A/N: Aww. Only five reviews on the last chapter. I can take a hint I guess, you all like the chapters with the kids in them. :oP (but hey, at least I can tell ya'll are reading it, 400-500 hits per chapter is pretty darn good lol!) Well, most of the chapters will actually have the kids in them, have no fear, but there will be one or two that deal with Jack, and the changes in his life, because I've decided this story is just as much about Jack as it is about the children, but you'll see, as the story continues to unfold! But yeah, there's lots of kids chapters, and I promise you, lots of adventures coming up soon, really soon! We just have to settle them first, then I'll shake the little snow globe up, you know me, can't resist shaking that little SG-1 snow globe hehehe.
Chapter 6: The More Things Change
Jack surveyed the small room critically. It was the same drab gray as the rest of the base; there were no windows, no bright colors. The utilitarian tubular metal frame bunk beds and cots with drab military green and gray issue linens didn't do much to liven the room. Someone had brought in a large standing fake plant, obviously lifted from one of the VIP suites. Jack smirked at the thought. The bright green leaves were the room's only source of color. Despite the room's lack though, it wasn't the infirmary, so that made it better.
It wasn't a terribly large room. It was one of the barracks style rooms, usually used to sleep six soldiers in bunk beds. It had its own small bathroom, and what made the room unique from the other similar rooms on the floor, a moderate sized storage closet. The small adjoining room currently held an extra bed for an officer since they had no reason to use the room for storage anymore. Jack had known about this particular set of rooms and quickly requisitioned it, they didn't really use the rooms too often and most of the officers with any rank on base now had their own private quarters.
In short order, two of the bunk beds were removed and a single bed as well as a table and several chairs were brought in their place. He moved some of his own things from his quarters to the single room. He also brought a few of his things from his office and quarters and placed them in the main room, things like his X-box, Gameboy, spare yo-yo, some comic books, and a few other things. He had a TV brought in, and discovered that word of SG-1's plight had spread because several people brought him games, toys, and books as soon as they learned where SG-1 was going to be. It wasn't much, but it added to the room, making it a little more welcoming.
As soon as he had everything to his liking, he went to the infirmary, a little bounce to his step. He spotted them right away. They were on two of the beds, Sam and Daniel on one, Teal'c on another, tucking into breakfast. Janet was nearby, going over paperwork. She looked up when he entered, smiling. "Morning Colonel," she greeted him.
Jack was about to reply, when a weight slammed into him, about mid-waist. He nearly went on the offense when something made him look down, catching sight of blond hair and wide blue eyes. "Morning Colonel Jack!" Sam said cheerfully, her arms squeezing around him enthusiastically.
"Oomph!" Jack protested, and rumpled her hair as she disengaged and scampered back to her breakfast. He blinked, slightly surprised at the exuberant greeting. Apparently, young Sam was very open with her feelings. He nodded to the other two. "Morning Daniel, Teal'c." Daniel gave him a small hesitant smile, and Teal'c gave a small nod.
Moving to join Dr. Fraiser, the two studied the three children as they ate. "Quiet night?" he asked.
Janet nodded. "They all seem to be in perfect health for their ages. All of the preliminary tests have come back so far, and there are no foreign substances are anything of concern. And nothing to indicate what caused the change in form, or why they can't remember anything."
Jack nodded, relieved they were okay, but disappointed they'd found nothing to explain what had happened to his team. "So, can I take them out of here?" he asked hopefully. He hated the thought of leaving them in the infirmary. They were still his team, and he felt responsible for them, doubly so now.
The doctor looked at the little group assessing them for a few moments. Finally she nodded. "I can't clear them to leave the base yet, but I think it would be fine for them to leave the infirmary, provided you bring them back at the sign of anything amiss," she warned.
"Of course," Jack assured her.
"Then you can go after breakfast," Janet moved and lifted up a few bags. "Here, I was able to have someone get a few things from the BX like we talked about last night. Just some sweats, t-shirts, under things, and shoes that will fit them hopefully better than what they have on now." Jack nodded, and together they sorted out the items into three small piles.
