Discoveries - Chapter 10

The gate clicked into action, Daniel peering up from his desk at the sound. It was time for their first off-world mission to return, the Atlantis commander eagerly awaiting the results. 

“Incoming wormhole sir,” Davidson came over the communicator, “First Recon team, on schedule.” Smiling, Daniel looked over at the clock, pleased that the mission had only taken one night, as they had planned, Adrienne upset about leaving Nicholas for nothing. That had been a point of discussion, Adrienne adamant that Jack O’Neill would not be raising their family, that they needed to be parents and stop dumping their child in the retired general’s hands. It wasn’t that she had any problem with Jack, in fact his relationship with Nicholas had made her utterly adore him, but she felt that with one child here and another on the way that it simply wasn’t responsible to be galavanting all over the galaxy anymore. They had come to an agreement, that unless it was absolutely necessary, there would always be one parent on base with Nicholas at all times, even if that one parent was working while the boy fished with Jack. Considering what Daniel himself had been through, both of his parents taken from him in the blink of an eye as they worked together, it hadn’t taken much convincing. 

And with that, Dr. Adrienne Jackson had essentially taken her husband’s place on the flagship team of exploration while he pushed paper and tried to make sure that Rodney McKay didn’t blow up the city. 

As for their first night alone, with Mommy out exploring the wonders of the Pegasus, the two had managed just fine, having chocolate ice cream for dinner, watching some bad cartoons on DVD until they had passed out together in the bed, clothes and all. 

It was pretty fun, Daniel decided that would be their plan every time Adrienne was away,  but he’d made his son swear secrecy. Adrienne would kill him for much of the above, but it was a father’s job to let his son get away with junk food and staying up late. 

“Thanks,” he said, standing, going to greet his team and see if they had found the first of five gates that they needed to begin reconstruction and repair of the gate bridge.

That would be a great way to start the day. 

*****

Adrienne reached behind herself to make sure the poor woman wasn’t scared, her green eyes like saucers when the Cajun had activated the gate. She’d walked through though, without any objection, intent on meeting the leader of the new city they all thought was lost despite having never made the venture to Atlantis herself when the city was here before.

In addition, Dr. Adrienne Jackson herself wanted to have a talk with said leader since Rodney’s MALP modifications apparently did NOT include a subterranean scan. Instead, the recon team’s lead archaeologist had found these people when she went tumbling into a hole, a big hole, a really really big hole that made her rage out at anyone near her in profane Cajun as she almost sprained her ankle. 

“Are you ok?” she asked, the blonde woman nodding in reply, blinking those same large green eyes.

“I believe so, that was just...” 

“Different,” Teyla filled in, “it is a sensation that takes getting used to but it is perfectly safe.” 

Adrienne knew that last comment was intended for her, a small part of her still fearful one trip through the wormhole would result in the miscarriage of her child, but Teyla could read her like a book even if she were not empathic. Right now, her words and her face said ‘the baby is fine, stop worrying.’

“We heard of our ancestors using it, we just didn’t know to where it would lead,” the woman replied as her eyes scanned the Atlantis gateroom in complete wonder, much the same as Adrienne’s had only a few years ago.

“We’ll be happy to answer any questions that you may have just as soon as we get you a medical exam, no worries, standard protocol like we were talking about and I’d like to introduce you to our city commander- “ 

“Ad!” he interrupted, jogging down the small staircase headed straight for her. Cam was right, he did do the puppy dog thing when she came home, and she had to admit her own heart skipped a beat as he approached.

“Hey Sha, this is Luli, she’s a representative of the Suban people, who were living UNDER the ground as the name denotes...” she chose her words carefully, trying to keep it professional as she hoped Daniel was picking up on what she was saying. 

“It’s a pleasure,” he said as he gave her a look, yep Indy, let’s rethink those damn scanners and have a conversation with Saint Rodney, extending his hand to greet her.

“She’s here to learn a bit about the city and take that information back to her people, get relations underway...” Adrienne continued, hoping her husband caught her look, one that clearly said Rodney is the one complaining but I’m being spread too thin, something she had discussed with Teyla and John AT LENGTH last night at camp.

“Well, welcome to Atlantis, and please let me, Adrienne or anyone know if we can be of any assistance while you are here,” Daniel said professionally, Adrienne scanning his face for an indication of understanding when the woman smiled, sweetly, too sweetly, that kind of sweetly, as she retracted her hand ever so slowly.

Are you KIDDING ME!?! 

“I will,” the words melted across her lips, Adrienne ordering herself not to roll her eyes at the display in front of her. 

“Ad, can you get the team to the briefing room while Carson looks her over and just in case, have him scan Teyla as well,” Daniel added, oblivious, as usual. Hell, it had taken her jumping him in her quarters to get him to acknowledge that he loved her, at least when she was awake, so why should his continued cluelessness surprise her?

“On it,” she answered, at this point just finding the entire thing funny. She could almost hear Jack’s voice in her head, teasing about alien women...

And yet he married a crazy Cajun...

Go figure.

Pushing his glasses up his face, Daniel tapped his ear, calling Rodney Adrienne hoped, as she extended her hands in front of herself to lead the way down to the infirmary, business as usual.

Let’s see how long it takes...

Three...

Two...

One...

“Your commander is very handsome,” Luli whispered the moment that Daniel was out of sight, John following behind giving him the quick run down of the past twenty four hours. 

Screw Teyla’s empathy, Adrienne thought, I’m psychic. 

“Yes, he is,” Adrienne replied smoothly, trying not to smile.

“I imagine that it is quite distracting to work with him...” their visitor continued, peering back over her shoulder in the direction of the commander in question. 

Oh come on Ad, have fun with it...

“It can be...” she answered with a sweet smile on her face that she finally allowed to grow, thinking back to the night before she left, his lips working their way so softly down her stomach...

Mon ami ya have NO idea...

“How do you do it? I would be unable focus,” the Suban emissary just kept going, “his eyes are magical...”

Adrienne couldn’t believe her ears, Jack wasn’t kidding, she HAD to stop by his room to tell him, see Nicky and tell him about this. It was too much, thinking what she would tell Jack, and she couldn’t control herself any longer, stopping to giggle hysterically, her hands on her knees. 

“Is something wrong?” the woman asked kneeling to join her as Adrienne waved her hand, barely noticing Teyla coming to a halt beside her. Breathing in deeply, she just had to do it, Adrienne stood upright, looking their visitor straight in the eye. 

“I just wait until we go to bed at night before I jump him, get out all of my frustrations then, if you’ll excuse me for one sec,” she replied as straight faced as she could, walking ahead to catch Sam before she turned to corner to take her in the opposite direction of where they were going.  Dumbfounded, the poor Suban woman stood in the passageway, at a complete loss for words. 

“The city commander is Dr. Daniel Jackson,” Teyla explained gently, emphasis on the final word, as she placed her hand on the woman’s shoulder, “He is her life mate.”

