To Catch A Falling Star
To Catch A Falling Star
by Lucy Maria Elmer
TITLE: To Catch A Falling Star
AUTHOR: Lucy Maria Elmer
EMAIL: sweetaspie@talk21.com
CATEGORY: D&J, drama, angst, AU (sorta) and hints at Sam and Jack.
SPOILERS: None.
SEASON / SEQUEL: Uh, nope, dunno.
RATING: PG-13. Couple of swear words and all that.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Character death.
SUMMARY: Two visitors from another world mark the beginning of something special for two members of the SGC. Okay four.
STATUS: Complete
ARCHIVE: Heliopolis
DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. We have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the authors.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Okay this is to my mum and dad, my brothers and sister and the rest of my family and all my friends especially Ellie (puddin) cos she's a darlin and Sarah. It is also to Barb, Pat, Lissa, Bobby and the guys who aren't even on this list but who are all great people (they're on the Shipper list for JAG) and to Bryn and Becca, John and well anyone else who is following my work. Love you guys!!!!!
This is to all those lovely people who read my fics and who have sent me feedback and to the brilliant actors on SG-1 who have made this universe a wondeful place to be part of and play in.
The songs I Love You by Sarah Mclachlan and Here With Me by Dido are used without permission. No infringement is intended so please don't sue. I have no money anyways. They are lovely songs though!!!
It was late morning when they found them, the baby crying uncontrollably and the young woman, her arm outstretched as if reaching for the infant unconcsious in a pool of blood. They had heard the alarm being tripped and ran into the room to see the two of them, the blinding light that marked the end of their SGC and their parents lives visibly seen through the quantum mirror, lighting their features.
"This one's been shot. The burn looks pretty bad." The soldier told hid colleagues kneeling beside the stricken woman, while anotehr picked up the crying baby trying to comfort it.
"Yeah." another one agreed joining him. "Hey Bobby is that an SGC uniform?"
The soldier looked. "Call Hammond, tell him we got two visitors heading his way."
The soldier rolled the young woman over gently so that he could see her face.
"Damn it she's just a kid." he cursed angrily, thinking of his own children. "And look at her, she's lost her world. They both have." He finished remembering the faces of those he had seen through the mirror, two familiar ones contorted in sadness as the Goa'uld launched their final attack, holding each other tightly as all to them was lost.
Dr Janet Fraiser opened the infirmary door, slowly, sadly.
"How is she doctor?" General George Hammond asked the brunette doctor as she took off the mask she had been wearing during her attempt to save the young womans life, to reveal a tired and troubled face.
"The damage was too severe. There's nothing I can do."
"It was deffinately the Goa'uld?" Colonel Jack O'Neill asked the mild mannered doctor.
"Yes it was." she replied angrily. "The wound was caused by a staff weapon blast. It's just a matter of time." she told them stting down.
"Those sick sons of bitches." Jack cursed getting up off the chair on which he had been stting and starting to pace.
"Yeah." Janet replied quietly.
"What about the baby?" Sam asked remembering the blue eyed child that had been brought in with the teenager.
"She's fine thank god. It would appear that the young woman in there took the shot to protect the infant."
"Is she awake?" Daniel asked referring to the young woman.
"Barely poor kid. She doesn't deserve this." Janet replied rubbing her tired eyes.
"No she doesn't." Daniel agreed, rubbing the doctors back absentmindedly, trying to comfort her.
The door to the infirmary opened and a young nurse came out carrying the baby girl.
"Doctor, the young woman...she's asking for you. All of you. She says her name's Kate."
The colleagues looked at each other.
"She's getting worse ma'am. It's nearly time." she added prompting them to get up.
The young child in her arms started to cry.
"She won't settle." the nurse explained.
"Would you be able to if your world had just been destroyed?" Jack snapped.
"No Sir, I don't think I would." the nurse replied quietly.
" Come here baby girl." Janet Fraiser told the child taking her into her own arms and rocking her. "That's better huh." she said gently opening the infirmary door, the child now gurgling happily in her arms.
Daniel looked at the nurse who just shrugged. "Maternal instinct?" she suggested as they entered the infirmary.
They walked over to the bed on which the young woman was lying, surrounded my monitors and covered with tubes. They immediately noticed her deep brown eyes and brown hair, her pale complexion a clashing with her features.
"Hey there." Janet said quietly to the young woman.
The youngster smiled a familiar but weak smile.
"What happened to you Miss?" General Hammond asked, feeling as if he should know the child, but not being able to place her.
"It's Kate. Kate Jackson." she replied.
