Status: Completed 1/11/2009

Word Count: 2,911

Author's Notes: I had no intention on writing anymore kidfics, but Cheryl is uh . . . shall we say persistent! This is the second part of a new series. There will be about three or four more. Many thanks to Lisa for the beta and for the title for the series!

Teal'c was surprised when he turned around and O'Neill was gone. He had gone to retrieve O'Neill from the chair he'd been placed in and take him to see Doctor Frasier as ordered. O'Neill, however, was proving to be every bit as elusive as a child as he had been as an adult.

Upon returning from P13-096, SG-1 reassured General Hammond that the toddler in Teal'c's arms was indeed O'Neill and that there was no discernible threat to the base. Ordered to de-brief, SG-1 had complied and made there way to the briefing room, toddler and all.

Teal'c had gently placed the sleeping boy, whose thumb had found its way to his mouth, in a chair then sat down. Once the debriefing had completed and General Hammond had been assured that O'Neill would be returned to his former self in a matter of weeks, he'd ordered them all to the infirmary for their post mission check-ups then had left. Chaos quickly followed.

"O'Neill!" Teal'c's voice boomed through the small briefing room, halting the downsized colonel in his tracks. And not a moment to soon, General Hammond's chair had been firmly in the little fly-boys line of vision! *Target acquired* Teal'c wove his way through the room and briskly over to his small friend, removing a permanent marker from one tiny hand and a pair of scissors from the other. Teal'c was stunned; he had turned his attention away from the child for only a moment. How O'Neill had obtained the marker and scissors, he could not say.

While the serious look on his friend's face was intimidating on the adult version of O'Neill, it appeared almost comical on the innocent features of a child. O'Neill's little hands balled into fists which he placed at his hips. Teal'c was sure that O'Neill was about to yell at him for taking the marker from him, but the boy simply said, "I Jack. Why you keep callin' me O'Neill?"

Teal'c could not think of how to explain it in a way that the young O'Neill could understand, so he simply replied, "It is what I have always called you."

The boy appeared to consider that for a moment then gave him a half shrug that reminded him of the adult O'Neill and said, "Okay."

Resisting the urge to smile, Teal'c gathered O'Neill into his arms. "Come, we must visit Doctor Frasier."

Colonel O'Neill's face scrunched up as he thought about Janet Frasier's question. He put up two fingers at first then added two more. He seemed to reconsider and dropped one. "Free." An odd smile crossed his face as he asked, "How old you are?"

Janet laughed, but didn't answer.

She looked at Teal'c and saw a small smile form on the Jaffa's face. She looked backed to the colonel to see him looking up at her skeptically.

"You gots big needles." The boy's lower lip began to tremble slightly. "Don' like needles. They huwrt," he added as he rubbed absently at his arm.

She smiled gently and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Yes, Jack," she didn't want to confuse the child by calling him sir or colonel, "I do have a lot of needles. Some of them are kind of big, so I can see how they might frighten you. Don't worry though; you don't need any shots today. I just want to give you a quick check-up. Just to make sure everything is alright, okay?"

"Why?" The pout was back. "I not sick. I want go home. When my Mama coming get me? I miss my Mama."

Janet glanced hopefully at Teal'c and saw that he had no suggestions for her. She looked over to Sam and Daniel, but found no answers there either. What did she tell him? She knew she couldn't outright lie to him. Janet thought for a minute. Knowing the colonel like she did, she decided that distraction was the best course of action. Holding up a finger, she said, "Don't move. I have something for you."

Janet smiled as the pintsized colonel threw her a look as if to say, "D'uh! Where would I go?" It reminded her very much of the adult Colonel O'Neill. Smiling, Janet made her way to her office. She'd pulled out an object she "requested" that the colonel give to her on his last visit to the infirmary before he'd been miniaturized. Slipping it into one of the large pockets of her jacket, she walked briskly back to her impatient little patient.

Grinning as she stopped in front of her young charge again, she pulled the item out of her pocket and was pleased when the boy's face lit up. He took the offered yoyo happily.

"I get down an play wiff it?"

Janet reached out and caught him just as he leaned forward, nearly falling off the exam bed. Laughing softly, she told him, "Sure, but let me finish my exam, Jack and then you can get down and play."

The toddler seemed to consider her offer carefully, scrunching his small nose up, obviously thinking hard about it before finally assenting. Nodding his head enthusiastically while eyeing his prize, the tiny colonel replied, "Okay."

Janet finished her exam quickly. Once she it was complete, she set the colonel on the floor with a pat on the head and smiled as he immediately began to play with the yoyo. She turned and addressed the rest of SG-1, assuring them that, despite the fact that he was now just a tad over three feet tall, as far as she could tell, their commanding officer and friend was in perfect health.

