Who's on First - Chapter 7

He was running, through the corridors of the city after the boy as he darted in and out of doors. He wasn’t that fast, he shouldn’t be that fast, but Daniel couldn’t catch him no matter how quickly he ran. He tried to shout out, scream for him to stop, but it was too late, always too late because again he reached the doorway, the one dead ahead, the one with the glow, a familiar shimmer, that small tennis shoe disappearing into the abyss. 

“Nicholas NO!!” Daniel shouted out, sitting up quickly at his desk, nearly falling out of his chair but there were hands under his arms, soft but strong hands, guiding him back into his seat. 

“You’re day sleeping again, aren’t you sha?” Adrienne asked, the concern in her face clear. 

“No...” he lied, but she was already pulling over the extra chair in his main office over to his desk, leaning forward to read him. 

“Yes, you are. That’s why you’ve been working down here Indy. I have your meeting schedule,” she replied, with a slight smile. 

“Nosey,” he accused. 

“Learned from the best,” she shot back, extending her hand across the desk. 

“How’d you figure it out?” he asked, letting her worry, she was going to anyway, running her fingers lightly across his cheek. 

“Because whenever I come to check on you or whine about Data, you have a mark right here on your cheek like you fell asleep on your hand,” she answered, outlining the supposed grooves on his face. Of course she’d notice, if not that then the redness in his eyes or the...

“AND you’ve been tossing in your sleep, so bad it wakes even me up, which as we both know takes damn near the end of that world. What’s going on?” 

Sighing, caught, Daniel reached for her fingers, bringing them to his lips and kissing them lightly. 

“Bad dreams,” he couldn’t lie to her, he could never lie to her, especially when her dark eyes were gazing right into his own. 

“About?” she pushed as he sat back, rubbing his face and taking off his glasses to re-bend them into shape. 

“Nicky, running away, it’s all kind of a blur,” he said as he tried to remember if he saw anything in the doorway the boy always ran through. 

“Sounds to me like one of those symbolic dreams, like maybe you’re questioning yourself as a father,” she offered, reaching for his hand, “which you shouldn’t because you kinda kick ass at it.” 

“Thanks ja-wer,” he whispered, taking a breath and pushing the last of the dream away, “did you need something? Sorry I had to move back up here this week, just with setting up the meeting with Ford things have been a little crazier than normal.” 

“Yeah, need to borrow you when you get the chance. I got Data to stop showing that damn error message but Sam’s Asgard is rough when it comes to the history part of it. If I could borrow you for the afternoon, we can knock this out and start running the beta testing in the main classroom,” Adrienne asked, laying her head down onto the desk herself. 

“You don’t look like you’re any more awake than I am,” Daniel said, reaching out to run his fingers through her hair. 

“You kept me up remember?” she teased, peeking up at him. 

“I’ve got Uthos here at ten but I can come down after. Is Nicholas with you today?”

“No,” she shook her head, “I let Ronon and Jack take him to test the jumpers.” 

“Are you feeling well?” Daniel said with a frown, sitting up as he mocked her. 

“Ha, ha Indy,” Adrienne said as she stood, making her way for the door, “So lunch alone and I dunno maybe we can make-out or something in the lab.” 

Daniel dropped his pen. 

“We’ve been together as long as we have and you STILL get flushed when I joke like that,” she laughed, shaking her head as she passed through the door, a gentle hand on Davidson’s shoulder as she walked by. 

Damn distracting Adrienne. 

Glancing back at his desk, Daniel wondered if he, even five years ago, would have imagined his life like this. 

Nope. 

Peeking at his schedule he saw that she was correct, that after his now daily check in with Rodney concerning the gate bridge plans, he had abandoned the core project for a while, his afternoon was free after Uthos. 

He would head down there, unannounced, and push her back against her tables. 

See how smart mouthed she was then...

*****

Todd didn’t know exactly how the enzyme worked, whether it was in his body or the body of a human, all he knew was that it was there to help him feed. He had been trained to lead, not in science, so his knowledge of anything biological was very limited. It didn’t, however, take a trained scientific mind to see the results of the enzyme on the Athosian people. 

Halling, who had stepped up to take charge when Kanaan had left to make contact with Atlantis, had continued the mandatory training, training that Todd himself had seen Teyla engage in on Atlantis. Bored, somewhat, but more curious, Todd slipped into the facility, observing the beating, because that is what it was. 

A beating. 

Jinto had some other Athosian, Todd had stopped trying to learn their names as it made him feel like he was actually starting to care, pinned onto the ground, seemingly choking the life out of him. The man, somewhat older than the youth, was battered, bruised, darkness spreading rapidly across his cheek. 

“That is enough JINTO!” Halling was shouting and the boy let go, standing slowly as he gazed downward. 

“Control my son,” Halling was lecturing as he knelt, “the key to it is control. Once you have won nothing further is needed.”

“I apologize. I lost my senses,” the boy said gazing down, but Todd knew it was complete and total bullshit. 

“It is alright brother,” the man on the floor said, taking the hand that Halling was offering, “these are strange times. We all lose our senses from time to time.” 

“Yes they are,” Halling answered, “all the more reason to be watchful that we do not lose who we are.” 

And more bullshit, Todd thought, if only this idiot knew what was going on in front of his face. That Todd had been trained in, politics, seeing through the crap that was laid in front of him. Ford was full of crap, though Todd had yet to figure out what kind, Jinto was full of crap and Halling was full of crap. Much to his own dismay he was starting to miss Atlantis. 

At least there he had those candies. 

“Greetings Todd,” Halling announced, the Wraith shaking his head. He had been ‘Guide’ for most of his life, the part that mattered, but this name given to him by John Sheppard seemed to stick. It must be the humans, they liked names and designations and ‘Guide’ was just too general. Todd wasn’t so bad he guessed, it could have been one of the dozens of horrible monikers he had heard on those Earth programs. 

“Hello,” he answered, somewhat annoyed he had been noticed but that should have been expected. 

“Have you come to train?” 

I could break you, feed on you and then break you some more just for fun, Todd thought, lifting his hand to shake it in front of him. 

“No,” he said quietly, “I was just walking around the ship.” 

Nodding, Halling pointed for the next two combatants, two young women, one Todd has seen roaming the ship with Jinto. He wondered if she too had taken the enzyme, had succumb to Ford’s persuasions not realizing that he was toying with them. The young Earth man had his minions following his wishes because they thought he was a savior, he had the Wraith following because he could provide them limitless food, but the Athosians, Todd could tell from the moment he boarded, still did not trust him. That was what he was doing with the youth and Todd was actually surprised he was still allowing the others to live. 

He heard blows being struck, taking his attention back to the bout, turning out just as he expected, the young woman slamming the other to the ground. 

Wonder how long until their eyes turn black, Todd thought, pivoting to exit the room. 

