Family Matters
Chapter 3
"Well, sir, what did I miss?" Colonel O'Neill said, walking through the open doorway with a sly grin on his face. "Where's Teal'c?"
General Hammond turned around, "I was just about to introduce Captain Carter to Captain-."
"CHARLIE!" The Colonel roared, the frown line between his eyebrows deepening.
Merlin clenched his fist tightly, as his father screamed his nickname from when he was much younger. But, it no longer made him feel inferior or like a small child anymore.
"What is *he* doing here?" O'Neill continued, glaring potently.
General Hammond frowned, "What's the problem Colonel? He's the new pilot I was telling you about..."
"Dammit, General, he can't be. No military personnel can be in the direct chain of command of a family member!"
General Hammond cocked his head at the Colonel, "You mean to tell me that you two are *related*."
Daniel's mouth fell open, "You're related to Jack?" All while wondering how someone as bookish as CJ had come from the same genetic makeup as Jack O'Neill.
Far from saying anything, and far from being capable of saying anything, Merlin set his jaw, his lips tightening. If he opened them, he was sure he would yell straight back, and after that would come an all-out dogfight. He was not that ready to compromise his career.
Jack's brow furrowed so greatly that a chasm appeared between his eyebrows, "General, he's my *son* for god's sake!"
General Hammond and Carter both blurted out, "Your SON!"
Daniel, looking concentrated and perplexed, continued to wonder how military-minded Jack managed to have a prodigy child.
Hammond shook his head strongly, "This must be an oversight...This can't be right. I'll make a call to the secretary and see what this is all about."
Clearing his throat and opening his mouth for the first time since his father's arrival, Merlin said, "With all respect sir, I wouldn't do that. He's aware of the situation. And I was in dire need of a facewash when he was done with his tirade about my insinuation that he did not look at my file carefully enough."
That was apparently exactly what Colonel O'Neill did not want to hear. "Aware of the situation?!? Aware!!!"
Merlin raised an eyebrow at his father and addressed him for the first time, "Yes, sir, aware. To put it in his own words, and I quote, 'this mission is more important than any stupid regs about being in the chain of command of a family member. This mission, captain, calls for the best of all fields, regardless of who the hell is related to whom.'"
Desperate and aggravated Jack looked toward General Hammond.
"General! He's a kid, and he's just as young if not younger than a good majority of the men you think *he's* going to take charge of!"
Biting the inside of his lips strongly enough to draw blood, Merlin glared at him. He could not believe what he just heard. It took every ounce of self-control and training he had not to completely lose it, and jump down his father's throat regardless of rank.
Finally he trusted himself to say something in his defense, "In case you forgot, sir, I stopped being a kid when you packed me off. Why don't you take an interest in your own son for once and look at his file. It speaks for itself." He paused to look at General Hammond, "As to my ability to fulfill my assignment, sir, I assure you that I won't fall short, regardless of any obstacles that are put in my way," He directed his glare at Jack as he finished his statement.
As his final button was pushed, Jack pointed a finger at Merlin and said, "The day I see YOU be responsible for another person's life with be a COLD, COLD DAY IN HELL! The irony of that!"
Sam pulled her head back in surprise, her eyes showing her shock clearly. She had never heard Jack sound like this, and she had seen Jack in some very bad times. She looked towards the Captain in time to see him turn so pale that it barely stood out from the collar on his white shirt.
Throwing ceremony partially out the window, Merlin walked up closer to Jack, clearly not intimidated by the man's death glare in the least.
His eyebrow arched up slightly and his upper lip was curling slightly with distaste. "How honorable is it to still be blaming a ten-year old boy for a mistake, fifteen years after it happened, sir? Hope it feels good," He said under his breath, with a venom that was character of an O'Neill.
Merlin growled slightly, weighing his options of the moment. Clearly, his behavior was not acceptable, but then neither was the Colonel's. However, if they ended up in a fist fight... So instead of stacking his chances of getting himself ear deep, he walked out of the room, completely content with getting his boots a little muddy.
Jack threw up his hands, as he was wont to do immediately before getting dangerously angry.
General Hammond, being the only one brave enough to say anything cut in, "What just happened here?"
Teal'c, who had been silently cocking his head back and forth between the O'Neills, answered since no one else was volunteering anything, "It would seem, GeneralHammond that Colonel O'Neill has a son, who is indeed joining the SGC."
Daniel, who was still shocked, said, "Uh, Teal'c, I think the general knows that... It's a human expression of exasperation."
