Adam Walker saw his wife and three daughters clearly enjoying themselves at a party. He’d come to tell his wife he’d forgiven her and was ready to take her back but hadn’t expected his children to be here. Arriving at his wife’s apartment, he saw her leave with Maria and a man, who he assumed was dating his middle child then he followed them.
Claire followed Daniel’s look over to where her ex-husband was walking towards them.
“Adam, what the hell are you doing here?” Claire snapped, walking towards him the girls following as well as a few others.
“I came to see you,” he smiled, charmingly at her.
Claire grimaced, “And how did you find me here?”
“You followed us!!” Maria cried in realisation, “I knew there was a strange car coming up behind me every so often.”
“You’re not part of this conversation,” Adam snapped back at her.
“And this isn’t the place to have this one,” Claire told him, “Adam, leave now.”
“Not until you and I have talked,” Adam told her.
“I think you should just leave,” Daniel stepped protectively in front of his mother.
“Look I came here to talk to my wife,” Adam growled at Daniel, “Who the hell do you think you are?”
“Her son,” Daniel stated.
Adam’s eyes widened in shock.
“Dad,” Elizabeth said softly, “You should really go.”
“That’s a great idea,” Jack joined them, “Since this is my house and these are my guests,” he turned an icy look on Adam, “And almost everyone of us is Air Force with itchy trigger fingers.”
Adam glared at Daniel for a few more seconds before turning on his heel and leaving.
Claire watched the retreating figure of her ex-husband before turning to Jack, “I’m so sorry about that.”
“No problem,” Jack told her, “Everyone show’s over. Go back to eating and drinking.”
“Mom,” Kelly said softy, “Should I go after him?”
“If you want,” Claire told her youngest child, “Tell him if he wants to talk to me then I’ll meet him for lunch tomorrow.”
Kelly nodded and kissed her mother before waving goodbye to her sisters, Daniel and Jack, heading after her father.
“Mom,” Daniel found Claire sitting at one side of the garden, watching the cleanup Jack was directing, “Are you okay?”
Claire sighed, “It’s typical that Adam had to show up just as I was getting my life together.”
“Should I have told him I was your son?” Daniel asked worriedly.
“He would have found out soon enough,” Claire told him, gently squeezing his shoulder, “To be honest, I was hoping I’d have my memory completely sorted out before I had to face him.”
“Why did you…I mean…” Daniel paused taking a deep breath, “Why did you divorce him?”
Claire took a deep breath also, “We stopped getting along,” she replied before pulling herself to a stand, “We should help Jack.”
Daniel frowned watching Claire as she walked away from him to help tidy up. He still felt awkward about asking about his mother’s marriage and having just had a confrontation with the guy hadn’t made him feel any easier about it.
*********************************************
“Where are you meeting, Dad?” Maria asked Claire as she paced the room.
“That small café we had lunch when I first got here,” Claire replied.
“Mom,” Maria smiled, “You have your past now. He can’t use that against you again.”
Claire smiled at her before frowning, “Aren’t you due in at work?”
“I’ve been meaning to tell you about that,” Maria said slowly.
“What happened?” Claire asked worried.
“I got promoted,” Maria grinned, “And relocated.”
“To where?”
Maria grinned even wider, “Here.”
“Maria, that’s fantastic!!” Claire exclaimed, hugging her tightly, “Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“You and Daniel were having a few troubles,” Maria shrugged, “I thought it’d be better to wait till you could focus on it a little.”
“Honey,” Claire said, “I’m sorry you felt like you had to move out of the way for...”
“Mom,” Maria cut her off, “I love Daniel. He is a great guy and I love having him as my big brother. I don’t feel that you’ve pushed me aside.”
Claire hugged her tightly before frowning glancing at the clock, “I have to go.”
“Well don’t say hi from me,” Maria grimaced.
“Maria, he is still your father,” Claire said softly.
“Yeah well, we all have our little problems,” Maria replied.
