, but Jack would swear later that Selmak was doing all the aiming as snowball after snowball softly pegged the two boys and somewhat less softly seemed to find their way down his collar from just about any direction. For every throw of Sam's that fell short, two more of Jacob/Selmak's found a mark. Of course, Teal'c quickly warmed to the whole snowball thing, and the boy proved to have just as devious a mind at strategy as the two men. Quite a few of their successful sneak attacks were devised and implemented by Teal'c, much to Daniel's growing delight.
Despite the opposing force's accurate aim, Jacob and Sam lost to greater numbers when the two boys led an all out assault, outfitted with a snow saucer retrieved from the garage and converted to a makeshift shield. Their success was aided by a sneak attack on the opposing force's rear by Jack as a distraction, who had slipped past the other side unnoticed while the two boys drew attention to themselves. With one boy holding the shield while the other made and launched snowballs, they were nearly unstoppable, and Jacob and Sam had to defend against two directions. The snow constructed walls of the fort caved in as they were overwhelmed by the two-pronged attack and the two defenders were forced to admit defeat or risk being buried alive in the snow. Sam was helpless with giggles and joined in on her brother's jubilation not seeming to have minded being on the losing side. Jacob accepted Jack's hand up from the ground.
While they'd played, the light snowfall that had been falling lazily as they'd tumbled outside had grown heavier, joined by a slight chill wind. Frowning, Jack started to herd the kids inside despite pleas to continue playing. Jacob backed him up though, and they were all soon inside. As layers were shed, Jack was glad of his decision as Daniel was shivering slightly though he tried to hide it and Sam had somehow managed to get as much if not more snow inside her boots and clothing as on the outside and was soaking wet. Jacob hustled the little girl upstairs for a quick warm bath and change of clothes while Jack settled on draping blankets around each of the boys.
By the time Jacob headed downstairs with Sam, all the gloves and boots and things had found places to dry and get warm and Jack had put the boys to work preparing snacks while he fixed up a pot of hot chocolate on the stove. Everyone equipped with a steaming mug and choice of snack, they all trooped into the living room. Jack found something on TV, looking innocent as the opening credits to Frosty the Snowman scrolled across the screen. Jacob only rolled his eyes as small bodies settled down, molding around the two adults.
When the movie ended, the kids blinked sleepily, stretching lazily until they remembered it was a snow day and not even half the day ended. Checking the storm, Jack saw that the snow had nearly stopped falling, but he didn't think it would hurt to stoke the kids' furnaces a little before letting them back into the snow. Jacob heartily agreed with the idea of lunch, so before long, some tomato soup bubbled on the stove and each kid had a grilled cheese sandwich to go along with the soup. It was only early afternoon by the time all the food was consumed.
Now warm with bellies full, the kids couldn't be kept inside and the two men somehow managed to sort out all the winter layers for each child until they all looked like overstuffed Eskimos. The kids put up with anything that would let them go back into the cold white world. Jack and Jacob followed a bit more slowly, Jack detouring by the garage to pick up the rest of the sleds and snow tubes. The same things that made the back yard a challenge to mow would serve as the perfect slope to provide enough speed to be satisfying but not too much to be unsafe. It also helped that his yard had few trees and other obstacles, and flattened out at the bottom to provide stopping room.
It didn't take much to organize the kids into a few sledding races, even managing to get Jacob to take Selmak for a spin or two down the hill. Jacob also rode down a time or two with Sam, but the little girl seemed to have been born for speed and soon insisted on riding and steering by herself. She gave all the males a run for their money.
While still keeping an eye on the sledders, Jack started to roll what looked like a massive snowball at first. Quickly realizing what Jack was up to, Jacob joined in with a wink and a wide grin. Soon the kids spotted what they were building and the two men quickly found themselves with three assistants after Daniel and Sam had explained to Teal'c what was being done.
And of course they couldn't stop at just one. By the time they were finished, the yard held two tall snowmen wearing spare military gear, and three smaller ones of varying height. A sixth lump, smaller than all the rest, was a representation of Billie according to Sam and Daniel. All the snow people sported extra hats, gloves and scarves. Well, perhaps not all extra, Jack thought with a frown as he noticed Teal'c was missing his hat, Sam her mittens, and he was sure they'd wrapped a scarf around Daniel's neck before letting the children back outside. None of them seemed to notice how cold they were either.
The shadows lengthening in the late afternoon sun, it was quickly growing cold despite the fact the snow had stopped falling. The now clearing sky hinted at even lower temperatures that night. The kids protested tiredly that there was still light to play by, but the protests were token ones at best. Trudging inside, coats and boots were shed wherever. Jacob led Sam back upstairs since she was the most wet again, despite protests she'd already had a bath. He didn't take long though, since this time the two boys also needed the assistance of a bath to warm up. Jack settled on merely changing into dry clothes knowing there wouldn't be much hot water left after the kids had used it all. He saw that Jacob had made the same choice as he led a tired little girl back downstairs. By the time the two boys were back downstairs, Jack had found a Chinese place that was still open and placed an order for a variety of foods, not quite sure which things would be preferred by the kids. Jacob merely raised his eyes when the mountain of cartons and containers arrived, but said nothing as he handed out plates and dug in.
Despite the quantity of food, very little was leftover, as everyone had worked up big appetites that day. Stuffed and sleepy, the kids drifted off during the evening movie selection. For a change, the kids didn't protest going to bed as Jacob carried Sam upstairs and Jack herded the boys. As Jack tucked Daniel into the bottom bunk, the boy smiled sleepily.
"I hope we have a snow day tomorrow too," he told him. Jack only laughed softly and tussled the boy's hair. Daniel's eyes drifted closed, but the smile stayed on his face. Teal'c was already asleep.
Downstairs, Jack found Jacob putting the foyer to rights, and Jack simply slipped in, picking up discarded socks and mittens and wiping up melted snow. They ended up in the kitchen, one washing dishes while the other dried them. As the last dish went into the cabinet, Jacob dried off his hands and turned to Jack.
"Thanks Jack," Jacob said, "For this, for everything," he said, gesturing around him vaguely as if to indicate the room and Jack knew he meant for more than just the day.
Nodding in reply, Jack gave Jacob half a grin as he trudged towards the stairs. "Anytime Jacob, anytime."
It had been a good day.
Chapter 62: Deck the Halls
The days had flown by. Jack had taken Jacob back to the SGC after dropping the kids off at school the day after the snow day. They'd decided to minimize the chance of one of the kids revealing just how Jacob had gotten back to "work." Goodbyes, while sad, had been much smoother than the first time. Sam's sunny personality and easygoing nature had shown through without the taint of alien drugs running through her system. All the same, her brothers had moved to stand shoulder to shoulder on either side of her, as if to give support. The three kids had stood on the sidewalk waving vigorously until the truck was out of sight. As for Jacob, Jack wasn't sure who had waved more fervently. The other man continued to look out the window well after the kids had disappeared from view, and respecting the man's mood, Jack had remained silent during the short trip back to the mountain.
Life went back to normal. Well, as normal as it ever got around the O'Neill house while his transformed teammates gave the place a feel of family. Jack was forever stepping on toys, both human and feline, and he frequently found objects in unusual places. The socks that migrated under furniture could have come from the cat or the kids, though the rocks that showed up inside the fridge he blamed on the human culprits. Likewise, the fuzzy mice he found in his bed were solely the cat's doing.
The holiday season was upon them as well. Seemingly overnight, decorations appeared on houses and in stores and the O'Neill home was no exception. Perhaps it had been the dispirited and preoccupied faces the kids had shown after Jacob left that drove Jack to new levels of holiday enthusiasm, or maybe it was just presence of children in the house. In any case, sad looks soon turned to ones of eager anticipation.
Jack tried to ignore the secretive glances that appeared too. Or the way they'd stop talking when he entered the room. He tried to keep his parental instincts on a lower level too, when the kids would closet themselves in one or the other's bedroom and strange industrious sounds would issue from various areas of the house. And he even managed not to peek (not even a quick one) at the suspicious bulky lump that had appeared in the garage a week or so before Christmas. After all, he had his own secrets to protect too!
By the time Christmas neared, a large tree stood at place of pride in front of the window decked with twinkling lights and a mix of store bought and hand made ornaments. Jack was quite pleased with the result despite the fact that more ornaments than he thought necessary sported varying amounts of glitter, which seemed determined to fall off and take up permanent residence in the carpet. And then there was the cat, which had a different opinion on how the tree should look, but somehow, they managed to keep Billie out of the tree.
Most of the time that is.
Jack found more than a few ornaments under furniture and other unusual places courtesy of one four footed feline. Most of the ornaments stayed where they belonged though, and the tree stayed up thanks to Jack's foresight in tying the tree to the wall with a couple screws and some fishing line. Between the cat and the kids he was amazed the tree was still standing despite the anchorage.
Garland dangled from anywhere it could be draped, and scores of handmade crafts mingled with the everyday décor. The required cookies had been baked, and all the usual holiday specials had been shown, and dutifully watched, on TV. The kids had come home the last half day of school before the holiday break properly loaded down with cards and craft projects, and stuffed with various sugary confections from the classroom party. The next few days were filled with many secretive excursions in order to make sure everything was ready. Finally, the special night arrived.
