No More Running - Chapter 8

“I love having someone to come home to,” Adrienne heard his voice from the main door, spinning and smiling to see Daniel entering. 

“I love having someone come home to me since I can’t work with him anymore,” she teased as she reached out, taking him into her arms. 

Nope, she thought, as insane as you drive me I will never get tired of this, burying her head into his chest. 

“That’s not fair,” he hugged her tightly, kissing her head, “we worked together all day yesterday, you can’t say that.”  

“You spoiled me for years on Earth,” she joked as she pulled away, pecking his lips lightly before trailing, not letting go of his fingers. Jack kept teasing her, both of them really, about how the honeymoon period would be over soon, but at a year and a half of marriage and nearly three years together, she wasn’t sick of any of this in the least.  

“Nicky back yet?” Daniel asked, letting himself be led, tossing his things on the chair carelessly. 

“Came home over an hour ago, but he won’t tell me what he and Jack are working on,” she said over her shoulder, Daniel raising his eyebrows as he followed her to the back of their suite. 

“Must be good, or something that we’ve told him not to do.” 

“They seem to be having fun though,” Adrienne shrugged, hoping that whatever it was that it had nothing to do with puddle jumpers. 

“Are you ready to head down for dinner?” Daniel asked, finally pulling away, “I’m starving.”  

“Actually,” his wife smiled, reaching for his hand again,”Nicholas and I have been making something for you...”

“Really?” he seemed surprised. It wasn’t because he didn’t think she could cook, she knew he knew she could, but she really hadn’t had the time to do that since they arrived here and that was something they had talked about when he got well. 

They needed to spend more time together, all of them, as a family, and spend less time existing and not living.

“And Teyla and Torrin,” Adrienne added cautiously, “We wanted to have a family meal.” Biting her lip cautiously, she watched as her husband paused, considering her words. They talked about a lot of things, some very personal intimate things as well, but Daniel was still guarded about his childhood to an extent, and Adrienne didn’t push him. She knew how important family was to him though, having himself felt lost and forgotten, but she wasn’t sure how he felt about this. It wasn’t intentional, it was her own upbringing, family not necessarily being people who shared the same blood. 

She just never asked him before what family meant to him.

“Sha,” Adrienne started to explain, taking a breath before continuing, “she’s two months along now. Two of ten long months.  And it’s our child she carrying, our child, and I just think that sometimes...” 

Next thing she knew he was shutting her up like she did to him so very often, pressing his lips slowly to hers, kissing her softly. She melted into him as she always did, sliding her hand behind his head, the tips of her fingers into his hair. He chuckled at her insistence, pulling away from her grasp to run his fingers down her jawline.

“She’s family ja-wer, you don’t have to explain,” he smiled, her smile, he meant it, making her feel instantly better, “What did you make?” 

He didn’t care, changing the subject quickly to his never ending appetite. 

“I did the best I could, there were no real ingredients on the last supply run, but we made Mole Poblano, home made from replicator ingredients!” she announced proudly, hoping that the meal was a good as it looked, too scared herself to try. 

“Mexican?” he sounded excited. 

“Yes. Mexican,” she was happy to confirm, watching the grin spread across his face as he reached out, kissing her again. 

“I love you,” he said with such sincerity as he pulled away, Adrienne choking up slightly. 

I want to give you what you lost Daniel...

Composing herself, Adrienne skipped ahead to the kitchenette, letting the smell of the food take her mind off of her husband’s hidden past. 

*****

It had taken three days, primarily because Vala was stalling. Todd wasn’t the issue, she knew Daniel was going to go off the deep end when she tried to explain that John was right, that for some reason this Wraith was on their side after all; it was the child. 

Biologically speaking the age was not correct. Adria should be a few years older, probably three years older if she was correct in her guessing, had she not died. 

Been neutralized Vala, she told herself, if her mind had not been corrupted and then she had to be trapped in battle with Morgan La Fey....

She pushed away the thought, leaning back into the captain’s chair letting her eyes gaze back at the girl who was asleep in the copilot’s seat. 

There had been no way of knowing what was in the bag and for a split second when Todd slammed it into the floor of the jumper Vala knew for sure that it was a bomb. A child that was the spitting image of her daughter, her poor lost daughter, was not what she could have ever expected. 

Saurza, she made herself say the name over and over, it’s not Adria, it’s Saurza, was a strong girl, her plea for help not one of fear but a simple request, would they take her away from hell. Vala had only hesitated to assure herself that she was awake, that this wasn’t a nightmare, that she wouldn't awaken on an Ori ship with no hope of saving her child. This child wasn’t Adria, though, that much was clear, she was assertive, independent and unscathed, by the evil of the Ori at least. She wasn’t a talkative kid, but she answered Vala’s questions, explaining that her family was just her dad, her mother had been killed in an attack on their ship, which Saurza said was a trade vessel. Her description of the ship, however, and how her family moved around made it sound more like her parents were bounty hunters, but they probably told the girl that they were traders to protect her, so Vala didn’t say a word. 

That was the real reason that she was stalling. Todd, fine, Daniel would throw another damn fit, John and he would argue about it again before someone finally clued in that while temporarily incapacitated, Aiden Ford was pissed off. Kanaan had been in a haze the entire trip home and Vala knew he was torn. She only hoped that Teyla could repair the damage. While she was afraid of what Daniel would say about the child, he would never turn away a child she knew, but Ronon? 

Vala Mal Doran had felt affection before and attachment, probably strongest with Daniel than with anyone else but Ronon? 

Ronon Dex made her finally understand why Addy spent so much time whining in her room for so long about Daniel. 

She hated to use the word love to describe how she felt about Ronon, but that was most likely because that’s what it was. She had told him she loved him, it seemed the thing to do and it was how she rationalized it, but there was still so much of her that was terrified. Now she was bringing a child into the mix, because after Saurza told her how she’d watched Ford’s Wraith murder her father, how they told her the children were put on growth hormones to make them better food, how she lay in the cold floor of a cell watching other people eaten, Vala was never going to let this child out of her sight. 

Even if it meant losing Ronon, which was tearing her apart. 

*****

Adrienne was happy to see Daniel back in their quarters at a reasonable hour, and well, content. Things had been tense since John had confronted her husband once he was well, since Daniel had to offer an explanation, one that Adrienne had tried to convey to John.

