A few quick things:

Thanks to all who have reviewed so far! It's hard not to be excited and eager to post another chapter with so many people asking for more.

A special thanks to Debbie who pointed out a mistake both my beta and I missed. Sarah's last name is Gardner, not Kane. Oops! (On further reflection I'm not sure where that came from. I just watched that episode recently, too!) I don't think it'll be terribly relevant since I'm pretty sure she won't be in the story anymore, but I did want to make a note of it. Thanks, Debbie!

And iamdragonrider, I do think it's a little out of character for Daniel to argue like this as well, but I also think he might get tired of all the scrutiny eventually and just sort of snap. Also, if you reread it, the arguement actually started because he wanted to stay and Jack wanted to leave and wasn't giving a good reason for why he wanted to go so quickly-that's a perfectly plausible reason for them to argue. The safety thing just sort of came up in the middle but it was all leading to issues about trust. Hopefully it'll all make sense by the end.

Disclaimer: If I owned any of this do you honestly think I'd be posting for FREE on the internet in relative obscurity? (For those of you out there who are less intelligent than a jar of pickles, the answer is NO.)

Okay. I'm done. Now read. (And review please!)

Acting One's Age
Chapter 3 - A Little Surprise

"What the he- heck?"

The surprise and confusion in the airman's voice caught Dr. Janet Fraiser's attention—as did the sudden editing of his words—and she turned from the report she'd just finished on the Marine who'd twisted his ankle in PT that morning.

She saw the young man and three children enter the infirmary and her brow knitted in confusion as she tried to figure out who they were and why they were here—especially without an escort—but then General Hammond entered and she knew she'd get the answers she was looking for.

"Dr. Fraiser, can I speak with you in the hallway?" Hammond said before she had a chance to ask any questions.

She gave another look to the four newcomers and then followed her CO out the door.

"Sir, are we having a school tour today and I didn't know it?"

Hammond couldn't help smiling at the thought, but shook his head.

"No, Doctor, we're not opening the SGC up for tours. I almost wish it was that simple."

"Sir?" Janet was even more confused. They'd have to declassify and reveal to the public the Stargate and the whole SGC before such a thing could even be considered. What could possibly be more complicated than that?

"SG-1 returned from their mission on time for once."

Her eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Really?"

He nodded.

"And they brought those kids back with them?"

"Doctor, those kids are SG-1."

Yup. That'd do it. That was infinitely more complicated than school tours in the SGC.

Janet gave the general a close look, wondering if she'd misread the calendar and it was April Fool's day or something. She was fairly certain it was September, but around here you never knew when something like that might change.

Of course, this was a bit extreme, even for the jokers she worked with . . .

"I'm serious," Hammond said when she seemed to doubt his word.

"But how-"

"I have no idea," he said, cutting her off. "Then again, I'm really not sure how they get into most of the trouble they cause. And frankly, I think I like it that way."

Janet couldn't argue with that. She just wished she wasn't the one who usually had to clean up after them.

"I take it you want a full battery of tests to try and determine a cause?" she said, already mentally reviewing who was on base right now and who would have to be recalled. Fortunately it was a Tuesday and only a few teams were off-world so pretty much everyone was here and there was a slightly smaller chance that there would be a major emergency requiring a lot of her staff—unless you counted the physical—and possibly mental—regression of the primary SG team as a major emergency.

After all the things she'd seen, though, she called it business as usual. And they'd been through far worse than this, that was for sure.

"Yes," Hammond said. "Run any test you can think of that might give us an explanation. You know, I'm beginning to think we need to assign a medical unit to SG-1 specifically."

"It would be easier just to keep them on this side of the Stargate," Janet pointed out in a somewhat selfish act. She'd be head of the team if it was ever formed and she wasn't sure she wanted that.

It was nice to be able to deal with the more mundane problems of pretty much every other person who went through the Stargate on a regular basis. She never thought she'd miss treating broken bones, sprained muscles, and the occasional case of the flu.

Hammond sighed. "That's true, but I think it would soon be very boring and quiet around here." He paused, seeming to actually seriously consider the idea, and then shook his head.

"No, I'm sure Jack would still cause trouble. I think all we can do is thank our lucky stars that it's only one team that's so cursed."

