May the Force... A Joys of Youth Halloween Fic
The glowing blue beam gave a satisfying noise as it swished through the air.
"Careful, Obi Wan. You wreck that lamp, you replace it." The beam switched off and Jack turned to look at Daniel. Whatever he was about to say went completely out of his head as he took in the sight before him. He knew he was probably doing a very good guppy impression, but, darn, the boy looked good. Black suited him. Oh yeah, definitely suited him. From the form fitting tunic waaaaaay down over the snug fitting pants and calf hugging boots. Made his blond hair gleam too.
"Jack!!"
"Whaaaa?? You say something??"
Daniel gave him a fond exasperated look. "You look pretty hot yourself, Obi Wan." Oh yeah, Jack was definitely hot. The faded brown tunic, pants and boots left nothing to the imagination and Daniel wondered if the General would object to a light sabre being used to defend Jack's honour. He picked up the dark brown cloak and threw it at Jack, who caught it neatly. Then clipped the black cloak round his own shoulders.
"You think we can get away with a few tricks?" Jack asked as they left the house and entered the truck.
"Possibly," Daniel replied, leaning over and giving two clicks on the radio. The signal to their shadows that they were about to depart.
"Most people know we have abilities." Jack muttered as he turned on to the mountain road.
"Jaaaack."
"I know." Jack dropped his hand and gave Daniel's left thigh a squeeze. "But, hey, Anakin. Where's the fun if we can't do a few tricks."
They were waved through the security point by a grinning SF. After parking the truck, they signed in and made their way down to the Commissary hall where the annual SGC Halloween party was being held.
Jack grinned as he saw Carter and Teal'c waiting at the entrance to the hall. "Looking good Hagrid ma man. Hermione, you are looking very fetching as well."
"Sorry Sam..." Daniel began.
"It's ok, Daniel. I asked you a little to late. We found another Harry anyway." Sam said with a smile.
"Who was gullible enough to agree, Carter?" Jack asked with a grin.
"I was, Obi Wan." Jack and Daniel turned to be confronted by a small, but perfectly formed Harry looking back at them. Janet flashed a grin at Daniel and a scowl at Jack and swept past them to join Hermione and Hagrid. "Shall we, Hermione?"
"By all means, Harry, lets. Coming Hagrid?"
"Indeed."
Daniel bit his lip to prevent his laughter from escaping as he watched the trio make their grand entrance into the hall. After a few seconds they made their own entrance.
"Muirnín!" Jack tried to cower behind Daniel as Mairead made her way towards them with Niall following behind with a fond smile on his face.
When she reached them she pulled Jack from behind Daniel and enveloped him in a hug.
"Seanmháthair! You saw me this afternoon! Daniel will start to get the wrong idea about us!" Came the muffled complaint.
"Jack, believe me I will nurse my broken heart bravely." Daniel said in a wavery voice, trying to control his giggles, "If you truly feel your affections lie else where...."
"Oh you!" Mairead transferred her hug from Jack to Daniel. Jack smirked as he watched Daniel trying to gently disentangle himself from the clinging Mairead.
"He doesn't stand a chance. Once she gets hold of you..." Niall smiled.
"Yeah..." Jack smiled too.
"Mairead, muirnín, let him breath. Then he can explain to us who they are meant to be."
"Hey! I could tell you." Jack griped.
"I'm sure you could. But, Daniel's explanation will be so much better."
"You know, family feelings can only be stretched so far."
"Yes, I know. Now go and get us all a drink, while I unwrap Mairead from Daniel and listen to his tale about your characters."
Jack smiled as he stood waiting at the bar. Daniel was being gently guided, by both Niall and Mairead, to a table as he chattered away totally oblivious to his surroundings. Heaven only knew what he was finding fascinating to say about Star Wars!
His attention was diverted as Lurch Ferretti joined him at the bar.
"That thing work, Obi Wan?" Ferretti waved a hand at the light sabre hanging from Jack's belt. Jack grinned, unclipped the toy, took a couple of steps back...there was a swoosh and the blue beam glowed softly.
"Woah! Is it? Are you?" Ferretti's eyes bounced wide eyed from Jack to the sabre.
"There are things only a Jedi can know." Jack said solemnly as he deactivated the sabre and clipped it back on his belt.
