Reunion - Chapter 6

Briefings in the wee hours of the morning. 

Daniel should have been used to it, but there had been this small part of him the entire trip from Earth that believed that his caravan of ships would arrive to some island paradise where he and Adrienne would spend their days together digging in holes, playing with their son and making love on a beach. 

How in the hell had he been so delusional?

“John,” Daniel started as he entered, the table full, everyone present, including his wife, child and Jack, Adrienne being the only of the three that had any business in this room. As much as Daniel wanted Jack’s input in this, he was also concerned that avoiding this kind of stress was the very reason Sam had moved them here in the first place. 

“It’s Todd’s handwriting alright, I don’t need to send it to an expert,” the Colonel confirmed, Daniel indicating with his hand that anyone still standing take a seat. 

“And that man is Kanaan?” Adrienne spoke up, her dark eyes shooting over at Nicholas, a look that Daniel didn’t need to decipher. 

“Yes, Jennifer’s confirmed it’s him; it’s not a clone, and it’s not a decoy. It’s really Kanaan,” Daniel confirmed, sitting down himself. 

“Where’s the Wraith?” Jack spoke up, John holding up that piece of paper in his hand, waving it in the air. 

“With Ford, according to Kanaan and he doesn’t seem to be very happy about that.”

“But what’s wrong?” Sam was chiming in now, “Did Kanaan say?” 

“Kanaan doesn’t read English, he didn’t understand the note, but he seems to have some reservations about Ford himself,” Daniel replied, passing the scrap over to Sam. She took the slip of paper, scanning it carefully before passing it to Jack, Nicholas peering over his shoulder. 

“So let me get this straight, Kanaan waltzes in here, back from the dead, brings a note, from a Wraith that STOLE a jumper and escaped, punching out your wife in the process and we’re supposed to drop everything and go meet with this Ford who according to Kanaan has gone completely OD batshit on Wraith enzyme,” Jack summarized Vala now nodding her head. 

“And Daniel gave me lip about getting him out of bed for this,” she added, receiving a glare from both adult Jacksons. 

“Dad? What are you gonna do?” the boy chimed in and again all eyes were on him, Daniel taking a breath. 

“Kanaan is with Teyla and Torren now, as he needs to be. I want to speak with him further before I make any decision. At this time we need to all be aware that there are hives ships that are still active, one of which is led by a former SG team member, who is, to the best of our knowledge, surviving on a high dosage of Wraith enzyme. I want the entire city at high alert and John, I want you to take your team to meet with the Genii, see what they know about Ford’s activities. Other than the people in this room, I want no one to know of what has happened until I have more information,” Daniel ordered, Adrienne leaning back in her chair swallowing. 

“You ok?” Sam leaned over to whisper. 

“She’s fine,” Vala hissed, “it just gets her hot when he goes all authoritative.” 

Adrienne just blushed. 

*****

“He is still sleeping but I can wake him. He will be eager to see you,” Teyla whispered softly as Kanaan entered what had been their quarters so very long ago. 

“No, I do not wish him to go without his rest,” her lover insisted, Teyla unable to stop smiling. 

He was here, he was alive and right now her world was just a little more complete. 

“You look no different from when I saw you last,” he added, his own face broken out into a gentle grin. 

“Nor do you.” 

“Have you been well?” he asked now, so slowly and awkwardly. It was his way; he certainly would have worried as she had for so long. 

But he was here...

“Yes, we have fared well on Earth but I am glad to be home,” she replied, Kanaan looking down. 

“However I have not kept a home for you to return to...” he muttered. Shaking her head, Teyla approached him, leading him to the bed to sit but he didn’t come, instead pulling away, his eyes still on the floor. 

“I am sorry Kanaan,” Teyla said quickly, retracting her grasp, “I should have thought to ask if you took another mate...” but his eyes were on hers before she could utter another word. 

“Never, I would never.” 

A surge of warmth radiated over her at the insistence of his words. 

“Nor would I,” she said as she reached out again, Kanaan letting her seat him. 

“You did not couple with John?” his words were serious but Teyla could only laugh. 

“No, he is and has remained my brother,” she assured him, reaching her hand for his leg. 

Teyla was unsure of the expression on his face, whether he was delighted, relieved or else wise trapped in thought, but she didn’t care either way, reaching for his face and bringing his lips to hers. 

******

“I need to talk to Cam,” Daniel declared as soon as Nicholas was out of the room, leaving behind on his most trusted advisors, his wife, Sam, all except for Jack, who has refused to allow Nicholas to stay. Truth be told, he wanted Jack here as well, but the man had taken his role as pseudo-uncle and caretaker seriously, walking right up to Daniel after the meeting was over to declare that this was no place for a child, joking it wasn’t for an old man either. 

He’d have to go see him later. 

“I think that’s a good idea,” Sam agreed, standing to close the door in case anyone else should enter or hear. Daniel nodded, glancing over at Adrienne carefully. 

“I need you to keep everyone busy. Keep Teyla in her quarters with Kanaan and for the love of god keep Vala’s mouth shut,” he ordered his wife who was already rolling her eyes. 

“She’s not that bad Daniel, stop,” Adrienne fussed, her husband breathing out. 

“I don’t like that note,” he admitted quietly, his blue eyes gazing back over at the scrap sitting on the table, a scrap John Sheppard had left behind even though it was clearly for him and not Daniel. 

“I don’t either, but I think we need to listen to it,” Sam offered, Adrienne peering over at her in concern. He wanted Sam here, but also wanting to speak with Adrienne, alone, the one person who could read his face and his emotions like no other. Not that she would have a solution, if anything she was even more lost here in the Pegasus galaxy than she was at the SGC, but she would let him rage, whine, argue with himself, finally offering him a viewpoint that he may or may not take. It didn’t matter, he had come to rely on her as his partner in life, and she appreciated it as he was hers as well. 

“And that’s my issue Sam, I think we should too because I read the file on Ford, I know what he did but I can’t put stock into trusting a Wraith one hundred percent either,” Daniel argued, frustrated. This was so unlike the threat of Anubis as he had no idea who the real threat was. 

“I didn’t either, but Todd’s different.” 

“In that he let John give him a ridiculous name?” 

He spat again, breathing in before he could say something further. Unfazed Sam crossed her arms across her chest, ready to challenge. 

“Daniel, look how easily he got out. Don’t you think he would have gotten out sooner? Earth was a smorgasbord and he would have been the only predator. What motivated him now?” 

“Indy, Sam’s right, maybe he wanted to help us,” Adrienne stepped forward now, a gentle touch at his arm. 

“He could have KILLED you Ad,” he redirected his rage at her, his wife retracting her arm almost immediately. 

“But he didn’t,” she stood strong, giving him that look he had learned not to question, at least not in front of others. 

Sighing out, Daniel rubbed bridge of his nose, the lack of sleep starting to take a toll on his body. 

“Ok, I’m gonna head to the stone room. Tell Cam what I know and then make my way to Kanaan.” 