When John had taken Todd out of holding, Daniel had changed the access codes to Adrienne’s information, making her second in command on the computer systems only, systems that had Todd been able to gain access to would have given him top secret information on the city. Had John gone to get a jumper, called command, or anything else in a real emergency things would have proceeded as normal. So, essentially Daniel had given the computer nerd that he trusted the most the computer power. 

It was still a dumb idea and after Todd escaped and Ford rose from the dead he had never bothered to change it back. Regardless, John seemed less angry hearing it from Daniel and Sam, but that could have been a front for all Adrienne knew. 

However, she couldn’t really tell since just as soon as that tension had started to ease that very Wraith in question shown back up on base, alive and well, his hand starting to grow back. 

That had been an interesting evening....

As was seeming to be their Atlantis normal, Daniel had been summoned by his never sleeping bridge commander, in the middle of the night, waking Adrienne this time before he left, assuring her with a kiss that everything was alright. It hadn’t been her husband that called her down to join them, it had been Jack, who’d let himself into their quarters, storming his way right into their bedroom. 

“Up and at ‘em Dr. Perky, your boy toy is about to explode!” 

Adrienne remembered rolling over, thinking it was a dream, why in the hell was Jack O’Neill in her bedroom yapping at her about Daniel, when the blankets were ripped off of her body and the pillow from under her head. 

“What in da ‘ell Jack!?!” she swore, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. 

“Get your ass up!” he ordered, walking over to face her, “I’ll get junior, you get dressed. Your best buddy just showed up with Teyla’s husband and John’s blue friend.” 

“WHAT?!?” Adrienne was up, she was more than up, she was heading to the dresser stripping off her pajamas as she ranted, “When? Where? Are they there? Did Todd take the ship?” 

“Dammit Addy, I don’t need the strip show. They’re all in the jumper bay, Vala called ahead for Dex to bring down security, who called Davidson, who called Daniel, who is ready to kill Vala,” Jack explained, turning away as clothing flew. 

“Why?” 

“Because, she’s letting that Wraith walk around like he belongs here because he saved some kid’s life,” the general added, Adrienne stopping in her tracks. 

“A kid?” 

“Yeah, claims she was gonna be blue bug  food so the good Wraith of the North smuggled her out. She’s going on and on about how she’s not going to let anyone but Carson touch the child, she’s not gonna leave the kid’s side and how Todd’s going back to prison over her dead body,” Jack said, peeking behind him to see if Nicholas was stirring. 

“He sleeps like me, we’ll have to get him up,” Adrienne said before redirecting the conversation, “so on a scale of one to I should bring a zat or a sedative, how’s my husband’s temperament?” 

“It’s about at I’m too old for this shit and am gonna crash on your couch, let the boy sleep and let YOU deal with Daniel.” 

“Good to know,” Adrienne answered, pulling a t-shirt over her sports bra, “don’t let Nicky replicate donuts for breakfast.” 

With that she was gone, the door sliding closed behind her. 

“Fat chance of that Dr. Perky,” Jack laughed, grabbing one of the blankets he had jerked off of his friend’s wife, making his way to the sofa. 

*****

She should have brought a zat. 

The scene in the jumper bay was right out of a bad movie. Vala stood nose to nose with Daniel, a small dark-haired and caramel skinned girl who could have been no more than six years old in her arms. Kanaan was some distance away, talking to Jennifer Keller, while Ronon Dex was standing back his arms crossed at his chest as if he was deciding whether to take the side of his boss or his lover, his eyes locked on the jumper. 

“He saved HER LIFE!” 

“SINCE WHEN DO WRAITH SAVE LIVES!” 

“How in the HELL do you think this damn city got to Earth in the first place DANIEL!”

“John flew it there Vala, but you wouldn’t know since you don’t READ MISSION REPORTS!” 

“With TODD’S help you fuckin’ IDIOT!” 

“Vala let Jenn take the girl and we can discuss the Wraith’s fate with Dex,” Adrienne noticed Daniel taking a breath, calming, practicing Kelnareen as Teal’c suggested he do when they chatted briefly via the stones on a Destiny check-in. 

“His NAME is TODD and I am NOT leaving Saurza for a MOMENT and I am NOT LEAVING until I see that TODD is given quarters and not a prison cell!” she shot back, the vein in Daniel’s head throbbing. 

That’s not good....

“You going down there?” a voice asked behind her, Adrienne peering over her shoulder to see Sam and John approaching, the latter a smile on his face as the words passed his lips. 

“You’re second in command. I’m just the back-up computer nerd, I thought we cleared that up,” she tried to joke, the shouting still raging on as she caught the subject in question standing at the mouth of the jumper hatch, Ronon still eyeing him carefully. 

“I was hoping to pull the ‘he’s yours’ card,” John said with a shrug, Adrienne shaking her head. 

“Nope, right now he’s all yours sir,” she said, patting him on the back, quickly stepping back to join Sam. 

“John, I really think it’s best that you head down there,” Sam added, John nodding his head. 

“Oh, I know, there was just part of me that hoped to avoid this. Wish me luck,” the colonel requested, walking briskly toward the argument. 

“Thank God someone with a brain!” Vala moaned seeing John approach, Daniel gazing over as well not noticing Adrienne. 

Good, she thought, I don’t wanna be dragged into this. 

“John,” Daniel started right in, approaching his second in command, “I’m glad Davidson got a hold of you, could you please escort the Wraith back down to the holding cells and post guards at the wait.” 

“John, could you please inform Daniel that yet again this Wraith has managed to save our asses!!” Vala spat, John frowning. 

“Wait, hold on, what happened?” John said as he held up his hands, waving them, Vala taking a breath as she adjusted the child at her hip. 

“When Daniel cancelled the meeting...” 

“Postponed...” 

“When Daniel was too sick to meet with Ford, Ford flipped shit, said he wasn’t going to be fooled, typical big bad guy crap and that he was gonna attack. So, I bombed the shit out of their hull, at least enough to stop them for a while. I went to the ship and Kanaan was already there and then Todd showed up with Saurza,” she explained, pretty calm for Vala, Adrienne noted. 

“And Saurza, is the...” John asked, the child whipping around to look at him. 

“Me, I’m Saurza,” the girl replied, not fearful in the least yet still clinging to Vala. That seemed a bit odd. 

“Todd, what’s the deal with the girl?” John now questioned, Daniel stepped forward, forehead vein throbbing. 

“Why are you asking him?” Daniel spat as John took a breath. 

