Mini Van
By: spacegypsy1
CATEGORY: Humor, Romance
WARNINGS: Baby fic
AUTHOR’S WEBSITE:
http://www.fanfiction.net/~spacegypsy1
PART 1: Knocked Up
“Why?” Vala spat out disbelievingly.
“Because it’s too small and dangerous for kids!” Daniel had his hands on his hips, his eyes squinted, and his jaw tight.
Vala rubbed her growing belly, “but I love my car, can’t we keep it, we have yours.
“Mine’s not in very good shape, we can’t afford a Porsche now, Vala.” Daniel tried to rub her belly, but she pulled back.
“I don’t like mini vans.” She was scowling now.
“Ok, we’ll find a nice used SUV.” Daniel’s voice was growing tense.
“I don’t like SUV’s.” Her voice had gone cold and low.
He only stared at her.
“Please?” She tilted her head but her comment was laced with sarcasm, “besides, you owe me.”
“How’s that?” He wanted to wring her neck.
“You missed the wedding.”
“I was stuck on P3R-779! Locked up with Sam and Mitchell. Nothing I could do about it. It took a hell of a lot of work by Teal’c and Landry to get us out! Why do you keep bringing that up, like I planned it that way?” Daniel complained!
“You were locked up for three months, and I was knocked up, left unwed, and practically out of a job since no one will let me near the Stargate! What will people think?”
“"I didn't know you were knocked up when I got locked up!" Daniel screeched. Then calming himself he continued. "People won’t think a thing. Besides, we are getting married. Things just got pushed back. We’ll go to Vegas.” It came out with a little more spitefulness than he intended.
“I don’t want to go to Vegas. Muscles says it’s cheesy.”
“Sleazy, he said it was sleazy, but it’s not. A lot of people go there to get married.”
“What about
“I don’t want you traveling to
“I’m not going to Vegas, you can just forget about that.”
Daniel dropped his head and sighed in annoyance, “Crap Vala! You’re being really hard headed about this.”
“You should have found a way back!” She raised her voice in resentment.
“I couldn’t! Damn it!” He raised his voice in aggravation.
“Don’t yell at me!” Vala slapped his arm.
“Don’t act like some nut case.”
“I don’t think I want to marry you.” Her mouth became a thin line and her eyes glared at him.
His mouth dropped open, incredulous. “You’re three months pregnant. We ARE getting married.”
“How do you know it’s yours?”
“Don’t go there. That’s not even funny.”
“I’m not selling my car and I’m not getting married.” Vala stalked out of Sam’s office.
“Fine!” Daniel yelled at her retreating back then turned to see Sam staring wide eyed. “She’s impossible, god, how I ever got mixed up with her is a mystery to me.” And he stormed out right behind her.
Sam put her hands, steeple like, over her nose and mouth, but Mitchell could still see the laugher in her eyes.
Mitchell started out the door.
“Where are you going?” Sam asked him, laughter still in her voice.
“To P… P3R-779 to see if I can’t get locked up for the next six months until this whole thing blows over!”
Teal’c turned to Sam and bowed his head, “I believe I will accompany ColonelMitchell.”
* * * *
Daniel found Vala in Sam’s lab, walked in, tossed a package on the desk in front of her and walked out grinning.
For a moment, Sam and Vala stared at each other, then Vala picked up the package wrapped in silver paper with white baby carriages. Pulling at the white bow, Vala again looked at Sam.
Opening the box, she found a black leather baby bib inside monogrammed in red with the words, ‘I’m wonko, but my daddy loves me anyway’. Vala burst out laughing and handed the package over to Sam, who grinned foolishly at the bib.
“He’s absolutely adorable and I could just strangle him!”
Vala said around her laughter. “But I’m not moving out of the guest room. It’s
only been three days, and I’m thinking that lovely place,
“That’s kind of far isn’t it?” Sam handed the box back.
“Not as far as PX3-337 and that was my first choice.” Vala took the bib out and stroked it lovingly. “It’s so small.”