Neither woman said a word in response. 

Taking that as agreement, he walked over to Adrienne, reaching for her chin to kiss her lips quickly in apology. Whispering an ‘I love you’ in her ear, because in this uncertain life with Adrienne he had vowed to never leave her presence without saying those words, Daniel left the room, hoping to get a coffee before he headed over to the Destiny. 

*****

“Alright munchkin, let’s get you to bed...” Jack pointed at his own bunk, thinking this was best since Daniel and Dr. Perky would probably want to talk alone and would do so in their own quarters. If anything, the fact that Dr. Perky thought so much like he did, but was intelligent enough to offer a counter point, was enough of a reason for Jack to be very happy that Daniel didn’t end up with Vala. 

That would have been a mess. 

“But it’s almost seven in the morning,” the boy reasoned, a part of Jack still stunned every time rational words came out of the mouth of such a tiny person. 

“You’ve been up most of the night,” the general pointed out.

“I’m not tired.”

Jack made a face. And to balance it all out was the still childlike maturity the boy had as he sat there, pouting just like a little boy would. Nicholas didn’t move, standing there, crossing his miniscule arms and frowning like his father. 

“And I’m not stupid, you took me out of there and Dad’s talking to Mom and Aunt Sam right now about that man, and the Wraith and Lieutenant Ford. I’ve heard people talk about him, since Todd escaped, they say he went crazy.” 

“You’re a nosey booger,” Jack replied, mimicking the small tantrum happening in front of him. 

“Did you forget who my dad was?” the boy answered with a smile. 

“Nicky, listen, I know you understand things, more than a child should, but sometimes, no matter how much you want to be grown...” Jack sighed, taking a seat on the bed, hoping the child would know that he was not trying to argue with him, that he just cared about his well being. 

“Uncle Jack, I don’t want to be grown,” the boy stammered out, real fear in his face,“I just want to be safe.” 

It broke his heart to hear Nicholas’ words. The poor guy had never known a normal life and being born into all of this he most likely never would. 

“I know Nicky. Trust me the entire reason your dad went all super general nerd up there was because of you. He’s not gonna let anything happen to you or your mom,” Jack added the last part, lest the boy have something else to worry about. 

Uncrossing his tiny arms, Nicholas Jackson reached out for assistance, the general extending his arms to help the boy up. The child crawled on his hands and knees, all the way up to Sam’s side of the bed, leaning back on the pillow. 

“I’m still not tired,” he protested. 

“Fine, let’s work on your party, come up with some stuff to do that’s not lame.” 

“Mom’ll make it cool,” Nicholas defended, Jack laughing. 

“And you forget who she’s married to. I’m surprised that she got your father to do anything she’s gotten him to do in the past few years,” Jack joked, a bright grin across the boy’s face.

“You think the theme’s ok?” he now asked, Jack only able to hope that meant Nicholas had really moved on from his worry and wasn’t just trying to placate Jack with talks of his the upcoming birthday party that they had helped plan with his father the day before. 

“I think it’s fantastic,” Jack answered as he reached for the remote to start a DVD, something else to make the boy relax. 

You haven’t read the book, have you?” 

Jack halted his finger, unable to laugh, shaking his head as he looked over at the boy. 

“Not a page,” he admitted, finally. 

*****

There was something different about her, not just in the way she moved or acted, but in her face. He knew she was delighted to see him, her kisses and her gentle caresses were proof of that, but there was a sparkle in her eye that did she think him dead should not have been there. He watched her glide from the bed to get clothing, the base’s temperature cool as he lay on her bed aching to be with her once more. 

“Torren will awaken soon and we can get breakfast together in the commissary,” she uttered over her shoulder. Paradise, it was all paradise, his family was again whole. 

“That would be wonderful,” he replied, reaching out his hands, “I want us all to be together once more.” 

“As do I,” she whispered and was at his side again, taking a seat beside him. 

“I hope that this Dr. Jackson is able to create a compromise between the city and the hive. They did save us,” he noted, Teyla nodding in reply. 

“He will. He’s a good man; more like Sam than Mr. Woolsey,” she explained. 

“I remember Sam, she is here again, I saw her, but she is not the leader.” 

“No,” Teyla shook her head, “it’s a long story. And as for Mr. Woolsey, he has passed from our existence.” 

Kanaan paused, gazing into her eyes. So much had happened, in his absence, he could tell, so many things he wanted to ask her about but now was not the time. Still, as he ran his thumb across her lips gently, tracing the grin that was on her face, he could tell that there was something....

“Many of our people died,” he said before he could stop himself, Teyla reaching to push his hand away and take it in her own.  

“I saw the village...”

“Very few remain, but with Atlantis back we can start to rebuild, to reclaim the pride of the Athosian people,” Kanaan continued, a brightness in her eyes at his words. 

“That is what I wish as well...” 

“I had hoped. As soon as relations are once again established we will need to begin to reestablish the population,” he ventured carefully, thinking that after their long awaited encounter and her insistence on seeing Torren again that she would not have the expression on her face that he was now seeing. She didn’t seem shocked, however, but she was smiling, strangely.

“I agree, but we my love must wait,” she said softly, a hand on his knee. He felt bad for his presumption, he had just now arrived, he didn’t know what was going to come of this meeting that Ford was requesting, he didn’t know when he would have to leave and here he was suggesting that Teyla plan to give him another child...

“I apologize for my haste, it has just been so long and I wish you to be at my side, to fight with me, to bear my children and I have dreamed of the moment when I would see you again.” 

“As have I,” she began, bringing her hand to his cheek, “but we must wait until I bear one child before I am to bear another.” 

Kanaan was floored. 

What did she mean bear a child? 

Smiling again, reading his mind, Teyla reached forward, taking his hand again and bringing it to her abdomen. 

‘The soul is young, as is the body, but it is there.” 

“I do not understand,” Kanaan said, leaving his hand there nonetheless, “you said that you did not take another mate.” 

“I did not,” she began, that look of tranquility on her face that she got when she had a vision, a feeling, when he needed to listen to her, “this is Dr. Jackson’s child, Daniel and Adrienne’s. I have offered to give them what they themselves cannot have.” 

“You’re their carrier?” 

“Yes I am.” 

Kannan dropped to silence again, pulling his hand away. It didn’t make any sense at all.  From what Todd had told them it had barely been four cycles of the moon since they had arrived back on the planet and Teyla herself admitted to finding the burnt bodies of their people. Was she not looking for him? Had she given up on their people and moved on? In the face of the loss of everything in her life, everything but Torren, why had she volunteered for such a thing?

“But why Teyla, I do not understand...” 

“Kanaan, this child will be the first child of Atlantis. He or she is a product of an Earth woman, of a descended man, carried by an Athosian. What better way to demonstrate 

the unity that this city can provide than for the first life to be created here be a blend of the three peoples who will shape it’s future?” 

He still didn’t speak, Teyla slipping closer to him, touching their foreheads lightly. 

