Chapter Two
But Sydney never got to say what she wanted to do, a small insistent voice, that of Shannon, interrupted her as he said, "Miss Sydney, I think I smell a poohey." Her brow creased and she sniffed. He was right, there was a faint odour on the air and when she next looked down all the children but Emily had there faces covered with their hands and were shouting out 'ewws'. Sydney raised her hands for silence but was met with a few more 'Yucky's before she managed to get a word in, "Okay, do we know who it is that smells?"
This was spiralling out of control, none of them had prepared for this, not one of them knew how to handle this and the origin of the smell was still unknown. Sydney looked down at them, first looking to Emily, suspecting her as she was the most quiet, but she only shook her head and looked to where Jane was sitting, legs spread, hand on her nose, tiny puggy fingers spread as she continued to act innocent.
Sydney's eyes narrowed and she cocked her head, maintaining a smile and asked, "Jane, is it you?" She shook her head and looked at where the other five were all slowly moving away from each other. "Right." Sydney sighed, looking to Vaughn for help he could only shrug and look around them helplessly, at this rate; they would have to check all of them.
But then Jack's voice cut through, surprisingly calm and level, but not unlike what they were used to from Jack, "Jane," he spoke to the girl directly, his voice soft yet accusing, "Are you sure." Jane stared at him for a moment while Sydney's eyes went from him to Vaughn where she looked at him, trying to work out just what was going on.
Jane stood up and wandered over to Jack, pulling on his pant leg. Jack glared at the two remaining agents before crouching down, turning an ear to Jane's mouth, "It's me Mr Jack, please don't tell the others, they'll make fun of me." Jack smiled at her, the grin obviously fake to Sydney but the young girl believing his sincerity and turning back around.
Jack straightened and went over to where Vaughn and Sydney were watching, "It's her," his voice was low as the children all watched him intently, their large eyes staring up at him, trying to hear what he was saying. He glanced at them before continuing, "She'll have to be changed."
Vaughn nodded, confusion and sheer amusement at having seen what he'd just seen, "I've never changed a baby in my life."
Jack glared at him, seeing where he was heading a split second before Sydney who hastened to add, "Don't look at me, not once."
Jack was suddenly mad that the CIA hadn't found agents suited better for the job, "So what I have to do it?" Sydney shrugged before nodding, "I don't want this discussion or events leaving the room." Low and dangerous but still Vaughn was close to cracking up. He'd never imagined Jack changing a child's nappy, but then, someone must have for Sydney when she was young. "Give me five minutes, can you handle these five?" Sydney and Vaughn nodded, "Good."
He turned and found the children still staring up at him, Jane watching him intently to see if he would say anything, he sighed, "Come on Jane." The podgy little girl glared at Emily before standing again and following Jack through to the back and into the room dedicated to such dirty tasks.
The second Jack was out of sight, Vaughn caught Sydney's eye and the two could do nothing to stop the expansive grins from taking over. After a seconds glance, they turned back to the children who were still sitting on the ground, "Right," Vaughn started, "We're going to do something."
Sydney raised her voice before any more ideas could be given, "Okay, guys, I've decided," immediately they settled down. "We are going to play...dead fish."
Vaughn cracked up. Just full out laughed, he couldn't help himself and didn't even have the heart to shut up when Sydney shot an accusing glare at him. Emily's voice brought her eyes back to the ground when she asked, "How do you play that?"
She was about to answer, full instructions ready to go when Chris started first, "It's a really stupid game and all you do is lie there."
Sydney glared at him and he shot her something akin to a smirk back, "It isn't stupid, it's a really fun game." The five children looked up at her, "It's a competition for a chocolate biscuit," that got their full attention, even Chris's, "You have to lie on the ground very still like a dead fish." She shot a look at Vaughn who was still smiling, "Michael," she used his name to her advantage, "Will now show us how."