“It wasn’t his fault, Vala. You know that. We were trapped. Surely you can forgive him for that?”
“Humph!
Sam reached and took Vala’s hand, “It says he’s so anxious to be married to you that he wants to do it as fast as possible.”
“Oh. I never thought of it that way.” Vala turned away, then back again, “Really?”
“Really.” Sam went back to her computer screen, watching Vala surreptitiously.
Staring forlornly out the doorway, Vala continued to rub the tiny bib between her thumb and forefinger. A sigh of longing escaped her pouting lips. “I have to go. General Landry has given me a ton of paper work. I think he wants to make me feel needed. If it wasn’t’ for you and the general I’d go crazy. I might anyway. This is not like Adria, this pregnancy.” Vala grimaced with a slight shudder of her shoulders. “My body is doing all sorts of strange things. I keep feeling little butterflies all racing around.” She placed a hand low on her abdomen. “I think it’s alive.” Vala grinned awkwardly.
Now Sam burst out laughing. “Of course it is.” Sam rolled her chair back and picked up a bag from the counter behind her. “Here, I got you this, but I didn’t wrap it.”
“More presents! This might not be so bad after all.” Vala dug the book out of the plastic bag. “What to Expect When You Are Expecting. Catchy title.” She flipped through the pages. “Thank you.” Vala smiled and left the lab reading the book as she walked.
* * * *
Vala sat on a bed in the infirmary waiting for Dr. Carolyn Lam to complete the bandaging of Siler’s left ear.
When she finished Carolyn took off the sterile gloves, shook her head in utter amazement and finally looked up smiling at Vala. After washing up, Carolyn pulled the curtain around Vala. “So, how’s it going?”
“You tell me, I don’t trust myself to comment.” Vala was not smiling.
“What’s wrong?”
“I seem to have sprung a leak.”
Concerned, Carolyn dropped her friendly smile and became all business like. “Lt. Brock! Carolyn called her nurse, “Get Miss Mal Doran ready for exam.”
The nurse entered the confines of the curtain but Vala waved her off, “It’s not that, I keep crying all the time. I don’t cry. But now it seems I do. All the time. For any reason. Happy or sad.”
Carolyn relaxed and nodded at Lt. Brock. “Thank you Rachel, go on and check Siler out.”
Carolyn hopped up on the bed to sit beside Vala. “Need to talk?”
“Daniel.” Was all Vala said.
“Hmmm.” Carolyn listened.
“You know, I’m crazy about him. Actually love him, but I don’t know how to handle him. This is all so new to me. This earthly human existence. It’s the strangest thing I have ever experienced. How does one go about loving someone like him, and not getting all wound up and crazy? I’m completely out of control and I don’t like it. It’s like he’s got some sort of internal mechanism that activates the need in me to drive him absolutely mad! He’s adorably frustrating, utterly compelling, smart, sexy and funny. Hard headed, obtrusive…did I mention sexy?”
“Yes you did.” Carolyn grinned. “He is that.”
“You noticed?” Vala stared straight ahead.
“Oh yeah, in some other crazy life I might have steered in that direction. However, I saw the sparks between you two from the beginning.” Carolyn puffed out a sigh and cut her eyes sideways to Vala.
“Really? And I thought you had a thing for Cameron.”
“That too.”
“Good, wouldn’t want you moving into my territory.”
“Don’t worry, after getting to know the arduous Dr. Jackson, I would have injected him with something lethal by now.”
Vala laughed. “I’ve thought of ways to kill him. I think I’m up to twenty-three.”
The two women sat side by side in silence for a moment. “Well, I feel better.” Vala finally said and bounded from the table.
“Good. Taking your vitamins?”
Vala curled her lip in distaste. “Yes.”
Pulling the curtain aside Carolyn turned back to Vala, “A piece of advice?”
“Sure,” Vala walked with the doctor towards the door.
“Don’t waste time being mad at him, life’s too short.”
“Why does everyone keep say that?”