“I never knew if I would see our people again. I never knew if I would be coming back to my home or to nothing. But I did know that there is one thing that can heal all, hope. In a broken world, children are our hope. Torren, Nicholas and this child. It is a beginning but  if Ford has done what you say he has done, if the hives are down to nothing, this city can help heal the galaxy.” 

“Then this was something you considered, for a while,” he know pondered, Teyla smiling gently. 

“The decision was hurried but only because my heart knew what I needed to do before I could put it into words,” she admitted, Kanaan reaching out for her once more when there was a sound behind him, making him turn. 

“Torren,” Teyla introduced, “I am not sure if you remember but this is your father.” 

Kanaan didn’t wish to appear weak but at the moment he laid eyes on the tall boy standing in front of him, he just let the tears flow freely. 

*****

“It really is Ford, dammit,” Cam sighed out at the table, shaking the very beautiful head he was borrowing. Daniel himself has jumped into Scott, thankfully, he was worried in a snap decision he would get Rush, but he hadn’t, and he was thankful the young military man would be sitting in his office. 

“It is, even Kanaan confirms it,” Daniel agreed, watching Cameron’s mannerisms go on in Camille Wray’s body, “and I trust him.”

“And that’s all you have?” the general asked and Daniel wished he had more, but he also hadn’t wanted to wait before reporting to command. 

“For now, I let him go with Teyla, I thought it was best he spent some time with her first.” 

“Personal experience?” his old friend teased. 

“Not at all,” Daniel smiled, knowing it was a decision that any other commander might not have agreed with, “in fact, I plan on going to meet with him as soon as I get back. Honestly, it was the middle of the night and I had to drag my entire senior staff into the briefing room before rumors of Todd’s return in the stolen jumper started making their way around the city.” 

“No, I agree, that was probably the best course of action,” Cam replied, his hand to his chin, her chin, whatever, “there is something else we need to talk about...”  

“Oh?” Daniel asked, watching dark eyes roll in the head in front of him. 

“The, uh, well, IOA, don’t worry they are a lot better now, but they’re insisting that now that you have Sam with you, and Rodney, that they want to try to repair and reactivate the gate bridge,” the words came across Camille’s lips as Daniel’s head fell into his hands. 

“When?” 

“Now.” 

“And I thought I didn’t sleep when Nicholas was an infant,” Daniel said from Scott’s hand, Cam laughing in reply. 

“Speaking of, how are the little booger and Addy?” 

Gotta throw that last one in there, don’t you Cam...

“They’re good. Jack’s taken it upon himself to be Nicholas’ mentor, which I have yet to decide is a good or bad thing and Adrienne is turning my city into her own personal fantasy land,” Daniel laughed. 

“So, pretty much what you expected?” 

“Pretty much,” Daniel agreed, “and command?”

“Remember when I said I hated pushing paper?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Still do, but the raise was nice,” Cam admitted, Daniel laughing in return. Yeah, that was a perk, even though he really would never get a chance to spend it much here in the Pegasus. 

Although, if the gate bridge was operational, he was sure Adrienne would find a way. 

Correction, VALA would find a way, just dragging Adrienne along for the ride and the bankroll. 

Daniel was about to ask about the rest of the team, how Jonas was handling leadership,  when he saw the face change, Cameron’s expression leaving the smooth face. 

“Daniel?” Camille asked, the Atlantis commander nodding in reply, starting to think the gate bridge being put back into place would be a great idea given that he would actually like to carry on a conversation with someone on Earth face to face rather than through this very convoluted method. 

“Yeah, still me,” he confirmed, knowing that the rules of Atlantis/Destiny communication meant that he would have to break the connection and not the other way around. 

“Good,” she whispered as she leaned in, “I need to ask you something.” 

Daniel frowned, looking around himself wondering what was causing this reaction in the bureaucrat. 

“What does cruvus deductavum mean?” 

It was crude, sure, and it didn’t sound like any Ancient that would be something written on the any of the panels on the ship. 

“Daniel, is it bad?” Camille asked now, her eyes darting around the room. 

“Where did you read that?” although he was starting to run through his own head the names of places that might have those words, maybe their cafeteria, instructions for the cooks, maybe the infirmary for quarantine, but it was the word order that troubled him, a declaration in this instance. 

There had to be missing context. 

“From Chloe Armstrong,” she said as she sat back, breathing in deeply, “before she lapsed back into a coma. She blasted everyone back, nearly gave Colonel Young a concussion before screaming that out and falling unconscious.”

“And she said nothing else?” 

“No,” Camille shook her head, “what does it mean?” 

“Separate, in other context the words mean ‘wrong’ and ‘taken away’,” Daniel answered, his mind already back in his lab, back in his wife’s lab, looking for more information, “but together, with nothing else it is more of a declaration. In this sense it means ‘What is wrong must be taken away.” 

He paused, his hand reaching for the stone at his side, looking up to Camille before he made the switch. 

“I wouldn’t worry. Remember we all started as Ancients, and the Nakai have activated parts of her brain that haven’t been utilized in humans in thousands of years. It could just residual from that process,” he replied, touching the cool surface before she could ask him any further. 

Because there was one thing on Dr. Daniel Jackson’s mind as he returned to his office, and that thought was what exactly did Chloe Armstrong think needed to be taken away. 

*****

The hologram stood facing her, still babbling, happily muted because she was finished listening to it. Adrienne had spent most of her morning since Kanaan’s arrival in the lab, trying to busy herself with the DATA system and get the classroom projector to start carrying the image of the false android. She was still stuck, however, on the upload of the Asgard language. The original Ancient programming that she and Sam were attempting to override to add in the data of things they had learned kept taking the symbols and turning them into Ancient, making Adrienne want to beat her head in. 

“Your boyfriend asked about you,” a voice in her ear buzzed making her smile. 

“He did, did he?” she teased back, standing from her console to enjoy at the very least his voice. He sounded better, calmer, and Adrienne hoped her good buddy had been able to offer some sort of advice. 

“I told him that you’ve become quite the little woman, baking for me, keeping our suite so neat and tidy, rubbing my feet after work,” he said, chuckling in her ear, making her feel much better. 

“He’s dating Carolyn,” Adrienne said before Daniel could tease her any further, the laughter halting automatically.

“What? Since when?” 

“Since around the time Nicky was born,”  she answered. 

“Huh...I had no idea...” 

“Indy, you can be so dense at times,” Adrienne joked, sitting back in her chair, “What did he say about Kanaan?” 

“Not much to say,” he answered, and she heard him walking, presumably to speak to that very individual, “just wants me to keep them abreast...” 

Liar, Adrienne thought, there is something else, but maybe he was just waiting until they were alone. He did that a lot here, much more than he had back on Earth, and their pillow talk on Atlantis had taken on an entirely new meaning. 

They discussed work in bed and had sex in his office. 

Because that made so much sense. 

“Ok, well I’m gonna be here for a while, unless I just give up and steal Nicholas away to watch a movie or something.” 