When the kids were done eating, Janet took Sam while Jack took Daniel and Teal'c to change. Jack waited outside the restroom for the boys. Daniel went first, emerging in slightly too large clothing, but it was much better than what he'd been wearing before, adult clothing rolled up to fit a child's frame. Teal'c went in next, and was in there so long that finally Jack knocked and entered when the boy didn't reply; because he was worried something had happened. He found Teal'c standing in front of the mirror; still in the oversized scrubs he'd been given to sleep in, staring at his reflection, running a hand over his baldhead.
"Teal'c?" Jack asked cautiously.
"I have been changed," answered Teal'c, his eyes still transfixed on his reflection, his fingers now tracing the golden tattoo on his forehead. "What has happened to me?"
At first, Jack thought Teal'c had just recovered his memories, but then as he watched the young boy study his reflection, he realized that Teal'c was only concerned with his head and tattoo and realized that Teal'c was referring to his hair, or rather lack of and the difference in the tattoo on his forehead. Likely, Teal'c had sported a similar haircut to Rya'c as well as the black ink tattoo that his young son had rather than the raised gold one he now had. Jack frowned, and moved to stand next to Teal'c, so that Teal'c could see his face in the mirror.
"I don't know what has happened Teal'c, that's what we're trying to figure out," he answered honestly. Teal'c tore his eyes away from the mirror and looked Jack in the eyes. Jack returned his gaze steadily.
"When can I return home?" Teal'c asked directly, changing the subject.
Jack just shrugged helplessly. "I don't know, we need to find out what happened first. Do you remember anything that happened on the planet? Anything about being in a temple, a machine maybe?" Jack turned the conversation around again.
Teal'c frowned. "No, I do not. I told you that I retired as usual, and woke up at your campfire with Samantha and Daniel. They too are involved in this, are they not?" he asked, his gaze narrowed.
The boy was sharp, even so young, and Jack had to give him credit. "Yeah, they are part of this too, you all are." Jack looked at the youngster thoughtfully. "Teal'c, three members of my team are missing, but I found you three instead. Anything you can tell me might be important. That's why we can't take you home yet, and we aren't even sure yet how you got there. I know it's a lot, but I'm going to have to ask you to keep trusting me a little bit longer, ok?"
Teal'c was silent for a long moment, studying him. Finally, he nodded. "I will do so Colonel O'Neill."
"Good," Jack clasped the boy on the shoulder briefly. "Now get changed, the others are waiting." Teal'c nodded, and Jack left him.
A few moments later Teal'c came out in clothing equally a bit too large for him. Sam was already on a nearby bed similarly attired, engaged with Daniel in building a small wall with a pile of tongue depressors that Dr. Fraiser had given them. As soon as Teal'c came out, Jack clapped his hands together. "Okay campers, who wants to get out of here?" he asked.
Sam looked excited, and jumped off the bed, shouting "Me!" Daniel just shrugged, but he got off the bed too. Teal'c looked slightly confused. Jack sighed and exchanged a look with Janet, who just smiled and rolled her eyes.
"C'mon, just follow me," he said, leading the way. He was only slightly surprised when Sam's small hand slipped into his. Daniel and Teal'c followed behind and he kept a discreet eye on them. They got more curious looks today as they traveled the halls, and more than one smile, especially since Sam took it upon herself to greet everyone with a cheerful wave and a smile, answering any direct questions with yes or no sir or ma'am, which of course brought a smile to everyone's lips. Daniel was withdrawn, only speaking if he was spoken to, and Teal'c watched everything like a hawk. Jack watched the kids, slowly getting to know their personalities.
He stopped outside their new room, and opened the door, leading the kids in. "Well, here we go, this is where we'll be staying for a little while, until things get straightened out."
"We?" asked Daniel, immediately picking up on the distinction.
"Yep," Jack answered, pushing open one of the room's two inside doors to reveal the second small room. "I'll be staying in here."
"What's this Colonel Jack?" Sam asked suddenly from in front of the TV. She was kneeling down in front of the X-box, studying it. Jack grinned.