“Because it’s true.” Carolyn watched Vala walk down the hall, then shook her head to clear the cobwebs. This is by far the strangest job I have ever had.
* * * *
While Daniel was buried in his books and artifacts, Vala had
moved back to her quarters in the mountain without telling him. It was
The loud tapping on the door did make her flinch. “Yes?” She called not bothering to get up.
“Vala!” It was the ever irritated Dr. Jackson, imagine that!
“Go away, I’m sleeping.”
“Open the door!”
She turned up the volume on the television and laughed at the movie where the children sat with tin foil hats. Nothing else happened. She shrugged one shoulder, turned the volume back down and continued watching.
Daniel followed the guard he’d found back to Vala’s door. “Open it!”
“Sir, I can’t do that, it’s on private.”
“I don’t give a damn! Open it.”
The guard shook his head unable to comply, “Sorry, sir, I can’t.”
Daniel marched off in a huff. The guard looked from him to the closed door, rolled his eyes and wandered back the way he’d come.
Vala shifted her gaze from the television to the door repeatedly. Nothing happened. “Ah!” She shut the movie off and snuggled down, sad and forlorn into the little lonely bed.
In another part of the mountain, Daniel slept head down on his desk. He moaned with a nightmare of crucifixion, Goa’uld torture sticks and pregnant Vala flying an Al’Kesh through the galaxy laughing manically.
“Huh?” His sleepy eyed head jerked up to find Vala standing pajama clad in front of him, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Daniel, I don’t know what to do. What’s wrong with me?”
Coming around the desk he took her in his arms, held her close. “I know.” He backed away, kissed her sweetly, and encircled her again within his arms. Her hot tears seemed to scald him, bringing unexpected stinging behind his eyes. He rubbed her back with one hand, cupped her neck with the other. “I’m sorry I let you down.”
“I know.” She sniffled. “Let’s go home, I’m so tired.”
Daniel rubbed a thumb down her neck, gazed into her eyes.
“It’s
“I want to go home. Now. Please.”
Nearly cross eyed from lack of sleep he nodding in acquiesce.
* * * *
Snuggled in bed, spoon style neither could sleep. “Vegas will be fine.” Vala stated quietly.
“No. Stupid idea. We’ll do something else. We’ve got plenty of offers.”
Vala turned to him. “What offers.”
Jack called and offered the cabin. Sam’s offered her house-yard, Teal’c has a list of thirty something wedding chapels and both Mitchell and Landry have suggested the Gateroom.
She smiled, ran a hand lovingly down his cheek, kissed him with passion and tears. “I wish we still had the Prometheus.”
Before he kissed her he grinned, “Me too.”
PART 2: Missing In Action
Vala stood sideways, arms limp at her sides, and head turned to the full length mirror. She straightened up her shoulders, raised her eyebrows at her delightfully larger breasts then relaxed and eyed the small protrusion of her belly. Her hand came to rest on her abdomen and she frowned wondering if she looked fat or pregnant at five months.
Shaking her head she breathed out a loud humph and scavenged around for a pair of BDU pants that would fit her. Unsuccessful after five pairs, she finally half zipped one, pulled on a black T-shirt and donned one of Daniel’s long tail BDU shirts. Off to work! Actually it was more like off to unrelenting boredom. Since Dr. Lam had ‘grounded’ her, refusing to let her off world, Vala was stuck at SGC while SG-1 was off saving the world without her.
She locked the house feeling guilty since Daniel had
requested she stay on base, and drove to
Daniel stood at the door scowling. When she finally took her hand from her eyes, the other one still braced on the wall, a plethora of emotions danced across her face.
“I was on my way…home…to find you.” He came to her, supporting her with one arm around her back and helped her out of the elevator.
“You’re back. Thank the gods and all their gold, you’re back. I’ve missed you.” The corridor was crowded and she refrained from hugging and kissing him. It was by far the hardest thing she had done in many years.
“I’ve missed you too. But I asked you to stay on base. I’m taking you to see Carolyn.”