“Ford is insane. He is farming Wraith for enzyme, some larger drones and using humans to feed them. Everything’s set up in a lab, bodies and bodies linked to one another. I do not know how it all works but he is keeping your kind in storage, and they are not soldiers, they are weaklings, woman and children,” Todd started to explain, Daniel interrupting. 

“Since when do you care about women and children?” 

“Since he’s not like that anymore Daniel!” Vala was whining from behind, Daniel ignoring her as normal. 

Todd didn’t answer however, keeping his strong gaze on the commander. 

“Alright, look, Vala, let Jenn take the girl to the infirmary, look her over and we can -” John was now trying to reason, Vala shaking her head. 

“No, I’m going with her.” 

“Vala,” John continued, eyeing Daniel for support, “I think that Daniel will agree we need a meeting of the senior staff at once.” 

“Great, take Kanaan, he was there,” she declared, starting to walk the child out of the jumper bay, Ronon stopping her advance. 

“Val, let Jenn take her -” 

“No, Ronon, look,” she said, pulling away the child’s hair, “she’s Satedan.” 

Adrienne wished that she had been close enough to see what was going on, but all she heard from the floor was Ronon’s strong voice, his body turning to face her husband. 

“I’m gonna take Vala and the girl to the infirmary,” he declared in that voice Adrienne knew Daniel wouldn’t question. He trusted his head of security, like she thought he trusted John. 

“Come as soon as you can,” Daniel agreed, glancing back at John, “What about Todd?” 

Adrienne noted he called the Wraith Todd, wondering what caused that change. 

“I’ll vouch for him,” John spoke quickly, “after the briefing.”

Daniel simply nodded, John indicating that everyone disperse, the tall blue creature that had slammed her in the face following behind the colonel, unencumbered. 

Adrienne just stood there for a moment, in shock, until Daniel was standing in front of her, asking about their son. 

*****

“Why’s a doctor gotta see me? I told you I’m fine. They don’t keep dirty food,” Saurza argued as she wriggled from Vala’s arms, the latter relenting to allow the child to walk on her own two feet. 

“It’s protocol and I want to make sure you’re alright.” 

“Why?” 

Kid had moxy, had to give her credit for that. After everything she’d been through, Vala couldn’t blame her. 

“Because I like you,” she answered, surprising herself. She did like the girl, she reminded her of herself at that age, sassy but careful. 

The child just made a face. 

“Can you humor me?” Vala asked, “I did make sure you didn’t become an enzyme factory.” 

“True...” the child responded, cocking her head back at Vala, “who’s the big guy?” 

“He’s the head of security.”

“Does he think I’m a threat?” Saurza asked, Vala noting her use of a word beyond her years. 

“No.” 

“Then why is he following?” 

Because he loves me just didn’t seem the appropriate response, so Vala just shrugged, hoping that would be enough. 

“Is he your husband?” 

Damn this kid is relentless, Vala thought, frowning. 

“No, but he is my...” she searched for a word that was appropriate, what was he, her lover, no you don’t say lover to a child..

“Boyfriend?” she now tried. 

Vala couldn’t help but smile. 

“Yea, he is,” she answered laughing. 

“He’s cute, nice work,” the girl answered, Vala reaching to push her to walk faster. 

“Keep moving, we can discuss boys later,” she joked, her stomach still in knots over the question. 

*****

There was a new level of exhaustion that Dr. Adrienne Jackson was becoming accustomed to, so much so she had given it a name. 

Damn Indy Promotion exhaustion or DIP, because that is what she felt like right now, a dip. They could have stayed on Earth, continued working in the lab, stayed in their beautiful home, but NOOOO, she had to push her husband to live his dream. 

“Ja-wer?” Daniel said from beside her in the bed, seeing through her ruse. She wasn’t asleep, how could she sleep, after everything that happened today. 

After Daniel agreeing to let Todd have quarters, though he was confined to them and they were guarded. 

“Yea,” she whispered back, rolling onto her side, away from him. 

“You’re quiet,” he observed, “and you were quiet at dinner. Nicholas is worried.”

“No, I’m just tired. He was showing me something in his journal, it’s a translation, I’m gonna help him tomorrow, but, I’m just tired,” she lied. She was worried about Todd and she was more worried about Ronon and Vala. 

After the briefing, Todd and Kanaan just adding details to Vala’s short synopsis of the events on Ford’s ship, Adrienne excused herself to get Nicholas and head down to the infirmary, hoping that if the child wasn’t carrying any illness that she would take solace in having another child to chat with. That and Nicholas was smart enough where he could play the advanced toddler, at age one nearly the size of a three year old now, but be smart enough to note important information she and Daniel may need later. 

The girl, Saurza Sincha was her name, claiming her father was someone that Ronon knew, checked out alright and was happily chatting away to Nicky about things to do in the city. It was then, as Adrienne went to intervene, ask the child some questions herself that Vala tapped her arm, pulling Adrienne over to the side. 

“Addy can I ask you something?” Vala questioned, oddly timid as Carson stepped away to let the children talk. 

“Sure,” she replied, looking up to see if her son was in earshot, which he was, but was eyeing the girl more carefully. 

“How did you know?” 

The question confused Adrienne as she watched Nicky explain fishing to this clearly unfrightened girl. 

“Know what?” 

“Know that Daniel was it for you?” she clarified, Adrienne pausing, glancing over. 

“You mean when I fell in love with him?” she asked as Vala shook her head, darting her gaze between Adrienne and the Satedan child. 

“No, I mean when you understood that there was no one else for you. That Daniel would be the person you spent the rest of your life with.”

Oh that, Adrienne thought, shrugging. 

“I think I always knew. There was just something there, right from the start, something that just didn’t sit right. I mean, I’d have a bad day or just a headache and calling Daniel was the first thing I’d think to do, like it was what I was supposed to do,” she gave the best explanation that she could, remembering when she realized that for all of her insistence that she would never marry that she essentially had just let herself fall into being Daniel’s wife before either of them realized it.  

“I’d call Ronon,” Vala whispered quietly, Adrienne leaning to make sure she heard her.

“What?”

“When I get,” Vala paused, swallowing, “upset. I used to call you, but then I called Ronon, and now, I wait until we are back at our quarters or I go to his office.” 

Adrienne couldn’t help but smile. Sure, she missed talking to Vala so much, the crazy woman was really like a sister to her, but she deserved this. 

Vala Mal Doran was in love with Ronon Dex, Adrienne was sure.

