Just a Day in the Life

“So, Rodney says we’re gonna need five gates,” Daniel concluded, pushing up glasses that weren’t there, grimacing in frustration of not being able to complete the habit, “John suggested sending out the recon teams to planets, figure out not only the damage Ford has left in his wake but where we can get gates from without causing disruption. I have him and Sam already going through old files of allies, start there and work out way out.” 

Young’s head nodded in agreement, Cam in deep thought he could tell. 

“I’ll have Jonas prepare to start heading off world again, we can be searching on this end, I’ If you think of any places in particular you can tell Cavill, the next supply run should be arriving in about three days,” the general replied, Daniel nodding in relief. 

He was out of Twinkies, which was bad. 

He was also weighing in five pounds heavier, which his wife may kill him for, already nagging him that a heart attack was sudden and no healing ability in the world could stop it in advance.

Maybe it wasn’t good that the supply ship was coming...

“Then the last thing we need is to discuss refugees,” Daniel continued, moving his thoughts back to the mental checklist since until said bridge was built it was hop into a body and hope to relay what he could on the Destiny. Today’s hopee was Eli Wallace, a treat he was sure would delight Adrienne, who had started to refer to ‘Data’ as ‘Q’, which made NO sense to him but cracked Jack up. She’d been complaining for a while that she wanted Eli to be able to weigh in on the problem so he hoped she was able to utilize the little time she had. 

“You gettin’ them already? I thought Ford tore the Wraith up,” Cam asked, Daniel shaking his head. 

“They’re from Ford, his ship, just one for now. Todd didn’t come back to the base alone, he brought a child,” Daniel explained, Young/Cam’s eyes widening. 

“A kid?” 

“Yeah, he was compelled or something to save her, but regardless, Ronon and Vala want to adopt her,” Daniel explained, figuring he might as well get to the point. 

“Both of them?” 

“Yeah,” Daniel trailed for a moment, trying not to chuckle, “they marched in my office yesterday and requested Jack marry them. On the spot.” 

“No shit!” 

Daniel just nodded. 

“Vala Dex?” the general clarified.

“I don’t think either of them have thought that far ahead, but I guess technically,” Daniel agreed, adding, “Not any weirder than Adrienne Jackson though.” Cam just shrugged. 

“I’ll get with Telford, start talking about it, but I think we should move very slowly just in case. You guys saw Cassie’s family die, but we don’t know who could come out of the woodwork in the Pegasus,” the general responded. Daniel agreed, the marriage was easy enough to take care of and he knew that Vala had spoken to the child who seemed to be analyzing the situation quite logically, asking that she be allowed time to get to know the couple. Daniel agreed, assigning the trio temporary quarters, a bit larger with a room for Saurza, to see if this living arrangement was gonna work out as Vala hoped. 

“Sounds good,” he replied, sitting back in the chair his mental list finished, “that’s it for now. Anything new back home?” 

The general shook his head. 

“Nothing too exciting. You guys are the extent of our excitement other than the Aetlans helping the Langarans get back on their feet. And Jonas is doing a good as team leader, he’s learned to balance everything pretty well.” 

“Good to hear, well, I need to get back to make sure that Vala isn’t trying to con Ronon into some glorious honeymoon; I need my chief of security around,” Daniel said as he stood, wanting to check on Chloe before he left. 

“Vala Dex, I still can’t get over that. Oh well, least it’s not Adrienne Mitchell, that’d sent you over the edge,” Cam replied, straight faced before that very face was blinking in confusion, “Dr. Jackson?” 

“Hello Colonel Young,” Daniel tried not to growl and roll his eyes at Cameron’s last little jab. 

Asshole. 

He hated how much Cam and Adrienne liked to do that...

“Rush wanted to meet with you before you headed back if you have time before the switch,” he added, Daniel nodding as he followed the man through the dank corridors, wondering what else was going on.

*****

Nicholas’ face was shoved so close to the block that Jack wasn’t exactly sure how the boy was able to read anything, but he must have been able to, his small left hand signaling him over. It wasn’t that small anymore, Nicholas was getting pretty tall pretty fast, and Jack just hoped that Carolyn’s original assumptions about the boy had been correct, that this wasn’t like some strange reverse Orlin. 

“You got it in place?” he asked, peering over the small shoulder as the child nodded. 

“Yeah, do you see where I have my finger? Where the blue wire meets the green? Can you weld right there?” 

Jack squinted, seeing where he was talking about, leaning the utensil in while Nicky moved his hand away slowly so as to not disturb the wire placement. With his finger he fired up the small wand, the end heating to a hot red. 

“Scoot,” he ordered, reaching the tool to the spot, meeting the tip with the welding wire. There was a pop and hiss, the metal taking shape in front of there eyes, Jack stepping back when it looked secure. 

“Will that do it?” he asked, Nicholas nodding. 

“Yeah, there’s one more before we I can try it, but it should work,” the boy agreed, frowning. 

“Then why are you frowning?” Jack asked as he leaned into his face. 

“I’m wondering if I shouldn’t have separated the languages,” he answered, still frowning, “if that could be potentially offensive to any children that may find a use for the blocks.” 

“Speak munchkin please, not Daniel,” Jack requested, Nicky looking back up at him. 

“We’ve made two sets, one for languages based in the Pegasus and another for languages based in the Milky Way,” he explained as he pointed to two sets of blocks, “but if we were to encounter a civilization that has had interaction with the Vanirs, they may take offense that I’ve included Asgard as a language of the Milky Way.” 

Jack just shook his head. 

Daniel junior, the second explanation wasn’t any simpler than the first, not that Jack didn’t know what was being said but he was just trying to get the kid to talk like a kid. He should have known better. 

“I think that anyone would be impressed something like this exists anyway,” Jack responded, reminding himself that this was being a kid for Nicholas Jackson,  “regardless of how it might be categorized.” 

Nicholas smiled. Jack really loved him; he was a great little boy. 

“Ok, after we weld the second wire this should be finished!” he happily declared, standing to race back over to the desk. With Daniel forced back into his own office he had given his son the space he claimed next door to Adrienne’s lab, space the child was happily using. It meant not having to hang out in the O’Neill’s quarters all day and gave him something to do as well. 

Win, win in his opinion, they just needed a TV In here and they were all set. 

“Uncle Jack?” 

“Yo!” 

“Do you think Dad will let me present this, formally, like in a briefing?” 

And then sometimes the kid broke his heart. Poor little guy trapped between being a child and adult with, of all people, damn Daniel Jackson as his father. That was something hard enough to feel you needed to live up to and Dr. Perky hadn’t done to poorly for herself either, in fact, she probably would have been in upper leadership here as well even if Daniel hadn't knocked her up. 

Smiling, and trying to do so in the least condescending manner as possible, Jack took a chair beside where the boy was working, leaning to look him in the eye. 