Silence, that was his response, pure silence and Adrienne was back to worrying. He didn’t know she did it, but she had made sure that her own console could track his location by his communicator. Flipping her own page aside, Adrienne tapped her tracking program icon, seeing that he was indeed on the way to Teyla’s quarters. 

“Don’t overdo it ja-wer. I have no idea how long this is going to take and I don’t wanna catch you face on keyboard,” and he was back to joking, but it was forced; she knew him and she knew his voice. 

Yeah, they really needed to talk tonight.

“I love you Daniel.” 

“I love you too,” he said without hesitation, clearing his throat quickly, “keep the private line open.” 

Concerned Adrienne did as he asked, setting her ‘husband tracker’ to alert her for if and when he left the housing area. 

*****

Kanaan was sitting at Teyla’s desk as if he were waiting on him, and given that Teyla herself and the boy were gone, Daniel was pretty sure that he was. 

“Thank you for that time this morning,” the Athosian said in greeting as Daniel entered the room.

“Sure. I would have wanted the same,” he answered honestly, walking over to take the second chair at the small surface. 

“Torren has grown so much and I missed it. I missed his life,” the regret in his voice was clear, regret that Daniel understood. There were days, many days in fact, that he found himself sneaking to sit with Jack and Nicholas on the balcony of their quarters or made sure a meeting was after dinner to eat with his wife and child. 

“But you don’t have to miss any more of it,” the commander noted, pulling out the chair to take a seat. 

“This was a visit, not a homecoming,” Kanaan uttered sadly, Daniel not saying a word, instead cuing up his tablet to take notes if needed. 

“I hate to make you live through this again, but I need to know what happened. To the Athosians, the Wraith, any information that you may have...” before I open up a direct line to Earth again... he added the last part internally, his eyes scanning the screen where he was already sending a message to Sam that she needed to meet him in his lab in two hours time. 

“There were hives left, as I am sure you knew. They lacked organization and purpose and their focus was on feeding and feeding alone. They attacked the village in broad daylight, no warning, everyone was working, tending to their tasks. Most did not survive,” the man paused, swallowing hard. 

“How many?” Daniel hated to ask, but he had to know, he had to know before he sent Vala, John and Ronon back to the mainland to try to determine what was left of the bodies. 

“We number twenty two now.” 

Daniel fought the urge to drop the tablet on the table. 

Twenty two???

“And all of those twenty two are on Ford’s ship?” he asked instead in follow-up. 

“Yes.” 

His face was strong, but he was tired Daniel could tell; tired of running, of fighting. He’d have to lead this conversation, and make it feel like that, a conversation and not an interrogation. 

“When Ford found us, he said that what we had experienced was similar to what was going on on other planets. He told us that he had taken a hive, and not just taken the hive, but convinced some Wraith to fight with him, to restore order to the galaxy. He seemed genuine and we had nowhere to go,” and now the Athosian man was explaining himself and he didn’t need to; in his position Daniel would have probably done the same. 

“Understandable.” 

Kanaan nodded, “At first, Ford tried to use his people, the other young people using the enzyme, to start wars between existing hives. Any Wraith on his own vessel that helped were rewarded with the humans stored on conquered vessels...” and he trailed. 

Daniel didn’t say a word. 

“It was wrong,” the man continued, “I know, but you must understand I did what kept my people alive. He never touched us, threatened us, he never once made me feel as if the Athosians were anything other than friends. We have been running basic ship operations, we have never engaged in the fighting directly, we have never killed another.” 

“No one is accusing you of that Kanaan, no one. You did what you needed to do for your people to survive,” Daniel assured him, shoving the tablet aside. 

Notes could wait. 

“It seems that Ford’s plan has succeeded, to an extent. There have been fewer attacks, but we still find refugees. Some come aboard and join us and others refuse to leave their homeworld.” 

More than ever Daniel wanted on that ship, making a mental note to have Adrienne create a compact list on all of the planets visited by the original team in case Kanaan could give him further information as to the civilization that they had encountered.. 

How many people had been lost?

“And Ford himself?” Daniel asked, the chilling description that John had given him about his behavior being the Atlantis member’s next concern. 

“If you are inquiring about his enzyme usage, he is still as far as we know. Fortunately it seems to only be those in his original group. He has his own Wraith bring him the bodies of any fellow Wraith they kill to harvest the enzyme,” he choked out, pausing again, “a few of my people have learned that part of the process I have to admit.” 

It was an entire organized operation. This young man, who despite John’s protest had been listed as ‘Killed in Action’, had managed to take the power vacuum that Anubis himself was trying to travel here to exploit and create himself a small army. 

What kind of insanity had he brought his family into? 

“What does he want from us?” the only question that was left to ask. As much of a happy reunion it had been with Teyla, it was clear to Daniel that Kanaan had been sent here for a reason otherwise it would have been the entire contingent of that what left of Athos sent along with him. 

“He simply said that he wishes to meet with you to discuss the future of the galaxy,” Kanaan’s answer was honest, Daniel could tell and most likely was kept cryptic for this very purpose. He nodded, rubbing his face, his thoughts swirling through his head. 

What future did Ford envision? 

Did it include Atlantis? 

With who in charge of what? 

“Thank you Kanaan,” Daniel said, standing, wanting to get down to his wife’s lab, start pulling those charts, send teams to any allies that they had not contacted...

“Dr. Jackson?” Kanaan said from behind him, Daniel peering back to face him. 

“Daniel, please,” he corrected, a habit from Adrienne he knew. 

“May your children be strong,” he declared, “both of them.” 

Daniel smiled; Teyla must have told him. 

“And yours as well,” he replied, shouldering the bag as he headed out of the room. 

********

“Hey Sam,” Adrienne asked across the lab, the scientist buried in a program of her own. Sam had her own lab, Daniel made sure of that, but since the two women were working together on this informational system, Sam spent most of her time here, where the Asgard database and other SGC information was being stored. It made uploading easier, that is, when the uploads would cooperate. 

“Just a sec,” she said, a finger in the air Adrienne, peering back at her screen. It was such an odd glitch and she was certain that her programming had been correct, but she had been up since three this morning and coffee could only do so much. She set her fingers to the keys again, recoding, resetting, debating on calling Daniel in case she had mistranslated the instructions on uploading from the control panel, which was still entirely in Ancient. She was just about to call him, she had left the line between them open just in case, when Sam was at her side, gazing at the controls. 

“That should let the image behave independently at each site it is called up at,” she declared, trying to move on to the next problem, “what’s up?” 

“I’m back on importing the Asgard database items into the main language system, I decided to wait on planet information to see if uploading the dictionary word by word would work, but I keep getting kickback,” Adrienne explained, pulling her own tablet to her side. 

“Kickback?”

“Yeah,” the archaeologist continued, her face drawn into a frown, “and it’s just on a few words here...” more tapping until Adrienne was showing the Sam a few sets of runes, their symbols lining up as she asked, “and it’s not the written language, it’s the English translation.” 

