"I'll go run him, Colonel," the Ranger said, well aware that Jack didn't need him around to make sure nothing happened. Hank didn't exactly know what O'Neill did in the Military, but he knew the type well. He'd been the type, back in his own Military days, which had been during Vietnam and before. If Jack wasn't sure, then Hank would double check the father, just to make him sure.

"Thanks, Hank." Jack said, smiling over at the Ranger before turning his serious gaze back on the dad, who was looking a little uncomfortable, but obviously trying to hide that fact. "Why don't we go wait inside?"

They all walked to the station, with Teal'c still carrying the child. No one objected when Jack and Jaffer jumped out of the truck and walked beside Teal'c, who was scowling at the man who was the child's father.

"This shouldn't take too long..." Hank said, vanishing into the separate office that had his name on the door.

"Have a seat," Jack said, giving the father a smile that came nowhere close to reaching his eyes.

Giving him a look that plainly said he wanted to be anywhere else, the man sat down, reluctantly. It wasn't as if he had a choice, after all.

.....................

"Jack? Got a minute?"

It was about ten minutes later, and Hank had made an appearance at his office door. The first one he'd made since he'd entered it.

"Sure." Jack looked down at Jaffer, who was sitting at his feet, between Jack and Sam, and pointed at the father, who Jaffer had been giving mistrustful looks at for the past ten minutes. "Watch him, Jaffer."

He stood up and headed into the office, closing the door behind him.

"Well?"

"He's her father..." the Ranger said, handing a readout to the Colonel.

Jack didn't bother to look at it. He could tell there was more to the statement than just that; simply by the way the Ranger's expression was set.

"He kidnapped her four days ago. Some kind of custody thing. Apparently he figured if he could get her to Canada, he'd be able to keep her. It's just luck that you happened to find her after she'd wandered off..."

"Did you call the cops?"

"The state police and the mother are on their way now. They knew he was somewhere in the area, but didn't bother to inform us - only the local cops. They'll be here shortly. You guys mind sticking around until they get here? I could use the back up."

"Sure thing."

"No telling what he'll do when he finds out..."

"It doesn't matter what he does, Hank," Jack said, shrugging. Jack wasn't being over confident, but he knew they had the upper hand on this one. "Let's go have a talk with dear old dad, shall we?"

..............

They walked out of the office, but Jack didn't say anything right away. The first thing he did was cross the room and hold his hands out to Kelli, who'd been wriggling happily in Teal'c's arms. The Jaffa gave him a curious look as the little girl submitted willingly to being passed over to the Colonel, but Jack didn't say anything. Not yet. He took the toddler over and placed her on Sam's lap, right next to Jaffer and Jack, knowing the dogs would occupy the girl much more completely than any member of the SGC could. This also freed Teal'c's hands, and placed the child closer to the fanged protectors. No matter how Paulson reacted, he'd be ripped and bleeding long before he managed to spirit that kid away from Jaffer and Jack's watchful eyes.

Only then did Jack stand next to the door, and lean against the wall, turning his contemptuous gaze upon the father, who'd been watching him curiously, not realizing until it was done just how thoroughly he'd been thwarted.

"We know..."

He glared at Jack, his eyes cold and angry, and his fists in tight balls at his sides, obviously wanting to confront him. Teal'c raised an eyebrow, looking at Jack as well, wondering what it was they knew. His expression was pretty similar to Sam and Daniel's as well. Jack, of course, was completely unconcerned by the glare. He'd been face to face with things this guy would never believe, and there was no way a look from him was going to intimidate the Colonel.

"The police are on the way, so you might as well just sit tight, and enjoy the scenery."

Since the scenery included two large dogs that were watching him carefully, obviously sensing his anger and hatred, and just waiting for him to do something stupid so they'd have any excuse to act on their instant dislike for him, there was really very little the guy could do but just that. Even he wasn't desperate or foolish enough to try something with such formidable odds. Which was fine with Jack, since he didn't want the little girl to have to see anything like that, anyways. So he glared, and sulked. And Jack and the others ignored it completely, and watched as the little girl played with Jaffer's tail, much to the black lab's enjoyment.

