Chapter Eighteen: Timing à la Daniel
Jack rolled out of bed, woken from a sound sleep by Jasmine. The little girl was screaming like she was being murdered. He was pretty sure Jazzie was cutting her first tooth, but he had yet to see any evidence other than copious amounts of drool. Padding down the hallway, Jack was sorely wishing Sam was here to help out, but Daniel had stepped in some crap (as usual) getting himself captured (as usual) by Adria (new one). Therefore, it was all hands on deck (as usual) while they scrambled to find him, hopefully safe and sound (more or less).
Opening the door to Jasmine's room, he found his little sprout standing up in her crib, red faced with her arms outstretched. "Daaaaaa!"
Lifting her up in his arms, Jack held her close. "Pumpkin, let's get you some more Motrin and then we'll get you settled down and you can have a bottle too."
"Beeee." Jasmine whimpered as they waked down the hallway.
Smoothing her pale curls, Jack said, "That's right, you can have some milk and then it's back to bed."
Jack gave her a dose of the medicine and was half way through filling a bottle when the phone rang. A chill ran through Jack and he dropped the bottle on the floor, the milk washed over his feet. A vision of Sam lying shot dead by one of those Ori soldiers on some god forsaken planet ran through his mind. Reaching for the persistent phone, he lifted the handset. "Hello?"
"Jack, you need to get here ASAP. You're needed in space. They've located Daniel and he's asked for you." Reynolds voice came over the line.
Having bent down to mop up the spilt milk Jack dropped the phone. Scrambling, he picked it up again. "So he's all right? Sam too?"
"You could say that… That is Sam's fine but Daniel..." Reynolds said carefully.
"What do you mean by that?" Jack asked trying to calm the still screaming child.
"Just get up here and I'll explain everything. We're on standby until you get here."
Shuffling Jasmine to the other side, Jack sighed. "I have to find somewhere to leave Jasmine. I should be there within two hours. Alright, see you soon, Reynolds."
"Hurry Jack. Time is of the essence."
Jack hung up the phone and scrambled around the kitchen gathering everything he'd need to leave Jasmine with the Shark for the next few days. His nanny was off on vacation and Haruka was the only person he'd trust his daughter with right now. Jon and Cassie and even Charlie in a pinch, would have taken her in a heartbeat but they were stuck in their dorms with no way to watch a baby, so the godmother it was.
Shoving the Motrin and anything else that came to mind into the diaper bag, Jack placed the still screaming child in her car seat and headed toward the door before he realised he was only wearing boxers and a undershirt.
Putting down the seat, he raced down the hall and threw on the first clothing he found before picking up the car seat once more and heading out to Sam's Volvo.
0o0o0
A harsh loud banging on the front door woke Haruka. She rolled over and pulled her pillow on top of her head, hoping the noise would just go away. She'd been up most of the night tracking down some wayward cadets and grading papers; now, all she wanted to do was sleep.
"Haruka! Open this door. It's an emergency!" Jack's voice held a note of panic that galvanised Haruka into action.
Grabbing her robe, she fumbled to tie it as she headed to where Jack was pounding once more.
"I'm coming Jack, stop trying to destroy my Air Force issued door."
She tore it open just as Jack was about to renew his assault on the wood-and-glass door. He stumbled slightly when his target moved.
After righting himself, Jack plopped a fussy Jasmine into Haruka's arms. "I have to go right now and the nanny is out of town, so I have to give Jazz to you." Jack draped the overstuffed diaper bag over her other shoulder. "Daniel's found himself in another one of his messes and well I don't know the details yet, but I have to go." Jack frowned. "Are you okay with this?"
Haruka looked down at the now screaming baby and then back at Jack. "Yes, I'll make this work." She began to bounce Jasmine, hoping to calm her before she woke the neighbourhood. "Is Sam all right?"
"Yes she's fine, although Daniel's landed himself in a mess, the rest of the team is fine." His phone rang and Jack looked at the caller ID. Sighing he put it to his ear. "I have to go. Me or Sam will be back as soon as we can. I'm really sorry about this Haruka. She'll settle down once she gets her bottle and the medicine kicks in in a few moments. She's teething; I expect her first tooth to poke through any day." He pulled a bottle from the bag and handed it to Haruka. "Medicine's in the bag too, you'll need to give her more in another five or six hours. I'll go get the playpen for you."
Jack returned quickly and placed the strange looking bundle down on the porch. "Sure you're okay with this?" He stopped looking back at Haruka, who had a deer in the headlights look on her face.
Pulling herself together, Haruka nodded. She could do this after all she had raised two children, how much harm could one little one be? Most of all, Jack needed her and she'd step up to the plate. "No worries, Jack. I've done this before, besides it good practice for when I'm a grandma."
Jack rolled his eyes. "Don't remind me that I'm an old man."
"You're only as old as you feel!" she called to his retreating back. The only response she got was a wave before he climbed into Sam's Volvo and disappeared.
Closing the door, Haruka dropped the bag on the sofa in the living room before testing the warmth of the bottle of milk in her other hand. Before she could do anything else, Jasmine grabbed the bottle and popped it into her mouth. Silence descended around her and Haruka sighed with relief.
Cuddling the little girl close, she dropped down onto the couch and waited to see what would happen next. Whatever came her way Haruka would be ready.
As if on key Jasmine threw the bottle, and began to cry once more and Haruka knew she was in for a long few days.