“How so?” 

“This word, ‘kvikr’, it’s old norse, well Asgard, it means alive. But for some reason when I enter the English translation it it keeps spitting out the Ancient word ‘cruvus’,” Adrienne said as she pointed, Sam shaking her head. 

“And what does that mean?” she asked, Adrienne frowning again. 

“Wrong, among other things, it’s complicated,” she breathed out, “I think it’s an error message, like I did the wrong thing, but I just can’t figure out what..” 

“What does the manual say?” Sam now inquired, pulling up her own copy on her tablet. 

“Nothing about an error message, but usually that’s a given in programming, it wouldn’t have really been mentioned. I mean you know that’s just not typical,” Adrienne replied. 

“No, you’re right. Maybe it’s the conversion; maybe the system itself is older than Ancient/Asgard interaction and it doesn’t recognize the text.” 

“Either that,” Adrienne somewhat agreed, “or I’ve screwed up translating flipping back and forth too much. I’m gonna call Daniel...” she reached for her ear, “Sha??” 

She stood there waiting, but there was nothing. 

“Oh Indy, it’s your loving faithful wife who is going to launch priceless Ancient electronics out the window if you don’t answer...”

Sam was now looking at her. 

“No answer, that’s weird,” Adrienne frowned, hurrying over to her desk and her husband tracker.

*****

“Jennifer?” she heard her name being called, peeking over her shoulder to see Daniel standing in the doorway of her office, a frown on his face. 

“Hey there, everything alright?” she stood, wondering if he was feeling ill but he was shaking his head already as if he anticipated the worry. 

“I’m fine, but I need you to do me a favor. Quietly. I need you to head over to the Destiny and examine Chloe Armstrong, talk to TJ unless she is on switch duty and report to me just as soon as you get back.” 

“What’s going on?” she asked, the worry back. 

“I’m not sure yet, but she has apparently slipped into a coma again,” Daniel replied carefully, deciding at the last minute not to mention any else that had happened to Chloe before she went under. 

“Ok,” Dr. Keller was quiet but stood, packing to do as he asked. 

“Thanks, and I need a report back on her condition as soon as you have something. No matter what time it is or anything, find me,” he added, Jennifer nodding in understanding. 

Now to Adrienne, he thought, tapping his ear when there was a voice already in it. 

“Daniel, the last supply run shorted me the cables I was going to use as a prototype for the recreation of the fiber -” 

“Thanks again, and remember, no matter the hour,” he said to the doctor, rolling his eyes as he headed for Rodney McKay’s lab.

*****

“Good night little guy!” Daniel shouted over his shoulder, Adrienne smiling from the bed.  

“It’s sweet,” she whispered as she pulled back the blanket, Daniel climbing in beside her. 

“What?” he said as he set his glasses on the side table. 

“How he wants you to tuck him in at night, read to him even though he can read himself.” 

“He wants you too,” Daniel argued, Adrienne still smiling softly. 

“Yeah, but he’s your boy for sure. No mama’s boy worries at all,” she replied, getting a shrug in return as he laid down, the beautiful Cajun woman in his bed, their bed, crawling right onto him, burying herself into his chest. 

“Mine now,” she declared from his body, nuzzling impossibly closer. 

“My aren’t we possessive tonight,” he had to tease; sure Adrienne was affectionate, but never could one say that she was clingy or needy, yet right now she was behaving very out of character, holding on to him like she hadn’t in a very long while. 

“Just a touch. There are just some times that I just want you and with you being commander and a father I have to share you. I didn’t realize how jealous I would get,” she whispered, kissing his chest through his shirt. He held her closer, himself not wanting to ever let go. 

“I moved to the lab next door for day to day operations,” he pointed out, even though he hadn’t even unlocked the door to that very room all day. 

“Yeah, I kinda love it, when you are actually in there,” she joked, rubbing her cheek to him, “I want to touch your skin.” 

He had to admit he loved when she was like this, and made sure to take advantage of it,  Pushing her aside gently he sat up, pulling his t-shirt over his head and throwing it over to the side, laying back down to fulfill her request. 

“Better?”

“Much,” she whispered, kissing him again, her soft lips tickling his upper abdomen, “Are you gonna meet with Ford?” 

That’s where this was all coming from, Adrienne didn’t want to be affectionate or intimate, she was sharing his thoughts, worry, probably wondering as he was what was going to happen to them. 

“I don’t know yet,” he didn’t lie to her, she deserved better than that. She was quiet, cuddling and kissing again, her arm wrapping tightly across him. 

“Daniel?” she whispered as he was closing his eyes, opening them again to peer down at her.  

“What?”

“At the risk of sounding naive, especially after everything I’ve seen, why does this happen? How does someone become evil? I just can’t believe that someone is born like that...” she trailed at the end, as unsure of her words as he was of his answer. 

How did someone become evil? 

Was Ford really that bad of a person or was there something else that Daniel just didn’t understand? 

“I have no idea ja-wer. I wish I did,” he muttered, kissing her head and reaching back around to hold her but she was pulling away, sitting and looking back down at him. 

“Sha, I think we need to have Ronon start training people again. Not like he and I and John and Teyla just go work out, but mandatory training,” she said, awake, her brain already kicking into problem solving mode, refusing to let her worry and sulking last any longer. 

This was why he loved her so much.

“That’s not a bad idea Ad,” he answered, glancing over to see if his tablet was accessible. 

“It’s not that I want to give him more to do, but I don’t think we can just pretend we flew into some paradise where sunburn is our biggest issue,” she added, Daniel nodding as he reached for her hands. Once again, they were on the same wavelength. 

“He won’t mind and it’ll give Vala something to do. She’s not on the level with you crazy people and your masochist martial arts mess but she can instruct the non-military personnel,” he agreed, his wife lying back down, almost making it back to his waiting torso when she was up again, something else on her mind. 

“Are we still gonna have Nicky’s birthday party?”

He laughed now, he couldn't help it, even it if earned him her infamous glare.

“I love the things you worry about Ad. Do you ever just relax?” he replied, trying to reach for her to bring her back against him, calm her mile a minute mind. She came, but she was still yammering on as she scooted back against him. 

“Like you have room to talk, did we EVER sleep when we first became friends? It’s just, his life is so abnormal as it is, I want something to be normal. I want Nicky to have a childhood, he deserves that, high IQ or not.”

“I know ja-wer,” and she was down, Daniel rolling to his side to curl his body around hers, “I know and he does. We read to him, we play with him, and both of us stop him when he tires to act too adult. We’re not alone either, he has us and Sam, Jack, Vala, Dex, everyone; he has a family, a real, huge, and somewhat insane family.  Yes, we’re gonna have his party, I’m still gonna let him pie Jack in the face and I want you to take pictures.”

“Good,” she sighed out, “I need something to go right. DATA was pissing me off today, kept giving me this error message. I tried to call you but YOU didn’t answer.”

