The Terrible Threes

by Belladonna

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/asb/belladonna/terrible.php
Summary: Just a short sweet flick about Jack remembering

Jack had to smile as the village children swarmed Daniel. Usually he was the one the children gravitated to but this time Daniel had brought chocolate, so he was the popular one. After the candy supply had been exhausted there was one blond little boy who wouldn't let go of Daniel's B.D.U pants.

He watched as Daniel knelt down and asked him something in his native language, and the little boy shyly held up three fingers. Jack was suddenly hit by a strong memory of Charlie. When you would ask him how old he was, he would hold up three fingers and say, "Treee."

Suddenly his attention was jerked back as the mother of the little boy tried to coax him away and he began to argue, then kick and scream as his mother hoisted him and carried him away. Daniel stood and brushed off his pants, "What are you smiling about?" he asked, pitching his voice above the wailing shrieks of the child.

Jack grinned wider, "Just remembering the terrible threes."

Daniel tilted his head, "What?"

"You've heard of the terrible twos?" He asked and watched as Daniel nodded. "Well, the 'terrible threes' are much worse. I was gone when Charlie turned three, but when I got home I'd taken him shopping and he'd asked for some toy." He looked over at the child who'd finally settled down, "I told him no and he began to throw a temper tantrum like you wouldn't believe. You know, kicking and screaming and spinning around on the floor like he was possessed."

"What did you do?" Daniel asked, pleased to be included in one of Jack's memories of Charlie.

Jack chuckled, "I walked away. Totally ignored him. He screamed and kicked, then realized he didn't have an audience anymore. He was like, 'What? This isn't what's supposed to happen.' And he got up and trotted over to me. I told him that if he did it again he wasn't going shopping with me anymore, and that was the last tantrum he ever threw."

Daniel was impressed, "Wow. You were pretty smart." A pause, " What happened?" He teased.

Jack cuffed Daniel's head lightly, "And you never left the terrible threes, did you?" He looked over at his friend they shared a smile, then Jack's radio crackled and Sam was telling them that she'd finished their mineral survey and were headed back to the gate.

"Roger that Carter. See you in twenty. O'Neill out." He turned to his friend, "Ready?"

Daniel hoisted his pack up and nodded, "I'm ready."

As they walked, Jack was glad that remembering Charlie didn't hurt so much anymore. He glanced over at Daniel who was walking with a dreamy smile on his face. "Danny?"

"Umm?" Daniel looked at Jack.

"Love ya."

Daniel smiled back, all of the love in his heart for this conflicted, generous man glowing on his face, "Same goes."