The Uninvited Guest

[SydneyRichardson 0]

The screen had read Death: 3:14 pm, pacific, Robert O'Neill... Jack had stumbled out to the back to say so to Syd, but instead of getting the words out he just had her come in. He poked the computer screen further, scrolling down the black background colored note he received from the institute. "Oh, no... They lied to me..."

 

Syd had been quickly dusting dirt and tears off her face as she walked in. She plopped onto a fluffy looking chair near where Jack sat looking at the screen. Feeling kind of grumpy about not getting to stay lying in the grass, she asked him tersely, "What? Who lied about what?"

 

"A doctor Tratos told me he would have at least a year before the illness consumes him... It's been six months... I never should have left... No..." Jack quickly stood up and began pacing around the room, tugging at his hair.

 

Popping up, Syd asked, "Who? Who is it that died?" Quickly biting her lip, she hoped her silly sounding questions did not irritate him. She looked at this strange man pacing around in her office area and wondered what she was supposed to make of it all. A quick thought process reminded her that all she knew about him was that he worked on the Agincourt. Not much to go on.

 

Jack gawked stupidly at her and sat on the floor. "My uncle... "

 

You're thinking too much. The guy has got a problem, try to help instead of wondering who he is, she thought to herself. Syd sat down on the floor in front of him. "Is there anything I can do?" she asked, her eyebrows knit with sudden worry.

 

He placed his head on his knee. "I don't know... I've no more family here... I don't know... what should I do?"

 

Don't ask me! She thought to herself. I don't even know what I should do! But to him, Syd nodded resolutely. "You should come have dinner with my family. Dad can give you advice on getting affairs in order, 'cause that's not something you think about doing when a loved one... passes on." She chewed on her lip before adding, "And mom will make sure you eat something."

 

Jack looked at Syd, while searching his mind about what to do. Of course his mind didn't help since he had no clue what to do in this case, except to be very depressed. "If you think I should ... Then I will ..."

 

She stood and helped him to his feet. "First though, I think you better change. I don't think my parents would take me bringing an Ensign home very well." She smirked. "Uh, that came out wrong. All I meant is change into civilian clothes and don't mention your rank unless pressed." Syd motioned for him to follow her as she walked to a room he could change in. "Were you close to your uncle?"

 

Jack nodded to Syd, holding back all the memories he and his uncle had, and all the memories missing about him and his parents. Bummer it hurts. "He was the only one I had left ... that was family."

 

She gave him a quick hug. "I'm sorry you had to find out like this." Then, pointing into the room to her left, "You can change in here." Jack went into the room Syd was pointing at and took off the yellow uniform, then pulled on his T-shirt with a strange logo on it. Syd paced up and down the hallway, whistling while trying to concentrate on Jack's problems instead of her own.

 

Stuffing his uniform components into his luggage bag, he walked out of the room. He sighed.

 

"Hey!" she said as he walked out, "We may not be coming back here, so let me show you something real quick." Tugging at his sleeve, she led him to a room filled with swords, knives, and spears. "You're a security guy, right? Go ahead and have a look around." Syd smiled, hoping that looking around this room would help some. As they walked into the room she felt how painfully obvious it was that she had no idea how to help him.

 

Jack stared at the weaponry and felt strange. He looked back at Syd and watched her braid swing from side to side. Then a heavy thought hit him. "I'll be good, I swear. If I am being a nuisance, getting in your hair, I'll leave ASAP. But, you don't need to show me ... you know ... your ... 'tactical' capabilities."

 

With a laugh she told him, "Oh, no, I didn't bring you here to intimidate you by any means. I just thought you might like them..." She felt silly for showing him these now. Sighing, she said, "Yeah, so let's head out then I guess." Syd headed towards the door, wondering what her parents were going to say about the uninvited guest...