At least he was smiling she thought. “I’m fine, really, Daniel. It’s just the elevator makes me woozy.”
He ignored her comment and brought her into the infirmary.
“Didn’t I just let you out of here?” Carolyn looked at Daniel despairingly.
“She’s dizzy.” He helped Vala onto an exam table.
Carolyn smiled at Vala and turned with a little frown to
Daniel. “She’s been on the elevator I’m sure. She’s fine. Now both of you get
out of here, I have lots of work to do. Siler is bleeding again. How that man
keeps reproducing more blood is a mystery to me, I believe he has leaked every
ounce he had in the little time I’ve been here. Then I have to radio Sam with
instructions on how to get a very large thorn out of
Carolyn’s laughter stopped when she saw the look of concern
on Daniel’s face. “She’s as healthy as a
Walking side by side down the hall, Vala kept looking at Daniel who didn’t look mad, but he didn’t look happy either. “You’re back early.” She said.
“Yes.”
“Daniel, it’s just that I was going crazy. I don’t do confinement well. You of all people should know that. I hate boundaries but I’m really trying hard. I only left the mountain yesterday for a change of scenery and Carolyn called to check on me. I was fine. I wanted to sleep in your bed, snuggle your pillow and smell you on your clothes.”
Silently he took her hand and squeezed it gently. He let her hand go when they entered his office. He shut and locked the door, took her in his arms and held her close. “I only have a few hours. I radioed in this morning and found out you were gone. Mitchell was reluctant to let me go, but I was worried. Vala, I can’t to be off world and worrying about you. So please, promise me you will stay on base. Just until I get back.”
“I promise.” She smiled up at him. “Really, I promise.”
He kissed her, then set her aside, took off his glasses with a deep tired sigh and rubbed his face and eyes.
“Not going well?”
“No. I really need to get back.”
“Then go now. I wish I could go with you. However, I can’t so I can promise I’ll be right here waiting for you. I have a wedding to plan.”
He grinned. “Yes you do, and where is it you intend for me to show up?”
“There’s a completely wacky, wonko, nutty Elvis chapel in
His head dropped dramatically, and he rubbed his eyes. All he could say was I love you before she jumped him.
* * * *
Vala stood sideways before the mirror on her dresser in the
bowels of
She had spent hours in Daniel’s office researching. Hours in Sam’s lab with Dr. Lee studying everything in the databanks. Hours crying alone in Daniel’s quarters. Jack had come and gone, McKay had come and gone. Landry had called off the search.
Wandering forlornly back to Sam’s lab, where she had been assigned, she chewed her bottom lip, rubbed her big belly and forced herself to concentrate on her latest assignment with Dr. Lee. The one that had nothing to do with finding SG-1.
Before entering the lab, she shook her head to dispel any lingering sadness and plastered a happy smile upon her face. She had a place here with the Stargate program, here where her family was missing. Here - her only home.
“Good morning, Bill.” Vala stopped in her tracks when she spotted the man sprawled casually in her chair. In Sam’s chair that is…
“Ya know, Vala, I saw your belly come through that door about a minute before the rest of you.”
“Jack!” Moving as fast as her bulging body would let her Vala rushed to hug him. “Jack, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you!”
“Don’t scold me; I’ve called you every day. So, how’s my godchild?” Jack patted her belly.
“Good.” Vala put her arm around his waist not ready to let him go.
“He, she or it?”
Vala shrugged her shoulders, “I have no idea, and I told you I didn’t want to find out until….”
“Yeah, I know.” Jack put an arm around her shoulders and walked her back out the door. “I’ve made arrangements to be off for as much as I can until after little Jack or Jackie arrives.”
Vala laughed out loud, “No way am I naming this baby after you!” She smiled, happy to see her friend.
