“I thought you weren't going to be scaring them anymore?” Daniel asked, smiling at the sparkle in Jack's eyes.
“It's a favor to Hammond,” Jack chuckled, knowing he'd never stop getting a thrill out of intimidating the airmen of the SGC.
The couple had only been back at the SGC for a little over six weeks, but they were already up to their necks in work there. Unfortunately, Daniel also had an important meeting scheduled for the day, and their plans for the children had been changed at the last minute. Thus, while the twins and the Mouseketeers were with their family of friends, the Munchkins were going to have to go to the Mountain with their fathers.
“It's a good thing you set up a ToddlerTown in my office,” Daniel spoke about the remodeling job Jack had surprised him with just days earlier.
“And that we have Nyan as a backup,” Jack said thankfully.
With the triplets in tow, the couple headed for the Cheyenne Mountain Complex.
====
“How old are they now?” Carolyn Lam, one of the SGC doctors, asked as she saw the children with their parents in the corridors.
“Twenty-six months and change,” Jack answered proudly.
“Pretty,” Jonny said, smiling at the physician.
“Thank you,” Carolyn said as she smiled in response. Chuckling, she added, “Such a charmer.”
“He takes after his old man,” Jack stated, a glint in his eye.
“Hey, I am not old,” Daniel teased.
“Dad old,” Little Danny giggled.
“Hey!” Jack objected, a look of mock outrage on his face.
Jack bent down and began to tickle the squirming toddler, who shrieked with laughter. After enjoying this last bit of levity with his family, he managed to drag himself away, albeit reluctantly. Leaving the giggling triplets with Daniel, he sauntered off to the rec room where the session would be held. The recruits had gotten a bit sloppy lately, and it was his task to reel them in, a task that he would enjoy immensely.
====
“Carolyn, I'm desperate. I have to go to this meeting, but I can't watch the Munchkins at the same time,” Daniel pleaded desperately.
It was two hours later, and Fate had interfered with Daniel's plans yet again this day.
~Fate! I'd like to meet whoever invented that concept and give them the longest, most boring PowerPoint presentation on the way Fate can screw you over; although thinking about it, I should probably thank them for Jack, and my eight beautiful children, and Bijou and Katie, and Sara, Mark, Sam ...~
“Daniel?” Carolyn called out, shaking Daniel's arm gently, an inquiring look on her face.
“Huh? Sorry; miles away there. What did you say?” Daniel asked with a smile on his face as he tried not to feel like a naughty schoolboy caught daydreaming.
“Munchkins?”
“Uh, yes, that's what we call them. Normally, Nyan would watch them, but he's sick. Sam and Teal'c are off-world, Janet's in surgery, the general is in a meeting with Pentagon suits, and Jack is still with the recruits. Please,” Daniel pleaded, using his best quivering lip expression, making sure that his baby blue eyes shone through.
“Doctor Jackson-O'Neill, I'd swear you were flirting with me,” Carolyn grinned charmingly.
“Carolyn, if I didn't have Jack, you'd be my heart,” the archaeologist flirted, shamelessly peering thorough his eyelashes, an act which he knew drove Jack to distraction.
“All talk and no action,” the petite, black-headed woman accused.
“He was here first,” Daniel said, releasing a sigh of mock regret. ~Gawd, I can't believe I'm doing this. She's great, but there's only one Jack, and he's all mine. Focus, Jackson -- you have an urgent need for a babysitter!~
Carolyn laughed, melting at Daniel's smile, tone, and demeanor.
~Oh and the eyes. The nurses were right that Doctor Daniel Jackson-O'Neill had the dreamiest eyes of anyone to ever walk into the SGC,~ Carolyn opined silently. “Are they all con artists like their fathers?” she inquired, resigned to the fact that she was another in the horde of people willing to risk life and limb for the handsome archaeologist.
“Uh, yes, so watch your back,” Daniel warned as he quickly gave the youngsters a kiss before leaving them with the physician.
“Well, now,” Carolyn said, kneeling down in front of them. “What should we do first?”