*****

“I am pleased to be able to offer my own space for the meeting,” Uthos said with a sneer, Daniel trying to keep his smart remarks to a minimum. He wasn’t an idiot, he knew where the Genii stood, only halting their “trail” of the expedition until they had evaluated Daniel’s leadership, which right now was still under scrutiny. 

“And we are most appreciative and hope that this will be one of the first steps in repairing relations between us,” the commander answered. 

If not, Ronon’s going to be standing behind me to blow you away before Vala beams us aboard, but I can keep that to myself. 

“There is a chance. You seem to be less idiotic than the last one and you recognize who is responsible for holding this galaxy together,” the general said as he sat back in his seat casually. 

I sure do, the drug addict that I’m meeting on your world, the one who has just about wiped out the Wraith. How many Wraith have you killed? 

“And for that, and I speak for my homeworld, we can never thank you enough,” Daniel replied. 

“Then we are finished. In one week’s time we are to expect you and your representatives as well as the representatives of this, inconvenience, and begin to discuss the leadership of this galaxy,” he said as he stood, pushing the chair under. 

I honestly think I am the ONLY person in the Pegasus that DOESN’T think he’s the king of the galaxy. 

His guest has nothing else to say, nor Daniel to him, the commander standing to see him out. A quick glance at his watch told him that it was only eleven, plenty of time to sneak down to the lab...

*****

It felt good to feed off of a human again, that is, until it didn’t. Taking only enough to make the beginnings of knuckles start to grow from the stump, Todd stepped back, glancing from side to side in paranoia. 

He couldn’t let Ford know. 

When Todd had arrived he had been welcomed with open arms, which had been somewhat unexpected considering that the first of his visions had included stern warnings from the man that he needed to forget everything he was seeing. Instead, Aiden Ford had taken him to his private office, a converted queen’s quarters, offering him a human to feed upon right away. That was his first indicator; he didn’t need to be on the receiving end of a feeding to know the horror of what it did. Ford was offering one of his own as if it were perfectly normal to do so. Not having too many other options, Todd had fed, but stopped before he had ripped too many years from the man, claiming that it was overwhelming to no longer be feeding on the substitute. 

He hadn’t touched another human since. 

The problem with that strategy was that Aiden Ford had noticed. He offered medical care to Todd, the ship had acquired some humans from a world that had been experimenting on the Wraith, but Todd refused, stating that there was nothing wrong; he merely needed time to adjust. There was no more stalling now, Ford would notice if he continued to starve himself and Todd had finally asked to go to the holding cells to not only feed but to see what was down there. 

“End me,” the man begged, Todd looking away, unable to make eye contact. It used to be so easy, the feeding, the healing, but it wasn’t the same anymore, and that much worse that Ford did nothing to keep these people in stasis; here they were wide awake and waiting. 

“Please,” the man continued, Todd drawing up to meet his gaze. 

“Stop torturing me you monster,” the man now changed his tune, weakly defiant but Todd shook his head. 

“You don’t know what torture is,” he shot back, turning away, his eyes at the door. The man shouted something else, something that Todd couldn’t make out, a few other howls emanating from behind him. He started to glance back, why did he care, why did it matter, but he forced himself to look ahead, always ahead when he heard one shout that he couldn’t ignore. 

Feeling something he had never felt in his entire existence, Todd stopped, turning at the direction of the noise. 

*****

She was bent over her desk, headphones plugged in, loud rap music blasting from them as she typed feverishly onto the tablet, the hologram in front her yammering away in mute. His wife, however, was paying the image no attention, just dancing away at the console like he had grown accustomed to her doing over the years.

They had a good ninety minutes until lunch, Nicholas was swooping over the city, he had already called Ronon to check in, his son shouting excitedly in he background. Daniel had made the Satedan swear not to let him fly the ship, but Daniel knew that somehow Jack would sit Nicky in his lap and say he was flying it. 

Whatever, as long as Adrienne didn’t know. 

Cautiously, he shut the door, hoping she didn’t hear, but she was still bopping away as it clicked shut behind him. He used his codes, locking it and shutting off the cameras, unzipping his jacket as he walked up behind her curved form, slipping his hand onto her backside as he approached. 

“Cute Indy,” she said without moving, without taking her headphones from her ears, instead shifting her body so his hands could move to more intimate places. 

“I was kidding,” she added, Daniel bringing his lips to her neck. 

“I’m not,” he whispered, pulling out the headphones with his teeth, “you started it. You always start it.” 

“I do not...” she teased, removing the other earbud, to reach out for his pants, undoing the clasps slowly. 

“See, see what you’re doing right now. That’s called starting it...” Daniel murmured, trailing, his hands slipping away, Adrienne was so far away, why was she above him...

Daniel was unconscious before he hit the floor.

*****

“It’s just a fever, he’s dehydrated and ill,” Carson explained from the scanner, Daniel rubbing his face.

“I thought I did something,” Adrienne muttered, her arms crossed at her chest protectively. 

“Addy if you made him pass out getting him undressed you have some powers that every man on base will be jealous of,” the doctor joked, Adrienne’s cheeks flushing, “It’s just a virus, he’s overworked. In fact, based on his blood work, it’s a virus from here in the Pegasus, a direct result of not taking care of yourself.” 

“So, I’m just sick?” Daniel clarified, unlocking the scanner so he could sit. 

“Yes Daniel, sick, which means rest and fluids, in BED,” Carson reiterated, knowing that Daniel was going to jump right up and head to work, only exasperating his condition. 

“But Carson, he shouldn’t get sick. Shouldn’t the healing, especially lately prevent that?” Adrienne was now asking, the doctor shaking his head. 

“Not necessarily Addy. An illness is different than an injury, the body still has to recognize the illness first and then decide how to treat it. Daniel’s abilities should, however, speed the process. The system says the period of illness is two weeks, I think Daniel could be well in as early as one...” 

“But he’s never been sick, not since we got together...” she argued, Daniel shaking his head as he stood. 

“I have, we weren’t together but I loved you,” Daniel replied, Adrienne glancing over, remembering the time she had cared for him when he was so ill. That little memory had gotten lost in her timeline of their relationship, the thought of holding him like she had that day making her smile. 

“Really? Then?” her face softened, she was blushing again as he reached out for her hands. 

“Yea, then,” he smiled, letting her help him stand, glancing over at Carson, “I’m gonna need to call in the staff, have everyone tested. Is there a vaccine?” 

“No,” he replied, his eyes on the screen again, “but it seems to act a lot like mononucleosis. There’s a good chance that anyone who had mono as a youth could be already immune.” 

“I’m good then,” Adrienne declared, Daniel glancing over at her sharply. 

“Oh really?” 

“Don’t look at me like that Indy. It’s the kissing disease, so if anything I should be asking YOU what exactly YOU have been doing,” his wife spat back. 

Daniel frowned. 