“Why do you ask?” Adrienne thought, stating the obvious, “I thought you guys were...”

Vala frowned, sighing out, looking back at the girl and Nicholas, “We are, I mean, we share quarters but, ugh, maybe I’ve just been watching too many stupid movies.”

“I told you romantic comedy was the work of Hades,” Adrienne joked, “Have you talked to him?” Again, Vala shook her head. 

“No, Ronon’s not a talker. It’s part of what I like about him.”

Adrienne couldn’t resist, “And to think you wanted Daniel. That man never shuts up...”

“You two probably talk during sex,” Vala teased as her friend blushed profusely. 

They did. 

A lot. 

And not what normal people might say. 

“I knew it,” she accused. 

“It’s not what you think,” Adrienne shot back quickly. 

“I know way too much about you two, so let’s just stop,” Vala replied, something that Adrienne never thought she’d hear the woman say. 

“You need to ask him,” the Cajun said eliciting a powerful sigh from her friend. 

“Ask him what exactly?”

“Ask him where he thinks this is going...”

And yet another sigh...

“Addy, I don’t know where this is going, I know where I want this to go, but...” 

Adrienne’s jaw dropped, “Wait, Vala, do you want to marry Dex? Like, not just have a good time but marry him?”

“No,” Vala spat immediately, “weddings are stupid, marriage is stupid.”

“You weren't saying that last year...” Adrienne said with a smile, Vala grumbling. 

“It’s role reversal you know, you in here, whining to me,” she added, eyes rolling her first answer.

“Stop reminding me.” 

“For what it’s worth,” Adrienne stopped smiling, reaching out for her friend’s hand, “he wasn’t going to leave. He was going to give up the only life he knew after being a runner for you...” 

But there was something in Vala’s words, a fear, and Adrienne caught her once more looking at the child...

“Ad?” Daniel’s face was in her own, his nose touching hers, “are you ok?” 

“I said was tired,” she grumbled as her husband rolled her onto her back. 

“Are you upset I let the Wraith...” 

“Todd...”

“Todd, are you upset I let Todd stay in the housing wing?” he asked but Adrienne shook her head. 

“No, I think John’s right about him. He’s different, he actually wouldn’t even make eye contact with me during the briefing. I think he feels bad,” she whispered. 

“Wraith don’t feel,” Daniel countered. 

“I think this one does...” and she trailed again. 

“So this is about Todd?” he tried, Adrienne finally rolling to her side to face him. 

“No, it’s not. I’m fine, it’s nothing,” she insisted not wanting to vent Vala’s love life to Daniel. 

“Promise?” 

“Yes Indy,” she said with a smile, “I promise.” 

“Then why are you over there?” he teased, pouting his lip slightly as he reached out his arms. She smiled, damn Daniel always made it so much damn better, rolling back over and into his embrace, burying into his chest. 

“Make love to me,” she shocked herself with her words, having never requested that of him before verbally. She wasn’t sure how he’d react until she felt fingers at her chin, her face being pulling upright as he pulled her closer to him, bringing his lips to her own. She kissed him softly, taking solace in the touch of his skin against her own as he was pushing up her tank top to slowly undress her. Worry was gone, as she reached her hands into his boxers, cautiously teasing the hardness she found. Normally they talked, teased, giggled, but not tonight, she could tell by the moment of his mouth against her own and the speed with which he had already removed her shirt, now moving to her pajama pants with equal haste. She hadn’t realized he was feeling the same, that urgent desire to be with the one constant in their lives, each other, was what they needed right now. Pulling back her rapidly pumping hand, her husband throbbing in her clasp, Adrienne jerked his boxers from his body. Daniel sat up, ripping his shirt from his head and throwing it aside, reaching down for her to take her gently into his arms, slipping into her body. 

She couldn’t help but hiss in, it had been at least a week since they had been intimate, Adrienne vowing as he thrust in and out of her that a week was far too long and she would never let that happen again. A tickling sensation coursed down her spine as he nibbled her neck, pushing in deeper, so much so that he was shoving her back onto the bed. She didn’t fight back, for as much as she loved the sensitive side of her husband she also loved to give herself to him, to be vulnerable and let him have the power. Reaching for his head, she brought their lips together again, kissing him passionately as he fulfilled her request, making love to her, chills running through her body. 

“Euai!” Daniel shouted out suddenly, Adrienne clamping her hand over his mouth in a panic as he thrust more frantically. She tried so hard to keep him quiet, but the sensation was taking over her body, sending her into a frenzy herself as she moved her hands from his face to his bare hips, pushing him deeper inside of her. There was the build, making her clench him, Daniel murmuring her name into her neck as she rode the wave of pleasure he was creating. 

And then it was over, Daniel holding himself over her like he always did, as if he was so afraid to hurt her, which he never could. 

“What’s with the Greek?” she couldn’t help but tease, biting her lip. 

“We’re married,” he replied, “which means I have to come up with new and creative ways to impress you.” 

“And we went with yelling out Ancient Greek during sex?” 

A pillow slammed into her face. 

“Ja-wer, you’re so awful to me,” he laughed and was climbing off, his naked silhouette standing and walking away. 

“I’m awake, do you want to get in the tub?” he asked over his shoulder. 

“Round two?” she asked. 

“Maybe,” he shrugged, walking away laughing. 

She’d let herself worry about Vala in the morning...

*****

“Why do we have to go back?” Saurza said from Vala’s bed, the girl looking so small amongst the pile of blankets. It was cold on this planet and Ronon only kept her so warm, so she just cuddled up to him and layered on the covers. That is, when she got to sleep in her bed. Last night, after the excitement of the arrival died down, Vala brought the girl back to her room, using that replication machine that Sam modified to make the child some clothes. It was nothing fancy, but it was clean, quickly tossing her old clothes in the incinerator. 

“It’s SGC regulation,” Vala explained, wishing that Ronon could have joined her on the sofa last night, it was cold but he’d wanted to guard Todd’s room himself, had insisted on guarding Todd’s room himself, “if you’re to stay on Atlantis then you must have a full physical, not just a sick scan or whatever the hell Carson called it, but they have to start a file.” 

“I get to stay?” 

The question threw Vala off guard; what else did the girl think was happening. 

“Of course. Daniel doesn’t send people off when they have no where to go...”

And sometimes, he marries the vagabonds when they show up in his lab, but she kept her snide remarks quiet. 

“Is Daniel your cute boyfriend?” she asked, Vala laughing out loud. 

