Author's Note: This is a story about Shawn and his first days of the academy. I don't think it'll be all that long, but you never know with me. I did some research on the Air Force Academy, but I'm not going to get into the daily routine all that much, and if I'm off on the details – or just plain wrong – please don't bother to point them out. This is for fun.

Disclaimer: SG-1 isn't mine, but Shawn and everyone I make up (including Jaffer!) are.

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The Next Step

The black truck pulled up to the front admittance area, and came to a gentle stop, and both occupants of the truck sat still for a long moment, looking at the bustle around them. In the back of the truck was a large black lab, who was sniffing the air curiously as he looked around, checking the people that came walking close by to make sure they weren't a threat to the people he was in charge of, and waiting to see what they were doing here.

"Are you nervous?"

Shawn Adams looked over at Jack O'Neill, and gave him a shaky smile.

"Nah. It's just the Air Force Academy and the entire hope for my future... how could I be nervous?"

Jack smiled, and reached out and ran his hand along Shawn's head. The brown hair had been shaved to military stubble, so there wasn't anything there to ruffle – which was one of Jack's favorite habits when it came to Shawn.

"You'll be fine. It's just the Air Force Academy. How tough can it be?"

"You didn't go here."

"I could have."

That was news to Shawn.

"Really?"

"Yup." Jack looked around, as if checking to make sure no one was looking over his shoulder – more of a habit than anything. "My dad was a Medal of Honor winner." He said. "When your dad wins the Medal of Honor, you can go to any of the service academies automatically once you're old enough."

"Really? Your dad was in the Military?" Shawn wondered why he'd never asked Jack about his folks. It just hadn't come up.

O'Neill nodded.

"He was in the Marines."

"Why didn't you go into the Marines?"

"Too lazy."

Shawn grinned.

"Why didn't you go to a service academy?"

"I was too smart to." Jack said, smiling. "See... the Air Force Academy is a great place, don't get me wrong. I'm sure West point and Annapolis are, too, but there's a lot of stuff I did in college that you won't be able to, because it's the military. Very structured."

"Sam went here."

"I guess I'm just smarter than her."

Shawn smiled. That wasn't something he'd heard Jack say before. "I can't wait to tell her you said that."

"Well... I don't know that you need to tell her I said it."

The boy's smile broadened, but he didn't reply to that. Instead he latched onto something else Jack had said.

"So, your dad was in the military, and you're in the military... so I guess I'm carrying on a family tradition."

Jack nodded. He hadn't actually thought about it like that, but it was true.

"A regular scion."

Shawn nodded.

"I'll have to do something impressive and save the world so I can win the Medal of Honor and carry that tradition, too."

Jack, of course, had been awarded the medal the first time he and the rest of SG-1 had saved the world from the Goa'uld. It hadn't been public, of course, but he had the medal stashed away somewhere in his house and he occasionally wore the ribbon – although not very often.

"Just concentrate on graduating, first, Shawn," Jack said, smiling. "And try to enjoy yourself. Remember what Sam said about how much fun she had here."

"Yeah. But Sam's a genius."

"You did pretty well on your entrance exams, don't forget."

Shawn hadn't gotten his brains from Jack, that was for sure. Of course, it didn't hurt that he was getting tutored by aliens who had far more knowledge than any school on Earth would ever have.

"Yeah..." Shawn didn't look quite convinced.

Jack smiled, and put his hand on Shawn's shoulder.

"It's just the Air Force Academy, Shawn. There's nothing here that you can't handle." Jack himself was going to make sure of that. "You do your best, and if you need me, you know where to find me."

"Thanks, Jack."

"I'll see you on your first vacation, okay?" Jack told him. That would be Christmas break – which seemed to be a million years from then.

"Okay. We'll go skiing with Andrew's folks."

"Or... we can go and sit in front of a fire and do nothing..."

Shawn smiled; a little more relaxed after the talk with Jack. It wasn't like he was going to be thousands of miles away, after all, and he knew that if he needed him, Jack would come running the minute Shawn asked. Of course, he was going to try and do this without any help – like Jack would – but it was reassuring to know that he wasn't alone.

"I'm going to make you proud of me, Jack." Shawn said as he opened the door of the truck.

"I already am proud of you, Shawn," Jack told him. "Don't you ever forget that."

The young man's face lit up, and he looked back at Jack when he shut the door.

"I won't."

He walked to the back of the truck and pulled his backpack out of the bed, and scratched the black lab's ears.

"You take care of Jack and Sam for me, okay, Jaffer?"

The lab wagged his tail furiously and wuffled Shawn's face.

Buoyed by these assurances, Shawn turned and headed up the steps. He was ready for this. It was just the Air Force Academy, after all.