“To bed Daniel, I’m serious. This can be a nasty bug if you don’t take care of yourself,” Carson repeated, looking at Adrienne more than Daniel, knowing that this would be her fight. 

“You heard him sha,” Adrienne said as she grabbed her husband’s sleeve, dragging him along to their quarters, “get ya tchew moving.” 

*****

“Daniel has mono?!” Sam heard her husband laughing out loud, Nicky peeking up from where he has been organizing his pseudo-uncle’s fishing tackle. 

“You gotta keep a better eye on him Dr. Perky, you know the alien ladies love him,” he added, Sam rolling her eyes. She knew there was a reason that Adrienne hadn’t called her all afternoon and now she had it, but she’s just wait until Jack got off of the communicator before asking. 

“Airborne, sure...” Jack joked, the boy now standing and walking over to him, “yes Addy, of course he can stay here. We’ll have a great time!” and now he was looking down at Nicholas smiling. Whatever it was, it must be serious enough to warrant Nicky having an extended stay. 

“I promise. What, dammit, I’m not ten years old. Christ, fine, I promise to not let the little munchkin fly the puddle jumpers,” Jack said, “I’ll come get his stuff in a while. You’re welcome.” 

“What’s wrong?” Sam asked, Jack shaking his head as he looked between her and the boy. 

“Daniel’s got some damn space virus, ordered to bed, Dr. Perky gets to play Florence Nightingale,” Jack replied, pointed to the child, “what do you need to survive here a few days?”

“Clothes,” Nicholas answered, “that’s about it.” 

“Perfect, and since I too was a victim of the great make-out disease, I will head down there, get you some clothes, make fun of Daniel, and I might even have some time to order take-out,” he continued, never serious, but that was why Sam loved him. 

“I don’t envy Dr. Perky. That man’s a whiney bitch when he does feel well.” 

“You all are,” Sam couldn’t resist, chuckling, Jack stopping to turn back and glare at her. 

“I am not!” he shot back, Sam shaking her head, looking down at Nicholas. 

“Next time he’s sick Nicholas, we film it. You with me?” she asked, a grin spreading across the boy’s face. 

“You’d better believe it!” he shouted out, Jack turning back for the door grumbling. 

*****

“Teyla, I am asking that you do not,” Kanaan pleaded, knowing it would be to no avail. From the moment she had come onscreen to explain what was happening he could tell by her face, a face he missed already having not seen her in years, that she had made up her mind. 

“Kanaan, it is, like the last virus to infect the city, one we both suffered as children. I will be fine,”  she argued, her pleasant smile overshadowing their argument. 

“And the baby?” 

“Carson assures me that the baby will be fine,” she answered, Kanaan feeling strange about inquiring about another’s child before his own, but he knew she would want to expose young Torrin to build up his own immunity. It was what any Athosian would do. 

“What’s wrong?” Vala asked as she reentered the main area, having been napping in the back. 

“Sickness in the city, Dr. Jackson has fallen ill,” Kanaan replied, Vala taking the seat beside him laughing. 

“Sucks to be Addy,” she teased, “do we need to head back?” 

“It is not serious, it is a common illness in the Pegasus,” Teyla answered from the monitor, Vala nodding. 

“Dex ok?” she asked, Kanaan glancing over at her. That explained her slight delay in their departure; the Satedan had taken her as his mate. Kanaan paused, in thought. It was a different Atlantis to which he had returned. The city-station he had resided in with Teyla so many years ago was a different place now, happy, more like a family than he remembered. There were couples, and children and...

Joy. 

It made him want to turn the ship around and forget the hive, causing guilt to course through him. 

“Ronon is fine,” his own love answered his traveling companion, “and he does miss you greatly.” 

The woman smiled. He didn’t see her do that very much, she seemed tough and hard, but the mention of the former runner had her glowing much like Teyla did in his presence. 

No, Kanaan thought, I need to get back to this hive and make sure negotiations go well and bring my people back to this, have them start their lives on this city, have this joy spread. 

“Well, we’ve got about another day of travel ahead, so tell whoever is standing in for Glasses that we’ll check in as soon as we’ve got the thing in sight,” Vala replied, back to business mode. She was a strange one, so guarded and private, making him wonder why. 

“Excellent, I shall pass on the message. Until we speak again my soul,” she gazed back into the viewer at Kanaan, her look, even thousands of miles away warming his heart. 

“I live for the words again,” he responded, ending the communication. 

“She never gave up hope,” the woman said, surprising him, slipping into that other persona for just a fleeting moment. 

“Nor did I,” he answered honestly, turning his gaze back to space. 

****

She could see why Adrienne was getting so frustrated because she kept getting that same damn Ancient error message ever single time she tried to upload Data with any piece of their information from Earth. It didn’t make any good sense, she’d followed the directions to the letter, as Adrienne had done, but the message still popped up every time that she tried to upload the image into the academic system. 

“Damn Morgan La Fey,” she cursed aloud, laughter behind her making her peer over her shoulder to see John Sheppard entering the lab. 

“If it’s not one thing around here, it’s another,” he noted, walking up behind her to peer at the screen, “is it still misbehaving?” 

“Yeah, and it makes no sense,” she said with a sigh, backing up and pointing to the code, “it’s a simple upload, far less complicated than most of the technology here. This should have been a simple project that we should have finished by now, as it is Addy is spending too much time here and not enough on the mainland. I think I’m gonna have to talk to Daniel, maybe he remembers something that Morgan said, if he can remember any details that specific after all of this time.” 

“That’s not gonna happen anytime soon,” John grimaced, pointing to a chair to silently he ask to take a seat, the scientist nodding.

“That bad? I really need to call and check on Jack and Nicky, but I haven’t had time to do that, let alone call down to Daniel and Addy,” she explained as she herself took a seat and a break, intentionally diverting her eyes from the console. 

“Yeah. Adrienne caught him trying to work when she went to the lab to gather a few things. He was flushed and had just about passed out onto his tablet. She’s locked up anything that could relate to running that city at all and laid the law down, ordering him to bed.” 

Sam shook her head. Daniel was prone to work himself to death under normal circumstances, but being in charge of the city seemed to make him willing to push himself to the edge of health. Advanced healing or not, there was no excuse in that kind of behavior, and she could only hope that he was listening to Adrienne.

“He needs to just sleep, let his body do its job,” Sam said, John shaking his head. 

“He’s too worked up this Ford thing, which I came down here to talk to you,” John replied, Sam sitting up with interest. 

“About?” 

“I’m his second, I think we need to transfer things to my name, just until he’s better. I think that would make him feel like his entire command isn’t spiraling out of control if there was someone at the helm, someone that is not Rodney drooling over a chance at power. I went down to ask him and Adrienne said just do it, that telling him would make him go into panic mode again as if he had done something wrong,”John explained as Sam frowned. 

“Then why aren’t you down at command office?” 

