"Jack O'Neill! What an earth do you think you're doing?"
The Colonel froze on the spot, not many people had the ability to do that to him - not now - well, not ever really…
Jack's mind wandered back to his teenage years. Long summer days and longer summer nights – he recalled being caught by his mom in the grips of his then, long term girlfriend. Janet's tone and annoyance radiating through her stern voice had jolted the memory from his fuzzy, pain-filled head.
The colonel frowned, rubbing his for-head while trying to recall a name from the depths of his memory…'was it, Janet? No'. The SGC's very own Napoleonic Power Monger would have reminded him of that long forgotten love of his youth well before now.
'Hmmm, no, no, no, it was Jane, Jane… Donohue', that's right, the first real girlfriend of his teen life. Jack smiled. The memory was bitter sweet now, innocence lost, love supposedly found and yet it had been the best summer he'd had in his previously misspent youth.
Jane had made him realise what he wanted in life, a family, a career following in his father's foot steps and the love of an endearing woman. She'd made him realise that flunking High School wasn't going to get him where he wanted to be.
Jack the prankster had to kerb his bad habits and infallible ability to cause trouble where ever he went. He hadn't always been caught, admittedly, but the teachers, parents or who ever the unlucky victim was, usually knew where the source of the problem had come from.
Jack's mother had often accused him of turning his father grey, "The youngest of six and the biggest worry of all," The small but steel willed Catholic woman had accused on so many occasions - usually just after chasing her youngest up the stairs brandishing her well used wooden spoon. "Jonathon O'Neill, you've the Devil in you!" she'd holler just before delivering the punishment.
Not that he'd had an unloving home, not by any means. His father had encouraged him in his insatiable need of knowledge regarding any and all air craft. Many models hung from the young O'Neill's bedroom ceiling, carefully strung up by Jack's dad. Tediously thought out scenes of dogfights where depicted using hand painted fighters, while bombers hung low over collection of hockey regalia bought from matches attended with his father and older brothers.
Many enjoyable Chicago winters had been spent playing ice hockey on the local lake. Jack's mom had always ensured her youngest was well wrapped against the bitter winds and the O'Neill boys had made sure their brother scored at least once in their excitable games.
If anything Jack was spoilt. He'd been given all the love and attention any young boy could crave from both parents. His mother was a cook that never failed to produce some of the finest Cookies on the block. All his friends would flock around whenever they got the opportunity to taste the O'Neill house hold delights.
The house was always warm and full of people. A large family with many relatives meant that Uncles, Aunties, Cousins, Granma's and Grandpa's where constantly in and out. So all in all, Jack's childhood had been warm and rewarding. He'd been set and moulded into a well rounded human being. His only down fall was and had ever been his ability to find and cause mischief. He'd always oozed lack of respect for his Elders and supposedly betters. Something his mother had said he must have been born with. But it was just the way he was and still was to a smaller degree.
Yes, he'd climbed the ranks in the Air Force. A love of flying, lack of fear mixed and stubbornness had ensured his career path. Jack was always the one that would do without question what many others would not. That was partly why he was where he was now, that and having leadership qualities that rarely could be found with the ability to command respect and admiration from subordinates, peers and higher ranks alike.
Jack though, had always had one serious downfall. He pushed the boundaries of in subordination to whole new levels, right from when he first joined the academy. Something that had followed him from child hood, but he remembered it being quashed enough by this once girlfriend, someone he'd managed to forget about until this very moment.
Jack turned and plastered a shit eating grin across his face, "Yes, Doc'?"
"Is there any particular reason that you're out of bed again, Sir?" And that had so obviously been added with great disdain.
"Well, I thought I'd have a walk, Doc."
Janet sighed and rolled her eyes, "With the greatest respect, Sir. I have been given full permission to keep you in that bed using any means that I see fit." The Doctor raised a finger as Jack made to complain, "And, I might add, that permission comes directly from General Hammond who has threatened to come here and take matters into his own hands if you don't do directly as ordered and stay in that bed!"
The Colonel sighed, turned and itched carefully back onto the bed. Janet came over and helped him swing his legs under the covers, before gently tucking the sheets in.
"You're treating me like a kid, Doc."
Janet re-arranged the pillows slightly, raising her eyebrows at the accusation, "No, Sir, but that's the next step unless you stay put! I have less trouble keeping Cassi in bed when she's ill than I do you. You've been found wandering around four times now, Colonel. That's four times with a serious concussion!"
Jack laid his head back, closed his eyes and mumbled, "But I feel fine and I'm bored."
The Doctor sighed again, "Daniel will be down later with the chess board."
Jack was about to huff and complain, when he started to consider Janet's words. He lifted his head slightly, although the pain behind his eyes was near excruciating. He'd never tell Janet that though. "What did The General mean; he'd be down here to deal with me himself ?"
Just at that moment the man himself rounded the entrance to the infirmary and he'd obviously heard enough of the heated conversation to be able to step in and remind his second in command of his rank.
"Jack, I have children and grandchildren who are a lot less trouble than you've proved to be while ill. And I have effective ways of dealing with them which I'm sure can be applied to insubordinate Colonel's too."
Jack felt his ears start to color, but managed to keep the look of chastised child off his face. It wasn't the first time The General had used this tactic on his second in command and he knew it wouldn't be the last. Admittedly General Hammond and The Doc where on the very short list of people that where able to stop the Colonels verbal onslaught in its tracks.
"I think that's a bit strong, general." Jack delivered the line with all the sincerity he could muster, which by the look on Hammond's face, wasn't enough by far. Jack felt sure his senior officer may explode at any moment.
"Considering I've had key personnel searching this facility for my second in command on four separate occasions in the last twelve hours, Colonel, I don't think so."
Jack got the distinct impression had he not been in his sick bed, The General would have hold of his ear by now, leading his second in command to a quiet corner to consider the error of his ways. So maybe now was the time to give in, play chess with Daniel and maybe fool the gullible archaeologist to take him for a spin in a wheel chair later tonight.
"Sorry, Sir," well, that seemed the most convincing line of defence currently.
"Don't make me come down here again, son. We all need you well and that means following doctors orders."
Jack nodded, closing his eyes, trying to feign he'd given in, "Yes, Sir."
"Good night, Colonel."
"Good night, Sir."
The General and Doctor left together, leaving Jack alone.
A few moments later and footstep could be heard. The Colonel cracked an eye open to spot Daniel. 'Ah,' he thought, 'time for plan B.'