Title: Picture Perfect

Series Number: Second story in the Maeka Dex series.

Age: Three years old.

“Maeka, stand still for a moment while I fix your hair.” Elizabeth instructed. The little girl fidgeted with her skirt and Elizabeth smiled. She knew how hard it was for her daughter to stand still. Elizabeth tucked one last strand of Maeka’s curly hair behind her ear and hugged the little girl.

“You look so pretty and grown-up.” Elizabeth told her and Maeka hugged her.

“Of course I’m grown up, Mommy. I’m three now!” Maeka reminded Elizabeth.

Elizabeth laughed. “Yes Maeka, I know, happy birthday sweetie.”

The doorbell rang and Ronon ran from the kitchen to open the door.

“Hey Sheppard, what are you doing here?” Ronon asked as Elizabeth and Maeka walked into the living room.

“What else would I be doing here? I came to give my favorite niece her birthday present.” John grinned and winked at Maeka. The little girl jumped up and down in excitement.

“What is it? What is it?” She questioned. “Uncle Rodney got me a present but he said he won’t give me it until my birthday party.”

Elizabeth smiled; “Uncle” Rodney had in fact bought two presents for Maeka but he refused to give the little girl either of them yet. Of course, John wasn’t able to wait. Maeka had adopted John and Rodney as her uncles and Teyla as her aunt and she now had her uncles wrapped around her finger.

John pulled a large box from behind his back. He placed the box on the ground in front of him. Elizabeth frowned suspiciously when the blue box yelped and wiggled. Maeka dropped to her knees and started to untie the ribbon. She paused and turned to look at her parents.

“Can I open it now?” She begged. They nodded and she tore open the top of the box. Suddenly a bright flash of yellow leaped out of the box and jumped on Maeka. Elizabeth gasped and yanked the thing off Maeka. She frowned when she found herself face to nose with a yellow Labrador puppy.

“John, you bought her a dog?” Elizabeth glared at him and he gulped nervously.

“Yeah…I didn’t think you’d mind.” John frowned. “I didn’t think it would jump like that…”

Ronon picked Maeka up and checked her for injuries. “She’s not hurt.” He reassured Elizabeth and Maeka stared at the puppy in Elizabeth’s hands.

“What’s that?” Maeka asked in wonder and John smiled.

“It’s a puppy. Where I come from, kids have puppies for pets.” He explained and took the puppy from Elizabeth. John held it within Maeka’s reach. The little girl reached out a cautious hand and giggled when the puppy started to lick her fingers.

“It tickles!” she shrieked and petted the puppy on the head. “It’s so soft.”

“See, I knew she’d like it!” John grinned triumphantly and Ronon frowned at him. John put the puppy down on the ground and turned to Elizabeth. “Don’t worry; I also bought a year’s worth of dog supplies. Let her keep it?”

“Please can I keep Puppy?” Maeka asked. She had squirmed down to the ground and was now sitting next to the puppy and petting it.

Elizabeth sighed. Maeka had already named the dog Puppy; there was no way they could tell John to take the dog back. She looked at Ronon and he nodded.

“It might be fun to have a dog,” Ronon said and Maeka smiled brightly.

“I can keep Puppy?” Their daughter questioned.

Elizabeth nodded, “yes, you can keep Puppy.”

“Yes!” Maeka and John shouted simultaneously and Puppy barked happily. Elizabeth laughed as her daughter hugged the dog.

“Thank you, Uncle John!” Maeka squealed. Puppy wagged his tail in agreement then ran around the apartment. Maeka ran after Puppy.

A thought popped into Elizabeth’s mind and she ran into the bedroom. She grabbed the camera from on top of the dresser and ran into the living room.

“Maeka, stay still!” She said. The little girl didn’t hear her and continued to chase the puppy over the couch and under the table. Ronon tried to grab the puppy as it ran past him and slipped on the rug.

John whistled loudly to get Maeka and Puppy’s attention. Puppy stopped in his tracks. He tilted his head at the sound then charged John. The dog collided with John and tripped him. John fell on his back and Puppy ran on top of him. Puppy jumped over John’s head and continued his merry jaunt through the living room. Maeka followed Puppy and hopped over John, nearly banging into his nose.

John started to stand up and Puppy jumped onto him again. He tried to grab the dog but Puppy was too fast and ducked. Maeka ran past after Puppy and Ronon ran after Maeka. Elizabeth cringed as a loud crashing sound was heard. She turned around and found the lamp on the coffee table broken into several dozen pieces.

Puppy was cowering under the edge of the couch and was finally still. Maeka wrapped her arms around him and petted him on the head. Elizabeth smiled. She couldn’t be angry about the lamp; the two were so cute together… She remembered the camera and held it up to take a picture. Just as she hit the button to take the picture Puppy leaped and Maeka followed. The chase had resumed. Elizabeth sighed and tried to snap pictures of them. Shots of Ronon tripping on chairs and Puppy continually jumping on John filled the camera’s screen. She sighed again and set the camera on the counter. Oh well…she thought and joined the chase. Never had she thought that anything could be more energetic than Maeka but today she had been proven wrong.

“Maeka’s awfully popular.” Ronon pointed out as he pulled another dress out of the pile of birthday presents their daughter had received at her birthday party.

“I know, and it’s not like there aren’t other children here.” Elizabeth answered as she threw a ball of torn wrapping paper into the trashcan.

“Well they’re all boys.” Ronon reminded her.

Elizabeth smiled, “yeah, that’s probably it. Boys aren’t as much fun to shop for.”

“Do you think Puppy has something against decorations?” Ronon pulled a torn streamer from behind the couch and held it up for her to see. Elizabeth grabbed a large piece of wrapping paper that had Puppy’s bite marks in it.

“Maybe…” she stopped and stared around the living room. “Where’s Puppy?”

“He was here just a minute ago.” Ronon frowned and started looking under various pieces of furniture. Elizabeth checked under the stack of presents and behind the couch.

“I can’t find him anywhere!” she groaned. Maeka would be so upset if something had happened to her pet. Elizabeth headed towards Maeka’s bedroom; maybe the little dog was hiding somewhere in there.

She stopped in the doorway and smiled at the sight in front of her. Puppy was sleeping on top of Maeka’s bed. He was curled up next to the little girl and she had her arm wrapped around him.

“Ronon, get the camera!” Elizabeth whispered. He grabbed the camera from the counter and rushed to the door.

“What’s wrong –“he stopped and grinned. Ronon handed her the camera and she took a picture of Maeka and Puppy. Elizabeth smiled; this picture would be hanging on their fridge forever.

The End.