“Because, “ John continued, “I wanted your advice before I head down there and take over, even if it is temporary. Daniel and I haven’t had the easiest time here, I don’t think the Todd incident is anywhere near resolved between the two of us.” 

Oh, Sam thought, that. No, he wasn’t totally over that, having brought it up over some shared glasses of wine the week before between herself, Daniel, Jack and Adrienne after dinner. 

“And I can tell by your face that I’m right,” John said with a sigh, Sam shrugging. 

“Regardless of any disagreement between the two of you, the point remains that there is a potential threat to the city and the city commander is on doctor ordered bed rest carrying a contagious airborne virus,” Sam offered instead of agreeing, “it’s only until he gets better.” 

John sat there silently, considering her words. She hoped he understood Daniel’s position; her old friend was fiercely protective of his young family, rightfully so since his personal life was the one area it seemed that he was never going to get a break in, until Adrienne. Honestly, all of this time later, Sam still couldn’t believe that Daniel had fallen in love with that feisty Cajun spitfire she’d surprised hired as his assistant. 

She was glad he did though; it all just seemed to be meant to be. 

“Alright,” he said and stood, decision made she was glad, “I’m gonna go ahead, transfer power and start going through that mess of paperwork he deals with.” 

“And to be honest,” Sam said, standing as well, telling herself that her break was over, “it will probably do a lot to repair things once he’s up and moving again that he’d not coming back to a pile of work waiting for him.”

“And the man gets a week off from Rodney,” John joked as he headed for the door, “after that Daniel’s gonna owe ME a beer.” 

Chuckling, Sam waved goodbye, frowning at the screen that was proving to be the bane of her existence. 

*****

He was running again, through the corridors of the city, the south wing, the empty wing, after Nicholas as he darted ahead. He wasn’t that fast, he shouldn’t be that fast, but Daniel couldn’t catch him no matter how fast he ran. He tried to shout out, scream for him to stop, but it was too late, yet again too late because once more he reached the doorway, the one with the glow, a familiar shimmer, that small tennis shoe disappearing into the abyss. 

“Cruvus!” 

“Indy, Daniel, sit up, sit up, wake ya gah damn ass up!” 

He was vaguely aware of Adrienne’s voice, that feminine sound in contrast to the deep masculine voice shouting the other, when there was a hand on his forehead, and he was being pulled upright. He stood, at least he thought he was standing, his hand extended, being dragged forward. 

“Daniel, sha, please say something, but don’t stop, keep walking, but talk ta me,” Adrienne was speaking to him but he couldn’t answer, he just let him lead her forward. There were bright lights flickering to life, and he felt a pull at his waist, his boxers, she was taking them off and then the hands moved up his torso, his shirt over his head and he wondered for a moment why he was naked. 

“Gah dammit, ya be burnin’ up, Daniel ya gotta talk ta me or I gotta get Carson down ‘ere,” she was demanding and he heard water starting beside him, finally moving something other than his legs, turning his head to look at the bathtub like structure in their room. She was making him a bath, them a bath apparently as she stripped off her own clothes in front of him, in the middle of the night. 

“Ad?” he asked, his wife breathing out a sigh of relief as she nodded her head. 

“Yeah, can ya get in? Ya fever is really ‘igh ahn I gotta try to cool ya down,” she requested, Daniel letting her lead him to the tub, watching her step in carefully and turn to reach out for his hands. 

“What time is it?” 

“Nearly four,” she answered, guiding him to join her, “ya started thrashin’ and screamin’ and ya skin was on fire...” her accent was clearer, she was easier to understand in his haze, Daniel slowly coming to as he sat down in the water. He nearly jolted upright the moment his skin touched the surface of the liquid, it seemed too cold, but he knew it was the fever that was making him flinch. 

“Jus get down in it,” he heard her whisper, lips kissing his head, “I gotta break it.” 

“How high?” 

“I used Nicky’s forehead swab,” she said with a frown, “one ‘o four.” 

That was high, he needed to lay back and let it break, but she stopped him, slipping in behind his back and pulling him into her arms. 

“Jus lay back,” Adrienne ordered, a washcloth in hands faster than he could see her get it, the cool wet fabric brought to his forward as he let himself relax against her soft skin. 

“I had that dream again,” he mumbled, his eyes closed. 

“Jack’s promised that he’ll neva let it happen again, I think ya need to stop obsessing,” she scolded gently, rewetting the cloth and kissing his face again. 

“It’s this Ford mess, I think I’m just terrified that no matter how hard I try I won’t be able to keep you all safe...” 

“Shhhh....” she shushed him, wrapping her arms tightly around him, “stop, you will. This is why you’re so sick Indy. You have to take a break. We used to take breaks all of the time, see a movie, go to a lecture, get dinner together...” 

“There used to be places to go,” he said without thinking, shocked by his own words. She didn’t say a word at first, reaching her hand into the water beside them, wetting the rag and bringing it now to the back of his neck. 

“You miss home?” she finally asking, pecking him temple. 

“Yeah.” 

“Me too,” she replied. 

“I’m sorry ja-wer, for all of this,” he apologized, Adrienne shaking her head as she went to soak the rag again. 

“Don’t be. For lawd’s sake Daniel did ya think any of this was gonna be easy? Marriage, being a parent, moving here. I might miss home, but I have my family in this city and that’s all I need. We just need to find ways around here to escape for a bit,” Adrienne assured, kissing him again softly, Daniel cuddling back into her embrace. 

“I love you Ad, so much,” he muttered, running his lips down her bicep. 

“I love you too sha,” she replied, pulling away and lifting his arm, “put this up, I need to check.” 

“Check what?” he questioned but complied, Adrienne slipping her hand into his armpit. 

“I need to see if you are sweating, you’re still hot but if you start sweating than it’s breaking,” she explained kissing his shoulder. 

“Gross, Ad, don’t do that,” he whined, but she held him in place. 

“Daniel, at this point in our relationship I don’t think there is anything we haven’t seen or done to one another. Just relax,” she ordered, Daniel leaning back to frown at her. 

“Am I sweating?” 

“No...dammit,” she grumbled, pushing his forward so she could stand, “I think Jenn’s on duty, or at least one of the interns. I’m gonna call down there and order you an IV.” 

Sighing out, she was right if he was maintaining a fever that high, Daniel lay back in the tub, sick or not watching Adrienne cross the bathroom, the water dripping from her muscular form. 

Damn shame he was so sick; he would never get sick of looking at her. 

“Ja-wer!” he shouted out, Adrienne turning as she fastened her robe, “Can I get something to read?” 

“Nothing work related,” she warned quickly. 

“Sookie?” he asked, his voice pitiful. 

Adrienne cracked up, laughing hysterically. 

“Coo, sha ya must be sick if ya be asking fa vampires,” she said, shaking her head, “Sure, I’ll go get ya something.” 

Rubbing his temples, Daniel laid back again, staring at the ceiling, a part of him fearing closing his eyes in case his feverish nightmares were to return. 

