Section 32: Above Ground
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It was a blustery day above ground with overcast skies and the hint of rain in the air. Contrary to Jack's teasing, Daniel had actually grown up with weather like this in New York, and though it wasn't home like the desert was home, it held good memories for him. It was invigorating he mused, like refreshing water after a parched day in the heat.
They were in downtown Colorado Springs on a Friday afternoon. Daniel and Teal'c were showing John and Aeryn the sights. They had started that morning with the scenic drive down Cheyenne Mountain which had only been a mild hit, Aeryn apologetically telling them that you've seen one set of impressive mountains, you've seen them all. So now they were in the city poking around shops and boutiques. They had just left a local ceramics place with beautiful tea sets and bowls and other decorative pieces that cost more than they were worth. It was a little gaudy for Daniel's taste, but John and Aeryn seemed to like the bright colors.
"Rygel would love that place," John commented as they left.
"Really?" asked Daniel, wondering what the small alien would see there of interest.
"He can't pass up worthless pretty things," John explained. "He's got to be one of the greediest people I know."
"Well, he used to be a king, didn't he?" Daniel pointed out. "He's used to having everything at his beck and call. You can't really fault him for his upbringing."
"Except he was deposed over two hundred cycles ago," said Aeryn with a sideways look up from the scarves she was browsing on a sidewalk rack.
"Oh," said Daniel, surprised by this new bit of information. He was prevented from replying by a subtle nudge from Teal'c. This conversation was better suited for a more secure location. So Daniel dropped it and continued on.
They didn't stay long with the scarves, though Daniel did notice Teal'c eyeing a dark green toboggan with white snowflakes and made a note to mention it to Janet's daughter Cassie who always gave Teal'c a hat for Christmas. Next they wandered through a bookstore where Aeryn looked a little lost before John dragged her off to the children's section. Daniel let them go, his own attention caught by The Divinci Code, a mystery that explored the origins of the Christian Church. He wondered briefly what influence the Goa'uld legacy had on the Early Church other than the perseverance of pagan worship. Deciding he really should get a life outside of work, Daniel wandered on. He passed Teal'c in the magazine section with a copy of People on his way to check on John and Aeryn.
It took a few minutes, but he finally found them on the floor under the Dr. Seuss shelf with easily twenty books scattered around them: ABC's, Green Eggs and Ham, Fox in Socks, The Lorax to name a few on top. They both looked up when he stopped at the end of the aisle, not wanting to intrude.
"Dr. Seuss?" he asked lightly.
John grinned. "That's how I learned to read. Which one's your favorite?"
Daniel shrugged. "Never really read them," he said.
"You're kidding," said John incredulously. "You never read Dr. Seuss?"
"I lived in Egypt until I was about eight," Daniel explained. "I probably spoke better Arabic and French than I did English when I was learning to read."
John just shook his head. "Not even The Cat in the Hat?" Daniel shook his head. "So what did you read?"
"Egyptian mythologies and other history stuff my parents had around. When I did read, of course," the archeologist smiled. "Mostly I was just underfoot."
"Well, now's you're chance," said Aeryn with a nod to the piece of floor beside her. "It's almost as good as Sesame Street."
After politely declining, Daniel went off to browse in the world history section until they left half an hour later. By that time it was getting late enough that they headed back to the car and took off for Jack's neighborhood. Since Jack was picking up food on his way home with Sam, Daniel and Teal'c had been charged with the night's movie selections.
"So there are a few . . . uh, rules, when it comes to movies," said Daniel as they entered the Blockbuster. Teal'c went on in while Aeryn and John waited. "No military movies, no sciencey movies, and no historical movies pre - 1700. We don't get action movies with lots of cars and stuff blowing up, or family films where someone dies - that includes the dog. No thrillers." Daniel paused, trying to think of what he missed.
"So what do you watch?" asked John.
"Comedies," said Daniel. "Happy endings. A surprising amount of sci-fi since Teal'c loves it."
They started with the new releases and worked their way through the rest of the store. Surprisingly, John didn't seem to mind the restrictions the team had toward movies in an effort to get away from their everyday life on the front lines. He seemed to naturally gravitate toward the more lighthearted movies anyway, the ones that Daniel felt showed why life was worth living and fighting for. In the end it was Teal'c who decided for them by simply handing John a movie and saying, "She must see this."
John smiled and didn't argue.
They arrived at Jack's house just as the pizza guy left. Daniel didn't bother to knock on the way in. "Jack?" he called, leading the way inside.
"He's in the kitchen," said Sam from the couch. Her left arm was bandaged tightly across her chest but otherwise she looked good.
"How's the arm?" he asked.
"Same. Hey, guys," she greeted the others behind him.
"What movies did you get?" Jack emerged from the kitchen with beers for all except Sam and Teal'c who got Coke. "John, Aeryn, make yourselves at home," he smiled at his guests. "Danny, the pizza's on the counter."
While Daniel was in the kitchen retrieving the food and paper plates he heard Jack's indignant "Teal'c!" and a laugh from Sam as they found out what the night's entertainment was to be.
"It is a classic, O'Neill," said Teal'c calmly as Daniel returned. "And it was you who showed me this movie."
"But we've seen it a million times," groused Jack. Reluctantly, he put in the movie while everyone else grabbed pizza and settled in. "And if anyone says it - "
" 'My name is Inigo Montoya," Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c chorused. "You killed my father. Prepare to die.'"
Jack sighed loudly like a put upon parent while the rest of them just grinned happily as The Princess Bride began.