“You know what, yeah. I think he will. And if not, I’ll knock some sense into him. I’ve gotten lots of practice with that over the years.” 

“Thanks Uncle Jack,” Nicky whispered, his attention already back at the toy. 

*****

Eli shook Daniel’s head, making Adrienne giggle as the mannerisms were so different even though it was her husband’s body. 

“I keep wanting to call ya Indy,” she couldn’t help but say as Eli shrugged, that much very Daniel-like. 

“I think it’s funny you call him that anyway. He never struck me as the...” he trailed, Adrienne nodding. 

“Playful type? He is, he was just going through a rough patch when you met him and he feels responsible for you guys, he’s all business when it comes to your ship. I originally did it just to piss him off at first and it stuck,” she said with a smile watching Daniel’s mouth move into a strange grin, “alright, I’m gonna fire this thing up, so you have to promise not to laugh.”

“That bad?” 

Adrienne bit her lip, her pale cheeks flushing. 

“What you are about to see will revoke all of the coolness you’ve witnessed,” she declared, starting up the program and stepping back. 

“You’re cool?” Eli asked, Adrienne laughing and shaking her head, a middle finger flipped in his direction. She was glad that she had gotten to known more than the file on Eli Wallace with their weekly Destiny check-ins; he was a pretty neat guy.  

“And NOW you sound like Indy too,” and I thought we’d be working together this week but no, so now I have to stand here and wish you were my husband so I can steal a kiss dammit Indy switch back just a few minutes before your admin meeting with John since this entire Todd mess meant we didn’t get dinner for my birthday, please, just a few minutes... “Just watch.” She made a few quick keystrokes on the console and the image flickered to life, the holographic android wearing the trademark Atlantis wool uniform standing and awaiting instructions. 

“Greetings. I am Data, the Digital Ancient Technological Archive.”

“Oh wow,” Eli muttered as his eyes widened in disbelief at the display before him. 

“Thanks,” the Cajun was beaming, “it’s based on the original system by that Rodney created when he was blasted back in time, the one that Morgan La Fey used...”

“No, I mean wow this is nerdy,” he corrected timidly, looking much like Daniel years ago before he knew her better. 

Must have been the glare. 

Oops, she thought, watching him fumble nervously with the screen as she looked away. 

“What’s the problem?” he asked instead, gazing forward.

“It’s the “error” message,” she started, trying to be friendly, hoping Eli really didn’t think she was upset at his joke, if anything it made her miss Daniel more, “Data Is fully functional except for the components that we're adding. If I let him run on Atlantis information alone he works just fine, but the minute I start adding any of our information in, I get this...” she said reaching in front of him. The face of the hologram shot up, staring right at her coldly. 

“CRUVUS.”

“That doesn’t mean error,” Eli noted quickly, Adrienne waving her hands in correction. 

“I know what it means Eli, but it’s in none of Daniel’s journals, or anything here; there just isn’t a lot of technological jargon. It’s as if they didn’t make any at all, no special terminology like we do. The best I can figure is that it’s seeing the information as some sort of a computer virus but since you’ve been dealing with a much older version I was hoping you might see a connection, something we’ve missed.”

Frowning, ugh, stop, Eli needed to use a different body, he leaned over, Adrienne passing him a flash drive containing much more than her demonstrative piece.

“This is what it won’t let me upload. Sam’s tried, I even let Rodney look at it and he couldn’t fix it but made sure to tell me I was an idiot in the process.” 

“How could I forget Rodney McKay, your own personal Nicholas Rush?” he quipped, friendly again, much to Adrienne’s relief. 

“Pretty much,” she replied with a smile as Eli switched out the drives, completing the log in process much as she did, that same message appearing on the screens as Data began to repeat that blasted word. 

“See?” Adrienne grumbled, pointing a remote at Data to mute his complaints. 

“That’s annoying...” Eli agreed. 

“Welcome to my world.” 

“Do I have time,” he continued, eyeing the clock from his seat, “to sit here and keep playing with it?” 

“I think so. Daniel wanted to meet with Cam and check on Chloe and if Rush or Young wanted to speak with him and that could take a while. But if we’re gonna try and hack this out, I’m gonna get us some coffee,” she replied, rubbing her temples as she headed for the lab door, her own machine back in their quarters.

“Dr. Jackson?” Eli asked from behind, the archaeologist stopping at the door frame. 

“Adrienne,” she corrected with a smile. 

“Right, sorry,” he answered, back to nervous making her wonder what she had done this time to make him so nervous, “Would you mind getting me something to eat too?” 

“Indy’s body, I forget. He would have eaten enough for three people by now,” Adrienne joked pausing, noting Daniel whining about gaining weight lately and their discussions on her wanting him to stay alive for once, “carrots ok?” 

“Yeah,” Eli replied, never one to turn down fresh food he thought he’d never miss, “that’s perfect.” 

Ha, Adrienne thought, skipping out of the lab on the way to the commissary, maybe we can use Daniel for switches more often; that way he won’t die of a heart attack before he reaches fifty.

***** 

“What’s so funny?” he heard a voice over his shoulder making him peer back to see that Dr. Carolyn Lam was standing in the communication room behind him awaiting his return.  For a fleeting moment he thought that she was coming to see him, but she didn’t like to acknowledge their relationship at work, especially now that he was the desk jockey that he was. 

She must need something. 

“Just messing with Jackson, gotta get it in when I can,” he said with a smile as he leaned back in the chair, reaching for a hand that was quickly pulling itself away.

“What now?” she softened a bit, genuinely curious, Cam sitting forward in the chair resting his elbows on his knees. 

“Vala got married.” 

“Vala? Married?” the look on her face was well worth the mention. 

“Yeah, she and Dex,” he confirmed with a nod, “Yesterday. Apparently they want to take in a refugee girl and raise her.”

Again, she looked completely shocked but looser, like she thought it was alright to have a real conversation at work.

This was progress.

“Wow,” she murmured, shaking her head, “wonders never cease, so why is Daniel upset? They’ve been together a while.”

“Oh he isn’t, we were just joking about name changes and I like to poke at him about Addy,” Cam said, reaching for the stone to pack it away, cleaning up the small desk area. 

“What about Addy?”

“Oh Carolyn you know,” he chuckled over his shoulder, “Remember when Addy got blasted into some alternate timeline, she came back talking about not being pregnant, she must’ve made you do five ultrasounds. I thought I told you but in that timeline, she and I were...” he trailed, watching the confusion on her face. Clearly she would have remember the medical case, but Adrienne called the poor woman Dr. Grumpypants, there was no way that she told her...

“Were what?”

Nice move Mitchell, no gettin’ outta this now...

“Together.” 

And Carolyn Lam’s jaw dropped. 

Shit, time for damage control.