The stockings had been hung and the kids sent reluctantly to bed. Jack grinned as he walked by the boys' room and overheard Daniel trying valiantly again to reassure Teal'c that Santa Claus was not an intruder, but instead welcomed to come into people's homes in the middle of the night while the occupants slept. He was even left cookies and other things to consume. It wasn't the first time that Daniel had tried to explain Santa Claus, even going as far as to beg a ride to the library where he spent hours researching the history of Father Christmas around the world. Despite the boy's efforts, Teal'c still sounded dubious of the whole idea, particularly of the ability of this one single man to visit all the homes necessary in a single night. Daniel had been unable to uncover any satisfactory explanations for the older boy, but he had refused to give up. Jack could only shake his head and walk away from the bedroom door before his laughter gave him away.
Slipping into his room, Jack closed the door behind himself before he retrieved a few last gifts he hadn't found time to wrap. Jack frowned at the cat, which had somehow managed to sneak into his room ahead of him despite his precautions of dropping a few small tidbits from dinner's leftovers in order to distract the cat. Billie had a rather smug expression on her face, at least in Jack's opinion. Another glare was sent towards the cat when he discovered the ribbons he'd planned on using were shredded and tangled. He tossed the mangled ribbon into the trashcan, and started to pull out the gift-wrap. With several uncomplimentary oaths, Jack retrieved the cat and the unusable ribbon from the trashcan, and carried both downstairs, tossing the ribbon into the covered trashcan and ignoring the mournful looks Billie sent his way once her toy was gone.
On the way back to his bedroom, he gave a start when he realized the sofa was occupied. "Teal'c?" he asked.
Teal'c stood, and shifted slightly as if nervous about something before giving Jack a nod. Jack frowned. "Something wrong Teal'c?"
Again the boy hesitated, uncharacteristically licking his lips before speaking. "I wish to see this... Santa Claus... for myself." There was an edge of determination to the boy's voice, one that Jack recognized all too well.
All the same... "I don't suppose I can say anything to change your mind, can I?" Teal'c solemnly shook his head no. Jack forced back a sigh. "Ok, well don't mind me. I have a few things left to do before Doctor Janet and General Hammond come tomorrow." Teal'c merely nodded again and went back to his vigil, settling back onto the couch.
Jack went back into the kitchen and flipped on the radio, ignoring the slightly perplexed look he saw appear on Teal'c's face through the doorway. Acting as if he hadn't a care in the world, Jack set about bustling in the kitchen, tidying and assembling things for the meal tomorrow. Humming along to the familiar Christmas tunes playing, Jack moved out to the living room, where he dusted and straightened, and adjusted the decorations. Teal'c's eyelids had definitely grown heavier. Jack smiled to himself and returned to the kitchen, putting a pot on the stove. Still humming a few minutes later, he wandered out to the living room sipping a mug and gave Teal'c a second cup of hot chocolate made with warmed milk. Leaving Teal'c alone with his mug and the soft music still playing from the kitchen, Jack headed back upstairs.
Dallying over the gift-wrapping, Jack took his time before going back downstairs, leaving the gifts on the bed and the door closed. He grinned when he saw his plan had accomplished his goal. Teal'c asleep on the couch, the nearly empty mug on the end table beside him. Billie was curled up next to the boy, but her head popped up curiously. Jack made a silencing gesture towards the cat, his finger on his lips as if the cat would understand. At any rate, Billie remained where she was, head settling back on paws, although her ears followed his every move.
Utilizing every skill in Black Ops he possessed, Jack went about playing the part of Santa Claus. Somehow, Teal'c never woke, not even after the last gift was in place, and Jack turned out the extra lights and slipped back upstairs. Gratefully, he slid under the covers, groaning at the late hour, and hoping the kids would all sleep late. Of course, he really knew there was slim chance of that.
Chapter 63: You Better Watch Out
Christmas morning came a lot sooner than Jack had hoped for. He felt like his head had only just hit the pillow, and the sun had barely peeked over the horizon when his bed moved up and down on it's own volition.
"He came! He came! Colonel Jack, Santa came!"
Cracking one eye open revealed the world was upside down. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes and cracking the other one showed that it wasn't the world, merely one blond haired, blue-eyed little girl leaning over from behind him. She squealed in laughter as he mock growled and rolled over, taking her with him before releasing her to scramble away lest he grab again. His new position revealed a grinning Daniel standing in the doorway. Jack wondered where Teal'c was, not seeing the older boy standing behind the other.
"It's too early to be up, you should all go back to bed," Jack told them in a pretend serious tone making no move to leave his cozy bed.
Daniel just shook his head, still grinning. "You should see all the presents, please can we open them? Please?" he said, his eyes shining with excitement.
"Yeah, please?" Sam begged tugging on his arm, which he'd flung over his face to fake sleep. A moment later Daniel joined her tugging on his other arm, his usual quiet and shy exterior put aside in the face of Sam's usual exuberance and his own anticipation.
With another mock growl, he launched into a sitting position on the side of the bed neatly grabbing a child under each arm and rumpling their hair. Both kids squealed in surprise and laughter, squirming to free themselves. After a moment, he let them both go and Sam leapt on his back in retaliation while Daniel made a face at him as he straightened his hair and glasses. Both kids now sported rosy cheeks, and their bed heads were even more rumpled thanks to Jack's surprise finger combing.
"Last one downstairs gets to clean the litterbox," Jack told them, standing up. With nearly identical yelps, the two kids launched themselves towards the door, Jack not really sure who got there first. He heard their sock clad feet thump down the stairs as he forced himself into motion, allowing a leisurely stretch before heading for the bathroom. "Don't start 'til I get down there!" he shouted in the direction of the retreating footsteps.
A few minutes later, and properly equipped with the camera, Jack made his way downstairs, detouring by the kitchen to start up the coffee maker. As predicted, Daniel and Sam were both under the tree (in Sam's case literally) as they chattered over the various packages, speculating over what might be in them. Billie helped by stalking the ribbons, much to their delight. Neither child noticed his entrance, and he snapped off a quick picture. Lowering the camera, he took a moment to look around the room before announcing his presence and frowned when he noticed Teal'c seated quietly on the couch, watching his younger companions with a pensive expression on his face. Deciding he needed to deal with Teal'c first before letting the kids loose, he sank onto the sofa next to the boy with an exaggerated groan and stretched so that his free arm draped the back of the sofa behind Teal'c.
"Why don't you take a look under the tree Teal'c, I'm sure there must be something under there for you," he suggested.
Overhearing the conversation, Sam and Daniel paused in their sorting and studying to look in their direction. Daniel grinned disarmingly, holding a box he'd just had up to his ear. "Yeah Teal'c, there's lots of stuff here for you too," he tempted. Sam nodded in silent agreement.
Teal'c was quiet a moment, his brow creased in thought. "I do not deserve any gifts or rewards Colonel O'Neill, for I have failed you," he said seriously, looking up and meeting his gaze. Sam and Daniel fell silent, some of their joy giving way to worry. Neither of them wanted Teal'c to feel sad or left out after all.
"Oh?" Jack said mildly, knowing what the problem likely was, but also knowing that brushing the boy off wouldn't help. Letting Teal'c speak at his own pace and in his own way helped him show the boy he took his concerns seriously. "In what way?" Jack prompted gently.
"I was unable to stay awake, and because of that, someone was able to enter our home unchallenged in the night," Teal'c hung his head, as if in shame.
"But that's the way it's supposed to happen," said Daniel, a tinge of exasperation in his voice. He'd been trying hard for weeks to convince Teal'c that Santa Claus was ok, and not an intruder.
"Yeah, Santa's a good guy," Sam backed up. Sam had tried helping too, but simply couldn't grasp the concept that someone would thing that Santa was anything but good. After all, he brought presents, and that was a good thing right?
Teal'c merely shook his head. "Then why does he not come to the door and announce his presence? Why must he move secretly in the night?"
Both kids frowned, unable to come up with an explanation. Jack frowned too; desperately racking his brain and wishing he'd simply chased Teal'c to bed, though he knew that would likely not have helped. Teal'c simply couldn't trust someone would behave as Santa Claus was said to act. And Jack had to admit that the boy had a point. Heck, an awful lot of the stories and songs made good old Santa sound like a stalker. Knowing what someone was doing every hour of every day was not very endearing to gain someone's trust. Thinking that, Jack was suddenly reminded of a way to explain it so that Teal'c might understand, putting it in terms the boy could relate to.
"Teal'c, do you remember how when you first met me, I trusted you, and you trusted me?" Jack asked.
Looking momentarily confused, the boy's brow furrowed, and he was still a moment before slowly nodding. Jack noted he had Daniel and Sam's attention too. "Well, that's the same way that I trust Santa," he told all of them.
Teal'c blinked, taking some time to absorb the information before speaking. "Then," he paused, forehead creasing, "Then you do not mind if Santa Claus enters your home while you sleep?"
Jack shook his head. "Nope. We have nothing to fear from him. In fact, he loves kids especially, and protects them. He only wants to make kids happy, which is why he brings gifts." Over by the tree, Daniel was nodding in agreement. Sam was watching with a mix of curiosity and mild revelation. Obviously she didn't know much more about Santa except that he brought presents every year to all the good children. Daniel stood up with a wrapped gift in his hands as Teal'c continued to appear like he was thinking deeply about the information he'd just learned.
"C'mon Teal'c. It's Ok." Daniel smiled at the older boy as he placed the package in the other boy's lap. Teal'c frowned down at the gift, before glancing first at Daniel, then at Jack. Jack merely nodded.
Teal'c gazed back down at his lap, then back at the younger boy standing in front of him. A slow smile broke out on his face. "Very well," he said, to cheers by the other two kids. Daniel quickly pulled Teal'c over to the tree to join them, and very soon, the kids were absorbed in digging among the gifts and tearing off the wrapping paper, much to Billie's delight and the kids' amusement.
