New Fun
Sitting on the edge of her parent's bed, legs kicking up and down, Hayden followed the movements of her parents with her eyes over the rim of her sippy cup. She was humming her own happy little tune, head tilting her back and forth as she did.
"Someone's happy." Her daddy laughed, looking at her through the full length mirror. He continued to adjust the straps of Vala's halter dress around her neck.
Vala smiled as she held up her hair. "I think that nap did her some good." She turned to look at Hayden, Daniel moving with her as he finally started to tie the straps. "Did you have a good nap, baby?"
Hayden nodded. "Mmmhmm." She refused to take the lip of her cup from her mouth.
"I think she also had a good bath and is happy she gets to wear her pretty dress." Daniel smiled, rubbing his hand over Vala's back to let her know he was finished. She turned around to face him, and his blue eyes took in the royal blue velvet number in its entirety. "Just like mommy..."
Vala smiled shyly, one that she'd found she only ever used around Daniel, and took the kiss he leaned into give her.
"Pretty mama!" Hayden said happily, finally pulling the cup away with a slurp.
Grinning, Daniel stepped away from his one girl and over to his other. "That's right, Hayds. Mommy is very pretty." He knelt down before her, and tapped her nose with his finger lightly. "Just like you."
She giggled. "Poohba!"
Daniel smiled and picked her up as he stood. "Pooh Bear." He went to take the sippy cup from her hand, but Hayden pouted and pulled it back.
"No done." She stated huffily, plopping it back in her mouth to prove her point.
Walking over to Vala, who was putting her shoes on, Daniel held up his hand. "Sorry, I thought you were."
Hayden shook her head emphatically.
"Daddy, daddy." Vala tsked as she finished with her heels and reached out to take Hayden into her arms. "Never come between a little girl and her sippy cup." She smiled and brought her face close to her daughter's. "Is that good juice?"
The little girl giggled and nodded.
Daniel watched the exchange happily. Out of all the things Vala did best, being mommy was the one that topped them all. There was a connection between her and Hayden that he'd never be able to compete with, not that he wanted to. He knew what he and Hayden had was special too - at least he hoped it was to her.
"Okay, you two." He placed his hand on Vala's back and led her out the door. "They're gonna get here any time now."
Vala fell into step behind Daniel, eyeing the way his jeans hugged his ass. "They are just going to walk right in like they always do anyways..." Her head snapped up as Daniel looked over his shoulder at her. The way his eyebrow rose, Vala knew she'd been caught checking him out. "So what does it matter?"
She followed him into the kitchen. As he moved to take the bowl from the freezer, Vala set Hayden down on the table.
"It doesn't really." Daniel shrugged, turning back to look at her and his daughter. Vala was holding her hand out to Hayden.
Hayden shook her head, refusing to give up the cup she knew her mother wanted.
Snapping her fingers, Vala opened up her hand once more. "Don't tell me no. I know you're finished."
"What happened to 'never come between a little girl and her sippy cup'?" Daniel asked curiously, leaning back against the counter behind him and crossing his arms.
Grey eyes came up to meet his for a moment. "That's between daddies and their daughters." Vala looked back down at Hayden with a stern glance. "Mommies have different rules. Give me that cup, little girl."
Reluctantly, and with a pout, Hayden pulled the cup from her mouth and handed it over.
"Thank you." Vala smiled, walking it over to the sink and putting the cup in it. She snatched a hand towel from the hook on the cabinet, wet a part of it, and carried it back over to Hayden. "Wipe."
Hayden took the towel and wiped her sticky, juice-covered lips. She smacked them together when she was finished and handed the towel back with a smile, the loss of her sippy cup already forgotten.
Shaking his head and laughing a little, Daniel uncrossed his arms and stepped up to the two. "You two amaze me." He murmured, placing a kiss into Vala's hair, then Hayden's. The sound of the front door opening had the trio looking up.
"Sure smells good in this house."
Grey-blue eyes widened in excitement. "Nuckle Jack!" Hayden practically screamed, moving to jump down from the table.
"Oh I don't think so." Daniel snatched her up just before her butt left the edge. He fixed her with a stern look. "You do not jump down, Hayden." His finger pointed at her. "Do you hear me?"
Hayden blinked apologetically back to him as he carried her out to where Jack was. Her innocent look fell as she saw him. "Nuckle Jack!" She held out her arms to him, squirming in her father's grasp.
Grinning, Jack reached out to take her from Daniel. "Hey squirt!" He placed a kiss to her forehead, which made the little girl giggle, then looked up to find Daniel glaring at him. "What?!"
"Jack, she tried jumping down from the kitchen table because of you." Daniel sighed with exasperation.