“No,” she choked out, a million thoughts running through her head, “Ronon is my....” she couldn’t say the word, what in the hell was wrong with her, “Daniel is the idiot who I was screaming at.” 

“Ronon is cuter.” 

Vala just rubbed her face unable to believe the mouth on this kid. 

“Thank you, but don’t let Addy hear you say that,” she joked, pulling clothes from the nice pile of new replicated garb. 

“Who’s Addy?” 

“My friend,” Vala explained as she passed an outfit over, “one of my best friends. She came down with her son to see you yesterday. She’s Daniel’s wife.” 

“Poor her,” Saurza said, taking the clothes and standing from the bed, “he doesn’t seem very nice.” 

Vala erupted into laughter. 

“He is, he just doesn’t want his son to get killed by the Wraith,” she added, turning to allow the girl privacy. 

“Nicholas is his son?” 

“Yes,” Vala replied over her shoulder. 

“He’s weird, still small and super smart, but he’s nice. His Mom seemed nice too.” 

“She is,” Vala answered quickly, “she’s like my sister.” 

“You didn’t have to turn around, but I’m dressed now,” Saurza announced, Vala turning back to see an everyday child, not the adorable dirtball that had popped out of that bag. She had a bath the night before and now, in normal, clean clothes, Earth jeans and a t-shirt, she looked just like a regular kid. 

“Daniel’s worried about nothing. Todd can’t kill anyone,” she added, hopping from the bed happily. 

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I watched him,” Saurza was pulling the blankets back up, making the bed the best she could, “he came to feed where we were being kept and he couldn’t. He doesn’t like to eat people anymore.” 

Could that be true? 

Vala knew the Wraith had been sustained on the replacement formula, but to have him unable to feed on humans anymore? That just seemed odd, like that vampire show she and Addy watched and the synthetic formula that let the creatures live amongst humans, but she had witnessed stranger things. 

“Stop stalling, Dr. Beckett’s waiting,” Vala answered instead, ushering the girl from cleaning and out the door. 

*****

So, yeah, the Wraith was at breakfast. 

Adrienne was tired, stupid Daniel stupidly kept her up all night, doing...

Regardless, she’d rather have rations or replicated food then attempt to cook something  without causing a fire, so she dragged her son out of bed, fighting him to put on clothes while Daniel got dressed. 

Didn’t really seem equitable. 

The three walked together to the commissary, Daniel giving Adrienne a run down of his schedule for the day which she already knew but she liked to hear him tell her anyway. Her stomach rumbling with hunger, she could smell the egg wafting out of the front entrance when there was a tug at the leg of her uniform pants. 

“Mom?” 

Frowning she looked down at Nicholas, not wanting to hear his excuses as to why he needed to get to Sam and Jack’s early, he wasn’t even two, odd growth spurt or not, and he had no schedule to which he had to adhere to other than her own. 

“What beb?” she asked sweetly, not wanting to lash out at him because she hadn’t had coffee yet. 

“Todd’s having breakfast.” 

And for the second time in less than twenty four hours, Adrienne was starting to regret not carrying a zat on her person at all times. 

“Calm Indy...” she whispered, reaching out for her husband’s arm as he came to a screeching halt 

“They don’t need to eat ja-wer...food anyway....they eat people...like our son...” 

“Actually Dad what they do is...” 

Daniel shot the boy a look and he shut up, Adrienne taking a breath. Sighing, she glanced over at Todd, who was sitting at a table beside John, eating something that wasn’t a person, two armed guards eying him. 

“He’s eating now...” Adrienne offered, Daniel shaking his head. 

“Yea, he likes Reese’s Pieces,” he answered Adrienne cracking up, “I know the reference ja-wer, not now,” he fussed in a heartbeat. Adrienne rolled her eyes. 

“Daniel,” she reasoned calmly, turning his gaze to meet her own, “I trust John and I know you do. He’s not doing this to piss you off.” 

“If he wanted to do that Dad, he’d just take away your coffee,” Nicky added with a grin. 

“Not now Nicholas,” Adrienne hissed. 

“Just trying to help...” 

“Fine, I’m going to go in there and eat my morning meal with the enemy,” he declared smartly walking into the commissary without them. 

“Nicholas,” Adrienne said reaching for his hand, “Life Lesson number one. Tantrums do you no good. Your father will eventually self-destruct.” 

“Dad said lesson number one was always have coffee,” the boy replied. 

“Of course he did,” Adrienne muttered, dragging their son in to eat. 

*****

Her husband was very civil at breakfast, even mentioning to John the day’s staff meeting right in front of Todd. She was forcing herself to call him Todd since it appeared that the Wraith was finally accepting that as his name. Teyla had said that he was a Guide, basically a male hive leader in a past life, but that since he had turned his back on the hive a second time that that would most likely be a moniker that he could never use again. 

Trying to act like everything was normal, Adrienne sat there, chatting with Teyla about adjusting their training schedule as Teyla’s middle was just beginning to swell a touch, though Adrienne couldn’t tell as much as the Athosian claimed to be seeing herself. They decided to replace some of their sparring with more guided, individual practice when Adrienne noticed that Vala was not a breakfast. 

“Wait,” Adrienne said, looking around the room as Daniel sat beside her, rambling on to John about Rodney’s gate bridge reconstruction plan, “where’s Vala?” 

“In the infirmary,” Teyla smiled, “she’s will not leave Saurza.” 

Frowning, Adrienne peeked over to see if Daniel was listening, which he wasn’t, glancing back at Teyla in concern. 

“Is she ill?” the Cajun was worried, she had allowed her child yesterday to spend a considerable amount of time with the girl, but Teyla was shaking her head. 

“No, Carson just wanted to run a total physical this morning, so he requested that Vala bring the girl back, get her a file started...” Teyla answered, Adrienne shaking her head. 

“Wait? Start a file?” 

“Yes Adrienne,” her tone sounded as if she thought her cajun friend was missing something, “she has no where to go. Her father was killed by Ford’s people, and she never knew her mother. She was killed when she was very young.” 

It was at that moment that her entire conversation with Vala yesterday made sense, the giggle from the end of the table as Nicholas was laughing at some silly story by Radek Zalenka only confirming her opinion. 

Vala wanted that child. 

And to have a child meant a kind of sacrifice that Adrienne herself now knew all too well, a sacrifice of sleep, time, energy that she would never trade for anything. It also, however, meant a sacrifice of Daniel, Daniel who had become a constant presence in her life literally, even when they were merely close friends. 