"Yeah, right. You planning any more tricks like that?" Ferretti said with a grin.
Jack just smiled and indicated to the drinks on the counter. "You wanna give me a hand with these?" Ferretti gave a nod, picked up a couple of the drinks and followed Jack over to the table. May be Daniel would be a little more willing to let some information slip out.
Daniel smiled as Jack sat beside him, then sent a nod to Ferretti. "Hey, Lou. Don't you get tired of being Lurch every year?"
"Nah, old Lurch is a very cool guy." Lou said as he placed the drinks down. He straightened and looked at Daniel with a sly grin. "Obi Wan here showed me the neat trick he can do with his light sabre. You two got anymore tricks planned."
"I saw, Lou. As for tricks...as I am a trainee Jedi I follow the instruction of my Jedi Master and he has told me that there are things only a Jedi can know. Sorry, Lou." Daniel said with as much remorse as he could.
"Yeah, right. Later, guys" Lou gave a rueful grin and left to rejoin his team.
"Nicely done my Padawan." Jack murmured.
"Thank you Master." Daniel said as he picked up his fruit juice with a grimace. Sometimes being 16 really sucked. They had discovered recently that he had zero tolerance for alcohol. His list of grievances against his mother was growing daily.
"So, you two any clearer on Anakin and Obi Wan?" Jack looked across at Niall who was gazing at his beer as if it was contaminated.
"Yes, and Daniel has been telling us the fascinating connections between Ancient abilities and this Force mentioned in the movies." Niall waved his hand as he spoke and the beer in his glass turned black with a frothy white head. He took a sip and gave a satisfied sigh, nothing like a Guinness to hit the spot.
"How do you do that?!" Jack glared at the Guinness in Niall's glass and then turned to Daniel, "How does he do that?!" Daniel shrugged and took a drink of his fruit juice
Jack transferred his gaze to Niall who smiled softly and said. "You are young, my Padawan, and have much to learn."
Daniel snorted and spewed his fruit juice over the table. He pointed at Jack, then at Niall, then back at Jack as he howled with laughter. Jack knew he should feel offended, but he couldn't. Instead he felt his heart swell with delight as Daniel's laughter filled the room.
After a while the howling subsided to small hiccups and Jack patted Daniel on the back. "You finished?"
"Yeah, I think so." Daniel took a couple of deep breaths and took a sip of what remained of his juice. "Sorry." He looked sheepishly at Jack.
"Hey, nice to know I'm good for something." Jack gave Daniel's neck a small rub as he lifted his hand from his back.
"So..." Jack looked at the two sitting across from him. Mairead was mopping up the remains of Daniel's juice with a cloth that seemed to have appeared from nowhere. "Before, Daniel's hysterical collapse rudely interrupted us. You mentioned something about Ancients and the Force?"
"Yes, and I did not have a hysterical collapse," Daniel aimed a kick at Jack's shin. "There are some interesting similarities between the abilities the Jedi and Ancients...."
Jack gently placed his hands on either side of Daniel's face. "Look at me Daniel. I will say this only once. Star Wars is not real. It's a story told in a series of six very long and very boring movies. On top of being very long and very boring the dialogue in the said movies would even make The Nox vomit. The Force is not real. Nod if you have understood."
Daniel hands came up, gripped Jack's and tugged them down. "I know it's not real." He huffed, "But Jack you have to admit there are some similarities."
"From what Daniel has told us. The Jedi abilities are similar to ours. We have a dark side as well in the Ori." Niall said quietly.
"Oh for crying out loud! They're movies!"
"Lucas had to get his idea from somewhere, Jack." Daniel said.
"Enough, already! I came here to enjoy a party, not to have a philosophical discussion about frigging movies." Jack snatched up his beer and downed it in one. "Anyone else needing a refill?" Three heads nodded. "Right, I'll just go..."
"You do that Jack." Daniel gave a grin as he watched his frustrated soul-mate stalk off. "That was fun." He said as he looked at the two pairs of twinkling eyes opposite him.
"Wasn't it." Niall said taking another sip of his Guinness.
~~~~~~~~
The party was in full swing as Daniel made his way through the crowd that contained a mixture ranging from the run of the mill ghosts to a few Goa'ulds. Finally reaching his destination he sat down next to Hermione and nodded a greeting to Hagrid and Harry.