Teal'c was reminded of the older O'Neill as the boy looked up skeptically at the doctor. Though the downsized O'Neill seemed to have no memory of his former self, he couldn't help but wonder if the child experienced what the Tau'ri referred to as déjà vu. He watched with amusement as the world's littlest colonel eyed the doctor shrewdly, calling her on her rather large and numerous needles.

When O'Neill once again questioned the whereabouts of his mother, Teal'c's respect for the diminutive doctor grew yet again. She fielded the difficult questions with no help from SG-1. He could not refrain from the small smile that played on his lips as she handled the situation masterfully.

She set the child on the floor with his yoyo and turned her attention to Teal'c and his teammates. Not wanting a repeat of what had occurred in General Hammonds office and knowing there were much more dangerous items for O'Neill to get his small hands on in the infirmary, Teal'c kept a close eye on him as Doctor Frasier informed them that O'Neill was in perfect health.

"Must O'Neill remain here until he is back to normal?" Teal'c asked once she was finished.

"No, there's no reason to keep him in the infirmary, Teal'c. You can take him somewhere else if you like. His metabolism being what it is, I'm sure he's probably hungry by now." The doctor sighed then smiled ruefully as she added, "Besides, if he's half as mischievous as he was as an adult, he'll have all my nurses screaming for the hills and wanting to mutiny within an hour. So, as a matter of fact, I insist that you take him elsewhere." Teal'c noted that despite her seemingly harsh words, she smiled fondly at young O'Neill, who was still happily playing with his toy, as she spoke. Her chestnut eyes danced with laughter.

Once again, in the split second that he had taken his eyes off O'Neill, the boy had slipped silently away from him. His stealth skills were extremely admirable for a child his age. Teal'c couldn't help but wonder how much of the adult O'Neill's skills were learned and how much were natural. He looked around, but saw no sign of his young friend. Suddenly, he heard Daniel Jackson call the child's name.

"Jack, no!"

Teal'c looked to his right to see a grinning Major Carter standing beside Daniel Jackson, who was holding a struggling O'Neill tightly in his arms.

"Want down!" The boy hollered. "Put me down!"

Teal'c approached them as Daniel Jackson turned the struggling boy to face him, careful to avoid his kicking feet and replied, "Do you promise to behave yourself?"

O'Neill crossed his arms and glared at Daniel Jackson defiantly. "Wasn' doing noffin." The boy paused then, pouting, added, "Was jus' hafing some fun. Wasn' gonna huwrt her." Almost as an after thought, he shoved the yoyo into the pocket of the native pants he was still wearing. Not sure he wanted to know what O'Neill had been planning to do, and to whom he planned to do it, Teal'c decided not to ask.

Seeing Teal'c, O'Neill reached his arms out to him. Teal'c took him and addressed his other friends. "I will take him to the commissary for lunch while you both finish your post mission exams. If you like, I will meet with you later in the rec room."

"Sure, Teal'c," Daniel Jackson replied.

"I'd love to," Major Carter began, "but I have some work I really need to get done before I fall to far behind."

Teal'c nodded at his friends then left with O'Neill, who upon hearing mention of food, had lost the pout and was now smiling.

"Teek?"

Teal'c shook his head "no" and O'Neill tried again. "Tee'uck?"

Teal'c sighed and pronounced his name yet again. It was obvious the child was getting frustrated, but refused to give up.

"T'yuck!"

O'Neill seemed sure he had gotten it correct. Teal'c did not wish to disappoint the boy, but had to correct him. "That is not the correct pronunciation, O'Neill." He then proceeded to say it correctly once again.

Young O'Neill stared up at , a look of consternation settling on his little face. After a moment he, took a deep breath and beamed, "I know! I jus' call you T!"

Teal'c heard the snicker Daniel Jackson tried to hide. Resisting the urge to sigh, he simply said, "Indeed." O'Neill looked up at him in confusion and he clarified, "You may." That made the child smile. Which, in turn, brought a small smile to his own face.

"Okay, T."

"I have acquired permission to leave this facility with you, O'Neill. Where would you like to go?" After learning about what O'Neill had nearly done to his chair upon completion of the debriefing, the incident with the yoyo in the infirmary and the Jell-O in the commissary incident, it had not been difficult to convince the to find means, off-base, to amuse the pint-size colonel. Two armed Marines in "street cloths", as Hammond had called them, would accompany them. They would keep their distance as to not arouse suspicion or alarm O'Neill.

Teal'c smiled as O'Neill planted his "six" on the ground while seeming to carefully weigh his options. Something's, Teal'c mused, changed while others stayed the same.

"The zoo and 'quarmimum. I like aminals. I want to see the lions and fishes." He rocked back and forth on his excitedly as he added, "and the dolphins and sharks and aldergators! Ohh, ohh," he shouted, bouncing from foot to foot, "and the monkeys and the efalants. Eldefants."

The child's face took on a comical look as he tried to pronounce the animals name correctly. He gesticulated wildly, using his arm as a "trunk". Knowing what he was trying to say, Teal'c offered, "Elephants."