Claire fumed as she left the café.
Adam hadn’t shown up, leaving her a message that he had to go back to work. Claire knew he had done it on purpose and that just made her angrier.
“Dr Jackson?” a voice interrupted her thoughts.
Turning ,she smiled to see Hammond standing there.
“General,” she smiled, “I’m sorry. I was miles away.”
“It’s not a problem,” Hammond smiled back at her, “And call me George. General is a little too formal.”
“Only if you call me Claire,” she told him.
“Done and done,” Hammond laughed, “Are you meeting someone?”
“Supposedly my ex-husband,” Claire grimaced, “But he just called to say he had to go home for work. He’s just trying to prove he’s in charge.”
“Well since you’re alone, why not join me for coffee and we can finish our discussion?”
“That is a fabulous idea,” Claire replied.
They re-entered the café she’d just left, taking a seat next to the window and ordered coffee.
“Can I ask you something?” Claire said the moment the waitress had left.
“Anything,” Hammond nodded.
“What exactly does my son do for the Air Force?”
Hammond took a sharp intake of breath, “Anything but that,” he frowned, “I’m afraid I can’t discuss the work we do.”
“Top secret,” Claire grimaced.
“In a manner of speaking,” Hammond replied.
“How did Danny get caught up in that?” Claire demanded, “He is definitely not military.”
“A fact he reminds us of constantly,” Hammond laughed, rolling his eyes.
“How did he end up working for you?”
Hammond waited until they were served their coffee, trying to phrase an answer.
“Have you heard about the lecture he gave a few years ago?” he asked tentatively.
“Yes,” Claire smiled, “The theory was cooked up when he was five.”
“Really?”
“He was a brilliant child,” Claire smiled, thinking back, “Always able to think outside the box.”
“An ability we have seen many times,” Hammond replied, “Anyway that brought him to the attention of the woman in charge of our project at that time who was looking for a linguist. Daniel’s credentials are numerous in that area so she tracked him down and he’s been working for us ever since.”
“I was wondering about that,” Claire confessed, “But he’s hard to pin down when he wants to avoid answering a question, very like his father.”
Hammond laughed, “However he will give a lengthy answer if he’s inclined to.”
Claire sighed, “All this because Mel and I were stupid enough to stand under that cover stone. It’s so unfair that happened when we had decided to take jobs in New York so he could go to school and have real friends.”
“Did he know this?”
“No,” Claire sipped her coffee; “We were waiting to surprise him by taking him to our new house. What is actually surprising is that Lucy didn’t take him in.”
“Lucy?”
“Lucy Gregory, she was a friend of mine from University,” Claire explained, “She had joined us to help…oh my God, she might have been hurt by it.”
“Major Carter is doing a little research into what happened for your son,” Hammond told her, “Do you mind if I give her this…”
“No, please do,” Claire replied, “I want to know how people thought I was dead.”
She waited as he pulled out his cell phone and quickly phoned Sam.
“Major,” Hammond said when she answered, “I’m talking to Dr Jackson’s mother and she mentioned a woman by the name of Lucy Gregory was there when the accident happened. If you want to check out what happened to her,” he tilted his head and a frown appeared, “You’re father has lousy timing. Tell Colonel O’Neill I’ll be there in about an hour.”
Hammond turned to Claire, “I’m sorry but I have to leave. A pressing matter I can’t delegate.”
“It was nice to talk to you,” Claire told him, “We should do it again.”
“Definitely,” Hammond smiled as he left.
Claire finished sipping her coffee as she thought ,wondering what had happened to Lucy?
“Are you living here now?” Daniel asked when Maria answered the door to his mother’s apartment.
“Just visiting,” she replied, letting him in and taking the seat across from him, “Until I get my own place.”
“What?”
“I’m moving here,” Maria told him, “I got promoted. I wanted to tell Mom before I told anyone else.”
“That’s great,” Daniel told her, “Is Mom here?”
