Off to work we go Part 2

Half an hour had passed and Jack still hadn't come to Danny's room. He must be really mad, Danny thought. He heard the doorbell and then voices. It was Sam and Teal'c but he daren't go through. He sat on his bed feeling miserable. He'd tried to get his own back but it had back fired, now Jack was furious. What if he didn't want him anymore. Rejection was something Danny had gotten used to over the years.

There was a knock at his bedroom door. He jumped. God he was nervous. "Can I come in?" Sam asked.

"Yes," he answered. As soon as she opened the door he ran to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. For some reason his 6 year old self needed hugs. He looked behind her in case Jack was there.

"Hi, Danny," she said. She ruffled his hair. "You need a haircut." She asked about his holiday and he chatted about things he'd done.

"Is Jack still mad?" he asked nervously.

"Yes, but I think he's more disappointed." This made Danny feel terrible.

"I didn't mean to… I just wanted him…Oh I don't know. He was being so unreasonable."

"Well he can be unreasonable but he's doing it for a reason. He's trying to keep you safe."

"I don't need…" Danny started until Sam laughed.

"Danny, you can't help yourself, the amount of times Jack's pulled your butt out of dangerous situations. You know you have a bad habit of wandering off and not taking care of yourself when you get engrossed in your work."

"But I'm an adult. I can take care of myself."

"Danny you're in a 6 year old body. You've got to take more care, it needs proper food and rest and if you won't look after yourself properly, Jack will."

"He's not my father."

"He's the closest thing to a father you've got. He's always treated you like his son, even before you got small. Everyone at the SGC knows if they mess with you they have Jack O'Neill to deal with. As much as I hated my dad interfering in my life I kind of like knowing that he cares enough to do it.

"But he's always telling me what to do."

"That's what parents do no matter how old you are although when you're bigger you can ignore their advice."

"That's what I mean. I can't ignore it. If he doesn't accept what I say or do he can lift me up and make me. Sometimes life stinks." Sam laughed at the expression on Danny's face. He was pouting which made him look adorable. Not that she'd say that to Danny.

"He cares Danny," she cupped his face and couldn't resist dropping a kiss on his forehead. "Want to come for pizza?"

"Jack said I had to stay here."

"And you're doing as you're told. He told me to tell you to come."

Danny walked out with Sam. He was still nervous, he wasn't sure what Jack would do. He'd been so angry.

Jack was sitting with Teal'c," Good evening Danieljackson, it's good to see you."

"Hi, Teal'c." Sam nodded to Teal'c and they went out onto the decking leaving Jack and Danny to talk in private.

"I'm sorry Jack, I was a brat."

"You were," Jack said. Jack was not giving an inch. This wasn't going to be easy.

" I promise I won't do that again. I'm sorry I embarrassed you in front of all those people." He started to cry. He looked so miserable that Jack said," Come here Danny." He walked over and stood in front of Jack. "If you ever do that again you won't sit comfortably for a week. Understand?"

"Yes sir. Do you forgive me?" he asked hesitatingly tears rolling down his cheeks. Oh God he looked so damn cute Jack thought he's going to get away with murder at the base. Jack opened his arms and gathered one very relieved archaeologist into his arms. Danny snuggled in. He missed this. He did kind of like getting hugs from Jack, they made him feel safe and loved, something he hadn't felt since he was 8. "I'm hungry," he said," is there any cookies?"

"Pizza'll be ready in 5 minutes." He set Danny down, then delivered a hard swat to his backside. "That's for today. Consider yourself lucky."

"Ow! Jack. How's that lucky?" he said rubbing his backside.

"Could have been more. Want to help with the pizzas?"

They had a pleasant evening, Sam and Danny sat discussing some things that had been happening at the SGC since he'd been on holiday. Teal'c and Jack sat outside on the deck drinking beer. "Is everything all right between you and Danieljackson now, O'Neill?"

"We're getting there. It's not easy but it never is with Daniel. He still wanders off and he's got a smart mouth."

"Wonder who he picked that up from O'Neill?" Teal'c said with a slight smile.

"You're getting funny Teal'c. We've still got things to work out but we'll get there. And if there's times he's really annoying me I'll hand him over to you or Sam or General Hammond. That'll teach you all." That did sound like a good idea Jack thought.

TBC Part 3