Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are not my property. No copyright infringement is intended.

As soon as Jack opened the front door, three year old Katie came running to him, grinning from ear to ear, jumping up and down.

"Daddy! I'm glad you're home. I missed you."

Jack smiled, wondering what she was up to. "Are you really that happy to see me?" he asked as he set down his briefcase and laid his jacket on top.

Katie nodded her head excitedly and held out her arms so Jack picked her up. He wandered into the living room to see Sam leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel.

"Hey" he grinned.

Sam returned the grin. "Hey yourself."

Katie laid her head on Jack's shoulder with a loud sigh.

"Daddy."

"Yes, honey?"

"Do you love me?"

"Of course. I tell you every day I love you."

"Would you do anything for me?" Katie sweetly asked.

Jack rolled his eyes at Sam, knowing that Katie was winding him up.

Sam put her hand over her mouth, trying not to smile.

"Well, it depends on what it is, sweetheart."

Katie raised her head, put her tiny hands to Jack's cheeks and looked into his eyes.

"Daddy, can I have a pony?"

Jack shook his head. "No, you can't have a pony."

Katie lowered her hands, crossed her arms and stared at Jack as her lower lip started to tremble. "Why not?"

"Katie, a pony grows into a big horse. We don't have anywhere to keep one, they're expensive to feed and they need lots of care and attention."

Big tears started down Katie's cheeks as Jack sat down on the sofa and he set Katie on his lap.

Sam slowly walked to the sofa, sat down beside them and asked "why do you want a pony?"

Katie wiped the tears from her cheeks. "My friend Hayley has a pony" referring to their next door neighbors' little girl. "Hayley's grammy lets her ride it."

Jack patted her leg. "Honey, Hayley's grandparents live on a farm so they have a place to keep a pony. We don't have a stable to keep a pony like Hayley's grandparents do. Hayley has to go to the farm to see the pony because Haley's parents can't keep one at their house, just like we can't."

Tears started down Katie's cheeks again. "But I want a pony."

Jack and Sam looked at each other for a few moments.

Jack put his arms around Katie and gave her a big hug. "I tell you what. I'll ask Hayley's dad if you could come along with them sometime when they take Hayley to visit her grandparents. That way you could spend the whole day playing with Hayley and see the pony at the same time. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Katie sniffed. "I guess" she whispered.

Sam took Katie's hand. "I'm sorry you can't have a pony, honey, but there are just some things that your Dad and I can't let you have. Do you understand?"

Katie nodded her head, looked up at them both and started to smile.

"What are you smiling at?" Jack asked.

"Well, if I can't have a pony, can I have a baby brother?"

Jack and Sam looked at each other and grinned.

Katie stared at Jack. "Unless you think a baby brother would be too much trouble too, Daddy."

They both chuckled as Jack winked at Sam. "Your Mom and I will see what we can do to give you a baby brother, sweetheart."

The End