O'Neill couldn't imagine what would happen next. Fraiser was leading the way. She looked pretty sure of what she's been doing… so he could have hope, right?
"Don't be afraid, Sir."
"Afraid? Me? Come on, doc!"
Oh yeah, his let's-annoy-the-doc-a-bit mode was back for a moment. He was just teasing her of course.
After turning around another corner he saw something… well, somebody. It was a boy, he could be six years old, maybe. He had dark brown eyes. At first O'Neill thought of turning away and running from that building. But then he just took a deep breath and stood there, waiting.
The boy was running to them.
"Jaaaan!"
Fraiser smiled at him and waved. He came closer and hugged her. She ruffled his hair.
"What's up, Richie?"
"Aunt Sam finished the wall! We can draw on it! That's just amazing! See? A wall and we can draw on it!"
"That's great. Come, show me."
But he didn't move. He looked at Jack. Yeah, that scrutinizing look. O'Neill was under inspection of this small kid. And he was afraid. What would this boy see? Kids always had the ability to read adults like nobody else. They could reach depths that were unreachable; they could see things from the deepest parts of your soul. And then they would mark you as a good man or as a bad one. He was supposed to be the bad man here. With his past and memories, with his nightmares and fears. But it looked like this kid also saw something else in his eyes.
"Who are you, sir?"
"I'm Jack."
"Well… hello Jack. Wanna see a wall and draw on it?"
"Sure thing buddy… lead the way."
Janet couldn't believe it. General could bond with every kid. Richie was usually very shy. But miracles could happen in the real world, so much she had learned after all those years on the base deep in the mountain.
She watched them walk together, hand in hand. The General had no problems with handling two kids in the same time. Oh yeah, he would really be the best father ever. Oh, he was the best father at least for some time.
She couldn't even imagine it. She would probably go crazy after losing Cassandra. She would go nuts. She realized this long ago. It had never been spoken of on the base… but the truth was still there. O'Neill went to the very first mission to die there. And it was Daniel and Skaara that saved him. He understood that there were some things worth living for.
And then when this whole program had started, certain Captain appeared. And she changed this old man again. He wanted to live not just survive, mainly because of her.
O'Neill entered the room and his breath was taken away. Carter was sitting there on the ground among small kids. They couldn't be older than six or seven years. But mostly they looked even younger. They were all smiling and laughing.
He noticed two nurses there as well. They nodded at him. Oh he knew them! They used to serve under Janet in the SGC. Hmm, interesting. He would have to take a closer look at this facility later.
He turned back to Carter. She had chalks everywhere around her. All those kids were slowly getting dirty from all those colors. This look would stay in his heart forever. You know, one of those moments that your brain couldn't remember well enough but your heart could. And it would never forget.
She was not wearing her uniform. It was strange. He got so used to seeing her in her uniform that he couldn't quite grasp the image. She looked beautiful in her jeans and white top and some blouse or whatever it was. He knew that he would not remember details... be he would always be able to remember the feeling he had. That gorgeous feeling of seeing her there.
She could have been a wonderful mom…
Usually there was a shadow in her eyes, something bothering her, or maybe even scaring her. But now he couldn't see it there. It was just pure happy and content Carter, sitting there, drawing on a wall.
The wall was actually blue. The bigger kids were working on the blue meadow. It was funny. Two boys were trying to make a tree but the tree was orange. He heard them talking about the birds. Well they would end up being purple or pink. It made him smile. Kids could be very creative. Yeah, he knew.
He could remember Marin and her dog. Or Cassie when she was a little girl. She wanted to have everything blue and brown. They couldn't understand why… but those were colors of eyes of her most beloved people. She felt comfortable while being surrounded by those colors.
Girls around Carter were drawing a stream or a small river. It was yellow. He kind of liked that. He could remember few worlds with a bit mixed up colors. He used to think that the grass should be green and the water blue and the sun yellow, for example. But seeing it like this was even better. He just fell in love with the innocent imagination that kids usually had.
Carter turned around when Richie told her about new Uncle Jack being there to help him with the sun.
She would always remember that moment. He was standing there in his USAF socks, with little girl in his arms. He was looking directly at her and she could feel herself blush because of that. He was not her CO at that moment. He was just a man with heart too big to be filled by love to just one or two people. He was simply too good.
She loved him for many things and she knew that. But seeing him with kids always made her smile. And she wanted to cry as well because she felt sorry for him, she felt his pain and his desperation. She wanted to reach out for him and take his burden onto her shoulders. Oh yeah, she was in love with him, that was for sure.