“It wasn’t intentional. I met with Kanaan and had to swing by the infirmary to get Jen to head over to Destiny and then Rodney called and once I told him Cam wants to repair the gate bridge, well, there was no getting out of there,” Daniel rambled, rolling his eyes in the dark. 

“What’s happening on the Destiny?” Adrienne was wiggling away again, Daniel holding her so she couldn’t escape, his wife giggling at his persistence. 

“Chloe’s in a coma again, and she was screaming in Ancient, I just wanted Jennifer to take a look and see what was going on, which is apparently nothing according to Jennifer, just some odd behavior,” he muttered in her ear. 

“In Ancient? What was she screaming?”

“That’s what was so weird, it made no sense, ‘cruvus deductavum’...” Daniel was explaining when Adrienne escaped his embrace, sitting up, staring at him again, her mouth ajar. 

“I got that today too!”

“What do you mean?” Daniel sat himself now, screwing up his face in confusion. 

“DATA, he kept giving that message, well the ‘cruvus’...”

“Why?” Daniel interrupted, the questions pouring across his lips, “When? What happened? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It was doing it when I was trying to input basic Asgard into the system. I tried called you but it was only doing that with the Asgard pieces. Sam and I figured it was an error message of sorts. There was really no other reason as to why it would be doing that,” Adrienne explained, crossing her legs yoga style watching his face he was certain. He paused, thinking about what Camille had said and to be honest, with the ship’s history of taking on the memories of its passengers, that made sense. It was very possible that these enhancements that Chloe Armstrong was experiencing were causing her to tap into the ship, an electronic ‘error’ message being at least plausible. 

“I didn’t even think about that, but with what Rush has been trying to hack in to...” he admitted laying back down, “That makes sense though and we’ve never really had to opportunity to do that much with these Ancient technologies on full power and without being attacked on a regular basis...” and there he was, making mental notes that he needed to look into this first thing tomorrow morning...

“Ok, Indy, this is nuts,” Adrienne said as she threw her hands into the air, crawling back under the covers and over to him, “I’m making a declaration.”

“And what are you declaring ja-wer?” he asked, pulling her into his arms the moment he saw the look on her face. 

“No more work talk in bed. Fin, done, it’s over, got it?” 

“Then where are we gonna talk about work?” he teased, his wife making a face at him. 

“In your office like normal colleagues,” she said wtih a smile, but he was rolling onto his side already...

“And what are we gonna do here?” he murmured softly, though his lips were at her collarbone already, kissing slowly, his hands slipping under the blankets as she whispered in his ear. 

Yeah, that’s a much better idea, he thought, as he reached to fulfill her request.

 ******

Daniel lay in bed staring at the ceiling, Adrienne’s arm still draped around his waist. She’d been asleep for at least two hours, Nicky not stirring either as Daniel debated getting up. He was too preoccupied, his thoughts the moment Adrienne had fallen asleep back on Kanaan, Aiden Ford and Todd. 

He wasn’t sure what to do. 

Yes, Lieutenant Aiden Ford was an SGC member, well, former SGC member, but regardless he was also what amounted to a drug addict, leading a Wraith hive and waging war across the galaxy. Granted, the Athosians were with him, and he knew that Kanaan was a man to be trusted, but something didn’t sit right with any of it. 

There was the fact that Todd had gone straight there, after stealing a jumper and attacking some of his crew and his wife. 

The fact that Kanaan was sent to more or less fetch him for this meeting about the future of the Pegasus rather than Ford coming here himself. 

It was the fact that the Wraith had seemingly flipped sides again, sending a note Daniel was certain was meant for John Sheppard. 

He took a moment to gaze over at Adrienne, so still, her hair still slightly mussed from their earlier love making. As carefully as possible, Daniel slipped from underneath her loose grasp, collecting her t-shirt from the floor to slip it back over her head. Careful, who was he kidding, he could get her completely dressed and she wouldn’t move an inch, he pulled her arms through the sleeves, stuffing his pillow where he was before quietly letting himself out of the bedroom. 

*****

“Let’s stay in bed all day...” Adrienne mumbled, squeezing Daniel tightly...

....except Daniel wasn’t there. Shoved in his place was a pillow, her husband no where to been seen. 

“Indy?” she asked, her eyes scanning around as she tried to figure out what time it was and where he had gone. There were no clothes on the floor, and she remembered his throwing most of their clothes right there, and as she sat she realized that she was wearing the oversized t-shirt she had gone to bed in. 

“Daniel?” she stood, tiptoeing to the shower, the watch reading that it was nearly seven in the morning, so he might be in there. 

He wasn’t. 

“Mom?” 

And now Nicky was up. 

Where in the hell was Daniel? 

“Be right there,” Adrienne shouted back, knowing full well that Nicholas was going to just get himself up anyway, but regardless she wanted to know where his father was since it was very un-Daniel to just leave without waking her, leaving a note, something anything. Hell, he didn’t even just leave when they were friends and would fall asleep watching movies. 

“Dr. Jackson?” she heard her name being called above, the voice over the room speaker echoing against the cool stone floor. 

“Yes?” it took a a second, pre-coffee and sans-spouse to register that it was Lieutenant Davidson, Daniel’s “assistant” calling. 

“Dr. Jackson, well, your husband says that he would like for you to come down to the briefing room at 0800 and to bring your son as well,” he requested, Adrienne frowning. That gave her less than an hour to shower, eat, get dressed, get Nicholas ready to go to Jack’s provided that Jack was up because either she or Daniel usually dropped the boy off after breakfast which was at nine or sometimes later. 

“Wait, bring Nicholas? In less than an hour?” Adrienne rubbed her face hearing a thud and another ‘Mom’ from the next room. 

“Yes ma’am, to me. Dr. Jackson has called a meeting of all level one officials, including both of the Generals O’Neill.” 

Wait? Jack? Retired I don’t want any more of this shit just let me fish and goof off with the boy Jack? 

What in the hell was going on this morning??

“Alright, thanks, can you please tell Daniel to call me if he gets a chance?” she asked, wanting to talk to him in private before this supposed last minute meeting. 

“I will relay the message doctor,” and the transmission ended, leaving Adrienne, standing in her room in an oversized shirt, her son staring at her from the doorway. 

“I have a bad feeling about this,” he tried to joke, Adrienne shaking her head. 

“No lie shug, no lie.” 

*****

“I’d like to thank everyone for coming, again, to a briefing I don’t think any of us want to have,” Daniel started in, not taking a seat this time, standing at the head of the table, “I think it’s safe to say that we know where the Wraith are, or what’s left of them. I find Kanaan’s information to be reliable and it supports what information Ronon and I have been able to collect from our allies...” 

“Allies?” Jack asked, Adrienne knowing about whom her husband was talking and she didn’t like it already. 

This was why they shouldn’t talk shop in bed.

“The Genaii,” Daniel answered, John Sheppard practically falling out of his chair. Adrienne knew that too, for some reason Daniel had decided to keep his meeting with the Genaii quiet, other than tell her of course, and given John’s history with those people it was probably a wise choice until Daniel understood their current leadership structure a little bit better. 

