Prodigy
by LauraJo
"I owe my Dad an apology."
Jack took a furtive look around them, not entirely sure where that comment was coming from but fairly certain it hadn't been aimed at her CO. "Sam?"
"My Dad. I owe him an apology."
Satisfied that no one was paying any attention to them, Jack settled himself on the floor beside her, resting back against the-
He bolted forward at triple speed. That wasn't the...? No, of course it wasn't the wall. Sam was already leaning back. Sam was fine. Sam therefore wasn't leaning against the wall.
Settling back with more confidence, he ignored Sam's half-quizzical, half-amused glance in his direction. "I'm still not sure I'm getting your point. Your dad's not even here."
"I'm not talking about now. I'm talking about generally."
Something clicked, and Jack started to realise what Sam might be talking about. "This have anything to do with her?" He indicated Hailey with a slight tip of his head.
"I must have been terrible! I mean, I know I was brighter than your average teenager. I may not like to talk about it, but I do know that. I'm starting to worry that I knew it then, though, too. And if I was anything like her... anything at all..."
"Sam, I've never heard anyone complain about your attitude when you were younger."
"Have you ever talked to my dad about me back then?"
"You really think that's likely?"
"My brother?"
"You know I've never even met him."
"Well then."
"I do happen to know one or two generals that knew you back then."
"Jack, please tell me you haven't-"
"Haven't what?" he interrupted, smiling with a little too much... glee, for Sam's comfort.
"Tell me you didn't speak to General Hammond about my childhood."
"Hammond?"
"I know he's my godfather, but that doesn't mean you can-"
"Godfather?!"
Sam blinked. She then looked around hastily, making sure the others were still going about their business, before turning back to him. "You knew that."
"Did that sound like a man who was in the know?"
"But I told you!"
"Obviously not."
"Yes, I did! Back in that... palace! I told you that- Oh. No. I remember."
"You remember you didn't tell me?"
"Yeah," she admitted sheepishly. "I remember I was going to tell you. Then Daniel called with some supply emergency and it just..."
"Never came up again."
"No."
"You're not comfortable with people knowing," he observed. "I can see why not."
"Even Janet has no idea."
"That's not the only thing Janet doesn't know," Jack smiled.
Sam grinned back at him. "No." Her grin faltered when his smile slipped. "What?"
"She doesn't know, does she?"
"Of course not!"
"Just checking."
She rolled her eyes at him.
"General Kerrigan knows you of old."
"Not until the Academy, and-"
"And don't worry. I haven't been speaking to anyone about you."
"Then why were you...?"
"Do you have any idea how much fun it is to wind you up?"
She stared at him, incredulously.
"You really don't."
Sam continued to look at him, saying nothing. It was kinda eerie, really.
"And on that note..." Jack got up, and quickly made his escape. His mind, however, was turning cartwheels. Sam's godfather?
One of these days, he was taking old George out for a drink. It was about time he got around to asking him how he knew Jacob so well, and now he had even more reason. After all, it was only natural that talking about the man back then would lead to talk of his children.
He could almost smell the cute-little-Sam stories even now...
