The gym had been decorated once more. This time it wasn't decorated in
straw bales and cornstalks; it was decorated as though it were a theater.
There were all sorts of posters for various Broadway shows lining the
walls, and there was a raised stage area, complete with a hanging curtain.
The chairs that were carried down the stairs were set up facing the stage
with an aisle in the middle, like there'd be in a movie theater, and there
was even a spotlight. To one side of the stage was a piano. Next to that,
there was a small table that held a CD player and a handful of CDs that
were obviously going to be used that night for background music.
Jack sat in the front row on the right side, near the far end. He needed to be able to stretch out his leg, and didn't want to be tripping anyone up, so he was as out of the way as possible. Shawn was seated on one side of him, and Teal'c was seated on the other. The boys of China had taken up most of the front row, and the girls from France had complained about it, but to no avail. Jack wasn't going to move, and the boys knew if he wasn't going to, they didn't have to. First come, first serve.
Gina solved that problem for herself. She merely climbed up in her favorite spot. O'Neill's lap. The majority of the girls from France gave Daniel a quick look, but decided that they'd only get into trouble if they tried to use him like that. Daniel sent up a relieved sigh of thanks. Then the lights flickered on and off a few times, like they do when the show's getting ready to start on Broadway, and the campers that had been milling around quickly found seats as well.
Gary walked out onto the stage from behind the curtain, and the kids grinned excitedly. He was dressed to the yards, wearing a formal tuxedo and a top hat. Even Jack had to smile. The guy really did go all out when it came to his camp.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!"
"Good evening!"
Gary smiled, and held up a handful of index cards.
"I'm going to be calling the performers up here one at a time, and then I want you to introduce yourself, tell us what cabin you're in and what you're going to be doing. Okay?"
There was a general murmur of agreement, and Gary nodded and looked at his cards. "Okay! First up, Dillon and Wade."
The boys in question popped up from their chairs and came sauntering up to the stage, obviously not suffering from stage fright. They were carrying a dizzying array of items, and Jack didn't even need their introduction to know that they were going to be juggling.
"I'm Dillon, I'm from Germany."
"I'm Wade, from Germany. We're going to be juggling."
And so the show began.
Jack enjoyed the Talent Night far more than he'd expected to. There were a lot of talented kids at that camp, and they had far more varying talents than he would have expected. Shawn and Andrew were called up after the juggling Germany boys, and they did a presentation of 'Who's on First' from Abbot and Costello that was so perfect, Jack found himself laughing hard enough to make his sides ache. (Both sides, not just the bruised one) He gave them both high-fives when they finished and came to sit near him, and the boys beamed with their success.
There were a few singers, a couple singing groups, and a couple of people played the piano. One of the was quite a gymnast and she regaled them with so many back flips and summersaults that it made Jack wonder how she was keeping down her dinner. Then Gina and Teal'c were called. Jack heard a low murmur from the audience. The campers were probably wondering what the two were going to do. Maybe he was going to juggle her? Gina launched herself from Jack's lap with a knee that made him groan and bite back a very unsuitable word, and took Teal'c's hand and walked up onto the stage with him. The big Jaffa dwarfed the little girl, but it w obvious that both were perfectly at ease up on the stage, and with each other.
"I'm Gina, from France."
"I am Murray, from China. We are going to Tango."
Gina snapped her fingers, and pointed at the staff member who was manning the CD player, and he started the music. And Jack knew his jaw wasn't the only one in the gym to drop when the two began. The dance was perfect. Sharp and sassy just like a Tango should be. The steps were perfectly measured, and they were in perfect synchronization. Considering the differences in their size, this was amazing in itself. Add in that Teal'c hadn't known how to dance that very morning, and it was miraculous. When the final step was taken, and Teal'c dipped Gina low at the end, the crowd in the gym went crazy. They stomped and cheered, and whistled and clapped, and called for more.
Gina curtseyed, and Teal'c bowed, and they left the stage and went back to their seat. Well, Teal'c went to his seat, Gina went to Jack's lap. The little girl was grinning from ear to ear and Jack gave her a hug when she jumped back up into his lap.
"Where did you learn to do that?" Jack asked, impressed.
"My mom teaches Ballroom dancing. I can do any dance. Murray was a quick learner. Faster than anyone I've ever seen." Of course he was. A dance isn't all that much different from a fighting style, Jack knew, and Teal'c was a warrior born and bred. It'd have been nothing for him to learn the moves in a single morning, and be able to display them with such precision. Especially with a skilled teacher.
