The sound of a screaming baby greeted Sam as she entered the nursery. Across the room Wendy was walking up and down with one of the babies on her shoulder.
“Dr Carter,” Wendy greeted her over the screams when she saw Sam, “Sorry, BJ is a little upset.”
“I can see that,” Sam smiled slightly; the human traits were pushing through more and more these days, “Is there something wrong?”
“No,” Wendy sighed, “She just had some blood taken from her. None of the kids like it. She’ll calm down in a bit and I’ll return her to stasis.”
“I want you to hold off on returning her to stasis,” Sam told the young woman, “I’ve a few things to discuss with Dr Trig concerning her treatment.”
Wendy nodded, relieved as BJ’s cry became a whimper as she started to fall asleep. Gently the young woman placed the little girl into the crib and covered her with the pink blanket sitting there.
“If she’s going to be out of stasis I will need some help,” Wendy reminded Sam.
Sam nodded, “I’ll be arranging it once I know more. Have a good day, Wendy.”
“Samantha,” the council greeted her as they appeared on the screen in her office, “How is your camouflage treatment coming?”
“It’s working well,” Sam replied, “Caffison assures me it will only be a few more treatments before I will be undetectable to the Asgard as anything other than human.”
“Good,” Ithin nodded, “I’ve been looking over the progress of the main projects. I wanted to check a few things you’ve noted, firstly the child known as Baby Jackson. You have stated that you want to leave her out of stasis for the next few months?”
“Baby Jackson is the child of Daniel and Sha’re Jackson,” Sam explained, “The mother was once a Goa’uld host so there is Naquada in her system. Over the years we’ve taken samples of the child’s blood to try to work around our inability to use Lantean technology, we’re having some results but they’re not enough. Allowing the child to mature may give better samples to work with.”
Ithin nodded, “That is acceptable. Next, do we have any results yet with the breeding programme?”
“Unfortunately all subjects miscarry within the first few weeks,” Sam told them, “In a lab setting the embryo starts to mature but never when implanted. We’ve been using the blood of the Jackson child for this also, another advantage of allowing her to mature.”
Ithin nodded, “Very well. Keep us informed of your progress in these areas. Finally the Asgard visit, I assume you have all the arrangements completed.”
“Most of the arrangements are being made by the corporation run by a man called Patrick Sheppard,” Sam told them, “He is with Weir and Caldwell on their mission to the finish arrangements with the Asgard now.”
“He is trustworthy?” Ithin questioned.
Sam nodded, “He believes completely in Samantha Carter, saviour of the human race. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“Then as soon as we no longer need to worry about the Asgard interfering,” Ithin continued, “We can stop doing things in secret and accelerate our plans without anyone trying to stop us.”
*********************************************
The next few weeks passed quickly and soon it was time for Elizabeth, Steven and Patrick to leave for their conference with the Asgard. John and Patrick walked slowly along the pier towards the pickup point.
“I need you to be careful,” John told his father, “I want to be able to come back to Earth once we get rid of the Andorrans and you to be there.”
Patrick chuckled, “It’s more than I could possibly have hoped for, after the last time we talked.”
“I was a headstrong, smartass idiot and I wish I could erase it,” John grimaced, “When you get back to Earth, tell David...tell him...”
“You miss him?”
John squirmed, “Yeah, I guess so.”
Patrick chuckled again, clapping his youngest son on the arm, “Will you do something for me?”
“It depends,” suspicion filled John’s voice.
“I’ve been watching you since I got here,” Patrick told John, “And since you found that girl alive and well you’ve been so much happier. I see how you are when she’s with you and I know you keep saying it’s complicated but it’s not.”
“Dad...”
“You love her,” Patrick continued, “So tell her because I’m pretty sure she feels the exact same way.”
“I’ll think about it,” John said evasively.
Patrick nodded knowing this was as close to a promise as he was going to get. Before John could step away Patrick hugged his son tightly, relieved to get a second chance with his son.