“It messes with Daniel, gets him all worked up. He calls me her boyfriend and she likes to poke at him about it too. He’s fun to mess with, that’s all; the man’s too high strung.” 

Not working...

“Did you and Addy ever?” she asked, Cam unable ascertain if she was curious or genuinely concerned. 

“Ever what?” 

Wait, oh no she thinks...

“Anything...” 

“God NO Carolyn!” he shouted out, glad the Cajun in question was not here to sock him in the face, “I love her like a sister, but I’d kill her if I had to live with the woman, she’s WORSE than Daniel,” he defended quickly, Carolyn’s expression souring further. 

Mitchell, you can have fun with this too...

“Are you jealous?” he teased, stepping forward.

“No,” the doctor spat quickly, “she’s a pain in the ass. You can have her!” 

He didn’t care about her silly rules, she was jealous, and she just had the cutest look on her face right now. Taking a quick step forward before she could stop him, Cam grabbed Carolyn’s wrists, pulling her to him and kissing her right in the communication room. 

She didn’t fight back. 

Win. 

“General,” she finally pulled away after the longest kiss she had ever allowed him to steal, taking a step back, “I’m here on official business.”

“Then why are you asking me about Addy?” he joked watching her face draw into a scowl. 

“The Langarans want me to come there, for at least a week, make sure the capital in the hospital is set up with the new updates,” and it was back to business, a tablet being passed to him quickly. 

Oh well, he thought, it was good while it lasted. 

“How’s security over there?” he asked carefully, hoping she understood that he would ask that of any staff member, he just had more of a vested interest in this particular member of his staff. 

“Good, and the Jaffa have agreed to help,” her answered was prepared but she paused, peeking up a him slyly, “you’re worried.” 

“I finally have something to worry about.” 

A blush spread across her olive cheeks. She didn’t answer him, walking away, the general following when she suddenly stopped right in front of him, gazing into his eyes. 

“I’m glad I decided not to care anymore,” she whispered quickly before dashing back to the infirmary.

*****

“Dr. Jackson,” Nicholas Rush greeted, Daniel noting that he seemed concerned, “thank you for coming down. I know that computers systems are not your area of expertise, but I felt you needed to see this.”

“Sure, what’s going on?” Daniel responded, not trusting a word he was saying. Most of the information concerning the Destiny Daniel was getting from Colonel Young and Eli, not from Rush himself, who preferred to keep any changes in the ship’s operation now that it was properly charged a secret. 

“It appears that we’re going faster,” the scientist said as he motioned Daniel to his side, “when we awoke I told General O’Neill at our current speed we were approximately four billion light years away, making our return to Earth alive an impossibility.” 

That Daniel knew, as depressing as it was, the ship pointed in his direction in case that were to ever change, but the likelihood of him ever setting foot on the ship to explore was slim to none.

“Right...” he hoped his tone didn’t convey attitude, but Daniel really wanted to check on Chloe and TJ according to what Young was telling him before their time for the switch ended. 

“First, at this rate we will still never make it to earth in our lifetimes, but the speed didn’t just increase. It is increasing exponentially. Yesterday, we were traveling at a three percent increase from when we woke up, and today,” he cued up something more on the screen, motioning Daniel to his side, “we are at five.”

“I don’t think I’m understanding, wasn’t that what we'd hoped would happen, with the recharge, that we’d have enough power to travel faster and maybe even risk gating here...” Daniel was confused. Out of everything he had from the Destiny reports, this was probably the best news so far. 

“Daniel, now that the ship is increasing in speed, I’m not sure if we can make it stop,” Rush countered, again kinder than normal, even slight fear in his eyes. 

“But you did to resupply a few weeks ago, didn’t you?” 

“The ship stopped itself, we didn’t.” 

And then the truth came out, Young, Eli, a truth that no one had mentioned. 

“What do you mean the ship stopped itself?” 

Rush sighed out, appearing to finally realize that keeping this information to himself was useless. 

“Eli and I have discovered that with the ship restored to full power it seems to be able to anticipate our needs. At first it was small adjustments, life support to maintain our current crew and no more, maintaining a certain temperature where we’re keeping the bodies of the dead, but the very morning Young and I were discussing that we needed supplies again the read-out started showing a nearby planet with everything we needed...”

Daniel couldn’t explain it but chills coursed down his spine. There was a limit to what technology should be able to do; in fact, it was something that he and Adrienne often argued about. She firmly believed that technology was there to serve humans but Daniel wasn’t as sure. His experience lied in years of dealing with the Goa’uld, the Replicators, the Ori, the Asgard, the Ancients while his wife’s lied in a fraction of that plus Science Fiction TV and movies. 

“Your reaction seems to be the same as mine. That, however, isn’t the only thing I’m worried about,” Rush added, stepping sideways to another screen, the image of a sun flashing to life. 

“This is a solar storm, about five hundred light years away,” he said, pausing for Daniel to take it in. 

“Which at current speeds?” Daniel asked, knowing where this was going. 

“At current speeds, we will reach in six months. Current speeds,” he emphasized, Daniel nodding in understanding. 

That was too fast, dangerously fast.

What was going on?

“I’ll have someone at the stones around the clock, not just at the normal check-in times,”  the Atlantis commander said quickly, Rush nodding in agreement. 

“Carson asked me to check in on TJ, and Chloe, before I have to switch back,” Daniel added, Rush silently killing the image on the view screen. Another worry added to his list, Daniel slipped out of the main control room, heading for the infirmary. 

*****

Jack closed the last side of the small box, welding the corners carefully in place. 

“Can you show me how to do it myself?” Nicholas asked the question that Jack had been waiting for him to ask, the answer already prepared. 

“No.” 

“It’s no more dangerous than flying a jumper and you let me do that all of the time,” it seemed the boy had his argument ready as well, Jack frowning. 

“I thought your mom said something about no back talk,” Jack ventured instead, Nicholas blushing. 

“Sorry Uncle Jack,” he whispering, Jack instantly feeling awful. The boy very respectful, he was just teasing him.

“I’ve been flying most of my life, I feel a lot more confident with that then welding. Let Cam show you welding, if he comes to visit, he’s more mechanical than I am.” 

There was that little smile again. Dammit, why was the kid so good and so cute because he was just about ready to give in when he saw movement at the open door, glancing up and fully expecting Adrienne to be there to visit but instead it was that Satedan girl, dressed in Earth-like jeans and a t-shirt. 

“We have company,” Jack announced, eying the girl carefully. She was a strange one, all talk one minute, the next not saying a word. It appeared now was ‘not say a word’ mode. Regardless, Nichloas, much like his mother and to an extent his father, smiled that friendly smile beckoning her inside. 