“No, she’s meeting my Dad,” Maria rolled her eyes.
“Oh,” Daniel heard the disgust in her voice but didn’t want to push, however he didn’t need to.
“You know you wanted to know why they got divorced?” Maria asked tentatively.
Daniel nodded.
“Well, it’s kinda my fault.”
“You?” Daniel asked looked perplexed.
“Dad over the years had a few affairs,” Maria explained, “Mom knew but I think she was always unsure what she’d do, since she had very little past beyond Dad.”
“What happened?”
“Dad’s latest affair was with someone I knew and when I called him on it, we got into a huge argument,” Maria’s brown eyes filed with anger, “Mom walked in just as Dad…well…hit me.”
“He hit you?” Daniel demanded, his eyes darkening angrily.
“More like slammed me against the wall,” Maria sighed, “I got a black eye and bruised shoulder. Anyone asked, I told them I’d been on the old swing we played on as a kid. Elizabeth thinks the divorce has to do with the affairs and Kelly doesn’t even know about them.”
“That’s a hard thing to carry on your own,” Daniel placed his hand on her shoulder.
“I can’t tell the others the truth,” she smiled at him, “Thanks for listening.”
“I guess that’s what big brothers do,” Daniel grinned as she hugged him.
“You’re doing great Danny,” Maria laughed.
“Daniel,” he corrected.
“Mom calls you Danny.”
“She’s allowed.”
“What about Dan?”
“No.”
“DJ?”
“No,” Daniel laughed.
Maria laughed too, “I’ll think of something.”
“I have to go,” Daniel said, “I was just coming to tell Mom I wouldn’t be here for dinner.”
“I’ll tell her,” Maria told him, “Daniel,” she called just before he left.
“Yes?”
“Don’t tell the others what I told you,” Maria said, “Its Mom’s choice to let them know.”
“I promise,” Daniel replied.
*********************************************
SG1 exited the Stargate and headed down the ramp where Hammond was waiting for them.
“Was it a successful mission?” he asked them.
“Yes, sir,” Daniel replied for them, “Y’Tilar is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the diplomatic team you send.”
“Excellent, Dr Jackson,” Hammond smiled, “We’ll debrief tomorrow morning, Dr Fraiser is waiting for you.”
“Yeah I’ll bet,” Jack grumbled before grinning at Hammond and following the rest of SG1 down to the infirmary.
Hammond smiled before heading back up to his office. Half an hour later he looked up as Daniel knocked.
“Come in, Dr Jackson,” Hammond said.
“Dr Fraiser said you wanted to see me?” Daniel asked slightly confused.
“Yes, please take a seat,” he motioned to SG1’s archaeologist.
Daniel sat looking confused why he’d been summoned.
“While you were away we received a message from Kasuf,” Hammond told him.
“Are they alright?” worry filled Daniel’s voice.
“Yes,” Hammond soothed, “He was inviting you to join both him and his son for the next week.”
“Oh,” was all Daniel could say.
“You are more than free to go, Dr Jackson,” Hammond told him, “As soon as you’re ready.”
“Th…thank you sir,” Daniel stammered slightly, “I’ll be ready to go in the morning.”
“Of course,” Hammond said, watching as the young man left his office looking both stunned and confused.
Daniel wasn’t sure how he managed to get from the base to his apartment without crashing the car but he did and he walked blankly through the hall to his door.
Please don’t hear me, he thought silently to the door next to his.
Sliding the key into the lock, he managed to make it inside locking the door. He numbly headed to his bedroom and collapsed on the bed.
How could he not have realised it was so close?
She’d been dead almost a year and he hadn’t remembered?
“Oh God, Sha’re,” he cried softly, “I’m sorry.”
Tears spilled along his cheeks as the pain he felt overflowed; he’d been so busy getting his mother back that he’d forgotten the woman he loved with his entire soul.
“You okay?” Jack’s voice cut through his grief.
Daniel spun to look up at his friend who was standing in the doorway, “How did you get in here?”
