"How many ways do I have to say 'No' before you get it, Daniel?" Jack planted his hands on his hips and gave Daniel a glare, which was returned in spades.
"Just one way," Daniel responded, "but you're not listening to me, so why should I listen to you?"
"Watch your mouth, mister!" Jack ordered and was momentarily stunned when Daniel stuck out his tongue. He pointed toward the stairs. "Bed now!"
Daniel crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head, his jaw jutting out in defiance. "No! Don't have to if I don't want to."
"Yes, you do," Jack declared. "You're six years old. You are not staying up all night watching TV."
"I'm thirty five!" Daniel responded but there was a quaver in his voice and his chin quivered.
Oh boy. Jack suppressed a groan. Tantrum time. There hadn't been many times he and Daniel had butted heads since the downsizing but every now and then, things got to be too much – not that Jack could blame the kid there – and Daniel, the kid, but with an adult still hovering just beneath the surface, became Daniel, the child tyrant. He really hoped this wasn't going to be one of these times. "Yes, you are," Jack said, "up here." He tapped Daniel's head. "Physically you're a six year old who needs his full eight or so hours sleep. I'll let you stay up a little later on the weekend, okay?"
"That documentary won't be on then," Daniel countered, and yep, Jack saw tears welling in his blue eyes. "It's only on tonight."
"I'll record it for you."
Daniel stared at him for a moment like he'd grown two heads then his shoulders slumped just a little. Jack gave a mental cheer. "Promise?"
"Cross my heart," Jack vowed, making the appropriate actions.
Daniel still looked a little unconvinced. "Do you know how? Shall I show you?"
"Get outta here!" Jack shooed him toward the stairs. "I'm an Air Force colonel! Of course I know how to do it."
Except of course, he didn't… and he was certain the manual was written in Japanese. He probably should have woken Daniel and confessed, though it was a moot point, since he turned the station over to the sports channel and totally forgot about the riveting documentary Daniel had been so desperate to watch until it was three-quarters over.
He just knew he was going to burn in hell for this one.
~o0o~
Daniel plonked his cereal bowl down on the table so hard, most of the milk sloshed over the edge.
"Easy," Jack admonished, grabbing the dishcloth from the sink and mopping up the spill before it overflowed onto the floor.
"I can't believe you forgot." Daniel slumped into his seat and picked up his spoon. He scooped up some cereal then dumped it back in the bowl, making another mess.
"For crying out loud!" Jack said. "Will you watch it, Daniel? Look, I'm sorry I forgot. I'm sure they'll repeat it."
Daniel glared at him. "You don't know that."
Jack suddenly felt every one of his forty plus years. "No, I don't," he agreed tiredly, "but we'll check the TV guide and see. If not, maybe we can get it on DVD or find out if someone at the base might have taped it, okay?" There was no response. "Okay?" he prompted.
Daniel nodded. He pushed his chair away from the table and stood. "I'm going to my room to read," he said, carrying his bowl to the sink.
"Don't forget Carter's coming to stay with you while I go to the base."
"Can't I come with you?" Daniel asked. "I want to get some stuff from my office."
"It's a meeting, Daniel, and I don't know how long I'll be gone. Besides, Carter's looking forward to spending some time with you. She's been so busy lately—"
"Has she found anything yet?" Daniel interrupted, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
Jack hated to be the bearer of bad news again. "Not yet, but you know Carter—"
"She won't give up, I know," Daniel said with a sigh. "Can I go to my room now?"
"Sure. I'll call you when she gets here." Jack watched Daniel head upstairs to his bedroom, his thin shoulders slumped, his feet dragging against each riser. God, he hated this! Hated seeing the kid knocked down with each passing day, and he missed Daniel, missed his grown up friend, more than he thought he would.
~o0o~
"Tell me you're kidding, Walter," Jack groaned into the phone.
He heard Harriman swallow audibly on the other end of the line. "No, sir! I would never… Sorry, sir. No joke. The general wants you and the rest of SG1 here in an hour."
"Excluding Doctor Jackson, I take it."
"Yes, sir. I mean… See you in an hour, sir." Walter hung up.
Jack restrained himself from slamming the phone receiver down into the cradle. Well, this was great! The meeting was off, not that he was bothered by not having to attend some boring summary of what SG8 had discovered amongst the ruins of a temple, but SG1 had been called in to make a quick trip to Verdos, a planet they'd visited the year before. Seems the Goa'uld had begun to take more than a passing interest in the planet, or more correctly, its inhabitants and they were begging for help, suggesting perhaps a relocation to somewhere the Goa'uld wouldn't find them. It should have been a job for one of the diplomatic teams but the elders were demanding SG1's presence. Jack wondered how he'd explain Daniel's absence. The Verdosians, like so many others, had taken a real shine to Daniel.
He had a more pressing problem right now though. He stared at the phone as though it might offer up a solution then sighed, and made one quick call before heading for the stairs, jogging up them two at a time. Stopping outside Daniel's closed door, he knocked once then entered.
Daniel was lying on his bed, an open book beside him but his gaze was directed out the window and Jack could see dried tear tracks on his cheeks. Damn!
"Hey," he said, entering the room and crossing to Daniel's bedside. "Just got a call from the SGC. We need to go in."
Daniel sat up with alacrity, his book sliding to the floor. "Did Sam—"
"No." Jack waved the idea away before Daniel got his hopes up. We're… Carter and Teal'c and I have to go to Verdos. Problem with the Goa'uld. They're talking about relocation."
Daniel nodded enthusiastically and climbed off the bed. "Remember PX2-798? That would be perfect for them. I'll talk to Kata. I'm sure I can convince him it's the right thing to do."
"No can do, Daniel," Jack replied firmly. "You know you can't come with us."
"But—"
"No!" Jack steeled himself for an explosion of temper but instead Daniel just nodded.
"I forgot," he whispered. "Who's gonna look after me? Janet?"
Jack shook his head. "She's flat out in the infirmary. SG4 came back pretty banged up from their last mission. I was thinking, you remember that Corporal that took such a shine to you?"
Daniel scowled. "Corporal Smart?"
"That's the one. I checked and she's on base today. Thought we'd take her up on her offer of keeping an eye on you."
Daniel looked up at him. "Do I have to?"
"Unless you can think of anyone else…" Jack wanted to allow Daniel some autonomy on who he spent time with but he knew this time, any suggestion the kid made was going to be a bust.
"Don't s'pose General Hammond or Walter…" Daniel began then trailed off. "Guess they're gonna be busy with the Verdosian thing, huh?"
"Yeah." Jack grabbed Daniel's jacket off the coat hook by the door. "Look, it'll only be for the day. We'll probably be back in a couple of hours, tops."
"You think?" Daniel still didn't look either convinced or happy with the decision.
"Guaranteed. If…" Jack held up a finger, "and it's a very big if we're not, Walter said you can stay at his place tonight."
Daniel's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. "Really? He said that?"
Now wasn't the time, Jack decided, to let Daniel in on the fact that Hammond had pretty much had to make it an order before the good Sergeant had agreed. He nodded. "Said he couldn't wait."
"Okay."
Jack handed Daniel his jacket. "So, you're down with this?"
"Can I go to my office and look for stuff?" Daniel asked as he followed Jack out the door.
"Sure, just don't bring it all home, huh? We're running out of bookshelf space."