"As in..." Daniel started.
The young woman nodded then winced in pain.
"Hey take it easy." Sam told her, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"I'm dying aren't I?" she asked Janet, brown eyes searching brown eyes.
"Sweetheart I am so sorry. There's nothing..."
"Hey I know. It's okay." she finished, lifting her arm up weakly to touch Janet's face.
"She likes you." the young woman remarked looking at the childin Janet's arms. "She knows."
"Knows what?" Daniel asked.
"Our world was under attack...the Goa'uld...they came into the atmosphere a couple of weeks ago. A lot...a lot..." The young woman cried in pain.
"It's okay. Take it easy." Janet told the young woman as Daniel sat down on the bed and took her hand.
The young woman braced herself and then started again.
"...a lot of the kids were sent through the gate a week ago. I was helping in the infirmary...I was helping my mom..." she swallowed "and because so many were einjured trying to defend the mountain...I was one of the last to go." she continued wincing "Mom gave birth a week ago...she wanted to... she..."
The young woman began to slip away.
"Stay with us just a little longer sweetheart." the Admiral told the young woman.
"I can't." she told him faintly looking at his face.
"Kate I know you're tired. I know it's time for you..."
"We need to know honey." Jack cut in seeing that Sma was struggling for words.
With a new found determination Kate once again opened her eyes, tears running down her face.
"Mom decided when Summer was born to send us through the gate to be with the others but... the Goa'uld were attacking from the other end so we couldn't dial out...until there was a window. By the...time that we could establish one things got...bad...so Mom and Dad sent us through the mirror before the Goa'uld entered the base. Dad found...a world...a world where there was no attack. They wanted Summer to have a good life...they wanted me too...now I'm gonna die."
"Are you from the future?" Teal'c asked.
"Yes." Kate replied swallowing hard against the pain "Just a year."
"And you're my daughter? and Summer?" Daniel asked.
Kate nodded.
"Then who... wait you said she knows. You meant Summer knows she's with her mother. That she's safe."
Janet looked at the newborn in her arms. She had blue eyes just like Daniel, but her mouth... She looked at Kate who nodded.
"But we've only been working together for four years. How could we have a teenage daughter if your world is only a year in the future?" Janet asked looking at Daniel who seemed just as shocked as she was.
Kate swallowed finding the pain unbearable " Because it's not my world. I was sent to that world by my parents when my homeworld, a world sixteen years in the future was invaded and destroyed by the Goa'uld...they are conquering Earth in every universe, children from every version of Earth are scattered between worlds..."
"Oh my god." Sam responded.
The young woman took one of Janet's hands and one of Daniels and looked at them, knowing her time was short.
"My mom in Summer's universe always said I brought you two together. When I arrived you were friends but...when you found out I was yours it was like...I went to live with you and Cassie." she told Janet facing her. "and because Daniel wanted to be part of my life he started coming round more to see me and so spent more time with you...you guys fell in love, then Summer was conceived and you got married. You have to take care of her...I was supposed to but I can't now. She's your baby remember that." she shut her eyes and her breathing grew shallow.
"Kate honey?" Janet called seeing her deteriorating state.
"They packed the bag for you. The baby bag. You should look."
"This one?" Teal'c asked picking up a bag covered with teddy bears.
The woman nodded.
"You were so happy in my world...and in Summer's...don't wait until it's too late." she told them getting weaker.
"Kate?" Daniel called stroking her face.
"I have to go now. It's my time. I'm so scared." she told them squeezing both Janet and Daniels hands.
"Don't be." Daniel told her comfortingly "You sleep now." he finished taking Summer out of Janets arms and laying her down by her sisters side. He took Kate's hand and put it to her sisters face.
"Promise me you'll love her like your own?" she asked quietly.
"We promise." Janet replied looking at Daniel who responded with a small smile.
"Don't wait..." she repeated before slipping away.
For a minute they all stood there trying to comprehend all they had been told.
"Bastards." Jack cursed leaving the room.
"I'd better see if he's okay." Sam told them following the Colonel, the one person who she cared about more than anything in the world.
Teal'c walked over to the woman and said a prayer in his own native language, her having made an impression on him. He too then left to check on O'Neill and Carter.
As if sensing what had happened the baby began to cry. Janet took her up into her arms and kissed her forehead.
"I take it you would like to become the guardian of this child." General George Hammond asked.
"Yes Sir." both Janet and Daniel told him.
"She is ours sir." Daniel added.
"I understand that son. I'll see what I can do. I take it you'll come to some arrangement between the pair of you if this is legalised."