Jack looked at Hayden with a smile. "Being adventurous, squirt?"
She looked at him curiously, not really understanding what he was saying.
Still, Daniel pointed at Jack. "Don't encourage her! She could've been hurt."
"Then why was she on the kitchen table in the first place?" Jack asked pointedly as they moved into the kitchen, where Vala was busying herself with pulling out the stuff she'd made for the party. She waved a hello to Jack over her shoulder without even looking up.
Daniel moved to help her. "I didn't put her up there, and besides we were standing right there." He held up his hand, knowing Jack was opening his mouth to say something without even needing to see it. "But that's not the point, Jack." He turned on his heels and stared at his friend, a smirk coming to his lips. "You need to warn a father before you come barging in."
Shrugging, Jack threw a smug look to the girl in his arms. "I can't help it if I'm so cool."
"Cool nuckle Jack!" Hayden repeated, grinning at him.
Jack pointed to her as he looked up at Daniel. "See! The smart one gets it!"
Shaking his head, but laughing nonetheless, Daniel stepped forward and reached for his daughter. "Who the hell do you think she got her smarts from, huh?" He looked at Jack smugly before resting his forehead against Hayden's and smiling at her.
"Smarts." Hayden smiled, touching her finger to her daddy's head.
Jack smiled at the quiet exchange between father and daughter as Vala stepped up to them, finally finished with pulling everything out. "What's he got that I ain't got?" He whispered conspiratorially to her.
She leaned in. "You're not the daddy."
Daniel, having overheard the not-too-quiet exchange, secretly whispered something to Hayden. She giggled and turned her attention on Jack, pointing a little finger at him.
"Not the daddy!" She stated loudly even as she continued to giggle. Her eyes widened as Jack growled playfully and approached her, hands outstretched. Hayden squealed with laughter and buried her face into Daniel's neck. "Daddy!"
Like the good daddy he was, Daniel took a few long steps away from his approaching friend. He laughed into her hair. "Don't worry, pooh. I'll protect you." As Jack continued to pursue them, Daniel made his way out of the kitchen. He stopped in his tracks as the front door swung open, Cam on the other end.
"Mitchell, get the troublemakers!" Jack ordered playfully as Vala held him back.
Cam looked between them all, confused. "What?"
Seeing their moment to escape, Daniel made his way down the steps into the living room. Hayden giggled as she looked over his shoulder at the sound of Jack's mock angry growl.
"Dammit, Mitchell! You let them get away!"
The unsuspecting Colonel stepped into the house, holding up his hands in a sort of surrender, as Carolyn and Sam followed in behind him.
Vala looked at her friends as Jack 'slipped' from her grasp. "Guys, protect my babies!" She laughed dramatically, following after Jack as he ran past them and after Daniel.
"What is going on here?" Sam laughed as she stepped back as Vala rushed past her. She looked towards Carolyn for some sort of explanation. The doctor just shrugged and shook her head, both of them following Cam out to the living room to see the rest of the 'show.'
Backed up against the entertainment center, a huge grin on his face, Daniel stood with his hand out in warning to Jack. The older man had his hands at the ready for tickling, though he wasn't really sure who he wanted to go after first. A giggly Hayden peeked around Daniel's legs.
Jack took a step closer. "You are corrupting that child, Dr. Jackson."
The hand in warning became just one finger. "Better me than you, General O'Neill." Daniel shot back defiantly, his grin widening as Hayden wrapped her arms around one of his legs. "I am the daddy, after all."
As if on cue, Hayden pointed her finger at Jack again. "Not the daddy."
Seeing the way the toddler clung to Daniel's leg and the way the younger man's stance was completely in defense of his daughter, even if it was all in jest, Jack couldn't help the smile that came to his lips. He dropped his hands and sighed dramatically in defeat.
"No, I guess I'm not."
Daniel's smile softened and he nodded his head. He wouldn't have minded a fun little tussle with his best friend, but there was the definite possibility of Hayden getting hurt in it. That he most certainly didn't want. Leaning down, he picked Hayden back up into his arm. "You hear that Hayds? We won!" Even still, he couldn't help gloating.
She clapped her hands and then hugged her daddy around the neck. "Win!" She repeated as Daniel carried her over towards Jack and the others.
"I still hold to my previous statement..." Jack muttered to his friend. As Daniel's eyebrows rose curiously, he continued on. "You are corrupting the kid."
Hayden tilted her head at the word. Her grey-blue eyes turned to her daddy. "Rupting, daddy?"
Daniel looked at her for a silent moment, not really sure how he was gonna pull this explanation off. "Uhhh..." He gave Jack a glare for getting him in this situation. The older man shrugged apologetically. "It means 'making bad.'"