*********************************************
The city settled back down into its routine once Thor had taken their guests to their meeting with the Asgard council and for the next few weeks’ peace reigned.
“Shut it down,” Jeannie yelled as sparks flew from the console she was working at in the Stars engine room.
“I’m guessing that didn’t work,” Mark sighed as he looked at her.
Jeannie chuckled, she liked Mark. He was smart and worked well with her not to mention he made her laugh. All she really knew was he’d been with Radek’s group before they’d escaped Earth and like almost everyone in the city wasn’t keen to share what had happened to him that led him to the resistance.
“Okay, we need to work out why this keeps happening,” Jeannie told him, she sighed, “It looks like we’re not making lunch.”
“How about I go get us something?” Mark suggested.
Jeannie grinned, “You’re turning into the perfect assistant. Just get me a sandwich and a muffin.”
“Anything to drink?” Mark asked.
“Water’s fine,” she smiled at him before she gave another deep sigh and settled down to go over the life support systems again.
Rodney swore.
He couldn’t work out why this stupid thing wasn’t doing what he wanted it to do. They were trying to piece together a holographic representation of the Andurian Educational Complex but for some reason it wasn’t coming together as quickly as he’d hoped.
“Piece of crap,” Rodney kicked the wall before he rubbed his hand across his face in annoyance, he’d been sure he could have this done for the meeting tomorrow but it looked like he wasn’t even going to be close to having this ready.
“You know the wall did nothing to you,” Janet said making him spin, “I could find you something else to punch if you want?”
Rodney frowned at her wondering how long she’d been standing there, “I’m having a few issues.”
“I can tell,” Janet chuckled.
“Are you here for a reason, Janet?” Rodney demanded, “I have a lot of work to do.”
“You missed your scheduled appointment with me,” Janet told him, her teasing demeanour gone.
Rodney waved her away, “I was busy.”
“And if you want to leave this city again then you won’t be busy now,” Janet retorted.
“Janet...”
“Rodney,” she cut him off, “Both you and Daniel are due a check-up. He’s had his and if you don’t come with me now I will make your life miserable.”
He opened his mouth to retort when he recalled how friendly Janet was with his fiancée. With a sigh Rodney shut down the computer and grabbed his things.
“Fine,” he sighed, “But can we get this over with as fast as possible. I have a lot to do.”
Daniel sat in his office going over the summaries his team had given him for the translations they’d managed over the week. Mel sat in his lap happily guzzling down his lunchtime feed as Daniel worked.
At just over a month old Mel was a very bright baby, he was also extremely fussy and didn’t like not having either of his parents around him. Daniel found it quite strange but he loved his little boy so much he was more than happy to have Mel with him as much as possible.
“What the...” Daniel murmured as he scanned the latest report, he flicked to the end so he could see what section of the database this had come from. He realised that Mel was finished and removed the bottle before resting his son onto his shoulder to burp him. Daniel was sure his son would go to sleep soon; he almost always did after he fed.
Once Mel was sleeping Daniel would have more time to study what he’d found. He could feel Mel getting settled happily on Daniel’s shoulder and Daniel gently rested the boy in the small crib sitting in the corner of the office. Covering the boy with his blanket Daniel watched as Mel rubbed his eyes slightly giving a big yawn. Daniel sang softly to his little boy, one of the Abydonian lullabies that Sha’re had taught him during their first year of marriage. Sha’re could sing it better but Mel still seemed to like the sound of Daniel’s voice. Finally the baby was sleeping peacefully and, after watching him for several minutes, Daniel headed back to work.
Reopening the original report again, Daniel scanned over it before going to the section of the database it had come from. A smile crossed Daniel’s face; this could be something very useful.
John shook his head slightly as he looked up at the three concerned faces looking down on him.
“Are you hurt, John?” Teyla asked worriedly.
John grimaced, “I’m not sure. Give me a minute while my brain stops rattling.”
