Lifetime Part 9

"Jack, wake up!"

Jack opened his eyes and looked at the clock. "What's wrong?"

"Time to get up, you can make breakfast."

"Danny, it's 4 in the morning. Go back to bed." This was becoming a habit.

"Not tired." Jack lifted up the covers.

"Get in." Danny crawled in beside him. "Now go back to sleep."

"Freya?" he asked sleepily. Jack got out of bed and brought the bed and puppy through. He got back into bed. Daniel snuggled into him, the monkey tucked under his arm. It didn't take long before he was back to sleep. Jack was surprised at how young Daniel behaved when he was tired. He kissed his forehead and wrapped his arm around him. "Safe Daddy!" Daniel muttered.

Jack woke up and went to make breakfast. Freya was whining at the door so he let her out to the garden. It was after 8, Carter was supposed to have picked up the puppy on her way to work. He picked up the phone, dialled and waited until he heard her say Carter.

"Forget something Carter?"

"Sorry sir but I was called in last night. I'll come out and pick Freya up."

"Don't worry we'll drop her in on the way."

"Are you sure sir. I could...."

"I'm sure." He heard footsteps behind him. "Here's Danny." He handed the phone over to him as he headed into the kitchen. He heard Danny talking to Sam about a translation he'd been doing. Jack grabbed the phone from him.

"Jack!" he said in an aggrieved voice.

"He is not to have any translations to bring home until he is older. You are not to get him any work to do until he's at least 16."

"Bossy Colonel!"

"No, Danny not until you're older. We discussed this."

"No we didn't you told me."

"Same thing."

"Fine," he huffed. "See you Sam," he shouted as Jack took the phone.

"He's a 6 year old with attitude," Jack said loud enough for Daniel to hear. Daniel turned round and stuck his tongue out. "Very grown up," Jack said to his back as he ran up the corridor and slammed his door. "You'd better run, little boy," Jack said laughing," but remember you can't hide."

Daniel got dressed and walked back to the kitchen. Jack lifted him up and set him on the chair. "What do you want?"

"Fruit Loops and coffee," he said hopefully.

Jack frowned. "Okay but the coffee has lots of milk." Daniel nodded. Freya came running in from the back garden and started jumping round Jack's feet. "Okay, I'll feed you too."

Later they put Freya in her basket and carried her to the truck. Jack carried her into Cheyenne Mountain. Everyone smiled as he went past. A dog and a cute kid always raised a smile.

"Can I go to my office?" Daniel asked.

"Don't take anything home."

"I won't," Daniel assured him as he walked down the corridor. Jack went into Sam's room. Daniel looked around his room. His back pack from their last mission was lying on the floor. No one had unpacked it. He opened the flap and started to remove his books. He didn't want them to get damaged. At the bottom of the bag he saw a zat gun. He quickly pulled it out. It should have been handed in to the armoury. "With this I can protect myself he thought. he put it in his small back pack and covered it with his toy monkey. He pushed his chair over so that he could reach his shelves. he picked up a book and was just about to climb up when Jack walked in.

"I'll put it up. What were you thinking?"

"I can do it," Daniel said.

"I can do it faster." He picked them up and set them on the top shelf.

"I wish you'd let me do things on my own."

"You just need to wait a few days. Just enjoy being young. Ready to go?"

"I'll just go see Sam."

"She's been called to a meeting with General Hammond."

"What about Freya?"

"She took her with her."

"I'd love to be a fly on that wall," Daniel said.

They left as quickly as they could.

Jack parked his truck in a car park along from the Museum. "I need to get some money," he said. "Come on."

Jack joined the queue at one of the three windows. Just as he was about to reach the top of the queue a man pushed in front. "Hey," Jack said. The man pushed a gun in his face. Jack backed off a bit. he took Daniel's hand.

The man pushed the bag through to the girl." Fill it up."

The girl looked at him nervously. "I......"

"Fill it now."

The girl got the money and started to fill the bag. Daniel hid behind Jack's legs. He opened his back pack and took out the zat. He carefully pointed it at the man and fired. The man fell to the ground.

"What the h***? Where did you get that?"

The girl was looking at them in shock. "What happened to him?"

"He collapsed," Jack said. "Best call the police." Jack grabbed the zat from Daniel and stuck it in his back pack.

"Jack, that's mine."

He turned round and grabbed Daniel by the shoulders. "Don't you ever, ever touch another gun, do you hear me?" He shook Daniel and then pulled him into his arms. "I couldn't bear it if I lost you."

Daniel was crying. "Is your little boy alright?"

"Yes," Jack said.

They heard a siren and a police car pulled up. Two officers came running in.

Jack had to give a statement to the police before he was allowed to leave. He looked down at Daniel. "Why is it every time I'm with you there's trouble?"

"That's not fair Jack. You could say every time I'm with you there's trouble. Can we go to the Museum now?"

"I'm almost afraid to go."

"Not you Jack. You're the bravest man I know." Daniel took Jack's hand.

No Jack thought, you are Daniel.

TBC