“Yes, I gated to their planet and met with the Genaii early this morning to discuss the situation...”

And that explained why Adrienne had woken up alone then; Daniel wasn’t even in the city...

“Wait,” John raised his hand, sitting forward at the table, “you met with them?” 

“Yes,” Daniel replied, addressing John first and then the group, “And General Uthos has agreed to broker negotiations on their world between myself and Aiden Ford.” 

“Excuse me, Daniel, I know that you prefer to read, I dunno, dusty shit, carved onto walls, but did you read the file on this? Get Dr. Perky to load it onto your pretty little toy there?? The last time we had contact with the Genii they tried to KILL US,” Jack reminded, John nodding in agreement as Adrienne was shaking her head. 

“Yes Jack, I’m aware. I am also aware of the fact that the leader of that faction was killed during the siege on this city and that currently leadership now rests with our former allies, allies I think we can all agree we need right now.” 

“Daniel, I can provide a security detail,” Ronon offered, Adrienne now glaring at him, her mouth still ajar. 

What was happening??

“I was hoping so Ronon and I’d like for you to stay back so we can discuss that,” Daniel answered, looking back to the group again, “Kanaan will leave as soon as I can speak with him to inform Lieutenant Ford of our arrangement. Vala I’d like you to accompany him as our envoy and essentially our spy.” 

“Got it covered,” Vala said as she kicked her feet onto the table top, leaning back in her chair. 

“Take my gun,” Ronon was placing the weapon on the table, Adrienne glancing at Teyla who didn’t seem to be upset in the least, her husband ripped from her again less than twenty four hours after arriving. So that was his solution? Meet with what was clearly a threat, on the home world of a race that had tried to take the city and kill every person inside, while sending one of her dearest friends possibly to her death. 

“Daniel,” John spoke, shaking his head, “I think we need to wait, maybe see if Rodney can find a way to contact the hive via some subspace channel.  Todd said...” 

“I don’t care what Todd said,” Daniel hissed, “if we ignore Ford’s request and choose NOT to meet with him who’s to say he won’t attack the city immediately.”

“We have charged ZPMs,” Ronon spoke up, “and good shields.”

“My people would not allow an attack on the city,” Teyla countered. 

“We don’t negotiate with terrorists,” Jack spat. 

“Wait just a damn second!” Adrienne shouted out before she could control herself, Daniel finally acknowledging his wife’s presence. 

“Daniel,” she said, using his real name so he knew she was serious, “this is a bad idea.” 

“And you have a better one?” he shot back, Adrienne glaring across the table at him. 

“How about we let Kanaan stay with his family, do what John said, send a signal to the hive, agreeing to meet them in space?” 

“So are you suggesting we keep a hostage and risk a shoot out in open space in the very reliable fleet of jumpers we’re in possession of?” his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“We have the Daniel Jackson,” she pointed out. 

“Which is an unarmed science vessel,” Daniel replied.

“Whose gah damn cooyon up idea was dat?” 

“That’s what I said!” Jack agreed. 

“Den bring ‘em ‘ere; Ronon said dat we’ve got da shields and we’ve gah personal shields,” Adrienne was standing, she didn’t realize she was standing, Daniel leaning past a confused Sam who was sitting beside him glaring right at her. 

“For the entire base? Has Rodney been developing something I wasn’t aware of?” 

“Uh no, I’ve been trying to not waste the PPS,” Rodney spoke up, Adrienne realizing for the first time that he was in the room. 

“There’s enough for you,” Adrienne countered. 

“And what about Nicholas? Torren? TEYLA..” he shot back, Adrienne realizing why he wanted this to occur off world. 

He was scared for the children, which made her all the more apprehensive.

“No,” she said simply, taking her seat. 

“Adrienne, it’s not your choice,” her husband replied coolly. 

“In that case,” she said as she stood again, making her way for the door, “Next time you want to make a decision like this, don’t bother with a briefing, just send a memo since you really don’t care what any of us have to say. Now, if everyone will excuse me, I have work to do.” 

Without a further word to Daniel, or anyone else for that matter, Adrienne Jackson left the room, grabbing Nicholas from the seat beside Davidson on her way to the lab. 

******

Adrienne didn’t call him all day. No silly message, no text and she apparently ate in the lab according to Nicholas who met him for lunch like normal. He met him alone, however, which Daniel didn’t like in the least, but Jack was apparently was taking Adrienne’s side. 

“Hey Dad,” the boy said as he crawled his way up onto the seat, refusing help as normal. 

“Hey,” he replied, setting the tablet aside, “how was your morning?” 

“You want the honest answer?” he said with a grimace, Daniel shaking his head. 

“Why not...”

“Uncle Jack got down to the lab about thirty minutes after Mom and I got there and they were both ranting about how you’re too trusting and are blind to what people really are and some other stuff and then Mom was crying about losing you and something about lives and then she left and Uncle Jack tried to get me to play cards but he got annoyed that I kept winning so when Mom came back he left so I just worked on my Ancient,” he explained with a shrug. 

“So, she’s mad at me?” 

“No, more worried I think,” his son replied. 

“Am I on the sofa tonight?” Daniel ventured, probably an inappropriate question to ask your one year old, tomorrow, dear god he was one tomorrow, but Nicholas wasn’t stupid. 

“I don’t think so. She’s just being mom,” the boy answered, “I’d just tread lightly if I were you.” 

Getting love advice from his toddler. 

Fantastic. 

“Can you tell her I missed her at lunch?” Daniel requested, Nicholas picking at his applesauce. 

“Yeah,” he said, peeking back up at his father, “are you sure about whatever you’re gonna do? Mom wouldn’t tell me, but I have a feeling it has to do with Todd and why Kanaan is back.” 

Daniel paused for a moment. He was sure only in that it would keep a potential threat away from the woman that was currently angry with him and the wonderful small person sitting across from him nibbling some graham crackers. 

“It does, but yes, I’m sure,” Daniel replied, deciding to keep his answer cryptic, because again, he needed to realize that the boy was still an very small child despite it all. 

“Can I have some ice cream?” the boy asked, changing his tune completely. Daniel laughed, unsure as to whether this was childlike side of his son that sneaked out every now and then or another diversion but either way it worked. 

“Sure,” he answered, standing from the table to fulfill the request.

*****

“Sam this is fantastic,” Daniel whispered from the corner of the room looking out into the  secondary meeting room as his son’s first birthday party was underway. He knew Adrienne hadn’t done it, Nicholas insisting he wanted to do this himself, so he was certain that Sam had stepped in for the things that a genius one year old could not do. 

“It was all Jack,” she replied with a smile, gazing at her husband who was holding up Torrin to swing on the fake vines hung from the ceiling. 

“I hope he doesn’t think we’re taking advantage of him, I don’t want him to think of himself here as only the babysitter. I still consider him a trusted official,” Daniel added but Sam was already shaking her head. 