“Remember your appendicitis?” Jack asked, “When we had to break the lock?”
“Yeah?”
“I made a copy of the new key, in case I ever needed to get in here in a hurry again,” Jack explained.
“Oh,” Daniel said, “Well I’m fine so go away,” he turned away from his friend.
“Hammond told me,” Jack told him, “If you want some company all of SG1 are on downtime…”
“No,” Daniel sighed, “It’s…this is for family only…the ones closest to her…a ceremony at…at…at her grave…”
Jack sat down beside Daniel and rested his hand on his friends shoulder, seeing Daniel’s very tight emotional control was about to break.
“I forgot, Jack,” Daniel cried, “I didn’t realise it’s almost a year.”
“You’ve had a tough year,” Jack reminded him, “It’s only natural…”
“No it’s not,” Daniel yelled, “How is it natural that I forgot that about a year ago she was murdered in front of me?”
“Danny,” Jack said softly, “With Apophis being alive, Nick and finding Claire again. God, Daniel you have had an insane year. And to be honest, it doesn’t feel like a year to me either.”
“You know,” Daniel’s voice was almost a whisper, “I wake up every morning and reach for her…it’s been years since she was beside me but I still do it.”
“Are you wanting to go to Abydos?” Jack asked.
“I don’t know,” Daniel sighed, “I love being on Abydos with Kasuf and Skaara but I don’t know if I can do this.”
“Let me ask you one thing,” Jack said, “Would Sha're want you to do this?”
Daniel dropped his head, “When it was time for her mother’s remembrance ceremony Sha’re was so upset she cried herself to sleep in my arms the night before but she wanted to do it. She wanted to remember how much her mother had loved them all and how much she loved her mother,” Daniel looked into Jack’s eyes, “I have to go.”
Jack knew leaving Daniel alone wasn’t an option so, while his friend packed a few things, Jack ordered pizza. Unfortunately when the pizza arrived, Jack answered and Claire appeared at her door.
“I didn’t realise you were back,” she smiled.
“Yeah,” Jack nodded, “This might not be the best time, Claire.”
“What do you mean?”
“Jack, is that the…Mom,” Daniel licked his lips nervously, “Hi.”
“Hey,” she smiled at him before frowning, “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Daniel replied quickly, “Just packing.”
“You’re going away again?”
Daniel nodded, “I’m spending the next week with Sha’re’s family. She died a year ago.”
“Of course,” Claire told him gently, “I would like to meet them, if you want me to come with you?”
“You can’t,” Daniel said abruptly, “I’m sorry.”
Claire stared after him as he returned to his bedroom, leaving her and Jack standing.
“Don’t probe,” Jack told her, “He’s having a bad time with this.”
“I want…”
“I know,” Jack interrupted her, “But you can’t, not this time.”
Claire stared at him for a few moments before she nodded.
“Danny,” Claire said when he returned to the room, “I’ll see you when you get back.”
Daniel gave her a half smile, letting her hug him tightly.
“I love you, baby boy,” she whispered before releasing him and turning to Jack, “Night.”
“Goodnight,” Jack replied.
*********************************************
“What are you doing?” Laura asked.
Elizabeth looked up at her friend and shrugged, “Going through the things Ace sent me.
“That was two years ago,” Laura said, “You’re just going through it now?”
“When Ace sent me it, I just stuck it in the basement,” Elizabeth explained, “I tripped over it this morning.”
“You know he hated being called Ace,” Laura laughed.
“I know. That’s why I called him it,” Elizabeth smiled for a second before frowning, “Kinda miss him.”
“Why didn’t he send Alison this?” Laura mused, “I mean she was his fiancé.”
“All he told me was that he needed me to keep a hold of this stuff until he got back from Washington,” Elizabeth said, “When he died, I guess I forgot about it.”
Laura reached in and found a CD, “Odd name for an article.”