"I'm impressed," Jack said, smiling as Gary called up another performer.
"Thanks, Jack."
"Thank you, O'Neill."
The next performer was from UK. And Jack had to admit he was just as impressed with this kid as he'd been with Teal'c and Gina. The boy had as deep a voice as Teal'c, and he sang a Johnny Cash song in a voice that sounded so perfect for it that Jack had to smile. Wow. When he was a kid, he was lucky to be able to tie his shoes! Where did these amazing abilities come from?
The night went by far too quickly, and was so much fun that Jack was able to forget that he was miserable and hurt, and that it was the last night of camp and he was going to have to say good bye to the kids he'd grown so fond of. He was truly sorry when Gary announced that the last performer had entertained them and that they were excused to their cabins to get ready for bed.
Gina wanted to be carried up to her cabin. Not because she was especially tired, but because she wanted to be carried. Jack grinned at that logic, but had to admit that he wasn't up to carrying her. Holding her, yes. Toting her anywhere? Not a chance. He'd drop her for sure, and he knew it. Or the sun would be coming up over the lake by the time they made it to France. One or the other. Teal'c solved the problem by simply plucking her out of O'Neill's lap and draping her over one shoulder like a bag of flour. Which made her giggle, as he'd known it would.
"I'll see you at the cabin, Murray," Jack said, pressing a kiss against the little girl's cheek before Teal'c could carry her away. Teal'c didn't wait to see if the Colonel was going to give him a kiss as well, h headed for the door, with Andrew and a couple of other China boys crowding around him.
"Bye Jack!"
"Bye, honey, see you in the morning."
With the gym emptying out, Jack made his way over to the door that led to the outside rather than for the stairs that went up into the main building. He could handle the hill outside the gym far easier than the stairs. Shawn came with him, and Carter met them at the door as well, smiling.
"Need help up the hill?"
"Maybe." He smiled a welcome and Shawn jumped to hold the door open for them, and then walked at Jack's right side while Sam took his left. Jack put a casual arm around Sam, his fingers sliding under the back of her shirt to caress bare skin, while his casted right hand went carefully onto Shawn's shoulder. He didn't put any weight on either of them, especially Shawn, since he didn't want to hurt the boy the day before sending him home, but he had plenty of support as he limped painfully up the hill, and felt pretty much at peace with the world just then.
Jack sat in the front row on the right side, near the far end. He needed to be able to stretch out his leg, and didn't want to be tripping anyone up, so he was as out of the way as possible. Shawn was seated on one side of him, and Teal'c was seated on the other. The boys of China had taken up most of the front row, and the girls from France had complained about it, but to no avail. Jack wasn't going to move, and the boys knew if he wasn't going to, they didn't have to. First come, first serve.
Gina solved that problem for herself. She merely climbed up in her favorite spot. O'Neill's lap. The majority of the girls from France gave Daniel a quick look, but decided that they'd only get into trouble if they tried to use him like that. Daniel sent up a relieved sigh of thanks. Then the lights flickered on and off a few times, like they do when the show's getting ready to start on Broadway, and the campers that had been milling around quickly found seats as well.
Gary walked out onto the stage from behind the curtain, and the kids grinned excitedly. He was dressed to the yards, wearing a formal tuxedo and a top hat. Even Jack had to smile. The guy really did go all out when it came to his camp.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!"
"Good evening!"
Gary smiled, and held up a handful of index cards.
"I'm going to be calling the performers up here one at a time, and then I want you to introduce yourself, tell us what cabin you're in and what you're going to be doing. Okay?"
There was a general murmur of agreement, and Gary nodded and looked at his cards. "Okay! First up, Dillon and Wade."
The boys in question popped up from their chairs and came sauntering up to the stage, obviously not suffering from stage fright. They were carrying a dizzying array of items, and Jack didn't even need their introduction to know that they were going to be juggling.
"I'm Dillon, I'm from Germany."
"I'm Wade, from Germany. We're going to be juggling."
And so the show began.
Jack enjoyed the Talent Night far more than he'd expected to. There were a lot of talented kids at that camp, and they had far more varying talents than he would have expected. Shawn and Andrew were called up after the juggling Germany boys, and they did a presentation of 'Who's on First' from Abbot and Costello that was so perfect, Jack found himself laughing hard enough to make his sides ache. (Both sides, not just the bruised one) He gave them both high-fives when they finished and came to sit near him, and the boys beamed with their success.
