Jack was surprised at how glad he was to see his house as he pulled his truck into the drive. Their missions were tough but this one had been hell. Jack was amused that his team were so well known for showing up when least expected. No one seemed to be surprised when they had walked through the gate after three weeks MIA, or the fact that they weren't in their own clothes.
Jack sat in the truck for a moment and shuddered as the memory of being a host washed over him. He rubbed the back of his neck. It was then he noticed the black car parked across the street and more importantly the man in the suit walking over from it.
Jack checked his sidearm before slipping out of the truck.
"Colonel Jack O'Neill?" The man asked walking up the drive.
"Yeah, can I help you…"
"I'm Brian McKilston, I'm Shea Brennus's lawyer. I have to say Colonel you are a hard man to track down."
"And what does Shea want. She made herself very clear last time I talked to her, that she wanted nothing to do with me."
"Shea's dead."
Jack paused as he pulled out a bag of groceries.
"Dead?"
"KIA almost six months ago."
Jack's hand clenched on the paper bag. Thinking of Shea never ended well, but then your first love was always the hardest. She had ripped him to pieces and relished the pain she caused him.
"I don't want anything from that woman." Jack said gruffly slamming the truck door and heading towards the house. As he stepped up to the door the lawyer spoke up.
"Not even your daughter?"
"What?" Jack levelled his best glare on the man, he shouldn't have been surprised that it had not effect, this man worked for Shea after all.
Mr McKilston walked up and pulled out a file from his briefcase. Pinned to the front was a photo.
"Simaira Annoria Brennus O'Neill, born November 6th 1984."
Jack starred at the picture of the girl, it was one of those lucky shots caught mid action. The girl had almost platinum hair and dark gold eyes. She looked so just like her mother except for the eyes, regardless of the colour the look on her face was the same one Charlie used to get right before he got up to something.
"The file has all the relevant paperwork, I'm sure due to the nature of your work you will need to have everything verified. I can also arrange for a DNA sample if you wish a paternity test. You should also be aware that the girl takes after her mother's… idiosyncrasies."
"Why are you telling me this? Shea obviously didn't want me to know."
"There is a provision in the Will that states you are to be told if anything was to happen to her." He paused considering his next words carefully.
"Shea married six years ago."
Jack took notice of the man's discomfort at mentioning the husband.
"He doesn't want her does he?"
"No. She is currently with living with his father. There is a letter enclosed from him advising you of the situation. My number is also included. You can call me if you have any questions."
He nodded and walked back to his car. Jack just stood at his door in shock looking at the photo. It wasn't until the lawyer started his car that Jack snapped out of it and walked inside. He dumped the groceries on the kitchen bench and grabbed a beer before sitting down at the table and opening the file. There was a lot of reading to do.
Simaira groaned as the phone rang. Who in the hades would be ringing at 3am in the morning. She hated that all the phones in the house rang. It was then that she realised she had fallen asleep over her homework again. With a groan she stretched out as she heard Richard pick up the phone.
She rolled off the chair and made her way to the kitchen starting the kettle when she didn't hear him hang up straight away. She starred out the kitchen window until it had boiled before making a cup of tea and carrying it up the stairs to the office.
She knocked quietly and tip toed in yawning quietly as she put the tea in front of her step-grandfather. He motioned for her to sit as he listened to what was being said. She curled herself up into a ball on one of the comfy arm chairs and blinked tiredly at him, her head on her knees.
"I understand that perfectly Colonel, but as I explained in the letter the situation is far from ideal at this end either, there are some hard decisions to be made. It is the best arrangement for everyone I think." He nodded and gave affirmative responses at the appropriate points.
"Do you want to speak to her?"
Simaira perked up at that and gave Richard a confused look. He put his hand over the mouth piece.
"Do you want to speak to your father?" he asked as if it was an everyday occurrence. Simaira just stared at him.
"Yes or no child?" he asked again irritated. Simaira nodded, Richard passed her the phone.
Simaira went to say hello but all that emerged was a squeak. Blushing to her toes she cleared her throat and tried again.
"Hello."
"Hey… so um I… aahhhh." The voice on the other side of the phone stuttered.
"Brian found you then?" Simaira asked fiddling with the hem of her pyjama pants.
"Yeah he did, this afternoon."
"oh." Simaira felt her heart drop, it couldn't be good if he was calling already. A decision made that quickly was probably not in her favour.
"Yeah so I was wondering if you'd like to spend the summer in the states?." For the second time in five minutes Simaira's brain blanked.
"Come again?"
"Look I don't know what your grandfather has said to you but we were thinking you could spend summer, and other holidays here with me and continue at your boarding school during the year."
"Oh…" Simaira has kind of been hoping she could get out of boarding school.
"So?"
"Yeah, yeah that sounds good."
"Right so I'll organise the rest with your grandfather and um see you soon."
"Yeah that sounds good."
"Go get some sleep."
"Well I would be sleeping if someone hadn't rung at 3am in the morning."
"Yeah forgot about that. Sorry. Goodnight.
"Night."
Simaira handed the phone back and Richard motioned her out of the room and back to bed. She went without another word knowing not to bother arguing with him. She went upstairs and tidied her desk before grabbing her blanket and curling up on the window seat to watch the rain. It would be nice to have a summer without rain she thought as she slowly fell asleep imagining what her father was going to be like.
