Foothold
Rated: G
Category: Jack/Daniel/Cassie Friendship.
Season: Early, But Post-Singularity.
Spoilers: None.
Summary: Some Forces Are More Insidious Than Others…
Note: Written for ld's AO challenge words of invasion, laundry room, and home. Continued (sortof) in 'Beachhead'.
---
Jack O'Neill was just glad to be home.
After everything he'd endured in the past forty-eight hours, his living room was a welcome respite from the wind, sand, and scorching heat of SG-1's last planetary exploration.
His relief was short-lived, however. It lasted only as long as it took him to punch the message button on his answering machine as he came through the door.
"Hi, Colonel," said the disembodied voice of Janet Fraiser. "Just wanted to remind you that the girls are coming over tonight. Thanks again. I really appreciate it."
Jack groaned. He'd completely forgotten that Cassie and her two best friends were coming over for a sleepover that night. He'd promised Janet he'd watch them since she had a last-minute conference to attend and the girls all loved coming to 'Uncle Jack's'. This was an end-of-the-year sleepover, after all, and it seemed a crime to cancel it.
'So much for a beer and a relaxing evening,' thought Jack.
He glanced at the clock.
He had only two hours until the girls arrived.
There was just enough time for Jack to shower and clean the house a bit before the doorbell rang, signaling his charges had arrived.
Jack opened the door to reveal a trio of adolescent girls and a single harried physician. Janet practically shoved the girls through Jack's door with a smile and a small wave. Then she turned and hurried to her car.
"Thanks, Colonel. The other parents already had plans, since I was supposed to keep the girls. You're a lifesaver."
Jack nodded to his doctor's retreating back. "Don't mention it," he grumbled.
And so began one of the longest nights of Jack's life.
He'd taken the girls out for shopping trips and movie nights before, but nothing could've prepared him for having the three of them over for an entire night.
Jack would never remember the details of his adventure later, but when Daniel came to collect the girls for their outing to the museum the next day, he found Jack sprawled out asleep on his couch, with the three girls in sleeping bags on the floor. Empty pizza boxes and soda cans littered every surface in the room. This didn't seem too unusual to Daniel. In fact, it was pretty much what he'd expected to find… except that Jack's bare feet, which were easily visible (since they stuck out almost comically from under his blanket), sported ten blindingly bright toenails.
Reds, purples, greens, and blues sparkled on Jack's digits like jewels in a crown.
Daniel snorted a laugh.
Jack's head jerked upwards and he lazily stood, then joined Daniel in the entryway.
"Sh! You'll wake the little angels," said Jack in a most sarcastic tone.
Daniel covered his mouth with one hand. His entire body shook with suppressed laughter.
Jack glared back at Daniel. "You just wait. You'll get yours."
"Oh, I'm really scared Jack."
"You should be."
"Oh, yeah. They look like regular monsters."
"You don't know the half of it!" protested Jack.
"I can see they came armed," said Daniel, with a pointed look at Jack's toes.
Jack curled his toes inward in a vain attempt to hide their polished state. "Yeah, well, it was either this or let them find something else to occupy themselves, and I wasn't about to let that happen."
"Come on, Jack, how bad could they be?"
"Bad! You should see what they did to my laundry room! It's like a war zone in there."
"Oh, yeah," scoffed Daniel. "They look like a regular invasion."
If Jack O'Neill had been armed just then, the sleeping trio might have been safe, but no one could've said the same for Daniel Jackson.
XXX
A/N: For any who think it odd that Jack might watch the children of strangers, remember that the kids at Cassie's school call him 'Colonel Jack' in 'Learning Curve' in S3. He isn't a stranger, and I suspect that neither is Daniel Jackson.