The cell was cold and damp, lit only by what little light could find its way through the small barred window near the top of the wall. Sam sat on the narrow bench, head in hands, waiting for the Jaffa to return. It wouldn't be long, she knew. The verdict would soon be made. Soon, she thought, glancing down at her watch, but not soon enough.
"Hey!" the quiet call came from the window, and she glanced up with relief.
"Jack!" she grinned. "Thank God!"
His face appeared at the little window, serious but obviously glad to see her. "We'll get you out of here," he told her. "Just hang on."
"No!" she hissed. "There's no time."
He frowned. "What do you mean, no time?"
She tapped her watch. "It's five o'clock already."
"And?" he asked.
"Are you kidding?"
"What?"
"And the day-care centre closes at six, that's what."
"Oh."
"You have to go get her," she told him. "If you leave now, you should have time."
"I can't just leave you here!" he protested.
"Well, we can't just leave her at day-care once it's closed, can we?!"
He frowned again. "I'll send Daniel," he decided.
Her heart sank. "Daniel? Are you kidding? After what happened last time...?"
"Ah," he grimaced. "Good point." He paused: "Teal'c?"
"Jack," she said, the warning in her voice clear even to him. "Quit trying to get out of it. You have to go get her and put her to bed."
"All right, all right," he muttered. "I'm going."
"Good," she nodded. And then added: "We're out of diapers - you'll have to pick some up on the way."
"Diapers," he sighed. "Okay - what size?"
"You don't know?" Huh, he was definitely getting away with doing too little in the child-care area!
"Remind me."
"Four - check her weight on the pack."
He nodded. "And her weight would be...?" he asked, scrunching his face in a way she might have found cute in another situation. Now she just found it irritating.
"Twenty-three pounds."
"Okay," he nodded. "I'm gone." His face disappeared from the window, and she heard a muttered conversation with their colleagues below.
"Jack?" she called out, suddenly remembering something.
His face reappeared. "What?"
"You'll need to pick up some more formula too - in the purple pack."
"Right," he nodded. "Diapers and formula. Anything else?"
"No," she assured him. "That's all."
He was gone again, and she sat back down on the bench, glancing at her watch. Five past five. He'd still have time.
"Um, Sam?"
Looking up, she saw him at the window. "You still here?"
"What do I give her for dinner?"
"There's a chicken and rice thing in the freezer - she'll eat that."
"You sure? She never eats when I try to feed her."
Sam smiled a little smugly. "Well, if you did it more often..."
"Okay!"
She relented: "If she won't eat it, try dipping it in raspberry yoghurt."
He made a face. "Chicken and raspberry yoghurt?"
"Seems to work," Sam shrugged. "If she doesn't eat, she'll be up and hungry in the middle of the night. Your choice."
"Hmm," he muttered. "Okay, I'm going."
"Jack?" she called after him.
"Oh, for crying out loud..." the words drifted up before his face appeared at the window once more. "Yes?"
"Don't for get to sing the song."
"The song?"
"When you're giving her the bedtime bottle - you know..."
"Row-row-row your boat?"
She smiled. "That's the one."
"Okay," he said. "Diapers, formula, chicken and yoghurt, and the song. Anything else?"
"Her clean pyjamas are in the dryer."
He raised an eyebrow - anything else?
"Oh yeah," she added. "Tell General Hammond I expect to be paid over-time for this. Remind him I'm only working part-time right now - tomorrow's my day off."
"Maybe you should tell the Goa'uld?" he suggested. "Tell them you'll pick things up next Monday?"
"Not sure if the Goa'uld operate an equal opportunities policy," she replied. And then grinned. "Go on - you'll be late. And have fun."
"Thanks," he grumbled. "You too."
And then he was gone, and she scrambled down from the window just in time to be confronted by the returning Jaffa guard. "The verdict has been reached," he informed her in a low and menacing tone. "You are to be released."
"Released?" She shook her head, stretching out on the narrow bench and closing her eyes. "Well, if it's all the same with you guys, I think I'll just stay here for the night anyhow." Released? Was he kidding? She was looking forward to a whole night of unbroken sleep! There was no way she was going to pass that up, even if the company - and the décor - left a lot to be desired. "Tell your boss I'll be gone in the morning," she said with a yawn. "And, um, try to keep it down out there. Some of us are trying to sleep."
Story Notes: Email: salxtom@netscapeonline.co.uk
Rating: G
Classification: S/J nonsense. Is nonsense a category?!
Spoilers: None
Archive: Really, it's too stupid to archive, but if you really want it just ask!!
Notes: This daft idea popped into my mind as I was pushing the pram around Waitrose, thinking about the recent discussion on the list regarding the pros and cons of Sam and Jack having kids. This is my argument for the no camp, and, I think, evidence of what too many episodes of the Teletubbies can do to an otherwise stable mind!!
Rating: G
Classification: S/J nonsense. Is nonsense a category?!
Spoilers: None
Archive: Really, it's too stupid to archive, but if you really want it just ask!!
Notes: This daft idea popped into my mind as I was pushing the pram around Waitrose, thinking about the recent discussion on the list regarding the pros and cons of Sam and Jack having kids. This is my argument for the no camp, and, I think, evidence of what too many episodes of the Teletubbies can do to an otherwise stable mind!!
End Notes: Well, I warned you! Stupid, huh?! Still, feedback is always welcome and saved forever on my hard-drive! salxtom@netscapeonline.co.uk
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]