"Yes sir." they told him.
He smiled and stroked the baby's face.
"Summer huh? cute." he replied before leaving the infirmary and the pair of them to talk.
"So what's in the bag?" Sam asked later as she and her colleagues sat on an empty bed in the infirmary, the baby asleep in her arms.
O'Neill opened it up.
"We have a bottle, a few diapers..." he stopped.
"Jack, what?" Daniel asked looking at his friend.
Jack pulled a photograph out of the bag which was in a silver frame and showed it to his colleagues. It was a photograph of Daniel and Janet on their wedding day. Daniel wore a tuxedo and top hat and was standing behind his new wife who wore a long ivory gown with strappy sleeves and tiny crystal roses sewn into it. She was leaning back into his chest smiling as his hands lovingly rested on her expanding stomach. Cassie and Kate could be seen on their right wearing long baby blue bridesmaid dresses, their hair woven with little roses, arms linked and smiles firmly planted on their faces, while on their left Jack, also wearing a tuxedo and top hat, could be seen standing arm in arm with Sam who also wore a baby blue gown, her head resting on Jack's shoulder. Behind them stood Teal'c and General Hammond both beaming at the camera.
"Ah." Daniel stated looking at Janet who was looking at the floor.
"What else is in the bag O'Neill?" Teal'c asked the Colonel trying to break the building tension in the room.
Jack looked in the bag once again and pulled out a book covered with tiny stars and hearts. He opened it and then pased it to Daniel.
"This book belongs to Summer Louise Jackson, born July 18th 2002." he read out.
He turned the page to see a picture of himself and Janet while she was pregnant, sitting on a blanket outside, while Jack could be seen chasing Sam, Cassie and Kate behind them.
"You guys look so happy. Kate was right." Sam commented regarding the picture, seeing the beaming faces of the pair and the way Daniel had put a protective arm around his wife.
"Yeah I guess we do." Daniel replied turning the page.
"Yeah well that world's not ours." Jack told them.
"Hey look at this. These are all the ultrasound pictures. My god she was so tiny. " Daniel told them, running a finger over the photgraphs showing the tiny form of their unborn child.
Janet took the book off him gently and looked herself.
"Look they recorded her first kick..."
"What?" Daniel asked as she stopped.
"It's just so sad. I mean look at us. We looked so happy to be becoming parents, we started this book...but a week after she was born...Daniel we never even got to finish it." she told him.
Janet turned another page to see a photograph of her, Daniel and Summer just after she had been born. They looked so happy even though it was obvious the base was falling apart around them. Soldiers could be seen in the background lying injured on beds, Sam could be seen cradling Jacks head as he lay injured on the bed behind the new parents, but there they were holding each other close, their tiny budle of joy wrapped in a pink blanket in their arms, their love lighting up the room.
She turned the page again. More photographs followed of Sam holding the baby, Janet holding her, the two girls holding the baby, Daniel holding her, Teal'c holding her, even General Hammond, but no Jack.
Sam looked at her commanding officer who just sat there, looking blankly at the book.
"I died." he told them. "I died when I had so much left to... I never even got to hold your kid." he told them angrily.
"Jack..." Sam spoke quietly trying to control hot tears which were threatening to fall as she thought of him one day leaving her.
"I can't die Sam not when..."
"When what?"
"What is that doctor Fraiser?" Teal'c asked as a piece of paper fell out of the book cutting Jack off.
Daniel leaned over and picked it up.
"It's a letter, from us to...us." he told them as he opened it up.
" To Daniel and Janet. We hope that you have found our babies safe and well. I don't doubt that by the time you find this letter we will be gone, and I don't doubt that Kate has told you what cruel fate the Goa'uld had in store for our world. Kate was not ours as you have probably been told, but as far as we were concerned she was our baby girl, even if she was already sixteen when she arrived in our lives. She was the angel that brought us together and who paved the way for the arrival of the other little angel who has no doubt already stolen your hearts. Take care of her for us. Take care of the one who made us follow our hearts, who brought us happiness for whatever length of time it was possible for us to have it and take care of Summer too. We're not going to get the chance to see our baby girl grow up, take her first steps or say her first word, oh how we want to, but if you're reading this it wasn't meant to be. Know Cassie is well and was sent to the beta site. She is a beautiful young woman, don't worry for her. Finish this book for us as we can't. Take care of our baby girl. Love her like your own, and Kate too because they are yours, and follow your hearts always, don't leave things too late. Remind her where she came from when she can understand and tell her how much her Mommy and Daddy loved her as I'm sure you will too.