“I, uh, well, I did not, did I offend Dr. Jackson, I mean, that Dr. Jackson?” she stammered, her eyes on Adrienne, who walking ahead, still laughing, catching Sam by her sleeve to confer about something in the hallway. 

“No,” the Athosian shook her head, “you have merely given her more reasons to tease him,” she replied sweetly as poor Luli continued to blush, watching the tall laughing woman try to talk to her colleague. 

*****

“It’s inhabited?” Daniel asked as he closed the door to his office, John making a beeline for the coffee maker. 

“Yep, thank Rodney for sending us on a wild goose chase,” he shot over his shoulder, shaking his head as he tapped the button, firing the machine to life.

“Please tell me Adrienne’s not beating herself up?” his second concern coming to the forefront but John was already shaking his head. 

“Nah, I thought she would too, but she had the entire initial read-out in her files. He led her to believe that scan went underground as well. I think she was just more pissed off about that,” John  responded, Daniel breathing a sigh of relief. 

“Which,” the colonel continued as he turned, talking over the percolator going behind him, “does bring up a good point. If Rodney’s only duty now is the gate bridge, which he has essentially roped Sam into completing with him, a lot of things that are not part of her job are falling to Addy. She did mention that last night...”

Sighing out Daniel took a seat, somehow knowing it would come to this. He had promised Adrienne so much when she agreed to come, that she’d get to lead research in an area never explored by any archaeologist, that as time passed she would be conducting major digs and be able to train her staff just as she liked, that they would raise their son in paradise and it would be the dream he always imagined it would be. Sure, they’d expected challenges, but what they hadn’t expected was for Sam to arrive, for the gate bridge to become the top priority over anything else and for Adrienne to have to do the job of three people. Even Nicholas was talking about not seeing her much and when he did, she would fall dead asleep on the sofa, Daniel having to carry her to bed. 

“No, I know, I need to do something, I just have no idea who to get,” he answered honestly, at a complete loss, “she has her staff excavating what is left of the Athosian village; she’s hasn’t gotten to go down there herself once. I haven’t figured out what to do just yet.”

“I know, but I told her I’d talk to you, you know, on a professional level. She thinks bringing it up at home is whining and currying favor, her words, not mine.” 

That would be exactly how she’d handle it; Adrienne would never want to feel like she let anyone down or use her position as his wife to have it easier. If anything, she used her position on the base to get herself out of various restrictions, namely ones regarding overworking oneself. 

“I’ll get on it, we’ll have the supply ship in a few days, then I can get back with Cam,” Daniel muttered, more grumbling really, cuing up his tablet, “so tell me more about the Suban.” 

*****

“That lass is as pale as a ghost,” Carson whispered making Teyla chuckle while he performed the scan. 

“They live underground to escape the Wraith, but we did not get to see the city,” she said allowing herself to be comfortable as the tingles caused by the scanner coursed through her body. 

“Her eyes creep me out but don’t say anything,” the doctor quickly added, Teyla giggling. 

“They all were like that,” she replied, peering over to check as Jennifer scanned their guest, “all had very feline eyes. Samantha said that often animals that are nocturnal appear the same.” 

“It’s sad to think how long they’ve had to live without seeing the sun because of those monsters,” Carson grumbled, a sentiment that Teyla did have to agree on. 

But then there was Todd, who against all odds didn’t really seem like much of a monster anymore. 

“How’s the baby?” she asked instead, wanting to ease Adrienne’s constant worries and Kanaan’s as well. He seemed to have decided that that Jackson child was his as much as it was Daniel’s and oddly, in direct contrast to everything she had learned about Earth parents, Daniel and Adrienne didn’t seem to mind, in fact, they embraced the very idea of the city as a large extended family. Teyla surmised it had to do with their upbringing, Daniel losing parents himself at a young age and Adrienne losing her mother and having to care for her father for so long. They wanted their son to have everything that they were unable to have themselves and more, an admirable sentiment.

“Lookin’ good, lookin’.....” the doctor paused, reading the scan, “well dear me...”

“Carson is something the matter?” 

“Not at all, well, I don’t think,” he stood, tapping a few more things into the screen, his eyes darting back and forth rapidly, “Teyla, I think, well, I think I can tell the sex of the baby...” 

“Already?” she started to sit, realizing that she was being restricted by the scanner, moaning in frustration, “but is it not visible until twenty weeks for an Earth woman; I believe I am at approximately ten and I am Athoisan.” 

“That’s the thing,” he was on the verge of a ramble she could tell, his face furrowed in confusion,  “yes, biologically you’re only ten weeks, but if I didn’t know that, if I hadn’t implanted the embryo myself, I would say you’re at least sixteen weeks if not further.” 

“But that’s not possible,” she protested, and Carson couldn’t help but laugh. 

“Did you forget whose child you’re carrying?” he replied, peeking up from the scanner, “Nothing that happens to Daniel and Addy is anywhere near normal.” 

“But everything is alright?” Teyla’s soul coursed with worry, they deserved this, they wanted this, and the galaxy needed this generation of children to thrive and flourish. 

“Perfectly, like I was saying, for sixteen or maybe even eighteen weeks, everything looks perfect, it’s a perfectly heathy baby-” 

“Don’t tell me,” Teyla spoke quickly, “I do not wish to know. I would like to speak with Daniel and Adrienne first to see if they would like to know or if they wish for it to be a surprise. We shall decide together.” 

Nodding, Carson stepped away from the scanner, walking around the other side to free his patient. 

“Fine, fine, I’ll keep my mouth shut,” he teased, reaching to help her stand, “you’re good to go, and it looks like our guest has cleared as well.” The sound of the woman’s voice thanking Jennifer for her kindness indicated that Carson was correct, meaning the rest of the team could be scanned by hand scanners after the briefing, or during if Carson had his way. 

He liked his staff healthy. 

Resting her feet on the cool floor, Teyla walked over to where Luli was standing herself, touching her body in confusion. 

“Nothing penetrated my body, she did not touch me, yet in moment she knew that I was no danger and carrying no disease,” she said in complete amazement, much in the way Teyla herself had in the beginning. 

“Yes, it is amazing technology,” the Athosian agreed, her hand involuntarily holding her abdomen, the result of the amazing technology in question.

“We have sickness at times, do you think these technologies could help?” Luli asked. Yes was Teyla’s first response but she didn’t want to offer anything that wasn’t hers to give. So far the seemed to be nothing malicious about the Suban people, a race only slightly more technologically advanced than the Athosians, but the decision as to extent of their relations would be Daniel’s and the SGC’s and not hers. 

“That is why we have brought you here,” she replied, “to begin to forge those very friendships that can in the future help your people.”

Safe enough answer, she thought, hoping she could get a moment with Addy before the briefing started. 

*****

The ship would need to feed again, and they were running out of food. 

It had been easy enough to lie to Halling about what had happened, that Todd had kidnapped Kanaan and that other woman, wanting to take the hive for his own. Ford had explained to them Todd’s history, how he used to be a leader and twice had screwed up so badly that he had lost the position. Now, returned to the Pegasus he saw them as weak, vulnerable, and he had a chance to take the hive and the city of Atlantis. It was as simple as he expected; believing a Wraith to be evil was second nature to an Athoisan. 

