Toy Shopping
by Pie
URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/asp/pie/toyshopp.php
Summary: It was meant to be Adult Toy Shopping, but I hate to be predictable
Daniel Jackson was walking around the most alien enviroment he had ever encountered. He was literally freaking as he cautiously picked his way through the throngs of people blocking his way. The noise level was unbearable too, he couldn't hear himself think and if Daniel couldn't think, he was in big trouble! He looked around, trying to spot...anything...that might help him out. Daniel heaved a sigh of relief when he spotted his saving grace - an exit! At that moment, he equated the doorway with the same ecstasy has he did when seeing a Stargate come into view on a distant planet with one hundred natives chasing him shooting at his butt.
On the other side of the door was blessed quiet and Daniel leaned against the stairwell in panting relief, willing his clamouring heatbeat to slow down. This was seriously scary and he wished he'd thought of asking Teal'c to accompany him; the big Jaffa would have cut an impressive swathe through the festive crowds crammed into the largest toy store in the 'Springs, and probably would have had a better idea than Daniel what to buy a twelve year old girl who happened to be...from Canada.
Daniel sat down disconsolately on the bottom steps, removed his glasses and laid his hot face against cool tiles; Christmas had never featured very highly in his life, and apart from having been one once, neither had children, especially not alien ones! What on earth could he buy Cassandra? Anything suitable Daniel had managed to catch a fleeting glimpse of, he had nixed for being too, well...frivolous for a recently orphaned child. He was thinking he may have to concede defeat and just phone Janet and get her input. Completely lost in his thoughts he didn't hear the sound of firm footsteps coming down the stairwell behind him.
"Daniel?"
"Oy! Earth to Daniel."
"DANIEL!"
That finally penetrated Daniel's consciousness, he looked up in flustered confusion.
"J...J...Jack," he stammered, anything but relieved to see his friend and colleague.
"What are you doing in this consumers hellhole?" Jack asked, the rich amusement in his voice evident.
"Ummm, I'm buying Cassie a Christmas present," replied Daniel diffidently, standing up.
"And you didn't come armed? Have I taught you nothing about inhospitable terrains?"
"Very funny!" Daniel smiled despite himself; something he had found himself doing more and more over the past few months in Jack's company. Jack could be a complete pain in the ass, but he was fun to be around.
"What are you doing here, Jack?" Daniel asked guardedly. His reserved nature always made him rather wary of encroaching into his friends private lives.
"Shopping for toys," was Jack's succinct if uncommunicative reply.
"Of course. Right." Daniel's expressive eyes lowered defensively. He was ambivalent about Christmas, you couldn't miss something you'd never had, but Jack...Jack had had his whole reason for celebrating Christmas ripped away
"Well, I'd better get..."
"Do you wanna grab a coffee?" Jack asked abruptly.
"...going. What?"
"A coffee," enunciated Jack slowly. "Do you want one?"
Daniel searched Jack's neutral expression carefully, but he gave nothing away. Daniel decided to take the offer at face value.
"Yeah, that would be great."
They made their way out of the store and along Academy until they found a Denny's. They didn't exchange another word until they were both sat at the only empty booth in the place with full cups of steaming, fragrant brew in front of them.
"What are you buying Cassie?" Jack enquired politely.
Daniel blew his coffee, a frown marring his brow. "I haven't a clue, " he finally sighed. "I know nothing about what children want."
"C'mon Daniel. You're talking crap, if anyone knows what that little girl needs it's you."
Daniel raised startled blue eyes to Jack. "Me?"
Jack looked rather pleased to have to explain something to Daniel for a change. "You lost both your parents at a young age and was sent to live in unfamiliar surroundings. Put yourself in Cassie's shoes. What did you want?"
"My parents back." Daniel replied without thinking. A tide of red stained his cheeks at what he'd betrayed to Jack.
"Perfectly understandable, Daniel." Jack's tone was very gentle. "Last year I sat in my too big, too quiet house and I would have given anything to have Charlie back. Anything," he continued fiercely. "I tried to pretend it wasn't Christmas, I didn't visit, or buy any presents, turn on the TV or do anything. It was...tough."
"I'm so sorry, Jack." Daniel whispered.
"Actually it was the hardest time since it happened, you know?"
Daniel nodded.
"This year is better, I have purpose. I have a family again." Jack raised his mug and toasted Daniel, who blushed and looked down, ignoring Jack's mean chuckle. " I've decorated the house, sent cards, made Eggnog and..." Jack took a deep breath. "I decided to go and buy all the toys that Charlie would have loved and donate them to the Children's Home."
"Jack! That's wonderful! What an amazing way to honour Charlie's memory."
"Yeah?" Jack peered intently into Daniel's emotional face and visibly relaxed. "Yeah. Well anyway...back to your problem. You couldn't get your parents back, so what did you do?"
Daniel pulled a face, "I couldn't talk about them to anyone, so I wrote - pages and pages about them. It sorta kept them alive for me...Jack! You're a genius!"
Jack laughed. "It takes one to know one, Dannyboy."
"I'll get Cassie a journal, a really beautiful one and she can write all about her family and people. She will never forget. Thanks Jack."
"No problemo. So you want to come toy shopping with me?"
"I'd love that."
I gotta warn you though, it means you have to come home with me and make sure they all work. We can't be giving broken toys to the home."
"Okay, Jack."
"Then we have to wrap them all and deliver them. It could take all the holiday."
"That's fine."
"Just one more thing, Daniel. When we get back to the toy store, you're on point, so look scary."
Finis
Author's Note: Thanks for reading:-)