Teal'c arched an eyebrow at Danile, "I see, DanielJackson, thank you."
Daniel shifted his weight back and forth from foot to foot for a moment before interjecting into the silence. "Err, I don't think he knows where he is going. Uhh, I think I'll just..." and he pointed to the door.
General Hammond nodded, letting out a frustrated sigh.
Daniel hastily left the debriefing room, glad for a reason to not be around Jack. He was much more comfortable staking his chances with CJ.
Once Daniel left, General Hammond turned to Jack to say, "Well whatever that was, it was pretty indecorous of the both of you."
Sam looked up at the Colonel from her seat, "I didn't even know you had a son, sir."
Hammond shook his head, pushing his lips together, "For that matter, neither did I."
Jack growled and buried his head in his hands. He wished that they would all just leave like Daniel. He had no desire to say anything about his prodigal son.
When it became apparent that they were all staring at him and were not going to leave he said, "We haven't spoken in years."
Teal'c frowned, "I do not understand, O'Neill, do not human parents have unconditional love for their children? It is so on Chulak."
Jack looked up at Teal'c briefly, "Well this ain't Chulak, Teal'c."
Teal'c, confusion mounting on his face, responded, "I cannot believe that a man like you, O'Neill, would not value his own son. He must be a great warrior to be here, or is that not true General Hammond?"
"It's true so far as I am concerned, Teal'c," Hammond answered, "His file indicates that he is a skilled and fearless pilot, and a fine officer. Much like his father is."
Jack grimaced, although his hands, which were pulling on his hair slightly, hid his face from everyone except for Carter.
* * *
Daniel had broken into a jog, hoping that he would find CJ before the man got hopelessly lost. However, he had barely jogged around the corner before he saw CJ with his back propped up against the wall.
Wondering if he had somehow never seen CJ's O'Neill temper while working with him, he approached with caution.
"Well... That was...Interesting," Daniel finally said, stopping next to him.
"I had to get out of there... And then I realized that I had absolutely nowhere to go," Merlin responded. "That has to be the most bang-up first impression I've ever made to a CO."
Daniel shrugged, "It's not so bad as you think."
Merlin threw him a look that reminded Daniel strangely of Jack. It clearly said, 'always the eternal optimist,' and it made Daniel cringe slightly.
"All right, so maybe it is..."
"I cannot imagine a worse scenario, Daniel."
Daniel shrugged, "You don't get along, I'm gathering."
"Understatement."
"I didn't even know Jack had a son."
"No surprise there," Merlin answered, "So far as he is concerned, I don't think he does have one." He scoffed.
Daniel was not sure what to say to that. He wished that he could have meet back up with CJ under more pleasant circumstances... at least so far as the other man was concerned.
"We haven't talked in years. I haven't seen him since before I graduated from college."
Inadvertantly, Daniel's mouth fell open, "You're kidding."
"Nope. Believe me there would have been plenty of opportunities, but he didn't take any of them."
Daniel sighed, "Standing here in the hallway is a little awkward, why don't we go to my room?"
"Sure. Thanks, Daniel."
Clearing his throat, Daniel chanced it, "What do you mean by plenty of opportunities?"
Merlin's face tensed and he pursed his lips.
"About a year ago, I was shot down over hostile territory from ground- strike, completely unexpected. I went MIA for about a week, maybe two, I don't really remember everything clearly. My beacon apparently did not work, that, or they did not want to chance sending in a helo."
"Wow," Daniel said.
"As you know, when something like that happens, it is customary to contact next of kin. When I finally managed to make it to somewhere I could call for help, I was in pretty bad shape. The only good thing was that I was in one piece. I was laid up for quite awhile and unconscious for awhile. I never got a phone call or anything from him, not that I really wanted one."
Daniel stared, "You would imagine that him thinking you were dead would make him want to contact you once he found out you were alive. As the old saying goes, 'you don't realize how much you love someone until they are gone.'"
"One would think, but he didn't. I think he's always wished that I were dead."
"What would make you say that?"
"It's a long story, Daniel, and a difficult one," Merlin said, closing the subject.
The room was quiet for a few moments, Daniel not knowing what to say, and Merlin lost in his own thoughts.
Finally, Daniel said, "Well, I'm glad to have you here. Perhaps I can even enlist you to help me with some artifacts and translations."
"Like the old days, Daniel? I'm not a twenty-year old kid anymore," he responded, smiling.
"I never saw you as a twenty-year old kid to begin with CJ, even when you were one."