As for Dr. Daniel Jackson, he refused to discuss that with Halling any further. Ford knew the man didn’t want to meet him, fairly certain that was John Sheppard’s doing as well. In fact, John Sheppard was most likely behind all of this, right down to the missing Wraith since the colonel had formed some strange bond with the creature. Regardless, he had what he needed until this point, a crew that trusted in him and he knew what had to be done. 

Now, he just needed food. 

There was still the one jumper ship, the one that the Wraith had arrived in, and it didn’t require the fuel that the hive did now. Accompanied by two of his best men, Ford made his way to the vessel, determined to take it to the planet’s surface to get what he needed. 

They would have a choice, give it to him or he would take it. Either way, he had enough fire power among his trio to show them that he meant business. 

*****

Adrienne peeked over her shoulder, hoping the approaching footsteps were Jack bringing Nicholas to see her before the briefing, but it was Teyla and her husband’s latest fan instead. That meant that the troublesome twosome of Atlantis had either found a good fishing hole or Nicholas had another idea concerning the education of the base’s children. 

Maybe it hadn’t been the best idea to give him the access codes to DATA after all, heaven knows what the child would come up with. 

“Adrienne, can I speak with you a moment?” she asked a look on her face that concerned Adrienne considering where she had just come from. Her pace was brisk as well, Adrienne about to shout out and ask if everything was alright when Sam came out from the briefing room, tapping her on the shoulder. 

“Hey, I’ve got everything ready and John’s still in with Daniel if you want to go and see Nicky before we get started.” 

Bless Sam, Adrienne thought, they might not have been as close as she and Vala but the former general read Adrienne nearly as well. 

“Thanks, yeah...” she muttered, or something close, Sam stepping forward to usher their ambassador into the briefing room, starting to grill her, albeit politely about the underground infrastructure.

“Is everything ok? Is the baby alright? I know that Carson said that wormhole travel is harmless but I have my reservations, and I don’t care what Daniel says, I will march in their right now and tell him you and me travel by jumper end of story -” the Cajun was already in full ramble as Teyla reached out to place her hand over her mouth. 

“Our child is fine,” she said, using the term that Adrienne herself said she didn’t mind, “but there is something that I need to both inform you of and ask.” 

“What?” Adrienne spat out, taking the hand from her face as the Athosian woman again smiled.  

“It seems, for reasons that Carson is already looking in to, that the child is growing faster than normal...” 

Adrienne was sure her face was in total panic, her computer-like brain trying to remember everything she had read about Nicholas, the DNA of the Cajun people, what Daniel offered into the equation as a descended being, and how in the hell the poor thing might be affected being carried by and Athoisan,one who had special traits even for her race. 

“There is no cause for alarm, everything looks well, very well Carson says, but there is something that you and Daniel might want to know,” and there was that smile again, Adrienne now throughly confused. 

“Adrienne, calm, Carson simply informed me that if we would like, we are able find out the sex of the baby,” she explained as the Cajun’s jaw dropped. 

With that statement and that statement alone Adrienne’s brain went into overdrive. 

Was it another boy? 

Was it a girl? 

Did they want to know? 

Would Daniel want to know? 

What would Nicholas think if he knew? 

“You can talk with him after the briefing, I want it to be your decision,” Teyla added, Adrienne nodding up and down slowly, still unable to form words. 

“And now I’m getting dragged down here to see how the cave men live underground, isn’t that YOUR area of expertise DR. Jackson,” Rodney was ranting from down the hall before she could answer or even look for Daniel. 

“There is time,” Teyla whispered with a gentle clasp of Adrienne’s arm as the scientist pushed past them, “Carson says that with this growth he would like to see me again tomorrow to run more tests and check weekly after that. If you would like, we can all find out together tomorrow.” 

Letting go of Adrienne’s bicep, she slipped into the briefing room, leaving the archaeologist to ponder her words.

***** 

At first Daniel was surprised to see Jack enter the room shortly after Adrienne until he saw his son following behind, tablet computer in hand. He would have sent Nicholas away immediaelty, but Adrienne had adjusted the MALP, doing underground scans to confirm that the tribe of people to whom this woman belonged were harmless and doing just what the Travelers had done, advancing their technology only enough to avoid the Wraith. He still thought that Nicholas had no business attending briefings but he was fairly certain that Adrienne was using this as a learning experience. Given that she probably was, he needed to see how the DATA system was going in the classroom since one year olds do not belong in briefings. The boy hopped up into his mother’s chair, however, like he was supposed to be there, Jack taking the seat beside him, Adrienne cuing up the visual presentation. 

“Everyone here Indy?” she asked, Daniel scanning the room to be sure. First Recon team was present, along with Rodney, their guest from the Suban, and apparently Jack and Nicholas who was beaming at him. 

“Looks like it,” he replied, sitting, giving the floor to her. 

“Luli,” Adrienne began, her eyes over at the woman who, if possible, was paler than her, “please feel free to fill in the gaps since we were unable to get any footage of your city.” 

“Of course,” she answered shyly, why Daniel didn’t quite understand. 

“Today we had the honor of meeting the Suban people, on a planet we are classifying as M23-867,” and there went the slides, of the surface as she had told him, “formerly believed to be abandoned for nearly a millennia, the atmosphere is comparable to Earth, showing similar seasonal change.” 

He watched as the images clicked by, ones clearer than the MALP, of vast grasslands and two suns blazing down on the surface. 

“As you can see from your files,” she continued, Daniel looking down at his tablet, when did she have time to do this, never mind, this was Adrienne, “the general readouts on the planet are acceptable as well to sustain homo-sapian life.” 

“Homo-sapian?” Luli was confused, Sam ready to explain. 

“People, like us, upright evolved primates.” 

“Hairless monkeys,” Jack joked, Nicholas giggling into his hand. 

“We were here,” Adrienne continued, ignoring Jack much like Daniel ignored Vala, “at this waterway where we found Luli.” 

“Yes,” the woman raised her hand to interrupt, “our scanners indicated there was life on the surface so we came to see what it was.” 

“You didn’t think you’d be walking into a Wraith trap?” Daniel questioned quickly, the woman shaking her head. 

“No, that sounds a separate alarm,” she replied, Daniel noting Ronon sitting forward in his seat.

“You have a Wraith alarm?” he inquired, Luli nodding in reply. 

“Yes, their hearts beat at a faster rate and our scientists were able to create an alarm that differentiates between their heart rate and ours,” she explained, Daniel making a quick note on the tablet with his finger. So much for being primitive, he thought, that seemed like pretty advanced technology that he wanted his security team to get on right away. 

“Can we see it?” Ronon continued, Luli nodding in reply. 

“Of course.” 