“No, thank you. It was the only thing I regret about our marriage. He misses Charlie and it’s too late in our lives to start here and now. Nicholas gives him what he needs. So thank you, both you and Adrienne. Being with Nicholas is probably the best recovery we could have imagined,” Sam whispered a tear in her eye, making Daniel reach his arm around her shoulder. 

“Speaking of,” she added, her eyes now at the Cajun in question, who was standing over her main contribution to the party, an island cake, complete with everything possible made of icing that represented Robinson Crusoe, Nicholas’ chosen theme for the event. 

“She’s not speaking to me, not about work at least,” Daniel admitted, Sam cutting her eyes away from where Nicholas was laughing hysterically at something Ronon was doing on the floor and back over to her old friend. 

“Did you weigh each of your options? Pros and cons, thinking about every member of this city?” 

“Yep.” 

“Did you make the choice that had to be made?” 

“I think so; we can’t just sit here and wait for the galaxy to let us know when it’s ready for us to be a part of it again. If Ford was what has held this together then it’s Ford I need to be talking to,” he answered honestly, Sam shrugging her shoulders. 

“Then she’ll have to get over it,” Sam chuckled, Daniel frowning as he watched Adrienne and Vala chat across the room, refreshing the food at the table. 

*****

“You can’t stay mad at him forever,” Vala said as she cut another apple, setting the pieces carefully onto the serving plate. 

“Wanna try me?” 

Vala rolled her eyes. 

“Addy, stop being so damn stubborn and look at it from his point of view. The only other time in his life he loved liked this he watched her die. Now, it’s not just you, it’s Nicky, it’s that baby growing inside of Teyla. Can you honestly say that you wouldn’t be doing exactly the same?”

Adrienne shrugged, watching Daniel across the room, getting down into the floor with their son, laughing, playing, being a good dad. That’s what was wrong, the idiotic notion that moving her entire life to the Pegasus galaxy would end in a happily ever after where they were safe from any danger. She lied to herself and now standing here, watching the love of her life try to aim and shoot with the toy bow and arrow much to the   Nicholas and Torrin’s delight, she realized the reality of that situation. 

“Vala I fell in love with him because he’s brilliant and compassionate, because he didn’t make decisions like this. There’s trusting people and then there’s suicide. He’s taking Kanaan from Teyla, the Genii and what if you-” Adrienne started, Vala crossing her arms. 

“You have that little faith in me?” 

“No...” Adrienne replied, “I happen to care about ya, ya couquette.” 

“Don’t worry about me. Dex isn’t,” she answered, looking momentarily insulted that her friend thought her unable to complete her mission, “Look, you and Glasses need to get this straight and fast, before he dives into this. He fell in love with you because you’re strong and you’re his partner, both of which he needs right now. So, after everything you’re not gonna trust him now? First tough decision he’s gotta make and you give him the silent treatment because you don’t agree?” 

“You’re a bad friend,” Adrienne hissed, looking ahead at her husband who was now standing as John Sheppard was changing the music, something upbeat that she recognized. 

“You only tell me that when I’m right,” Vala pointed out, following her gaze, “Oh god, that is awful; who taught him that?” 

To be perfectly honest Adrienne had been looking in Daniel’s direction, seeing him stand, but wasn’t really paying attention to what he was doing, but she was now. The song, something rap-like and on popular radio, was blaring through the room, Ronon already dancing like a fool and John joining him, but what shocked her was that Daniel, yes her husband Daniel, was dancing right along. 

“I have no idea,” Adrienne stammered out, “but I’m about to hit the floor....” 

“He’s so bad at it,” Vala pointed out the obvious and Adrienne knew he was; she had discovered that he was a horrible dancer back when they were forced to repeat that magical day when Adrienne had taken a chance and opened up to Daniel for the first time.

“I want to ravage him, like right now, it’s so awful, but he’s so cute doing it...” Adrienne stammered out, Vala rolling her eyes. 

“You should go over there, dance with him,” she suggested, “or at least fix him because that’s just plain horrid what’s happening over there.” Trying not to smile Adrienne looked up to see Daniel staring right at her, knowing full well that this little performance was being done for her benefit. 

“Trust him...” Vala repeated, “because I think he’s making an ass of himself for you right now.” 

Adrienne, sighed, knowing full well that she was right, setting her drink aside to dance lightly to him. He reached out for her, that smile on his face, her smile, setting his hands gently onto her hips, bringing his lips to her ear. 

“I missed you last night,” he whispered into her ear, Adrienne giggling lightly as she reached for his hips, a sad attempt to correct his motions. 

“I was right there..” 

“Ok, then,” he answered in reply, “I missed being used as a body pillow.”

She laughed, burying herself into his neck, “I’m still upset.”

“I accept that,” he whispered as he kissed her head, his hips finally matching with hers.

“But I understand,” she added, kissing his neck as they wrapped their arms around each other. 

“That’s all I ask,” he muttered softly, swaying with her to the music, “Do I get you back tonight?” 

“Yeah...” she answered as she peered up into his eyes, kissing him in the middle of the party.

*****

“So how long are we gonna wait?” Jinto asked, Ford sitting at the table glancing down at his men and his guest, a Wraith that he didn’t quite trust. 

“We’ll give them a few days, just so that they feel secure,” he replied, the low light of the overheads sparkling again his onyx eyes. 

“And then we move?” the boy asked, leaning forward, eager Todd could tell. 

“Does your father know that you’re this quick to change sides?” Ford retorted as the young man frowned. 

“I thought you said there were so sides, just survival...” the youth shot back quickly. 

“Yet you still reject the very means to this survival...” Ford sneered, sliding the gadget across the table, the one from the Genii, which only now did Todd note looked similar to the injection devices on one of those space fiction shows John had loaned him during his imprisonment. The Wraith sat there, silent, watching the Athosian teen grab the device and examine it, debating his options. 

You’ve already chosen, Todd thought to himself, you’re just trying to look tough. 

“Many of you are already part Wraith anyway, Teyla being one. In reality, it makes far better sense for you then me.” Ford continued, Jinto looking again at that gadget. There was a pause, for drama’s sake he could tell, as Todd watched the young man make his move, injecting the substance into his arm. 

“Are you finished your show now?” Ford asked calmly. 

“So how long?” the boy asked again adding to the unneeded drama by sliding the device back across the table. If Todd didn’t know any better, he would have thought the boy watched that same crap programming he had been subjected to for years. 

“As long as I feel like, now get out of here,” Ford ordered, his men at their feet in case the Athosian questioned, which he didn’t, thankfully, because Ford seemed to be losing patience, something he did quite easily. Peeking back over his shoulder, as if he was afraid of being shot in the back or worse, Jinto skittered out of the door, the heavy portal slamming shut behind him. 

“Watch that wacko,” Ford ordered, sounding much more Earth-like than Todd had heard him, “He’s just stupid enough to think that I actually need him.” Nodding, one of the men followed, Vero Todd thought his name was, heading out of the door behind him.