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Chapter Five

I crawl back out into the conference room, smiling at Daniel who is still waiting. "He wants cake."

Daniel grins. "I guess it is Jack then, huh?"

"Actually, it's John."

"Are you going to bring cake back to him?"

I turn around at Daniel's words, realizing that Jack has not followed me. He's still crouched under the table, staring up at me without giving up his hiding place. I smile at him. "Come on, cake's this way." He doesn't move and is actually starting to look like he's about to cry. "It's ok, John." I reach my hand toward him and he grabs it, holding mine in both of his before he reluctantly joins me. I squat down as Daniel does the same. "John, this is my friend Daniel."

Daniel's eyes light up as he smiles charmingly at little Jack. "Hi, buddy. You can come see my office where I have all sorts of neat stuff from Egypt and I'll tell you all about it!"

I force back my laughter. Daniel is going to use this as the perfect opportunity to get even with Jack for all those years of not listening to him. But instead of responding, Jack drops my hand and launches himself into my arms, burying his face in my neck and sobbing. I giggle. I can't help it. "I guess it's innate, Daniel." I rub Jack's back, trying to get him to release his hold on my neck. "Hey, it's ok. You don't have to go if you don't want."

But Jack doesn't release me. So I stand up, scooping up a pint-sized Jack O'Neill, and carry him to the mess. Cake has always worked when Jack was in a bad mood. I hope that always means at three years old too.

I don't even make it through the line in the mess before the cooing starts. I hear nothing but exclamations (how cute!) and declarations (he's the sweetest thing I've ever seen!), and questions (can I hold him?). I know I should resist, but somehow it seems like too much fun to say no. I try to pass Jack to a familiar lieutenant. He doesn't know what I'm doing for a moment and his stubby little arms release me. But the instant the woman reaches for him, he starts kicking. And wailing.

And how.

He's inconsolable until his arms are fastened around my neck once again. He's trying to wrap his legs around me as well, but they're just too short. He's sniffling and whimpering and acting mortally wounded at the thought that I would let someone else touch him. I swear, if I didn't already love him, this adorable, utterly honest show of favoritism would have made me.

I smile and shrug apologetically at the woman. "Sorry. He's not in the mood, I guess."

She smiles and reaches out to tickle him. "He's just a mama's boy, isn't he?"

I start laughing at the comment while Jack squirms to escape the tickles. Eventually he manages to kick me in the ribs and my howl of pain effectively stops the assault.

"I'm so sorry, ma'am." She looks frightened.

"It's ok. You didn't kick me." I jostle Jack playfully on my hip and he giggles happily. I grin at him. "No giggling." He ignores me and continues. "Not so easy, is it?"

"Ma'am?"

Here, I'd be so drawn in by those brilliant brown eyes that I thought the lieutenant had ceased to exist. Apparently not. "Yes?"

"Are they twins?"

Suddenly paranoid, I spin around, searching for another child. I don't see any, but then no one saw Jack for hours. "Twins?"

The woman smiles broadly. "The colonel had your little girl with him a few weeks ago. She looked about the same age, so I wondered if they're twins."

Oh, there's that blush again. Now I know why this woman looks familiar. It's not just from seeing her on base. I remember clearly the day to which she is referring. I was wrapped up happily in Jack's arms. The lieutenant was making a fuss over my three year old self. She'd said something about naming me after my mother, I think. I even remember telling Jack that she was pretty after she was gone. I grin as I recall his retort - that she wasn't as pretty as me.

Still smiling, I ruffle Jack's hair with my free hand. "They're Irish twins." I just can't resist.

The lieutenant smiles knowingly. "Yeah, I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off of him either." She turns back to the line, obviously not expecting a reprimand.

Technically I should remind her that it's inappropriate to speak that way about a superior officer, especially in front of another superior officer, and just plain stupid to speak that way about a superior officer to another superior officer who is close friends with the officer in question. The feminine side of me wants to cheer that I have won the heart of the man that this cute, young thing would love to have. But really, I just want to yell at her to keep her hands off my man. And although I know I shouldn't, I really, really want to.