"Having fun?" He asked with a smile.
After agreeing that they were Janet added, giving her wand a small swish. "I wish this was actually real."
"Be careful what you wish for, Harry." Daniel said as he lent over and gently touched the wand. It immediately began to glow and golden sparkles began to dance round it.
Janet gave a small squeal and dropped the wand on to the table. "What have you done, Anakin!"
"Given what you wanted. Pick it up and touch the glass." Daniel watched as Janet picked up wand as if it was a live Goa'uld. She looked at Daniel and he waved his hand encouragingly at the wine glass in front of her. Gently she touched the glass with the tip of the wand.
Three watched in wonder as the glass slowly rose and floated in front of Janet.
The fourth watched in amusement and softly said. "Move the wand, slowly."
Janet moved the wand and the glass followed it.
"Wow!" She grinned at Daniel and for the next few minutes she entertained a small crowd that gathered round the table by making the glass dance in the air. Every time someone asked how she was doing it, she just smiled and said, "I'm Harry Potter, how do think I'm doing it?"
Eventually the glow on the wand began to fade and Janet slowly bought the glass back down to the table.
Looking at the small crowd she said. "Show's over folks."
As the crowd dispersed Daniel turned to Sam and gave her a small nudge. "You up for it, Hermione?"
"Always, Anakin. What you got cooking in that mind of yours?"
Daniel just gave a small smile and touched the wand lying on the table beside Sam. As with Janet's it began to glow and sparkle. "Pick it up, hold it upright at arm's length and repeat exactly what I say."
Sam picked up the wand and held it upright at arm's length.
Daniel closed his eyes, took a deep breath and softly said, "Butterfly."
"Butterfly!" Sam said loudly.
Gasps filled the room as a large golden butterfly appeared in the air above their table. It's wings moved back and forth causing them to gleam when caught in the light.
"Wave the wand." Murmured Daniel.
Sam waved the wand with a flourish and the butterfly disappeared in a shower of golden sparkles.
"Flower." The soft voice said.
"Flower!" Sam said loudly.
An 'ooooh' echoed round the hall as the golden flower appeared folding and unfolding it's sparkling petals.
Sam waved the wand at Daniel's nod and like the butterfly the flower disappeared in a shower of golden glitter.
"Earth."
"Earth!"
The appearance of a rotating golden Earth produced yet more gasps around the room. The Earth spun slowly, it's continents gleaming as the light hit them.
Again Sam waved the wand at Daniel's small nod and the Earth disappeared as the others did.
"Ready for the big finish?" Daniel asked quietly with a grin.
"Oh yeah!" Sam replied, grinning from ear to ear.
"Stargate." Daniel murmured.
"Stargate!" Sam said loudly.
Stunned silence met the appearance of a golden Stargate floating gently in the air. It's golden event horizon glowing softly in the centre of the ring. They all watched as it rotated slowly, then gasped as the event horizon exploded outwards in a blaze of golden sparkles and gently came back to rest in the centre of the ring.
Daniel gave a nod and for the last time Sam waved her wand with a flourish. The Gate disappeared as the others had done, in a shower of golden sparkles.
Sam slowly placed the wand, which was no longer glowing, back on the table. Then engulfed Daniel in a hug.
"Thank you," she murmured fiercely into his ear. "Thank you, for letting me feel for a short time the power that you have."
"Ok, Hermione, let him breath." Sam let Daniel go and grinned up at Jack who had come to stand behind Daniel's chair.
Jack moved round and sat down beside Daniel. "Having fun, Anakin?"
"Me?" Daniel looked innocently back at Jack.
"Yeah, you. I don't know what Harry got up to. I couldn't see. But that was quite some floor show Hermione put on."
Daniel just smiled and watched as Sam fielded, with professional ease, the questions being bombarded at her. One or two of the questioners looked suspiciously at Daniel. Who just smiled innocently back at them and shrugged.
Jack took a sip from his beer bottle. "Just be careful Daniel."
"I will. No more displays like that, I promise. I just wanted to make Janet and Sam's night special."
Jack nodded and gripped Daniel's shoulder. "The ways of the Force can be difficult and the path you follow long and dangerous."
"Jaaaaack!! Quit being Mom!!"
Jack grinned and with a final squeeze left his kids and made his way back to Niall and Mairead.