It didn't seem long before the gifts were all opened and the kids had immersed themselves in exploring their new things after helping to straighten up and getting dressed for the day. Jack stood in the doorway from the kitchen, surveying the group with a pleased smile.
Teal'c sat in front of the TV, a game controller in his hand as he intently played one of the new games he'd received for the resurrected X-box. Jack had looked for games that not only looked interesting with nice graphic, but also had engaging storylines with problems to solve or that relied on keen strategy. Jack thought he'd made good choices judging by the focus of the boy's concentration. He'd bought some games for the other two, but Teal'c was the one that had shown the most interest in the game console, likely since he'd never had anything like it while Sam and Daniel had no doubt been exposed to such things, at least on a less technologically advanced level. So far, Sam had shown more interest in how the thing worked than in any of the games, and Daniel was more interested in books or games with real live people rather than pitting his skills against a computer simulation.
Daniel and Sam sat not far away from Teal'c, over near the window. The two younger children had their heads together and were leaning over what looked like the fossil kit Daniel had received. Nearby, the chemistry kit sat open. He'd noticed his two budding scientists looking over one or the other's gifts together more than once already, so gave their arrangement little thought.
Moving his gaze along, Jack spotted Billie's tail poking out from under a stray piece of gift-wrap. The lack of movement indicated that the cat was asleep. Jack suppressed a relieved sigh before raking his gaze over the rest of the room, finally settling on the surprise gift he'd received from the kids.
He'd known from the lump in the garage that the gift was a large one, but had managed to restrain himself from peeking. And so he'd been suitably surprised when the kids had wheeled the thing in and uncovered it.
As a whole, it didn't look all that impressive, but knowing the limited access to things the children had compared to their adult versions made it all that much more special. The fact that they'd "customized" it made it even more so. Jack grinned, knowing the big ugly brown recliner would no doubt become his favorite chair, whether or not it matched the rest of the furniture.
After all, how many men had a recliner with a built in remote, cup holder, and a heat massaging seat cover to soothe their back while they watched TV?
Now if only he could figure out how they'd managed not only to obtain it, but how they'd snuck it into the garage in the first place. The kids had been too excited to give him a straightforward answer, although he'd managed to get out of them that they'd raised money doing odd jobs, saving their ice cream money from lunch, and by collecting cans and things from neighbors. Daniel and Teal'c it seemed had done most of the legwork and obtained the various items to improve the recliner, while Sam had determined how best to integrate the new additions. He was more than impressed with what they'd accomplished.
He also had a feeling that either Janet or Cassie had something to do with it. Likely the doctor and the teen had helped the kids get what they needed. Both Janet and Cassie had babysat for the kids on more than one occasion when he'd had to stay late at the base, providing ample opportunity for one or both to drive the kids around where needed, or offer suggestions. He'd invited both over for dinner later and could get the details from them then if he wanted.
Speaking of... Leaving the kids to amuse themselves, Jack turned back to the kitchen, quickly becoming absorbed in dinner preparations. The guests would be arriving shortly.
An indeterminate period of time later, as Jack was in the midst of preparing one of the side dishes, he became aware that the murmur of childish voices had underwent a change in pitch, and exclamations of excitement or alarm became apparent. Jack had already dropped the utensils he held and was on the way to the door when he heard Daniel shout, "Colonel Jack, come quick!" An acrid tang of chemicals reached his nose and the sound of Sam coughing reached his ears. Jack was already moving in their direction before the kids were in view.
A cloud of smoke near where he'd last seen Sam and Daniel caught his eye as soon as he entered the room, his eyes stinging almost immediately. Ignoring his discomfort, Jack quickly located the kids, spying Teal'c by the sofa and heading in the direction of the front door, and Sam and Daniel not far from the source of the smoke. Both children were now coughing. Deciding those two were in the most danger, he crossed the room in two strides, grabbing a child with each hand and hauling them back before giving them a push toward the kitchen and the back door.
He turned around to do the same with Teal'c just in time to witness the curtains catch fire.
Chapter 64: Christmas Pizza
"Teal'c!" Jack shouted, after a quick glance to make sure Sam and Daniel had gotten to the kitchen. Teal'c ignored him, bending down to pick something up from the floor. "Teal'c!" he shouted again. This time, the boy stood up and Jack could see Billie struggling in the boy's arms. "This way!" he cried, and Teal'c looked at him, wide eyed before rounding the couch and closing the distance between them. The boy was far enough from the curtains to be safe for now, and Jack backpedaled, reaching inside the kitchen doorway, his hand automatically locating the fire extinguisher. "Get outside!" he ordered the kids in a no-nonsense voice. "Now!" Teal'c passed him and Jack knew the older boy would make sure the younger two got outside safely.
Tugging his shirt up to cover his mouth and nose, Jack headed back towards the smoldering fire, which had started to make it's way up towards the windowsill. Wasting no time, Jack pulled the pin and aimed the extinguisher's nozzle. Depressing the trigger, he shot a stream of white foam at the base of the flames, spreading the foam back and forth until it covered an area a good foot or two away from the outer edges of the fire once the fire itself had been extinguished. He was taking no chances, knowing even a small smoldering flame could spread quickly.
Satisfied the fire was out and staying that way, he crossed to the front door, flinging it open just as the first fire truck pulled up.
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
Locating the kids had been easy, as they'd all moved around front to stand by the neighbor's mailbox, exactly where he'd told them to meet in the event they had to leave the house in an emergency. The cordless phone clutched in Daniel's hand revealed not only the youngster's quick thinking, but the reason for the fire trucks.
Thanking the firefighters one more time, Jack walked the last of them to the truck. The kids waved vigorously from the curb, wrapped in blankets and jackets supplied by neighbors who had come outside when the first of the trucks had pulled up. None of them had ever had such an up close and personal look at a fire truck, and had been most impressed by the fully geared men and women that had poured out of both trucks, ready for anything.
Still, blankets and borrowed jackets non-withstanding, the kids were not dressed to be outside. Hustling the kids inside, Jack thanked all the various neighbors for their concern, pausing only long enough to scowl down at the sidewalk at the source of their unwanted holiday excitement.
Likely, he wouldn't have called the fire department, having already extinguished the small fire, which had been more smoke than anything else. But since they were already there, he had them take a look. Being cautious, the team leader had carried the source of the blaze outside, well away from anything flammable.
The two kits had seemed innocuous enough when he'd bought them under the urging of Walter Harriman, who'd jumped at the chance to do a little Christmas shopping with Jack for the kids one day when things had been slow on base. They'd even gone with the General's blessing, and a shopping list for his granddaughters. Jack had hesitated over the kits, but had caved on Walter's reasoning. The Junior Chemistry set had been for ten year olds, but considering Sam was already a grade level ahead and doing well, they'd reasoned that she would have no problem with it. Besides, the package claimed that all chemicals inside were safe, when used under supervision, even if accidentally mixed with one another or spilled.
Likewise, neither man thought Daniel would have trouble with the "find your own fossil" kit, which hid mock up "fossils" inside a rock-like substance and provided small tools and the like for uncovering them.
Neither of the kits' manufactures had ever anticipated that the contents of one kit would be combined with the contents of another.
Obviously they'd never met his miniature geniuses.
In an attempt to uncover Daniel's fossils faster, the two children had experimented with some of the chemicals in Sam's kit on the rock in Daniel's. Neither child had anticipated that the "rock" in Daniel's kit might have some chemicals in it of its own. Those chemicals didn't seem to like the ones from Sam's kit. They'd inadvertently released a lot of smoke, and more than a little heat. The two kids had jumped back startled, one of them knocking over the rest of Sam's kit.
The package had warned against heat.
The curtains, a little too close to the science experiment, hadn't stood a chance.
Jack sighed, his indrawn breath bringing with it the leftover tang of burned fabric and the slight odor of the remnants of various chemicals. He turned in the doorway, wondering if he should leave it open or not, when Hammond's familiar sedan pulled up. Jack knew there wasn't much hope of cleaning up or letting the house air out now. All the same, he warmly welcomed Hammond, Janet and Cassie, all of them exclaiming over the burned smell as they entered.
"We almost burned the house down," Sam answered the queries cheerfully.
Jack opened his mouth to correct the little girl, but Daniel beat him. "You should have seen all the firefighters!"
"They came in two trucks," added Teal'c. Jack just groaned, and scrubbed his face with his hands. He hadn't even had a chance to survey the damage.
"I think I smell something burning," Janet said.
"It's probably just the leftover..." Jack started to say, but Janet interrupted. "No, it's getting stronger."
Jack's eyes widened. "Dinner!" He bolted to the kitchen, opening the oven door only to release a cloud of thick gray smoke. Coughing, Jack waved a hand vainly in front of his face, locating the correct knobs and shutting them off. Overhead he heard the smoke detector go off, and excited shouts issued from the living room. He heard the deep voice of General Hammond quieting the kids, and hopefully preventing a second call to 911. He didn't think there was a daily limit, but he didn't really want to find out.
"Maybe you should take that outside," he heard Janet say behind him. Nodding, Jack grabbed the oven mitts and followed the small woman who held the door open for him and the smoldering remains of dinner.
Outside, the two adults stood on the back deck, staring at the charred and all but unrecognizable Christmas ham.
"You know, we could always go out for dinner," Janet suggested after a few moments of contemplative silence.