Vaughn glared at her, playfully, and lay down on the ground, flat on his back, keeping his eyes on Sydney who, he could have sworn, turned a few shades of red deeper as gravity pulled his shirt towards the ground to give a much better view of his chest and abdomen. He grinned again, remaining very still and waiting for her to let him up. "Right," he saw her making her way over and continued to lay still. "So all you have to do, is lie really, really still. If I see you move, you're out and you don't get a chocolate biscuit and that wouldn't that be bad?" She took another step towards Vaughn, "Any questions."
Shannon was very quiet, but she still heard him, "Miss Sydney..." Sydney grinned and nodded for him to continue, "I think that if you go any closer Mr Michael will want to look up your skirt." An eyebrow straight up from both of them, Vaughn broke into another grin and shrugged on the floor when Sydney turned around.
She shook her head and moved away quickly, "Thank you Shannon. You're probably right." This time she refused to look to where Vaughn had gotten up and was now sitting, quite dangerously on a child's chair. It was then that Jack re-entered, little Jane clinging to his hand and a look of mixed disgust and something else was sitting on his face. "Hey Jane," Sydney said, her voice casual, "We're playing dead fish."
Jack rolled his eyes which caused Vaughn to grin once again, Jane answered, oblivious to the smiles going around the room a meter above her, "Oh yes, my mom makes me play it all the time."
Sydney kept a straight face, somehow, "Good, we're playing for chocolate biscuits, so try extra hard this time." She nodded and went and joined the others on the floor, letting Jack's hand go and smiling at him shyly for a moment. "Wonderful, okay kids, everyone on the ground, get comfortable."
The six children spread themselves out surprisingly well and lay down, someone their backs, some on their stomachs, and come on their sides. Sydney smiled at Vaughn which caused Jack to glare harder at the both of them, "Now," she added, "If you feel sleepy, just go to sleep."
"Good luck," Jack mumbled to the side.
"Everyone ready?" Vaughn asked. There was no response so he continued, "Starting now." There was silence for a few moments, none of the agents prepared to move, Jack glanced down at his digital watch, '16:23:04', he smirked at Sydney before quietly making his way over, weaving between Chris and Emily.
Once together they made their way over to the corner and stood, huddled together whispering, "You think this will work?" Jack asked incredulously.
Vaughn shrugged, so Sydney answered, "At least it'll shut them up for ten minutes."
Jack looked at his watch again, barely twenty seconds had passed and he was surprised that they'd been quiet for that long. "There are six of them, how do we plan on getting six of them to sleep?"
Vaughn smiled, he couldn't help himself, "You're not going to gas them or nock them out," Jack glared, aware that Vaughn now felt pretty big considering he'd knew that Jack could handle children. Personally, Jack saw this as an achievement and hoped that should Agent Vaughn ever have children, they be as big a handful as Sydney had been.
He ignored him and looked to Sydney, waiting for a more serious answer, "I figure, we have only one choice and that is to tire them out." Jack's face fell immediately.
"And how do you propose we do that?"
"Play a lot of games, bore them to death, I don't care."
Jack shook his head, his daughter had no idea, "You cannot bore children to death, you bore them and they become hyperactive. Playing games, like dead fish, will get you even further away from sleep," he was about to continue when Jane's whine came ringing through to the three of them.
"Mr Jack, Ivan moved."
Jack raised an eyebrow, looking down at his watch, '16:24:03', "Didn't last more than two minutes," he shrugged before turning to make his way over. "Now Jane," his voice was different, fatherly almost, "We shouldn't dob on people."
She shook her head hard, "I wasn't dobbing, I was just being honest. My mommy says that 'honesty is a vir two." She nodded, seemingly very pleased with herself. Jack raised an eyebrow and looked to Sydney and then to Vaughn, both agents just stared back, waiting, it seemed, for him to make the next move.
He glared hard at them before walking back into the room, "Okay, all of you up." Screams of joy almost brought hands to the three adult's ears, "And you all deserve a chocolate biscuit." More screams followed by a mass movement as the six crowded around Jack, his disapproving look completely ignored. He waited for someone to throw him their secret supply and caught the packet when Sydney did, he opened it, holding it high above his head, all the while trying to remain looking as hard and level as ever. It failed, hopelessly.