"I assume you know of Shea's idiosyncrasies?" Richard asked carefully.
"Yes I know what Shea was. Brian also said that she took after Shea."
"She is far more than her mother was, but many refuse to see it as she is also your daughter."
"I see,"
"Do you really? This is the reason she must continue at her school. To have her full time in the states would be too dangerous, especially given your occupation."
"I understand that," Jack's voice turned hard, "I also understand that there is no one there who wants anything to do with her."
"It is not like that."
"Then what is it like Richard? Her step-father is trying to contest the will to get his paws on as much as possible, her mother's cousins want nothing to do with her and neither do you?"
"You forget Colonel that I am he only one who would take her in, I am not in a position to offer her a suitable home, I am travelling most of the year."
"Look I'm not complaining I'd have her full time in a heartbeat my job be damned. She's my daughter for god's sake."
"Which is why I pushed Brian to find you, the bloody idiot wanted to give up after a few weeks. He was looking for you in the UK of all places. Seems he got the name mixed up or some such."
"Idiot."
"He is very good at what he does Colonel. On another topic we need to discuss how much money you think you need from the trust for her upkeep?"
"What!"
"Well I assume you will be requiring a stipend of some sort to help set up for her arrival and help with expenses, there is money set aside in her trusts for such things."
"That won't be necessary."
"Come now Colonel I know you are not after the money, but she does eat quite a bit and as you said you will need to get a room set up for her."
"Look why don't you figure out something suitable and have it paid into an account under her name, that way she can have spending money and if necessary we can access it for whatever is needed. I am not without money of my own."
"Very well then, but if you need anything you have Brian's number, his firm also handles the finances. Now when do you want her?"
Jack was nervous, he stood impatiently shifting from one foot to another as he watched people exit the flight from London. His phone rang and he put down the big pink sign Cassie had insisted on making for him to dig it out his pocket.
"O'Neill."
"Hey Jack is she there yet?"
"They are exiting the plane now."
"Don't worry Jack, you'll do fine, by the sound of it she grew up around politicians and money, you can't do anymore damage than that."
Jack smiled.
"Good bye Daniel." He hung up and was suddenly confronted by a platinum haired girl. God, Jack thought, She's taller than I thought. Simaira was at fifteen, already nearly five foot seven and was still growing. She was easily going to be six foot by the time she hit eighteen.
She smiled as he looked her up and down, taking in the faded well used jeans and red tank top, he was half expecting her to show up in designer clothes.
She also gave him the once over smirking at the pink and glittery sign. He looked down at it and felt himself blush.
"Cassie made it. She insisted."
"I see." Jack just starred at her, the photo hadn't done her justice, she was in so many ways the spitting image if her mother, it was slightly unnerving, especially when she raised an eyebrow at him and cleared her throat.
"Suppose we had better get your bags huh?"
"Would probably be a good idea." They remained quiet, Jack not sure what to say other than ask how her flight was. This continued in the car, with Simaira starring out the window humming to herself as the world went by.
Jack pulled into the shop centre near his home and turned the car off.
"If you're not too tired I thought we would get some shopping out the way now."
"Sure what sort of shopping?"
"Well you need to pick out a bed and stuff, the one I have really isn't good enough for more than a night at a time. Thought I'd let you pick the furniture out yourself since it is going to be your room."
"Oh, really?" Simaira seemed surprised by this.
"Yeah, what you've never picked out your bedroom before?"
"Nope." Realising he was serious Simaira grabbed her bag and jumped out of the cab waiting for Jack to follow.
"You have to be the only teenager I know that is excited to pick out furniture."
"Yes but it is still shopping."
Jack shook his head as they made their way into the big shopping complex. Jack was thinking it was going to be painful but Simaira knew what she liked, it took her less than ten minutes to find a frame she liked, it was however a single.
"Don't you want a bigger bed?"
"I can have a bigger bed? How big is my bedroom?"
"Big enough for a queen." He suddenly found himself with an arm full of teenager.
"I need to breathe," he groaned and she quickly let go of him, looking sheepish.
"Sorry." Jack wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a kiss on the forehead. He was worried at what her life had been if this of all things made her excited.
"I just want to know why you are so excited by a queen sizes bed?"
"I spend most of the year in an all girl's catholic boarding school, a room of my own is worthy of celebration."
"Oh well then you will love the bathroom then." She smiled up at him as one of the sales people came over and they organised the purchase. They picked out some draws and bed coverings and Simaira had fun picking the mattress. They arranged for delivery the next day. Jack then promptly decided they needed icecream and dragged Simaira over the the cold rock that had just opened.
"Go nuts." She gave him a sly look.
"You are aware of just how much I can eat right, might want to give me a limit."
"Well I think a whole pint is a bit excessive."
They made their selections and sat down to eat, Jack eyed off the massive concoction Simaira had in front of her. She lifted he spoon with a big grin.
"I'm going to regret this later."
"Why."
"There is a reason you never saw ama eat chocolate."
"Ama?"
"Mum."
"Ahh, so any idea what…"
"Jack!" a blonde woman yelled getting his attention and walking over.
"Sarah?"