“That being said,” Adrienne looked concerned, Daniel trying to read her face, what concerned her that they were more advanced than she originally thought or something else, but she carried on glancing over a Luli for support, “what we know at this point is that the Suban people have lived underground, hiding from the Wraith for at least fourteen generations, by my calculations seven hundred Earth years.”

There was where she trailed, at the number, Daniel having no idea what his wife was trying to imply as she stared right at him. 

“Luli?” Adrienne now asked, her eyes off of his somewhat, cutting and looking back, “would you mind telling us about your people.” 

“Certainly,” she said, gazing around the room, “but there is not much to tell. As Dr. Jackson has already stated my people moved underground what we have been taught is fourteen generations in the past. There were existing caverns that were used to hide villagers from the Wraith, and our forefathers used their knowledge of science to make it livable underground. We are not sequestered there, however, but we are able to go months without contact with the outside world.” 

“And your system of government?” he had to ask, figuring he would be dealing with much more than a petite woman with cat-like eyes. 

“We have a council of elders, similar to what was done with our ancestors, but the council is elected and rotates every five solar cycles. You must be at least forty cycles to serve on the council and have worked within the city for a minimum of twenty five.” 

Daniel cringed, not at her explanation, but at the idea that over forty for them was considered an elder. Yeah Ad, he thought before he could control himself, tell me I’m not old again. 

“It was the council that sent me to meet with you, once they saw that you were not Wraith,” Luli added, “they wanted to see who was walking on the surface without being fearful of dying.” 

“The Wraith had their asses handed to them,” Vala interjected, sitting back in her chair, “there aren’t many left.” 

“How?” 

Frowning, Daniel shot a glare at Vala, daring her to explain further. 

“There seems to have been a war in our absence, which caused a power vacuum,” he said, his eyes still on Vala, “they are still present in the galaxy but their forces are considerably diminished.” 

Daniel watched as the woman sat in her chair, quietly, considering his words, gazing down at her hands. She didn’t say a word, move a muscle and he was about to ask her to continue talking about their city when she finally looked up, right at him, tears streaming down her face. 

“We’re safe?” 

“Not entirely,” again he spoke first, John nodding his head in agreement, “but as I said, their forces have been significantly diminished.” 

She was silent again, taking in what had been said, that the creatures that had tormented her people for seven hundred years were all but gone if these strange people were right. He empathized, remembering having this same conversation about the Goa’uld over and over again with a similar reaction. 

“We would like you to come to our city,” she was talking again, her eyes darting around the room, “please come and meet our elders.” 

Which was exactly what he had in mind, the team to go forming in his head already, Adrienne, John, Ronon and Vala, the four toughest staff members he had, just in case there were a double cross. 

“I agree,” he said as he stood, cutting the briefing short to plan with John, “in fact, I’d like Colonel Sheppard to begin to assemble what is needed to make that visit. Luli, you are welcome to stay for the night or you may head back to inform your council that we welcome them to the city and would be honored to be allowed to visit.” 

“I’d like to return, give my people this wonderful news.” 

“Of course, we understand,” Daniel replied, “John would you mind escorting her back to the gate and to her city? You and Ronon?” 

“No problem.” John answered as he stood, Ronon following. The trio started across the room when Luli suddenly stopped, turning to face them again. 

“You all have brought me the best news of our city’s history. Thank you,” tears in her eyes again, she let John lead her back to the gate. 

“I think that’s it for now,” Daniel announced as the door slid shut behind him, Rodney slamming his tablet onto the table. 

“I was interrupted for that?” 

“No,” Daniel started right in, his second problem of the day needing dealing with, “you were brought down because YOUR MALP scan said there were no life forms.” 

“YOUR wife did the scan.” 

“With YOUR machine,” Daniel shot back. 

“I thought she was a computer genius,” he sneered, Daniel breathing in deeply. 

Don’t kill him...

“And she’s already doing too much shit as it is,” Vala said for him, “you’re lucky Daniel hasn’t come down to your lab and kicked your ass fifteen ways to Friday.” 

Ok, wrong slang Vala, but good enough. 

“I’m terribly sorry that Dr. Jackson is feeling a bit stressed, maybe she should spend less time playing with her Star Trek toy...” 

“Maybe I should spend MORE time checking behind you Dr. McKay since you seems to be slipping,” Adrienne finally spoke, the Cajun glare boring right through him. Daniel let him squirm for a moment; that was a look you never wanted from Adrienne, ever. 

“Rodney,” Daniel remained as calm as possible, but Adrienne glare seemed to do the trick, “the gate bridge is your project and we need the MALPs to scan for everything if we are to find gates that we can use. I need all of the MALPs inspected for the flaw immediately.” 

Grumbling about morons and power trips, Rodney stood from his seat, pushing past Vala and Teyla to storm out of the room. 

“I thought I was supposed to throw the tantrums,” Nicholas finally spoke, Jack laughing. 

“Nope munchkin, that area is a close tie between McKay and your dad.” 

Daniel shot Jack a look, scanning the rest of his staff. 

“That’s all I guess. Ad, I need a report as soon as possible, Teyla if you can assist with that, I would appreciate it. Sam, can you make sure that Rodney is doing what I asked, just, well, do it like you do that makes him not explode because I don’t want to hear it and Nicholas, could you and Jack do me a favor and straighten up the auxiliary lab next to your mother’s?” 

“Sure Dad,” the boy answered, albeit puzzled, “why?”

“Just getting crazy in there and I need to meet with John about the Suban.” 

“Yes sir!” and the boy was off, Jack lagging behind. 

“Nanny is one thing, maid, Danny boy is quite another,” he said with a frown, Daniel shrugging. 

“Just trying to keep him busy.” 

“I’m like an elephant Daniel,” Jack yelled behind as he followed the boy out, “I never forget and I don’t do toilets.” 

“Thank you Jack!!” Daniel shouted sarcastically as the rest of the senior staff filed out of the room. 

“Sha?” he heard Adrienne whisper, the sound of the door closing following the lone word, not all of his staff leaving apparently. He turned from the massive list of information sitting in front of him, on the tablet, to see his wife leaning against the door, beaming. 

“What’s that look for?” he asked as read the mess, wanting a distraction of her at the very moment even though they really didn’t have the time. 

She’d looked gorgeous coming back from that mission...

Not saying a word, she continued to smile as she pulled out a chair, indicating he take as seat beside where she was taking one herself. 

“Just need to talk Indy, about the baby,” she said as she reached out for his hand sweetly. 

“What about the baby?” he kept his replies cryptic and unemotional only because he was trying his level best to not panic, but she was smiling, Daniel thoroughly confused. 

“Ok, don’t freak out,” never good to start a conversation with those words Ad, “but he or she is growing, faster than normal...” 

“Wait? What? What’s wrong?!” And there was the panic, Daniel’s heart racing in his chest. 

“Nothing, Carson is running some blood and wants to run a second set of tests tomorrow, but it just seems to be a result of our lovely little DNA cocktail, maybe even has something to do with Teyla being thrown in the mix.” 

“So there’s no health risk? To the baby or Teyla?” he now asked, concerned for Teyla nearly as much as he was his second child. 