“What that?” Jonny asked, pointing at the shiny object hanging around Carolyn's neck.
Before she could answer, Little Danny said, “It stehscop.”
“Aunt Janet has one,” Aislinn added, reaching for the stethoscope.
“What this?” Jonny asked, pointing at a beep on one of the medical machines and then running over to it.
“No, don't ...” Carolyn warned as her arm shot out to stop the toddler.
It was too late. Jonny had just set off one of the emergency alarms, signaling a cardiac or respiratory arrest. The touch of the button resulted in six different doctors and/or nurses running into the lab at top speed.
“False alarm,” Carolyn stated with a nervous smile to the anxious medical staff as she picked up Jonny.
“Can I play?” Aislinn asked about a medical chart that was lying on a table.
“Ash, let's ...”
Before Carolyn knew it, the triplets had her running around in circles.
~Diversionary tactic,~ Carolyn decreed. Smiling, she asked, “How about some Jell-O?”
All three children smiled, so making sure they didn't have anything in their hands, Carolyn led the triplets down the corridor, earning her plenty of looks and stares. While she carried Aislinn, Jonny and Little Danny were toddling along like they owned the place.
Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out into the corridor, immediately capturing the attention of the triplets.
“Dad!” Jonny called out, tugging on his brother's shirt and pulling him along to find their father.
“No, wait!” Carolyn shouted, but it was pointless.
The two Munchkins were already disappearing in search of the familiar voice.
====
“THIS IS NOT TO HAPPEN AGAIN, AIRMEN. DO YOU READ ME? I SAID, DO YOU READ ME?”
Jack's bellow was stern and loud. He was at his very intimidating best during this session.
“Sir, yes, Sir,” a series of responses rang out as the airmen stood at attention.
“SIMONS, FRONT AND CENTER,” Jack ordered.
A nervous recruit ran forward from the third row and stood at attention.
“What's your name?” the general asked, even though he knew the young man's name.
“Simons, Sir,” the brown-haired airman replied smartly.
“And your rank?”
“Senior Airman,” Simons answered.
“Excuse me?” Jack asked, moving as close into the airman's personal space as he could without creating a scandal.
“Senior Airman, SIR.”
“It's going to be just plain old, everyday airman if you don't get your act together, Simons,” the general threatened. “Step back.”
Just as the airman returned to his place in line, Jack turned to check on something, speaking with the sergeant who was assigned to help him that day.
“He certainly lives up to his reputation,” one airman whispered to another as they stood in the last line of recruits at the back of the room.
“He's a loudmouth, that's for sure,” the airman replied, shooting a look of distaste at the man's turned back.
“Who does he think he is, anyway? He can't just waltz in here and give us orders,” the other replied incredulously.
“Yes, he can. He's a general,” the first recruit replied in a slow voice, as if any idiot should have realized that little fact.
“He's a grizzly bear,” one of the female recruits said. She smiled as she added, “I kind of like grizzly bears.”
“You're sick, Hancock. I think the old man is hung up on his own rep. O'Neill is delusional and power hungry. *Ouch*!” The airman looked down in shock, immediately grabbing his now-throbbing shin. “Hey!”
At the front of the room, Jack let out a deep sigh, turning to see what the commotion was. His eyes grew wide in disbelief as he watched Jonny kick the airman again.
“JONATHAN CHARLES JACKSON-O'NEILL, GET OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!” Jack commanded.
The name stunned the airmen to dead silence, many of them looking at one another in total shock.
Jonny toddled to the front. He smiled as he reached out his arms to his father.
Instinctively, Jack picked him up and was surprised when Jonny gave him a big hug. It melted the general on the spot.
“Jonny, what are you doing in here?” Jack inquired, brushing the hair from his son's forehead.
“We hear you,” Little Danny answered.
Unaware the other boy was also in the room, Jack was surprised.
“Little Danny, what the ... what's going on?” Jack asked, looking around, clearly confused.
“I'm sorry, General,” Carolyn said, finally entering the room with Aislinn, who was twirling her fingers around the doctor's long hair.
“Dad,” the little girl reached out.