“I think so too,” Teyla added as she leaned forward, Torrin now wailing in hysterical laughter from beside her own son, “she wants what she has never been able to have.” 

“Should I go to talk to Dex, do you think -” 

“Hey,” and Daniel’s face was in her own, kissing her cheekbone, “staff meeting now Ad, not Cajun time.” 

“I’ve been very good in this galaxy Daniel Anthony,” she defended with a smile as he shook his head, mimicking zipping his mouth. 

“Tchew,” she playfully spat as he left, smiling as she watched him walk away. 

God I love that man...

“And he loves you the same,” Teyla spoke again, making Adrienne blush. She always forgot about her friend’s more empathic side, although at times it seemed to be more telepathic than anything else, “and yes, perhaps someone should speak with Ronon. Maybe there will be a chance after the meeting.” 

“Yea, I’ll see what nonsense Indy’s got planned for us,” Adrienne stood, collecting her tray before walking over to Nicholas. 

“Nicholas,” Adrienne said, kneeling at the boy’s side, resisting the urge to hug him. He’d asked her not to do that in public; he said it reminded people that he was a baby, which was growing less and less apparent as the days passed by. 

She really wished he’d stop growing, and this crazy DNA mess that was making him shoot up a touch faster than normal wasn’t helping. 

“Mom, Radek was telling us about the time he shut Rodney in the transporters for two hours!!” the boy was trying to say between fits of laughter, Torrin’s head on the table as he cackled. 

“Something I hope he is not giving you the details as to how to do,” Adrienne replied, trying to hold back her smile. 

“Of course not Adrienne - “ Radek started, Nicky spinning around on his seat with a grin on his face. 

“Actually, mom, it’s quite simple. Because the entire transporter system is tuned into the central mainframe, it is possible with the correct codes..” 

“No,” Adrienne laughed out, setting her face in her hands, “just let me go on with my life thinking that you’re a normal toddler ok?” 

“Mama up!” the boy requested, holding out his arms. 

“Not funny, stop acting like your father. Let’s get you to Jack,” she said as Nicholas stood, saying goodbye to Torrin and Zalenka. With a smile Adrienne turned, checking her watch to see if she was going to be late as Daniel had teased when she felt a hand slip into the one dangling at her side. Hiding the expression spreading across her face, she cut her eyes down slyly to see her son holding her hand tightly.

“Todd seemed nice,” he observed, explaining the unsolicited acknowledgment that he had parents. 

“He did,” Adrienne had to agree, the Wraith had been well behaved, looking at her a few times with a guilty look on his face. 

“Do you think he’s gonna eat us, like Dad says?” 

“No,” Adrienne answered quickly, not even thinking. She did, though, she just couldn’t see in this particular being the sheer horror that she had read about. The Wraith hadn’t sat with them, taking a position beside John at the end of the table, the complete opposite side of her son and his friend. 

“I don’t think so either,” he replied as they turned the corner headed down the hall. He was deep in thought and Adrienne didn’t want Nicholas to dwell like she was sure that he was genetically predisposed to doing. 

“So what are you and Jack working on?” she asked, her technique working as the boy’s face broke out into a grin. 

“Remember those Athosian blocks?”

“Yeah...”

“Teyla knew exactly what they were. I took them to her and she filled in where the letters had worn off but when she was doing it I got this idea,” he started, pulling his hand away to let his arms flail, so much like Daniel. 

“I’m listening,” she smiled. 

“They were learning blocks, to teach Athosian children, and Dad says that he wants to city to be full of families. Your DATA idea got me thinking Mom, that’s great for older kids, but what about younger ones? And there are so many different alphabets and languages here in the Pegasus, what if I could make a set of blocks that was universal?” 

Adrienne stopped in her tracks. Firstly, Nicholas was merely fifteen months old biologically regardless of his mental age or his rapidly changing physical form; how did this idea come to him? Secondly, what a selfless thing to do. Here he could be, fishing, playing, getting Jack to let him fly more jumpers which she new damn well that he was doing despite what Daniel believed, but instead he wanted to teach the other children on the base, children that were not even here yet. 

“It’s a crazy idea, I know,” he said quietly, Adrienne dropping to his eye level. 

“No, it’s not,” she assured as she placed her hands on his shoulders, “it’s amazing and I am very proud of you for having the idea.” 

Smiling brightly Nicky turned, walking just a touch faster than before. 

*****

Vala didn’t want to be sitting in the briefing but Daniel’s radio transmission had been very clear. 

ALL senior staff needed to report to briefing room as soon as possible and she was senior staff. It was a funny thing, when she agreed to come she was quite literally coming just for Ronon, chasing yet another man to another world, and she hadn’t thought to ask Daniel what she would be doing. 

And he didn’t bother telling her, directly, but apparently she was their lead of intelligence here as well, which was fine by her. Being sneaky and spying had always been second nature. 

“I’d like to let Vala start the meeting, give us details as to what exactly is going on at the hive ship,” Daniel began as Adrienne took a seat beside her, late as usual. Even with her husband in charge of the city, the poor woman couldn’t get anywhere on time. 

“I can’t even blame it on you doing him in the lab anymore,” Vala joked as Adrienne frowned, standing to head to the front of the room. 

“There’s not much to tell, really,” she started, glad to not have to deal with a slideshow, “As you all are aware, Ford agreed to the meeting with the Genii acting as the middle men. When Daniel got sick and couldn’t come, he took it as a personal insult and went crazy. Kanaan said it was the drug, that Ford only really had two emotional states now, creepy calm and full on ballistic. We got option two when Glasses couldn’t show.” 

She paused, annoyed to have to be repeating this yet again. They all knew this, she hated having to make everything official, have a briefing, write a report, all of that Earth required bullshit. She’d rather be back in the infirmary with Saurza, making sure that she was alright, that there was nothing wrong; she had gotten all of the proper vaccines and things to make her an official refugee seeking sanctuary at Atlantis. 

But then where would she go?

They took in refugees all of the time on Earth, but the children that came had parents or relatives but this girl had no one in the universe...

“Vala?” Daniel was tapping a pen at the table, Vala realizing that everyone was staring right at her making her wonder how long she’d paused. 

“What else do you want me to say? He said he was gonna attack the city, so I took some smuggled in pulse grenades I had and shoved them into the hull. I know the damn ships heal, but it should have caused enough damage to cripple it until he can repair it...” 