“Saurza, wanna come see what we’ve been working on?” he offered brightly, Jack awaiting the child’s response. He worried about Nicky in that regard, how the other children would take to him. Torrin seemed very kind, like his mother, but as Nicholas was growing and developing faster Torrin seemed unable to keep up. Saurza was slightly older, seven Carson guessed despite her small stature, but she was more streetwise. 

Jack wasn’t sure how that would go just yet. 

“Sure,” she replied, lacking emotion, walking over to join them. 

“They’re blocks,” Nicholas was explaining already, that look on his face clearly his father’s, “two sets, but each set teaches the basic alphabets, letters and sounds, of up to five alphabets. This first completed set has Ancient, Athosian, Satedan, and the Wraith changes so far. Dad suggested I include the Vanir, but since all we have of them is exactly like Asgard, I decided to keep it just Asgard on the other set.”

Oh yeah, Jack thought watching the girl, he’s lost her. 

“What’s on the other set?” 

Or not...

“The other set consists of non-Pegasus races, ones from my home galaxy, English, Asgard, Aetlan, Langaran, Galaran and Ktaenam.” 

“You think these will help?”

Jack had planned on slipping out to get a soda or a snack or something but he was just too intrigued by the pint size nerd conversation going on in front of him to leave just yet. Instead he stepped aside, pulling out a chair at an empty table, taking a seat as silently as he could. 

“Basic letters I think would. Dad keeps saying that he wants this to be more than just a research station that he wants it to be a place for families and there isn’t a school just yet,” the boy responded as Saurza picked up the block, examining it closely. She didn’t say anything for a moment, but her face was screwed in concentration, a seriousness in her expression.

“But what about after letters and sounds and stuff what then?” she finally asked, a good question no less. 

“These are just supplemental,” Jack had to hold in a chuckle at the boy’s choice of words, “My mom is working on a program, wanna see?”

Seemingly excited the girl nodded, Nicky standing and racing to the central console where Jack knew that Dr. Perky’s little Star Trek insanity was sure to play. There was the shimmer, once Jack had seen that station use years ago, the image of an Ancient replaced with a green skinned Brent Spiner in Atlantis uniform. 

He had to give it to Addy; it took balls to put that thing in here. 

“My name is Data, the Digital Ancient Technological Archive, fully functional and ready to assist you.”

“No, you’re not,” Nicholas said, his young voice almost sounding like Daniel for a moment, “Mom cusses at you everyday.”

“Your mom swears?” Suarza looked confused, “she seems, pretty...”

“No, that’s my Dad, usually, he’s either really calm or goes bonkers,” and Jack was laughing silently into his hand, “Mom just does it in Cajun, only a few people speak it, so no one knows what she’s saying.”

“Is it a hard language?”

“Dad says it’s not a language at all,” Nicholas replied, “he’s says it the lack of a proper language.” 

Saurza laughed, as did Jack, because he was pretty sure Daniel’s description of Adrienne’s slang were not as polite as his son’s translation. 

“Data can you show me Milky Way,” the boy redirected, Data waving his hands in front of his face, nice touch Addy, his home galaxy appearing on the ceiling of the lab as the lights dimmed. 

“That’s where you’re from?” Saurza was equally as intrigued, her dark eyes taking in the sight in front of her. 

“Yep.” 

“All of that?”

“No,” the boy corrected, “Data show me Earth, sorry Terra.” 

“Of course,” the hologram replied, the image flying forward, a little too fast Jack’s stomach was thinking, settling on an image of Earth in orbit, hanging loosely in space. 

“That’s where I am from,” Nicholas announced proudly as Saurza reached out to touch a blue green ball that wasn’t there. 

“Wow...”

“Yeah, I never got to see much of it before we came here,” Nicky replied, sitting back on his stool equally as mesmerized.

“Will you go back?” she asked, a question Jack was curious to hear the boy’s answer to as well. 

“Someday,” his reply was instant, he had thought of this, and Jack was fairly certain that he missed Adrienne’s aunt, hell everyone missed that woman, she could cook, “Dad has Rodney working on the gate bridge so that’ll get us there faster than the supply transports.”

“What’s that?” and again with the questions. The girl was very inquisitive, he had to give her that much. 

“A bunch of gates in a row to travel faster,” and Nicky’s explanation was simple without making her look stupid, he’d have to commend him for that later, “Now it takes three weeks to get home, with the bridge it would take about three minutes.”

“That’s so cool,” she replied and she meant it, her eyes back on the images of the Milky Way.  Nicholas was quiet for a while, not answering, his attention back at the block, a block that activated just like he and the boy had hoped. The child played for a moment with the gadget, seeming to ignore his visitor when suddenly he looked over at Jack, frowning before directing his attention to the girl.

“Have you decided?” he asked, setting the toy back onto the table. 

“About what?” she answered quickly not for a moment thinking that Nicholas was talking to Jack. She must have known what he was going to ask. 

“Vala and Ronon?”

“No...” she whispered, taking her eyes from the ceiling to look at the floor. Jack almost intervened, his eyes working over to Nicky who was looking at him, a look on his young face that said he knew exactly what he was doing. 

“Well, you don’t have to listen to me,” he continued, setting the block aside completely so she knew that she had his full attention, “but they’re great. Really great. And I know; they’re my Godparents.” 

That was true too, Daniel telling Jack he only didn’t ask him because after the stroke he didn’t want Jack to feel responsible were anything to happen to Daniel, which, knowing Daniel, was a good possibility. He also knew it was because they were younger than he and Sam, well him at least, and that he understood as well. 

“What’s that?”

“If anything happens to my mom and dad, I go live with Ronon and Vala,” the boy explained simply.

“Not Jack?” Saurza asked as though she had forgotten Jack was in the room, an embarrassed looked on her face as she realized that he was.

“No, but Dad says that’s only because Uncle Jack didn’t wanna come to Atlantis and he and mom felt that my Godparents should be here. But, yeah, I think it’s kinda Uncle Jack too,” Nicholas replied, Jack touched but keeping quiet, sipping his soda and listening. The girl walked over to the table where Nicholas was sitting, pulling out a chair and sitting down, thinking silently for a while. 

“So you’d be like my brother?” she suddenly said, looking up at him. 

“Kinda, yeah, and Torrin too.” 

“How?” now she was confused as was Jack, who leaned forward just a bit in his chair.  

“Because since Torrin’s mom is carrying my little brother or sister then he’s kinda my brother which means he would kinda be yours too,” the logic shocked Jack for a moment. Nicholas Jackson, the child genius, the miracle child of an ascended, the child who blueprinted, mapped and created these amazing toys that were scattered on the lab tables in front of him, this child knew better. 

Or did he?

“I’ve never had a brother,” Saurza said much to Nicholas’ apparent pleasure. 

“So far Torrin’s pretty cool, verdict’s still out on the new baby.” 