"I might be able to salvage something," Jack protested, mostly on principal, while poking at the blackened lump with a mitt-clad hand. Janet merely gave him a skeptical look, and headed back inside.
The last straw came when Jack re-entered the kitchen to see what he could save of the side dishes, only to find the one he'd been working on when the excitement had first started had somehow been knocked to the floor. Whether by the kids, himself, or the cat, he wasn't sure but Billie was doing a good job of cleaning up the mess however it had gotten there.
In the end, after several phone calls, Jack finally found a place that was open and could make deliveries. The kids certainly didn't mind pizza for Christmas dinner, and the adults wisely chose not to make any comments, not even over the festive red pepperoni and green pepper toppings he'd picked. (Although the kids picked most of those off.) Jack had ordered more than enough to go around, which turned out to be a good thing since Corporal Henderson, Major Ferretti, and the rest of the marines on SG-3 stopped in for a quick hello and to drop off a few Christmas gifts they were delivering from themselves and a few others at the SGC. Likewise, Walter Harriman stopped by too, though he didn't stay long, with his wife and kids in the car on the way to relatives for dinner.
At least dinner was easy to clean up. Unless one considered the mess the kitchen was after the cooking disasters. Fortunately, the cookies made the day before were unharmed. With mugs of coffee and hot chocolate, the cookies went down quite well before the various guests departed, all wishing one another a Merry Christmas.
The rest of the evening was spent quietly, with the kids involving themselves in the books and board games they'd received. That is after Jack had admonished them not to mix anything else together. Sam and Daniel had had the good grace to look at least slightly repentant at that. Jack couldn't bring himself to punish them either. After all, they hadn't meant to cause any problems. Accidents did happen. Besides, it was Christmas. Still, Jack couldn't help but feel relieved that there was nothing left of either of the kits when he heard the two speculating as to what combination had caused the unforeseen reaction.
Bedtime came, and a late one at that, since Jack didn't really mind them staying up a bit later than normal considering it was a holiday. Although he wondered how they found the energy to keep going considering the early start they'd had.
Eventually, everyone was tucked into bed. Sam, as usual, had crashed first, not even making it to bed. Jack had carried her there himself, tucking her in. He followed the boys into their room and tucked them in too. Daniel sleepily sought reassurance that Jack wasn't mad about the little escapade with the fossils. Jack tousled the boy's hair affectionately. "No, I'm not mad. Just be a little more careful in the future," he told him. Daniel nodded before turning into his pillow, more than half asleep already.
Truthfully, Jack wasn't really mad. He was just glad the kids were all ok. The damage was minimal, more mess than anything else. And he didn't particularly like those curtains anyway.
Teal'c murmured a quiet thank you from the top bunk as he settled back onto his bed, and Jack patted him gently on the shoulder, smothering a yawn with his other hand. Leaving the boys' room, Jack made his way to his own room. Passing Sam's room, Jack paused when he noticed what appeared to be a flash of light coming from around the cracked open door, a habit Jack hadn't managed to shake since the kids had come to stay.
Pushing the door the rest of the way open, Jack peered into the room dimly lit by the glow from the hallway light. Frowning, Jack reached for the overhead light when he noticed something odd.
Light filled the room, but Jack suddenly felt cold.
The bed was empty.
Chapter 65: Small Problems
Attention focused on the various consoles in front of him, Thor looked up as the proximity alarm he'd set chimed, notifying him that Tyr had returned from the errand he had set. Crossing the command floor, Thor quickly sent permission for Tyr to transport on board. Moments later, two simultaneous flashes signaled the arrival of a second Asgard, along with a small, fabric covered lump. Blond hair poked from one end of the fabric cover, indicating that the lump contained Major Samantha Carter. She appeared to be asleep.
"Supreme Commander Thor, I located Major Carter as ordered and have brought her here. She appears to be in the middle of her resting cycle and I thought it prudent not to disturb her until we arrived," Tyr explained, after a short nod in Thor's direction. Looking up from his study of the sleeping figure, Thor nodded in reply, indicating approval for Tyr's decision. Humans required a proportionately larger amount of rest in comparison to the Asgard, therefore it was even more important that Major Carter not be interrupted.
"And O'Neill?" Thor asked, turning back to study the sleeping human.
"Major Carter was the only one alone," he said. "I thought it best to return with haste." Thor nodded, gaze still locked on the small mound in the center of the control deck. There was something odd about it, something Thor couldn't quite place.
Crossing the space between them, Thor lifted one corner of the fabric covering the sleeping figure and blinked in surprise. Still holding onto the blanket, Thor addressed his subordinate. "Tyr, an error has occurred. This is not Major Carter!"
Tyr's eyes widened and the alien blinked in surprise, his eyes widening still further when he came to stand by Thor. He'd never met the esteemed Major, but this hadn't been what he was expecting. "Supreme Commander Thor, I followed your instructions explicitly. Her DNA is an exact match for Major Carter. Observe!" Tyr exclaimed, hurrying to a nearby console and bringing up the information on the screen.
Thor dropped the blanket and moved to stand beside Tyr, where he examined the data, his own eyes growing even rounder. Blinking, but not taking his eyes from the data, he addressed his companion. "This is most perplexing."
So engrossed were the two aliens in the information on screen, they failed to notice the small bundle under the blanket stir until it let out a terrified shriek and scrambled backwards.
Still sleepy and confused from having just woken up, it had taken Sam several moments to realize that not only was she not in her warm safe bed at Colonel Jack's, but the beings in front of her weren't even human. And so Sam did the only thing she could think of doing, and put as much distance between her and the aliens that she could.
"Please don't eat me!" she begged, her back against the wall.
The aliens blinked large, round, black eyes at her, wearing identical expressions of interest.
"We will not harm you Samantha Carter," Thor assured her.
Sam narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You won't?" And then something else sunk in. "H-how do you know my name?"
Thor exchanged a glance with the other Asgard before replying. "I know a great many things," was all he said, his large dark eyes blinking once again as he regarded the human child in front of him.
Cocking her head to the side, Sam studied the two gray beings, and for the first time took in her surroundings. Emboldened by the calmness the aliens presented, and the fact that they'd so far been non-threatening, she decided to ask the questions starting to form in her mind. "Where are we?"
Thor merely blinked, his head lilting to one side, almost in an unconscious imitation of Sam's posture, one of curiosity and slight wariness. After all, Thor had never interacted with an undeveloped human. "We are on my ship."
Sam blinked, and then frowned. "Like on the ocean?"
Thor's eyes narrowed slightly. "We are in space."
Sam's eyes grew round. "Really? Like astronauts? Then why aren't we floating?" Sam took the opportunity to study her surroundings more closely, for the first time noticing the large view port off to one side. Forgetting any reservations she'd had earlier over her hosts, Sam jumped to her feet and hurried to the window, promptly pressing her nose against the glass to gaze in wonder at the star field presented to her. "Cool," was all she said, her single word of awe mumbled against the glass and her question forgotten.
While the young girl was preoccupied with stargazing, Thor exchanged a few words with his colleague. After a few moments, Tyr vanished in a flash of light. Thor quietly regarded the small human, not much taller than an Asgard, before making a sound much like the Asgard equivalent of a throat clearing.
Sam turned around at the sound finally tearing her eyes away from the panoramic vista of stars, and Thor inclined his head towards her briefly. "I will return you to your home in due haste, however, there is a... small problem I must deal with first," Thor told her, moving to a nearby console. His curiosity over how this child was a genetic match for the Samantha Carter known to the Asgard would have to wait. He did not think the humans possessed a sophisticated enough cloning procedure that would not leave traces, a feat the Asgard had not yet mastered. That left some other technology, and Thor suspected that the message he'd as yet been unable to reply to likely had something to do with it. But for now, other matters continued to take precedence, and he hoped that the mix up in taking the child would not cause any trouble in the diplomatic relations with the developing race.
Stepping away from the view port, Sam watched the little gray alien curiously. "Can I help?"
Thor looked up from the terminal and blinked, briefly considering the offer. He had made the decision to send Tyr to retrieve Samantha Carter, or O'Neill if she could not be located, to see if the humans might again be of assistance to the Asgard. However, given the lack of recognition on the young human's part, Thor surmised that either this Samantha Carter had never met the Asgard, or she did not remember. Thor did not think she would be able to help as he had hoped. On the other hand, even Thor's limited knowledge of immature humans warned that leaving one to it's own devices might not be the most prudent course of action. So, rather than brush off the offer of assistance, Thor thought "aloud" as it had seen the mature version of Samantha Carter do. "I must protect this Asgard outpost from the Replicators. However, thus far, the Replicators have been able to anticipate and defeat every attempt at thwarting their advance." As he spoke, Thor brought up a three-dimensional holographic display revealing a real time representation of the Asgard fleet and the Replicator one in relation to the threatened outpost. Startled as the simulation appeared mere feet in front of her, young Sam took a step back before her interest in the visual made her take a step closer.
Deciding that the young human was occupied with the grid display, Thor sent messages advising the fleet and council of the mix up with their human allies, his intention to correct it as soon as possible, and another giving orders to several ships in the fleet. The ships immediately moved into the positions Thor had given and Thor nodded in satisfaction as they complied, blinking as the Replicator ships again moved to counter any defense the Asgard fleet might muster, and preventing the Asgard from taking up flanking positions despite their superior numbers. In numbers, the Asgard outnumbered the Replicator ships two to one, but the Replicators had quickly proven that this contest had nothing to do with numbers. As the humans might say, the Asgard had their backs to the wall and it had been all they could do to run enough interference to get Tyr's ship safely on it's way to Earth. While Tyr had been gone, two more of their ships had been lost to the Replicators, thinning the protective barrier the Asgard fleet had created in front of their outpost. Thor watched in concern as the Replicators continued moving after the aborted maneuver and made an attempt to isolate another ship in the Asgard fleet. A few quick orders thwarted the counter attack, but only just. The two fleets moved back along invisible lines, neither side gaining anything, and resumed a pose of waiting.