“He’ll feed it,” John spoke up, his voice solemn, “with those people that Todd found. The ships work like a giant Wraith.” 

Vala’s stomach sank. 

If Todd had left Saurza behind she could be feeding that ship right now...

“It was the right call,” Daniel spoke quickly, “we need to do what we can to minimize the damage that Ford can cause and there was no way to get those people out of there and on the jumper.” 

Nice try Daniel, she thought, but that doesn’t make me feel better. 

“That’s it, I set the timer to give me fifteen minutes, raced to the jumper. Kanaan arrived right after me, wanting to get back to Torrin in case Ford was attacking and then Todd showed up with the girl,” she forced the last words for some reason, unable to say her name, unsure as to why. 

“Kanaan said that the Athosians might be using the enzyme, at least the young ones,” Daniel added over his shoulder at the table, Vala nodding her head in agreement. Kanaan had said as much on the way back, to both she and Todd, he too trusting the Wraith. 

Seemed in fact that everyone did but Daniel, and Ronon, the latter giving her something else to worry about. 

“There’s a good chance of that,” John agreed, “with so few of them left they might turn to it thinking it can help them survive.” 

“If that’s what’s happening we need to be prepared. Get Carson and Jennifer working right away on some sort of way to neutralize someone on the enzyme without hurting them in case a zat blast won’t take them down. Ronon, I want you to test all of the weapons and shields. Make sure we can defend ourselves if needed. I’m going to use the stones to contact the Destiny, set up a meeting with Cameron and let him know what’s going on,” Daniel said, standing, silently excusing Vala. 

She was glad; she really had nothing else to say on the matter, her thoughts back again on Saurza...

She stood, taking her seat beside Addy, who was rolling her eyes already. This wasn’t just a Todd meeting, this was gonna be an all out staff meeting, Rodney now reporting on the progress of the gate bridge. He requested sending teams again to explore gates on worlds that were not inhabited any longer that the Daedalus or possibly the Daniel Jackson could take to the needed position. It seemed that five gates had to be replaced and two just needed repair, but his scientific mumbo jumbo just fly over her head. 

John was next, muttering something about teams going off world to explore again, trying to figure out who had encountered Ford and who hadn’t and start to let their allies know that they were back and ready to talk again. He also talked about starting relations with the Genii beyond using them for negotiations, trying to see if their government had made the fundamental changes it needed to no longer be a military dictatorship. She was only half listening, catching bits and pieces, like when Daniel informed his wife that she was going be a member of the first recon team and due to the threat of Ford she would need to carry a P-90. 

That made Vala reach out to squeeze Addy’s hand. She knew that would be hard for her friend, but Daniel was right; it was necessary. 

As the meeting droned on, Radek talking about gardens and food, something about trees, Addy even getting up to give her and Sam’s update on the DATA project, Vala just couldn’t stop thinking about the girl.  

“That’s all I have. If I need a report from you, you know who you are, get those to me as soon as possible so I can figure out what I need to tell Cam immediately and what needs to be sent via our next supply run,” Daniel ordered, standing again from his seat, “anything else?” 

Vala’s hand shot up before she could stop it. 

“What’s gonna happen to Saurza?” 

“Who?” John asked, confused, Vala unsure if he had gotten the girl’s name. 

“The girl. I know we’re taking her as a refugee, but when then? What are we gonna do with her?” she thought she heard her words tremble, feeling a hand under the table at her knee, Addy’s hand, reaching her own underneath to squeeze it. 

“I’ll speak to Cam, see what protocol dictates we do here in the Pegusus,” Daniel answered simply. There was nothing else to say, the other staff members excusing themselves one by one, Daniel pulling Adrienne aside as she passed ahead of Vala. 

Vala, however, didn’t care, racing past her friend, her destination in her mind. 

*****

“Ad, I wanted to talk to you, in private,” Daniel started, the moment Vala was out of sight, walking over to the door to close it. 

“Is everything alright?” she asked, worried, watching the look on his face. 

“Yeah, it’s fine, I just didn’t want to wait until tonight,” and he was sitting, indicating that she sit in the chair beside him. Thoroughly confused, she did as he silently requested. The moment she took the seat, Daniel scooted closer to her, their knees touching, taking her hands into his own. 

“Adrienne, there are some things I never told you, about growing up,” he started, taking a breath before continuing, “You see, no one wants a older child, people only want babies. And a child with baggage, a child who needs extra emotional support, no one...”

He trailed for a moment, Adrienne slipping her left hand from his right, running her hand up to his cheek. 

“Ad, I was never adopted,” he choked out, licking his lip nervously and then biting it, “no one wanted me, not even my own grandfather and, well, what I’m saying is that no child deserves to be...”

She ran her fingers over to his lips, hushing him, leaning forward to kiss him lightly. She knew where this was going, he hadn’t even spent two minutes with the child but he wasn’t about to let her suffer his own fate. It was one of the kindest things she had ever known him to suggest, even if she was halting his suggestion, and it made her eyes water, forcing her to sniffle in. 

“Not us Daniel, not this time,” she whispered, running her fingers along his jawline again. 

“Why not? I mean, I’m not suggesting we go down there an announce that we’re her new parents, she just got here, it would take time, like Janet had to take with Cassie, but with Nicky and the new baby, we already have an established family unit. What’s one more?” 

“Sha,” Adrienne was shaking her head, “Vala misses Adria. She might say or act otherwise, but we’re close. There was a part of being with Tomin that fulfilled her, gave her purpose and the Ori ripped that away...” Adrienne tried to explain what she hoped he would understand, her husband sitting upright with a frown on his face.

“Ad, I can’t just let Vala keep that child like it’s a puppy,” he retorted immediately, understanding completely what his wife was saying. 

“You’re not. And it’s not. Her heart’s already decided, like mine had when you were scared I’d have an abortion,” she chose her words carefully, remembering the relief on his face when she told him that she wanted to keep the baby, that she wanted to start a family with him,  “A mother knows, we just know when nothing else makes sense.” 

Daniel sat silently for a moment, in thought, considering her words. He knew Vala, he really knew Vala, and he should know that what Adrienne was saying was true. He pulled back completely, save for his left hand, still clasping her fingers lightly. 

“But what about Ronon?” he finally spoke, Adrienne smiling softly. 

“I think he’s gonna surprise her with his response,” his wife answered sweetly. 

