Author: Me... Sarah, hehe

Pairing: None, Daniel-centric with some Dan/Jack friendship

Rating: K

Summary: Daniel has always liked the red ones best.

Author's note: Just something that popped into my head while I was eating a packet of Skittles, has not been beta'd so be nice, lol. We call them 'sweets' where I come from but as it's an American based fic I tried to use 'candy' instead... hope it worked.

The Red Ones

Strawberries were considered as somewhat of a luxury to the small foster home Daniel had lived in for two years of his childhood. In the summer months the children would eat strawberries after a picnic lunch in the large garden behind the home. Unluckily for Daniel they always brought him out in a rash, so while the other children enjoyed their fruit Daniel would play on the swing or read a book by himself.

One day, when Daniel was almost nine the foster home had a visitor while everyone was out in the garden eating strawberries. The nephew of one of the care-workers was in town before going off to join the Air Force. Daniel was sitting alone on the swing, eyes looking at a large book he had read countless times before; he didn't notice the tall man walking into the garden and engulf his aunt in a hug.

The man accepted his aunt's offer to join them on the rug but refused the offers for a bowl of strawberries; he joined in the chatter of the seven children and their care-workers before noticing the sandy-haired boy on the swing.

Daniel was so engrossed in the stories of the Ancient Egyptian Gods that he didn't notice the presence of the man until his shadow fell across Daniel's book. The young man gave Daniel a lopsided grin before sitting down on the next swing.

"What you reading?" his light brown hair, similar to the younger boy's fell into his eyes as he pushed back on the swing before swinging forward again.

Daniel's big blue eyes looked down at his book and held the cover up so the man could read it.

"Ancient Egyptian, sweet," the man pushed his hair out of his eyes as the swing came to a stop, and held his hand out to Daniel. "The name's John O'Neill, two l's."

Daniel hesitated, deciding he liked the look of this man before he opened the book and handed to John. On the inside cover was scrawled in an eight-year-olds handwriting, 'Daniel Melburn Nicholas Ballard Jackson'.

John took the time to take in the boy; he was small for his age with sandy brown hair that would have fallen into his eyes if it wasn't for the glass he wore. The boy had a band-aid on his skinny little knee and his shoes were covered in dirt from digging.

"That's a lot of names for a kid," he started swinging and Daniel giggled as John's face was covered by hair again. "Maybe I should get some of those glasses of yours, stop my hair from attacking me."

Daniel giggled again, dropping the book on the floor and swinging to catch up with John.

"Oh, it's a race now is it?" John asked, Daniel nodded and swung higher. As soon as Daniel had caught up with his height, John opted out admitting his defeat and declaring Daniel as a champion swinger.

"So you sit here by yourself every time they have strawberries?" Daniel nodded. "I'm going to let you into a little secret; can you keep a secret Daniel Melburn Nicholas Jackson?" The little boy nodded again turning sideways on his motionless swing to face John.

"Alright then, I am actually allergic to strawberries, just like you. I'm going to tell you another secret," he paused for effect, looking around to make sure no one else was listening in, "I have something in my pocket that taste just like strawberries, but we are not allergic to."

John reached into his pocket and pulled out a packet of candy drops, he opened the top and pulled out a handful of the small round candy. Daniel jumped down from the swing and cautiously walked to stand next to the older man.

"They are magic fruit, I know they don't look like much but here, taste one," he handed a purple one to Daniel. "That's a blackcurrant."

Daniel put the candy in his mouth and screwed his face up in disgust.

"Yeah, not too fussed on those myself," he smiled. "Try an orange."

Daniel tried the orange, and then John offered him a green lime flavoured candy followed by a yellow lemon. Next John pulled two red candy drops out of the bag.

"Okay, these are the especially magical fruits," he placed one in Daniel's palm and took the other in his own, "to activate their special magic to stop you from getting an allergic reaction you have to tap them twice like this," he tapped his candy with his forefinger, "then you have to blow on them like this," he gave the candy a short puff, "and then pop it in your mouth and chew."

Daniel regarded John with a sceptical took, he waited until the man had swallowed his 'strawberry' and studied the man's long tanned arms until he was certain there was no rash and the artificial flavourings of the strawberry candy were safe, only then did he do the routine John had just taught him.

"I'm afraid I have to go soon Danny-boy but I'm going to leave these magic fruit candy drops with you, remember this is our secret so no telling."

The boy nodded solemnly taking the bag in his hand and quickly shoved it into his pocket. John got up off the swing, ruffled the boy's long locks before walking away. He was stopped by Daniel running up and grabbing hold of his hand, he turned to face his new friend, crouching at his level.

"Thank you," Daniel whispered hugging John around the neck. John, startled at such a reaction from a 'silent loner like little Danny Jackson,' as his aunt had put it, wrapped his arms around the boy and patted his back.

"I'll come visit as soon as I get leave from the air force, 'kay?"

"Promise?" Daniel asked holding out his little finger.

"Pinky promise," John smiled linking their fingers together.

John never kept his promise, Daniel started talking again to ask when John was coming but all they could answer was 'soon' or 'when he gets leave'. Shortly after, Daniel was fostered by a couple and moved away from the foster home to a different State entirely. He gave up hope of ever seeing his secretive friend again but the red ones remained a favourite of his.

"Daniel, what are you doing?" Sam Carter asked as the team sat around their CO's living room waiting for the man in question to start the movie.

"What?"

"You just blew on your candy, it's not hot."

Jack O'Neill hid a smile as he put the DVD into the player; he had provided the food including the candy drops from his first encounter with Daniel.

"Oh, old habit I guess," the archaeologist said blushing slightly at having been caught.

"Pass me a red one Danny," Jack said and the younger man reluctantly gave up his precious red candy. He watched as the Colonel tapped the sweet then blew on it before popping it in his mouth and saying with a grin, "magic."

Daniel's cogs started to turn and his jaw dropped as the realisation hit him.

"Well it was a pinky promise Daniel Melburn Nicholas Jackson."

Sam and Teal'c looked between the two men confused at what was going on.

"Two years, you've known it was me for two years haven't you? Since the first mission to Abydos you've known and you didn't say anything. You are the most infuriating, son of a…" he trailed off and a smile replaced the anger. "Sam, you are never going to believe how long Jack's hai-" he was cut off be a low flying cushion coming from Jack's general direction and hitting him in the face.

"Carter, you will never believe how scrawny Danny-boy was way back when," Jack grinned before a cushion hit him in the side of the face. "Just don't say I don't keep my promises Space-monkey."

Finis