“Not that Carson has said, but he’s gonna monitor the situation carefully.” 

“How fast is fast?” was his next question and Adrienne was beaming with excitement again, her hands talking before she was. 

“Right now she is, size wise, anywhere between sixteen and eighteen weeks...”

“Sixteen to eighteen weeks!? Ad, that is nearly twice as fast as normal?? How is that safe??” 

“Look Daniel,” she was calm, she was the only thing keeping him calm, gazing deep into his eyes, “Carson is taking care of this. He’s the best and if we get the gatebridge working, Carolyn is only a call away, a stone away if needed, but that’s not the only thing I need to tell you...” 

“Ok...” 

“Daniel, we can find out the sex of the baby, tomorrow when Carson runs a full scan and ultrasound. Actually, according to Teyla, he knows but didn’t want to say anything until we decided if we wanted to know,” she explained, reaching her other hand to clasp his free one, running her thumbs on his knuckles, “I wanna know. I had thought we’d let this one be a surprise, but I wanna know, I mean it has to be a joint decision, but Indy, can we ” 

He chuckled; of course he would want to know, why would she think he didn’t. 

“What if I don’t wanna know?”

“I said please...”

“And out of this I am getting...”

“My eternal love and devotion,” she started, biting her lower lip coyly, “and I’ll cook Cajun.

“What time’s the appointment?” he asked with a smile, Adrienne leaping into his arms. 

“It’s real Daniel,” she whispered in his ear, kissing his cheek softly, “the baby, our life, it just keeps getting better.” 

“It does,” he muttered as he hugged her tightly, trying to get in as much as he could before he had to keep working, “it really does. Now, I was thinking a nice gumbo...” 

“You be lucky dere’s not a pilla in here cooyon,” she joked as she kissed his nose.

*****

He’d had to take it, but he’d anticipated that. His Wraith had assisted in the culling and the attachment of the culled to the ship, which was feeding as it needed. One of the engineers reported that they would be able to fly in approximately ten hours, which was just fine to Aiden Ford who needed time himself to plan. 

Dr. Jackson was intelligent, he gleaned that much from his short visit with his people and his reputation was known all over Atlantis before he left. That and the man had a weakness. 

His family. 

Kanaan had spoken of the man’s family, a wife, a boy and a child that his own wife was carrying. It seemed that he had, single handedly defeated a fierce enemy back in the Milky Way just to save his wife and child. 

That meant that was where he needed to strike. 

Locking the door to the main room. Aiden Ford lit the small corner lamp to examine the layout of the city. 

*****

“Are you asleep?” Adrienne whispered as she picked her head off of his chest, peeking up to see for herself if he was. 

“Nope, are you?” he answered quickly, chuckling, running his fingers down her back lightly.  

“I asked you cooyon, ah course I’m nah. I can’t,” she said but cuddled closer rather than pull away.

“Me neither.” 

“What I don’t get is, growth or not, how is it that we can find out sooner? I know that even at twenty weeks on Earth there is no guarantee that the doctor will be correct, there’ve been studies,” and she was up, of course, dark Cajun eyes locked on his. 

“Firstly, I think you need to stop looking up studies, would you like me to bring up anything about our early days with Nicholas? I’m thinking it has to do with how the scanning systems work, it’s more of an exact science than ultrasound technology, analyzes DNA and other factors,” his mouth answered while his eyes looked at the clock.  It was one in the morning, of course his wife would have concerns about something she had read in a medical journal at one in the morning...

“I’m excited to know,” and she was back down again, thankfully, cuddling into his arms. 

“Me too...” and back to rubbing too. 

“What do you want?” she asked now, more questions and no intention of sleeping.  

“A healthy baby,” he replied, kissing Adrienne’s forehead softly.  

“Liar.” 

“Ok, don’t believe me... What do YOU want?” Let her answer, he thought, with all of that analysis she’s gone through on this...

“Ten fingers and toes.”

Or maybe there hadn’t been any over analysis this time...

“See, so we’re either both liars OR we both don’t care.” 

“Honestly, it would be cool either way. Nicholas was the greatest surprise of my life...” she added, Daniel pushing her aside playfully. 

“Hey...”

“Nicholas was a surprise sha,” she murmured as she ran her lips across his face, resting lightly at his own, “you were meant to be...”

“Nice save...” he brought their lips together, parting her mouth with his and beginning to explore it slowly. 

“Stop,” she shoved him back, giggling, “I was trying to analyze what we’re having...”

How did I think for a second that there wasn’t going to be over analysis??

I can handle this...

He moved his lips from hers, letting them brush her cheek, kissing along her jawline, down her neck...

“Keep talking, I’m listening,” he said only with a quick pause, resuming his activity. 

“If we have a boy then Nicholas can,” she paused herself, gasping in quickly, “bond with a brother...” 

And the spot...

“And if it’s a girl,” he stopped kissing there and went straight down to her collar bone, his right hand pushing up her shirt. 

“If it’s a girl we have one of each,” she grumbled as his hand reached her breast, squeezing gently, “dammit Indy what’s gotten in ya...” he removed his hand only reach for her pants, peering up with a grin as he did. 

“When you came back today...”

“What hot, sweaty, disgusting and with surprise aliens?” 

“Yes,” he smiled as he pulled them down to her knees, a mischievous grin in his eye. 

“THAT has you turned on?” her voice was trembling but confused as well as he pulled her pants off of her ankles. 

“Not sure what it was about it,” he continued, kissing down her stomach, slowly, gently, going ever so lower and lower, “but I can’t stop thinking about it...”

“I’ve showered,” she joked, the very hot and sweaty team clothes in question being washed at this very moment. 

“I can tell,” and he was moving across her pelvis to her thigh, his kisses light and sweet sending shivers up her spine. 

“We were having a nice conversation...”

“You can keep talking, I’m busy,” he muttered, laughing, slipping his tongue in between her legs, licking ever so gently. Adjusting himself, he parted her lips, swirling his tongue around the hardness he found there. 

“I forgot what we were talking about,” Adrienne relented as she closed her eyes, allowing the pleasure to coarse through her body when he suddenly halted the soft caresses of his tongue. 

“The sex of the baby, we find out tomorrow,” he answered smartly as Adrienne’s head popped back up. 

“Why’d you stop?” she whined, Daniel laughing as he let his fingers tease where his mouth was only moments earlier. 

“I thought you were concerned with the conversation...” 

“I hate you,” she spat, frowning, her husband laughing and pulling his hand away.

“No you don’t,” and he parted her again, reaching to pull her hips closer, letting his tongue glide sensually from her entrance to her front and back again. 

“No, you’re right,” she stammered out, relaxing back, “I don’t...”

And she didn’t, of course, if there was anything that Daniel was certain of was that whenever Adrienne said she hated him she was just admitting that he was right. She groaned out, Daniel intensifying his actions, feeling wetness pour out of her as he licked and sucked...