"What's this one doing?" Sam spoke up suddenly, causing Thor to look up and regard her. The small human was standing in the middle of the display field, pointing at one of the Replicator ships, while planets and ships swirled about her. Thor regarded the ship Sam was pointing at. It wasn't difficult to see. She'd picked the one ship that not only was larger and shaped a bit differently than any of the other Replicator ships, but was the one that all the Replicator moved as if on an axis with, keeping that one single ship at the protected center. Any attempts the Asgard had made to gain access to the ship had been easily deflected, in fact had led to the first casualty to the Asgard fleet.
"We believe that ship contains the central processing core of the Replicator fleet. The other Replicator ships safeguard it most closely," Sam's face creased as she puzzled over what Thor had just said and Thor turned back to the console, issuing another stream of orders to the Asgard fleet. Sam's attention turned back to the display as the Asgard ships moved in relation to the last set of orders. The Replicators responded almost as if they had anticipated the move. Energy weapons discharged along one end of the line, as the two fleets engaged one another, the entire battle seeming to pivot around the ship Sam had pointed out. The weapons fire cut off abruptly as the ships broke apart and one of the Asgard ships fell back, its shields nearly depleted from the last engagement. Quick orders sent the rest of the fleet moving to protect the nearly defenseless ship and fill in the gap its absence created. The Asgard could not afford to lose another ship. Unfortunately, redistributing the protective grid of Asgard ships allowed the Replicator fleet to get that much closer to the outpost, and made the line of protection thin still further while most of the Replicator fleet remained undamaged. Likely, it had been the Replicator's intention all along to draw the weaker perimeter into battle.
"So if you got rid of that ship, the rest of the bad guys would go away, right?" Sam asked, her gaze once again fixed on the ship that seemed to be at the center of the battle.
Thor blinked, momentarily thrown by the simple terms the child had used. Obviously, young humans were quick to trust, and young Samantha had placed hers in the Asgard. "Yes, we believe if that ship were disabled, the rest of the Replicator fleet would... go away," Thor finished, after a slight pause. "However, all our attempts at weakening that ship have been unsuccessful."
"Well, every time you move, they move with you right?" Sam asked, moving to stand under the defensive perimeter of ships the Asgard had summoned to protect the threatened outpost, as if studying the Asgard ships.
"Yes," Thor answered, while keeping most of his attention on the monitors and view grid. The rest of his attention turned to curiosity, wondering where the child's thought processes were leading her.
Sam paced about under the floating ships in the display, seemingly unperturbed as she walked through one of the outpost's outlying moons. "So just get some more ships, and when they spread out, they won't be able to stay in front of the mother ship."
Again, Thor blinked, partially in puzzlement over unfamiliar terms, and partially in consideration. The plan had merit, but for one flaw. "Perhaps, but we do not have anymore ships, at least not within navigable distance."
Sam only shrugged, her view of the alien partially obscured by a semi transparent representation of an Asgard vessel. "They don't know that. Pretend like you do," she answered simply. Sam went back to her study of the holograms, tentatively reaching out a hand to poke at a ship and grinning when her hand passed through it.
Thor stood silently pondering. The Asgard, while advanced, did not consider imagination to be a particularly practical trait. However, what the childlike version of Samantha Carter had suggested had sparked something else in Thor's mind. His long nimble fingers flew over the controls, inputting data and studying the projections. The Asgard did not have any more ships near enough to be of assistance, at least not at the rate the Replicators were advancing. But like the child had suggested, the Replicators did not know that.
The results of his query complete, the data returned and Thor nodded in satisfaction. Up until now, the problem with dealing with the Replicators had been that the Replicators absorbed all of the Asgard knowledge and technology, only to use it against them in the next altercation. Essentially, using their technology against its creators. This time, Thor hoped to "turn the tables" as the humans said.
Thor was about to pull off the biggest bluff in galactic history.
It was not without risk though, and despite the higher probability for success, Thor knew that his next set of orders could mean either the saving grace or the defeat of the outpost. The loss of the newest outpost would be a major blow to the Asgard people, but Thor saw little choice in matter. As things currently stood, it was only a matter of time before the Asgard fleet was defeated, and they could not afford the loss of that many ships. The outpost would have to be abandoned long before that time.
Fingers again flying over the console, Thor sent orders and moments later the ships of the Asgard fleet moved to spread out over a greater distance, the Replicator ships moving to remain abreast of the opposing fleet. Suddenly, more Asgard ships appeared in the display, seemingly coming from the direction of the moon next to Sam. The little girl yelped in surprise as a ship flew through her middle and another skimmed over her head, making her duck and spin around to follow the ship's progress.
"But you said you didn't have any more ships," she said, her tone almost accusing while her eyes remained riveted on the unfolding display.
"We do not," Thor confirmed. He blinked, and nodded towards the new ships, which were filling in the gaps in protective grid arrayed in between the outpost and the invaders. "These are... pretend." Thor watched as the Replicators made adjustments in their positions, their line thinning. If he felt emotions, he would have breathed a sigh of relief. All the same, the deception would not last long. The Replicators, thanks to their integration of Asgard technology, possessed the same sensor and shielding technology. Therefore they also possessed the same weaknesses and blind spots. However, the Replicators had proven they were quite skilled at adapting, and they no doubt would see through the ruse given enough time.
Thor did not intend to let them have enough.
Orders flew to the Asgard fleet, and taking advantage of the thinner protective line, the real ships converged on the main Replicator ship. The battle was furious, but over quickly, the concentrated strike by most of the fleet quickly overwhelming the command ship with little damage to Asgard ships, essentially cutting off the 'brain' of the Replicator invasion force. With the control ship out of the way, Thor quickly sent orders for the Asgard fleet to move in on the other vessels, but as if sensing their danger, the remainder of the Replicator fleet disappeared in multiple flashes of light as they engaged their hyperdrives. Thor studied the display for a few moments longer, the Asgard ships maintaining their positions. When distant sensors confirmed the Replicators leaving Asgard territory, Thor sent a new set of order, and half the ships of the Asgard fleet disappeared. Thor held no illusion that the same trick would work again, however, it had worked this time and that was enough for now.
"Where did they go?" Sam asked, bewildered as the artificial ships disappeared from the holographic display. Thor looked up, for the moment having forgotten the small problem of the human child in front of him. He blinked, deciding how best to answer her. After all, her idea had just saved the Asgard from a spectacular defeat.
"They were merely a collection of photons and kinetic energy, projected onto the ship's sensor arrays," he replied, blinking at the crease of puzzlement that crossed the child's face. "They were not real," he explained.
Sam blinked back at him, and a slow smile spread across her face. "Cool. Hey, next time, do you think we could make the pretend ships bigger?"
Thor wasn't sure how best to answer, and quickly changed the subject. "Perhaps. But for now, I must return you to your planet," he said.
Sam brightened slightly. "Wait 'til I tell Danny and Teal'c about all this!" Her smile faded. "Does Colonel Jack know I'm gone?"
Thor only blinked.
Chapter 66: Goodbyes
Back on Earth, the SGC was busier than a hornet's nest that had just been stepped on. After a frantic call from Colonel O'Neill alerting the base to the disappearance of one seven year old Sam Carter under suspicious circumstances, NORAD had called to report the appearance and rapid disappearance of what appeared to be an Asgard ship. The ship had come in at high speed, barely pausing long enough to slip into orbit around the planet, and just as suddenly took off again. In fact, if not for the pause while in orbit, the satellite grid might never have detected the ship at all. They had not received any message from the ship, and the base had gone into alert status, unable to ascertain if the visit was friendly or not, not able to even confirm that the vessel was indeed an Asgard ship.
NORAD had reported several minutes later some sort of focused energy beam originating from the ship and aimed in the direction of the O'Neill household, and everyone there had simply seen too many strange events to not tie the two events together. No one there could ignore the likelihood of the two events being linked.
Still, that wasn't much to soothe the worries of one Colonel Jack O'Neill, who arrived on base with a flurry of orders and demands for information, two anxious children in tow. It was all Hammond could do to calm the man down. No easy task considering his own worries for the missing child.
It was several anxious hours later, after repeated calls to all of their space faring allies, including the Asgard, when Harriman looked up from his console. "Sir, I'm receiving a message from Supreme Commander Thor of the Asgard Fleet." He blinked, placing a hand to his earpiece as if he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. "Sir, Thor apologizes for any misunderstanding he may have caused. He says he has Samantha Carter with him and will be arriving in our system in the next thirty two minutes."
Relieved sighs and more than one smile met the announcement. Still, Jack continued to pace the control room for the next half hour, knowing that Janet would keep Daniel and Teal'c distracted and out of trouble. Janet, like Harriman and many others now on base, had arrived when news of Sam's disappearance had gotten out, many of them cutting short or interrupting holiday leave.
It wasn't until Thor appeared in the middle of the gate room, one blond haired blue eyed little girl standing next to him, did Jack let out the breath he felt like he'd been holding since he'd found her room empty. Sam launched herself across the room and into his arms, and Jack wrapped his arms around her instinctively and protectively, reassuring himself that she'd come to no harm before turning his attention to the little gray alien standing before him.
