"Morning, sir," Evie said, approaching John's table at the end of breakfast. "Do you feel like being my hero today?"

"Evie, I already told you," John teased. "If you want to get rid of Rodney, you'll just have to kill him yourself."

Rodney rolled his eyes and reached for John's blueberry muffin. "Funny."

"No, I was thinking a little less murder, a little more babysitting," Evie said, gesturing to the small, sleepy four-year-old holding her hand; the boy was still in his blue Thomas the Train pajamas "I'm the lucky lieutenant chosen to go help Zelenka and his geek entourage on some backwater planet." She sighed. "Scientists are so helpless. Anyways, I'd have gotten Laura or somebody to watch him except Johnson just told me two minutes ago that I have to go."

"Well, I--"

"Go tell Uncle John how much you miss spending time with him," Evie said, gently pushing her son toward the pilot.

Aiden stumbled forward tiredly, but managed to ask John eagerly, "Can I stay wit' you today?"

John had to smile. "Sure, buddy. I have to go talk with Elizabeth after breakfast, but then I can spend the rest of the day with you."

Aiden grinned. "Yay!" Then he yawned and rested his head on John's lap.

"Aww." John ruffled the boy's hair. "Why is he so tired?" he asked Evie.

"He didn't get much sleep last night," she answered. "He'll probably be a little cranky later in the day."

"We'll manage, won't we, buddy?"

"Uh-huh."

"Thank you, sir," Evie said, then bent down to her son's level. "Bye, honey." She kissed his forehead.

"Bye, mommy."

"So, Aiden, what do you want to do today?" John asked as Evie left.

"Play wit' my new trains. And play wit' Aaron."

"That sounds fun. But first I have to go meet with Elizabeth. If you're super good and play quietly while I talk to her, I'll let you get some pie at lunch, okay?"

Aiden lifted his head and smiled. "Okay!"

XXXXXX

"Hey, buddy, you gotta eat your lunch before you can have pie," John pointed out.

"But I want it now," the four-year-old protested.

"I know, but you have to eat your lunch first." John took a bite of his own green beans as an example. "Look, even I have to eat my veggies so I can stay big and strong."

Aiden frowned and reached for his desert plate.

John quickly picked it up and set it on his tray, out of Aiden's reach. "Aiden, I said no. Eat your lunch."

"No."

"'Yes, sir,'" he corrected, something Evie was working on with the boy.

"No!" he cried, yelling now. "I want my pie!"

"Aiden," he said sternly, "don't yell at me."

"I want pie!" Aiden shouted, tears starting to trickle down his cheeks. "Gimme my pie!" He started pounding on the table with his fists. "Gimme my pie!"

"Aiden, if you act like that, you won't get pie at all."

Aiden screamed at John, then got out of his chair and threw himself on the floor, kicking his feet and bawling angry tears. "I…want…my…pie!" he sobbed.

As John got down on his knees next to his distraught son, he was glad that the colony was used to the children's behavioral outbursts; most of the others in the mess hall continued with their meals without anything more than a curious glance at the noisy child. "Aiden, if you're going to throw a temper tantrum, do it in your room. I'm going to count to three, and if you don't calm down, I'm going to throw your pie away. One…" Aiden let out a loud sob and kicked his feet one last time. "Two…" Aiden rolled over and buried his face in his hands, trying to quiet his sobbing.

"Alright," John said, seeing that the child was attempting to calm down. "I'm going to finish my lunch. You come back to the table when you're ready."

Two minutes later, Aiden had stopped sniffling. He looked up at John and wiped his nose on his sleeve. Then he got up and shuffled back to his chair.

"Are you ready to eat your lunch now?"

"Yes, sir," he said, reaching for his sandwich.

When Aiden had finished eating, he asked, "Now I have my pie, Uncle John?"

"You finished your lunch so, yes, you may," John answered. "But I don't want to see another temper tantrum like that again." He handed him the pie plate. When Aiden took the plate and was about to dig in, John prompted, "What do you say?"

"Thank you!" he said excitedly.

"You're welcome."

XXXXXX

"Na-na!" Aaron stuck his tongue out at Aiden. "You're ugly like a Asgard!"

"Nuh-uh!" Aiden cried. "You're ugly like a butt!"

Aaron gasped and his bottom lip started trembling at the same time as John reprimanded, "Aiden, we don't say that word."

"Ugly butt!" Aiden laughed and climbed up onto the bed that the boys shared. "Ugly butt, ugly butt!" he shouted as he jumped up and down.

"Aiden, if you say that word one more time, I'll wash your mouth out with soap."

The boy stuck his tongue out at John and continued bouncing on the bed.

"He's in a fine mood today, isn't he?" Michael commented, reaching over to tie Aaron's shoelace.