Relieved, Carolyn helped her fall into Jack's arms so that now, Jack held Jonny in his left arm and Aislinn in his right.
“What's going on?” Jack pleaded.
“Daniel had a meeting.”
“A ... a meeting?” the general asked a bit gruffly, temporarily irritated at the information he'd been told.
“Dad, why shouting them?” Jonny asked, pointing at the airmen.
“Shouting?” Jack paused, then shrugged, deciding on the obvious answer. “It's what I do at the Mountain.”
“Oh,” Jonny responded. “I do that. FRONT CINNER,” he yelled out as he looked at the assembled personnel.
Jack rolled his eyes, but then he looked at Jonny and saw the disappointment etched on the boy's face.
Jonny looked at the airmen and, with a fierce look of determination on his face, shouted again, “FRONT CINNER.”
No one moved, upsetting Jonny and irking his father.
“Hey,” Jack said, his eyes indicating to the recruits that if they valued their ranks on Cheyenne Mountain they would obey. “He said front and center.” The airmen look puzzled, but all of them took a step forward. He whispered in Jonny's ear, “Say 'attention'.”
“'TENSION!” Jonny hollered, clearly delighted the airmen were doing what he told them to.
Jack tried not to giggle, as did the recruits; that is until Jack gave them a glare that had them snapping to in one second.
Jonny smiled, lighting up his entire face.
“Here,” Jack said, putting Jonny down. “You keep the troops in line while I talk with Doctor Lam.”
Still holding Aislinn, Jack walked with Carolyn to the side of the room and began to converse with the doctor about the current situation as he bounced his daughter in his arms. He had no idea his namesake had taken him at his word, moving to stand at the front center of the room.
“NO CALL DAD NAMES!” Jonny ordered. “BAD.”
“YEAH!” Little Danny added, joining his brother and glaring at the recruits.
“STAY 'TENSION!” Jonny yelled after a couple of the airmen moved.
The group laughed just as Jack cocked his head, completely stunned at what he had heard.
Little Danny walked through the group, up to the man Jonny had kicked upon first entering the room. He looked up into the towering man's face.
“Why call Dad name?” Little Danny asked.
Jack sighed, handed Aislinn to Carolyn, and went over to reclaim his son.
“Names?” Jack asked the airman, his tone clearly indicating he wasn't happy to know he had been verbally abused.
“Bad names,” Little Danny explained.
The airman coughed and looked straight ahead, wishing he'd never gotten up that morning.
“Right,” Jack intoned dryly, going back to the front of the room while holding Little Danny's hand.
“SAID 'TENSION!” Jonny yelled at an airman in the front who had moved.
“MY SON SAID 'ATTENTION'.” Jack released Little Danny's hand and raised his eyebrows at the lack of response. “Is there something you don't understand about the command, Airman?” he asked with an eerie tone.
“No, Sir.”
“Then show me, Airman,” Jack commanded as he glared at the man.
“Yes, Sir.”
Jack reached down and scooped Jonny up.
“They no listen good,” Jonny said.
“We'll shape them up,” Jack promised.
“Why they say bad things?” Jonny questioned, not liking what the recruits were saying about his father, even though he really didn't know what the words meant.
“Come here, you three,” Jack instructed gently, gathering all three children to stand in front of him, not caring that they were surrounded by military personnel. He knelt down and smiled, and then tried to explain what they'd heard. “See, this is the military. We're all soldiers here, and to be the best we can be, we have to work very, very hard. We can't just be average. We can't just assume things are done right. We have to practice, over and over again. We have a lot we have to learn, too.”
“Learn what?” Aislinn asked.
“Honor. Trust. Respect. Now a lot of that has to be earned first, but there are times when we can learn it, too, by example and by practice. The airmen who are here, these soldiers, they are among the very best in the entire country. They've earned their way here, but at the same time, this isn't just any job. Here at the Mountain, it's our job to protect the entire world, and that means we have to challenge ourselves.”
“Why yell?” Little Danny asked.
“And why they no like you?” Aislinn asked.
“Why no listen good?” Jonny added.