Jack had to laugh at his comment, especially since he knew full well that Nicholas was very excited for his future sibling. He was about to interject, give the boy a hard time for his comment when Saurza stood, pushing the chair back under. 

“Where are you going? Didn’t you want to try the blocks?” Nicky asked, the girl dashing out, stopping only to peek back as she shouted.

“I need to find Vala. See you later Nicky!” 

And she was gone, the small child looking disappointed that she didn’t want to play with his little invention. 

So much like his dad. 

“Ready to fire these things up munchkin?” Jack asked instead, standing and walking to Nicky’s side. 

“Yeah, let’s see if they work,” he replied, looking over at the hologram, “Data you can power down,” and the image disappeared, the lights in the room raising once more. 

“Nicholas,” Jack said as he sat, pushing the blocks away for a moment, “that was a really great thing you did there. Talking to her like that.” 

“Dad says Atlantis isn’t just an expedition, that it’s a family. Everyone needs a family,” the boy replied quietly. 

“Yeah little guy,” Jack answered, “They sure do.” 

*****

“Addy, I think this might do it, but I’m not...” Eli/Daniel trailed, Adrienne leaning over to see what he was entering. 

“Eli?” 

“No,” Daniel replied, “it’s me, I needed to get back ja-wer, I’m sorry.” 

“That’s ok,” she whispered, reaching for his arm to push him aside and look at the screen, “in fact stay there just a moment.” Daniel frowned. 

“Is everything alright?” he asked, Adrienne holding up a finger to halt him, gazing down at the screen. 

“Data?” she asked into the air, the hologram coming to life, “can you please list the first dynasty of the Asgard rulers, in the original language.”

“Heimskringla, Odin...” 

Daniel wasn’t even sure if the rest of it was correct because the next thing he knew Adrienne was on him, kissing him in glee, pushing him back onto the table. 

“I take it it worked?” he asked from under her lips as she backed up, a beautiful smile across her face. 

“It worked, but he didn’t do anything that I hadn’t already, I checked because I was gonna pick da ‘ell outta his brain,” she said with a frown, holding onto his hand, “but it’s jus workin’...”

“Well, let me get some things done and I can schedule another switch with Eli, let you two look at it,” Daniel answered, pulling her to him to wrap his arms around her. 

“What brought that on?” she said, giggling as she threw her arms up on his shoulders. 

“I like beaming back from a stressful meeting to my wife throwing her arms around me and kissing me. Is that a crime?”

“Never,” she replied, letting them slip into another slow kiss, exploring his mouth as he ran his hands all over her back, holding her close and intimately to his body.

“That bad?” she asked as they broke away, Daniel shaking his head. 

“Check in with home is fine, but the Destiny is speeding up.” 

“I take it that’s not good...” she ventured, reaching for him as he tried to flee. 

“No, they’re headed right for a solar flare phenomenon and, well,” Daniel looked over his shoulder to make sure they were alone, “there are some other things too, but I’d rather talk to you about them later, without the chance of anyone else hearing.” 

Adrienne nodded, peeking at the clock to see when they might be able to escape to their quarters. 

“Lunch?”

“After, when Nicky and Jack leave,” he whispered in reply. 

“You know, we said that we were gonna stop talking shop in bed,” she teased as he rolled his eyes, heading for the door. 

“Sad thing is that everyone thinks we are having cute day time rendezvous when we really ARE talking shop,” he noted from the other side of the lab, Adrienne laughing. 

“I’ll wear a neglige, maybe that can make up for it?” she said with a wink, watching him disappear around the corner chuckling, shaking his head as he left. 

“I love that cooyon,” she giggled, firing up her new best friend.

*****

Vala sat in the main chair in Ronon’s office, eyeing the screen as he asked. 

“The Wraith won’t go down,” he explained, “a zat’s nothing, they can deep sea dive.” 

“So are the shields enough?” 

“Against weapons blast, yeah, but the Ancients weren’t perfect,” he answered, cueing up the shield, “they were arrogant. They’re holes in the shield.”

Vala leaned forward examining the heat signatures noting the differences in color. Yeah, they were arrogant; she could see why Daniel got along with them so well...

“So what’s the plan?” she asked, noting his concern as he leaned back against the console, his face in thought. Ronon Dex wasn’t a big talker but he was a thinker, a strategist, always seeking out a better solution. She had been pleased when Daniel gave him the position, not only because it got her out of the dreariness of the city, even Vala had grown sick of shopping, but because the Satedan deserved it. 

“I want Todd to help,” he finally answered, standing to grab his communicator from where he’d tossed it aside. 

“How?”

“Have him break in, see where he gets through,” he replied but Vala couldn’t help but laugh. 

“Dex, I love you, I do, and I know you know exactly what you’re doing but Daniel isn’t gonna let that happen. For one, he doesn’t want Todd walking around the base like one of us, especially around Nicky and two, why in the hell would he agree to allowing a Wraith to gain intimate knowledge of the city’s weaknesses?”

Ronon chuckled. 

“You sound like an intelligence officer,” he teased. 

“That’s my job isn’t it?” 

“I’m gonna talk to Addy,” he added quickly, Vala’s face turning into a frown. She knew where he was going with this and she didn’t like it. That was getting to be the way to get through to Daniel, Adrienne. If he was being unreasonable about something just convince Addy and she’ll take care of it in the bedroom. It was rumor of course, she hadn’t heard of anything like that actually happening, but she knew both of them, very well, and hoped it was just that, rumor. 

“Ronon...” 

“She’s running the computer systems with Sam & Rodney working on the bridge...” 

“And she’s sleeping with him...” 

“No, she’d be the one I’d have to do this with anyway, best get her on my team,” he concluded, rightfully. It would be Addy, poor Addy, juggling her department, leaving with the teams in a few days and running the computer systems. She wondered if the woman slept at all. 

“Call her down then,” Vala replied, reaching for her ear, Ronon shaking his head. 

“Check her schedule,” he cued up some information on the screen, “she’s with Eli Wallace until Daniel’s done with command.” 

“You know her schedule?” Vala teased, Ronon rolling his eyes. 

“I know everyone’s schedule,” he answered simply, strongly, making Vala peer over at the screen, looking to see if her husband was due to meet with anyone himself or if they were alone.

“Vala?” 

A voice asked from the door, Vala turning to see Saurza standing in the doorway. She was dressed as she was when she left them at breakfast, bidding her temporary guardians farewell as she explored the city. Ronon had kept tabs on her all day through his staff to find that she spent a good portion of the morning on a protected balcony staring out across the ocean and the rest of the morning with Nicholas Jackson down in Daniel’s auxiliary lab. 

“Good day so far?” she asked, standing, letting Ronon take his seat and send a message, presumably to Adrienne. 

“Yeah, just kinda hanging out,” she answered, walking right on in and taking a seat in the chair in the corner, but not before she pulled it out into the middle of the room. 