Ronon and Teal’c both offered a hand to John; he gripped them and let out a cry of shock as they yanked him to his feet.
“Are you ready to try again?” Teal’c asked, handing John his sticks back.
John sighed wondering why he’d thought this was a good idea. His original idea of getting Teyla to train him in the martial art of her people had seemed a good one at the time, then Ronon had joined in and now Teal’c had decided to give his pearls of wisdom also.
“Have I offended the three of you in some way?” John asked as he took the sticks again before facing Teal’c.
“John,” Teyla said softly with a stern undertone in her voice, “You asked me to teach you this.”
“Exactly,” John replied gesturing with one of the sticks, “I asked you. Not the bash twins there. I have more bruises from the past week of training than I have ever had.”
“We can stop if you wish,” Teyla told him.
John sighed, “Never mind. Let’s go.”
“Are you sure about this, John Sheppard?” Teal’c asked.
“No,” John took the first position stance, “But I want to learn this.”
“Then defend yourself,” Teal’c told him before starting an attack.
Twenty seconds later John was on his back on the floor again.
*********************************************
Sha’re entered her rooms after a meeting smiling to find Daniel and Mel were already there. Mel was fast asleep in his crib while Daniel was sitting at the computer working. Sha’re walked over to her husband, smiling as he leaned back so she could kiss him.
“You’re early,” Daniel smiled.
Sha’re nodded as she looked into the crib where her son slept peacefully, “I am only here for a short time. Lorne’s team have a mission and I have a briefing with them concerning that soon. I didn’t expect you to be here, I believed you would be working in your office today.”
Daniel shrugged, “I was but Mel needed changed and I didn’t have everything with me. Once I was here, I decided to just stay.”
Sha’re laughed and took a seat on his lap.
“So where are Lorne and his crew off to?” Daniel asked, it had been a good while since SG1 had been on a mission.
“PCC 433,” Sha’re told him, “One of your team....” she paused for a second trying to remember the name, “Patterson, found several mentions of an Ancient lab.”
“And you’re sending Lorne’s team?” Daniel laughed, “Why not John’s team?”
Sha’re laughed, “He is already booked to help on the Star and Rodney is working on the holographic representation of the Education Complex.”
“What about SG1?”
“Jack is busy, Laura is busy as is Teal’c,” Sha’re listed before looking at her husband, “And you have a wife and son who you promised you would not leave the city for the first few months of your son’s life.”
“Oh yeah,” Daniel said sheepishly.
Sha’re kissed him. She stood and moved over to look in on her son again smiling to find him awake. He was looking up at her with his big blue eyes, although they had started to darken in recent days.
“Come here, baby,” Sha’re cooed as she lifted him into her arms, “Mamma has missed you today.”
“Hey,” Daniel gave a mock indignant cry.
“Mamma missed Daddy too,” Sha’re kissed her son before turning to her husband and handing their son to him, “I have to get cleaned up and changed for my meeting.”
Daniel nodded and sat down with his son to continue working as Sha’re disappeared into the bathroom.
Sha’re left her family reluctantly to return to her office to prepare for her meeting. She’d been so busy today that she hadn’t spent any real time with Mel whereas normally she’d have him for half the day and Daniel would have him for the rest of the time most nights they were home together to put him to bed.
Today was an anomaly in their usual schedule but it showed Sha’re how much she disliked being away from her son for so long. She knew Daniel was worried about her need for one of them to be with Mel although she also knew he understood why. She had an irrational fear that if Mel was not with either her or Daniel then he would suddenly disappear. But she knew how silly this was and had been thinking of trying maybe a lunch with either Jack or Janet watching Mel for the duration - possibly both. They were the two people closest to her other than Daniel and she thought she might be able to handle an hour. Reaching her office Sha’re sat down and started her prep, she’d talk with Daniel tonight about a lunch alone together soon.