“Can I have you, please?” she whined as she started to buck lightly, Daniel unable to resist the tease. 

“Is someone else doing this and I missed it?” 

Her head popped up again. 

“Dammit Indy, you know what I mean...” 

He did, he just wanted to torture her, licking slowly once more before rushing to pull down his boxers, slamming strongly inside of her. She gasped out, reaching behind her head to brace herself, moaning in pleasure. 

“Is this what you meant?” he asked as they started to get into a rhythm. 

“Umm hmmm,” she mumbled, rocking into his thrusts as he moved so slowly in and out of her body. 

“Harder,” she changed her tune very quickly, forgetting, Daniel noted, those ‘studies’ she was referring to before. 

“No,” he countered quickly, “you didn’t want to...” and he continued to move so slowly and deliberately, watching her face.

“Fine,” she giggled, relaxing, “I’m just gonna lay there then. Like a limp noodle.” 

Damn Adrienne, always knows how to get what she damn wants. Frowning down at her, he pushed harder as she requested, her hands back behind her head to brace herself from his motion. 

“Oh dear GOD!”

“That want you want?” 

“YES!”

Good, he thought, staring over at the clock, and I’m not even tired...

*****

Adrienne rolled over in bed, wondering what time it was since neither the alarm nor her husband had awakened her when she caught the sun streaming into their room from the balcony. 

“Indy!” she shouted out, no answer from the kitchenette area. 

“Nicholas!” she tried, nothing in that regard either. 

“What in da ‘ell?” she swore, sitting up from the bed when she noticed a note on her nightstand, familiar handwriting scratched across it. 

I let you sleep in, you needed it. 

Don’t be mad, because once you’re up I need you in my office ASAP.

-D 

Oh, and I hope you’re waking up before noon, because we find out what we are having  a one thirty. 

Love you. 

He was right, she did need it. Not only had he kept her up, for a while, a long pleasurable while, but the moment he cuddled beside her, beating her to sleep she was back to worrying. 

About the baby. 

About Aiden Ford. 

And about the Suban. 

Not that she felt anything to be worried about from the nice woman, she even felt bad for embarrassing her over her comment about Daniel, but it was the name itself that worried her. 

Suban. 

Latinish, or Ancient rather, for underground. 

But the Ancients had left the Pegasus over nine thousand years ago. The Suban had been underground for only seven hundred years and did NOT speak anything that remotely sounded like Ancient. 

Then, where did the name come from?

The Ancients were long gone by the time the Suban people had taken to caves. 

Adrienne had asked what language it was, and Luli did not know, saying only that their ancestors had named the tribe and that was all. She hoped that she would be able to glean more information once they returned to the planet, but it still wasn’t sitting right with her at the moment. Maybe that was what Daniel had noticed as well, maybe he was on the same wavelength. 

Biting her lip, Adrienne stood from the bed, hearing the sound of fabric hitting the cool floor. She looked down, Daniel’s boxer’s being the culprit, making her smile. 

“Damn cooyon,” she muttered, heading for the shower. 

*****

It was nearly noon when Adrienne was knocking at his door, Daniel half tempted to make a joke about Cajun time but he didn’t. He would never tire of looking at her, watching her glide across a room like she did, knowing that she was his and his alone. 

He’d just never thought he’d end up with someone like her. 

“Morning Indy,” she said with a flush of her cheeks, her head cocking slightly at the clock. 

“It’s 2015, you missed morning,”” he finally joked, his wife rolling her eyes as she took the seat across from his own. 

“What did I do?” she started in right away as he let the frown spread across his face. 

“What didn’t you do?” he replied. 

“Look, if you don’t like the Star Trek thing, fine, I’ll change it to something else, just let me finish configuring with - “ 

“Stop.”

“Stop what?”

“Talking, I need you to listen, not as my wife but as one of my department heads,” he began slowly, Adrienne already beginning to grumble. 

“I don’t like where this is going...” 

“Ad, why were you hired?” he asked, watching her shift uncomfortably in her seat. 

“According to Oma, it was your destiny,” she tried, seeing where this was going right away. 

“Cute, let’s try this again,” he said, “Sam hired you because...”

“You fell asleep on keyboards, which I have not done yet, not once!” she argued, Daniel shaking his head. 

“Alright, back to husband mode,” he tried, taking a breath, “how many times have you passed out on the couch and I’ve had to carry you to bed?”

“I don’t know...” she whispered. 

“Three in the past two weeks ja-wer, three,” he had been counting, and her speaking to John about it on the mission only confirmed what he was already thinking, “you’re back to killing yourself.” 

“Shouldn’t have opened my stupid big mouth to stupid John,” and she was back to grumbling, Daniel shaking his head. 

“You need help, you’re right,” he offered, Adrienne’s hands shooting up in protest. 

“I have a staff, a very tired overworked staff that is still sorting through and trying to relocate the civilizations that the last expedition encountered.” 

“No Ad,” he said calmly, knowing that she was gonna have the same reaction that he did to her hire so many years ago, “you need an assistant.” 

“No.” 

Yep, exactly the same reaction. 

“You DO realize if Sam had listened to me that WE would not exist. There would be no ‘Jacksons’ just ME alone, and miserable,” he had prepared his argument carefully. 

“Yep, but I’m not in the market for a mate. I’ve got one of those. Unless of course I kill him, which right now I am pretty damn close to doing,” and it appeared she had as well. 

“Ja-wer, I’m worried...”

“No, there is no one Daniel. I can’t have Jonas, who I REALLY want because who would that leave the SGC?” she admitted, her husband peeking at his own list of options. 

“What about Vala?” 

“Would you let Vala in your lab?”

“I used to...”

“Did you have a choice?” 

“Point taken,” Daniel replied, scanning the list, “what about bringing Ann Mardsen over?” 

“She would never come, it’s essentially a demotion,” she countered, having a point on that as well. 

“A cadet?” 

“Did YOU take a cadet?” she hissed. 

“I’ll take that as a no...” 

The couple dropped to silence, Daniel suddenly seeing Sam’s side in his original situation. He was about to suggest getting a communication stone, heading over to talk to Cam, he wanted to thank him for a few things that he had sent on the last run when Adrienne looked up at him smiling. 

“Teyla,” she said, her face excited like she got when she wanted to explain, “she’s perfect! She wants education, an Earth education and at the rate the baby is growing she’s gonna be base bound shortly. She’s intelligent, cunning, a hard worker and, well, she’s Teyla. Let me teach her, I have credentials, I miss teaching and if we ever had to go back to Earth she would have REAL credentials herself to match whatever fake ID they’d give her.” 

It was actually a great idea. Initially, Daniel, Carson and Teyla had decided that Teyla could feasibly continue as a team member through the second and well into the third trimester but that was when growth was normal. With the irregular and strange growth that Teyla was now experiencing it would be best to sideline her from off world missions both for her sake and the baby’s. That and given everything, he knew she’d agree. 