“How’d ya find me? Your com’s off?” Vala now inquired, tapping her ear. She’d tried to check on Saurza a few times, well more than a few, Ronon persuading her to back off and to let the girl have time. He’d considered talking to Daniel about it, maybe get him to have a word with Vala about being a kid without parents, but he wasn’t sure about broaching that subject. 

“The Data system. Dr. Jackson got it working I guess,” the girl said with a shrug. 

“Don’t let Addy hear you call her Dr. Jackson,” Ronon said over his shoulder, “it drives her crazy.” 

“Why? Doesn’t that make her special? The doctor part?” Saurza was confused, Vala smiling. 

“Not where she’s from, where she’s from it just made her different. Trust me, call her Addy,” Vala explained, Saurza nodding. 

“I’ve thought about it,” the child dove right in, Ronon stopping his typing to peer over, “and with that crazy black eyed man, Wraith everywhere and anyone my dad made angry, I need a place to stay. A safe place.”

“You’re here,” Ronon said quickly, “no one’s gonna get you here.” 

“I know, but, well, I’m just here, like a refugee, so I’ve thought about it,” she continued so diplomatically, so mature, Vala trying not to smile, “and I want to try. I don’t know if I can call you Mom or Dad but I want to try. I won’t just stay in your quarters, I’ll behave and do my part to, even if that means drawing cute pictures to hang on your walls and stuff. But as a trail, I mean, if we don’t get along I want to try to find a different place to stay.” 

“Of course,” Vala said, holding back her grin. 

“So, I guess tell the other Dr. Jackson to do whatever he needs to do,” she continued, “and I’ll go talk to him if I have to.” 

“I’ll drop by his office this afternoon,” Vala replied calmly, Ronon grinning from his seat as Saurza sat there, as though she had something else to say. 

“You ok kid?” he asked as she frowned, her dark eyes darting between he and Vala. 

“Can we get some lunch?” she finally choked out, “I’m starving.” 

*****

“So what of the news from the front?” John was waiting in Daniel’s office when he arrived, seeming to be escaping from the chaos of the city himself. 

And yet he comes to my office, Daniel thought, the place I try to avoid like the plague. 

“Cam isn’t too happy about Ford, as is to be expected, and he’s got to meet with Telford. He did mention the chance of sending a small fighter fleet here, maybe call Teal’c and the Jaffa if they are in any shape to help out, but nothing that I didn’t expect,” the commander answered, taking a seat on the white sofas resisting the temptation to lay down. 

He should have stayed down longer with Adrienne; she made everything better.

“And the Destiny?”

Daniel paused. Rush had been able to give very little information in terms of the ship’s speed and the “need” anticipation but Daniel wanted to talk to his wife, see if she had any insight on the matter considering what she had been doing with the Atlantis computer system.  

“No change with Chloe, but I want Jenn to head over there. TJ seems to be a little worse for the wear,” he answered quickly, decision made, wanting to investigate the other problem a little further before alerting anyone else. 

“The Ancient Database doesn't even have ALS listed as an illness, what’s Jenn supposed to do?” the colonel asked, Daniel having considering this himself as TJ gave him her own diagnosis as well as Chloe’s.

“Get creative,” he replied, standing to head over to his desk and get back to paperwork, “There’s got to be a staff member with it or someone in their family, someone to provide us a baseline for Jenn to work with. I hate to ask for a human guinea pig but with the station at full power I think we should make use of the medical bay and Jennifer’s research capabilities.” 

“Agreed,” John nodded his head quickly, “I’ll start asking around staff, maybe get Carson to pull medicals histories, start looking for the gene.”

“Thanks, miss anything good around here?” 

“Not a thing,” John answered happily, “I don’t mind the office when it’s quiet.”

“And the Wraith?” Daniel asked before he could temper his tone, still not liking the current situation. 

“You mean Todd?” John corrected cautiously, Daniel nodding. The creature said he wanted to be referred to as Todd, offering no other explanation than to be called just that, Todd. 

“Not sure if I’m ever gonna get used to that,” Daniel admitted as John breathed in slowly. 

“He wants to talk to Addy,” the colonel said before he could change his mind, Daniel not even looking up from his computer screen. 

“No.” 

“Daniel...”

“I said no.” 

John stood this time, walking over to the desk, resting his hands on the surface. 

“Look, I understand Daniel, I do, but hear me out. He didn’t mean to hurt her. Even in his condition, he could have killed her, but he didn’t, he just knocked her out and set her outside of the ship. He could have taken her hostage, but he didn’t...”

“Why does he want to speak with her?” Daniel asked, calmly. 

“He wants to apologize, and tell her he meant her no harm.” 

Daniel shook his head, “To garner favor with me.” 

“No,” John argued, “Daniel, he’s lost. His time on Earth was his second imprisonment and with Ford sending the Wraith into chaos, he has nothing. Wraith are a hive species Daniel, a collective, and he has no one. Even you can appreciate that.”

Daniel tried not to look like he was listening to the argument, but he was. It seemed that was his entire city, refugees and lost people, people that no one wanted...

“Daniel, it was a long time ago, but it won’t happen again. We won’t let anyone take Addy away.” 

“Fine,” Daniel answered quickly, not wanting to think about any parts of his past and just read Rodney and Sam’s report on the bridge repairs, “just clear it with her first. Don’t just show up at her lab with Todd on tow.”

“Hadn’t planned on it,” the colonel assured him, leaving the office before his commander could change his mind.

*****

“Mom’s not here,” Nicholas greeted as Daniel slipped into the lab surprised to see his son here and his wife absent. 

“Data’s working, like really working, so she went down to help Aunt Sam with some of the Ancient Database stuff to find some gates,” he added, his father in deep thought he could tell. 

“Uncle Jack is at the infirmary, he was due a check up, but I’m not getting into any trouble Dad I promise,” Nicholas kept talking, Daniel laughing and taking a seat. 

“That’s not what I’m worried about little guy,” he said, seeing he had a few minutes before the briefing to see his son. 

“It’s Todd isn’t it?” the boy asked, Daniel frowning at the question. 

“He came by, right after I got here, said he wanted to tell Mom he didn’t mean to hurt her and he had no intention of harming anyone on Atlantis. He said he just needed to figure out what was going on,” Nicholas explained as his father rubbed his face, reaching to pinch the bridge of his nose. 

“And your mother said...”

“She understood and it was a good thing he did bringing Saurza...”

Why did I have to marry the one person that is so much like me in so many ways; damn trusting Adrienne...

“Oh, and speaking of Saurza, she wants Vala to be her mom, just in case they haven’t made it to your office yet. I know you were meeting with the Destiny and were busy, but I wanted to mention it,” the boy added with a smile. 

“I know, she came down, I’ve started the paperwork to send on the next supply ship,” he  answered, Nicholas beaming. 