*********************************************
Rodney and Laura arrived on the large observation deck first; they set out a few benches before adding as many seats as they could. They estimated that they had about half an hour before people would start to arrive so once they’d finished the set up the couple took the chance to be alone together for a while. Rodney had discovered there was a meteor shower that night and from the records of the previous showers it promised to be spectacular. Originally he was going to grab Laura to watch it on the balcony to their room but when told about it Laura suggested that everyone would enjoy it as not everyone had access to a balcony so he’d sent out a notice to everyone and Sha’re asked him to set up the observation station.
“How many people are we expecting?” Laura asked.
Rodney shrugged, “I’m not sure. I think Jeannie’s going to watch it from the Star. Janet said something about setting up a room with a large window near the infirmary for her patients to watch it.”
“How long till this thing starts?”
“It has,” Rodney replied, “You just can’t see it yet.”
Laura shrugged, “Okay,” she turned resting her legs across his lap as her arms wrapped around Rodney’s neck and pulled him to her.
“Other people here,” Jack called as he walked onto the deck with Marie Ellery, one of the nurses, “Get a room.”
Laura looked up and grinned at him, “Grab a seat and comfy, show starts soon.”
“Looks like something started early,” Marie murmured to Jack before they took seats on the other side of the deck continuing their discussion.
A few minutes later more and more people arrived, several children came with their parents and Laura motioned them to sit on the blankets she’d set up at the front for them.
Daniel and Sha’re arrived with Mel just as the sun was almost set so they quickly found the seats Rodney had kept for them. Once they were settled Daniel handed Share Mel’s bottle and wrapped his arm around his wife as she fed their son.
“Look,” Cassie called as the light disappeared and first clear meteorite could be seen.
A streak of red drew a chorus of oohs and aahs from the crowd sitting there and soon the sky was filled with different colours. Rodney had given the reason for the different colours but nobody was really that interested as all they wanted was to see the light show.
Daniel felt Sha’re shift slightly making him turn away from the light show, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she whispered, she glanced down at her son who was guzzling down his milk, “But I thought we could have lunch tomorrow alone.”
“Sure,” Daniel told her, “We can meet up after he’s fed so hopefully he’ll sleep through it.”
“No,” Sha’re replied, “I thought we could ask Jack to watch him while we had lunch.”
Surprise covered Daniel’s face, “Are you sure you’re ready?”
“No. But I think it is a good idea.”
Daniel kissed her before they settled back down to watch the lights streaking across the starlit sky.
Jeannie smiled as John arrived on the bridge of the Star with drinks and cakes.
“I thought you might want some refreshments,” he told her as he took the seat beside her.
As Jeannie took a drink she noticed a bruise on John’s chin, “What happened to you?”
“Teyla, Ronon and Teal’c are ganging up on me now,” he winced, “I think I have bruises on bruises now.”
Jeannie chuckled.
“Glad you find it funny,” John pouted, “I’m in a lot of pain you know. You should be more sympathetic. I brought you cake.”
Jeannie pressed her lips together trying to stop laughing at the pathetic look on his face, finally she managed it and gave him a sympathetic look – or as well as she could manage, “You poor baby. Do you want me to call the doctor?”
“I think I’ll pass on the sympathy,” John groused.
“Aw,” Jeannie teased before she leaned in and gently kissed his bruised chin.
As she moved back John stopped her, his hand gently rested on her cheek before moving closer to her again. Jeannie caught her breath not moving in case it broke the spell and closed her eyes as John’s lips touched hers.
The kiss was gentle, nothing like the one they’d shared during the storm and unlike that kiss this didn’t end with John pushing her away. This time he pulled her closer not letting her go.
Heliopolis Main Archive
A Stargate: SG-1 Fanfiction Site
Cuckoo In The Nest
by LE McMurrayKapitel Bemerkung:
Now betad. Thanks to the incredible Stonedtoad for betaing.Unfortunately this is another one of those chapters that took me a long time to do and I feel it’s a bit disjointed but I had to get through it before I could move on.
The next chapter is in the works, enjoy.
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