Checking the name, Elizabeth shrugged, “Well Ace was odd at times,” she placed it at her computer, “I’ll look at it later.”
“Then now can we go get food?” Laura asked.
Pulling herself to her feet; Elizabeth brushed off her knees, pushing the box under the table with her foot, “Let’s go.”
Claire rushed in hearing the phone ring, grabbing it, “Hello?”
“Mom,” Kelly squealed in excitement, “I got it.”
“That’s great,” Claire said, “Got what?”
“Didn’t I tell you?” Kelly asked confused, “I was sure I told you. Oh yeah I wanted to wait till I knew if I got it or not.”
“Kelly, I’ll ask you again,” Claire smiled, “Got what?”
“I applied for a position in Chicago over the summer to work for a group of archaeologists,” Kelly explained, “They’re working on artefacts from the Tomb of Osiris.”
“That sounds fantastic,” Claire exclaimed, equally excited now, “Who are you working with?”
“Dr David Jordan and his team,” Kelly told her, “Have you heard of them?”
“Yes,” Claire replied, “Though not sure where.”
“Got to go,” Kelly said, “I’ve got a class. Bye, Mom.”
“Bye, sweetheart,” Claire smiled, hanging up the phone.
Almost an hour later as she was sitting reading a knock came on the door.
“Sam,” Claire greeted her guest, “Please come in.”
Sam smiled, taking a seat and accepting the tea Claire offered.
“What can I do for you?” Claire asked, taking the seat across from her.
“Daniel asked me to see if I could find out why no one knew you were alive after the accident,” Sam explained.
“Yes, General Hammond told me,” Claire said.
“Well, I found a few things,” Sam placed her mug on the table and pulled some photographs from her bag, “The curator took these as you were setting up.”
Claire flipped through the pictures, smiling to see Daniel sitting with Mel looking over the plans.
“That’s a great one of Daniel,” Sam smiled, “But it’s the next one you should see.”
Claire flipped to the next picture; a wide shot of everyone working, and gasped.
“I wouldn’t have recognised him,” Sam said, “If he hadn’t appeared at the barbecue.”
“Thank you, Sam,” Claire said soberly, “Is this everything you found.”
“No,” Sam grimaced, “I managed to locate the doctor who treated you after the accident.
“Dr Hunter.”
“Yes,” Sam nodded, “I showed him the picture of Adam Walker and he…” Sam hesitated, “He said that when you originally arrived at the hospital, they believed you to be Lucy Gregory. Before they could ask you if the name was familiar, a worker from the museum arrived and told them that you weren’t Lucy Gregory and he’d never seen you before.”
“I’m going to kill him,” Claire snapped, “That bastard. How could he?”
Seeing the angry tears fill Claire’s eyes, Sam moved and wrapped her arms around the older woman.
“Have you told Daniel this yet?” Claire asked, regaining her composure.
“No,” Sam replied, “He’s not back from seeing Kasuf and Skaara”
“Who?”
“Sha’re’s father and brother,” Sam explained.
“Oh,” Claire sighed, “Thank you, Sam for finding this for me and Daniel.”
“No problem,” Sam smiled, “I’d better get going. I’ve got a plane to catch.”
Jack grimaced as the doorbell interrupted his hockey match.
“Yeah?” he demanded; yanking the door open, surprised to see Elizabeth standing there, “Hello?”
“Hello, Jack,” she said coolly, “Can I come in?”
“Sure,” he moved back to let her in, wondering what was going on, “What can I do for you?”
“A few years ago, a friend of mine sent me some things in case something happened to him,” Elizabeth explained, “Something did.”
“Really?” Jack asked completely confused.
“Yes,” Elizabeth replied her eyes hard, “He was involved in a hit and run in Washington.”
Suspicion started to rise in Jack’s mind, “And this has what to do with me?”
“He was there to meet you, Colonel,” Elizabeth tossed a couple of sheets of paper clipped together at him, “I want to know what happened to Armin Selig.”
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