Thank you always, Daniel and Janet Fraiser-Jackson."
"Wow." Sam told them. "They really loved those girls." she finished stroking the sleeping childs face.
"And each other." Jack added pulling a photo album out of the bag and opening it seeing pictures of the pair at various stages of their relationship.
"Looks like we weren't the only ones." Daniel told the pair as they leafed through the pictures, many depicting the fact that Sam and Jack were also obviously in love. One picture showing Jack down on one knee proposing marriage and another showing Jack picking up Sam in her arms, Gneral Hammond obviously having spoken to the Presdient about their relationship.
Summer started to cry.
"Someone needs a diaper change huh." Sam said sweetly to the little girl.
"I'll do it." Daniel told her, tenderly taking the child out of Sams arm's and grabbing a diaper and some powder out of the bag. "You wanna help?" he asked Janet.
"Yeah we can use my office." she replied following him.
Teal'c sensed the tension between his two colleagues.
"I am going to the commisary MajorCarter, O'Neill. Would you like anything?"
"No thanks."
"Uh uh."
"We're really not hungry." came the replies.
"Indeed." Teal'c commented nodding and then leaving the room.
"So, strange day huh."
"Yeah." Sam agreed. "Sir...Jack what were you going to say after you found out you had died in Kate and Summer's universe."
"What?"
"You said you couldn't die, not when..."
"Oh that."
"Yeah that. So what were you going to say"
"Sam don't make me..."
"Jack."
"I was going to say I couldn't die Sam, not when I hadn't spent my life with you." he mumbled.
"Huh?" she asked not hearing properly.
"I said, I couldn't die Sam, not when I hadn't spent my life with you." he repeated more clearly.
He looked into her eyes.
"I could never die when I hadn't done that. I love you Sam."
"I love you too." she replied resting her head on his shoulder, then leaning up to kiss him.
Janet and Daniel stood in her office, Summer laying on a changing mat in front of them. Daniel watched as Janet played with the little girl, making funny noises as she changed her diaper.
"Powder if you will." Janet told him, motioning for him to come over.
"You're good with her."
"So are you." Janet replied as Daniel powdered her and then put a clean diaper on. Lifting the little girl gently into his arms and sitting down on the edge of Janet's desk.
"It's hard to believe isn't it. This morning it was...well...us, kinda talking. Now we have a baby, albeit from a different universe and another one of our children has died. We find out we were married in two different worlds and incredibly happy too."
"Oh yeah." Daniel replied.
"Kate seemed a sweet kid."
"Yes she did." Daniel agreed.
Janet started to cry.
"Hey what's the matter?" he asked, wiping the tears away from her face.
"From the moment Kate came in I knew she was ours Daniel just by looking at her. She was so young and scared. They wanted us to look after her and now she's gone."
"That wasn't your fault." he told her.
"I just want to be happy Daniel. In those photo's we had a family, Kate was alive, she was our daughter you know? She's dead Daniel and we have Summer I know but what happens now?"
"We look after our little girl." he told her looking at Summer.
"But what about us? nothings gonna change is it? we talk Daniel yeah, but not about anything personal or about our feelings...if we do actually have any. We have Summer, we have a child who is ours, but even that is going to be complicated."
"Why does it have to be complicated?" Daniel asked.
"Don't you get it Daniel, I thought you were supposed to be smart. It always going to be complicated because she was born to us. She was born to a couple who loved each other enough to have a child. To a couple who loved each other enough to die in each others arms and to send their children through that mirror in hopes that they get the chance to live. That's never going to happen with us is it? and as much as I love this baby and as sure as I am that you do too, I guess that's always going to be the sad thing about this."
"Janet when did I say that I never..."
Daniel was cut off by the General's entering the office in which they were sitting.
"Doctor, It has been agreed that you and Doctor Jackson can become guardians to Summer starting immediately. I have been told by Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter, who by the way were making out in the infirmary when I walked in..." looking at their shocked faces he added "Don't worry, I have been expecting this since they met. I got Presidential permission to waver the fraternization rules regarding their relationship a year ago. Anyway they told me that it was her parents wishes for Summer and Kate to be put in your custody. Captain Matthews has agreed to drop off a crib, some baby clothes and enough supplies to keep you going until morning at the end of your shifts in approximately half an hour and SG-1 and you Doctor, by the way you have no idea how much I am giong to regret this, are on a weeks leave starting then. I figured you'd need an adjustemnt period regarding this little one." he told them stroking the childs face.
