Rating: G
Disclaimer: They're not mine I just borrow them from time to time and promise to give them back in perfect working order...eventually ;).
Season/Spoiler info: Season 3. Spoilers for Learning Curve
Authors notes: I've had an idea for a while to do a fic about Jack and his affinity for children and of course Learning Curve tugs at the ol' heartstrings...well it does for me anyway so, short and sweet as usual (I'm in between assignments, one down, two to go. Leave me alone ok!) J/K. Thank you to Cheyenne for the beta, I'm sure you're off somewhere glued to Big Brother (hehehe, I know thee too well lol). Lastly enjoy. :)
"This is what she learned..."
Jack marveled at the array of children running, jumping and skipping before him, that one little girl managed to show this many people the meaning of 'fun'. Carter was right, she knew this would happen when her nanites were removed and distributed. He may not have understood why she did what she did, but he knew she had undeniable courage to do so.
"Colonel", Carter whispered, directing his vision with her own. Jack walked towards the girl who just yesterday he offered to give up his career, his livelihood, everything for. He felt a pang in his chest. He would have made it happen.
His eyes studied the quiet figure huddled against the wall, crayon in hand and a muted fragment of concentration on her face.
"Hi Merrin..." She turned around to catch Jack's gaze with her own fleeting glance, her pale blue eyes locked with his. For a moment he swore he saw a flicker of recognition on her otherwise neutral expression. He wondered if it were possible to look both content yet inwardly lost at the same time. It was.
Jack nodded quietly to himself and released a whispered acceptance of "Okay" as he lowered to the bench ajoining the stonewall. "I guess we'll just have to get to know one another all over again".
Merrin threw him another quick glance before returning to her scribbles. Just yesterday those hands had painted a garden. She'd never know what she lost. Jack picked up a crayon and proceeded to draw a face, similar in appearance to the one in Merrin's painting on the stone. She stopped immediately to watch him draw. Her eyes lit up and she quickly scribbled over the face with her own crayon, a shining smile gracing her lips as she continued her work before looking back at him, the picture of innocence to gauge his reaction.
Jack knew better. The tinniest little spark of something more in her eyes gave it away. She was in there somewhere.
"You're right", he replied to the unspoken sign, "What was I thinking." Jack then scribbled over his own work as well, rewarded with another bright smile from Merrin. He knew then that maybe she wasn't as lost as he thought. "Have you ever seen a dog? Dogs are my favourite people." A time to teach, a time to learn. "Some have tails, some don't....not alot of purple dogs."
The End.