*****

“My stomach hurts,” Nicholas whined from his sleeping bag, Jack hitting pause on the remote. 

“From laughing or the ice cream?” he asked with a smile. 

“Both,” the boy answered, “Mom’s gonna kill us.” 

“You mom and your aunt Sam. I’m not supposed to be eatin’ like this either,” Jack laughed, sipping more of his soda. 

“Have you heard from Mom?” the child now asked, Jack nodding as he swallowed. 

“Yep, they’re fine, just tired.” 

“Is Dad driving her crazy yet?” Nicholas inquired with a smile, Jack laughing. 

“No, she said he’s just sleeping a lot,” Jack replied, taking another quick sip before snapping his fingers, tossing the remote aside, “Dex radioed down, said he is taking a scout ship to the mainland, check around, make sure Ford hasn’t sent any goons to spy on us.” 

“You mean like Aunt Vala is doing to Ford?”

“Why are you so damn clever?” Jack sighed, “Yes, like Vala is doing with Ford. Anyway, he asked me to come along so you can either go or I’ll call Teyla.” 

“Mom said I can go?” 

Damn little responsible squirt. 

“I didn’t ask. Another lesson munchkin when it comes to dealing with women, always ask for forgiveness and not permission,” the general noted, the boy frowning that little miniature Daniel face he gave. 

“Besides, have you told her about flying last week?” he added. 

“No...” the boy grumbled. 

“See, no harm no foul. Ronon doesn’t think there’s anything there, we’re taking Rodney too to run some nerd scans for James Bond doohickeys,” Jack explained, Nicholas standing up. 

“Can I fly the jumper over?” the grin was unmistakable, the Addy face, damn little half Dr. Perky. 

“That’s up to Ronon,” Jack responded, standing from his chair, “but either way if you outsmart Rodney little guy, we eat chocolate cake for dinner.” 

*****

“Adrienne?” 

She heard the voice behind her, rolling over and covering her head with a blanket. 

“It can’t be morning yet...”  she whined, her left leg falling off the edge of the sofa. 

“Mid, you have been asleep for quite some time,” Teyla answered, Adrienne darting upright. 

“Shit, Indy, is he ok? I’ve been up for days, I just, I..” she was stammering, yawning to hydrate her dry contact lenses. 

“It is fine, Daniel is resting again, I have made him put on fresh clothing and changed your sheets while he showered,” the Athosian woman replied, matter of factly, Adrienne’s jaw dropping. 

“He’s upright?” 

“He was,” Teyla said nodding, “for a time, I had to help when he slipped slightly, but everything is fine.” 

The thought of Daniel slipping in the shower worried Adrienne to no end, thoughts of him slamming his head, and even more so that Teyla, who was carrying their child had to catch him and hold him upright. She was worried, confused, thankful until she settled on that emotion, thankful.

“Teyla,” she sighed out, “I can’t thank you enough.”

“There is no need,” Teyla insisted, “That is what friends do.”

No, you are far better than a friend Teyla; you’re a saint. 

“Where is Torrin?” Adrienne now asked, worried, feeling that once again her own problems had managed to intrude in on the lives of others.

“Showing first symptoms, thankfully. I have left him to sleep on the infirmary to be sure.”

Dammit, he’s sick... 

“Teyla, I am so sorry,” Adrienne was up, realizing that in her haste she was only wearing one of Daniel’s large t-shirts and nothing more. She started to cover herself and stopped; Teyla might as well be a member of the family at this point. 

“No,” she insisted, passing over a mug of coffee, wow she made coffee too,“there is no better vaccine for the virus than to get it young. Like many of the illnesses here, it is far worse if you acquire it as an adult, as you can see with Daniel.”

Adrienne made a face. It was what people used to do before the chicken pox vaccine on Earth, but with current medications that was no longer needed. It made her wish she knew more about medicine so she could start working on a solution that didn’t involve poor Torrin suffering as her husband was.

“Adrienne you need to eat,” Teyla continued, reaching her hand for the Cajun’s arm, “Go to the commissary, I will stay with Daniel.”

The not ill Dr. Jackson started to protest but her stomach was rumbling, strongly, and she realized that in taking care of Daniel that she had not eaten in almost twenty four hours. 

That was not a smart thing to do. 

“Are you sure you’re ok? I won’t be long, I’m just gonna throw on some jeans and go down there and come back,” she asked, Teyla shaking her head. 

“No, you need to get some work done as well. Samantha called. She needs you to come down to the main office.” 

Huh, Adrienne thought, Sam knows that Daniel is sick as a dog and she still needs me, the thoughts making her worry, again...

“Ok...” Adrienne started and trailed, Teyla shooing her away. 

“Go, take a break from this. Eat, call Nicholas and I will be here if he needs anything,” she insisted, pushing Adrienne right through the bedroom door, where she saw her husband sleeping peacefully on their bed. 

Definitely a saint. 

*****

Pissed off didn’t quite describe what John Sheppard was feeling right now at the error message appearing on the screen of Daniel’s computer. It wasn’t that message in Ancient, that didn’t show up on Earth computers; it was a clear indicator of how little faith his commander had in him. 

The computers kept giving him the same message over and over again, that his access codes were denied, that a system override was required by someone with top level security clearance, clearance he was supposed to have. 

His first thought had been to call Rodney, if anyone he would know how in the hell to fix this, but he was informed by Dr. Elias Bosse in the science wing that Rodney was on the mainland with Ronon and Jack, doing a security sweep. As far as computer geeks he trusted that had left Sam and Adrienne, the latter not who he wanted to call considering it was her husband that he was raging at. 

Sam had come down nearly as soon as she called him, which was expected given that she had suggested he take over. He didn’t say a word as she repeated the exact process he had done himself mere moments earlier, making the same confused faces that he was sure he himself had. She tried a second time before doing what he had really needed her to do. Sitting, muttering a few things under her breath, Sam clicked and clacked and tapped before finally sitting back in the chair shaking her head.

“He didn’t...” she sighed out, rubbing her hand down her face. 

“Who he? Daniel?” John asked, Sam nodding her head. 

“Yes, Daniel,” her answer was short, and there was nothing on the screen that John even remotely understood adding to his rage. 

“What did he do?” 

Sam didn’t reply, clicking around once more before the error message showed for her as well, this time with an SGC identification code. 

“He changed access, according to these settings you are not longer the second in command of the city, well, at least when it comes to the computing systems, files, codes and whatnot.” 

John didn’t need to ask who was, he knew, it was just like Daniel to act like a damn brat and change access in this fashion. Taking a breath, John went and sat on the white sofas, his gaze still on Sam’s. 

“Call her now,” he ordered, not meaning to be rude, breathing as Teyla had taught him while Sam heeded his request. 