“Okay, fine. Anyway, after ‘the baby’ arrives,” he did the air quote gesture, “I’ll be here to help you settle in at Daniel’s place. I mean your’s and Daniel’s place.” He squeezed her shoulder. When he looked into her eyes they were full of unshed tears and he could have kicked himself. “Come on, you’ll be fine. You got me until he gets back.” And I’ve got you until she gets back, he thought to himself. “And take it from me, I KNOW he will be back. All of them will be. I’m damned sure of that!” But he wasn’t and he knew that she knew it.
PART 3: Home Sweet Home With the Wrong Man
Carolyn took Vala off of active duty and insisted she stay at home. It hadn’t been an easy decision. Delivery would have to be here on base considering all the extenuating circumstances. However, Carolyn felt Vala needed to get away. Either place would be full of memories and sadness, but here they often found Vala sitting in the control room until all hours of the night. Carolyn rubbed her tired neck. God! She hated this job!
“She’ll be fine.”
Carolyn looked up to see General Landry in the doorway.
“Stuck in that house with General O’Neill? Are you sure?” She smiled at her father.
“Good point. How about dinner?”
“Sounds good.”
* * * *
“I don’t want to have this baby without Daniel. My due date’s in two weeks and it could be anytime now. I won’t do it. I have to wait. He has to be here.”
Jack had returned from the bedroom where he’d gotten the absolutely last pillow in the house to prop behind her on the couch. Vala looked like the Pillsbury Dough Boy in her white bathrobe and all those white covered pillows billowing around her. His eyes crinkled with a grin.
“What’s so funny?” She snapped.
“Nothin’. I was just wondering how you were going to accomplish that if little bit there wants to come on out.”
Vala burst into tears and Jack squeezed his head in frustration. “For cryin’ out loud! You’re a wreck. Look,” he sat beside her, “there’s a little chatter out there,” he waved his hand out towards the sky. “Nothing concrete, I didn’t want to tell you and get your hopes up. We’ve got Reynolds team and three back up units hunting it down. Maybe something will turn up.”
Vala wiped at the tears with the backs of her hands. “Thank you for telling me. There is hope, isn’t there Jack?”
“There’s always hope. You hungry?” Jack got up from the couch and headed into the kitchen.
“Does a cat have an a…”
“Miss Mal Doran, such language! And you, a pregnant lady.”
“I get it from spending too much time with you.” Vala made several attempts at standing up.
“Ach! Stay put. I’ll cook.”
“You don’t cook, you char meat.”
“I can cook. Just you wait and see.”
She watched him from the couch as he piddled around in Daniel’s kitchen. “You miss her as much as I miss him, and I keep being selfish. I forget that sometimes.”
He turned to look at her. “I miss them all.”
With a disgusted sigh she looked away, “Oh stop it. We’re too invested in this friendship of ours to lie to one another. You love her. You’re miserable…” Vala started to cry all over again. When Jack started towards her Vala held up her hand, “don’t, just cook and lie to yourself. That’s fine with me.”
In the doorway between kitchen and living room Jack stood, spatula in hand, “Ok. I sorta lied. You happy now?”
“Yes. I’m happy and I’m hungry. Don’t burn it though, because I don’t really feel too well and it might make me sick.”
Later, sitting at the table, Vala cried into her salad. Jack was lost. He didn’t have a clue as to what he could say. He poured her a half glass of red wine. “Here drink this, Dr. Lam said you could.”
Vala took the glass and set it untouched on the table. “It’s such a lovely dinner. Here we are, a solicitous handsome man taking care of an emotional pregnant women, a pretty dinner table. Perfectly prepared food; a bottle of wine. Oh my god! It should be him, Jack! It should be Daniel, not you!”
When she stood suddenly he was on his feet taking her in his arms and hugging her. “If I could trade places with him I would, you know that.” While he held her tenderly, morbid thoughts whirled around in his head, What if they never make it back? What are we going to do then? Raise a baby with two miserable parents? An inconsolable space pirate for a mother and a crotchety old general for a surrogate father? Poor little thing was doomed before it even was born. Jack laid his head on the top of Vala’s and let her cry.