Each child ate their treat and ended up sitting on the floor, scattered around the room, Emily in a corner, Shannon and Ivan centred, Chris on a chair, eyeing everyone else, and Jane and Craig stuffing their mouths in front of Jack. He sighed turning to the pair who were watching him, admiration and amusement in both sets of eyes. "Well?" he asked.
Sydney breathed heavily, shrugging again, she'd never felt more lost on a mission, "I don't know, you have a shot." Chris stared at them, trying to work out what they were talking about so Jack could only nod in response.
Jack crouched down again, gaining everybody's attention, "Sydney and Michael are going to play hide and seek with you," sequels of delight, "You're all going to hide and Sydney and Michael are going to come and find you."
His voice was back to its normal flat emotionless self and he moving swiftly to sit, ready to watch from a corner. While this was in his eyes, a completely stupid idea for a mission, it was what he'd been told to do and it was thus his job to do it. He glared a Vaughn when he made no move to start, this cause him to jump, straight into action.
"Right," he hesitated, seeing he had little control over this," You heard Jack, everyone go and hide."
Kids scattered everywhere and it was only when Emily said, "Close your eyes and count to thirty," that the pair remembered the rules. They turned and began to count as Jack watched from the corner; he saw Craig head straight for the kitchen, Jane aiming for the change room but stopping to crawl into the toy box. Chris was obviously good at this game as he found himself a brilliant spot inside a giant red block that Jack had thought was solid, he'd slid the door shut behind him and it truly looked like he had disappeared. Ivan mulled over the situation before hiding under a chair, his legs and arms wrapped tightly to try to hide himself and Emily soon join him under the next chair, hiding herself somewhat better by draping a piece of material over the surface. Shannon stood dead centre until turning, grinning and starting to run towards Jack.
Okay, still not sure about this, as I said, I'm blaming my insane friend who I brainstormed with, yes I know she's a genius, any way I want reviews please! And I swear go and read Escape it just turned into my best fic ever.
But Sydney never got to say what she wanted to do, a small insistent voice, that of Shannon, interrupted her as he said, "Miss Sydney, I think I smell a poohey." Her brow creased and she sniffed. He was right, there was a faint odour on the air and when she next looked down all the children but Emily had there faces covered with their hands and were shouting out 'ewws'. Sydney raised her hands for silence but was met with a few more 'Yucky's before she managed to get a word in, "Okay, do we know who it is that smells?"
This was spiralling out of control, none of them had prepared for this, not one of them knew how to handle this and the origin of the smell was still unknown. Sydney looked down at them, first looking to Emily, suspecting her as she was the most quiet, but she only shook her head and looked to where Jane was sitting, legs spread, hand on her nose, tiny puggy fingers spread as she continued to act innocent.
Sydney's eyes narrowed and she cocked her head, maintaining a smile and asked, "Jane, is it you?" She shook her head and looked at where the other five were all slowly moving away from each other. "Right." Sydney sighed, looking to Vaughn for help he could only shrug and look around them helplessly, at this rate; they would have to check all of them.
But then Jack's voice cut through, surprisingly calm and level, but not unlike what they were used to from Jack, "Jane," he spoke to the girl directly, his voice soft yet accusing, "Are you sure." Jane stared at him for a moment while Sydney's eyes went from him to Vaughn where she looked at him, trying to work out just what was going on.
Jane stood up and wandered over to Jack, pulling on his pant leg. Jack glared at the two remaining agents before crouching down, turning an ear to Jane's mouth, "It's me Mr Jack, please don't tell the others, they'll make fun of me." Jack smiled at her, the grin obviously fake to Sydney but the young girl believing his sincerity and turning back around.
Jack straightened and went over to where Vaughn and Sydney were watching, "It's her," his voice was low as the children all watched him intently, their large eyes staring up at him, trying to hear what he was saying. He glanced at them before continuing, "She'll have to be changed."
Vaughn nodded, confusion and sheer amusement at having seen what he'd just seen, "I've never changed a baby in my life."