*****

There was no need for her to be here. Wraith fed on life, aging a person out of their years, but there was a point in adulthood that the subject needed to reach that gave them the balance between youth and a mature life force. 

A young child had neither. 

In fact, it was why when he was a leader himself he often ordered children executed, they were useless, provided no nourishment and were generally loud. 

Why, however, could he not bring himself to do more than stare as this little girl, her black hair covering her eyes, was beyond him.

“Don’t touch her!!” 

“Kill her, kill all of us, end it!!” 

“You fuckin’ monster!!” 

The food, no the humans, were shouting behind him as he knelt, not even realizing that he was taking the action. 

“Are you hurt?” he asked, the girl bringing her chin to meet his gaze, spitting right into his face. 

“I shall assume that means your answer is no,” Todd replied, repressing a laugh. The kid had spunk, and he liked that. 

“Has anyone fed from you?” 

“I don’t speak to insects,” she responded, Todd screwing his face. Smart too, he wasn’t sure if very many of the inhabitants of the Pegasus knew the truth about the origin of the Wraith. 

“Then you are a smart girl.” 

“I’m poisonous,” she now warned, “my father made sure that if you eat me you’ll die instantly.” 

It was a merely a ruse, the only worlds he knew that had the Hoffan drug had been obliterated, most likely long before this girl was alive and she wasn’t from Atlantis. The only children he knew of on Atlantis at this time were Dr. Jackson’s son and Teyla’s boy, not one girl. She glared at him, ready for a fight, daring him to touch her, which he hadn’t planned on when he saw a mark on her neck, a tattoo, three vertical dots situated beside a vertical line and another line with a flag on the end. 

The child was Satedan. 

He couldn’t stop himself, reaching forward to move the rest of her hair aside to insure that he wasn’t seeing things. She was young, maybe seven solar cycles by Earth standards, so that meant that somewhere the Satedans were surviving and not just hiding out of Belkan and Manaria, where their tattoos did not lend themselves to total assimilation. 

“Get away from me!!” she hissed. 

“Leave her alone, take one of us!”

“Don’t take another child!!” 

Todd pulled his hand away, peering back to see who had shouted but every last human dropped to total silence. 

“Another child?” he asked, not standing, gazing back at the humans, “children are useless.” 

“Maybe to you, but not here,” a woman spoke up, why was he talking to them, why were they awake, but Todd found himself at his feet. 

“Why are they not useless here?” 

The room dropped to silence, each human now looking away. 

“Get out of here you filthy beast!” the child screamed, kicking him forcefully in the leg. 

In the past Todd would have snapped her bratty little neck and found the humans who dared raise their voice to him, feeding off of them slowly and painfully. Instead, he turned, walking out of the storage facility and down the hall in the opposite direction of his quarters. 

*****

“Uncle Jack!!” 

Jack turned around to look behind him, noticing that Nicholas was not where he asked him to be, right there behind him. Of course not; the kid seemed to excel at wandering off. 

“Nicky! Dammit what part of stay put did you not understand?!” he shouted, his eyes darting around trying to find the child who had to be close enough considering that he could hear his voice loud and clear. 

“Over here, I found a box!” 

“First you let the kid come, then he gets to fly the ship and now he’s lost. Mighty fine operation we have running here Ronon, you should be proud,” Rodney sneered as he stopped his scan, Ronon halting to peer back. 

“Shut up Rodney,” was all he said, looking around him and back at Jack, “Nicky stop walking off!!” 

There was the crumple of sand and rocks, little feet racing forward, the small brown haired toddler coming to a halt in front of them. 

“You’re as bad at your damn dad,” Jack scolded, Nicholas frowning. 

“I found something,” he stated, looking up at Ronon as though the smallest Jackson was a member of the team. 

“What did you find little guy?” the Satedan asked, walking over to his side as he gazed in the direction that he came from.

“It’s a box of what looks to be toys!” he was excited Jack could tell; for as smart as the little guy was he did still act like a child in many ways and the retired general only hoped that it was his presence as the volunteer babysitter and personal mentor that made it that way. Not that Daniel and Adrienne weren’t doing an excellent job with him, but they were both so intense...

“Since when do we care about toys!?!” Rodney spat, Ronon shooting him another look. 

“Shut up Rodney,” Jack yelled, “Lead the way munchkin!” 

Not caring what about the grumbling behind him, Jack took what was only a few steps and behind a bush was exactly what the boy said was there, a box, small, wooden and simple. 

“See,” Nicholas started in right away, “it’s full of blocks, with some sort of writing on them.” 

“Let me see,” Ronon was saying from behind Jack, kneeling next to the box. His tiny face scrunched, as he passed the block over. 

“It’s Athosian,” Ronon said quickly, handing it back to the boy, “they’re teaching blocks, train the children their letters and numbers.” 

“And you are one hundred percent certain in this?” Rodney asked, having joined them. 

“Your mom made a mute button for that toy of hers, can she make one for him?” Ronon joked, Nicholas laughing. 

“Sadly, no...” 

“If I’m not mistaken we’re here to look for any sign that Lieutenant Ford is trying to double cross us!” Rodney continued, Ronon looking back over his shoulder. 

“Then go look, but he’s not here,” the Satedan replied, looking back to the boy. 

“And how do you know that!?!” the scientist sneered, Jack impressed that his friend’s head of security was not concerned in the least about Rodney’s constant bickering. 

“Did you use the heat signature scan on the jumpers?”

“Yea.” 

“Did you run a scan of any sources of electromagnetic fields?” 

“Yea.”

“Did you scan for debris, recent explosions, any other signs of disturbance of land or domicile?” 

“Yea,” Ronon responded, not taking his eyes off of the boy for a moment. 

“Then why am I here?” 

“Cuz Daniel needs a damn break from your shit if he ever hopes to get the hell out of bed.” 

Damn, Jack thought, nice job Ronon. 

“Are you serious?” Rodney spat shocked. 

“Yep,” Ronon answered, packing up the blocks for the toy, “now go pretend I gave you something to do.” 

“Damn alien being given the damn head of security, a pacifist baby given the city, why in the hell did I even come? This is ridiculous...” Rodney ranted as he did what was asked, walking back to where they were before. 

“Impressive,” Jack lauded, taking the box from Ronon so Nicholas wouldn’t trip up carrying it, small arms already reaching for the prize.

“Did you really do that for my dad?” the child asked as he stood, brushing his pants. 

“I did. He’s doing a good job. People need to lay off,” Ronon replied, standing as well, “let the man take a break once in a while and spend time with his boy.” 

Wow, Ronon didn’t say much but when he did, he always seemed to be right. Jack knew it was true, Daniel did the best he could to eat every last meal with his family, but it was Jack that got to spend real quality time with Nicky. 

Making a note to try to find another way to help when they got back, surely he and Sam could let Daniel, Dr. Perky and the munchkin take a few days after this mess with Ford was finished, Jack waved for the boy to follow as Ronon made his way back to the jumper. 

