Hey Gang - another add... I love the way writing this story feels... haven't felt that good writing mojo for a long time... thanks for all the lovely reviews as always - love you guys!
"What?" Jack noticed his team staring at him. Waiting. "Is that supposed to mean something to me?"
"Cheyenne Mountain High School, Sir." Carter told him patiently. "Who do you know that is a student there?"
"Me?" Jack blinked for a moment, then did a double take as he made the connection. "Woah… me!"
Carter gave him that close lipped slightly embarrassed 'there ya go' smile.
"Wait a minute." Jack turned to Daniel and Teal'c. "You mean to tell me that you've been going behind my back to hang out with my freaking clone? That you're friends with it?"
"He's a human being, Jack – not an it. And yes, he's my friend." Daniel told him patiently.
"He's not a person – he's an Asgard wind up toy!" Jack grumbled irrationally, waving his arms to make his point.
Daniel's eyes narrowed in the way Jack always hated. He did that whenever he was going to be especially stubborn but also whenever he was disappointed in Jack's way of thinking. And Jack really hated it when it seemed he had once again fallen short of Daniel's lofty expectations and ideals.
"Jack…" Daniel's voice had a defensive edge to it. "Don't get me wrong, I understand why you decided to have no contact with each other. However, that means you also have no idea how difficult things have been for him and despite such difficulties what amazing things he's managed to achieve at that school. I mean the place is virtually drug free now! There's no bullying and the entire school's academic stats have increased since he's been there…"
"Daniel…" Jack interrupted, holding his hands up in front of him. "Your eyes have gone all glowy… are you sure you haven't been snaked?"
Daniel rolled his eyes.
Teal'c spoke up. "It is as DanielJackson has described, O'Neill. Your other self has achieved remarkable outcomes whilst also maintaining his own high academic results."
"Do you two gush about me like that?" Jack raised an eyebrow hopefully. An eyebrow that sank rapidly as even Teal'c seemed to blush slightly. "No? Damn."
"Well, Jack… we're hardly surprised given who John really is." Daniel threw him a bone. "Wouldn't you have done the same in his place?"
"Don't know about the good grades crap but probably." Jack mused. "Well, go Mini-Me." He turned to Sam. "So… Carter… you been hanging with ol' chip off my shoulder?"
"No, sir." She made a slight face.
"Nice to know someone still appreciates the original and the best." He crowed cheerfully – trying and failing to hide his discomfort that his other friends were so enthusiastic about the accomplishments of Mini-Jack. Something about that was just irksome.
"Yes, sir."
Jack let out a long drawn out sigh. "Well, I suppose someone had better let the other me know that we're taking care of the criminal end of things. That we'll make sure that the bastard will get what's coming to him and all that." He picked up the phone. "What's the number, Daniel?"
"You're going to call?" Daniel blinked in surprised.
"You got a problem with that?" Jack held the bottom part of the phone out towards Daniel for him to begin dialling. "What? I'm not allowed to call myself now?"
Daniel shared a look with the rest of the team and began punching in the numbers.
"You have it memorised?" Jack sounded hurt. Daniel just shrugged.
The phone on the other end started ringing and all of sudden Jack felt weird. Nervous. Maybe he should have just let Daniel call. Why did he feel the need to talk to his other self? To make sure he was okay? It was just too insane. Jack began hoping that Mini-Me wouldn't answer.
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Even though Ally had indicated that he didn't have to answer questions that were too hard or complicated he was still feeling decidedly wary as they sat down together on the lounge again. It was like his nerves were shot. He just didn't know if this was going to work.
"Settle petal." Ally told him. "This isn't an interrogation."
"I'm not promising anything, Ally. Only that I'll be trying damn hard not to outright lie to you."
"I know. I'm looking for ideas not facts – so I'll treat your answers as such, alright? I'll tread gently." She squeezed his hand briefly. "Okay… um… your parents… what happened to them?"
"They died a long time ago. My mother had a heart attack and my father sort of went downhill after he lost her. He passed on a few months after."
"I'm sorry. They must have been pretty old when you were born then?"
"You could say that." John told her. In actual fact when he'd been popped out of the ol' Asgard xerox machine, the O'Neills had been long dead.
"Okay." She looked thoughtful. "So, where were you born? Where did you grow up? Where are you from?"
"I've travelled a fair bit but I guess Minnesota is the closest to what I'd call home." John suddenly realised that apart his origins in outer space, he'd never actually left Colorado Springs since he'd been created. That threw him for a moment.
"Travelled around this country or other countries as well?"
"Both." John decided for the most part to treat Jack O'Neill's history as his own. It felt real enough to him to be counted, he figured.
"Have you been to high school before?"
"Yes. It was a while ago. It was different to our school."
"Different how?"
"Just different." He gave her an apologetic look. He couldn't tell her that it was because a lot of things were different for a teenager thirty years ago.
She smiled. "Uh.. what else do I want to know… You've known Daniel a long time?"
He calculated to make sure the answer fit in with his current age and then answered. "About six or so years."
"How did you meet?"
John made a face. "I can't answer that one."
"Oh, well how about… how did you become friends? Like why?"
"At first I thought he was a gigantic nerd – and I didn't really like science geeks at the time." He grinned. "No offence."
"None taken. Besides you're quite a science geek yourself now." She teased.
"True enough. A lot of things have changed about me since then. Anyway, Daniel kind of grew on me over time. Like a disfiguring rash."
Ally smirked. "Oh please. There is nothing disfiguring about Daniel. Especially not his ass."
"Shut up! Eww! I do not want to hear shit like that!" John mimed great nausea before turning more serious again. "The thing is… we went through some… heavy stuff together and I came to appreciate that there's a lot more to Danny boy than is first apparent. He has gotten me through some really tough times. He's always got my six, you know? I think one of the hardest lessons I've ever learnt in my life is that Daniel is pretty much always right. Not that he THINKS he's always right but that he actually is. It's extremely irritating."
"I imagine it's more irritating for Daniel when people don't listen." She laughed.
"Oh, he doesn't let it phase him. He never lets up until he's browbeaten everyone into submission – either that or they do what he wants just to stop the whining and pouting. Yep, that boy is the most determined, stubborn son of a bitch I've ever met." John told her, with pride in his eyes.
"I wouldn't mind getting to know him better." Ally remarked.
"Again. Ew."
"Not like that!" She slapped his arm. "You know what I mean!"
"Yeah, I know. You've got a lot in common."
"Yeah, the stuff he knows about history just boggles my mind. I love picking his brain!" She lowered her eyes then. "I know I'm the only person from school who has met Daniel and Murray. I mean apart from some teachers and Mrs B who've probably met Daniel. I suppose for the most part it's easier to keep that part of your life separate from your daily life. Less complicated with the whole classified and unexplainable things?"
"Yeah. Besides, that part of my life – apart from Daniel and Murray, I guess – is sort of done."
"By choice?"
"Not mine."
"Can you ever go back to it?"
"No." Then he paused. "Well… not like it was… maybe in a few years but it'll be different."
"I know it's a little selfish but I'm kinda glad." She told him. "I get to keep you for a little while longer at least. I'm sorry that it makes you sad though."
"My pixie-girl makes it all more bearable." He grinned, waving a hand.
She smiled back, colouring slightly. Her grin turned slightly wicked. "You're a pretty good kisser, O'Neill… any chance of some more of that?"
He coughed, unsure of whether she was joking. Then he was saved by the sound of the phone ringing.
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