"You weren't to hard with him? He's very young and eager to try his wings." Mairead looked at him with concern as Jack sat down.
"Don't worry, Seanmháthair, your baby boy is fine. He understands he has to be careful." As he finished there was a yell and crash. They turned to see two Marines face off against each other. The evidence of a meal dripping off them. "Then again," murmured Jack. He looked over to the table where his kids were to see Daniel quickly hiding a smirk.
*Dannniel?*
*Jaaaack?*
*What did I say?*
*I don't know. What did you say?*
*Babe....*
A mental sigh came his way. *I'm being careful, Jack.*
*I know, but that NID snoop is still around...*
*Worry-wart! Let's see...you and I have these handy abilities that, oh I don't know, could, if we wanted, send a person flying through the Gate without having to touch them. Then there is the small detail of the O'Neill Clan who are currently visiting the SGC.*
*Yeah, yeah. So, I worry! You remember my grey hair before the Cube did it's thing? Every one of them was your fault!!*
Jack smiled as he felt fingers begin to stroke through his hair. His eyes connected with the blue ones across the room and for a moment there was just the two of them. He felt the connection between them grow stronger.
*Together, always.* Daniel's voice whispered in his head.
*Together, always, babe.* Jack blew a mental kiss and then turned his attention back to his two companions. Both of them had wide smiles on their faces.
"Such a joy to see two Sonuachar who are so...what is the phrase Niall?"
"In tune with each other."
"That is it! Anymore in tune and you would have been glowing."
"You know, I said it earlier, family feelings can only be stretched so far."
"We love you too!" Mairead lent over and pecked a kiss on his cheek.
"love you too, Mamó"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To most it seemed that SG13 resembled their designation number very well, that evening. If something was going to happen, it happened to one of that team. Arametti had tripped over his own feet and spilled the drinks he was carrying over his team-mate Johnstone. Johnstone had then inexplicably fallen over and destroyed a table. Which thankfully had not been in use at the time. In trying to help, the CO of SG13, Tomas, had then fallen over Johnstone and both were now in the Infirmary and Janet Fraiser was looking very suspiciously at both Jack and Daniel. Even Professor Louise Arthurs their civilian consultant, an Egyptologist with a strong liking of Budge, hadn't escaped unscathed and was now nursing a black eye from a plate she insisted flew at her.
Daniel eyed the pint sized Harry Potter looming over him.
"Daniel."
"Yes, Janet?"
"Do you have something you want to tell me?"
"I don't know. Do I?"
Janet gave a sigh. "Daniel I have two marines currently in my infirmary with minor injuries gained from incidents that occurred tonight. Incidents that can't really be explained."
"So, accidents then?"
"Daniel, I know what SG13 did last year. If this was a payback, then fine and good, but things could have got out of hand."
Daniel said nothing and continued to stare at her.
"Daniel," Janet sat down and took his hand in hers. "You are a 36 year old man in a 16 year old body. I would say at this moment that the 16 year old's emotions are currently in control. So, I won't say anything more on it. But, if Tomas' and Johnstone's injuries had been more serious. I would have been down on you like a ton of bricks."
She gave his hand a squeeze as she saw the guilt come into his eyes.
"Janet...."
"It's ok, Daniel."
"I could have done serious damage."
"But, you didn't. Just try to curb those emotions, hmmm."
"'kay, I'm sorry."
"I know you are, sweetie." She pulled him into a hug.
Daniel's Dr Jackson half complained loudly at being called Sweetie. The 16 year old Daniel Jackson half told him to shut up and went back to enjoying being hugged.
Jack watched them and decided that he didn't need to say anything to Daniel. Janet seemed to be doing the job for him.
Niall walked up to beside him. "Now, you see why you are his rock. The Light is emotions and feelings. It needs to be guided and controlled."
Jack scrubbed his hand through his hair. "I'm gonna go grey quicker this time round. He's gonna be the death of me."
"Hopefully not. But think of the Joys he going to bring you as well. He will keep you young in spirit and life most certainly will not be dull with him around."
"Yeah!" Jack gave Niall a grin and then went to gather up his errant Anakin and head for home.
The End
Gaelic Meanings:
Muirnín - Darling
Seanmhátheir - Grandmother
Sonuachar - Soulmate(s)
Mamó - Granny