Chapter 3
"Well, sir, what did I miss?" Colonel O'Neill said, walking through the open doorway with a sly grin on his face. "Where's Teal'c?"
General Hammond turned around, "I was just about to introduce Captain Carter to Captain-."
"CHARLIE!" The Colonel roared, the frown line between his eyebrows deepening.
Merlin clenched his fist tightly, as his father screamed his nickname from when he was much younger. But, it no longer made him feel inferior or like a small child anymore.
"What is *he* doing here?" O'Neill continued, glaring potently.
General Hammond frowned, "What's the problem Colonel? He's the new pilot I was telling you about..."
"Dammit, General, he can't be. No military personnel can be in the direct chain of command of a family member!"
General Hammond cocked his head at the Colonel, "You mean to tell me that you two are *related*."
Daniel's mouth fell open, "You're related to Jack?" All while wondering how someone as bookish as CJ had come from the same genetic makeup as Jack O'Neill.
Far from saying anything, and far from being capable of saying anything, Merlin set his jaw, his lips tightening. If he opened them, he was sure he would yell straight back, and after that would come an all-out dogfight. He was not that ready to compromise his career.
Jack's brow furrowed so greatly that a chasm appeared between his eyebrows, "General, he's my *son* for god's sake!"
General Hammond and Carter both blurted out, "Your SON!"
Daniel, looking concentrated and perplexed, continued to wonder how military-minded Jack managed to have a prodigy child.
Hammond shook his head strongly, "This must be an oversight...This can't be right. I'll make a call to the secretary and see what this is all about."
Clearing his throat and opening his mouth for the first time since his father's arrival, Merlin said, "With all respect sir, I wouldn't do that. He's aware of the situation. And I was in dire need of a facewash when he was done with his tirade about my insinuation that he did not look at my file carefully enough."
That was apparently exactly what Colonel O'Neill did not want to hear. "Aware of the situation?!? Aware!!!"
Merlin raised an eyebrow at his father and addressed him for the first time, "Yes, sir, aware. To put it in his own words, and I quote, 'this mission is more important than any stupid regs about being in the chain of command of a family member. This mission, captain, calls for the best of all fields, regardless of who the hell is related to whom.'"
Desperate and aggravated Jack looked toward General Hammond.
"General! He's a kid, and he's just as young if not younger than a good majority of the men you think *he's* going to take charge of!"
Biting the inside of his lips strongly enough to draw blood, Merlin glared at him. He could not believe what he just heard. It took every ounce of self-control and training he had not to completely lose it, and jump down his father's throat regardless of rank.
Finally he trusted himself to say something in his defense, "In case you forgot, sir, I stopped being a kid when you packed me off. Why don't you take an interest in your own son for once and look at his file. It speaks for itself." He paused to look at General Hammond, "As to my ability to fulfill my assignment, sir, I assure you that I won't fall short, regardless of any obstacles that are put in my way," He directed his glare at Jack as he finished his statement.
As his final button was pushed, Jack pointed a finger at Merlin and said, "The day I see YOU be responsible for another person's life with be a COLD, COLD DAY IN HELL! The irony of that!"
Sam pulled her head back in surprise, her eyes showing her shock clearly. She had never heard Jack sound like this, and she had seen Jack in some very bad times. She looked towards the Captain in time to see him turn so pale that it barely stood out from the collar on his white shirt.
Throwing ceremony partially out the window, Merlin walked up closer to Jack, clearly not intimidated by the man's death glare in the least.
His eyebrow arched up slightly and his upper lip was curling slightly with distaste. "How honorable is it to still be blaming a ten-year old boy for a mistake, fifteen years after it happened, sir? Hope it feels good," He said under his breath, with a venom that was character of an O'Neill.
Merlin growled slightly, weighing his options of the moment. Clearly, his behavior was not acceptable, but then neither was the Colonel's. However, if they ended up in a fist fight... So instead of stacking his chances of getting himself ear deep, he walked out of the room, completely content with getting his boots a little muddy.
Jack threw up his hands, as he was wont to do immediately before getting dangerously angry.
General Hammond, being the only one brave enough to say anything cut in, "What just happened here?"
Teal'c, who had been silently cocking his head back and forth between the O'Neills, answered since no one else was volunteering anything, "It would seem, GeneralHammond that Colonel O'Neill has a son, who is indeed joining the SGC."
Daniel, who was still shocked, said, "Uh, Teal'c, I think the general knows that... It's a human expression of exasperation."