* * * *
Sitting on the filthy floor, face to face, mere inches apart through a space between two bars, Sam and Daniel talked, their voices low, meant just for each other.
“Daniel, Jack will take care of her.”
“I know, I’m sure he’s with her now. She’ll drive him nuts.” He managed a weak smile.
Through the space she took one of his hands and squeezed it. “And he will drive her nuts. But he’ll be a big help, he’ll take care of her.”
“And if we don’t make it back?”
“He will stay with her, with them I’m sure of that.”
“Wow, my child raised by Jack O’Neil.”
“He’s had a child. I’m sure he’s an excellent father.”
“Oh, I have no doubt about that, I wouldn’t want anyone else being a surrogate father to my child. It’s just such a bizarre thought. Vala and Jack living together.”
“And… Daniel, if we don’t make it back…they may…”
“Stay together, maybe have another child?”
“Possibly.”
“Not a bad thing, not really, not if I’m dead, not if I can’t be with her.”
“Just weird. After long years of being together -and he will stay, you know that - they would naturally move in that direction.” A small sob escaped Sam, “because neither of them would want to move on without the other.” Sam let go of his hand, turning her back to the bars, her head resting against the metal, tears running unheeded.
“Uh huh. Because of us. It’s their connection to us.” Moisture collected slowly in the corner of Daniel’s eyes. No, not a bad thing. But sad just the same. Using a grimy sleeve Daniel wiped at his eyes and stood to pace.
“
“I missed the wedding. Now I’m missing the birth. Just back off Mitchell!”
“Not that you had a choice,
Sam stood at the bars between the two cells, hers and Teal’c’s and Daniel’s and Mitchell’s. “Are you sure, I mean about missing the birth?”
“Indeed,” Teal’c answered for Daniel, “ValaMalDoran is scheduled to deliver her child soon. There is the possibility that she has already done so.”
Daniel buried his head in his hands then looked up at Mitchell. “You just had to do it didn’t you? You had to argue with them, had to see for yourself. Let’s all go with the nice alien man to his ship and see what else he’s got. You couldn’t wait for back up; nobody even knew we were on that ship. Nobody’s coming to rescue us since we’re a trillion miles from that planet, and the locals on that planet didn’t even understand their own Stargate. We’ve been here four months and not a one of us has a clue as to who these people – if you want to call them that – are.” Daniel was right in Mitchell’s face.
Mitchell didn’t back down. “You saw what he had! You were as
anxious as I was to get your hands on it, probably more since it was Ancient!
Don’t blame me, Jackson! That damned artifact had Merlin written all over it!
And you know it!”
Daniel shoved him back and the two started scuffling.
As Teal’c approached the bars, Sam held up her hand to stop him. “Don’t bother; you know as well as I do they’re going to fight it out again. They both feel guilty. Nothing we can do and I’m tired of tryi…” Her mouth dropped open in complete surprise. Reynolds stood, hands on hips and grinning at the door to the other cell. He turned to Sam and Teal’c, put a finger to his lips and shook his head.
* * * *
Vala woke the next morning to a horrendous back ache. Struggling to get out of bed she moaned and stretched her back. She waddled down the hall to the bathroom, managed to shower and dress and then one hand on her back and the other on her belly she shuffled into the kitchen.
Placing one hand on the counter to steady herself Vala cried out as her stomach contracted painfully then subsided as quickly as it came. “Jack?” He didn’t answer. Hand still at the small of her back where it continued to ache she searched the patio, then listened at the bathroom door. “Jack?” No answer. Down the hall she went, stopping half way, hand braced on the wall when another contraction hit her. Breathing through her nose and out her mouth with little he he hes she managed to get to the door of the guest room. “Jack!?”
Not a sound. She opened the door to find him sprawled face down, head under the pillow, in his T-shirt and boxers. “JACK!?”