Jack glared at him, seeing where he was heading a split second before Sydney who hastened to add, "Don't look at me, not once."
Jack was suddenly mad that the CIA hadn't found agents suited better for the job, "So what I have to do it?" Sydney shrugged before nodding, "I don't want this discussion or events leaving the room." Low and dangerous but still Vaughn was close to cracking up. He'd never imagined Jack changing a child's nappy, but then, someone must have for Sydney when she was young. "Give me five minutes, can you handle these five?" Sydney and Vaughn nodded, "Good."
He turned and found the children still staring up at him, Jane watching him intently to see if he would say anything, he sighed, "Come on Jane." The podgy little girl glared at Emily before standing again and following Jack through to the back and into the room dedicated to such dirty tasks.
The second Jack was out of sight, Vaughn caught Sydney's eye and the two could do nothing to stop the expansive grins from taking over. After a seconds glance, they turned back to the children who were still sitting on the ground, "Right," Vaughn started, "We're going to do something."
Sydney raised her voice before any more ideas could be given, "Okay, guys, I've decided," immediately they settled down. "We are going to play...dead fish."
Vaughn cracked up. Just full out laughed, he couldn't help himself and didn't even have the heart to shut up when Sydney shot an accusing glare at him. Emily's voice brought her eyes back to the ground when she asked, "How do you play that?"
She was about to answer, full instructions ready to go when Chris started first, "It's a really stupid game and all you do is lie there."
Sydney glared at him and he shot her something akin to a smirk back, "It isn't stupid, it's a really fun game." The five children looked up at her, "It's a competition for a chocolate biscuit," that got their full attention, even Chris's, "You have to lie on the ground very still like a dead fish." She shot a look at Vaughn who was still smiling, "Michael," she used his name to her advantage, "Will now show us how."
Vaughn glared at her, playfully, and lay down on the ground, flat on his back, keeping his eyes on Sydney who, he could have sworn, turned a few shades of red deeper as gravity pulled his shirt towards the ground to give a much better view of his chest and abdomen. He grinned again, remaining very still and waiting for her to let him up. "Right," he saw her making her way over and continued to lay still. "So all you have to do, is lie really, really still. If I see you move, you're out and you don't get a chocolate biscuit and that wouldn't that be bad?" She took another step towards Vaughn, "Any questions."
Shannon was very quiet, but she still heard him, "Miss Sydney..." Sydney grinned and nodded for him to continue, "I think that if you go any closer Mr Michael will want to look up your skirt." An eyebrow straight up from both of them, Vaughn broke into another grin and shrugged on the floor when Sydney turned around.
She shook her head and moved away quickly, "Thank you Shannon. You're probably right." This time she refused to look to where Vaughn had gotten up and was now sitting, quite dangerously on a child's chair. It was then that Jack re-entered, little Jane clinging to his hand and a look of mixed disgust and something else was sitting on his face. "Hey Jane," Sydney said, her voice casual, "We're playing dead fish."
Jack rolled his eyes which caused Vaughn to grin once again, Jane answered, oblivious to the smiles going around the room a meter above her, "Oh yes, my mom makes me play it all the time."
Sydney kept a straight face, somehow, "Good, we're playing for chocolate biscuits, so try extra hard this time." She nodded and went and joined the others on the floor, letting Jack's hand go and smiling at him shyly for a moment. "Wonderful, okay kids, everyone on the ground, get comfortable."
The six children spread themselves out surprisingly well and lay down, someone their backs, some on their stomachs, and come on their sides. Sydney smiled at Vaughn which caused Jack to glare harder at the both of them, "Now," she added, "If you feel sleepy, just go to sleep."
"Good luck," Jack mumbled to the side.
"Everyone ready?" Vaughn asked. There was no response so he continued, "Starting now." There was silence for a few moments, none of the agents prepared to move, Jack glanced down at his digital watch, '16:23:04', he smirked at Sydney before quietly making his way over, weaving between Chris and Emily.