Sm and Jack walked into the office.
"Leave Sir?" Sam asked.
"That is correct Major." The General replied.
"Sweet." Came Jack's reply as he looked at the woman who had stolen his heart.
Janet, having been given a car seat and some items by Captain Matthews which her son had long grown out of, finally arrived home at five o clock to be greeted by Cassandra bounding down the stairs to tell her about her day.
"Cass I've got someone I'd like you to meet." Janet told the young woman, pulling the blanket gently away from Summer's face so that Cassandra could get a better look.
"You brought home a baby? is she going to live with us?" Cassandra asked, the child gripping her finger tightly.
"Yes she is. Her name's Summer Louise."
"That's pretty." Cassandra told her.
"Yeah it is. You think you could hold her while I grab some things out of the car?"
"Sure." Cassandra told her, pulling faces at the infant and taking her to the living room.
Janet walked outside to be greeted by a car pulling up in her driveway. It was Daniel. She walked over to it.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" she asked him as he opened his door to get out.
He pointed into the back of his car where there were some items for the child.
"Daniel you don't have to..."
"Yes I do." he told her standing in front of her. "She's mine too Janet and you need some help looking after her. I have some diapers, some formula, a bottle warmer, some bottles, a steriliser and some clothes. "
He got them out of the back.
"Thanks." she told him sincerely, opening up her own trunk to get out some of the items that Captain Matthews had given her.
"You think you could help me with this?" she asked regarding the crib that was in pieces in her trunk.
"Sure." he told her grabbing some pieces himself and following her into the house with them.
"Where do you want them?" he asked.
"Just here in my room. She's only a week old, I don't really want to put her in a new room all on her own yet."
"I can understand that." he told her as they entered her room. "You need any help putting it up?"
"I think Cass and I can manage. If we can't I'll give you a call." she replied sitting down on her bed.
"Feeling a bit over whelmed huh?" he asked joining her.
"Just a little." she repied. "Don't get me wrong, I already love that little girl to pieces. It's just this morning it was just me and Cass and now there's me Cass and the baby."
"You don't regret agreeing to take care of her..."
"No of course not." Janet replied sincerely "It's just...wow."
"Oh yeah." he agreed, rubbing her back.
"Daniel... what is going on with us. One minute we barely talk and now..."
"Yeah I know. "
"Well do you think it's a bad thing?"
"You know when I found out that Summer was ours I was sad. Can you imagine that?" he told her.
"Sad? what the hell are you trying to say Daniel?" Janet asked wondering why Daniel had just said what he had when she had been about to open her heart.
"I'm trying to explain something here." he replied.
"Yeah well Daniel quit trying and leave. Don't you dare say anything like that about..."
"Janet I didn't mean..."
"Leave Daniel." she told him more forcefully.
"Fine." he replied throwing his hands up in the air and walking down the stairs.
When he got to the door he turned around. "You know if you would listen you would know I was going to say..."
"Get out Daniel." she told him tears burning behind her eyes as she shut the door behind him.
"...You would know I was going to say that I was sad because I can't imagine anything more beautiful than you carrying a child that I helped create, sad that we weren't the one's who got to experience that." he shouted through the door before walking to his car and leaving, Janet following behind to see a pile of gifts for their child that had been carefully placed in a pile on her lawn.
Janet was awoken from her sleep by Summer's crying. She turned on her bedside light and looked in the crib that she and Cassandra had put up next to her bed.
"What's the matter sweetheart?" Janet said tenderly as she got out of bed to pick up the crying child. "Oh someone needs a diaper change huh?"
She looked at the clock. It was three in the morning. "You are a typical Jackson, you have no sense of time." she told the youngster carrying her over to a changing mat that Daniel had left for her and changing her diaper. When she had finished she took the child into her arms and sat down on the side of the bed, rocking her gently when she started to cry again.
"Ssshhh it's okay, mommys gonna look after you. Oh I know." she told the child, kissing her on the forehead to soothe her. "This world can suck sometimes huh? but you know I'm going to take care of you, and Cass and even your daddy when he finally decides he's ready to talk to me again."
The baby settled and Janet laid her gently back down in the crib. For a while she just lay there watching the child as she fell back to sleep, realising just how much like her father the little one actually was, then she herself drifted off to sleep again.
Just an hour later she was awoken.
"Hey baby girl. You're gonna keep mommy up aren't you." she told her picking her up again. "Are you hungry? is my little angel hungry?"
Janet wrapped the child up in a blanket and took her down to the kitchen where she heated up some formula. She heard a door open upstairs and footsteps coming down.