Her eyes widened in slight horror. "Bad?" She whispered, pointing to herself.
"No...Oh no, hunny." Daniel laughed reassuringly, taking her hand in his and kissing the back of it. "You're not bad, Hayden." Blue eyes turned on Jack. "Uncle Jack's just stupid." He said in a childish tone.
Jack's mouth fell open. "Hey!"
Before they could get into another playful argument, Vala intervened. "Alrighty then..." She stepped up to Daniel and took Hayden into her arms. "Both of you are corrupting my baby." Moving in between Cam and Carolyn, who took Hayden's little hand for a moment, Vala made her way back to the kitchen.
Daniel's sarcastic laugh followed her. "At least we aren't letting her taste test the punch!"
"Wait, what's going on now?" Jack followed behind Daniel, the others filing in behind him. They each spread around the room like normal. Vala turned to glare at Daniel, one hand on one hip, the other bracing Hayden to her other.
She pouted to him. "You like making me out to be a bad mother?"
He held up his hands innocently.
Cam moved over towards Vala, eyeing the bowl over her shoulder on the counter. "It's actually a good way to keep them away from the stuff..." He crossed his arms and turned back to the group, leaning up against the counter next to Vala. He looked at Hayden and waved at her. "My mama did it with me and my brother."
The trouble twins laughed out at the same time, exchanging a significant look. Cam frowned at the two men. "What?"
"Well obviously you grew out of that..." Jack started, then both him and Daniel air quoted and simultaneously finished off the statement flawlessly. "'Hating it' phase."
The Colonel just grinned and shrugged in response. The room fell quiet for a short while, then everyone looked up as Jack clapped his hands together.
"Okay kids, let's get this party underway. We have ourselves a Christmas tree to decorate!"
Hayden perked up at his words. "Ickmas tree!" She said happily, bouncing in Vala's embrace. All eyes turned on her, some of them appearing quite surprised by her words.
Feeling pride swell up inside him, Daniel moved over to Vala and took Hayden from her. "She learned all about the Christmas tree this afternoon." He turned back to the others, whose faces all showed the same pride he was feeling inside. "And she really wants to finish decorating it."
"Well then..." It was Cam's turn to clap his hands. He rubbed them together in anticipation. "Let's not keep princess jr. waiting..." He held his hand out towards the entry way as Daniel placed the little girl on the floor. "Lead the way, cowgirl."
------
The living room was alive with laughter and happiness. Vala's 'punch' was a big hit, much to Hayden's protest, among the group. Daniel and Vala themselves were refraining from indulging too much to make sure they got the full experience of their daughter's first time decorating the tree. They wanted to make sure Hayden had the best time she could.
She definitely was. Hayden was having fun being the center of attention, and she loved every minute of it. Each time she successfully helped in decorating the tree, her 'family' would clap and praise her.
Currently, she was leaning in Daniel's grasp once more, hooking another bauble onto the tree.
"I think Christmas might become her favorite holiday." Cam observed from his reclined position on the couch. His speech was slightly slurred already.
Daniel grinned, looking at Hayden as he replied. "I think so too."
Legs draped over Cam's lap, Vala took a small sip of the punch she was sharing with Daniel. "And we haven't even gotten to the outside decorations or..." She smiled indulgently at her lover. "Shopping yet."
Blue eyes rolled dramatically. "Lord help me!" He sighed as the others laughed.
Finished with her bauble, Hayden looked up at the laughing. She smiled, not really understanding why they were laughing. Her grey-blue eyes turned on her father hopefully. "Again?"
Daniel's laughing tapered off as he looked at her, then the tree. "Oh..." He walked around the tree, considering it. "I don't know..." He looked up to the others. "What do you guys think?"
"I think it's ready for some tinsel." Jack said observantly, leaning further back into the recliner he was occupying. He'd already helped Hayden with the lights and the garland, and was leaving the rest of the assisting up to the others.
Hayden looked at Daniel. "Intil?"
As if she was ready for the question, Carolyn stepped up to the two and handed the box to Daniel. "This is tinsel, Hayden." She said, pulling a strand out as Daniel opened the box and held it out to her. She handed it to Hayden.
Taking it in her little hand, Hayden eyed it. "Eat it?"
Daniel shook his head emphatically. "No, definitely not." He stated firmly, carefully taking the strand from her hand. Making sure she was watching, he hung it on the nearest branch of the tree. "We put it on the tree."
Nodding, Hayden pulled a few strands from the box and mimicked his action from before.