Thor was the closest to contrite that Jack had ever seen an Asgard look.
"My apologies, O'Neill, on behalf myself, and the Asgard High Council. We had no intention of causing any distress," Thor said, bowing his head slightly.
Jack was saved from a reply when Sam squirmed in his arms. "Danny! Teal'c! You'll never guess where I've been!" Placing Sam on the floor, Jack saw that Janet had entered with the two boys, all three looking quite relieved. Sam was quick to join the other two, and chattered excitedly to the two boys, trying to tell them in as little time possible about all the things she'd seen and done in the past few hours. Thor was watching the three children, his interest plain.
Hammond cleared his throat. "Perhaps, gentlemen, we should move this conversation to the briefing room?"
Everyone agreed and before long, they were all settled around the briefing room table. It didn't take long for Thor to explain the events that had recently occurred. Believing it however, took a little longer.
"Let me get this straight," Jack said incredulously. "A seven year old saved your little gray butts?"
"Colonel!" Hammond admonished. Janet looked down at the table to hide a smile.
Thor merely blinked. "It was Samantha's suggestion that gave me the idea to use the shields to create the images of more ships. Without that deception, the outpost would no doubt have been lost," Thor explained mildly. "Again, the Asgard are in your debt."
Before Jack could put his foot in his mouth again, Janet spoke up. "Funny you should mention that Thor. It seems we have a little problem of our own that you might be able to help us with," she said, with a significant look at the children, who were seated in the corner whispering with their heads together.
"We did receive your earlier request for assistance. My apologies that we could not come sooner, but our engagements with the Replicators did not allow for us to spare any ships until now," Thor said. "I presume the fact that the child is a genetic match for Major Carter has something to do with your request?"
After receiving a nod from General Hammond, Janet nodded. "You might say that. The little girl is Major Carter. The other two are Daniel Jackson and Teal'c."
Thor regarded the children quietly for a moment. "Curious. Yet they do not possess any memories of their adult states?"
Janet shook her head. "No. We suspect there is some sort of memory suppression at work. However, it goes way beyond our science to break through the blocks. The Tok'ra didn't have any luck either."
Thor blinked at that. "I will need some time to study the situation. I will need any information about how this transformation occurred, and with your permission, I would also like to run some scans on the children." When Jack stiffened, opening his mouth, Thor continued as if sensing Jack's worries. "The scans are quite painless. The children will feel nothing." Jack's mouth closed, but he frowned slightly, fingers drumming lightly on the table's surface.
"Are we going back to your ship Mister Thor? Because I want to show Danny and Teal'c your really cool ship game," Sam piped up. Her unexpected form of address for the alien caused more than one smile and not a few chuckles.
Hammond gathered his papers and stood. "We will need an hour or two to prepare ourselves," he said, with a nod towards the alien seated at the middle of the conference table.
"Very well," Thor replied, standing with a slight bow of his head. He placed a small device on the table. "Use this to contact me when you are ready." A moment later, he disappeared in a flash of light.
"Cool," murmured Daniel.
Shaking his head, Jack stared at the place the Asgard had just been. "Very," he agreed.
The group at the conference table broke up not long after that, and Jack suddenly found himself left alone with three wide-eyed children and not much to do.
"So," he said amicably after stuffing his hands into his pockets, as if he hadn't a care in the world. "Who wants to see how the stargate works?"
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
Ninety minutes later, several teams of scientists, medical technicians, and a field team of marines had assembled in the gate room, checking and double checking the things they wanted to bring. And Jack... he kept the kids out of the way. Actually, the kids had no problem staying put, tucked away beside an unused console playing card games with a deck of cards someone had procured for them. Jack had way too much nervous energy to stand still, and paced around the confines of the control room, much to the annoyance of the various technicians there.
He couldn't help it. This was it. While he knew that the team of dedicated men and women that had been working tirelessly on the problem from day one would no doubt continue with their research whatever the outcome of today's events, he knew that over time, they would be reassigned or find more pressing concerns to work on. In the last few months, they'd heard from all of their allies, none of which had thus far been able to help, although all had been sympathetic. The Asgard were their last hope.
Strangely, Jack found his mind at odds with the situation. On one hand, he hoped that the Asgard would be able to help where no one else had been able to, and return his team to him. But on the other hand, he would be lying if at least some small part of him hoped that things would stay as they were. Somehow, that thought didn't disturb him the way he thought it should.
"You know, Jack, I think I'm gonna miss these kids if all goes well with the Asgard," a voice said suddenly next to his ear. Somehow, Jack managed not to jump. It was almost as if Hammond had read his mind.
Jack swallowed before he let himself speak. "They do kinda grow on you, sir." And suddenly, Jack realized that whatever the outcome would be that day, he would stand by his team and protect them. It didn't matter if they returned to their adult selves, or if they had to remain children growing up in the natural way, he would make sure they stayed safe. Hammond seemed to know Jack had just come to some sort of resolution, and squeezed his shoulder briefly, before moving on to a group of techs.
Jack watched the other man for a few moments, before shrugging his nervousness off and moving to join the kids in their card game. The kids looked up as he joined them, but Jack just smiled reassuringly.
Soon enough, all the teams reported at the ready. Jack wondered idly if the Asgard were prepared for the human invasion that was about to occur. It wasn't that they didn't trust the Asgard exactly. More, it was that the scientists and medical personal didn't want to miss an opportunity to study the technology that had turned three adults into children first hand. The ban on a revisit to the planet had never been lifted, since they'd never been able to precisely pinpoint what had caused the transformation in the first place.
Below in the gate room, the dozen or so scientists, soldiers, and medical personnel arranged themselves for transport to the Asgard ship. Jack led the kids down the stairs, and everyone automatically parted, making room for them in the center of the group. Jack nodded to General Hammond, gathering the kids close. For their part, the kids looked excited and eager, displaying none of the nervousness he felt inside.
With Jack's nod, General Hammond had Harriman send the prearranged signal that told Thor they were ready. A moment later, they were gone.
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
The solution that had eluded a team of scientists and most of Earth's allies for the last few months was remarkably anticlimactic.
"An off switch? That's it?" Jack exclaimed.
Thor nodded. "Yes. Our scans of the device indicate that it is controlled remotely by a station approximately 900 meters away. I can transport you down to the location. Our studies of the device indicate that it is already set in the mode to return Dr. Jackson, Major Carter and Teal'c back to their prior states, as well as remove the memory blocks."
"Wow. Um, ok," Jack said. The words were no sooner out of his mouth and the entire party from earth was transported down to the planet. It seemed Thor really hadn't been prepared for the number of humans crawling over his ship and asking questions, and was quite happy to get rid of them as quickly as possible.
"That was fast," one of the scientists exclaimed, looking around. "Ok, now where's this control station?" he asked.
Jack took a minute to get his bearings as the marines moved to establish a perimeter before any of the scientists could go wandering off. The area was eerily familiar, and Jack felt a sudden sinking sensation in his gut. Crossing the pathway, Jack stepped into the nearly overgrown clearing around the signpost he'd remembered. Well, at least what he'd though was a signpost. Pulling the vines away, careful not to touch it this time, Jack waved to the group. "Over here!"
The scientists and archeologists chosen to go on the mission converged on the area at once, murmuring excitedly. The archeologists took pictures and whipped out notebooks while the scientists brought out various doohickeys and whatchamacallits. Seemed geeks were more or less the same all around.
"Sir. How did you know this was here?" another of the group asked. Jack recognized him as having worked with Daniel before.
He glanced down at the ground, for some reason wishing he had his P-90 in hand, but he'd opted not to bring it since he planned on sticking close to the kids. "I, uh. I've been here before," he admitted.
"Sir?" Janet, who had been standing with her med team and the kids, left them to stand near him.
Jack shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets and cursing himself. "I didn't remember until now. Right before the... thing, I found this. I just thought it was a road marker or something. I was gonna have Daniel take a look, but..." He shrugged again, still having trouble reconciling that the last few months might have been averted.
"You couldn't have known," Janet said, watching him closely with a knowing look. She spoke quietly so that only he would hear.
Jack broke eye contact. "I should have," he said.
"Colonel Jack?" A small hand tugged at his sleeve, and Jack looked down into familiar blue eyes.
"What is it Sam?" he asked, automatically tugging her close. She molded instinctively into his side.
"Are we... are we going to be grown-ups again?" she asked, her face slightly worried. Glancing up, Jack noticed Daniel looking on just as worriedly and Teal'c next to the younger boy, trying and failing to look impassive. He beckoned them over, dropping his free hand onto Daniel's shoulder and smiling encouragingly at Teal'c. Janet slipped away back to her medics, leaving them some modicum of privacy.
He frowned, trying to decide how best to explain. "Uh. Yeah. Do you guys remember this place?" he asked them.
The kids exchanged looks, each of them nodding. "Something... something happened here didn't it?" Daniel asked. "I mean before we woke up at the campfire." The young boy studied Jack's face, his own brow creased. The other two watched with just as much concern.
"This is where you guys became kids again," he told them. "And where we hope you'll go back to being adults."
"But what if we don't want to grow up?" Sam asked, concerned.
Jack knelt down so that he was at eye level with the little girl, keeping a hold on Daniel and making sure Teal'c knew he was included too. "Do you remember that picture I showed you, the one of my team?"
"The one in which we were adults?" Teal'c asked.