"That," he said, moving to join her on the floor, and vowing to get some cushions or something because the cold concrete floor was no fun for his knees. "Is an X-box." He patted it lovingly.
"Oh," she said. "What does it do?"
His grin widened, and he noticed that Teal'c and Daniel were watching him as well. "You play with it."
Sam looked skeptical. "How?"
"It's simple, you need a game, and these," Jack picked up two controllers, keeping one and handing her the other, then put in a game. They spent the next several hours playing with the game system. Sam grew quickly in skill, soon rivaling him, and Daniel and Teal'c also took turns playing, the kids playing against him and each other as their interest in the game overrode their shyness around him and each other.
Eventually though, hunger surfaced, and the game was given up in favor of a trip to the commissary for fries and chicken. Teal'c found the fried potatoes interesting. They all had Jell-O for dessert and Jack smiled to see that Sam chose her blue while Daniel and Teal'c picked out red. Teal'c was also fascinated by the new treat, and Jack was again reminded that all of these things were new to the young boy.
They returned to the room after their meal, and the kids explored the other options for entertainment, looking over the books and games and other things that were there. Jack smiled to note that there were a few things that while new, had familiar looking titles on them, all things that had been popular in the mid to late 70's when Carter and Daniel had been growing up, and were now being re-released and sold to nostalgic parents. Sam and Daniel were just as enthusiastic about the familiar items as they were about the new things, and when they noticed that Teal'c was hanging back as they set up a board game, they invited him to play, explaining the rules of the game. Teal'c joined hesitantly, and grew more confident as his skills in the game grew.
And so the day progressed. Jack called and had someone bring something for dinner to their room, and they continued to get to know each other. They started to play with the game console and Gameboy again after dinner, and Jack let them, until they started to yawn more often than not. At that point, he coaxed them off to bed. Sam protested she wasn't tired, but since he was practically carrying her, he didn't believe her one bit. Their adult sized t-shirts served as perfect nightshirts, and Janet had foreseen the need for toothbrushes and kid friendly toothpaste on her shopping list the previous night.
After the kids settled in bed, Jack found he was unable to sleep, and slipped back into the other room. He brushed back Sam's hair, gently straightened Daniel's cover, and checked on Teal'c, who was sleeping quietly. For several long moments, he stood in the center of the room, and listened to the sounds of their breathing. In all the years he had spent sharing tents with these three individuals, he felt he'd learned to tell which was which just by the sound of their breathing. He closed his eyes.
It took longer than usual, but in the end, he picked out Teal'c's deep and even breathing, not as deep as he remembered, but it was deeper than the other two. Sam's was the next one, she always breathed a bit faster, and would shift in her sleep unconsciously, sometimes with a soft sigh. Daniel's breathing was relaxed and peaceful, holding the hint of a snore. For some reason, he seemed to be able to escape, at least for a few hours, into the peacefulness of slumber. Even grown up, he was his most relaxed, in his unguarded moments of sleep.
Jack studied his teammates, taking in the changes wrought on them by the alien device. In their small faces he could see traces of their adult selves, and not just their hair and facial features, but in their very being. As he'd spent time with them the past two days, he saw more and more of their personality emerge in their actions.
Sam was openly curious about everything, she asked questions, was unafraid to explore, and she showed the same spirit that he'd seen when he'd first met her. Daniel, while shy, never missed anything. Jack could see intelligence in the boy's blue eyes and suspected a lot of Daniel's shyness had to do with having moved around so much that he'd never really gotten comfortable around people yet. Teal'c was quiet too, but his silence was familiar. Teal'c spent a lot of time observing, assessing, considering. Jack doubted Teal'c missed much either.
A soft sigh escaped from Sam's lips and she turned over in her sleep, curling up in a little ball, making Jack smile at the little girl. He felt a sense of protectiveness welling up in him, as well as awe as he looked again around the room at his sleeping teammates. He shook his head, and marveled again at what had happened to his team, and wondered as he headed back to his own bed if he would be strong enough to do what was needed to watch over them as long as necessary, because he decided as he climbed into bed, there was no way he was letting anyone else do it.