When Janet next walked in Jake was sleeping on the left of the bed while Sam and Jack were cuddled up on the right, she couldn't help but smile at the scene before her. Quietly she went round to check on Jake who was sleeping peacefully, taking his pulse, he stirred slightly waking Jack.
"Sssh they are both still asleep" Janet told him, he nodded sleepy
"How is he?" he asked
"Good" Janet whispered back, slowly Jack got up taking her outside
"You can use the infirmary showers and someone will get you a spare uniform" Janet said
"OK, would it be possible to take Jake and Sam out today, with Sg1 you and Cassie if I clear it with the General. It's just we lost 18months I want to spend one day as a normal family" Jack pleaded, Janet nodded
"Medically that's fine, why don't you get washed up and fetch Sam and Jake something to eat and I will arrange it" Janet promised, Jack nodded trusting her and aware that he probably stunk.
"How about the zoo?" Janet asked thinking at Jakes age he would love the animals
"That's a great idea" Jack said, Janet nodded leaving to talk to Hammond already running through the answers to any arguments he would have, unknown to her Hammond had been thinking a similar thing that they had lost so much so when Janet presented her plan he went along with it immediately even deciding to go along and join them ordering Colonel Reynolds to take charge of the base. They then sat and planned what Jake would need, including a push chair, larger clothes and new stuff for his room. Phoning Cassie she agreed to go shopping with him to get some clothes for Jake and the push chair.
"Tell Carter and O'Neill to be ready by 0930" he ordered leaving Janet grinning she couldn't wait to go and tell Jack and Sam the new plan. When she arrived in the infirmary Jack was back and had showered, Daniel and Teal'c were sitting on chairs Sam was missing and Jake was sitting on his dad's knee eating what looked like baby food. Sam followed her in her hair still wet grabbing a doughnut off the bed, Janet copying,
"Mission accomplished Sir" Janet told him cryptically, Jack nodded smiling, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c looked to him curious
"Jack?" Daniel asked
"It's a surprise," he told them, then took Janet to one side to find out what she had arranged nodding, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c tried to listen but couldn't hear over Jake's excited babbling. Sam caught the words Hammond Cassie and Jake which didn't help. They finished talking
"Daniel, Teal'c, Sam you'll need your civvies, I'll clean up Jake" Jack ordered as they went to get changed all dying to know the surprise. Jack wiped Jake clean dressing him in a scrub top until Hammond and Cassie got back instead of just the blanket. Sam was back first,
"Jack please what is the surprise" She asked. Jack smirked
"You know I hate surprises" Sam warned
"Not this one" Jack responded, Sam rolled her eyes. Daniel and Teal'c returned Teal'c deciding on the cowboy hat for this outing. Janet came in with Cassie and Hammond who had various shopping bags and a push chair. Hammond was dressed in civvies something none of them could get over with black jeans and a red shirt.
Cassie pulled out blue dungarees and a red top
"I thought Jake would look cute in this" Cassie said, Sam nodded grabbing Jake, Janet getting out the pants, socks and shoes. Within 5 minutes Jake was ready to go, he stood up unsure on what was on his feet he took a few hesitant steps finding he liked them and began running which was more like uncontrolled walking with a lot of forwards momentum. He fell on the floor, Sam rushed to pick him up Jack half a second behind but Jake giggled standing up and running again.
"Right we better be off if we want to get there" Hammond said cryptically
"Where was that again?" Sam asked hoping one of them would slip,
"We going to the zoo" Cassie said excitedly, Sam smiled
"Ok we'll have Teal'c, Jake and Sam in my truck," Jack delegated wanting Teal'c with them in case anything happened. Hammond nodded
"I'll drive Cassie, Janet and Daniel" he said as they left Jake plodding next to them happily running and crashing into objects to stop then giggling before charging off at full pace again. Everyone they met couldn't help but smile at his antics even the guards they met. Getting into the car Sam sat in the back pointing out the scenery to Jake who was quickly picking up quite a vocabulary.
Arriving they bought tickets and entered deciding to go round in a clockwise direction first was the monkeys all in one area, lemurs, gorillas and baboons to name a few, Jake laughing and clapping at their actions darting from one cage to the other, Teal'c was also highly amused especially by the spider monkey's scaring a lot of people with his deep laughter mostly Sg1. After about 10minutes Jake was bored, it was clear Teal'c would stay there all day
"Come on Teal'c you haven't even seen the lions yet" Jack said also bored
"What are lions O'Neill?" Jack checked the map,
"You'll find out after we see the elephants" he told him as they moved on to the elephants. The elephants were slow and everyone quickly got bored moving onto the lions. The males were sleeping on a large rock as were most the females only one was prowling the edge of the cage.
"I do not see the draw of these creatures" Teal'c announced. Jake was becoming tired so he went into the pushchair Hammond pushing him. They saw the polar bears before getting lunch at the café.
