A/N: Takes place when Torren is five or six. Has some brief JT mention.

A loud sigh filled the darkened room. Torren peeked one eye open to see if Mother was looking and then two when he found her eyes still closed. He was bored. Torren glanced around for something of interest, his eyes skittering over flickering candles and Athosian baskets before landing on John's caster board. It was like Lt. Phelps skateboard but cooler. If only he could convince Mother...

"Torren, I do not imagine it is an easy task to meditate with ones eyes open."

Said eyes snapped to his mother's face to find her eyes still closed. How did she do that? John said that mothers had eyes in the back of their head but even those could not have seen him.

The door to Mother and John's sleeping quarters opened and John stepped out with the face he wore when he was listening to someone on the earpiece. A second later he responded, "On my way."

Mother calmly opened her eyes, raising one brow at Torren knowingly before looking back over her shoulder. "What has happened?"

"Nothing. Colonel Carter's scheduled to come in is all. I'm meeting her in the gate room."

Torren leaned forward eagerly. "May I go with John? I haven't seen Colonel Sam in a very long time. Pleeeease," he outright begged.

Teyla pursed her lips in disapproval of his pleading, giving John a pointed look as if he was to blame for the behavior. John maintained a look of utmost innocence which he then ruined by saying diplomatically, "Think of it as an experience in negotiations."

Torren smiled widely, knowing John was taking his side. John knew how boring meditation was after all and Mother never made him do it. Torren sensed Mother was not fooled in the slightest but under two pairs of puppy dog eyes, she folded. "Very well. You may go."

Torren jumped up with a yell and then cleared his throat self-consciously on Mother's look. He supposed he shouldn't act quite so happy about stopping their meditation session early.

"Ready to go, kid?"

Torren nodded, taking John's hand as they stepped in the hall. Some of the Athosian children said that he was too old to be hand holding but Torren liked it. He just felt better when he did it, especially with Mother. John liked to hold Mother's hand too but hardly ever did it when other people were around.

"How far do you think it is to the end of the hall, Torren?"

Torren looked down to where the hall turned and guessed, "30 meters?"

John liked to talk about numbers, especially when they watched football. "I'd say that's about right," John agreed casually. Looking down at Torren out of the corner of his eye, he challenged, "I bet I can beat you to the corner."

Torren narrowed his eyes speculatively. "If I win, you have to get me out of my next meditation with Mother."

John turned his head but Torren caught his smirk anyway. "But that's what I just did."

"Take it or leave it."

John chuckled. "Okay. Okay. But what do I win?"

Torren smiled. "I won't tell Mother."

John narrowed his eyes at the boy. "You are evil, Torren Emmagan. Deal."

Without another word, John took off down the hall.

"Hey!," Torren shouted indignantly before he too took off running.