"She okay mom?" a tired Cassandra asked.
"Yes sweetie she's fine. Just a little hungry. Did she wake you up?"
"Uh huh." Cass replied. "Lucky it's the weekend tommorow huh?"
"Yeah it is." Janet replied walking over to Cassie who had hauled herself onto the kitchen counter.
"Is she gonna be like this every night?"
"For a while. You gonna be okay with that?"
Cassie smiled.
"So, what would you say to a hot chocolate while I'm heating some milk for the little one."
"I'd say yum." Cassandra replied, taking Summer into her own arms while Janet made the drinks.
Half an hour later all drinks had been made. Janet had sat down on a rocking chair in the living room, feeding Summer while Cassandra sat on an overstuffed chair drinking her chocolate.
"I heard you and Daniel arguing earlier. Is everything okay?" Cassandra asked as Janet burped the little girl.
"Fine, just a little complicated."
"You two are still friends right?"
"Of course we are baby." Janet told her.
"Then why..."
"Cass, Summer is ours from an alternate reality."
"You mean like another version of ours?"
"Yeah. She and her sister, who was also ours,were sent through a device called a quantum mirror,from their own world which was under attack by the Goa'uld."
"Is her sister coming to stay too?"
Janet looked at the floor.
"She died?" Cassie asked.
Summer started to cry again.
"Why don't you sing to her?" Cassandra asked.
"Sing what?"
"I don't know. Sometimes babies like to be sung to, it helps them settle."
Janet gently got up and walked over to the stereo and put in a Sarah Mclachlan cd Sam had bought her not long ago. The words of the song she played reflected so much to her and the melody was slow enough to calm a child. She sat back down and let the song play, singing gently to it and rocking the child in her arms.
I have a smile
Streched from ear to ear
To see you walking down the road
We meet at the lights
I stare for a while
The world around us disappears
Just you and me
On this island of hope
A breath between us could be miles
Let me surround you
My sea to your shore
Let me be the calm you seek
Oh and every time I'm close to you
There's so much I can't say
And you just walk away
And I forgot
To tell you
I love you
And the night's too long
And I'm cold here without you
I grieve in my condition
For I cannot find the words to say
I need you so
Oh and every time I'm close to you
There's so much I can't say
And you just walk away
And I forgot
To tell you
I love you
And the night's too long
And I'm cold here without you
As Janet sung Cassandra walked over to her and sat with her in the rocking chair, singing along gently to a song she'd heard so many times, and a song she knew for the rest of her life would remind her of the woman she considered to be her mother. She looked up at Janets face and smiled, realising just how lucky she was, and kissed her on the cheek.
"What's that for?" Janet asked when the song had finished and Summer had drifted back off to sleep.
"I guess for a while I forgot to tell you I love you." she told Janet, reciting some words from the song before going back upstairs to bed to get some rest.
Janet had been up with Summer a lot during the course of the night and decided that seven o'clock was an early enough time to get up. She turned over in bed to see Summer gurgling away happily in her crib.
"Wish I could be that happy in the morning." she remarked as she walked over to the crib.
"Let's get you up shall we." she said to the infant gently picking her up and carrying her to the bathroom as the child played with her hair. "Who's a pretty girl huh?" she remarked looking into the baby's deep blue eyes.
An hour later Summer was dressed, changed and fed. Janet sat in the living room when Cassie bounded down the stairs.
"Good morning. Sleep okay?"
"On and off but I'm fine." Cassandra answered.
Janet noticed the youngster looking at her.
"What do I have milk on my face or something?" she asked the teenager making her laugh.
"I was just thinking what a great person you are. You take me in when I lose my home because of the Goa'uld and look after me like I was your own daughter, and then you do the same for Summer. That's pretty special you know." she replied as she went into the kitchen to make breakfast.
"Thanks sweetheart." Janet shouted after her smiling.
"No problem." Came a reply.
"Look I'm just going out for a bit. Are you gonna be okay?" Cassandra asked.
"Fine honey. Just make sure you're back for lunch."
"Will do." she replied, grabbing some of the breakfast she had made.
Cassandra left the room and opened the front door.
"Hey Daniel." Janet heard her say as she left.
Curious Janet got up, and went into the hallway to see Daniel standing there looking a bit lost.
"Hey."
"Hey yourself. You look rough." he told her regarding her somewhat dissheveled appearance.
"Summer kept me up." she replied.
"Everything okay?"
"Fine actually." she smiled. "Look Daniel I am so sorry...what I said...."