“Because sometimes, we need to be reminded that being the best isn't a right, it's an honor,” one of the recruits in the front row answered, looking nervously at Jack for permission to keep talking. Seeing the general nod, he continued, “It's easy to get complacent; uh, that means that it's easy to just go along. We need someone like the general to keep us in line, to challenge us to get even better.”
“By yelling?” Aislinn asked, clearly confused.
“That's the military way, and it's not really yelling,” another recruit answered. “He's just talking loud. It's a tradition.”
“Oh,” Aislinn replied. “What 'dition?”
“That's something we do because we've always done it that way,” the recruit answered. “It's a good thing.”
“Dad no grizzly,” Jonny said firmly.
Aislinn chuckled as she said, “He teddy bear.”
Little Danny laughed, “Daddy say that.”
Jonny laughed, too, as he chimed in with, “Yeah, Daddy like teddy bear.”
Jack closed his eyes and bowed his head just slightly as he heard the recruits being unsuccessful in hiding their laughter.
One airman's voice filtered through the others, saying, “That kid has his bears mixed up.”
Jack heard another whisper in question, “What did he say? The general wears a teddy?”
~Time for a hasty retreat.~ Jack thought as he stood up. “Okay, Munchkins ...”
“Munchkins?” yet another airman snickered, loud enough for everyone to hear. “Dumb name.”
~I'm dreaming; I must be dreaming!~ Jack prayed inwardly as he turned his back to the recruits for just a moment.
Unfortunately, that was all the time Jonny needed as he immediately toddled over and stared up at the airman who had spoken the most recent offending comment.
Jonny put his hands on his hip and yelled, “'TENSION!”
“If I were you, I'd do it,” an airman from behind whispered.
“Right,” the airman laughed, until Jonny kicked him again.
“Jonathan!”
“I MUNCHKIN. NO TEASE!” Jonny said, imitating Jack.
“I think twenty sit-ups should do it,” Jack said while motioning for Jonny to rejoin him and his siblings.
“Told you,” the voice from behind came.
“Now!” Jack quietly ordered.
Groaning, the airman did twenty sit-ups, and Jonny smiled during each one.
“Say sorry!” Jonny ordered.
Looking at Jack, who raised his eyebrows, the airman coughed, then said, “My apologies.”
Jonny looked up at his dad for a clarification.
“That means he's sorry,” Jack explained.
“No believe him.”
“Me, either. Twenty more,” Jack ordered. “No, let's make that thirty. *Now*!”
Jonny smiled as he watched the now-sweating airman struggle a bit to complete his task.
“Say 'sorry',” the proud Munchkin ordered again when the man had finished the fiftieth sit-up.
“I'm sorry; very, very, very sorry,” the tired airman said a bit more genuinely.
“Dad, go home now?” Jonny asked hopefully, having become bored with the apologetic recruit and his buddies.
“Jack, sorry to interrupt, but have you seen ... oh,” Daniel said, smiling when he saw Jack surrounded by the triplets.
“Daniel, nice of you to join us,” Jack snipped a bit snarkily.
“Daddy,” Aislinn called out, running to him. Immediately upon Daniel picking her up, she pointed to the airman towards the back and tattled, “He say Dad grizzly.”
“Dad teddy bear!” Jonny said definitely.
“Daniel,” Jack warned, a steel-like quality in his voice.
“Leaving,” Daniel said. “Come on, let's go,” Daniel told the triplets.
“But ...” Jonny objected, reluctant to leave Jack behind.
“Jonny, *move*!” Daniel ordered, immediately getting action.
Smiling nervously, Daniel herded the triplets out of the room. Inside, Jack moved towards the airmen, giving them a sharp look and daring them to make a sound.
“I think I'll leave now,” Carolyn said, quickly exiting the room.
Staring at the recruits, Jack queried, “Did we learn anything?”
“Yes, Sir,” Hancock answered. After a beat, she said, “That if we want babies to do as they're told, we'll get Doctor Jackson.”
Unamused, though clearly the audible snickers in the room meant others were very amused by the comment, Jack stated, “Try again.”
