Author's note: Don't panic because this one is kind of short, and not so
funny, and not so dramatic. It's just a transition chapter, and things will
pick up, I promise! Lots left for them to do! Thanks to all of you who are
taking the time to review this, it helps me know what's wanted!
~*~
The kids started trickling in about an hour after Jack arrived in the cafeteria. By now, Jack was far more awake, having had a couple cups of coffee to get him on his way. He was still feeling drowsy, but wasn't in danger of falling asleep in his breakfast. The China boys came rushing in with far more enthusiasm, and settled themselves into their places noisily, chattering and laughing. Shawn was last in, as Jack had expected him to be. Watch guy was always last. He came over and sat in the chair next to Jack, looking at Jack a little warily, as though afraid Jack might have changed his mind overnight about them being friends again. O'Neill reached out and ruffled his hair in greeting, giving the boy a welcoming smile, which was echoed by Shawn's relieved one.
"Morning, Shawn," Sam said from her chair right behind his own.
"Morning, Sam."
Shawn reached into his pocket and pulled out Jack's watch, which he handed over. "Everyone's up and here," he told O'Neill, pointing at the crowded table of boys.
"Good job, Shawn," Jack replied, taking his watch back and putting it on. He thought about saying something else, but he didn't, instead turning to the other boys to greet them as well.
"Morning guys."
"Hi, Jack!"
"Morning!"
"Where were you Jack?"
He hadn't been in bed when they went to bed, and he hadn't been in bed when they woke up, so it was assumed that he didn't sleep last night. Something that was only a little true. He slept, just not enough.
"I was around," O'Neill answered evasively. Luckily, that was good enough for the boys, and they changed the subject.
"What are we doing today, Jack?"
He pulled out the schedule, which was looking more and more battered every day, and looked down to find the right day.
"We're doing swimming and water activities this morning," he told them.
"That's what we're doing," Patricia called from France's table. She had been watching Daniel and only partially paying attention to the other conversations at the tables, but Jack's announcement had jumped out at her. Jack looked down and double-checked, but that's what the schedule said. He looked at Sam, who shrugged.
"We're probably teaming up for some activities," Jean said from her spot between Shelly and Patricia. "It's not that uncommon, especially for water activities. It makes relays and such things more interesting when it's done competitively against another cabin."
"Ah."
"Oh, man, I don't want to swim with girls."
"Why not?" Sam asked.
"Not you, Sam. The girls!"
"Yeah. They'll pee in the water, or something."
"We will not!"
"That's gross!"
Jack raised his hand to forestall any more comments from his boys. "That's enough, guys." He told his boys, firmly. "If the schedule says we're swimming with the girls, then we are. And they won't pee in the water, and I'm sure we'll have a great time. Understood?"
"Okay, Jack."
"Sure."
"Yeah. I'm sure it'll be great."
They didn't sound at all sure, but they did what he told them and stopped complaining. Probably because they knew he'd make them do extra activities together if they didn't, such as the basketball game.
Sam hid a grin, wondering if Jack had any idea just how much he sounded like a military commander, and not a camp counselor. Of course, she was beginning to realize that camp counseling was a lot like leading a platoon. A platoon of very young, immature soldiers, who – in the case of her girls – had crushes on another platoon's leader.
"Time to eat!" Jared's voice broke into Sam's thoughts, and there was a general noise of bustling and chatter as the Runners for each table were selected. Shawn was Runner for China, since he had had watch duty that morning, so he sprang out of his chair and headed for the serving window along with the other runners from the other tables.
"What sort of water activities will we be endeavoring to accomplish?" Teal'c asked Jean, curiously.
"The usual stuff; relays, diving board stuff, canoe stuff maybe. It all depends on the lifeguards. They're the ones that set things up."
"I see."
She hadn't mentioned sailing, much to Teal'c's relief. He hadn't found sailing to be all that pleasant, even though O'Neill had been the one to get injured. Being forced to rely on something as fickle as the wind to make your craft move just wasn't very interesting. They were cut off by the arrival of Shawn with a huge platter of pancakes, and conversation ceased as the campers began eating hungrily.
As usual, Gary stepped up to the front about the same time people were beginning to push their plates back and even the hungriest of kid was starting to slow down. He smiled a good morning to all of them, and read off a few minor announcements, then excused the campers to their cabins to clean them up for inspection, and to get ready for their morning activities.