He shot up, hands flying out and feet tangling in the sheet and fell flat on the floor. “Son of a bitch!” He stood, picked up the phone and pressed the number. While Vala stood in the doorway moaning, he had the phone held between shoulder and head as he pulled on his Air Force sweet pants. “Carolyn, we’re on our way!” He disconnected and tossed the phone on the bed, took Vala’s arm and rushed her out of the house and into the car.
Neither of them heard the phones ringing. The house phone, and both Vala’s and Jack’s cell phones.
“Just breathe, we’ll be fine… I mean you’ll be fine. I’ve been here before, remember?”
Vala nodded, eyes wide, breathing little he he hes. “Oh god! Jack!”
He started patting his body looking for his cell phone. Damn, he’d left it! “Hand me your cell phone.” Jack thrust his hand out palm up.
“I don’t have it!” he he he he he.
“Son of a bitch!” The speedometer was nearing 70MPH.
“Slow down, you’re making me dizzy.” He he he he.
“I’ll slow down when you slow down!” He was being careful, but he was going too fast just the same.
* * * *
Carolyn hung the phone up. “No one’s answering at the house.”
“And neither one of them is answering their cell phones!” Landry heard the sirens start to blare right before “Incoming wormhole” was shouted through the speakers.
“I’ll be in the Gateroom, waiting for them!” He yelled running out.
“I’ll be waiting for her!” Carolyn yelled back. She wanted
to cry. Daniel was coming back just in time for the baby. Sam and Teal’c were
coming back. Ah, and
*
* * *
They got stopped at the guard gate, for cryin’ out loud! “I swear I’ll have your stripes if you don’t open that goddamned gate right now!” Jack yelled at the poor man.
He squealed tires pulling off and raced as far into the mountain as he could, coming to a screeching halt. Carolyn was rushing out the door just as Jack was helping Vala from the car. “They’re here! They’re here!” She was yelling and both Jack and Vala thought she meant them.
With her team Carolyn whisked Vala along, Jack right beside her. Vala reached for his hand and he took it and smiled nervously. She looked miserable and not from the labor. God, he hated this. Here he was playing surrogate father for a friend he may never see again with a woman, his friend, who was so brokenhearted he could read it clearly in her eyes.
When he looked at her again, the tears were rolling from the corners of her eyes into the sheets of to the gurney. “I’m here. We’ll be fine.”
“Oh, it’s just wonderful!” Carolyn’s happy voice startled Jack. “Everyone’s here, isn’t it wonderful?”
He looked at Vala, “Yes, it is wonderful, Vala. A baby. A Daniel and Vala baby.”
And she smiled into his big brown eyes.
* * * *
Daniel used every curse word that Jack knew and then some as they rushed him toward the infirmary for his post-mission exam.
Landry had filled him in. Then running down the hall with Daniel, Landry told him, in no uncertain terms, that he would have to be cleared before he would be allowed in the delivery room.
Daniel understood, but he still continued his tirade all the way into the infirmary. He looked around searching.
“They’re not here Dr. Jackson,” the nurse told him. “Dr. Lam has them in the isolation room just to be safe. Let’s get you through this as soon as possible. One of the other doctors will be right in. I’ll draw some blood and get it to the lab; they’re waiting and will rush it as best they can. We want to be safe. Okay?”
* * * *
When they rolled her into the isolation/delivery room and started hooking up monitors and changing her into a gown, Jack let go of her hand to leave.
“Stay, please. I need you.” Vala reached out for Jack.
Before Jack could answer a voice came over the microphone. “I’m here sweetheart.”
Both Jack and Vala said, “Daniel!” at the same time and both looked up into the observation booth. There he stood, grinning like the fool he was with Mitchell, Teal’c and Sam standing close behind him.
“Well it’s about time!” Jack hollered up to him in agitation, “Get your sorry ass down here!”
“I can’t - not for a few more minutes. I’m waiting on the final blood work before they’ll let me in there.” He paused, “Jack, stay with her will you? Until I get there?”
“Sure, yabetcha buddy! I’m not going anywhere.”
Vala and Daniel locked eyes and held them, while Jack held Vala’s hand and Sam held Daniel’s hand.
