This story is Laura's first fanfic and all credit goes to her. So please be nice to her and give her reviews. Thanks.

With the help of this story Laura and I got friends. I'll be Laura's co-author in this series from part 8.

Happy reading.

Friends and Foes Part 1

Author: Laura
Genre: Gen
Warnings: mild language. A few cuss words here and there. And a little
bit of Danny whumping, too.
Disclaimer: Not mine, none of them just borrowing them for a little
while ;)
Spoilers: None
Summery: Kidfic. Daniel has to adjust to his now child size and in the meantime he's wreaking havoc on the nerves of a certain Air Force Colonel.
A/N: Thanks again Amberfly for the idea of the title! :D

Walking cautiously through the corridors of the SGC, Daniel carefully tiptoed to his office, making sure nobody was nearby to bust his cover. He pushed the door open and let himself in, closing it quietly behind him. Once inside he let out a whoop of excitement at having successfully accomplished his mission. He knew that if he was caught disobeying direct orders he would be in deep trouble, but there was so much that needed to be done, translations, reports, it was just never ending.

He skipped happily to the high chair before his desk and scowled before climbing up the kid step stool and onto the high chair. He so hated it! Why couldn't he just have a normal, ordinary, adult chair like everybody else had? Just because he was shorter now didn't mean they had to treat him like a little kid, right? However, he had to admit it was way better than having to strain to even see the keys on the board, and yes, the swivel chair he had before had proven to be a little unsteady for his precarious stability as of late. There was no way he was going to say that out loud though, much less to Jack. That would only feed his well-intentioned but misguided idea that he now knew what was best for him better than he did.

As he waited for the computer to power up, he went through the translations he'd been trying to complete before Jack had come for him to take a... humph... nap! Now that was way pushing it! Maybe well-intentioned, but still, that was going way, way too far.

For some reason Jack now felt it necessary to tell him when to go to bed, when and what to eat. He was thirty-four years old, not four for crying out loud!! He shook his head and shivered slightly. He was spending too much time around Jack it seemed. Couldn't be helped, though, until Sam could figure out how to reverse his current condition they wouldn't let him to live on his own. They as in: the General, the President, the powers that be. He could understand it would be a little odd to see a four year old living on his own and that it would only attract unnecessary attention to himself but couldn't help the feeling of resentment whenever he thought about it. He was grateful to Jack, of course, for his selfless act of friendship when he took him under his wing. He just missed his own place, having his own rules, his independence, and his privacy. Not that Jack didn't allow him his fare share of privacy at his place. He had his own room, with a lock and all. And Jack never invaded his personal space. But it just wasn't the same.

It was all just so unfair! He didn't want this. He didn't want to relive his childhood. Once was enough, thank you. He wanted his life back! It had been two months already and they were no closer to finding a solution. The Asgard, the Tollan, the Tok'Ra, none of them could help him and although Sam had promised she would never stop trying, deep down he knew they all had in fact, just given up on him, they just wouldn't tell him in so many words. It was the little things.

Then he brought his head up from the papers he was trying to read as the wheels in his head started turning at full speed. All the maybes, the what ifs, the fears he'd been trying so hard to ignore came flooding all at once like cascading water. What if they never find a solution? What if this is permanent? What if Jack doesn't want a kid in a permanent basis? What if they send me away to foster care again?

NO! He shook his head vigorously to rid himself of the troubling images that clouded his mind. That was NOT going to happen. For one, Jack would never abandon him; 'no one gets left behind' that's what he always said, right? So if this were to be permanent, Jack wouldn't just throw him out to social services. And secondly, there was really no need to ponder such things. It would never come to that. Sam would figure it out. It's what she did, solve problems, and this is what it was, just a problem that needed solving.

Resolutely nodding his head, determined not to let his mind wander into any more dark places he decided to get himself back to work which was why he was here disregarding Jacks orders in the first place.

No more than fifteen minutes afterwards, however, he found himself nodding off and yawning uncontrollably. Shaking off the cobwebs in his head, he determinedly tried once again to focus but to no avail, his eyelids seemed to have a mind of their own, and seemed just as determined to close. Angered at his new inability to stay awake for long periods of time he threw his glasses onto the table, dug the heels of his hands into his eyes and rubbed furiously until he could see bright spots dancing before his closed lids.

Sighing dramatically, he decided he needed to do something or he would end up falling asleep on his desk, and God forbid if someone, specially Jack, found him in such an undignified position. He would never hear the end of it. Maybe a coffee would do the trick. Where he would get one was a whole different story. He wasn't allowed to drink coffee anymore, he snorted indignantly. Maybe he could procure one in the mess hall without anybody noticing.

Grinning, he put his glasses back on, pushing them up his diminutive nose and jumped off the chair landing in a heap on the floor, he giggled foolishly and got himself back on his feet. 'Now that was fun' he thought. Still giggling silently he ran to the door. He peered outside through a very small crack. Opening it wider after a while, he sneaked his head out and looked both ways to make sure the coast was clear then made a mad dash for the elevator.

oOo

Steaming cup of coffee in one hand and a stack of reports ready to be dispatched in the other, Jack sauntered down level 12 on his way to check up on mini Daniel who by the way, was way too stubborn to admit to needing a little shut eye. Jack had to practically drag him kicking and screaming all the way to the VIP room and hold him down under the covers until the struggling and crying ceased and only the occasional whimper remained. Then it was only a matter of time until exhaustion won out and the heavy eyelids finally stayed closed and blissful silence ensued.

He sighed; maybe he was getting old for all of this. He didn't remember it being so hard the first time around. Yeah, of course, Charlie didn't have the memories of a thirty something year old archaeologist/linguist inside his head, there was that.