*****

“Hey Sam, Teyla said you called, sorry I needed a shower, badly, Indy is kinda killin’ me, what’s up?” Adrienne was rambling as she dashed into the room, not even in uniform but yoga pants and a tank top, well, a uniform, Adrienne uniform. 

“What’s up?” John was standing from the sofa the minute she entered the office, “What’s up? Are you aware that as long as your husband is laying in bed that this city has no commander?” 

“I just figured if it got hairy that you’d take over,” Adrienne answered, confused, John racing to the computer. 

“Really Addy? Because that’s kinda hard to do when I’m locked out of the system!!” he shouted as Sam reached for his arm to calm him. 

“What do you mean locked out of the system? We haven’t changed the access codes since we arrived, are you sure you entered it correctly?” Adrienne was in work mode already, dashing over to the screen, pulling up the main access screen to have John reenter his information. 

“Yes Addy, I’m sure, here, I’ll do it again, YOU can see what it says!” he was pushing in front of her, typing frantically into the keyboard. 

Access Denied 

“And that was your code?” Adrienne asked sweetly, the vein in John’s head throbbing. 

“SAM!!” he was moaning through gritted teeth, Sam reaching forward as requested. Confused, Adrienne frowned, leaning forward toward the screen as a new message flashed to life. 

  Access Denied

Primary Computing Access D. Jackson

Secondary Computing Access A. Jackson

Code not Recognized

“Oh shit Indy...” Adrienne’s eyes widened. 

“Oh shit is right!” John shouted. 

“John calm down...” Sam said, reaching between them again, “she did’t know.” 

“Of course she knew. He tells her every god damn thing about this damn place, classified or not!!” 

“Not this,” Adrienne spoke up quickly, shaking her head, “this he neglected to mention.” 

“Can you fix it?” Sam asked, by the look on her face Adrienne understanding that she had already tried. 

“Maybe, I don’t know any codes other than my personal code...” Adrienne replied, trailing, muttering things under her breath as she typed a few things, striking enter rapidly. 

Access Denied

“John will you excuse us?” Sam asked, the colonel’s face back in a rage. 

“Sure, I’ll just step outside where I am wanted anyway, no problem. Let me know when Addy isn’t my DAMN BOSS!!!” he spat, storming out of the office. Sighing, Sam looked back down at Adrienne who had stopped typing and was gnawing at her lip ring. 

“I could kill him,” the former general hissed, pulling up a chair beside her friend. 

“Me too,” Adrienne said as she shook her head, “I’m still figuring out the lab.” 

“I know why he did it,” Sam added, rubbing her face as Adrienne typed, “it was the Wraith, he’s worried that John...I should have told him, before he brought you two here, he deserved to know...” 

“No,” Adrienne replied without looking up, “he did it because he’s a brat. Trust me, I married him.”  She saw Sam laugh slightly out of the corner of her eye, entering in the code she thought he would most likely change it to, Skarsgard’s birthday, because he thought that it messed with her. 

Access Denied

“Gah damn cooyon I’ll be passin’ a slap I swear!” 

Taking a breath and racking her brain, Adrienne leaned forward to once again try to fix her husband’s insanity. 

*****

There was a second storage facility across from the main cargo hold, one that Todd had seen activity around but had never ventured too. It seemed to have something of interest to Ford and his immediate commanders, but that could have been anything. Until today, however, Todd had no idea what that could have been, yet now he had a different idea. Wraith killed children, they did not feed on them, and they most certainly did not keep them. 

Except for one reason. 

As he expected the door was locked, but for someone with his training, gaining access to a storage room wasn’t a challenge in the least. Entering in the override codes, something he was glad that Aiden Ford had no idea how to do, Todd watched a light flash, hitting the button to gain entrance. 

No science education was needed, the three very large Wraith lining the wall, unconscious, tubes and tubes coming from nearly every inch of their body were indication enough. There was a device, something they had been experimenting with years ago, he remembered the conferences where continued experimentation with the device had been approved, leading over to tables of humans, of all ages, being drained of their essence, slowly, being kept alive by wholly unnatural means. 

Means his former queen had decided was useless, that it was best to let Wraith that were injured die than keep them alive in this fashion.

Unless you wanted to farm them for enzyme, in which case...

For the first time in his life, he wanted to talk to someone, and that someone was human. 

*****

“He’s better; it’s been good that he’s been sleeping,” the doctor praised, Adrienne nodding happily.  Carson had come down to their quarters to check rather than make Adrienne drag Daniel out of bed to the infirmary for that very reason, to keep him sleeping. 

“He’s been much better, sleeping, reading, even got to do Nicky’s bedtime story the past few nights via video. He’s in better spirits,” she was happy to report, smiling brightly. 

“But weak, Addy, he’s weak,” Carson cautioned, tapping the touchscreen to close the bedroom door behind him, “Daniel still needs to rest.”

“And he is, I’m not going to let him get out of bed until he’s better. He’s asleep as we speak Carson, you saw. And Teyla’s with him when I have to work or want to visit Nicky, which I am wearing a mask when I do, I SWEAR!” 

“Lass,” Carson replied, shaking his head, “That’s not what I’m trying to say. He’s done everything he’s supposed to do, but Daniel cannot make that meeting. He’s still too weak, if anything were to happen... Call Vala, reschedule, but he’s still contagious and dehydrated. Based on these blood tests alone he could use some more IV fluids just to give him a boost.” 

Adrienne was frowning at his words, a million thoughts racing through her head, that he couldn’t miss that meeting, did she have the technology to make herself look like him so she could do it herself, could John stand in now that Adrienne had fixed her husband’s administrative tantrum but if Ford saw through the ruse it could cause more of a problem than simply rescheduling... 

“Carson you said he was getting better,” she was preparing to argue but the look on the doctor’s face told her that he knew this was coming and the counter argument had already been formed. 

“He is, but like we talked about yesterday he needs an outlet, something. The stress that he’s putting on himself is what is slowing his recovery, there is nothing wrong with his healing ability.”

Yeah yeah, she thought, damn stupid Indy causing more damn stupid headaches. 

“Addy, you’re no better,” the lecture continued, “You look exhausted. You two need to learn balance.” 

I run Carson, nearly every gah damn day when I don’t have to deal with Daniel’s stupidity.

“One challenge at a time,” she answered instead, knowing there was no winning this. The meeting would have to be delayed, but it was best that she called John and let him take care of this since he was now, as he should have been in the first place, temporarily in charge with full access to all operating systems. 

“I’d just like to not have to babysit my husband and get to hug my son again,” she added, tapping the communicator at her ear. 

“All in good time Addy,” Carson assured, taking his leave from their quarters. 