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It was a blustery day above ground with overcast skies and the hint of rain in the air. Contrary to Jack's teasing, Daniel had actually grown up with weather like this in New York, and though it wasn't home like the desert was home, it held good memories for him. It was invigorating he mused, like refreshing water after a parched day in the heat.
They were in downtown Colorado Springs on a Friday afternoon. Daniel and Teal'c were showing John and Aeryn the sights. They had started that morning with the scenic drive down Cheyenne Mountain which had only been a mild hit, Aeryn apologetically telling them that you've seen one set of impressive mountains, you've seen them all. So now they were in the city poking around shops and boutiques. They had just left a local ceramics place with beautiful tea sets and bowls and other decorative pieces that cost more than they were worth. It was a little gaudy for Daniel's taste, but John and Aeryn seemed to like the bright colors.
"Rygel would love that place," John commented as they left.
"Really?" asked Daniel, wondering what the small alien would see there of interest.
"He can't pass up worthless pretty things," John explained. "He's got to be one of the greediest people I know."
"Well, he used to be a king, didn't he?" Daniel pointed out. "He's used to having everything at his beck and call. You can't really fault him for his upbringing."
"Except he was deposed over two hundred cycles ago," said Aeryn with a sideways look up from the scarves she was browsing on a sidewalk rack.
"Oh," said Daniel, surprised by this new bit of information. He was prevented from replying by a subtle nudge from Teal'c. This conversation was better suited for a more secure location. So Daniel dropped it and continued on.
They didn't stay long with the scarves, though Daniel did notice Teal'c eyeing a dark green toboggan with white snowflakes and made a note to mention it to Janet's daughter Cassie who always gave Teal'c a hat for Christmas. Next they wandered through a bookstore where Aeryn looked a little lost before John dragged her off to the children's section. Daniel let them go, his own attention caught by The Divinci Code, a mystery that explored the origins of the Christian Church. He wondered briefly what influence the Goa'uld legacy had on the Early Church other than the perseverance of pagan worship. Deciding he really should get a life outside of work, Daniel wandered on. He passed Teal'c in the magazine section with a copy of People on his way to check on John and Aeryn.
It took a few minutes, but he finally found them on the floor under the Dr. Seuss shelf with easily twenty books scattered around them: ABC's, Green Eggs and Ham, Fox in Socks, The Lorax to name a few on top. They both looked up when he stopped at the end of the aisle, not wanting to intrude.
"Dr. Seuss?" he asked lightly.
John grinned. "That's how I learned to read. Which one's your favorite?"
Daniel shrugged. "Never really read them," he said.
"You're kidding," said John incredulously. "You never read Dr. Seuss?"
"I lived in Egypt until I was about eight," Daniel explained. "I probably spoke better Arabic and French than I did English when I was learning to read."
John just shook his head. "Not even The Cat in the Hat?" Daniel shook his head. "So what did you read?"
"Egyptian mythologies and other history stuff my parents had around. When I did read, of course," the archeologist smiled. "Mostly I was just underfoot."
"Well, now's you're chance," said Aeryn with a nod to the piece of floor beside her. "It's almost as good as Sesame Street."
After politely declining, Daniel went off to browse in the world history section until they left half an hour later. By that time it was getting late enough that they headed back to the car and took off for Jack's neighborhood. Since Jack was picking up food on his way home with Sam, Daniel and Teal'c had been charged with the night's movie selections.
"So there are a few . . . uh, rules, when it comes to movies," said Daniel as they entered the Blockbuster. Teal'c went on in while Aeryn and John waited. "No military movies, no sciencey movies, and no historical movies pre - 1700. We don't get action movies with lots of cars and stuff blowing up, or family films where someone dies - that includes the dog. No thrillers." Daniel paused, trying to think of what he missed.
"So what do you watch?" asked John.
"Comedies," said Daniel. "Happy endings. A surprising amount of sci-fi since Teal'c loves it."
They started with the new releases and worked their way through the rest of the store. Surprisingly, John didn't seem to mind the restrictions the team had toward movies in an effort to get away from their everyday life on the front lines. He seemed to naturally gravitate toward the more lighthearted movies anyway, the ones that Daniel felt showed why life was worth living and fighting for. In the end it was Teal'c who decided for them by simply handing John a movie and saying, "She must see this."
John smiled and didn't argue.
They arrived at Jack's house just as the pizza guy left. Daniel didn't bother to knock on the way in. "Jack?" he called, leading the way inside.
"He's in the kitchen," said Sam from the couch. Her left arm was bandaged tightly across her chest but otherwise she looked good.
"How's the arm?" he asked.
"Same. Hey, guys," she greeted the others behind him.
"What movies did you get?" Jack emerged from the kitchen with beers for all except Sam and Teal'c who got Coke. "John, Aeryn, make yourselves at home," he smiled at his guests. "Danny, the pizza's on the counter."
While Daniel was in the kitchen retrieving the food and paper plates he heard Jack's indignant "Teal'c!" and a laugh from Sam as they found out what the night's entertainment was to be.
"It is a classic, O'Neill," said Teal'c calmly as Daniel returned. "And it was you who showed me this movie."
"But we've seen it a million times," groused Jack. Reluctantly, he put in the movie while everyone else grabbed pizza and settled in. "And if anyone says it - "
" 'My name is Inigo Montoya," Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c chorused. "You killed my father. Prepare to die.'"
Jack sighed loudly like a put upon parent while the rest of them just grinned happily as The Princess Bride began.
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