"Hey it's forgotten. Now why don't you go upstairs and get dressed or have a shower and I will look after Summer."
"Daniel you..."
"Yeah I do, now go."
"She needs a bath, she was sick over her baby grow." Janet told him.
"Okay, you go in the shower, I'll bathe Summer. Deal?"
She shook his hand.
"She's in the lounge." Janet told him as she headed upstairs.
Daniel walked into the lounge and picked Summer out of her carry cot.
"Hello my darling. Daddy's gonna give you a bath. Yes he is." he told her following Janet to the bathroom.
Fifteen minutes later and Janet was in the shower while Daniel bathed Summer in the baby bath that had been given to her. Letting the water run over her she relaxed.
"Don't splash daddy honey." she heard Daniel cry.
"Okay sweetie now Daddy can't see." he replied sweetly laughing at the antics of the child.
"Is that good?" he asked his little girl "Does my darling...okay you're splashing Daddy again sweetheart. Now daddy really doesn't mind but he can't actually see."
Janet smiled as she heard Daniel play with the little girl. It was obvious he already doted on her.
"You okay out there?" Janet shouted smiling.
"We're great aren't we Summer." Daniel shouted back to her.
"Hey I think she's been in long enough. Where are her clothes?"
"There are some baby grows in the bottom drawer of my dressing table." Janet shouted back.
Daniel took the little girl outof the bath making aeroplane noises as he lifted her out. He wrapped her in a towel and took her into Janet's room to dress her. Picking out a baby grow covered with little rabbits he put a diaper on then dressed her. Summer started to cry.
"I think she's hungry." Daniel shouted to Janet.
"There's some formula down stairs in the kitchen and some clean bottles in the steriliser. You do know what you're doing right?"
"I think I can manage." Daniel replied, picking up the child again.
"Awww are you hungry? lets get you some formula. Let's get daddys little girl some formula." he said sweetly, carrying her downstairs and rocking her gently as he went.
An hour later Summer was fed and laying happily in Daniel's arms, gurgling as he played with her. He had put the stereo on and was rocking her from side to side. Seeing that Janet still hadn't returned from the shower he took Summer upstairs, and opening the door to her bedroom found her laying on her bed fast asleep. Gently putting the child in her crib he walked over to Janet pulling the covers up over her and tucking her in. For a moment he just stood there and watched her sleep, her face so innocent and vulnerable, and a face that he looked forward to seeing every day of his life. He kissed her on the forehead.
"Sweet dreams." he whispered in her ear as he once again picked up Summer.
Sutting the door behind him he once again carried the child downstairs.
"What do you say we call Aunty Sam, Uncle Jack and Uncle Teal'c? shall we give them a call?"
Six hours later Janet woke up to hear music playing from one of her spare rooms, giggling and a mans singing. She rolled over and looked in the crib to see it empty. Beginning to worry she got up and followed the music to see Daniel, Teal'c and Cassandra covered with paint in her spare room. They had painted the walls pink and stencilled rabbits and clouds and teddy bears on them. A new crib stood in the middle of the floor with a mobile hanging over it. New furniture had been put together and a toy box full of toys for Summer had been placed under the window of the room as had a rocking chair. Soft toys adorned the room, as stencils of tiny stars did the ceiling, and baby monitors stood ready for use on a cabinet by the bed. Janet looked around the room, and at the people painting it. She knew that for a while at least Summer would stay in her room but she also knew just how lucky she was to have friends like these, albeit freinds who were now participating in a paint fight with her foster daughter Cassandra. Not wanting to disturb them she now followed the sound of a mans singing into her bathroom to see Jack O'Neill changing Summer's diaper and singing If You Think I'm Sexy to her, Samantha Carter sitting on the counter next to him watching the man she obviously adored happily as he played with the little girl.
"She loves me." he told Sam regarding the youngster who was now happily gurgling to herself in his arms.
"She's not the only one soldier." Samantha Carter replied kissing him.
"Hey we don't want to make the little lady jealous." he replied playfully.
"You don't wanna make me jealous either, believe me." Sam replied.
"You hear that Summer, aunty Sams threatening me." he stated turning round to see Janet standing in the doorway, a big grin on her face.
"Hey." he said smiling.
"Hey guys."
"You have a nice sleep?" Sam asked walking over to her friend and giving her a hug.
"Yeah thanks. And thanks so much for all this." she said pointing in the direction of Summer's new room.
"Yeah, of course you know it was all my idea." Jack replied cheekily, earning an elbow in the ribs from Sam.
