The Docks, Tuesday

[nofishinmypond]

Jack sighed and scuffed his toe in the slime on the Homer's deck. The boat had resurfaced, after it was sunk on Friday by the weight of the world that Jack carried around with him. The motor still ran, the weapons in the lockbox and beer in the minifridge were still all right, but the rest of the boat looked pretty nasty. And the deck chairs

Comments

[wantstocheer]

"Please tell me that the phones are screwed up again and I got a voicemail from someone else that they're leaving," Claire said as she walked up to the dock.

[nofishinmypond]

Jack shrugged at her. "Do you really want me to tell you that, or would you like the truth? I mean, I'm okay with either way, if that's what you want."

[wantstocheer]

Claire sighed. "I was afraid of that. How come you're going back?"

[nofishinmypond]

"Well, I know this is hard to believe," Jack told her, "but I'm a very important man with a very important job to do. And... I sort of got bored of fishing."

[wantstocheer]

"Are you feeling okay?" Claire asked. She knew he was important but it was unfathomable that an O'Neill would get bored of fishing.

[nofishinmypond]

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. But, you know, I miss my little basement office, and rarely if ever seeing the sun, and being responsible for the lives of thousands of servicemen and -women, and having to make decisions that affect the entire known galaxy..." Jack stopped. "Nah, I don't miss any of that. But the occasional dinner with the President is nice."

[wantstocheer]

Claire frowned a little but reached out to give him a hug. "I'm gonna miss you. Will you keep in touch?"

[nofishinmypond]

Jack gave her a big bear hug and then patted her head. "I'll do my best. We'll see how well the connection works."

[wantstocheer]

"Okay," Claire said. "Don't think I won't come searching the multiverse for you."

[nofishinmypond]

"Don't worry, I've already got people for that," Jack told her. "Good people. Some of them are aliens, even."

[wantstocheer]

That made her smile. "Good. And don't go get yourself killed or anything, okay?"

She was kind of tired of the dad-like people in her life dying.

[nofishinmypond]

Jack sighed. "Got people for that, too," he told her with a grimace. "The stars on my shoulder mean I only really have to worry about old age. Or heart attacks."

He frowned and waved a hand in the air. "Nevermind that. Forget it. The point is, I'll be fine."