“I’ll talk to her,” Adrienne volunteered before Daniel could suggest the same, “I’ll explain it to her but I know she’ll say yes. She’s about like me when it comes to sitting still.” Daniel smiled at the statement knowing it to be true. 

“Now, we can do this ja-wer, provided you actually cut back your hours. Boss hat, I don’t need MALP mistakes like yesterday, which is why Rodney and I are having this conversation right after you leave because that is exactly what he did. Husband hat, I don’t like finding you passed out all over our quarters and Nicholas likes to see his Mom once in a while,” he scolded gently Adrienne nodding her head. 

“Indy?” 

“Yea,” he said as he stood to kiss her goodbye, two more meetings left before their appointment. 

“I have a bad feeling about the Suban...” 

And he sat again, noting that she herself hadn’t stood. 

“Why you didn’t tell me yesterday?” or in bed last night he started to ask until he realized that she was venting in bed last night, probably about more than just the sex of their child when he decided that he wanted too... “Nevermind, what’s wrong?”

“Their name,” she said shaking her head, “it’s like a form of Ancient. Roughly it means...” 

“Under, you said that when they arrived, I caught it too,” he said, Adrienne shaking her head. 

“Right, which you would assume they were settled by the Ancients, but no, Luli knew no other Ancient or near Ancient words. We still need to go to the city, but other than the name, it seemed that there was no other Ancient influence,” she continued but her husband frowned. 

“Adrienne, there are a lot of civilizations that never encountered the Ancients. They left this galaxy nearly ten thousand years ago,” he argued, but he could tell by the look on her face she was unconvinced. 

“But the name? Indy, that’s like a village being named something named, I dunno, something Macedonian somewhere in India centuries after the death of Alexander.” 

Leave it to Adrienne to find a Daniel-like argument that would essentially give her more work. Sometimes he wondered if fate was punishing him by marrying someone as workaholic and stubborn as he was. 

No, he thought trying not to chuckle, I told ten year old Addy to behave like this, this is really all my fault. 

“Just keep it in mind,” he replied, “when Luli gets back and the team heads over, don’t tell anyone else what you’re thinking but make a few notes. Most likely it is just a word that’s been passed on from the time of the Ancients, but let’s stay on this,” he said as he stood again, determined to give her one quick kiss before she had to go when he noticed a jar sitting at the side of his desk. 

“Whatcha lookin’ at?” she asked, slipping her hands to his waist and following his eyes. 

“Your boyfriend,” he said, pulling away and reaching for the floor, “he sent you a gift.” 

Shaking his head, he clasped the jar, passing the strong liquid to his wife. 

“Peach moonshine,” Daniel said with a smile, Adrienne’s face filled with delight. 

“Oh my gawd Cameron Mitchell you bon neg!!” she shouted as she snatched the jar from Daniel’s hand, opening it and taking a swig. 

“Ad, it’s the middle of the day!!!” 

“It’s shine, there always be an exception for shine,” she said as she swallowed, breathing out with sheer delight. 

“Ya promised me to make me some of ya own,” she said, spinning on her heels and shaking the jar over her head, “and yet ya ‘aven’t ahn Cam ‘as supplied. Betta step up ya game Indee.” 

“One thirty Ad!!” he shouted behind her frowning, “don’t be late!!” 

*****

Halling sat at the table waiting for Aiden Ford so he could voice his concerns. 

He was fairly certain that the youngest of the Athosian survivors were on the enzyme, not only had their fighting skills improved but they had taken to more animal-like behaviors. They wanted the glory, they wanted to rule, they wanted all things not Athosian but Wraith. 

The screams as well, the screams that he had tried so hard to ignore, had diminished and Halling knew this was because those poor souls had been fed to the ship. He’d believed Ford’s story that they were evil men, prisoners of war, but he was starting to think differently. 

To make matters worse, his concerns were only compounded when those very young people were taken by Ford and his lackeys to the surface of the Genaii home world to meet with their leaders in order to reschedule the negotiations with Atlantis and Dr. Jackson. Halling, however, knew that was not what was going to happen. He knew, deep inside his soul, that there were going to be no negotiations, there was not going to be anything that one could remotely akin to peace. 

There was gonna be war and the Athosians were not going to be a part of it. 

Kanaan had led them through all of this and he was gone, left to flee to what Halling was certain was Atlantis. He knew his old friend hadn’t abandoned them, instead had chosen the side that would end this madness. 

The door clicked, the old Athosian man glancing up from his seat to see Aiden Ford stroll arrogantly into the room. 

His request would be simple; he would thank Ford for what he had done, how he had beaten the Wraith into submission and request that his people be left on a world suitable to their needs. 

Taking a breath, he drew his chocolate brown eyes to gaze at the black eyed man entering the room, knowing now he could only hope for the best.  

*****

“Are you all ready?” Carson asked as Daniel’s heart raced in his chest. He was prepared, prepared for either but he was terrified as well. If it was a boy, would he be in constant competition with Nicholas, Nicholas who he had not allowed to come, leaving him with Jack. Why he didn’t know, they were gonna tell the boy right away, but he just felt that this needed to be between he, Adrienne and Teyla. On the other hand if it was a girl would Daniel become one of those fathers that went ballistic when anyone ever looked in their direction. 

“Sha?” Adrienne’s palm was at his bicep, rubbing lightly, “Earth to Daniel.” 

“We are ready to discover the sex of the child,” Teyla added, reaching out her hand as well. 

“Right, right,” he said, shaking his head, boy, girl, boy, girl, boy, girl, “I’m ready.” 

Daniel stuffed his hands into his pockets, fiddling with the contents, so nervous that had he eaten before he came he might have been ill right here on the infirmary floor. 

At least it would have been the place to be ill. 

“It’s a...” 

Time slowed, Daniel reliving this all over again, when he had discovered that Adrienne was pregnant with his child, when they found out what they were having, the first time he held Nicholas in his arms, the day they took him home...

“...girl.” 

A girl. 

He was going to be a father again, to a daughter, a beautiful daughter that he knew would be as breathtaking as her mother who was beaming. 

“A girl!” Adrienne was now in tears, reaching for Teyla who seemed equally emotional, the women hugging in excitement. 

“Torrin and Nicholas will be so pleased as will Saurza!” she declared Adrienne nodding her head excitedly, pulling back from Teyla, tapping her ear, calling for Vala to answer. 

A girl.

A princess, his princess. 

Oh shit, speaking of...

“Ad, here,” he said, taking two slips out of his pocket, scanning the two pieces of paper before handing one over to his wife, pointing at it for her to read. 

“Daniel what is this?” 

“Save us some arguing, over names and whatnot,” he replied, watching her eyes scan the paper, “it’s a list of things we will not name my daughter.” 

If anything he really did deserve the glare being shot in his direction, one so menacing that were it not coming from the love of his life he would have been shaking in his boots. 

Instead, he laughed, even harder as she flashed the piece of paper at him, pointing to the name at the top, which was bolded, highlighted, circled and underlined. 

 “Was that really necessary?” she asked, rolling her eyes, “I agree with Pam; Sookie IS an incredibly stupid name,” she spat, reading down the list a touch further, “oh good.”