Teal'c arched an eyebrow at Danile, "I see, DanielJackson, thank you."
Daniel shifted his weight back and forth from foot to foot for a moment before interjecting into the silence. "Err, I don't think he knows where he is going. Uhh, I think I'll just..." and he pointed to the door.
General Hammond nodded, letting out a frustrated sigh.
Daniel hastily left the debriefing room, glad for a reason to not be around Jack. He was much more comfortable staking his chances with CJ.
Once Daniel left, General Hammond turned to Jack to say, "Well whatever that was, it was pretty indecorous of the both of you."
Sam looked up at the Colonel from her seat, "I didn't even know you had a son, sir."
Hammond shook his head, pushing his lips together, "For that matter, neither did I."
Jack growled and buried his head in his hands. He wished that they would all just leave like Daniel. He had no desire to say anything about his prodigal son.
When it became apparent that they were all staring at him and were not going to leave he said, "We haven't spoken in years."
Teal'c frowned, "I do not understand, O'Neill, do not human parents have unconditional love for their children? It is so on Chulak."
Jack looked up at Teal'c briefly, "Well this ain't Chulak, Teal'c."
Teal'c, confusion mounting on his face, responded, "I cannot believe that a man like you, O'Neill, would not value his own son. He must be a great warrior to be here, or is that not true General Hammond?"
"It's true so far as I am concerned, Teal'c," Hammond answered, "His file indicates that he is a skilled and fearless pilot, and a fine officer. Much like his father is."
Jack grimaced, although his hands, which were pulling on his hair slightly, hid his face from everyone except for Carter.
* * *
Daniel had broken into a jog, hoping that he would find CJ before the man got hopelessly lost. However, he had barely jogged around the corner before he saw CJ with his back propped up against the wall.
Wondering if he had somehow never seen CJ's O'Neill temper while working with him, he approached with caution.
"Well... That was...Interesting," Daniel finally said, stopping next to him.
"I had to get out of there... And then I realized that I had absolutely nowhere to go," Merlin responded. "That has to be the most bang-up first impression I've ever made to a CO."
Daniel shrugged, "It's not so bad as you think."
Merlin threw him a look that reminded Daniel strangely of Jack. It clearly said, 'always the eternal optimist,' and it made Daniel cringe slightly.
"All right, so maybe it is..."
"I cannot imagine a worse scenario, Daniel."
Daniel shrugged, "You don't get along, I'm gathering."
"Understatement."
"I didn't even know Jack had a son."
"No surprise there," Merlin answered, "So far as he is concerned, I don't think he does have one." He scoffed.
Daniel was not sure what to say to that. He wished that he could have meet back up with CJ under more pleasant circumstances... at least so far as the other man was concerned.
"We haven't talked in years. I haven't seen him since before I graduated from college."
Inadvertantly, Daniel's mouth fell open, "You're kidding."
"Nope. Believe me there would have been plenty of opportunities, but he didn't take any of them."
Daniel sighed, "Standing here in the hallway is a little awkward, why don't we go to my room?"
"Sure. Thanks, Daniel."
Clearing his throat, Daniel chanced it, "What do you mean by plenty of opportunities?"
Merlin's face tensed and he pursed his lips.
"About a year ago, I was shot down over hostile territory from ground- strike, completely unexpected. I went MIA for about a week, maybe two, I don't really remember everything clearly. My beacon apparently did not work, that, or they did not want to chance sending in a helo."
"Wow," Daniel said.
"As you know, when something like that happens, it is customary to contact next of kin. When I finally managed to make it to somewhere I could call for help, I was in pretty bad shape. The only good thing was that I was in one piece. I was laid up for quite awhile and unconscious for awhile. I never got a phone call or anything from him, not that I really wanted one."
Daniel stared, "You would imagine that him thinking you were dead would make him want to contact you once he found out you were alive. As the old saying goes, 'you don't realize how much you love someone until they are gone.'"
"One would think, but he didn't. I think he's always wished that I were dead."
"What would make you say that?"
"It's a long story, Daniel, and a difficult one," Merlin said, closing the subject.
The room was quiet for a few moments, Daniel not knowing what to say, and Merlin lost in his own thoughts.
Finally, Daniel said, "Well, I'm glad to have you here. Perhaps I can even enlist you to help me with some artifacts and translations."
"Like the old days, Daniel? I'm not a twenty-year old kid anymore," he responded, smiling.
"I never saw you as a twenty-year old kid to begin with CJ, even when you were one."