Jack sat down in his small cabin on the Odyssey, resting his head in his hands. He couldn't believe that it was all over. Once again Daniel had managed to pull a rabbit out of his hat and save the day. (One they wouldn't have needed if he hadn't kicked over that hornet's nest in the first place, but hey…)
The Ori were gone and hopefully things would get back to normal, whatever that was. Soon he and Sam would be back home with Jasmine. He wondered how the little baby was doing and Haruka as well.
It had only been a few days, but his arms ached to hold his little girl. Part of him had been chomping at the bit to get back out into the field, but now that he was here, all Jack wanted to do was go home. His door chimed and he called, "Enter."
Sam walked through the door. "Daniel is all right. All traces of Merlin and the powers of a prior are gone. The ship's doctor thinks he will be able to leave the infirmary in a few days."
Jack got to his feet and took Sam into his arms. "I'm heading home tomorrow. I'll give Jasmine a kiss for you. When do you expect to get home?"
Sam shrugged as she laid her hand down on his chest. "Not sure. We have a bit of mopping up to do here, but I'll be home as soon as I can. If I can give you notice I will."
"Well for now let's head to bed. It's late and I've got an early start tomorrow. They're dropping me off with a gaggle of marines to escort me through the gate."
The next morning, Jon sat outside Cheyenne Mountain, waiting with Jasmine in the back seat cooing. He had no idea why he was here or what it meant. Early this morning, he'd got a call from General Landry and was told to be here to pick up Jack. He undid his seatbelt, wondering if he should enter the complex or just wait here. Landry's orders hadn't been very specific.
Jon checked his watch and wondered how long he'd have to wait; after all, this was his last weekend before exams and he and Cassie had plans. His phone rang and Jon hurried to pick it up. "Hello?"
"This is General Landry. Are you outside?"
"Yes sir, as ordered."
"Good, Jack's on his way up and he's feeling ornery. Do you have the package?"
"Yes, I gathered her from Haruka's this morning. She's been a terror for the past two weeks. I'll be glad to hand her over to Jack."
Hank laughed. "Well, look at who her parents are; what do you expect? Take care, Jon. I'm sure we'll be talking again sometime."
Jon swallowed unsure what he thought about that comment. "Yes sir. Goodbye."
Hanging up the phone, Jon lay his head down and wondered what that statement meant. Earlier this year, he'd come to grips with the fact that he couldn't go out and save the world yet. They had well trained men and women to do that, it was his turn to walk another path, but that didn't mean the desire to walk through the gate was gone. So much of Jack's life and experience thus Jon's was formed around that artifact. He knew one day he'd come to a full circle, it was just a matter of time and diligent study.
A banging on the glass made Jon jump and, when he looked up, Jack's face was close to the window.
"Sleeping on the job are ya?!" Jack asked a he opened the truck door and shoved Jon over. "I'll drive."
Once he'd settled himself in the seat, Jack turned his attention to Jasmine sitting at the far side on Jon. "Hello pumpkin. Has Jon been good to you while Daddy was off saving the universe once more?"
Jon snorted. "What did you do, order the Ori to death? Face it Jack, those days are over for you. You've become a desk jockey."
Jack started the truck. "That may be but I'm a darn good one. Just you wait one day you'll be in my shoes and then you'll know just how I feel."
Turning his head Jon smiled. "I know full well what it feels like. I'm in the same boat and I will be until I decide otherwise. That's the small difference between you and me." Jon looked away out the window. "I'm going to finish what you started all those years ago. I'm going to get a full DSc before I even think about the SGC. I owe it to myself to see how that world works on the inside before I jump back into the shadows."
"Really? So you weren't ready to rush out and save the world slash universe from the Ori a few months ago?"
Jon rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm not saying I never felt that way, but I have come to grips with where my place is in this world and I'm very happy with it for now."
Jack studied Jon for a moment. "Well I'm very proud of you Jon. It takes a man to make a decision like that." The two of them were silent on the rest of the ride each lost in their own thoughts.
Finally, Jack pulled up in front of Sam's house. He climbed out of the truck and collected Jasmine's car seat from the other side. He turned to head into the house but paused. "Daniel did it again. We thought we'd lost him but somehow, he pulled a Hail Mary and won the game once again." He turned back to face Jon. "The Ori are defeated and we have peace."
Jon sagged with relief. "Does that mean Sam's putting in her retirement papers?"
Jack rubbed the back of his neck. "She'd like to but she's not sure they'll let her. She's a valuable commodity." The two men grinned an identical grin.
"How long until our National Treasure comes home?" Jon asked.
"She's hoping by the end of the week in time for Nate's ceremony, but we'll have to see. There's still quite the mess out there, but she'll be home as soon as she can."
Jasmine started to cry and Jack sighed. "Well I should get this little monster inside. Talk to you later, Jon. Bring Cassie by tonight and I'll cook you guys some steak."
"Burn it you mean."
"Punk." Was all Jack said as he slammed the truck door and he was inside the house before Jon drove away.
One more chapter and this one is done here but the last chapter is up on my site. I also have other stories post on my site if you would like to check them out Google my penname and you will find me. I love to hear from you whether you liked it or loved it. :0P
Also I have published two original pieces of work on Kindle you can find a link to them on my website as well.
if I get enough review I will be pushed to add the chapter early, like Friday, instead of later next week. I have one so far this week but I think I could handle a few more.