Title: Lifetime Part 15
Author: Stroma
Warnings: None just now.
Daniel was all ready to leave so that they could get to the zoo in plenty of time. "Come on Jack."
"I'm coming you know I do have some paperwork to do."
"Take it home with you, you can do it tonight."
"Yes, mini General," Jack answered laughing.
"Very funny Jack."
As they were about to leave General Hammond came into Jack's office, "Daniel I don't want to hear that you've been wandering off again. I don't want to have to put airmen on alert just because you decide to go AWOL."
"I won't General. I'll be lucky to get there if Jack doesn't pull his finger out."
"Daniel!" General Hammond said. "That's no way to talk."
"Daniel put his head down, "Sorry!"
"Let's go kiddo."
They made it to the surface and were on their way to the zoo in no time.
Meanwhile Sam had gone to see Janet. "I'm concerned Janet, Daniel seems to be changing as he's getting older. He's much more confident and seems more sure of his actions. I'm positive he wasn't like that before. He's talked to me about his childhood and he was a very quiet boy who didn't have a lot of self confidence especially with other people. I'm worried this experience is going to change him into a completely different person."
"He's certainly more confident around people but isn't that a good thing?"
"Not if it changes who he is. I don't want him to change completely."
"I don't think he will. After all he's going to be an adult in another 9 days. I doubt he will change too much. He's certainly got the Colonel wrapped around his finger. I never thought Jack had that much patience not even with a grown up Daniel but he's great with him."
"You mean he gets away with murder," Sam said.
"Well a little spoiling won't do him any harm."
"I think Jack's trying to give him a part of the childhood he didn't get," Sam said.
"If one person deserves that it's Daniel. I doubt a bit of spoiling will turn him into a monster."
"No! I just wanted to check with you."
"Daniel is very lucky to have a friend like you."
Jack had managed to park the truck and they were walking along to the zoo entrance. Daniel was almost bouncing. "This is great, I haven't been to a zoo for years. Do you think they'll have lots of animals from Egypt?"
"I'm sure they will. Now let me get my money out so I can pay and don't wander off." Daniel rolled his eyes. "I saw that."
"No you didn't Jack unless you've got eyes in the back of your head."
"You never know, with you around that should come as standard. Maybe I could get Janet to transplant a couple in my head."
"Very funny, it's not as if I mean to wander off, It's just I find things interesting."
"Well don't find anything too interesting today. My hair can't take any more of it. Grey I can just about live with, bald I don't want."
"I'm not that bad." Daniel pouted.
"Lets' go." Daniel looked longingly at the shop. "When we come back. Now where do you want to start?"
"The giraffes."
They made their way to the giraffes, a queue of children were waiting to feed them. Jack could see that Daniel really wanted to do this. "I'd like to feed them, is it okay if we wait?"
"Yes, if you want to." Daniel couldn't restrain himself when they got to the beginning of the queue. "Look at their long tongue, Jack."
"Imagine that licking your face."
"Yuk."
The lions were next and then the elephants. Daniel's preference was for animals from Africa. Jack could understand why. It was the only place he had felt at home until he went to Abydos.
"Can we go on the Mountaineer Sky Ride? It goes right up to the Summit. You can see the whole of Colorado Springs from there."
"If that's what you want."
They were soon on their way to the summit. Daniel spent the whole time pointing out animals they were going over or places he could see in the distance. Soon they were standing at the top. "This is awesome," Daniel said. Jack almost laughed. Daniel seemed to be picking up some new language. "Jack, a climbing wall, can we try it?"
"Sure."
Daniel was like a monkey climbing up very quickly. He got to the top before Jack. "Jack, see me," he shouted.
"I see you, just keep back from the edge."
"My dad's a worrier," he heard him say to the boy standing next to him.
"Mine's the same, what do they think we're going to do, throw ourselves off."
"Mark, stand back," Daniel heard a man beside Jack shout.
"That's mine," Mark said. "Look over there, we can abseil down and come up again."
"Great, it'll take them that long to get up." Both boys ran over and were put in harnesses.
"Weeeeeeee," they screamed as they abseiled down the wall. The men at the top had a good grip on their ropes but Jack nearly fell off the wall as he saw Daniel rush past him.
He watched as Daniel climbed up again and stopped beside him. "That was fun Jack, I'm going to do it again."
"No you're not, you're going to wait at the top until I get there." Daniel made to move away. "I mean it Daniel."
"Okay, Jack. No need to fuss."
Daniel stood at the top with Mark. His father wasn't happy either. Daniel had to listen to a lecture about being careful and how they would explain things to Janet if he fell and hurt himself. Daniel thought Jack was just overreacting.
He waved to Mark as he made his way down a lot slower this time.
They went back down on the Mountaineer Sky Ride. "Let's go to the Grizzly Grill and get something to eat," Jack suggested. Where does Danny get all the energy he thought? At work he could barely get him to leave his office unless it was to go on a mission.
Daniel devoured more food in one sitting than Jack had seen him eat in a whole week. "I'm a growing boy you know," Daniel quipped.
"You certainly are."
From being reluctant to do child's things Daniel seemed to have fully embraced his child side. He ran to the big playground beside the Grizzly Grill and played with all the children there. Jack was so pleased he had brought him here.
Jack let out a loud whistle and Daniel ran to him," Yes, Jack?"
"Time to go buddy."
"No! I'm having a great time. Please just a little longer?"
Jack just couldn't resist those eyes. "Alright but 15 minutes or we won't have time to go to the shop."
"Okay," Daniel shouted running off.
Half an hour later and Daniel was still climbing nets and sliding down chutes.
"Daniel, time to go," Jack shouted.
"Please."
"Now."
Daniel said goodbye and ran to Jack. "I was having fun."
"I know but we have to go. Sam and Teal'c are coming round for dinner. Sam's bringing Freya back."
They went into the gift shop. Daniel spent ages looking at all the things. He picked some pens and pencils.
On the way home Daniel fell fast asleep in the truck. Jack carried him in and set him on the settee.
TBC