Jack nodded. "Yep, that's the one," he said. "You see, the four of us, we're a team. And together, we go through the stargate, trying to find things that will help Earth defend against the Goa'uld."
"The Goa'uld are bad guys?" Sam asked, her brow furrowed.
"Very bad," Jack confirmed, nodding. "But they can't hurt us because our stargate has a door over it called an iris."
"But they still try, don't they?" asked Daniel. Jack squeezed his shoulder and nodded, and Daniel continued. "So what we did, as a team when we were grown ups I mean, was important? So we'll all stay together?"
"We'll always be together, no matter what. And it was. Very important," Jack confirmed.
"Like what my Daddy does, when he goes on missions?" Sam asked.
"Maybe even more important," Jack told her.
"Then it is our duty to return to the way we were, so that we may continue to assist you as a team," Teal'c said. The other two nodded in silent agreement.
Jack grinned at all three of them, his heart filled with pride.
"Sir, we think we're ready to begin." Jack looked up at Janet, pulling himself reluctantly to his feet.
Reaching out, he laid a hand on each of the boys' backs briefly before taking Sam by the hand. "Ok kids, let's go," he said, trying to sound cheerful. The kids stuck close as he led them to the temple.
At the entrance to the temple, Janet stopped him with a quick hand on his arm. "Uh, Colonel, you might want these," she said passing him a bag. He blinked, taking a quick peek. The bag contained adult sized uniforms, something he hadn't even considered when he'd grabbed things for the kids. He'd only brought child sized clothing. He smiled gratefully at Janet. Janet just smiled, holding up a third set of clothing. "I'll take Sam. Why don't you sort out the other two?" She held her hand out to the little girl, who looked to him questioningly. Jack nodded at her, giving her a little push, before nudging the boys in the opposite direction. Sorting the clothing took a few minutes, and not long after that, all three kids were decked out in oversized BDUs, minus boots and belts. They all needed a hand to hold up the too large pants. Jack led them into the temple.
"I'll be outside with the med team," Janet told him, sensing he needed a moment alone and heading for the exit. Jack could only wave a hand in thanks because his mouth had suddenly gone dry.
Looking at the kids standing in front of him, he felt his eyes grow moist. "C'mere," he said gruffly, crouching down and holding out his arms. All three kids stepped into them, and he squeezed them tight.
"I love you Colonel Jack," Sam said, her voice muffled against his chest.
Jack squeezed his eyes shut, his cheek resting against her hair as he inhaled the sweet smell only children possessed. "I love you too."
"What if we don't remember this?" Daniel said, his voice filled with worry. Jack freed a hand to run through Daniel's tousled brown hair and down the side of the boy's face, pressing him closer.
"I won't forget," Jack promised him, and felt the boy nod against him.
He felt Teal'c stir slightly, and opened his eyes to look at the oldest boy, Teal'c's chocolate brown eyes gazing right into his as if the child could see right into his soul. "Thank you," Teal'c said simply, and Jack nodded, closing his eyes again, and pulling all three of them close.
Jack wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but eventually he couldn't ignore his complaining knees any longer. With a stifled groan, he let go and regained his feet. "I can't stay in here," he told them, wishing it wasn't true. The kids merely nodded, and Teal'c placed a hand on each of the younger children's shoulders, as if to say he would watch out for them. The other two pressed closer to the older boy, and Jack took a step backwards, unwilling to break eye contact.
It was perhaps one of the hardest things he'd ever done, leaving them there, and it was all he could do to keep from looking back as he walked down the path, because he knew that if he did, he wouldn't be able to go through with it.
Rejoining the group at the control station, he nodded to the lead scientist and Doctor Fraiser. "Let's do it," he told them, unwilling to risk delaying any longer.
When the fearful and pain filled wails sounded from the direction of the temple, Jack would have bolted back there had not two of the marines from the field team bodily restrained him. The cries were mercifully short though, but it was several long minutes before the scientists monitoring the energy readings nodded the all clear. Jack was the first one up the path, Janet hot on his heels.
Chapter 67: Growing Pains
The scene that met his eyes this time was not much unlike the first time, only this time, the figures of his team were a good deal larger, and grouped together in the center of the room.
"It worked," Janet breathed beside him, shaking him from his reverie. He crossed the room in three strides to kneel next to the closest, which happened to be Daniel. He pressed his fingers to the young man's throat, feeling the reassuring steady thrum of the man's pulse. Across from him, Janet was doing the same with Sam while one of the medics checked on Teal'c.
Jack gazed down at the sleeping faces of his teammates, reassuring himself that they were whole and unharmed. He couldn't help but note the differences in their faces. The stronger lines, harder curves. Slight wrinkles at the corners of the eye. Faint stubble on the men's faces. Things he hadn't really noticed or paid attention to before. Closing his eyes, he almost thought he could hear them breathe.
"Sir, we really should check them out," Janet said next to his ear, a gentle hand on his arm. Startled, Jack's eyes flew open.
"Uh, yeah, sure, you betcha," He stammered, regaining his feet for what felt like the millionth time that day. As he walked away, he thought he should feel happy that his team was back to normal, but he only felt like he'd lost something dear to him.
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWay
It was nearly two hours before the recently transformed members of SG-1 regained consciousness. Thor had assured them that there was no way to reactivate the chamber except by the remote station before leaving orbit, so they'd decided to leave them there rather than risk transporting them down the treacherous pathway to the stargate by stretcher.
Teal'c, like the first time, was the first to stir. Although stir might have been an understatement. The big man went from passed out to sitting bolt upright in less than ten seconds. Jack winced in sympathy as the man no doubt had gotten quite a head rush, though he certainly didn't act like he had.
"O'Neill," he said. "What has transpired?"
"Easy there big fella," Jack told him, his explanation interrupted by a groan from Daniel.
"Why do I feel like I got run over by a truck?" the archeologist muttered from behind his hands. "I distinctly recall that this society was pre-industrial, so therefore, no trucks."
Jack chuckled, reaching down to pat the man on his shoulder. Janet and her medics were already moving in on the unwary victims.
"Sir?" Jack looked down to see Carter awake, her brow furrowed in confusion. "What happened?" she asked, as Janet affixed a blood pressure cuff to her arm and shined the ever present pen light in her eyes making her wince. Teal'c and Daniel were getting similar treatment to either side.
"So, you don't remember anything from the last few months?" Jack asked, casting about for a starting reference. Thor had warned them that removing the memory suppression might in turn cause the memory of the last few months to be lost rather than risk the confusion that two sets of childhood memories might cause. But part of him had still at least halfway hoped they'd recall even some part of their time with him.
"I do not," Teal'c replied.
"Whoa, wait, did you say months?" Daniel asked, sitting up with only slight assistance from the medic at his side.
"But we were just in here, you mean we've been here for months?" Sam asked, even more concerned. She looked around as if trying to spot a calendar or some other indication of the time passed.
"Well not exactly... Are you sure none of you remember, oh, I don't know, a little adventure with a bicycle and a pair of roller skates?" Jack asked, an evil gleam sparkling in his eyes. Of course, on the other hand, what they didn't know...
Janet snorted. "Or how about setting the Colonel's living room on fire? That happened just yesterday." She gave Jack a conspiratorial look, as if she'd figured out where his mind had taken him, and saw nothing wrong with a little harmless fun.
Jack grinned. "Trick or treating?" he tried. "Or what about frying the microwave or digging up the lawn?" More solemn head shakes, and just a bit of concern starting to appear. All three were sitting up now. "Nothing?" Jack tried one more time. They had no idea.
The three exchanged glances. "I had the strangest dream," Daniel admitted reluctantly.
"Me too," added Sam. They both looked at Teal'c, who frowned.
"I too have seen unusual images during my recent resting period," he allowed after a pause, as if unwilling to confess even that much.
"Well, I guess that might happen when you've been children for the last three months," Jack said, somehow hiding his smile over their expected reactions.
"Whoa, what? Children?" Daniel said disbelievingly.
"You're kidding, right sir?" Sam added, running her hands through her hair and frowning as her fingers encountered a different length than she remembered. Looking around, she noticed Teal'c was no longer smoothly bald. "Teal'c?" she asked, staring. Teal'c reached a hand to his own head, a momentary look of surprise coming over his face.
"You know, Uncle George is going to be so happy to see you kids," Jack said, rubbing his hands together gleefully. "Something about overdue reports."
Sam gave him a hard look as if to confirm he wasn't joking, then groaned, burying her face in her folded arms atop her knees.
"We are so never living this one down, are we?" Daniel asked, a hand wavering upwards as if to adjust his glasses before he belatedly realized the glasses were missing.
"Indeed," Teal'c replied, although Daniel had not really expected an answer.
And suddenly as the group fell back into familiar banter and a feeling of camaraderie settled over them, Jack didn't feel quite so much like he'd lost something, but rather like he'd just found something a long time misplaced. While he knew he'd never forget the last few months, which were now burned like an imprint on his soul, he knew he'd rediscovered something much more important. He'd found his family. Big or small, they were still his.
"C'mon kids, boots on, hop to. You know the best thing for growing pains is to walk it out!" Jack walked off, whistling tunelessly and ignoring the three groans behind him as his kids, his family, grudgingly moved to comply. They were going home.
Together.