"Actually Daniel called us earlier. Told us that you were resting and asking us if we wanted to pool together to buy some furniture for Summer and help paint the room." Sam told her.
"Mom." Janet heard a voice call from the hallway. She turned to see a paint covered Cassandra bounding towards her and the others coming out of the room.
Janet took the young woman in a hug and kissed her on the forehead.
"You seen the room? I painted it." she told her.
"Yeah I did and it's great. Now you missy are going to go and have a shower." she replied.
"But..."
"But nothing honey. You are not gonna run around the house with paint all over your clothes. Especially when the pizza's here."
"We're gonna have pizza? can we have pepperoni?"
"Sure." Sam replied. "Why don't we take Summer downstairs and go order it. Teal'c you can hose yourself down in the garden or something." she told the Jaffa jokily.
"Hose myself down Major?" he asked as he followed Sam and Jack downstairs while Cassie went in the shower.
For a minute Janet and Daniel just stood there not knowing what to say to each other, he walked towards her and took her hand leading her into the room.
"So do you like it?" he asked her.
Janet looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "I love it." she replied as she looked around more closely. "You didn't have to do this."
"Hey I wanted to." he told her "Summer's my child too remember and I love her."
"That I can see." Janet told him "She adores you."
"She adores you too." he replied sweetly. "and so do I." he finished wiping a loose strand of hair away from her eyes.
"Hey I think you missed a spot." she told him motioning towards the door, which had a mural painted over a light purple background. She picked up a paint brush and started to paint over the part which had been missed. Daniel walked over to her and placed a hand on the small of her back.
"You mind if I put some music on while we finish off?" Daniel asked.
"Go ahead." Janet told him.
Daniel picked up a cd that Cassandra had been playing earlier and put in the cd player. He joined Janet painting the door. Listening to the music as it filled the room.
I didn't hear you leave, I wonder how am I still here
I don't want to move a thing, it might change my memory
Oh I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide...
"You think you could get the high bit for me?" she asked him trying to reach.
Daniel reached up to paint the top of the door. Suddenly he felt something wet on his face and saw Janet laughing.
"Did you just paint my face?" he asked her laughing.
"Sorry, my hand just kinda slipped." she replied as he grabbed her gently and put a streak of paint on her face too.
"Hey at least when I did it it was an accident." she replied giggling as she put a pink streak down his arm.
"Well that certainly wasn't." he replied putting an arm around her waist and pulling her towards him.
"Either was this." she told him, putting a srtek of paint over his shirt.
"You are walking on thin ice doctor."
"Really?" she answered sarcastically.
"Oh yeah." he replied grinning as he put a blob of paint on her nose.
I won't go
I won't sleep
I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
I won't leave
I can't hide
I cannot be
Until you're resting here with me...
For a minute they stood there laughing, his hand resting on the small of her back. Slowly they stopped and stared intensely at each other, trying to read each others emotions at that time. Daniel reached out a gentle hand towards her face and brushed the paint off her nose, then resting his hand on the back of her neck.
Smiling she reached out her own hand, and brushed a piece of hair away from his face, then wiping paint off it. They began to giggle again, moving ever closer.
I don't want to call my friends, they might wake me from this dream
And I can't leave this bed, risk forgetting all that's been...
Slowly they moved in towards each other, thir lips meeting, and they kissed. It felt as if electricity was flowing through them, the love that they both shared radiating from every pore and making their hearts pound.
Oh I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide...
And then they pulled away from each other, hands linked.
Daniel smiled.
"You know I never said I didn't love you." he told her.
"You never said you did." she replied looking at the floor.
"I love you Janet." he told her leaning in again.
"I love you too doctor Jackson." she replied as they kissed again, more passionately this time.
"So what does this mean?" she whispered into his ear as they parted again.
"It means eternity." he replied taking her into an embrace and kissing the top of her head.
I won't go
I won't sleep
I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
I won't leave
I can't hide
I cannot be
Until you're resting here with me.
After standing there in each others embrace for a while they parted.
"This isn't just because of Summer?" Janet asked.
"No it's not. If anything Summer made me realise just how much I love you. Seeing those photos...I don't want to miss out on that. I don't want to miss out on any moment of happiness I know I could have with you." he replied.
Janet smiled at him, then picking up a paintbrush put another streak of paint on his face.
"You really think you could love me for an eternity?" she asked playfully.
"I could love you for a lot longer than that." he replied as they embarked on another paint fight, and a life full of happiness with a love radiating from deep within their hearts.
If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to Lucy Maria Elmer
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