“I told her welcome to the family. She seems tough, but she liked the idea of having a brother,” he continued much to his father’s confusion. 

“A brother?” 

“Yeah, if Vala and Ronon are my godparents, then she is my godsister right?” 

It choked Daniel up for a moment, that idea that his child had just taken in this stranger, making her instantly a part of his family. 

The way it should be. 

He was so proud of his son he could fee himself beaming. 

“Exactly right Nicky, you’re exactly right,” Daniel answered noting the boy was still adjusting in his seat, nervously, “did you and Jack finish your project?” And in that instant the nerves were gone, Nicholas smiling Adrienne’s beautiful smile again. 

“Yeah, I hope you like it but I think it’ll be AWESOME once the new baby is born...” 

Daniel smiled himself, taking his communicator from his ear to give his child his full attention. 

If anything happened, John could handle it. 

*****

John sat at the head of the table, tablet computer in hand nodding to himself before speaking. 

“Ok, as we discussed at our last briefing, command wants gate bridge construction to be our top priority after keeping an eye on the Ford situation. That being said, we gonna be heading out through the gate again with three objectives this time, finding gates that we can use to replace broken ones, check to see if the status of any people we meet and their relationship to Ford, all the while continuing to explore and fulfill the mission of the expedition,” he started, senior staff all seeming to be in agreement. 

“Daniel and I have spent most of our time the past two days when we were not in meetings forming the teams, the most important being my team, which I would like to keep as close as we can to what we had before...”

“Minus myself as I cannot be spared if you and the SGC want this gate bridge built,” Rodney spoke up quickly, John rolling his eyes. 

“We were aware Rodney, thank you,” he shot quickly, continuing, “therefore, my team will consist of myself, Teyla until she’s too far along, Ronon or Vala, I will take whichever one is available given various security concerns, Dr. O’Neill and Dr. Jackson. Five allows for us to not have to replace Teyla when she is in the latter stages of pregnancy, Addy when she is on her maternity leave with Teyla or worry if Ronon can’t join us.” 

“Which I can’t,” the Satedan spoke quickly, “not tomorrow's. Running tests here.” 

“Did you need me?” Adrienne asked, Daniel trying to control his words and facial expressions. He knew what for, when Adrienne had returned to her lab they had a nice husband/wife discussion the moment Nicholas had slipped headphones over his ears. Ronon wanted to use Todd to check for ways that Wraith could get in and had talked to Adrienne about this first given she was working on the computers and since Todd had decided to make amends for slugging his wife in the face, Adrienne seemed to think this was a GRAND idea. 

“No, just after, to go over whatever he could get through,” he answered, Adrienne nodding. 

“So, tomorrow 0900 we leave for M7R-090, a planet that by first MALP readings seems to be uninhabited...Addy?” 

And his wife was up, doing what she did best, slide after slide of forest-like terrain on the screen. Daniel had read her memo on the planet already, splitting his attention between the rest of the agenda as Adrienne went on about planet temperature, a nice seventy degrees fahrenheit, twenty one degrees celsius, and a little more about the flora and fauna. In fact he was only continuing to listen to see if she made a joke about Endor; the woman was obsessed with Star Wars. 

Miraculously she didn’t make one Star Wars joke, taking the entire matter very seriously before asking Sam to join her at the front, going over the next step in the DATA project, installing Data beyond the two Jackson laboratories. That made him peek up and listen again, Adrienne’s excitement at reopening the academic area was unmistakable. 

“Addy and I both look forward to reporting to each of you soon as we continued to implement the DATA system,” Sam said in conclusion taking a seat. Scanning one last time at his list, that was all he had, Daniel peered over at John who was looking the same. 

Excellent, Daniel thought, done just in time to have a normal evening with my family. 

“Thanks to everyone for their reports and I look forward to seeing each of you off for our first expedition,” Daniel declared, standing, heading straight for Adrienne. 

“Daniel,” Rodney spoke up from behind, clearing his throat, “I’d like to speak with you about how in the world command expects me to maintain the city’s power levels, fix the gate bridge, monitor the computer systems and keep out the Wraith with half of the staff I had before...”

Last I checked my wife and Ronon were taking care of the last two, but whatever...

“Rodney, I’ll meet you in my office,” he replied, catching a laugh from Adrienne. Yeah, yeah Addy, he thought, I only refer to it as my office when I want to rub it in his face, laugh it up. 

With a wink of her eye she was gone, Daniel trailing the still ranting scientist. 

*****

“I’m giving John the city,” Daniel whined, crawling into the bed straight for his wife. Between the Destiny issues, Todd and Adrienne’s newfound friendship, or truce, whatever, and Rodney’s tantrum at the end of the staff meeting he was at the edge.

“It’s not that bad,” she scolded as he made it to her, burying his face into her lap. 

“Yes, yes it is,” he mumbled.

“You’re a big baby,” she teased, setting her book on the nightstand so she could run her fingers through his hair.

“Am not.”

“Are too, and the fact that a grown man is saying am not pretty much proves my point,” she teased, leaning to kiss his head, “It wasn’t that bad of a day.”

“Not, not a bad day, just a bad month, bad choice, can we go back to Earth...” he was still whining, this time rolling over to face her. 

“No, because you’d never be able to live with yourself,” she frowned, Daniel reaching for her waist. 

“I know, but it makes me feel better to whine to you.” 

She laughed, he did whine to her, a lot, and it seemed that he had for a very long time. 

She loved it then and still did now. 

“Take off your shirt,” she ordered pushing him away, Daniel sitting up quickly, pushing his glasses up his face in confusion.

“Really?”

“Don’t get excited Indy,” she corrected quickly eying the bottle of lotion on her nightstand, “I was just gonna rub your back.”

“I know,” he mumbled as he stood, “I’m just messing with you. You’re an easy target.”

“Nicholas get down to bed alright?” Adrienne asked as Daniel unzipped his uniform, tossing it aside and pulling his shirt from his back, throwing that into the hamper, setting his glasses on the nightstand before crawling back onto the bed.

“Yeah, he gets so excited about things, like you do. Those blocks of his are pretty amazing, have you gotten a chance to see them?” Adrienne pursed her lips, guilt washing across her face. 

“No, I didn’t, today was insane, I should go kiss him goodnight...”

“No, he sleeps like you, you’ll never get him up. Let him rest. You can get him up for breakfast,” he said as he jumped at the sensation of cool lotion hitting his back. He lay there, letting her rub and caress, feeling himself relaxing already, thoughts of friendly Wraith and Rodney’s screaming disappearing. Closing his eyes, he let himself start to drift to sleep when he felt her reach under of his waist, unzipping his pants. 

“I thought you said don’t get excited,” he muttered, Adrienne smacking him lightly.