"Yes." They both fell quiet. "Boring and quiet would be nice though," she said wistfully and only partially jokingly.

"Yes. Yes, it would."

After another few seconds Janet shook herself and then straightened. "Right, well, I have tests to run."

"And I need to talk to Teal'c for a few minutes as soon as you can spare him."

"Oh I don't doubt he'll be done first," Janet said, recalling the four she'd seen. Teal'c had to be the young man and therefore he was probably still pretty cooperative. The other three, she recalled, all looked fairly young. Must be the natural age difference or something.

"I know he'll cooperate. If you want to talk to Jack, though, might I suggest finding a big stack of paperwork and making yourself comfortable? I can only imagine how much he'll whine and complain now that he's a child." A thoughtful look crossed his face. "But since he is a child he can't be a colonel, right? Does this mean I outrank him?" She sounded so hopeful.

Hammond just smiled. "Good luck, Doctor, and keep me informed."

"Yes, sir," she said with a resigned sigh and turned, squaring her shoulders and taking a deep breath before reentering the infirmary, looking for all the world like she was about to face a firing squad.

O-O-O-O

As she passed the door she was once more grateful that whatever had done this had left Teal'c old enough to be of some assistance.

He'd already set the youngest boy and the girl—unless Janet was mistaken that would be Daniel and Sam, respectively—up on beds to await examination and he was currently lifting up a protesting, struggling boy who just had to be Jack.

"Let me go-oo-oo!" the short-haired brunet boy whined as he was set on the bed. Teal'c didn't seem inclined to do as asked, though, his grip remaining firm on the wiggling child.

"I will only let you go if you promise to stop trying to escape."

"I will! I promise!" was the immediate response. Teal'c let go and Jack immediately broke his promise and tried to escape. His plans were thwarted by the much faster Jaffa and this time Teal'c wasn't going to be so easily fooled.

Janet was about to step in and help when sudden movement drew her attention to where Daniel had just hit the floor after leaping daringly off the bed. He didn't seem to be injured for his fall as he ran over and kicked Teal'c in the ankle, a furious scowl on his chubby little face.

In surprise Teal'c looked down, his grip on Jack loosening just enough to allow the boy to jerk free. As Teal'c reached for Daniel with one hand, Jack rolled over and dropped off the other side of the bed, running for the door.

Teal'c had managed to seize Daniel's arm, but he looked up when he realized Jack was quickly making his getaway.

Daniel tried to run as well, but Teal'c wasn't about to fall for that trick twice.

It didn't matter anyway when a sudden ear-piercing shriek filled the infirmary, making him clap his hands over his ears. Daniel didn't waste any time, he bolted between Teal'c's legs and made for the door.

As soon as he cleared the jamb the shrieking stopped and everyone looked to the source of the shriek. Sam, having secured a way for the other two, was attempting to climb down from her bed to make her own bid for freedom. Her dress, however, was getting in the way and hampering her movements and it was just enough of a delay that Janet had time to set aside her clipboard and snatch her up as she tried to race past.

"Nooo!" she wailed, trying to free herself. "Let me go!"

"I don't think so, missy," Janet said. "Teal'c, would you-"

She didn't even finish before he was out the door in hot pursuit of the two escapees, a couple of her assistants right behind him.

Janet looked down at the blonde girl in her arms who was still twisting and wriggling in an attempt to get free.

"Let me go!"

"Only if you promise to behave," Janet said.

Sam quieted down, but she still didn't look happy.

"Okay."

"Do you promise not to try and escape?"

"Yes."

"If you're good I might have a sucker around here somewhere."

Sam was quiet as she considered this. "I want ice cream."

Janet wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or roll her eyes. Trust Sam to negotiate good behavior for ice cream. "Only if you're good and do exactly as I say."

"You're not my mom."

"No, but I'll tell your dad if you aren't good." Sam had no way of knowing that telling Jacob Carter what happened to his daughter was the last thing Janet wanted to do. The threat did the trick, at any rate.

"Okay."

Janet set her down on the bed and Sam gave her a stern glare. "But I still want ice cream."

"If you're good," Janet said and began the exam.

Thanks for reading! Until next time . . .

"No wife ever shot her husband while he did dishes." - Anonymous
Keaira

One last note: I have the basic plot mostly mapped out, but if there's anything you'd like to see please let me know!