The next in my series after continuum. Set before "I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus". Enjoy
"My Daddy"
The first grade classroom was quiet. The only sound was the scratching of pencils around the room. All heads were down as the students completed their work.
Some were doing pictures, others were writing small sentences. Grace O'Neill looked as if she could be writing an essay or novel.
The teacher was aware of her talent. Grace was at the same intelligence level as the other pupils, although at the top end. However she was well above them when it came to writing. Grace could write before she came to school. Her father blamed it on a bookworm uncle and his wife's large brain.
Grace could be stubborn though, over the year she had occasionally refused to write. The teacher had accidentally stumbled on the one topic Grace would happily write about, her family particularly her Daddy.
So today, the day after Father's day, class work was to write or draw all about your Daddy. The teacher knew that she might never get Grace to stop.
Today was special, it was parent visit day. Unlike most of these days when the teacher didn't mind who turned up, she had sent a note requesting, where possible, if a pupils Dad, Grandpa or important male figures could attend.
All families had responded saying someone would come. The children now had to write about their special person, for all but a few it was their Daddy.
Grace was concentrating very hard. She knew her Daddy and Mommy were coming to hear her read her story; she had to make it special. She wrote down everything she could remember about her Daddy. Her spelling was bad, the teacher always mentioned that, but Grace decided that if she could read it then that was all that mattered.
She continued adding information, little bits that she didn't understand but knew they were true, her Daddy was an important man. She liked it when he wore his medals, when she could go on a plane with him, he was the best Daddy ever and today she planned to tell everyone.
Grace worked though snack and break time. She stopped to do her maths work but finished that very quickly and got back to her story. It had to be perfect. Daddy would be here to listen. At breakfast he had told her that only he and Mommy were coming. Jake and Dan were getting left with Uncle Daniel.
Grace was excited, it would be nice to have her Daddy and Mommy all to herself, Daddy had even promised ice cream after. Lunch came and Grace finally stopped writing. She told the teacher not to read it cos it was for her Daddy not her. The teacher chuckled at the bossy, but polite, little blonde girl and left her story on the desk.
Lunch finished and parents began to arrive. Grace kept looking anxiously at the door, straining to see her Daddy. By 1:30 all other 'Daddies' had arrived but there was no sign of Jack or Sam. Realising time was getting on the teacher made a start to the afternoon.
One by one each child stood up and showed their picture or read their story. Each was applauded by the adults. All the class had gone up and Jack and Sam were still not there. Grace had now turned from the door, she picked up her story and was about to rip it up when there was a commotion outside the door. Jack burst through the door, in full formal uniform, followed by Sam wearing her uniform.
Grace looked over and her eyes lit up.
"Daddy" she screamed at top volume. She ran from her seat and launched herself into his arms.
Jack caught her with ease. "Sorry we're late sweetie but Daddy needed to meet the President"
"That's in my story Daddy" she said "it's my turn now, you need to sit there and listen" she pointed to the two free seats in the front row.
Jack and Sam sat down, gaped at by many parents and a surprised teacher. Little did they know it was only the beginning.
Grace took her place at the front of the group, story firmly in hand. In a strong voice she began;
"My Daddy"
"My Daddy is a very mportnt man. He is a leftenant gnral. He got promted last week"
Jack smiled at her, Sam began to worry about any national secrets that could be revealed. However she was more than delighted at the look on her daughter's face.
Grace continued "he wears a blue uniform with lots of medals on it, he is very brave, Uncle T said so and he should know." Sam giggled at that one, although it was true.
"My Daddy gets to meet lots of mportant people, like the Presdent of the USA. I been to the big white house lots and lots of times"
'Oh boy' thought Sam 'Here we go'
"he has an mportant job in the mountain. He works with Mommy, Uncle Daniel, Uncle T, Vala, Cam and Gnral Hank" Jack had to smirk at that one.
"Evryone in the mountain has to salut my Daddy, he is the biggest Gnral there. They all think he's the best" Sam was a little concerned about the information coming.
"My Daddy loves the simsons, Mommy says he is like Homer"
Jack glared at Sam while some of the other wives laughed at the comment.
"That's ok cos that means I'm Lisa and I like her"
"My Daddy is pretty smart, not like Mommy, he gets confused at her babble and don't understand her doohickeys. He says I need to teach him that stuff when I'm older"
Sam squeezed Jack's leg as he went a little red with embarrassment. More was to come.
"My Daddy likes fishing, me too, but Daddy can't catch nothing" Sam stifled a giggle
"Only Uncle T caught anything" Grace added with a slightly disapproving tone. The laughter in the room increased and Sam had to join in. She quickly stopped with Grace's next comment
"My Daddy is the bestest Daddy in the whole galaxy" Even Jack began to worry now
"I know cos he's…." 'Here it comes thought Sam, aliens, other planets, they really should have talked to her before this.'