John sighed, annoyed. "He's having a bad day because he didn't get enough sleep last night and he's tired," he explained. "Aiden, stop jumping on the bed."

"I don't wan' to!" he said, defiantly continuing to jump.

"Aiden, get off the bed now." Bounce, bounce, bounce. "Aiden, I want you off the bed by the time I count to three or playtime's over. One… Two… Three…" John reached for Aiden's hand, but the child pulled away and moved further up the bed. John stood up and grabbed him around the waist, yanking him off the bed.

"Nooo!" he cried as John set him down, still holding onto him.

"Why don't you two go see what Summer's doing?" John suggested to Michael. "Aiden and I need to have a serious talk."

"No!" Aiden shouted, knowing what he meant by that.

"Okay," Michael said. "Don't get blood on the floor. Come on, Aaron." He took his toddler's hand and they left the boys' room.

"Aiden, look at me."

Noting the authority in the pilot's tone, Aiden reluctantly met John's gaze.

"Playtime's over because you wouldn't stop jumping on the bed when I told you to."

"No!" Aiden wailed dramatically.

"You wouldn't obey and this is your consequence." Evie was big on making sure that Aiden understood punishments and John attempted to follow her example. "Now help me pick up the toys."

"Don't wanna pick up!" he shouted. "I wanna play!"

"Aiden--"

"No pick up!" he screamed.

"Aiden, you're going to pick up the toys or you're going to get a spanking," John said sternly.

Aiden screamed at him, then picked up his toy train and hurled it against the wall.

John grabbed Aiden by the shoulders. "Aiden Nathaniel, you do not throw your toys. That was your last chance."

"No!" Aiden protested, starting to cry. "I don't wanna punishment!"

"Well you should have thought of that before you disobeyed me again and again."

Aiden jumped when he heard the door to his room whoosh open. They both looked up and a fresh round of tears trickled down Aiden's cheeks when he saw his mother standing there.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Evie asked, worried.

"I don't wanna punishment!" he wailed, then yanked free of John and ran to hide in the corner behind his dresser.

"Bad day?" Evie asked John.

"Where do I start?" John answered, clearly frustrated. "He threw a temper tantrum at lunch, which I completely let slide. Then he wouldn't stop jumping on the bed when I told him to. And then when I told him he had lost his playtime, he started screaming at me and throwing toys!"

Evie looked over at the small boy whimpering in the corner. "I'm sorry, John. He didn't get enough sleep last night and that's why he's so cranky; but that's still no excuse."

"Yeah…" He glanced back over at the boy and then asked quietly, "Can you give us a moment? He still needs a spanking."

Evie nodded. "Just remember to do it in love. Make sure he knows exactly what he did and--"

"Evie, it's not like this is the first time," he cut her off. "I know the drill."

She reached for his hand and gave it a quick squeeze before dropping her arm. "Thanks. I'll come get him after while."

"We'll be here." He watched her leave, then ordered the door closed. He turned and saw Aiden huddled in the corner and looking up at him with tear-filled eyes. John sat down on the edge of the bed, thinking about how to phrase himself. A moment later he said, "Aiden, come here."

"Yes, sir," Aiden mumbled, his voice still a little choked. He stood up and walked slowly over to the bed.

John leaned down so that he was facing his son. "Do you know why you're in trouble?" he asked. Aiden nodded and sniffled. "Tell me what you did wrong."

The boy inhaled shakily. "I yelled at you. And--and…I throwed my toys."

"And why is that wrong?"

"'Cause I'm not being 'spectful to you. And to the toys. You saids I lost my playtime today."

"Yes, you did. Because when you throw the toys, you're either going to break them or hurt somebody else. And it's never okay to yell at anyone, especially a grown-up. That's not your right."

"I know, I sorry," Aiden said sincerely, a tear slipping down his cheek.

"I forgive you, but you're still going to get a spanking to help you remember that you can't act that way, no matter how upset you are." He saw Aiden's eyes widen and dart to John's belt. "I'm punishing you because I care about you and I want you to know what's right and what's wrong, understand?"

Aiden nodded as a fresh tear slipped down his cheek.

"Alright, now turn around."

XXXXXX

When Aiden's crying stopped a few minutes later and John saw the boy come out from the bathroom, John put down the picture book he was looking through. "Aiden?" he called.

"Yes, sir?" the boy replied quietly.

"What are you going to do when your mom comes to get you?"

"Be good," Aiden answered.

"That's right. You're going to be on your best behavior, aren't you?"

Aiden nodded.

"Good. I don't want her to tell me that you were being disobedient anymore today. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir. I be so good!" he promised.

"Okay. C'mere." Aiden approached the bed and John picked him up and hugged him. John felt Aiden wrap his arms around his neck. John turned his head and kissed Aiden's cheek. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Unca John."