"Yeah, if you eat it, you crap it." Cam couldn't help from saying with a laugh. The remark was rewarded with a smack to the back of the head from Vala and another one to his leg from Sam, who was sitting on the floor beside him. "Hey!"
Daniel gave him a chastising look. "Just be happy it was them and not me."
Drinking from his cup, Cam slouched down and pouted. "I get no love."
"Love nuckle Cam." Hayden smiled at him.
He smiled back. "Thank you, cowgirl. Of course you do." He went to push himself up. "I think I wanna help with the tinsel."
Seeing the look Daniel shot her, Vala eased Cam back as he struggled to get up. "I don't think they need your help, Cameron." She said sweetly, not letting him know that they all knew he'd probably knock the tree over in his current state.
Cam pouted again. "But ya'll ain't helping them." He flung his hand around the room, spilling some of his drink.
"I will assist young Hayden, Daniel Jackson, and Dr. Lam." Teal'c stepped in, rising from his place on the floor. He gave one look to the Colonel, expertly placating him, then stepped up to Daniel.
The younger man held out the box to him. "Thank you." He whispered to Teal'c. The last thing he wanted was Cam to try and 'help' and knock over the tree, which would upset Hayden to no end.
Teal'c inclined his head to Daniel. "May I hold you, Hayden Lynn?" He asked the little girl. She nodded happily, reaching out to the former first prime with complete trust.
As Teal'c took Hayden from him, Daniel grinned at the gentleness of his older friend. His daughter was the apple of all of SG-1's eye, and he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed at how much family Hayden had in comparison to what he'd had at her age.
A hand on his arm brought him back to the moment. Daniel looked over to see Vala smiling affectionately at him. She leaned up to kiss him and he accepted it.
"Come on, darling." She murmured against his lips. "Let's make this tree sparkle!"
Daniel laughed and nodded.
They each took a handful from the box, and set to work on covering the tree. Hayden giggled the whole time, switching between hanging it properly and tossing it at the tree. Near the end, all of them were laughing and tossing it, much to the amusement of the others watching on.
"Now all that's left is the star." Sam said from her spot on the floor. Her head rested on Cam's outstretched legs. Carolyn nodded in agreement and moved to pick it up off the floor. She smiled as she handed it to Teal'c, then moved to snuggle up to Cam on the couch.
Daniel stepped up to Teal'c as Hayden stared at the star with wonder. "T, mind if I help her with this one?" It was true it would be easier with Teal'c's added height, but Daniel felt he had to be the one.
"I do not." Teal'c answered, understanding Daniel's need to do this. He transferred Hayden into his arms, holding onto the star until they were ready for it.
Daniel nodded in thanks, then looked at Hayden. She was still transfixed by the star, to the point of speechlessness. "Pooh bear..." He whispered. She turned her grey-blue eyes on him curiously. "You wanna put that on the tree?"
Nodding, Hayden looked back at it. "Yes."
"Okay, I'm gonna need to lift you up to do it." Daniel explained as Teal'c handed her the star, showing her at the same time how to hold it carefully. Hayden nodded that she understood, fingering the edges of the star.
Bracing her butt against his raised knee, Daniel adjusted his hold on her so he could lift her up. "You ready?" He leaned in and asked her. She nodded. "Okay, when I lift you up, I want you to stretch your arms out as far as you can and place the star on the very top branch.
"Here we go." Daniel slowly eased Hayden up into the air. Immediately her arms stretched out. Unnoticed by the young girl, Vala stepped around the other side of the tree and snatched the plug dangling from the star as Hayden got it closer to the tree. She was ready to plug it in the moment Hayden had it settled.
The room went silent in anticipation as Hayden neared her goal. Finally, she got it over the edge of the top branch.
Daniel smiled. "Let it go, Hayds."
She did as she was the told. The instant her hands released the object, it lit up. Hayden gasped in wonder, blinking at the sight before her.
"Way to go, munchkin." Jack cheered and the others clapped as Daniel brought her back down and wrapped her in a gentle hug.
He placed several very proud kisses to her smiling lips. "That was beautiful, babygirl."
Hayden giggled, looked around the room at all the happy faces, then back up at the tree and star. She pointed to it. "Pretty Ickmas tree."
Blinking back tears, Daniel placed a kiss in her hair. "That's right, pooh." He looked up as Vala came to stand by him. She placed a kiss in their daughter's hair like he had, and smiled.
"You made your very first pretty Christmas tree." Vala said, giving Daniel a watery look.
"Pretty Ickmas tree." Hayden repeated on a whisper, smiling as she watched the tree with joy and wonder.
A/N: -sigh- Oh, the fun and specialness of decorating a Christmas tree! How I love it! Now onto the final chapter for this part!