Carolyn looked up, “Her contractions have slowed, Daniel, we have some time.”
Daniel nodded, still looking at Vala. Sam had her eyes
locked with Jack’s. Carolyn looked up again and waved at
The door opened and all Landry had to do was nod at Daniel. He sprinted out at a full run. They stopped him at the door to the delivery room and made him don a sterile gown and wash his hands. Once done, he raced to the side of her bed. He kissed her like he’d never kissed her before. A kiss of love, joy, passion, longing and fear.
The minute Daniel hit the side of the bed, Jack dashed out and ran as fast as he could into the observation booth. He grabbed Carter, pulled her into his arms and lip locked her a big one! “You have got to get a civilian job. You can never go through that…that…that orifice again! I can’t take it anymore; I’m getting too old for this. I don’t care if the whole freakin’ frackin’ frickin’ frelling’ world blows up!”
Mitchell threw up his hands, “I’m outta here.” And he left
the room with Teal’c right behind him.
“Hey, you’re not getting in the pool?” Mitchell called.
Teal’c looked back over his shoulder, one brow raised, the
shadow of a smile on his lips. “There is no pool in
“Harriman’s pool. You know. Boy. Girl. Time, weight and all that baby stuff. It’s big, but I heard not as big as the one General Landry won.”
“What was that…pool?” Teal’c turned around and joined Mitchell.
“Whether or not
“I see. Perhaps I will accompany you and place my wager on the baby.”
* * * *
“Daniel?” General Landry placed a hand on Daniel’s shoulder.
Blinking awake he looked up from his chair beside the bed. “General?”
“It took us a while but we found what you requested.”
Daniel looked over at Vala who was sleeping for the moment and then turned fully around looking disoriented. “Huh?”
Landry indicated the Air Force Captain who stood beside him. “A Chaplin with high enough security clearance. This is Chaplin Jennifer Parks.”
The Chaplin smiled and shook Daniel’s hand. “Dr. Jackson, I believe I have arrived just in time.”
“Yeah. Thank you,” Daniel stood and gently touched Vala’s cheek. “Hey, wake up sleepyhead.”
Vala’s eyes fluttered open. “Daniel?”
“We’ve got a Chaplin.” He grinned at her confused expression. “To marry us. I know it’s not the Elvis Chapel in Vegas but….” Vala took a handful of his hair and pulled him into a kiss.
“Well, I guess that’s a yes.” The Chaplin moved to the other side of the bed and began.
* * * *
A crying baby. What a miraculous sound. Daniel held the little one all swathed in blankets. Tears stung his eyes as he brought the baby and placed it in Vala’s arms. Together they pulled the blankets apart and peered at its tiny perfect body. They both laughed and cried together, and kissed. They kissed the baby. And kissed again. “I love you, Mrs. Jackson.” Daniel told Vala. “I love you too, Mr. Mal Doran.” She teased.
* * * *
“I don’t like Valarie Claire, I don’t like the Valarie part.” Vala peeked over the seat at the sleeping baby.
“It’s like Vala…”
“Nope, don’t like it, Daniel. What about Jacqueline Claire?”
“Are you kidding! I am not naming my daughter after Jack!
“But he was there for me…for us.”
“I know, but - not going to happen. How about
“Hmmm. I like
“Stop it with the Jack! Holy cow! What will people think!”
Vala burst out laughing and baby
“Sorry,” he whispered contrite.
Vala stared at the baby in the back seat. “Daniel, what if we can’t name her?”
“We will.”
“Danielle. Danielle
His head was shaking no, but he was grinning, “Danielle Vala Jackson?”
“Absolutely not! You can’t name a baby that! You may as well name her Jacqueline Samantha! or Cameron Carolyn, or Teal’c Istha… ”
He was laughing so hard he could barely speak. “Ok. Danielle….not bad.”
“I like
“We’ll see.” He placed a hand over hers.
Baby girl Jackson began to fuss as her parents pulled away
from
** The End **
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