New Friends Part 1
Jack, Teal'c and Sam were working on the tree house in the garden. For a long time Jack hadn't let Danny near it because it had been Charlie's but he'd realized that Charlie would have wanted it to be played in. Jack had organized his team to come round and help him fix it up, bribed by beer and pizza. Danny was acting as foreman. He had very definite ideas about what he wanted.
He was really looking forward to having his own space, like when he used to have his own flat. Sometimes it was hard when he remembered what it was like when he was big. He'd never realized before when he stayed with Jack that there were so many rules, must be a military thing.
When the tree house was finished they all sat eating pizza and drinking beer, well Danny could pretend, his was root beer. He'd tried to get a sip of Jack's but was given a frown, best not to annoy Jack when he was in such a good mood.
He could remember evenings like this before but he wouldn't have been sitting on Jack's knee as he was now.
Jack was going over the rules for the tree house, gosh he's got more rules, he must spend his whole day thinking them up. Maybe that's what Colonel's do. Books and books of rules although he didn't think Jack was too good at following them. Oops Danny thought he's giving me that look. He obviously missed something. "Are you listening to me Danny?"
"Of course Jack, I always listen to you." Sam and Teal'c snorted.
"Well tell me what I said."
Danny repeated what Jack had said. It was amazing he could think about one thing and take in all Jack had said at the same time. What a skill.
Jack knew Danny could tell him the rules but following them that was a different matter. Danny wasn't too good at that.
They had a really good night. Jack could see Danny was getting tired. "Time for bed," he said.
"But Jack it's early." Danny moaned. Same thing every night Jack thought.
"We need to go," Sam said.
"No it's alright Sam, I don't want to spoil the evening. I'll go to bed, you stay and talk." That was definitely the 36 year old Danny speaking there.
Jack grabbed him and carried him through to his bedroom. He tickled him and had him laughing.
"No wonder he can't get him to sleep. You're supposed to have a calm routine before bedtime not a tickling match."
"I heard that Carter."
"Sorry sir."
"I know it gets him excited but you know he doesn't have enough fun. I like to hear that giggle." He had hardly finished speaking when he heard footsteps behind him. "What's wrong?"
"Need a drink." Jack got him a glass of water. He went back to bed.
5 minutes later he heard the footsteps again, "What's wrong?"
"Can't sleep." Jack got up lifted him up and carried him to his room.
"One story, then sleep okay? No more getting up."
It didn't take Danny long to fall asleep.
He went back to the living room, "It's the same every night. He needs sleep and naps but he fights it all the way." They sat back and talked for a while.
Not long after Jack went to bed he heard Danny's door open. "Back to bed," he shouted. "I hear you touch that laptop and it's mine for a week."
"You do know I'm old enough to decide what I do and for how long," Danny argued.
"What I know is you're 6, you're tired, I'm tired. Now you've got to the count of 3 and if you're not in that bed by 3 you won't like the consequences. One." Danny didn't move. "Two."
"Okay!" Danny ran into his room and jumped on his bed. Jack sounded a bit cranky he thought. He's probably tired, he's not getting any younger of course. Best not to push him too much.
The next morning Danny ran out to the back yard after breakfast. He ran to the tree house. His grandparents were coming today because Jack was going off world without him again. It really wasn't fair. He was quite capable, he'd proven that when he was on the planet the Vigeli had lived on. He wondered how Marcus was getting on.
From below he heard a voice say," Hello, my name's Charlie. What's yours?"
He looked down and there was a girl looking up at him from the next door garden.
TBC