He figured it wouldn't be so hard if Daniel weren't constantly fighting him over the simplest of things. He was obviously affected by this psychologically as well as physically, or else he would see reason and realize his four-year-old body couldn't withstand long hours of work on end with minimal food in the form of candy bars to keep him going. It was no good for him as an adult and he had to fight him over that little tiny detail often enough as it was. But now it seemed you couldn't even reason with him, he just throws a tantrum whenever he can't get his own way. He was so four sometimes it scared him.

Jack took a deep breath, turned the knob and peered inside. Through the dimness in the room he made out the tiny lump in the middle of the bed and smiled warmly to himself. He'd been more tired than he thought. He walked up to the bed and was about to caress the little blond mop of unruly hair, when instead his hand came up holding a...pillow. That old trick and he'd almost fallen for it. Daniel was so dead! He thrust the pillow onto the mattress and stomped out of the room.

oOo

As Daniel made his way carefully to the commissary he suddenly noticed a figure rounding the corner, striding hastily towards him so he ducked swiftly behind the closest corner and pressed his body as flat against the wall as was physically possible without becoming one with the concrete wall.

As he heard the footsteps getting closer and closer to his hiding spot he could feel beads of sweat forming on his forehead, dampening his hair and making their way down the side of his face. When just as suddenly, they became fainter and disappeared. He risked a peek around the wall, and saw only the empty SGC hall. Heaving a sigh of relief he left his hiding place and kept on walking.

"Gotcha!"ン A very familiar voice startled him out of his skin while two strong hands grabbed him from behind. He let out a yelp as he felt his small body being raised and turned around to face a very pissy Colonel.

"Hi, Jack."ン He smiled up at him, all wide-eyed innocence.

"Don't you 'hi Jack' me, Daniel! You're in so much trouble"ン Jack said sternly "Care to tell me why there's a pillow tucked in your bed?'Cause last I checked cushions don't need naps."

"Well, neither do I!"ン Daniel yelled back

"Watch the attitude, young man. You're in enough trouble as it is"

"Why?!'Cause I didn't want to take a stupid nap! I am NOT a little kid and I'll do as I damn well please,"ン

"That a fact, huh? You know, it's a good thing you just said that, I've been having this little nagging feeling at the back of my mind and you just clarified things for me here. I've been having second thoughts on whether or not to take you with us to the little archeology paradise you were prattling on and on and drooling about in the briefing room this morning."ン

Seeing the wary expression deepen in the little round face, he pressed on "And you know what, I think I've made up my mind already, I guess I can't take you off world at all, after all."ン Jack replied succinctly and saw the defiant demeanor in the big blue eyes change to utter shock.

"What?"ンDaniel gasped.

"Simple, if you're gonna do as you damn well please, as you so nicely put it, then I can't take you with us to P3 something whatever 'cause no matter how harmless this little excursion of yours seems to be, there could be something or, someone on the other side waiting for us other than just squiggles and rocks. And I don't think I'm prepared to risk your life and the lives of the team just because you insist to disregard orders. You wanna be a brat, fine. But I just won't take any chances off world and I don't think General Hammond will either after he hears what I've just heard"ン

Daniel paled dramatically at that and swallowed hard, speechless. Jack took the rare opportunity and tucked him under his arm and briskly made his way down the hall back to the VIP room.

"And just so you know, you're taking that nap anyway. Whether you like it or not, you're not thirty anymore and your body has different needs now. Although I kinda always thought food and rest were essentials for the human body no matter what age, don't ya think?" Silence.

"We'll have to ask Janet, then."ン Jack droned on while purposefully rounding the corner and entering the elevator he reached out to punch a button.

oOo

Once outside, taking long strides to the VIP room with a now struggling whiny archaeologist under his right arm, Jack pushed the door with his left open and deposited him down on the mattress, heedless of his protests.

"Jack, you can't be serious!"ン

"Oh... I'm serious, all right,"ン he said as he untied Daniel's sneakers and took them off along with his socks, jeans, jacket and glasses.

"Get into bed,"ン he instructed while holding up the blankets for him. But instead of complying, Daniel jumped from the bed and tried to make it to the door, but the special ops trained Colonel was ready for him and caught him before he even made it half way to the exit and this time he got him to lie down on the bed. As Jack carefully tucked him in, again, Daniel quietly sobbed and begged.

"Please, Jack. I'm not... tiered, I... don't need... a nap,"ン he cried in between hiccups. What was wrong with him, he couldn't stop crying. He sounded like such a baby. He thought frustrated, which only made him cry harder.

"Shhh. Just close your eyes kiddo. You're exhausted; you've been at it for hours now. Trust me, you need some rest."ン Jack soothed as he wiped the streaming tears from the wet flushed cheeks.

"I'm not... a... baby. I don't... need... a n-nap,"ン he continued sobbing while unsuccessfully trying to stifle a yawn, the heavy drooping lids already at half mast couldn't be forced to stay open anymore so finally Danny was fast asleep.

oOo

Jack sat there, caressing gently the soft locks of hair, stroking Daniel's blond bangs away from his face soothingly, even though he was now dead to the world and would possibly stay that way for the next half hour. He fondly smiled down at the sleeping child, his best friend only a tiny helpless child now who needed him more than ever. He would see to it that Danny wasn't left alone ever again, he now had a family that'd cared for him and loved him, albeit a strange one, grant you that, but a family none the less and he would make sure that Danny understood that.

It had been months now, and he had to come to grips with the fact that Danny would most probably be stuck this way and would have to grow up the old fashioned way which meant his best friend would most certainly
become his son now. He was on his way to talk to the General about it, when he'd decided to check on Daniel first. He glanced at the reports and the cold coffee sitting on the night stand next to him. He shrugged, that could wait until the little rapscallion woke up, he wasn't about to make the same mistake and leave him alone again. No siree!