"my Daddy and it takes a special Daddy to look after me" she said with authority
Sam began to get a tear in her eye and, if he were honest, so did Jack.
"I know my Daddy will always protect me and my brothers from any bad man. My Mommy is a Gnral too so she can protect herself, but Daddy would do that too."
Jack took Sam's hand off her lap totally focussing on the wonderful little girl in front of him.
"He is the best Daddy and is going to love the new baby just like he loves me, Jake and Dan. But I will always be his best girl.
I love you Daddy"
She finished and ran into his arms. Jack hugged her tight. "I love you too baby"
There was not a dry eye in the place and Sam's hormones were not coping with this level of emotion well. She hugged Grace aswell, so proud of her little girl.
The school bell rang and pupils began to leave, the teacher moved across to Grace and her late parents. Grace's story had filled in many of the blanks in the teacher's mind but she was still curious.
"Mr and Mrs O'Neill?" she began
"Hello" Sam responded, "We're sorry we were so late"
Grace jumped in "Daddy had to see the President, so it's ok Mrs Riley"
Sam glanced at the floor, not really wanting to look the teacher in the eye.
"Well its good to see you both. It's clear from Grace's story that you have very important jobs" Mrs Riley commenting, noticing not for the first time the array of medals both Jack and Sam wore.
"I'm glad to see that family comes first" she continued
"Youbetcha" Jack said bending to pick up Grace and tickling her "they are the most important thing"
Both Sam and Jack shook hands with the teacher and made their way to the car. Jack had gotten rid of his beloved truck and had to settle for a people carrier, complete with car seats. Oh how life changes he thought.
Once they were all buckled in and on the move Grace opened the conversation.
"Did you really like my story Daddy?" she said in her light cheerful voice
"Of course sweetie" Jack said.
Turning to Sam she asked "Did you Mommy?"
"Yes sweetheart" Sam replied
Grace sat back satisfied and looked out of the window, then quite calmly she dropped her bombshell.
"I was going to write all about the Stargate and Thor and other planets but Uncle Daniel said you would be put in prison if I ever told anyone, so I didn't"
"What!" Jack shouted, quickly stopping the car and whipping round to look at Grace
"When did he tell you that" Jack demanded, glaring at her.
Grace looked worried, her Daddy had never spoken to her like that before.
"Jack calm down you're scaring her" Sam said from the front
As quickly as it had come, his anger faded.
"Oh baby, I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you"
"Are you angry at me?" Grace asked, her bottom lip quivering. She thought she had done well not including that information.
"No sweetie, can you explain when Uncle Daniel told you that stuff?"
Grace held in the tears and stated "When Dan was being born, before I had to go to Kindergarten we all had to go to the mountain. Uncle Daniel took me and Jake into his lab, there's lots of cool stuff there"
She began to slow her explanation, realising she would have to tell her Daddy the truth.
"I was naughty Daddy" she tried to break eye-contact but Jack held it
"I said I wanted to take something for show-and-tell. Uncle Daniel said I wasn't allowed, that I would get into trouble. But I said no-one would get me into trouble cos you were my Daddy. I said I was going to tell everyone at school about the mountain. I wasn't nice to Uncle Daniel Daddy"
Jack looked back at her and could tell by her manner that there was more
"Keep going Grace" he said quite sternly, not happy at her behaviour or the lack of information from her space monkey uncle.
"Uncle Daniel said I could get into lots of trouble but I said I didn't believe him, I had a tantrum Daddy." she shuffled in the car seat
"he said that I couldn't say anything because it was a secret and you and Mommy would get into trouble if I told. I wasn't happy but he said I had to be a brave girl and keep the secret of the gate so that you wouldn't go to prison"
She began to brighten and both Jack and Sam could tell the worst was over
"We made a secret handshake and everything" she enthused
"I said sorry for being mean Daddy and then Dan was born and Uncle Danny said he would keep the secret of me being bad. I promised not to tell no-one else and I haven't Daddy, I kept my promise. I sorry for being bad Daddy"
"Ok Grace, I'm pleased you said sorry" Jack responded trying to be positive
"Did I do good not telling Daddy?" Grace asked desperate for the affirmation she normally got automatically
"Yes sweetie, you did good"
"Am I still your best girl?" She asked very quietly, her blue eyes growing bigger and looking so like Sam's. Jack's heart melted, he was always a sucker for those eyes
"Always Gracie, Always"
AN: Ok before anyone says anything the spelling was supposed to be bad, I hope you all got that.