There were a few singers, a couple singing groups, and a couple of people played the piano. One of the was quite a gymnast and she regaled them with so many back flips and summersaults that it made Jack wonder how she was keeping down her dinner. Then Gina and Teal'c were called. Jack heard a low murmur from the audience. The campers were probably wondering what the two were going to do. Maybe he was going to juggle her? Gina launched herself from Jack's lap with a knee that made him groan and bite back a very unsuitable word, and took Teal'c's hand and walked up onto the stage with him. The big Jaffa dwarfed the little girl, but it w obvious that both were perfectly at ease up on the stage, and with each other.
"I'm Gina, from France."
"I am Murray, from China. We are going to Tango."
Gina snapped her fingers, and pointed at the staff member who was manning the CD player, and he started the music. And Jack knew his jaw wasn't the only one in the gym to drop when the two began. The dance was perfect. Sharp and sassy just like a Tango should be. The steps were perfectly measured, and they were in perfect synchronization. Considering the differences in their size, this was amazing in itself. Add in that Teal'c hadn't known how to dance that very morning, and it was miraculous. When the final step was taken, and Teal'c dipped Gina low at the end, the crowd in the gym went crazy. They stomped and cheered, and whistled and clapped, and called for more.
Gina curtseyed, and Teal'c bowed, and they left the stage and went back to their seat. Well, Teal'c went to his seat, Gina went to Jack's lap. The little girl was grinning from ear to ear and Jack gave her a hug when she jumped back up into his lap.
"Where did you learn to do that?" Jack asked, impressed.
"My mom teaches Ballroom dancing. I can do any dance. Murray was a quick learner. Faster than anyone I've ever seen." Of course he was. A dance isn't all that much different from a fighting style, Jack knew, and Teal'c was a warrior born and bred. It'd have been nothing for him to learn the moves in a single morning, and be able to display them with such precision. Especially with a skilled teacher.
"I'm impressed," Jack said, smiling as Gary called up another performer.
"Thanks, Jack."
"Thank you, O'Neill."
The next performer was from UK. And Jack had to admit he was just as impressed with this kid as he'd been with Teal'c and Gina. The boy had as deep a voice as Teal'c, and he sang a Johnny Cash song in a voice that sounded so perfect for it that Jack had to smile. Wow. When he was a kid, he was lucky to be able to tie his shoes! Where did these amazing abilities come from?
The night went by far too quickly, and was so much fun that Jack was able to forget that he was miserable and hurt, and that it was the last night of camp and he was going to have to say good bye to the kids he'd grown so fond of. He was truly sorry when Gary announced that the last performer had entertained them and that they were excused to their cabins to get ready for bed.
Gina wanted to be carried up to her cabin. Not because she was especially tired, but because she wanted to be carried. Jack grinned at that logic, but had to admit that he wasn't up to carrying her. Holding her, yes. Toting her anywhere? Not a chance. He'd drop her for sure, and he knew it. Or the sun would be coming up over the lake by the time they made it to France. One or the other. Teal'c solved the problem by simply plucking her out of O'Neill's lap and draping her over one shoulder like a bag of flour. Which made her giggle, as he'd known it would.
"I'll see you at the cabin, Murray," Jack said, pressing a kiss against the little girl's cheek before Teal'c could carry her away. Teal'c didn't wait to see if the Colonel was going to give him a kiss as well, h headed for the door, with Andrew and a couple of other China boys crowding around him.
"Bye Jack!"
"Bye, honey, see you in the morning."
With the gym emptying out, Jack made his way over to the door that led to the outside rather than for the stairs that went up into the main building. He could handle the hill outside the gym far easier than the stairs. Shawn came with him, and Carter met them at the door as well, smiling.
"Need help up the hill?"
"Maybe." He smiled a welcome and Shawn jumped to hold the door open for them, and then walked at Jack's right side while Sam took his left. Jack put a casual arm around Sam, his fingers sliding under the back of her shirt to caress bare skin, while his casted right hand went carefully onto Shawn's shoulder. He didn't put any weight on either of them, especially Shawn, since he didn't want to hurt the boy the day before sending him home, but he had plenty of support as he limped painfully up the hill, and felt pretty much at peace with the world just then.