The only reason I don't is because Jack will remember it and tease me about it for the rest of time if I get in a catfight over him.

Eventually, Jack and I make it through the line and get our piece of cake. He claims that he wants his own piece, but I ignore him. I was quite skilled at eating huge portions of food as a small child, but my experience with other people's kids indicates that few of them actually finish a whole plate of anything. I'm not particularly hungry myself, so I insist that we share. Jack's eyes go wide as he scans the crowded room. I can see the math going on in his head - all those people, so little cake.

"We don't have to share with everyone."

He looks at me hopefully. "Just with you?"

I nod. Jack and I were meant to be sharing dessert today anyhow. The thought makes me grin. Unfortunately, this isn't what I had in mind. I narrow my eyes at him. "You so owe me for this afternoon and don't think for one second I'm going to stop reminding you until you've made it up to me."

Jack looks confused, but then, in typical Jack fashion, he focuses on the cake in my hand and smiles.

I shake my head and find a table. "Some things never change." I settle Jack in a chair and choose the one next to him for myself. Honestly, I have never given much thought to what Jack was like as a child, but I never would have expected him to be short. I can't help but giggle as I watch him climb up onto his knees to be able to reach high enough to touch the plate. I wonder if too many years of sitting on his knees is the real reason for his bad joints rather than all those vague sports injuries he claims.

I look around, some part of me irrationally expecting to find a highchair or a booster seat for him. I'd settle for a telephone book or a pile of newspapers, really. But there's nothing around. I pull Jack into my lap, promising myself that I will never mention this seating arrangement again. I think Jack would die of shame. You know, unless there was cake involved. Cause really, when has anything trumped cake in Jack's mind? Not that I blame him, though, because as far as mess food goes, the cake is scrumptious and I kind of wish I'd bought more.

Jack takes a bite and announces loudly that the cake is yummy. I agree with him, although not as loudly. We're able to enjoy a few bites each while we ignore the onlookers. But we can't ignore it when Daniel and Teal'c walk in and take the seats opposite us.

Daniel looks amused. "I bet you two are enjoying yourselves."

And again with the blushing. I don't even really have time to react before Jack drops the fork, spins around in my lap, and buries his face in my neck. His arms wind tightly around me as well and I am forced to support him for fear of spinal cord damage.

Teal'c raises his eyebrow. "I would like to offer my services to amuse the child."

I can only imagine there's a legitimate reason for his offer. I tug on Jack's vice grip. "John, this is my friend Teal'c. He wants to play with you." Rather than looking, Jack whimpers and snuggles closer. I look at Daniel. He's very amused.

"I never imagined Jack to be a bashful child." He furrows his brow for a moment and then shakes it off. "Sam, there's something wrong with the computers and General Hammond sent us to get you." He glances nervously at Jack. "But he doesn't want you to be distracted while you're working on something critical, so we're supposed to help out." Daniel keeps looking at Jack as though he might suddenly start listening.

Yeah, right, this is Jack. He never listens unless someone's, usually his own, life is on the line.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea, Daniel." I lift my hands away from Jack to reveal how tightly Jack is holding on to me. "Something tells me there's going to be screaming involved and I really don't want there to be screaming."

Teal'c nods. "We shall accompany you during the repairs."

"I don't think the general was kidding about not seeing Jack. He seems to think Jack did this on purpose." Daniel's voice drops to a whisper, which I'm eventually going to have to tell him, only increases the number of people trying to overhear.

My face burns again. I'm not about to admit that it was my fault, but I may not have a choice if Jack's going to get in trouble over it. "He's shy, Daniel. He's not going to draw any attention to himself."

Daniel smiles. "Maybe the general doesn't have to know."

"Exactly." I stand up and Daniel follows suit.

Teal'c grabs the abandoned plate and fork. "I shall be prepared to bargain for the child's silence and respectable behavior."

"You're a smart man, Teal'c." I feel like I should have been the one to think of it.

Teal'c smiles, obviously pleased with himself and with my assessment. "Indeed."