*****

Poor Teyla seemed to have all of the children today, but she needed to talk to Ronon alone. She needed to see Daniel too, get this started, see if this was possible and then talk to Saurza. Ultimately it would be her decision, but Vala needed to make sure that there was even a decision to be made in the first place. 

“Val!” he was shouting as Vala left Teyla’s quarters, the voices of Nicholas, Saurza and Torrin trailing into the hall. 

“Hey, walk with me!” she yelled back, slowing down to let him catch up, the handsome tall man jogging to meet her. 

“Got your message, everything ok?” he asked as he made it to her side, matching her powerwalk. 

“Yeah, I’m on my way to see Daniel, but I needed to talk to you about something,” she could hear the nerves in her voice, her heart screaming not to do this, to not scare away this perfect man that she never thought existed. 

“About what?” he looked confused, Vala trying look away before she could chicken about. 

So she walked faster, reaching the transporter and hitting the button. 

“About Saurza,” she finally said, the door opening in front of her. Nodding, Ronon held out his hand for her to get in ahead of him, following as she did. 

“She ok?” 

“Yes,” Vala started, “she’s fine, she’s with Teyla and the other kids but...Dex, I can’t leave her.” 

She’d said it and she almost threw up, the doors to the rapid transport opening to face Daniel’s office. 

“I know,” he responded, holding the door so she could pass, following her again. Vala took a step forward, pausing at the exit to gaze back at him. 

I’m so sorry Ronon...

“So, I’d understand if you needed to move on,” she said, sucking in the tears that she knew were forming in her eyes. 

“Nope,” he answered quickly.

“Nope what?” 

“I don’t need to move on,” he clarified, this time taking the lead to Daniel’s office, “We can raise her.” 

WHAT???

Had she heard him right? And there he went, leaning over to tell Davidson they were here, walking right up to Daniel’s door and knocking, Vala frozen until she came to her senses, racing after him. 

“We?”

“Yeah, we,” Ronon answered, opening the door as soon as he heard Daniel shout ‘Come in’, “Daniel, ya got a minute.” 

“Yea Ronon, do I need to cancel my next meeting?” the commander replied, standing from his chair. 

“No, today’s checks are fine, Vala and I just needed to talk to you about the Satedan girl,” he explained, Daniel nodding his head. 

“Yea, Addy said she’s the daughter of a friend of yours, do you know if there was any other family?” 

“Not exactly a friend, but no, no family,” he answered, pointing to the computer, “Val and I wanna take her.” 

Vala’s jaw dropped. 

“I need to speak with Cam, but it’s been done before, Cassie as you know was Janet’s adopted daughter, and there is some paperwork involved and I have to speak to the girl, but I think it can be done,” Daniel answered smiling but Ronon was shaking his head. 

“No, not that part, I know that’ll take a while,” he said, Vala utterly lost. 

“Ronon I’m not following you,” Daniel replied frowning, looking to Vala for an answer that she didn’t have. 

“We gotta get married first right? Can you call Jack down here?” 

Vala almost hit the floor and it looked as if Daniel was ready to do the same. 

“I wanna do this right,” he added his expression saying that he felt he must have needed an explanation. 

“Just don’t make me do that wedding crap that you made Addy do,” he added one last thing, Daniel reaching slowly for his phone.

*****

Adrienne rubbed her face, pinching the bridge of her nose for some relief. It had to be the flowers, when Vala called her screaming for her to ‘get her ass to Daniel’s office’ because she was going to be marrying Ronon, NOW, Adrienne rushed to the gardens grabbing flowers without thinking. 

“You sound stuffy,” Daniel noted as she climbed into bed beside where he was reading something on his tablet. 

“Atlantica apparently has something I’m allergic too,” she explained, “or it’s something in Radek’s garden.” 

“You didn’t have to bring flowers, she just wanted you there as a witness,” he teased as he set the tablet on his nightstand. 

“I should have replicated an entire god damn ceremony after what she put me through,” Adrienne shot back, sneezing violently into her palm. 

“Here,” he said, reaching into his nightstand, “take one of these.” Opening the bottle, he shook a pill into his hand, recapping the medication and stuffing it into his drawer. 

“They’re prescribed to you sha,” Adrienne argued, hearing her own voice echo in her stuffy head. 

“So?” 

“So, that’s not safe,” she argued, not taking the small white tablet. 

“Ad, we’re married, I think we can share medication,” he countered, frowning. She sat up again, considering, starting to reach for her water.

“You sure it’s ok?” 

“Positive,” he answered with her smile, “it’s just an allergy pill. Trust me, remember that nerd you like to see in pictures, floppy hair and zinc on his nose? He was a mess before this.”

“A cute mess,” she teased, kissing his nose.

“Take it ja-wer,” he insisted. She paused for a moment, still tossing the idea back and forth in her head until she finally took it, reaching for the vitamin water on her nightstand. 

“Tank you Indee,” she said through a stuffy nose. 

“You’re welcome,” he replied as she downed the pill, “my cute mess.”

Swallowing she smiled, setting her water back before burying herself into his chest. She lay there content, trying to sleep despite her congested head, her thoughts back on what he had said to her today after the briefing. 

“Daniel?” she asked, not moving, reaching her arm across his waist. 

“Yea.” 

“You can tell me,” she said as she hugged him tighter, just in case she was crossing a line, “about being in foster care. I’ll listen.”

“I know you will.”

His response was so quiet that were it not for the fact that she was laying right on his chest she may not have heard. 

“I don’t understand, I mean, I can only sympathize, but I hope you know I’m always there.”

She felt herself being squeezed, his kiss at her head and his fingers rubbing her back.

“You always have been, from the very beginning.”

She let her eyes close again to try to sleep, when Daniel suddenly pulled away, rolling onto his side, pulling her arm around his waist. Adrienne knew that signal, he wanted to be held, so she adjusted, letting him wriggle until he was buried into her instead, backwards at least. 

“Dad?” she heard the moment Daniel had adjusted, both of them looking up simultaneously. 

“I’m sorry but I had that nightmare again and...”

“Get in,” Daniel said immediately, reaching out for their son. Sniffing in, poor Nicholas must have been crying, he crawled up to them where Daniel was reaching out for the boy himself, not moving from his place in Adrienne’s arms. He wanted to hold the boy but still be held himself, Adrienne’s heart breaking.

Maybe he would tell her one day about this baggage, but for now she’d just do what she could do. 

Tonight, Adrienne Jackson fell asleep, her strong arms wrapped around the men she loved.