*****

They’d waited three days to get the call from Ronon, the one that said it was safe to bring the ships closer to the planet’s surface. Almost instantly Ford had agreed to the meeting, seemingly eager Vala thought, ordering the ship flown to the orbit of the Genii home world. The hive commander, who was young, looking to be about Addy’s age, lit up like a child at the agreement, which was surprising in her opinion. 

She’d expected some master villain, not an overexcited former jarhead. 

It all seemed to be going well in fact, but Vala requested to stay on the jumper even though Kanaan returned to stay with his people. 

She’d seen what was left of the Athosians, a depressingly small number, even seen a few Wraith on the times she boarded the ship to spy as Daniel had asked her. 

All but Todd. 

She hadn’t seen him, which was strange because of what she knew of the Wraith she had assumed that he would hop back into his old ways, but from everything she had witnessed on the ship so far, he hadn’t. She’d thought to ask Kanaan, see if he could offer any insight, be he seemed to be stuck in meetings of his own, trying to convince an older Athosian man that they needed to rebuild the village on the mainland of Atlantica. Vala was in total agreement, it was much safer to live in the shadow of Atlantis than this dreary place, but she could understand their fear. Like she herself had lost her entire world, these people we standing on the brink of a lonely future, trying to decide who to trust. 

Nevertheless, things seemed to be going well until John Sheppard had appeared on the view screen informing her that Daniel was still too ill to meet and that, per Dr. Carson Beckett’s orders, would need another week to recover. 

Then, all hell broke loose. 

“He’s a coward like the rest of them! And it was Sheppard that called!! Sheppard!! He’s the biggest coward of them all. He’s been afraid of me since day one and now he’s convinced their latest patsy to bend to his will!!” Ford raged from the table, his fellow enzyme fueled muscle heads nodding in approval. 

Just like a bunch of drugged up men, Vala thought, quick to scream and ignore all reason. 

“He’s ill; they called to tell us as much when we left. Dr. Beckett says this is a normal illness here in the Pegasus and Daniel had no immunity,” Vala tried to reason, those black eyes glaring down at her. 

“It’s a ruse!” he now accused, “I know that’s happened to them before, they would have prepared for a situation like this! It’s an excuse!” 

“Trust me,” Vala tried to remain casual, a smirk on her face, “Daniel’s a damn workaholic and the biggest ‘let’s all get along’ person I have ever met. He’s got to be pretty sick to not make this meeting and this is probably something that no one thought of.” 

“Then why was it John? Why did he inform you and not us? Why in the hell are you sitting here like this doesn’t matter?!” 

She’d had enough. This little piss ant had no right to talk to her like that and she didn’t need to take this. Standing from her chair, Vala slammed it back into the table, exiting out the side door to head back for the jumper and inform John that this former teammate of his was an unreasonable moron. 

“Everyone to their stations!” Vala heard behind her as she crossed the threshold, “if Dr. Jackson doesn’t want to come to us then we will go to him!” 

“Like hell,” Vala whispered under her breath, her eyes darting around to get her bearings. 

*****

“DId you send it?” Adrienne asked from around the corner of the office, John peering up from the desk. 

“They were close enough to get a video transmission so I spoke to her, explained the situation,” he answered curtly. 

“Good, she’ll take care of it; she’s good with tchews,” the Cajun offered with a smile as John didn’t say a word, looking back at the desk. 

“He didn’t mean it,” she added, John gazing back up again. 

“Oh, yeah he did,” the colonel answered quickly. 

“If he meant it he would have made Rodney the number two, not me. Making me number two is akin to throwing a tantrum and running home to mommy,” Addy tried to joke, not a single smile on John’s face. 

“In this scenario, in case you missed it, I’m mommy,” she continued. 

“Addy, look, I appreciate and understand what you’re trying to do, but momentary anger or not, Daniel didn’t trust me to run this city. I’ve run this city, I flew this city home. I might not want his job, but I can damn well do it,” John said, as calmly as possible. Adrienne couldn’t do anything but nod, he was right, this was something he and Daniel would have to get past once he was feeling better and back in charge. The worst part was that she could see both sides of the argument, John had, after all, seemed to think Todd could just walk around freely and Daniel really shouldn’t have done what he did, given his years of professional experience and leadership, fear of a Wraith threat or not. 

She just hoped it was something they could repair.

“If you need anything John, just call me,” she said quietly. 

“I will,” he answered, eyes back on screen. 

“I didn’t know,” she just couldn’t hold back, afraid now of losing a friendship herself. 

“I know you didn’t,” his voice was somewhat normal, making her feel a little better. 

Not wanting to disturb him further, Adrienne slipped out, planning to stop by Davidson’s station to make sure that there was nothing Daniel needed to know. 

*****

Vala was sitting in the pilot’s chair, plotting the course for home, her new home, hoping to beat the Hive in the race back to the city. She was glad she had the thought before she left, talking to Ronon about Addy putting pulse grenades in her bra. It had made her think to stash a few timed grenades in her own under garments, just enough to blow the hell out of the hull, rendering it at least temporarily disabled. Now she just needed to get out of here before they went off. Going through the checklist, Vala was just about ready to leave when she heard footsteps racing behind her, making her draw her weapon and point it behind her. 

“Please do not shoot!” 

It was Kanaan, Vala not dropping her aim for a moment. 

“Why are you here?” she hissed, remembering him clearly sitting at the table as she left. 

“Because I left my son once and I refuse to leave him again,” his answer was simple and convincing, enough so Vala dropped her weapon. 

“And your people?” she asked as Kanaan breathed in deeply. 

“They are enamored with Ford. It will take far more than my words for them to see truth again. They are scared,” he admitted something she could tell was hard to admit, that he didn’t need to explain further. 

“Hurry, I set bombs to disable the hull - “ 

“Did you place them under the first layer of organic material, because you cannot do any real damage unless the explosion is inside...” 

The voice that had interrupted her was not Kanaan’s, it was a voice that she had never heard before but didn’t need an introduction. Standing behind the Athosian was Todd, a large bag flung over his shoulder. 

“If so, they will go into high alert almost immediately and with that imbecile leading the charge, high alert with weapons so I suggest you close the hatch and get us out of here,” he continued, stepping inside as if he belonged here. 

“Hell no, get off of my ship,” she spat, her gun at the ready again. 

“Technically speaking, it is your beloved Dr. Jackson’s ship, and I will not be leaving. Aiden Ford is a madman,” he replied, Vala noticing the bag he was carrying. It seemed to be filled with a heavy load and he was treating it as though it were precious to him. Kanaan too seemed throughly confused, standing back and staring back and forth between the two of them. 

“If you don’t back your blue ass out of this damn jumper right down I’m gonna blast a hole right through you!” 

The Wraith however didn’t say a word, kneeling onto the ramp and opening the bag. 

“Come on,” he said into the sack, “I need you to say something to them otherwise we’re both dead.” 

Vala stood back as the bag started to move, a wiggle back and forth until a head popped out, small hazel eyes looking at her. 

“Can you help me?”