Chapter 31: Consequences
They say children have to know their limits. Jack, once a father himself knows that. As the commander of SG-1, he was sharply aware of the need for limits. When to take a risk and when not to. That knowledge seems to have vanished through a wormhole.
At the moment Jack is sitting in his time out chair. After getting a much needed swat on the butt. I really hate having to do that. I really do. Tomorrow he starts going to daycare. As I tried to get his things together, it all went to hell.
"Not going," Jack said.
"You have to go," I replied. "We can't leave you here by yourself."
"Why not?"
"Because even though your mind is 47, your body is still that of two year old," I replied. "You can't be left alone."
"You don't trust me," Jack said flatly, arms crossed and scowling at me.
"Of course I trust you," I said. Not. "But if anyone sees you, they'll call the police and that's the kind of trouble we don't want."
Jack continued to pout. "Not going," he growled.
I sighed. "I'm sorry, but you have to," I said.
"It's nothing but a bunch of little kids," he argued.
"So pretend to be a little kid," I replied. I was starting to lose the tenuous grip I had on my patience. "It shouldn't be that hard."
"Not going!" Jack yelled.
Next thing I know he grabbed the backpack and proceeded to fling the contents all around the room. All attempts to reason with him failed. When he started throwing things at me and cursing at me in a variety of languages I actually know, I gave him a single sharp smack on the behind and parked him in the 'chair'.
It's only the second time I've ever had to resort to punishing him in that manner. I hope it's a long time before I ever have to do so again. I took the necessary 15 minutes to calm myself down then went over to the chair and hunkering down beside him.
There were tears down his cheeks and his thumb was stuck firmly in his mouth.
"Well?" I asked quietly.
"Sowwy," he said around his thumb. I gently pulled it from his mouth.
"I know you don't want to do this," I said. "And I don't know how to make it better, but it's the only choice we have."
Her turned in his chair and put his arms around my neck. I rested my cheek against his dark curls. Times like this I can almost forgive him anything. Almost.
"Don't know how to act like a kid," he mumbled.
"Of course you do," I replied. "When all else fails, consider this a covert mission to gather intel on an alien culture."
He actually seemed to perk up a little. "The teachers are goa'uld?" he asked.
"Err… no…"
"Primes?"
"Maybe…… be nice to them," I said.
"Okay…" he said slowly. I could almost hear the gears grinding away in his head. Oh no.
"I mean it. Be nice," I said again.
"I will," Jack replied resting his head on my shoulder. "Trust me."
Not. I had a feeling I would be attending many parent-teacher meetings.
"Love you, Daddy," he said.
"Love you too, Jack," I replied. Otherwise I'd kill you.
Fini