One day she would tell him about this, one day she should be able to just kiss him and make his fears and pain go away. But for now she could only smile at him. Her heart was swelling with pride and compassion. He really was a good man. Even with his past and personal demons.
Besides these kids would not trust him otherwise. They all had developed sort of a sixth sense when it was about strangers. They'd been already put through a lot so… she actually could understand it pretty well.
Janet would swear that there was the silent conversation going on again between those two. They kept on doing that… talking without the actual talking part. It was confusing. And it was also really sweet.
"Wanna dwaw?"
O'Neill noticed Adel being wide awake, staring at the wall. He wanted to put her down but she didn't let him. Janet wanted to say something but he stopped her. It was okay. He was old but not that old… he could handle a little girl. Besides he was enjoying all those warm feelings spreading through his body.
"Sure, starlet."
He walked over to Carter. She kept on smiling. Hearing him talk like that… Next time she should invite Daniel and others as well.
He couldn't think of anything better than this. Standing in a room full of happy kids while having Carter there with him. Could he even ask for more?
Actually yeah… two things. The first one would be Charlie… and the second one would be permission to take Carter in his arms and kiss her deeply with all his love.
She handed him a box of chalks.
"So are you going to help me with the sun, Sir?"
"Sure thing, Carter, sure thing."
And then she handed him a green chalk. Adel took it and he held her high enough so she would be able to draw on the wall. He was helping her while Carter began with some butterflies. They had stripes! He would have never guessed.
"So… green sun, Carter, really?"
"I can explain to you that it is actually possible, Sir."
"Aaack! No, thanks… maybe later."
She just laughed. The situation was amusing. He seemed to be so relaxed and free. In the end when the wall was finished, they just sat down, leaned against one wall and kept on talking about … well about anything possible. Kids were playing around, chatting, and crawling, laughing, drawing. It was like having a little piece of heaven back here, on Earth.
Janet was watching them for some time without knowing what to do. So she left pretty soon. They were okay, content with the current situation. And kids seemed to enjoy it as well.
She was just hoping that there would be only happy consequences. She was afraid. These two were in a complicated situation. And it would not help them to do something stupid. And adults had those tendencies to do stupid things while being around kids.
But she could practically hear the kids beg to make those two visit them again.
Maybe this really was a good idea after all. Oh she had to make sure to stay for the bedtime story. General O'Neill promised one about Princess Cassandra after all! She just couldn't miss that!
A/N: Soo… the song is called "Barevnej Svět" which would be something like "Colorful world" in English. The Czech group is named "Nezmaři" – don't even make me to try to translate this :o) Actually it's a cover version of the song Puff the Magic Dragon from the trio Peter, Paul & Mary. Lyrics are completely different though. Usually Czech versions of their songs are similar in the lyrics to those original ones… but not this one. I can send it to you if you want – just let me know. You wouldn't understand but there is still the melody – which is a bit faster than the original one by Peter Yarrow.
And those lyrics... I'm gonna try to translate them… so hopefully you will see the resemblance there… :o)
(This is the chorus…) So look around and come a bit closer, you will be surprised about all those things that are happening here, so look around now, as you can see there are more and more colors around you, blue meadow, yellow water and the green sun.
Once upon a time a little boy was alone and playing with the colors, he released his fantasies and he was drawing on the wall. There suddenly was a sky in his room and there was a tree nearby the window, purple birds sitting on it, just as he was picturing them.
Chorus…
The world was reveling in colors because the boy was wearing different glasses. He wanted to have lots of flowers on his blue meadow and there was also a butterfly with fashion stripes. There was a yellow stream around the walls like a fluffy scarf.
Chorus…
The boy kept watching around, he was so happy. Then when his mother came home, he wanted to show her it all. He didn't say a word, he just took her hand. Then he showed her his fairy-tale-ish treasure right away.
Chorus…
So you see it now? I was listening to this song and then I tried to picture somebody drawing on the wall while being surrounded by kids (I could definitely be that person, hehe…) and because I've been working on another SG story, I just let my mind wander around… and this is the result. There was just the song... and the rest just appeared later :o)) Few more chapters will come later :o)) I wanted to make this one way longer but it seemed to be good as it is now. And because I am really tired and having the exam tomorrow, I am off to bed. See you people soon – and you know how it works – feel free to review, send me some PMs, mails, ideas, suggestions... whatever you like :o)