“Good what?” he questioned, worried by her sudden change in expression. 

“You left off Padme, so that’s a go,” she said with a smile, stuffing the note into her pocket. 

“Who’s that?” Daniel frowned, looking to Carson who was also shrugging. 

“Luke and Leia’s mom,” she answered, rolling her eyes, “I knew you slept through the prequels.” 

“I can’t win, can I?” Daniel sighed out, shaking his head. 

“Stop ya worryin’ Indy, I already had a name, well, a girl’s name anyway,” Adrienne said, smiling, walking back over to the picture of their child on the screen, her hand at Teyla’s shoulder.  

“Really?” he hadn’t expected that, unless of course she had something worse than Sookie up her sleeve, “What?” 

“Helena,” she said with a soft smile on her face, “Helena Sha’re Jackson.” 

It wasn’t the Helena, of course Adrienne would try to slip in something Greek into a child of theirs and that was a name that he didn’t mind in the least, but it was the Sha’re. 

“Ad,” he started, choking up, reaching out his hand to take her into his arms despite that they were not alone, Teyla still on the table, Carson standing there watching, the infirmary buzzing, “I don’t understand.” 

“I’ve learned a lot since I met you, since you came into my life,” she explained as she reached her hand to his cheek, pulling him close, “some things are meant to be, but some things are just steps along way, important steps, life defining steps. Without her, we would have none of this and I wouldn’t have you. I owe her my life.” 

He didn’t know what to say, so many thoughts racing through his head, emotions, new and old, unaware of the tear streaming down his cheek until she was wiping it away. 

“No name war?” she whispered. 

“No name war,” he agreed, leaning in to kiss her softly, oblivious to anything else in the room.

*****

“Then, if Rodney can assure us that the MALP’s have been repaired,” Daniel said from the head of the table, the scientist already at his feet. 

“They were working correctly in the first place if Adrienne could follow simple instructions!” 

“Simple my tchew,” she spat at she stood, leering over the table at him, “ if ya donna ya damn job!!” 

“MY job? Dr. Jackson I’m doing to damn job of three people,” he shot back, Jack watching Daniel’s young Cajun wife nearly climbing the table after him. 

He was so glad that Teyla had taken Nicholas for a while to play with Torrin, he wouldn’t want to miss this for the world.

“Watch it Rodney, she’ll slug ya, I’ve seen her do it,” Jack joked, Daniel clearing his throat. 

“Ad, Rodney, please,” oh how Jack loved it when Daniel squirmed, walking that fine line between being her boss and being her spouse. 

That’s what ya get Danny boy for sleeping with the subordinates.

“He betta not be going Daniel Antony I kid ya nah!” Adrienne directed her anger now at Daniel, full blown Cajun racing past her angrily pursed lips. 

“Ad, the team is you, John, Ronon and Vala, Rodney will be operating the MALPs from the city - “ 

“The hell I will!!” the scientist interrupted Daniel, who was now glaring at him himself, “I’ve got more important things to do to repair the gatebridge. Dr. JACKSON is the head of anthropology, let HER assistant operate the MALP!”

“Teyla donna know ‘ow ta use da MALP!”

Teyla, Dr. Perky’s assistant? Wow, a lot more had happened today other than the ragin’ Cajun letting her offspring be named after Daniel’s first wife. 

Kick ass Athosian alien turned baby oven turned nerd assistant. 

He and Sam really were the only sane people on this entire base. 

“Then that might not have been the best CHOICE then Dr. Jackson was it?!” 

“Imma gonna bust ya arrogant face!!” 

“STOP IT!” Daniel finally shouted, Adrienne fuming. Jack also knew that since Rodney had been so dismissive to Nicky while he was working on his learning blocks project, that now was just the perfect opportunity for Adrienne to take him down a few notches. 

So very calculated that one could be at times; he really did like her. 

“Rodney, YOU will monitor the MALP will Dr. Bosse continues work with the gate bridge. Since this is an anthropology matter, Adrienne will be leading the team off world while Teyla will maintain the lab,” Daniel commanded, Jack smiling smugly. 

Good call, he thought, and now argument number two. 

“Then I request Sam, immediately. I need her assistance if you ever want to see Earth again in a reasonable amount of time,” McKay was ready with what Jack and apparently  Daniel had already expected. 

“Sam is working on the DATA project, Rodney, you will have to make due and prioritize. MALPs have to be working in order for us to find gates anyway. That is your priority number one,” Daniel was calm even though Adrienne still wasn’t. The rest of the room, Jack’s own wife included, shifted uncomfortable at the entire affair as Rodney sat down, grumbling about being overworked. Jack knew that was bull, Daniel had stopped by earlier today to discuss the Rodney situation with him and the man wasn’t overworked. He was a spoiled brat and a control freak that didn’t want to give up pet projects to do his job. 

“As I was saying,” Daniel carried on, trying to calm the room, “you leave tomorrow at 0900...”

Jack tuned him out, leaning over to whisper to Adrienne. 

“I was hoping you’d clock him.” 

“I was sorely tempted,” she smiled, shaking her head, “sorely tempted.” 

“You just gotta wait for the right moment,” Jack added as Daniel wrapped up the briefing, “make it look like an accident.” 

Adrienne giggled, standing, starting to file out of the room when Daniel stopped her, grabbing her arm and looking for Jack to stay behind as well, Sam pausing at the door. 

“You ok going? I talked to Jack and Sam earlier, either have volunteered to go,” Daniel whispered, Jack nodding as was Sam. Daniel had, right after jumping up and down about having a daughter and before he had ranted about Rodney.                                                                                                                                            

“Yeah, like I said, it’s the name that bothers me, not them,” Adrienne replied confidently, “besides I need to make sure that Luli isn’t gonna try to come back here and steal my man.” 

Daniel frowned, as did Jack, but Adrienne winked, reaching to, of all things, pinch Daniel’s butt. 

“She thinks you’re hot,” Adrienne explained, pushing past laughing to leave the room, “I told her she didn’t ‘ave to live wit ya, then she’d change ‘er mind.” 

Jack burst into laughter as Daniel rolled his eyes. 

“I love her,” he said, watching both Dr. Perky and Sam walk out into the main corridor, “she keeps you on your toes.” 

“Uh huh,” Daniel grumbled, Jack laughing all the way down the hall to return to Nicholas. 

He was thinking of kidnapping the boy for dinner, teach him how to barbecue properly. 

*****

“Sir,” Ford didn’t even look up as heard the man enter the room, too busy studying the city plans, “about half of the Athosians have stolen the other jumper and have left the hive. Shall we set a course for pursuit.”

“Not necessary,” he answered, making a mark on the paper, “they’re headed right where I need them to go.” 

“Yes sir, and where are we headed?” 

Aiden Ford looked up, blinking his black eyes. 

“Atlantica. Full thrusters to Atlantica,” he answered smugly, standing from his chair, “and bring me Jinto.”