“Take off your clothes tchew, I’m just rubbing and I wanna rub your legs.” 

“And I’m supposed to be naked, with my gorgeous wife and not be excited?” he replied smartly, standing to comply with her request, tossing his remaining clothing into the basket as well. 

“Cooyon,” she hissed, picking up where she left off once he was back on the bed, running her hands up and down his thighs and butt, but he just wasn’t acting relaxed anymore, his muscles tense and tight under her hands. 

“Ja-wer,” he whined again, “this isn’t relaxing, this is torture.” 

“What have I done to you?” she asked, leaning forward to peck his cheek.

“I’ve told you a million times, you created a monster.”

Giggling, Adrienne stopping rubbing, instead running her lips down his neck, lingering where she knew it drove him wild. 

“Roll over,” she whispered softly, running her tongue lightly at his ear. 

“Yes ma’am.” 

And she was on him, her lips wrapped around his hardness, sucking furiously. It had been a while since she had pleasured him in this way and he tried to be quiet as she pumped up and down, pulling, sucking, licking.

“Oh dear God Ad,” his whispered out as she started to use her tongue ring to increase the sensation, sending chills down his spine. It felt so good, he was gasping for air, moving his hips as he reached for his sides, clenching the sheets of their bed.

“Get on top,” he begged, wanting her to continue but also wanting to be inside of her, to watch her be pleasured by him as he penetrated her body. He loved that, loved seeing her face as she rode him, but she was still sucking, reaching underneath to touch where she knew it sent him over the edge. 

“Ad, please,” he was nearly whining, he was so close to the brink but she didn’t listen, just kept on pleasing him with that amazing mouth until he knew there was no return, that he wasn’t going to have his request fulfilled but it felt so good that he shut up, laying back and letting the sensation overtake him. He felt himself throb and then the rush, the orgasm coursing through his body making him moan he was sure. There was more furious action at his groin, she was doing everything she could to prolong his enjoyment, and he shouted out loudly, echoing through the room without her normal cautious hand to stop him. And then chills, the feeling over, Daniel completely out of breath, closing his eyes as his chest continued to move up and rapidly. 

“You relaxed now?” he heard her ask, laughingly from beside him, Daniel still not opening his eyes.

“Just a bit...”

“No more wanting to quit your job?” she added, Daniel eyes shooting open, a sly smile across his face.

“But if I come home happy I won’t get that...”

And a pillow hit him square in the nose, Adrienne laughing from the other side. 

“Ya damn cooyon.”

“I’m just kidding,” he said, reaching out for her, “you didn’t have to do that.” 

“Why do you say that every single time I do?” she was frowning, “It’s why I don’t more often...”

Smiling, hoping she really wasn’t offended, Daniel clamped hand over his mouth playfully. 

“You’re so stupid. I’ll be right back,” and she stood, gliding like she did and Daniel lay back, thinking about the day. Todd was here to stay it seemed, whether Daniel liked it or not, and there was a part of him that just couldn’t send him out into space, a part he himself couldn’t explain. Vala was going to be a mother again, in less than a week she had the life again that she never knew she wanted until the Ori had ripped it away from her.

 It was all so different now, his life, this place, and there was a sense of rightness to it that even he couldn’t explain.

“Ad?” he called out as the bathroom light switched off, his wife slipping though the doorway in the dimness of their bedroom. 

“Yeah sha.” 

“I want to tell you about my first placement, in foster care.”

And he said it, opening up a box that he hadn’t opened in years. 

Adrienne stood there for a moment, stunned to hear him speak of it.He was still naked but she didn’t say a word, it was as if he needed this, he needed to be vulnerable to her in every way.

“I’m listening,” she said softly, joining him on the bed and scooting up beside him but not touching him, not laying a hand on him, just letting him speak at his own pace. 

“They were regulars in the system, kinda like a starter home. A lot of kids were placed with them but not for long, just so they were with someone until there was a better match made,” he began, resting his hands on his legs but not looking at her, just looking at his fingers as he picked at them. 

“That sounds like a good plan,” she offered, staying put until he gave her a signal otherwise. 

“And they were nice, don’t get me wrong, they knew the system and what needed to happen to make it successful, to make sure a child didn’t end up in a horror story situation,” he added quickly, finally looking up at her, “but my foster father, Kevin was his name, he thought he was helping...” 

He trailed but Adrienne stayed put, trying to remain expressionless to let him say what he needed to say. 

“He’d coach us, the newer kids, there were three when I was taken in, we had all come in about the same time. He’d tell us what we needed to know to get adopted,” Daniel continued, back to picking his fingers and looking down. 

“He used to tell me to tone it down a lot, when I’d get excited about something. Most of my parent’s things went to Dr. Ballard,” he continued, Adrienne noting that he didn’t call the man his grandfather at all, “but I got to keep a few books and I’d read and study... He’d tell me how to act and talk and not to be too bookish, people didn’t like a know it all, and it was advice, it wasn’t malicious, but...” and he looked up at her again a sad expression on his face. 

“But what sha?” she urged reaching out her hand and her hand alone, resting it gently on his knee. 

“He was right,” Daniel said looking up, “no one wanted me. I wasn’t friendly because my parents were great, but not very physical, so I wasn’t and had no desire to learn after they died. I was a know it all, not intentionally but, I just spoke before I thought. I wasn’t very social, so any homes with children already thought I’d cause more harm than good. The other two moved on, one was adopted, the girl, Denise I think was her name, and the other boy stayed with us for a while longer. He didn’t like me much, I was smaller, and not very good at sports...”

He paused, Adrienne scooting closer to him but still maintaining her distance, Daniel nodding before speaking again. 

“I’m glad that Vala and Ronon want Saurza, attitude and all, and they want her just for who she is. Because Kevin was right. No one wanted me...” 

“I do,” Adrienne couldn’t stand it anymore, crawling onto her knees and reaching out for him, “I want you.” 

“I know,” he said, extending his own arms for her, his wife crawling into his lap, intertwining her body with his, “it was just hard to go for so long thinking no one did, or when they did they just wanted to use me...” 

“Well now about that...” she whispered, kissing his head, “I use you for lots of things. A great job, those super cool woolen uniforms, fantastic new gadgets, not to mention that cute little guy down the hall and the other little angel Teyla’s cooking for us.” 

Daniel laughed, holding her tighter in his arms.

“Oh and hot sex,” she added playfully, “I use you for hot sex too. And we know I was pretty damn low on that for a VERY long time.” 

“I love you Adrienne,” he whispered in her ear as he chuckled, knowing she was trying to kid, as always, “I love you so much.” 

“I’d do it all over again Daniel,” she was serious as she rested her hand on his cheek, gazing into his eyes, “I’d marry you all over again, everything, anything to be with you. I want you, and I’m never going anywhere, ever, I promise.”