Once together they made their way over to the corner and stood, huddled together whispering, "You think this will work?" Jack asked incredulously.
Vaughn shrugged, so Sydney answered, "At least it'll shut them up for ten minutes."
Jack looked at his watch again, barely twenty seconds had passed and he was surprised that they'd been quiet for that long. "There are six of them, how do we plan on getting six of them to sleep?"
Vaughn smiled, he couldn't help himself, "You're not going to gas them or nock them out," Jack glared, aware that Vaughn now felt pretty big considering he'd knew that Jack could handle children. Personally, Jack saw this as an achievement and hoped that should Agent Vaughn ever have children, they be as big a handful as Sydney had been.
He ignored him and looked to Sydney, waiting for a more serious answer, "I figure, we have only one choice and that is to tire them out." Jack's face fell immediately.
"And how do you propose we do that?"
"Play a lot of games, bore them to death, I don't care."
Jack shook his head, his daughter had no idea, "You cannot bore children to death, you bore them and they become hyperactive. Playing games, like dead fish, will get you even further away from sleep," he was about to continue when Jane's whine came ringing through to the three of them.
"Mr Jack, Ivan moved."
Jack raised an eyebrow, looking down at his watch, '16:24:03', "Didn't last more than two minutes," he shrugged before turning to make his way over. "Now Jane," his voice was different, fatherly almost, "We shouldn't dob on people."
She shook her head hard, "I wasn't dobbing, I was just being honest. My mommy says that 'honesty is a vir two." She nodded, seemingly very pleased with herself. Jack raised an eyebrow and looked to Sydney and then to Vaughn, both agents just stared back, waiting, it seemed, for him to make the next move.
He glared hard at them before walking back into the room, "Okay, all of you up." Screams of joy almost brought hands to the three adult's ears, "And you all deserve a chocolate biscuit." More screams followed by a mass movement as the six crowded around Jack, his disapproving look completely ignored. He waited for someone to throw him their secret supply and caught the packet when Sydney did, he opened it, holding it high above his head, all the while trying to remain looking as hard and level as ever. It failed, hopelessly.
Each child ate their treat and ended up sitting on the floor, scattered around the room, Emily in a corner, Shannon and Ivan centred, Chris on a chair, eyeing everyone else, and Jane and Craig stuffing their mouths in front of Jack. He sighed turning to the pair who were watching him, admiration and amusement in both sets of eyes. "Well?" he asked.
Sydney breathed heavily, shrugging again, she'd never felt more lost on a mission, "I don't know, you have a shot." Chris stared at them, trying to work out what they were talking about so Jack could only nod in response.
Jack crouched down again, gaining everybody's attention, "Sydney and Michael are going to play hide and seek with you," sequels of delight, "You're all going to hide and Sydney and Michael are going to come and find you."
His voice was back to its normal flat emotionless self and he moving swiftly to sit, ready to watch from a corner. While this was in his eyes, a completely stupid idea for a mission, it was what he'd been told to do and it was thus his job to do it. He glared a Vaughn when he made no move to start, this cause him to jump, straight into action.
"Right," he hesitated, seeing he had little control over this," You heard Jack, everyone go and hide."
Kids scattered everywhere and it was only when Emily said, "Close your eyes and count to thirty," that the pair remembered the rules. They turned and began to count as Jack watched from the corner; he saw Craig head straight for the kitchen, Jane aiming for the change room but stopping to crawl into the toy box. Chris was obviously good at this game as he found himself a brilliant spot inside a giant red block that Jack had thought was solid, he'd slid the door shut behind him and it truly looked like he had disappeared. Ivan mulled over the situation before hiding under a chair, his legs and arms wrapped tightly to try to hide himself and Emily soon join him under the next chair, hiding herself somewhat better by draping a piece of material over the surface. Shannon stood dead centre until turning, grinning and starting to run towards Jack.
Okay, still not sure about this, as I said, I'm blaming my insane friend who I brainstormed with, yes I know she's a genius, any way I want reviews please! And I swear go and read Escape it just turned into my best fic ever.