“That you're a teddy bear ... Sir?” the female questioned, desperately trying to hide her giggling.
“Anyone else?” Seeing blank stares, Jack answered his own question. “What we learned, Airmen, and don't count on being airmen for long, is never bring your children to work with you. It's not good for the reputation. Dismissed!”
Giggling even louder, the airmen fled while they could.
Jack walked over to the sergeant and grunted as he stared at the aborted plans for the afternoon.
“They were adorable, Sir,” the sergeant said, smiling at the Munchkins' earlier antics.
Jack couldn't hide his smile as he asked, “You want to know the truth, Sergeant?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“The truth is, if we could bring our children to work every day, have them see what we do, and then if we listened to what they have to say; saw things through their eyes, well, if we did that, the world would be a better place,” the general opined.
“I think you're probably right, General,” the sergeant said, smiling herself.
“And now, Sergeant, I think this teddy bear is going to go hug his children and tell them how much he ... how much *I* love them,” Jack stated, emotion coloring his voice.
Jack turned and headed for the door.
“And then what, General?”
“And then ... and then, Sergeant, I'm going to kick those airmen in their lazy butts!”
“Yes, Sir,” the sergeant chuckled.
====
“Hey, Munchkins!” Jack said as he walked into Daniel's artifact-strewn office.
“Jack, I'm sorry,” Daniel began to apologize.
“Not your fault, Love. We both have obligations. What happened to Nyan?”
“Sick. I couldn't take them to the meeting, but then I got there, and I ...” Daniel trailed off, a slight blush blossoming on his cheeks.
“Felt guilty?” Jack stated, more than asked, having experienced similar feelings with Charlie.
“Yeah,” Daniel murmured.
“You shouldn't. Your work here is just as important as mine. Those three troublemakers over there are both of ours; we share the work,” Jack told his husband, stroking his hands up and down Daniel's arms tenderly.
Daniel stared at Jack, a bit surprised at how calm his lover was, considering what had occurred.
“I thought you'd be upset. Carolyn told me a little of what happened before I walked in.”
A smile crossed Daniel's face at what the physician had told him about how Jack had been so gentle with the children in front of the recruits. Jack had been a father first and a general second, and Daniel couldn't hide his pleasure at that little fact.
“No, I'm proud, Danny. We have great kids, and I love them.”
“Yeah, but, uh, you know, the uh ...” Daniel stuttered nervously.
“What?” Jack asked.
“Teddy bear?” Daniel asked bravely.
Jack shrugged and then took Daniel into his arms as he spoke, “The Munchkins know that for you, I am a teddy bear. I wouldn't want it any other way. I love you, Danny.”
“I love you, too, Jack.”
“Dad!” the chorus of triplets rang out, having finally heard Jack from their spot in ToddlerTown.
“Munchkins! We have to talk!” Jack told his children seriously, although the smile on his face told the three youngsters it wasn't anything bad.
Daniel stood back, laughing and smiling as Jack tried to explain in more detail why he had two bear personalities -- the teddy and the grizzly. He wanted to try and get them to understand the difference.
“I know!” Aislinn said eventually.
“How do you know the difference?” Jack asked.
“Gen'rl eyes.”
“Yeah!” Jonny and Little Danny agreed at the same time.
“General eyes? You mean this,” Jack said, making an intense expression.
“Mean be good,” Jonny explained.
“Yeah, that's right,” Jack said. “You know what I think?”
“What?” Jonny asked.
“I think I love you all very much. How about we blow this place and go get some ice cream?”
“Yea!” came the happy cries.
“Jack?”
“Come on, Danny. The Mountain will survive without us. Let's go play with our kids.”
“You're right. Let's go!” the younger man agreed.
Leaving the SGC behind, Jack and Daniel took the Munchkins to get some ice cream and then to the park where Jack illustrated different types of bear personalities, often with pantomimes and appropriate noises. It wasn't the day that had been planned, and both men knew they'd have to make up for it later, but they had no regrets. It turned out to be a most unexpectedly fun day, and Jack and Daniel, and the Munchkins, loved every minute of it.
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