"Yeah, them. They're funny lookin'."

"You must be on your best behavior," Teal'c admonished.

O'Neill smiled up at him mischievously, "I know, T."

Teal'c had seen that look on O'Neill's face before and knew it did not bode well for him.

"O'Neill!" Teal'c barked. He was beginning to seriously doubt his decision to request permission for this trip. This was the third time in two hours that his diminutive friend had escaped him. Pulling the boy down from his position atop of the fence separating the public from the lion cage. He kept a tight hold on the struggling child.

"What?" The boy asked innocently. "I just wanna feed them. They look hungry."

"You know that is not permitted." He opened his mouth to say more when O'Neill interrupted.

"I hungry too," he said, looking up with pleading eyes.

Teal'c recognized the tactics the colonel was using very well; but he’d been on enough missions to know nothing would come of pursuing it further. "As am I," he agreed, placing the toddler on his feet while firmly grasping his tiny hand. He would not lose the boy again.

They slowly made their way over to a small stand, Jack's attention span failing to impress. "I would like two hot dogs and two Coca Cola's, please," Teal'c told the young woman behind the counter. At a tug on his pant leg, he looked down to see O'Neill peering up at him.

"I want chickens," the boy stated. "And French flies, pease."

Teal'c nodded. "I would like to adjust my order," he began as the gum-chewing girl with spiky pink hair looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Well," she asked, obviously annoyed.

Ignoring her indifference, Teal'c lifted his chin, and with dignity, amended his order. "I would like one hot dog, one order of chicken tenders, one order of French fries, and two Coca-Cola's."

"I want woot beer."

"I thought you preferred Coca Cola."

"Sometimes I do, but I want woot beer now."

The devilish look in the boy's eyes contrasted with his angelic features. Nodding and resisting the urge to call the tiny colonel out, Teal'c turned back to the counter. "I wish to exchange one Coca Cola for a root beer, please."

The girl behind the counter sighed heavily and rolled her eyes, but said nothing as she took one of the Coke's off the counter and replaced it with a root beer. Teal'c lifted the tray holding their lunch and turned towards the nearby tables. To his unending dismay, O'Neill was gone again.

"O'Neill!" Teal'c barked for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. This time, he was already over the barrier fence and was almost to the cage enclosure for the elephants. The boy continued on even though Teal'c knew O'Neill had heard him. "You will desist this action at once," he commanded. The boy stopped and looked at him, unrepentant.

"Come here." For a moment, Teal'c was sure that O'Neill would disobey him and continue on his original course. After one last look back at the elephants, O'Neill did as he was told. He assisted O'Neill back over the fence then took the boy's hand firmly in his own. Remembering a device he had seen on a small child when he had been in town with his friends recently, Teal'c guided his wayward charge towards the nearest gift shop. O'Neill followed him into the show without protest.

"I not a dog," O'Neil said, indignantly as Teal'c took the child leash off the hook and headed towards the checkout counter.

"This would not be necessary if you would behave yourself." Teal'c looked down at his friend, kneeling to his level.

"I be good."

Teal'c recognized O'Neill's expression as one he, as an adult, had referred to as the "puppy dog look". His eyes were wide, his lower lip protruded. In no doubt that the boy would be impossible to deal with if he went through with this course of action; he decided to give his friend one more chance.

"If you leave my side one more time, we will leave immediately."

O'Neill smiled broadly. "I be good," he promised. "I stay by you all the times."

Teal'c nodded then stood. "Let us continue our exploration of this facility then."

The rest of the day was uneventful, as O'Neill made no further attempts to escape from Teal'c. They visited all of O'Neill's favorite animals then made their way to the aquarium. Teal'c enjoyed the trip as much as his young friend. While Chulak and most of the planets he had visited had many animals of their own, even several that closely resembled Earth animals, many of the creatures on exhibit were unlike any he had ever seen before. Particularly those at the aquarium. Like O'Neill, the dolphins had been his favorite. Never before had he seen or heard of such an intelligent creature.

O'Neill shifted slightly and Teal'c adjusted his grip on the sleeping child. While he had kept his promise not to sneak off anymore, the boy had literally run to each new exhibit. His enthusiasm and energy seemed to have no limit. He was relieved when, after several hours, O'Neill began to show signs of tiring. Forty minutes afterwards, he'd begun dragging his feet. Another thirty minutes later, he'd picked the boy up. A few minutes later, he'd fallen asleep.

Teal'c allowed himself a small smile as the boy sighed contently and snuggled into his shoulder, a stuffed dolphin clutched tightly in one hand and a small plastic elephant in the other. In his own hand, Teal'c carried a bag filled with assorted other small plastic animal's and a large plastic shark that made an odd squeaking noise when squeezed.

As he carried the sleeping boy back to the car, Teal'c found himself immensely grateful that his friend and fellow warrior would be back to normal in a few weeks. He also found that he had acquired an immense respect for O'Neill's parents.

THE END