.......................

Waiting really wasn't something Jack enjoyed. He wasn't all that good at standing still – although he was a champion when it came to lazing about. He tended to pace, or to check his watch continuously, or to make annoying noises, and do about a million other things. Anything to make the waiting go by faster. This time, however, he didn't do any of that. He just leaned against the door, watching the room as intently as any of the others were, and keeping an eye on Paulson to make sure he didn't try anything dumb.

Since he was by the door, he was the first one to hear the cars pulling up, and was able to simply turn his head and see the state patrol logo on one of the cars. The other was a blue Blazer with no logo. Both came to a halt somewhere out of Jack's view, and a moment later they all heard car doors slamming and people heading towards the door of the station. Jack moved slightly so he wouldn't get run over.

"Kelli!"

The first person through the door was a slight woman of about twenty-four. It was easy to see that she was at least related to the little girl, since her dark hair was a perfect match for the toddler's and the blue eyes were dead on.

The little girl raised her head at the sound of her name, and gave a brilliant smile, squirming in Sam's lap, obviously wanting down, and the mother rushed over, stopping slightly when she saw the two large dogs standing between her and her daughter.

Jaffer was suspicious. He loved meeting new people, but this one was as full of emotions as the man had been, although only a little of that was fear, and he decided after just a moment of careful scrutiny that it was just fear of him. Which would never do. Wagging his tail idly, to let her know she didn't have anything to fear from him, the black lab sniffed her hand while Sam let the little girl down off her lap so she could run over to her mother.

"Mommy!"

The little girl bumped into Jack's butt, who whirled and licked her face, eliciting giggles, and the yellow lab barked excitedly when the toddler was scooped up into her mother's arms.

"Oh, sweetie, I was so worried!" She looked over at Paulson, who was in the process of being handcuffed by one of the state patrol officers who'd followed the woman through the door. "You son of a bitch! How could you have done that?"

He was going to make a comment, everyone could tell. His face colored brilliantly, and Sam was certain that he was going to start cussing her out, but Jack glared at him, and the guy decided to save his yelling for another time, when he wasn't under such a watchful eye. Instead, he was led out of the room and to one of the patrol cars, and the mother turned tear- filled eyes on Sam, who'd been holding her daughter when she came in.

"Thank you so much! I was so worried about her! He wasn't supposed to be in the state... I was told he'd moved back to Edmonton... I was so scared when I looked in the backyard and she wasn't..." She couldn't continue around the sobs of relief and remembered terror, but she didn't need to.

Sam smiled, and gave her a reassuring hug, child and all.

"We're just glad we could help."

They were still for a moment, but the child squirmed and Sam let her go, giving her mother a chance to wipe her eyes, and regain a little composure. Daniel handed her a tissue, which she took with a small smile.

"Thank you."

She looked down at the dogs, who were watching the child and her mother with cheerful brown eyes, and like so many before, the young woman found them irresistible, and couldn't help but smile back.

"They're beautiful..."

Jack barked, but Jaffer just preened, knowing he was being mentioned as well. He had a tendency to pose when someone was watching him, and he was doing that then, which just made him look that much better.The little girl turned in her mother's arms, twisting until she was practically upside down and could touch Jack's nose.

"'Oggie!"

"They're okay." Jack's words did nothing to hide his love for his black monster, though, and even the woman, who knew nothing about O'Neill and the others, knew that Jack owned one of them, just by the way his eyes gleamed with pleasure at the compliment.

"Would you sell them?" There was no mistaking the fact that the two dogs liked her little girl, and the little girl liked them. If she had a dog, maybe there'd be less chance of something like this happening again.

It wasn't the first time someone had asked about buying Jaffer, and Jack knew it wouldn't be the last. He simply smiled and shook his head. He'd rather rip out his heart and feed it to a Goa'uld.

"I'm afraid not."