~*~
The kids started trickling in about an hour after Jack arrived in the cafeteria. By now, Jack was far more awake, having had a couple cups of coffee to get him on his way. He was still feeling drowsy, but wasn't in danger of falling asleep in his breakfast. The China boys came rushing in with far more enthusiasm, and settled themselves into their places noisily, chattering and laughing. Shawn was last in, as Jack had expected him to be. Watch guy was always last. He came over and sat in the chair next to Jack, looking at Jack a little warily, as though afraid Jack might have changed his mind overnight about them being friends again. O'Neill reached out and ruffled his hair in greeting, giving the boy a welcoming smile, which was echoed by Shawn's relieved one.
"Morning, Shawn," Sam said from her chair right behind his own.
"Morning, Sam."
Shawn reached into his pocket and pulled out Jack's watch, which he handed over. "Everyone's up and here," he told O'Neill, pointing at the crowded table of boys.
"Good job, Shawn," Jack replied, taking his watch back and putting it on. He thought about saying something else, but he didn't, instead turning to the other boys to greet them as well.
"Morning guys."
"Hi, Jack!"
"Morning!"
"Where were you Jack?"
He hadn't been in bed when they went to bed, and he hadn't been in bed when they woke up, so it was assumed that he didn't sleep last night. Something that was only a little true. He slept, just not enough.
"I was around," O'Neill answered evasively. Luckily, that was good enough for the boys, and they changed the subject.
"What are we doing today, Jack?"
He pulled out the schedule, which was looking more and more battered every day, and looked down to find the right day.
"We're doing swimming and water activities this morning," he told them.
"That's what we're doing," Patricia called from France's table. She had been watching Daniel and only partially paying attention to the other conversations at the tables, but Jack's announcement had jumped out at her. Jack looked down and double-checked, but that's what the schedule said. He looked at Sam, who shrugged.
"We're probably teaming up for some activities," Jean said from her spot between Shelly and Patricia. "It's not that uncommon, especially for water activities. It makes relays and such things more interesting when it's done competitively against another cabin."
"Ah."
"Oh, man, I don't want to swim with girls."
"Why not?" Sam asked.
"Not you, Sam. The girls!"
"Yeah. They'll pee in the water, or something."
"We will not!"
"That's gross!"
Jack raised his hand to forestall any more comments from his boys. "That's enough, guys." He told his boys, firmly. "If the schedule says we're swimming with the girls, then we are. And they won't pee in the water, and I'm sure we'll have a great time. Understood?"
"Okay, Jack."
"Sure."
"Yeah. I'm sure it'll be great."
They didn't sound at all sure, but they did what he told them and stopped complaining. Probably because they knew he'd make them do extra activities together if they didn't, such as the basketball game.
Sam hid a grin, wondering if Jack had any idea just how much he sounded like a military commander, and not a camp counselor. Of course, she was beginning to realize that camp counseling was a lot like leading a platoon. A platoon of very young, immature soldiers, who – in the case of her girls – had crushes on another platoon's leader.
"Time to eat!" Jared's voice broke into Sam's thoughts, and there was a general noise of bustling and chatter as the Runners for each table were selected. Shawn was Runner for China, since he had had watch duty that morning, so he sprang out of his chair and headed for the serving window along with the other runners from the other tables.
"What sort of water activities will we be endeavoring to accomplish?" Teal'c asked Jean, curiously.
"The usual stuff; relays, diving board stuff, canoe stuff maybe. It all depends on the lifeguards. They're the ones that set things up."
"I see."
She hadn't mentioned sailing, much to Teal'c's relief. He hadn't found sailing to be all that pleasant, even though O'Neill had been the one to get injured. Being forced to rely on something as fickle as the wind to make your craft move just wasn't very interesting. They were cut off by the arrival of Shawn with a huge platter of pancakes, and conversation ceased as the campers began eating hungrily.
As usual, Gary stepped up to the front about the same time people were beginning to push their plates back and even the hungriest of kid was starting to slow down. He smiled a good morning to all of them, and read off a few minor announcements, then excused the campers to their cabins to clean them up for inspection, and to get ready for their morning activities.