"Next we can watch the sea lions being fed" Jack offered, everyone nodded agreeing, they finished up cleaning Jake up and doing a toilet trip before getting a good spot, in time to watch. The keeper threw the fish in at the sea lions; Teal'c was less than impressed walking off everyone following,
"I know what Teal'c might like" Sam suggested going to the petting zoo, Hammond let Jake out of the push chair Sam and Jack went with him introducing him to the lamb nearby. Janet and Cassie went to a nearby baby goat; Daniel followed Teal'c who was introducing himself to a llama with a solid bow Hammond took pictures and stood by the push chair hiding his laughs at Teal'c who was explaining to Daniel why he believed the llama was the superior species only stopping when he heard bringing it to the SGC and Teal'c looking at him and raising an eyebrow. Hammond wondered how he was going to break it to him. At Daniel's pleading look he stepped in to help explain it would be taking the llama from all his friends. Sam and Jack had returned now with Jake as had Cassie and Janet.
"Come on Teal'c I'll buy you a hamster" Jack promised, Teal'c interest was peaked
"What is a hamster?" Teal'c asked
"I'll show you tomorrow" Jack promised, Teal'c nodded
"Then I will part company goodbye Lit'yac" he said, everyone exchanged a glance at the name
"It means the funny one" Daniel said as they moved on to the giraffes, Jake was again fascinated as was Teal'c in fact it was hard to work out who was more excited
"These creatures appear to have quite the tactical advantage" Teal'c commented
"raffe, raffe" was Jake's comment with a delighted squeal. Lastly they walked round the birds which they found fairly boring.
"I wish to return to the monkeys" Teal'c announced "I found their antics most amusing" everyone nodded
"The playground is opposite we can take Jake and Cassie on the swings," Sam suggested not wanting to spend to long just watching monkeys play and she knew Teal'c would be there until closing time.
While Teal'c stood and watched the monkeys Sam and Jack supervised Cassie and Jake in the park while Janet, Daniel and Hammond got drinks and sat in the shade talking and watching the others play in the park. After finishing his drink Daniel went over and Sam came back plonking herself down next to them,
"She can go rounds with the Gould but one day at the zoo finishes her off" Janet said knowing what it was like from Cassie. Sam nodded,
"New training tool kids" she told them as they laughed
"Sir I wanted to thank you for arranging this" Sam said seriously, Hammond nodded
"That's ok Sam but it wasn't my idea" Sam looked at Janet
"Not me either" Janet said looking pointedly at Jack,
"Jack?" Sam said smiling remembering the conversation last night they both nodded.
"Well thank you for allowing it" Sam amended they both nodded accepting it. Hammond checked his watch
"Its 1700 we should leave the zoo closes soon" he informed them, Sam and Janet jumped up looking at each other
"We'll get Jack, Daniel, Cassie and Jake" they informed him running off. Hammond sighed as he went to tell Teal'c it was time to go, this was why he got the big bucks. Slowly he made his way over
"Teal'c its time to go" he said, Teal'c nodded solemnly
"Goodbye monkeys I will return" he promised them as Hammond shook his head trying to hide his amusement when inspiration hit the others arrived and their way to the exit, located next to it was the gift shop,
"Mum pleasseeee" Cassie begged dragging Janet in, everyone else following. Inside Hammond slipped from the group getting a video on monkeys and a stuffed toy in the shape of a monkey he paid for them then stood outside with Teal'c giving him the presents
"This is so you can learn more about the monkeys and this is so you can remember your day" Hammond told him as Teal'c nodded taking the teddy
"I will could him Bobo"
"Bobo" Jack choked having snuck out of the shop and found them
"Is it not a common earth custom to name ones teddies?" Teal'c asked logically, Jack found he couldn't argue with that reasoning, so nodded.
"Sam is just buying Jake a giraffe and Janet is buying Cassie a polar bear" he explained just as the others joined them, Sam was now carrying Jake who had fallen asleep holding his giraffe tightly.
"This days has been perfect really quiet and relaxing" Daniel announced everyone flinching knowing it was about to change
"Daniel you never say the Q word" Jack shouted frustrated
"Its bad luck" Janet added
"I too have noted the word brings a change in events usually most unfortunate" Teal'c informed them
"Sorry but what is the worst that could happen?" he asked, everyone groaned
"Daniel are you trying to get us killed" Jack yelled
"But Jack I always say these phrases" Daniel told him, Jack groaned
"General I think I have worked out why Sg1 missions always get shot to hell" Jack informed him glaring at Daniel
"Jack nothing will happen its just a superstition, like a black cat passing in front of you or walking under a ladder" Daniel explained, but Jack wasn't listening his gut telling him something was about to happen one look at Teal'c suggested he felt it too….
Sorry its taken me so long to update life interfered with writing and posting I thought they all deserved a break and it was requested. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far