~finis~
Epilogue: Growing Together
Over the last few months, Jack had developed a bit of a sixth sense to anything out of the ordinary going on in the house. Any sudden noises for instance. And likewise but equally telling, an absence of noise. He'd learned that when it got too quiet his three overly smart charges were generally up to no good. Too many giggles were also usually a sign that something was afoot. And so Jack O'Neill had learned the various noises to sense when someone or something was about. He seemed to know when someone was doing something they shouldn't, or merely not where they were supposed to be. Despite the fact that his house had now been empty for the last week, the sixth sense hadn't lessened at all. And that was why he found himself drawn to the kitchen, not long after 3:30 in the morning, long after SG-1 had gone to bed, or so he'd thought.
He stepped into the room, causing the woman seated at the table to look up, startled. "Sorry sir, I didn't mean to wake you." Her tone was apologetic, and slightly distracted as one hand stroked Billie's soft fur. The cat purred contentedly from her lap.
"S'ok Carter. I'm a light sleeper anyway." He felt a pang as her sir reminded him at the last moment not to call her Sam anymore. He'd caught himself on more than a few occasions over the past week with the name on the tip of his tongue, the easy familiarity hard to give up. But she unfortunately didn't remember anything besides some vague feelings and it would make it awkward for both of them if he continued it. At least not right now. Though perhaps... one day. One never knew what the future might bring. And then his face broke out in a grin as he noticed what she was drinking: a juice box of apple juice. "Thirsty Carter?"
She grimaced slightly and blushed. "Uh, well, I didn't think I should have anymore beer, and you didn't really have anything else."
Laughing ruefully, Jack shrugged apologetically. Wondering about a cup of coffee, Jack pulled open the top of the coffee maker and stared at the soggy grounds inside that were an indeterminate age and a filter that likely was even older. He had a vague recollection of the extra filters being donated to some school project or other. Giving up on the coffee, he pulled the fridge open and grabbed another juice box for himself, returning Carter's smile as she watched him pop the little straw into the box. It had been their first official team night together in months, and combined with the fact that none of them had realized until they caught the countdown on TV that it was New Year's Eve, they'd all overdone it a little bit. He shrugged it off. "Haven't had time to go to the store, it's been busy this last week and I haven't been home much." What he left unsaid was that he hadn't been home because the house had felt empty.
Sam looked down at her juice, fiddling with the little box. "Sir, I don't know if I've thanked you for everything you've done these last few months..."
"Hey," he interrupted, "No problem. I kinda liked it actually, you three were pretty special, and I'm glad I got to do it. Gonna miss it actually." He blinked as if startled he'd said what he said out loud and was quiet a moment. "At least I got a fridge full of drawings to remember it by!" he boasted proudly with a sweeping gesture, changing the subject in his typical fashion when it got too sensitive.
As usual, the misdirection worked. Sam groaned, cheeks flushing crimson as she looked at the drawing covered fridge. "Sir!" she protested, hands again fiddling with her drink. Jack had taken them all over the house earlier, showing off all the drawings and hand made creations the three of them had made for him, proclaiming he intended to keep each and every one, much to their chagrin. He'd particularly enjoyed their reactions to the photo albums he'd been keeping. He'd made each of them their own copy, and was quite pleased he'd already given Jacob his copy, as a memento of the past few months. Sam had been particularly embarrassed to learn her father had stopped by not once, but twice, and had kept in radio contact whenever possible.
Watching Sam's hands on her drink, Jack was possessed by a sudden idea. "Wait right here," he told her, getting to his feet.
"Sir?" she questioned. But he just waved absently in her direction with a "stay put" gesture and disappeared from the room, a man on a mission.
A minute later, he was back with a box and pulled several items from it. She watched as he poured a powder into a ziplock bag and added a measure of warm water, and then started to squeeze the bag, combining the mixture into a thick pink substance.
"Sir, what's that?" she asked. It had a vague scent of berries.
"You'll see," he said unhelpfully, a mischievous glint appearing in his eye. He mixed the concoction for another minute, before pouring it out into a round raised dish. "Here Carter, give me your hand."
"Sir?" She remained where she was, her face clearly showing her skepticism. Billie made a sound of displeasure at all the sudden activity and jumped down, heading off to a quieter location. Sam watched her go as if losing an ally.
He rolled his eyes and reached across the space between them, grabbing her wrist and giving an insistent tug when she resisted. "Oh c'mon, it won't hurt." He frowned at her and she hesitated. In her moment of hesitation he pulled her to his side and pushed her hand into the warm, thick creation before she could get away, making sure it was completely covered around the palm and fingers. Her hand was larger now, so it didn't quite go as far, but it should still work he thought.
"Oh yuck, this is gross, what is this stuff anyway?" Sam tried to pull out of his grasp, while attempting to use her free hand to poke at the stuff, her innate curiosity battling with her initial revulsion.
Tightening his grip, he swatted away her other hand. "Hold still, you'll mess it up and we'll have to start over again. And don't touch it." He looked up and noticed her face for the first time, suddenly wishing for a camera. She looked exactly like she did when they'd done this the first time and had said much the same words. Wishing for a camera, and having one was still a completely different matter however; so needless to say, he was just as startled as Carter was when a bright flash filled the room. Both of them turned toward the doorway to find Teal'c standing there, holding a camera. Jack somehow managed to keep a grip on Carter's wrist as she squirmed to confront the source of the flash.
"Teal'c, I'm so gonna h..." Carter pulled against his hold, intent on getting away and getting her hands on the incriminating evidence.
Having months of practice, Jack easily diverted the upcoming bloodshed with a well-timed interruption. "Help him make another one of these. He's next, as soon as we're done with yours." He poked a finger at the glop coating her hand, drawing her attention back to it. Easily, he fended off her other hand again, grinning at the look of mingled disgust and fascination that appeared on her face.
"What?" She narrowed her eyes at him, noticing his grin.
"It's just that your face looked exactly like that last time we did this." She blinked, frowning. "There, I think it's ready," he said, avoiding the question he knew was forming in her mind.
The stuff had thickened into a thick rubbery consistency, and peeled easily off her hand. Sam stared at it in fascination, and Jack grinned again at the similarities between grown up Carter and young Sam. He handed her a paper towel and set to work mixing up the second compound just as a sleepy voice spoke from the doorway.
"Hey guys, what's going on?" Daniel pushed his glasses up on his nose and surveyed the group in the kitchen.
"The Colonel won't tell me," Sam said, disgruntled, as she tried to wipe her hand clean of the leftover bits of whatever it was he'd stuck her hand in.
"I believe we will find out momentarily," said Teal'c with conviction and the hint of a small smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.
"Yep," said Jack, as he poured the white mixture into the bowl and rubbery thing that had been on Sam's hand. Next he turned to Teal'c. "I think we'll need two packets for you buddy." Teal'c merely nodded as Jack whipped up another batch of the pink substance.
Sam gleefully turned the tide and snapped a picture of the large Jaffa warrior, his hand coated in the pink scented mixture. The man cooperated willingly, unlike Sam had been moments before, and didn't need Jack to hold him down. It was still amusing to watch though.
Daniel on the other hand took a little convincing, since Jack still hadn't explained what he was up to, but since the others had done it, he did it too, although a bit grudgingly.
Finally, Jack revealed what the purpose of everything had been, turning the dishes upside down and peeling away the rubbery molds to show the plaster casts of each of their hands. He grinned as they all realized how the three smaller hand shapes on the mantle had been made and just whom they belonged to. He gathered the finished products up and carried them out to the fireplace, placing them by their smaller counterparts with a smile. The large white ones were a marked contrast to the three smaller painted ones, but somehow it was fitting.
"You know, I think there's one missing up there." Daniel's voice startled him; he hadn't realized they'd followed him out there.
"I think you're right Daniel." Carter's voice was smug, and he recognized the tone. She was up to something. Her sly sideways look at Daniel only confirmed it and told him his two geniuses were concocting something.
"Indeed," agreed Teal'c. Jack suppressed a groan, now he knew he was in for it.
Before he knew it, he was surrounded and being herded back to the kitchen with Teal'c and Carter on either side. Daniel quickly located the molding compound and mixed up a batch. "Whoa, hey, you guys..." Jack tried protesting unsuccessfully.
But Carter only grabbed his wrist and pressed his hand into the stuff. "Hold still, or you'll mess it up," she told him impishly. The stuff really was gross. Teal'c snapped a picture.
"Hey!" Carter's grip on his wrist tightened and he scowled. He wondered who had taught these kids their manners.
When his hand was finally free of the mess, he stood trying to wipe it off and glared at them, but they ignored him as they made the plaster cast. Several minutes later, when it was sitting on the table, Jack again glared at them. "There, happy?" he demanded, his tone severe, but he wasn't really angry.
It seemed however, that they weren't quite done with it yet. Daniel had just made a discovery in the box of craft supplies, and Carter had gotten a rather devilish gleam in her eyes when he'd brought it out. Jack just groaned, and spent the next twenty minutes watching the grown up members of his team act like children, painting a plaster cast of his hand, laughing and arguing and generally having a good time. They presented the finished product to him with a flourish, and a few poorly hidden snickers. He ignored the amusement and studied the finished product critically.
"Yanno, I kinda like the tie dye effect kids." Carter snorted. Daniel snickered, and Teal'c looked pleased. Jack picked it up and carried it carefully to the mantle so as not to smear the paint job and placed it reverently on the shelf with the others.
He stepped back with the group and surveyed the odd collection of big and small hand casts. "People will think I'm weird you know, with that collection over the fireplace."
"Colonel Jack," Sam said, using the nickname she'd been told they'd called him over the last few weeks because it somehow felt appropriate, "People already know you're weird."
"Ah well," he sighed, reaching out and pulling them near, "Can't please everybody."
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